NEW DELHI - A senior Indian railway official said Friday that authorities are investigating whether some migrant workers died of starvation or heat sickness this week while travelling on special trains to their home villages in blazing heat after losing their jobs in cities because of the coronavirus lockdown.

Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav said more than 5 million migrant workers and their families were transported this month from cities and towns to their home villages on 3,840 trains. He said 80% returned to two of Indias 28 states, eastern Bihar and northern Uttar Pradesh.

Indian media reported at least a dozen deaths in the past week on the trains, including a 35-year-old woman who was found in Muzaffarpur in Bihar state. A video of her body lying in the train station with her toddler playing nearby was widely shared on social media.

Authorities found two bodies when a train arrived this week in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh state.

Yadav denied reports of food and water shortages on the trains. He declined to specify how many people had died, but said health authorities are investigating the causes. Television reports have shown desperate migrants looting food trolleys at railroad stations and in trains.

Yadav said railroad authorities arranged for doctors to help 30 women deliver babies during their journeys.

A nationwide coronavirus lockdown imposed by the government on March 25 caused many impoverished migrant workers in cities to lose their jobs. Many made grueling and dangerous trips back to their hometowns, with most public transport including trains halted under the lockdown. The government began arranging special trains on May 1 to take migrants home.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 08:40 602 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdad431e 1 Politics 2020-regional-elections,KPU,COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,Tito-Karnavian,Home-Ministry,general-elections,public-health,epidemiologist Free

Public health concerns are mounting over the governments plan to go through with holding the 2020 simultaneous regional elections in December over fears of further virus transmission amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Health experts have warned that holding the elections in December could raise the transmission of the novel coronavirus disease, given the fact that the preliminary stages of the elections will start in June. The stages up to the actual voting will involve assembling many people including election officials, the candidates campaign team members and voters.

Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian has announced that voting in the concurrent regional elections will take place on Dec. 9, after pushing it back from the initial schedule of September.

Experts have dismissed Titos claim that holding elections in December could be an opportunity to help contain the virus, as incumbent candidates would be more motivated to do their best to control the virus transmission if elections were looming.

Read also: We can turn it into an opportunity: Govt defends holding December regional elections

Nurul Nadia, a public health specialist from the Center for Indonesian Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI) suggested that a further delay to 2021 was necessary, arguing this would give time for members of the public to directly interact with the candidates in their respective regions.

"The risk of virus transmission will actually increase [...] Candidates or their campaign teams will still go into communities to campaign," she told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Nadia explained that a further postponement was essential as many regions still lacked testing kits and health logistics.

"If we delay it to 2021 the regional administrations will have more time to pursue efforts in reducing COVID-19 transmission rates in their respective areas. They should ease the transmission by testing people, she added.

Pandu Riono, an epidemiologist at the University of Indonesia echoed the sentiment while also questioning the Health Ministry and the National COVID-19 task force risk analysis in supporting the plan.

Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto initially suggested that polling day should be held after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the pandemic. However, the minister, as well as the national COVID-19 task force chief Doni Monardo, later agreed to the December timetable.

In a letter from Doni to the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Wednesday, a copy of which was obtained by the Post, he instructed the commission to continue election preparations while implementing health protocols to prevent further spread.

Read also: Concerns mount over plan to hold upcoming regional elections in December

Pandu argued that forcing the plan would only endanger the public and threaten election officials' health, pointing out that over 800 election officials across the country died during the 2019 general elections as a result of poor health and exhaustion.

"The minister and the task force chief are responsible if people fall sick and die. Can we sue them if that happens? Will they be responsible for it?"

The plan is very unrealistic. It may fail and is very costly, he said.

Pandu suggested the government consider staggering the elections instead, starting with those areas that are considered safe based on public health indicators.

"Maybe the areas that have relaxed their large-scale social restrictions [PSBB] in stages three or five should be the first so that we have an indicator, because everything is uncertain now, he said.

The Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) stated that the forced implementation of simultaneous regional elections amid a pandemic could potentially cause more harm than benefits.

The organization in conjunction with other elections observers have initiated a petition on Change.org that had been signed by more than 1,600 people as of Thursday, demanding a further delay.

They cited concerns, such as the risk of virus transmission, the politicization of social aid, the lack of a level playing field for incumbent and non-incumbent candidates, as well as a decline in voter participation.

Read also: Business groups embrace 'new normal'. Epidemiologists skeptical

If the regional elections are slated to take place in December, it means the preparations will start in June when the number of COVID-19 cases will still be very high, Titi Anggraini of Perludem said.

This will lead to changes in the preparation process, with extra health protocols that will cause an increase in the budget and adjustments to the regional elections stages.

KPU chairman Arief Budiman predicted an increase in the elections budget of Rp 535.95 billion (US$36.3 million) as it would have to provide larger spaces for voters, extra ballot boxes, masks, disinfectant and hand sanitizer.

Given the current national emergency, I hope that the extra budget for the regional elections can be provided so that we can proceed with the stages, he said.
UPDATE: This story has developed since it was first published. Click here for the latest.

Questions are swirling about exactly what happened to a woman who apparently fell to her death from an apartment balcony in Toronto's High Park neighbourhood on Wednesday.

What began as a 911 call for help for Regis Korchinski-Paquet ended in her death, her family told reporters at a news conference on Thursday.

Korchinski-Paquet was an active member of her church, a talented gymnast and proud of her Ukrainian and Nova Scotian roots, her family's lawyer Knia Singh said Thursday. But in the last five years, Singh said she began experiencing epilepsy, and the family sometimes required help from police.

Speaking outside the apartment building, Singh said Korchinski-Paquet's mother called police around 5:15 p.m. ET to the family's apartment at 100 High Park Ave. after a conflict that left the 29-year-old in "distress."

"I asked the police if they could take my daughter to CAMH, and my daughter ended up dead," said Claudette Korchinski-Beals, referring to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto.

Police Chief Mark Saunders told reporters Thursday that officers received a "frantic" call reporting an assault and were at the scene within four minutes.

Grant Linton/CBC

They arrived on the 24th floor where they met Korchinski-Paquet, her brother and mother in the hallway. As they made their way down the hall, Singh said, "words were exchanged" between Korchinski-Paquet and police.

Korchinski-Paquet then told police she had to use the bathroom, Singh said. Police allowed her into the unit, and her brother witnessed "multiple" officers going in behind her. He tried to go in as well but was stopped from entering.

'How can a call for assistance turn into a loss of life?'

Within a minute or two, Singh said, the family heard commotion. Then, they heard Korchinski-Paquet cry out, "Mom help. Mom help. Mom help."

Story continues

Moments later, there was silence. Police soon confirmed she was dead.

"How can a call for assistance turn into a loss of life?" Singh said.

The family's news conference comes after video of Korchinski-Paquet's mother and cousin emerged on social media alleging police pushed her from the balcony.

"The police killed my daughter," Korchinski-Beals said in one video.

In the days after those comments, the family's lawyer later said it is "waiting on evidence from the investigation before any further conclusions can be made." Singh added that statements made prior to May 28 are not part of the official Korchinski-Paquet statement.

Ontario's police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit, said in a news release Wednesday night that while officers were inside the apartment unit, they "observed a woman on the balcony."

"A short time later, the woman fell from the balcony to the ground below. She was pronounced dead at the scene."

In a second release Thursday, the SIU said it is "aware of allegations made by certain family members of the deceased" and is looking to speak with anyone with information. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

Sannah Choi/CBC

Family calling for any footage to be preserved

What happened inside is still unclear. No family members were inside the unit at the time of her death, and it's unclear if anyone witnessed her fall.

Through their lawyer, the family is now calling for any video footage, including from the apartment's hallway, to be turned over to police. They also called for the officers involved to be named publicly.

They also worry race may have played a role in Korchinski-Paquet's death, citing the case of Andrew Loku, a father of five from Sudan diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder who was shot dead within minutes of police arriving at his apartment in 2015. Police found Loku wielding a hammer, with the officer who fired the fatal shots later testifying he feared for his life.

Korchinski-Paquet's family also cited the case of D'Andre Campbell who was fatally shot by Peel police in Brampton, Ont., in April, after what the SIU called a "domestic situation." Campbell's family said he suffered from mental illness.

"The family is extremely concerned that in recent times people with mental health distress issues across North America are ending up dead after interactions with the police," Singh said.

Police chief urges witnesses to contact SIU

Meanwhile, Toronto's police chief is urging any witnesses to contact the SIU.

"We know this incident has caused a great deal of concern, and our thoughts are with the family and the community," Saunders said in a statement. "Let me be very clear that we want the facts as much as anyone."

Saunders said the force is co-operating with the SIU but is not "legally permitted to discuss the incident at this time."

At a news conference Thursday, he suggested no body cameras were in use at the time, saying, "This might be a textbook case in which body cameras should be provided."

Yan Jun Li/CBC

Toronto Mayor John Tory offered his condolences to the family of Korchinski-Paquet while acknowledging their questions.

Tory said he supports the SIU's investigation, emphasizing the police watchdog is separate and independent from the Toronto police.

"I know that any delay in getting answers is incredibly frustrating for people, myself included, who want to know what happened," he said in a statement. "But this independent investigation is necessary to provide our community with all the facts and to ensure full accountability and transparency."

Meanwhile, an online petition has been launched calling for transparency in the investigation. So far, it has amassed over 9,500 signatures.

'What happened for her to be on the ground?'

Outside the building on Wednesday night, Roy Dawson, a pastor of Peace Community Church of Jesus Christ told CBC News that Korchinski-Paquet was an active member of his congregation who came to virtually every church cookout.

"She was a delight," he said.

"She was very kind. She'd give you anything. She'd give you the shirt off her back if she had to."

Dawson said he was getting ready for a virtual Bible study when he got a call from family members saying, "Please come now. She's dead.' I was hoping it was not true," he said.

Like the family, Dawson has questions about just what happened.

"What happened for her to be on the ground? The sad thing is I couldn't get that answer because it was only police and her alone in the apartment. And for me, that makes me really uneasy."
ALTON  Most Alton restaurants took it slow in reopening for sit-down outdoor service on Friday, the first day they could do so under state guidelines.

Fast Eddies Bon Air had a large crowd starting at 11 a.m. Macs Time Out had about 20 customers shortly before noon. But most other restaurants were taking it a little slower.

Along Third and State streets in downtown Alton, restaurant and bar workers were making final preparations to open, but many were staggering their hours.

Macs opened at 11 a.m. while State Street Market opted for noon. Cat Daddys  which was only offering drinks  Ragin Cajun and the Firehouse were set for 2 p.m. openings. Bossanova waited for 4 p.m.

Russ Smith, owner of Bossanova, said they did a pretty good carry-out and online business during the pandemic shutdown, but they were ready to seat customers.

It changed when Missouri opened up, he said. We lost a lot of revenue once they started.

And there are tricks to it that were still learning, he added. I suspect that both carry-out and online will be a bigger part of revenue going forward.

Smith said they already had tables outside but will space them out a little more and add some to the street space. He acknowledged its a difficult time for restaurants and bars.

There are bills, bills, bills, and they dont ever stop, he said. Weve muddled through, and we have most of our employees back with us. Well jump right into this and were ready to go.

He added that, with the restrictions on capacity, it will be interesting how his customer base reacts.

We have a lot of regulars who are ready to come back, Smith said.

Terri Beaubien of State Street Market said they have gotten through by doing curbside service since early April.

We are extremely excited, because thats always what weve prided ourselves on  guest service, she said.

Being able to be face-to-face with customers is important, she said. But we also take this very seriously and the most important thing is the safety of our customers and our workers.

In addition to seating in the front, State Street Market also has outdoor seating in the rear. She said they have also set up some guidelines for both workers and customers, like not moving tables.

Beaubien said it is important to be flexible.

We are learning a new way of doing business, she said.

At Macs Time Out, owner Mac Lenhardt was looking over the outdoor dining area where about 20 people were seated.

Every table is bolted down and six feet apart, he said. We did that years ago.

Many of the diners were opting for hamburgers and beer. He said steaks would come later, and then the younger crowd at night.

Well be fine; I think theyre ready, he said, adding the business took advantage of the down time to make some repairs and improvements.

Weve been working six days a week, 10 to 12 hours per day, doing updates and making our kitchen more efficient, Lenhardt said, adding he kept a minimum of seven people working and is hoping to soon be back up to 40.

At a nearby table, Donna Dean of Godfrey and her husband, Pat, were eating on the first day of renewed dining.

Im glad that everythings opening up, she said, adding she had mainly been cooking at home during the stay-at-home order and was tired of it.

For her first meal, she opted for a hamburger and fries.

On the other side of Macs, Vicky File, of Fosterburg, was with her daughter, Amanda Carter, of Alton.

Fabulous  weve been waiting 74 days for this, File said of her chicken kebabs. Carter opted for the seafood salad.

File said they did a lot of takeout during the pandemic, supporting local restaurants.

I work from home, so it was not a big stretch for me to stay home, File said. But it was hard because I didnt get to go out and enjoy people. I miss people.

Carter said she was getting used to the stay-at-home rules, but now everything was getting normal again.

At State Street Market, Emily Sirianni and Mandy Fox were the first customers seated. Both work for MERS Goodwill, and Fox was visiting Siriannis office.

We wanted to support the community, said Sirianni, adding she has mostly been doing her own cooking.

I was bored with everything, she said, noting it was nice to have someone wait on her.

Fox said it was very difficult to deal with all the restrictions caused by the pandemic.

Its been hard at work, and with grocery shopping, and making sure youre following all the rules, she said.

She added it was nice to be sitting outside on a sunny day.

A few doors down, at Morrisons Irish Pub, they were setting up but said they would not be opening Friday. They are trying to determine exactly how to set up for a planned Tuesday opening.

We have to get our fresh foods in. We have to prep the food, co-owner Mary Morrison said. Were going to do a limited menu, but it should still have a nice, broad spectrum for everybody  some nice Irish food and a couple of new Irish drinks.

She said they were excited about reopening.

Theres been some rough times, she said. But you can get through rough times when you have the support of a town.
The finance ministry is not in favour of increasing goods and services tax rates on non-essential items in the next month's meeting of the GST Council, despite depressed revenue collections due to the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19.

If goods and services tax (GST) rates are increased on non-essential items, sources said it will further bring down their demand and impede the overall economic recovery.

Post the lockdown, the demand has to be induced and economic activity has to improve on all fronts, not just on essential items side, they said.

However, the decision will be taken by the GST Council headed by the finance minister, according to sources.

Rates will come up for discussion during the council meeting next month to be attended by state finance ministers, they added.

The 39th meeting of GST Council was held in March, which proposed rationalisation of taxes on many items.

The nationwide lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 for 21 days in the first leg in a bid to contain the spread of novel coronavirus. It was then extended till May 3 and then again till May 17. The fourth phase of lockdown is in place till May 31.

The lockdown has led to a major shrinkage in GST collections. The government deferred the release of April GST revenue collection data due to the lockdown.

The government had last month extended the deadline to file GST returns for March to May 5, from April 20.

As per convention, the government releases GST revenue collection number on the basis of cash collection in a particular month. However, with the situation arising out of COVID-19, the government has decided to wait till the extended deadline for filing returns before release of the collection figure.

Sources further said that the government has not taken any call on monetisation of deficit at this point of time to shore up its resources.

Nobody knows how this COVID-19 pandemic pans out, what shape it is going to take, what kind of impact it will have on the Indian economy, and globally also no country knows today what lies three months later, sources said.

As of now, the government has increased the borrowing limit from Rs 7.8 lakh crore to Rs 12 lakh crore, which is Rs 4.2 lakh crore higher than the Budget estimate.

The RBI's monetisation of the fiscal deficit broadly means the central bank printing currency for the government to take care of any emergency spending and to bridge its fiscal deficit this action is resorted to under emergency situations.

Sources, however said, there is a need to bring down cost of borrowing for the government in the given situation.

As a result of this, the government has to withdraw 7.75 per cent Savings (Taxable) Bonds scheme from the close of banking business on Thursday.

The scheme, commonly known as RBI Bonds or GOI bonds, is popular among retail investors who look for safety of principal and a regular income. NRIs, however, are not eligible for making investments in these bonds.

On issues pertaining to labourers with regard to wages and opportunities, sources said the finance ministry has initiated talks with the Labour Ministry on job losses and salary cuts due to the lockdown.

The Labour Ministry will engage in talks with the states on the issue, they added.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Artesia Police Department is continuing to investigate a shooting incident Thursday evening that left one man wounded.

Officers were dispatched around 6:45 p.m. Thursday to the 400 block of Cleveland Avenue in reference to multiple reports of shots fired. According to Fridays public record, five such reports were made between 6:46 and 6:49 p.m.

Once on scene, police discovered one male individual suffered injuries to three of his limbs. According to Cmdr. Lindell Smith, the man was transported to Artesia General Hospital, then to an out-of-state hospital. Smith said the wounds were listed as serious. The victims current condition is unknown.

After receiving information that a wanted individual was inside, police obtained a search warrant for a home in the area. The house was subsequently entered by the Eddy County Sheriffs Office Tactical Response Team; the wanted individual, however, was not found inside.

Smith reports a female was taken into custody on an unrelated issue.

Smith says evidence was collected from the scene, and detectives are continuing to gather statements. Anyone with potential information regarding this crime and/or its perpetrators is urged to contact the APD at 746-5000 and ask to speak to a detective.
New Delhi: Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin was left grievously injured after he was attacked by unknown assailants in Islamabad on May 25, as reliable sources from Pakistan.

According to sources, the attack on the Hizbul chief was planned by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). While further update on his health is awaited, speculations are rife that the attack on the Hizbul chief is linked to the recent tiff between ISI and Salauddin.

Sources further revealed that the aim behind the attack was not to claim his life but send a message to the Hizbul chief. Meanwhile, Salahuddin was immediatly shifted to a safer place following the attack.

For the last few months, Salauddin, who also heads the United Jihad Council (UJC), a Pakistan-based conglomeration of various terror groups sponsored by ISI, was unhappy with the agency over the lack of support to Hizbul. Recent reports stated that Hizbul cadres were not provided adequate training, weapons and ammunition, thus allowing a major fallout between Salahuddin and the ISI.

Moreover, after the elimination of Hizbul top commander Riyaz Naikoo in an encounter at south Kashmir by Indian Army, Salahuddin openly criticized the ISI during an interaction with the Hizbul cadres in PoJK.

Senior Hizbul sources in PoJK too believe that ISI may have planned to attack Salahuddin in a bid to send a strong signal to other outfit cadres to toe their line.
SYDNEY, Australia  A student activist has been suspended from one of Australias leading universities after calling for democracy in Hong Kong and repeatedly criticizing Chinese influence on campus.

The student, Drew Pavlou, 20, a philosophy major at the University of Queensland, has been barred until 2022, through the end of his term as a student member of the university senate. He had been six months from graduating.

Its a calculated move to silence me, said Mr. Pavlou, who describes himself as a human rights advocate. Its because the University of Queensland wants to do everything possible to avoid offending its Chinese allies.

University officials did not offer a reason for the suspension, which was announced Friday night by a disciplinary panel, but the move followed 11 allegations of misconduct that focused mainly on Mr. Pavlous unorthodox tactics and combative comments on social media.
Islamabad, May 29 : Confusions confounded existed in the Pakistan Foreign Office as it tied itself in knots earlier this week. After IANS reported on how the Maldivian and the UAE Ambassadors in the OIC meeting in New York delivered a crippling blow to Pakistan chicanery over reported Indian 'Islamophobia, Pakistans foreign office went and put its foot in the mouth, shoes and socks included.

Incidentally, Pakistan's leading daily 'Dawn' also reported the same story. Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqi created more confusion by countering the story, saying that it was misleading.

Pakistan's own 'Dawn' trashed the Foreign Office (FO), saying: "The FO statement recapped points from the speech of Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN in New York Munir Akram about growing incidents of Islamophobia in India and gravity of the situation. It then went on say that 'a large number of OIC ambassadors' shared the concerns about the situation in India and supported the need for a coordinated OIC position on Islamophobia at the UN.

"The statement's assertion that 'a large number of ambassadors' supported Pakistani position implies that not all of them backed it. Furthermore, the statement skipped Maldivian objection." A Maldivian foreign ministry statement on the meeting slam dunked Pakistan Foreign Office, saying: "Maldives cannot support any action within OIC that singles out or targets India." Dawn also went onto offer a strong reasoning for the diplomatic fiasco, suggesting that in the normal course in the OIC meetings, participants with non-conforming views were traditionally brought around by "heavy weight" -- a reference to Saudi Arabia and Egypt -- but in this instance the Maldives persisted with its objection and there was no reach-out by any of the so-called heavyweights on the controversial remark.
Vacancy rates in city fringe office markets like Richmond, Cremorne and South Melbourne, locations popular with technology companies and creative startups, are expected to almost double by the end of next year as a wave of new buildings come online, JLL forecasts.

Strong demand is driving growth in new Cremorne offices. Credit:Derek Swallwell

Fringe developers like Riverlee Group, Alfasi Property, the Deague family and Hickory Group are tussling for tenants.

New supply, withdrawals of other buildings and likely demand will all impact vacancy which is predicted to rise to 13.7 per cent by the end of 2021 and reach a second peak in 2024 of 14.3 per cent, JLL estimates.

Vacancy in the fringe currently sits at 7.7 per cent.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
JAKARTA, Indonesia - Muslims in some parts of Indonesia attended Friday prayers as mosques closed by the coronavirus for weeks were allowed to start reopening in the worlds most populous Muslim nation.

The guidelines for worship facilities released by religious affairs minister Fachrul Razi on Friday change many traditions in mosques. Worshippers usually pray shoulder to shoulder, and they huddle, hug and shake hands once the prayer ends, with cheek-to-cheek kisses common.

Muslims in the Jakarta satellite city of Bekasi were expected to stay at least one meter (yard) apart with no handshaking, and heard shorter sermons. No children were allowed to join the prayers, and police and soldiers ensured health protocols such as social distancing and mask wearing were observed.

Similar scenes were seen in another satellite city of Bogor, and in Makassar, a big city on Sulawesi island.

President Joko Widodo said his administration wants Indonesia to remain productive economically but also safe from the virus.

The government is gradually deploying 340,000 security personnel to enforce health rules as the country prepares to reopen its economy.

Indonesia has recorded more than 25,200 coronavirus cases and more than 1,500 deaths, the highest number of fatalities in Southeast Asia.

In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region:

 MANILA LOCKDOWN EASING: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is relaxing a lockdown in the capital as the economy weakens and the government helps feed millions restricted to their homes. Metropolitan Manila will move to a more relaxed quarantine on Monday after more than two months of police- and military-enforced lockdown. More work and business operations, along with public transport, will be allowed to resume, but physical distancing and other safeguards will be required. Duterte made the announcement hours after the Department of Health reported a single-day spike of 539 infections, more than 60% of them in the congested capital. That brought the total number of infections to 15,588, including 921 deaths.

 ANOTHER RECORD JUMP IN INDIA: India registered another record daily increase with 7,466 new coronavirus cases. The Health Ministrys new figures on Friday show India now has 165,799 confirmed cases with 4,706 deaths, which both now exceed China. Indias two-month lockdown is set to end on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modis government is expected to issue new guidelines this weekend, possibly extending the lockdown in worst-hit areas as it promotes economic activity. Most cases are concentrated in states with densely populated cities, but cases have been increasing in some of Indias poorest eastern states after migrant workers who lost jobs in the cities returned to their native villages.

 THAI RULES EASING: Thai authorities are further relaxing restrictions imposed two months ago to contain the coronavirus. Cinemas, theatres, zoos and aquariums can reopen Monday but must limit the number of admissions. Cinemas can sit a maximum of 200 people at a time, seated at a safe distance from each other with the exceptions of couples. Other establishments allowed to reopen include massage parlours, gyms, bowling alleys and sports venues. Thailand has had only single-digit increases in cases for most of May. On Friday it announced 11 new cases, bringing the total to 3,076 including 57 deaths.

 WAREHOUSE CONCERNS: South Korea reported 58 new cases in the Seoul area as officials scramble to stem transmissions linked to a massive e-commerce warehouse near the capital. The figures brought national totals to 11,402 infections and 269 deaths. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun called for officials to examine working conditions at warehouses of online shopping companies and other congested workplaces where infection risks may be high.

 RULES RELAXED FOR CHURCHES: Australias New South Wales state will allow larger religious gatherings starting Monday. Australias largest state changed its guidance after Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher noted the rules were unfairly more strict on churches than pubs. Their capacity limits will increase from 10 to 50 people from Monday. It is crucial that worshipers remember to follow health advice, especially people vulnerable to the virus, state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said. The states chief health officer, Kerry Chant, advised finding alternatives to church practices that might spread the virus, like singing, sharing books and passing around collection plates.

 ONE ACTIVE CASE: New Zealand is down to just one person in the entire nation of 5 million people who is known to be infected with the coronavirus after no new cases have been detected for the past week. In total, 1,504 people were found to have contracted the virus. Of those, 1,481 have recovered and 22 died. About 275,000 people have been tested. The country has set a goal to eliminate the virus altogether, an ambition aided by a strict lockdown in late March that has been gradually eased in recent weeks.

 NO NEW CASES IN CHINA: China on Friday again reported no new cases of the coronavirus and no new deaths. Just 70 people remain in hospitals and another 414 are being isolated and monitored for possibly having the disease or for having tested positive without showing any symptoms. China has reported a total of 4,634 deaths from the disease among 82,995 cases.

 THANKS TO MEDICAL WORKERS: A Japanese Air Self-Defence Forces aerobatics team performed a demonstration flight to express gratitude to medical workers. The six Blue Impulse aircraft flew for about 20 minutes over Tokyo to thank medical personnel, who have faced discrimination from those who fear being infected. Japan ended a seven-week state of emergency on Monday. It had 16,719 cases and 874 deaths as of Thursday, according to the health ministry. The governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, said Friday the city is ready to move to step 2 of a three-phase road map to gradually reopen businesses. As of June, theatres, cinemas, gyms and retailers will be allowed to open.
China approves plan to impose Hong Kong security law

WORLD: Chinas parliament yesterday (May 28) approved plans to impose a security law on Hong Kong that has ratcheted up tensions with the US and sparked new protests over fears the city is losing its special freedoms.

Chinesepolitics

By AFP

Friday 29 May 2020, 09:41AM

The latest unrest in Hong Kong comes days after China announced plans to impose a sweeping national security law on the city following last years huge and often violent pro-democracy rallies. Photo: AFP

The vote by the rubber-stamp National Peoples Congress (NPC) spurred the US and Britain to call for the United Nations Security Council to meet informally today to discuss the issue.

And it came hours after Washington revoked the special status conferred on Hong Kong, paving the way for the territory to be stripped of trading and economic privileges.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the status had been withdrawn because China was no longer honouring its handover agreement with Britain to allow Hong Kong a high level of autonomy.

No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, Pompeo said.

China made the security law a priority at its annual NPC session, after huge pro-democracy protests rocked the financial hub for seven months last year.

The law would punish secession, subversion of state power, terrorism and acts that endanger national security, as well as allow mainland security agencies to operate openly in Hong Kong.

Delegates endorsed plans for the law with an almost unanimous vote and enthusiastic applause.

Li Zhanshu - the chairman of the NPC Standing Committee which will now draft the law - said the move was in line with the fundamental interests of all Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots.

Hong Kongs embattled leader, Carrie Lam, said she welcomed the resolution being passed.

As required in the resolution, Lam said she would submit regular reports to Beijing and step up law enforcement and public education for safeguarding national security.

But the law has met fierce criticism.

Its the end of Hong Kong.... They are cutting off our souls, taking away the values which weve always embraced, values like human rights, democracy, rule of law, pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo told AFP.

Joshua Wong, a prominent pro-democracy activist, told AFP the security law will kill Hong Kongs democratic movements.

The US tried on Wednesday to call for a formal meeting of the Security Council to discuss the move, but was blocked by China.

It joined forces with Britain a day later to try again, this time calling for an informal, closed-door videoconference of the Security Council in a format that allows any member to raise various issues and which China cannot in principle oppose.

The meeting is set to go ahead this morning, diplomats told AFP.

US action

Under a US law passed last year aimed at supporting Hong Kongs pro-democracy movement, Washington must certify that Hong Kong still enjoys the promises of freedom made by Beijing when it negotiated with Britain to take back the colony.

But Beijings proposed security law lies in direct conflict with those commitments and put China in violation of its international obligations, the US and Britain said in a joint statement with allies Canada and Australia yesterday.

A day earlier Washington signalled that the city could lose its trading privileges - including lower tariffs than the mainland - with the worlds largest economy.

President Donald Trump said he would be announcing what were doing with respect to China at a press conference today, saying he was not happy with Beijing but giving no specific details.

David Stilwell, the top State Department official for East Asia, stressed that the United States did not want to hurt the people of Hong Kong, adding: This decision was made by the government in Beijing, and not by the US.

Chinas foreign ministry office in the financial hub said yesterday that the US revoking Hong Kongs special status was the most barbaric, the most unreasonable and the most shameless.

Anthem law

Washingtons move came after fresh protests broke out in Hong Kong on Wednesday over another controversial proposed law that criminalises insults to the national anthem.

Police fired pepper ball rounds at protesters and arrested more than 300 people, mostly for unlawful assembly.

Its like a de facto curfew now, Nathan Law, a prominent pro-democracy advocate, told AFP.

I think the government has to understand why people are really angry.

But a spokesperson from Beijings liaison office in Hong Kong issued a warning to the protesters not to play with fire, in comments supporting the security law and carried by state news agency Xinhua.

Under the one country, two systems model agreed before the citys return from Britain to China, Hong Kong is supposed to be guaranteed certain liberties until 2047 that are denied to those on the mainland.

The mini-constitution that has governed Hong Kongs affairs since the handover obliges the territorys authorities to enact national security laws.

But an effort to do so in 2003 was shelved after huge protests by Hong Kongers.
New Delhi, May 29 : Octogenarian Congress leader Saifuddin Soz's wife has moved the Supreme Court challenging his house arrest since August 5 last year.

Mumtazunnisa Soz said ten months have passed since his first detention, and he is yet to be informed of his grounds of detention. She said her husband has always supported the Union of India and consistently upheld the constitutional principles, respect for the nation and vehemently opposed and separatist or anti-India voices in Jammu and Kashmir.

In the petition filed through advocate Sunil Fernandes, she said her husband's detention is wholly contrary and perverse to the constitutional safeguards laid down under Article 21 and 22 of the Constitution, as well as the law on preventive detention.

She insisted that her husband has consistently demonstrated an unwavering loyalty to the Constitution even in the face of separatist threats, and therefore cannot be considered by any stretch of imagination to be a threat to public safety.

"Not only does it attract the vice of unconstitutionality, it is also in stark contravention of the statutory scheme of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Act'), under which the detention has purportedly been made," the plea said.

The petitioner urged the top court to issue a writ in the nature of habeas corpus or any other appropriate direction to the Centre to produce Soz, before the court.

The petitioner argued that her husband has not committed any breach of peace, neither has he disturbed the public tranquility, nor likely to do any wrongful act that may lead to breach of peace or cause any disturbance of public tranquility.

"However, Prof. Soz has been detained and put under house arrest since August of 2019 and the reasons for detention and arrest have never been informed till date, thereby making his detention not only illegal, malafide and unconstitutional, but also extremely appalling," she contended.

Detailing the reason to move the apex court, Soz's wife said grounds for arrest have not been furnished even till date, and he has been kept under detention for an indefinite period. "For someone who has been following constitutional methods for his entire long and storied career, cannot at this advanced stage, even be suspected of having any intention whatsoever to do anything against Constitutional values," said the petition.
Conspiracies on Bill Gates have scattered through the internet. This is because of the things Gates has been doing during the coronavirus pandemic. Fast Company mentioned that a pastor by the name Adam Fannin had been allegedly claiming that the coronavirus vaccine that Bill Gates and his Microsoft team is creating and conducting research on will be used to lessen the world population.

Microsoft's Bill Gates

Moreover, Fannin mentioned that Bill Gates and the Microsoft team would be working on devices that carry digital certificates and dot tattoos that will serve as identification markers of people who are diagnosed positive with the COVID-19 virus. These devices will be implanted inside people, much like the predictions on the Antichrist activities.

As stated in the article, Fannin created false allegations towards the doings of Bill Gates and Microsoft. South China Morning Post also stated that African conspiracy theorists have also expressed their opinions online, including a politician from Kenya.

Because of this, misinformation has been widespread across the internet and false allegations through online posts have fueled the widespread misinformation on Gates's contributions to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Mike Sonko, a governor from Africa, brought up a video of Bill Gates discussing global pandemic and how Gates warned people of the possibility of a worldwide health crisis. The caption of the video stated that the Bill Gates video was released in 2015.

Sonko released the video on Facebook and gained millions of views. Since the video was recorded in 2015, Bill Gates did not mention the coronavirus specifically. He just said that there was a possibility of a global pandemic.

Because of this video and other similar platforms in which Bill Gates has discussed the possibility of a global health crisis, Bill Gates became a central topic to conspiracy theorists whether Gates has anything to do with the coronavirus pandemic.

Read Also: COVID-19 Has Now Killed More People in the US than the Mercedes Benz Stadium Can Hold Yet Many Still Party Ignoring Social Distancing

Bill Gates's Warning

A Netflix show by the name Coronavirus Explained explains a general overview of the COVID-19 virus. The show discusses the different possibilities when threats of an infectious disease transpire and the things that will happen when a global pandemic happens.

One of the prominent figures that were interviewed for his take on the threat of infectious diseases spreading globally was Bill Gates. The interview can be read in Vox. Bill Gates stated in the interview that he saw the idea of a global health crisis coming. He has expressed through his TED talks and various interviews about this issue and people have fallen short on taking Gates's statements seriously.

NBC News reported that Bill Gates had funded the research on the coronavirus vaccine in Microsoft's very own research laboratories. Millions of dollars were invested in the research of the coronavirus vaccine. This is to help in the combat against the global pandemic known as the COVID-19 virus.

The supercomputers of Microsoft and Microsoft's research experts and scientists will be the frontline regiment of the research on the coronavirus pandemic in Microsoft's research laboratories. Moreover, Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda Gates, have donated $125 million using the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as its platform.

Read Also: Elon Musk Admits Mistakes About COVID-19: Old Tweets Uncovered as SpaceX CEO Wants to Take Them Back
A senior doctor of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Jharkhands capital Ranchi has been accused of attempting to rape a junior colleague currently serving in the Covid ward of the hospital, police said on Friday.

The police, however, are in a catch-22 situation over the possible arrest of the senior doctor, since he went into quarantine for 14 days the morning after the alleged incident.

Officer-in-charge of Bariatu police station, Sapan Mahta said, The lady doctor in her statement said that they were on duty in Covid ward on Wednesday night. After the duty hours, the senior doctor came to her room and switched off lights and attempted to sexually assault her. The incident took place on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday as per the statement of the lady doctor.

Mahta said the senior doctor has been booked under sections 376 (rape) and 511 (attempt to commit an offence) of the IPC. We have recorded the statement of the victim. Now, her statement will be recorded before a magistrate, he said.

For Coronavirus Live Updates

Mahta, however, said the police was in a fix over taking immediate action against the doctor as he is in quarantine. The doctor went into quarantine on Thursday morning after the alleged incident on Wednesday night. We are trying to solve this issue technically, he said.

A senior official at RIMS said the doctors who serve in the Covid ward for a week are sent to quarantine for 14 days as preventive measure. The senior doctor in question is right now serving quarantine at a city hotel.

The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19

Meanwhile, Junior Doctors Association, RIMS, has demanded speedy action into the case. We want fair inquiry into the case and the victim should get justice at the earliest, said the association president Dr Ajit Kumar.
Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
CONWAY, S.C.  The first mention of the coronavirus pandemic was a joke.

A master of ceremonies was explaining to a crowd of more than 100 people why the keynote speakers  home-state Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott  were running a bit late.

You have to understand, they havent got to do any politicking for a while, said the M.C., Robert Rabon of the Horry County Republican Party. Theyre like a kid in a candy store  theyre going wild!

And with that passing mention, South Carolina Republicans returned to the normal rhythm of the campaign trail, coronavirus all the same.

The outdoor gathering here on Thursday was a send-off event for Cleo Steele, a longtime Republican Party operative in Horry County, who is retiring to Ohio. Speakers shared the same microphone. Local and state political candidates greeted voters with handshakes and squeezed tight for pictures. Of all the people gathered outside the county Republican office  many of them senior citizens  fewer than a dozen wore masks.
New York, the US city worst-hit by the coronavirus, is "on track" to start reopening the week of June 8, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Friday.

The financial capital of eight million people, where COVID-19 has killed around 21,500, is close to meeting seven metrics that will allow it to slowly emerge from its lockdown of more than two months, Cuomo said.

"We will stay on track by focusing on the hotspots," the governor tweeted.
A close relative of missing Theo Hayez claims the family 'did the work of the police' in their search to find him in Byron Bay.

The Belgian backpacker vanished on May 31 last year after leaving Cheeky Monkey's bar in Byron Bay, northern New South Wales. He hasn't been seen or heard from since.

Police began a land, sea and air search when they were alerted to his disappearance by staff at the Wake Up! Hostel in Byron Bay on June 6.

As thousands of volunteers descended to Byron Bay in hopes of finding Theo, his cousin Lisa Hayez revealed she had access to more information than the police.

'The police had a lot of restrictions so they couldn't just get into his Google account because they had to ask permission,' she said on Triple J's Hack.

'So I tried to do it with my brother, we were just trying to find his passwords and asked his parents to try and get in.

'We eventually found his Google and Facebook password and that helped a lot.'

Theo (pictured with his girlfriend) was travelling Australia on a gap year after finishing school in Belgium

Lisa knew it was worrying when Theo's mother texted her saying she hadn't heard from her son in a few days.

'His mum texted me saying she hadn't heard from him in a few days but then I tried calling him and his phone was off and that's when I started worrying and called the hostel and they said he hadn't come back in a while.'

Theo's godfather Jean-Philippe Pector shed a few tears as he spoke candidly about his disappearance.

'It's difficult to give adjectives about someone who love and someone that is dear to us. But he's such an amazing young man very clever,' he said.

As the family continues to search and look for their beloved Theo, Mr Pector described the unknown as 'extremely exhausting'.

'The first thing that comes to mind is something extremely exhausting, the not knowing of what happened and the not being able to fully understand the circumstances that makes our brains work day and night.'

Lisa echoed his sentiments saying it was 'really upsetting' when police stopped their search.

Almost a year later, his family have not given up on finding him. Pictured: Theo's father Lehore Hayez (centre) at a media conference in 2019

Police officers conduct a search for Theo in bushland near Tallows Beach in Byron Bay

Theo's family, who have set up a new website, released a statement on Monday night begging anyone with information to come forward.

'One year on, we believe that there is much more to Theo's story than has been brought to light,' the statement reads.

'Theo's family and friends, those living in Byron Bay and everyone who is concerned for the safety of young travellers are eager for the full story of that night to be understood.

'We know that many people are struggling at the moment and we are so grateful for all the different ways that people continue to show their support and their love.'

Theo's parents, Vinciane Delforge and Laurent Hayez, released their own statement on Monday saying they 'missed their son very much'.

'We have high hopes in the work of the New South Wales Coroner and his team of dedicated lawyers and we continue to believe that someone has information that could provide new evidence,' they said.

'We beg potential witnesses to come forward.

'The support we receive online counts for a lot. We know that we are not alone and every message, drawing or photos with Theo's name comforts us and allows us to endure this ordeal.'

A grey Puma cap was found in bushland at Tallows Beach, with Theo's family confirming the cap belonged to the missing backpacker

Data fro Theo's phone has traced this route as his last known movements before he vanished on the night of May 31 2019

Search efforts for the 19-year-old have continued into 2020, with police conducting DNA tests on hair found in what is believed to be Theo's grey cap, which was discovered in bushland off Tallows Beach.

Theo's family thanked those involved in the search - and gave an insight into the police investigation.

'Since the beginning of the year, we have spoken less publicly about developments,' the post reads.

'Far from us giving up hope or dedication, the main reason is because the ongoing police process means we need to be careful about what we say.

'We think about Theo every minute and would like to share any information that may help to find out what happened to him but we have to be careful that we also give the police the best chance of finding this out.

'It breaks our hearts every day and we hope that they will soon have some clarity for us. The police investigation is ongoing and we are grateful for this but we have been asked not to provide details.

'New searches have taken place and police have provided us with the results from the DNA testing conducted on the two hairs found in the cap.'

The hat was found by a member of the public in the same area where the last 'ping' from Theo's phone was recorded on June 1 around the Cape Byron Lighthouse.

Theo's family is certain the hat is his - but DNA testing on the material was inconclusive.

They have maintained Theo was not alone on the night he disappeared.

Theo Hayez was last seen leaving Cheeky Monkey's bar in Byron Bay on May 31

The new website has helped the family extend their voice to reach a more broad international audience to find any leads to track down Theo.

'We still believe that someone out there could help us to find out what really happened by providing us with some information about that night,' the post continues.

The leading theory in Theo's disappearance is that he fell while trying to climb cliffs near Tallows Beach and his body washed away.

Theo was travelling Australia on a gap year after finishing school in Belgium.

Police began a land, sea and air search when they were alerted to his disappearance by staff at the Wake Up! Hostel in Byron Bay on June 6.

Thoe was last seen leaving the Cheeky Monkey Bar on May 31 in Byron Bay, northern New South Wales

The hostel staff raise the alarm after finding his belongings, including his passport, left there untouched.

Theo's father, Laurent Hayez, flew into Australia that month and made an emotional public appeal to help find his son.

'I promised Theo's little brother that I would bring his brother home. Please, help me keep my promise to him,' he told reporters through tears at Tweed Heads Police Station.

Theo's disappearance made headlines around the world and several volunteer groups formed to search for him.

The case has been referred to the NSW coroner.
BRIDGETON  After getting into an argument last week, a city man punched and choked a woman until she went unconscious, according to court documents, then dragged her dead body from a warehouse to the Cohansey River, where police found her unclothed the next day.

Patrick Spann, 39, who has been charged in the May 21 murder of 37-year-old Tracy L. Dubois, of Rogers Avenue, had blood spots on his clothes and his hands were covered in blood when police arrested him last Friday, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Bridgeton man charged with murder after police find woman's body on riverbank BRIDGETON  A city man was charged with murder Friday after police found the body of a local

Spann, whose last known address is on Bank Street, has also been charged with desecration of human remains, tampering with physical evidence and theft of Dubois prescription drugs, among other charges.

Spanns detention hearing, slated for Thursday afternoon, was postponed after the state was granted a three-day continuance, court records show. Hes now scheduled to appear virtually 1 p.m. Tuesday before county Superior Court Judge Robert Malestein.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

About 8 a.m. last Friday, officers responded to a former commercial property in the 100 block of Grove Street after receiving a 911 tip, according to a post on the city Police Departments Facebook page. After searching the area, officers found Dubois body.
The level of savings by households in Ireland jumped by a record 3bn in April as consumers in lockdown were unable to spend.

Figures from the Central Bank show that deposits from Irish resident households saw the largest increase in since they began recording the figures in 2003.

The data coincides with figures released today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) which confirm that the volume of retail sales decreased by 35.4% last month when compared to March.

The lockdown also meant that online sales represented 15.5% of the total turnover for all businesses, the highest online share since the collection of this breakdown began in 2018.

The proportion of clothing, footwear and textiles sold online increased almost eightfold compared to March with 81% of all sales taking place online.

The Central Bank said households across the country lodged 9.7bn more than they withdrew representing a growth rate of 9.1% over the year.

Deposits from non-financial corporations also increased, by 1.2bn which the Central Bank said may highlight an increased focus on cash management by companies given the current economic environment.

With the vast majority of retail outlets closed for the month of April, the CSO recorded the largest monthly decrease in spending since January 2009 when sales fell by 16.8%. The fall in retail sales had already begun in March with a 12.5% drop.

Bars and pubs, furniture and lighting, clothing and footwear and the motor trade all saw drops of more than 70%. Department stores, hardware stores and books, stationery and newspapers all saw falls of more than 50%.

The only sectors to show a volume increase in sales between March and April were supermarkets and outlets selling food, beverages and tobacco.

With a lack of consumer spending and an increase in saving the retail sector is hoping there will be pent up demand from shoppers once retailers are allowed reopen.

The latest Consumer Market Monitor report, published by the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and the Marketing Institute of Ireland, said some of this lost spending may have been deferred and may come back later in the year.

"There is discussion in some quarters about the effect of pent-up demand and whether this may give a noticeable sales bounce across various sectors in the latter part of the year. This would be welcome if it happens but is unlikely to be enough to make up for almost a whole year of lost sales."

Retail Excellence, which supports 2,000 retailers across the country, has been in communication with retailers and retail associations across the globe and said Ireland can expect to enter two phases.

The first will be a pent up demand phase where consumers will demonstrate demand in certain product categories but will shop very functionally and cautiously off a pre-decided shopping list. This will be followed by a return to consumer hibernation due to health and safety and financial prudence concerns. "Overall retail revenues will fall between -15% and -40%," Retail Excellence Ireland said.
A Facebook fundraising program, created by Australian comedian Celeste Barber, is now under controversy. The foundation aimed to help in funding the recoveries in the past events of a devastating Australian bushfire. More than 1 billion mammals, birds, and reptiles were likely to lose their lives during the incident. Unfortunately, the fund won't be able to help these animals.

Australian bushfire's biggest Facebook fundraising

At the start of the year, Australia experienced a major catastrophe after several bushfires were reported in the country. Around 25.5 million acres were burned down, which was about the size of South Korea.

ALSO READ: Australian Birds Of Prey Deliberately Start Bushfires

To help all the fire facilities, communities, and other emergency services in the incident, Barbers sets up a Facebook fundraising program. This program ended for quite some time now, but it had already reached over $51 million.

The collected money was said to be spent not only for the firefighters but for the people that lost a family member or homes during the bushfire. It also prioritizes the rehabilitation of the wildlife community.

However, the funding changed its priorities.

The Supreme Court rules differently

Unfortunately, when the fund was escorted to court, the ruling said that the money may not help animals, after all.

According to the ruling, Barbers nominated the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) and Brigades Donation Fund trust as its recipients. This means that the money must not be spent by anyone or any organization aside from the RFS.

"The Court advises trustees of the RFS Fund that they cannot use the donated money to give to other charities, or to donate interstate, or to help people or animals affected by bushfires," Justice Michael Slattery wrote in his decision.

This ruling is contrary to what Barber promised to the contributors on her Facebook fundraising.

"It's going to the RFS and it will be distributed out," she posted on Instagram. "I'm going to make sure that Victoria gets some, that South Australia gets some, also families of people who have died in these fires, the wildlife. I'm hearing you all. I want you to know that, otherwise, why raise this money if it's not going to go to the people who absolutely need it."

Fortunately, the fund may still be used by the RFS to help the families of the firefighters that died during the bushfire. What it can't help though, are the organizations that help animals in rehabilitation or animal rescue groups in other states.

ALSO READ: [VIDEO] Researchers Tracking Feral Cat Capture the National Park Bouncing to Life after Razed by Bushfires in a Time-lapse

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
CNN anchor Don Lemon unloaded on President Donald Trump after the Justice Department said Thursday that the president was actively monitoring the investigation of four Minneapolis police officers over the death of an unarmed black man, exclaiming that nobody wants to hear from the Birther-in-Chief.

During a press conference late Thursday afternoon, local and federal investigators insisted that they cant rush bringing charges for the death of George Floyd, who was pronounced dead after an officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes. With protests raging across the country, U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald said the investigation was a top priority for the feds before adding that Trump and Attorney General William Barr were paying high attention to the case.

Moments after the presser wrapped up, Lemon blew up over MacDonald invoking the president in this particular situation, bringing up a number of incidents Trump has been involved in over the years that have widely been seen as racist.

I know she has a tough job, but guess what, as long as we are being honest right now, nobody wants to hear from the White House or the attorney general right now, Lemon exclaimed. No one wants to hear from the man who wanted the death penalty to come back for the Central Park Five.

No one wants to hear from the man who says that the former president was not born in this country, the CNN anchor continued, in something of a call-and-response fashion. No one wants to hear from the man who said there are very fine people on both sides. Do you understand what I am saying?

No one wants to hear from the person that they perceive as contributing to situations like this in this society, Lemon kept going. Not directly, but allowing people like that to think they can get away from this. No one wants to hear from the Birther-in-Chief, from the sons of bitches-calling person, who says that athletes are kneeling for this very reason.

Story continues

After scolding federal investigators for seemingly having more urgency in telling protesters to calm down than investigating police brutality, Lemon concluded by expressing some solidarity with demonstrators amid the increasingly violent clashes.

I understand the anger of the people upset in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he said. I dont condone the actions. I dont understand the actions, but I understand the anger.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!

Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Women who suffer the tragedy of stillbirth are four times more likely to develop Lupus in later life than those who experience an uncomplicated birth, a study has found.

Researchers from Manchester found a link between stillbirths and connective tissue disorders  with the association with Lupus being by far the strongest.

Connective tissue disorders affect the tissues that support our organs and other parts of the body.

The team found that the presence of the antibodies that form the first signs of Lupus can appear up to five years after a stillbirth, without accompanying symptoms.

This, they suggest, indicates that many women may get pregnant without being fully aware of the risks  or lose their baby without knowing the reason why.

Scroll down for video

Women who suffer the tragedy of stillbirth four times more likely to develop Lupus in later life than those who experience an uncomplicated birth, a study has found

'Stillbirth leaves both a psychological and a biological legacy,' said paper author and obstetrician Hannah Kither of the University of Manchester.

'This study shows quite conclusively that these women have an increased risk of developing Lupus.'

'Either the stillbirth is a result of underlying immunological abnormalities akin to that seen in Lupus, or that the stillbirth itself triggers a cascade of immune reactions in the maternal system culminating in connective tissue disorders.'

'The impact of stillbirth is traumatic  and the worries over having complications later on will be doubly hard for these women. But we hope the knowledge this research gives them will empower them in future years.'

In their study, Dr Kither and colleagues studied the outcomes of more than 100,000 pregnancies, looking to see if those women who had a stillbirth subsequently developed lupus, connective tissue disease or autoimmune antibodies.

Anonymized patient records were sourced from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink which gathers data from a network of GP surgeries across the UK.

The team used so-called 'statistical regression' to compare the outcomes of live- and stillbirths and calculate the relative risk ratios.

'As stillbirth is now a known risk factor for Lupus, GPs should be aware of this when seeing their patients investigation results,' said Professor Heazell. 'Women should also be vigilant and look out for symptoms of Lupus which include joint pain, muscle pain and chronic fatigue'

'When women have a stillbirth they are screened for a range of diseases, but now we know Lupus won't appear until much later  sometimes years later,' paper author and obstetrician Alex Heazell, also of the University of Manchester, added.

'As stillbirth is now a known risk factor for Lupus, GPs should be aware of this when seeing their patients investigation results.'

'Women themselves should also be vigilant and look out for symptoms of Lupus which include joint pain, muscle pain and chronic fatigue.'

'Around 1 in 240 women in the UK suffer a stillbirth, this affects a lot of women so we feel action is needed.'

'This study gives a strong steer that pregnant women should be tested early on for lupus and other related diseases, so that doctors can keep a close eye on anyone at risk throughout their pregnancy and beyond,' said Tommy's charity CEO Jane Brewin.

'We know that both lupus and baby loss are more common in BAME communities, but previous investigations of the link between [...] have come from countries that arent as diverse as the UK, so this study gives us important new insight. '

'That said, it cant tell us whether connective tissue disorders were the cause or the result of stillbirth  so we need more in-depth research to unpick that relationship , which is why Tommys set up the Manchester LIPS clinic with Sparks.'

The full findings of the study were published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Infra giant, Megha Engineering Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) enhanced its reputation by completing all the critical works of Kaleshwaram Project, a multi-purpose lift irrigation project taken up by Telangana Government in record time. The project intends to mould Telangana into a 'Food Bowl' using the water resources of the Godavari river. By completing the majority of the pumping stations for this ambitious project in a record time of 4 years, MEIL proved its mettle in terms of its engineering and management capacities.

A total of 22 pumping stations with 96 machines having a total capacity of 4,680 MWs was constructed for this mega project; a first-of-its-kind in the world. Out of the total, MEIL built 15 pumping stations with 89 machines having a capacity of 3,840 MWs. One of the most notable achievements of the project is that all of these pumping houses have been operationalised and pumping water. The determination of Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandra Shekhar Rao and his regular and intense monitoring along with the irrigation department officials, coupled with the critical support extended by highly-reputed electro-mechanical engineering companies like BHEL, Aandriz, Zylum ABB, Crompton Greeves, VEGG, etc. have contributed immensely in achieving this record-breaking feat. Construction work for this mammoth multi-purpose lift irrigation project was initiated four years back. And within three years, all the pumping stations in Link-1 and Link-2 have been operationalised.

3,763 MWs capacity in record time

Even though the pump house in Package-14 had come into operation recently, the total pumping capacity utilisation has already reached upto 3,763 MWs, signifying a record in the engineering history. It also holds the the distinction of lifting water to a height of 600 feet; also a record in the irrigation sector's history. Given the size and capacity to serve in multiple ways, Kaleshwaram Project has now become the world's largest lift irrigation project. The pace of the project works has put even the engineering experts in surprise. Nowhere in the world has a project with such gigantic proportions been completed in such a short period, especially when the construction of reservoirs and canals itself taking decades.

MEIL completed the construction of 15 pumping stations with a total capacity of 3,840 MWs that could lift 2 TMCs of water per day. While 9 pumping stations with a total capacity of 3,763 MWs already operationalised, four more with a capacity of 35.4 MWs are ready for operation, and two pumping stations with a capacity of 41 MWs are still in the completion stage.

Most of these pumping stations with the highest capacities are constructed in underground. Gayathri (Package-8), Annapurna (Package-10), Ranganayakasagar Project (Package-11), and Mallannasagar (Package-12) are some of the big underground pump houses constructed for this project. The surge pool and additional surge pools of the Gayathri pump house are the biggest surge pools in the world. For this pump house with an area of 84753.2 sq.fts, nearly 2.3 Cubic meters of soil excavated below the ground.

Link-1 and Link-2 pump houses are the most critical components of this project. As part of Link-1, three pump houses, Lakshmi (Medigadda), Saraswathi (Annaram), and Parvathi (Sundilla) have been constructed. These three pump houses with 28 machines are having a total capacity of 1120 MegaWatts, and they help in bringing Pranahitha water into the Godavari, to fill Sripadasagar Yellampalli Reservoir and also reverse the flow of Godavari River from lower part to the upper part.

An underground wonder : Gayathri pump house

The Gayathri (Package-8) pump house is the largest underground pump house in the world, constructed 470 feet below the ground with a huge pumping capacity. Considered now as an underground engineering wonder, it has the world's largest surge pool and twin tunnels. The 7 machines, with a total capacity of 139 MWs could lift 2 TMCs of water per day. These machines are designed and developed based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), genuinely reflecting the government's mission of 'Make in India'. The underground surge pool in this pump house is taller than the Eiffel Tower, and each one of them could lift 3,000 cusecs of water to a height of 111 meters. It is being hailed as an engineering marvel created by MEIL, taking support from BHEL.

"Not only in terms of each machine but even in terms of total capacity, it is the world's largest pump house. One can imagine the size of this pump house constructed 470 feet below the ground with 327 meters of length 25 meters of width, and 65 meters of height. While the Kaleshwaram project requires 4680 MWs of total capacity to lift 2 TMCs of water per day, MEIL itself established 89 machines with a total capacity of 3840 MWs, that indicates the role being played by the company for this prestigious project of Telangana," said B. Srinivas Reddy, Director, MEIL.

Ranganayakasagar with the second largest capacity:

Ranganayakasagar of Package-11 has four machines, each with a capacity of 134 MW. This pump house with a total pumping capacity of 536 MWs is the second-largest pump house in the world, after the Gayathri pump house. B. Srinivas Reddy said that, "For MEIL, it is an opportunity to take part in this prestigious project of the Telangana Government. We feel it as a lifetime honour for our company to be able to contribute to such a noble mission of fulfilling the age-old dream of Telangana people in terms of utilising Godavari water and bringing hitherto barren lands into irrigation. We also feel proud to complete this project in time, using sophisticated technology by associating with the world's best engineering companies. We could complete this project in shortest time only because of the determination and regular monitoring of Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandra Shekhar Rao as he directly involved and provided guidance to interact with officials on every aspect of the project and encouraged us a lot."

By establishing such big pump houses with such high capacities, that too for a lift irrigation project, the Irrigation Department of Telangana also created a world record, as there are no such big pump houses anywhere in the world.

A massive power infrastructure

MEIL has established a massive power supply systems for the Kaleshwaram project, which is almost equal to one-fourth of the entire power supply system of Telangana state that has a capacity of 15,087 MWs; covering 33 districts. It is nearly similar to the whole power infrastructure of all the seven north-eastern states of India.

Telangana Government recently decided to further increase the pumping capacity of the Kaleshwaram Project by one more TMC per day. As part of this, a total of 15 new machines, each with a pumping capacity of 40 MWs are being established in Lakshmi, Saraswathi, and Parvathi Pump Houses of Link-1 component. This work of installing an additional 600 MW capacity is also assigned to MEIL, which is being implemented in association with Zylum and Andriz companies. State Government is also in the process of finalising works related to additional TMC water from Mid Maneru to Mallannasagar.

About MEIL



Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd. (MEIL) established in 1989, is one of the fastest growing infra companies in India. Over the years, MEIL has constructed numerous structures like large civil constructions, oil and gas pipelines, pump houses, large water treatment plants, dams, reservoirs, power transmission lines, power generation units, tunnels - and all of them have an important role to play in improving the quality of life of the common man for many years into the foreseeable future.



For more information, please visit: http://meil.in/

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1174416/MEIL_Kaleshwaram_Pump_Houses.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/958718/MEIL_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd. (MEIL)
Veerendra Kumar, a Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala and a former Union minister, was 84.

MP Veerendra Kumar, the managing director of leading Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi and a member of PTI's board of directors, died Thursday at a private hospital following cardiac arrest, family sources said.

Veerendra Kumar, a Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala and a former Union minister, was 84.

"He was admitted to the hospital due to some health complications. But unfortunately he passed away a little before 11 pm," the sources told PTI.

He is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son, MV Shreyams Kumar, who is the joint managing director of Mathrubhumi.

Veerendra Kumar was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1987 and to the Lok Sabha twice.

Veerendra Kumar, the Left Democratic Front-backed Independent candidate, was elected to the Rajya Sabha in the elections held for the lone seat from Kerala in March 2018. His last rites will be held at Wayanad tomorrow.

Veerendra Kumar served thrice as the chairman of Press Trust of India.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi offered his condolences on Twitter:

Im sorry to hear about the passing of author & Managing Director of the Mathrubhumi Group, M P Veerendra Kumar Ji. My condolences to his family, colleagues & friends in this time of grief.  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 29, 2020

With inputs from PTI
BRADY ANDERSON, Chariho, Wrestling, Sophomore; Anderson finished first in the 152-pound weight class at the Griswold Midseason Invitational tournament. Anderson went 3-0 in the tournament, pinning all of his opponents in the first period. Anderson is 10-4.

LYDIA LASKEY, Stonington, Gymnastics, Senior; Laskey finished first in all four events in meets against NFA and Westerly. Laskey had an all-around score of 33.75 against NFA and 34.60 against Westerly.

RILEY PELOQUIN, Westerly, Girls Basketball, Sophomore; Peloquin scored 22 points and had 19 rebounds in two games. Peloquin is averaging 7.6 points and 7.5 rebounds a game for the Bulldogs.

DEONDRE BRANSFORD, Wheeler, Boys Basketball, Sophomore; Bransford scored 25 points and had 28 rebounds in a pair of Wheeler victories. Bransford is averaging 10.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per contest for the Lions.

Vote

View Results
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea of Haryana Congress leader Pankaj Punia, who was arrested by Haryana police for allegedly "hurting religious feelings" through a social media post, that other FIRs against him for the same post in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh be quashed.

A bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, S A Nazeer and Indira Banerjee did not agree to the submission of senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for Punia, that the FIRs lodged in UP and MP be quashed as the person is already facing criminal probe for the same alleged offence.

"We are not inclined to entertain this petition filed under Article 32 (right to move the Supreme Court) of the Constitution of India. The writ petition is, accordingly, dismissed," the bench said in its order.

The top court, however, granted the liberty to Punia to move the concerned High Courts for quashing of other FIRs.

The lawyer said that besides the FIR lodged at Karnal in Harayna, other similar FIRs have been lodged against the leader at Noida and Lucknow in UP and a place in MP.

Earlier, Punia was arrested by police in Karnal for allegedly "hurting religious feelings" through a social media post.

Punia, a former secretary of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, was arrested on May 20 following a written complaint by a Karnal resident at Madhuban police station that he allegedly "hurt religious feelings" and "promoted enmity between different groups on ground of religion" through his tweet, a police official had said.

A similar complaint against Punia, also a member of the All India Congress Committee, was registered by the Uttar Pradesh Police also.

An FIR was registered against Punia at the Hazratganj Police Station in Lucknow for his alleged objectionable tweet.

The Haryana police had said in the case registered in Madhuban police station, Punia has been booked under IPC sections related to promoting enmity between different groups (153 A), outraging religious feelings (295 A), public mischief (505-2), and Section 67 of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008.

Punia in his tweet, now removed, had targeted the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, referring to the politics over plying of buses by the Congress for ferrying migrants.
A Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office deputy accidentally shot and killed a Constables Office Precinct 4 deputy early Friday during the end of a property investigation, authorities said.

Authorities identified the deputy constable as Caleb Rule, 37.

'A TRAGEDY OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY': Constable, sheriff's twin brother, shares more details on deputy's death

Rule joined the constables office in September and was assigned to be a patrol deputy for the Riverstone subdivision. During a news conference Friday morning, Rule was described as a devoted family man and someone who was extremely dedicated to his job.

No sheriff, no constable, no chief of police, no one, this entire country in the field of law enforcement ever want to hold press conferences like this, said Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls. An absolute tragedy.

Both agencies were investigating a call reporting suspicious activity at a residence in the 3900 block of Chestnut Bend in the Sienna Plantation subdivision in Missouri City.

Nehls said a suspicious person had jumped into a backyard and then moments later a light turned on inside a vacant home.

Three sheriffs office units and one constables office unit arrived about 1:45 a.m. to check the property. The deputies noticed a back door was unsecured and entered the residence. As the officers were in the process of clearing the home, a sheriffs deputy discharged his weapon, believing a suspect was inside the house.

The presumed suspect, however, was actually Rule. The deputys identity has not been released. Nehls said the unidentified deputy has over 20 years of law enforcement experience.

The Texas Rangers are investigating the incident, Nehls said. Theres a joint investigation being conducted were piecing together what happened, Nehls said Friday.

The deputy constable was life-flighted to Memorial Hermann Hospital where he later died.

The sheriffs office has confirmed that Rule was wearing his bulletproof vest at the time of the shooting. Nehls said the incident marks the first time in his eight-year-tenure where an officer shot another fellow officer.

This is a very somber moment, the sheriff said Friday. We are heartbroken over this."
The Supreme Court upheld the sentences of two brothers in a 2016 drug-related shooting that left two dead and two injured in Southeast Albuquerque.

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected all arguments made by Edwin Ortiz-Parra, 29, and Eder Ortiz-Parra, 27, in their appeals.

Among those arguments was that the brothers shouldve been tried separately from their cousin and co-defendant, Rafael Gonzalez-Parra.

In 2018 the brothers were sentenced to two life terms, plus an additional 54 years, in prison after being found guilty of two counts each of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy charges.

In August 2016 the brothers, along with their cousin Gonzalez-Parra and friend Carlos Almazan-Avila stormed a house in Southeast Albuquerque over a drug debt, killing Daniel Chumacero and Juan Carlos Saenz-Ponce and injuring two others.
Rioters gather in front of a fast food restaurant in Minneapolis, Minn. on May 29, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

State and Federal Leaders Appeal for Peace and Unity in the Wake of Minneapolis Riots

In response to the riots in Minneapolis, many U.S. leaders have made a plea to citizens to honor the memory of George Floyd by coming together in peaceful protest instead of resorting to violence and destruction.

Both Democrats and Republicans have condemned the killing of Floyd and called for a full investigation into the circumstances of his death so justice can be swift.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) issued a statement Friday regarding the protests against the killing of Floyd in Louisville, Kentucky, and around the country.

The killings of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, George Floyd in Minneapolis, and Breonna Taylor in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky have shaken our nation. For millions and millions of outraged Americans, these tragedies do not appear as isolated incidents, but as the latest disturbing chapters in our long, unfinished American struggle to ensure that equal justice under law is not conditional on the color of ones skin, McConnell said.

The Kentucky Senator said he continues to demand an investigation into Breonna Taylors death.

I am glad the Louisville Metro Police Department is investigating, I am glad the FBI is involved, and I am glad Attorney-General Cameron has announced his office will evaluate what actions may be necessary after all the facts are in hand. Breonnas family and all Kentuckians deserve truth, accountability, and justice, he added

Taylor, a 26-year-old medical technician, was shot and killed by Louisville Metro Police officers in March as they attempted to enter her home on a search warrant related to a narcotics investigation.

McConnell said generations of heroes have fought to give us the First Amendment right to peaceful assembly and protest, but this does not include destroying property.

Stealing, burning down buildings, attacking law enforcement officers, or laying siege to police precincts is not speech or protest. It is violent crime that victimizes innocent people, McConnell said.

Vice President Mike Pence also condemned the violence and destruction of property and persons.

We will always stand for the right of Americans to peacefully protest and let their voices be heard, said Pence.

Our prayers are with the family of George Floyd and our prayers are also with the family of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia. We have no tolerance for racism in America. We have no tolerance for violence inspired by racism. And, as President Trump said, justice will be served, added Pence.

George Floyd should still be alive today, said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

We can honor his memory by healing our broken communities. By mending racial divides. And by rebuilding America into a more perfect union that we know it should be. Ripping a cityand a countryapart only deepens the wound, added McCarthy.

Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.) quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to address the violence sparked by Floyds killing.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

After it was announced that the officer who had been videotaped with his knee on Floyds neck, even after Floyd had been handcuffed and told the officer he could not breathe, was arrested, Rep. Doug Collins (R-S.C.) applauded the news.

Im glad to see this action taken. The brutal killing of George Floyd is appalling, and there must be swift justice. Americans must stand together to condemn this horrific act of hatred. This brutality must end, said Rep. Doug Collins

Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota, also called for peace and the end to violent rioting.

It is time to rebuild. Rebuild the city, rebuild our justice system, and rebuild the relationship between law enforcement and those theyre charged to protect. George Floyds death should lead to justice and systemic change, not more death and destruction, said Governor Walz.

McConnell implored his constituents and others around the country to come together to seek justice for Floyd, peacefully.

Our city, our state, and our country have to pull together. Violence does not make our streets safer. Injustice does not promote justice. Destruction does not build a better society.
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
Ammo Grrrll has some thoughts on HOW THE VAMPIRE CAN DEFEAT BUFFY. She writes:

Long ago, in a galaxy that seems very far away now, SNL had a sketch with guest host Ellen DeGeneres playing the Buffy character. She had to fight a much larger, testosterone-laden being. And she not only lost, she got trounced. They used an Ellen rag doll dummy kicked and flung about the stage to dramatize just how badly she had lost. The hilarious, surprising sketch showed  to SNLs credit  what would really happen in a confrontation between an unarmed small female person, no matter how brave, and a male more than twice her size.

That sketch not only could not be done today, because it would condone violence against women, but the narrative is just wrong, wrong, wrong! All science-y smart people know that men and women are EXACTLY the same.

Currently, virtually every comic book or movie superhero, every beloved sci-fi movie is being rewritten so that the only permissible hero is now AT MINIMUM a hefty woman of color, who may or may not also be a lesbian or a transgender. In other words, someone Joe Biden might consider for his running mate. Males in this brave new cinematic world are only toxic and evil and under no circumstances must ever be portrayed as heroic.

Ah, how far we have sprinted from yesteryear when we Boomer children gathered round the television set from the Test Pattern to the National Anthem to watch brave, moral, and strong, silent cowboys fight the lonely, good fight for truth and justice

Boomer Kids were raised on Westerns and their moral code. It never occurred to me those lessons were not meant for me because I was a girl. I too dreamed of being a hero. There were a couple of apprentice thugs in my neighborhood and I fancied myself the Defender of the Bullied. My super-powers were sarcasm and the sneak attack. Before the onset of puberty and the god-awful unfair advantage of testosterone, my win/loss percentage fighting bully boys was probably about 35/65. However, I retired at the end of 7th grade when the boys shot up a foot taller than me with a reach like orangutans. I did not stop fighting because of any evolving moral objections to violence, but because I realized I was going to lose every time. I was reasonably brave, but being the Nerd of La Mancha flailing impotently at windmills did not appeal to me. Like our President, I preferred to win.

A decade and a half later, I took karate in San Francisco. Before we sparred, we did exercises that included 40 pushups supervised by a former Army Ranger with a 10th degree black belt. Ten pushups were standard, ten were on our knuckles, ten on our fingertips, and the last ten, we had to bend over from a standing position and walk 5 hands out, make a triangle with our hands and put our noses into that triangle. It was for triceps. Most females dont have any. We just have batwings that by late late middle age can knock a lady out while waving goodbye.

Yes, I realize that for soldiers or vets, 40 pushups would be a pleasant 2-minute workout, but for us young females, it was very difficult. Most of the girls were 12-16. I was definitely one of the oldest at 27. In addition to kicking and punching, we were taught a few practical tricks to escape from holds. Almost all relied on the element of surprise rather than brute force.

Fast forward another five years. We had moved to Minnesota and I was working third shift in a typesetting shop. Once on our lunch break, I decided to show off one of the tricks. Go ahead. Grab my arm with both hands, I offered confidently to a co-worker, who, unfortunately, went about 64 and 260 lbs. Remember that part about the element of surprise? Well, he wasnt surprised. Not only could I not break the hold, but he lifted all 120 lbs. of me about two feet off the floor to the raucous hoots of my co-workers. Epic fail! And instructive!

In a curious cultural quirk, at the same time that it became mandatory for females to be portrayed as tough, strong, independent superheroes who need a man like a fish needs a bicycle, females were also encouraged to fall apart at the smallest real or imagined sexist slight and run to the nearest Safe Space. In contemporary culture, there are a couple of horrendous things that can bring strong, independent women to their knees  oops, bad metaphor  a couple of things that can bring them to weeping, wailing and suing for untold millions of dollars: first, the dreaded compliment on their appearance! Or, even noticing that they HAVE a pleasant appearance. Or, gazing at them for over 4 seconds in a workplace. Or, worst of all, asking them out! Oh, the humanity!

So we have a whole movement in which grown women relive decades-old bad dates and fumbling passes from inebriated teenage boys, taking upon themselves the sacred mantle of Survivor, usually applied to Holocaust victims or people who have fought and beat cancer. As if a grope at a drive-in movie, a purloined kiss from a co-star forty years earlier, or a pat on the rear from a Minnesota Senator were equivalent to months in Auschwitz or brutal chemotherapy. It is offensive to me in the extreme, a repulsive kind of Stolen Valor.

And yet, we are all supposed to kiss the ring of #MeToo. A bewildered actor accused of a single grope decades earlier will say, Well, I have a dim recollection of that, and now I feel terrible, but I thought we were both just jokin around. But, we all agree this #MeToo movement is very important and it will surely make the world safer for women. I disagree. It is a dangerous ploy to weaponize trivial accusations too old to be disproven. And also to replace innocent until proven guilty with credibly accused and trade due process for academic kangaroo courts and Twitter mobs. Due process is anathema to tyrants, who love mobs.

The only time I have said #MeToo was when someone else had been asked if she wanted ice cream. I will state for the record that as a teen I was once grabbed and kissed in a public swimming pool by an adorable teenage boy, and you know what? Not only did I not need a lifetime of therapy to recover from it, I LIKED IT. What do you think of THAT? Because I am a normal, healthy sexual being and not a mental case. Heck, he was kind of shy, I was wearing a tiny beige bikini that I considered to be a powerful marketing tool, and its possible I may have even encouraged him! In fact, I liked it so much that a few months later, I married him. He still grabs me and kisses me and I still like it.

So next time Gal Gadot or Buffy or any of the countless interchangeable super-heroines need to fight a big, strong, toxic male, clearly all it will take is a compliment, a blonde joke, or an invitation to meet for coffee to send her into a helpless tailspin, with Gloria Allred on speed-Dial. The Vampire or Bad Guy will win every time. You know what REALLY defeats a Bad Guy? A Good Guy. Especially with a gun. Even a woman with a gun. Teaching women marksmanship and gun safety would be one hundred times more effective than pretending Buffys little fists would be anything but mildly annoying to a predator.
(Newser)  SpaceX pressed ahead Friday with planning for its second attempt to launch astronauts for NASA, but more stormy weather threatened more delays. Elon Musk's company came within 17 minutes Wednesday of launching a pair of NASA astronauts for the first time in nearly a decade from the US, before the threat of lightning forced a delay. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said managers were debating whether to bump the launch attempt from Saturday to Sunday, the AP reports, to take advantage of a slightly improved forecast at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. At a news conference Friday, Bridenstine stressed the need for safety for astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnkenno matter how many tries it takes to launch them in a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station.

story continues below

"We cannot forget this is a test flight. Thisisatestflight," he repeated. "We will go when everything is as safe as we can possibly make it." Forecasters put the odds of acceptable weather conditions Saturday at 50-50, with the outlook improving to 60% favorable on Sunday. Rain and clouds were the main concerns for both days; liftoff is scheduled for 3:22 EDT, per CNN. While NASA urged spectators to stay home because of the pandemic, prime viewing spots at parks and beaches were packed Wednesday. A weekend launch could draw even bigger crowds. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex reopened Thursday, after a 2-month shutdown, and within a few hours, all 4,000 tickets were snapped up for Saturdays attempt. President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were expected to return Saturday.

(Read more SpaceX stories.)
State courts and tenant advocates are reporting a sharp increase in eviction filings this week after a two-month statewide moratorium on evictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic expired Tuesday.

Our phone is ringing off the hook now, said Heidi Wegleitner, a Dane County Board member and attorney who works on behalf of tenants at Legal Action of Wisconsin.

Legal Action attorney Chris Donahoe said that based in part on the state Department of Workforce Developments failure to get unemployment checks to hundreds of thousands of laid-off workers, there could be some 40,000 households behind on rent in June. Online court records show there were 2,455 evictions cases filed in June 2019.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers order halting evictions was signed March 27, replacing a pair of Dane County judicial orders that had the same effect locally but expired on April 17.

State court records show landlords largely abided by the moratorium, filing only six evictions claims statewide in the first full week of April and only 11 in the first full week of May. Only one was filed in each week in Dane County. That compares to 360 statewide and 31 in Dane County in the corresponding week in April 2019, and 416 and 22, respectively, in the corresponding week in May 2019.

On Wednesday alone, nine were filed in Dane and 105 statewide. If those numbers prove indicative of filings in the coming weeks, the state would be on a pace for more than 3,100 evictions in June, including 270 in Dane County.

Under the federal $2 trillion coronavirus relief package known as the CARES Act, landlords cannot try to evict tenants from federally subsidized units, such as those financed with tax credits or paid for with Section 8 vouchers, until late July, and they cant assess late fees during the moratorium period.

A state rule that took effect in April also bars landlords from charging late fees for 90 days after the May 11 end of the states declared public health emergency.

Evers and Dane County last week announced separate CARES Act-funded rental assistance programs. The state plans to provide $25 million in help to people who lost income because of the pandemic and who have household incomes at or below 80% of the county median income in the month of or prior to the application date. Between 2014 and 2018, the median household income in Dane County was $70,541, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with 80% of that being $56,433.

If approved, applicants would receive assistance of up to $3,000 in rental payments, security deposits or both.

For help Tenant Resource Center (for counseling and Dane County rental assistance): 608-257-0006, tenantresourcecenter.org Legal Action of Wisconsin (for legal help): 855-947-2529, legalaction.org Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin (for state rental assistance): 608-246-4730, cacscw.org

The countys $10 million program is intended to help nearly 9,000 residents. Applicants must prove economic hardship and have a statement from the landlord that rent is overdue.

Applications for both programs are expected to open next month through Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, for the state program, and the Tenant Resource Center, for the county program.

Meeting halfway

If the eviction moratorium has been a relief for out-of-work tenants, its also put some landlords at risk.

Milwaukee-based attorney Tristan Pettit said that among the property owners he represents, the smaller mom-and-pop type landlords were impacted greatly and some may not survive, but many of my larger landlords and property manager companies were pleasantly surprised that the majority of their tenants were able to continue to pay rent or make mutually agreeable repayment arrangements.

Chris Mokler, director of legislative affairs for the Wisconsin Apartment Association, said landlords have been getting between 88% and 91% of their rents, which is down from what they usually get.

The key is communication, Pettit said. Many of my clients do not want to evict their tenants and they are willing to work with them. But if the tenant doesnt contact the landlord or manager and have not paid rent, then evictions will be filed.

No more emergency

Citing antiquated technology, a lack of staff and the huge increase in joblessness, DWD officials on Wednesday said it could be October before some 700,000 pending unemployment claims are paid.

Evers spokeswoman Melissa Baldauff said unfortunately, the governor cannot extend or reissue the eviction and foreclosure moratorium order since it requires a public health emergency and Republicans in the legislature have said they are not willing to extend the public health emergency.
(Newser)  With an executive order, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has given retail stores the OK to refuse admittance to anyone not wearing a mask. Shoppers "don't have the right" to expose a store owner to the virus, the governor said in his press briefing Thursday, CBS reports. He called the masks "amazingly effective" at preventing the spread of the coronavirus. If people without masks are in the store, per Newsday, the owner can throw them out. The state is in the process of reopening, except for New York City, which hasn't met the metrics set by the state yet. "I want to be able to say to every New Yorker: 'It is safe to reopen,'" the governor said.

story continues below

Cuomo held the briefing at the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club in Brooklyn, and he brought celebrities to help with his pitch. "You are not just disrespecting yourself, you are disrespecting your loved ones, your communities" by not wearing a mask, Rosie Perez said, addressing Brooklyn residents. "Please, mi gente," the actress added. Comedian Chris Rock said: "The kids really arent wearing a mask. And you know its sad. Its sad that  our health has become sort of a political issue.  It's a status symbol almost to not wear a mask." Rock said they're willing to spread the message further. "Theres a hundred thousand dead Americans, and I will go wherever, you know, Im called," he said. (Read more Andrew Cuomo stories.)
Press Release

29 May 2020

The United Nations specialized agency for tourism releases guidelines for strong and sustainable recovery

Recommendations draw on cross-sector expertise of Tourism Crisis Committee

Safe, seamless travel and restoring confidence key priorities

UNWTO and Google strengthen partnership to promote digital skills and create new opportunities in recovery phase

Advertisements

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has released a set of guidelines to help tourism sector emerge stronger and more sustainably from COVID-19. The guidelines highlight the need to act decisively, to restore confidence and, as UNWTO strengthens its partnership with Google, to embrace innovation and the digital transformation of global tourism.

The guidelines were produced in consultation with the Global Tourism Crisis Committee and aim to support governments and private sector to recover from an unparalleled crisis. Depending on when travel restrictions are lifted, the United Nations specialized agency warns that international tourist arrivals could fall by between 60% and 80%. This puts 100-120 million jobs at risk and could lead to US$ 910 billion to US$ 1.2 trillion lost in exports.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "These guidelines provide both governments and businesses with a comprehensive set of measures designed to help them open tourism up again in a safe, seamless and responsible manner. They are the product of the enhanced cooperation that has characterized tourism's response to this shared challenge, building on knowledge and inputs from across the public and private sectors and from several UN agencies as part of the UN's wider response."

Safe and security protocols for tourism recovery

The new guide, a follow up of the Recommendations for Action already endorsed by the Committee, is focused on seven priorities for tourism recovery based on the pillars of mitigating the economic impact, developing safety protocols and coordinated responds and fostering innovation.

The guidelines highlight the importance of restoring the confidence of the travelers through safety and security protocols designed to reduce risks in each step of the tourism value chain. These protocols include the implementation of check procedures where appropriate, including temperature scans, testing, physical distancing, enhanced frequency of cleaning and the provision of hygiene kits for safe air travel, hospitality services or safe events.

Innovation key as UNWTO builds on Google partnership

The UNWTO Guidelines also highlight the opportunity to foster a digital transformation of destinations, companies and employees with initiatives such as the free online training with the UNWTO Online Academy and the implementation of apps such as the Hi Card to improve international interoperability at the airports and hotels. The role of technology in promoting social distancing in hotels and tourist destinations is also highlighted.

This comes as UNWTO strengthens its partnership with Google. Through this enhanced collaboration, the UN agency will work with Google to promote digital learning and online skills training so as to provide new opportunities across the global tourism sector.

Secretary-General Pololikashvili added: "We are thrilled to be working more closely with Google. The past weeks have highlighted the enhanced role technology plays in our lives and furthering the digital transformation of tourism will make the sector more resilient and create opportunities for people all around the world."

About the Global Tourism Crisis Committee

UNWTO formed the Global Tourism Crisis Committee to guide the sector as it responds to the COVID-19 crisis and to build the foundations for future resilience and sustainable growth.

The Committee comprises representatives of UNWTO's Member States and Affiliate Members, alongside the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), World Bank Group and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The private sector is represented by Airports Council International (ACI), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), International Air Transport Association (IATA) and World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) to ensure a coordinated and effective response.

RELATED LINKS
Chandigarh, May 29 : Massive traffic jams were witnessed on the borders of Haryana and the national capital on Friday as the former restricted the entry of motorists, except essential service providers and e-movement pass holders, owing to a spike in coronavirus cases.

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij blamed Delhi for a spike in patients owing to free movement of people.

He said the cases reported in districts (Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonepat and Jhajjar) that are located in the National Capital Region have been spiking despite certain restrictions.

"Only those will be allowed to commute between Haryana and Delhi who have e-movement passes. Essential service providers are exempted from ban," Vij told the media.

Vij has written to the Home Secretary to seal the borders again.

Officials said even the link roads between the two states have been sealed to restrict movements. The government's order to seal all the borders with Delhi was issued late Thursday night.

"Traffic restrictions have been strictly imposed on Gurgaon-Delhi borders in view of Covid-19," Gurugram Police informed in a tweet.

"Only essential services and movement pass holders will be allowed as per MHA guidelines and Delhi HC (High Court) orders." A large number of commuters were seen waiting at the border in Faridabad and Sonepat districts as the police checked and allowed only essential service providers and people with e-passes.

Haryana by Friday afternoon reported 36 new cases of coronavirus, taking the state's tally to 1,540.

On Thursday, the state witnessed the highest spike recording 123 cases. Out of 123 fresh cases, 74.8 per cent of cases came from Gurugram (68). Faridabad and Sonepat saw 18 and six cases respectively.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has thanked the European Union and Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis for the decision to provide Ukraine with a EUR 500 million loan under the fourth macro-financial assistance program.

Shmyhal wrote this on his Twitter account.

"I greatly appreciate EU support and European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis assistance in making a swift decision on the disbursement of EUR 500 mln as the 2nd tranche of the 4th Macro-Financial Assistance [program]. It will help in advancing reforms and Association Agreement implementation," Shmyhal wrote.

He added that was a strong signal of support for Ukraine's European integration reforms.

The European Union on May 29 announced the disbursement of a EUR 500 million loan to Ukraine as part of its fourth macro-financial assistance (MFA) program, under which the EU has now provided Ukraine with EUR 3.8 billion in MFA loans since 2014. The assistance is the largest amount of MFA the EU has disbursed to any single partner country, the statement said.

The disbursement of the second and last tranche of the MFA operation has become possible after Ukraine has implemented twelve policy actions agreed with the EU. They included important measures in the fields of fight against corruption and money laundering, public finance management, banking sector, energy, healthcare and social policies. Ukraine is also finalizing a new Stand-By Arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and has implemented the associated prior actions.

MFA funds are made available in the form of low-interest, long-term loans. The first installment of EUR 500 million under the current program was released in December 2018, after the Ukrainian authorities fulfilled the associated policy conditions.

In March 2018, in response to Ukraine's request, the European Commission proposed a new MFA program for up to EUR 1 billion. This proposal was adopted by the European Parliament and the European Council in July 2018. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Ukraine and the European Commission, on behalf of the EU, in September 2018 and subsequently ratified by the Parliament of Ukraine.

op
The novel coronavirus has lent a slightly dystopian tinge to the world as we knew it. Some words  unprecedented, extraordinary circumstances, desperate times  have been over-used in the last couple of months, as people were locked down to limit the spread of the highly-contagious virus.

As people struggled to work amid broken supply chains, doctors faced an unparalleled influx of patients and the shutdown battered the economy, scientists went on an overdrive to discover an antidote, a vaccine. Many reports have claimed that the coronavirus vaccine will be the fastest vaccine to be ever developed.

However, limited knowledge about the virus is posing to be the biggest impediment in the ongoing research for a vaccine. Add to it, the capability of coronavirus to mutate into more potent strains.

Time is of utmost essence here  the more it is spent on finding an antidote as potent as the virus, the longer people would have to be confined to their homes.

Taking cognizance of this precarious trade-off, the governments of many countries decided to direct their worries to a more important resource. A cash-strapped economy due to shutdown of business has had policy makers pick their brains.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in March this year had said the global economy will shrink by 3 percent due to the coronavirus-driven collapse of activity, marking the steepest downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s. This means, that the world is likely to lose a cumulative $9 trillion in output over two years  greater than the combined GDP of Germany and Japan.

IMF also slashed growth forecast for the Indian economy, projecting a GDP growth of 1.9 percent in 2020. India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) also revised its FY21 GDP growth down to 1.9 percent from its earlier forecast of 3.6 percent published on March 30 this year.

This explains the easing of restrictions, resumption of businesses, lifting the suspension of air travel; and the paradigm shift to learning to live with the virus.

After being deserted for almost two months, the streets are already brimming with activity; metro cities are witnessing traffic jams on arterial roads. Although the government has reiterated that social distancing guidelines be heeded strictly, the compliance on ground is loose.

Therefore, it will not be disjointed to talk about the concept of Herd Immunity.

What is herd immunity, why is it being bandied about and how is it linked to easing lockdown restrictions, lets find out:

Herd Immunity

Herd Immunity is a benchmark which is achieved when the majority of the population develops resistance to a highly contagious disease, which, in turn, limits the spread of the disease further.

For example, if 80 percent of the population has become immune to the virus, then four out of every five people who encounter someone with the disease, wont contract it. Hence, they will not be able to spread it, and this will help in controlling the transmission of that particular disease. This is an indirect way of protecting those who are not immune to the disease.

Depending on how infectious a disease is, about 70 to 90 percent of the population needs to develop resistance against a disease in order to achieve Herd Immunity.

How does Herd Immunity work?

When our body contracts an infection, it automatically produces antibodies to fight off that infection. Otherwise, vaccines, which often carry the disease-causing microorganism in a dormant or inactive state, help the body produce those antibodies so as to protect an individual from catching the infection, making him/her immune to it. Besides, if an individual is immune to a disease, he/she cannot pass it on to others.

For instance, a person immune to chicken pox cannot unknowingly transmit it to a person who is not immune to the disease.

If the logic is extrapolated to a larger number of people, more the number of people develop immunity to a disease, lesser the number of people getting infected.

For instance, if there are 100 people in a room, of which 90 are immune to measles, then there is little chance that the remaining 10 will catch the disease. The antibodies of the majority population, built wither via exposure to a sickness or vaccination, protect the remaining vulnerable people.

But, if the number of immune people is reduced to 80, then the chances of the remaining 20 to contract the infection are higher.

Has Herd Immunity been achieved for diseases?

Yes. According to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health measles, mumps, chicken pox and polio are examples of highly contagious diseases that were very common in the US once, but are extremely rare now because large-scale vaccination drives have helped achieve Herd Immunity.

However, sometimes, small outbreaks erupt in areas with lower vaccine coverage.

For diseases which dont have vaccines, even though adults build immunity after getting exposed, children and those with weakened immunities are always at risk.

Besides, many viruses, especially those causing influenza, have a tendency to mutate over time. This means, the antibodies naturally produced by the body cant fight off the infection for a long time, i.e. the immunity is short-lived.

Is it possible to achieve Herd Immunity against coronavirus?

The threshold for achieving Herd Immunity depends on how infectious a particular disease is. With the information that is available on the novel coronavirus, epidemiologists have estimated that at least 70 percent of the population needs to be immune to achieve that threshold.

Since there is no vaccine available for COVID-19 yet, the only way Herd Immunity can be achieved is if a large proportion of the total population gets infected, which is bound to pose hiccups on many fronts.

Considering that coronavirus is highly contagious, if lockdown restrictions are removed the number might still be achievable. But, COVID-19 is also a lethal disease. Hence a large number of infections will not only overwhelm the hospitals, but also may lead to high death rates.

Another problem with coronavirus is to do with asymptomatic people. These people do not develop any symptoms of COVID-19, yet they have the capability of transmitting it. They are not entirely immune, but they are carriers. This peculiar ability of the coronavirus to be transmitted by people not showing any symptoms is a major reason for the pandemic.

The third issue is relapse of the infection. There have been reports of the coronavirus infecting an individual after he/she has already recovered from COVID-19 once. Hence, it is yet not certain if the antibodies developed against coronavirus for the first time are effective in fighting it off the next time. The notion has been emphasized by the World Health Organisation as well. With individual immunity not proven yet, Herd Immunity is shrouded with doubts.

COVID-19, unlike influenza, is a brand-new disease. Before this year, no one in the world had any immunity to it at all. Add to this the ability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to mutate into more potent strains.

A global debate

Sweden has largely remained open while most of the countries observed an overall shutdown of business. Opting for the rather controversial approach of keeping restaurants, schools and parks open for public (while banning gatherings of more than 50 people and shutting museums), Swedens Chief Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said that the country is focusing on long-term sustainability over drastic short-term tactics. In fact, Swedens ambassador to the United States said last month that the capital of the Nordic country, Stockholm, could reach Herd Immunity in May.

The concept was bandied about in the United Kingdom too, with the British government claiming in March that their strategy will be to allow the virus to pass through a large population so that they acquire Herd Immunity. Later, many clarifications were issued on these claims until recently when the countrys Chief Scientific Advisor Patrick Vallance mentioned it again, only to retract his statement soon after.

While both Sweden and Britain experimented with limited lockdowns in an attempt to achieve Herd Immunity, recent studies indicate that no more than 7 to 17 percent of people have been infected so far.

Take the example of New York, one of the worst affected cities. The city has reported over 24,000 cases and nearly 2,255 deaths. Yet, serology surveys (tests done randomly to check for antibodies against COVID-19) have shown only 20 percent of the population having antibodies.

In Wuhan, which was the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak and is limping back to normalcy now, nearly 70,000 cases and 4,500 deaths were reported. Yet, serology tests claim only 10 percent have antibodies. This means that the world is still far from achieving Herd Immunity.

Israel, on the other hand, is gearing up for large scale serology tests in order to gauge the proportion of population which has developed antibodies against the novel coronavirus. Israel, whose aggressive response to the coronavirus has held its fatality rate to a fraction of those of the United States and other hard-hit nations, is readying a nationwide serological test of 100,000 citizens. Moshe Bar-Siman-Tov, director-general of Israels Health Ministry, said that if antibody tests show a sizable portion of the population has developed antibodies, that could mean Israel is on its way to herd immunity and would be well equipped to withstand further outbreaks. Meanwhile, studies have estimated the percentage of Israelis with antibodies range widely, from less than 1% to upward of 10%.

For India, experts have said, banking on Herd Immunity is a terrible idea. While speaking to former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Director of Harvard Global Health Institute Ashish Jha said, We are finding that even healthy and young people are getting very ill. We cant be cavalier about this. We have to protect these people. Herd Immunity in India is a terrible idea as millions will die, even young people.

Jha said COVID-19 is here to stay for more than a year and asserted that aggressive testing is the only solution that will help India contain the virus, as it will identify the most vulnerable ones in the country.

In conclusion

It is not viable to achieve Herd Immunity against the novel coronavirus. Scientists have advised strongly against deliberate exposure to the infection to gain immunity  a practice popular with chicken pox before the varicella vaccine was developed.

The only feasible way to contain the spread is to strictly follow social distancing guidelines until a vaccine is developed. Experts believe that large scale vaccination will be the best hope to achieve Herd Immunity against COVID-19.

Even as lockdown restrictions are easing, it is valuable to remember that social and physical distancing is the only way to break the chain of transmission and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.

Even if the government has eased restrictions in an attempt to rescue the economy, it is the citizens responsibility to follow guidelines, maintain physical distancing and respiratory hygiene and wear masks in public places. In short, be atmanirbhar, be safe.
This spring, the American education system crash-landed on the kitchen table of the average American family. Conventional wisdom is that the sudden shift to emergency home schooling has been daunting or downright overwhelming for most families. However, a recent poll by RealClear Opinion Research indicates that a surprising number of parents are, in fact, more likely to consider home schooling or a virtual online school once the lockdowns are over.

Schools scrambled to move classes online when the COVID-19 crisis hit. But, for many families, emergency home schooling during the pandemic has been largely a disaster, with low-quality, hastily thrown together virtual classes, and reports of low participation among students. News outlets have been full of stories about how stressful the experience has been for American families.

But those stories may have been a bit misleading. Because four out of 10 parents in our poll say they are more likely to consider home schooling after the lockdown.

We asked 626 registered voters, Are you more or less likely to enroll your son or daughter in a home school, neighborhood home school co-op, or virtual school once the lockdowns are over? In response, 40.8% said they were more likely to choose one of the alternative schooling methods, while 31.1% said they were less likely to do so.

While home schooling is often associated with conservative or religious families, surprisingly, there seems to be no significant difference here with respect to party affiliation. In fact, Democrats were slightly more likely (45.7%) to express increased interest in home schooling, compared to Republicans (42.3%).

The data gets even more interesting when you look at the breakdown by ethnicity. Only 36.3% of whites said they were more likely to choose home schooling, and just 38.2% of Hispanics. That number was much higher for blacks (50.4%) and Asian Americans (53.8%).

For parents who feel more favorable about home schooling post-lockdown, the question is: Why?

I can think of a couple possible explanations. First, it could be that many parents are getting a closer look at their childrens curriculum, some perhaps for the first time, and they are alarmed by what they see. They fear that quality of education they are seeing on their kids Zoom classes is emblematic of whats normally offered.

When it came to moving instruction online, some states and school districts were more prepared than others. Florida, for instance, has invested a lot in online schooling over the past two decades and had the advantage of that experience and infrastructure. Florida has even exported its state-run virtual school to students in other states during the pandemic. My brother, who lives in the state, told me that his kids transition to online education was quick and relatively seamless. In Tennessee, by way of contrast, where my kids are enrolled, it was a different story. Implementation of online schooling was slow and stumbling. Instruction consisted largely of optional online assignments that in no way duplicated the level of instruction the students were supposed to receive in the classroom. My seventh grade daughter seemed mostly bored and disengaged.

A second possible explanation for increased interest in home schooling may have to do with fear of the virus itself. Those respondents see the coronavirus as a long-term crisis that wont go away any time soon. They wish to minimize their kids potential exposure to the virus even after the lockdowns end. They dont think schools are safe. In other words, some parents may see home schooling as less risky.

Harvard came under some criticism recently over a conference it was set to host that was critical of home schooling. One of the organizers, law professor Elizabeth Bartholet, believes home schooling should be banned. Ironically, that conference was canceled due to the pandemic, while, at the same time, the COVID-19 school closings have shifted parents views about home schooling and virtual schooling in a more positive direction.

Will the current shift in attitudes about home schooling have a lasting impact on education in America? It is important to note that a majority of parents surveyed said they expected life to return to normal within six months. On the other hand, 13% thought it will take more than a year, and 5% said life would never return to normal. Whether the current positive shift of opinion on home schooling and virtual schooling actually results in more parents choosing these options for the children over the long termthats the big unanswered question.
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has reiterated President Akufo-Addo's commitment to providing an equitable distribution of healthcare facilities across the country.

The Akufo-Addo government has undertaken extensive health infrastructure projects in rural communities across the country, and with the Coronavirus pandemic exposing the nation's deficit in equitable spread of facilities, President Akufo-Addo has announced an audacious investment to build 88 new district hospitals and 6 regional hospitals.

Speaking at the launch of government scholarship for postgraduate training of doctors in Ghana at the Jubilee House on Thursday, Vice President Bawumia said despite the government's efforts in concentrating healthcare facilities in deprived communities in the past three years, the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic has exposed the inequitable distribution of health facilities in the country, hence President Akufo-Addo's bold initiative to solve the age-long problem.

"Whilst we can all be proud of what we have managed to achieve so far in the fight against the pandemic, we have also been humbled by the ferocity of the pandemic, laying bare some of the shortcomings in our health system and what we have not done well as governments," Dr. Bawumia said.

"The underinvestment in our health infrastructure, our material shortfalls, our manpower capabilities, and our vulnerabilities in fighting medical catastrophes are hard lessons."

"We have achieved phenomenal progress in access in the past three years. The President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has set the tone of what is ahead of us. He is making clear that improvements in the distribution of health infrastructure is a high priority for his government."

"The focus is on delivering on the largest investment by any government in our healthcare infrastructure in the last fifty years by constructing

88 standard design 100-bed hospitals with accommodation for doctors and nurses in the Districts without hospitals, 6 new regional hospitals in the six new regions, and infectious disease centres for each of the three ecological zones: coastal, northern and middle belt zones in the country, and as well as the Ghana Centre for Disease Control," Dr. Bawumia stated.

The Vice President further indicated that government will complete on-going hospital projects and their related nfrastructure, as well as review major bottlenecks in the acquisition of medical equipment, including the excessive reliance on loans.

The launch of the scholarship for postgraduate training of doctors is a fulfillment of a promise by President Akufo-Addo to fully fund the postgraduate training of Ghanaian doctors.

Postgraduate training schorlaship for doctors

About 918 doctors who have been enrolled by the College of Physicians and Surgeons will benefit in this year's scholarship programme.

Their entire fees for the 2019/2020 academic year has been fully covered by the Scholarship Secretariat under a new government arrangement.

Government, in fulfillment of its 2016 election promise by President Akuffo-Addo to fund the postgraduate training of doctors, decided to absorb the fees of doctors who enrolled for postgraduate training for the 2018/2019 academic year through the Ministry of Health.

The Scholarship Secretariat has now taken over the settlement of the fees under a new arrangement, which was launched on Thursday.
The UN Human Rights Mission also calls on the State Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Prosecutor General to investigate all alleged police crimes.

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has expressed deep concern about the situation in the town of Kaharlyk, Kyiv region, where two cops were arrested on rape and assault charges.

"We are deeply concerned about reports of sexual violence and torture against a woman and a man at the Kaharlyk police unit," the Mission wrote on Facebook.

The UN Human Rights Mission also calls on the State Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Prosecutor General to investigate all alleged police crimes, including the recent incident in Kaharlyk.

Read alsoCops accused of rape, assault to face "trial and fair punishment"  deputy interior minister

"We also call on the National Police to take the necessary measures to prevent further cases of torture and ill-treatment in their ranks. Finally, we call on the Ukrainian Parliament to bring Article 127 of the Criminal Code in full compliance with Article 1 of the Convention against Torture, thus eradicating existing or potential loopholes for impunity," reads the report.

As UNIAN reported earlier, two policemen of the Kaharlyk Police Unit in Kyiv region were put into custody after a local woman pressed rape and assault charges against them, which also led to the disbanding of the entire unit by National Police leadership.
When the bosses are away, Breezy comes out to spray.

Breezy, officially named Breezy One, is a robot developed by a small local company, Build with Robots. It has become the newest tool in the struggle to slow down the deadly virus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Build with Robots has teamed up with Electric Playhouse to premiere the automated robot, which will operate at the Playhouse after hours, spraying disinfectant on all surfaces in the companys 25,000-square-foot building. The spray will be in addition to regular cleaning done by Playhouse staff.

Electric Playhouse opened in January and provides a space for interactive play that involves lights and images projected on the floors and walls of a large game space. CEO and founder John-Mark Collins said the business is still closed to the public, but is anticipating how it will meet new post-coronavirus safety standards when it is allowed to reopen.

We see a lot of value in this long-term, he said. We are going to be using the robot in the evenings after we close. Im happy it (cleaning) is going to be done in a consistent manner and that the spray reaches all the nooks and crannies we cant.

Typically, Electric Playhouse can see hundreds of people go through its doors every hour. Collins says he expects the state to require lower occupancy but that would still mean hundreds of people a day using the space, making it imperative it gets a good cleaning each night.

Build with Robots founder Chris Ziomek said his team has used the space at Electric Playhouse to test the robot.

The two companies held a demonstration Thursday for the media. The robot is a large cylinder about three feet tall. It holds 10 gallons of liquid and has two large nozzles on top that spray the disinfectant, which the robot converts into a fog-like mist. Ziomek said Sandia National Laboratories developed the non-toxic disinfectant, which can kill bacteria, viruses and remove pollen from the air.

Operators can control Breezy One remotely or from a screen on top of the robot. It is programmed with a route but can adjust when it detects an object in its way.

Ziomek said the company initially developed the technology with the construction industry in mind. The robot was designed to do painting on construction sites.

Then COVID happened, he said. We realized construction was probably on hold for a while. Then we realized the platform could be used for other things COVID-related.

He said his team of engineers and programmers pivoted their efforts and came up with a prototype in three weeks.

The team was highly motivated with a clear goal, he said. They worked long, long days and nights.

The company is still working out the kinks before making the robot available to more commercial consumers.
Britons could take rapid coronavirus tests before flights to and from the UK as ministers consider ways to restart holiday trips abroad in time for the summer months.

Scientists and officials are looking at whether coronavirus tests could be taken both before leaving and re-entering Britain to avoid quarantine that could help give a boost to the aviation industry.

Heathrow Airport, which has been carrying out Covid-19 detection trials, has suggested rapid antibody tests could be introduced at security checkpoints, or even before passengers enter an airport.

Greece and Iceland already offer 24-hour coronavirus tests to travellers arriving in their airports, whereas Vienna airport has a 166 testing service that gives results in 30 minutes.

Britons could take rapid coronavirus tests before flights to and from the UK as ministers consider ways to restart holiday trips abroad in July, it has been reported

Department for Transport source told The Telegraph: 'What is being mooted is a mutually recognised test where a foreign businessman, say, has an accredited test a day before flying. It could enable people to travel but maintain public health.'

The vast majority of flights in and out of the UK have been suspended since March after the government advised against all but essential travel.

A 14-day quarantine period is set to be introduced for all arrivals in to the UK, including returning Brits, from June 8.

But the new restriction will be reviewed after three weeks, opening up the possibility of trialling rapid tests and other options.

Ministers are also working on 'air bridges' to link the UK to low-risk destinations in other countries through bilateral agreements so quarantining is avoided.

Heathrow Airport have suggested rapid antibody tests could be introduced at security checkpoints, or even before passengers enter an airport

An internationally agreed set of standards for 'safe' post-coronavirus travel is being drawn up by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, to cover 'travel corridors' or 'air bridges' between countries.

One such location could be Portugal, with officials reportedly in the initial stages of a agreeing on a plan that would allow holidaymakers to travel between the Iberian Peninsula nation and the UK.

Portugal is one of five European countries expected to lift border and quarantine restrictions by mid-June so that most holiday travel could open by July.

Heathrow's CEO John Holland-Kaye backed the idea of air bridges between countries with low levels of infection as a way to boost the tourism sector.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today, he said: 'If they think that quarantine is the right thing to do I think we have to go with that, but it has to be time-limited and we have to plan for what comes next.

'The idea of air bridges  is a very sensible way of doing that. There is no perfect way to make sure only healthy people fly at this stage, so we have to take a risk-based approach.'

Boris Johnson told MPs in the Liaison Committee Wednesday that he wanted 'as sensible a quarantine scheme as possible and to keep flows as generous as we can'.

But he also indicated that 'air bridges' could be implemented by the end of June, provided the UK reached agreements with 'low-risk' countries.

'There is certainly a willingness in Government to try to do as much for this summer as is safe,' said a source.

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said he was 'a little more optimistic' about reviving foreign travel soon, saying he 'wouldn't rule out' holiday travel abroad in July.

Hundreds of planes have been grounded for months after international flights were suspended as Government advised against all but essential travel

It comes as more than 80 British tourism chiefs including the bosses of London's top five hotels today joined 40 MPs to urge the Government to abandon its 'poorly thought out and unworkable' travel quarantine plan.

The new border regime which will require all arrivals to self-isolate for 14 days, has been widely savaged by the aviation and tourism sectors.

Critics have said the plan is 'the very last thing' the already 'severely challenged' industry as the Government comes under increasing pressure to axe it to avoid destroying the peak summer season.

80 of the biggest names in British travel and tourism, including the owners of The Ritz, The Savoy, The Goring, Claridge's and The Dorchester, have written to Home Secretary Priti Patel demanding she axes the rules for tourists before it starts.

The letter says: 'The people of this country do not wish to be prevented from travelling. The government itself has urged people to use their common sense in terms of their behaviour. Quite simply, it is time to switch the emphasis from protection to economic recovery, before it is too late.'

It then asks Ms Patel 'to abandon the concept of mandatory quarantine and instead, champion an industry that provides not only a major economic contribution to the whole of the UK, but also such joy to so many people'.

And yesterday, Unite the union said all UK airports are being affected by the impact on travel caused by the coronavirus crisis, adding that smaller regional airports may be forced to close permanently.

Without urgent action regional economies will take a big hit, destroying the Prime Minister's pledge to level up the economy, said Unite.

An estimated 1.2 million UK workers rely on aviation for their employment, many of them in the airports, airlines, retail, services and transport jobs associated with air travel, according to research by the union.

Heathrow, the UK's largest airport, supports 190,000 jobs across the UK and generates an income of 9.7 billion for the surrounding and national economy, said the report.

The economic benefits of regional airports to local economies were also highlighted, with Bristol airport indirectly supporting 15,000 jobs in the South West and generating 1.3 billion, while Glasgow airport supports 8,200 jobs and generating 590 million for the Scottish economy.

Unite assistant general secretary Diana Holland said: 'Airports are hubs for massive economic activity for our towns and cities, supporting jobs from cabin crew and ground handling to engineers and cleaners.

'But they are facing huge challenges at the moment and need urgent assistance to secure a future where they can continue to provide important routes and support millions of direct and indirect jobs.

'To lose them or see them diminish as employers will open up huge holes in local economies the length and breadth of the country.

'It is crucial that regional airports are supported by the government to ensure that regional connectivity and local economies are not irrevocably damaged with mass job losses, especially in those parts of the country where they are a major employer or the heart of the economy.'

UK's blanket 14-day quarantine for travellers is set to cost UK economy a staggering 650million a WEEK in lost summer tourism revenue

The blanket two-week quarantine on travellers coming into the UK will blow a 650million hole in the economy every week, experts said last night.

It will wipe out the summer holiday season, which brings in 9billion in a normal year, leading to tens of thousands of lost jobs, say business leaders.

Tourism makes up around a tenth of the economy and helps support a wide range of jobs in hotels, cafes, restaurants and shops.

Foreign visitors to Cornwall are already cancelling trips up to October rather than wait for the UK to sort things out, the local tourism chief said.

Passengers wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) queue up to board a flight at Terminal 2 of Heathrow airport, west London earlier this week

An April photograph shows a pictured of Suenos guesthouse owners Teresa and Neil Jones in front of their boutique bed and breakfast in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. Teresa said the fortnight of isolation may put off tourists from coming to the UK

Instead, many are looking to other countries who are more welcoming after reopening.

It came as Home Office figures revealed 18million passengers  200,000 a day  flew into Britain without any health checks between January and March, when coronavirus was spreading across the country at a rapid rate.

Ex-Tory aviation minister Theresa Villiers MP said this showed that targeted quarantine requirements should have been put in place at an early stage of the pandemic.

Industry leaders said the Governments current refusal to allow tourists to visit Britain without spending two weeks in quarantine when they arrive would devastate the countrys economy.

Separately, ex-aviation minister Theresa Villiers MP is urging a 'proportionate approach' with quarantine measures aimed at 'travel from Covid hotspots'

The plan will contribute to more than 90 per cent of Britains summer tourism trade being obliterated, according to respected independent forecaster the Centre for Economics and Business Research.

Its founder, Douglas McWilliams, said the overall cost of coronavirus to the travel industry could be more than 20billion.

He said: The peak summer months of July, August and September would [normally] bring in over 9billion from inbound tourism.

This will make struggle for survival even more difficult Teresa and Neil Jones say the two-week quarantine for visitors to the UK will make it even harder to keep their luxury guesthouse business afloat. The Suenos Guesthouse in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, has been fighting for survival after closing during the lockdown. Bookings taken for the five-star boutique hotel before the lockdown had already been cancelled. Now the couple fear their business could be hit further. Mrs Jones, 48, said: We do have overseas visitors and even though they dont make up a massive percentage, it probably will have an effect. She said the fortnight of isolation may put off tourists from coming to the UK. I dont think anybody wants to be stuck, not seeing anything or going anywhere for two weeks when they land in the UK, she said. Were not trying to have a go at the Government but it is frustrating. Everyone is in the same boat, everyone is trying to feel their way through this. Everybody feels that theyre trying to get ready to start again and build things up and you think that this is going to put you back a bit. She criticised the decision to impose a quarantine period now, saying: Its kind of a bit pointless now doing it after all this time because everybody has come in already without having to quarantine. Earlier in the lockdown, discussing the challenges the business faces, Mrs Jones said: Theres no point opening unless other businesses are open. When people come they want to see local attractions and go to restaurants and bars. She said the size of the guesthouse, which has five bedrooms, would make it easy to enforce social distancing rules. But it has communal areas and is popular because of its award-winning breakfast  both of which may not be available to guests, depending on what the Government allows. Advertisement

If the two-week blanket quarantine is enforced, this 9billion is likely to be reduced to 0.5billion, costing the tourist industry 650million a week.

Business leaders last night blasted the measures, due to kick in from June 8.

Malcolm Bell, chief executive of Visit Cornwall, said: Foreign visitors are not just cancelling for next month  theyre cancelling up to October because of the way our Government is handling the crisis.

Dr Steven Freudmann, chairman of the Institute of Travel and Tourism, called it a stake through the heart of the industry, adding: This is a case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

'All other sensible countries closed their borders back in March.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade body UK Hospitality, said: The longer this quarantine is in place, the more damage it will wreak.

Jace Tyrell, boss of the West End Company, which represents central London shops and hospitality firms, said: The current quarantine measures are going to be catastrophic.

The row heightened last night after a Whitehall source called critics tin-eared, adding: I dont think people in Hull reading their Daily Mail over their Frosties are going to have much sympathy with the millionaire leaders of the travel industry.

The comment came after close to 80 bosses  including from The Savoy, Ritz and Mandarin Oriental  wrote to Home Secretary Priti Patel to demand she ditch the unworkable, ill-thought out and damaging plans immediately.

The letter, seen by the Mail, said ministers had also been woefully slow to react and procrastinated to the point of absurdity.

George Morgan-Grenville, chief executive of tour operator Red Savannah, who organised the letter, said: The quarantine plans are poorly thought out, wholly detrimental to industry recovery and are more or less unworkable.

Hotelier Sir Rocco Forte, 75, who also signed the letter, told the Mail: Most of the travel industry is not millionaires, it is small family businesses who find it a struggle to survive. There will be millions unemployed who neednt have been.

The outcry has received short shrift from the Government, which said businesses were being supported by a range of bailout schemes.

The Whitehall source said: The travel and hospitality sector have been extensively engaged throughout the entire process. It seems, frankly, like theyve got tin ears.

The science is quite clear. As community transmission of the virus falls to a manageable level we need to stop the importation of cases from overseas.

'However, there is flexibility built in. The quarantine programme will be reviewed every three weeks.

Harry Potter-themed shop owner Phil Pinder (pictured) said the quarantine measures will hit York's busiest time of year

Countries with similar levels of infections have already announced that their borders will be opened to tourists.

Spain has said tourists will be welcome from July 1 and Italy has said European travellers can enter freely from June 3.

But travel operator Tui has said it will cut up to 8,000 jobs amid the greatest crisis the industry has ever faced.

Tens of thousands of hospitality and tourism staff are on furlough, and concerns have mounted that some will never return to work.

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Airbus, which has a factory in Broughton near Chester, have all been forced to axe thousands of jobs.
KAMUT wheat flour baguettes, courtesy of the Midwife & the Baker. These days people are looking for things to do and making bread can actually be exciting.

America has been baking its heart out during the COVID-19 pandemic! According to Google Trends, the number of people that searched for bread in the month of March hit an all-time high. Whether kneading dough to let off steam, getting creative in the kitchen to quell anxiety, or to make homemade pizza for kids home from school, baking is still trending with #QuarantineBaking all over social media. Even celebrities are getting in on the act, from famous personalities to Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi, they are all trying their hand at bread-making and it seems the baking trend could linger post-pandemic!

During the four-week period ending April 11th, yeast sales alone jumped 410% year over year, according to market research firm Nielsen, and flour has been in such high demand that supermarket shelves are often empty. Weve noticed sales of KAMUT brand wheat flour soaring, and our millers are working hard to keep up with demand, said Trevor Blyth, Kamut International CEO.

Thomas Mac McConnell owner of the Midwife & the Baker commented that these days people are looking for things to do and making bread can actually be exciting and fulfilling. Preparing it the night before, you anticipate what its going to look like in the morning, he said adding, Its very satisfying and bread is really comforting if you bake it yourself or buy a great tasting loaf. However you get it, bread brings people pleasure.

For many serious bread bakers, KAMUT wheat flour is their first choice and they make some pretty amazing loaves with it. What makes it so special besides its flavor, which according to Mac makes, the bread taste buttery even without butter and it colors well in the oven, the flavor is amazing, is its high nutritional value thats backed by the guarantees and research of the KAMUT brand. Information on studies that involved use of KAMUT brand wheat bread can be found here.

One of the top selling breads of the Midwife & the Baker is their KAMUT wheat flour baguettes. Mac McConnell has been using KAMUT wheat flour for the last 10 years and says, One time I thought Id try adding some regular white flour in with the KAMUT flour, that did not go down well with my customers, they wanted to know what I had changed. They could not only taste the difference, but some people with wheat sensitivities were having challenges eating it. Never did that again!

With 32% of people saying that they plan on making more home cooked meals after the pandemic, its worth looking at the long-term effect of this tendency especially since recent habits like scratch cooking and home baking seem likely to become a regular part of more consumers routine. According to a small survey of 300 U.S. consumers conducted in early April by market researcher AMC Global and OpinionRoute, A third of respondents said they were baking more than usual during the pandemic, with 20% predicting they would continue to bake more in future.

About KAMUT Brand Khorasan Wheat

From 36 kernels and legends of discovery in Egyptian tombs, today KAMUT brand khorasan wheat, an ancient grain, guaranteed under the KAMUT brand, to never be hybridized or genetically modified, always organically grown, prized for its nutrition, ease of digestibility, sweet nutty-buttery taste and firm texture, can be found throughout the world in products including breads, pasta, pizza, cereals, snacks, pastries, crackers, beer, green foods, and cereal drinks.

Media please contact Giselle Chollett: giselle@adinnyc.com, 917.386.7116.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 17:31:27|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

NEW YORK, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Despite "the monthslong warning provided by China and Italy," the U.S. government "failed to provide frontline health care workers with basic protections," a paramedic wrote in a letter published earlier this week by The New York Times.

The letter, written by Mike Gardner, a paramedic that has been working in New York City for 20 years, called on the U.S. administration to ensure reliable production and distribution of personal protective gear, and to guarantee health insurance and income protection to frontline medical workers.

"The window of time to do this is now," said Gardner, who responded to the 9/11 attacks in 2001, learning from the experience that the current "commitments" to and "clapping" for of ground zero workers will soon fade.

"Months into a pandemic that may last years, there is still no guarantee that protective gear supply chains will be restored and maintained," said Gardner, noting that medical workers had to reuse single-use disposable masks in the first stages of the outbreak.

In addition to the crushing call-out volumes and staggering mortality rates, health care workers also have to endure wondering whether the health of their families and themselves is at risk, "and what will become of them if they are unable to work," said Gardner.

"Let's use this collective gratitude to enact legislation to guarantee health insurance and income protection to frontline workers who suffer any disability, physical or mental, arising from their exposure to the virus," said Gardner. Enditem
A military truck carrying equipment for a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system enters a THAAD base under police protection in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Friday. Yonhap



By Yi Whan-woo



South Korea and the United States brought in updated interceptor missiles onto a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile base in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province in a surprise operation, Friday.

The operation took place as anti-THAAD protests have persisted, while China, despite reconciliation with the South, continues to protest the presence of the U.S missile shield here.

The Ministry of National Defense said the ground transportation operation, which began Thursday night and ended around 6 a.m., was to minimize friction with protesters opposed to THAAD.

The operation was to replace the older missiles, a power generator, electronic devices, and construction equipment needed for the battery as well as to improve living conditions of troops at the base. Multiple military and foreign ministry officials said Seoul notified Beijing about the operation in advance through "various channels" and "asked for Beijing's understanding."

"The new missiles are of the same type that the U.S. Forces Korea (UFSK) currently operates. As the mission was to replace expired ones, the number of updated ones is exactly the same as those to be taken out of the base," a defense ministry official said on condition of anonymity, The official did not elaborate on how many missiles were replaced.

Due to attempts by protesters to block people bringing in the equipment and other supplies to the base, the two allies usually used air transportation to move supplies.

Regarding the method of shipment this time, the official said it was made by ground as some of the items were too heavy and large to be airlifted.

The official also said the operation has nothing to do with the U.S. move improve its seven THAAD batteries in the region, including the one in Seongju.

Another ministry said the issue has been "fully explained to China."

Meanwhile, the USFK said in a statement it "periodically conducts vehicular resupply and support missions to its formations and installations across South Korea."

It said the move was to maintain a high "fight tonight" readiness level and to provide a robust combined defense posture to protect South Korea against any threat or adversary.

The USFK added the allies "have maintained close coordination, cooperation and collaborative efforts to ensure this mission is conducted to minimize and prevent any inconvenience in the least disruptive manner for the local Korean population and all parties involved."

The anti-THAAD protesters have cited environmental concerns in their opposition, and that the Moon Jae-in administration has scaled up the environmental study on the THAAD base.

China has stated that the THAAD deployment is against its national interests, and took retaliatory measures against Korean businesses after its initial deployment in 2017.

Seoul and Washington have stressed THAAD is to only intended to better cope with the growing missile threats posed by Pyongyang.
LITTLE RIVER, South Carolina, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PCT LTD (OTC Pink: PCTL) is pleased to announce they have reached a final agreement with Paradigm Convergence Technologies (Europe) Ltd. The agreement was enacted on May 25th, 2020 and will secure a mutually beneficial business relationship between the two entities, in which PCTL will hold a beneficial stake.

"We have been working diligently to formalize the final terms of our arrangement," says PCTL CEO Gary Grieco. "Through this agreement Paradigm Convergence Technologies (Europe) Ltd will be able to introduce our technology throughout the United Kingdom and their interconnected healthcare system." The arrangement also provides territory rights to PCT Europe throughout 5 additional European nations.

"We see a growing need for our technology in the UK and throughout Europe, both in the short and long-term," explains Grieco. "The highly talented team PCT Europe has in place will spearhead sales and placements in their respective territories and should result in a highly lucrative and beneficial arrangement for both parties."

Grieco explains that the only current barriers are the increased travel restrictions in the UK and Europe as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "Once restrictions are relaxed, we anticipate tying down the final pieces and moving the commercialization efforts forward," Grieco says.

The company is also providing an update on the state of their 10-K annual filing, due May 29th. A form 8-K was filed earlier today with the SEC providing an update on the status of that filing.

Social distancing measures have been taken by both PCTL's outside accountants and its independent registered public accounting firm in order to protect the health of their employees. Further, travel restrictions have delayed certain inventory audit procedures and other items required for the annual audit.

"Unfortunately, even in today's connected world there are several aspects of an annual audit which cannot easily be tended to remotely," explains PCT CFO Marion Sofield. "Unlike with pre-pandemic quarterly filings, our annual audit requires creative methods to counteract the lack of in-person, on-premises auditing of certain financial records, inventory records, and other pertinent business information. The current travel restrictions have disturbed that process, despite the best efforts of our team as well as our outside accountants and auditors."

"We're hard at work trying to get things completed," says Sofield, adding that the company plans to file their annual 10-K as soon as possible.

Additional News and Corporate Updates:

PCTL would like to warn its stockholders and potential investors that material corporate information regarding sales, areas of business and other corporate updates will only be made through press releases or filings with the SEC. PCTL does not utilize social media, chatrooms or other online sources to disclose material information. The public should only rely on official press releases and corporate filings for accurate and up to date information regarding PCTL.

About PCT LTD:

PCT LTD ("PCTL") focuses its business on acquiring, developing and providing sustainable, environmentally safe disinfecting, cleaning and tracking technologies. The company acquires and holds rights to innovative products and technologies, which are commercialized through its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, Paradigm Convergence Technologies Corporation (PCT Corp). Currently trading on OTC, "PCTL" aspires to and is actively engaged in preparations for up-listing its common stock to a national securities exchange. The Company established entry into its target markets with commercially viable products in the United States and now continues to gain market share in the U.S. and U.K.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, goals, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements."

Such statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections at the time the statements are made that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those presently anticipated. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: the ability of PCT LTD and PCT (Europe) Ltd. to commercialize the Annihilyzer technology in the U.K and other European countries; the timeframe for lifting COVID-19 restrictions; the time required for finalizing PCTL's annual audit and 2019 10-K; PCTL's ability to raise sufficient funds to satisfy its working capital requirements; the ability of PCTL to execute its business plan; any other effects resulting from the information disclosed above; risks and effects of legal and administrative proceedings and government regulation; future financial and operational results; competition; general economic conditions; and the ability to manage and continue growth. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those indicated. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements PCTL makes in this press release include market conditions and those set forth in reports or documents it files from time to time with the SEC. PCTL undertakes no obligation to revise or update such statements to reflect current events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Gary Grieco, CEO and Chairman, PCT LTD

(843) 390-7900 Office

(843) 390-2347 Fax

www.para-con.com

www.pctcorphealth.com

www.survivalyte.com

SOURCE PCT LTD

Related Links

http://www.pctcorphealth.com/


Canada Should Correct Its Course on the Chinese Regime

Commentary

To its credit, Australia, together with strong leadership from the United States, is leading the charge to conduct an inquiry into the origin of the novel coronavirus that has killed hundreds of thousands and severely disrupted the lives of billions of the worlds people.

This is a true David and Goliath story. Chinas 1.4 billion population dwarfs Australias 25 million, not to mention its economy. And China is pulling out all the stops to quash Australias brave attempt. From calling Australia gum under Chinas shoe to threatening massive economic retaliation, the Chinese communists are letting the upstart Australia know exactly what it thinks of their brash truth campaign.

And yet Australia and America are succeeding. Most of the worlds nations have now sided with Australia and are demanding answers from a communist party that is used to getting its way. France, Germany, and most of the other Western countries are following Australias lead and letting the communist giant know that they are refusing to be intimidated by threats of economic retaliation, or any of the other bully tactics that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) usually uses successfully on smaller nations. India is involved as well in the growing recognition that liberal democracies must stand together against an increasingly aggressive authoritarian bully.

These nations are to be commended. They are finally seeing the CCP for the dangerous totalitarian enemy of freedom that it has always beenand telling China it has had enough. They are leading the way.

But not Canada. It only reluctantly signed on to the initiative after all the other countries had signed on. Canada was at the tail end. The days when Canada was always among the first to stand with its democratic allies, such as America and Australia, for freedom and against tyranny is long past. Today, Canada cowers before communist Chinas power.

What is going on here? It should be remembered that China still has two Canadian hostages that it snatched off the street and jailedin a brazen act that can only be described as blackmailin return for the lawful and appropriate Canadian detention of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou for possible extradition to the United States.

More immediately, it should be apparent to our prime minister that thousands of Canadian lives have been lost, and the entire life of the country completely disrupted, by a virus spawned somehow in Chinathe seriousness of which Beijing hid from the world for six crucial weeks. But instead of righteous anger from our leader, and instead of properly joining our allies in a demand for an inquiry into the origins of this horrific pandemic, Ottawa meekly repeats familiar talking points ad nauseum, and even often compliment the Chinese regime.

Back in 2013, when asked during an event which country he admired most, Justin Trudeau shockingly expressed admiration for Chinas basic dictatorship which is allowing them to turn their economy around on a dime.

Health Minister Patty Hajdu just as famously accused a reporter on April 3 of feeding into conspiracy theories by even suggesting that the information provided by the CCP to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Canada was inaccurate. That information even then had been proven to be more than suspicious. The CCP had very deliberately suppressed the truth. The WHO aided and abetted that diabolical act, and Hajdu would not tolerate any questioning of that false narrative.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who owes his job to the CCP, failed to alert the world to the extreme danger of the coronavirus in a timely manner. As a result, what should have been a local event in Wuhan became the worst pandemic the world has seen in 100 years. But it was the CCP/WHO false version that Ottawa presented to Canadians as fact, until the WHO finally came clean and admitted that the virus had become an uncontrolled viral pandemic. Tedroscorrectly called Chinas puppet by U.S. President Donald Trumphas refused to resign, as demanded by Australia and most of the worlds independent nations. Trudeau will not join in that demand, and Beijing has praised Trudeau for his support of a man who was incompetent at best, and at worst criminally negligent.

It should be understood that the WHO is a very important international organization that includes excellent medical experts and dedicated officials. However, it is now beyond argument that its leadership at the top level has been thoroughly corrupted by its slavish devotion to an amoral CCP. The WHO leadership disgraced itself spectacularly and tragically by toadying to the Party when it knew better. But it is still shocking that even when the WHOs negligence had become well known, Ottawa was far too slow to recognize the fact that the WHOs leadership was a tool for a CCP that hid the truth around the virus outbreak.

Chief Public Health Officer Teresa Tam was still assuring Canadians that they were not at risk long after close observers knew that this was false information. Taiwan knew better and tried to warn the WHO but was rebuffed for purely political reasons. (Canadian WHO representative Bruce Aylward was so anxious to please Beijing that he pretended he couldnt hear a reporters question about whether the WHO should reconsider allowing Taiwan to be a member).

It is interesting that a Conservative Party candidate asked if Tam was more loyal to the CCP than Canada. For that he was accused of being a racist. But the same question could be asked of the other Canadian officials who are not Chinese. In fact, if disputing the CCP narrative is somehow anti-Chinese and racist, then the people of Taiwan and the good people of Hong Kong would have to wear those racist labels tooand they are Chinese. The point here is that the CCP has been working for years to portray anyone who resists the regime as racist and anti-Chinese.

And how can Canada even consider allowing Huawei into its 5G, knowing what we now know about the sinister nature of the CCP? Canadians know that the regime currently has at least one million Uighur Muslims detained against their will in concentration camps. They know how ruthless and deadly the CCP campaign has been against peaceful Tibet. Canadians know that persecuted groups like Falun Gong have been imprisoned and even killed for their organs. They know that the older version of the CCPthe Party of Maowas responsible for the deaths of at least 60 million of its own citizens. In short, there are no words that adequately describe the truly monstrous nature of the CCP. How can anyone continue to cozy up to such a regime?

Doing CCPs Dirty Work

But the flawed approach to China doesnt stop at Ottawa. It extends to Canadas public broadcaster, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Recall its recent attack on The Epoch Times. Unlike many other Canadian publications, Epoch Times has never been afraid to confront the CCP head on. But the CBC seems to believe that any attack on the CCP is anti-Chinese. So they chose to attack with misleading information.

In addition to broadcasting misleading information about Epoch Times articles, the CBC repeated the CCP canard that the publications well-known criticism of the regime is anti-Chinese. The CBC report also repeated a CCP slur about Falun Gong that the regime uses as part of its agenda to spread misinformation about the practice. The fact that the CBC repeats CCP propaganda, and that it chose to slander one of the most persecuted groups in the world, should give one pause.

And the fact that the CBC chose to do its drive-by shooting of The Epoch Times, a brave little newspaper that has been reporting for decades about what life in communist China is actually like for persecuted groups like the Tibetans, Uighurs, Christians, and Falun Gong, is actually quite disturbing. One would think that the CBC should stand with persecuted minorities and not with the Chinese communist monolith that persecutes them.

Although the CBC later retracted their erroneous headline and part of their reporting, they well knew that the damage had by then been done, and they still havent retracted the main thrust of their inaccurate reporting. Canadians had been officially advised by their own national broadcasting system that the CCP slander of both the Falun Gong and The Epoch Times was fact. In short, by doing this hit job the CBC was doing the CCPs dirty work for it. Both Falun Gong and The Epoch Times have been successfully slandered. This was true fake news. The CBC also emulated the CCP in its highly effective policy of intimidate, lie and slander.

Given the ruthless nature of the Chinese regimesomething that has become starkly obvious over its handling of the virus outbreak aloneis this a prudent approach for our national broadcaster? Not to mention our government?

With many countries now taking a stronger stance on China, the time has come for the Liberals to abandon their submissive attitude and be part of that effort.

Brian Giesbrecht is a retired judge and a senior fellow with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Prabhu Chawla and Kaveree Bamzai By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Thousands of migrant workers were forced to march back to their home states, hungry and thirsty in the summer, because of the sudden and unplanned lockdown, Rajasthan Congress chief and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said, with the Centre failing to anticipate the migration problem. His remarks came during a conversation with Prabhu Chawla, Editorial Director, The New Indian Express, and author and senior journalist Kaveri Bamzai on TNIEs Expressions, a series of live web casts with people who matter.

Lockdown was done to give time to enhance resources to meet the challenge. We didnt use the time as best as we can to enhance number of beds in hospitals, increase number of doctors, more ventilators. We didnt use it as much as we should to upgrade the capacity for testing, treatment. We didnt really think about non-Covid patients (in the meanwhile), he said.

On the lessons for the Centre during the pandemic, Pilot said that labour migration is an area where thought was not put on numbers and how to handle. Leadership is all about anticipating and they (govt) failed to anticipate migration. If they would have thought, they would have found a solution. There is no pan-India labour migrant payment policy in the country. It creates confusion when there is no clarity from the top.

Regarding the Centres differential treatment to non-BJP ruled states, Pilot was of the view that settling score will be a very short sighted approach and not enough was done from the Centre. It should have been given some elbow space to states to fight Covid, he added.

It seems so. The states struggling most are both BJP and non-BJP ruled, but the amount of negative news that comes out from non-BJP states... There is a room for improvement for cooperative federalism. Discussions did not happen (with states) initially when the lockdown was announced. ...we are fighting together but there is ambiguity and there is no due meaningful consultation ... There should be transparency on how we are judging (lockdown and exit), our misses and accomplishment, said the Congress leader.

With reports of extension of lockdown after May 31, Pilot said states should have been given power to make decisions. The Centre should issue broad guidelines and let the states decide on how they want to implement them. Execution should be left with the state.

The Rajasthan Deputy CM highlighted steps taken by his state in ramping up testing from zero to aiming at 25,000 per day with all districts to have testing facilities. Job cards issued to all migrant workers returning to state to get employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, he added.
Hundreds of commuters were stuck at the Delhi-Gurugram border for hours after it was sealed around 9.40 am on Friday a day after Haryana minister Anil Vij issued fresh orders restricting the entry of people into the state citing a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases.

Gurugram police commissioner Muhammad Akil said they have cancelled all old cross-border movement permissions and asked employees working in Gurugram to make arrangements for their stay in the city.

Vij on Thursday wrote to the state home department, blaming a large movement of people between Delhi and Haryana for the sharp rise in the cases. Most of the cases reported in Gurugram are linked to Delhi and it is not safe to allow free movement, which can lead to more cases, Vij said on Friday.

Gurugram has reported 520 Covid-19 cases until Friday. It recorded the highest single-day spike in the cases  115  on Friday. The Millennium City has the highest number of cases in Haryana, which has recorded 1,721 infections so far.

The movement of vehicles engaged in essential services and people exempted from the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions was delayed as a traffic jam stretched to about four kilometres after police began checking the movement passes and turned away hundreds. The traffic jam lasted from around 10am to 11.30am.

Doctors, nurses, other health care and sanitation workers, paramilitary personnel, others involved in essential services, and ambulances were permitted to cross the border without any movement passes. Others were allowed only after their identity cards and curfew passes were checked.

Akil said all 11 crossing points have been sealed. He added except for those in exempted categories, the border will remain completely sealed. The volume of traffic has increased manifolds along all the borders and we have placed barricades and deployed additional forces, including senior officers...

Akil said they have taken an undertaking from employees of private firms that they will not return unless the lockdown is uplifted. The firms will have to apply for permissions for their employees for cross-border travel.

Many commuters have passes valid till May 31. We are checking passes and if anyone is found using an expired pass, strict action will be taken. Most likely the process for new passes will begin on Saturday, said Akil.

The application process for the new passes was suspended on Friday.

Gurugram deputy commissioner Amit Khatri did not respond to calls and messages requesting comment.

Police officers warned the situation along the border is likely to be the same for the next 15 days. Deployments of police have been increased to 40 from 20 personnel at the Sirhaul and Dundahera crossing points, people aware of the matter said.

The border was sealed earlier for 15 days from May 1. The fresh sealing came after around 15 police personnel manning border check posts were tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday amid traffic congestion during the rush hours. The interstate movement was allowed when the Centre on May 17 extended the lockdown until May 31.

Hundreds of commuters tried to cross the border as early as possible on Friday and caused the congestion amid reports of fresh orders to seal it. After police put up barricades, they were asked to either go back or give an undertaking that they would not return to Delhi if allowed in.

Dinesh Kapoor, vice president of a private company, said he packed his bag on Thursday night after the news regarding the sealing of the border started surfacing on social media. Kapoor added he crossed before the border was sealed

Nikita Mehra, a senior executive at a private firm, said the situation has become tough for people commuting from Delhi to Gurugram. I will not be allowed to return to Delhi if I have to work here. It is difficult to make arrangements to stay in Gurugram. Our jobs are at stake.

Assistant police commissioner Karan Goel said they have informed those who travel across the border daily for work to shift near their workplaces. We have also informed the companies and industries to make immediate arrangements for their employees to live. Many companies have already made lodging arrangements for their staffers.

Sonal Tripathi, a daily commuter to Gurugram, said the government allowed offices to open with 50% of staff from May 18 but how will they do so as the borders are sealed. This is very confusing for us. One morning, we get to know the borders are sealed and next day, they open. Getting a movement pass is also not easy. It is becoming tough day by day to deal with the border issues.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region
Kerala has reported one death and 62 new virus cases on Friday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said adding among the infected two are Air India crew and two prisoners and a health worker. Among 1,150 total cases, 577 are active and more than 1,24,000 are under observation in the state.

A 65-year-old man, who returned from the middle-east, last week died in Kottayam on Friday taking the death toll to 9. An acute diabetic, he was on ventilator for last two days. The CM said the state expected a sharp rise in cases with the return of expatriates and people stranded in other parts of the country and there was no need of panic on this count.

The CM reiterated that the state has got best recovery and lowest mortality rates in the country and its testing rates were in commensurate with new cases and infection rate. When you test 100 people in the state 1.7 are testing negative whereas in the country it is 5 per cent. And the fatality rate is 0.5. We are going by the directive of the Indian Council of Medical Research, he said dispelling doubts over low rate of tests in the state. Recently many from the opposition had questioned the states low testing rate.

While Kerala had conducted 62, 746 tests as on Friday its neighbours Karnataka and Tamil had done at least five to six times more tests than it. But the CM maintained that the states records are best. Out of 577 active cases only 45 people got infected from others. Local spreading rate is less than 10 per cent. That is why we are saying that no community transmission took place in the state, he said.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Ian Cole, the scion of a late cotton baron, was in the lift of a hotel in Sydney's Martin Place in early March when he heard a familiar voice approaching and held the door open. "What are the odds?" asked Chris Brooks, an ex-grains trader and critic of the cotton industry, as he stepped in. "That we'd bump into each other in Sydney?" Cole replied. "No - that you'll still be alive by the time we reach the ground," Brooks recalls telling the prominent irrigator. Ian Cole, son-in-law of cotton industry pioneer Jack Buster. Credit:Nick Moir Cole, the son-in-law of American cotton pioneer Jack Buster, who opened up the northern Murray-Darling Basin to the crop in the mid-1960s, dismisses Brooks' account as "bully-boy tactics" and things "he would have liked to have said". Either way, both Cole and Brooks seem destined to clash again, at least verbally. They champion two sides battling over the future of water in Australia's most important food bowl - one banking on the market and the other politics and the courts to determine who wins and loses.

Advertisement

Chris Brooks, a former grains trader and chairman of the Southern Riverina Irrigators, plans to take on sitting Liberal-National Party members in the Murray region over water. Credit:Nick Moir Those tensions will likely be tempered in the near term, as the Basin emerges from its worst-ever drought. However, rapidly expanding perennial crops such as almonds are outbidding lower-value products such as dairy and rice in the water markets, upending industries and rural towns in the process. Loading And that's before the bills for the Basin's ongoing excessive extraction of water and climate change come due. Certainly, widespread rains across the Basin have lately lifted spirits. Dams - including those that irrigate the giant cotton farms around St George in southern Queensland and along the Barwon-Darling in northern NSW - have been able to suck their fill from the suddenly rushing rivers. Wetlands such as the Narran Lakes have started to live up to their description for the first time in years.

Advertisement

Driving across inland NSW and Victoria - COVID-19 restrictions permitting - visitors will see a far greener landscape than the dust bowl that would have greeted them just months ago. Its what everyone needs ... everyone can stop pointing the finger," says Joe Robinson, owner of Darling Farms, a big cotton farm near Bourke that he bought from Cole in 2014. When were pumping from the river, the environments doing well. Indeed, soil moisture has improved markedly. The Bureau of Meteorology is also forecasting a wetter-than-average winter to bring top-up rains and runoff to fill huge inland reservoirs still at less than 20 per cent full. Sustained falls, though, are needed to erase the deep rainfall deficiencies over much of the Basin. Almost 90 per cent of NSW alone remains drought-affected or still in drought, that state's government says. Dry times or not, Cole says it's a "great thing" markets now direct water to those willing to pay more. "If you want to grow a low-value crop, you've got a business problem," he says as he drives beside a large irrigation channel.

Advertisement

Loading "Is the government there to subsidise inefficient industries?" he asks. "I'd love to have a local dairy [in Bourke again], but it'd be a luxury." Brooks, chairman of the Southern Riverina Irrigators, is less enamoured with markets even though he made his fortune trading, cannily piloting his Aero Commander plane to observe the harvests below to give him a market edge. Politicians have allowed unregulated expansion of cotton and other crops, particularly in the northern Basin, he says. The result is the Darling River increasingly ceases to reach the Murray, leaving the latter to carry the burden of meeting the yearly 1850-gigalitre entitlement of the downstream state of South Australia. An aerial view of the Barmah-Millewa national parks that straddle the Murray River near the Narrows, or Barmah Choke, taken from Chris Brooks' aircraft. The region contains the largest river red gum forest in Australia, and the world. Credit:Nick Moir It has been especially galling for Brooks, who has had to watch the Murray flow bank-high past his farm near Tocumwal without being able to draw irrigation water for the past couple of seasons because of the drought. And then there's "irreparable damage" to the nearby river red gum forests and erosion at the Barmah Choke because the Murray is being run at its maximum level of 7 gigalitres a day through the naturally narrowed canal.

Advertisement

River bank erosion of the Murray River in the NSW Riverina. Credit:Nick Moir Brooks also blames "the demand downstream for almonds" that continues to grow, particularly in the Mallee. Loading The Herald and The Age this week revealed Brooks' plan to create a political party to topple four Liberal-National Party MPs, including Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Environment Minister Sussan Ley. And he's using a litigation funder to launch a class action against the Murray Darling Basin Authority for "gross mismanagement", with more legal moves ahead. "We have to fight fire with fire," he says. The authority's chief executive, Phillip Glyde, has sympathy for both warring camps. On the one hand, the rapid expansion of perennial crops like almonds has meant downstream regions such as Sunraysia "are going gangbusters".

Advertisement
The central government has identified 145 new districts, mostly rural, that have reported Covid-19 infections over the past three weeks and warned that they could emerge as epicentres of the disease if effective containment measures are not undertaken. In a presentation to representatives of states on Thursday, cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba highlighted that eastern India was likely to be the next big Covid-19 hotspot with the return of migrant workers from the worst-hit states.

The cabinet secretary said 12 states, including Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha in eastern India which had not reported many cases earlier, have witnessed rapid infection spread in the three weeks until May 25. Other states such as Tripura and Manipur, too, have reported an increase in Covid-19 cases after having infections in single digits earlier.

Also Read: Covid-19: What you need to know today

The health ministry said bigger states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh accounted for the bulk of Indias around 1,65,000 cases until Thursday. There has been a faster increase in the cases over in the past fortnight. India had reported 75,000 cases until May 13. The ministry said the bigger states remained the main contributors to the surge but that states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha saw sharp increase in cases.

It is primarily because of the return of migrant workers from Covid-19 hotspot states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh that the cases increased in eastern India, said an official on condition of anonymity. As the rush of migrant workers was huge, there was no proper screening of passengers at railway and bus stations. Therefore, many took infections from one state to another.

Also Read: Govt may plan scheme for welfare, jobs of migrants

The ministry has identified the 145 districts, where state governments need to proactively conduct containment activities to ensure that new epicentres do not emerge. According to the presentation, 2,147 active cases in these districts account for 2.5% of the total cases in India. Of these, 26 districts have more than 20 active cases.

Half of these districts are in Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.

Bihar health secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh said the government is concerned as migrant workers account for around two-thirds of about 3,200 cases in the state.

Jharkhand minister Rameshwar Oran said only a few cases have been reported from outside quarantine centres, which shows the virus has not spread. We have been able to control the spread even though a large number of workers returned from infected places.

Odishas additional chief secretary, Pradipta Kishore Mohapatra, said the states Covid-19 recovery rate of 41% was better than the national average of 42%. None of the new Covid patients is in ICU [intensive care units] or [on] ventilator [support] and we are confident of overcoming the crisis once all migrant workers return.

The health ministry also expressed concern over an increase in the Covid-19 confirmation rate, or the positives for total tests done, in some states such as Delhi, Maharashtra and Bihar.

Most states have recorded a fall in the Covid-19 fatality rate even as it increased in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat between May 18 and May 25, according to the ministry. The fatality rate has declined from 8.5% to 7.1% in West Bengal but was remains the highest for any major state.

Former Indian Medical Association president Dr K K Agarwal said the fatality and the confirmation rates in India were still less than the western countries. Everybody expected the cases to increase ; it does not mean the lockdown failed. The lockdown has helped us to contain the spread.
Visitors are seen near the portrait of late Chinese chairman Mao Zedong on Tiananmen Gate, on the day of the closing session of the National People's Congress (NPC), in Beijing, China May 28. Reuters-Yonhap



By Do Je-hae



The government is closely watching the escalating U.S.-China conflict and analyzing the possible impact on Korea, the nation's top diplomat said Thursday.



"We are well aware of domestic concerns about the rising conflict in the international community," Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said during a meeting on foreign affairs strategy coordination held at the ministry's headquarters in central Seoul, according to press pool reports.



"We are conducting a detailed analysis with experts within and outside the government about the conflict's significance and its possible impact on Korea."



Although the foreign minister stopped short of specifically mentioning the United States, and China, the remarks were seen as reflecting the Moon Jae-in administration's increasing concerns about Korea's diplomacy being sandwiched between the two superpowers' escalating competition.



The meeting at the foreign ministry came as the Chinese "parliament" endorsed the controversial national security legislation pertaining to Hong Kong, further raising tension with the U.S., which has been highly critical of the move.





Trump hints at willingness to walk away from China trade deal China's economic strategy shift shows Xi is preparing for 'worst case scenario' New US-China Cold War President Moon Jae-in faces the complex task of balancing Korea's diplomacy between the U.S. and China amid an escalating rivalry between the two superpowers over trade, Hong Kong and competition for global leadership in the post-COVID-19-era. Yonhap

Concerns are rising among experts and the general public about how Korea will deal with the conflict. Korea is expected to face more pressure from both countries to show support for their respective strategies to strengthen their respective influence in the region.



Experts are underlining the need for Korea to take a careful, long-term approach to the issue as the anti-Chinese policy in Washington is likely to be maintained regardless of who takes over the White House in the upcoming presidential election.



"The U.S. and China are almost certainly headed toward a new Cold War. The anti-Chinese sentiment in the U.S. will likely persist even if Joe Biden wins the U.S. presidential race," Yoon Kwan-young, a former foreign minister, said during a forum in Seoul this week. "There will be increasing pressure from both sides on Korea. We need a principled approach based on transparency and rationality."



Some insiders say that maintaining good relations with North Korea is one of the ways to defuse tension between the U.S. and China in the region.



"South Korea is an American ally, but it also maintains a strategic partnership with China. Both countries are valuable countries to our national interests," said Moon Chung-in, the special adviser to President Moon Jae-in on foreign affairs and national security, in a recent Korea Times interview.



U.S. President Donald Trump has blamed China for the COVID-19, which he has called a worse attack than Pearl Harbor, and has threatened to cut ties with the country. Yonhap

"To get out of this dilemma, South Korea needs to take a more prudent balanced diplomacy. In so doing, Seoul needs to get a major breakthrough in inter-Korean relations. Improved inter-Korean relations will serve as a very valuable buffer to the U.S.-China strategic rivalry on the Korean Peninsula."



Officials from Cheong Wa Dae and various ministries took part in the meeting at the foreign ministry.




A Tennessee farm has confirmed that every single one of its workers has tested positive for covid-19 and an Iowa pork processor is to cease operations after a mass infection, as concerns mount about the security of America's food supply chain.

Henderson Farm in Evensville, in the east of the state, said that almost 200 people were infected.

All but three of the workers were asymptomatic, said Jon Schwalls, executive officer of Southern Valley, which runs the farm.

Henderson Farm in Evensville, Tennessee, has confirmed that all of their employees have covid

He told News Channel 9, the local ABC affiliate, that the outbreak was contained as no one had left in a month.

Most of those affected were still working, he said.

Schwalls said that the problem began when 200 people arrived from Mexico on March 28 to work at the farm, which grows tomatoes, peppers, squash and peppers, among other crops.

The workers were housed in what he described as a 'college dorm room, bunk bed like' area.

The first case at the farm was confirmed on May 11, and the outbreak is believed contained

The U.S. death toll and case number, as of May 29.

The first case was confirmed on May 11, and no one has left the compound midway between Knoxville and Chattanooga since, out of an abundance of precaution for the community.

But the news will do little to allay widespread concern about the stability of the U.S. food supply chain.

The meat industry has been particularly hard hit.

Unlike some other workplaces, employees at meat processing plants cannot easily observe social distancing guidelines and must stand close to one another.

Donald Trump at the end of April signed an executive order forcing all meat processing plans to remain open.

Tyson Foods's processing plant in Storm Lake, Iowa, is closing after a covid-19 outbreak

On Thursday Tyson Foods announced it was closing its pork processing plant in Storm Lake, Iowa, after almost a quarter of the workforce tested positive for covid-19.

A total of 555 people have been confirmed as having caught covid-19, the company said.

The company said it would finish pork processing operations 'over the next two days'.

It said it will conduct 'additional deep cleaning and sanitizing of the entire facility ... before resuming operations later next week.'

It attributed the problems at Storm Lake in part to 'a delay in covid-19 testing results and ... absences related to quarantine.'

Meat processing plants across the country have turned out to be covid-19 hotspots.

Furthermore, production backlogs are forcing farmers to euthanize thousands of hogs that can't be processed, drawing complaints from animal welfare advocates.

The Washington Post reported on May 25 that 7,000 Tyson Foods employees had tested positive.

Farming across the U.S. is suffering during the pandemic. Here a migrant worker carries a plastic basket of harvested cucumbers at the Long and Scott Farms

Farm laborers in Greenfield, California practice social distancing, and use masks, gloves, hair nets and aprons. Employees have their temperature taken daily and are asked health questions

Fresh Harvest in Greenfield, California, is implementing strict health and safety initiatives for their workers during the coronavirus pandemic and are trying a number of new techniques to enhance safety in the field as well as in work accommodations

The nonprofit group Food & Environment Reporting Network said last week that the number nationwide, across the sector, had climbed to more than 17,000, with 66 deaths.

Counties with meat processing facilities have covid-19 infection rates five times higher on average than elsewhere in rural America, the Huffington Post reported.

In April Smithfield, the largest pork producer in the world, had to close its huge Sioux Falls, South Dakota pork plant after the area governor and mayor wrote that the factory was a locus for coronavirus transmission within the state.

In addition, a lawsuit filed by a group called the Rural Community Workers Alliance and an anonymous Smithfield employee alleged the company failed to provide adequate protective equipment for workers at their Milan, Missouri pork plant.

According to the complaint, Smithfield punished workers for covering their mouths while coughing or sneezing, creating an actionable 'public nuisance.'

A company spokesperson said the allegations are 'without factual or legal merit' and the case was dismissed by a judge 12 days later.

However, concerns remain about the security of America's food supply.

The U.S. now has the highest number of covid-19 cases in the world, and the highest death toll

Cases in New York - the worst hit state - are falling, but the agricultural heartlands are suffering

A report published in May by CoBank, which specializes in serving rural America, warned that meat supplies in grocery stores could shrink as much as 35 per cent, prices could spike 20 per cent and the impact could become even 'more acute later this year' as the knock-on effects on the U.S. agriculture supply chain are felt.

Grocery stores have been able to partially meet consumer demand thanks to meat already in the supply chain in March, when the pandemic broke out.

The report said those supplies were quickly being used up.

Officials with the meat processors say they are doing whatever they can to protect workers, while trying to make sure the nation's food supply remains sound.

'The safety of our team members is paramount, and we only reopen our facilities when we believe we can safely do so,' said Gary Mickelson, Tyson's director of media relations.
This countrys capacity to fight the spread of the coronavirus (COPVID-19) recently received a much needed boost.





On Friday 22nd May, the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) handed over a quantity of medical equipment and supplies to the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment.





This most recent donation included four ventilators, a thermal imaging device for recording the temperatures of persons arriving at the Argyle International Airport, and 60,000 medical masks.





The ventilators are for use at the Argyle Isolation Centre and were, in fact, transported there last Friday.





Minister of Health, etc. Luke Browne, on receiving the donation on behalf of the government and people of SVG, expressed gratitude to Taiwans government and people for their continuing generosity.





And perhaps in alluding to the fact that the ventilators might not be put to use any time soon, Minister Browne suggested that it was better to have the equipment and not use them, than to be in want and not have them.





Taiwans Ambassador H.E. Calvin Ho highlighted that this was the second batch of supplies donated by his country in recent time, and he promised there would be other shipments in the near future.
Google rescinded offers for more than 2,000 people who had agreed to work as contractors or temporary employees, The New York Times first reported Friday.

In an email viewed by the Times, Google told contracting agencies last week that it has been "slowing our pace of hiring and investment, and are not bringing on as many new starters as we had planned at the beginning of the year." Google said it would "not be moving forward to onboard" the workers it had brought on through the agencies.

A Google spokesperson would not comment on details in the Times report, like the number of contractors whose offers were rescinded, but said in a statement: "As we've publicly indicated, we're slowing our pace of hiring and investment, and as a result are not bringing on as many new people  full-time and temporary  as we'd planned at the beginning of the year. We're continuing to hire in a number of strategic areas."

Last month, CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged to employees that hiring and investments would slow as the coronavirus pandemic created uncertainty for businesses across industries. In the memo, Pichai said Google added 20,000 employees in 2019 and had planned to do the same this year. At the time, it had brought on 4,000 new employees and a thousand more were scheduled to start soon, according to the memo.

A spokesperson told CNBC at the time that Google would be "maintaining momentum in a small number of strategic areas, and onboarding the many people who've been hired but haven't started yet."

Later in April, a global director warned of budget cuts and hiring freezes in its marketing department, according to internal materials viewed by CNBC.
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Austria's producer prices continued to declined for the eleventh straight month in April, due to the effects of Covid-19 crisis, figures from Statistics Austria showed on Friday. The producer price index declined 2.4 percent year-on-year in April, following a 1.5 percent fall in March. The decline in producer prices was mainly driven by a fall in energy prices and intermediate goods by 8.8 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, prices for capital goods rose 0.9 percent in April and those for consumer goods increased 1.4 percent. On a monthly basis, producer prices fell 0.8 percent in April, following a 0.9 percent decrease in the preceding month. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Between meetings and conference calls, a working mum darts in and out of the kitchen to fix meals for her children. Somewhere in all of it shes teaching her child and making sure they are keeping up with schoolwork. That is what a typical day looks like for many mothers right now.

It doesnt end there. In addition, mums often belong to the sandwiched age group  where they are caught between caring for their children as well as their ageing parents. This pandemic is likely to have deprived them of time for self-care, healthcare and the much-needed me-time. And therein lies the danger, because all too often, mums are caring for everyone oftentimes at the expense of their own health and wellbeing. As such, more than ever, they have considerably higher exposure to health risks.

It does not help that during this pandemic, many facilities are closing and the womens health services are now limited. In fear of exposure to the virus, many women, for various reasons, are missing important regular medical check-ups  and that includes family planning.

The United Nations (UN) reported recently that 47 million women from many countries may not be able to access modern contraceptives and 7 million unintended pregnancies are expected to occur if the lockdown carries on for 6 months, causing major disruptions to healthcare services.1

The pandemic is deepening inequalities and millions more women and girls now risk losing the ability to plan their families and protect their bodies and their health, said UNFPA Executive Director, Dr Natalia Kanem.

Are we then allowing circumstances to push us a step back in terms of progress in womens health and equality?

28th of May is the International Day of Action for Womens Health, which for over 30 years, have been commemorated in diverse ways by womens rights advocates and allies in sexual and reproductive health, as well as rights movements worldwide2. This year also marks the 60th year since the invention of the contraceptive pillan invention which has had a profound impact on gender equality and social progress. With the pill came the opening up of a world of opportunity by giving women the right to have a child by choice not chance and to ensure that they are engaged in a wide range of careers. Again, the pandemic should not change or destroy many years of hard work towards change and progress for women and their well-being.

Story continues

How then do we keep this momentum and continue decades of hard work? We asked experts in Asia about 6 ways we can keep up the progress in womens health and lives during the pandemic and after, in the new normal.

Heres what they have to say.

1. Try out Telemedicine to support womens health

Why telemedicine?

Dr Jessherin Sidhu, MBBS(Aus), Medical Director at Insync Medical, from Singapore explained that during a pandemic, movement restriction is key to controlling the spread of the disease. In this scenario that we are facing, if you are unsure whether you definitely need to be physically seen and examined by your doctor, you can first call through your doctors clinic and ask for a teleconsultation. That way, you would know whether your issue could have been sorted with a teleconsultation alone or if you need to physically get yourself down to the clinic.

I believe its even more efficient & cost-effective for women to access information and get expert advice since they do it from the comfort of their own homes. More importantly, whether its a chat or video conversation, women can open up more about sensitive topics, since they are still engaging with a real doctor through this online platform, says Dr Mae Syki-Young, Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Fellow of the POGS (Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society), Member of the PSGE (Philippine Society for Gynecological Endoscopy) and Member of the AGSPI (Aesthetic Gynecology Society of the Philippines), Philippines.

How does it work?

In countries such as Singapore, telemedicine is getting a medical consultation virtually through a secure platform that is often integrated into a clinic documentation software that doctors use in their clinics, explains Dr Jess.

Upon verifying your identity, the video call then begins. Just like a physical consult, the video consult is private. At the end of the consultation, your doctor would suggest what she thinks is going on with you, and if necessary she might prescribe some medications. If necessary, she will request that you physically see her in the clinic to be examined.

Medications are then arranged to be delivered to you at your home. Dr Jess shared how telemedicine can be used for scenarios such as topping up contraceptive pills, emergency contraception, obtaining treatments for vaginal or urinary tract infections, period pains and menstrual abnormalities, amongst other things.

While telemedicine is relatively new to most Filipino women, this channel has significant advantages over face-to-face consultation. There is no unnecessary risk of exposing themselves by going out to visit me in my clinic. Its more convenient and saves them both time and effort from travelling. Women should get used to this communication platform as telemedicine would most likely become more popular even after we have overcome this pandemic, said Dr Mae.

2. Practice Self-care and Keep Track of Your Symptoms

An important aspect of self-care is being able to self-identify when something is wrong with your body. Dr Jess shared that in medicine, things are all about a pattern. Women experience several bodily changes that occur before or after periods and even after sexual intercourse. Some women find they have increased vaginal discharge or infection after their period, or a few days after sexual intercourse. Menstrual cycles, its quality and quantity of bleeding, can be influenced by several factors like moods, emotions, bodily stress from exercise and air travel and recent illnesses and medications too.

Tracking these symptoms can help you see whether or not there is a pattern to your symptoms, making it easier to identify what triggers it. Once a pattern is discovered, this gives valuable information to your doctors, who can then analyze this pattern and formulate more accurate possibilities that can explain your condition.

Dr Jess gave an example of endometriosis, a gynaecological condition presenting symptoms like chronic pain and excessive menstrual bleeding. Women with this condition experience painful periods that can occur before, during or slightly after their period flow. These pains can also be associated with other pains like pain with passing stools.

Often when you are at the doctors, you are overwhelmed with things you would like to report to them, and it is very likely that you might miss out relaying a few things. By tracking your symptoms using an app or making simple calendar notes, this gives a better picture over a reasonable window of time, to emphasize to your doctor that your symptoms are really recurrent, have an established pattern, and they come with other significant symptoms that might suggest a problem. In a way, tracking your symptoms empowers you to push your case.

The good news is that there are many mobile phone apps now available for period tracking, shared Dr. Jess. She urged women to take a look and try some of them out to find one they like. For women in Singapore who suffer from endometriosis, there is an Endo Diary App, available on IOS and Android, that allows women to track their pains, moods, bleeding and if they are taking any medication for this, it allows them to track their consumption. It also contains useful and reliable information on endometriosis.

3. Be Aware of Womens Health and Family Planning Options

Dr Shilpa Nambiar, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and Maternal Medicine Specialist at the Prince Court Medical Centre, from Malaysia, shared that contraceptive and treatment options are aplenty and the choice depends on various characteristics like a womans age, weight and pre-existing medical issues or medications that she is taking. It also depends on whether long-term or short-term contraception is desired. There are many different types of contraceptives. Some of these such as the pill, hormonal implants and intrauterine devices are more reliable than barrier contraceptives like condoms and diaphragms.

Pills

The contraceptive pill is either a combination of estrogen and progestogen or the progesterone-only pill. The combined pill works by preventing ovulation primarily and if taken reliably is almost 99% effective in preventing pregnancy, says Dr Shilpa.

According to Dr Shilpa, the benefit of the pill is that it regulates a womans menstrual cycle and makes it lighter and less painful. The pill can help prevent ovarian and uterine cancer and can be used as a treatment for painful menstruation and troublesome premenstrual syndrome. However, pill formulations have varied side effects.

Implants and Intrauterine Devices

Dr Shilpa describes the benefits of these to be fit-and-forget options as they do not require discipline and are more useful if long-term contraception is needed. However, these devices require insertion by a medical practitioner.

She stressed that knowledge about contraception is essential to a womans right to make healthy decisions about her body. It allows women to choose the right time to get pregnant. Regardless of whether the decision may be social, financial or as a method of ensuring good health, only when a woman is aware of her options would she be able to choose the best one.

4. Taking advantage of digital resources for education

Dr Boy Abidin, MD., Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist at the Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility Clinic (Mbrio Clinic), Mitra Keluarga Kelapa Gading Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia, talked about how technology has enabled everyone to access information online, and health information is no exception. However, while it is now easier for people to access information and make choices, it is necessary to be aware and understand the accuracy of online information since many of them may be inaccurate.

Indonesia is the worlds largest island country with a population spread in different socio-cultural conditions. Conducting health promotion in areas all over Indonesia is not an easy task. According to Dr Boy, we cannot rely on the government alone to do so. If we do, it will be difficult to achieve a healthy Indonesia in the near future. Therefore, the communication network will play an important role to fulfil this need.

Digital resources can support women in taking preventative care for their health, instead of only taking action when a cure is needed. According to Dr Boy, in Indonesia, this is no easy task as the vast majority of people are still focused on cure rather than prevention.

Dr. Boy emphasizes it is important to ensure that online information is accurate and reliable, on an accessible digital platform that is publicly available, and easy to understand. This way, sharing information on womens reproductive health and family planning programs can be more effective and can help women better maintain their reproductive health.

Some Digital Resources Readily Available

In the Philippines, the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) offers online information on their website (www.popcom.gov.ph) and Facebook page (facebook.com/commissiononpopulationanddevelopment/). They also have helplines for those with limited internet access, says Dr Grace Caras-Torres, a laparoscopic surgeon & Fellow of the Philippine Society of Reproductive Medicine.

Indonesian women can access Bicara Kontrasepsi to learn more about reproductive health and contraception options. This can be a good starting point for those reluctant to schedule a visit to the doctor or to even speak on these matters.

Websites such as https://www.howuknow.com/ for women in Singapore and Malaysia and the international your-life.com website are also one-stop resource sites for reliable information for women.

There are even chatbots developed as go-to online resources on contraception and reproductive health. Known as Ask Maya in Malaysia and Ask Mara in the Philippines, these chatbots help to bridge the knowledge gap and offer women easy access to credible and reliable information and resources on reproductive health from the convenience of their mobile phone.

Collectively, these resources provide initial guidance and answers to common questions about womens health and family planning. While some insights will certainly come in handy, when it comes to choosing from different family planning options and considering medication, women should talk to their doctors as digital resources cannot replace expert advice, said Dr Caras-Torres.

5. Find a Supportive Community to Share Experiences

As awareness about some womens health conditions is low in Malaysia, not many are able to empathize with women suffering from conditions such as endometriosis. The problem is often misinterpreted as period pain that would go away after pregnancy.

Seeing this void in information leading many women to suffer alone in silence, Ms Surita Mogan, President of Persatuan Endometriosis Malaysia (MyEndosis), started this patient group in 2014 to rally women and end the silence on the topic of menstrual health, often considered a taboo topic in Malaysia. The purpose of MyEndosis is to create awareness and educate people on endometriosis

We wanted this to not only be a womans issue. Females with endometriosis are wives, mothers, sisters, employees and employers. It is a community issue that must be addressed, she expressed.

Such communities are important as they create a platform for women to share their experiences, spread awareness, and have a sense of belonging in a group where others can empathize with their emotional and physical pain, Ms Surita elaborated.

Women should harness digital platforms to find and join such communities. For example, Ms Surita shared that MyEndosis maintains a closed Facebook group MyEndosis and a Facebook page Endomarch Malaysia.

6. Change your mindset to take timely action

Last but definitely not the least, to benefit from the tips and resources mentioned above, it is important that women make a decision to take action to safeguard their health. Caring for your health means taking action preemptively and not always reactively.

Asked about why women sometimes choose to delay treatment or seek medical advice on womens health issues, Dr Surasak Taneepanichskul, President of Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand, mentioned that some women are afraid of visiting doctors for pelvic examinations.

For others, the biggest problem is ignorance, says Ms. Surita. Women tend to think that pain is something they have to go through. This may be due to their childhood conditioning. They are taught from young to bear the pain silently, especially period pain, or else they will be mocked. This perception has to change.

Change it must, because the possible consequences of delaying medical consultation or treatment are further disease progression and often result in difficulty in treatments, shared Dr. Surasak. Seeking treatment early can mean the difference between you taking control of your condition, instead of the condition controlling your life.

Where sexual and reproductive health is concerned, not taking action to find out more about which contraceptive option is right for you may lead to an unplanned pregnancy. With the pandemic already putting a strain on women, families and workers livelihoods, the added strain of an unplanned pregnancy might adversely affect your and your familys overall health.

The battle for women and their wellbeing has been long and hard.

But just a simple reminder like the infight oxygen mask rule can help us remind ourselves of the value of our own health. You have to put your own oxygen mask on first before attempting to help anyone else. Women must take care of themselves in order to be able to take care of others. We must continue to fight to make sure women all over the world get the same chance to fulfil their dreams in the next 60 years and beyond  for themselves, for their health, for their families and for every woman.

This initiative is brought to you by TheAsianParent in partnership with Bayer.

References:

The post Calling All Women: 6 Ways to Take Charge of Your Health in the New Normal appeared first on theAsianparent - Your Guide to Pregnancy, Baby & Raising Kids.
As the locust attack threat looms over Delhi and neighbouring states, a plea in the National Green Tribunal has sought the implementation of the Centre's contingency plan to combat the situation.

The plea filed by an NGO said that despite having the contingency plan several states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are facing the locust swarm attack since February and the situation is getting worse in some of the areas.

Gujarat and Maharashtra have also been impacted by the swarm of millions of insects which eat up crops in the field they attack, inflicting heavy crop damage.

The Delhi government issued an advisory on Tuesday on preventive measures to control the looming locust attack in the national capital.

It asked the authorities to organise awareness among farmers, spraying of insecticide and not letting the swarms rest during the night.

The plea said: "The worst affected are the farmers of the said area, thus the applicant NGO seeks urgent intervention of this tribunal and seeks direction to submit status report on the implementation of plan prepared by Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer Welfare, Union of India."

The contingency plan is a guidance document for Locust Field Offices, state governments and other stake holders during the attack, said the plea filed by 'Centre For Wildlife And Environmental Litigation Foundation'.

According to the plea, the plan covers assistance required from different stakeholders, their contribution and role, activities, type of strategy to be adopted, formation of teams, available resources, shortfalls and ways and means of obtaining additional resources, and the deployment as also the actions that need to be taken.

The plan also provides for use of aircraft with spraying kits for locust control purpose, it said.

The NGO has sought constitution of committees to control the locust swarm attack within their respective states.

"Direct the Centre to evaluate the crop damage caused due to locust swarm attack and provide compensation to poor farmers affected by it," it said.
China has lodged diplomatic protests with the US, the UK, Canada and Australia for "interfering" in its internal matters by criticising its new security law for Hong Kong and also warned America of countermeasures if it did not stop the "frivolous" political manipulation over the issue.

China's parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a new controversial security law for Hong Kong, a move that critics say threatens the fundamental political freedoms and civil liberties in the semi-autonomous territory, also a major global trading hub.

The security legislation bans secession, subversion of state power, terrorism, foreign intervention and allows mainland China's state security agencies to operate in Hong Kong.

"China's decision to impose the new national security law on Hong Kong lies in direct conflict with its international obligations under the principles of the legally binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration," the joint statement released by the four countries said.

The proposed Chinese law would undermine the "one country, two systems" framework, the four allies said in the statement, referring to the arrangement under which Hong Kong, a former British colony, was handed back to China in 1997.

Reacting to the four countries' statement, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian told a media briefing on Friday that China has lodged diplomatic protests with the four countries.

Hong Kong is part of China and the central government has the right to establish a national-level legal system to implement 'one country, two systems', Zhao said.

It is China's internal affair and no foreign country has the fright to interfere, he said.

Separately, the Trump administration informed the US Congress that Hong Kong was deemed no longer suitably autonomous from China.

The assessment by the US State Department is a crucial step in deciding whether the city will continue to receive preferential economic and trade treatment from the US as spelt out by the 1992 US-Hong Kong Policy Act.

About US President Donald Trump's plans to impose sanctions on Hong Kong, Zhao reminded Washington about its extensive trade and commercial interest in the city and said China would retaliate with countermeasures.

Hong Kong after returning to China fully leveraged its position as an international business hub.

It is a financial trade and shipping hub. It is an important area for US investments," Zhao said.

The US has 85,000 nationals in Hong Kong and has over 1,300 companies in the city. American firms have over 300 regional headquarters and 400 regional offices in Hong Kong, he said.

In the past decade, the US trade surplus to Hong Kong reached USD 297 billion, he said.

Safe, sound and stable Hong Kong serves the interest of the US. We welcome US business communities to continue making more progress and success in Hong Kong.

"The US should see clearly and stop interfering in Hong Kong. If the US insists on intervening, China will take all necessary countermeasures," Zhao said.

He denounced efforts by the US to take Hong Kong's case to the UN Security Council, saying that UNSC bears the responsibility to implement global peace and stability.

This legislation of Hong Kong doesn't fall in the UN mandate. Besides, non-interference in the internal affairs of the countries is an important principle of the UN Charter," Zhao said.

The UNSC is not at the disposal of the US. China and all countries upholding justice will not allow the US to make it hostage for its political purposes. We urge the US to stop such frivolous political manipulation," he said.

About the US, Canada, the UK and Australia's argument that the new law violates Sino-British joint declaration of 1997 under which Hong Kong was handed over to China, Zhao said: with the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997 the UK's rights and obligations stipulated under Sino-British joint declaration were all completed.

After its return, the Chinese government's legal basis to administer HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) is our Constitution and the basic law of SAR, not the Sino-British Joint Declaration, he said.
Students dance during a youth festival celebration, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on August 29, 2018.

Authorities in North Korea say sexual immorality among the countrys teenagers is on the rise, warning that the randy teens impure acts are considered treasonous, and that their teachers and parents could be punished if they are caught.

While high school students engaging in sexual activity with each other is an issue that most countries would say is caused by raging hormones, North Korea says it is due to decadent capitalist influences, meaning pornographic materials from Japan and elsewhere, and movies from South Korea and the U.S. The contraband media materials usually enter the country by way of the porous Sino-Korean border and are distributed from person to person using mobile phones or USB flash drives.

The illicit files in some ways are the only accessible resources about sex and relationships for many young North Koreans, who live in a socially conservative country that borders on reactionary, where there is almost no sex education to speak of.

A 2005 report by New Focus International interviewed several North Koreans who had escaped to South Korea who explained that they didnt learn about sex at school or at home.

One said that at the age of 16, she believed that a woman could become pregnant by simply holding hands with a man and falling asleep. Another said that he and his friends learned about sex from Japanese pornographic videos, which were being widely circulated on video CDs at the time.

Now, just like 15 years ago, teens are learning about sex from pornography, which does little to educate youth about sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. But rather than instituting a nationwide sex-ed program in the countrys high schools, North Korea is instead looking to punish not only sexually active teens, but their parents and teachers for improperly educating them.

Recently more and more high school boys and girls are engaging in immoral sexual deviance, and the Central Committee [of the Korean Workers Party] has issued a directive calling for strong measures against them, a source from North Pyongan province, who requested anonymity to speak freely, told RFAs Korean Service Wednesday.

The reason behind this order is that the local Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League in Sinuiju [a city on the border with China] inspected high school students, and found that some high school boys and girls hang out with local gangsters, live together, and commit immoral acts such as prostitution, the source said.

The league is the countrys main youth organization, modeled after the Soviet Komsomol.

According to the source, the Central Committee wants to crack down on teen sex to preserve the foundation of society.

The immoral sexual behavior of students, who are influenced by capitalist lifestyles, has become a problem, the source said.

[The committee] defined sexual promiscuity among teenagers as a treasonous act that helps the enemy to destroy our society. And since they are warning of strong punishment, students are shaking with fear, said the source.

The source said the government identified the cause of the promiscuous behavior, saying it comes from media passed around on mobile devices.

The Central Committee pointed out that the reason why [sexual promiscuity] is so common in students these days is because they are imbued with decadent capitalist culture, due to the increase in electronic media, including mobile phones, said the source.

In order to prevent this, they ordered [schools] to check students for phones or other devices they might have with them, the source added.

Though smartphone use is allowed in North Korea, the countrys smartphones all have an application called Red Flag running in the background that keeps a log of webpages visited by users and randomly takes screenshots. These can be viewed, but not deleted with another app called Trace Viewer. The screenshots can be checked by authorities at any time, making surveillance relatively easy.

Schools are now paying more attention to the problem and doing more to report on the deviant behaviors of students by investigating their private lives.

They are taking measures to control [the teens] unhealthy sexual activity, the source said.

Members of the youth league, as well as school teachers, are calling for various measures including taking charge of troubled students and educating them individually, the source added.

Another source suggested that the various organizations dealing with the youth should discuss the problem regularly.

There should be a meeting at least once a month with school principals, party secretaries, and senior members of the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League to discuss students unhealthy sexual behaviors, the resident of North Hamgyong province, who requested anonymity for legal reasons, told RFA.

The second source said that there was a sense of alarm among those who run these various organizations.

Teachers are anxious because of the warning that school principals, advisors to the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League and the Korean Children's Union, and school teachers, will also be punished if there is a serious sexual violation among students, the second source said.

It was not immediately clear if the serious sexual violation referred to sexual crimes like rape or prostitution, or if it also included sex between willing teenaged participants.

The second source also said that many believe that the increase in deviance was related to the postponement of the school year, as schools have not been in session since before the winter break due to the coronavirus.

As students do not go to school and are staying at home, they naturally approach impure media with curiosity and share it with each other, so there is an increasing number of these [immoral sexual] behaviors.

RFA reported in mid-May that a major crackdown on illegal smartphone content among the countrys youth has been underway since April, mostly geared at eliminating South Korean cultural influences spreading among North Korean youth.

Youth were made aware of the crackdown during meetings of the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League and according to sources, pulled all-nighters desperately trying to delete the illegal content from their devices.

In that crackdown also, warnings were issued that parents and teachers would be punished if the youth were caught with the contraband media.

Reported by Myungchul Lee for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Fly_dragonfly / getty images

En espanol | Most of the nation is spending a tremendous amount of time at home, and people are bored. They're looking to resurrect old hobbies  or start new ones. I think we're in a general makers movement,  says Dayna Isom Johnson, trend expert for the e-commerce crafting site Etsy.

"Younger people, older people  everyone wants to do something with their hands again. People are craving something special, says Isom Johnson, who was a judge on the new NBC television show Making It, a competition series for makers that was hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. They want something unique that can't be found anywhere else."

In fact, there has been an increase in demand for a variety of arts-and-crafts activities (as well as musical instruments and toys), since a greater number of people have entered self-isolation, according to NMPI, a digital marketing agency that studies these trends. And arts-and-crafts retailers are considered more of an essential during this time as they are able to facilitate enjoyment during times of self-isolation."

Handmade (and handmade-looking) pieces can be purchased online or in stores; or you can learn these crafts yourself with the help of DIY kits and online tutorials. People are craving that time when you could show off something you made and feel proud, Isom Johnson adds.

In fact, according to NMPI, an increased number of news articles, blogs and YouTube videos are detailing crafts and hobbies to carry out at home, while people are social distancing, focusing on the positive impacts including stress and anxiety reduction."
Next week marks Clint Eastwoods 90th birthday, which means that the esteemed actor and director has lived through 15 Presidential administrations and the complete political realignment of both parties several times over, one World War and upwards of a dozen non-World ones, cinemas proliferation of color and CGI and its digital overhaul, McCarthyism, terrorism and everything else that could possibly be contained within nearly a century of history.

Through it all, his philosophies have remained remarkably consistent: he subscribes to a rugged individualism, first articulated through the strong, silent types of the Wild West and then expanded to encompass a smorgasbord of modern-day heroes. Eastwoods protagonists champion the virtues of self-sufficiency and independence in the face of meddlesome interference from untrustworthy institutions. Of recent vintage, weve seen the lifer pilot of 2016s Sully justifying his miraculous emergency landing in the Hudson to a cadre of federal pencil-necks questioning his snap decision-making. In 2018s The 15:17 to Paris, a single mother tells off a teacher diagnosing her son with ADD with the declaration, My God is bigger than your statistics.

While Eastwood hasnt traded in this hardline conservatism as hes entered his twilight years, he has somewhat softened it. His last two pictures  2018s Eastwood-starrer The Mule and 2019s ripped-from-the-headlines dramatization Richard Jewell  find the filmmaker turning his focus from his historically favored winners to losers, a dichotomy noted in a recent review for the British Film Institute from critic Nick Pinkerton. That article, citing a comment Eastwood made about his own characters onscreen, goes on to argue that Eastwoods rogues gallery may be more acquainted with loserdom than he realizes. Even so, the last two films set themselves apart for a newfound cognizance of that quality, approaching something like reconciliation with impotency and powerlessness. For a man ceding his place in the world to the next generation, these are weighty yet vital forces to sort through while theres still time.

Eastwood got in front of his own camera for the first time in 10 years for The Mule, undoubtedly realizing the additional layers of metacommentary his presence would bring to the role. As horticulturist/Korean War vet/drug courier Earl Stone, he cuts the silhouette of a typically Eastwoodian winner. Hes confident, well-liked among the regulars at the flower conventions he frequents, and acknowledged by the ladies in his orbit as something of a tomcat. (Most memorably, in part due to the comedy routine from Pete Davidson and Jon Mulaney that it inspired, Earl has two separate menages a trois during the films 116 minutes.) When he cruises into the function hall to have his prize daylilies competitively judged, hes grinning like hes king of the geriatrics.

The primary work of the film, however, is to confront Earl with the parts of the world over which he no longer has any domain. His age proves a boon once he starts ferrying shipments of narcotics over the Mexican border to make ends meet, the authorities never suspecting a harmless-looking coot. In his personal life, the tendencies that have ossified over the years estrange him from everyone he could hold dear. Hes prioritized his botanical work  which eventually melts into something he enjoys doing that imbues him with purpose, the presumable relationship a 90-year-old man has to feature filmmaking  over his family at every turn. His ex-wife wants nothing to do with him, hes been a deadbeat father to his daughter at every stage of her life, and his only link to both is the granddaughter who doesnt know enough to resent him yet.

Eastwoods no stranger to the bitter side of growing old; his masterpiece Unforgiven lays the Western and the age of masculine-honor ideals it embodied to rest, concluding on a mournful note. The end-of-an-era aura carried by The Mule refrains from clinging to the stolid strength that his previous works chipped away at without fully disposing of it. Earl is cowed by the regrets piling up around him, and does what he can to make his peace with them by letting go of his trademark protective grimace. He moves peaceably through situations that confound him with their modernity. At one point, he helps a black couple on the side of the road with their car, making some cringeworthy comments smoothed over by his amicable manner in the moment. Later, he befriends a group of dykes on bikes, visibly amused by the juxtaposition of motorcycle and lesbian culture, even if he doesnt quite get it. His character from Gran Torino, a close point of comparison here, stayed devoutly angry until he died. Earl would most likely feel bad for a man like this.

He finds salvation through self-immolation, humbled by a reconciliation with his ex-wife in her final days before succumbing to illness. He comes to terms with his failures as a man and in doing so, gets back in his familys good graces. Only a guilty plea in court can fully save his soul, leaving him in prison with a clean conscience yet zero personal agency, his oeuvres usual currency. His films tend to end with highly compromised victories, as the main character either A) dies on their own terms, or B) gets off while their accomplishments fall into obscurity. Earl falls in the gap between the two, redefining his notion of success from gain and accomplishment to love and connection.

Any inkling that the filmmaker may be turning over a new leaf of sensitivity (though its really more like slightly reframing his stance on that particular leaf) was bolstered by Richard Jewell the next year. It doesnt take much critical squinting to see Richard Jewell himself, played with exquisitely rocklike semi-comprehension by Paul Walter Hauser, as one of the losers Eastwood previously swore off. Rotund and mustachioed, soft-spoken and deferential, a mamas boy and wannabe policeman, hes the sort of person the typical Eastwood hero or antihero would scoff at.

The film shares its creators customary skepticism of entrenched systems, in this instance vilifying the media and law-enforcement apparatuses that harangued Jewell over false claims of having ginned up a terrorist plot for himself to foil. But Jewell himself never joins Eastwood or screenwriter Billy Ray in their espoused contempt, turning this into a more unlikely and moving story than one man takes on the system. Structurally, its conservatism as usual, but the emotional politics of the pity onscreen complicate Eastwoods philosophy of gritting ones teeth and muscling through.

Jewell is a patriot who cant figure out why the government wont love him back, an allegiance that no experience can grind out of him. Hes constantly harassed and belittled by an actual FBI agent (played by Jon Hamm), the sort of commanding, Marlboro-Man figure toward which Eastwood has traditionally gravitated. Throughout the obstacle course of bullshit hes put through to prove his innocence, Jewells faith that the legal system will see him through remains unwavering. In a rare departure for Eastwood, this weakness colors Jewell as worthy of our compassion instead of derision. In the films most unexpectedly poignant scene, Hauser has a breakdown after reading the letter exonerating him while at a diner. As he bursts into tears, he continues eating his donut. Its a deeply moving moment with a slightly absurd edge, preventing Jewell from resembling a tragic hero even as he earns our sympathy.

The notion that an audience can still feel for someone theyve only ever felt bad for marks the latest chapter of the Eastwood filmography, in which respect has always been earned through feats of courage and steeliness. To play remote telepath, this is most likely linked to Eastwoods recent turn away from Trumps Republican party, having endorsed Michael Bloomberg in a Wall Street Journal article this past February. Eastwood goes on to mention a wish to see Trump behave in a more genteel way, without tweeting and calling people names, a common refrain from right-wingers attached to at least the image of basic human decency. The Bloomberg endorsement makes clear that Eastwoods still several leagues away from embracing anything like progressivism, but his recent work traces a deep-seated shift of character.

After 90 years on the planet, maybe hes just relinquishing a bit of the old piss and vinegar out of fatigue. The more flattering read would instead cast this as fresh wisdom and perspective for a filmmaker surprising everyone with the capacity for inner change. Either way, the man once at risk of becoming a cootish parody for his cross-examination of an empty chair has demonstrated unprecedented depths of self-awareness. This old dog may not be learning new tricks, so to speak, but it turns out an old dog can still execute his standard tricks with a hard-won, heartening sense of leniency.

The post Old Dog, New Flicks: Even at 90, Clint Eastwood's Film Legend Continues to Evolve appeared first on InsideHook.
When Trump supporters say 'it's not about Trump, it's about us,' when the left howls about President Trump, they aren't kidding.

The Minnesota riots, brought on by a video of a bad instance of police brutality, have incited leftists to paint the perpetrating cop, Derek Chauvin, as a Trump supporter on social media, something they're spreading around:

Nothing to see here just Trump and Derek Chauvin standing together for a maga rally.https://t.co/Zn6B2wHAod  FLOUNDERING #45 (@FlounderBlue) May 27, 2020

The Minnesota Murderer with a badge is full #MAGA. OF COURSE HE IS. Thanks to @BillyBaldwin for the info. pic.twitter.com/5JO6y195Xv  Kelly Lee Williams (@KellyLWilliams) May 27, 2020

The killer was pictured standing next to trump in a maga rally  Baligubadle (@Baligubadle1) May 28, 2020

Here's the fact-check that isn't been seen on Twitter from its vaunted fact-checkers: The claim is 100% fake. 100% And I've looked around for Twitter's disclaimers about it and don't see any.

Even USAToday, to its credit, though, reported it as fake:

The photos, which show several Minneapolis area police officers standing next to the president in Cops for Trump T-shirts, was taken at an October rally where dozens of Minneapolis Police Federation members stood on stage with the president. The man in question is Mike Gallagher, president of the police union in Bloomington, Minnesota, not Chauvin.

Which is outrageous. Whenever some white miscreant does something to incite racial conflict, the immediate response from the left is to claim the perpetrator is a Trump supporter. They spread that around like butter, passing it from leftist, to leftist, and it's proven false every time. It's certainly a branch operation of hating Trump. After all, if you hate Trump, you hate Trump's voters even more. And it happens again and again.

We saw that a few days ago in the case of the 'Central Park Karen,' a dog walker who wouldn't put her dog on a leash as a dedicated black birdwatcher asked her to do, and then got into an altercation with him leading to a call to the police. She too, was painted as a MAGA supporter. Turns out she was in fact a dyed-in-the-wool New York City liberal who had donated to Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, and Pete Buttigieg. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the same is quite likely of the accused Minnesota cops who are after all public employee union members in a solid blue metropolis that repeatedly votes Democrat. Why wouldn't they be Democrats? A lot of the cops I know in blue cities are, despite the anti-police rhetoric of Democrats. Some things in politics aren't easily explained, but leftwing cops in blue cities are not uncommon and the voting tallies tell the story.

What is absolutely certain in this case is that these cops are not affiliated with Trump or Trump supporters as claimed by leftists. Yet the left can't stop spreading the smear around.

They've also thrown in a side of racism against Trump supporters, too, which, given the amount of black support seen at Trump rallies, is clearly another smear.

The racial tension Trump has unleashed and empowered. This is his base! This is why we need to vote and remove him and all Congressmen/Congresswomen who sit silent. The racist Police Officer in question, has been photographed wearing a hat reading Make Whites Great Again https://t.co/ZanJ1ECKe1  sidney (@moecentaur) May 29, 2020

Twitter Lets Verified Users Spread Fake Photo Linking MN Cop to Make Whites Great Again Hat https://t.co/U3avkdKHvQ pic.twitter.com/diYaI5Wfof  Pamela Geller (@PamelaGeller) May 28, 2020

USA debunked that one, too:

Other posts have misidentified Chauvin in another setting. Photos posted to Facebook show a man wearing a "Make Whites Great Again" hat and claim that man is Chauvin. Those pictures are actually of the provocateur Jonathan Lee Riches.

'Provocateur' sounds like 'leftist' because the job of a provocateur is to be sarcastic. This clown in the disgusting hat's game is probably to smear Trump supporters as racist, too. We will wait for the story on that.

But based on what we know of racists, the real kind, they tend to be Democrats, constantly bean-counting on the color of someone's skin instead of judging the content of a person's character. Just ask David Duke.

That racism smear most likely is thrown around because so many black people do support President Trump, who has the highest percentage of black support since black voters in the post-Civil War era were reliably Republican. Unlike David Duke, Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Republican, too, and Republican for a reason.

The Trump MAGA movement has attracted startlingly high numbers of black voters, much to the Democratic Party's distress. If the movement is so full of racists, why are Democrats so alarmed? The left's bid to smear Trump supporters falsely as racists is very much a function of Democrats' desperate desire keep black people from defecting from the Democratic Party and joining President Trump. Black people who've already joined the Trump camp can see right through it. But that's where this smear-garbage is coming from.

It's just so false. The racial incidents we have seen and are seeing now are all in solid-blue cities, with perpetrators and victims all Democrats. MAGA supporters are not parts of these equations. Yet there the left is, doing what the left does, which is smear Republicans and Trump supporters as the cause of these problems. The real cause of the problem is socialism and the sense of entitlement it brings, along with the inevitable conflicts of different special interest groups fighting over who gets the biggest slice of a static pie. MAGA supporters just want to be left alone and have one set of laws for everyone and a bigger pie.

This constant move to smear Trump supporters in the wake of blue-city racial incidents is outrageous. And it's about time it's called out.

Image credit: Twitter screen shot
COLUMBUS, OhioAn Ohio House Republican has suggested new legislation to create a mental-health program for Cleveland youth is really an attempt to give the states health director unchecked power to regulate guns, leading the Democratic sponsor of the bill to accuse him of lying.

House Bill 646, introduced earlier this week by state Rep. Stephanie Howse, a Cleveland Democrat, would create a two-year pilot program for specially trained community-health workers to provide therapy sessions to Cleveland youth at high risk for gun violence. The program would be created and overseen by Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton.

State Rep. Nino Vitale, a Champaign County Republican, sounded off on Facebook about the legislation, writing it would give Acton power to create and control firearms and therapy programs for guns.

What could possibly go wrong with that? asked Vitale, who has been perhaps the most vocal legislative critic of Acton and her coronavirus orders that closed many Ohio businesses for weeks.

Vitale added later: "They want things lawless, so they have total power and can keep you defenseless.

In response, Howse tweeted that Vitale is a liar and that his words are hate-filled and are dangerous.

Im going to say this real quick Nino Vitale is a #Liar and he lacks courage and leadership to have direct conversation when confronted. So next time Nino wants to spread lies about any legislation that Im introducing, he needs to follow his own advice and #CallMe  Stephanie Howse (@stephaniehowse) May 29, 2020

In an interview, Vitale defended his comments about Howses bill.

If you read the bill, she (Howse) gives Acton all the power to hire all the people she wants to create whatever kind of program she wants. And theres no legislative oversight, or authority for that whatsoever, he said. So, neither you nor I can say we have any clue what could be in this program. We have no idea.

Vitale said that Howse may not have liked the way I stated it, but they're truthful points.

Howse, in an interview, said the language of her bill makes clear that it is not about gun control, but bringing healing to young people who are dealing with gun violence. She said the bill is based on a mental-health program in Zimbabwe that she heard about from a TED Talk.

Rep. Vitale don't give a damn about people in my district. He dont care nothing about my people, she said. He cares about his narrative (and) getting more followers to spread more lies.

Vitales comments, Howse said, put her and other Democrats in danger by whipping up fear.

Howse said she tried to confront Vitale in person during Thursdays House session, but he said he had to go testify in a committee and urged her to call me -- a response that made Howse even more outraged.

When House Speaker Larry Householder was asked by reporters Thursday whether he was concerned by social-media posts by Vitale and others criticizing Acton, the Perry County Republican replied: This is a political world, and were in a campaign year.

Householder added: But you have to take things that are on social media for what they really are. Its folks that think they are having private conversations, when in fact its out in front of everybody.

Read more Ohio politics and government stories:

State officials assessing damage to Ohio Statehouse after Thursday protests escalate

Gov. Mike DeWine accidentally promotes Scientology health literature at coronavirus briefing

Bill granting businesses, health care workers immunity from coronavirus lawsuits passes Ohio House

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine scaling back daily coronavirus briefings

Ohio lawmakers grill DeWine cabinet official over unemployment benefit delays
Residents of Zakia have complained that they were deceived about the nature of their contracts with the Russian military and what their job would be in Libya writes Sowt Al-Asima.

On Wednesday, a group of men from the town of Zakia in rural western Damascus cancelled the contracts they had made to fight in Libya alongside Haftars Russian-backed forces, just hours after they had been transported to an army gathering point in Homs city.

Exclusive sources told Sowt Al-Asima that the group of 15 men cancelled their fighting contracts with Russian forces and returned to their homes after holding a meeting with Russian commanders at the gathering center in Homs.

According to the sources, the men discovered that Aziz Shoudab, the official who had drawn up the contract, had deceived them, after they met with Russian forces, who explained to them that their mission was to prepare for transport to Libya, where they would be thrust into ongoing battles.

Shoudab recruited the men on the pretext that they would be protecting Russian military installations in Libya, and not directly taking part in battles, which led them to protest the mission and demand they be returned to their hometown, the sources said.

Members of the group reportedly communicated with their family members and explained the mission they would be taking on, expressing their desire to return home. Their families leveraged direct threats to recruitment officer Aziz Shoudab and his family, should the men not be allowed to go back home.

After communicating with Russian forces, Shoudab was able to return all of the men home to Zakia, and the Russians subsequently cancelled his recruitment mission, according to the sources.

The first group of men recruited from Zakia to fight in Libya alongside Hafter were transported on Tuesday by Shoudab, the commander of a local militia affiliated with Military Security. They were taken to a Russian center in Homs city, to convene with recruits from other Syrian governorates, where they would then be transported to Benghazi, Libya.

Shoudab, a former commander from the opposition group Ahrar al-Sham was tasked in April with recruiting men from the area, after an agreement between Russian commanders and Muhsen Shoudab, a prominent reconciliation figure in rural Damascus and a political front for his brother Aziz.

The agreement included recruiting 1,000 young men from Kiswah, Zakia, Muqeilibah and Deir Kheibah in rural western Damascus for a deployment contract of three months and monthly salaries of 1,000 dollars per fighter and 1,500 dollars per unit commander.

Shoudab organized the combat contracts for the first recruits willing to go to Libya on May 5, 2020, at the Military Security headquarters in Kiswah.

Russian forces approached the family members of detainees from south Damascus, offering to free their loved ones from Adra and Sednaya prisons in exchange for fighting alongside Khalifa Haftars forces in Libya, as well as removing their security files and letters of pursuit, and halting arrests of local residents willing to fight in Libya. Their contracts would be for three months only, with the possibility of renewal for those who are willing to do so, in exchange for 1,000 dollars per month for each fighter. They managed to recruit 50 men through these means from Yalda in south Damascus, and transport them to the Russian Hemeimeem Airbase last week for subsequent transfer to Libya after military training.

Russian forces managed to send a group of 25 recruits from East Ghoutas Douma city to Benghazi via the Damascus International Airport in early February to fight alongside Haftar. Their contracts were for three months, and one month unpaid furlough, in exchange for a monthly salary of 800 dollars per recruit, in addition to receiving a Friends of Russia card at Hemeimeem Airbase that protects the cardholder from any security questioning or arrest.

Russia has also recruited former fighters from the Suqour al-Sahraa militia in central Syria to fight in Libya for a monthly salary of 1,000 dollars and exemption from mandatory military service and protection from pursuit by security forces.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
HNX - 5/29/2020 9:08:00 AM

Pursuant to the Document No. 20a/CV.VTNN dated 21th May 2020 of Dong Nai Joint Stock Company Of Agricultural Material regarding the cancellation of the shareholder list for attending 2020 Annual General Meeting, Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) would like to announce as follows:

Cancelling the shareholder list for holding 2020 Annual General Meeting on the record date of 31th March 2020

Reason for cancellation: The company proposed to cancel the record date for Annual General Meeting of Shareholders 2020.
In an emailed statement to Insurance Business, Fuller commented: Insurers are also anticipating a sharp decline in new policies and renewals due to the weak economy and impact of COVID-19. The ESL burden will therefore fall on fewer policyholders.

This will push the combined taxes on household premiums to typically 50% or more. Small businesses that buy insurance will pay at least an additional 70% above the base premium in taxes.

As explained by the NSW Emergency Services Levy Insurance Monitor  an independent body formed in 2016  the ESL is a charge added by the insurer to the cost of the property insurance to recover its required contribution to emergency services agencies in the state.

The levy paid with any premium is used to fund NSWs emergency services in the financial year in which the policy commences.

NSW already has the lowest level of property insurance in Australia, Fuller asserted. The combination of two unfair and inequitable taxes  ESL and state stamp duty  in addition to the GST (goods and services tax) is likely to exacerbate non-insurance and underinsurance. This leaves large sections of the community financially vulnerable.

The ICA believes the NSW Government should commit to abolishing the ESL on insurance. Its decision to assist councils suggests the government has scope to recommit to the ESL reform agenda.

Meanwhile, according to FM Globals estimate, a rate of 37% will need to be applied to all assessable NSW premium effective June 30 to meet the funding obligations to fire and emergency services.
Thirteen more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Himachal Pradesh on Friday, taking the states tally to 294.

Eight cases were reported from Hamirpur and five from Kangra.

Active cases in the state are 204, as eight people have been cured, said special secretary (health) Nipun Jindal.

Hamirpur deputy commissioner Harikesh Meena said among the five patients from the district is a 34-year-old man, who had returned from Delhi; a 32-year-old woman from Mumbai; a husband-wife duo aged 31 and 28, who had travelled back from Ahmadabad, and a 57-year-old man, who had returned from Kota in Rajasthan.

All of them were under institutional quarantine. Their primary contacts are being traced.

Three more people tested positive for the virus in the evening, he said.

The five patients from Kangra include three men and two women.

One of the patients, a 75-year-old man, who had returned from Delhi four days ago, suffers from renal failure. He had earlier been placed under home quarantine but now has been shifted to Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Nerchowk, Mandi, deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati said.

A 60-year-old woman patient was also under home quarantine.

The other three patients were under institutional quarantine.

Himachal has witnessed the second wave of cases since May 4 with 251 people testing positive for the virus. As many as 106 cases have been reported in the last six days.

So far, 291 cases have been reported in the state, including five fatalities. Three men and two women are among the dead.

Hamirpur is the worst-hit district with 101 cases followed by Kangra with 74 cases. A total of 32 cases have been reported in Una, 23 in Solan, 20 in Chamba, 18 in Bilaspur, 12 in Mandi, nine in Shimla, four in Sirmaur, and one in Kullu. As many as 81 people have recovered so far.
The Premier was steadfast. "These are really hard decisions everyone," she said. "I have sleepless nights. I understand people are hurting. I understand people have lost their jobs." "I want to get people back into work as quickly as possible." Former prime minister Kevin Rudd goes further, accusing the federal government of playing a political game. "Dutton and Birmingham on instruction, I presume from Scott Morrison, are playing a deliberate political game in order to delegitimise the Queensland government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis," says the Queenslander, a previous chief-of-staff to former state premier Wayne Goss. "Their agenda is patently political whereas Premier Palaszczuk's response has been driven by the public health advice."

Former Labor minister and speaker John Mickel says it would be too politically risky for the Premier to open the borders without the support of state Chief Health Officer Young. "If the government opened the border against medical advice and we had an outbreak as a direct result of that, then it's the [state] government who will wear that," Mickel says. "If she caves in to pressure and there is an outbreak, she will be hounded. "Therein lies the political dilemma." Mickel, who is now a professor at the Queensland University of Technology, says "of course" the barrage of attacks from federal ministers Simon Birmingham and Peter Dutton had been ordered from higher up.

"They have half-an-eye to the election coming up," says the professor. "The task for her [Palaszczuk's] opponents is much much easier, they can pressure, they can prod but at the end of the day they won't have to accept responsibility." Federal Coalition MPs vehemently reject the suggestion an election five months away is clouding their judgment. Some, such as former state opposition leader Lawrence Springborg and Gold coast mayor Tom Tate, have even backed the Premier. "I fully support the sovereign rights of states to impose restrictions for health reasons," says federal Queensland Liberal National senator Matt Canavan. "I do think there is a strong case for restriction on regional travel which eventually came in. "What I'm frustrated by is the lack of a clear plan. I'm not saying let's open tomorrow, but there's a lot of confusion now on how this will happen and when it will happen."

Paul Scarr, Canavan's federal senate colleague, who urged clarity, and for borders to open within a month, hesitated to accuse Palaszczuk of playing for votes. Loading "I can try to understand the pressure the Premier has been under," says Scarr. Asked whether Palaszczuk is shoring up her position ahead of the October election, he says: "I'm not going to make that accusation. I'd cut her some slack in that respect. I'm not going to ascribe any ulterior motive in good faith." Federal LNP senator Gerard Rennick says the Morrison government should withdraw JobKeeper funding if Palaszczuk keeps the border closed.

"If the states want to stay in lockdown forever then I think the federal government should turn around and say 'we want to reopen the borders and if the borders aren't reopened then states can start to pay JobKeeper," says Rennick. Compared to a Coalition split on whether Palaszczuk is politicking or being strictly guided by Young's health advice, One Nation has fewer doubts - it is challenging the constitutionality of the border closure at the High Court. Party leader Pauline Hanson joins Clive Palmer, who on Thursday expanded his constitutional claim against Western Australia to include Queensland. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the state and territory leaders had a "very candid" discussion about borders in Friday's National Cabinet meeting. "It's preferable to be able to be in a situation where you don't have borders as soon as possible because obviously that means that the tourism industries in particular, and particularly with school holidays coming up, might be able to benefit from that travel," he said.
Commentators are weighing in on the protests and riots that have gripped Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd, with CNN's Van Jones saying 'I haven't seen black people this upset in 20 years.'

'If you are white and are you watching this, look in your own life,' Jones said on CNN Thursday. 'How are you choking off black dignity? Choking off black opportunity? Choking off black people from asking an opportunity to thrive?'

'Because it's not just that officer. This is a much deeper problem. How are all of us complicit in this? And how are all of us allowing this to happen?' he said.

'I don't have an answer to that,' Jones continued. 'I have not seen black people this upset in 20 years, maybe longer.'

'I have not seen black people this upset in 20 years, maybe longer,' said CNN's Van Jones

Protesters gather around after setting fire to the entrance of a police station during protests over the death of African-American man George Floyd

Protesters gather around after setting fire to the entrance of a police station as demonstrations continue in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Thursday night

Floyd, 46, died on Monday after bystander video showed police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck for at least seven minutes while Floyd was handcuffed during an arrest on forgery charges.

On Friday afternoon, Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, after being fired from the Minneapolis police force.

Three other officers - Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng - have been fired over Floyd's fatal arrest but do not yet face charges.

Protests over Floyd's death have spread nationwide and turned to violence in Minneapolis, where a police precinct was overrun and set on fire overnight on Thursday.

It follows high-profile protests and riots in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore in 2015, over the police-involved deaths of Michael Brown and Freddie Gray, respectively.

'We thought we got an answer, it's called body cams  that we just put body cams on all these cops and you can see what they were doing,' Jones said. 'They would either be stopped or the public would be so outraged.'

A demonstrator holds a placard while protesters gather around an on fire entrance of a police station, as demonstrations continue after a white police officer was caught on a bystander's video pressing his knee into the neck of African-American man George Floyd

A National Guardsman is seen in Minneapolis on Friday morning in the aftermath of fires

State Police officers form a cordon around the burned third precinct on Friday morning

'These guys knew they had on body cams. There were people standing there with the cell phones out. 18 complaints should trigger a separate review,' he continued.

'You build up to that level of contempt. You build up to that level of dehumanization and desensitization and you are now witnessing the outcome of that,' Jones said.

'I think there is a frustration out there,' CNN host Don Lemon said on Thursday night, speaking before Chauvin was charged. 'People are frustrated at the urgency. How much more video do they need?'

'Are they going to be arrested or are they not?' he asked. 'Are we going to have the same legal system that we have for the average adult?'

'Those people are upset, they are sick of it,' he added of the protesters in Minneapolis, 'and I would imagine that people around the country are sick of it as well.'

Other commentators also weighed in as the nation was gripped by images of the burning third police precinct in Minneapolis, which cops abandoned as protesters advanced.

Speaking on MSNBC on Friday morning, Rev. Al Sharpton said: 'The pain is the real issue that I think we are seeing there.'

Speaking on MSNBC on Friday morning, Rev. Al Sharpton said: 'The pain is the real issue that I think we are seeing there'

Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson also spoke with MSNBC on Friday morning

'The feeling that you trust law enforcement and they were the ones to kill your son your brother. Where do you go when you feel the cops and the robbers are against you?' he continued.

'That is the pain we have been trying to expose for a long time that we are seeing explode with this violence,' Sharpton said.

'Let's remember the violence started when that man put his knee on the throat of George Floyd and killed him.'

Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson also spoke with MSNBC on Friday morning.

'I was so angry, I've been so angry this week,' he said. 'At what keeps happening in society. You know, black men walk around with a bull's eye on their chest and their back.'

'I don't know how you can watch that video without feeling anger,' he said of the bystander video that captured Floyd's arrest.
Europes relations with China are going from bad to worse.

Beijings decision to force national security laws on Hong Kong has outraged many in the European Union for what they see as an attack on democracy. It places EU governments on the horns of a dilemma over how to respond as they shift from battling the coronavirus to economic recovery, where trade with China is likely to play a big part.

That is set to leave Europe somewhere in the middle as the US weighs a range of penalties on China for encroaching further on Hong Kongs freedoms. The EUs chief foreign envoy, Josep Borrell, said this week that sanctions were not the solution to our problems with China. In a letter to the blocs foreign ministers ahead of a pre-scheduled video conference meeting on China on Friday, he urged them to consider the tools of leverage we have.

Yet European anger is palpable, and there are signs that Chinas moves could have ramifications further down the line, by speeding European efforts to adopt a more unified industrial policy and influencing decisions on the role of Huawei Technologies Co. in 5G networks. A post-pandemic rescue plan presented by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron last week aims to fortify Europe internally, but also contains measures to equip it to better face outside threats.

Diplomacy is meanwhile at a low ebb, with China provoking European governments through aggressive social media posts over their handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, and some European officials criticizing Beijing in turn for its early response to the outbreak. While preparations officially continue for the first-ever summit of the EUs 27 leaders and President Xi Jinping this fall, China watchers from academia to industry say they doubt the event billed as the highlight of a year of China-Europe engagement will even take place.

The upshot is a collection of friction points that may tip European leaders further toward a reassessment of China as more of a threat to Europe than viewing it as an ally against the Trump administrations anti-globalization tendencies.

Things are changing, said Jean-Maurice Ripert, who was Frances ambassador to China until late 2019. The pandemic led to an awakening toward Chinas expansionist ambitions, he said. The Covid crisis and whats going on in Hong Kong are opening the eyes of those who didnt believe it.

Its an assessment shared by some leading politicians. Norbert Roettgen, chair of the Bundestag foreign affairs committee and an outside contender to succeed Merkel as chancellor, says that Europes credibility is on the line over its response to China.

Germanys position in shaping Europes response will be key, both as the EUs biggest economy and since it will assume the blocs rotating presidency on July 1. EU relations with China were supposed to be the centerpiece of Germanys presidency, but the pandemic has shifted priorities.

The Chinese move against Hong Kong caught everyone off guard, according to a German government official with knowledge of the thinking in the Chancellery. That contributes to the dilemma Germany finds itself in. Merkel isnt willing to join Donald Trumps attacks, which include repeated references to Covid-19 as a Chinese virus, but she is aware the security situation in Hong Kong could deteriorate rapidly. Nobody wants a new Cold War, said the official, asking not to be named discussing internal strategy.

China is not merely a partner and competitor, but a country with which we have profound differences with respect to the rule of law, freedom, democracy and human rights, Merkel said in a speech Wednesday. While she referred to the one country, two systems principle for Hong Kong, the chancellor said that even such fundamental divisions shouldnt prevent dialogue and cooperation.

Merkels high-wire balancing act has its critics. Nils Schmid, a senior lawmaker with her Social Democratic Party coalition partner, accused the chancellor this week of having an outdated idea of China as an economic partner above all, and of underestimating the systemic challenges posed by Beijing. Merkel has resisted a blanket ban on Huawei from 5G networks, a step favored by Roettgen among others.

Schizophrenic

Europe should have leverage over China given Beijings need for allies in its deepening standoff with the US In reality, the bloc is divided between those such as Italy and Hungary, enthusiastic backers of Xis trademark Belt and Road investment and infrastructure program, and others including France and Germany, which are more wary in their dealings with Beijing.

One EU diplomat who asked not to be named discussing Fridays foreign ministers call described the blocs approach to China as schizophrenic, saying that it cant decide if China is a strategic partner or an aggressive rival.

Still, in their joint plan, Merkel and Macron are pushing for stronger European industrial defenses and a reduced dependence on China. With its references to European champions -- Macron spoke of technological sovereignty -- a bloc-wide strategic health care industry and a focus on green and digital transitions, it represents much more than just the headline 500 billion-euro ($554 billion) rescue fund, said Erik Nielsen, chief economist at UniCredit.

For Janka Oertel, director of the Asia program at the European Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin, the Merkel-Macron proposal, which still needs the agreement of the blocs members, was all about China without talking about China.

Strategic Reassessment

This is exactly where we are in the conversation, a European strategic reassessment of the relationship with China, and the challenges that China poses not globally but quite directly to the European economy, she said.

In Paris, the official emphasis is on rebalancing European-Chinese relations toward greater reciprocal market access and the shared fight against climate change. Questions about Chinese interference in Hong Kong put to the French foreign ministry were directed to a tepid EU statement from this week in which the bloc said it attached great importance to the preservation of the territorys autonomy, but fell short of criticizing China.

Even such declarations matter, and work will still be underway to forge a common European position, said Ripert, the French diplomat. The situation is potentially explosive so its not unusual that Europe is taking its time, he said. Combative speeches are useless.

Chinese officials have sought to downplay the potential impact of the national security legislation in Hong Kong, saying it will only affect a small number of people who helped foment violent protests last year. In an open letter to the citys residents, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the overwhelming majority of citizens would continue to enjoy the freedoms such as speech, the press and assembly under laws now being drafted by the National Peoples Congress, Chinas legislature.

5G Networks

The EU will just say something for political reasons but its really more concerned about the recession, said Wang Yiwei, a former Chinese diplomat at the Chinese embassy in Brussels. They always talk about the rule of law but actually this is the rule of law. Since Hong Kong is part of China, of course its future will be decided by the NPC. The EU should support this decision but some lobbyists may be against it.

Xi might have miscalculated by sanctioning an attack on Hong Kongs democracy, said Reinhard Buetikofer, a German Green lawmaker who chairs the EU Parliaments delegation for China relations.

If Beijing decides to pursue its course in Hong Kong, no one has the leverage to stop it, so the message must be that it will come with a cost, he said in a Bloomberg Television interview. And I would assume that some of the issues that have been contentious around Europe, like the issue of are we going to allow Huawei to participate in building of the 5G networks, may look differently under the auspices of recent Chinese actions.

Legislation is still being drawn up in Berlin on 5G networks as part of an IT security law, with negotiations on Huaweis involvement likely in the coming weeks before a draft goes to cabinet, possibly before the summer break. The debate over China more broadly has hardened, according to a German lawmaker familiar with the drafting.

The U.K. has opened a fresh review of Huaweis role in its networks after the US moved to shut down the Chinese companys access to American technology. Those actions will influence German decision-making, said the ECFRs Oertel.

On Sunday, as Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned the US against starting a new Cold War with China, the ministry posted a series of tweets in English calling for solidarity with Europe. The pandemic requires both sides to rise above ideological differences and China and the EU should be comprehensive strategic partners.

For Friedolin Strack, managing director of the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business, dialogue is essential and decoupling from China is not an option. But he too favors a stronger, more united Europe to better protect against issues like the distortion of competition by state-owned enterprises.

Stracks committee helped shape an influential paper by the German BDI industry lobby last year that caused ripples across Europe and in Beijing by arguing for a more clear-eyed stance toward China. Two months later, the EU labeled China a systemic rival. He now sees an opportunity for Europe as a strong middle partner, sharing US values while cooperating with China on multilateral solutions. There is a huge potential in positioning the EU as a stronger global player, he said.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Unknown gunmen on Friday killed three Iranian border guards in a Kurdish area near the country's western border with Iraq, Iran's state media reported.

The official IRNA news agency said the three were killed in clashes with bandits while patrolling near the town of Sardasht, located about 530 kilometers (330 miles) west of the capital, Tehran.

It said several of the attackers were also killed during the clash but did not elaborate further. The area has seen occasional fighting between Iranian forces and Kurdish separatists, as well as militants linked to the extremist Islamic State group.

Earlier in May, unknown gunmen killed three members of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in a shootout that also took place in a Kurdish area.

Irans eastern border has been the scene of occasional clashes with Baluch militants.
Glaxosmithkline has delivered a major boost in the search for Covid-19 vaccines, vowing to pump out one billion doses of a special chemical to improve their effectiveness.

As the race to develop a cure accelerated, the British drug maker said its adjuvant technology would help make supplies of successful vaccines go further when they are ready.

Adjuvants create longer-lasting immunity against infections and allow smaller amounts of a virus to be used in a vaccine, making large-scale production easier.

Glaxo boss Emma Walmsley (pictured) has warned that a jab will still not be widely available until the second half of next year at the earliest

Glaxo is in talks with governments to increase its output of the booster ingredient to help scale up production of any future Covid-19 vaccines.

It could prove crucial in at least seven of the experimental jabs being looked at by scientists, including one proposed by French pharma group Sanofi, with whom Glaxo signed a collaboration deal last month.

The company would not disclose the adjuvant programmes costs yesterday, saying only that production would take place in Europe and North America.

Roger Connor, Glaxos global vaccines president, said: We believe that more than one vaccine will be needed to address this pandemic and we are working with partners around the world to do so.

Efforts to find a vaccine have been speeded up compared to normal standards, with treatments usually taking as long as a decade to reach patients.

The Government has pledged more than 1.5billion towards international efforts, while President Trump has ordered US scientists to try and produce one before the end of the year in a scheme dubbed Operation Warp Speed.

Glaxos rival Astrazeneca leaped to poll position in the race last month when it signed a deal to distribute Oxford Universitys potential vaccine, which is seen as the most advanced so far.

As well as its collaboration with Sanofi, Glaxo has contributed to the efforts of Chinese biotech firms Clover Biopharmaceuticals and Xiamen Innovax, as well as the University of Queensland, Australia.

But despite the vast resources being poured into research efforts  including millions of pounds from Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates  Glaxo boss Emma Walmsley (pictured) has warned that a jab will still not be widely available until the second half of next year at the earliest.

She said last month: Everyone will mobilise to go fast, but this is not an easy undertaking and it is not just about when it is ready  it is when it can be manufactured at scale.
Rihanna has become a pop icon since her 2005 debut, and she's also taken on the film and fashion industries.

But the nine-time Grammy winner has faced her fair share of doubters throughout her 15-year career.

She recently revealed that she was called a 'one-hit wonder' toward the beginning of her career, as she celebrated a huge milestone.

Underestimated: Rihanna recently revealed that she was called a 'one-hit wonder' toward the beginning of her career, as she celebrated a huge milestone

The 32-year-old spoke to Vulture along with songwriter/producer Evan Rogers on the 15th anniversary of her debut single Pon de Replay.

Rogers said: 'Around Pon de Replay, people used to tell me, "Shes so cute, but you know, cant really sing but you dont care cause shes just so cute."

'I would get so angry because I always knew she would be that girl that would eventually be doing songs like Stay and Diamonds. But I think the first time I felt like other people got it was Umbrella.'

RiRi added: 'I remember the first time out with Pon de Replay, I got that a lot. A lot of people said I was going to be a one-hit wonder.

Huge milestone: The 32-year-old spoke to Vulture on the 15th anniversary of her debut single Pon de Replay (pictured in the 2005 music video)

One-hit wonder: She recalled: 'I remember the first time out with Pon de Replay, I got that a lot. A lot of people said I was going to be a one-hit wonder' (pictured in July, 2005)

Proving them wrong: Riri added: 'But I worked my hardest to prove them wrong. And when we came out with the second album, SOS and Unfaithful, both blew up!' (pictured in February, 2008)

'But I worked my hardest to prove them wrong. And when we came out with the second album, SOS and Unfaithful, both blew up!'

She last released her eighth studio album Anti in 2016, and she's since left her 'Navy' on the edges of their seats for a ninth.

The Love on the Brain artist recently responded to an Instagram comment from a fan asking where the new album is, as she joked: 'I lost it.'

Leading lady: Since her music career took off, she's gone on to try her hand at acting in titles like Battleship, Bates Motel and Ocean's 8

Fashion icon: Rihanna also launched her fashion house Fenty last year, earning the Urban Luxe award at the British Fashion Awards

She donated $5million to the global coronavirus relief fund on behalf of her Clara Lionel Foundation.

Since her music career took off, she's gone on to try her hand at acting in titles like Battleship, Bates Motel and Ocean's 8.

Rihanna also launched her fashion house Fenty last year, earning the Urban Luxe award at the British Fashion Awards.
Black Lives Matter protesters swarm a CHP vehicle in front of LAPD headquarters Thursday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Protesters filled the streets of downtown Los Angeles for the second evening in a row Thursday, with demonstrators gathering outside Los Angeles Police Department headquarters to decry a black man's death in police custody in Minneapolis.

The demonstration, organized by the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter, was on a smaller scale than the day before.

Some of the protesters briefly surrounded a California Highway Patrol vehicle, and at least one kicked the cruiser, but the car drove off before it was visibly damaged.

Anger over the killing of George Floyd, who died when a white Minneapolis police office knelt on his neck for several minutes, has flared in cities nationwide.

On Wednesday, demonstrators spilled onto the 101 Freeway downtown and blocked traffic in both directions. One man was injured after clambering atop a California Highway Patrol cruiser, which sped off as protesters bashed in the rear windshield.

On Thursday, a crowd gathered outside LAPD headquarters on 1st Street. Demonstrators had defaced the building with anti-police graffiti the previous night.

In response to the video of officers kneeling on Floyd's neck, the Los Angeles Police Protective League's Board of Directors said in a statement,` "What we saw in that video was inconsistent and contrary to everything we have been taught, not just as an academy recruit or a police officer, but as human beings. Reverence for life in every incident a police officer encounters must be the floor and not the ceiling."

Long Beach Police Department Chief Robert G. Luna said in a statement released Thursday that the actions of the officers in the videotape "are directly in conflict with the oath we have taken to protect and serve, and also violate the public trust that we have worked so hard to build in our communities."

City News Service contributed to this report.
Eradicating absolute poverty, upholding people-centered philosophy and seeking new opportunities from challenges, Chinese President Xi Jinping brought reassuring messages at times of uncertainty and difficulty.

Xi spoke on a wide range of topics at this year's "two sessions," which closed on Thursday.

The two sessions are the country's annual meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, participated in deliberations with national legislators and joined in discussions with political advisors.

People first

An NPC deputy himself, Xi joined deliberations with lawmakers from north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on May 22, the first day of the annual session of the national legislature.

"People first" was the keyword in the discussions. Xi referred to the recovery of an 87-year-old COVID-19 patient after 47 days of care by a team of 10 doctors and nurses.

"Many people worked together to save a single patient. This, in essence, embodies doing whatever it takes (to save lives)," he said.

China mounted swift and sweeping actions to contain the disease. It has mobilized the best doctors, most advanced equipment and high-demand resources. The eldest patient to have been cured is 108 years old.

"President Xi emphasized people and lives are the top priorities," said Huhbaater, a professor of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University and an NPC deputy who heard Xi speak.

New opportunities

China decided not to set a specific annual economic growth target for 2020, but set eyes on winning the battle against poverty and finishing building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Xi touched upon the absence of a numerical growth target. "Had we imposed a target, the focus would have been strong stimulus and a simple grasp on growth rate. That is not in line with our social and economic development purposes," he said.

Xi urged efforts in seeking new opportunities amid challenges as he joined discussions with national political advisors from the economic sector on May 23.

"Our economy is still characterized by ample potential, strong resilience, large maneuver room and sufficient policy instruments," Xi said.

China has the largest industrial system in the world with the most complete categories, strong production capabilities and complete supporting sectors, as well as over 100 million market entities and a talent pool of 170 million people.

The Chinese president anticipates faster growth in the digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, life and health, new materials and other strategic emerging industries, highlighting the creation of new growth areas and drivers.

Xi stressed steady progress in creating a new development pattern where domestic and foreign markets can boost each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay.

He called for unwavering efforts to make economic globalization more open, inclusive and balanced so that its benefits are shared by all, and to build an open world economy.

Public health protection

On May 24, Xi joined deliberations with lawmakers from central China's Hubei Province, which was the hardest hit by COVID-19.

"We must face the problems upfront, step up reform and waste no time in addressing the shortcomings, insufficiencies and loopholes exposed by the epidemic," he said, stressing fortifying the public health protection network.

Xi noted several priorities: reforming the disease prevention and control system; boosting epidemic monitoring, early warning and emergency response capacity; perfecting the treatment system for major epidemics; and improving public health emergency laws and regulations.

Enhancing national defense

When attending a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and People's Armed Police Force, Xi commended their role in battling COVID-19 and stressed achieving the targets and missions of strengthening the national defense and armed forces for 2020.

The epidemic has brought a profound impact on the global landscape and on China's security and development as well, he said.

He ordered the military to think about worst-case scenarios, scale up training and battle preparedness, promptly and effectively deal with all sorts of complex situations, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Noting that this year marks the end of the 13th five-year plan for military development, Xi said extraordinary measures must be taken to overcome the impact of the epidemic to ensure major tasks on the military building are achieved.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
The Navi Mumbai police on Friday announced that they would stop accepting applications for Shramik special as most labourers have returned to their hometown. Currently, 5,188 labourers are on the list and they will be provided an alternative transport.

The decision to stop accepting new applications was due to several reasons, including no consent from some states and a lower turnout among other reasons.

Railway Board chairman VK Yadav, during a press conference on Friday, said the demand for the special trains have reduced in the past two days across the country.

Yesterday (Thursday), 137 trains were operated while 172 trains operated the day before. Last week, the average was of 250 trains a day, Yadav added.

Earlier this week, a group of 200 people travelling in a bus from Navi Mumbai was forced to return after Karnataka did not allow entry. The group had an approved pass from Navi Mumbai but Karnataka government did not allow them in.

Navi Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Kumar said, We have sent most of the people home. Yesterday, two trains, including one for Uttar Pradesh departed. For small clusters of people going to different districts, we are in contact with other districts if trains are headed in their direction so they can be accommodated.

Kumar added that since the regular outstation trains are starting in a phased manner, those who can afford to incur the expenses can opt to purchase the tickets.

Until now, close to 50 such special trains have departed from Navi Mumbai and Panvel transporting 63,209 labourers to different states, mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

No migrant has been sent from Navi Mumbai to Goa, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Chandigarh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands due to lower number of people on the list.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Panaji, May 29 : Goa's Ports Minister Michael Lobo on Friday said that the state government should ban the entry of persons coming to Goa from Maharashtra for a minimum period of 15 days on account of the spike in COVID-19 cases.

Lobo said that he would be requesting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in writing, adding that nearly 90 per cent of the COVID-19 cases in Goa are related to persons with a travel history from Maharashtra.

"Goa was totally in the green zone and we are still in the green zone as far as the state is concerned. Only we are getting the maximum number of people from Maharashtra and a few from Delhi, who have the virus," the Minister told reporters here.

"Now my demand to the CM of Goa is and I will give it in writing also, that you ban the entry of people from Maharashtra. I am not against the people of Maharashtra, but the ban is necessary for a certain period, say 15 days," Lobo said.

"Entry to the people from Maharashtra to Goa should be banned by road, by rail and air travel. If you want to stop more COVID-19 patients coming in to Goa we have to ban their entry. This is the only solution, because there is transmission of the COVID-19 virus in Maharashtra in a big way," he added.

Earlier this week, Sawant had said that his government was actively considering a separate SOP for persons coming to Goa from Maharashtra, because 90 per cent of the state's COVID-19 patients had a travel history from the neighbouring state.

The move was later dropped, after Goa made testing of all persons entering the state mandatory.

Lobo however said that with the monsoon looming and the unpredictable nature of COVID-19, it was best to take early precautions, especially vis a vis persons entering Goa from Maharashtra.

"There is no transmission from Goa. But if these people (from Maharashtra) keep on coming (into Goa), there will be transmission. We do not know how the virus is going to react in the rains. Rains are likely scheduled in Goa from June 5, before that if we ban people coming from Maharashtra, we will get major relief," Lobo said.

Currently, the state has 31 active COVID-19 cases.
TORONTO, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In a race against time, the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) this week kicked off its new Recovery program. The program was conceived, designed, built, and launched in eight weeks. Why the rush? Estimates of them monthly cost of the crisis range from $350 billion globally to $1 trillion for the US alone. Either way, the costs are significant.

"This crisis is novel. Novel crises require novel responses. Novel responses require innovation, often predicated on insights from science. CDL's mission is to accelerate the commercialization of science for the betterment of humankind. Right now, that means redeploying our resources to focus on the current crisis by applying the CDL model and community to rapidly translate science into solutions," explains Ajay Agrawal, CDL founder, who is a professor at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.

CDL Recovery originally launched with a broad mandate to accelerate a wide range of COVID-19-related solutions. Much was learned over the past few weeks and the program is moving forward with a much sharper focus, described in the CDL Recovery thesis. CDL Recovery is focused on the full stack of information-based solutions to accelerate the world's recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. These include, for example, managerial decision-making tools based on: (1) swab-based tests that predict whether the coronavirus is present in an individual, (2) contact tracing, (3) image analysis of people density or proximity, (4) symptom monitoring, and (5) workplace monitoring of air or sewage. This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. Yesterday, MIT Technology Review published an essay that describes the framework upon which the thesis is based.

CDL Recovery continues to welcome applications here.

The crisis is not only urgent and novel, it's also global. To that end, CDL disbanded its traditional location-based programming and designed this program to run globally. Mentors rolled up their sleeves and got to work this week from London (Irina Haivas, Principal of investment firm Atomico); Paris (Eric Hautemont, Cofounder and CEO of Days of Wonder and Ray Dream); Stockholm (Jane Walerud, Partner at investment firm Walerud Ventures); Bath, UK (Chris Deverell, former Commander of the UK's Joint Forces Command); Basel (Vreni Schoenenberger, Global Head of Public Affairs in Neuroscience at Novartis); San Francisco (James Hardiman, Partner at investment firm DCVC); Seattle (Amit Mital, former CTO at Symantec); Atlanta (Brenda Fitzgerald, former Director of the Centers for Disease Control), Boston (Dawn Bell, Chief Scientific Officer, Novartis); Hong Kong (Tytus Michalski, Managing Partner at investment firm Fresco Capital); Halifax (Pam Winsor, former Chief Marketing Officer for Medtronic); Toronto (Chris Hadfield, former commander of the International Space Station); and Vancouver (Colin Harris, Cofounder of PMC-Sierra), among other locations and including many other mentors.

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based program focused on the development and scaling of early-stage, science-based ventures. It is operated by eight universities: University of Oxford, HEC Paris, Georgia Institute of Technology, Dalhousie University, HEC Montreal, University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, and the founding institution, University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.

The Rotman School of Management is part of the University of Toronto, a global centre of research and teaching excellence at the heart of Canada's commercial capital. Rotman is a catalyst for transformative learning, insights and public engagement, bringing together diverse views and initiatives around a defining purpose: to create value for business and society. For more information, visit www.rotman.utoronto.ca

SOURCE Creative Destruction Lab
Theres nothing quite like a boat for testing an electrical circuit to its limits. Use the old system to help make a plan in steps 1 through 7.

F659f 7 Pin Wiring Harness Diagram Free Download Digital Resources

Craftsman riding mower electrical diagram wiring diagram craftsman riding lawn mower i need one for see more.

Wiring electrical boat diagrams5 7. Wait until you actually start installing wiring in step 12. Find out the newest pictures of. Here are a few of the leading drawings we get from numerous resources we hope these images will work to you and with any luck really relevant to what you want concerning the mercruiser electric fuel pump wiring diagram is.

5 7 vortec wiring diagram carwallps 5 7 vortec wiring diagram along with chevy 454 engine belt diagram in addition mercruiser 3 in addition chevy 5 3 vortec engine diagram car tuning as well. 5 pin trailer wiring diagram download. Electrical wiring on boats.

By boatus editorial staff. The boats bilge pump float switch. At the best of times the cables and terminals must put up with a combination of the omnipresent salt atmosphere and vibration the united states coast guard requires fuel tanks to be.

This way even if your battery switch is off if your boat starts filling with water the pump will still kick on. Semi trailer wiring diagram 7 way involve some pictures that related each other. Volvo boat engine mercury outboard cars and motorcycles engineering floor plans free image stuff stuff motors.

7 pin trailer boat wiring diagram 7 way connector trailer light wiring diagram trailer light plug trailer light wiring diagram trailer wire harness for mor w. Electric fuel pump wiring diagram ansis size. This will make it far easier to locate wires and equipment.

4 way flat trailer wiring diagram pics. Wiring diagram mercruiser alternator refrence mercruiser wiring diagram. 800 x 600 px source.

Boat trailer wiring diagram trailer wiring junction box diagram. If you are re wiring a boat with an electrical system installed. I have 2 other wiring videos with different set ups to give you more ideas for how to rig your boat effectively and safely and accomplish what you need for boat wiring and electrical work switch.

Dont rip out that old system yet. Battery switch bypass loads bilge pump etc its pretty standard in boat wiring to bypass the main battery switch for one thing. Trace out each wire and put that on your diagram.

Skip navigation sign in. 5 pin boat trailer wiring diagram collections of wiring diagram for a 7 round trailer plug inspirational 5 pin flat.

Wiring Diagram 7 Pin To 7 Blade Rv Wiring Diagram

Trailer Wiring Diagram Lights Brakes Routing Wires Connectors

Wiring Diagram 7 Pin To 7 Blade Rv Wiring Diagram

3310c Dj5 Wiring Diagram For Digital Resources

Wiring Diagram 7 Pin To 7 Blade Rv Wiring Diagram

1995 Honda Civic 1 5l Mfi Sohc 4cyl Repair Guides Wiring

Cb8201 5 Wiring Diagram Wiring Resources 2020

1983 Cadillac Eldorado Electrical Wiring Circuit Chassis And Body

Repair Guides

44b9 Rks Wiring Diagram Wiring Resources

Led Wiring Diagram And Neon Wiring Diagram Top Forum Picks

Repair Guides

Suzuki Outboard Workshop Service Manual All Motors By Glsense

5 7 Mercruiser Wiring Diagram Unlimited Wiring Diagram

2127 Remote Control Door Lock Wiring Diagram For Car Wiring

Amazon Com Rapidesign Standard Electrical Electronic Symbols

E56 Ups Wiring Diagrams Wiring Resources

B9250 Washburn Guitar Wiring Diagrams Digital Resources

075 Skil Switch Wiring Diagram Wiring Resources

Repair Guides

5 Flat Wire Diagram Wiring Diagram Third Level

Amazon Com Koh I Noor Set Of 3 Electro Templates Electrical

Cp32 Conductivity Probe Spirax Sarco

7 Pin Trailer Wire Diagram

Suzuki Outboard Workshop Service Manual All Motors By Glsense

7947c Basic Electrical Wiring Diagrams For Bedroom Digital Resources

Atvs Chinese Atv Wiring Diagrams 5 Pin Cdi Wire Diagram 000

Product Catalog Keene Engineering

A0c992c Wiring Diagram For Hp Pavilion Wiring Resources

Wrg 1641 Bmw 335i Fuse Box

F625d Mitsubishi L200 Fuse Box Layout Digital Resources

Wiring Diagram 7 Pin To 7 Blade Rv Wiring Diagram

Provide Common P Id Electrical Symbols Used In Piping And

Drawing Schematics Wiring Transparent Png Clipart Free Download

Trailer Wiring Diagram 5 Wire Wiring Diagram

Iwsm2014 Automating Fsm Using Bpm With Uprom Banu Aysolmaz

Ignition Switch Wiring Diagrams Today Wiring Schematic Diagram

Volvo Truck Fm Euro5 Service Manual Pdf

Trailer Wiring Diagram 5 Wire Wiring Diagram

Cdaa46a Fiberform Boat Electrical Wiring Diagram Wiring Resources

Wiring Radio To Boat Read Online Wiring Diagram

Amazon Com Koh I Noor Set Of 3 Electro Templates Electrical

All Wiring Diagram Boat Console Wiring Diagram

How To Install Terminals Onto Electric Wiring Youtube

5 7 Mercruiser Wiring Diagram Unlimited Wiring Diagram

788f1 Pfc Wiring Diagram Epanel Digital Books

Rc Wiring Diagrams Wiring

4 Wire Led Trailer Lights Wiring Diagram

John Deere Jd570 Jd570a Motor Grader Tm 1001 Pdf

0e729e 1967 Cj5 Wiring Diagram Wiring Resources

D41f5 Lights For Boat Wiring Diagram Busbar Digital Resources

641 Fuse Box Terminals Wiring Resources

F659f 7 Pin Wiring Harness Diagram Free Download Digital Resources

Wrg 9829 1932 Ford Truck Wiring

1943 66 Corvette Wiring Diagram Wiring Resources

5f3cc5c Honda Jazz Fuse Box Location Wiring Resources

Electrical Wiring Practices And Diagrams

Tulsa Neons N Scale Model Railroad

9713c18 Garmin 498 Wiring Diagram Wiring Resources

7 Ford Focus Engine Fuse Box Diagram 7 Ford Focus Engine Fuse Box

2414a Wiring Diagram Ktm Superduke Wiring Resources

Diagram Ford Idle Control Valve Wiring Full Version Hd Quality

Repair Guides

Mercury Outboard Manuals Service Shop And Repair Manual For

Wrg 7799 If You Are Looking For The Formal Wiring Diagram

Cadillac 1982 Chassis And Body Electrical Wiring Circuit Diagrams

Wiring Electrical Boat Diagrams5 7

John Deere 4430 4630 Tractors Tm1172 Pdf Manual

Mercruiser Trim Sender Wiring Diagram Example Wiring Diagram

Wiring Diagram 7 Pin To 7 Blade Rv Wiring Diagram

Amazon Com Rapidesign Electric Controls Template 1 Each R312

4 Wire Utility Trailer Wiring Diagram

International 420 Class Rules 420 Uniqua France

3cbe8 Db Fuse Box Digital Resources

Lp530 Led Wiring Harness General Wiring Diagram Data

Diagram 1994 Ford Alternator Electrical Wiring Diagrams Full

05516 9 Camry Fuse Box Diagram Wiring Resources

5 9 Cummins Wiring Diagram Wiring

Chemical Engineering Flow Chart Symbols How To Read Piping And

0d1f6 92 F250 Fuse Box Wiring Resources

Trailer Wiring Diagram Lights Brakes Routing Wires Connectors

Diagram Ford Idle Control Valve Wiring Full Version Hd Quality

5 7 Volvo Starter Wiring Example Wiring Diagram

Trailer Wiring Diagram 5 Wire Wiring Diagram

3c5ca Pressure Washer Motor Wiring Diagram Free Download Digital

Fbf6b52 Eberspacher Wiring Diagram Wiring Resources

337e4 Boat Tach Wiring Diagram Wiring Resources

Dsx M50bt Service Manual Fm Am Digital Media Player Us Model

Marine Alternator Wiring Diagram Wiring Diagram

5 Pin Trailer Wiring Diagram Boat Wiring Schematic Diagram

Wrg 1641 Bmw 335i Fuse Box

Bldc Motor With Mounted Encoder 1000si Accessories Products

A324 Liftmaster Garage Door Wiring Diagram Wiring Resources

Lumiere Light Wall Double Sided Backlit Display 10ft X 7 5ft

Cummins Oil Switch Wiring Diagram Wiring Library

7 Pin Trailer Wiring Diagrams

Electrical 3 Wire Subpanel Wiring Diagram Get Wiring Diagram

Wiring Diagram 7 Pin To 7 Blade Rv Wiring Diagram

Analog Discovery All In One Analog Design Kit Academic Trenz

Hyster R30b R30ba 30br Order Pick Lift Truck Service Repair

Diy Home Wiring Diagrams Top Electrical Wiring Diagram

Mercruiser 454 Wiring Diagram Today Wiring Schematic Diagram

Ungo Car Alarm Wiring Diagram
US President Donald Trumps executive order targeting social media companies may be motivated by personal and not national concerns  in this case, a spat with Twitter  but does reflect a growing concern around the world over the role these companies play in disseminating information and shaping opinions, both akin to the role traditionally played by media firms, even while being legally protected from being sued for content.

This is especially ironic because the main source of revenue for such platforms is the same as that for media companies  advertising, which, in their case, is sharply targeted given the extent of information they have about their users.

Section 230 of a 1996 US federal law protects these platforms from being treated as publishers even while it gives them the powers to moderate or regulate content without any liability.

Trumps ire, as mentioned in the executive order passed on Thursday, is that the online platforms are engaging in selective censorship that is harming our natural discourse; flagging content as inappropriate even though it does not violate any stated terms of service ; and deleting content and entire accounts with no warning. The order targeted Twitter, which it said selectively decides to place a warning label on certain tweets in a manner that clearly reflects political bias and which never seems to have placed such a label on another politicians tweet.

The reference was to Twitter fact-checking two of Trumps tweets about mail-in-ballots. But far from backing away, Twitter responded by flagging a post from the US President several hours later for violating its policy on glorifying violence.

Trumps action struck a chord in India where social media platforms have been accused of bias and trying to behave like media companies without any of the accountability that entails.

Information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad warned that the right to freedom of opinion must be respected by platform owners otherwise they themselves will be questioned by the people of stifling a contrary view.

What is happening in America is their concern; I have no comment to offer on that, said Prasad. As an IT minister, I can only say that India is a free, democratic country and we appreciate the role of social media in empowering people. However, these social media platform operators must follow certain well defined norms, not promote hatred, terrorism, secessionism and communal violence, he added in an interview.

In the past, these platforms have been accused of bias. Criticism is welcome but if only one type of criticism is allowed and the counter to it is shelved, then it is not fair. The social media platforms need to acknowledge that free, frank and responsible exchange regardless of political colour or ideology, is of essence in a democratic world and if there are grievances on that score that a platform is favourably disposed towards one and hostile against the other, then it is neither fair nor appreciated, Prasad explained.

When asked if he was dissatisfied with Twitters response to his concerns, he said: In some cases they have been responsive, in others they need to be more proactive.

Internet freedom activist and founder of medianama, Nikhil Pahwa, said that governments, including India, will use what they can to control social media platforms. In a LinkedIn post, he wrote that since India was pushing for traceability of a message and proactive takedown of content, this might lead to the minister saying his ministry is justified in proposing/demanding these amendments.

Lawyer Prasanna S, who deals with privacy issues, said that the order sparked a debate about an underlying principle of whether the platform companies should have as much censorial power  particularly when they have become an almost primary tool for exercise of political speech and political organising.

Twitter India refused to comment on the matter, other than pointing to the companys response to the executive order which said: This is a reactionary and politicized approach to such a landmark law. #Section230 protects American innovation and freedom of expression, and its underpinned by democratic values. Attempts to unilaterally erode it threaten the future of online speech and Internet freedoms.

But it may not be as black and white as that. Facebook chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg said in response to Twitters actions that social media platforms cannot be an arbiter of truth. His comments came ahead of the executive order.
Image: Shutterstock





Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen. We saw what they attempted to do, and failed, in 2016. We can't let a more sophisticated version of that....



- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2020





MAIL-IN VOTING WILL LEAD TO MASSIVE FRAUD AND ABUSE. IT WILL ALSO LEAD TO THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY. WE CAN NEVER LET THIS TRAGEDY BEFALL OUR NATION. BIG MAIL-IN VICTORY IN TEXAS COURT TODAY. CONGRATS!!!



- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020





Just to be clear: Trump's statement that Twitter, a private company, is abridging his First Amendment freedom of speech by tagging his wild tweets about write-in voter fraud as misleading is totally absurd and legally illiterate. This thread explains why:



- Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 27, 2020





Note that Trump has much less leverage over Twitter than other companies. Twitter don't sell political ads, they're not big enough for an antitrust threat, and he's clearly hooked on the platform.



- Nu Wexler (@wexler) May 27, 2020

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg took pains to distance his company from Twitter and its fight with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, as the White House moved to scrap a law protecting social media companies Republican Trump, who accuses social media firms of bias against conservatives, without evidence, stepped up his attacks on Twitter after the company put a fact-checking label on two of his tweets about mail-in ballots on Tuesday for the first time."We have a different policy I think than Twitter on this," Zuckerberg told Fox News, Trump's preferred broadcaster.Both sites take down content that violates their terms of service, but Facebook's approach, he said, has "distinguished us from some of the other tech companies in terms of being stronger on free expression and giving people a voice."While Facebook does apply labels to misleading posts , it exempts from review posts by politicians , a decision that some lawmakers and presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden say helps lies to flourish online.Unlike Twitter, Facebook outsources its fact-checking to media partners and says it takes no stance itself.The split with Twitter comes despite Zuckerberg's more aggressive posture against misinformation in recent months, including pledges to wipe from Facebook's apps any misleading posts about the novel coronavirus which could cause physical harm.Facebook took down a coronavirus-related post from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in March. It also explicitly bans content that misrepresents methods for voting or voter registration "regardless of who it's coming from."Zuckerberg said Trump's comments on Tuesday did not hit Facebook's bar to be considered in violation of its voter suppression rules.Trump had posted unsubstantiated claims on both Twitter and Facebook saying the governor of California was sending mail-in ballots to anyone living in the state, "no matter who they are or how they got there," although ballots are only sent to registered voters.After signing the executive order cracking down on social media, as of 29 May, Trump has put out another tweet with similar claims.Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey said Trump's claims "may mislead people into thinking they don't need to register to get a ballot" and hit back at the White House for pinning the decision on a mid-level Twitter staffer.A Twitter spokeswoman said that senior executives, including Dorsey, had approved the decision to label Trump's tweets.Twitter, for its part, has at times sought to differentiate itself from Facebook. Last year, it announced a political advertising ban just as criticism of Zuckerberg's fact-checking exemption was reaching a fever pitch.Trump remains one of Facebook's top political spenders, although campaign ads comprise a tiny slice of its total revenue.Nu Wexler, a former spokesman for both companies, said Twitter's political ads decision gave it more freedom to maneuver now. Trump's threats against the platform, he said, amounted to little more than "Washington kabuki theater.""Trump has much less leverage over Twitter than other companies. Twitter don't [sic] sell political ads, they're not big enough for an antitrust threat and he's clearly hooked on the platform," Wexler tweeted.With inputs from Reuters.Original Source:
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken an incredible toll on America, and nowhere has the impact hit harder than right here on the Gulf Coasts oil and gas industry.

There is no doubt that Gulf of Mexico energy production is critical to national security, our national economy and conservation of wildlife and public lands from sea to shining sea, literally. If left unattended during the ongoing global crises, many of these benefits may be lost.

At least 17 percent of our nations energy is produced in the Gulf of Mexico and most of that comes onshore into Louisiana and Texas. Offshore energy production supports approximately 500,000 jobs and generates over $5 billion in annual federal revenue.

These benefits expand far past the region and are more than just economic. Our exports of LNG and crude oil strengthens our national security and levels our trade deficits.

The Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act allows Gulf states to share in offshore revenue generated from oil production. To date, the act has allowed over $300 million to flow to states primarily for coastal restoration and hurricane protection. In fact, Louisiana is statutorily required to spend this revenue to combat its coastal land loss and 34 percent of the states coastal protection office is funded through mineral revenues.

Offshore energy production also funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This program has funneled more than $4.4 billion to conservation and outdoor recreation activities across our country to public lands in the Mountain West, to playgrounds in New York, the everglades in Florida, and grants to states to help protect some of our most vulnerable wildlife species.

These activities alone have contributed $51 billion to the economy and 880,000 jobs. Offshore energy production even funds National Historic Landmarks such as battlefields in Virginia and the tribal preservation grant program like on the Hualapai Reservation in Arizona.

Action needed

While President Trumps announcement of the April OPEC Plus deal is significant, analysts predict that demand will drop 20-30 million barrels per day less than before the Coronavirus pandemic, likely lingering even after our businesses open their doors again. With storage reaching capacity within a few short weeks and little relief in sight, producers are already shutting in regardless of any OPEC deal.

This means that recovery from this demand reduction will be long and painful for many, especially those along the Gulf Coast. These cuts are devastating to our workers and will have very long-term impacts, drastically reducing funding for states and conservation efforts.

President Trump can take actions now. The Administration has discretionary authority to reduce federal royalty rates. This action will infuse direct capital in an industry where upfront expenses are 10 to 20 times higher than onshore production.

Temporary relief now will lessen the impact of production cuts and layoffskeeping our industry resilient for years to come and continuing to fund conservation efforts throughout our country.

Some Gulf producers are also nearing the end of their lease terms. The Administration can provide targeted lease extensions to operations that have been well maintained and provide relief in other ways like reducing decommissioning requirements temporarily and protecting storage capacity.

Our workers are urge President Trump to stand up for them by considering the importance of Gulf of Mexico energy production. He can support them by maximizing his resources to protect this industry for years to come. If nothing is done now, the Gulf of Mexico and Louisianas working coast could look very different in a few short months.

Tyler Gray is president and general counsel of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association.

.
Also on Monday, in a semi-wild section of Manhattans Central Park called the Ramble, Christian Cooper, a black man and avid birdwatcher, saw an unleashed dog digging up shrubbery. He asked the dogs white owner, Amy Cooper (no relation), if she would restrain her dog, as required by park rules there. She refused, saying, He needs his exercise, and she told Christian Cooper that she would be calling the police instead. Im going to tell them theres an African American man threatening my life, she said as she pulled out her cellphone and dialed 911. There is a man, African American, he has a bicycle helmet, and he is recording me and threatening me and my dog, she said into the phone, adding, I am being threatened by a man in the Ramble, please send the cops immediately.
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




IARU Region 2 Executive Committee meets

The IARU Region 2 Executive Committee held its quarterly meeting in May via video conference



In addition to routine business, the EC was briefed by IARU R2 Workshops Coordinator Augusto Gabaldoni OA4DOH. He reported that, as of the meeting date, there are almost 400 subscribers and over 2800 views of the first four workshops, either live on Zoom or on YouTube, from almost every country in the Americas and some from Asia, Europe and other parts of the world. Feedback has been very positive from both participants and from Region 2 member societies with a common theme: when are you doing another one?



All IARU R2 workshops are free and open to anyone interested. They are available live on Zoom and also on YouTube where they are recorded and available for future access. The introduction to each workshop explains what IARU is and the role of Member Societies in representing their countrys amateurs to their regulator and other organizations. Participants are encouraged to join and support their IARU Member Society if they are not already members.



There is high interest in additional workshops in both languages, especially for more advanced Winlink workshops, more on amateur satellites, digital operations, and many other suggestions for additional future workshops. Augusto will be scheduling more in the near future. These will be announced on the www.iaru-r2.org website in Events with a new online registration system courtesy of webmaster Christian Buenger DL6KAC who he thanked for his quick response and support.



Other Executive Committee business included an amendment to the IARU R2 Standard Operating Procedures to formalize the approval process for changes to the Region 2 Band Plan between General Assemblies. Formerly approvals for changes could only be done at a General Assembly, which meets only every three years. When the next General Assembly meeting is more than six months in the future, the new process provides for the Band Planning Committee to recommend changes to the Executive Committee for consideration. If the Executive Committee agrees with the changes, Member Societies are informed and have 60 days to object should they disagree. If no more than one objection is received, the changes are approved and will be incorporated into the R2 Band Plan and reported at the next General Assembly.



George Gorsline VE3YV

Secretary IARU Region 2

https://iaru-r2.org/



Watch the Workshop videos at

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnG2Srz0bs

KmTbF2r3YNneQ/videos
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 05/28/2020



ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

star Usman Umar has clarified he only wants to have multiple wives if it turns out Lisa Hamme cannot give him a child.: Before the 90 Days' Season 4 cast Tell-All reunion had reportedly been set to film at a studio in New York City in March similar to past seasons, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, those plans ended up being postponed.Instead, the show ended up filming a reunion remotely, with everyone participating via videoconference, during the first weekend of May.About 10 hours of raw footage from : Before the 90 Days' Season 4 reunion show leaked online, including many segments with Lisa and Usman being interviewed by host Shaun Robinson Lisa recently confirmed she and Usman are married on social media, and the pair confirmed at the Tell-All they are still together and in love.But Shaun mentioned an interview Usman had previously conducted in which the Nigerian rapper had claimed his religion allows him to have up to four wives."That is correct," Usman and Lisa said simultaneously, before Usman added polygamy is "100 percent allowed" in his religion."But once you get to four, you have to stop," Usman noted.Shaun therefore asked Usman if he could see himself marrying more women now that he's hitched to Lisa."I don't see myself taking more wives if Lisa gives me a child," Usman replied."If Lisa could not give a child, I have no option -- I will definitely add a wife. No option. There is no reason I would stop that. [If] Lisa cannot give a child, I must add another wife whether she would like it or not."Usman reiterated, "But if Lisa even gives me one child, I don't need another wife. I wouldn't add another wife because I want to have women, no. In my family, my father got married to one wife and she's my mother, and my older brother Mohamed [has] one wife."Usman told Shaun he wouldn't be picky about the woman who would become his second wife if Lisa cannot give him a child."It can be anyone, it could be someone from Nigeria. I am content with only one woman... If I had the intention to have more than one wife, then before I met Lisa, I'd have other girlfriends around, but I don't," Usman explained at the Tell-All.In response to Usman's revelations, Lisa commented, "Yes, he is entitled to take up to four wives... I understand about the childbearing years."She continued, "But also, remember, in this type of lifestyle, [the husband] must be able to provide for the first wife -- her house, her car, her insurance, her food. He must be able to provide all this stuff for the first wife before he can take a second.""So yes, I knew this," Lisa concluded. "Him and I have talked about it for a few years."Shaun asked for clarification on whether Lisa would be okay with Usman taking a second wife if the Nigerian rapper is able to fully provide for both women."Yes, he can take up to four wives that he can provide for everyone the same," Lisa confirmed. "And that means not only financially but emotionally and physically."Usman, however, said he's "pretty sure" Lisa will be able to get pregnant and have a child.Shaun therefore asked Lisa if she plans to have a kid with Usman, and Lisa shared, "We're definitely going to try!"Lisa then repeated how, if that's not possible, she'd be fine with Usman taking another wife if he can pay for her house."Because here in the United States, the marriage is not legal," Lisa said. "Having a second, third or fourth wife, it's not acknowledged. These women will not... [be] his legal wives. I am the legal wife."But Shaun pointed out how Lisa came across very jealous while filming : Before the 90 Days' fourth season. Lisa would fight with Usman over his female fans and Facebook messages from women with emoticons in them, so Shaun questioned Lisa, "How would you deal with [Usman] having sex [with another woman]?!""I said if he takes three more wives, I will take three more husbands," Lisa confessed. "He will not take any more wives because he has his hands full with me. He doesn't need three more dramas!"Lisa already has a child from a previous relationship, and Usman acknowledged he will treat Lisa's daughter as if she's his own. However, Usman said he still wants his own biological child -- and just one kid would be enough.Lisa reminded Usman they could have a child via surrogate, but Usman seemed confused by how that would work.Usman's mother Fatimatu apparently wants Usman to welcomed two children in three years."And what did you say [to my mom]?!" Usman asked Lisa. "What did you answer?""I said, 'Yes,'" Lisa disclosed. "But listen, Usman does not like the concept of IVF.""I will not do that!" Usman confirmed.Usman had made similar statements about having multiple wives during the April 21 episode of Angela Lee's Lip Service podcast, after which Lisa assured In Touch Weekly in May she'd be okay with having sister-wives as long as Usman could afford them all.Usman, known as "SojaBoy" in the music industry, had contacted Lisa on Facebook two years before filming began, and they videochatted immediately so Usman could prove he wasn't a catfish.Based on posts Lisa has made on Facebook, she and Usman reportedly began dating in June 2018.Lisa didn't understand why a Nigerian celebrity would be interested in her, but a love song he had allegedly written for Lisa confirmed his feelings for her, at least in Lisa's mind. Lisa then flew to Nigeria -- her first trip out of the United States -- to meet him face to face.As shown on : Before the 90 Days' fourth season, Usman struggled with Lisa's jealousy of his female fans and social-media followers as well as her controlling ways and tendency to boss him around.Usman, as a Muslim man, wanted to be respected and honored in the relationship, and he essentially demanded Lisa to be more passive and let him be in charge of her and their relationship."If there are two kings in a kingdom, there will definitely be war," Usman said in a confessional.Although Lisa and Usman finally received a blessing from Usman's mother Fatimatu to marry, Lisa flipped out when Usman became so fixated on becoming the head of their household and said he had another thing coming if he thought an American woman would simply obey a man and be submissive like that.But Lisa and Usman managed to talk through their issues and overcome their disagreement.The couple therefore headed to a courthouse in Abuja to get married, but once they met with a magistrate, they learned they may not be able to get married in Nigeria without a printed copy of Lisa's divorce decree, which she did not bring with her from the United States.Lisa was running out of time in Nigeria and was furious at Usman for not doing his research on the required documents ahead of time. She called the situation "a nightmare."However, Lisa was able to get her divorce decree emailed to her in Nigeria, so she was excited to finally be able to get married.But that night, Lisa and Usman had a serious discussion because Lisa claimed to have seen his "whore" on her fiance's Facebook messenger.Lisa said she had been watching the woman for months on Facebook and saw the woman send Usman a kissing emoticon and express her love for him, to which he allegedly called her "baby.""Who the f-ck do you think you're playing with, Usman!?" Lisa vented to the cameras. "I need to make sure he's been faithful to me, because if not, there is going to be no Usman and I."Usman claimed the woman was just his friend but he had been avoiding her and wanted to stick with Lisa only. Lisa accused Usman of using her, but Usman assured Lisa that she was his only love.Lisa demanded that Usman scrape his social media accounts, yelling about how she could have her pick of 50 men back in the United States to marry.Usman responded, "They're not like me," but Lisa countered, "You know what?! You're not that big of a star! You're local talent! Let's get this sh-t straight! You f-cking lied to me. I'm done!... F-ck you and the little boat you've got! Best of luck to you."Lisa threatened to leave Nigeria and give up on Usman, but the pair reconciled once Lisa explained she was just afraid to get cheated on again and truly loved Usman.The next day, Usman proposed marriage to Lisa in their hotel room while they were waiting for Usman's relatives to arrive for the wedding."Will you marry me Lisa? With peace, with happiness?" Usman asked."If we can blend our cultures together, then yes," Lisa replied, before gushing to the cameras, "It was everything I ever wanted... It touched me. It's something I'll remember until the day I die. He's my everything and I am ready to marry this man tomorrow."However, Lisa later asked Usman's brother Faruq about Usman's "stubborn" behavior, which upset and offended Usman."I will not let anybody tell me what to do," Usman told his brothers. "Controlling me, that is what I will not tolerate."The conversation became tense and then Lisa stormed away from the gathering and said she was "done.""At this point, I don't know if there will be a wedding tomorrow," Usman told the cameras in the latest episode of : Before the 90 Days. Click here to read more spoilers about the current status of Lisa and Usman's relationship.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
A South Carolina couple has been charged with the death of a four-year-old girl found jammed into a drawer in Rock Hill. The two suspects have both been denied of bond on Wednesday.

According to Fox8, local authorities indicted 26-year-old Audrevious Williams along with his 23-year-old girlfriend Jackleen Mullen with homicide by abuse or neglect.

Young victim

On Tuesday at around 11:30 p.m., law enforcement arrived at a residence on Gentle Breeze Lane after getting a call for their assistance.

When detectives questioned Mullen, she said that their daughter, four-year-old India, who had physical disabilities and required special needs was currently living with family. The authorities later found that the little girl was lifeless inside the couple's bedroom placed inside a drawer.

"He and Mullen shared extreme indifference to the child's life and well-being," said one detective to the judge who also requested the denial of bond for the two suspects which was granted by the higher authority.

Observation of India's body showed signs of blunt force trauma and respiratory issues, said the detectives. Investigators revealed that they found evidence to connect the couple with the murder of the little girl but declined to comment any additional information.

When authorities told Mullen that her daughter was gone, she showed "no emotion or empathy," they said to the judge, as reported by KRQE.

When they were in court, Mullen showed tears running down her eyes, and it was revealed that she and her boyfriend appeared in court separately, and both spoke very little about the incident.

Authorities appointed public defenders for both parties and ordered not to come into contact with their three other young children.

The boyfriend, Williams, has two other kids, a one-year-old and a seven-year-old, who are staying with the Department of Social Services whereas Mullen has another four-year-old who is currently with relatives.

Also Read: Skeletal Remains of Girl Discovered in Feces-Filled Basement Along With Her Brother in Dismal Condition

The president of the local homeowners association, Mary Clark, expressed her grief when she learned about the news and said: "I feel bad for the family."

Clark is a grandmother and says she was devastated by the whole ordeal and now plans to implement a neighbourhood crime watch program to monitor the safety and well-being of residents.

Clark was not notified by any unusual circumstances that could have lead to the death of the little girl and a resident who also lived nearby, Tiara Jean Mendiola, was baffled by the events that took place.

Mendiola said that the crime was the last thing anyone would have expected from people you would trust to protect you. She added, "It just hurts my heart."

History of neglect

WSOCTV reported that Mullen was previously charged with neglect when her premature newborn child tested positive for cocaine, which is the same kid that was found dead in a drawer.

India was born prematurely at 26 weeks gestation and needed to be flown to a nearby Columbia hospital. She was then taken care of inside the neonatal intensive care unit by local medical experts.

Both Mullen and William will be issued new court dates after two weeks and if they are convicted of the crime, will be sentenced with 20 years to life in jail.

Related Article: Dead Body Leads to Two Naked, Malnourished Teenagers Locked in Australian Home

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Actor Sonu Sood on Friday came to the rescue of 167 migrants stuck in Kerala by arranging a special chartered flight to help them reach their home in Odisha.





The group, comprising on 147 women and 20 men, were airlifted by an Air Asia chartered flight from Kochi to the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar.

"When I decided to come forward in support of these migrant workers who have been stranded, all that I had in my mind was how I can help reunite them with their families and homes," Sonu said in a statement.

The Bollywood star thanked the national carrier for its "immediate response and interest in supporting this endeavour".

"AirAsia India has been very appreciative that this Umeed Ki Udan may be the first flight for many of them. The Allstars of AirAsia who have been part of this journey have been true Covid warriors and have done everything possible to make the guests on board comfortable," Sonu added.

Anup Manjeshwar, Head, Sales & Distribution, AirAsia India, hailed the actor for starting the noble cause of helping the migrants.

"Mr Sood's compassion and empathy with the plight of migrant workers has been inspiring and it has been a pleasure working with him to facilitate this fantastic initiative and give wings to the dreams of 147 women and 20 men who work with a clothing and stitching firm on today's flight," he added.

Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik took to Twitter to thank Sood for his "noble efforts".

"@SonuSood Ji, your helping the Odia girls to return safely from Kerala is commendable. Kudos to your noble efforts. It's incredible to see how you are helping the needy reach their homes safely. More strength to you," Patnaik wrote on Twitter.

Amid the nationwide lockdown, the Odia women, most of whom were engaged in stitching and embroidery work in the textile sector in Kerala, had been trying to return for last several weeks and finally their plight was posted by someone on Twitter which led to Sood's help.

Initially, it was proposed to bring back the young women by bus or train but Sood offered to send them in a special plane, said an airline official.

The special flight carrying them from Kochi airport landed at Bhubaneswar airport on Friday, said an official.

"We are extremely thankful to Sonu Sood for making arrangements for our return to Odisha. We will be able to meet our family members after so many months," said one of the migrants.

As all the returnees hailed from Kendrapara, the state government had made adequate arrangements for their journey to the coastal district.

Kendrapara Collector Samarth Verma said that the district administration had sent four buses to pick up the women from the Bhubaneswar airport. The returnees were offered food, water and other necessities and travelled to Kendrapara by maintaining social distancing.

All of them have been placed in institutional quarantine. They will be under mandatory quarantine for seven days at the government-run facilities at the district headquarters town, he said.

Thereafter, they will have to be in home quarantine for another seven days, Verma added.

Sonu and his friend Neeti Goel have won hearts with their 'Ghar Bhejo' initiative.

The actor facilitated several buses for workers stuck in Mumbai due to the coronavirus-forced nationwide lockdown. The actor has transported workers to far off states such as Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand and UP.



Recently, he launched a toll free helpline to help migrants reaching their home.
Hezbollah shifted position regarding aid from the International Monetary Fund in March. The powerful Lebanese group that previously strongly opposed IMF help said in mid-March that it may accept it after all.

We will not accept submitting to (imperialist) tools  meaning we do not accept submitting to the International Monetary Fund to manage the crisis, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem had said in late February.

This statement came after the idea of foreign aid was proposed by the Lebanese government, as Lebanon struggles with its worst economic crisis in its history made even worse by the coronavirus, with the Lebanese currency losing more than half its value against the dollar in three months and the employment rates hitting rock bottom, coupled with a crisis in the banking sector that includes capital control rules that hinders holders from withdrawing money in dollars. On March 12, for the first time in six decades, Iran requested a loan from the IMF to fight a hard-hitting coronavirus outbreak.

Just one day after the Iranian request, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address that the group could accept IMF funding but under reasonable conditions.

Bassam, a 30-year-old electrical and computer engineer in Beirut who asked that only his first name to be used, told Al-Monitor that he identifies as secular but also as a Hezbollah supporter. Though he doesnt advocate the partys ideology, Bassam thinks its presence is necessary to protect the country from Israels ambition to occupy it.

Asked wether Hezbollah was disregarding its own ideology by agreeing to Western help, Bassam said, Hezbollah put its ideology aside long ago, since their initial goal was achieving an Islamic republic and that this is out of question now, or else me and other secular people like me wouldnt have supported them.

Though I am not a fan of the IMF because it imposes austerity measures that would affect normal citizens like myself, I believe [Hezbollah] when they say they wont accept any conditions that would harm Lebanons sovereignty.

On April 30, the Lebanese government endorsed a long awaited rescue plan to pull Lebanon out of economic collapse based largely on foreign injections of dollars, with $10 billion from the IMF in addition to $11 billion previously pledged by international donors at the CEDRE conference in Paris on conditions of financial reforms  which didnt take place yet.

This time there should be a strong political will to be able to overcome a rhetoric of years of political corruption by some of the same politicians governing Lebanons 1989 civil war. Otherwise the IMF will not invest in Lebanon. Some say Hezbollahs presence stands in the way of Beiruts aid request to the IMF. The negotiations started on May 13 via video conference with both sides communicating positively about the outcome of the initial discussions.

We are comfortable with the atmosphere of these initial discussions, and we expect that the upcoming discussions will be equally constructive, said Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni in a statement.

IMF spokesman Gary Rice also said in a statement that he characterizes the talks as constructive and that the IMF staff is trying to better understand the authorities plans. The government's economic plan represents a good starting point on the ongoing discussions, Rice added.

Hezbollah was classified as a terrorist organization by Germany in April, a step already taken by many Western countries including the United States, which also imposed strict sanctions on the group.

Sami Nader, director of the Levant Institution for Strategic Affairs, told Al-Monitor that Hezbollah must reconsider its external roles and focus on Lebanon if the party wants to give the Lebanese government any chance of getting aid from the IMF.

The IMF would ask the Lebanese government to control its borders including land borders, maritime borders, the harbors and the airport. This would certainly affect Hezbollahs ongoing behavior, said Nader. Diesel smuggling has recently made headlines as the country attempts to crack down on illicit cross-border movements.

Similar to funding programs with other countries, the Lebanese government will have to stop subsidizing fuel and wheat, especially when a portion of it is being smuggled to Syria, as we are finding out, Nader added.

The news of the smuggling operations between Lebanon and Syria has overshadowed news of the economic crisis facing Lebanon amid IMF negotiations. Two trucks carrying camouflaged tanks filled with about 22,000 liters of diesel were seized on May 11 heading to the northern Syrian border area. George Brax, a member of the Syndicate of Owners of Petrol Stations in Lebanon, said in a press statement that the value of the smuggled hydrocarbons is at least over $400 million annually and that the figure could be much higher.

Smuggling has increased on the Lebanese-Syrian border since the start of the Syrian war in 2011 as Syrian traders strove to access dollars after the depreciation of the Syrian pound and find an alternative market for Syrian products after the sanctions imposed on their country. The director of the Lebanese General Security, Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, visited Syria on May 19 to discuss border security with Syrian officials. My visit to Syria is like all visits, and we hope that it will bear fruit and you will see the closing of the crossings file, Ibrahim said, according to Al Modon newspaper.

Amid talks with the IMF, to which the United States is the largest contributor, Ziad Aswad, a parliamentarian and member of The Free Patriotic Movement  an ally of Hezbollah led by president Michel Aoun  said at a TV interview, The Americans are giving Lebanon a choice: either carry weapons or live in hunger.

The Arab Weekly newspaper reported on May 19 that Hezbollah, which provides social welfare for its supporters, is under enormous pressure from a large number of poor supporters who are affected by increasing unemployment. The newspaper says a former Shiite minister stated that wealthy diaspora members, especially those in West Africa who have placed large deposits to Lebanese banks, now stand to lose big in the banking crisis.

In his speech on Al-Quds Day on May 22, Nasrallah warned his supporters not to submit to the Israeli-American efforts to blame Hezbollah for Lebanons economic conditions.

In a May 8 press conference addressing corruption, parliament member Hassan Fadlallah said, I refuse to defame anyone, however we have given the names responsible for corruption to the judiciary authorities and they are the ones who decide who is corrupt and who is not.
WASHINGTON - Joe Biden lamented the open wound of the nations systemic racism on Friday as he responded to the police killing of a black man in Minnesota. He drew an implicit contrast with President Donald Trump, who has suggested authorities could respond with violence to the protests that followed George Floyds death.

The original sin of this country still stains our nation today, Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said in remarks broadcast from his home in Wilmington, Delaware. Its time for us to take a hard look at uncomfortable truths.

Biden announced his bid for the presidency last year arguing hes uniquely positioned to unite a deeply divided country. He pointed to Trumps response to a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, as unworthy of Americas people and values.

As the country endures another spasm of racial unrest, the central premise of Bidens campaign is being tested. Biden is responding by positioning himself as an empathetic counter to Trump, who often struggles to convey emotion or connect on a personal level during moments of crisis.

Biden said he spoke with Floyds family and demanded justice for his death while calling for real police reform that holds all cops up to the high standards that so many of them actually meet. The president later said that he, too, had spoken with Floyds family and called them terrific people.

Trump initially condemned police actions in Floyds death but later agitated the unrest by tweeting that protesters could be met with violent police resistance. He threatened to take action to bring Minneapolis under control, called violent protesters outraged by the killing thugs and revived a civil-rights-era phrase fraught with racist overtones.

When the looting starts, the shooting starts, Trump wrote in a tweet that was flagged by Twitter as violating rules against glorifying violence. The White House said the president did not glorify violence. He clearly condemned it.

By Friday afternoon, Trump sought to acknowledge the shocking circumstances of Floyds death while commending law enforcement.

He was in tremendous pain, obviously, and couldnt breathe, the president said of Floyd. It was a very, very sad thing for me to see it. We also know that most policemen, you see the great job they do.

Biden, without mentioning Trump by name, made clear he would approach the presidency differently.

This is no time for incendiary tweets. This is no time to encourage violence, Biden said. This is a national crisis, and we need real leadership right now. Leadership that will bring everyone to the table so we can take measures to root out systemic racism.

Later appearing on PBS, Biden pointed more openly at Trump: I think this president has stoked racism.

Rep. Val Demings, a Florida Democrat considered a potential Biden running mate, criticized Trumps response.

America is on fire, she said in an interview Friday. And this president is standing there with gasoline. He is dangerous. Hes destructive, hes dangerous and he cant even rise to this occasion.

Amid the outrage, Biden tried to make the rest of the country feel what it was like to be African American in modern U.S. society.

Every day, African Americans go about their lives with constant anxiety and trauma, wondering who will be next, he said, adding, the anger and the frustration and the exhaustion  its undeniable.

Biden must go beyond establishing himself as a calming alternative to the president and demonstrate that he will take action that spurs the unity hes promised. Its a feat he may have to accomplish in a hurry if he wants to inspire African Americans to turn out for him in November.

The task is especially critical after Biden suggested last week that African American voters who were still undecided between him and Trump aint black, a comment that some black leaders said were interpreted as taking their votes for granted. Biden quickly said he regretted the comment.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson said he believes the nation is in chaos because of a lack of leadership in the White House. But he said change will only come by putting people in positions of power who will be willing to boldly address the needs of affected communities.

I think the real question is, what are people going to do about it and how are those who are in positions of authority, and those who are seeking positions of authority, how are they going to lay out a plan moving forward? Johnson said. Its about what is the collective will of this society to address the systemic deficits that we all know so well but lack the political will to address.

Moments of acute racial tension have afforded platforms for leadership from presidential candidates in the past. Robert F. Kennedy was seeking the White House in April 1968 and arriving in Indianapolis when he learned that Martin Luther King Jr. had been shot and killed. Kennedy stood on a flatbed truck and spoke about the country having to move past the terrible moments of racial strife  comments later credited with preventing unrest.

Kennedy was assassinated two months later.

Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza said Biden needs to use this moment to connect further with black people and create a more robust black agenda that specifically tackles the need for policing reform and more.

Black people cannot wait for an agenda that speaks to how it is that our lives will change under a new administration, Garza said. We currently have a president who is inciting violence against black communities and yet, on the other hand, we have somebody who wants to lead this country that needs to go further in their plans, proposals and their vision for how to make sure that we deal with the state of emergency that black communities are facing.

It is not enough to engage in politics as usual, Garza added, and expect results, as usual.

___

Stafford reported from Detroit. Associated Press writer Alan Fram in Washington contributed to this report.
(Photo : Jonathan Ernst On Reuters ) Trump's Executive Order: Twitter Also Fact-Checks China; Now, They Can't Do That in the U.S. Anymore (Photo : Handout on Reuters ) Trump's Executive Order: Twitter Also Fact-Checks China; Now, They Can't Do That in the U.S. Anymore

United States President Donald Trump has signed the executive order meant to "defend the free speech" from social media on Thursday, May 28. Upon his signing, reports also notice another government official from China that got his tweets about Coronavirus, labeled with "get the facts about COVID-19."

Trump signs E.O.

Early Thursday, May 28, Tech Times reported that several reporters from the White House had an insight into a possible executive order that will be signed by the President, later that day. The said E.O. is now finally signed by Trump.

"We're here today to defend free speech from one of the greatest dangers," Trump said before signing the document.

The new directive changes the legal rights of every social media platform in the U.S. Back then, there was a law called Section 230 that was a provision of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. This law serves as the main framework of every social media platform. Washington Post said that this law states that any social media companies are not considered as the publishers on each of the posts being written by their users.

This means that if you wanted to sue someone on writing hateful stuff on Facebook, the social media platform cannot be held legally for the post-- as they are not considered as the publisher or editor. But they can still remove content that is considered obscene, harassing, or violent.

However, this right was said to be overused by tech giants in the online world.

Trump, for one, accuses social media of having "unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide, alter, virtually any form of communication between private citizens and large public audiences."

The practice is un-American, says POTUS

Trump called social media's actions as very un-American.

"In a country that has long cherished the freedom of expression, we cannot allow a limited number of online platforms to hand-pick the speech that Americans may access and convey on the internet," the order says. "This practice is fundamentally un-American and anti-democratic. When large, powerful social media companies censor opinions with which they disagree, they exercise a dangerous power."

Chinese official also gets fact-checked by Twitter

Since the issue of fact-checking by Twitter gets controversial, another government official-- now from China-- has recently been fact-checked online.

Not just Trump, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Lijian Zhao was also fact-checked on his several tweets about U.S. involvement in originating the Coronavirus.

All the tweets were now labeled with "get the facts about COVID-19" that shows tweets were not based on facts.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Beauty salon owner Sia Psicharis has weathered an estimated 80 per cent drop in revenue during the coronavirus pandemic but now she is buoyed by hope.

Ms Psicharis is thrilled she can welcome back customers at her St Kilda East business from Monday and they seem to feel the same way, rushing to put down their names on a waiting list.

Beautician Sia Psicharis can't wait for restrictions to ease. Credit:Simon Schluter

Were almost booked out for the first couple of weeks, she said. Were expecting a lot of happy people. Weve been inundated with clients who want appointments.

Beauty and nail salons and tattoo studios can reopen from Monday as part of the latest easing of coronavirus restrictions.
Laurie Wright walked up to the window of her 76-year-old mothers room at a nursing home in Scarborough. As she stood outside, she caught a whiff of something emanating from the room.

It smelled like urine, she said.

Standing there, unable to go inside and help her mother, Wrights predicament represents the frustration families feel as COVID-19 sweeps through dozens of nursing homes in Ontario. Visitors are not allowed in  a measure meant to prevent coronavirus outbreaks at care homes  and yet many care homes face alarming infection rates and death tolls.

Extendicare Guildwood is one of them.

A quarter of its residents have died in the past three weeks.

Ninety-three of 160 residents have tested positive for the virus and 40 have died, as of Thursday, according to an Extendicare email sent to family members. Twenty-nine workers, including the director of care and the administrator, contracted the virus and are recovering at home, according to the emails.

Extendicare told the Star its focus is always on the well-being of the people we are entrusted to care for and the dedicated teams who provide them that care  We continue to work closely with our partners at the Scarborough Health Network, Ontario Health, Ministry of Long-Term Care and Toronto Public Health to ensure we have the support to manage this outbreak.

The Red Cross was to be at Guildwood on Friday to help stabilize the situation, and the company hired dozens of new workers to deal with staffing shortages, Extendicare said in a statement.

Lately, during Wrights daily visits, her mother has been lying in bed  as opposed to sitting in her wheelchair  with an untouched or half-eaten food tray in front of her.

Her face is scrunching up and shes trying to turn. Her hair looks like it has not been washed in a week. And shes wearing a nightgown  shes not dressed, said Wright.

Shell start squirming in her bed. Shell be grabbing her legs and trying to shift side to side. You can tell she is sore.

And then, theres the smell.

I smelled her room from outside. It smelled like urine, said Wright.

Her mother has tested negative for COVID-19  so far. But she has lost weight and is not doing well. Wright and her sister fear all residents will eventually contract the virus. More than half already have, according to Extendicare emails sent to residents families.

A recent report by the National Institute on Aging found residents in long-term care represent 82 per cent of coronavirus-related deaths in Canada. And a military report released this week found examples of extreme neglect in five long-term care homes in Ontario.

(The residents) cant advocate for themselves. Theyre trapped in this mess. Its horrible, said Wright.

Its like a ticking time bomb. Either we will get the phone call that she has tested positive, or I will go see her and see that she is unconscious.

The Star spoke with nearly a dozen people who have a loved one living in Guildwood. Many expressed concern about how difficult it has been to get answers from Extendicare management. For weeks, theyve been demanding Extendicare ask the provincial government for help to contain the outbreak.

One family member, Michelle Wilson, said she was frustrated families were having to work so hard to hold the company accountable.

Transparency  is an expectation we have, she said. It shouldnt be a gift.

A Star analysis conducted in May found residents in for-profit homes, such as Extendicare, are about 60 per cent more likely to contract COVID-19 and 45 per cent more likely to die of it than residents in non-profit homes.

On May 23, SEIU Healthcare, the union representing some of the workers at Guildwood, published an open letter to Premier Doug Ford, calling on the province to take over administrative control of Extendicare Guildwood.

We are hearing that several management representatives at this facility have also contracted COVID-19 and frankly, we dont know who is in charge, the letter read.

Extendicare has hosted several townhall-style Zoom meetings with Guildwood families since the outbreak started, but many family members are not satisfied, saying the calls sounded rehearsed.

The company also sends email updates to family members twice a week with numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths at the home.

The Star sent more than a dozen detailed questions to Extendicare Guildwood about staffing levels and steps the company is taking to protect residents.

In a written response to the Star, Extendicares national director of operations Christine Baigrie said the Red Cross was to enter Guildwood on Friday to stabilize the home and to provide infection prevention and control and resident assistance.

Baigrie also said Guildwood was now fully staffed after hiring dozens of additional staff and receiving help from the Scarborough Health Network.

First of all, nothing is more important than the care, health and safety of the people in our home, wrote Baigrie.

We understand that this is a deeply concerning time for our residents families, and we are in touch with them frequently about our progress as we continue to manage the situation.

That was not Audrey Da Cruzs experience.

Da Cruz had moved her 86-year-old mother into Guildwood on March 13. The next day, the Ontario government started restricting visitors at long-term care homes due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Da Cruz said she had no idea a COVID-19 outbreak was detected at the home on April 23 until a staff member from Guildwood called her two weeks later, on May 7, to tell her that her mother had a fever.

She was also told her mother had been sharing a room with two others who tested positive for COVID-19. Thats when Da Cruz learned she had not received any of the email updates about COVID-19 that Extendicare had been sending to family members.

Her mother died five days later.

My mom was the most courageous person that I know because she looked after two small children in a new country, by herself, when in her generation they didnt do that, said Da Cruz, who was a toddler when she moved to Canada with her parents. Im devastated that this was the end of her life. Because it shouldnt have been.

Da Cruz said she did receive one email from Extendicare after her mothers death: an invoice, for the amount she owed for her mothers care.

Speaking with the Star on Thursday, she said she hopes no one will have to go through what her family did. She participated in a rally outside Guildwood on Tuesday, where she and others marched on the sidewalk in front of the home to raise awareness about their loved ones plight. They held signs that read 24 lost, save the rest and loved ones live here.

That afternoon, Da Cruz said she received a call from an Extendicare manager who asked what she wanted to do with her mothers belongings that were still at the home. Da Cruz said it was the first phone call she had received from the home since her mother died.

Its disgusting, said Da Cruz.

Extendicare didnt respond to the Stars specific questions about Da Cruzs experience.

Our sincere condolences are with the families and friends who have lost their loved ones in this very difficult time. Nothing is more important to us than the well-being of the people we care for and our hearts are with them, Baigrie said in a statement.

Its clear Extendicare wasnt ready for a COVID-19 outbreak, said Toronto lawyer Naphtali Silverman, who focuses on the issues of medical malpractice and long-term disability. He has been retained by the Da Cruz family.

Theres no excuse for the level of neglect that has gone on there, he said. At 27 deaths, thats astronomical. He spoke with the Star on Monday.

The number of deaths jumped to 40 on Tuesday, according to an email Extendicare sent to family members.

One of those deaths was Elizabeth Martins 90-year-old father.

Martin received a call on Monday from a nurse at Guildwood who said her father, who has Parkinsons, was dying. She rushed to pick up her mother so she could say goodbye  they hadnt seen each other since Christmas. He died 15 minutes before Martin and her mother arrived at Guildwood.

The most unfortunate part of it was nobody called us earlier in the day, said Martin, who is president of Guildwoods family council. Each long-term-care home in Ontario has a family council tasked with bringing up issues that affect residents quality of life, as well as organizing social activities for staff, residents and loved ones.

COVID-19 is an aggressive virus that can be very difficult to predict. We are so sorry that this family member and her loved one were not able to spend such a deeply important moment together, Baigrie said in a statement.

Martin later learned that her father had tested positive for COVID-19 and likely died from complications.

This whole thing has really snowballed to massive proportions  honestly, we are overwhelmed, said Martin about the COVID-19 outbreak at Guildwood.

Yet she acknowledged there are long-standing funding issues across Ontarios long-term-care system.

Extendicare is not completely to blame; God knows, theyve tried, she said. There are some very basic problems here and they have existed for a very long time.

COVID-19 presented a number of immense challenges for long-term care homes and increased the impacts of other long-standing issues the sector has been managing for some time, Baigrie said in a statement.

Laura Tamblyn Watts, CEO of the seniors advocacy group CanAge, said staffing shortages, poor working conditions and insufficient funding are long-standing issues in nursing homes.

These problems arent new. We have been raising these issues at CanAge for a long time and were certainly not alone in that, she said. Weve had inquiry after inquiry and report after report show that these issues are real.

But even she was horrified at the number of deaths at Guildwood.

Thats a staggering number, she said. Can you imagine going into a classroom and saying one in every four children has died?
The death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis is the latest in a series of deaths of black men at the hands of white law enforcement officers, notable because of the graphic video of an officer kneeling on his neck as he pleaded for breath, and the violent protests it sparked. Like other cases, it has called attention to police training, protocols and discipline  including the controversial practice of imbuing police cadets with a readiness to kill, known as warrior training.

Derek Chauvin, the white officer seen in the video, had 18 prior complaints filed against him, according to the Minneapolis Police Department. The maneuver he employed had been taught until 2016 at Hennepin Technical College, which trains roughly half of Minnesotas police officers, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

Mylan Masson, former director of the education center at the college, expressed shock at seeing Chauvin use the restraint technique for nearly eight minutes while Floyd pleads, I cant breathe ... please stop.

Once the [officer] is in control, then you release, Masson told the Star Tribune. Thats what use of force is: You use it till the threat has stopped.

George Floyd, who died in police custody on Monday. (Family handout, Darmella Frazier via Facebook)

Police had been called to the scene by a shopkeeper who said a man had tried to pass a counterfeit bill. Floyd, who was not armed, was handcuffed and prone on the ground during the video.

While the chokehold has been banned in most of Minnesota, it was still allowed in Minneapolis.

Floyds death has refocused attention on warrior-style police training, which Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey banned last year, and which may help explain how yet another unarmed African-American suspect was killed after being detained.

Citing the 2016 death of Philando Castile, a 32-year-old African-American man who was shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop with his girlfriend and her daughter in the car with him, Frey banned police from using fear-based training in April 2019.

Story continues

Fear-based trainings violate the values at the very heart of community policing, Frey said. When youre conditioned to believe that every person encountered poses a threat to your existence, you simply cannot be expected to build out meaningful relationships with those same people.

Frey specifically mentioned the classes taught to police in Minnesota and the rest of the country by Dave Grossman, a retired lieutenant colonel with the U.S. Armys 82nd Airborne. Grossman is the author of On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society, a book that promotes the training of a theory he calls killology that promotes the mindset needed to take human life.

While many in Minneapolis applauded Freys decision to stop the city-funded classes, many members of the police force did not.

Minneapolis Police Union president Lt. Bob Kroll said the ban was illegal. Its not about killing, its about surviving, Kroll said. He also announced that the union would offer the training to officers during off-duty hours.

Kroll, a supporter of President Trump, spoke at a Trump rally in Minneapolis wearing a Cops for Trump T-shirt.

The Obama administration and the handcuffing and oppression of police was despicable, Kroll told the audience. The first thing President Trump did when he took office was turn that around. ... He decided to start let cops do their job, put the handcuffs on the criminals instead of on us.

But not everyone in law enforcement agrees that Frey was wrong to eliminate warrior-style training by the police academy.

The local union chief in Minneapolis has had a long history of antagonism to the community, and Im saying that very lightly, Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and former chief of the Justice Department civil rights division, told Yahoo News Skullduggery podcast. There have been much stronger accusations about his own affiliations, but you know, when the mayor a year ago tried to abolish a kind of training, a warrior-type training in Minneapolis, the union chief went ahead in defiance and hired and spent money to reengage trainers to kind of promote this warrior thinking.

Retired Minneapolis Police Sgt. Michael Quinn, a former trainer at the Minneapolis Police Academy, told local NBC News affiliate KARE that courses like killology inculcated a dangerous mindset.

You end up with this hypervigilant mode all of the time, Quinn said. If you fear for your life on every little startling moment in this job, youre in the wrong job.

Trump has long promoted an aggressive response from police toward suspects in their custody.

When you guys put somebody in the car and youre protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over? Trump said in a 2017 speech in Long Island, N.Y. Like, dont hit their head, and they just killed somebody  dont hit their head. I said, you can take the hand away, OK?

President Trump in the Oval Office on Thursday. (Doug Mills/New York Times via Getty Images)

A month later, Trump overturned a 2015 executive order signed by Barack Obama that ended the practice of supplying police departments with surplus military equipment  including armored vehicles, grenade launchers and high-caliber weapons. The ban came following an outcry over the militarized police response to violent protests over the killing of Michael Brown, an African-American teenager, in Ferguson, Mo.

Weve seen how militarized gear can sometimes give people a feeling like theres an occupying force as opposed to a force thats part of the community thats protecting them and serving them, Obama said. It can alienate and intimidate local residents and send the wrong message.

In explaining Trumps decision to overturn the ban, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the priority was in protecting the lives of law enforcement.

The executive order the President will sign today will ensure that you can get the lifesaving gear that you need to do your job and send a strong message that we will not allow criminal activity and lawlessness to become a new normal, Sessions said in a speech to the Fraternal Order of Police.

Its not yet known whether Chauvin, who was arrested and charged with third-degree murder on Friday, had attended any warrior-style classes during his 19 years with the MPD. In the video of the encounter with Floyd, he appears calm and unemotional.

A cornerstone of Grossmans killology training is the frame of mind required to do the job.

Are you emotionally, spiritually, psychologically prepared to snuff out a human life in defense of innocent lives? Grossman asked officers who attended one of his classes in Ohio. If you cant make that decision, you need to find another job.

_____

Read more:
Shortly after the World Health Organization's (WHO) suspended all hydroxychloroquine trials (HCQ) for treating COVID-19 patients, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) wrote to WHO expressing their disagreement over the suspension of the anti-malarial drug.

In a major decision, the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s Executive Group, on Monday, decided to temporarily pause the Hydroxychlorine (HCQ) trial while the data collected so far is reviewed, announced WHO chief Dr Tedros in a press briefing. The ICMR stated that the primary point of their difference in opinion with the WHO was the dosage standards between Indian and international trials which the bodies said would explain the efficacy issues of HCQ in treating COVID-19 patients.

Currently, as per protocols set by the Indian government to treat severe coronavirus patients, a certain amount of HCQ dosage is being administered. Speaking to news agency ANI, a Health Ministry official explained the vast difference between this dosage and that being studied in international trails.

Read: India Disagrees With WHO's Suspension Of HCQ Trials, Says 'not All Reports Considered'

Read: Oxford COVID-19 Trial Of HCQ To Continue Despite WHO's Temporary Suspension Of The Drug

"Internationally in Solidarity trial COVID-19 patients are being administered with--800 mg x 2 loading doses 6 hours apart followed by 400 mg x 2 doses per day for 10 days. The total dosage given to a patient over 11 days is about 9600 mg which is four times higher than the dose we are giving to our patients," said a Health Ministry official to news agency ANI. "This indicates that in our treatment protocol, the efficacy of HCQ is good and patients are recovering quickly with less amount of dosage being administered," added the official.

HCQ tablets had had significant preliminary success emerging as a breakthrough in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. In a letter, Dr Sheela Godbole, National Coordinator of the WHO-India Solidarity Trial and Head of the Division of Epidemiology, ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute wrote to Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at World Health Organization stating that there was "no reason to suspend the trial for safety concern." On her response, Dr Godbole said, "Only one arm of the Solidarity trial by WHO has temporary been paused for a time being i.e. HCQ arm, other arms of the clinical trial are still active."

Meanwhile, Oxford University have given a green light to the scientists to continue prescribing HCQ tablets to National Health Service (NHS) patients. According to the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), they do not see any safety concerns.

Read: 'Last Call Between PM Modi, US Prez Was About HCQ': Sources On Trump's Mediation Offer

Read: Donald Trump 'feeling Absolutely Great' After Taking HCQ: White House

(With ANI Inputs)
Britain said Friday it was pushing the United States to form a club of 10 nations that could develop its own 5G technology and reduce dependence on China's controversial telecoms giant Huawei. The issue is expected to feature at a G7 summit that US President Donald Trump will host next month against the backdrop of a fierce confrontation with China that has been exacerbated by a global blame game over the spread of the novel coronavirus. Britain has allowed the Chinese global leader in 5G technology to build up to 35 percent of the infrastructure necessary to roll out its new speedy data network. But Prime Minister Boris Johnson was reported by The Daily Telegraph last week to have instructed officials to draw up plans to cut Huawei out of the network by 2023 as relations with China sour. The Times newspaper said Britain is proposing a "D10" club of democratic partners that groups the G7 nations with Australia and the Asian technology leaders South Korea and India. It said one of the options involves channelling investments into existing telecommunication companies within the 10 member states. A Downing Street spokesman confirmed that Britain is reaching out to partners in search for an alternative to Huawei. "We (are) seeking new entrants into the market in order to diversify and that is something we've been speaking with our allies about, including the United States," the Downing Street spokesman said. - Few options - Finland's Nokia and Sweden's Ericsson are Europe's only current alternative options for supplying 5G equipment such as antennas and relay masts. "We need new entrants to the market," a UK government source told The Times. "That was the reason we ended up having to go along with Huawei at the time." Johnson's decision to include Huawei angered Washington because it believes that the private Chinese company can either spy on Western communications or simply shut down the UK network under orders from Beijing. The United States has imposed several rounds of sanctions on Huawei that have put the future of Britain's 5G rollout in peril. Downing Street said the UK National Cyber Security Centre was studying the implication of the US sanctions on Huawei's immediate ability to produce the equipment Britain needs. Pressure on Johnson to cut ties with Huawei is being compounded by the new security law Beijing plans to impose on the once British-held Hong Kong. London has infuriated Beijing by saying it would offer almost three million Hong Kong residents UK visa rights and a pathway to future citizenship if the new law goes into effect. But Johnson's reported plan to completely remove Huawei from the UK network could prove costly at a time when his government is seeking new trade partners following Britain's exit from the EU. It is also proving difficult to implement because private UK firms are pushing for the technology in order to stay competitive in a tight market. Britain's BT said this month it was abandoning plans to strip out Huawei from the most sensitive part of its networks by the end of the year because the government's own deadline was set at 2023.
Cruise ship sails back to Mumbai with all passengers as Covid-19 infected patients refuse to get down at Goa

No night curfew in Goa, but gatherings with over 100 people in open spaces banned

After speaking with Shah, Goa CM hints, lockdown may be extended by 15 days

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 29: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the nation-wide lockdown may be extended for another 15 days.

He told the media that after speaking with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he felt that the lockdown may be extended for another 15 days. We, however, demand that there should be some more relaxations.

LAC tension: Rahul wants govt to come clean on what is happening at border | Oneindia News

Restaurants should be allowed to open with social distancing and at 50 per cent capacity. Many, even want the gymnasiums to open, the Goa CM said.

Next phase of lockdown: States want strict implementation of guidelines in containment zones

With the lockdown 4.0 set to come to an end on May 31, several states want curbs only in the containment zones.

In the existing lockdown, states were given a bigger hand to decide on the curbs. Many states have been getting representation to open schools, religious institutions and also hotels.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah spoke with the Chief Ministers and sought their view on the way forward. The MHA is likely to come out with a set of new guidelines before the lockdown ends on Sunday.

While the States would continue to decide on the strategy, the Centre is likely to insist on stricter implementation of curbs in the containment zones. While no final decision has been taken, sources say that there would be further relaxations, but the strategy on containment zones would remain as it is or even stricter.

The source cited above said that many States are not inclined as yet towards opening of malls, hotels, gyms and schools. States want to ramp up testing and also do not want any change in the quarantine rules.

Many States have also been getting representations from television and film production units to allow them to start production. In Rajasthan, there would be curfew and non-curfew zones to contain the spread of the virus.

Telangana Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to wait for the Centre's regulations. However, the state is unlikely to relax the norms for theatres, function halls and places of worship.

The other big challenge for the States would be to ensure that the academic year is not disturbed. Some states are wary of immediately opening educational institutions, while others wanted a graded exit in this matter. In Chhattisgarh, it has been decided that schools would open only from July 1. Karnataka, on the other hand, wants the Centre to issue guidelines on the re-opening of schools.

Karnataka on Thursday said that travel into the State from those States reporting a high number of cases would be restricted. While all travel by road is barred, the State has requested the Centre to restrict the number of trains and flights into the state.
Minnesota governor Tim Walz called the arrest of a CNN journalist and field production crew inexcusable Friday morning, hours after Omar Jimenez and his colleagues were arrested and released while covering protests in Minneapolis.

This one is on me and I will own it, Walz said. Earlier this morning when this mission was carried out under my direction to re-secure the third precinct  a CNN reporter was  crew  was arrested by the state patrol. A few minutes after hearing that, I was on a call with CNN president Jeff Zucker who demanded to know what happened. I take full responsibility. There is absolutely no reason something like this should happen. Calls were made immediately. This is a very public apology to that team. It should not happen.

He went on, I have spent my time as governor highlighting the need to be as transparent as possible and have the press here. I failed you last night in that.

Walz called the incident inexcusable and pivoted back to the root cause of the protests, the death of a black man named George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer. The officer and three colleagues were fired but have not yet faced charges. Thursday night was the third night of unrest in the city as a result.

President Donald Trump and his re-election campaign criticized local leadership in Minneapolis throughout Friday morning, at one point highlighting Jimenezs arrest as an example of the catastrophic display of failed leadership.

Other tweets from Trump and the White House on the subject of the Minneapolis protests included vows to send the military to Minnesota and the phrase, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. The tweets were subsequently assigned a content warning from Twitter for glorifying violence on the platform.

Watch the governors remarks below, via CBS News, which put out its own statement in support of Jimenez and CNN earlier in the day.

MN Gov. Tim Walz says the arrest of a CNN reporter and his crew while giving a live television report Friday morning was inexcusable and should not have happened" https://t.co/B70tOtIxM8 pic.twitter.com/2BgKliZZSL

 CBS News (@CBSNews) May 29, 2020

Read original story Minnesota Governor Tim Walz Calls On-Air Arrest of CNN Journalist Inexcusable At TheWrap
Vietnam has objected to Chinas vegetable cultivation on an island in the Southeast Asian countrys Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.

Vietnam has repeatedly asserted that it has sufficient historical evidence and legal basis testifying to its indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes, which is in conformity with international law, vice-spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet remarked at a regular press conference on Thursday.

All activities without Vietnams permission in these archipelagos are invalid, Viet emphasized as he answered reporters questions about Chinas recent announcement of its use of new technology in vegetable cultivation on Phu Lam (Woody) Island in Hoang Sa.

Chinese newspaper Global Times on May 19 reported that Chinese soldiers, who were stationed illegally on Vietnams Phu Lam Island, had harvested more than 750 kilograms of vegetables on sandy beaches for the first time thanks to a sand-to-earth technology.

The cultivation technology had been piloted on an over-300-square-meter land plot on Phu Lam Island for a month, the state-run newspaper stated.

Vice-spokesman of Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

The technology will be replicated on other features illegally occupied by China in the East Vietnam Sea, the newspaper quoted a Chinese military official as claiming.

At the press conference, vice-spokesperson Viet also replied to reporters questions about Chinas illegal sand mining in the East Vietnam Sea.

The diplomat once again affirmed that Hanoi has indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, as well as its Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf in the East Vietnam Sea.

Any parties activities in these areas are violations of the countrys sovereignty and sovereign rights, as well as international law, Viet asserted.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The judge overseeing the trial of a man charged with the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe has apologised to the jury for delays in the trial which began in January.

Mr Justice Michael White was telling the six men and seven women that they are not required until June 8 as the court deals with legal issues in their absence. He said he expects the trial to continue until the end of June but added that it's "hard to predict".

He said: "It has run past the time and I'm sorry for that. Matters since the outbreak have taken on their own character." He added: "I apologise for the time estimate going wrong."

The judge also told the jury that the next phase of the trial involves witnesses giving evidence from America but because of the Covid-19 pandemic there have been problems in setting that up.

He further told them that when those witnesses give evidence court sittings will begin at 2pm to take account of the time difference with America.

Aaron Brady (28) from New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Det Gda Adrian Donohoe who was then a member of An Garda Siochana on active duty on January 25, 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. Mr Brady has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbing approximately e7,000 in cash and assorted cheques on the same date and at the same location.

Today (FRI) the jury heard from a female witness who saw the accused, Aaron Brady, on January 25, 2013 with two named suspects for the robbery that resulted in the death of Det Gda Donohoe.

The witness, who can't be named for legal reasons, told prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC that she was going out with one of the suspect's brothers in 2013 and earlier on the day of the shooting she was at her boyfriend's house. Living there at the time was her boyfriend, his brother Suspect A and their mother.

On January 25, a Friday, she was at the house while Mr Brady was upstairs with Suspect A and Suspect B. Her boyfriend was in the shed working on a car. Some time in the evening Mr Brady and the two suspects came downstairs for a chicken curry dinner.

After dinner the three men spent time chatting before leaving together. She didn't know where they were going and didn't see them again that night.

Her boyfriend went back out to the garage to work on the car while the witness had a shower and did her hair and makeup.

While she was getting ready she heard sirens "like police or ambulance".

Later that night, some time around midnight, she and her boyfriend went to get something to eat at a chip shop in Crossmaglen. They were stopped on the way by gardai and noticed that the road towards Carlingford was blocked. She didn't ask the garda what was happening and didn't know anything about the robbery and shooting until the following morning, she said.

Her boyfriend left for Australia the following month and their relationship ended later that year, she said.

The jury also heard from Sgt John Barnes of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) who told prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC that on April 8, 2013 he had a warrant to search a house at New Road, Tullydonnell, Co Armagh which he understood to be Aaron Brady's home. He met Mr Brady's mother Caroline and the search was carried out from 11.40am until 15.45.

Constable Simon Nesbitt told Mr Staines that on January 26, 2013, the day after the shooting, he spoke to Mr Brady's then girlfriend Jessica King. He said Ms King told him that Mr Brady was at her house the previous evening from 19.30 to 20.30 or 21.00.

In her own evidence Ms King has previously accepted that those times were not true and that she lied to the PSNI because Mr Brady was on a court imposed curfew at the time and she didn't want to get him in trouble.

The trial continues.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump took to Twitter early Friday to condemn Minneapolis demonstrators as "THUGS," threaten military intervention and predict local looting could lead to "shooting," prompting the social media company to take the unprecedented step of limiting the public's ability to view and share his tweet.

The label Twitter appended - which the company also added later to a tweet from the White House - marks the second time in a week the tech giant has taken action in response to Trump's controversial remarks. Trump and his allies again decried the move as censorship, promising to regulate the company a day after he signed an executive order that could open the door for the U.S. government to punish social media sites for their handling of political speech online.

Trump fired off his early morning comment as protests over the death of George Floyd intensified in Minneapolis. Fires raged across the city Thursday night as demonstrators took to the streets because Floyd, who was black, died in police custody. The unrest has reverberated nationwide, including in Louisville, where Breonna Taylor, a black woman and aspiring nurse, was killed by police earlier this month.

"These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen," Trump tweeted shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, adding, "Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

Critics immediately condemned Trump's tweet, asserting that he was promoting violent retaliation against protesters, and Twitter took swift action. "This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence," read a gray box that now hides Trump's tweet from public view unless a user clicks to see it. In doing so, Twitter also prevented other users from liking the president's tweet or sharing it without appending comment.

"We've taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts, but have kept the tweet on Twitter because it is important that the public still be able to see the Tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance," said Trenton Kennedy, a spokesman for the company.

In an act of defiance, the White House hours later reposted a quotation of the president's controversial comment about shootings on its account. That, too, received a label from Twitter indicating it broke company rules around glorifying violence.

A White House spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The dispute immediately exacerbated tensions between the Silicon Valley company and Trump, who tweeted later Friday morning that he had been unfairly targeted. For years, the president has maintained Twitter and other tech companies exhibit bias against conservatives, systematically limiting their posts and quietly banning right-leaning users - a charge for which Trump has provided little evidence, and one that the industry strongly denies.

But their dispute took on greater significance on Tuesday, after Twitter bowed to years of public pressure and sought to fact-check one of the presidents remarks for the first time. The company appended a link to news articles to two of Trump's tweets about alleged election fraud, sparking fierce blowback among Trump and his allies.

Twitter in recent days has taken similar action against tweets from other sources across the political spectrum. But Trump has maintained it is a form of censorship, and his concerns led him Thursday to executive order targeting Section 230, a portion of federal law that shields Twitter and other tech firms from most liability for the content they allow or take down. Critics say the order threatens free expression on the web, running afoul of the Constitution.

"Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party," Trump said in a later tweet. "They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States. Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated!"

Trump's late-night tweet about Minneapolis, which was paired with another blistering post targeting Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, came after protesters in the city breached a police precinct that had been evacuated and set fire to the building. The chaotic scenes marked the latest escalation of the widespread unrest that has plagued Minneapolis for three straight days following a fatal incident in which Floyd, an unarmed black man, died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for minutes as he was handcuffed on the ground.

On Thursday, amid reports of fires, looting and vandalism that had begun the night before, Frey declared an emergency, which was soon followed by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz's order to call in the National Guard. By nightfall, more than 500 soldiers had been deployed to Minneapolis, St. Paul and surrounding communities, the Guard confirmed.

But protesters continued wreaking havoc in the city Thursday night - much to Trump's dismay.

"I can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis," Trump tweeted early Friday, before taking aim at Frey.

"A total lack of leadership," the president continued. "Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right."

Then, Trump called the demonstrators, many of whom are people of color, "THUGS" before parroting the words of former Miami police chief Walter Headley, who was known for his controversial "stop and frisk" policies.

The looting and shooting quote was first said by Headley during a December 1967 news conference addressing efforts by authorities to carry out what United Press International described at the time as a "crackdown on . . . slum hoodlums." According to UPI, "Headley said Miami hasn't been troubled with racial disturbances and looting because he let the word filter down, 'When the looting starts, the shooting starts.' "

The moment has since been cited as a prime factor in the discontent that contributed to the race riots that broke out in Miami in the late 1960s, The Washington Post's Terence McArdle reported.

On Thursday, many accused Trump of making a racist threat of violence against the protesters.

Even the Oath Keepers, a right-wing militia group, urged Trump to retract his statement, citing concerns that the tweet could be seen as encouraging the National Guard to "shoot people for stealing."

"This is a disaster," the group tweeted from their official account. "President Trump needs to retract that statement ASAP, stating that he misspoke & did not mean to say that National Guard should shoot people for stealing."

Meanwhile, Frey hit back at the president during a news briefing early Friday.

"Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis. We are strong as hell," Frey said. "Is this a difficult time period? Yes. But you better be damn sure we're going to get through this."

- - -

The Washington Post's Timothy Bella contributed to this report.
The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the meeting, and Li Zhanshu presided over the closing meeting and delivered a speech. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Eradicating absolute poverty, upholding people-centered philosophy and seeking new opportunities from challenges, Chinese President Xi Jinping brought reassuring messages at times of uncertainty and difficulty.

Xi spoke on a wide range of topics at this year's "two sessions," which closed on Thursday.

The two sessions are the country's annual meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, participated in deliberations with national legislators and joined in discussions with political advisors.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, takes part in a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, May 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

PEOPLE FIRST

An NPC deputy himself, Xi joined deliberations with lawmakers from north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on May 22, the first day of the annual session of the national legislature.

"People first" was the keyword in the discussions. Xi referred to the recovery of an 87-year-old COVID-19 patient after 47 days of care by a team of 10 doctors and nurses.

"Many people worked together to save a single patient. This, in essence, embodies doing whatever it takes (to save lives)," he said.

China mounted swift and sweeping actions to contain the disease. It has mobilized the best doctors, most advanced equipment and high-demand resources. The eldest patient to have been cured is 108 years old.

"President Xi emphasized people and lives are the top priorities," said Huhbaater, a professor of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University and an NPC deputy who heard Xi speak.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

China decided not to set a specific annual economic growth target for 2020, but set eyes on winning the battle against poverty and finishing building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Xi touched upon the absence of a numerical growth target. "Had we imposed a target, the focus would have been strong stimulus and a simple grasp on growth rate. That is not in line with our social and economic development purposes," he said.

Xi urged efforts in seeking new opportunities amid challenges as he joined discussions with national political advisors from the economic sector on May 23.

"Our economy is still characterized by ample potential, strong resilience, large maneuver room and sufficient policy instruments," Xi said.

China has the largest industrial system in the world with the most complete categories, strong production capabilities and complete supporting sectors, as well as over 100 million market entities and a talent pool of 170 million people.

The Chinese president anticipates faster growth in the digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, life and health, new materials and other strategic emerging industries, highlighting the creation of new growth areas and drivers.

Xi stressed steady progress in creating a new development pattern where domestic and foreign markets can boost each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay.

He called for unwavering efforts to make economic globalization more open, inclusive and balanced so that its benefits are shared by all, and to build an open world economy.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, joins a deliberation with deputies from Hubei Province at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, May 24, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

PUBLIC HEALTH PROTECTION

On May 24, Xi joined deliberations with lawmakers from central China's Hubei Province, which was the hardest hit by COVID-19.

"We must face the problems upfront, step up reform and waste no time in addressing the shortcomings, insufficiencies and loopholes exposed by the epidemic," he said, stressing fortifying the public health protection network.

Xi noted several priorities: reforming the disease prevention and control system; boosting epidemic monitoring, early warning and emergency response capacity; perfecting the treatment system for major epidemics; and improving public health emergency laws and regulations.

ENHANCING NATIONAL DEFENSE

When attending a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and People's Armed Police Force, Xi commended their role in battling COVID-19 and stressed achieving the targets and missions of strengthening the national defense and armed forces for 2020.

The epidemic has brought a profound impact on the global landscape and on China's security and development as well, he said.

He ordered the military to think about worst-case scenarios, scale up training and battle preparedness, promptly and effectively deal with all sorts of complex situations, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Noting that this year marks the end of the 13th five-year plan for military development, Xi said extraordinary measures must be taken to overcome the impact of the epidemic to ensure major tasks on the military building are achieved.
So much of what has been written about wineries the past couple of months have centered on the pandemic and its ramifications: tasting room shutdowns and curbside pickup and virtual tastings, to name a few.

But life continued on a fairly normal course in this countrys vineyards, impeded on the East Coast by several late frosts and by the inability in some cases to bring in vineyard help from out of the country, largely Central America.

The reasons for new plantings can run the gamut from replacing old vines that either werent performing well or were damaged by weather to tearing out vines that arent growing well or bearing fruit that doesnt sell well for something thats hopefully better. Or, its just a matter of expanding a vineyard.

If anyone else would like to send me a note with what they planted this spring and why, feel free. Ill just add it to the story.

Pennsylvania

Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery, Shoemakersville: As you know I am a grower but I am also a grape buyer since our vineyard is small and had a limited selection. The biggest shift in the local industry has been a reduction in the grapes available on the market either due to growers pulling out vines and rebalancing their portfolio (Nissley) or to long time growers who have decided to jump into the winery business and keep most of the production to themselves. (Stony Run) When I spoke with Brad at Pinnacle Ridge he said that in the last two years alone he has had to shift 50 tons of grapes from different sources since his reliable supply has dried up. He is not alone. There is a surplus of bulk wine and juice available on the west coast, but its increasingly hard to find local fruit here in the East. I am rounding out my vineyard by adding new plantings of Merlot and Muscat, as well as replanting vines that I lost in the winter of 2018-19. I am replanting Riesling (although not as much as before), Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin and Cayuga. I will not be able to grow enough grapes to meet my current needs. A vineyard in York County which I was using recently got ripped out for development. Progress, I guess. As my dad always says, Houses are the last crop you ever plant.  Dan Brown, winemaker

Maple Spring Vineyard, Bechtelsville: As far as planting, we are focused on replants. Most of what is going in for us is Chardonnay, Albarino, some Gruner Veltliner, and Blaukfrankisch. Some Pinot as well. These are basically replants of vines that did not make it through winter. I guess the changing vine part of your question will be the Blaukfrankisch. Instead of replanting Syrah, we are slowly converting that block over. I think we are going to have an interesting Red Field Blend for a few years before the block is converted over. The Syrah, even though it makes incredible wine, is just not handling the winters here. Are you investigating the damage caused by the late frost this year? I would love to see how it has impacted other peoples programs. I know we were hit very hard, and at one point we estimated the damage at 80 to 90% loss of the primary buds. We are seeing some of the secondary buds pushing, and I am hopeful that the primary flowers are still viable. think we will know the real scale of the damage and recovery in about two to three more weeks. Sometimes the romance of the vine is a heartbreaker.  Jeff Stebben, winemaker

Waltz Vineyards Estate Winery, Manheim: The 11-year-old producer continued to increase its vineyards, planting Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot on May 7. A video of the planting was provided on the winerys Facebook page. Co-owner Jan Waltz said that the plantings took place over 12 acres on what he called one of the propertys top sites for growing vines. All told, the Lancaster County winery now has 35 acres under vine.

New York

Roanoke Vineyards, Riverhead, Long Island: We have no new plantings with the exception of replacing vines throughout the Vineyard. We planted a total of 600 vines of Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.  Richie Pisciano, owner

New Jersey

Beneduce Vineyards, Pittstown: Were actually taking a year off planting because our hillsides are pretty much all covered on our original farm now. Were in the process of purchasing an adjacent property and have plans to put in more Riesling and Blaufrankisch in the next few years, as those two varieties seem to be among our most successful from both a viticultural and wine quality perspective. Barbera is also on my short list for the future!  Mike Beneduce, owner and winemaker

William Heritage Winery, Mullica Hill: WHW has planted 1,800 Chardonnay Wente clone vines this year. We choose the Wente clone because we didnt have that clone on the estate and as you know its an old clone with a lot of history. We think it will be a complaint to our existing plantings or maybe a single-vineyard wine down the road. We choose to plant it in a lower part of the estate to take advantage of increasing natural acidity. This is possible by the inversion phenomena we have on select parts of the estate. Thats it for this year. We continue to research and investigate possible new grapevine plantings every year. We have additional estate acreage to plant and will continue to fill this acreage as needed.  William Heritage, owner

Sharrott Winery, Hammonton: We just planted 2 acres of Chardonnay, 1.5 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and .5 acres Petit Verdot. All were planted to keep up with demand. The Chardonnay will eventually become our Barrel Reserve Chardonnay and we are experimenting with sparkling wines. The Cabernet Sauvignon was planted for our Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and the Petit Verdot is great for blending. Its used in several of our red wines in small amounts. For example, our Trio usually has about 3% Petit Verdot depending upon the year and how the grapes complement each other.  Larry Sharrott, owner

Maryland

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, Dickerson: This year we planted Petit Verdot (0.55 acre) and Albarino (0.57 acres). Were planting more Petit Verdot at SMV because is more suitable than Cabernet Sauvignon for us. In some areas of Maryland, the growing season is not long enough to get the Cabernet Sauvignon full ripen in a consistent way but Petit Verdot (bold, muscular, sharp, with an intense color for all our Bordeaux style blends) does that job beautifully. After tasting some very well made and tasty Albarino from some local producers we decided to give a chance to this grapevine variety at SMV. This great Spanish variety has a very nice aromatic profile with hints of lemons, pear, nectarine with a bright acidity on the finish and that would be great for our white wine portfolio. Also, we produce food-friendly wines and a pairing of seafood with Albarino is just amazing.  Manolo Gomez, winemaker

Knob Hall Winery, Clear Spring: We did not plant any new vines this year -- we were planning to, but the uncertainty about getting H2A help made us drop those plans. What wed like to plan looking ahead would be Gruner, Albarino, Chambourcin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.  Dick Seibert, owner

Linganore Winecellars, Mt. Airy: This year we planted another acre of Merlot as our first truly high-density planting (40 inches by 9 feet). The tighter spacing will take stress off the vines and should hopefully result in higher quality fruit. We lost our last planting of Merlot to the harsh winters of 2013 and 2014 and only got one full harvest out of it. The wine was stellar and its hard to imagine we have to wait 3 years to experience the fruit from this block again. We also planted some additional Albarino as we have had wonderful success with it in past years and we feel that it will help to carry Mid-Atlantic wines forward in the best way possible for years to come.  Melissa Aellen, winemaker

Catoctin Breeze Vineyard, Thurmont: We didnt plant new vines this year but we were replanting Cab Franc in our newest Cab Franc block. About 4,000 vines were planted in 2018. It seems we have a perfect site for Cab Franc and thats why we decided to double the number of Cab Franc plants. Right now these vines look vigorous and healthy, most likely bearing fruit for this harvest.  Voytek Fizyta, owner

Virginia

King Family Vineyards, Crozet: On the King Family side, nothing new are being planted. but weve been replanting some old block of merlot and Cabernet Franc with leafroll virus, with better clone and rootstock and also higher density of plantation. This will allow us to train everything in VSP and to do cane pruning. On a personal level, I am very excited because I have finally planted some Savagin. I think this is the first in VA. I have asked a couple of years ago to a nursery to do some grafting for me. was supposed to plant them last year but where I wanted to plant them wasnt available. I ended up planted them this year at Mount Airy (Ben and Tim Jordans farm) in the valley. I am really looking forward to make some white with this varietal. I have high expectation and maybe I will be disappointed but I still love Jura wine (Ive worked there in the past).  Matthieu Finot, winemaker

North Carolina

Raffaldini Vineyards, Ronda: Between the shutdown and the Mothers Day freeze we are having one heck of a year. We planted 11,000 vines  More Sagrantino, Montepulciano, Vermentino (8k) and now first time Trebbiano and Petit Manseng (3k).  Jay Raffaldini, owner

Other recent regional wine stories on PennLive

Va La Vineyards owner on the frost, the pandemic, and the time it takes to earn critical acceptance'

Lancaster County winery adds second curbside location for pickup, expands its vineyard

Berks County winery giving away bottles to essential workers

One of Pa.s two oldest wineries continues to evolve while keeping its long-time customers happy

Briar Valley Winery sold to owners of a Westmoreland County producer

Berks County winery managing the present as best it can while preparing to plant for the future

Top wine picks from Pa. producers licensed to ship to your home

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
Top government officials hinted on Friday that the finance ministry may not push for hiking Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates on non-essential goods in a bid to bolster demand in the economy. The GST Council is set to hold its first meeting in June after a national lockdown was enforced by the government on March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The demand for all goods, especially non-essential items, has to be induced.

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
APL Machinery, a domestic manufacturers of UV coating and curing systems and screen printing machines, has developed and launched a disinfectant system that can kill germs in commonly used items like meat, fish, vegetables, masks, shoes, cutlery, glasses, money, plastic jars, mobile phones, and even the likes of large offices, malls or factory spaces.

Named APL UV-C Disinfectant system, the unit consists of five different products, a UV-C box, chambers, a handheld disinfectant, a disinfection conveyor and a UV-C blaster. The chemical free, easy to operate unit with zero recurring cost is useful in rapid and chemical-free disinfection, claimed the manufacturer. It can disinfect liquids and destroy pathogens within seconds in other surfaces, food products and in air. Its UV-C chambers provide dry chemical-free disinfection of articles like masks, shoes, cutlery, glasses, money, plastic jars, mobile phones and the like. The UV disinfection conveyor is equipped with a UV disinfection zone, can disinfet surface of foods such as meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, seeds, packaging materials and pharmaceuticals, said APL Machinery.

In the wake of COVID-19, the global UV disinfection equipment market is projected to grow from $2.9 billion in 2020 to $5.3 billion by 2025, at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3 pper cent, according to various reports. The Indian UV based disinfectant industry is still in its nascent stages, said sources.

APL sources said its UV-based area sanitiser is useful for high tech surfaces like electronic equipment, computers and other gadgets. It can be used in areas with substantial footfalls such as airports, shopping malls, metros, hotels, factories and offices, and can be used by remote operation through laptop or mobile phone using Wi-Fi link, said the manufacturers.

"We are also offering tailor-made solutions as customers have access to get these UV systems customised in various sizes," said CP Paul, Chief Managing Director, APL Machinery. The product was launched alongside a webinar on 'UV-C, Need of the hour, A virus-free world'. APL is claimed to be the first company in India to bring the LED UV technology for UV printing and coating.

Meanwhile, a government release said the Naval Dockyard (Mumbai) has manufactured a UV sanitisation bay, for decontamination of tools, clothes and other miscellaneous items. This is by converting a large common room into a UV bay by fabrication of aluminum sheets electrical arrangements for UV-C lighting. A similar facility has also been set up at Naval Station (Karanja), where in addition to UV-C steriliser, an industrial oven has also been placed, which heats smaller items to 600C, a temperature known to kill most microbes. The facility is placed at the entry and exit points where it will help in mitigating COVID-19 transmission.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 12

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin have discussed the activation of trade and economic cooperation between the countries during a phone call, Trend reports with reference to presidential executive office of Russia.

The sides agreed that contacts between the relevant ministries and departments of the two states shall be maintained.

The presidents congratulated each other on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The special significance of this common anniversary for the people of the two countries, who keep the memory of the deeds of front-line soldiers and home front workers, was noted.

Berdimuhamedov thanked Putin for the delegation of the Ministry of defense of the Russian Federation that visited Turkmenistan to attend the anniversary celebration.

The gratitude was expressed for the transfer by Russian representatives of a copy of the Victory flag and the original battle flag of the 748th rifle regiment of the 206th division of the Second Ukrainian front, in which Berdimuhamed Annayev, grandfather of the president of Turkmenistan, fought.

The parties also discussed the situation of the coronavirus pandemic.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
(FILES) In this file photo taken on March 26, 2020 Christian Drosten, director of the Institute of Virology at Berlin's Charite hospital, poses after a press conference in Berlin, to comment the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. - Christian Drosten, one of the world's leading experts on coronaviruses, has become a highly polarising figure in the country, hailed by some as the face of the fight against COVID-19 but vilified by others who hold him responsible for crippling lockdown measures. (Photo by Michael Kappeler / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MICHAEL KAPPELER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) - MICHAEL KAPPELER/AFP

Fourteen-day isolation periods are not necessary to defeat the coronavirus and a second wave of infections can be avoided, Germanys leading government scientist said on Friday.

With what is now known about the virus, it is possible to contain further outbreaks, claimed Prof Christian Drosten, chief advisor to Angela Merkels government on the crisis.

One weeks isolation is enough to prevent the spread of infection, rather than the 14 days currently recommended by the UK and elsewhere, he said.

In the beginning, of course, we needed the whole wide range of measures because we didn't know exactly what would help. Now we know the virus better, we know better how it spreads, Prof Drosten said in an interview with Germanys Spiegel magazine.

The incubation period and the time in which you are contagious are all much shorter than originally thought.

There is still no sign of a second wave in Germany almost six weeks after the country began lifting its lockdown, and Prof Drosten said it may be possible to avoid one completely.

There is a theoretical possibility that we can get through without a second wave, he said.

The way the virus is spread by relatively few people  the so-called superspreaders  means it is easier to control than initially feared, he explained.

A full high Street as shoppers are out and about in Berlin as the German economy moves out of partial lockdown from the Corona Virus. Wlimersdorfer Strasse, Charlottenburg. - Craig Stennett for the Telegraph

We have a few people who infect many others. That sort of infection is easier to control than one that spread uniformly under the radar, as we assumed at first. If you notice where an outbreak is brewing, you have to hit it hard.

Prof Drosten said a policy of tracking and tracing is key, but warned that testing all those who have been in contact with an infected person can be too slow.

The latest analysis shows clearly you don't start testing all possible contacts. That will always be too late. Instead, all contacts need to be isolated. But for a week, not 14 days.

Story continues

Prof Drosten is a polarising figure in Germany. Feted by many for steered the country through the crisis with a lower death rate than almost anywhere else, he has been demonised by others as the man who imposed lockdown on the country.

His department at Berlins Charite teaching hospital developed the first test for the virus in January, and he was warning of the danger before the pandemic reached Europe.

He claims that work may have prevented between 50,000 and 100,000 further deaths in Germany.

Early testing meant the first outbreak was spotted quickly in Germany, before the dead had piled up, as in Italy, Spain and Great Britain, he told Spiegel.

We're really in a good situation right now. The lockdown has largely been lifted, were opening up more and more, and the outbreak does not immediately resume, he said. The virus may well be leaving us alone for a while now.

But he warned a second wave is still possible. Summer temperatures may be providing some respite from the virus, but it could return in the winter. The big question is: will it be more virulent? Or is it weakening?
Dealing with multiple disaster threats at the same time is nothing new for Francisco Sanchez.

As a 15-year emergency management veteran for Harris County, Sanchez understands the anxiety tugging at local officials wary of preparing for possible hurricanes while also dealing with the everyday reality of the coronavirus pandemic.

Sanchez also appreciates the instinct that some emergency management officials have to be as detailed as possible in anticipating all sorts of disaster scenarios when social distancing may still be recommended. But as counterintuitive as it might seem, details, he said, can be the enemy of the good when it comes to hurricane preparation.

Whether youve done one disaster or dozens, you know that no plan fully survives its encounter with reality, said Sanchez, the deputy coordinator for the Harris County Office of Emergency Management. Develop concepts of operations that allow you to be flexible and scalable. It will allow you to cover more ground at a time where time is scarce, planning resources are scarce and response resources are scarce.

The 2020 hurricane season, which starts Monday, is poised to be significantly different than prior years given how the coronavirus outbreak has altered everyday life, including basic disaster planning. The stay-at-home orders that were in place prior to May 1 as well as current social distancing guidelines have forced many emergency management officials to scale back and adjust their typical hurricane season outreach.

RELATED: Your ultimate hurricane supplies checklist

Cities and counties that held annual town-hall meetings dispensing advice on evacuation planning and hurricane kits are now planning to do so virtually. First response agencies are adapting rescue protocols to include personal protective equipment. Medical centers and hospitals have to grapple with the possibility of having to evacuate coronavirus patients from hospitals. And residents are being advised to put together hurricane kits now so as not to inundate retail stores with large crowds in the days ahead of a storm.

Restock that hurricane kit  now is the time to do it when we can maintain that social distancing very easily, said Jeff Lindner, a meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District.

Local-federal relationship

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last week forecast 13 to 19 named storms for the Atlantic hurricane season that starts Monday and ends Nov. 30. Of these, six to 10 storms could become hurricanes with winds of at least 74 mph, including three to six major hurricanes with winds of at least 111 mph, classifying them as Category 3, 4 or 5.

The first storm of the Atlantic season might develop this week when Tropical Storm Amanda, an East Pacific disturbance that made landfall near Guatemala on Sunday morning, could move into the Gulf of Mexico after dissipating in Central America. If Amandas remnants move back over water, conditions appear likely for redevelopment of the system, according to the National Weather Service.

What hurricane season means for the Houston region is largely educated guesswork. The region tends to receive a direct hurricane hit every 12 to 15 years, the last being from Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Hurricane Harvey in 2017 made landfall closer to Corpus Christi and then traveled to the Houston region, dumping more than 50 inches of rain on parts over several days, leading to catastrophic flooding.

But dealing with the perennial natural-disaster threat has provided state and local officials with valuable experience that many hope will give them an advantage in the event of a major storm this year. The states General Land Office, for instance, forged strong relationships with key federal officials in order to expedite aid and disaster-response resources from Washington.

Weve had fairly robust communication ongoing since Hurricane Harvey, so there isnt a need to really step up additional communication because its already there, said Brittany Eck, a spokeswoman for the General Land Office. We have these existing relationships that weve been building over the last few years.

Harveys devastation also prompted Harris County voters to pass a $2.5 billion flood infrastructure bond in 2018 designed to protect the area from future storms. Much of that work, which includes more than 200 active construction sites building detention basins, channel improvements and home buyouts, has continued uninterrupted, according to the county flood control district.

Earlier this month, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo unveiled a stormwater detention basin that will help control the flooding of White Oak Bayou.

In lens of pandemic

Smaller cities and counties are taking Sanchezs advice to focus on meeting critical needs leading up to a hurricane. In Galveston, that means ensuring that the list of vulnerable, mostly elderly residents who registered for the citys need a ride program is updated and that they can be evacuated with plenty of time to maintain adequate social distancing.

Its going to take us a little extra time to load those folks and to check their temperatures and to make sure that everythings done properly for their safety, said Mark Morgan, Galvestons chief of emergency management. Were thinking we may need to move our evacuation timeline up 12 hours for that reason.

First responders involved in rescue and evacuation operations during a hurricane will likely be outfitted with personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves. However, Alan Spears, deputy emergency management coordinator for Fort Bend County, emphasized that saving a life during a hurricane would be prioritized over maintaining a safe distance due to the coronavirus.

The bottom line is if somebodys house is about to flood, and if we know, say, a neighborhood or somebody on the river is about to flood and we order an evacuation, the last thing were probably going to worry about at that time is going to be COVID, Spears said.

Some area hospitals began planning for this dual-threat disaster scenario well before the coronavirus emerged. The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston started discussions two years ago around hypothetical situations involving a virus that limited the number of available beds at receiving hospitals during a major storm. The Seton Family of Hospitals in the Austin area would be first in line to receive evacuated patients from UTMB, but if beds at those hospitals are full, there are 11 other hospitals in Texas that have the bed capacity.

In the past two years, weve actually been taking real patient census numbers and running them through this process to find a receiving hospital for (evacuated) patients on a given day, said Mike Mastrangelo, UTMBs director of institutional preparedness.

Sheltering is another major piece of hurricane response that will have to be adapted to coronavirus conditions. The Texas Division of Emergency Management has been working both with local officials and not-for-profit and private shelter providers to prepare hurricane shelter hubs differently, with enough space for social distancing and frequent sanitation. That work includes identifying alternative noncongregate shelters such as hotels, camp sites and college dormitories rather than having residents evacuate to farther-flung towns and cities, potentially bringing the virus with them.

If people have to leave their home and shelter somewhere else, our preference is going to be that people do noncongregate settings, Sanchez said.

Communicating all of the various shifting disaster protocols to the public will be a challenge, Sanchez said. But one upside of more people working from home is the uptick in audience numbers for the Harris County Office of Emergency Managements virtual briefings, he said. Working remotely has been a learning curve for county staff, but Sanchez believes it could prove beneficial if a storm hits unexpectedly with county workers scattered at various locations.

For us, virtual (meetings) was a learning curve but something we were able to sort of address, he said, and I think certainly in disasters moving forward, pandemic or not, I think those lessons will be valuable.

Brooke A. Lewis, Andrea Leinfelder and Alison Medley contributed to this report.

nick.powell@chron.com




Small fuel companies are now allowed to import fuel after the High Court on Wednesday overturned the decision by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) to issue import licences to only eight major fuel companies.





The small companies each have less than 15 service stations and the main reason why they were excluded was that their fuel was unlikely to have major impact on national supplies.





Zera allowed Total Zimbabwe, Glow Petroleum, Ram Petroleum, Genesis Energy, Vivo Energy, Zuva Petroleum, Sakunda Petroleum and Redan Petroleum to import fuel directly, but instructed the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) to bar any other fuel imports.





Aggrieved by the Zera directive, Direct Fuel Imports (DFI) Group Zimbabwe and Indigenous Petroleum Association of Zimbabwe (IPAZ), approached the High Court suing Zera and Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi over the licensing of fuel importers.





They sought to suspend the Zera notice and review of the licensing process, which they argued was veiled in secrecy and promoted monopolistic tendencies in the fuel retail sector.





Justice Tawanda Chitapi granted the DFI Group and IPAZ a provisional order allowing them to bring in their consignments pending the finalisation of the matter.





The members of the two groups can now temporarily use their 2019 licences to bring in fuel. The judge said the full reasons for the judgment will be availed in due course.





Early this year, Zera issued fuel import licences to major fuel companies, which incensed the DFI Group whose members were left out.





Through its lawyer, Mr Frank Nyangani, the DFI Groups contention was that the proposed licensing requirements were discriminatory against smaller indigenous players in the petroleum sector, which had potential to create a dangerous monopoly in the industry contrary to Zeras mandate of promoting effective competition between persons engaged in the petroleum industry.





Zera, which was being represented by Sawyer and Mkushi law firm, argued that the fuel dealers excluded in this case had failed to meet the set requirements, especially the need to have at least 15 retail service stations.





The requirement came due to growing applications for import licences when they did not have retail sites or retail licences. There were fears that smaller companies were feeding the black market.




Earlier this month, we met online for Nurses Week to talk about Ontarios overdose crisis, which is worsening under the weight of COVID-19.

Overdose deaths are on the rise, with Toronto reporting 25 deaths in April, the highest number in over a year, and the pandemic has deepened existing inequities.

People dependent on substance use are more likely to have underlying conditions that put them at greater risk if they contract COVID-19. They might also be sleeping in a crowded shelter or relying on under-resourced food banks.

On top of it all, given COVID-19, when they visit an overdose prevention site, the experience is radically different than it was a few months ago.

For example, COVID-19 has imposed new barriers such as long waiting lines outside, additional screening processes, and outreach workers who have swapped their street clothes for face shields.

These measures, while necessary, are counter to a harm reduction approach that is based on a low barrier to entry  a safe space where there is no judgment and where workers build trust by meeting people where they are in life and empowering them on their recovery journey.

The risk of spreading the virus has also meant that many wraparound services like meal programs and peer support groups have had to be paused.

This all amounts to a deterrent to some people accessing harm reduction services that have kept them alive.

To make matters even worse, were hearing stories of more people falling victim to toxic fentanyl because their usual supplies are not available.

While isolation is saving lives from COVID-19, it can claim lives for people living with a substance use disorder.

Thats why nurses with the Guelph Community Health Centre are visiting motels and apartment buildings to check in with people, distribute naloxone kits, and offer harm reduction training.

Thats why they are distributing phones as a lifeline for people who have become even more isolated than before.

Indeed, workers are rapidly adopting new outreach strategies in the name of health equity, and we must back up their efforts with better harm reduction policies.

One common sense change is to follow British Columbias example and expand access to safer drug supplies under Ontarios Drug Benefit program.

This would allow clinicians to prescribe untainted alternatives to the deadly fentanyl acquired on the street, building on pilot projects and unfunded programs already taking place.

This discussion was happening before the pandemic, and now we have even more reason to make this intervention available to people who are alone and suffering.

As we mobilize all the health care resources we can to combat COVID-19, we cannot take our eyes off the overdose crisis.

The improved health and fiscal savings, which have been demonstrated through wraparound safer drug supply programs, cannot be ignored.

Like so much else, we need to adapt to save lives.
By Louis D. Greenwald

While the coronavirus has been a brutal test to our resilience, the silver lining is that we are not alone in this fight. By the time New Jersey received its first positive case of COVID-19 in March, we had already seen the coronavirus bring health care systems all across Europe and China to their knees.

By listening to our heroes in the health care community and with Gov. Phil Murphys swift action, we were able to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Today, we are seeing a declining curve and fewer hospitalizations.

Although it isnt over yet, with the governors recent announcement to increase testing capacity and expand contact tracing efforts, we are indeed winning this fight. It is now time to turn our attention on the next looming crisis: our economy.

For nearly three months, businesses throughout New Jersey have closed their doors in a unified effort to fight this pandemic. I am personally grateful to every business that put their employees health above all and agreed to push pause while public health officials worked to control the spread. As we begin charting our path to a new normal  balancing reopening steps with protecting public health  it is imperative now more than ever that we continue a data-driven approach.

Recent state Department of Health data show New Jersey is not experiencing the exact same outbreak level statewide. For example, southern New Jersey counties experienced a delayed peak in total hospitalizations compared to the northern and central regions. Also, South Jersey counties have benefited greatly from early intervention strategies.

According to the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey, the seven lower counties  Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem  have seen less than 2% of their population directly impacted by a coronavirus infection.

New Jerseys reopening strategy should reflect these regional differences. Our neighbors in Pennsylvania and New York have developed comprehensive regional strategies that take into consideration data and use clear metrics to ease stay-at-home orders and restore the economy safely and gradually.

New Jersey reopening plans cannot be one-size-fits-all. Ours was one of the last states to fully recover from the 2008-2009 recession. We lagged the nation by nearly two years in our recovery efforts. However, South Jerseys recovery lagged even more.

According to Stockton Universitys South Jersey Economic Review, the outbreaks effect on South Jerseys economy could be greater than $5 billion. This could be a devastating blow to the progress we have made since the Great Recession, particularly during the continued rebirth of Atlantic City as a vibrant, job-creating regional economic center.

Without a clear re-opening strategy from Gov. Murphy, we are running out of time in Atlantic City. The hardest hit sector in our state is the gaming and hospitality industry. This sector accounts for 15% of the southern regions economy. With all nine casinos closed, the American Gaming Association estimates Atlantic City will see a $1.1 billion loss of economic activity.

For a city already on life support, this loss of revenue will be crippling, perhaps even fatal. After all, it was only five years ago that we debated whether Atlantic City would be the first New Jersey municipality in more than a century to declare bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, Nevada just announced a tentative date for casinos to start reopening (June 4), with conditions that include disinfecting elevators, mandatory facial masks and strict capacity limits.

Back home, the Casino Association of New Jersey is collaborating with the AtlantiCare health system to develop a comprehensive plan to reopen gaming and tourism in Atlantic City that prioritizes public health. As summer months quickly approach, such a plan could take weeks to go into effect. If we fail to launch one, it could be cataclysmic for Atlantic City, its workers, our region and overall health.

Yet, a tentative reopening date to help these businesses plan ahead seems unattainable by the Murphy administration. I agree with Murphy that data should always drive policy, and reopening decisions should be done with extreme caution. However, with less than 1% of Atlantic County testing positive for coronavirus, it is unnecessarily being handcuffed to other areas of the state that have been impacted by far more cases.

As a result, Atlantic City is simply running out of time. It could need far more than tax deferments to stimulate its economy and keep people in the workforce.

Assemblyman Louis D. Greenwald, D-Voorhees, serves as Assembly majority leader.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
Vietnam is still not open to international visitors, while it is yet to be decided when the Southeast Asian country will start welcoming foreign tourists again, according to the National Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The committee convened a meeting on Thursday to discuss multiple matters, including the management of international flight crew and when to restart the countrys international tourism.

The COVID-19 epidemic is currently under control in Vietnam but it is still very complicated and serious in many other countries across the world, according to Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long.

If for some reasons, an imported COVID-19 patient is able to enter the country without being detected, that person will spread the disease to the community, Long warned.

Therefore, it is necessary to continue strictly managing all arrivals in accordance with regulations, the official asserted.

The country has been repatriating Vietnamese citizens stranded overseas due to the pandemic over the past weeks.

The central government recently lifted some restrictions to allow foreign experts who are needed for the implementation of major projects to enter the country.

The Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defense agreed that authorities must continue to take strict quarantine measures to prevent transmission.

All flight crew members must also follow the same regulations, the COVID-19 committee said.

The health ministry has been tasked with examining all hotels that are used as quarantine facilities for international flight crew members to promptly deal with any issue or violation.

Regarding the recovery of the tourism sector, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy stated that many programs have been launched to boost domestic travel.

So far, the initiatives have shown positive results, she said.

However, all members of the National Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control agreed at the meeting that it is not the time for Vietnam to restart its international tourism.

The committee has yet to decide on when the country can start welcoming foreign tourists again.

The tourism ministry is expected to work with the administration in the southern province of Kien Giang on a detailed plan on allowing international inbound tourists on Phu Quoc Island.

The plan will be submitted to the national COVID-19 committee for consideration and approval.

Only visitors from countries where the pandemic has been kept under control may be allowed to arrive on the island, while local authorities must take measures to ensure the safety of residents and domestic tourists.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Thailand found failing to log fishermen's complaints of abuse and slavery

by Nanchanok Wongsamuth

May 29,2020 | Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation

Complaints of labour abuses and slavery on Thai fishing boats are routinely going unreported by the authorities, an analysis by the Thomson Reuters Foundation revealed, raising fears that hundreds of fishermen have been denied justice and compensation.



Revelations of modern slavery at sea emerged in Thailand in 2014, prompting the nation to vow to better regulate the sector to tackle labour exploitation, trafficking and illegal fishing after the European Union threatened to ban Thai seafood imports.



But a senior official said a drive to clean up the industry was waning after exclusively obtained data revealed a large discrepancy between the official number of complaints and those recorded by four leading charities that advocate for fishermen.



Freedom of information requests filed with the government over three months showed 289 workers on fishing vessels in 11 provinces lodged labour abuse complaints between January 2015 and early 2020. There were no details regarding the outcomes.



Yet the charities said they had helped about 1,600 fishermen from these regions raise grievances since 2015 over issues from non-payment and excessive overtime to verbal and physical abuse.



They feared most complaints were being dealt with off-the-books and that workers were missing out on due compensation while exploitative employers avoided scrutiny and punishment.



For government officials, a large number of complaints means youre not performing well, and many fishermen agree to mediation because they dont want to waste time if the case goes to court, said Sunwanee Dolah from the Raks Thai Foundation.



But this results in repeated offences and wrongdoers not being punished, causing a never-ending cycle of rights violations, added Sunwanee, whose charity supports fishermen who are mainly migrants from neighbouring Cambodia and Myanmar.



Thanaporn Sriyakul, an official in the prime ministers taskforce who oversees the fishing industry, said efforts to enforce labour laws at sea had decreased at an astonishing rate since the EU lifted its threat of a ban in January 2019.



Government agencies have not been able to properly pursue complaints, resulting in distrust by the fisher(men), said Thanaporn, adding that some labour ministry officials did not understand their duties when it came to reporting grievances.



Labour officials said individual complaints made against employers had to be registered while general ones filed about the workplace did not, and that this could explain the disparity between the newly-revealed state data and the charities figure.



The charities, however, said all of the grievances they had helped to raise focused on employers rather than the workplace. Labour ministry inspector general Somboon Trisilanun said he did not deny that some complaints had wrongly gone unrecorded.



The data obtained by the Thomson Reuters Foundation covered 11 provinces where most of about 63,000 fishermen who work on commercial vessels are based. It did not include all fishing regions or workers in a sector employing more than 200,000.



The labour ministry said it permitted settlements provided workers received due compensation in line with Thai labour laws.



One regional labour ministry official, Sompop Khongrod, said he preferred to mediate rather than register labour complaints.



Before submitting a complaint, if we think its minor, we call the employer and the case is closed, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in February when he was an assistant to the head of the Office of Labour Protection and Welfare in Songkhla.



I have settled a large number of cases in this way and they werent registered in the system, said Sompop, who has since become head of the Yala Office of Labour Protection and Welfare.



But activists and lawyers said settlements result in workers receiving less than they are entitled to, and embolden abusive bosses to act with impunity as they avoid sanctions or lawsuits.



Workers have less negotiating power since labour inspectors tend to support employers, said Papop Siamhan, an independent lawyer with expertise in human trafficking.



(Labour officials) dont want to record complaints because doing so is a burden for them and they are afraid of taking legal action against employers.



With growing concerns about informal mediation being used to silence cases of forced labour, the Seafood Working Group - a coalition of 60 civil society groups - in March urged the United States to demote Thailand in its annual anti-trafficking report.



Last year, Thailand was ranked as a Tier 2 country - with Tier 3 being the lowest - in the U.S. State Departments closely watched global Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, which noted the country was making significant efforts to combat the crime.



Activists said most fishermen were reluctant to report abuses due to fear of authorities or retribution from employers.



Steve Trent, head of the Environmental Justice Foundation, said his advocacy group had worked with government officials to encourage them to build trust with workers and put them at ease.



However, this process can take a long time, Trent said.



If workers do not trust authority figures then they might understandably opt to go to a local NGO instead, he added.



Research by the U.N. International Labour Organization (ILO) in March found that of 50 workers in the sector who said they suffered labour abuses, none had sought help from the state.



The report found about 10% of 470 fishing and seafood workers surveyed said they had been victims of forced labour, concluding that reforms to working conditions in the industry were having an impact but that severe exploitation persisted.

 2020 Reuters. All Rights Reserved.

Theme(s): Others.
The kidnapped official of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Chinyere Okoye, has regained freedom, an official has said.

Mrs Okoye, who is the assistant manager, news, current affairs, at NTA Channel 6, Aba, Abia State, was kidnapped on Wednesday in Aba after she closed from work.

Though information about her release was still sketchy, it was learnt that she regained her freedom on Friday morning.

It was not immediately clear if any ransom was paid to secure her freedom.

Mrs Okoye was reportedly released on Friday after operatives of the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police tactical units stormed the kidnappers den.

Mrs Okoye, after her release, was taken to the SARS facility in Aba, where she was later joined by her family members and friends.

According to a source, the police team acting on information stormed a compound in Mgboko, Obete in Obingwa local government of the state and cordoned off the area. They later secured her release from her abductors.

READ ALSO:

The owner of the property where the NTA journalist was kept was reportedly arrested while the abductors fled.

The Commissioner for Information, John Okiyi, confirmed the release of the journalist.

The Governor directed security agencies to recover her within 48 hours and we are happy that she has been recovered, he said. But beyond that, there has been further directive from the governor to clamp down on those who are involved in this nefarious activities of kidnapping.

Police spokesman, Godfrey Ogbonna, could not be reached for comments.
But if I say that art is simply life imbued with creativity, isnt that just a case of obscurum per obscurius  of explaining the murky with the even murkier? After all, what exactly is creativity?

To help unravel this puzzle, here are five theses on creativity:

Thesis No. 1: Creativity makes something new. A different way of talking can suddenly make our world seem new. Heres an example: In the Middle Ages, a road was something people walked on, the ocean a terrifying expanse of blue. But when the anonymous author of the Old English epic poem Beowulf called the ocean a whale-road, he made his readers experience the ocean afresh. The ocean may be an obstacle for us land-bound humans, but for whales its a road.

Thesis No. 2: Creativity hides itself. Creativity is shy. Its easy to miss that creativity is about making something new, because, as soon as we succeed, the new thing weve created appears obvious, as if it had always been there. Whale and road were just there hanging around when someone said whale-road. And then people said, Of course! The ocean may be a barrier for us, but its not for whales. They swim in it. All that one person did was say what there was to be said  except it wasnt there to be said, until he or she said it.

Creativity can seem like a tool for solving problems: We need a new word for the ocean! But creativity doesnt just solve problems; it also makes or discovers new problems to solve. Hundreds of years ago, nobody knew the old words for ocean werent cutting it, until someone said whale-road. And everyone was like, Wow! It is a whale-road! Creativity always hides itself  it makes itself disappear.

Thats a helpful point to keep in mind when thinking about science, because creativity is fundamental there, too. We tend to think of science as a series of nonoptional statements about how the world works  as a collection of things we must believe. But if thats true, how can scientists be creative? They cant really say anything new; they just have to passively express things as they are.
A stranger's request to have an unusual sexual fantasy fulfilled turned into a bizarre start to the day for one Australian, according to local reports.

A customer living near Griffith, New South Wales, had paid two men to turn up at his home and carry out his fantasy of being tied up in his underwear and stroked with a broom.

He was reportedly willing to pay up to $5,000 if the pair were "really good", and gave his address.

But the man then moved house and failed to notify the pair he had hired to fulfil his dreams.

The pair showed up at the original address wielding machetes - another part of the fantasy - only to find themselves standing over the bed of an unwitting resident.

They were brought to trial where the judge concluded that "the facts of the case are unusual", Australian media reported today, before acquitting one man of entering a home armed with a weapon in July 2019.

The astonished resident had spotted a light on in his kitchen at 6:15am and assumed it was a friend who often arrived for an early morning coffee.

But as resident turned on the light and removed a sleep apnoea mask he was wearing, he saw the pair standing above his bed with the machetes.

Realising their error, one of the pair simply said, "Sorry, mate", and shook the resident's hand, according to local reports.

A lawyer for Terrence Leroy, one of the accused, commented: "It was a commercial agreement to tie up and stroke a semi-naked man in his underpants with a broom. Entry was not with intent to intimidate."

Australian media also reported that when the two men eventually drove to the correct address, the client noticed one man had a "great big knife" in his trousers and asked them to leave the weapons in their car.

The pair were arrested at the address shortly afterwards.

The judge ruled that evidence did not suggest the men's actions were intentional, according to local media reports.

He said: "They carried the machetes either as a prop or something to use in that fantasy."
[May 28, 2020] Huawei Announces the Next-Gen OceanStor Pacific Series, Setting a New Benchmark for Mass Data Storage

SHENZHEN, China, May 28, 2020 /CNW/ -- Huawei announced the worldwide launch of the next-generation mass storage system -- OceanStor Pacific Series. The series delivers efficient, cost-effective, and reliable services for AI, HPC, videos, and other mass data scenarios by breaking architectural, service, and performance boundaries, and leveraging uncompromised multi-protocol interworking, next-generation elastic EC algorithm, and a series of dedicated hardware. This series marks a new standard for future-oriented mass data storage, helping enterprises fully unleash data power in the intelligent age. The fourth industrial revolution has made digital production the currency of modern business models. Digital production turns data into opportunities, then these opportunities into services, and finally into profits. With this new production factor, enterprises must find a way of cost-effectively collecting and storing different types of data such as structured data from core services and mass unstructured data from 5G, IoT, and UHD. Enterprises use AI technologies to analyze and process the massive amounts of data to convert data into knowledge and services, improving production efficiency. Peter Zhou, President of Huawei Data Storage and Intelligent Vision Product Line, said, "Mass data will play an increasingly important role in enterprise digital transformation. Today, only 2% of global data is stored, and only 10% of the data is being mined for further value. Enterprises are facing insufficient capacity, data silos, and complex management when dealing with mass data. Our OceanStor Pacific Series is designed to answer these pain points, setting a new benchmark for efficient, economical, everlasting mass data storage, and helping us become the trusted choice for mass data." Shang Haifeng, President of Huawei Mass Storage Domain, elaborated on Huawei's three strategic directions for mass data scenarios: Leading technologies: Huawei builds a series of dedicated hardware and leverages software innovations such as multi-protocol interworking, efficient reduction algorithms, and multi-level reliability to meet scenario-specific needs.

Business innovations: Huawei leverages industry-leading data redundancy protection and reduction technologies to be the first industry player to promote the business model for available capacity. This model enables users to know exactly what they are getting from the start, helpinglower procurement costs, TCO, and the usage threshold of mass storage.

Industry expertise: Driven by industry-specific requirements, Huawei constantly innovates its products, accelerates the digital transformation of enterprises, and unleashes data power.





Efficient, Economical, and Everlasting: The Trusted Choice for Mass Data Huawei released its first generation of file storage in 2009 and has continuously invested in mass data storage ever since, ranking No. 1 in market share in China for four consecutive years. The OceanStor Pacific Series aims to become the trusted choice for mass data by fully utilizing years of know-how in software and hardware, and making groundbreaking innovations in efficiency, cost, and reliability. Efficient: This series breaks the service boundary to implement uncompromised interworking of file, HDFS, and object protocols, addressing performance and semantic loss issues caused by traditional gateways. In autonomous driving R&D, one Huawei storage system streamlines data processing across different phases. Data does not need to be migrated between multiple storage systems, improving service processing efficiency by 25% and reducing space by 20%. By breaking the performance boundary, the next-generation file system supports bandwidth- and OPS-intensive applications, adapting to increasingly complex HPC loads.

Economical: This series breaks the architectural boundary with the innovative, high-reliability vNode mode along with the next-generation elastic EC technology. It yields a disk utilization of up to 93%, over 40% higher than the industry average, without compromising performance and reliability. Its brand-new node with high density and large capacity supports 120 disks in just a 5 U space with 2.67x density than general-purpose storage servers and 62.5% space reduction. Hot, warm, and cold data is automatically tiered onto SSDs, HDDs, and Blu-ray disks on demand, meaning that data can flow freely without intervention.

Everlasting: The series provides a four-level mechanism for data, devices, systems, and solutions to ensure high reliability. Its comprehensive sub-health detection and pre-processing identify fault risks before they occur. The OceanStor Pacific Series uses cross-cluster active-active and three-site multi-active DR mechanisms for cross-region DR, ensuring 24/7 online services of banking images, online videos, and other production applications. Huawei OceanStor storage has been deployed in more than 150 countries for more than 12,000 customers in a variety of sectors, including carriers, finance, government, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation. Huawei OceanStor storage is the ideal choice for worldwide customers looking to store and process their service data. --Ends-- About Huawei Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. With integrated solutions across four key domains  telecom networks, IT, smart devices, and cloud services  we are committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. Huawei's end-to-end portfolio of products, solutions and services are both competitive and secure. Through open collaboration with ecosystem partners, we create lasting value for our customers, working to empower people, enrich home life, and inspire innovation in organizations of all shapes and sizes. At Huawei, innovation focuses on customer needs. We invest heavily in basic research, concentrating on technological breakthroughs that drive the world forward. We have more than 194,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees. For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on: http://www.linkedin.com/company/Huawei

http://www.twitter.com/Huawei

http://www.facebook.com/Huawei

http://www.youtube.com/Huawei View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huawei-announces-the-next-gen-oceanstor-pacific-series-setting-a-new-benchmark-for-mass-data-storage-301067528.html SOURCE Shenzhen Huawei Technology Co.,Ltd

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Athens (AFP) - Debris from a Canadian military helicopter operating as part of a NATO surveillance force has been found in the sea between Greece and Italy, a Greek military source said Thursday.

The helicopter was attached to the Canadian frigate Fredericton, from which it had taken off for a patrol.

"Debris has been found in Italy's zone of control and intervention" in the Ionian Sea, the military source told AFP, specifying the wreckage belonged to the Canadian helicopter.

"Greece has sent a marine helicopter to participate in the rescue operation," the source said.

Six crew were aboard the helicopter when it disappeared Wednesday, he said.

Greek public television reported that a body had been found amid the wreckage in international waters off the Greek island of Kefalonia.

But the military source did not immediately confirm the report.

The Canadian armed forces earlier issued a statement confirming a search was underway after contact was lost with the helicopter.

"There is a developing situation regarding one of our CH-148 Cyclone helicopters, deployed onboard HMCS FREDERICTON, which is currently contributing to Op REASSURANCE," the Canadian armed forces said in a statement.

"Contact was lost with the aircraft as it was participating in Allied exercises off the coast of Greece. Search and rescue efforts are currently underway," it added.

The statement did not give details on how many personnel were on board.

Initial reports said the helicopter had been over international waters 50 nautical miles off Kefalonia, the Greek air force said.

Italian, Greek and Turkish frigates also took part in the patrol that had moved from Greek to Italian waters on Wednesday, with the Greek frigate remaining in Greek waters.

Greek naval and air forces were ready to assist in a rescue operation "if Italy requests it", a military source told AFP earlier.

A spokesperson for Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), which plans and carries out all NATO operations, added: "I confirm there has been an incident involving a helicopter from a ship under NATO command.

"There is currently a search and rescue operation being conducted and national notifications taking place."
Brazil: Judge blocks missionary's appointment to head indigenous tribes agency

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A judge in Brazil blocked the appointment of a former Christian missionary and pastor to head the countrys federal indigenous affairs agency after concerns were raised by advocacy groups that oppose evangelical outreaches to tribes in the Amazon.

On May 22, a federal regional court judge struck down the appointment of Ricardo Lopes Dias to head the Uncontacted Indians Unit of the Indigenous Affairs Agency.

Dias spent over 10 years with the evangelical mission-sending agency New Tribes Mission, which is now Ethnos360. The groups missionaries have engaged in efforts to contact unreached people groups and tribes deep in the Amazonian rainforest and elsewhere across the globe.

In February, Dias was appointed by the Bolsonaro government to head the agency, a selection that drew the ire of uncontacted tribal advocacy groups, such as Survival International.

Survival International staunchly opposes evangelical activities in the Amazon, claiming that past attempts by missionaries to contact tribal groups have brought death and disease to those communities because their bodies lack immunity to common illnesses.

In February, federal prosecutors filed a motion in court to reverse Dias' appointment. They argued that it constituted a conflict of interest and could risk "genocide and ethnocide" if the appointment leads to a reversal of Brazilian policy banning forced contact with uncontacted groups.

In his ruling, Judge Antonio Souza Prudente agreed that Dias appointment and connection to New Tribes Mission was a clear conflict of interest and would put Brazils policy of no forced contact with uncontacted tribal groups in jeopardy. The policy has been in place since 1988.

According to a statement from the regional attorneys office, the judge argued that Dias had already taken steps that violate the rights of indigenous groups.

"Historically, missionaries have sought to promote contact with isolated and recently contacted indigenous peoples to evangelize them, which goes against a consolidated policy in Brazil," the judge wrote in the ruling.

According to the regional attorneys office, the judge also ruled that the position that Dias was nominated for is instructed to implement a non-assimilationist and non-integrationist policy.

Survival International described last Fridays ruling as a major blow to President Bolsonaro, a Catholic who gained support from conservative evangelicals and has called for indigenous reserves to be reduced in a way that opens land for commercial mining.

Survival International compared Dias appointment to putting the fox in charge of the hen house.

Evangelical missionaries have re-doubled their efforts to contact uncontacted tribes under President Bolsonaro, who is pushing legislation to open up their lands to commercial exploitation, and has strong evangelical support, the group said in a statement.

Dias previously said in an interview with the O Globo newspaper that he didnt plan to use his new position to evangelize indigenous people. He also said that opposition to his appointment is a form of religious discrimination.

In April, the Union of Indigenous Peoples of Vale do Javari won a court ruling to ban missionaries from Vale do Javari indigenous territory, which is said to have the highest concentration of uncontacted tribes in the world.

The ruling came amid reports that Christian missionaries were planning missions to reach isolated tribes by air despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

According to The Telegraph, in April the judge ordered government agencies to forcibly remove all evangelical missionaries from the Vale do Javari.

The indigenous peoples of the Javari Valley knew that putting a missionary in charge of the Uncontacted Indians unit was harmful, and hope this decision wont be appealed, said Beto Marubo of Univaja in a statement.

He further argued in his decision that Dias' appointment is nothing more than a plan to please evangelical fundamentalists who make up the governments base."

Across the globe, some Christian mission agencies have received criticism for their willingness to sponsor missionaries who attempt to reach uncontacted tribes. Missionaries who attempt to evangelize to uncontacted tribal groups are trying to answer Jesus command to make disciples in all nations.

In November 2018, there was much media scrutiny after American missionary John Chau was killed trying to contact a highly isolated tribe on North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
As the death of George Floyd sparks protests, riots, and debates across the nation, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday the black Minnesota man who died in police custody should be alive today" and lamented that America is still plagued by a centuries-old stain of systemic racism that wont be erased simply by firing the officer who knelt on Floyds neck.

It may seem half-a-country away, but were all in this boat together, Murphy, a Democrat, said during his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton. There is no doubt that the centuries-old stain of systemic racism is far from being erased from the fabric of this country.

The comments came just as news broke Friday afternoon that Derek Chauvin, the officer at the center of the firestorm, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyds death.

Chauvin, 44, who is white, was caught on video kneeling on Floyds neck during a May 25 arrest in Minneapolis. Floyd, a black 46-year-old, died after pleading with Chauvin that he couldnt breathe and even though bystanders begged Chauvin and three other officers at the scene to back off Floyd.

All four officers were fired Tuesday.

The incident has sparked days of unrest in Minnesotas largest city, with some protestors rioting and setting fire to a local police station Thursday night.

Meanwhile, a New Jersey grassroots political group is staging a protest Saturday in Newark over Floyds death.

Murphy  head of the national Democratic Governors Association  said Friday that the overwhelming majority of our law enforcement officers believe strongly in the communities they have sworn to protect.

But what we are seeing right now in Minneapolis is painful  almost too painful  to watch, the New Jersey governor said. And perhaps thats because its not the first time we have seen such horrific pictures on our screens.

George Floyd should be alive today, Murphy added. Not just as a matter of principle or justice, but as a matter of human dignity  as a matter of our nation living up to one of the most basic of our founding ideals that all are created equal. His life mattered as much as mine, or Tammys, or our kids, or any one of yours.

Murphy invoked past incidents in which black people died at the hands of white police officers.

Too many times have we gotten a national wake-up and done nothing, he said. We cannot just expect someone to be fired and that be the end of it. Thats just a feel-good action that doesnt solve a systemic problem.

We need to dig a deeper well of accountability and responsibility, and we need to draw from it  not just in Minneapolis, but everywhere, the governor added.

Meanwhile, Col. Patrick Callahan, head of the New Jersey State Police said hes always deeply troubled by the tragic loss of life, especially when law enforcement is involved.

In-custody deaths and officer-involved shootings are some of the most complex, intense investigations that need to be rooted in accountability and in justice and in transparency, Callahan said.

Asked if the force the Minneapolis officer used on Floyd would be allowed under New Jerseys police conduct rules, Callahan said: Im unable to comment on an investigation in New Jersey in my own agency. And I would take that same position with regards to an investigation in another city in another state.

In addition, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal called the charges against Chauvin an important first step in the search for justice.

Mr. Floyds death reminds us that our country has a long way to go not only in healing our nations racial divides, but also in addressing the systemic and implicit biases that prevent all Americans from equally securing our countrys great promises," Grewal said.

The residents of New Jersey should rest assured that we will never tolerate the types of police practices that resulted in Mr. Floyds death, he added.

New Jersey officials are investigating an incident in which a State Police troopers fatally shot a 28-year-old New York man on the Garden State Parkway in Bass River earlier this month. The man later died from his wounds.

Murphy and Callahan declined to comment Friday on that shooting.

As the Minnesota riots continued Thursday night, President Donald Trump tweeted that there is a total lack of leadership in Minneapolis, called protesters thugs" who are dishonoring Floyds memory, and said the U.S. military may have to assume control" of the city.

"When the looting starts, the shooting starts, the Republican president added.

....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

Twitter later said thee tweet violated the platforms rules about glorifying violence.

Trump tweeted Friday that his shooting comment was spoken as a fact, not as a statement.

....It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement. Its very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media. Honor the memory of George Floyd!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.
Ron Jenkins/Getty

In recent weeks, Sen. Amy Klobuchar has positioned herself as a leading contender in the race to join former Vice President Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket. But growing civil unrest in her home state of Minnesota in response to the death of an unarmed black man at the hands of a white police officerand renewed scrutiny of her record as the top prosecutor in the states largest countyappears to have severely hampered her ambition to be the Democratic Partys vice presidential nominee.

Vertiginous, a campaign adviser said in a one-word text, describing Klobuchars fall in the rankings of potential running mates.

The three-term senators drop has been so swift that a planned Minnesota digital event with Dr. Jill Biden and coronavirus first-responders scheduled for Friday was pulled, according to a source familiar with the campaigns deliberations, partly because we need to avoid her.

According to a Biden campaign official, all of Dr. Bidens virtual events on Friday were canceled because of George Floyds tragic killing and the events that followed and the decision had nothing to do with the fundraiser Dr. Biden was scheduled to participate in with Sen. Klobuchar.

Still, top figures in Bidenworld couldnt help but remark on the convergence of events in Minnesota at a pivotal moment for Klobuchar. This is very tough timing for Amy Klobuchar, who I respect so much, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), who was instrumental to Bidens victory in the first-in-the-South primary, said in a phone call with reporters on Friday, the Los Angeles Times reported. The timing is tough.

The death of George Floyda 46-year-old black man who appeared to suffocate as now-former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held his knee on Floyds neck for at least eight minuteshas ignited days of protests in the Twin Cities, as demonstrators have called for Chauvin and three other since-fired police officers to be charged with Floyds death. On Thursday night, protesters set a police station on fire while chanting I cant breathe, the same words Floyd spoke repeatedly as Chauvin kneeled on his neck as a bystander recorded the episode on their phone. On Friday, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter for his role in Floyds death.

Story continues

As Minnesotas governor has called in the National Guard to quell the uprising and President Donald Trump has called for the shooting of looters who have damaged private property during the protests, criminal justice advocates have pointed to Klobuchars seven-year tenure as Hennepin County attorney, when she declined to bring charges against numerous police officers who had been accused of police brutality. Instead, she preferred the use of grand juries to weigh charges, a process that usually obscured proceedings and tended to favor police.

Recent anger at Klobuchar has focused on a shooting of a civilian involving Chauvin in October 2006, months before Klobuchar would leave the Hennepin County Attorneys office for the U.S. Senate. On social media Thursday night, progressives seized on reports that Klobuchar declined to prosecute Chauvin in the case. Her successor, Mike Freeman, issued a statement Friday saying he, not Klobuchar, was responsible for Chauvins prosecution, which resulted in a grand jury declining to charge the officer.

Klobuchars Prosecutor Past Could Haunt Her Presidential Bid

Appearing on MSNBC Friday, Klobuchar hit back against those reports, saying this idea that I somehow declined a case, which has been reported on some news blogs and then sent out on the Internet, against this officer is absolutely false. She also bristled at questions from Andrea Mitchell about whether she should drop out of contention for the VP nod. This is Joe Bidens decision, Klobuchar said. He will make that decision. Hell decide who hes considering.

Klobuchar has been under consideration for the running-mate role practically since she dropped out of the race for the Democratic nomination and endorsed Biden in early March. That endorsement kickstarted a coalescing behind the former vice president of nearly all of his former rivals for the nomination, helping Biden regain frontrunner status after a series of blistering losses in early-voting states; he openly credited Klobuchar with his surprise win in Minnesotas primary. Klobuchar has since been a visible surrogate for Bidens campaign, hosting million-dollar fundraisers and appearing with other campaign surrogates regularly.

Those anxiously waiting on Bidens decisionparticularly Democrats of colorsee the unrest in Minnesota clearly impacting Klobuchars case to be the strongest possible companion for the former vice president. I do think the past couple of days adds several more layers of complications for a potential Amy Klobuchar pick, said Antjuan Seawright, a South Carolina-based Democratic strategist. The events that are happening around us also tend to fertilize the soil more for an African-American woman to be planted and nurtured as the VP pick.

I dont think we can afford to have really any division or confusion, anger or frustration, within the party, said Seawright.

Rashad Robinson, executive director for the civil rights advocacy group Color of Change, has been critical of Klobuchars record when she was running. He didnt say Klobuchar should not be considered as a nominee but told The Daily Beast her explanations this week of her record prosecuting police brutality cases have been far too cute and have seemed to avoid responsibility at a time when we know DAs were not doing their jobs.

To look us in the eyes and pretend we dont know whats happening, said Robinson, is a disappointment.

Meanwhile, at a Women for Biden fundraiser on Friday afternoon, Jill Biden appeared alongside Rep. Val Demings of Florida, a former Orlando police chief and another contender for the vice presidential slot. Demings, a favorite of Jill Bidens who has been increasingly mentioned as a potential running mate, said during the event that the nations police officers must take a serious look at ourselves as law enforcement agencies, not just Minnesota but throughout the nation.

Perhaps Klobuchars greatest weakness as a presidential candidateand as a vice presidential candidatestems from her inability to reach and win over voters of color.

The senators years as a big-city prosecutor in the tough-on-crime 1990s and 2000s heavily influenced that struggle, as scrutiny on her record revealed very little to like for a Democratic primary electorate more attuned than ever to issues of race and criminal justice.

Those issues ended up literally punctuating Klobuchars presidential bid: the day before she dropped out of the race, on March 1, protesters overtook a Twin Cities rally for her campaign as they chanted for justice for a man named Myron Burrell. In 2003, Burrella teenager accused of murderwas aggressively prosecuted by Klobuchars office, and was sentenced to life in prison. A February investigation by the Associated Press, however, revealed that the case against Burrell was built on shaky evidence. After the story broke, the Hennepin County Attorneys office began a review processwhich Klobuchar supportedbut the revelation outraged criminal justice reform advocates, some of whom called on the senator to drop out of the presidential race.

Over her yearlong presidential candidacy, Klobuchar frequently found herself explaining these aspects of her record and trying to persuade Democratic voters that shed approach things differently now. But that didnt translate into increased support from black voters: a January Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that 62 percent of black Democratic primary voters didnt know who Klobuchar was or had no opinion of her. The amount of support she got from black voters was represented by an asteriskunmeasurable.

In South Carolina, the primarys barometer for black support, Klobuchar notched 3.2 percent of the overall vote, lagging behind leading candidates. Exit polls found that just 1 percent of black voterswho made up more than half of the primary electoratebacked Klobuchar.

In responding to the unrest in Minnesota, a low point even in her home states long history of racial tension, Klobuchar has appeared animated by criticisms of her record and of her past outreach to voters of color.

The senators response to the Floyd killing was quick: She called for an investigation into it and declared Justice must be served for this man, justice must be served for our community, and justice must be served for our country. But she took criticism from activists for the statements phrasing; for example, it didnt state explicitly that he had been killed by a police officer.

On MSNBC Friday from Minneapolis, Klobuchar was more direct. Anyone that watched that video of George Floyds life literally evaporating in front of our eyes as hes trying to breathe while that police officer had a knee on his neck, is something thats etched in the minds of everyone in our state and everyone in our country, she said.

In that interview, Klobuchar also took pains to note that she was busy on the ground meeting with civil rights leaders in Minneapolis, mentioning in particular the Rev. Al Sharpton, in a show of stepped-up outreach to the black community. The New York Times reported that the head of the Minneapolis NAACPwhich had called for Klobuchar to exit the presidential race over the Burrell newsreceived a surprise call from the senator to talk about Floyds death.

Biden, of course, has faced pressure from progressive and minority groups to select a person of color as his running mate, reflecting how essential voters of colora core constituency of the Democratic Partyare to Bidens chances to defeat Trump in November. Biden, said Color of Changes Robinson, will have to explain to the public why he thought, in this moment, that Sen. Klobuchar was the best candidate to run with him, if he continues to consider her.

In livestreamed remarks on Friday, the person whom Klobuchar has said will make the ultimate decision about her future on the ticket told viewers that the unrest in Minneapolis will require those of us who sit in positions of influence to finally deal with the abuse of power.

With our complacency, with our silence, we are complicit in perpetuating these cycles of violence, Biden said. Nothing about this will be easy or comfortable. But if we simply allow this wound to scab over once more, without treating the underlying injury, we will never truly heal.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!

Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Private traders stayed away from wheat purchase in the mandis this Rabi season, preferring the open market sale scheme (OMSS) of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) where they get it cheaper.

Of the total 127 lakh tonne of wheat procured so far this season, private traders have purchased only 57,000 tonne, which is just 0.45%. They bought 1.7 lakh tonne, ie 1.3%, of 131 lakh tonne in the corresponding period last season.

The dip in purchase by private traders is being attributed to OMSS as well as Covid-19, as wheat procurement was done by calling farmers to mandis in batches to maintain social distancing and avoid overcrowding.

When we enter mandis, price goes up by Rs 10-20 per quintal even if we dont make purchases in large quantities, benefiting the farmers, said Mohinder Pal, a Rajpura-based trader who procures wheat on behalf of big companies such as Reliance and ITC.

In OMSS, traders got wheat cheaper by Rs 200-250 per quintal and many stayed away due to the coronavirus pandemic. In OMSS, we have to sacrifice on quality as the FCI sold wheat of the previous season whereas in mandis fresh produce is available, he added.

On Twitter, former chairman-cum-managing director of FCI Siraj Hussain said that the Punjab governments purchase was 99.5% of total arrivals. He gave full marks to the officials engaged in procurement, pointing out that there were side effects  private buyer have totally withdrawn from Punjab.

Hussain, who also worked as the Union agriculture secretary, attributed lack of interest by traders to higher taxes imposed on wheat purchase in Punjab, which includes 2.5% dami charged by commission agents and 3% rural development funds and mandi fee each. Private traders are also required to pay 2% additional over and above the minimum support price.

Theres not much difference if private players have not entered the mandis. In the past also, their share was very negligible, which has seen a further slide this year, said Anindita Mitra, director, food and civil supplies, Punjab. We are happy that MSP has been paid to the farmers and this way a total of Rs 26,000 crore was pumped into rural economy, she said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Hula hoops, camouflage mats and body tyres don't sound like typical items deployed to fight the coronavirus. But they're useful props as British army veteran Mike Hamilton prepares to lead children in a military-style game designed to boost their resilience and mental health at a time of particular stress.

The children's mission is to pick up the 'virus' - a small ball - with wooden blocks, race to a trash can, and drop the ball inside before pretending to wash their hands.It's one of many games devised by Hamilton, who served with bomb disposal teams in Afghanistan and Iraq, and now runs a company called Commando Joe's.

"In the military, you are trained to deal with adversity and they throw things at you all the time, and it's trying to build your resilience up so that when something goes wrong that you can deal with that," he says. "Our team are trying to support teachers in this uncertain time with the same thing."

The company sends former soldiers to British schools to guide exercises in teamwork, dealing with adversity and staying calm under pressure. The firm, which is partly funded by the government, works with hundreds of schools.

One of them is Seymour Road Academy in Manchester, where Hamilton is helping pupils deal with any anxiety caused by the virus. In Britain, schools never completely closed during the virus lockdown. Some have remained open for students whose parents still had to work outside home in key professions, as well as for children under social care.

The familiar routine may be reassuring, but it's an unsettling time for many of these children. Playgrounds and classrooms typically bustling with hundreds of youngsters are now hushed and quiet.

Sienna-Leigh Murphy, whose parents are separated, attends school while her mother goes to work as a nurse.

"I feel happy because she looks after people and makes sure they don't die or anything," Sienna-Leigh says.

"I do miss going to places that are really fun with my friends like the park or something. And I really miss my dad."

Sophie Murfin, executive headteacher at Wise Owl Trust - which operates includes three schools in Manchester including Seymour Road Academy - says the key is giving the children a friendly and positive environment. "It's about ensuring the children's worries are alleviated by giving them different activities to complete in a fun and engaging way," she notes.

Eight-year-old Sonny Turner, who took part in the "catch the virus" game, said it gave him a confidence boost. "It makes me feel confident about not feeling coronavirus is going to get me," Turner says.

(Image credit: Representative Image)
The Associated Press

Editor's Note: The NASA-SpaceX joint human spaceflight was scheduled for liftoff on Thursday, 28 May, 2.00 am IST (Wednesday, 27 May at 4.32 pm EDT) from the Launch Complex 39A from the Kenndy Space Centre, Florida. However, due to bad weather conditions, they had to cancel the launch. It has now been re-scheduled for 31 May, 12.52 AM IST.

The first astronauts launched by SpaceX are breaking new ground for style with hip spacesuits, gull-wing Tesla's and a sleek rocketship  all of it white with black trim.

The colour-coordinating is thanks to Elon Musk, the driving force behind both SpaceX and Tesla, and a big fan of flash and science fiction.

NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken like the fresh new look. Theyll catch a ride to the launch pad in a Tesla Model X electric car.

(Also read: Elon Musk's SpaceX raises USD 346 million in funding ahead of its debut astronaut mission)

It is really neat, and I think the biggest testament to that is my 10-year-old son telling me how cool I am now, Hurley told The Associated Press.

SpaceX has gone all out on the capsules appearance, he said. And theyve worked equally as hard to make the innards and the displays and everything else in the vehicle work to perfection.

The true test comes Wednesday when Hurley and Behnken climb aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and, equipment and weather permitting, shoot into space. It will be the first astronaut launch from NASAs Kennedy Space Center since the last shuttle flight in 2011.

It will also mark the first attempt by a private company to send astronauts into orbit. Only governments  Russia, the US, and China  have done that.

The historic send-off deserves to look good, according to SpaceX. It already has a nice ring. Musk named his rocket after the Star Wars Millennium Falcon. The capsule name stems from Puff the Magic Dragon, Musks jab at all the doubters when he started SpaceX in 2002.

SpaceX designed and built its own suits, which are custom-fit. Safety came first. The cool  or wow  factor was a close second.

Its important that the suits are comfortable and also are inspiring, explained SpaceXs Benji Reed, a mission director. But above all, its designed to keep the crew safe.

The bulky, orange ascent and entry suits are worn by shuttle astronauts had their own attraction, according to Behnken, who like Hurley wore them for his two previous missions. Movies like Armageddon and Space Cowboys stole the orange look whenever actors were trying to pretend to be astronauts.

On launch day, Hurley and Behnken will get ready inside Kennedys remodelled crew quarters, which dates back to the two-man Gemini missions of the mid-1960s. SpaceX techs will help the astronauts into their one-piece, two-layer pressure suits.

Hurley and Behnken will emerge through the same double doors used on 16 July 1969, by Apollo 11s Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins  the Operations and Checkout Building now bear Armstrongs name.

But instead of the traditional Astrovan, the two will climb into the back seat of a Tesla Model X for the nine-mile ride to Launch Complex 39A, the same pad used by the moonmen and most shuttle crews. Its while they board the Tesla that theyll see their wives and young sons for the last time before the flight.

Making a comeback after three decades is NASAs worm logo  wavy, futuristic-looking red letters spelling NASA, the A resembling rocket nose cones. The worm adorns the Astro-Tesla, Falcon and even the astronauts suits, along with NASAs original blue meatball-shaped logo.

The white-suited Hurley and Behnken will transfer from the white Tesla to the white Dragon atop the equally white Falcon 9.

Its going to be quite a show, Reed promised.

Also Read: Looking at the journey of how NASA and its astronauts became one of SpaceXs biggest customers
"You are the most selfish fing people on the planet."

I jerked my head to the left, where I saw a neighbor glaring at us from his driveway while unloading groceries from his trunk.

"Where's your fing mask?" he said. "Unbelievable."

My jaw dropped. I had just walked three blocks home with my toddler and my dad in our leafy, mostly empty Los Angeles neighborhood because my kid had thrown a tantrum in the car.

And we had forgotten our masks. Four days earlier, Mayor Eric Garcetti had ordered protective face coverings anytime we left home, not just when we entered essential businesses.

I pointed out my house to the neighbor to explain how close we were, just a few doors down from him. He cut me off.

"I don't give a f where you live, and I don't give a f what your reason is."

Then my dad jumped in. "Sorry, sir, we forgot our masks. I'm sorry, sir."

Still, the man didn't soften.

"You should be sorry. And you should make her be sorry, too," he gestured toward me. After a few more agonizing seconds, he dismissed us.

Our neighbor's mask, by the way? It was off his face, hanging loosely around his neck. All the better to shout at us.

As a health care reporter, I had covered America's evolution on masks as the coronavirus spread across the globe. Back in January, I wrote an article about why Chinese immigrants insisted on wearing surgical and construction masks in the U.S., even though it went against official health recommendations at the time. In February, I wrote about Asian families in California clashing with schools over whether their children should be allowed to wear masks in class.

At that time, Asian people wearing masks were targets for verbal and physical abuse. Attackers saw masks on Asian faces as signs of disease and invasion; people were punched and kicked, harassed in the supermarket, bullied at school and worse.

Now, of course, masks are the norm. And they've become more than just personal protection; they are symbols of courtesy and scientific buy-in. They have, to some extent, also become political signifiers. In a new poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 70% of Democrats said they wear a protective mask "every time" they leave their house, versus 37% of Republicans. (Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of KFF.)

After our verbal beatdown, my dad and I walked home stone-faced, and then retreated to our separate rooms to nurse our wounds.

I have no idea if the neighbor's comments had a racist undertone. But it felt like the times in my childhood, first in New Zealand, then in a Bay Area suburb, when I had seen my Philippines-born parents, stunned and silent, get dressed down or humiliated by angry, callous white people. Now it was my 3-year-old daughter's turn to see me dumbstruck. As I began telling my husband the story, I started crying so hard that I got a headache.

After my tears came reflection, and an attempt at empathy.

My neighbor was obviously scared. He was older, and potentially more medically vulnerable. His trunk had been packed with overstuffed shopping bags - probably enough food for weeks, to avoid leaving his house.

He had just come from the grocery store, an enclosed space full of things and people that could potentially infect him. I understand the stress that comes with shopping during the pandemic.

Like many of us, my neighbor could be struggling with how to live in mortal fear of the coronavirus. And for him, at least that morning, that struggle got the better of him.

Later that day, I wrote the neighbor a card introducing ourselves. I apologized for making him feel unsafe and acknowledged that he was right about the masks. But I also said he had unfairly used us as a target for his fear and frustration, and I told him I was shocked and saddened he would treat a neighbor with so much hate. I haven't heard back from him.

My dad spent the rest of that morning praying that the man didn't get the coronavirus  lest he blame us and all Asians, forever.

Since that day, no one in my family has left the house without a mask on their face, and I'm anxious to train my daughter to wear one, although she resists it the way she has refused hats and headbands in the past.

We can't stop noticing that most other exercisers and dog-walkers in our neighborhood - all white - fly past us without them. They don't seem to worry about getting caught on the wrong side of whatever America happens to believe about masks on any given day. But my family can't risk it.
Senior bureaucrat Arun Singhal has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), as part of a senior-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected on Friday by the Centre.

Singhal, a 1987-batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, is at present Special Secretary in the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

S Gopalakrishnan, a 1991-batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). He is currently serving as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Rajendra Kumar, who was recently appointed as Director General, Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), will now be Additional Secretary in the IT Ministry in place of Gopalakrishnan, an order issued by the Personnel Ministry said.

Bihar-cadre IAS officer C Sridhar, currently serving as Deputy Director in the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the PMO.

Meera Mohanty, Director in the Cabinet Secretariat, has been moved to the PMO in the same designation. Smita Sarangi, Deputy Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, has been transferred to Cabinet Secretariat in the same designation.

Subir Mallick, Additional Financial Adviser and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence (Finance), will continue in the same department at the level of Additional Secretary.

The central government has appointed 16 joint secretaries in its different departments in the reshuffle.

Manish Tiwari has been appointed as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs; Alaknanda Dayal will be JS, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare; Pallavi Agarwal has been appointed as Member Secretary, National Monuments Authority, Ministry of Culture; and Surendra Prasad Yadav will be the Joint Secretary, Department of Defence Production.

Senior bureaucrat Ghanshyam Prasad will be Joint Secretary, Ministry of Power and Himabindu Mudumbai will be Joint Secretary, Department of Revenue, the order said.

V Radha and Ateesh Kumar Singh have been appointed as joint secretaries in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade and the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, respectively.

Vijay Kumar Singh has been appointed as Member (Finance), Delhi Development Authority (DDA) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Anupam Mishra has been appointed as Joint Secretary, Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog, Vinod Kotwal will be Member Secretary, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), and Vipin Kumarhas been named Joint Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy.

Sunil Kumar has been appointed as Joint Secretary, Department of Science and Technology and R Jaya will be Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and Roop Rashi has been appointed as Textile Commissioner, Mumbal under the Ministry of Textiles.
China on Friday rejected United States President Donald Trump's offer to 'mediate' between India and China to end their border standoff, saying the two countries are capable of properly resolving their differences through dialogue and did not require the help of a 'third party'.

In a surprise move, Trump on Wednesday offered to 'mediate or arbitrate' the raging border dispute between India and China, saying he was 'ready, willing and able' to ease the tensions, amid the continuing standoff between the armies of the two Asian giants.

Reacting for the first time to the US president's offer, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said, the two countries did not want the "intervention" from a third party to resolve the current military standoff.

"Between China and India we have existing border-related mechanisms and communication channels," Zhao told a media briefing here when asked about Trump's offer.

"We are capable of properly resolving the issues between us through dialogue and consultation. We do not need the intervention of the third party," he said.

'We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute. Thank you!' Trump tweeted on Wednesday.

He reiterated his offer on Thursday while speaking to reporters at the White House.

Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump renewed his offer, saying if called for help, 'I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help' about 'mediate or arbitrate, I would do that', he said.

India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump's offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to questions at an online media briefing.

President Trump has previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal that was rejected by New Delhi.

At the Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing on Friday, the spokesman said, "China's position on the China-India boundary question is consistent and clear."

"We have been implementing the important consensus reached by leaders of both the countries, observing the bilateral agreements and have been committed to safeguarding territorial sovereignty and security, stability and peace in the border area," Zhao said.

He reiterated his earlier comment that 'Now the overall situation in the China-India border area is stable and controllable', he said, once again indicating a conciliatory tone amidst the tense situation along the border.

On Thursday, an op-ed in a state-run newspaper also reflected Beijing's stand on the offer of mediation by President Trump.

The Global Times said China and India does not need help from the US to resolve their current round frictions at the border, pointing out that the leadership of the two countries successfully solved the Doklam standoff in 2017 with 'concerted efforts and wisdom'.

'China and India successfully solved their Doklam faceoff with concerted efforts and wisdom. The two informal summits between the leadership of the two sides, one in the Chinese city of Wuhan in 2018 and the other in the Indian city of Chennai in 2019, set the tone to maintain peace and tranquility along the border,' it said.

Several areas along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and North Sikkim have witnessed major military build-up by both the Indian and Chinese armies recently, in a clear signal of escalating tension and hardening of respective positions by the two sides even two weeks after they were engaged in two separate face-offs.

India has said the Chinese military was hindering normal patrolling by its troops along the LAC in Ladakh and Sikkim and strongly refuted Beijing's contention that the escalating tension between the two armies was triggered by trespassing of Indian forces across the Chinese side.

India has said that all Indian activities were carried out on its side of the border, asserting that India has always taken a very responsible approach towards border management.

At the same time, it said, India was deeply committed to protect its sovereignty and security.

MEA Spokesperson Srivastava on Thursday said India is committed to the objective of maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control and that Indian troops take a very responsible approach towards border management.

"The two sides have established mechanisms both at military and diplomatic levels to resolve situations which may arise in border areas peacefully through dialogue and continue to remain engaged through these channels," he said at an online media briefing.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.

Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas.
Covid-19 has swept throughout the world, and governments globally have taken drastic measures to stop the spread in an attempt to save lives.

Stephan Eyeson, CEO and co-founder of Survey54

Understanding the future of Africa

In February 2020, as African countries watched Asia and Europe begin the implementation of lockdown, a study by Survey54, an automated mobile-led data collection platform, found that approximately 80% of Africans interviewed felt almost immune to the virus as they were yet to hear of any confirmed cases on the continent. This did not last long and by Mid-March, lockdown procedures were initiated across Africa.Despite the swift response, lockdown came with many challenges that drastically affected a continent which heavily depends on the informal sector. With roughly 90% of Africans now concerned for their finances, the sentiment towards Covid-19 has shifted drastically.No one and nowhere seems to be immune from the impact of this pandemic, as was made evident when, one week into the nationwide lockdown, South Africa was downgraded to junk status. Other African countries including Tanzania and Angola are now said to also be experiencing economic instability as a result of this pandemic.Despite the uncertainty that has been brought about by the pandemic, tech-enabled companies have witnessed increased demand from individuals, businesses and even governments who seek to bridge existing communication and logistics gaps.Businesses globally have started to prioritise digital transformation strategies to ensure business continuity. To complement this reliance on technology, surveys and insights studies are being conducted across Europe and the US to help businesses understand customer needs and attitudes. However, gathering this information within Africa has proven to be difficult due to a lack of infrastructure.Survey54s AI mobile technology enables businesses to get the answers they need to make decisions based on up-to-the-minute data in areas that are otherwise difficult to reach. Stephan Eyeson, CEO and co-founder of Survey54, says, Our AI mobile technology enables businesses to get the answers they need during these uncertain times.A study conducted by Survey54 across the continent found that almost 70% of survey participants in Nigeria no longer felt safe to go food shopping, a sign that customer behaviour is indeed changing and further indication that by looking into data and insights, African businesses and those operating on the continent have the opportunity to find innovative ways to cater to the needs of consumers in an efficient and informed manner.Businesses can make use of services such as Survey54 for consumer insights to improve product offerings and strengthen their overall marketing and communications strategy in times of uncertainty.Survey54 offers businesses relevant and timely data on countries within Africa that can help validate assumptions and stress test strategies even during nationwide lockdowns. Following their recent Covid-19 consumer perception study across Africa, Eyeson revealed some interesting findings including the fact that almost 55% of Nigerians decided to spend more time on personal development by taking online courses, perhaps proving that this is a chance for more unconventional modes of education to take root in the country.With 93% of the people who took the survey fearing for their finances during the lockdown, the question is whether these newly acquired skills will lead to a paradigm shift in terms of job creation and income generation after the pandemic.In South Africa, it was found that 72% of survey takers felt financially affected by the pandemic, whereas amongst Ghanaians, this number dropped to 46%. This stark contrast of figures could suggest organisations would be mistaken for generalising the impact of the pandemic across the continent.Moving forward, businesses and countries on the continent must strategize on short-, medium-, and long-term goals using accurate and up-to-date customer data. Eyeson suggests that Further research, leveraging real-time opinion polls and audience sentiment, should be conducted on the ground post-Covid-19 to identify opportunities that the pandemic has inadvertently presented us with.To find out more about Survey54, go to https://survey54.com/
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 11:27 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdae2f82 1 World peace,diplomacy,security,health,COVID-19,peacekeepers,Women,UNIFIL Free

In many of the worlds conflict regions where health may be one of the first casualties, the coronavirus poses a discernible threat to the local population.

This is largely the case in south Lebanon, where sporadic skirmishes still occur at the border with Israel, and the only medical facilities are located at the compound of the United Nations peacekeeping mission.

The COVID-19 outbreak has had the unintended consequence of putting an end to all direct contact with the Lebanese people, a vital aspect to the work female peacekeepers do, according to Indonesian peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that women held a central role in UN peacekeeping operations because they had greater access to local communities, improved the protection of civilians and promoted human rights in the line of duty.

But the outbreak threatens to upend their most vital work.

As a civil military coordination (CIMIC) officer embedded with UNIFIL, First Lt. Rima Eka Tiara Sari is used to interacting with the local community, but now she is mostly coordinating remotely with local authorities and nongovernmental organizations because of the pandemic.

We still do [border patrols] while following protocols like wearing masks, using hand sanitizer and gloves, Rima told reporters in a virtual briefing on Wednesday, hosted by the UN Information Center in Jakarta.

But other activities like the various [civilian] training programs are postponed until the COVID-19 outbreak ends, added the 37-year-old psychology graduate from Semarang, Central Java.

UNIFIL was formed in 1978 to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon and to assist the Lebanese government in restoring its authority. Among its operational activities is patrolling along the "Blue Line" border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel, established by the UN in 2000.

Another Indonesian UNIFIL operative, Second Sgt. Yazella Agustin, also lamented that the outbreak had greatly reduced her interaction with civilians.

We can only contact them by phone to ask them about the latest situation, whether it is a problem caused by the coronavirus, an economic situation or other things, Yazella said at Wednesday's press briefing.

Many medical workers on the forefront of the COVID-19 response are putting their own health at risk to protect the Lebanese people and the UN peacekeepers stationed there.

But even such crucial services had been forced to stop, said First Sgt. Imakulata Ngamel, an Indonesian Air Force nurse stationed with the UNIFIL's Indonesian battalion. We can no longer accept local patients, she told the briefing.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday reiterated the nations concerns about the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on countries in conflict, that Indonesia was committed to upholding any and all efforts to resolve conflict and build peace.

Earlier this month, the minister noted that the already vulnerable situation in conflict countries had now worsened [...] due to limited health infrastructure, fragile security, challenging economic situations and humanitarian conditions.

According to data on May 29 compiled by statistics site Worldometer, 1,168 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Lebanon, with 26 total deaths. While 699 people have recovered, the countrys economy has been hit hard, with businesses closing down and people losing their jobs.

Separately, the Foreign Ministry's director general for multilateral cooperation, Febrian Ruddyard, said that the safety and security of Indonesian peacekeepers were of utmost priority.

During Indonesias presidency of the UN Security Council last year, we specifically raised the issue of the safety and security of peacekeepers through training and capacity building, he said.

Febrian, who leads Indonesia's Peace Maintenance Mission Coordination Team (TKMPP), said that the government was closely monitoring the latest developments in the field while ensuring that all missions followed the UN's COVID-19 health protocols.

He said that Indonesia was also deliberating a draft UN Security Council resolution on managing the pandemic amid the challenging conditions in conflict areas.

We are paying very close attention to our peacekeepers because they are our assets that we lend to the world, in this case to the UN, said Febrian.

Friday is the 20th anniversary of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. The day is paying special tribute to female peacekeepers with this year's theme, Women in Peacekeeping: A Key to Peace.

UN Undersecretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said in a statement that "ensuring womens meaningful, equal and full participation in peace operations, as well as in peace and political processes, is key to protecting civilians and building durable peace".

However, women represent just 6 percent of all uniformed military, police, justice and corrections personnel in field missions, according to the UN.

As a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council, Indonesia has advocated for womens participation in peace processes with an aim to increase the deployment of female peacekeepers to more than 3 percent at present.

Out of the 2,852 military and police officers Indonesia has deployed to nine UN peacekeeping operations around the world, only 159 are women.
As flights resume on Friday, Luxairport and Luxair have been working to offer security and comfort to all passengers travelling this Pentecost weekend.

Passengers will have to follow a series of measures and procedures that Luxairport and Luxair have implemented to guarantee the health and security of travellers and staff alike.

The first step begins at home, said Rene Steinhaus, director of Luxairport, as passengers are entreated to check in online to avoid contact at the airport.

HEALTH DECLARATION

Prior to arriving at the airport, passengers must complete a document confirming the state of their health before travelling. The form is made up of four questions to check if passengers have symptoms, tested positive, have been quarantined or in contact with positive cases.

Laurent Jossard, vice-president of LuxairGroup, said anyone replying yes to one or more questions would not be allowed to board their flight.

In such cases, Luxair would rebook the flight for free to another date within the next twelve months.

Passengers unable to fill out the form before arriving at the airport will have to do it before security checks.

MASKS, DISINFECTANT AND DISTANCE

Passengers at the airport are obliged to wear masks or face coverings in the terminals, or other areas where a 2 metre distance cannot be guaranteed. This applies to passengers and staff members alike.

Signs on the ground will indicate the distances to be respected in queues, whether for check-in, security, or boarding.

Plexiglass or Perspex panes will be installed at counters to separate staff from passengers, and disinfectant will be provided.

Luxairport has guaranteed a strict programme for sanitising and disinfecting areas, as well as regular cleaning of luggage trolley and trays at security.

HYGIENE KITS

Luxair will distribute hygiene kits to all passengers, containing a mask, antibacterial gel and a disinfecting wipe.

The aircraft are thoroughly cleaned between each flight by a dedicated team specially trained for this job. The filtration and air circulation system all meet high efficiency criteria.

On board, wearing a mask will always be compulsory. A flight attendant said if a passenger refused, they would likely be removed and FFP2 masks issued to those sitting in the vicinity. All on-board personnel have been trained to deal with such eventualities.

Although there will be no regular catering service on board, passengers will receive a drink and sandwich, with the recommendation to eat at separate times in order to prevent mass removal of masks.

ARRIVALS

Passengers landing at Findel will have to maintain distances when collecting their luggage.

Passengers arriving in Luxembourg will receive a voucher for voluntary testing, with the option to be tested directly at the airport where a laboratory will be installed, or in one of the sampling centres of the country's three private medical analysis laboratories.

FLIGHTS IN DEMAND

Luxair has opened up five destinations ready for the weekend, followed by Faro with LuxairTours. Other destinations will depend on other companies opening up.

Joe Schroeder, spokesperson for LuxairGroup, said the company were trying to be creative in finding destinations where the public could visit attractions, bars and restaurants.

Over the coming weeks, destinations in northern Germany or the south of France could be added to the list. Flights to Berlin are set to resume from 1 June.

Schroeder said the flights to Portugal had proved popular, with seats filling up rapidly. However, hygiene measures will be applied.
A general view of the atmosphere at the Pensacola Naval Air Station following a shooting in Pensacola, Fla., on Dec. 6, 2019. (Josh Brasted/Getty Images)

Pompeo Defends Training Saudis at US Military Bases but Advocates Vetting

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended training for foreign military students in operating U.S.-made weapons conducted at U.S. military bases.

Pompeo told Laura Ingram of Fox News on May 28 when answering a question about the terrorist attack conducted by a Saudi trainee at a naval base in Pensacola, Florida, that training programs for the foreign students exist because we do conduct important training programs so that young American kids dont have to fly all the airplanes all across the world to keep America safe.

We want to sell American armaments; we want to train foreign military actors to operate that equipment so that we dont have to put young American lives at risk, he added.

The shooter, Second Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, 21, killed three American sailors and wounded eight people before being killed by law enforcement during the attack. He was on the base as part of a U.S. Navy training program designed to foster links with foreign allies.

The FBI concluded upon an investigation that Alshamrani was a member of al-Qaida, but it was not identified in a timely fashion, Pompeo said.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the press at the State Department in Washington, on May 20, 2020. (Nicolas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images)

The United States takes seriously anytime we have anyone coming in to train alongside our soldiers here in the United States from whatever country theyre coming in from. We have a responsibility to do our best to vet them, Pompeo told Fox News.

However the shooter was able to enter the training and caused enormous harm and pain to the United States, Pompeo said. The Department of Defense is reviewing that process, trying to make sure we get it right, he continued.

The training programs should be conducted in a way that it will not pose any risk to American lives, he added.

Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) on May 18 called for a hard reset of the program and for all Saudi nationals training in the U.S. to be sent home until the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) completed a thorough review of the program, a statement said.

This terrorist should never have been allowed in our country, let alone on an American military base with easy access to American military men and women, Scott said in the statement.

Senators Rick Scott and Joni Ernst [(R.-Iowa)] introduced the Secure U.S. Bases Act, which requires a thorough vetting process before a foreign student enters the U.S.; creates a special, limited visa for foreign students; and establishes a review process so that DOD is not operating training programs in the U.S. that would be better operated abroad, said the statement.

The Saudi Embassy in Washington said in a statement, after the FBI cracked Alshamranis iPhone encryption, that it welcomed the recovery of intelligence from his phone and it was continuing to provide full support to the investigation.

Saudi Arabia in January withdrew its remaining 21 cadets from the U.S. military training program and brought them home, after the Justice Departments investigation revealed some had accessed child pornography or had social media accounts containing Islamic extremist or anti-American content.

Reuters contributed to this report.
South Africa's firebrand opposition politician Julius Malema has urged people not to fall for the "trap" of going to church, saying they will die after contracting coronavirus.



Places of worship are set to reopen from 1 June after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced easing of lockdown restrictions to level three - but only 50 or less people will be allowed inside at any time.



Mr Malema on Thursday said reopening of churches would expose worshippers to infections and urged religious leaders to keep them closed if they care about the well-being of their people.



He advised members of his Economic Freedom Fighters party not to attend worship, saying "it's a set-up".



He said restaurants had better hygiene practices but remained closed and so worship places should not reopen.



Here is part of his speech at a media briefing:





Source: bbc









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Madagascars President Andry Rajoelina this week announced the start of clinical trials of an injectable solution based on extracts of the artemisia plant, a herbal treatment the Malagasy leader has been promoting for treatment of Covid-19.

The trials were said to be supported by the scientific committee of the World Health Organisations Madagascar branch, although claims about artemisia trials were later contradicted by the presidency itself, while the WHO distanced itself from the comments.

Theres already major clinical trials taking place in the US of an artemisia-based injection remedy. This remedy already exists, we will use it. Its already been discussed with the WHO, said Rajoelina, during a visit on Tuesday to Toamasina, the capital of the Atsinanana region on the east coast.

Madagascars received all the necessary authorisations in the eyes of the scientific committee to be able to carry out clinical trials here too, Rajoelina added, according to Sarah Tetaud, a correspondent in Antananarivo.

Rajoelina has been promoting the use of artemisia to treat the coronavirus, promising to deliver Covid-Organics, a Malagasy concoction based on the medicinal plant, to several African countries. He also recently agreed to send artemisia-based products to the Caribbean.

Artemisia is not without merit -- a South African researcher recently launched a crowdfunding initiative to help finance clinical trials of both Artemisia annua and Artemisia afra, two species of the plant, to help determine their effectiveness against Covid-19.

A derivative of one of the plants compounds is also used as part of a combined drug malaria treatment, but there are concerns that using artemisia on its own could encourage antimalarial drug resistance.

Nevertheless, the World Health Organisation at the start of May told RFI that they were yet to receive any data from Madagascar about the Covid-Organics product and its effectiveness against Covid-19.

Story continues

Contradictions

Madagascars presidency somewhat backtracked over claims about starting an artemisia clinical trial, describing a misunderstanding by the media about what Rajoelina was saying.

In fact, theres confusion, maybe the media didnt understand what the president intended to announce, Michelle Sahondrarimalala, director of legal studies at the presidency, told RFIs Service Afrique.

Sahondrarimalala described different guidelines for the treatment of Covid-19 and a third protocol recently launched.

The first protocol uses chloroquine and azythromycine as a combined treatment as inspired by controversial French doctor Didier Raoult, Sahondrarimalala told correspondent Tetaud. This treatment does not form part of a clinical trial in Madagascar since both these drugs have already been used for treatment of other diseases, according to the Malagasy official.

The second protocol concerns Covid-Organics, the improved traditional remedy, developed on the basis of WHO guidelines for clinical studies of traditional medicine in Africa, Sahondrarimalala added, referring to the artemisia herbal tea Rajoelina has been promoting.

An injectable form of an artemisia-based treatment had yet to be developed by the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research or national pharmaceutical research centre, said Sahondrarimalala. Because you mustnt forget that as soon as Covid-Organics is transformed into an injectable form, it is no longer considered an improved traditional remedy.

No injections of artemisia

The third protocol, which is the one involved in clinical trials, is a combined treatment for Covid-19 patients, said Sahondrarimalala. It is based on two drugs, in injectable form, already on the market and used therapeutically, she added. However, this has nothing to do with the Covid-Organics product.

Sahondrarimalala would not reveal the name of the two drugs being used in this clinical trial, since this would be up to the research team, the scienitific committee, but its not artemisia, theres no artemisia, she said.

These comments from an official within Madagascars presidency appear to directly contradict Rajoelinas announcement about clinical trials on an injectable artemisia-based product. The World Health Organisation said nothing was validated in terms of norms or international standards for clinical trials, Tetaud reported.
At a time when finding out who is paying for labourers' train tickets is a task for Sherlock Holmes, Hemant Soren's Jharkhand government has flown in stranded workers from Ladakh, and is probably the only state that has tried to give 'migrant workers' a modicum of respect, observes Debashish Chatterjee

Photograph: Kind courtesy Hemant Soren/Twitter

On Friday, Chief Minister Hemant Soren's Jharkhand became the first state government to fly back stranded workers.

The group that flew in from Ladakh was not even the first batch of 'migrant workers' to fly back home to Jharkhand.

A day before, alumni of the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, had helped another bunch of Jharkhandis return by a special chartered flight from Mumbai.

The flight from Ladakh was significant and fitting for two reasons. One, Jharkhand, one of India's poorest states, notching up the milestone.

Two, because these labourers mostly work for the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) that keeps the massive military machinery rolling across two frontiers, one with Pakistan and the other with China.

Even the road through the Khardung La, the only road route to the Siachen glacier, is kept open through the year by these labourers of the BRO, who work often with nothing more than a shovel, a boot and a jacket for paltry money.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Hemant Soren/Twitter

In an India where 'jawans are standing in Siachen' can silence any criticism, it is only fitting that those who help man those treacherous terrains be given an extra special salute.

The flight from Ladakh is also extraordinary in a country where the central government seems not to be paying even for train fares of workers trying desperately to get back home with their livelihoods destroyed by a lockdown announced with four-hour notice.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta pointing to the states when the Supreme Court asked who was paying for the train tickets would suggest so.

Hemant Soren's government -- an alliance of his Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Congress and Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal unseated the Bharatiya Janata Party dispensation of Raghubar Das, Jharkhand's first chief minister to complete a full term -- has been among the states that have at least tried to give 'migrant labourers' a modicum of respect.

Jharkhand was the first state to bring back such stranded workers by train. That train had rolled from Lingampalli in Telangana to Hatia near Ranchi.

Whenever a Shramik special train rolled into Jharkhand, top district officials were present along with a medical team.

The labourers were each given a flower, a bottle of water, food, checked for COVID-19 symptoms, ad sent home on special buses.

In contrast when a special Rajdhani rolled into Ranchi, the better-off passengers rued that there was neither any welcome nor state-arranged transport from the station.

When the plight of the stranded workers began to knock on the black mirrors -- computer, TV and phone screens -- of privileged India, the Centre tried to pass the buck by saying that states were not allowing trains. Never mind that the railways is a central subject.

Hemant had shot back at Piyush Goyal, pointing out to the railway minister that not only trains, Jharkhand had requested for chartered flights to bring back stranded workers from Andaman and Nicobar.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Hemant Soren/Twitter

Jharkhand, one of India's poorest states, mostly blips on the national radar for starvation death allegations (which no state government including Hemant's has ever acknowledged) and lynchings.

According to activists like the former civil servant Harsh Mander, Jharkhand is the lynching capital of India. And hunger stalks the state, at least 27 per cent of whose 3.19-crore population is tribal.

The Jharkhand government has notched up a few other firsts in locked down India. It was the first state to put in place a army of contract tracers by deploying the roughly 40,000 sahiyas, panchayat-level women health workers, for the job.

It was the first state to open community kitchens along highways where labourers trying to walk back home can get food for free.

It was the first state to start community kitchens at all police stations.

It was the first state to launch an app for stranded Jharkhandis wanting to return home.

Its director general of police M V Rao has been perhaps the only top cop in any state in India to apologise for three deaths caused by overzealous enforcement of the lockdown.

And Hemant Soren's Twitter handle is among the most hands-on in the virtual world in addressing problems at the speed of the Internet.

It is not as if the Jharkhand model is free of glitches. Initially, labourers arriving by train said they had to pay their own fares. However, that was sorted out as more trains started running.

Many complained they could not get tickets to trains, to which the government cited the massive numbers in the queue.

There are, of course, the usual shortages of PPE (personal protective equipment) kits for frontline COVID-19 staff.

Government doctors have complained that only junior ones are being pushed forward to treat COVID-19 patients.

There has also been at least one alleged hunger death, of a five-year-old girl, and the administrative response -- finding public distribution system glitches and at the same time denial of hunger as the cause of death -- has been like previous state governments.

However, Hemant Soren has stood out as a chief minister who at least tries to show that he cares for the faceless 'migrant labourer' who powers with his plight the dreams of 1.3 billion Indians.

Production: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - BELGRAVIA HARTFORD CAPITAL INC. (CSE: BLGV) ("Belgravia" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Deena Siblock to the Company's Board of Directors.

Ms. Siblock brings over 20 years of combined experience in corporate governance, regulatory and legal expertise. Ms. Siblock currently serves as Vice President, Corporate Affairs for the Company and has served as Corporate Secretary on the boards of several publicly traded Canadian companies.

Mehdi Azodi, President & CEO, said "The Board of Belgravia Hartford is delighted to appoint Ms. Siblock, due to her background in corporate governance, coupled with her risk management and communications skills, this will positively enhance the Board and the future growth of Belgravia Hartford as it prepares to enter the next chapter."

About Belgravia

Belgravia Hartford Capital Inc. is a publically traded investment holding company which invests in public and private companies in legal jurisdictions and under the rule of law. Belgravia and its investments are high risk business ventures and expose shareholders to financial risks.

For more information, please visit www.belgraviahartford.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements that use forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "potential" or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding planned investment activities & related returns, the timing for completion of research and development activities, the potential value of royalties, and other statements that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, changes in market trends, the completion, results and timing of research undertaken by the Company, risks associated with resource assets, the impact of general economic conditions, commodity prices, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory, environmental, and governmental approvals, and the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.

For More Information, Please Contact:

Mehdi Azodi, President & CEO

Belgravia Hartford Capital Inc.

(416) 779-3268

mazodi@blgv.ca

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56802
LINCOLN  Popular YouTube personality Emily Graslie visits Agate Fossil Beds National Monument near Harrison and journeys through parts of the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming to explore 2.5 billion years of Earths history in the new three-part PBS series Prehistoric Road Trip.

A 30-minute preview of Prehistoric Road Trip will be streamed live on the NET Nebraska Facebook page at 4 p.m. CT June 10. Participants can watch and ask questions about the program and fossils found in Nebraska. The event will be hosted by Park Ranger Alvis Mar, who explains the science of Agate Fossil Beds to park visitors and educators from across the state.

The series premieres on television at 8 p.m. CT June 17 on NET.

Graslie is a South Dakota native who works as the chief curiosity correspondent at Chicagos Field Museum.

She is a young person who is passionate about science and is able to make it fun and easily digestible, Mar said.

Initially, Nebraska was not scheduled to be part of the Prehistoric Road Trip series, but while Graslie and her crew were scouting sites in 2018, someone from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology mentioned Agate Fossil Beds as a possible location.
Chinese civil aviation authorities plan to extend until June 30 their curbs on international flights to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the U.S. embassy in Beijing said in a travel advisory on Friday.

China has drastically cut such flights since March to allay concerns over infections brought by arriving passengers. A so-called Five One policy allows mainland carriers to fly just one flight a week on one route to any country and foreign airlines to operate just one flight a week to China.

Washington has accused Beijing of making it impossible for U.S. airlines to resume service to China and ordered four Chinese airlines to file flight schedules with the U.S. government. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines wanted to resume flights to China in June, the U.S. Transportation Department has noted.

U.S. airlines are not flying to China at all because they suspended services before the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) imposed restrictions on air travel.

Chinese airlines have over the past few days submitted flight schedules to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Reuters searches on a U.S. government website showed.

China Southern Airlines is proposing to add more flights to multiple U.S. cities from July, while China Eastern Airlines is aiming to ramp up capacity from September, according to the U.S. government website.

When asked about the U.S. embassy statement on the extension of restrictions, a CAAC news department official told Reuters there was no change to the existing rules.

The maximum number of international flights now allowed is 134 a week under restrictions imposed on March 29.

State media has reported that Chinas aviation authority would consider increasing international flights as long as imported coronavirus risks are under control, citing the agencys deputy director Li Jian.

China has brought the outbreak largely under control with draconian lockdowns and quarantine rules. No new confirmed cases were reported in the mainland on Thursday. The total number of infections stand at 82,995, of which 1,734 are imported.
Belgium is a nation with three different languages as immigrants from the rest of Europe populate it. Many popular Belgium female names have meanings, and it is important to be aware of them before choosing one. If you are searching for a unique name for your adorable baby girl, grab yourself a hot cup of coffee and get enlightened today!

Image: pexels.com

Source: UGC

Most parents today take their time researching baby names before choosing the perfect name for their little one. This is vital as it helps one to understand what the name means. Therefore, it is wise to spare some time and look up various baby names before making your choice.

Belgium female names and their meanings

There are a variety of nationalities all over the world. For each, there are common, as well as rare names. In Belgium, there are many beautiful female names, each with their unique meaning.

1. Adelgonde

This is one of the most beautiful Belgium female names. Adelgonde means both noble and a warrior. It is among the unique names in this day and age.

2. Angeletta

It is amongst the cutest popular female names in Belgium in 2020. Angeletta is a beautiful name that is not often used. It means a little angel. It is given to girls who are very pretty and unusual.

3. Berniss

Berniss is another name that you can give to a female kid. It stands for the one who brings victory.

4. Christiane

Christiane is associated with religion. If you believe in Christ, then this would be the perfect name to call your child since it means follower of Jesus Christ.

5. Desarae

This is a great name in the Belgium female names list. Desarae is one of the rarest names though unique as it sounds. It means the one desired by everyone.

Image: pexels.com

Source: UGC

6. Felisberta

Many individuals favour the name Felisberta and end up naming their children this name. It means an intellectual and wise lady.

7. Gerdie

Gerdie is not among the most common female names in Belgium but like most others, it has a special meaning. It means she who is protected by the Lord.

READ ALSO: Asian female names and meanings

8. Halfrida

Halfrida is a beautiful Belgium female name, and it means peace. This name, therefore, describes a girl who is fine-looking and peaceful at heart.

9. Henriella

Henriella is one of the cutest names in the Belgium list of names. It means a lady who rules her home.

10. Ida

Ida is one of the best Belgium native female names. It is a short and sweet name, which means a beautiful lady who is industrious.

11. Idonia

Idonia is a Belgium name for a female child. It means a fruitful and hardworking person. One can give this name to point out that their daughter is as diligent as an ant.

Image: pexels.com

Source: UGC

12. Brunhilde

Brunhilde is a unique Belgium girl name, which means battle armour. When one gives this name to her baby girl, it means that she is strong.

13. Celesse

This is one of the best names to give to your girl as it means heavenly. It is a gorgeous and pretty name to give to your child.

14. Gerdie

This is one of the old female names in Belgium. It is a biblical name that means protected. Many people love it since it has a good meaning.

15. Engleberta

Engleberta is a name that every parent should consider giving their girl. It means a bright angel. If you give this name to your child, it shows that she is a source of joy.

16. Gudruna

This is one of the cutest Belgium female names. The name Gudruna means one who has a lot of knowledge.

READ ALSO: Taiwan female names with meanings

17. Hulde

Hulde is a pretty Belgium name. It means beloved and dear to everyone. If you give this beautiful name to your girl, it means that she will touch the lives of many, and also be loved.

18. Idonia

Idonia is a sweet name for female children. It means industrious and fruitful. This shows that your baby girl will be successful in everything she does.

19. Madelca

It is a popular Belgium name for girls. If you give this name to your child, it means that she originated from Belgium.

Image: pexels.com

Source: UGC

20. Pascaline

Pascaline is a beautiful name to give to your girl. It means born during Easter. When you name your child Pascaline, it means that she is a unique child who was born on a special day.

21. Perahta

Parehta is a sweet Belgium female name. It means glorious. You can give this name to your child to show that your baby girl is brilliant.

22. Slania

Slania is the best name for a female child. It means health and wellness. It signifies that your child will be of good health and wellness.

23. Vanya

It is a sweet Belgium name. It means Gracious. It shows that your baby girl will always appreciate everything that God has given her.

24. Rudella

Rudella is a popular and sweet Belgium name. It means famous. This name is quite popular in Belgium and most parents are acquitted to it.

When searching for a name to give your baby girl, it is important to know its meaning. These beautiful Belgium female names are quite impressive.

READ ALSO: European female names and meanings

Source: YEN.com.gh
She moved to Australia from Malaysia when she was just nine years old.

And on Thursday, MasterChef star Poh Ling Yeow revealed how proud she was to be a role model for other 'migrant kids'.

The 47-year-old shared a touching photo to Instagram of herself standing alongside four other contestants of Asian descent ahead of that night's immunity cook-off.

'I dreamt of being blonde and blue eyed': MasterChef star Poh Ling Yeow (pictured) revealed on Thursday she had no one to look up to growing up as a 'migrant kid' in Australia

'Growing up as a migrant kid I had so few role models. I dreamt of being blonde and blue eyed, fantasised about having long legs and was ashamed of the shape of my nose and my face,' Poh wrote in the caption.

'But today we get to be this for anyone who's ever felt on the outer. Thank you.'

Accompanying the heartfelt post was a photo of Poh standing next to her co-stars Jess Liemantara, Khanh Ong, Brendan Pang and Reynold Poernomo.

All five of them were set to compete in Thursday night's challenge, based on the theme of 'fairytales and fables'.

'I had so few role models': Poh and four other MasterChef contestants of Asian descent took part in an immunity cook-off on Thursday night. Pictured left to right: Jess Liemantara, Khanh Ong, Poh, Brendan Pang and Reynold Poernomo

Poh wasn't the only person thrilled to see 'all Asian-Australian cook-off' on MasterChef, as fans flocked to Twitter to praise the inclusive program.

'Tonight's #MasterChefAU is hugely significant for Asian-Australian representation. Yes, it matters,' one viewer wrote on Twitter.

Another added: 'Not gonna lie, I've been waiting for this kind of Asian-Australian visibility on a prime television channel (that's not Border Security) for my whole life.'

Diversity: Poh wasn't the only person thrilled to see 'all Asian-Australian cook-off' on MasterChef, as fans flocked to Twitter to praise the inclusive program

'This is my fairytale being an Asian kid,' a third Twitter user revealed.

It comes after MasterChef judge Melissa Leong praised the cooking show for being diverse and inclusive.

The food critic, 38, also shared a photo of the stellar lineup of contestants competing on Thursday, and celebrated the 'multiculturalism' of the cast.

'Tonight's #MasterChefAU is hugely significant for Asian-Australian representation. Yes, it matters,' one viewer wrote on Twitter

'This image is groundbreaking. Not only did these tremendous humans create the five best dishes yesterday (we judge dishes, not people), but I could never conceive of witnessing a moment like this on prime time television in my lifetime,' she wrote.

'Diversity and representation doe's not come at the detriment of others, it is to the inclusivity of us all.'

Melissa said she was proud to be Australian and to be 'part of a nation whose identity is indigenous and multicultural'.

'To every person who never felt seen, this is for you, may it give you hope. To every person who is yet to feel seen, you are valued and your moment is on its way. We rise together,' she added.
Responding to the latest developments in Government negotiations that parties are considering giving more money to parents to offset creche fees, the Childrens Rights Alliance alongside Early Childhood Ireland, National Womens Council and SIPTU warn against this retrograde approach that will "set us back years in the development of a truly affordable, high-quality childcare system."

Speaking on these developments, Teresa Heeney, Chief Executive of Early Childhood Ireland commented: It is alarming to hear about a return to direct payment to parents. This would be a backward step and will not address the key issue of Irelands historical underinvestment in early years. The next governments focus must remain on building a publicly subsidised and sustainable childcare system; one which guarantees quality for children, security for operators and a strong career structure for early years educators. Otherwise, the progress of the last few years will have been wasted and Ireland will remain at the bottom of the EU investment league.

Darragh OConnor, SIPTU Head of Strategic Organising said, The Early Years sector is in the middle of a staffing and low pay crisis. With the majority of workers earning below the Living Wage it is unsurprising that staff turnover is 40% on average in full day services. This directly undermines quality for children. Direct payments to parents will do nothing to improve quality for children; we need real investment and reform.

Director of the National Womens Council of Ireland, Orla OConnor added, This is a critical moment to establish a sustainable system of state funding of ECEC in Ireland, which is essential for both the predominantly female workforce and for women and families. We cannot go back to having the highest childcare fees in Europe, alongside some of the lowest-paid workers. Direct payments to parents are a step backwards - they will lead to unequal access, make it harder for women to stay in or re-enter the workforce and do not sustain high-quality early years into the future.

Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children Rights Alliance said, We have been calling for new thinking and greater investment in the early years sector, but this is not what we envisioned. A streamlined regulation system for the sector and pay increases for staff being discussed by Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Green Party are welcome ideas, and we would view them as essential components to the new programme for government. However, we are very concerned that these plans may also include giving money to parents to offset creche fees. This would set the sector back years and flies in the face of international evidence on whats best for children. Funding needs to go directly to services. We as a people will get a better return on our investment.



The coalition has written a letter to political parties on its priorities for the programme for government and the provision of quality, affordable and accessible childcare.
The novel Coronavirus is taking many peoples lives and almost around 5.8 million people have contracted with the virus, so far. Many people have lost their lives and we still dont have a cure for the deadly virus yet.

However, a 103-year old badass woman from Massachusetts, Jennie Stejna, celebrated beating the Coronavirus uniquely and extraordinarily. Yes, by drinking a chilled beer! According to reports, the old woman lived in a nursing home and developed symptoms of the virus weeks ago and then tested positive for the virus. Her condition was worsening due to her old age and she was also the first person in the nursing home to get the virus.

 Reuters

She was kept under constant care by her caregivers and recovered soon. And later her doctor let her celebrate with a Bud Light. Good choice! The old woman has three grandchildren and great-grandchildren and at her age beating Coronavirus is a big deal. Also, her family had lost hope and accepted that Sejna wouldnt survive. But she is a fighter and she came out stronger and celebrated with a beer.

 Reuters

Heres what people on twitter have to say about the strong-willed Stejna-

Whenever you have a thought that youre a bad MFer remember Jennie Stejna is badder than youll ever be. Massachusetts woman beats COVID-19, celebrates with Bud Light https://t.co/wcGddwYa0Q  Sal33 (@SalLetoFF) May 28, 2020

103yo Jennie Stejna is the first resident in her nursing home in Massachusetts to make a full recovery #Covid19! To celebrate,she chugged a bud light! She has 2 kids, 3 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren & 3 great-great-grandchildren! Her family hopes to celebrate w/her soon! pic.twitter.com/rYEeIzK72e  Annie Yu (@AnnieYuTV) May 28, 2020

Chug it   Chad H. Okinaka (@HiloHIChadO) May 28, 2020

Go Jennie!  Ralph Segal (@DCTrafficGuy) May 28, 2020

Wow!What a woman!!!Good on her!God bless Miss Jennie!  AnnieFoutz (@anniefoutz) May 28, 2020

She is a true warrior and we need to take some inspiration from Jennie so that we keep our spirits high. But across the globe the virus has taken over 3,60,000 lives, so far and its only getting worse day by day. Though, now the governments across the world have lifted the lockdown in many countries and the countries are training their citizens to live with the virus as it might go on for more time than we expected. However, Jennies high spirit and strong will have given many the hope that their loved ones will also recover and come out stronger than ever.
The towering bronze statue, shown last summer, depicts Roosevelt riding a horse, as two nameless African and Native American men flank him on foot. (AP)

The museum said the statue of the 26th U.S. president "communicates a racial hierarchy" that the public had "long found disturbing." The statue will be on loan to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota, due to open in 2026.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

If youre like many Americans, you may have seen a doctor in person in recent months only if you absolutely had to.

Thats because in mid-Marchat the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Servicesdoctors, dentists, clinics, outpatient facilities, and hospitals postponed or limited much nonemergency medical care, largely to preserve resources for COVID-19 and to keep patients and healthcare staff members safer.

And people who had concerns other than COVID-19 might have avoided in-person healthcare for fear of exposure to the virus.

Telemedicine filled in some of the gaps. But almost half of Americans said they or a family member skipped or put off medical care because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation. A new CDC analysis of emergency room visits found that they dropped by about 42 percent between late March and late April, compared with the year before.

Preventive cancer screenings, such as colonoscopies ,decreased by up to 94 percent across the U.S. in March, according to the health data firm Epic. Pediatric vaccines also declined sharply, and physicians report that theyve seen fewer than usual non-COVID-19 patients in emergency rooms for urgent matters such as heart attacks and strokes.

In recent weeks, though, face-to-face medical visits have been rebounding. While in-office doctors appointments decreased by some 60 percent between mid-March and mid-April, they were only roughly one-third lower than normal by mid-May, according to findings from Harvard University, the Commonwealth Fund, and the healthcare technology company Phreesia.

And the numbers of appointments are expected to climb. The CDC no longer recommends that healthcare providers put off nonurgent appointments and procedures, and all states are now allowing elective surgeries to resume. But theres no overarching national approach, so the medical care thats available may vary by provider, type of service, and where you live.

Story continues

If youre unsure whether to move forward on a screening test, office visit, checkup, or procedure, the first thing you should do is call your doctors office, says Patrice Harris, M.D., president of the American Medical Association. They are there to help you decide when to come in and what can wait, she says. You dont need to make that decision alone.

Your provider can also help you determine whether its safe for you to see your doctor now, based on how common COVID-19 is in your area and whether you are at high risk of complications from the infection, she says.

In addition, providers have learned a lot in recent months about preventing the spread of the disease in healthcare settings, says David Cohn, M.D., chief medical officer and gynecologic oncologist at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. The health risks to individual patients now are likely to be very small.

And you can employ a few smart safety strategies of your own. Heres what to know about getting medical care now, in general, and in a few specific instances.

What to Expect at the Doctor's Office Now

Healthcare providers and facilities are taking a number of steps to keep you, and themselves, safe. These may differ from state to state or even community to community, so you may want to call ahead to ask what to expect and what to bring.

You should also practice the same commonsense precautions in a healthcare facility that you would elsewhere in public, Cohn says. These include wearing a mask and maintaining a 6-foot buffer from others when possible, keeping your hands away from your face, and washing your hands with soap or using hand sanitizer after touching surfaces such as elevator buttons and counters. (Most doctors offices have sanitizer on hand.)

And you can likely expect the following:

You may be seen virtually, at least initially. During the pandemic, many healthcare providers turned to telehealth. Your doctor may be able to go over test results, check a rash or swollen ankle, or, with your help, monitor chronic medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure via phone, tablet, or computer. Going forward, some doctors will continue to offer telehealth for some care, including annual checkups and mental health services, according to Jacqueline Fincher, M.D., a general internist in private practice in Thomson, Ga., and president of the American College of Physicians. Check with your insurer on coverage.

In-person appointments may be harder to get. Many practices are spacing out appointments and procedures to limit the potential for a crowded office and allow more time for cleaning and sanitizing between patients. Many practitioners may also have a backlog because of delayed care and may take more urgent cases first.

Youll be checked for COVID-19 ahead of time. Office staff may ask you questions by phone to determine whether you may have symptoms of the illness before you arrive. Some facilities may even require a temperature check before coming in the door.

You may be asked to come alone. With offices limiting the number of people in them at one time, you may be discouraged from bringing a friend or family member with you to the appointment.



The waiting room may be in the parking lot. You may be asked to wait in your caror be taken immediately to an exam roomrather than sitting in an open room with other patients before your appointment.

Face masks will be common. You should wear a mask while inside the building, and you can expect office staff to do the same. Medical staff may also use other personal protective equipment when examining you, including gowns, face shields, and gloves.

Making Up Missed Medical Screenings

If youve missed routine screenings such as a mammogram, a colonoscopy, or a check of blood pressure or cholesterol levels, dont panic. A delay of several months is fine for most low- or normal-risk people, says OSUs Cohn.

But depending on your health risks and the level of COVID-19 in your community, you may want to move ahead on scheduling that cancer screening. The benefits of screening now outweigh the risks of infection for most people, he says. The same goes for other types of screenings, including annual cholesterol checks, and vision or hearing exams.

Of course, you might not be able to get an appointment right away. Patients at higher risk of disease may take priority over those at lower risk. For instance, a women who carries a BRCA mutation or has a family history of breast cancer may be scheduled sooner for screening, Cohn says.

If theres a long wait, ask whether there are any alternatives, says Fincher at the American College of Physicians. For instance, if youre overdue for a colonoscopy, an at-home stool test, which detects trace amounts of blood or DNA from cancer cells shed in the feces, may be a reliable way to screen for colorectal cancer in some people, she says.

Dealing With Delayed Elective Surgery

Restarting elective surgeries is going to look more like gradually turning up a dimmer than flicking the on switch, says Alexander Onopchenko, M.D., vice chairman of the department of surgery at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in New Jersey. Expect a slow ramp-up, with surgery centers operating at a much lower volume for a while, he says.

When to have an elective procedure that was put off because of the pandemic will depend on factors such as how much pain or impairment youre experiencing, whether waiting will worsen your problem or make treatment less likely to succeed, and what other health problems you might have.

Also, be aware that some surgery centers are prioritizing lower-risk patients and surgeries, so if youre a healthy 50-year-old, you may be able to schedule your carpal tunnel surgery sooner than a 75-year-old with hypertension and diabetes who needs a total hip replacement. And you might need to wait a few months longer for a surgery that would require you to spend time in a rehabilitation facility afterward.

If your surgery is scheduled, ask your doctor whether, because of the coronavirus, you need to do anything different before or after your procedure, Onopchenko says. Before surgery, for instance, some surgeons may require their patients to take a COVID-19 test, ask them to wear a mask in public, and follow social distancing guidelines, or even self-quarantine for up to two weeks before the procedure.

These steps will help to ensure that youre as healthy as possible going into surgery, he says. After surgery, some providers may now opt to perform wound checks and other post-operative care via telehealth.

Differences in Dental Care

Dental care poses some special challenges because the dentist and hygienist have to work very close to your face and because dental care can involve the use of instruments, such as ultrasonic scalers, that may spray droplets. Both can increase the risk of infection.

Thats why the CDC has interim guidance specifically for dentists. Currently, the agency recommends that dentists treat patients only after assessing them for COVID-19, and weighing the risks of delaying care with those of potential viral exposure.

If you are seeking dental care, you can expect quite a different experience from how it was prepandemic, says Kami Hoss, D.D.S., CEO of the Super Dentists, a dental group in Southern California.

Youll probably see some of the same changes that many doctors offices are implementing: Waiting room chairs may be spaced at least 6 feet apart, and there may be less reading material or toys in the waiting room, says Chad Gehani, D.D.S., president of the American Dental Association. Dental staff will be wearing additional personal protective equipment like face shields, gowns, and masks.

Your dental office also may want you to fill out a screening form to make sure youre healthy and take a temperature check prior to any exam or procedure.

Some practices, like Hoss offices, have implemented additional safety strategies. They now have virtual check-ins where patients sit in their cars, sign in for appointments on their smartphones, and receive a text message when its time to enter the building.

Hoss, who sees many pediatric patients, says parents of older kids are being asked to remain in their cars and are then videoconferenced in to the appointment. His practices also have introduced ultraviolet disinfection lamps around the office and high-speed suction devices that sit over a patients mouth to catch more aerosolized spit.

You may have to wait for a checkup. Those who need crowns replaced, fillings, or bridges, for instance, may need to take priority over those who are due for a cleaning, Gehani says.

So if you need to push off a cleaning for a few more months, be sure to practice good dental hygiene at home, Hoss says. Brushing and flossing regularly are the most important ways people can keep their teeth healthy at home, he says.

The Kid Care Conundrum

Aside from the flu shot, it appears that from mid-March to mid-April, many children did not receive their measles or other regular childhood vaccines, according to the CDC.

Its not surprising that parents have been avoiding the pediatricians office, but the American Academy of Pediatrics is urging parents to keep their kids on schedule with both doctors appointments and vaccines.

What we definitely dont need right now is an outbreak of vaccine-preventable illness such as whooping cough or measles, says Sally Goza, M.D., president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. And dont skip needed carealert your doctor if your child is ill, she says.

Instead of waiting to schedule an appointment, ask what your pediatricians office is doing to keep kids and caregivers safe, she recommends. In addition to having patients wait in their cars rather than in waiting rooms and scheduling sick visits at different times of the day from routine checkups and vaccines, many pediatricians are scheduling extra time between appointments for cleaning and sanitizing surfaces.

Note that although you and older children may wear face masks, theyre not recommended for those 2 and younger.





More from Consumer Reports:

Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

7 best mattresses for couples





Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2020, Consumer Reports, Inc.
Paolo Petrocelli I am honored to be a part of Forbes, one of the most iconic media companies in the world, one of the most world-class entrepreneurship organizations

Forbes Nonprofit Council Is an Invitation-Only Community for Chief Executives in Successful Nonprofit Organizations

Paolo Petrocelli, Founder of EMMA for Peace (Euro-Mediterranean Music Academy), one of the largest international non-profit organization for the promotion of peace through music diplomacy and education in Europe, Middle East and the Mediterranean region, has been accepted into Forbes Nonprofit Council, an invitation-only community for chief executives in successful nonprofit organizations.

Paolo Petrocelli was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of his experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors.

We are honored to welcome Paolo Petrocelli into the community, said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Nonprofit Council. Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world.

As an accepted member of the Council, Paolo Petrocelli has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help him to reach peak professional influence. He will connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum. He will also be invited to work with a professional editorial team to share his expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts.

"I am honored to be a part of Forbes, one of the most iconic media companies in the world, one of the most world-class entrepreneurship organizations. Excited to work with other members of the council to build connected impact across a new and innovative community, designed to help the worlds most influential executives, to discuss and solve pressing business challenges with their peers, share their insights via thought leadership."

ABOUT FORBES COUNCILS

Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that can help them thrive.

For more information about Forbes Nonprofit Council, visit forbesnonprofitcouncil.com. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com.

http://www.emmaforpeace.org - http://www.paolopetrocelli.com

info@emmaforpeace.org
Attorney Lee Merritt, who is representing the family of Ahmaud Arbery, provided greater details on the background of the case in an interview conducted by the World Socialist Web Site on Wednesday.

This includes more background on the various district attorneys who handled the case prior to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) taking over, as well as emerging evidence that local police directed neighbors to report suspicious activity directly to former police officer and retired District Attorneys investigator Gregory McMichael, one of the vigilantes who killed Arbery, virtually deputizing him.

Arbery was jogging in the Satilla Shores neighborhood just outside Brunswick, Georgia on the morning of February 23 when he was pursued by Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William Bryan in their vehicles. They trapped Arbery, claiming they were making a citizens arrest, and then Travis shot him three timestwice in the chestwith a shotgun as Arbery struggled to defend himself, killing him. Glynn County later responded to the scene but did not arrest any of the three men involved.

Attorney Lee Merritt

The case went through the offices of three different district attorneys before the GBI stepped in and arrested the McMichaels and Bryan this month. Merritt has described the handling of the case over the past three months as a conspiracy on the part of police and prosecutors in Glynn County and has stated that the FBI is investigating the potential criminal actions of the district attorneys and officers involved.

The WSWS asked Merritt to clarify the history of the case and roles that the various district attorneys offices played over the 74-day period between the killing of Arbery and the arrest of the McMichaels. He explained that the first district attorney, Jackie Johnson, voluntarily recused herself, but only after she refused to make an arrest in the case. He also related that, according to local city council commissioners, she actually instructed law enforcement officers not to make any arrests.

Regarding George Barnhill, the second DA to be assigned to the case, Merritt told the WSWS that he did not voluntarily recuse himself until Ahmaud Arberys mother, Wanda Cooper, discovered direct conflicts involving his son. She found that Barnhills son not only worked in the same office as Gregory McMichael, who was a retired police officer and investigator, but was also close personal friends with him.

According to Merritt, He then voluntarily recused himself but only after creating a documenta memothat laid out all the possible defenses for the McMichaels. This tainted the jury pool in the region and likely tainted the prosecutorial pool as well. In this letter, Barnhill concluded that the manhunt and killing of Arbery were perfectly legal under Georgia law.

Text message sent from Glynn County Police Officer Robert Rash to Satilla Shores resident Larry English

The WSWS asked Merritt whether the self-defense statute or the citizens arrest laws in Georgia, which District Attorney George Barnhill used to defend the McMichaels and Bryan, can actually be applied to this case. Neither of them really applies to the facts of this case. George Barnhill bent the facts in the law in that letter to explain that because Ahmaud Arberys family was, and I quote, no stranger to the criminal justice system, justice need not apply.

Merritt also discussed the assignment of a third district attorney, Tom Durden, before the family insisted that the legal apparatus look for a district attorney who was not from South Georgia and was therefore less likely to have the conflicts that these first three DAs held. The attorney general acquiesced to that request and appointed Joyette Holmes, who we are confident can neutrally, fairly, and vigorously prosecute this case.

Earlier this week, Merritt told reporters that federal investigators may make more arrests in this case. When the WSWS asked him to explain who may be arrested and on what grounds, he explained that district attorneys involved in this case are being investigated for criminal corruption charges.

The facts and circumstances surrounding their actions in delaying justice to Ahmaud Arberys family is a criminal consideration of the FBI right now, so there is a possibility that either Jackie Johnson or George Barnhill could face criminal prosecution and additional charges.

Merritt also spoke of another piece of evidence that has come to light during the investigation thus far, which could result in an arrest, noting There was a text message originating from a law enforcement officer that set the wheels into motion for the eventual manhunt of Ahmaud that resulted in his murder. Merritt explained that there could be criminal liability for Robert Rash, the officer who sent the text message.

The text message in question was sent on December 20, 2019 from Rash to Larry English, the owner of the construction site where Arbery stopped on the day of the murder. The text message reads: Greg is retired Law Enforcement and also a Retired Investigator from the DAs office. He said to please call him day or night when you get action on your camera. The text message also included McMichaels address and phone number.

Beth Graddy, Englishs attorney, told reporters that this suggests that Gregory McMichael was deputized prior to Arberys murder. I think the Glynn County Police Department cloaked Greg McMichael with authority to enforce the law, and that is a tremendous amount of power to place in the hands of a private citizen.

Lou Dekman, the chief of police in LaGrange, Georgia, and past president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, told News4Jax I-TEAM reporters that the type of request made by Rash is dangerous. Police chiefs, departments, and law enforcement agencies make decisions about the allocation of resources based on calls for service. So, if were not getting those calls, were not responding to them, and were not documenting them.

The WSWS also asked Merritt to comment on the circulation of videos online showing Arberys previous run-ins with local police and whether these could be used to assassinate his character. If previous run-ins with the law are used to argue that Ahmaud Arbery was more likely than not to have been a criminal suspect on the day that he was killed, that would be an inadmissible legal argument because in the rules of evidence you cannot use propensity to impute criminality.

Merritt related to the WSWS that similar requests for records concerning the McMichaels and corruption within the Glynn County Police Department have been denied or delayed.

The WSWS also asked how the events of the past weeks have affected Arberys family and friends.

That entire community is devastated, Merritt noted. If you match that with a new murder almost every week in the United States and a new atrocity being revealed as peoples attention is returning back to the state of the American criminal justice systemit causes a heavy burden on entire communities, especially those directly impacted by violence. Thats why we called the murder of Ahmaud Arbery a lynching from the beginning. They caught it on video, and that video is spreading across the world and sending shock waves and terror waves into entire communities.
Protesters in Manhattan clashed with officers of the New York Police Department on Thursday as they convened at Union Square to protest the killing of George Floyd.

Shocking footage shows one officer beating a protester to the point that he breaks his baton on the man as other cops try to apprehend folks in the crowded Manhattan area.

Another clip shows officers pushing people to the ground as protesters try to help others from the grasps of the authorities. Some police can be heard telling others to back up.

Scroll down for videos

Shocking footage shows one officer beating a protester to the point that he breaks his baton on the man as other cops try to apprehend folks in Manhattan's Union Square on Thursday

A remnant piece of the baton can be seen on the ground as the officer then grabs the man he just hit

One woman screams 'Black Lives Matter' as she is carried away to a police van by two officers.

At least 14 were taken into custody during the demonstrations in Union Square.

Crowds can be heard chanting: 'No justice. No peace. F**k these racist a*s police.'

Both police and protesters were blocking the streets around Union Square at various points.

People can be seen trying to help others get away from authorities. At least 14 were taken into custody during the demonstrations in Union Square

Crowds can be heard chanting: 'No justice. No peace. F**k these racist a*s police'

Most in the crowd were wearing masks but there were both cops and protesters who were not.

Another, longer clip shows officers involved in a scuffle with one group of protesters. Someone in the background can be heard instructing white people to go to the front, so that they can create a barrier of protection around other protesters.

Several white protesters go to the front and form a barrier, continuing to scream at police.

The protests are among the latest to have sparked in response to the killing of George Floyd on Monday.

Both police and protesters were blocking the streets around Union Square at various points

Most in the crowd were wearing masks but there were both cops and protesters who were not

Protesters flee from police officers in Manhattan

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been taken into custody over the death of Floyd, four days after he was seen kneeling on his neck in a video of his arrest that has sparked violent protests across the country.

The 44-year-old white cop was arrested by state investigators on Friday afternoon, Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington announced.

Chauvin was one of four officers fired over Floyd's death earlier this week however, Harrington did not provide details on the other three cops.

The state attorney who would oversee any prosecution on state charges, whose home was also the site of protests, is scheduled to provide an update later Friday.

Protests over Floyd's death have spread nationwide and has resulted in rioting in Minneapolis, where a police precinct was overrun and set on fire overnight on Thursday.

An officer tries to stop a man at the protests who his riding a Citi Bike

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been taken into custody over the death of Floyd, four days after he was seen kneeling on his neck in a video of his arrest that has sparked violent protests across the country

Protests have sparked across the country after video of the Floyd's final moments went viral on Monday

It follows high-profile protests and riots in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore in 2015, over the police-involved deaths of Michael Brown and Freddie Gray, respectively.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Friday acknowledged the 'abject failure' of the response to this week's violent protests and called for swift justice for police involved in the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white officer knelt on his neck.

Walz said the state would take over the response and that its time to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering.

'Minneapolis and St. Paul are on fire. The fire is still smoldering in our streets. The ashes are symbolic of decades and generations of pain, of anguish unheard,' Walz said, adding. 'Now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world - and the world is watching.'
The Karnataka government on Friday issued an order whereby passengers coming in by air or trains from high-risk states will have to pay Rs 650 per person to get themselves mandatorily tested for Covid-19. The government said that it had decided on this move as there was a limitation on the institutional quarantine capacity available in the state.

Earlier, all the passengers from high-risk states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Delhi were quarantined at hotels and lodges and a Covid-19 test was carried out on either the 5th or 7th day. Till now the passengers were paying only for the institutional quarantine - according to desired hotels and slabs - while the test was free.

Health department officials though clarified that while there was no change in quarantine policies with people coming from high-risk states having to undergo one week of institutional quarantine and if their test was asymptomatic then they would be sent for one more week of home quarantine. For this, the state has tied up with private labs so that their capacity could be utilised to the maximum. Samples will be tested by the pooling method - five samples in one pool as per ICMR guidelines.

There was no clarity on what would be done in case the incoming person by train or air could not afford the fee of Rs 650 for testing. The order also said that airport authorities and railways will provide necessary space for establishing swab collections kiosks and centres free of cost.

Whenever a passenger is detected positive, after the test, the jurisdictional district health and family welfare officer shall be informed for necessary movement of the patient to a hospital, contact tracing and tracking. Outside of Bangalore the deputy commissioners of the remaining 29 districts shall link ICMR approved private labs with passengers and follow similar protocols.
By Michael Shannon





Breitbart has an interesting interview with conservative Alabama Republican Rep. Mo Brooks, who believes China Flu lockdown orders violate the Constitution.



"As citizens start to wake up the liberty and freedom that they've lost, coupled with the recognition that what state has done, or cities have done, are unconstitutional and illegal deprivations of life, liberty and property  that's when I think you're going to see the bell go off, ...and people starting to figure out ... we need to fight for our rights."



Just keep in mind, you'll be fighting alone.



In the past few weeks we've seen anti-lockdown protests in Michigan, New Jersey and Texas. The rallies have featured barbers, gym owners, hairdressers, nail technicians, restaurant owners, restaurant patrons, muscle heads, political activists, stay at home moms and various independent entrepreneurs.



What the protests haven't had is a single conservative politician willing to risk arrest along with the voters. Politicians run on aggressive slogans like "Fighting for You!" Yet when it comes time to fight, lead or even show up, these worthies are suddenly MIA.



Let's take Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of Texas. Back in March he appeared on Fox News and told Tucker Carlson WuFlu lockdowns are killing the economy. The 70-year-old Patrick said he's willing to take his chances with the virus, because the economic meltdown is certain.



In May, Patrick was offered the perfect opportunity to put his person where his mouth was when Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther opened her business in defiance of lockdown orders. Shelly was there. Customers were there. The media was there. Dan Patrick wasn't.



Luther refused to voluntarily re-enter government imposed bankruptcy, and in a Boston Tea Party-like action he tore up a cease-and-desist order from county government. She was arrested and sentenced to a seven days in jail. Two hundred miles away Patrick offered to pay her fine and volunteered to serve the sentence in Luther's place. (A ludicrous offer Patrick knew wouldn't be entertained.)



How much difference would it have made if Patrick had been there in person with Shelley, letting his actions back up his words? What if Patrick had invited his 84,000 followers to join him at Luther's business when it was still open?



Instead of a handful of rebellious conservatives complaining in a liberal (for Texas) city, it would have been an anti-lockdown statement with real political clout. The chances of an arrest then would have been vanishingly small because even the Flustapo can count.



A case could be made that Patrick didn't want to get crosswise in Austin with Gov. Greg Abbott, a fellow Republican. That objection doesn't apply to the congressional delegation in Washington. Luther's business zip code includes two Republicans, "conservative stalwart" Rep. Van Taylor and Rep. Kenny Marchant.



Neither of these 'conservative' exemplars said so much as a single word regarding Luther's arrest defending the constitutional rights they claim to support.



There was a similar situation in Owosso, Michigan when barber Karl Manke opened his shop in defiance of Gov. Gretchen 'Half' Whitmer's erratic and punitive lockdown. She directed the Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to jerk Manke's license in response.



That launched Operation Haircut. Hundreds of Michigan residents converged on the capitol to protest. Barbers set up on the capitol grounds and gave haircuts.



Whitmer ordered the State Police to give their wallets a trim by issuing $500 disorderly conduct tickets.



Shelley Luther made the trip from Dallas to offer support for Manke and the other lockdown resistors. Notable by their absence were Republican Reps. John Moolenaar (Manke's own congressman!), Jack Bergman, Bill Huizenga, Fred Upton, Tim Walberg and Paul Mitchell.



Maybe if Operation Haircut had passed the hat and offered to make a campaign contribution, one might have found time to support the rights of the voters that elected them.



In New Jersey, Ian Smith, owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, was also on Tucker Carlson announcing he planned to open up. The first day police issued a disorderly conduct summons to the owner. Later a camera was placed in the parking lot and officers followed patrons home to issue citations. Finally, the Camden County Division of Environmental Health posted notices on the gym door ordering it closed.



With the exception of Carlson, no public figure supported Smith, although new Republican convert Rep. Jeff Van Drew, whose district is just south of the gym, sent a two-page letter to the governor. The other GOP Rep. Chris Smith did and said nothing.



And here is the lesson for conservative voters who value the constitutional rights that have been quarantined during the Flu Manchu Pandemic Panic.



When push comes to shove in the fight to defend the Constitution, the only people in the fight are going to be the people.



The politicians will be pacifists.





Michael Shannon (mandate.mmpr@gmail.com) is a commentator and public relations consultant, and is the author of "A Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times." His article was distributed by Cagle Cartoons Inc.




Premier Brian Pallister, for reasons known only to him, seems to have declared war on Manitobas youth during this pandemic. He has failed to protect the private sector that provides the jobs youth rely upon, and he is dismantling the public institutions that provide youth with necessary job skills.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Premier Brian Pallister, for reasons known only to him, seems to have declared war on Manitobas youth during this pandemic. He has failed to protect the private sector that provides the jobs youth rely upon, and he is dismantling the public institutions that provide youth with necessary job skills.

His antipathy toward the public sector is no surprise. He is an advocate of leaner (to the point of anorexia), meaner government. That he wants to use the pandemic as cover to dismantle public institutions is surprising only in its audacity.

What is surprising is his attack on the private sector, and his failure to realize that extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. Businesses are dying daily, and Pallister has failed to meet obvious needs. Manitobans have now seen through the pretense, the phony promises and fake measures that provide only pennies when real dollars are necessary.

During the pandemic, shuttered businesses have no revenue. Without revenue they cannot pay rent. Pallisters answer? A $6,000 one-time rent assist. That doesnt even come close to covering the monthly rent of a food stall in the Polo Park food court. Without temporary government support during the pandemic, the restaurant industry is dying.

Beyond the simple reality that dead businesses pay no taxes, these businesses are important because they are in the food-service and retail sector that are primary employers of our youth. If Pallister were serious, hed add a zero to the $6,000.

Another of Pallisters empty promises is his summer student employment fund: an impressive $120 million. The problem is this: he will never spend it, not even close. As of this week, just seven per cent of the money had been committed. He might as well have declared a $120-billion fund.

The real problem isnt government support for jobs (a more generous federal program already exists), but that jobs dont exist because the businesses that provide them are dead or dying. Youth unemployment, approaching 30 per cent, is now at a record high and may go higher still. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did exactly the right thing by creating the Canada Emergency Student Benefit that Pallister rails against.

His increased funding for scholarships and bursaries for students is another empty promise: it matches dollars to funds raised by universities from the private sector. That fundraising has, for obvious reasons, dried up. Again Pallister and Economic Development Minister Ralph Eichler promise dollars they will never spend. If they were serious, they would simply create scholarships and bursaries with no strings attached and leave the colleges and universities to create more on their own.

As the pandemic has progressed, the premiers rhetoric has become increasingly Orwellian. Words and phrases take on meanings opposite to conventional definitions: "We must cut your jobs because there is no work to do." How does that square with funding cuts to post-secondary institutions, where workloads are rising as everyone scrambles to move resources online?

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

And costs are rising too, as the technology to deliver online programs needs to be built out and quickly. Pallisters solution? Cut funding, and quickly. That ensures fewer spaces for students when they are needed most. If he were serious about higher education, he would not cut operating funds when costs and workloads are rising, and revenues are falling. He would do the opposite.

The premier showed his hand when he presented the ultimatum to cut budgets up to 30 per cent, giving universities only five days to prepare to dismantle their institutions. Pallister and his government seemed surprised that 30 per cent cuts would likely result in the closure of at least half the public universities. If they did not know that, that is plain incompetence.

The alternative is that they knew full well the consequences and used the pandemic as cover to fast-track Draconian cuts. That would be Machiavellian. Its not often one roots for incompetence.

The 30 per cent budget reductions were trial balloons: how much could they get away with while Manitobans were distracted by the pandemic? Its now clear this was part of the longer-term strategy all along. The Pallister government has cut funding for universities and colleges every year in office. We now know the ultimate target; its just a question of how quickly he can get there.

If left to the premiers worst instincts, Manitobans will be left with a crumbling economy, a landscape littered with dead businesses and broken public institutions. Manitobas youth will pay the heaviest cost: an economy with few jobs, and fewer opportunities for higher education. Our youth will remember that during the time of crisis, Pallister turned his back on them.

Scott Forbes is president of the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations.
Care home residents account for more than half of all coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland, official statistics show.

Of the 380 deaths of care home residents involving Covid-19 in the year to May 22, 84% (318) occurred in the home, with the remaining 62 taking place in hospital.

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) publishes a weekly bulletin on the toll caused by the infection.

It said: Deaths of care home residents account for 53.1% of all Covid-19 related deaths.

Its latest statistics cover the week ending May 22.

They show 47 deaths occurred in the week from May 16 to 22, bringing the overall total to 716.

This total includes deaths registered up to May 27.

Of this total, 353 (49%) took place in hospital, 318 (44%) in care homes, eight (1%) in hospices and 37 (5%) at residential addresses or other locations.

The 326 deaths in care homes and hospices involved 76 separate establishments.

Health Minister Robin Swann has said testing of all residents in care homes for the virus will be complete by the end of next month.

The Department of Health has said there are 69 active care home outbreaks and 52 clusters have been closed.

Last week Clifton Nursing Home in Belfast was ordered to close after the watchdog Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority raised concerns about how it was handling coronavirus.

Nisra obtains its statistics using death certificates in which Covid-19 is mentioned as a cause.

It is unrelated to daily death totals published by the Department of Health which focus mainly on hospital deaths in which a patient has tested positive for the virus.

The Department of Healths reported death toll rose to 521 on Friday after a further three fatalities were reported.

There were another 17 confirmed cases of the virus, bringing the total number of positive tests since the outbreak began to 4,696.

The Health Minister has commented on the weekly @NISRA bulletin: Every one of these statistics represents a person who was loved and is sadly missed. We must always remember that."



https://t.co/9naafTwZtv pic.twitter.com/Htqw1h27Q8  Department of Health (@healthdpt) May 29, 2020

The total number of all fatalities in Northern Ireland recorded by Nisra in the week ending May 22 was 325, 35 above the five-year average.

Around a quarter were classified as respiratory, and all Covid-related have been included in that classification.

The number of Covid-19 related deaths in the calendar year which were registered by May 22 was 705.

Some deaths that happened in the days leading up to May 22 were registered after that date, so the total number of deaths that occurred during the period is slightly larger at 716.

The week ending May 22 represents the fourth consecutive weekly fall.

Men and women accounted for similar proportions in the calendar year to May 22.

Those with a Belfast address were responsible for 30% of Covid-19 deaths this year.

Fermanagh and Omagh had the fewest number at 16 so far this year.

Belfast recorded the highest at 209.

The 75 and over age group was responsible for four fifths of Covid-19 deaths, greater than their proportion of overall deaths.

Mr Swann said: Every one of these statistics represents a person who was loved and is sadly missed. We must always remember that.

While the death rate in Northern Ireland continues to decrease, Covid-19 is still a very real threat.

Everyone must keep following public health advice on social distancing and hand washing.

Over the last eight weeks, 902 excess deaths (those above the average for the corresponding week in previous years) have been registered in Northern Ireland, Nisra said.
After four letters and a new bill, Trump finally got my message: The 40,000 National Guards troop responding to the COVID-19 pandemic deserve full benefits for putting themselves at risk to protect the rest of us, she said. Im glad that, after repeatedly trying to nickel and dime our troops, he finally abandoned his cynical ploy to cut off the Title 32 authorization at 89 days to deny members of the National Guard access to federal benefits that require 90 days of service.
A right wing activist who assaulted a minor boy for not chanting 'Jai Shri Ram, at Kadumata school near Kolnadu in Vittal police station limits, was arrested on Friday by Vittal police. 25 year-old Dinesh Kanyana was arrested for assaulting and committing robbery. His three accomplices who are minors were sent to fit institution in Bondel, sources told DH.

Video clippings of Dinesh assaulting the minor for not chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' had gone viral on social media prompting the victim and his parents to file a complaint in Vittal police station. Senior police officials informed that a case of kidnap, assault and robbery was filed against Dinesh.

Dinesh a regular offender has cases of assault registered against him in same police station. Police sources added that the reason behind the assault is being investigated.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 23:50:03|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Friday expressed China's strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the passing of a bill on Xinjiang-related issues by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The so-called "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020" smeared and criticized the human rights situation in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and China's Xinjiang policies, slandered China's efforts in counter-terrorism and de-radicalization, flagrantly interfered in China's internal affairs. China deplores and firmly opposes that, Zhao said.

"Xinjiang-related issues are not about human rights, ethnicity or religion, but about fighting violence, terrorism and separatism," said the spokesperson.

He said a series of measures taken in Xinjiang by the Chinese government have been endorsed by residents of various ethnic groups there and commended by the international community.

The U.S. accusations on Xinjiang-related issues are entirely against objective facts and the basic norms governing international relations, which further reveals America's double standards on counter-terrorism and further exposes its malicious intentions to interfere in China's internal affairs, according to the spokesperson.

Zhao said the Xinjiang affairs are purely China's domestic affairs that allow no foreign interference. "We urge the United States to correct its mistakes immediately, stop using Xinjiang-related issues to interfere in China's internal affairs and not to go further down the wrong path." Enditem
The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, has set out a 750 billion economic recovery plan to try and counter the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its economy amid fears that unless action is taken the bloc could disintegrate.

Under the plan, set out in a speech by the commission president Ursula von der Leyen to the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, the money would be raised by the commission in capital markets and then distributed to member nations in order to finance stimulus packages. It would be financed either by a special tax or increased contribution from EU member states.

Of the 750 billion, 500 billion would be in the form of non-repayable grants with a further 250 billion issued as loans.

But there is no guarantee that the proposal, which requires the unanimous approval from the 27 member nations of the EU, will go ahead because of substantial divisions within the organisation.

The proposal to make grants has been opposed by the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark and Sweden. Dubbed the frugal four, they have insisted that there should be an emergency fund financed by loans only. But this has been rejected by southern states because it would only add to their already high levels of government debt.

The move to establish the new fund comes amid warnings that the effects of the pandemic on the European economy are far more serious than had been initially anticipated. In a webinar with students on Wednesday, European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde said the euro zone would shrink by between 8 and 12 percent this year.

This recession, twice as deep as that resulting from the global financial crisis of 2008, was the outcome of the sudden stop of activity due to the pandemic. It had slowed down the pace of life, the pace of growth, the creation of value and would have lasting effects despite all the measures we are taking, she said.

The ECB launched a 750 billion bond buying program in March and is predicted to increase its purchases by a further 500 billion when its governing council meets on June 4.

In its biannual financial stability review, issued earlier this week, the ECB warned that rapidly rising government debt levels could lead to a reassessment of sovereign risk and reignite pressures on some countries where debt levels are already high.

Overall aggregate government debt in the euro zone is predicted to rise from 86 percent of GDP to more than 100 percent. Public debt is already at record levels in a number of countries, approaching 200 percent in Greece, 160 percent in Italy, 130 percent in Portugal and just below 120 percent in France and Spain.

The ECB warned that a more severe downturn than expected could set public finances on an unsustainable path in highly indebted countries and that a negative feedback loop could re-emerge where a downgrade in ratings for banks holding large amounts of government debt feeds into sovereign debt ratings. This so-called doom loop, which appeared in the euro zone in the financial crisis of 2012, could affect Italy, Portugal and Spain, where bank ratings are closest to non-investment grade.

The proposal for an EU-funded bailout mechanism was only made possible by a surprise decision by Germany on May 18 to agree with France on a proposal for a 500 billion fund to be made available in the form of grants.

The decision was taken against strong internal opposition in Germany against any measures in which the richer EU countries would fund the economies of the poorer ones. This opposition was given expression in a ruling by Germanys constitutional court on May 5, which challenged the legality of the countrys Bundesbank taking part in the ECBs asset purchasing program.

The court said the government had to carry out a proportionality assessment of the ECBs asset purchases to ensure their economic and fiscal policy effects were within the ECBs mandate, that is, the purchases did not involve funding the debt of other governments. It threatened to order the Bundesbank to block asset purchases unless this assessment was done within three months.

The decision raised wide concerns about the future of the European Union and the ECB. Financial Times economics commentator Martin Wolf wrote that the court decision had launched a legal missile into the heart of the EU. The extraordinary judgement was an attack on basic economics, the central banks integrity, its independence and the legal order of the EU.

It opened the way for courts in other countries to decree that their national central banks could not take part in policies they disliked and pretty soon, the ECB will have been sliced and diced into a nullity.

The German court decision appears to have been at least partly responsible for the switch by the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel to throw its support behind an EU-backed bailout fund. Previously Berlin had opposed any suggestion that money from a fund should be distributed in the form of grants rather than loans.

But according to a senior German official, cited in a report by the Financial Times, the moment of reckoning came when the court cast doubt on the legality of the ECBs bond buying program so far as the Bundesbank was concerned and some other policy had to be developed.

In April, as the effects of the pandemic were spreading, French President Emmanuel Macron warned in an interview with the Financial Times that the euro zone and the European idea would fail if the EU did not set up a fund to issue common debt and finance member states according to their needs rather than the size of their economies.

These sentiments were echoed in recent comments by Merkel that the economic impact of the virus was so great that it could endanger the European Unions cohesion and the national state alone has no future.

The proposal for the bailout measures has nothing to do with meeting the needs of the mass of the European population, now confronted with the worst economic and social conditions since the 1930s.

It appears that Paris and Berlin, which both utilise the EU to enhance their economic and political power globally, have made the decision that economic and financial stops have to be pulled out to try to save it.

But whether the plan even goes ahead in the face of opposition within the EU itself is another question.

The Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, told Politico on Wednesday: We need to take everyones interests into account and there are very different interest groups: the southern countries, who fundamentally always want more; the East Europeans, who have an interest in preventing everything from flowing south; and, of course, those who have to pay for it all, the net payers.

A diplomat from the Netherlands, along with Austria a member of the frugal four, told the Wall Street Journal: Negotiations will take time. Its difficult to imagine this proposal will be the end-state of those negotiations.
More than $720 million raised through the Morrison government's controversial robo-debt program will be refunded from July.

About 470,000 debts were raised through the defunct welfare scheme, which is now the subject of a class action challenge.

'Services Australia will now put in place the mechanisms needed to start making refunds, including how affected customers are advised of next steps,' Government Services Minister Stuart Robert said on Friday.

Thousands of Australians will be refunded Centrelink repayments made under the robo-debt program from July

'Consultation will occur with stakeholders, including the commonwealth ombudsman, and clear communication is a priority, so people understand what it means for them.'

Interest payments and recovery fees will also be refunded.

The controversial system was ruled unlawful last year, with the Federal Court saying Centrelink could not have been satisfied the debt was correct.

The government wound back the scheme prior to the court decision.

The scheme matched Australian Tax Office and Centrelink data to claw back overpaid welfare payments.

People were automatically contacted if Centrelink thought they might owe more than $1000.

The Morrison government introduced the controversial scheme in 2016 to identify over payments made to Centrelink recipients

One in five debt letters sent were based on false information.

The previous Labor government introduced a similar process in 2011 but had each case reviewed by a staff member at the Department of Human Services, while the coalition moved to a fully-automated system in 2016.

Since the system was introduced, several families have claimed the stress of incorrect debts have pushed their loved ones to take their own lives.

Melbourne man Rhys Cauzzo, 28, a part-time florist and musician, died on Australia Day in 2017 after failing to resolve the issue with the government welfare agency.

Jason Madgwick, 22, from the Sunshine Coast took his life on May 30 last year, hours after being told his Newstart claim had been rejected and that he instead owed Centrelink $2,000.
Quake hits Armenia: 28 km northwest of Jermuk

Crete island lighthouse illuminated with colors of Armenian tricolor

Aurora Humanitarian Initiative to allocate $500,000 to projects in Artsakh

Sajid Javid: Britain must learn to live with COVID-19, it could be with us forever

Erdogan suggests Putin and Zelensky meet face to face

EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus meets Aliyev

US imposes sanctions on Ukrainians related to 'Russian harmful foreign activities'

Sabah: Ankara refuses to hold next Armenian-Turkish meeting in a third country

US general discusses regional security and bilateral cooperation in Armenia

Secret graves of alleged protesters discovered in Almaty

Armenian side members to Armenian-American Intergovernmental Commission confirmed

WHO advises countries to lift or ease international travel restrictions

US sanctions against Vladimir Putin, Ruben Vardanian and members of the Russian government

Armenian Foreign Ministry discusses Mirzoyan's participation in Turkey forum

Thailand to resume non-quarantine travel scheme from February 1

Instagram introduces paid subscription feature

NEWS.am daily digest: 20.01.22

Europe considers new strategy to combat COVID-19

Norwegian prosecutors refuse release Anders Breivik, 2011 mass murderer

Erdogan urges Turks to sell foreign currency for liras

Azerbaijan not yet returned about 300 sheep of Armenia villager

Media: Israeli President thinks about visiting Turkey

Dollar quite stable in Armenia

Trade turnover between Ukraine and Armenia increases by 24%

Armenia legislature speaker meets with of International Republican Institute president, and director for Eurasia

Kremlin does not exclude new call between Putin and Biden

EU Special Representative for South Caucasus to soon visit Armenia, Azerbaijan

State Duma discusses work of biolaboratories near Russia's borders

US lawmakers to parliament speaker: Armenian POWs must be returned to their homeland immediately

Security Council chief: Armenia expects OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to visit region

Armenia government does not approve plan to considerably raise minimum wage

Turkish FM: Armenian representatives invited to diplomatic forum in Antalya

Twitter suspends Mexican billionaire's account over offensive behavior

Armenian PM says Omicron strain is slowly spreading

Azerbaijan says it supports launching border delimitation process with Armenia with no conditions

Zakharova speaks on Aliyev's visit to Kyiv

Zakharova does not comment on Azerbaijan president's threats against France presidential candidate for her Artsakh visit

Cavusoglu: Steps to increase mutual trust will be discussed at next meeting with Armenia

US gives go-ahead to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to send missiles and other American-made weapons to Ukraine

Zakharova: Russia, as OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair, supports continuation of work in this format

Cyber attack on Red Cross: data of over 515,000 people compromised

Pashinyan: UK has been strong partner of newly independent Armenia

Israel hopes UN will unanimously condemn Holocaust denial

Armenia, Ukraine depositories sign memorandum of cooperation

Azerbaijan advises Armenia to correctly assess the new geopolitical realities and draw conclusions

Australia, UK to fight back against cyberattacks from China, Russia and Iran

Protesting residents of Armenias Parakar community march to territorial administration ministry

Armenia government approves protocol on implementation of readmission agreement with Lithuania

Iran suspends gas supplies to Turkey

MFA: Armenia has no preconditions for border delimitation

621 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Paris to have place named after Hrant Dink

Armenias Parakar enlarged community residents protesting outside government building

Turkey opposition party MPs petition for parliamentary inquiry into Hrant Dink assassination

France, Germany, Italy and Spain call on Israel to halt construction in East Jerusalem

Armenia parliament speaker in US, meets with Nancy Pelosi

Iranian MFA: Relations between Iran and Russia have moved into a new diverse, intensified direction

Biden says invasion of Ukraine will be disaster for Russia

Newspaper: Armenia PM Pashinyan plans to hold Presidents office

Newspaper: Opposition Armenia bloc, led by ex-President Kocharyan, starting new processes

Taliban PM calls on Muslim countries to be first to formally recognize their government

Saudi Arabia records lowest temperature in 30 years

Erdogan's visit to Ukraine scheduled for February 3

Russian peacekeeping contingent establishes order of passage through Lachin corridor

French Senate votes to ban hijab at sporting events

Armenian FM: All necessary conditions to be created for Demarcation Commission work

Olaf Scholz: Borders in Europe cannot be changed by force

Lavrov presents Armenian Ambassador to Russia, with the Order of Friendship

Bill Gates warns of pandemics far more serious than COVID-19

FM on mirror withdrawal of troops: Not a single Armenian village will be left without proper protection

Macron: EU countries must work together on agreement for stability and security

PM Pashinyan assumes accountability for Armenia special representative for negotiations with Turkey

Turkey Central banks and UAE sign agreement worth almost $5 billion

Blinken: Western countries need unity to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine

Iranian President performs evening namaz in Kremlin after talks with Putin

Turkish police detain women protesting price hikes in hygiene products

Delegation headed by Chief of the Cypriot National Guard General Staff has meetings in Armenia

Merkel refuses job in UN structure

Greece receives the first batch of French Rafale fighters

NEWS.am daily digest: 19.01.22

Azerbaijan hopes Pope to mediate in relations with Armenia

Talks between presidents of Russia and Iran start in Kremlin

Armenian FM: This is not first time Baku makes nonconstructive statements

Armenian Investigative Committee: 3,809 people die in the 44-day war

Ombudsman: I urge not to give in to Azerbaijani manipulations, to visit Artsakh

Armenian FM: Armenia passes a package of proposals to Azerbaijan

France names the main favorite of presidential election

Garo Paylan concludes address in Turkey parliament in Armenian

Russian Foreign Ministry believes there is no risk of large-scale war in Europe

Dollar goes up in Armenia

Sharmazanov: Armenia ex-President Sargsyan did not decide to hold press conference, he did not change his mind

Blinken: Russia has plans to increase force on Ukraine borders

:       

Azerbaijani military participate in Turkish drills

Taliban say all conditions for recognizing legitimacy of government are met

Azerbaijan MFA statement distorts events of Armenian massacres in Baku 32 years ago

Karabakh ombudsmans office: Azerbaijans anti-Armenian, genocidal policy has clear chronology

US official, Barzani are photographed against backdrop of Greater Armenia and Kurdistan map

Armenia ex-defense minister, army General Staff chief, some others criminal case court hearing kicks off

FM: Most important direction continues to be international recognition of Artsakh
With regard to? Frey responded. Then he added: There is a lot of pain and anger right now in our city. I understand that ... What we have seen over the past several hours and past couple of nights here in terms of looting is unacceptable.

He defended the city's lack of engagement with looters  only a handful of arrests across the first two nights of violence  and said, We are doing absolutely everything that we can to keep the peace. He said National Guard members were stationed in locations to help stem looting, including at banks, grocery stores and pharmacies.

The Minnesota State Patrol arrested a CNN television crew early Friday as the journalists reported on the unrest. While live on air, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez was handcuffed and led away. A producer and a photojournalist for CNN were also taken away in handcuffs.

The Minnesota State Patrol said the journalists were among four people arrested as troopers were clearing the streets and restoring order," and they were released after being confirmed to be media members. CNN said on Twitter that the arrests were a clear violation of their First Amendment rights." Walz publicly apologized on Friday.
H otels in Austria began reopening today as Europes tourism industry took another step towards normality.

Small concerts were also given the go-ahead from today and swimming pools can also reopen, while other recreational facilities and sights have been given the green light to resume.

The relaxation of controls is being backed by an expanding mass testing programme which is due to result in 65,000 tests per week on hotel staff from July to boost guests confidence in their safety. Rigorous cleaning and social distancing will also be required.

Todays changes in Austria come ahead of the scheduled reopening of its border with neighbouring countries such as Germany and are intended to help its important tourism industry get back on its feet.

In a further lift for holidaymakers on the continent, Croatia has reached ageeements allowing citizens of 10 countries the right to visit freely. The nations on the list include Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland, as well as Austria and Germany.

Meanwhile, in France, lockdown curbs in Paris are being eased after the countrys prime minister Edouard Philippe announced that the capital would be moved from red to orange status in recognition of the progress it had made in suppressing infection levels. It means that cafes and restaurants will be allowed to serve customers outdoors and the citys parks will also be reopened.

Museums and monuments will be allowed to admit visitors from Tuesday nationwide. Mr Philippe said restrictions in other parts of France, which are mostly rated green on the grounds they are deemed to be free of the virus, will enjoy even more relaxation of the rules with cafes, restaurants and bars allowed to fully reopen from next week.

Social distancing and other safety measures will be implemented with a limit of 10 allowed at each table.

Elsewhere in Europe, Italys education minister Lucia Azzolina has told RAI state television that pupils will hear the school bell ring again by September. She said those aged older than six would have to wear masks in class and keep a safe distance from classmates.

Earlier Italy had announced that high school students in their final year would be allowed back on June 17 to take the oral exams needed for graduation.
New Delhi: Two floors of the Civic Centre building were sealed after two employees of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation tested Covid-19 positive, a civic official said on Friday.

The Civic Centre, near Ramlila Ground in central Delhi, houses the headquarters of North and South Delhi civic bodies.

Ira Singhal, deputy commissioner and the North Corporations spokesperson said two employees tested Covid-19 positive on Thursday, and the 14th and 18th floors of the building were sealed on the same day. The floors of the building were sealed to contain the virus spread. All employees on these floors have been advised to work from home for two days. These floors will be opened on Monday after being properly sanitised, Singhal said.

Meanwhile, three more employees of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Friday tested Covid-19 positive, taking the total number of cases there recorded over the last three days to nine.

Over the last two months, a total of 12 cases have been reported from the NDMC. The administration sealed its Sansad Marg headquarters on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Dr Rajeev Sood, dean, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and RML hospital has been diagnosed with Covid-19 and has been admitted at Max hospital, Saket.
President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on May 28, 2020. (Doug MIlls-Pool/Getty Images)

Twitter Hides Trumps Tweet That Warned Rioters Against Looting

Twitter hid one of President Donald Trumps tweets from users, claiming the post was glorifying violence.

Continuing its unprecedented push to curtail communications from the nations top official, Twitter forced users to click if they wanted to view what Trump wrote but warned them: This tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence.

The post was not deleted because it may be in the publics interest for it to remain accessible, the social media company said.

Trump, who has over 80 million followers on Twitter, wrote late Thursday about the riots that exploded in Minneapolis this week. Rioters burned buildings, smashed cars, and invaded a police station.

The president promised to send in the National Guard if Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, doesnt bring the City under control.

The tweet that Twitter censored, from U.S. President Donald Trump, on a phone in Finland, on May 29, 2020. (Olivier Morin/AFP via Getty Images)

In a follow-up missivethe one Twitter censoredTrump wrote, These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

The White House didnt respond to a request for comment. On Friday, the White House posted what Trump wrote in full. Twitter also hid that tweet.

Twitter is targeting the President of the United States 24/7, while turning their heads to protest organizers who are planning, plotting, and communicating their next moves daily on this very platform. Twitter is full of [expletive]- more and more people are beginning to get it, Dan Scavino, a White House communications official, wrote on his social media page.

Trump took to the platform early Friday to accuse Twitter of ignoring lies and propaganda being put out by the Chinese Communist Party or Democratic lawmakers in the United States.

They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States. Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated! he said.

Twitters unprecedented interference in communications from the president of the United States comes after its first so-called fact check was placed on a tweet from Trump about alleged voter fraud.

Twitter has not placed any labels on tweets from former Vice President Joe Biden, Trumps presumptive challenger in the November presidential elections, nor has it appended fact checks to or hidden missives from any lawmakers, Democrat or Republican.

Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter Inc., testifies at a hearing to examine foreign influence operations use of social media platforms before the Intelligence Committee at the Capitol in Washington on Sept. 5, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

What about all of the lies and fraudulent statements made by Adam Schiff, and so many others, on the Russian Witch Hunt Plus, Plus, Plus? What about Chinas propaganda? WHOs mistakes? No flags? Trump added.

The companys actions prompted fierce backlash. Lawmakers said theyre moving to revoke the special status and immunity Twitter receives from publisher liability under the Communications Decency Act, arguing the fact check suggests the company is targeting Trump for political reasons.

Trump earlier Thursday signed an executive order directing federal agencies to develop regulations under the act, which protects social media companies from being sued for user content. Trump said he maintains a presence on Twitter to push back against what he described as news that is fake.

Twitter, in a statement explaining its latest move, claimed that Trumps tweet violates our policies regarding the glorification of violence based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today.

Weve taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts, but have kept the Tweet on Twitter because it is important that the public still be able to see the Tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance, it added.
Clinicians must carefully balance risk of complications linked to SARS-CoV2 infection with risks of delaying surgery, but study suggests threshold for surgery should be raised compared to normal practice

A new study highlights the risks of pulmonary complications in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who undergo surgery, according to an observational study of 1,128 patients across 24 countries, published in The Lancet. The study was conducted between 1 January and 31 March 2020 and included data from hospitals mainly in Europe and America with ongoing SARS-CoV-2 infection outbreaks.

In the study, post-operative pulmonary complications (such as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and/or unexpected postoperative ventilation) occurred in half of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who underwent surgery (51.2%, 577/1,128 people). Among patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who underwent surgery, 23.8% (268/1128) died within 30 days. Of those with pulmonary complications, over two-thirds (38%, 219/577 people) died within 30 days of their surgery.

The study also identified factors associated with worse outcomes. As well as being male or aged 70 years or older, patients with comorbidities and those undergoing cancer surgery, emergency or major surgery were among the most vulnerable.

Lead author Dr Aneel Bhangu from the University of Birmingham, UK, says: "Although the risks associated with COVID-19 need to be carefully balanced against the risks of delaying surgery for every individual patient, our study suggests that the thresholds for surgery should be raised, compared to normal practice. Medical teams should consider postponing non-critical procedures and promoting other treatment options, which may delay the need for surgery or sometimes avoid it altogether." [1]

Dr Ana Minaya-Bravo, Hospital Universitario del Henares and Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Spain, says: "When hospitals resume routine surgery, it's likely it will take place in environments that remain exposed to SARS-CoV-2. Hospital-acquired infection will remain a challenge, but strategies are urgently required to minimise it, as well as to minimise the risk of pulmonary complications for infected patients whose surgery cannot be delayed. Future studies should assess the role that preoperative testing could play in deciding which patients are selected for surgery." [1]

Patients undergoing surgery are a vulnerable group at risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in hospital and may be particularly susceptible to subsequent pulmonary complications, due to the increased inflammation and immunosuppressive responses to surgery and mechanical ventilation. A number of guidelines have been published for managing surgical patients during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, but this is the first study to examine the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pulmonary complications and death rates.

For the current study, researchers analysed outcomes from 1,128 patients across 235 hospitals in 24 countries. Most patients (74%, or 835/1,128) underwent emergency surgery, and 24.8% (280/1,128) had elective surgery, with data missing for 13 patients. The reasons to operate were benign disease (54.5%, or 615/1,128) [2], cancer (24.7%, or 278/1,128) and trauma (20.1%, or 227/1,128), with the reasons missing for eight patients.

The patients included in the study had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 within seven days leading up to their operation, or 30 days following surgery. The researchers gathered data on 30-day post-surgery death rates and pulmonary complications.

Pulmonary complications occurred in 51.2% (577/1,128) of patients. Of those with pulmonary complications, 38.0% (219/577) died within 30 days of their operation, accounting for 81.7% (219/268) of all deaths in the study. Overall, 23.8% (268/1,128) of patients died within 30 days.

The authors say that these rates for mortality and pulmonary complications are higher than those associated with even the highest risk groups before the pandemic. However, they note that it was not feasible for participating hospitals, many of which were experiencing significant stress due to the pandemic, to collect data on all patients undergoing surgery, so comparisons were not made during the same period against patients not infected with SARS-CoV-2. Instead, the authors provide comparisons to pre-pandemic mortality rates and pulmonary complications, which should be interpreted with caution.

For example, a 2016 study across 58 countries reported 30-day mortality of 14.9% in a high-risk subgroup who underwent emergency, major surgery of the abdomen (midline laparotomy) [3], and a 2019 study across 211 hospitals from 28 European countries found a pulmonary complication rate of 8%. [4] The death rate of 38% approaches that of the sickest patients with community acquired COVID-19 who are admitted to intensive care. [5]

In the new study, a greater proportion of men died (28.4%, or 172/605) compared to women (18.2%, or 94/517). Of people aged 70 and over, 33.7% (188/558) died, which contrasts to 13.9% (79/567) of patients under 70-years-old. The subgroup with the highest mortality rate were men aged 70 and above. Those with severe comorbidities (ASA grades 3-5) were more likely to develop pulmonary complications than those with mild comorbidities (ASA grades 1-2) (59.4%, 407/685 patients with severe comorbidities vs 39.4%, 153/386 patients with mild comorbidities).

The type of surgery also had an impact on patients' prognosis. Death rates were higher after emergency surgery than after elective surgery (25.6%, or 214/835 versus 18.9%, or 53/280), and after cancer surgery (27.1%, or 68/251) than after surgery related to benign conditions and obstetrics (21.7%, or 133/613).

The authors note that although this is the first multi-country study that reaches across all surgical specialties, it has some limitations. The data were collected at the early stages of the pandemic, when routine testing was not available at all locations, therefore some patients (6%) were included on the basis of clinical diagnosis rather than a laboratory test confirming SARS-CoV-2. Future studies will need to investigate the role of pre-operative testing in patient selection for surgery, and the authors call for longer-term studies to collect data on a wider range of outcomes, to enable surgeons and patients to make evidence-based decisions about whether to go ahead with surgery.

The findings are based on data collected mostly in European and North American hospitals, but are also relevant to countries where large-scale outbreaks are yet to take place.

Writing in a linked Comment, Paul S. Myles, Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia (who was not involved in the study) notes some limitations of the study, including the lack of control group and that testing was not standardised, which may lead to uncertainty around COVID-19-attributed mortality and respiratory complications. He adds: "Nevertheless, these results are worrying because the rate of poor outcomes exceeded those seen in most types of major surgery. Severe COVID-19 is associated with a marked inflammatory and prothrombotic state. These pathological processes are exacerbated by surgery and immobilisation, leading to a perfect storm detrimental to good postoperative outcomes... The study highlights the need for clear perioperative guidelines for emergency and elective surgery during the pandemic. Further research is needed to define what threshold of community prevalence would threaten adequate supplies of PPE and hospital capacity as elective surgery recommences... Most patients in the study came from Italy, Spain, the UK, and the USA--these countries' health systems were all largely overwhelmed in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff training, PPE, intensive care unit (ICU) beds, and ventilators were often scarce or insufficient. Countries vary widely in terms of their capacity to respond to an outbreak of a novel infectious disease... Some elective (eg, cancer surgery or caesarean section) and most non-elective surgery must continue throughout any pandemic, and if the prevalence of COVID-19 is low and hospital resources are coping with demand for ward and ICU beds, more elective surgery can recommence. Globally, many governments and professional bodies are moving from a position of curtailment to reopening of elective surgery. This requires a low prevalence in the community and access to SARS-CoV-2 testing, and ensuring there are sufficient trained staff, hospital and ICU beds, PPE, and all other necessary medical supplies."

###

Peer-reviewed / Observational study / People

NOTES TO EDITORS

This study was funded by funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, the Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Yorkshire Cancer Research, Sarcoma UK, the British Association of Surgical Oncology, the Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and the European Society of Coloproctology. A full list of the researchers involved in the study and their institutes can be found in the Article.

The labels have been added to this press release as part of a project run by the Academy of Medical Sciences seeking to improve the communication of evidence. For more information, please see: http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/AMS-press-release-labelling-system-GUIDANCE.pdf if you have any questions or feedback, please contact The Lancet press office pressoffice@lancet.com

[1] Quote direct from author and cannot be found in the text of the Article.

[2] Common operations for benign disease included appendicectomy, gallbladder surgery, and joint replacements.

[3] https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs.10151

[4] https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(18)30294-7

[5] https://www.icnarc.org/DataServices/Attachments/Download/b5f59585-5870-ea11-9124-00505601089b
Cecelia Anne Hamilton

August 7, 1943-May 27, 2020

Cecelia Anne Hamilton, 76, of Genoa, Nebraska, died Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Trenton, Nebraska.

A graveside service will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2020, at the Valley View Cemetery in Genoa with Pastor Tony Serbousek officiating.

Cecelia Anne Hamilton was born Aug. 7, 1943, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Earl and Helen (Lowe) Hamilton. She was the youngest of the family with two older brothers, Robert and James.

Cee grew up in several areas of Nebraska, as her father worked for the Union Pacific railroad. She graduated in 1961 from Cozad High School. In 1962, she graduated with honors from The Colorado Institute for Medical Assistants. She then began her career as a lab technician in Denver, Colorado. On Oct. 1, 1966, Cee married William Brooks. They moved to Lochbuie, Colorado to farm and ranch. On Feb. 17, 1973, their only child, Ann Marie, was born. Cee took great pride in being a mom and loved living on the farm. She devoted her time helping Ann with countless 4-H animals and projects. Cee always took the extra time to make holidays special. She never let the Colorado snow stop an Easter egg hunt, and intentionally labeled Christmas presents with the wrong names just for fun.

In 1994, Cee returned to Genoa, Nebraska, to care of her mother. She also worked at Becton-Dickson during this time and retired in 2008. Cee loved fishing, scrapbooking, restoring antiques, playing cards, and reading. One of her greatest joys came when she was fishing at her pond with her granddaughters or watching them participate in sports. She was so proud that each of them graduated from college. Cee would want each of us to remember that she will always be in our hearts. We will just have to listen more closely.

Cee is survived by her daughter, Ann (Randall) Rath of Trenton, Nebraska; granddaughters, Kaylen Rath of Aurora, Nebraska; Marlee Rath of Wichita, Kansas; and Taylor (Andrew) Willis of Aurora, Nebraska; great-grandchildren, Austyn and Ledger Willis of Aurora, Nebraska; brother, Robert (Joeann) Hamilton of Tucson, Arizona; sister-in-law, Ginny Hamilton of Lincoln, Nebraska; as well as many nieces; nephews; and friends.

Cee was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Helen Hamilton; and brother, James Hamilton.
EDWARDSVILLE  Derek Huber, 50, has been a firefighter, paramedic and emergency medical technician for 20 years. But but Edwardsville Fire Department firefighter/paramedic uses extra precautions when the ambulance is called out to a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19.

I have to protect myself to make sure I dont take it home to my family, said Huber, who has a wife and a a child at home.

Huber said he puts on a gown, gloves, an N-95 face mask and a face shield for work, taking as little risk as possible of contracting the virus.

Youre in close contact, so you have to use precautions, he said.

He said suspected COVID-19 patients are treated the same as confirmed cases. The suspected cases have the usual symptoms of shortness and fever, he said.

Huber said he is not as nervous as some other people may be when performing a service on a COVID-19 patient, but there have been certain challenges over the past eight weeks or so.

There have been huge changes in the type of personal protective equipment we have had available, he said. It has been helter-skelter.

More Information LOOKING FOR HEROES Do you know someone who's been a community hero during the coronavirus pandemic? The Telegraph wants to shine a light on everyday people doing great things during this crisis. If you know someone, send a note and photo to theintelligencer.news@thetelegraph.com to say who they are and what they have been doing. See More Collapse

For example, Huber said that, at first, fire fighters were asked to wear N-95 face masks. But then the supply ran short and they were told to wear surgical masks. Then the N-95 variety became available again, so they switched back.

In addition to being a paramedic, Huber teaches classes to other first-responders and is the infectious disease coordinator for the department.

Im the one who gets contacted if anyone is exposed to any kind of pathogen, he said.
'Passive' visual experiences play a key part in our early learning experiences and should be replicated in AI vision systems, according to neuroscientists.

Italian researchers argue there are two types of learning  passive and active  and both are crucial in the development of our vision and understanding of the world.

Who we become as adults depends on the first years of life from these two types of stimulus  'passive' observations of the world around us and 'active' learning of what we are taught explicitly.

In experiments, the scientists demonstrated the importance of the passive experience for the proper functioning of key nerve cells involved in our ability to see.

This could lead to direct improvements in new visual rehabilitation therapies or machine learning algorithms employed by artificial vision systems, they claim.

The passive visual experience has potential clinical implications, for the study of new visual rehabilitation therapies, and technological implications, where it could lead to an improvement of the learning algorithms employed by artificial vision systems

'The development of artificial visual systems currently uses mainly "supervised" learning techniques, which require the use of millions of images,' said lead researcher Davide Zoccolan, director of the visual neuroscience lab at the SISSA research institute in Trieste, northeastern Italy.

'Our results suggest that these methods should be complemented by "unsupervised" learning algorithms that mimic the processes at work in the brain, to make training faster and more efficient.'

Humans' very first visual experiences in the womb play a key role in teaching the brain to see and are fundamental to vision development, the experts say.

From the early stages of gestation, our visual system is subject to continuous stimuli that become increasingly intense after birth.

These stimuli are at the centre of the learning mechanisms that, according to some theories, are fundamental to the development of vision.

The study shows the importance of passive visual experience for the maturation and the proper functioning of some key neurons involved in the process of vision

But there are two different types, the team argue, and one has been perhaps prioritised at the expense of the other.

'Learning comes in two flavours  either "supervised"  guided by a teacher  or "unsupervised"  based on spontaneous, passive exposure to the environment,' said Zoccolan.

'The first is the one we can all associate with our parents or teachers, who direct us to the recognition of an object.

'The second one happens spontaneously, passively, when we move around the world observing what happens around us.'

NEURONS: SPECIAL CELLS THAT TRANSMIT NERVES A neuron, also known as nerve cell, is an electrically excitable cell that takes up, processes and transmits information through electrical and chemical signals. It is one of the basic elements of the nervous system. In order that a human being can react to his environment, neurons transport stimuli. The stimulation, for example the burning of the finger at a candle flame, is transported by the ascending neurons to the central nervous system and in return, the descending neurons stimulate the arm in order to remove the finger from the candle. the diameter of a neuron is about the tenth size of the diameter of a human hair Advertisement

These two types of stimuli aid development of the visual system  in particular, the maturation and the proper functioning of some key neurons, or nerve cells, that are involved in the process of vision.

For their study, Zoccolan and PhD student Giulio Matteucci studied the role of spontaneous visual experience and, in particular, the role of the 'temporal continuity of visual stimuli'  a constant and immersive visual experience over time.

'By temporal continuity we mean the typical, smooth transformation of the visual input that takes place during natural vision,' said Zoccolan.

'When we look at the world, we typically see things that change in the retinal image smoothly  for instance, because they move from one place to another place of the visual field or because they move closer to us, thus becoming gradually bigger in the retinal image.'

Temporal continuity is considered fundamental for the maturation of the visual system by some theoretical models that mathematically describe the biological learning processes.

In experiments at the lab, the researchers exposed two groups of young rodents to different visual environments in video clips on a daily basis.

Rats were shown a series of videos in either their original format or randomly shuffled single frames, which destroyed the temporal continuity of visual experience.

Much of what we will be as adults depends on the first years of life, on what we simply observe happening around us and not only on what we are taught explicitly

Rodents exposed to the discontinuous visual flow we showed impaired of the maturation of some cells of the visual cortex in the brain, called 'complex'.

'These neurons play a key role in visual processing  they allow recognising the orientation of the contour of an object regardless of its exact position in the visual field, a perceptual ability that only recently has been implemented in artificial vision systems,' said Zoccolan.

'Having shown that their maturation is highly sensitive to the degree of continuity of visual experience is the first direct experimental confirmation of the theoretical prediction.'

This finding reveals how important passive visual experience is for the development of the visual system.

'The kind of learning process mediating such development is called "unsupervised learning"  a term often used also in the field of machine vision and artificial intelligence  given its spontaneous, passive nature that does not require a teacher guiding explicitly the learning,' said Zoccolan.

Some forms of spontaneous or passive learning are the basis of elementary visual function developing, while other forms of learning, such as those experienced in school, only come into play later during the acquisition of more sophisticated skills, Zoccolan and his colleague argue.

As well as better AI and machine learning, awareness of the passive system could help develop new visual rehabilitation therapies for children with sight problems.

'In some developing countries, there are children suffering from congenital cataract, who, after the surgery to remove it, have to develop substantially from scratch their visual recognition skills,' said Zoccolan.

'Already today, some rehabilitative approaches exploit the temporal continuity of specific visual stimuli  for example, geometric shapes in motion  to teach these patients to discriminate visual objects.

'Our results confirm the validity of these approaches, revealing the neuronal mechanisms behind it and suggesting possible improvements and simplifications.'

The research has been published in Science Advances.
Petrofac, a leading international service provider to the energy industry, said that its Engineering & Production Services division (EPS) has secured a further six-month contract extension with Basra Oil Company (BOC) for its long-standing Iraq Crude Oil Export Expansion Project (ICOEEP).



The facility, which is one of the largest export terminals in the Gulf and handles around 50 per cent of Iraqs crude oil exports, is located 60 km offshore the Al Fao Peninsula in Southern Iraq. It comprises a central metering and manifold platform and four Single Point Moorings which facilitate oil export onto awaiting crude carrier tankers.



In addition, Petrofac is responsible for almost 300 km of subsea pipelines, 1800 metres of subsea and floating hose infrastructure and a marine spread comprising 14 vessels.

Mani Rajapathy, Managing Director, EPS East, said: We are delighted to be awarded this further contract extension in Iraq by our longstanding client BOC. During this current challenging period for operations we have continued to work well together, improving the daily export beyond two million barrels. We thank BOC for their consistent support and look forward to maintaining the best-in-class operation of this important national asset.



Ihsan Ismaael, Director General of BOC commented: Petrofac continues to be a true partner to BOC, ensuring uninterrupted and record exports. We appreciate their commitment, particularly during this recent period, and congratulate them for hitting new export highs.



Petrofac has been present in Iraq since 2010. Today, Petrofac employs around 400 people in country and is currently working on a number of projects for a variety of NOC and IOC clients.  TradeArabia News Service
Press Release

May 29, 2020 To prevent abuses

Drilon seeks repeal of criminal provision of Bayanihan law Alarmed by abuses in the implementation of the law, Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon sought to repeal Section 6 of Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act that punishes several acts including spread of fake news. "I have extreme reservations about renewing Section 6 of RA 11469 because of what we have seen as the way it is implemented by those who are in charge. We have seen how law enforcers have used this provision to arrest people for acts which otherwise would not justify arrest without warrants," said Drilon during a Senate hearing on the possible extension of RA 11469. "The alleged violators are mostly the poor and vulnerable who are driven by the hunger and the lack of jobs," he lamented. Drilon emphasized that the principal purpose of RA 11469 is "to address an emergency and protect the health of our people" and "not to punish a crime per se." Thus, Drilon added: "We should not criminalize the law." Philippine National Police Chief Archie Gamboa, who attended the hearing, did not oppose the proposed repeal. The former justice secretary feared that Section 6 is being used by law enforcers to justify possible abuses, citing, for instance, indiscriminatory arrests without warrants and discriminatory application of the law. He cited the arrest of Cebu-based artist Maria Victoria Beltran and other netizens as well as the death of a former military officer for allegedly violating quarantine rules. He also cited cases of abuses that happened in Santa Cruz, Laguna, where five youths were locked up inside a dog cage for violation of quarantine rules and the case of three members of the LGBT community in Mexico, Pampanga, who were ordered to kiss each other and perform "sexy dance" as a way of punishing them. Section 6 of RA 11469 enumerated several acts considered illegal and are punishable under the act with imprisonment of two months or a fine of not less than P10,000 but not more than P1 million, or both, to be determined by the court. These include (1) LGU officials disobeying national government policies; (2) hospital owners who refuse to operate in accordance with the directive of the President; (3) hoarding, profiteering, price manipulation, product deceptions, cartels, etc.; (4) refusal to prioritize and accept essential contracts for materials and services; (5) refusal to provide grace periods to loan payments; (6) spread of fake news; and (7) failure to comply with reasonable limitations on the operation of certain transportation sector. "Imprisonment is counter-productive. We arrest people for curfew and mass gathering violations, only to place them in overcrowded detention centers where the virus can easily spread. There are least 517 detainees who have contracted the disease," Drilon said. Supreme Court Administrator Midas Marquez on Friday said that 22,522 persons deprived of liberty or detainees have been released during the enhanced community quarantine period as a result of 3,201 videoconference hearings conducted by the courts, adding this helps prevent the spread of the virus. "We should not criminalize the Bayanihan law because its objectives may be achieved without it being punitive," he added. Besides, Drilon said some of the crimes cited in Bayanihan law are already punished in other laws. For instance, the Bayanihan Law punishes those engaged in hoarding, profiteering, injurious speculations, manipulation of prices, product deceptions, and cartels. The same crimes are punished under Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act, and RA 9502 or the Universally Accessible and Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act. In the case of individuals or groups creating, perpetuating or spreading false information regarding COVID-19 crisis on social media and other platforms, Drilon said RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Law is applicable.
Update

Four men charged with possession of firearms and ammunition in Clara Co. Offaly on Wednesday have been refused bail.

23 year old Hugo Rodrigues and 34 year old Jefferson Dos Santos both with an address in Ballymahon, Co. Longford, 36 year old Sergio Machada Filho with an address in Temple Bar in Dublin, and 29 year old Ildomar Cabrar De Silva of no fixed abode appeared before Portlaoise District Court this morning.

All four men each face a further charge of breaching Covid-19 restrictions.

They have been remanded in custody to appear before Cloverhill District Court next Wednesday.

Suspected South American hit squad charged after Offaly arrest

Four men arrested in Clara Co. Offaly this week after the seizure of guns and ammunition have been charged in relation to the investigation.

They are due to appear in Portlaoise District Court this morning at 10.30am.

The men are believed to be part of a "hit squad" hired to kill a person by participants in an ongoing local feud.

The four men were arrested Wednesday morning in Clara in Co. Offaly after being intercepted by armed officers from the Emergency Response Unit.

A number of guns and several rounds of ammunition were also seized.

The men are all of South American origin and believed to be from Brazil.

It is understood it began over a 100 drugs debt.

All four men were being held at garda stations across the midlands.
CHICAGO, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report, the "Inline Metrology Market by Offering (Hardware, Software), Product (CMM, Machine Vision Systems, Optical Scanners), Application (Reverse Engineering, Quality Control & Inspection), Industry, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Inline Metrology Market is expected to grow from USD 390 million in 2020 to USD 801 million by 2025, at a CAGR of 15.5%. The growth of the inline metrology market is driven by the factors such as increasing global adoption of smart metrology solutions, rising global spending on research and development activities for automation technologies, and growing use of smart 3D sensors worldwide.

Ask for PDF Brochure:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=55767366

Quality control and inspection application to grow at high rate from 2020 to 2025

The inline metrology market for quality control and inspection application is expected to grow at a significant rate from 2020 to 2025. Manufacturing companies are outsourcing inspection and quality control services to reduce measurement time, eliminate measurement uncertainty, enable process stability, and enhance test instrument capability. The high costs incurred in setting up metrology facilities and the lack of inline metrology experts are the factors expected to hinder the growth of the global inline metrology market.

Automotive industry held largest share of Inline metrology market in 2019

The automotive industry held the largest share of the inline metrology market in 2019. The growing demand for automobiles in developing countries across the world, such as Russia, South Africa, and China, is creating the need for high-speed inspection of automotive manufactured parts, which propels the growth of the inline metrology market

Browse in-depth TOC on "Inline Metrology Market"

99 - Tables

44 - Figures

160 - Pages

Inquiry Before Buying:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=55767366

Inline metrology market in APAC to grow at highest rate during forecast period

The inline metrology market in APAC is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. APAC is the largest manufacturing hub globally; it is also emerging as a large-scale hub for automotive manufacturing. The market in countries such as India and China of the region is expected to grow more rapidly than in other countries. Rapid urbanization and a large base of automobile manufacturers are some of the key factors contributing to the growth of this market in APAC.

Hexagon AB (Hexagon) (Sweden), Carl Zeiss (Germany), Perceptron (US), ABB Group (Switzerland), KUKA (Germany), Nikon Metrology (Belgium), AMETEK (US), LMI Technologies (US), Cognex (US), Jenoptik (Germany), KLA Corporation (US), FARO Technologies (US), and Renishaw (UK) are a few key players in the inline metrology market.

Related Reports:

3D Metrology Market by Offering (Hardware, Software, Services), Product (CMM, ODS, VMM, 3D AOL), Application (Reverse Engineering, Quality Control & Inspection, Virtual Simulation), End-user Industry, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2024

Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) System Market by Type (2D AOI, 3D AOI), Technology (Inline AOI, Offline AOI), Industry (Consumer Electronics, Telecommunications, Automotive, Medical Devices, Aerospace & Defense) and Region - Global Forecast to 2025

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Aashish Mehra

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com

Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com

Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/inline-metrology-market.asp

Content Source https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/inline-metrology.asp

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg
Taking note of massive locust attack, Himachal Pradesh on Thursday issued a high alert in districts of Kangra, Una, Bilaspur and Solan, after the swarms of locusts destroyed crops in adjoining states.

As per an official release, farmers have been asked to report any sightings of the locusts to nearest agriculture officers. The field functionaries have been alerted to keep constant vigilance on locust activity and get ready to control any emergency situation.

"Desert locusts usually fly with the wind at a speed of about 16-19 km per hour depending on the wind. When swarm settles down in a particular area it should be quickly treated chemically, mechanically beaten and buried by digging trenches," Himachal Pradesh's Director of Agriculture, RK Koundal said.

"At present, the primary method of controlling desert locust swarms and hopper bands is mainly with organophosphate chemical applied in small concentrated doses [referred to as ultra-low volume (ULV) formulation] by vehicle-mounted and aerial sprayers and to a lesser extent by a knapsack and hand-operated sprayers. Small patches of locust should be immediately sprayed by ULV," he said.

READ | Locust Swarms Enter MP's Balaghat District From Maharashtra

Himachal Pradesh prepared for potential Locust Attack

As per reports, Bio-Control Laboratory, Kangra and Mandi have been directed to prepare Metarhizium and Beauveria bio-insecticides at their full capacities. Koundal asserted that presently no locust activity has been reported from any part of the state and necessary steps for locust control have already been taken.

"Field Officers have been directed to keep continuous watch and report any activity of the locust in the fields to the Agriculture Directorate for rebuffing the locust attack effectively," Koundal further said.

READ | Telangana Govt Taking Precautions To Avert Entry Of Locusts Into State: CM

Government's measures

The Union Agriculture Ministry on Thursday said that 15 sprayers are being procured from the UK in a fortnight and plans are afoot to deploy drones and helicopters for the aerial spray of pesticides. Union Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that control measures are in full swing and in close coordination with state agriculture departments, local administration and Border Security Force (BSF).

Known to have travelled from the gulf, the huge swarms of locusts transit from Pakistan to India. The first locust attack of this year was reported from Ganganagar, a district in north Rajasthan bordering Pakistan on May 11 and have now spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

READ | UP Launches Locust Control Operations In Vulnerable Areas

READ | Locust Attack: Centre To Buy Sprayers From UK, Use Helicopters, Drones To Spray Pesticides

(With ANI inputs)
In his first in-person press conference since the middle of March, Gov. Tom Wolf moved 16 counties, including the Pittsburgh area, into the green phase in his plan to reopen the state.

Wolf and Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine talked about the coronavirus, the states efforts to combat it and the reopening of Pennsylvania. The governor said the state intends to open school for in-person classes in the fall, with more guidance for schools coming next week.

The press conference, which lasted for about 55 minutes, covered a host of other topics, including testing, prohibitions on large gatherings and contact tracing.

You can watch it here.

May 29 COVID-19 Update Please join us as we provide the latest COVID-19 reopening guidance for Pennsylvania. Posted by Pennsylvania Department of Health on Friday, May 29, 2020

The news conference comes as the first counties have moved into the green phase - the least restrictive phase - of the governors plan to gradually reopen the state. The three phase plan uses the colors of traffic lights: red, yellow and green.

Wolf announced 16 more counties would go green, including the Pittsburgh area. In recent weeks, the governor has announced the easing of restrictions in certain areas on Fridays.

These 16 counties will move to the green phase on June 5, Wolf said: Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clinton, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Lycoming, Mercer, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

When that happens, 34 counties - more than half of the states counties - will be in the least restrictive phase.

More testing still needed

Wolf hailed the states improved testing capacity. He said the state reached a daily high of more than 13,000 tests a few days ago. He said the state has 300 testing sites, more than any state in the country.

Its not just the number of tests," Wolf said. "Its how accessible those tests are to Pennsylvanians.

Levine was asked about lifting restrictions in larger areas. Levine said testing, which was initially around 3,500 to 4,000 per day, has now regularly exceeded 10,000 per day. She said 45 long-term care facilities have tested everyone.

The health secretary testing dipped over the Memorial Day holiday weekend and has dropped on weekends. She said the state is working with Rite-Aid, CVS and others to do more testing and is engaged in outreach to vulnerable communities.

We want to continue to expand our testing, Levine said.

Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf meets with the media in person for the first time since at PEMA headquarters in Harrisburg as Dr. Rachel Levine, Secretary of Health, left, looks on, on May 29, 2020. Joe Hermitt | PennLive

The governor said there is still much work to be done.

Were not even close to the point where we can do surveillance testing, Wolf said, referring to giving tests to everyone who wants a test. He said thats way off in the future.

We still dont have enough tests," Wolf said. "We still dont have a vaccine. We still need to be careful.

Wolf urged Pennsylvanians to wear masks to limit the spread of the virus.

I dont know why wearing masks has been politicized, Wolf said.

The health secretary also said the state is looking to employ several thousand people in contact tracing, the process of tracking down everyone who has been exposed to someone who has been infected.

Levine and Wolf have pointed to the decline of new cases, even as the state has done more coronavirus testing.

About 64 percent of those who have been infected with the virus have recovered, Levine said.

Schools

Wolf said the state is planning to open schools for in-person classes in the fall.

We are going to be opening schools, whether its in August or September, Wolf said. Schools may look different.

But when asked if schools will open for in-person classes in the fall, Wolf said, No question.

We are doing everything to make sure schools open in the fall, Wolf said.

There may be fewer kids in classrooms and more robust remote instruction. He said the state Department of Education is expected to have guidelines next week.

Levine said the state is looking for rapid tests, such a nasal swab, that could yield results in 15 or 20 minutes and could be administered by someone who isnt a health professional. Now, Levine said, it takes 24 to 48 hours to get test results. A rapid-response test would be immensely helpful for schools and businesses.

Lawmakers COVID-19 diagnosis

Wolf was asked about the fallout at the State Capitol from the delayed notice about a state lawmakers positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Rep. Andrew Lewis, a Dauphin County Republican, publicly shared on Wednesday he had been in self-isolation the last two weeks after being exposed to the coronavirus. Democratic lawmakers criticized House GOP leadership for not disclosing that a member has been infected earlier.

Wolf said if he was diagnosed with the coronavirus, he would disclose it immediately.

Large events

The governor was asked about the return of large events, including Carlisle Events planning to host a show in June. Wolf didnt address that event specifically but said he thought businesses and promoters shouldnt take chances by holding large gatherings and potentially endangering their customers.

I dont know why youd want to do that, Wolf said.

In the green zone, events of larger than 250 are prohibited. Wolf said while state police could issue citations, but ultimately it will be up to businesses to make good decisions. He likened the limit of gatherings of 250 people to a stop sign. Gatherings beyond that size would be tempting fate," Wolf said.

The enforcement is self-enforcement," Wolf said. "Its not whether the state police issue citations. I guess they can.

Wolf said he thinks everything will look different in the fall.

What does a whiteout at Penn State look like in the fall?

Pressure to reopen

Wolf was asked about pressure from his fellow Democrats to reopen the state.

Im getting pressure from all over the place, including myself, Wolf said. Im frustrated with where we are.

I want to get back to normal, Wolf said.

The governor notes the state succeeded in buying time to ensure the health care system had the capacity to deal with infected patients. Less than 400 people are now on ventilators, he noted.

With Dauphin County and several others moving to the yellow phase, 10 counties in Pennsylvania - including the Philadelphia region - remain under a stay-at-home order. And those counties will move to the yellow phase next week.

On Friday, Dauphin County and seven other counties entered the yellow phase, which allows more businesses to reopen, with some restrictions. These other counties moved to the yellow phase Friday: Franklin, Huntingdon, Lebanon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, and Schuylkill.

Also Friday, 18 counties have moved into the green phase, which is the least restrictive. These counties have gone green: Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, and Warren.

Wolf has said the remaining 10 red counties will be lifted from the stay-at-home order and move into the yellow phase on June 5. They include Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery; Berks; Lancaster; Lackawanna, Lehigh and Northampton.

The governor said hes accepted the recommendations on easing restrictions from his administration. He said he hasnt vetoed any recommendations from his staff.

Wolf was asked about moving away from what had been a key benchmark in reopening counties: fewer than 50 new cases per 100,000 residents for 14 days. The governor and Levine said that metric is less essential since the state is increasing its testing.

We have access to more data, Wolf said.

Levine said the state is using several models from researchers examining cases. She has also said health care capacity and the ability to do contact tracing are factors in easing restrictions.

Media access

Media organizations have been pressing the governor to resume in-person press conferences. His press conference today marks his first where reporters were present since March 17.

Wolf has done news conferences virtually, with reporters asking questions through a moderator or in phone conference calls, but they have typically been 30 minutes or less and havent allowed follow-up questions.

More from PennLive

An Election Day like never before: Mail-in balloting, new voting machines, multi-day counts for Pa.'s primary

Coronavirus reopening in Pa.: What to expect if your county moves to the yellow or green phase on Friday

Delayed notice of Pa. lawmakers COVID-19 diagnosis spurs outrage, calls for investigation

Massive unemployment scam strikes up to 58,000 people in Pa., far more than previously known

A window of hope during the coronavirus pandemic: More portraits of how central Pennsylvania is coping, week 8

What will fall look like at central Pa. colleges? For now, plans are in limbo
On the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, the much-revered palkhis (palanquins) of the pre-eminent saints of Maharashtra, Sant Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram maharaj, will reach Pandharpur by air instead of the annual pilgrimage on foot. This would mark a major departure for the Palkhi tradition of the last seven centuries.

Following a meeting here on Friday, Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and the aggravated situation in Maharashtra, the palkhis with the silver paduka (footwear) of the saints will be carried by air to Pandharpur. This decision was announced after a meeting at the council hall here on Friday with the trustees of the temple trusts at Pandharpur, Dehu and Alandi.

Every year in June, almost seven lakh to a million warkaris (pilgrims) from Maharashtra and the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, participate in the palkhi procession. The procession embarks from the pilgrim centres of Alandi and Dehu in Pune district and the pilgrims march through the day and rest at night, reaching Pandharpur after a fortnight.

Pawar said that the tradition over the centuries would be continued this year too. However, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the palkhis would be carried in a plane or a helicopter and not on foot. He said the precise mode of transport would be decided after taking the weather situation into consideration as the pilgrimage takes place during the monsoons in the month of June. If air travel is not suitable then the palkhis would be carried by bus, he said.

The deputy chief minister pointed out that the Palkhi procession passes through Pune, Satara and Solapur districts all of which have been affected by Covid-19. The procession on foot would therefore not be advisable, he said.

The guardian ministers of Solapur, Datta Bharne and Satara, Balasaheb Patil, respectively, agreed on the issue. On May 15, Pune Divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar had held a meeting with the temple trustees and it was decided that a final decision would be taken on Friday in Pawars presence. The representatives of the warkaris (pilgrims) also agreed with the decision arrived at by the state government.

Divisional commissioner Mhaisekar, Pune Police commissioner K Venkatesham, district collector Naval Kishor Ram and heads of the various temple trusts were among those present at the meeting.

Pawar appealed to the devout not to plan a visit to Pandharpur this year but view the ceremony on television at home.
(Alliance News) - British American Tobacco PLC's South African unit on Friday said it will relaunch an urgent legal action to challenge the country's ban on cigarette sales, despite lockdown measures easing from next week.

British American Tobacco South Africa warned that the ban threatens the survival of the local tobacco industry.

Earlier this month, BATSA, which accounts for a 78% share in the South African cigarette market, pulled out of a legal battle the tobacco industry was waging to challenge the government's ban on cigarette sales.

From Monday, South Africa, which has a five-step Covid-19 alert system, will move to level three, from the more stringent level four. Although curbs on alcohol sales will be relaxed, the ban of cigarette sales will remain.

In a statement on Friday, BATSA is supported in the latest legal challenge by Japan Tobacco International, as well as groups and organisations representing the tobacco value chain across the country, including consumers, tobacco farmers and retailers.

"Government has ... decided to maintain the ban on tobacco products under the guise of limiting the spread of Covid-19 while allowing all other previously banned consumer products to go back on sale," said Johnny Moloto, BATSA's head of external affairs.

"Given the situation, and the lack of any response from the government despite our ongoing efforts to engage with them, we are now commencing urgent legal proceedings," Moloto said, adding that the ban on tobacco sales is threatening the survival of the tobacco industry.

BATSA, he said, has made every effort to constructively engage with the government since the ban came into force.

"To date, no formal response has been received from the government, and BATSA has also not been included in any of the government's consultation processes so far," Moloto said.

BAT shares were 0.4% lower at ZAR700.25 each in Johannesburg on Friday, shortly before midday. On Friday morning in London, BAT's stock was trading 0.5% lower at 3,257.00 pence.

By Artwell Dlamini; artwelldlamini@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
TROY  San Diego detectives picked up a Brunswick man at the Rensselaer County Jail Friday to take him back to California to face a murder charge in the 1975 killing of a Navy dental technician.

Dennis LePage, 62, was taken from the jail at 10 a.m. and driven to Albany International Airport in Colonie, law enforcement sources said. At the airport, LePage and his law enforcement escort boarded a commercial flight on the first leg of the trip to San Diego.

San Diego authorities had until Saturday to retrieve LePage, who has been held in the county jail without bail for the last four months.

Police in San Diego allege that LePage killed 28-year-old Alvaro Espeleta, a dental technician in the Navy who was assigned to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.Espeleta was found dead in his apartment on Reynard Way in San Diego on Dec. 31, 1975. Two of Espeleta's co-workers went to his home to check on him when he did not show up for work and discovered his body.Police charged LePage after his fingerprints -- entered into a law enforcement database after a minor arrest -- matched evidence at the crime scene.

A San Diego District Attorney Office spokeswoman has said there would be no comment about the LePage case until he is back in California.

Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly said, "Mr. LePage has been turned over to California authorities. Our role is this case is now closed."

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

FBI agents and State Police arrested LePage on Jan. 24 on a fugitive from justice warrant. LePage had avoided any contact with police for 44 years until they found him in Brunswick. It was a minor charge that led to LePages fingerprints ending up in a law enforcement database that led authorities to him, according to a law enforcement source at the time.

Investigators from the San Diego Police Cold Case Unit, San Diego County District Attorney's Office Cold Case Unit, the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Southwest Field Office continued looking at the case and comparing the evidence against emerging forensic sciences and technology, a police statement said at the time of the arrest.

Due to the covidvirus pandemic, LePage was arraigned April 23 via a video conference held by Rensselaer County Court Judge Jennifer Sober on an extradition warrant signed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

At the hearing Assistant Public Defender Greg Cholakis told the judge he reviewed the application for the warrant and other documents provided to him by Chief Assistant District Attorney Matthew Hauf. Cholakis said at that time he had no basis to challenge the warrant.
BJP leader Lanka Dinakar on Thursday slammed Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government in Andhra Pradesh over financial aid of Rs 5,000 provided to religious service renderers from States biological disaster's accounts. The Department of Revenue of Andhra Pradesh government has released funds of Rs 33.92 crore to pay Rs 5,000 to archakas, imams, mouzzams, and pastors in the name of biological disaster, he said.

"As far as Hindu temples and religious places are concerned, those are being managed under the Endowment Department of Andhra Pradesh. It is viewing these things as revenue-generating sources for the government. The common good fund is getting through various temples to the government. How can the state government of Andhra Pradesh pay Rs 5,000 to archakas from biological disaster accounts?" he said, questioning the transparency of the Jagan Mohan government.

READ | Andhra Pradesh CM Exhorts Industries To Invest In State

READ | Andhra Pradesh: Scuffle Breaks Out Between Rival Factions Of YSRCP

'Objectionable move'

The BJP leader having acknowledged the temples' revenue as a contribution to the Andhra Pradesh government in times of need objected to being asked to pay for the entire aid and disaster relief. This amount should instead be utilised for helping migrant labourers and other needy, he added.

The Andhra Pradesh government had announced one-time assistance to the religious service renderers, who have no source of income from religious institutions due to lockdown. The government accorded an administrative sanction of Rs 33.92 crore towards one-time assistance of Rs 5,000 to 31,017 archakas, 7,000 of imams and mouzzams and 29,841 pastors in the state.

READ | YSRCP Govt's 1-year Rule Wrecked All Sections Of Andhra Pradesh: Chandrababu Naidu

READ | Andhra CM Completes One Year In Power; Says 90% Promises Made In Manifesto Fulfilled

(With inputs from ANI)
We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message.
As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ
MOSCOW -- As veteran NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken made final preparations aboard SpaceXs Crew Dragon capsule for the first manned orbital flight from U.S. soil in almost a decade, the Russian company that operates the famed Soyuz rocket marked a milestone of its own.

On this day in 2019, the Soyuz-2 was struck by the lightning 14 seconds after the liftoff. The mission wasnt affected, tweeted the company, GK Launch Services. Lightning is no problem for the Soyuz-2.

The post to GKs 1,500 followers might have gone unnoticed if events at Floridas Kennedy Space Center had not unfolded the way they did. Less than 16 minutes before SpaceXs scheduled liftoff on May 27, it was scrubbed due to fears of a lightning strike. Instead it was the oddly prescient tweet that took off, winning GK sarcastic praise on social media for mastering the art of trolling.



On May 30, Hurley and Behnken were successfully launched into space on SpaceXs second attempt, allowing the buccaneering start-up founded by American inventor Elon Musk in 2002 to break Russia's nearly decade-long monopoly on manned space flight.

The GK tweet tapped the combination of admiration, anxiety, and defiance with which government officials, state TV pundits, and ordinary space industry observers in Russia have greeted that news.

Financial Losses

Since 2011, when U.S. space agency NASA retired its Space Shuttle program after nearly 30 years, Moscow has played a crucial role in facilitating American trips to the International Space Station (ISS), earning not only a reputation as a solid partner but also a steady income stream selling seats on its aged but reliable Soyuz spacecraft for upwards of $80 million. If successful, the SpaceX launch could spell the end of this lucrative partnership.

This means huge financial losses, said Ivan Moiseyev, a senior figure at the Institute of Space Policy, a Moscow think tank. It signals the end of a comfortable revenue source, and the termination of long-standing contracts.

SpaceX is not simply picking up where the U.S. governments Space Shuttle program left off in 2011. Delivering astronauts to space on a rocket engineered and manufactured by a private company, it is also culminating a decades-long campaign to make space into a new frontier of capitalism, throwing the gauntlet to Russian giants of the industry that inherited Soviet technology and at times saw their leading role in space exploration as assured.

Preconditions for that monumental shift were set in motion in 2014, when the U.S. government awarded contracts totalling some $6.8 billion to SpaceX and Boeing, another private company, to develop space exploration. In May, NASA inked another eight-year contract with Russia for a seat on the Soyuz spacecraft. It could be the last such contract signed.

WATCH: Soyuz Rocket Launch Succeeds After October Failure

Vadim Lukashevich, an aerospace engineer and aviation expert, believes a successful launch by SpaceX will force Russias space industry to innovate. The steady income it accrued from delivering U.S. astronauts to the ISS has become a narcotic, he said, which encouraged complacency and stifled progress.

Either we will pass into history along with all of our space achievements, like Portugal with its discovery of America and the voyages of Magellan, he said in an interview with TV channel Moskva-24, or we will have to seriously do something.

Restructuring

Russias space agency Roskosmos was restructured in 2015 amid efforts to revive an industry that has seen its funding streams decline and equipment age since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 -- NASA's annual expenditure almost equals Roskosmoss 10-year budget cycle. In May 2015, following another in a series of rocket failures, Roskosmos head Dmitry Rogozin cited a "systemic crisis" in the Russian space industry and promised sweeping changes.

But Russia will remain a powerful player in the space industry whether SpaceX succeeds or not, analysts said. With relations between the former Cold War superpowers at their lowest level in years, the space industry is one of a few areas in which bilateral cooperation continues. Foreign astronauts will continue to fly on Soyuz rockets under international agreements that require cosmonauts to become familiar with all types of spacecraft during training.

Russia will continue to be a space power, one of three capable of organizing manned flights to the ISS, said Vitaly Yegorov, a Russian blogger and space enthusiast, adding that China is the third. The main thing Roskosmos will lose is money.

For many Russian space fans, the prospect of a private U.S. company upstaging Roskosmos is a fascinating new development in an already dynamic industry. Readers of Yegorovs blog have followed events carefully, commenting on the various stages of SpaceXs program. But many have also voiced nostalgia or bitterness.

This will feel like a defeat mainly to those Russians who like to think the United States cant do anything right, he said. Some people react to these events under the influence of our media, and our media often likes to talk about the U.S. dependence on Russia.

Indeed, Russian state TV actively covered preparations for the aborted May 27 launch, and some commentators issued a triumphant note upon news of its failure. They wrote the script in advance, a presenter on flagship news channel Rossia-24 crowed.

The Americans think this will be a breakthrough, pro-Kremlin talk-show host Vladimir Solovyov said on his weekly radio program on May 27. But maybe they're celebrating too early? Maybe it's too early for them to say they've beaten and overtaken us?"

Russias ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, did not hold back in his assessment of events.

The Americans, with help from NATO and their allies, are purposefully seeking to make space into a sphere of military activity and possible clashes between our countries," he told Russian Defense Ministry TV channel Zvezda.

For its part, Roskosmos has shifted between coy and combative in its response to the steady erosion of its influence. It has not concealed its dissatisfaction with SpaceX, whose rapid progress has ensured that the Russian behemoths market share of heavy rocket launches has declined from an estimated 15 percent in 2016 to 6 percent in 2018.

Theyre constantly criticising Musk, accusing him of all kinds of things, said Moiseyev.

In March 2019, when an unmanned SpaceX Dragon craft successfully docked at the ISS in a major milestone for the company, a congratulatory tweet from Roskosmos failed to name Musks company, praising NASA instead.

Ahead of the aborted May 27 launch, Rogozin wished his American counterparts luck -- again without mentioning SpaceX or Musk.

Last month, Rogozin reiterated his charge that SpaceX was engaging in price dumping by lowering the cost of its commercial space launches in order to drive out rivals, and suggested Roskosmos would cut its own prices by 30 percent to undercut the competition.

But in a radio interview on May 26, Rogozin set out the stakes of the current moment and described the task at hand for Russia in stark, combative terms.

We must gather everything into a single clenched fist, he said. Only with a single clenched fist can we fight off the aggressive competition from our Western partners.
Advertisement

Only about half of people with coronavirus symptoms self-isolate for a week, scientists advising the Government have suggested, raising concerns over whether future outbreaks can be prevented.

The disclosure of low compliance with self-isolation - a key rule in curbing the spread of Covid-19 - comes days before the lockdown is eased.

Under the NHS test and trace programme, people in England will be told to quarantine themselves for two weeks, even if they don't show symptoms, if they come into contact with someone who has tested positive.

A document released on Friday shows behavioural experts informing the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) warned of the low compliance seen on a Department of Health and Social Care tracker.

They said: 'We strongly recommend monitoring and rapid research into adherence rates to all key behaviours and how to improve them, noting that based on DHSC tracker only around 50 per cent of people are currently reporting self-isolating for at least seven days when symptomatic with cough or fever.'

Their warning came on April 29 and an updated figure was not immediately available, but now people across the UK are beginning to be allowed to meet up outside, at a distance, and shops are starting to reopen.

SAGE released a raft of documents in a drive for transparency, including the minutes of 34 of their meetings since they began convening on coronavirus in January.

People walk past closed shops on Oxford Street in central London's main high street retail shopping area on May 29, 2020 ahead of some shops reopening from their coronavirus shutdown from next week

The four Home Nations now have significantly different sets of lockdown rules in place

The R rate is the critical value on which the Government is basing decisions as to whether to ease the lockdown. Pictured, people enjoying the warm weather in Potters Field next to Tower Bridge, London, on May 29

On May 5, scientists stressed that alterations to retail, leisure and schools not pushing the transmission rate 'R' above the crucial number of one are dependent on 'an effective test and trace programme' being in place.

As he launched the NHS test and trace programme this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted it would not reach the 'world-beating' standard he had promised until 'the next days as we go through June'.

From Monday different households will be able to see family and friends in groups of six, although social distancing measures will still have to be followed.

They will also be permitted to use gardens and private outdoor spaces, which was previously banned. Mr Johnson said that meant barbecues are possible.

Schools will start to reopen from Monday, and non-essential shops will follow from June 15.

Mr Johnson explicitly said last night that barbecues could be back on the agenda as long as people are careful with hygiene and social distancing.

But the SAGE minutes show scientists stressed that 80 per cent of an individual's contact would need to be traced for the programme to be effective.

They warned that there is a risk individuals become 'less willing to comply' if they are repeatedly asked to isolate and 'are impacted financially', heaping pressure on ministers to ensure there is sufficient support.

Downing Street was unable to say how many calls were made or contacts traced during the programme's first day of operation on Thursday.

Environment Secretary George Eustice insisted 'calls were definitely made' by tracers.

'I don't know how many cases were dealt with yesterday, I'm aware though that calls were made,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

The Sage minutes also laid out a series of potential hazards of mistiming the relaxation, from thousands of unnecessary deaths to regional riots.

The advisory has been warned that social distancing must be kept in place until the virus is gone and that returning to offices, hairdressers and nail bars could push the outbreak out of control again.

Papers warned that easing the lockdown region-by-region could lead to violent protests and tensions within the UK, but that different groups of people may face varying rules based on their risk of dying if they catch the disease.

The release of the documents - which SAGE committed to do for better transparency - comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week announced the biggest lockdown changes so far.

Schools will start to reopen next week, along with some outdoor businesses, and people will be allowed to meet in groups of six outdoors.

But infection rates are still high in hospitals and care homes and SAGE papers suggest that up to 25 per cent of more patients are catching the virus inside hospitals.

A handout image released by 10 Downing Street, shows Britain's Environment Secretary George Eustice attending a remote press conference to update the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street in central London on May 19, 2020

Sage, the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said infections in care homes and hospitals are pushing up the overall R number. Pictured, support workers with Michael Kidd, 82, at NHS Seacole Centre at Headley Court, Surrey

Scientific advice put to the Government in SAGE papers revealed:

Only around 50 per cent of people will actually self-isolate for a week if they have coronavirus symptoms;

Regional lockdowns could increase tensions and risk violence, much of it directed at the police;

Face masks are beneficial and scientists told officials two weeks before the public was given the advice;

Test and trace will not be enough to stop the virus spreading - social distancing must carry on until the coronavirus can be eradicated;

Up to 25 per cent of hospital patients diagnosed with the coronavirus caught it while they were being cared for;

A policy of 'social bubbles' could have encouraged the spread of the virus by opening the door to 'excessive' social networking.

Regional lockdowns could trigger violence

How is the lockdown being eased in England from Monday? What's changing? From Monday, people can meet outside in groups of up to six as long as those from different households continue to socially distance. - Can I visit family and friends? Yes . This means that family groups of no more than six can meet in parks and private gardens for chats and even barbecues. - How far am I allowed to travel? There are no mileage limits set for how far you are allowed to drive to visit family and friends in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, but the general advice is to remain in your local area as much as possible. However, people in Wales will still not be allowed to travel more than five miles from their home for any reason except work or to purchase essentials. Great, can we hug? Sadly no. You still cannot risk infection by being too close. The same goes for handshakes or kissing. If young children from different households are part of the group, they must not share paddling pools, climbing frames, slides or anything that would encourage them to be closer than two metres to each other. Can I stay overnight? Staying overnight at someone else's home will still not be allowed anywhere in the UK, while even going indoors for any other reason than to access a garden or use the bathroom is prohibited. However Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has advised that if the distance travelled to meet someone means that you have to use their bathroom, then 'perhaps you shouldn't be doing it'. Can we barbecue? Yes, but you must wash your hands, be careful about passing food or plates and keep 6ft apart. How about entering their house? Only if there is no other way of getting to the back of the property. What about using the toilet? You can, but you must thoroughly clean any surfaces you touch. To be extra safe, you could even use a paper towel to open and close bathroom doors and perhaps consider using a kitchen roll to dry hands rather than a towel. So what if it rains? You will have to stand under an umbrella or leave. You cannot shelter in someone else's home. Can we camp in the garden? No, Boris Johnson said he did not want you to stay overnight. Do I only have to see the same group? No, you can meet different people at different times, but try not to see too many in quick succession. Can those shielding take part? No, they must continue to shield if they're in the clinically extremely vulnerable group and have had a letter from their GP. What about the over-70s? If they are not in the shielding group. We are a family of six  can we meet anyone else? No. The guidelines say you can meet only up to six people at any one time. Can we visit a relative in a care home garden? It would depend on circumstances and the care home's management. - What else will I be allowed to do under the new measures? In England, Monday's lockdown easing will signal the reopening of schools to allow students in nurseries, early-years settings, and Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 to return to class. Some shops are also set to reopen, with outdoor retail and car showrooms able to resume operations. - When might restrictions be eased further? Boris Johnson has flagged that more restrictions will be eased on June 15, beginning with the reopening of other non-essential retail shops such as fashion or homeware retail. Other businesses, such as pubs, hairdressers and cinemas will have to wait until July before they can reopen, the Government has previously said. - And what's the timeline elsewhere in the UK? In Scotland, there is no set timeline as for when more measures might be lifted. The government's lockdown roadmap stipulates that a number of conditions must be met before any further action is taken, including evidence that the country's Covid-19 transmission is successfully under control. Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford is expected to announce on Friday that further plans on lifting restrictions will be unveiled in the coming weeks. Pending the country's rate of transmission remaining below one, a host of further restrictions are set to be eased in Northern Ireland on June 8, including the reopening of outdoor sports facilities, car showrooms and some non-essential retail stores. Outdoor weddings with a maximum of 10 people are also set to be allowed and hotels will be able to start taking forward bookings at their own risk. Advertisement

Imposing lockdowns on a region-by-region basis wouldn't work and could lead to a rise in attacks on the police, scientists warned.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed this week measures may be imposed on whole towns, if there are regional flare-ups of coronavirus cases.

But ministers were warned enforcing rules on certain regions 'would not be suitable' for the UK - despite its apparent success in China.

In one of the SAGE papers, two security experts said doing so may 'undermine the consensus that has been built on the need for restrictive measures'.

Professor Clifford Stott, a social psychologist at Keele University, and another author whose name was redacted said enforcing lockdowns on a region-by-region basis may 'lead to significant issue of disorder'.

Allowing sub-sets of the population to live normally 'undermines' the sense of 'we are all in this together' spirit, the pair said.

They added: 'Geographical division of a large urban area in the UK will inevitably intersect with ethnic and socio-economic boundaries.

'Those in lower socio-economic positions are more susceptible to the virus and therefore lockdown will be more likely in areas of poverty relative to wealth.

'Anger arising from communities who perceive they have been locked down unfairly would be directed at police in the majority of cases.

This is particularly problematic in areas... whose populations traditionally have more difficult historical relations with police and could easily lead to escalations.'

Restrictions imposed in the UK so far have yet to lead to any conflict because they have been perceived as fair, the experts said.

They added: 'Any sense of inequality... would likely lead to civil disorder and feed the propaganda of extremist groups and hostile states.

'Households may also fear retaliation if cases within a neighbourhood prevent release and may conceal cases as a result.'

----------------------------------------------------------

Social distancing must stay until vaccine or cure is found

Social distancing cannot go away until the coronavirus can be wiped out, vaccinated against or cured, top scientists say.

Government advisers regularly remind the public social distancing is 'here to stay' but SAGE documents ram home how indispensable it is in the long term.

Even a highly effective test and trace system which has 100 per cent compliance from the public would not be enough to keep the R below 1 on its own, SAGE was warned.

The SPI-M group said that people must make long-term reductions to the number of people they meet up with outside of work and change how they do so.

In papers submitted in April and May the group warned: 'Case isolation, household quarantine and app-based tracing, even with very high uptake levels, without some level of social distancing will not be sufficient to keep R below 1 on their own.'

It added: 'Even with contact tracing in place, there will need to be sustained, deep reductions in contacts outside work and schools to keep the reproduction number below 1.'

Keeping the R below 1 is crucial for preventing a second wave.

The group said trying to restrict social distancing only to specific groups, such as the over-45s, would require 'unrealistic' proportions of people to agree to it. Applying it to everyone would see benefits with a lower level of compliance.

Rules expected to continue in the long-term could include keeping distance from other people (currently 2m/6'6') and not having physical contact with people from outside your household.

The strictness of these would depend on the number of coronavirus cases being diagnosed in the population.

---------------------------------------------------------

Herd immunity could develop in a year but thousands would die

One of the only ways to get rid of distancing measures without a vaccine or cure would be to try and develop herd immunity SAGE was told, but tens of thousands of people would die.

Herd immunity, in which so many people catch a virus that it struggles to spread any more, could work if it turns out people are unable to catch the illness twice.

For a brief period at the start of the outbreak the Government had considered trying to slow down the virus but let it keep going so that herd immunity would develop, but there was massive public backlash when it emerged thousands would die as a result.

In a paper submitted to SAGE in April, SPI-M said: 'Maintaining a high incidence scenario [large number of infections] could allow measures to be progressively relaxed as population immunity developed.

'It would, however, take around one year to allow all measures to be removed using such an approach, even if all infections resulted in an effective, long-lasting immune response.

'Such a policy would result in tens of thousands of direct deaths from COVID-19 and it is unlikely that significant levels of population immunity could be achieved by autumn without ICU [intensive care units] being overwhelmed.'

Up to 25% of Covid-19 hospital patients catch virus during treatment

Up to a quarter of Covid-19 who need medical treatment caught the virus in hospital, government advisers warned.

And SPI-M told ministers the figure - compiled from 'several sources' - suggested this figure was 'highly likely' to be an under-estimate.

Scientists revealed their estimate, submitted on April 20, did not include people who acquire infection in hospital, leave and are then readmitted.

They called for an 'urgent investigation' into the true burden of healthcare-acquired infections.

And the experts suggested using some hospitals solely to treat Covid-19 patients, to reduce the rate of healthcare-acquired infections.

Rehab Support workers talk with patient Shirley Hughes, 86, as the first patients are admitted to the NHS Seacole Centre at Headley Court, Surrey on May 28, 2020, a disused military hospital, which has been converted during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic

Their estimate took into account data from provided to the Department of Health on a weekly basis, as well as Public Health England figures.

It comes amid claims 40 per cent of staff at a Weston-super-Mare hospital that shut to new patients over a spike in Covid-19 have tested positive for the infection.

Separate studies have suggested up to three per cent of NHS medics on coronavirus front-line unknowingly had the virus in April.

It raised the possibility that NHS workers were spreading the disease to vulnerable patients without knowing, treating them while infectious.

Opening pubs, restaurants and schools would speed up viral spread

Scientists cannot say how lifting lockdown will affect the speed at which the virus is spreading but fear reopening pubs, restaurants and schools would allow it to spiral.

SPI-M warned in a paper on April 1 that the more time people spend indoors with one another, the more likely it is that a second wave of coronavirus would emerge.

The Government, as it releases lockdown restrictions, is desperate to keep the virus's reproduction rate - the R - below 1, to make sure patients don't infect any more than one other person each.

Lockdown has pushed the R to somewhere between 0.7 and 0.9 but releasing the rules too soon will allow it to spiral again.

SPI-M said: 'Relaxing rules of the use of outdoor spaces, including working outdoors, is highly unlikely to make a significant direct difference to infection rates, as long as social distancing continues to be followed in this environment.

'There is limited evidence on the effect of closing of non-essential retail, libraries, bars, restaurants, etc., but it is likely that R would return to above 1 and a subsequent exponential growth in cases.'

They said that allowing people outdoor exercise and supermarket shopping were likely to have little effect on the R rate.

And large gatherings are also unlikely to boost an outbreak because they account for so few of people's personal contacts because they are attended infrequently.

But encouraging people to return to offices instead of working from home would likely have 'the largest effect' on the reproduction rate.

Fully reopening schools back to normal would also have a significant effect, the scientists said: 'Lifting any of the other measures in place, including school closures are almost certain to return R to above 1'.

However, SPI-M admitted that it was difficult to assess the true impact of different lockdown measures on the speed the virus spreads.

The group added: 'Measures have been introduced simultaneously or in quick succession, so their individual effects cannot be disentangled; self-imposed population behaviours may also complicate the picture.'

Terrorists could attack large gatherings while police short-staffed

Terrorists could carry out an attack on British soil while police forces are distracted by a lack of crime, experts warned.

In evidence submitted to ministers on May 4, behavioural scientists claimed it was 'an opportunity' for the UK to be rocked by an attack.

SPI-B claimed violent extremist organisations may launch an attack 'as a means of signalling to the public that a group or issue has not gone away'.

The group also warned that permitting protests - currently restricted because of the Covid-19 crisis - could also be exploited by terrorists.

They said: 'Lifting restrictions on assembly will permit protests against the economic effects of the lockdown, which will become more visible as time wears on.

'It is at points such as this that one could expect exploitation by violent extremist organisations and intersection with protests in other countries as a result of emulation/common purpose or trans-European activism.'

In a separate paper, government advisers said data showed 999 calls for the police have dropped up to 75 per cent in some areas.

Experts said the trend suggests the lockdown has led to major reductions in crime across Britain, perhaps due to a 'lack of opportunity'.

But they revealed there has been a spike in calls to the police for certain offences, such as domestic violence.

Social bubbles could lead to 'excessive networks' and risk spread

Allowing people to meet in bubbles could have enabled coronavirus to spread through the population, scientists suggested.

It was thought the roadmap to easing the lockdown contained the possibility one household could form a social 'bubble' with one other in a mutual group.

However as people are set to start meeting up outdoors in groups of up to six from Monday, there has been no mention of bubbles.

A woman enjoys sunbathing on Bournemouth beach in Dorset yesterday as the glorious weather continues and temperatures rise

Families flock to Blackpool beach in Lancashire to enjoy the sunshine yesterday ahead of a warm weekend for most of the UK

A boy jumps from a bridge during yesterday afternoon's scorching weather in Ilkley, West Yorkshire

And Downing Street has warned the public that socially-distanced, six-people meet-ups remain prohibited in England until Monday.

Minutes from a SAGE meeting on May 7 disclosed what the experts had to say on the issue of bubbles.

They said that while the concepts of bubbles has potential benefits for wellbeing and mental health, there were also risks if they were to be introduced alongside other changes, or if there is poor adherence.

The minutes said: 'The effects of bubbles are complex. Introducing bubbles alongside other changes could reconstruct excessive networks, particularly when combined with any increase in contacts in other settings.

'These networks could enable transmission through the population. It will be difficult to assess the effects of individual policy changes on R if multiple changes are introduced together.'

SAGE added: 'A safe approach to bubbles would need to include isolation of all members of a bubble in the case of one member showing symptoms.

'This would lead to increased frequency of isolation for people, particularly in winter months.'

Face masks are protective when people can't social distance

Scientists concluded there was enough evidence to recommend the use of face coverings weeks before ministers issued the advice.

Experts said on April 21 that the public should be advised to wear coverings when social distancing is not possible, but ministers in England did not issue the advice until May 11.

The SAGE panel, including chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and chief medical officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, discussed masks on April 21.

A shopper wearing a protective face mask selects a bowl of tomatoes as he shops at an outdoor street market in Walthamstow, east London on May 28, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic

'SAGE advises that, on balance, there is enough evidence to support recommendation of community use of cloth face masks, for short periods in enclosed spaces, where social distancing is not possible,' they concluded.

Despite Scotland and Northern Ireland issuing the advice to wear coverings, ministers in England did not give the guidance until publishing the 'plan to rebuild' nearly three weeks later.

'As more people return to work, there will be more movement outside people's immediate household,' they said.

'This increased mobility means the Government is now advising that people should aim to wear a face-covering in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible, and they come into contact with others that they do not normally meet, for example on public transport or in some shops.'

Only HALF of people with coronavirus symptoms self-isolate

Only about half of people with coronavirus symptoms self-isolate for an entire week, behavioural experts told SAGE.

The discovery raised concerns over whether future outbreaks can be prevented.

The disclosure of low compliance with a key rule in suppressing Covid-19 comes days before the lockdown is eased, with people being asked to isolate for 14 days even if they do not have symptoms.

Under the NHS test and trace programme, people in England will be told to quarantine themselves for two weeks if they come into contact with someone who has tested positive.

A document shows behavioural experts warning: 'We strongly recommend monitoring and rapid research into adherence rates to all key behaviours and how to improve them, noting that based on DHSC tracker only around 50 per cent of people are currently reporting self-isolating for at least seven days when symptomatic with cough or fever.'

Their warning came on April 29 and an updated figure was not immediately available, but now people across the UK are beginning to be allowed to meet up outside, at a distance, and shops are starting to reopen.

Masks could make people 'falsely reassured' and ignorant of rules

Wearing a face mask could give someone a false sense of security that encourages them to flout other social distancing rules, SAGE was warned.

The Government declined for weeks to advise that people wear face masks, saying they were best reserved for medical workers.

But it now encourages people to use coverings - not medical grade masks - if they are in indoor spaces where social distancing is difficult, such as in busy shops or on public transport.

A document from SPI-B presented in April said: 'There are a number of issues, risks and potentially harmful behaviours associated with recommending or mandating use of facemasks which could reduce their effectiveness.'

It said people might use them incorrectly or touch them, contaminating their hands, or make homemade masks that are 'ineffective.

The group also warned: 'People may feel falsely reassured by wearing facemasks and so pay less attention to other behaviours that reduce viral transmission e.g. wash their hands less, do not adhere to social distancing measures.'

90 per cent of care homes could experience outbreaks

Scientists said in April that 'current trends' suggested 90 per cent of all care homes could suffer from outbreaks of Covid-19.

The SPI-M group said in a statement on April 20: 'There is evidence in continued growth in the number of care homes which have experienced cases of COVID-19.

'Any estimates of the proportion of care homes which will eventually experience outbreaks is highly speculative at this stage, but a figure approaching 90 per cent cannot be ruled out if current trends are maintained.'

The statement came shortly the peak of the outbreak before a focus had really shifted on to care homes and testing was not widely available for staff or residents.

More than 11,000 people are now known to have died in care homes.

The proportion of homes that have had outbreaks is not clear, but bosses in the sector estimated it was around two thirds in April, while the Government's estimate was considerably lower.

Russia 'is watching and gathering intelligence'

SAGE was warned by SPI-B that Russia would be watching the attempts to set up a track and trace system and mobile app in a bid to find ways to gather data.

They said: 'From an external security perspective, Russia will scrutinise all Western responses to Covid-19 as a significant intelligence gathering opportunity.

'Responses to CV19 allow it to monitor different countries response measures, timings and effectiveness in a wartime-like scenario.

'In particular they will examine planning and capabilities in response to a civil contingency/peacetime threat.

'There will consequently be interest in how effectively the UK can mount a contact tracing campaign as well as attempts to exploit whatever deficiencies or public concerns there may be with it.'
Notes:

1 Total impact in 2020-21, unless otherwise specified. Differs from fiscal cost on an accrual basis, which is lower. % of GDP based on 2019 GDP. Numbers may not add due to rounding.

2 Estimate assumes tariff waiver would remain in place through 20-21 fiscal year. This could be repealed sooner.

3 Revised estimate based on observed uptake and eight-week extension. Includes up to $473M in implementation and administration costs for ESDC and CRA to administer to program.

4 Estimated total fiscal cost of the program as announced by the Minister of Finance on July 17.

5 Revised estimate.

6 Revised estimate based on observed payments.

7 Profile for the first two years (2020-21 and 2021-22) of total funding of $90.6M over five years, and $11.2M ongoing, announced on May 29 to protect and support indigenous women and girls fleeing violence, including to build new shelters and support operating costs.

8 Estimate. Reflects program expansion announced on June 26 and observed take-up.

9 Includes $4 million for Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) refunds to eligible employers who have been affected by the pandemic and are no longer able to hire temporary foreign workers.

10 Revised estimate to include Employee Benefit Plan and the Public Services and Procurement Canada accommodation charges.

11 Fiscal impact of measures from 2019-20 to 2021-22.

12 Estimates of cost/impact under review, pending availability of take-up data.

13 Figures represent lower bound estimates based upon announced credit and liquidity support to date.
THE government has decided not to extend the current contract for the use of private hospitals to provide extra bed capacity due to coronavirus beyond the end of June.

However, it is planned that a new deal will be negotiated to allow full access to the hospitals in the event of a second wave of Covid-19.

Read More

The original agreement with private hospitals cost 115m a month for three months.

Independent.ie understands that the Cabinet today approved a proposal not to extend the contract.

The plan is to strike a new deal to allow access if there is a second wave of coronavirus as well access for some non- Covid-19 healthcare services.

The government will seek to negotiate a new agreement with private hospitals between now and the end of June.

More to follow
By Asif Shahzad and Tim Hepher

ISLAMABAD/PARIS (Reuters) - The captain of a Pakistani airliner that crashed last week, killing 97 people on board, approached Karachi airport without announcing he couldn't open his landing gear and hit the runway three times, a government minister said on Thursday.

Search teams recovered the cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage of the Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A320 that crashed into a residential neighbourhood of Karachi last Friday, a spokesman for the airline said. Two people on board survived.

Flight PK8303, from the eastern city of Lahore, came down less than a mile short of the runway as it was making a second attempt to land.

The flight data recorder has already been found.

Minister for Civil Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan told reporters the plane's engines touched the ground three times on the first attempt at landing.

"The pilot never announced his landing gear wasn't opening. He haphazardly touched the engines thrice with the ground," Khan said.

"All marks are present (on the runway). He was not at the proper height... Control tower informed him you aren't at the required height, lower your altitude," he said, adding that the pilot replied: "I will manage."

According to communications posted on liveatc.net, an aviation radio monitoring website, the pilot told controllers "we're comfortable now" during the approach, but the reason for the remark has left most experts puzzled.

Shortly after the engines scraped along the runway in the aborted first landing attempt, the pilot reported problems in maintaining altitude, then said both engines had failed.

Investigators are expected to examine whether the engines shut down because of their collision with the runway, following what appeared to be a steeper and faster approach than normal.

The lower part of the engine housing contains key components including an accessory gearbox and hydraulic pumps.

Story continues

"All sorts of things can happen to an engine if you bounce it down the runway," a person familiar with its design said.

The engines were made by CFM International, a French-American venture co-owned by Safran and General Electric, and are among the most widely used in the industry with a strong overall record of reliability.

The recorders will be read in France by the BEA air accident agency, which is part of the Pakistan-led probe.

Safety experts caution it is too early to say what caused the crash and stress most accidents result from a cocktail of factors.

(Writing and Reporting by Asif Shahzad in Islamabad and Tim Hepher in Paris; Additional Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan in Karachi; Editing by Gareth Jones, Robert Birsel, Nick Macfie, Kirsten Donovan)
If you want to get married in the village of Lithopia, youll need to inform the satellites. First, a hovering drone will capture the happy couple embracing, identifying you by facial recognition. The transaction will be recorded, using cryptography, on a blockchain ledger, as a so-called smart contract.

Should you purchase a house, a buyer and seller will enact a ritual transfer by rolling around huge 3D-printed coins. The coins contain lithium, secretly mined by citizens to claim ownership of their natural resource. Lithopian society is a model of a polite surveillance state, governed by human gestures, blockchain and lithium.

Not quite a fantasy, and certainly not reality, the conceptual project Lithopy is a satire of both a global phenomenon (bitcoin and the distributed-ledger technologies that enable it) and a local one (the current lithium-rush in the Czech Republic to meet Europes car battery demand).
WASHINGTON - Religious organizations eager to reopen faster and with fewer pandemic-related restrictions are calling on courts to step in.

The Supreme Court is considering two emergency petitions, from California and Illinois, even though governors of those states have removed some restrictions and agreed to demands that in-person worship services be allowed on Sunday, the Christian holy day of Pentecost.

The larger issue is how the responsibility of governments to control the spread of covid-19 can be applied to churches, synagogues and mosques, and the constitutionally protected right to worship.

Last week, President Donald Trump called on governors across the country to allow for the immediate reopening of places of worship, characterizing them as "essential services."

Although all states are moving to ease restrictions, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty says 21 still impose some restrictions. It says that houses of worship are treated unequally in eight states.

But that is a moving target, as the litigation at the Supreme Court shows. Since South Bay Pentecostal Church near San Diego and Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church and Logos Baptist Ministries near Chicago filed their petitions, the governors of California and Illinois have eased restrictions.

Illinois Gov. Jay Pritzker, a Democrat, has removed the state's ban on gatherings of more than 10 people, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said churches may hold services so long as they do not exceed 25 percent of the facility's capacity or 100 people, whichever is smaller.

Lawyers for South Bay Pentecostal said that did not resolve the issue.

"Only one industry has a 25% capacity or 100-person cap - houses of worship," said the church's legal brief. "If California's interest in limiting gatherings is not important enough to be enforced against other industries, it is not important enough to be enforced against churches."

The lawyers had earlier told the Supreme Court: "The covid-19 pandemic is a national tragedy, but it would be equally tragic if the federal judiciary allowed the 'fog-of-war' to act as an excuse for violating fundamental constitutional rights."

California responded: "Issues of coronavirus precautions and the Free Exercise Clause may eventually require decision from this court; this case does not."

South Bay's complaint was that in California's reopening plan, places such as warehouses and restaurants were allowed to reopen, while houses of worship were placed in a different category, alongside such venues as movie theaters and nail salons.

The church warned that it and other places of worship had been cooperative, but that was about to end.

"Thousands of churches across the country and in California plan to reopen by May 31, 2020 - the Christian holy day of Pentecost - in defiance of any state executive orders, leading to widespread civil unrest," South Bay's petition states.

A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, by a 2-to-1 vote, denied the church's petition.

"We're dealing here with a highly contagious and often fatal disease for which there presently is no known cure," the court said. "In the words of Justice Robert Jackson, if a 'court does not temper its doctrinaire logic with a little practical wisdom, it will convert the constitutional Bill of Rights into a suicide pact.' "

Judge Daniel Collins dissented, saying California's plan was not neutral.

Since the court's decision, though, Newsom released the new guidance, allowing South Bay to open Sunday.

The state contends there are good reasons, though, for extending restrictions. Its expert testified there "have been multiple reports of sizable to large gatherings such as religious services, choir practices, funerals, and parties resulting in significant spread of covid-19."

Included: "a worship service in Sacramento tied to 71 COVID-19 cases; a choir practice in Seattle linked to 32 cases; a Kentucky church revival tied to 28 cases; and a religious service in South Korea where over 5,000 cases were traced back to a single infected individual in attendance."

Still, California told the Supreme Court, it was showing the deference to religious freedom the Constitution requires.

"While in-person religious services are now permitted, many other activities that are most comparable in terms of COVID-transmission risk factors - concerts, lectures, theatrical performances, or choir practices, in which groups of people gather together for extended periods - continue to be barred," the state's lawyers wrote.
The company has gathered data about the success of the working from home model, which was being piloted for some smaller teams before the pandemic struck, with regular pulse surveys and check-ins through care and connect calls to staff. What we have noticed in our most recent survey ... was that a much higher percentage of staff were actually really content and happy working from home and felt that their productivity had either remained the same or had actually increased, Mrs Pearce said. I hope we dont rush back to the way it was before. P&N Bank general manager Anna Pearce I expected there to be a greater momentum around the desire to come back to head office, it wasnt to the extent that I expected and it's certainly a mixed bag, some people have loved it and other people cant wait to get back. And we need to adapt to that and that information and results.

Those who have particularly benefited, anecdotally, were the fathers  who were enjoying a newfound connection with their families  and young families. But the other group that we have in our workforce are those who are caring for elderly parents and I think that its been really helpful for them to be able to find that extra time in their day if they need to be across whats happening in the broader family network and just that lack of commute time really makes quite a difference for their own health and wellness, Mrs Pearce said. P&N Bank processing officer Emily Brown at home with her dog Tilly. One of the banks processing officers, Emily Brown, is instantly recognisable after her dog, Tilly, jumped up mid-way through the ad in an unplanned moment. The cameraman actually clapped his hands and made a loud sort of noise and it actually startled her, so thats why she came running up and jumped on me, Ms Brown said.

Shes actually sitting right next to me at the moment, I mean thats one of the best things about working from home is to be able to keep them company and be around them during the day. I definitely want to keep working from home in some capacity. Emily Brown, P&N Bank worker Ms Brown agreed working from home had changed the perception around the modern working woman and the need to present a professional-only exterior. When I first started working from home I did still get quite ready for work, I was still doing my hair, still getting changed into semi-corporate wear but then as the time has progressed I have relaxed a little bit, she said. When I have meetings with my colleagues by video chat were all dressed the same, were all relaxed and I feel like its because its something that were all doing then everyone is going to feel less pressure.

She has also incorporated walking Tilly as part of her lunch break as a good time-saver and way of getting a break from her desk, not to mention her productivity improving due to the lack of a 40-minute commute each way. Loading I definitely want to keep working from home in some capacity, she said. I think a four-and-one, three-and-two basis would work best for me. I still do like going into the office and have that interaction and have a bit of a change, though I do prefer working from home and I feel more motivated, more focused.

Ive realised how I can work independently and it has forced me into some situations that Ive had to fix myself without someone there to guide me through it. So I think its made me more confident. Return to work Mrs Pearce has just released the companys return-to-work action plan in which only a fifth of the 250 P&N Limited workers will initially return to the head office at Kings Square on Wellington Street on June 8. She said it would take a three-stage approach, with team leaders deciding who should return to work and how to stagger them across a three-month period since teams would have to rotate between home and work.

I think it will be a long time before we will see and maybe never we will see 100 per cent of that staff complement always being in head office all the time, Mrs Pearce said. So we imagine that the working-from-home program has really been fast-tracked and well find that most of our staff will enjoy some level of working from home, depending on the role that they play in their own personal circumstances. New working environment: P&N Bank's headquarters in Kings Square 1 building in Perth. P&N Limited also manages 15 WA bank branches and BCU credit union branches in regional New South Wales and Queensland. Sydney senior civil lawyer Erin Kidd said there were many reasons staff were justified to continue working from home, including fear of contracting COVID-19 in the office or a lack of childcare.

Others might be reluctant to get back on public transport. She said refusal to return to the office could also be considered reasonable if the employee was in a high-risk category for COVID-19. A spokeswoman for Safe Work Australia said the risks arising from exposure to COVID-19 was a foreseeable risk in all workplaces. "Employers have a duty to eliminate or minimise so far as is reasonably practicable, the risks arising from exposure to COVID-19," she said. "Physical distancing in combination with good hygiene and cleaning practices are effective ways to reduce the likelihood of exposure to COVID-19."

P&N Bank's headquarters in Kings Square 1 building in Perth. The logistics of bringing P&N staff up the 19-storey building, of which they only took up three levels since it was also shared with government departments, not to mention the need for dedicated, safely distanced desks that could be shared  but not in their previous hot-desking arrangement  was problematic. It will involve lots of experience to see how it goes and we will need to continue to adapt, she said. So we will be looking to have staggered start times, quite strict rules around where desks are located and making sure that were not using common areas, management of lifts within the building and working with the building management to ensure that were sticking to all of the right protocols and government regulations. Weve also implemented a lot of health and safety measures around PPE, increased cleaning and were also encouraging our staff, as we do transition back into the office, we will continue to use video conferencing and phone access to meetings to avoid large groups of congregated staff members in meeting rooms.

For any business in a large building, its quite an operation to move through this process." For Ms Brown, it will be something new again to adapt to. No more congregating: Only a percentage of P&N's 250-strong workforce will return due to social distancing restrictions. Because I have been working from home for so long, Ive been doing it full-time since about February, it will take a bit for me to get used to because when youre in your own home safe, you do things how you want to do them than I guess when youre going into the office and working with other people, she said. Mrs Pearce said the workplace had changed forever, and for the better.
KENTWOOD, MI -- Aldean Mason, a 98-year-old veteran who served as a nurse in World War II, was honored for her service Friday morning.

The pinning ceremony at Azpira Place of Breton in Kentwood was also streamed on Zoom so her family and friends could participate.

Mason was honored as part of Hospice of Michigans We Honor Veterans program. She was presented with a pin of the American flag and a certificate of appreciation by Cheryl Lambert, chaplain for Hospice of Michigan.

Thank you for the sacrifices you made and your willingness to serve our country," Lambert said. "When you see this pin, know that your service to the nation is deeply appreciated.

Following the pinning ceremony, Mason was celebrated with fellow residents during a parade in her honor. The parade took place inside of Azpira, located at 4352 Breton Road.

While Hospice of Michigan aims to honor all veterans in hospice care, Mason happens to have a particularly unique story, Lambert said.

Mason was born on Oct. 24, 1921 to a family of six other children in the state of Washington. After her parents died, Mason assumed the role of caregiver for her five brothers and one sister.

After completing nursing school, Mason joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps during World War II. As a part of the 120th Evacuation Hospital Unit under General Pattons 3rd Army, her responsibility was to care of U.S. soldiers.

During the final days of the war, her unit entered Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany. There, Mason cared for Holocaust survivors, treating them for typhus and malnutrition, among other illnesses.

Today we thank you not only for dedicating your nursing skills to helping others survive but for your compassion that gave them the will to live," Lambert said.

Mason went on to marry and start a family with her husband, Walt, who served in the army as well. Although they served in the same unit, they did not meet until after the war.

Since joining the Azpira community in 2013, Mason has impacted the lives of residents and staff.

Rebecca Papke, wellness manager at Azpira, describeed Mason as quiet, has a sweet tooth and is a pleasure to have here.

Were so proud of Aldeans bravery, Aldeans fortitude and Aldeans courage," said Jenny Osentoski, executive director at Azpira. "Aldean has been and continues to be a blessing to so many people.

More from MLive:

Grand Rapids adventure park to reopen Saturday

Friday, May 29: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Michigan doctors and dentists sidelined by coronavirus crisis are back in business, with a new normal
The epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic has moved from China to Europe to the United States and now to Latin America.

Why it matters: Up until now, the pandemic has struck hardest in relatively affluent countries. But it's now spreading fastest in countries where it will be even harder to track, treat and contain.

Driving the news: Brazil is now recording more deaths each day than any other country, surpassing the U.S. for the first time over the past three days.

Outbreaks are also growing fast in Mexico, Peru and Chile, with those countries now recording more new cases than any country in Europe, excluding Russia. The World Health Organization is also worried about rising caseloads in El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

As cases surge, poorly equipped health care systems throughout the region will struggle to cope. In Mexico, at least 11,000 health care workers have themselves become sick, per the NYT.

A University of Washington study forecasts a sharp rise in fatalities in the region by early August  including 125,000 in Brazil, up from 24,512 now, per Reuters.

President Jair Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly dismissed the threat from the virus, is battling with local officials to reopen the economy even as the situation grows increasingly grave.

Expand chart Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Axios Visuals

Zoom out: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken the outbreak far more seriously, implementing one of the world's strictest lockdowns, but his government is now loosening restrictions not because cases are falling (they're not) but because the economy is buckling.

In India, the curve hasnt turned the corner. You have deferred the peak," says Bhramar Mukherjee, who leads a University of Michigan project that projects India will have 1 million cases by July 15 if it pursues a "cautious" reopening, per the Washington Post.

Overall case counts have increased by 4.5x in India, 3.7x in Pakistan and 2.4x in Indonesia  the world's second-, fifth- and fourth-most populous countries, respectively  since May 1, per WHO data.

The global picture: Countries across East Asia, where the virus arrived earlier, now have fewer active cases than they did a week ago, according to Albright Stonebridge Group. That's also the case in most of Europe.

But in sub-Saharan Africa, as in Latin America, the numbers climbed almost everywhere over the past week.

They spiked dramatically in countries like Cameroon (+198%), South Africa (+172%) and Bangladesh (+41%).

Many of these countries are starting from low baselines, largely because they'd conducted so few tests.

Data: IRC; Chart: Axios Visuals

Nigeria, for example, has tested just one person for every 230 tested in the U.S. (adjusted for population), according to data compiled by the International Rescue Committee.

"We've got countries where there are hardly any tests going on at all," David Miliband, the IRC's CEO, told Axios in an interview, "and we've got countries ... where we're getting enough testing to be very worried."

The lack of tests in many poorer countries can be attributed to political dysfunction, poor infrastructure and shortages of testing kits and lab capacity.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Miliband notes, samples have to be transported to labs in Kinshasa. That's no easy task in a country where very few cities are connected to the capital by road.

In Tanzania, the government appears to be quite literally choosing ignorance. It has been a month since the country recorded a new case  or a single test.

Russia's new approach, announced Wednesday, is more subtle. They'll keep conducting tests, but only add those showing COVID-19 symptoms to the tallies of cases and deaths.

Go deeper: Pandemic brings Putin down to size
The Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), which is in charge of the country's public health sector, said on Friday that the Latin American nation would temporarily halt the use of the antimalarial drug, hydroxychloroquine, and the combination drug for HIV, Lopinavir-Ritonavir, as treatments for COVID-19

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th May, 2020) The Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), which is in charge of the country's public health sector, said on Friday that the Latin American nation would temporarily halt the use of the antimalarial drug, hydroxychloroquine, and the combination drug for HIV, Lopinavir-Ritonavir, as treatments for COVID-19.

According to the CCSS' press release, the country's central committee for pharmacological therapy (CCF) has issued recommendations to restrict the usage of the two drugs.

CCSS Head Physician Mario Ruiz Cubillo said that the decision is only temporary, and was made after the CCF researched the effectiveness of these drugs against the coronavirus.

Last week's study in The Lancet medical journal suggested that coronavirus patients who received hydroxychloroquine were dying at higher rates than other individuals with the disease. In the wake of this information, the World Health Organization announced that it was temporarily halting its clinical trials on the drug. France, Italy and Belgium have since banned the use of antimalarial drugs for treating COVID-19 carriers.

Costa Rica has so far confirmed 1,000 coronavirus cases and 10 deaths since the start of the outbreak.
Experts say it's not a good idea to warm up your car in winter

Experts say it's not a good idea to warm up your car in winter. Here's why.
Cherie Blair, founder of The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and wife of former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, has told CNBC that Britain may have responded "too little, too late" to the coronavirus crisis, but the focus should now be on the global economy and making sure women's voices are heard. "I don't think anyone would be surprised if I said it does appear that perhaps Britain has not done as well as we might have done, and perhaps we responded too little, too late, but that's not for me to judge," she said. "No doubt there will be in the future time to do that. At the moment our main concern obviously is to try and get through this." The U.K. government has defended its response to the virus, although it has conceded there have been logistical difficulties with the distribution of personal protective equipment. Blair added that the focus now should be on how are we going to ensure that our economy picks up as quickly as possible. "Not just in our country, but particularly with the foundation again, across the world, and how do we make sure that women's voices don't get lost in that," she said. The respected barrister established her foundation in 2008 to "release the potential" of women entrepreneurs. It runs programs across the developing world, offering access to training, technology, networking, finance and mentoring. So far it has supported more than 160,000 women in over 100 lower-and middle-income countries.

New research by the foundation shows that one of the biggest challenges for female entrepreneurs at the moment is juggling their jobs plus the additional work they have taken on during lockdown "as a wife, a mother, maybe a daughter looking after elderly parents." "We know that women always have these challenges, but many of us have made arrangements on the basis that there will be schools for our children to go to, or other carers who may help out with the care of our elderly relations, and suddenly, of course, all that is not available," she said. Another big issue facing some of the women supported by the foundation around the world is prejudice in societies that are not comfortable with women working outside the home at all. Blair, who is also co-founder and chair of law firm Omnia Strategy, said she believes some working women who have had to stay at home during the global lockdown response to Covid-19 could face the real danger of opposition to them returning to the workforce after the crisis.

Gender inequality in the spotlight

The coronavirus pandemic has increasingly highlighted the significant gap in gender equality around the world. A recent policy brief by the United Nations on the impact of the virus on women said that "nearly 60 per cent of women around the world work in the informal economy, earning less, saving less, and at greater risk of falling into poverty." UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged governments "to put women and girls at the centre of their efforts to recover from COVID-19." Women are less likely to have access to financial services, according to the UN, and are more likely to be burdened with the majority of unpaid work such as homeschooling and care giving. They are also more likely to be employed in businesses hardest hit by the virus including tourism, hospitality and retail.

Before the crisis, research co-published by The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and the Boston Consulting Group in 2019 found that "if women had equal access to entrepreneurship, global GDP (gross domestic product) could rise by $5 trillion." As such, Blair, who was awarded a CBE in 2013 by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to women's issues and charity, says technology has been at the heart of her foundation. "Technology can really help make that difference because it allows us to give the women the thing that they often lack in relation to their businesses. Access to finance, access to information, access to markets and access to a network support that our mentoring platform gives them," she said.

Blair's take on U.K. politics


OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - General Motors said it plans to increase vehicle production at its plants in North America from next week. The automaker noted that the restart of production at its component and assembly plants has gone smoothly.



'Our comprehensive safety procedures are working well, and our suppliers have done a great job implementing their return-to-work strategies and safety playbooks. We are now in a position to increase production to meet strengthening customer demand and strong dealer demand,' GM said in a statement.



Starting Monday, three of GM's crossover assembly plants in the U.S. and Canada will operate two production shifts, while three assembly plants in the U.S. that build mid- and full-size pickups will move to three-shift operations from the present one shift. The company also said that five other assembly plants in the U.S. will operate one production shift.



The Detroit auto giants - GM, Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler - restarted their plants in the U.S. on May 18, after shutting down them in late-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.



The automakers have implemented new safety measures in the U.S. to help keep the coronavirus from spreading, including touchless body temperature scanning, mandatory face mask use, staggered shifts, washing of hands, and a device that buzzes if workers get too close to each other.



Also last week, GM reopened its plants in Mexico after it received approval from the Mexican government to restart operations in the country. GM's Mexican manufacturing facilities are important for the automaker as they supply critical parts, including wiring harness, for its manufacturing units in the U.S.



GM is putting in place health and safety protocols while reopening the plants in Mexico too. Employees returning to work in Mexico must wear masks and glasses at all times, and maintain a 'safe distance' from each other.



The entry of workers to the plants will be controlled at the entrances and workers will also have their temperatures checked before they enter the facilities.



Meanwhile, Ford temporarily closed two assembly plants last week after some employees tested positive for COVID-19, according to reports. The closures came just days after the company reopened its U.S. plants.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
The picture of instruction that has emerged since the coronavirus forced students and teachers into remote learning is clear and troubling: Theres less of it, and the children with the greatest need are getting the least. These dynamics carry serious implications as schools plan to reopen in the fall.

But even though the picture of diminished instruction is clear, its not simple. Pandemic learning is complex and contradictory.

Some students are getting live video lessons for hours daily and staying in close contact with their teachers, while others get no real-time instruction and hear from their teachers perhaps once a week. Many teachers are pulling 12-hour days, while many others work less than they did a few months ago. Some parents push angrily for stronger academics during home-learning, while others demand relief, saying they cant handle home-schooling along with their other obligations.

These crosscurrents put teachers and education leaders in a bind: How do they maintain high-quality instruction while providing the flexibility familiesand they themselvesneed to survive a national crisis? That is an especially important question if remote learning, or some version of it, continues in many districts next fall due to the coronavirus.

See Data: Students Are Getting Less Instruction Time During Coronavirus

The defining question in K-12 education right now is balancing the tension between high expectations and the need for flexibility as everyone in the system tries to regain their footing, said Bree Dusseault, whos been leading an analysis of districts coronavirus responses for the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington.

Its a tricky high wire: If districts and schools allow too much flexibility, they can be accused of letting children fall behind. If they refuse to soften their expectations, their communities might demand more compassion.

The Picture Is Very Uneven

The national picture shows a system providing less for children, whether its by choice or by limited ability to shift suddenly to distance-teaching.

In surveys by the EdWeek Research Center, teachers report theyre spending less time on instruction overall, and theyre spending more time on review and less on introducing new material. Nationally, on average, teachers say theyre working two fewer hours per day than when they were in their classrooms. And they estimate that their students are spending half as much time on learning3 hours a dayas they were before the coronavirus.

Those dynamics are fueling worry about students academic erosion. But EdWeek data suggest that risk is even greater for students in high-need neighborhoods. There, students are more likely to have teachers who communicate with them less frequently, and who report spending less time teaching new material. Teachers in those districts also say their students spend only two hours a day on learning now, an hour less than what teachers overall report their students are spending.

The picture is very uneven. Not all of our kids are getting access to the same things, said Michael Casserly, who leads an advocacy group for large districts, the Council of the Great City Schools. If these patterns persist, he said, they could create a permanent underclass of young people who lack the skills for work and civic responsibility, an inequity that harms the national economy and offends ones sense of moral equity.

Robin Lake, the executive director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, warned the House education and labor committee in recent testimony that without a major improvement in schooling soon, students could descend into academic death spirals.

So many teachers are working longer hours now than before their schools closed that they found the EdWeek survey data hard to believe. Rebecca Sorenson, a 3rd grade special education teacher in rural Michigan, said that in addition to lesson planning, she holds four or five Zoom sessions a day, each with one student, and spends hours weekly driving to her students homes, which are spread over 116 square miles, to drop off books and study materials. Im working longer hours now than ever, she said.

Instructed to Scale Back Expectations

Interviews with teachers, however, surface a host of dynamics that have reduced teachers work hours and led them to focus on review instead of new material. Some arose from state and district directives.

Laura Peden, a kindergarten teacher in rural Paxton, Ill., said her district, following a state directive, tried to stick to a five-hour day remotely and proceed with its usual curriculum. But it quickly heard that parents, many of whom are essential workers, were overwhelmed, she said.

Now she conducts one Zoom session with her class per week, sends paper packets home, and communicates with parents once or twice a week through Facebook and Class Dojo. District officials told schools not to teach new material, she said, because they worried that the huge discrepancy in parents abilities to manage at-home teaching could exacerbate achievement gaps.

Many states have signaled the need for flexibility during coronavirus, waiving seat- and instructional-time requirements . Many districts offered flexibility by using pass/fail grading systems or deciding that students remote-learning work wouldnt lower their grades.

But those policies might have affected student engagement. High school teacher Angie Black, who teaches accounting, business law, and personal finance in Leadwood, Mo., said shes working maybe two or three hours a day now, compared with six or more before, because so few of her students are signing on. Shed planned multiple sessions per day, to cover all 100 of her students, but she needs only one.

Theyre like, Im passing this, so Im not doing any more work, Black said.

In some cities, teacher unions negotiated agreements capping work time . In Los Angeles, for instance, teachers are expected to work no more than four hours daily, including meetings, planning and professional development.

Gloria Martinez, the elementary vice president for United Teachers-Los Angeles, said the agreement was necessary to accommodate the time teachers needed for professional development on distance-learning, as well as juggling care for their own loved ones at home. It also sought to protect children from too much screen time, and parents from exhaustion managing work and family care, she said.

Some Duties Disappeared

Some duties teachers performed in their schools have dropped off their schedules.

Kelly Carver, a 2nd grade teacher in Ralston, Neb., said she no longer has the 25-minute daily lunch duty, or the 40 to 45 minutes she tacked onto each end of her workdays for tutoring. Susan Shelton, a high school English and journalism teacher in Pleasant Grove, Utah, no longer stays after school to help students produce the yearbook.

Jackie Wagner, a K-5 special education teacher in Broken Bow, Neb., said that the lessons she once conducted herselffilled with hands-on activitiesshe cant do remotely.

Before, Id plan lessons and then do them with the kids, Wagner said. Now I plan lessons and hand them over to parents. she said. Given the responsibilities her students parents are juggling, Im lucky if my kids get one hour a day to practice her lessons at home, she said. Shes worried that students like hers, with special needs, will be harmed for three or four years down the road from this years learning losses.

Some teachers reported that even though they wanted to cover new material, distance learning made that tough.

Without being in front of them, so I could walk around, look over their shoulders at their work, see the looks on their faces to see if theyre getting it, its really tough to introduce anything new, said Shelton.

Before schools closed, she conducted 80-minute class sessions every other day, each with 90 minutes of homework. Now she assigns 40 minutes worth of work every other day.

Parents are concerned about the decline in their childrens learning time. In a few citiessuch as Arlington, Va., and Newton, Mass.theyve started petitions to demand more instructional time for their children. Gallup polls showing rising concern among parents about a negative impact on their childrens learning. And a poll conducted by AP-NORC found that lower-income parents are particularly worried about their children falling behind in the sudden shift to home learning.

Dennisha Rivers, who has two sons in the Louisville, Ky., schools, said her children spend maybe an hour each day on schoolwork. She has little time to help them, and no doubt that theyre falling behind. Shes confident her 13-year-old can bounce back, but she wonders how her 7-year-old, who has a learning disability, will regain lost ground.

No Such Thing as a COVID-19 Pass

Districts are taking very different approaches to instruction as they balance flexibility and expectations.

Providence, R.I., requires students to attend class from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., a schedule similar to their brick-and-mortar classes, except for a longer midday break to let their parents get to district-run meal sites.

Teachers take attendance, and use monitoring apps, to track student participation, said its chief equity officer, Barbara Mullen, and have consistent engagement from about 80 percent of the districts 24,000 students in this working-class, predominantly minority community. Bus monitors have been redeployed to work call centers, so fewer than 100 students still elude contact.

Theres no such thing as a COVID-19 pass, said Providence Superintendent Harrison Peters, who said he got some pushback from families wanting more leniency.

We were very sentimental about what kids are going through right now, but at the end of the day, this world will still expect these kids to perform. I have to have high expectations for children of color who already start behind the eight ball.

Miami-Dade County, a big, high-poverty district, stuck with its planned curriculum, making an unusually smooth transition to remote learning because of good planning and an aggressive push to distribute devices and WiFi hotspots. The district had already been incorporating digital learning into its system, but Superintendent Alberto Carvalho kicked that transition into high gear in January, when he saw the virus take hold in China.

When buildings closed, the district didnt attempt to replicate its seven-hour, 20-minute school day, moving instead to an approach in which students cycle through live online instruction and independent work on assignments. Instead of starting and ending school at fixed times, Carvalho said, students and teachers are playing a wider field of time, interspersing work and breaks across a 12- or 14-hour period.

The districts i-Ready learning platform for grades K-8 shows a consistently high level of engagement, with 90 percent or more of students in every income bracket and ZIP code using the platform every week since buildings closed, Carvalho said.

Abdication of Responsibility

Martha Basulto, a 2nd grade teacher at Coral Reef Elementary in Miami, divides her 49 students into two 90-minute Zoom sessions daily, and with her co-teacher, moves through the districts curriculum. She boasts 100 percent attendance, and she reports that formative assessments taken between September and May show that except for one student who needs extra support, all her students have gained academic ground and are ending the year on or above grade level.

We followed that pacing guide to the dot, she said. We didnt drop the ball.

Cleveland, another high-poverty district, opted for a long-range approach when it switched to distance learning. Christine Fowler-Mack, the districts chief portfolio officer, said the district deemphasized new material in favor of review because it knew that a large swath of students lacked computer access. It scrambled to distribute thousands of devices and Wi-Fi hotspots, but a large gap still persists.

We knew we couldnt, in an equitable way, ensure that students, if presented with instruction on new material, would be able to engage, Fowler-Mack said. So the district prioritized learning continuity, distributing paper packets designed to review and strengthen core content areas, while it dove deep into planning for summer and fall instruction that will recapture missed material, and build in extra supports and interventions for students who are struggling academically or emotionally.

Experts anticipate that most districts will face steep challenges in the fall when they must help students recover lost academic ground, especially since many arent tracking attendance or progress. That makes it tough to know what students need and how to be ready to support them, said Dusseault, of the Center on Reinventing Public Education.

But if districts arent better prepared in the fall, with plans to address the different types of access gaps, instructional gaps, then its an abdication of responsibility to those students and their families, she said.
NEW DELHI, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With the world's most massive lockdown to date in its fourth stage, the legal fraternity both in law firms and corporates are gearing up to meet the crisis with utmost brevity and force. Mitigating legal risk and business objectives have now become the critical anthems for all. It is in this backdrop that Dhir & Dhir Associates, one of the leading law firms, has set up a dedicated COVID-19 India Advisory Desk with a Task Force to lead from the front to advise and support the clients in these uncharted waters.

The COVID-19 India Advisory Desk will not only focus on gearing up clients but also deal with the emergent situations and provide feasible business solutions keeping in mind the regulatory environment and compliance hygiene at the same time. Supply Chain Management, M&A Transactions, Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy, Corporate Governance, and Employment Law are just some of the key focus areas of the desk.

"We see a much higher responsibility that we have been entrusted as a firm now. Clients are currently seeking a time-bound and business-driven legal advice to combat with the current situation. The COVID-19 India Advisory Desk has been brought in place to ensure a prioritized and meaningful mind space through our talented team," said Alok Dhir, Founding & Managing Partner, Dhir & Dhir Associates.

The firm has been building up a repository of referential content in the form of authorships, conducting webinars, client mentoring meetings, and several other tools. These aim towards staying updated with all the notifications, orders, reliefs, and incentives issued by both the Central and State Governments in India. Developing blue books and factsheets that allow clients to demystify the plethora of regulatory updates in a continuously changing landscape is also crucial information and support that the desk shall be providing.

Dhir & Dhir Associates is a leading full-service law firm in India serving as a single-window legal and regulatory advisor globally. It has offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and a representative office in Japan. The firm's areas of practice include Restructuring and Insolvency, Corporate/ Commercial Advisory and M&A, Real Estate, Banking and Finance, Dispute Resolution, Capital Markets, Infrastructure & Energy, IPR, TMT and Employment Law.

http://www.dhirassociates.com/

For further details, please contact:

Poonam Bisht

Chief Executive Officer

+91-99106-21935

[email protected]

SOURCE Dhir & Dhir Associates
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah met on Friday to deliberate over the way out of lockdown as its fourth phase draws to a close this week.

The escalation in numbers might prove to be a big worry as the country reported 7,467 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours in the highest single-day surge, taking the tally to 165,799, according to the Union health ministry.

The meeting comes a day after the home minister spoke to chief ministers to discuss their views on extending the lockdown and future strategy to fight the pandemic.

Officials said that the CMs, in meeting with Shah, contended that the lockdown should be extended with considerable relaxation in economic activity.

I feel lockdown may be extended for 15 more days. However, we demand that there should be some relaxations, say, restaurants should be allowed with social distancing at 50 per cent capacity. Many people also want gyms to resume, Goa CM Pramod Sawant said he made the suggestion to Amit Shah.

This was the first time that the home minister was in consultation with the CMs. Earlier, the PM used to chair those meetings. An officer at the Centre said that the PM may not interact with the CMs this time.

In this phase of lockdown, the Centre allowed extensive relaxations, leaving it to the states to decide what to open and what not.

The Centre also was looking to restart the economy reeling under the effect of lockdown.
- The country general manager Mehdi Morad attributed the closure to coronavirus effects which occasioned high operation costs

-The management also closed doors to Fairmont Mara Safari Club which had not only been hit hard by COVID-19 but also raging floods

- All the sacked employees filed their complaints with the office of attorney general even though they will receive terminations letters on June 5

Sacked employees of Nairobi's Fairmont Norfolk Hotel have accused the management of violating their labour rights.

The staff who were fired after the management shut down its operations in Nairobi and Fairmont Mara Safari Club asked the government to investigate the alleged violation.

READ ALSO: Bishop Margaret Wanjiru's son confirms mother is recovering, thanks Kenyans for prayer and support

Fairmont Mara Safari Club has also been hit hard raging floods. Photo: Fairmont Mara Safari Club.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: 498 coronavirus patients unaccounted for as infection cases continue to soar

As a result, the employees filed their complaints with the attorney general barely a day after country general manager Mehdi Morad sent out the memo.

In a letter to Morad, the Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto demanded justification and answers over the mass sacking which he termed as of profound public interest.

As you would appreciate, such a decision, if taken, would have far-reaching implications on the well-being of many households and indeed, the Kenyan economy in general. This is therefore a matter of profound public interest, in respect of which this office demands a response. We look forward to hearing from you, promptly," he said.

READ ALSO: Aden Duale meets Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of purge in National Assembly

The hotel has been closed indefinitely after management cited business uncertainty. Photo: Fairmont The Norfolk.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Mkewe Rais wa Burundi alazwa katika hospitali ya Aga Khan baada ya kukutwa na COVID-19

According to the hotel directors, they were forced to reach the tough decision as a result of unforgiving economic times caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"It is, therefore, the decision of the management to terminate the services of all its employees due to frustration by way of mutual separation and taking into account the loyalty and dedication the employees have put into the success of our company in the previous years," Morad said.

Employees of the two facilities are set to receive their termination letters by June 5 and will be entitled to one months pay in lieu of notice.

"You will be entitled to your pension as per the rules of the Scheme. Employees will receive their termination letters with the terms stipulated above by end of day June 5," the notice read in part.

The hotel joined other companies and SMEs that have closed shop as a result of no or little earnings.

In his eight-point economic stimulus package in light of disruptions occasioned by the pandemic, President Uhuru Kenyatta released KSh 2 billion for the tourism sector and soft loans for hotels.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

I slept with multiple women, did all sorts of drugs before God changed me - Pastor Chris Chege - TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
WASHINGTON  After protests erupted in several U.S. cities over the death of an African-American man in police custody in Minneapolis, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said Friday that we need everybody to please take a deep breath and await the results of an investigation.

Cornyn spoke after fellow Texas Republicans condemned the death of George Floyd, a native of Houston. Floyd, 46, died in Minneapolis police custody Monday night. He had been arrested by officers investigating a report that someone had used a fake $20 bill to make a purchase at a store. Video showed an officer kneeling on Floyds neck, pinning him to the ground while he pleaded for help, saying I cant breathe.

Boy, that was a hard thing to watch, Cornyn said of the video. And certainly our prayers go out to his family, and I would say our law enforcement officials have a very difficult job to do sometimes, but there will be a time of accountability if there was a mishandling of that situation.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

I do know there have been acts of violence and various demonstrations around the country, including some vandalism here in San Antonio, Cornyn continued. Thats just simply unacceptable. We need everybody to please take a deep breath, let the authorities do their investigation and we will hold people who are responsible accountable, but violence is not called for.

Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa called Cornyns choice of words flat-out disgusting and downright wrong.

The family of George Floyd and those mourning his death are owed an immediate and unequivocal apology, Hinojosa said. Not only was Cornyns choice of words appalling, but the gall to demand that those grieving Floyds death calm down is reprehensible  regardless of the phrasing used.

Cornyn, a former Texas attorney general and state Supreme Court justice, made his comments during an exchange with reporters after he handed out groceries at a San Antonio Food Bank distribution at the Alamodome.

Cornyn was asked about Floyds death and about President Donald Trumps tweet Friday in which the president reacted to violent protests in Minneapolis by saying that when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

The senator spoke before state authorities in Minnesota charged Derek Chauvin, the white officer who knelt on Floyds neck, with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The Justice Department is also investigating the case.

Gov. Greg Abbott said in an interview with Houstons KPRC2 on Friday that Floyds death should not have happened and obviously, from everything I have seen, this is a consequence of poor police work.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday tweeted: Having watched the video, what happened to George Floyd is inexcusable and cannot be tolerated.

Law enforcement should protect everyone, regardless of race, said Cruz, R-Texas. I am glad that the Department of Justice has stepped in, and I pray that justice is done.

ARREST IN FLOYD CASE: Minneapolis cop who knelt on neck of handcuffed George Floyd charged

Rep. Will Hurd of San Antonio, the only black Republican in the House, said: The video evidence in George Floyds case should be enough for the Hennepin County attorney to make arrests TODAY, so this police officer can be prosecuted for murder.

Staff writer Tom Orsborn contributed to this report.

ben.wermund@chron.com
Rajesh Asnani By

Express News Service

JAIPUR: The Bhilwara district of Rajasthan, which received widespread appreciation for its fight against coronavirus, is under the spotlight again. But this time, the "insensitive acts" by some officials made headlines when a four-month-old baby girl died a few days ago.

The officials concerned did not hand over the body to the family for the last rites for 14 hours - because her family was scared of catching the virus. Finally, the Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) of the area took the initiative and performed the last rites on his own.

The shocking incident took place in Chavandia village of Karera subdivision of Bhilwara district. The family of the girl, who lost her life, had come back from Mumbai just a few days ago. After their arrival, their samples were taken when they were at a quarantine center in Karera. The report of the girl's father came out positive and he is being treated in the district hospital. Reports of the child and her mother, however, came negative following which they had been sent to home quarantine. But on Wednesday night, the girl fell ill and passed away due to dehydration.

Block CMHO of Mandal, Dr. Prabhakar said, "We received information about the baby suffering from diarrhoea. Soon, she was then taken to the hospital but the girl died during the treatment. Her body was sent to the family which insisted on performing her last rites only after the test confirms that she is coronavirus negative. Due to this, the officials concerned waited to hand over the body from Wednesday night to Thursday afternoon."

Mandal Subdivision Magistrate Mahipal Singh and the Health Department officials explained to the family for more than two hours, but in vain. Later, Subdivision Magistrate, Mahipal Singh took the dead body to the graveyard. He dug a pit himself and buried the body.

"Some people spread the rumour that the girl is coronavirus positive as her father was infected. We tried to convince the family for the last rites by showing her negative reports. But they asked us to give it in writing as they were not convinced. Then I took up the initiative and told the family that if they are apprehensive about catching the virus, I will do the burial", said Mahipal Singh.
Health Canada has released a recall and safety alert on Akwaton multipurpose wipes, which have been in circulation at Gambler First Nation and possibly beyond.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

Health Canada has released a recall and safety alert on Akwaton multipurpose wipes, which have been in circulation at Gambler First Nation and possibly beyond.

The federal department states unequivocally: Stop using this product.

Akwaton multipurpose wipes, which contain polyhexamenthylene guanidine and were in circulation at Gambler First Nation and possibly beyond, are not approved by Health Canada. (Submitted)

"This product has not been authorized by Health Canada and may cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction, especially in vulnerable populations such as children," stated the department.

Further, anyone who has used the product and has health concerns should consult with their health-care professional and report any health-product adverse events or complaints to Health Canada.

"These disinfectant wipes are labelled to contain polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHMG) at a concentration of 0.05% (500 ppm). This ingredient is used as a biocidal disinfectant, but it is not approved for use in Canada. It can cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction, especially in vulnerable populations such as children," Health Canada stated.

The product has not been reviewed for its safety, efficacy or quality.

"Since January 2019, Fosfaton-Akwaton International Ltd. has distributed an estimated 588 boxes (25 wipes per box) in Canada," Health Canada continued. "In addition to not being authorized by Health Canada, the product expired in November 2015. As a result, the active ingredient may no longer be effective and the water in the product may have evaporated, raising the concentration of PHMG."

Anyone possessing these wipes is advised to follow municipal or regional guidelines on how to dispose of chemicals and other hazardous waste.

"You may also return the product to your local pharmacy for proper disposal."

The Brandon Sun first reported the circulation of this unauthorized product out of Gambler First Nation on May 15, then again on May 22. Gambler leadership did not respond to the Sun for those stories, though the communitys health director declared on Facebook the wipes were safe.

"Now, if you are asking about the akwaton wipes, yes we have and absolutely love them and SURPRISE, we havent died," Mackenzie Olynyk wrote on a Gambler Facebook page. "These were distributed to staff of gambler, employed by gambler, for those in the work force."

 mletourneau@brandonsun.com

 Michele LeTourneau covers Indigenous matters for The Brandon Sun under the Local Journalism Initiative, a federally funded program that supports the creation of original civic journalism.
The Zamfara State Police Command says it has arrested 251 alleged illegal miners, among them a Burkinabe, during a Sallah eve raid at the mining sites in the state.

The Police Commissioner, Usman Nagogo, paraded the arrested persons at the command headquarters on Friday in Gusau, the state capital.

Mr Nagogo recalled the arrest of some Chinese nationals and their Nigerian collaborator on April 20.

The arrests followed a matching order by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Chief of Army Staff to security agents to go after the culprits.

He said on May 21 the Brigade Commander, 1 Brigade, Nigeria Army, Gusau, Bello Musliyu, a brigadier general, led a team of security operatives to raid the mining sites in Kawaye, Zugu, Dan Kamfani and Bagega.

The police commissioner said the security operatives were drawn from the army, the police and the Directorate of Security Services (DSS).

He said the operatives also raided Dareta and Daki-Takwas mining sites in Anka, Bukkuyum and Gummi Local Government Areas of the state.

READ ALSO:

Mr Nagogo said 12 water pumping machines, 29 motorcycles, chemicals for gold and unrefined gold sifting materials were recovered at the raided illegal mining sites.

He warned those engaged in the mining to desist from the unwholesome act as the raid of mining sites would be a continual exercise until illegal mining activities in the state were brought to a halt.

Anybody who goes against the norms will be arrested and severely dealt with according to the law of the land, he warned.

(NAN)
In less than 48 hours since the Android code of the Aarogya Setu mobile application was thrown open for review, at least 165 issues of various levels of severity was flagged by the software developer community to help the government identify and plug holes -- from the way it uses Bluetooth for contact tracing to typos in the text.

The number and nature of suggestions that poured in could make Aarogya Setu, now being used by over 100 million Indians, one of the first big government projects to be improved through public inputs, experts said.

Also read: Protection or threat? Experts say Aarogya Setu poses national security risk

People have flagged raised a lot of issues and while among these, many may be minor, what it really shows is participatory governance in the making, said Srinivas Kodali, an independent researcher working on technology, data and governance. But it needs to be extended to other governance applications and IT systems  it cannot be one-off, he added.

The code of Aarogya Setu for Android phones was shared at 12am on Wednesday on code-sharing website GitHub. A review of issues posted by people varied from concerns over the way the app deployed Bluetooth, typos in the text displayed by the application and suggestions for improvements.

All suggestions are under review by the technical team, said Abhishek Singh, CEO of MyGov. An IT ministry official, who asked not to be named, added that the technical team has been instructed to notify MyGov in case of a serious issue . Other issues, as mentioned in the timeline by the government, will be reviewed in three days by the team.

So far, no significant development has been flagged, added the official.

However, some posts said that the version available for users to download through the Google Play store is not the version for which the code was made public.

One of the more serious concerns, flagged by Sydney-based developer Jim Mussared, concerned the way contact-tracing applications use Bluetooth to determine whether people have been in close contact with another person.

The vulnerability, which has at least been identified in Australias COVIDSafe application, allows for long-term tracking of users and possibly enables other Bluetooth-based attack vectors, the global vulnerability listing of the problem showed.

We have not confirmed that the issue exists in the Aarogya Setu app, we just wanted to reach out to the team so they could clarify for sure. Given that it affects other apps it seemed important to check with them, but we havent been able to get a reply by email yet, said Mussared in an email to HT.

The researcher added that there have been several issues in contact-tracing apps from multiple countries, and that many of these are due to using Bluetooth in this manner. The details of this particular vulnerability will be made public on June 19 at the end of a 45-day embargo that is meant to give developers time to address it.

Bluetooth is short-distance radio technology. Its short range is one of the reasons why contact-tracing tools have preferred to use it to determine close contacts, but the technology itself has been vulnerable to hacking.

Several of the other posts on the Aarogya Setu GitHub page also suggested how the Bluetooth deployment could be made safer.

The government has announced a bug bounty, offering 1-3 lakh for researchers who expose serious vulnerabilities.

More suggestions are likely to pour in as comprehensive code reviews can take several days.
L - A memorial outside Cub Foods, where George Floyd was killed in police custody, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 28, 2020. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images); R - File frame from video provided by Darnella Frazier, showing a Minneapolis officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 25, 2020. (Darnella Frazier/AP)

Fired Minneapolis Police Officer Arrested and Charged In Connection with George Floyds Death

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was arrested in connection with George Floyds death, which sparked national outrage and violent riots.

Facing pressure from officials and protesters, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced charges on Friday of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

George Floyd was pronounced dead Monday after Chauvin was filmed kneeling on his neck for an extended period of time until Floyd became unresponsive.

Chauvin was taken into custody by officers with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Freeman made the announcement just one day after he told reporters that justice cannot be rushed, pointing to the 2015 case of 25-year-old Freddie Grey from Baltimore, who died a week after he was critically injured while in police custody. None of the six police officers charged in that case were convicted.

Chauvin was fired Tuesday along with three other officers involved in the arrest. The next day, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for Chauvin to be criminally charged. Democratic state Attorney General Keith Ellison told reporters earlier Friday that a message was sent to the county attorney. The wheels of justice must turn swiftly, he said.

The vandalized Lake Street/Midtown metro station after a night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

State Police stand guard as smoke billows from buildings that continue to burn in the aftermath of a night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Chauvin had been with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) for 19 years. According to online records, 17 complaints were made against Chauvin in his time with the Minneapolis police. All were closed with no discipline except for two, which led to letters of reprimand.

Also, both Floyd and Chauvin worked in security at the El Nuevo Rodeo club in Minnesotas capital, former owner Maya Santamaria said.

She owned the club for nearly 20 years before selling it a few months ago.

Chauvin was our off-duty police for almost the entirety of the 17 years that we were open, Santamaria told KTSP. They were working together at the same time, its just that Chauvin worked outside and the security guards were inside.

It cannot be said for sure that the men knew each other, Santamaria added.

If they would have crossed paths, it probably would not have been something they remembered, she told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Protests erupted Tuesday, a day after Floyds death in a confrontation with police.

Protesters torched a Minneapolis police station Thursday that the department was forced to abandon as three days of violent protests spread to nearby St. Paul and angry demonstrations flared across the United States.

Protestors demonstrate outside of a burning Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct in Minneapolis, Minn. on May 28, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

A police spokesman confirmed late Thursday that staff had evacuated the 3rd Precinct station, the focus of many of the protests.

Livestream video showed the protesters entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as blazes were set. The 3rd Precinct covers the portion of south Minneapolis where Floyd died while in police custody.

Despite violent protests and looting in parts of Minneapolis, elsewhere in the city, thousands of peaceful demonstrators marched through the streets calling for justice.

Floyds death came after police responded to a 911 call by a store clerk alleging Floyd had used a counterfeit bill and that he was behaving erratically.

In the ensuing confrontation, Chauvin used his knee on Floyds neck to pin himunarmed and handcuffedto the ground.

Zachary Stieber and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Reiterates border dispute is an internal matter between India and China.

New Delhi: India remains firm in its resolve to ensure its security and sovereignty at the borders but is engaged with China to peacefully resolve border issues, the external affairs ministry said Thursday.

On steps to resolve the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh, New Delhi said there were mechanisms both at the military and diplomatic level to resolve issues, saying the diplomatic engagement continues both in Delhi and Beijing.

Asked about US President Donald Trumps offer to mediate between India and China, the MEA avoided a direct response, but indicated the border issue was a bilateral matter between India and China. In reply to a query, MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava merely said India was engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve the issue.

The spokesman added Indian troops conduct themselves responsibly at the border while strictly following protocol. However, sources said despite the conciliatory note by China, there was no shift in the position of Chinese troops in forward areas and the points where they reportedly transgressed the perceived Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

There has been no withdrawal of the Chinese troops and neither there has been addition of any new troops at the LAC. Its a status quo-like situation, the sources said.

The Indian Army is on high alert and keeping a close watch on Chinese PLA soldiers at the LAC. The Indian and Chinese armies are also holding brigade-level talks to resolve the Ladakh standoff.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Taking a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who got the nation together on multiple occasions to express gratitude to corona warriors, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday appealed to Odias all over the world to join voices and recite Bande Utkal Janani at 5.30 pm on May 30, in honour of the States frontline workers.

Asserting that Odisha has set an example in saving human lives from the coronavirus pandemic, the Chief Minister said in a video message , all credit goes to the Covid warriors who have been working day and night, with sacrifice and commitment.

From frontline health workers, PRIs and peoples representatives, Government employees cutting across all departments/ private sector employees/self help group members, service minded individuals - all have worked round the clock, keeping their personal lives aside to provide service to the people, he said.

The Chief Minister said, due to their selfless efforts, Covid-19 fatality rate in the State is one of the lowest in India and the world. Besides, more than 50 per cent of the infected people have recovered and gone home.

As we started the fight against Covid-19 two months ago, our goal was to save the lives of the 4.5 crore people of the State and we have ensured this. It is an unprecedented success for the State. Odishas efforts have been recognised at all levels. Powerful nations of the world, rich states of our country have not been able to achieve this feat in the fight against Covid, he stated.

Naveen spoke to leaders of political parties including Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik, State BJP president Sameer Mohanty and others to bring all on board on the singing of State Song to encourage and motivate Covid warriors.

Stating that the song had strengthened the bond among Odias during the struggle for a separate state of Odisha, Naveen said the recitation will be a befitting honour to the sacrifices made by the frontline workers.

It will provide inspiration for our Covid warriors, besides strengthening our resolve to work with renewed commitment, he said.

The CM spoke to teachers, sarpanchs, Asha, anganwadi and health workers over telephone, who have been infected in their fight against Covid-19. He hailed their courage and dedication in providing outstanding service to society and wished their speedy recovery.
Crowds lined the beach on blankets and chairs, explored the tide pools around Haystack Rock, sat at patio tables of beachside restaurants and bought freshly-made taffy by the bunches.

The scene at Cannon Beach on Thursday looked downright normal at first glance, but as the Oregon coast town begins to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic, the face masks, social distancing and closed signs indicated otherwise.

Throngs of people took to the beach Thursday as temperatures reached the high 80s in Portland. The warm day coincided with the end of Cannon Beachs ban on tourists and short-term lodging, as well as the reopening of restaurants in town. All are the tenuous first steps toward what local business owners hope will be a successful season despite the ongoing threat of COVID-19.

The business people are more than happy to have a few folks coming back to town, said Susan Truax, owner of Bruces Candy Kitchen. We are tourist businesses.

On Thursday, people poked in and out of the pink-and-white-striped shop on Cannon Beachs main drag, buying bags of candy and watching colorful ribbons of taffy being made. Employees all wore plastic face shields and gloves. Some customers wore face masks, but many did not.

Bruces has been around since 1963 and has weathered a few storms, Truax said. They should be able to make it through this one, provided they get some business this spring and summer. Throughout town, that business is returning, as beachgoers pop in and out of small shops, and eat at restaurants that offer ample outdoor seating.

A server brings lunch to a table at Pelican Brewing in Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast, as the town reopens amid the coronavirus pandemic on May 28, 2020, a particularly warm spring day. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

People flock to Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast as the town reopens amid the coronavirus pandemic on May 28, 2020, a particularly warm spring day. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Brian Taylor wears a plastic face shield while making taffy at Bruce's Candy Kitchen in Cannon Beach, as the town reopens amid the coronavirus pandemic on May 28, 2020.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Pelican Brewing benefits from plenty of indoor and outdoor space to spread people out. The brewpub, which is one of the largest restaurants in town, reopened to the public Tuesday with new public health rules in place.

Aside from socially distanced tables, Pelican requires face masks and wellness checks for all employees, has designated a separate entrance and exit, and requires customers to wear face masks in all common areas of the restaurant. General manager Carly Dye said the restaurant will provide a free face mask to anyone who shows up without one.

Im really excited for people to come back and as long as everybody is taking the precautions. Thats what matters, you know? Dye said. I just want people to understand that they can do a part, we can do this safely.

Dye said the crowds in town Thursday were the highest she had seen since the first weekend of spring, when tourists flocked to Cannon Beach ahead of Oregon Gov. Kate Browns stay-home order issued March 23.

That stay-home order is still in effect, discouraging nonessential travel including day trips or vacations to the coast. Additionally, Multnomah and Washington counties have yet to enter Phase 1 of the states reopening plan, meaning people from the Portland area are still encouraged to stay close to home. (Washington County is scheduled to reopen Monday, and Multnomah County is targeting June 12.)

Cannon Beach city manager Bruce St. Denis said the town would prefer people from those areas not to come, though he admitted theres been some mixed messaging both locally and statewide.

On one hand youre not supposed to travel  but hotels are open and hotels are busy, St. Denis said. On one hand, youre inviting people to come, but on the other you have the governors order that leisure travel is not essential travel.

A group of masked tourists watches taffy being made at Bruce's Many Kitchen in Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast, as the town reopens amid the coronavirus pandemic on May 28, 2020, a particularly warm spring day. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Ecola Seafood in Cannon Beach offers orders to go, with outdoor seating at spaced-out picnic tables in the parking lot. People flocked to Cannon Beach as the town reopened amid the coronavirus pandemic on May 28, 2020, a particularly warm spring day. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

People flock to Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast as the town reopens amid the coronavirus pandemic on May 28, 2020, a particularly warm spring day. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Local businesses in Cannon Beach seem to greet that contradiction with a shrug. Several businesses owners said theyre just focused on reopening safely, not controlling who comes in from what part of the region.

But many locals are fearful of tourists flocking in as the coronavirus pandemic continues, St. Denis said. The local population in Cannon Beach skews older, and is therefore at a higher risk for COVID-19, he said. The citys reopening plan hinged on everybody taking proper public health precautions  tourists included  but that has yet to pan out.

The people that are coming are not wearing masks and theyre not social distancing, St. Denis said. We all opened on the premise that people would wear masks and social distance.

Like most beaches on the Oregon coast, the beach at Cannon Beach affords plenty of room to find 60 feet of social distance, let alone six. But that kind of distance becomes more difficult as people funnel through beach access points, crowd sidewalks or peruse local shops.

On Thursday afternoon, the vast majority of people in town walked around without face masks, though employees inside most shops and restaurants wore them. Public restrooms remained open, where signs encouraged people to maintain social distance while inside.

Day trippers have made up a sizable proportion of visitors, but Cannon Beach hotels are now filling up, too.

Greg Swedenborg, owner of The Waves, said his hotel will be at 90% capacity this weekend, only days after getting the go-ahead to reopen. Most guests come from the Portland and Seattle areas, he said, though hes also been seeing people from Idaho and as far away as Bangkok.

Swedenborg said he and other local hotel owners lobbied the city to reopen, presenting a detailed safety plan that includes no-touch check-ins, regular cleaning of commonly touched areas, protective equipment for employees and housekeeping thats now coordinated with guests.

Theres really no touch, no coming into the lobby, which is kind of odd in hospitality, Swedenborg said. But I think everybody gets it.

He said that while most locals feel at least some trepidation about bringing back tourists, the alternative was to sit back and watch the local economy wither. Already local businesses have lost a lot of money, and they dont stand to make up for it this summer. The city, too, has suffered from not collecting lodging taxes this spring.

As tourists return, most shops and restaurants in town have reopened to take advantage, but already there are hushed condolences for those few that will not.

John Sowa, owner and chef at Sweet Basil in Cannon Beach, packs up his restaurant after closing for good amid the coronavirus pandemic. The 14-year-old restaurant was known for its Cajun cooking and intimate dining room. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

People flock to Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast as the town reopens amid the coronavirus pandemic on May 28, 2020, a particularly warm spring day. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Diners eat at tables outside at Drfitwood Restaurant & Lounge in Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast, as the town reopens amid the coronavirus pandemic on May 28, 2020, a particularly warm spring day. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Across the street from Bruces Candy Kitchen, down a wooden walkway through a shaded alley, a small yellow closed sign hung outside Sweet Basil, a beloved Cajun and Creole restaurant that was set to celebrate its 14th anniversary at the end of June. Outside, owner John Sowa prepared to pack up furniture, fixtures and glassware, closing up shop for good.

Its been a good run here, 13 years, 14 years is a good run for any restaurant, Sowa said. It comes to the point where a decision has to be made, and if I want to keep on doing what I love doing, then something has to be changed, because it just wasnt going to function here anymore.

Sweet Basil was known for its intimate dining room, where social distance simply isnt possible. They had a successful run of takeout during the shutdown, but it wasnt enough, Sowa said. A small restaurant like his doesnt work during a pandemic, he said.

To survive in a town like Cannon Beach, restaurants must completely change their business model, he said. Some are more prepared to do that than others. Outdoor dining is a crucial part of the equation, Sowa said, though its a solution that works only as long as the sun is shining  far from a guarantee on the Oregon coast.

As other restaurants and businesses carve out their paths in Cannon Beach, Sowa will take his talents up the coast to Astoria, where hell join fellow chef Jeff Martin at the Silver Salmon Grille. Its a solution that allows him to keep doing what he loves.

Other business owners in town look on. Many said theyre fully aware that they now sit one bad season, one more shutdown away from packing up their shops, too. But as long as public health officials allow them to stay open, and as long as people come, their doors will be open throughout the pandemic.

We cant control this thing, but we also cant hide under the covers the rest of the year, Swedenborg said. This is serious to us, its not only our business its our community.

--Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Fires rage in Minneapolis after the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by local cop Derek Chauvin.

Though four officers were immediately fired, local prosecutor Mike Freeman said that there is 'other evidence that does not support a criminal charge' even as police refused to release unredacted footage of the incident. Video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck as he gasped for breath was taken by a bystander; Chauvin's long history of violent conduct soon surfaced.

Minnesota's Attorney General said he nonetheless "anticipated" charges against the officers who killed Floyd. Another potential avenue for justice: the FBI is investigating whether Floyd's rights were violated, though its request for "more video" was excoriated by commentator Don Lemon.

Police abandoned a precinct during clashes Thursday night, and it became the first to be destroyed during unrest in modern U.S. history.

Among those detained was a black CNN reporter and his crew, live on air.

On social media, President Trump branded those protesting "THUGS" and suggested they should be shot; Twitter hid his tweet per its policy against glorifying violence, another first.

UPDATE: Chauvin was arrested Friday.

Photo: Hungryogrephotos (Public Domain)

CORRECTION: CNN's reporter was detained Friday morning, not Thursday night.
For most Americans, May 13 was the last day to provide their direct-deposit information to the IRS so they could get their coronavirus stimulus check put straight into their bank account. COVID-19 payments were authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act for short) and are worth as much as $1,200 per qualifying adult and $500 per eligible dependent.

If you missed out on providing your bank account details to the IRS, that doesn't mean you won't get your money. Here's what you may need to do.

Most people will get paper checks without doing anything

If you filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return or if you receive Social Security benefits, benefits from the Veterans Administration, or railroad retirement benefits, you don't need to do anything to get your money if you're eligible for it. The IRS has indicated most checks will be sent out by mid-June, so your check should come by early July at the latest if you haven't received it already.

Your check will go to the mailing address the IRS has on file for you based on your most recent tax return or benefits information. If that's an old address, you cannot update it online with the IRS due to fraud concerns. Fill out a forwarding-address form with the Postal Service ASAP if you haven't already.

But some people do need to give the IRS some details

If you haven't filed a tax return for the past two tax years and don't receive VA, Social Security, or railroad retirement benefits, you need to provide your financial details to the IRS so it's aware you're entitled to a payment.

You have two options: You can use a simple online form for nonfilers if you aren't required to submit a 2019 tax return. If you do need to file but haven't yet, you can send in your 2019 return (the IRS extended the deadline for last year's returns to July 15).

The IRS has warned not to use the nonfilers form if you plan to submit a 2019 return because doing so could slow down the processing of your return as well as delay any tax refund you're due.

You can also claim your money when you file your 2020 return

If you don't receive a stimulus payment and you're entitled to one, there's one other option: Claim it when you file your 2020 tax return.

The COVID-19 stimulus checks are an advanced payment of a special tax credit created by the CARES Act. The IRS is sending out the money now since most people need it immediately to weather the coronavirus crisis, but it can be claimed on a 1040 form just as with any other credit.

This is likely a last resort for most people since they won't be able to file a return and get their money until the IRS starts accepting 2020 tax forms sometime toward the end of January 2021. But it's better than not getting the money at all. And this is the only solution for people whose checks were for the wrong amount.

Don't leave money on the table

If you're still watching the mail for your check or need to give the IRS your information, you may also want to pay attention to proposals that would provide for additional stimulus funds. If the IRS is going to send a second round of checks, you may be able to provide direct-deposit details next time.
Crime Check Foundation (CCF), a non-governmental organisation, has supported Ms Memuna Malik, who had her face, chest and parts of her left hand disfigured after a substance believed to be acid was poured on her.



As part of the Foundations Health Check Series, an amount of GH4,000.00 was presented to Ms Malik to help her start medical process.



Mr Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, the Executive Director of CCF, told the Ghana News Agency that the donation was made possible by six of the Foundations group and individual donors.



He said in addition to the cash donation were some foodstuff from an Italy-based donor.



The Executive Director, who is also a Broadcast Journalist with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, encouraged the victim to keep up the faith in God and believe that all would be well.



The Foundation has, therefore, launched an appeal, pleading with all benevolent individuals and organisations to support her to access quality medical care to save her life.



Ms Malik, 29, said a lady poured the substance on her face at Riyadh, the Capital City of Saudi Arabia, where she worked before the incident happened.



She said she returned to Ghana about three months ago and now resides in Accra. She expressed gratitude to all partners and donors of the Foundation for the support.



Ms Malik explained that the unfortunate incident happened on December 24, 2018, after she closed from work and decided to go and braid her hair at Rabis Hair Salon, in Riyadh.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
More than 100 attendees of this reopened church in Frankfurt, Germany, have recently become infected with the coronavirus. (Thomas Lohnes / Getty Images)

Prayerful ritual is as old as religion itself: Gather the faithful. Make a joyful noise.

But the coronavirus has changed the face of worship the world over, transforming churches and other houses of worship into potentially dangerous vectors of disease.

Now, as many Americans weigh how and whether to return to church, Western Europe, where the outbreak hit weeks before the United States and is mostly ebbing, offers a possible glimpse of the way forward  one full of hope but also of risk.

A prime example is Germany, widely hailed as a model in its handling of the coronavirus crisis. Its death toll is a fraction of that in Britain, Italy or Spain, even though its population is larger.

German houses of worship, including more than 45,000 churches, were allowed to reopen from May 9, following a seven-week shutdown. The resumption of communal religious life has been welcomed by many, despite coming laden with rules, such as social spacing and a ban on singing, to minimize the spread of the coronavirus.

But in a demonstration of the dangers that continue to lurk unseen, more than 100 attendees of a church service in southern Germany have become infected with the virus, at least some of them at the gathering, possibly because they failed to adhere to the governments guidelines on how to worship safely. The outbreak has served as a sobering reminder that a complete return to pre-coronavirus practices is still not a viable option for the sake of public health.

We have to remain cautious, said Werner Otto, a Roman Catholic priest in Frankfurt, Germanys financial hub and the central city where the new flare-up occurred. I personally dont like all the safeguards, but theyre still necessary.

About 50 million of Germanys 82 million people identify as Christian, and some 4.7 million as Muslim. Jews, a large and thriving community before the Holocaust, number about 200,000.

For Claudius Wagemann, a member of a Catholic congregation in Frankfurt, going back to church was fulfilling, but also frustrating.

Story continues

Under government guidelines, parishioners are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings while taking their place in disinfected pews. Sitting six feet apart is required, a rule that has kept Wagemanns church  named for Germanys patron saint, Boniface  at half capacity. Communion can only be taken by the celebrating priest.

Churchgoers also must register their names and phone numbers  a highly sensitive matter in Germany, where privacy laws are strong and memories still linger of the obsessive surveillance methods of East Germanys secret police, the Stasi.

A 47-year-old political science professor at the citys Goethe University, Wagemann was happy to be back, but sad to remain silent when it would normally be time for hymns and hosannas.

Singing can spread the virus through respiratory droplets  a phenomenon well documented elsewhere, including the now-famous case of a choir practice in Washington state  and is forbidden.

Something was missing from the atmosphere, Wagemann lamented. The spirit of participation wasnt really there, without being able to sing.

In the United States, President Trump urged the opening of churches even as the pandemic was taking hold, initially expressing hopes for full churches on Easter Sunday, April 12. That proved unrealistic, but Trump has more recently threatened to overrule governors who do not immediately lift church-closing orders.

Church leaders across the United States have also filed lawsuits against their state governments demanding the right to operate as normal.

Partial reopenings of houses of worship were planned this weekend in many areas, including California, which has released guidelines saying churches can hold services with a maximum of 100 people, or at 25% capacity, whichever is smaller. But the state also urged that online services remain available.

In Germany last month, there was resentment in some circles when churches were told to stay closed while certain shops and businesses  including bicycle shops, bookstores and car washes  began serving customers, albeit with precautions.

Similar tensions between church and state have sprung up elsewhere in Europe. Catholic bishops in Italy excoriated the government for not allowing public Masses when the country started easing its lockdown earlier this month. A court in France ordered the government there to lift its blanket ban on worship services, calling it a disproportionate measure at a time when other coronavirus restrictions were being loosened. Eight priests have been jailed in the small Balkan nation of Montenegro after leading a procession with thousands of people who neither wore masks nor maintained social distance.

Religious freedom is a particularly fraught topic in Germany, and not only because of the Holocaust, when Nazis killed millions of Jews. East Germany, which was under Communist rule from the end of World War II until 1989, was officially atheist, but church authorities managed to reach an accommodation with the authorities.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, raised in the East, is the daughter of a pastor, but even three decades after German reunification, religion plays relatively little role in public life in that part of the country.

In the weeks before German churches were allowed to open their doors, many religious leaders lobbied hard for an easing of restrictions. One Catholic group in Berlin took the government to court before the new guidelines were handed down.

But hopes for a smooth return to churchgoing suffered a setback when word emerged of an outbreak centered on the congregation of a Baptist church in Frankfurt after a May 10 service.

Of 180 worshipers in attendance, up to 130 became infected, according to German news reports. Those reportedly hospitalized included the churchs leader and his deputy.

The church, the Evangelical Christian Baptist Congregation, initially insisted that rules were followed. But its leaders eventually acknowledged that they had allowed singing, and had not urged the wearing of face masks.

"With hindsight, it would have been appropriate for us to wear mouth-and-nose protection covers during the service, and to refrain from singing together, the church said in a statement on its website Monday.

Although the service was blamed as the likely source of infection, health authorities in Hesse state, where Frankfurt is located, have since noted that many of those in the congregation also attended family-style dinners afterward. Rene Gottschalk, the head of the Frankfurt health office, said that the authorities believed most were infected following the church service, and not during it.

Otto, the priest, said attendance is still low at his church, but that even senior citizens, who are more vulnerable to infection, are returning. Families with young children were less in evidence, perhaps worried about being able to corral youngsters and maintain proper physical distance.

You can tell that a lot of people have really missed coming to their church services, Otto said.

To mollify those unhappy over the ban on singing, Otto introduced more organ music, and said he was pleased when congregants praised the celebratory effect.

But worshipers such as Wagemann, the professor, still yearn for sacred songs. He particularly grieved over a missed Easter favorite  Das Grab ist leer, or The Grave Is Empty  about Christ risen from the dead.

Its just such a big part of the tradition for me, he said. I wish we would be allowed to sing with a face mask on!

Kirschbaum is a special correspondent. Times staff writer Laura King contributed to this report.
Black and Latino children in New Jersey appear to be the most affected by a rare inflammatory disease potentially linked to the coronavirus, the state health commissioner said Friday.

At the Friday afternoon press briefing, commissioner Judy Persichilli said there was a total of 26 cases of multi-system inflammatory disease in the state. The illness mirrors Kawasaki disease, which causes inflammation in blood vessels. Of those 26 cases, black children accounted for 26.9 percent and Hispanic children, which includes children of Hispanic ethnicity or race definitions, accounted for 30.8 percent, she said.

So although the n (sample size) is quite small, we are seeing a preponderance of disease in communities of color, said Persichilli.

Since late April, children have been diagnosed with the rare and potentially deadly pediatric inflammation syndrome being investigated for its links to the coronavirus. The children often arrive at hospitals all experiencing similar symptoms: Red eyes. Fevers that lasts for days. Low blood pressure. Cardiac distress.

Of the 26 cases, 18 have tested positive for COVID-19, said Persichilli. As of Friday, there are no deaths reported related to the illness, said Persichilli. Six of the children were still hospitalized as of the briefing.

The ages of those affected range from 1 to 18 and the remaining demographic breakdown includes 19.2 percent white and 7.7 percent Asian, she said.

The illness shares similarities with Kawasaki Disease, which is also potentially linked to the coronavirus. Kawasaki disease symptoms include conjunctivitis, a fever that lasts at least five days, a very specific rash and a swollen tongue, a pediatric physician previously told NJ Advance Media.

Not all of the New Jersey patients had the full range of symptoms. And the syndrome is usually found in patients 5 years old and younger. Some of the children who were diagnosed with multi-system inflammatory disease were older than 5.

In the early days of the pandemic, children were largely thought to be immune to the disease and its effects.

As of Friday afternoon, there were 11,531 known fatalities related to COVID-19 in the state, with at least 158,844 cases, since the first case was reported March 4.

New Jersey, a densely populated state of 9 million residents, has the second-most deaths and cases among U.S. states, after New York.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com.
This data comes during a time when hospitals nationwide are seeing up to a 60 percent reduction in admissions for heart attacks , and according to the American College of Emergency Physicians, emergency room volumes are down by up to 50 percent, underscoring fears in the medical community of the dangerous, and potentially fatal, effects of COVID-19. These fears are also backed by a recent study showing a 38 percent drop in patients being treated with a life-threatening cardiac event known as a STEMI that occurs when there is a blockage of one of the major arteries bringing blood through the heart.

Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans each year, responsible for one in four deaths. Yet, a new nationally-representative study, conducted by SCAI with DEFINITION 6, found more than 50 percent of Americans are more afraid of contracting COVID-19 than experiencing a heart attack, and an alarming rate of people are avoiding care for medical emergencies because of it.

"The data that we are seeing from this survey is not just disturbing, it is a clear sign that Americans may be in for a dangerous third wave of complications, and even fatalities, from delaying cardiac care during the time of this pandemic," said Cindy Grines, MD, MSCAI, SCAI president, and chief scientific officer, Northside Cardiovascular Institute in Atlanta. "While there is still much we don't know about COVID-19, we do know that when it comes to heart attacks or strokes, getting to the hospital quickly and receiving immediate care is the only safe course of action. Time to treatment helps ensure the best possible patient outcomes."

To help combat these fears and reverse the trend that's emerged since stay-at-home orders have been put in place, SCAI wants to educate and empower people that even in this COVID-19 environment, seconds still count when it comes to their heart health. The Seconds Count Campaign is designed to help Americans remember the signs of a heart attack or stroke, and remind people that in the event of a cardiac emergency, seconds count when it comes to receiving life-saving care.

"Cardiovascular disease is not hiding out in self-isolation waiting until it's safe to strike," said Kirk N. Garratt, MD, MSc, MSCAI, medical director, Center for Heart & Vascular Health, ChristianaCare in Newark, Del., and SCAI past president. "Now more than ever, we need to make sure people at risk, and their loved ones, know the signs of a heart attack or stroke and understand the need to get to the hospital quickly. Fear of COVID-19 can also be fatal. Delaying care results in more serious heart damage and even death. Our hospitals are ready to give the right cardiac care  safely."

Key Survey Highlights

As States start to open up, more than one-third of Americans (36 percent) consider going to the hospital to be one of the riskiest behaviors to take part in compared to going to a hair salon (27 percent) or going to the beach (16 percent)

61 percent of respondents think they are either somewhat likely or very likely to acquire COVID-19 in a hospital

Half of respondents are more afraid of contracting COVID-19 than experiencing a heart attack or stroke

Nearly 60 percent of respondents are more afraid of a family member or loved contracting COVID-19 than experiencing a heart attack or stroke

When asked which are you more afraid of, contracting COVID-19, experiencing a heart attack or experiencing a stroke  twice as many people over the age of 60 are more afraid of contracting COVID-19 (52 percent) than they are of experiencing a heart attack (23 percent) or stroke (25 percent)

Hospital Safeguards

If you have an urgent or emergency medical situation, do not put it off. Hospitals have processes and safety measures in place to keep you separate from COVID-19 patients, including:

Checking temperatures Requiring masks Limiting number of visitors Practicing social distancing in waiting rooms, exam rooms and emergency rooms



About the Survey

SCAI's Seconds Still Count survey included 1,068 responses from a nationally representative sample over age 30. The confidence level for the survey is 95% with a margin of error of 3.06.

About SCAI:

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions is a 5,000-member professional organization representing invasive and interventional cardiologists in approximately 75 nations. SCAI's mission is to promote excellence in invasive/interventional cardiovascular medicine through physician education and representation, and advancement of quality standards to enhance patient care.

For more information, visit secondscount.org/.

SOURCE Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Intervention

Related Links

https://www.secondscount.org


Nissan Motor has posted its first net loss in 11 years in the business year through March, amounting to more than 670 billion yen, or 6.2 billion dollars.

The loss is the worst since fiscal 1999, when former chairman Carlos Ghosn, sent from Renault of France, led the Japanese automaker's rebuilding efforts.

Nissan attributes the poor performance to sluggish sales in the US, and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on global production and sales.

The company says consolidated sales in fiscal 2019 fell 14 percent from the previous year to 9.88 trillion yen, or 91.7 billion dollars. The firm logged an operating loss of 40.5 billion yen, or 375 million dollars.

Nissan also booked special losses of 603 billion yen, or 5.6 billion dollars, mainly as restructuring costs. That pushed up its net loss to 671.2 billion yen, or 6.22 billion dollars.

The automaker also unveiled its four-year transformation plan through the end of fiscal 2023.

The firm plans to focus on the markets of Japan, China and North America, and cut its production capacity by 20 percent to 5.4 million units a year.

It also plans to close a manufacturing facility in Indonesia and negotiate the closure of a plant in Spain.

As a measure to return to profit, the carmaker says it will introduce 12 models in the next 18 months.

Nissan President and CEO Uchida Makoto said at an online news conference on Thursday that the transformation plan aims to ensure steady growth instead of excessive sales expansion.
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Thursday, presented a report to Parliament over the government's plan to invoke section 30 (6) of the Bank of Ghana Act.

This is to help the government obtain 10 billion Ghana Cedis in domestic financing from the Central Bank to deal with the economic challenges occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing the House after tabling the report in Parliament, Ken Ofori-Atta indicated that the Central Bank has already advanced 5.5 billion Ghana Cedis to the government this month to meet its financial obligations.

Given the exceptional circumstances and the challenges, the Minister of Finance, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana and the Controller and Accountant General, as required under Section 30 of the Bank of Ghana (Act 612) as amended, have agreed to trigger the emergency financing provision under the law, which permits increasing the limit on the purchase of Government securities by Bank of Ghana in the event of any emergency, to help finance the residual expenditures, the Minister said.

The GH 5.5 billion first installment of the bond was released on May 15, 2020.

By this, the Bank of Ghana has set aside a Memorandum of Understanding with the IMF which bars it from financing the government's budget which had been the case in previous years.

An additional 4.5 billion cedis will be provided through the purchase of government assets, but that will be dependent on developments going forward.

The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus has had dire consequences on the economy. As a result, the government has been implementing various fiscal and monetary measures to fill the outstanding financing gap and mitigate the adverse effect and provide relief for businesses and households.

These include the IMF Rapid Credit Facility of US$1 billion, World Bank Development Policy Operation (DPO) of US$350 million and the Stabilization Fund of $ 219 million.

The outbreak has brought three years of economic growth of 6% or more to a sudden halt, with the Minister of Finance anticipating that growth could slow to 1.5%, the least in 37 years.

He has already indicated that the cumulative effect of the novel coronavirus pandemic will cost Ghana GHS9.505 billion.

Meanwhile, the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, Cassiel Ato Forson, says the Minority will resist what he calls government's ploy to obtain state funds for election 2020 campaign.

---citinewsroom
Australia's escalating trade tensions with China could threaten $50billion worth of coal, agriculture, education and tourism exports.

China, Australia's biggest trading partner, bought $150billion worth of goods and services last year but that is at risk after it disapproved of Prime Minister Scott Morrison's push for an inquiry into the causes of COVID-19.

The slapping of 80 per cent tariffs on Australian barley a fortnight ago could have flow-on effects for other sectors.

Westpac chief economist Bill Evans said a third of Australia's exports by value were at particular risk as a result of the diplomatic stoush and the coronavirus border closures.

'Arguably, the most obvious risks for Australia in this context are around the $50 billion of exports associated with coal, agriculture and services,' he said.

Australia's escalating trade tensions with China could threaten $50billion worth of coal, agriculture, education and tourism exports. Thermal coal, used to generate electricity, is worth $7billion in exports to China. Pictured is a coal loader at the Port of Newcastle

Thermal coal

COVID-19 has put coal exports under pressure by diminishing global energy demand.

Thermal coal, used to generate electricity, is worth $7billion in exports to China.

That equates to a quarter of Australia's thermal coal exports.

Mr Evans said that unlike Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, China could produce its own thermal coal.

'China has the capacity to produce 100 per cent of its needs,' he said.

China also only imports about 10 per cent of its thermal coal requirements.

'Australia's exports of thermal coal to China will continue to be subject to uncertainty,' Mr Evans said.

'Domestic industry policy; trade tensions and collapsing prices, down 20 per cent this year, historical evidence of blocked markets, create risks for the outlook for thermal coal.'

The imposition of 80 per cent tariffs on Australian barley exports to China for the next five years could have ramifications for agricultural exports. More than a third, or 36 per cent, of Australia's wine exports go to China - a market worth $1.1billion to local grape growers. Pictured is the Barwick Estate winery in Western Australia's Margaret River region

Agriculture

The imposition of 80 per cent tariffs on Australian barley exports to China for the next five years could have ramifications for agricultural exports.

Australia's biggest exports to China Iron ore: $63.1billion Natural gas: $16.6billion Coal: $14.2billion Education: $12.1billion Travel: $4.3billion TOTAL: $134.7BILLION Source: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade China export data for 2018-19 Advertisement

China's Ministry of Commerce had accused the Australian government of unfairly subsidising barley growers and dumping produce, when drought assistance had been provided to growers.

Last year, 50 per cent of Australia's barley exports went to China, a market worth $900million.

It also represented 44 per cent of China's imports of the crop used to make beer.

It is far from the only at-risk agricultural sector, with China buying 76 per cent of Australia's wool exports or $3.2billion worth of the commodity.

More than a third, or 36 per cent, of Australia's wine exports go to China - a market worth $1.1billion to local grape growers.

It also buys 28 per cent of Australia's dairy exports ($900million), 35 per cent of cotton ($900million) and 18 per cent of beef ($3.6billion).

Should it follow through with that threat, university education would be a casualty with Chinese demand representing 33 per cent of Australian education exports, or $12billion. Pictured are Chinese international students at the Australian National University in Canberra

Education and Tourism

Australia's major services exports are also at risk of being taken to the slaughterhouse.

The closures of Australia's borders on March 20 to stop the spread of coronavirus has already battered the university education and tourism sectors.

'China has been the fastest growing user of Australia's education and tourism exports,' Mr Evans said.

'In 2020, both sectors have been decimated by the COVID-19 crisis.'

China's ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye last month threatened a boycott of Australia's key services exports if it persisted with a push for a COVID-19 inquiry.

Should it follow through with that threat, university education would be a casualty with Chinese demand representing 33 per cent of Australian education exports, or $12billion.

Chinese visitors last year comprised 18 per cent of Australian tourism exports, generating $4.7billion.

Westpac analysed data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and the Reserve Bank of Australia.

Despite the trade tensions, the Australian dollar has finished the week at 66 US cents, the best level since March before COVID-19 panic set in and Australia's borders and services businesses were closed.
The Hungarian capital Budapest on Friday marked the anniversary of one its worst-ever shipping disasters, the sinking of a sightseeing vessel on the Danube which killed at least 27 people, mostly South Korean tourists. The Mermaid sightseeing boat carrying a tour group sank seconds after colliding with the bigger Swiss-registered Viking Sigyn river cruise vessel on May 29 2019. The body of a 28th victim was never found. The Panorama Deck company that operated the Mermaid organised a commemorative event on Friday morning involving three boats sailing down the Danube in formation and a wreath being solemnly lowered into the waters under overcast skies. The bell of one of the boats rang 28 times and the same number of candles was lit on board another of the vessels. A Panorama Deck spokesman said "the disaster happened because the rules were not kept," referring to regulations governing river traffic on the Danube. Later on Friday morning, another ceremony took place on the riverbank with a wreath being laid by Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and South Korean ambassador Kyoo Sik Choe. Karacsony promised that city authorities "will do everything to ensure that such accidents can not happen again". "A review of rules regulating boat traffic on the river is underway," he said, adding: "We can look for justice in the unjust". - Captain on trial - The three men announced that a joint monument -- a memorial stone designed jointly by Hungarian and South Korean artists -- would be erected near the scene. Construction of the monument has been delayed by the novel coronavirus pandemic and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The disaster, on a busy stretch of the Danube in the heart of Budapest, was Hungary's worst boating accident in more than half a century. Some of the victims' bodies were recovered dozens of kilometres (miles) south of the Hungarian capital in the aftermath of the disaster. Earlier this year, the trial began of the Ukrainian captain of the larger Viking Sigyn vessel. Yurij Caplinskij, 64, is charged with "endangering waterborne traffic resulting in multiple deaths" and 35 counts of failing to provide help. During the opening hearing at a district court in Budapest, prosecutors said they were seeking a nine-year jail term for Caplinskij if he admitted all the charges. The Ukrainian refused to however, and declined to make any further statement. A boat carrying a group of South Korean tourists sank in Budapest in May 2019 The disaster was Hungary's worst boating accident in more than half a century
We all want our countries to be named the most powerful on earth because that way, we will be assured of our safety. However, there can only be one nation as the most powerful on earth at this point. Furthermore, with such power comes great responsibility, such as ensuring the world is at peace without picking sides with warring factions. Africa has remained underdeveloped for the longest time possible, and the military might of African countries is a fraction of what the developed western countries are capable of. That said, significant milestones have been achieved by most of the African countries since independence in terms of modernizing their militaries. However, some of the most powerful African countries are not necessarily the most developed or populous ones.

Image: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

The Global Fire Power(GFP) has been ranking nations based on their military forces, and out of 138 countries ranked globally in 2020, only 24 managed to be from Africa. The criteria used to rank the countries take into consideration the number of serving military members, the naval force, availability of fuel for conducting military operations, the number of fighter jets, the defense budget, and the logistics flexibility of the nation. It is, therefore, clear that military power is not derived from the size of the military or the number of wars the country has engaged in.

Most powerful African countries

The Global Fire Power (GFP) uses more than 50 factors to arrive at a Power Index ('PwrIndx') score applied in ranking the countries. In 2020, there were a total of 35 countries entered into the African Military Strength listing. Which country in Africa has the strongest army? The top 10 powerful countries are:

1. Egypt (PwrIndx: 0.1872)

Egypt has a total population of 99,413,317 people, out of which the available manpower is 42,946,553 (43.2%) of the population. It tops among the most powerful African countries. The total military personnel is estimated to be around 920,000, while the active personnel is 440,000. The country has further reserve personnel of about 480,000.

When it comes to airpower, Egypt's total strength is 1,054 with 215 fighter jets, 88 dedicated attack jets, 59 transport jets, 387 trainer jets, 11 special mission jets, 294 helicopters, and 81 attack helicopters. In terms of land forces, Egypt has 4,295 tanks, 11,700 armored vehicles, 1,139 self-propelled artillery, 2,189 towed artillery, and 1,084 rocket projectors.

Egypt's naval force has a total of 316 assets, two aircraft carriers, seven frigates, seven corvettes, eight submarines, 48 patrols, and 31 mine warfare. The country has an abundance of oil, which means they can be able to fuel their machinery. Egypt's defense budget is a whopping $11,200,000,000 hence why it is the most powerful African country.

2. Algeria (PwrIndx: 0.4659)

Algeria is the second strongest country in the African continent. It is a relatively small country with a total population of 41,657,488 people. Out of the 20,741,263 available manpower, Algeria has total military personnel of approximately 280,000.

Out of those, only 130,000 are active personnel, while the rest 150,000 are reserve personnel. Algeria's airpower total strength comprises of 551 planes. Of these, 103 are fighter jets, 22 dedicated attack jets, 59 transport jets, 87 trainer jets, nine special mission jets, 257 helicopters, and 45 attack helicopters.

The country's land forces have 880 tanks, 7,361 armored vehicles, 320 self-propelled artillery, 240 towed artillery, and 316 rocket projectors. Their naval forces have 201 total assets, five frigates, three corvettes, six submarines, and 25 patrol boats. Algeria is also blessed with abundant oil with proven oil reserves of 12,200,000,000 bbl. The country has dedicated about $13,000,000,000 as its defense budget.

Image: unsplash.com

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: 10 most visited countries in Africa

3. South Africa (PwrIndx: 0.4985)

South Africa is the third most powerful country on the continent and has the potential to be a superpower in Africa. The total population for this country is 55,380,210. The available manpower is 47.4%, which is 26,250,220 individuals. South Africa has estimated total military personnel of about 81,000. Only 66,300 are active while the other 15,000 are reserve personnel.

South Africa is a real force to reckon with on the African continent when it comes to airpower. Their total strength on the air is thanks to their 226 carriers, 17 fighter jets, 23 transport jets, 88 trainer jets, seven special mission jets, 91 helicopters, and 12 attack helicopters. In terms of its land forces, South Africa has 195 tanks, 2000 armored vehicles, 43 self-propelled artillery, 72 towed artillery, and 50 rocket propellers.

On the front of the naval force, South Africa has 30 assets, four frigates, three submarines, 31 patrol boats, and two mine warfare. It has moderate natural resources with proven oil reserves of about 15,000,000 bbl. This country's defense budget runs to a total of $4,278,000,000.

4. Nigeria (PwrIndx: 0.6485)

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, with a total population of 203,452,505 people. The country's overall military personnel are estimated to be about 120,000, with all of them active hence no reserve personnel. Their total strength in airpower comprises 129 carriers, eight fighter jets, 13 dedicated attack jets, 21 transport jets, 47 trainer jets, five special mission jets, 44 helicopters, and 15 attack helicopters.

Its land forces have 253 tanks, 1,789 armored vehicles, 25 self-propelled artillery, 339 towed artillery, and 36 rocket projectors. Its naval forces have a total of 75 assets, 100 patrol boats, and two mine warfare. Nigeria is also oil-rich with proven oil reserves of about 37,060,000,000 bbl. Their defense budget runs to the tune of $2,155,000,000.

5. Angola (PwrIndx: 0.8379)

Ranked 5th, Angola has a total population of 30,355,880 people. The country's total military personnel are 107,000 people, and all of them are active. It has strong airpower with an overall strength of 295 carriers, 72 fighter jets, 18 dedicated attack jets, 30 transport jets, 47 trainer jets, two special mission jets, 126 helicopters, and 15 attack helicopters thus it has one of the best air force in Africa.

Its land forces comprise of 379 tanks, 595 armored vehicles, 28 self-propelled artillery, 357 towed artillery, and 115 rocket projectors. Angola's naval forces have 37 patrol boats. The country has a considerable amount of natural resources, with about 8,273,000,000 bbl proven oil reserves. The country has spent a defense budget of approximately $7,000,000,000.

6. Morocco (PwrIndx: 0.8408)

Morocco has a total population of 34,314,130, and its total military personnel is estimated to be about 510,000 and probably one of the most trained army in Africa. The country has quite a large military, but only 310,000 are active personnel, and the extra 200,000 are reserves. Their airpower has a total strength of 214 carriers, 46 fighter jets, 31 transport jets, 67 trainer jets, four special mission jets, and 64 helicopters.

Its land forces are well equipped with 1,443 tanks, 2,901 armored vehicles, 505 self-propelled artillery, 200 towed artillery, and 144 rocket projectors. The country's naval power has about 121 total assets, three frigates, four corvettes, and 105 patrol boats. Morocco is not very endowed with natural resources and has a proven oil reserve of about 684,000 bbl; however, they have spent a defense budget of $10,000,000,000.

Image: unsplash.com

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: 15 most beautiful countries in Africa in 2020

7. Ethiopia (PwrIndx: 0.8581)

Ethiopia is known for its military might and houses the headquarters of the African Union. The country's total population is 108,386,391, and the total military personnel is estimated to be around 162,000. All the staff are active; therefore, the state does not have reserve personnel but still is among the strongest military in Africa.

When it comes to airpower, their total strength is 86 carriers, 24 fighter jets, 20 trainer jets, 33 helicopters, and eight attack helicopters. The land forces have 400 tanks, 114 armored vehicles, 67 self-propelled artillery, 650 towed artillery, and 183 rocket projectors. They have limited natural resources with 428,000 proven oil reserves. Ethiopia has a defense budget worth $350,000,000.

8. Democratic Republic of Congo (PwrIndx: 1.1389)

The Democratic Republic of Congo has a total population of about 85,281,024 people, out of which 134,000 are in the military, and all are active personnel. The country's airpower has a total of 53 carriers, two fighter jets, four dedicated attack jets, 13 transport jets, 34 helicopters, and eight attack helicopters.

When it comes to land forces, DRC has 175 tanks, 100 armored vehicles, 16 self-propelled artillery, 120 towed artillery, and 57 rocket projectors. The naval forces have 20 assets and one patrol boat. The DRC has considerable natural resources with about 180,000,000 bbl proven oil reserves. Furthermore, their defense budget is worth $100,000,000.

9. Sudan (PwrIndx: 1.3017)

Sudan has a population of about 43,120,843 people, and the total military personnel is estimated to be around 189,000. Out of those, 104,000 are active personnel while the rest 85,000 are reserves. The country's airpower has a total strength of 190 carriers, 46 fighter jets, 38 dedicated attack jets, 22 transport jets, 11 trainer jets, 73 helicopters, and 43 attack helicopters.

The land forces have 690 tanks, 400 armored vehicles, and ten self-propelled artillery. Sudan's naval forces have 18 total assets with 12 patrol boats. Their proven oil reserves are about 5,000,000,000 bbl. The countrys defense budget is worth $2,470,000,000.

10. Libya (PwrIndx: 1.3696)

Libya has a total population of 6,754,507 people. The country has 30,000 total military personnel, and all of them are active. Their airpower has an overall strength of 114 carriers, 17 fighter jets, two dedicated attack jets, four transport jets, 62 trainer jets, 26 helicopters, and seven attack helicopters.

The country's land forces have 250 tanks, 450 armored vehicles, 50 self-propelled artillery, 100 towed artillery, and 55 rocket projectors. They have a considerable wealth of natural resources with 48,360,000,000 bbl proven oil reserves. The country's defense budget is worth $3,020,000,000.

Many Africans will be surprised by the list of the most powerful African countries in 2020. This is because the common assumption would have been that the more economically advanced countries will also be the most powerful ones. In that case, countries like Nigeria and South Africa would have been up there on the list, but it is not the case. Different aspects have to be considered when ranking countries according to power so that the smaller but technologically advanced nations can compete fairly with the larger yet lesser-developed countries. This is how countries such as Egypt and Algeria are ranked as more powerful than Nigeria and South Africa.

READ ALSO: 10 best African countries to live and work in 2020

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Iran's new parliament on Thursday elected former Tehran mayor Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf as its speaker, consolidating the power of conservatives ahead of next year's presidential election. The vote further shifts the political balance toward ultra-conservative opponents of the relatively moderate President Hassan Rouhani at a time Iran is engaged in a bitter standoff with arch foe the United States. State television said the 58-year-old Ghalibaf -- also a former national police chief and ex-commander of the Revolutionary Guards' air force -- won 230 of the 267 votes cast to secure one of the most influential positions in the Islamic republic. Bespectacled, balding and wearing a dark suit, Ghalibaf accepted congratulations from MPs, then moved towards the speaker's seat with a smile and told the chamber: "I thank God for being given a chance to serve the people." Ghalibaf is a three-time presidential candidate who served as Tehran mayor from 2005 to 2017. In the vote for the speaker post, he roundly defeated conservative lawmakers Fereydoun Abbasi and Mostafa Mirsalim who garnered 17 and 12 votes respectively. Ghalibaf also received the most votes from the capital in Iran's February 21 parliamentary election, which saw the lowest turnout in decades. The record abstention was partly over the disqualification of many moderate and reformist candidates by the Guardian Council, a watchdog dominated by ultra-conservatives. An alliance of "principalists" -- or conservatives -- and ultra-conservatives swept the election in the absence of any challenge from the reformist side. - Conservatives dominate - As a result, parliament is now dominated by ultra-conservatives who opposed Rouhani on almost all issues, from dealing with the United States to running the sanctions-hit economy and containing the region's deadliest coronavirus outbreak. The health ministry said Thursday the virus had claimed 63 more lives, taking the death toll to 7,627 people out of 143,849 confirmed cases since Iran reported its first fatalities on February 19. The parliament, which substantially shapes political debate in Iran, had been closed for six weeks until April 7 as part of measures aiming to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Of the 279 MPs elected in February, two died of the virus and nine were disqualified by the outgoing parliament. Iran is scheduled to hold a presidential poll in around 12 months when Rouhani's second and final term ends. Ghalibaf had unsuccessfully challenged Rouhani's first bid for the presidency and dropped out of the 2017 election to support Ebrahim Raisi, who now serves as Iran's judiciary chief. Thursday's vote saw Ghalibaf succeed Ali Larijani, who had held the speaker post since 2008. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed the outgoing Larijani as his adviser and a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, a body set up to settle disputes between the parliament and the Guardian Council, state television said. Larijani also congratulated Ghalibaf in a statement and said he had been a "hardworking manager of the system in different positions". The speaker not only directs the parliament's affairs but also has a seat at the High Council of Economic Coordination alongside the president and judiciary chief. Established in 2018 by the supreme leader's decree, the Council is the highest authority on economic affairs and is meant to combat the impact of US sanctions imposed on Iran. US President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark nuclear agreement and reimposed sanctions on Iran in 2018, mainly targeting the crucial oil and banking sectors. Decades-old tensions between Iran and the United States have soared since then, with the two sworn enemies coming to the brink of confrontation on at least two occasions in the past year.
[May 29, 2020] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, a National Class Action Law Firm, Announces Investigation of United States Oil Fund, LP (USO) on Behalf of Investors

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM"), a national investor rights law firm, today announced that it has commenced an investigation on behalf of United States Oil Fund, LP ("USO" or the "Company") (NYSE: USO) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of the federal securities laws. If you suffered a loss on your USO investments or would like to inquire about potentially pursuing claims to recover your loss under the federal securities laws, you can submit your contact information at https://www.glancylaw.com/cases-application/case-information/united-states-oil-fund-lp/. You can also contact Charles H. Linehan, of GPM at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or via email at [email protected] to learn more about your rights. On May 29, 2020, Bloomberg (News - Alert) reported that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Tradin Commission had opened probes into the United States Oil Fund, LP. According to the article, the probes concerned issues including "whether shareholders were adequately informed that the ETF's value wouldn't necessarily move in tandem with the spot price of oil and the fund's recent decision to purchase crude contracts that expire further out in the future."



The Company's stock has lost 75% of its value in the two months ended April 30. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

Whistleblower Notice: Persons with non-public information regarding USO should consider their options to aid the investigation or take advantage of the SEC (News - Alert) Whistleblower Program. Under the program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Charles H. Linehan at 310-201-9150 or 888-773-9224 or email [email protected]. About GPM Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP is a premier law firm representing investors and consumers in securities litigation and other complex class action litigation. ISS Securities Class Action Services has consistently ranked GPM in its annual SCAS Top 50 Report. In 2018, GPM was ranked a top five law firm in number of securities class action settlements, and a top six law firm for total dollar size of settlements. With four offices across the country, GPM's nearly 40 attorneys have won groundbreaking rulings and recovered billions of dollars for investors and consumers in securities, antitrust, consumer, and employment class actions. GPM's lawyers have handled cases covering a wide spectrum of corporate misconduct including cases involving financial restatements, internal control weaknesses, earnings management, fraudulent earnings guidance and forward looking statements, auditor misconduct, insider trading, violations of FDA regulations, actions resulting in FDA and DOJ investigations, and many other forms of corporate misconduct. GPM's attorneys have worked on securities cases relating to nearly all industries and sectors in the financial markets, including, energy, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, real estate and REITs, financial, insurance, information technology, health care, biotech, cryptocurrency, medical devices, and many more. GPM's past successes have been widely covered by leading news and industry publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times (News - Alert), Bloomberg Businessweek, Reuters, the Associated Press, Barron's, Investor's Business Daily, Forbes, and Money. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005625/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
The friends had decided to meet up Friday after Matthew Hurtt, 33, floated the idea in a group text the night before. Hurtt had just returned from a trip to Dallas to see his family, where the city was abuzz and life seemed refreshingly normal. He decided to bring that same spirit home to Arlington and support his beloved local businesses, saying he feels it is safe for people his age to go out if they act responsibly.
Child protection detectives and government agencies are working to understand the situation that led to two teenagers being discovered naked and malnourished at a home in Brisbane's north this week.

Officers were called to a Midson Street address in Stafford about 7am on Wednesday after reports the body of a 49-year-old man had been found, a police spokesperson said.

After the man suffered a medical episode and a triple zero call was made, first responders found the boys malnourished and naked in a locked bedroom, Nine News reported.

Reports featuring images from the house show the pair, now aged 17 and 19 and being treated in hospital, wearing nappies in a room with a mattress on the floor.
A proposed solar park that would be the largest in the United Kingdom has received a greenlight from government officials for development, the UK Planning Inspectorate Office announced Thursday. The Cleve Hill Solar Park would consist of 880,000 solar panels, according to The Guardian, and have a peak capacity of 350 megawatts (MW). That should be enough to power about 91,000 homes, according to the Cleve Hill website. Its set to be built near Faversham, Kent; about 60 miles (96 km) southeast of London.

Cleve Hill Solar Park would consist of photo-voltaic modules, energy storage and associated development infrastructure. The solar energy generated would help the UK reach its goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, developers said on the Cleve Hill website. Because the plants capacity exceeds 50MW, its deemed a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and had to undergo an application process consisting of examination phase and public hearings.

Those opposed to the plant, including member of Parliament Helen Whatley, have voiced concern for the possible industrialization of the countryside. Were not talking about a few fields -- this would destroy an entire landscape. I want to see us reach net-zero by 2050, but this should not come at any cost, Whatley told The Telegraph.

Cleve Hill developers have responded to concerns by emphasizing the plants clean energy benefits and noting the revenue it could bring to local communities. The solar park will deliver a 65 percent increase in biodiversity on the intensively farmed site by including open grassland and meadow areas, hedgerows and woodland, Cleve Hill spokeswoman Emily Marshall told The Independent.

While Cleve Hill will be the biggest solar plant in the UK, its still relatively small compared to other solar plants globally. The largest solar plant in Europe, the Nunez de Balboa plant in Spain, boasts 1.4 million solar panels and a total capacity of 500 megawatts. Noor Abu Dabhi in the United Arab Emirates is the largest individual solar plant in the world, with 1.18 gigawatts of peak capacity and 3.2 million panels.
The Trump administration may expel thousands of Chinese graduate students enrolled at US universities in the latest sign of tensions between Washington and Beijing that are raging over trade, the coronavirus pandemic, human rights and the status of Hong Kong.

Four administration officials say President Donald Trump is currently considering a months-old proposal to revoke the visas of Chinese students affiliated with educational institutions in China that are linked to the People's Liberation Army or Chinese intelligence services.

The officials said Trump has not yet signed off on what would be a presidential proclamation to implement the rule, but he could do so as early as this week, as the most recent tensions flare over China's move to assert full control over Hong Kong.

The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Serious consideration of the proposal, first reported by The New York Times, has faced opposition from US universities and scientific organizations who depend on tuition fees paid by Chinese students to offset other costs.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

In addition, those institutions fear possible reciprocal action from Beijing that could limit their students' and educators' access to China.

In a nod to those concerns, the officials said any restrictions would be narrowly tailored to affect only students who present a significant risk of engaging in espionage or intellectual property theft.

The officials could not say how many people could ultimately be expelled, although they said it would be only a fraction of the Chinese students in the country.

Still, the possibility that the proposal may be implemented has drawn concerns from educators.

We're very worried about how broadly this will be applied, and we're concerned it could send a message that we no longer welcome talented students and scholars from around the globe," said Sarah Spreitzer, director of government relations at the American Council on Education.

We don't have a lot of details about how they are going to define ties to Chinese universities, what type of universities are they going to target, what would constitute a university having ties to the Chinese military," she said.

If the situation were reversed and another nation imposed limits on students from U.S. universities that receive Defense Department funding, she noted it would affect a wide range of schools.

The US hosted 133,396 graduate students from China in the 2018-19 academic year, and they made up 36.1% of all international graduate students, according to the Institute of International Education.

Overall, there were 369,548 students from China, accounting for 33.7% of international students who contributed nearly $15 billion to the U.S. economy in 2018.

The proposal to revoke the visas is not directly related to the dispute over Hong Kong, nor is it tied to U.S. criticism of China for its handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

Rather, it is connected to various elements of trade and human rights issues that have seen U.S. officials complain about Chinese industrial espionage and spying and harassment of dissidents and religious and ethnic minorities.

But the timing of a potential announcement could come at a time of increasingly heated rhetoric about the imposition of national security laws on the former British territory, which was supposed to have enjoyed 50 years of special status after it reverted to Chinese control in 1997.

The proposal first began to be discussed last year when the administration moved to require Chinese diplomats based in the United States to report their domestic U.S. travel and meetings with American scientists and academics.

At the time, U.S. officials said it was a reciprocal measure to match restrictions that American diplomats face in China.

Those limits were followed by a requirement that Chinese state-run media in the U.S. register as foreign diplomatic missions and report their property holdings and employee rosters to the government.

That was, in turn, followed by the limiting of the number of visas for Chinese journalists allowed to work in the United States.

China retaliated for the visa limitations by expelling several reporters from U.S. media outlets, including The Washington Post and New York Times.
They were set to get married on Thursday, before being forced to postpone the nuptials amid the coronavirus crisis.

And Mario Falcone, 32, and fiancee Becky Miesner, 30, reflected on what would have been their big day on Instagram, with the make-up artist even putting the bins out in her veil in an amusing snap.

Becky shared a slew of loved-up snaps of the pair as she gushed: '8.05.2020 should of been our special day but love will wait and 4.6.2021 will now be our day.

'It should have been our special day': Mario Falcone and fiancee Becky Miesner reflected on their postponed wedding on Thursday after calling off the big day amid the coronavirus crisis

'another year for you to film all my silly dancing and to make our day bigger & better.. you annoy the life out of me at night but I wouldnt have it any other way.

'Your my lover, best friend and amazing Dada to our beautiful little boy and will one day be my husband ..P.S - you still owe me 500 for the meatball challenge'

While they weren't able to celebrate their big day, Becky revealed that her friends had gifted her and Mario with balloons, wine, flowers, and a Starbucks delivery.

The former TOWIE star ditched his wedding suit for a more casual sleeveless shirt and shorts, as he joked: 'Should be wearing my wedding suit today! Instead keep it summer casual in @thecouture_club'

Staying positive: Becky shared an amusing snap while wearing her veil as she admitted she was going to wear it while taking out the bins

Sweet thought: While they weren't able to celebrate their big day, Becky revealed that her friends had gifted her and Mario with balloons, wine, flowers, and a Starbucks delivery

Comfy: The former TOWIE star ditched his wedding suit for a more casual sleeveless shirt and shorts as he lamented not being able to enjoy the wedding ceremony

In March the pair were forced to call off their Italian wedding amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

Mario and Becky - who share son Parker, 16 months - were scheduled to tie the knot in Italy following a nearly three-year engagement.

Taking to Instagram to reveal the news 'heartbroken' Becky told her social media followers: 'Thursday 28th May 2020 was going to be our wedding day in Italy but we have decided to cancel due to the current situation, heartbroken.' [sic]

The salon owner later insisted the crisis hasn't stopped the couple from getting on with everyday life, as she shared a snap of her immaculate kitchen with the caption: 'Coronavirus or not I do love a spotless house.'

Unfortunate: In March the pair were forced to call off their Italian wedding amid the global coronavirus pandemic (pictured with son Parker in December)

Chaos: 'Heartbroken' Becky took to Instagram to inform her social media followers on the situation. The event has now been rescheduled to June 4, 2021

Media personality Mario - who is of Italian origin from his father's side - popped the question to his girlfriend in Santorini back in June 2017, with the couple welcoming their first child together in November 2018.

The reality star has been in a happy relationship with Becky since late 2016, after his previous engagement to Lucy Mecklenburgh came to a memorably acrimonious end in 2012.

His ex Lucy, 28, has also moved on as the fitness enthusiast welcomed her first child, baby boy Roman Ravello, into the world last week with her fiance, actor Ryan Thomas, 35.
Maplesoft has further strengthened their products and resources that support remote learning of mathematics, including a new release of their free mobile app. Maplesoft today announced an expansion of their resources to support remote learning of mathematics and mathematics-based courses.

Maplesoft today announced an expansion of their resources to support remote learning of mathematics and mathematics-based courses. Maplesoft is the developer of Maple, the powerful and easy to use mathematical software used for teaching, learning, and research. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, educators and students around the world have been suddenly faced with the need to teach and learn math without a classroom. To support their customers, and math education in general, Maplesoft has further strengthened their products and resources that support remote learning, including a new release of their free mobile app.

The free Maple Companion mobile app is a calculator and math learning tool that handles problems from basic math to university level. First launched in September 2019, Maplesoft has expedited development in response to the pandemic so they can provide students with as much functionality as possible to support their efforts to learn math at home. Today, students can use the Maple Companion to solve and visualize mathematical problems from many different subjects, including algebra, precalculus, calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations. The app is used by students all across the world, and is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Danish, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese.

Students can even check their homework with the app by using the phones camera. They can take a picture of their homework problem, even when it is hand-written, and the app will then solve it. By comparing their response to the answer given by the app, students receive immediate feedback on their work. Where applicable, they will also see a graph illustrating the problem, which will help strengthen their understanding of the problem and its solution. As of the most recent version, released in mid-May, the app now also provides instant solutions and plots for many problems even when the user is working off-line.

In addition to accelerating development on the free Maple Companion app, Maplesoft has also been allowing any student enrolled in an accredited academic institution to download fully functional versions of Maple, in order to help them finish their school year. This gives students unlimited access to Maples capabilities until the end of June. This offer is available to students all over the world, even if they attend schools which are not currently Maplesoft customers.

Maplesoft has also been working with its customers to provide flexible virtualization and home use licenses so faculty and students can continue to access their schools license while working from home. As well, Maplesoft has increased staffing in their Client Success team. This team offers free supports to customers to help them work effectively with Maple, including online Maple Bootcamps, and tools to help students learn how to use Maple effectively on their own.

Maplesoft also provides a variety of resources on its website and inside Maple itself that are designed to help students learn math. Some of these are accessible to all students and educators, even if they do not have Maple. In particular, the MapleCloud contains a wide selection of free applications for exploring hundreds of concepts from math, science, engineering, and more. These interactive, highly visual tools are built in Maple but accessible to anyone with a web browser.

These are incredibly challenging times for students, educators, and administrators, as schools continue to deal with the consequences of the abrupt shift to remote learning, and gear up for the start of a very unusual new school year, says Karishma Punwani, Director of Academic Product Management at Maplesoft. We hope that the Maple Companion mobile app, together with Maplesofts other products and services to support remote learning, will help make life just a little easier for everyone involved.

For more information about Maplesofts resources to support remote learning, visit https://www.maplesoft.com/products/maple/academic/remotelearning/.

Maplesoft has provided mathematics-based software solutions to educators and researchers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for over 30 years. Maplesofts flagship product, Maple, combines the world's most powerful mathematics engine with an interface that makes it extremely easy to analyze, explore, visualize, and solve mathematical problems. Maplesoft products and services are used by more than 8000 educational institutions, research labs, and companies, in over 90 countries. In 2018, Maplesoft spun off its online education product line into a separate corporation, DigitalEd.

Maplesoft is a subsidiary of Cybernet Systems Group. To learn more about Maplesoft, please visit http://www.maplesoft.com.


Moscow says visit to US-funded disease lab in Georgia should not involve third party

MOSCOW - Russian experts' visit to the US-financed Richard G. Lugar Center for Public Health Research in Georgia should not involve a third party, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said.

"We assume that a visit should take place in a bilateral format without the involvement of representatives of other countries," the ministry said in a statement.

Georgia on Wednesday voiced readiness to invite Russian experts to study the operations of the Lugar research facility, but they should be part of a wider delegation.

Russia has been expressing concerns over the Pentagon's use of the center to research dangerous infectious diseases near the Russian border. The United States and Georgia have both dismissed such allegations.

As the highest level of laboratory network in Georgia, the Lugar center based on the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health was opened in 2011 and became operational in 2013.
Pamela Anderson made headlines earlier this year when she reportedly married Hollywood executive Jon Peters and then split up with him 12 days later. Now, the former Baywatch star says the two never actually tied the knot at all.

I wasnt married, Anderson, 52, told The New York Times. Im a romantic. I think Im an easy target. And I think people just live in fear.

I dont know what all that was about, but I think fear really played a lot into it.

So, what exactly happened between Anderson and Peters?

It was just kind of a little moment, the actress said. A moment that came and went, but there was no wedding, there was no marriage, there was no anything. Its like it never even happened. That sounds bizarre. But thats it.

Anderson herself has previously said the marriage had never been formalized.

amfAR Cannes Gala 2019 - Arrivals (George Pimentel / WireImage)

"Life is a journey and love is a process. With that universal truth in mind, we have mutually decided to put off the formalization of our marriage certificate and put our faith in the process," she said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter after news of their breakup came out.

Anderson told The New York Times she reconnected with Peters, whom she dated in the late 1980s, after she returned from an overseas trip.

I was in India and I went to this panchakarma cleanse, and Id been gone for three weeks in this ayurvedic center, meditating, just so clear, she said. I came back and VWOOM, within 24 hours, I saw Jon. It was like this little whirlwind thing, and it was over really quick, and it was nothing. Nothing physical. Its just a friendship.

Jon Peters Honored With A Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame (Vince Bucci / Getty Images)

Anderson said there was something comforting about being with someone shes known for so long and added that neither of them was too hurt by how everything played out.

Story continues

Were all wounded people. And Im a big believer in fate, destiny, all those crazy things, she said. So I just  theres something about knowing somebody for so long and thinking, Oh! Its  no hearts were broken. I dont know what his intentions were. And its almost like I dont even want to think about it too much because itd be probably too hurtful.

amfAR Cannes Gala 2019 - Arrivals (Mike Marsland / WireImage)

Anderson has been married four other times. She and Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee divorced in 1998 after a three-year union that grabbed the attention of tabloids. The couple had two sons, Brandon 23, and Dylan, 22.

She was also married to Kid Rock and twice walked down the aisle with professional gambler Rick Salomon.

Anderson says she could envision herself getting hitched again, too.

Absolutely! Just one more time. Just one more time, please, God. One more time only. Only!
Mumbai, May 29 : The Maharashtra government has sought time on the state-run Doordarshan National Channels and All India Radio to telecast-broadcast educational programmes for children in rural areas of the state during the ongoing lockdown period.

School Education Department Minister Varsha Gaikwad has requested Minister of Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar to allot 12 hours on DD and two hours on AIR daily for the purpose.

In a letter to the Central minister on Wednesday, released today, she said all educational institutions are shut for the past 10 weeks and all students are at home as a precaution to maintain physical distancing intended to curb the spread of coronavirus.

"The situation has pushed us to close the schools a month before the summer vacation and a more prolonged lockdown means that our students are at a huge risk of losing significant instructional time," Gaikwad informed Javadekar.

Welcoming the Centre's recent initiative to provide time slots to states to transmit educational content, she said that state along with SCERT Maharashtra is devising means to support student learning, including promoting DIKSHA as a source of education via mobiles.

In the next academic year (2020-2021), Gaikwad said the state plans to broadcast 12 hours of educational content everyday through any two channels which come under the DD National Channel bouquet and two hours on AIR.

She said the state already has its virtual classroom studios from where it could beam live programmes with Centre's clearance.

For the purpose, the SCERT Maharashtra has already accumulated 1000-hours of educational content already for telecasting-broadcasting for the students in the next academic year.

An education department official said the AIR would be beneficial to reach out to tribals or students in remote villages where Internet and mobile connectivity could pose issues.
Retailers should accept cash

I was pleased to see the partial reopening of retail stores in Ontario and hopefully more in the near future. However I was not impressed about some retailers not accepting cash for payment. As far as I know, no one has contracted COVID-19 from touching cash and some experts are saying that credit and debit cards are dirtier due to surface material. Even the card terminal is filthy. I was always under the impression that cash was legal tender and could not be refused.

John Courtney, Hamilton

Trump has an answer for everything

You have to hand it to Donald Trump; healthwise he seems to have every angle covered. First he miraculously grew bone spurs to get out of serving in Vietnam. Next, thanks to taking hydroxychloroquine, he is impervious to COVID-19 and need not wear a mask. And finally should the Zombie apocalypse ever break out, he will be protected from the hunger of the undead, because like the war in Vietnam, when it comes time to fight, his brain will be MIA.

Gary Johnson, Hamilton

We need Parliamentary oversight

So once again Justin is throwing Canadian taxpayers money around ... $27 million to Venezuela for refugee support.

How many millions has he committed within Canada already and what will our future tax bills look like? I dont object to money spent at home. (Although I think the senior dollars were unneeded for those not getting the Guaranteed Income Supplement.)

It is bad enough that our taxes, our childrens taxes and our grandchildrens taxes will increase to cover Trudeaus unrestricted spending.

We need federal financial accountability before Justin spends Canada into a third-world country! The federal government is the most essential service in this country. Lets get them back to work. They should never have abandoned their electorate.

Deborah Nicholls, Mount Hope

Virtual Parliament better than the real thing

I shake my head over these people who think we need full Parliament and all the health risks involved. Major corporations around the world are working remotely, making sound decisions, looking after people. But our Parliament can only work if there are hundreds of MPs crowded together, not to mention even more support staff putting themselves at risk?

Watch some of virtual Parliament sittings. They are more substantive, less partisan and more civil, and there is much less grandstanding. It is understandable that the flailing Conservatives dont like it  it is more about substance than partisan chest-thumping, and they have nothing substantial to contribute.

Deb Harkness, Burlington

You cant dodge this bullet Doug

Doug Ford says he inherited the broken LTC system. Maybe. But hes had two years to do something to fix it and has done nothing. In fact he cut inspections and cut minimum wage increases to front-line essential staff. Cant dodge this bullet, Doug.

Anne McGee, Hamilton

A big middle finger to Hamilton citizens

The artistic rendering of the proposed 45-storey tower on Pier 8 looks to me like a giant middle finger being given to the citizens of Hamilton. Mayor Eisenberger was encouragingly quoted as saying that this tower sounded like a non-starter. But there is an even more frightening proposal for the lakeshore in Stoney Creek  three side-by-side mega towers of 59, 54 and 48 storeys are planned on a relatively small lot bounded by the North Service Road/QEW Niagara, Green Road and Frances Avenue.

Full disclosure: I live across the street. I have always known that something would be built there. But three times the height of anything in the area? Twenty storeys would be high enough. (My building is 18.) Surely this is a case of overintensification. I dont want to live in a potential hot-spot when the next pandemic hits. I too love my city as it is  because it is not Toronto.

Merike Koger, Hamilton

I would happily pay to support SoBi

We would not dream of closing a hospital or turning our backs on public transportation. I would happily see my property taxes increased by $3.50 annually, which would more than cover the cost of operating SoBi (222,918 households as of 2016, into $700,000). Indeed, if I had to pay an additional $300 in property tax over the next year or several, to cover my share of our COVID-19 expenditures, I would be proud to do so, and without asking whether my neighbourhood got an equal proportion of the benefits.

As a city, we stand or fall together. I dont ride SoBi frequently, but I still consider it a critical piece of our citys infrastructure, along with the pools and rec centres I seldom use, the hospitals I rarely need, the schools in which I have no children, and the transit system, roads, sewers, water treatment, garbage removal, and all the other services that are necessary parts of the life we share. I am dismayed by the lack of public spirit among some of our council and some of our citizens. We can do better.

Chris Ewing-Weisz, Hamilton

Pandemic rule-breakers should be fined

There were only 14 fines given out for the mass gatherings in a Toronto Park. All these people who mass gather in parks, at Queens Park and Niagara Falls should be fined, not warned. People who are given warnings are just going to do the same thing over and over again. Fine them and they may not do it again, and the money can help our economy.

These people are being very disrespectful to the people who are sitting at home or in their backyards on a beautiful sunny day. We are missing our family and friends. More fines need to be given so this terrible virus can be stopped.
Child care in America has never been perfect.

Now, more than half of the countrys day cares are closed. Some will never reopen. Others barely hanging on could soon shutter. All are consequences of the new coronavirus pandemic that is exposing fundamental problems in a system tasked with caring for more than 12 million children.

Many experts believe the U.S. child care system may be among the pandemics victims.

If this happens, not only will American families suffer, but the U.S. economy will do so as well.

When we emerge from the pandemic, it could be with millions of fewer available child care slots, even higher fees and tuition, and a shortage of already-underpaid caregivers who simply couldnt afford to stay.

This leaves experts and families asking the same question: What will happen when a parent cant go back to work because no day care is available?

What will happen If their provider cant weather the storm and decides to close permanently?

Without a stable child care system, many American families will continue to struggle, unable to re-enter the workforce until kids are ready for elementary school.

The best option is a minimum $50 billion public investment from Congress, according to Patricia Cole, senior director of federal policy at nonprofit organization Zero To Three, and several of her colleagues.

Such an investment would stabilize the child care industry and sustain it moving forward.

Child care is foundational for our nation to recover from this crisis, Cole said at a recent briefing hosted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Without safe, quality child care, how will essential workers continue to meet our needs? How will millions of parents be able to return to work once economic recovery begins?

Those questions remain unanswered.

Congress and the White House have been virtually silent on the issue  certainly on any consensus to fixing the problem  leaving unsettled parents across the nation looking to the future with no solution.

Story continues

The coronavirus has exposed just how fragile the system is due to years of underinvestment, Cole said. Sustaining the system is critical, but we also need to think bigger to envision a system that fits the needs of all families.

Experts believe child care is foundational for our nation to recover from the coronavirus crisis. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Fragile System Exposed

Long before the coronavirus pandemic, families were struggling to afford quality child care or even any acceptable child care at all. Providers faced razor-thin margins and precarious financial situations, leaving little forgiveness in any economic downturn.

The price of child care is staggering, costing a typical family anywhere from 14 to 18 percent of their annual income, according to a report by nonprofit advocacy group Child Care Aware.

The report and Child Care Aware's Interactive Child Care Price Map show that in 28 states and the District of Columbia, one year of in-center care for an infant costs between $9,000 and $9,600 annually.

In states such as New York, Minnesota and California, parents pay nearly double the average, shelling out upward of $15,000 to $16,000 per year.

To avoid the crippling financial strain, some parents opt to quit their jobs and stay home with the kids  a decision thats overwhelmingly impacted women. In a pre-pandemic survey conducted by the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning nonprofit think tank, mothers were 40 percent more likely than fathers to say they had personally felt the negative impact of child care issues on their careers.

Even those who can afford high-quality child care have had trouble finding it.

Nearly half of Americans said they live where theres no licensed child care provider or where there are long waiting lists, with three times as many children as slots. Only 10 percent of providers are considered to be high quality, according to a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development study.

And its not just families who struggle; the current system hasnt been kind to child care workers, either.

Roughly 1.5 million people work in the child care industry, a 2019 report by Child Care Aware reported. Ninety-four percent are women, and 52 percent are mothers themselves. Many cant afford the very services they provide.

They spend an average 36 hours per week with our kids, yet child care workers have been historically undervalued and underpaid, said Shana Bartley, a director at the National Womens Law Center.

The average wage for those employed in child care centers last year was $11.65 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

We devalue care work that places strain on women, especially low-income women and women of color, Bartley said. For decades, Americans have gone to work because of the sacrifices of an undervalued professional caregiving workforce that weve relegated to the shadows.

Coronavirus Impact

Since the coronavirus pandemic began in early March, 16 states have mandated closures of child care facilities to all children except those of essential workers. A 17th, Rhode Island, closed child care facilities to everyone.

Even in states without regulations, many day cares closed to protect children and staff from the virus threat, leaving parents who can work from home juggling babies and bosses, and forcing others out of the workforce altogether.

Unlike most countries, child care in the United States is an industry propped up mostly by private dollars, paid into the system by parents and families.

When enrollment declines, as it has during the pandemic, the financial loss can prove catastrophic for many centers and in-home providers.

By April, about 50 percent of U.S. child care programs and facilities were closed. Of those remaining open, 85 percent were operating at about 50 percent capacity while 65 percent were operating at 25 percent.

Nearly one-third of child care workers have been laid off as providers struggle to cover fixed costs. A recent survey found that just 11 percent of providers could survive an extended closure without government support.

When we emerge from the pandemic, theres a possibility we will do so with 4.5 million fewer child care slots than before, the survey reported.

Erica Phillips, chief operations officer with All Our Kin, a nonprofit that trains and supports child care providers, said the coronavirus crisis is shining a bright spotlight on our countrys need to invest in a robust child care system.

We cant go back to an old system that didnt work well, Phillips said. So, how do we invest in providers?

The coronavirus crisis is shining a bright spotlight on our countrys need to invest in a robust child care system. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

What Needs To Be Done

When Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in March, the measure allocated $3.5 billion to the child care industry. Most child care programs were eligible to apply for a portion of the $350 billion slated for small-business loans; however, loans were available on a first-come, first-served basis.

While $3.5 billion seems like a lot of money, said Cole from the nonprofit policy group, Were talking about an entire system for children and families.

It would take $50 billion to support the sector, she added. Thats $10 billion per month.

Studies have shown that quality, affordable child care is directly related to the health of the U.S. economy and the long-term well-being of children.



A Harvard Graduate School of Education analysis showed that children under 5 who participated in high-quality, early-childhood education programs were far better off than kids who were not.

They were less likely to be placed in special education classes or to be held back a grade, and they were more likely to graduate from high school.

Whats become clear from this pandemic, said the law centers Bartley, is child care is not only a public good but also an essential part of our countrys infrastructure.

Industry leaders agree more needs to be done and that it can only truly be accomplished through additional public investment. And it needs to be a down payment, a commitment to rethinking the child care model, they said.

Child care is not an individual responsibility, Bartley added. It is a public good we all benefit from. It ensures parents, and especially women, can work outside the home.

What Parents Should Do

Jennifer Clisham of Bel Air, Maryland, said shes lucky to have a sister whos available to watch her kids. But Clisham isnt sure what she'll do for child care if her sister finds a job or is unavailable this summer.

Im afraid to send my kids to the day cares that are open for essential personnel  Im high risk, and so is my daughter, Clisham told Patch on Facebook. Its not the best situation.

Melissa D'Amico of Manalapan, New Jersey, has worked from home full time for the last six years; but her husband, who typically works outside the home, has also been working remotely for the past two months.

The couple manages to share the load of work, overseeing online classwork for their first grader and entertaining their 3-year-old.

If schools stay closed and her husband returns to work, D'Amico will turn to a previous nanny or find a babysitter to relieve her for a few hours during the day.

Safety comes first in regard to my childrens health, DAmico told Patch, adding, We will find a way to make it work during this trying time.

What else can parents do?

While there are no simple answers, the right thing to do will depend on each familys situation. Some may choose to keep their kids home, while others might not have that option.

Until there is a comprehensive solution to bolster the child care system, the best thing parents can do is to support their local child care options, Phillips of All Our Kin said.

If you have a child care provider, but your child is home and you're worried about (your providers) ongoing sustainability, consider continuing to pay some of your child care fees, if you are able, Phillips told Patch. This will go a long way in sustaining your provider through this difficult time.

Phillips offered some additional tips for parents who may find themselves in suddenly in need of child care:

If you need child care, contact your local Child Care Resource & Referral agency.

Tell your employer about the child care challenges you're facing. Employers may step up to provide child care solutions to their employees.

Vet multiple child care providers so you have backup options you feel comfortable with and identify close friends or family you could rely on, if necessary.

Parents should be wary of unlicensed child care options, Phillips added.

Over the years, we've made a lot of progress in improving the safety of child care, she said. We don't want to lose sight of these protections as families scramble to put together options.

The federal Office of Child Care also has multiple resources on its website, www.childcare.gov. Parents can search child care options by state, research all types of child care that may be available, and learn how to identify a quality provider.

Over the coming months, parents will do their best to make it work as states continue to reopen but day cares do not. Without any kind of federal support, Bartley said she anticipates many parents will have to get creative.

Parents should also contact policymakers. Connect with your elected leaders, and tell your story. Advocate for child care, Bartley urged, and stress how important it is to support the availability of a robust, high-quality child care system.

This is what it takes for America to go to work, she said. This is a moment of reckoning  an opportunity to rethink what we do and how we think about the child care system in America.

This article originally appeared on the Across America Patch
Pinning the blame of rising coronavirus cases in the state on the railways, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee accused the national carrier of running Corona Express trains and not the Shramik Specials.

In the name of Shramik Special trains, the railways is running Corona Express trains, Bengal CM was quoted as saying by news agency PTI

The Shramik Specials are being run by the Centre to help migrants reach home.

The CM accused the railways of packing in most migrants in one trains instead of running several of them.

The railways is sending thousands of migrant workers in one train, why is it not allowing more trains for migrants, PTI quoted the CM as saying.

Claiming that the state was able to control the spike in the number of cases for the last two months, Banerjee blamed the influx of people as one of the main reasons behind the increase in the number of cases.

We were successful in controlling the spread of Covid-19 in last two months, but now it is increasing as a lot of people are coming from outside. The Railways is sending migrants in jam-packed compartments...The number of COVID-19 cases is increasing because of this. The Railways has some social obligation, they cannot just operate on the basis of profit and loss, she said.

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that states cant say no to receiving migrants and that they must be allowed free travel by trains and buses to their respective states.

It also directed the railways to provide them food during the journey.
NINGBO, China, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fifth Century Photovoltaic Conference, co-organized by Century New Energy Network and Photovoltaic Brand Lab (PVBL), was recently held online. At the conference, the PVBL Annual Photovoltaic Brand Rankings List, which is generally recognized across the industry as the benchmark of the Chinese photovoltaic market, was announced. Risen Energy garnered four awards including being named as one of the Global Top Photovoltaic Brands and receiving the Technological Innovation Award. The other two awards include ranking fifth among the Top Ten Module Brands and ninth among the Top Ten Power Station Investor Brands.

Risen Energy has been included in the list of the Top Ten Module Brands for several consecutive years. Coming in fifth this year fully demonstrates the degree to which the firm is among China's top performers in terms of comprehensive strength. Listed as an A-share on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and a leader among the world's publicly traded makers of photovoltaic equipment, Risen Energy has moved beyond its preeminent position in the domestic market to create a significant presence worldwide, all while maintaining an ability to have keen insight into the market. The company has always been committed to the research and development of low-cost, high-efficiency products, resulting in the ownership of a number of independent IP technologies alongside its many technical achievements.

The firm's many years of R&D and innovation efforts have yielded many useful technologies, among them the heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer (HIT) module, the PERC module, the TOPCON cell and the first large-size wafer deploying the 210 mm 50-cell module. This is on top of a number of new module technologies, namely, half-cells, patchwork patterns, bifacial shingle cells, ultra-thin double-sided glass and highly reflective back panels. Risen Energy is not only the world's first photovoltaic manufacturer to have successfully produced 500W high-efficiency modules, they are also the first to receive an order for these modules and have shipped the world's first batch. Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, the highly demanded initial batch was shipped on the eve of this year's May Day holiday in China, saving a good week that would have been lost due to the length of the holiday.

In addition to the outstanding achievements in technology-driven research and development, Risen Energy has been aggressively engaged in the construction and management of power stations. The company has now developed and operates a significant number of photovoltaic power stations in multiple countries and regions targeted by the Chinese government's One Belt, One Road initiative, including Australia, India, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nepal and Vietnam.

Leon Chuang, the global marketing director at Risen Energy, said, "The winning of the four awards represents not only high recognition from the industry, but also serves as an encouragement to our future development. Risen Energy will keep improving its technological prowess in R&D, enhancing its brand influence, and collaborating with industry partners to drive the photovoltaic industry's efforts in developing high-efficiency products."

SOURCE Risen Energy Co., Ltd

Related Links

www.risenenergy.com


USD/CAD Video 29.05.20.

U.S. Dollar Gains Ground As Canada Reports Grim GDP Numbers

USD/CAD tested the support level at 1.3730 but reversed course and climbed back to 1.3800 as the U.S. Dollar Index rebounded from the 98 level while Canada provided a disappointing GDP Growth Rate report.

Canadas GDP Growth Rate in the first quarter was -2.1% quarter-on-quarter. GDP Growth Rate Annualized was -8.2% in the first quarter as the Canadian economy received a double hit from coronavirus and low energy prices. Canada expects that GDP growth declined by 11% in April.

The U.S. also reported grim economic data as Personal Spending was down by 13.6% as virus containment measures put significant pressure on consumer activity.

The U.S. Dollar Index has recently breached the low end of the previous 99  101 range and tested the 98 level but started to rebound, providing additional boost to USD/CAD.

The equity markets are worried about an additional increase in U.S.  China tensions but the U.S. dollar has not received too much support despite its role of a safe haven asset.

Technical Analysis

USD/CAD has once again tested the nearest support level at 1.3730 but this attempt was unsuccessful. Instead of getting below 1.3730, USD/CAD gained significant near-term upside momentum and headed towards 1.3800.

Currently, USD/CAD is trading in the range between the support level at 1.3730 and the resistance level at 1.3850. The 20 EMA has recently crossed the 50 EMA to the downside, suggesting the increase in downside momentum, but USD/CAD will have to stay below 1.3850 to have material chances for additional downside.

In case USD/CAD manages to settle below 1.3730, it will head towards the next support level at 1.3650.

On the upside, USD/CAD will have to deal with the major resistance at 1.3850 which has previously served as the support level in a two-month trading range between 1.3850 and 1.4250.

In case USD/CAD gets above 1.3850, it will gain additional upside momentum and head towards the 20 EMA level at 1.3935. The 50 EMA is located close to the 20 EMA so this resistance level may be very significant.

Story continues

If USD/CAD settles above both the 20 EMA and the 50 EMA, the next resistance will likely be seen closer to 1.4000.

For a look at all of todays economic events, check out our economic calendar.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
By Barbara Favola

Favola represents parts of Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties in the Virginia state Senate. She is a Democrat.

I have tremendous concern that Congress has not appropriated the necessary funds for our Postal Service (USPS) to continue service. This service cannot be replaced by private delivery companies, online billing, or electronic communication.

The Postal Service provides a low-cost service that ensures privacy and delivery to every corner of the United States. Our founders understood the importance of establishing an effective means of communication between every household and business  no matter how rich or poor or how geographically isolated. This means of communication is still important today because not everyone has access to the internet, but everyone does have access to the USPS.

The USPS is authorized in the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8). George Washington and James Madison helped pass legislation, making the post office operational in 1792. Lines are long at the Post Office, particularly around the holidays, because it provides a service at a cost no competitor can match. The Postal Services accessibility and affordability is critically important to rural communities, seniors, and people with disabilities, who might not otherwise be able to afford the cost of a private business to deliver essential medications and daily necessities. Twenty percent of adults age forty and over exclusively receive their prescription medications by mail.

We are currently in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, and we do not know if it will be safe for everyone to participate in an in-person voting experience this November. A safer and more inclusive approach for voting would be to implement a widespread mail-in ballot effort. But to reinforce our democracy in such a meaningful way requires that the Postal Service be funded.

The Postal Service fosters community and provides jobs. In many small towns and rural areas of our country, the post office continues to be a community gathering spot, a place to visit with neighbors and hear the local gossip. It is an integral part of the fiber of many communities in a way that private companies cannot replace.

It is also worth noting that the USPS is the second largest employer in the nation. At a time when unemployment claims have risen to Great Depression levels, choosing to add an additional 600,000 people to the number of unemployed is to willfully exacerbate and worsen an already extremely difficult situation.

I urge Congress to provide the necessary funds for the Postal Service to continue. We must not let this keystone of democracy be lost.
Explained: How desert locusts made its early arrival to India and how serious would it

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, May 29: Many know that desert locusts, also known as Schistocerca Gregaria, normally live and breed in desert regions. It is during this time, they require bare ground to lay eggs. With this keeping in mind, these locusts can breed in Rajasthan but not in the Indo-Gangetic plains.

As how the desert lands are required for the locusts, green vegetation is also required for the swarm's development. As individuals, or in small isolated groups, these locusts are not very dangerous. But when they grow into large populations their behaviour changes, they transform from 'solitary phase' into 'gregarious phase'. It is estimated that a single swarm can contain 40 to 80 million adults in one square km, and these can travel up to 150 km a day.

Locust attack: Centre to buy sprayers from UK, use helicopters, drones to spray pesticides

Generally, these locusts breed in the dry areas around Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea along the eastern coast of Africa, a region known as the Horn of Africa. Similarly, other breeding grounds are Asian regions in Yemen, Oman, southern Iran, and in Pakistan's Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

LAC tensions: India denies having discussed Chinese aggression with Trump | Oneindia News

Recently, the Locust Warning Organisation, a unit under the Agriculture Ministry, spotted these and warned of their presence at Jaisalmer and Suratgarh in Rajasthan, and Fazilka in Punjab near the India-Pakistan border.

Delhi govt gears up for probable locust attack; Issues advisory

Why are these locusts arrving early when July-October is the normal time?

It is reportedly said that unusual cyclonic storms of 2018 in the Arabian Sea is the key reason behind these locusts early arrival. Cyclone Mekunu and Luban had struck Oman and Yemen respectively that year. Also, heavy rains had transformed uninhabited desert tracts into large lake where a swarm of locusts could breed. If this issue is left attended, a single swarm can increase 20 times of its original population in the first generation itself. Once they start breeding, the locust swarm movement will cease or slow. Also, the breeding will happen mainly in Rajasthan.

What are the damages they have caused so far?

Since the rabi crop has already been harvested, and farmers are yet to start kharif sowings. However, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has predicted "several successive waves of invasions until July in Rajasthan with eastward surges across northern India right up to Bihar and Odisha". After July, there would be westward movements of the swarms that would return to Rajasthan.

100,000 'duck army' of China to fight locust swarms in Pakistan

A single gregarious female locust can lay about 60-80 eggs three times during its average life cycle of 90 days. If their breeding is coterminous with that of the kharif crop, we could well have a situation similar to what maize, sorghum and wheat farmers of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia experienced in March-April.

How can the population of these pests be controlled?

Locust control has involved spraying of organo-phospate pesticides on the night resting places of the locusts. Recently, the Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow, advised farmers to spray chemicals like lambdacyhalothirn, deltamethrin, fipronil, chlorpyriphos, or malathion to bring things under control. However, On May 14, the Centre had banned the use of chlorpyriphos and deltamethrin. Malathion is also included in the list of banned chemicals but has been subsequently allowed for locust control.
A schoolboy gymnast has vowed to perform again days after he had part of his leg amputated following a hit-and-run horror crash involving a motorbike.

Little 'warrior' Max Clark, 9, was rushed to hospital after he was struck by a bike while in a park in Hull, East Yorkshire, on Monday - the first time he and his family had ventured outside together since the coronavirus lockdown began.

Despite the efforts of doctors, the youngster, from Preston, Lancs, had to have half of his leg amputated below the knee.

But in a brave show of grit and resolve in the face of the tragedy, Max's mother Kirsty Clark has said the outcome of the crash 'could have been worse'.

And she says young Max has remained positive, even vowing to return to his hobbies of gymnastics and dancing, despite still being in his hospital bed.

Max Clark, 9, was rushed to hospital after he was struck by a bike while in a park in Hull, East Yorkshire, on Monday

According to his mum Kirsty Clark, 31, Max wants to return to his hobbies of gymnastics and dancing, despite him still being in a hospital bed

The 31-year-old said: 'He is doing really well,' she said.

'He is able to get himself from his bed to his wheelchair and obviously he has had half of his leg amputated just below the knee.

'He understands it is going to take some time to be able to do the things he used to do but he is taking it as well as we could have hoped for.'

Max was rushed to Hull Royal Infirmary after he was struck by a motorbike within 15 minutes of arriving at Rosmead Park on bank holiday Monday.

Kirsty and partner Paddy, 32, of School Road, Preston, decided to take their four children there to meet up with friends.

It was the first time the family had left the home since March 21, due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Hours after the collision took place, police arrested Jerome Cawkwell, 24, of Cambridge Grove, Hull.

He was later charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Speaking about the incident, Kirsty said: 'It's really hard. We were all there.

'We were all in the same few metres of space and our six-year-old daughter Molly saw everything so she is going to need some kind of help down the line.

'The only way I can describe it is like watching a film you can't turn off at the time.

'Now I know he is okay that is the main thing. He is still our little Max as he was before.'

She added: 'We were told we were going to get all the help.

'He is a really keen gymnast and he dances as well. All those things are going to be possible but not for a while.

'We are pulling together as a family but we are okay. It could be worse. We have got to keep positive for him.'

Max was rushed to Hull Royal Infirmary after he was struck by a motorbike within 15 minutes of arriving at Rosmead Park on bank holiday Monday

Giving thanks to those who looked-after Max in hospital, she added: 'I want to give my gratitude to Hull Royal Infirmary's Acorn Ward who were absolutely fantastic.

'All of the nurses couldn't have treated him any better. He has been treated like a king.'

Following the incident, a fundraising page was set up by Max's dance teacher Joanna Grant, to help his parents buy 'anything they want' to help with their son's recovery.

The GoFundMe page, set up two days ago, was originally aimed to raise 1,000, but has now raised more than ten times that - with the total now at 10,170.

Posting on the site, Joanna said her pupil was a 'warrior', adding: 'Max is an amazing gymnast and dancer and a wonderful young man, well loved by everyone who knows him.'

Cawkwell appeared at Hull Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Alongside causing serious injury by dangerous driving, he is charged with failing to stop, driving without a licence, using a vehicle without insurance and using a vehicle not in efficient working order.

He indicated guilty pleas to the charges before being given conditional bail.

He will appear at Hull Crown Court on June 24.
When he made it to Christmas Island in July 2013, he was desperate to keep drawing but could not acquire materials. He was flown to Manus Island  taken by force, says Bandesh  and confined to a tent with 50 fellow detainees in the notorious Oscar compound. I needed to draw and to play music to forget my pain so I would not go crazy. Bandesh eventually attended art classes run by an Australian woman employed by the Salvation Army. The lessons were held outside at night. I asked for paper and pencil to continue drawing out of class, but she refused. She took them with her after the lessons ended. It was a kind of torture for me. When Bandesh was finally allowed coloured pencils and paper, prison guards searched his compound and confiscated the materials. I asked them why. Why? I could do nothing for months. Bandesh turned to music and purchased a guitar. A prison officer came and took the guitar from me while I was playing. I asked him why. Why? He said, when you want the guitar, you must come to the gate and ask for it. I went the next day and they said no, you cant have it. They were playing with us, punishing us. After many requests, Bandesh received paints and brushes, but again only in art class. He painted on bed sheets, cardboard and paper. One of Bandeshs earliest Manus paintings is a watercolour of a Kurdish boy, orphaned by an ISIS attack. I found the picture on the internet. I felt bad for my people.

Farhad Bandesh, Kurdish refugee - Aylan - beach. He painted Aylan Shenu, the three-year old Kurdish-Syrian boy who made global headlines when he was found lying face down, dead, on the shores of the Mediterranean. A pair of hands reach out from the sand and the water. The sea and the earth are holding him, says Bandesh. As the years went by with no sign of release, many detainees fell into depression. There were outbreaks of self-harm, several suicides. It was a bad time. We were trapped on Manus. They had attacked us many times. We were innocent people, and we were saying, we need help, but they treated us like criminals. Farhad Bandesh, Death by fences.

Bandeshs paintings reflected his despair: images of skulls, angry skies, forests on fire, haunting landscapes. The skull is me, he says. I thought I will die before they released me. We were trees, queued up for death, and the fire was burning us. Bandesh painted a severed tree with an axe leaning against it, his first work in oil on canvas. They wanted to cut me down, to break me, but there are green leaves growing on the stump. They could not destroy us. Farhad Bandesh, Regeneration. Bandeshs range expanded. He designed black ink graphics featuring birds in flight as symbols of freedom and printed them on t-shirts. He photoshopped a black silhouette of himself, seated, head bent, behind black bars, backed by the caption Imprisoned but not guilty. His digital images became recognised symbols of resistance.

When the men were finally allowed to move about the island, they connected with advocates who flew to Manus to meet them. Bandesh passed on his paintings for safe-keeping. He met and worked with musician David Bridie to produce songs that reflected his longing for freedom. The years of repression and limbo took their toll. Bandesh was medivaced from PNG to Melbourne in July 2019. He was, he says, about 70 per cent optimistic. I thought, maybe they will release me into the community. Maybe I will have an exhibition, a concert. Or maybe they will keep me here for years and years. I was here, in Melbourne, but I was not here. It was like a dream, but I was back in prison. For the first month, the detainees lived in one small corridor, in a few rooms, with no sun or fresh air. I started to fight for fresh air. I was the one who always talked with the Serco manager, and the Australian Border Force officers, always challenged them. Bandesh was moved to a room overlooking Bell Street and was joined by his close friend, Kurdish-Iranian songwriter and outspoken activist Mostafa Azimitabar.

Everything was a struggle for us. The officers would not open the windows. We asked many times, and in the end, we got 15 centimetres. I could squeeze my hand out and receive my dose of vitamin D, Bandesh says, laughing. I asked for paint and brushes every day for five months. When they allowed me to paint, they kept the materials in their office. I had another battle. After a few months, I took the materials to my room, and they said OK. For the first time, I could paint when I wished. Even at midnight. Bandeshs work took new directions. He experimented. He revelled in colour. He painted abstracts of parrots, peacocks, speckled skies, whirling planets, burning flowers, the Bandesh galaxy, he calls it. I look at other painters on the internet. What can I learn? Behind the paintings, there is a story  someone else can interpret them, see things, even if the painter does not know it. For me, I just want to express myself and forget that I am still in prison. Colour is energy. It lifts me. His most recent painting depicts the summer bushfires. Towering blackened trees are engulfed by inflamed skies. It was my way of showing my pain for the suffering of Australian people.

Farhad Bandesh, Australian bushfire. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the men imprisoned in the Mantra have been terrified. They are confined to their rooms up to 23 hours a day. They are not allowed outside for exercise. Bandeshs materials were used to paint banners; images of detainees holding the banners were uploaded on social media. Within days of appearing on ABCs Q&A on April 20, and after reacting to a prison guards rough handling of his canvasses, Bandesh was moved to MITA. Again, he is without his paints and brushes. His painting of the bushfires remains a work-in-progress. When I ask ... for my materials, they say maybe. Or, they say, it will take a while. I have been asking for seven years, and sometimes they give it to me, and then they take it away. This is how they drive you mad. Now we walk to the song of the water, and talk about art, and about beauty and terror. And about the smiling boy. We are co-writing a song about him. It concerns the massacre of Kurds by Saddam Husseins regime in northern Iraq in 1988. There is a photo of a queue of boys with haunted faces. One boy, face turned to the camera, is smiling. That smile has become a symbol of Kurdish defiance. Bandesh has composed the music in hard rock, echoed by the zurna, a wind instrument. Now Im that smiling boy, he sings. You cannot bury me alive. You cannot bury us alive.
OTTAWAPrime Minister Justin Trudeau is being pressured by some of his own Liberal backbenchers to implement enforceable national standards for the operation of long-term-care homes in Canada.

The pressure came Thursday from five Toronto-area Liberal MPs, whose ridings are home to some of the facilities that have been devastated by COVID-19.

And it came just as the prime minister was preparing later in the day for his 11th conference call with premiers since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Canada in mid-March.

He had promised to repeat on the call his offer of federal help to improve conditions in care homes and to provide paid sick leave for workers forced to stay home due to COVID-19.

Both issues fall squarely within provincial jurisdiction and could test the Team Canada spirit that has prevailed among first ministers so far during the COVID-19 crisis.

Trudeaus offer of help has been met with a mixed reaction so far from provincial and territorial leaders.

In a letter to Trudeau and Health Minister Patty Hajdu, the five Liberal MPs upped the ante, asking Ottawa to call on the Ontario government to launch a full, independent, public inquiry to investigate the failings of the provinces long-term-care system and make recommendations for fixing them.

Those failings were exposed in appalling detail earlier this week in a scathing report by the military, which has been called in to help out in long-term-care homes in Ontario and Quebec. The report cited examples of neglect, abuse and unsanitary conditions in five Ontario homes.

Similar problems had been reported in some Quebec homes in April, although a military report this week on that province said conditions have now improved somewhat.

The five Ontario Liberal MPs  Gary Anandasangaree, Yvan Baker, Jennifer OConnell, Judy Sgro and Sonia Sidhu  also called on the federal government to work with provinces to establish and implement enforceable national standards for long-term-care homes across the country, echoing earlier calls from NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.

It is a tragedy taking place across Canada as approximately 80 per cent of all COVID-19-related deaths across our country have occurred in long-term-care homes, they wrote.

So far, Trudeaus weekly conference calls with premiers have been notable for their collegial, collaborative spirit as they all work as one to cushion the impact of the deadly pandemic on Canadians health and the countrys economy.

The Prime Ministers Office said Thursdays two-hour call was no different, although there was no progress to report on either the long-term-care or sick-leave fronts other than first ministers continued to commit to work together on both.

But there are signs that team spirit may be starting to give way to the usual regional tensions and jurisdictional spats that have historically bedevilled federal-provincial relations in Canada.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault, whose province has always jealously guarded its jurisdiction against perceived federal intrusions, is lukewarm about Trudeaus promise to ensure 10 days of paid sick leave for workers who fall ill with COVID-19 or are required to go into quarantine.

I told Justin Trudeau this morning, first, regarding sick leave, that there was a very negative reaction from the corporate side, he said Wednesday.

Well, obviously, there is a question there that isnt clear: Who will pay?

On long-term-care homes, Legault came close to suggesting the feds should butt out, apart from sending the provinces more money for health care in general, which they could spend as they see fit.

At the outset of the pandemic, the federal government did increase those transfers by $500 million.

In contrast to Legault, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been effusive in his thanks for the offer of federal help to fix what he calls this broken system.

Ford, too, has called for more federal funding, but hes gone beyond that. Hes said everything is on the table, including integrating long-term-care homes into the public health system, which is delivered by the provinces but under the national principles of the Canada Health Act.

And hes called for national standards for such facilities.

We need a system standard ... a standard operating procedure that applies right across the country, no matter if its in Quebec or Ontario or B.C., he said Tuesday.

Trudeau has been careful so far to avoid wading into specifics, repeatedly stressing the federal government will respect provincial jurisdiction as it embarks on discussions with the premiers.

Im not going to short-circuit that conversation by putting forward aggressive proposals right now, he said Wednesday.

Trudeau must also deal with the fact that not all provinces have been as hard hit by the pandemic as Ontario and Quebec and some may be less keen to have the feds rush in with help.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said all provinces need federal funding to help defray pandemic costs, but suggested his province doesnt need it for long-term-care homes. He said Saskatchewan already has standards and noted that its homes have not been subject to the high death rate experienced in the two largest provinces.

On sick leave, Moe said if its a federal initiative, it should be federally funded, employers should not have to foot any part of the bill and it should be in place only temporarily during the pandemic.

There can be no cost to the businesses that are just trying now to dust themselves off and reopen and get back into the marketplace, Moe said Thursday.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister shared that concern, but nevertheless welcomed a national program to encourage any worker who feels ill to stay home.

Trudeau has credited British Columbia Premier John Horgan with first raising the idea of a sick-leave program. And Horgan appeared optimistic Wednesday that an agreement can eventually be reached among first ministers to put one in place.
With a name like Daves Carry-Out, Sandra McCrays popular downtown Charleston restaurant can hardly be expected to provide indoor seating. And in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, its not.

Im just waiting until we can get over this virus, said McCray, who no longer allows customers to use the few indoor tables she set up a few years back for her customers convenience. Right now were social distancing.

Since May 1, when Gov. Henry McMaster announced he was loosening restrictions on on-premise dining, South Carolina restaurant owners have grappled with how to best serve their patrons. Their decisions run the gamut from still-closed kitchens to fully opened dining rooms. But at least in the Charleston area it appears black and white restaurateurs have on balance reached different conclusions about which course to take.

Of all 63 black-owned independent restaurants in greater Charleston which offered indoor seating prior to the mandated closure of dining rooms across the state, 51 have reopened in some capacity. But 37 of those restaurants, or 72 percent of reopened restaurants, are limiting service to takeout.

Among the local institutions which as of Wednesday hadnt reopened their dining rooms are Berthas Kitchen, Martha Lous Kitchen, Nigels Good Food, Buckshots Restaurant, Hannibals Kitchen and My Three Sons.

As for other restaurants in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties, a representative sample provides some sense of their reopening inclinations. Of the regions 63 independent restaurants with the highest Yelp ratings (a group which includes just one black-owned restaurant, Daves Carry-Out), 60 are now selling food again.

On-premise dining is available at 50 of those places, or 83 percent of reopened restaurants, with 38 of them offering indoor tables.

Eugene Wade of Port City Seafood in North Charleston suggests the statistics reflect what the restaurants serve, such as the turkey wings at Daves or garlic crabs he used to fry. He notes everybody would always pick up at markets like his, which has lately discontinued its prepared food service. African Americans aint no different than anybody else, he said.

But the African American community has been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus. A recent study found black Americans represent 13.4 percent of the U.S. population, but 60 percent of COVID-19 deaths, a discrepancy which researchers have attributed to social conditions and structural racism.

Accordingly, many black business owners are acutely aware of the risks associated with violating social distancing principles.

Ive seen a lot of places opening, but I wanted to be safe, says Dominique Mood, owner of 4:16 Nutrition in Summerville. Moods customers traditionally liked to linger to chat, but shes prepared to adopt stringent rules before restoring indoor seating.

Yvette Calvin of Heavenly Spoon in North Charleston has a similar perspective.

Theyre opening up everything, but we have cases every day, rising, rising, rising, she said on Wednesday afternoon, hours before the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced the state had set a daily coronavirus death record. Im not going to open up to the public. This restaurant is me and my family. If one gets it, all of us gets it.

Still, Calvin added that sticking to takeout hasnt hurt her business. In fact, sales are up; Calvin suspected a few radio ads may have helped boost her curbside program.

By contrast, takeout-only is becoming a more challenging proposition in downtown Charleston, where dozens of restaurants in proximity are inviting customers to claim an indoor table. Estadio owner Max Kuller on Thursday revealed on Instagram that his Spring Streets restaurants revenue has been halved since April.

While some of this is clearly due to our peers restarting to-go programs, much of the revenue has definitely been lost to patios and dining rooms and our guests venturing into riskier confines, he wrote in a post illustrated by a graph of the states coronavirus case count.

Kuller continued, We are honestly baffled that many peers who we hold in high regard are tuning out this science.

Juice Bar MC in Moncks Corner is relatively new, so owner Nicholas Gourbine doesnt have a set of figures from last year against which to gauge sales. But he knows it was slow a few weeks ago and is just now starting to pick up.

Yet he hasnt been tempted to open indoor seating. Gourbine said when he tells customers that he and his employees are still practicing social distancing, they always understand.
MINNEAPOLIS - Authorities on Friday filed murder charges against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was captured on video earlier this week atop 46-year-old George Floyd, pressing his knee into Floyd's neck until the unarmed and handcuffed black man could no longer plead for breath.

Floyd, who was suspected of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill at a local deli, later died, and Chauvin and three other officers were fired. What many considered an egregious police abuse provoked a wave of protests across the United States as the nation wrestles not only with a devastating pandemic and an economic crisis but also a much older, more intractable scourge: racial injustice.

Though the charges against Chauvin of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter came swiftly in legal terms - "We have never charged a case in that time frame," Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington told reporters Friday - the perceived delay led to large demonstrations in cities across the country.

It remained unclear whether Chauvin's arrest might help to quell the mournful, angry and at times violent gatherings that have upended Minneapolis, Louisville, Denver and other cities in recent days. The protests, while triggered by Floyd's death, also have been fueled by the ever-growing list of black people whose deaths at the hands of white police officers have been documented on video and distributed widely on the Internet.

The video in Minneapolis drew widespread condemnation from police authorities, politicians and countless viewers, who watched Chauvin press Floyd into the pavement during an arrest. Investigators revealed Friday that Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, even as Floyd repeatedly muttered "I can't breathe," "Mama" and "please." Floyd eventually lost consciousness, and Chauvin kept his knee firmly on Floyd's neck for more than two more minutes, according to investigators.

At the same time, an autopsy did not "support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation," according to the criminal complaint against Chauvin, meaning it did not appear that his airway was fully cut off.

"Mr. Floyd had underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease," the statement said. "The combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to this death."

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman signaled Friday that three other officers who were fired after the incident - Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and Alexander Kueng - also could soon face criminal charges.

"We are in the process of continuing to review the evidence. There may be subsequent charges later," Freeman said, adding that his office focused first on "the most dangerous perpetrator."

Agents with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension arrested Chauvin at 11:44 a.m. in Minneapolis, officials announced. In Minnesota, a third-degree murder charge is defined as "perpetrating an eminently dangerous act and evincing a depraved mind," while second-degree manslaughter is defined as "culpable negligence creating unreasonable risk."

Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Floyd's family, called the charges "a welcome but overdue step on the road to justice" but said the family had expected a first-degree murder charge.

"The pain that the black community feels over this murder and what it reflects about the treatment of black people in America is raw and is spilling out onto streets across America," he said.

The charges in Floyd's death followed three days of increasingly intense protests and calls from community members, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, for the officers to be arrested. Freeman acknowledged the ongoing civil unrest, noting that his own home had been picketed, but insisted his office could only pursue cases with sufficient evidence.

"I'm not insensitive to what's happened in the street," he said. "But I will not allow us to charge a case before it's ready. And this case is now ready."

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, acknowledged in an emotional news conference Friday that the unrest that has destabilized the Twin Cities is the result of "generations of pain, of anguish" over racism in policing.

"Their voices went unheard, and now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world," Walz said. "And the world is watching."

The governor vowed "swift" justice for the officers involved in Floyd's killing, even as he pleaded for an end to the violence that has followed in its wake. He said the underlying issues involved in George Floyd's death could not be addressed until the literal fires are extinguished.

"We cannot have the looting and the recklessness that went on. We can't have it because we cannot function as a society," Walz said. "And I refuse to let it take away the attention from the stain that we need to be working on."

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Democrat, on Friday encouraged residents to see the state's National Guard, which Walz activated late Thursday, as a calming force rather than an occupying one.

"The presence you see on the street - don't react to them the way you might react to the Minneapolis Police Department," he said at a news conference. "It's not the same; it's different leadership, different authority."

The attorney general recognized the Minnesota National Guard's recent help distributing covid-19 tests in the state. "Please remember that this is not the group that you associate with unfair conduct, but it's a group that, in fact, just a week ago was trying to make sure that Minnesota could survive and thrive and live because we are still in the middle of a pandemic," he said.

Even President Donald Trump, who sparked sharp criticism for tweets early Friday that appeared to threaten violence against looters, later in the afternoon urged restraint.

"We can't allow a situation like what happened in Minneapolis to descend further into lawless anarchy and chaos," said Trump, who noted that he had spoken with Floyd's family.

"I understand the hurt, I understand the pain," Trump said. "The family of George is entitled to justice and the people of Minnesota are entitled to live in safety. Law and order will prevail."

Despite the pleas for calm, the nation seemed anything but as a fitful week drew to a close. Recent days had seen the death toll from the coronavirus eclipse 100,000. More than 40 million Americans have now filed for unemployment. Floyd's disturbing death - and the disturbing trend to which it belongs - appeared to merely push some already beleaguered communities past the boiling point.

While most protests have remained peaceful, some demonstrators have damaged buildings, blocked traffic and demanded justice for Floyd and for other victims of police violence.

At the center of the fury was Minneapolis, where protesters on Thursday breached the police department's 3rd Precinct, set fire to the building and launched fireworks toward police, forcing officers to evacuate.

C'Monie Scott, 22, held up a gun belt complete with dangling handcuffs in one hand, and screamed into a megaphone, "F--- the police!" Scott said none of it would be happening if the city had quickly moved to prosecute the officers involved in Floyd's death.

"My people are only doing this because there is no justice," Scott said. "Before this happened, we have never gone this far. This is on you guys. We're three days in, sleep-deprived, dehydrated, hungry, and he still hasn't been charged."

The unrest unfolded from Phoenix to Los Angeles to Columbus, Ohio, as hundreds of people converged in city centers and descended on state capitol buildings in the face of tear gas and rubber bullets from police.

Gunfire broke out in multiple cities, including Louisville, where police say seven people were injured in a shooting that sent dozens scattering. Several hundred people there were protesting the March fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor in her apartment, which police entered while she was asleep.

Shots also were fired near a crowd in Denver on Thursday evening, but a police spokesman said no one was injured. Late into the night, officials pleaded with protesters to remain peaceful.

"I certainly understand everyone's frustration and sense of pain and disgust following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis," Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, a Democrat, said in a video message. "But I want to plead to everyone, let's demonstrate, but let's demonstrate peacefully."

By Friday afternoon, protests denouncing incidents of black people dying in police custody continued to draw thousands around the country, with demonstrations forming in Atlanta, Milwaukee, Houston and elsewhere. Some gatherings appeared peaceful in videos shared on social media, while others triggered tension between demonstrators and police.

In Detroit, hundreds of people congregated outside police headquarters in the afternoon, chanting "black lives matter" as officers handed out masks. In the nation's capital, demonstrators gathered in a District of Columbia neighborhood and began a march to the White House.

In New York City, where police said more than 70 arrests or summonses were made during Thursday night protests and where video captured more arrests Friday, hundreds gathered in and around Foley Square as the mother of Eric Garner addressed the crowd. Garner, a black man, died in a 2014 struggle with police after repeatedly crying out, "I can't breathe."

"They have to stop coming into our neighborhoods and brutalizing, terrorizing, murdering," Gwen Carr said through a megaphone in front of the plaza's fountain. She wore a mask that said, "I can't breathe."

"It just keeps happening over and over again," Carr added. "We can't do this anymore. . . . We have to take a stand."

In Denver on Friday, the chants of several hundred protesters echoed through downtown as marchers took over the state capital's outdoor 16th Street shopping mall.

"No justice, no peace!" the protesters shouted, and, "Hands up, don't shoot." The marchers carried signs that read "I Stand With My Black Brothers and Sisters" and "George Floyd's Blood is On Your Hands."

Back in Minneapolis on Friday afternoon, a small group of protesters stopped to hear Korey Dean, 46, founder of the Man Up Club in Roseville, Minnesota, deliver a mini sermon.

"What you see is people coming together, unified under one solidarity of justice. And we will make sure we receive justice," Dean said. "Yes, we're angry, and there's nothing wrong with being angry. You cannot suppress a people and not expect a reaction. But now they have a voice, and it's the sound of justice."

A peaceful crowd of several hundred protesters also made their way to the Cup Foods store where George Floyd died on Monday.

Imam Makram El-Amin reminded the crowd that even though Chauvin had been charged, the broader fight for fairness remained. "This is one step towards justice," El-Amin said. "I also understand the long arc towards justice."

"All four!" the crowd continued to chant, referring to the three officers who had yet to face charges. Music played. The drumbeat went on and on.

- - -

The Washington Post's Tarkor Zehn and Sheila Regan in Minneapolis; Jennifer Oldham in Denver; and Marissa Iati, Kim Bellware, Angela Fritz, Mark Berman, Meagan Flynn, Colby Itkowitz, Shayna Jacobs, Eva Dou, Hannah Knowles, Mike Rosenwald and John Wagner in Washington contributed to this report. Dennis reported from Washington.
After weeks of speculation, New Jersey school superintendents expected to find out once and for all this week what an in-person graduation ceremony can look like in July.

Promised guidance from the state Department of Education came Wednesday night. Confusion and concern quickly followed.

The guidance has been convoluted, contradictory and confused from the start, said Charles Sampson, superintendent of the Freehold Regional High School District, on Thursday. We have altered our graduation plans several times, and the clear lack of guidance has caused us to waste energy that should be directed toward reopening.

The new guidance for graduation ceremonies in the age of COVID-19 calls for expected social distancing requirements, like wearing masks and ensuring six feet of space between students. But it notably lacks an official number of people who can attend an in-person ceremony (the states current maximum for outdoor events is 25). And the directive seemingly contradicts prior guidance by saying drive-thru or drive-by ceremonies, which many schools planned for June, cannot take place until July 6.

Superintendents have plenty of questions this morning, said Rene Rovtar, superintendent of Montville Township Public Schools. I think most parents and students will be very disheartened to read these parameters.

Asked Thursday about the contradictory guidance on drive-thru ceremonies, Murphy at first said they are allowed in June and nothing has changed. He later said there is a difference between ceremonies with students remaining in their cars, which would be allowed, and those that involve getting out of their cars, which would not be allowed until July.

Murphys administration later added that drive-thru ceremonies currently scheduled in June would be allowed, but any new ceremonies would need to be scheduled for July.

Such a lack of clarity is what superintendents say has made planning for graduation especially challenging.

We understand the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we have spent hours and hours making plans, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to adjust to the repeated shifts in direction, Rovtar said.

Parents, students and politicians have made graduation ceremonies a major flash point in reopening the state, especially after watching milestones such as prom lost to Murphys near-lockdown measures to contain the virus.

On Thursday, Republican critics in the state Legislature called on Murphy to allow ceremonies as soon as June 15 and without the restrictive measures. Some superintendents have said seniors are no longer considered students after June 30, raising other issues.

Not yet knowing the total number of people who can attend each ceremony is especially difficult for large districts, said David Cittadino, superintendent of the Old Bridge Township School District. His high school has more than 700 graduates, and he was hoping to receive clarity on how many separate ceremonies he will need to plan.

Murphy understands the frustration, but doesnt want to give school districts a number for how many people can attend only to reduce it if circumstances change, he said.

Somewhere between now and a reasonable amount of time from now, we will give some more guidance, Murphy said. I will be shocked if it is 25 or even close to 25 by July 6.

Until that number is determined, superintendents say they will have to plan for multiple ceremonies of varying sizes while figuring out how to follow other aspects of the guidance, like the suggestion that schools check the temperature of everyone who attends.

This entire situation has been emblematic of the lack of guidance for schools throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Sampson said. We need to be better for the fall.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
The Minnesota State Patrol arrested a CNN reporter reporting live on television early Friday morning while covering the Minneapolis protests, without giving any reason, and led him and three crew members away in handcuffs.

The Minnesota State Patrol arrested a CNN reporter reporting live on television early Friday morning while covering the Minneapolis protests, without giving any reason, and led him and three crew members away in handcuffs.

Black reporter Omar Jimenez had just shown a protester being arrested when about half a dozen white police officers surrounded him.

"We can move back to where you like," he told the officers wearing gas masks and face shields, before explaining live on air that he and his crew were members of the press. "Were getting out of your way."

"This is among the state patrol unit that was advancing up the street, seeing and scattering the protesters at that point for people to clear the area. And so we walked away," Jimenez said before being told he was under arrest and handcuffed by two officers. "Why am I under arrest, sir?"

Thursday marked a third night of arson, looting and vandalism in Minnesota over the death of a black man, George Floyd, seen on video gasping for breath while a white police officer knelt on his neck.

Governor Tim Walz had declared a state emergency and ordered the National Guard activated, and President Donald Trump suggested in a tweet that looters would be shot. Twitter accused him of breaking its rules by "glorifying violence."
Balloons fall over the crowd as then candidate Donald Trump accepts the Republican Party's nomination for president, at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 21, 2016. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

GOP Proposes COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Republican Convention in North Carolina

Republican party officials have sent a letter to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper requesting his urgent approval of a series of safety protocols for a key GOP convention, including thermal scans and aggressive sanitizing, so the event can be held safely and organized in a timely way.

President Trump and the Republican National Committee want to hold a safe and successful 2020 Republican National Convention in the impressive City of Charlotte and the great State of North Carolina, wrote the Republican National Committee chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, and the president of the convention committee, Marcia Lee Kelly, in the letter to Cooper, requesting a partner in leadership to make this happen.

McDaniel and Kelly gave Cooper a June 3 deadline to provide additional safety measures that he would need for state authorities to greenlight the event, adding, time is of the essence.

Republicans are excited to renominate @realDonaldTrump in Charlotte!@Marcialeekelly and I just sent a letter to Gov. Cooper asking for assurances and clear guidelines that will allow our convention to proceed. pic.twitter.com/ZUwvTINGBf  Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) May 29, 2020

The letter seeks Coopers approval for eight measures the event organizers propose to reduce the risk of spreading the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, the novel coronavirus that emerged from China late last year and causes COVID-19. The measures include pre-travel health surveys, daily health care questionnaires, making anti-bacterial gel widely available, aggressive sanitizing of public zones, and thermal scans of all mandatory attendees prior to boarding sanitized, pre-arranged transportation.

The two signatories added that without solid guidelines and full commitment from state authorities for an in-person event, they will be unable to proceed with its organization.

The planned convention, at which the GOP will officially nominate President Donald Trump as its candidate in the November election, has been buffeted by uncertainty due to the pandemic.

Cooper, a Democrat, has taken a more cautious approach to reopening than Republican governors in neighboring states. He said the GOP convention would be treated like any other major event and decisions about how it could be held would be subject to infection-related data.

This is not political. This is not emotional. This is based on health experts, data and science and thats it for everybody to see, Cooper told CNN. No one is being favored or disfavored over the other.

Trump has called on Cooper to provide assurances that a full in-person convention can be held, threatening to move the event to an alternate location.

I love the Great State of North Carolina, so much so that I insisted on having the Republican National Convention in Charlotte at the end of August, Trump said in a series of tweets on Monday. Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, @RoyCooperNC is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena.

Trump added: They must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied. If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site.

Cooper, who said he supports the GOP convention being held in Charlotte, asked convention planners earlier this week for a written plan on how they would address concerns about safety in the face of the pandemic.

Were ready to hold the RNC convention in North Carolina in a safe way. The health experts in our office have had conversations with people organizing the RNC about how to have it in a safe way, Cooper said.

Sadie Weiner, communications director for Cooper, said the proposals in the letter were being considered.

We are still waiting for a plan from the RNC, but our office will work with state health officials to review the letter and share a response tomorrow, Weiner told CNN.
Samantha Mariel Angeles De La Rosa, 28, has been charged with second-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the beating death of a four-month-old baby girl

A 28-year-old Florida woman has been charged with murder and child abuse in the death of an infant who was left in her care, which authorities say she initially tried to blame on a toddler.

Samantha Mariel Angeles De La Rosa, of Winter Haven, was arrested on Wednesday in the death of the four-month-old girl, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.

Angeles is charged with one count of second-degree murder, and two counts of aggravated child abuse.

Deputies were called to Angeles' home before 10am on Tuesday and found the baby unresponsive with multiple bruises on her head, face and body, the sheriffs statement said.

The baby was taken to Winter Haven Hospital, where she was pronounced dead an hour later.

Angeles told investigators that a 21-month-old toddler pulled the baby off of a changing table, causing her to fall to the floor, a report said.

She continued to tell various versions of her story, saying the toddler had been 'rough' with the baby previously, using toys to hit her in the face.

An autopsy revealed the baby had a fractured skull, which produced a brain bleed. The medical examiner said she died from blunt force trauma, not from falling 2-3 feet onto a carpeted floor, and ruled the death a homicide, the report said.

The infant died at Winter Haven Hospital in Florida on Tuesday, an hour after deputies found her unresponsive at Angeles' home

Medical Examiner Dr. Stephen Nelson also found two healing rib fractures and a healing fracture on the left forearm of the baby. He concluded that those three fractures were older 'but were caused by significant force' that was not consistent with an accident.

Angeles told detectives that previously she had pulled the baby out of the car seat too forcefully, and her arm got caught in the seatbelt. She also said that one time she 'got mad and squeezed the victim hard around her abdomen, causing her to cry,' according to the statement.

After the autopsy, investigators interviewed Angeles again. This time, she allegedly confessed to harming the infant.

The woman said on Tuesday morning, the baby started crying as she changed her diaper. Angeles said she began thinking about 'how overwhelmed she is in life' and then 'lost it in a split second,' the report said.

She told investigators she grabbed the baby by the shoulders and struck her head 'hard' twice against the changing table, the report said.

'There is absolutely no excuse to hurt a baby,' the sheriff said. 'If anyone caring for a child is feeling overwhelmed or out of control, please seek help from family, friends, clergy, or a social services agency. Get help.'

Angeles' past criminal record includes a 2016 conviction for driving without a valid license and a 2019 arrest on a charge of battery domestic violence, which was ultimately dismissed.
(Newser)  Two men hired to fulfill a sexual fantasy that involved breaking into an Australian man's home, tying him up, and rubbing a broom handle over his underwear showed up at the wrong homeand one of those men has now been acquitted of breaking and entering while armed with a weapon. A man living near Griffith, New South Wales, provided his address over Facebook but later updated it after moving, per the Guardian. The hired men apparently showed up at a home on the first street he provided just after 6am on July 14, 2019, surprising the resident by standing over his bed with machetes at their sides. "Are you sure you are not Kevin? As we were told to come to ... pick up Kevin," one of the men told the resident, who'd ripped off his sleep apnea mask, per BuzzFeed. Upon realizing the resident was not Kevin, one of the men said, "Sorry, mate," and shook the resident's hand, per the BBC. He called police.

story continues below

The men then proceeded to the correct address, where they were asked to leave their machetes in their car. They were ultimately arrested while the client made breakfast. In a May 15 decision shared online Tuesday, District Court Judge Sean Grant acknowledged "the facts of the case are unusual." But he said the pair did not appear to have acted intentionally. "It was a commercial agreement to tie up and stroke a semi-naked man in his underpants with a broom," said a lawyer for one of the accused, Terrence Leroy, who was acquitted. "Entry was not with intent to intimidate." Grant noted the men had "carried the machetes either as a prop or something to use in that fantasy," which was to be carried out with discretion. He added the client "was willing to pay [$3,330] if it was 'really good.'" (Read more sexual fantasy stories.)
A pet pigeon held by Indian police on suspicion of spying has apparently been set free, local reports say.

Earlier this week, a Pakistani man called on the Indian government to release his bird, which is said to have flown over the disputed Kashmir border between the two countries earlier this week.

The animal was immediately apprehended by local Indian villagers, who handed their suspect over to security forces. According to The Times, intelligence personnel were trying to decipher numbers on a small ring tied around the bird's leg, in case it happens to be a coded message for militants in the region.

But the man who came forward to claim the pigeon, named as Habibullah in Pakistani media, said the numbers were merely his phone number.

Mr Habibullah, who lives just three miles from the long-disputed border and owns several pigeons, claimed he released his birds as a symbol of peace to mark Eid.

He had called on Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, to return the pigeon, and told the Pakistani newspaper Dawn that India should "refrain from victimising innocent birds".

Today, Indian news outlet Outlook reported that Jammu and Kashmir Police said they had freed the pigeon. A senior police official told the site that officers had found "nothing suspicious" on the bird and dropped the case.

He is quoted as saying: The bird is free. Whether it is from Pakistan or elsewhere, we dont know. We only know that the bird is free."

There have been protests against Mr Modi's actions in Kashmir held in London outside the Indian High Commission / REUTERS

The official also claimed his officers fed the pigeon and took him to a vet.

Both countries claim the Himalayan region as their own. Pakistan has supported an insurgency against Indian rule for three decades, and the dispute has led to thousands of deaths.

It is not the first time a pigeon has been arrested on spying charges.

In 2016 a "spy pigeon" was revealed to be carrying a note on Indian media. However, the message was just a warning to Mr Modi - who last year revoked Kashmir's semi-autonomous status and has been accused of stoking Hindu nationalism across the country and oppressing Muslim citizens of India - written in Urdu.

It warned: "Now each and every child is ready to fight against India."
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - Pedro Resources Ltd. (NEX: PEDH) ("Pedro" or the "Company") announces, further to its press release of May 11, 2020, the Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Randy Koroll as the interim Chief Financial Officer of the Company and the appointment of Rejean Gosselin, M.Sc. as a director of the Company.

Rejean Gosselin graduated from Laval University in 1979 with a M.Sc. in Geology. He has worked as a consulting geologist on uranium, gold and base metals mining exploration projects in Canada, United States, and South America since 1979. For the past 35 years, Mr. Gosselin acted as founder and promoter of numerous junior mining companies exploring for different commodities in Canada, West Africa, and Mexico. Mr Gosselin is responsible for gold and base metals discoveries in Canada and Mexico. Recent involvements include Dia Bras Exploration (now Sierra Metals) as President and CEO from 2003 to 2008 and most recently as Chairman of the Board of Maya Gold and Silver.

About Pedro Resources Ltd.

Pedro Resources Ltd. is a Canadian exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange focused on technology, vanadium exploration and development.

For further information, contact Corporate Communications at 647-946-2286 or visit the Company's website at www.pedroresourcesltd.com

On behalf of the Board,

Brian Stecyk

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Tel: 780-953-0111

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56846
Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer who was filmed kneeling on George Floyd's neck before he died, is in custody and has been charged with murder, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Friday. Chauvin was among the four officers involved in Floyd's violent arrest on Monday that has since spurred days of protests in Minnesota's largest city. Chauvin is white and Floyd was black. "We have now been able to put together the evidence that we need," Freeman said at a news conference. "Even as late as yesterday afternoon, we didn't have all that we needed. We have now found it." "This is by far the fastest we've ever charged a police officer," he added. Floyd, who was 46, died after being arrested on suspicion that he attempted to use a counterfeit bill.

Booking photo of former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin Photo provided by Ramsey County Jail

Tape of the arrest, which was caught by onlookers, shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck as Floyd, who is handcuffed, cries out that he cannot breathe. Chauvin, 44, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Under the Minnesota penal code, third-degree murder involves "perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind" but without the intent to cause death. A conviction for third-degree murder has a maximum possible sentence of 25 years in prison, and second-degree manslaughter carries a max of 10 years. The complaint, released Friday, accuses Chauvin of having his knee on Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, including for nearly three minutes after Floyd was nonresponsive. "Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous," the complaint reads. According to the complaint, preliminary findings from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner do not support a diagnosis of strangulation, but suggest that Floyd's underlying heart conditions, combined with the police restraint and "potential intoxicants in his system" likely contributed to his death. In a statement, Floyd's family called the arrest a "welcome but overdue step on the road to justice." "We expected a first-degree murder charge. We want a first-degree murder charge. And we want to see the other officers arrested," they said in a statement issued by their attorney Ben Crump. The other officers involved in the arrest were Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng. All four were fired on Tuesday. Freeman said Friday that he anticipated charges for the other officers but did not go into detail. Efforts to reach the officers or their attorneys have been unsuccessful. The incident recalled the 2014 death of Eric Garner, a black man who died gasping "I can't breathe" while a white New York police officer, Daniel Pantaleo, grasped his neck and wrestled him to the ground. The New York City Medical Examiner ruled that the death was a homicide, but Pantaleo was not charged with any crime. Because of the incident, "I can't breathe" became a rallying cry at protests about police violence around the country. Floyd's death prompted calls from local and national figures for Chauvin's prosecution, and a federal investigation led by the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "The Department of Justice has made the investigation a top priority and has assigned experienced prosecutors and FBI criminal investigators to the matter," the agencies said in a joint statement Thursday.

A protester hold sign board "Justice for George" into a fire outside a Target store near the Third Police Precinct on May 28, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd. Kerem Yucel | AFP | Getty Images
Highlights TikTok ratings have gone up to 4.4 after Google removed over 8 million negative reviews

TikToks ratings fell drastically after a post glorifying acid attack on woman went viral on the app.

Prior to the Faisal Siddiqui fiasco, a massive fight broke out between the YouTubers and the TikTokers

Looks like TikTok has resumed its throne on Google Play Store. From a disappointing 1.2, the ratings of TikTok have moved up to 4.4 after Google removed over 8 million negative reviews from the Play Store. TikTok's ratings fell drastically after a post glorifying acid attack on woman went viral on the app. Not just the ratings on Play Store, Hashtags pressing TikTok to be banned and India against TikTok also started trending on Twitter.

As per comment posting guidelines, Google can remove negative comments and ratings. A Google spokesperson told the Gadgets 360 without specifically mentioning TikTok that actions are taken against inappropriate ratings when it is a case of spam abuse. "Play Store ratings enable users to provide helpful feedback about their experience with apps and content, for the benefit of others to make informed decisions," he said.

Tiktok received severe backlash after Faisal Sidddiqui's video glorifying acid attack went viral on social media. In the video, he can be seen throwing water on a girl's face after she leaves him for another man. Just in the next clip, the girl with fake bruises and acid burns appears. The video has now been taken down by TikTok and Faisal had also issued an apology after a complaint was filed against him by NCW chief Rekha Sharma.

Reacting to the incident, a TikTok spokesperson had said in a statement to TechCrunch, "Keeping people on TikTok safe is a top priority and we make it clear in our Term of Service and Community Guidelines that clearly outlines what is not acceptable on our platform. As per the policy, we do not allow content that risks safety of others, promotes physical harm or glorifies violence against women. The behaviour in question violates our guidelines and we have taken down content, suspended the account, and are working with law enforcement agencies as appropriate."

Prior to the Faisal Siddiqui fiasco, a massive fight broke out between the YouTubers and the TikTokers. Carry Minati, a YouTuber had created a video titled YouTube Vs TikTok, as part of an ongoing battle between YouTube and TikTok users. His video was removed for violating YouTube's terms of service

Needless to say, Carry Minati and Amir Siddiqui's roast battle also contributed to TikTok's abysmal ratings on Play Store.

TikTok was once the most-downloaded app in India with its count surpassing social media apps like Facebook and WhatsApp but now there is a huge slump in downloads as well.
New Jersey may have to cut half the state's 400,000 public employees if the federal government doesn't help make up a $10.1 billion revenue shortage through June 2021, Governor Phil Murphy said.

"I don't think there's any amount of cuts or any amount of taxes that begins to fill the hole," Murphy, 62, a retired Goldman Sachs Group senior director and Democrat who came to office in January 2018, told Bloomberg Television.

Without federal help, he said, state and local governments will have to dismiss firefighters, police, emergency-medical personnel and others. In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo has made similar comments and calls for aid to fill revenue losses from the novel coronavirus.

"The alternative to not getting that funding is a whole lot of layoffs -- we think as much as 200,000 or more," Murphy said.

Last week his administration listed more than $5 billion in cuts and deferrals to address the expected $10.1 billion revenue shortage -- the fallout from a shutdown he ordered on March 21 to slow the spread of Covid-19. Murphy is seeking to issue billions of dollars in short- and long-term debt, including via the U.S. Federal Reserve's Municipal Liquidity Facility.

He's also counting on billions of dollars from Washington, even though President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans have balked at allowing states to use federal assistance to fill budget holes.

Only New York was hit harder by the virus among U.S. states. Nonessential businesses, workplaces and schools remain closed in New Jersey, which has reported 11,401 deaths from Covid-19 and more than 157,800 cases. More than one in nine residents are newly jobless, and 911,000 people are collecting unemployment benefits.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, in April said that rather than support federal assistance, he would "be in favor of allowing states to use the bankruptcy route." State governments in the U.S. don't have that option, but Murphy criticized McConnell's sentiment.

"There's a certain myth out there: We're just going to help you all because you hadn't managed your legacy realities, your outstanding indebtedness or your structural deficits or your pension obligations," Murphy said in an interview taped for Friday's edition of "Balance of Power," airing at noon New York time.

The state, he said, had been doing "just fine" steering toward solid fiscal ground before the virus struck. He had made record pension payments to a chronically underfunded system, and last year had budgeted a $1.1 billion surplus, the most in a decade. He also made the first payment to the state's rainy-day fund since it was wiped out in the Great Recession. "It's a long slog, but we were making a lot of progress," he said.

By mid-June, Murphy said, his administration will advise kindergarten-through-12th-grade schools on how to open in September. Face masks, social distancing and some Internet-based learning may be part of a new system, he said.
The New Jersey company with $272 million revenue in 2019 that applied for relief from the federal Paycheck Protection Program says that it actually is a small business and qualifies for the loan, in response to a story published by NJ Advance Media.

Orbcomm Inc., a Rochelle Park-based, publicly traded company, received more than $7 million recently in loans meant for small businesses.

On Thursday, NJ Advance Media published the story raising questions about whether the company, which has 786 employees, was meant to receive that sort of loan. NJ Advance Media had reached out multiple times by email and phone over the course of a week to speak with company representatives. But the company did not respond to these messages until six hours after the story was published.

Orbcomm is a small business as far as the federal government is concerned, said Marc Eisenberg, Orbcomms chief executive. Government regulations appear to back him up.

Small businesses are typically considered such by the Small Business Administration if they employ fewer than 500 employees, but there are also a range of loopholes through which larger companies can still qualify as a small business.

Orbcomm qualifies for the money through one of the caveats made for its industry. The SBA considers the company to be a wireless communications equipment manufacturing company. Documents from the Small Business Administration show that Orbcomms industry classification allows companies with fewer than 1,250 employees to qualify as a small business, according to the SBA.

Those documents were provided to NJ Advance Media on Friday morning by Eisenberg, whose total compensation in 2019 was nearly $1.9 million, according to company records.

Eisenberg said that the company used the Paycheck Protection Program loans just as theyre meant to be used, to keep employees on the books.

Unlike many companies, "Orbcomm hasnt let any employees go, he said. He also said the company has not yet cut executive pay.

Eisenberg said it was appropriate for the company to apply for PPP assistance.

I dont see us as the villains here, Eisenberg said in an interview on Friday. The spirit of PPP is to save American jobs, to keep companies running.

The companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission show that it has 786 employees, though Eisenberg said fewer than 500 of those employees are based in the United States. The general size limit for small businesses is 500 employees, though there are numerous classifications that allow larger businesses to qualify.

Thursdays story also noted that the companys revenue, which was $272 million in 2019, would seem to exclude Orbcomm from being considered a small business.

Instead, Orbcomms primary industry code is wireless communications equipment manufacturing company, meaning its limited by an employee cap rather than a revenue cap, said Eisenberg. This classification was unclear until Eisenbergs emails on Friday morning.

(However, the NAICS industry code association website  which lists the classification codes used by the SBA to determine eligibility  lists Orbcomm as a satellite telecommunications company, an industry code that caps small business revenue at $32.5 million. The SBA does consider Orbcomm to operate in the satellite telecom industry, just not as its primary business.)

The $659 billion Paycheck Protection Program is meant to provide loans to small businesses so they will keep people employed. The government will forgive the loans, made by approved banks, if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and if the money is used for things like payroll, rent and utilities, according to the Small Business Administration, which is running the program.

Eisenberg said hes not sure if the company will ask for loan forgiveness or if it will just pay back the loan. He said it depends on market conditions.

Twenty-nine publicly traded companies based in New Jersey got money from the Payment Protection Program, totaling more than $52 million, according to data collected by Covid Stimulus Watch, a watchdog effort created by Good Jobs First.

Rep. Andy Kim, representing N.J.'s Third District in Congress, said earlier this month that the program was not intended to allow publicly traded companies to jump in front of the smaller businesses that are out there.

"These publicly traded New Jersey companies need to return their PPP dollars so they can be allocated to New Jerseys Main Street, Eileen Kean said earlier this month. Kean is the state director for the National Federation of Independent Business.

So far, seven of the publicly traded New Jersey companies have given back more than $27 million, federal data shows.

In total, 124,489 businesses in New Jersey have received loans as part of the Payment Protection Program, according to the federal government, getting on average $140,958.71 in loans.

The Small Business Administration has not yet opted to identify the publicly traded companies receiving small business loans. Earlier this month, several major news organizations sued the federal government to get it to release the names of all businesses receiving loans.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Payton Guion may be reached at pguion@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaytonGuion.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) to investigate international linkages and foreign funding of Tablighi Jamaat that has been in the news since a congregation it organised in Delhi in March was blamed for a jump in the Covid-19 infections, two officials familiar with the matter said. PE is the first step in CBIs investigations and involves verifying irregularities to determine whether there is a need for filing a First Information Report.

The officials said the initial probe will primarily focus on whether the Jamaat violated the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) while receiving donations from individuals or entities abroad. They added CBI has collected relevant probe documents from the Delhi police and is analysing the same. We will look into financial operations of Tablighi Jamaat and people behind its funding here in India and abroad; antecedents of people associated with it and its sister organisations, said one of the officers on condition of anonymity.

CBI will also take copies of 47 charge sheets that the Delhi police filed this week against over 900 foreign members of the Jamaat, who attended the congregation at the groups Nizamuddin headquarters in March, for violating visa conditions and Covid-19 lockdown rules. The Delhi police have also filed a criminal case against Jamaat chief Maulana Saad and its six other top officials for defying a series of government directives, which curbed religious and large gatherings to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

CBI has registered a PE against organisers of Tablighi Jamaat and others on a complaint alleging that organizers and trustees of Jamaat were indulging into dubious cash transactions by using illegal/unfair means and also in non-disclosure of the receipts of foreign funds to the authorities, said a CBI spokesperson.

Another official said CBI is likely to summon Jamaats office-bearers in Delhi and other cities, including Saad, after studying all the documents. The official added if required, CBI may even take the help of foreign agencies at a later stage.

The Enforcement Directorate is probing money laundering charges against the Jamaat and Saad and whether they used hawala networks to receive money. Terrorists belonging to Indian Mujahideen and IS-inspired operatives are believed to have attended Jamaats events but the organisation has never been named in any terror cases in India.

Jamaats lawyer Fuzail Ayyubi did not respond to calls for his comments.

The government blamed the Jamaats congregation for being responsible for almost 35% of Covid-19 cases in India till April 7. The headquarters of the group in New Delhi were sealed and its followers, including from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Bangladesh, were quarantined in March. Police initially filed a case against Saad for violating the ban on big gatherings and later charged him with culpable homicide.
[May 29, 2020] Caps and Gowns Go On at Home: iQ Academy Minnesota to Celebrate Class of 2020 with Online Commencement

iQ Academy Minnesota (iQMN), an online public school program of Fergus Falls Public Schools, will honor the Class of 2020 at an online commencement ceremony on Friday, May 29 alongside the graduating seniors of Kennedy Secondary School. In lieu of their traditional in-person celebration, iQMN is inviting families and friends worldwide to join the celebration online, with live and recorded speeches from school and district leadership, students, and esteemed guests. "We are thankful that we have been able to provide our students with educational continuity as they reach this important milestone at an unprecedented time," said Theresa Gallagher, iQMN's Operations Manager. "We are proud of all they have accomplished and hope that Friday's celebration will honor their achievements and mark the beginning of their next chapter." This year, iQMN will graduate 47 students, many of whom have been enrolled at iQMN their entire high school career. Graduating seniors will receive their high school diplomas, and are making plans to continue their education, join military service, or entr the workforce.



iQMN students access a robust online curriculum in the core subjects and a host of electives, and attend live virtual classes taught by state-licensed teachers. Eligible high school students can participate in concurrent college enrollment opportunities through the state's Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) program, meaning many members of the Class of 2020 are graduating with a head start on their higher education. iQMN also offers student clubs, field trips, and social outings to foster a sense of school community, such as this week's graduation celebration. Details of the graduation ceremony are as follows:

WHAT: iQ Academy Minnesota 2020 Online Graduation Ceremony

WHEN: Friday, May 29, 2020, 7:00 PM CT

WHERE: Online, in conjunction with Fergus Falls Public Schools About iQ Academy Minnesota iQ Academy Minnesota is an accredited, full and part-time online public school program of Independent School District No. 544 (Fergus Falls), serving students statewide in grades K through 12. As part of the Minnesota public school system, iQ Academy Minnesota is tuition-free, and gives families the choice to access the engaging curriculum and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information about iQ Academy Minnesota, visit mn.iqacademy.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005465/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
-- "National security is like the air. Without it, no one can survive," said Witman Hung, a national lawmaker from Hong Kong.

-- For the next step, the National People's Congress will entrust its standing committee to make national security laws to be promulgated and enforced in Hong Kong.

-- "One country, two systems" will not be changed.

BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- China is set to make Hong Kong national security laws as a related decision was adopted at the national legislature on Thursday.

The decision will also allow the central government's national security organs to set up agencies in Hong Kong when needed.

Deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) voted overwhelmingly to approve the decision at the closing meeting of the NPC annual session.

Rounds of applause erupted in the Great Hall of the People when the decision was passed.

The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

The NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to Safeguard National Security consists of an introduction and seven articles.

The decision was made to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, uphold and improve "one country, two systems," safeguard Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, and guarantee the legitimate rights and interests of Hong Kong residents, says the introduction.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said the decision "serves the fundamental interests of all Chinese people including Hong Kong compatriots."

For the next step, the NPC will entrust its standing committee to make national security laws to be promulgated and enforced in Hong Kong.

HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam welcomed the move and said the HKSAR government will fully cooperate with the NPC Standing Committee to complete relevant legislation as soon as possible.

On Thursday, Lam took part in a public campaign in Hong Kong to support the national security legislation. In less than five days, more than 1.85 million Hong Kong residents have signed a petition supporting the legislation.

"NATIONAL SECURITY IS LIKE THE AIR"

The legislative move came after prolonged social unrest and escalating street violence had plunged Hong Kong into the gravest situation since its return to the motherland in 1997.

Hong Kong had witnessed rampant activities of "Hong Kong independence" organizations and violent radicals as well as blatant interference by external forces.

Residents clear roadblocks and debris near the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Kong, south China, Nov. 20, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

Presenting the draft to the national legislature last week, senior legislator Wang Chen said increasingly notable national security risks in Hong Kong have become a prominent problem.

There are apparent "weak links" in Hong Kong's existing legal system and enforcement mechanisms in safeguarding national security, said Wang, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

Considering Hong Kong's situation at present, efforts must be made at the state level to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security, he said.

"National security is like the air. Without it, no one can survive," said Witman Hung, an NPC deputy from the HKSAR. "The NPC decision comes at the right time."

PURVIEW OF CENTRAL AUTHORITIES

Alan Hoo, chairman of the Basic Law Institute in Hong Kong, said national security legislation is a state legislative power no matter a country adopts the unitary or federal system. National security laws can be found in both common law and continental law systems.

Hong Kong, he said, cannot remain unguarded.

In an online article on the issue, Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng of the HKSAR government said national security is a matter of national interest that concerns the whole population of China and falls squarely within the purview of the central authorities.

Cheng stressed that it is fundamental to recognize that the central authorities hold the ultimate responsibility for national security in all local administrative regions.

A resident writes down his signature in a street campaign in support of the national security legislation for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Hong Kong, south China, May 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)

TINY NUMBER OF "TROUBLEMAKERS" TARGETED

The decision says the country will prevent, stop and punish acts and activities endangering national security. The country will also resolutely oppose the interference in Hong Kong affairs by any foreign or external forces in any form and will take necessary countermeasures, it adds.

Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the NPC Standing Committee, said the legislation does not target the ordinary Hong Kong residents but "a tiny number" of people suspected of endangering national security.

Illegal activities particularly mentioned include splitting the country, subverting state power, organizing and carrying out terrorist activities, as well as interfering in Hong Kong affairs by foreign and external forces.

The law-based freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly enjoyed by Hong Kong residents will not be disturbed, their daily lives will not be affected, and the security of their property will continue to be protected, Tam said.

People from all walks of life attend a campaign in support of the national security legislation for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Hong Kong, south China, May 24, 2020. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

"ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS" NOT CHANGED

Under "one country, two systems," Hong Kong, as a special administrative region of China, has a high degree of autonomy and retains its own capitalist system and lifestyle.

Speaking to the press after the legislative session, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said "one country, two systems" is China's basic state policy, and the decision is designed for the policy's steady implementation.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority Eddie Yue said the legislation will not bring any change to the fundamentals of Hong Kong's monetary and financial system.

The free flow of capital and free convertibility of the Hong Kong dollar will continue to be safeguarded by the Basic Law of the HKSAR, Yue said.

Neither will the legislation change Hong Kong's legal system.

"Under the Basic Law, judicial independence is guaranteed, and this will continue as before," said Grenville Cross, former director of public prosecutions of Hong Kong.
It seems almost surreal that it has already been a month since Irrfan Khan left for his heavenly abode. While many of us have still not been able to come to terms with the loss, one person very dear to the late actor has been making the transition a whole lot bearable.

Since his passing, Irrfans elder son Babil Khan has been taking to social media to share rare glimpses of his father that weve never seen before.

Babil has opened the gates to the private side of Irrfan that very few people have had the good fortune to be privy to.

 Instagram/Babil Khan

Babil has been able to keep Irrfans spirit alive through the memories he shares and the anecdotes that accompany them. While it appears that we are looking at Irrfan under a different light through those photographs and videos, it is also a representation of a sons homage to his late father whom he evidently held in great regard.



So, while Babil has been sharing a lot of little known moments from Irrfans life, we realised that just like his late father, very little is known about him as well.

So, here is everything we could gather about Irrfans talented and artistically-inclined elder son, Babil Khan:

Family Matters & Close Ties

 Instagram/Babil Khan

Irrfan Khan and wife Sutapa Sikdars firstborn, Babil is 23-years-old and recently celebrated his birthday on 15th May. He has a younger brother Ayaan who is still attending school and lives with his family in Madh Island, Mumbai.



Just like his father, Babil holds his family very dear and seems to share a close bond with both his mother and late father, as can be sensed through the various family pictures that are available in the public domain.

Artistically Academic

 Instagram/Babil Khan

Born and brought up in Mumbai, Babil reportedly did his schooling from Tridha School, located in Andheri East, Mumbai. Upon passing out of school, Babil is said to be currently pursuing his higher education at University of Westminster, London.



Babil had taken a gap year after school to figure out what he wished to make in, and is now attending the Westminster Film School where he is studying filmmaking and thoroughly enjoys working behind the camera.

 Instagram/Babil Khan

Babil seems to hold a special inclination towards direction, cinematography and screenplay writing. He is currently in Mumbai after returning from London in March due to the lockdown and is taking his classes online.



Personal Life

While very little is known about Babils personal life, as it is speculated that Babil is romantically involved with fellow classmate Julia Chacinska, who is possibly majoring in film production at the Westminster Film School.

 Instagram/Babil Khan

Both Babil and Julia have shared a number of loved-up photos on their Instagram feeds and the young couple seems to enjoy each others companionship, while passionately working towards a career they wish to pursue in the future.



Career Graph

 Instagram/Babil Khan

Although Babil is still pursuing his filmmaking course, that hasnt stopped him from exploring various opportunities in the field. Apart from working on college assignments, Babil has also tried his hands on short films and even assisting Bollywood cinematographers.



Back in 2017, Babil worked as a camera assistant for Irrfans film Qarib Qarib Singlle under director Tanuja Chandra. It is a known fact in the industry that Babil wishes to be a filmmaker.

Babil has worked as a screenwriter on this short film titled Arthur. Watch it here.

Like Father, Like Son

Babil was especially close to his father, and the duo got along just like great friends. From finding a muse in his father to sharing every little detail about his personal life and career with him, Babil and Irrfan behaved like old friends because Irrfan believed in sharing friendly relationships with his kids and giving them the freedom to explore life on their own terms.

 Instagram/Babil Khan

For his part, Babil shares a lot of his fathers attitude towards life and is often seen to have similar fashion sense too.



Trivia

Like most young men today, Babil too reportedly doesnt like celebrating his birthday. However, he enjoys hanging out with his closest friends, indulging in photography which mostly seems to be meant for his eyes only and exploring his passion for filmmaking.

 Instagram/Babil Khan

It's also believed that Babil, apparently, plays the guitar pretty well too.



Only time will tell what more Babil has to offer, and what more he adds to his fathers legacy.
Japan's factory output slid faster-than-expected and retail sales tumbled the most in more than two decades in April, as the coronavirus pandemic wrecked both foreign and domestic demand for the country's autos and other manufactured goods. The bad numbers suggest the recession seen in the world's third-largest economy over the six months to March is likely to deepen in the current quarter as government-imposed lockdowns disrupted supply chains and kept consumers shut in at home.

Official data on Friday showed factory output slipped 9.1% in April from the previous month, the biggest drop since comparable data became available in 2013 as automakers and iron and steel manufacturers suffered sharp declines. That was a much larger decline than the 5.1% drop in a Reuters forecast.

"Output will probably pick up from June onwards but it will be necessary to remain on guard for a second wave (of coronavirus infections)," said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute. "The pace of a rebound will likely continue to be sluggish."

Automaker production fell by a third from the previous month. That led the government to downgrade its description of overall production to "decreasing rapidly" for the first time since November 2008, from just "decreasing" previously. "Conditions among manufacturers particularly in the auto sector are severe, but production has already restarted in China and I think that they will be resumed in the United States and Europe as well," said Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura after the release of the data.

Nissan Motor Co. plans to slash production capacity and model range by about a fifth to help cut costs by 300 billion yen (2.27 billion pounds), following a slide in sales, the automaker said on Thursday. Separate data showed retail sales tumbled at their fastest pace since March 1998 as the nationwide state of emergency led service-sector businesses such as restaurants to close.

Retail sales plunged 13.7% in April from a year earlier, heavily weighed by slumping demand for general merchandise, clothing and vehicles. The gloomy data comes after Japan's export-reliant economy fell into recession for the first time in 4-1/2 years in the first quarter. The government this week lifted the state of emergency and approved a second $1.1 trillion stimulus package, bringing the total pledged to save the economy from the pandemic to $2.2 trillion.

JOBLESS RATE EDGES UP

Japan was already trying to shake off weak demand before the outbreak after the government raised the nationwide sales tax to repair its public debt burden. The largest component of the government's new stimulus package was a loans programme for smaller firms in immediate need of cash to keep the lights on.

Other government data on Friday showed worsening conditions in the jobs market, suggesting such support for small- and mid-sized firms remained much-needed to reduce the risk of employment conditions worsening. The April jobless rate rose to 2.6%, its highest since December 2017, although still well-off the rates seen in other developed nations, where unemployment is approaching depression-era levels.

The number of non-regular workers posted the biggest year-on-year drop on record. Job availability slipped to 1.32, its lowest since March 2016. Analysts said jobs pain is mostly concentrated in the service sector as opposed to automakers, which were hit badly during the 2009 global financial crisis.

"If demand around cars doesn't recover, there's a possibility employment conditions in the manufacturing sector will worsen more going forward," Minami said. The factory output data showed manufacturers surveyed by the government expect output to fall another 4.1% in May, followed by a 3.9% rise in June.

Also read: Coronavirus: Singapore slashes 2020 GDP outlook for third time; pegs at -7% to -4%

Also read: At 60%, India's exports fall steepest in April
A grassroots political group based in New Jersey is planning to gather Saturday in Newark to protest the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis who had earlier arrested him for forgery.

The Peoples Organization for Progress, which was formed to eradicate racism and take on relevant social issues, will protest beginning at 1 p.m. at the Lincoln statue, located at West Market Street and Springfield Avenue. Protesters are asked to arrive by 12:45 p.m.

ALSO: Other protests over George Floyds death at police hands spreading across N.J.

The group met via teleconference Thursday night and decided unanimously to protest, inviting the public to attend, according to its chairman, Larry Hamm.

The circumstances of Mr. Floyds death were horrific, Hamm said. Were encouraging every person who is outraged about this murder to join us.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died Monday after Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, knelt on his neck for several minutes while Floyd was handcuffed.

Floyd, who was not armed and did not appear to be resisting arrest, was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Four police officers who were at the scene have been fired. Floyds family and many across the country who are outraged by the killing have called for the former cops to be arrested.

The death sparked nationwide protests, many of them turning violent. In Minnesota, the protests continued on Friday with widespread looting and arson. In New York, dozens of protesters were arrested this week.

Hamm said The Peoples Organization for Progress includes among its goals advocating human and civil rights and promoting world peace.

Everyone who participates in Saturdays protest is asked to wear a face mask, gloves and to practice social distancing.

Watch: Surveillance Video Shows Moments Leading Up To George Floyd Death Watch: Surveillance Video Shows Moments Leading Up To George Floyds Death Disturbing footage was taken on Monday in Minneapolis, which showed a white officer pinning a black man down to the ground with his knee. The man repeatedly tells police he is in pain and cannot breathe before eventually passing out Minneapolis Police Department confirmed the man later died after 'suffering medical distress' The FBI has now launched an investigation into the incident and the officer involved has been placed on paid administration leave. The Minneapolis Police department issued the following statement, Investigative Update on Critical Incident POSTED MAY 26, 2020 JOHN ELDER Investigative Update on Critical Incident May 26, 2020 (MINNEAPOLIS) As additional information has been made available, it has been determined that the Federal Bureau of Investigations will be a part of this investigation. ### Man Dies After Medical Incident During Police Interaction May 25, 2020 (MINNEAPOLIS) On Monday evening, shortly after 8:00 pm, officers from the Minneapolis Police Department responded to the 3700 block of Chicago Avenue South on a report of a forgery in progress. Officers were advised that the suspect was sitting on top of a blue car and appeared to be under the influence. Two officers arrived and located the suspect, a male believed to be in his 40s, in his car. He was ordered to step from his car. After he got out, he physically resisted officers. Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance where he died a short time later. At no time were weapons of any type used by anyone involved in this incident. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has been called in to investigate this incident at the request of the Minneapolis Police Department. No officers were injured in the incident. Body worn cameras were on and activated during this incident. The GO number associated with this case is 20-140629. Video can be seen here, https://www.facebook.com/freedommediacanada/videos/1018204075242206/ Posted by Freedom Media Canada on Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com.
Police in Co Armagh have warned young people about the dangers of swimming in disused quarries following reports of crowds gathering at them. [Stock image]

Police in Co Armagh have warned young people about the dangers of swimming in disused quarries following reports of crowds gathering at them.

On Tuesday night, a group was spotted by a member of the public at Navan Fort quarry, just outside Armagh City, the scene of four drownings in the past 24 years.

Sinn Fein councillor Brona Haughey said the "concerned woman" had contacted them and they in turn had notified police.

A PSNI spokesperson confirmed they had received a report that a large number of youths were swimming in the quarry.

"The report was received just before 10.40pm. Officers attended, but there was no one there at that time," the spokesperson said.

"Police are keen to stress that quarries are extremely dangerous and should be avoided. Officers will be patrolling this area."

The last person to die in the quarry was 20-year-old Brendan Bell who got into difficulties while swimming in April 2010.

The first victim was father-of-three Roy McGinley who drowned in June 1996, followed by Christopher Connolly in May 2000 and John Basketfield who drowned in February 2005.

In a Facebook post, police said quarries posed a number of safety risks including extremely cold water which can affect heart rate "and could cause death within seconds" as well as risks from submerged machinery and debris, possible chemicals, rubbish and dead animals.

David Walker, leisure safety manager at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, also warned of cold water shock.

"Even on a hot day, the water will be a lot colder than you were expecting and can lead to cold water shock, which is when sudden immersion makes you gasp and breathe in water, and this can easily lead to drowning," he said. "This can affect even the most experienced swimmers.

"I would urge parents to speak to their children about the potential dangers of open water, especially during the hot weather.

"Cold water shock is the key danger to understand as it is the reason why many people drown at this time of year. It also puts the lives of rescuers in danger."
Amaravati, May 29 : In a major setback to Jagan Mohan Reddy government, Andhra Pradesh High Court on Saturday ordered reinstatement of Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar as the State Election Commissioner (SEC).

The court struck down the ordinance issued on April 10 to sack Ramesh Kumar as the SEC following a row over the postponement of local body elections.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice J.K. Maheswari and M. Satyanarayana Murthy ruled that Ramesh Kumar will continue as SEC with immediate effect. It set aside the appointment of V. Kanagaraj as the new SEC.

The court pronounced its order while dealing with 13 petitions including the petition filed by Ramesh Kumar challenging his sacking.

Within hours after sacking Ramesh Kumar on April 10, the government had appointed retired high court judge Justice V. Kanagaraj as the new SEC.

Kanagaraj (75), who served as the judge of Madras High Court, took the charge as SEC on April 11.

The ordinance had brought down the term of SEC from five years to three years, thus abruptly ending the term of Ramesh Kumar who was appointed in 2016.

The ordinance had also changed the eligibility for SEC. According to it, the Governor on the recommendation of the government shall appoint a person, who has held an office of the judge of a high court, as SEC.

Kumar, an IAS officer, had strained relations with the Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had personally met the governor to complain against him on March 14 hours after the SEC postponed the elections to rural and urban local bodies were scheduled on March 21 and 23 respectively.

Ramesh Kumar cited precautionary measures required to check the spread of coronavirus for postponing the polls.

This had triggered angry reaction from YSR Congress Party government, which accused him of acting at the behest of opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

The Chief Minister had slammed the SEC for his unilateral decision and alleged that he acted at the behest of leader of opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu, who was unable to digest the fact that YSR Congress Party was heading to sweep the polls.

The High Court and the Supreme Court, however, upheld the SEC decision to postpone the elections because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When hundreds of artists started singing from their living rooms when the coronavirus pandemic hit, Grammy-winning DJ-producer David Guetta still wanted to perform in front of a live audience.

So the hitmaker set up shop in front of a 205-foot pool at the Icon Brickell in downtown Miami, performing for 90 minutes as 8,000 locals danced along from their balconies during the feel-good moment last month.

Now, he's launching his second United At Home event at an undisclosed location in New York on Saturday to connect with fans and raise money for health care workers and virus relief efforts.

"A lot of artists, especially DJs, were doing performances from their bedrooms. I felt like that was a little bit frustrating. I really wanted to feel like I have a crowd," Guetta said in an interview with The Associated Press this week. "So, I had the idea of doing this in the middle of towers and people were on the balconies and that was absolutely amazing."

His first concert featured fans dancing away  some taking their shirts off and basking in the moment  while others enjoyed the vibe from their homes, which Guetta could watch via Zoom as he performed his electronic dance hits that have made him a chart-topping touring juggernaut in the last decade. Police said they dispersed crowds violating social distancing guidelines during the rooftop performance, but no arrests were made when officers had to break up groups on the sidewalks far below the concert.

The first United At Home concert raised $750,000, including a $300K contribution from Guetta. This week's event will air live at 7 p.m.  the time of Manhattan's ritual of clapping and cheering for a few minutes to honor all essential workers  from Guetta's social media pages, including Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Fans can select if they want to donate to the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, Feeding America, the World Health Organization or Fondation Hopitaux de Paris-Hopitaux de France.

Guetta, who is French, has had white-hot success in the U.S. and around the world with popular songs like "When Love Takes Over" with Kelly Rowland, "I Gotta Feeling" with the Black Eyed Peas, "Titanium" with Sia and other Top 10 hits. He called dealing with the virus "very scary" because he hasn't been able to tour the world and perform like he's used to.

"I don't think I'm going to work before 2021 so of course it's a problem," the 52-year-old said. "I'm lucky enough that I have money on the side and I don't have to worry about if I can eat next month. But some of the people, they're not in the same situation and that's why I'm trying to do something to help."

 Associated Press

Winfrey, Pitt part of Grammys special

The Grammys is putting together an event featuring Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, Herbie Hancock and Harry Connick, Jr. to honor essential workers across America.

The Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammy Awards annually, announced Thursday that the two-hour special, "United We Sing: A Grammy Salute to the Unsung Heroes," will air June 21 on CBS.

"United We Sing" will follow Connick Jr.  who is hosting  and his filmmaker-daughter Georgia Connick on a road trip celebrating and thanking essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Winfrey, Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Queen Latifah, Renee Zellweger and Drew Brees will also deliver special messages to workers.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The event will also feature performances by Hancock, John Fogerty, Jamie Foxx, Cyndi Lauper, Dave Matthews, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Tim McGraw, Little Big Town, Andra Day, Irma Thomas, Trombone Shorty, Rockin Dopsie, Jon Batiste and Connick Jr.

 Associated Press

ASCAP to hold virtual awards

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is going virtual with its annual awards shows this summer because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The performing rights organization announced Thursday that it will hold three-day virtual events  that will stream on ASCAP's social media channels  for its four awards shows, which focus on pop, R&B/rap, Latin and film music.

The ASCAP Pop Music Awards will be held June 17-19; the ASCAP Screen Music Awards on June 23-25; the ASCAP Latin Music Awards on July 7-9; and the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards on July 15-17.

 Associated Press
High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi on Friday dismissed a court application filed by the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa seeking an order to stop Thokozani Khupes MDC T from recalling its members from parliament.

Chitapi ruled that the MDC Alliance cannot sue or be sued and as a result their case had no legal standing.

Reacting to the court ruling, MDC-A presidential spokesperson Dr. Nkululeko Sibanda, described the dismissal of the case as a Zanu PF attempt to destroy the MDC Alliance.

In a VOA Zimbabwe Service panel discussion, Sibanda said the Khupe MDC-T members are trying to re-cloth themselves with the human skin in order for them to even become relevant, even worth discussing with them. You have got to disown murder  You tell me today that you are somehow relieved and you are happy that Zanu PF courts, the very same courts that have put me in prison, the very same courts that terrorized thousands of people throughout the last 40 years  now you are going to get a definition of democracy from them, a definition of constitutionalism from them. If thats your definition of constitutionalism dont put me in it 

Panelist Dan Moyo of the MDC-T shot back, saying Chamisas time is up.

When you come by the back door it doesnt change who you are, just because you came by the back door. Thats exactly what Chamisa did. He came in by the back door, violently, and took over the reins of our party and thought he was going to get away with it. We are not stupid Nkululeko (Sibanda).You might have thought at that time (when Chamisa took over the leadership of the MDC) that you had a victory, you might have thought that the Zimbabwean people you pulled wool over (and told them that) the MDC they were voting for was the MDC left by Morgan Tsvangirai and they voted for that MDC and now you want to call them stupid afterwards like what your president does, its not going to change anything.

He noted that the MDC-T would recall all parliamentarians who wont recognize Khupes leadership of the party. We are saying to them we are reasonable people. We are not just going to recall you for the sake of recalling you. We are not spiteful. We want you to repent. We want you to change your ways, understand that what happened after Tsvangirais death was a tragedy to the party. We need to correct that. If you dont do that you will leave us with no choice but to recall you.

Another panelist, Joseph Tshuma, a member of the ruling partys Central Committee, said the two MDCs should sort out their conflict without blaming Zanu PF saying it is allegedly attempting to destroy the Chamisa-led formation.

Zanu PF has nothing to do what is at play now between the MDC Alliance, which is just an alliance, and the MDC-T. Their issue should be resolved among themselves. They probably need to call a congress and get a rightful leader and we as a party are not part and parcel of that.

The MDC-T recently recalled Thabitha Khumalo, Charlton Hwende, Lilian Timveous and Prosper Mutseyami, saying it was following a Supreme Court ruling, which declared Chamisas leadership null and void.

A Zimbabwean judge recently issued an interim order blocking the MDC-T from accessing over Z$7 million given to different parties under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.
Rutland Police officer John D. Songy passed away at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester early Friday morning after a long battle with COVID-19, his wife Joanne posted to Facebook.

The 48-year-old detective succumbed to the coronavirus while on a ventilator in critical condition at St. Vincent Hospital.

John, and his wife Joanne, both tested positive for the coronavirus on April 23.

Joanne overcame the virus at home, but John was rushed to St. Vincent Hospital on May 2 for shortness of breath.

On May 5, John received a plasma infusion as part of COVID-19 treatment, as well as the drug remdesivir. Johns body, however, rejected the remdesivir medication and his organs began to fail, putting him in critical condition.

He was placed on a ventilator on May 10.

Johns wife Joanne updated her Facebook profile with a status Friday morning stating, It is with a broken heart that I had to say good bye to my best friend and love of my life," she wrote. "John lost his battle to Covid19 at 12:11 a.m. 5/29/20. I would like to thank each and everyone of you from the bottom of my heart for the prayers, love, and support that you have given to me and our family. I will post an update once his services have been arranged. God Bless you all.

Related Content:
It had been rumored that she was going to star in Eli Roth's movie adaptation of the video game Borderlands.

And on Thursday, Variety confirmed that Cate Blanchett will indeed be part of the production, playing the character Lilith, a thief equipped with magical skills.

Blanchett and Roth previously worked together on the 2018 fantasy film The House With a Clock in Its Walls and in a statement, Roth said he was 'so lucky' to have the 'amazing' actress come on board his latest project.

Hired: Cate Blanchett, 51, has been confirmed to star in Eli Roth's movie adaptation of the phenomenally successful video game Borderlands

'I believe theres nothing she cant do. From drama to comedy and now action, Cate makes every scene sing,' Roth gushed.

'Working with her is truly a directors dream come true, and I feel so fortunate that I get to do it again on an even bigger scale.'

Borderlands was first released in 2009 and is a first-person action game that takes place in a space western science fantasy setting'

Players can choose to be one of four 'vault hunters' on the planet of Pandora who are searching for a secret location filled with advanced alien technology while fending off marauders and thieves.

The original video game has spawned two sequels and a pre-sequel and it is one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time.

Fan fave: Blanchett will bring to life the video game character of Lilith, a thief equipped with magical skills

Role play: Players can choose to be one of four 'vault hunters' on the planet of Pandora who are searching for a secret location filled with advanced alien technology while fending off thieves

Helmer: Blanchett and Roth worked together on 2018's The House With a Clock in Its Walls and in a statement, Roth said he was 'so lucky' to have the actress come on board his latest project

Leading lady: 'I believe theres nothing she cant do. From drama to comedy and now action, Cate makes every scene sing,' Roth gushed. 'Working with her is truly a directors dream come true'

Blanchett, who has been nominated for six Oscars and won two, has been busy lining up work for when production starts up again following the coronavirus pandemic hiatus.

The Australian star is attached to join the cast of Adam McKay's comedy Don't Look Up and James Gray's Armageddon Times.

McKay, who made The Big Short and Vice is writing, producing and directing Don't Look Up for Netflix.

Jennifer Lawrence is also on board for the comedy about two astronomers who discover an asteroid will hit the earth in six months and embark on a press tour to warn the world about it.

McKay has previously described the film as 'a dark satire in the school of Wag the Dog, Doctor Strangelove and Network,' according to Collider.com.

Work: Blanchett is busy lining up new projects and is attached to join the cast of Adam McKay's comedy Don't Look Up and James Gray's Armageddon Times

Gray's film Armageddon Times is based on the filmmaker's experiences as a student at the Kew-Forest School in Queens, Variety reported.

The private school is the alma mater of Donald Trump and his father Fred Trump was a member of the school board.

Gray's credits include The Lost City of Z and Ad Astra.

Blanchett, 50, can currently be seen in the FX on Hulu series Mrs. America in which she plays leading anti-feminist activist Phyllis Schlafly.

She also wrapped production earlier this year on Guillermo del Toros thriller Nightmare Alley with Bradley Cooper.
Territory warns US not to interfere over Chinas national security legislation, as Carrie Lam tries to rally residents.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam tried to rally people behind Chinas new national security on Friday, as the government warned the United States to stop interfering in its internal affairs, saying the withdrawal of the territorys special status could be a double-edged sword.

The statement came as US President Donald Trump prepared to announce later on Friday his response to the Chinese parliaments approval of national security legislation for Hong Kong, which critics say will erode the freedoms agreed on its return to Chinese rule in 1997.

The former British colony enjoys a high degree of autonomy under the one country, two systems framework that ended more than a century of colonial rule.

Any sanctions are a double-edged sword that will not only harm the interests of Hong Kong but also significantly those of the US, the citys government said late on Thursday.

It added that from 2009 to 2018, the US trade surplus with Hong Kong was the biggest among all its trading partners, totalling $297bn of merchandise with 1,300 American firms are based in the city.





The legislation will allow Chinese intelligence agencies to set up bases in the territory. Beijing argues the new legislation is necessary to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference.

Hong Kong has been convulsed by sometimes violent protests since the local government attempted to introduce an extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial. While the scale of the opposition forced the government to abandon the plan, the protests have evolved into broader calls for democracy amid concerns about Chinas encroachment into Hong Kongs affairs.

Join hands

After a coronavirus lull, the national security bill has ignited the first big protests in Hong Kong for months. Police moved to disperse crowds in the heart of the citys business district with pepper pellets and hundreds were arrested. Social media showed mainly young people, including schoolchildren, being escorted onto police buses.

The US Department of State said in a report on Thursday it could no longer certify that Hong Kong continues to warrant (differential) treatment from Beijing.

Trumps top economic adviser Larry Kudlow warned that Hong Kong, which has enjoyed special privileges under US law based on its high degree of autonomy from Beijing, may now need to be treated like China on trade and other financial matters.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has written an open letter to residents. It reads like something out of Beijing, all violence terrorism and separatism and not a single recognition that a huge chunk of the population are angry and want some from of democratic control. pic.twitter.com/Q0K2ysRVXL  Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) May 29, 2020

In a separate statement on Friday, published in several local newspapers, Hong Kong leader Lam urged fellow citizens to join hands to pursue our dreams while putting aside our differences.

She said the legislation was needed because of a terrorist threat and because organisations advocating independence and self-determination have challenged the authority of Beijing and local governments and pleaded for foreign interference.

Antony Dapiran, a lawyer and author of City on Fire: The fight for Hong Kong, said Lams attempt to justify the legislation was off the charts.

All her claims are either false or grossly misleading, he wrote on Twitter.

The five demands of last years pro-democracy protest movement included universal suffrage  listed as the ultimate aim in Hong Kongs mini-constitution known as the Basic Law  and an independent inquiry into police handling of the protests. There have been few calls for independence, which is anathema to Beijing.

The security legislation, along with a bill to criminalise disrespect for Chinas national anthem, is seen by protesters as the latest attempt by Beijing to tighten its control of the city.

The security legislation, expected to be enacted before September, was condemned also by the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the US in a joint statement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang cast their votes in favour of the national security legislation for Hong Kong at Thursdays closing session of the National Peoples Congress [Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters]

Speaking at the United Nations Security Council, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Josep Borrell Fontelles expressed deep concern over the legislation.

We believe that this not in conformity with international commitments, nor with the Hong Kong basic law, he said.

The UK has said it will give greater visa rights to the 300,000 people in Hong Kong with the British Overseas Passport including a path to citizenship if China goes ahead with the legislation.
[May 29, 2020] Essent Group Ltd. Prices Public Offering Of Common Shares

Essent Group Ltd. (NYSE: ESNT) (the "Company") announced today the pricing of its previously announced public offering of 12,000,000 common shares (the "Offering") at $33.25 per share. In connection with the Offering, the underwriters have a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,800,000 additional common shares from the Company. The Offering is expected to close on June 2, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for general corporate purposes, which may include (i) capital contributions to support the Company's insurance subsidiaries and (ii) paying down borrowings under the Company's lines of credit. The Company expects to receive proceeds from the Offering, net of underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, of approximately $382,400,000, assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares. The Offering is being made through joint book-running managers Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan. Additionally, Barclays, BofA Securities, RBC Capital Markets and Macquarie Capital are acting as joint book-running managers. Compass (News - Alert) Point, Dowling & Partners, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, and Zelman Partners LLC are acting as co-managers for the Offering. The common shares are being offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement (including a base prospectus) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC (News - Alert)"). Copies of the final prospectus supplement, when available, and the accompanying base prospectus may be obtained from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, when available, copies may be obtained from the prospectus departments of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, telephone: 1-866-471-2526, facsimile: 1-212-902-9316 or email: [email protected]; and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Ave., Edgewood, NY 11717, telephone: 1-866-803-9204. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security of the Company, nor will there be any sale of any such security in any stte or jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.



Forward-Looking Statements This press release may include "forward-looking statements" which are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which may be beyond our control. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," or "potential" or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Actual events, results and outcomes may differ materially from our expectations due to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Although it is not possible to identify all of these risks and factors, they include, among others, the following: the impact of COVID-19 and related economic conditions; changes in or to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the "GSEs"), whether through Federal legislation, restructurings or a shift in business practices; failure to continue to meet the mortgage insurer eligibility requirements of the GSEs; competition for customers; lenders or investors seeking alternatives to private mortgage insurance; an increase in the number of loans insured through Federal government mortgage insurance programs, including those offered by the Federal Housing Administration; decline in new insurance written and franchise value due to loss of a significant customer; decline in the volume of low down payment mortgage originations; the definition of "Qualified Mortgage" reducing the size of the mortgage origination market or creating incentives to use government mortgage insurance programs; the definition of "Qualified Residential Mortgage" reducing the number of low down payment loans or lenders and investors seeking alternatives to private mortgage insurance; the implementation of the Basel III Capital Accord discouraging the use of private mortgage insurance; a decrease in the length of time that insurance policies are in force; uncertainty of loss reserve estimates; deteriorating economic conditions; our non-U.S. operations becoming subject to U.S. Federal income taxation; becoming considered a passive foreign investment company for U.S. Federal income tax purposes; and other risks and factors described in Part I, Item 1A "Risk Factors" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 18, 2020, as subsequently updated through other reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking information presented herein is made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise.

About the Company Essent Group Ltd. (NYSE: ESNT) is a Bermuda-based holding company (collectively with its subsidiaries, "Essent") which, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Essent Guaranty, Inc., offers private mortgage insurance for single-family mortgage loans in the United States. Essent provides private capital to mitigate mortgage credit risk, allowing lenders to make additional mortgage financing available to prospective homeowners. Headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, Essent Guaranty, Inc. is licensed to write mortgage insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and is approved by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Essent also offers mortgage-related insurance, reinsurance and advisory services through its Bermuda-based subsidiary, Essent Reinsurance Ltd. Essent is committed to supporting environmental, social and governance ("ESG") initiatives that are relevant to the company and align with the companywide dedication to responsible corporate citizenship that positively impacts the community and people served. Additional information regarding Essent may be found at www.essentgroup.com and www.essent.us. Source (News - Alert): Essent Group Ltd. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005134/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) has elected Kamesh Subbarao, professor of aerospace engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington, as a fellow of the world's oldest professional body dedicated to the aerospace community.

Subbarao has been at UTA since 2003. He is a faculty member in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department and a researcher in its Autonomous Vehicles Laboratory.

"It is an honor to be named a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society," Subbarao said. "To be recognized by one's peers for making contributions at the highest level of a profession is humbling."

Subbarao has worked extensively on robotic controls and navigation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Under a current Office of Naval Research grant, he is creating metrics to evaluate the performance of multiple unmanned vehicles that operators will be able to use to predict vehicle behavior under mission-specific conditions. He also has received funding from the Air Force Research Laboratory, NASA and the National Science Foundation.

"Dr. Subbarao's scholarship through archival publications and doctoral student advisement are outstanding and inspiring. He is highly deserving of this honor," said Erian Armanios, chair of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department.

Subbarao is the third current professor from the department to be honored as an RAeS fellow and the second this year. Professor Luca Maddalena, who is also director of UTA's Aerodynamics Research Center, was elected in February, while Professor and former Director of the Aerodynamics Research Center Frank Lu is also a fellow.

The Royal Aeronautical Society exists to further advance aeronautical art, science and engineering around the world. Established in Britain in 1866, the RAeS has been at the forefront of developments in aerospace, seeking to promote the highest professional standards and provide a central forum for sharing knowledge. It now has more than 22,500 members and has become an international, multidisciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community.

Fellowship of the Royal Aeronautical Society is the highest achievement attainable and is only bestowed upon those in the profession who either have made an outstanding contribution to the profession, attained a position of high responsibility or have had long experience of high quality in the profession.

###

Written by Jeremy Agor, College of Engineering
Virginia Roberts Giuffre has accused Jefferey Epstein's former lawyer Alan Dershowitz of having sex with her, the first time she has made the accusation publicly.

Her comments came after Dershowitz dared Giuffre to 'look in the camera' and accuse him of having sex with her.

Speaking on the Netflix documentary series 'Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich', the 81-year-old lawyer said: 'I challenge Virginia Roberts to come on your show, look in the camera and say the following words: "I accuse Alan Dershowitz of having had sex with me on six or seven occasions."'

'She has never been willing to accuse me in public, so please accuse me on this show. I challenge you.'

The documentary cut immediately to Giuffre rising to his challenge.

For the first time, Virginia Roberts Giuffre (pictured in New York on August 27, 2019) has publicly accused Jeffery Epstein's former lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, of having sex with her. The accusations came in a new Netflix docu-series, 'Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich'

'I was with Alan Dershowitz multiple times. At least six that I can remember,' she said directly to the camera.

'I was trafficked to Alan Dershowitz from Epstein,' she said, adding Epstein 'forced me to have sex' with his attorney along with a number of other men.

'He's denied being with me. Is one of us telling the truth? Yes. Is that person me? Yes,' she concluded.

Dershowitz has categorically denied Giuffre's accusations.

Alan Dershowitz, pictured leaving the Manhattan Federal Court in New York on December 2, 2019, dared accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre to make her accusations against him public. She rose to the challenge

While this was the first time that Giuffre has accused Dershowitz publicly, she has implicated him in previous court documents. These sparked a string of lawsuits between the two.

In addition to being a member of Epstein's legal defense team in 2008, Dershowitz is known for playing a leading role in Donald Trump's legal team for the impeachment hearings, and a role in the 1995 O. J. Simpson murder trial.

He was also a consultant for Harvey Weinstein's lawyer Benjamin Brafman in 2018.

Dershowitz is a Harvard Law professor, and became the youngest full professor of law in the University's history at 28.

Jeffery Epstein, pictured wearing a Harvard hoodie, was charged with sex trafficking. The charges detailed how he created a network of underage girls in Florida and New York, paying girls as young as 14 to provide 'massages and sex acts.' He was found dead in his cell in 2019

He has categorically denied the accusations against him, saying in the documentary: 'I assure you I never had sex with Virginia Roberts.'

In the series, he spoke proudly about securing Epstein a favorable deal in his original conviction in 2008.

'Let me state categorically: I never had sex with an underage person in my life. Even when I was an underage boy, I never had sex with an underage girl,' he said in the series. 'I never had sex with anyone related to Jeffrey Epstein.'

Virginia Roberts Giuffre (center) says this photograph shows her with Prince Andrew (left), the second son of Queen Elizabeth, at Ghislaine Maxwell's flat (pictured right) in west London in 2001. Giuffre claims she was forced to have sex with the prince, an alleged friend of Epstein

Giuffre was allegedly recruited to become Epstein's sex slave in 1999, and has been at the center of much of the Epstein scandal since it first came to light.

On July 8, 2019, Billionaire Jeffery Epstein was charged with sex trafficking. The charges detailed how he created a network of underage girls in Florida and New York, paying girls as young as 14 to provide 'massages and sex acts.'

The charges carried a sentence of up to 45 years in prison.

Following the charges, more than a dozen women, not previously known to law enforcement, came forward to accuse him of sex abuse.

However, on July 24, 2019, Epstein was found unconscious in his cell after an apparent suicide attempt. He was moved to suicide watch at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. On August 10, Epstein was found dead in his cell.


In an effort to curtail public spending amid a coronavirus-induced economic slump, Oman announced it will not renew the contracts of the majority of its foreign consultants working in government.

According to a circular issued by the royal court on Thursday, contracts will not be renewed for at least 70 percent of foreign experts and consultants working in all civil and government units without exception.

Additionally, at least 70% of civil government employees who have more than 30 years of service must be referred for retirement no later than Dec. 31. At least 70% of government consultants and experts who have worked for 25 years are also subject to mandatory retirement.

The announcement is just the latest in a series of measures to cut public spending amid a slump in oil revenues and coronavirus closures that have hampered the economy. This month, Oman announced an additional 5% cut to the budgets of government bodies and the armed forces.

More than a third of the sultanates 4.6 million residents are expats. Under the governments so-called Omanization policy, state-owned companies have been ordered to speed up plans for replacing foreign workers with locals. It also called on private companies to ask their foreign employees "to leave permanently.

On Thursday, Omans Health Ministry announced 636 new coronavirus cases, 291 of which were foreigners. The total number of infections now stands at 9,009 with a death toll of 40.

The government has announced a relaxation of some coronavirus restrictions, including the lifting of the lockdown Friday in the capital of Muscat. Some government employees will return to their offices next week.
OFALLON, Mo. - Missouris only abortion clinic will be able to keep operating after a state government administrator decided Friday that the health department was wrong not to renew the license of the Planned Parenthood facility in St. Louis.

Missouri Administrative Hearing Commissioner Sreenivasa Rao Dandamudis decision means Missouri will not become the first state without a functioning abortion clinic since 1974, the year after the Supreme Courts Roe v. Wade decision.

In over 4,000 abortions provided since 2018, the Department has only identified two causes to deny its license, Dandamudi wrote, adding that Planned Parenthood has substantially complied with state law.

Therefore, Planned Parenthood is entitled to renewal of its abortion facility license, Dandamudi wrote.

A Planned Parenthood spokeswoman said the decision will mean the St. Louis clinics license is renewed through May 2021.

It wasnt immediately clear whether the state would ask a court to overturn the decision. A spokesman for the attorney generals office, which is defending the health departments decision in court, said the office was reviewing the ruling and deciding on next steps.

An email message seeking comment from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was not immediately returned.

Yamelsie Rodriguez, president and CEO of Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, said in a statement that the ruling is vindication for Planned Parenthood and our patients who rely on us. But she said Missouris abortion laws continue to make it difficult for women seeking abortions.

An abortion license, while critical to our ability to provide care, still cannot undo the harm that medically unnecessary policies in our state inflict on patients, Rodriguez said.

National anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser slammed the decision.

Unborn children and their mothers face dire health risks  especially during a pandemic  so long as the St. Louis Planned Parenthood is permitted to remain open, she said in a statement.

The state refused to renew the license for Planned Parenthoods St. Louis clinic in June 2019, after an investigation turned up four instances of what the state called failed abortions. Planned Parenthood officials contend the state cherry-picked a handful of difficult cases out of thousands of otherwise successful abortions. They have accused the state of using the licensing process as a tool to end abortions in Missouri, a conservative state with a decidedly anti-abortion governor in Republican Mike Parson.

Planned Parenthoods challenge led to an administrative hearing in October.

The wrangling over the license began after an investigator in March 2019 found that a woman had undergone an abortion that took five attempts to complete. William Koebel, director of the section of the health department responsible for abortion clinic licensing, testified that the clinic failed to provide a complication report.

That led the health department to launch an investigation of other instances where women underwent multiple procedures to complete an abortion, Koebel said.

As part of that investigation, the state obtained the medical records of women who had abortions at the clinic. They found four who required multiple procedures, including one in which the physician apparently missed that a woman was pregnant with twins. The woman underwent two procedures five weeks apart.

The Administrative Hearing Commission agreed with the health department that Planned Parenthood should have filed a complication report for one of the patients and should have documented what it did to address the physician who missed that a woman was pregnant with twins.

But Dandamudi wrote that those two cases were atypical: one womans uterus was unusually shaped, and the woman pregnant with twins was morbidly obese, which can make diagnosis difficult. He said those two violations did not constitute a substantial failure.

Planned Parenthood has demonstrated that it provides safe and legal abortion care, Dandamudi wrote.

Missouri is among several states to pass new restrictions on abortions in the hope that the increasingly conservative U.S. Supreme Court will eventually overturn Roe v. Wade. Parson signed legislation last year banning abortions at or beyond eight weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for medical emergencies but not for rape or incest. The law is on hold amid a legal challenge.

While closing the clinic would have huge symbolic meaning, the practical impact on Missouri women seeking abortions would be minimized because Planned Parenthood last year built a new abortion clinic just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis in Fairview Heights, Illinois.

Other clinics are in Granite City, Illinois, another St. Louis suburb, and in Overland Park, Kansas, a Kansas City suburb just 2 miles (3 kilometres) from the state line.

___

Ballentine reported from Columbia, Mo.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that Parson signed 8-week abortion ban last May.
Usually letters like the one Mr. Pompeo released are not made public, and he did not say why he had waited to unveil it. But he sent a copy of the letter to Mr. Menendez on Thursday, and included a number of reporters who have covered the issue.

You have shown an oversized interest in a handful of trips that I took to Kansas, he told Mr. Menendez, with whom he has had an escalating feud. The O.S.C. response to your hackery makes clear your continued effort to politicize legitimate and important diplomacy and national security activity was without merit.

He accused Mr. Menendez of generating a continuing series of media articles and reports with your rumors, innuendo and flat untruths about me, and noted that he had copied the reporters who joined in your slander on this.

Mr. Menendez issued a statement in response, saying, Clearly the secretary of state feels deeply disturbed by the ongoing oversight work of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

High level temper tantrums will not stop the committee from conducting our oversight responsibilities, he added.

Mr. Pompeos release of the letter occurred right before a June 1 deadline to declare intent to enter the Senate race in Kansas. Since the winter, Mr. Pompeo had tried to dispel notions that he would run for the seat, but speculation continued this week, in part because Republican leaders kept asking Mr. Pompeo to do so, given that control of the Senate is at stake in November.

Mr. Trump had also kept the speculation alive, telling Fox News late last year that if he thought that there was a chance of losing that seat, I think he would do that and he would win in a landslide because they love him in Kansas.
Hamilton, ON, May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Calgary Herald has published an op-ed, Lets prevent another public health disaster in Alberta by protecting youth from vaping products, submitted by a group of health advocates and medical professionals. The op-ed urges the Government of Alberta to ban flavoured vapour products, ban retail advertising outside of specialty vape shops, require stores to be licensed, and tax vaping products. The Canadian Vaping Association is aligned on many of these points and agrees there is a need to protect youth, however banning flavours and taxing vapour products will have unintended consequences.

The CVA would like to clarify once again the misconception surrounding advertising and enforcement. Advertising does not require further restriction as it is already federally prohibited to advertise outside of age restricted spaces. What is required is consistent enforcement of the existing laws. Alberta vape shops are also federally regulated and are inspected by federal Tobacco Enforcement Officers. The CVA supports the addition of provincial inspections in combination with the existing federal regulation but would like to make it clear that Alberta vape shops are already operating with government oversight.

The idea that flavoured vaping products contribute to youth vaping is a common misconception that has been discredited by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC report Tobacco Product Use and Associated Factors Among Middle and Highschool Students, only 22.3 percent of young people indicated that they vape because e-cigarettes are available in flavours, such as mint, candy, fruit or chocolate. The most common reason for use among youth was, I was curious about them.

After intense criticism that flavours were attracting youth, Juul voluntarily removed flavours from the United States, leaving only tobacco, mint and menthol flavours available. A study by the American Cancer Society published in the American Journal of Public Health has proven that flavours do not impact youth vaping rates. After removing flavours, youth did not quit vaping but instead switched to tobacco, mint or menthol vape products.

Story continues

While flavours are not the cause of youth uptake, they are a significant factor in what makes vaping more successful than other NRT products. This phenomenon is not unique to vapour products. It is well documented with other nicotine replacement therapys (NRT) that flavours reduce cravings and increase success rates. There has been no connection made between flavours and increased abuse potential. According to a study by the Behavioural Pharmacology Research Unit, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Both flavors of nicotine gum decreased craving during 2 h of abstinence. These effects were more pronounced in the adult group and mint gum was more effective than original gum. Younger subjects reported fewer withdrawal symptoms and lower ratings for drug effects and flavor. Improved flavor of nicotine gum does not increase abuse liability but may be associated with enhanced craving reduction.

The rise in youth vaping rates here in Canada directly correlates to the entrance of Big Tobacco vape brands, such as Juul and Vype. With the entrance of tobacco owned vape brands came aggressive advertising campaigns which were not restricted to adult environments, a practise that has since been federally prohibited. Additionally, the products distributed by these brands have nicotine concentrations of 57 - 59 milligrams per millilitre, making them highly addictive, and the devices are very easily concealed. The UK has not seen a rise in youth vaping as a result of the nicotine limit that had been established in the European Union prior to the entrance of tobacco owned high nicotine vape brands; this nicotine limit meant that the high nicotine vape products distributed by companies like Juul and Vype were not available in the UK to entice youth.

While the CVA has always condemned the use of harm reduction products by youth, it is important to mention the study by the CDC, Youth and Tobacco Use, which reports that while youth vaping rates have risen there have been dramatic declines in youth smoking rates. Youth vaping rates increased 1.5% from 2011, while youth smoking rates declined 15.8%.

Lastly, it is essential to address the advocates call for vapour product taxation. While the op-ed is well intentioned, taxing a harm reduction product is counter productive as it discourages improvements to public health and increases sales of tobacco products, our nations leading cause of death. As the health advocates stated in their submission, tobacco is proven to kill one in two smokers, which is exactly why we must look at the data and enact data driven legislation.

Minnesota conducted a study, The impact of E-cig taxes on smoking rates: Evidence from Minnesota, which found that taxing vaping products would lead to an 8.1% increase in tobacco use and a decrease in the use of smoking cessation products of 1.4%. It also found that if vapour products had not been taxed, an additional 32,400 adults would have quit smoking.

Michael Pesko, a health economist and assistant professor at Georgia State University, cited a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research which found that "while cigarette taxes reduce cigarette use and e-cigarette taxes reduce e-cigarette use, they also have important interactions on each other". He went on to explain, "e-cigarettes and cigarettes are economic substitutes. So, if you raise taxes on one product, you will increase use of the other."

Pesko and other researchers drew upon sales data from 35,000 retailers across the nation for a seven-year period and concluded that for every 10 percent increase in e-cigarette prices, sales of vaping products dropped 26 percent. At the same time, the researchers concluded that the higher tax on e-cigarettes resulted in an 11 percent increase in sales of traditional cigarettes.

"We estimate that for every one e-cigarette pod no longer purchased as a result of an e-cigarette tax, 6.2 extra packs of cigarettes are purchased instead," Pesko said. "The public health impact of e-cigarette taxes in this case is likely negative."

We recommend looking to Ontario as an example of sensible, well advised legislation. The Government of Ontario has restricted both flavours and nicotine concentrations above 20 milligrams per millilitre to specialty vape shops. Thus, in Ontario, high nicotine and flavoured vapour products are only available in age restricted spaces, while adult smokers are still provided access to the products they require to quit combustible tobacco.

The CVA shares the concerns outlined in the op-ed, however it is imperative that they are appropriately addressed. Banning flavours and taxing vapour products have both repeatedly proven to be ineffective and counter productive. Vapour products are harm reduction tools intended for adult smokers. Future legislation must take the health of both current and reformed smokers into account. As there is extensive, conclusive evidence that high nicotine concentrations are the true driver for youth uptake, it is time to stop scapegoating flavours and to instead enact sensible nicotine limits.

Darryl Tempest

The Canadian Vaping Association

6472741867

dtempest@thecva.org


The first aircraft with 166 passengers from Kolkata landed at Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport in Tripura on Friday, two months after all air services were banned due to Covid-19 lockdown.

The flight operated by IndiGo Airlines landed at 10 am in Agartala.

After March 25, total 166 passengers landed here in the first flight today. In the same flight, 167 passengers left for Kolkata at 11.15 am, airport director VK Seth told reporters.

Besides sanitisation, a foolproof medical screening apparatus was set up at the airport to check all the incoming passengers as well as those at the departure terminal, he added.

The domestic air services in Tripura were meant to start from May 25 but the flights connected to Kolkata were cancelled due to Cyclone Amphan.

Before lockdown, total six aircraft were in operation at MBB Airport, the lone airport in Tripura.

There are 12 airports in the North-East region. They are in Guwahati, Silchar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tezpur (all Assam), Tezu and Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh), Agartala (Tripura), Imphal (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya), Dimapur (Nagaland) and Lengpui (Mizoram).

Domestic passenger flights were restarted on Monday after a gap of two months. Different North-Eastern states on Sunday issued separate Standard Operating Protocols (SOP) for the passengers.

In Tripura, with the latest 10 cases of Covid-19, the total tally rose to 242, including 162 Border Security Force (BSF) troopers, officers, and their family members. However, the states active cases are 72 and three cases migrated to other states.
[May 29, 2020] OCBC Launches "ReOpen OC Safely" as a Resource to Help OC Businesses Safely Reopen

IRVINE, Calif., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Orange County Business Council has launched "ReOpen OC Safely," a webpage listing federal, state and county guidelines and orders, as well as industry-specific resources to help businesses prepare to safely reopen as the county continues to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. OCBC encourages businesses to closely follow state and county guidelines for reopening, including these state industry guidelines, as well as county instructions for all businesses to self-verify on a checklist of items and post this verification to their entrance. The site also offers general gidelines common across industry sectors, including: social distancing; cleanliness and sanitation; screening and prevention; transactions; and employee training and tools.



"Good business is also good health," said Lucy Dunn, OCBC President and CEO. "With OCBC's 'ReOpen OC Safely' resource, we strive to assist businesses to protect their customers, employees and the community in a time of pandemic, while also getting back to business. The last thing business wants is to return to more stay-at-home orders, so it is incumbent upon us to strive to meet health orders and guidelines to stay in business, grow the economy while protecting health." In addition to these guidelines, the webpage includes links to guidance from the California Employers Association on what happens if an employee tests positive for COVID-19, the state's California Roadmap Reopening Survey, and local chambers of commerce for businesses to suggest guidelines in real-time for their specific industry.

Reopen OC Safely was developed in collaboration with Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce, North Orange County Chamber of Commerce, Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce, Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, and Visit Anaheim. To access ReOpen OC Safely, visit https://www.ocbc.org/ReOpenOCSafely/. About OCBC

Orange County Business Council is the leading voice of business in Orange County, California. OCBC represents and promotes the business community, working with government and academia, to enhance Orange County's economic development and prosperity in order to preserve a high quality of life. OCBC serves member and investor businesses with nearly 250,000 employees and 2,000,000 worldwide. In providing a proactive forum for business and supporting organizations, OCBC helps assure the financial growth of America's sixth largest county. For more information, visit www.ocbc.org. CONTACT : Catherine Harper

Communications Manager

949.794.7245

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ocbc-launches-reopen-oc-safely-as-a-resource-to-help-oc-businesses-safely-reopen-301067477.html SOURCE Orange County Business Council

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Live Music Concert at County Line BBQ in San Antonio, TX Twenty years ago, County Line made a commitment to hold a music event that benefits the San Antonio Food Bankand we intend to keep it that way, even in this Covid world. And knowing the intense demand on our Food Bank right now, our support is more important than ever, with so many out of work.

The Ancira Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram 2020 Live Music Series at The County Line will be live again in front of guests, starting June 4, on the patio of The County Line Bar-B-Q at 4334 Hyatt Place Drive (on IH-10 West between the Wurzbach and Huebner Road exits, near the Colonnade). Concerts begin at 6:30 and run until 8 p.m.

The series kicked off for its 19th year on March 5 with a packed crowd to Mario Flores, Gabe Garcia, Clay Hollis and Bri Bagwell. The series was suspended due to Covid-19 orders before the March 19 concert. Concerts were resurrected on May 7 as quaranstreamed live concerts for the month of May.

This music series that has always benefited the San Antonio Food Bank will run every Thursday evening from June 4 through July 30, 2020. The restaurant has been open for dining room service since May 1.

Twenty years ago, County Line made a commitment to hold a music event that would benefit the San Antonio Food Bankand we intend to keep it that way, even in this Covid world, says Mike Crenwelge, GM of the IH-10 County Line. "And knowing the intense demand on our Food Bank right now, our support is more important than ever, with so many San Antonians out of work. In 2015, the County Line was recognized by the S.A. Food Bank for raising food to feed over 1 million people since the music series started.

We have seen a devastating economic impact from the COVID-19 virus and its domino effect into the lives of our neighbors and friends. The San Antonio Food Bank has worked tirelessly to meet the increase in demand for food and resources, but we depend wholeheartedly on the community to help us in this struggle. The County Line Music Series is an example of the support we desperately need. We are so humbled and grateful to be a part of it, says Eric Cooper, CEO & President of the San Antonio Food Bank.

Here is schedule for the rest of the summer, as of May 29:

6/4/2020 Gabe Garcia Band

6/11/2020 Chris Colston

6/18/2020 Mario Flores & The Soda Creek Band

6/25/2020 Brandon Michael Band

7/2/2020 Hayden Haddock

7/9/2020 Jade Maria Patek - 2019 TRR New Female Vocalist of the Year

7/16/2020 Tanner Sparks

7/23/2020 Clay Hollis

7/30/2020John Bauman

Sponsors of the series include Ancira Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram; Treaty Oak Distilling; Rebecca Creek Radio; Rebecca Creek/Enchanted Rock; Stolen X; Heaven's Door Whiskey; Comfort Air/Primo Plumbing; Ozarka and Pure Party Ice.

The County Line Bar-B-Q restaurant on IH-10 has been open for dining room service since May 1 with limited seating and social distancing as dictated by government standardsincluding masks and gloves for all staff. Tables will be available inside and outside; full bar and dining menus will be available. County Line will continue its robust to-go/delivery options seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with fresh smoked BBQ entrees off its menu, as well as most side dishes. Curbside delivery by masked and gloved staff will keep social distancing by putting order in car trunk or back seat; order to-go online. Delivery available through Uber Eats, Grubhub and Favor.

Visit https://countyline.com/san_antonio/ or County Lines Facebook for updates, or call 210-641-1998 for information.

NOTE: Photos and recipes can be obtained (and tastings or interviews arranged) by contacting Jeanne Albrecht at 210-392-9047 or jca@jeannebiz.com
he world's largest all-electric aircraft made its first successful flight on Thursday, landing safely in Moses Lake, Washington, about 180 miles southeast of Seattle.
First Minister explains new five mile rule in Wales and answers cross border question

This article is old - Published: Friday, May 29th, 2020

Residents in Wales are being urged to stay local when new guidance allowing two households from the same local area to meet outside comes into place on Monday.

Earlier today First Minister Mark Drakeford outlined the next stage of easing the lockdown measures in Wales, which for the first time allow people to meet with other households provided that social distancing measures are kept, that you stay outside and stay local.

In this case staying local means not travelling more than five miles from home to see another household.

People can drive further than five miles however for shopping and to pick up essentials, such as medicine. Welsh Government have published a range of FAQ style Q&A for common questions about todays information  viewable here.

Speaking at this afternoons Welsh Government press conference, First Minister Mark Drakeford was asked why a five mile radius was being applied for meeting up with another household and not for travelling to the likes of a supermarket.

He was also questioned on how this would impact on those in more rural communities who are already isolated from others.

Mr Drakeford noted that it was important to reduce the risk of coronavirus from spreading from one community to another and therefore creating new hotspots.

He said: By local we mean not generally traveling more than five miles and that is to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading.

That five minute rule of thumb will have to be applied carefully and sensitively by people using their own judgment in the different geographies of Wales. This is so important, because the need for care is clear, coronavirus has not gone away. It remains names a silent spreader.

You can be infectious without ever knowing that you are ill. We are putting five miles into guidance because as people go outside more and are more mobile, we need to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading from one community to another creating new hotspots.

He added:We are offering that guidance to people in Wales but saying clearly, that people will have to use their own judgment in local geographies.

If you had to travel a longer distance than five miles now to get food or medicines, you will be allowed to do that under the stay at home regulations and you are allowed to do so under the stay local regulations as well. But what Im asking people to do is to use that judgment seriously and soberly.

The further you travel, the greater the risk that is posed to yourself of coronavirus ending up in parts of Wales where weve succeeded in keeping it to a minimum. Nobody I think wants to do that.

If you can manage within the five mile radius for food and medicines and essential things thats what you should do.

However it was acknowledged that the changes in the legislation would mean that there would be still be many people in Wales who are unable to see their family and friends for another at least another three weeks.

Asked if people could use their own judgment and perhaps travel further than five miles to meet a family member who lives in the same local authority, Mr Drakeford urged people to stick to the regulations being put in place.

Mr Drakeford said: I want to say to people that exercising your own judgment does not mean regarding five miles as 10 miles, unless you have to do that because you cant get medicines and you cant get food. That is an essential purpose.

It remains the safest way to contact someone who is close to you, and who is part of your loved ones, to do it by telephone to do it by email to do it by Skype, and only do it in face to face in the very limited circumstances we have described here.

But I do want to say to those people, I really understand that if you are just the other side of a border, you will feel that this is rough justice, and other people are being able to do things that you cant.

This is for the next three weeks. If were able to do this in the right way, and the virus and the R rate at the end of three weeks isnt higher than it is today, we will have some further headroom to do more things in a future period.

So this is not forever, this is for the next three weeks. Thats why its so important that everybody does it carefully. Thats why its so important that everybody does it properly. Because in that way, we have the best chance of getting to the end of this three week period and to be able to do more for people who are not going to be in the position that others are as a result of todays changes.

In terms of those who live on the Wales and England border, the First Minister was asked how far people could travel under the new guidance and if it discourages people from visiting Wales.

Mr Drakeford noted that if people living on the border can travel into England within our rules, if they can get into England while staying local, then once they are in England theyre subject to the rules and regulations that apply in England. That would mean that they will be able to travel further and see other people.

This also means that those travelling into Wales from England are then expected to follow the Welsh guidance on travel.

He added: Weve given people that rule of thumb of five miles and that would apply to anybody coming into Wales as well as people living in Wales

I am hugely grateful to police forces in Wales for the sensitive way in which they have enforced these regulations.

They tell me that when somebody does come across our border  maybe not understanding that the rules are different here  that when someone is stopped, the standard response is to listen carefully to the advice, to do it in a very civilised way, to appreciate that the rules are different here and to turn around and go home.

Thats the way we want the rules to be applied, through conversation by education and doing it in a way that just explains that things are different, and most people appreciate that and respond very positively to it.

Our advice to people in England has been for weeks now, visit Wales later.

Were very keen to see visitors in Wales, we have always have been a hugely welcoming country to people from elsewhere. But now is not the moment to do it. But time will come, where we will look forward to welcoming you back to Wales, but visit Wales later, not now.

Todays announcement however has been criticised by members of the Welsh Conservatives, who have argued that the five mile rule is cruel for those living in rural communities.

Darren Millar MS, the Welsh Conservative Spokesperson for Covid Recovery, said: Now that we have more detail on the First Ministers plan, its clear that his roadmap to easing lockdown is more confusing than Spaghetti Junction.

First it was being able to visit people within a five-mile radius, then we were told that this is a rule of thumb and that we should use our judgement.

We would support the Welsh Governments policy, if it met the needs of the people of Wales. However, it is a cruel rule that lacks compassion and is confusing, and it doesnt acknowledge the straightforward common sense of Wales residents.

So, today we are telling the First Minister and his Labour colleagues to scrap this cruel rule before it is introduced on Monday.

Welsh Government have published a range of FAQ style Q&A for common questions about todays information  viewable here.
Actor Prithviraj, on Thursday, shared a throwback picture from his latest vacation with wife Supriya Prithviraj. Sharing the picture, Prithviraj wrote: "Throwback to our cross country drive in Jan 2020 @supriyamenonprithviraj! Enroute Mont Blanc, taking a break from the long hours behind the wheel at the Switzerland/France border." (sic) Prithviraj in the social media post also hoped that normalcy restores soon. He wrote, "Hopefully, the world will come back to normal soon, and travellers and explorers will be back to doing what they love best!" (sic)

Check out Prithviraj Sukumaran's post:

Also Read | Prithviraj Sukumaran's Epic Body Transformation Teaches That 'human Mind Has No Limits'

Minutes later, Supriya Prithviraj posted a comment on his social media post. She said that she misses him and hopes he returns home soon after quarantine. For the unknown, Prithviraj and the team of his forthcoming movie Aadujeevitham have been stranded in Jordan for the past two months. The team reportedly headed to Jordan in March to shoot some important scenes, however, were left in a lurch after the government authorities in Jordan announced a lockdown.

Prithviraj and the team of Aadujeevitham recently returned to Kerala. The actor and film's team is reportedly on a 14-day quarantine. Soon after, he and the film's crew can head back to their family.

Check out Supriya Prithviraj's comment:

Also Read | Prithviraj Sukumaran & Aadujeevitham Team Finally Return To India From Jordan; See Pics

Also Read | Prithviraj Sukumaran's Mother Mallika Shares A Stunning Sketch With Son On Mother's Day

Prithviraj Sukumaran, last seen in Sachy's Ayyappanum Koshiyum has a slew of movies at different stages of production. Soon after the lockdown ends, Prithviraj Sukumaran is reported to join the sets of Kaduva. The movie, starring Prithviraj in the lead, will mark the return of popular director Shaji Kailas after three years. According to reports, the movie will see Prithviraj in a mass 'action-role'.

Also Read | Prithviraj Sukumaran And His Wife Celebrate Their 'forced' Long Distance Love Due To COVID

Besides the upcomer, Prithviraj Sukumaran is expected to start the pre-production work on his next directorial L2: Empuraan. The Prithviraj directorial is the sequel to his 2019's hit movie Lucifer. The forthcoming movie that stars Mohanlal in the lead is penned by actor Murali Gopy. Other than the forthcoming film, Prithviraj also has S. Mahesh's Kaaliyan in his kitty.

Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.
The Texas retail electricity market just shrank a little more.

NRG Energy, one of the biggest power sellers in Texas with brand names like Reliant Energy, Green Mountain Energy and Discount Power, bought the customer accounts of Texans Energy, a Sugar Land company known for its low-cost electricity plans on the state shopping site Power to Choose.

Residential customers of Texans Energy will be folded into NRGs Discount Power and small business customers will be combined into another NRG brand, Cirro Energy. The transition is expected to be completed in late June or early July, NRG spokeswoman Pat Hammond said. NRG is based in Houston and Princeton, N.J.

Electricity prices and other terms set by Texans Energy will remain in place during the length of the contract.

Neither the price nor the number of customers were disclosed.

Texans Energy CEO Javed Meghani said the time was right to transfer its business to NRG.

The sale comes on the heels of another recent NRG deal to buy some of the customer accounts of Windrose Energy, a retail electric provider of The Woodlands. Customers will be served by NRG-owned Discount Power beginning the last week of June.

Windrose customers will continue to pay the same rates, according to information sent to Windrose customers notifying them of the transfer. The price was not disclosed.

"It was a good business opportunity," said Windrose President Tom Strickland.

Windrose continues to service many existing customers and add new ones. The company offers plans on its own website and on the state managed shopping site Power to Choose.

GROWING LARGER: More consolidation in retail power as Vistra buys another rival

NRG has been on a buying binge, including last years $300 million purchase to buy the retail power and natural gas business of the Dallas company Stream Energy. Two years ago NRG bought Discount Power from Volterra Energy Holdings for an undisclosed sum.

NRG is locked into competition with Vistra Energy, the Irving power company best known for its TXU brand, which bought the Dallas electricity retailer Ambit Energy in a $475 million deal last year.

With the consolidations, NRG and Vistra together control about two-thirds of the states retail electricity market.
Floyds death woke up the entire world, and we will not stand down. The existing light of freedom burns brighter in every true patriots heart as our empathy and humanity have been reawakened. We must fight against these evil forces with all of the might invested in our hearts and with every ounce of energy in our bodies. It is not only our right to defend Floyds life and honor; it is our American responsibility. The American people must stand up and march together so as to never allow our rights to be knocked down.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Anastasia Moloney (Reuters) Bogota, Colombia  Fri, May 29, 2020 16:03 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdaf5e8d 2 Entertainment Hollywood,Celebrities,Amazon,coronavirus,COVID-19,fund-raising,Jane-Fonda,Barbra-Streisand,Jane-Goodall Free

Indigenous groups in the Amazon could be wiped out by the coronavirus, one tribal leader warned on Thursday, ahead of a livestreamed fundraising event to feature Hollywood stars Jane Fonda, Morgan Freeman and Barbra Streisand.

About 500 indigenous people mainly living in the Amazon regions of Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador have died in the pandemic and many more are at risk because they lack access to basic healthcare, said indigenous leader Jose Gregorio Diaz.

"It's very worrying. We are in danger of extinction," Diaz, who will join the event later on Thursday, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"There are indigenous groups living in border areas who have between 40 to 80 people. They could disappear forever," said Diaz, who heads the Coordinating Body of Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon Basin (COICA).

Hosted by Game of Thrones actress Oona Chaplin, the two-hour event, named Artists United for Amazonia: Protecting the Protectors, will also feature musicians including Carlos Santana and Peter Gabriel and environmentalists including Jane Goodall.

It will raise money for the Amazon Emergency Fund, launched in April by indigenous organizations and campaigners to help tribes respond to the pandemic.

Amazon Watch, one of the indigenous rights groups involved, said it expected several hundred thousand people to watch online.

Read also: First coronavirus case detected in Ecuador Amazon tribe

"We'll be joining artists who are known worldwide. They are heard. They have their followers. They can help us get the resources to help our communities," said Diaz, calling it an "economic and humanitarian SOS" for the Amazon.

"There are no doctors, no equipment and no (COVID-19) tests here," he said.

So far the Amazon Emergency Fund has raised $207,000, but organizers hope to boost that to $5 million over the next 60 days to pay for food and medical supplies and emergency evacuations for Amazon tribes hard hit by the coronavirus.

About three million indigenous people live in the nine South American countries the Amazon rainforest covers.

With little or no access to health care or basic protective equipment such as masks, many indigenous communities are isolating themselves, have closed their reserves, and are turning to traditional medicine to fight the disease, Diaz said.

"What makes indigenous populations unusually vulnerable to COVID-19 are medical, social, and environmental factors, such as a high prevalence of tuberculosis and malaria, a lack of safe drinking water, and malnutrition," said Leila Salazar-Lopez, head of Amazon Watch.
Twitter censors presidents tweet warning looters will be shot as protests intensify

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Twitter censored an early morning tweet from President Trump Friday, deeming it as glorifying violence after he called violent protesters reacting to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers THUGS and warned that looters will be shot as rioting intensified in the city.

These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you! Trump tweeted at 12:53 a.m. after protesters torched a Minneapolis police precinct that was overrun by rioters.

While the social media giant censored the presidents tweet, it was left accessible in the publics interest.

This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible, Twitter said in its statement on the tweet.

The White House insisted in a subsequent tweet that the president was not glorifying violence.

The President did not glorify violence. He clearly condemned it. @Jack and Twitter's biased, bad-faith fact-checkers have made it clear: Twitter is a publisher, not a platform, the White House noted in a tweet which was also flagged by Twitter as a violation of its rules.

The presidents tweet came in the wake of growing unrest across the country overnight, including the burning of a Minneapolis police precinct that was overrun by rioters.

I cant stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right, the president added.

Hours later after his tweet was censored, Trump accused Twitter of playing partisan politics and called for its regulation.

Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party. They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States. Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated! he said. The President has been targeted by Twitter.

The federal law, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act was created in 1996. It shields websites from liability for content created by their users and permits internet companies to moderate their sites without being on the hook legally for everything they host. The law, however, does not provide blanket protection from legal responsibility for criminal acts, like posting child pornography or violations of intellectual property.

Regulate Twitter if they are going to start regulating free speech. @JudgeJeanine@foxandfriends. Well, as they have just proven conclusively, thats what they are doing. Repeal Section 230!!! Trump tweeted Friday morning.

On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order seeking to limit the protections of Section 230.

Twitter now selectively decides to place a warning label on certain tweets in a manner that clearly reflects political bias. As has been reported, Twitter seems never to have placed such a label on another politicians tweet. As recently as last week, Representative Adam Schiff was continuing to mislead his followers by peddling the long-disproved Russian Collusion Hoax, and Twitter did not flag those tweets. Unsurprisingly, its officer in charge of so-called Site Integrity [Yoel Roth] has flaunted his political bias in his own tweets, the president said in his speech announcing the order.

Legal experts on both the right and the left told CNN that what the president is seeking to do might be unconstitutional because it risks infringing on the First Amendment rights of private companies. It also attempts to circumvent the two other branches of government.

"(Trump) is trying to steal for himself the power of the courts and Congress to rewrite decades of settled law," said Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the architect of the legislation that the order seeks to reinterpret. "He decides what's legal based on what's in his interest."

Protests have been growing across the country since Floyds fatal encounter with four now-fired Minneapolis police officers, which was caught on video, and triggered violent protests in that city which have since spread to other locations, Denver, Memphis, Louisville and Los Angeles.

The approximately 10-minute video of the encounter shows a handcuffed Floyd lying face down begging for his life and crying for his mother while Officer Derek Chauvin kneels into his neck. Chauvin kneels into Floyds neck until he begins to bleed from his nose and becomes unresponsive. Even after Floyd becomes motionless on the ground, Chauvin continued pressing his knee into his neck for several more minutes as bystanders begged him to have mercy.

Protesters are refusing to back down until arrested have been made for Floyds death.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told CNN in a live interview Friday morning that he has "every expectation" authorities will press charges against the Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyds death.

We are standing by and helping any way we can. But yeah, I anticipate there will be charges. I hope they're soon. But that is the prerogative of another prosecuting authority. They are trying to be careful. They are trying to make sure their case is strong and airtight, Ellison said.
A 38-year-old city-based mobile shop owner, suspected to be a close associate of gangster Binder Gujjar, was allegedly shot dead in broad daylight in Feroze Gandhi Colony, Sector 9, on Friday afternoon.

According to the police, the assailants fired at least 27 bullets at the victims car as he was on the way to his office.

The deceased has been identified as Vikas Dureja alias Vicky alias Anda, a mobile shop owner based in the Baldev Nagar area.

The shooting has raised concerns regarding resurgence of a gang war in the city amid the lockdown, the police said. A day earlier, at least three men had shot dead a 22-year-old man in Shiv Park.

The police, however, denied that the incident was related to any gang rivalry, and said that they were probing all angles, including the role of liquor mafia.

Police sources said that Dureja was a close aide of gangster Binder Gujjar, who was arrested in 2019 by the Mumbai crime branch for his alleged involvement in several murder and extortion cases. Gujjar was also allegedly a conspirator in the encounter of rival gangster Sandeep Gadoli. Their turf war had allegedly resulted in several murders. Gujjars brother Manish, a liquor trader, was killed in a gang war in 2016.

According to the police, the Fridays incident was reported around 2.45pm when Dureja was going to his office in his white SUV (Creta). At least three suspects in a Scorpio car blocked the Durejas SUV, the police said, adding that most of the suspects were armed.

Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said that the victim tried to reverse his car to escape but he hit a dead-end and the Scorpio rammed into his car from behind.

A preliminary probe suggests that the suspects got out of the vehicle and surrounded his car from three sides. The bullet holes on his car suggest that the suspects fired at him through the windshield and the co-drivers seat. It is premature to say that the murder was orchestrated due to gang rivalry, said Sangwan, adding that there was no eye witness in the case and the police could not recover CCTV footage of the incident.

The police said that the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds all over his body and died on the spot. According to forensic analysis, the bullet casings indicate that the cartridges used in the pistol were of 9mm, .32 bore and 7.62mm. Several crime teams are working to trace the suspects, said the police.

A police official privy to the investigation, requesting anonymity, said that Dureja had borrowed money to run several allied businesses, including property and real estate. He also owed money to some people, who were involved in illegal liquor trade. During the lockdown, the liquor mafia had been operational in the city. The murder could be related to some of these dealings, said the police official.

The police said they have registered a case of murder on the statement of the victims wife. In the statement, she said that her husband had gone for work around 2pm, and around 2.40pm, she received information that he had been shot dead. She did not name any suspects in the complaint, the police said.

The case was registered under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act at New Colony police station on Friday, said the police.
Medical staff carry a patient's belongings as she is evacuated from Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center last month. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Riverside County hospitals are receiving coronavirus patients from Imperial County because its two hospitals have reached capacity, according to officials.

As of Wednesday, 63 patients from Imperial County were being treated at Riverside County hospitals, said Brooke Federico, the countys public information officer.

Of the new patients, 51 were transferred from Imperial County hospitals and the others were walk-ins, said Bruce Barton, Riverside County's emergency management director.

Imperial County had 1,443 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 26 deaths as of Thursday afternoon, records show. Riverside County had 7,341 cases and 313 deaths, which is seven more fatalities than on the previous day.

A total of 199 people, including 66 in intensive care, are hospitalized in Riverside County, Federico said.

Barton said the recent increase of hospitalizations is still within the capacity of Riverside Countys health system, but officials are monitoring the situation.

The goal of the states regional distribution plan is to assure these patients receive needed care and are appropriately distributed across Southern California hospitals so that no single county is disproportionately impacted, Barton said.

Other neighboring counties have also received patients, officials said.

It is fortunate that we have the hospital space to assist our neighbors in Imperial County. It shows how important these hospital beds are and how we need to keep our hospital space available for surges that could come, said Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez.
In a study published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai researchers describe some of the earliest cases of a COVID-19-related illness newly identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C. The study was published on May 23.

The case series details four previously healthy pediatric patients who presented at The Mount Sinai Hospital's Pediatric Emergency Department with a rare, exaggerated inflammatory response. The children tested negative for COVID-19 infection via a nasal swab test but their previous exposure to the disease was confirmed through serologic antibody testing. The four patients, all of whom required admission to Mount Sinai's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, were among the first MIS-C cases to be seen in the United States.

"Severe manifestations of COVID-19 infection in children remain uncommon. However, some healthy children are becoming critically ill due to a rare, exaggerated inflammation response produced several weeks after a COVID-19 infection, even if that infection was very mild," says study co-author Jennifer E. Sanders, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, and Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

"Our case series underscores the need for emergency physicians to maintain a high clinical suspicion for COVID-19 post-infectious cytokine release syndrome, even in children who initially appear well. This syndrome appears to be its own entity but patients are presenting with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease, characterized by fever, rash, and conjunctivitis, along with abdominal pain and diarrhea for many. They then deteriorate in a manner similar to that seen in toxic shock syndrome. Vigilance in assessing for these symptoms will be critical to help identify these patients early in the clinical course," says study co-author Temima Waltuch, MD, a pediatric emergency medicine fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The children, ages 5, 10, 12, and 13, all shared an exaggerated cytokine storm, an abnormal auto-immune response to COVID- 19. They were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and tocilizumab, an immunosuppressive drug commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, as an attempt to attenuate the inflammatory response.

"As we continue to learn more about this syndrome, it is important for parents to be aware of the signs and symptoms to look out for in their children and to seek immediate care if they are concerned, but to also remember that thus far this still appears to be a rare event in children following a recent COVID-19 infection," says Dr. Waltuch.

"For emergency department physicians, there are many observations from these cases that will be relevant. First, we recommend a low threshold for laboratory testing, including inflammatory and cytokine markers. We also recommend admission and monitoring for all children with laboratory evidence of a significant inflammatory response. Be cautious of patients who at first appear well as they may quickly decompensate and require fluid resuscitation, pressor support for blood pressure control, and possibly intubation," says Dr. Sanders.

Explore further New study sheds light on IBD patients with COVID-19

More information: Temima Waltuch et al. Features of COVID-19 post-infectious cytokine release syndrome in children presenting to the emergency department, The American Journal of Emergency Medicine (2020). Journal information: American Journal of Emergency Medicine Temima Waltuch et al. Features of COVID-19 post-infectious cytokine release syndrome in children presenting to the emergency department,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.05.058
Its already been five years since the country voted in overwhelming numbers for marriage equality and many are celebrating that this week, writes Jessica Thompson.

Longfords Cllr Mick Cahill is one of those who took to social media to celebrate the anniversary of the day we made history.

Five years ago today the Cahill wedding party went in full garb from Carrickedmond church over to vote for equal marriage at Colehill polling station led of course by the heads of the clan Mick Cahill Snr and mammy - now both at rest, said Cllr Cahill in a thread on his Twitter account last Sunday.

It was an honour to cast my yes vote and to support all my daughters in calling for a more equal and loving society for LGBT people in Ireland and commit to learning much more about the experiences and supports out there.

Much more work to be done and one vote doesn't change decades of what has been trauma for many.

Young lesbian and gay people in our families and those who are transgender are still finding life very difficult and need our support and our love.

Just because we haven't lived that experience ourselves doesn't mean we can't be fully supportive and ensure equality in acceptance and respect.

Made Gra the law as Siona Ni Chathail would always say to us.

For any parents who have a young person who is lgbt, don't feel afraid for them - reach out to me or any of the great organisations to chat it through.

Can be an adjustment but its one that is 100% worth it. @BeLonG_To is a great resource, he concluded.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20: Spike Lee attends the Brooklyn Chop House One Year Anniversary Dinner on November 20, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood have vowed not to return to production until a Coronavirus vaccine has been discovered.

Vanity Fair recently spoke to the likes of Spike Lee and Charlize Theron about the current mood in the film industry, and they were both adamant that filming should not begin again until the pandemic is thoroughly under control.

Read More: 'Star Wars' prop makers 3D print face shields for NHS as Pinewood supports coronavirus fight

After being asked when film production will commence, Lee emphatically declared, They aint doing a thing until the vaccine. I know Im not going to a movie theater. I know Im not going to a Broadway show. I know Im not going to Yankee Stadium.

Corona is a b****. Corona is not playing. You f*** around youre going to get killed, youre going to die. Im not ready to go.

Cast member Charlize Theron attends a news conference for the film "Mad Max: Fury Road" out of competition at the 68th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, May 14, 2015. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Theron echoed Lees sentiments during her own discussion with the publication, saying that she doesnt think she will go back to work any time soon, especially because she has two young children at home to worry about, too.

In fact, the South African star admitted that she has had several long and sleepless nights over potentially passing the disease onto her children.

Read More: Showcase Cinemas 'working towards' July re-opening, with social distancing measures

Ive had these recurring dreamsor terrors I should saythat I somehow stupidly got it and brought it back to my kids. I dont want to mess with this stuff. I feel like theres a sense of responsibility on everybodys part to just realize that.

Theron then added, Our industry is one where its like a circus. We all live under the same tent and it could be really, really dangerous. Were just going to have to be really careful.
As people around the nation protest Minnesota police officers killing of a black man, Portlanders marched through downtown Thursday in the first wave of demonstrations.

George Floyd, a Minneapolis man, died Monday after a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. The incident was caught on video. The officer, Derek Chauvin, and three other officers have been fired. The city of Minneapolis is under a state of emergency as protesters flood the city in response to Floyds death. A Minneapolis police precinct was set on fire late Thursday.

Two protests occurred in downtown Portland in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center, which houses the downtown jail and the Portland police headquarters. The first drew a small crowd, and the second loosely organized event attracted dozens of people. Many held signs in solidarity with Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Portland protests following Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Mark Graves/StaffMark Graves

Several protesters lay down in the street in front of the police headquarters and remained there for some time, blocking Southwest Third Avenue in front of the jail.

The protest continued through the evening. Around 9 p.m., about 100 protesters marched around the streets of downtown Portland, chanting Floyds name, Black Lives Matter, Four Dead Cops, and the phrase I cant breathe, which Floyd repeatedly said before he died.

The protesters returned to the police station shortly after. A few dozen remained there shortly before 11 p.m.

Police remained distant from the protesters as they made their way through downtown.

Two other events are planned for Friday, including an 11:30 a.m. memorial for Floyd organized by NAACP, which will take place at the Terry Schrunk Plaza in downtown Portland. A second event is planned for 6 p.m. Friday at North Portlands Peninsula Park.

Portland police gave a statement Thursday morning denouncing the Minneapolis police officers actions.

Mark Graves of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report.

Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
The Akwa Ibom governor, Udom Emmanuel, has said that the government and people of the state would require answers to certain questions on the death of Ibanga Etang, the acting director of finance in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Mr Etang, who hailed from Akwa Ibom, died on Thursday in a Port Harcourt hospital, Rivers State.

The NDDC is yet to issue a statement on his passing.

There will be a time well start asking questions. I am just waiting, Mr Emmanuel said on Friday during the inauguration of a 300-bed isolation centre built in Uruan, Akwa Ibom State, by his administration.

They rushed to the social media and published even the internal memo that they have shut down the (NDDC) office for two weeks, and that he died of COVID-19.

Mr Emmanuel did not mention the late NDDC director by name in his remarks, but it was apparent he was referring to Mr Etang.

I know I am not supposed to say this, but I am the governor of the state and every life of my citizen is important to me, he said before he started talking about the passing of Mr Etang.

READ ALSO:

Mr Emmanuel said the Akwa Ibom government called the commissioner for health in Rivers State to find out if a COVID-19 test has been conducted on the body and whether the result was out, immediately he read postings on social media that suggested that Mr Etang died of COVID-19.

The result is not out yet, so I dont know how people came by the information that he died of COVID-19.

I am not saying he died or he didnt die of COVID-19. I am waiting for the result. When the result comes out, we will ask questions, certainly. How did they immediately come up with the information when the result of the test was not yet out? Why did they grant interviews everywhere saying it was COVID-19?

There are a lot of questions that are left unanswered in this matter. And I want to say here that we stand for our brother, we stand for the lives of our citizens.

We are monitoring, we are waiting for the result. Once the result comes out, I will let the elders of the state know and then we will decide on what to do. We cant just be keeping quiet. We have told the commissioner if the COVID-19 result comes out negative, they must do autopsy on that body, lets know what happened.

Speculations

Hours after Mr Etangs death, the NDDC management hurriedly shut down operations at its headquarters in Port Harcourt.

It then directed its workers to go into self-isolation for two weeks, and the decontamination of its offices and premises, thereby fueling speculations that the director may have died of COVID-19.

Mr Etang had served as the chairman of Esit Eket local government area, Akwa Ibom State, and later as a special assistant to Governor Emmanuel before he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

It was from there he was appointed into the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC.

The commission has been on the spot lately over allegations of massive corruption.
MINNEAPOLIS, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Minnesota is releasing the following statement on behalf of more than 50 executive leaders from across the state. They are joining together to stand united against acts of racism and violence.

As business leaders in Minnesota committed to the principles of greater equity, diversity and inclusion in our companies and in our community, we are deeply saddened and horrified by the recent death of Mr. George Floyd. We share our sincere condolences with his family and friends, and all those who mourn this tragic loss. His death while being restrained by Minneapolis police officers is yet another senseless loss of lifeone that reflects deeply ingrained, long-standing injustice within our society. We are encouraged by the quick response of the authorities in terminating the officers and launching an investigation. We anticipate that it will lead to justice and accountability. It is hard to watch the video of the event as it is clearly evident Mr. Floyd was not treated with the dignity and respect he was due as a human being. These acts are painful and traumatic for our entire community, especially our communities of color. The repeated occurrence of racially charged events of this nature are contrary to the close-knit employment and residential communities we desire to have in Minnesota. We are committed to taking steps to eliminate the repeat of events like this in our society and committed to investing in substantive change in our organizations and the communities we serve to address racial inequities and social justice. Change has to start today, and it needs to start with us.

Michael F. Roman

3M

Penny Wheeler, MD

Allina Health

Jay Lund

Andersen Corporation

Russell Becker

APi Group

Amy Ronneberg

Be The Match

Corie Barry

Best Buy

Craig E. Samitt, MD

Blue Cross MN

David MacLennan

Cargill

Marc Gorelick, MD

Childrens Minnesota

Bob Biesterfeld

C.H. Robinson

Barry C. McCarthy

Deluxe Corporation

Ron Konezny

Digi International

Paul Sween

Dominium

Doug Baker

Ecolab

Greg Mason

Edina Realty Homes Services

Michael J. OLeary

Ernst & Young LLP

James Hereford

Fairview Health Services

Bob Gardner

Gardner Builders

Jeff Harmening

General Mills

Amy Goldman

GHR Foundation

Peter Frosch

Greater MSP

Mark G. Mishek

Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Andrea Walsh

HealthPartners

Jennifer DeCubellis

Hennepin Healthcare

Beth E. Ford

Land OLakes, Inc.

Greg Frankenfield

Magenic

Michelle Edwards

Martell Diagnostics

John Naylor

Medica

Geoff Martha

Medtronic

Mark Westphal

Michael Foods

Charlie Weaver

Minnesota Business Partnership

Craig Leipold

Minnesota Wild

Daniel L. Johnson

Mortenson Construction

David C. Mortenson

Mortenson Construction

J. Kevin Croston, MD

North Memorial Health

Nico Wyrobek

Northstar Balloons LLC

Morris Packaging Minnesota LLC

Timothy Murnane

The Opus Group

Chad Abraham

Piper Sandler Companies

Howard Friedman

Post Consumer Brands

Eric J. Mercer

PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services LLC

Michael Armstrong

RBC Wealth Management

Tom Sagissor

RBC Wealth Management

Mark Urdahl

Red Wing Shoes

Brian C. Murray

Ryan Companies US, Inc.

Lisa Brezonik

Salo, LLC

Christopher M. Hilger

Securian Financial Group, Inc.

Drew Niemeyer

Smarte Carte

Archie Black

SPS Commerce

Brian Cornell

Target

Terry Rasmussen

Thrivent

David Wichmann

UnitedHealth Group

Julie Sullivan

University of St. Thomas

Bill Gray

Uponor North America

Andrew Cecere

US Bank

Laurie Nordquist

Wells Fargo MN

Michael J. Happe

Winnebago Industries

Ben Fowke

Xcel Energy, Inc.

Glen Gunderson

YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities

Read more Joining together in times of tragedy

About Children's Minnesota

Children's Minnesota is the seventh largest pediatric health system in the United States and the only health system in Minnesota to provide care exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood. An independent and not-for-profit system since 1924, Children's Minnesota serves kids throughout the Upper Midwest at two free-standing hospitals, 12 primary and specialty care clinics and six rehabilitation sites. Children's Minnesota is regularly ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a top children's hospital.

Find us on Facebook @childrensminnesota or on Twitter and Instagram @childrensmn. Please visit childrensMN.org.

SOURCE Children's Minnesota

Related Links

www.childrensmn.org


Ibanga Bassey Etang

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has suddenly shut down its headquarters for two weeks after the death of Ibanga Bassey Etang, the acting executive director of finance, TheCable reports.

There are fears that he might have contracted the coronavirus.

Silas Anyawu, who signed the memo shutting down the office on behalf of the management, wrote: I am directed to inform all staff that management has approved that the commission be shut down for two weeks from today 28 May 2020.

Consequently, all activities in the commission including ongoing matters are hereby shut down for the time being.

Members of staff are to ensure that all electrical appliances in their offices are switched off before leaving the premises.

The head security is by this memo directed to work out modalities to ensure the safety and security of the commission while director, the administration is requested to fumigate and decontaminate the entire offices and premises in the Headquarters during the period.

Meanwhile staff are enjoined to go into self-isolation for two weeks as they await further directive from Management.

The directors death is coming during the forensic audit of the commissions activities as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In October 2019, the president that the commissions activities from 2001 to 2019 should be probed.

On Wednesday, the senate set up an ad hoc committee to probe the interim management committee of the NDDC over alleged mismanagement of N40 billion.
The quarantine is window dressing, the wrong thing for the wrong time.

This is generally what happens when you are trying to solve today's problem with yesterday's solution.

One practical reason for objecting to the quarantine is that it is easily circumvented by flying from Britain to Belfast. Movement from there to Dublin is easily achieved by either car rental or public transport.

However, my real problem with the quarantine is about the bigger picture. I'm concerned that as we move forward in our national reboot, we have not repurposed our national decision-making apparatus to guide us better along this path.

There are lots of people queueing up to analyse the recent past, the rights and wrongs. Generally, I think it's a bit early for that. For the most part we've been lucky and firm decisions were taken when they were needed. More time needs to be invested in horizon scanning as we are not yet out of crisis.

However, going back to the quarantine conundrum. The question has to be asked: what is its point? Is it to limit the movements of those likely to spread infection? If so, as any garda or soldier would tell you (if anyone asked them), the Border is a big hole in that attempted defence.

The other problem with this is that we have inadvertently created ourselves as an unsecured backdoor into Britain for those wanting to dodge the UK quarantine.

Already wags have christened this anomaly as "The Dublin Dodge". Were the right questions asked of this strategy?

It allows either UK or non-UK citizen to fly to Dublin, then catch a connecting flight on to the UK. As the UK is not quarantining those flying in from Ireland, those intent on "dodging" two weeks in limbo avoid quarantine.

But the questions that really need to be asked here are how did we miss this basic point? What other things may we be missing? And how can we improve our situational analysis and decision-making going forward?

One likely reason we missed a basic anomaly like this is because we are keeping our forward-thinking and analysis in the hands of too narrow a group.

We know the public health specialists of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) have been leading the charge with their recommendations to the Government on managing the virus.

They give recommendations and the Government decides whether to adopt or not. However, the problem is not with Nphet; indeed, it has largely done sterling work. The problem is with the operational implementation of their medical advice.

This is largely under the purview of the SOG, or rather the Senior Officials Group, for the most part senior civil servants.

This group is largely what the Government has been relying on regarding our national reboot strategy and its operational implementation.

For the most part, keeping the decision making to a tight group reporting directly to the Taoiseach's department made sense leading up to and during lockdown. However, it was a strange move and I would argue it is limiting us moving forward.

The SOG completely usurped other well-established State mechanisms for handling emergencies, such as the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NEC) or the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP, normally run out of an office at the rear of Government Buildings so as to be as close as possible to the Taoiseach's department).

The initial benefit of a tightly knit group of senior civil servants being able to formulate strategy rapidly and implement quick decisions has now been eclipsed by the need for a wider appreciation of the road forward.

The big advantage of having the NEC and OEP was access to a much wider set of knowledge and experience, especially from an operational implementation perspective.

During my time with the UN in crisis and conflict areas there would often be times for security and emergency purposes where we would have to create ad-hoc mechanisms involving, military, police, civilian and NGO representatives.

The benefits would be the mix of different professional thinking and knowledge.

There was also the fact that these groups provided for buy-in and shared responsibility for all actions on the ground.

The negatives were usually around the fact that you were creating a mechanism that was alien in culture to some groups. In our situation we already have those mechanisms.

It is now time we saw the NEC, the OEP, indeed the National Security Committee and other strategic thought groups brought into the process of government decision making.

These groups can give us more than just expert knowledge. Peopled as they are by those with good operational experience and applied analytical skills, they can allow us to do what all good crisis managers do: think backwards from our ideal end state, ask the right questions to interrogate developing strategies and determine if fit for purpose.

To find our way out of this phase, we must learn to apply counter-intuitive thinking and avoid group-think.

Time to widen our analytical net and operational thinking.

Declan Power is an independent security and defence analyst with experience of crisis management on UN missions
How did the president commemorate the occasion as the nation passed the grim milestone of 100,000 COVID-19 deaths? By accusing a political opponent of murder and threatening Twitter. The coronavirus is the biggest challenge America has faced since the great depression and the presidents response has crossed the line from base incompetence to criminal negligence.

There is still no national plan for reopening. There is still not enough PPE. There is still not enough testing. There is still not enough relief funding. The only thing we have enough of is funerals.

The only strategy the Trump administration has to combat COVID-19 is to blame China. When that doesnt work, blame Obama.

The president loved to tout his economic prowess, never mind that he inherited it from his predecessor, but now the economy is in shambles and we have yet to hear any sort of cogent rebuilding plan besides assurances from perpetual failure Jared Kushner that the economy will be rockin by July. 40,000,000 Americans are out of work and the Republicans first priority was to create a slush fund for corporations so they can keep giving executive bonuses.

The president keeps tweeting conspiracy theories about voter fraud and MSNBC hosts while we become the worldwide leader in coronavirus deaths. The failure of leadership is complete and total.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
The Indian government on Friday doubled down on its rejection of US President Donald Trumps offer to mediate on the border standoff with China, with people familiar with development contradicting the American leaders remarks that he had discussed the big conflict with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

China too rejected Trumps offer of mediation, and foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the two countries dont need the intervention of a third party as they have existing mechanisms to resolve problems. Chinas foreign and defence ministries described the situation at the border as stable and controllable.

The reactions from New Delhi and Beijing came hours after Trump reiterated his offer to mediate between India and China to resolve the standoff between border troops of the two countries at a briefing at the White House early on Friday (Indian time).

Trump initially made the offer to mediate through a tweet on Wednesday. Though it was tacitly turned down by Indias external affairs ministry on Thursday, he went a step further and said on Friday that Modi was not in a good mood regarding the big conflict with China.

The people cited above, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the last conversation between Modi and Trump had occurred long before the standoff with China became public, and the discussion had centred around the US request for supply of hydroxychloroquine to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

There has been no recent contact between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump. The last conversation between them was on April 4 on the subject of hydroxychloroquine, said one of the people cited above.

Yesterday [Thursday], the external affairs ministry had made it clear that we are directly in touch with the Chinese through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts, the person added.

This is the second time New Delhi has called out such a claim by Trump regarding mediation between India and another country. In July 2019, India dismissed Trumps remarks, at a joint news briefing with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, that Modi had asked him to help resolve the Kashmir issue.

At that time too, Trump contended he had spoken directly with Modi about Kashmir. And he actually said, Would you like to be a mediator, or arbitrator? I said Where?, and he said Kashmir, because this has been going on for many many years, Trump had said at the time.

Trump created a flutter on Wednesday with his tweet about mediating to end the standoff: We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute. Thank you!

After studied silence for a day, the external affairs ministry cleared the air at its weekly briefing on Thursday. Asked about Trumps offer, ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava ruled out any role for a third party in addressing the border tensions: As Ive told you, we are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve this issue.

Despite the position adopted by India, Trump reiterated his offer to arbitrate when he was asked by an Indian reporter about the border standoff at the White House briefing.

Prefacing his offer to mediate with the comment that they like me in India, Trump said: They have a big conflict going with India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people, two countries with very powerful militaries. And India is not happy, and probably China is not happy. But I can tell you, I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. Hes not  hes not in a good mood about whats going on with China.

Asked specifically if he would mediate between India and China, Trump replied: I would do that. You know, I would do that. If they  if they thought it would help if I were the mediator or the arbiter, I would do that. So, well see.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian rejected the US offer to mediate by saying: Between China and India, we have existing border-related mechanisms and communication channels. We are capable of properly resolving the issues between us through dialogue and consultation. We do not need the intervention of the third party.

Both Zhao and, for the first time, defence ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang described the situation at the border as stable and controllable.

The two sides have the ability to communicate and solve relevant issues through the established border-related mechanisms and diplomatic channels, Ren said in an online media interaction on Thursday.

Zhao told a regular news briefing on Friday: We have been implementing the important consensus reached by leaders of both countries, observing the bilateral agreements and have been committed to safeguarding territorial sovereignty and security, stability and peace in the border area.

The statements from Chinas foreign and defence ministries were perceived as a sign that, at least as of now, the government isnt willing to let the situation worsen through a war of words with India.

To be sure, India has rejected Chinas assertion that Indian troops carried out illegal constructions across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Arun Singh, who served as Indias envoy to the US during 2015-16, described Trumps mediation offer as an effort to project that he is influential internationally.

The US president is erratic and unpredictable and even Twitter is hiding his tweets. Im sure even he wasnt expecting a positive response from India or China. We should ignore it and move on, Singh said.

Chinas state-run media too dismissed Trumps proposal.

The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order, the nationalistic Global Times tabloid said in a comment piece.

The article titled China, India dont need US help on their frictions further said: It seems Trump finally knows that China and India, the two largest Asian powers, share borders. Early this year, A Very Stable Genius, a book written by two Washington Post journalists, revealed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shocked and concerned when Trump told him India and China did not share a border.

It noted India had turned down Trumps offer last year to mediate on the Kashmir issue, and that India perhaps has been aware of the US bad history of mediation in which the US made troubles rather than solved problems.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that the government must come clean on the border face-off between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Governments silence about the border situation with China is fueling massive speculation and uncertainty at a time of crisis. GOI must come clean and tell India exactly whats happening, Gandhi tweeted on Friday.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 23:02:45|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

HONG KONG, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Legislative Council (LegCo) Friday approved the HKSAR government's proposed urgent bailout of over 5.4 billion Hong Kong dollars (around 696 million U.S. dollars) to keep Hong Kong Ocean Park afloat.

The theme park in early May announced that it would cease its operation as early as in June if it failed to receive a relief fund.

The bailout will be used to support the theme park to operate for another 12 months, to repay the commercial loans of the Ocean Park corporation, and to settle the costs for completing a development project of the park.

The HKSAR government said in a report submitted to the LegCo that after allocating fund to the attraction, it planned to reposition Ocean Park to highlight its core strengths on conservation and education as well as its natural environment as a seaside resort.

"The park will deploy the funding prudently, and stringently control its operating expenses and various costs. The park will work closely with the government on the rethink exercise of Ocean Park to chart the way forward for its rebirth, and looks forward to welcoming visitors to the park again shortly," the park told Xinhua. Enditem
Fundraisers are walking, running and swimming nearly 7,000 miles to raise money for the families of Filipino frontline workers who have died from Covid-19 in the UK.

There has been a disproportionately high number of deaths among Filipinos working in the NHS and care services during the coronavirus pandemic, with claims that Filipinos have the highest death rate of staff in the sector.

Bianca Hanbury-Morris, who is half British and half Filipino, launched a fundraising effort, Balik Bayani, to help the families of those who have died by gathering a team of people to collectively walk the distance from the UK to the Philippines.

So we thought, lets symbolically travel  whether thats exercising, jogging, walking  the 11,000km back to the Philippines, that journey that they couldnt make back home that final time Bianca Hanbury-Morris

She told the PA news agency: I thought, whats the distance of the UK to the Philippines?

Lets get that emotional insight because these healthcare workers travelled a bloody long way from home for a better life to support the family members back home, and thats 11,000km (6,835 miles).

So we thought, lets symbolically travel  whether thats exercising, jogging, walking  the 11,000km back to the Philippines, that journey that they couldnt make back home that final time.

Of 188 frontline health and care deaths verified for the PA news agency, 28 (15%) were people of Filipino heritage.

Official figures indicate that about 18,500 Filipinos worked in the NHS in England as of March 2019, roughly 1.5% of an estimated 1.2 million total workforce.

Ms Hanbury-Morris, who works in marketing, was living in Dublin until recently but moved to Singapore before the start of lockdown because of her husbands work.

A message for the Filipino health and care community in the UK as we hit the halfway mark in our 11,000km journey: Kababayan, we are with you, you are not alone. There are more than 100 of us making this journey for you. https://t.co/asFbpWWxRG @bianca_morris pic.twitter.com/5ZHK7OgNOu  BalikBayani (@Ba11kBayani) May 24, 2020

Following the news in the UK, she said she noticed the high numbers of Filipinos who were dying.

She added: I thought we have to do something about this.

She liaised with the Royal College of Nursing Foundation and set up a fundraiser, ensuring the money raised will be ring-fenced for families of Filipino workers who have died from Covid-19 in the UK.

A team of about 100 people are joining in across the world  in Australia, Italy, Ireland, the US, Singapore, the Philippines and the UK  logging the miles they have walked, run or swum during their daily exercise to add to the cumulative total.

Organisers have also designated other forms of exercise, for example 50 squats or 15 pull-ups, as equivalent to one kilometre, so those who are unable to run can still take part.

As of Thursday they had raised about 5,600 of their 20,000 target, having completed more than 7,000km of their journey.

People really love to gang together and help, its not just the Filipino spirit but the human spirit, Ms Hanbury-Morris said.

That sounds like a cheesy remark but Ive seen it on both sides of the world, from our British comrades and the Filipinos. Its very heartening.

Its been an overwhelming response and weve had people say, I had no idea Filipinos make up so much of the health system here, so thats a great byproduct  increasing the awareness of what Filipinos mean to the UK.

Ms Hanbury-Morris, 31, also said she hopes the number of deaths of Filipino workers will lead to a cultural change within the NHS and care sector.

Ive listened to the healthcare community who Im now very close to and a lot of them say it is a cultural thing, where Filipinos, they get their head down.

I spoke to a senior consultant and he fondly said Filipinos are the quiet workhorses, and I know that for a fact.

They teach us in school to just be grateful you have a job.

She added: If you have a workforce that is so largely made up of ethnic minorities, build the culture for them.

If you know that most of your workforce wont call out when theyre ill or scared or taking on too many shifts, build the culture so that you ask it, or train them to ask it.

People can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/balikbayani
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe on Thursday, May 28, warned a Covid-19 patient who escaped quarantine at Mbagathi Hospital to turn himself in or the long arm of the law will catch up with him.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that a male patient escaped from the facility at around 8:40 a.m after threatening security personnel with a screwdriver and a knife.

The CS, who apparently was not aware of the incident, said his ministry had not been informed of the incident.

Kagwe nonetheless appealed to the patient to go back to the facility.

My appeal to the person who has run away is to come back. If the escapee is among us, I appeal to him or her to kindly identify themselves to the doctors because if you are out there, you are infecting everybody that you come across, said Kagwe.

Even if you run, I want to assure you that we shall find you. The long arm of the law will catch up with you, he added.

Kagwe also noted that the last time 50 patients escaped a quarantine facility, some surrendered themselves after becoming ill.

I guarantee you that we will find you. We have got ways and means. So, come back, be isolated and after a few days, you will be okay. We will pray for you even if you are a sinner, the CS said.

During the daily briefing on COVID-19, Kagwe reported 147 new cases from 2,831 samples, raising Kenyas total to 1,618 positive cases.

The infections are spread across at least 11 counties with Nairobi recording 90 cases, followed by Mombasa with 41 and Kiambu with 3.

In Nairobi, the new infections were recorded in Kibra (35), Langata (15), Makadara (9), Westlands (8), Embakasi Central (6), Embakasi West (5), Kasarani(4), Kamukunji (2), Dagoretti North(2), Starehe(2), Roysambu(1), Mathare (1).

Another 13 people were discharged, raising the number of recoveries to 421.

A total of 70,172 people have been tested to date, with the total number of fatalities rising to 58 after three patients succumbed.
Investors on Friday are digesting the government's April personal income and spending figures. Income rose 10.5% compared to estimates for a 5% drop. Spending sank 13.6% compared to expectations for a 12.9% decline as consumers sock away their money during the coronavirus pandemic. (CNBC) * American savings rate hits record 33% (CNBC)

Twitter put a "public interest notice" on an early Friday tweet from the president, saying the post violated the platform's rules regarding the glorifying of violence. The Trump tweet in question targets the protests in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd. On Thursday, the president signed an executive order on social media "censorship," two days after Twitter put a fact-check label on other Trump tweets. (CNBC)

Clinical trials of drugs, treatments and vaccines unrelated to Covid-19 will likely face delays going forward as the agency focuses its resources on addressing the virus, former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CNBC on Friday.



The European Union will conduct an accelerated review of Gilead Sciences' (GILD) remdesivir as a potential treatment for Covid-19, said the European Medicines Agency. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization for the use of remdesivir to treat Covid-19 patients earlier this month. (Reuters)

Tesla (TSLA) confirms that CEO Elon Musk, who called coronavirus lockdowns "fascist" and reopened a California assembly plant in defiance of a local order, earned the first tranche of his massive incentive payout worth about $775 million based on Thursday's close. (CNBC)



* GM to increase North American production of crossover, pickup trucks next week (Reuters)

Tyson Foods (TSN) will temporarily close its Storm Lake, Iowa, pork processing plant, after 555 employees, or nearly a quarter of the facility's workforce, tested positive for the coronavirus. Tyson said it plans to resume operations next week after additional deep cleaning and sanitizing of the plant. (Reuters)

Costco (COST) sales grew in its fiscal third quarter ending May 10, as the wholesale giant benefited from customers buying packs of toilet paper, cases of bottled water and bulk grocery items during the coronavirus pandemic. But that growth was constrained by state stay-at-home orders. (CNBC)



Big Lots (BIG) is the latest discount retailer to report a strong quarter during the pandemic, earning an adjusted $1.26 per share compared with a 40 cent estimate. Revenue exceeded forecasts as well, with same-store sales jumping 10.3% compared with a 1% estimate.

Nordstrom (JWN) lost $3.33 per share for its latest quarter, more than triple than consensus estimate of a $1.07 per share loss. The retailer's revenue also missed estimates, as nationwide lockdowns shut its stores. Overall sales were down almost 40% during the quarter.
WASHINGTON - A Georgetown University Medical Center clinical trial investigating the cancer drug nilotinib in people with Alzheimer's disease finds that it is safe and well-tolerated, and researchers say the drug should be tested in a larger study to further determine its safety and efficacy as a potential disease-modifying strategy.

The results of the small, phase II, randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the impact of low doses of nilotinib (Tasigna) were published online May 29 in Annals of Neurology.

Nilotinib is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. The rationale for studying nilotinib in Alzheimer's disease is based on laboratory and clinical research conducted by the Georgetown Translational Neurotherapeutics Program (TNP) directed by Charbel Moussa, MBBS, PhD.

Nilotinib appears to aid in the clearance of accumulated beta-amyloid (Abeta) plaques and Tau tangles in neurons in the brain -- hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Nilotinib appears to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and turn on the "garbage disposal" machinery inside neurons (a process known as autophagy) to get rid of the Tau, Abeta and other toxic proteins.

R. Scott Turner, PhD, MD, director of Georgetown's Memory Disorders Program, served as principal investigator of the Alzheimer's disease study.

"The primary goal of this study was to determine its safety and tolerability in Alzheimer's patients," says Turner. "The study found that it is safe and well-tolerated, as we anticipated, and that it may have disease modifying benefits."

After careful screening, 37 people with mild dementia due to Alzheimer's were randomized to either the placebo or nilotinib groups for the 12-month study. A 150 mg daily dose of nilotinib or matching placebo was taken orally once daily for 26 weeks followed by a 300 mg daily dose of nilotinib or placebo for another 26 weeks. To prevent bias the study was blinded, meaning neither the study participants nor the investigators knew if the active drug or placebo were being administered until the end of the study.

Nilotinib was safe and well-tolerated, although more adverse events, particularly mood swings (agitation and irritation), were noted at the 300 mg dose. Mood swings were significantly increased between 6 and 12 months after the dose was increased from 150 mg to 300 mg daily. Nilotinib carries an FDA "black-box warning" because of cardiovascular issues that may lead to sudden death in cancer patients (typically treated with 600 mg daily), but no such incidents occurred in this study (maximum dose of 300 mg daily).

The amyloid burden as measured by brain imaging was reduced in the nilotinib group compared to the placebo group. Two forms of amyloid in cerebrospinal fluid were also measured. A40 was reduced at 6 months and A42 was reduced at 12 months in the nilotinib group compared to placebo. Hippocampal volume loss (on MRI scans of the brain) was attenuated at 12 months and phospho-tau-181 in spinal fluid was reduced at 6 and 12 months in the nilotinib treated group.

"The current data are in agreement with previous preclinical and other clinical studies at Georgetown suggesting nilotinib is a potential disease-modifying drug that triggers autophagy of neurotoxic proteins including A40/, A42, and phospho tau-181," explains Moussa, an associate professor of neurology and senior author on the study.

"The increase in mood swings with 300 mg nilotinib is associated with dose-dependent increases of brain dopamine, suggesting that 150 mg nilotinib is the optimal dosage to investigate in a future Alzheimer study," adds Moussa.

Turner emphasizes that "this is the first oral treatment found to lower amyloid burden in the brain." While this has also been found with several anti-amyloid antibodies these treatments cannot be given orally. Future Alzheimer's studies are now in the planning stage, Turner concludes.

"The results of this exploratory study repurposing nilotinib are encouraging," says Howard Fillit, MD, Founding Executive Director and Chief Science Officer of the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), a study funder. "We supported this research as part of a wider initiative to use the knowledge gained from cancer research to advance effective treatments for Alzheimer's."

###

In addition to Turner and Moussa, additional authors from Georgetown and/or MedStar Georgetown include: Michaeline L. Hebron, MS, Abigail Lawler, MD, Elizabeth E. Mundel, MD, Nadia Yusuf, MD, J. Nathan Starr, DO, Muhammad Anjum, MD, Fernando Pagan, MD, Yasar Torres-Yaghi, MD, Wangke Shi, MS, Sanjana Mulki, MS, Dalila Ferrante, MS, Sara Matar, MS, Xiaoguang Liu, MD, PhD, Giuseppe Esposito, MD, Frank Berkowitz, MD, Xiong Jiang, PhD, and Jaeil Ahn, PhD.

Moussa is a named inventor on a portfolio of issued patents and patent applications held by Georgetown and directed to technologies comprising TKI compositions and the use of nilotinib and bosutinib and certain other TKIs, including new TKI compositions for the treatment of neurodegenerative, lysosomal and myodegenerative diseases ("GU intellectual property"). He and Pagan are two of the founding shareholders of KeifeRx, LLC, an exclusive optionee to license GU intellectual property in which Georgetown also has a founding equity interest.

Turner reports that Georgetown University receives Alzheimer's disease research funding from Roche/Genentech, Lilly, Biogen, Merck, and Acadia.

This study was supported by a grant from the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation as well as philanthropic support from Richard D. Budson, MD, and Susan Agger, and other philanthropies. The research was supported by Georgetown's Clinical Research Unit, which is funded by a Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (CTSA) from the National Institutes of Health (UL1TR00010).

The investigators wish to thank all study participants and their study partners and families who participated in the study.

About Georgetown University Medical Center

As a top academic health and science center, Georgetown University Medical Center provides, in a synergistic fashion, excellence in education -- training physicians, nurses and other health care professionals, as well as biomedical scientists -- and cutting-edge interdisciplinary research collaboration, enhancing our basic science and translational biomedical research capacity in order to improve human health. Patient care and clinical research is conducted with our clinical partner, MedStar Health. GUMC's mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on social justice and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis -- or "care of the whole person." GUMC comprises the School of Medicine, the School of Nursing & Health Studies, Biomedical Graduate Education, and Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Designated by the Carnegie Foundation as a "very high research activity university," Georgetown is home to a Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health, and a Comprehensive Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer Institute. Connect with GUMC on Facebook (Facebook.com/GUMCUpdate) and on Twitter (@gumedcenter).
Protesters march and carry signs decrying the killing of George Floyd on May 26, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

George Floyd's family and their attorney called for peaceful and socially distance protests after Floyd's death by a police officer in Minneapolis.

"We cannot sink to the level of our oppressors, and we must not endanger others during this pandemic," the statement read.

Video shows a white police officer kneeling on Floyd's back for about eight minutes. He later died at a hospital.

Floyd who is black could be heard saying "Please, please, please, I can't breathe. Don't kill me," on the video.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

George Floyd's family and their attorney have called for socially distant protests in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We cannot sink to the level of our oppressors, and we must not endanger others during this pandemic. We will demand and ultimately force lasting change by shining a light on treatment that is horrific and unacceptable and by winning justice," the statement read.

On Monday, a video circulated online showing a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, kneeling on George Floyd's neck for nearly eight minutes, Business Insider previously reported.

"Please, please, please, I can't breathe," Floyd says in the video. "Don't kill me."

About four minutes into the video, Floyd became unresponsive. He died later at the hospital.

A police statement on Tuesday said he had been experiencing "medical distress" and was taken to the hospital, where he died.

Four police officers who were involved in his death were fired, Mayor Jacob Frey said on Tuesday.

The FBI and state authorities are investigating Floyd's death.

"I believe what I saw, and what I saw was wrong at every level," Frey said in a press conference on Tuesday. and added: "Being black in America should not be a death sentence."

On Tuesday, thousands of people protested in Minneapolis over Floyd's killing, Business Insider reported. According to local outlet WCCO, protestors wore masks and tried to socially distance as much as possible.

Story continues

"The community is understandably and rightfully upset by the wrongful death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, and their grief and outrage are pouring out onto the streets of Minneapolis," the statement from Floyd's family and their lawyer read. "We share these painful emotions and demand justice, but we also urge everyone who wishes to raise their voice to engage in peaceful protests and observe social distancing."

While Tuesday's protests began peacefully, they escalated as protestors and police officers began to clash. Officers eventually deployed tear gas and other riot-control measures.

Protests continued on Wednesday, but the scene turned violent with reports of looting and shops on fire in Minneapolis.

Read the original article on Insider
Many local businesses had last Wednesday, May 20, circled on the calendar for several weeks.

It was to be the beginning of the beginning  the first step in opening back up to the public and starting the process of returning to some semblance of normalcy. For many, it probably marked the first time they could sell a product or offer a service since late March.

Thats why its unsurprising that so many local and state hair salon owners feel as if the rug was yanked from beneath their feet last week when Governor Ned Lamont decided to push back the date on which such establishments could open. What had been May 20 is now slated for sometime in early June.

As local salon owners told The Cheshire Herald, the decision came as a shock and yet another financial blow. After spending days and weeks preparing for May 20  ensuring that their facilities were ready to comply with all health and safety restrictions while also setting appointments with those seeking haircuts for the first time since March  their plans were upended two days before doors were about to be opened. It seems that, as much as anything, it was the timing of Lamonts decision that disturbed most of these owners.

No doubt, the process of reopening Connecticut was always going to be tricky, as balancing public health concerns, amidst a pandemic that has not been completely quelled, with the need to restart the states economy never promised to be easy. And its true that Lamonts decision seems to have been a response to many state salon owners who were concerned that their facilities were not ready for a reopen, and that they could not offer their services in a manner that protected both staff and customers.

But by making the decision when he did, Lamont put further strain on establishments and small business owners who are trying desperately to figure out a way to make ends meet. The money and time they spent preparing for May 20 is money and time they can ill afford to spend without the promise that business will begin once again.

Its understandable that both leaders and public health officials want to be as cautious as possible in reopening the state. No one wants to see the number of people hospitalized or dying due to COVID-19 begin to rise again, not after so much has been sacrificed over the last few weeks to help move those numbers in the right direction. No one wants to unnecessarily put peoples lives at risk.

Yet, an overabundance of caution, even if warranted, has real and profound impact. Its not simply inconvenient for local hair salons to remain closed; it could potentially put their businesses in jeopardy.

Its also incumbent on leaders to better explain such consequential decisions. Lamont simply suggesting that he thought it was time take a step back probably wasnt enough to assuage the concerns of business owners. If such a decision was required, the state owed these workers a more detailed explanation as to what had changed.

Yes, this was always going to be tough. Lamonts decisions cant be expected to please everyone. Keeping people safe and moving the state forward was always going to involve tradeoffs. But as the state begins phase-one and looks forward to the next two, it would serve all our leaders well to remember that last-minute delays like the one last week can and will have profound consequences.
To spot the very rare and tiny Leadbeaters possum you have to possess extraordinary patience, says Steve Meacher.

It is called a stag watch: go into the mountain forests at dusk and stand at the base of a towering old eucalyptus tree. These often die back at the crown, creating the craggy stag profiles from which they get their name.

Steve Meacher, the president of Friends of the Leadbeater's Possum Credit:Eddie Jim

As night falls, look upwards. You might see the silhouette of a Leaderbeaters possum emerging from its hollow and venturing into the night to look for moths and beetles.

Stag watches are something Meacher and other volunteers in the community group Friends of Leadbeaters Possum (FLBP) have done for years to prove that critically-endangered "leaddies" live in areas of forest destined for logging.
US to conduct nuclear test 'within months' if Trump orders: Pentagon

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 28 May 2020 5:29 AM

A senior Pentagon official says the US could carry out a live nuclear test "within months" if President Donald Trump orders it.

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters Drew said "geopolitical issues"  presumably referring to Moscow and Beijing  could prompt the order, and that could change "rapidly."

"If the president directed  because of a technical issue or a geopolitical issue  the system to go test, I think it would happen relatively rapidly," Walter said.

The Washington Post reported late last week that the United States is planning to conduct a nuclear test as the Trump administration backtracks on US treaties to reduce nuclear arms, reigniting a dangerous and new Cold War.

Top national security officials of the Trump administration discussed performing the US' first nuclear test since 1992 at a meeting last Friday.

A senior official told the paper that a US "rapid test" could offer leverage in arms negotiations with Russia and China as the White House pushes for a trilateral arms control deal.

Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, told The Post that, "It would be an invitation for other nuclear-armed countries to follow suit."

The reported talks over the US nuclear test comes as the New START treaty, a nuclear arms control pact which limits the number of strategic nuclear weapons the US and Russia can deploy, is set to expire in February 2021.

Russia has signaled willingness to renew the agreement, but the US has dragged its feet, insisting on negotiating a new treaty that would include China, Russia's RT news network says.

The US and Russia signed the New START accord in 2010 and agreed to reduce the number of strategic nuclear missiles by half and restrict the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550.

Last week, Trump's arms control negotiator Marshall Billingslea threatened that the US could spend any adversary "into oblivion," deeming it a "tried and true" strategy.

"We know how to win these (nuclear arms) races and we know how to spend the adversary into oblivion," Billingslea said in an online presentation to a Washington think tank

Billingslea plans to meet with his Russian counterpart Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov to discuss a new US proposal for an accord to limit all Russian, Chinese and US nuclear warheads, according to US officials.

The US is the only country in the world that has ever used a nuclear weapon during wartime. Since the US bombings of Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, at least eight countries have collectively conducted about 2,000 nuclear tests.

Of these tests, the US conducted over 1,000 nuclear weapons tests between 1945 and 1992, and 216 of them were above ground.

In conducting explosive nuclear tests, the US government killed thousands of innocent people and sickened untold thousands more.

Radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons testing spread across the United States, including Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Guam.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Photograph: Canadian Press/Rex/Shutterstock

Canadians are watching unrest and police violence in the United States in shock and horror, Justin Trudeau said on Friday  but the prime minister cautioned that his country also has entrenched problems with racism.

The city of Minneapolis has been rocked by a third night of violent protests over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, after a white police officer knelt on his neck as he lay on the ground following arrest.

Many Canadians of diverse backgrounds are watching, like all Canadians are, the news out of the United States with shock and with horror, Trudeau told reporters at a daily briefing.

Anti-black racism  racism  is real. Its in the United States but its also in Canada and we know people are facing systemic discrimination, unconscious bias and anti-black racism every single day, said Trudeau, calling on the country to stand together in solidarity against racial hate. We have work to do as well in Canada.

Racial inequities continue to persist throughout the country  a grim reality that is often apparent during interactions with police.

In December 2018, the province of Ontario released a landmark report that found black residents in Toronto  the countrys largest city  are 20 times more likely to be shot dead by the police than white residents.

Its a very Canadian tradition to speak in platitudes, to refer to the underground railroad and to speak about Canada as a haven and a place that acknowledges its past mistakes, said Robyn Maynard, author of Policing Black Lives. But we continue to see similar structural harms and structural kinds of violence as we do in places where leaders make more overtly vitriolic statements towards black communities.

Last month, 26-year-old DAndre Campbell was shot dead by police inside his own home, north of Toronto, after Campbell himself called 911.

Earlier this week, the family of Regis Korchinski-Paquet said a police officer shoved the young woman over the balcony of the familys 24th-floor apartment, where she fell to her death. The case is currently under investigation by an arms-length police watchdog.

Story continues

Maynard also pointed out the coronavirus pandemic continues to have a disproportionate impact on black and indigenous residents, who are overrepresented in the countrys prison population.

We continue to see prisons and jails being epicentres of outbreaks, she said. Yet there is failure on the part of the federal government to meaningfully release to release prisoners.

Trudeaus unprompted remarks marked a notable departure for a leader who has gone to great lengths to avoid irritating his US counterpart, Donald Trump.

Related: Canada is hailed for its tolerance but is it ready to confront its racism?

Canadian prime ministers have traditionally refrained from discussing political and social turmoil in the US  Canadas main ally and largest trading partner.

Justin Trudeau has long spoken about the need to tackle racism, but his re-election campaign was marred by pictures of him in blackface as a young man.
Flacq, Mauritius (PANA)  Mauritian Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Jugnauth, on Thursday, said that if Mauritius has recorded no new locally transmitted positive case of COVID-19 (coronavirus) for more than a month, it is largely due to the dedication of healthcare personnel, as well as to the treatment administered to the 334 patients out of which 332 have been successfully treated
* Interactive graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/2XdLf1q

By Zandi Shabalala and Jeff Lewis

LONDON/TORONTO, May 29 (Reuters) - A lull in corporate takeover activity among gold miners is expected to end as new coronavirus-linked travel restrictions are lifted in coming months, clearing the way for prospective buyers, industry executives and fund managers said.

Deals this year have been hobbled by lockdown measures to curb the spread of the virus, preventing acquirers from travelling to inspect acquisition targets.

Miners year-to-date have struck 275 transactions worth about $6.9 billion, including net debt, according to data from Refinitiv, down from 329 deals valued around $26.8 billion in the six months to June 2019.

Last year's tally included the closing of multibillion-dollar deals by Barrick and Newmont .

"Our industry is considering coronavirus a thing of the past as most countries are easing lockdowns and this should propel M&A activity again," said Ingo Hofmaier, SolGolds executive general manager of project and corporate finance.

"Uncertainty and inability to visit mine sites was clearly not helpful."

Solgold, whose largest shareholder is BHP, earlier this month struck a financing deal worth up to $150 million with streaming company Franco-Nevada Corp.

Gold is trading at its highest since 2013, around $1,700 an ounce, because of its safe-haven appeal.

"We are being shown a lot more deals but with coronavirus, due diligence is tricky if you are not based on the ground and near the site," said Bert Monro, chief executive of West Africa-focused Cora Gold.

Deals this year largely took shape before the outbreak, executives and bankers said.

In March, Endeavour Mining offered C$1 billion ($726.9 million) for Toronto-listed Semafo.

Silvercorp Metals this month hiked its bid for Guyana Goldfields, while China's Shandong Gold Mining offered C$230 million ($167.9 million) for struggling TMAC Resources. SSR Mining also snapped up Alacer Gold .

"Overall we expect more deals in the mid-cap space as companies compete to become relevant," said David Baker of Baker Steel Capital Managers.

(Reporting by Zandi Shabalala in London and Jeff Lewis in Toronto; editing by Ernest Scheyder)
CBSN Minnesota has live, continuing coverage of the protests. Download the CBS News app or visit cbsnews.com/minnesota to watch.

A CNN crew reporting on the unrest in Minneapolis was arrested by state police officers while on live television, despite identifying themselves as reporters. The city was plunged into turmoil for a third night of protests in response to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed while in police custody.

The crew was released later Friday morning. Footage from CNN morning program "New Day" shows CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez reporting early in the morning, and then being approached by Minneapolis State Patrol.

Live updates: Protests rage in Minneapolis over George Floyd's death

Minnesota police arrest CNN reporter and camera crew as they report from protests in Minneapolis https://t.co/IY0H1Lc77E pic.twitter.com/s9XmwVfabP

 New Day (@NewDay) May 29, 2020

A cameraperson who was arrested alongside Jimenez and his producer told CNN that police said they were being arrested for not moving to a new location after being directed to do so. However, footage shows that Jimenez and the crew informed the officers that they were reporters, and attempting to get out of the way.

"We can move back to where you'd like here. We are live on the air at the moment," Jimenez is heard saying to police officers approaching him in riot gear. "Wherever you'd want us, we will go. We were just getting out of your way when you were advancing through the intersection."

Two police officers are shown grabbing Jimenez's arms and informing him that he is under arrest.

"Okay. Do you mind telling me why I am under arrest, sir?" Jimenez asks as the officers pull his arms behind his back to handcuff him. Another member of the CNN crew is heard informing the officers that they are live on television.

Jimenez's producer, Bill Kirkos, and the cameraperson, Leonel Mendez, were then arrested.

Story continues

CNN reporter Josh Campbell, who was also on the ground in Minneapolis in a different part of the city, told "New Day" anchors John Berman and Alisyn Camerota that he had the "opposite" experience of Jimenez.

A black reporter from CNN was arrested while legally covering the protests in Minneapolis. A white reporter also on the ground was not. https://t.co/8hlBYGlqnN pic.twitter.com/nl65NfMuIm

 New Day (@NewDay) May 29, 2020

"I identified myself, I told them who I was with, they said, 'okay, you're permitted to be in this area,'" Campbell said. He expressed shock that the police arrested Jimenez and his crew after they identified themselves and informed the officers that they were reporting live. Campbell is white, and Jimenez is black.

CNN later reported that CNN president Jeff Zucker spoke to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who said he "deeply apologizes" for the arrest of Jimenez and his crew.

Minnesota governor Tim Walz has apologized to CNN for this morning's arrests, per @JohnBerman pic.twitter.com/mYLE9kZbgV

 Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) May 29, 2020

Jimenez, who was released later in the morning, reported that there was "no animosity" from the officers and said they told him they were following orders. Jimenez also said that while it was a shocking experience, he was comforted that it occurred on live TV.

"The one thing that gave me a little bit of comfort was that it happened on live TV," Jimenez said, explaining that this allowed others to speak out on his behalf.

Minnesota State Patrol confirmed the arrests in a tweet.

"In the course of clearing the streets and restoring order at Lake Street and Snelling Avenue, four people were arrested by State Patrol troopers, including three members of a CNN crew. The three were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media," the tweet said. Jimenez and his crew had identified themselves as media while being arrested.

The arrest of Jimenez and the CNN crew comes after President Trump waded into the controversy to condemn the protesters and seemingly advocate for violence. Mr. Trump called the protesters "thugs" and said that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." The tweet was quickly flagged by Twitter as one that could glorify violence.

Trump expected to sign social media executive order amid feud with Twitter

Minneapolis police station on fire as protests grow over George Floyd's death

Trump and Biden respond to U.S. coronavirus death toll surpassing 100,000
[May 29, 2020] Trusscore Raises $5.33 Million in Seed Financing Round

Trusscore, a material science company that is changing the way people build by combining sustainable materials and nanotechnology, today announced it has completed an oversubscribed CDN$5.33-million seed round of financing. Proceeds from the financing will assist in research and development aimed toward scaling production of Trusscore's innovative materials and to continue building and expanding the Trusscore team in support of the growth of the company. "Trusscore is delighted to have a team of investors comprised of fellow serial entrepreneurs, construction executives, family and friends," said Dave Caputo, CEO of Trusscore. "Having capital come from investors in the building materials sector is encouraging and humbling. At Trusscore, we are committed to changing the way the world builds, reducing material waste, and leaving the world a better place for the next generation." Trusscore was able to demonstrate that commitment by helping to flatten the curve at the outset of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Within a week, the company developed a line of antimicrobial temporary walls - TempWall by Trusscore - that were accepted for use in a number of hospitals and long-term care facilities. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned the company and its new product during one of his recent COVID-19 media briefings. TempWall by Trusscore will continue to be a priority through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond, helping with physical distancing as the economy slowly reopens.



About Trusscore Trusscore is changing how people build buildings and the environmental footprint left behind when they do. Trusscore is focusing on R&D and bringing material science to its formulations-making its products functional and beautiful. Trusscore Wall&CeilingBoard is changing the way the world builds interior walls with a material that is installed three times faster and is incredibly durable, reusable and recyclable. The company's marketing and R&D teams are based at the Communitech Hub in Kitchener with manufacturing plants in Palmerston, Ontario and Dayton, Ohio.

Recent media coverage https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/heroes-of-the-pandemic-how-one-mans-obsession-with-painted-drywall-helped-the-covid-19-fight?video_autoplay=true

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/temp-walls-trusscore-justin-trudeau-waterloo-region-1.5516432

https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/trudeau-uses-waterloo-company-as-example-for-retooling-to-equip-hospitals-1.4875927 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005084/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
VANCOUVERA senior police officer from the United Kingdom with expertise in money laundering says underground banking linked to China has become a significant threat in the U.K., and he believes Canada shares some of the same vulnerabilities.

Simon Lord of the National Crime Agency, who is also part of a Five Eyes group dedicated to international money-laundering controls, testified before a public inquiry into money laundering in British Columbia on Thursday.

Money laundering is mirrored in countries like Canada and the U.K. because they have similar legal and economic frameworks, he said.

Aspects in both countries designed to attract investment or good money, like having a developed financial system and global trade links, often also attracts bad money, he said.

I wouldnt say Canada is any more or less vulnerable to money laundering, and certainly British Columbia, than any other large western country, Lord said.

Generally, he says, Canada is pretty well-run and referenced a 2016 review by the Financial Action Task Force, an international organization founded to combat money laundering, that found some deficiencies in regulation.

However, there has been an apparent upswing in underground banking networks connecting the proceeds of crime in the U.K. with capital flight from China, he said.

Investigators began noticing the problem in the U.K. around 2015 and Lord estimated its in the scale of hundreds of millions if not billions of British pounds.

Some of the same examples, such as links to real estate, are happening in major cities around the world, including Vancouver and Auckland, he said.

Under the model, underground bankers help wealthy Chinese citizens move their money out of the Peoples Republic of China, which limits annual export of funds per person to $50,000 (U.S.) and restricts how it is spent, including a ban on buying property, he said.

Lord repeated several times that not everyone who uses a so-called informal value transfer system is a criminal and he is not implying this problem was created by members of the broader Chinese community in the United Kingdom. Transferring more than $50,000 out of the country would also not be considered a crime in the U.K., he noted.

But the underground bankers have married the demand from Chinese citizens moving funds with the supply of dirty money from criminals, who are not necessarily Chinese.

Under the model, the Chinese citizen who wants to transfer money out of the country makes a payment into a bank account in China operated by the underground banker, Lord said.

He then receives the equivalent funds in a British bank. That account is fed by cash collected by the banker from U.K. criminals.

The criminals in turn typically want to move their money out of the country, for example, to purchase cocaine in South America. So, the banker makes an equivalent payment less a commission in South America on behalf of the criminal.

The system is grown as a result of local conditions but abused by criminals, Lord said.

Underground bankers have also recruited nominees, including students, to volunteer their bank accounts for the transfers in exchange for commissions of around 2,000 to 3,000 British pounds a month, he said.

Lord also warned that there are consequences to being perceived as a country that is vulnerable to money laundering.

As soon as you are seen as a bad place to do business, if your regulatory structures arent in place, if there are lots of ways in which your country can be abused, then people simply dont want to put their money there, he said.

When that happens, remittances go down, the cost of borrowing goes up and the amount of money available for public services goes down, he said.

It really is imperative that countries get on top of this type of thing, because they can suffer all kinds of ill effects from it.

B.C. launched the inquiry amid growing concern that illegal cash was helping to fuel its real estate, luxury car and gambling sectors. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government is participating and says it is committed to tackling the national problem.

The inquiry heard opening statements in February and will delve into specific industries starting in September.

The inquiry is currently getting an overview of money laundering and the various regulatory models designed to fight it around the globe.

Read more about:
Zack Beck, Oceansides elected, part-time city clerk, has accepted the same job in Escondido, an appointed, full-time position. He will begin his new duties in January.

Beck, 31, was elected city clerk in Oceanside in 2012 and re-elected without opposition in 2016.

Escondido has been looking for someone to replace longtime City Clerk Diane Halverson, who retired in October.

Beck, an Oceanside native, will make $118,844 in his new position, the same as Halverson was making. That is far more than the roughly $23,000 he was making in Oceanside, which made the position part-time and cut the compensation at the height of the recession, the same year he was first elected.

Advertisement

It will be a change, Beck said Tuesday.

Hes bright, energetic and he knows the business inside and out, said Escondido City Manager Jeff Epp, and he comes from a great organization.

The city clerks office has a multitude of duties, including overseeing local elections, organizing city council agendas, staff reports and minutes, and responding to public records requests.

The clerk also maintains campaign and economic interest statement filings, helps with the recruitment and appointments to boards and commissions, and administers the Citys records management program and off-site imaging system.

Beck sent a letter to Oceansides mayor and city council members Tuesday announcing his plans to resign effective Dec. 31.

To the amazing team members in the Oceanside City Clerk Department, thank you for your wonderful work and sacrificial service. To the City Council, staff and constituents of Escondido, California, I look forward to serving you to the best of my ability with integrity, accuracy and independence.

Beck said Tuesday he was very excited to come to Escondido. He plans to continue living in Oceanside with his wife for the time being but he said that could change.

He said he is familiar with Escondido having served there as the youth pastor at Gateway Community Church.

Im very familiar with the different high schools out there, he said.

My wife and I love North County San Diego and feel very connected and committed to North County, he said. One of the reasons he was attracted to the Escondido job was because it would let him stay in the region, he added.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
(TNS)  A $275,000 donation to the Pittsburgh Public Schools will ensure students who live in Housing Authority communities have the devices and internet access they need to participate in remote instruction.The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh announced it was making the donation Thursday, saying it was was part of an effort to help end the digital divide facing many low-income communities.This is the partial realization of a long-term effort to ensure that HACP students arent left behind due to the digital divide, Michelle Sandidge, the Housing Authoritys chief community affairs officer, said in a statement. Its an investment in the future of these kids and an investment that we are proud to make.The school district will use the money to purchase Chromebook laptops and internet essentials for the 872 city school students living in Housing Authority households. The district said students will be able to use the laptops for the its summer programming as well as future distance learning.The Housing Authority said it has long been committed to bridging the digital divide for families living in its communities. The technology needs of students created by the pandemic has expedited that work, the authority said.Student access to devices and internet service has become an important aspect of the education system as schools across Pennsylvania and most of the country have switched to remote instruction amid the COVID-19 pandemic.Schools in Pennsylvania will remain closed throughout the summer, and even though the state education secretary said he expects they will reopen in the fall, some remote instruction could still be a component.Lack of internet access impacted communities in Pittsburgh before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the challenges families face have been exacerbated by the mass migration of daily life to the internet, the Housing Authority said. No internet now means no school, which can have far-reaching consequences on childhood development. No internet means falling behind.Thousands of families, including many who live in Housing Authority communities, told the Pittsburgh Public Schools that their children needed devices to participate in remote instruction when schools closed in March. The district has distributed thousands of laptops over the past months, but it still needs several thousand more before it can supply each student with one.Superintendent Anthony Hamlet said he had the goal of making the Pittsburgh Public Schools a 1-to-1 laptop district  meaning a device would be provided to all students regardless of need  before the pandemic shutdown occurred. While it is unclear when that objective will be met, he said that the pandemic has made it more urgent.Due to the care and generosity of the Housing Authority of Pittsburgh, we will be able to level the playing field for some of our most vulnerable students, Mr. Hamlet said in a statement. We are so grateful for this contribution that will bring us closer to our ultimate goal of becoming a 1-to-1 laptop district.
Bill and Hillary Clinton stop at a petrol station. The attendant, it turns out, is a high school boyfriend of Hillary. As they pull away, Bill says, Just think  if youd married him, youd be the wife of a petrol station worker. Hillary responds: No, Bill. If Id married him, hed be president of the United States.

In the early 90s, after Bill Clinton was elected president but before we knew the extent of his unwieldy appetites, that joke was everywhere. Hillary, at the time, was merely an impressive first lady. Her job description was to perform wifehood and, as a result, her intellect was something to be celebrated. Later, especially when she ran for political office, that brilliance became a liability  and her refusal to leave Bill another sign of a conniving personality.

Loading

With her fifth novel, Rodham, Curtis Sittenfeld returns to the premise of that bygone joke to ask: what wouldve happened to Hillary if shed never married Bill? Here in the US, Sittenfelds has been one of the years most eagerly anticipated books. I loved her previous works American Wife (a fictionalised account of Laura Bushs marriage to George W.) and Prep, her debut about a New England boarding school which remains the most astute statement on class in modern America Ive encountered.

As Sittenfeld imagines it, Hillary was attracted to Bill first for his striking good looks (a handsome lion), then for his ability, unusual in Hillarys male contemporaries, to appreciate her mind. Later on in Rodham, as in real life, these qualities become dangerous. Bill famously proposed to Hillary three times before she agreed to marry him; in Sittenfelds story, they break up after the third proposal and Hillary returns to her home town, Chicago, to begin a highly successful career in law.
Austin A. Lane, former president of Texas Southern University, has been appointed the new chancellor of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, according to a university release.

Lanes appointment was approved unanimously by the universitys board of trustees Friday following the recommendation of SIU System President Daniel F. Mahony. His appointment will begin July 6 and Lane intends to be Illinois by end of June, a Southern Illinois official said.

Lane served as TSUs president from 2016 until February 2020, when he was ousted by the university board after being accused of not notifying them of  fraudulent and dishonest activities in the law schools admissions process.

The Texas Southern board placed Lane on leave without explanation in January, and voted for his termination in a 6-1 vote in February. Ultimately, the board found no wrongdoing on Lanes part, according to a settlement reached weeks later. Under that agreement, Lane stepped down and the board paid him a lump sum of $560,000, plus unpaid benefits, bringing the total buyout to $879,000, Lane said.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas Southern board to discuss new GPA requirements, waiving test scores

Concerns about Lanes past and controversy at TSU arose at Southern Illinois board meeting, according to the universitys student newspaper the Daily Egyptian.

The newspaper reported Friday that Dave Johnson, president of the SIU faculty association, expressed reservations about Lanes appointment because of conflicting TSU enrollment statistics cited in a press release issued from Southern Illinois. The student paper also said Johnson referenced a Houston Chronicle report this week on an audit showing 4,000 students had been admitted and awarded scholarships without meeting TSUs criteria over a three-year period, during which Lane was president.

How do you plan to ensure trust and transparency going forward given the concerns faculty will have about the hiring of Dr. Lane? Johnson said, according to the Egyptian. The FA will do all in its power to work productively with the new administration, but for that relationship to be productive it must be based on transparency and trust.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas Southern admitted 4,000 student who didnt meet admission standards

Mahony said he felt confident after discussing Lanes history with him and reviewing several documents, including a July 2019 letter from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board closing a complaint made about TSU admissions and a March report on the investigation into TSU admissions.

I looked at it from not just what is accused but actually what information is there, and there was virtually nothing that supported any of those accusations, Mahony said during the meeting, the Egyptian reported.

Prior to his time at TSU, Lane served for two years as the executive vice chancellor for academic and student affairs for the Lone Star College System and as president of Lone Star College-Montgomery from 2009 to 2015. Lane was also the executive vice president for student affairs for Tyler Junior College in Texas from 2005 to 2009, and spent a decade at University of Texas at Arlington as a counselor, assistant dean of students and director of judicial affairs and dean of students.

brittany.britto@chron.com
By Echo Wang

May 29 (Reuters) - Chinese gaming company Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd said on Friday that a U.S. national security panel approved the $620 million sale of popular gay dating app Grindr to an investor group called San Vicente Acquisition LLC.

The panel, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), ordered Kunlun last year to divest Grindr amid concerns regarding the safety of the personal data it handles, such as users' private messages and HIV status.

A Treasury spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment on behalf of CFIUS.

Kunlun has not disclosed the identity of the investors behind San Vicente. It has said only that the group comprises seasoned investors that include one or more U.S. entrepreneurs.

"We are pleased that all approvals for the sale of Grindr have been received and look forward to the close of the transaction in the days ahead," Grindr said in a statement.

Based in West Hollywood, California, Grindr has several million daily active users and describes itself as the worlds largest social networking app for gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people.

Kunlun is one of China's largest mobile gaming companies. It acquired a majority stake in Grindr in 2016 for $93 million and bought out the remainder of the company in 2018. It did so without submitting the transactions for CFIUS review.

CFIUS subsequent intervention in the Grindr deal underscored its focus on the safety of personal data after it blocked the acquisitions of U.S. money transfer company MoneyGram International Inc and mobile marketing firm AppLovin by Chinese bidders. (Reporting by Echo Wang in New York; Additional by Alexandra Alper in Washington, D.C.; Editing by Dan Grebler)
A cluster of COVID-19 cases in Quebec's elementary schools is shining a light on the cost of reopening Canada's hardest hit provinces, as Ontario announced on Friday that it was eyeing a regional approach to pandemic recovery.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS Prime Minister Justin Trudeau steps out of Rideau Cottage for a news conference in Ottawa, Wednesday May 27, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

A cluster of COVID-19 cases in Quebec's elementary schools is shining a light on the cost of reopening Canada's hardest hit provinces, as Ontario announced on Friday that it was eyeing a regional approach to pandemic recovery.

At least 41 staff and students tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the first two weeks after elementary schools outside the Montreal area reopened, the province's education department announced.

"It's normal that by having the daycare, the school being open to the community, there can be cases," said Dr. Horacio Arruda, the province's director of public health.

"The advantage in those areas is that they're young children, and we didn't put any personnel who was high-risk (in the classroom)."

The numbers came from a survey of school boards conducted May 25, which found that 19 students and 22 staff members were infected. Twelve of the province's 72 school boards did not offer up data.

News of the outbreaks came as Quebec reported another 530 cases of the virus on Friday, pushing its total above the 50,000 mark. The death toll climbed by 61, to 4,363.

In Ontario, meanwhile, where officials announced the case count had surged to 27,210 and a total of 2,230 people had died, Premier Doug Ford said he was looking at reopening the province region by region.

"The reality on the ground is different in every part of the province," Ford said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, Friday May 29, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Two-thirds of the province's cases are in the Greater Toronto Area, while some other public health agencies say they have few or no current patients.

New Brunswick, which didn't report any new cases of the virus for the two weeks leading up to May 21, continued to experience a setback on Friday.

Officials there are now working their way through a web of people who may have been infected by a health-care worker who did not self-isolate upon his return from a trip to Quebec.

Health officials announced three additional cases in the region on Thursday, bringing the total of cases in the cluster to six, including the health-care worker at the Campbellton Regional Hospital. One of the new patients also works in health care.

"Based on the contact tracing and the testing that we are doing, we will see more cases," said Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical officer of health.

The province's Vitalite Health Network issued a statement saying the worker had come into contact with dozens of people at the hospital, including 50 employees.

The outbreak forced the adjournment of the provincial legislature Thursday and caused officials to delay a new phase of the recovery plan by a week.

News from the provinces came as Statistics Canada announced gross domestic product fell at an annualized rate of 8.2 per cent in the first three months of 2020  the worst quarterly showing since 2009  even though efforts to contain the novel coronavirus by shuttering businesses and schools didn't begin in earnest until March.

Many of those businesses are now reopening in a bid to re-employ some of the three million people who lost their jobs, putting workers and clients in close proximity and lending new urgency to the testing and tracing process.

Ottawa announced new efforts meant to guide the country through the pandemic, including an additional $650 million for First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities. That adds to $305 million the feds had previously promised.

"Although we've made progress, there are still communities that are not properly equipped to handle a COVID-19 outbreak," Trudeau said. "We need to address that."

The new money will go toward hiring nurses and purchasing specialized supplies, enhancing an on-reserve income assistance program and building 12 new shelters for Indigenous women and girls fleeing violence.

Remote Indigenous communities are considered among the most vulnerable during the pandemic. Residents often have no ready access to health care, and many live in overcrowded conditions that make it difficult to isolate those who may have been exposed.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau also extended a moratorium on the cruise season, saying passenger ships with overnight accommodations for more than 100 passengers can't operate in Canadian waters until at least Oct. 31.

Such ships proved to be Petri dishes in the early days of the epidemic, accounting for thousands of infections.

Alberta took a different tack to slowing the viral spread, announcing plans to issue masks to the masses  with a fast-casual caveat.

Starting next month, the provincial government will begin handing out 20 million non-medical masks through A&W, McDonald's and Tim Hortons drive-thrus.

Countrywide, there are now 89,412 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19, and the death toll stands at 6,979.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2020.
Read about Donbas conflict, coronavirus, SpaceX, Nord Stream 2, Crimea and other news of this week

About Donbas conflict

Commanding officer of Ukrainian Army's 1st Tank Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Yuriy Mezhakov passed away in Donbas combat area.

The Ukrainian military shot down an enemy drone flying over positions in the Mariinka area (Donetsk region).

The agreement was reached on the discussion of the forming lists for prisoners exchange at the session of the Trilateral Contact Group, as Ukraine's Presidents Office reported. The agreement on the discussion of the lists for the mutual release of captives was reached within the work of the humanitarian group.

The situation with human rights in Ukraine needs improvement, reads the UN report on the human rights situation in Ukraine over the period from 16 November 2019 to 15 February 2020.

Checkpoints at the contact line with occupied areas of Donbas will stay closed until June 22.

The checkpoints in the Donbas Conflict zone switched to the summer schedule of work.

About coronavirus

As of May 29, there are 22,811 Covid-19 cases in Ukraine. 2,849 of the cases are observed in Kyiv. Besides, 4,000 medical workers in Ukraine got infected with Covid-19.

The National Academy of Sciences stated that Ukraine has already past the climax of the coronavirus pandemic; however, Ukraine should be preparing for the second wave of Covid-19, because it could walk the path of flu and flu-like diseases.

Meanwhile, Lviv clinics and hospitals started conducting high-precision ELISA tests for antibodies to Covid-19.

Ukraines Security Service exposed six companies, which did not supply protective means for medics after payment or purchased low-quality goods. Ukraines PM Denys Shmygal ordered to create a three-month supply of the medical means to fight Covid-19. Besides, the Ukrainian government extends ban for export of anti-epidemic goods until July 1.

Moreover, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine is launching an online crisis hotline for editorial offices that have suffered in connection with the Covid-19 quarantine.

About SpaceX

On May 27, American company SpaceX was expected to launch a Crew Dragon ship with astronauts aboard to the International Space Station. It would be the first launch of people into orbit from the United States in nine years.

However, the launch was postponed due to the bad weather. The next attempt is scheduled for May 30.



About Trump and Twitter

U.S. President Donald Trump has declared war on social media companies. After a few of his posts were marked by Twitter as those containing misleading information, Trump accused social media platforms of censorship against the Republican Party.

The response was no long in coming  on May 28 he signed an executive order on social media companies.

Twitter's representative called this decision "reactionary and politicized".



About Crimea

Crimean Human Rights Group reports 515 Covid-19 cases in occupied Crimea. Crimeans coming from abroad obliged to pay for observation in annexed Crimea.

About gas

Lawmakers of the U.S. Congress are considering introducing new sanctions against the companies involved in servicing the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell stated that on May 27.

Germany has been seeking an effective replacement for Russian gas supplies - and a way to get rid of dependence on the Russian fuel supplies by 2030. The German government will provide the respective program in the near future.



About NATO and Ukraine

NATO has long agreed to provide Ukraine with Membership Action Plan, technical solution is needed, - Ukraines MFA reported this week.

On May 27, Zelensky approved Ukraine-NATO national yearly program for 2020.
A London outdoor teaching expert believes "forest schools" can be a model for fully re-opening English schools safely.

Leanna Barrett opened the capitals first outdoor primary school, Liberty Woodland School in Worcester Park, last year.

Pupils aged four to 11 spend 95 per cent of the day outside, studying maths and English in the fresh air, even in winter.

Scottish local authorities revealed earlier this month that they are actively looking into outdoor learning as a model for reopening the countrys schools from August.

Scotlands childrens minister, Maree Todd, has highlighted positive impacts of outdoor learning, saying: This model [outdoor learning] could have many benefits for maintaining physical distancing and minimising risk of transmission as part of the transition from lockdown back into early learning and childcare and school.

Schools in England will partially re-open to certain year groups next week, with measures including two metre gaps between pupil desks to ensure social distancing.

Ms Barrett, a former civil servant who established Little Forest Folk - a group of six outdoor nurseries based in London parks that won the Queens Award for Enterprise in 2015 - before launching the primary, told the Standard she believes the post-lockdown return could see the beginning of a revolution in forest schools like hers going mainstream.

She said: I do think this could be the beginning of a revolution in what is possible.

I think the Department of Education should seek the advice of outdoor education providers around the country.

I have called and offered my help. I think it would be great if somebody would use us as a research base to see evidentially what works. I havent heard back yet.

She added: For us it has taken five years to get to the point where we are now. We can tell you all of the things that didnt work, the hurdles we had to overcome.

Everything that everyone else is scrabbling to try and learn to do - trying to figure out how to teach children in small groups, how they can take the learning outdoors, playing with nature instead of plastic resources indoors - all this is stuff we have been doing for five years in the nurseries and six months in the school.

We completely successfully teach reading, we teach maths - its not that we dont teach core subjects here, we do teach them and we teach them outside.

The schools fees are 3,995 per term, there is a one-to-eight teacher-pupil ratio, and it runs on a four-day week Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm. The idea is to enable full working days for parents four days a week, and minimise travel time.

Typically each day begins in a circle around the campfire. The schools 26 pupils eat lunch  cooked in the Edwardian house that is the schools official building  on tree stumps, swing from trees and do art, music and woodwork projects in sheds.

Ms Barrett, who will take in another 19 pupils from September, has made changes to allow for social distancing from next week. The school will have time slots for drop-offs, distancing in outdoor lessons and split returning year groups into two bubbles.

She added: I feel like we are the luckiest school in the country right now And I think the more time teachers spend with their kids outside, the more they will realise being outside can work for academic learning, as well as wellbeing."

A Department for Education spokesperson said: We want children back in schools as soon as possible, because being with their teachers and friends is so important for their education and their wellbeing.

Our guidance to schools in planning for the return of more pupils encourages the use of outside space for education, where this is possible."
Many reality stars are turning to OnlyFans to supplement their income as the COVID-19 recession impacts the influencer marketing industry.

And Shelby 'Bilby' Mills is the latest Love Island Australia contestant to join the subscription-based adult website.

On Friday, the 26-year-old model shared a raunchy photo of herself in red lingerie to Instagram and announced she had joined OnlyFans.

'Keep them talking': Shelby 'Bilby' Mills (pictured) is the latest Love Island Australia contestant to join the subscription-based adult website OnlyFans

'Keep them talking,' she wrote in her caption, before telling her followers to click the 'link in bio' to her OnlyFans account.

Fans can now subscribe for $15.95 a month to gain access to her exclusive content.

It is unclear what type of content she is making for OnlyFans. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Shelby Mills for comment.

Making money: Fans can subscribe for $15.95 a month to gain access to her exclusive content

Income stream: Shelby is one of many reality TV stars, models and Instagram influencers that have joined OnlyFans in recent months to make extra cash during the COVID-19 recession

Shelby is one of many reality TV stars, models and Instagram influencers that have joined OnlyFans in recent months to make extra cash as the economy dips.

The UK-based website allows users to sell adult content to paying subscribers.

Love Island's Vanessa Sierra and The Bachelorette's Paddy Colliar are among the platform's more high-profile Australian 'creators'.

Content can range from something as innocent as a suggestive selfie all the way to hardcore pornography, and can earn creators thousands of dollars.

Top earner: Rhyce Power (pictured), who first shot to fame as Jessika Power's 'hot brother' on Married At First Sight last year, is currently one of the top creators on OnlyFans

Rhyce Power, who first shot to fame as Jessika Power's 'hot brother' on Married At First Sight last year, is currently one of the top creators on OnlyFans.

The former carpenter, 28, recently shared his earnings from the site on Instagram, revealing he had made more than $50,000 in just one month.

Vanessa Sierra, who happens to be Rhyce's ex-girlfriend, is known to use the 'upsell method' to earn herself extra dollars.

For $20 a month, her subscribers can access the kind of sexy bikini photos that fill her Instagram page, but Vanessa will then send private messages to her fans offering more risque content for cash.

Big bucks! The former carpenter, 28, recently shared his earnings from the site on Instagram, revealing he had made more than $50,000 in just one month

The content on the OnlyFans page she shares with her YouTube star boyfriend, Luke Erwin, is far more explicit, and features the couple engaging in sex acts.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia about their controversial career move earlier this year, the frisky pair said they were simply ahead of the curve by joining OnlyFans.

'I'm not scared to make moves and always jump on social media platforms before the crowd,' Vanessa explained.

'Everyone seems so shocked yet in a couple of years it will be the norm to have an OnlyFans account,' she added.

Raunchy: Former Love Island Australia contestant Vanessa Sierra made the controversial move to OnlyFans with her YouTube star boyfriend, Luke Erwin

Shameless: She recently spoke to Daily Mail Australia about joining OnlyFans, saying: 'I'm not scared to make moves and always jump on social media platforms before the crowd'

'The same people who made a joke of us when we were on TikTok are now the ones obsessed with the app. This will be no different.

'We are just doing what makes us happy and creating content that isn't restricted by Instagram guidelines. We are in the top 0.02 per cent of OnlyFans creators for a reason!'

However, the Australian government has warned young people against making their own X-rated content, saying their accounts could be hacked and leaked online.

Australia's eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said last month: 'Australians who share explicit images on the Internet can place themselves at risk of wider circulation of those images across the Internet.'

More than 5,000 Australians have registered as content creators on OnlyFans in the past year, according to the Courier Mail.
Fresh graves in the monumental cemetery of Bergamo (Claudio Furlan/LaPresse/AP)

As Italy decides whether to open regional borders as planned next week, hard-hit Lombardy remains an outlier.

The civil protection agency reported 345 confirmed new infections in the region on Friday.

That brought Lombardys total cases to 88,500, nearly 40% of Italys total.

Nearly half of Italy population of known positives are in Lombardy, and 80% of those in isolation at home, not requiring hospital care.

Expand Close People walk at the Naviglio grande canal district in Milan, Italy (Luca Bruno/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp People walk at the Naviglio grande canal district in Milan, Italy (Luca Bruno/AP)

The Italian government had announced internal borders would open on June 3, but the stubborn infection rate in Lombardy has put that in question.

Officials are considering whether to delay the regional border opening by a week, a decision that is meant also to help Italys moribund tourist industry.

Italys total cases of confirmed Covid-19 rose by 516 to 232,248 on Friday, and deaths increased by 87 to 33,229.

Only five other regions showed double-digit increases.
State intervention required: Kyiv Airport says might not survive coronavirus lockdown

11:00, 29.05.20 8970

Regular air traffic has been on hold since the onset of the national quarantine.
Three CNN employees were arrested Friday morning by Minneapolis State Patrol while covering the protests in the city over the death of George Floyd, the cable news networks said.

At about 5 a.m. local time, reporter Oscar Jimenez was reporting live from Minneapolis when state patrol ran toward him to detain a person, video shows. State patrol soon surrounded the CNN crew.

A black reporter from CNN was arrested while legally covering the protests in Minneapolis. A white reporter also on the ground was not. https://t.co/GcfwEvyYQC pic.twitter.com/Mg4ZwKIuKt  CNN (@CNN) May 29, 2020

After identifying himself and the crew, Jimenez can be heard asking the state patrol where they would like the news crew to stand.

Put us back where you want us. Were getting out of your way, Jimenez said.

About a minute later, while holding his CNN identification, two members of the state patrol tied his hands behind his back and walked him way.

A CNN reporter & his production team were arrested this morning in Minneapolis for doing their jobs, despite identifying themselves - a clear violation of their First Amendment rights, CNN said in a statement. The authorities in Minnesota, incl. the Governor, must release the 3 CNN employees immediately.

The news network said more than 100 state police officers in body armor and riot gear were in the area where the CNN crew was, near the precinct building on East Lake Street.

According to the news company, another CNN reporter Josh Campbell, was in the area and was approached by police, who allowed him to remain.

I identified myself ... they said, OK, youre permitted to be in the area, Campbell, who is white, told CNN. I was treated much differently than (Jimenez) was.

Related Content:
Passionate issues call for passionate responses.

We are all wonderfully made and Central Park Karen may seem like deceptively sunny catchphrases, but both speak to the cagey intolerance that plagues serious discussion about racism and homophobia in 2020.

In the first case, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board rejected the rainbow flag traditionally hoisted during Pride month  a beacon of acceptance to the LGBTQ2S community  for a scrawled on a napkin replacement featuring a simplistic statement of inclusion and Christ-like figure reaching out to a crowd of worshippers.

Greeted with outrage by those it was designed to appease, its true intent became clear when board trustee Greg Reitzel was quoted saying Pride is the deadliest of the deadly sins.

Late Friday, after our community panel had convened, the Board bowed to public pressure and backed down, opting to fly no flag at all during Pride month. Back to the drawing board.

In the second case, a former University of Waterloo student walking in New Yorks Central Park pulled the race card when a Black man politely asked her to leash her dog, telling police theres an African American man threatening my life.

When a video of their interaction refuted her account, the uproar sparked accusations of racism and earned her the derogatory nickname Karen, internet shorthand for a whiny, entitled white woman who always wants to speak to the manager.

On this weeks panel, five people affected, directly and otherwise, by these subversive attempts to stoke intolerance and duck responsibility: Indigenous activist Lori Campbell, musician parent Sean Stokholm, Black history prof Christopher Taylor, community theatre activist Pam Patel and Kitchener Centre MPP Laura Mae Lindo.

First off, and I say this with all the whiny outrage I can muster, I would like to speak to the manager about the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, which has proven itself adept at targeting marginalized communities using public money. What do you guys think?

Patel: Its obvious that folks who supported this decision are avoiding the point of Pride. Just like when folks promote #AllLivesMatter as a response to #BlackLivesMatter. Creating this faux inclusive flag is skirting around the issues and actively works against creating an inclusive space for ALL students.

Taylor: This isnt about the raising of the Pride flag, this is about someone  and an institution  promoting homophobia and transphobia under the guise of inclusion and under the cover of religion.

Lori, as an Indigiqueer Two-Spirit person, do you take solace in the fact the Board is at least doing something?

Campbell: The Christianized creation of a new flag supposedly meant to mean God loves everybody, including queer people, yet specifically designed to cause the direct erasure of the historic Pride flag  a symbol representing the deep-seated history of violence, persecution, undeniable strength and pride of the queer community  is absurd!

It takes a lot of chutzpah  is that the word?  to hide behind the banner of inclusion?

Stokholm: This whole flag thing could be dismissed as a Monty Pythonesque skit about Churchsplaining, were the consequences not so destructive. Im the father of a trans daughter. Violence against trans people is on the rise in Canada. That means she has to live in fear, as I do, every time she leaves the house. Just for being herself.

After the backlash, Reitzel issued an apology, pledged support for dignity and respect, and expressed sadness that people have been hurt by words I said but hope they will understand they were taken out of the context. Who here took his words out of context?

Stokholm: Given that he trotted out the very same pride is sin line in 2014, arguing against Catholic teachers being allowed to participate in Pride marches, and since hes using that as a dog whistle to perpetuate hatred and violence against LGBTQ people, I say his ass should be fired.

Can you fire an elected trustee?

Campbell: He should resign. Theres no place for publicly elected people who make hateful, harmful, and divisive statements about those theyre supposed to be there to serve and advance their well-being.

Patel: Reitzel and those who agree with him should sit with the discomfort theyre feeling from discussing LGBTQ+ issues. And they shouldnt be able to escape that discomfort so easily.

I sense you guys have seen this scenario play out before.

Lindo: Wheres the action behind the words? Because no inclusion flag being flown is going to repair the harm and distrust with leadership now being felt by LGBTQ2S students, educational workers and their families and friends.

What needs to happen?

Stokholm: I have friends who are Catholic. Theyre good and decent people. But folks like them have to start speaking out. Minimally, I resent that public money supports a school system dedicated to perpetuating anti-LGBTQ and anti-woman beliefs. That has to stop.

Lets jump to Amy Cooper, the University of Waterloo grad dubbed Central Park Karen after false claims she was being attacked by a Black man in Central Park stoked media outrage.

Taylor: Id rather just call her for what she is: a white woman that co-opted the language of diversity and inclusion and used her white womanhood as a potentially lethal weapon.

To be fair, there were consequences.

Taylor: She supposedly got fired and lost her dog. Cry me a river. Shell end up on the Joe Rogan podcast and next thing shell be on Trumps re-election campaign trail trying to get the African-American vote.

Laura Mae, youre immersed in these issues every day. Were you surprised?

Lindo: Its exhausting because it just keeps happening. We all know shes lying because she says it on camera  and this is literally part of the everyday reality of being Black in an anti-Black world. Public outrage was definitely warranted.

Yet, like Christopher, you believe nothing will change.

Lindo: Her action  calling the police with a false allegation that can literally put a Black mans life in jeopardy  was a clear sign she knew that, as a White woman, she could say and do whatever she wanted and be believed. Her apology was simply saying Im sorry I got caught. And then her life goes on.

She lost her job.

Lindo: Being fired will not stand in the way of her finding new work without having to do anything to address her racism.

And the Black community?

Lindo: Were re-traumatized, reminded that White privilege will allow these actions to keep happening, that the systems that protect our White neighbours, friends and community members will not protect us.

Minneapolis is in flames after a Black man died in police custody. A Black jogger was shot to death in Georgia. An Afro-Indigenous woman plunged off a Toronto balcony while police were in her apartment. Is the self righteous backslapping over Amy Coopers comeuppance the real-life equivalent of a historic Hollywood racial drama, designed to make White people feel good about how far theyve come?

Taylor: This is a reflection of how were OK with dealing with racism when its low hanging fruit, as opposed to real systemic and structural issues such as police killing Black men with little to no repercussions.

And, of course, theres been a predictable backlash.

Patel: It makes me concerned because I see so many folks making this about them, arguing that not all white women are racist, or commenting on the way the dog was treated in the video. Ive heard very few folks actually acknowledge the person on the receiving end of this racist attitude.

Campbell: Not behaving racist is one thing, but until people actively take steps to oppose racism, in all forms, it will continue to fester.
LONDON (Reuters) - Travel operator TUI <TUIGn.DE> has cancelled all foreign holidays for British tourists until July 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sending shares in the German group down 6% on Friday.

The company, which had already axed departures until the middle of June, said holidays to destinations such as Spain and Greece departing on or before June 30 had been cancelled, while its lakes and mountains trips had been stopped until October 1.

It also halted sailings on its Marella Cruises line until July 31, with additional cancellations on some vessels stretching into 2021, and said river cruises would not restart until after 25 November.

The travel group earlier this month said it would cut 8,000 jobs and look to shed 30% of its costs as it geared up for a July restart to European tourism.

(Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by Kate Holton)
A worker wearing a protective mask is seen on duty at a Carrefour supermarket amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Brussels

US and German unemployment rates appear to be on different planets. Below the surface, however, economic data show the two countries are experiencing similar pain.

The difference in the two countries unemployment rates stems from differing approaches to supporting companies and workers. As lockdowns to contain the coronavirus pandemic ripped through the global economy, nations like the US and Canada have mainly relied on beefed up unemployment benefits to cushion the fall. Under Germanys Kurzarbeit, which translates to short-time work, financially distressed employers can drastically reduce worker hours, and the government will pay most of their lost wages. As a result of these divergent policies, the USs official unemployment rate spiked from 3.5% in February to 14.7% in April, while Germanys rose from 4.7% to 5.5% over the same period.

Government subsidies for short-time working programs, used in countries like Germany, Japan, Australia and the UK, are designed to preserve the relationship between workers and employers, hopefully speeding up the recovery when the economy gains steam again. This policy can be especially useful for firms at risk of losing highly skilled workers theyve invested in.

By contrast, the US and Canadian approach relies more heavily on unemployment benefits, which could turn out to be a better policy if the pandemic causes longer lasting changes to the economy. If workers have lost jobs that arent coming back (for example, the preference for food delivery over eating out may prove long lasting and lead to a decline in server jobs), a German-style short-time working program could just delay the inevitable. It may make the labor market less flexible, meaning it will take longer for workers to fill roles suited for the new economy.

Story continues

Hourly work data shows the pandemic has roiled the global labor market, regardless of the type of safety net. The number of hours worked in the US fell 17% in the US in April from two months earlier, according to a research note by Goldman Sachs economists Jan Hatzius and Daan Struyven. That compares with a 23% plunge in Germany and a 28% drop in Canada.

While their policies are designed differently, Goldmans economists found that the amount of government support for labor markets was roughly similar across these economies. Temporary enhancements to Canadian and US unemployment insurance has turned those systems into some of the most generous in the world, and wage subsidies in Japan and Germany were also boosted.

The investment bank expects that government support in developed economies will keep household disposable income at about the same level it was before the crisis, despite the deepening malaise. But Hatzius and Struyven also think North American employment will take longer to bounce back than in some European countries. They forecast the unemployment rate in the US will be around 12% at the end of the year, compared with less than 4% for Germany.

As the recession subsides, economists will start to find clues as to which government policies, if any, have best shielded a countrys businesses and workers. For now, the suffering is widespread.

Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news.

More stories from Quartz:
Operators of New Jersey summer camps and daycares said Thursday theyll need financial support, clear guidance and plenty of time to hire and train staff before they reopen  whenever that may be.

Most daycare centers across the state have been closed since April 1, with those providing care to children of essential workers only permitted to keep their doors open. Gov. Phil Murphy said this week daycares may be allowed to reopen sooner than later.

Beverly Lynn, CEO of an Essex County nonprofit that connects families to child care, Program for Parents, said theres a lot of anxiety around reopening, and child care providers need help from the state as they confront higher costs, from outfitting staff with personal protective equipment to hiring more staff to bring down classroom ratios and sanitize facilities and supplies.

Lynn testified before a small Senate committee on the states economic recovery Thursday. The committee previously has heard testimony from major health care providers, car dealers and retailers.

"No one believes that the centers will return to the standard operating procedures that we practiced pre-COVID, so we are reimagining a different child care program and system, Lynn said.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

For now these are the unanswered questions: what will child care look like? When will we be able to open? What new policies will providers have to comply with around group size, child-adult ratios, number of children that can participate in the program, and the list goes on, she said.

Nearly every child care provider who testified Thursday stressed reopening isnt as simple as turning the lights on, and once theyre given the green light to reopen theyll need time to hire new staff and train on social distancing and sanitizing.

We dont want to just be told Ok, you can open up as of Monday, said Karyn Jarzyk, who owns three Kiddie Academy centers in Hamilton, Marlton and Runnemede. We need time to probably hire new staff, because all of our staff may not return. ... We need to hire new staff, we need to train those new staff, we have need to have them background checked and we need to make sure they understand the new health and safety regulations that Im sure were going to have.

Jarzyk said her facilities are providing care for children of essential workers and are sanitizing toys continuously, have moved to curbside drop-off and are conducting temperature and wellness checks, the results of which are reported to the health department daily. Staff are wearing personal protective equipment and shes put in place a strict sick policy, Jarzyk said.

In addition, children dont move between classrooms or teachers, she said.

All of these things that we were implementing before and are implementing now are really allowing us to continue to work in a safe environment, or as safe of an environment as we can have, she said.

Andy Pritikin, owner of Liberty Lake Day Camp in Burlington County, told lawmakers that summer camp operators still do not know if, when or how they might be able to reopen. In the absence of a timeline for reopening, more and more camps are announcing cancellations, he said.

Many municipal summer camps and programs that operate on school property already have been called off, and now even big, outdoor summer camps who would have potentially opened if given guidance by the state are now canceling, Pritikin said.

While I am glad that we err on the side of caution, summer camp programs are living in state of limbo, and this is not just the plight of camp operators, its the uncertainty for the families we serve, he said. Every day we delay at this point is resulting in thousands of school aged children being left without child care for this upcoming summer."

Most camps have considered June 1 their deadline to make a decision on reopening, he said.

Weve been tap-dancing with our clients, pushing back deadlines, creating worst-case scenario refund policies, buying time, and frankly prolonging our agony in the hope that the state and the Department of Health will save our business as well as the child care options for tens of thousands of New Jersey children whose parents will be expected to return to the workplace" he said.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com.
The Nigerian mining sector is bedevilled by a number of problems, chief among which are shady practices that have been identified by various stakeholders and in previous Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) audit reports.

This report analyses the 11-years (2007  2018) audit of the sector and identifies ways by which the sector can operate for optimum efficiency.

Endowed, mismanaged sector

Nigeria is rich with over 34 commercially viable solid mineral deposits spread across the country. From 1903, the country had modest exploration and exploitation with intermittent growth up to 1960.

Tin, columbite, coal, etc, were the early solid minerals that contributed significantly to Nigerias economy but declined at the advent of the oil boom from 1970, a decline that has continued till date.

The clamour for a return to solid minerals was necessitated by the global failing of oil prices, international oil politics, and the need to diversify Nigerias economy.

In the 1970s, the federal government set an ambition to use Nigerias iron ore and coal to produce steel for her industrialisation. The search and project development for the steel project was under the National Steel Development Authority (NSDA).

Subsequently, the federal government broke the NSDA into Ajaokuta Steel Company, Delta Steel Plant and other steel rolling mills. At the same period, increased investments were made into the Nigerian Coal Corporation and Nigeria Mining Corporation with mandates to mine, process, add value and enhance the utilisation of solid minerals within their activities and to export the excess.

In early 2000, the privatisation policy of the federal government resulted in another decline in activities of extractive companies within the solid minerals sector, although there was increase in exploration and exploitation of construction materials such as limestone and granite for cement production and infrastructure development of Nigeria.

Also, privatisation brought an increase in foreign direct investment in exploration and exploitation of gold, iron ore, coal, gypsum, lead and zinc, tin and columbite among others. This increment in foreign interests brought about the Solid Minerals Roadmap of 2012, to add value to mining and processing towards utilisation and industrialisation.

The federal government, through the ministry of mines and steel development, re-launched the Solid Minerals Policy Roadmap in September 2016 aimed at ensuring policy continuity and consistency in the sector.

But from 2016 till date, not so much has been recorded as major gains in the mineral sector.

NEITI reports have further exposed, that with more than 50 minerals in commercial quantities strewn across Nigeria, paradoxically the solid minerals sector contributes less than 1 per cent to the national GDP while more than 80 per cent of mining activities (in particular artisanal mining) are unregulated and their revenue unaccounted for.

Total earnings from the sector since 2016 that the roadmap was launched up till the last NEITI report for 2018 was only N5 billion. About N1.6 billion was earned in 2016, N1.5 billion in 2017 from 59 companies and N1.9 billion from 69 companies in 2018. This figure is small when compared to Nigerias oil earnings in only year 2016 where Nigeria earned $17.05 billion.

NEITI Audit of the Sector

NEITI came into law in 2007 and has been empowered with special powers to reform the extractive industry by providing technical assistance to government bodies overseeing the industry. It is powered to constantly scrutinise the activities of the industry.

NEITI

The many reports produced by NEITI alongside its National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) is part of its objective of reforming and improving the sector. This report focuses on the issues raised in 11 years of NEITI reports, identifies recurrent problems identified by these reports and highlights recommendations for improving the sectors outlook.

Highlights of findings (2007  2012)

NEITIs maiden report covered a 4-year (2007 to 2010) and showed that over 70 per cent of mining title holders in Nigerias solid mineral sector are inactive companies, causing Nigerias government huge revenue losses.

Mineral titles are issued by the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) to many companies, however, only a few are paying their annual fees and other fees required such as royalties, taxes, permits etc as stated in Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007. The non-compliance of these licence-holding companies, by itself, constitutes a loss of revenue to the government

It also revealed that out of about 3,163 companies granted 1,443 mining titles during the period, only 30 per cent are engaged in active quarry, mining and exploration activities, with illegal miners, medium scale operators and artisan miners being the dominant group.

According to the 2007  2010, 2011 report, out of a total of 147 companies/entities audited, only 78, consisting of six cement manufacturing, 44 construction companies and three mineral buying centres, were aggregated for the audit population based on their meeting the materiality threshold of N1 million and above.

Total revenue yield from royalties paid by the major players between 2007 and 2010 was N2.2 billion; earnings from ground rents/annual surface rents for the period was about N173.9 million; tax, N51.4 million; and levies N122.9 million. These numbers will be much improved if the remaining 70 per cent of title holders carried out enough activities to meet the materiality threshold.

Advertisements



Loopholes for losses

According to the report, the cadastral office and its appointed officials have no proper way to assess the amount of solid minerals produced, sold, or consumed by companies.

Royalty payments made by the companies are therefore based only on what the operators disclose to the regulators. With no framework for transparency or real consequences for defaulters, the companies can withhold or share information to their benefit.

This is similar to what obtains in the oil industry where the federal government continues to find it difficult to determine how much crude is really produced daily but relies on figures submitted by the oil procuring companies.

The report also identified the dearth of sufficient data about the operators as well as the absence of effective synergy/collaboration between MCO and the State Offices, which makes it difficult for the regulators to monitor operators effectively.

Other areas identified include the refusal of the operators to file annual returns with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), as stated by law; which frustrates efforts by government revenue agencies to determine the correct amount to be paid in taxes by the mining companies.

2013  2014 report

The 2013 audit report of the sector showed that the total revenue from the solid minerals sector amounted to NGN 33.9 billion in 2013. This amount is composed of 85.50 per cent of taxes received by FIRS, while mining taxes received by Mines Inspectorate Department (MID) and MCO represent 3.97 per cent and 2.08 per cent respectively and other taxes paid to other Government Agencies not selected in the scope 8.45 per cent.

Source: NEITI

NEITI also raised a number of issues in the report.

A significant concern in this report is that some of the quantities reported by the MID did not match the corresponding royalty amounts. This issue is a carry on from the initial report which noted that operators declare figures at will with no framework for ensuring transparency.

NEITI also noted that the decentralised structure of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) makes the collection of taxes uncoordinated, meaning collection of taxes from extractive companies cannot be confirmed, which could mean loss of revenue to the nation.

Another major issue raised in the report was that the various agencies responsible for the supervision of exports of minerals do not have good synergy; figures from the agencies do not match and differ from those declared by companies. Despite the provision in the mining act, minerals are still exported without an export permit from MID.

Further analysis of the 2013 report showed similar patterns of unethical practices in the sector. NEITI noted that most of the findings and recommendations presented in the 2013 audit report have already been raised in previous NEITI reports and the recurrences of these issues during the reconciliation exercise for 2013 could have been avoided if previous recommendations had been implemented.

Lack of a visible action plan to resolve weaknesses and implement NEITI recommendations contributes to delays in NEITI reports and make the reconciliation process more difficult.

The audit report in 2014 showed a high variance of N19.5 billion arising from FIRS data. This means declared payments and revenue by companies and the government are not the same and have huge difference amounting to this variance (N19.5 billion).

This variance was attributable to the fact that Company Income Tax (CIT) payments for most of the construction companies were not captured in the FIRS portal due to system upgrade during 2014.

The table below shows the payments and receipts declared by companies and government.

NEITI also identified that lack of synergy between the state FIRS offices and the headquarters would likely account for the variance, a problem that was highlighted in the 2013 report. Export figures reported by companies were different from those declared by government

NEITI recommended that, in order to close the difference, a manual reconciliation with the state offices should be effected.

NEITIs 2015, 2016 audit reports

Unsurprisingly, the majority of the issues identified in the operation of the sector in the previous reports covered also repeated itself in the reports of 2015 and 2016 analysed by PREMIUM TIMES and CDD in January 2020.

The mining sector appears to be unable to shake off the practices that have continued to limit its potentials despite NEITIs efforts to find these gaps and recommend solutions.

The report revealed that mining companies operating in the mining sector in Nigeria have developed schemes through which they defraud the Nigerian government of billions in revenue. Analysis of the NEITI audit of the operation of the sector in 2015 and 2016 indicted these companies and exposed their schemes to include non-remittance of statutory dues, unlicensed mining and evasion of taxes, illegal practices, and incessant smuggling of solid minerals out of the country.

The audit report for 2015 and 2016 specifically focused on the volume of solid minerals produced (extracted and mined), exported and imported as well as comparison of all payments by mining companies against receipts by government agencies.

The exercise examined the accuracy of declared figures from operators and regulators, disclosed all cases of under-payments, highlighted the balances payable to the federation and identified lapses in policies and procedures on collection, custody, bases for financial computation and management of funds accruing from the solid minerals sector reviewed for the period that made the schemes effective.

2017 and 2018 audits

Analysis of the audits in 2017 and 2018 showed that some of the issues identified from the first report in 2007 are still happening  issues ranging from illegal mining to inconsistency in records.

For instance, 2017 audit report showed that export data received from the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) include minerals that were not captured in the production data provided by the MID as well as inconsistency in free on board value of minerals.

The report explained that the absence of an industry-specific fiscal regime made it difficult to tie revenue flows from the solid minerals industry to the federation account.

Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Bawa Bwari. [Photo credit: BusinessDay Media]

A highlight of the 2017 report, however, is that the sectors contribution to GDP was an abysmal 0.11 per cent which showed a decline of 0.01 percentage point and 0.02 percentage point from the data of 0.12 per cent in 2015, and 0.13 per cent in 2016.

It further explained that out of 1,072 entities covered by the exercise in 2017, only transactions by 59 companies were reconciled.

The 2018 earnings from the solid mineral sector were the highest in 12 years. The solid minerals sector contributed about N69.5 billion to federation revenue in 2018, the highest so far since NEITI commenced reconciliation of payments in the sector, However, the report explained that out of 720 entities covered by the exercise, only payments by 69 companies were reconciled.

Unauthorised operations were also identified in the 2018 audit reports where 302 companies (42 per cent of companies that paid royalty in 2018) but whose names/titles are not found on the MCO register (in spite of the fact they paid royalty in 2018).

NEITI also noted an emerging unethical trend of issuance of treasury receipt in advance of payment, an act that it said may lead to huge revenue loss to the government if it remains unchecked. Misstatement of government revenue/ receipts was also identified in 2018 reports.

A total of 1,801 holders of valid titles did not make any royalty payment in 2018. It was also noted that out of the 291 titles held by the 69 reporting companies, 143 or 49 per cent of the titles were inactive during the reporting period.

All these issues, as identified by NEITI since 2007 till date, has not only led to huge revenue loss for the government, it also deprived other prospective investors the opportunity to gainfully participate in the sector leading to even more loss of government revenue, employment opportunities and the sectors dismal contribution to the economy.

It is estimated by the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) in a report that the current commercial value of seven of the countrys solid minerals (Iron ore, Coal, Lead/Zinc, Bitumen, Gold, Limestone and Barite) runs into trillions of dollars.

It was also reported by Nigerias Ministry of Mines and Steel Development that Nigeria loses about $40 billion annually in unexploited gold alone (68.29 per cent of Nigerias 2017 budget of N7.28 trillion budget; higher than oil revenue in 2015 ($37 billion), and far higher than the 2016 oil revenue of $26 billion.

NEITIs fiscal allocation, statutory disbursements analysis

Apart from NEITIs audit of the solid mineral sector, In 2019, an analysis of two audit reports  The Fiscal Allocation and Statutory Disbursement of the Federal Government from 2007 to 2011 and 2012 to 2016 by DATAPHYTE showed how the Nigerian government reportedly diverted the sum of N908.6 billion over ten years meant for Natural Resource Development.

The NEITI report said the federal government continues to abuse its powers by misappropriating the Development of Natural Resource Funds (DNRF) and is complicit in the lack of development of the sector.

According to the report by DATAPHYTE, the Natural Resource Development Account was established in July 2002 as a response to Nigerias inability to secure generous revenue proceeds from oil, coupled with the economic challenges of cyclical recession, achieve resource diversification and to move the country away from its reliance on petroleum for revenue.

Sources of revenue that feed the DNRF include excess crude oil allocation, exchange gain, the share of SURE-P, share from non-oil revenue, contractual obligation, share from excess petroleum profit tax (PPT) and refunds.

Since the government established DNRF in 2002, trillions of naira have accrued to the account. It is, however, unclear what proportion of this has actually been utilised for the purpose for which the fund was created in the first place.

NEITIs report showed that the fund accrued to the DNRF between 2007 and 2011 was N365 billion. The analysis revealed that of this amount, the sum of N275 billion (75.3 per cent of total fund) was released as loans from the Development of Natural Resources Fund to finance budget deficits, a clear contravention of the intention of establishing the fund in the first place.

The DATAPHYTE report also noted that the sum of N94.8 billion was released from the Fund between 2007 and 2011 to the Fertiliser Revolving Account. Within the same period, the refund made to the account by various state governments on procurement of fertiliser was N66.1 billion.

An additional N106 billion was withdrawn from the DNRF fund to the Ministry of Agriculture within this period.

DNRF between 2012  2016

Between 2012 and 2016, a total of N543.6 billion was withdrawn from the fund to fund government activities unconnected to development of the natural resource sector.

There appears to be no procedural requirements to check the withdrawal of money from the DNRF and no way to ensure the funds are actually used for the development of the natural resource sector.

Extent of Nigerias mineral endowment

Despite these setbacks, Nigeria is richly endowed with various types of mineral resources. Below are some mineral titles on which major exploration and exploitation are being carried out in Nigeria:

Gold: Gold is found in the North-west, North-central and South-west of Nigeria. Gold deposits found in Northern Nigeria are most prominently near the schist belt in Maru, Anka, Malele, Tsohon Birnin Gwari-Kwaga, Gurmana, Yauri, Dogondaji, and Iperindo in Osun State.

There are over ten sites holding reserves in excess of 50,000 ounces of high quality gold according to Thor Exploration Ltd, (2016). There are also a number of smaller occurrences beyond these major areas.

Till date, over 30 licences have been issued to co-operative societies and companies for mining of gold in the country. In Nigeria, most of the concessions in the mining of gold are still in the exploration stage.

Iron Ore: Nigeria currently has the 12th largest iron ore reserves in the world. There are over three billion tons of iron ore found in Kogi, Enugu, Niger, Zamfara and Kaduna States. Iron ore deposits in Nigeria typically occur in forms such as hematite, magnetite, metasedimentary, band of ferruginos quartzites, sedimentary ores, limonite, maghemite, goethite and siderite.

The Itakpe iron ore deposit has an estimated reserve of 310 Metric tons and Agbaja has about 500 Mtons according to KCM (2014), Ajabanoko (60 Mtons), Agbado-okudu (60 Mtons), Tajimi (20 Mtons), Ochokocho (12 Mtons), among others.

Lead-Zinc: Lead-zinc ores are found usually together and often associated with copper and silver. The minerals are found in commercial quantities along the Benue trough, extending from Abakiliki in the South-east through the middle Benue trough, through to upper Benue trough in Bauchi State.

Limestone: Limestone occurrences are reported in over 30 states of the federation with reserves of over 2.3 trillion metric tons with 568 million tons of proven reserves. The largest and purest limestone deposits are found in the South-west and North-central regions of the country. Most limestone mining activities are mainly for lime and cement production as is evident across all the six geo-political zones in Nigeria.

Coal: Nigeria has bituminous coal with low sulfur and ash content, and is environment friendly. It can be found in the North-east, North-central and South-east regions of the country. There are nearly three billion tons of indicated reserves in 17 identified coalfields and over 600 million tons of proven reserves.

Gypsum: Over two million tons of gypsum deposits are spread over many states in Nigeria. Active extraction of gypsum is ongoing in Tongo and Funakaye area and supports cement production of Ashaka Cement Plc, Ashaka, Gombe State and Nothern Nigeria Cement Company, Sokoto. Current production is put at 8 million tons per annum while the national requirement is 9.6 million tons (MMSD, 2013).

Ashaka cement factory [Photo: Ventures Africa]

Recommendations

The NEITI reports exposed the vulnerabilities in the sector and its inability to live up to its enormous potential. It underscored the importance of a comprehensive action plan to shift attention from oil to the development of the solid minerals sector in the face of dwindling oil revenue.

Among the many recommendations by the report is the call on the government to develop strategies for monitoring and penalising extractive companies that fail to sign and or implement community development agreements.

It also advised that the newly introduced initiative on national gold purchase be strengthened.

Further recommendations include that the government must not only strengthen the structures of monitoring and enforcement but also exercise restraints in using the NDRF and allowing the funds to be used to develop the sector as originally intended.

If these recommendations are followed, the mining sector can greatly impact on the diversification of revenues from non-oil revenue.

Support for this report was provided by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) and is made possible through funding support from Trust Africa.
'The government has stopped our earnings due to the lockdown and must ensure that they do something for our earnings to restart.'

IMAGE: A notice strung on a shopfront as stores reopened after some restrictions were lifted in New Delhi. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters

Over the past few days, the only issue being discussed in business circles is how much more the Government of India could have done to revive the economy which has stalled after the national lockdown.

Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi announced the size of the stimulus package as Rs 20 lakh crore -- close to 10 per cent of the Indian GDP on May 12.

While some praised the government for its measures, others said the package is not adequate to overcome the problems confronting the economy.

One group which is unhappy with the economic package is the Confederation of All India Traders which feels that its members have been left out of the stimulus package as it had in it for them. CAIT had virtually endorsed Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party before the 2019 general election.

"There is no thought in the financial package as to how it will revive the economy. The solution would have been to waive off six months of interest on loans. This would have excited businessmen and demand would have been generated," Sushil Kumar Jain, the CAIT's Delhi-NCR unit convenor, tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com.

What are your grievances against the government over the Rs 20 lakh crore package?

During this lockdown period, we, small traders or big traders, paid salaries to our employees though we had zero business.

We paid interest on loans to run our businesses.

All the items in our shops have now deteriorated because we did not open our shops due to the lockdown.

And now it will be difficult for us to sell these goods which have been lying in our shops for very long. We do not know if it's in a saleable condition or not.

In such a situation, we felt the government, instead of giving Rs 20 lakh crore in loans, should have given direct credit to traders so that they could have met their expenses and come out of heavy losses.

What do you mean by direct credit? How different it is from a bank loan?

There is a difference between a bank loan compared to direct credit.

The government thinks by giving loans to traders they can create liquidity in the market and cash run will begin in the system again, but it is not that the money was not available in banks even before the lockdown because banks had funds.

Even before the lockdown there was lack of demand for goods. Therefore, we had less sales.

The government should give direct credit (put money in traders' accounts) to make up for the deficit in sales.

Today, our big concern and main loss is sale of goods. Till the time our goods do not sell, nothing will move.

And to sell our goods the government will have to change its policies of imports.

If we bring imported goods, then our Indian goods are not going to sell. Modi spoke of swadeshi, but he has not shown the way.

The government will have to change its import policies. If everything is assembled in China and comes to India, then liquidity will not be generated in India. And till the time we do not sell our goods our GDP will be affected.

Today salaries are being cut and industries are shutting down, so who will go out and purchase goods? There is no demand for our goods.

Traders are echoing the the same sentiment as others are about the lack of demand in the market.

The government must generate demand, but instead of that they are saying that people should take loans.

If you (a businessman) are already having a Rs 1 crore overdraft facility, and now there is an advisory given to banks to give that person another overdraft now, but the point is how will this man take an extra loan as he is not seeing any way to expand his business more as there are no sales?

So, what we feel is the government should have given an order to banks that he should be given credit note seeing his history of finance and give him a chance to grow in the market.

Till demand is not created, supply will not improve.

What do you mean by a credit note?

It means 3 to 4 per cent less interest than the market rate which is around 10 per cent. And salaried people must be given that (credit note) so that they will have more money in their hands to spend and that will give a boost to businesses.

Once they come into the chain, then you will see the demand and supply chain moving and business will move.

We are also demanding from the government that they should at least waive off loans for three months, but that the government is not doing. The government can easily do that, but won't.

Your association, which is almost 7 crore strong, openly supported the Bharatiya Janata Party before the 2019 election. You know the party and you know its leaders, so why can't you go to them and list out your grievances?

Every human being has different identities. We support a party and we have inbuilt thoughts (of supporting BJP). And if there is a problem in the family, we will raise our voice. We will surely raise our voice.

But everyone is unhappy and now even you traders are unhappy with the financial package?

There is no thought in the financial package given as to how it will revive the economy.

They are just saying give more loans to people who have already taken loans. If they want money, the bank would have given them in any way so there was no need to give this (Rs 20 lakh crore) financial package.

The solution would have been to waive off six months of interest on loans. This would have excited businessmen and demand would have been generated.

You have been talking of swadeshi, but what about inferior quality products?

We do not work on technology. We do not work on that aspect of our products. We will have to go swadeshi with good products.

Niti Aayog or any such kind of institution will have to make a grand plan where we can make products in India which are cheap and of the best quality.

What are the losses that traders are facing in this lockdown?

We are facing a loss of Rs 15,000 crore (Rs 150 billion) per day in India due to the lockdown.

The government has stopped our earnings due to the lockdown and therefore, they must ensure that they do something for our earnings to restart and we, traders, can then correspondingly pay taxes and restart the economy.

How long do you think it will take for the economy to revive?

The economy has gone back to 1990. After 1991, we got money through liberalisation and the face of the economy changed.

In the same way, we have two options today -- either we go out in the world and sell our products in a big way or we bring in huge investments in the country and revive the economy. This will create jobs.

And till jobs are not created, the supply chain will not be restored.

Overall, I feel 20 crore jobs are lost in these three months. And this is my rough estimate.

You see barbers, cobblers, rickshaw drivers... all kinds of jobs are gone.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been rough on farmers, but a Killarney business has been booming under the circumstances.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/5/2020 (602 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Killarney Meats co-owners Ian Jensen and Ronilo Sardal have gotten so much extra business during the COVID-19 pandemic that they're booking customers through mid-September. (Kim Langen/Killarney Guide)

The COVID-19 pandemic has been rough on farmers, but a Killarney business has been booming under the circumstances.

Killarney Meats has had such a demand from livestock producers that the slaughterhouse is currently booking clients into this fall.

Co-owner Ian Jensen, who runs the business with partners Ronilo Sardal and Brittney Ross, told the Sun hes never had a backlog that big before. "The phone never stops ringing," Jensen said.

"Usually we can book work three to four weeks out," he said. "Right now, were booking clients into mid-September, three to four months out at this point. Ive been here five years, and this is the first time its gone this far out."

Jensen isnt sure if his customers would have ordinarily sent their livestock to be processed in the plants in the United States and Canada that have been temporarily shut down after employees were diagnosed with COVID-19, but the situation has certainly driven business his way.

"We thought maybe something like this would happen, but not the way its panned out in the end, no," he said. "Its been nice to be important to the community."

He thinks the increase is likely from farmers looking to supplement their income by selling meat directly to customers during the pandemic instead of going through middlemen. There are also a couple of producers Jensen works with who market their meat to Brandon and Winnipeg that he said have seen a "very large" increase in demand for their products.

"Price volatility has been a key concern for producers since the onset of the pandemic," Manitoba Beef Producers told the Sun in an emailed statement. "Further, processing plant disruptions have slowed the movement of cattle to these facilities, adding extra feeding costs. It has been estimated the Canadian beef industry will lose half a billion dollars by June on market-ready cattle alone if the situation isnt addressed."

According to Jensen, the restrictions put on businesses to prevent the spread of the virus havent affected them much because they were already doing many of the suggested safe practices as a food processor. "Everybody washes their hands 50 times a day," he said.

The other side of the business is a retail storefront, and theyve also seen success there. Jensen said profits from the storefront are three or four times above normal right now. He said ground beef is currently the biggest seller followed by themed meat packages, such as packs of steaks that have been far more popular than they expected.

Jensens specialty is making sausages, while his partner handles the custom meat cutting. Killarney Meats sells 12 different kinds of sausages and has helped customers develop custom sausage flavours.

"I think the sausage book has got 50 recipes in it now," Jensen said. He added that the Friday before the interview, the business made just over 270 kilograms of sausage in one day.

On an average day, the shop can process two beef carcasses or 10 to 12 pigs, although that can change depending on the size of each animal. With the business practising social distancing, the bulk of their orders are coming over the phone or through social media.

Theyre not delivering, though. "Were not really set up for delivery here," Jensen said. "Were just a small town, so it never really seemed like a thing (to do)."

If customers let them know when theyll be arriving at the business, theyll package things up for curbside pickup.

The employees are getting extra business and working extra hours during the week, but Jensen said theyre making sure no one works on weekends so everyone can spend time with their families.

 cslark@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ColinSlark
Before the ink was dry on the treaty that ended World War 1, planning began for the Second World War. That is not far from the truth. The 1920s and '30s saw Japan, Germany, and Italy seeking to expand their military forces, including in the case of Japan and Germany, in violation of treaties.

Japan transitioned from a nascent democracy to a brutal military dictatorship, while Hitler began laying the groundwork for his rise to power. Mussolini of Italy had plans to establish a sort of second Roman Empire and sent his army to Ethiopia to begin it.

The history of that era, the 1920s and '30s, is a convoluted interplay of events that seemed almost orchestrated to lead to war. Large wars do not begin spontaneously. Long before the first shot is fired, years of preparation have taken place.

Today, the prelude to the next major war is underway. While the events are different, the parallels are striking.

China's dictator, Xi Jinping, has over-extended himself. Squandering his nation's wealth on weapons, and on ideological policies, his communist system has created an unsustainable economy. The communist bureaucrats and the Chinese army must be fed and supplied. Their need for lebensraum is increasing and will prove insatiable.

As the United States begins to counter the Chinese strategic moves, Xi finds himself pressured into what for him personally will be a no-win situation. On the one side, he is faced with the United States, which now belatedly recognizes that China is an implacable enemy. On the other side, inside China, the parasitic officialdom and the career military officers will not accept retreat. They can't. Their lives depend on fending off the wrath of their exploited people.

History shows clearly what dictators do when faced with such desperate circumstances. They deflect attention and then attack an external rival in hopes of unifying their populace and appealing to their patriotism for support. It is what dictator Leopoldo Galtieri, of Argentina, did in 1982, when his power structure began to unravel. He attacked the British-ruled Falkland Islands. For a short time, his plan worked, as Argentinians applauded him, but losing that war cost Galtieri his power.

The Falkland Islands War was small and almost spontaneous. Such has not been the case with China's rise to power. The decades-long buildup has been methodical, and the inevitable war will be massive.

Is war really inevitable? History warns us that it well may be, unless wise and determined statesmanship can prevent it.

Surely, behind the scenes, President Trump is lining up allies, both domestic and foreign, to secure commitments in the struggle against China. In front of the scenes, before cameras, and on the news pages, Trump is making it clear, both to the Chinese and to everyone else, that he is, as he says, "disappointed" in China's duplicitous and aggressive behaviors. We might add reckless and overconfident to those adjectives.

In the U.S., the move is to sever the American economy from dependence on Chinese suppliers and manufacturers. In this regard, the foolishness of past presidents has been exposed by the Chinese virus, and that would be true even were the Chinese to be found completely innocent of having unleashed that deadly disease. In fact, the Chinese are guilty at the least of having multiplied the adverse effects of the disease. That, in itself, constitutes an act of war.

The nuclear bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945 killed 80,000 people in one moment. The Chinese virus has killed 100,000 Americans. If China had killed that many Americans with a nuclear bomb, what would we do? In effect, China has nuked us. How could we not respond?

While isolating China from the world economy is necessary, it also forces China's hand, just as in 1941, the isolation of Japan from its war materiel forced Japan to either cease its aggressions or bomb Pearl Harbor. Japan chose war.

China is also, no doubt, rallying support from such nations as Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and to some extent Russia. At the moment they choose, China's leaders can be expected to strangle Hong Kong into submission and then to openly attack Taiwan, which China knows will be the tripwire for all-out war. That war will devastate one or both major belligerents, the U.S. and China.

Hang on to your helmets.
The coronavirus almost certainly started spreading in the Bay Area and Washington state in late January or early February, several weeks before the first cases of community transmission were identified, according to a federal report released Friday.

The findings confirm suspicions raised in Santa Clara County last month that the virus had been circulating there since January, based on the discovery of two early victims of COVID-19 whose deaths previously had not been tied to the virus.

The first reported coronavirus cases in the U.S. showed up in several states in late January, among travelers who had recently returned from China, then the epicenter of the pandem ic. The nations first cases of community transmission  the virus spreading undetected among local residents  were identified in the Bay Area at the end of February.

But evidence increasingly has suggested that the virus was spreading much earlier. Fridays paper from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at flu surveillance reports, retrospective coronavirus testing of several thousand respiratory samples, genomic testing, and the early deaths in Santa Clara County.

Taken together, the CDC now believes that community spread began in late January or early February, possibly from a single imported infection from China. The report suggests that a man in Washington state  at the time the first coronavirus patient identified in the U.S., on Jan. 20  may have been the source of the initial spread of disease there.

The significance of all of this is that it was happening around us much earlier than we thought, said Dr. John Swartzberg, UC Berkeley infectious disease expert. Had our interventions been more aggressive earlier, we wouldnt be nearly in the position we are in now. And we would have had substantially fewer deaths.

The report follows a stunning revelation in late April that the first person in the U.S. known to have died from COVID-19 was a Santa Clara County woman on Feb. 6. That death was three weeks earlier than the earliest coronavirus-related fatality previously recorded, in Washington state on Feb. 28.

The reports co-authors include Santa Clara County assistant health officers Dr. Sarah Rudman and Dr. Elsa Villarino, and Dr. Michelle Jorden, the countys chief medical examiner.

It is still unknown who first carried the virus into the U.S. and when, the report said. One possible source is a Washington man who fell ill with the first reported U.S. case of COVID-19 on Jan. 19, four days after returning from Wuhan, China.

The virus spread undetected throughout the Seattle metropolitan area and possibly elsewhere not long after that first case was reported, according to the CDC report. The authors said its possible that the man infected others before he developed symptoms, and that those people were asymptomatic and were never identified even as they went on to infect others and seed the community. Its also possible, they said, that the man was exposed to the virus on the flight from China, and another passenger was the source of community spread in Washington.

Or the source may have been someone else entirely, the authors said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

In the Bay Area, the first known cases now are the Santa Clara County woman, who fell ill on Jan. 31 and died about a week later. An unrelated Santa Clara County man with COVID-19 then died between Feb. 13 and 17; he was found dead in his home and the exact date of death is not known.

At around the same time, outbreaks of COVID-19 occurred during two consecutive voyages of the Grand Princess cruise ship, both linked to the viral strain first detected in Washington. The first death reported in California  before the Santa Clara County deaths were connected to COVID-19  was a Placer County man who was on the Grand Princess on a trip that left San Francisco on Feb. 11; the man died March 6.

The CDC report refers to the death of an unidentified passenger or crew member on the cruise ship as further evidence of early community spread of the coronavirus. Its not clear if that is a reference to the Placer County man.

After the virus arrived from China, other strains came from Europe in February and March, the report said. But until late February, the number of people sickened by the virus was too low to create a noticeable bump in people coming into emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms, including fever, cough and difficulty breathing.

Erin Allday and Cynthia Dizikes are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com, cdizikes@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @ErinAllday, @cdizikes
With 248 new Covid-19 positive cases being registered on Friday, Karnataka again witnessed its biggest single-day spike in coronavirus cases. Interestingly, of the 248 new cases, 227 have a history of inter-state travel.

On Thursday, the state government had appealed to the union civil aviation ministry to reduce the number of incoming flights into the state  especially from coronavirus hotspots like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh - so as to ease the pressure on the institutional quarantine mechanism in the state.

This biggest single-day spike of cases takes the total Covid-19 positive cases in the state to 2,781 of which 1,837 are active cases and 894 people have been discharged. On Friday, a 50-year-old woman from Chikkaballapura who had tested positive for Covid-19 passed away at a designated hospital in Bangalore, bringing the total number of deaths due to the virus, in the state to 48.

A health and family welfare department official who did not want to be identified  as he is not authorized to speak to the mediasaid, Returnees from Maharashtra constitute nearly 85% of the new cases apart from a few others from Gujarat and Rajasthan. Local transmission is very low amounting to almost zero. This is why we requested the Centre to reduce incoming flights to the state and barred even road traffic from coming in from some of the neighbouring hotspots.

What has been a greater concern for the government has been that it is interior districts like Mandya, Yadgiri, Kalburgi, Hassan and Raichur which are seeing the majority of new cases. The health infrastructure in those districts is not as robust as those in say Bangalore, Mysore or even a Dakshin Kannada which is the cause of worry as, if there is a further sharp increase then there might be a tremendous strain on our resources there, the official quoted above added.
Express News Service

PATNA/LUCKNOW/RANCHI: More than 3,800 Shramik special trains, started on May 1, have transported 50 lakh, migrant workers, to their homes.

Their lives torn apart by penury, hunger and uncertainty on account of the sudden lockdown, these exhausted yet relieved migrants have found comfort and safety in their native villages.

But at least 16 of them were not so lucky. Seven each from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and two from Jharkhand died even before they could be reunited with their families and village folk. Uncared for and unmourned, two of them even died anonymously with no takers for their bodies.

Avreena Khatoon

The visuals of her toddler son playing with the sheet of cloth covering her lifeless body at Muzaffarpur railway station in Bihar tugged at the heartstrings of the entire country.

The 35-year-old died on board the Shramik special train that arrived from Ahmadabad in Gujarat.

Divorced by her husband 18 months ago, she had gone to Ahmadabad, where her sisters family stayed, and took up a job in a small scale unit to bring up her two children aged four years and 15 months.

Her brother-in-law Mohammed Wazir alleged that she died due to hunger and heat in the train, but Muzaffarpur district magistrate, as well as the Railways, claimed that the family had admitted that she had been ill for several days when she was travelling.

Lal Babu Kamat

Working as a security guard in Surat for a decade, the 50-year-old had lost his job recently after he suffered a paralytic stroke.

With the lockdown imposed soon after, his family was stranded in the city without any income.

Securing a berth on the Shramik Special train to Darbhanga in Bihar on May 23 finally gave them some hope. But the joy of being able to return home was cut short as Kamat died on the train near Munger.

His wife Krishna Devi and three daughters de-boarded at Bhagalpur with his body and went to Darbhanga by road. Krishna Devi alleged that Kamat was on regular medication but had to miss the medicines in the train because there was no water.

Saroj Kumar: Losing his job post-lockdown, he reached Sasaram in Bihar on a Shramik train and then boarded an inter-state train to Patna via Gaya to reach home in Vaishali district. His brother claimed that he had not eaten anything for last two days.

Md Irshad: The four-year-old cried out of hunger and thirst as the Shramik Special train his family was travelling on took 39 hours to reach Patna from Delhi. He died enroute to Muzaffarpur.

Uresh Khatoon: The 35-year-old housewife died on a Purnia-bound Shramik special train from Surat. She was returning home after a heart surgery.

Vashishtha Mahto: The 65-year-old, too, had gone to Mumbai for treatment. He died at the Danapur railway station while returning by a Sharmik train to Darbhanga.

Om Prakash Pandey: He returned from Surat to his hometown Nawada, Bihar and fell sick soon after alighting from a migrant train. He was rushed to a hospital but died.

Ashok Gope: The 19-year-old from Jharkhand worked as a waiter in Goa. He died on a Shramik train at Hatia station in Ranchi. According to a relative, Gope was fine when they boarded the train on Monday. But after taking the meal on Tuesday night, he fell ill. After groaning in pain for hours, he succumbed at around 1 pm.

Mahipatra Singh: A labourer in Goa, the 36-year-old from Latehar district, Jharkhand was a TB patient and also suffered from stomach ailments. He was returning home with his three brothers but died on the way.

Dasrath Prajapati, 30, and Ram Ratan Gaud, 63: Both men were found dead on the migrant special train from Mumbai that pulled up at Varanasi station on Wednesday. Prajapati, a native of Jaunpur in UP, was physically challenged and suffering from chronic kidney ailment for the treatment of which he had gone to Mumbai. Gaud was going to his village in Azamagarh district of UP. He, too, was suffering from some illness.

Bhushan Singh: The 58-year-old from Chapra, Bihar was found dead on Surat-Hajipur train when it stopped at Ballia in UP. Bhushan was coming from Surat where he worked in a textile factory.

Ram Awadh Chauhan: The mason was returning from Maharashtra to Azamgarh, UP, with his family. He reached Jhansi by a Shramik train and boarded a train to Gorakhpur. A diabetic, he had not taken medicine for two days as he was not getting regular food. He fell severely ill and died at Kanpur station.

Two other workers died on the same train but they are yet to be identified.

Vinod Kumar: The 44-year-old Ayodhya native, a heart patient, died in sleep on board the Mumbai-Basti Shramik Special train.

Viral video: Patna HC takes cognizance

Following the Patna High Courts suo-motu cognizance of the video of a child trying to wake up his dead mother, the Bihar government informed the court that the deceased was mentally unstable and had died a natural death during the course of her journey from Surat
A high school senior with cerebral palsy made his graduation day one to remember when he surprised his classmates by walking across the stage to receive his diploma, despite being confined to a wheelchair for his entire life.

Hunter Wittrock was diagnosed with cerebral palsy shortly after his birth and has never been able to walk on his own, but the Oklahoma teen refused to let that define him at his Kingfisher High School graduation ceremony, Good Morning America reported.

After months of extensive physical therapy, Hunter, 19, proudly walked across the stage by himself on May 16, shocking nearly everyone who knew him.

"No one could believe it; the crowd went crazy then silent as people wiped the tears away," Hunter's dad, Jeff Wittrock, recalled to the outlet. "It was a wonderful, surreal moment and he was ecstatic."

Hunter's determination to walk at his graduation ceremony began at the end of his junior year, Jeff explained to GMA.

RELATED: Paralyzed High School Student Walks Across Stage at Graduation: 'Couldn't Do Anything But Smile'

"The wires were connecting that he was going to be on this big stage in front of thousands of people," he said. "He told me he wanted to walk the stage and make the most of the moment."

Hunter started working toward making it happen, working multiple times a week with physical therapists, who helped him build up muscle in his legs, according to GMA.

The teen started with smaller goals, such as standing for long periods of time, before he was able to walk 10 feet on his own, the outlet reported.

From there, he continued to increase the distance by five foot increments until early March, when he was able to successfully make the 150-foot walk across the graduation stage by himself, according to GMA.

RELATED VIDEO: Teen Paralyzed in Gymnastics Accident Walks Across Graduation Stage

Teen Paralyzed in Gymnastics Accident Walks Across Graduation Stage

Story continues

Nearly four years ago, Anna Sarol, a passionate gymnast, fell on the uneven bars in an incident that left her paralyzed from the waist down

During his months-long training, Jeff said Hunter  who is a triplet  kept his progress a secret from everyone who knew him, aside from his family.

"He wanted to build the suspense up," the proud dad explained to GMA.

That suspenseful moment almost didn't happen. After the coronavirus pandemic began to hit the U.S., the Oklahoma Board of Education closed all in-person classes and extracurriculars across the state, leaving Hunter heartbroken.

"He was absolutely devastated," Jeff said. "He worked for 10 months just to walk across the stage and the rug was pulled out from underneath him. But he kept training in case things changed."

RELATED: Mom Captures Amazing Moment Her Daughter, Who Has Cerebral Palsy, Takes First Steps Without Walker

And as it turns out, Hunter's efforts paid off.

Just one day before his graduation, the governor of Oklahoma began the early phases of reopening the state, which allowed for the school to hold an in-person commencement as long as students and guests practiced social distancing, GMA reported.

On the big day, Hunter  wearing his navy cap and gown  walked across the stage by himself, with only minor help from the two aides behind him, officially accomplishing the goal he set out to complete months prior.

The emotional moment was not only special for Hunter, who will begin his "post-secondary education" in the fall, but also for his proud family.

"The smile on his face said it all," Jeff told GMA. "I was just so excited for him."
The pandemic has increased the risks human rights defenders face as they work to protect the rights of others.

On May 1, I took up the mandate of the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights defenders (HRDs). As part of my new role, I have been talking online to HRDs on a daily basis.

A few weeks ago, I had arranged to catch up with Ruth Mumbi in Kenya. I have known her for many years through her work as a community mobiliser and campaigner on social justice and accountability issues in her country. She was a little late to the call and explained she had been at the police station to report a death threat made against her.

This is an all too common fact of life for many HRDs who help build free, civil and just societies. They are at risk, sometimes lethal risk, for their work in defending the rights of others.

And the current pandemic risks making things even worse for them. We have seen authoritarian regimes taking advantage of the current crisis to grab more power and target those defending human rights.

We could lose, in the coming few months, valuable ground that took us decades to win in establishing human rights protections.

The pandemic is an alarming reminder of our interdependence and fragility, the weaknesses of our political systems, and the strength of individual human resilience.

Right now, we have much to learn from HRDs who are used to working in unstable, dangerous contexts. They know how to cope with great fear and vulnerability, how to adapt and survive while facing constant threats, and how to continue working for the common good amid growing adversity. We need to draw on that expertise as we rethink how to reorder our systems during the current crisis.

In the coming years, the killings of HRDs will be one of my main priorities. Every year, hundreds of people peacefully working to protect the rights of others, including journalists, environmentalists, defenders of LGBT+ and womens rights, are killed for their work.

I will also work to address the rise in online attacks and abuse aimed at HRDs. People online are targeting, stigmatising, and threatening HRDs for their work on a daily basis. These threats too are often a prelude to murder.

I will also work with the UN and governments around the world to find ways to better protect HRDs working in rural areas, who face increased risks due to being far from the protective gaze of embassies and international media bureaux.

I will also focus on HRDs who are serving long prison terms for their work. Just last week Asimjan Askarov, an HRD in Kyrgyzstan, lost his final appeal against his life sentence. I have visited him before and will continue to work on his case during my tenure as special rapporteur.

As we all adapt to a rapidly-changing order, businesses and governments will have to re-examine their relationships with human rights and those who defend them. They will have to learn from those working on the climate crisis, on health rights, in the fight against corruption, and a range of other issues which directly connect us all.

If those HRDs who were warning against the spread of COVID-19 had been listened to months ago and not silenced, the world would be a much healthier place now, with far fewer lives and livelihoods lost. The world cannot afford to ignore journalists, scientists and health professional HRDs any more.

It is in all our interests to protect that most fundamental principle: The right to defend rights. Now we have to find new ways of doing that. In the short term at least that will mean drastically changing how we operate as advocates.

The world, and the world of human rights activism, has changed drastically from when I started at Amnesty International in Ireland in 1976 in an age long before the internet or mobile phones or social media. We have learned to constantly develop over generations of human rights activism, and we will adapt again.

For now at least, we cannot travel to meet HRDs in person, gather to consult, or lobby government officials face to face. But we cannot put the fight for human rights on hold. We need to learn fast how to do more online, and how to protect our digital security and privacy, issues that are even more important than they were six months ago.

I will hold this post for three years, and no doubt the world will be very different in 2023. But what the world will look like then will depend on what we do now, and how quickly we figure out how to best protect those doing their legitimate work for the rights of others, so they can carry out their work without persecution. It is in all our interests.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
The article said Vietnam has been loosening quarantine measures since late April. Patient 91, a 43-year-old British pilot, is on life support in a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, and saving him has become a national priority. His condition deteriorated to the point that he was left with only 10-percent lung capacity.

It stressed that Vietnams success was no accident. Its 1,450km border with China and frequent visitors from Wuhan, the site of the original outbreak in December and January, meant that Vietnam could have been overrun with cases. But it acted fast and did not wait for official warnings from the World Health Organisation (WHO) before it closed its borders, locked down its economy and launched mass testing, tracing and quarantine measures.

Guy Thwaites, a professor of infectious diseases and Director of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam, said the country swung into action early because it was well aware of the dangers of unchecked infectious diseases. In the past 20 years, it has suffered from outbreaks of SARS, avian influenza, measles, dengue fever and hand-foot-and-mouth disease, which attacks young children.

The Vietnamese are very respectful of the threat of infectious diseases and know they have to be treated early, he said. They were well prepared.

A new academic report on Vietnams response to the pandemic, written by Prof. Thwaites and about 20 doctors and scientists, concluded that the early lockdown plus the extensive testing, contact tracing and mandatory quarantines for people who had come into contact with anyone who had tested positive were behind Vietnams success in preventing COVID-19 deaths. It said the tracing and quarantine measures were especially effective given that nearly half of those infected did not develop symptoms.

By the beginning of May, more than 200,000 people had been put into quarantine in government buildings, military camps, hotels or at home.

Thwaites said the tracing effort did not rely on sophisticated technology, but old-fashioned, shoe-leather epidemiology. Most of the countrys relatively few cases were travellers, including Vietnamese nationals, flying into the country.

He said he believes the low infection figures and lack of fatalities to be accurate, as he has access to official data and visits to local hospitals.
KYODO NEWS - May 29, 2020 - 07:00 | World, All, Coronavirus

Singapore said Thursday it will stop using polymerase chain reaction test as a criteria for releasing COVID-19 patients and will now adopt a time-based discharge policy, allowing such patients to go home after just 21 days of isolation.

"With immediate effect, all COVID-19 patients who are assessed to be clinically well by Day 21 of onset of illness can be discharged without the need for further PCR tests," the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The decision is based on new scientific evidence that the virus fades away after the second week from the onset of illness "despite the persistence of polymerase chain reaction detection of ribonucleic acid."

The World Health Organization has also recommended the adoption of a time-based discharge criteria.

Singapore decided to continue to isolate all patients until the end of the third week as an extra precaution, it said.

They will have to remain in their residence for a further seven days after being discharged to rest and recover and can return to work after the 28th day.

"What we are going to do now is to reduce the number of tests we need to do for the purposes of clearing patients from our hospitals and community care facilities to return home," said Kenneth Mak, the ministry's director of medical services.

Singapore, which has been aggressive in conducting tests for COVID-19 cases, with more 330,000 tests so far, or more than 58,000 tests per 1 million population, plans to continue to do so to detect new infections in migrant workers dorms.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told reporters that with this change in policy, "There will be a group of patients who have been with us for a long time, some maybe 50 days, more than 50 days. Some of these patients actually ought to be at home because they are no longer infectious."

The move comes at a time when Singapore is about to gradually lift its two-month-long semi-lockdown from June 2 amid signs that community transmission has been kept under control.

On Thursday, 373 new infection cases were reported, bringing the total to 32,876, with 23 deaths. Of the total 510 were in hospitals and 14,422 isolated and cared for at community facilities.
ALBANY  The Capital Region is on track to reopen more businesses on Wednesday.

But Rensselaer County Executive Steven McLaughlin is ready to start now.

In blatant defiance of executive orders from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, McLaughlin said he is tired of playing "games" and will allow any business to open its doors without the threat of county interference. McLaughlin asked hair salons, barber shops, bars and restaurants to refrain from opening to avoid problems with the state.

But "if you own a retail establishment, just open your business. Just go," McLaughlin said. "Rensselaer County is open for business."

To stay closed, he said, "is just not working." He said his county has had 24 drug overdoses since March 16, which he said was nearly the number for all of last year, 30. He said medical appointments are being missed for cancer, heart disease and vaccinations.

"I'm done holding back this county and I've made that public today  open your businesses," McLaughlin said in the 4 p.m. news conference on Friday.

"In talking to doctors, every one of them is saying the same thing: You got to open these doors because the hurt that people are going through and the lives are are going to be lost, are being lost by staying closed are far exceeding what's going on with COVID," McLaughlin said. "Every doctor I talk to says that same thing."

McLaughlin went into his speech proclaiming: "Some of you aren't going to like this but I always tell you what's on our mind: We're open in this county folks."

"I'm done with his games," McLaughlin continued, referring to Cuomo. "I'm done with his gamesmanship. I'm done with his politics. I'm done with him trying to dig a hole so big that Washington has to bail out this state. If you own a business, open your doors."

Latest coronavirus-related cancellations, postponements

The latest coronavirus numbers in NY

Sign up for the Times Union coronavirus newsletter

Full coronavirus coverage

He said he is not forcing businesses to open and advised they open smart and safely such as the supermarket chains and other retail outfits such as Target, Walmart and others.

"If you own a business, you know what to do," McLaughlin said, suggesting they employ social distancing, use masks, have hand sanitizer available. "They're all smart people out there."

Elizabeth Garvey, special counsel and senior advisor to Cuomo, responded to McLaughlin's statements.

McLaughlin knows he doesnt have the legal authority to do this and he is bizarrely encouraging people to ignore the doctors and public health experts, and put their own well-being as well as the public health at risk," Garvey stated. "A public official is also asking the public to violate the law. The facts are that if any business  state licensed or otherwise  not authorized to operate under the phase one or phase two reopening plan begins operating, it is violating New York's Executive Orders and may be subject to fines and suspension or revocation of state-issued licenses to operate.

Violation of an executive order can carry a fine of up to $10,000. Businesses can have their state licenses suspended or revoked, officials said.

McLaughlin said the numbers in his county keep improving. Rensselaer County has had 510 cases of coronavirus, including seven new cases Friday, with 69 active cases, five people in the hospital, he said.

Earlier Friday, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy told reporters that "everything is going well" and the region is set for the next phase on June 3.

"We're very close getting into phase two," McCoy said at his daily news conference. "We're moving in that right direction."

In phase two, Albany County and seven other local counties will begin to reopen office space jobs, real estate services, rental businesses, limited barber shops and hair salons  but not nail salons, McCoy said.

McCoy said the category of elective outpatient treatment in phase two will include children with special needs, including those taking speech pathology and occupational therapy. McCoy said dental offices can be open for emergencies.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

The county executive said the number of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Albany County rose to 1,686, up 21 from Thursday. There were 682 people under mandatory quarantine, up 67; six people in precautionary quarantine; 14 people recovered since Thursday; 27 hospitalized (down two) and three people in intensive care.

No deaths were reported from Thursday, McCoy said.

Elsewhere around the region, a non-patient care employee at Schenectady County's Glendale nursing home tested positive for COVID-19 during a second round of testing at the facility. Cases in the county are now at 671, including 98 current positives and 10 hospitalizations. There have been 363 quarantines, 127 isolations, 682 recoveries

With increased testing of staff, it was only a matter of time before someone tested positive, said Schenectady County Manager Rory Fluman said in statement. All safety precautions are being taken, including the employee isolating at home until cleared by Public Health Services. This employee did not show any of the signs or symptoms of COVID-19, and had tested negative only 4 days before, which is why it is so important to continue regular testing."

McCoy said he understands people have questions such as why they can shop for clothes or electronics in stores such as Walmart, Target and Sam's Club but need to get curbside pick-up at other businesses.

"I don't know how to answer that to business owners that I feel for," he said. "It's a great question. Honestly, I will look at you and tell you I don't know ... And I don't agree with it."

Under phase two, he said, mom-and-pop shops and small businesses  such as those in Stuyvesant Plaza, he noted  will be allowed to open if they can do it safely.

McCoy was joined at the briefing by Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen and Avanti Hair Studios co-owner Joleen Benincasa, the latter explaining that her store and its staff of 16 has been closed for 10 weeks. In preparing to reopen, she said she and her staff took an online course to safeguard against COVID-19. She said her business will have heavy vinyl curtains between work stations, require masks (and will provide them if necessary) and will have clients come in alone and proceed to sanitation stations. She said the staff would also stagger its schedules so fewer people are in the store.

"We feel we're going to do everything to keep it safe," Benincasa said.

Leaders in five areas  the Mohawk Valley, Central New York, the Fingers Lakes, the North Country and the Southern Tier, which have been in Phase 1 of reopening since May 15  were given the OK for phase two on Friday. On Thursday evening, the state advised local officials that the regions would not be eligible to move into the second phase, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved it Friday.

McLaughlin slammed Cuomo's handling of the situation as "chaos" and that businesses had the rug pulled out from underneath them.

The Times Union reported Thursday that ahead of phase one, the state released detailed guidance on the NY Forward website. It detailed exactly which businesses could reopen and what precautions were necessary to keep the spread of the coronavirus low.

Cuomo previously said a two-week period was necessary between phases to make sure the infection rate does not spike, and all areas that have moved through phase one for 14 days have continued to meet the state's seven reopening criteria.
Spains cabinet has approved the creation of a national minimum income, according to a government spokesperson.

Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias told a news conference on Friday the creation of a minimum income worth 462 (416.92) a month will target some 850,000 households or 2.5 million people.

The government would pay the monthly stipend and top up existing revenue for people earning less so that they receive at least that minimum amount every month, he said.

The minimum income would increase with the number of family members, up to a maximum of 1,015 (916.30) each month. The programme would cost the government about 3 billion a year.

Mr Iglesias said: Today is a historic day for our democracy. Today this government is showing that its political choice is social justice and that it takes the [Spanish] Constitution seriously.

Proposals for a guaranteed minimum income scheme was first floated in December 2019, in which the Socialist Workers Party and the left-wing Unidas Podemos agree to create a general mechanism to guarantee earnings for families with no or low income.

Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias is seen at the plenary session of control to the Government (Europa Press via Getty Images)

According to English-language Spanish newspaper El Pais, the scheme was brought forward due to the coronavirus outbreak. The government announced the first details of the plan in April.

Individual claimants must be at least 21 years old and under 65 to be eligible, unless the claimant is a victim of abuse or human trafficking. Under such circumstances, the requirements do not apply.

Families must be defined as vulnerable in order to claim the minimum income, which means their monthly income is 10 or more below the minimum income, reported the newspaper.

Additional reporting by Reuters
LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the possibility Friday of meeting in person at the upcoming G-7 gathering in the United States  a session called into question by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump said last week hes considering holding a meeting in the U.S. with the leaders of the worlds major economies after all. Trump had scheduled the Group of Seven summit for June 10-12 at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland.

Then in March, he cancelled the annual meeting because of the pandemic and said that the leaders would talk by video conference instead.

The announcement was the latest effort by Trump to signal to the nation that the U.S. economy is getting back up to speed after shutdowns meant to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Johnsons Downing Street office said in a statement Friday that the two leaders also discussed the importance of international co-operation to develop a vaccine for the new coronavirus, in hopes of restoring some sense of normalcy to global affairs.

Johnson invited Trump to take part in the Global Vaccine Summit that the UK is hosting on 4 June.

The two leaders also denounced Chinas plan to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong, describing it as undermining Hong Kongs autonomy and the One Country, Two Systems framework.

China officially ratified a plan Thursday to write a national security law for Hong Kong that would outlaw secession, subversion and foreign interference in the semi-autonomous territory. Critics say the move, which follows months of often-violent protests in the city, will effectively put an end to the core values that set the former British colony apart from the rest of China.

___

Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
The Nebraska Legislature, in 2015, voted to abolish the death penalty in Nebraska. Gov. Pete Ricketts vetoed the measure. And the Legislature, by a vote of 30-19 overrode that veto. The death penalty in Nebraska was dead.

Until it was revived by a petition drive and initiative effort. In November of 2016, voters approved reinstatement of the death penalty.

In a very direct sense, we have the death penalty in this state because of a vote of the people. And yet it took a lawsuit and a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling earlier this month to open up key records to the public. And even with that ruling, it could take until this fall  two years after the execution of Carey Dean Moore  before the state hands the documents over.

The Supreme Courts ruling was technically a victory for the Lincoln Journal Star, the Omaha World-Herald and, in a related suit, the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska. In actual fact, though, it is a victory for the people of Nebraska.

The Journal Star, World-Herald and ACLU back in November of 2017 sought public records involved in the obtaining of the lethal injection drugs that were to be used to carry out executions, Carey Dean Moore being first on the list.

Department of Correctional Services Director Scott Frakes argued that those documents, though public, could allow the identification of execution team members, opening them up to threats and harassment.

Lancaster District Judge Jodi Nelson  two months before Moores scheduled execution  ruled in favor of the newspapers and ACLU. The state appealed, and Moores execution went off with the documents still unreleased and the public still in the dark about how the injection drugs were obtained.

This month's Supreme Court decision was a resounding win for the public and its access to open records. The state used public money to pay for its lethal injection drugs. The drugs purpose is to help the corrections department carry out the ultimate punishment on behalf of the residents of this state.

The Journal Stars editorial board has opposed the death penalty. The newspapers participation in this lawsuit, however, has nothing to do with that stance. Regardless of ones view of capital punishment, open records are open records. They are established to give the public a window into the government it has authorized through elections and funded through taxes.

Public records are one way we can hold our public servants accountable. Pro- or anti-death penalty, conservative or liberal, we should all be able to agree that access to information is an essential element of our participatory government.

It often falls to the news media  newspapers in particular  to make sure public records stay public. Thats why a win in court for the Journal Star is a win for all.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Derek Chauvin, ex-Minneapolis officer recorded kneeling on George Floyds neck, is charged with murder

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer who was recorded kneeling into the neck of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man who died in police custody on Monday, has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Friday.

Three other officers who were involved in the incident, which has sparked protests and riots nationwide, have not yet been charged. Freeman said at a news conference that his team thought it was appropriate to build a case against the most dangerous perpetrator first, as the investigation continues, and he believes there's enough evidence to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt against Chauvin.

The investigation is ongoing; we felt it appropriate to focus on the most dangerous perpetrator. I must say that this case has moved with extraordinary speed. This conduct is criminal action, took place on Monday evening May 25th, Memorial Day. Im speaking to you at 1 oclock on Friday, May 29th. Thats less than four days. Thats extraordinary, Freeman told reporters.

We have never charged a case in that kind of time frame. And we can only charge a case when we have sufficient admissible evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. As of right now, we have that, he said.

Freeman further noted that there could be subsequent charges later.

Chauvin, who was taken into custody by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Friday, was caught on video along with three other officers arresting Floyd.

In the approximately 10-minute video, a handcuffed Floyd is shown lying face down begging for his life and crying for his mother while Chauvin kneels into his neck. Chauvin kneels into Floyds neck until he begins to bleed from his nose and becomes unresponsive. Even after Floyd becomes motionless on the ground, Chauvin is shown pressing his knee into his neck for several more minutes as bystanders begged him to have mercy.

The announcement of Chauvins arrest was made shortly after Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota called for order in the streets of Minneapolis after an explosive night of protests in the streets of Minneapolis which saw the torching of a police station.

Walz said he supported protesters who wanted to lift up the voices of those who are expressing rage and anger and those who are demanding justice, but not those who throw firebombs.

I refuse to have it take away the attention from the stain that we need to be working on, he said. These are things that have been brewing in this country for 400 years.

Chauvin had 18 previous complaints filed against him with the Minneapolis Police Department's Internal Affairs, according to NBC News affiliate WXII. Only two were "closed with discipline," the department said.
Police stand guard on a road to deter pro-democracy protesters from blocking roads in the Mong Kok district of Hong Kong on May 27, 2020.

China on Thursday approved a controversial proposal to impose a national security law for Hong Kong, reigniting concerns over the financial hub's diminishing freedoms.

The law will effectively bypass Hong Kong's legislature, and raises concerns over whether it is a breach of the Chinese city's autonomy, which was promised under the "one country, two systems" principle.

It comes after months of pro-democracy protests, which sometimes spiraled into chaos and violence, that have rocked Hong Kong and devastated key sectors in its economy, including tourism and retail.

Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, is a special administrative region of China. Under the "one country, two systems" framework, the city is given some freedoms that citizens in the mainland do not have. That includes self-governing power, limited election rights, and a largely separate legal and economic framework from mainland China.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has said the decision to implement the law was "designed for steady implementation of 'one country, two systems' and Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability."

But critics of the law say it violates that policy and promise of freedom to the Hong Kong people.

Prior to the approval of the bill, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Hong Kong was no longer highly independent from China.

Here's what other leaders around the world say about China's move to pass the bill.
Chennai, May 28 (IANS) A virtual reality (VR) model built from the CT scan of an 11-year old boy from Egypt and a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) enabled doctors at the MGM Healthcare here to successfully carry out an implant operation, the hospital said on Thursday.

The VR model developed by a student of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) was to check whether the LVAD could be implanted in the boy and whether his chest could be closed post the implant.

The boy, small in size for his age, was suffering from a life threatening condition called restrictive cardiomyopathy and severe pulmonary hypertension (very high pressure in the lungs) with recurrent heart failure admissions for the last one year, MGM Healthcare said.

The boy with a history of cardiac arrest was airlifted urgently in an air ambulance from Cairo.

After being turned down by hospitals in the US and western Europe, the boy was referred to K.R. Balakrishnan, Chairman, cardiac sciences, and Director, Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant & Mechanical Circulatory Support, by the pediatric cardiologist in Cairo who was treating the child.

According to MGM Healthcare, the boy was turned down by foreign hospitals as his high lung pressure meant that a heart transplant was ruled out and there were no commercially available LVADs for a child of his size.

Soon after his arrival here, the boy's heart failure worsened. The only option available was to consider whether somehow an LVAD, a battery-operated mechanical pump, could be implanted to help the left chamber of the heart pump blood to the rest of the body, MGM Healthcare said.

The doctors faced major impediments, as the existing pumps were built for adults. What if the chest could not be closed after the operation?

Also, the size of the heart chamber, the left ventricle, was a major concern, as it was heavily muscle bound, full of excess, useless muscle with very small cavity size. There was no way of knowing if the pump could be fitted inside the heart.

It was then that Balakrishnan got in touch with R. Krishna Kumar, a professor in the Department of Engineering Design, IITM, and requested him if a virtual reality model could be built from the CT scan of the child, so that a virtual implant could be carried out to ensure that the implant was possible.

So, a virtual model was built to make sure that the procedure was possible.

Armed with the confidence of this knowledge, the implant was carried out and it was a success. The boy has recovered rapidly and gained weight.

The family is now waiting to return to Cairo, once air travel restrictions are lifted.

"We thoroughly evaluated the child before planning for the LVAD. We had limited options. We decided to go ahead with the heart pump implant only after the virtual model built at the IIT showed that it was feasible," Balakrishnan said.

Commenting on the virtual reality model, IITM's Kumar said, "There were many challenges technically as the image clarity of the commercial software built into the imaging machine did not meet the requirements. After intense discussions on the algorithms to be used, Sathish Kumar, my student, built the virtual reality model in one night, as time was crucial."

"After being turned down by many hospitals, we had almost given up hope. Our child had been ailing for a few years and we could not bear to see him suffer like this. We are grateful that we were referred to this facility where the doctors ensured a fresh lease of life for our son," the boy's mother, a pediatrician herself, said.

--IANS

vj/arm
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) occurs through the transmission of droplets and aerosols from infected people through speaking, breathing, coughing, and sneezing. Wearing masks can reduce the airborne transmission of the novel coronavirus, a new study finds. The research is published in the journal Science.

The team of researchers at the University of California San Diego and the National Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, identified that wearing masks is essential to combat the asymptomatic spread of aerosols and droplets.

Asymptomatic carriers make up the bulk of those who transmit the virus. They are the ones who are infected but do not manifest any symptom, making it hard to contain the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Jenny Harries, the UK's deputy chief medical officer, said masks could actually trap the virus. Image Credit: Robert Wei / Shutterstock

How does the coronavirus spread?

The SARS-CoV-2 spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or nasal discharge when an infected person coughs or sneezes, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports. Growing evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, can be spread by asymptomatic people via aerosols.

The researchers said that a large proportion of the virus spread appears to be happening through the airborne transmission of aerosols or airborne particles produced by asymptomatic carriers during speaking and breathing.

The airborne spread of the virus from people who are not aware they are infected highlights the importance of mass testing, wearing masks, and physical distancing to reduce the spread of the virus.

Using masks to prevent virus spread

When dispersed in the air, aerosols can accumulate and remain infectious in indoor air for hours. The particles are so small that they are easily inhaled into the lungs.

The droplets produced by humans can range between 0.1 and 1000 m. Many factors can influence how far emitted droplets and aerosols will travel in the air, including gravity, inertia, droplet size, and evaporation.

Some droplets, because of their size, may contaminate surfaces and lead to contact transmission. Smaller droplets will evaporate faster than they settle and can stay in the air.

One recent study estimated that a single minute of loud-speaking might generate between 1,000 to 100,000 virion-containing aerosols or virus particles suspended in the air. The aerosols can accumulate indoor and in uncirculated air for hours, where they can be inhaled deeply into the lungs.

Masks are effective in reducing the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Properly fitted masks provide an effective physical barrier to reduce the number of viruses in the exhaled breath of asymptomatic carriers or the silent shedders.

Infectious aerosol particles can be released during breathing and speaking by asymptomatic infected individuals. No masking maximizes exposure, whereas universal masking results in the least exposure, the researchers explained.

The researchers also noted that the countries that were successful in reducing virus spread had implemented universal masking,

From epidemiological data, countries that have been most effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 have implemented universal masking, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea, the researchers said.

Further, they added that people should wear masks in areas with conditions that can accumulate high concentrations of viruses, such as airplanes, restaurants, health care settings, supermarkets, and other crowded places.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are hard to maintain, including pharmacies and grocery stores.

It is critical to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social distancing remains important to slow the spread of the virus. CDC is additionally advising the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure, the CDC said on its website.

Further, surgical masks and N95 masks should be given priority to front-liners such as healthcare workers, given the scarcity of their supply.

Source:

Journal:

Others:

World Health Organization (WHO). (2020). Coronavirus. https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Recommendation Regarding the Use of Cloth Face Coverings, Especially in Areas of Significant Community-Based Transmission. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html
Scientists around the world are working 24x7 to find a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19 or coronavirus pandemic, but, even after a COVID-19 vaccine is deployed across countries and communities, the coronavirus is here to stay, and may eventually, become endemic like HIV, measles and chickenpox, The Washington Post reported.

Follow latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic here

However, no matter how fierce the virus is, this definitely isnt the first coronavirus that later turned endemic. There are already four endemic coronaviruses that are in constant circulation, and it is very likely that the SARS CoV-2 will become the fifth in the list.

This virus is here to stay, Sarah Cobey, an epidemiologist and evolutionary biologist at the University of Chicago, told the publication. The question is, how do we live with it safely? she added.

According to the US daily, experts in epidemiology say that learning to live with COVID-19 is crucial to the next phase of the US' coronavirus pandemic response an should act as a call to arms for the public as well as the political clique. It is only with far-sighted thinking, coordinated political will, an amalgamation of international efforts, and a considerable amount of money and patience can such endemics be combated.

If the fast-tracked process of vaccine development goes smoothly from conception to market availability, it could take at least 12-18 months to deploy it successfully. Various media reports noted that, GSK, the world's largest vaccine maker, plans to produce 1 billion doses of vaccine efficacy boosters for COVID-19 shots next year, while GlaxoSmithKline Plc plans to produce 1 billion doses of a booster that can help any brand of shot.

Coronavirus Tracker | 15 countries with highest number of cases, deaths due to COVID-19 pandemic

However, Barney Graham, deputy director of the federal government's Vaccine Research Center, was quoted by the publication saying that emerging plans for vaccination are already stretching as far out as 10 years.

"We had a discussion this morning about what can be ready before this winter of 2021, what could be ready for 2021-2022, and what kind of regimen or vaccine concepts would we want after this has settled into a more seasonal virus," he said.

According to WHO, more than 100 vaccines are being developed across the world, with 10 candidates already in human trials. So far, Chinas CanSino adenovirus vaccine, Oxford Universitys adenovirus vaccine, Modernas mRNA vaccine and Novavax have shown promise.

As a result, the experts proposition of vaccines not likely being a permanent solution to eradicate the disease, definitely came as a daunting one. Although, its effects growing milder by the day, yet coronavirus cases are on a constant rise. Most countries have also rushed into resuming their corporate workforce in order to keep the economy afloat even amidst the rise, while looking for magic bullets to bring an end to this pandemic.

Its like we have attention-deficit disorder right now. Everything were doing is just a knee-jerk response to the short-term, Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was quoted as saying by the publication.

People keep asking me, Whats the one thing we have to do? The one thing we have to do is to understand that there is not one thing. We need a comprehensive battle strategy, meticulously implemented, he added.

With people from around the world waiting for their lives to return to normal, the reality that a COVID-tinged world is the new normal may be a hard pill to swallow for the teeming billions.

Natalie Dean, a disease biostatistician at the University of Florida, told the Washington post that a future with an enduring coronavirus means that normal no longer exists. As we find different ways to adapt and discover what works, thats how were going to start reclaiming parts of our society and life, she said.

However, even after a successful development of vaccines, a shortage of supply resulting in hoarding and ineffective vaccine campaigns, topped off with anti-vaccine campaigns/groups could be another daunting reality in the war against the pandemic.

"We also assume that everyone will want the vaccine because of the devastation this virus has caused, but that's a big assumption," Howard Koh, a top US health official during the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, told the Post.

Besides, the lack of urgency is daunting. According to experts, it is very much likely that there wont be a sense of urgency among people and the governments until the virus becomes more widespread and ends up infecting a loved one.

The Washington Post quoted Michael T. Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy on this thought.

"It is like people who drive too fast. They come upon the scene of an accident, and for a little while, they drive more carefully, but soon they are back to speeding again, he said.
Traders will be looking for guidance to see whether Trumps announcement triggers further escalation between the two largest economies. After Trumps speech, traders will be looking to react to Chinas

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to hold a news conference on China later on Friday as his administration moves to pressure Beijing over its treatment of Hong Kong.

There are headwinds, however, which are likely the reason behind this weeks abrupt halt of the current rally. These headwinds include possible U.S. sanctions against China over its treatment of Hong Kong, Russias lack of participation in an extension of the OPEC+ production cuts, and weak U.S. demand.

July WTI is on track for a record monthly gain of 54% in May that would represent its strongest monthly rise since March 1999, Reuters said.

The WTI contract is also in a position to post its first weekly loss after four consecutive weeks of gains that leaves it set for its biggest monthly gain in years thanks to production cuts and optimism over Chinese-led demand recovery, analysts said.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil is edging lower at the end of the week with prices being dragged down by weak U.S. fuel demand, fears of a second wave of coronavirus cases in South Korea and a worsening in U.S.-China relations. Nonetheless, the markets remain on track for a hefty monthly gain.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil is edging lower at the end of the week with prices being dragged down by weak U.S. fuel demand, fears of a second wave of coronavirus cases in South Korea and a worsening in U.S.-China relations. Nonetheless, the markets remain on track for a hefty monthly gain.

The WTI contract is also in a position to post its first weekly loss after four consecutive weeks of gains that leaves it set for its biggest monthly gain in years thanks to production cuts and optimism over Chinese-led demand recovery, analysts said.

July WTI is on track for a record monthly gain of 54% in May that would represent its strongest monthly rise since March 1999, Reuters said.

There are headwinds, however, which are likely the reason behind this weeks abrupt halt of the current rally. These headwinds include possible U.S. sanctions against China over its treatment of Hong Kong, Russias lack of participation in an extension of the OPEC+ production cuts, and weak U.S. demand.

Trump to Announce US Response to Chinas Treatment of Hong Kong

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to hold a news conference on China later on Friday as his administration moves to pressure Beijing over its treatment of Hong Kong.

Traders will be looking for guidance to see whether Trumps announcement triggers further escalation between the two largest economies. After Trumps speech, traders will be looking to react to Chinas response.

Even with the global economy reopening, economic conditions remain weak. So with this new geopolitical tension, it means that recovery in many parts of the world can take longer, which could put pressure on crude oil demand and prices.

Russias Commitment to OPEC+ Supply Cuts is questioned

On the demand front, traders are becoming a little worried about Russias commitment to deeper than agreed upon oil production cuts ahead of a June 9 meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, known as OPEC+.

Earlier in the week, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak met with domestic major oil companies to discuss the implementation of global oil production curbs and the possible extension of the current level of cuts beyond June, sources familiar with the plans told Reuters.

This news actually comes as no surprise. Often ahead of an important OPEC+ meeting, traders question Russias commitment to any proposed deal. Historically, Russia has been the last major producer to approve production cuts.

Signs of Lower US Demand as EIA Inventories Rise

Thursdays data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed that U.S. crude oil and distillate inventories rose sharply last week. Fuel demand remained slack even as various states lifted travel restrictions they had imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic, analysts said.

Fundamentals Summary

The biggest issue that crude oil traders will face over the near-term will be the impact of Chinas response to the widely expected U.S. sanctions against the worlds second-largest economy.

Steep sanctions by the U.S. and equally severe retaliation by China could create similar conditions to a trade war. This wont be good for the global economy especially at a time when its just starting to recover from the damage cause by the coronavirus pandemic.

On the positive side, traders shouldnt worry about Russias participation in an extension of the production cuts. There is just too much evidence supporting their positive influence on prices. Expect Russia to approve an extension.

Furthermore, although U.S. inventories rose last week, storage in Cushing, Oklahoma, the main delivery point in WTI, decreased by 3.4 million barrels, and refinery utilization also rose 71% from 69%. All the EIA report told us is that changes are going to be gradual.

The wildcard over the next few months is going to be a second-wave of coronavirus outbreaks. South Korea is going back to strict restrictions. The CDC is warning about a second wave. The U.S. economy will be hit hard if there is a resurgence with the re-opening of the economy moving slower than anticipated.

Weekly Technical Analysis

Weekly July WTI Crude Oil

Trend Indicator Analysis

The main trend is down according to the weekly swing chart, however, momentum has been trending higher since the formation of the closing price reversal bottom at $17.27 during the week ending May 1.

The main trend will change to up on a trade through $54.86. This is not likely over the near-term because of a series of potential resistance levels blocking the markets progress.

Furthermore, the market is overdue for a short-term correction of the recent rally. This move may be necessary to solidify the bottoming process. Essentially, the market is more likely to rally further if it has a solid support base. At this time, there is no support base.

On the upside, the short-term range is $54.86 to $17.27. Its 50% level at $36.07 is the nearest resistance level. The main range is $62.95 to $17.27. Its 50% level is the primary upside target at $40.11.

On the downside, the minor range is $17.27 to $34.81. Its 50% level at $26.04 is the primary downside target.

Weekly Technical Forecast

The key area to watch the week-ending June 5 is $36.07 to $37.27. Trader reaction to this area should determine the direction of the July WTI crude oil market.

Bullish Scenario

Overcoming the 50% level at $36.07 will be the first sign of strength. Overtaking the steep uptrending Gann angle at $37.27 will indicate the buying is getting stronger. This could trigger an acceleration to the upside with potential upside targets coming in at $39.86 and $40.18.

Bearish Scenario

The inability to overcome and sustain a rally over $36.07 will signal the presence of sellers. If this move is able to create enough downside momentum then look for the start of a pullback into $27.27 to $26.04.

Technical Summary

July WTI crude oil has been climbing higher at a pace of $4.00 per week since the week ending May 1. However, this weeks price action suggests the uptrend may be weakening.

If the buying continues to weaken then look for the start of a near-term correction into $26.04. This may be the best buying opportunity. The formation of a secondary higher bottom following a test of this level will be a sign that real buyers are re-entering the market. This could eventually change the main trend to up.

The first four-week rally was basically driven by short-covering. The next rally will be driven by new buyers.
RYE, N.H., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Less Cancer bike ride has gone virtual on June 6 and 7 with riders selecting their preferred ride length15, 33 or 64 miles. Called the "Alone but Together Bike Ride," riders are riding solo in their hometowns to help the cause of cancer prevention.

"We're getting people all over the country riding with this us this year," said Less Cancer Founder and President Bill Couzens. "I love the spirit of the biking community."

"When I founded this organization it was to minimize the suffering that can come with cancer by preventing this wicked disease. After many years of educating the public, we understand that education and policy often can address more than 50 percent of preventable cancers."

Proceeds from this ride go to Less Cancer programming for continuing medical education in cancer prevention for physicians, nurses and public health professionals. Less Cancer founded and annually produces the National Cancer Prevention Workshop in Washington D.C. The University of Virginia School of Medicine provides Continuing Medical Education credits at the event.

Registration for virtual riders is $25. More information for riders and donors can be found at https://www.pledgereg.com/less-cancer-bike-ride or www.lesscancer.org.

About Less Cancer

Founded in 2004, the Next Generation Choices Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity known more widely as "Less Cancer." The organization works to educate the public, create proactive public policies, and offer continuing education credit to physicians, nurses, and public health professionals regarding cancer, over 50 percent of which are preventable. Less Cancer signifies a new paradigm for addressing cancer, one focused on prevention. This is a departure from previous treatment-focused approaches, which focus on beating, conquering, or curing cancer.

MEDIA CONTACT: Colleen Robar, 313-207-5960, [email protected]

SOURCE Less Cancer

Related Links

http://www.lesscancer.org


For states like West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, where migration is high, the return of workers could be as much an opportunity as a liability.

All states have launched portals to register migrant workers; additional fields like nature of employment and remuneration in the past 2-3 years are being added to help in skill mapping.

After almost a month, work under MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) resumed at Mohanpur, a village in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.

Around 20 people got work, but just for a day.

Bapi Das, a migrant, who used to work for a catering service provider in Tamil Nadu, and returned home just before the lockdown to contain COVID-19, wasnt among those lucky ones.

The demand for MGNREGS work in Mohanpur has shot up since a large number of migrants returned.

Out of work, and with little cash in hand, MGNREGS has been holding out hope.

But even as Das and his lot wait to find work, going back is the last thing on their mind.

Even with lesser pay, thousands of migrant workers who have returned are willing to battle it out in their home state.

As they juggle between risking lives and no work, states are calling out to sons of the soil, albeit for different reasons.

Recently, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, appealed to the bhumiputra of Maharashtra to go and work for industries in green zones.

Till now you stayed at home to save Maharashtra. Now, you must go to work in industries in green zones.

Maharashtra, which has the highest share of in-migrants, is facing a labour shortage in green zones with workers from other states moving back home.

Labour shortage had forced Karnataka to cancel inter-state trains earlier.

A large number of workers from other states were engaged in the construction industry.

In a bid to woo construction workers, the Karnataka government recently provided financial support of Rs 3,000 to each of the 1.58 million registered building workers in the state as part of the states Rs 1,600 crore relief package.

This is over and above the Rs 2,000 that is already transferred to their accounts.

But what is a problem for Maharashtra and Karnataka, could well be a boon for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Much before Thackeray, Banerjee reached out to migrants, asking them to stay put in their home state.

She has assured them of employment opportunities.

A video conference with district industries centres, MSMEs and chambers, has been held, said a senior minister in the state government.

West Bengal has about 549 industrial clusters, then there are industrial parks and karmatirthas for the micro units.

For states like West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, where migration is high, the return of workers could be as much an opportunity as a liability, though.

Till May 16, the Indian Railways transported about 1.5 million to their home states. But many more took the long march home.

For instance, the heavy influx of migrant labourers in Uttar Pradesh, currently estimated at 1.8 million since the COVID-19 lockdown began, has created a problem of plenty for the Yogi Adityanath government as it deals with the onerous challenge of providing local employment.

Nonetheless, Chief Minister Adityanath has instructed department heads to prepare separate roadmaps for collectively creating more than 2 million local jobs in the MSME segment, one district one product (ODOP) scheme, khadi, food processing, and so on.

In the meanwhile, the government is looking to double MGNREGA jobs to cover 5 million beneficiaries from the current 2.5 million.

UP additional chief secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi, said the government was preparing a muster roll of all migrants, so that they could be provided with jobs. It would have details like skill set.

A major problem with migrant workers is that a large proportion is unskilled workers, and they might need skill upgradation.

That could be time consuming.

Odisha industry secretary Hemant Sharma, however, said, When we were doing skill mapping, we found that some had ITI certificates and some even had polytechnic diplomas.

"Around 15-20 per cent of workers can be absorbed as it is, they would not require skill upgradation.

All states have launched portals to register migrant workers; additional fields like nature of employment and remuneration in the past 2-3 years are being added to help in skill mapping.

Labour economist, K R Shyam Sundar, professor at XLRI - Xavier School of Management in Jamshedpur, said states might err in having more unskilled workers, but the skill mix will change over time.

States must have an open door policy for migrant workers, he added.

The Odisha government is brainstorming other plans involving migrant workers.

May be, we could have a memorandum of understanding with a steel plant to engage migrant workers.

"This would not be mandatory, but persuasive.

"Additionally, if a big chunk of workers is from a particular sector, special incentives could be offered to attract investment in that sector, said Sharma.

An inter-ministerial committee has been formed to reboot industry in the context of the pandemic and how to engage migrant workers could be a part of the discourse.

These are plans, however, that will take time to be implemented.

Till economic activities are restarted fully, its MGNREGA and government schemes that may keep the thousands who have struggled to reach home busy.

But for how long?

Pallabi Mondal, a worker with an NGO called Asha, said people dont want to risk their lives and go back to work immediately, even if trains start running.

The fear for life is more than the fear of job loss, she said.

With inputs from Samreen Ahmad and Aneesh Phadnis

Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo
Vodafone Idea (Image: Reuters)

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Vodafone Ideas board is not considering any proposal from Google, the company has clarified.

The clarification comes after there have been reports of the American tech giant eyeing a stake in the Indian telecom player.

In an exchange filing on May 29, the telecom company said, "As part of corporate strategy, the Company constantly evaluates various opportunities for enhancing the stakeholders' value. As and when such proposals are considered by the Board of Directors of the Company warranting disclosures, the Company shall comply with the disclosure obligations under the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 ("SEBI Listing Regulation"). "

On May 28, it was reported that Google was looking to enter India's telecom market via a 5 percent stake purchase in Vodafone Idea.

Soon after Vodafone Idea's clarification regarding reports of stake sale, the company's stock price fell 20 percent from its day's high. In the morning trade, the share price surged 34 percent following reports of a possible investment by Google.
,



We're sorry, this article is not currently available
The coronavirus crisis that has gripped care homes in Britain could get worse under the Government's new test and trace system, an industry leader as warned.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of the organisation Care England, warned that homes would struggle if large numbers of staff are forced to self-isolate.

The test and trace system, which got up and running this week, requires everyone to spend two weeks at home if they have come into close contact with someone who tests positive for Covid-19, even if they have no symptoms themselves.

Because of the regular close contact between staff and residents in care homes, the risk of widespread isolation being ordered is high.

Professor Green said there must be clear, separate rules set out for homes as well as a regular, routine testing programme to help carers keep working if they aren't sick.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of the organisation Care England, warned that homes would struggle if large numbers of staff are forced to self-isolate

He said this morning: 'Until we get that we won't get on top of this pandemic.'

At least 12,070 care home residents are confirmed to have died of the coronavirus so far, according to the Care Quality Commission.

Professor Green told BBC Breakfast today that testing in care homes needs to be prioritised and called for 'proper guidance' for care homes.

Under the new test and trace scheme, which is vital for moving the country out of lockdown, there will be strict rules on self-isolating for anyone who has symptoms of Covid-19 or has been in contact with someone who later tested positive.

An army of 25,000 contact tracers working for the Government will now reach out to everyone who has been near a coronavirus patient and warn them.

People will be told to self-isolate for two weeks, regardless of whether they have symptoms, and to get tested if they do start to feel ill.

The scheme could be problematic for care homes, where people are often in close contact and there are usually more staff than patients.

If multiple members of staff are told to self-isolate at once homes could be faced with a shrinking workforce, Professor Green warned.

He told BBC Breakfast: 'I think one of the things that we have to understand is that it's an enormous task to get testing into care homes, and also the testing is not a one-time activity.

'We need a rolling programme of testing, both for residents and also for staff, so this is something that is a huge logistical issue.

'But we have got to get on top of it and we've got to also prioritise care homes because of course it's care homes where the most vulnerable people live, so I really want to see testing ramped up.

'I want to see also some really clear policy on how we both test but also track and trace, because I have real concerns that the tracking and tracing programme  unless we get proper guidance for care homes  will produce many staff having to self-isolate and that will again exacerbate the problems in care homes.

Care home staff working in a home where there have been confirmed cases of the coronavirus could be told to self-isolate en masse under new test and trace rules put in place by the Government and NHS (Pictured: A resident is swabbed for a coronavirus test in Tyneside, North East England)

EARLY CARE HOME LOCKDOWN PLANS WERE REJECTED BY MINISTERS Radical plans from health officials to lock down care homes at the peak of the outbreak were rejected my ministers, it was reported last night. The Public Health England proposals are said to have suggested staff could move into homes temporarily and residents could be isolated in Nightingale hospitals. Officials said ministers should consider using 'NHS facilities and other temporary accommodation to quarantine and isolate residents' and look at 'whether staff can move into the care home for the next four weeks'. But the 11-point plan for 'a further lockdown of care homes', shared with ministers on April 28 when virus cases in homes were at their peak, was not implemented by the Government, The Guardian reported. PHE officials said staff moving into care homes to avoid bringing in the virus  as has happened voluntarily at some homes anyway  would be a 'high impact' move. But the Government is said to have rejected the proposal, concluding not all care homes could offer suitable accommodation to staff. Instead, guidance says only carers 'who proactively choose it should be offered accommodation on site or in hotels'. Another proposal to use NHS facilities to isolate care home residents with symptoms  including at NHS Nightingale hospitals, some of which have now been closed after barely being used  was also reportedly rejected. Ministers said many Nightingale sites were not suitable for providing care to the elderly and instead told councils to 'ensure there is sufficient alternative accommodation as required to quarantine and isolate residents'. A Department of Health spokesman said: 'We have worked tirelessly with care homes to reduce transmission and save lives, and almost two-thirds have had no outbreaks at all. We announced 600million to help tackle the spread of coronavirus, including by limiting staff movement between care homes.' Advertisement

'But I think we've got to get testing and it's got to be regular and it's got to be something that is continuous, and until we get that we won't get on top of this pandemic.'

Testing in care homes has been a contentious issue throughout the outbreak because it was unavailable on a large scale for so long.

For approximately the first two months of the Covid-19 outbreak in Britain, the Government operated care home testing on a catch-all basis.

If there were suspected cases in a home, a small sample of residents and staff - those with symptoms, if there were any, would be tested.

Any positive results would constitute that home being the site of an outbreak and any further residents who developed symptoms would have been assumed to have the disease but not tested individually.

As a result, thousands of people were never tested and died with the disease without being counted by the Department of Health, which only records positive tests.

Officials have been accused of leaving the care sector - which is privately run but linked to local councils and hospitals - in the lurch at the start of the outbreak.

People were also sent back into care homes from hospitals without being tested when the NHS was told to empty its inpatient wards to prepare for a surge of coronavirus patients, which experts say seeded deadly outbreaks.

Shadow social care minister, Liz Kendall, said the Government is still not prioritising social care.

She told BBC Breakfast: 'We've got to have more local testing centres, more mobile testing units and more tests sent to carers' own homes, so they can test themselves, and members of their families.

'You know, I think the Government still hasn't given care homes and social care generally the priority it needs.'

The Labour MP, who represents Leicester West, added: 'We're all talking about how elements of the lockdown are being lifted, which we all want to see happen if it's done in a safe way.

'But that lockdown isn't going to end in care homes for a long while, because the population is so vulnerable, so we have got to get to grips with this.'

The Government is considerably short of its self-imposed target to test every care home patient for coronavirus by 'early June', with latest data suggesting fewer than one in four has received a test since the pandemic started.

Just five per cent of care home residents were tested in the last week, down from six per cent in the previous seven-day period, according to figures from The Data Analysis Bureau (T-DAB) and Person Centred Software (PCS).

The analysis said 38 per cent of care homes have had no residents tested since the pandemic started.

The data also suggested that fewer than one in 10 (nine per cent) residents have been tested since May 15, when Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced his pledge for universal care home testing.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Throughout this unprecedented pandemic we have been working closely with the sector and public health experts to put in place guidance and support for adult social care and we will continue to ensure they have everything they need to respond.

'The NHS test and trace service will play a vital role in protecting life as we move into the next phase of the response.

'Our aim is to make it as easy, fast and simple as possible for anybody who needs to get a test to do so and since the start of our care home satellite testing programme we have delivered 613,000 test kits to 8,455 care homes and we are on our way to providing tests for every care home resident by early June.'

It has emerged that health officials decided not to move forward with plans to lock down care homes at the peak of the outbreak.

The Public Health England proposals are said to have suggested staff could move into homes temporarily and residents could be isolated in Nightingale hospitals.

Officials said ministers should consider using 'NHS facilities and other temporary accommodation to quarantine and isolate residents' and look at 'whether staff can move into the care home for the next four weeks'.

But the 11-point plan for 'a further lockdown of care homes', shared with ministers on April 28 when virus cases in homes were at their peak, was not implemented by the Government, The Guardian reported.

PHE officials said staff moving into care homes to avoid bringing in the virus  as has happened voluntarily at some homes anyway  would be a 'high impact' move.

But the Government is said to have rejected the proposal, concluding not all care homes could offer suitable accommodation to staff.

Instead, guidance says only carers 'who proactively choose it should be offered accommodation on site or in hotels'.

Another proposal to use NHS facilities to isolate care home residents with symptoms  including at NHS Nightingale hospitals, some of which have now been closed after barely being used  was also reportedly rejected.

Ministers said many Nightingale sites were not suitable for providing care to the elderly and instead told councils to 'ensure there is sufficient alternative accommodation as required to quarantine and isolate residents'.
Making use of technological advances, illustration photo

The determination of the government is indicated by the commercialisation of 5G networks in 2020 by domestic tech giants Viettel, VNPT, and MobiFone, and the national AI programme led by Vingroup, FPT, and CMC.

The two pillars of digital transformation have been established and downstreamed from the government to the private sector. Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) is the flagship among state-owned corporations to go digital by remotely operating most of its 110 kilovolt substations and smart meters, enabling energy consumption payments through internet banking. The digitalisation of EVN might reduce its operating costs in the long term, which translates to the remedy on retail electricity price increase pressures.

Digital transformation has been boosted recently due in part to the coronavirus pandemic. Many companies are moving their daily operations into the cloud from processes and permissions to approvals and video conferences. Industrials put more effort into automating machines and integrating more robots. Agriculture is moving from conventional outdoor crops and farms to indoor vertical models.

Enterprise resource-planning platform providers enjoy huge demand from the business communities that need to increase their data and back-up storage. The transition adds more electronics into the energy consumption pool of the country. Electronics work well under cool temperatures that will request more cooling capacity.

According to the International Monetary Fund, Vietnams GDP is expected to maintain a growth of 5-7 per cent during the next decade, even with the impacts of coronavirus, which requires 10 per cent of electricity supply annually. The correlation seems not to include the growth of automation and electric vehicles emergence foreseeable with many high-tech manufacturers and suppliers.

The energy efficiency directives indicated by Resolution No.55-NQ/TW dated February 11 on the orientation of the National Energy Development Strategy of Vietnam to 2030 with a vision to 2045 should be enforced as soon as possible through mandatory regulations with clear penalties for energy-intensive players.

One of the pillars of digital transformation, 5G expected to be serviced in 2020 will double or triple the energy consumption of local telecoms carriers due to requirements of denser network coverage and deployment of MIMO (multiple inputs, multiple outputs) antennas. Based on the statistics of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Viettel Telecom, VNPT, and MobiFone have 130,000, 76,000, and 65,000 base stations respectively distributed across the country.

Each base station can consume 20-24 kilowatt hours (kWh) daily on average, which results in 2.3 billion kWh per year, roughly 1.1 per cent of total energy consumption of the country. EVN stated that it commercially sold 209 billion kWh in 2019.

This might increase up to 2-3 per cent when the 5G networks are fully commercialised. Energy costs could be a driver for carriers to optimise their cell planning, utilise more services from telecoms companies, and directly save power through distributed renewable energy sources such as solar modules or small wind turbines.

Transportation that solely consumes petroleum will be soon be replaced by electric vehicles, and the upcoming metro lines can add more power demand. According to estimates from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturer Association, the car ownership rate of Vietnam is about 23 per 1,000 people which translates to roughly 2.3 million cars running across the country.

The battery capacity used for each car is 50kWh (based on a Tesla Model 3 short run) at a utilisation rate of 50 per cent annually that could add 21 billion kWh energy demand annually. In addition, more than 40 million motorbikes whose average power is two kW running two hours a day will require additionally 58 billion kWh per year if they are all electrified.

A metro line consuming 438 million kWh per year might help reduce kWh needed from electric bikes. Of course, electrification of vehicles will have a roadmap but they are at our front door, ready to be accounted for. There is a potential cut on power demand for metro lines through installation of modules along exposed segments of the lines.

Urbanisation is creating more buildings, offices, apartments, and hospitals which are another source of power consumption. It is very difficult to find such a facility that is equipped with energy management systems to optimise the use of energy of items such as lighting, boilers, and fridges. Most of the facility departments within the commercial assets are measuring total bills monthly and yearly and are struggling with the errors occurring with the equipment.

Compulsory energy audits give asset owners the status and energy-saving potential as a whole without real proposals. The data-driven, decision-making process is needed to come up with optimal energy consumption. It is where digital transformation of conventional energy management comes into play due to the fact that the spaces available for direct reduction of energy consumption for these facilities (by solar modules or small wind turbines) are limited.

Furthermore, industrial assets are required for energy digitalisation to save operating costs as much as possible because of limitation on sola capacity allowed to cover their rooftops.

The strategy to become the fully-digital country does require the electricity sector to digitalise to figure out energy optimisation solutions as the Internet of Things enables billions of devices to have a voice and consume energy, just like the way people need breathing air, drinking water, and food. One-point GDP growth expecting two-point electricity investment might not hold, if smart energy-saving solutions are not rapidly applied.
The authorities of the Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) in the Bono East Region and the Ghana Health Service are finalising arrangements for the procurement of a US$30,000 qPCR machine to enable the Centre to conduct tests for the Corona Virus disease (COVID-19).



This followed a donation of the US$30,000 by Mr. Awudulai Razak, a former Kintampo Municipal Chief Executive under former President John Agyekum Kufuors administration to the KHRC to facilitate the procurement of the machine.



His patriotic gesture followed an appeal by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) for the upgrade of the KHRC to enable it to test and boost the national testing of suspected cases of the COVID-19.



Dr. Kwaku Poku Asante, the Director of the KHRC told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during a short presentation ceremony at Kintampo that the Centre was liaising with the GHS to order and install the machine for it to begin testing within the next two months.



The KHRC, he explained had been useful in testing illnesses and vaccines, citing that the centre successfully tested vaccines during the outbreak of Meningitis in the country in 2015.

Dr. Asante thanked the donor, and appealed for more support, saying apart from the machine the centre would also require other logistics as well.



Mr. Kofi Amoakohene, the Bono East Regional Minister announced that the region had recorded its first confirmed case of the COVID-19, and advised the people to adhere to social distaining, wash their hands with soap frequently under running water and use hand sanitizers to protect themselves.



He said the Regional Coordinating Council and the GHS have scale up precautionary measures to contain the spread of the deadly virus, and urged the masses to also play their part to prevent community spread.



Dr. Adomako Boateng, the Bono East Regional Director of health emphasized that testing remained crucial in the fight against COVID-19, saying with KHRC as a testing centre, the challenges of delay in the release of results would be overcome.



He said stakeholder collaboration was also a key to defeating the deadly unseen enemy virus, and called for concerted efforts to stem the spread of the COVID-19.



Dr. Paul Frimpong, the Vice Chairman of the Ghana Medical Association in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions, expressed gratitude to the donor, and called on the well-to-do in society to emulate the patriotic gesture.



Mr. Michael Sarkodie, the Kintampo Municipal Chief Executive said the world was under siege with the human race seriously under threat, and called for collective approach to fight the spread of the virus in the country.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Demonstrators demanding justice burned a Minneapolis police station and took control of the streets around it last night, heaving wood onto the flames, kicking down poles with surveillance cameras and torching surrounding stores.

What's happening: The crowd was protesting the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man whose life was snuffed out Tuesday by a white Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on his neck for about eight minutes.

Four officers have been fired, but no one has been charged.

Marq Claxton of the Black Law Enforcement Alliance said on MSNBC that the actions were an effort to "force the world to listen to the cries of a community that feels under siege ... that black men and women are threatened by law enforcement on a daily basis."

For hours, no firefighters or police officers were seen anywhere around the protest.

TV reporters on the scene said they heard no sirens  just honking by demonstrators.

People threw fireworks at the flaming precinct, and the crowd cheered.

A liquor store was engulfed, and CNN reported that a smoke shop and a Target had also been torched.

Explaining officers' retreat, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told a news conference at 1:30 a.m. local time: "As situations started to escalate more and more, as we saw more and more people breach the perimeter, ... it became obvious to me that safety was at risk."

"Brick and mortar is not as important as life."

An Arby's, boarded up for protection, was broken into and a dozen people swarmed the entrance, MSNBC's Morgan Chesky reported from outside.

"That is really the scene, block by block, in this part of the city," he said.

The context: Eddie Glaude, chair of Princeton's Department of African American Studies, said the violence reflected distrust of government and police, as the nation copes with a pandemic that has brought massive unemployment and loss of life.

"Were on the cusp of a kind of desperation in this country," he said on MSNBC during live coverage of the pandemonium.

The bottom line ... Former NAACP President Ben Jealous said on MSNBC: "This is what it looks like when justice has been denied for a long time."

A pawn shop near the police precinct burns on Thursday. One person has died amid the fallout. Photo: Steel Brooks/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Many protesters outside the police precinct carried signs saying "I can't breathe," in reference to video of the incident posted on social media showing Floyd's neck being pinned to the ground by an officer as he repeatedly said the words. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Protesters gather at Hennepin County Government Plaza on Thursday in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo: Getty Images

Law enforcement personnel watch as people protest on Thursday in St. Paul, Minnesota. Law enforcement have used flashbangs, tear gas and rubber bullets in attempts to clear protests this week. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

A protester holds a sign while demonstrating outside the 3rd Precinct Police Precinct on Tuesday. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Protesters march on Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

A protester wearing a facemask holds up his hands during a demonstration outside the Third Police Precinct on Wednesday in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo: Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images

Two men walk past a wall that has "RIP George Floyd" written on Wednesday in St. Paul, Minnesota. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Protesters march through the streets while demonstrating against the death of George Floyd on Tuesday in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

A memorial lies outside the Cup Foods, where George Floyd was killed in police custody, on Thursday in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Police officers walk the street in a cloud of tear gas during a protest on Thursday in St. Paul, Minnesota. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Police spray protesters with pepper spray during a demonstration outside the Third Police Precinct on Wednesday in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo: Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
Arizona has been facing shockingly high temperatures this week, with the thermometer topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit every day since Tuesday.

The heat has been so intense that a man named Matt Peterson did a tasty little experiment and tried to cook cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip cookies, and even a pizza in his car.

He is now taking requests for what to cook from his followers and sharing videos of the results on TikTok, where millions of people have watching him cook on his dashboard.

That's hot! The heat in Arizona has been so high that a man named Matt Peterson tried to cook cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip cookies, and even a pizza in his car

Snack time: On Tuesday, when the high temperature in Phoenix reached 103 degrees Fahrenheit, he put cookie dough on his dashboard

Done! Matt put the cookies in his car at 11 a.m., and later that evening, he came back to see how they looked  and found them 'fully baked'

Perfect! The cookies had actually got so hot on the dashboard that they became a bit crunchy

'It's officially triple digits in Arizona, so today I'm gonna bake some cookies in my car,' Matt said in a clip he uploaded to the social media platform on Tuesday, when the high temperature in Phoenix reached 103 degrees Fahrenheit.

He showed himself carrying a lined baking dish with chocolate chip cookie dough placed on top, which he nestled inside his car on the dashboard, right under the front window.

Matt put the cookies in his car at 11 a.m., and later that evening, he came back to see how they looked  and found them 'fully baked.'

'They're crunchy!' he exclaimed, taking a bite of the treat. In fact, he said, he left them in the car too long and they actually overcooked, so he planned to car-cook his next dessert for a shorter period of time.

Next up: On Wednesday, the high in Phoenix was 107 degrees Fahrenheit, and Matt returned to his car wth cinnamon rolls

'Oh my god, it actually smells good!' he said as he opened the door, before finishing the rolls off with icing and taking a bite

On Wednesday, the high in Phoenix was 107 degrees Fahrenheit, and Matt returned to his car wth cinnamon rolls.

Two hours later, he headed back out to his car for a snack.

'Oh my god, it actually smells good!' he said as he opened the door, before finishing the rolls off with icing.

He then sat in the car and dug in, calling the rolls 'to die for' and joking that he would open a bakery called 'Matt's Car Bakery.'

The videos have quickly earned attention on the app, and Matt began taking suggestions from followers.

Today, with a high temperature of 109 degrees Fahrenheit, he made a pizza in his car.

Projects: Matt may have some more cooking and baking in his future, as Arizona is currently under an excessive heat warning

Taking requests! Today, with a high temperature of 109 degrees Fahrenheit, he made a pizza in his car

Matt may have some more cooking and baking in his future, as Arizona is currently under an excessive heat warning.

The forecast shows a high of 110 on Friday, 107 on Saturday, and 109 on Sunday, and temperatures are expected to remain above 100 degrees all next week.

Average temperatures in Phoenix from June through mi-September are historically over 100 degrees.

And on hot days, it gets even hotter in cars. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when temperatures outside are between 80 and 100 degrees, the temperature inside a car left in direct sunlight can rise to 130 to 172 degrees.
The experienced zookeeper who was horrifically mauled by two lions has been named as 35-year-old Jennifer Brown.

Big cat expert Ms Brown was pounced upon and savagely attacked in the neck and head as she cleaned a cage at the Shoalhaven Zoo in North Nowra on Friday morning.

Paramedics described the rescue operation as 'harrowing' as Ms Brown was rushed to hospital with serious injuries, after being found unconscious in the enclosure.

She suffered 'severe injuries' to her head and neck and is in a critical but stable condition after being saved by two quick-thinking colleagues.

They rushed in to stop the attack and secure the lions, young cubs Ariel and Juda, who celebrated their first birthday in October with a zoo party.

Pictures shared on the zoo's Instagram attack from the colourful celebration show the brothers enjoying a specially-made cake, banner and presents.

Ms Brown (pictured) was an experienced zookeeper and big cat expert, and is now battling serious injuries in hospital after being attacked by lions

Jennifer Brown (pictured) was viciously attacked by two young lions on Friday morning at Shoalhaven Zoo

But just seven months later, they turned on Ms Brown, in an attack horrified paramedics described as 'absolutely harrowing'.

'This is one of the worst jobs I have ever experienced - I have never come across a job like this in my career,' NSW Ambulance duty operations manager Faye Stockmen said.

'The attack was extremely vicious and paramedics found the woman with severe injuries.

'It was absolutely harrowing. It is an incredibly dangerous situations, both for the patient and the paramedics.

She was worked on by paramedics for more than two hours before being airlifted to St George Hospital for treatment.

Ariel and Juda (pictured in October) are seen enjoying the first birthday party thrown for them at Shoalhaven Zoo, months before they turned on a keeper

Jennifer Brown (pictured, working with lions) is a dedicated big cat expert at the zoo in North Nowra

Ariel and Juda (pictured) are beloved brothers at Shoalhaven Zoo, but turned vicious on Friday

'There was some good work by the other employees at the zoo that responded swiftly and were able to secure the lions,' Detective Superintendent Greg Moore said.

'We will be working with authorities to make sure if theres anything we can do to make these types of establishments safer, we will be doing our best to support that.'

Four ambulance crews and a rescue helicopter arrived at the scene and treated the woman before she was airlifted to hospital.

She suffered numerous lacerations her neck and head.

Superintendent Moore said emergency crews were called to the scene at about 10.30am on Friday.

The brothers are seen enjoying a specially-made birthday cake (pictured) during the party the zoo threw them in October

Ariel and Juda (pictured) are 19 months old, and viciously attacked their keeper Ms Brown on Friday

Speaking to reporters, Mr Moore said police were beginning to investigate how the incident unfolded, South Coast Register reported.

'Early indications are that a female zoo keeper was tending to some cleaning duties in the enclosure and was set on by two lions in that enclosure,' he told reporters.

'I take this opportunity to commend the two zoo staff who reacted to the incident and were able to secure the lions and support their colleague.

'I'm advised that the two colleagues, once they secured the lions, assisted the victim and emergency services were able to provide treatment at that point.'

Daily Mail Australia contacted Shoalhaven Zoo who said they are not commenting on the incident at this time.

The zoo, about two hours and 20 minutes south of Sydney, is home to four big cats.

Visitors can pay $80 per person for the 'Lion Feeding Encounter'.

The lions were thrown a colourful first birthday party back in October (pictured, left and right) and were even made a special cake

Four ambulance crews and a rescue helicopter arrived at the scene and treated the woman before she was airlifted to St George hospital

One of the lions is seen opening a birthday present (pictured) after the zoo threw them a first birthday party back in October

'Come face to face with our Roarsome Foursome and get to feed the 'King of the Savannah',' the website reads.

'Have the experience of a life time getting close to our Big Cats. Feel their power and majesty as you get to feed them with the help of one of our keepers.'

The family-owned zoo has been closed to the public since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

A post on the zoo's Facebook page said the family were continuing to live on site while they cared for the animals.

'While we are closed to the public we as a family will continue to live onsite and have key staff coming in to help us ensure the safety and wellbeing, cleaning and feeding of all our animals,' the post reads.

The 35-year-old was found unconscious in the lion's enclosure at around 10.20am at Shoalhaven Zoo, in North Nowra

Speaking to media after the attack Inspector Faye Stockmen, Duty Operations Manager of NSW Ambulance, said the rescue operation was 'incredibly dangerous'

'We value our staff and it has been heart wrenching to stand down some staff. Stay safe everyone!

'Thank you for all your support and we look forward to seeing you all back at the zoo soon.'

The Facebook page received comments of support the mauling was reported on Friday.

'My hopes and thoughts are with the lady, her family and staff at Shoalhaven zoo today,' one person wrote.

'Hoping your keeper is okay and the lion does alright too,' another wrote.

Another animal handler was attacked at the zoo in 2014 during a crocodile feeding show

The latest attack comes after another zookeeper was mauled by a crocodile in 2014.

Trent Burton, aged in his 30s at the time, was grabbed by a 3.7m crocodile, known as John, and dragged him into the water.

Onlookers were terrified to witness Mr Burton being attacked by the crocodile.

'I've seen them in the wild, lying on river banks, and have seen them at Steve Irwin's zoo, but never like this,' witness Marlene Orr told The Sydney Morning Herald at the time.

'It was too scary.'

Mr Burton was able to break free of the crocodile's grasp and escape the water.

He was treated for non-life threatening injuries to both of his hands and was taken to Shoalhaven District Hospital for treatment.
The entire world is reeling under the impact of the novel Coronavirus, killing millions across the globe. While the Ghanaian government is doing all it can to help the citizens, support needs to be pouring in from all corners.

One will understand that, during this critical period, children are the most vulnerable though the disease is killing the grown-ups.

Due to this, four young students from Lincoln Community School in collaboration with ESKA Foundation have taken up the mantle to support the needy children in the nations capital Accra.

The four students- Sisters Suhani Midha (Grade 9) and Shanaya Midha (Grade 4) along with Siblings Krsna Jagtiani

(Grade 9) and Shivv Jagtiani (Grade 11)  all students of Lincoln community school who have realized that in these trying times the need for essential items are paramount for children, hence through a concerted effort at galvanizing public support donated items like books, toys, clothes, foods and most importantly masks.

Speaking during the presentation, the Chairman and Director of ESKA Foundation, Ms Emelia-Jane Hamidu explained the rationale behind the donation and the effort from these four Lincoln students in ensuring that, they alleviate the plight of their fellow children in Ghana.

Ms.Emelia- Jane Hamidu, Chairman & Director of ESKA Foundation.

I will start my short welcome speech with a quotation from the very heart warming letter I received from our young donors Suhani & Shanaya Midha and Krsna & Shivv Jagtiani expressing their grave concerns for the plight of under-privileged children in Ghana with specific reference to Street Children and Special Needs Children, and more especially so, during this pandemic period when even the well-to-do in our society are facing grave challenges.

The most poignant sentence in their letter was a declaration, and I quote; They all deserve to be Happy, rather every Child in the World Deserves to Be Happy.

For such sentiments to come from young children who could, like

many others at their age, be spending their time on games and gadgets, and thinking about what else they are going to ask their

parents to buy for them as presents, is indeed quite remarkable.

They then took the initiative of setting up a WhatsApp Group of all their Family Members and Friends to discuss this pressing concern

they had for the underprivileged children and to solicit their support in gathering clothes, food items and everything else that they could donate to help alleviate the plight of their fellow Children in Ghana.

They then went on to try and find a Charity that they could team up

with, who would help them to track down the underprivileged

children so they could give as many as possible, as much as possible and more importantly  to show them.

They then went on to try and find a Charity that they could team up

with, who would help them to track down the underprivileged

children so they could give as many as possible, as much as

possible and more importantly  to show them love and care, and

hopefully bring a little joy into their lives.

So today, I welcome our Special Guests, our young donors, The Midha Siblings and Friends; and also The Press; who are contributibg their quota to Charity through highlighting the needs in ways that are both sympathetic to the plight of, and sensitive to the dignity of the disadvantaged in our Society  and in so doing help to spread awareness and to bring in more help for them

through Publicity.

She added that, by making a slightly longer Observation about our Phenomenal Country, Ghana, and I hope all Ghanaians will be proud of what we have become as a nation, only 63 years after attaining our independence.

Today, as we are gathered here for this short Ceremony, we are

visible proof of the fact that Ghana is truly a melting pot nation, made up of different tribes and different races and is also a nation where citizens of different Generations Can, and Do, Come

Together, to share their blessings and good fortunes with the less

fortunate and disenfranchised children of our country with the hope that through our Private Sector efforts, in support of the Government of Ghanas Own laudable Efforts, Ghana will very soon arrive at that

Glorious Era, when all Ghanaian Children will have the Benefit of

growing up in decent and affordable homes with access to clean water and good sanitation, wholesome food, good healthcare and with equal access to sound education, such that, by the time our young partners become young adults  there will be no such words like Dis-enfranchised, Homeless, Hunger, Uneducated and Street-Children in our collective Ghanaian vocabulary.

We welcome on-board, today, Our newest Partners, who themselves

are young teenagers, aged 14 years and younger, their family and

friends. We thank you all for your kindness, your donations and your time today. But before you leave todays Function, I would like to Sow a Seed of Possibility in our Minds. ESKA is looking at another worthwhile Charitable Endeavour for ourselves, our young people and our Press to embark on.

We can call it Children Teaching Children, starting with my own

children, their cousins and friends and hopefully, with the Midha

Children, their Cousins & Friends too:  Where the Young Ones will volunteer a few hours of their free time every weekend (but more especially during their holidays) to adopt a single child, or a small group of Street Children to teach them the very basics of how to Read and Write, and do simple Mathematics, and to read Childrens Books to them and also share their English Language communication skills with them, so that within a very short time, the adoptees will be able to register into mainstream

schools at an age appropriate level.

This will be arranged in a safe and conducive place and will be

supported by ESKAs staff, Our Adult Volunteers and hopefully the parents, family and friends of our Teacher-Children.

Also to add her voice was Ms. Krsna Jagtiani who talked the impact of the novel Coronavirus and urged all to adhere to the safety protocols to help control the spread of the pandemic.

This Coronavirus has had a severe impact on us globally in just a matter of three months and this three months we all to adapt to new things like social distancing and quarantine.

In this quarantine we all reflected on how some of us so blessed and privileged to be where we are, and unfortunately the under privileged are the most targeted right now, this is the most important time for all of us to connect and come together as one and give back to our community.

Like I said the under- privileged are the most targeted right now and a vast amount of our population are daily wage earners and due to the previous lockdown and other certain restrictions that have been put in place, they have no idea where to find their source of income and support their families, so hopefully this is where we can play a role, hopefully our donations can make their lives a bit easier and happier, as in this times we need to focus on joy more than anything else.

Also a huge thanks also goes to the front line workers like the Doctors, Nurses, and Security personnel because these people are currently risking their lives daily to make our lives easier, she added.
Former heads of governments across Africa, including two ex-Nigerian presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, on Friday, threw their weight behind the President of African Development Bank, Adesina Akinwunmi, who is battling allegations of impropriety.

The allegations were levelled by some whistleblowers who said he violated the banks Code of Ethics.

Mr Adesina is currently battling 16 allegations levelled against him by a group. He has maintained he is innocent.

The United States is insisting on a further probe despite the clean bill of health given to Mr Adesina by the board of directors of the bank.

The embattled official has said the move to get him out, perhaps at all costs, is linked to his re-election bid and not as a result of any fraudulent action on his part.

Mr Obasanjo, on Thursday, appealed to African leaders to support Mr Adesina, an appeal that has apparently received a rapid response.

Intervention

The African leaders, in a joint statement released on Friday, said since the ethics committee had cleared Mr Adesina of all 16 allegations, he should be exonerated.

This is why we are concerned with the recent developments at the Bank. Dr. Adesina, who some whistleblowers alleged to have violated the Banks Code of Ethics, has firmly and consistently declared his innocence of these allegations.

The Ethics Committee of the Board of Directors, a legal oversight body of the Bank, made up of representatives of shareholders, cleared Dr. Adesina of all 16 allegations, declaring them as baseless and unsubstantiated and exonerated him completely.

The Chairman of the Board of Governors, based on the report of the Ethics Committee, declared Dr. Adesina exonerated. We understand that the Bank fully followed its rules, procedures and governing systems, which have served it well since African countries established it in 1964, the group said.

High profile group

The signatories of of the letter include: Olusegun Obasanjo (President of Nigeria; 1999-2007), Boni Yayi (President of Benin; 2006-2016), Hailemariam Desalegn (Prime Minister of Ethiopia; 2012  2018), John Kufour (President of Ghana; 2001  2009), Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (President of Liberia; 2006  2018), Joyce Banda (President of Malawi; 2012  2014) and Joaquim Chissano (President of Mozambique; 1986  2005)

Others are Tandja Mamadou (President of Niger; 1999  2010), Goodluck Jonathan (President of Nigeria; 2010-2015), Mohamed Marzouki (President of Tunisia; 2011  2014) and Benjamin Mkapa (President of Tanzania; 1995  2005)

The letter was also endorsed by Ameenah Gurib-Fakin (President of Mauritius; 2015  2018), Rupiah Banda (President of Zambia; 2008  2011) Kgalema Motlanthe (President of South Africa; 2008-2009) and Jakaya Kikwete (President of Tanzania; 2005  2015).

Commendations

The African leaders noted that, Africa is facing an unprecedented challenge with the COVID-19 and all hands must be on deck to tackle the pandemic.

They said AfDB, under the leadership of Mr Adesina, has been doing a remarkable job in steering the organisation.

The Bank announced a $10 billion crisis response facility to support countries in Africa. The Bank also successfully launched a $3 billion Fight COVID-19 social bond, the largest ever US dollar denominated bond in world history.

Powered by his vision and leadership, the shareholders of the Bank from 80 countries all approved a general capital increase of $115 billion for the Bank, the largest in its history since establishment in 1964.

The Bank has been doing a lot for women, with a $3 billion fund to provide access of finance to women, supported by G7 countries and Africa. Across the continent, the Banks presence and work have been highly visible and impactful.

In less than five years, the Banks High 5 agenda has impacted over 333 million people, from access to electricity, food security, access to finance via the private sector, improve transport and access to water and sanitation.

The Bank has maintained its stellar AAA rating among all global rating agencies. The shareholders of the Bank have all played very important roles in supporting the Bank to achieve these impressive results, the leaders said.

Advertisements



More commendations, jab at U.S.

Defending Mr Adesina, the group also said governance is all about respecting and abiding by rules, laws and established governing systems of organisations.

In the case of the AfDB, while differences may exist among parties, the best way to address them is to first respect the rules, procedures and governance structures of the Bank. To do otherwise will be tantamount to undermining the Bank and its long and hard earned reputation, and that of its President.

The African Development Bank is a pride for all of Africa, and its President, Dr. Adesina, has taken the Bank to enviable heights. At this critical time that Africa is battling with COVID-19, the Bank and its President should not be distracted.

Differences will always occur but we urge that all shareholders work together. All shareholders should work with mutual respect, and honour the rules and procedures of the Bank and its governance systems that have served it well for 56 years. No nation, regardless of how powerful, has a veto power over the African Development Bank, and no nation should have such power, they added.
As the domestic situation grows bleaker for him and his ruling party, Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan is struggling to turn the Turkish publics attention away from home.

In his desperation, Erdogan is laying bare his designs to cement the cornerstones of a new/old empire founded on an odd coupling of Turkish ethnic chauvinism that harks back to a mythical Turkic ancestor in pre-Islamic Central Asia, and an aggressive brand of Muslim Brotherhood Islamist ideology.

Haci Yakisikli, of the pro-Erdogan newspaper Yeni Akit, is a good source to turn to for a chilling view into the mindset of the Erdogan regime. On his personal Twitter account, he rejoices at the Amazing News!: The Turkish World Cooperation and Solidarity Society together with 100 NGOs are preparing to file lawsuits at the international level concerning 12 islands, Crete, Libya, Mosul-Kirkuk, Crimea and Western Thrace that they believe legally belong to Turkey! These lands might be able to re-join Turkey!

Although observers have described this as the ravings of a madman, thousands of right-wing Turkish academics, journalists and opinion pundits subscribe to these irredentist dreams and they are growing more and more belligerent in their calls for the restoration of Turkish rights in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.

Undoubtedly, much of this is orchestrated. On 11 April, Erdogan announced that his government would continue its resolute defence of Turkish rights and interests in Cypriot regional waters in the Aegean. Turkey claims it is operating on behalf of the interests of the Turkish Republic of Cyprus that was created following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and that is recognised by no other member of the international community but Turkey. His remarks came after a joint declaration by Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, France and the United Arab Emirates denouncing Turkish activities in the Eastern Mediterranean. Ankaras oil and gas drilling operations in areas where Cyprus has exclusive economic rights have been condemned on numerous occasions by the abovementioned countries, as well as by the EU and the US.

To further fuel tensions in the region, the Anadolu Agency (AA) reported Thursday, 15 May, that the Turkish Petroleum Company (TPAO) officially asked the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya for permission to drill in the eastern Mediterranean. The state-run news agency cited Erdogans Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez as saying that the exploration work will begin as soon as the process is completed. GNA head Fayez Al-Sarraj signed a widely condemned maritime border agreement with Erdogan in November last year in order to create a Turkish maritime zone that improbably stretches from southern Anatolian shores to the coast of northeast Libya.

Then, in another of those three card monte games the Turkish regime plays to deflect attention from its own belligerent and autocratic policies, officials of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lashed out at Al-Sarrajs chief adversary, the Commander of the Libyan National Army Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. In an interview with the Turkish A Haber news channel on 16 May, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Haftars forces were growing more aggressive as they continued attacks targeting Libyan civilians. Cavusoglu likened this to the Syrian regimes aggression against its people. Critics of Erdogans policies at home and abroad have said much the same if not worse about the activities of Turkish militias in Libya and Syria.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar may have spoken the truth when he said that no Turks have died in Libya. But this has not prevented the Erdogan regime from sending thousands of Syrians to die in Libya, including children. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which has been monitoring and tracking Turkish operations to transfer Syrian mercenaries to Libya, reports that the Turkish backed factions in Afrin have been recruiting minors in order to send them to engage in fighting in the side of the GNA against Haftars forces in Libyan territory. According to the Syrian rights organisation, 22,250 Syrian mercenaries have volunteered to join fighting in Libya, with 287 killed in Libyan territory so far. Among the total number of recruits, some 150 children between the ages of 16 and 18, have been recruited to fight in Libya, the majority of whom are of Al-Sultan Murad Division, by offering material incentives, exploiting their difficult living situation and poverty. Sixteen of these children have been killed so far.

Thanks to these mercenaries, the GNA has been growing more aggressive in its military offensives despite EU High Representative Josep Borrells reiterated appeals to all sides to adhere to a truce. Borrell may not have mentioned the Turkish-backed GNA militias explicitly, but the implied censure was clear. The GNA had initially committed to a ceasefire agreement in January while Turkey has become more and more brazen in its breaches of the UN embargo on arms and military support for the warring factions in Libya.

As is often the case with Ankaras best laid schemes, spanners crop up to make them go awry. A recent spanner is the increasingly close relations between Benghazi and Damascus.

Turkey may face additional obstacles to its military interventions in Syria and Libya as a result of increasing cooperation between its adversaries in these two war-torn countries, reports Paul Iddon for AhvalNews website. The relations have not yet translated into substantial military cooperation against Turkey, but considerable potential is there, he observes. Cooperation could be in the form of joint diplomatic efforts, but also an exchange of knowledge, intelligence and expertise, Iddon wrote, citing the representative of a research and consulting firm based in eastern Libya. Benghazi and Damascus could coordinate attacks against the Turkish military and its militia proxies in both countries to divide and stretch Turkeys attention as well as its resources.

Iddon also cited Joshua Landis, a Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma, as saying that Haftar and Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad presented themselves as the secular option for their countries, invariably portraying their opponents (the Turks and the Turkish-backed militias) as Islamic State-like fanatics. Landis also notes that Al-Assad and Haftar are both allied with Russia and hope to find ways to leverage their new relations against Turkey.

Earlier this month, a delegation of the Libyan National Army announced that it had opened an embassy in Damascus as part of joint Syrian-Libyan efforts to combat Turkish aggression. The establishment of formal representations between Damascus and the LNA raises the possibility of diplomatic and economic, as well as military cooperation down the road, Iddon observes, adding: The LNA can help Damascus economically, since it controls Libyas oil reserves, and diplomatically, through its connections with the Gulf states that oppose Turkeys policies in the region.

The Gulf states, specifically the UAE, appear to be a crucial component of the Benghazi-Damascus cooperation against Turkey. Jalel Harchaoui, a research fellow at the Conflict Research Unit of the Clingendael Institute, who focuses on Libya, told Ahval that the LNA delegations visit to Damascus 3 March revealed the increasingly close ties that now exist between the UAE and Syria. This dynamic is true diplomatically, but also financially, and perhaps militarily also, Harchaoui said.

One effect of such developments is to feed Erdogans bent for seeing conspiracies being hatched against him everywhere.

In a teleconference with his cabinet 11 May, Erdogan railed against an alliance of evil with its mastermind in the Gulf. As other commentators observed, such statements are part and parcel of the Erdogan regimes propaganda drive that has grown increasingly strident since the Turkish economy and currency began their downward spirals against the backdrop of Ankaras military adventures abroad and its mounting tensions with Europe and the Arab region because of his persistent illegal drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, creating yet more enemies for Turkey.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 21 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

Search Keywords:

Short link:


WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Mississippi, which so often ranks at or near the bottom in national studies, has been found to have the 3rd best health care infrastructure with which to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a study released this week.

The study, compiled by WalletHub.com, a financial site which also specializes in compiling national studies, examined the 50 states and District of Columbia across numerous metrics to determine which states were best prepared to deal with a pandemic.

Mississippi ranked 3rd, powered in no small part by its No. 1 ranking for hospital beds per capita, as well as 11th in intensive care beds per capita.

Many parts of the U.S. were caught unprepared for a pandemic of this scale, wrote WalletHubs Adam McCann, "running out of space in hospitals and lacking adequate supplies for doctors and nurses.

However, some states healthcare systems were better equipped to deal with the onslaught of the virus than others.

WalletHub assembled a team of six health professionals to examine data compiled from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Trust for Americas Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, United Health Foundation, The Health Resources and Services Administration, Kaiser Family Foundation, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Association of Public Health Laboratories and American Telemedicine Association.

In addition to Mississippis high rankings in hospital beds and ICU beds, the state also ranked 22nd in Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) per capita, and 22nd in Public Hospital System Quality.

Other metrics examined included emergency centers/services, epidemiology workforce and public healthcare spending, share of uninsured population and state/local public health laboratories.

Although Mississippi did not rank among the top states in every category, it also did not rank among the bottom in any single category. The states performance across the 14 metrics examined left it with a total score of 61.69, trailing only North Dakota (71.37) and West Virginia (64.38).

Neighboring states Alabama and Louisiana ranked 13th and 20th, respectively.

The full report can be read here.
Millions of litres of milk are being thrown away, more than two million eggs are eliminated from the food chain, and pigs and chickens are being euthanized. Theres horror in the countryside.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Millions of litres of milk are being thrown away, more than two million eggs are eliminated from the food chain, and pigs and chickens are being euthanized. Theres horror in the countryside.

Throwing away good food when more than four million Canadians have lost their jobs is morally reprehensible. Farmers would be the first to admit it.

Over the past few weeks, the public has been repeatedly told that COVID-19 has caused the backlog and disruptions of our food processing system. Yet only time will tell if consumers are willing to forgive the awful, ugly temporary failures of animal-based supply chains.

It was reported that 200,000 chickens had to be euthanized recently. Earlier this month, Bloomberg disclosed that more than 90,000 pigs had to be culled and discarded in Canada. A few weeks ago, millions of litres of milk were dumped into the sewers.

While its hard to know whats really going on in the countryside, far from cities and fact-finding eyes, its a safe bet that the numbers obtained by hard-working journalists are understated. The situation is disturbing and embarrassing for everyone, beginning with farmers.

Farmers and other agricultural pundits have tried to explain their actions. The food-service sector being idle and abattoirs temporarily closing are the arguments most often used. Various groups representing farmers tell us they have no choice, almost asking for forgiveness. They also claim its happening around the world.

Its true that alternatives are practically nonexistent at the moment. But this points to much larger issues in the agri-food sector.

Supply management exists in Canada, and only in Canada, to avoid waste at farm gate. Special permits are required, sanctioned by government, to produce milk, eggs and poultry to meet domestic demand. These sectors are waste-immune  or at least theyre supposed to be.

While its a good system, for the most part, it has its flaws. And COVID-19 is highlighting its ugly side.

Revenues allocated to producers are set according to production costs and losses. In the long run, due to the well-regimented quota system, consumers will pay for the discarded milk and eggs, as well the euthanized chickens. Marketing boards, however, will often deny it, deceiving an uneducated public about agriculture.

Supply managements inconvenient truth is that waste is a recurring issue on the farm, not just this year. Whats different now is the unprecedented volume. Despite what the public may be told, supply-managed farms cant lose money, period. Losses are pooled over the year and pricing formulas provide farms with a decent profit. Its the law.

There are little or no incentives to find alternative solutions to farm-gate waste in a supply-management system. Milk, eggs and chickens are, for all intents and purpose, public goods. Canadian milk production is even partially subsidized now by taxpayers: $1.8 billion over eight years, with more money likely on the way.

It should be illegal to eliminate these products from the food chain; they should be redirected and given new economic purpose.

Other commodity producers dont have the same protection. If a hog operation opts to euthanize its herd, however immoral, it would do so at its own expense. The same goes for beef. Mushroom, potato and most other commodity producers similarly suffer losses.

The business incentives for these industries to avoid losses are very real. Wasting food on farms emphasizes the very fragile state of our social contract with that industry. Its simply wrong, regardless of circumstances. But we consumers get the food industry we deserve. The industry is framed by what consumers have wanted for decades: cheap food.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Many people are outraged by whats happening  simply accepting it is no longer acceptable, especially in the midst of COVID-19.

Farmers arent the only ones responsible. Processing remains the biggest challenge in Canadas food chain. The key to dealing with surpluses is more vertical co-ordination. Farmers need to work with processors to establish a strategy to avoid waste and senseless animal killings. Yet most sectors have never given serious thought to making a value chain work, beyond giving generously to food banks.

The pandemic is serving strong case studies on a silver platter to the vegan movement and opponents of animal exploitation. Some analysts even claim the destruction of food sources could mean that the capitalization of Beyond Meat exceeds that of Amazon or Facebook within five years.

Even if thats not plausible, the impact of COVID-19 is forever a part of our lives. And for farmers and others in the food chain, asking for forgiveness after COVID-19 may not be easy.

Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.

 Troy Media
By Guy Faulconbridge and William James

LONDON (Reuters) - The United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Canada criticised China on Thursday for imposing a new security law on Hong Kong that they said would breach the 1984 Sino-British agreement on the former colony and threaten its freedoms.

"Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of freedom," the four countries said in a joint statement expressing their deep concern over Beijing's move.

The security law would "curtail the Hong Kong people's liberties, and in doing so, dramatically erode Hong Kong's autonomy and the system that made it so prosperous," they said.

China's parliament approved a decision to go forward with national security legislation for Hong Kong that democracy activists, diplomats and some in the business world fear will jeopardise its semi-autonomous status and its role as a global financial hub.

"We urge China to step back from the brink," British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters during a daily briefing in Beijing on Friday that China firmly opposed the statement, adding that it had lodged representations with the four countries.

Raab said that unless China suspended the law, Britain would change the status of British national overseas (BNO) passport holders so that they could come to the United Kingdom for longer than six months - a pathway to eventual citizenship.

The British flag was lowered over Hong Kong when the colony was handed back to China in 1997 after more than 150 years of British rule.

Zhao told reporters on Friday that Beijing reserved the right to take countermeasures if Britain moved to offer such a pathway to citizenship.

Hong Kong's autonomy was guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" agreement enshrined in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration signed by then Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Story continues

The United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Canada said the new legislation would directly conflict with its obligations under the handover agreement.

CHINESE POWER

When asked if a tightening of control was inevitable, the last British governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten said: "No."

"What has changed is Xi Jinping: Xi Jinping is a very different sort of dictator and he is one who wants to export what he thinks is China's power."

Hong Kong was rocked by months of violent pro-democracy demonstrations last year over an unsuccessful bid to introduce a law governing extradition to China, and protests have broken out again after a lull during the coronoavirus epidemic.

"We are also extremely concerned that this action will exacerbate the existing deep divisions in Hong Kong society," the UK-US-Canadian-Australian statement said.

China says the legislation will aim to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in the city but the plan, announced in Beijing last week, triggered the first big protests in Hong Kong for months.

They urged Beijing to work with the government and people of Hong Kong to find a solution that honoured the terms of the handover agreement.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the European Union agreed that Hong Kong's autonomy should not be undermined and it expected the "one country, two systems" principle to be respected.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton; Additional reporting by Michelle Martin in Berlin and Yew Lun Tian in Beijing; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
A Chinese schoolteacher has been detained after he allegedly punished at least 40 students who 'did not finish their homework' by stabbing their arms with a drawing compass.

Social media footage emerged Thursday showed a student's forearm covered with red spots as the young teenager tells the camera that his teacher used the pointy tool to discipline him.

Local authorities confirmed the incident today and said that they have detained the Mandarin teacher, named as Xu, who is now under police investigation.

The punished students did not suffer serious injuries after being sent to a local hospital for examination, according to the official notice.

The incident took place on Wednesday in Puning, Guangdong province of southern China.

The schoolteacher was reportedly stabbing his students in class with a compass because they failed to finish their homework.

A clip emerged on Chinese social media allegedly shows the male teacher teaching students as he holds a book standing in a classroom.

Screenshots circulated online, reportedly from a parents' messaging forum, show furious guardians claiming that their children suffered the same brutal punishment from Mr Xu.

A Chinese schoolteacher (allegedly pictured left) has been detained under police investigation after he allegedly punished at least 40 students who 'did not finish their homework' by stabbing their arms with a compass at a school in Puning, Guangdong province on Wednesday

A Chinese schoolteacher has been detained under police investigation after he allegedly punished at least 40 students who 'did not finish their homework' by stabbing their arms with a compass. The file picture shows a student using a drawing compass in a classroom

Local government did not reveal the number of students who were punished, but Chinese media reported that at least 40 students were injured by Mr Xu with the metal tool.

The schoolteacher was detained by Puning police as local officials assembled a dedicated team to conduct further investigation, an official statement read.

Though the local government did not specify the name of the institution, the authorities stated it as a private-run middle school. Chinese students in middle schools are typically aged between 13 to 16.

Local government did not reveal the number of students who were punished, but Chinese media reported that at least 40 students were injured by Mr Xu with the metal tool. Senior high school students wearing face masks are seen inside a classroom in Wuhan on May 6

Though the local government did not specify the name of the institution, the authorities stated it as a private-run middle school. Chinese students in middle schools are typically aged between 13 to 16. The picture taken Thursday shows middle school students in Harbin

Officials said that the punished students' wounds were tended by doctors who arrived at the school following the incident.

The pupils appeared to be in a normal physical state after they were examined at a local hospital.

An investigation for the incident is ongoing.
S Gopalakrishnan, a senior Tamil Nadu cadre IAS officer, has been appointed as additional secretary in the Prime Ministers Office. Gopalakrishnans appointment was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

The 1991 batch IAS officer is currently serving at the ministry of electronics where his responsibilities include issues related to e-governance, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, startups and innovation.

Gopalakrishnan is an electrical engineering graduate from Indian Institute of Technology Madras and a postgraduate from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. He also holds a masters degree in development studies from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam.

The ACC order issued on Friday also cleared the appointment of Bihar cadre IAS officer C Sridhar as a joint secretary and Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS officer Meera Mohanty as a director at the PMO. Sridhar, a 2001 batch officer with a post-graduate in agriculture with specialisation in genetics and plant breeding, is a senior deputy director at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration at Mussoorie, colloquially referred to as the IAS academy. Meera Mohanty is serving at the Cabinet Secretariat.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The All Progressives Congress (APC), has accused the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)-led Bauchi State Government of starving the State House Assembly of funds thereby hindering its operations.

The spokesman for the party in the state, Sabo Mohammed, said this at a news briefing on Friday in Bauchi.

Mr Mohammed said the house had been financially strangulated by the executive.

Why is the house financially strangulated against effective legislative functions and its leadership always under threat?

The honourable house deserves every support to function effectively for the good for the state, he said.

Mr Mohammed also appealed to the lawmakers to block the ongoing attempt by the state government to privatise some public property in the state adding that the property was put in place by successive governments and patriotically sustained.

The PDP led administration is making efforts to hijack the property and we will not agree to that, he said.

READ ALSO:

He also urged the lawmakers not to support the administrations plan to secure a 200 million dollars foreign loan.

Although, already APC has instructed its lawyers to reach the courts to stop both corruption infested privatisation and loan issue, he said.

Responding, the state PDP Chairman, Hamza Akuyam, said the accusations were baseless and unfounded.

He said 21 out of the 31 members of the house were from the APC.

How can the executive manipulate things under this circumstance, it is not possible,  he said.

Mr Mohammed said the party was only acting on a script of other people to distract the lawmakers from doing their job effectively.

(NAN)
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - ShaTeina Grady El, the black Ypsilanti Township woman shown in a video being repeatedly punched in the head by a Washtenaw County sheriffs deputy who was trying to arrest her, is still behind bars.

That fact outraged more than 300 protesters Thursday afternoon, May 28.

They chanted for more than an hour in front of the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office, 2201 Hogback Road in Pittsfield Township, before spreading throughout Washtenaw Avenue and marching more than a mile into Ann Arbor.

Thursdays protest was attended by more than twice as many people who showed up for Wednesdays protest. It was the third protest in as many days after the video showing the white deputy punching ShaTeina Grady El, as well as a separate deputy using a stun gun on her husband Daniyal Grady El, circulated on social media.

Video of Washtenaw County deputy punching woman sparks outrage in Ypsilanti Township

Deputies had ordered the Grady Els to leave the scene of a potential shooting in Ypsilanti Townships Apple Ridge neighborhood around midnight on May 26, said the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office. When officers tried to physically remove the two from the scene, they resisted and a deputy punched ShaTeina Grady El in the head before taking both into custody, police said.

The Grady Els were trying to film the police forming a perimeter near their daughter Jaquisy Diggins home on the 2000 block of Peachcrest Street, Daniyal Grady El said. The police didnt try to explain the shooting situation to them before springing into action, he said.

The Associated Press reports that multiple officers were put on administrative leave after the altercation in Ypsilanti Township that ended in what dozens of protesters see as a blatant act of police brutality. In the video, the deputy can be seen lifting a woman identified as ShaTeina Grady El off of her feet, getting into some kind of struggle with her and suddenly punching her three times in the head before taking her to the ground. Another officer can be seen using a Taser on her husband. Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton addressed the incident saying, There is absolutely no doubt, and no argument from me, that the images in the video are disturbing. It warrants a complete investigation. Posted by Atalaya Mikki on Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Original video taken by Tovah Taylor.

The sheriffs office warned residents on Thursday to avoid the Washtenaw Avenue and Carpenter Road intersection due to the protest, as well as nearby U.S. 23 exits, according to alerts. Sheriffs cars, as well as Pittsfield, Ann Arbor and Michigan State Police vehicles, were on scene.

The police presence was to protect the protesters from passing cars, said Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton.

The initial plan was to keep the protest in front of the sheriffs office, organizer Trische Duckworth said. But, when the sun broke through the clouds, she led the hundreds behind her into the streets, starting chants of Free ShaTeina and No Justice, No Peace.

Outraged residents block streets in protest over Washtenaw deputy accused of punching black woman

(The police) thought they were ready for us today. Change of plans," Duckworth said into a megaphone. We were going to take it to the highway, but we didnt for all of your safety. Thats coming if (the police) dont do what we say. Let them know were shutting the highway down if they dont do what we say.

Live: Washtenaw County Police Protest Protesters block off a Pittsfield Township, MI intersection for 2nd straight day. The demonstration is a continued protest against a Washtenaw deputy who punched ShaTeina Grady El, a black woman from Ypsilanti Township still behind bars. Posted by MLive.com on Thursday, May 28, 2020

The protesters are demanding the release of ShaTeina Grady El, who is now incarcerated in the Wayne County Jail on a failure to appear warrant for a separate resisting arrest charge there, according to Wayne County Jail records.

After Tuesdays incident in Ypsilanti Township, ShaTeina Grady El and her husband spent the night in the Washtenaw County Jail. The Washtenaw Prosecutors Office has said it has requested more information before determining if charges for both are necessary.

The sheriffs office released her husband, but ShaTeina Grady El was handed over to the Taylor Police Department Wednesday for an outstanding warrant on another resisting arrest charge there.

She posted a $2,500 bond in Taylor before her transfer to Wayne County, according to her lawyer William Amadeo. Part of Thursdays protest was to advertise a fundraiser to cover Grady Els medical and legal costs. The link to the GoFundMe is here.

It was (Taylor Police Chief) John Blair who decided to take that woman in after Washtenaw decided to release her after one night, Amadeo said to the crowd. I was not allowed to participate in her (arraignment) hearing, because they wouldnt answer the phone and the court was shutdown due to COVID-19.

Blair said Wednesday that since the Grady Els claim Moorish citizenship outside the United States, his department has had trouble enforcing local and state laws against the couple.

They claim they can only answer to federal authorities, Blair said.

ShaTeina Grady El was the plaintiff in two federal lawsuits filed in the last year against five Taylor police officers for harassment on these grounds, according to court records. The lawsuits were dismissed.

The Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office plans to release the initial findings of its internal investigation into Tuesdays incident at 1 p.m. Friday, May 29, in the Jury Selection Room of 14A-1 District Court, spokesman Derrick Jackson said.

The sheriffs office also is presenting these findings to the Michigan Sheriffs Association for an external review, Clayton said.

Weve collected police reports, dispatch notes and bodycam footage from the incident, Clayton said. We are preparing a detailed timeline of what occurred on Tuesday night. This is our attempt at getting information out to the community."

The deputy shown punching ShaTeina Grady El and other staff have been placed on administrative leave, Clayton said, which is paid due to sheriffs office union requirements. The name of the deputy is not being released at this time to facilitate a fair internal investigation, Clayton said.

The altercation with his deputy leads to understandable trauma in the black community, said Clayton, himself an African American. While comparing the event to the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis, Clayton acknowledges his department has to be cognizant and aware of the larger context" of police violence.

Investigatively, though, we focus on what happened that night, he said. Organizationally and relationship-wise, we know (the national discussion) is a part of this.

The Washtenaw County Prosecutors Office could possibly outsource this case to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, District 6 Washtenaw County Commissioner Ricky Jefferson said.

Protesters have demanded this action, since Mackie decided not to prosecute an Ann Arbor police officer who shot Aura Rosser, a black woman, in 2015.

Read more: One year after Aura Rosser shooting, Ann Arbor leaders discuss steps forward

The thing we want to do is have a transparent process, Jefferson told the crowd.

Messages have been left with Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie, as well as Nessels office seeking comment.

Duckworths protest returns to the sheriffs office on Friday, May 29 at 1 p.m., this time with the hope that ShaTeina Grady El will speak, according to a Survivors Speak social media post. Another rally is scheduled in the Apple Ridge neighborhood of Ypsilanti Township on Monday.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations said on Friday that it may declare the locust invasion a plague if it takes a turn for the worse after breeding by the voracious, crop-crunching insects in India, Pakistan and West Africa.

FAO now categorises the locust invasion that has reached India as an upsurge. Swarms of desert locusts have chomped through vegetation and crops across farm lands in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

The Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) sprayed Malathion 96 and Chlorpyrifos, both organophosphate pesticides, to control the locust swarms across states. Both are extremely toxic and high level of exposure to the pesticides may cause nausea, dizziness and even death. They can also impact soil fertility by altering the ecological balance.

We have conducted control operations in 47,000 ha in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh by spraying pesticides, said KL Gurjar, deputy director of the LWO. A swarm near Jhansi in UP has scattered. Gurjar said there is no clear indications the locusts will head towards Delhi.

FAO, saying it may declare a plague of locusts, cautioned that farmers shouldnt try to control the swarms.

Unfortunately, spraying of chemical insecticides is the only effective method when desert locusts are in such large numbers. There are bio-pesticides which are safe ways of controlling them, but may not be as effective. FAO doesnt encourage control of desert locusts by farmers. State or federal teams that are trained in locust invasion management should do it with safety equipment, said Keith Cressman, senior locust forecasting officer at FAO, at a webinar organised by the Centre for Science and Environment on Friday.

One of the options with farmers is to dig trenches around their farms to prevent hoppers from entering. Noise can scatter locusts, but they prevent focused control operations by the authorities as the swarms move in different directions.

Cressman said the current severe locust invasion was linked to climate change-induced aberrations in rainfall. There was good breeding in India last year, the monsoon was protracted which allowed further increase in locust populations. The drying vegetation in south-west Pakistan also led to them reaching India a month in advance, he said. India was alerted by FAO last year about the possibility of waves of invasions.

The desert locusts were expected to remain limited to its habitat in Rajasthan, but the swarms scattered to Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra because of the strong north-westerly winds following cyclone Amphan, which struck West Bengal and Odisha on May 20.

Except for Malathion 96, the rest that they are spraying are highly poisonous pesticides. They are red-labelled. They are meant for locust control in desert areas which are largely uninhabited. But the same pesticides are being sprayed on in areas with habitation and with water bodies. These pesticides will drift and residue will remain. They will definitely disturb the ecological balance of the area and kill natural enemiespests which can counter other crop pests. So, we can expect outbreak of other pests, said GV Ramanjaneyulu, executive director at the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture.

Desert locusts dont multiply in non-desert areas so there is no point in spraying toxic pesticides in such large quantities in other states. They have a short life cycle and will die in due course. Government must consider biocontrol agents, he added.

With the onset of monsoon rains, the locusts will come back to their summer breeding sites in the desert along the India-Pakistan border. They will be flying back and forth with the winds till monsoon arrives, Cressman said.

The other forecast that FAO has made is that with the south-west monsoon winds, desert locusts that bred in the Horn of Africa will travel to Rajasthan across the Indian Ocean in June.

Spraying of insecticides is compounding environmental problems in the Horn of Africa. We do not have wherewithal to undertake these measures at the scale required, we need aircraft to spray, expertise to spray. Biotechnological interventions should be consideredlocust invasions are an existential challenge if they are allowed...in the coming years, Richard Mark Mbaram, technical adviser to the Nigerian ministry of agriculture, said
Telangana on Friday reported 169 new Covid-19 cases, the highest-ever number of positive infections reported in a single day in the state since the outbreak of the coronavirus. With this, the southern states tally has risen to 2,425.

The state also reported four deaths, taking the overall toll due to Covid-19 to 71.

Telagana been witnessing a steep rise in the number of positive cases and deaths due to Covid-19 since lockdown 4.0 came into force on May 18. The number of deaths has gone up by 37 and the number of positive cases by 833 in the last 12 days.

In the last two days, as many as eight deaths and 286 positive cases were reported in the state.

According to the official bulletin released by the state medical and health department, out of 169 cases reported on Friday, 100 cases were that of local residents of Telangana, including 82 in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits, 14 in Ranga Reddy district and two each in Medak and Sangareddy districts. Five migrants and 64 deportees were also found Covid-19 positive.

The four deaths included a 53-year- old man suffering with Carcinoma Thyroid who died after being treated in hospital for a week, a 59-year- old man, suffering with Multiple Myeloma, who died after his admission in the hospital three day ago, a 62-year- old man suffering with Hemiplegia, who died after undergoing treatment for 13 days and a 60-year-old woman suffering from hypertension and associated co-morbidities, who had been hospitalised for five days.

The government attributed the rise in the number of cases to migrant workers and deportees or foreign evacuees returning from other countries.

So far, as many as 458 people have returned from abroad and they were quarantined in government centres in the state. Of them, 207 have tested positive for Covid-19.

Similarly, a large number of migrants have been returning from other states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar. These migrants are being home quarantined and monitored by the district authorities. Till date, 180 migrants have tested positive for Covid-19 and are being treated, the bulletin said.

The state health department requested the people to inform the local authorities in case they identify any new persons and migrants who have newly arrived in the towns and villages.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
After the Scandies Rose, a fishing vessel from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, went down Dec. 31, 2019, in the Bering Sea in 50-plus mile per hour winds, 20-foot waves and freezing spray, the U.S. Coast Guard searched five hours for the ship's life raft, ultimately rescuing two of the seven crew members.

An upcoming episode of the Discovery Channel reality show "Deadliest Catch" will feature new footage of the Coast Guard's rapid response to the life-or-death emergency. According to survivors of the Scandies Rose, only about 10 minutes passed between being roused from sleep and having to hit the chilly water.

While there are guesses as to what caused the Scandies Rose to sink, there's still no official report. But "Deadliest Catch" star Capt. "Wild Bill" Wichrowski said survivors and the rest of the crabbing world have nothing but love for the Coast Guard.

"They're our last hope," Wild Bill said in an interview with Military.com. "When we're out there and things go wrong that's bigger than we are, that is our last chance at survival.

"With the Scandies Rose, the Coast Guard was phenomenal, as always," he said. "The conditions were really horrible. They got the signal and were there in a relatively short amount of time. They patrolled and did everything they could but, once you start going down, it doesn't take long to go beneath the surface."

The Scandies Rose incident highlights just how dangerous crabbing in the Bering Sea can be, even in the days of tighter safety regulations and better technology. Even the U.S. Coast Guard can't rescue ships in some of the dangerous conditions in the area.

"Back in the day when all these ships would go down, we were all making crazy money and we were young and dumb and invincible, and we felt the danger was part of the job," said Wild Bill. "With the new safety restrictions, stability reports, coast monitoring, better equipment ... it doesn't happen as often, but it reminds you that nobody's isolated from it. It could happen to any of us."

Wild Bill, a Navy veteran, is the skipper of the F/V Summer Bay, a fishing vessel built in 1981. It was the first ship he purchased for himself after years of manning crabbing boats. He first joined what he calls "the boats" when he met some crabbers a few months after leaving the Navy in 1979.

"Wild Bill" Wichrowski, fresh from the Navy, early in his crabbing career. (Discovery Communications)

"They were so full of life and excitement. They also had a pocketful of cash and new cars," he said. "I thought to myself, 'It's time for all my training, schooling and background to kick in.' I landed in Alaska and that was the beginning. That was 41 years ago."

Wild Bill's first paycheck on the boats was $47,000 -- which equals almost $166,000 in 2020 money -- a far cry from the $600 he pulled in every month in the Navy. But without his Navy service, Wild Bill might not ever have made it onto a boat.

"It was really hard to get a job back then," he recalled. "The money was really good, and you had to pretty much be a lifelong friend or family member to be on the boats because the money was ridiculously good. It was indescribable. To go from Navy E-5 to $47,000 was a real eye-opener."

His Navy training and experience taught him to be invaluable to a crabber's crew. Plus, he had mechanical skills to be the ship's engineer. Out at sea, they can't just call in a repairman. They needed someone who could fix whatever went wrong. That's how Wild Bill got in the door.

"I spent a lot of time in school and back then, if you wanted to go to school, they sent you to school," he recalls. "But after that I did a [Western Pacific deployment]; it was pretty amazing. I got to see a lot of the world's ocean, and it gave me the groundwork to be on the crab boats."

But the crab boats are nothing like the Navy. Risk was everywhere. When he first joined the boats, the crabbing industry would lose five or six ships every season, according to Wild Bill.

"In the Navy, we'd batten everything down and then go hide out in the bunks. But in the boats, we're out there working in it," he said. "In the early days, fear was a motivational technique. I remember one Sunday where six ships went down that day alone."

Wild Bill hasn't been without his own close calls, and has been rescued from a reef by the Coast Guard after his ship lost its steering rudder at St. Paul Island. They hung up on a reef and, although they didn't lose anyone, it's a reminder that there's someone there for them.

A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Kodiak is pictured flying over the fishing vessel Bering Star in the Bering Sea. (U.S. Coast Guard/Petty Officer 3rd Class Blaize Potts)

While that help was there for the Scandies Rose, there are some things that even the Coast Guard can't do.

"Those guys will do anything and everything they can, but there are times when the Coast Guard can't get out there. Or they're too far away," said Wild Bill. "There's times we're just outside their helping hands."

He expressed his continued disbelief that he'd lost his boat and two crew members in the 2019 tragedy.

"The Scandies Rose was built as a crabber," he said. "There are a lot of ships up there that are converted. Oilers from World War II, shrimp boats from China. ... The Scandies Rose was built to crab. That, plus the experience of the captain and the crew, makes it amazing that the boat was lost. It was a hell of a boat and had a hell of a crew."

Watch the Coast Guard's response to the Scandies Rose on "Deadliest Catch." The episode airs Tuesday, June 2, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

Keep Up With the Best in Military Entertainment

Whether you're looking for news and entertainment, thinking of joining the military or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to the Military.com newsletter to have military news, updates and resources delivered straight to your inbox.
Better outcomes, lower cost in first-ever oncology hospital at home evaluation

SALT LAKE CITY - Researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah (U of U) presented the first outcomes evaluation of an adult oncology hospital-at-home program today at the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. The study evaluated patients participating in HCI's Huntsman at HomeTM. The data demonstrate strong evidence for this care model, showing improved patient outcomes, including reduced hospitalizations and decreased visits to the emergency department.

Huntsman at Home was launched in 2018 as a way to bring HCI-quality care to cancer patients in their homes. The service combines HCI research and clinical expertise for in-person and remote patient and caregiver support and acute-level clinical treatment. A team of oncology professionals deliver care, following best-practice standards. Currently, Huntsman at Home is available to HCI patients living within a 20-mile radius of the flagship hospital in Salt Lake City.

The lead author of the study is Kathi Mooney, PhD, RN, interim senior director of population sciences at HCI and distinguished professor of nursing at the U of U. Mooney and her colleagues evaluated outcomes over 14 months for 367 cancer patients, 169 of whom participated in Huntsman at Home and 198 control patients who qualified for the program, but live outside the service area. Patients with several types of cancer and at various stages of cancer were evaluated. During the first 30 days of enrollment, Huntsman at Home patients were 58% less likely to be admitted for an unplanned hospital stay, and those who were admitted to the hospital had a shorter length of stay. Huntsman at Home patients had 48% less emergency department visits. They also had 48% lower cumulative charges for clinical services when compared to controls. Results over 90 days were similarly robust.

"These findings strongly support our hypothesis that Huntsman at Home's high-quality, acute-level cancer care using a hospital-at-home model improves outcomes while simultaneously improving value," said Mooney.

Huntsman at Home services range from symptom management to acute medical, post-surgical, and end-of-life care. The Huntsman at Home team is led by HCI nurse practitioners working in conjunction with HCI oncologists and is operated in partnership with Community Nursing Services, a home health and hospice agency that provides registered nurses for the team. Other cancer care specialists such as social workers and physical therapists contribute to patient care. Patients must receive a referral from their oncologist and live within a 20-mile radius of HCI.

Mooney and her colleagues plan to continue evaluating outcomes of patients participating in this program. They are also working to implement a geographic expansion of Huntsman at Home in late summer 2020, extending care to several Utah rural counties.

The 2020 ASCO Annual meeting was held virtually from May 29 to May 30. As one of the largest clinical cancer research meetings in the world, ASCO brings together more than 30,000 professionals world-wide for on-demand and scheduled broadcasts of the latest cutting-edge oncology research.

Huntsman at Home is funded by HCI and Huntsman Cancer Foundation. The evaluation of Huntsman at Home is supported by the Cambia Health Foundation. The rural expansion is supported by the Huntsman Foundation and the Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation.

###

About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah

Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah is the official cancer center of Utah. The cancer campus includes a state-of-the-art cancer specialty hospital as well as two buildings dedicated to cancer research. HCI treats patients with all forms of cancer and is recognized among the best cancer hospitals in the country by U.S. News and World Report. As the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Mountain West, HCI serves the largest geographic region in the country, drawing patients from Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at HCI than at any other cancer center in the world, including genes responsible for hereditary breast, ovarian, colon, head, and neck cancers, along with melanoma. HCI manages the Utah Population Database, the largest genetic database in the world, with information on more than 11 million people linked to genealogies, health records, and vital statistics. HCI was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.

This story has been published on: 2020-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

The global ophthalmic devices market is expected to reach USD 55.5 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The rising geriatric population base is presumed to propel the need for ophthalmic devices as this age group is more prone towards the development of chronic eye disorders. The rising prevalence of eye disorders such as macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma is also boosting the growth of ophthalmic devices.

Approximately 10% of the people suffering from eye disorders will experience loss of vision in spite of the proper treatment as per the statistics of the WHO, driving the clinical urgency to incorporate highly advanced ophthalmic devices. Additionally, the rising demand for minimally invasive and complication-free operative surgeries is expected to upsurge the demand for ophthalmic devices.

The ophthalmic devices market growth can also be attributed to technological advancements such as the development of intraocular lenses, mydriatic fundus cameras, and OCT devices. Furthermore, the increasing involvement of market players in expanding treatment solutions through strategic alliances is expected to present this market with a potential growth platform. For instance, in May 2016, Bausch & Lomb through its enterprise partnership with Apple and IBM will develop a cataract surgery app that would integrate patient data, calculation data, and records thereby helping cataract surgeons work efficiently. The app will be enabled with IBMs cognitive computing capabilities to reduce surgical errors.

Access Research Report of Ophthalmic Devices Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/ophthalmic-devices-market

Further key findings from the study suggest:

The vision care segment dominated the product segment of the overall ophthalmic devices market in terms of revenue share at over 78.0%in 2015,owing to its adoption in vision correction procedures and the rising number of initiatives to promote the awareness pertaining to vision care

For instance, in April 2016, Alcon announced its support to the Think About Your Eyes, which is a public awareness program. Alcon committed USD 4 million to support this initiative to promote the awareness pertaining to vision care

The diagnostic& monitoring devices segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR at over 7.0% in 2015. This can be attributed to the fact that diagnosis is an indispensable process in the treatment of eye disorders and is responsible for contributing towards the diagnostics & monitoring segments growth

In 2015, North America dominated the overall ophthalmic devices market at over 36.0%owing to the increasing utilization of ophthalmic devices in hospitals and private clinics. Moreover, subsequent changes in demographic trends, such as a rise in the geriatric population & unhealthy lifestyles, are presumed to drive the market in this region. Moreover, high R&D investments in the development of new products are expected to impel the market growth in North America

Asia Pacific is anticipated to be growing at the fastest CAGR of around 7.0% over the forecast period due to the presence of untapped opportunities in the emerging economies in China and India. Moreover, the increasing government initiatives towards healthcare infrastructure; for instance, in China, healthcare reforms through an initiative called New Health Care Reform Plan implemented by the Chinese State Council and the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee is expected to drive growth of the Chinese regional market.

Some key players in this market are involved in adopting collaborative strategies and indulge in frequent product approvals to facilitate business and geographical expansions. For instance, in February 2016, Alcon acquired Transcend Medical, Inc., in a probe to expand its business in the treatment of glaucoma. This acquisition added Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgical (MIGS) devices to Alcons product portfolio.

Grand View Research has segmented the ophthalmic devices market on the basis of product and region:

Global ophthalmic devices product outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2024)

Diagnostics & Monitoring Devices

Surgical Instruments

Vision Care Products

Ophthalmic devices regional outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2024)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

MEA

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.
New Delhi, May 29 : Backed by sales of his works at auction in 2019 of Rs 44.39 crores, London-based Anish Kapoor, 66, has topped the Hurun India Art List 2020 for the second year. New Delhi-based painter Rameshwar Broota 79, shot up 9 places to second place with sales of Rs 11.89 crores, followed by modernist painter Krishen Khanna, 95, in third place with Rs 6.87 crores.

The top artists also inlude Raqib Shaw, Arpita Singh, Sakti Burman, Subodh Gupta, Atul Dodiya, Thota Vaikuntam and Jitish Kallat, in that order.

The report launched by Hurun Research Institute and Artprice.com reveals that Mumbai-based artists Atul Dodiya, 61, and Jitish Kallat, 45, broke into the Top 10 for the first time. Twenty-two percent are women artists, led by modernist painter Arpita Singh. 11 women artists make it to the Top 50 List, the List revealed.

The second edition of the ranking of India's most successful artists live today enlists the Top 50 living Indian artists ranked by the sale of their works sold at public auction in the year ending 31 December 2019. Of these, 17 percent live outside India.

"The combined sale value of all the artworks of the top 50 artists recorded at Rs 108.71 crores. The total sale value of artworks declined by 63.4 percent as compared to 2019. Painting is the most sought-after art form, as more than 50 percent of the artists are seen using painting as a mode of expression," it said.

S.H. Raza and Francis Newton Souza, co-founders of the Progressive Artists' Group of Bombay, were the highest-selling deceased Indian artists with sales of 102.8 crores and 90.6 crores last year. Bhupen Khakhar's 'Two Men in Benares' was the highest-selling individual artwork of a deceased Indian artist, selling for 22.39 crores.

Anas Rahman Junaid, Managing Director and Chief Researcher of Hurun Report India said, "Despite India now having more millionaires than ever before, Covid-19, the 2008 financial crisis and demonetization have all slowed down the art market here. I hope the Hurun India Art List, showcasing the most successful artists alive, can encourage India's entrepreneurs to collect Indian art." "India's art auction market still only represents 0.4 percent of the global art auction market, behind the USA, China and the UK, which enjoy 35 percent, 31 percent and 15 percent respectively of $13.3 billion market," added Junaid.

Notably, only 27 percent of the total artwork (28.89 crores) was sold at public auction in India. The highest value was sold at London-based auction houses, followed by the US and HK.

According to Rupert Hoogewerf, Chairman and Chief Researcher of Hurun Global, Indian art is undervalued, "because the most expensive work of Indian art to be sold at public auction were paintings by Francis Newton Souza and VS Gaitonde for only $4 million each, compared with the $450 million paid for Leonardo da Vinci's 'Salvator Mundi', the $179 million for Pablo Picasso's 'Les Femmes d'Alger' ("Version O") and the $170 million for Amedeo Modigliani's sculpture Nu couche. As India becomes richer, with more families with the ability to collect, the value of India art should increase." The most popular form of the art in Hurun India Art List 2020 is Painting (with 28 artists), followed by Sculpting (with 6 artists). Contemporary art style is the most favored one amongst other art styles by the artists. Abstract, traditional, surrealism, and modernist art styles also seem to have a growing influence on Indian art.

Speaking regionally, New Delhi continues to remain the art capital of India with 19 of the list, followed by Mumbai with 12. From amongst the artists who have a birthplace in India, Kerala led with 9, followed by Maharashtra and West Bengal, where 8 and 6 artists were born, respectively.

(Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
OTTAWAThe global pandemic may have temporarily sidelined Canadas climate plan, but a range of stakeholders  from environmental advocates to experts from the world of finance  says the COVID-19 crisis gives the Liberal government the chance to supercharge the shift to a cleaner economy.

It is a terrible opportunity, said Isabelle Turcotte, director of federal policy at the Pembina Institute, a clean energy think tank.

Canadians have gone through a lot, and especially those on the front lines, she explained. We need to make sure the economic hurdles and the health crisis weve been through actually give us a window to rebuilding better.

In last years general election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberals returned to power in a minority Parliament after promising to advance their efforts to fight climate change. But since the pandemic hit, Trudeau and his top ministers have driven the machinery of government towards dealing with the twin crises of health and economic downturn brought on by the novel coronavirus.

While our most urgent priority at this time must clearly be COVID-19, it remains the case that climate change presents a threat to our economic and physical well-being, said Moira Kelly, press secretary to Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, in a recent statement to the Star.

When recovery begins, Canada will recover stronger and more resilient by continuing to invest in a greener future.

That may be necessary if the country hopes to close the gap between its projected greenhouse gas emissions and its commitment under the international Paris Agreement to slash them to 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. The Liberals have already promised to cut deeper than that by 2030 and hit net zero emissions by mid-century.

With the pandemic response taking up much of the governments bandwidth, and with Parliament suspended until September, some environmentalists worry some aspects of the plan to hit these targets will be delayed. Consultations on the planned clean fuel standard  a federal regulation that promises deep emission reductions  have already been pushed back, though Wilkinsons office says the government still expects them to come into force in 2022.

The government has also signalled it will officially increase its emissions target at the next United Nations climate summit. But the pandemic forced organizers to postpone that summit from this November to late 2021. Kelly, Wilkinsons spokesperson, said the government still intends to announce a new target at or before the next climate summit.

Julia Levin, climate and energy program manager at Environmental Defence, said any delays in the governments climate plans would be very problematic to the effort to slash emissions. That includes delays to promised legislation that would guide emissions reductions in five-year increments towards the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality.

We need the forward momentum that we had seen before COVID. We need it now more than ever, said Levin.

But that path forward might look different now than it did before the pandemic, said Eric Campbell, a former adviser to the environment minister who now works as a consultant in Ottawa. Making fuel more expensive through new regulations, for instance, might be more difficult when people are struggling in a post-pandemic economy, he said.

The government is also spending massively on emergency aid programs, with the independent Parliamentary Budget Officer projecting a $252-billion deficit this year  and thats before the government has turned to any future stimulus measures to help get out of the pandemic slump.

COVID is going to put Canada in so much debt that any big spending ideas beyond what has already been committed in the past few years, I think, is unlikely, Campbell said, referring to environmental initiatives from Ottawa. Their hands are going to be tied in terms of where they can draw on the fiscal resources going forward.

Thats partially why the private sector needs to be involved in ensuring the recovery also makes Canada cleaner, said Barbara Zvan, who was until recently the chief risk and strategy officer at the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan. Zvan was also on the governments expert panel  along with newly-named Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem  on sustainable finance, which explored how to merge private sector investments with projects to benefit the environment.

Even before COVID, government couldnt finance everything, Zvan said. No government globally  not just Canada  can do this themselves.

Zvan suggested the private sector could help fund transmission lines to carry zero-emission power across Canada, or invest in an expanded network of charging stations for electric vehicles if the government put up money to take away some of the risk.

Merran Smith, executive director of Clean Energy Canada, pointed to the European Union, which has already announced a $1.15 trillion recovery plan that includes more than $60 billion to help countries transition to cleaner economies. France, for instance, is spending money to help its domestic auto sector build more electric cars.

Absolutely wed like to see something similar, she said, adding that Ottawa could also fuel economic activity by spending money to retrofit buildings so they are energy efficient.

Another example is already underway, after the Liberals announced $1.7 billion to finance the cleanup of defunct oil wells in Western Canada that were abandoned by fossil fuel companies.

This is a huge opportunity to accelerate that transition to a cleaner economy and more resilient energy system, Smith said.

If Campbell is right, it might be the last opportunity in a while. Giving the deep spending to address the crisis and potentially kick-start the economy, he predicted the political appetite for big government programs in the coming years might be overcome by the need to rein in spending.

Through no fault of their own, the economy is now in a very precarious place, he said of the Liberal government.

Its probably going to be the last good kick at the bucket.

Read more about:
A woman who has already waited seven years for a hip replacement operation said she fears the impact of coronavirus on the NHS will mean she never gets her surgery.

Lynn McCarron (62) from the Galliagh area of Londonderry has been prescribed the maximum dose of two highly addictive painkilling medicines, although the level of pain she endures every day means getting around her own home is difficult.

A shopping trip needs meticulous planning and Lynn must be accompanied by family because she has fallen a number of times. Yet there is no indication from the Western Trust she will get her operation any time soon.

Ms McCarron said that while she tries not to give up hope, at times she does despair and the impact of the current pandemic has exacerbated her fears.

She said: "I last saw my consultant at Altnagelvin two years ago when I was asked if a cancellation came up would I be able to come to the hospital at short notice and of course I said yes.

"That was the last I heard from the hospital until last Christmas when I received a letter asking me if I still wanted my operation which of course I do but no one has been in contact with me since. I am worried I may never get my operation because the NHS was already short of money before coronavirus and it has even less money now because of it."

Read More

Ms McCarron's need for a hip replacement was first identified by her GP seven years ago but she wasn't eligible to go on a waiting list until she turned 60 years of age - almost three years ago.

Read More

In the meantime, she has been prescribed heavy medication to control the pain but this has also brought Ms McCarron concern. She continued: "My GP prescribed tramadol and naproxen for the pain - at first I was on the lowest dose but for the past four years I have been on the maximum dose. But even with that there are days when I still need to take paracetamol and ibuprofen.

"I know how addictive tramadol and naproxen are and it is a worry to me.

"I was brought up to make the most of what you have and I do try to be positive but there are times I do get down when I think about how much longer I might have to be in this pain.

"Because I have so much pain in my hip, I try to keep my weight off it as much as possible but that has meant I have put extra pressure on my back and knee and my GP now thinks I will need my knee replaced too.

"I have fallen a few times, so I need someone with me all the time and going to the shops needs a lot of planning and help from my family.

"I have to be driven to as close to the shops as I can because I can't walk very far, but I can only go to shops that I know have a chair so I can rest. Even getting around my house is difficult. It isn't really suitable for me anymore because of the stairs so I am on the waiting list for either a bungalow or a downstairs flat.

"All of this could be so different if I had the hip operation I have been waiting so long for and I am hoping and hoping that will happen some day soon."

A spokeswoman for the Western Trust said: "The Western Trust apologises to patients who experience long waiting times. Unfortunately due to the very difficult circumstances the health and social care system is currently under, this may impact further on waiting times. At present all emergency surgery, red flag/cancer surgery and procedures deemed clinically urgent by senior teams are proceeding."
When a dental bridge fell out of his mouth in mid-March, Bob Swicker was left without five front teeth and no way to get it immediately fixed.

Swicker was switching to another dentist after his long-time dentist had retired. But the process stalled with the statewide shutdown of dental offices forced by the coronavirus crisis.

So Swicker, a 75-year-old Bloomingdale resident, has been living without front teeth for the past two months. Hes not in pain, he says, but it is hard to eat properly.

Relief is now in sight for Swicker and thousands of Michigan residents who havent been able to obtain timely health care because of the pandemic: As of today, May 29, Michigan hospitals as well as doctor, dental and veterinary offices once again can provide the full range of services, with the lifting of restrictions put in place March 21 by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Were ready, said Dr. Steve Meraw, a metro Detroit periodontist who also is president of the Michigan Dental Association.

But, he and others say, it will not be business as usual. The pandemic means a new normal for health-care providers, impacting everything from scheduling, to check-in procedures, to required use of masks by providers and patients.

For patients, its going to have a different feel and a different look, Meraw said.

Patients should expect, for instance, to be asked screening questions in advance about whether they have specific symptoms of COVID-19 or been exposed to the virus. When they arrive for an appointment at a medical or dental office, the waiting room likely will be off-limits. To maintain social distancing, patients typically will be asked to call the office when they arrive and wait in their vehicle until they can be escorted directly into an exam room.

Doctors, dentists and other staff will be wearing personal protective equipment such as masks. Dentists as well as some doctors also may be donning plastic face shields to protect themselves from the virus. Hand hygiene will be stressed. When the appointment is over, the checkout may be done in the exam room or perhaps after the person has returned to their vehicle.

Behind the scenes, there will be a huge emphasis on regular deep-cleanings and other infection controls, such as daily temperature checks of employees, to protect staff and patients.

Dr. Sheila Armstrong, a Southfield dentist and president of the National Dental Association, said exam rooms in her office will be cleaned between each patient and those cleanings wont even begin until 15 minutes after the patient leaves to ensure that virus isnt hanging in the air. Shes also looking into air purifiers, and said she anticipates that some dentists and doctors who own their offices will be looking to upgrade their ventilation system.

First and foremost in our minds is doing everything to make sure that people are safe, Armstrong said.

And many patients are anxious. As much as Swicker would like to have his bridge replaced, hes not angling for an immediate appointment.

What Im worried about is that the dentist is working right in your mouth. You cant do effective social distancing, he said, adding he has multiple health issues that put him at particular risk if he catches COVID-19.

Ive had bypass surgery, he said. "Ive had a stroke. I have hypertension that is controlled by medication. Im 75 years old.

I want it to be done, Swicker said about the dental work. But I want it to be safe.

Whitmers executive orders

Whitmer announced May 21 that non-essential health-care services could resume as of today, May 29. That announcement came after several weeks of pressure from the states health-care organizations.

They supported Whitmers decision to shut down non-essential health-care in March, but say the shutdown has gone on long enough.

Whitmers March 21 executive order banned hospitals, outpatient medical facilities and doctor and dental offices from performing surgeries and procedures that were not time-sensitive.

The order, which followed a recommendation from the federal Centers for Disease Control, specifically exempted cancer testing and treatment; procedures for advanced cardiovascular conditions; organ transplants; dialysis, and other medical care deemed immediately essential.

The order had several objectives. One was to conserve resources for COVID-19 patients, including emergency-department personnel and ICU unit beds and personnel, as well as surgical masks and gowns that became in critically short supply. Another was to protect non-COVID patients from possible infection by the virus.

The executive order made sense, said Dr. Bobby Mukkamala a Flint ear, nose and throat specialist as well president of the Michigan State Medical Society. We had no idea where this was going to end up, and we were on the exponential growth side of the curve. So the thought was, lets just put a lid on anything that doesnt have to get done.

In fact, Meraw said, the Michigan Dental Association was pushing for the executive order because dentists were hesitant to operate as COVID-19 cases were surging, and the executive order made the dental offices and their staff eligible for unemployment and other financial benefits available through the federal stimulus packages.

But by the end of April, it was apparent that coronavirus had peaked in Michigan and the shortage of personal protective equipment had eased as well as the strain on hospitals.

Moreover, the weeks of canceled surgeries and appointments created a substantial backlog in the health-care system, and also created substantial financial problems for Michigan hospitals and practitioners. Terminating lucrative non-emergency services while prioritizing the treatment of COVID-19 patients left hospitals strained for cash while they are most needed, resulting in layoffs and furloughs across the state.

Michigan hospitals are needed more than ever. So why are they laying off services?

At a May 1 press conference, Whitmer and Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the states chief medical officer, urged health-care providers to begin the shift back to normal operations, and encouraged patients to reach out to their doctors to reschedule postponed medical procedures.

But even as Whitmer and Khaldun stressed that doctors had discretion to move forward, Mukkamala said that some hospitals and doctors were hesitant, noting that executive order was still in place.

We saw a lot of people interpreting things differently, Mukkamala said. Im on staff at three area hospitals here in the Genesee County area. One said its OK to start doing non-emergency ear, nose and throat work. Another hospital didnt feel comfortable doing anything other than the strictest interpretation of the original executive order. So it was just left a lot of decision-making in the hands of individual facilities, which added to the confusion.

Coronavirus crisis leads to delays in health care, sometimes with deadly consequences

Moreover, Whitmer -- whose husband is a dentist -- made it clear that dentists were still limited to performing emergency procedures only, noting dentists are a particular risk of coronavirus because they are working in patients mouths, the source of person-to-person transmission for coronavirus.

Meraw said that Whitmer pulled together a task force to develop best-practices for the Michigans dentist offices.

We were holding on with bated breath, hoping it would be implemented right away, he said. But I also know she has a lot going on, and were just very happy and thankful the order finally came out lifting the restrictions.

Dealing with the backlog

Its been more than two months since Dr. Joseph Kirkwood has filled cavities or performed checkups in his Grand Rapids dental office.

He held a workshop Thursday for his staff to review new policies and procedures, and is spending today and Monday getting the office ready for patients. The official reopening is Tuesday, June 2.

Were going to be starting a little slower, having more time between patients at first -- just to be able to know that were putting all our gear on properly, taking them off with clean hands and just trying to get everybody on the same page, Kirkwood said.

As relieved as they are to get back to work, Kirkwood and others say health-care providers are facing several challenges as they reopen their offices.

One is dealing with a two-month backlog of canceled appointments. While some doctors, such as pediatricians and gynecologists, have been able to keep many of their patient appointments via telehealth services, many others largely shut down their practices, and most dentists closed their offices.

But catching up on cases is complicated by the need for deep-cleaning and other infection-prevention controls. That means doctors and dentists need to schedule more time for each appointment or procedure.

Mukkamala said he has a backlog of 120 surgeries, most of them tonsillectomies.

The efficiency of the operating room is much less now because they need to sterilize the rooms in a much more thorough way, Mukkamala said. So whereas I used to schedule 20 procedures on a Thursday, theyre now limiting me to 10. And there are also new patients coming in, so it will roughly take me the rest of the year to catch up.

Kirkwood, Mukkamala, Armstrong and Meraw all said theyre likely to expand office hours and/or days to help address the backlog. But they also said theyre looking at soft reopenings to help acclimate themselves and their employees to new protocols and procedures.

We plan on seeing just a few patients this Friday, and really just doing what we call a soft trigger, slowly opening, Meraw said about his dental practice. Just to make sure everyones comfortable -- that were comfortable with all the new guidelines, that patients are comfortable with the safety protocols.

From telemed to waiting-room protocols, coronavirus crisis has changed health care

A slower approach seems wise, says Dr. Vikas Parekh, an internist and researcher at University of Michigans Michigan Medicine.

Im sure a lot of people are excited and a little scared at the same to be getting patients back into clinics, Parekh said. But it has to be gradual. It cannot be like before; its not the back to normal. Its the new normal.

Financial strains

Health-care practitioners also are looking forward to creating a revenue stream again.

Its been tough, Kirkwood said about the shutdown. Theres no revenue coming in, and were trying to pay the bills. Were glad thats coming to an end."

Meraw said that most dental offices ended up laying off staff.

When this COVID thing took off, (the Michigan Dental Association) was recommending that offices scale down to emergencies only, and put a majority if not all staff on unemployment," he said. That was a first for me, a first for many."

Layoffs also have been common in the states major health systems, which operate doctor offices as well as hospitals.

Michigan hospitals reported steep losses in March and April; in some cases revenue dropped between 50% and 70%. The Michigan Health and Hospital Association estimated hospitals were losing more than $300 million a week while spending $100 million on supplies, protective equipment, staffing and other costs associated with a surge of COVID-19 patients.

Beaumont Health laid off 2,475 workers -- 6.5% of its employees -- and permanently eliminated 450 positions. Henry Ford Health System put 2,800 Henry Ford employees, 9% of its workforce, on temporary furlough. Spectrum Health and Bronson Healthcare each acknowledged laying off hundreds" and Michigan Medicine put 1,400 on furlough.

Now at least some of those workers are being called back. Spectrum and Bronson said theyve already recalled some workers from layoff, and Michigan Medicine said they have not yet executed all the furloughs originally announced.

Henry Ford Health System held a press conference last week to announce its re-emergence from the coronavirus crisis, noting that the hospital is back to doing elective surgeries and that all its outpatient facilities are now open.

This pandemic has tested us in many significant ways, but we have weathered this storm," said Bob Riney, the systems chief operating officer. "We are ready for the new normal and what that brings ahead.

For more statewide data, visit MLives coronavirus data page, here.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read more on MLive:

Michigan Secretary of State offices to reopen June 1 by appointment only

Michigan Court of Appeals orders Owosso barbers shop to close

Michigan shopping malls, retail stores weigh risk of opening doors during COVID-19 pandemic

Thursday, May 28: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
Bloc says move could impact China-EU ties, but rules out taking any action against its major trading partner.

The European Union has criticised China for asserting more control over Hong Kong and suggested the move would have an impact on China-EU relations  but the 27-nation bloc ruled out taking any action against its major trading partner.

We express our grave concern at the steps taken by China, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Friday after chairing a video meeting of the foreign ministers. Our relations with China are based on mutual respect and trust. I want to underline this  respect and trust  but this decision calls this into question.

On Thursday, the Chinese parliament rubber-stamped a national security law that will bypass Hong Kongs internal legislature and punish subversion, secession and terrorism in the semi-autonomous territory.

Critics and rights activists fear the law will be used to quash political dissent in the former British colony, whose people had been promised that their rights and freedoms would be respected following its 1997 handover to Beijing.

Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong fear the law could severely restrict political activity and civil society and view it as an assault the regional financial hubs autonomy.

Dont think sanctions are the way

This risks to seriously undermine the one country, two systems principle and the high degree of autonomy of the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong, Borrell told reporters.

When asked if Brussels might threaten sanctions, he said, I dont think that sanctions are the way to solve problems in China.

Borrell said only one of the member states raised the issue of possible sanctions, but he did not name the country.

An EU-China summit is scheduled in Germany in September this year. Borrell said its timetable might change due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The cautious EU statement came after the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia on Thursday issued stern criticism of the Chinese legislation.

The US called on China to back off on the security law, while the UK warned it would extend the visas and possibly provide a path to citizenship for some British passport holders from Hong Kong.

US, UK raise Hong Kong at UNSC

Meanwhile, the US and Britain raised Chinas plan to impose new security legislation on Hong Kong at the UN Security Council on Friday.

The 15-member council informally discussed Hong Kong in a closed virtual meeting after China opposed a US call on Wednesday for a formal open council meeting, arguing that it was not an issue of international peace and security.

The free world must stand with the people of Hong Kong, US Ambassador Kelly Craft posted on Twitter before the council discussion.

This legislation risks curtailing the freedoms that China has undertaken to uphold as a matter of international law, acting British UN Ambassador Jonathan Allen said after the council discussion.

We are also extremely concerned that  it will exacerbate the existing deep divisions in Hong Kong.

Diplomats said Russia and China responded during the council discussion by criticizing the US over the killing of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis.

Why US denies Chinas right to restore peace & order in Hong Kong while brutally dispersing crowds at home? Russias Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy posted on Twitter.

Chinas UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said in a statement after the meeting that the US and Britain should mind their own business.

Any attempt to use Hong Kong to interfere in Chinas internal matters is doomed to fail.
BRIDGEPORT  The Diocese of Bridgeport announced Friday churches will be able to resume celebrating Masses indoors on weekdays in the near future, stepping back toward normality amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter posted on the dioceses website, Bishop Frank J. Caggiano said parishes can begin celebrating indoor Masses, including funerals and weddings, on June 13.

This is the second phase of the re-opening process, Caggiano said. The diocese began offering outdoor Masses on May 21, which has gone very well with a growing number of parishes now offering outside Mass both seated and in parking lots.

These Masses have been offered in a manner that health officials consider the safest ways in which to congregate by practicing social distancing, and the same policies will be in effect as we begin to celebrate Mass within our Churches buildings, said Caggiano. While the challenges are considerable when congregating in an indoor location, we are confident that by following public health recommendations, we can come together for Mass in a manner that is as safe or safer than in other public gatherings.

Caggiano said he would coninue the disposition of the obligation to attend Sunday Mass for all those who are vulnerable or concerned about their health or the health of loved ones, urging churches to continue streaming services online.

He said services will be held with strict social distancing policies and a requirement to wear masks, among other safety measures, and urged churches to adjust their seating capacities so that the gatherings can be held safely.

To do otherwise would be to potentially put ones neighbor into harms way  a danger that we must avoid in order to remain faithful to our fundamental Catholic belief in the sanctity of every human life, said Caggiano.

Churches will be permitted to continue offering services outdoors, Caggiano said.

He thanked churchgoers for their patience and prayers during this unprecedented moment in our history, and asked people to move forward in keeping with the faith.

As we take this next step with great anticipation, let us remember that our common sacrifice has had one prime motive: to follow the mandate of the Lord of Life to protect, defend, and keep safe every human life. We best honor that commitment to life and those who have lost their lives in the pandemic by ensuring the safety of our neighbors, Caggiano said. To be certain we face many challenges as a Church and a society in the coming months, but as we gather around the Lords table together, we can take assurance that the Eucharist will sustain us.

The complete letter is available for public consideration at bridgeportdiocese.org. Extensive guidelines to help churches hold services will be posted to the website on June 1, Caggiano said.

The Archdiocese of Hartford previously announced that weekday Masses could resume in their communities on June 8, with the dispensation from Sunday Mass extended into September.

UPDATE: The original version of this article indicated that weekday indoor masses would be allowed after this coming weekend. The diocese clarified that Bishop Caggiano was solely referring to the weekend of June 13-14.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
A feral cat trapped inside a spit was found with 17 dead lizards inside its stomach.

The cat was found by a ranger on the Kaitorete Spit in Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand during a routine clean up.

On inspecting the cat's stomach content, the ranger found 17 highly endangered lizards.

The Department of Conservation refused to disclose the name of the lizard species in fear of reptile smugglers, Stuff reported.

On inspecting the cat's stomach content, the ranger found 17 lizards from a highly threatened species

An estimated 200 feral cats are believed to be roaming around the spit and are increasingly putting the lives of other endangered species at risk.

The lizards become more vulnerable in winter which sees them increasingly targeted by feral cats.

Southern grass lizards, another endangered species, are also common around around the Kaitorete Spit.

Threatened species ambassador Erica Wilkinson predicts a massive decline in the southern grass lizard population of up to 70 per cent within the next 10 years thanks to feral cats.

Endangered species such as birds, insects and plants are also at risk from the 200 feral cats.
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche said Thursday that it is planning to test whether a mix of its arthritis drug tocilizumab and Gileads antiviral drug remdesivir could treat severe cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) effectively.

Roche said in a statement that it had joined forces with Gilead for a global phase III clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of using tocilizumabsold under the brand names Actemra and RoAcemtracombined with remdesivir in hospitalised patients with severe Covid-19 pneumonia.

The clinical trial is due to begin in early June with approximately 450 patients participating in the United States, Canada and Europe, Roche said, adding that the randomised study would evaluate the drugs efficiency compared to a placebo.

Remdesivir has shown promise in a completed study and a separate trial is under way on tocilizumabs potential against the disease, but Roche said there were indications that mixing the two could be more effective.

We believe that combining an antiviral with an immune modulator could potentially be an effective approach to treating patients with severe disease, Levi Garraway, Roches chief medical officer and head of global product development, said in a statement.

Were pleased to partner with Gilead to determine whether combining these medicines could potentially help more patients during this pandemic, he said.

A large US study published last week showed that remdesivir, initially developed against Ebola, helped severely ill Covid-19 patients who required supplemental oxygen, and accelerated their recovery.

The United States and Japan have already authorised emergency use of the drug, and Europe is considering following suit.

An ongoing French study has meanwhile indicated that tocilizumab, commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, might help prevent extreme inflammation in people gravely ill with the novel coronavirus.

Researchers believe the drug could help stave off a state of heightened immune response known as cytokine stormswhere the reaction to a foreign body such as a disease or chemical creates acute inflammation.

Roche said the final results of that trial were expected in the next few months.
The Oregon Health Authority late Thursday announced it would disclose large coronavirus outbreaks at workplaces mere hours after the agency acknowledged it previously did not alert the public to 53 infections tied to a fruit company in Fairview.

Those infections at Townsend Farms only became public after state officials announced a separate outbreak linked to the company among 48 seasonal farm workers who just arrived in Oregon.

The initial outbreak at Townsend Farms appears to be the largest among workplaces in Oregon -- but thats not entirely clear since state health officials have not been disclosing the information.

State officials will now report all coronavirus outbreaks at workplaces with at least five infections, Patrick Allen, director of the Oregon Health Authority, announced in a news release issued at 8:34 p.m.

The COVID-19 pandemic demands that we all rethink how we accomplish necessary tasks that are vital to our roles," Allen said. OHA believes a consistent, transparent statewide approach to reporting COVID-19 cases in workplaces will give Oregonians more information to help people avoid the risks of COVID-19 infections. We want to ensure employers, workers and customers know the same criteria will apply, no matter where they work or what businesses they support, everywhere in Oregon.

Allens statement came four hours after after The Oregonian/OregonLive questioned Gov. Kate Browns office about why the initial outbreak, and others, have not been publicly reported by the state. The newsroom pointed to Los Angeles County, in California, which discloses workplace coronavirus outbreaks of at least five infections.

Asked why Brown wasnt championing such disclosure, what direction she would provide to state or local county health departments, and whether she felt it was appropriate for large outbreaks to go publicly unreported, a spokesman for Browns office demurred.

Generally speaking, our goal is to make as much information available to Oregonians as possible, without violating COVID-19 patients privacy rights, spokesman Charles Boyle said. OHA works with local public health officials to notify the public about COVID-19 outbreaks, in each case weighing if there is a broader risk of infection to the community, or if an outbreak has been contained through contact tracing and isolation.

The Oregon Health Authority will now take the lead among public health departments statewide to disclose workplace outbreaks.

Officials will release information about past and future coronavirus outbreaks with at least five infections, except in rare circumstances where disclosure would identify an individual or reporting source.

-- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Popular Nigerian journalist and critic, Kemi Olunloyo, has shared that she has given up on taking any activism causes anymore.

The journalist shared this on her Instagram after stressing that she has been ignored on much awareness she had raised in the past.

Sharing on Instagram, Mrs. Olunloyo also pointed out that these days she is learning to mind her business.

READ ALSO  Kemi Olunloyo Reacts As Fans Call On Davido To Sue Her (Photo)

Advertisement

Her post is coming up after she had earlier alleged that many Igbo girls were trapped in foreign countries and being ignored.

See Her Post Here:
George Floyd, left, in a file photograph; on right, Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin arrests Floyd on May 25, 2020. (Christopher Harris/AP; Darnella Frazier/AP)

George Floyd, Arresting Officer Worked Together: Club Owner

The Minneapolis man who died this week after a police officer knelt on his neck worked at the same club as the officer, the club owner said.

Both George Floyd and Derek Chauvin, the officer who was fired after Floyd died, worked in security at the El Nuevo Rodeo club in Minneapolis, Maya Santamaria said.

She owned the club for nearly 20 years before selling it a few months ago.

Chauvin was our off-duty police for almost the entirety of the 17 years that we were open, Santamaria told KTSP. They were working together at the same time, its just that Chauvin worked outside and the security guards were inside.

It cannot be said for sure that the men knew each other, Santamaria added.

If they would have crossed paths, it probably would not have been something they remembered, she told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

One possible time they might have come into contact: at the end of a night when Chauvin came inside to get paid, and others were there waiting to get paid. Floyd could also have run outside when an altercation occurred there and assisted Chauvin.

It certainly wasnt something that made them, perhaps, recognize each other, the former club owner said.

Minnesota police stand outside the departments 3rd Precinct in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 27, 2020. (Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune via AP)

She recounted Chauvin, who could face criminal charges for his role in Floyds death, had a short temper, and would typically pull out his mace and pepper spray people even when the owner thought it wasnt warranted.

City Councilwoman Andrea Jenkins, in contrast to Santamaria, believes the men knew each other.

They were both bouncers at that restaurant for 17 years. So, officer Chauvin, he knew George, she said in an interview with MSNBC. They were co-workers for a very long time.

According to online records, 17 complaints were made against Chauvin in his time with the Minneapolis Police Department. All were closed were no discipline except for two, which led to letters of reprimand.

Tou Thao, who stood by as Chauvin knelt on Floyds neck, also had six complaints, five of which were closed with no discipline and one of which is still open.

The officers, according to the complaints, failed to file a police report, used a higher level of force than was needed in arresting someone, and treated victims of crimes rudely.
News that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made a purchase from an Albuquerque jewelry store at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic has left other jewelers and nonessential businesses asking why they couldnt take phone orders and provide curbside pickup or home deliveries.

And it provided fodder for critics who believe her shutdown orders have been too severe and discriminatory against small businesses.

During her news conference Thursday, the governor dismissed the whole episode as an incorrect story, calling it nothing more than a political attack. Its obvious she is not going to acknowledge those hypocrisy concerns. And thats too bad.

Because purchasing the jewelry the way she did was clearly a lapse of judgment. But then she followed that up by refusing to acknowledge that, in hindsight, this was not the time, place or way to go about jewelry buying.

And as to the facts of the story?

Albuquerque TV station KRQE News 13 broke the story Tuesday night that the governor contacted a Lilly Barrack employee she knew to buy jewelry from the Albuquerque store a week before Easter. At that time, the governor was pleading with New Mexicans to stay home save for essential errands like doctor visits and food purchases. Retail stores other than those that sell food, medicine, home improvement items and gasoline had been deemed nonessential and shuttered, and places like jewelry stores were under strict orders to stay 100% closed except for online orders. No pickup services were allowed except for businesses deemed essential, such as restaurants.

A spokesman for Lujan Grisham said the governor called the store employee and requested the jewelry, and said the employee left it outside his or her home and someone picked it up for the governor.

That is coming straight from the Governors Office, so its difficult to see what part of that story is incorrect.

The Governors Office insists that did not violate the state orders, pointing out that the order requiring businesses and retail to close also says it does not otherwise restrict the conduct of business operation through telecommuting or otherwise working from home in which an employee only interacts with clients or customers remotely.

The definition of telecommuting is having employees not come into their central place of work  which is what this employee had to do to fill the governors purchase.

From a birds-eye view, it seems pretty minor. The governor asked a friend to help her buy jewelry from a shop where she worked, and care was taken to do this remotely and safely.

But this isnt a question of public health. This is a question of making good decisions, of the importance of perception and strong leadership.

The governor used her influence to make a transaction other stores believed they were precluded from making. Shane Brummett, manager of Carefree Spas in Albuquerque, told KOAT 7 Action News he received a $100 citation for doing curbside business in April.

At the time, the orders precluded curbside pickup. So did the fact that the employee took the item to his or her home to be picked up rather than leaving it on the curb in front of the business make a difference?

This occurred when the state needs her leadership the most. The governors refusal to acknowledge any lapse of judgment here is almost more concerning than the original misstep.

Too late to mail ballots

Time is running out to submit absentee ballots, which are due by 7 p.m. Tuesday. To avoid having your ballot miss the deadline, residents should take theirs to any early voting location through Saturday, or to any in-person voting location on Tuesday. County clerks offices remain closed. On Election Day, June 2, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Radical plans from health officials to lock down care homes at the peak of the outbreak were rejected my ministers, it was reported last night.

The Public Health England proposals are said to have suggested staff could move into homes temporarily and residents could be isolated in Nightingale hospitals.

Officials said ministers should consider using 'NHS facilities and other temporary accommodation to quarantine and isolate residents' and look at 'whether staff can move into the care home for the next four weeks'.

But the 11-point plan for 'a further lockdown of care homes', shared with ministers on April 28 when virus cases in homes were at their peak, was not implemented by the Government, The Guardian reported.

PHE officials said staff moving into care homes to avoid bringing in the virus  as has happened voluntarily at some homes anyway  would be a 'high impact' move.

Care homes have increasingly become the epicentres for deaths linked to Covid-19 across the UK, with the toll standing at more than 10,000 in England (file image, NHS nurses and occupational therapists at University College Hospital, April 23)

Downing Street received the 11-point plan proposing 'a further lockdown of care homes' from PHE on April 28. The moves were not included in the action plan unveiled by Health Secretary Matt Hancock

But the Government is said to have rejected the proposal, concluding not all care homes could offer suitable accommodation to staff.

Instead, guidance says only carers 'who proactively choose it should be offered accommodation on site or in hotels'.

Another proposal to use NHS facilities to isolate care home residents with symptoms  including at NHS Nightingale hospitals, some of which have now been closed after barely being used  was also reportedly rejected.

Ministers said many Nightingale sites were not suitable for providing care to the elderly and instead told councils to 'ensure there is sufficient alternative accommodation as required to quarantine and isolate residents'.

A Department of Health spokesman said: 'We have worked tirelessly with care homes to reduce transmission and save lives, and almost two-thirds have had no outbreaks at all. We announced 600million to help tackle the spread of coronavirus, including by limiting staff movement between care homes.'

Care homes have increasingly become the epicentres for deaths linked to Covid-19 across the UK, with the toll standing at more than 10,000 in England.

Downing Street received the 11-point plan proposing 'a further lockdown of care homes' from PHE on April 28.

The moves were not included in the action plan unveiled by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

All staff and residents are also now able to get coronavirus testing regardless of whether they have symptoms, and ministers have battled to get the protective equipment needed to slow the virus's spread.

Office for National Statistics figures for England and Wales show the proportion of deaths taking place in care homes has risen every week.

This stood at 4% in the week ending March 20, before rising to 31% in the week ending April 17, and 44% in the week ending May 15.
Aubrie Layne credits luck with helping her land a dream job  as a national makeup artist for Laura Mercier  at age 20. She told everyone that she was 21, just so people would take her seriously.

For 11 years, the Houston native traveled the world demonstrating her skills for Laura Mercier, which was launched by Houston beauty mogul Janet Gurwitch and quickly become a global brand.

Janet collected the best people from all of the beauty counters around the country, and the company had an extensive training program that was incredible. It was a glamorous job, but the travel was grueling. I was on a plane every week for 11 years, said Layne, now 39.

She was promoted to global makeup artist, frequently traveling to Asia, New York and Paris for fashion shows. She worked alongside Mercier herself, marveling at the way the French makeup guru held a makeup brush. Lauras artistic skills were a step beyond anything I had ever seen. She talked with women in such a romantic way; you couldnt help but be mesmerized, Layne said.

She felt destined to be in the beauty business, growing up in Sacramento around relatives who were cosmetic sales reps for brands such as LOreal and Guerlain. Her aunt was an in-store model for Neiman Marcus, and Layne had worked as a fragrance model at age 16. Thats when she met Patti Rasmey, then a global makeup artist for Laura Mercier.

More Information Home: Missouri City Personal style: "punk-rock, grandma style" Style heroes: Elaine Turner, Janet Gurwitch Must-have beauty product: Ellis Faas Skin Veil Foundation Beauty secret: Always see a pro for Botox. "I trust my plastic surgeon, Dr. Sanaz Hairichan, with my life." Favorite designers: Balmain, Ralph Lauren Trend you'll never wear: Cropped tops Need to purge from closet but can't: A peach chiffon Diane von Furstenberg wrap gown Favorite food: Indian Travel spot: South America, Tulum Favorite restaurant: Urban Eats Drink of choice: Bourbon Movie: "Scarface" Favorite book: "Get your Sh*T Together" by Sarah Knight Hidden talent: Sewing and painting Backup career: Real estate agent or interior designer See More Collapse

When I found out that you could do makeup and travel the world, I knew thats the job I wanted to do, she said.

She quickly absorbed everything she could about makeup, starting with the book Making Faces, by the late makeup artist Kevin Aucoin, who worked with Whitney Houston, Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford, among other celebrities.

Laynes best friend, Levi Rollins, worked as a vice president with Laura Mercier. He had encouraged her to apply for the national makeup-artist job, relocating her to Houston. (Rollins is now the chef and owner of Urban Eats.) While at Laura Mercier, Layne fell in love with tattoos.

I went as high as I could go at Laura Mercier before I started getting tattoos, she said. Ive lost count how many I have now. I love the way they look.

When Laura Mercier was sold in 2006, Layne left to work at Therapy Hair Studio in Montrose, where she built up a large local clientele. At the same time, doctors diagnosed her rheumatoid arthritis. I had a pity party when I first got the diagnosis. Then I realized I had a network of friends and doctors to help keep me normal, said Layne, who was honored by the Arthritis Foundation in 2015.

After a brief failed business partnership with the defunct Vanity Lounge in West Ave, Layne launched her own company, Lucky Cat Beauty Studio, which she said she started with just $500.

Layne specializes in brows and lashes; she offers an array of makeup products and services. She also shares beauty tips on her blog at luckycatbeauty.com. She recently teamed up with pharmacist Christy Ware to collaborate on a line of lipsticks, with a percentage of the sales going to the Arthritis Foundation. Many of the lipsticks are named after her noted clients: Lynn Wyatt, Gurwitch, Elaine Turner and Balushka, the late paper-floral artist.

Since the coronavirus pandemic, Layne, like many small-business owners, worried if she could survive when her business was forced to close in March. She has since launched a successful crowdfunding campaign, offering services via gift certificates, and she started making and selling masks made from Mexican dresses. Shes made about 110 so far.

The time at home socially distancing with boyfriend Gilbert Rodriguez, a financial planner with Wells Fargo, has been reflective, she said.

I knew if my business did go under, I would be happy with my life.

joy.sewing@chron.com
Twitter escalated tensions with President Donald Trump on Friday, adding a warning to one of his tweets for the first time and saying he violated the platforms rules by glorifying violence when he suggested protesters in Minneapolis could be shot.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This image from the Twitter account of President Donald Trump shows a tweet he posted on Friday, May 29, 2020, after protesters in Minneapolis torched a police station, capping three days of violent protests over the death of George Floyd, who pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck. The tweet drew a warning from Twitter for Trump's rhetoric, with the social media giant saying he had violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. (Twitter via AP)

Twitter escalated tensions with President Donald Trump on Friday, adding a warning to one of his tweets for the first time and saying he violated the platforms rules by glorifying violence when he suggested protesters in Minneapolis could be shot.

Trump has been railing against the company since earlier this week, when it for the first time applied fact checks to two of his tweets. Those were about mail-in ballots.

The flap comes at a fraught moment for Twitter and social media more generally. Debate is heating up about when and how much these companies should police the content on their platforms as coronavirus misinformation swirls and the 2020 U.S. presidential election looms.

For Trump, the feud with Twitter serves as a convenient distraction from major challenges he faces heading into November, such as controlling a pandemic and dealing with soaring unemployment.

The Trump tweet that was flagged Friday came amid days of violent protests over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer kneeled on his neck.

These THUGS are dishonouring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen, Trump tweeted about the protesters. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

The comment evoked the civil-rights era by borrowing a phrase used in 1967 by Miami's police chief to warn of an aggressive police response to unrest in black neighbourhoods.

Twitter did not remove the tweet, saying it had determined it might be in the public interest to have it remain accessible. But the tweet was hidden so that a user looking at Trump's timeline would have to click on the warning to see the original tweet. Hiding it also effectively demotes the tweet by limiting how users can retweet it and ensuring that Twitter algorithms don't recommend it.

Twitter said Friday it posted the warning label on Trumps tweet based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today, but left it up given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance.

A tweet using the same language as Trump's was later posted on the official White House Twitter account, and Twitter eventually put a warning on that too. It was also posted on Facebook, which hasn't taken any visible action on it.

Twitter taking a harder line than Facebook on Trump's posts likely has something to do with Twitter's decision last year to stop taking political ads, said Melissa Ryan, CEO of consultancy group Card Strategies, which researches online disinformation and right-wing extremism.

She said the coronavirus pandemic has also led Twitter to inch toward stronger enforcement of its policies at the same time that Trumps tweets have "amped up in terms of crazy and intensity and disinformation."

Twitter and Trump have been playing a game of chicken, Ryan said. It feels like theyve both been moving toward this for a while.

Trump took to Twitter to complain, calling multiple times for the revocation of Section 230, part of a 1996 law overhauling telecommunications. That section generally protects social media platforms from liability for material users post on their platforms. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order challenging those protections.

The order directs executive branch agencies to ask independent rule-making agencies including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to study whether they can place new regulations on the companies, though experts express doubts much can be done without an act of Congress.

The president and fellow conservatives have claimed for years that Silicon Valley tech companies are biased against them. But there is no evidence for this, and while the executives and many employees of Twitter, Facebook and Google may lean liberal, the companies have stressed they have no business interest in favouring one political party over the other.

Twitter first outlined in early 2018 that it wouldn't block world leaders from the platform or remove their controversial tweets. But it announced nearly a year ago that it could apply warning labels and obscure the tweets of world leaders if they used their accounts to threaten or abuse others. That followed complaints from Trump critics that the president has gotten a free pass from Twitter to post hateful messages and attack his enemies in ways they say could lead to violence.

Twitter further clarified its rules in October, saying it will enforce its policies against any user who makes clear and direct threats of violence against a person, but carving out an exception for government officials foreign policy saber-rattling on economic or military issues.

The earlier tweets that Twitter flagged were not hidden but did come with an option to get the facts about mail-in ballots," a link that led to fact checks and news stories by media organizations. Those tweets called mail-in ballots fraudulent and predicted that mail boxes will be robbed, among other things.

Twitters decision to flag Trump's tweets came as the president continued to use the platform to push a debunked conspiracy theory accusing MSNBC host and former congressman Joe Scarborough of killing a staffer in his Florida congressional office in 2001. Medical officials determined the staffer had an undiagnosed heart condition, passed out and hit her head as she fell.

Scarborough, who was in Washington, not Florida, at the time, has urged the president to stop his baseless attacks. The staffer's husband also recently demanded that Twitter remove the tweets. The company issued a statement expressing its regret to the husband but so far has taken no other action.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Twitters decision also likely will be seized upon outside the U.S. to scrutinize the social media behaviour of other world leaders. Israel has been waging its own pressure campaign on the company over it allowing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to have an account.

In a letter dated Sunday, an Israeli official wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey complaining about Khamenei tweets that repeated comments he made in a recent speech in support of Palestinians that called Israel a cancerous growth that will be uprooted and destroyed.

On the other hand, the company has removed tweets related to the coronavirus from the leaders of Brazil and Venezuela, and says it will remove content that has a call to action that poses a threat to peoples health or well being.

It has also previously used the warning label for an elected official, Brazilian politician Osmar Terra, who tweeted that quarantine increases the spread of the virus.

-

AP writers Tali Arbel in New York and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
The ongoing war over voting rights and voter suppression has developed a new battleground in recent weeks: The debate over whether every citizen should have a right to vote by mail in the era of COVID19, thus ensuring that no American has to fear risking his or her health in order to vote.

On one side of this issue is the president of the United States, who has taken to Twitter to denounce a practice that is time tested and secureand has backed up these denunciations with threats to withhold funding from states, like Michigan, that have sought to ensure voting by mail is universally accessible to every voter.

Advertisement

The other side is the vast majority of voters, millions of whom have voted by mail for decades, and several governors and secretaries of states on both sides of the aisle who in recent months have embraced voting by mail as a way to ensure democracy is preserved amidst the current pandemic.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In fact, 46 states have provided a way for every citizen to vote from home this election year. This option is permanent in 34 states, and 12 more temporarily granted their voters this right due to the coronavirus outbreak this spring.

The enormous, bipartisan popularity for a long-accepted and convenient method of voting was apparent in 2018 in Michigan, when the vast majority of our voters cast ballots to amend our state constitution to ensure every voter had a choice to vote by mail in every election.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Recognizing the importance of putting voters first, we quickly implemented the new policy so voters could exercise their right to vote by mail this year. We saw absentee voting rates skyrocket in our March 10 presidential primary, before there were any known cases of coronavirus here.

Then in early May we held local electionsduring the height of the pandemicprimarily by mail and demonstrated that even in the midst of a crisis, safe and secure elections are possible. We mailed every registered voter an application and instructions to request their ballot through the mail and vote from home. The result was that turnout doubled from previous May elections and 99 percent of voters cast their ballots by mail or at a ballot dropbox. Meanwhile, despite the record turnout, in-person voting locations were calm, clean and safe. There were zero reports of fraud.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The success of both elections made very clear that voters want the option to vote by mail and that even in a pandemic elections can be safe, secure, and accurate when voters know they can and how to vote by mail.

Both elections also taught executive officials in Michigan like me valuable lessons, and were now asking our state legislature to adopt policy to further protect our voters and their rights. There are four primary ways that legislation could improve voting by mail in Michigan. I include them here as they would likely be helpful in other states as well.

Advertisement

Advertisement

 First, enabling election workers to processbut not countmail-in ballots prior to Election Day would give them a better chance of reporting results on Election Night, and make it possible for more workers to deploy to polling locations on Election Day. Such laws are already in place in at least 18 other states. Many Michigan clerks say ideally they would have three full additional days to process ballots to prepare for the Election Day vote count.

Advertisement

Advertisement

 Second, we want the legislature to codify our guidance that clerks should contact voters when they receive an absentee voter ballot with a signature that they believe does not match the signature on the voters application and/or registration. This would provide assurance to voters that their ballots were accepted when lawfully cast and be in the best interest of our elections.

Advertisement

Advertisement

 Third, unfortunately Michigan clerks saw many ballots arrive in the mail after Election Day this spring. Legislation that would allow all ballots postmarked by Election Day in November to be counted would give voters the same flexibility and clarity they have when filing their taxes.

 Finally, the majority, but not all election clerks in Michigan maintain a permanent absentee-voter list. This is for voters who have stated that they want to be mailed an application to vote by mail ahead of every election. There are about 1.3 million people on this list, out of about 7.7 million registered voters in the state. Legislation could make maintenance of such lists a requirement for all jurisdictions, ensuring that all voters are afforded the same opportunity.

Advertisement

But even if these policy changes arent made, we know already that we have the right tools and the dedicated election clerks to be successful administering Novembers election, no matter the public health environment.

Advertisement

Based on what we saw in early May, we are scaling up for Novembers election and again ensuring every voter is mailed an application and instructions to vote by mail. Our goal is to ensure that every Michigan citizen has the certainty and clarity that our elections will be held on schedule, and that they will have the option to vote safely from home, or to visit a voting location with appropriate safety protocols in place.

Our experience in Michigan, where weve seen such widespread support for and success of voting by mail, clearly demonstrates that we are on the right side of this issue, and the right side of history. We will continue educating voters of their rights and how to exercise them, no matter what misinformation might come from the president or anyone else.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic thats hit long-term care facilities hard in Massachusetts and elsewhere across the country, U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III on Friday proposed a host of reforms to improve safety, infection prevention and oversight at soldiers homes and nursing homes.

Kennedy also proposed boosts in Medicaid reimbursements and workforce enhancements at nursing homes, including loan repayment programs and a fund to help schools cover low-cost or free education for those who work in skilled nursing facilities or nursing facilities.

The congressman noted that the moves to enhance oversight and accountability come in response to the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers Home. Proposals to improve payment methods, infection control and stronger requirements on demographic data in nursing homes come as nearly two-thirds of the COVID-19 deaths in the commonwealth occurred in nursing homes, Kennedy said.

Tens of thousands of seniors and veterans have died in this country in recent weeks because our nation failed to keep them safe in the midst of a pandemic, he said in a statement. People who built this country into what it is today, who were helpless as an infectious disease swept through overwhelmed, underfunded homes. These proposed reforms must be enacted to save lives today as we recover from COVID-19 and tomorrow as we rebuild in its wake.

Kennedy added that the families of those who died at the Holyoke Soldiers Home deserve more than finger pointing among elected leaders, they deserve justice, accountability and action.

Of the about 210 veterans who were living at the home since the outbreak began, 76 have died of COVID-19 and the cause of an additional death is unknown, as of Tuesday. There are also 75 additional veterans who have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Suspended Superintendent Bennett Walshs attorney this week said Walsh informed state officials of the outbreak and asked for help when 25 percent of the staff called in sick. Gov. Charlie Baker and officials for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services said they learned of the crisis on the weekend of March 28, after at least eight veterans had already died, when Mayor Alex B. Morse contacted his office.

The proposals for soldiers homes call for strengthened governing bodies with greater expertise, and new requirements for those overseeing such facilities, including that they have medical expertise to care for medically complex veterans.

The measure would also require all facilities to have an infection preventionist or infectious disease expert on site, with funding provided by the Veterans Affairs. Facility managers would be required to submit annual emergency plans on public health and disaster responses to the VA.

Kennedys proposal calls on the Government Accountability Office to investigate the current structure between states and the VA and determine how the federal government can provide more support and oversight.

The plan plan would also stop a Trump administration rollback of the disease infection preventionist requirement at nursing homes, and would call on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create infection control standards to guide Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulations on infection control and emergency responses. It would also require states to create a training program on infection control for all nursing home employees.

CMS, Kennedy says, should also establish new and consistent criteria for data collection so that all facilities are reporting complete and accurate information, including race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status.

Related Content:
Protesters rallied in the streets of Albuquerque, New Mexico, on May 28, to protest the police-involved killing of black man George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, days earlier.

Demonstrators blocked off sections of Wyoming Boulevard and Central Avenue, carrying signs and chanting, No Justice, No Peace.

Protests, some violent, occurred across America since May 26, the day after video circulated of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinning Floyd, 46, to the ground with his knee on his neck. Floyd died soon after, according to police. Credit: Bella Davis via Storyful
One of the biggest malls in the Portland metro area will reopen Monday.

Bridgeport Village, an outdoor mall in Tigard, announced Thursday that it will reopen on Monday, June 1, the same day that Washington County will enter Phase 1 of Oregon Gov. Kate Browns reopening plan.

Indoor and outdoor malls may reopen with enhanced safety measures under Browns Phase 1 plan.

Not all the stores at Bridgeport Village will open immediately and store hours may vary from business to business as stores work to adhere to state and county guidelines. Chad Hastings, the general manager for CenterCal Properties, which operates Bridgeport Village, said that customers should check with individual stores about their plans to reopen.

Bridgeport Village is excited to welcome guests and employees back to an environment that has been well-sanitized and is well-prepared for the reopening, said Hastings in a statement.

Shopping malls must adhere to guidelines from the Oregon Health Authority to reopen. Those guidelines include setting a maximum occupancy, configuring common areas, such as food courts, in a way that will allow six feet of distance to be maintained between customers and posting signs to discourage groups from congregating. The guidance also encourages malls to designated specific entrances and exits.

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com | @jamiebgoldberg

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
CNBC's Jim Cramer said Friday that he's concerned the stock market's rally from its March lows may run out of steam unless Congress approves additional coronavirus relief measures.

"Without another package, I know it's trillions of dollars, we're just going to kind of sputter out," Cramer said on "Squawk Box." "I get worried. It's just too many people that don't have jobs, and it's eventually going to catch up to the market."

U.S. stock futures were slightly lower as Cramer made his comments, and Wall Street subsequently opened weaker Friday on the last trading day of May.

However, as of Thursday's close, the S&P 500 was up more than 39% from its March 23 bottom, with gains of 4% for the month, which can see pressure from the "sell in May and go away" stock trading strategy.

Capitol Hill has passed four pieces of legislation in response to the Covid-19 crisis, the most recent a replenishment of a small business aid program about a month ago. House Democrats have since passed a $3 trillion relief package, but the legislation has been a nonstarter in the Republican-led Senate.

However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said this week that Congress will "probably" have to pass an additional bill to offset damage from the pandemic, which has caused widespread economic damage in addition to its significant health consequences.

More than 40 million Americans have filed jobless claims during the crisis, as businesses were shuttered intentionally to help slow the spread of the virus. There are more than 1.7 million total confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the U.S., and at least 101,000 people have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Trump administration officials, as well as some on Wall Street, are betting that the U.S. recovery will be robust, particularly later this year, as states ease restrictions on businesses and economic activity restarts.

"We're seeing the economy gradually, in phases, reopen in May and June. These are the transition months. We're actually seeing some glimmers of hope amidst all the hardship and heartbreak," National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told CNBC on Thursday.

But Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at middle market business consultancy RSM US, told CNBC's Jeff Cox on Friday that there's a "growing and significant disconnect" between economic data in the country and the stock market's valuation."

"When you look at the data this morning, household income went up due to government support. What that tells you is unless we see a significant ... [additional] round of government aid to provide support for households in the economy. That seriously calls into question the economic rebound that the White House and the market has priced in for the third quarter," Brusuelas said. "It calls into direct question current equity valuations predicated on such expectations."

Cramer, host of "Mad Money," said he would not tell investors to bet against the prospect of additional government relief, arguing that is "what we need."

"That's the bridge to the vaccine" for Covid-19, he added. "We don't want to be in a situation where we're so far away from the vaccine that many businesses close."

People get excited when restaurants reopen and report that same-store sales are "only down 40%," Cramer said. But he argued that trend is not really sustainable for operators unless they are large national chains.

"I just think there's just a lot of unemployed people who don't have a lot of hope," he said. "We need those people back in the workforce."
Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
Amaravati, May 29 : Within hours of his reinstatement by the Andhra Pradesh High Court as the State Election Commissioner (SEC), Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar on Friday assumed charge of the post.

Nearly one and a half months after he was sacked by the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government, the retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer was back as SEC after the court struck down an ordinance to sack him.

The court also quashed the government order to appoint retired Madras HC Judge V. Kanagaraj as the new SEC.

Ramesh Kumar, in a circular to all district collectors, chief executive officer of zilla praja parishads, district panchayat officers, and municipal commissioners, stated that pursuant to the High Court orders he stand restored to the office of SEC.

In a statement, Ramesh Kumar said he would discharge his duties fairly and impartially as he did in the past and as mandated. "In consultation with the principal stakeholders and all the political parties, I wish to resume the electoral process to the local bodies at the earliest on return of normalcy," he said.

He also stated that individuals are not important but constitutional institutions and the values they represent alone are important in the end.

"Those who have taken oath of office to protect the Constitution, have a greater responsibility to continue to protect and safeguard these institutions and their integrity," he said.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government had issued an ordinance on April 10 to sack Ramesh Kumar following a row over the postponement of local body elections.

Within hours of the sacking, the government had appointed Justice V. Kanagaraj (retd) as the new SEC. Kanagaraj, 75, took charge as SEC on April 11.

The ordinance had brought down the term of SEC from five years to three years, thus abruptly ending the term of Ramesh Kumar who was appointed in 2016.

The ordinance had also changed the eligibility for SEC post. According to it, the Governor on state government recommendation shall appoint a person who has held an office of High Court judge as SEC.

Kumar had strained relations with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had personally met the Governor to complain against him on March 14, hours after the SEC postponed the elections to rural and urban local bodies were cheduled on March 21 and 23 respectively.

Ramesh Kumar cited precautionary measures required to check the spread of coronavirus for postponing the polls.
No charges will be laid against a man who killed his stepfather by shooting him twice in the head after the coroner revealed the older man was a doomsday prepper who planned to "go out in a blaze of glory".

Nick McSweeney, 21, tried to alert authorities to the fact that his stepfather, 53-year-old David Bardho, was a terror plotter who was stockpiling weapons on his rural property, but a triple zero operator failed to act on his warnings and instead told him to visit a police station 40 kilometres away.

The Landsborough property. Credit:Nine

Hours later Mr McSweeney shot Mr Bardho dead after simmering tensions over the young man's girlfriend and being kicked out of home boiled over.

On Thursday, the coroner revealed for the first time that Mr Bardho was a doomsday prepper or survivalist with strong anti-government views and who supported Islamic fanaticism in the Middle East.
LOS ANGELES, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 84-year old Vincent Martin died of COVID-19 on April 4, 2020 at Hollywood Premier Healthcare Center ("HPHC") (a/k/a Serrano North Convalescent Hospital). In late April HPHC became one of a handful of facilities in LA County where the National Guard was deployed to help those in need. This help came too late for many of the residents who lost their lives.

As alleged, HPHC has one of the worst outbreaks of COVID-19 in the United States; at least sixteen (16) elderly residents are now dead and seventy-two (72) residents have been infected, along with thirty-seven (37) staff (109 infections). Mr. Martin's wife and daughters filed suit to expose how COVID-19 was allowed to rage uncontrolled through HPHC at the expense of both residents and staff.

As alleged in the Complaint, HPHC's owners and managers had a long-standing practice of keeping the nursing home understaffed and skirting safety and infection controls. The facility was cited for failing to follow infection protocols and for not using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in 2019. Mr. Martin's family was alarmed to see that the staff failed to wear PPE even as the facility entered lockdown for COVID-19.

HPHC has a sordid backstory, according to court records. One of the ownrs of HPHC, Benjamin Landa, was found liable for human trafficking of Filipino nursing staff last year, and the nursing home's doctor, Marcel Filart was named as having received kickbacks in an illegal Medicare/Medi-Cal scam that resulted in a 42 million dollar settlement with the U.S. Governmentall these facts were unknown to residents and their families and form the backdrop for the tragedy and numerous deaths at HPHC.

As alleged, HPHC's own Administrator contracted COVID-19 in March and as COVID-19 gained a toe hold in the facility, the owners and operators hid the outbreak from families. Vince Martin would never have been tested for COVID-19 had his wife and two daughters not insisted on the test  the positive test result came too late.

At one point only two nurses were caring for eighty-three residents, including Mr. Martin. One staff member claimed to be staying up 20 hours at a time, and the facility had to have the California National Guard come in at one point.

Shockingly, after HPHC's deficient protocols led to 109 staff and residents becoming COVID-19 positive, HPHC has switched to a business model of only accepting COVID-19 patients.

Patricia L. McGinnis, Executive Director of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform ("CANHR"), states that "the COVID-19 pandemic is exposing the dirty reality of the nursing home businessthe residents of HPHC stood no chance when the pandemic hit, and they were living at a facility that was already understaffed."

Jamie Court, President of Consumer Watchdog, states that "The allegations paint a horrifying portrait of a death trap where seniors are given a death sentence, and their families are lied to about it. This case is the poster child for why we cannot allow the nursing home industry to limit its legal accountability to families through the executive order; it is asking the Governor to sign."

Anne Marie Murphy, of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, states that "this is not a situation where a well-run nursing home was caught off guard by the pandemicHPHC's outrageous and dangerous practices predate the pandemic. The 109 staff and residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 deserve answers, as well as the families of all who have died."

Gary Praglin, of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, added, "it is beyond an outrage that a facility like this for seniors was allowed to operatelet alone charge incredible fees. " Gary Praglin also noted, "We are shoc,ked and outraged to learn that HPHC is now only taking COVID patients. HPHC has now become a COVID profit center. This lawsuit shines a light on deadly nursing homes that cover up their COVID outbreaks so that they can protect their bottom line. The AG should crackdown on unqualified nursing homes to protect the public."

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog

Related Links

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org


Samsung has partnered with US-based cryptocurrency exchange Gemini to integrate the latters services with its Blockchain KeyStore Wallet.

This integration will allow the users of Samsungs crypto wallet in the US and Canada to transfer cryptocurrencies between the Wallet and the Gemini platform.

Users can connect to the Gemini mobile app to buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies via the Gemini exchange. They can also view their Gemini account balances and transfer their crypto into the higher security cold storage wallet found in select Samsung smartphones.

Advertisement

This partnership comes at a time when cryptocurrency trading volume is soaring amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Crypto exchanges around the world are also seeing an increase in user registrations.

Founded by two brothers in 2014, Gemini is the first American crypto exchange to offer integration with Samsung Blockchain Wallet. The platform currently supports more than 20 cryptocurrencies, including the likes of bitcoin, ethereum, bitcoin cash, litecoin, chainlink, and Zcash.

Crypto is not just a technology, it is a movement. We are proud to be working with Samsung to bring cryptos promise of greater choice, independence, and opportunity to more individuals around the world, said Tyler Winklevoss, CEO of Gemini. Now, Samsung Blockchain Wallet customers can buy crypto in a simple, elegant, and secure way on Gemini.

Advertisement

Samsung itself is reportedly developing its own cryptocurrency, with the name Samsung Coin. Reports last year suggested that it is an Ethereum-based token. Not much has been heard about it since.

Samsung Blockchain KeyStore Wallet gets Gemini integration

Samsung is among the first smartphone makers to offer support for cryptocurrency on their phones. The South Korean giants crypto service debuted on the Galaxy S10 series last year. The Blockchain Keystore Wallet has since been a permanent fixture on its flagship Galaxy smartphones.

As of now, Samsungs Blockchain Wallet is available on the Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S20, Galaxy Fold, and Galaxy Z Flip flagships, as well as the unlocked Galaxy S10 Lite.

Advertisement

Verizon versions of these smartphones dont support the crypto wallet, though. Users of these smartphones in North America can download the Samsung Blockchain Wallet and the Gemini mobile app from the Galaxy Store.

Cryptocurrency has always been seeing stalled user adoption. Industry watchers believe the main reason behind this ailing adoption is potential users lacking required technology confidence to invest their money into cryptocurrencies.

This integration between Samsung Blockchain Keystore Wallet and Gemini exchange makes things easier for such people. It allows users to buy crypto securely and then self custody their crypto directly on their phone.


LONDON (dpa-AFX) - AstraZeneca plc (AZN) announced Friday that detailed results from an updated analysis of the Phase III CASPIAN trial showed IMFINZI in combination with a choice of chemotherapies, etoposide plus either carboplatin or cisplatin, demonstrated a sustained, clinically meaningful overall survival (OS) benefit for adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) treated in the 1st-line setting.



The CASPIAN trial met the primary endpoint of OS in June 2019, reducing the risk of death by 27% which formed the basis of the US FDA approval in March 2020.



After a median follow up of more than two years, the latest results for IMFINZI plus chemotherapy showed sustained efficacy, maintaining a 25% reduction in the risk of death versus chemotherapy alone. Updated median OS was 12.9 months versus 10.5 for chemotherapy.



IMFINZI, in combination with etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin, is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC).



CASPIAN is a randomized, open-label, multi-center, global, Phase III trial in the 1st-line treatment of 805 patients with ES-SCLC. The trial compared IMFINZI in combination with etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin chemotherapy, or IMFINZI and chemotherapy with the addition of a second immunotherapy, tremelimumab, versus chemotherapy alone.



IMFINZI is a human monoclonal antibody that binds to PD-L1 and blocks the interaction of PD-L1 with PD-1 and CD80, countering the tumor's immune-evading tactics and releasing the inhibition of immune responses.



Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women and accounts for about one-quarter of all cancer deaths in the United States: more than breast, prostate and colorectal cancers combined



The second experimental arm in the CASPIAN trial testing tremelimumab, an anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibody, added to IMFINZI and chemotherapy showed a trend towards OS, but did not reach statistical significance compared to chemotherapy alone.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Another bout of severe weather is hitting Australia's west coast just days after it was smashed by a 'once in a lifetime' storm.

Western Australia's south-west will see the worst of the conditions as it's battered by winds of up to 100km/h and heavy rainfall today.

The wild weather is the result of a large cold front sweeping through the state causing thunderstorms, hail and huge swells.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued a severe weather warning for Albany, Bunbury, Busselton, Katanning, Mandurah, Manjimup, Margaret River, Mount Barker, Narrogin and Perth.

Western Australia is set to be hit with another monster storm on Friday days after severe weather swept across the state earlier in the week (pictured: vehicle navigates flood waters in Perth's CBD on Monday)

The cold front will bring damaging winds and high tides with the potential for flooding (pictured: a surfer in action at Cottesloe Beach in Perth on Monday)

Heavy rainfall reaching 50mm is expected in the Perth Hills region and Southwest suburbs.

'Damaging winds, averaging 60 to 70 km/h with peak gusts to around 100 km/h are possible, particularly in coastal parts south of Mandurah, and could cause damage to homes and property,' the weather warning said.

'Tides between Mandurah and Albany are likely to rise above the normal high tide mark with very rough seas and potential flooding of low-lying coastal areas.

'Damaging surf conditions are possible which could see beach erosion about the southwest capes and along the south coast of Albany.'

Residents have been urged to unplug electrical cables and to stay inside away from windows.

The wild weather is expected to clear overnight and won't be as destructive as the storm seen on Sunday and Monday.

Storm damaged steps a pictured at Perth's Port Beachon Monday. Part of the beach's car park collapsed into the ocean due to the wild weather

Parts of Western Australia's south-west are due for heavy rainfall and even hail (pictured: a storm-damaged car park at Port Beach in the Perth suburb of Fremantle on Monday)

'Winds may cause damage to property and make road conditions hazardous,' BoM said.

The other side of the country will enjoy a warm and sunny weekend with Sydney reaching tops of 22 degrees and Brisbane welcoming 25-degree days.

The wild weather in Western Australia comes after the state was battered by storms leaving thousands of cars destroyed and 62,000 homes without power at the start of the week.

Dozens of the state's schools were also left in the dark, while emergency services responded to more than 550 calls for help across the state.

The Crawley Edge Boatshed in Perth's Swan River was inaccessible on Monday as a tidal surge submerged the Instagram-friendly tourist spot

Huge swells will be seen again on Friday. (pictured: fierce swell pictured at Cottesloe Beach on Monday)

In Kalgoorlie, north-east of Perth, a shed was swept up by the wind and landed in a substation, knocking out power to 15,000 homes.

Multiple sailboats washed up, a coastal footpath in Rockingham collapsed, and parts of the car park at Port Beach in Fremantle fell into the ocean.

Even Perth's famous Instagram hot spot Crawley Edge Boatshed was left partly underwater, with its jetty completely submerged.
Protesters gather against the police shooting of Breonna Taylor, a black woman fatally shot by police in her home in March, in downtown Louisville, Ky., on May 28, 2020. (Jada W. via AP)

7 Shot at Louisville Protest Over Fatal Police Shooting

LOUISVILLE, Ky.At least seven people were shot in Louisville as protesters turned out to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, a black woman fatally shot by police in her home in March.

Louisville Metro Police confirmed in a statement early on May 29 that there were at least seven shooting victims, at least one of whom is in critical condition. The statement said there were some arrests, but police didnt provide a number.

No officers discharged their service weapons, police spokesman Sgt. Lamont Washington wrote in an email to The Associated Press. Washington said that all seven were civilians.

Around 500 to 600 demonstrators marched through the Kentucky citys downtown streets on Thursday night, the Courier Journal reported. The protests stretched for more than six hours, ending in the early hours of Friday as rain poured down.

In this photo provided by instagram account of @mckinley_moore, police officers gather as protesters demonstrate against the killing of Breonna Taylor, a black woman fatally shot by police in her home in March, in downtown Louisville, Ky., on May 28, 2020. (@mckinley_moore via AP)

Understandably, emotions are high, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer tweeted just before midnight, sharing a Facebook post asking for peace that he said was written on behalf of Taylors mother. As Breonnas mother says lets be peaceful as we work toward truth and justice.

Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical tech, was shot eight times on March 13 after Louisville narcotics detectives knocked down the front door. No drugs were found in the home.

Attention on Taylors death has intensified after her family sued the police department earlier this month. The case has attracted national headlines alongside the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery in a Georgia neighborhood in February.

Demonstrators gather to protest the killing of Breonna Taylor, a black woman fatally shot by police in her home in March, in downtown Louisville, Ky., on May 28, 2020. (@mckinley_moore via AP)

Thursdays demonstration came as protesters across the countryfrom Los Angeles to Memphis, Tennessee, to New York to Minneapolis itselfhave demonstrated against the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody.

Around 12:20 a.m., Fischer tweeted a video that he said was a message from Taylors family.

Louisville, thank you so much for saying Breonnas name tonight. We are not going to stop until we get justice, a woman says in the video. But we should stop tonight before people get hurt. Please go home, be safe and be ready to keep fighting.

Meanwhile, live video from downtown Louisville around 12:30 a.m. showed some protesters behind makeshift wooden barricades, which appeared to be made out of picnic tables spray-painted with the words You cant kill us all. A small fire inside a trash can was visible in the middle of the street.

Police in body armor and face shields held batons and lined up around Louisville City Hall. They appeared to fire rubber bullets and deploy tear gas canisters, fogging the air and inducing coughs among the remaining members of the crowd. Protesters were shown filming police with their cellphones.

Kentuckians are still under social distancing mandates driven by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. Many protesters wore masks.

Chants early Friday included No justice, no peace and Whose streets? Our streets.

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
The Baker administration on Friday published a series of best practices restaurants must follow as they begin to reopen in Massachusetts.

As MassLive previously reported, restaurants will be allowed to provide outdoor dining services at the start of Phase 2. Later on, they will be allowed to resume indoor dining services with several restrictions in place. Some of those restrictions include prohibiting patrons from sitting at bars and keeping tables at least six feet apart. Here are the workplace safety standards they must follow as they reopen.

Social Distancing

When indoor table service is permitted, restaurants are encouraged to structure operations to operate as much as possible through outdoor table service and to strictly limit indoor table service in order to assure effective compliance with social distancing requirements and to limit activities within confined spaces

Restaurants must comply with the following sector-specific social distancing rules for providing dining services in all customer seating areas:

Tables must be positioned so to maintain at least a 6-foot distance from all other tables and any high foot traffic areas (e.g., routes to bathrooms, entrances, exits); tables may be positioned closer if separated by protective / non-porous barriers (e.g., structural walls or plexi-glass dividers) not less than 6 feet high installed between tables and high foot traffic areas

The size of a party seated at a table cannot exceed 6 people

Restaurants may not seat any customers at the bar, but subject to any applicable building and fire code requirements, bar areas may be re-configured to accommodate table seating that complies with all spacing and other requirements in these COVID-19 safety standards

All customers must be seated; eat-in service to standing customers (e.g., around bar areas) is prohibited

Restaurants may provide carry-out or delivery service, but all safety standards for table separation, size of party, and hygiene must be maintained for any indoor or outdoor table seating that is available to carry-out patrons

All other amenities and areas not employed for food and beverage service (e.g., dance floors, pool tables, playgrounds, etc.) must be closed or removed to prevent gathering of customers

Ensure separation of 6 feet or more between all individuals (workers, vendors, and customers) unless this creates a safety hazard due to the nature of the work or the configuration of the workspace:

Close or reconfigure worker common spaces and high density areas where workers are likely to congregate (e.g., break rooms, eating areas) to allow 6 feet of physical distancing; redesign work stations to ensure physical distancing (e.g., separate tables, stagger workstations on either side of processing lines so workers are not face-to-face, use distance markers to assure spacing including in the kitchen area)

Establish directional hallways and passageways for foot traffic if possible, to minimize contact (e.g., one-way entrance and exit to the restaurant). Post clearly visible signage regarding these policies

Prohibit lingering in common areas (e.g., waiting areas, bathrooms) and ensure social distancing in common areas by marking 6 feet spacing with tape or paint on the floor and signage

All customer-facing workers (e.g., servers, bus staff) must minimize time spent within 6 feet of customers

Designate assigned working areas to workers where possible to limit movement throughout the restaurant and limit contact between workers (e.g., assigning zones to servers)

Stagger work schedules and staff meal and break times, regulating maximum number of people in one place and ensuring at least 6 feet of physical distancing

Minimize the use of confined spaces (e.g., elevators, vehicles) by more than one individual at a time

Require face coverings for all customers and workers at all times, except where an individual is unable to wear a face covering due to medical condition or disability.

Recommended best practices

Improve ventilation for enclosed spaces where possible (e.g., open doors and windows).

Customers may remove face coverings while seated at tables.

Hygiene Protocols

All workers must wash their hands frequently, and table servers must wash their hands or apply hand sanitizer between each table interaction.

Ensure access to handwashing facilities on site, including soap and running water, and allow sufficient break time for workers to wash hands frequently; alcohol-based hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol may be used as an alternative.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol should be made available at entrances, exits, and in the dining area.

Supply workers at workplace location with adequate cleaning products (e.g., sanitizer, disinfecting wipes).

Post visible signage throughout the site to remind workers and customers of hygiene and safety protocols.

Self-serve, unattended buffets, topping bars, drink stations, and other communal serving areas must remain closed.

Condiments and similar products (e.g., salt, pepper, and salad dressing) should not be pre-set on tables and should instead only be provided upon request either in single-serving portions (e.g., individual packages or cups) or in serving containers that are sanitized between each use.

Menus must be one of the following: 1) paper, single-use menus disposed after each use, 2) displayed menu (e.g., digital, whiteboard, chalkboard), 3) electronic menus viewed on customers phones / mobile devices.

Utensils and place settings must be either single-use or sanitized after each use; utensils should be rolled or packaged. Tables should not be pre-set to reduce opportunity for exposure.

Tables and chairs must be cleaned and sanitized thoroughly between each seating.

Staffing and Operations

When possible, reservations or call ahead seating should be encouraged; managers must ensure that diners waiting for tables do not congregate in common areas or form lines.

Restaurants may not provide customers with buzzers or other devices to provide alerts that seating is available or orders are ready; restaurants should instead use no-touch methods such as audio announcements, text messaging, and notices on fixed video screens or blackboards.

Provide training to workers on up-to-date safety information and precautions including hygiene and other measures aimed at reducing disease transmission, including:

Social distancing, hand-washing, and requirement and proper use of face coverings

Modifying practices for serving in order to minimize time spent within 6 feet of customers

Self-screening at home, including temperature or symptom checks

Reinforcing that staff may not come to work if sick

When to seek medical attention if symptoms become severe

Which underlying health conditions may make individuals more susceptible to contracting and suffering from a severe case of the virus

Restaurant operators should establish adjusted workplace hours and shifts for workers to minimize contact across workers and reduce congestion at entry points

Limit visitors and vendors on site; shipping and deliveries should be completed in designated areas

Workers should not appear for work if feeling ill

Restaurants must screen workers at each shift by ensuring the following:

Worker is not experiencing any symptoms such as fever (100.3 and above), cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat;

Worker has not had close contact with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19. Close contact means living in the same household as a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, caring for a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, being within 6 feet of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more, or coming in direct contact with secretions (e.g., sharing utensils, being coughed on) from a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, while that person was symptomatic.

Worker has not been asked to self-isolate or quarantine by their doctor or a local public health official.

Workers who are sick or feeling ill must be sent home.

Anyone showing signs of illness may be denied entry.

If the employer is notified of a positive case at the workplace, the employer should notify the local Board of Health (LBOH) where the workplace is located and work with them to trace likely contacts in the workplace and advise workers to isolate and self-quarantine.

Notify workers that they may not work if they test positive for COVID-19 (they should be isolated at home) or are found to be a close contact of someone with COVID-19 (they should be quarantined at home).

Testing of other staff may be recommended consistent with guidance and / or at the request of the LBOH. Post notice to workers and customers of important health information and relevant safety measures as outlined in government guidelines.

Post notice to workers and customers of important health information and relevant safety measures as outlined in the Commonwealths Mandatory Safety Standards for Workplace.

Designate the Person in Charge (105 CMR 590) for each shift to oversee implementation of the guidelines in this document.

Restaurants will be allowed to maximize outdoor dining space, including patios and parking lots where available, where municipal approval is obtained.

Recommended best practices

When taking reservations and when seating walk-in customers, restaurants should retain a phone number of someone in the party for possible contact tracing.

Encourage use of technological solutions where possible to reduce person-to-person interaction (e.g., contactless payment, mobile ordering, text on arrival for seating).

Workers who are particularly high risk to COVID-19 according to the Centers for Disease Control (e.g., due to age or underlying conditions) are encouraged to stay home or arrange an alternate work assignment.

Workers are strongly encouraged to self-identify symptoms or any close contact to a known or suspected COVID-19 case to the employer.

Encourage workers who test positive for COVID-19 to disclose to the employer for purposes of cleaning / disinfecting and contact tracing.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

Clean commonly touched surfaces in restrooms (e.g., toilet seats, doorknobs, stall handles, sinks, paper towel dispensers, soap dispensers) frequently and in accordance with CDC guidelines.

Keep cleaning logs that include date, time, and scope of cleaning.

Conduct frequent disinfecting of heavy transit areas and high-touch surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, elevator buttons, staircases).

Implement procedures to increase cleaning / disinfecting in the back-of-house. Avoid all food contact surfaces when using disinfectants. Food contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized before use with a sanitizer approved for food contact surfaces. Non-food contact surfaces must be frequently cleaned.

In the event of a presumptive or actual positive COVID-19 case of a worker, patron, or vendor, the restaurant must be immediately shut down for 24 hours and then must be cleaned and disinfected in accordance with current CDC guidance before re-opening.

Related Content:
Shoe-box flats the size of disabled parking bays have been green-lighted for construction, flying in the face of a fierce backlash.

Developers have managed to squeeze an extraordinary amount of equipment into 182 square feet and boast that the micro-homes are fitted with all the essentials needed for day-to-day living.

A kitchen, bathroom and bedroom are all crammed inside the four walls of the flats, which are to be built inside an old office block on Huntingdon Road, Cambridge.

Almost every inch has been decked out with appliances and furniture appears to slot into tight spaces.

Floor plans show a compact kitchen area on the immediate right to the door. A microwave, dishwasher, fridge and cupboards are behind two double doors.

A desk, bed, table and chair snake around the perimeter of the room and a tiny bathroom is on the other side of the door.

Developers have managed to squeeze an extraordinary amount of equipment into 182 square feet and boast that the micro-homes are fitted with all the essentials needed for day-to-day living

Shoe-box flats the size of disabled parking bays have been green-lighted for construction, flying in the face of a fierce backlash

Appliances are squeezed into every corner of the micro-homes, with a fridge, a cupboard, hobs, a washing machine, a bed and a desk pressed against the walls

The 182-square foot homes are being built in the old National Institute Of Agricultural Botany building on Huntington Road

Marchingdale Developments said: 'The units are of a perfectly reasonable size, allowing for all of the necessary functions to support daily life, and our clients are very clear that there is both a need and demand in Cambridge for the form of accommodation proposed.'

They have brushed off criticism of their 182-square foot apartments from campaigners who have branded the flats 'appalling' and are petitioning for the plans to be ripped up.

Government rules say the minimum internal space in residential homes should be 400-square feet, however the developers have managed to wriggle through a loophole.

By converting existing space and getting prior approval, they have been able to avoid scrutiny from the local council, where there have been grumblings over the flat's size.

Cambridge City Council's executive councillor for planning policy, Katie Thornburrow, said 'it's appalling this is going ahead'.

The smallest of the 149 flats, which were approved on May 20 to be built in the old National Institute Of Agricultural Botany building, are some of the tiniest in Britain.

In Newbury Park, east London, an office block has been converted to flats which are just 140 square feet in size, which critics said forced residents to pack in like 'sardines'.

The compact kitchen space includes the staple living appliances which are pressed against the wall

A tiny bathroom is fitted with a small shower, toilet and sink. Developers have brushed off criticism over their 182-square foot apartments and insist the micro-homes are 'a perfectly reasonable size'

Marchingdale Developments, which are building the flats next yards away from Cambridge University, said it was disappointed with the criticism and added the plans were fully compliant with legislation.

A spokesman said: 'The prior approval process was introduced by central government in 2013 to increase the delivery of housing and to promote the reuse of vacant office buildings.

'The applicants have complied fully with the legislation and accordingly the principle of development cannot be in question, subject to it being demonstrated that there would be no adverse impacts in respect of transport and highways, contamination, flooding and noise.

'It is important to emphasise that Local Plan policies are not capable of being a consideration during the determination of this type of application as it is for prior approval for development automatically granted by a government development order.'

Reuben Young, director of housing charity Priced Out, said: 'Permitted development rights have resulted in a lot of bad quality, inadequate housing all over the country.

'If we moved to a rules-based planning system which removed the concept of political approval for specific developments from the planning process, we could keep the best of both worlds.

'Much more needed homes built, and no developers using loopholes to build substandard housing.'
Three young brothers in Bolivia were hospitalised after provoking a black widow spider into biting all three of them in the hope they would gain the same super powers as Spider-Man.

The brothers, aged 8, 10 and 12, were herding goats in Chayanta Province in central Bolivia, when they found the spider and poked it with a stick until it bit each of them in turn.

The alarm was raised when their mother found them crying, and they were taken to a local medical centre, according to Spanish-language news network Telemundo, which reported the story after it was first detailed by the epidemiology chief from the Bolivian Ministry of Health, Virgilio Pietro, during the countrys daily coronavirus press conference.

When the brothers symptoms did not improve, the trio were then transferred to a hospital in the small town of Llallagua, where the doctors reportedly described the situation as being complicated.

As a result, the next day they were taken to the Childrens Hospital in La Paz, by which point they were suffering muscular pain, sweating, fever and general tremors.

After being treated with antivenom their condition improved over the course of a week until they were all discharged on 20 May.

Mr Pietro warned parents to be careful, since for children everything is real, movies are real, dreams can be real, and they are the illusion of our lifetime.

In the 2002 film Spider-Man, the character Peter Parker, played by Tobey Maguire, is bitten by a genetically modified super-spider. The double puncture wound swells up, and Parker experiences fever and blurry vision, before collapsing on his bedroom floor. He wakes up in the morning and realises he no longer needs glasses, his body has become much more muscular, he can run faster, his reflexes and agility have improved, he can climb up smooth surfaces with ease and he can shoot long spiderwebs out of his wrists.

Black widow bites are rare as the spider is non-aggressive and only tends to bite if threatened.

However, its venom is 15 times stronger than a rattle-snakes according to National Geographic, with bites resulting in muscle aches, nausea, and paralysis of the diaphragm, which can make breathing difficult.

Nonetheless, most of those bitten suffer no serious long-term injuries, and deaths are very rare, with small children, the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions most at risk.

The larger female black widow often kills and eats the smaller males after mating with them, which is how the spider gained its macabre name.

Bolivias health care system is in the midst of major reforms, begun last year under socialist president Evo Moraless administration, which rolled out free healthcare to previously uninsured people.
BELLEVUE, WA / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / Trilogy International Partners Inc. (TSX:TRL) (the "Corporation" or "TIP Inc.") an international wireless and fixed broadband telecommunications operator, is pleased to announce the results from its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") held on May 29, 2020.

By resolution passed by ballot vote, all of the seven nominees proposed by management for election to the Board of Directors at the Meeting and listed in the Corporation's Management Information Circular dated April 14, 2020, were elected. The Directors will remain in office until the next annual meeting of shareholders, or until their successors are elected or appointed.

The results of the vote on the election of the Board of Directors are as follows:

Board of Directors Votes in Favour Votes Withheld Number of Votes Percentage (%) Number of Votes Percentage (%) John W. Stanton 46,610,830 99.31% 324,582 0.69% Bradley J. Horwitz 44,643,344 95.12% 2,292,068 4.88% Theresa E. Gillespie 46,597,787 99.28% 337,625 0.72% Mark Kroloff 44,953,826 95.78% 1,981,586 4.22% Alan D. Horn 46,808,462 99.73% 126,950 0.27% Nadir Mohamed 46,835,672 99.79% 99,740 0.21% Reza Satchu 46,525,190 99.13% 410,222 0.87%

The other item of business at the Meeting was to appoint Grant Thornton LLP, Chartered Accountants, as auditors of the Company for the ensuing year and to authorize the directors to fix the remuneration of the auditors.

By resolution passed by ballot vote, Grant Thornton LLP, Chartered Accountants, were appointed as auditors of the Company for the ensuing year. Votes by securityholders and proxyholders received with respect to the reappointment of Grant Thornton LLP, Chartered Accountants, were voted as follows:

Votes For Votes Withheld Number of Votes Percentage (%) Number of Votes Percentage (%) 48,530,994 99.80% 98,976 0.20%

About Trilogy International Partners Inc.

Trilogy International Partners Inc. is the parent company of Trilogy International Partners LLC ("Trilogy LLC"), a wireless and fixed broadband telecommunications operator formed by wireless industry veterans John Stanton, Theresa Gillespie and Brad Horwitz. Trilogy LLC's founders have an exceptional track record of successfully buying, building, launching and operating communications businesses in 15 international markets and the United States.

Trilogy LLC currently provides wireless communications services through its operating subsidiaries in New Zealand and Bolivia. Its head office is located at 155 108th Avenue NE, Suite 400, Bellevue, Washington, 98004.

For more information, visit www.trilogy-international.com.

Contact:

Ann Saxton

425-458-5900

Ann.Saxton@trilogy-international.com

Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development

SOURCE: Trilogy International Partners Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/591987/Trilogy-International-Partners-Inc-Announces-Results-of-Annual-General-Shareholders-Meeting
ANN ARBOR, MI  Like in its neighboring counties, Washtenaw County has seen its fair share of COVID-19 news this week.

But, aside from reporting the number of positive COVID-19 cases confirmed this week, there were other stories reported about the Washtenaw County community.

From hundreds of people taking to the streets to protest the recorded beating of a black woman by a white sheriffs deputy, to the Arbor Brewing Company announcing its leaving its downtown location in early June, a lot has been going on in the Ann Arbor area.

Here are some headlines you might have missed this week.

Free ShaTeina: Continued incarceration of Ypsilanti woman leads 300 protesters to block streets again

ShaTeina Grady El, the black Ypsilanti Township woman shown in a video being repeatedly punched in the head by a Washtenaw County sheriffs deputy who was trying to arrest her, was still behind bars Thursday.

That fact outraged more than 300 protesters Thursday afternoon, May 28.

They chanted for more than an hour in front of the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office, 2201 Hogback Road in Pittsfield Township, before spreading throughout Washtenaw Avenue and marching more than a mile into Ann Arbor.

Arbor Brewing Company leaving downtown Ann Arbor after 25 years

Leaving downtown Ann Arbor is not something Arbor Brewing Company owner Mike Collins wants to do, but it might be for the better, he said.

Arbor Brewing Company, 114 E. Washington St., is closing Sunday, June 7, as Collins searches for a new location in the city.

State Rep. Rebekah Warren sentenced to probation, community service on drunk driving charge

Months after pleading guilty to a lesser misdemeanor count of operating while intoxicated, State Rep. Rebekah Warren has been sentenced to probation and community service.

Oakland County 52nd District Court Division 3 Judge Julie Nicholson sentenced Warren Wednesday, May 27, to one year of probation and 10 days of community service, court records show.

Warren, D-Ann Arbor, was originally arraigned, Jan. 30, on one misdemeanor count of operating while intoxicated with blood alcohol content greater than 0.17 percent, records show. She pleaded guilty to the lesser charge, Feb. 18, avoiding a heftier penalty attached to the super drunk statute.

Graduating Saline seniors grow up fast in memorable year for class of 2020

Sammi Woods remembers looking forward to the fun classes she was going to take in her final trimester at Saline High School, recalling the conversations she had with classmates when the school district announced it would be closing for at least three weeks amid the spread of the coronavirus.

Some classmates scoffed at the notion they wouldnt be returning and expected to be back after spring break, Woods said, while others speculated that Friday, March 13, would be the last time the seniors would be able to see each other.

More than three months later, Woods said those final moments together as a class serve as a sobering reminder one might hear during a graduation speech: Things can change quickly and nothing is guaranteed in life.

30 combined counts filed against 2 men accused of shooting Monroe police officer

Two men suspected in the weekend shooting of a Monroe police officer have been arraigned, according to the Monroe County Prosecuting Attorneys Office.

Kordney Antwoine McDonald of Ypsilanti and Koby Ryan Falls of Monroe are charged in the shooting of Cpl. Renae Peterson of the Monroe City Police Department at around 8 p.m. Sunday, May 24, near North Dixie Highway and Ternes Drive, Michigan State Police said.

Call for housing density in A2Zero plan a concern for some Ann Arbor officials

City Council has twice delayed adopting the citys new A2Zero carbon-neutrality plan and one concern is it calls for more housing density.

As the plan goes to council for consideration again Monday night, June 1, that remains a point of contention.

Park-goers flock to Ann Arbors Bandemer Park docks on Memorial Day weekend

A long weekend and warm weather brought crowds out to pools and lakes across the country, and the rowing docks at Bandemer Park in Ann Arbor were no exception.

The docks were filled with people apparently ignoring guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to photos and social media posts.

Pints and puzzles to pick up lost revenue offered by downtown Ann Arbor gelato shop

Owners of a downtown Ann Arbor gelateria are offering customers rewards to scoop up to help fill a gap in revenue from lost foot traffic.

The time between March and September is typically the busy season for Iorios Gelateria, 522 E. William St., with a plethora of visitors of the four-day Ann Arbor Art Fair making up for winters dip in sales, co-owner Nick Lemmer said.

However, state-ordered closures of non-essential services due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, have resulted in the art fair and multiple event cancellations, and caused places like Iorios to keep their doors closed to customers.

60% of Washtenaw County businesses lost half their revenue during COVID-19 shutdown, report says

Almost two-thirds of Washtenaw County businesses said they lost more than 50% of their expected revenue since February, according to a new report released Tuesday.

EntryPoint, a nonprofit research group, surveyed more than 400 Washtenaw County businesses about the coronavirus pandemics impact on the local economy. The survey found that 60% of survey respondents say they saw a 50% decrease in revenue since February. An additional 12% saw between 30 and 50% of revenue decline, according to the report.

Briarwood Mall reopens doors to customers by appointment

Briarwood Mall reopened its doors to the public Thursday, with customers shopping by appointment as required by an executive order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The mall reopened on May 28, after closing on March 19 amid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing some of the more than 2,000 people who have jobs at the mall to return to work.

Pioneer High School senior pieces together music video in place of canceled play

High school seniors across the country have had to say goodbye in less than desirable ways this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic took away the final moments of their high school careers, leaving a lot of disappointment in its wake.

But Dana Steiner decided to make the best of a bad situation when the Pioneer High School Theatre Guilds performance of Les Miserables was canceled. Steiner, a graduating Pioneer High School senior, pieced together a video of recordings of her fellow castmates singing their parts from One Day More, one of the plays songs.

Judge takes 3 candidates off Ypsilanti Twp. primary ballot, denies clerk, trustee colluded

Three Ypsilanti Township candidates will not be on the August primary election ballot, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Washtenaw County Circuit Court Judge Carol Kuhnke ruled at a May 27 hearing that the candidates for Ypsilanti Township clerk, treasurer and parks commissioner had invalid filing paperwork and must be removed from the ballot. Township officials filed requests for intervention in these races earlier this month.

Michigan community colleges look ahead to fall enrollment, consider hybrid course strategies

When the Great Recession hit in 2008, community colleges saw record enrollment rates amid widespread layoffs and unemployment, says Mike Hansen, president of the Michigan Community Colleges Association (MCCA).

Hansen said there are those that believe that the current economic state could spur another increase in enrollment at community colleges, but there is a flipside.

University of Michigan leaders now very optimistic for in-person fall semester

University of Michigan leaders have moved from being cautiously optimistic to very optimistic that the university will have in-person classes in the fall semester.

While a decision isnt expected until late June, in an online session with faculty and staff on Thursday, May 28, UM President Mark Schlissel, Interim Provost Susan Collins and Interim Vice President for Student Life Simone Himbeault Taylor updated more than 6,000 employees on issues including the fall semester, finances, UMs endowment and how diversity, equity and inclusion might be affected.

A principal with flow?: Ann Arbor educator motivates students with rap anthem

One of the most important parts of his job as principal at Clague Middle School was greeting students outside the school at the beginning of the day, Che Carter said.

Without that face-to-face time to connect, since in-person classes were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Carter has resorted to using world drums, orchestra strings and his talents as a rap emcee to welcome Clague students back to another week of distance learning.

He has channeled his own love for music into Turn up Monday, a song intended to both motivate students to start the week off on a positive note and put a smile on their faces.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A 32-year-old Grand Rapids man has been sentenced to more than five decades in prison for fatally shooting his girlfriend inside of a car in March 2019.

Jamar Purdle was sentenced May 20 to 56 years and eight months of prison for killing Mikeya Sheniece Day, 35.

Purdle was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder and several firearms offenses on Jan. 31.

Earlier testimony showed Day and Purdle were arguing in a vehicle parked in the 800 block of Hancock Street NE.

A surveillance camera on a house showed a flash inside of the car, then showed Purdle exiting from the passenger side and running to a house with a bottle of liquor in one hand and something concealed in the other hand.

Day had exited the drivers side door while Purdle ran to the house. She sought help at a different home, banging on the door, but Purdle ran back to the street and put her back in the car before anyone answered.

He then drove her to the hospital but she died there. She had been shot in the jugular vein.

At the sentencing, Kent County Circuit Court Judge Curt Benson said Purdles actions the day of the shooting showed his priorities.

What was the first thing you did? You got out of the car and you walked up to the house and stashed the gun," he said.

The first instinct was to protect yourself," Benson said.

He also said the day of the shooting was not the first time you pulled a gun on a woman during a fight.

Related stories:

Homes surveillance video recorded womans fatal shooting: police

Family mourns mother of 4 after uncalled-for slaying

Former girlfriends of accused killer said he abused, threatened them
India is in talks with China to deal with the most serious military standoff on their disputed border in recent years, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, sidestepping U.S. President Donald Trump's offer to mediate. Soldiers have been facing off in the remote Ladakh region in the Himalayas since early May, accusing each other of trespassing and in recent days they have dug in defences and brought equipment.

Trump said in a Twitter post the United States had told India and China that it was ready to arbitrate their "raging border dispute", the first time he has tried to throw himself into India-China diplomacy. "We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve this issue," Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava told reporters, responding to Trump's offer. China has not yet made an official comment.

The dispute is the most serious since India and China, who fought a brief border in 1962, were locked in a similar faceoff in the eastern Himalayas that lasted nearly three months in 2017. Srivastava said India wanted peace and stability at the border but would defend its territory.

Despite talks spread over two decades, the two countries have not been able to settle their 3,500-km border and lay claim to large tracts of remote territory in each other's possession. "Our troops have taken a responsible approach towards border management and are following protocols," Srivastava said. Military observers say one likely reason for the renewed border tensions is India's effort to build new air strips and roads near the de-facto border to try to narrow the gap with China's superior infrastructure.

Despite ongoing talks between the local military commanders and diplomats, there is no sign of a de-escalation, Indian sources aware of the situation said. New Delhi says Chinese troops have intruded into Indian territory and must withdraw to defuse the crisis. The Chinese side wants India to stop all construction activity in the area, saying the whole area is disputed, one of the sources said.

Also read: India-China standoff: Donald Trump offers to mediate 'raging dispute'

Also read: Chinese survey team summits Mt Everest to remeasure exact height
LANSDALE  As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt life in Montgomery County, hairstylists and barbers are burdened by closed shops and no clients.

Gov. Tom Wolfs insistence on keeping salons, barber shops and nail salons closed has caused thousands of hairdressers, barbers, and nail techs to go rogue, take to the road, and make several house calls per day, said Anthoni Troilo, a co-owner of Citrus Salon & Spa on Dekalb Pike in Blue Bell. Troilo took to social media to express his frustrations on the matter.

State Rep. Steve Malagari (D-53rd Dist.) joined a coalition of Pennsylvania lawmakers in a signed letter urging Wolf to allow restaurants, hair salons and barbershops to operate once Montgomery Countys status turns from red phase to yellow.

Wolf noted the legislators request. While the state eased restrictions on restaurants allowing outdoor dining on June 5, facilities like hair salons will stay closed, according to the states COVID-19 resources webpage.

Wolf closed numerous nonessential businesses in March to mitigate the spread of the SARS-CoV-2, a virus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019.

According to a statement from Wolfs office, all remaining red phase counties will move to the yellow phase on June 5. The states COVID-19 resource page stipulates that the shutdown continues for personal care services including gyms, spas, hair salons, nail salons, and other entities that provide massage therapy.

Still, Malagari implored the Wolf to reconsider a revision for hair salons and barbershops.

Theyre part of our small business, Malagari said. Theyre part of our local economies, and theyre individuals in our community that also need to get back to work.

While hair salons across Montgomery County are barred from opening, Troilo beseeched elected leaders to reduce these restrictions, arguing that barbers and hairstylists are trained in preventing infection.

Our salon and employees have been barbicide certified and have advanced training in proper disinfection and sanitation, Troilo said in a Facebook post. Gov. Wolf refuses to acknowledge the fact that after the medical industry, our industry is one of the most highly trained in infection and disease prevention.

Salvatore Giannone, owner of Sals Barbershop, a collection of franchised locations across the greater Philadelphia area, said hes feeling frustrated by the continued shutdown.

Theres a million things we can do to open in the yellow phase, Giannone said. Im sorry. If you can go get a water ice right now, and listen, I love water ice  but you cant tell me that a 15-year-old thats making your gelati has more experience with infectious disease [than] a barber who studied for a whole year doing this.

In order to receive a license, Giannone said that barbers need to complete a rigorous program involving 1,250 hours of training dealing with infectious diseases, disinfecting and sanitizing. He added that barbers also need to pass two state tests.

We feel slighted because for all of the things we had to do to get a license to not be able to perform in a time like this, Giannone said.

Proprietors of hair salons and barbershops across Montgomery County have also taken a proactive approach to provide personal protective equipment, adequate sanitizing materials and proper distancing techniques. Triolo added that these new health and safety policies aim to comply with recommendations from state and federal agencies.

Giannone agreed.

Were licensed professionals. We studied this. We do this for a living, and were as clean as you possibly can be, he said.

Giannone also emphasized the importance of adhering to social distancing guidelines and wearing masks while in the workplace.

Our industry has to adapt and its the time. The time is now to do it. If other barbershop owners and  nail salons and hair salons werent already practicing some of these [measures], they all should be practicing it now, Giannone said. Its time to set an example for other industries by showing our professionalism.

Other owners added that barbers and hairstylists connected to discuss the industrys situation as the doors of salons and barbershops remain closed.

As of Thursday afternoon, the lights are still off and the doors are locked as many hairstylists wait for the call to pick up their scissors and clippers and get back to work.

It can be done. Theres ways to do this safely without getting the community sick or anything like that. Thats  the last thing we want to happen, Giannone said. We just want to make people feel good about themselves again.
BAKU, Azerbaijan , May 29

Trend:

Azerbaijan is expected to resume domestic flights on June 8, Chairman of the Management Union of Medical Territorial Unit (TABIB) Ramin Bayramli said, Trend reports.

He made the remark during the briefing of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers.

Bayramli noted that the number of both domestic and international flights will decrease.

The number of passengers on board will also decrease for the safety of passengers and crew, he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 07:20:26|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BRASILIA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has signed a bill that provides financial aid to pandemic-hit states and cities, but vetoed part of it, according to Thursday's Government Gazette.

The financial aid takes various forms, including 60 billion reals (about 11 billion U.S. dollars) for states and cities in direct transfer and the suspension of debt payments to the central government.

Bolsonaro's government is to make four monthly payments of the same size to regional and local governments to pay for measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and cushion its impact on their economies.

The president vetoed a stipulation allowing salary adjustments for public-sector officials, which effectively freezes their earnings until the end of 2021.

The amended bill now goes back to Congress, which will have 30 days to consider the change.

In addition to suspending any salary adjustments, regional and local governments must suspend public bids for new works projects until 2021, and prioritize purchases of goods and services from micro and small businesses, according to the amendment. Enditem
Senator Calls for Criminal Probe Into Twitters Alleged Breach of Iran Sanctions

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called on the Department of Justice on May 29 to investigate Twitter for potential violations of sanctions imposed on the Iranian regime.

Twitter has long granted accounts to Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, and Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister. Both men have been sanctioned by the Treasury Department and American citizens and companies are prohibited from providing them with goods or services.

In the letter, Cruz alleged that Twitter has violated the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and has carried out sanctionable activities prohibited by Executive Order 13876.

We dont have a comment, Ian Plunkett, Twitters global director for public policy communications, wrote in an email to The Epoch Times.

Cruz had notified Twitter of the potential violation in February. Twitter issued a response in April to justify its decision in light of the pandemic of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, commonly known as the coronavirus.

The company argued that to deny services to these leaders at a time like this would be antithetical to the purpose of our company and that Twitters goal is to elevate and amplify authoritative health information as far as possible.

Cruz called Twitters arguments untenable.

In early April, Khamenei and Zarif used their Twitter accounts to post anti-American disinformation and conspiracy theories, not authoritative health information. They use their accounts provided by Twitter to threaten and taunt their enemies real and imagined, Cruz wrote.

In any event, Twitters corporate values and grave misapprehension of the threat that Khamenei and Zarif pose are irrelevant. An American persons disagreement with IEEPA or E.O. 13876 is no excuse for noncompliance.

The United States considers Iran the worlds largest state sponsor of terrorism. The Islamic regime does not allow Iranians to use Twitter.

Cruz also pointed out that Twitters legal argument for being exempt from the sanctions does not hold ground.

I wrote to Twitter before writing to you because I believe that the primary goal of IEEPA and sanctions law should be to change the behavior of designated individuals and regimes, not American companies, Cruz wrote. But when a company willfully and openly violates the law after receiving formal notice that it is unlawfully supporting designated individuals, the federal government should take action.

The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

President Donald Trump reimposed strict sanctions on Iran after the United States exited the Iran nuclear deal.
A gateway for capital flowing in and out of mainland China, Hong Kong has for decades also served as a lucrative regional hub for America's biggest banks operating in Asia.

But, rising tensions between the United States and China are threatening to leave foreign lenders " and billions of dollars in potential revenue as the mainland's financial services industry opens up further " stuck in the middle.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Hong Kong no longer maintained a "high degree of autonomy" from China, after the National People's Congress (NPC) said it would adopt new national security legislation tailor-made for the city following months of anti-government street protests. The resolution was passed by a near unanimous vote on Thursday.

The Trump administration has not said what actions it might take in response other than President Donald Trump saying he planned to do "something" this week. The declaration represents the latest firestorm, as relations have deteriorated dramatically between the world's two biggest economies in recent years.

"We expect the latest move to have considerable implications for the city, with the threat of higher tariffs, sanctions, as well as tougher investment and visa rules between Hong Kong and the US, including potential sanctions on businesses " particularly banks " operating in the city found to be supporting anyone in violation of the 'one country, two systems' model," said Benjamin Quinlan, managing partner of consultancy Quinlan & Associates.

The US was Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner after mainland China, according to Hong Kong's Trade and Industry Department. American banks accounted for 5 per cent of the banking sector in the city in 2019, with about US$166 billion in total assets, according to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the city's de facto central bank.

Since Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997, the special administration region has held a special status with the US, allowing it as a free port to avoid tariffs the US has placed on China and to import goods the US has restricted from being shipped to the mainland.

Story continues

"It would be a serious mistake on many levels to jeopardise Hong Kong's special status, which is fundamental to its role as an attractive investment destination and international financial hub," the US Chamber of Commerce said on Tuesday.

The US response could range from sanctioning individuals and Chinese companies " including Hong Kong's members of the NPC " and restricting visas to the "nuclear option" of using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to prevent future investment or transfer of funds to Chinese-related entities or persons.

Enacting the IEEPA would require the president to declare that there is an unusual and extraordinary threat to the US and consult Congress. It has typically been used to sanction countries that fund terrorism, or which are developing nuclear weapons, such as North Korea.

Martin Petch, senior credit officer in the sovereign risk group at Moody's Investors Service, said changed international perceptions of Hong Kong could add downward pressure to the city's credit rating. "This will particularly be the case if the international response, in turn, leads to a weakening of Hong Kong's role as an international economic and financial centre," he said.

For US banks, Hong Kong has been a significant hub for corporate and investment banking, both inside and outside mainland China, and, increasingly, wealth management, as China has grown wealthier.

Last year, American banks played key roles in some of the biggest listings in the city. Hong Kong has led global fundraising for seven of the past 11 years.

Citigroup, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley all served as joint global coordinators for Alibaba Group Holding's US$12.9 billion secondary listing in Hong Kong, the biggest listing in the city and the second-largest globally in 2019. JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley also were joint sponsors of the US$5.7 billion initial public offering last year of Budweiser Brewing Company APAC, the Asia-Pacific arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Chinese technology companies JD.com and NetEase are preparing for their own secondary listings in the city later this year.

American banks accounted for 19 per cent of investment banking fees booked in Hong Kong last year, or about US$309.8 million, according to data provider Refinitiv. Overall, investment banks earned US$1.63 billion in fees last year.

Citigroup, which also operates 16 retail banking branches in the city, traces its history in Hong Kong back to 1902. The city serves as one of its main hubs in the Asia-Pacific region, with about 4,500 employees, and accounted for about 15 per cent of the bank's revenue in the region.

The bank, which does not break out its results for Hong Kong, reported US$1.58 billion in profit from continuing operations in its global consumer bank in Asia last year, and profit from continuing operations of US$3.46 billion in its institutional clients business. Its regional chief executive is based in Hong Kong.

"Citi's exposure to Hong Kong includes top local corporates and US and [multinational] names, and is around 3 per cent of our total exposure," a bank spokesman said. The bank is monitoring events closely in Hong Kong and remains committed to the city, the spokesman said. The bank's deposits and loans have increased in Hong Kong in the past year and it has not seen capital flight from the city, he added.

The city also serves as the regional headquarters for Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. JPMorgan's Asia-Pacific CEO, who oversees 17 markets in the region, is based in Hong Kong.

Goldman employs about 1,700 people in Hong Kong and another 250 onshore in mainland China, with most of the regional business heads at Goldman based in the city. Overall, Asia-Pacific accounted for 13 per cent of its revenue last year, or about US$4.65 billion.

Morgan Stanley has about 2,000 employees in the city, and Asia-Pacific as a whole accounted for US$5.13 in revenue in 2019, or about 17 per cent of the bank's total revenue.

Like many of their American and European rivals, Goldman, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley have moved to take majority control of their securities operations in mainland China in the past year, as Beijing has relaxed foreign ownership rules for securities firms, asset managers and insurance companies.

The opening of mainland China's financial services sector, however, is not expected to represent a shift of personnel out of Hong Kong, but an opportunity to access the country's domestic market, bankers said. Capital controls in mainland China mean Hong Kong will remain an attractive market for Chinese companies seeking to access foreign investors, they said.

Rising US-China tensions and the return of protests to Hong Kong's streets over the national security law have also renewed questions about Hong Kong's future attractiveness to expats.

"For much of my time here, it was seen from an earnings, career and lifestyle perspective as one of the best places in the world to work in financial services. A very attractive kind of career destination city," said John Mullally, regional director for southern China and Hong Kong financial services at search firm Robert Walters. "That has definitely changed. The protests have played a big part in that."

However, the lifestyle afforded to financial services workers in the city still makes it an attractive location for expats, according to Abimanu Jeyakumar, head of North Asia at headhunter Selby Jennings.

"At the moment, with the new bill being passed, it does cause another barrier to overcome when it comes to relocating staff," Jeyakumar said. "[Hong Kong has] always been a conduit for Chinese investments into the international market and international investments into China. I think a lot of banks are waiting to see how this plays out. This could bode an opportunity, or a challenge."

Additional reporting by Alison Tudor-Ackroyd.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON  A new federal program to connect hungry families with boxes of fresh food from farmers has launched in New York, but demand is outstripping supply, even as distributors package tens of thousands of boxes.

The program, heralded by the Trump administration appears particularly ill-equipped to address skyrocketing hunger in the Northeast, because it awarded just 4% of the funds to companies in the region so far.

James Desiderio Inc., a food wholesaler in Buffalo, received a $2 million contract from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farmers to Families Food Box program to distribute 91,000 boxes of fruits and vegetables to organizations that can deliver it to the hungry. It will give the boxes to food banks in Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y. and Erie, Penn., as well as some smaller local organizations. But the calls asking for food just keep coming.

Weve had interest from everybodyschool districts, churches. We actually had the Buffalo Police Department call and ask us," Nick Desiderio, a co-owner of James Desiderio, Inc., said. "Weve been getting a lot of interest from the New York City area. We havent exactly said no to it, but our main focus is our city.

Across the country, the USDA has contracted 198 companies to create $1.2 billion worth of boxes of fresh produce, dairy products and meat. This the first round of what will be a $3 billion program aimed at addressing food insecurity caused by the coronavirus.

However, only 29 companies won contracts to distribute in the Northeast region, including eight from New York. Their contracts totaled $54 million  about 4% of the total food boxes funds. Thus, local food banks said it is especially hard to secure the food boxes in the Northeast.

"Honestly, the Northeast was really short-changed," said Joanne Dwyer, director of Food Industry Relations at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. Everyone is trying to reach out to the same small pool of distributors that only have so many boxes they are able to provide.

The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York has secured some food boxes from Glazier Packing, food service distributors based in Malone, N.Y. Glaziers was the only vendor to receive a contract in 23 counties in Northeastern New York. The Regional Bank is also getting some boxes from vendors from Smith Packing Co. in Utica, and two distributors in Boston, Mass. and Hatfield, Penn., Dwyer said, for a total of 32,500 boxes. before June 30.

Some of the distributors received larger contracts to produce boxes for multiple regions. But those distributors are often even more swamped by demand.

The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York is working with one multi-regional distributor, Dwyer said, but Weve reached out to all of them and they just dont have product.

The USDA did not immediately respond to emailed questions about food box distribution in the Northeast.

Glazier Packing, which won a contract for $2.5 million, will distribute about 5,000 boxes of produce and dairy each week through June 30, along with over 360,000 gallons of milk, said Shawn Glazier, owner and president of Glazier Packing.

There is a huge amount of demand," Glazier said. "Most of our boxes are already allocated.

About 300,000 people have applied for food stamps in the past 10 weeks in New York. The Food Box program is intended to address the problems of growing hunger and disrupted supply chains for farmers and food suppliers.

"We did notice that the dairies that we participated with were having trouble with the school closings, institutions closing...to see the farmers, the milk being picked up and then literally being dumped in the field across the street, was heartbreaking," Glazier said. The Food Box program is helping Glazier buy this milk and also bring back some of his 48 employees from layoffs, he said.

"This program allowed me to keep people employed and allowed me to bring people back in to pack boxes, Glazier said.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Broccoli Associates, Inc. in Utica received a contract for $1.2 million to produce over 40,000 boxes of precooked meats and combination boxes with produce, dairy and meat. They started distributing the boxes to food banks in the Mohawk Valley and Central New York last week.

We are extremely busy. Our demand has skyrocketed because there is simply not enough food out there right now. People need to go to food banks who have never been before," said RJ Broccoli, director of sales. "Were booked out three months on products right now.

The Farmers to Families Food Box Program was launched by the President's daughter Ivanka Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on May 15, who noted that many of the contractors were small suppliers.

The USDA quickly approved bids for the $3 billion program, so fast that some companies had an approved contract in hand one week after they applied, distributors said.

But lawmakers have raised questions about some of the large contracts that were awarded, particularly how a wedding and corporate event planner CR8AD8 in San Antonio was approved for a $39 million contract. CR8AD8 may have falsified some of its credentials in order to receive the bid, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

Other contracts were awarded to companies without clear food distribution experience including a wellness kiosk company and a trade finance corporation, while bypassing some of the nation's largest food distributors, the Washington Post reported.

"USDA awarding 198 contracts in a week involved a process that failed to protect taxpayers, the hungry and producers with food going to waste," wrote Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Tx. in a letter for Perdue, this week.

The USDA has already terminated a $40 million contract with California Avocados Direct to deliver fresh fruit and vegetables to food banks.

Despite some of these issues, local distributors said they hope the USDA will extend the program beyond June so they can continue to get food to hungry mouths.

There is a massive need out there," Broccoli said. "Were really trying to do our part to help.
US-based McDermott International said that it has been awarded a sizeable technology contract by Advanced Global Investment Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Advanced Petrochermical Co (APC) in Saudi Arabia.



McDermott's Lummus Technology will provide the license and basic engineering package of a C3 CATOFIN unit at its new grassroots petrochemical complex in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The unit will have a propylene production capacity of 843,000 metric tonnes per annum.



"The CATOFIN technology that Lummus licenses worldwide, alongside our partner Clariant, provides a highly reliable, lower-cost route to propylene, with a lower carbon footprint. APC's decision to proceed with CATOFIN technology for their second unit is a testament to the successful operation of their PDH unit and consistent performance as a top quartile PDH complex," said Leon de Bruyn, Senior Vice President, Lummus Technology.



This is APC's second CATOFIN unit in their portfolio, having previously licensed the technology for their first unit in 2003also in Jubail, KSA.



The CATOFIN process operates at optimized reactor pressure and temperature to maximize propylene yield. This plant will utilize Clariant's latest generation CATOFIN catalyst system, including the company's patented metal-oxide Heat Generating Material (HGM) to deliver maximized selectivity at high conversion rates and long run lengths.



McDermott's Lummus Technology is a leading licensor of proprietary petrochemicals, refining, gasification and gas processing technologies, and a supplier of proprietary catalysts and related engineering. With a heritage spanning more than 100 years, encompassing approximately 3,400 patents and patent applications, Lummus Technology provides one of the industry's most diversified technology portfolios to the hydrocarbon processing sector.



McDermott defines a sizeable contract as between $1 million and $50 million, a company statement said.  TradeArabia News Service
Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week?

local
A demonstrator holds a banner reading "I Can't Breathe" in Washington D.C. on May 29, 2020.

Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Hal Marx, the mayor of Petal, Mississippi, tweeted that George Floyd wasn't choking when a Minneapolis police officer stood on his neck because he could still speak.

"If you can say you can't breathe, you're breathing," Marx wrote. "Most likely that man died of overdose or heart attack."

Seth Stoughton, co-author of "Evaluating Police Uses of Force," told Insider the position Floyd was placed in easily could have led to his death. "You and I can hold our breath and still talk. We don't need to breathe to talk."

The Petal Board of Aldermen has called for Marx's resignation and residents have staged protests calling for his removal.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A mayor in Mississippi is defending the officers involved in the arrest of George Floyd, who died while being subdued by police in Minneapolis.

Hal Marx, the mayor of Petal, Mississippi, tweeted that Floyd was not asphyxiating when officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for eight minutes.

"If you can say you can't breathe, you're breathing," he wrote before deleting his Twitter account.

Marx added that he didn't see anything "unreasonable" in Chauvin's conduct.

"Most likely that man died of overdose or heart attack," he wrote. "Video doesn't show his resistance that got him in that position. Police being crucified."

Police and protesters gather near the Minneapolis Police third precinct in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 27, 2020.

Adam Bettcher/Reuters

In an interview with the Hattiesburg American, Marx said his statements had been misinterpreted.

"I can't say whether a crime was committed or whether they did anything right or wrong, all I'm saying is don't rush to judgment based on what you see in that video," he told the paper.

"I've seen too many cases before where the police were judged to be guilty in the public's eye but later were found to be not guilty under the law," Marx added. He did not provide any examples.

Story continues

On Thursday, the Petal Board of Aldermen voted unanimously in a special session to call for Marx's resignation, Mississippi Clarion-Ledger reported.

He refused, saying, "I will never surrender to the mob mentality."

According to Mississippi law, an elected mayor can only be forcibly removed if convicted of a felony.



"The city of Petal and the cities surrounding have grown to be a place where individuals of all walks, backgrounds, and beliefs are valued, supported and celebrated," Alderman Clint Moore said in a statement, according to the Hattiesburg American.

Moore said Marx's comments "have isolated, enraged, and belittled individuals in a way that is unbecoming to our city."

Marx told the board he and his family have received death threats as a result of his tweet. He has deleted his Twitter account and made his Facebook page private.

Seth Stoughton, a law professor at the University of South Carolina and co-author of "Evaluating Police Uses of Force," said the position Floyd was placed in by Chauvin easily could have led to his death.

In positional or compression asphyxia, Stoughton said, a subject is able to breathe enough to speak but "they're not able to draw enough oxygen over an extended period of time to maintain basic life functions."

"Officers need to understand that there's ventilation, and there's respiration," Stoughton told Insider. "You and I can hold our breath and still talk. We don't need to breathe to talk. So that myth has to be dispelled."

Protestors have gathered outside Petal City Hall for three days to protest Marx's comments and call for his resignation, according to the Clarion Ledger.

Read the original article on Insider
The states say the changes will help businesses and get the economy back on track but workers are already paying the price.

Indias government is being accused of using the coronavirus emergency to exploit millions of workers.

After two months of lockdown, some of Indias biggest states have suspended most labour laws in a bid to restart the economy.

Trade unions say changes to working hours, wages and health and safety standards weaken workers rights at a time they cannot protest.

Al Jazeeras Elizabeth Puranam reports from New Delhi.
DENVERProtesters swarmed Denver on Thursday, with some turning violent following a peaceful demonstration against the death of a black man in Minneapolis police custody. Some protesters blocked traffic and smashed vehicles leading police to use tear gas to disperse them.

Hundreds of demonstrators stood in the downtown streets and chanted as darkness fell outside the Colorado State Capitol, where protesters spray-painted graffiti and broke car windows. In other areas of downtown Denver, police in riot gear fired gas canisters, used rubber bullets and walked in a phalanx through the streets to drive protesters away. The protest briefly spilled over onto Interstate 25, blocking all lanes of traffic until police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The protests continued into the night, despite Denver Mayor Michael Hancock pleading for calm.

I certainly understand everyones frustration and sense of pain and disgust following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, he said in a video posted on Twitter. But I want to plead to everyone. Lets demonstrate, but lets demonstrate peacefully. Leave the weapons home.

Earlier in the protest, gunfire from an unidentified source outside the state Capitol sent people running for cover. Gary Cutler, a spokesman for the Colorado State Patrol, said the shots were fired in a park across the street. Most of the protesters already had left the area and were marching downtown.

Cutler said the Capitol building was locked down, and everyone inside was safe. No injuries have been reported from the shots.

State Rep. Leslie Herod, who was at the Capitol, tweeted, We just got shot at.

Police spokesman Kurt Barnes said its unclear who was being targeted. No one has been arrested.

About six or seven shots were fired, he said.

Several hundred protesters had gathered to call for justice following the death of Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis on Monday after an officer knelt on his neck for almost eight minutes. In footage recorded by a bystander, Floyd pleaded that he couldnt breathe.

Some among the Denver protesters carried signs reading Black Lives Matter and chanted, Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Racist police got to go.

Participants march during a protest outside the State Capitol in Denver, Colorado, over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man in police custody in Minneapolis, on May 28, 2020. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Aerial footage showed several protesters smashing the windows out of at least two vehicles parked outside the Capitol, and others spray-painted graffiti on the Capitol steps.

A cellphone video shot by protester Anabel Escobar, 29, showed a man on the hood of an SUV making its way through the crowd in front of the Capitol. The video showed the driver speeding up and then apparently trying to run the man over after he fell off the hood. The vehicle sped away as other protesters chased it. It was unclear if the man on the hood was injured.

As the protest started, The Denver Police Department tweeted a message from Chief Paul Pazen sending condolences to Floyds family and saying the citys officers do not use the tactics employed by the Minneapolis officers.

He called that type of force inexcusable.

Four Minneapolis police officers have been fired, and the mayor has called for the officer who knelt on Floyds neck to be criminally charged.

The death has led to violent protests in Minneapolis and demonstrations in other cities, including Los Angeles.

By Thomas Peipert
Photo: Angus Reid Institute

COVID-19 good for all Premiers approval rating, almost.

Only two Canadian Premiers, Albertas Jason Kenney and Manitobas Brian Pallister have sub-majority approval ratings, according to a recent Angus Reid poll.

B.C. Premier John Horgan is enjoying a 25 per cent rise in popularity compared to the last poll done by Angus Reid following the Wetsuweten protests against the Coastal Gaslink pipeline.

Seven-in-ten British Columbians approve of how Horgan has handled the COVID-19 fallout.

In British Columbia, businesses have started reopening, though public officials have asked residents to remain in their communities and keep travel close to home this summer. B.C. reported just 12 new cases from the May 23rd weekend. B.C.s COVID-19 cases per 100,000 are just above 50.

The two Premiers with the highest approval ratings this quarter are New Brunswick's, Blaine Higgs, 80 per cent and Quebec Premier Francois Legault, 77 per cent.

Ontario's Doug Ford has also benefited from COVID-19 and has never been more popular in fact some have dubbed him the "new Doug Ford." Ontarians have seen a different side of Ford thanks to features like "Cooking with Doug." His rating jumped 38 per cent from 31 per cent to 69 per cent.

All other premiers with the exception of Alberta's Jason Kenney and Manitoba's Brian Pallister saw significant increases in their approval rating.

Manitoba has among the fewest COVID-19 cases in the country, but Premier Pallister has not enjoyed the considerable increase in approval that some other leaders. He still saw a slight bump, up four points from last quarter.

Alberta is home to what is reportedly the largest single-facility outbreak of COVID-19 in North America, after more than 1,500 cases were linked to the Cargill meat-packing plant in High River. Kenneys approval has only risen by one per cent to 48 per cent, still down significantly from a one time high of 61 per cent.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: AirAsia India can appreciate limits placed on airfares as it is a "very very short term" measure, its CEO and MD Sunil Bhaskaran on Friday said, adding that the airlines and the market should ideally be left alone when it comes to deciding ticket prices.

On May 21, the central government issued coronavirus-related guidelines to restart domestic flights from May 25 and prescribed a lower limit and upper limit on airfares after setting up seven categories of routes as per the flight duration.

It clarified the fare limits would be in place till August 24. "Ideally, we would like it to be a free market, as far as prices are concerned. But given the circumstances and as a very very short term measure, we can appreciate it (limits on fares)," said the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the low-cost carrier at a webinar of aviation consultancy firm CAPA India.

"We can understand this. But I don't think this could ever be or this should be a permanent measure. The market has to be left (alone) and the airlines have to be left (alone) to decide," he added.

Domestic passenger services restarted after a gap of two months on Monday when 428 flights carried around 30,000 passengers to their destinations.

When asked about the passenger traffic since Monday, Bhaskaran said, "We do feel that the pent up demand may last for two or three weeks and it is up to us and the airports to bring the confidence in people to travel. Quite frankly, we have taken a more pessimistic view of how things would be or may be conservative. We would be very happy to see an upside to what we have planned."

When asked which routes the aircraft are likely to see high traffic in the next few months, he replied, "When we see it, one big factor is the quarantine rules in the state and how clear it is to understand and whether there is an institutional quarantine." He said when a plane goes outside of Bengaluru, it has been seeing good loads (number of passengers) since Monday, but when it comes back to Bengaluru, it has abysmal loads because people don't want to come and go into institutional quarantine.

"We are seeing many of these migrant labourers moving largely to the north and to the east. These are people who are stuck and who would like to get back to their homes. These are the segments that are doing well. How long will they continue? We don't know," Bhaskaran said "But the numbers (of migrant labourers) we are hearing so huge that it could probably support for another 2-3 weeks," he added.

AirAsia India has been waiting for the government's nod to restart international flight operations for quite some time.

"When we look back, the luckiest thing that could happen to us was that we didn't have international (ops). Otherwise, the hit to us would have been much worse," Bhaskaran said.

While domestic traffic will come back, I don't think the international traffic will come back so quickly and therefore, we have got some more time to plan on how to restart international operations, he said.

He said he is less worried about starting international flight operations as compared to three months ago when it was the biggest thing on his agenda. "All indications we have is that we will get approvals very quickly," he added.

When asked when would the expansion of Indian aviation begin again, the CEO said: "A, we see today, it (growth) has to come with the confidence in the customers which will come when there is a cure or a vaccine in place. And I don't see it coming back in 18-24 months."

"So, I think it is a pause for Indian aviation for two years. But we will surely get to the growth path after that," he added.

On May 21, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) set the fare bands in this manner: domestic flights with less than 40-minute duration to have lower and upper limit of Rs 2000 and Rs 6000, for 40-60 minutes Rs 2,500 and Rs 7,500, for 60-90 minutes Rs 3,000 and Rs 9,000, for 90-120 minutes Rs 3,500 and Rs 10,000, for 120-150 minutes Rs 4500 and Rs 13000, for 150-180 minutes Rs 5500 and Rs 15700.

Flights with duration between 180-210 mins, like ones on Delhi-Coimbatore route, to have lower and upper limit of Rs 6500 and Rs 18600, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in its circular.
Kolkata, May 29 (IANS) The Special Task Force of Kolkata Police on Friday morning arrested Bangladesh-based terror outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh's (JMB) top operative Abdul Karim alias Boro Karim.

Abdul was arrested from Suti police station area in Jangipur of West Bengal's Murshidabad district.

"Top JMB commander Abdul Karim alias Boro Karim, wanted in a W/A issued in c/w STF PS case no. 8/2017 dated 29.11.2017, has been arrested this morning from Suti PS, Jangipur in Murshidabad district with the assistance of local police. He will be produced before the court today and we will seek PC," Kolkata Police STF's senior official told IANS.

The arrest was made with the assistance of local district police. The JMB commander will be produced before a local court today.

"The Kolkata Police STF will seek police custody of the JMB commander. With this arrest the number of top three wanted JMB terrorist in India is now reduced to two."

Karim was the main leader of the dhuliyan module and would actively supply logistics and support, shelter to top leaders like Salahuddin Salehin. Karim was considered the second top most leader in JMB in India after their organisation's chief Salehin.

His name was mentioned as the main operative also by the JMB terrorists in Bangladesh during their interrogation.

The STF sources said, in 2018, they had seized substantial quantity of explosives and jehadi material from Borow Karim's house during a sudden raid. But he had managed to escape.

The police sleuths had been trying to arrest him since.

Chhoto Abdul Karim was arrested by the National Investigation Agency in 2008.

--IANS

sbn/rs/
"Hong Kong's always defined itself by contrast to the rest of China and indeed much of the rest of Asia as a place where there have been more rights and freedoms, in the same way that West Berlin was sort of an island in the middle of East Germany and the Soviet Bloc," he says. "As for Northern Ireland, I think I see that more as the warning of where we need to be careful we don't end up. We're clearly not there yet, but we're definitely a very deeply divided society here." 'That was the day when I thought this is really crazy, frankly. That was the day that was really shocking.' The most worrying sign for Dapiran is the number of people speaking of a willingness to give their lives for the cause. "Now thank goodness that's only been, at most, talk and nothing more than that, but it's always dangerous to have people expressing ideas in those terms when you've had a city with violent protests and a lot of conflict between people and the police." At its worst, during the siege of Polytechnic University for nearly two weeks in November, the violence resembled medieval warfare.

"I mean there were catapults set up on the roof, protesters using bows and arrows and then the police of course with the water cannons and rubber bullets all these sorts of things. And then the big stand-off on the bridge where the protesters all had their shields interlocked like a Roman legion phalanx, and police water cannons and armoured vehicles approaching from the other side. It looked more like warfare than anything we've seen previously on the streets of Hong Kong and that was the day when I thought this is really crazy, frankly. That was the day that was really shocking." Loading Getting to that point took months, and the slowly escalating violence became "frighteningly normalised". In the early days, when on one Sunday two million people took to the streets, the protests were peaceful and optimistic. There was a hope the government of Chief Executive Carrie Lam, albeit backed by Xi Jinping in Beijing, could not ignore the sheer weight of numbers. The euphoria of the early marches, when Dapiran sensed he was witnessing history, gave way to anger when few concessions were won. Shi Xinning's painting of Mao Zedong meeting Elvis Presley hovered over the interview. "I think the people were really proud of what they could achieve coming together, and that's sort of why the response from the government was so dismaying really. They had such a large portion of the population who had come together and expressed this quite beautiful moment. And the government just seemed to disregard it completely and placed no value on that at all."

Early demands for an extradition bill to be dropped morphed into a broader pro-democracy movement, one which took a more flexible and modern approach to protesting than the 2014 Umbrella Movement. It harnessed imagery to maintain a sense of unity and solidarity, even as extreme elements engaged in behaviour others might not have condoned. There was "no splitting", Dapiran says, at least in part because police were engaged in even more outrageous acts of violence and losing public sympathy. City on Fire. By Antony Dapiran. Credit: Between witnessing tear-gas canisters being neutralised with witch's hats and bottles of water, and tracing the bursts of blue dye from water cannon, he was also there for enchanting moments when the city came together. In August, citizens came out to form a 50-kilometre human chain, all holding hands across the city. Such passages are hopeful and uplifting, but as governments around the world are encouraging social distancing and liberal application of hand sanitiser, they also serve as a reminder of how quickly life has changed. Life in Hong Kong since the coronavirus has been "a continuity of disruption, if you want to put it that way", and with fewer restrictions than Australia. Even without the pandemic, Dapiran deliberately made his book a document of 2019. There was no telling where the story would lead. In the week we speak, several protest leaders are arrested and charged, sending a chill through the Hong Kong community. Since our lunch, Beijing announced it would push through national security legislation which sparked a fresh wave of protests and the sight of tear-gas returned to the streets. Dapiran says the plan "threatens our rights and freedoms, it threatens our rule of law, and it threatens what little democracy we have".

"At the same time, it certainly gives me pause and makes me reassess my own activities and life here," Dapiran said after the plans were announced. "Will it be safe for me to stay here and continue doing what I am doing, writing the kind of things I write? I'm not entirely sure what the answer is, and that is precisely what makes these sorts of laws so pernicious. It is never clear precisely where the lines are drawn, and so leads to people  consciously or unconsciously  adjusting their behaviour just to be safe. It makes the population self-regulating and compliant. That is a very dispiriting future for Hong Kong." China watchers have wondered whether the coronavirus offered the government cover for the scope and severity of the crackdown, but Dapiran does not quite see it that way. He felt a crackdown would come, as it did for the Umbrella Movement, but the pandemic has likely upset Beijing's plans to win over voters before September's Legislative Council election with a more positive economic argument. Antony Dapiran's dumpling lunch and receipt. Credit:Antony Dapiran There are, however, a few ways the protest movement has influenced the community response to the pandemic in Hong Kong. The first is the breakdown in institutional trust last year "fed into how people have reacted to the virus", with agitation to shut the borders early. A second example came from striking hospital workers, using a variation of the tactics from the protests, that forced the closure of ports and the introduction of stricter quarantine measures. And Dapiran says civil society more broadly, with a free press and academic freedom, has led to outspoken epidemiologists and microbiologists providing advice. Loading
Further infighting has left a number of Turkish back fighters dead and wound, after arguments about stolen good broke out writes SANA.

A number of terrorists were killed and others were injured when a fight erupted between mercenaries of the Turkish regime and terrorist groups in the countryside of Ras al-Ayn, northwest of Hassakeh, over the division of stolen items and the burglaries they practice in the area.

Local sources told SANAs reporter that clashes with light and medium weapons erupted, around Ras al-Ayn City and Tel Halaf village, between mercenaries of the Turkish regime, who are affiliated to the so-called al-Hamzat Division in Ayn al-Hussan village.

The sources added that the terrorist groups were accusing each other of stealing money and smuggling stolen items into the Turkish territories without coordination between them, indicating that a number of terrorists were killed and others were injured in the clashes.

The clashes also caused several fires in the neighboring wheat and barley fields, according to the sources.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Australia's southern states had their own version of a Great Barrier Reef until it was erased almost entirely by the middle of last century.

Before European settlement, the flat oyster reef ecosystem that dominated southern waters lay like a wreath around the coastline in bays, inlets and harbours. But with the oyster beds harvested for food or broken up to be used in cement, the reefs were made functionally extinct.

A healthy Australian oyster reef. Credit:Simon Branigan/The Nature Conservancy.

Now scientists, recreational fishers, conservationists and local governments are calling for government funding to restore the "miracle ecosystems". They say previous public investment in reef restoration has exceeded expectations and expanding it will be a cheap, quick and effective regional jobs stimulus.

"The reefs act as a catalyst for a new food chain  [they] support lots of fish and all sorts of marine life, seagrass, worms and crabs," James Cook University marine biologist Ian McLeod said.
South Korean automaker Kia Motors is planning to invest an additional USD 54 million in its Andhra Pradesh plant, CEO of Kia Motors India Kookhyun Shim said. "Kia was a big success in the Indian car market within 10 months of starting production. We are happy to share with you that we are going to make an additional investment of USD 54 million in the upcoming project despite the COVID-19 global pandemic, Shim said during an interactive programme in which the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was present.

Shim said Kia Motors and its vendors have hired about 13,000 employees so far and 85 per cent of them are from Andhra Pradesh. Kia had earlier said the company has a long-term commitment to the Indian market and invested USD 1.1 billion in the manufacturing plant at Anantapur. Kia's made-in-India SUV Seltos from the plant was launched in August 2019. The world-class manufacturing facility in Anantapur, spread across 536 acres, has an annual capacity of three lakh vehicles. It would also be capable of producing hybrid and electric vehicles.

Also read: Coronavirus crisis: Renault to lay off 150,000 employees globally

Also read: Coronavirus in India: 7,466 cases in 24 hours, highest 1-day jump, death toll at 4,706; Maharashtra worst-hit
RACINE COUNTY  Many locally including Racine Police Chief Art Howell are responding in outrage after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis who was in police custody.

And Mount Pleasant Police Chief Matt Soens said following the incident, sergeants are reminding all officers to be careful when taking suspects into custody.

James Hall, executive director and CEO of the Urban League of Racine and Kenosha also expressed disbelief.

In a viral video of the incident, Floyd, who was black, was handcuffed by police Officer Derek Chauvin of the Minneapolis PD is shown holding Floyd down under his knee on the street, putting his weight on top of Floyds neck.

Chauvin, who is white, continues holding Floyd down for minutes, even after Floyd says he cant breathe.

Soon Floyd is motionless and an ambulance arrives; hes later pronounced dead at a hospital. The police involved were fired but as of Thursday afternoon charges had not been filed.

Police were initially called on suspicion that Floyd tried to use a $20 counterfeit bill at Cup Foods, a grocery store in Minneapolis.

Howell condemns actions

In a statement Thursday, Howell said, As a veteran peace officer and current Chief of Police, today, I join fellow law enforcement leaders across the nation in expressing my extreme outrage regarding the death of Mr. George Floyd."

He described the circumstances involving Floyds death as "heart-wrenching" and "appalling."

"Such events, if not called out for what they represent, will erode the fabric of our nation," he said. "Such conduct under the color of law and order cannot be viewed as normal, justifiable or acceptable. Those who take the solemn oath to protect, serve and to preserve life and property, have a significantly higher level of responsibility and accountability."

He said he calls on police leaders near and far to take a stand in condemning this behavior. "(This) will reveal our core values and reassure those we serve that the profession we represent is yet honorable."

Taking well-being seriously

Mount Pleasant Police Chief Matt Soens said he saw the video and it doesnt look good.

The problem with the incident is when we take someone into custody, we are then responsible for their welfare and well-being, he said. We have to take that seriously.

The officers couldve turned Floyd sideways or repositioned him somehow so he wasnt flat on his stomach and his lungs werent compressed, Soens said. What the officers did as shown in the video was not good practice, he said, however its possible there were other circumstances not shown in the video.

Mount Pleasant police sergeants are briefing the officers during their shifts about this incident and reminding them that they are responsible for all suspects taken into custody.

Soens said sometimes when a suspect is uncooperative, an officer may end up on the ground with the suspect.

Once that person is handcuffed, now thats over, Soens said. There is no blanket statement for when an amount of restraint is too much, he said, because every situation is different.

However, he said that putting ones knee on a suspects neck is not part of police training. A knee may go on the upper back when trying to restrain someone who is resisting, but the knee wouldnt go on the neck.

99.999% of the time, law enforcement officers are there, they want to do the right thing and theyre trying to do the right thing, he said. You certainly have bad actors in every occupation and youre going to have them in law enforcement too.

We cant just point the finger

Rep. Greta Neubauer (DRacine) said in a public Facebook post that George Floyd should be alive.

His death highlights the realities of systemic racism and police violence that have faced Black America long before Colin Kaepernick took a knee, she said. And he is not the only name we have heard in recent weeks.

We cant just shrug, point the finger, and say it isnt us, its them, because in the end, we are all part of a broken system  one that disproportionately harms our black neighbors.

Neubauer said we need to examine ourselves, our instincts and our behavior. We need to take responsibility for our own actions as well as our friends and other community members actions.

As a white woman, I have a particular responsibility to speak up at this moment, and I ask you all  especially my fellow white women  to join me, she said. I commit to listening to the experiences of our neighbors of color, to continuing to learn by examining my own privilege and to fight for equity through our political system.

A public health issue

Its again and again and again. There seems like theres no limitation to whats happening on the streets when it comes down to these incidents with police officers and black men and women, Hall of the Urban League said. I dont want to say they have too much power, I believe they are just over-policing.

He believes these issues can be solved when the police are more connected to the communities they serve.

Without any connection to the community, these things are still going to happen. They have nothing to identify with, they dont see these individuals as people. They see them as targets.

Educating these police officers about diverse communities can also help, he said. Looking into why these police officers behave the way they have in these communities may also shed some light on the subject. Additionally, another solution is asking the police unions to urge the police to have more caution and respect when patrolling a neighborhood, he said.

While the Urban League is not a social justice organization, it is working to educate the community about how to engage police officers when they arrive at a scene.

The approach the Urban League is teaching is the least interaction, the better. Hall said it seems that our countrys police force is trained to be aggressive instead of de-escalating and solving problems.

We need to identify this as a public health issue the way police officers are attacking black and brown people throughout this country. The outcry has to be bigger than just the black and brown community.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Former President Barack Obama joined the chorus demanding accountability and change following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd on Monday while in the custody of Minneapolis police.

Obama tweeted his statement Friday after violence marred protests across the country Thursday evening.

"Its natural to wish for life to just get back to normal as a pandemic and economic crisis upend everything around us. But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly normal - whether its while dealing with the health care system, or interacting with the criminal justice system, or jogging down the street, or just watching birds in a park.

"This shouldnt be normal in 2020 in America. It cant be normal.' If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better.

It will fall mainly on the officials of Minnesota to ensure that the circumstances surrounding George Floyds death are investigated thoroughly and that justice is ultimately done. But it falls on all of us, regardless of our race or station - including the majority of men and women in law enforcement who take pride in doing their tough job the right way, every day - to work together to create a new normal in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts.

My statement on the death of George Floyd: pic.twitter.com/Hg1k9JHT6R  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 29, 2020

Obamas tweet references recent race-related incidents, including the death of Ahmaud Arbery, who was shot while jogging in Georgia in February, and Amy Cooper, who called police earlier this week after being asked by an African American birdwatcher in Central Park to keep her dog on a leash, per park regulations. Like Floyds death, both of the incidents mentioned above were caught on video.

The four officers seen on video ending Floyds life have been fired. CNN reports more than 500 Minnesota National Guard soldiers arrived in Minneapolis Thursday as protestors set a police station on fire.

According to the Star-Tribune, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said Friday he has every expectation authorities will press charges against the police officers involved in Floyds death.

In a live interview on CNN, Ellison attributed the lack of charges several days since Floyd died to prosecutors with the Hennepin County Attorneys Office trying to be careful to make sure they have a case that is air tight and wont fall apart because of pressure to file more quickly than the evidence allows. I have every expectation that they will be [filed] soon, said Ellison, while pointing out that his office is not the one to make charges happen.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
California has reported the largest one-day increase in confirmed Covid-19 cases since the pandemic started.

Californias Department of Public Health published data on Thursday showing 2,617 new cases in the previous 24 hours.

The states previous highest one-day count was 2,603 new Covid-19 cases on 5 May.

According to the health departments data, the state has 101,697 confirmed Covid-19 cases in total, while the death toll reached 3,973 on Thursday.

California, Nevada and Utah are now among 17 US states with more Covid-19 cases than were reported last week.

Georgia governor Brian Kemp suggested on Thursday that the increasing coronavirus case count in his state, which passed 45,000 in total, was attributable to testing.

"We had a large dump of test results from a private sector vendor over the weekend, said the governor. They had a big backlog around 15,000 cases that tracked back to April."

California, meanwhile, is now among four US states with more than 100,000 coronavirus cases.

Some 369,000 Covid-19 tests were carried out in the state in the past week, accounting for 21 per cent of all California's tests to date.

Some health experts have suggested, however, that the state could have reopened too soon - despite being among the first to lock down in mid-March.

Holiday beachgoers pictured at Venice Beach on Memorial Day as coronavirus safety restrictions continue being relaxed across the state (Getty Images)

On Tuesday, Lassen County in Northern California announced that it was reversing its decision to reopen, having been among the first to do so at the start of May.

Santa Claras public health officer Dr Sara Cody also said this week that she was concerned that Californias reopening could see more cases.

The pace at which the state has made these modifications is concerning to me, said Dr Cody.

[It is] risking an exponential growth in cases, and therefore a risk to social and economic wellbeing, she said.
Faced with a ruined economy and mounting political pressure, Gov. Gavin Newsom has opted for a speedy reopening of the state after two months of sheltering in place. The decision has not been universally embraced, leading to a patchwork of policies among counties as life resumes in the shadow of the coronavirus.

Most of the Bay Area is refusing to go along with the governors accelerated pace, and a handful of local health officers have criticized his plan as overly risky, especially with COVID-19 case counts still climbing across the state.

San Franciscos new public health order, revealed Thursday afternoon, allows for more businesses to reopen  but not for another two weeks. Even then the city will be far behind the governors statewide schedule. The city doesnt intend to open indoor restaurants or hair salons for six weeks at least.

Meanwhile, a few counties that had initially followed Newsoms statewide order are backing off after seeing new increases in coronavirus cases. On Wednesday, Sonoma County delayed plans to reopen retail stores, hair salons and religious venues after reporting a spike in cases.

And rural Lassen County, which had been one of only two California counties untouched by COVID-19, halted its reopening and ordered restaurants, retail shops and other venues to shut down after reporting its first five cases this week.

I have concerns at how quickly the state is moving, said Dr. Chris Farnitano, the Contra Costa County health officer, in a community briefing this week. If you look at statewide numbers, the daily cases in California are on an upward trend. We in the Bay Area ... are really trying to work together and take a scientific approach, let the data drive decision-making and not go too quickly.

Farnitano joined Dr. Sara Cody, the Santa Clara County health officer, in publicly questioning the governors reopening plan and committing to a more sedate pace in most of the Bay Area. At a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Cody said that moving too fast doesnt give authorities time to assess the health of their communities and leaves us blind.

The Bay Area has mounted an especially aggressive defense to the pandemic. The reopening plan for most of the region has been based on a staggered schedule, with restrictions eased up every two weeks or so, and only if local indicators like case counts and hospitalization numbers are favorable.

Once heralded for its bold response to the pandemic, however, the Bay Area increasingly stands alone. Even Los Angeles County, the epicenter of the states outbreak, has opted to pick up the pace, allowing religious services and in-store shopping to resume, along with some other activities.

Statewide, the governor is easing restrictions at a rapid clip even as the number of new cases climbs  California passed the 100,000-mark on Wednesday. Newsom allowed religious services and hair appointments to resume this week, just days after many counties were granted permission for shops and restaurants to reopen. Guidelines for the film and television industry and gyms are expected within the next week.

Photos by Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

Capitol protests, community rebellions against the statewide stay-at-home order, lawsuits challenging the shutdown measures and public frustration from President Trump have all increased pressure on Newsom. But at a news conference Tuesday, he said stability in the number of hospitalizations and patients in intensive care, as well as increased testing and more availability of personal protective equipment, gave him confidence to reopen more of the states economy.

Nevertheless, his speed has raised alarms that the state is operating with insufficient data. Some neighboring states the governor is coordinating with, including Oregon and Nevada, built evaluation periods into their reopening plans, taking two to three weeks to look at the spread of infections before deciding whether they should move into the next phase.

State Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, said he was concerned that California is not doing random testing to determine the extent of community spread of the virus, or research into where infections are occurring. Also, he pointed out that the state has still not explained how it will slow the reopening to stop new outbreaks.

Whats the driver for these decisions? Is it public health and science or something else? Glazer said. It is not easy to understand why were advancing with these significant blind spots.

Dr. Mark Ghaly, Californias health and human services secretary, said the early shutdown order was meant to buy time to prepare hospitals for a potential surge of patients and to raise community awareness about the virus, but always with the knowledge that the state could not stop infections altogether until there is a vaccine.

That strategy is now shifting more authority for reopening back to the counties, which have traditionally taken the lead on public health issues. Ghaly said it was more important for the state to develop guidelines for how to safely resume public life than to set a timeline for when counties must take certain steps.

The notion that the state is going too fast assumes that the state is setting the pace, but its at the county level that the pace is being set, he said. I certainly believe that what we are doing and responsible for at the state level is to provide guidance.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Many counties have applauded Newsoms move, and some public health experts also say that it makes sense to leave reopening decisions to local authorities, who presumably know whats best for their communities.

What were seeing is a reflection of one size certainly doesnt fit all. Its very difficult to know which counties should open up faster than others, said Stephen Shortell, former dean of the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Dr. Cody has been hit hard in Santa Clara County, and shes coming down on the side of maybe were moving too fast, and thats totally understandable. On the other hand, other counties havent been hit as hard and they want to reopen, and I get that as well.

George Rutherford, an infectious disease expert with UCSF and a former state health officer, said, politically, he understands the pressure to reopen quickly and get the economy running again. But epidemiology suggests that slower is safer, he said.

The result, Rutherford said, is that the governor is putting a hell of a lot of pressure on the local health officers.

Josh Edelson / Special to The Chronicle

Dr. Matt Willis, the Marin County health officer, said that like most of his Bay Area peers hes wary of moving too fast in emerging from the regions collective isolation. Marin County, like San Francisco, plans to reopen some outdoor businesses soon, possibly as early as Monday.

Four other counties  Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara  havent yet said when they will allow more business to resume. The three North Bay counties have mostly moved in step with the faster-paced statewide reopening plan, though Sonoma County backed off from that this week.

The discordant messages from the state and the counties can be confusing for the public, especially in a time already filled with uncertainty, Willis said.

As much as the state says this is ultimately up to the local leadership, it sends a really strong signal to people who are looking to open more quickly that were ready to go. It becomes a challenge to explain why we wont be moving at the same pace, Willis said. In many communities the expectation is to move as quickly as the governor allows, regardless. And I think it can put some heath officers in a difficult situation.

Erin Allday and Alexei Koseff are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com, alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @erinallday, @akoseff
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 09:31:54|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Thursday deplored killing of 30 trafficked migrants in western Libya.

"The tragedy that occurred is a smuggling warehouse in Mezda, near the city of Gharyan, southwest of Tripoli where a group of migrants were being held. Eleven migrants who sustained severe injuries have been rushed to the hospital," the IOM said in a statement.

The IOM called on Libyan authorities to immediately launch an investigation to bring those responsible to justice.

The agency also called for urgent establishment of an alternative safe disembarkation scheme for migrants rescued at sea and returned to Libya, providing them with a port of safety, and guaranteeing their needs and protection.

"This senseless crime is a bleak reminder of the horrors migrants have to endure at the hands of smugglers and traffickers in Libya. These criminal groups are taking advantage of the instability and security situation to prey on desperate people and exploit their vulnerabilities," said IOM Libya Chief of Mission Federico Soda.

After the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's government in 2011, Libya has become a preferred point of departure for thousands of illegal immigrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean towards European shores. Enditem
The federal government has rejected at least one direct plea from Virgin Australia's administrator Deloitte for emergency funding to keep the airline alive, heightening concerns among bidders and unions that Virgin might fall into liquidation before new owners are installed.

Administrators from Deloitte will spend the weekend weighing up second-round bids for Virgin from four shortlisted bidders, said to be worth around $3.5 billion to $4 billion, along with an 11th hour pitch from Canadian asset manager Brookfield, which wants to re-enter the race after earlier dropping out of the sale process.

Deloitte will chose a final shortlist of two bidders over the weekend. Credit:Darren England/AAP

Private equity firm Bain Capital, Melbourne outfit BGH Capital, American budget airline owner Indigo Partners and the Richard Branson linked firm Cyrus Capital are in the running, with final bids due on June 12 and a creditors' vote on any proposed rescue deal scheduled for mid-August.

But there are fears among bidders and unions that the airline could go into liquidation before then as it burns through cash and most of its fleet remains grounded by COVID-19.
The busiest and most popular beaches in Malaga province will see their capacity reduced by almost half this summer as a result of the pandemic.

Beaches are allowed to open during Phase Two of the lockdown easing plan, a milestone that Malaga province will reach on Monday 1 June. As a result, various councils on the Costa del Sol, who would be responsible for controlling the beaches, are exploring a broad range of measures to implement this, from extra police and lifeguards, to mobile phone apps and drones.

The government this week confirmed that on beaches where a significant influx of bathers is expected "social distancing should be ensured at all times", with a separation of two metres between people from different families and four metres between umbrellas. These distances would need to be greater in areas that are very windy.

As for those who come in groups, the Ministry of Health's recommendation is that no more than 15 people meet at once.

When calculating the capacity of a beach, it is considered that the surface area that each bather will safely occupy is four square metres (including personal items, towels, chairs or sunbeds) and that a minimum strip of six metres will have to be left free on the shore to avoid crowding on the walkway. With these parameters in mind, and assuming that beachgoers will behave responsibly, this means that a large number of beaches on the Malaga coast will have to reduce their usage by half, especially on the urban beaches which are usually the ones that are most frequented.

This figure has been reached by using the standardised formula in Spain from the report 'Tourism as a coastal resource' by professor and expert on tourist beaches, Victor Yepes.

In Malaga city, the council estimates that restrictions would limit capacity on Misericordia and Pedregalejo beaches from 33,800 and 13,520 to 20,280 and 7,098, respectively. The most affected beach in the city would be at Banos del Carmen where only 1,600 people will be allowed at a time, compared to 3,630.

The same story will be repeated across the majority of the densely populated Costa del Sol. Using the same formula, most beaches in urban areas will see their capacity halved, as would be the case with El Cristo in Estepona (4,141, as opposed to 7,887), La Cala de Mijas (from 14,647 to 7,690), San Francisco-Fuengirola (from 3,943 to 2,070) or Santa Ana in Benalmadena (13,295 to 6,980).

The reduction will be closer to 40 per cent in Marbella (El Faro from 5,070 to 3,042 and Guadalmina from 22,533 to 12,844), El Bajondillo in Torremolinos (from 22,533 to 13,365), Torre del Mar in Velez (from 45,067 to 28,730), Rincon de la Victoria (from 60,850 to 36,504) or Burriana in Nerja (from 22,533 to 14,872).
WOODBURY  To assist local first responders during the current pandemic, the Woodbury Lions Club donated masks and disinfectant concentrate to the Woodbury Volunteer Ambulance Association May 3, at the headquarters at 426 Main Street North.

A grant from the Lions Club International Foundation for $30,000, for Lions Clubs in Connecticut to provide emergency responders with personal protection equipment was shared among the more than 150 Lions Clubs in the state. The Woodbury Lions provided 200 masks and two gallons of disinfectant concentrate, which yields 80 gallons of disinfectant, to the ambulance association.

Overall, in the state, the Lions Clubs were able to distribute 1,500 KN-95 masks, 6,000 3-ply masks for general use, 40 gallons of disinfectant concentrate, and 17,000 vinyl gloves to first responders and hospitals in Connecticut.

The Woodbury Lions Club, founded in 1936, has supported the town of Woodbury through scholarships to graduating local high school seniors, support of the Woodbury Community Services Councils food and fuel banks, and various other charities, including Regional Hospice, the Lions Low Vision and Eye Research centers, the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation and the American School for the Deaf.

Contact WoodburyCTLions@gmail.com for more information about the Woodbury Lions, Lions International, and LCIF.

Barkhamsted Lions donate supplies

BARKHAMSTED  Members of the Barkhamsted Lions Club recently the club applied through their district leadership for two Lions Clubs International Foundation grants. One grant was to support First Responders and the other grant was to provide support to our local food bank during the COVID-19 pandemic.

District Governor Ev Lyons recently delivered a large box of PPEs, consisting of N95 face masks, protective face masks, gloves and disinfectant for the Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Department Fire Responders.

The grant was based on the input from Lion Ed Connors, also a firefighter. In addition, funds were provided to the Pleasant Valley Food Bank for those most in need.

Club President Dave Roberts said: "I am so proud of our growing Lions Club membership who wants to serve the critical needs of Barkhamsted residents, said club president Dave Roberts. Currently, we have 35 club members and their number one priority was to help our wonderful first responders and those families who are experiencing unanticipated financial struggles due to the temporary loss of their jobs. Our motto is We Serve, and we definitely came through again to serve our residents' needs as we have for over 54 years. For more information on the Barkhamsted Lions Club, contact club president Dave Roberts at dave@daveroberts.org or call 858-775-9241.

Annual tag sale canceled

TORRINGTON  The annual Torrington town wide tag sale, usually held in June, has been postponed. There is no reschedule date at this time.

For information, email citywidetagsale@usa.com

Submissions wanted for COVID-19 archive

TORRINGTON  The Torrington Historical Society has created a new digital archive with the goal of documenting Torrington during the COVID-19 pandemic. The public is encouraged to submit materials to this archive.

The Torrington Historical Society has been actively collecting and preserving Torringtons history for over 75 years, said Mark McEachern, Executive Director. Our most recent initiative, Torrington Together 2020, is a digital archive that will allow people to contribute photos, videos, and narratives that illustrate life in Torrington during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Types of information to submit include: narratives about how the pandemic has affected your life; photographs of Torrington places and people taken during the pandemic; photographs of artwork created during this time; or stories such as a an act of kindness you witnessed or experienced. All subject matter must be specific to Torrington. To submit information or to learn more, visit www.torringtonhistoricalsociety.org

Waterbury ARC reschedules fundraiser

WATERBURY  Diamond Sponsor Post University, in conjunction with several other generous local businesses, presents The Waterbury ARCs Fundraiser and Auction on its rescheduled date, Sept. 9 from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. at Grand Oak Villa Banquet Facility, 550 Sylvan Lake Road in Watertown. The event, usually offered in June every year, was postponed due to the pandemic.

The evening will feature hearty appetizers and desserts with a cash bar, silent and live auctions, and raffles. Prizes including sweet treats; hotel stays; restaurant gift certificates; spa packages; theatre; sports; museum tickets, and much more, have been graciously donated by dozens of businesses and individuals alike from across the state and beyond. A jewelry event will also be offered by Onyx II Jewelers of Watertown.

Platinum Sponsors are Grady & Riley, LLP Attorneys at Law and Thomaston Savings Bank, with Gold-Level Sponsor support from Carmody, Torrance, Sandak, & Hennessey, LLP; Noujaim Tool Co., Inc.; St. Marys Hospital Foundation; TD Bank, Shaker Automotive Group, Ion Bank and Webster Bank. A matching challenge grant from the Connecticut Community Foundation is also in effect; the foundation will match donations raised throughout the event up to $1,000.

The mission of the Waterbury ARC is to assist individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live, learn, work and participate in their communities. Funds raised from this years event are earmarked for substantial electrical and air-conditioning work in the buildings gymnasium, which is the heart of the East Main Street non-profit. The Waterbury ARC serves clients from Waterbury and 12 surrounding cities and towns.

Reserved-seating tickets are $35 per person, or $315 for a table of 10. They may be obtained by calling 203-591-9190. Tickets must be purchased by Aug. 15 and will not be sold at the door.
Genestack Ltd. today announced that its flagship multi-omics data catalogue, curation and integrative search product, Omics Data Manager (ODM), has been licensed and implemented by AstraZeneca

Cambridge, UK, May 2020 - Genestack Ltd. today announced that its flagship multi-omics data catalogue, curation and integrative search product, Omics Data Manager (ODM), has been licensed and implemented by AstraZeneca.

Genestack's ODM is an enabling technology providing a central hub for organising and querying multi-omics data from multiple sites, including transcriptomics and proteomics. Curation tools, such as ODM, will enable AstraZeneca scientists to ensure the metadata for studies, samples and data files is accurate, complete and consistent with their data model. ODM's flexible APIs will integrate into AstraZeneca's existing IT architecture and allow cross-study and cross-omics queries. The tool will allow AstraZeneca to fully utilise past, present and future omics datasets by making data findable, accessible, interoperable and re-usable (FAIR).

"ODM is our latest product and it builds on years of close work between our domain experts and those at global biopharmaceutical companies. We're proud of the modern technology stack, flexible multi-omics data and metadata models and APIs, as well as our focus on great user experience. We believe firmly that modern enterprise data strategy is not just about software, but also about the right team and an agile, collaborative, long-term approach." -- Misha Kapushesky, CEO Genestack Limited.

"Our collaboration with Genestack helps build a single data platform for many of our scientists to query omics data from a large number of studies across R&D. Omics Data Manager will allow our scientists and bioinformaticians to fully harness omics data for faster and more relevant drug discovery and translational research." -- Claus Bendtsen, Executive Director Data Sciences & Quantitative Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca.

###

About Genestack Limited

Since it was founded in 2012 Genestack's mission has been to accelerate discoveries in biopharmaceutical, consumer goods, healthcare, and agriscience organisations, by tackling the explosive growth of omics data. The company's flagship product, Omics Data Manager (ODM), launched in 2019, helps organisations create a FAIR catalogue of multi-omics data (studies, samples, associated omics data), with tools and APIs for metadata templates, curation and powerful integrative search across data & metadata. ODM provides mission-critical technology modules that enable life science enterprises to execute their data strategy. Genestack complements this product with a range of professional services including technology consulting, product implementation, managed service and co-development models. Please visit http://www.genestack.com and follow Genestack on Linkedin

Contacts:

Davide Mantiero

Genestack Limited

davide.mantiero@genestack.com
Bachelors Chris Soules and Victoria Fuller are getting more serious, as they continue to isolate together in his hometown Arlington, Iowa.

Despite joking that she had packed up and 'escaped' the 38-year-old reality star's remote farm earlier this week, the pair are 'exclusively dating,' according to Us Weekly.

'She is still quarantining with him in Iowa,' the insider told the outlet, despite taking a trip to visit pal Kelsey Weier, who lives in Des Moines, Iowa, over Memorial Day weekend.

Weekend apart: Bachelors Chris Soules and Victoria Fuller are getting more serious, as they continue to isolate together in his hometown Arlington, Iowa

The magazine confirmed she is 'now back with Chris' after driving 180 miles away to see her former co-star, who also competed for Peter Weber's love on the 24th season of The Bachelor.

The Virginia Beach native, who is currently earning a Master's in Economics, and Soules sent fans spinning over romance rumors, after Reality Steve confirmed they were together.

While the pair have yet to confirm their budding romance, they reportedly connected over Instagram after her controversial season on The Bachelor.

'She is still quarantining with him in Iowa,' the insider told the outlet, despite taking a trip to visit pal Kelsey Weier, who lives in Des Moines, Iowa, over Memorial Day weekend

'Chris slid into Victorias DMs,' an insider told Us Weekly. 'He apparently DMs a lot of people.'

Earlier this month, eagle-eyed fans pointed out his couch and pillows matched the ones in her Instagram selfies.

Last fall, Chris agreed to accept a two-year suspended prison sentence and two years probation for his role in a April 2017 fatal crash in Iowa.

Despite joking that she had packed up and 'escaped' the 38-year-old reality star's remote farm on Wednesday, the pair are 'exclusively dating,' according to Us Weekly

'Chris slid into Victorias DMs,' an insider told Us Weekly. 'He apparently DMs a lot of people'

In 2019, Chris pleaded guilty to fleeing the scene of a personal injury accident that left 66-year-old Kenneth 'Kenny' Mosher, of Aurora, dead after Soules's truck rear-ended Mosher's tractor.

Chris, who sustained a concussion, called 911, identified himself, waited for paramedics and even administered CPR himself, but he left the scene in a separate vehicle before police arrived and headed to his Arlington, Iowa home - which is against the law in the state, We Are Iowa reported.

He was originally charged with leaving the scene of a deadly accident, which carries a five-year maximum prison sentence, reported the Des Moines Register.
Beijing: China will attack Taiwan if there is no other way of stopping it from becoming independent, one of the country's most senior generals said on Friday, in a rhetorical escalation aimed at the democratic island Beijing claims as its own.

Speaking at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on the 15th anniversary of the Anti-Secession Law, Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department and member of the Central Military Commission, left the door open to using force.

Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Li Zuocheng told the National People's Congress an attack on Taiwan with help from people on the island was a possibility. Credit:AP/File

The 2005 law gives the country the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to, making the narrow Taiwan Strait a potential military flashpoint.

"If the possibility for peaceful reunification is lost, the people's armed forces will, with the whole nation, including the people of Taiwan, take all necessary steps to resolutely smash any separatist plots or actions," Li said.
The New York City Police Department has issued an 'officer safety alert' urging law enforcement officials to be vigilant in response to a Brooklyn man's online comments invoking 'cop killings.'

The alert was sent out to service members by the NYPD's Intelligence Bureau Threat Assessment and Protection Unit on Thursday amid increasingly violent protests in Minneapolis, New York City and cities all over the US demanding justice for George Floyd.

Floyd, a handcuffed African-American man, died after white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes and ignored his desperate pleas that he could not breathe.

Chauvin was arrested this afternoon and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Khaalid Anderson's tweet referencing cop killings has prompted the NYPD to issue a safety alert warning officers to be vigilant

Anderson also wrote on Facebook about an hour after firing off the tweet

Anderson (pictured) lives in Brooklyn. He has not been charged with any crime

According to the NYPD alert, which was first reported on by investigative journalist Shawn Cohen in Twitter and picked up by Fox News, Khaalid Anderson, from Brooklyn, allegedly wrote on social media, 'Cop killings are gonna be a thing...somebody gotta die.'

The memo goes on to say there 'there is currently no probable cause for arrest. MOS (Members of Service) are urged to exercise caution and to remain vigilant. If they should come into contact with this individual, take appropriate action and contact the Intelligence Bureau Threat Assessment Unit.'

A search of Anderson's Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts has revealed that the Brooklyn resident has posted multiple messages over the past two days addressing police killings.

In an expletive-filled tweet thread posted early Wednesday morning, Anderson wrote in part: 'Cop killings is gonna become a thing. We need neighborhood snipers for the police. We need people to pull up on Black Panther time again. I know well send a message and get some s*** done.

The NYPD in its memo noted that there is no probable cause to arrest the man who wrote about cop killings. Anderson stressed on Instagram that he never said he was going to do anything

He addressed the incident on Facebook on Friday, saying that police have been looking for him

'Authorities gotta die tho.. I cant see another way. Somebody humble me tho.. Ion wanna do bad when I can do better.'

He struck a similar tone in a Facebook post about an hour later, writing: 'Cop killings are gonna become a thing and Im here for it.

'Sucks to say but I feel like its gotta come to this in order for things to change. Please humble me if you got a different answer but I feel like somebody gotta die. I dont see another way unless we pull up on some Black Panther s***. But even then, I feel like somebody still gotta get popped prematurely to let them know accidents happen and s*** aint a game no mo [sic]. We gotta go to war bout respect.'

The news comes after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was caught on video pressing his knee into the neck of a handcuffed black man. George Floyd (right) later died

Floyd's death sparked widespread and often violent protests in Minneapolis and other cities across the US. Pictured: State Patrol Police officers block a road on the fourth day of protest on Friday in Minneapolis

As news of the NYPD alert spread on social media, Anderson directly addressed it on multiple platforms.

'Lol I never said I was gonna do anything lol but I cant control the world and the people that you officers affect,' he tweeted this afternoon.

In a status update on Facebook, Anderson claimed that police have repeatedly visited his home looking for him over the past two days, and that they even mistook his roommate for him.

'I made a tweet about cop killings on Twitter and the laws been on my a** every since lol,' he wrote.

The NYPD put out the alert the same day as police officers were seen violently breaking up a protest at Union Square in Manhattan.

New York police officers arrest a protester during a 'Black Lives Matter' protest at Union Square on Friday

Video shows an officer beating a protester to the point that he breaks his baton on the man during the Union Square protest

One officer was caught on video beating a demonstrator with his baton until it broke.

More than a dozen people were arrested after clashing with police officers in the crowded square.

Floyd's death sparked four days of protests from coast to coast, culminating with the torching of a police precinct in Minneapolis on Thursday night, which prompted the National Guard to step in an effort to restore order.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Friday acknowledged the 'abject failure' of the response to this week's violent protests and called for swift justice for police involved in Floyd's death.
San Mateo County was the first Bay Area county to branch off of the original six-county consortium and announce a move into early Stage 2 of the state's reopening plan, and is now the first to reopen in-store retail and religious services.

Under a new order written by county health officer Dr. Scott Morrow, the county will now allow in-store retail and religious services to resume beginning Monday, June 1. The order also removes previous restrictions on access to the county's beaches and mandates that every business implement physical distancing measures to ensure safe reopening.

"These modifications seek to increase the immunity of the population slowly and methodically, while minimizing death," Morrow said in a statement, "We are trying to keep equity in mind and minimizing economic damage, while not overloading the health care system. The virus continues to circulate in our community, and the increase in interactions among people that these modifications allow is likely to spread the virus at a higher rate. The risk of exposure to COVID-19 looms large for all of us. The public and open businesses need to fully do their part to minimize transmission of the virus.

New restrictions include limiting attendance at religious services to a maximum of 25 percent of building capacity or 100 individuals, whichever is lower. Houses of worship must mark six-foot increments to establish spacing, and after-service gatherings are prohibited. Retail stores must identify the maximum number of shoppers that can be allowed in a store at one time that still allows for six feet of physical distancing, and these limits must be enforced.

The county has not formally gone through the attestation process to request a regional variance, but California Gov. Gavin Newsom is allowing all counties to reopen places of worship following a formal warning from the United States Justice Department.

Permitted late Stage 2 businesses include in-person restaurant dining, shopping malls and office work when telework is not possible. Hair salons and barbershops are also now allowed to reopen in counties that go through the attestation process.

Analysis from last week showed that San Mateo County did not meet the testing criteria for a regional variance due to the fact that it had not recorded a single day with over 1.5 tests per 1,000 residents. The county has since hit that benchmark on multiple occasions.

The revised order stands in contrast to next-door San Francisco. Under the city's recently-released plan, in-store retail and religious services will not return until June 15.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting
Nothing in this order should be construed to preclude applicant from filing a grievance setting out specifically the relief he requests be provided to him in the prison, and in the event that such request is filed, it should be decided promptly.
The most recent draft of the legislation would have made it illegal to put students alone in a locked room or in a room with the door blocked, and would have required that students placed in seclusion have access to food, medication and the bathroom. The bill also would have required school workers to meet with students and parents within two school days of each instance of time out or restraint and ordered the Illinois State Board of Education to develop plans within 90 days to reduce the use of restraint and seclusion in any form within three years.
Bulgaria will lift an obligatory 14-day quarantine from June 1 for travellers from most European Union countries, but not those states with the biggest coronavirus outbreaks, the government announced on Friday, Trend reports citing Reuters.

The quarantine will remain obligatory for travellers from Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Malta, as well as the UK, which is in a transition period after leaving the EU, according to an order issued by Health Minister Kiril Ananiev.

A ban on the entry of visitors from outside the EU will remain in place, although there will be exemptions for citizens of the Schengen zone countries, the United Kingdom, San Marino, Andorra, Monaco, Vatican City as well as Serbia and North Macedonia.

Bulgaria has eased most of the restrictive measures it imposed in March to combat the coronavirus spread, allowing restaurants, cafes, gyms and theatres to reopen and lifting a ban on travel between cities.

Last week it lifted a ban on the entry of citizens from EU countries, but imposed a 14-day quarantine. By allowing visitors from other parts of the EU it hopes to restore trade and boost summer tourism to its Black Sea resorts, hard hit by the lockdown.

The Balkan country of 7 million people registered eight new cases of the coronavirus on Friday, bringing the total registered cases to 2,475, including 136 deaths - a much lower rate than many other EU countries.
Basic Needs Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) has presented cash grants and equipment valued GH59,900 to 78 vulnerable people of the Basic Needs Self Help Group (SHG) in Accra.



The beneficiaries included pregnant women and lactating mothers living with mental illness.

The equipment: deep freezers, popcorn making machines, industrial knitting machines, sewing and leather making machines are expected to be used by the beneficiaries to work and earn a living while the undisclosed cash grant is to enable them trade to support themselves and their families.



The donation was made to about seven communities in the GA West and Ayawaso East municipality under A Maternal Mental Health project supported by Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom.



Mr Sunday Atua Anaba, a project officer of Basic Needs Ghana, who donated the items to the beneficiaries urged them to ensure that the cash and equipment they have received are used for their intended purpose.

He urged them to work hard and live independent lives to ensure that they do not become a liability to their families.



Madam Charlotte Ashiboe Mensah, a member of the Teshie Camp 2 SHG, thanked Basic Needs Ghana for supporting them emotionally, psychological and also providing them with some basic necessities at all times.



She said they will work hard to help the groups to generate their own income and support themselves.



She thanked DFID -UK for extending the project to Basic Needs Ghana.



The Maternal Mental health project titled Enhancing Maternal Mental Health of Pregnant Women, Mothers and their Children to Realize Maternal and Child Health in Ghana is an intervention to improve maternal health of pregnant women, adolescents, and newly delivered mothers in five regions of Ghana.



The project seeks to improve maternal mental health and livelihoods of poor and vulnerable women, pregnant women, and mothers in selected districts in Ghana.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis escalated into violence and arson again on Thursday night, though whether protesters or police were more responsible for inciting the unrest is difficult to say from outside the situation. On Friday morning, Minneapolis police arrested a black and Latino CNN correspondent live on air even though he was wearing a press credential and offering to move to a different vantage point. The backdrop of this chaos is a viral pandemic in which at least 100,000 Americans have died, which has caused an economic depression during which 40 million people and counting have lost their jobs.

Advertisement

The White Houses priority on Friday has been its dispute with Twitter about a message Donald Trump posted at 12:53 a.m. EST, likely while watching Fox News, in which he encouraged law enforcement officers to shoot any protesters engaged in looting. (Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts, he wrote, in what may or may not have been an intentional reference to civil rightsera Miami police chief Walter Headley, who said, When the looting starts, the shooting starts, in 1967.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

After Trump sent the tweet, Twitter put a warning label over it, like so:

Advertisement

Advertisement

The administration, like a message-board troll switching to an alt to flame the mods, responded by tweeting the same message from the official White House account; Twitter put its label over that one as well. Then, between 7:10 a.m. and 8:44 a.m. EST, Trump sent three messages about his intention to roll back Section 230 liability protections for social media companies as retaliation for the warnings on his tweets, two of which quoted Fox News personalities:

Regulate Twitter if they are going to start regulating free speech. @JudgeJeanine @foxandfriends Well, as they have just proven conclusively, thats what they are doing. Repeal Section 230!!!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

And at 11: 15 a.m.:

REVOKE 230!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

The White House has also retweeted the chairman of the FCCs Friday-morning complaint that violence warnings are not being applied to tweets about jihad by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran.

Advertisement

Advertisement

In a now-standard twist for our ontologically broken era, Trumps shooting tweet came in the context of a threat to send in the National Guard & get the job done right. But the Minnesota National Guard was already deployed to Minneapolis on Thursday by the states governor, Tim Walz, about eight hours before Trump posted; while the president was tweeting about Section 230, one of the Guards leaders was with Walz at a press conference. So the power of the executive branch, in the midst of the most severe multifaceted crisis of Trumps presidency, is concentrated not on resolving the dangerous situation in Minneapolis, or even on escalating it violently by having the National Guard imitate the tactics of a 1960s Southern police chief, but on arguing on social media about whether the chief executive has the right to pretend to be about to order the National Guard to do so.

For more of Slates news coverage, listen to What Next: TBD.
The Emergency Medicine Society of Ghana (EMSOG) has called on managers of health facilities to prioritise the establishment of emergency medicine units in their hospitals.

That, the Society said, would help increase access to emergency services across the country and reduce preventable deaths and disabilities resulting from lack of timely emergency care and interventions.

These were in a statement signed by Dr Daniel Osei-Kwame, Interim President of EMSOG, and issued in Kumasi to mark this year's Emergency Medicine Day celebrations, which fell on May 27.

This year's celebration, on the theme: A Beacon in the Dark, was used to launch a new website for the Society and modalities for membership, sponsorship and partnership.

The statement said access to quality emergency care services was an integral part of Ghana's effort at achieving universal health coverage by the year 2030.

It was, therefore, important for government to encourage health facilities throughout the country, whether government, private or mission, to promote emergency medicine, especially in rural communities.

The reduction in mortality and morbidity for patients presenting with emergencies is evident in places and facilities with established emergency medicine practice in Ghana, the statement said.

The same, however, cannot be said for many facilities with no system in place for taking care of the acutely ill, injured or the undifferentiated patient.

It said as much as EMSOG recognised efforts being made by the government to strengthen nationwide emergency services, especially at the pre-hospital level, with the procurement of 307 state-of-the-art ambulances, more needed to be done in the areas of training, equipment and well-resourced working environment.

The statement said Ghana now had 43 emergency physicians and 300 emergency trained nurses across the country.

The Paramedic and Emergency Care Training School at Nkenkaaso had also contributed to the training of 2,175 emergency medicine technicians, with others still being trained.

It said though the numbers were growing, they were still inadequate since most emergency centres in the country remained poorly resourced and understaffed, while several other regions and districts lacked qualified emergency service care-givers.

Emergency medicine is a branch of medicine that encompasses both pre-hospital and hospital care of the acutely injured or ill.

This involves the provision of urgent as well as emergency care to patients through a formalised, systematic, and coordinated approach interplayed amongst pre-hospital and hospital emergency staff.

---GNA
PICK OF THE WEEK

Diary of a Young Naturalist

Dara McAnulty

Text, $29.99

Credit:

One of Dara McAnultys teachers in Northern Ireland, where his family lives, once told his mother that her son would never be able to string a sentence together let alone a paragraph. Well, the young naturalist has written a book  and its captivating. Hes autistic and so is his family  apart from his father. But, he tells us, were as close as otters. Its an apt image, for it is in nature that McAnulty has found deliverance. It engrosses and soothes him, bringing aesthetics and meaning into his life  and hes got a Lawrentian eye for the natural world; goshawks, robins and osprey spring from the page. Likewise his vivid rendering of an ancient stone circle  the stones looking as if theyve just risen, full of life, filled with the blood of shifting soil. Divided into the four seasons, his diary covers everyday events under the panoply of the eternal natural world. All things considered  hes 16  a brilliant achievement.
Both health insurers and employers have a stake in driving down healthcare costs for their member populations. Increasingly, businesses are turning to payers to design wellness programs to aid in the effort.

But it's not as simple as handing out activity trackers or launching a member wellness portal. Every company is different and there are many ways to measure success.

FierceHealthPayer spoke to three health insurance executives to find out how they're designing wellness programs--and how they're demonstrating their value to customers.
MINNEAPOLIS  Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was arrested Friday, days after video circulated of him holding his knee to George Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes before Floyd died.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Chauvin was in custody and facing third-degree murder and manslaughter charges. Subsequent charges are possible and charges for the other officers involved are anticipated, Freeman said.

Floyd's family released a statement following the arrest, calling it a "welcome but overdue step on the road to justice." The family said they wanted to see Chauvin charged with first-degree murder, as well as charges for the three other officers.

The arrest comes after Minneapolis residents awoke Friday to smoke billowing, fires burning and police lining their streets after another intense night of protests following Floyd's death. Protests, some violent, also cropped up across the nation and are continuing in many cities Friday night.

More than 1,000 protesters shut down the Hennepin Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis in a peaceful demonstration before heading for Interstate 35 on Friday night. The crowd marched to the bridge, where they met with a group led by Korey Dean Sr., P.J. Hill and former Iowa State basketball player Royce White. Dean asked the protesters to adhere to the day's 8 p.m. curfew, which was put in place in response to days of "civil disturbance."

Stay up-to-date on the George Floyd story by signing up for USA TODAY's Daily Briefing. Here are the latest developments:

Vice President Joe Biden said he spoke with Floyds family: "With our complacency and silence, we are complicit in perpetuating these cycles of violence."

Floyd and Chauvin knew each other before the fatal encounter - they worked together at a bar, a city official and a bar owner said.

Floyd's family has hired a medical examiner to conduct an independent autopsy, their attorney Ben Crump says.

President Donald Trump criticized the city's mayor, called protesters "thugs" and said "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." Twitter later put a public interest notice on that tweet saying it violated rules about "glorifying violence."

A CNN reporter and crew were arrested early Friday and later released.

Protests and rallies took place across the country overnight. In Louisville, Kentucky, a protest to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by police in March, turned violent. Seven people were shot but are expected to recover.

Story continues

Here's what we know Friday:

More protests sweep the nation after Chauvin's arrest

Speaking to a large group of protesters on Friday, Minneapolis activist Kon Johnson, 45, called for calm  but said he understood why people were lashing out. When youve held captive, you end up turning against each other," he said, urging his fellow residents to exercise their voting rights to change the system he said oppresses people.

What is it going to take to get people to listen? They say dont incite violence, but no one is listening. What does it take to get them to listen? I mean, do we have to take this to the suburbs? To the capital?" he asked. "We cant keep burning stuff down."

Johnson added Chauvin's arrest was just a first step. "I don't want to burn down (expletive) either," he said "I don't. But guess what? It's gonna happen if this fool does not get life in jail."

Protests also persisted across the nation. The White House was put on lockdown after protests reached the nation's capital, a spokesman confirmed to USA TODAY. Protests in New York, Atlanta and Chicago, to name a few places, also continued.

Minneapolis, Saint Paul face curfews

In response to "widespread civil unrest and unlawful activity" in the city over recent nights, Gov. Tim Walz, along with the mayors of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, imposed a nighttime curfew on all public places in the Twin Cities, including streets and roads, alleys, highways, driveways, sidewalks, parks and more.

The curfew goes into effect Friday at 8 p.m. until 6 a.m., then again at the same time Saturday night.

According to the emergency order, all law enforcement, fire and medical personnel, news media and other city and state officials were exempt from the curfew, along with people seeking care, fleeing dangerous circumstances or experiencing homelessness.

Violation of the order would result in a misdemeanor offense and is punishable by a fine up to $1,000 or imprisonment up to 90 days, according to the order.

The mayor of bordering Roseville announced on Twitter that, "out of an abundance of caution," he had also imposed a curfew.

County attorney says Chauvin facing murder, manslaughter charges

Booking photo for Derek Michael Chauvin, 44. Chauvin is a former Minneapolis Police Department officer who was arrested in connection with the death of George Floyd.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said that his office was still reviewing evidence in Floyd's death but they have "sufficient admissible evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt" on both a third-degree murder and a manslaughter charge.

Freeman said the charges were similar to those filed against former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor in the shooting death of Justine Damond.

Asked why Chauvin was not arrested and held before charges filed, Freeman said, "This is by far the fastest we've ever charged a police officer."

Freeman would not comment on what specific piece of evidence led to Chauvin's arrest but said that his office had reviewed footage of Floyd's death and the officer's body-worn camera, spoken to witnesses and obtained a preliminary report from the medical examiner.

"We have now been able to put together the evidence that we need. Even as late as yesterday afternoon, we didn't have all that we needed," Freeman said.

Freeman said he would not speculate about the three other officers involved in Floyd's arrest but said he anticipates charges.

Complaint provides new details from body cam footage

A criminal complaint that references body-worn cameras worn by the four now-former officers involved in the incident sheds some additional light on what happened on Memorial Day in the moments before and after Floyd's death.

The Hennepin County Attorney's complaint said Chauvin had his knee on Floyds neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, including two minutes and 53 seconds after Floyd was non-responsive.

The complaint lines up with what many nationwide have seen in video of the incident and adds context for what other officers at the scene were doing. One officer on the scene expressed worry for Floyd and asked Chauvin twice if Floyd should be rolled onto his side.

After Floyd became unresponsive, an officer checked for a pulse and said he didn't find one, according to the complaint. Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd's neck for an additional two minutes after that, according to the complaint. The report adds the type of restraint Chauvin used "with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous."

Read more about the complaint here.

Family seeks first-degree murder charge

The family of George Floyd released a statement Friday calling for officials to revise the charges against Chauvin.

"We expected a first-degree murder charge. We want a first-degree murder charge. And we want to see the other officers arrested," the statement said. "We call on authorities to revise the charges to reflect the true culpability of this officer."

Activists echoed the call, saying that one arrest was not enough. At a press conference inside Minneapolis city hall, attended by former NBA player Stephen Jackson and actor Jamie Foxx, community members called for the arrest of all four officers involved in the incident.

"We are not satisfied with one officer," said lawyer and minister Nekima Levy Armstrong. "All of them were complicit in his murder, and they all need to (be) held accountable, just as if it was four black men that killed somebody."

Barr says federal investigation 'proceeding quickly'

Attorney General William Barr said the Justice Department is "proceeding quickly" with its investigation on Floyd's death.

"The video images of the incident that ended with death of Mr. Floyd, while in custody of Minneapolis police officers, were harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing," Barr said Friday.

The Justice Department has launched a parallel investigation on whether the officers committed civil rights violations. Barr said state officials will first make charging decisions before the Justice Department does.

 Kristine Phillips

Biden, Obama speak out

Former Vice President Joe Biden, in a video address Friday, said he spoke with George Floyds family, saying, "It's time for us to take a hard look at the uncomfortable truths. It's time for us to face that deep open wound in this nation."

Added Biden: "With our complacency and silence, we are complicit in perpetuating these cycles of violence."

In a statement, former President Barack Obama said he, his friends and millions of other Americans share "anguish" after Floyd's death.

While it's natural to want the U.S. to return to "normal" amid the coronavirus, Obama said "normal" for many Americans is "being treated differently on account of race."

"This shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America. It can't be 'normal,' " he added. "If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better."

The protest: What one reporter saw during George Floyd protests  until he was temporarily blinded by pepper spray

Minnesota Gov. Walz: 'It's time for us to clean our streets'

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called on the public to end violent protests and looting that take away peaceful demonstrations honoring Floyd.

"As we put a presence in the street to restore order, it is to open that space to seek justice and heal after what happened," Walz said at a news conference.

Walz addressed criticism about a lack of police presence overnight during the protests, saying that the local leadership needed to make specific requests as to the mission for state troopers and national guard members.

"You will not see that tonight," Walz said. "There was no social control. ... That is an abject failure that cannot happen."

"The chapter that has been written this week is one of our darkest chapters," Walz said.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison echoed the governor's message of addressing structural problems within policing in the state, adding that prosecution of the officers involved in Floyd's arrest alone will not lead to justice.

"We're not just going to fix the windows and sweep up the glass," he said. "We're going to fix a broken society."

Floyd, Chauvin worked security at same bar

Floyd andChauvin knew each other before the fatal encounter during which Chauvin held his knee to Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes as Floyd said he could not breathe, a city official and a bar owner said.

Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins told CNN and MSNBC that Floyd and Chauvin were long-time co-workers who worked security at the same bar, El Nuevo Rodeo.

Speaking with KSTP-TV, former bar owner Maya Santamaria said Chauvin worked off-duty security outside for 17 years while Floyd worked inside the bar. Santamaria said she sold the club a few months ago.

More on Derek Chauvin: Minneapolis police at center of George Floyds death had a history of complaints

Floyd's family arranges independent autopsy

George Floyd's family has hired a medical examiner to conduct an independent autopsy, the familys lawyer said Friday.

Weve just spoken recently with the district attorney, attorney Ben Crump said in a press conference. Were going to take custody back of his body, and were bringing in Dr. Michael Baden to perform an independent autopsy.

Crump said the family suspected city authorities of trying to establish a false narrative through the autopsy report. The preliminary autopsy report found "no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation," according to the criminal complaint released Friday.

The family does not trust anything coming from the Minneapolis Police Department. How can they? Crump said.

Baden is a forensic pathologist known for investigation high-profile deaths, including that of Jeffrey Epstein. Baden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Also Friday, the families of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Floyd issued a joint call for a congressional hearing and a national task force aimed at ending racial violence and increasing police accountability in the U.S.

While we are grateful for the outpouring of love and support, its important that now  more than ever  we use our voices to enact change, demand accountability within our justice system and keep the legacies of Breonna, Ahmaud and George alive, the families said in a joint statement.

George Floyd video adds to trauma: 'When is the last time you saw a white person killed online?'

More news on the police death of George Floyd

Minnesota State Police and National Guard keep watch after a night of riots and looting in Minneapolis. Protests continued across the nation Friday night.

CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and crew released after being arrested

Gov. Tim Walz apologized Friday for the arrest of a CNN reporter and crew. "I take full responsibility. There is absolutely no reason something like this should happen," he said.

Correspondent Omar Jimenez was reporting live on "New Day" when police advanced toward him and his crew. Jimenez told police that he was a reporter, showed his credentials and asked where they would like him and the crew to stand so they could continue reporting and be out of their way.

"Put us back where you want us. We are getting out of your way," Jimenez said. "Wherever you want us, we will go. We were just getting out of your way when you were advancing through the intersection."

A response by police could not be heard as Jimenez explained the scene. An officer then told Jimenez he was under arrest. Jimenez asked why he was under arrest, but was taken from the scene. The rest of the crew was then arrested as the live shot continued with the camera on the ground.

CNN said later Friday that Jimenez had been released and that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz apologized for his arrest.

"There was a moment, minutes after it happened where things started to sink in a little bit," Jimenez said on CNN after his release. "I was just as confused as you."

"They eventually came back with our belongings ... unclipped our handcuffs and that is when we were led out," he said, adding, "There was no, 'Sorry, this is a big misunderstanding.' "

Protest erupted in Louisville with 7 shot overnight

At least seven people were shot during a protest in Louisville, Kentucky, over the police shooting of Breonna Taylor, who was killed in her apartment while sleeping.

Gunfire erupted after hundreds of protesters took to the streets demanding justice for Taylor  one of several deaths of unarmed African Americans drawing national attention in recent weeks.

It began as a peaceful demonstration with several hundred people marching through downtown, chanting Taylor's name and calling for the officers involved in her death to face charges. But as the sun set, tensions rose. Police in riot gear clashed with hundreds of protesters outside of Louisville Metro Hall, officers releasing clouds of tear gas and firing a barrage of rubber bullets at the crowd.

By the end of the evening, dozens of vehicles and buildings had sustained property damage. Crowds shook a police prisoner transport van, nearly toppling it. As of Friday afternoon, the police department said there were no leads in the case.

 Mandy McLaren, Darcy Costello, Cameron Teague Robinson, Bailey Loosemore and Sarah Ladd

Breonna Taylor shooting: What to know about the FBI, Louisville police investigations

Contributing: Associated Press; Jordan Culver, Joel Shannon, Erick Smith, Savannah Behrmann, Cara Richardson, Steve Kiggins and Heather Tucker, USA TODAY; Tyler J. Davis, Des Moines (Iowa) Register.

Read more about George Floyd, the shooting and other news:

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd: Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin arrested
Delaware County Councilwoman Monica Taylor, center, says the lack of a health department in the county was a concern for her and her colleagues long before the coronavirus reached America. Read more

The Delaware County Council on Friday unveiled a detailed timeline for the establishment of a county health department, aiming to have one fully operational by the end of 2021.

The densely populated suburb is the only county in the Philadelphia region that does not have a health department, and with about 565,000 residents, it is the most populous county in Pennsylvania without one.

This absence affected local leaders initial response to the coronavirus pandemic, forcing them to rely on the overtaxed state Department of Health, which was slow to provide information about local cases. In March, the Chester County Health Department agreed to provide services for Delaware County through an arrangement approved by Gov. Tom Wolf.

But the offer by Chester County was temporary, and Delaware County leaders have been working to establish a department of their own. It was under discussion months before the first COVID-19 cases were identified. The Democrats who took control of the countys ruling board in a historic election last year frequently discussed it on the campaign trail, and promised to make it a priority once in office.

 READ MORE: Delaware County doesnt have a health department, so Chester County is filling in during the coronavirus pandemic

They did not know how little time they had, according to Council Member Monica Taylor, who is leading the effort.

Our working group already knew how badly we needed a health department, but with the pandemic coming, it became more of, how can we make these adjustments now and how can we speed it up? she said. We have been able to continue to push this ball forward, because we have to hit these timelines in play, to make sure we can get it online by a certain day.

For months, Taylor and her colleagues have estimated that starting a county health department would take up to 24 months. In a meeting May 20, the five-member, all-Democratic council voted to contract with Gorenflo Consulting Inc., a strategic planning firm based in State College, Pa., that specializes in helping municipalities establish health departments.

In the timeline released Friday, the council updated the deadline and elaborated on the steps needed to secure approval from the state to create the department.

The first is a health study from Johns Hopkins University expected to be completed in July, followed by an economic feasibility study, which will determine how much operating the department will cost the county.

Both studies will then be discussed at community town halls this summer, with a strategic plan to follow in December. Key staff, including a director and Board of Health members, would be appointed early next year.

I think now more than ever, because were currently in a pandemic, it helps to have a health department, and thankfully Chester County has been willing to help, Taylor said. But in general, our health department, like any health department, will focus beyond that, on protecting community well-being. It can help with child wellness, disaster relief, and even access to clean water.

Compared with its neighbors, Delaware County has been particularly hard-hit by the virus. It has competed closely with Philadelphia for the highest 14-day per capita rate of new confirmed coronavirus cases in the region, a key metric that Wolf has been using to determine when counties are ready to being reopening.

Still, Jeanne Casner, the head of the Chester County Health Department, said this week that she was confident in Delaware Countys ability to move into the loose yellow stage of coronavirus restrictions.

Casner said Delaware County has made steady progress in boosting testing capacity and contact tracing. But the efforts have to be maintained, she said, even as some signs of normalcy return.

You cant pop a pill and make this go away, she said. There are public health practices that take time and dedication, and thats what both counties are demonstrating.
Termeno (Italy) (AFP) - Italy's vines have not stopped growing during the country's long coronavirus lockdown, but without their usual foreign grape-pickers, winemakers are now fearing for their harvests.

But one South Tyrolean vintner in the northern province of Bolzano took matters into his own hands, renting a plane to fly in his team of long-time workers from Romania.

Every summer, tens of thousands of farm workers from Africa and Eastern Europe come to Italy to harvest fruit and vegetables.

The outbreak of coronavirus, which locked down Italy in early March, made it almost impossible for these vital foreign workers to come.

Martin Hofstaetter, whose vines are located around the picturesque town of Termeno, has relied for more than ten years on a team of female Romanian pickers.

Usually, they arrive in a small bus and stay for a few months. But this year, despite having the right to work in Italy, they were turned away at the Hungarian border.

Hofstaetter was quick to act, hiring a small plane to transport the women directly from Romania to Termeno at his own expense.

"We had never been on a plane before. It was a great experience for us," Maria Codrea, from Calinesti in Romania, told AFPTV.

Codrea, 39, said she depended on the annual work in Italy.

Staying back in Romania "would have been hard," she said.

"Even where we are, everything is closed, factories and everything."

- Italians hard to find -

Codrea will stay until mid-July in Termeno with her team of seven other Romanian women before returning home. A second team of about 20 workers from Romania will arrive in Termeno at the end of August for the harvest.

Hofstaetter, whose wines include the famous white varieties of Italy's northeast, said he might have been able to find Italian workers, "but now the Italians no longer want to work in the fields or vineyards."

"The Italians disappear after a few days" of the back-breaking work, he added.

Story continues

It was a shame that work in agriculture was not "more highly valued", he said, but he was very happy with the skills and dedication of the Romanians, who had been picking for him for over 10 years.

Last week, the first group of about 100 foreign farm workers arrived in Italy from Morocco, their transport paid for by a farmers' association in the eastern region of Abruzzo.

For Codrea, it is not difficult work among Hofstaetter's family vines in the Adige Valley, with the sound of the birds, and views of the mountains and a nearby church steeple.

"We're used to the work. I like the work, I work with pleasure," she said.
Todays Headlines

The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning.

Email address

By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 17:19 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdafb17b 1 National COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,PSBB,large-scale-social-restrictions,new-normal Free

The Indonesian government said on Thursday that it needed to implement the so-called new normal to keep the economy running while maintaining restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19.

We understand the difficulty of imposing restrictions to the fullest extent while every country, including Indonesia, has to keep the wheels of the economy turning, said National Development Planning Minister Suharso Monoarfa in a press briefing.

In our case, the economy has been struggling during this outbreak. Economic growth in the first quarter of this year was only 2.97 percent.

To cope with this situation, Suharso added, Indonesia needed to enter a new normal, at least until the vaccines and medicines for COVID-19 were available or until contagion could be suppressed to a sufficiently low level.

We have to ensure that the health protocol is implemented with strict discipline in daily social activities, he said.

Read also: 'I don't think we can wait': Business groups ready for 'new normal' despite risks

The government has claimed that it does not yet plan to ease large-scale social restrictions (PSBB). But simultaneously, government officials have been calling on citizens to coexist with the virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that countries taking steps to ease restrictions and transition toward a new normal must make sure COVID-19 transmission is controlled and that communities have a voice and are engaged in the transition.

The Health Ministry recently issued a decree on new normal policies, establishing new health protocols for both during and after PSBB. The Industry Ministry will follow suit with similar policies for manufacturers.

Concerns about the measures have mounted, with many insisting that the government should base its policymaking on data and the realities in the field rather than economic interests for the sake of citizens safety.

When asked on Thursday about the latest developments in Indonesia, the COVID-19 task force gave an unclear answer about whether the curve had, in fact, flattened and how that would influence or had influenced the decision to begin the new normal. Many regions have yet to conduct mass testing.

Wiku Adisasmita, head of expert staff for the COVID-19 task force, said the government was working to analyze data about the testing capacities of all regions.

Since its not the only criteria for a region to reduce restrictions, we are also focusing on how the trends for other requirements are going in every region, such as the number of cases, death, recoveries and hospitalizations for suspected and probable [cases], Wiku said.

Read also: 50 days of Indonesias partial lockdown. Is it enough for the new normal?

The latest data, he added, showed that there were 110 districts that had reported zero cases of COVID-19. They have been classified as green zones.

Most of the districts in Indonesia are in the yellow zone, and we will keep our eyes on the curve as a data pillar for future development, he said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that the government must come clean on the border face-off between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Governments silence about the border situation with China is fueling massive speculation and uncertainty at a time of crisis. GOI must come clean and tell India exactly whats happening, Gandhi tweeted on Friday.

The Governments silence about the border situation with China is fueling massive speculation and uncertainty at a time of crisis.



GOI must come clean and tell India exactly whats happening.



#ChinaIndiaFaceoff  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 29, 2020

The stand-off started in the Ladakh region after China took an aggressive stand and deployed around 6,000 troops of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Sources in the government say that China wants India to stop the infrastructure projects in the border area.

India is building roads and bridges in the Ladakh region which will make it easier for soldiers posted in the area to get supplies and weaponry. A bridge being built near Daulat Beg Oldie, the last border post near the Karakoram Pass, has irked China the most.

India too has deployed it soldiers deft in managing things on high altitude, matching Chinas numbers and resources. Security experts and government sources say that India should not back down, and keep its soldiers there.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5. The two sides have since then been engaged in a series of meetings.

In its first comments on the ongoing stand-off, the Chinese defence ministry said on Thursday that the situation on the India-China border is stable and controllable.

Chinas position on the China-India border is clear. The Chinese border troops are committed to maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas, defence ministry spokesperson, Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang said at the monthly ministry briefing.

The ministry said both countries have the wherewithal to resolve the situation through established communication mechanisms.

It is possibly a sign that the Chinese government is not willing to allow the situation to worsen through a war of words with New Delhi.

To be sure, India has rejected Chinas assertion that its troops had carried out illegal constructions across the LAC.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 15:10:58|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

KABUL, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A Militant attack on a border checkpoint in Dand-e-Patan district of Afghanistan's eastern Paktia province killed 14 soldiers, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The attack has been repulsed and the militants fled away after suffering casualties, the statement said.

"The Taliban militants violated the ceasefire and attacked a checkpoint of defense and security forces in Dand-e-Patan district last night triggering heavy fighting which forced Taliban to flee after suffering huge casualties. Unfortunately 14 personnel of border force were killed and three others wounded," said the statement.

The Taliban outfit, which observed a three-day truce on account of Eid al-Fitr, started on Sunday and ended on Tuesday to enable Afghans celebrate the end of Muslims fasting month Ramadan, has yet to make comment. Enditem
With Delhi registering more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) for the second day in a row on Friday, the proportion of tests returning a positive result continued to rise even with the number of tests going up, prompting experts to call for a more aggressive and randomised testing strategy.

With an average of 5,624 daily tests performed in the last seven days, the average daily positivity  or the percentage of people who test positive in the last week  was 12.6% for the week ending May 29. Last Friday, the average daily positivity rate for the seven days before it was 9.9% and the corresponding number was 6.4% for the week before. In the last 30 days, this average has nearly doubled from 6.5% on May 1 to 12.6% on May 29.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

Delhis positivity rate also remains much higher than the national average of 6.1% till Thursday, the latest this data was made available according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

In the same time, the average number of samples tested in a week has increased to 5,624 on Friday, from 5,009 a week ago, according to data released by the Delhi government. To be sure, Delhis testing numbers have been the highest among the worst-hit regions in the country and the Capital has performed 10,075 tests for every million residents, nearly 3.5 times the national average.

Experts pointed out that the positivity rate can be heavily influenced by a targeted testing strategy.

The positivity rate depends on the testing criteria. Who are you testing? If you are only testing those who are likely to have the infection such as someone from a containment zone with fever, then the positivity rate will be high. Having said that, the positivity rate is increasing along with the absolute number of cases as well, which shows that transmission is happening. And, India is on the upwards trend; the numbers are likely to go up further with travel being resumed, said Dr GC Khilnani, chairman of PSRI Institute of Pulmonary and Critical Care and former head of the department of pulmonology at AIIMS.

Dr Shobha Broor, former head of the department of microbiology at AIIMS, suggested that randomised antibody tests be conducted in the community to understand the underlying burden of the infection and the number of people who were asymptomatic carriers. Sero-surveillance (population level monitoring of antibodies that remains in the blood even after the infection is cured) will help us in understanding the trend of the infection as well. And, it is likely that as more and more asymptomatic transmission happen, the virulence or the severity of the infection will reduce over a few months with it later becoming endemic, she said.

Delhi, as per national guidelines, has been testing all those with influenza like illness or severe acute respiratory infection and asymptomatic high-risk contacts of a person who has tested positive for Covid-19.

In April-end, Delhi had started reporting huge pendency of samples, especially those collected from the containment zones hurting the citys contact tracing measures. Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain had raised the issue on April 28 with the union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, as the pendency was the highest at the centre-run National Institute of Biologicals in Noida. A day after the meeting, the government stopped sending samples to the laboratory till the pendency reduced.

On May 4, the Delhi High Court directed the government to ensure that the samples are tested and reports provided within 48 hours.

Yes, we need to test more people to contain the spread of the infection by identifying cases and isolating them early on. However, there is a capacity of the laboratories  they still have the same number of staff, the tests take a few hours to perform, all biosafety measures have to be taken. So, even though in an ideal situation we should test the asymptomatic people, but currently we do not have the capacity to perform so many tests, said Dr Broor.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
SARATOGA SPRINGS  Neighbors surrounding a controversial Saratoga Hospital project filed suit against the city on Tuesday, claiming the citys change in zoning to allow for a large medical office building in a residential neighborhood will greatly impact the use and enjoyment of the petitioners-plaintiffs property.

The suit, filed by attorney Claudia Braymer for five neighbors, notes the change will bring increased traffic and parking near their homes and in surrounding, narrow streets, increased day-time activity, increased noise, increased storm water runoff, a reduction to property values and will irreparably alter the character of the currently-quiet neighborhood.

It also claims the decision to change the zoning to accommodate an expected 75,000-square foot building with a parking for 300 cars was arbitrary and capricious, irrational and affected by an error of law." Neighbors are seeking an annulment of the zoning change.

The city attorney, Vincent DeLeonardis, did not respond to a Times Union request for comment.

Previously: Saratoga Hospital lawyer an incumbent contributor

Spa City Council clears the way for hospital expansion

The battle between the neighbors and the hospital has been going on since 2015. Thats when Saratoga Hospital proposed an 88,000-square foot office building, later reduced to 75,000 square feet, with a parking lot on 16 acres of land in the Birch Run and Morgan Street neighborhood. The proposal didnt win a necessary supermajority approval from the City Council when two of its members recused themselves from the vote.

Also in 2015, the city adopted a comprehensive plan that recommended changing the zoning of that swath of land from urban residential to institutional, which the comprehensive plan lists as "religious, health, cultural or tourism." The suit notes that commercial and professional office buildings were not listed in the comprehensive plan for that parcel of land.

The City Council eventually approved the new zoning, meant to match the comprehensive plan, through a SEQRA negative declaration at a December 2019 meeting. The resolution voted on by the City Council to approve the zoning changes, one of 18, noted the city cannot be required to speculate about purely hypothetical potential future projects ... submitted to the city by Saratoga Hospital."

Yet the months leading up to the change, many Planning Board and City Council meetings were the setting for hospital administration arguing for an office building there, while the neighbors were arguing against it on that parcel of land.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Currently, the city's website describes institutional zoning as much more than what was listed in the comprehensive plan. The expanded list of acceptable uses include medical and parking facilities.

The Times Union reached out to hospital spokesman Peter Hopper but he did not respond to comment on the suit.

Dave Evans, one of the neighbors who is named in the suit, said that the whole process for the zoning change was flawed.

We think that the findings of planning board and the supporting City Council is contradictory to the comprehensive plan, Evans said.

Evans also said that when he and his wife moved to his home on Saratoga Circle in the Birch Run neighborhood five years ago, he expected the 16 acres adjoining his property would be developed. As a real estate professional, however, he expected it would be a residential development to adhere to zoning. He emphasized that the neighbors arent opposed to the work the hospital does, just its plan to build in its backyard.

This is not about the hospital, Evans said. This is about zoning, its a pure zoning issue.
It is a technique that we dont use as much anymore because of the vulnerability, said Mylan Masson, a former police officer who ran a training program for the Minneapolis police for 15 years until 2016. We try to stay away from the neck as much as possible.

The full details of what happened have yet to emerge, in particular what police body cameras might show about any altercation between Mr. Floyd and Mr. Chauvin, 44, a 19-year veteran of the department who has since been fired. Department records indicate, however, that the Minneapolis police have not entirely abandoned the use of neck restraints, even if the method used by Mr. Chauvin is no longer part of police training.

[Read more about George Floyd and Derek Chauvin once working together.]

The manual of the Minneapolis Police Department states that neck restraints and chokeholds are basically reserved for when an officer feels caught in a life-or-death situation. There was no apparent threat of that nature in Mr. Floyds detention.

Experts viewing the footage suggest that it was more likely a case of street justice, when a police officer seeks to punish a suspect by inflicting pain for something done to the officer during the arrest.

Criminologists viewing the tape said the knee restraint not only put dangerous pressure on the back of the neck, but that Mr. Floyd was kept lying on his stomach for too long. Both positions  the knee on the neck and lying face down  run the risk of cutting off someones oxygen supply.
Robbie Williams delighted fans as he reunited with Take That for a virtual performance from their homes on Friday night.

The Rock DJ hitmaker joined forces with his former bandmates Gary Barlow, 49, Mark Owen, 48, and Howard Donald, 52, for the charity gig, hosted by Compare The Meerkat on YouTube.

In his typical style, Robbie, 46, made a late entrance and made reference to his reluctance to join them for their reunion in 2006, as he said: 'More importantly, I'm here now. Last time, I was 15 years late.'

Amazing: Robbie Williams delighted fans as he reunited with Take That for a virtual performance from their homes on Friday night

The gig marked the first time Robbie, who quit the band in 1995, has performed with Take That since The X Factor final in 2018.

After kick-starting with The Greatest Day, Mark took the reins to perform Shine with the aid of a step ladder in his garage.

It was then when Robbie decided to join the trio for performances of their classic hits Back For Good, The Flood, Pray and Never Forget.

Wow: Fans went wild as the Rock DJ hitmaker joined forces with his former bandmates Gary Barlow, 49, Mark Owen, 48, and Howard Donald, 52, for the charity gig

Late arrival: In his typical style, Robbie, 46, made a late entrance and made reference to his departure from the band back in 1995

They're back! Robbie decided to join the trio for performances of their classic hits Back For Good, The Flood, Pray and Never Forget

He's still got it: Robbie looked every inch the showman in a pink leopard print blazer as the boys, minus Jason Orange, pulled out all the stops for the virtual gig

Robbie looked every inch the showman in a pink leopard print blazer as the boys, minus Jason Orange, pulled out all the stops for the virtual gig, with disco lights, party poppers and a whole host of props.

In an interval, the group discussed what they have learnt during lockdown.

Howard said: 'I've never read so many children's book in the last six weeks. I've read more books than in my life.'

Mark added: 'One thing I have learnt is to save on using kitchen roll, I used to use kitchen roll and toilet roll less because it came quite scarce.'

Born performer: Gary Barlow kick-started the gig with The Greatest Day

Signing his heart out: Mark took the reins to perform Shine with the aid of a step ladder and his guitar in his garage

Royalty: Howard decided to wear an elaborate crown for the reunion

Fans took to Twitter in their droves to praise Robbie and the boys for filling their homes with nostalgic memories.

One Twitter user said: 'Free Take That concert, this is the best evening ever', while another added of Robbie's joke: 'Robbie Williams, "Last time I was 15 years late!!" Loving it.'

A third chimed: 'My cute little baby boy Robbie is finally here'.

'Night made @robbiewilliams joining Take That for online gig,' added another superfan.

'Loved watching you all together again, was a real tonic I needed. Thanks guys', typed another fan.

Putting on a show: He later changed into a smart blazer for the band's performance on The Flood

Frontman: Gary was in his element as he played the piano and sang into the microphone

Delighted: Fans took to Twitter in their droves to praise Robbie and the boys for filling their homes with nostalgic memories

Robbie previously joked Take That should hire a private detective to try and locate Jason, 49.

Speaking on his At Home with The Williamses podcast, he said: 'You know you can have that Find My Phone thing?

'The whole of Take That should have a locate Jason Orange thing because none of us know where he's gone.

'I should hire a private detective  he finds out where Jason Orange is, we inject him with a beeping thing, a chip, then we know where Jason is at all times.'

In April, Robbie and Gary performed a virtual duet of their 2010 song Shame from their homes.

Funny: The group discussed what they have learnt during lockdown. Howard said: 'I've never read so many children's book in the last six weeks. I've read more books than in my life'

Warm up: The band appeared to be having a great time as they sang The Greatest Day

Comeback: The gig marked the first time Robbie has performed with Take That since The X Factor final in 2018

Alongside the video, Gary wrote: 'Sorry to have made you wait so long for this one. Yes the dynamic duo return. .

'Thank you @robbiewilliams for taking the time to be part of this. Big hugs (virtually of course) #thecroonersessions.'

The pair co-wrote Shame together for Robbie's second greatest hits album, In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010.

The song was the first time the pair collaborated on a song together solely and it was also the first time they had worked together since Robbie left Take That in 1995.

Take That formed in 1989 and went on to achieve 12 number one singles on the UK Singles Chart along with eight number one albums and are currently the most successful boy band in UK chart history.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, theres been a surge in domestic violence incidents reported globally since stay-at-home orders were put into effect. So far, many countries have reported an increase in domestic violence.

A study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Criminal Justice, predicts that the incidents should gradually decrease as people return to normal routines, but would likely increase again if there is a second wave of Covid-19 infections that prompts new stay-at-home orders.

Shelter-in-place rules, by mandating more time at home, are very likely to increase the volume of domestic or intimate partner violence, which thrives behind closed doors, said the studys senior author Jeffrey Brantingham from the University of California.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, both Los Angeles and Indianapolis already have seen significant increases in domestic violence calls to the police, and we know domestic violence is one of the crimes least reported to the police, Brantingham added.

The pressures of working from home, strictly practising social distancing, and staying home combined with a strained relationship are often explosive which has caused several women to become easy preys to abusive partners. Psychologists, mental health experts are also warning that this quarantine could result in individuals to experience negative emotions that directly harm mental health, in turn, affect relationship with oneself and those around us.

For the findings, the researchers analysed police calls for service before and during the coronavirus pandemic -- from January 2 to April 18 in Los Angeles, and from January 2 to April 21 in Indianapolis.

Is intervention a means of prevention of domestic violence and abuse?

Empowering people to intervene when they witness unacceptable behaviour can help to prevent domestic violence and abuse finds a UK based study. Results of the study found that a total of 81 per cent of participants reported being more likely to intervene when they saw wrongdoing after the training, this increased to 89 per cent four months later.

Specific training for bystanders makes them significantly more confident to take action when they see or hear wrongdoing related to domestic abuse in their community, according to the research.

This is the first academic study to examine a bystander programme as a way to tackle domestic violence and abuse in UK communities. The study, published in the journal BMC Public Health, comes at a critical moment: during the current coronavirus lockdown, there has been a sharp rise in calls to domestic abuse helplines.

Similar training has been used in universities in the UK and experts who developed the new programme hope bystander training will now play a key role in domestic violence prevention work across the country.

The training, entitled Active Bystander Communities, was led by Dr Rachel Fenton at the University of Exeter and Alexa Gainsbury at Public Health England and is a collaboration between University of Exeter Law School, Public Health England, Devon County Council, Bristol County Council, Splitz and the Hollie Gazzard Trust. It was piloted with 70 people in Exeter, Torquay and Gloucester.

Active Bystander Communities was designed to give people the knowledge and skills they need to be active bystanders and intervene positively in potentially harmful situations. It was delivered in three two hour sessions by experienced facilitators. Participants learned how to notice harmful behaviour alongside developing the skills to be able to intervene safely and effectively.

Dr Fenton said: Bystander intervention is about empowering all members of the community to speak up and challenge gender inequality and the drivers of domestic abuse in a safe and situation-appropriate way. Its about helping people to find their own way to make an impact and make a difference. We hope others will now use our programme.

People in the community are ideally placed respond to problematic behaviours and support individuals who are experiencing domestic violence and abuse because they have the relationships, insights and opportunities to make a real difference. During the coronavirus pandemic, people can still be a bystander by keeping in touch with friends and neighbours, and signposting to services and reporting particularly if they think others are at risk of domestic violence and abuse, he added.

Reach out:

Domestic violence cases most often go unnoticed as women have avoided speaking openly about these monstrosities inside their homes which make their safe space more dangerous than the outdoors. Love doesnt need to mean pain, especially of the physical kind and just because its uncomfortable, doesnt mean its not spoken about. Often times, issues like these affect the well-being of children which can have long-lasting effects on their psyche and who they end up becoming as adults, in turn affecting their relationships with their peers, colleagues, friends and beyond. If you are a victim of abuse of any kind, even something seemingly inconsequential such as emotional abuse, speak up so it helps you and someone else who hasnt been able to. If you know of someone who might be going through something, stand by them and let them know they have support. Suffering in pain never yields a reward.

-- with inputs from IANS and ANI

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed off on an executive order that seeks to restrict protection to social media companies and underlines the need to seek transparency and accountability from these platforms. The order is centered around the argument that social media companies that selectively remove or restrict access to content engage in editorial conduct and should not be shielded by limited liability protection extended to them for users posts.

Trump, who has often complained about liberal-leaning Silicon Valley companies targeting conservatives by fact-checking them or removing their posts, issued the order days after Twitter started selective fact-checks of his posts and labeled two of them about mail-in voting potentially misleading.

To make his point, Trumps order also targeted China.

These tech companies, he said, instead of censoring China for promoting aggression and disinformation had profited from it.

One United States company, for example, created a search engine for the Chinese Communist Party that would have blacklisted searches for human rights, hid data unfavorable to the Chinese Communist Party, and tracked users determined appropriate for surveillance. It also established research partnerships in China that provide direct benefits to the Chinese military, the US President said. He did not name Google.

Trump also referenced the social media campaign launched by Beijing after he held China responsible for the coronavirus pandemic and more.

Companies had accepted advertisements paid for by the Chinese government that spread false information about its mass imprisonment of religious minorities. They have also amplified Chinas propaganda abroad, including by allowing Chinese government officials to use their platforms to spread misinformation regarding the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, his order said.

White House officials, according to Bloomberg, complained that Twitter did not originally append fact checks to China Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lijan Zhao, who without evidence wrote that it might be the U.S. military that brought the coronavirus to China. Twitter has since added the fact-check link to his tweets.

Trump later followed up on the China angle of his order, telling reporters that China could have stopped the coronavirus from stopping but did not. He has promised to have a dedicated briefing on China tomorrow.

At his briefing, Trump said the choices that Twitter makes when it chooses to suppress, edit, blacklist, shadow, ban are editorial decisions, pure and simple and should be treated as such. They are editorial decisions.

In those moments, Twitter ceases to be a neutral public platform, and they become an editor with a viewpoint, he asserted.

His order quoted the Supreme Court that had compared social media sites to a modern public square where any citizen could say anything to make his or her voice heard. This is the reason why social media platforms were held to a lower accountability bar.

But the platforms were not only selectively calling out users - or say people in a public square - but also taking money to promote access to false content.

The US President has asked all government departments and agencies to review advertising and marketing spending on online platforms to protect federal taxpayer dollars from financing online platforms that restrict free speech.

Trump also asked a Attorney General-led Working Group to initiate discussions with counterparts in the states that would look at the 16,000-plus complaints of online platforms censoring received from people by the White Houses Tech Bias Reporting tool launched in May 2019.

This group would also collect material about algorithms to suppress content or users based on their political views and differential policies allowing for otherwise impermissible behavior committed by accounts linked to the Chinese Communist Party or other autocratic regimes.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Jackiewicz is taking over the role from Sharon OKeefe, who has been president of the medical center since 2011 and COO of the health system since 2017. OKeefe will retire July 24 after more than 40 years in leadership roles at academic medical centers, including Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, Johns Hopkins Medicine, the University of Maryland Medical System in Baltimore, Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston and Barnes-Jewish Medical Center in St. Louis.
By Matt Spetalnick and Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Seeking to deter further shipments of Iranian fuel to Venezuela, the Trump administration has quietly warned foreign governments, seaports, shipping companies and insurers that they could face stiff U.S. sanctions if they aid the tanker flotilla, the U.S. envoy on Venezuela told Reuters on Friday.

Elliott Abrams, Washingtons special representative on Venezuela, said the pressure campaign targeting heavily sanctioned U.S. foes Iran and Venezuela was being waged to be sure everyone recognizes this would be a very dangerous transaction to assist.

The Venezuelan navy on Thursday escorted a fourth tanker bringing Iranian fuel through its waters to the gasoline-starved country, defying U.S. threats of measures in response to the shipments. At least one other tanker was en route in the Atlantic.

It was a sign of deepening ties between Venezuela and Iran, both OPEC members with fraught relations with the United States.

The government of Venezuelan Socialist President Nicolas Maduro has flaunted the tankers arrivals to show it remains unbowed by pressure. The United States, which seeks Maduros ouster, has called it a distraction.

We've alerted the shipping community around the world, ship owners, ship captains, ship insurers, and we've alerted ports along the way between Iran and Venezuela, Abrams said in an interview.

He said diplomatic warnings, known as demarches, have been sent privately to governments around the world.

A person familiar with the matter said among them was Gibraltar, situated on the tankers' route. A U.S. official said various countries had been asked to deny then port services.

It remained unclear what impact this effort might have.

Two other tankers, the Liberia-flag Bella and Bering, passed through the Suez Canal in early May, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. Sources familiar with the matter said United States was looking for ways to prevent them from reaching Venezuela.

Story continues

Abrams declined comment but, citing the sanctions risk, said: I do not think that you will find ship owners and insurers and captains and crews willing to engage in these transactions in the future."

He predicted the fuel would only last a few weeks and mostly be siphoned off by Maduro loyalists. Shortages have grown acute due to U.S. sanctions against Venezuela under Maduro, who has overseen an economic collapse.

The United States this month issued a global maritime advisory, giving guidance to the shipping industry on how to avoid sanctions related to Iran, North Korea and Syria.

Washington has appeared willing to rely on economic measures instead of using its beefed-up naval presence in the Caribbean to block the tankers. Iran and Venezuela have warned against U.S. military force.

(Reporting By Matt Spetalnick and Humeyra Pamuk, additional reporting by Marianna Parraga)
India's coronavirus death toll has surpassed that of China after it reported a total of 4,706 fatalities, while it overtook Turkey to become the ninth worst-hit nation by the pandemic with 1,65,799 COVID-19 cases.

The country has registered 175 deaths and a record 7,466 fresh coronavirus infection cases in the last 24 hrs till Friday 8 am, according to the Union Health Ministry.

According to the John Hopkins University (JHU) data, India has now overtaken Turkey and is the ninth most affected nation in terms of COVID-19 cases after the US, Brazil, Russia, UK, Spain, Italy, France and Germany.

China has confirmed 84,106 cases and 4,638 deaths from COVID-19 so far, according to the JHU.

This is the first time that the single-day spike crossed the 7,000 mark, with the country reporting over 6,000 coronavirus infection cases per day since May 22.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

The number of active COVID-19 cases in India stood at 89,987, while 71,105 people have recovered so far and one patient has migrated.

"Thus, around 42.89 per cent patients have recovered so far," a senior Health Ministry official said.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) a total of 34,83,838 samples have been tested as on May 29 till 9 am and 1,21,702 samples have been tested in 24 hours.

Of the total 4,706 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 1,982 deaths followed by Gujarat with 960 deaths, Madhya Pradesh with 321, Delhi with 316, West Bengal with 295, Uttar Pradesh with 197, Rajasthan with 180, Tamil Nadu with 145, Telangana with 67 and Andhra Pradesh with 59 deaths.

The death toll reached 47 in Karnataka and 40 in Punjab. Jammu and Kashmir has reported 27 fatalities due to the disease and Haryana has 19 deaths. Bihar has reported 15 deaths, while Odisha and Kerala have reported seven deaths each.

Himachal Pradesh has registered five COVID-19 fatalities, while Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh and Assam have recorded four deaths each so far.

Meghalaya has reported one COVID-19 fatality so far, according to the ministry data.

According to the ministry's website, more than 70 per cent of the deaths are due to comorbidities.

According to the health ministry data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 59,546 followed by Tamil Nadu at 19,372, Delhi at 16,281, Gujarat at 15,562, Rajasthan at 8,067, Madhya Pradesh at 7,453 and Uttar Pradesh at 7,170.

The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 4,536 in West Bengal, 3,296 in Bihar and 3,251 in Andhra Pradesh.

It has risen to 2,533 in Karnataka, 2,256 in Telangana, 2,158 in Punjab, 2,036 in Jammu and Kashmir and 1,660 in Odisha.

Haryana has reported 1,504 coronavirus infection cases so far, while Kerala has 1,088 cases. A total of 856 people have been infected with the virus in Assam and 469 in Jharkhand.

Uttarakhand has registered 500 cases, Chhattisgarh has 399, Chandigarh has reported 288 cases, Himachal Pradesh has 276, Tripura has 242, Ladakh has 73 and Goa has 69 cases so far.

Manipur has reported 55 COVID-19 cases, Puducherry has 51 instances of infection while Andaman and Nicobar Islands has registered 33 infections.

Meghalaya has registered 21 cases. Nagaland has reported 18 infections, Arunachal Pradesh reported three cases, Dadar and Nagar Haveli has two cases, while Mizoram and Sikkim have reported a case each till how.

"4,673 cases are being reassigned to states," the ministry said on its website, adding, "Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR."

State-wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation, it said.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Reuters) Zurich, Switzerland  Fri, May 29, 2020 15:09 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdaf11df 2 News Zurich,switzerland,Airport,travel,coronavirus,COVID-19,physical-distancing,robots Free

Travelers at Zurich's airport will encounter robot cleaners, facemask vending machines and extra room to queue for boarding when flight operations resume in earnest as coronavirus curbs ease, officials said on Thursday.

Airlines such as Lufthansa units Swiss International and Edelweiss Air plan to ramp up service in the weeks ahead as borders start reopening next month.

They have been liaising with Flughafen Zuerich, ground services outfit Swissport and airport police on safety measures to comply with federal health authorities' guidelines, the airport operator said.

The steps include more frequent cleaning of handrails and baggage carts, hundreds of hand sanitizers, and Plexiglas panels at all desks. Vending machines run by Selecta will dispense facemasks and sanitizer.

Read also: Empty middle seat? Depends on which country you are flying in

To help avoid crowds forming, overflow levels at security checkpoints will open, passport control will operate as many booths as possible, and queuing areas will be made more spacious to help ensure physical distancing.

Swiss International urges passengers to cover their noses and mouths on board flights. In addition to stepping up cabin cleaning, it will give passengers disinfectant wipes and suspend inflight services such as hot towels and duty-free sales.

But it does not plan to leave middle seats open.

"Commercially no airline can afford to leave 40 percent of seats on board empty. In addition, leaving the middle seat empty does not guarantee social distancing under the current rules," Swiss Chief Operating Officer Thomas Frick told broadcaster SRF.
Rana Daggubati made his acting debut with the Telugu film titled, Leader (2010). The actor recalled his first day as an actor on the film set and shared, On the first day itself, I had scenes with Suhasini Maniratnam, who was playing my mother in the film. Sekhar Kammula, my director, and his ADs all chilled-out people, were a bit overwhelmed since the scale of this film was slightly big. The actor shared that it was Suhasini, who made him feel comfortable rehearsing the scenes with him and chatting about things. I was happy to face the camera, recalled Rana.

Remembering the first day on the set of his first Hindi film, Dum Maaro Dum (2011), directed by Rohan Sippy, shot in Goa, Rana shared, Id been hanging with Prateik and Rohan for a while during the training. Since we were around the same age, it turned out to be the best film shoot of my life. For my first shot, it was Prateik and me enjoying ourselves at a carnival. And for the first five days, it was only that, after which the main work started.





Rana further shared that although he felt a sense of accomplishment shooting two films in two different industries in his very first year, the euphoria soon faded away as his next films in both languages tanked the year after. In my first three years in the industry, I had two hits and two flops. That was a reality check!



Well, that was the thing of his past. The Baahubali films have brought him fame of a lifetime. Presently, the actor is in celebratory mode after his engagement to event manager and interior designer Miheeka Bajaj. Congratulations Rana!
[May 29, 2020] AM Best Downgrades Credit Ratings of Consumer Insurance Services Limited

AM Best has downgraded the Financial Strength Rating to B+ (Good) from B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to "bbb-" from "bbb" of Consumer Insurance Services Limited (CISL) (New Zealand). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) has been revised to stable from negative. The ratings reflect CISL's balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorises as adequate, as well as its adequate operating performance, very limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). The ratings also factor in a neutral impact from the company's ultimate majority ownership by FlexiGroup Limited. The rating downgrades reflect a revision of AM Best's assessment of CISL's business profile to very limited from limited as a result of the company's diminishing business profile as it continues to run off its insurance operations. The company entered into run off following the decision to cease writing new business from November 2018 and renewal business from April 2019. AM Best expects CISL's existing policyholder obligations to run off over the period to 2024. The company's business profile assessment also considers its small scale of operations and niche position as a provider of credit card repayment protection for New Zealand cardholder customers of its intermediate parent, FlexiGroup (New Zealand) Limited. CISL's balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), which is categorised as strongest. AM Best expects capital adequacy to remain at the strongest level over the medium term, reflecting a gradual decline in underwriting risks and continued robust internal capital generation. A partially offsetting balance sheet factor is CISL's very small absolute capital base, which increases the susceptibility of capital adequacy to volatility under stressed scenarios. AM Best considers CISL's operating performance to be adequate. The company reported a five-year average return-on-equity ratio of 29% (fiscal-years 2015 to 2019), albeit with moderate volatility in some years. The company's operaing results over the past five years have been driven by favourable claims experience from its sole product offering of credit card repayment protection insurance. The company's five-year average combined ratio for fiscal-years 2015 to 2019 was 65%. Prospectively, AM Best expects CISL's underwriting profitability to reduce, following the implementation of product coverage enhancements for all existing policyholders in September 2019. Despite these product adjustments, and the potential for increased frequency of redundancy claims as a result of the economic fall out of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, AM Best expects CISL's underwriting and operating performance to remain at an adequate level over the run-off period.



AM Best views CISL's ERM framework to be appropriate given the current size and complexity of its operations. AM Best continues to monitor the impact of potential regulatory challenges in relation to the conduct and culture review by New Zealand regulatory bodies, as any resulting increase in regulatory or operational risk could drive a mismatch between CISL's risk management profile and capability. Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright  2020 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005489/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
U.S. Attorney General William Barr waves as he walks on stage to speak at the National Sheriffs' Association Winter Legislative and Technology Conference in Washington on Feb. 10, 2020. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo)

AG Barr Says He Is Confident Justice Will Be Served in George Floyd Case

Attorney General William Barr said he is confident that justice would be served in the federal investigation into the death of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis police custody earlier this week.

His comments echo President Donald Trumps Wednesday remarks expressing similar confidence after calling on the Justice Department (DOJ) and FBI to expedite their investigation into the death of Floyd, which sparked national outrage and days of violent protests in Minneapolis. A widely circulated video showed Floyd lying down and handcuffed as a police officer was seen kneeling on the mans neck for nearly nine minutes.

The video images of the incident that ended with [the] death of Mr. Floyd, while in custody of Minneapolis police officers, were harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing, Barr said in a statement on Friday.

Barr added that the DOJ and FBI are proceeding quickly in their investigation to determine whether any federal civil rights laws were violated. He said the federal investigation is separate but parallel with the probe being led by state prosecutors who are in the process of determining whether any criminal charges are appropriate under state law.

Both state and federal officers are working diligently and collaboratively to ensure that any available evidence relevant to these decisions is obtained as quickly as possible, he said.

He noted that as normal practice, the state will announce charging decisions first.

I am confident justice will be served, Barr said.

The attorney generals statement comes on the same day a county attorney announced that the former police officer who was seen kneeling on the mans neck, Derek Chauvin, has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a press conference on Friday that they are still reviewing the evidence and subsequent charges may be filed later.

If convicted, Chauvin could face up to 25 years in prison on the murder charge and up to 10 years on the second-degree manslaughter.

The charges come less than four days after the incident. Chauvin and three other police officers involved in the arrest were fired from the police department earlier this week.

Footage that recorded the arrest showed Floyd had told the officers that he cant breathe before his body went motionless. According to a Minneapolis Fire Department report (pdf), Floyd was unresponsive and pulseless when being transported into an ambulance by paramedics from the site of his arrest to the hospital.

Minneapolis police said in a statement on May 26 that officers were responding to a report of forgery when the man resisted. According to the statement, Floyd died after suffering medical distress.

A preliminary autopsy conducted by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner revealed that there was no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation but a combination of being restrained by police, his underlying health conditions, and potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to the mans death, according to the criminal complaint.

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald and FBI Special Agent in Charge Rainer Drolshagen said in a joint statement that they were conducting a robust criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding Floyds death and has made the probe a top priority.

Isabel Van Brugen contributed to this report.
By Natalia Zinets and Matthias Williams

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine is expecting the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to approve a $5 billion (4 billion) loan package on June 5 and to disburse the first tranche of $1.9 billion the next day, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal told Reuters on Friday.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said Ukraine risked defaulting without the money, which Shmygal said he expected to be approved at an IMF board meeting. Kiev struggled for months to pass the reforms the fund was asking for amid concerns over corruption and influence-peddling.

The country's precarious financial position and horse-trading over reform comes at a time when Zelenskiy is trying to negotiate with Russia, which annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014 and backed a pro-Russian uprising in eastern Ukraine.

The IMF declined to comment on Shmygal's statement. His remarks offered the most precise timing the government has yet given for when it expects the disbursement of the IMF loan tranches, money the government sorely needs to weather an economic shock caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Today, together with the president, we will have a phone call with Mrs Kristalina [Georgieva], the head of the IMF. The board meeting will be held on June 5, and probably on June 6 Ukrainian time we expect to receive the tranche," he said.

The second tranche, worth $1.6 billion, is expected from September onwards and the third tranche, of $1.5 billion, would come next year, Shmygal said. Ukraine additionally expects to receive 600 million euros from the European Union shortly after the first IMF tranche.

SHARP ECONOMIC DECLINE

Shmygal also disclosed a preliminary estimate for economic growth in the second quarter of this year, saying gross domestic product could fall by 12%.

The government has previously said the economy would shrink by nearly 5% for the full year.

The government expects the second quarter to be the worst affected, and Shmygal said Ukraine could bounce back to growth of 3.6-4% next year.

Story continues

Ukraine moved quickly to impose lockdown measures in March to contain the coronavirus pandemic. It has recorded fewer cases than much of western Europe, but many businesses were either closed or restricted.

The prime minister also said that the government would not restrict wheat exports for the next two months, even though the quota the government previously agreed with traders has been exhausted.

Ukraine is one of the world's top grain exporters and had previously signalled it might not allow exports beyond the quota. But Shmygal said the additional overseas sales were a vital source of foreign exchange and a way to support farmers.

The sharp economic downturn caused by the pandemic had also focused attention on Ukraine's ability to service its debts this year.

Shmygal said the government had repaid a $1 billion Eurobond this week, which he said "shows that we can and are able to service external and internal debt absolutely calmly."

"The support of our creditor partners is necessary for Ukraine for economic development," he said.

Ukraine was able to repay the money without dipping into central bank reserves, which stand at $26.2 billion, he said.

While Ukraine continues to borrow on the domestic market, "today, in the current situation, there is no urgent need to go to foreign markets and borrow there, firstly because the situation is unfavourable."

(Editing by Andrew Osborn and Frances Kerry)
WASHINGTON - Democrats announced Friday that they are expanding their investigation into the firing of State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, part of an effort to find out more about President Donald Trumps moves to sideline several independent government watchdogs.

The Democrats plan to interview officials in the administration who may have more information about Linicks abrupt dismissal on May 15, including about whether Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recommended the firing for retaliatory reasons. Pompeo has denied Linicks firing was retaliatory but has not given specific reasons for his dismissal.

If Secretary Pompeo pushed for Mr. Linicks dismissal to cover up his own misconduct, that would constitute an egregious abuse of power and a clear attempt to avoid accountability, the Democrats said in a joint statement.

The investigation is being led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., House Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. They said they will release transcripts shortly after each interview.

Democrats and some Republicans have pushed the administration for more answers about the firings, but the White House has provided few, simply stating the dismissals were well within Trumps authority.

Pompeo said after the firing that he had been concerned about the inspector generals work for some time and that he regretted not calling for his dismissal earlier. He said he recommended to Trump that Linick be terminated.

Linick is one of several inspectors general whom Trump has removed from office, sparking outrage among Democrats who say the administration is undermining government accountability. Linick was an Obama administration appointee whose office was critical of what it saw as political bias in the State Departments current management but had also taken issue with Democratic appointees.

He also played a small role in Trumps impeachment last year. In October, Linick turned over documents to House investigators that he had received from a close Pompeo associate that contained information from debunked conspiracy theories about Ukraines role in the 2016 U.S. election. Democrats were probing Trumps pressure on Ukraine to investigate Democrats.

Linick is the second inspector general to be fired who was involved with the impeachment process. Michael Atkinson, the former inspector general for the intelligence community, triggered the impeachment probe when he alerted Congress about a whistleblower complaint that described a call between Trump and Ukraines president last summer. Trump fired Atkinson in April, saying he had lost confidence in him.

Engel and Menendez earlier demanded that administration officials preserve and turn over all records related to Linicks dismissal. They said they have received no information so far.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has said the White House is legally required to provide more answers to Congress about the firings and gave Trump a deadline to give them. But in a letter to Grassley this week, the administration offered no new details about why they were let go.

The response from White House counsel Pat Cipollone said that Trump has the authority to remove inspectors general, that he appropriately alerted Congress and that he selected qualified officials as replacements.

When the President loses confidence in an inspector general, he will exercise his constitutional right and duty to remove that officer  as did President Reagan when he removed inspectors general upon taking office and as did President Obama when he was in office, Cipollone wrote.

The president also moved to replace the chief watchdog at the Department of Health and Human Services, Christi Grimm, who testified that her office was moving ahead with new reports and audits on the departments response to the coronavirus pandemic despite Trumps public criticism of her.

In addition, Trump demoted acting Defence Department Inspector General Glenn Fine, effectively removing him as head of a special board to oversee auditing of the coronavirus economic relief package. Fine later resigned.
Altman Vilandrie & Company report shows more than half of U.S. business use SD-WAN Despite all the hype, SD-WAN has shown itself to be less of a game-changer and more of a steady, efficient team player.

More than half of U.S. businesses are using SD-WAN technology, according to a new report from Altman Vilandrie & Company. But despite its solid implementation rate and growth potential, the report shows that SD-WAN will be more evolutionary than revolutionary, with seven out of ten IT buyers still holding on to legacy networking technologies SD-WAN was intended to replace. The report, produced in partnership with Bank Street, features analysis from a survey of 300 U.S. IT decision-makers ranging from small-midsized businesses (SMB) and large enterprise firms.

SD-WAN was expected to revolutionize how businesses network and communicate, said Altman Vilandrie & Company Principal Mat Grudzien, who oversaw the report. Despite all the hype, at least so far SD-WAN has shown itself to be less of a game-changer and more of a steady, efficient team player.

The survey revealed that 52% of U.S. business have adopted some form of SD-WAN technology. Larger enterprises, like national (79%) and global (77%) businesses, have adopted SD-WAN at much higher rates than smaller firms.

As SD-WAN adoption has grown, MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) systems have stuck around, and many IT purchasers say these legacy systems remain integral to their strategies. According to the report, around 70% of SD-WAN buyers report that they still purchase MPLS. Similarly, while SD-WAN allows for easier in-house control and management of a companys network, approximately 65% of buyers report that they are buying SD-WAN as a solution from a managed service provider, as opposed to taking a do-it-yourself approach to management.

This hybrid approach, in part, has tempered costs savings for SD-WAN deployment compared to the expected massive cost reductions touted at the launch of this new technology. The report shows that more than half of buyers deploying hybrid MPLS / SD-WAN networks are only expecting to save 1%-25% on connectivity costs relative to their pre-SD-WAN spend, with few expecting more significant cost savings.

The early hype of SD-WAN has been tempered by the reality of cost savings that have been far smaller than some originally projected, said Atman Vilandrie & Company Director Stefan Bewley. Still, even with more modest costs savings, the increased control and operational simplification should continue to drive solid adoption rates into the future.

While the survey was taken before the COVID-19 outbreak started, Grudzien noted that the work from home trends and social distancing restrictions born from the pandemic could impact the future adoption rate of SD-WAN.

Our survey found that enterprise customers appreciate that SD-WAN doesnt require in-person installation, particularly for far-flung regional branches, said Grudzien. This is important now: with our homes currently serving as local branches for millions of companies, opportunities exist for SD-WAN to enable this new type of a remote workplace. With that said, it is unlikely many IT departments will undergo large overhauls in the current environment, which may delay the SD-WAN tailwind.

Altman Vilandrie & Company and Bank Street are planning to collaborate on updated survey and report on SD-WAN for later this year. To see the entire report, please visit http://www.altvil.com.

About Altman Vilandrie & Company

Altman Vilandrie & Company is a strategy consulting group that focuses on the telecom, media, technology, and investor sectors. The companys consultants are experienced in strategy, marketing, finance, M&A, technology, regulatory and operations disciplines. Based in Boston, with offices in New York City and San Francisco, Altman Vilandrie & Company enables clients to seize new opportunities, navigate mounting challenges, improve business performance and increase investor value within complex and converging industries.

Ninety percent of the boutique firms corporate clients are large- to mid-cap companies including service providers, technology and software developers, and media companies. Altman Vilandrie & Companys financial clients include many of the largest and most prominent investors in the telecom, media, and technology markets.

About Bank Street

Bank Street provides insightful and objective advice to help corporate and institutional clients achieve their financial and strategic goals. Bank Street is a private investment banking firm primarily serving growth companies in the communications, media, and technology sectors with a comprehensive array of services, including Merger & Acquisition Advisory, Debt and Equity Financing, and Restructuring Advisory. The firms senior professionals leverage a combination of extensive transaction experience and deep industry expertise to deliver outstanding results for its clients.
San Francisco, May 29 : Twitter on Friday sounded an all-out war against US President Donald Trump by flagging a fresh tweet from him that violated Twitter policies about glorifying violence.

Twitter placed a public interest notice on the latest Tweet from Trump that read: "....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!" The micro-blogging platform said this Tweet violates its policies regarding the glorification of violence "based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today".

The public interest notice read: "This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public's interest for the Tweet to remain accessible".

"People will be able to Retweet with Comment, but will not be able to Like, Reply or Retweet" this particular Trump tweet in question.

"We've taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts, but have kept the Tweet on Twitter because it is important that the public still be able to see the Tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance," explained Twitter.

The latest Twitter action came after Trump hit back against social media platforms with an executive order on "preventing online censorship" and skewering Twitter for "political bias", after Twitter fact-checked his earlier tweets.

Trump's actions seek to blunt Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act which generally protects internet companies from legal liability for user comments.

Trump's offensive came on the back of fact checks by Twitter which took the form of a hyperlink that tagged onto exactly two of Trump's tweets and said "Get the facts about mail-in ballots".
The Rotary Club of St. Vincent demonstrated its commitment to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by donating 2,500 masks at a ceremony held at the Grenadine House on Monday, May 25, 2020, in full observance of personal hygiene and physical distancing protocols. Presentations of KN95 masks as well as non-surgical grade masks were made to seven organisations where front-line workers serve on a daily basis.





The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, The Customs and Excise Department, The Thompson Home, The Kingstown Town Board, The Ministry of Health  Public Health Workers including Sanitation Workers, The Lewis Punnett Home and the Vincentian Transportation Association, were all recipients of masks donated by the Rotary Club of St. Vincent, valued at EC$7,000.00.





Delivering brief remarks, President of the Rotary Club of St. Vincent, Reuben John, affirmed the Clubs commitment to service throughout our local community, and the mandate to provide continued meaningful support to the Vincentian citizens at a time such as this, as we work together to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.





Representatives of the various organisations in attendance expressed gratitude to the Rotary Club of St. Vincent, noting that the donation of masks was quite timely as existing resources were low and the need for the masks will continue to be high especially as we learn to adjust to life amidst these new norms.





Commissioner of Police Collin John, on receipt of the packages for the RSVGPF, expressed gratitude on behalf of the Officers who are on the front line, working tirelessly to ensure the continued safety of our nations citizens. Other recipients present included Ms Leanna James, Deputy Comptroller of the Customs and Excise Department; Mrs Annelle Thomas, President of the Thompson Home Board; Mr Cuthbert Knights, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Environment; Mrs Ann Williams and Mrs Annis Daniel-Johnson of the Kingstown Town Board on behalf of the local Vendors.




May 29 : Sometimes the role given to our actors require more than just great acting skills. It is the makeup that do wonders and our actors with that makeup walk so convincingly into someone's else shoes that the performances become worth watching! Sumeet Vyas shared throwback photos and video with the audience from the sets of his web show 'The Verdict- State vs Nanavati' where he played the role of the famous Ram Jethmalani.

Sharing the video of how he used to get transformed into the famous lawyer Ram Jethmalani's character he wrote, "#transformers #theverdictstatevsnanavati @ektakapoor #postlockdownlook"

The producer of the show Ekta Kapoor also replied to his post and said, "U were so so good."

The Verdict- State vs Nanavati is a mystery web series that revolves around 1959 Indian Judiciary case K.M. Nanavati v. State of Maharasthra where an Indian Naval Command Officer, Kawas Nanvati is accused of murder of Prem Ahuja. Akshay Kumar starrer film 'Rustom' was also loosely based on this case.

'Permanent Roommates' star Sumeet Vyas played the role of famous lawyer Ram Jethmalani in the web show. The show was produced by Ekta Kapoor for her online streaming platform AltBalaji. It is also available on Zee5.

Sumeet Vyas got married to actress Ekta Kaul in 2018 and the couple is now expecting their first child. The couple has been sharing photos and videos amidst the lockdown of how eagerly they are waiting for their child to come to this world.
We dont want nobody that nobody sent is the most famous phrase on Chicago-style corruption.

But a lesser-known saying from the Daley machine explains the ongoing drama about whether state lawmakers just gave themselves an $1,800 pay raise in the middle of a pandemic.

Dont make no waves, dont back no losers.

Illinois lawmakers are still likely to receive a $1,800 pay raise. But some have tried their best to make no waves by giving themselves cover from backlash.

It didnt work.

Average Illinoisans  1.1 million of whom are jobless  were outraged to the point where Comptroller Susana Mendoza released a video this week assuring the public that lawmakers would be getting $0 in pay raises this year.

Kudos to Mendoza for standing up against political pay raises.

Theres just one problem: Its not her choice to make. The state comptroller does not create a budget and decide who gets paid and who doesnt, she simply pays the bills for the state. Members of the General Assembly and the governor are the ones who create a budget and make it law.

And by refusing to reform the law, Statehouse Democrats decided to make $1,800 political pay raises more likely than not.

Follow along closely to understand how.

At the tail end of his term, former Gov. Pat Quinn tried to withhold lawmaker paychecks to pressure them into passing pension reform. House Speaker Mike Madigan didnt take kindly to a governor wielding this kind of power over his members. So, along with then-Senate President John Cullerton, he passed a new law defining lawmaker pay and pay raises as a continuing appropriation. A continuing appropriation is like a bill that automatically gets paid each month, with or without a budget.

That means it doesnt matter whether the governor uses his veto power to zero out appropriations for lawmaker raises. And it doesnt matter if lawmakers pass a budget appropriating $0 to raises.

The Illinois law says the money shall be paid even if aggregate appropriations made available are insufficient to meet the levels required and for any reason.

In order to stop the raises, lawmakers must pass a new law specifically prohibiting them. They could also pass a law removing automatic raises from the definition of compensation, which the Illinois Supreme Court has ruled.

From fiscal years 2014-2019, they did the former. Lawmakers included specific language in the budget to stop their own pay raises.

This year they didnt.

Under the law, appropriating $0 and touting a handshake agreement with the comptrollers office is not enough to stop lawmaker pay hikes. But thats what lawmakers did.

Imagine if the General Assembly verbally agreed to stop paying retirees pension payments. Or if lawmakers decided to budget $0 to pay the electric bills for the Capitol complex.

The [pay raises] are on autopilot, wrote Rich Miller of the Springfield political blog Capitol Fax. They have to vote themselves to stop it from happening.

If Pritzker and state lawmakers fail to pass a law prohibiting lawmaker pay raises this year  and Mendoza doesnt cut larger checks for lawmaker pay  they will expose Illinois taxpayers to expensive lawsuits from aggrieved politicians.

Who would be brazen enough to sue for political backpay during a pandemic?

Do not underestimate state lawmakers. Especially after they retire.

In 2016, a group of Democratic members of the House of Representatives successfully sued to get paid during the states budget impasse. More recently, two retired state lawmakers sued for backpay for every year the General Assembly voted to freeze their own pay. Some lawmakers are using that lawsuit  which is still ongoing  as a justification for why they didnt pass a bill stopping their pay raises this year.

Again, make no waves.

This argument ignores the fact that there was legislation on the table to reform the system  ensuring Illinoisans were protected from political pay raises going forward.

The General Assembly could have solved the recurring problem of legislative pay increases in this past session, said State Sen. Craig Wilcox, R-McHenry.

Unfortunately for Illinois taxpayers, my legislation never received a vote.

Wilcox introduced a bill back in February to permanently end automatic pay raises for lawmakers. But Senate Bill 3607 died in the Senate Assignments Committee without a hearing.

If lawmakers were serious about stopping pay hikes, they would have passed a bill specifically stopping the raises, dared anyone to sue (and taken it all the way up to the Illinois Supreme Court if necessary), and passed a statute ending all automatic pay hikes for future General Assemblies.

Instead, Illinoisans got a half-hearted song and dance that could end with raises for politicians as their constituents cant find jobs.

This entire drama is uncomfortable for rank-and-file Democrats in Springfield.

Some surely would not have voted to hike their pay this year after voting for a $1,600 pay hike last year, which Pritzker signed into law. They are the fifth-highest paid state lawmakers in the nation  and the highest paid among any full-time lite state lawmakers.

But a failure in leadership means theyre now forced to defend actions that will not stand up to scrutiny in court.

For the rest of Illinois, make no mistake:

State lawmakers did not protect you from political pay raises.

They just made it harder to follow the money.

Austin Berg is a Chicago-based writer with the Illinois Policy Institute who wrote this column for The Center Square. He can be reached at aberg@illinoispolicy.org.
President Donald Trump (right) holds up a copy of the New York Post with a cover story about fact-checkers of his tweets as Attorney General William Barr looks on. Read more

Twitter escalated tensions with President Donald Trump on Friday, adding a warning to one of his tweets for the first time and saying he violated the platforms rules by glorifying violence when he suggested protesters in Minneapolis could be shot.

Trump has been railing against the company since earlier this week, when it for the first time applied fact checks to two of his tweets. Those were about mail-in ballots.

The flap comes at a fraught moment for Twitter and social media more generally. Debate is heating up about when and how much these companies should police the content on their platforms as coronavirus misinformation swirls and the 2020 U.S. presidential election looms.

For Trump, the feud with Twitter serves as a convenient distraction from major challenges he faces heading into November, such as controlling a pandemic and dealing with soaring unemployment.

The Trump tweet that was flagged Friday came amid days of violent protests over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer kneeled on his neck.

"These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen," Trump tweeted about the protesters. "Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

The comment evoked the civil-rights era by borrowing a phrase used in 1967 by Miami's police chief to warn of an aggressive police response to unrest in black neighborhoods.

Twitter did not remove the tweet, saying it had determined it might be in the public interest to have it remain accessible. But the tweet was hidden so that a user looking at Trump's timeline would have to click on the warning to see the original tweet. Hiding it also effectively demotes the tweet by limiting how users can retweet it and ensuring that Twitter algorithms don't recommend it.

Twitter said Friday it posted the warning label on Trump's tweet "based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today," but left it up "given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance."

A tweet using the same language as Trump's was later posted on the official White House Twitter account, and Twitter eventually put a warning on that too. It was also posted on Facebook, which hasn't taken any visible action on it.

Twitter taking a harder line than Facebook on Trump's posts likely has something to do with Twitter's decision last year to stop taking political ads, said Melissa Ryan, CEO of consultancy group Card Strategies, which researches online disinformation and right-wing extremism.

She said the coronavirus pandemic has also led Twitter to inch toward stronger enforcement of its policies at the same time that Trump's tweets have "amped up in terms of crazy and intensity and disinformation."

"Twitter and Trump have been playing a game of chicken," Ryan said. "It feels like they've both been moving toward this for a while."

Trump took to Twitter to complain, calling multiple times for the revocation of Section 230, part of a 1996 law overhauling telecommunications. That section generally protects social media platforms from liability for material users post on their platforms. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order challenging those protections.

The order directs executive branch agencies to ask independent rule-making agencies including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to study whether they can place new regulations on the companies, though experts express doubts much can be done without an act of Congress.

The president and fellow conservatives have claimed for years that Silicon Valley tech companies are biased against them. But there is no evidence for this, and while the executives and many employees of Twitter, Facebook and Google may lean liberal, the companies have stressed they have no business interest in favoring one political party over the other.

Twitter first outlined in early 2018 that it wouldn't block world leaders from the platform or remove their controversial tweets. But it announced nearly a year ago that it could apply warning labels and obscure the tweets of world leaders if they used their accounts to threaten or abuse others. That followed complaints from Trump critics that the president has gotten a free pass from Twitter to post hateful messages and attack his enemies in ways they say could lead to violence.

Twitter further clarified its rules in October, saying it will enforce its policies against any user who makes clear and direct threats of violence against a person, but carving out an exception for government officials' "foreign policy saber-rattling on economic or military issues."

The earlier tweets that Twitter flagged were not hidden but did come with an option to "get the facts about mail-in ballots," a link that led to fact checks and news stories by media organizations. Those tweets called mail-in ballots "fraudulent" and predicted that "mail boxes will be robbed," among other things.

Twitter's decision to flag Trump's tweets came as the president continued to use the platform to push a debunked conspiracy theory accusing MSNBC host and former congressman Joe Scarborough of killing a staffer in his Florida congressional office in 2001. Medical officials determined the staffer had an undiagnosed heart condition, passed out and hit her head as she fell.

Scarborough, who was in Washington, not Florida, at the time, has urged the president to stop his baseless attacks. The staffer's husband also recently demanded that Twitter remove the tweets. The company issued a statement expressing its regret to the husband but so far has taken no other action.

Twitter's decision also likely will be seized upon outside the U.S. to scrutinize the social media behavior of other world leaders. Israel has been waging its own pressure campaign on the company over it allowing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to have an account.

In a letter dated Sunday, an Israeli official wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey complaining about Khamenei tweets that repeated comments he made in a recent speech in support of Palestinians that called Israel a "cancerous growth" that will be "uprooted and destroyed."

On the other hand, the company has removed tweets related to the coronavirus from the leaders of Brazil and Venezuela, and says it will remove content that has a call to action that poses a threat to people's health or well being.

It has also previously used the warning label for an elected official, Brazilian politician Osmar Terra, who tweeted that quarantine increases the spread of the virus.

AP writers Tali Arbel in New York and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
In her 68-year reign as the head of the British monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II has met a lot of world leaders. However, only one president really stood out, and that is former U.S. President Barack Obama.

After a year in the office, then-President Obama and his wife Michelle Obama met the Queen for the first time in 2009. Two years later, the power couple returned to the U.K in spring to once again meet the longest-reigning monarch together with Prince Philip.They were also introduced to Prince William and Duchess Kate.

Following this, a former royal staff told royal author Tom Quinn that Her Majesty has developed a special friendship with the Obamas through the years.

"The Queen has a soft spot for Americans after meeting Barack Obama who she completely fell in love with," the insider told Quinn.

In his new book "Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle," the royal staffer also mentioned that the Queen even requested the former president to visit London. "She has frequently asked her courtiers if they could arrange for him to come to Britain now he is no longer president."

Former First Lady Michelle Obama Broke The Royal Procol

Interestingly, during their first visits to Buckingham Palace, the former first lady was not aware of the royal protocol and caused a stir after she was photographed putting her arm around the Queen.

In her 2018 memoir "Becoming," she addressed the said incident and joked about having sore feet after a day of wearing heels.

"We were just two tired ladies oppressed by our shoes," Michelle said.

The former first lady added that she was surprised that the monarch had been taken aback.

"If I hadn't done the proper thing at Buckingham Palace, I had at least done the human thing," she wrote. "I daresay that the Queen was okay with it, too, because when I touched her, she only pulled closer, resting a gloved hand lightly on the small of my back."

The Queen Doesn't Mind Being Hugged By Michelle Obama

On the other hand, Her Majesty's longtime dressmaker and friend Angela Kelly revealed in her book "The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser, and the Wardrobe," that the two powerful women shared an instant and "mutual warmth."

She also pointed out that the Queen was happy to embrace the first lady as she "showed affection and respect" for Michelle.

"In reality, it was a natural instinct for the Queen to show affection and respect for another great woman and really there is no protocol that must be adhered to," Kelly said.

In her interview with Hello, she shared that Her Majesty has the capability "to make everyone feel so relaxed" and that was what the former first lady felt when she first met the Queen.

"Supposedly, you should never put your arm around the Queen, for example, but when human instincts kick in, sometimes this is absolutely the appropriate thing to do," Kelly added.
A Rajya Sabha Secretariat official tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday, the fourth such case reported in the Parliament complex so far, sources told PTI here. Out of the four, three were found to have contracted the infection after Parliament resumed operations on May 3 when Lockdown 2.0 ended and were on duty.

The director-level officer, who attended work on May 28, was found positive for the infection along with his family members, they said. Two floors of the Parliament's Annexe building have been sealed, the sources added. This is the second case of an official ...
Car dealer Hooman Nissani, above in 2017, is being investigated by the Los Angeles city attorney over allegations involving his company's business practices. (Ringo Chiu / ZUMA Wire/Alamy Live News)

Hooman Nissani, one of Southern California's most prominent car dealers, responded to my column last week about him towing away people's cars amid the COVID-19 pandemic by insisting he's gotten a bad rap.

He said that "while one unhappy customer is one too many," the people I interviewed and the many others who have posted complaints online "constitute a small percentage of the customers we have served."

"We have a good reputation with our customers," Nissani told me.

Former employees of his dealerships tell a different story.

They say the company routinely engaged in questionable practices, including not paying off loans for trade-in vehicles in the time required by the state and failing to install extra features that customers paid for, such as special coating to protect paint.

Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer told me his office has joined other law-enforcement agencies in investigating Nissani.

"We take these allegations very seriously," he said. "We have already been in touch with our justice system partners about this business and its practices. We cant comment further on this pending investigation right now."

Feuer declined to specify which other agencies are involved.

Carol Schwab, the city attorney for Culver City, said her office focuses on municipal matters and "does not investigate or prosecute state law crimes." But she said she would cooperate with the L.A. city attorney's investigation.

Nissani denied that the alleged practices occurred but said that, if they did, neither he nor his managers were aware of them.

"If these practices are occurring, they are unacceptable, and we will take the necessary measures to ensure they stop and that the people involved are appropriately dealt with, including termination," he said. "We intend to undertake an investigation."

Nissani made headlines last year after being ordered to pay $2.4 million in back pay and penalties to settle what state officials called Californias largest wage-theft case against a carwash company. The business failed to pay minimum wage and overtime to 64 workers over three years.

Story continues

I reported that Nissani had nearly a dozen cars towed from his now-closed Hyundai dealership on the border of Playa Vista and Culver City, apparently without warning, and the customers who had brought in their vehicles for service were slapped with thousands of dollars in fees from the towing company.

Jim Trainor, a Hyundai spokesman, said Nissani "moved vehicles that had been dropped off for service to an off-site facility in order to vacate the property, without informing Hyundai nor the customers who had vehicles at the dealership for service and repair."

He said Nissani ended his relationship with the carmaker shortly afterward, on April 6. Nissani had been a Hyundai dealer since November 2013, Trainor said.

Nissani disputed that any bad blood existed between himself and Hyundai. He said he closed the dealership to use the property for other purposes. (It's being developed as office space for Amazon, the former employees said; Nissani declined to comment on his plans.)

Nissani insisted I had "mischaracterized" Trainor's comments the first time around. He acknowledged drafting a letter he wanted Hyundai to submit to the Los Angeles Times disavowing my earlier column.

"I have no idea why Hyundai refused to do so," Nissani said.

Perhaps I can help.

"There was nothing in my statements to you that was mischaracterized," Trainor told me.

He said the carmaker stands by its earlier position that Nissani had towed people's cars away without telling Hyundai or the customers.

A lawyer representing Nissani on Wednesday wrote to Hyundai's regional general manager, Bob Kenney, with a threat of legal action if the company didn't retract Trainor's earlier comments.

Trainor once again told me he stands by what he said.

I heard from numerous Nissani customers after my column ran last week. They shared their own negative experiences with the car dealer, whose remaining lots continue to sell Chevrolet, Chrysler and Nissan vehicles, among other brands.

I also connected with former Nissani employees who, to put it nicely, were less than enthusiastic about Nissani's business practices.

"It wasn't a secret what was happening," said Sina Afhami, 27, who said he worked on and off for Nissani since 2017 and was furloughed because of the coronavirus from his job as a floor manager at Nissani Brothers Chevrolet in Culver City. He said he quit the dealership May 22.

"We always had people walking into the showroom yelling at the top of their lungs," he said. "We got served all the time with court papers."

A common complaint from customers, Afhami said, was the dealership failing to promptly pay off the loans of trade-in vehicles. Under California law, a dealer has 21 days to fulfill such obligations.

Failure to do so can result in the customer being responsible for loan payments for a vehicle he or she no longer owns. It also can damage the customer's credit score.

"We wouldn't pay until the customer threatened to go to court," Afhami said.

Gustavo Oceguera, 30, who said he served until April as finance manager of Nissani Brothers Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Playa Vista, said that such delayed payments were a normal business practice.

"Every single trade-in we took in, it would take two or three months for us to pay off the loan," he said.

"I would tell management that I'm getting threats from clients," Oceguera recalled. "They'd just give me the runaround. It was about keeping the money for as long as possible."

Amy Kimmelman of Santa Monica thinks the same.

She told me she traded in her 2017 Honda CR-V EX-L on Feb. 13 at Nissani's Hyundai lot. Her contract said Nissani's dealership would pay off Kimmelman's outstanding lease with Honda within 21 days.

Kimmelman, 57, said Nissani's dealership never made the payment, and she's been receiving increasingly angry calls from Honda demanding some money and threatening to report her to the credit bureaus.

"I called management at Hyundai repeatedly," she said. "A manager would never get on the phone. Then the receptionist just started hanging up on me."

Nissani told me his dealership did everything right. He sent me a copy of a check from the dealership to Honda and a Fed Ex receipt indicating it was delivered March 5. He blamed Honda for the payment snafu and said everything was resolved as of May 18.

Kimmelman said she's still struggling to restore what had been a top-notch credit score.

Oceguera said he cc'd Nissani on all his email correspondence with customers to make sure the boss was aware of what was happening.

The former employees told me Nissani kept a close eye on his lots.

"Hooman sees all," said E.J. Massey, 39, who said he worked in various capacities for Nissani from 2014 to 2017, including as a mechanic at the Chrysler dealership. "He always knows what's going on."

Massey described doing repairs on trade-in and repossessed vehicles. He said he and other mechanics would fix any obvious problems, such as a sunroof that wouldn't open.

But if there was an issue that a used-car buyer might not be able to easily spot, such as faulty brakes or a leaking transmission, Massey said, "the managers would tell us not to do anything, just sell it as-is."

"You think you're getting a car from a reputable place with Hyundai or Chrysler on the sign, but we were definitely sending out cars that we knew needed work," he said.

Afhami, the former floor manager, said he and other employees would embellish customers' loan documents to make them appear more creditworthy to lenders.

"They might say they worked for Burger King," he said. "We'd say they were the manager of a Burger King."

The former employees also said salespeople at Nissani dealerships would be pushed by management to sell extra features such as paint coating, GPS trackers and door protectors. These add-ons could run as much as $1,700 combined.

"Some customers got them, but not everyone," said Johnny Salinas, 24, who said he handled online sales for Nissani Brothers Chevrolet until he left the company in April. He's now suing Nissani for back pay, as is Afhami.

"We'd sell the GPS and the door trim," Salinas said, "but it never got installed."

He said that "upper management kept telling us things would get better. It didn't."

I passed along these allegations to Nissani, who took them seriously enough that he brought in Michael Sitrick, a well-known communications and crisis-management consultant based in L.A.

Nissani refused to speak with me over the phone. He insisted all questions and answers be handled by email. He included Sitrick, who confirmed his involvement, on the correspondence.

"This is the first I have heard of any of these assertions," Nissani said. "I do not run these dealerships. Each dealership has a management team.

"Having said that, it is highly unlikely much of what was alleged occurred; many if not all of the assertions are just plain wrong."

Nissani said each of the former employees I spoke with had been fired, demoted "or both." He described them as "disgruntled" and challenged that any of the men would have been in a position to have specific knowledge of any alleged wrongdoing.

Nissani said he didn't tow any cars from the Hyundai lot until he had ended his relationship with Hyundai, which he said was as of March 20, not April 6 as the carmaker says.

In response, Hyundai's Trainor reiterated that the cars were towed "prior to the closing of the dealership."

An invoice from the towing company shows at least one of the cars was moved on April 4  two days before Hyundai said Nissani officially ended his relationship with the carmaker.

Nissani said his own records indicate the dealership made multiple efforts to contact everyone whose car was towed. He provided dates on which he said calls were made to the two customers I interviewed.

Both customers  Olivia Vera, 26, and Jared Scott-Ransom, 26  checked their phones again and told me they received no such calls on the dates in question and no messages were left by the dealership. Both said their cellphone was the only number the dealership was given.

Nissani also contradicted Trainor in saying he, and not Hyundai, immediately took steps to rescue the towed vehicles from a Long Beach storage yard and pay all outstanding fees.

Trainor said the carmaker paid the bills and moved the cars to South Bay Hyundai in Torrance, where I confirmed they were being serviced.

Nissani said he and his managers would never tolerate unethical behavior at his dealerships and would fire any employee who engaged in such practices.

He said that if the loan on a trade-in was unpaid or accessories weren't installed, it was probably the customer's fault for bouncing a check or failing to show up for a service appointment. Delaying loan payments on trade-ins wouldn't make sense, Nissani said, because the dealership would be on the hook for any interest.

He said there are safeguards in place that would prevent the practices described by the former workers, including embellishing loan documents and overlooking certain repairs on used cars. Lenders wouldn't have accepted such documents, he said, and the dealership performs 121-point inspections.

"We have thousands of people who have worked for us over the years, and there are some who, unfortunately, remain bitter over getting let go  regardless of the reason," he said.

Even though Nissani said he will take "necessary measures" to end any questionable practices, he said "it is patently false that senior management or I instructed or even knew of the practices noted above  if they happened, which is highly unlikely."

In which case, he has nothing to fear from the investigation by the city attorney and other agencies.
New Delhi, May 29 : The Supreme Court will hear a plea on June 2 seeking direction to the Centre to amend the Constitution and change the name of the country from India to 'Bharat'. The plea claimed that this will help citizens of the country get over the colonial past and instil a sense of pride in their nationality.

The petitioner, a Delhi-based man, argued that the time is ripe to recognise the country by its original and authentic name, Bharat, especially when the cities have been renamed in accordance with Indian ethos.

The plea contended that the purpose of the amendment to Article 1 will ensure "the citizens of this country to get over the colonial past." "The removal of the English name, though appears symbolic, will instil a sense of pride in our nationality, especially for the future generations. In fact, replacing India with Bharat would justify the hard fought freedom achieved by our ancestors," the plea said.

The petition was listed on Friday before a bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde, but it got deleted, as he was not available. The next hearing on the matter is scheduled on June 2 before a bench headed by the Chief Justice, as per the notice uploaded on the website of the apex court.

The plea, citing the 1948 Constituent Assembly debate on Article 1 of the then draft Constitution, argued that even at that time, there was a "strong wave" in favour of naming the country as Bharat or 'Hindustan'.

The plea said the facts constituting the cause of action was the failure on the part of the Centre to do away with the symbol of slavery by using the name India instead of Bharat or Hindustan.

"The nature of injury being caused to the public is the loss of identity and ethos as inheritors of the hard-won freedom from foreign rule," the plea contended.
The white Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyds neck was arrested and charged with murder Friday, and authorities imposed an overnight curfew to try to stem three nights of often-violent protests that left dozens of stores burned and looted.

Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the case. He was also accused of ignoring another officer at the scene who expressed concerns about the black man as he lay handcuffed on the ground, pleading that he could not breathe. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill at a small grocery store.

An attorney for Floyds family welcomed the arrest, but said he expected a more serious murder charge and wants all four officers involved to be arrested.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said more charges were possible. He said the investigation into the other three officers continues, but authorities felt it appropriate to focus on the most dangerous perpetrator.

Meanwhile, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey declared a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The order said no one can be out in public except emergency responders and people seeking medical care, fleeing danger or those who are homeless.

I know that whatever hope you feel today is tempered with skepticism and a righteous outrage," Frey said in a statement. Todays decision from the County Attorney is an essential first step on a longer road toward justice and healing our city.

According to the criminal complaint, Chauvin allegedly disregarded the concerns of another officer, who wanted to roll Floyd onto his side as he was being held down.

The papers also said that an autopsy revealed nothing to support strangulation as the cause of death. The exam concluded that the combined effects of being restrained, potential intoxicants in Floyds system and his underlying health issues, including heart disease, likely contributed to his death. Floyd's family was seeking an independent autopsy.

Police were trying to put Floyd in a squad car when he stiffened up and fell to the ground, saying he was claustrophobic, the complaint said. Chauvin and officer Tou Thoa arrived to help and tried several times to get the struggling Floyd into the car, it said.

At one point, Chauvin pulled Floyd out of the car's passenger side, and Floyd, who was handcuffed, went to the ground face down. Officer J.K. Kueng held Floyd's back, and officer Thomas Lane held his legs, while Chauvin put his knee on Floyd's head and neck area, the complaint said.

When Lane asked if Floyd should be rolled onto his side Chauvin said, No, staying put is where we got him." Lane said he was worried about excited delirium or whatever," and Chauvin replied, That's why we have him on his stomach," according to the complaint.

After Floyd apparently stopped breathing, Lane again said he wanted to roll Chauvin onto his side. Kueng checked for a pulse and said he could not find one, the complaint said.

In all, Chauvin had his knee on Floyd's neck for 8 minutes, 46 seconds, including nearly three minutes after Floyd stopped moving and talking, according to the complaint.

Chauvin's attorney had no comment when reached by The Associated Press.

Freeman, whose home has been picketed by protesters, highlighted the extraordinary speed in charging the case just four days after Floyds death, but also defended himself against questions about why it did not happen sooner. He said his office needed time to put together evidence, including what he called the horrible video recorded by a bystander.

All four officers at the scene of Floyd's arrest on Monday were fired the next day. After the charges were announced, protesters outside government offices chanted, All four got to go.

It was not immediately clear whether Chauvin's arrest would quiet the unrest, which escalated again Thursday night as demonstrators burned a Minneapolis police station soon after officers abandoned it.

Protests also spread across the U.S., fueled by outrage over Floyds death, and years of violence against African Americans at the hands of police. Demonstrators clashed with officers in New York and blocked traffic in Columbus, Ohio, and Denver.

News of the arrest came moments after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz acknowledged the abject failure of the response to the protests and called for swift justice for the officers. Walz said the state had taken over the response to the violence.

Minneapolis and St. Paul are on fire. The fire is still smoldering in our streets. The ashes are symbolic of decades and generations of pain, of anguish unheard, Walz said. Now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world  and the world is watching.

President Donald Trump threatened action, tweeting when the looting starts, the shooting starts, which prompted a warning from Twitter for glorifying violence. Trump later said he was referring to shooting that had happened during the protests.

The governor faced tough questions after National Guard leader Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen blamed a lack of clarity about the Guards mission for a slow response. Walz said the state was in a supporting role and that it was up to city leaders to run the situation. Walz said it became apparent as the 3rd Precinct was lost that the state had to step in. Requests from Minneapolis and nearby St. Paul for resources never came, he said.

You will not see that tonight, there will be no lack of leadership, Walz said.

On Friday morning, nearly every building in a shopping district a couple blocks from the abandoned police station had been vandalized, burned or looted. National Guard members carrying assault rifles were lined up at some intersections, keeping people away from the police station. Dozens of volunteers swept up broken glass in the street.

Dean Hanson, 64, lives in a subsidized housing unit nearby, which is home to many older residents. He said his building lost electricity overnight, and residents were terrified as they watched mobs of people loot and burn their way through the neighborhood.

I cant believe this is happening here, he said. It was pure hell."

Dozens of fires were also set in St. Paul, where nearly 200 businesses were damaged or looted.

A visibly tired and frustrated Frey, the Minneapolis mayor, took responsibility for evacuating the police precinct, saying it had become too dangerous for officers.

Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Floyd's family, asked to take custody of Floyd's body to have an independent autopsy performed. Crump said that talk of a heart condition or asthma was irrelevant because Floyd was walking and breathing before his contact with police.

The doctor who will do the autopsy is Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner of New York City, who was hired to do an autopsy for Eric Garner, a black man who died in 2014 in New York after he was placed in a chokehold by police and pleaded for his life, saying he could not breathe.

State and federal authorities are also investigating Floyd's death.

The owner of a popular Latin nightclub said Floyd and Chauvin both worked as security guards at the club as recently as the end of last year, but its not clear whether they worked together. Chauvin worked at the El Nuevo Rodeo club as an off-duty security guard for nearly two decades, but Floyd had only worked there more recently for about a dozen events featuring African American music, Maya Santamaria told The Associated Press.

Santamaria said if Chauvin had recognized Floyd, he might have given him a little more mercy.

Santamaria, who recently sold the venue, said Chauvin got along well with the regular Latino customers but did not like to work the African American nights. When he did, and there was a fight, he would spray people with mace and call for police backup and half-dozen squad cars would soon show up, something she felt was overkill.
Wall Street giants such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have tens of billions of dollars at stake in China as political tension risks derailing the nations opening of its $45 trillion financial market.

Five big US banks had a combined $70.8 billion of exposure to China in 2019, with JPMorgan alone plowing $19.2 billion into lending, trading and investing. Thats a 10% increase from 2018.

While their assets in the country are comparatively small, they have big expansion plans there that may come undone if financial services firms are dragged into the tit-for-tat between the two countries. Not only would that cloud their growth plans, it would also threaten the income they have generated over the years from advising Chinese companies such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

Profits in Chinas brokerage industry could hit $47 billion by 2026, Goldman estimates, with foreign firms gunning for a considerable chunk. There are $8 billion in estimated commercial banking profits as well as a projected $30 trillion in overall assets to go after, also being pursued by fund giants such as Blackrock Inc. and Vanguard Group Inc.

If youre an American financial institution and you have an approved plan to expand into China, youre going to continue that plan to the extent that the US government allows you to because you see great future profits, said James Stent, a former banker whos spent more than a decade on the boards of two Chinese lenders. A US-China cold war is not good for your plans to build business in China.

After years of trade war turmoil, US policy makers are now starting to take aim at the financial industry amid growing skepticism over American firms plowing money into a country perceived as a big geopolitical foe. Policy makers and lawmakers are looking at restricting US pension fund investments in Chinese companies and limiting the ability of Chinese companies to raise capital in the US.

A body advising the US Congress this week questioned Wall Streets push, saying lawmakers need to evaluate the desirability of greater US participation in a financial market that remains warped by the political priorities of a strategic competitor. Add to that potential sanctions against China and even its banks over the crackdown on Hong Kong, and the situation could further escalate.

President Donald Trump said hes not happy with China after the country passed a new security law on Hong Kong and will announce new US policies on Friday. His top economic adviser said Beijing would be held accountable by the US.

Heres a run down on the biggest US banks presence in China right now and their plans.

Goldman

Goldman, which has spent years lobbying for control of its onshore business, won approval this year. Chief Executive Officer David Solomon has pledged to infuse its mainland business with hundreds of millions of dollars in new capital as the bank plans to embark on a hiring spree to double its workforce to 600 and ramp up a wide variety of businesses.

Goldman put its cross-border outstandings to China at $13.2 billion at the end of last year. But its two onshore operations had capital of just 1.8 billion yuan ($251 million), making a profit of almost 300 million yuan.

A spokesman for Goldman declined to comment.

Morgan Stanley

Hosting an annual summit in Beijing with 1,900 investors and 600 companies last year, Morgan Stanley Chief Executive Officer James Gorman said in a Bloomberg Television interview that the bank is in China for the long run. He highlighted its presence there for 25 years and its handling of hundreds of billions of dollars in equity and merger deals for Chinese businesses.

Morgan Stanley won a nod to take majority control of its securities venture this year, and last year had a net exposure of $4.1 billion to Chinese clients. Its local securities unit, however, has revenue of just 132 million yuan, posting a loss of 109 million yuan last year.

The bank has been overhauling senior management of the venture, installing its staff in key roles. It plans to apply for additional licenses to broaden its products and invest in new businesses, build market-making capability and expand its asset management partnership and ultimately take control.

Its a natural evolution to bring the global investment banks into this market, Gorman said in May last year.

A Morgan Stanley spokesman declined to comment.

JPMorgan

The biggest US bank has been doing business in China since 1921. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon has said that his firm is committed to bringing its full force to the country. This year it applied for full control of an asset management firm as well as a securities venture, and is expanding its office space in Chinas tallest skyscraper in downtown Shanghai.

JPMorgans China total exposure in 2019 was $19.2 billion, including $11.3 billion in lending and deposits and $6.5 billion in trading and investing.

JPMorgan Chinas banking unit had 47 billion yuan in assets last year and made a profit of 276 million yuan, while its newly started securities firm had capital of 800 million yuan.

A JPMorgan spokeswoman declined to comment.

Citigroup

Citigroup Inc., which has been doing business in China since 1902, had total exposure to the country of $18.7 billion at the end of last year. Its local banking arm had total assets of 178 billion yuan, making a profit of 2.1 billion yuan.

Citigroup, which is setting up a new securities venture in China, is the only US lender that has a consumer banking business in the country with footprint in 12 cities including Beijing, Changsha and Chengdu.

New York-based Citigroup said last month that it has doubled its overall revenue from China to more than $1 billion over the past decade.

China represents 1.1% of Citis total global exposure and includes local top tier corporate loans and loans to US and other global companies with operations in China, a bank spokesman said.

Bank of America

Bank of America Corp., the only major bank to decide against pursuing a securities joint venture, is continuing to expand into the worlds second-largest economy. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based lender is looking to provide a fuller range of fixed income services in the country.

Its largest emerging market country exposure in 2019 was China, with net of $15.6 billion, concentrated in loans to large state-owned companies, subsidiaries of multinational corporations and commercial banks. It followed only the US, UK, Germany, Canada and France in terms of exposure for the bank.

A spokeswoman for the bank declined to comment.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Seasoned Journalist, Kwesi Pratt has chastised the Electoral Commission over their decision to compile a new voters' register despite oppositions from Civil Society Groups, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and other political actors in the country.



To him, the country's electoral body is putting on airs of a "god", acting as if it has "unfettered powers".



The Electoral Commission (EC) has slated the end of June to commence the registration exercise to compile the new register.



But the NDC has dragged the EC to the Supreme Court seeking an order for the Commission to rescind its decision to use only the Ghana card and passport for the exercise, and has also challenged the compilation of the new voters' register.



The party is praying the court to direct the EC to include ''all existing voter identification cards duly issued by the 2nd Defendant (EC) as one of the documents serving as proof of identification for registration as a voter for the purposes of public elections".



The NDC also seeks a declaration on whether the EC "can only revise the existing register of voters, and lacks the power to prepare a fresh register of voters, for the conduct of the December 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections".



Bernard Mornah, a leader of the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Voters' Register (IPRAN), has also threatened to disrupt the registration exercise should the EC fail to address their grievances.



The electoral body is however unfazed by the threats and opposition to their decision, and has announced measures to kickstart the registration exercise in June irrespective of these agitations.



Addressing the brouhaha about the new voters' register on Peace FM, Kwesi Pratt stated that the EC's adamant behaviour is indicative of the Commission's lack of the neutrality.



According to him, the Commission needs to be reminded that their mandate as the election management body was given to them by Ghanaians, although set up within the confines of the constitution and so they have to pay a listening ear to all parties.



''The Electoral Commission is enjoined by Article 45 to work within the limits of the law...The court can stop the Electoral Commission...The Electoral Commission doesn't have unfettered powers,, he challenged.



Again, he stressed on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' that ''the Electoral Commission is not a god. It's a constitutional institution that we, Ghanaians, have allowed to be set up. We have accepted the establishment of the Electoral Commission. So, it is the duty of the Electoral Commission to listen to Ghanaians and cannot do whatever they like. They are not allowed. They're bound by law. They're bound by the constitution and others to do what is proper''.



Listen to his submission in the video below





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Head Pastor of the International God's Way Church Bishop Daniel Obinim has dismissed reports that he has been ordered by court to pay GHC1.5 million in tax liability.

According to him, the Commercial High Court presided over by Justice Doreen Boakye-Agyei, did not order any such payment against him urging the public to dismiss the reports.

The case against the popular preacher did not bother on tax liability, instead, he had applied to the court to stop the decision of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to demand from his bankers (Ecobank Ghana Limited) to settle his tax liability when he had a notice of objection served on the GRA against their tax liability demand of Ghc 1,591,797.50 from him.

Bishop Obinim contends that so long as the GRA has not responded yet to his notice of objection, the revenue authority cannot demand from a third party, his bankers (Ecobank Ghana Limited) to pay the disputed tax liability.

Brief Facts

According to the ruling of Justice Doreen Boakye-Agyeis Court, the applicant (Bishop Obinim) in his application was seeking five reliefs and they are; 1. A declaration that the issuance and service of the 3rd party (Ecobank Ghana Limited) debt notice served on the 19th February 2020 on the 2nd Respondent (Ecobank) was unlawful, null and void. 2. An order setting aside the 3rd Party Debtor notice dated 19th of February 2020 issued and served on the 2nd Respondent herein. 3. An Order directed at the 1st Respondent to respond and or make a determination in respect of the Applicants notice of objection dated the 29th of July 2019. 4. An Order directed at the 1st Respondent (GRA) to serve its decision in respect of the notice of objection on the Applicant personall and 5. Any further orders that this Honourable court may deem fit.

Two Main Issues

The Court in its wisdom set down two main issues that it will determine as far as the application is concerned. The issues were; whether or not the Respondent has breached the rules of natural justice by refusing to make a determination on the Applicants Tax Objection and whether or not this is an appropriate case for the Court to exercise its powers of Judicial Review.

The Ruling

The Court in its twelve (12) page ruling noted that the evidence on record shows that the Applicant was given adequate notice to respond to the issues raised in relation to his tax affairs. Exhibit C-G 3 the Court says shows that between 04/01/2017 and 28/07/2018, the Applicant was served with five (5) different letters relating to filing of tax returns and invitation to discuss the draft Notice of Assessment but he failed to respond to the notices or invitation. Furthermore, the Applicant failed or refused to take advantage of the law to lodge an objection to the tax assessment within the time provided by law. How then can Applicant belatedly be heard to say that there has been a breach of rules of Natural Justice The Court cannot make a finding in favour of Applicant that the rules of natural justice were breached but rather that equity will aid the vigilant and not the indolent the Court ruled

The Court refuses the application as the rules of natural justice were not breached and Applicant has not been able to demonstrate that the Court ought to exercise its power of Judicial Review over the official actions of 1st Respondent (GRA). The present application being founded on Order 55 of C.I. 47 with its wide remedial powers to make orders ranging from Prohibition, Mandamus, Certiorari, Injunction and even declaratory reliefs, the Court dismisses the application in its entirety Justice Mrs. Doreen Boakye-Agyei stated in conclusion in her ruling.

---starrfmonline
Spider-Man actor Shameik Moore has faced backlash after appearing to argue that black people should no longer identify racism as the cause of police brutality, and suggesting Rosa Parks should have travelled in a taxi operated by a black-owned company rather than by bus.

Moore, who voiced the Marvel superhero in 2018s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, embarked on a lengthy Twitter thread in which he attempted to advise his black followers how best to avoid being killed by police.

We have to work on our community before blaming everything on racist and police, Moore tweeted. 1... there is STILL black on black violence that needs to be addressed... and 2.. if we KNOW that the wrong white person could change our whole life with a false accusation..WHY DO WE GIVE THEM THE ENERGY THEY WANT?

In a second tweet, Moore wrote: Give them an inch they WILL take a mile..... We literally know this already. At what point do we look at ourselves and make adjustments? Look... all Im saying is.. in the MOMENT.. when we are experiencing racism.. can We the black community find ways to avoid being killed? Or hunted.

Facing criticism for his tweets, Moore claimed that he refuses to feel like a victim or have a slave mentality. He also said that he does not face danger in his daily life as he knows how to carry [himself] in tuff [sic] situations.

Arguing that his tweets had been taken out of context, Moore then went on Instagram Live, where he appeared to suggest that black people should use their resources rather than protest. As an example, he claimed that Rosa Parks could have used other means of transport rather than a bus.

Rosa Parks, sitting at the front of the bus, right? Moore said. What we dont know as a black community is, [there were] black owned taxi cabs and black buses that could have been used during that time. This is something a lot of people might not want to hear.

He continued: What Im getting to with that is if the government decides to  shut off electricity, clean water and gas to any of the black neighbourhoods in America, there is literally nothing we can do but riot. We dont have the resources. I think what we need to do is work internally and strengthen our minds and spirits.

Protests continue to take place across the United States in response to the death of George Floyd. Floyd was killed after being pinned to the ground by a white police officer, who applied pressure on his neck despite Floyd informing him he was unable to breathe.
He's won audiences over with his Scottish charm and rugged good looks since starring as a judge on MasterChef Back To Win.

But on Wednesday, Jock Zonfrillo revealed on The Adam and Symon Show podcast that he initially refused to join the lineup with Andy Allen and Melissa Leong.

'I was an absolute no!' the 43-year-old explained about the moment he was first approached about replacing dumped judges Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris and Matt Preston.

'I was an absolute no!' Jock Zonfrillo (pictured) revealed he turned down producers for 'two weeks' when approached to be a judge on MasterChef

'When I got the call... I said there is not a chance in hell,' he said.

The chef admitted he eventually changed his mind when a friend pointed out that appearing on the hit Channel 10 show was 'the perfect platform' for pushing causes he is passionate about.

'He said, "You've spent the last 20 years trying to get people to acknowledge indigenous cultures through food and this is a platform you'd truly be an idiot to turn your back on".

'When I got the call... I said there is not a chance in hell,' he said (Pictured with fellow judges Andy Allen and Melissa Leong)

'It took me a good week or two to come round to it,' he added.

Jock was announced as a judge on the program in October.

Previous judges Matt, Gary and George had been with the show since its debut in 2009, but they left last year after Channel 10 refused to meet their salary demands.

Change of heart: The chef admitted he finally changed his mind when a friend pointed out he'd be 'an idiot' not to want the platform after spending '20 years trying to get people to acknowledge indigenous cultures through food' (Pictured with indigenous artist Gunybi Djambawa)

Done and dusted: Gary Mehigan (left), George Calombaris (right) and Matt Preston (centre) had been with MasterChef since its debut in 2009, but they left last year after Channel 10 refused to meet their salary demands

Earlier this week, Jock revealed that his passion for indigenous food has led to him trying a few unusual exotic local delicacies, including a bat.

'It was delicious, it really was,' he told WSFM 101.7 Jonesy and Amanda show on Wednesday.

Jock tasted the controversial dish while he was visiting a remote tribal community in Vanuatu while filing a Discovery Channel show called Chef Gone Wild.

'I know it's a bat, I get it that. But when you're there and you're in some kind of comprehension and understanding of the culture you're sitting in, that the fact it's a bat kind of fades into nothing,' he explained.

'You're just there in that moment doing this thing with that culture, learning something about them,' he said of the experience.
WASHINGTON  The federal government's top official overseeing nursing homes said Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's executive order in late March that directed the admittance of coronavirus patients from hospitals to nursing facilities did not follow her agency's guidance.

Cuomo has insisted that his original order regarding nursing homes was aligned with the Trump administration's policy, but Seema Verma, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said Wednesday that's not the case.

"Under no circumstances should a hospital discharge a patient to a nursing home that is not prepared to take care of those patients' needs," Verma said on Fox News Radio. The federal guidelines are absolutely clear about this.

New York nursing homes have reported about 6,000 confirmed or presumed COVID-19 deaths, as of May 27, the most recent data available.

"Federal guidelines and state law both state that facilities need the space, the staff and the protective equipment to care for a patient or they have to be transferred and that remained the standard during this pandemic," said Richard Azzopardi, a senior advisor to the governor. "If facilities couldnt care for patients, New York offered to help with transfers, provided access to 96,000 staffers  which 400 out of 600 homes used  and have given them more than 13 million pieces of PPE. While some politicians seem to be more than happy to exploit this pandemic, these are the indisputable facts."

Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa said May 23 that New York's nursing home policy followed federal guidelines from March 13 that spell out when a nursing home should accept a patient who has or had COVID-19 from the hospital. The guidelines stated that nursing homes should only accept patients who had been diagnosed with coronavirus from the hospital if they can follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance to prevent transmission of the virus.

Latest coronavirus-related cancellations, postponements

The latest coronavirus numbers in NY

Sign up for the Times Union coronavirus newsletter

Full coronavirus coverage

The federal guidance also said: "Nursing homes should admit any individuals that they would normally admit to their facility, including individuals from hospitals where a case of COVID-19 was/is present. Also, if possible, dedicate a unit/wing exclusively for any residents coming or returning from the hospital. This can serve as a step-down unit where they remain for 14 days with no symptoms."

Cuomo's March 25 nursing home order did not specifically say that nursing homes should only accept recovering coronavirus patients if they were safely able to do so, a talking point he has been making repeatedly in recent weeks. The order said "all NHs must comply with the expedited receipt of residents returning from hospitals to NHs. Residents are deemed appropriate for return to a NH upon a determination by the hospital physician or designee that the resident is medically stable for return."

It emphasized: "No resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the NH solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19."

The policy prompted severe backlash against the Cuomo administration as COVID-19 cases spread rampantly among seniors in nursing homes, causing many deaths. Then, on May 10, Cuomo revised this policy, ordering nursing homes to only accept hospital patients who have tested negative for coronavirus into their facilities.

Cuomo defended his actions on May 23, saying, "What New York did was follow what the Republican administration said to do. ... Dont criticize the state for following the presidents policy.

Existing state and federal regulations require nursing home facilities only accept patients to whom they can apply adequate care.

At times, deaths in nursing homes have increased even as the overall death tolls has declined in the state. Elderly people, especially those with pre-existing conditions, are especially vulnerable to coronavirus.

"Gov. Cuomos failed nursing home policy caused massive loss of life in our state, and his attempt to deflect blame onto the administration and the CDC is both irresponsible and false, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, said Friday.

As of Wednesday, 53 nursing home patients had been reported to have died in Albany County nursing homes from confirmed coronavirus cases and one from a presumed case. The counties with the most nursing home deaths are located in the New York City, Long Island and the Westchester areas, where there have been the most coronavirus cases overall.
A young man is in a serious condition after a fall from a shed on a farm in Co Donegal.

The 21-year-old man fell through the roof on the farm at an area known as The Clooney in Ramelton.

He was rushed to Letterkenny University Hospital after the accident happened on Tuesday evening.

However, he has since been transferred to Dublin's Beaumont Hospital for further treatment.

Prayers were said for the young man at St Mary's Church in Fanavolty in the past two days.

It is understood his condition is serious.

The man is from a well-known local family in the Ramelton area.

Both the Gardai and the Health and Safety Authority are believed to be carrying out investigations into the incident.
 How to Clip

Click and hold your mouse button on the page to select the area you wish to save or print. You can click and drag the clipping box to move it or click and drag in the bottom right corner to resize it. When you're happy with your selection, click the checkmark icon next to the clipping area to continue.
In the videos, they are faceless voices, off camera, trying to intervene. They say things like get off his neck, or hes a human, or hes dying.

George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died Monday when a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes after he was detained. It was bystanders  the owners of those voices  who shed light with their viral video recordings of yet another deeply disturbing incident of excessive force levied against a minority in police custody.

As people in Minneapolis and across the U.S. continue to protest the killing, Floyds death has provoked even more questions about the role bystanders should play when caught in similar situations.

Paige Fernandez, policing policy adviser for the American Civil Liberties Union, recommends what many in Floyds case did: bearing witness, recording the event, advocating for the detainee and communicating with other officers on the scene to try to convince them to intervene. The role of the witness, though, is only complicated further by race.

History of complaints: Minneapolis police at center of George Floyds death had 13 combined complaints

George Floyd died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck while arresting him.

Its incredibly difficult because I think there are so many calculations a bystander has to make  a ton  about who they are, how vulnerable they might be and how the police perceive them, Fernandez told USA TODAY.

Im hesitant to say anybody should step in, because I dont want peoples lives to be risked, but I do think there is a role, especially for white allies. If they see an incident of police brutality happening, I think they absolutely have to step in and say something, just because officers often interpret black and brown people as threats for absolutely no reason, other than deep-seated racism.

Those placed in custody are supposed to wield some protections under the Constitution. The 14th Amendment declares that no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law and the Fourth Amendment protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Story continues

White people must use their 'body in service of the black and brown body'

Yet so often, these protections are violated. Video recorded from a bystander then not only becomes evidence, but social media shares also build awareness and prompt calls for reform.

Author and social justice consultant Anika Nailah, whose book "Every Day in the USA: 30 Black Moments," helps identify racial micro-aggressions, thinks parallels can be drawn to the Civil Rights Movement.

White people were there on the Freedom Riders buses, Nailah told USA TODAY. They sat alongside us. Its time for people who self-identify as progressives and liberals to put their bodies on the line. Because if they do that, not only are they helping protect black and brown bodies, theyre using the elevation of their white body in service of the black and brown body.

"Whenever white people speak out about these things in concrete ways, either in the moment or afterward, it makes a difference.

A family grieves: George Floyd remembered as 'gentle giant' as family calls his death 'murder'

The most effective measure for bystanders may be to appeal to the other officers on the scene, Fernandez said, because they are the ones who have the strongest ability to intervene when detainee rights are violated.

But this leads us back to the question: How do we police the police? Fernandez said. Who are the people supposed to call when the police are killing people?

Bystanders can play a role in stopping police brutality, combating racism

Whether bystanders should bear the burden of protecting detainee rights remains open for debate.

Resmaa Menakem, a trauma therapist and author of "My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies," believes the bystanders role doesnt end when a case of excessive force does.

We have to begin talking about things that are going on way sooner and not just having these conversations pop up once another brother dies, Menakem told USA TODAY.

We have to let people heal. What youre seeing right now is 400 years of grief, of using the apparatus of the state to hurt, subdue, maim, kill black bodies. At some point, its not incidental. Whats the pattern? Whats underneath thats making it pop like this? We dont ask those questions. We have to start. We keep talking about this as incidents and episodes  but its not. Its structural.

Its not just policing, however, where bystanders are called to combat racism.

What we know: Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin arrested, charged with murder

Susan Sheppard holds an "I can't breathe" sign during a vigil for George Floyd at the Renaissance Plaza in White Plains, New York, on Friday.

On Feb. 23, Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old black man was fatally shot in Satilla Shores, a suburban neighborhood outside the small city of Brunswick, Georgia. He was jogging when a white man and his son confronted him. Police charged the two men with murder two months later, but only after video of the incident gained national attention.

On Memorial Day, a video was posted online of a black man in New York Citys Central Park, later identified as Christian Cooper, recording a white woman, Amy Cooper, who called police and said theres an African-American man threatening my life. Christian Cooper said he was simply bird-watching and had asked the woman to leash her dog.

And, as cases of racism against Asian Americans related to the coronavirus outbreak continue to mount in the United States, more witnesses can act as agents to de-escalate.

George Floyd death is latest case of 'layered and complex' racism in US

Writer and racial justice educator Dr. Robin DiAngelo calls on white people in particular to understand how layered and complex racism is and how privilege can be a force for change when properly channeled.

The fact is, your whiteness is impacting the way youre responded to, DiAngelo told USA TODAY. You have to think: How can I use this in a way that interrupts racism rather than colludes it? Say Im on public transportation or in the street and someone is being threatened or verbally abused, I might actually stand in front of that person so that the perpetrator is distracted by me and it deflects. Theyre going to have a different response to me than they would if it was a person of color.

A city reacts: Minneapolis mayor calls for peace amid protests, fires, looting

DiAngelo, who wrote "White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism," suggested asking questions, calmly and added that identifying aggressors as racist can escalate matters because people rarely perceive their own actions that way. She said trying to relate to the aggressor by saying things like I can understand your fear right now, but these people are also Americans could ultimately diffuse tensions.

Awareness alone, without action or practice, is functionally meaningless, DiAngelo said. If youre not actually involved in the struggle against it, you are part of the problem.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd: How race may affect what bystanders can do for detainees
A team of young people that has created a giant robot made of automobile scrap hopes to create a park to display the robots.

Luu Tuan Khanh, born in 1989, the leader of the team, said he has loved robots since childhood. Later, when working as a lecturer at the University of Economics and Industrial Engineering, he cherished the dream of making a robot.

Khanh decided to resign from the post and create a new working environment for himself, where he can research and develop products to satisfy his passion for creativity. This was the time when Robot Bank, his project on creating robot, took shape.



When participating in Robocon programs, he asked himself why people simply followed the designs of robots manufactured by other countries. His knowledge about environmental pollution led the young man to come up with the idea of making a robot from recycled automobile and motorbike scrap. This would reduce waste and inspire people to protect the environment.



The project kicked off in 2019 when Khanh set up his team with members from the University of Economics and Industrial Engineering.



The members of the team had to work very hard to create the robot. They had to gather their strength to make robots and take other jobs to earn their living at the same time. Khanh said sometimes he had to work with computers from 7am to 6am the next morning to program the robot.

Robot One was created as a reward for their great effort. It is 100 kilogrames in weight, 3 meters tall and has arm span of up to two meters. It can rotate the upper body and is programmed to introduce itself.

Robot One was created as a reward for their great effort. It is 100 kilogrames in weight, 3 meters tall and has arm span of up to two meters. It can rotate the upper body and is programmed to introduce itself.



Hi everybody! I am Robot One. I am from Vietnam. I was designed and created by Robot Bank. I am the first version of the robot created from recycled scrap, Robot One says after it is turned on.



The team had to spend a lot of time to collect materials from everywhere. There was a technical drawing for Robot One, but the assembly was a difficult task because the materials were scrap and did not fit each other. It took a lot of time to cut and whittle the pieces of scrap until they felt satisfactory.

After many months of hard work, the robot was completed in the 50 sq meter room used to contain materials and the 10 sq meter assembling yard.



The total cost of the original robot was VND200 million.

Vu Dung

Vietnamese scientist finds 'super material' in waste products Aerogel, the super material, opens great opportunities for humans to solve problems, from waste treatment and environmental protection to the production of new materials.
New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) Almost five months after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the probe into the drug smuggling case involving Pakistan-based Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) chief Harmeet Singh aka PHD, who is believed to be dead, the anti-terror probe agency on Friday said that it has filed chargesheet against 10 accused in the case including Harmeet Singh and Jasmeet Singh Hakimzada, a Dubai based international drugs smuggler and money launderer.

An NIA spokesperson in Delhi said the agency filed the charge sheet in a Special NIA Court in Mohali against Jajbir Singh Samra, Harpreet Singh, Varinder Singh Chahal, Nirmal Singh, Satpal Singh, Hiralal, Harjit Singh, Jasmeet Singh Hakimzada, slain KLF member Harmeet Singh aka PHD and Jasbir Singh under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, NDPS Act.

The Punjab Police has registered the FIR in Amritsar. NIA had taken over the probe on January 22 this year and booked the accused under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and NDPS Act. The NIA official said that during investigation, role of Harmeet Singh, Pakistan-based chief of KLF, a proscribed terrorist organisation, has emerged in running a cross-border narco-terror network through drug smugglers, militant elements and hawala operatives based in Punjab and other states in India.

Harmeet Singh is believed to have been killed in Pakistan last month. The case pertains to the arrest of three accused persons with 500 gms of heroin and Rs 1.2 lakh in drug money for which a case was registered in Amritsar. The Punjab Police had arrested three more accused persons in the month of December 2019.

The official said that role of Harmeet Singh and Hakimzada has prominently emerged in running the narco-terror network to further the terrorist activities of KLF. He said, the network included persons involved in smuggling or selling of heroin, militant elements and hawala operatives based in Punjab, Delhi and Dubai responsible for the entire chain from selling of heroin to channelizing the proceeds to Dubai or Pakistan at the behest of Harmeet Singh and Hakimzada.

The NIA has mentioned both of them as prime accused and have been charge sheeted as absconders and further proceedings are on against them as per the extant laws.

--IANS

aks/kr
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 22:11:15|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LONDON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- More than 650 members of "county lines" drugs gangs in Britain have been arrested in a major crackdown by four of the country's biggest police forces, the British Home Office said Friday.

New figures show that, as a result of this activity, police made over 650 arrests, closed nearly 140 deal lines, seized cash and drugs with a total value of over 3 million pounds (3.7 million U.S. dollars), and made over 100 weapons seizures, said the department.

Officers also safeguarded scores of individuals -- including 140 children.

The operations were carried out by London's Metropolitan Police, West Midlands police centered on Birmingham, Liverpool-based Merseyside Police and British Transport Police which patrols the country's rail network, and took place between November 2019 and Mach 2020.

This police surge activity was funded by 5 million pounds (6.2 million dollars) from the government's 25 million pounds (30.9 million dollars) package to tackle county lines.

"County lines" is criminal exploitation, where children and vulnerable adults are coerced by gangs and organised crime networks to carry and sell illegal drugs from one area of Britain to another, usually across police and local authority boundaries. Enditem
In his words: "I am just a professional writer, which means I don't do blogs and try and get money for whatever I write."

When Boris Johnson moved into 10 Downing Street, he hired Dominic Cummings as chief adviser, a post which gave him more clout over policy

In this file photo taken on September 03, 2019 Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) and his special advisor Dominic Cummings leave from the rear of Downing Street in central London on September 3, 2019, before heading to the Houses of Parliament.AFP Photo

Leave no stone unturned

Its where the maggots hide

Get a whip and lash the waves

We have to turn the tide.

Pride comes before a fall

Was Humpty Dumpty proud?

Or was he just a grinning egg

Perched high above the crowd?

 From Sitafications by Bachchoo

When Boris Johnson moved into 10 Downing Street, he hired one Dominic Cummings as his chief adviser, a post which would give him more clout over policy than any minister. Dombo set out to recruit a team and specified that they should be weirdos, eccentrics and without expertise in anything. He wanted a force to fight the civil service, the bastion against eccentricity.

When I heard of this call, gentle reader, I became expectantly excited. Any minute now the phone would ring and I would be invited into Downing Street and be introduced to Boris Johnson. I would, of course, confess that I already knew Mr Johnson and had even once introduced him to an infamous serial killer. Perhaps my acquaintance with the PM would strengthen Dombos resolve to hire me and entrust me with the formulation of some dynamic eccentric policies.

I was hence looking forward to overruling the idiocies of the home secretary, Priti Patel, who recently gave an interview on TV insisting several times that the government were going to vigorously combat counter-terrorism. She had all these plans ready to combat counter-terrorism. So, when my feet were firmly under the table at 10 Downing Street, I would inform Boris that siding with terrorists was not a good idea and that the police and MI6 ought to combat terrorism and not eliminate counter-terrorism.

I was also looking forward to cancelling chancellor Rishi Sunaks plans to hand over millions of pounds of tax-payers money to billionaires who had registered themselves in tax-dodging havens. Id have to be careful: Boris party depends to a large extent on donations from tax-dodgers. Where would democracy be without them?

Then, as the days passed and I waited with my phone switched on and under my pillow, for Mr Cummings call, it struck me that the last thing I should boast about was my established acquaintance with the Prime Minister. Dombo might feel threatened by that connection and wouldnt want anyone closer to BoJo than he was.

One of the first people this Cummings wished to appoint was denounced in the press as an unsavoury racist and, though that wouldnt have been an impediment to his assisting this government, the public outcry nullified the appointment.

And now, gentle reader, my prospects for this top job, joining the team of weirdos and people who are adept at thinking the obvious  and passing it off as a stroke of genius  are fast fading. This is because Dominic is in deep trouble being, as we Brits say, up the unsavoury creek without a paddle. He may have been just about to call me when misfortune distracted his attention.

Let me explain: the government has issued rules and regulations, enforceable by police, to the general public to combat the rising number of deaths owing to Covid-19. The rules state that if you have symptoms you should not leave your home or even your bed, unless its to be conveyed to hospital. The rules, possibly overseen by Dombo himself, say that the only journeys one is allowed to undertake are for sustenance, exercise, medicines or to go to work as an essential worker  nurses, doctors, carers, dustmen, police, fire service workers etc.

Dombo didnt stick to these rules. He travelled with his wife and child 260 miles to Durham on his mothers birthday. Then he was spotted, again with his wife on her birthday, visiting a tourist spot 25 miles outside Durham. Excusing himself on TV, he denied believing that the rules that kept children from seeing or looking after sick parents, didnt apply to him. He had broken no rule by arrogantly travelling how and when he pleased. His excuses were pathetic and contradictory. He said he took his wife on the journey because she had symptoms of Covid-19. He travelled to the holiday spot to test his eyesight. Right!

Newspapers reflected the huge outcry demanding his resignation. Boris Johnson and other ministers said Dombo had not broken any rules and must stay on. Nevertheless, the call from the Opposition parties and from sections of his own party and from the public and media for him to get lost, are this week the clamour of the country.

Boris refuses, categorically, to dismiss Dombo or accept his resignation. Some say this is because, despite the widespread outrage, he needs Dombo to initiate policies because he himself has none. It may be that BoJo has no idea how to govern the country, but the mystery is why he relies on Dombo to fill that gap. The only thing Dominic Cummings reputation for being an acute mind rests on is his perception that the British public would, even if threatened with the slaughter of their firstborn, vote to keep foreigners out  in a referendum and in a general election. I cant see whats clever about that. Its as obvious a fact as the sun rising in the morning.

But Dombo has built this entire illusionary career out of articulating it.

Obviously, when Dombo is projected out of Downing Street, BoJo will need a replacement. If he is looking for someone who believes that the British public will, if given the choice, vote to keep foreigners out, then he neednt look very far. Even before the referendum I knew that the xenophobes would support keeping foreigners out. Like Dombo, I dont wear a suit or even a tie on most occasions. I am not a member of any political party and acquired a slight reputation for eccentricity when I invented Marmite lassi.

I am also ready to speak truth to power  mainly to the policies of this government. Ich Dien  I am willing to serve.
Rear Adm. R. Duke Heinz, commander, Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, was relieved by Rear Adm. R. Doug Noble during a virtual ceremony Thursday.

Heinz assumed command of NAVSUP WSS  located in Philadelphia, Mechanicsburg, and Norfolk, Virginia  Aug. 15, 2016, after serving as Strategy and Readiness Division chief for the Joint Chiefs of Staff J4. Heinzs next assignment is at United States European Command, a press release said.

Heinz earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business from James Madison University and received his commission in 1989 through officer candidate school. He holds a Master of Science in Business Administration from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School, National Defense University. He is also a graduate of the University of North Carolinas Executive Development Institute.

Heinzs operational assignments include tours on USS Bergall (SSN 667), USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68). During those tours he participated in Operation Desert Fox, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

As commander, he oversaw an organization of more than 2,500 personnel across three sites that provided program and supply support for naval aircraft, ships and submarines worldwide including more than $35 billion and over 500,000 annual demands.

Heinz is entitled to wear the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, along with various other personal, unit and service awards. He is also a qualified Naval Aviation Supply officer, Submarine Warfare Supply Corps officer and member of the Defense Acquisition Professional Community.

Noble comes to NAVSUP WSS from his position as the Special Assistant for Audit Readiness Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (financial management and comptroller).
A likely new Pennsylvania record for flathead catfish  a monster weighing 56.3 pounds  was pulled from the Schuylkill River in the Philadelphia area on Sunday night.

Jonathan Pierce, a 34-year-old father of four from Roxborough, connected with the fish while casting trout heads as bait. He regularly uses parts of trout he has caught as bait for flatheads.

When certified by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Pierces flathead will top the existing record by almost 6 pounds. That 50-pound 7-ounce fish was caught in the Susquehanna River, near the Muddy Creek public access in York County, on April 6, 2019, by Jeff Bonawitz, of East Lampeter Township.

Pierce has been pursuing flatheads in the Schuylkill River with a passion for nearly a decade, with several in the 30-pound class and a topper of 37 pounds in September 2016, but he knew immediately on Sunday that he had connected with something much bigger.

Jonathan Pierce and family with the 56.3-pound flathead catfish he caught in the Schuylkill River.

Arriving at one of his favorite spots at about 8:30 p.m.  a very rocky, very snaggy area  the riverbank fisherman saw the line stripping off his baitcaster reel within seconds of making his first cast out 200 feet or so into the river.

He set the drag on his reel and laid into the monster that had sucked in the trout head he was using for bait.

At that point, the fish did something that he hadnt seen any of his previous flatheads do. It broke the surface of the water with a violent splash of its tail.

And then it torpedoed away from me, he recalled.

Even with the heavy tension of the drag from his reel, the fish continued to strip line off the reel.

I had my drag tight, and it was still pulling line. I knew it was something massive, Pierce noted.

It ran until it ran into a rocky snag. I thought I was going to lose the fish. I couldnt budge it.

The flathead held fast at the snag for 2 or 3 minutes, among the longest 2 or 3 minutes of his life. I knew there was a huge fish that I didnt want to lose.

Then I let the drag off, trying to trick the fish into thinking it had freed itself, and it swam away from the snag.

He reset the drag and began the fight anew.

About 8 minutes later, Pierces girlfriend Angelina Wilson, of East Falls, netted the fish.

The expected Pennsylvania state record flathead catfish is weighed at Blue Marsh Outdoors in Berks County.

At that point he knew they had something even larger on their hands. Securing the 50-inch fish with a rope and putting it back in the water to recover, they turned to their phones for information on how to make the catch official.

That search continued the next morning, while the catfish occupied a 45-gallon plastic tote with an aerator in the backyard.

Pierce intended to release the monster back into the river from the moment he set the hook, as he does with all his flatheads, including more than 10 this year, several weighing more than 20 pounds.

I wanted to release this fish alive in the worst way, he explained, noting that he and Wilson hauled three 45-gallon totes of water along with the fish as they left the river.

That extra water came in handy as they first transferred the fish from their vehicle to the backyard and then back into the vehicle for transport to Blue Marsh Outdoors in Berks County, where it was officially weighed at 56.3 pounds on Monday afternoon. While making the various tranfers, even a kiddie wading pool was called into service.

After the official weigh-in, Pierce returned the new state record to an undisclosed location in the Schuylkill River.

Jonathan Pierce releases the Pennsylvania state record flathead catfish back into the Schuylkill River.

He said he expects his state record will be broken by a flathead in the Susquehanna River, where he sees a larger base of forage fish able to support more growth in the top-end predators. Even there, he thinks Pennsylvania will probably top out in the low to mid-60-pound range because too much of the year here is just too cold to support much more growth.

He plans to continue his search for monster flathead catfish, for which he admits a certain passion because no other fish in the Philadelphia area compares to the horsepower they throw at you. Its the adrenaline rush of fighting a fish that big.

Pierces flathead also tops the largest flathead ever recorded anywhere near Pennsylvania: A fisheries survey crew from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources on August 30, 2018, pulled a 56.5-pound, 44-inch flathead catfish from a hoop net in the Susquehanna River less than a mile downriver of the Pennsylvania-Maryland state line.

And, its probably the largest fish of any species on record with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission: a muskellunge weighing 54 pounds 3 ounces caught in 1924 in Conneaut Lake in Crawford County by Lewis Walker Jr., of Meadville.

Jeff Bonawitz, of East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, and his nephew, Dylan, release the then-state-record flathead catfish back into the Susquehanna River.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.

Contact Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.
MINNEAPOLIS - The Latest on the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck (all times local):

6:25 p.m.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol says it dispatched a drone to Minneapolis following three nights of violent protests there but ended up sending it back to its base because the unmanned aerial vehicle wasnt needed.

The agency, which typically patrols the nations border and ports of entry, said the drone was going to provide live video to assist law enforcement in Minneapolis as they responded to protests that have left dozens of stores burned and looted.

A CBP statement issued Friday says the drone would have provided situational awareness to local law enforcement. It said it routinely conducts such operations if needed to help other agencies or during natural disasters.

The drone returned to its base in Grand Forks, North Dakota, after the requesting agency determined that the aircraft was no longer needed for operational awareness. CBP did not identify the agency that requested the assistance.

___

5:25 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he talked to members of George Floyds family on Friday and expressed my sorrow.

Trump spoke about his conversation with members of the Floyd family during a White House meeting with businesses executives. He says of the encounter with police captured on video that it was just a horrible thing to witness and to watch. It certainly looked like there was no excuse for it.

Trump says the family grieved during the call and that I could see very much that they loved their brother.

Trump was also asked about his tweet saying when the looting starts, the shooting starts. He says he had heard that phrase for a long time, but didnt know where it originated.

He says the phrase is very accurate in the sense that, when you do have looting like you had last night, people often get shot and they die. And thats not good and we dont want that to happen.

Trump also spoke about the looters, saying they did a great disservice to their state, city and the country. He said we can never let that happen again.

The president also says of the city and its mayor I dont think they were very well prepared. But we brought in the National Guard. They will be very prepared tonight.

___

4:45 p.m.

Police in Memphis, Tennessee, are investigating whether an officer broke any rules after a video surfaced of a woman being knocked to the ground during a protest related to the death of George Floyd.

The handcuffed black man pleaded for air as a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck. That officer was arrested and charged Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said on social media Friday that hes asked Police Director Michael Rallings to investigate an event that occurred Wednesday night with one of our officers and a female protester.

A video has been shared on television and social media that appears to show an officer shoving a woman to the ground. Its not clear whether she was injured.

___

4:15 p.m.

NBA veteran Stephen Jackson says hell use his platform and everything I have to get a conviction for the four Minneapolis police officers who were fired after George Floyds death.

Jackson, like Floyd, is from Houston and they were friends. The handcuffed black man died after pleading for air as a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck.

That officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The charges were announced shortly after Jackson spoke at a news conference organized by activists at Minneapolis City Hall. Actor Jamie Foxx and Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns were among those in attendance.

Jackson is 42. He played for eight NBA teams from 2000-2013 and won a championship in 2003 with the San Antonio Spurs.

He and Floyd called each other twin because of their resemblance.

Both were star high school athletes in the Houston area in the 1990s. Floyd had moved to Minneapolis two years ago for a fresh start.

___

4 p.m.

A white Minneapolis police officer who is charged with murder for kneeling on George Floyds neck as he pleaded for air is accused of ignoring another officer who was worried that the handcuffed black man should be rolled onto his side.

Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

The criminal complaint also says that an autopsy revealed nothing to support strangulation. It says the medical examiner concluded that the combined effects of being restrained, potential intoxicants in Floyds system, and his underlying health issues likely contributed to his death.

The complaint says Floyd was struggling with officers who tried to put him in a squad car and at one point he went to the ground face down. The complaint says one officer held Floyds back and another held his legs, while Chauvin put his knee on Floyds head and neck area. When one officer said he was getting worried and asked if Floyd should be rolled onto his side, Chauvin said no.

In all, Chauvin had his knee on Floyds neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. The complaint says that includes nearly three minutes after Floyd stopped moving and talking.

Chauvins attorney had no comment when reached by The Associated Press.

___

3:45 p.m.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has declared a nighttime curfew running from 8 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday and again from 8 p.m. Saturday through 6 a.m. Sunday.

His order comes after sometimes violent protests over the death of George Floyd. The handcuffed black man pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck.

Freys order said nobody may venture out in public during those times, except for emergency responders, or people seeking medical care, fleeing dangerous circumstances or experiencing homelessness. Violators can be fined up to $1,000 and jailed up to 90 days.

___

2:20 p.m.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr says hes confident justice will be served after the restraint death of a black man in Minneapolis police custody.

Barr said in a statement Friday that the videos of George Floyds death were harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing.

The Justice Department and FBI are conducting an investigation to determine whether federal civil rights laws were broken.

Barrs comments come as the white police officer who was seen on video kneeling on Floyds neck was arrested. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Barr says a decision whether to pursue federal charges must be, and will be, based on the law and facts and that the process is proceeding quickly.

He said federal officials were working with local law enforcement to ensure relevant evidence is collected as quickly as possible.

___

1:45 p.m.

An uncle of a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis said he will be attending peaceful demonstrations, but that violent protests are absolutely outlandish.

Selwyn Jones nephew George Floyd died Monday after a white officer knelt on his neck as Floyd pleaded for air. Floyds death has set off days of protests in the Minneapolis area and communities across the U.S.

I think that is absolutely outlandish for them to destroy their own city, their own home, to make a point, Jones told the Rapid City Journal in South Dakota. I dont think the point that theyre trying to make is the point that were trying to make.

Jones is planning to attend a walk in memory of Floyd on Saturday in Rapid City. He said people who have reacted with violent protest and looting are taking advantage of a bad situation to express anger.

___

1:30 p.m.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says he has spoken with the family of George Floyd and is calling for justice.

Bidens comments came as a Minnesota prosecutor announced charges against a police officer seen kneeling on Floyds neck. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says Derek Chauvin is charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the restraint death of Floyd.

In a brief online appearance Friday, the former vice-president blamed systemic racism, which he called an open wound on American society, for Floyds death. He says its time for deep and lasting police reform.

Biden also took an indirect swipe at President Donald Trump without naming him, saying it was, No time for incendiary tweets. No time to incite violence.

___

1:15 p.m.

A Minnesota prosecutor has charged a police officer with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the restraint death of George Floyd.

Floyd is the handcuffed black man whose cries of I cant breathe in a widely seen cellphone video set off days of violent protest in Minneapolis and around the country.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Friday that he may yet bring more charges against the officer, Derek Chauvin.

The white officer knelt on Floyds neck for at least eight minutes in the video. Floyd can be seen gradually becoming motionless as Chauvin and three other officers ignored bystanders shouts to get off him.

Floyd was pronounced dead at a Minneapolis hospital in an incident that began when police responded to a report of a man passing a counterfeit bill in a grocery store on Memorial Day.

The charges came after Minneapolis has been rocked by three days of protests, including looting, scores of fires and the burning of a police precinct station on Thursday even after the governor called out the National Guard.

___

12:45 p.m.

Russias Foreign Ministry is responding to the death of George Floyd.

The ministry says in a lengthy statement that the death underlines frequent violence by police in the United States.

Floyd pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on the handcuffed black mans neck. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday.

The statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry says, This incident is far from the first in a series of manifestations of lawlessness and unjustified violence by the law enforcement officers in the United States.

The ministry called on the U.S. to to take real and effective measures to rectify the situation, return to the conscientious fulfilment of international obligations, and bring national legislation in line with the basic UN principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement agencies.

___

12:25 p.m.

Minnesota authorities say the police officer who knelt on George Floyd has been arrested.

Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said Friday that state investigators arrested Derek Chauvin.

Chauvin is the white officer who was seen on video kneeling on the neck of Floyd, a handcuffed black man.

The arrest comes after three days of protests, which escalated in violence as demonstrators torched a police precinct that had been abandoned by officers.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Friday acknowledged the abject failure of the response to this weeks violent protests. Walz said the state would take over the response and that its time to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering.

___

12:05 p.m.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is acknowledging the abject failure of the response to this weeks protests over the death of George Floyd.

During a news conference on Friday, Walz said the state would take over the response. He says its time to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering. He also called for swift justice for officers involved in Floyds death. The handcuffed black man pleaded for air as a white officer knelt on his neck.

Walzs comments came after protesters torched a police station that officers abandoned during a third night of violence.

Livestream video showed protesters entering the building, where intentionally set fires activated smoke alarms and sprinklers.

___

11:30 a.m.

Attorneys for the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor are calling for an independent investigation of the actions leading to Floyds death.

They also want national reforms in response to the three deaths.

Attorney Benjamin Crump said during a news conference Friday that hes asked to take custody of Floyds body for an independent autopsy. He and attorney Lee Merritt said they want murder charges brought against the four Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyds arrest. And they want the Minnesota attorney general to take over the investigation.

Crump says the families from Georgia, Kentucky and now Minnesota have all had to dispel narratives from law enforcement that their loved ones brought this upon themselves. They cited an initial report in Floyds case that said he threatened police and died of a medical condition.

Videos show an officer kneeling on the back of Floyds neck as the handcuffed black man pleads for air.

The attorneys said theyll seek national legislation seeking better training and to lower the burden to charge officers for excessive force.

___

11 a.m.

A now-fired police officer and a black man who died in his custody both worked as security guards at a popular Latin nightclub as recently as the end of last year. But the clubs former owner says its not clear whether they knew each other.

Officer Derek Chauvin worked at the El Nuevo Rodeo club as off-duty security for nearly two decades. Maya Santamaria told The Associated Press that George Floyd had worked there only more recently for about a dozen events that featured African American music.

Santamaria says she doesnt believe the two knew each other before their encounter Monday night when the officer was seen on cellphone video kneeling on Floyds neck. Santamaria says that if the officer had recognized Floyd, He might have given him a little more mercy.

Santamaria sold the venue within the past two months. She says Chauvin got along well with the regular Latino customers, but didnt like to work the African American nights. When he did, and there was a fight, he would spray people with mace and call for police backup. She says a half dozen squad cars would soon show up, something she felt was unjustified overkill.
A $500,000 gift will match donations to help encourage local fundraising for the Community Foundation for Southwest Washingtons COVID Response Fund.

The Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund will match the first $500,000 in donations to the fund during a statewide fundraising campaign responding to the health and economic effects of COVID-19.

The Community Foundation launched its COVID Response Fund in March and has since awarded more than $3.6 million in grants to local organizations in Cowlitz, Skamania and Clark counties.

The Community Foundation joined dozens of philanthropic partners, businesses and nonprofits to kick off the All In WA campaign, a statewide relief effort to help those affected by COVID-19.

The All in WA campaign culminates with a virtual benefit concert on June 10. The event will stream at 7 p.m. on Amazon Musics Twitch channel (twitch.tv/amazonmusic), through www.allinWA.org and locally on KGW Portland subchannel 8.2.

The lineup includes Pearl Jam, Macklemore, Brandi Carlile, Ciara, Russell Wilson, The Black Tones, Dave Matthews, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Pete Carroll, Mary Lambert, Joel McHale, Ben Gibbard and Allen Stone, with the full lineup to be announced at a later date. All donations will go directly to those in need.

The All In WA campaign also has a matching pool that benefits any of the funds featured on its website at allinwa.org. Individuals can select community funds, such as the SW Washington COVID Response Fund, or contribute to the aggregate statewide relief fund.

All In WA has raised $20 million of its $65 million goal, with the coalitions advisory board determining how to distribute the funds.

Those interested in contributing can visit cfsww.org/allinWA or call 360-694-2550.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
A pair of United States citizens who escaped from a southern Colorado prison claimed to be undocumented immigrants and begged to be deported to Mexico when they were arrested by U.S Customs and Border Patrol on Wednesday.

Jose Rodriguez, 35, and Raul Guzman, 42, were reported missing by officials at the Satellite Prison Camp in Florence during an emergency headcount at approximately at 6 a.m. Wednesday.

According to the U.S. Marshals Service, at about 5:45am a worker at the medium-security facility had discovered clothing on a road near the prison that houses 360 inmates.

Rodriguez and Guzman were picked up by a 30-year-old woman, who drove the men toward the Mexico-United States border before they were stopped by Border Patrol agents in Sells, Arizona at about 5pm.

Raul Guzman (pictured) was arrested by CBP agents in Sells, Arizona, about 25 miles away from the Mexico-United States border on Wednesday evening after he and another inmate escaped from the Satellite Prison Camp in Florence, Colorado. Both men asked CBP to deport them

Jose Rodriguez (pictured) was serving a six-year sentence in Colorado for meth-related crimes after a conviction in Kansas. He and Guzman escaped from the Satellite Prison Camp but were arrested by CBP in Sells, Arizona on Wednesday evening

The CBP officers grilled the two men, who claimed to be undocumented immigrants from Mexico and wished to be deported from the United States since they were just 25 miles away from the international borderline.

However, after further questioning CBP discovered that Rodriguez and Guzman were wanted for breaking out of the prison and took them into custody.

The woman who was driving the men was apprehended but CBP later said that the aiding and abetting charge she faced was dropped because of coronavirus-related restrictions.

Officials at the Satellite Prison Camp in Florence, Colorado noticed that two of its prisoners fled but were arrested by Border Patrol agents in Arizona

Rodriguez and Guzman were each serving drug sentences.

Rodriguez was serving a six-year sentence for meth-related crimes after a conviction in Kansas. Guzman was in for a 10-year stint for meth-related charges in California.

Both men have been turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Vice Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry Doan Khac Viet on May 28 repeated that all activities without Vietnams permission in the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos are valueless.

Vice Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry Doan Khac Viet

He made the remarks at the ministrys regular press conference, during which he replied to reporters questions about Chinas recent announcement of using new technology in vegetable cultivation on Phu Lam Island of Vietnams Hoang Sa archipelago.

The Vice Spokesman noted Vietnam has repeatedly asserted that it has sufficient historical evidence and legal basis testifying to its indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, which is in conformity with international law.

All activities without Vietnams permission in these archipelagos are valueless, Viet emphasised.

Regarding Chinas illegal sand mining in the East Sea, he once again affirmed that Vietnam owns sufficient historical evidence and legal basis testifying to its indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, as well as its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the East Sea.

Any parties activities in these two archipelagoes and the areas over which Vietnam has sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the East Sea are violations of the countrys sovereignty and sovereign rights, as well as international law, the Vice Spokesman added.

Vice Spokesman: foreign enterprises must comply with Vietnams laws

Vietnam always creates conditions for foreign enterprises to do business in the country, and they must comply with Vietnams laws, Vice Foreign Ministry Spokesman Doan Khac Viet has said.

"Any legal violation behaviour will be punished," he affirmed at the ministrys regular press conference in Hanoi on May 28.

In response to reporters queries about the alleged bribery case involving Japans Tenma company based in the northern province of Bac Ninh, Viet said the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan has reported to authorities at home and Vietnamese competent agencies are investigating the case in line with local regulations.

Regarding the information that some Vietnamese taxation and customs officers received 25 million JPY (231,900 USD) from Tenma company, he said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had assigned relevant agencies to promptly investigate the case.

The Bac Ninh police are also joining in the investigation while leaders of the Finance Ministry have directed the suspension of several a number of officials involved in the case, he added.

Granting of e-visas part of admin reform in entry, exit management

The recent decision to grant e-visas to citizens from 80 countries is part of efforts in administrative reform regarding entry and exit management, helping to bolster investment attraction, socio-economic development, tourism, diplomacy, and defence and security.

Vice Foreign Ministry Spokesman Doan Khac Viet made the remarks at the ministrys regular press conference on May 28 in reply to reporters questions about Vietnam granting e-visas for citizens from the 80 countries from July 1.

He noted that based on the law amending and supplementing some articles of the law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, approved by the National Assembly on November 25, 2019, the Government recently issued a resolution on the list of countries whose citizens are entitled to an e-visa and the list of international ports of entry via which foreigners with e-visas can enter and exit the country. This resolution will take effect on July 1.

The issuance of the resolution aims to carry out Vietnams administrative reform policy, especially in entry and exit management, thereby creating additional conditions for investment attraction, socio-economic development, tourism, diplomacy, and defence and security, according to Viet.

Vietnam considering loosening immigration policies, resuming flights

Vice Foreign Ministry Spokesman Doan Khac Viet has said ministries and agencies are preparing a proposal to the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control and the Prime Minister to loosen immigration policies and resume a number of air routes, trade, tourism, and investment, with an eye kept on developments of the pandemic in the country and the world.

During the ministrys regular press conference in Hanoi on May 18, Viet said the move is in compliance with the Prime Ministers direction.

His statement was in response to reporters questions about when Vietnam will resume transport links and trade with foreign countries./.

Foreign Ministry: Vietnam recovers economy during, after COVID-19

Vietnam has adopted synchronous policies and measures to recover its economy both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Vice Foreign Ministry Spokesman Doan Khac Viet has said.

During the ministrys regular press conference in Hanoi on May 28, Viet said Vietnam has controlled and repelled the pandemic via drastic and effective action despite complex developments in the region and the world, thus laying an important foundation for strengthening trust among domestic and foreign investors.

He made the statement in reply to reporters questions about the fact that a wave of foreign investment is moving from China to elsewhere, with Vietnam being one of the most promising destinations.

Apart from effective counter-measures, he said, the Vietnamese Government has consistently followed a policy of boosting socio-economic development to improve economic resilience.

Vietnam is maintaining supply chains, promoting domestic trade and services and those between Vietnam and other countries, continuing to improve its business climate by slashing corporate costs and administrative procedures, and developing infrastructure and logistics.

It is also actively realising free trade agreements with partners and addressing difficulties faced by investors, including creating the conditions necessary for experts and highly-skilled workers to work in Vietnam while ensuring safe and effective pandemic prevention and control, he said./.

Agreements give new boost to Vietnam-EU partnership: Vice Foreign Affairs Spokesman

The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) are expected to create new momentum for the comprehensive cooperative partnership between the two sides, Vice Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet has said.

At the ministrys regular press conference on May 28, Viet responded to reporters questions about the National Assembly (NA) voting on the two agreements at the current ninth session.

He noted that following active negotiations and close and effective coordination between Vietnam and the EU, the European Parliament ratified the two agreements on February 12. On March 30, the European Council approved the European Parliaments ratification, finalising the EUs internal legal procedures regarding ratification of the EVFTA.

The EVIPA, meanwhile, still requires ratification by the parliaments of member nations.

Viet said the two agreements are expected to generate considerable, concrete, and practical benefits for the economies, businesses, and people of both Vietnam and the EU, thus creating new momentum for the comprehensive cooperative partnership.

The NA is scheduled to consider and vote on the EVFTA and EVIPA at this ninth session, he added./.

Vietnam  US comprehensive partnership growing: Foreign Ministry

Vice Foreign Ministry Spokesman Doan Khac Viet has said the Vietnam  US comprehensive partnership has been growing in diverse areas over the past years, including in national defence-security.

Viet made the statement at the ministry's regular press conference in Hanoi on May 28, in reply to reporters queries regarding the USs upcoming hand-over of a large-scale patrol vessel to Vietnam.

Based on agreements reached by both sides, including the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding for Advancing Bilateral Defence Cooperation, the 2015 Joint Vision Statement on Defence Relations and the Plan of Action for Defence Cooperation for 2018  2020, the two countries are promoting bilateral defence ties, including in maritime security and improvement of legal enforcement capacity at sea, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world, he said./.
Ever before the first ballot in the 2019 presidential elections was cast, some members of Nigerias leadership elite, across the political spectrum, were already signaling their intention to run for the presidency in 2023. It seemed as if the Presidents term, when re-elected, would be for 48 weeks rather than 48 months. Today marks one full year since the re-elected President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in for a second term. This article outlines some of the major issues, which will preoccupy public policy making and other likely developments in Nigeria in next 36 months. Most likely, Nigeria might witness a deterioration of her fiscal, foreign exchange and debt situation; growing incidence of poverty; heightened criminality linked to unemployment and impunity; and probable fiscal insolvency of some states. Other key developments will include electing a new president; with luck and assertive military valour, the overcoming of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province insurgency; and growing public awareness of, and insistence on, strict adherence to constitutional norms on protection of life.

Nigerias deep-seated economic challenges have been simmering for a while; but the dramatic fall in global oil prices triggered by a confluence of factors including COVID-19 pandemic, has laid bare the vulnerability of Nigeria's dependence on oil. While Nigerias economy is nominally diversified with oil now accounting for less than 10 percent of gross domestic product; oil, nonetheless, still accounts for nearly 90 percent of foreign exchange earnings and 60 percent of government revenue. Hence, the overarching challenge is that even if the Federal government were to ramp up its domestic revenue generation capacity to the African average of 17-20 percent of GDP; Nigeria has no immediate substitute for oil as a major foreign exchange earner. Diaspora remittances to Nigeria, though huge, remain largely informal and quite mercurial.

Since the end of the civil war in 1970  some fifty years ago  successive Nigerian governments have relied on two major resources or tools for governance: military force in the political realm, and oil in the economic realm. The use of the military to address public policy issues, even as their structural causes are political or economic in nature, has become the default feature of public policymaking. This has led to overstretching the capacity of the military in domestic operations. Of the various security threats confronting Nigeria presently, the lone crisis that required military force is combating the terrorism of Boko Haram and Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP). Thus, Nigeria now seems to be suffering from the law of diminishing marginal utility in its reliance on military force and dependence on oil.

As we approach 2023, a trenchant debate is unfolding as to which geopolitical zone should produce the next president. On one side are those who argue that the next president must come from the same part of the country as the current incumbent, insisting that the principle of rotation is not in the 1999 Constitution. On the other side are those who argue that there is no clause or principle in the 1999 Constitution, which stipulates that the same region or geopolitical zone is entitled to produce the next president. These two equally valid assertions could drive the country in a wrong acrimonious, direction. The cast of probable presidential aspirants may be classified into three categories: the plausible, the pretenders, and the perspirants. Given Nigerias long unfulfilled national aspirations, Nigerias attentive public has growing expectations concerning the attributes of the next president. These include broad national outlook; ability to communicate frequently and honestly with the public; willingness to be accountable to the people, parliament, and the press; abjuring hegemonic pretensions to leadership and crass partisanship; upholding constitutionalism and rule of law; and commitment to free, fair and credible elections.

On the last point, it bears emphasis that the 2023 presidential elections will transcend just electing a candidate to occupy Nigeria's highest political office: It will be more of a referendum on democracy in Nigeria. The report of European Union Observer Mission cast a harsh spotlight on several shortcomings of the 2019 general elections, which INEC has promised to remedy. Equally important, all presidential aspirants must refrain from any form of conduct that undermines the integrity of the electoral outcome. Given that the presidential elections are scheduled first in every election year, how the presidential elections are conducted in 2023 will determine whether Nigerias electorate will have the confidence and enthusiasm to vote in the follow-on elections in 2023. The frequent resort to the Supreme Court to adjudicate electoral disputes does not only burden the Court unduly, but has unwittingly converted the apex court into an electorate college, thus diminishing the value of the popular vote.

Electoral legitimacy is a core value and pillar of good governance. Yet much else rides on performance legitimacy. Action will be needed in three critical areas. First, is reforming the machinery of government. This goes beyond the implemention of the rather limited number of recommendations in the White Paper on the Oronsaye Report. Precisely because the presidency is at the "central nervous system of the government"; reforming it will be an important component of improving the functioning, efficiency and effectiveness of the government. Dwindling fiscal resources are an additional impetus for undertaking wide ranging public sector reforms. Meanwhile, Nigerians are hopeful that the recent ranking appointment in the presidency might yet bring the desired reforms within the presidency and signal the resolve for broader and deeper public sector reforms.

Second, in Nigerias emerging post-oil-economy, three major drivers of prosperity will include: respect for property rights which is the fulcrum of any market economy; science and technology capacity which is essential to participating in and penetrating a variety of, international supply chains, including promoting value addition; and effective governance, which ensures stability. While the killings by pastoral herdsmen have grabbed the headlines, their forcible seizure and occupation of farmlands in various parts of the country is having a corrosive effect on the protection of property rights, sending unambiguous wrong signals both to foreign and domestic investors, especially in the agricultural sector. Ending and reversing this insidious practice of forcible seizure and occupation deserves priority action. During the 2019 presidential elections, only one candidate underlined the importance of protection of property rights. This should become a shared priority among all political leaders.

Third, in so far as the wealth of nations depends critically on the creativity and ingenuity of its people, the responsibility to protect the life of every citizen matters a great deal. Sadly, citizens' lives are being lost due to state actors' over-reach. Last April, the National Human Rights Commission announced that it had "eight documented incidents of extrajudicial killings leading to 18 deaths between March 30 and April 13-- the first two weeks of the COVID-19 related lockdown. These killings involved military, police and the correctional services personnel. Since there were only 10 deaths by COVID-19 in Nigeria during the same period, Nigeria earned the dubious distinction, in the world, of having more deaths by security agents than COVID-19 at any point in the fight against COVID-19. This reality underlines why Nigeria's law enforcement and security agents should be re-oriented, through an enhanced security sector governance reforms programmes. Closely related to ongoing geopolitical-based security sector restructuring, the demands for national restructuring will need to be addressed.

In looking forward to the election of the next president in 2023, Nigerians may do well to remember what President Umaru Yar'Adua said in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected president of the United States: "Obama's election has finally broken the greatest barrier of prejudice in human history". This raises the heady question: Can Nigeria overcome her regional, religious, and ethnic barriers in choosing its next president?

*Otobo is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Global Governance lnstitute, Brussels, Belgium.

Obaze is Managing Director/CEO, Selonnes Consult, Awka.
A delivery man for Coupang Jung Im-hong wearing a mask to prevent contracting the coronavirus, loads packages before leaving to deliver them in Incheon

By Joyce Lee and Hyunjoo Jin

SEOUL (Reuters) - Deluged with online orders as the coronavirus epidemic swept South Korea, e-commerce giant Coupang opened a new groceries warehouse and logistics centre near Seoul in March, providing food and other essentials to shoppers sheltering at home.

But health authorities and former workers say the company may have failed to follow measures to prevent infections at the facility, which is now at the centre of South Korea's latest outbreak of the disease.

More than 100 cases linked to the Coupang facility have been recorded in less than a week, raising the spectre of a second wave of COVID-19 in a country praised for containing the first outbreak.

Coupang, backed by Japan's SoftBank and dubbed the Amazon of South Korea, hired thousands of temporary workers to staff the 24-hour operation.

Health authorities said it appears some workers did not wear masks and social distancing rules were not observed in smoking rooms and cafeterias. Traces of the virus were also detected on protective helmets and computer equipment at the centre, they said.

One video shared on YouTube by a woman who said she worked at another Coupang logistics centre showed masked workers standing closely together in line at a cafeteria.

"It's true that managers couldn't manage the large number of people during the meals and breaks," a man who worked at the Coupang Bucheon logistics centre from March to May told Reuters.

Another woman who worked at a Coupang logistics centre said many workers applied by text message and were hired without interviews because the need for staff was so great.

"There were so many people at the centre that I thought it would be disastrous if the virus spread," said the woman surnamed Choi, who shared her experience on social media. Choi did not respond to an interview request.

Workers were paid about 100,000 won ($80) for a 10 hour shift scanning barcodes and packaging products for delivery, she added. South Korea's mininum wage is 8,590 won per hour.

Story continues

Coupang said it has implemented measures recommended by health officials at cafeterias, smoking rooms and communal areas at the centre on May 25, but declined to comment on whether the guidelines were observed before the first case was confirmed on May 23, saying it is cooperating with an investigation that is underway.

Coupang said it does not conduct interviews when hiring short-term workers, but declined to comment on its hiring numbers.

"Coupang has been making utmost efforts to protect the safety of customers and employees," it said.

During a Reuters visit to one of its distribution centres in March, Coupang said it disinfects trucks and the warehouses, and workers wear masks and undergo temperature checks.

TEMPORARY WORKER RISKS

Health authorities have tested more than 3,700 workers at the warehouse, and about 97% of them were daily workers, contract workers and outsourcing employees, a Bucheon city spokesman said.

Lee Jae-myung, the governor of Gyeonggi Province, home to the centre, said many workers at the facility had two or three jobs, exposing them to a greater risk of infection. He ordered a two-week suspension of the facility.

The first confirmed case was a temp worker who is suspected to be connected with a Seoul nightclub outbreak earlier this month.

Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip has urged companies to step up quarantine efforts especially in confined, labour intensive workplaces.

Outbreaks have occurred in similar facilities elsewhere.

In the United States, Amazon warehouse employees staged a walkout demanding safer working conditions after at least 800 workers in its distribution facilities tested positive for COVID-19.

Coupang, a $9 billion startup founded by Harvard graduate Bom Kim, narrowed its losses last year and is one of the few bright spots for SoftBank and its Vision fund, which together invested $3 billion in the firm.

It leveraged its extensive logistics network and delivery operations to ship anything from toilet paper to fresh kimchi pickles as quickly as a few hours.

South Korea, already the world's fifth biggest e-commerce market according to researcher Euromonitor, saw online retail sales jump 12% to 12.6 trillion won ($10.18 billion) in March alone from a year ago.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee and Hyunjoo Jin; Additional reporting by Heekyong Yang; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
She recently celebrated her 21st birthday amid the coronavirus lockdown with boyfriend Tommy Fury.

And Molly-Mae Hague looked smitten with her latest gift after uploading a series of adorable snapshots featuring her new puppy to Instagram on Thursday.

The former Love Island star proudly showcased the new addition to their family as the couple took it in turns to lavish the tiny dog with affection.

Family: Molly-Mae Hague, 21, looked smitten with her latest gift after uploading a series of adorable snapshots featuring her new puppy to Instagram on Thursday

She uploaded the first video saying 'my heart has exploded' as Tommy gently gripped the Pomeranian.

Molly-Mae later shared a video as she introduced fans officially to the fluffball which she has called 'Mr Chai'.

Earlier in the day, the TV personality had shared an excitable snap to her story of the empty dog cage alongside a caption that read: 'Sat waiting for you little monster.

'An hour before I become a dog mum. Hope you're all ready for the spam.'

Cute: The former Love Island star proudly showcased the new addition to their family as the couple took it in turns to lavish the tiny dog with affection

It comes after Molly-Mae celebrated her birthday in lockdown with boyfriend Tommy Fury in spectacular fashion on Tuesday.

The reality star couldn't hide her shock after being showered with gifts and surprises by her beau, surrounded by wall-to-wall pink decorations.

Both Molly-Mae and Tommy documented their birthday celebrations on Instagram, including the moment she was stunned to learn she and Tommy would be getting a puppy.

Addition: Molly-Mae later shared a video as she introduced fans officially to the fluffball which she has called 'Mr Chai'

Dog mum: Tommy later photographed the pair snuggling up on the sofa as they enjoyed their first evening together

Happy days: The couple seemed happier than ever

The boxer shared a loved-up snap with his girlfriend surrounded by their birthday decor, with the caption marking almost a year to the day since they met in the Love Island villa.

Tommy wrote: 'Happy 21st birthday my girl. Its nearly one year since we met.... thank you for the best year of my life.'

Molly Mae also shared a snap in honour of her birthday celebrations, writing: '21 Today. Feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.'

The happy couple: They looked overjoyed

Romantic: It comes after Molly-Mae celebrated her birthday in lockdown with boyfriend Tommy Fury in spectacular fashion on Tuesday

Molly-Mae posted plenty of snaps and videos to showcase her new birthday gifts, which included a stunning 205 Fendi gold monogrammed ring from her friend Ella.

The star was also thrilled to receive a 995 backpack from Prada, and a 440 Dior necklace and a checked shirt.

But her biggest surprise of all came when Molly-Mae learned she would be getting a puppy in two days time.

Gorgeous: Molly-Mae also shared a snap with one of the bouquets she received for her birthday

Amazing: Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, the star celebrated her birthday in spectacular fashion

Although the new pooch wasn't there to greet Molly-Mae on the day, Tommy did surprise her with a handwritten note and Louis Vuitton dog carrier, which range from between 1,880 and 2,080.

The social media influencer shared a snap of the note on her Instagram Stories, which read: 'Dear Mummy, I can't wait to meet you in a few days.

'Until then have the best birthday and I know Daddy will be spoiling you rotten love you loads. Your son, Mr Chai. Woof woof. xx'

Also in shot was the designer dog carrier and a pack of puppy pads.

Grand: Molly-Mae was also showered with designer gifts, including a 205 Fendi gold monogrammed ring, a 995 backpack from Prada, and a 440 Dior necklace

New addition: Molly-Mae also learned she would be getting a puppy, when Tommy gifted her with a handwritten note and Louis Vuitton dog carrier, which range from 1,880 and 2,080

Molly-Mae covered her mouth in shock as she came downstairs to see that Tommy had decorated their apartment in pink 21 themed balloons.

The reality star admitted was 'speechless' as she noted the effort her beau had gone to, to make her day special while in lockdown.

Molly-Mae's kitchen table was covered in wrapped presents and gift bags as well as a three-tier cake which featured an iced version of her toy, Ellie-Belly.

Ellie-Belly is a stuffed elephant which Molly-Mae has had since birth and the toy made several cameos during her time on Love Island.

One of the gift bags contained a dazzling 4,300 Cartier Love Ring, which Molly-Mae proudly flaunted on her finger after unwrapping it.

Oh my! Molly-Mae covered her mouth in shock as she came downstairs to see that Tommy had covered their apartment in pink 21 themed balloons

Tommy didn't just treat his ladylove to an array of designer goodies, he also showed off his sentimental side by creating a collage of snaps of them together.

The blonde beauty also received a lavish gold cake from her fake tan brand, Filter by Molly-Mae, as well as bouquets of flower from her gal pals.

Molly-Mae and her other half met on the 2019 edition of the hit ITV2 dating show, where they came runners up behind Amber Gill and Greg O'Shea.

After leaving the villa Molly-Mae and Tommy quickly moved into together in Manchester into the open-plan flat they now share.
Professor Green angered passengers on a flight from Amsterdam to London by 'refusing' to wear a protective face mask.

The rapper, 36, real name Stephen Manderson, flew from Schiphol Airport to Heathrow on Friday morning with his actress girlfriend Karima McAdams, 35, but their lack of facial protection unnerved other passengers.

In exclusive photos obtained by MailOnline, Pro Green can be seen without a mask while three other travellers in shot covered their faces.

'It's concerning': Professor Green angered passengers on a flight from Amsterdam to London by 'refusing' to wear a protective face mask while other travellers took proper precautions

A source told MailOnline: 'Pro Green flew from Amsterdam to London today at 9:15am.

'It's not easy to social distance on a busy flight but he went one step further by not wearing a protective face mask.

'Pro and his girlfriend were the only people on board not wearing a cover up, which angered those around them especially after everyone else had taken the proper precautions.

'It's concerning that not all people are abiding by the rules when wearing a mask should be mandatory throughout all stages of travel.'

'Angered': A source told MailOnline the rapper and his girlfriend Karima McAdams were the only people flying from Schiphol Airport to Heathrow on Friday morning not wearing masks

No social distance: Pro Green, real name Stephen Manderson, can be seen on the 9:15am flight on Friday not wearing any facial protection as he sat in close contact with those around him

A spokesman for Pro Green told MailOnline: 'Pro was repatriated yesterday from Morocco with the help of the British and Dutch ambassadors.

'He was wearing a mask throughout the flight apart from when he was eating a Hobnob biscuit.'

Pro's girlfriend Karima, who goes by the nickname Kiki, explained the musician had 'followed' her to Morocco where she had been caring for her father.

In an Instagram post shared on Sunday, she said: 'This little light of mine followed me to Morocco on my quest to look after my father in the beginning of our uncertain times.

'Today we find ourselves almost 2.5 months in, roughly 2 months longer than we had ever expected and on top of that throw in an entire month of living/sneaking about under my father's roof in an almighty Ramadan for good measure.'

'This little light of mine': Pro's girlfriend explained he had 'followed' her to Morocco where she had been caring for father  with the pair flying back to London from Morocco via Amsterdam

Lovers: The documentary maker was travelling home from Morocco via Amsterdam with his girlfriend Karima, who recently gave him a haircut in lockdown

Flight attendants working onboard the KLM airline on Friday were also seen wearing protective masks alongside their blue uniforms.

Guidelines published by The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) say all travellers are expected to take precautions such as wearing masks and washing their hands while flying.

In the 28-page document EASA advises passengers to employ 'appropriate use of face masks,' to limit contact with cabin surfaces and minimise use of on-board services  all to control the spread of Covid-19.

Airlines such as Ryanair have implemented the use of 'mandatory face masks at all times' to keep flyers safe throughout their travels.

Landed: Pro Green's girlfriend shared a photo of her with the rapper wearing masks on Friday, captioning the image: 'Touch down. This weather is magic, London you look bloody beautiful'

Pro has been in a relationship with Karima since July 2019.

Karima is best known for staring alongside Game of Thrones star Joe Dempsie in Fox thriller Deep State.

She previously dated TV presenter George Lamb, 40, after getting together in 2008 and splitting around 2014.

Pro Green was previously married to former Made In Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh, 30, for two-and-a-half years before they announced their split in February 2016.

Millie welcomed her first daughter into the world with husband Hugo Taylor, 33, earlier this month.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Carlos Vargas arrived to the United States from Mexico when he was four years old.

Thirty years later, he has been a Staten Island resident for well over a decade and is now involved in a fight that has worked its way up to the Supreme Court of the United States.

An immigrant who received protection under the President Barack Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, Carlos saw his future placed on uncertain grounds when current President Donald Trump moved to end the program.

The Woodrow resident decided to take legal action and is listed as one of the plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court case.

Now, awaiting a decision, which will likely come in June, Carlos said he is hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

ITS BIGGER THAN MYSELF

Carlos applied to DACA in 2012, the year the program, which protects undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as minors, began accepting applications.

Like other Staten Islanders  including health care workers  he is one of the over-32,000 DACA recipients in New York alone. Nationwide, there are currently around 700,000 DACA recipients, according to the Mayors Office of Immigrants Affairs.

In an effort to curtail illegal immigration, then-presidential candidate Trump promised to end the program, defining it as unconstitutional. More than one year into his presidency, Trump kept his campaign promise, officially announcing his intent to end program on Sept. 5, 2017.

A supervisor for Make the Road New York, an immigrant-led advocate organization, and a current law student at the City University of New York, Carlos said, as an advocate, the only really viable option was for me to pursue this in the courts.

Now  staring down the decision-making power of the high court -- Carlos admitted that the process has been a bit intimidating" being up against an agency such as the Department of Homeland Security," but noted that the fight is not only a personal one, but one that affects thousands of others.

For DACA recipients like Carlos, a decision approving the presidents push to eradicate the program could mean the expiration of protections and benefits the program offers  potentially taking away work permits and forcing individuals to leave the country they have called home since they were children.

The ultimate result of the decision is unclear to Carlos on an individual level, since his work permit technically expires in 2022, but he said the termination of DACA could mean his work privileges would effective immediately, be terminated.

It could mean that I could lose my healthcare at a time of crisis, he said. Its kind of like a roller coaster. I have bills like most Americans, and it could be financially, emotionally and legally difficult.

Still, the broader perspective of the cases implications has kept him centered on his goal.

Its not just about me, the plaintiffs, he said, its about what we represent as a community as a whole. I think we represent the Staten Island, the New York community, so I dont feel like Im there by myself as a plaintiff.

Its bigger than myself. Im there to really embrace and empower what it means to be a DACA recipient in New York City.

Carlos Vargas, 34, right, who is listed as a plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court case concerned DACA  Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration policy. (Photo courtesy of Carlos Vargas)

THE SUPREME COURT CASE

The motions of the case currently being deliberated in the Supreme Court of the U.S. began in late 2017.

Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security on Sept. 4, of that year, articulating his legal determination that DACA was effectuated by the previous administration through executive action, without proper statutory authority and with no established end-date, after Congress repeated rejection of proposed legislation that would have accomplished a similar result."

Such an open-ended circumvention of immigration laws was an unconstitutional exercise of authority by the Executive Branch, he wrote.

Sessions, who has since been fired by Trump, said, As Attorney General of the United States, I have a duty to defend the Constitution and to faithfully execute the laws passed by Congress. Proper enforcement of our immigration laws is, as President Trump consistently said, critical to the national interest and to the restoration of the rule of law in our country.

Lower courts, however, found the decision of the Trump administration to cut the program to be arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act  the federal law that governs policymaking procedures.

Following that determination, the fate of DACA recipients became uncertain.

Carlos brother, Cesar Vargas, who is an immigration attorney, former DACA recipient and member of the U.S. Army Reserve, said that the manner in which the U.S. Supreme Court reaches its decision is nearly as important as the decision itself.

If the court determines the program should be abolished, or if  in the opposite direction  the Supreme Court justices decide the president did not have the legal authority to slash the program, the court could say, notwithstanding all those decisions, we say its not fair to the recipients and young people who have this, and therefore, you can terminate it but the program can continue until the last DACA authorization expires'.

Theres a whole range of outcomes for the decision, Cesar said, with one end of the spectrum resulting in the program being completely terminated, where work permits  including the one his brother has  are nullified immediately.

Another option is for the work program to cease on a set date, regardless of when a DACA recipients work permit was slated to expire.

In a really worst case scenario, Immigration [and] Customs Enforcement (ICE) can start proceedings against someone, especially if they have some type of criminal case or charge pending, Cesar said.

Matthew Albence, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, previously said that ICE will deport immigrants if the Supreme Court slashes the program, Vox previously reported, seen as a stark contrast to Chief Justice John Roberts statements, which pointed toward such deportations not happening.

Even the president has shifted his tone on the matter. In a 2017 tweet, in which he is believed to have been referencing DACA recipients, he wrote: Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!

Then, in 2019, he tweeted: Many of the people in DACA, no longer very young, are far from angels. Some are very tough, hardened criminals. President Obama said he had no legal right to sign order, but would anyway. If Supreme Court remedies with overturn, a deal will be made with Dems for them to stay!

If the U.S. Supreme Court determines the president acted unlawfully, a process  albeit one that would progress much slower  could begin where the rules are placed through the Administrative Procedure Act that would move to end DACA, meaning he has to go through the entire rule-making process, Cesar said.

Depending on a variety of factors, Cesar said that undertaking could take one to 14 years."

For Cesar, the ramifications of the decision  both nationally and personally  are clear.

Were talking about people who own homes, people paying taxes, people built their lives, Cesar said. For me, I am serving my country because I am fighting to ensure that my brother and other young people can stay together.

While, as an immigration attorney, Cesar is keenly aware of the legal aspect of the DACA case, its closeness to his own situation has stirred up potent emotions. For me to be worried more than that my own federal government, that my own president, can rip apart my family, and as opposed to the enemy abroad, thats a tragedy.

Carlos Vargas, 34, was diagnosed with coronavirus in March. (Photo courtesy of Carlos Vargas)

A CORONAVIRUS DIAGNOSIS

With looming questions regarding the immediate implications of the pending decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, Carlos said he was presented with another major obstacle  a positive coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnosis.

In early March, Carlos said he began to feel sick but didnt believe he had the virus.

Soon after, his condition worsened.

It came to the point where it got so severe that I actually had pneumonia, Carlos said, and he subsequently went to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton.

By the second week of April, Carlos had recovered; however, after receiving the bill for his hospital stay, he said he could only imagine what kind of financial burden he would have endured if he wasnt insured.

Carlos Vargas, 34, who is listed as a plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court case concerned DACA  Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration policy. (Photo courtesy of Carlos Vargas)

THIS IS OUR HOME

Carlos said that DACA recipients are American in every way but paper.

I think its easy to label immigrants, whether undocumented or documented, that they are taking jobs or doing these malicious things against our communities," he said, and for me, making the choice to put my name out there, Id rather tell my story to the public than having someone else saying, No, DACA recipients are taking our jobs or hurting our communities."

For me, putting my name out there means Im telling my side of story.

While waiting an extended period of time for the decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, which has likely been pushed back due to the coronavirus, Carlos said the outcome of the case will be one that will not only affect DACA recipients, but the country as a whole.

This is our home, he said, Were deeply rooted in American culture and American life, and DACA is as American as every person who has grown up in this great country.
29.05.2020 LISTEN

Joseph Boakye Danquah, the foremost contender of Eugene Boakye Antwi has made known his intentions to drastically transform the economy of Subin constituency, a potential hot business catchment area in Kumasi if he is elected into power.

According to JB Danquah, who is also the chairman for NPP Minnesota Chapter, USA, despite untapped opportunities in the areas captured under the constituency some people are living in abject poverty.

Dissecting matters bothering on the needs of constituents in the areas he seeks to represent in parliament on Price FM, the astute tax accountant, and policy analyst assured that he is poised to better the lives of the people with his knowledge and influence.

Explaining how he intends to enhance economic activities and fast-track development in Subin, JB Danquah indicated that under his leadership, a Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) would be set up to enable small and medium scale enterprises to expand.

The knowledge I acquired from studying Economic Development in the USA affords me the strategies to implement in the case of Subin to propel tangible economic development in the area, Mr. Danquah observed.

In his estimation, about 80 per cent of delegates he interacted with are self-employed. So, the introduction of initiatives like support schemes to inject funds into their businesses would inure to the benefit of the masses by creating more job opportunities.

What I intend to do is similar to President Akufo-Addos One-District-One Factory policy. If a factory is established for instance, a good number of residents are going to be employed. Transactions of the employed residents would in turn cause a multiplying effect on traders who fall in the brackets of the informal sector to boost economic activities in the area, he explained.

Quizzed on the sustainability of the initiative, JB Danquah said the PAF would be managed by opinion leaders and eminent people of the constituency to prevent misappropriation of funds.

He added that he intends to set up a fund and support residents to expand their already existing businesses.

Though he mentioned that he would jumpstart the fund with seed money from his personal resources, he maintains that his outfit will reach out to corporate bodies, traditional rulers, and business executives with detailed and practicable business proposals to solicit more funds.

On matters of security, Mr Danquah assured that he would coordinate Assemblymen and opinion leaders to liaise with the police to map out tactics to combat robbery and other social vices in the area.

It is commonplace in Ghana to find the youth in our communities team-up as vigilantes to fight crimes in their respective areas. So, Im considering seeking the counsel of the police to equip such groups with weapons like tasers and pepper sprays to check miscreants who have made certain spots in the area unsafe for patrons who use the routes at dawn and late at night, he averred.

Mr. Danquah, who is resolute to bring sanity in communities within the Subin constituency, has assured that he would sponsor the activities of watchdog committees to ensure a safe and sound environment.

MPs are change agents and Subin is the central business district of Kumasi, so I will make sure life is bearable for all people by adopting all hands-on deck approach. Leaders have free minds if the well-being of the people are addressed, he said.
LAST week we dealt briefly with the life and works of the late George Fitzmaurice. This week we will look at the works and life of the late Robert Leslie Boland of Farnstack, Lisselton.

Before we do, however, I would like to clear up a misunderstanding concerning the religion of George Fitzmaurice. George was born into the Protestantism of the Church of Ireland, and was not a Catholic, as two of my readers would have me believe.

Georges father was a parson. His mother was a Winifred OConnor who worked as a maid in the Fitzmaurice household at Kilcara, Duagh. The marriage took place before the Ne Temere decree which meant that the sons were brought up in the fathers faith and the daughters in the mothers faith. Wiffred OConnor, of course was a Catholic.

A Catholic

Robert Lee Boland, on the other hand, was a Catholic. He was born in the Farnstack farmhouse in 1888 where his son Daniel continues the tradition of farming. The Bolands of Farnstack distinguished themselves in almost every aspect of Irish life. Bob was educated at the local national school and at St Michaels College, Listowel. He died a comparatively young man in 1955.

A few short years before he had the heart rendering experience of seeing his youngest son Val, precede him to the grave. Val was probably the most promising of all the young Kerry writers of his time. From a young age he produced excellent poetry but it was not until he came to Saint Michaels that his talents really started to take shape. He died a schoolboy. Anyone who ever knew him will remember him forever with affection and respect.

Robert Leslie was a poet of consequence. He preferred to be called Bob and that is how we shall refer to him from now on. He was a colourful character with a host of friends. He liked a drink and he liked good company.Some of his best poems were Rabelasian. Those that were not were often compared to the poems of Robert Burns for whom Bob held an enormous respect. Personally, I think he was more influenced by Matthew Arnold than any other.

Private

Only one collection of his works was published and this for private circulation. The work was entitled, Thistles and Docks being, according to the author, a selection, grave, gay and Rabelaisian from the works of Robert Leslie Boland, Farnstack House, Lisselton, Co. Kerry.

It contains many of his more popular pieces. There is Sonnet to a Lavatory.

Temple of seclusion! Aptly set apart

To house the toilet needs, Repository

Where bodily wants are eased and the heart

Feels restful, too, in thy sweet privacy.

Thou art the throne room of soliloquy

Where each lone patron with no special art,

Relaxes for expulsion, setting free

Imprisoned waste and the unmuffled fart.

Quiet citadel! Kings and Queens have sate

Within thee, glad to leave their votive gift

(So democratic for their Royal state)

And grateful for kind natures daily shift.

Who would not hail thee, backward edifice ?

Colister for brief retirement and for peace

Sugar

I dont think readers will be really offended by the foregoing. The great merit about Boland was that he was always marginally ahead of the censor. During the war years Bob applied to the Department of Commerce for sugar . He had six beehives and he needed sugar to keep the inmates alive. His application was naturally in verse:

Dear sir, I beg hereby to make application,

For sugar for bees whose plight is starvation .

Be generous you must for my (six in number),

Like Europe are feeling the pinch of the hunger.

You know how the weather down here militated

Against the good workers who waited and waited.

For fine sunny days to go out in the clover,

But vain were their longings and summer is now over.

This is a thought your Department should cherish

Tis urgent, tis needed or my colonies perish.

There follows an incredibly beautiful allegory in which the queen bees have their say. One describes her honeymoon with a drone who has just been stung to death:

I remember the morning of our wedding flight;

His vigour, his passion, his speed like a kite

When up towards the ether, with wings humming loud,

He gave me the razz right on top of the cloud.

Answer

Bob once participated in a Radio Eireann question time which was broadcast from Ballybunion. When asked his occupation by the question master, he replied immediately: Philosopher, philanderer and farmer.

His most oft-quoted poem, Loneliness, deserves to be quoted in full but alas there isnt enough space It was compose, after midnight, whilst walking over a three mile stretch of moorland between Ballylongford and Farnstack. He was also very fond of walking from the Ballybunion strand to the mouth of the Cashen. Sometimes he would recognise and salute acquaintances. Other times he would be lost in his thoughts and heeded nothing but nature;

Lone as a climber on some Alpine peak.

Lone as the last kiss on a lovers cheek

Lone as the Pole Star from its sky tower watching.

Lone as a gander when the geese are hatching.

Lone as a maiden weeping in distress.

Lone as a bullock when the cow says yes.

Lone as a skylark who has lost his song.

Lone as a eunuch for his gems are gone.

Lone as a petrel on the stormy wave.

Lone as a deadman in a nameless grave.

Lone as a lassie on the bathroom bowl,

When she finds no paper in the toilet roll.

Lone as the Artic when the Polar bear howls

In the blizzard from his

frozen lair.

A shame

There is in the poetry of Bob Boland an underlying dismissal of himself. He builds beautifully with a series of perfectly disciplined couplets and then for what would seem like pure devilment he allows his theme to collapse by following up with a Rabelaisian climax. It is a conscious dismissal and it could be that he was uncertain about his ability to write poetry. This was a shame because in many ways he was unique particularly in his choice of themes which range from Ode to a Po to Sonnet to a Spud which was broadcast by the B.B.C.

There was the same self dismissal in George Fitzmaurice who was born less than three miles from the Boland home at Farnstack. Bob however, was outgoing and gregarious while George was pathologically shy.

There are such diverse composition as Ode to a load of Hay and Sonnet to a Cowdung:

Cowdung all nature greets you with a smile,

Your blending essence made our Emerald Isle.

This article by the late and great John B Keane first appeared in the Limerick Leader on April 9, 1977
Bogota: Indigenous groups in the Amazon could be wiped out by the coronavirus, a tribal leader warned, ahead of a livestreamed fundraising event to feature Hollywood stars Jane Fonda, Morgan Freeman and Barbra Streisand.

About 500 indigenous people mainly living in the Amazon regions of Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador have died in the pandemic and many more are at risk because they lack access to basic healthcare, said indigenous leader Jose Gregorio Diaz.

Oona Chaplin, from Game of Thrones, kicks off the start-studded livestream for the Amazon global fundraiser. Credit:Screengrab

"It's very worrying. We are in danger of extinction," Diaz, who joins the event taking place on Friday from 10am (AEST), told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"There are indigenous groups living in border areas who have between 40 to 80 people. They could disappear forever," said Diaz, who heads the Coordinating Body of Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon Basin (COICA).
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in the Senate subway area of the Capitol before President Donald Trumps State of the Union address in Washington on Feb. 4, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

US Senators Urge UNSC Leadership to Hold an Immediate Meeting on Hong Kong

A bipartisan group of Senators on May 28 called for an immediate meeting at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Beijings move to impose the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) so-called national security legislation on Hong Kong.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) joined leading members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday in penning a letter to the current and incoming president of the UNSC on the matter.

In your nations capacities as the current and incoming president of the UNSC, we write to strongly support the USUNs call for an immediate UNSC meeting on recent actions taken by the Chinese government to undermine Hong Kongs autonomy and infringe on the rights and freedoms promised to the Hong Kong people, the senators wrote.

Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) are among the signatories of the letter.

Two big lessons from what the Communist Party is doing to #HongKong: 1. They will sign virtually any deal because if/when it suits them they will break any commitments they have made; 2.What they are doing today to HK is what they have in mind for #Taiwan down the road  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 28, 2020

The group of senators issued the letter hours after Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, the National Peoples Congress (NPC), passed a draft resolution of Beijings national security legislation. It also followed a statement from the U.S. Mission to the United Nations (USUN) that said China is blocking its calls for an urgent meeting at the UNSC on the security bill.

The U.S. Mission said Wednesday that it had scheduled a virtual meeting of the 15-member Security Council to discuss the issue, which it described as a matter of urgent global concern that implicates international peace and security.

Unsurprisingly, the U.S. Mission said, the CCP has blocked the meeting from proceeding in the Security Council.

This is another example of the Chinese Communist Partys fear of transparency and international accountability for its actions, and belief that it can exploit the current global health pandemic to distract the world from its intended assault on Hong Kong and abrogation of its own commitments to the Hong Kong people, the statement read.

The law, which was designed to allow Beijing to bypass Hong Kongs own legislature, bans acts of secession, subversion, and terrorism activities against Chinas ruling CCP, and has attracted condemnation both inside and outside Hong Kong.

It reignited mass protests in the city, with tens of thousands of Hong Kongers voicing their opposition to Beijings law in protests on May 24. Further protests have been planned for the coming weeks.

Many fear that the law would be used by Beijing to suppress and persecute dissenting voices. Local anti-CCP advocates, human rights advocates, pro-democracy advocates, and lawmakers note that the national security laws are frequently used to prosecute and jail dissidents in the mainland.

The U.S. Mission argued Wednesday that the meeting at the U.N. was necessary as the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration is a legally binding treaty registered with the UN.

It said that Chinas refusal to allow a Security Council meeting on the matter to proceed, coupled with its gross cover-up and mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis, its constant violations of its international human rights commitments, and its unlawful behavior in the South China Sea, should make obvious to all that Beijing is not behaving as a responsible U.N. member state.

We call on the PRC to immediately reverse course and honor its promises under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the statement concluded.

The statement echoed calls from the lawmakers, who stated in their letter Thursday that Beijings latest actions are a clear violation of its binding international commitments, including the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, and undermine the ability for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to remain in force in Hong Kong as guaranteed by Hong Kongs Basic Law.

These actions warrant the immediate attention of the UNSC. We hope in your capacities as the current and incoming President of the UNSC, you will support this call for a virtual meeting at the UNSC without delay.

Beijing has blocked @USUN call for a Security Council meeting on#HongKong. @UN member states should push back & actually stand for human rights. @USAmbUN must keep the pressure on #China so Beijing cant profit from breaking the Sino-UK Joint Declaration. #StandwithHongKong https://t.co/ukO3NcEdt6  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 28, 2020

Beijing has blocked @USUN call for a Security Council meeting on#HongKong @UN member states should push back & actually stand for human rights. @USAmbUN must keep the pressure on #China so Beijing cant profit from breaking the Sino-UK Joint Declaration. #StandwithHongKong, Rubio said on Twitter Thursday.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday declared that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous following the CCPs recent move to tighten its grip over the city.

Today, I reported to Congress that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China, given facts on the ground, Pompeo said in a tweet. The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday promised a very interesting response from his administration before the end of the week after seeing that the regime was likely to go ahead with the law. It is still unclear whether Trump will opt for what has been called the nuclear optionstripping Hong Kong of its special economic status that the United States has conferred on it since the end of British rule more than two decades ago.

The state department has yet to respond to a query from The Epoch Times.

Eva Fu contributed to this report.
What you need to know today in Vietnam:

Society

-- Vietnam has gone 42 days without community transmission of COVID-19 and with 59 imported cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

-- Vietnam will keep closing its borders to foreign visitors to prevent coronavirus spread, the National Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control said at a meeting on Thursday.

-- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has required local hospitals to check foreign patients' history of entry into Vietnam and their certificate of mandatory-quarantine completion before providing medical services to them.

-- Hanoi police said on Thursday that they had cooperated with officers from the Ministry of Public Security in busting an online gambling ring that hosted transactions worth a massive VND64 trillion (US$2.8 billion) in total.

Business

-- Vietnam has for the first time allowed the official importation of live pigs in a bid to bring down domestic pork prices, according to a Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development document.

Lifestyle

-- Da Nang has just approved the building of a museum at a cost of VND504 billion ($21.8 million) while a VND400 billion ($17.3 million) will be constructed in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long, dedicated to regional agriculture.

Sports

-- Ho Chi Minh City FC will sell 10,000 tickets to their National Cup match against SHB Da Nang at Thong Nhat Stadium on Saturday. The tickets fetch VND150,000, VND100,000, VND70,000, and VND50,000.

World News

-- COVID-19 has sickened over 5.9 million people and claimed more than 2.9 million lives around the world, according to the Ministry of Health's statistics. Almost 2.6 million patients have beaten the disease.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Netflix completed its purchase of Hollywood's historic Egyptian Theatre on Friday, helping to confirm the streaming giant's newfound central position in the movie industry.

The Los Angeles theater built in 1922 claims to have hosted Hollywood's first ever movie premiere -- "Robin Hood" -- and will be used by Netflix for movie premieres as well as screenings and special events.

"The Egyptian Theatre is an incredible part of Hollywood history and has been treasured by the Los Angeles film community for nearly a century," said Netflix film head Scott Stuber in a statement confirming the deal.

Netflix, which did not reveal the size of its investment, will run the venue jointly with the nonprofit American Cinematheque, which bought the dilapidated theater from city officials in 1996 and renovated it two years later.

The Egyptian Theatre's landmark 1922 premiere of "Robin Hood" saw Charlie Chaplin and movie mogul Cecil B. DeMille join the film's star Douglas Fairbanks and his wife Mary Pickford at the venue on Hollywood Boulevard.

It would later host premieres of other key silent movies from Hollywood's famed Golden Age, such as "The Gold Rush" and "The Ten Commandments."

Netflix has spent billions in recent years to lure the industry's top filmmaking talent, upstaging traditional Tinseltown studios with prestigious titles including "Roma" and "The Irishman."

Last year the streaming giant announced it would use New York's historic Paris theater, which had been shuttered months earlier, for special events and screenings.

The investments have been widely seen as a shot across the bows in Netflix's battle with major movie theater chains and older Hollywood studios.

Traditionally the waiting period before movies appear online agreed upon by studios and major theater chains is 90 days, but Netflix and other streaming giants have been running their movies in select theaters for briefer windows.

The Oscars and other major award shows require films in contention run in designated theaters for a certain period of time, although many have temporarily relaxed their rules this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Hollywood trade IndieWire reported this week that Netflix will skip traditional major movie festivals this year such as Venice, Toronto and New York -- should they take place -- preferring to premiere its titles at independent venues.

"Love for film is inseparable from L.A.'s history and identity," said Mayor Eric Garcetti.

"We are working toward the day when audiences can return to theaters -- and this extraordinary partnership will preserve an important piece of our cultural heritage that can be shared for years to come."

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Activists were detained in Moscow and St. Petersburg on May 29 after protesting against a 15-day jail sentence handed down to prominent Russian journalist Ilya Azar. He was arrested for holding a one-person protest in support of activist Vladimir Vorontsov, who has worked to expose alleged violations within Russia's law enforcement agencies.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Leonardo Benassatto (Reuters) Sao Paulo, Brazil  Fri, May 29, 2020 09:20 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdad9da5 2 World Brazil,Airport,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-travel-ban,COVID-19-travel-restriction,pandemic Free

Stefany Carvallido, her 2-year-old daughter and about 200 other Colombians have been camping out inside Brazil's busiest international airport for days in a desperate attempt to get back to their home country.

More than two months after the coronavirus pandemic triggered worldwide lockdowns, much of the world is gradually reopening. But Latin America remains highly isolated by travel restrictions across the region.

Colombia has suspended all international flights until at least Aug. 31, preventing its own citizens from returning by air. It has also suspended river and land border crossings with neighbors including Brazil.

Carvallido said she and her daughter Maria Jose had spent nearly two weeks at Guarulhos International Airport, located on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, the city with the lion's share of Brazil's coronavirus cases so far. The same airport saw a surge in traffic last week, when travelers descended on it hoping to beat a new US ban on foreigners coming from Brazil.

"In this situation, we want to be with our families and my daughter wants it too ... It is very, very difficult," said Carvallido, shedding tears.

Carvallido, 24, and others are eating from lunch boxes and donations and also take turns at an improvised kitchen set up outside the airport. They wash in the airport bathrooms using a small hose.

They are demanding humanitarian flights. But Colombia's foreign ministry said on Thursday no new flights from Brazil were scheduled until next week. Since late April there have been three such flights, taking a total of 346 people back to Colombia.

Though called humanitarian, Colombians must pay $350 for the flights, and that is money Carvallido and many others at the airport do not have. Their calls for a free flight home have led nowhere so far.

"Under current regulations, this request is not possible," the Colombian consulate in Sao Paulo said in a statement.
The Ekiti state government has announced that it generated not less than N2 million from imposing fines on over 100 people who defied the lockdown imposed on the state.

This was made known by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-kolade while assuring residents that the states molecular laboratory would become functional by Monday, June 1.

She said:

We are still perfecting some regulatory procedure with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control , but everything will be finetuned before Monday.

Advertisement

Read Also: Lockdown: E-Money Splashes N500k On Aged Woman

We have had 20 Covid 19 cases so far, two are still active, we have recorded two deaths and 16 have been treated with investigational drugs and discharged , she said.
In the aftermath of Bernie Sanders endorsement of Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden last month, the Green Party is presenting itself as the continuation of Sanders political revolution. Workers and youth seeking an alternative to the Democrats and Republicans must be warned: The Green Party is a capitalist party with no real independence from the Democrats.

The Green Party is presently on track to nominate Howie Hawkins, one of the co-founders of the party in 1984, as its presidential candidate. Hawkins has announced that Angela Walker will be his running mate for vice president. Both Hawkins and Walker are also members of Socialist Party USA and Solidarity, pseudo-left groups that operate in the orbit of the Democratic Party.

The Hawkins-Walker campaign platform itself is an eclectic list of various reform proposals, centered on an Ecosocialist Green New Deal. To fund their programs, they call not for the expropriation of the wealth of the capitalists or the nationalization of any corporations, but simply progressive taxation. The words working class, capitalist class and revolution do not appear in their platform.

Green Party gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins, takes part in a gubernatorial debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters at The College of Saint Rose Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

The various reforms proposed by the Greens, however, are no more meaningful than those proposed by Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the like, as they are tied to a political strategy aimed at bolstering the Democratic Party, a party of Wall Street and the military.

Under conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which over 350,000 people have died worldwide, including over 100,000 Americans, while the working class faces social dislocation on a scale not seen since the Great Depression and is being forced to return to work in deadly conditions, the response of the Hawkins-Walker campaign and the Green Party is to try to keep opposition contained within the framework of bourgeois politics.

Their campaign has only released a handful of statements addressing the pandemic, none of which raise any serious solutions to this unprecedented crisis. Rather, they call on Congress to expand Medicare and enact the Green New Deal, urge Trump to utilize the Defense Production Act more thoroughly, plead for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to demand that personal protective equipment be provided to workers, and place other minor demands on the existing political establishment.

All of their statements omit any criticisms of the nearly unanimous Democratic Party voteincluding by Sanders and Elizabeth Warrenfor the multi-trillion-dollar handout to Wall Street through the CARES Act. Further, they say nothing of the culpability of Democratic governors across the US who are rapidly reopening the economy in line with the Trump administration, including Gavin Newsom of California, Andrew Cuomo of New York, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, and more.

The pro-Democratic Party perspective, and the role of the Green Party more generally, was clearly expressed in an online Q&A session held on May 19 with Hawkins and Walker.

Hawkins explained that the role of the Green Party is not to spoil elections for the Democrats, but the exact opposite, to ensure that they win: In my experience, Im living in a congressional district where the only time a Democrat beat the Republicans since the Vietnam Warwas when a Green was in the race. And of course, we were told were splitting the vote. But what we did was change the dynamic. And the Democrat, instead of trying to talk like the Republican-light and get votes in the middle, had to deal with us and our positions, and they made them sound a lot better.

Hawkins expressed satisfaction that they were able to help the Democrats win, stating emphatically, We improve elections, we dont spoil them!

Taken at his word, Hawkins is saying that the Greens have helped elect numerous Democrats over the past four decades. During this period, the Democrats, no less than the Republicans, have presided over endless war and a massive transfer of wealth from the working class to the rich.

Responding to the question, Are there any demands, policies your campaign could pressure Biden on? Hawkins replied, I think all the things that made Bernie Sanders popularMedicare for All, Green New Deal, Economic Bill of Rights, student and medical debt relief[Bidens] vulnerable, and we have leverage because Sanders got a lot of votes, and were the only campaign real clear about were for those things. And I think that gives us leverage on Biden.

In his typically muddled fashion, Hawkins added, Of course, the thing you gotta watch out is, politicians make promises that they dont follow through. And so, even if he does move our way, we should remain insistent. He gotta earn those votes. If people believe him, okay they believe him. If theyre skeptical, were still here.

In other words, Hawkins strategy is the same as Sandersthat Biden can be pushed to the left. This is, in fact, a political fraud. Biden personifies the Democratic Party as a party of Wall Street and the military. Sanders is now campaigning all out to get his supporters to back Biden, as he did with Clinton in 2016. He has gone so far as to threaten his delegates that their position will be revoked if they publicly criticize Biden.

The position of Hawkins and the Greens is not fundamentally different. Throughout his campaign, Hawkins has made clear he has no principled differences with Sanders or the politics of the Democratic Party as a whole. This was sharply expressed following Sanderss announcement that he was suspending his campaign, which led Hawkins to offer Sanders the Green Party candidacy, just as Jill Stein did in 2016.

As a trustworthy Democrat, Sanders snubbed the Greens, endorsed Biden, and branded as irresponsible anyone that didnt campaign for Biden, none of which has prompted any significant statement of criticism from Hawkins or the Green Party as a whole.

The real essence of the politics of the Green Party was summed up by Hawkins and Walker when they declared that their aim after the election is to create a united front of independent non-sectarian left parties.

Non-sectarian as used by Hawkins and other organizations of the pseudo-left, means everyone except the Socialist Equality Party. By sectarian they mean any organization that rejects a political orientation to the Democratic Party and seeks to build a genuine socialist leadership in the working class.

In creating this united front against socialism, the Green Party hopes to serve as a halfway house for various pseudo-left organizations that had been promoting Sanders, including the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Socialist Alternative (SA), Socialist Party USA, Solidarity and other smaller parties. Each of these organizations operates in or around the Democratic Party, but some have been hesitant to openly support Biden, fearing that this will discredit them in the eyes of young people who are under the impression that they are socialist organizations.

A final word on the role of the Green Party internationally. Wherever the Greens have come to power, they have rapidly abandoned their so-called principles and collaborated with bourgeois parties to uphold the interests of the financial oligarchy.

This found its highest expression in Germany, where from 1998 to 2005 the Green Party joined the federal government for the first time in a Red-Green coalition government. While in power, the Greens oversaw the first German combat mission since World War II, the NATO war in Serbia, while helping force through the Hartz IV labor laws, the most sweeping attack on welfare programs in Germany in the post-war period. They have supported every foreign mission by the Bundeswehr since then, including the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya, while scapegoating refugees fleeing these wars.

The Austrian Greens this year entered into a coalition government with the right-wing conservative Austrian Peoples Party, and immediately adopted the policies of the far-right Freedom Party, including anti-immigrant measures. In New Zealand, Australia and other countries, the Greens have supported their respective imperialist governments in the drive to war. In the present situation, in which the ruling classes internationally are enforcing a homicidal policy of reopening the economy under unsafe conditions, the Greens in power in Austria and Germany have wholeheartedly endorsed this campaign.

Were Hawkins or any other Green Party politician to come to power in the US, their nationalist outlook would compel them to enforce the dictates of the American financial oligarchy, including through policies of war and austerity.

Like Sanders, moreover, Hawkins has sanctioned the neo-McCarthyism of the Democrats, supporting their anti-Russia campaign and their efforts to channel mass opposition to Trump behind the military and intelligence agencies. In an interview last year with YouTuber PRIMO NUTMEG, Hawkins stated, The media is following this Russiagate thing, which I think is serious, and I think Trump ought to be impeached. I think its obvious he sought collusion, he did collude, him and his son, his son-in-law. Its all over there, in that first volume of the Mueller report, its all over there!

In the same interview, Hawkins also endorsed the show trial of Julian Assange, who has been persecuted since 2010 for exposing the crimes of American imperialism. Responding to the question, Do you think WikiLeaks was involved in this Russian plot? Hawkins replied, Theres circumstantial evidence, like where are the WikiLeaks about Putin? He added, That remains to be seen if he was working with the Russians, or just biased with them. Well see, Im not sure.

In class terms, the Green Party is a party of the upper middle class. It is hostile to the working class and the development of a genuine socialist movement against capitalism. In its statements and commentary, it ignores the growth of working-class opposition while attempting to bolster the trade unions, which function as arms of corporate management and cheap labor police forces.

All of the great problems confronting the working class todaythe COVID-19 pandemic, mass poverty, climate change and other ecological catastrophes, and the ever-present danger of a Third World Warare global in scope and can only be resolved through international socialist revolution. Any deviation from internationalism represents an opportunist sacrifice of the long-term interests of the working class.

The conditions wrought by the pandemic are radicalizing masses of workers and youth internationally, and the necessary task is to build a revolutionary socialist vanguard in the working class to lead the coming struggles to victory.

The only political movement in the world fighting for this perspective is the ICFI. In the 2020 elections in the US, the SEP is running Joseph Kishore for president and Norissa Santa Cruz for vice president, in a campaign whose aim is to educate the international working class on the principles of revolutionary socialism, popularize our program to combat the pandemic and overthrow capitalism, and fight to recruit the most advanced workers and youth to our party. We urge all those interested in genuine socialism to get involved with our campaign and contact us today.
M arkets fell sharply today as traders nervously await Donald Trumps press conference in which he is expected to renew his trade war on China.

Yesterday President Trump said he would make an announcement about China on Friday, although he offered no details. He is expected to come down hard on the worlds second largest economy.

It is understood the President is looking at a number of measures as for weeks the administration has been ratcheting up pressure on Beijing over its alleged cover-up of early coronavirus cases.

Trump has publicly blamed China both for the virus and for its damage to the US.

Beijing in turn has retaliated, suggesting the virus originated in US service members, a claim widely refuted by international health experts.

Measures could include expelling thousands of Chinese graduate students enrolled at US universities. He is also looking at travel and financial sanctions against Chinese officials for their actions in Hong Kong.

He said yesterday: We'll be announcing what we're doing tomorrow with respect to China and we are not happy with China. We are not happy with what's happened. All over the world people are suffering, 186 countries. All over the world they're suffering. We're not happy.

London stocks were down today, inclduing HSBC which does much of its business in Hong Kong / www.jasonhawkes.com

The comments have sent global markets into the red, with the FTSE 100 in London down 61.88 points at 6160.01. Overnight markets in Asia fell, while in Europe the stock markets in Paris and Frankfurt were both down over 1%.

Neil Wilson, analyst at Markets.com, said: We are seeing a ramp up in US and China tensions. The press conference today will likely see Trump increase the war of words with China but he could go further and announce further sanctions on individuals and trade.

Up until recently Trump had made positive steps in his dealings with China. In January he signed a Phase One trade deal and officials say he is aware that he needs China for a full US economic recovery after the coronavirus pandemic.

But in the past week relations have quickly soured.

China wants to ban protests in Hong Kong / AFP via Getty Images

The major turning point has been a Chinese security law that threatens the long-standing independence of Hong Kong.

The law was formally approved yesterday by Chinas Peoples Congress and it will ban political protest.

Fears are mounting that Hong Kong could lose its autonomous status, jeopardizing the former British colonys trade relationship with the United States, which has so far meant that Hong Kong has been spared punishing tariffs that are a hallmark of Trumps trade war with mainland China.

Trump could also sign a bill today identifying Chinese government officials who the US believes are responsible for the forced detention of up to 2 million ethnic Muslims, known as Uyghurs, in Xinjiang.

Michael Hewson, analyst at CMC Markets, said: If President Trump signs off on that bill as well as implementing further measures that might hint that the US is keen to send the Chinese a message.
The OSCE SMM has recorded the efforts of Russian-occupation troops to restore their previous positions in Petrivske disengagement area in Donbas.

Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk said this during an online meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday, May 28, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Ensuring a full and comprehensive ceasefire remains crucial to the implementation of the agreed conclusions of the Paris Summit in the Normandy format, which Russia still does not fulfill. Instead of creating new disengagement areas, Russia is returning its troops. The SMM spotted ground and construction works at previous positions of the Russian armed formations inside the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk)," he said.

The Ukrainian diplomat emphasized that without implementing the measures agreed in Paris to stabilize the security situation in the conflict zone, "it is impossible to move to the second stage to implement the political provisions of the Minsk agreements."

ish
(CNN)  For years, Twitter and Facebook have enjoyed a healthy rivalry: They've competed for acquisitions, talent and advertising dollars, and sometimes gone so far as to copy each others' features in the never-ending pursuit to grow their audiences.

But the clash between the two tech companies appeared to take on new life this week after Twitter's decision to place fact-check labels on some of President Donald Trump's tweets sparked a series of threats, including an imminent executive order regulating social media companies.

The CEOs of the two companies traded criticisms in public. Former employees posted their own jabs on social media. And some legislators were quick to highlight the differences between the approach Twitter and Facebook took, potentially only adding to the tensions.

"We have a different policy than, I think, Twitter on this," Facebook cofounder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Fox News in a clip posted online on Wednesday. "I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldn't be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online."

Hours later, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey appeared to push back at the assertion, saying that labeling the tweets with fact checks does not make the social media company an "arbiter of truth."

"Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves. More transparency from us is critical so folks can clearly see the why behind our actions," Dorsey tweeted Wednesday night.

Others were even more direct. In a series of tweets on Wednesday, former Twitter executive Jason Goldman called Zuckerberg's statement to Fox News a "bad quote" and added: "Going on Fox to hit Twitter in defense of Trump is really a move. Good look for everyone involved."

The public clashes between the two companies further cast aside the unified front the tech industry previously tried to present in how it handles misinformation. The Trump tweets in question falsely claimed that the governor of California was sending out mail-in ballots to "anyone living in the state, no matter who they are or how they got there." Twitter labeled them with a message urging users to "Get the facts about mail-in ballots." Twitter's message directly linked to a curated fact-checking page populated with journalists and news article summaries debunking the claim.

Facebook chose to do nothing, even though identical posts appeared on the platform. The company has previously said that politicians are exempt from its third-party fact-checking program.

The combative rhetoric also hints at how high the stakes are for each business as Trump escalates his threats.

The draft executive order being prepared by the Trump administration seeks to curtail the power of large social media platforms including Twitter and Facebook by attempting to reinterpret a critical 1996 law that shields websites and tech companies from lawsuits.

In earlier tweets after Twitter added the fact-check label, Trump threatened to "regulate" or even "close" down social media platforms.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany did draw some distinction between Facebook and Twitter in an appearance on Fox News on Thursday. "There are two models here," she said. "You have Facebook and you have Twitter and you have Mark Zuckerberg who says it's not my job to be the arbiter of truth."

This week isn't the first time Zuckerberg and Dorsey have been at odds about how to handle political speech on their respective platforms. Dorsey announced last October that Twitter would stop running political ads. His announcement came after Zuckerberg publicly defended Facebook not only allowing political ads, but allowing politicians to lie in those ads.

In his tweets Wednesday, Dorsey said he takes ultimate responsibility for decisions made by Twitter and asked people to "leave our employees out of this." (Earlier Wednesday, Trump's two elder sons and White House counselor Kellyanne Conway pointed to tweets made by Twitter employee Yoel Roth in 2016 and 2017 as evidence of Twitter's alleged bias against the president.)

"There is someone ultimately accountable for our actions as a company, and that's me," Dorsey said.

On that point, at least, Dorsey and Zuckerberg seem to be in agreement. "I started Facebook," Zuckerberg told the Senate in 2018, "I run it and I'm responsible for what happens here."

This story was first published on CNN.com "Facebook and Twitter clash over fact-checking as Trump threats intensify"
Famous astrologer Bejan Daruwalla has passed away in Ahmedabad due to alleged Covid-19 complications aged 89. He was admitted in the hospital on ventilator support.

As per the astrologers official website, Ganesha says timing is everything in astrology and in life. By timing, I mean the right person at the right place and time.

Born on July 11, 1931, he was a practising Zoroastrian and also a self-proclaimed devotee of Lord Ganesha. His astrology columns were popular in various leading publications that usually went under the title Ganesha Speaks. His predictions were well-known and followed by people across religions.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani took to Twitter to express his condolences.

Saddened by the demise of renowned Astrologer Shri Bejan Daruwalla. I pray for the departed soul. My condolences. Om Shanti...

The astrologer had tested positive for Covid-19 a few days ago and was admitted to a private hospital in Ahmedabad. Reports state that he had been on ventilator support for the past few days.

As per his website, Bejan Daruwalla followed three principles in his life: Keep an open mind; observe keenly; research completely. He was also known as the best astrologer in the USA, his website states.

It was his belief that goodness, compassion and equal rights for everybody is the real tripod of life itself. Intuition, imagination, inspiration, investigation, identification are the five Is the astrologer had the most faith in.

The astrologer was known to combine the principles of Vedic and Western astrology, I-Ching, Tarot, Numerology, the Kabalah and even Palmistry.

Bejan Daruwalla was awarded the highest degree of Vedic astrology, Jyotish MAHAHOPADHAYA by the Federation of Indian astrologers and is the patron to none other than living legend Maharaj Kunwar, Prince Lakshyaraj Arvind Singhji Mewar, City Palace, Udaipur.

His lifes motto was: To leave the world a better place to stay in for all.

Famous predictions:

Several reports suggested that he had predicted a number of Prime Ministerial victories including that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Morarji Desai and more recently,PM Narendra Modi. The astrologer had also reportedly predicted the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhis accident, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, The Gujarat Earthquake amongst others.

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter
MONTREAL, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PureBites, a leading company of natural dog and cat treats and food, has donated over $500,000 worth of treats, food and toppers to the ASPCA and the Toronto Humane Society to support pets and pet parents in need amid COVID-19. The donation will provide over 800,000 treats and 13,000 meals to keep tails wagging. While many have more time to welcome a new pet into their lives, with lost jobs and hardships experienced due to the coronavirus, individuals and animal rescue organizations are faced with financial restraints, limited resources, and may need additional support to continue to keep our beloved animals healthy and safe.

PureBites Provides Support to Pets and Pet Parents Amid COVID-19

"We are currently living through an unprecedented time in our lives," comments Marc Cathcart, President of Pure Treats Inc. the makers of PureBites. "People are going through financial hardship and social distancing, but one bond that holds true during good and bad times is the one between a pet and their family. At PureBites, we have always believed this, which is why we have donated over $500,000 worth of PureBites products to the ASPCA and the Toronto Humane Society."

Animal welfare organizations across the country are reporting a record surge in demand for rescue dogs and cats. PureBites is supporting the ASPCA and Toronto Humane Society who have continued to find placements via digital applications and provide aid in keeping their tummies full during this challenging time.

"The impact this donation has is massive. Our animals, and all the animals, thank PureBites," remarks Hannah Sotropa, Toronto Humane Society Public Relations Specialist. "We are a non-profit organization that relies solely on donations and public support. Because we have no government contract, when we are lucky enough to receive donations like this, we are so abundantly grateful. All of our animals receive enrichment 365 days a year, which includes positive reinforcement training with our robust training department; this involves a lot of praise and A LOT of treats!"

With a wide assortment of one-ingredient treats and its NEW RAW Freeze Dried Food or Topper, PureBites is the ideal choice for health conscious pet parents. "We are hearing so many great stories about people adopting pets during these difficult times," says Marc Cathcart. "Giving away PureBites to new pet parents will only help foster the human animal bond. We are hoping that this donation will bring some joy to people and their pets because we all need a little cheer right now."

To learn more about this donation, check out our videos from Mark Waters at PureBites, click: here .

About PureBites (Pure Treats Inc.)

Founded in 2005, PureBites is a Canadian company from Montreal Quebec. Over the past 15 years, PureBites has become a leader in natural dog and cat treats and food. Focused on its core principle of asking pet parents to turn the bag around and look at their natural and pure ingredients, PureBites is building a loyal following of pets who are crazy about PureBites nutrient rich treats, food and toppers. Most PureBites dog and cat treats, food and toppers are sourced and made in the USA and are available throughout leading North American pet specialty chains like PetSmart, Pet Valu, Petland, and Ren's, as well as thousands of neighborhood pet stores.

PureBites are available in different sizes ranging from a Suggested Retail Price of $1.49 to $29.99. For additional information on PureBites, please visit www.purebites.com or follow them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/purebites) or Instagram (@purebitespettreats).

Media Contact:

Alyson Brodsky

312.648.9972

[email protected]

SOURCE PureBites

Related Links

https://www.purebites.com


U.S. natural gas processing and transmission firm Williams is looking to develop solar installations on land it owns close to its existing facilities in order to power its operations with electricity from solar energy.

Williams owns and operates more than 30,000 miles of pipelines system and handles around 30 percent of the natural gas in the United States.

Williams plan is made possible by the generous federal and state tax credits, the company said in a statement, noting that these solar power installations are expected to be placed into service beginning in late 2021.

Williams is considering various sites for the installations, and has initially identified locations in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Colorado will be the first state in which Williams will consider locations for solar installations, company spokesman Tom Droege told The Denver Post. Williams will be picking from around a dozen locations in western Colorado and the Denver-Julesburg Basin on the northern Front Range, and a decision could be made as early as by June, Droege said.

Given the current market structures and tax incentives, we are able to make these attractive incremental investments while continuing to enjoy the reliability that the grid provides via natural gas fired power generation, Alan Armstrong, Williams President and CEO, said in a statement.

The declining cost of solar technology and available tax credits makes solar cost competitive to traditional combined cycle power generation, Williams said about its solar initiative, adding that the capacity of each farm will range from 1 megawatt to 40 megawatts, depending on the energy needs of the facility.

Williams is not the first firm from the oil and gas industry to consider using renewable energy to power its oil and gas operations. Exploration and production companies in the Permian, for example, contracted over the past years wind and solar power to help meet growing electricity demand for oil and gas drilling. ExxonMobil entered into two power purchase agreements (PPAs), under which the U.S. major will buy 500 MW of solar and wind power from the U.S. unit of Denmarks rsted in the Permian, rsted said in November 2018.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The Twin Cities convulsed with chaos for a third straight night of violent unrest Thursday in the wake of the Memorial Day death of George Floyd as he was being restrained on the neck by a Minneapolis police officer.

Late Thursday and early Friday, rioters invaded and set fire to Minneapolis polices Third Precinct headquarters and for a second overnight, torched and looted many other buildings in the Lake Street corridor, many of them housing small businesses with minority owners.

The unrest got the attention of President Donald Trump, who tweeted he cant stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis.

Trump added that he had talked to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)

Featured stories

Twitter says Trump violated rules against glorifying violence, places public notice on post (NBC News)

Mayor makes emotional call for peace after violent protests: I believe in Minneapolis (CBS News)

The Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyds neck had 18 previous complaints against him, police department says (CNN)

Trump signs executive order targeting social media companies, calls it a big day for fairness (ABC News)

National news

As hot spots shift, pandemic enters a new phase (New York Times)

White House to skip economic forecast this summer showing depth of the downturn (Politico)

New York City mayor outlines first reopening step, lawmakers push for outdoor dining (Reuters)

Sorry, no mask allowed': Texas bar resists coronavirus guidance, turns away mask wearers (USA Today)

People are accidentally throwing out their stimulus payments  because they look like junk mail (NBC News)

Rookie officer killed in Utah after suspect shoots him through door (NBC News)

7 shot during protests in Louisville, police say (NBC News)

Police pointed guns at a man and his grandmother, video shows. They claim he ran a stop sign (Washington Post)

World news

World leaders react to Chinas controversial national security bill in Hong Kong (CNBC)

U.S. charges North Koreans, Chinese nationals in multi-billion dollar money laundering scheme (ABC News)

Dominic Cummings might have broken lockdown rules - police (BBC)

Virus, heat wave and locusts form perfect storm in India (ABC News)

Global report: France to ease Covid-19 travel restrictions and open restaurants (The Guardian)

Crashed Pakistan plane hit runway three times on first approach, minister says (Reuters)
By PTI

WASHINGTON: India and the US could strike a "smaller" trade deal in the coming weeks, India's ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu has said while acknowledging that the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic has been a "bit of a setback" in moving ahead as the governments are focused on tackling the health crisis.

Addressing the virtual West Coast Summit of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), Sandhu said that India's supply of antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to the US has given the two countries enough confidence and have played an important foundation.

India, which is one of the major manufacturers of the drug, has sent several million doses of the HCQ to the US as part of its humanitarian gesture.

ALSO READ | There was no recent Modi-Trump meet: Government sources on US President's 'mediation' offer

"The top leadership has also been talking about it and I feel that perhaps in the coming few weeks, we should be able to strike the smaller trade deal," Sandhu said.

"I continue to be very optimistic about the trade deal. I must mention that this current unprecedented challenge has given a bit of a setback in the sense that the focus of all the governments got to tackling the health crisis," Sandhu said.

He told the leaders of the top US companies that the trade officials from the two countries have been in constant communication over this issue.

The understanding between the leadership of the two countries was that they will go for the smaller one and then immediately start negotiations on the bigger trade deal, he said.

The current global situation, he noted, has made it even more opportune time to have this trade deal.

The trade deal also relates some of the top sectors for which "it will be a win-win situation" for both sides.

"It will help in the overall confidence building because during this particular phase, the United States and India have been reliable partners.

"And I think that everybody has seen in our case whatever the supply chain at stakes, especially in pharma sector, which we weren't involving whatever the United States requested us, keeping in view our huge domestic requirements, but it was ensured that all those are supplies were supplied and at the same price," Sandhu said.

"I think that has certainly had an impact. That has given them confidence and I feel that will be an important foundation to ensure that this smaller trade gets announced soon enough and then we move ahead," Sandhu said.

Ahead of US President Donald Trump's maiden visit to India in February, there were reports that the two sides would sign the first phase of a mega trade deal.

After his talks with Trump on February 25, Prime Minister Modi said, both the sides agreed to start negotiations for a "big trade deal" and hoped that it will yield good results in mutual interest.

The two countries have been negotiating a trade package to iron out certain issues and further boost two-way commerce.

India is demanding exemption from high duties imposed by the US on certain steel and aluminium products, resumption of export benefits to certain domestic products under their Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), and greater market access for its products from sectors like agriculture, automobile, auto components and engineering.

On the other hand, the US wants greater market access for its farm and manufacturing products, dairy items and medical devices, data localisation, and cut on import duties on some information and communication technology (ICT) products.

The US has also raised concerns over high trade deficit with India.

Keith Krach, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, spoke about the importance of being able to access talent.

"Being the former chairman of Purdue University, I attended multiple graduation ceremonies, and probably 35 per cent of the PhDs in Engineering came from India.

"We would love to be able to stamp that Green Card right to their diplomas. It's a very complex issue that we continue to beat the drum on," he said.

Expressing optimism for the US-India ties, Raj Subramaniam of FedEx said that there is absolutely no reason why the US-India trade cannot be five or 10 times of the current levels.

"The hope is that a startup like Uniphore, as a part of this community at USISPF, becomes a USD 100 billion entity in the next 5 years," he said.

Speaking about the disruptions caused due to the health crisis, chairman, president and CEO of Adobe Shantanu Narayen said, "from my perspective, unprecedented times are the best times for disruption. We are not going back to the old normal and that represents a very significant and unique opportunity for all startups."

The 'Startup Connect Program' at its virtually held West Coast Summit focused on strengthening US-India bilateral ties through startups.

The summit brought together over 300 executives including 100 startups, 100 Fortune 500 companies, and senior officials from both governments.

USISPF president and CEO Mukesh Aghi shared data on job creation and entrepreneurial immigration between the US and India.

"A sample of 12 Indian-born startups shows they have created 634 high-paying jobs in the United States, and over 6,200 jobs worldwide," he said.

"For every H1/ L1 visa issued to these startups, they created 40 jobs in the United States at a median income of USD 175,000, and for each high-paying job in the US, there are 8 jobs that are being created in India.

"Entrepreneurial immigration in the US-India corridor is creating some true win-win opportunities for both countries," Aghi said.
MIDLAND, MI  Its been over a week since mid-Michigan was hit with catastrophic flooding that washed away and damaged homes, wiped out an entire lake and displaced residents.

On Tuesday, May 19, the Edenville Dam collapsed and shortly after, water flooded over the top of the Sanford Dam following heavy rains. The dams, both based in Midland County, sent rushing water down the Tittabawassee and Saginaw rivers.

Thousands of Michiganders are still picking up the pieces from the floods aftermath. Heres the latest MLive reporting on the issue:

Midland hosting free mass COVID-19 testing clinic for people with or without symptoms

]"Safety first" sign at a coronavirus testing site in Muskegon Heights, Michigan on Saturday, May 23, 2020. Michigan National Guard teams up with Mercy Health and the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency provide free testing to the community. Alison Zywicki | azywicki@mlive.com

A free COVID-19 testing clinic happening in Midland this weekend is open to residents, with or without symptoms.

The Midland County Department of Public Health is hosting the clinic in conjunction with the Michigan National Guard, Michigan State Police, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services due to ongoing impacts from the recent flooding event in Midland County," according to a Midland County Office of Emergency Management news release. Dam failures and severe flooding in Midland County and surrounding areas last week displaced thousands of people and damaged or destroyed infrastructure and homes.

Testing will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31, via a drive-thru clinic at Dow Diamond, 825 E. Main St. in Midland. The National Guard will conduct nasopharyngeal testing and the Midland County Department of Public Health will assist with data collection.

You do not have to have COVID-19 symptoms to be tested at this free clinic.

To learn more about the free clinic, visit here.

Survey is first step to seeking federal help for flood damage

Midland resident Andra Ginis walks through her home with stacks of belongings recovered on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 on Sturgeon Creek Parkway on Midland's north side after a severe flood. (Jake May | MLive.com)The Flint Journal, MLive.com

While Midland County and surrounding areas are working to pick up the pieces from recent catastrophic flooding, there are steps that property owners can take seek federal assistance, if it becomes available.

Damage assessment teams are currently working their way through Midland County and other areas hard hit by the flood like Saginaw County. The Midland County Operations Center and are currently canvassing areas of Midland County to assess flood damage and assist property owners with completing the Midland County Flood Damage Assessment Tool.

Attorney Geoffrey Fieger joins in lawsuits seeking damages in wake of Midland dam failure and flooding

Wixom Lake pictured on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 after dams at the south end of the lake failed. (Neil Blake | MLive.com)Neil Blake | MLive.com

Famed Detroit attorney Geoffrey Fieger on Thursday, May 28, announced he had filed two class-action lawsuits regarding the catastrophe.

The lawsuits were filed in the Michigan Court of Claims and the Midland County Circuit Court. Both allege the owners of the dams and the State of Michigan were negligent in maintaining the dams, which caused them to collapse.

Fieger said in a statement that the damages in the case exceed a billion dollars and most losses are uninsured.

Detroit-based law firm Liddle & Dubin P.C. also filed two lawsuits this week seeking to represent all homeowners and business owners in the area who suffered property damage last week following the failure of the Edenville Dam.

Read more, here.

Community rallies to rebuild Sanford war memorial destroyed in flood

Concerned citizens are rallying together to raise funds to rebuild a Sanford war memorial destroyed by a dam failure and severe flooding last week in Midland County.

A GoFundMe page had raised more than $36,000 toward its $50,000 goal as of Thursday morning, May 28. More than 300 donors have contributed to the cause, some are veterans themselves while others said they donated in honor of loved ones who have served.

The Associated Press reports the Sanford Flagpole Monument was washed away by the Tittabawassee River when the Sanford dam failed.

Businesses, donors and the Sanford American Legion Riders worked for years to raise approximately $70,000 to build the memorial, AP reports. Kim Burgess, whose son, Lance Cpl. Ryan Burgess, was killed in Iraq in 2006, said she is determined to rebuild the memorial and to add a flag pole to honor first responders who saved people during the flood.

Heres the full story.

Flooding chaos hits third year around hundreds of Michigan lakes

Cheryl Reda's walks to her home down what was a long gravel driveway now the home is surrounded by water due to high water levels on Upper Crooked Lake in Delton, Michigan on Monday, May 18, 2020. Last year the Reda's gutted the lower level of the home after it was flooded. After Sunday's heavy rains the lower level had flooded again.Joel Bissell

For the past three years, homeowners around Upper Crooked Lake in Barry County have been fighting a losing battle with rising water.

They have fought with sandbags, stacked by the thousands. Theyve fought with fill dirt and makeshift walls reinforced with steel sheeting, pallets and whatever else might hold the line. They run pumps around-the-clock. They raise houses on cinderblocks and pray.

Its not enough by a long shot. The water keeps coming back.

Heres the full story.

Saginaw County residents sort out life and their belongings after mid-Michigan flooding

Homeowner Connie Pittman makes some coffee while her and Brian Pittman talk about how the flooding impacted their family and home on Wallace Drive in Shields on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. It has been over one week since the Edenville Dam failure when the Tittabawassee River flooded surrounding areas throughout many counties, forcing many people out of their homes. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com

Connie and Brian Pittman are living in a trailer borrowed from a friend that sits in their driveway in Saginaw Countys Thomas Township. They lost almost everything in the catastrophic flood that happened a week ago.

The Pittmans were sorting through water-damaged belongings and assessing the damage to their home of over 30 years. It was what most homeowners were doing on Wallace Drive on Wednesday, May 27.

The Saginaw County Damage Assessment team has been busy this week, visiting homes to document how high the water reached and if homeowners have any insurance. Its not a requirement that homeowners be present while the assessment takes place, according to Lt. Mark Przybylski, Saginaw County Emergency Management Coordinator.

The Tittabawasee and Saginaw rivers have continued to recede and are not at a level of concern at this point, Przybylski said.

All bridges over the Tittabawassee River are now open. The last bridge to open was the State Street bridge. Crews worked to repair some roadway damage on the bridges approaches, according to Saginaw County emergency officials.

Read more, here

Gov. Whitmer visits flood relief center in Midland County

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivers a brief update on the dam breach and flooding throughout Midland County at Meridian Elementary School in Sanford on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com

A flood relief distribution center at a Sanford school hosted Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as those in need arrived for supplies.

Whitmer on Wednesday afternoon, May 27, held a press conference in front of Meridian Elementary School, 3353 N. M-30 in Sanford after driving through the town to get a view of the area flooded by the May 19 failure of the Edenville Dam and breach of the Sanford Dam.

Experts are saying that this is a 500-year event, Whitmer said. Its going to have a major impact on Midland County and beyond for the time to come.

She thanked emergency responders for their efforts, as well the friends and family of those displaced for opening their homes to those in need.

The outpouring of people and businesses continues to be an example, a great example of what we are here in Michigan, she said. I want to thank you for inspiring not just me, but the people across our state.

The governor went on to say she is hopeful the federal government will soon approve a full funding request to help Michigan families rebuild.

Read more about the governors visit here.

Beware of flood-restoration scams, Midland officials warn residents

Vehicles inside Mike Warren's garage sink into the basement after the flooding from the Edenville Dam failure severely impacted these homes in Village West in Midland on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. It has been one week since the failure when the Tittabawassee River flooded surrounding areas throughout the county, forcing many people out of their homes. Warren's home is now condemned. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com

As Midland County residents begin to recover from catastrophic flooding that damaged and destroyed homes throughout the county and region last week, officials are warning them of potential flood-restoration related scams.

Some residents have reported being contacted by individuals claiming to be government representatives or private contractors, who asked for personal identification information. These individuals are not affiliated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency or any Midland County agency, according to a Midland County Office of Emergency Management news release.

Residents should be mindful of potential scams and not be pressured into signing any documents or paying up-front costs for flood-restoration services to be provided at a later date.

Damage-assessment teams working with the Midland County Operations Center are canvassing parts of Midland County to assess flood damage and assist property owners with completing the Midland County Flood Damage Assessment Tool, the release states. Team members wearing high-visibility vests will ask property owners questions about their flood damages, but will not ask for any personal identification information, such as Social Security numbers, household income, or birth dates, and will not ask or require them to sign any documents.

Heres the full story.

Volunteers rally to help Midland area pick up the pieces after devastating floods

Volunteers with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Rachel Jensen (left) and Elise Rhodenizer carry supplies to help homeowners after the flooding from the Edenville Dam failure severely impacted these homes in Village West in Midland on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. It has been one week since the failure when the Tittabawassee River flooded surrounding areas throughout the county, forcing many people out of their homes. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com

Homeowners Tuesday continued sorting through what they could save from their homes flooded nearly a week ago by heavy rains and nearby dam failures on the Tittabawassee River.

Some helped to wash neighbors fine china in tubs placed in front yards. Others took a break from the heat to chat with neighbors as they waited for emergency crews to assess the damage the historic flooding had caused their homes.

While some residents fared better than others, they all agreed things would have been worse without the help of volunteers who flocked to their neighborhood Memorial Day weekend to help clean up.

Around 2,500 volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints alone came out during the extended holiday weekend. Many of them traveled from Fraser and stayed past the holiday weekend.

Monte Searle, a bishop in Midland, coordinated the volunteers as they reached out to flood victims in Wixom, Sanford, Edenville, Saginaw and other flood affected areas. Over the holiday weekend, Searle said the volunteers helped clear over 300 homes.

To read more about volunteer efforts, visit here.

Follow MLive for full coverage of mid-Michigan flooding and the aftermath.

Related news:

Flood insurance: Can you get it now and how does it work?

Midland flood victims who literally lost their lifes savings face new reality

As the Great Lakes surge to record heights, coastal areas face a reckoning

Michigan dam break shows need to plan for changing climate

Shoreline towns struggle to survive high water

Great Lakes high water is going to affect everyone in Michigan
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Seven people tested positive for Covid-19 in the district on Thursday. They include a two-year-old from Chullimanoor, the youngest patient in the district. All seven patients returned from abroad or from other states. A 40-year-old man from Vellarada, a 61-year-old man from Chenkal and a 28-year-old man from Kunnattukal returned to the state on May 23 from Mumbai via train.

A 62-year old Vakkom native, a 69-year-old Perungulam native and the two-year-old child arrived from Abu Dhabi. The seventh person, a 30-year-old Poonthura native, returned from the Maldives on a ship. As many as 820 people were put under observation in the district on Thursday. Twelve people were put in hospital isolation while 16 were discharged.

Around 220 samples were sent for testing, while 208 results, all negative, were received on the day. A total of 108 people are currently under hospital isolation in the district, while 5,408 are under home quarantine. As many as 1,078 people are under institutional quarantine in 21 centres in the district. Eight people who required psychological support called the mental health helpline.

Around 467 people were called and offered mental support, while 201 calls were made to the collectorate control room. Meanwhile, a flight from Kuwait landed in Thiruvananthapuram carrying 176 passengers.

Another flight carrying 181 passengers from Dubai reached late in the night. Two domestic services, one from Bengaluru and another from Kannur also arrived.

Seeking support

Eight people who required psychological support called the mental health helpline. Around 467 people were called and offered mental support, while 201 calls were made to the collectorate control room.
People who lost nearly everything as fires tore through vast tracts of Australia say they are still waiting for help.

When the Australian bush went up in flames over the southern hemisphere summer, the world pulled together in support.

The Australian government established a two billion Australian dollar ($1.3bn) fund to assist fire-affected communities and wildlife.

But now, several months down the line, as a royal commission this week began its investigation into what happened, many communities are little further forward than they were back then. People are still living in tents, waiting on loans, unable to rebuild their lives.

The fires ravaged Gloria Sutherlands property in Yowrie, in southern New South Wales, at three in the morning, sweeping into the valley from the ridges above and into her back paddock. Nearby towns were hit too.

It just had no mercy for anybody, she said.

Sutherland recalls fireballs the size of her hand and bigger being spat out by the blaze as it raced towards her home.

Where the fire went into our laundry it broke a window, Sutherland said. The fire actually smashed a pane of glass  the balls [were] like rocks being thrown.

No one came to help the 63-year-old and her husband, Peter, 67, not even the fire brigade, because they were so far out of town. It was just the two of us, two old people, she remembers.

They defended their house until they ran out of water and then retreated inside, with nothing left but hope.

Come together

As pictures emerged of the scale of the devastation, money poured in for those affected. Hundreds of millions of dollars were raised for bushfire relief across the country.

The fire had no mercy for anybody Gloria Sutherland told Al Jazeera. She and her husband battled the blaze alone when it swept down onto their property [Supplied/Al Jazeera]

Among other charities, the Australian Red Cross raised 216 million Australian dollars ($142.8m), the Salvation Army 41 million Australian dollars ($27.1m) and the St Vincent de Paul Society 22.9 million Australian dollars ($15.1m).

A number of celebrities, sportspeople and businesses joined the cause too.

In January, the Australian government announced its package for bushfire recovery, covering a range of initiatives such as mental health, local tourism, and grants for bushfire-affected farmers.

But in bushfire-hit communities, people say they have little to show for it.

Dan Tarasenko lives in Quaama in southern New South Wales, one of the areas that was worst-hit by the fires.

I have a house, not much else, Tarasenko told Al Jazeera.

Half of his sheds are gone, half his livestock and all of his fences. Just about everything is damaged to some degree.

He says that the government has been slow to deliver support.

Tarasenko applied for two government loans but on Monday  after a 13-week wait  was told that one of his applications had been rejected. The other was rejected on Tuesday after seven weeks of waiting.

Even if his loans had been approved he would still have had to wait for the funds to come through.

[They] come in after the fact so were looking at six, eight months of lost income, he said.

Without the loans he applied for, Tarasenko has no way to restart his business because only government loans allow farmers to use the money to replace livestock.





He is appealing but has no idea how long the process could take.

Im fighting publicly, he told Al Jazeera, saying he had highlighted his case to local politicians. We are giving evidence to the royal commission on Thursday. What else can we do but keep fighting.

Many other fire-affected communities are facing similar struggles.

[The government] want[s] financials, they want security, they want details  I can understand it but it is turning people away, Tarasenko said. and then delays, [people think]  why bother?

Charities have also come in for criticism amid accusations that they have only delivered a small proportion of what they raised.

As of the first week of May, the Australian Red Cross had used 40 percent of the money it had received since January, and The Salvation Army had spent 46 percent. The two are among Australias biggest civil society groups and received a large share of the funding.

The St Vincent de Paul Society, which was one of the first on the ground in the aftermath of the devastation, has spent more than 13.5 million Australian dollars ($8.9m)  59 percent of its donations.

The Red Cross says delays have been because of the large numbers of fraudulent applications they received, but also because they want to focus attention on long term recovery.

Typically  for people to really get back to functioning in what we might call a new normal will take anywhere up to  five to 10 years, said Andrew Coghlan, Head of Emergencies for the Australian Red Cross.

Weve allocated a small portion of the funds to be able to run our recovery programme  and well have people out on the ground for the next three years.

There has also been speculation that charities have used the donations they received for administrative costs or initiatives other than the fires.

The fire tore through the Sutherlands property reducing buildings and vehicles to charred wrecks [Supplied/Al Jazeera]

The Australian Red Cross, Salvation Army and the St Vincent de Paul Society all told Al Jazeera that this was not the case and that all their funds are being used for bushfire recovery.

The physical clean-up has also been slower than expected. Part of the problem is COVID-19  leaving the government overwhelmed under the weight of two crises at once.

In a recent news conference, Prime Minister Scott Morrison assured Australia that throughout the COVID-19 crisis, the National Bushfire Recovery Agency and other agencies had been working on the ground to deliver the supports that we said would be there in response to the bushfires as well as floods and drought.

Earlier this month, the government released more money for recovery, mental health support, the development of telecommunications, forest management, and wildlife habitats.

Morrison said South Australias clean-up was almost complete, and he expected NSW to be finished by the end of June and Victoria sometime in August.

Official inquiries

The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements  an inquiry into how Australia can prevent devastation from crises like the bushfires in the future and how we can help communities recover now  began its hearings this week, with a final report expected by the end of August.

Another investigation, the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, will deliver a report by July 31.

Dan Tarasenko with his family. This week, after months of waiting, he learned that his applications for two key loans to help him rebuild had been rejected [TBH Media/Al Jazeera]

But preparing for the next fire season is arguably just as important as moving recovery forward.

For Tarasenko, forest management is the key issue.

You cant have an overgrown forest that  loves fire, he said.

Tarasenko argues that modern society has destroyed many of the factors that are essential to Australias forests.

We have sent many animals extinct, and removed Indigenous input, and [we] scratch our heads whilst it incinerates, he said.

The Sutherlands lost everything but their house to the fires.

Almost all of their cattle died and many of their sheep. Their sheds and fencing were left in charred ruins.

The saddest part was losing their prized bull  they only found its remains weeks after the blaze.

For now, the couple is struggling forward alone and Tarasenko is simply waiting, hoping for assistance after months of limbo.

For communities like theirs, progress cannot come soon enough.
Youth for Swaraj, a students organisation of Panjab University, has opposed the proposed fee hike for students taking admission in the varsity from the 2020-21 academic session.

The PU syndicate in its upcoming meeting will take a call on the fee hike of 7.5 % in self-financed courses and 5% in all traditional courses for the new entrants.

In a statement, the students body said with incomes of most families is taking a hit amid the Covid pandemic, such a steep fee hike will make it difficult for many families to afford education at PU.

Youth for Swaraj strongly opposes this move as it will make Panjab University inaccessible for many talented and meritorious students. Approximately 43% of all students at PU are in self-financed courses, with already high and unjust tuition fee ranging from 31,000 to 2.45 lakh. Any further increase in fees during this crisis is condemnable, they said.

The student party demanded that the University Syndicate reject this proposal.
Big B's Post

The Brahmastra actor uploaded a picture collage of a still from Kabhie Kabhie, and a still from his upcoming release Gulabo Sitabo which was also shot in Lucknow.

Bhumi Pednekar Compliments Big B On His Work

Showering praise on the veteran actor for giving fans memorable characters' for more than four decades, Bhumi Pednekar commented, "44 years later and still giving us such memorable characters...I'm telling you you're the most baller person ever."

Bhumi Pednekar's Baller Comment Leaves Amitabh Bachchan Confused

Replying to Bhumi's comment, Sr Bachchan wrote, "Arre...Bhumi...what is baller'??? Kab se pooch rahe hai, koi bata hi nahi raha (I have been asking for a long time but no one is answering me)."

This Is Not The First Time

Earlier, when Amitabh had shared a gym selfie with his grandson Agastya Nanda, the actress had called him a 'baller'. An amused Big B had replied to her by commenting, "@bhumipednekar eh? What's a baller... woh jo ball phenkta hai (the one who throws the ball)!!!" The netizens couldn't stop laughing over Big B's reply.
Hundreds of commuters were stuck on the Delhi-Gurugram border after it was sealed around 9.40am on Friday, a day after Haryana home minister Anil Vij issued fresh orders to restrict the entry of people due to a sudden rise in the number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the state.

Police said all the 11 points that connect Gurugram and Delhi have been sealed and entry will be allowed on the basis of passes issued by the district administration.

Muhammad Akil, Gurugrams police commissioner, said that except for the categories exempted by Delhi High Court and the Centre, the inter-state borders for others would remain completely sealed.

Akil said they received fresh orders on Friday morning after which barricades were placed at the border again and checking was initiated.

Watch: Chaos on the roads as Haryana seals border with Delhi again

The volume of traffic has increased manifold on all the borders and we have placed barricades and deployed additional force, including senior officers, to control law and order situation, he said.

The borders had been completely sealed on May 1 but the police had stopped checking for passes at the border last week after traffic congestion was witnessed during the peak rush hours.

After reports of fresh orders to seal, hundreds of commuters started crossing the border early morning on Friday leading to congestion on the expressway.

On Friday, commuters who had resumed work last week and were easily crossing borders were suddenly sent back from the border.

Dinesh Kapoor, the vice president of a private company in Cybercity, said he packed his bag on Thursday night after news regarding the sealing of borders started surfacing on social media. Kapoor added that he crossed before the border was sealed.

Nikita Mehra, a senior executive of a private company in Udyog Vihar, said the situation has become tough for people who are commuting from Delhi to Gurugram.

I will not be allowed to return to Delhi if I have to work here. Its difficult to make arrangements to stay in Gurugram. Our jobs are at stake, she said.

Private offices were allowed to open with 50% staff after the fourth phase of the lockdown began on May 18.

However, a steep rise in the number of Sars-Cov-2 infections, which causes Covid-19 disease, prompted the Haryana government to increase curbs at the border now.

Anil Vij, who also has the health portfolio, on Thursday wrote a letter to the additional chief secretary, home department stating that sharp increase in the Covid-19 cases in Haryana was happening due to large scale movement of people between Delhi and the state.

Most of the cases reported in Gurugram are linked to Delhi and it is not safe to allow free movement which can lead to more cases, Vij said on Friday morning.

Gurugram reported 68 positive cases on Thursday  the highest single-day spike so far  taking the number of cases in the district to 405. Gurugram has the highest number of cases in Haryana, which has recorded 1504 cases.
Amid growing evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting minority populations at substantially higher rates, the chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and other Democrats have asked the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide detailed demographics on its veteran coronavirus patients.

Chairman Mark Takano, D-California, along with Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas; and Reps. Judy Chu and Karen Bass, both California Democrats, wrote VA Secretary Robert Wilkie on Thursday requesting daily updates of VA patients that include their age, gender, race, ethnicity, tribal affiliation and preferred language.

Read Next: VA Secretary Rebuffs Calls for Removal of Nazi Symbols from Cemeteries

They also want the VA to provide an analysis of data for all patients treated in its health facilities since the beginning of the outbreak.

The lawmakers said they want the information so they can "better enable VA to protect and treat those veterans who are at heightened risk during the pandemic."

"We need to know what early trends the largest integrated health care system in the United States is seeing in its patient data and what is needed to address disparities," they wrote.

As of Thursday, the VA had had 13,657 total cases of COVID-19 among veterans, employees and others treated in its health system. The number of active cases, 1,218, has declined significantly since the beginning of the month, when nearly 3,000 patients were being treated at VA medical centers nationwide.

About 1,200 veterans enrolled in VA health care have died from the coronavirus, including 744 in its facilities and 456 elsewhere.

Evidence continues to mount that COVID-19 disproportionately affects minority groups. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one recent data review of 580 hospitalized coronavirus patients found that 33% were black, in a community where the overall African American population is 18%.

The COVID-19 death rate for blacks in New York City has been recorded as 92.3 per 100,000; for Hispanics and Latinos, 74.3 per 100,000; for whites, 45.2 per 100,000; and for Asians, 34.5 per 100,000.

Research is ongoing as to why the disease affects minorities at higher rates, but underlying health conditions -- as well as living conditions, access to health care and vulnerability of those who work in many jobs deemed "essential" -- may contribute.

During a hearing of the House Appropriations Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies subcommittee Thursday, Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, raised concerns that veterans who are homeless and who have higher rates of chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, are at risk.

Blacks are 60% more likely than non-Hispanic whites to be diagnosed with diabetes and have higher rates of heart disease and high cholesterol.

"The pandemic has put an extreme burden on disadvantaged populations," Pingree said, asking Wilkie about the department's effort to aid homeless veterans and those who lack access to healthy food.

"In my parents' hometown of New Orleans, of those who passed with the virus, 51% had diabetes," Wilkie responded. "We have instituted aggressive education and outreach programs on food and health related to food choices."

In their letter, the lawmakers said they also want copies of all Spanish-language coronavirus guidance and education materials that the VA has developed and issued.

'We know that patients for whom English is not their first language fare worse in receiving timely care and treatment," they wrote.

They requested that the information be included in the VA's daily updates to the House Veterans Affairs Committee by June 1.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: VA Has Spent Less Than One-Eighth of Its Emergency Pandemic Funding
BrokerTech Ventures to fuel Agency Connect: Virtual for 2020

DES MOINES, Iowa, May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BrokerTech Ventures , the industrys first broker-led group and accelerator program chartered by 13 super-regional independent brokerage firms, announced a strategic alliance with InsureTech Connect (ITC), the largest insurance technology (insurtech) conference and convening platform in the world. BrokerTech Ventures will fuel ITCs Agency Connect: Virtual, an insurtech event for the broker-centric community, on July 16, 2020.

"An alliance between BrokerTech Ventures and InsureTech Connect is a natural fit, said Dan Keough, Holmes Murphy chairman and CEO and BTV co-CEO. The InsureTech Connect platform brings together the greatest minds around insurtech trends, technologies, and applications. Our desire to engage in and fuel Agency Connect: Virtual comes from BTVs industry position as the convener of broker-centric innovation, ideation, and communication for the global insurance ecosystem. We represent the brokerage community and the voice of the customer, and we believe there is significant value in the build out of ITC's Agency Connect: Virtual platform in 2020."

Initial conversations began prior to the InsureTech Connect Conference in September 2019, where BrokerTech Ventures launched the company and brand during an event supported by the Global Insurance Accelerator.

Leading agencies and brokerages are shifting away from transacting around products and more toward gaining access into the insights and unknowns, said Jay Weintraub, InsureTech Connect CEO . At the core of the value chain of leading agencies is using their relationships, as well as their understanding of the customers and insights, to drive down cost and improve overall risk for customers and the insurance industry. Technology plays a key role in this transition from a policy-centered to a relationship-centered approach. The way BrokerTech Ventures fuels innovation within the industry made creating this alliance a natural choice as we look to serve the community even better.

Story continues

The BrokerTech Ventures Accelerators 2020 program is currently in progress, providing funding, curriculum, and intentional network exposure to the 12 startups selected . BrokerTech Ventures partners and sponsors operate a combined distribution channel of more than $2.1 billion and have nearly $30 billion in collective annual premium. Agency Connect: Virtual will include a BrokerTech Ventures demo day featuring the 12 innovative companies which are a part of the 2020 cohort.

"As BrokerTech Ventures continues to grow the depth and breadth of our agency, carrier, capital, and startup relationships within the insurtech space, building an alliance with Jay and InsureTech Connect made sense, said Susan Hatten, BTV COO . We bring the broker-centric insights to fuel Agency Connect: Virtual in 2020, and we are thrilled to work with the InsureTech Connect team to create an even greater experience by leveraging our BrokerTech Ventures brand and community."

About BrokerTech Ventures

Based in the insurance nucleus of Des Moines, Iowa, BrokerTech Ventures is the first broker-led group and accelerator program focused on delivering innovation to the insurance broker industry. Founded in 2019, BrokerTech Ventures provides a venue for the best minds in insurance and technology to collaborate and bring to market leading-edge ideas and solutions. BrokerTech Ventures invests in the research and testing for each of the chosen startups, provides access to veteran industry mentors, and helps scale the technology to market through broker distribution channels. Learn more at www.brokertechventures.com , or follow us on Twitter (@BrokerTechVen), LinkedIn, or Facebook.

About InsureTech Connect

InsureTech Connect (ITC) is the worlds largest insurtech event, offering unparalleled access to the largest and most comprehensive gathering of tech entrepreneurs, investors, and insurance industry executives from across the globe. Founded by Jay Weintraub and Caribou Honig, ITC has been attended by over 25,000 people from 65+ countries. InsureTech Connect 2020, presented by Oliver Wyman, will be held September 21 - 23, 2020. For more information, please visit http://www.insuretechconnect.com .

Contact: Jennifer Overhulse

(859) 803.6597

jen@stnickmedia.com




Trends in the ways consumers get their food and how farmers and producers move their products has been evolving.

These trends could be accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic as some people may be increasingly uncomfortable shopping in crowds at grocery stores and nationwide food supply chains face challenges.

This has led to an optimal time to promote the direct sale of products from farmer to consumer. Two St. Croix County teachers made it their mission to connect producers to those interested in shopping local.

Together the duo started the Shop Western Wisconsin Farms Facebook page to create an interactive community for the benefit of the local food economy.

We were just taking a look at whats currently happening with society in terms of COVID-19, meat shortages and dumping of dairy products, co-creator Alycia Benzer said. People are wanting to figure out a way to connect to farmers and local producers and we just thought we had an opportunity to try to set something up.

Benzer previously worked in horticulture and she found a group in Kansas successfully promoting the farm-to-table transactions, which inspired her to pursue the idea in western Wisconsin.

Greta Lewis grew up on a farm where her family produced dairy and beef products, maple syrup and other produce, making her the perfect teammate for the project.

Since its launch fewer than three weeks ago, Shop Western Wisconsin Farms has grown to more than 120 farms and almost 7,000 followers. The farms range from the eastern edges of Chippewa County to the Minnesota border and from central Pierce County north to Burnett County.

Ed and Angela Rebak established Whitetail Organics in 2009. The Colfax farm originally was a venture focused on growing and raising food for themselves. Eds mother battled cancer for many years and he then set out to grow food as naturally as possible without pesticides for produce or growth hormones for animals.

It wasnt too long before neighbors asked whether theyd be willing to sell some beef. The farm has continued to grow, providing everything from pork to chicken and eggs and now a full greenhouse built in 2014 with vegetables, succulents and house plants.

Since she passed its been a focus to provide customers with good quality products for a reasonable price, Rebak said.

After unsuccessful tours of selling at farmers markets, the Rebaks decided to create their own market on their farm. Not being at the public markets anymore but still desiring a direct to consumer model, Whitetail Organics had to put more of an emphasis on marketing, something Angela has taken the lead on.

While Whitetail Organics has grown its direct sales business, some farmers are just beginning the path. Lewis said Shop Western Wisconsin Farms is a tool for producers just getting into direct sales without much experience in marketing their products.

A lot of our farms are just getting started in direct sales and learning about it themselves and figuring out how to market themselves, Lewis said. They dont necessarily have marketing backgrounds and neither do we. Its created this awesome community, teamwork atmosphere between consumer and farmer that were just loving.

Josh Blaeser of Blaeser Farms in Chippewa Falls said he learned about the group through some of his current customers. Josh and Ashley Blaeser started their business five years ago, which provides its products through on-farm sales, Menomonie Food Co-op and five farmer markets to expand and build a larger customer base for their beef, chicken and lamb.

Many people in society dont understand the food supply chain, only knowing food is purchased at grocery stores, Blaeser said. With many issues of COVID-19 outbreaks at various meat-processing plants across the Midwest, it shows the value of buying local.

Right now is a perfect example on how factory farms have ruined our supply chain for beef and other meat products in the United States, he said. Simplifying and buying it closer to home shows the advantages of (knowing) whats actually going in your food.

A page like Shop Western Wisconsin Farms allow producers like Blaeser to share what they provide and any additional purchasing information. Blaeser Farms recently established drive-thru shopping on their farm so that people can avoid the crowds at grocery stores during the current pandemic. The drive-thru market is open Saturday and opens every other weekend.

We dont care if you support our farm, just continue to support farmers locally and stay away from the big farming industry, he said. Hopefully this is an eye-opener for our community as a whole and we grow stronger from it.

Shop Western Wisconsin Farms is in the process of launching a new website in addition to its current Facebook group. With the help of marketer and web designer Corby Bodenburg, the page also provides an interactive map of all of the farms that are part of the group, giving consumers information to connect directly with the producers.

Many consumers arent aware of the farms and products that are available nearby, Benzer said. Benzer and Lewis have also provided educational tools to learn about the process of buying from local farms. Feedback from farmers has also been great, Lewis said. With so much of their time focused on the labor of producing, the group has provided a simpler avenue for connecting to consumers.

The group has become a community where consumers arent afraid to ask questions and both producers and consumers can work to build a stronger local food economy.

Weve watched it really closely to try to create truly just a really welcoming, uplifting community and group where people feel safe to ask questions of farmers, Lewis said, and safe to share what theyre interested in looking for and be able to learn together.

Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Farmers are being asked to make as much of a racket as possible, using drums, tin containers, utensils and even hiring mobile disc jockeys, in an attempt to scare away locust swarms that are attacking India.

Millions of locusts are invading several Indian states and there are concerns they might reach New Delhi, the capital. Some farmers have been playing loud music through speakers fitted on vehicles in a bid to frighten the insects, said Rahul Srivastava, a superintendent of police in Jhansi district, describing the mobile disc jockey systems normally used at weddings. Citizens have been keeping doors and windows closed to stop locusts entering into their homes.

In the event of a locust attack, farmers are advised to collectively beat loud drums, tin containers, utensils and use loudspeakers to prevent locusts from descending on farms and damaging crops, Suhas L.Y., district magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar district, said on Twitter. The government is planning to spray pesticides during the night when locusts rest on trees, he said.

Authorities have cleared locusts from about 50,468 hectares (124,709 acres) in several states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and Maharashtra, according to the federal agriculture ministry.

A massive locust attack on the countrys farms adds another challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration, which is trying to contain the spread of the coronavirus and limit its impact on the economy. It cannot risk food crops getting destroyed by the insects at a time when millions have been pushed into poverty after losing their livelihoods because of the worlds most stringent stay-at-home rules.

Some summer pulses, early-sown cotton, vegetables and fruit plantations run the risk of destruction from the winged invaders. The silver lining is that the harvesting of winter crops is over and sowing for the monsoon season is yet to begin.

Drones, Choppers

While officials in the affected states are working on measures to control locust swarms, the federal government is arranging drones to sprinkle pesticides on trees and inaccessible places to kill the insects. There are plans to deploy helicopters for aerial spraying, according to Indias farm ministry.

As many as 15 sprayers will start arriving from the U.K. in the next 15 days, followed by 45 more in one-and-a-half months, the farm ministry said Thursday, adding that affected states will be given financial aid, if required.

Swarms of desert locusts occur irregularly in North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, usually when drought is followed by heavy rain. Normally, with the arrival of the monsoon, locust swarms enter the desert areas of India via Pakistan for breeding in June-July, but this year pink adult swarms were reported as early as April 30 in Rajasthan and Punjab.

This is in part because of the uncontrolled swarms in Pakistan that breed continuously, the ministry said earlier. Swarms of pink immature adults fly high and travel long distances with strong winds coming from Pakistan. Most of them settle on trees during the night and mostly fly during the day.

Further Attacks

The locust movement was helped by strong westerly winds from Cyclone Amphan that hit eastern India last week, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Several successive waves of invasions can be expected until July in Rajasthan. These movements will cease as swarms begin to breed and become less mobile. Swarms are less likely to reach south India, Nepal and Bangladesh, it said on its website.

The control work is in full swing in coordination with states and the Border Security Force, the farm ministry said. There was no information regarding the entry of any new locust swarm from India-Pakistan border areas as of Thursday. However, locusts entered from Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan on Wednesday, with control operations going on, it said. There are some active swarms of immature locusts in some parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

In January, the biggest locust swarm to hit Indias Gujarat in over a quarter of a century resulted in more than 25,000 hectares of wheat, rapeseed, cumin and potatoes being attacked, with at least a third of the crops damaged in 75% of the affected areas, according to the states directorate of agriculture. A massive locust attack in 2019-20 saw about 403,488 hectares treated with pesticides, according to the federal farm ministry.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / Findit, Inc. a Nevada Corporation (OTC PINK:FDIT) owner of Findit.com, a full service social networking management platform which provides online marketing services, allows its members to post status updates under the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution which is Freedom of Speech. Findit to date does not censor content posted by members that have differences of opinions.While other social networking sites are censoring content that is posted Findit has not.

Clark St. Amant of Findit stated "I am seeing other social networking platforms censoring content that is posted by members. Findit is not censoring posts from its members, we welcome Freedom of Speech on our platform. and do not want our members to be censored by one of our staff members based in their personal opinion of the members posts .

Use The Findit App To Reach New People By Sharing Instantly To Facebook Twitter Instagram and More - YouTube

Use The Findit App To Reach New People By Sharing Instantly To Facebook Twitter Instagram and More

www.youtube.com

Peter Tosto of Findit stated, "I have been reaching out to Dan Scavino who is the social media director to President Trump about using the Findit platform through Instagram and Twitter over the years, we are hopeful that the fact that Findirt welcomes freedom of speech and is not censoring peoples posts Dan will see this as an opportunity for the President along with others to post their updates in Findit and allow people to read them and share them."

Updates to Findit App

Findit is revamping the current app in IOS and Adroid. The App enhancements include some very useful features for make up artists, hairdressers, contractors, kids and adults. Some of the new features we believer can be very entertaining.

Posts done from the App can be shared from the post in the App like they can be from the Findit.com website to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN, Tumblr, Pinterest and DM to Instagram. This gives the member of Findit a great place to create their post and syndicate them out through their other social networking accounts. With Findit being an open platform Google can index all the content posted in their search engine while people are be able to see everyone's post and have the option of sharing the posts from Findit without ever having to join or sign in, unless they to want to post or leave a comment.

Download the App on Google Play Store

Download the App on Apple App Store

Findit does have requirements on how to add a link to a post, where the video is added and pictures but you can write what you want to write. The words belong to you. Findit does not allow terrorist groups and pornography.

About Findit, Inc.

Findit.com which is a Social Media Content Management Platform that provides an interactive search engine for all content posted in Findit to appear in Findit search. The site is an open platform that provides access to Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines access to its content posted to Findit so it can be indexed in these search engines as well. Findit provides Members the ability to post, share and manage their content. Once they have posted in Findit, we ensure the content gets indexed in Findit Search results. Findit provides an option for anyone to submit URLs that they want indexed in Findit search result, along with posting status updates through Findit Right Now. Status Updates posted in Findit can be crawled by outside search engines which can result in additional organic indexing. All posts on Findit can be shared to other social and bookmarking sites by members and non-members. Findit provides Real Estate Agents the ability to create their own Findit Site where they can pull in their listing and others through their IDX account. Findit, Inc., is focused on the development of monetized Internet-based web products that can provide an increase in brand awareness of our members. Findit, Inc., trades under the stock symbol FDIT on the OTC Pinksheets.

Safe Harbor:

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), including statements regarding potential sales, the success of the company's business, as well as statements that include the word believe or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Findit, Inc. to differ materially from those implied or expressed.

CONTACT:

Clark St. Amant

404-443-3224

SOURCE: Findit, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/591992/Findit-Provides-Social-Networking-Platform-with-Right-Now-Status-Updates-That-Allows-Freedom-of-Speech-and-Personal-Opinions-without-Censorship
Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  At a time when physical distancing has become a requirement in order to stay safe from a pandemic, emotional closeness has also proven to be all the more necessary. As we witness our ways of life drastically change in a matter of months with no promise of ever going back to the normal pace, mutual support among families and friends help us cope. But what about the people who live miles and miles away from their loved ones, stuck on the other side of the globe by themselves?

Overseas Filipino workers would always say that the hardest part of living abroad is not being with their families. At a difficult time such as this, this challenge can get close to unbearable.

It is no different for comic artist and illustrator Richard Mercado, who has been living in Georgia, U.S.A. for the last seven months to complete a Master of Fine Arts degree at the Savannah College of Art and Design. As he spends the quarantine away from his family in the Philippines, worry is the first thing that crosses his mind whenever he checks the local news.

Due to these circumstances, he says that it is hard to hold out hope, but commends local governments that are stepping up like the Pasig, Marikina, and Valenzuela LGUs. I wish that level of effort and care is done for the entire nation, he adds.

Through a webcomic titled Living Abroad During the Pandemic, Mercado illustrates these worries for his family. I do call from time to time, but I also wonder sometimes if I should be calling more often, he says. As a way of coping, he tries to stay productive, especially taking classes seriously even during the pandemic, but Mercado admits how hard it gets to stay organized in the middle of such a crisis.

I try to be busy everyday and get work done, but to be honest, after months of just staying inside, it feels like I am going crazy. Time becomes weird since there's almost no consequences in sleeping in. I can get up really late and still make it to my online meetings. Sometimes I don't shower for a few days and just let myself go. (Laughs) It was fun at first, but after a few months, there's that itch to go outside, but I can't because where I live, people aren't taking the virus seriously. In Georgia, U.S.A., there's more than 40,000 cases but you can still see people outside not wearing masks.

Still, he finds some semblance of solace from the art he makes, and hopes that his readers find the same from his craft. I think art is something of a comfort during this time of crisis, for the people consuming it and for people who are making it, Mercado says. I think during a time where everyone in the world is experiencing the pandemic, creating these kinds of stories is something many people will be able to relate to.

Read the webcomic below.
The government will seek to negotiate a new deal with private hospitals from the end of June.

The new deal will allow the state access the private facilities in the event of a second wave of Covid-19 and may see private hospitals used for non-Covid treatment by public patients.

The state took control of 19 hospitals at the start of April at a cost of 115 million a month, though the full capacity was never utilised.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he "stands over" that decision, but says that the new plan approved by cabinet today would allow "step-in" rights to take control of ICU and critical care beds if needed. Mr Varadkar said this would be needed if a second wave coincided with a bad flu season.

He said the hospitals may be used to alleviate waiting lists which have built up while the health service has focused on fighting the virus.

There's a growing backlog of people waiting on appointments and scans as we have done in the past but perhaps in a better or different way.

Rise TD Paul Murphy, however, said that the new deal would not make questions about the original deal go away.

The private hospital deal always seemed like a rip-off, and a bail-out of the for-profit hospitals. More and more people were demanding a breakdown of the details of the hundreds of millions being handed over, and those questions will not go away. I will still be pushing for the publication of the full details of this deal, so we can see for ourselves why it was so much more expensive than the similar deal in the UK."
On the Frontline Against China, the US Coast Guard Is Taking on Missions the US Navy Can't Do

Competition with China has drawn more Pentagon resources to the Pacific, but the most visible U.S. military presence there...
Pune, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global IoT in healthcare market size is projected to reach USD 176.82 billion by the end of 2026. The increasing demand for efficient healthcare solutions will lead to a wider product adoption in the coming years. According to a report published by Fortune Business Insights, titled Internet of Things (IoT) in Healthcare Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Component (Devices, Software, and Services), By Software (Remote Device Management, Data Analytics, Compliances & Security, Asset Performance Management, Others), By Application (Telemedicine, Patient Monitoring, Operations and Workflow Management, Remote Scanning, Sample Management), By End-use (Laboratory Research, Hospitals, Clinics) and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026, the market was worth USD 30.96 billion in 2018 and will exhibit a CAGR of 24.5% during the forecast period, 2018-2026.

The internet of things has opened up an array of applications across diverse industry verticals. Technological advancements through the integration of IoT have been phenomenal. The use of IoT in healthcare and medical devices has allowed faster diagnosis as well as treatment of serious diseases. IoT creates an interconnected network infrastructure which makes it easier for access, storage, and transfer of data. This concept is solving the rural conundrums wherein healthcare facilities were few and far. The benefits offered by IoT in healthcare have led to a wider product adoption across the world. The increasing emphasis on the development of efficient products that will help solve and diagnose the complications of serious disorders in a short time will bode well for the growth of the overall market in the coming years. Moreover, the high investment in the integration of technological concepts such as IoT in the healthcare industry will emerge in favor of market growth.





Get Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/internet-of-things-iot-in-healthcare-market-102188







An Overview of the Impact of COVID-19 on this Market:

The emergence of COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill. We understand that this health crisis has brought an unprecedented impact on businesses across industries. However, this too shall pass. Rising support from governments and several companies can help in the fight against this highly contagious disease. There are some industries that are struggling and some are thriving. Overall, almost every sector is anticipated to be impacted by the pandemic.

We are taking continuous efforts to help your business sustain and grow during COVID-19 pandemics. Based on our experience and expertise, we will offer you an impact analysis of coronavirus outbreak across industries to help you prepare for the future.



Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this Market.



Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/internet-of-things-iot-in-healthcare-market-102188







Increasing Number of Company Mergers Will Emerge in Favor of Market Growth

The report encompasses several factors that have contributed to the growth of the overall market in recent years. Among all factors, the increasing number of company mergers and acquisitions has made the highest impact on market growth. The high investment in adoption of technologically sound methods in several healthcare applications by major companies will create several opportunities for market growth. In March 2018, Koninklijke Philips N.V. announced that it has collaborated with Samsung Electronics. Through this collaboration, Philips will look to connect its digital platform with Samsungs ARTIK Smart IoT platform. The companies will boost their research and development activities associated with integration of IoT in healthcare services. Koninklijkes collaboration with Samsung Electronics will not just benefit the company but will have a direct impact on the growth of the overall market in the coming years.





Speak to Analyst: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/internet-of-things-iot-in-healthcare-market-102188







Asia Pacific to Account for the Highest Share; Increasing Awareness Regarding Health Monitoring Services will Aid Growth

The report analyzes ongoing market trends across North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Among these regions, the market in Asia Pacific is projected to emerge dominant in the coming years. The high investment in the development of advanced healthcare systems that can detect and diagnose diseases at an early stage will fuel the demand for the product. Additionally, the growing awareness regarding health monitoring services will emerge in favor of market growth. As of 2018, the market in Asia Pacific was worth USD 12.04 billion and this value is projected to increase further in the coming years.



List of companies profiled in the IoT in Healthcare Market Research Report are:

Amazon.com, Inc. (AWS)

Cisco Systems, Inc.

General Electric Company

Intel Corporation

International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation

Koninklijke Philips N.V.

Microsoft Corporation

SAP SE

Senseonics Holdings, Inc.

SGH Group

TeleTracking Technologies, Inc.

Wipro Ltd.





Industry Developments:

May 2016: SAP SE announced the launch of a new healthcare platform to provide patient-centric solutions. The company states that through this platform, hospitals, healthcare providers, and researchers will be able to reduce operational and maintenance costs and as well as offer connected healthcare services.



Quick Buy  IoT in Healthcare Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/102188





Detailed Table of Content

Introduction Definition, By Segment Research Approach Sources

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Drivers, Restraints and Opportunities Emerging Trends

Key Insights Macro and Micro Economic Indicators Consolidated SWOT Analysis of Key Players Porters Five Forces Analysis

Global IoT in Healthcare Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2015-2026 Key Findings / Summary Market Size Estimates and Forecasts By Component (Value) Devices Software Services By Software (Value) Remote Device Management Data Analytics Compliances & Security Asset Performance Management Others (Data Storage, Electronic Health Record, and Others) By Application (Value) Telemedicine Patient Monitoring Operations and Workflow Management Remote Scanning Sample Management Others (Predictive Devices Maintenance, Medication Management, and Others) By End-Use (Value) Laboratory Research Hospitals Clinics Others (Clinical Tests and Others) By Geography (Value) North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa Latin America



TOC Continued...!!!







Get your Customized Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/internet-of-things-iot-in-healthcare-market-102188







Have a Look at Related Research Insights:





Big Data Technology Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Offering (Solution, Services), By Deployment (On-Premise, Cloud, Hybrid), By Application (Customer Analytics, Operational Analytics, Fraud Detection and Compliance, Enterprise Data Warehouse Optimization, Others), By End Use Industry (BFSI, Retail, Manufacturing, IT and Telecom, Government, Healthcare, Utility, Others) and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Market Size, Share and Industry Analysis By Component (Hardware, Software, Services), By Technology (Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Others), By Industry Vertical (BFSI, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail, IT & Telecom, Government, Others) and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026

Internet of Things (IoT) Market Size, Share and Industry Analysis By Platform (Device Management, Application Management, Network Management), By Software & Services (Software Solution, Services), By End-Use Industry (BFSI, Retail, Governments, Healthcare, Others) And Regional Forecast, 2019 - 2026



About Us:

Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in.



Our reports contain a unique mix of tangible insights and qualitative analysis to help companies achieve sustainable growth. Our team of experienced analysts and consultants use industry-leading research tools and techniques to compile comprehensive market studies, interspersed with relevant data.



At Fortune Business Insights, we aim at highlighting the most lucrative growth opportunities for our clients. We therefore offer recommendations, making it easier for them to navigate through technological and market-related changes. Our consulting services are designed to help organizations identify hidden opportunities and understand prevailing competitive challenges.
HOLLAND, MI  A man whose car struck two people walking on the sidewalk near Holland Hospital veered off the road to avoid a pickup truck that pulled into his path, police said.

Holland police are looking for the driver of the black pickup, possibly a Dodge Ram.

A 22-year-old Zeeland woman and a 26-year-Holland Holland man were injured. She was taken by Aero Med helicopter to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital. He was taken to Butterworth Hospital by AMR Ambulance.

Their names were not released.

The crash happened around 5:45 p.m. Thursday, May 28, at Michigan Avenue and West 24th Street.

Preliminary investigation showed that a 19-year-old Holland man, in a 2003 Honda Civic, was driving north on Michigan, in the far-right lane, when an eastbound pickup turned left, or north, in front of him.

The driver of the Civic swerved right to avoid a crash. His car left the road and struck the pedestrians on the sidewalk on the east side of the road. Before the crash, another northbound vehicle was next to the Civic, police said.

Both of the pedestrians suffered serious injuries, police said. The driver of the Civic was taken to Holland Hospital by his family.

Police are trying to identify the driver of the pickup truck and are working to identify other factors that may have contributed to the collision.

Police asked anyone with information to call Sgt. Dan Kender at 355-1122, Holland Department of Public Safety at 355-1100 or email at policetips@cityofholland.com

Read more:

Car strikes 2 pedestrians in Holland, causing life-threatening injuries

98-year-old Michigan veteran honored for her service as a nurse in World War II

Gov. Whitmers plan to reopen Michigan keeps residents in the dark with murky targets and limited transparency
TWO young children were rescued by emergency services after being swept out to sea in separate incidents today.

A six-year-old boy was pulled a mile offshore while clinging to his surfboard "for dear life".

The boy had been enjoying the sun at Renville in White Strand, north of Cleggan, Co Galway, when currents, and a wind travelling out to sea, swept him and his board a mile offshore.

After receiving 999 calls from members of the public and the boy's parents, Mallin Head Coastguard sent rescue helicopter 118, as well as two life boats from Clifden and sent out an emergency call to vessels in the area for assistance.

One of the local boats found the boy one mile from the shore.

They carried him back to the beach, at which time the rescue helicopter had arrived at the scene, landed on the beach and treated the boy.

A spokesperson for Mallin Head Coastguard said it was 'miraculous' that the boy escaped unscathed from the incident.

"He was okay. He was shocked and he was cold but they gave him treatment and he didn't need to be hospitalised," he said.

"He clung onto that surf board for dear life, which must have been terrifying for him - a young boy of six years of age.

"But also for the parents to see him washed out must have been unbelievable and he's only six years of age.

"At any time if he let go of that surf board that would have been it. The winds were picking up, there were south-easterly winds, so they were blowing from the land out to sea."

Separately, a major rescue operation was mounted in Kerry after a little girl drifted out to sea on an inflatable device.

Coast Guard units, including the Shannon-based Rescue 115 Sikorsky helicopter as well as RNLI, Gardai and paramedics, scrambled to assist the rescue operation outside Ballybunion shortly after 3pm.

The incident unfolded when a five-year-old girl apparently took an inflatable leisure device similar to a lie-low to the water's edge after attending the beach with her family.

While playing with the device, she suddenly got caught in the ebbing tide which swept her out to sea.

A number of adults at Littor Strand in north Kerry realised the child's predicament and tried to go to her aid but she had been carried too far out from shore.

The alarm was immediately raised and the major rescue operation swung into gear under the supervision of the Valentia Coast Guard Centre.

Locals tried to keep the lie-low in sight as it drifted out to sea in a bid to guide rescue services to the child's precise location.

Rescue 115 was on the scene within minutes of launch and spotted the child.

She was winched up to the helicopter and then transferred to a waiting lifeboat launched from Kilrush.

The child, accompanied by her mother, was later transferred to University Hospital Kerry (UHK).

She was being assessed and treated for shock, exposure and suspected hypothermia.

It is understood the family are from Limerick and had spent the day at the popular Kerry coastal resort.

The dramatic rescue took place just 24 hours after two separate rescue operations involving swimmers in west Cork.

One involved four young boys who got into difficulty near Inchydoney while the second involved two young women outside Glandore.

Irish Water Safety (IWS) have urged people to exercise maximum caution at rivers, lakes and the seaside as Ireland is set for glorious weather over the June bank holiday weekend and temperatures soaring to almost 27C.

The Mallin Head Coastguard spokesperson urged that children must be closely monitored at this time, because lifeguards are not working during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He advised that inflatable leisure devices, such as lie-lows, should not be brought near the open water.

"All parents need to keep their children supervised on the beaches because there are no lifeguards at present due to Covid-19," he said.

"Lie-lows should never come near a beach. Because of the current and the way the wind blows, people lie in them and they think they're in a pool but they just get swept out..

"Lifeguards would never allow them but they're just not there at the moment."
In further trouble for the Tablighi Jamaat, the Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) to investigate international linkages as well as foreign funding of the religious organisation, two officials familiar with the development said.

The CBI probe will primarily focus on whether Tablighi Jamaat violated any norms of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) while receiving donations from individuals or entities abroad, the officials added.

The agency sleuths have already collected relevant probe documents from Delhi Police Crime Branch and analyzing the same. It will also take copies of 47 charge sheets filed by the Crime Branch this week against over 900 foreign members of the Jamaat. The charge sheets filed over three days run into over 40,000 pages.

CBI has registered a PE against organisers of Tablighi Jamaat and others on a complaint alleging that the organisers and trustees of Jamaat were indulging into dubious cash transactions by using illegal/unfair means and also in non-disclosure of the receipts of foreign funds to the authorities, a CBI spokesperson said on Friday.

As per CBI Standard Operating Procedure, a Preliminary Enquiry is the first step to verify any irregularities following which a decision is taken on whether or not to file an FIR.

The central agencys involvement in the case is crucial as it has significant experience in international probes, including finding money trails and international links of individuals.

We will look into financial operations of Tablighi Jamaat and the people behind its funding here in India and abroad; antecedents of people associated with it and its sister organisations, said one of the officers cited above.

The agency is likely to summon office bearers of the religious organisation in Delhi and other cities including its chief Maulana Muhammad Saad after studying all the documents. If required, CBI may even take help of foreign agencies at a later stage through proper channels, said the second officer.

Tablighi Jamaats lawyer Fuzail Ayyubi didnt respond to calls till filing of this report.

Delhi Police Crime Branch had filed a criminal case against Jamaat chief Saad and six other officials of the organisation in March for defying a series of government directives, which curbed religious and large gatherings to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the national capital.

More than 2,300 people, including foreigners, were evacuated from the Tablighi Jamaat headquarters in March-end and lodged in quarantine facilities in Delhi by the authorities.

The government had claimed that members of the Tablighi Jamaat were responsible for almost 35% Covid-19 cases in the country till April 7. Over 1,800 foreign Tablighi workers were blacklisted by ministry of home affairs for violating visa conditions.

The Enforcement Directorate is already probing the organisation and Saad under the money laundering act. The anti-money laundering probe agency is investigating how the money received by Markaz exchanged hands and if hawala networks were used for the same.

It has been noticed in the past that several terrorists belonging to Indian Mujahideen and operatives in India inspired by ISIS had attended Tablighi Jamaat events.

However, the Tablighi Jamaat has never been named in any terror cases in India.
The latest:



Tense protests over the death of George Floyd and other police killings of black people grew Saturday from New York to Tulsa to Los Angeles, with police cars set ablaze and reports of injuries mounting on all sides as the country lurched toward another night of unrest after months of coronavirus lockdowns.

The protests, which began in Minneapolis following Floyd's death Monday after a police officer pressed a knee on his neck until he stopped breathing, have left parts of the city a grid of broken windows, burned-out buildings and ransacked stores. The unrest has since become a national phenomenon as protesters decry years of deaths at police hands.

In Indianapolis amid Saturday protests over the death of Floyd, a shooting left a person dead. No officers were involved. Protests there became dangerous for a second straight night as buildings were damaged, officers deployed tear gas and at least one business was briefly on fire.

Tens of thousands of people were in the streets across the country, many of them not wearing masks or observing social distancing, raising concerns among health experts about the potential for spreading the coronavirus pandemic at a time when much of the country is in the process of reopening society and the economy.



Governors in several states, including Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Minnesota and Texas, activated the National Guard after earlier protests turned violent, while nighttime curfews were put in place in Portland, Oregon, Cincinnati and elsewhere.

Peaceful, destructive protests take place

Amid days of unrest led by the death of Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died in police custody, protesters are raising their voices once again as tense clashes emerge.

 In the Tampa area in Florida, deputies were injured as police faced conflicts with protesters. A sheriff's office said one deputy's helmet was hit with a firework and he was transported to the hospital.

 More than 1,000 people marched in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday night, breaking windows as police in riot gear released tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowds.

Protesters gathered in late afternoon marching peacefully north from the courthouse chanting No Justice, No Peace. But tension grew after nightfall as some people threw rocks at windows and spray painted anti-police slogans on walls.

 In New York, two people allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at police vehicles, one of which had four officers inside. Criminal complaints were filed Saturday.

 In Tallahassee, Florida, a pickup truck drove through a crowd of protesters, sending some running and screaming as the vehicle stopped and started and at one point had a person on its hood, police said, but no serious injuries were reported. Witnesses said a group followed the vehicle and forced it to stop. Police handcuffed the driver but did not release his name or say whether he would face any charges.

 In Atlanta, a person on an ATV was riding and appeared to crash into a police motorcycle, police said. The officer sustained significant injuries but was transported to a hospital in stable condition. The rider is in custody.

 In Columbia, South Carolina, a television reporter for WIS-TV was injured by rocks thrown outside the main police station. Several hundred people participated in the demonstration, tearing down the American and state flags in front of the building. They also swarmed a police car, breaking its windows, The State reported.

Video: Crowds block traffic by walking in Denver street

 In Los Angeles protesters chanted Black Lives Matter, some within inches of the face shields of officers. Police used batons to move the crowd back and fired rubber bullets at demonstrators. One man used a skateboard to try to break the windshield of a police SUV. A spray-painted police car burned in the street.

 In Seattle, police fired tear gas and stun grenades to try to disperse black-clad crowds that smashed downtown shopfronts, stole merchandise and tossed mannequins onto the street.

VIDEO: Pittsburgh Police car set on fire during protests

 In Pittsburgh, two journalists were injured, business fronts were broken out and protesters entered businesses, officials said.

 In Philadelphia, at least 13 officers were injured when peaceful protests turned violent and at least four police vehicles were set on fire. Other fires were set throughout downtown.

 In Fargo, North Dakota, police warned people to avoid downtown, saying, "Protestors are not peaceful anymore."

In Minneapolis, State Patrol troopers said they have made several arrests for gun violations and confiscated an AR-15. Soon after the city's 8 p.m. curfew went into force, lines of police cars and officers in riot gear moved in to confront protesters, firing tear gas to push away throngs of people milling around the citys 5th police precinct station.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who said local forces had been overmatched Friday, fully mobilized the states National Guard and promised a massive show of force. The Guard announced Saturday it had more than 4,000 members responding to Minneapolis and would quickly have nearly 11,000.

Officials in Minneapolis said late Saturday night that theyve succeeded for now in stopping the violent protests that ravaged parts of the city for several days after the death of Floyd.

Meanwhile, police in St. Louis were investigating the death of a protester who climbed between two trailers of a Fed Ex truck and was killed when it drove away. And a person was killed in the area of protests in downtown Detroit just before midnight Friday after someone fired shots into an SUV, officers said. Police had initially said someone fired into the crowd from an SUV.

Washington protests continue

The National Guard has been called out in Washington, D.C., as pockets of violence erupted during a second straight night of protests.

Earlier Saturday, people moved metal barrier units aside and closed in on police in riot gear. The protesters held up their hands and said, "Don't shoot."



Protesting on Friday briefly put the White House on lockdown, and people threw rocks, urine and alcohol at Secret Service officers that night, Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf said Saturday. "In several instances our officers incurred injuries that include broken bones," he said.

President Donald Trump said Saturday he will not tolerate mob violence during demonstrations over the death of Floyd.



Trump says that I stand before you as a friend and ally to every American seeking justice and peace, and I stand before you in firm opposition to anyone exploiting this tragedy to loot, rob, attack and menace. Healing, not hatred. Justice not chaos are the missions at hand.

Protesters brazenly resist curfews

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Overnight curfews were imposed in more than a dozen major cities nationwide, ranging from 6 p.m. in parts of South Carolina to 10 p.m. around Ohio. People were also told to be off the streets of Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle and Minneapolis  where thousands had ignored the same order Friday night.

US protests erupt after cop charged in George Floyd death



Protesters nationwide have demanded justice for Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died this week after a white police officer used his knee to pin him down in an incident captured on video.



The white Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Floyds neck was arrested and charged Friday, and authorities imposed an overnight curfew to try to stem three nights of often-violent protests that left dozens of stores burned and looted.



Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, 44, has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the case. He was also accused of ignoring another officer at the scene who expressed concerns about the black man as he lay handcuffed on the ground, pleading that he could not breathe. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill at a small grocery store.

The bail for Chauvin was set at $500,000.

Meanwhile, Chauvin's wife, Kellie Chauvin, has filed for a dissolution of their marriage, according to reports.

Military police put on alert

As unrest spread across dozens of American cities on Friday, the Pentagon took the rare step of ordering the Army to put several active-duty U.S. military police units on the ready to deploy to Minneapolis.



Soldiers from Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Drum in New York have been ordered to be ready to deploy, according to three people with direct knowledge of the orders. Soldiers in Fort Carson, in Colorado, and Fort Riley in Kansas have been told to be ready, too. The people did not want their names used because they were not authorized to discuss the preparations.

The get-ready orders were sent verbally on Friday, after President Donald Trump asked Defense Secretary Mark Esper for military options to help quell the unrest in Minneapolis after protests descended into looting and arson in some parts of the city.



Trump made the request on a phone call from the Oval Office on Thursday night that included Esper, National Security Advisor Robert O Brien and several others. The president asked Esper for rapid deployment options if the Minneapolis protests continued to spiral out of control, according to one of the people, senior Pentagon official who was on the call.



The person said the military units would be deployed under the Insurrection Act of 1807, which was last used in 1992 during the riots in Los Angeles that followed the Rodney King trial.

Council members want Minn AG to take Floyd case



Several Minneapolis City Council members are asking Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to appoint the states attorney general as a special prosecutor in the death of George Floyd.

Six of the councils 13 members say they support a call from Floyds family for Attorney General Keith Ellison to handle the prosecution. The council members say they dont think Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman has the public trust necessary for the job.

Freeman on Friday charged now-fired officer Derek Chauvin with third-degree murder in Floyds death.

The council members say Freeman waited too long in bringing charge. They say Ellison, who is black, is best qualified to handle the case. They also cite a working group he helped lead on deaths involving police.

CNN contributed to this report.


A hungry Sloth Bear on a hunt at the dead of night, in the middle of Paratwada town, Amravati, Maharashtra. Image Source: IANS News

Pilibhit : , May 29 (IANS) A forest guard in Uttar Pradesh was allegedly assaulted by a mob in Pilibhit while trying to rescue a sloth bear that had entered a village.

The police lodged an FIR on Thursday evening following a written complaint filed by the victim after the Wednesday incident in Piparia Santosh village.

According to reports, the incident took place when the forest guard, Harshit Mishra, attempted to stop villagers, armed with sticks, from chasing the sloth bear.

One of the villagers, Suresh, attacked the guard with a stick, snatched his mobile phone and crushed it. Within no time, the accused was joined by 30-35 villagers. Mishra managed to escape by running away from the spot.

Divisional forest officer, Sanjeev Kumar, along with forest force, inspected the area where the incident took place and informed the Madhotanda police station.

Sanjeev Kumar said that the mob attempted to kill the sloth bear (around 4-year-old) that might have come from Barahi forest range of Pilibhit tiger reserve, hardly 1.5 km from the village.

SHO Shahroz Anwar said that the police have booked Suresh and 30-35 unidentified accused under section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the IPC and section 9 (prohibits hunting) and 51 (imprisonment) of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

He said that the police were searching for the accused who were on the run.
Detroit Police Chief James Craig has spoken out on the police-related slaying of George Floyd in Minneapolis, saying there was probable cause to immediately charge the former cop accused of the killing with 'murder'.

'This cowardly officer committed murder,' said Craig in reference to former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who would have been charged right away if the incident happened in Detroit

Craig did praise the 'swift termination' of Chauvin and three other cops involved in the incident from earlier this week.

Detroit Police Chief James Craig (pictured) has spoken out on the police-related slaying of George Floyd in Minneapolis, saying there was probable cause to immediately charge the former cop accused of the killing with 'murder'

'This cowardly officer committed murder,' said Detroit Police Chief James Craig in reference to former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin (pictured), who would have been charged right away if the incident happened in Detroit, the chief says

However, during an interview with MSNBC, the chief said he wanted to take it one step further.

Craig's comments come as police across the US have weighed in on Floyd's death, which did finally result in murder charges against Chauvin on Friday, four days after the incident.

Chauvin lost his job for pressing his knee down on Floyd's neck, as the man begged for air and slowly stopped talking and moving. The horrifying incident was captured by a bystander on a video which has sparked violence in Minneapolis and other cities.

Both police chiefs and sheriffs, after previously having muted responses or showing support for cops after being accused of in-custody fatalities, were critical of the actions of cops in Minneapolis after Floyd's passing while he was being arrested Monday.

Floyd was detained by Chauvin, who is white, because he matched the description of someone who tried to pay with a counterfeit bill at a convenience store, and the 46-year-old was said to resist arrest, although released video casts doubt on that claim.

'There is no need to see more video,' Chattanooga, Tennessee, Police Chief David Roddy tweeted Wednesday. 'There no need to wait to see how `it plays out. There is no need to put a knee on someones neck for NINE minutes. There IS a need to DO something. If you wear a badge and you dont have an issue with this ... turn it in.'

A tweet by Chattanooga, Tennessee, Police Chief David Roddy (pictured) condemned the death of George Floyd, saying there was no need to see more video and that 'If you wear a badge and you dont have an issue with this ... turn it in'

Chattanooga, Tennessee, Police Chief David Roddy 's tweet included a picture from the video taken of the the slaying of George Floyd

The slaying of George Floyd, also caught on video which has gone viral, has sparked violence in Minneapolis and other cities across the nation. Stores are shown set ablaze during protests and looting in Minneapolis

Some in law enforcement strongly criticized Chauvin and praised the citys police chief for his quick dismissal of the officer and three other cops at the scene. There are mounting calls for them to be criminally charged.

'I am deeply disturbed by the video of Mr. Floyd being murdered in the street with other officers there letting it go on,' Polk County, Georgia, Sheriff Johnny Moats wrote on Facebook.

'I can assure everyone, me or any of my deputies will never treat anyone like that as long as I'm Sheriff. This kind of brutality is terrible and it needs to stop. All Officers involved need to be arrested and charged immediately. Praying for the family.'

Typically, police call for patience and calm in the wake of a use of force. They are reluctant to weigh in on episodes involving another agency, often citing ongoing investigations or due process.

'Not going hide behind 'not being there,'' tweeted San Jose Police, California, Chief Eddie Garcia. 'I'd be one of the first to condemn anyone had I seen similar happen to one of my brother/ sister officers. What I saw happen to George Floyd disturbed me and is not consistent with the goal of our mission. The act of one, impacts us all.'

Sheriff Johnny Moats of the Polk County, Georgia, Sheriff's Office tweeted he was 'deeply disturbed by the video of Mr. Floyd being murdered in the street with other officers there letting it go on' hours'

While police nationwide have made similar comments, in unequivocal and unprecedented language, some civil rights advocates say their denunciations are empty words without meaningful reform behind them.

Gloria Browne-Marshall, a civil rights attorney and professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said she wouldn't be a 'cheerleader' for a 'handful' of chiefs who harshly decried the officers' behavior.

'Any minute progress is seen as miraculous because so little has been done for so long,' she said. 'It's nothing close to progress or what outrage would be taking place if it was a white man as the victim of this assault.'

Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles, said she wasn't 'particularly moved' by the relatively few police who voiced outrage.

Abdullah said the three other officers who witnessed Chauvin's actions and did not intervene contributed to a long-standing system of police racism and oppression against people of color.

'We've got to remember that it was not just Officer Chauvin who was sitting on George Floyds neck,' she said.

Abdullah and hundreds of others protested what she called Floyd's lynching on Wednesday night. Some blocked lanes of a freeway and shattered windows of California Highway Patrol cruisers.

Minneapolis is bracing for more violence after days of civil unrest, with burned buildings, looted stores and angry graffiti demanding justice. The governor on Thursday called in the National Guard. On Thursday night, protesters torched a Minneapolis police station that the department was forced to abandon.

The heads of the Los Angeles and Chicago departments - both of which have been rocked before by police brutality scandals - addressed Floyd's death and its potential effect on race relations between law enforcement and communities of color.

The heads of the Los Angeles and Chicago departments - both of which have been rocked before by police brutality scandals - addressed Floyd's death and its potential effect on race relations between law enforcement and communities of color. Pictured is a social media post made by Los Angeles Police Chief Michael Moore

Even the New York Police Department weighed in. Eric Garner died in the city in 2014 after he was placed in a chokehold by police and uttered the same words Floyd did: 'I can't breathe.'

It took city officials five years to fire the officer, and no criminal or federal charges were brought.

'What we saw in Minnesota was deeply disturbing. It was wrong,' NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea wrote Thursday. 'We must take a stand and address it. We must come together, condemn these actions and reinforce who we are as members of the NYPD. This is not acceptable ANYWHERE.'

San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit also weighed in on social media in a tweet (pictured) about the slaying of George Floyd

Before he was commissioner, Shea spearheaded the NYPDs shift to community policing that moved away from a more confrontational style favored by other commissioners after Garner's death.

Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, who also spoke out online, told The Associated Press that law enforcement agencies keep promising reforms in the wake of fatalities, but they are 'not delivering it on a consistent basis.'

'When bad things happen in our profession, we need to be able to call it like it is,' he said. 'We keep thinking that the last one will be the last one, and then another one surfaces.'
It is not my intention for this Village Board, or residents, or businesses to defy the governors order, Hayes said when introducing the resolution during a virtual board meeting earlier this month. It does not mean we cant encourage reasonable change. The sole purpose, in my mind, is to reopen a little more aggressively. Our businesses have been asking us to do anything we can for weeks, if not months, this is one way to help them get through this process and thrive.
The International Criminal Court on Thursday said former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo can leave Belgium under certain conditions following his acquittal last year over post-electoral violence that killed 3,000 people. Gbagbo and his deputy Charles Ble Goude were both cleared of crimes against humanity a year ago, eight years after the former West African strongman's arrest and transfer to the Hague-based court. Belgium agreed to host Gbagbo, 73, after he was released in February last year under strict conditions including that he would return to court for a prosecution appeal against his acquittal. An ICC spokesman said Gbagbo could travel provided if the country he was going to agreed to receive him. Gbagbo's return to Ivory Coast, where his Ivorian Popular Front Party (FPI) is preparing to contest presidential elections in October, therefore remains uncertain. But FPI spokesman Franck Anderson was jubilant. "We are happy, it's important that these restrictions are lifted," he told AFP. "We are waiting for the date of his return. We will welcome him," he said. Gbagbo's lawyers had appealed for his unconditional release arguing the ICC could not limit the movements of an acquitted person. The Hague-based court on Thursday rejected the demand, but revoked certain restrictions on them including banning "travel beyond the territorial limits of the municipality of the receiving State without the explicit and prior authorisation of the Court." It also revoked a condition obliging the two men to surrender their identity documents, especially passports, to the court and report weekly to law enforcement authorities in the country they resided in or to the court.
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website  when visited by a user  asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies  which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting  for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a sale of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a sale of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a sale of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated sale of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated sale of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated sale of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.
100 years ago

Manslaughter conviction

Louis Abeson, on trial in Schenectady for the killing of Carman postmistress Elizabeth Snyder the previous February, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 to 20 years at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora. (He ultimately served less that three-and-a-half years when his sentence was commuted by Gov. Al Smith in 1923) During the jury's 11-hour deliberation, it was said to go from a 9-3 vote for not guilty by reason of insanity, to multiple 8-4 votes for each of first-degree and second-degree murder convictions, until finally an agreement on manslaughter. Abeson, the former postmaster, had returned from New York City after separating from his wife and struck up a relationship with the also-married Snyder over a period of months, according to sources. He claimed to have arranged a meeting with her, a claim she denied, and after being unable to reach her despite 30 phone calls, he went to the post office and shot her in the abdomen with a revolver before turning the gun on himself and firing four times.

 Times Union, May 29, 1920

50 years ago

Manmade diamonds exhibited

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Manmade diamonds  pure and impure, clear and colorful, sparkling and beautiful, just like nature's diamonds  had been created by two area scientists at General Electric's Research and Development Laboratories in Niskayuna. The men responsible for the manmade gems  which may one day compete with South Africa's finest  were Herbert M. Strong of Schenectady and Robert H. Westorf Jr. of Latham. The announcement was made at a press conference in New York City, where the two scientists displayed some of their 100 uncut, one-carat stones. The only flaw thus far was that the manmade diamonds cost "several thousands of dollars" per carat, which was about one-fifteenth of an ounce. By contrast, natural diamonds sold at wholesale for $60 to $1,500 a carat, depending on cut and quality. The gems may become more affordable some day but for now, this was a technical achievement, if not a commercial one.

 Times Union, May 29, 1970

By C.J. Lais Jr. and Azra Haqqie.
Twitter accused President Donald Trump on Friday of "glorifying violence", attaching a disclaimer to one of his tweets about riots in Minneapolis that it said broke its rules.

"...These THUGS are dishonouring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!" Trump's tweet read.

Trump's message can now be read only after clicking on a notice which says: "This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible."

In a thread, Twitter said it had taken the action "in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts". People will still "be able to retweet with comment, but will not be able to like, reply or retweet it."
(Bloomberg) -- Twitter Inc. flagged one of Donald Trumps posts for violating its rules against glorifying violence, escalating a clash with the U.S. president after he signed an executive order that seeks to limit liability protections for social-media companies.

Early Friday, the social media company obscured the presidents comments about protests in Minneapolis with a warning that the tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.

Trumps executive order came after Twitter began selective fact checks of his posts on the platform. Under current law, companies like Twitter and Facebook Inc. are protected for users posts. Trump told reporters that his order calls for new regulations under section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to make it that social media companies that engage in censoring or any political conduct will not be able to keep their liability shield.

Twitter earlier this week labeled two of his posts about mail-in voting potentially misleading and provided links to news coverage of his comments. The president responded with outrage, accusing the social media company of censorship and election interference and threatening to possibly shut down the service.

Im signing an executive order to protect and uphold the free speech rights of the American people, Trump said. Currently, social media giants like Twitter receive an unprecedented liability shield based on the theory that theyre a neutral platform, which theyre not.

Trump said he expected the order or the regulations it produces to be challenged in court. If it were legal for him to shut down Twitter, Trump said, I would do it.

In the clash Friday over protests in Minnesota after the death of a man in police custody, Trumps comments, concluding with the words when the looting starts, the shooting starts, incited a strong response from other Twitter users. Those replies have since been hidden or removed by the company. The options to reply and like the tweet have also been disabled, while the retweet and quote-tweet functions have been left active.

Story continues

Twitter rose less than 1% in late trading Thursday after the signing was announced. That followed a 4.4% decline in the regular session, the most in four weeks.

Order Text

The order said the protections against lawsuits should only apply when companies act in good faith to take down or limit the visibility of content.

Any removal or restriction made in a manner that is deceptive, pretextual, or inconsistent with a providers terms of service would not qualify as being in good faith, nor would a move without adequate notice, reasoned explanation, or a meaningful opportunity to be heard.

Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Technology Association trade group, called the order unconstitutional and ill-considered.

Americas internet companies lead the world and it is incredible that our own political leaders would seek to censor them for political purposes, Shapiro said in a statement.

In a tweeted statement, Twitter called the executive order a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law, adding, attempts to unilaterally erode it threaten the future of online speech and Internet freedoms.

A Facebook spokesperson said exposing companies to liability would penalize those that allow controversial speech and encourage platforms to censor anything that might offend anyone.

YouTube Chief Executive Officer Susan Wojcicki, in an interview with David Rubenstein on Bloomberg Television while the order was being prepared, said, we have worked extraordinarily hard to make sure that all of our policies and systems are built in a fair and neutral and consistent way.

The Department of Commerce, in consultation with the attorney general, would be responsible for petitioning the Federal Communications Commission within 60 days to craft the new regulation.

This debate is an important one, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement. The Federal Communications Commission will carefully review any petition for rulemaking filed by the Department of Commerce.

Industry and civil liberties groups who denounced the order as an illegal end-run around free-speech protections and said it gave the FCC powers it does not actually have.

Twitter has been an essential tool for Trump as both a politician and as president, dating back to his false allegations that President Barack Obama was born in Kenya. Trump has observed himself that the social media platform allows him to dodge the press and speak directly to his 80 million followers. It has also afforded him the unfettered opportunity to assail political opponents and to promulgate conspiracy theories and other misinformation.

Attorney General William Barr, who joined Trump for his remarks, said the order would not repeal Section 230, which provides social-media companies their liability protection.

But its been stretched and I dont know of anyone in Capitol Hill who doesnt agree that its been stretched beyond its original intention, he said. I think this will help get back to the right balance.

Trump and Barr also said they were reviewing possibilities to seek legislation further curbing Section 230 protections. Barr said the government may also bring litigation.

One of the things we may do, Bill, is just remove or totally change 230, Trump said. What I think we can say is were going to regulate it.

Roth Criticism

Earlier Thursday, Trump called out a single Twitter employee, head of site integrity Yoel Roth, in a tweet complaining that the platforms decision to fact-check his tweets on voting by mail could taint the U.S. election.

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany criticized Roth for political tweets, including one that said actual Nazis inhabit Trumps White House.

Twitters head of site integrity has tweeted that there are quote, actual Nazis, in the White House and no fact-check label was ever applied to this actually outrageous and false claim made against the White House and its employees, she said.

White House officials complained that Twitter did not originally append fact checks to China Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lijan Zhao, who without evidence wrote that it might be the U.S. military that brought the coronavirus to China. Twitter has since added the fact-check link to his tweets.

Democrats have largely applauded the effort to fact-check the president. But they questioned why Twitter didnt similarly add links to recent tweets by the president that baselessly accused MSNBC host Joe Scarborough of murdering a former staffer who died while at work in one of his congressional offices nearly two decades ago.

Yes we like Twitter to put up their fact check of the president, but it seems to be very selective, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday.

The executive order is the latest in a years-long campaign by the president and his allies against social media companies. The companies say they have more aggressively sought to combat disinformation and foreign interference campaigns after the federal government found that Russia and other state operatives used U.S. social media to influence the 2016 election.

Bias Allegations

Republicans have alleged that Twitter and Facebook are politically biased in the way they display posts and block certain material deemed offensive, and objected to Twitters decision to ban certain political advertising. Last May, the administration set up a website asking Americans to submit instances of alleged political bias on social media.

We always knew that Silicon Valley would pull out all the stops to obstruct and interfere with President Trump getting his message through to voters, Trump 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale said in a statement. Partnering with the biased fake news media fact checkers is only a smoke screen Twitter is using to try to lend their obvious political tactics some false credibility.

The president has complained about Twitters efforts to combat manipulative and abusive content by deleting fake profiles -- leading to a decline of hundreds of thousands of users in his follower count.

The websites have denied their actions are politically motivated, and Twitter Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey said then he also lost around 200,000 followers in the purge. In 2018 congressional testimony, Dorsey said there were technical explanations for cases of alleged bias raised by Republican lawmakers.

Still, the debate has exposed a rift among Silicon Valley tech giants, with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg criticizing Twitters decision in an interview with Fox News.

I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldnt be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online, he said. Private companies probably shouldnt be, especially these platform companies, shouldnt be in the position of doing that.

Dorsey fired back in a tweet posted Wednesday night, saying the fact-check was designed to make sure people didnt misunderstand the presidents tweet and believe they didnt need to register to vote in order to receive an absentee ballot.

(Updates with latest Twitter-Trump clash in sixth paragraph)

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Russian jets intercepted American strategic bombers as they flew over the neutral waters of the Black Sea today, reports claim.

Video circulating online purports to show a Russian fighter plane approaching one of two US B1-B Lancer aircraft.

Russian Su-27 and Su-30 planes were used in the mission according to Moscow officials.

After the Russian aircraft approached, the American planes 'changed the direction of flight from the state border of the Russian Federation,' the Russian Defense Ministry claimed. The US military has yet to respond to the claims.

It comes just two days after two Russian fighter jets were accused of flying in 'an unsafe and unprofessional manner' while intercepting a US spy plane over the Mediterranean Sea.

Russia intercepted American strategic bomber planes as they flew over the neutral waters of the Black Sea, reports suggest. Pictured: The Sukhoi Su-27 fighter intercepting an American plane

Video circulating online purports to show a Russian fighter plane approaching one of two US B1-B Lancer aircraft. Pictured: The Su-27 with one of the American planes

Speaking about today's incident, a spokesperson for the Russian Defense Ministry told Tass: 'To intercept targets, Su-27P and Su-30SM fighters from the air defense duty forces of the Southern Military District were raised'.

They said the US planes were 'promptly uncovered' and 'the flights of Russian combat aircraft took place strictly in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace'.

Earlier this week two Russian fighter jets were accused of flying in 'an unsafe and unprofessional manner' while intercepting a US spy plane over the Mediterranean Sea.

The Su-35 fighters surrounded a P-8A US plane as it flew over the Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday, the US Navy revealed in a statement.

After the Russian aircraft approached, the American planes 'changed the direction of flight from the state border of the Russian Federation,' the Russian Defence Ministry said. Pictured: The Su-27 with one of the American planes

A spokesperson for the ministry told Tass: 'To intercept targets, Su-27P and Su-30SM fighters from the air defence duty forces of the Southern Military District were raised'. Pictured: The Su-27 with one of the American planes

They said the US planes were 'promptly uncovered' and 'the flights of Russian combat aircraft took place strictly in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace'. Pictured: The Su-27 with one of the American planes

Pictured: A Sukhoi Su-27 aircraft on the tarmac. This was one of the planes allegedly used to intercept a Russian aircraft today

The fighters 'took close station of the spy plane' over a period of 65 minutes, the statement read.

It added: 'While the Russian aircraft was operating in international airspace, this interaction was irresponsible.

'We expect them to operate within international standards set to ensure safety'.

The proximity of the two planes made it impossible for the US aircraft to 'safely manoeuvre'.

'The unnecessary actions of the Russian Su-35 pilots were inconsistent with good airmanship and international flight rules, and jeopardized the safety of flight of both aircraft,' the statement said.

It comes just two days after two Russian fighter jets were accused of flying in 'an unsafe and unprofessional manner' while intercepting a US spy plane over the Mediterranean Sea (pictured)

The US Navy denied provoking the attack and added they had been acting within the law.

President Donald Trump last week said Russian violations make it untenable for the US to stay in a treaty that permits 30-plus nations to conduct observation flights over each other's territory.

The Open Skies Treaty that governs the unarmed overflights was initially set up to promote trust and avert conflict between the US and Russia.

The Trump administration informed other members of the treaty that it will pull out in six months because Russia is violating the pact and imagery collected during the flights can be obtained quickly at less cost from US or commercial satellites.

'Russia didn't adhere to the treaty. So until they adhere, we will pull out, but theres a very good chance well make a new agreement or do something to put that agreement back together,' Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for Michigan on Thursday, May 21.

The fighters 'took close station of the spy plane' over a period of 65 minutes, a statement read

A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter takes off during an air show at the Teknofest festival at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul on September 17, 2019

'So I think what's going to happen is we're going to pull out and they [the Russians] are going to come back and want to make a deal,' Trump said. 'I think something very positive will work.'

The US announcement that it plans to leave the treaty is expected to strain relations with Moscow and upset some members of Congress and European allies, which benefit from the imagery collected by Open Skies flights conducted by the US.

In Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko criticized the US decision.

'Our position is absolutely clear and is invariable: The withdrawal of the US from this treaty will come as yet another blow to the system of military security in Europe, which is already weakened by the previous moves by the administration,' Grushko told state news agency Tass.

Trump's national security adviser Robert O'Brien said the president has made clear that the United States will not remain a party to international agreements being violated by the other parties and are no longer in America's interests.
One of Mall del Norte's largest and most recognized stores is closing shop.

Sears is greeting visitors to the mall with large yellow signs outside the store that read "Store Closing" and "Sears Store Closing Sale." Inside the store, discount offers of up to 70% could be seen.

Although the store is shutting down locally, Larry Costello  the public relations director at parent company Transformco  said that the company is declining to make any comment in wake of the news.

Sears one of many stores that has struggled in the wake of the economic crisis caused by COVID-19 and years of retail stores suffering at the hands of online shopping.

The closure comes just months after Sears Inc. had declared that they were to close several stores due to their financial woes. They were struggling even prior to the pandemic, filing bankruptcy in 2018 and announcing last November that nearly 100 Transformco stores  51 Sears and 45 Kmart stores  would be closed nationwide before February.

This story is developing.
The family of missing Co Fermanagh man Tony Lynch have confirmed that human remains discovered in a car recovered from Upper Lough Erne last week were those of the father-of-four.

The vehicle was recovered by police divers in Lough Corradilar, near Lisnaskea in Co Fermanagh on Monday, May 18 during searches for Mr Lynch, who disappeared 18 years ago.

Mr Lynch's white Mitsubishi Galant was discovered by two fishermen who were aware of a renewed search of lakes and quarries along the border.

The 54-year-old was last seen on Fermanagh Street in Clones on January 6, 2002 and was reported missing almost a week later.

Mr Lynch had moved from Magheraveely in Co Fermanagh to a flat in the Co Monaghan town for work just two months before he went missing.

On Friday afternoon his family confirmed that the remains were those of Mr Lynch.

His remains were returned to his home last night ahead of burial today in Donagh cemetery.

Among those offering condolences was the Missing Persons Helpline Ireland charity, which said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of missing person Tony Lynch as it was formally announced today that the body recovered was that of Mr Lynch.

"Our deepest condolences to all."

Last week's discovery followed numerous searches in the Monaghan and Fermanagh areas after Mr Lynch's family renewed their appeal for information on his disappearance earlier this year.

Some 10 lakes and flooded quarries in the area were checked by the Garda with the assistance of the civil defence and local sub aqua groups.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph last week, Mr Lynch's son Peter said: "Closure and clarity is all that we as a family have ever wanted and hopefully this has brought us one step closer to that."
Farmers are being asked to make as much of a racket as possible, using drums, tin containers, utensils and even hiring mobile disc jockeys, in an attempt to scare away locust swarms that are attacking India.

Millions of locusts are invading several Indian states and there are concerns they might reach New Delhi, the capital. Some farmers have been playing loud music through speakers fitted on vehicles in a bid to frighten the insects, said Rahul Srivastava, a superintendent of police in Jhansi district, describing the mobile disc jockey systems normally used at weddings. Citizens have been keeping doors and windows closed to stop locusts entering into their homes.

"In the event of a locust attack, farmers are advised to collectively beat loud drums, tin containers, utensils and use loudspeakers to prevent locusts from descending on farms and damaging crops," Suhas L.Y., district magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar district, said on Twitter. The government is planning to spray pesticides during the night when locusts rest on trees, he said.

Authorities have cleared locusts from about 50,468 hectares (124,709 acres) in several states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and Maharashtra, according to the federal agriculture ministry.

A massive locust attack on the country's farms adds another challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration, which is trying to contain the spread of the coronavirus and limit its impact on the economy. It cannot risk food crops getting destroyed by the insects at a time when millions have been pushed into poverty after losing their livelihoods because of the world's most stringent stay-at-home rules.

Some summer pulses, early-sown cotton, vegetables and fruit plantations run the risk of destruction from the winged invaders. The silver lining is that the harvesting of winter crops is over and sowing for the monsoon season is yet to begin.

---

While officials in the affected states are working on measures to control locust swarms, the federal government is arranging drones to sprinkle pesticides on trees and inaccessible places to kill the insects. There are plans to deploy helicopters for aerial spraying, according to India's farm ministry.

As many as 15 sprayers will start arriving from the U.K. in the next 15 days, followed by 45 more in one-and-a-half months, the farm ministry said Thursday, adding that affected states will be given financial aid, if required.

Swarms of desert locusts occur irregularly in North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, usually when drought is followed by heavy rain. Normally, with the arrival of the monsoon, locust swarms enter the desert areas of India via Pakistan for breeding in June-July, but this year pink adult swarms were reported as early as April 30 in Rajasthan and Punjab.

This is in part because of the uncontrolled swarms in Pakistan that breed continuously, the ministry said earlier. Swarms of pink immature adults fly high and travel long distances with strong winds coming from Pakistan. Most of them settle on trees during the night and mostly fly during the day.

---

The weather conditions have been conducive for spring breeding of locusts in Pakistan, said Arabinda Kumar Padhee, director, India Country Relations and Business Affairs at the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics or ICRISAT. "Invasion into India started earlier than expected. Countries in the path of the swarms must act in unison to not allow this upsurge to turn into a plague."

The locust movement was helped by strong westerly winds from Cyclone Amphan that hit eastern India last week, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization. Several successive waves of invasions can be expected until July in Rajasthan. These movements will cease as swarms begin to breed and become less mobile. Swarms are less likely to reach south India, Nepal and Bangladesh, it said on its website.

The control work is in full swing in coordination with states and the Border Security Force, the farm ministry said. There was no information regarding the entry of any new locust swarm from India-Pakistan border areas as of Thursday. However, locusts entered from Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan on Wednesday, with control operations going on, it said. There are some active swarms of immature locusts in some parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

In January, the biggest locust swarm to hit India's Gujarat in over a quarter of a century resulted in more than 25,000 hectares of wheat, rapeseed, cumin and potatoes being attacked, with at least a third of the crops damaged in 75% of the affected areas, according to the state's directorate of agriculture. A massive locust attack in 2019-20 saw about 403,488 hectares treated with pesticides, according to the federal farm ministry.
Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release

SubCategory Select Sub-Category
A Texas veterans home in El Paso has seen eight residents die of COVID-19, the most of nine such state-funded residential nursing facilities for those whove served in the military.

The Texas Veterans Land Board, which oversees the facilities, including those in Floresville and Houston, reported Thursday that 30 residents of the El Paso home, including the eight who died, and 10 staffers have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Three of the positive cases were in the hospital and 19 others were still at the Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home, which has 146 residents.

The VLB has continued to take proactive actions, hiring a pandemic adviser who is currently reviewing and advising the response and directives to the home operators regarding how we can mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our homes, Karina Erickson, a spokeswoman for the land board, said in a statement.

The El Paso home has brought in an outside contractor to disinfect the facility, she said.

The latest report from the land board was a turnaround from mid-May, when El Paso had lost one resident. Floresville had recorded five deaths, but that had not increased by Friday.

On ExpressNews.com: Death toll rises to five at Texas veterans home in Floresville

There were no coronavirus cases among residents and staff at the Richard A. Anderson Texas State Veterans Home in Houston, which opened last year and has 26 residents, the report says.

So far, 14 out of 146 residents in the Frank Tejeda Texas State Veterans Home in Floresville have tested positive. Besides the five who died, two remain as residents, three are hospitalized and four were listed as having recovered.

Nine staffers at Floresville tested positive and all have recovered.

The first coronavirus case in the Floresville home turned up April 10, and it soon was hard hit by the virus. Until the first death in El Paso in mid-May, it had been the only state veterans facility to record a death. The Veterans Land Board said the fatalities in both homes involved men, but provided no other details.

Erickson, the land board spokeswoman, said the dead in El Paso ranged from 72 years old to more than 90, but she did not specify their gender or say if they had preexisting conditions, citing health privacy law.

The first positive case in El Paso was reported May 2. Initial testing for residents there was done two days later, with staff screened from May 7-11. El Paso residents are tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis.

On ExpressNews.com: Two dead after COVID-19 strikes state veterans home in Floresville

Elsewhere, the Bonham veterans home reported one resident testing positive has recovered. No staffers have been infected. As in Houston, no residents have tested positive at the homes in Big Spring, Amarillo, Temple, McAllen and Tyler.

Two staffers came up positive in Big Spring and one in Temple.

Residents and staff at all the facilities have been tested, and screening continues.

Sig Christenson covers the military and its impact in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Sig, become a subscriber. sigc@express-news.net | Twitter: @saddamscribe
Portland, Oregon, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Sortis Holdings, Inc. (SOHI), a Portland, Oregon-based alternative investment fund manager, has been a key driving force behind the rescue of iconic Seattle-area barbershop, Rudys Barbershop.



For over a quarter century, Rudys has been an important part of Seattles charm and soul, thanks to the vision and culture created by its co-founders, Wade Weigel and David Petersen. Rudys Barbershop has 25 shops around the United States, with 15 locations specifically in the Puget Sound area.

When we founded Rudys Barbershop it was always about more than a haircut. It was a place for creative and social exploration. The spirit of Rudys culture, employees, customers, and community is all about having fun, celebrating who you are, and exploring who you could be. These are the parts of Rudys I am most excited to reconnect with, noted Rudys co-founder Wade Weigel.

Like most small businesses, Rudys was not immune to the coronavirus outbreak and was forced to close as part of the countrys lockdown efforts to curtail the viruss spread. This forced Rudys to file for bankruptcy protection in early April 2020.

Rudys co-founders contacted Sortis Holdings, as two distressed equity firms were looking to scoop up the iconic business in bankruptcy proceedings.

Sortis William Butch Bannon and Executive Chairman Paul Brenneke developed a strategy that beat out the two equity firms in bankruptcy court and allowed Rudys to once again be under the control of its original co-founders.

Rudys Barbershops immediate goals coming out of bankruptcy this week and looking forward include:

* To recapitalize the company and get Rudys back to business

* To create a safe environment for our employees and customers to get haircuts

* To implement a strategic plan focusing on preserving the Rudys culture while providing value and quality haircuts in a fun, inclusive environment.

What intrigued us most beyond the investment itself was the opportunity to help preserve an iconic Seattle business and the culture it represented, says Paul Brenneke, Executive Chairman of Sortis Holdings Inc. Its these small to mid-sized companies with unique visions and customer experiences that can thrive in a new era of retail post pandemic.

The developments caught the attention of local media, particularly the Seattle Times, which ran a story on May 23, 2020, featuring Rudy's rescue and Sortis' role in the process. The article is entitled: "A dream come true: Original players rescue hipster chain Rudy's Barbershop from Bankruptcy."

To view the Seattle Times article, visit: https://www.seattletimes.com/business/local-business/a-dream-come-true-original-players-rescue-hipster-chain-rudys-barbershop-from-bankruptcy/

For more information on Sortis Holdings and its fund offerings, please visit https://sortis.com/funds/.

About Sortis Holdings, Inc.

Sortis Holdings (OTCBB:SOHI) is an investment firm with a primary focus on real estate, both as a lender and as a direct investor. From its origins as a bank holding company, Sortis has evolved into a diversified firm that both lends and opportunistically invests in real estate, with a focus on the Western U.S. Since real estate and financial markets are constantly evolving, the firms ability to move between asset classes and positions in the capital stack makes it nimbler than its competitors. In 2017, Sortis merged in a loan/real estate acquisition and disposition platform and team that began in 2008 that successfully transitioned over a billion dollars in distressed real estate loans and assets. Sortis is also a developer of real estate through its affiliate companies. Operating under the principles of client focus, integrity, hard work and creativity, Sortis Holdings provides its accredited investors with well-managed, diverse asset-based investment strategies. Learn more at sortis.com.

This release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements appear in a number of places in this release and include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Sortis Holdings, its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) financing plans; (ii) trends affecting its financial condition or results of operations; (iii) growth strategy and operating strategy. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "can," "believe," "potential" and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Sortis Holdings ability to control, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. More information about the potential factors that could affect the business and financial results is and will be included in Sortis Holdings and Sortis Income Funds disclosure documents and filings.

This announcement does not constitute an offer, or any solicitation of any offer, to buy or subscribe for any securities. Any offer will be made only by means of an offer memorandum. This announcement is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, in or into, directly or indirectly, any jurisdiction other than the United States.

IR Contact: Spotlight Growth

SOHI@spotlightgrowth.com
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Chennai recorded 559 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, bringing its total up to 12,762. Eleven of the 12 deaths reported by the official health bulletin on Thursday, were of residents from Chennai. This includes a 36-year-old male who was admitted with old pulmonary tuberculosis to RGGH.

As of Wednesday, Royapuram remains the most affected among the 15 zones under Greater Chennai Corporation with 2,252 positive cases.On Thursday, Field Support Teams headed by IAS officers visited hotspots and houses of Covid-19 patients to review containment measures.

Special nodal officer for Chennai Corporation J Radhakrishnan and monitoring officer A Arun Thamburaj inspected work being carried out at the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) tenements in KP Park in Pulianthope, to convert it into a COVID care centre.

Minister for Municipal Administration SP Velumani said that as part of the initiative to give out 50 lakh reusable masks to 26 lakh people in 650 slum areas, 12 lakh masks have already been distributed, according to a release from the city corporation.

Reviewing roadworks and waterbody restoration works at the meeting, along with containment efforts, Velumani instructed officials to expedite resolution of issues related to daily water supply and sewage, the release said.Meanwhile, the city corporation sent 75,922 stranded people in 55 Shramik trains to their homes until Wednesday.

According to the daily health bulletin , a total of 6,566 people have been tested at the Central Railway station of which 67 have turned out Covid positive.Another 499 samples are still being processed, added the bulletin.
FALLS TOWNSHIP >> In an effort to be fiscally responsible while ridding Falls Township Community Park of Canada geese, the Falls Township Supervisors approved a multi-faceted, year-long geese mitigation plan at a one percent savings over 2021. Stepped up geese management efforts began in 2015 and have significantly reduced the number of geese at the park, Falls Township Parks and Recreation...
Aligarh, May 29 : Two students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have been booked by police for allegedly posting "inappropriate content" on social media on the occasion of Eid.

The two have been booked under sections 153A (promoting disharmony, enmity or feelings of hatred between different groups on the grounds of religion) and 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) of IPC, and Section 66D of the IT Act.

AMU spokesperson, Shafey Kidwai said strict action will be taken against the students as per university rules.

In their Facebook post, the students wrote, "Eid means happiness and happiness is Pak." Meanwhile, AMU student leader Farhan Zuberi was arrested on Thursday for his alleged involvement in the December 15 violence on the varsity campus during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protest.

Superintendent of police (SP) (city), Abhishek, said, "Zuberi was a wanted criminal and been remanded to judicial custody. Eleven cases are lodged against Zuberi at the Civil Lines police station." Clashes had erupted on AMU campus on December 15 after rumours spread that two students had been shot in police firing on Jamia Millia Islamia campus in Delhi during anti-CAA protests.

During the clashes, students allegedly pelted stones at the police that later resorted to a lathi-charge and used water cannons, teargas and rubber bullets at the protesters.

Police had registered three FIRs and arrested 26 people, including seven AMU students. A day later, they were released on conditional bail.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 23:47:50|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ISLAMABAD, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Atif Mashal on Friday said Pakistan's decision to allow Afghan traders to import goods via the Gwadar port in southwestern Balochistan province will boost bilateral trade and transit ties between the two countries.

Mashal's comments came following the arrival of a cargo ship, carrying 16,000 tons urea for transit to Afghanistan at the Gwadar port, according to China Overseas Port Holding Company which operates the Gwadar port, and Abdul Razak Dawood, advisor to Pakistani prime minister on commerce, textile, industry and production, and investment.

Pakistan last month announced to allow import of the Afghan bulk cargo of wheat, sugar and fertilizers at the Gwadar port and onward transit to Afghanistan in sealable trucks, instead of being limited to containers.

"For the first time, bagging will be done locally instead of foreign ports. Urea will be bagged and shipped on trucks to Afghanistan at Gwadar, which will generate employment for the locals. Instructions have already been passed to allocate all labor jobs to local population," Dawood said on Twitter on Friday.

The Afghan ambassador welcomed Pakistan's decision and appreciated efforts by the Pakistani advisor.

"This will certainly have a positive impact on Afghanistan-Pak trade and transit ties. We must extend support to each other for revival of commerce and connectivity in Central and South Asia that will surely benefit people in the region," Mashal said in a tweet.

Pakistan announced in October last year to open the Gwadar port for the Afghan transit trade as the trade related infrastructure at the port was already to handle bulk cargoes to and from Afghanistan. The first ship carrying containers for Afghan transit trade arrived at the Gwadar port on Jan. 14, 2020.

Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan had signed a transit trade agreement in 1965 that was revised in 2010, which calls for better facilitation in the movement of goods between the two countries.

Afghan traders would previously use ports in Karachi, the commercial hub of Pakistan, for import under the transit trade agreement. Enditem
Nine workers on a Shell-operated platform in the Gulf of Mexico were evacuated to onshore medical facilities for coronavirus testing, and six of them have tested positive for COVID-19, a Shell spokeswoman said. The other three the workers tested negative.

There have been about 100 known cases of COVID-19 among offshore workers in the U.S. since the pandemic began, according to the National Ocean Industries Association. That's out of 25,000 workers who rotate offshore, according to the industry group.

In March, the Offshore Operators Committee, a member-organization of energy companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico, created a tip sheet for reducing the virus's spread. Suggested mitigation measures included pre-screening before workers are brought to platforms, cleaning of oft-touched surfaces on the platforms and planning for quarantine and specialized transportation for any individuals on board who exhibit symptoms.

The first worker who was suspected of having COVID-19 on a Shell-operated platform in the Gulf of Mexico was flown onshore on May 23. Two days earlier, Shell had implemented mandatory COVID-19 testing for all personnel traveling offshore to Shell-operated platforms. But the workers who tested positive were already offshore by then, said Shell spokeswoman Cindy Babski.

Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Prior to the mandatory testing, Shell workers were required to fill out a screening questionnaire before they were flown to offshore platforms by helicopter. The company also extended the length of stay on production platforms from 14 days to 21 days. Those who work on drilling rigs will now stay offshore for 28 days, instead of 21 days.

"Shells priority remains the safety and health of our people and the safe operations of all our assets," Babski said. "We have been and will continue to take steps to protect all employees following guidance from the (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and local public health officials while maintaining data privacy and individual health confidentiality."

The confined working conditions on offshore platforms increase the chances that offshore workers could catch COVID-19 and spread the virus, NOIA President Erik Milito said. The association has asked federal agencies as well as the governors of Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas for priority access to COVID-19 testing and equipment for offshore workers.

"The relatively limited number of infections offshore is a testament to the industry-wide alignment towards mitigating COVID-19," he said. "We've seen remarkable results, with an exceedingly low COVID-19 spread rate, but we need expanded access to testing and equipment to sustain this success."
Your Stocks | Jan 13, 2022, 12:00 AM IST

Your Stocks

Your Stocks provides an interactive forum for investors to speak with the leading market experts and addresses their queries viz-a-viz stocks. Experts provide a qualitative analysis, thus helping investors customize their portfolios based on their needs and means. Alongside equity markets, a string of personal finance experts help investors manage their money and accomplish their long-term financial goals.
Abhishek Banerjee As Drug Lord Sonu

While in season one viewers saw the story through Kaali's eyes, in season two, we see Kaali through the antagonist's viewpoint. The first episode introduces us to the real bad guy in the ZEE5 original, played by Abhishek Banerjee aka Sonu. The show also promises us that this time around Kaali will not be able to fend off this villain so easily. The Shanghai drug lord has his mind set on Kaali and she will have to deal with a lot more than the Kolkata police force and a few gang members.

Directed by Aritra Sen, the story takes several detours as it travels between season one and two. While it might throw you off a bit at first, the story quickly adjusts to the new pace giving us more insight into what actually happened when Kaali managed to save Sunny's life and how Sonu, Shanghai's drug lord is now on her tail.

Rahul Banerjee As Special Branch Officer Aniket

Paoli Dam and Rahul Banerjee, both leave no stone unturned with their performances in the show. While we don't get to see Paoli much in action in the first three episodes, the story is sure to lead her in some dire situations. Her character as the active killer, is just as impressive as she is trying to justify her acts in season two. Abhishek Banerjee, on the other hand, is yet to show his impressive acting skills. Chak De India fame Vidya Malvade also shows up in the first episode of the new season with an impressive twist and has more screen time in the following episodes, with a strong character.

Vidya Malavade As DCP Manvi Gupta

The mediocre screenplay and dialogues at times take away the show's charm but the actors managed to keep the audience hooked. The episode's duration also work in the show's favour, as it keeps the story crisp and to the point. Just by watching season two, fans can figure out what happened in seasons one, which also gives new fans a chance to dive into the show without having to watch season one.

Overall, Kaali 2 is an engaging thriller, which will show viewers the intense and haunting crime world that dwells beneath the streets of Mumbai and Delhi.
Advertisement

 Health Emergency Bill Wont Pass as Presented

 COVID-19 restrictions necessary, but unconstitutional

Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has faulted the Executive Order No. 10 of 2020 granting financial autonomy to State Judiciary and Legislature, noting that while the intent might be good, the action was unnecessary and unconstitutional.

Advertisement

Ekweremadu also picked holes with the controversial Control of Infections Disease Bill 2020 and the National Health Emergency Bill 2020, explaining that they negated the Constitution and could not possibly succeed as currently drafted.

The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review equally faulted the restrictions of movements and other rights declared by the Federal Government and several states in managing the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that while they were absolutely necessary, they failed the constitutionalism test and could only be overlooked on the grounds of Doctrine of Necessity.

The Senator, who holds a doctorate degree in Constitutional Law, aired his views while fielding questions on Political Voices, a current affairs programme on Dream FM, Enugu on Friday.

There has been a lot of misconception regarding that Executive Order. In the first place, it was quite unnecessary.

We, the members of the 8th Assembly, passed the amendment to the Constitution to grant financial autonomy to the State Judiciary and Legislature because we believed that for the sake of their independence, they should be on the First Line Charge of the states Consolidated Revenue Account. And when we passed them, the President dutifully signed them into law (over a year ago).

That should have been the end of it because the amendments are self-executing.

We expected that having done that, the states should go ahead to work out the modalities. But that didnt happen.

So, the President now set up a Committee headed by the Attorney-General of the Federation to work out the modalities for implementation. I think it was at that point that they deemed it necessary to come up with an Executive Order to strengthen the implementation.

But regrettably, they have simply mutilated those provisions of the Constitution as amended. Now, they are adding some aspects suggesting to the states how to manage their funds because part of that Executive Order is that in the next three years, the judiciary in the states should dedicate part of the monies coming to them to capital projects for the State Judiciary.

It went ahead to suggest that if the governors fail to remit these monies to State Judiciary and State Legislature, then the President could direct that these monies be transferred straight from the Federation Account to the State Judiciary and Legislature. This in itself was not part of what we amended in the Constitution and it is not part of the Constitution, he stated.

On the way forward, Ekweremadu advised the Governors to approach the President and point out those mistakes so that he could withdraw the executive order.

And unfortunately, if they go to court, the implication is that the application of that amendment regarding financial independence of the State Judiciary and State Assembly will be put on hold because so long as they are in court those provisions will not be implemented.

So, it something the Governors and the Attorney General and the President need to settle amicably, he admonished.

 Health Emergency Bill Wont Pass as Presented

Meanwhile, Ekweremadu allayed concerns over the infectious disease Bills before the National Assembly.

He stated: Let me use this opportunity to reassure Nigerians that the bill as presently presented will not be passed by the National Assembly. A lot of parliamentarians have lined up to oppose it.

Parliament is essentially a market place of ideas. And like every other market, if you come to the market with a product that is not very good, you are not likely going to sell it. So, my colleagues in both chambers are entitled to presenting the Bills, but whether that will succeed or not is another kettle of fish.

Looking at that Bill, which is intended to deal with dangerous or infectious diseases, it appears to me that the Bill is even more dangerous than the diseases they.

If you look at some parts of the Bill, it says if you have any problem with the order or actions of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, you have to appeal to the Minister and whatever the Minister says will be final. But Section 4 (8) of the Constitution says that no attempt should be made by the National Assembly or any State Assembly make nay law that ousts or purports to oust the jurisdiction of the court. In other words, you must right to go to court if you have any issues.

So, to that extant, that Bill is null and void, unacceptable, and unconstitutional.

He also cited infringements on democratic freedoms, such as freedom of association, freedom of movement, freedom to own properties, among others.

To that extent the Bill is unconstitutional because it gives the agency the right to breach those rights take over peoples properties, prevent from moving around, other infringements on rights and the Constitution provides that if any law is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution, that law is null and void to the extent of those inconsistencies.

As I said, my colleagues have the right to present the Bill, but I can assure Nigerians that that Bill will not be passed as it is presently, he added.

 COVID-19 restrictions necessary, but unconstitutional

While commending the Federal Government and many states for their commendable efforts in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, the lawmaker representing Enugu West Senatorial District, wondered why the Federal Government failed to invoke Section 305 of the Constitution.

I think the pandemic itself is an emergency situation that requires emergency response. But some of the things we have done can only be accommodated under the Doctrine of Necessity because we have done things that are infringements to our own Constitution.

Let me make myself clear, the response itself and actions taken by the Federal Government and the stakes have taken were absolutely necessary. But legally speaking, they failed the test of constitutionality because a lot of human rights contained in the Constitution have been infringed. That was why I said they could only be accommodated under the doctrine of necessity.

We have seen shutdowns. We have seen closure of state borders. Those things are certainly not in tandem with a democratic society because if we weigh them strictly against the Constitution, nobody can be stopped from moving from one part of the country to the other. You cannot stop people from going to church or going to market.

But the Constitution envisaged such situations and provided for them. If you go to Section 45, you would see that the human rights could be legally abridged if there is a State of Emergency properly declared by the President. These are the provisions the Constitution has made to manage a situation like COVID-19, which we could have followed.

So, I expected the President to take advantage of Section 305 of the Constitution, which deals with emergency powers or State of Emergency. The President could have simply declared a State of Emergency and send the gazette containing the emergency to the National Assembly. The National Assembly is enjoined to accept or reject it within fourteen days. But until that happens, the Proclamation takes effect.

A Governor can also ask the President, through a resolution of the State House of Assembly, to declare a State of Emergency in a state or any part thereof.

All said, this is not a time to be legalistic, but going forward we should know that if we make laws for ourselves, we need to obey the law.

Over all, so far so good. The governments at the centre and in many of the states have done well in managing the pandemic Ekweremadu concluded.
A demonstration in downtown Louisville, KY to protest the death of Breonna Taylor: AP

Seven people have been hit by gunfire in Louisville, Kentucky during a protest on Thursday night over the death of Breonna Taylor, who was killed in her home by police earlier this year.

Of the people shot, two were taken to hospital for surgery, while the other five are reportedly in good condition. The precise origin of the shots is unclear, but authorities say they came from among the protesters.

Ms Taylor, an emergency medical technician, died on 13 March after being shot at least eight times by police officers who entered her Louisville apartment during a drug raid. The details of the raid are still a matter of dispute, but officers say they returned fire after Ms Taylors boyfriend shot one of them and that Ms Taylor was killed inadvertently.

Louisville mayor Greg Fischer described what happened at the protests in a video statement issued on Twitter. While the situation is still unfolding, we know that there were several hours of peaceful protest before some in the crowd turned violent, leading to seven people being shot from within the crowd  No officers fired their weapons, and my thanks go to the police officers who, despite risks to themselves, got aid to those injured.

I feel the communitys frustration, the anger, the fear, but tonights violence and destruction is not the way to solve it. Breonnas death was a terrible tragedy, but as Breonnas family said tonight, answering violence with violence is not the answer.

Fischer also tweeted a message from Ms Taylors mother, posted on her behalf on Facebook, in which she called for protesters to stay calm. We are so grateful for everyone giving Bre a voice tonight, for saying her name, for demanding truth, for demanding justice and for demanding accountability. Please keep demanding this. But please keep it peaceful.

Do not succumb to the levels that we see out of the police. Speak. Protest. But do not resort to violence. We demand change. We demand reform. But we do not need for our community to get hurt. We need for our community to get justice. Thank you all so very much.

Story continues

Demonstrators gather in downtown Louisville, Ky., to protest the killing of Breonna Taylo (AP)

The incident in Louisville comes in parallel with several days of protest in Minneapolis after the killing of George Floyd, who died on Monday after a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. Those protests have seen buildings vandalised and burned, and the National Guard has now been called in to help keep the peace.

Observing the Kentucky protests, Louisville city councilwoman Keisha Dorsey told the Louisville Courier-Journal that the voices of those taking to the streets had to be heard.

It is not a riot. It is a revolt against a system in which people have felt oppressed. What Im seeing is people who are trying their best to do something with their hurt, their pain and their frustration.
Five additional cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed by City of Laredo and Webb County officials in their latest update Friday. The cases bring the city's total number of recognized positives to 540.

READ MORE: 17th coronavirus death reported in Nuevo Laredo, one-year-old boy among 10 new positives

Seventeen people are currently hospitalized in Laredo with COVID-19.

A positive case of the novel coronavirus has been recognized in a staff member at the City of Laredo Health Department.

To ensure the health of workers at the health department, the employee has been sent home to undergo a mandatory quarantine.

Testing has also been extended to co-workers in close contact with the positive case. According to acting health director Richard Chamberlain, none of the workers in close contact with the individual have tested positive themselves.

However, those in close contact with the indvidual have also been mandated to quarantine in their homes to avoid possible spread due to the incubation period of the virus.

Additionally, a majority of the 975 tests conducted in Laredo nursing homes have returned, according to the city health department.

Results of about 71 percent of nursing home tests have returned to city health department. Thus far, only one positive result has been recognized in an employee that was screened for the novel coronavirus prior to starting work at a local nursing home.

The City of Laredo will continue their efforts to expand COVID-19 testing with testing clinics conducted throughout Webb County, including the sites as follows:

Sunday, May 24th at Los Botines Fire Station, 126 San Juan Road, Laredo, Texas 78045

Friday May 29th at Bruni Community Center, 303 12th Street, Bruni, Texas 78371

Saturday, May 30th at El Cenizo Community Center, 3519 Cecilia Lane, El Cenizo, Texas 78043

Sunday, May 31st at Webb County Fair Grounds, US Hwy 59, Laredo, Texas 78043

The city health department will host a testing clinic at Slaughter Park on Wednesday June 3 from 9 to 11 a.m.

Laredo recreation centers and pools will remain closed for the summer according to city officials.

An order issued by Governor Greg Abbott allowed city pools and recreation centers open to the public, but did not mandate their opening. Rather, it allowed individual cities to make the ultimate decision for themselves.

"At this point, we don't have the mechanisms in place to maintain proper social distancing." City Manager Robert Eads said.

Like Laredo, many other Texas cities have decided to not open up their public pools, including Austin and Corpus Christi. City officials said they will reassess their opening in the coming weeks, dependent on coronavirus numbers.

As of noon, 5,122 coronavirus tests have been conducted in Laredo. Of the tests, 3,751 have returned negative, with 831 still pending results.

Of the pending results, 130 are older than two weeks and are presumed negative, resulting in an adjusted pending number of 701.

370 people have passed their mandatory COVID quarantine and are considered recovered by the city health department.

READ MORE: Plane makes emergency landing on US 59 east of Laredo

The number of coronavirus-related deaths remains at 19.
Top stroke experts have issued new guidance to ensure stroke patients receive safe, timely care while preventing the transmission of COVID-19.

UVA Health's Karen Rheuban, MD, and stroke expert Andrew Southerland, MD, demonstrate telehealth in an image taken beforo the pandemic.

The guidelines urge the use of telemedicine to speed treatment and advise EMS crews how to determine the best facility to treat the patient's needs. The recommendations, from the American Heart Association's Stroke Council, come amid increasing concerns that stroke patients are delaying seeking care because of fear of COVID-19. Such delays can have catastrophic consequences, including death.

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, patients should continue to seek immediate care for life-threatening and emergency conditions, and call 911 for any new signs or symptoms of stroke. As the only certified Comprehensive Stroke Center in Charlottesville and Central Virginia, UVA has the necessary resources to ensure both patient safety and provide the highest level of care for stroke patients. Seeking emergency care for a stroke can help save lives and reduce the risk of long-term neurologic injury and resulting disability." Andrew Southerland, MD, one of the guidelines' authors, UVA Health stroke expert

The importance of speedy stroke care

With stroke, every minute counts, and speedy care can be the difference in life and death. It can also prevent lifelong disability. For that reason, Southerland and other telemedicine experts at UVA have worked with local EMS personnel to pioneer the use of the technology for pre-hospital care. They've placed tablets inside ambulances to connect first responders with UVA stroke experts, allowing stroke care to begin even before the patient arrives at the hospital. The new guidelines suggest this approach should be used widely.

The COVID-19 pandemic, however, adds an extra layer of complexity for first responders. In addition to the need for appropriate personal protective equipment, EMS crews must assess whether each patient has the coronavirus, the new guidelines note.

When possible, EMS workers should screen patients using free tools available online, the guidelines recommend. Responders should have a protocol in place in case the screening is positive or if the patient is incapacitated and can't be screened. The receiving hospital should be notified as well.

Stroke patients with COVID-19 are more likely to require a ventilator and intensive care, so emergency crews should consider taking patients to a hospital with the capacity to provide that level of care, the guidelines note. Emergency crews also may need to consider hospital capacity based on the number of cases in their region. And they may want to bypass emergency rooms to lessen exposure risk.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic," the guidelines state, "it is more important than ever to ensure that the patient is transferred to the right hospital the first time around."

In all of this, communication between emergency crews and the receiving hospitals is key, the guide's authors say.

Now more than ever, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to work collaboratively and support our emergency medical services providers working day and night on the front lines for our community. To achieve this, we must optimize communication and prehospital care for patients. Nowhere is this more important than in rural networks like surrounding areas in Central Virginia." Andrew Southerland, MD

Guidelines published

The guidelines have been published in Stroke, a scientific journal published by the American Stroke Association. The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association.

The article was written by Mayank Goyal, Johanna M. Ospel, Southerland, Charles Wira, Sepideh Amin-Hanjani, Justin F. Fraser and Peter Panagos on behalf of the Stroke Council's Emergency Neurovascular Care, Telestroke and Neurovascular Intervention Committees. Southerland disclosed that he has patents pending related to telemedicine, has received related grants and has done consulting work in legal cases related to stroke and cerebrovascular disease. A full list of disclosures is included in the paper.
Find vehicle offers at Boucher Hyundai.

Local Waukesha dealership Boucher Hyundai of Waukesha offers 0% APR financing for 36 months on pre-owned vehicles. This enables customers to get a jumpstart on paying off their vehicle. Customers who are planning on finding their next vehicle are encouraged to shop for their pre-owned cars at Boucher Hyundai.

Among these select pre-owned vehicles is the 2016 Hyundai Tucson, 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe, 2017 Hyundai Ioniq, 2016 Hyundai Elantra, 2016 Hyundai Veloster, 2015 Hyundai Sonata and much more. Shoppers can find a variety of body styles in this lineup, including the more popular SUVs and sedans. Many of the models are of more recent years and have less than 50,000 miles on them. Low-mileage pre-owned vehicles are a favorite among Boucher Hyundai used car shoppers, and now they have an added benefit of being able to shop for low-mileage used cars that qualify for this finance special.

Car shoppers who are more interested in non-Hyundai brands can also find popular makes like Nissan, Chevrolet and Kia, as well as luxury brands such as Lincoln. Customers can get a full list of the available models via the inventory page on the dealership site, where more information about these deals can also be found at http://www.boucherhyundai.com.

Customers who are interested in taking advantage of these deals are encouraged to contact Boucher Hyundai of Waukesha by calling 800-339-7306 or by visiting the dealership at 1583 Moreland Road in Waukesha.
The latest U.S. assault against Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. is aimed squarely at its HiSilicon chip design unit, a move that could force the embattled company to sharply scale back or even abandon one of its most promising businesses, analysts said.

On May 15, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced it would expand a previous decision that had already cut off Huawei from its U.S. suppliers unless they got permission from Washington. It said that rule not only applied to Huaweis U.S. suppliers and other business partners, but also to any of Huaweis foreign chip-making partners whose production lines include U.S.-made equipment.

The new decision included a 120-day grace period, in which chips from orders placed before May 15 can still be shipped to Huawei before the end of the period. However, analysts expect Huaweis chances of reaching a deal with Washington could be low.

Although Washington didnt provide more specifics, industry lawyers believe that the move was specifically targeting chip manufacturers, also known as foundries, such as global leader Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), that make Huawei-designed microchips under contract.

Most of Huaweis chips currently go into its own products, such as smartphones and telecom networking equipment. But some have said such chips could also become a lucrative new business if it someday chooses to sell them to outsiders.

To shield itself from the latest U.S. rule, Huawei could still buy similar chips from non-U.S. third-party designers like Taiwans MediaTek, even though that could hurt the quality of its offerings from 5G base stations gear to smartphones, analysts said. But prospects for HiSilicon, which has seen tremendous progress over the past few years, could be cast into serious doubt, they added.

Chip sensation

Huaweis major products include smartphones and telecom networking equipment. Although it relies on third party chips to power most of those, it has gradually built up a team to design chips, initially for in-house use. That team at HiSilicon now has over 7,000 employees in offices around the world, including in Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Europe, according to the firms website.

China has made steady progress over the years in design of chips, also called integrated circuits, with HiSilicon as one of the nations leading players, said Jeff Pu, a Taiwan-based tech analyst at GF Securities. The firms Kirin series chips for smartphones can now rival competitors like global smartphone chip leader Qualcomm in various respects such as connectivity, Pu said.

After Washington initially blacklisted Huawei last year, barring it from buying U.S.-made chips from the likes of Qualcomm, Huawei started sourcing more chips from HiSilicon, whose sales surged as a result.

The units global sales grew 54% to $2.67 billion in the first quarter of this year, with 90% coming from Huawei, according to a report by IC Insights. By comparison, Huaweis total revenue grew by a slower 19% to 858.8 billion yuan ($120 million) for all of last year. HiSilicons strong growth helped it become the first Chinese mainland-based chipmaker to break into the worlds top 10 in terms of sales, behind companies from the traditional powerhouses of the U.S., South Korea and Taiwan.

Like many other chip designers, HiSilicon outsources the actual manufacturing of its chips to contract chipmakers. TSMC, the worlds largest and most advanced chip-making foundry, is HiSilicons biggest manufacturing partner, accounting for 14% of the Taiwanese companys sales in the first quarter.

But the latest U.S. move has called the fabless production model into question since TSMC is now likely to be barred from working with HiSilicon without a U.S. government license.

HiSilicon will basically cease to function if it loses access to all fabs using U.S. equipment or if it cant use the latest software tools from the U.S., said Stewart Randall, a chip analyst at Shanghai-based consultancy Intralink. U.S. companies now dominate industries for the advanced equipment and software used to make high-tech microchips.

A Huawei employee demonstrates one of the companys chips at Huawei headquarters in Shenzhen, South Chinas Guangdong province, Aug. 23.

China fabs to the rescue?

Partly anticipating tighter U.S. restrictions, Huawei has been shifting some of its chip orders from TSMC to mainland-based Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC).

But SMIC may not be a reliable partner because it also depends on U.S.-made chip manufacturing equipment and software, observers pointed out. Many are speculating on whether SMIC will honor the U.S. rules, or risk Washingtons wrath by supporting a hometown champion like Huawei.

If it were to choose the latter, SMIC could have difficulty finding new suppliers in China. While the country has made progress in many high tech areas, it is still limited in its capability to make advanced manufacturing equipment and materials, said Chris Yim, a technology analyst at BOCOM International.

Even if SMIC were willing to take the risk, it might not help Huawei. The chipmakers technology is still far behind TSMCs, said Szeho Ng, a chip analyst at China Renaissance. TSMC is already engaged in 5-nanometer production, while SMIC is still in 14-nanometer, he added, referring to a chipmakers ability to make more advanced chips by making their circuits smaller.

SMIC is trying to improve its capabilities by upgrading its equipment, and earlier this month announced it had secured more than $2 billion in new investment from two Chinese chip funds. Its current 14-nanometer technology will be incapable of making chips that HiSilicon would need for Huaweis 5G phones set to enter mass production in the near future, said GF Securities Pu.

Third-party suppliers

If it loses access to TSMC and SMIC, Huawei could still procure chips that are not custom-made for the company from other third-party suppliers, American export control lawyers told Caixin.

Huawei is already in talks with such companies, including Taiwans MediaTek and the mainlands UNISOC, as alternatives to keep its consumer electronics business afloat if HiSilicon can no longer make its own chips, Nikkei Asian Review reported earlier this month, citing anonymous sources.

Procuring such non-customized chips would test Huaweis capabilities to integrate them into its products, and could also reduce their performance, Pu said.

The U.S. actions could intensify pressure on Huawei from elsewhere as well, as Washington pushes its allies to make similar moves. The U.K. government has launched a review into Huawei to reevaluate the countrys posture toward the Chinese company, and British officials have been asked to draft a plan to reduce Huaweis involvement in 5G to zero by 2023, Bloomberg reported.

You would expect more foreign governments announcing such moves in the future, said Pu.

Contact reporter Mo Yelin (yelinmo@caixin.com) and editor Doug Young (dougyoung@caixin.com)
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA)  Eight people including seven health workers and a civilian have been killed after their abduction at a local health facility in Somalias Gololey village, Balcad district, about 35 km north of the capital, Mogadishu, a UN official said on Friday
By Express News Service

BERHAMPUR: In a shocking incident, three persons, including a senior BJD leader of Ganjam district died in a fire mishap at Gosaninuagaon in the silk city in the wee hours of Friday.

The deceased are president of Berhampur Central Co-operative Bank (BCCB) Alekh Choudhury (69), his brother-in-law Bhagaban Patra (84) and caretaker Sunil Behera (19).

Police sources said a fire broke out due to a suspected electric short circuit in the air conditioner in the house of Choudhury, a BJD leader, when they were sleeping in the three-storey building at Panigrahi Street at about 2.30 am.

Locals raised alarm and informed the nearby fire station. Although Fire Services personnel rushed to the spot and doused the fire the three people in the house couldn't be saved.

"We entered the house under the high flames and found the three people in an unconscious state. They were rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared them brought dead," said assistant fire officer Sanatana Mohapatra.

He suspected Choudhury and two others died of asphyxiation as thick smoke engulfed the entire building after the fire mishap following electric short circuit. "Preliminary investigation revealed the cause of the fire is electric short circuit. Further investigation is on," he added.

As the news of the mishap spread, hundreds of supporters of Choudhury gathered at his home and MKCG MCH. The bodies have been sent for postmortem.

Choudhury was Ganjam District Congress Committee president for a long time before joining BJD. He was president of the BCCB for over two decades. Leaders of various political parties and locals condoled his death.
Two weeks ago, when I first pitched this essay about the unique stressors that many black journalists experience while covering the coronavirus pandemic, I pointed to the glaring racial disparities in deaths, the over-policing of black New Yorkers and Chicagoans, and the killings of Breonna Taylor, Douglas C. Lewis and Ahmaud Arbery.

But since then, the list has grown longer with each passing day, sometimes by the hour. Its hard to keep up.

Kaleemah Rozier, a 22-year-old, was wrestled down by six New York police officers in front of her 5-year-old son in a subway station and arrested for not properly wearing a mask. Two white men told Chris Brown, 51, that he should leave Vermont because they didnt want any of [his] kind there.

Skhylur Davis, 11, was assaulted by a white woman who falsely accused her of stealing her mail. Christian Cooper, 57, was reported to the police by Amy Cooper (no relation), a white woman who falsely claimed that an African-American man was threatening her. Gaynor Hall, 37, a television reporter in Chicago, was grabbed and sexually harassed by a white man as she was live on the air. And George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man in Minneapolis, died after a white police officer pushed his knee into Mr. Floyds neck for eight minutes.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Jessie Pang, Yew Lun Tian and Jeff Mason (Reuters) Hong Kong/Beijing, China/Washington, United States  Fri, May 29, 2020 08:10 602 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdace5f9 2 World US,US-China,China,Hong-Kong,Hong-Kong-national-security-law,Hong-Kong-autonomy Free

China's parliament on Thursday approved a decision to go forward with national security legislation for Hong Kong that democracy activists and Western countries fear could erode the city's freedoms and jeopardize its role as a global financial hub.

China says the new legislation will aim to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in the city/ But the plan, unveiled in Beijing last week, triggered the first big protests in Hong Kong for months.

Thursday's move was quickly condemned by the United States, Britain, Australia and Canada. US President Donald Trump's economic adviser warned that Hong Kong, which has enjoyed special privileges under US law based on its autonomy from Beijing, may now need to be treated like China when it comes to trade and other financial matters.

"We can't let this go unnoticed and they will be held accountable for that," Larry Kudlow told CNBC.

Trump, who has vowed a tough US response, told reporters he would hold a news conference on China on Friday. "We'll be making certain decisions and we'll be discussing them tomorrow," he said.

Under congressional legislation Trump signed last year, it now falls to him to decide to end some, all or none of the US economic privileges Hong Kong enjoys.

Trump offered a muted response to Hong Kong's mass democracy protests last year while prioritizing a trade deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping that Trump saw as important for his November re-election bid. But ties with Beijing have since soured considerably.

Chinese authorities and Hong Kong's Beijing-backed government say there is no threat to the city's autonomy, but critics say the security legislation will erode the high degree of autonomy the former British colony has enjoyed under a "one country, two systems" formula since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Riot police were out in force in Hong Kong on Thursday as its lawmakers debated a bill to criminalize disrespect of China's national anthem. Dozens of protesters chanted slogans in a shopping mall, but there was no repeat of disturbances the previous day when police made 360 arrests.

In Beijing, members of China's mostly rubberstamp parliament burst into prolonged applause when a tally showed 2,878 votes to one in favor of moving forward with security legislation, with six abstentions.

Details of the law, which could see Chinese intelligence agencies set up bases in the city, are expected to be drawn up in coming weeks. It is expected to be enacted before September.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said it would be good for Hong Kong's long-term stability and prosperity and the "one country, two systems" formula would remain a national policy.

Tensions

Beijing's move comes as US-China tensions have worsened amid mutual recriminations over the coronavirus pandemic, which began in China but has hit the United States hardest.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday Hong Kong no longer warranted special treatment under US law, given the erosion of autonomy in the territory.

But it is far from clear that Trump will be prepared to take what analysts have called the nuclear option and completely end the special economic status Washington has conferred on Hong Kong since the end of British rule.

US officials and people familiar with the discussions said the administration was crafting a range of options, including targeted sanctions, new tariffs and further restrictions on Chinese companies.

Two sources told Reuters on Thursday that Washington was also planning to cancel the visas of thousands of Chinese graduate students.

Trump's actions may be tempered by concern for the more than 1,300 US companies that have offices in Hong Kong and provide about 100,000 jobs. David Stilwell, the top US diplomat for East Asia, said steps would be calibrated to mitigate the impact on Hong Kong people and US businesses.

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer blamed Trump for failing to stand up for Hong Kong, saying in a tweet: "Pres. Trump will forever be known as the president who lost Hong Kong to the Chinese Communist Party because of his mollycoddling of Pres. Xi."

Democracy campaigners in Hong Kong were despondent.

"This is the death knell for Hong Kong, make no mistake of it, this is the end of 'one country, two systems' ... the Hong Kong that we loved, a free Hong Kong," said lawmaker Dennis Kwok.
29 May 2020, 12:11 PM

Capgemini's top executive Thierry Delaporte is new Wipro CEO

Wipro Limited has appointed Thierry Delaporte as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the company, effective July 6, 2020. Notably, Abidali Neemuchwala will relinquish his position as CEO and MD on June 1. Till Delaporte joins the company, Rishad Premji will oversee the company's operations. Until recently, Thierry Delaporte was the Chief Operating Officer of Capgemini Group and a member of its Group Executive Board.

Google looking to buy 5 per cent share in Vodafone-Idea, says report

In what will come as welcome news to many, one of the biggest tech giants of the world, Google, is reportedly mulling an investment in Vodafone's India business. Over the last few months, the telecom operator has been struggling with mounting losses, that now run into thousands of crores.

Govt lifts ban on export of Paracetamol APIs with immediate effect

The central government has removed restrictions on export of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for Paracetamol, which is used in COVID-19 treatment, with immediate effect. In a notification on Thursday, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said it has further amended its policy to remove restriction on export of Paracetamol APIs, making its export "free" with immediate effect.

No travel fare to be charged from migrant workers, directs Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed that the migrant workers can't be charged travel fare either by train or bus. The apex court also said that the Railways has to provide trains to the States as and when asked for the same, news agency PTI said. "When a migrant worker wishes to go to a state, no state can say that we will not take you," a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan directed.

Income tax dept revises Form 26AS; now includes real estate, share transaction details

Indian Railways has taken the decision to extend the advance reservation period (ARP) from 30 days to 120 days for its special Rajdhani trains as well as the Mail Express trains that will commence services June 1 onwards.

What it essentially means is that the passengers will be able to book train tickets up to four months in advance.

Trump signs executive order; says social media platforms have 'unchecked power'

Days after Twitter added 'fact check' to two of US President Donald Trump tweets, calling them 'potentially misleading', the latter has signed an executive order about social media platforms. The order is aimed at limiting the broad legal protections enjoyed by social media companies. Trump says he is signing this order to protect and uphold free speech and rights of the American people.

India Q4 GDP data to be out today: Brokerages expect growth to reflect COVID-19 pain
Last Wednesday's Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held under the aegis of the Electoral Commission (EC) was significant and auspicious. Coming a little under a month before the commencement of the compilation of a necessary voters' roll in the country, it showcased the preparedness of the election management body to deliver on its mandate.

Political party representatives, development partners and a cross section of civil society organizations which honoured the invitation left the meeting venue sufficiently briefed about the readiness of the EC to register eligible Ghanaians for the new register.

With many Ghanaians attaining the voting age, coupled with the need to discard a contaminant-laden voters' roll festooned around our necks and the need to be abreast of modern trends, among others, abandoning the project for a new roll cannot be an option.

It is a matter of joy that as we advanced gradually in election management from the opaque ballot boxes to photo affixed voters' register, we are now about to enter a new age of modern IT-driven Voter Management System under which an EC commissioner cannot do illegal transfer of data on the blind side of other officials of the commission and 500,000 ghost names cannot find their way onto the voters' register overnight.

When the registration is over, Ghanaians would be able to have an accurate number of voters in this country and deride the so-called World Bank concept which has been used over the years to cheat during polls.

No longer shall we be bedeviled by a punishing and grueling election petition because the grey areas and queries would not rear their heads and spoil the broth of elections.

For those who rattled sabres in a useless bid to thwart the efforts of the EC to perform its constitutionally mandated assignment should have realized by now that their noisy public outbursts have failed and Ghana is moving forward.

We wish to congratulate the EC on the journey so far. Even as the NDC planned evil and wondered what the EC could be doing towards the 2020 polls, the disclosures from the election management body should tell them that Jean Mensa and her team have always been on the front foot.

The attributes of perseverance, stoicism and bravado exuded by the EC even as those who do not wish it well persist with their Machiavellian machinations have accounted for the milestone recorded by the commission. If the project was intended to cow the EC into submission same has failed and reduced it to a laughing stock.

The instant delivery of the voters' identification card to applicants during the registration exercise is something we wait to see implemented.

We know that the announced instant delivery is one of the advantages of the modern Voter Management Systems very much hated by the NDC. We shall return.
The Congress on Friday said the low GDP growth in the last quarter of 2019-20 is the result of the BJP government's failures, misplaced priorities and a telling commentary on its economic management.

While former finance minister P Chidambaram said the 3.1 per cent GDP growth in the January-March quarter of 2019-20 is a telling commentary on the economic management of the BJP government, former union minister Jairam Ramesh stated that the way the government is in a denial mode on its handling of the economy will truly be 'parm-atma-nirbhar' (dependent on God).

"We had forecast that GDP for Q4 will touch a new low at below 4 per cent. It has turned out to be worse at 3.1 per cent. It is a telling commentary on the economic management of the BJP government," Chidambaram tweeted.

"Remember, this is pre-lockdown. Of the 91 days of Q4, lockdown applied to only 7 days," the senior Congress leader said.

"3.1 pc and 4.2 pc - these are not merely numbers. This is the product of BJP Govt''s failures and misplaced priorities," the Congress said on its official Twitter handle.

Congress leader Ramesh said, "Let it sink in. Latest Q4 GDP growth is the lowest in 11 years since India was hit by the global financial crisis. Figure includes only 1 week of lockdown."

"Mr Modi managed to run down Indian economy BEFORE lockdown. Expect more 'naatakbaazi'(drama) from its 'ustad' tomorrow," he tweeted.

"If the Modi government continues to be in denial about how badly it has managed the economy, India will truly be 'parm-atma-nirbhar' (dependent on God)," Ramesh said.

The former union minister said provisional GDP estimates for FY19-20 proves that the Modi government cannot hide its staggering incompetence in managing the economy by blaming it on COVID-19.

"The sharp deceleration clearly evident before the lockdown. Estimate of 4.2 pc likely to go below 4 pc when the actual figures come," he said.

Congress spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh said this is the lowest GDP growth rate in the last 44 quarters.

"Full year GDP at 4.2 pc, GVA at 3.9 pc, the lowest in the last 11 years," he said.

"Who is to be held accountable for the continuous slide in the economy since the last 4 years," Vallabh asked.

He said there is no indication of any action to spur demand and instead the government has started a course of pushing the entire country into deep debt through its faulty and lofty claims of the stimulus package to counter COVID-19.

By the above numbers it is clearly proven that even before coronavirus cases started to surge in our country, the economy was struggling through a prolonged slowdown and forced conversion into recession, Vallabh said.

"We demand an explanation to the nation about the failure of the much-marketed 'Make In India' program. Government should come ahead and accept the failure of Demonetization and faulty implementation of GST," he said in a statement.

The Congress spokesperson said manufacturing at minus 1.4 per cent clearly indicates that demand has collapsed in the economy and is a cause of concern. He said this shows complete failure of the Make In India programme.

He noted that the factory output (IIP) contracted by 16 per cent thus indicating a significant pain in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector as well as cause for high unemployment.

The industry growth at minus 0.6 per cent (Q4FY20) is also a cause of concern and this clearly indicates that pain continues on the unemployment front in Q4 of FY20, Vallabh said.

The decline in services to 4.4 per cent (Q4FY20) from 5.7 per cent (Q3FY20) also indicates that the country's strength has been dented significantly due to wrong policies.

Vallabh alleged that despite a continuous slide since the time demonetisation and a faulty GST were imposed, the government has neither accepted its mistakes nor come with any concrete solution for the slide in the economy.

India's economic growth slowed to 3.1 per cent in January-March and to an 11-year low of 4.2 per cent for the full fiscal 2019-20 amid a drop in consumption and investment.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth stood at 5.7 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2018-19, according to the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Friday.

During 2019-20, the Indian economy grew at 4.2 per cent as against 6.1 per cent in 2018-19. The economic growth was the lowest since 2008-09 when the economy had expanded at 3.1 per cent.

The government had imposed a lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19 from March 25, 2020.
More than 900 miles from the spot where George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after being pinned to the ground by a white Minneapolis police officer, protests erupted across Denver on Thursday night, as demonstrators stormed state Capitol grounds, blocked traffic on Interstate 25 and faced off with police officers, demanding justice for Floyd's murder.
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951

/var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f0486351950)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f0486488e88)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f0486351950)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f0486488e88)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f048639a770)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f0486488e88)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f0486488e88)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f0485adcb30)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f04864c76e8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f04864c76e8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab have expressed their concerns over China's controversial security law. The ministers said that the government is mulling over providing citizenship for British National Overseas Passport holders.

Many countries have expressed their displeasure over China's new security law fearing that it would be the end of Hong Kong's autonomy. Experts have said that the new rule would be a huge blow to what is called 'one country, two systems'. This principle of governance was adopted by China as Hong Kong was declared its Special Administrative Region in 1997 following the departure of the British. The United Kingdom has joined other countries in expressing concerns over the latest decision by the Chinese government and a discussion is underway on extending the visa rights of British Nationals living in Hong Kong.

READ | US, China Fight At UN After Beijing Opposes Security Council Meet Over Hong Kong

READ | Chinese Embassy Issues Statement On US Interference Over China's Security Law On Hong Kong

Taking to Twitter, the home secretary said that she would explore options for citizenship for British Nationals in Hong Kong and assured that the UK would continue to defend the rights of the people of Hong Kong.

Deeply concerned at China's proposals for legislation related to national security in Hong Kong.



If imposed, @DominicRaab & I will explore options for a path to citizenship for BNO passport holders.



UK will continue to defend the rights & freedoms of the people of Hong Kong.  Priti Patel (@pritipatel) May 28, 2020

READ | Hong Kong Warns US Against Revoking Special Status, Says It Could Backfire

READ | Hong Kong's Business Hub Status Imperiled By Security Law

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab released a statement saying: ''Chinas decision to impose the new national security law on Hong Kong lies in direct conflict with its international obligations under the principles of the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration. The proposed law would undermine the One Country, Two Systems framework. It also raises the prospect of prosecution in Hong Kong for political crimes, and undermines existing commitments to protect the rights of Hong Kong people  including those set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.''

There are more than three hundred thousand British National Overseas Passport holders in Hong Kong. The government in UK is also under pressure from Conservative backbench to act for its citizens in the region as the Chinese Parliament approved the new security law for Hong Kong. Currently, BNO passport holders could stay in the UK for six months without a visa which could be extended to twelve months suggested the Foreign Secretary.
Terming Chinas new security law a violation of an agreement reached when Britain handed over Hong Kong in 1997, the Boris Johnson government plans to offer citizenship to over 3.1 lakh residents of its former colony, in a move that has ruffled feathers in Beijing.

Nearly 315,000 Hong Kong residents who registered before the 1997 handover are entitled to British National (Overseas) status, which allows limited entry to the UK. There has been a long-standing campaign to extend them full citizenship rights.

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has announced the governments intention to consider extending full citizenship to holders of BNO status, as a joint statement by the UK, US, Australia and Canada expressed deep concern over the new law that has prompted clashed in Hong Kong. Reports say Beijing would consider the UK plan as an interference.

Raab said: Currently they (BNO passport holders) only have the right to come to the UK for six months. If China continues down this path and implements this national security legislation we will change that status, and we will remove that six-month limit and allow those BNO passport holders to come to the UK and to apply to work and study for extendable periods of 12 months and that would itself provide a pathway to future citizenship.

If they implement and apply this national security legislation in the terms that have been described, we will change the BNO passport holder status and the arrangements for them in the way that Ive just described, he added.

The new security law for Hong Kong, passed by China on Thursday, makes any show of dissidence against the mainland a crime and for the first time paves the way for Beijing to install its own security agencies in the protest-wracked city. There have been violent protests in Hong Kong since last June on the issue: Beijings apparent tightening of control over the city and its impact on freedoms including that of free speech and expression.

Campaigners say Raabs current offer does not go far enough to protect the rights of BNO holders if and when they are allowed into the UK for more than the current period of six months, but await more details.

The four-country joint statement by Raab, Australian foreign minister Marise Payne, Canadian foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, and US secretary of state Michael Pompeo said: Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of freedom. The international community has a significant and long-standing stake in Hong Kongs prosperity and stability.

Direct imposition of national security legislation on Hong Kong by the Beijing authorities, rather than through Hong Kongs own institutions as provided for under Article 23 of the Basic Law, would curtail the Hong Kong peoples liberties, and in doing so, dramatically erode Hong Kongs autonomy and the system that made it so prosperous.

They added that Chinas decision to impose the new law on Hong Kong was in direct conflict with its international obligations under the principles of the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration.

The foreign ministers said: The worlds focus on a global pandemic requires enhanced trust in governments and international cooperation. Beijings unprecedented move risks having the opposite effect.

As Hong Kongs stability and prosperity are jeopardised by the new imposition, we call on the Government of China to work with the Hong Kong SAR Government and the people of Hong Kong to find a mutually acceptable accommodation that will honour Chinas international obligations under the UN-filed Sino-British Joint Declaration.
Is protecting or augmenting workers' rights compatible with returning Spain's economy to health in the wake of the Covid-19 (C19) crisis? That's the key question posed by the Spanish government's most recent pledge - namely, to enact the "complete derogation" of labour market reforms made by Mariano Rajoy's Conservative administration in 2012. Generally speaking, these handed more freedom and power to companies, but at the cost of workers' rights and stability. As soon as they took power, the Socialists and their junior partner, leftist Unidas Podemos (UP), vowed to reset the balance in favour of employees, albeit gradually and in consultation with companies.

Naturally, Spain's business world is furious at the latest announcement, and not just because it wasn't consulted (it wasn't consulted before an amendment to sick-leave legislation in February, either). The Confederation of Employers and Industries of Spain, the largest such federation in the country, has said that Pedro Sanchez's promise to completely undo Rajoy's reforms will have "incalculable negative consequences" for an economy already rendered acutely vulnerable by the C19 pandemic.

What's most salient about this pledge, however, is not its actual content - it's the way in which it was made. It appeared as part of a document signed by the both parties in the government and the radical Basque group EH Bildu last week, a pact which also guaranteed, in exchange for the labour reforms, the latter's abstentions in another vote for an extension to the state of alarm (although, oddly, it wouldn't have made any difference if EH Bildu hadn't abstained: their votes weren't decisive).

Sanchez, then, made a promise to go much further in repealing Rajoy's controversial legislation than he previously said he would, and did so in a covert deal with a fringe group in order to extend Spain's state of alarm (and therefore, of course, to preserve the enhanced powers given to his government in that state). To make matters worse, the pact between the Socialists, UP and EH Bildu - a group which has been criticised for not publicly condemning the now-disbanded Basque terrorist group ETA - was only revealed to other parties after last week's congressional debate.

It's hard to overstate just how bad an idea this deal was for the Socialists and UP. First, it does nothing to refute the opposition's claim that their government operates in an opaque and underhand manner, especially in its handling of the C19 crisis. Secondly, in collaborating with a radical group such as EH Bildu, Sanchez risks alienating the more moderate Basque National Party (PNV), on which he has often relied for support in congress (indeed, the PNV voted for the extension last week). And last but certainly not least, this stealthily-made pact highlights, once again, the government's readiness to promise anything to anyone so long as they receive much-needed votes in return.
Doctors say they are seeing a surge of terminally ill people asking to end their lives at home amid fears the coronavirus crisis could thwart their hopes for a swift, painless death surrounded by loved ones.

Figures obtained by The Age show almost 300 applications have been lodged by terminally ill Victorians since the state's landmark euthanasia laws came into force last year.

Oncologist Cameron McLaren. Credit:Justin McManus

While it remains unclear how many of those applications have been successful, the figure is more than double the 135 people who applied for permits and were deemed eligible between June 19 and December last year.

Fifty-two Victorians suffering a terminal illness died using the laws in their first six months, far surpassing preliminary estimates of just 12 people in the first year.
Amid growing furor over a FEMA directive that would end orders for tens of thousands of Guard troops just shy of the 90 days needed to make them eligible for federal benefits, the president said Thursday that he'll personally secure an extension for them.

"The men and women of the National Guard have been doing a great job fighting the CoronaVirus," President Donald Trump said in a tweet. "This week, I will extend their Title 32 orders through mid-August, so they can continue to help States succeed in their response and recovery efforts."

Read Next: In First, Army SFAB Will Be Deployed for Counter-Drug Op

Title 32 orders are for full-time National Guard duty, as distinct from state orders, in which troops remain under the purview of the governor, and Title 10 active-duty orders, in which troops are federalized under the president and can be deployed outside the U.S. Under Title 32 orders, Guard members are eligible for federal pay, but do not accrue certain benefits, including use of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and an accelerated retirement schedule, until they accumulate 90 days' active service.

A current order from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is set to end the activation period for the more than 40,000 Guard troops called up to assist with coronavirus response on June 24. That "hard stop" would leave Guard members one day shy of qualifying for federal education and retirement benefits.

Earlier this month, Rep. Max Rose, a New York Democrat and Army National Guard captain, decried the move as "heartless," saying it not only hurt the Guard members serving the nation, but also left the nation vulnerable with work still to be done.

On May 22, Defense Secretary Mark Esper offered his own support for extending the orders if work remained for Guard members to complete. The same day, 129 members of Congress, included representatives from both parties, wrote to Esper and FEMA administrator Peter Gaynor calling for an extension of orders.

In his tweet, Trump did not specify precisely when he'll order the extension.

On Thursday, governors from 42 states signed on to a letter from the National Governors Association saying the Guard was needed to assist with pandemic recovery.

"Given the nature of the COVID-19 crisis, the virus has affected each state and territory in a different way, and at different times," the letter stated. "As states and territories move toward recovery and reopening, our National Guard will be critical in supporting operations such as testing, distribution of personal protective equipment, supply and food chain support, augmenting staff at nursing homes, and supporting warehouse operations."

A spokeswoman for the National Guard Bureau, April Cunningham, referred specific queries to the White House.

"The National Guard remains committed to its service in support of the fight against COVID-19 and will remain in that fight as long as we are needed," she said in a statement provided to Military.com. "Our nation is looking to the National Guard to help and we will not let them down."

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter @HopeSeck.

Related: Support Grows to Secure Federal Benefits for Activated Guard Members
Turkey Replacing Natural Gas Imports From Iran, Russia By LNG From The US

Dalga Khatinoglu May 28, 2020

Official Turkish data show a significant drop in natural gas imports from its eastern neighbor, Iran, in the first quarter of 2020.

Turkey's Energy Market Regulatory Authority reported on Thursday, May 28, that the country received two billion cubic meters of natural gas from Iran in the first quarter of the year, down nearly fifteen percent from the same period last year.

But since the beginning of the second quarter, a blown-up natural gas pipeline has reduced imports even further and Ankara has so far refused to repair it.

A group linked with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) claimed responsibility for the attack.

The pipeline used to carry around ten billion cubic meters of Iranian natural gas to Turkey annually and has frequently been attacked since it became operational in the early 2000s.

Iran's Oil Minister, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh last Monday blamed Turkey for not showing interest in repairing the gas pipeline.

"Iran offered to help repair the pipeline but the other side did not welcome it," Zanganeh said while maintaining that the repair work would not have taken more than a few days. Ankara has so far refused to respond to his remarks.

Natural gas imports from Iran in March show a decrease of more than thirty percent, and Turkey will probably receive no more Iranian natural gas in the second quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, it has also sharply reduced natural gas imports from Russia.

In March, Russia, Ankara's largest natural gas supplier for years, exported only 390 million cubic meters of the product to Turkey, down 72 percent from March last year.

The reason for the decrease in the purchase of natural gas from Iran and Russia is the significant drop in the price of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the global market.

As a result, Turkey has more than doubled its imports of LNG in March compared with March 2019, and for the first time, Turkey's liquefied natural gas imports have outpaced the purchase of natural gas through pipelines. In March, Turkey tripled its purchases of liquefied natural gas from the United States.

Turkey's customs statistics show that it imported only $ 33 million worth of goods and gas from Iran in March 2020, down nineteen times from March last year because it has also stopped buying crude oil from Iran since the second half of last year.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/turkey -replacing-natural-gas-imports-from-iran-russia -by-lng-from-the-us/30640185.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address










See Full Image Gallery >>



Porsche first announced the new 935, not to be confused with Bisimoto's 935 K3V electric restomod, back in 2018 as a recreation of the 935/78 "Moby Dick" racer from the '70s. This modern interpretation is based on the 991.2-generation 911 GT2 RS Clubsport, and only 77 examples were planned for production. Already, a 2020 935 has hit the resale market, and it's the second one built. The original buyer from Monaco took delivery of the car in February of this year, and it seems this buyer's sole intent was to flip the car for a profit, as it will hit the RM Sotheby's auction block without a single driven mile.

Porsche used carbon fiber bodywork to reshape the GT2 to look like the 935. It is longer, wider, and features the famous smoothed-over front end with headlights in the lower portion of the fascia. The aero wheels and giant rear wing (though it's not the same) help mimic the old car's aesthetic, as does the contrasting exposed-carbon-fiber rear end.



Weighing 3,042 pounds, the new 935 is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six that makes 700 horsepower. Shifting is handled by a seven-speed PDK gearbox.

Inside, the track-only machine has more racing influences. The laminated wood gearshift lever is inspired by the 917, 909 Bergspyder, and Carrera GT. The carbon fiber steering wheel and cluster display were sourced from the 2019 911 GT3 R, and a single racing seat with a six-point safety harness reinforces the car's purpose.

Although we've seen the new 935 in numerous retro liveries, this example wears the red, white, and blue Martini livery the car debuted in. The modern 935 originally sold for roughly $780,000, and this car is expected to draw in $1.4 million to $1.6 million, not a bad return after a few months. Visit RM Sotheby's and Porsche for more information.
Outgoing Costa Group boss Harry Debney says he's very concerned about the ongoing trade stoush between China and Australia, but has stressed that the group's citrus exports to the country haven't been hurt by the row.

The $1.3 billion ASX-listed fruit and vegetable giant announced at its annual meeting on Friday that Mr Debney would retire within the next nine months, after leading the business for a decade.

Outgoing Costa Group CEO Harry Debney says the business has a skilled executive team and a positive growth trajectory. Credit:Wayne Taylor

In an interview with The Age and the Herald Mr Debney said Costa's latest citrus crop delivery to China had encountered no regulatory problems. However, the business is keeping a close eye on the trade dispute.

"We're very concerned and we're disappointed with the posturing that's going on," he said.
A disciplinary panel at Australia's University of Queensland has suspended an outspoken student activist who criticized Beijing's influence at the university and took part in protests in support of Hong Kong.



"Ive been expelled from The University of Queensland for two years as a reprisal for my activism criticizing the Chinese government," Drew Pavlou said via his Twitter account on . "Will launch immediate appeal."



"The University of Queensland has expelled me, an Australian student, for attacking the Chinese governments human rights record," he said. "Twenty per cent of their revenue comes from China, so my pro-Hong Kong activism threatened their business model."



Pavlou, who is a democratically elected UQ Senator, said he would take his case "all the way to the Supreme Court."



He said the suspension period covered his entire tenure on the UQ Senate.



There were signs on that the university may already be seeking to distance itself from the disciplinary council.



UQ chancellor Peter Varghese issued a statement saying he had concerns about the decision.



"I was advised about the outcome of the disciplinary action against Mr Pavlou," he said in comments reported by The Australian newspaper.



"There are aspects of the findings and the severity of the penalty which personally concern me [and] I have decided to convene an out-of-session meeting of UQs Senate next week to discuss the matter."

'Kangaroo court'

Varghese's statement came after Pavlou's lawyer, barrister Tony Morris QC walked out of the disciplinary panel hearing last week, saying it was a kangaroo court.



Morris said the panel had refused to hand over documents allegedly supporting the case against Pavlou.



The university's disciplinary panel alleged that Pavlou, a 20-year-old student of English and philosophy, had harmed UQ's reputation, engaged in intimidating and disrespectful conduct, and disrupted the running of the university, among other charges.



Pavlou -- who suffers from depression -- faced 11 allegations of misconduct, including activities that the authorities say breached its integrity and harassment policies and the student charter.



Pavlou earlier said the authorities had presented as "evidence" of his alleged misconduct social media comments he made regarding the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, in which he claimed to be speaking "on behalf of the university" following his election as student representative to the university senate.



Pavlou has also reported being physically attacked by Chinese Communist Party supporters during a campus brawl at UQ sparked by Chinese students' opposition to a Hong Kong protest-related activity.



According to UQ, Pavlou also allegedly placed a sign on the UQ Confucius Institute -- a cultural organization embedded in campuses around the world and directly staffed and controlled by the Chinese government -- in March, declaring it was a "biohazard" amid the coronavirus epidemic, according to a post he made on Facebook.



Pavlou says he is being singled out because of his specific criticisms of UQ's relationship with China, as well as his support for the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement and for the Turkic Uyghur ethnic group, who have been subjected to mass incarceration in "re-education" camps by the CCP.



Pavlou also burned a copy of the collected works of Chinese President Xi Jinping outside the Chinese consulate in Brisbane.



'Silent Invasion' felt in Australia

Xu Jie, the Chinese Consul General in Brisbane, has previously accused Pavlou of engaging in "anti-China separatist activities." China's Global Times tabloid newspaper, published by Communist Party paper the People's Daily, has made similar claims.



Xu was awarded the post of visiting professor by UQ vice president Peter Hoj on , 2019, a move which also drew criticism from Pavlou at the time.



Canberra last year said it would crack down on suspected Chinese Communist Party influencers in the country following the introduction of new laws targeting activities by lobbyists and agents of foreign governments in , and later denied a passport to a top Chinese businessman.



Australian author and professor of public ethics Clive Hamiltons book, Silent Invasion: Chinas Influence in Australia, was initially turned down by three publishers citing fears of reprisals from Beijing before being published in 2018.



Hamilton's book argues that Australias elites, and parts of the countrys large Chinese-Australian diaspora, have been mobilized by Beijing to gain access to politicians, limit academic freedom, intimidate critics, gather information for Chinese intelligence agencies, and organize protests against Australian government policy.



According to Reuters, the Chinese Communist Party was behind a massive cyber attack on the Australian national parliament ahead of May's general election.



The agency cited the country's cyber intelligence agency, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), as saying that Beijing was responsible for the attack on the parliament and the three largest political parties, and that it had originated with the Ministry of State Security in Beijing. The findings were initially kept secret to avoid damaging trade ties.



Reported by RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services. Edited by Luisetta Mudie.
[May 29, 2020] Wipro Limited Appoints Deepak M Satwalekar to its Board

Wipro (News - Alert) Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting, and business process services company, today announced the appointment of Deepak M Satwalekar, a widely respected financial services professional, to its Board of Directors for five years effective July 1, 2020, subject to the approval of the shareholders. Deepak will serve as an Independent Director on the Board and will bring a wealth of experience to Wipro having spent over four decades in the financial services industry and as an advisor and Board member of companies from diverse industries. In his illustrious career, Deepak has been the Managing Director of HDFC Ltd and subsequently the Managing Director and CEO of HDFC Standard Life Insurance Co. Ltd. He has also been a consultant to the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Welcoming him to the Board, Rishad Premji, Chairman, Wipro Limited said, "I am truly excited to have Deepak join our Board. With his deep repository of knowledge spanning across the financial services sector, sharp business acumen, understanding of technology and as a strong votary of the highest standards of corporate governance, his invaluable experience will immensely benefit Wipro." Commenting on his appointment, Deepak Satwalekar said, "I am delighted and honored to be invited to join the Board of Wipro, an organization which is globally respected both for its technology leadership and its steadfast commitment to values. I look forward to contributing to the company's growth charter." Deepak is a recipient of the 'Distinguishd Alumnus Award' from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay and is currently the Chairman, Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Management, Indore.



About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 175,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future.

Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200528005915/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Total 10 persons, including one from BSF 86th Battalion were tested Covid-19 positive on Friday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 252.

Of the ten cases, eight were Bangladesh returnees, one from Gurugram and another from 86th Battalion of BSF.

 10 people found COVID-19 #POSITIVE in Tripura today after test of 915 persons. (1 person Gurugram returnee, 8 are Bangladesh returnees & 1 person is from 86 BN BSF). Airport passengers all tested negative. Govt is taking all precautionary measures to keep everyone secure, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb wrote on his Twitter.

According to latest Health Departments record, 171 Covid-19 patients were recovered and samples of total 25,403 persons were tested.

The state government earlier declared to conduct tests on the persons returning from different states of the country and abroad on the basis of 1:5 ratio.

The government also constituted Corona Awareness and Monitoring Committees in panchayat and village councils with public representatives as members. Laying stress on home quarantine for those who have returned the state, these committees have been asked to set up at least one quarantine centre in their respective areas.
In view of the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the government has issued an advisory to all states and union territories to extend the timelines of various time-bound permissions, No Objection Certificates (NoCs) and approvals related to real estate construction projects by nine months automatically.

states may issue necessary directives to municipal corporations/ urban development authorities/urban local bodies so that various approvals, payment of charges and compliances by building proponents may be rescheduled without any requirement of individual application from building proponent in this regard. This is in line with promoting Ease of Doing Business, said the notification tweeted by Durga Shanker Mishra, secretary, housing and urban affairs ministry.

In view of the situation created by the pandemic COVID-19 and consequent countrywide lockdown with effect from March 25, 2020, reverse migration of labourers to their native places and break in supply chain and construction material have adversely impacted the construction activities of real estate projects including residential, commercial, institutional and industrial across the country, the notification said.

This ministry has received representations from various stakeholders requesting for an extension of validity of statutory approvals, licenses, registration and building plan approvals and NOCs from various external and internal agencies for a period of minimum nine months.

This will be for several clearances required during the building construction cycle, both valid for a limited period or otherwise and given by different agencies such as land-owning agencies, building plan approval section of municipal corporations/ development authorities/ urban local bodies, revenue department, state pollution control board, inspector of factories, state environment and state forests department, traffic and transportation department of municipal corporation, state fire department, National Monument Authority, Airport Authority of India, Ministry of defence and ministry of railways among others.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

The ministry has examined the views of states and NOC issuing agencies and various representations from stakeholders. After detailed consideration, in order to avoid separate applications for extension of various kinds of approvals by urban local bodies, urban development authorities, other approvals by urban local bodies, urban development authorities other state and central agencies, states , concerned agencies are advised to consider the situation as Force Majeure, extend the validity automatically of various kinds of approvals by urban local bodies, urban development authorities, other state agencies including commencement, completion certificates, payment schedule of charges including development charges, No Objection Certificates from various agencies by nine months, it said.

In this regard a video conference with state governments, municipal corporations and NoC issuing Central Agencies was held on May 26 under the chairmanship of secretary, ministry of housing and real urban affairs wherein the impact of the outbreak of COVID-19 on real estate projects was discussed. It was noted that adverse impact on real estate projects is due to pandemic which is the calamity caused by nature and should be considered as a force majeure situation.

In this meeting, it was noted that some states such as Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have extended timelines related to various approvals for building construction.

This ministry had also issued an advisory on May 13, 2020 for extension of registration of real estate projects for which completion date or revised completion date or extended completion date as per registration expires on or after March 25, 2020 and to extend the said date automatically by six months by invoking Force Majeure clause under the provisions of RERA.

Also, regulatory authorities may on their own discretion, consider to further extend the date of completion as per registration for another period up to three months if the situation needs special consideration for whole or part of the state of invoking force majeure in view of current pandemic. Such extension is to be granted suo moto by revising the date of completion through a new letter of registration to be issued by RERA, the notification had said.

Acting on Centres advisory asking real-estate regulators in states and union territories to extend by at least six months the deadline for completion of projects in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, Maharashtra RERA, Madhya Pradesh RERA, Rajasthan RERA, Karnataka RERA and Gujarat RERA authorities have extended the completion deadlines for real estate projects in their respective states.

The advisories came after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had told media that the deadline would be extended in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.

The outbreak of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, be treated as an act of God and a force majeure event under the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) Act, the housing and urban affair ministry said in the advisory issued on May 13.
Given the current Covid-19 crisis, relatives, neighbours and friends of those who have died are reminded of the current Government advice regarding indoor and outdoor mass gatherings. Condolences and messages of sympathy can be conveyed online.

The death has occurred of Maureen Sexton (nee Brosnahan), Templeglantine.

Maureen, wife of the late Tom and mother of the late Mary, passed away peacefully on Thursday in the care of her family, at the home of her daughter Eileen, Gabriel Quinn and family in Askeaton, where Maureen resided for the past fourteen years.

Maureen is very sadly missed by her daughters Noreen (Fitzgerald) and Eileen (Quinn), sons Eamon, Toss, Sean, Anthony and Dan, sons-in-law Gabriel and Liam, daughters-in-law Noran, Michelle, Annette, Helen and Edel, her sixteen grandchildren, especially Michael and Ciara, great-grandson, sisters, brother, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

A Private Family Funeral will take place for immediate family due to Government advice and HSE guidelines regarding public gatherings. For those who would like to pay their respects by means of standing in a guard of honour the funeral cortege will depart Abbeyfeale on Saturday at 1.30 p.m.to arrive at The Church of The Most Holy Trinity Templeglantine at 2pm. Requiem Mass will then be live streamed on Saturday at 2pm here

Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please feel free to leave a message in the Condolence Book at the bottom of this page or send Mass cards and letters of sympathy by post C/O Harnetts Funeral Home, The Square, Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick. You may also send your condolences by email to: harnettsfuneralhome@gmail.com

The family intends to hold a Memorial Mass to celebrate Maureens life at a later stage. May she rest in peace.

The death has occurred of John Ryan, Sherwood Estate, Newcastle West.

Deeply regretted by his loving mother Kathleen, brothers Patrick, Mike, Dermot, James and Christy, sisters Mary and Kathleen, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

In accordance with government guidelines a private family funeral mass will take place on Monday, June 1, in Newcastle West Church at 11.30 am. A private family burial will take place afterwards in Calvery Cemetery. Messages of sympathy can be offered on the condolence section of RIP.ie Mass cards and letters of sympathy can be sent to Riedy's Undertakers. May he rest in peace.

The death has occurred of Mary Keogh (nee Murphy), Galtee View, Hospital.

Peacefully, at her residence on May 28. Deeply regretted by her loving husband Jim, sons Michael and Jimmy, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nephews, nieces, cousins, relatives and friends.

Due to the Covid-19 directive on public gatherings Marys funeral will be private. You can express your condolences on RIP.ie or send them to O Learys Funeral Undertakers, Main Street, Hospital (061) 383204. Jim and his family would like to thank you for your support and understanding at this difficult time. May she rest in peace.

The death has occurred of Brendan Hayes, Canton, Georgia, USA and formerly of Salthill and Glin.

At home in Canton in his 82nd year. Pre-deceased by his son Bobby, parents Robert and Josephine , brothers Cyril and Joe and by his sister Teresa Holian.

Dearly beloved husband of Mary for 57 years, much loved father of David (Connie) Hayes, Carol (Steve) Ference, Colleen (Brandt) Winslette and Suzanna (Ken) Lyle. Deeply mourned and sadly missed by his wife and children, sisters Eleanor Horton, Maura Hayes and Anne Haverty, grandchildren Patrick, Natalie and Josie Hayes, Brooke and Jake Ference, Kathleen,Walker and Olivia Winslette, Mary Kate Hayes and Sara Anne Hayes, extended family and many friends.

The family of Brendan Hayes wishes to extend their sincere thanks to Dr. Volas-Redd, Georgia Cancer Specialists and Homestead Hospice for taking such great care of him. A private funeral Mass will be celebrated on June 1 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Roswell, Georgia. Those who would like to attend the funeral but cannot do so as a result of restriction on public gatherings are invited to leave a message of sympathy on RIP.ie May he rest in peace.

The death has occurred of Lisa Egan, Lower Carey's Road, Limerick city and late of Fulflex.

Lisa died peacefully at home. Beloved mother of Laura, Barry, Ian and Olive Murphy and adored Nana to Leon and Arianna. Deeply regretted by her sister Olive, nephew John,daughter-in-law Brenda, relatives, neighbours and her many friends.

In compliance with current guidelines and with the support of Lisa's family, her funeral will be private for family members only. Family flowers only, donations, if desired, to Milford Care Centre, Home Care Team.

Messages of sympathy may be expressed through the RIP.ie condolence section, through the death notices section of www.griffinfunerals.com or by post to Griffins Funeral Home. May she rest in peace.
Highlights from Premier Li's news conference

People's Daily Online

(People's Daily Online) 16:13, May 28, 2020

Premier Li Keqiang started a press conference Thursday after the closing of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress.

The premier takes questions from Chinese and foreign reporters via video link.

Here are the highlights:

- China to take targeted measures to boost economic growth

- Chinese premier confident of achieving development goals

- Chinese premier expects positive GDP growth in 2020

- China to continue open, transparent approach in dealing with COVID-19

- China to promote peaceful reunification

- Chinese premier stresses int'l cooperation in fighting COVID-19, restoring economy

- China pledges greater efforts to stabilize employment

- Chinese premier says China fully, faithfully implements "one country, two systems"

- Premier Li says no loss of life to COVID-19 among Taiwan compatriots on mainland

- China has wisdom, ability to handle its own affairs: premier

- Chinese premier expects positive GDP growth in 2020

- Premier Li says no loss of life to COVID-19 among Taiwan compatriots on mainland

- China-U.S. decoupling benefits no one

- China willing to share COVID-19 vaccines, medicines with world

- China, U.S. must use wisdom to expand common interests, manage differences

- China strives to add 10,000 market entities daily in 2020

- Chinese premier believes RCEP agreement to be signed as scheduled

- China, Japan, ROK working together to advance FTA development

- China to introduce more opening-up measures: premier

- Chinese premier urges int'l cooperation to contain COVID-19, restore economy

- China, U.S. businesses need each other: premier

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Cisco (CSCO) said that it plans to buy privately held ThousandEyes Inc., a security-software company headquartered in San Francisco, CA. The company did not disclose the purchase price. Cisco said it will incorporate ThousandEyes' capabilities across Cisco's core Enterprise Networking and Cloud, and AppDynamics portfolios to enhance visibility across the enterprise, internet and the cloud. Cisco expects to close the deal before the end of its first-quarter. ThousandEyes will join Cisco's newly-formed Networking Services business unit, reporting to Todd Nightingale. As part of the Networking Services business unit, ThousandEyes CEO and co-founder Mohit Lad will take on the role of GM of ThousandEyes, and Co-Founder, CTO Ricardo Oliveira will continue to drive ThousandEyes product vision and innovation strategy. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia  Fri, May 29, 2020 17:57 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdafd61e 2 World US,Africa,police-brutality,Racism Free

The head of the African Union Commission on Friday condemned the killing by police of an unarmed black man in the US state of Minnesota which has sparked protests across the country.

Moussa Faki Mahamat "strongly condemns the murder of George Floyd that occurred in the United States of America at the hands of law enforcement officers, and wishes to extend his deepest condolences to his family and loved ones," read a statement issued by his spokeswoman.

The statement added that Faki "firmly reaffirms and reiterates the African Union's rejection of the continuing discriminatory practices against Black citizens of the United States of America."

George Floyd, 46, was killed Monday by police after being arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit banknote.

A video taken by a bystander shows an officer kneeling on his neck as he is pinned to the ground. At one point Floyd is heard saying he cannot breathe.

Protests in the US against Floyd's killing and against other deaths of black people in police encounters entered their fourth day on Friday.

Other officials at the AU, headquartered in Ethiopia, have also made clear they were disturbed by Floyd's death.

On Thursday, Kwesi Quartey, deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission, posted on his personal Facebook page that the AU was "distressed to witness yet another unwarranted execution of another African-American male... for no other reason than BEING BLACK".

"This is one too many. We may be black, but we are people too," Quartey wrote. "Africa demands a full investigation into this killing."

The statement Friday from Faki's office called on US officials to "intensify their efforts to ensure the total elimination of all forms of discrimination based on race or ethnic origin."
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Europe

Strike at Spanish Nissan factory continues

An indefinite strike by 40 Spanish autoworkers at Nissans Zona Franca and Montcada sites in Barcelona began on May 4. This was the first day of Nissans operation in Spain following the end of lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The strike was called to protest Nissans plans to reduce its worldwide car production by 20 percent. Workers fear production in Europe could end altogether. For Spain this would mean the loss of 3,000 Nissan jobs and around 20,000 in related companies and industries.

The unions, including the Stalinist CCOO, describe the small-scale strike actions as strategic. The strike at the two small production units created a bottleneck leading to a complete halt of production. Picket lines obeying social distancing rules are taking place.

Car workers internationally face attacks on their jobs. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis many international auto companies had announced job cutbacks. Nissan, after announcing in 2019 plans to cut 12,500 jobs, now plans to cut a further 20,000 jobs worldwide in Japan, the UK and India.

Autoworkers in the US are widely opposed to the premature reopening of the auto plants pushed by the UAW union. Autoworkers must adopt an international strategy to oppose the attacks on jobs and conditions.

Italian workers at US multinational threaten walkout over redundancies

Italian workers at US-based multinational electronics company Jabil are threatening strike action against redundancies. Jabil made 190 workers at its Marcianise plant near Naples redundant on Monday.

Jabil employs 200,000 worldwide in 120 factories. It employed 700 in Italy but sought to reduce this number by half. It shed 160 jobs through voluntary redundancies and redeployment, with the remaining 190 being sacked on Monday.

The FIOM-CGIL, FIM-CISL and UILM unions at the plant promised strike action, declaring the sackings illegal. In response to the pandemic the Italian government set up a support package for companies, banning layoffs until mid-August.

Strike ballot of refuse workers at council in Medway, south-east England

Refuse workers employed by UK subcontractor Medway Norse were balloted for strike action, with results pending. The company is jointly owned by Medway council in Kent, for which it provides refuse collection services.

On March 30 the Unite union members walked out over lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) in view of the pandemic. The company agreed to provide PPE but then reneged. Workers organised a drive-by protest past the council offices, after which eight of them were suspended and the rest put under investigation. The company also derecognised Unite and instead recognised the GMB union.

Strike ballot by UK logistics staff in northern England

UK workers facing the closure of DHL depot in Tinsley, Sheffield are to be balloted for strike action. Two hundred jobs are threatened by courier service DHL in July.

Under threat are jobs of driver and warehouse workers, Unite union members, many with years of service at the depot. Currently the workers are furloughed under the governments COVID-19 scheme, whereby they receive 80 percent of their wages. The depot delivers for brewers such as Whitbread, Coors and Carlsberg.

Icelandic airline proposes creating company union to overcome cabin crew resistance

Flight attendants have rejected a proposal by Icelandic airline Icelandair, which is currently negotiating new contracts with its staff. Unions representing pilots and mechanics have accepted the new contracts.

Icelandair, like all airlines, has been badly hit by the pandemic. It is operating a skeleton service with the Icelandic government offering financial support to maintain the service until June 27. The company laid off 240 of its 3,400 staff at the end of March, and a further 2,000 in April. Remaining staff have had pay or hours cut.

The Icelandic Flight Attendants Union (FFI) members rejected proposals whereby flight attendants would retain their current pay but would work longer hours. FFI said this would be equivalent to a 40 percent pay cut.

The airline wants a quick settlement prior to a proposed public stock offering in June amounting to ISK29 billion. The airline proposed setting up a company union for flight attendants to push through its attacks, preferable to outsourcing flight attendant roles.

On Monday news website Icelandmonitor reported Icelandair CEO Bogi Nils Bogason saying he expects to be able to reach an agreement with the FFI shortly.

Cabin crew at German airline fear government bailout will not protect their jobs

The German government is currently in discussion with German airline Lufthansa over a bailout, in which the government would hold a 20 percent share in the company. The airline faces financial difficulties exacerbated by the pandemic.

Cabin crew fear any bailout will not safeguard their jobs. A May 22 Financial Post news item quoted the faint-hearted pleas of a UFO union spokesman talking to Reuters TV, We would really wish that the government, when it provides money to help Lufthansa, would also help the employees.

Turkish forestry workers oppose COVID-19 donation campaign

Turkish forestry workers forced Turkish Directorate of Forestry to drop plans to collect compulsory COVID-19 donations, which would have meant a pay cut. The Civil Servants Union of Agriculture, Forestry, Husbandry and Environment Sectors members also forced the directorate to rescind proposals for work assessment based on work colleagues appraisal.

Middle East

Protest by Iraqi gas workers over non-payment of wages

Workers at the Basra Gas Company (BGC), in which Shell holds 44 percent stake, held a protest on May 18 after not receiving their salary for May. For several months their salary payments were delayed. Workers have repeatedly demanded BGC take measures to ensure they get their wages on time.

Africa

South African health workers strike for protection against coronavirus risk

There was further wildcat strike action by South African doctors and nurses at a hospital in Eastern Cape on May 20.

This is the second time since the COVID-19 lockdown that workers at the Mpilisweni Hospital in Sterkspruit stopped work to demand safe working conditions. They initially returned to work after management promised to supply PPE). However, this did not materialise.

A workers representative said, People are dealing with blood. They cannot work without gloves. Doctors are also threatening to leave because they are not being given promised financial assistance with accommodation.

At another clinic in Ngcobo, Eastern Cape, health workers were forced to buy their own PPE due to shortages. They have been without protection for the last two weeks even though 11 people in the small town tested positive for COVID-19.

In South Africa there are 21,343 confirmed cases of COVID-19, of which 10,104 people have recovered and 407 died.

Blackleg unions work during workers protest action at South African hospital

South African union shop stewards worked while support staff at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg protested on Friday and Monday. The staff are demanding PPE and testing for COVID-19 after five nurses were infected.

The wards where the nurses worked were not shut down or decontaminated and support workers were expected to go on working while management insisted that there was not enough money to buy PPE.

The workers spokesperson stated that the union did not support their action and the shop stewards had continued to work: They just pass by and greet us.

South African gold miners demand to be tested as 164 workers contract coronavirus

Mineworkers are demanding to be tested after 164 South African miners tested positive for coronavirus at the Mponeng gold mine in Merafong, Gauteng Province. The mine was forced to close on Sunday. Mponeng, owned by Anglogold, is the worlds deepest mine at 4 km.

Underground mines are a high infection risk for miners due to the confined conditions of their work.

Most of the infected miners were asymptomatic, worrisome for workers future safety as the countrys lockdown is eased again at the beginning of June and more return to work.

The companies argue miners should not be singled out for the expense of testing when there is no full testing in the country.

Schools not ready to reopen, say teachers and parents

Teachers, parents and governing bodies say many schools in South Africa are ill prepared to reopen on the set date June 1. Schools were closed when the countrys lockdown started in March.

Education Minister Angie Motshekga was accused of arrogance after her announcement on Tuesday that the Department of Basic Education was ready to reopen schools safely, despite a legal challenge to halt the governments plans from one teachers union.

Nigerian health workers walk out in defiance of government threats

Over 11,000 health workers in the Nigerian state of Kaduna began a weeks strike action May 23 despite a government ultimatum threatening their jobs. The state authorities denounced the strike as blackmail.

The strike is in response to a deduction of 25 percent from all government employees salaries. Strikers are demanding the repayment of the 25 percent taken from them in April and the cancellation of future deductions.

Nigeria: Doctors in Lagos in stay-at-home strike

Nigerian doctors in Lagos are mounting a stay-at-home strike. Along with other essential workers, they are being harassed and arrested by the police and security services if they are caught travelling to work or home outside the 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus. The state government is giving conflicting instructions.

There are 8,344 confirmed cases in Nigeria with 249 deaths.

Namibian transport workers face 50 percent pay cut

Over 700 workers at FP du Toit Transport, one of Namibias largest transport companies, are up in arms after being told they will receive only half their usual pay.

The company is blaming the coronavirus lockdown and a resulting loss of business for the pay cut.

FP du Toit Transport has been in business for 52 years, employing thousands, and has a fleet of 560 vehicles. The owner brought an affidavit to Windhoek High Court to promote a legal challenge against regulations forbidding employers from cutting staff pay, dismissing them or enforcing leave in response to the pandemic.

At its Ambatovy factory site in Toamasina the company employs around 3,000 workers, with 60 percent of them on forced leave for six months. About 1,200 workers at the Moramanga mining site are facing a similar ultimatum.

Madagascan workers oppose forced leave on reduced pay

Around 60 percent of the workers at Tamatave Mine in Madagascar are opposing instructions to take forced leave for six months on reduced pay after seven workers tested positive for COVID-19. There are 582 confirmed cases in the country and two fatalities.

Madagascars labour code states that before a company makes its workers unemployed, it must engage in consultation with the unions.

Kenya: More universities announce pay cuts as courts rule they are illegal

The Pan Africa Christian University in Kenya announced it would implement a pay cut from May to August of 80 percent, citing a fall in its revenue.

This was despite a court ruling against Egerton and Kisii Universities that the pay cuts they imposed in April were illegal.
ONE of the most well-known doctors in Limerick has stood down from his post into retirement this Friday after almost three decades working in the Mid-West.

The outgoing chief clinical director of UL Hospitals Group, Dr Gerry Burke has paid tribute to his colleagues and hailed the people of Limerick and the Mid-West as far and away the most egalitarian city and region in the country.

Dr Burke oversaw the safe arrival of many babies during his 25 years as an obstetric gynaecologist in Limericks maternity hospital from 1992 to 2017.

Dr Burke said the people of the Mid-West were to the fore in his mind as he reflected on how he and his wife Mary, having visited Limerick only once or twice previously, were so warmly welcomed, not just by colleagues but also by the wider community, when they arrived in the city back in December 1992.

While Dr Burke fondly recalls all his colleagues, past and present, during his nigh three-decade career as a clinician in the Mid-West, its inevitable that the professional work he recalls most vividly is what he experienced during the UL Hospitals Groups battle against Covid-19, which dominated the final three months of his tenure.

Dr Burkes sense of relief at the management of Covid-19 in the Mid-West is tempered by caution. It has been a massive effort, but its a work in progress, he pointed out. The threat has not gone away. It has abated somewhat, but there is a threat of us being overwhelmed by a resurgence of the disease. Its important to remember that our ICU capacity in Ireland is still limited; that we still have limited single room space; and limited numbers of medical and nursing staff. We must not be complacent. We have got to hold firm, he said.

He is retiring at what he feels is the right time, his great sense of relief that our hospital services were not overwhelmed by the coronavirus coinciding with a realisation that it was time to draw a line. Eras come a close, and it is time to pass the baton to someone younger," Dr Burke explained.

Married to Mary, with one son, Dr Burke said: There are some things I would like to do while there is still time, things that got put on the long finger a long time ago. If one manages to stay reasonably healthy you can reconnect. Painting is a case in point.

CEO of UL Hospitals Group, Colette Cowan wished Dr Burke well on his retirement: I was very fortunate to have Gerry working for me as chief clinical director. He is a person of very high integrity, who advocated tirelessly for quality and safety. When I first met Gerry, I was most struck by his moral compass, and his compassion for people who were reliant on our services. Gerry is also a very interesting person, with a great love of nature and humanity. He has seen the safe arrival of many, many children, and countless mothers locally will fondly remember him delivering their now grown up children. I wish Gerry health, happiness and the best of luck as he moves onto his next chapter.

Today we said goodbye & wished our Chief Clinical Director @drgerryburke @ULHospitals a happy retirement. Lots of elbow taps & social distancing. Gerry- huge support to me, integrity, wise, for common good ,community 1st, babiesbeforebanks, empathy, humanity, a huge legacy. pic.twitter.com/Sc8zS6hhg4  Colette Cowan (@colettecowan1) May 29, 2020

Looking back at the final few months of his work at UL Hospitals Group, Dr Burke paid tribute to all his colleagues across the Group: Its interesting that its three women in our hospital group who came to the fore during the pandemic. CEO Colette Cowan has done such a fantastic job in facilitating intense collaborations between clinicians and executives. Dr Sarah OConnell, our infectious diseases consultant, whom I appointed as clinical lead during the emergency, put in a massive effort to design safe care pathways in consultation with other clinicians, backed by our tremendously knowledgeable microbiology team. And Dr Catherine Motherway came to the fore both locally and nationally. Her blunt message on that famous Prime Time interview captured the nation. The public really responded to Catherines message; to do what youre supposed to do.

Reflecting on some of his own achievements and contributions, as well as projects under way across the hospital group, Dr Burke says that the foundations for the future are strong. Significant challenges remain in the area of bed capacity.

Across our group there are 700 beds, and last winter, we typically had 120% occupancy, or 800 patients. If were required to run the group not at 120% capacity but, as is advised, 80%, well, 80% of 1,000 is 800 beds. That illustrates the challenge. We have some 135 beds coming on stream, but that will still leave a shortfall of around 165 beds. We also have to look at the beds in our older Nightingale wards that we wont be able to use in the same way in the Covid era. This is a very big challenge, and it has to be grappled with. And of course, ultimately, its capital, and thats not within the control of UL Hospitals Group.

Regardless of the scale of future challenges, Dr Burke says the Groups ongoing pursuit of its objectives under strategic pillarsCollaboration and Alliance; Education, Research and Innovation; Clinical Transformation; and Digital Healthleaves it on a strong footing to rise to these challenges.

Dr Burke also applauded the recent news of a 3.5m philanthropic contribution from the JP McManus Foundation Pro-Am 2021 as seed funding for the establishment at the University of Limerick of a dedicated institute for the study of infectious diseases, including Covid-19.

From Connemara roots, but raised and educated in Dublin, Dr Burke regards Limerick and the Mid-West as home.

Limerick is far and away the most egalitarian city in the country, along with the people of the county and of Tipperary and Clare. Most people in the Mid-West dont go to private hospitals for healthcare, they go to public hospitals. Most people dont go to private schools, they go to public non-fee paying schools. Theres a real sense of community here; a tremendous sense of egalitarianism, and of personal freedom. Its a lovely place to live, the people are gentle and kind, and it has been my privilege to serve them.
Mumbai, May 29 : Actress Payal Ghosh's first release, the Telugu film "Prayanam", has clocked 11 years.

The film also stars Manchu Manoj, and is directed by Chandra Sekhar Yeleti.

"'Prayanam' means travel and it takes me on a time travel now. I had people helping me with my lines as I didn't know the language. Right from my director sir to my co-stars to the writers, everyone helped me," she said.

She has some amazing memories attached to the film.

"We shot at an airport and it was just beautiful. It seems just like yesterday when I gave my first shot. I am very happy and content with my journey and 'Prayanam' will always be special to me. I was barely out of school then," she said.

Payal was last seen on the big screen in the 2017 movie "Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi", which starred Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal.
An ordered cholesterol cluster in a cell membrane briefly becomes disordered on exposure to chloroform. Credit: Hansen lab, Scripps Research

Surgery would be inconceivable without general anesthesia, so it may come as a surprise that despite its 175-year history of medical use, doctors and scientists have been unable to explain how anesthetics temporarily render patients unconscious.

A new study from Scripps Research published Thursday evening in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences (PNAS) solves this longstanding medical mystery. Using modern nanoscale microscopic techniques, plus clever experiments in living cells and fruit flies, the scientists show how clusters of lipids in the cell membrane serve as a missing go-between in a two-part mechanism. Temporary exposure to anesthesia causes the lipid clusters to move from an ordered state, to a disordered one, and then back again, leading to a multitude of subsequent effects that ultimately cause changes in consciousness.

The discovery by chemist Richard Lerner, MD, and molecular biologist Scott Hansen, Ph.D., settles a century-old scientific debate, one that still simmers today: Do anesthetics act directly on cell-membrane gates called ion channels, or do they somehow act on the membrane to signal cell changes in a new and unexpected way? It has taken nearly five years of experiments, calls, debates and challenges to arrive at the conclusion that it's a two-step process that begins in the membrane, the duo say. The anesthetics perturb ordered lipid clusters within the cell membrane known as "lipid rafts" to initiate the signal.

"We think there is little doubt that this novel pathway is being used for other brain functions beyond consciousness, enabling us to now chip away at additional mysteries of the brain," Lerner says.

Lerner, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, is a former president of Scripps Research, and the founder of Scripps Research's Jupiter, Florida campus. Hansen is an associate professor, in his first posting, at that same campus.

The Ether Dome

Ether's ability to induce loss of consciousness was first demonstrated on a tumor patient at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in 1846, within a surgical theater that later became known as "the Ether Dome." So consequential was the procedure that it was captured in a famous painting, "First Operation Under Ether," by Robert C. Hinckley. By 1899, German pharmacologist Hans Horst Meyer, and then in 1901 British biologist Charles Ernest Overton, sagely concluded that lipid solubility dictated the potency of such anesthetics.

Hansen recalls turning to a Google search while drafting a grant submission to investigate further that historic question, thinking he couldn't be the only one convinced of membrane lipid rafts' role. To Hansen's delight, he found a figure from Lerner's 1997 PNAS paper, "A hypothesis about the endogenous analog of general anesthesia," that proposed just such a mechanism. Hansen had long looked up to Lernerliterally. As a predoctoral student in San Diego, Hansen says he worked in a basement lab with a window that looked directly out at Lerner's parking space at Scripps Research.

"I contacted him, and I said, 'You are never going to believe this. Your 1997 figure was intuitively describing what I am seeing in our data right now,'" Hansen recalls. "It was brilliant."

For Lerner, it was an exciting moment as well.

"This is the granddaddy of medical mysteries," Lerner says. "When I was in medical school at Stanford, this was the one problem I wanted to solve. Anesthesia was of such practical importance I couldn't believe we didn't know how all of these anesthetics could cause people to lose consciousness."

Many other scientists, through a century of experimentation, had sought the same answers, but they lacked several key elements, Hansen says: First, microscopes able to visualize biological complexes smaller than the diffraction limits of light, and second, recent insights about the nature of cell membranes, and the complex organization and function of the rich variety of lipid complexes that comprise them.

"They had been looking in a whole sea of lipids, and the signal got washed out, they just didn't see it, in large part for a lack of technology," Hansen says.

General anesthesia has been in use for nearly 175 years, but its mechanism for causing loss of consciousness has been unknown until now. So momentous was the first use of ether that it was memorialized in this painting, "First Operation Under Ether," by Robert C. Hinckley. Credit: Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

From order to disorder

Using Nobel Prize-winning microscopic technology, specifically a microscope called dSTORM, short for "direct stochastical optical reconstruction microscopy," a post-doctoral researcher in the Hansen lab bathed cells in chloroform and watched something like the opening break shot of a game of billiards. Exposing the cells to chloroform strongly increased the diameter and area of cell membrane lipid clusters called GM1, Hansen explains.

What he was looking at was a shift in the GM1 cluster's organization, a shift from a tightly packed ball to a disrupted mess, Hansen says. As it grew disordered, GM1 spilled its contents, among them, an enzyme called phospholipase D2 (PLD2).

Tagging PLD2 with a fluorescent chemical, Hansen was able to watch via the dSTORM microscope as PLD2 moved like a billiard ball away from its GM1 home and over to a different, less-preferred lipid cluster called PIP2. This activated key molecules within PIP2 clusters, among them, TREK1 potassium ion channels and their lipid activator, phosphatidic acid (PA). The activation of TREK1 basically freezes neurons' ability to fire, and thus leads to loss of consciousness, Hansen says.

"The TREK1 potassium channels release potassium, and that hyper-polarizes the nerveit makes it more difficult to fireand just shuts it down," Hansen says.

Lerner insisted they validate the findings in a living animal model. The common fruit fly, drosophila melanogaster, provided that data. Deleting PLD expression in the flies rendered them resistant to the effects of sedation. In fact, they required double the exposure to the anesthetic to demonstrate the same response.

"All flies eventually lost consciousness, suggesting PLD helps set a threshold, but is not the only pathway controlling anesthetic sensitivity," they write.

Hansen and Lerner say the discoveries raise a host of tantalizing new possibilities that may explain other mysteries of the brain, including the molecular events that lead us to fall asleep.

Lerner's original 1997 hypothesis of the role of "lipid matrices" in signaling arose from his inquiries into the biochemistry of sleep, and his discovery of a soporific lipid he called oleamide. Hansen and Lerner's collaboration in this arena continues.

"We think this is fundamental and foundational, but there is a lot more work that needs to be done, and it needs to be done by a lot of people," Hansen says.Lerner agrees.

"People will begin to study this for everything you can imagine: Sleep, consciousness, all those related disorders," he says. "Ether was a gift that helps us understand the problem of consciousness. It has shined a light on a heretofore unrecognized pathway that the brain has clearly evolved to control higher-order functions."

Explore further Buzzed flies reveal important step to intoxication

More information: Mahmud Arif Pavel et al, Studies on the mechanism of general anesthesia, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2020). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Mahmud Arif Pavel et al, Studies on the mechanism of general anesthesia,(2020). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2004259117
A student activist highly critical of the University of Queensland's ties to Beijing has been handed a two-year suspension from the institution.

Drew Pavlou faced a disciplinary hearing on May 20 at the university over 11 allegations of misconduct, detailed in a confidential 186-page document, reportedly linked to his on-campus activism supporting Hong Kong and criticising the Chinese Communist Party.

University of Queensland student Drew Pavlou says he walked out of a disciplinary hearing because UQ denied him access to documents he needed for his defence. Credit:Attila Csaszar

The university ordered his suspension on Friday after the 20-year-old philosophy student and his lawyer, Tony Morris, QC, walked out of a closed virtual hearing before the panel last Wednesday, describing the process as a "kangaroo court".

Mr Pavlou vowed to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court of Queensland.
Russian authorities admit that more people have died of Covid-19 than previously disclosed. The government is also accused of misusing the pandemic to suppress dissent by detaining journalists and other critics.

By Stefan J. Bos

Moscow's Heath Department reluctantly acknowledged that the official death toll from Covid-19 in the Russian capital for April is twice as much as previously reported.

The city's health department now claims 1,561 people died from the disease - not 639 as initially announced.

Confirmation that the numbers had been under-reported emerged before Russia reported 232 new coronavirus deaths. That was its most significant daily death toll during the pandemic so far.

With nearly 8,600 new recorded infections, Russia has the third-highest number in the world of almost 388,000 cases.

The official number of deaths approaches 4,400 people.

Moscow questioned

Journalists based in Moscow had already questioned the official statistics saying the numbers were too low. But they were accused of fake news and distortion.

Being a journalist in Moscow isn't easy these days. A group of well-known Russian journalists was detained in Moscow on Thursday as they took part in single-person protests over a 15-day jail term handed down to a colleague.

Council of Europe Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic said she was "greatly dismayed" and called for their release. The journalists were taking part in single pickets - the only protest allowed without authorities' approval. They accused police of using the Covid-19 outbreak to crackdown on activists.

The reporters detained mostly work for independent media outlets. Most have now been freed, but charged with various offenses. Besides arrests in Moscow, detentions of government critics have also been reported in St.Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city.

It comes at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin faces growing social unrest over the economic impact of the pandemic and other increasingly criticized policies.
By PTI

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that groups of up to six people will be able to meet outdoors in England from next Monday, provided strict social distancing guidelines are followed, as part of steps towards easing the country's coronavirus lockdown.

The devolved administration of Scotland has begun easing its lockdown from Friday, which allows people from two households to meet outside so long as they keep at least two metres apart.

The changes come in over two months after the UK went into lockdown to control the spread of the deadly virus on March 23 and has resulted in a death toll of over 37,800.

Downing Street said the changes are part of a 'carefully-designed package' to ease the burden of lockdown in a way that is expected to keep the R rate or rate of infection down.

'We know that transmission of the virus is far lower outdoors, so we can confidently allow more interaction outside,' said Johnson.

'I want to reaffirm that fundamental commitment to the British people that all the steps we have taken, and will take, are conditional. They are conditional on all the data, and all the scientific advice, and it is that scientific advice which will help us to judge what we are doing is safe,' he said.



CLICK HERE FOR COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES

He stressed that the government will be monitoring how the new changes are working, and look at the R rate and the number of new infections before taking any further steps to avert the risk of a second peak of the virus.

As part of measures to reopen the economy, a series of measures will be put in place from next Monday in three core areas schools, retail, and social contact.

Primary schools, nurseries and other early year school settings will be reopened from June 1 and from June 15, secondary schools and colleges will begin to provide some face-to-face contact time to help students prepare for exams next year.

Thousands of high street shops, department stores and shopping centres will also begin to reopen next month.

Outdoor markets and car showrooms will be able to reopen from Monday, provided they meet COVID-19 secure guidelines to protect shoppers and workers.

Other non-essential retail can operate from June 15, also under secure guidelines.



ALSO READ | With 232 deaths, Russia records highest single-day coronavirus toll

Minimising contact with others is still the best way to prevent transmission.

The Prime Minister is clear that people should try to avoid seeing people from too many households in quick succession 'so that we can avoid the risk of quick transmission between lots of different families and continue to control the virus,' Downing Street said.

A new National Health Service (NHS) Test and Trace programme, launched on Thursday, is aimed at tracking new infections in a more localised way to help ease the lockdown while keeping a check on the spread of the virus.

The government had set five tests for a phased exit from the lockdown, including monitoring the pressure on the NHS and the rate of infection, and said that the new measures will continuously be checked against those five tests.

Any of the new measures face being reversed if the rate of infection is seen to spike again.
Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Rain showers early changing to freezing drizzle overnight. Low 26F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 70%..

Tonight

Rain showers early changing to freezing drizzle overnight. Low 26F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 70%.
We have a governor that doesnt want to open up the state and we have a date of . . . the end of August, Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. And we have to know before we spend millions and millions of dollars on an arena to make it magnificent for the convention. . . . If the governor cant tell us very soon, unfortunately, well have no choice.
Climate change will cause an overall increase in the amount of vegetation growing in Britain, a new research paper predicts.

UK researchers used high resolution maps to observe two different climate change scenarios developed by the Met Office that would affect vegetation growth.

Depending on the scenario, up to 1,200 grids of British land - each just under a mile squared - will show abrupt shifts in vegetation.

In their simulations, increases in vegetation were observed 'pretty much everywhere' in Britain as carbon dioxide (CO2) levels rose in simulations of the end of the century.

Most changes were increases, caused by factors such as warmer, wetter conditions and more CO2 in the atmosphere fertilising plant growth.

Elsewhere, warmer conditions could cause soil to dry out, reducing plant productivity and decreasing vegetation rapidly, however.

Warmer, wetter weather is likely to cause an overall increase in vegetation in temperate places like Britain, scientists believe

While the more likely result  an increase in vegetation  may not be considered a negative, the fact that big ecological changes could take place is itself a concerning finding.

The general expected trend towards warmer, wetter weather is likely to cause an overall increase in vegetation in temperate places like Great Britain, said Dr Chris Boulton of the Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter.

However, we wanted to find out whether even smooth climate change might lead to abrupt shifts in vegetation.

A lot of research has focused on tipping points in large systems like rainforests and oceans.

Our study doesn't predict abrupt shifts across the whole of Great Britain  0.5-1.5 per cent of the land area depending on the climate scenario  but it shows numerous shifts can happen on a localised level.

Warmer conditions could cause soil to dry out, reducing plant productivity and decreasing vegetation rapidly

The research team said there is a widespread expectation that future climate change, caused by the emission of greenhouse gases by human activity, poses a threat to species and could cause abrupt changes in some ecosystems.

Climate change may already have contributed to abrupt shifts in land-based ecosystems, notably widespread forest dieback  the progressive death of trees and shrubs starting at the tips  and increased wildfires preventing forest regeneration.

Climate change models have generally predicted abrupt climate changes in the savanna around the equator and tundra regions at the poles.

Dramatic changes to tundra and savanna regions  vast, open areas that contain unique biodiversity  could alter the global carbon balance and climate system.

This is because woody plants store carbon, provide fuel for fires and influence how much of the suns heat is reflected back into space.

However, the potential for large-scale shifts in shifts in temperate ecosystems, such as Britain, is less recognised, they said.

Different simulations reveals the areas of Britain with decreases in vegetation in yellow and increases in green

To learn more, the University of Exeter team studied the country in high resolution, using models to examine the local impacts of 'smooth' climate change.

'We refer to "smooth" climate change as being climate change that doesnt have any abrupt change in it,' said Dr Boulton.

'This is to differentiate it from the abrupt changes we observe in vegetation as a response to these smooth changes. '

The team found that even smooth climate change could lead to sudden changes in the amount of vegetation in some places  including around London.

Depending on the scenario, between 374 and 1,144 grid cells, each 0.9 miles squared (1.5 km squared), comprising between 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent of Britain's land area, show abrupt shifts in vegetation.

Regardless of where they are, the fact they happen in the first place is the important findings, as another model could show shifts occurring in other places.

We didn't expect to see hundreds of localised abrupt shifts in the projections, said Professor Tim Lenton, director of the Global Systems Institute.

Up to now, climate-driven abrupt shifts in vegetation have been rare in Great Britain.

Our results should not be taken as specific predictions of where abrupt ecosystem change will happen.

But they serve to illustrate that it could happen across Great Britain in a changing climate.

The team also found early warning statistical indicators of the abrupt shifts, which shows the potential for being able to predict them in the real world, according to Dr Boulton.

In their study, the team didn't single out specific types of vegetation, although the shifts were detected in woodlands and grasslands.

Dr Boulton said that while there aren't downsides to more vegetation, the main concern is 'the climate under which these changes occur'.

'As for having more vegetation it will store more carbon from the atmosphere  but not enough to counteract the increases in the first place,' he said.

'It may suggest that arable farming would benefit as vegetation grows more easily.'

The study has been published in Global Change Biology.
HENDERSON  Nebraska State Troopers arrested a Lincoln man who was wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred just after midnight Thursday in Grand Island. The arrest is the result of an 18-hour search for the suspect between Aurora and Henderson.

At approximately 12:50 a.m., Thursday, a trooper observed a Chevrolet Trailblazer traveling eastbound on Interstate 80 near Aurora. The vehicle matched the description of one being sought by the Grand Island Police Department in connection with a shooting that occurred approximately 30 minutes earlier, according to the Nebraska State Patrol.

The trooper initiated a traffic stop near mile marker 335. Two occupants of the vehicle were quickly taken into custody, but a third occupant fled the traffic stop on foot. Additional troopers and Hamilton County Sheriffs Deputies arrived on scene to search the area. The person who fled the traffic stop was identified as the suspect of the shooting currently under investigation by Grand Island Police.
The government has been accused of sending further mixed messages after the Taoiseach said schools would reopen in August.

Leo Varadkar said that schools would reopen as normal at the beginning of the school year, but it "may be necessary to phase in" pupils.

Minister for Education Joe McHugh said on Thursday morning, that he did not see how schools could reopen as normal due to social distancing guidelines and risk from Covid-19, and later on RTE's Prime Time, said he would not accept a "half return" to schools.

However, the Taoiseach said today that the government were: "certainly working towards a target which we believe we will achieve of opening primary and secondary schools at the beginning of the new school year, at the end of August.

That might not mean that every student is able to return every day for the full day, but our objective is to have things as close to normal as possible.

The government say that provided the virus doesn't make a comeback between now and then, primary schools and secondary schools will open in August in line with the normal school reopening.

Mr Varadkar added it was "still too early" to talk about whether schools would have to abide by two-metre social distancing rule, which poses further questions about capacity in schools and the number of children who would be able to attend.

He added: "It may be necessary to phase in primary schools and secondary schools, our objective is to open them as fully and as soon as possible for all kids."

"When we published our plan to be open society and business, we indicated that schools would open at the beginning of the new academic year, that was always the plan."

Mr Varadkar said the move to reopen schools was "low risk, but not no risk".

Political rivals have criticised the government's lack of consistency on the message.

Labour's Education spokesman Aodhan O Riordain said: "The inability of government to give clear messaging is beyond frustrating".

Sinn Fein's Donnchadh O Laoghaire said that the "confusion being created" by the government in last 48 hours is "beyond a joke", adding that parents are "besides themselves".
Pipers are being asked to join a tribute to the Heroes of St Valery (Mark Owens/Poppyscotland/PA)

Hundreds of pipers around the world will join in playing a tribute to thousands of Scots who were killed or captured during the forgotten Dunkirk 80 years ago.

More than 200 pipers from 16 countries have so far signed up to take to their doorsteps and play the pipers march Heroes of St Valery at 10am on June 12 in memory of those caught up in the conflict.

On that date in 1940, just days after the successful mass evacuations at Dunkirk, thousands of British troops remained in continental Europe under French command and were eventually surrounded at St-Valery-en-Caux.

A flotilla of ships sent to rescue the soldiers could not reach them due to fog and the proximity of German artillery above the town.

Those who were not killed in the fierce fighting or had fallen to their deaths from the cliffs trying to escape were captured and marched hundreds of miles to prisoner of war camps in eastern Europe.

Together with @LegionScotland and @RCET_Scot , were asking pipers to join us in commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of St Valery-en-Caux on the 12th of June. #StValery80



Find out more about this day and sign up here https://t.co/ikSDQokTVH pic.twitter.com/q9WSjOEhkX  Poppyscotland (@poppyscotland) May 21, 2020

Willie Armstrong, one of the founding members of Celtic rock band The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, is one of those who will be playing on June 12.

Mr Armstrong, who served in the Royal Navy for four years and is a retired fire service officer, said: Im delighted to be involved and its amazing to see the global piping community come together for such an important commemoration, especially alongside charities that are very close to my heart.

Heroes of St Valery is a tune Ive been playing for decades. It is going to be incredibly moving to play Donald MacLeans iconic march exactly 80 years on from when he was captured at the Battle of St Valery.

More than 200 pipers have registered to take part in just over a week, and Im really hopeful that more will sign up in the coming days.

Lewis-born Pipe Major Donald MacLean enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders in 1940 and was subsequently attached to the 51st Highland Division.

After the division was forced to surrender on June 12 1940 following a final battle at St-Valery-en-Caux, a fishing port west of Dieppe, he survived a forced march from France to Poland and was held as a prisoner of war for the remainder of the conflict.

He went on to compose Heroes of St Valery to commemorate those who fought and fell there.

As we can see, people across the world are moved by the story and want to commemorate together Neil McLennan, RCET

Legion Scotland, Poppyscotland and Royal Caledonian Education Trust: Scotlands Armed Forces Childrens Charity (RCET) have joined forces to organise the tribute.

Neil McLennan, University of Aberdeen director of leadership programmes and RCET director, has been convening the St Valery 80th Commemorations Committee.

Organisers are hoping it could end up being the biggest-ever pipe-playing event in history.

He said: We have been overwhelmed by the response so far. There are pipers signed up from as far afield as Peru and Singapore, with scores more joining up every day.

He added: Due to the global pandemic this will be a virtual rather than physical event, but, given the level of interest we have received to date, our hope is that it will be the largest mass playing of the pipes ever.

The events at St Valery in 1940 have never received the level of recognition we believe they should but we hope this years commemoration will put that right and ensure the Forgotten 51st are forgotten no more.

As we can see, people across the world are moved by the story and want to commemorate together.

To register interest in taking part, and to access the sheet music, pipers are being asked to visit www.poppyscotland.org.uk/st-valery.
An outbreak at an Arkansas church killed three and infected dozens, according to a CDC report. The outbreak began after a pastor at the church and his wife attended church events during six days in early March and spread the virus. At least 35 of 92 attendees at church events became infected, including the three who died, all over the age of 65. An additional 26 infections and one death in the community were probably linked to contact with people infected at the church events, according to the report.
In Nevada, election officials have not directly addressed reports of unattended ballots found ahead of the primary, and it is unclear how pervasive the problem has been. But those who administer the vote  Republicans and Democrats alike  have said there are sufficient security measures in place to prevent fraud, such as a requirement that signatures on mailed ballots match those on file with the state, unique bar codes that track the receipt of ballots and a prohibition on ballots being returned by third parties.
NSW Police, hailed as one of the largest police organisations in the English speaking world, has finally shown HCL Notes the door, completing a move to the Microsoft Office 365 collaboration platform.

For those of us who are old enough to remember (not this author), Lotus Notes was originally created by Lotus Development Corporation in 1989 and purchased by IBM in 1995 before being sold  along with several other software products  to HCL in July last year.

Since last year, NSW Polices chief information and technology officer, Gordon Dunsford and his team have been moving staff to Office 365, as well as modernising core police systems that have mostly resided on an IBM mainframe since the early 1990s.

Its thought that NSW Police was one of the last organisations in Australia to be actively using the email software. If it is indeed the last, its not an honour NSW Police is proud of, Dunsford admitted during a CIO Executive Council webcast on Thursday.

We are all off it as we speak; we got off it literally in the last week and at the same time  in parallel  we rolled out Teams very quickly, he told CIO.

Dunsford said that up to 12,000 of its 23,000 staff were using Notes at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year and the initial plan was to get staff off the platform and onto Office 365 by around August.

We accelerated things and got [tools] like Team Rooms set up now and all sorts of bits and pieces which are allowing police to really start to do that work from anywhere [and at] anytime from their laptop wherever they are. So it has really opened up the world there, he said.

There are a lot of young cops coming through who are used to the Tinder and Facebook experiences that people get, swipe left and right, thats what I want, thats the crook or thats the good guy.

They want that experience and thats where we are going with our new platform whether its iPos [a system for core police functions], what we are doing with Salesforce and ServiceNow as well so we are absolutely trying to provide that experience.

But Dunsford admitted the move to Office 365 has been challenging for older police officers who are used to Lotus Notes and its ADABAS Natural, IBM mainframe platform, while the younger guys have no idea what it is.

At the end of the day, you have a trainee probationary constable coming through, they look at the mainframe and Notes and ask, what the hell is that?'

Dunsford previously told CIO Australia that police in cars and other vehicles are not typically heavy email users.

We run strikeforces like [Strike Force] Blast, like Toronto, which is the bushfire strikeforce  they are all in a strikeforce team room now so essentially they collaborate in that room and do all the things they do in terms of collecting notes and so forth. Its a new way of working for them in terms of how they do investigations management, Dunsford said in April.
KYODO NEWS - May 29, 2020 - 14:45 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

The city of Kitakyushu in Japan's southwest said Friday it has been hit by a second wave of coronavirus infections following a recent surge in the number of new cases.

"I recognize that we are in the middle of the second wave," Mayor Kenji Kitahashi told a meeting of the city's response team, in a development that came only a few days after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the state of emergency over the pandemic this week.

The city in Fukuoka Prefecture had no confirmed cases from April 30 to May 22, but saw a surge of 43 cases in a period of six days through Thursday, 21 of which were reported the same day alone.

In Tokyo, economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters that infection routes for only around half of the 43 cases have been traced so far. He said he will report this to the government's expert panel and continue to investigate.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference that the central government is not considering re-declaring a state of emergency in Fukuoka, where a total of 199 cases had been reported by Thursday.

Kitakyushu has said it suspects cluster infections had occurred at two medical facilities in the city.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has already dispatched a response team to the city to look into the situation and take countermeasures.

Fukuoka Gov. Hiroshi Ogawa told reporters, "I'm very surprised and have a strong sense of crisis."

The prefecture is set to lift its request for business closures on Monday completely. But, the governor said he would like to await analysis by the ministry's response team before deciding whether to end restrictions as scheduled.
The priest

An Indian priest has been arrested for beheading a man in his shrine to offer as a sacrifice to end the Coronavirus pandemic in India, Gulf News reports.

70-year-old Sansari Ojha from the Brahmani Dei Temple cut off 52-year-old Saroj Kumar Pradhans head , told police that he killed him after he was ordered by a goddess in his dream to sacrifice a human in order to bring an end to the pandemic in India.

Police said he beheaded Pradhan with an axe on Wednesday night in the temples shrine after an argument ensued between them.

Detective Ashish Kumar Singh said Ojha was heavily drunk at the time and surrendered to police the following day after realizing what he had done.

According to him, Ojha claimed he was ordered by a goddess in his dream to sacrifice a human in order to bring an end to the pandemic.

Alok Ranjan Ray, Athagarh sub-divisional police officer, said: The priest claimed that he saw a goddess in his dream and was asked to sacrifice a humans life to bring an end to coronavirus.

Hence, to appease the goddess, he decapitated the man, he told Gulf News.

Police say after an investigation, they discovered that both men were known to be smoking marijuana before the attack.

Mr. Pradhans body has been sent for an autopsy while the murder weapon has been seized from the shrine by Police.
In 2017, a Minneapolis police officer shot and killed Justine Damond, an Australian woman who had called police about what she believed was a possible sexual assault near her home. Mohamed Noor, the officer involved, shot Damond through an open window when she approached the police car and was convicted of murder last year, becoming one of the relatively few officers sentenced for killing someone on duty.
Police investigations into the death of four-year-old Willow Dunn will look to establish whether anybody else was responsible for her care, amid allegations she suffered "sustained mistreatment" during her short life.

Emergency services found Willow dead at a home in Bent Street, Cannon Hill, about 9.20am on Monday after receiving a triple-zero call.

The girl's father, 43-year-old Mark James Dunn, was charged with one count of murder on Monday night.

Police allege Mr Dunn, born in Auckland, murdered the girl two days earlier, "on or about" Saturday May 23, court documents show.
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
Sydney, May 29 : An Australian zookeeper has sustained critical injuries to her head and neck after being mauled by a lion at a zoon in New South Wales (NSW) state on Friday.

Ambulance personnel who entered the lion enclosure at the Shoalhaven Zoo described the situation as "harrowing", reports Xinhua news agency The woman, believed to be in her 30s, was working within the lion enclosure when the attack occurred.

Police and several ambulance crews were on scene, treating the woman for bites and lacerations before airlifting her to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Medical teams placed themselves at extreme risk by entering the enclosure in order to provide life saving assistance.

"The attack was extremely vicious and paramedics found the woman with severe injuries," duty operations Manager for NSW Ambulance, Inspector Faye Stockmen said.

"Being the first to walk into the enclosure was one of the most frightening experiences - we literally had to walk into a lion's den." Shoalhaven Zoo, which is roughly 118 km south of Sydney, is currently closed due to COVID-19 pandemic but allows visitors the option of a close-up feeding experience with the four resident lions.

"Have the experience of a lifetime getting close to our Big Cats. Feel their power and majesty as you get to feed them with the help of one of our keepers," the zoo's website states.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
None of Frances three most famous tourist sites will reopen when the country lifts most of its remaining coronavirus lockdown restrictions next week.

The Mona Lisa will remain locked away from public view in the Louvre while the Eiffel Tower and Palace of Versailles will also stay off limits.

Some of Europes other major cultural sites are also taking their time to reopen.

The Eiffel Tower likely will not be able to reopen before the second half of June, according to Stephane Dieu, a labour representative for the monuments staff.

He said they still need to fine tune with the sites management how to protect employees and visitors and to maintain social distancing.

Expand Close A woman wearing a protective face mask walks next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris (Francois Mori/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A woman wearing a protective face mask walks next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris (Francois Mori/AP)

For the moment, its not possible with all of the best will in the world, Mr Dieu said.

When the tower does reopen, sightseers seeking breathtaking views of Paris may be in for a stair workout: the lifts that usually whisk visitors to the three different levels will likely remain closed, Mr Dieu said.

At the Louvre Museum, managers have told workers they are aiming to reopen some time between the end of June and mid-July, said Andre Sacristin, a labour representative who has been involved in the planning discussions.

When the museum reopens, there will be strict public hygiene rules and visiting the Louvre will not at all be as it was before. Thats impossible, Mr Sacristin said.

He said he expects everyone, staff members and visitors, will have to wear face masks.

Expand Close A woman walks past the closed Chateau de Versailles (Michel Euler/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A woman walks past the closed Chateau de Versailles (Michel Euler/AP)

About 20%-30% of the museums rooms might be closed but of course the Mona Lisa will be open, Mr Sacristin said.

Details will be ironed out in further meetings between management and staff.

The Versailles Palace, the former home of Frances kings, also will not reopen on Tuesday, when most of the remaining lockdown restrictions are lifted in France.

The palace said a date for reopening has not yet been decided.

Adapting major tourists draws to coronavirus imperatives is taking time elsewhere, too.

Expand Close The Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain (Andrew Matthews/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain (Andrew Matthews/PA)

In Madrid, the Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen museums, the so-called triangle of the arts, are scheduled to jointly reopen on June 6, two weeks after they were officially allowed to welcome visitors again.

Initially, some of their exhibition space will remain closed and visitor numbers will be limited to 30% of their size before the pandemic.

While smaller Spanish museums were quick to reopen this month, major ones said they needed more time to prepare protective gear for staff, temperature checks for visitors and crowd-control measures.

The Prado, the crown jewel of Spanish museums, housing works by Francisco de Goya, Diego de Velazquez and other masters, has been shut since March 11, its longest closure in eight decades, since the 1936-1939 Civil War.

The slogan chosen by the museum for its re-opening is Re-encounter.
Minneapolis  Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said he just received information that the officer identified as Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd has been taken into custody by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

There was no more information on charging, because thats in the jurisdiction of the Hennepin County attorney, Harrington said.

County Attorney Mike Freeman announced a news conference for 1 p.m. Friday at the Ridgedale Public Library to announce a major development in the case.

Harrington only mentioned that one officer had been arrested; no word yet on the other three Minneapolis police officers who have been fired.

A somber Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz vowed to restore order Friday after a third night of protests and violence in response to George Floyds death in police custody led to the breach and destruction of a Minneapolis police precinct and dozens of other buildings across the city.

What the world has witnessed since the killing of George Floyd on Monday has been a visceral pain, a community trying to understand who we are and where we go from here, he said. We have to restore order to our society before we can start addressing the issues, before we turn back to where we should be spending our energy: making sure justice is served.

Walz, who activated the National Guard on Thursday to respond to the unrest, acknowledged that the rampage that left hundreds of stores looted and a major Minneapolis police precinct house torched was one of our darkest chapters. He also called authorities inability to control the widespread fires and vandalism Thursday night an abject failure.

He also publicly apologized to CNN President Jeff Zucker for the arrests of a television crew that had been covering the protests on Lake Street early Friday. Walz said he spoke to Zucker and immediately intervened to release the journalists, who were arrested on live television. I take full responsibility, Walz said, adding that the TV crews detention by State Patrol had been inexcusable.

Jon Jensen, the adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard, said there was a lack of clarity on the mission of the Guard in responding to the protests ahead of time. He had some concerns before were even dispatched. We never got such mission description.

Walz and other state and city leaders were silent for much of the previous evening, leading to widespread criticism that they werent doing enough to respond to the fires and destruction happening across the city.

President Donald Trump weighed in, criticizing the city for a total lack of leadership and saying he would send in the federal troops to get the job done right.

Walz called Trumps remarks, including a tweet that referred to shooting looters, as unhelpful.

Minnesota House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, raised concerns about the coming weekend. There has been a disturbing lack of leadership and clear plan on how were going to prevent further chaos with the weekend approaching, he said in a statement. City and state leaders knew that there would be more looting and riots last night, but took no visible steps to prevent the destruction.

Republican Party Chair Jennifer Carnahan said Minneapolis is in a state of disorder. Its traumatizing and scary and sad and depressing and devastating, she said. Our leaders @GovTimWalz and Mayor Frey have disappeared. How long will it take to undo this damage?

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey held a news conference shortly after 1 a.m. and said the decision to evacuate the 3rd Police Precinct in Minneapolis was his to protect the lives of officers and protesters.

This is one of the most difficult situations that our city has been through, he said. Im not going to stand up here to tell you that there are easy answers to it.

Democratic leaders in the Legislature, however, expressed frustration about a news conference called Thursday afternoon by U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, where they promised a robust investigation but did not announce any charges.

The county attorney needs to file charges and the officers must be arrested as soon as possible, House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler tweeted. The case must be won, and legal standards met in order to get a conviction, but we need to have a clear statement that a murder trial is coming. Now.

State Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington called Floyds death at the hands of police a murder during a morning press conference with the governor. Thats what it looked like to me.
People socialising over the bank holiday weekend have been urged to keep track of who they meet.

Health officials say it will quicken the contract tracing process if people subsequently test positive for coronavirus.

The combination of the bank holiday, forecast good weather and opportunities offered by lockdown relaxations is predicted to see more people out and about over the coming days.

On Friday, Galway City Council moved to close off some popular visitor locations amid concerns about large numbers gathering.

Expand Close Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said keeping a record would help speed up contract tracing if it was required (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said keeping a record would help speed up contract tracing if it was required (Niall Carson/PA)

At the daily National Public Health Emergency Team briefing, deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said: We do recognise that people are out and about that little bit more, particularly with the bank holiday weekend and particularly with the good weather.

If they are meeting people, in as much as possible, if they could keep a record of who they are meeting that would help in the event of their confirmed cases.

That would help the public health teams and their contract tracers to make contact more quickly and ensure, in so far as possible, that spread is stopped.

In order to ensure social distancing, a number of areas across the city have been closed off/ restricted until further notice:



-Silverstrand has been closed off to cars

-The Claddagh Basin and the Spanish Arch have been closed off



(1/2) pic.twitter.com/KBvQxg8Fzf  Galway City Council (@GalwayCityCo) May 29, 2020

Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan urged people to keep up the high levels of compliance with the lockdown rules.

Moving into next week, I would urge everyone to look back at the progress we have made over the past number of weeks and maintain our efforts to suppress Covid-19 into the future, he said.

Dr Siobhan Ni Bhriain, the HSEs integrated care lead, added: As we emerge out of our homes social distancing can pose real challenges for all, especially those in our vulnerable groups who may be enjoying the outdoors for the first time in weeks.

Protect each other by keeping a two-metre distance.
IPUT, one of Ireland's largest institutional property investors, has increased its revolving credit facility (RCF) by 50m to 300m.

The RCF, which is with Wells Fargo Bank, includes a 200m green component. This is the largest green credit facility in the Irish real estate market.

IPUT, the largest owner of offices in Dublin, also raised an additional 200m in the US private placement market earlier this year.

As a result of the two transactions the weighted average maturity of the companys debt has increased to seven and a half years from three years, with a loan-to-value ratio of 7pc.

Last year IPUT became the first Irish property company to sign the UN Principles for Responsible Investment.

The 200m green component of the RCF will be used to finance projects which meet a defined set of sustainability criteria under IPUTs Green Finance Framework.

The criteria include a minimum LEED Gold equivalent rating for environmental efficiency, a defined improvement in a buildings BER rating and, a range of other renewable and energy efficiency metrics, according to a statement from the company.

Niall Gaffney, CEO of IPUT Real Estate, said: Our 200m green facility will contribute to the funding of the development at our Wilton Park estate.

As we begin the phased exit from Covid-19 restrictions, we are excited to be back on site at both our Tropical Fruit Warehouse and Wilton Park developments, adding what will be two landmark office schemes to Dublins CBD, Mr Gaffney added.

IPUT's 600,000 sq. ft. Wilton Park development has been fully pre-let to LinkedIn.
NORTH ORANGE COUNTY, CA - MAY 27: A tagged female of two parent bald eagles takes flight from a branch high in a tree not far from its nest in north Orange County containing two juvenile eagles Wednesday, May 27, 2020. The blue $85 tag indicates it is part of the Institute for Wildlife Studies project to rebuild the bald eagle population on the Channel Islands, was hatched in 2013 at Santa Rosa Island and given the name La'i. Neighbors say it's the third year the bald eagles have returned to the area to raise chicks. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) (Please note: Do not to disclose the location of the nest so the bald eagles would not be disturbed.) (Allen J. Schaben/Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

For the last three years, two bald eagles have landed in a north Orange County neighborhood where they have built a nest and tended to eggs in an old, dead tree perched near a gully.

As the world has grappled with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the eagles' recent arrival has been a source of optimism and joy for the neighborhood.

Its just beautiful to see nature thriving in the era of COVID. Life goes on, area resident Mary Cramer said.

Cramer, 65, recently held a socially distant viewing party in her backyard for neighbors who wanted to take a closer look at the eagles that are perched in a tree about 25 feet from her property. Everyone brought their own lawn chairs, fanned out and sat in the driveway to observe.

Its not been uncommon for small groups of neighbors to gather for socially distant cocktail hours and potlucks over the last several weeks, Cramer said. When a group watched the eagles fly over the neighborhood, Cramer suggested the next get-together take place at her home, where the birds are stationed.

A juvenile bald eagle perches on a branch in north Orange County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Cramer has lived at her house with her husband for the last 22 years and said that the eagles are the most majestic creatures shes spotted in the area. An entrepreneur who typically works from home, even before California issued its stay-at-home orders, the view from her workspace gives her a clear shot of the eagles that allows her to observe their whereabouts each day.

Carol Hemminger, another resident of the area, has spotted hummingbirds, egrets, herons and hawks  but these are the only eagles she's seen in the neighborhood in the three decades she's lived there.

Hemminger, 68, is a retired chemist with Aerospace Corp. She spends much of her time outside  especially now, when so many social gathering spots are under lockdown.

"Its certainly a stress reliever to be outdoors," she said. "You can remember that not everything has been turned on its head."

She ventured to see the eagles for the first time in March. From her binoculars, she said she could also see two chicks in the nest.

Story continues

"They were already big enough that you could see them popping up along the nest," she said. The young birds hopped up on the limbs of the tree and craned their necks. On Monday, Hemminger visited the nest area again but didn't see the young birds  a sign that they've likely taken flight.

Bald eagles typically live between 15 and 20 years. Their first flights can typically start at nine or 10 weeks of age, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The adult females wings are visibly tagged, identifying her as a resident of the Channel Islands. Like whales who swim the waters and return to familiar areas, Cramer believes the birds are attracted to the areas wilderness, which is home to coyotes, possums, a riverbed of fish and plenty of varmint to catch.

The decline in traffic and the increase in more people being at home for longer periods of time doesnt seem to have affected the birds behavior, or any other creatures in the area, Cramer said.

The animals cant tell any difference.
The European Commission (EC) has approved the disbursement of the second and final 500 million euro ($555 million) tranche of its macro-financial assistance to Ukraine.

The EC, the executive arm of the European Union, said on May 29 that the money will be paid out in the coming fortnight after Brussels noted its satisfaction with Ukrainian reforms in several sectors, including banking, energy, and health care.

The first tranche, also worth 500 million euros, was released in December 2018.

With the latest installment, the EU has provided Kyiv with 3.8 billion euros of macro-financial assistance loans since 2014, when Russia illegally annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and started backing separatists in a war in the eastern part of the country that has killed more than 13,000 people.

This summer, the bloc is also expecting to disburse a separate loan worth 1.2 billion euros to Ukraine to help the country with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier on May 29, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said that he expects the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to approve a $5 billion loan package for the country next week.
A person wearing a protective face mask as a precaution against the coronavirus walks past stuttered businesses in Philadelphia, Thursday, May 7, 2020. Nearly 3.2 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the business shutdowns caused by the viral outbreak deepened the worst U.S. economic catastrophe in decades. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Read more

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolfs push to move Philadelphia to the yellow phase of reopening has met with skepticism among city officials. None of the five counties in the Philly area are close to meeting the low rate of new infections that the governor initially said was needed before restarting parts of the economy. "The one thing we are trying to make sure doesnt happen here is that we move too rapidly, Mayor Jim Kenney said.

 Lauren Aguirre (@laurencaguirre, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

The business shutdowns forced by the coronavirus pandemic have put tens of millions of Americans out of work, pushing unemployment to historic levels not seen since the Great Depression. It seems like every week, theres a new grim statistic about the labor market.

It can definitely get confusing, but my colleague Christian Hetrick explains what you need to know about how the government tracks and measures unemployment so you can better understand the pandemics economic impact.

Despite efforts by national and state Republican Party officials to encourage mail voting during the pandemic, Pennsylvania Republicans dont want to do it. As of Thursday morning, hundreds of thousands more Democrats in the state have requested mail ballots for the June 2 primary.

Election experts say that while fraud occurs more frequently in absentee voting than in person, its still very rare. Five states already conduct elections primarily by mail, but widespread mail voting is a newer thing in Pennsylvania.

The pandemic has redefined what the summer of 2020 will be. Big, crowd-drawing events have been canceled, and from rec centers to public pools, many other summer activities have been put on hold. But never underestimate the ability of Philadelphians to find a workaround.

Residents are already adapting their summer rituals to coronavirus realities. My colleague Inga Saffron explores life during the pandemic, and what Philly is doing to adjust as summer begins to heat up.

What you need to know today

Through your eyes | #OurPhilly

Now, this is a very good dog who deserves a lot of love. Thanks for sharing, @hamiltonthehotdog!

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and well pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!

Thats interesting

Opinions

There are few silver linings to come out of this crisis, but we should embrace those that exist. Clean air. Reduced noise pollution. Return of nature. Appreciation of being outside. These are not things we want to lose. With a reprioritization of our street space, we can keep all these things.  writes Nick Zuwiala-Rogers with the Clean Air Council, and Jennifer Barr Dougherty, chair of Feet First Philly, on Philly missing its chance to be a leader in safe social distancing by not closing streets.

Behind The Inquirer

Every day this week, were taking you behind the scenes of the Inquirer newsroom to learn more about what we do and how we do it. If you missed yesterdays edition, you can find it here.

Today, were checking out our uplifting stories. We have a whole section devoted to them, called The Upside. We also have inspiring stories in our We the People series, which reporter Stephanie Farr describes as a profile series about the everyday people who make Philadelphia extraordinary.

Stephanie started the series in 2017 and has written more than 75 profiles since then. Heres what else she had to say about We the People:

As part of every installment of the series, I ask our readers to nominate someone for me to profile, since they know far more people than I do. Some of my favorite We the People profiles have come from reader suggestions, like Pete the Groin Crusher, a hemostasis tech at Pennsylvania Hospital, and Wynnifred Franklin, a 94-year-old baker who works six days a week at a Giant supermarket. Philly is an incredible city because of its people, and I love telling their incredible stories.

Check this out: You can send your story ideas for We the People to reporter Stephanie Farr directly at farrs@phillynews.com.

On Sunday, well have our final day of taking you behind the scenes at The Inquirer. Well be getting a little meta and talking more about our newsletters  right inside this newsletter.

Let us know what you think about this series by replying to this email, or sending a note to morningnewsletter@inquirer.com.

Your Daily Dose of | Philly fishing

Johnathan Pierce of Roxborough caught his white whale  so to speak. He has hunted Pylodictis olivaris, the flathead catfish, for a decade on the Schuylkill, but he ended up with more than he bargained for. Pierces flathead, officially weighing 56.3 pounds, will likely shatter the state record. But certifying the record isnt so simple. Certified scales must be used, the fishing gear documented. Sometimes, witnesses are interviewed. In some states, even lie detector tests have been used to rule out catches.
Amid Sanctions, Flynn Tried to Salvage Anti-Terror Cooperation With Russia, Transcripts Show

Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn urged for cool heads to prevail in a phone call with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in December 2016, it has been revealed. The highly anticipated transcripts of the calls he made show he emphasized both countries needed to cooperate on counter-terrorism efforts and it was thus important for Russia to not further escalate the situation sparked by the Obama administrations expulsion of Russian intelligence officers.

Flynn, who was the point man for foreign contacts on president-elect Donald Trumps transition team, was worried that the Obama administration could thwart Trumps plan of working with Russia on issues in the Middle East, one of the transcripts indicates.

Do not uh, allow this administration to box us in, right now, okay? he said during a Dec. 29, 2016, call.

After Kislyaks affirmation that the message was conveyed by Russia very specifically and transparently, openly, the transcript continues:

FLYNN: So, you know, depending on, depending on what uh, actions they take over this current issue of the cyber stuff, you know, where theyre looking like theyre gonna, theyre gonna dismiss some number of Russians out of the country, I understand all that and I understand that that, you know, the information that they have and all that, but what I would ask Russia to do is to not  is  is  if anything  because I know you have to have some sort of action  to, to only make it reciprocal. Make it reciprocal. Dont  dont make it- dont go any further than you have to. Because I dont want us to get into something that has to escalate, on a, you know, on a tit for tat. You follow me, Ambassador?

KISLYAK: I understand what youre saying, but you know, you might appreciate the sentiments that are raging now in Moscow.

FLYNN: I know, I  believe me, I do appreciate it, I very much appreciate it. But I really dont want us to get into a situation where were going, you know~ where we do this and then you do something bigger, and then you know, everybodys got to go back and forth and everybodys got to be the tough guy here, you know? We dont need to, we dont need that right now, we need to- we need cool heads to prevail, and uh, and we need to be very steady about what were going to do because we have absolutely a common uh, threat in the Middle East right now.

The transcripts were released by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) on May 29 shortly after then-Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell declassified them.

Flynn, former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency during the Obama administration and former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty in December 2017 to one count of lying during an FBI interview about his calls with Kislyak.

In January, Flynn disavowed his plea, saying he didnt recall talking to the ambassador about sanctions and didnt intentionally lie.

Indeed, Flynn didnt mention sanctions per se in the calls, though he spoke about the expulsions, which President Barack Obama announced together with the sanctions on Dec. 29, 2016.

At one point, Kislyak brought up the sanctions imposed on Russian intelligence agencies, the FSB, and GRU:

FLYNN: We have to eliminate this common threat [in the Middle East].

KISLYAK: We agree. One of the problems among the measures that have been announced today is that now FSB and GRU are sanctions, are sanctioned, and I ask myself, uh, does it mean that the United States isnt willing to work on terrorist threats?

FLYNN: Yeah, yeah.

KISLYAK: Because thats the people who are exactly, uh, fighting the terrorists.

FLYNN: Yeah, yeah, yep.

KISLYAK: So thats something that we have to deal with. But Ive heard what you say, and I certainly will try 

FLYNN: Yeah.

KISLYAK:  to get the people in Moscow to understand it.

FLYNN: Yeah.

Flynn then reiterated his request for a reciprocal response, warning that any escalation could lead to ultimately both countries shutting each others embassiesa move that would make cooperation more complicated.

Please make sure that its uh  the idea is, be  if you, if you have to do something, do something on a reciprocal basis, meaning you know, on a sort of an even basis. Then that, then that is a good message and well understand that message. And, and then, we know that were not going to escalate this thing, where we, where because if we put out- if we send out 30 guys and you send out 60, you know, or you shut down every Embassy, I mean we have to get this to a  lets, lets keep this at a level that uh is, is even-keeled, okay? ls even-keeled. And then what we can do is, when we come in, we can then have a better conversation about where, where were gonna go, uh, regarding uh, regarding our relationship. And also, basically we have to take these, these enemies on that we have. And we definitely have a common enemy. You have a problem with it, we have a problem with it in this country, and we definitely have a problem with it in the Middle East, he said.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) moved to drop Flynns case on May 7, saying the FBI interview wasnt based on a properly predicated investigation and thus the department couldnt prove beyond a reasonable doubt that what he said was material to a legitimate investigation.

District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who presides over Flynns case, has so far refused to affirm the dismissal and has instead laid out a schedule that would prolong the case for possibly months. He recently appointed former federal Judge John Gleeson as an amicus curiae (friend of the court) to present arguments in opposition to the governments Motion to Dismiss, as well as to address whether the court should make the defense explain why Flynn should not be held in criminal contempt for perjury.

Hes also signaled he may allow more amici to join the case.

Flynns lawyers, led by former federal prosecutor Sidney Powell, on May 19 filed a petition for a writ of mandamusa request to the District of Columbia appeals court to order Sullivan to accept the case dismissal, cancel the Gleeson appointment, and assign the case to another judge.

In a rare move, the appeals court ordered Sullivan on May 21 to respond to Flynns petition within 10 days.

Lt. General Flynn, his legal team, the judge and the American people can now see with their own eyesfor the first timethat all of the innuendo about Lt. General Flynn this whole time was totally bunk, Grassley commented in a May 29 release. There was nothing improper about his call, and the FBI knew it.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has banned white-collar workers from returning to their offices and threatened fines for any boss who ignores the rules.

He has also urged workers to report any boss who prevents them from working at home.

Mr Andrews said that police will be checking offices to make sure employers do not breach the health order which lasts until the end of June.

The move has infuriated Victorian Liberal MPs who believe his 'heavy-handed' approach is holding back economic recovery.

Mr Andrews has been the strictest premier throughout the COVID-19 crisis, even refusing to re-open schools when federal health officials said it was safe.

James Newbury, Liberal MP for Brighton, told Daily Mail Australia: 'Victorians have stopped listening to Daniel Andrews because he has been too heavy handed.

'His approach will lead to a deeper recession in Victoria than other states. Today he has threatened people for daring to question his direction.

'The threats are disturbing and certainly not the sign of good leadership'.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured in China's Tiananmen Square) has banned white-collar workers from returning to their officers

Mr Andrews said that police will be checking offices to make sure employers do not breach the health order which lasts until the end of June

Some Liberal MPs, including Tim Smith, have dubbed Mr Andrews 'Chairman Dan' after he signed his state up to China's Belt and Road Initiative in October without approval from the federal government.

Chinese leaders were known as chairman until 1982 when the word president was used instead.

Announcing the new policy this morning, Mr Andrews said: 'There will be spot checks and things like that.

'If we had a business that was essentially ignoring or seeking to ignore the clear advice and the orders... I think a staff member would probably ring up and indicate that they are not comfortable with this.'

From Monday, the obligation for employers to keep their staff working from home will now be included in the Chief Health Officer's directions.

It means businesses could be fined for not enabling staff to continue working from home.

Mr Andrew said: 'This is an absolute requirement. If you have been working from home, you must continue to work from home. There is no option but to do this.'

Victoria recorded seven new cases of the virus on Thursday, including pupil in Melbourne's northwest whose school has been closed.

Mr Andrews said public transport in the city was 18 per cent full but he wanted this figure down to 15 per cent.

Victoria has banned people working from home from returning to their offices

Daniel Andrews' deal with China In October last year, the Victorian Labor government signed an agreement with China under the country's Belt and Road Initiative to develop infrastructure and invest overseas. Premier Andrews wants to increase Chinese participation in Victorian building projects, manufacturing, and trade. The Belt and Road Initiative is a Chinese government strategy to build infrastructure and invest abroad, with deals signed all over the world. But critics say it is a tool to expand influence and power across the globe. Pictured: Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Premier Li Keqiang on May 22 Federal Liberal MP Andrew Hastie told Daily Mail Australia that Mr Andrews had 'gone off the reservation by conducting his own foreign policy with China'. As trade tensions with China mount, Mr Andrews has been urged to scrap the agreement, which he claims creates jobs for Victorians. Michael Schoebridge of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said: 'The Victorian government's BRI activities are simply out of step with the new international and economic environment, including the now openly coercive directions that Beijing is taking with Canberra over trade and in government relations.' Victorian Labor senator Kimberley Kitching, chair of the Senate Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade References Committee, said: 'The Victorian government should not have entered into an agreement with the Chinese government on the Belt and Road Initiative - it is bad policy and bad optics.' Advertisement

'If everyone tries to get back to office blocks and end their working from home arrangements we'll simply have too many people in close contact that will spread the virus,' he said.

'That will cause enormous challenges and could potentially lead to a second wave. That's what we're trying to avoid.'

Almost 6,000 Victorians have been fined for breaking coronavirus restrictions, triple the total of any other state.

There were seven new COVID-19 cases recorded in Victoria on Friday.

Three cases were discovered through routine testing, two were people in hotel quarantine after returning from overseas and two are still under investigation.

It brings the state's total number of cases to 1634 after a case was removed from the tally because of a data issue. About 70 cases remain active.

A school in Melbourne's northwest has closed after a student tested positive to coronavirus, a week after a teacher was also confirmed to be infected.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said Keilor Downs Secondary College will be closed for cleaning after a student tested positive to COVID-19.

'The student was probably infectious on-site on the 26th of this month and was notified yesterday,' he told reporters on Friday.

Keilor Downs College, in Melbourne's north-west, was shut for cleaning on Friday after the student returned a positive test result on Thursday

The student is associated with a family cluster announced on Thursday.

Professor Sutton said there is no evidence of a link between the student and the staff member who tested positive last Friday, as the teacher had no exposure to the school site.

However, a St Albans Secondary College student and six students at Taylors Lakes Secondary College have been identified as close contacts of the infected student, who attended a VET class while infected.

Those students, as well as any other known contacts, will enter a 14-day quarantine but their schools have not closed.

Professor Sutton said a mobile testing site will be established in Keilor Downs.

'This student has acquired it from a broader family group, but how that family group acquired it is under investigation,' he said.

'It might indicate that there are some low levels of transmission in or around Keilor Downs.'
Now that there are glimmers of hope for a coronavirus vaccine, governments, NGOs and others are hashing out plans for how vaccines could be distributed once they are available  and deciding who will get them first.

Why it matters: Potential game-changer vaccines will be sought after by everyone from global powers to local providers. After securing supplies, part of America's plan is to tap into its military know-how to distribute those COVID-19 vaccines.

How it works: In his May 15 announcement of Operation Warp Speed (OWS)  the official effort to accelerate the fight against the pandemic  President Trump said that "when a vaccine is ready, the U.S. government will deploy every plane, truck, and soldier required to help distribute it to the American people as quickly as possible."

"The military are, in essence ... a hyper-planning institution and they're logistics. And they have a reach and a capacity unlike other institutions," says Stephen Morrison, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

While specific details are unknown, according to Morrison and Andy Pekosz, professor of microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University, the effort may build upon the current seasonal flu vaccine system that distributes large numbers of vaccines to hospitals, clinics and providers over a short period of time. "That's the same framework we're going to want for COVID-19," Pekosz notes.

Morrison and Andy Pekosz, professor of microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University, the effort may build upon the current seasonal flu vaccine system that distributes large numbers of vaccines to hospitals, clinics and providers over a short period of time. "That's the same framework we're going to want for COVID-19," Pekosz notes. Some issues need to be thought out beforehand, says Pekosz. For one thing, people may need multiple doses, spaced weeks apart, and the whole process will likely take "many, many months."

Who gets the first vaccines will need to be prioritized under a rolling immunization protocol, which may initially target front-line health workers and high-risk groups, both Morrison and Pekosz said. Ensuring equitable access is also key.

Jonathan Moreno, a bioethicist at the University of Pennsylvania, tells Axios the CDC may release guidelines on how to prioritize the first group of vaccines.

He adds that the millions of military personnel may be near the top of that list, and "that's a lot of arms to poke."

Concerns over people jumping the line should not be high, Moreno says. "It wouldn't be a problem, if it's done properly, because you would have to account for every dose. And, if you're a logistician  and this is why the military is so good  you know exactly how many bullets you used in combat, down to the individual bullet."

Other considerations include what may happen once more than one vaccine is available and how to handle misinformation.

"There could be vaccines that require three doses, there could be vaccines that require one dose. There could be vaccines that may be performed at 70% and others that perform at 85%," Pekosz says. Gossip networks might start promoting one over the other, causing complications, he adds.

Topol also points to problems stemming from the "significant anti-vax minority, which is very worrisome."

Details: In the U.S., Operation Warp Speed will oversee the push for COVID-19 vaccines (plus diagnostics and therapies).

The public-private partnership incorporates leaders from drug companies, the military and various regulatory agencies. Army Gen. Gustave Perna is head of the logistics aspect.

BARDA, a federal agency that funds R&D projects and is part of the operation, has received more than $6.5 billion from Congress for countermeasures and so far has partially funded five vaccine developers: Merck and IAVI, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Sanofi's Protein Sciences and Janssen.

HHS recently said it hopes to have first doses of AstraZeneca's investigational vaccine ready as early as October. The company says it now has the capacity to source 1 billion doses through 2021.

What they're saying: While public health experts agree speed is key during a pandemic, this is countered by the fact that there's only so much time that can be cut from vaccine production and distribution.

"The problem with some of the timelines I've seen with Operation Warp Speed is that they probably aren't realistic in terms of the full testing of the vaccine that has to occur before we starting thinking about scaling up and distribution," Pekosz says.

Eric Topol, executive vice president at Scripps Research, agrees there are many challenges. "Obviously we'd like to get this synthetic immunity built using a vaccine rather than getting everybody exposed to the virus, but, it's a daunting task, no question. We've got 330 million people distributed throughout the country."

Plus, several of the platforms being used to develop COVID-19 vaccines are new, including Moderna's mRNA vaccine that stirred optimism last week, and are not yet proven as safe in humans and scalable for billions of people.

There's never been a successful vaccine made for humans against a coronavirus.

And this virus continues to stymie scientists, including how immune systems respond, which is important to understand for vaccine development.

The big picture: All nations  including developing nations with few funds  will need access to vaccines to build herd immunity.

The World Health Organization and nonprofits like the Gates Foundation and Gavi are taking steps to ensure developing nations have access to vaccines when available.

Many Big Pharma companies are promising they will distribute as many vaccines as they can produce, to everyone.

But, some worry the world will face the same issues it did during the H1N1 epidemic a decade ago, when nationalism and big money held sway.

The bottom line: "We've never faced anything of this scale, and urgency and complexity before. ... The pressures to get the vaccine out are simply going to be extraordinary," Morrison says.

Go deeper:
Vietnam has 335 industrial zones, covering an area of nearly 100,000ha. Photo: Le Toan

Spotting out Vietnam as a secure destination for most investors, especially after its successes in tackling the health crisis, Hyosung Dong Nai of South Koreas Hyosung Vina decided to expand its factory and manufacturing lines in Vietnam. However, they have been waiting for a long time to be given land area for the expansion.

Hyosung Dong Nai was granted the investment certificate in May 2015 with the investment capital of $660 million on an area of 22 hectares in Nhon Trach 5 Industrial Park (IP) to manufacture industrial materials, textiles, chemicals, and heavy electrical machinery.

The company has almost completely disbursed the capital into this project and has hired close to 2,000 labourers so far. Due to the demand to expand business, Hyosung Dong Nai wanted to rent an additional 10ha in the IP, however, the park was fully occupied.

Cao Tien Sy, general director of Dong Nai Industrial Zone Authority (DIZA), said he had introduced a land plot to Hyosung in Nhon Trach 6 IP in the same province, which was also filling up at a rapid pace. If Hyosung keeps hesitating, he warned this IP would run out of land as well. The demand is increasing very fast and IPs are filling up quickly, Sy told VIR.

Dong Nai is an industrial province with a very high occupancy rate of industrial land, with 31 out of 32 IPs reporting an average occupancy rate of over 80 per cent.

Dang Trong Duc, deputy general director of conglomerate Khai Toan Group cum director of KTG Industrial, told VIR that Vietnam is a very promising option for companies because it is both a gateway to the ASEAN and has an extensive network of large trade agreements.

The Vietnamese government is also trying to create a favourable investment environment for foreign businesses by providing tax incentives and simplifying legal procedures. Affordable, abundant labour force and newly built infrastructure projects are also a motivation for businesses wishing to operate in Vietnam, Duc said.

According to the Department for Economic Zones Management under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as of the end of March, Vietnam had 335 industrial zones (IZs) with the total land area of more than 97,000ha. Of these, 260 zones have been put into operation and 75 are under construction. Operational zones have an average occupancy of 75.7 per cent.

While COVID-19 has seriously impacted IZs and manufacturers alike, occupancy rates in the first quarter of 2020 were still above 72 per cent. During the period, a series of new investors including Luxshare-ICT, Goertek, and Hanwha Aero Engines moved to Vietnam while others like Foxconn, Sharp, TCL, Nintendo, Pegatron, and Lenovo are considering similar moves.

Meanwhile, Becamex IDC is one of the businesses owning the largest industrial land area with nearly 15,000ha, including the holdings of VSIP in which the corporation holds 49 per cent. Most of Becamexs established IZs boast nearly 100 per cent occupancy, while the new ones are being occupied very quickly.

In the north, Kinh Bac City Development Holding Corporation (KBC) is the premier IZ developer, holding 5,134ha, who is a partner of manufacturing giants like Samsung and LG. While its zones are not fully occupied yet, the corporation plans to put some into operation this year like Nam Son Hap Linh (60ha).

Despite the relatively high level of investment in infrastructure in Vietnam, the development of an integrated and synchronous infrastructure system remains behind schedule.

According to Duc from KTG Industrial, which has three IZs in the north and four in the south, many projects are still behind schedule and do not meet the expectations of investors. Vietnam needs to continue to maintain its current level of investment and accelerate the development of highways and utility networks, including renewable energy.

Cross-border trade processes also need to be improved. Cross-border transaction costs in Vietnam are less competitive than in most countries in the region, with administrative costs now accounting for the largest proportion of this, Duc said.

Meanwhile, a representative from Amata Group, which has three IPs in Vietnam, said COVID-19 has iced foreign companies plans in Vietnam.

Last year, foreign investors showed high commitment and were rearing to go, but since the epidemic, they have adopted a wait-and-see approach.

Even if Vietnam is successfully controlling the disease, we need more time for foreign developers to start pouring investment into the country as they have to clean their own house first before venturing into other markets. Apart from this, logistics and transportation activities have not returned to normal yet. Foreign experts, meanwhile, are also facing difficulties to return to Vietnam to work, the representative said.

Meanwhile, Vo Sy Nhan, co-founder and managing director of Gaw NP Industrial also told VIR that potential to develop industrial property in Vietnam is huge, however, slow infrastructure development, fast-increasing land prices, and human resources issues at some localities provide strong headwinds.
The BJP may not have officially criticised the move of using its Uttar Pradesh MLA Nandkishore Gurjar's picture without his permission in the popular web series "Paatal Lok", where he is shown standing next to fictional villain Bajpayee - an image that seems to be a rip-off a 2018 photo of Gurjat with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but the series' makers and producers are under increasing attack from different religious and caste quarters as well as leaders of the BJP and its allies.

First, Loni MLA Gurjar, who filed a police complaint against the show's producer and actor Anushka Sharma; and now, a BJP Delhi leader has also filed a complaint, but with the National Minorities Commission.

Jaspreet Singh Matta, the co-convenor of the Sikh Cell of BJP's Delhi unit, says he has also spoken to the Commission's Deputy Chairman Manjit Singh Rai over the matter as it involves "Hurting Religious Sentiment of Hindus and Sikhs" alike. He was referring to a scene in "Paatal Lok", where a Sikh man is shown raping a woman while an 'amritdhari' Sikh watches as a mute spectator. In Sikhism, Amritdhari Sikhs are baptised and must follow the Rahit Maryada, which is the Sikh code of conduct.

That is not all the trouble the web series producers are staring at. Matta has also filed a police complaint in Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar police station where he has demanded an FIR against Sharma under sections 153, 295A and 298 of the Indian Penal Code as well as sections of the IT Act. "This content has a potential to disrupt law and order situations all across the country," he warned.

If two BJP leaders gunning for Anushka Sharma weren't enough indications that the makers of the web series are staring at a legal tangle and ever-increasing attacks, now BJP's ally Shiromani Akali Dal too has jumped into the bandwagon. The party's national spokesman Manjinder S. Sirsa has now urged Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar to intervene.

In a video message, Sirsa demanded that not only should action be initiated against such online platforms that give space for "such shows" to be broadcast but also the concerned web series should be withdrawn "with immediate effect".

"Sikhs in India and all over the world are angry. If you don't listen to us, the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara committee will take the legal route," he said.

Meanwhile, the Loni MLA who originally filed the police complaint has a serious charge to make. He says while his face was used in the web series, his standing next to a fictional villain Bajpayee who is seen inaugurating a highway, is eerily similar to a 2018 photo where Gurjar is seen standing next to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, cutting a ribbon. He not only made it a case of "attack against Sanatan Dharma" but also termed it "anti-national".

However, what should worry the makers more is his invocation of an alleged attack on "Gurjars". Gujjars are a predominant caste in western Uttar Pradesh, being concentrated in areas like Greater Noida, Noida, Ghaziabad, Bijnor, Meerut, Baghpat, Shamli and Saharanpur. They constitute an estimated 7-10 percent of the population in Western UP, that makes them a political capital to reckon with.

While his predominant opposition remains the unauthorised use of his face and a virtual rip-off from a photo with the current UP CM, he has also alleged that the Jats of Punjab, Brahmins and Tyagis too have been wrongfully portrayed and given impetus to caste difference. Together, this caste conglomerate has political power to make themselves heard.

A Chandigarh-based body that goes by the name of "Yuva Gurjar Mahasabha" has written to top police official of Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh demanding Sharma be booked under the stringent National Security Act. Its national chief Lokesh Gurjar complains: "Gurjar community is shown in poor light in the web series 'Paatal Lok', where they are shown as robbers. In fact, Tyagis, Brahmins and Jaats too are portrayed in poor light."

Going on to mention the use of BJP's Loni MLA's face as well as distortion of the original photo of Yogi Adityanath, he alleged: "They have tried to malign the image of our Chief Minister and an MLA, through this web series."

If sources are to be believed, similar complaints from different quarters are only going to increase in the days to come, making the going tougher for Anushka Sharma and team 'Paatal Lok'. With the matter reaching police, the National Minorities Commission and I&B Ministry and a powerful caste cocktail at play, this is not the last you have heard in this matter.

Paatal Lok: A brave, engrossing thriller
This article is part of the Free Speech Project , a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech.

In 2010, the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United that corporations have the same First Amendment rights as people. Many Republicans, including Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, strongly support the decision, which allowed corporations to spend unlimited sums on elections. These senators, however, have also long argued that the government should intervene to protect conservatives from social media bias. Donald Trumps war on Twitter for adding disclaimers to his false and violent tweets aligns neatly with their crusade. Hawley and Cruz now support the presidents attempt to penalize tech companies that censor political speech like Trumps. They claim to be standing up for free expression, but nothing is further from the truth: This crusade presents a direct threat of government censorship that flies in the face of Citizens United.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The GOPs displeasure with Twitter appears to grow out of a conviction that the platform suppresses conservative speech. This conspiracy theory is simply not true, but it allows Republicans to frame themselves as victims of the censorial liberals who allegedly run Silicon Valley. By flagging noxious Trump tweets, Twitter added fuel to the fireeven though its approach does not actually censor the president. So far, the company has invited readers to learn the facts behind his screeds and warned the public about violent content. Anyone can still read Trumps words alongside Twitters brief precautionary disclaimers. Regardless, the Republican Party still chose to have a meltdown about ostensible censorship. (Remember that Twitter literally cannot violate the First Amendment because it is not the government.)

Advertisement

In response, Trump issued an executive order on Thursday that would revoke tech companies protections against liability if they stifle viewpoints with which they disagree. These protections arise from Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which Congress passed in 1996 to encourage content moderation. Congress did not want these companies to remain neutral, as the executive order incorrectly asserts. Rather, lawmakers sought to grant websites the freedom to remove undesirable speech without fear of retribution. So Congress created both a shield and a sword: Companies would not be held liable for content that other users posted to their websites, but they would also not be liable for policing their own platforms.

It is frighteningly authoritarian for lawmakers to punish anyone for objecting to the presidents outbursts.

Trump and his Republican allies, however, have bought into the faddish but fictitious theory that Section 230 requires neutrality and strictly limits content moderation. His order would empower the Federal Communications Commission to strip the laws protections from tech companies that target conservative expression. Cruz and Hawley strongly support this idea: Cruz spent Friday morning spreading incoherent disinformation about Section 230, while Hawley sent a menacing letter (filled with legalistic gibberish) to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

This assault on a tech company would not be surprising if Cruz and Hawley hadnt positioned themselves as champions of corporate free speech. Cruz, for instance, has repeatedly declared that opponents of Citizens United were seeking to regulate political speech by limiting corporations ability to spend money on elections. Now a corporation is engaging in political speechand Cruz is itching to regulate its First Amendment rights away.

Twitter uses those First Amendment rights in two related ways. First, it exercises editorial discretion over the content that appears on its site. The company, not the government, gets to decide what speech appears on its site. True, Twitter has announced a desire to engage in viewpoint-neutral content moderation. But the government has no constitutional authority to hold the company to this aspiration. Just as a state cannot force a newspaper to run an op-ed by a specific candidate, the federal government cannot force Twitter to host speech expressing certain views. Neither the president nor Congress nor FCC bureaucrats can require the company to associate itself with objectionable speech. If Twitter decided to ban all tweets praising Trump, the government could not stop it.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Second, Twitter has its own right to speak freely, to editorialize about the content that appears on its site. By flagging Trumps tweets and labeling them false or dangerous, the company is engaging in core First Amendment expression. It is frighteningly authoritarian for lawmakers to punish anyonea private citizen, a newspaper, a social media platform, even a commercial businessfor objecting to the presidents outbursts. Yet that is exactly what the executive order envisions. It promotes a legal theory that would, for example, let the FCC penalize the New York Times for removing comments that criticize Trump.

Restricting the free speech of a newspaper might seem more constitutionally problematic than restricting the free speech of a social media platform. But in Citizens United, the Supreme Court held that there is no constitutional distinction between media companies and other corporations. When it comes to political speech, the New York Times (which exists to disseminate news) has no greater First Amendment rights than McDonalds (which exists to sell hamburgers). The institutional press, Citizens United proclaimed, has no constitutional privilege beyond that of other speakers.

Advertisement

Advertisement

When Twitter moderates contentby either flagging or deleting problematic tweetsit is acting as a traditional speaker, expressing its own views while dissociating itself with others. Trump and his boosters seek to retaliate against the company for engaging in these core First Amendment activities. By revoking Twitters Section 230 safeguards, they would allow individuals to sue the site for content posted by users. To protect itself from endless lawsuits, Twitter would have to screen every tweet before it is posted to ensure it isnt defamatory. In other words, Twitter would cease to exist, at least in any recognizable form.

The First Amendment bars the government from retaliating against protected speech, so the FCCs ability to withdraw Section 230 immunity on the basis of political expression is dubious at best. And since Congress has refused to amend the law to Trumps liking, his executive order is going nowhere. We should still take Republicans threats seriously. They reveal that, for politicians like Cruz and Hawley, corporate free speech is not a true principle but a mere excuse for letting businesses buy elections. Under Trump, Republicans are fair-weather friends of Citizens United, happy to jettison their putative beliefs to help the president score points against his perceived opponents. If they want to find the real censors, they should look in the mirror.

For more on Trump and Twitter, listen to What Next: TBD.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
SC directs states to reach out to 10,000 kids orphaned due to Covid-19, pay compensation

India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent

COVID-19 fatalities may be much more than what is being reported

New AI-based test uses X-rays to detect Covid in a few minutes

2 floors of parliament annexe sealed after official tests coronavirus positive: Report

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, May 29: A Rajya Sabha Secretariat official tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, the fourth such case reported in the Parliament complex so far, sources have told news agency Press Trust of India.Out of the four, three were found to have contracted the infection after Parliament resumed operations on May 3 when Lockdown 2.0 ended and were on duty.

The director-level officer, who attended work on May 28, was found positive for the infection along with his family members, they said.

Home Minister Amit Shah speaks to all CMs, seeks their views on extension of coronavirus lockdown

Two floors of the Parliament's Annexe building have been sealed, the sources told news agency PTI.

LAC tension: Rahul wants govt to come clean on what is happening at border | Oneindia News

This is the second case of an official posted in that building testing positive for the infection.

Earlier, an official of the Lok Sabha Secretariat working in the editorial and translation (E&T) services department was found positive for COVID-19.

The first employee posted at Parliament to test positive for the virus was a housekeeper, who had been at home since the Budget Session was adjourned on March 23, the sources said, adding that the other one was a security official.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, May 29, 2020, 15:37 [IST]
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-30 04:31:30|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

CAIRO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Egypt registered 34 new COVID-19 fatalities on Friday, the highest single-day surge since the pandemic hit the country in mid-February, raising the death toll to 879.

The North African country also reported a single-day record of 1,289 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total infections in Egypt to 22,082, Egypt's health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

Megahed noted that 152 coronavirus patients were completely cured and discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours, taking the total recoveries to 5,511.

Egypt has been witnessing a continuing surge in COVID-19 infections since the last week of April, with the government urging Egyptians to stay at home to avoid infections.

The Health Ministry has recently prepared 320 public hospitals for receiving and treating coronavirus patients. Besides, the hospitals of chest diseases and fever have been working with full capacity since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Since the beginning of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday on May 24, Egypt extended a previously imposed nighttime curfew from nine hours to 13 hours for six days, to maintain social distancing and avoid gatherings amid increasing COVID-19 infections.

From May 30, the curfew will be reduced to 10 hours for two weeks, and then the government will consider easing the restrictions and gradually resuming some suspended activities.

The government has already started gradually reopening services and offices that have been suspended since mid-March amid a "coexistence plan" to maintain anti-coronavirus precautionary measures while resuming services, businesses and economic activities.

The country has also allowed the reopening of 78 hotels in seven provinces for local tourists after they have been inspected and given "hygiene safety" certificates from a government special committee.

Egypt and China have been closely cooperating in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic through exchanging medical aid and expertise to curb the spread of the deadly respiratory disease.

In early February, Egypt was among the first nations to provide aid to China in its fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

Since mid-April, Chinese doctors held three video conferences with Egyptian counterparts to share their experiences in the prevention and treatment of the novel coronavirus. Enditem
President Trump holds up a copy of the New York Post before signing an executive order aimed at curbing protections for social media companies on Thursday. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press )

Authoritarian rulers inevitably try to silence their critics, and President Trump did just that in his clearly illegal executive order that seeks to limit the protections social media companies have from being held liable for the content published on their platforms. I hope that we have not become so desensitized by Trumps constant misconduct as president that we have lost the ability to be outraged and frightened by something that strikes at the very heart of freedom of speech.

The executive order signed Thursday was meant to retaliate against Twitter for calling attention to two potentially misleading Trump tweets. On Tuesday, Twitter had applied fact-checking to the tweets in question, in which Trump claimed that mail-in ballots would lead to widespread voter fraud. The company then appended a message to the tweets in a format it uses to combat misinformation or unverified claims: Get the facts about mail-in ballots. Those messages linked to a fact-check page that Twitter had created that was filled with further links and summaries of news articles debunking the assertion.

Trump angrily accused Twitter of censorship. He said that if Twitter continued fact-checking his tweets in the same manner, he would use the power of the federal government to rein it in or even shut it down. He tweeted: Big action to follow! Two days later, he issued the order that supposedly empowers the federal government to penalize companies such as Facebook or Twitter for suspending users or labeling or removing content.

Specifically, the executive order seeks to limit the protections that social media companies have under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which says they cannot be held liable for content that is posted on their sites. Even for Trump, this is a new low. It is using the powers of the presidency to try to punish and intimidate Twitter for its speech critical of Trump.

Twitter in no way censored the president. It engaged in its own speech by providing readers with further information. It is truly Orwellian that Trump declared he was acting to protect free speech when he was retaliating against speech and seeking to expand the liability of media companies.

Story continues

Trumps action is illegal. As president he does not have the power to change the meaning of a federal statute.

Section 230 is very clear. It says: No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider. If a company isnt the publisher of information, it is not liable for the content of that information.

Trumps executive order tries to countermand Section 230 when it says that social media companies engaged in editorial conduct may forfeit any safe-harbor protection and then could be held liable for what is on their platforms.

To be sure, Section 230 has been controversial in providing social media companies with a broad shield from liability for anything that is posted on their sites. Many believe that it has led to the widespread dissemination of false information. For example, Trump repeatedly has used Twitter to spread falsehoods, such as this week repeating a baseless allegation against MSNBC host and former Florida Rep. Joe Scarborough regarding the death of a congressional staffer years ago. Many have called for reforms for Section 230, but that is for Congress to do; it cannot be done by presidential fiat.

Section 230 has been crucial in creating a place for speech and a marketplace of ideas, for good or for ill, unlike any that ever has existed in U.S. history. As the Supreme Court observed a few years ago: While in the past there may have been difficulty in identifying the most important places (in a spatial sense) for the exchange of views, today the answer is clear. It is cyberspace  the vast democratic forums of the Internet in general, and social media in particular. Without Section 230 protections, social media companies would have to monitor every post to ensure they would not face liability. That would force Twitter, Facebook and the like to engage in great control over speech.

In announcing his executive order, with Atty. Gen. William Barr ominously by his side, the president said: Were here today to defend free speech from one of the greatest dangers it has faced in American history. But lessening the shield from liability for social media companies would have exactly the opposite effect.

It is tempting to shrug and dismiss the presidents action as just another example of Trumpian bluster that is unlikely to be implemented and surely will be struck down by the courts. But for the president of the United States, accompanied by the attorney general, to make such a threat to free speech to try to intimidate his critics should be chilling for us all.

Erwin Chemerinsky is the dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law and a contributing writer to Opinion.
Youre in this moment and youre just trying to keep your feet on the ground, Bates says of Masaokas piece. There are these ebbs and flows in the way the music moves. For me, its what its like to be in this present. Every minute is different, every hour is different. It feels like its never going to change and yet its constantly changing.
Press Release

Paris (France) 28 May 2020, 5:45 pm

Ymagis Group Reports First-Quarter 2020 Revenue

Revenue down by 35% due to COVID-19 impact and scheduled reduction in VPF revenue

Ymagis Group (FR0011471291, MAGIS, PEA-PME, TECH 40), the European specialist in digital technologies for the cinema industry, today reported its consolidated financial results for the first quarter of 2020.

Ymagis Groups revenue was down 35% at 27.4m in Q1 2020 compared to Q1 2019. This decline is due to both the continued scheduled decrease in VPF activity (-63% at  4.1m) and the closure of the majority of cinemas around the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The global health crisis put an abrupt halt in March to the Groups business activities which had regained a solid growth dynamic in 2019: the CinemaNext business units earnings thus fell by 28% to 5.2m and Eclairs Distribution and Preservation activities were down by 20% at 5.2m. The Eclair business unit as a whole recorded earnings of 9.9m, down 28% from the prior year period due in part to the deconsolidation of Eclair Cinema, which was sold at the start of the year.

Q1

2020 Q1

2019 Var.

(%) In millions of Euros Virtual Print Fee 4.1 10.9 -63% Equipment Sales 9.9 13.6 Online & Support 3.5 3.6 CinemaNext 13,3 17,2 -22% Distribution Services & Preservation 5.2 6.5 Post Production & Restoration 0.2 1.3 Localisation 4.5 5.9 Eclair 9.9 13.7 -28% Other 0.1 0.4 ns TOTAL REVENUE 27.4 42.2 -35% VPF as % of revenue 15% 26% CinemaNext as % of revenue 49% 40% Eclair as % of revenue 36% 33% Other activities as % of revenue ns 1%

The VPF BU continued to decrease, as scheduled, with revenue down by 63% during the first quarter of 2020 at 4.1m. It also suffered the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis, with distributors ceasing to program films, which generate VPF revenue, in the first half of March.

Story continues

CinemaNext sales, which were up 22% in 2019, fell 22% in the first quarter of 2020, to  13.3m. This decline is the direct result of the closure of cinemas on a global level, which began in March in Europe, as well as the temporary suspension of construction on cinema newbuilds.

The Eclair business units revenues were also impacted (-28% to 9.9m), in particular its theatrical services activities which were directly affected by containment measures, but also its other activities, the crisis having had an effect on all sectors of the industry. Added to this are the effects of a change in scope following the sale of Eclair Cinema.

The new activities (mainly Illucity) recorded revenue of 0.1m over the quarter.

Financial situation and business development outlooks

The industry fundamentals remain unchanged: cinemas retain the same appeal for the public and, as a result, the need for quality films is greater than ever. We have seen a strong and immediate mobilization of audiences in countries in which cinemas have reopened, such as in Denmark. Once the sector has started up again, the role of Ymagis Group's companies within the film industry will be as important as ever, thanks to its technologies, its expertise, its market shares, and to the successful restructuring of its debt just prior to the pandemic outbreak.

Ymagis however has an urgent need for financing, estimated at around 16m, to enable it to cope with the effects of the health crisis.

The Group's banking institutions in France have not yet responded favorably to a request to grant Ymagis State-guaranteed loans. However, these loans are 90% guaranteed by the public authorities, leaving the banks with a low residual risk, the principal representing less than 5% of the total interest paid by the Group to the banks for ten years. Ymagis has thus appealed to the French government to obtain the financing it needs to get through the current crisis. Discussions to this end are ongoing but, in the absence of a swift conclusion, Ymagis will have no other alternative than to request the opening of a safeguard procedure, which could impact the sustainability of the Group and adversely affect its 750 employees.





ABOUT YMAGIS GROUP

Ymagis is a European leader in advanced digital technology services for the cinema industry. Founded in 2007, the Group is headquartered in Paris and has offices in 26 countries with 750 employees. Our core business is structured around four main units: CinemaNext (exhibitor services: sales and field services, software solutions, customer service/NOC), Eclair (content services: postproduction, theatrical delivery, digital distribution, versioning and accessibility, restoration and preservation), Virtual Print Fee (VPF) for finance solutions and other activities (Virtual Reality). For more information, please visit www.ymagis.com







YMAGIS is listed on Euronext Paris and is part of the CAC Small, CAC Mid and Small and CAC All-Tradable indices.









Attachment




Li maintains focus on economy amid rising tensions

Global Times

By Wang Cong Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/28 21:08:40 Last Updated: 2020/5/28 23:07:55

Economic growth key to tackling domestic, external risks: experts

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday sent the clearest signal yet that China will maintain its strategic focus on keeping domestic social and economic development stable, even as the country faces an increasingly complex and challenging external environment marked by near "cold war" tensions with the US.

In a wide-ranging press conference after the conclusion of the two sessions that touched on topics ranging from the newly passed national security legislation for Hong Kong, to diplomatic and trade tensions with the US, to Taiwan question, the Chinese Premier largely kept the focus on China's domestic policy priority - protecting jobs, livelihood and business and stabilizing economic growth.

China's fixation with tackling the domestic challenges posed by the COVID-19 epidemic also stood in stark contrast to some other countries, most noticeably the US, that have been seeking to divert attention from their domestic woes with warmongering rhetoric, which further shed light on China's plan to tackle foreign risks: a sound domestic development is key to all problems at hand, analysts noted.

Domestic priority

"[Economic development] remains the key and foundation for China to address all problems," Li said during the roughly two-hour press conference, vowing to take sufficient fiscal, monetary and other policy tools to protect jobs, livelihood and business - the overarching theme of this year's two sessions.

This year's two sessions, which concluded on Thursday, came at a time of extraordinary circumstances for China posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the geopolitical tensions it sparked.

Domestically, the Chinese economy is facing unprecedented pressure due to disruptions caused by the pandemic. China opted not to set a GDP growth target this year. Li indicated that China could achieve GDP growth and if policies are carried out to protect jobs and livelihood, and businesses are protected.

Still, what has been making headlines around the world are the escalating tensions between China and the US over a wide range of issues -from trade to technology, to China's internal affairs in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Xinjiang. In light of the tensions since the COVID-19, some observers have even declared a "new cold war" between the world's two biggest economies.

But the Chinese Premier made it clear that China's focus is on its domestic development. Li answered 11 questions, with over half of them focused on the domestic economy. Even when asked about hot-button topics, he was noticeably concise.

Commenting on China-US tensions, Li reiterated a long-standing stance that despite differences, the two countries should seek win-win cooperation. On the national security law for Hong Kong, Li said that the legislation was aimed at ensuring the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong. On Taiwan question, he sent well wishes for the peace and health of residents in the mainland and on the island.

The biggest takeaway from the Chinese Premier's press conference was the unmistakable focus on domestic issues rather than the intense dispute with foreign powers, Chinese experts said on Thursday.

"What we can draw from the press conference is that China's overall approach to this very special period with very special challenges is to keep the domestic situation stable," Li Yong, deputy chairman of the Expert Committee of the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times on Thursday. "Without a sound economy and stable livelihood, we have no strength to tackle all other issues."

Li noted that China's approach to focusing on stabilizing the domestic situation is the "right direction" as opposed to the approach adopted by some Western countries, including the US, where officials have been falling short in efforts to contain the pandemic and revive their economies, while stirring up tensions across the world.

"They can be very loud, but in the end, it's all about the strength of their economy and society," he said.

The focus on the domestic situation was also vivid throughout the weeklong two sessions, during which prescribing a cure for the virus, Chinese economy and protecting jobs remained a top priority among Chinese lawmakers and political advisers.

"This year's two sessions is the most extraordinary one I have ever experienced, with a big battle and test in a special historic moment," Yang Yuanqing, chairman and CEO of Lenovo and a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature, told the Global Times on Thursday, noting that economic recovery and livelihood was the top priority and responsibility.

Zhu Lieyu, another NPC deputy from South China's Guangdong Province, said that with all the policy measures laid out during the two sessions, he is confident China will reach its economic and social goals for the year.

"I am very confident in the economic development and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects," Zhu told the Global Times on Thursday, referring to the goal to double 2010's GDP and income in 2020.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Concept tweaks are becoming more commonplace as restaurateurs figure out their next moves in the coronavirus era.

Jason Evenchik and Terrance Leach have switched up the menu at their Northern Liberties jazz bar Heritage from American to Italian. Its all offered to go, of course.

This was chef Mackenzie Hiltons idea. Shes been the executive chef of the partners Time, Vintage, and Heritage for five years. For five years previously, before a stint in California, she was executive chef of the Italian BYOB Mercato in Washington Square West.

Given the dearth of non-pizza Italian options in 19123, this could be a permanent menu change, say Evenchik and Leach, who also own Bar and Tiki in Washington Square West and the Garage bars in South Philadelphia and Fishtown. (The Fishtown Garage has not yet reopened, but Vintage is expected to return late next week in Washington Square West. Time and Tiki are on hold.)

In addition to prepared food, Heritage is offering a market menu, such as an raw 11-ounce sirloin steak and a raw 14-ounce pork porterhouse steak, fresh pasta and sauces by the pound, and a DIY duck-pasta kit (lemon thyme-flavored housemade pappardelle tossed with shredded duck confit, cremini mushrooms, garlic, shallot, and white wine, topped with baby arugula and shaved Locatelli cheese), as well as cocktails to go.

It starts Friday, May 29 through Sunday, May 31, takes a break and resumes Wednesday, June 3, daily from 2 to 8 p.m.
WATERLOO REGION  Facing an intense public backlash, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board has backed down from a plan to fly its own version of a flag during Pride month.

After receiving feedback from the broader community  but, more importantly, also from some of our students  it is clear that the WCDSBs decision to fly a provincially developed image on a flag during June, to mark Pride month, which was intended to send a message of unity and support, has instead led to division, read a statement released Friday evening.

Out of sincere respect for all viewpoints shared, the school board will not fly any flag during Pride month.

The board said the proposed flag will be displayed in school foyers throughout the 2020-2021 school year, as the board consults with the LGBTQ2+ community on next steps.

The controversy began earlier this week when plans for the alternate flag  and not the universally-recognized rainbow Pride flag  were discussed at a board meeting.

The proposed flag, one of several options provided to the board via the Institute for Catholic Education, includes an illustration of Jesus with his arms outstretched, standing in front of a colourful crowd of people with the words, We are all wonderfully made  we love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).

The flag itself received a mixed reaction from trustees and members of the public, with many questioning why the board wouldnt fly the rainbow Pride flag if it wished to show support for its LGBTQ2+ students, staff and parents. Catholic schools in Ontario generally have not flown any flags in support of Pride month; the board in Thunder Bay is a rare exception.

Trustee Greg Reitzel then drew condemnation for comments at the meeting, in which he called Pride the deadliest of the deadly sins and said hed resign if the Pride flag was flown.

He later maintained his words were taken out of context, and said he was deeply saddened that people were hurt by what he said. An apology from Reitzel was conveyed via board chair Bill Conway.

Kitchener resident and member of the LGBTQ2+ community Carly Pettinger said Friday evening that the board still wont say why they wont fly the rainbow Pride flag.

Were left to connect the dots ourselves, she said. No publicly-funded education system in Ontario should be allowed to hold anti-LGBTQ2+ values.

Pettinger said the board squandered an opportunity to be courageous. Any equity and inclusion work they hope to do right now would be seen as meaningless, she said. Theyve really further damaged the relationship.

Cait Glasson, president of the Waterloo region LGBTQ+ organization, SPECTRUM, had seen the alternate flag as a small step in the right direction. On Friday evening, Glasson said she saw some optimism in the boards decision.

It sounds like they will continue to consult and talk, said Glasson, adding her comments represented a personal opinion. Ive got to say, personally, I think its promising but theres a long way to go yet.

The controversy may have sparked an opportunity for education, Glasson said, working toward a long-term goal to recognize our humanity and fly the flag, and celebrate the diversity theyve got within their system.
Obviously, Its very unusual to see new governors executing mighty projects in the first year of their administration like the way Gov. Buni is doing. They rather use their first year in office for identifying the caliber of people to be appointed into various offices, fund mobilization, and familiarization of a system that only Allah knows its magnitude of intricacy.

Im saying it categorically in several occasions, that what makes everything easy for Gov. Buni is that he has already understood the Peace-Development nexus of Yobe state long before now, and thats why he sought to move a host of enormous initiatives all in first year of his administration despite the nations economic crunch.

Believe, Yobe is on right track!, as if H.E. Mai Mala Buni was reelected for the second term in the 2019.

Today, the downtrodden, ranging from Beans cake sellers, Vulcanizers, orphans, and even an Almajiri on street of Yobe can tell you Gov. Mai Mala Buni is a leader with humanitarian disposition, at the same time a uniting figure behind a number of progressive ideas and policies during his year in office.

Some of the projects his government has executed include:

Construction of township road and concrete drainage in Damagum.

Construction of township road and concrete drainage in Buni Yadi.

Construction of township road and concrete drainage in Babbangida.

A township road constructed by Buni administration

Construction of township road and concrete drainage in Jajimaji.

Reconstruction & expansion of Specialist Hospital Kumagannam in Yusufari LGA.

Ongoing construction of ultramodern market in Damaturu.

Massive infrastructure work ongoing

Rehabilitation & Expansion of Yobe state secretariat, Damaturu.

Construction of Classes & Offices at School of Nursing Damaturu.

Rehabilitation & Expansion of PHC in Gadaka, Fika LGA.

Rehabilitation & Expansion of Specialist Hospital Buni Yadi, Gujba.

Rehabilitation & Expansion of Yobe state ministry of Women affairs, Damaturu.

Electrification of Sumsumma community in Damaturu LGA.

Electrification of Buni Yadi town, Gujba.

Construction of 200 bed capacity Hostel in school of Nursing, Damaturu.

Construction of Maternal, New-born and Child Healthcare Complex at Yobe State University Teaching Hospital Damaturu.

Distribution of 28 Customised Tricycle Ambulances at YSUTH in Damaturu .

Launched Operation Haba Maza and distributed 30 Toyota Hilux To Police.

Training of 500 Youth

On Paint Production Technology, and supported with capital .

Advertisements



Training of 187 Youth trained on Digital Photography, supported with capital (such as Camera, printer, Generator , Cash, etc ).

Distribution of Food & Non Food Items to 20,000 Households across the state through SEMA.

50 youth are currently undergoing a program tagged as Buni Automotive training at Peugeot Automotive plant in Kaduna through SDGs.

Supported Hundreds of young petty traders (Tea sellers, vendors at GSM market, vulcanizers) received cash support from him to expand their businesses.

187 young people trained as volunteers in Gov. Buni livelihood support project through SEMA.

Training and enrollment of 150 young enterprising men and women of Yobe State as money agents under the SANEF scheme through SDGs.

A scholarship package to 69 law graduates to attend the one year Bar Schools.

Payments of foreign school fees of About 204 Yobe youth.

Implementation of Minimum wage both in state and local government since January.

Raised monthly allocation of Yetim Care Orphanage Hoome from N500,000 to N1,000000.

Declaration of state of emergency on education, sets up committee toward reviving education in the state.

Resuscitation of Yobe Aluminum industry in Potiskum.

Resuscitation of Yobe Flour Mill Industry in Potiskum.

Resuscitation of Yobe Polythene and Woven Sack Company Damaturu.

He launched the Fertilizer Sales and Distribution of 103 Tractors Jointly Procured by the State and Local Government Councils in Damaturu.

Ordered the Sale of NPK Fertilizer at N3000.

Distributed about millions of naira to several women petty traders in the state.

Construction of Modern Mosque at Red Bridge estate, Damaturu.

Rehabilitation, renovations & expansion of 56 primary healthcare centers across the state.

Increased monthly allowances of all school of Nursing students by 100%.

Training of over 2000 teachers toward starting Extra lessons to 61,000 pupils through Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.

Rehabilitation and reconstruction of NYSC orientation camp in Potiskum.

Continuation and completion of 4.5km Damaturupotiskum DUAL carriageway.

Continuation of 25.5km dual carriageway from Damaturu to Kalallawa (Airport Road).

Construction of Government Day Buni Yadi.

Construction six model primary schools across six local governments.

Ongoing construction of Ultramodern Potiskum Trailer Park.

Tractors secured to improve mechanised farming

Electrification of pawari and Nayinawa communities in Damaturu.

Construction of township road with concrete drainage in Malummatari ward in Damaturu.

Massive construction of social infrastructural facilities at sabon garin Mai Mala, in Gujba

Procurement of modern buses to Yobe Line for transport services.

Establishment of Yorota Agency.

Distribution of palliatives to 5000 vulnerable households across 17 local governments through NEDC.

Supply of food items to over 116 Tsangaya schools across the through SEMA.

Provision of vehicles to traditional rulers across the state.

Prompt response to Damaturu water scarcity with massive deployment of all needed equipments.

Construction of road with bridge linking Garin Bingel-Bula-Danchua in Potiskum local government.

Mustapha Mohammad Gujba,

The Political Banker.
PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), Department of New Projects on behalf of the Government of St. Maarten is hereby informing the residents of Dutch Quarter and the General Public of St. Maarten, that the Dutch Quarter Sewerage Project will once again reconvene with the implementation of the sewerage network in the main road.



The works will resume from the intersection of Zorg and Rust Up until Milton Drive. These works entail excavation and placement of sewer lines in the Illidge Road.



The road closure will commence from Monday, June 1st, 2020 to Friday, August 7th, 2020. To permit the flow of traffic on the first day, the road will be closed from 9:00 am. Please note that this road closure will be a permanent closure for the duration of the two-month period.



This road closure also concerns the surrounding areas Belvedere, Defiance, and Madame Estate with an addition to the traffic circulation. No through traffic will be allowed from the intersection of Zorg and Rust and Milton Drive.



The project is in the final stage and is nearing completion. All businesses along the main road will remain open and accessible to the public. Proper street lighting will also be put in effect to ensure the safety of the community.



The Road Closure is as follows:



- The road will be closed from Monday, June 1st, 2020 to August 7th, 2020.

- Traffic will be allowed to enter from the Bishop Hill Roundabout to Dutch Quarter up until the road closure.

- The diversion routes from French St. Martin to Philipsburg will be via Bishop Hill road.

- The diversion routes from French St. Martin to Cole Bay/ Simpson Bay (Airport) will be via the Middle Region Road.

- Traffic using the A.T. Illidge Road to enter Dutch Quarter may do so until Milton Drive.

- Traffic using the A.T. Illidge Road to Oyster Pond and French St. Martin will be diverted via the Middle Region Road.

- The bus stop at the roundabout will be identified with signs indicating the new stop location for passenger busses.



Working together for a better St. Maarten

In full cooperation with the Traffic Department, Ministry VROMI is asking all motorists to please respect the traffic diversion and the notice placed for the detour for a smooth transition while the works are being carried out.



This is to ensure safety to all during the period of civil works. The works are scheduled to be carried out during the daytime. The project consists of the sewerage infrastructure for the Dutch Quarter district.



The works are part of the 10th EDF programme related to the upgrading of the infrastructure of socially deprived neighbourhoods.



The Ministry of VROMI Department of New Projects on behalf of the Government of St. Maarten would like to thank everyone for their patience during the execution of works.



The information will be updated when necessary with respect to any changes via the Ministry of VROMI Facebook Page, the Project Facebook Page, and the Community of Dutch Quarter Facebook Page. Motorists are requested to be vigilant and observant for the traffic directional signs.



Notice to the public and all motorists, tampering and/or removing barricades or any of government properties is punishable by law.



Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.
Donald Trumps escalating war with Twitter has taken a new turn since rioting broke out in Minneapolis over the killing of George Floyd. Raging at the sight of looting and vandalism in a major city, the president Thursday night tweeted that he would not stand for it.

These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, he wrote, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

The president's tweets come following the death of Mr Floyd, 46, who died on Monday after being held down by a police officer who knelt on his neck, despite him telling the officer he could not breathe.

The second tweet was flagged by Twitter, who put it behind a click-through warning saying it violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. It was then quoted in full by the official White House account, where it was not immediately flagged.

The threatening words at the end of the tweet, however, arent Trumps own. They belong to a Miami police chief of the 1960s, Walter Headley  a man who deployed harsh, even brutal policing tactics in an attempt to bring black residents of his city to heel.

In 1967, as social unrest roiled many American cities, Headley gained a level of national notoriety for declaring war on crime in his city  and especially upon young black men, who were subjected to warrantless searches, including strip-searches, and frequently met with outright violence.

Recommended Night of violence sees Minneapolis protests spread across US

In declaring war on young hoodlums, from 15 to 21, who have taken advantage of the civil rights campaign, he said, we dont mind being accused of police brutality. They havent seen anything yet.

His forces tactics drew anger from civil rights leaders, who accused him of stoking racial resentment of the police even as the crime rate dropped. But Headleys conscience was apparently impervious to their pleas: according to a UPI article from the time, Headley said the crime rate in the city had dropped thanks to his letting the word filter down that when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

The summer after he made those remarks, the Republican party held its national convention in Miami, Florida, where Richard Nixon accepted the nomination for the election he would go on to win. While the convention was in progress, riots broke out in Miamis predominantly black Liberty City area, where resentment at racist policing tactics had finally boiled over.

George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Show all 30 1 /30 George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Police spray mace at protestors to break up a gathering near the Minneapolis Police third precinct after a white police officer was caught on a bystander's video pressing his knee into the neck of African-American man George Floyd, who later died at a hospital, in Minneapolis Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester holds a sign with an image of George Floyd AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters demonstrate against the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester throws a piece of wood on a fire in the street just north of the 3rd Police Precinct Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets People in other US cities also protested the murder, like Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A police officer lobs a canister to break up crowds Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester is treated after inhaling tear gas Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Two police officers stand on the roof of the Third Police Precinct during a face off with a group of protesters Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters outside a Minneapolis police precinct two days after George Floyd died EPA George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters run from tear gas Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Demonstrators gather to protest in Los Angeles AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Police remove barricades set by protesters AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A fire burns inside of an Auto Zone store near the Third Police Precinct Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Flowers, signs and balloons are left near a makeshift memorial to George Floyd near the spot where he died AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A policeman faces a protester holding a placard in downtown Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A couple poses with a sign in Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 27: A man is tended to after sustaining an injury from a projectile shot by police outside the 3rd Police Precinct building on May 27, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Four Minneapolis police officers have been fired after a video taken by a bystander was posted on social media showing Floyd's neck being pinned to the ground by an officer as he repeatedly said, "I cant breathe". Floyd was later pronounced dead while in police custody after being transported to Hennepin County Medical Center. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) Stephen Maturen Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester reacts after inhaling tear gas Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty Images George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters use shopping carts as a barricade Getty Images George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters clash with the police as they demonstrate against the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images

Headley refused to return from his North Carolina vacation  simply saying of his officers that they know what to do. When he died in 1968, his AP obituary called him the architect of a crime crackdown that sent police dogs and shotgun-toting patrolmen into Miamis slums in force.

Ironically, Mr Trump himself says he has considered moving his own Republican convention to Florida, angry that the scheduled host state, North Carolina, is enforcing social distancing rules that would limit the number of people allowed into the arena.

Meanwhile, the violence in Minneapolis goes on.
Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda mourned the demise of Rajya Sabha member and Managing Director of leading Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi M P Veerendra Kumar, hailing him as a great journalist and writer.

In his condolence message, the JDS Supremo said, My deep regrets for the sad demise of Shri M P Veerendra Kumar, Former Union Minister and a close friend and comrade of mine since decades. I have personally lost a good friend of mine and it is indeed a loss to our Janata Parivar family for which he worked for many decades, he said.

Remembering Kumar as a politician of principles and a dedicated student of socialism, Gowda said he was at the forefront for the cause of welfare of the workers.

He said as a journalist, Kumar was the man of inspiration and source for Mathrubhoomi publication.

Gowda also recalled his contribution as a trade union leader who led many pro-people and pro-farmer agitations.

Veerandra Kumar, who was a member of PTIs Board of Directors, died late Thursday at a private hospital in Kozhikode in Kerala following cardiac arrest.

Kumar, a Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala and a former union minister, was 84.
BORDEN  I felt a twinge of concern earlier this year when I read that Dallas-based Borden Milk Co. had declared bankruptcy. What would I do without Bordens Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk, the primary ingredient in the lemon icebox pie I taught myself to make from my late mothers recipe collection?

I also read that Bordens travail in recent years has been due in part to milk drinkers spurning Elsie the Cows offerings for almond, soy and other plant-based products. Fortunately, the venerable company isnt going out of business. Bankruptcy is apparently a kings X, so to speak, to allow for restructuring.

The man who founded the 163-year-old company was all about restructuring  restructuring and condensing. Gail Borden, Jr., never visited Gail, county seat of Borden  neither town nor county existed during his lifetime  and theres not much left of this Colorado County community where he once lived. And yet the tinkerer, inventor and inveterate do-gooder, a man whose efforts included battling deadly epidemics, boasts impressive Texas bona fides.

In the chaotic months leading up to the Texas Revolution, Borden, his brother Tom and a partner named Joseph Baker were publishing a newspaper in San Felipe de Austin called the Telegraph and Texas Register. The 34-year-old also was the colonys surveyor. When Stephen F. Austin was elected commander of the Army of the People after the Battle of Gonzales, he put Borden in charge of the colony. Borden also prepared the first topographical map of Texas and was one of three surveyors who laid out the site for a new town on Buffalo Bayou called Houston.

It was quite a load of responsibility for a young man whose formal education probably totaled less than a couple of years. Born in Norwich, N.Y., in 1801, he grew up in New London, Ind., where he was captain of the local militia at age 20. Arriving in Galveston in 1829, he farmed in Fort Bend County before moving to San Felipe.

Amid all his duties and responsibilities, it was the publishing venture that was most crucial. Austin believed that the business of governing required communication, and the printing press was the technology of the day, Bryan McAuley, site manager at the San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site, reminded me recently. He [Borden] became the mouthpiece of the Texas Republic.

William Barret Traviss immortal Victory or Death letter from the Alamo was published in the Telegraph and Texas Register, as was the fledging Republics Declaration of Independence.

When word reached San Felipe on March 12 that the defenders of the Alamo had perished, Borden joined other residents of the town in a desperate flight eastward. He hauled his printing press across the mud-bound prairie with him, but when Santa Anna found it at Harrisburg, he had his men heave it into Buffalo Bayou. The Telegraph and Texas Register revived in Houston, but Borden by then had turned his restless, inventive mind to other matters.

While living in Galveston in 1844, his 32-year-old wife and 4-year-old son succumbed to yellow fever. Heartbroken, Borden resolved to find a solution to the epidemic that killed hundreds whenever it struck New Orleans or Galveston or other southern cities.

Although he didnt make the mosquito connection  that would come with Walter Reed 60 years later  Borden did observe that yellow fever usually stole over a community during the summer and then retreated with the onset of cooler weather. He proposed a giant refrigerator, with ether as a cooling agent. The refrigerator would be large enough to accommodate an afflicted person or persons for at least a week in a temporary winter.

Bordens idea never got off the drawing board, but his next invention did. Sort of. He called it a terraqueous machine, something of a combination wagon and sailboat designed to travel on land and sea. According to his biographer, the late Joe B. Frantz, Borden considered the machine the invention of the century.

He built one, although the top-heavy contraption with wheels that became paddles succeeded mainly in flipping over when it breasted the waves, dumping Bordens trusting passengers into the shallow waters of Galveston Bay. He also invented a locomotive bath house, so Galveston women could change into bathing attire in private before being transported to the water.

A contemporary quoted in the Frantz biography described Borden as a tall man with a high forehead and unusually long nose. Shabbily dressed, he walked around Galveston with his head down, unaware of his surroundings, no doubt working through solutions to problems that captured his attention.

One of his preoccupations was inspired by a frontier ordeal that shocked the nation. In McAuleys words, He was horrified by the Donner Party tragedy and set about trying to create a long-lasting food stuff, so if you get marooned in a mountain pass, youre not having to eat each other.

His solution was a concoction made of dehydrated meat mixed with flour, shaped into biscuits and then baked. Even though contemporary reviewers claimed they tasted like melted glue mixed with molasses, 49ers relied on Bordens meat biscuits on their arduous trek to California, as did members of an Arctic expedition.

The Army could have made Borden a wealthy man by making his biscuits a part of every soldiers field ration. Instead, the little bricks of meat were deemed not only unpalatable, but failed to appease the craving of hungerproducing head ache, nausea, and great muscular depression. By 1852, Borden was bankrupt.

About that time, Borden was sailing home from England when the cows in the hold of the ship got so seasick they couldnt be milked. Mothers on board with infants were desperate, but to Borden the crying babies were an inspiration. He resolved to condense milk as he had condensed meat. In 1856, he was awarded a patent for producing concentrated milk in vacuo.

This time the Army came through for him. With the onset of the Civil War, the federal government selected condensed milk as a field ration. When soldiers returned home, they raved about milk that never soured. Bordens condensed milk became so popular that he found it impossible to meet demand.

His discovery made him rich and famous, but he continued to tinker and invent. He came up with processes for condensing fruit juices, coffee, tea and cocoa, as well as making beef extract. After the war, he established a meat-packing plant in this once-thriving little town (just off I-10, between present-day Columbus and Weimar). He also established a freedmans school in Borden and supplemented the incomes of poorly paid teachers and preachers.

Borden died in Borden on Jan. 11, 1874; his body was shipped by private railway car to New York to be buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. He was 72.

In Frantzs Gail Borden: Dairyman to a Nation, published way back in 1951, Borden comes across as something of an early day Thomas Edison  eccentric, driven and dedicated to making things better for his fellow man. The key to his success was the condensing process, as this Borden quote underscores: The world is changing in the direction of condensing. . . . Even lovers write no poetry, nor any other stuff and nonsense. They condense all they have to say into a kiss.

Borden was in late middle age when his triumph made him what you might call the nations incredible shrinking man. It took him a while, but he was not one to quit, as his epitaph proclaims: I tried and failed. I tried again and again and succeeded.

djholley10@gmail.com

Twitter: holleynews
A rights group has accused Ethiopian security forces of continuing to commit grave human rights violations, including extrajudicial executions and torture, since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office in 2018.

In its report on Friday, Amnesty International documented the arbitrary detentions of thousands of people and the forcible evictions of dozens of families from their homes, some of which were set alight, during security operations in response to attacks by armed groups and inter-communal violence in parts of the Amhara and Oromia regions.

The report covers the period between December 2018 and December 2019.

Abiy has introduced a series of sweeping reforms, including granting amnesty to thousands of political prisoners and repealing draconian laws, since coming to power in April 2018. The initiation of broad domestic changes  along with efforts to end hostilities with neighbouring Eritrea, a longtime foe  has won Abiy international praise and secured him the Nobel Peace Prize last year.

But Abiys tenure has also been plagued by ethnic conflict, with hundreds of thousands of people being internally displaced amid a worsening security situation.

The violations depicted in the report are telling of unfinished business of reform in Ethiopia including impunity for past human rights violations, Deprose Muchena, Amnestys regional director for Southern Africa and East Africa, told Al Jazeera.

The Ethiopian government did not immediately respond to Amnestys report. Al Jazeera contacted the Ethiopian Attorney General and Ministry of Peace for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication. Amnesty also said government offices did not respond to its report.

Mass arrests, killings

Under Abiys reformist drive, the government in 2018 lifted a ban on several political parties, some of which had been designated terrorist groups. The move paved the way for the leaders of the banned groups to return to the ethnically diverse country, and allowed the opposition parties to participate in long-awaited elections initially scheduled for August 2020 but now postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Amnesty said the opening up of the political space has coincided with politicians stirring up ethnic and religious animosities in their efforts to mobilise support, sparking inter-communal violence and armed attacks in several of the countrys regional states.

In response, the federal government set up security command posts to coordinate the operations of the military, police and local militia.

Amnestys report (PDF) documents a series of alleged abuses in Oromia, where security forces are waging a campaign against the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The group is the breakaway armed wing of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), an opposition party that pursued military struggle before its return to Ethiopia to pursue a peaceful agenda in 2018.

Amnesty said it had collected evidence that at least 10,000 people suspected of supporting or working for the OLA were detained by security forces in rounds of mass detention that began in January 2019.

It also said it had found evidence that at least 39 people were extrajudicially executed amid rising tensions in Oromias East Guji and West Guji zones. Other documented abuses included multiple cases of torture by security forces, with various people interviewed by Amnesty speaking of severe beatings by the security forces. In one case, a woman suffered a miscarriage shortly after she was beaten.





In Amhara, Amnesty said at least 130 people were killed in inter-communal conflict in which the security forces were complicit, either through active involvement or failure to protect the affected communities.

The group said regional police, militia and local vigilante groups carried out multiple attacks targeting ethnic Qemant, who seek greater autonomy, resulting in scores of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of people. From 10-11 January 2019, the security forces and vigilante groups attacked a [Qemant] settlement in Metema with grenades and guns and set homes on fire. Fifty-eight people were killed within 24 hours as soldiers in a nearby camp failed to respond to cries for help, Amnesty said.

The deputy head of the Amhara Regional Peace and Security Bureau told the rights group the casualties could have been greater if the security forces had not been deployed and also rejected the complicity claim.

Power struggle

Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, said that while it is very difficult for countries to effectively police environments hit by inter-ethnic or inter-religious conflicts, as well as those experiencing independentist armed groups or movements, arbitrary killings are feeding the cycle of violence.

In my experience, national or local authorities rely on heavy-handed and violent security tactics in place of political engagement towards long-term reform to address historical grievances, Callamard told Al Jazeera.

In the case of Oromia, analysts believe the violence is largely attributed to the return of exiled opposition political parties following the opening up of the political space two years ago.

When Abiy took power he criticised the authoritarian practices of the preceding government. But he has not been able to completely change the character of the regime just by making changes at the centre, William Davison, senior analyst for Ethiopia at International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera.

He said the abuses are, to a large degree, a continuation of the violations seen under the previous governments.

The expectation was that when the OLF returned to Ethiopia it would put down its weapons. Instead, a power struggle soon erupted between the OLF and the government, which led to continuing violence, he said.

According to Davison, there is no immediate prospect of a peaceful resolution to the situation in western Oromia as the government seems intent on eradicating the OLA. The fact that there have not yet been free and fair elections, as promised, and that polls have now been delayed beyond the governments term, complicates the situation, he added.

Complex security context

Daniel Bekele, the chief commissioner of Ethiopias Human Rights Commission, told Al Jazeera that: Amnestys findings and ongoing reports of killings and arrests, particularly in the Oromia region should be taken very seriously.

He added, however, that we should not lose sight of the complex security context in which armed groups are destabilising the area and the fight within these groups is taking a heavy toll on civilians.

In its report, Amnesty acknowledged that the government has taken initial first steps  towards improving the human rights environment in the country but warned that a persistence of old-style patterns of violence perpetrated by the security forces threatens to derail sustained long-term gain.

Fisseha Tekle, the rights group Ethiopia researcher, said there have been many positive developments after the coming into power of Abiy, but at the same time the reported violations do not reflect well on the government.

Looking ahead, Amnesty said it was concerned the rights violations and abuses will escalate during the upcoming general election period.

It recommended that the Ethiopian government take measures to immediately order security forces to stop carrying out extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests, forced evictions and destruction of property belonging to people suspected of supporting opposition political parties or armed groups.

Amnesty further called for an end to the culture of impunity in security forces by demobilising the units that were complicit in the violence and human rights violations.
A Head Hunters gang member sentenced to 12 years and one month prison is said to have chosen gang life.

But Justice Anne Hinton said that view was simplistic when considering his history of abuse.

Tauranga man Stacy Walton Dennis Paora, 35, was sentenced in the High Court at Rotorua on Thursday on 11 counts of supplying methamphetamine, four counts of possessing the Class-A drug for supply, one charge of conspiring to deal in ephedrine, and one charge of unlawful possession of a pistol.

The firearm was found hidden inside a false-bottomed LPG canister inside the wardrobe of a children's room in October 2019. It was loaded with live ammunition.

Paora was arrested after a police sting uncovered his sophisticated methamphetamine supply operation in the Bay of Plenty.

Undercover officers, posing as members of an Asian crime syndicate, were paid $100,000 by Paora to supply 1kg of ephedrine, a class-B drug used to make methamphetamine.

The substance was recovered later, in a bucket buried in Papamoa sand dunes.

Paora ran the drug operation like a chief executive and he had a significant leadership role in Head Hunters business, the court heard. He used front companies to transport drugs, was involved in identifying prospects, enforcing discipline through physical violence and matching gang members to tasks.

During sentencing, Justice Hinton said Paora lived a lavish lifestyle and boasted about his skills.

According to intercepted phone conversations, he bragged about making $10,000 a day, and he would host extravagant parties at penthouse apartments.

The public gallery was filled, as much as it could be during alert level 2, with whanau in support of Paora. Dozens more were outside court.

Two made appeals to Hinton including Taranaki Iwi chief executive Wharehoka Wano.

He addressed the court to say Paora was a good boy despite his dealing of methamphetamine, which he abhors.

"I am disappointed with the charges. I work in our tribal community and I've seen the havoc that methamphetamine wreaks among our people," he said.

I need you to go through the journey and come back to us. Hes made a huge mistake, but we dont abandon the family when they make mistakes.

We support them when theyve done good and support them when they've done bad.

Paoras uncle urged him to learn something during his prison time. Dont just exercise the muscles, he said. Dont waste that time.

Crown prosecutor Anna Pollett acknowledged the whanau support and added it can be a rarity in criminal cases.

However, she argued Paora had chosen the gang life over whanau life for many years as evidenced by his offending and his standing as a senior member of the Head Hunters gang.

Court referenced a cultural report into Paoras past which identified abuse from a relative as a key trigger for his move into a life of gangs.

Pollett argued the report should not reduce Paoras sentence as he had advantages other offenders did not in the form of the supportive family but chose to give his loyalty to the Head Hunters.

He was a lead player in a significant commercial operation, she said. Hes the top of the chain. He made significant financial gain using businesses as cover to do that.

She argued for a starting point of 19-20 years imprisonment.

Hinton said the idea of choices was simplistic given the personal trauma suffered by Paora.

I think thats how people like you and I see it, she said. He goes to Whakatane. He does not have the support of iwi, father and mother. He drifts into what others are doing. Substance abuse and starts going off the rails.

Hinton said Paora was a leader but should have been leading is iwi and not leading the gang.

Paoras defence lawyer Ron Mansfield argued the underlying issues within the cultural report warranted a reduction in sentencing.

[Paora] suffered personal trauma that drifted him away from his family," he said.

He started using alcohol and was introduced into the gang lifestyle. This court sees this time and time again. The Head Hunters have been an extension of his family because of things that occurred he found support, solace in that lifestyle.

Mansfield called for a start point of no more than 16 years and called for significant reductions to the end sentence length.

During sentencing, Hinton allowed a 15 per cent discount for the cultural report.

The report writer says [alcohol and drug use] was self-medication for internal anger. This also brought a tendency for fighting. The Club [Head Hunters] offered a substitute whanau and you demonstrated acumen in organising the gang activities. There was sense of honour of being a good 'warrior'.

Justice Hinton set a start point for offending of 17 years and nine months and applied discounts for the cultural report, time spent on bail and an early guilty plea which resulted in a final jail term of 12 years one month.

A minimum non-parole period of six years was also imposed.

She added Paora should be leading his whanau, not the gangs.

"Leaving the Head Hunters would be the major step you need to take to complete your mana wairua," she said.

-Matt Shand/Stuff.
The Vision of the Seas cruise ship arrived in Kingstown with the largest single number of Vincentian sailors to date. Inset: Seaman Travis Harry, Crew member of RCCL, was at the forefront of the struggle to get all Vincentian RCCL sailors home.

Some 365 Vincentian Crew members from the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) arrived home last Tuesday, May 26, via M.V. Vision of the Seas.





However, none of the 356 was allowed to disembark. All 365 of them are to be tested for COVID-19, using rapid and PCR tests.





This action followed on determination by local health authorities that the crew members were of high risk, given the reports of the presence of known cases of COVID-19 on the ships of origin, and of other Crew members of this ship testing positive for COVID-19.





And as of Wednesday, May 27, 29 of those sailors had tested positive for COVID-19.





As of Thursday, May 28, the Health Services Committee reported that 7 of those cases had been confirmed as COVID-9 positive, as per PCR test results received from the Caribbean Public Health Agency  CARPHA.

These 7 positive cases were among a batch of 65 samples tested by CARPHA, and according to the (HSC), the remaining 58 samples showed negative results.





Two hundred and ninety-two PCR results remain outstanding for the RCCL crew members as of Thursday.

There are now 11 active cases of COVID-19 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A total of 25 COVID-19 cases have now been recorded to date, with 14 having recovered.





The HSC also confirmed that "RCCL Crew members who tested positive on rapid, but negative on PCR, will remain in a government approved quarantine facility, until a second PCR is conducted. Crew members who test negative for COVID-19 on both rapid and PCR will be allowed to disembark, to continue strict quarantine in approved private accommodations (their homes or privately rented apartments), when results for all crew members have been received.





And during the time it would take for PCR tests to be conducted and the results returned, no sailor will be allowed to leave the ship.





Originally it was envisioned that most of the sailors would have disembarked by Thursday but that, according to one source, looks unlikely given the situation going into Wednesday evening.





Those RCCL sailors who returned on Tuesday, followed the return of twenty-five Vincentian sailors working with Disney Cruise who arrived in Port Kingstown on Wednesday 20th May.





Anticipation of the arrival of the Vision of The Seas was rife here as indication was that Vincentian Seaman Travis Harry was one of those returning home.





Harry, for all intents and purposes, with his live Facebook streaming, had been a thorn in the side of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as it pertained to its handling of the situation surrounding Vincentian seamen and women, as the cruise industry was brought to a halt.





In a live Facebook stream on Wednesday, Harry pointed to extraordinary attention being paid to him by at least one police officer and health personnel.
Participants at a stakeholders consultation on anti-corruption by political parties are demanding that the parties commit to ensure the digitisation of all government essential services as a step towards reducing corruption when voted into power.



They are also demanding a policy that would ensure that all agencies mandated to fight corruption had a dedicated funding that does not need the approval of the Executive.



These demands were flagged during a virtual consultative meeting organised for faith-based organisations, traditional authorities, private sector, the media, and civil society organisations.



It was funded by the Star Ghana Foundations Making All Voices Count in the 2020 Anti-Corruption Agenda of Political Parties Manifestoes Initiative.



The initiative, which is being jointly implemented by the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), in partnership with the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), is seeking to increase citizens voices in the anti-corruption agenda as stipulated in the manifestoes of political parties for 2020 and beyond.



Participants suggested that the next government must make it a priority to fully operationalise the Right to Information Law to enable the citizens to be informed and demand accountability.



Mr Bright Sowu, the Head of Programmes and Deputy Executive Secretary of GACC, said the concerns would be collated to develop a Citizens Anti-Corruption Manifesto.



He said it would feed into advocacy efforts aimed at engaging political parties for the inclusion of anti-corruption priorities in their manifestoes for the upcoming 2020 Elections.



Mrs Linda Ofori-Kwafo, the GII Executive Director, said corruption affected development, caused and exacerbated conflict, and was one of the biggest challenges that hindered the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).



Proponents of the Sustainable Development Goals rightly identified the problem of corruption militating against the realisation of any set of development goals, hence the collective decision to integrate anti-corruption specific targets into the SDGs under Goal-16.



She said issues about corruption were of great concern to the public with a section holding the view that the Government was not doing enough to rid the country of corrupt practices.



She said the sentiments were reflected in the various survey findings including the recent Global Corruption Barometer and Afrobarometer surveys.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Republican National Committee set a June 3 deadline for North Carolina officials to approve their planned in-person political convention in August, despite continuing uncertainty over the spread of the novel coronavirus that has upended the presidential campaign.

In a letter sent Thursday evening to Gov. Roy Cooper, the RNC outlined a number of safety protocols it said it would invoke during the convention in Charlotte, an apparent response to the Democratic governor's request for a safety plan. The deadline was roughly the same set by President Donald Trump in remarks Tuesday.

The letter did not address some basic safety concerns, omitting, for example, whether attendees would be required to wear masks or take a coronavirus test before entering the Spectrum Arena where the convention would be held. Federal health authorities have strongly recommended the use of masks for any gatherings in which attendees cannot properly distance themselves - which would be the case in a convention drawing thousands of delegates and others.

Trump has been determined, Republicans in contact with him say, to hold a large-scale convention without an audience filled with masked people.

The party said it envisions safety protocols including pre-travel health surveys throughlocal health-care providers, daily health-care questionnaires, temperature checks of "all mandatory attendees prior to boarding sanitized, prearranged transportation," antibacterial gel, "aggressive sanitizing" and food service guidelines for every restaurant.

"We still do not have solid guidelines from the State and cannot in good faith, ask thousands of visitors to begin paying deposits and making travel plans without knowing the full commitment of the Governor, elected officials and other stakeholders in supporting the Convention," said the letter, signed by RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.

Sadie Weiner, the governor's spokesperson, spoke on his behalf Thursday night.

"We are still waiting for a plan from the RNC, but our office will work with state health officials to review the letter and share a response tomorrow," she said. The governor is, like Trump, on the ballot in November and his decision is likely to reverberate in his tightly contested state.

RNC spokesman Mike Reed, in response, said the party's procedures would "ensure a healthy event."

"If the governor is saying this isn't enough for him, he should put out guidelines for where North Carolina hopes to be in August," Reed said. "Otherwise, it feels to us like he is just dragging his feet, and not showing leadership."

Nearly all large-scale events across the country this summer had previously been canceled. Democrats, whose convention had been scheduled for mid-July in Milwaukee, moved it to Aug. 17 to 20 in hopes that health conditions will improve by then. But both presumptive nominee Joe Biden and other Democratic officials have increasingly sounded skeptical about a large-scale event and have begun planning for a smaller gathering.

The RNC event is scheduled for Aug. 24 to 27, and there had been little public talk about changing plans before Trump this week tweeted a threat to pull out of the convention.

"We have a governor that doesn't want to open up the state and we have a date of . . . the end of August," Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. "And we have to know before we spend millions and millions of dollars on an arena to make it magnificent for the convention. . . . If the governor can't tell us very soon, unfortunately, we'll have no choice."

Cooper, who has followed federal health guidelines in a phased reopening of his state, had told reporters earlier Tuesday that the health and safety of his citizens were paramount as North Carolina plans for the event.

"It's OK for political conventions to be political, but pandemic response cannot be," Cooper said Tuesday afternoon at a news conference in which Trump's demands came up repeatedly. "Already, we've been in talks with the RNC about the kind of convention that they would need to run and the kind of options that we need on the table."

A senior Republican involved in convention planning said the party had been debating how to stage a convention with North Carolina officials in recent days. While Trump has agitated against North Carolina officials on Twitter and threatened to move the convention, party officials have remained in touch with Cooper and others in Charlotte to try to keep the event in the Tar Heel State - while also beginning to scout backup options.

"If there are any additional guidelines to what is outlined above that we will be expected to meet, you need to let us know by Wednesday, June 3," the letter says.
WELLINGTON COUNTYMichael Chong, MP for Wellington-Halton Hills, said the recent ban on firearms doesnt make any sense and ignores the true issues.

On May 1, the federal government announced a ban on approximately 1,500 makes and models of assault-style firearms. The first issue Chong has with this is there isnt a legal definition of what constitutes an assault-style firearm.

They are banning firearms based on how they look and keeping legal other firearms that have the same functionality, Chong said in a phone interview. It doesnt make any sense.

The other issue he has is how this ban was passed. A regulatory change was made through an order-in-council which bypasses debate in Parliament or any review in the senate.

This should be debated in Parliament but because Parliament has been suspended and the House of Commons is suspended, were not able to do that, Chong said. The government took advantage of the House of Commons suspension to do this.

Chong said he feels this was done as a political response to the Nova Scotia shootings and does not address what he sees as the main issue causing gun violence.

The announcement didnt address what appears to be the fundamental problem which is illegal firearms from the United States smuggled into Canada that seem to increasingly be used in crimes, Chong said.

What data we do have points to the problem of illegal guns being smuggled into Canada and that was true in the case of Nova Scotia and its also true of the gun violence that takes place in our larger cities.

Andrew Vincent, web director of the Guelph Rod & Gun Club and competitive sport shooter, said he feels this ban criminalizes lawful gun owners.

This only affects people with firearms licences, Vincent said. It doesnt do anything to affect criminals and it doesnt do anything to affect gun smugglers.

As web director, Vincent handles emails from members and said no one is happy about this regulatory change.

It makes for a really good sound bite to say were banning assault weapons, Vincent said. It seems very disingenuous and I think the average Canadian firearms owner is going to be unhappy with that because you have the government using our tax dollars to threaten to confiscate our property.

Vincent said he is particularly troubled with the bypassing of Parliament through the order-in-council. He said he feels it should have been debated and received input from elected members.

As a government that claims to believe in the democratic process and believe in fact-based policy, doing this through debate in the house would be a great first step, Vincent said.

The next step for firearms owners is to see if there will be a buyback program or if they will be grandfathered in and allowed to keep them. This was not addressed in the regulatory change because both must be passed through legislation.

For the time being, Chong said the government needs to come forward with strong policies that address illegal gun smuggling from the United States.

Firearms owners use their firearms responsibly and are not the cause of tragedies that we see in our cities and rural areas and the tragedy we saw in Nova Scotia, Chong said.
The member of parliament for South Mugirango Constituency, Silvanus Osoro, has played down his ejection from the Agriculture and Livestock Committee and the Committee of Implementation.

Osoro was among nine legislators who were removed from several assembly committees during the Nasa Parliamentary Group meeting on Wednesday.

Responding to his ouster, Osoro, who is allied to DP Ruto, said he would not beg for his job back.

I will not beg Raila Odinga, he is not God. I will not be like Narok Senator Ledama and swear my loyalty to him, he said.

The Kenya National Congress legislator added that Junet Mohammeds announcement kicking him out did not bear any weight as his party does not have a formal coalition agreement with ODM.

ODM and KNC dont have a coalition agreement so Junet cant remove me. We shall square it out in the house but let them feel powerful now, he added as quoted by Kenyans.co.ke.

Osoro also reiterated his allegiance to DP Ruto stating: I stand by my principals and that is to support William Ruto.

He also said that losing the committee role was of little consequence as members are only entitled to a few privileges including allowances.

Being a committee member just gives you some privileges, nothing special. We shall still survive as members of parliament and serve our people, he
A second shipment of U.S.-built ventilators will head to Moscow to help Russia in its fight against the coronavirus, a goodwill gesture by U.S. President Donald Trumps administration that has been trailed by questions and criticism.

The shipment is scheduled to arrive in Moscow on May 30, two days after congressional Democrats released a second letter demanding more information about an earlier shipment of Russian-built ventilators that were sent to the United States.

That shipment has been clouded by questions over who exactly paid for it, whether the Trump administration knew that Russian companies sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department might have been involved, and whether the Russian ventilators were even safe to use at all.

A spokesman for Vyaire Medical, a Chicago-based medical-supply company, told RFE/RL that 150 of the companys ventilators were scheduled to arrive in Russia on May 30, adding to the 50 that were shipped there earlier this month by the U.S. aid agency, USAID.

Patrick OConnor gave no further details and did not immediately respond to a follow-up query on the overall costs or other logistics of the shipment.



An earlier shipment of 50 ventilators arrived in Moscow on a U.S. military cargo plane on May 21, a delivery described by the U.S. Embassy as a humanitarian donation.

U.S. officials said the entire cost of the 200 ventilators was around $5.6 million and that the United States was paying 100 percent of the cost, delivery, and start-up supplies.



The United States and Russia have helped each other in times of crisis in the past and will no doubt do so again in the future, the U.S. Embassy said at the time.



There was no immediate comment from Russia on the new shipment.



Russia ranks third in the world for confirmed cases of the coronavirus as of May 29, though its death toll has been unusually low, prompting questions from critics who say officials are purposely undercounting fatalities.

The two U.S. shipments came weeks after Russia sent Russian-built ventilators and other medical supplies to the United States, following a conversation between Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in late March.

The Russian shipment, which included 45 ventilators, was initially dogged by questions and confusion over who exactly paid for it, and then later over the involvement of two Russian companies who appeared to fall under U.S. Treasury Department sanctions.

The State Department later announced the ventilators had been purchased, not donated, and that Russia had billed the United States nearly $660,000 for the goods. The Treasury Department told RFE/RL the exporter did not appear to fall under U.S. sanctions.

Weeks after their arrival, news emerged that the ventilators, which had been earmarked for New York City regional hospitals, had never been used and returned to the Federal Emergency Management Agency out of an abundance of caution.



In Russia, meanwhile, regulators ordered a nationwide suspension on use of the ventilators after two deadly fires at medical facilities in St. Petersburg and the Moscow region were blamed on the devices.



The U.S. shipment of ventilators prompted criticism from a group of congressional Democrats, who asserted that the United States was still suffering from a shortage of ventilators. The United States has the worlds most confirmed cases of coronavirus and the worlds highest death toll.



The lawmakers also alleged the shipment was more intended by the Trump administration to curry favor with the Kremlin.

In a second letter dated May 28, congressional Democrats demanded more information about the Russian shipment to the United States, asserting that misguided decisions had wasted millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars, undermine[d] our foreign policy and national security interests, and impair[ed] our nations ability to combat the coronavirus crisis.

The U.S. shipment is part of what U.S. officials have trumpeted as a $10 billion effort to help countries fight the coronavirus. South Africa, for example, is reportedly receiving 1,000 U.S.-built ventilators.



According to Vyaires website, the company in April received a $407 million U.S. government contract to produce 22,000 similar ventilator models.
The Nhan Dan 115 Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City has set three Asian records in developing and applying new medical techniques.

Nhan Dan 115 Hospital sets Asian records in applying AI technology (Photo: Nhan Dan 115 Hospital )

The Asian Record Organisation granted the record certificates for the hospital on Thursday. Among the three records, two are for the whole hospital and one for an individual.

The first record was for being the first hospital in Asia using the Modus V Synaptive robot system to conduct an brain tumour surgery successfully.

The patient, 67, was hospitalised with a headache, dysarthria and right limb weakness. An MRI scan revealed that she had a small tumour in the left cerebral hemisphere, measuring 2cm and located about 1.5-2cm from the cortex, affecting her speech and mobility.

The normal surgery could result in neurological sequelae  complications caused by damage to the nervous system  because the tumour was very small.

In February 2019, Chu Tan Si, head of the hospitals Neurology Department, surgery and his colleagues with the support of Professor Amin Kassam, Vice President of Aurora Health Care (USA) conducted the surgery to remove the tumour successfully after an hour and a half.

The second record recognised the hospital to be the first in Asia meeting the European Stroke Associations Gold Treatment Quality Standards.

The third record is for Dr Chu Tan Si who is dubbed the golden hand of neurosurgery in Vietnam, was chief of the surgeon staff for the operation.

According to Dr Phan Van Bau, director of the hospital, the hospitals Neurology Department carries out around 2,400 surgeries per year. Senior experts were sent to the US for new treatment methods, particularly the robot used for brain surgeries.

Until now, the hospital has conducted 20 surgeries, including four brain drain cases. Dtinews
He was an expert writer and linguist and just had a terrific instinct for the written word and clarity and being transparent to the public, said Phil Rosenfelt, who worked with Cohen and served briefly as the acting U.S. education secretary. He helped train a lot of new attorneys to be great writers. So a lot of the regulations that we have are really Stans inspiration and helpful creation.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-30 00:05:39|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BAGHDAD, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry on Friday said that the daily increase of COVID-19 cases in the country jumped to 416, the highest so far, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 5,873.

The new cases included 265 in the capital Baghdad, 31 in Dhi Qar, 28 in Karbala, 22 in Sulaimaniyah, 16 in Babil, 15 in Basra, 13 in Diyala, seven in Wasit, five in Najaf, four in Maysan, three each in Kirkuk and Muthanna, two in Salahudin and one each in Diwaniyah and Nineveh, the ministry said in a statement.

The statement also reported six more deaths during the day, five of them in Baghdad's hospitals and one in Basra, bringing the death toll in the country to 185, while 3,044 have recovered so far.

The new cases were recorded after 5,246 test kits were used across the country during the past 24 hours, and a total of 216,731 tests have been carried out since the outbreak of the disease, according to the statement.

China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic, through enhancing Iraq's capability of containing the spread of the contagious disease.

From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and an advanced CT scanner in Baghdad.

Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem
Islamabad, May 29 (IANS) In a massive reverse for Pakistans Machiavellian manoeuvres, the UAE and Maldives slammed the door on a Pakistani attempt to set up an informal group of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) envoys at the United Nations on Islamophobia.

Pakistan's permanent representative at the United Nations, Munir Akram, tried as usual to raise the issue of Islamophobia at a recent virtual meeting of the envoys of OIC member countries at the UN.

A routine meeting of the envoys of OIC nations was hijacked by the Pakistan envoy who raised the issue of the "plight of Muslims in India and the people of occupied Kashmir, who are suffering at the hands of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party".

In what was typical Pakistan grandstanding and filibustering, he argued that Islamophobia in India had become more pronounced during the Covid-19 pandemic and recalled the actions taken by the Narendra Modi-led government to change the demography of occupied Kashmir by allowing non-Kashmiris to take up permanent residence in the Valley.

It all came to naught when Maldivian envoy Thilmeeza Hussain, according to Maldivian media, rejected the "singling out of India" and said that accusing Delhi of Islamophobia would be factually incorrect and detrimental to the religious harmony in South Asia.

The top diplomat, who is also the Maldives' ambassador to the US, had further said that "isolated statements by motivated people and disinformation campaigns" on social media should not be construed as representative of the feelings of 1.3 billion people.

Adding his weight behind Maldives, the UAE envoy, who was chairing the meeting, outrightly rejected the Pakistani request for an informal group on Islamophobia, saying it was the mandate of the OIC foreign ministers to constitute such groups.

In what can be described as a huge downer for the Pakistan chicanery, it is interesting to note that normally Maldives works closely with Pakistani diplomats at international fora.

Earlier this week, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had tweeted: "Pakistan has consistently appealed to @UN & @OIC_OCI to condemn Modi's Hindutva supremacist ideology with relentless Islamophobia & violence/regional instability perpetuated."

--IANS

arm/
DUBAI, UAE, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- OHM Live is delighted to confirm the participation of more than 230 global stars in its ground-breaking, 24-hour fundraising broadcast taking place on May 29 from 20:00 GST/16:00 GMT. This amazing line-up of icons from the worlds of music, sport, film, art, fashion and health and wellness is coming together to raise funds for COVID19 relief efforts  and also collect a billion dreams from around the world.

The broadcast includes contributions from two-time Grammy award-winner Dua Lipa, multi-platinum-selling recording artist Jason Derulo, five-time Grammy award-winner CeeLo Green, Colombian superstar Maluma and a conversation between award-winning actress, producer and philanthropist Eva Longoria Baston and alternative medicine advocate Deepak Chopra.

Across the broadcast's 24 hours, which can be viewed on YouTube, Facebook, IGTV, TikTok and ohm.constellation.art, as well as a number of major TV networks, the OHM Live programme has been constructed to feature major stars from each region as the "peak time" moves across the world  from Sonam Kapoor Ahuja in India to Carlos Rivera in Mexico.

All proceeds of the Constellation Dream Fund raised through OHM Live will go to beneficiaries such as Global Gift Foundation, Dubai Cares, and FromU2Them, all of whom are supporting those on the front lines fighting the impact of COVID19.

OHM Live is a co-production between Constellation, a human impact accelerator designed to connect the dreams of people everywhere, and ITP Live, a talent management and digital marketing agency head-quartered in Dubai.

"We're trying to connect a billion dreams from across the world so we can envision a new future for humanity," says Jean-Karl Saliba, Constellation co-founder. "That begins by raising funds for the Constellation Dream Fund but also by inviting people to dream together and fight for a healthy, safe and sustainable future."

"OHM Live is a fantastic project that sees two companies with the same vision come together to create what we hope will be one of the biggest charitable events in internet history. We've always been dreamers at ITP Live and this is one of many ambitious, global projects to come," says Ahmad Bashour, Executive Director, ITP Live.

Notes to editors

ACCOMPANYING ASSETS

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_QbKu-j9lS_nIVCsfyDBMJgbE8PI1Y3M?usp=sharing

LINE-UP

For a full line-up of talent from around the world, please visit: https://ohm.constellation.art/line-up

HOW TO WATCH

OHM Live will be streamed live on the Constellation website

It will also be streamed on:

It will also be broadcast on TV networks in key territories.

About the Companies

Constellation

Constellation is a human impact accelerator designed to connect the dreams of humanity. The company's mission is to create a quantum leap for humanity by connecting one billion aspirational dreams and amplifying human connection within an ecosystem that connects like-minded dreamers.

ohm.constellation.art

ITP Live

ITP Live is a talent management and digital influencer marketing agency. From exclusively managing digital content creators to conceptualising and executing 360-marketing campaigns for international and local brands, ITP Live is a dynamic division of ITP Media Group. ITP Live also organises bespoke events with global artists, celebrities and influencers.

https://itp.live/

SOURCE ITP Media
GOTHENBURG, Sweden, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vicore Pharma Holding AB (publ), a pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative medicines for rare lung disorders, today announces that the UK charity LifeArc has awarded the company approximately  1.5 million (18.5 MSEK) for the ATTRACT VP01 (C21) COVID-19 study, allowing the company to accelerate the development program by opening more sites.

"We are grateful for and pleased with LifeArc's decision to make a significant financial contribution to our phase II trial with VP01 in COVID-19 patients. Our study was prioritized by an expert panel among a large number of applications", says Carl-Johan Dalsgaard, CEO of Vicore Pharma.

About the study

The study, named ATTRACT ( A ngiotensin II T ype T wo R eceptor A gonist C OVID-19 T rial), is targeting hospitalized patients treated with basic respiratory care, but not yet on mechanical ventilation. These patients have an intense inflammatory drive in the lungs which can lead to acute respiratory failure if it progresses.

The study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II trial in approximately 100 COVID-19 patients. It will, in addition to safety, investigate the efficacy on respiratory failure and functional outcomes. Chief Investigator of the trial is Professor Joanna Porter, University College London.

The ATTRACT study has received full approval in the UK by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and the Health Research Agency (Ethics Committee) and is now up and running at University College London (UCL). Fortunately, the COVID-19 situation is now improving in the UK. Therefore Vicore experienced a delay in the study start and hence a process to open additional sites has been initiated to secure recruitment.

"We are incredibly grateful for this charity funding which allows us to broaden the recruitment base, even outside the UK", says Rohit Batta CMO, Vicore Pharma. "We are fully committed to bringing this medicine to patients in need as swiftly as possible."

Melanie Lee, CEO of LifeArc commented: "As an independent medical charity with expertise in medical translation, LifeArc could rapidly offer the resources to evaluate proposals and financially support studies with the best chance of improving outcomes in patients with COVID-19. We're hopeful that this funding will help address the urgent need for new treatment options."

About LifeArc

LifeArc is a UK-based self-funded medical research charity. Their mission is to advance translation of early science into health care treatments or diagnostics that can be taken through to full development and made available to patients.

LifeArc has made  10 million available for clinical COVID-19 research to repurpose existing medicines or those in the late stage of development as this approach offers one of the fastest routes to develop new treatments that could tackle the virus and its impact.

First in class molecule

VP01 (C21), a first in class orally available low molecular weight angiotensin II receptor type 2 (AT2R) agonist, activates the "protective arm" of the renin angiotensin system (RAS). It is under development for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), pulmonary fibrosis in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and COVID-19.

For further information, please contact:

Carl-Johan Dalsgaard

CEO

Tel: +46-70-975-98-63

carl-johan.dalsgaard@vicorepharma.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/vicore-pharma-holding-ab/r/lifearc-awards---1-5-million-grant-to-vicore-pharma-for-the-vp01-covid-19-clinical-study,c3122670

The following files are available for download:
More Than 100 Gunboats Delivered To Revolutionary Guard's Navy

Radio Farda May 28, 2020

In a ceremony in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Thursday more than 100 new gunboats were delivered to the Revolutionary Guard's Naval Force.

The vessels are improved versions of Ashura, Tareq and Zolfaghar class boats manufactured by the Defense Ministry's Marine Industries Organization and the Revolutionary Guard's Naval Force, Tasnim News Agency reported.

"Our strategy is defensive and our tactic are offensive," Revolutionary Guard Commander Major-General Hossein Salami who attended the ceremony in Bandar Abbas said.

"We will not bow to enemies. We will not retreat," he decalred and added: "Defense is our logic in war but not in the sense of passivity against the enemy. Our operations and tactics are offensive and we have shown it in the battlefield".

The ceremony was also attended by Defense Minister Brigadier-General Amir Hatami who said more than 95 percent of naval boats are being manufactured in Iran now.

The United States says Revolutionary Guard's vessels harass U.S. Navy vessels in the Persian Gulf and international waters in the region. The Guard's boats often approach the vessels in what the U.S. calls a "dangerous and provocative" manner.

On Monday Revolutionary Guard's Political Affairs Deputy, Brigadier-General Yadollah Javani, dismissed U.S. military drills in the Persian Gulf saying the exercises would not intimidate the Islamic Republic.

"What Americans call military exercises for strengthening security in the Persian Gulf region and as assistance to their allies are in reality attempts to solidify their presence in the area," Javani said and claimed that regional nations "are waking up" and "the resistance front" supports the Islamic Republic.

The resistance front is a label used for a host of state and non-sate allies, including the Lebanese Hezbollah, Houthi forces in Yemen, Shiite militia in Iraq and others.

President Trump has ordered the U.S. Navy to attack and destroy any Iranian vessel that harasses U.S. ships.

"I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea," Trump said in a tweet posted on April 22.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/more- than-100-missile-speed- boats-delivered-to-revolutionary -guard-s-navy/30639908.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Reports claim the showdown is part of a turf war, due to the redistribution of control over commuter bus routes to Kyiv.

About a hundred perpetrators Friday morning were involved in a shootout at a shuttle bus parking lot in the town of Brovary just outside Kyiv.

Eyewitnesses reported dozens of shots fired at the site in what is alleged to be a showdown between rivaling groups competing for control of lucrative bus routes to Kyiv.

Police arrived shortly after the incident broke out, detaining 11 armed men involved in the showdown, speaker for the Kyiv Region PD, Vitalia Hrokholska, told Ukrainian Pravda.

During a massive raid, including in Zhytomyr and Vinnytsia regions, where some perpetrators fled, police apprehended another ten men, bringing the total number of detainees to 21.

At least three persons involved in the shootout were wounded, said deputy interior minister Anton Gerashchenko, who added that the clash was a result of non-transparent distribution of licenses for commuter bus operators on the part of Kyiv region officials.

  @police_kyiv_obl           . pic.twitter.com/s8wd6bYFSt  Artem Shevchenko (@Artem_Shewa) May 29, 2020

None of the detainees turned out to be local.

Eyewitnesses posted videos on social networks showing a large group of armed men firing shotguns and carbines.

The Fakty newspaper reported that the incident had occurred at 07:00 on Friday between groups competing for control over passenger transportation to Kyiv. Prior to the incident, one of those groups exerted pressure on passengers, urging them to use their services instead of hitchhiking, hailing taxies or opting for their rivaling company.
The latest:



Tense protests over the death of George Floyd and other police killings of black people grew Saturday from New York to Tulsa to Los Angeles, with police cars set ablaze and reports of injuries mounting on all sides as the country lurched toward another night of unrest after months of coronavirus lockdowns.

The protests, which began in Minneapolis following Floyd's death Monday after a police officer pressed a knee on his neck until he stopped breathing, have left parts of the city a grid of broken windows, burned-out buildings and ransacked stores. The unrest has since become a national phenomenon as protesters decry years of deaths at police hands.

In Indianapolis amid Saturday protests over the death of Floyd, a shooting left a person dead. No officers were involved. Protests there became dangerous for a second straight night as buildings were damaged, officers deployed tear gas and at least one business was briefly on fire.

Tens of thousands of people were in the streets across the country, many of them not wearing masks or observing social distancing, raising concerns among health experts about the potential for spreading the coronavirus pandemic at a time when much of the country is in the process of reopening society and the economy.



Governors in several states, including Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Minnesota and Texas, activated the National Guard after earlier protests turned violent, while nighttime curfews were put in place in Portland, Oregon, Cincinnati and elsewhere.

Peaceful, destructive protests take place

Amid days of unrest led by the death of Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died in police custody, protesters are raising their voices once again as tense clashes emerge.

 In the Tampa area in Florida, deputies were injured as police faced conflicts with protesters. A sheriff's office said one deputy's helmet was hit with a firework and he was transported to the hospital.

 More than 1,000 people marched in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday night, breaking windows as police in riot gear released tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowds.

Protesters gathered in late afternoon marching peacefully north from the courthouse chanting No Justice, No Peace. But tension grew after nightfall as some people threw rocks at windows and spray painted anti-police slogans on walls.

 In New York, two people allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at police vehicles, one of which had four officers inside. Criminal complaints were filed Saturday.

 In Tallahassee, Florida, a pickup truck drove through a crowd of protesters, sending some running and screaming as the vehicle stopped and started and at one point had a person on its hood, police said, but no serious injuries were reported. Witnesses said a group followed the vehicle and forced it to stop. Police handcuffed the driver but did not release his name or say whether he would face any charges.

 In Atlanta, a person on an ATV was riding and appeared to crash into a police motorcycle, police said. The officer sustained significant injuries but was transported to a hospital in stable condition. The rider is in custody.

 In Columbia, South Carolina, a television reporter for WIS-TV was injured by rocks thrown outside the main police station. Several hundred people participated in the demonstration, tearing down the American and state flags in front of the building. They also swarmed a police car, breaking its windows, The State reported.

Video: Crowds block traffic by walking in Denver street

 In Los Angeles protesters chanted Black Lives Matter, some within inches of the face shields of officers. Police used batons to move the crowd back and fired rubber bullets at demonstrators. One man used a skateboard to try to break the windshield of a police SUV. A spray-painted police car burned in the street.

 In Seattle, police fired tear gas and stun grenades to try to disperse black-clad crowds that smashed downtown shopfronts, stole merchandise and tossed mannequins onto the street.

VIDEO: Pittsburgh Police car set on fire during protests

 In Pittsburgh, two journalists were injured, business fronts were broken out and protesters entered businesses, officials said.

 In Philadelphia, at least 13 officers were injured when peaceful protests turned violent and at least four police vehicles were set on fire. Other fires were set throughout downtown.

 In Fargo, North Dakota, police warned people to avoid downtown, saying, "Protestors are not peaceful anymore."

In Minneapolis, State Patrol troopers said they have made several arrests for gun violations and confiscated an AR-15. Soon after the city's 8 p.m. curfew went into force, lines of police cars and officers in riot gear moved in to confront protesters, firing tear gas to push away throngs of people milling around the citys 5th police precinct station.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who said local forces had been overmatched Friday, fully mobilized the states National Guard and promised a massive show of force. The Guard announced Saturday it had more than 4,000 members responding to Minneapolis and would quickly have nearly 11,000.

Officials in Minneapolis said late Saturday night that theyve succeeded for now in stopping the violent protests that ravaged parts of the city for several days after the death of Floyd.

Meanwhile, police in St. Louis were investigating the death of a protester who climbed between two trailers of a Fed Ex truck and was killed when it drove away. And a person was killed in the area of protests in downtown Detroit just before midnight Friday after someone fired shots into an SUV, officers said. Police had initially said someone fired into the crowd from an SUV.

Washington protests continue

The National Guard has been called out in Washington, D.C., as pockets of violence erupted during a second straight night of protests.

Earlier Saturday, people moved metal barrier units aside and closed in on police in riot gear. The protesters held up their hands and said, "Don't shoot."



Protesting on Friday briefly put the White House on lockdown, and people threw rocks, urine and alcohol at Secret Service officers that night, Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf said Saturday. "In several instances our officers incurred injuries that include broken bones," he said.

President Donald Trump said Saturday he will not tolerate mob violence during demonstrations over the death of Floyd.



Trump says that I stand before you as a friend and ally to every American seeking justice and peace, and I stand before you in firm opposition to anyone exploiting this tragedy to loot, rob, attack and menace. Healing, not hatred. Justice not chaos are the missions at hand.

Protesters brazenly resist curfews

Overnight curfews were imposed in more than a dozen major cities nationwide, ranging from 6 p.m. in parts of South Carolina to 10 p.m. around Ohio. People were also told to be off the streets of Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle and Minneapolis  where thousands had ignored the same order Friday night.

US protests erupt after cop charged in George Floyd death



Protesters nationwide have demanded justice for Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died this week after a white police officer used his knee to pin him down in an incident captured on video.



The white Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Floyds neck was arrested and charged Friday, and authorities imposed an overnight curfew to try to stem three nights of often-violent protests that left dozens of stores burned and looted.



Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, 44, has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the case. He was also accused of ignoring another officer at the scene who expressed concerns about the black man as he lay handcuffed on the ground, pleading that he could not breathe. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill at a small grocery store.

The bail for Chauvin was set at $500,000.

Meanwhile, Chauvin's wife, Kellie Chauvin, has filed for a dissolution of their marriage, according to reports.

Military police put on alert

As unrest spread across dozens of American cities on Friday, the Pentagon took the rare step of ordering the Army to put several active-duty U.S. military police units on the ready to deploy to Minneapolis.



Soldiers from Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Drum in New York have been ordered to be ready to deploy, according to three people with direct knowledge of the orders. Soldiers in Fort Carson, in Colorado, and Fort Riley in Kansas have been told to be ready, too. The people did not want their names used because they were not authorized to discuss the preparations.

The get-ready orders were sent verbally on Friday, after President Donald Trump asked Defense Secretary Mark Esper for military options to help quell the unrest in Minneapolis after protests descended into looting and arson in some parts of the city.



Trump made the request on a phone call from the Oval Office on Thursday night that included Esper, National Security Advisor Robert O Brien and several others. The president asked Esper for rapid deployment options if the Minneapolis protests continued to spiral out of control, according to one of the people, senior Pentagon official who was on the call.



The person said the military units would be deployed under the Insurrection Act of 1807, which was last used in 1992 during the riots in Los Angeles that followed the Rodney King trial.

Council members want Minn AG to take Floyd case



Several Minneapolis City Council members are asking Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to appoint the states attorney general as a special prosecutor in the death of George Floyd.

Six of the councils 13 members say they support a call from Floyds family for Attorney General Keith Ellison to handle the prosecution. The council members say they dont think Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman has the public trust necessary for the job.

Freeman on Friday charged now-fired officer Derek Chauvin with third-degree murder in Floyds death.

The council members say Freeman waited too long in bringing charge. They say Ellison, who is black, is best qualified to handle the case. They also cite a working group he helped lead on deaths involving police.

CNN contributed to this report.


Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Im sick and tired of being sick and tired was a common phrase on social media Friday as countless people took to Twitter to speak out against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes.

Video of the violent incident shows a handcuffed Floyd struggling to breath, with his face pressed against the pavement and the officers knee on top of him. The policeman, who is white, does not let up for roughly eight minutes.

Floyd is heard crying, gasping for breath and pleading with officers.

Officers sought to arrest Floyd outside a grocery store in the city after reports he was trying to pass a counterfeit bill.

The 46-year-old mans death sparked multiple nights of destructive and deadly protests in Minneapolis as well as milder demonstrations throughout the United States, including in Boston, Framingham and Springfield, Massachusetts.

Derek Chauvin, the former policeman who kneeled on Floyd, has since been fired from his job, arrested and charged with murder as well as manslaughter.

When you murder someone, regardless of your title or uniform; you need to go to jail, Massachusetts State Rep. Liz Miranda tweeted. George Floyd didnt deserve to be murdered in public. He begged for his life. Black men deserve to be in open & public spaces w/out being killed.

Boston City Council President Kim Janey was one of several other Massachusetts politicians and advocates to call for justice for Floyd, noting she too is sick and tired.

It is so exhausting to have to fight for your very existence, in your own country... every single day, she tweeted.

It is so exhausting to have to fight for your very existence, in your own country...



e v e r y s i n g l e d a y.



Im sick and tired of being sick and tired. #BlackLivesMatter #GeorgeFloyd #SayHisName  Kim Janey (@Kim_Janey) May 29, 2020

During a press conference Friday, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker also said he is outraged by Floyds death, adding, "I cant imagine why people wouldnt want to get out on the streets and make a point about it.

The death of Floyd in Minneapolis was just one of several cases this month of a white person reportedly harming a black citizen, leading to nationwide outrage.

In February, Ahmaud Arbery was killed by a white father and his son - Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael, respectively - who are accused of chasing after the 25-year-old black man with guns after spotting him running in their neighborhood.

The McMichaels as well as Roddie Bryan, who filmed the fatal shooting, have been charged in connection with Arberys death.

In March, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was fatally shot by police officers at her Kentucky home during a narcotics investigation, The New York Times reported, setting off fatal protests in Louisville.

The officers involved in Taylors shooting have been placed on administrative leave but have not been criminally charged in the black womans death, according to the Times.

There can be no justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, or any of the human beings who have been killed by law enforcement. For in a just world, they would still be alive, tweeted U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. There must, however, be accountability.

The lawmaker announced Friday she is now spearheading a congressional resolution condemning police brutality, racial profiling and the excessive use of force.

The resolution comes days after the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, as well as the recent murder of Breonna Taylor by police in Louisville, Kentucky and the hundreds of other lives robbed by police violence, Pressley said in a statement.

The American Civil Liberties of Massachusetts endorsed the resolution shortly after Pressley publicized it, noting in a statement that black people should not have to live in fear of being killed by police and that "drastic and swift policy change is drastically needed.

Black people should not have to live in fear of being killed by police, the organizations statement said.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey held an office-wide call Thursday to discuss the deaths of Floyd, Arbery and Taylor, the prosecutor tweeted. Her staff took time to cry and be angry, she said.

Im heartbroken. Ive seen the killings of Black people, the anti-Asian violence, food pantry lines in Chelsea, the lack of masks for workers of color. We have policies to pass. Poverty to alleviate. Presidents to remove. In all of this, it is white people who need to do more, Healey tweeted.

Over social media, Healey also called on white people to step up, noting that individuals have the ability to be racist as well as anti-racist.

We need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, she tweeted. If a person of color calls you racist or challenges you to do more, accept that criticism with grace. Change your behavior. Do better!

I'm heartbroken. I've seen the killings of Black people, the anti-Asian violence, food pantry lines in Chelsea, the lack of masks for workers of color.



We have policies to pass. Poverty to alleviate. Presidents to remove. In all of this, it is white people who need to do more.  Maura Healey (@MassAGO) May 29, 2020

Other non-lethal incidents have led to widespread anger and claims of racism as well.

Christian Cooper was bird-watching in Central Park in New York City when he saw that Amy Cooper, a white woman, had let her dog off its leash. He claimed the dog was tearing up plants and told Amy Cooper she should take her pet elsewhere, a request she refused, Christian Cooper wrote in a Facebook post.

She instead started screaming at Christian Cooper to not touch her pet after he pulled out dog treats, later calling the police to tell them her life was being threatened by an African-American man." Christian Coopers video has gone viral and led to Amy Cooper being fired from her job.

An extremely difficult week (month, year, life) for Black people in this country, Janey continued in her tweet. From the casual and callous murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis to Amy Cooper in Central Park, who was so hell bent on putting a Black man in his place, even if that place was his grave.

Related Content:
Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the United States Postal Service, which has run at a loss for years, is even more cash-strapped.

Based on USPS projections, it will lose US$2 billion each month during the pandemic. That prompted Postmaster General Megan Brennan to ask Congress for $50 billion in funds  $25 billion to offset lost revenue from declining mail volume due to the pandemic, and another $25 billion for modernization. USPS also requested a new $25 billion treasury loan and a mechanism to pay down $14 billion in existing public debt.

House Democrats warned that without the funding, the USPS might not make it past September without missing payrolls or suffering service interruptions.

With deliveries down, business mail down, advertisements down, and the shelter-in- place rules, the USPS faces its biggest financial crisis to date, said Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research.

They will need funding, he told the E-Commerce Times.

However, President Trump threatened to veto the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act if it should include any money for the USPS.

GOP lawmakers have been trying for years to privatize the USPS, which has been running at a loss.

Over the past decade, most of the government subsidies have been reduced or removed, Wang said.

Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Ron Johnson, R-Wis., tacked on a last-minute $10 billion Treasury Department loan to the CARES Act to keep the USPS going through the spring months, after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned lawmakers against making a $13 billion grant that the USPS would not have to repay.

UPS has always advocated for a healthy and viable U.S. Postal Service, said UPS spokesperson Kyle Peterson.

We have also maintained that any relief package should also be accompanied by financial and transparency reforms that ensure the USPS doesnt use its universal service obligation to deliver mail across the country to subsidize its competitive offerings in the parcel shipping market, he told the E-Commerce Times.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

There has been a general outcry in favor of saving the USPS, which Pew Research found is favorably viewed by a majority of both Democrat and Republican Americans. Several organizations have launched campaigns to save the service.

Why the USPS Needs a Cash Infusion

During the pandemic, less mail is being sent, and sales of postal supplies are a major source of funds for the service.

Meanwhile, delivering Amazon packages no longer is a good source of income. In April 2018, the USPS handled about 62 percent of all Amazon packages shipped in the U.S.

Now Amazons own delivery network, Amazon Logistics, handles between 46 and 50 percent of all Amazon orders in the U.S.

Amazon used USPS to deliver packages at below cost, Wang said. This is why you see USPS trucks out there on Sunday morning delivering Amazon packages.

However, Amazon has built up scale in delivering on the last mile, he pointed out, and in a few years will not need the USPS.

The USPS is caught between a rock and a hard place, said Rebecca Wettemann, principal at Valoir.

Its mandate to provide a service is particularly difficult when its expected to compete with the Amazons of the world, she told the E-Commerce times.

Meanwhile, the services costs have gone up because it needs to equip employees with personal protective equipment, and postal service workers are being affected by the pandemic.

More than 6,000 postal workers are in self-quarantine because of exposure. Nearly 500 have tested positive for the coronavirus, while 462 are presumed to have been infected. Nineteen have died.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The USPS and Employment

If the USPS collapses, 630,000 jobs will be at risk, according to Common Dreams.

The service is one of the top five employers in the U.S., Wang noted.

The USPS is a massively vital service, he said. Its a part of critical infrastructure like interstate highways, the Internet, banking systems and military bases. This is the physical connectivity network.

Impact on E-Commerce

E-commerce has helped many large brick-and-mortar retailers, whose profiles have risen considerably in the online sales sector.

In February, Walmart ranked second behind Amazon in terms of retail e-commerce sales, while The Home Depot stood at fifth, Best Buy at seventh, Target eighth, Costco ninth, and Macys tenth, according to eMarketer.

Large companies with an online presence will not be impacted much if the USPS collapses because their high volumes mean they will have alternatives and the ability for volume price negotiations, Valoirs Wettemann observed.

Further, with store delivery becoming more widespread, theyre more likely to have the resources, at least in some areas, to deliver to the last mile themselves, as Amazon does already, she pointed out.

However, USPS is the most cost-effective option for a lot of smaller firms selling online, Wettemann noted. Elimination or reduction of USPS services would make staying in business more costly for them.

On the other hand, the SMBs that rely on the USPS also use FedEx and UPS, Wang pointed out, noting that many SMBs use Amazon Logistics as well.

Consumers wont be hit by increased shipping costs if the USPS collapses because these are now built into pricing, and there will be competition from new entrants to the courier industry, he said.

In addition to financial assistance, the USPS will need to charge Amazon more to get to market prices for the last mile, suggested Wang, and its critical infrastructure may need reform as mail volumes drop, shipping volumes shift to in-store pickup and contactless delivery, and its pension costs increase.
This news release should be read in conjunction with Amarillo Gold Corporations condensed interim consolidated financial statements and managements discussion and analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Both are available at www.amarillogold.com, and under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

All monetary amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified.

TORONTO, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amarillo Gold Corporation (Amarillo or the Company) (TSX.V: AGC, OTCQB: AGCBF) today announced its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

Amarillo achieved several key corporate milestones in the first quarter of 2020.

The Feasibility Study (FS) for the Posse Gold Project in Brazil is nearly complete

SRK Consulting Pty Ltd (SRK), the lead author, is close to finalizing the study, which will include a resource update, mine plan, and financial model

Ausenco Limited has completed detailed engineering

GeoHydroTech Engenharia (GHT) has completed its study of tailings engineering, which are now dry stacking

Auramet International, LLC, is actively engaged in seeking construction financing, and interested parties are waiting for the results of the FS to be published

Project development at Mara Rosa

permitting  the License to Install for Posse was submitted in December 2019, and the water and deforestation permit applications were submitted in Q1 2020

land acquisition  573 hectares have been purchased or are under contract to purchase. Negotiations to purchase remaining 538 hectares are continuing with landowners

exploration  completed 3,000-metre drill program on northeastern extension of Posse Gold Deposit. Results showed potential to find near-surface gold deposits along its Posse North Gold Trend

Exploration at Lavras do Sul

3,000-metre drill program has been completed, and results are still pending

Completing the feasibility study for our Posse Gold Project at Mara Rosa is our immediate priority, said Mike Mutchler, Amarillos Chief Executive Officer. We look forward to releasing that in the coming week.

Were continuing to push ahead with project development, even as we prepare to launch the feasibility study. After submitting the License to Install in December, we applied for water and deforestation permits during the quarter.

In the meantime, weve completed a diamond drill program at Mara Rosa that confirmed mineralization up to four kilometres northeast of the Posse Gold Deposit. With Posse remaining open at depth to the southwest, these mineralized targets to the northeast give us additional opportunities to expand the resources at Mara Rosa.

Financial results

The following table summarizes the Companys major operating expense categories for the first quarter of 2020 (Q1 2020) and 2019 (Q1 2019).

Three months ended March 31,

2020 2019 ($) ($) General and administrative (G&A) Consulting 60,714 57,900 Professional 204,410 167,424 Salaries/benefits and management fees 185,507 177,647 Directors fees 52,500 25,000 Marketing and promotion 32,459 70,282 Filing and transfer agent 27,850 11,055 Travel 9,625 7,706 Other G&A 70,539 73,884 Total G&A 643,604 585,898 Stock-based compensation  48,111 Financial advisory services 37,289  Foreign exchange gain (166,311 ) (15,864 ) Interest and finance charges 21,550 1,724 Net loss and comprehensive loss 536,132 619,869

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded a loss of $536,132 (2019: $619,868).

Consulting fees of $60,714 in Q1 2020 (Q1 2019: $57,900) consisted of financial and technical advisory services paid to various consultants, marketing and investor relations consultants, and fees in Brazil.

Professional fees (including legal, audit, accounting and advisory) of $204,410 in Q1 2020 (Q1 2019: $167,424) consisted of $80,002 (Q1 2019: $49,393) in Canada and $124,408 (Q1 2019: $113,031) in Brazil. Professional fees in Canada increased by $30,609 mostly due to an increase in audit fees.

Marketing and promotion of $32,459 in Q1 2020 (Q1 2019: $70,282) declined due to less trade shows and travel mostly related to the Covid-19 restrictions.

Filing and transfer agent fees of $27,850 in Q1 2020 (Q1 2019: $11,050) increased due to the increase in filing fees related to the increase in outstanding shares and market capitalization.

Other general and administrative expenses of $70,539 in Q1 2020 (Q1 2019: $73,883) include $44,662 (Q1 2019: $61,873) related to operations in Brazil, and $25,877 (Q1 2019: $12,010) related to operations in Canada.

Stock-based compensation of $nil in Q1 2020 (Q1 2019: $48,111). There were no stock options granted in Q1 2020. The Q1 2019 stock compensation relates to unvested options granted in 2018.

Foreign exchange gain of $166,311 (Q1 2019: $15,864) was due mostly to the DNPM liability that is recorded in Brazilian reals. The decline in the value of the Brazilian reals relative to the Canadian dollar in Q1 2020 accounted for most of this foreign exchange gain.

Interest and finance charges of $21,550 (Q1 2019: $1,724) relate mostly to the accrual of interest on the DNPM liability.

About Amarillo

Amarillo Gold Corporation (www.amarillogold.com) is advancing two gold projects in Brazil. Both are in mining-friendly states and have excellent nearby infrastructure.

The development stage Posse Gold Project on its Mara Rosa Property in Goias State has received the main permit that provides social and environmental permission for mining. Work is underway on receiving the installation permit.

The advanced exploration stage Lavras do Sul Project in Rio Grande do Sul State has more than 22 prospects centered on historic gold workings.

Amarillo Gold Corporation trades on the TSXV under the symbol AGC, and on the OTCQB under the symbol AGCBF.

For further information, please contact

Mike Mutchler Annemarie Brissenden President & CEO Investor Relations 416-294-0736 416-844-6284 mike.mutchler@amarillogold.com annemarie.brissenden@amarillogold.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

Forward-looking statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Companys current expectations regarding future events, including its business, operations and condition, and managements objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions.

Various factors may prevent or delay our plans, including but not limited to, the trading price of the common shares of the Company, capital market conditions, impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, counterparty risk, TSXV approval(s), contractor availability and performance, weather, access, mineral and gold prices, and success and failure of the exploration and development carried out at various stages of the program.

Permission from the government and community is also required to proceed with future mining production. Readers should review the Companys ongoing quarterly and annual filings, as well as any other additional documentation comprising the Companys public disclosure record, for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements.

Readers should also review the risk factors applicable to junior mining exploration companies generally to better understand the variety of risks that can affect the Company. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any Forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/92c81653-ce75-48f4-8cc0-45a825a404e6
A month ago I touched on some of the issues within our long-term care homes struggling with COVID-19. I said back then that we should not have to send our armed forces in to pick up the slack. That this is not a war. It is basic human decency.

Now that the military has moved in to assist five long-term care homes in Ontario, our most well-known "secret" is finally being revealed: The level of care in these homes is appalling beyond words. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) report made public Tuesday detailed these conditions. It is like something out of a horror film.

Infestations of cockroaches, expired medications, rotten food, cross contamination, bedsores and ulcers on bedridden patients who haven't been moved or bathed in days or even weeks. Aggressive behaviour towards residents. Patients crying out for help and not receiving any for 30 minutes to more than hours. Staff reusing syringes. Forced feeding to the point where residents begin choking.

Even someone without any basic personal support or nursing training would recognize how disgusting some of these incidents are and yet it continues to happen shamelessly. Staff at a Brampton nursing home had allegedly recorded a dance video to a Taylor Swift song, passing through areas infected with COVID-19 and areas that were not while wearing no protective equipment. How callous could one be to dance around while people are dying alone?

So many questions remain unanswered. Is it staffing shortages, lack of training, poor management, lack of funding, greed of the private-care sector or just the pure ignorance of individuals?

Regardless of employment conditions how can a person commit such atrocious actions towards our elderly let alone turn a blind eye to it? How have staff become so complacent in these conditions? Why has no one spoken out before? This is not just a few bad apples. This is a complete systematic mentality issue.

Maybe people have in fact spoken out over time only to have those concerns fall on deaf ears. I remember back in 2013 when Camille Parent brought to our attention locally the mistreatment of his mother at St. Joseph's at Fleming.

Are people ready to listen now? Is our government ready to listen finally? Doug Ford may have inherited a broken system, but he also blindly began cutting away at that already broken system. Like Harris so many years ago who implemented cuts to reform healthcare.

Cuts, freezes and reforms that continued under the 15 years of the McGuinty and Wynne Liberals have left Ontario with the same number of hospital beds as we had in 1999. Our population has increased by 27 per cent since then with those aged 65 or older increasing by 75 per cent. Furthermore, funding for seniors care in Ontario has increased a measly 0.08 per cent over the last decade.

Despite the complicated history of healthcare in Ontario we have to face the reality of our present day. There needs to be a massive shift within our long-term care homes. The Ford Conservatives have already taken over management of two long-term care homes and with the CAF report they are now taking over five more homes named in the report.

This will be the Ford Conservatives defining moment. How they proceed and what changes are made will hopefully change the course of healthcare in our province for the better moving forward. These homes are five out of more than 650 in our province. They are the tip of the iceberg.

This is not isolated to these homes nor to Ontario. I also wonder when other cans of worms will be cracked open. Group homes and the foster care system for instance. Imagine if the military had a look at conditions there as well?

Reach Peterborough writer Kevin Elson at kevinelson1122@gmail.com

Read more about:
Signalling the start of WABCO's integration into ZF, the acquisition unites two industry leaders behind a shared vision to create a customer-focused powerhouse to advance commercial vehicle technology. With the addition of WABCO, ZF's focus will be on expanding its commercial vehicle service portfolio and on operating customer business.

"The combination of these two successful enterprises will bring a new dimension of innovation and capability for commercial vehicle systems technology. Thanks to our perfectly complementary portfolios and competencies, we are able to offer unprecedented solutions and services for manufacturers and fleets globally. In this way, we are actively shaping the future of the changing transportation industry," said Wolf-Henning Scheider, CEO of ZF Friedrichshafen AG. "Together, we will create added value for our customers, employees and shareholders alike. This acquisition marks a major milestone in the history of our company. With it, we are consistently continuing the transformation in the powertrain and in the field of digitalization."

In the future, WABCO will operate as an independent division, Commercial Vehicle Control Systems, within ZF Friedrichshafen AG and become the tenth division of the Germany-based technology company. During the integration of WABCO ZF will continue to strengthen its existing service portfolio and put its customers first.

"We are closing this acquisition in an unprecedented social and economic situation," ZF CEO Scheider commented with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact. "We are currently focusing our efforts on protecting our employees, ramping up production, and securing our company's liquidity. In the long term, this thoroughly prepared acquisition will make us even stronger for the future once we have overcome the immediate effects of the pandemic."

The new Commercial Vehicle Control Systems division employs around 12,000 people at 45 locations worldwide and will work closely with ZF's existing Commercial Vehicle Technology division, ZF's aftermarket division and the global development team. Jacques Esculier, Chairman and CEO of WABCO, has decided to retire from his role. Effective today, the division will be headed by newly appointed Fredrik Staedtler. Staedtler brings significant commercial vehicle experience, gained over the past decades working in the industry, most recently as head of ZF's Commercial Vehicle Technology division.

Systems provider for the commercial vehicle market

To the integration of WABCO, ZF links the performance promise "Mobilizing Commercial Vehicle Intelligence": ZF will offer customers a unique range of products and services. The extensive combined product portfolio now encompasses conventional and electric drive and chassis components, a comprehensive suite of sensors as well as fully integrated, advanced braking, steering and driver assistance systems for OEMs seeking technological differentiation for their new vehicle platforms. Additionally, ZF can offer digital fleet management solutions and an extensive global network of aftermarket services for commercial vehicles.

ZF is fully prepared to meet the diverse requirements of a commercial vehicle sector that is increasingly driven by digitalization: advancing road traffic safety, improving vehicle efficiency and lowering emissions, while delivering reduced total operating costs (TCO). The increasing use of digital solutions in fleet management offers the opportunity to optimize the entire system and to control the flow of goods efficiently.

ZF Friedrichshafen AG

ZF is a global technology company and supplies systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology, enabling the next generation of mobility. ZF allows vehicles to see, think and act. In the four technology domains Vehicle Motion Control, Integrated Safety, Automated Driving, and Electric Mobility, ZF offers comprehensive solutions for established vehicle manufacturers and newly emerging transport and mobility service providers. ZF electrifies different kinds of vehicles. With its products, the company contributes to reducing emissions and protecting the climate.

ZF, which acquired WABCO Holdings Inc. on May 29, 2020, now has 160,000 employees worldwide with approximately 260 locations in 41 countries. In 2019, the two then-independent companies achieved sales of 36.5 billion (ZF) and $3.4 billion (WABCO).

For further press information and photos please visit: www.zf.com

SOURCE ZF
The spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Germany

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The Berlin government is likely to reach a deal with Brussels on a $10 billion government bailout of stricken airline Lufthansa <LHAG.DE>, senior government official Thomas Jarzombek said on Friday, but stressed the German airline needed fair treatment.

"Offers are on the table and we have a long record of finding agreement eventually," Jarzombek, who coordinates aviation on behalf of the cabinet, told broadcaster RTL/ntv in a morning show.

"I am confident that this will also be the case here."

The deal was thrown into doubt on Wednesday after Lufthansa's supervisory board refused to accept the conditions attached by Brussels to the aid.

The board did not agree with EU requirements that Lufthansa permanently give up take-off and landing slots at Frankfurt and Munich airports, where it commands a two-thirds market share.

Jarzombek said Germany would clarify the necessary scope of conditions tied to the deal, comparing these with how Lufthansa rivals such as SAS <SAS.ST> or KLM/Air France <AIRF.PA> were treated.

(Reporting by Vera Eckert; Editing by Maria Sheahan)
Main One, a broadband infrastructure company working across West Africa, has been asked by Burkina Faso, backed by the World Bank, to provide bulk connectivity services to a consortium of operators for the next three years.

The consortium aims to deliver a turnkey project that will provide fibre optic transmission infrastructure between the capital Ouagadougou and Dakola. This is to be delivered in two phases within a three-year period.

A World Bank contribution of $20 million, plus support from the governments PRICAO (Projet Regional dInfrastructures de Communication de lAfrique de lOuest) initiative, has enabled the setting-up of a 200km fibre optic transmission link from Ouagadougou to Dakola.

The first phase of the project started in 2018; the initial stage will provide capacity in Ouagadougou over three years. Phase 2 of the project will begin in the second quarter of 2020 and will lead to the provision of additional internet capacity in Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso within another three-year period.

MainOne has been selected to deliver Phase 2 and says it will provide 10 Gbps broadband capacity in Ouagadougou, together with 5Gbps in Bobo Dioulasso. MainOne currently delivers an additional capacity of 2.5Gbps to Ouagadougou to strengthen and secure the capacity initially delivered in Phase I of the project.

MainOne says it has been able to provide its services in Burkina through terrestrial optical fibres connecting its landing point in Accra to the Burkinabe border town of Paga, where the organization has established a physical point of presence specifically to address the needs of the Burkina Faso market.
India registers 175 new deaths taking the toll to 4,706 as the country emerges as a new hotspot of the virus.

Indias coronavirus death toll overtook neighbouring Chinas on Friday, with 175 new deaths recorded in 24 hours taking the total to 4,706, according to data from the health ministry.

The worlds second-most populous nation is emerging as a new hotspot with record jumps in new cases in recent days as hospitals are overwhelmed with patients.

It recorded 7,466 new cases, raising the total number of infections to 165,799, with western Maharashtra state  the financial hub of Mumbai  accounting for 36 percent of cases and 42 percent of deaths.

Patients share beds

Nearly a fifth of the countrys coronavirus cases is in the financial hub of Mumbai making it the worst-hit city in the country. There are more patients than hospital beds in the city of 18 million with reports of health officials being overworked.

Government hospitals have been overwhelmed in Mumbai [Prashant Waydande/Reuters]

Patients have been waiting for hours, days even for a bed, shunted from hospital to hospital, with many dying as they waited on a bed.

Video clips shared on social media showed patients sharing beds or lying on the floor and in some cases oxygen cylinders were split at Mumbais Sion hospital, which is located close to the densely populated slum of Dharavi.

Authorities fear a spike in cases at Dharavi  which is home to an estimated 700,000 to one million people crammed in a roughly five-square-kilometre area.

Amid reports of a shortage of beds, the city unveiled plans for jumbo facilities to ease the strain.

Ashwini Bhide, of Mumbais civic corporation, said a 5,000-seater stadium that was converted into a 500-bed quarantine facility last month had served the city to a huge extent.

Hinging upon that experience, new facilities are planned, Bhide told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Mumbais municipal authority last week said it had ordered public officials to take control of at least 100 private hospital beds in all 24 zones in the city to make more beds available for coronavirus patients.

Creaking healthcare system

Experts say Indias densely packed cities and its creaking healthcare system are ill-prepared to handle the biggest health crisis of modern times.

The federal governments data from last year showed there were about 714,000 hospital beds in India, up from about 540,000 in 2009.

Nearly a fifth of the countrys coronavirus cases are in the finance hub of Mumbai, making it the worst-hit city in the country [Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters]

India has 0.5 beds for every 1,000 people, according to the latest data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In contrast, China has 4.3 hospital beds for every 1,000 people, and the United States has 2.8, according to the latest OECD figures.

China, where the deadly virus emerged late last year, reported no new deaths or new suspected cases on Friday, with the death toll still at 4,634 and a total of 82,995 infections.

Even though the number of cases is surging, India has steadily loosened its lockdown to lessen the significant effect the pandemic is having on the economy  and the countrys poor who have been the hardest hit.

Millions of Indias poor, including migrant workers, have suffered from the strict lockdown, with many in cities losing their jobs, going hungry and struggling to return to their home villages.

Some have walked or cycled hundreds of kilometres home in the harsh summer heat, with dozens dying from exhaustion or in accidents along the way.

Tragic visuals of migrant distress

Almost every day tragic visuals of migrants in distress have emerged highlighting the scale of the crisis. On Wednesday, a viral video clip showed a toddler trying to wake up his dead mother causing an outcry.

More than 100 million Indians have been rendered jobless due to the strict lockdown imposed on March 25 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to try and curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Critics have accused the Modi government of imposing the lockdown without much planning that has caused havoc on the economy and created the worst migrant crisis since the country achieved independence in 1947.

On Thursday, the countrys Supreme Court issued a series of orders to alleviate a looming humanitarian crisis among millions of migrant workers stranded in cities as the fourth phase of lockdown ends on May 31.

A three-judge bench directed the government to grant free bus and train travel for the migrants to return to their home states, adding that the fare cost will be shared by the respective states, legal news website Bar & Bench reported.

The government previously said labourers would not be charged for travel, however, domestic media have reported cases of fares being demanded from destitute workers.

Home Minister Amit Shah was due on Friday to hold talks with state chief ministers to discuss a further relaxing of restrictions, press reports said. He might also take a decision on whether to extend the lockdown or not.

The pandemic has killed 359,000 people worldwide, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, with the United States recording the most deaths at more than 100,000.

More than 5.8 million cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed around the world, while more than 2.4 million have recovered.
Ivory Coasts former president Laurent Gbagbo can leave Belgium under certain conditions, the International Criminal Court said Thursday, following his acquittal last year over post-election violence that killed 3,000 people.

Gbagbo, the first head of state to stand trial in The Hague, and his deputy Charles Ble Goude were cleared in early 2019 of crimes against humanity  eight years after the former West African strongmans arrest and transfer to the court.

Belgium had agreed to host Gbagbo after he was released under strict conditions, including his return to court for a prosecution appeal against his acquittal.

An ICC spokesman said Gbagbo could travel provided the country he was going to agreed to receive him.

It therefore remains uncertain if Gbagbo can return to Ivory Coast, where his Ivorian Popular Front Party (FPI) is preparing to challenge President Alassane Ouattaras ruling party in elections scheduled for October.

But FPI spokesman Franck Anderson was jubilant.

We are happy, its important that these restrictions are lifted, he told AFP. We are waiting for the date of his return. We will welcome him.

Gbagbos lawyers had appealed for his unconditional release, arguing the ICC could not limit the movements of an acquitted person.

The court rejected the demand but revoked certain restrictions and a condition obliging the pair to surrender identity documents  including passports  and report weekly to law enforcement authorities in the country they resided in or to the ICC.

Ble Goude told AFP overnight he was happy to have his freedom of movement back, adding that the road to justice and to truth is long and slow.

Gbagbo and Ble Goude had been charged with four counts of crimes against humanity over the 2010-2011 bloodshed following a disputed vote in Ivory Coast: murder, rape, persecution and other inhumane acts. They have always maintained their innocence.
The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) recorded 31 new cases on Friday, taking the total number of Covid-19 cases in the city to 942.

At a press conference at the KDMC headquarters on Friday, mayor Vinita Rane and civic commissioner Vijay Suryavanshi spoke about the preventive measures taken so far.

The civic body has set up 36 ICU (intensive care unit) beds at Shastrinagar civic hospital in Dombivli which is a dedicated Covid hospital, 56 beds at RR Covid hospital in Dombivli, 28 beds at Neon Covid hospital at Kalyan-Shil road and 70 beds at Holy Cross Covid hospital in Kalyan.

The civic body has got a good support from private doctors and they have formed the Kalyan Doctors Army. Since April 9, we have opened 10 fever clinics in all wards, said Suryavanshi.

All hospitals are carrying out Covid test for free. The Metropolis lab will carry out 10,000 free tests, he added.

The civic chief appealed to the private doctors to attend the patients at their clinics and only send symptomatic patients to Covid hospitals.

All private clinics and hospitals should have an isolated section for such patients, he added.

The civic body has requested Kalyan Regional Transport Office (RTO) to give 100 ambulances. Each ward of the civic body will have 10 ambulances after the 100 ambulances are acquired.

We have a 24x7 war room. All hospitals are linked to get information about the availability of beds and hotspots in the city, said Rane.

Ulhasnagar has recorded 305 positive cases and 10 deaths till now. In Ambernath, 114 positive cases and three deaths have been reported.Badlapur has recorded 206 positive and seven deaths till now.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29)  Closing its borders early and prioritizing testing among its citizens are the keys for Palau to remain free from COVID-19, a Palauan diplomat shared on Friday.

Speaking to CNN Philippines Rico Hizon, Palau Ambassador to the United Nations Ngedikes Olai Uludong revealed they implemented stricter border controls in Palau as early as January.

The island-nation decided to entirely close all its borders and ports of entry by March, Uludong said.

In mid-March, everything was closed and we locked our borders. We ensure there were no cruise ships too, she said.

By April, the Palauan diplomat emphasized they started to test their citizens for the virus.

By first week of April, we were prepared. We have the testing facilities and we are preparing to bring now our students and citizens home in the first phase, said Uludong.

According to the Palau Health Ministry, a total of 66 COVID-19 tests have been conducted to suspected patients and all yielded negative results.

Bigger nations like Taiwan, Australia, United States, and India donated rapid test kits in Palau to ramp up the island-nations testing capacity.

Uludong admitted it is still early to conclude if Palaus healthcare system can handle the impact of the pandemic because there have been no infections yet in the territory.

The best right now is we dont have it (COVID-19 case), so it is a risk. All other countries are struggling and all healthcare systems need to be revamped to accommodate the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.

Since tourism is the lifeblood of Palaus economy, Uludong admitted it will have an impact in their economic situation. But she stressed the protection of Palaus citizens from COVID-19 is more important nowadays.

Palau remains the same situation with the rest of the world. Right now, we can only prepare and remain close, she stated.

Uludong is also reluctant in admitting tourists from other countries in Palau, in spite that some nations already have no active COVID-19 infections.

Recently, Australia and New Zealand established a travel bubble agreement which enables their citizens to travel in both countries despite the prevailing risk of COVID-19.

She added that Asia remains the top tourist market in Palau.

A bubble theory is still a risk, a lot of risk. New Zealand is not COVID-free and Australia is not COVID-free. Palau is, said Palaus diplomat to the UN.

As of the latest count by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, there are now 5,844,499 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world.

Worldwide, the virus has claimed 361,119 lives but 2,443,458 have recovered from the disease.
This Black PSW with COVID-19 was sent home from hospital. Two days later he died, May 23

There has to be more to what Leonard Rodriques and his family experienced than was written in this article. It is incomprehensible that in this day and age, and at this time, Canadians are still allowing such racism to occur.

We need to stop pointing fingers southward and pay closer attention to what is happening in our own country. Just because we dont collect data, like the U.S. and other countries do, doesnt mean racism does not exist to the same degree in Canada.

And just because an institution has a system in place to treat all people fairly and equitably does not mean it is putting it into practice.

Actions speak louder than words and Humber River Hospital must be held accountable for its treatment of all people, including Rodriques.

We dont need to collect data. If an act of racism occurs once, that is once too many.

To get to the whole truth, we must eliminate the barriers created by privacy laws that block the release of relevant facts. Too often, it seems these privacy laws protect the wrong-doers, rather than the victims.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

Trend:

Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Imran Khan has sent a letter of thanks to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

Excellency, I write to convey my gratitude for Azerbaijans decision to allocate $1 million as humanitarian aid for Pakistan to strengthen our efforts in combating the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, the letter said.

This thoughtful gesture in these challenging times is a manifestation of our close and fraternal relationship, the letter said. The people of Pakistan will remember this act of kindness by their Azerbaijani brethren.

Allow me also to congratulate you on successfully convening the recently held online Summit-level meeting of the NAM Contact Group in response to COVID-19 global threat, the letter said. This was a timely initiative. For an effective global response, we must all stand together and pursue a joint strategy with coordinated and unified implementation.

Availing myself of this opportunity to again convey my thanks to you and the people of Azerbaijan for this expression of solidarity in this holy month of Ramadan, I pray for your Excellencys health, happiness and prosperity, the letter said.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration, the letter said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced this week that the state is rapidly moving through his phased reopening plan, after being under lockdown since March 19. As of Tuesday, 47 of 58 counties in the state have been cleared for the third stage of re-opening.

What this means is that in addition to reopened shopping malls and dine-in restaurants, these counties will permit gatherings of up to 100 people, including religious services and protests, and the opening up of hair salons and barber shops.

Newsom has also allowed retailers statewide to resume in-store sales if permitted by their counties. On Wednesday, he held an economic recovery listening tour for gym and fitness center owners and made clear that gyms will be cleared to reopen very soon, telling them, Within a week or so, we believe well be in a position to make public the guidelines in your sector.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (AP Photo Rich Pedroncelli, File)

California has total numbers of COVID-19 cases over 100,000 and reported deaths nearing 4,000, a number which experts believe to be severely under-reported. The moves to reopen have provoked serious concerns from public health experts across the board.

Santa Clara Public Health Officer Sara Cody, the author of the states first lockdown plan in Californias Bay Area, told the county Board of Supervisors last week that she was seriously concerned about the pace of the modifications: The state modifications are being made without a real understanding of the consequences of what the last move has been, and with the possible serious effects for health and possible serious risks or an exponential growth in cases.

Newsom has claimed that his approach to re-opening has been science-based and that it reflects the states increased capacity for testing and the growth of a workforce of contact tracers. The latter, whom Newsom praised as disease detectives in his press conference, are tasked with tracking down those who might have been in contact with infected individuals as a way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As of now, the governor claims that the state tests nearly 60,000 individuals per day and that it has trained 1,320 new contact tracers (in addition to the existing workforce of 3,000) to help with the pandemic control plan.

The problem, however, is that these measures barely address the tip of the iceberg.

Lee Riley, an infectious disease expert from the University of California, told Politico that while testing is essential, that would not provide a way out of the pandemic. Not only were the tests themselves unreliable, [by] the time you found out somebody tested positive, the transmissions have already occurred in the community. Riley pointed out that given the two-week incubation period associated with the virus, at the very least, the state government needed to wait a few weeks before moving on to the next phase of re-opening. That, however, is not part of Newsoms political calculations.

Alameda County, which along with Newsom allowed billionaire Elon Musk to defy the lockdown and reopen the Tesla auto assembly plant, is already seeing an uptick in the number of infections. The county, home to Teslas flagship Fremont plant, has seen a 20 percent-plus spike in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. According to the LA Times tracker, Alameda was averaging 58 new infections per day, as against the 48 per day the week before. Even more alarmingly, the highest number of infections (100) per day was last Friday. Such numbers should serve as warnings for other counties that seem to be in a rush to relax shelter-in-place rules.

In addition to dine-in restaurants and barber shops, over a dozen of the states 73 casinos have begun opening last week, with many more pledging to open in the next few weeks. At the Viejas Casino and Resort in San Diego County, overcrowded openings led to hundreds of people queuing for hours around the building. San Diego, Los Angeles, and Sacramento counties have some of the largest concentrations of casinos in the state. The facilities are some of the largest employers in the regions, with workforces in the thousands, they are also gathering centers, particularly for the elderly.

Despite a few words of concern by Newsom over the casino reopening, the state is allowing it, claiming that as sovereign nations, the Native American tribes who run them arent subject to state or county laws. It is all a gamble. Theyre gambling with their guests lives, with their employees lives, Tony Wolf, a 33-year-old security guard, told KPBS after he quit his job at Viejas Casino out of health concerns.

Announcing that a full-fledged Phase Three would allow for Disneyland and other theme parks to open as well, Newsom insisted: Phase 3 is not a year away. Its not six months away. Its not even three months away. It may not even be more than a month away ... We just want to make sure we have a protocol in place to secure customer safety, employee safety and allow the businesses to thrive in a way that is sustainable. Disneyland alone has some 31,000 employees and is the largest of the states many theme parks, which each have tens of thousands of daily visitors and millions of annual visitors. Any decisions to reopen the theme parks are homicidal, and can only result in an explosion of cases.

Meanwhile, there are at least 4,551 reported cases in the Mexican state of Baja California, Californias southern neighbor. Mexico is setting daily records for deaths and new cases, and is now ranked eighth in the world for total cases. So far 11,000 Mexican health workers have tested positive and 149 healthcare workers have died. The economies and populations along the US-Mexico border are intimately tied together, with some one million daily crossings and millions of families who straddle the border.

California is home to 165 billionaires, more than any other state in the United States, and in fact more than most countries in the world. The combined wealth of these 165 individuals exceeds the GDP of all but 24 countries in the world. Three of themElon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Larry Ellisonhave seen their wealth grow by a combined $44 billion since mid-March.

On the other end of the spectrum, California is also the state in which over 4.5 million unemployment claimsthe highest number in the countryhave been filed since mid-March. Unemployment is believed to be approaching a mind-boggling 25 percent as weekly claims increase. According to recent polls, 20 percent of the state's 40 million residents listed homelessness as their primary concern, made all the more dire with many county eviction moratoriums set to expire in June.

Newsom, along with Democratic and Republican politicians around the country, is using the desperation of millions of unemployed as a battering ram to force the reopening of the economy and further the pursuit of profits. It is significant that in contrast to the full reopening of beaches, public parks, restaurants and church services, attendance at political protests, which often occur outside and in open spaces, is limited to 100. According to the official state government website, such gatherings are limited to 25 percent of the relevant areas maximum occupancy and failure to maintain adequate physical distancing may result in an order to disperse or other enforcement action.

In the wake of the dispatch of the National Guard and the brutal suppression of protests against the police killing of George Floydwhich have spread to Los Angelesit is clear that Newsoms restrictions on protests will be enforced far more strictly than any other limits on other gatherings, setting the stage for a crackdown on democratic rights. As a new wave of infection begins to unfold with the back-to-work campaign pursued by bipartisan consensus, workers throughout the state and beyond will fight against the gambling of their lives and those of their families and co-workers on the pursuit of profits.
Council has approved six city-owned sites for future affordable housing development.

The decision to expedite the second phase of Mayor John Torys signature housing program, Housing Now, was made during a day-long virtual meeting on Thursday, the second of the pandemic.

Staff will now proceed with declaring those properties surplus and seeking bidders to develop those sites with a certain percentage of affordable housing in exchange for the land and other financial incentives, such as the waiver of development charges.

There was no issue I heard more about in the election, nor is there any issue that I continue to hear about any more than, the need for more affordable housing, Tory said ahead of the vote, in speaking to why the plan should be approved now.

He noted council was not signing off on any development by approving the sites Thursday.

The plan as proposed would see about a third of the units across all six sites dedicated for affordable housing  between 530 and 620 affordable units. The rest could be developed as market ownership or rental units.

A motion from Coun. Mike Layton (Ward 11 University-Rosedale) that was also passed by council asked staff to look for ways to partner with other governments and non-profit organizations to make 50 per cent of the sites affordable housing.

Coun. Gord Perks (Ward 4 Parkdale-High Park) said he was reluctantly supporting a plan that didnt ensure more social, rather than private, ownership of housing, where the majority of units could be sold off as private condos or rented at market prices.

That means we give away public land forever, Perks said.

Coun. Stephen Holyday (Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre), one of Torys symbolic deputy mayors, was the only one to vote against the plan in its entirety. He noted the list of sites identified by staff had only been out for a matter of days before the meeting. He also questioned moving forward with the sites now.

I am very worried about making this decision at this time, he said, referring to the proposed financial contributions of up to $47 million, plus the value of the land.

Is it right to press forward on these things? Should we be not taking a pause here and just getting an accounting of what is happening in he world around us? Were still under an emergency.

At the meeting Thursday, council also approved a program to extend a grace period for paying property taxes  both residential and commercial  for those who qualify. Those looking to apply are expected to be able to do so as early as June 1.

Councillors also approved a lifeline for Torontos struggling live-music scene with a 50-per-cent reduction in commerial property taxes. City staff expect about 60 venues with a capacity of less than 1,500 people will qualify, costing the city just more than $1 million.

Tory successfully requested a staff report on how council can safely meet in person, and council speaker Frances Nunziata finished the meeting saying she expects the June council session wont be online.

Jennifer Pagliaro is a Toronto-based reporter covering city hall and municipal politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @jpags

Read more about:
Warmer-than-usual ocean temperatures are likely to drive wetter-than-average conditions for Queensland in the next three months, the Bureau of Meteorology's 2020 Winter Outlook suggests.

The bureau's manager of long-range forecasting, Andrew Watkins, said areas in the south that might have more rain or clouds could see temperatures closer to average, while the north could have warmer temperatures because of its dry season.

Queensland will be like much of Australia, with a more than 70 per cent chance of having a wetter-than-average winter. Credit:Jorge Branco

"We have two ocean drivers going on at the moment," he said. "Off to the west in the Indian Ocean, theres warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures out there.

"That will tend to mean more evaporation, more moisture, and a bit more heat too that will come across from the west and into Queensland.
Kim Kardashian congratulated former inmate and music producer David Jassy for his new mixtape recorded at San Quentin State Prison with young prisoners.

The 39-year-old reality star in a video posted by TMZ on Thursday told Jassy, 46, said that she wanted to congratulate him and 'all of the young men' at the prison who produced its first ever mixtape.

'You guys should be so proud of yourself,' said Kardashian who recalled meeting Jassy last year when she visited San Quentin to learn more about his project.

Prison album: Kim Kardashian, shown in September in New York City, congratulated former inmate and music producer David Jassy for his new mixtape recorded at San Quentin Prison

Kardashian has become a prison reform advocate and successfully lobbied President Trump, 73, in 2018 to commute the sentence of Alice Johnson, 64, after she served 21 years in prison for her involvement in a Memphis cocaine trafficking organization.

The Keeping Up The Kardashians star has aspirations of becoming a lawyer and has been participating in an apprenticeship supervised by the #cut50 law firm in which Van Jones, 51, is a partner.

Jassy was a successful music producer who had worked with Britney Spears and others when he was sent to prison for killing a man during an altercation.

While serving his time, he would hear talented young inmates rapping in the yards at San Quentin State Prison with skill and power. In his cell, where Jassy used his keyboard to make beats, he invited the men to perform rap freestyles and taught them about songwriting and music production.

Music producer: Jassy, shown in Stockholm, Sweden, was a successful music producer when he was sent to prison for killing a man during an altercation

In the jails media center, Jassy uploaded each sound from his keyboard to a computer so he could produce music digitally. Word spread about Jassys music-led initiative as part of the prison's Youthful Offenders Program, and donors - including Grammy-winning producer Greg Wells - contributed audio equipment, transforming the media lab into a full-blown production studio.

Celebrities even got involved, including: Kardashian, J. Cole, Common and MC Hammer - who all visited San Quentin to see Jassy's efforts and encourage the inmates to keep pushing through.

An album of those songs will be released to streaming platforms on Friday on Equity Distribution, Roc Nations in-house music distribution platform. San Quentin Mixtape, Vol. 1, produced by Jassy, features 17 young rappers telling their stories.

Prison visit: Kim is shown in May 2019 during a visit to San Quentin State Prison

Showing support: J. Cole is shown with Jassy at San Quentin State Prison in an undated image

'Its so beautiful when you see the transition from youngsters coming in because a lot of them really act out because theyre either hurt or scared - because you have to keep up a certain facade in prison, you dont want to show that you soft,' Jassy, who is Swedish, said in a recent interview with The Associated Press from Stockholm. 'For them to basically be vulnerable on a mixtape in prison and really speak their truth, it's not an easy thing to do.'

Though some rap can be profanity-heavy, Jassy challenged the young performers by telling them curse words were not allowed in the songs.

'A lot of them when were like, ''Man, how am I going to record a rap without cussing?'',' Jassy recalled. 'But when you take away the cuss word, the cuss word is almost like a barrier that kind of shields people from really getting to know you. And I told them, I said, ''If youre a true MC, if youre a real MC, you should be able to find all the words instead of that word and challenge yourself''.'

Encouraging presence: Common also visited Jassy at San Quentin while he was working on music with inmates

He even had members of rival gangs rap on the same song. 'All of a sudden people that normally wouldnt say `hi to each other was saying `hi to each other on the yard,' he said.

Jassy has produced and written songs for Sean Kingston, Ashley Tisdale, Heidi Montag and others. He even worked and recorded material with Spears, but the songs were never released.

He transferred to San Quentin in 2013. In 2010, he was convicted of murder, assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery, and acquitted of charges of hit-and-run and a second assault with a deadly weapon. Earlier this year his sentence was commuted by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who said Jassy had 'demonstrated a genuine commitment to his rehabilitation.'

Talented producer: Jassy has produced and written songs for Sean Kingston, Ashley Tisdale, Heidi Montag and others and he even worked and recorded material with Britney Spears, but the songs were never released

Jassy said in prison he took advantage of the various programs offered, including classes on nonviolent communication. He said he also earned his degree in jail.

'Theres nothing I can do to turn the time back, but what I can do is choose what I do with my days now. I can choose to only put out positive things and try to help others as much as possible,' Jassy said. Hes still sending beats to the young rappers and will stay involved.

All proceeds from sales of San Quentin Mixtape, Vol. 1' will benefit the National Center for Victims of Crime, The Boys & Girls Club of Oakland and Potrero Hill Neighborhood House.

Featured artists: This combination of photos released by Jassy shows San Quentin State Prison inmates, top row from left, Daniel 'Dinero' Gutierrez, Deonte 'Dope' Pope, Aaron 'Dutta' Sanders and Jarred 'EJ' Elkins, second row from left, Tylor 'Flock' Johnson, Mekhi 'FlyKhi' Williams, Samajay 'J-Stone' Bowens and Kameron 'Kam' Wilson, bottom row from left, Brooks 'Le Joe' Legend, Eric 'Masserati-E' Abercrombie, Novaj 'Scoob Stacks' Mills and Thanh Tran, who are among the 17 artists featured on the album San Quentin Mixtape, Vol. 1

Jassy said the budding rappers were extremely encouraged when they heard the albums intro, which features shout-outs from J. Cole, DJ Khaled, Meek Mill, Common, T.I., Russell Simmons, Maxwell, Talib Kweli, Snoh Aalegra and Nick Cannon.

'When they heard celebrities saying like, `Hey, were backing you up, were willing to give you a second chance - some of them actually started crying,' he said.'Its given them light in a very dark environment.'

Grammy-nominated rapper Fat Joe, who is also on the albums opening track, called the album 'a testament to the power of music.'

'Its inspiring to watch these young men use music as a rehabilitative tool - both to express themselves and send a positive message to communities across the country,' he said in a statement. 'Creating an album is a complex process, so for these young men to achieve this goal from within San Quentin State Prison, they should be very proud.'
Key Highlights:

Indian hotel sector is one of the worst hit in the Asia region

Room rates dropped by 27% and occupancies by around 82% in April

Industry expects mild recovery from September onwards

Indian hospitality sector is one of the worst hit in the current coronavirus outbreak. As per the latest report by consultancy firm HVS Anarock, the occupancies in the Indian hotels dropped 81.8 per cent in April 2020 compared to corresponding month last year. Among the large Asian markets, India reported the second-largest drop in occupancies just behind Thailand where the occupancies dropped 90 per cent. At the same time, countries like Malaysia, China and Singapore have performed better than India with lower drops in occupancies.

Since the lockdown that came into force from March 25, the demand for travel and tourism services has dropped considerably. Most hotel chains operate just a small percentage of their hotels for stranded guests, and corporate clients who want to offer their critical staff a safe accommodation while supporting business continuity.

Also Read: India's Q4 GDP growth falls to 3.1% - worst since 2009 global financial crisis

The other key parameter ADR (average daily rate) has come down sharply as well. For instance, the average room rate for a branded hotel in April was Rs 4,113 per night, which was 27 per cent lower than the ADR in the same month last year. More importantly, the RevPAR (revenue per available room) tanked 86.7 per cent year which shows the deep crisis in the sector. RevPAR, which is a key metric to assess the performance of hotel industry, stood at just Rs 482 in April.

HVS Anarock's survey also reveals that most hotel general managers (GMs) expect things to improve from September onwards which is in line with the government's internal assessments. "We are expecting things to improve from September," said Meenakshi Sharma, director general (Tourism) at the Ministry of Tourism at a webinar.

Even after the September, the revival is likely to be slow-paced. For instance, 77.5 per cent of the GMs expect the occupancies to be below 50 per cent in the September-December 2020 period. Similarly, 74 per cent GMs expect the room rates to be available at a minimum of 10 per cent discount.

Also Read: Govt lowers GDP growth rates for Q1, Q2 and Q3 in revised data

Following the coronavirus-induced lockdown, the hospitality sector is in shambles. Being the backbone of the travel and tourism industry, hospitality generates annual revenues of $23 billion across 1,40,000 branded and 2.6 million independent hotel rooms. In the worst-case scenario (that is recovery beyond 2020), the experts are predicting $14.76 billion revenue loss for the sector.

It's also believed that once the demand picks up, the branded hotels would be in a better position to recover. How? That's because of the high level of service protocols and hygiene standards that are likely to be followed by branded chains that would give guests a sense of safety while staying in them. "As a result, independent and boutique hotels are likely to affiliate with brands to leverage their global distribution, high-tech booking systems, and most importantly guest confidence and trust. Conversions are expected to increase as it will be a win-win situation for both the hotel brands as well as owners, bridging the gap between the brand's expansion plans and the owner's concerns on operating hotels in the COVID era," said a note by HVS Anarock.

Also Read: Coronavirus impact: Output in eight core industries declines 38% in April
Tsai denounces China's approved national security law for Hong Kong

ROC Central News Agency

05/28/2020 09:24 PM

Taipei, May 28 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen () said Thursday that a national security law approved by China earlier in the day would undermine freedom and rule of law in Hong Kong and that her administration was planning how best to assist asylum seekers from the special administrative region.

The "draft decision" on establishing a national security law in Hong Kong was passed in China's National People's Congress (NPC) Thursday in a 2,878-1 vote, with 6 abstentions.

Now that the proposed law has been approved, the NPC's Standing Committee will draft the legislation, which will then be included in Hong Kong's de facto Constitution, the Basic Law, entirely bypassing Hong Kong's legislature.

When the law is enacted, it will prohibit acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and conspiring with foreign influences in Hong Kong, and allow Beijing's security forces to operate in the region.

The proposed law is widely seen as an effort by the Chinese government to take full control of Hong Kong after a year of pro-democracy protests in the special administrative region.

In a Facebook post Thursday, Tsai said the decision to draft the law "greatly limits Hong Kong's freedom of speech and judicial independence."

She said her administration is already devising an action plan to offer humanitarian assistance to Hong Kongers who wish to seek asylum in Taiwan.

Taiwan will not sit idly by as Hong Kong's freedom and human rights are being eroded, Tsai said.

"In this moment, all of Taiwan ... is supporting the people of Hong Kong and the universal value of democracy," she said.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), the government agency in charge of cross-strait affairs, also criticized the NPC's decision on Thursday, saying that China's "forceful methods were severely harming Hong Kong's democratic freedom and rule of law."

The decision betrays China's promise that Hong Kong would remain highly autonomous until 2047 and is proof of the hypocrisy of the "one country, two systems" administrative formula, MAC said.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in Taiwan are planning to release a joint statement on the issue Friday, according to Legislative Speaker You Si-kun ().

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan People's Party and New Power Party have all written draft statements, and representatives from each party will work on finalizing a single version by Friday morning, You said.

(By Yeh Su-ping, Lai Yen-hsi, Chen Chun-hua and Chiang Yi-ching)

Enditem/pc



NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The European Union today renewed its sanctions against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for another year. The sanctions  which ban oil imports, certain investments, technology transfer that could aid the regime in repression and freezes Syrian Central Bank assets inside the EU  were first initiated in 2011.

Why it matters: The Trump administration has rallied its allies to keep up sanctions on the Assad regime and not to provide reconstruction money to Damascus after nine years of civil war.

The United States argues that money will be squandered by the mafia-like Assad regime, which Washington suggests should not be rewarded for making war on its own population in response to the 2011 Arab Spring protests.

A combination of war, regime corruption and sanctions have devastated Syrias economy, and the countrys currency has plummeted to all-time lows. More than 80% of Syrians now live below the poverty line, and a loaf of bread costs some 20 times what it did at the start of the conflict, according to Rim Turkmani, director of the Syria Conflict Research Program at the London School of Economics, who spoke at a Quincy Institute event in Washington earlier this month. The US and EU provide humanitarian aid in regime-controlled areas, though experts say the informal war economy has only worsened corruption.

Whats next: Whether international sanctions have any enduring political effect on the regime remains to be seen. The United States and the EU continue to invoke UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which calls for a peaceful transfer of power in Syria, a negotiated settlement to the war and free and fair elections. But US officials admit Russias successful military support for Assad means he likely wont be stepping down anytime soon.

Still, the Trump administration shows no sign of changing course. State Department officials have cited Assads recent consolidation of power over his cousin, business magnate Rami Makhlouf, as reason for cautious optimism that their strategy may be working. As US Syria envoy James Jeffrey said earlier this month, Its very hard to assess where this is going.

Know more: Anton Mardasov breaks down what Vladimir Putins recent appointment of Russias first special envoy for relations with Damascus means for the two countries going forward.
Sanford, Avera health officials say pandemic is at 'whole new level'

Officials said Avera is seeing record positive tests as well as positivity rates, resulting in challenges to both staffing and patient care.
Update

A man is due in court this evening charged in connection with the discovery of a cannabis growhouse in Co. Longford.

Gardai seized more than 130,000 worth of cannabis plants when they searched a house in Ballymahon yesterday afternoon.

A man in his 20s was arrested following the discovery.

He has since been charged and will appear before a special sitting of Mullingar District Court this evening.

Update

A man has been charged after 265,000 worth of drugs was seized in Co Mayo.

A cannabis growhouse was found by Gardai at a house in Attymass, Ballina, yesterday.

A man in his 30s was arrested and is due to appear in Castlebar District Court this morning.

Gardai uncover almost 750,000 worth of drugs in two operations

Four men have been held overnight after nearly 750,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine were uncovered by Gardai in separate operations over the past 48 hours.

Three and a half kilos of cocaine worth 245,000 was found at a house in Kill, Co Kildare, after Gardai intercepted a car on the M7.

Meanwhile, cannabis growhouses were uncovered in Ballymahon in Co Longford and Ballina, Co Mayo.

The men being held range in age from their 20s to their 50s.

Ballina councillor Michael Loftus says the huge grow operations should be a warning to people who own homes in remote areas who might be offered cash to rent them out.

He says electrical power is critical for growhouses and that " very elaborate heating systems" are installed.
Reading, PA (19601)

Today

Mostly clear, breezy, and very cold. Near or below zero wind chills by morning. .

Tonight

Mostly clear, breezy, and very cold. Near or below zero wind chills by morning.
In March 2015, President Uhuru Kenyatta, while making a State of the Nation address before Parliament, apologised on behalf of the government for the violations Kenyans have suffered for decades. He did not acknowledge that such an apology was recommended, two years earlier, by the national Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) in its final report.

In March 2018, Kenyas top political leadership made a frank assessment of what ails the country using such terms as ethnic antagonism and competition and inclusivity. But the statement Kenyatta made with opposition leader Raila Odinga did not mention the TJRC or its report either, even though they had addressed the issues raised in their statement. As a candidate for the August 2017 presidential election, Odinga  and his lieutenants  had made the TJRC report a campaign issue, calling on the government to implement it as a way of addressing historical injustices in Kenya. Since his rapprochement with Kenyatta he has not mentioned the TJRC report.

From task force to truth commission to task force

After months of rising tensions in the country Kenyatta and Odinga agreed to work together. Prior to March 2018 Odinga and other opposition leaders said they would not recognise Kenyattas government after successfully challenging the results of the August 2017 presidential election and boycotting the repeat October 2017 election. On January 30, 2018, Odinga held a ceremony attended by hundreds of his supporters in which he was sworn in as the peoples president, further raising tensions. In response, the government declared opposition protests illegal with police disrupting a number of them, except the swearing-in ceremony.

Now willing to reconcile, the two opponents went on to appoint a taskforce to seek public views on, among other things, how Kenya and its citizens could bridge what divided them.

The TJRC had spent almost four years doing something similar, collecting 40,000 statements from Kenyans across the country on their grievances, sense of marginalisation, etc. These statements formed the basis of the Truth Commissions four-volume 2,210-page report presented to Kenyatta on May 21, 2013. This work was ignored by Kenyatta and Odinga.

After 17 months of listening to and receiving views of as many as 7,000 Kenyans all over the country, the taskforce  popularly known as the Building Bridges Initiative  produced a 156-page report in October 2019. What the TJRC had to say about how different ethnic groups who mistrust each other can be reconciled or how to resolve issues brought up by an election dispute did not make it into the taskforce report.

No support from the government

The TJRC was formed under more tragic circumstances that the 2018 task force. Historical injustices were identified as one of the long-term issues underlying the violence that followed the December 2007 presidential poll in which more than 1,000 people were killed. Odinga was a candidate in that 2007 presidential election. As part of the mediation process to end the bloodshed that followed, Odinga and the incumbent President Mwai Kibaki agreed to the formation of the TJRC and a coalition government in which Odinga became prime minister.

In May 2013, after Kenyatta received the TJRC report, it was tabled in the National Assembly as part of the implementation phase of the report. The TJRC, whose mandate ended with the publication of the report, recommended the government form an implementation committee to oversee and coordinate the work needed to make the TJRCs wide-ranging recommendations a reality. The TJRC even provided a draft bill for the National Assembly to consider to give such an implementation committee legal backing.

Such an arrangement is not new to Kenya. A similar arrangement guided the rewriting and roll-out of Kenyas new constitution between 2008 and 2015. A committee oversaw the process of rewriting the constitution before it was put to referendum. When the draft constitution passed in the August 2010 referendum, a five-year implementation commission was responsible for drafting bills for laws required by the new constitution or drafting amendments to existing laws for those laws to conform with the new constitution. A total of 47 laws were identified as crucial to implementing the new constitution.

The fact that Kenyattas administration, which commands a majority in the National Assembly, has not overseen a similar process to implement the TJRC report shows it does not support the report. But this does not mean the administration preceding Kenyattas gave the TJRC process strong backing.

Accessing the TJRC report

Kibakis election in December 2002 brought to a close the 24-year dictatorship of Daniel arap Moi. The new president secured a mandate to execute wide-ranging reforms in Kenya. Among the reforms Kibakis new government was expected to initiate was a process looking into the numerous human rights violations that occurred under Mois watch. In April 2003 Kibakis government appointed a taskforce to look into whether there was public support for a truth commission. Four months later, the taskforce concluded there was overwhelming support for such a commission. It recommended that the government should form such body by June the following year. That did not happen. It took Kenya being brought to the precipice of collapse by the violence that followed the December 2007 presidential election for Kenyas top political leadership to support the formation and work of a truth commission.

In the past seven years it is not just implementing the TJRC report that has proved to be politically inconvenient. Having the report available on government online portals has itself long proved difficult. The TJRC had its own website and in May 2013 it made the report available on its website. Eventually that website was discontinued since the TJRCs mandate ended with the publication of the report. And so, for years, the TJRC report was not available on any government website. The only place where it was to be found was on the website of the Seattle University Law School where Ronald C. Slye, one of three foreign members of the TJRC, is a professor. Today, at least, it is made available online by the national Commission on Human Rights.
The European Union's antitrust chief hit back at claims she's being too tough over Lufthansa's German bailout, insisting strict conditions are vital to preserve competition when the covid-19 pandemic abates.

Rejecting criticisms from Lufthansa's supervisory board over the proposed 9 billion-euro ($10 billion) rescue of Europe's largest airline, Margrethe Vestager said Friday she isn't "creating extra hurdles" by requiring cutbacks when the state takes a stake in companies.

"Lufthansa is indeed a very impressive company and they have market power," Vestager told reporters at a Brussels press conference. "There is a high risk that if you hold market power" that "competition will be disturbed," especially when state recapitalizations strengthen a company.

The supervisory board said May 27 that it was concerned about the weakening of its hubs at Frankfurt and Munich airports after the EU asked it to cede airport slots to rivals. That effectively shut down progress on a bailout package the company agreed on with Berlin earlier this week by delaying indefinitely a shareholder meeting scheduled to approve it.

Airport slots that determine when airlines can fly routes from airports are "a very valuable resource" and "often become the center of the debate because in order to fly to to an airport you need two slots," Vestager said. Competitors "need to have slots in an airport."

Vestager's comments come as Lufthansa's labor unions urged her in a letter not to push for measures that would dent the company's competitiveness and lead to job losses. Representatives of Lufthansa's cabin crew, ground staff and pilots unions said surrendering slots to airlines that didn't offer the same level of pay and conditions as the German airline would be unfair.

Lufthansa labor representatives control half the voting rights on the airline group's supervisory board, a body that still needs to vote on the deal in the days ahead. While the deal wasn't voted on at the last meeting, passing the package would be difficult without labor union support.

"Neither workers or other European citizens will understand if tens of thousands of jobs are lost, not to covid-19, but due to terms set by the European Union," the employee representatives said in the letter.

EU regulators are under strain to police huge subsidies governments are showering on companies to help them survive the coronavirus crisis. Germany's aid to business far outweighs any other EU country, leading to fears German companies will survive the crisis while others founder.

A Lufthansa spokesman declined to comment on Vestager's press conference.

"Just the fact that you have the state on board as a shareholder may also trigger more trust in your viability," she said. "And in particular, if you are a company with market power and the recap is more than 250 million euros." She said there is "such a big risk" to competition "that you will have to remedy this."

She said getting an agreement "is high priority" and that officials "are in in very close contact" with the German authorities. "I can tell you that, but I can not tell you when we will be done."

The German government is holding "intense talks" with the EU on the aid package which "meets the needs of the company as much as those of taxpayers, and the employees of Lufthansa who depend on the continuation of a strong business," government spokesman Steffen Seibert said at a press conference in Berlin.
The 'nepotism vs outsider debate is often a talking point in the film industry. The star kids are often at the receiving end of trolling for getting an easy venture into the industry, while many from outside the industry have struggled their way up to success. The success after the struggle of one such actor, who has been making headlines all around, recently surfaced via a throwback picture.

READ: Sonu Sood's Fans Want To Honour The 'Dabangg' Actor; Details Here

Sonu Sood is earning praises from the citizens of the country for arranging the travel back home of the migrant workers and others stuck in Mumbai to other cities. However, there was a time when the actor used to be like the people he is helping at the moment. The Dabangg actor used to travel in the local trains of Mumbai 22 years ago.

A netizen recently shared a photo of his monthly railway pass costing Rs 420, covering the entire city, from Borivali to Churchgate, from 1997. The netizen marvelled at spotting the pass of the then 24-year-old and wrote, Only those who have struggled in life can understand the pain of others.

              



   420          pic.twitter.com/uqW1fEMUZi  Arvind Pandey (@ArvindP67820085) May 29, 2020

READ: Sonu Sood Thinks Toll-free Number Might Crash Due To High Traffic, Provides An Alternative

The post did not skip the attention of Sonu, and he had a short but sweet reply. The Happy New Year star it seems recalled his struggle then when he helped all those who are stranded now and felt his life completed a circle.

Heres the post

Life is a full circle  https://t.co/XTVp1ysRaz  sonu sood (@SonuSood) May 29, 2020

Meanwhile, after arranging numerous buses for the migrants, to go to their hometown in states like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Kerala for over two weeks, Sonu now helped a group by arranging for them a flight to Kerala.

After actors, sportspersons, and those from politics, even Captain Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab, the state where Sonu was born, expressed pride about Sonus efforts.

Thank you so much for your kind words sir. You have always a been an inspiration for me. I promise to make our our fellow punjabis proud.  https://t.co/2R9dpS0zGW  sonu sood (@SonuSood) May 28, 2020

READ: Sonu Sood Opens Up About Being The 'next Rajinikanth' Of The Film Industry

READ: Fan Tells Sonu Sood, 'those With Name Sonu Are Considered Spoilt', Actor Has Sweet Reply
Wuhan Mom Wants to Hold the Regime Accountable

Many Wuhan residents contracted the CCP virus because they visited the hospital for medical care of other illnesses, not knowing about the outbreak and the severity of human transmission.

Ms. Yangs daughter visited the doctor on January 16. On the 19th, she developed a fever and died 18 days later. Ms. Yang went to the local government to redress the injustice.

Consequently, she was locked in her apartment. Her cell phone line was cut off and so was her connection to the outside world. The Epoch Times received the recording of her visit to the local government office.

The interview was conducted on May 12 by HONG NING of the Chinese-language Epoch Times. The following script has been edited for clarity.
Sohum Shah puts an end to speculations around Tummbad 2, says he's working on another project
Abdul Rahman arrested but his accomplice escaped

29.05.2020 LISTEN

The Ghana Police Service at Busunu in the West Gonja Municipal have arrested a Fulani man alleged to have butchered a man in the area on Wednesday night.

The police said on Thursday said they have already begun investigations into the matter and will arraign the accused before the law.

The Assemblyman for the area Hon. Dari Osman Thomas who narrated the incident said the Fulani man one Abdul Rahman Yahaya and his accomplice were believed to have had sexual intercourse with two other Fulani women at an area near Sumpini community borehole when the victim pounced on them on Wednesday night.

He said a quarrel ensued between the Fulanis and the victim who was on his way to the bush to ease himself around 9: 45 PM. The victim questioned them on why they were defying the community's law of having sexual intercourse in an open environment but in the ensuing quarrel, the two Fulani men butchered the victim with their sharp cutlasses and took to their heels.

Police subsequent investigations arrested one of the Fulani men, Abdul Rahman at Fufulso-Damongo Junction on Thursday with the help of the two women Barkisu and Ramata but the other accused Mumuni is said to be on the run.

Meanwhile, the victim who is a farmer is at the hospital receiving treatment, according to an informant Bugli Isaiah but Abdul Rahman and the two women are at the Busunu Police Station assisting the police in their investigations.
Channel 7 journalist Ashlee Mullany was almost taken out by a stun grenade as police closed in on a Minneapolis protest against the death of George Floyd.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was filmed gasping for breath as a white officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes before he died in custody of the Minneapolis Police Department on Monday.

The father-of-two's death led to a series of violent rallies in Minneapolis and Los Angeles, where outraged protesters demanded authorities charge the four stood-down police officer's involved in Floyd's arrest.

Mullany, who is the US correspondent for Channel 7, crossed to the Sunrise newsroom live from Minneapolis on Thursday afternoon to report on the mayhem as protests raged on in the city for a third day.

Officer Derek Chauvin (pictured) was identified as the officer pinning down George Floyd in video footage that was widely shared on Tuesday

Channel 7 news journalist Ashlee Mullany was almost taken out by a stun grenade as police closed in on a Minneapolis protest against the death of George Floyd

Footage showed the journalist duck for cover as a stun grenade was fired in her direction by police officers who descended on the protest.

Mullany said tensions only grew when police arrived to control the crowds of outraged citizens.

'What happened was about six police cars out of nowhere arrived and they came out in riot gear,' she told the Sunrise newsroom.

'It seems like they were prepared for some sort of confrontation.'

'But it really was like throwing a match in the tinder at that point. It was incredible to see how that anger exploded in a matter of seconds.

'The police were not welcome on the streets here.'

Chaos first erupted in the city on Tuesday night after thousands of protesters took to the streets in the wake of Floyds death.

But demonstrations turned violent on Wednesday after one suspected looter was shot dead, prompting the officials to call in the National Guard ahead of Thursday evenings protests.

Pictured: A man kicks out a store front window during a protest on Thursday in St. Paul, Minnesota

Mullany is seen during the violent protests in Minneapolis on Thursday

Mullany, who is the US correspondent for Channel 7, crossed to the Sunrise newsroom live from Minneapolis on Thursday afternoon to report on the mayhem

Mullany referred to footage of an injured demonstrator lying on the floor of a car park.

'We did see someone who appeared to be injured and covered on the floor and there were people coming to her aid,' she said.

'We've seen police try to disperse crowds with tear gas, with those stunt grenades, so we have seen people injured.

'Just walking from the car to here I saw pools of blood on the payment so there have definitely been injuries in these riots.'

The US correspondent for Channel 9, Tim Arvier, was also caught in the cross hairs during Thursday's protest.

Mullany is pictured on the carpet at the Golden Globes

The US correspondent for Channel 9, Tim Arvier, was also caught in the cross hairs during Thursday's protest

Mullany referred to footage of an injured demonstrator lying on the floor of a car park (pictured)

Pictured: Protesters throw objects at police on Thursday in St. Paul, Minnesota

Arvier told Today host Karl Stefanovic he saw a 'whiskey bottle got thrown at the police' as well as a 'massive rock'.

'He had no compunction throwing (the rock),' Arvier said.

Arvier also saw a tear gas canister fired at a protester at 'point blank range'.

'It's a tense situation,' he said.

'We are having stun grenades being thrown into the crowd now things are getting ugly.'

Arvier continued to speak to the newsroom as he manoeuvred through the crowds on Thursday.

Today hosts Stefanovic and Allison Langdon asked Arvier if the protesters heard the news that the police officers may not be charged with Floyd's death.

Arvier replied: 'No, we haven't heard that. We certainly haven't seen any - haven't heard anyone talking about that but we are just on our way down to the police station.'

The Today hosts urged Arvier avoid breaking the news to the demonstrators so he could stay safe.

'Don't break it to them. Don't be the one that breaks it to them.'

Pictured: A car is seen on fire at the parking lot of a Target store during the protests

An aerial photo made with a drone shows firefighters battling fires set near the Minneapolis police 3rd Precinct, during a third day of protests over the death of George Floyd

Chaos continues: A shirtless man was seen running near a burning building in downtown Minneapolis after a night of unrest and protests over George Floyd's death

At a press conference on Thursday, prosecutors warned there is 'evidence that does not support criminal charges' against the four cops.

Mike Freeman, county attorney for Hennepin County, condemned the actions of white cop Derek Chauvin as 'horrific and terrible', but said prosecutors needed to determine if he used 'excessive' force when he knelt on Floyd's neck until he passed out and later died.

'That video is graphic and horrific and terrible and no person should do that,' he said.

'But my job in the end is to prove he violated a criminal statute - but there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge.'

Pictured: George Floyd, who died in police custody on Monday

A fatal shooting and lawsuit for excessive force: What we know about the four officers fired for George Floyd's arrest Derek Chauvin In 2006 Derek Chauvin (pictured), 44, was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes The white police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck has already been investigated over three police shootings and a fatal car chase. In 2006 Derek Chauvin, 44, was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes. Reyes, 42 was killed by officers after allegedly pulling a shotgun on the six cops, which included Chauvin. Also that year he was named in a lawsuit filed by an inmate at the Minnesota Correctional Facility. The case was dismissed in 2007. Two years later Chauvin was investigated for his role in the 2008 shooting of Ira Latrell Toles during a domestic assault call. Toles was wounded after police said he went for an officer's gun and Chauvin shot him. That same year Chauvin was handed a medal of valor for 'his response in an incident involving a man armed with a gun.' But in 2011 23-year-old Leroy Martinez was shot and injured during a chase given by officers including Chauvin. Chauvin was arrested Friday - four days after Floyd's death - and charged with third degree murder and manslaughter. Tou Thao Tou Thao (pictured), was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017 Tou Thao, was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017. A lawsuit obtained by the DailyMail.com shows Thao was sued for using excessive force in arrest where he was accused of punching and kicking a handcuffed suspect 'until his teeth broke'. The remaining two officers have been identified as Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng. Both were reportedly rookie cops who were still in their probationary periods. Thao, Lane and Kueng do not currently face charges. Advertisement

Minneapolis braced for a third night of violence on Thursday after protests in the city turned deadly overnight.

State troopers have already been called in and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey asked for the National Guard's help after one suspected looter was fatally shot and stores were left ransacked and torched.

Shocking images Thursday morning showed the widespread destruction left overnight after stores including Wendy's, Target, Walmart and Autozone were looted and some even set on fire.

Mayor Frey pleaded for calm ahead of more expected protests this evening telling residents 'we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy.'

Videos also showed what was reported to be an apartment building entirely engulfed by flames as rioters stood and watched and the fire department was nowhere to be seen.

Outside a GM Tobacco store, a group of four men with huge firearms were seen and said they had come to protect local businesses from looters.

DailyMail.com also exclusively reported that protesters on Wednesday even gathered outside the home of fired officer Derek Chauvin and scrawled the word 'Murderer' on his driveway.

A sign was propped up at the end of his driveway reading 'People don't kill people, cops do' as calls mounted for the fired cop to face murder charges over Floyd's death.

Other demonstrators carried signs and wore T-shirts reading 'I can't breathe' - some of the last words Floyd said as he begged the police officer for his life.

Some held signs reading 'Black Lives Matter' and pictures of Floyd as they marched on the property.

They were then met by a wall of police officers who had set up security around Chauvin's home.

Floyd's heartbroken brother Philonise Floyd also urged protesters to demonstrate peacefully, but said he understood the anger surrounding George's death.

'I can't stop people right now because they have pain. They have the same pain that I feel. I want everything to be peaceful but I can't make everybody be peaceful. It's hard,' he told CNN. 'They treated him worse than they treat animals.'

'I watched the video. It was hard but I had to watch. As I watched, those four officers - they executed my brother,' he added.

Floyd's case has been compared to the 2014 killing of Eric Garner and has reignited tensions between law enforcement and the black community over police officers' use of force on black suspects, particularly in non-violent offenses.
Today we'll take a closer look at Shandong International Trust Co., Ltd. (HKG:1697) from a dividend investor's perspective. Owning a strong business and reinvesting the dividends is widely seen as an attractive way of growing your wealth. On the other hand, investors have been known to buy a stock because of its yield, and then lose money if the company's dividend doesn't live up to expectations.

In this case, Shandong International Trust pays a decent-sized 8.4% dividend yield, and has been distributing cash to shareholders for the past two years. A 8.4% yield does look good. Could the short payment history hint at future dividend growth? Some simple research can reduce the risk of buying Shandong International Trust for its dividend - read on to learn more.

Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis

SEHK:1697 Historical Dividend Yield May 29th 2020

Payout ratios

Dividends are usually paid out of company earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Comparing dividend payments to a company's net profit after tax is a simple way of reality-checking whether a dividend is sustainable. Shandong International Trust paid out 39% of its profit as dividends, over the trailing twelve month period. A medium payout ratio strikes a good balance between paying dividends, and keeping enough back to invest in the business. Plus, there is room to increase the payout ratio over time.

We update our data on Shandong International Trust every 24 hours, so you can always get our latest analysis of its financial health, here.

Dividend Volatility

From the perspective of an income investor who wants to earn dividends for many years, there is not much point buying a stock if its dividend is regularly cut or is not reliable. This company's dividend has been unstable, and with a relatively short history, we think it's a little soon to draw strong conclusions about its long term dividend potential. During the past two-year period, the first annual payment was CN0.096 in 2018, compared to CN0.055 last year. Dividend payments have fallen sharply, down 43% over that time.

Story continues

A shrinking dividend over a two-year period is not ideal, and we'd be concerned about investing in a dividend stock that lacks a solid record of growing dividends per share.

Dividend Growth Potential

With a relatively unstable dividend, and a poor history of shrinking dividends, it's even more important to see if EPS are growing. Over the past five years, it looks as though Shandong International Trust's EPS have declined at around 12% a year. A sharp decline in earnings per share is not great from from a dividend perspective, as even conservative payout ratios can come under pressure if earnings fall far enough.

Conclusion

Dividend investors should always want to know if a) a company's dividends are affordable, b) if there is a track record of consistent payments, and c) if the dividend is capable of growing. We're glad to see Shandong International Trust has a low payout ratio, as this suggests earnings are being reinvested in the business. Second, earnings per share have been in decline, and its dividend has been cut at least once in the past. While we're not hugely bearish on it, overall we think there are potentially better dividend stocks than Shandong International Trust out there.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Shandong International Trust (of which 1 is a bit concerning!) you should know about.

Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list of dividend stocks with a yield above 3%.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Power cuts triggered by Cyclone Amphan have destroyed ice-cream worth around Rs 15 crore in Kolkata and its suburbs in the last one week, according to estimates provided by industry players.

The ice cream manufacturers, dealers and retailers who largely depend on power supply to preserve their stock have suffered massive losses. Our rough estimates suggest that around Rs 15 crore of ice cream has been destroyed because of the power cuts in Kolkata, said the spokesperson of the Indian Ice Cream Manufacturers Association (IICMA).

According to estimates provided by the IICMA, there are around 30,000 outlets, including neighbourhood shops, in the city and another 500 distributors. Each outlet on an average keeps a stock of ice cream worth Rs 5000 while the distributors keep a stock of Rs 40,000  Rs 50,000 on any given day. This apart there are ice cream carts which would also need ice and in turn dependent on power supply.

This entire stock has been lost. Once the ice cream melts it cant be refrigerated and frozen again. It wont retain the same texture, taste and look. Customers wont like it any more. We are left with no option but to dump it, said Sujit Pal, a local shop keeper near Anandapur in east Kolkata, where there was no power for nearly three days after the cyclone.

Almost the entire city had plunged into darkness after Cyclone Amphan hit Kolkata with a speed of 130 km per hour last Wednesday. Thereafter large parts of the city remained without power for at least five days at a stretch triggering protests and road blocks. The state government had blamed the private corporation which supplies power to the entire city.

But even as power has returned in Kolkata, several areas in cyclone-hit districts of south Bengal are still without electricity. The manufacturers are still suffering huge losses as there has been no production but money is being drained to maintain the stock.

Our factory is near Dhulagarh in Howrah and there is still no power. We are spending around Rs 70,000 every day in diesel to run the generators just to maintain the stock and keep the machines running. Every day we used to produce around 50,000 litres of ice cream. But for the past seven days there has been no production, said Gaurav Khemani, managing director of the company that produces Rollick Ice Cream.

According to estimates provided by the state government around 1.5 lakh km of electricity lines, including 30,000 km of high tension wire, have been snapped and 4.5 lakh electric poles have been uprooted in south Bengal districts where the cyclone hit.
A quarter of Britains manufacturers plan to cut jobs over the next six months, according to an industry poll.

One million companies in the UK have already applied for taxpayer support under the Governments Job Retention Scheme to pay the wages of 8.4million furloughed staff.

But there are growing fears that many of these firms are biding their time, and will have to announce job cuts anyway.

One million companies in the UK have already applied for taxpayer support under the Government's Job Retention Scheme to pay the wages of 8.4 million furloughed staff

A string of companies including British Airways, Tui, Virgin Atlantic and Easyjet have furloughed thousands of staff, shortly before announcing mass redundancies.

But a survey of 224 companies published today by manufacturing trade body Make UK suggests the same thing could happen in other sectors of the economy.

It found a quarter of manufacturing firms  ranging from car makers to small engineering companies  are preparing to make redundancies over the next six months, with less than a third ruling any out.

Of those planning to shed jobs, more than a quarter believe they will have to get rid of half their staff and almost a third are planning to axe up to a quarter.

Although the lockdown is being lifted gradually, many sectors  including manufacturing, retail, aviation and tourism  are still facing a slump in demand.

Stephen Phipson, chief executive of Make UK, said: These figures make for awful reading with the impact on jobs and livelihoods across the UK.

It came as a separate report released by the Office for National Statistics warned nearly half of firms in Britain which have temporarily shut down because of the lockdown are unsure when they will reopen.

Around one in five businesses went into hibernation, according to its survey, with 14 per cent of them expected to resume business in the next two weeks.

A further 10 per cent said they expected to reopen in two to four weeks time and 31 per cent expected to kick-start operations again in more than four weeks time. Almost half (46 per cent) said they were unsure when they would resume trading.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to announce reforms to the Job Retention Scheme today which will include forcing employers to contribute to the salaries of furloughed staff from August.

This is designed to keep a lid on the cost of the bailout, which has already hit 15billion.

But it has fuelled concerns that many companies will not be able to contribute to salaries of furloughed staff, and will have to lay them off instead.

Bodycote is slashing 700 jobs after work dried up in its aerospace and automotive arms.

The industrials group, which applies heat-protective coatings to everything from car brakes to oil drilling equipment, is aiming to save 45million a year by cutting 13 per cent of its workforce and closing some of its plants.

Revenues shrank by 12 per cent to 216million in the first four months of the year and by around a third just in April. Plane and car manufacturing has been brought almost to a standstill by coronavirus.
Bookworms are back in their element and browsing the stacks at the Whakatane library.

Te Koputu, Whakatane's library and exhibition centre, threw open its doors to book and Wi-Fi lovers this week after a nearly nine-week hiatus.

Lifelong learning, programme and experience manager Louise Anderson says it is definitely good to be back and to have the public enjoying the library again.

"It is great to be back and to see some familiar faces in the library again.

"People have seemed overwhelmingly pleased to be able to come back and browse and interact with staff. That's what we're here for and it's the most important part of what we do."

While the number of people using the library has remained constant both pre and post lockdown, Anderson says there is now a "buzz" in the air.

Friends Hayden Stewart and Levi McIntyre, both aged 14, were enjoying the library's free Wi-Fi this week and say it offered a good place to chill when they were in town.

A woman who was stocking up on books says she ran out during lockdown and was keen to read something new.

This sentiment was echoed by an elderly man who said he had to pull "some rusty old books" out of his wardrobe and it was nice to read something new.

Another woman says she had signed up to the library that day and was looking forward to loaning her first book.

"It's really nice it's open and it seems like a great library," she says.

Staff were kept busy during the lockdown running programmes on Facebook, answering enquiries and helping people access e-books and research books online.

Louise says this provided some challenges but staff got good feedback from people pleased with the help they received.

"We learnt a lot of new skills to broaden what we do in the future."

The library also received a small makeover after level four was lifted with staff moving the children's section to the front of the library, where there is more space and natural light. They took the time to clean shelves and move furniture in readiness for the social distancing required when the library opened its doors again.

A contactless pick-up service was also well received by the public and is still available for those who want to use it.

People can loan books online, have them packaged by librarians and then pick them up from the front door.

Louise says last week, when this was the only way to loan books, the library still had many people coming to the front door wanting to come in.

In this case the librarians prepared random packages of books for them.

Te Koputu is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, under level two and has contact tracing, physical distancing, and other safety measures in place to ensure the health of staff and bibliophiles.
The Divisional Commander in Charge of Nima Divisional Police Headquarters, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abraham Quaye, has made a passionate appeal for the testing of police personnel and inmates to be a continuous process in the wake of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

"The continuous testing of officers and inmates will enable us to know who has contracted the virus and those who do not have it," he submitted.

ACP Quaye made the appeal while speaking to a cross-section of journalists during a disinfection exercise at the Nima Divisional Headquarters, Accra, by Zoomlion Ghana Limited, which place also accommodates the Nima District Police Headquarters.

According to him, it was not an episodic event, insisting that "one can test negative today but test positive for [Covid-19] tomorrow."

He said making the process a continuous one was necessary because of the fact that the police were always in close contact with the general public.

"...So that at any point in time we will be able to know who has contracted the virus and who has not which will help prevent its spread," he further added.

ACP Quaye disclosed that none of his officers under his division has tested positive. This, he said, followed a mass testing of personnel for Covid-19 under his division undertaken by the Police Hospital.

However, he was quick to add that one person who is not a police officer but one of our stakeholders who happened to be around and took part in the exercise tested positive for Covid-19.

He has been secluded and had been take to an isolation centre where he was receiving treatment, he revealed.

Again, the divisional commander disclosed that one person amongst some inmates who were brought from other police facilities in Accra also tested positive after blood samples of inmates were taken.

He has since been isolated and was receiving treatment, he added.

The divisional commander stressed that these two cases have compelled them to ask the Police Hospital authorities to come and retest all personnel at the Nima District Police Headquarters including the inmates.

Against this backdrop, ACP Quaye described as a laudable exercise the initiative by the Police Administration to have all police facilities in the country disinfected.

It will go a long way to create a lasting impression in the minds of the personnel that the Police Administration is very thoughtful of us and has taken our welfare and health needs into consideration, he said.

Furthermore, he acknowledged what he described as the invaluable contribution of Zoomlion Ghana Limited towards sanitising the environment of police facilities in the country.

It will motivate us to give off our best, ACP Quaye assured.

The Nima Divisional Command comprises three district police facilitiesAdabraka District Police Headquarters, Kotobabi District Police Headquarters, and Nima District Police Headquarters. And all these facilities were disinfected including their barracks.

The same exercise was carried out at the Airport District Police Headquarters, Accra.

Speaking to journalists after the exercise, the District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Eric Asiedu Asamoah, said the exercise was a morale booster for his personnel.

He also intimated that he has instructed all his personnel to adhere strictly to the Covid-19 safety protocols.

We also ensure that persons who visit out facility strictly observe all the Covid-19 preventive protocols.

Later, the Zoomlion team went to the East Legon Divisional Headquarters, Legon, Accra, and the Legon District Headquarters to disinfect these two facilities.
A Colorado man is being threatened by a wedding videography company with a lawsuit after he asked them for a refund after his wedding has been called off due to the untimely death of his fiance in a car crash earlier this year.

In February, a car crash took the life of Alexis Wyatt who was set to be married this year to Justin Montney. However, due to the incident, the wedding has been canceled. Thus, Montney contacted the photography and videography company which was supposed to document their wedding and asked for a refund of the $1,800 he deposited.

But Copper Stallion Media refused to give him back the refund saying that all contracts made for weddings are non-refundable. However, due to the unusual circumstance, Montney insisted that the company honor his request.

Montney then went to KRDO-TV to narrate his experience. After which, it became viral and people started to leave negative comments and reviews to the wedding company's social media accounts.

Meanwhile, the Copper Stallion Media retaliated to Justin's attempts to bring their failed business transaction by creating a website defaming Montney called JustinMontneyWedding.com. According to the company, the website is their way of defending their business by building their own case against Montney.

Read also: City in China Wants to Use a Smartphone App to Monitor the Health of Citizens

In the website, the company stated that Montney signed a deal with them dated November 29, 2019, which stated that he and his fiance agreed to pay a non-refundable amount of $1800 as a deposit.

Regarding the circumstances of Wyatt's death, the company said that upon hearing the news, they expressed their sympathy to Montney. However, they stated that they explained to Montney that despite his loss all of their wedding contracts are non-refundable.

In a report by Fox 6 Now, the company also stated that Montney kept on sending them emails forcing them to give him a refund no matter how many times they reiterated that the contract is non-refundable. They also stated that they, later on, stopped responding to his emails thinking the issue will just die down.

According to the company, however, Montney contacted them again by May threatening that he will bring the issue in social media if they do not respond to his requests. That was when Montney went to KRDO to tell his story.

According to New York Post, in order to defend their claims, Copper Stallion said that in the wedding and videography industry it is a standard that when a date is set for a wedding, the date will be blocked off by the company for other clients. This means that on that day, the company will have no other business aside from the booked clients.

Copper Stallion also stated that the deposit will be the security blanket of the company in case the wedding is canceled and also to pay for their damages since they will be losing business for the day.

However, despite their several attempts to salvage their reputation, netizens have already given bad reviews through Yelp and the wedding website The Knot. Many people have sympathized with Montney calling out Copper Stallion and asking them to have compassion.

Related article: Democrat Amy Klobuchar Declined to Prosecute Officer Involved in Death of George Floyd for Previous Conduct Complaints

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The coronavirus crisis could deepen Britains North-South divide, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer fears.

But he says it is an issue which could be helped by proper investment in the regions.

In an article for the Yorkshire Post, Sir Keir states: The North-South divide is continuing to grow. That gulf is even starker in coalfield communities like Doncaster.

Without Government action, there is a real risk the coronavirus deepens the existing injustices and inequalities.

After Labour was soundly beaten in its traditional heartlands by the Conservatives at last years general election, Sir Keir says his party has a mountain to climb to regain public trust.

He went on a virtual visit to speak with Doncaster residents, and he found a pressing concern is to repay the service of key workers.

He wrote: The past few months have shown us so clearly who the key workers really are. Our NHS staff, carer workers, ambulance drivers, porters, shop keepers, police and emergency services.

It is because of their dedication and sense of public service that Yorkshire has kept moving. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude.

Prime Minister Boris Johnsons top aide Dominic Cummings (Yui Mok/PA)

There has been public outrage after allegations that Dominic Cummings, Prime Minister Boris Johnsons senior adviser, broke lockdown rules by travelling from his London home to Durham with his family.

Sir Keir wrote: Dominic Cummings broke the lockdown rules. It is as simple as that. His actions were an insult to the millions of people across Yorkshire and the United Kingdom who have sacrificed so much during this pandemic.

Mr Johnson has ruled out an inquiry into Mr Cummings actions at the height of the lockdown, and has insisted he acted reasonably and it is time to move on from the row.
Kevin O'Leary told CNBC on Friday the coronavirus crisis has shown that remote working is good for employees and a business's bottom line.

"Productivity is significantly higher when you give people what they want," the "Shark Tank" investor said on "Squawk Box." "Maybe they're taking care of an aged parent, maybe they're raising kids, maybe they don't want to commute. Whatever reason it is, the productivity has gone up."

O'Leary, chairman of O'Shares ETFs, said across his business portfolio he anticipates granting about 20% of employees the right to work from home "perpetually." He singled out areas such as compliance, accounting and logistics. He said the company will help employees upgrade their home internet and technology to help in the transition.

A significant shift to work from home will hurt commercial landlords, O'Leary acknowledged, but he said it is beneficial for his companies' finances as it seeks to reduce its office footprint.

"We're going to save a ton of money," said O'Leary, known as "Mr. Wonderful" on "Shark Tank." "Don't know this yet, but I think we can save about 5 to 7% free cash flow across the portfolio. I'm really excited about the new America we're going to have."

The pandemic ushered in a dramatic new landscape for corporate America as businesses of all sizes adopted work-from-home policies in March to try and slow the spread of Covid-19. It remains to be seen how long crisis-driven changes will last.

Twitter and Square, both led by Jack Dorsey, have already said most employees can work from home permanently, while Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently predicted as much as 50% of the company's employees could be working remotely in the next five to 10 years.

By contrast, Owen Thomas, CEO of commercial landlord Boston Properties, told CNBC last week that companies value having a physical office. He pointed to recent efforts by businesses to establish satellite offices in suburban settings instead of requiring large portions of their workforce to commute to a downtown location.

O'Leary said he entered the pandemic skeptical of the benefits of working from home. But now it's been happening for months and some businesses have navigated it "very successfully," he said.

He said he believes optimism in financial markets is due, in part, to investors realizing the post-pandemic world will be more efficient.

"We were forced to test this. We had no other choice. Now, I really want 20% to stay at home because I really, really think it's more efficient and it saves a lot of money," he said. "I think I'm going to make more money form my companies in the years ahead, and I think the market senses that, not just for small businesses, for all businesses."

Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to Shark Tank," on which Kevin O'Leary is a co-host.
Wearing only undies and ECG dots, Benedict Kearney carjacked a woman, sped down the wrong side of a road and then bit a policeman who tried to arrest him.

He'd been an ice user for two decades, but this was his first time in a drug induced psychosis and he feared aliens were after him.

Deeply ashamed, sorry and behind bars, he's committed to getting help so it doesn't happen again.

He wound up in hospital on July 15 last year after being found unconscious in a Melbourne park.

He'd combined ice with Xanax for the first time and believes the anxiety drug was the problem.
A lot of terrible leftist ideas are burning on the funeral pyre that is the Wuhan virus. During good times, America could sustain the weight of these bad ideas. Were not having good times now (temporarily, I hope), and these bad ideas have become too expensive and too dangerous. In that way, we can view the virus as an unwished-for but beneficial purification ritual.

One of the things that made me happiest today was to learn that bag bans and plastic straw bans are failing in Democrat-run areas. Because I lived in California for so long, Ive been on the receiving end of those virtue-signaling green laws, and I hated all of them with a passion.

According to Politico,

For a while, it looked like 2020 would be a turning point in the war against single-use plastics, with California and New York adopting new bans and federal legislation being introduced. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit. Single-use plastics became associated with safety from sickness, and industry lobbyists saw an opportunity to gain ground in the policy debate. [snip] That momentum shattered in March, when the liberal bastion of San Francisco banned shoppers from using their own bags. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, followed with an executive order suspending a state ban on single-use bags. A ballot initiative to ban polystyrene and tax plastics probably will be punted to 2022. New York put enforcement of its bag ban on hold because of an industry lawsuit that was delayed by court closures linked to Covid-19. Chicago suspended collection of its plastic bag tax. [snip] The next battle is playing out now, over whether restaurants should use disposable plates and cutlery as they reopen for dine-in service, POLITICOs Debra Kahn reports from San Francisco. California says silverware and ceramic plates are fine to use as long as they are cleaned properly, but that message runs counter to federal guidance and whats already happening in other states.

Ive been irremediably hostile to the bag ban since Day One. In the old days, you could get paper or plastic for free, both of which I found useful around the house. However, under the bans, you couldnt get plastic at all and, if you were willing, you had to pay a price (i.e., a tax) for a paper bag.

The reusable bags we were forced to use if we didnt want to pay the tax made us look like a community of homeless people, carrying our worldly goods in a hodge-podge of packages. I resented that.

Worse, the bags were dangerous disease vectors (emphasis mine):

Recently, many jurisdictions have implemented bans or imposed taxes upon plastic grocery bags on environmental grounds. San Francisco County was the first major US jurisdiction to enact such a regulation, implementing a ban in 2007. There is evidence, however, that reusable grocery bags, a common substitute for plastic bags, contain potentially harmful bacteria. We examine emergency room admissions related to these bacteria in the wake of the San Francisco ban. We find that ER visits spiked when the ban went into effect. Relative to other counties, ER admissions increase by at least one fourth, and deaths exhibit a similar increase.

Ironically, the only way to diminish the disease risk was to wash the reusable bags after every use, a decidedly un-green thing to do, given the energy and water resources required for washing bags. Add that to the materials and energy used to create that overabundance of green bags and, as is always the case, a leftist policy was inconvenient, expensive, counterproductive, and potentially dangerous. The bag bans also didnt do much to affect ocean pollution because plastic in the oceans comes primarily from Asia (with China again taking the lead in a destructive practice).

Its not only plastic bags biting the dust. Devin Nunes reports that plastic straws are back at Los Angeles airport. The plastic straw bans were among the silliest things to do because the impetus came from a nine-year-olds suspect guesswork on a school project. The bans sent people back to the bad old days of dissolving paper straws. The whole thing was especially bad for disabled people who cannot handle regular cups or those dissolving straws.

Im not saying that the horrific disruption, economic disaster, and ruined lives flowing from the leftist response to the Wuhan virus will have been worth it just to see normalcy returned to plastic bags, straws, and single-use bottles. I am, after all, neither stupid nor cruel. Nevertheless, if youre trying to find a sunny side in this mess, seeing a green initiative face reality and die is certainly a day-brightener.
Ethiopian soldiers and police officers allegedly carried out dozens of extrajudicial executions last year in a crackdown on a rebel group active in the country's restive Oromia region, Amnesty International said in a report Friday.

The alleged killings -- 39 in total -- are part of a pattern of abuses that also include torture and mass arbitrary arrests, with detainees subjected to "political rehabilitation training" promoting Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government, the report said.

The abuses highlight how Ethiopian security forces continue "to crush dissent and political opposition" under Abiy, winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize, Amnesty researcher Fisseha Tekle told AFP.

They risk aggravating political tensions ahead of general elections that were scheduled for August but have been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Fisseha said.

"What is really happening is beyond a normal law enforcement mandate," he said. "They are going after people who are perceived to be supporters of the opposition as well as the families of militants."

A relative of one slain man described hearing the gunshot that likely killed him but told Amnesty "I couldn't go and check since there was a curfew".

"The next morning, we found his body near the military camp," the relative said. "His body had clear marks of physical abuse, as his hands and leg were broken."

The crackdown in Oromia is ostensibly targeting the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), blamed for a spate of assassinations, bombings, bank robberies and kidnappings in Oromia.

The OLA, believed to number in the low thousands, broke off from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), an opposition party that spent years in exile but was allowed to return to Ethiopia after Abiy took office in 2018.

The Amnesty report largely concerns abuses committed in the East and West Guji zones, in southern Oromia.

In February AFP reported on how the campaign against the OLA was playing out in an area of western Ethiopia known as Wollega, also in Oromia.

Residents there told of extrajudicial killings and mass arrests unfolding amid a months-long internet blackout that was only lifted after Ethiopia recorded its first case of COVID-19 in mid-March.

Amnesty's report also claims security forces' "complicity" in intercommunal violence in the northern Amhara region, either through active involvement or a failure to intervene to protect vulnerable communities there.

When contacted by AFP, Abiy's office referred questions to Ethiopia's Ministry of Peace, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Amnesty notes in its report that various ministries and government bodies did not respond to multiple requests for comment on its findings in Oromia.

An official in Amhara rejected Amnesty's findings and claimed that security forces' responses in that region limited the number of casualties, the report said.
A new study by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital examines changes in prescription patterns in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an exploratory analysis of data from GoodRx used to generate national estimates, Brigham investigators found prescriptions of the anti-malarial drug chloroquine and its analogue hydroxychloroquine dramatically surged during the week of March 15, likely due to off-label prescriptions for COVID-19. Results of the study are published in JAMA.

There have been indications that hydroxychloroquine prescribing had increased and shortages had been reported, but this study puts a spotlight on the extent to which excess hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine prescriptions were filled nationally," "This analysis doesn't include patients who were prescribed HCQ in a hospital setting -- this means that patients could have been taking the drugs at home, without supervision or monitoring for side effects." Haider Warraich, MD,Corresponding Author and Associate Physician, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Chloroquine is an anti-malarial drug and its analogue, hydroxychloroquine, is used to treat autoimmune diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Both drugs are considered safe and effective for these indications.

Laboratory testing has suggested that the drugs may also have antiviral effects, and, given their relatively low cost, there has been much interest in their potential effectiveness against COVID-19.

However, a study published last week by Brigham researchers and collaborators found that, in an observational analysis, COVID-19 patients who were given either drug (with or without an antibiotic) did not show an improvement in survival rates and were at increased risk for ventricular arrhythmias.

For the current analysis, Warraich and colleagues looked at prescribing patterns for hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine as well as many other commonly prescribed drugs.

These included angiotensin-converting-enzyme-inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), both of which are prescribed for patients with hypertension or heart failure, as well as the antibiotic azithromycin, and the top 10 drug prescriptions filled in 2019.

The team compared the number of filled prescriptions for each drug to the number of prescriptions filled last year over a 10-week period from Feb. 16 to April 25.

The team found that fills for all drugs, except the antibiotic amoxicillin and the pain reliever combination of hydrocodone/acetaminophen, peaked during the week of March 15 to March 21, 2020, followed by subsequent declines.

During this week, hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine fills for 28 tablets increased from 2,208 prescriptions in 2019 to 45,858 prescriptions in 2020 (an increase of more than 2,000 percent).

Over the full 10 weeks, there were close to half a million excess fills of hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine in 2020 compared to the year before.

In contrast, prescriptions for antibiotics such as amoxicillin and azithromycin and for hydrocodone/acetaminophen declined. Prescriptions for heart therapies remained stable or declined slightly.

After the surge in prescriptions, the authors observed a reduction in longer-term prescription fills for hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine, which could indicate decreased availability of the drug for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

The United States Food and Drug Administration reported a drug shortage of hydroxychloroquine starting March 31.

The surge in prescriptions occurred between March 15 and March 21, within days of the World Health Organization declaring a global coronavirus pandemic on March 11, the U.S. declaring a national emergency on March 13, the publishing of a pre-print about hydroxychloroquine on March 17, and President Trump's announced support of hydroxychloroquine on March 19.

"During this pandemic, there has been both good information and misinformation about benefits and potential harms of common medications like hydroxychloroquine, and there had been conjecture that proven medications for heart failure may be harmful in this patient population," said Warraich

. "One positive finding is that we didn't see a stark reduction in prescription fills for routine, chronic care, but our findings for HCQ are concerning."
KANSAS CITY ACTIVISTS PLAN SATURDAY EVENING PEACEFUL PROTEST AGAINST DEADLY POLICE BRUTALITY!!!

Supporters are advised to wear all black.

The undercurrent of these protests seems to advocate change for the KCPD whilst some are using this opportunity to bring up "LOCAL CONTROL" as an effort to force more accountability. On the other side of the equation, insiders repeatedly warn that CITY HALL CONTROL of KCPD could result in a devastating politicization of local law enforcement.

KCPD Feel Impact

'The tragedy in Minneapolis has impacted all of us': After George Floyd's death, KCPD says they are committed to protecting life by: Brian Dulle, AP Wire Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri police is responding to the tragedy in Minneaplois this week that has shaken the nation after video surfaced showing a black man killed while in police custody.

Death Sparks DOJ Investigation

Investigation Into George Floyd's Death A 'Top Priority' For Justice Department The Justice Department says it has made the investigation into George Floyd's death "a top priority," after furor over a video depicting a white police officer kneeling on his neck spilled over into widespread protests for a second night. Demonstrators gathered both in Minneapolis, where the black man died after his arrest, and as far afield as Los Angeles.

Prez Trump Upset At Tragedy

Trump was 'very upset' after watching George Floyd video, McEnany says White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Thursday that President Trump was "very upset" when he saw the George Floyd video in Minnesota. It was "egregious, appalling and tragic," McEnany continued. "He wants justice to be served." She said that the video prompted Trump to "pick up the phone" while aboard Air Force One and ask the FBI to expedite its investigation.

Blame Game Politics Cont'd

Maxine Waters blames Trump for 'cops killing black people' and says cop who knelt on George Floyd 'enjoyed doing it' REP Maxine Waters has shockingly blamed President Donald Trump for "cops killing black people" - days after George Floyd died in police custody. Waters, a Democrat from California who frequently launches wild attacks at Trump, told TMZ she thinks the Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin, who was filmed with his neck on Floyd's knee, "enjoyed doing it."

Rev Al Steps In . . .

Al Sharpton, Eric Garner's mother visit George Floyd site, call for national 'We Can't Breathe' movement The Rev. Al Sharpton, Eric Garner's mother and City Council President Andrea Jenkins told a crowd gathered Thursday near the site where George Floyd died in Minneapolis that they stand with community members demanding justice and prosecution of the police involved. That should start with the immediate arrest of the four officers, Sharpton said.

Outcry Across The Nation

'No justice, no peace': Protests, violence continue in Minneapolis, New York City, other US cities following George Floyd's death MINNEAPOLIS - Protests and, in some cases, violence, continued Thursday in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody after a white officer pinned him to the ground under his knee. Hundreds of protesters flooded Minneapolis streets Thursday evening for a march through downtown.

Justice Delayed

Prosecutors do not announce charges in George Floyd's death but say 'justice will be served' Prosecutors looking at the death of George Floyd on Thursday asked the people of Minneapolis for patience while they investigate the case that has riled the city and the nation.

This afternoon a Kansas City activist garnered widespread social media support against deadly police brutality not only in the tragic case of George Floyd but also citing recent deadly altercations involving the KCPD.To wit . . .At first glance we notice support from members of the "fair wage" lobbying groupSome protesters among housing advocateshave signed on as well. Additionally, there are signs of solidarity from the progressive election activists ofAccordingly . . .Here's further reading on this topic that has dominated headlines across the nation . . .Developing . . .
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 17:40:27|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Russian gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 12 percent year-on-year in April due to coronavirus-related restrictions, the economic development ministry said late Thursday.

The decline in economic activity was caused by the paid leave for all Russians and the negative economic conditions abroad, the ministry said in a monthly report.

Retail trade turnover fell by 23.4 percent year-on-year mainly due to a nosedive in the non-food products segment, which plummeted by 36.7 percent year-on-year in April after a 6.4-percent rise in March.

Industrial production last month decreased by 6.6 percent year-on-year due to the quarantine measures and a reduction in external demand for Russian goods.

Unemployment, excluding seasonal factor, for the first time since June 2016 reached 5.6 percent of the workforce in April after 4.5 percent in March. Enditem
About 300 residents gathered with government and religious leaders Thursday evening in Beaumont to mourn George Floyd, a 46-year-old man who died Monday after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer.

In a video that has gone viral, Floyd, a Houston Yates High School alumnus, can be seen telling officers he cant breathe as an officer keeps his knee on Floyds neck. His death sparked protests in Minneapolis and other cities across the country.

The NAACPs Beaumont chapter sponsored Thursdays Let Your Voice Be Heard Gathering at Martin Luther King Jr. Park as a call for justice.

Tonight is not the mourning of the death of just one black man but the death of the black race, chapter President Michael Cooper said before the event. We are sick and tired of being sick and tired. We are dying quicker than everyone else. If  the coronavirus and high blood pressure  which we are No.1 in  doesnt get us, a misunderstanding with the wrong cops  not all cops  will get us.

Cooper added he has no ill will toward police and says the NAACP has a good relationship with the Beaumont Police Department.

The rally began with Cooper addressing the crowd and allowing for community members to speak for about 2 minutes each. A plethora of people and opinions were heard for about an hour, including Deondre Moore, a member of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Moore, 25, who was born and raised in Beaumont, said these gatherings can be a powerful tool but more action needs to be taken by everyone, especially white allies.

Were still seeing folks die and things are getting a little more out of hand for communities, Moore said. Having our white allies come out and support is one thing, but its up to our white allies to use their voices in their own communities and call out racism when they see it. Its up to our white allies 

Moore added change can be as simple as quelling racist remarks at the dinner table with family members.

Moore will head to Minneapolis Friday to stand in solidarity with those protesting as hes done previously in Washington, D.C., and Houston.

For some, Floyds death cuts Southeast Texas a bit deeper as he and Port Arthur native Stephen Jackson were close friends. Jackson, a former 14-year NBA veteran and NBA champion, referred to Floyd as his twin because of their striking resemblance.

Naomi Showers Doyle, a candidate for Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, said all the victims of police brutality feel personal to her.

I am a black woman, with black sons, a black daughter and a black cousin. They all feel very personal to me, Doyle said. I can just imagine it being my family members in those same shoes. It doesnt matter what the background story is when someone is losing their life unnecessarily.

The four Minneapolis police officers involved in the incident were all fired on Tuesday, but no charges have been filed even after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for officers in question to be charged.

Beaumont City Councilman Audwin Samuel and Beaumont Police Chief Jim Singletary made an appearance at Thursdays gathering.

Doyle said the absence of many city and county leaders is not frustrating.

People show up to what they care about, Doyle said. I am sure people always have reasons for not showing up, but you just have to remember those things at the ballot box and when their election year is up. When you show up to places and you see them there you have to tell them, Well I didnt see you at the rally when that black man died. Do you care about that? Its a fair question to ask them that.
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / Compare-autoinsurance.org (https://compare-autoinsurance.org/) is a top auto insurance brokerage website, providing car insurance quotes online from trustworthy agencies all over the United States. This website offers car insurance info about different coverage types, available discounts, and money-saving tips.

Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that presents how car insurance premiums will change for a policyholder who files a claim after an accident.

For more info and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/car-insurance-after-an-accident-how-are-premiums-affected/

Before making a claim to the insurance provider, drivers should consider a few things before making this move. According to a recent study, drivers who make a single auto insurance claim saw their premiums increase on average by 44.1%. Also, the reported premium increases weren't for individuals who have a history of unsafe driving. Even after a single claim, premium increases can be significant.

Drivers who want to file a claim after an accident should consider the following:

How much the premiums will rise. The increase drivers can expect to see on their insurance premiums after an at-fault accident varies by location, driving record, vehicle, and the insurance company. Drivers can expect anywhere from a 23% to 73% increase in premiums in year one after an at-fault accident.

The increase drivers can expect to see on their insurance premiums after an at-fault accident varies by location, driving record, vehicle, and the insurance company. Drivers can expect anywhere from a 23% to 73% increase in premiums in year one after an at-fault accident. Insurance premium increase by state. Some states report costlier increases than others. Drivers living in states such as North Carolina, Massachusetts, Texas, New Hampshire, and California can expect to see their rates increase after an accident from 57.3% to 63.1%. On the other hand, drivers from Kentucky, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Maryland will see their rates go up anywhere from 21.5% to 30.6%. Increases in the premium paid can last as long three to five years after an at-fault accident if the damages to the vehicle exceed over $2,000.

Some states report costlier increases than others. Drivers living in states such as North Carolina, Massachusetts, Texas, New Hampshire, and California can expect to see their rates increase after an accident from 57.3% to 63.1%. On the other hand, drivers from Kentucky, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Maryland will see their rates go up anywhere from 21.5% to 30.6%. Increases in the premium paid can last as long three to five years after an at-fault accident if the damages to the vehicle exceed over $2,000. How to lower the premiums . Be prepared and purchase accident forgiveness. Not all companies offer this, but those that do will give the policyholders a one at-fault accident forgiveness with no increase in premium if they fit certain criteria. Other methods involve raising the deductible and improving the credit score. Furthermore, policyholders should avoid filing claims for small things after they have filed a claim on an at-fault accident.

. Be prepared and purchase accident forgiveness. Not all companies offer this, but those that do will give the policyholders a one at-fault accident forgiveness with no increase in premium if they fit certain criteria. Other methods involve raising the deductible and improving the credit score. Furthermore, policyholders should avoid filing claims for small things after they have filed a claim on an at-fault accident. Which claims affect premiums the most. Bodily injury claims can cause the premiums to spike the most. A single bodily injury claim will result in an average premium increase of 48.6%.

Bodily injury claims can cause the premiums to spike the most. A single bodily injury claim will result in an average premium increase of 48.6%. What if the policyholder isn't at fault. Whether or not the rates will increase after an accident in which the policyholders were not at fault is insurance provider specific. Some companies will not increase the premium for drivers involved in their first accidents, but if they suffer several accidents, even if they are not at fault, it could result in an increased premium.

For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.

"Before making the decision to file a claim to their insurers, drivers should carefully analyze if it's worth it. Drivers who are not at fault and suffered minor damages should avoid filling claims to prevent their premiums to increase substantially", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

CONTACT:

Company Name: Internet Marketing Company

Person for contact: Gurgu C

Phone Number: (818) 359-3898

Email: cgurgu@internetmarketingcompany.biz

Website: https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

SOURCE: Internet Marketing Company

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/591942/Car-Insurance-Premiums-After-An-Accident--New-Statistical-Data
by Nirmala Carvalho

At 12 noon next Sunday, bells will ring followed by a prayer in Mavelikara cathedral (Kerala). The Orthodox Church, the Church of Mar Thomas, the Church of South India, the Salvation Army and Syro-Malankara Church will participate. The service will be broadcast live on TV.

New Delhi (AsiaNews)  Indias Catholic Church is offering an ecumenical prayer to the Holy Spirit to heal the country from the coronavirus epidemic, as well other physical, spiritual and earthly evils.

Card Oswald Gracias and Bishop Joshua Mar Ignatius of the Syro-Malankar Eparchy of Mavelikara (Kerala), respectively president and vice president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), sent the proposal to the countrys various bishops and churches.

We have organised an ecumenical prayer meeting with five neighbouring congregations, namely the Orthodox Church, the Church of Mar Thomas, the Church of South India, the Salvation Army and my Syro-Malankara Church, Bishop Joshua told AsiaNews.

At noon next Sunday, the bells of all the churches and Christian institutions will ring out, he explained. After this, we shall begin the prayer service.

Since the country is still under a pandemic, the event will be broadcast live on TV for all families and people in India and all Indians abroad who will be able to participate and celebrate the feast day of Pentecost.

The event includes hallelujahs and traditional songs, and then a prayer for seven healings, those of body, mind, emotions, relationships, society, land, and spirit. Each prayer will be explained and expressed by a Christian leader.

After the Lords Prayer, Bishop Joshua Mar Ignatius will bring the meeting to a close, with the Indian national anthem as the closing moment.

Writing to the bishops, Card Gracias notes that In India, in spite of the lockdown, the number of cases and fatalities is gradually going up. It appears that we are nowhere near the end of the pandemic. For this reason, Our call is to pray more intensely on the feast of Pentecost. This will be a great occasion for all Christians to pray unitedly at 12:00 noon for this intention.
U.S. citizen Paul Whelan, who is on trial in Russia on an espionage charge, has undergone an emergency hernia surgery after experiencing severe abdominal pain, and was subsequently remanded to a Moscow detention facility, his family and the U.S. Embassy say.

We were informed today that #PaulWhelan underwent emergency surgery yesterday. Ambassador [John] Sullivan spoke to Paul this afternoon after Paul was transferred back to Lefortovo prison, embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Ross tweeted on May 29, without giving details.

Whelan's family said in a statement that the embassy had informed them that he had been taken for surgery at Moscows Sklifosovsky Emergency Medical Center after his health took "a turn for the worse."

It said the surgery was successful but added that the Russian Foreign Ministry refused to answer any questions from the U.S. Embassy about Pauls condition without a diplomatic note.

Whelan's lawyer, Olga Karlova, told Interfax he was feeling quite well.

On May 25, a prosecutor at Whelan's trial asked a Moscow court to find him guilty of espionage -- a charge Whelan and U.S. officials vehemently deny -- and sentence him to 18 years in prison.

The 50-year-old Whelan, who also holds British, Canadian, and Irish citizenships, was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 and in March this year went on trial, which was held in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and diplomatic protests.

Prosecutors claim that a flash disc found in Whelan's possession contained classified information.

Whelan says he was framed when he took a USB drive from an acquaintance thinking it contained holiday photos and that the allegations of spying against him are politically motivated. He has also accused his prison guards of mistreatment.

The trial is being held behind closed doors because the evidence includes classified materials, as well as because of measures taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Whelan was head of global security at a U.S. auto-parts supplier at the time of his arrest. He and his relatives insist he visited Russia to attend a wedding.

U.S. officials have urged Moscow to release Whelan and have criticized Russian authorities for their "shameful treatment" of him.

Ross on May 29 said that Whelan has been behind bars for 17 months without any evidence of a crime, adding that he has been denied necessary medical attention despite what she said were repeated requests to allow him to be seen by an outside English-speaking doctor.

Russian authorities have waited until Whelans condition was life-threatening to provide him medical attention. That is unacceptable and dangerous, Ross also wrote.

Russias Foreign Ministry said Whelan had undergone a "simple operation" that he had previously refused.

It said the detainee was receiving all necessary health care in the facility where he is being held.

However, his family voiced concern that "the coronavirus is spreading through Lefortovo and he could be "more susceptible" to illness as he recovers.

With reporting by Interfax
Hong Kongers who live in Taiwan and Taiwanese who support Hong Kongs freedom display placards reading Heaven will not tolerate to destroy Hong Kong during a press conference organized by Hong Kong Outlanders in Taipei on May 27, 2020. Sam Yeh | AFP | Getty Images

Taiwan has pledged to help resettle Hong Kongers who want to leave the city in the face of China's tightening grip. Beijing on Thursday approved a proposal to draft national security legislation that critics say will infringe on Hong Kong's freedom and autonomy, and grant the central government in China broad powers to crush dissent in the special administrative region. Hong Kong has seen months of pro-democracy protests that started out as demonstrations over a now-withdrawn extradition bill, but later morphed into broader anti-government demonstrations calling for greater democracy and universal suffrage. The protests eased during the coronavirus pandemic as social distancing measures were put in place. Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen said on Twitter Wednesday evening that her government was drawing up a plan for Hong Kong citizens that will include "plans for their residence, placement, employment, & life in Taiwan." The proposed law for Hong Kong has triggered protests in the city amid renewed concerns over eroding freedoms in the former British colony, as its implementation will bypass the territory's legislature.

'One country, two systems'

The law will breach the "one country, two systems" principle under which China governs Hong Kong, and undermine the territory's autonomy, critics say. That agreement began in 1997, when the United Kingdom handed over the former British colony to China, and was expected to last 50 years until 2047. World leaders have decried Beijing's move, while China claims the law was "designed for steady implementation of 'one country, two systems.'" Beijing slapped down Tsai's offer to Hong Kong asylum seekers, telling Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party's to stop "looting a burning house," reported Chinese state news agency Xinhua, which cited a spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office, an administrative agency under the central Chinese government. "Bringing black, violent forces into Taiwan will bring disaster to Taiwan's people," the spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang reportedly said, according to a CNBC translation. He was referring to Hong Kong protesters. Hong Kongers have already been leaving for democratic, self-ruled Taiwan, an island that China claims as a province. The Chinese Communist Party has never governed Taiwan. Official data from Taiwan's immigration authority show 2,383 Hong Kong citizens were granted Taiwanese residency in the first four months of 2020  a 150% increase from the same period last year. The United Kingdom has also come out to extend assistance to Hong Kong citizens holding the British National (Overseas) passport, a document offered to Hong Kong citizens before the territory was handed over to China in 1997. On Thursday, British foreign secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC that the U.K. is considering increasing visa rights for more than 300,000 BNO passport-holders. That would provide "a pathway to future citizenship," he told the BBC. BNO passport holders have the right to British consular assistance but are not British citizens. However, they have the right to stay in the U.K. for six months. "I think that it is the responsibility of the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries right now to send very strong signals to Beijing about how they are going to stand with the people of Hong Kong," said Michael Fuchs, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a non-partisan public policy research and advocacy organization.

Taiwan concerns over Hong Kong law

Beijing's approval to impose the national security law in Hong Kong has stoked concerns and anger in Taiwan. Taiwanese have broad sympathy for Hong Kong's people, and major political parties in Taiwan have rejected the "one country, two systems" principle. Beijing has been trying to win over Taiwan to adopt the framework for years under what it calls a "reunification" of the two lands. According to one analyst, Beijing is taking a strong stance toward Hong Kong as it is troubled by recent U.S. support for Taiwan. Recently, the U.S. backed Taipei's bid to join an important World Health Organization meeting. Although the U.S. does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, it sells arms to the island and patrols the Taiwan Strait where China has been stepping up its own military drills. China "can't reach out and 'touch' Taiwan, but they certainly can (for) Hong Kong," said Christopher Johnson, Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

China-Taiwan relations
Authorities have arrested Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who, for several minutes, kneeled on the neck of George Floyd, an unarmed black man whose death has sparked nationwide outrage, news outlets reported.

Video captured of the incident from a bystanders cell phone shows Chauvin with his knee weighed down on Floyds neck as the man struggles to breath. The policeman keeps kneeling on Floyd for nearly eight minutes.

Officers were looking to arrest Floyd outside a grocery store in the city on Memorial Day after reports of a $20 counterfeit bill being passed.

The 46-year-old mans death has led to multiple deadly protests in Minneapolis as well as milder demonstrations throughout the United States, from California to Massachusetts.

On Friday, John Harrington, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, announced that Chauvin has been taken into custody in connection to Floyds death, CBSN Minnesota reported.

Chauvin has worked with Minneapolis police for 19 years, according to CBSN. Authorities did not immediately say what his charges were.

CNN reported that Chauvin had 18 complaints filed against him with the Minneapolis Police Department prior to Floyds death on May 25.

Related Content:
Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York for New Managers:

A new metals fund has been able to outperform despite significant volatility in the commodities market. Canadian firm Delbrook Capital's flagship strategy the Delbrook Resource Opportunities Master Fund returned +19.7% in April, resulting in a year to date return of +9.8%. The strategy outperformed the Barclay Financial & Metals Traders Index, which was up 0.08% in April and is down 0.09% year to date.

April's returns were driven by a "tactical decision to increase long exposure to specific large-capitalization precious metals equities on the back of the unprecedented global monetization of government liabilities," Delbrook managing director and portfolio manager Matthew Zabloski said his most recent letter to investors. Zabloski says the demand for hard assets has increased significantly in recent weeks and ETFs that provide exposure to these assets are seeing paper demand that outpaces physical metal capacity. That sets up the opportunity for profitable dislocations.

Delbrook Resource Opportunities is an equity long/short investment strategy focused exclusively on the metals and mining sector. The fund invests primarily in publicly listed companies that are focused on precious, base, energy, and industrial metals production and exploration. The strategy was launched in 2018.

Prior to launching Delbrook, Zabloski devel......................

To view our full article Click here
Bollywood celebrities have been doing all they can to contribute to relief efforts during the Coronavirus pandemic. Many have donated huge sums of money towards helping out frontline workers and daily wage workers. Now, they are also looking to improve the migrant crisis situation by arranging transport for migrant workers to get home.

Sonu sood   Amitabh Bachchan        | FilmiBeat

After Sonu Sood, Bollywood's superstar Amitabh Bachchan also helped arrange transport for migrant workers who are stranded away from their hometowns due to the lockdown. Big B arranged 10 buses which took migrant workers to their home state Uttar Pradesh. According to photography Viral Bhayani's Instagram post, the buses left from Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai.

Viral Bhayani's post read, "Legendary actor #amitabhbachchan arranged 10 buses for migrant workers to various parts of Uttar Pradesh. The buses left today from Haji Ali. Recently some alumni students of a law college from Bangalore did a online crowdfunding and they sent migrant workers by flight to Ranchi. It is good to see people coming together and help #migrantworkers and other causes. Only together we can fight this."

Not only this, but Amitabh has also sponsored monthly rations to the families of 1,00,000 daily wage workers of the All India Film Employees Confederation.

Actress Swara Bhaskar also joined in the efforts to help out migrants during the lockdown, and has helped around 1,300 migrant workers reach their homes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

ALSO READ: Swara Bhaskar Follows Sonu Sood, Helps Migrant Workers Reach Home

ALSO READ: Sonu Sood Helps Airlift 177 Girls Stuck In Kerala, To Their Home State Odisha


Anunt de selectare a participantilor si participantelor la cel de-al doilea curs de instruire din cadrul Programului educational pentru dezvoltarea competentelor lucratorilor de tineret
The Buena Vista Winery sits empty in Sonoma on April 1. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press)

Sonoma County's top law enforcement official announced this week that his agency will no longer enforce the county's public health order, saying the mandate has placed inconsistent restrictions on businesses and public activities without explanation.

Sheriff Mark Essick wrote Thursday in a post on Facebook that effective Monday, he's directing all Sheriff's Office staff to stop enforcing the local health order, which he contends has "placed significant restrictions on our freedoms" amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Reports of violations, when brought to our attention, will be evaluated against the California State guidelines on a case-by-case basis," he wrote. "Where appropriate, the Sheriff's Office will use public interactions as an opportunity to educate people on how to mitigate the risk and spread of the COVID-19 infection."

He has also directed the Sheriff's Office detention division to refuse to book individuals into the county jail whose sole offense is violating the county's health order.

The county's initial and subsequent health orders since the onset of the pandemic have been far more restrictive than the state order, despite the county's relatively low infection rate compared with other regions in California, Essick wrote.

The county  which had reported 531 coronavirus cases and four deaths as of Thursday  has dramatically increased its testing capacity in recent weeks. That data has shown the infection rate is "under control and decreasing," Essick wrote.

"Based on what we have learned, now is the time to move to a risk-based system and move beyond blanket orders that are crushing our community," he wrote.

Sonoma County's health officer, Dr. Sundari Mase, presented a different picture this week when she announced that officials would hold off on allowing the reopening of some businesses because of a recent rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.

Story continues

Sonoma County has reported 203 new cases of the virus in the last 14 days, doubling its case rate in that time from 20 per 100,000 residents to 41 per 100,000. Officials are particularly concerned about the increase in instances of the virus being transmitted between people who have recently returned to work, Mase said.

Weve also seen, over the weekend, a few more hospitalizations that make us worried that we might be seeing more COVID in our vulnerable populations, she said.

While Sonoma County was given the green light by the state to reopen in-store retail, hair salons and places of worship under the states latest guidance, public health officials say the region will not amend its shelter-in-place order to include those services for now.

County Supervisor Shirlee Zane said she was disappointed by Essicks decision to abruptly halt enforcement without first talking with elected officials or Mase. She said the data the sheriff presented is outdated and attempts to minimize the public health threat the county is experiencing.

"This is not the time to be breaking rank, so to speak," she said. "It's a time for all of the elected officials to stand together to get through this."

Law enforcement in Santa Rosa, the largest city in Sonoma County, will continue to enforce the county health order, Police Chief Ray Navarro said in a Facebook post Thursday.

"The Santa Rosa Police Department will continue to support the health officer, who is the subject matter expert, leading a safe, strategic and data driven process for reopening," Navarro wrote. "We eagerly look forward to additional allowances in the upcoming weeks, when it is determined safe to do so, but throughout those amendments, our agency will continue to respond to health order violations."

Conflicts between county health orders and local enforcement have popped up in other regions of California amid the health crisis.

After Orange County health officials issued a health order mandating that residents wear cloth face coverings while in public, the county sheriff said publicly that he had no intention of enforcing the requirement.

We are not the mask police  nor do I intend to be the mask police, Sheriff Don Barnes told the county Board of Supervisors this week. I think what we have seen repeatedly throughout the community is Orange County residents acting responsibly.
US President Donald Trump while speaking with reporters at the White House on Thursday said that he is more liked in India than the media in his own country --the United States.

US President Donald Trump says he is liked more in India than his own country

Washington D.C. [USA], May 29 (ANI): US President Donald Trump while speaking with reporters at the White House on Thursday said that he is more liked in India than the media in his own country the United States.

I know. And they like me in India. I think they like me in India certainly more than the media likes me in this country,  Trump told reporters at his Oval office. And I like Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi). I like your prime minister a lot. Hes a great gentleman. A great gentleman, he added further while briefing the reporters.

But when asked over ties between India and China, the US President said, They have a big conflict going with India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people. Two countries with very powerful militaries. And India is not happy, and probably China is not happy. Reiterating his offer to mediate between India and China on the border issue, Trump said that he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is not in good mood about the ongoing situation with Beijing.

However, informed sources from the Ministry of External Affairs told ANI on Friday that there has been no recent contact between Prime Minister Modi and the US President. The last conversation between them took place on April 4, 2020, on the subject of hydroxychloroquine. Asked about his Wednesdays tweet regarding his offer to mediate between India and China, Trump said, I would do that. If they (China and India) thought it would help. However, Trump did not clarify when did he speak to Modi.

Trump on Wednesday tweeted that he is ready, willing and able to mediate between India and China.We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute, the US President said. In response to Trumps mediation offer, India said on Thursday that it is engaged with the Chinese side to resolve the border issue peacefully.

Indias Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that the two sides have established mechanisms both at military and diplomatic levels to resolve situations that may arise in border areas peacefully through dialogue and continue to remain engaged through these channels. Indian and Chinese field commanders have been holding talks on de-escalating the tensions.

China has also struck a conciliatory tone on the border issue with India, saying the two countries pose no threat to each other and should resolve their differences through communication, while not allowing them to overshadow bilateral relations. We should never let differences overshadow our relations. We should resolve differences through communication. China and India should be good neighbours of harmonious coexistence and good partners to move forward hand in hand, said Chinese Ambassador to India, Sun Weidong, on Wednesday.

The tensions escalated between India and China following a number of confrontations between soldiers of both armies. Troops of India and China were engaged in two face-offs in Eastern Ladakh and North Sikkim along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC), where troops from both sides suffered injuries early this month.

Studies over the anti-malarial drug, which is believed to cure the highly contagious coronavirus, have shown side-effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organisation. But Trump continues to defend his decision to take hydroxychloroquine saying he believes that it gives an additional level of safety. (ANI)

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
A former club owner in Minneapolis says that both George Floyd and the police officer seen kneeling on his neck moments before he died in custody on Monday both worked security at her business until the end of last year.

Floyd and Derek Chauvin, the officer who was fired from the Minneapolis Police Department after video emerged of the moments leading up to Floyds death, were employed by the El Nuevo Rodeo club, according to the owner.

Chauvin was our off-duty police for almost the entirety of the 17 years that we were open, Maya Santamaria told KSTP-TV.

Santamaria said that she is not sure if the two men knew each other since there were some two dozen security guards, including off-duty officers, working at her club on any given night.

But she revealed there were occasions when they would have been working at the same event.

They were working together at the same time, it's just that Chauvin worked outside and the security guards were inside.

Both George Floyd (left), the African American man who died in police custody in Minneapolis on Monday, and Derek Chauvin (right), the officer filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck as he struggled to breathe, worked as security guards in a local club, according to the ex-owner

Maya Santamaria (above) said Chauvin worked as an off-duty police officer for 17 years

Santamaria was the owner of the El Nuevo Rodeo, a club in Minneapolis just a few blocks from the 3rd precinct

According to Santamaria, Chauvin had a tendency to flash his temper and overreact to situations.

'He sometimes had a real short fuse and he seemed afraid,' she said.

'When there was an altercation he always resorted to pulling out his mace and pepper spraying everybody right away, even if I felt it was unwarranted.'

Santamaria wondered if Monday's incident could have turned out differently if Chauvin recognized Floyd from their days working at her club.

What if he couldve just said Hey, man, you and I worked together at Mayas place. Remember me? she said.

Floyd moved to Minneapolis from Houston sometime around 2014, according to the Chicago Tribune. He moved up north after spending five years in prison for his part in a home invasion.

He had also worked as a bouncer for a nearby restaurant, the Conga Latin Bistro.

Neither Chauvins attorney or the Minneapolis Police Department could be reached for comment.

Santamaria said that she did not initially recognize either of the men in the now-infamous video showing Chauvin kneeling on Floyds neck.

Santamaria said that she is not sure if the two men knew each other since there were some two dozen security guards, including off-duty officers, working at her club on any given night. She said that she did not recognize either of the men in the now-infamous video showing Chauvin kneeling on Floyds neck

My friend sent me (the video) and said this (Chauvin) is your guy who used to work for you and I said, It's not him.

And then they did the closeup and that's when I said, Oh my God, that's him, Santamaria said.

I didn't recognize George as one of our security guys because he looked really different lying there like that.

The club which Santamaria owned for some two decades was sold recently.

She still owns and operates a radio station, 95.7FM La Raza, which is located in the same building.

The building, which is without power due to ongoing protests, is just two blocks east of the Minneapolis Police Departments Third Precinct, which was set on fire by rioters as officers fled the building in their squad cars.

Several businesses in the area have also been affected, as glass doors and windows have been shattered. Many of the buildings are now covered in graffiti.

All of the neighborhood has come out to volunteer and clean up and lend a hand, Santamaria said.

Donald Trump threatens to take control of Minneapolis amid warning police station stormed by rioters could EXPLODE after gas lines are cut as George Floyd protests spread across the U.S.

President Donald Trump has threatened to take control of Minneapolis as city officials warned that a police station which was stormed by rioters and set alight could now explode during the third night of violence in the city as protests over George Floyd's death spread across America.

The president blasted protesters as 'THUGS' and laid into 'weak' Mayor Jacob Frey as he pledged to 'send in the National Guard and get the job done right' if he fails to tackle the escalating violence that is destroying the city.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Flames billowed out of the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct Thursday night after rioters stormed it

Minneapolis, Minnesota: The police building is engulfed in flames as rioters took over the building and set it alight

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A mob descended upon Minneapolis Third Precinct, smashing windows before setting the building on fire during the second night of violent protests

Minneapolis, Minnesota: People gather outside the police department building with their fists in the air as they watched it burn down

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters take over the Minneapolis police 3rd Precinct building Thursday

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Minneapolis city officials are urging protesters and residents to flee the scene of the Third Police Precinct

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Gas lines have been cut and 'other explosive materials are in the building, sparking fears the building could explode

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters were seen smashing the windows and doors as they broke into the police precinct at around 10p.m. local time

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters stand in front of the burning precinct after officers fled the scene

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Shocking footage showed flames billowing out of the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct Thursday night after rioters broke into the building and torched it

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Cops have been forced to flee from the burning Minneapolis police precinct (above) as rioters stormed the building and set it alight during the third night of violence in the city as protests over George Floyd's death spread across America

Cops were forced to flee from the burning Minneapolis Third Police Precinct Thursday night when rioters broke into the building and torched it.

Shocking footage showed flames billowing out of the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct Thursday night just hours after prosecutors warned Thursday there is 'evidence that does not support criminal charges' in the case of four cops accused of killing Floyd, sparking fears that the police officers will continue to walk free.

A total of 500 National Guard soldiers were deployed to the streets of Minneapolis Thursday night and Mayor Jacob Frey declared a state of emergency due to civil disturbances as fires broke out again across the city.

Break-off protests over Floyd's death are building across different states, with disturbing footage showing the driver of a black SUV appear to deliberately mow down a Black Lives Matter protester in Denver - where panic also erupted when shots were fired during the march at the Colorado State Capitol.

In New York, NYPD officers were seen brawling on the ground with protesters as at least 70 people were arrested in the Big Apple.

Over in Kentucky, gunfire rung out in downtown Louisville during a protest demanding justice for black woman Breonna Taylor who was shot dead by cops back in March.

Meanwhile, protesters in Ohio smashed the windows of the statehouse in downtown Columbus and raided the building.

Denver, Colorado: Shocking footage has emerged showing a driver appear to deliberately mow down a demonstrator in Denver as rioting breaks out for the third night in Minneapolis

Denver, Colorado: The car veers toward him before speeding up and hitting the man. The man gets to his feet as the car drives off chased by protesters.

Minneapolis city officials are urging protesters and residents to flee the scene of the Third Police Precinct as gas lines have been cut and 'other explosive materials are in the building, sparking fears the building could explode.

Protesters broke into the police precinct at around 10p.m. local time, smashing up windows and setting fires inside.

Minneapolis Police released a statement saying that officers had fled the scene: 'In the interest of the safety of our personnel, the Minneapolis Police Department evacuated the 3rd Precinct of its staff. Protesters forcibly entered the building and have ignited several fires.'

As law enforcement buckled under the strain of the escalating civil unrest, the Minnesota National Guard announced that around 500 soldiers are heading to Minneapolis and nearby St. Paul which has also fallen foul of rioting and looting.

Carnage spread across the US Thursday night in the wake of Floyd's death as the public grow increasingly frustrated that still no arrests have been made.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz activated the National Guard to Minneapolis and state troopers were called in as the city was rocked by another night of violence.

Minneapolis Mayor Frey called for a declaration of local emergency as the city requested assistance from the state in 'restoring safety and calm due to the civil disturbance'.

The emergency declaration will stay in place for 72 hours and allows officials to deploy emergency regulations with immediate effect.

Officials desperately called for the presence of authorities to be ramped up as protesters came out for a third day Thursday in what has been escalating levels of violence and chaos across the city.

Footage showed the Target store being the location for much of the rioting for another day as rioters were seen hurling the retailer's shopping karts at a police cruiser in the store parking lot.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A car was torched in the third day of riots over Floyd's death

Minneapolis, Minnesota: There were scenes of destruction in the city Thursday night as Floyd's death sparked outrage

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A man throws a mannequin onto a burning car in the parking lot of a Target store

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A police officer stands in a cloud of tear gas during the protest

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fires broke out again in stores and cars across the city

As night fell, a man was pictured throwing a mannequin onto a burning car in the parking lot as smoke filled the city.

Police in riot gear hit out at protesters again with tear gas sprayed into the crowds.

In the nearby St. Paul's region of Minnesota, rioters threw rocks and stones at a cop car and it was left smashed up with a tree branch ripping through the windows.

Protests ramped up across the nation Thursday as anger grows that four days on from Floyd's death no arrests have been made.

In Denver, what started as a peaceful march calling for justice over Floyd's death descended into chaos as shots were fired and the driver of a black SUV appeared to deliberately run over a Black Lives Matter protester.

Footage on social media showed the car making its way through a group of protesters in the road.

As the vehicle gets through the crowd one protester is seen on the hood, before jumping off.

New York City, New York: A protester is detained by police during a rally against the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd

New York City, New York: Things turned ugly in Union Square in the Big Apple with scenes of NYPD officers and protesters clashing

New York City, New York: A woman is one of around 70 people arrested by police officers in Manhattan

New York City, New York: Officers pin a protester to the floor at the Black Lives matter protest Thursday

New York City, New York: NYPD officers wear masks at the protest in Manhattan

New York City, New York: NYPD officers were later seen brawling on the ground with protesters and at least 30 people were arrested in the Big Apple

The man is then walking away as the car changes direction before it veers toward him and accelerates, in what appears to be an intentional move to hit the man.

Onlookers are heard screaming 'watch out' as the shocked protester tumbles to the floor.

The man gets to his feet as the car drives off chased by protesters.

This came as police were called to respond to the rally at the state Capitol after witnesses reported six or seven shots had been fired.

Terrified demonstrators were pictured huddled down on the ground fearing there was an active shooter at the event as armed officers ran past.

Denver police said there were no reports of any injuries and no one had been taken into police custody.

Several hundred people had gathered at the state Capitol before marching down Lincoln Street and Broadway where they blocked traffic.

Things turned ugly in the Big Apple as protesters and NYPD officers clashed in Manhattan, New York City.

More than 70 people were arrested when the demonstration in Union Square descended into violence.

The NYPD said several cops had been attacked by demonstrators, according to Newsweek.

One officer was reportedly hit with a garbage can that was hurled at them by a demonstrator while several protesters allegedly spat on the cops.

New York City, New York: The NYPD said several cops had been attacked by demonstrators, according to Newsweek

New York City, New York: One officer was reportedly hit with a garbage can that was hurled at them by a demonstrator while several protesters allegedly spat on the cops

New York City, New York: A demonstrator is pinned to the floor by officers as things turned violent

New York City, New York: Police and a protester tackle each other in the streets of Manhattan

New York City, New York: People held aloft banners reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Stop Killing Black People' while they followed the state's coronavirus rules to wear face masks

New York City, New York: Cops said one of the protestors was arrested for brandishing a knife while another tried to take a police officer's gun from their holster

New York City, New York: Protesters also accused police of violence towards them, with reports that one officer but his knee on a protester's neck - the same restraint that ultimately led to Floyd's death Monday

New York City, New York: A sign reads 'No justice, no peace. All black lives matter'

PROTESTERS IN STANDOFF WITH COPS IN LOUISVILLE



pic.twitter.com/cuhqLR0BMJ  Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 29, 2020

Police said one of the protestors was arrested for brandishing a knife while another tried to take a police officer's gun from their holster.

'We have over 40 people that are arrested right now in regards to this ongoing demonstration,' an NYPD spokesperson told Newsweek.

'We have multiple officers that have been attacked. We have one officer that was hit with a garbage can and we have another officer who was punched in his face.'

Protesters also accused police of violence towards them, with the Gothamist reporting allegations that one officer but his knee on a protester's neck - the same restraint that ultimately led to Floyd's death Monday.

Many demonstrators held aloft banners reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Stop Killing Black People' while they followed the state's coronavirus rules to wear face masks.

Over in Columbus, Ohio, scenes of a calm protest also turned to violence as some protesters hurled rocks at cops while officers sprayed tear gas into crowds.

Several people smashed the windows of the statehouse in downtown Columbus and entered the building.

Meanwhile, protests started in Kentucky demanding justice for black woman Breonna Taylor who was shot dead by cops back in March.

Gunfire rung out in downtown Louisville and protesters got into a standoff with cops, while Taylor's sister pleaded with protesters in an emotional social media video to 'go home'.

EMT Taylor was shot at least eight times when three cops stormed her apartment to serve a search warrant over a narcotics investigation.

As chaos ensued across America over the black man's death in police custody, Floyd's family issued a plea for protests to be peaceful Thursday night.

'I don't want them to lash out like that, but I can't stop people right now because they have pain. They have the same pain that I feel,' George Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, told CNN Thursday.

Denver, Colorado: A woman takes cover on the ground as shots are heard at the protest Thursday

Denver, Colorado: People protect each other over fears that an active shooter is at the scene

Denver, Colorado: Officers run to the scene after shots are heard during the rally

Denver, Colorado: Police officers tell people to take cover and get to ground at the scene

Denver, Colorado: What started as a peaceful march calling for justice over Floyd's death descended into chaos as shots were fired

Denver, Colorado: A motorist holds their fist out of the sunroof of their vehicle as cars were stopped by protesters

Denver, Colorado: Cops rushed to the scene of the protest at the state Capitol Thursday evening after witnesses reported six or seven shots had been fired at about 5:30 p.m. local time.

Denver, Colorado: Denver police said there were no reports of any injuries and no one had been taken into police custody

Denver, Colorado: Several hundred people had gathered at the state Capitol before marching down Lincoln Street and Broadway where they blocked traffic

Denver, Colorado: People carry placards as they march during a protest outside the State Capitol

'I want everything to be peaceful, but I can't make everybody be peaceful. I can't. It's hard.'

The family's lawyer Benjamin Crump issued a statement saying Floyd's family 'want peace' and urged people not to 'sink to the level of our oppressors'.

'I spoke with George Floyd's family this morning and they would like to thank all of the protesters for joining them in standing for JUSTICE. They know we're all hurting,' Crump said.

'They told me they want peace in Minneapolis, but they know that Black people want peace in their souls and that until we get #JusticeForFloyd there will be no peace.'

'We also cannot sink to the level of our oppressors and we cannot endanger each other as we respond to the necessary urge to raise our voices in unison and in outrage,' he added. 'Looting and violence distract from the strength of our collective voice.'

Their cries for calm came after Wednesday's protest escalated into violence with riots breaking out across the city and one looter killed.

Cops and protesters clashed and stores including Target, AutoZone and Walmart were ransacked and set on fire by looters.

A suspected looter was shot dead outside the Cadillac Pawn shop and the suspected shooter had been taken into custody Wednesday night.
A huge traffic jam was witnessed at the Delhi-Gurugram border on Friday morning after the Haryana government sealed borders with Delhi amid a surge in the number of Covid-19 infections. Chaos ensued as crowds of people gathered at the border causing vehicular congestion and traffic snarls.

#WATCH: People in large numbers gather at Delhi-Gurugram border; Haryana Govt yesterday sealed borders with Delhi in wake of increasing number of #COVID19 cases pic.twitter.com/MgCbtOJPlw  ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2020

Haryana's Home Minister Anil Vij issued fresh orders on Thursday for sealing borders with the national capital citing a sharp increase in coronavirus cases during the past one week in Haryana's districts adjoining Delhi. The order is likely to make the movement of people travelling across the borders without valid permission tougher. The order comes just days before the fourth coronavirus lockdown ends on May 31.

"I have again issued orders today that in the districts adjoining Delhi, no leniency should be shown. Eighty per cent of our coronavirus cases are from the districts adjoining Delhi. Therefore, we are maintaining strictness on our borders with the national capital and keeping these sealed," the minister said.

He, however, in an order said barring the categories exempted by the Delhi High Court and the Centre, the state borders for others will remain completely sealed. He cited the movement of people into the districts bordering the national capital as the reason behind the surge in cases.

Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonipat and Jhajjar are the four worst-hit districts accounting for a majority of 1,504 infection cases in the state. Faridabad has reported the maximum seven fatalities in the state followed by three in Gurgaon and one in Sonipat, according to a state health bulletin.

On Thursday, Gurugram reported 68 fresh cases followed by 18 in Faridabad and four in Sonipat. The total cases in Gurugram on are 405, Faridabad 276, Sonipat 180 and Jhajjar 97, as per the bulletin.

India on Friday crossed yet another milestone in Covid-19 cases as the country reported the highest spike so far with 7,466 new infections in the last 24 hours taking the total cases to 1,65,799.
Texas is home to myriad state parks that offer stunning scenic trails, magical watering holes and historical sites that make for the ultimate adventure.

Drive out to Canyon and see the "Grand Canyon of Texas" at Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Located in the heart of the Panhandle, the canyon is the second largest in the country, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Camp in one of three beautiful brick cabins built 100 years ago and located along the canyon rim, or spend the day hiking, biking or horseback riding through the canyon.
Australia's first Chinese-born MP has accused Beijing of undermining Hong Kong's autonomy as tough new national security laws designed to stamp out dissent sail through China's National People's Congress.

In her first comments on Hong Kong since protests erupted over the new legislation this week, Liberal MP Gladys Liu hit out at the Chinese Communist Party for betraying a legally binding agreement that guaranteed its freedoms.

"As someone who was born and raised in Hong Kong, I am saddened by the current violence and I am concerned about the proposed laws," Ms Liu told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Liberal MP Gladys Liu. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"Making such a law on Hong Kong's behalf, without the direct participation of its people, legislature or judiciary, would clearly undermine the principle of 'one country, two systems', under which Hong Kong is guaranteed a high degree of autonomy."
Chinese actress Fan Bingbing who was embroiled in a nearly 100million tax evasion scandal two years ago is expected to return to the limelight in an online-streamed blockbuster drama.

'The Legend of Ba Qing', or 'Win the World', was scheduled to debut in 2018 but has since been put on hold after Fan, its leading actress, was found guilty of tax fraud and fined for 800million yuan (91million) in 2018.

The lavish historical costume series is expected to be released soon on Chinese video-sharing platform Youku, owned by e-commerce giant Alibaba, Chinese media reported. The confirmed airing date remains unknown.

The disgraced top actress Fan Bingbing (pictured), 38, played a leading role in 'The Legend of Ba Qing', or known as 'Win the World' , a 60million-budgeted historical costume drama set in the ancient Qin dynasty (221BC-206BC). The left picture is a poster for the drama series

Dubbed 'China's screen empress', Fan has been off the public's radar since 2018 when the Chinese government ordered her to pay nearly 100 million (883 million yuan) in back taxes and fines in October 2018. Fan is pictured in an X-Men movie in 2014: Days Of Future Past

Dubbed 'China's screen empress', Fan is best known in the West for her role in the 2014 blockbuster 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'.

The disgraced superstar, 38, plays a leading role in 'Win the World', a 60million-budgeted historical costume drama set in the ancient Qin dynasty (221BC-206BC). It is reportedly one of the most expensive series China has produced by far.

The drama is based on the story of a historical figure, Ba Qing, played by Fan, a widow and a prominent Chinese female entrepreneur. She helped Qin Shi Huang, the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor who unified China, finance the construction of the Great Wall.

But the blockbuster drama was shelved upon release two yeas ago after Fan and another leading actor were both hit by scandals and public criticisms.

Fan, also a model and producer, has been a ubiquitous household name in China for more than 20 years. She disappeared from the public eye in 2018 after allegations emerged that she had evaded taxes on a lucrative movie shoot. She was once the highest-paid actress in China

One of China's biggest superstars Fan Bingbing (pictured right) who was embroiled in a nearly 100million tax evasion scandal two years ago has been expected to return to the limelight soon in an online-streamed blockbuster drama. The picture is a promo poster for the show

In October 2018, the Chinese government fined Fan nearly 100million (883million yuan) after she was found guilty of avoiding taxes.

Authorities added that the star could avoid jail terms should she pay up in time, but did not the actual amount of the taxes the actress had dodged.

Gao Yunxiang, who plays the Qin emperor in the show, also faced major backlash after he was arrested in Sydney on accusations of sexual assault in 2018.

In March, Australian courts acquitted Gao of five counts of sexual assault and two counts of indecent assault.

The blockbuster drama was involved in more controversies after its leading actor, Gao Yunxiang, another Chinese celebrity who also faced public backlash after he was arrested in Sydney on accusations of sexual assault. The picture shows Gao arriving in court last year

Since the tax evasion scandal, Fan has been keeping a low profile under the public's radar. Last year, she appeared on the headlines of Chinese media when she split with Li Chen, her actor fiance of almost two years.

The news of Fan's return came after an internal document from the show's production company was leaked Tuesday, discussing terms of refunding with two Chinese TV channels which planned to air the show initially.

According to the source who leaked the document, the period drama is most likely to be streamed on Youku, a popular video-sharing platform owned by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. But there is no confirmed date of airing the series.
While the Memorial Hall of Xu Beihong has been closed in light of the coronavirus, art lovers can take a virtual tour of the former home of the renowned Chinese painter who lived from 1895 to 1952.



The hall hosted a livestreaming show on International Museum Day, which falls on May 18 every year, and a docent described for viewers the story behind Xu's artworks. The show attracted nearly 2.9 million views online within 90 minutes.

Nine other Beijing-based former residences of late celebritiessuch as prominent Chinese writer Lu Xun, political figures Soong Ching Ling and Li Dazhaodid the same that day in an effort to connect online viewers with art.

Altogether, the 10 shows were watched by 35.13 million people.

"The number of virtual visitors has exceeded that of physical visitors since last September," said Li Qing, deputy curator of the Memorial Hall of Xu Beihong. "Livestreaming has an edge. It helps us highlight the most iconic collections and interact with more audiences. It has extended the scope and functions of museums' public services," he added.

"Amid the virus outbreak, works of literature and art displayed in our museum have played a role in lifting moods and giving people hope," said Liu Qing, a staff member of Beijing Luxun Museum and the New Culture Movement Memorial of Beijing.

In addition, an exhibition that features more than 300 photos of about 14 celebrities was launched by the museums in keeping with this year's theme for International Museum Day"Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion". It will rotate among schools, communities and companies in Beijing, bringing art into people's lives.

According to officials with the Beijing Information Office and the Beijing Administration of Cultural Heritage, 94 themed events were rolled out on May 18 including 50 online exhibitions and 15 livestreaming shows.

They are part of the city government's plan to build Beijing into a city of museums, according to local officials.

"There are 187 registered museums in Beijing, it is a large number," said Ling Ming, deputy director of the Beijing Administration of Cultural Heritage."The plan, on the one hand, can help each of them find out their own characteristics and on the other hand, help build a more diverse museum system."

Beginning in 2018, the Beijing government created interactive programs and mobile apps and encouraged residents to engage in International Museum Day celebrations online, Ling added.

"This year, cloud computing technology was utilized," he said.

Local officials said that 50 museums in Beijing are currently open with precautionary measures including limited visitor numbers and bookings.
Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante has been appointed as a member of the Sixth Secretary-Generals Peacebuilding Fund Advisory Group by the United Nations.



The United Nations Peacebuilding Fund is the organizations financial instrument of first resort to sustain peace in countries or situations at risk or affected by violent conflict.



From 2006 to 2017, the Fund approved a total of $772 million to 41 recipient countries, and from 2017 to 2019, it scaled up its commitments by approving $531 million for 51 countries.



UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres made the appointment on Thursday, May 28.



Candidates of the Fund Advisory Group are nominated by Member States, including countries contributing to the Fund.



Consistent with the Terms of Reference of the Peacebuilding Fund adopted by the General Assembly, ten eminent individuals are appointed by the Secretary-General for a term of two years, taking into consideration gender and regional balance.



Members of the Sixth Secretary-Generals Peacebuilding Fund Advisory Group include H.E. Ms. Anne Anderson, Ambassador (ret.), Ireland; H.E. Ms. Lise Filiatrault, Ambassador (ret.), Canada; H.E. Ms. Liberata Mulamula, Ambassador (ret.), Tanzania; Mr. Johannes Oljelund, Director-General for International Development Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden; Ms. Sara Pantuliano, Chief Executive, Overseas Development Institute, United Kingdom.



The rest of them are Mr. Stephane Rey, Head of Peace Policy, Deputy Head of the Human Security Division, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland; and H.E. Mr. Gert Rosenthal, Ambassador (ret.), Guatemala. The rest are H.E. Mr. Hanns Heinrich Schumacher, Ambassador (ret.), Germany; and Ms. Marriet Schuurman, Director, Department of Stability and Humanitarian Aid, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands.



According to the peacekeeping body, the Peacebuilding Fund is intended to support programming that needs to be started quickly and flexibly where requested.



The Peacebuilding Funds target for the years 2020- 2024 is to bolster the fund with a sum of $1.5 billion in financing for peacebuilding in the international community.

Source: Ghanaweb









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video


Photo: IC

While Indian and Chinese forces have been engaging in a border standoff after India illegally constructed defense facilities across the border into Chinese territory in the Galwan Valley region, which is reminiscent of the 2017 Doklam stalemate, US President Donald Trump can't sit still. He turned to Twitter, saying that his country is "ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute."

It seems Trump finally knows that China and India, the two largest Asian powers, share borders. Early this year, A Very Stable Genius, a book written by two Washington Post journalists, revealed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shocked and concerned when Trump told him India and China did not share a border.

To what extent Trump's personal Twitter account reflects the will of the White House remains to be seen. For the US, a conflicting China-India relationship serves its interests. Washington believes the combined strength of Beijing and New Delhi could impair its interests in Asia and beyond. An opportunist US has never given up its attempt to drive a wedge between China and India. The administration of former president Barack Obama repeatedly stated that it saw India as part of its rebalancing strategy aimed at China, and the Trump administration emphasizes India as a major pillar in its much-touted Indo-Pacific concept.

India probably has found that the US is not a reliable partner. The self-centered "America First" policy endorsed by Trump can hardly reconcile with Modi's ambitious "Make in India" campaign, and a trade deal was elusive even during Trump's high-profile visit to India in February 2020 when the two were locked in trade frictions. "You can't even mediate the divide you created in your country," an Indian Twitter user commented under the Trump's tweet.

Last year, India turned down Trump's offer to "help" and "mediate" between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, an issue India stressed can only be discussed bilaterally. India perhaps has been aware of the US' bad history of mediation in which the US made troubles rather than solved problems, and which turned bilateral disputes into multilateral ones.

For instance, the US mediation in Japan-South Korea trade disputes and the Israel-Palestine conflicts have complicated the situations. Deaths and casualties from the two warring parties keep increasing. When did the US start to behave like a peace envoy, especially under the current Trump administration? What it cares about is only its geopolitical interests.

China and India successfully solved their Doklam faceoff with concerted efforts and wisdom. The two informal summits between the leadership of the two sides, one in the Chinese city of Wuhan in 2018 and the other in the Indian city of Chennai in 2019, set the tone to maintain peace and tranquility along the border. Indian experts also believe that the special representatives' talks on the boundary question between India and China constitute an important channel of communication, and should continue in order to mitigate border standoffs and other hot issues.

The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardize regional peace and order.
Press Release

29 May 2020

LONDON - Hilton has given social enterprise Open Kitchens a major boost by opening up enough kitchen space to accept deliveries of up to 10 tonnes of surplus food per week, enabling the initiative to double its output and provide 50,000 more free meals a month to those in need, using produce which would previously have had to be thrown away.

Advertisements

One in eight people in the UK has difficulty accessing regular food1 - a figure which continues to grow as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic - whilst 250,000 tonnes of surplus edible food is thrown away annually.2 As demand from restaurants and caterers has dwindled during the pandemic, the amount of surplus food available has increased exponentially, leading to a major uptick in donations to foodbanks and charities such as FareShare, The Felix Project and City Harvest. Much of the produce however - originally destined for professional kitchens - comes in bulk, or requires preparation by a chef, before it can be distributed further. Open Kitchens aims to solve both challenges by using this surplus food, prepared in currently unused kitchen space in restaurants, to distribute free meals to those who need it most.

To begin with, Open Kitchens was forced to turn down huge quantities of food due to lack of storage capacity. In response, Hilton has stepped in to turn high-capacity hotel kitchens, which usually cater for large-scale conferences and events, into regional Kitchen Hubs which will accept deliveries of up to 10 tonnes of surplus food per week.

The new Kitchen Hubs - situated at Hilton Birmingham Metropole, Hilton London Metropole, Hilton East Midlands Airport, Hilton Nottingham and Hampton by Hilton Sheffield, will store food before it is delivered to local restaurants for preparation and distribution. The new model will empower Open Kitchens to feed an additional 50,000 people each month, taking its services into communities close to these cities - where previously a lack of nearby storage space for bulk deliveries had prevented it from operating at scale.

In addition to the Kitchen Hubs, Hilton London Metropole - Hilton's largest hotel in the UK - will serve as a community kitchen. The hotel's chefs will prepare 1,000 meals a week to be distributed via The Felix Project to people in need including the homeless, children who rely on free school meals, the elderly and those living in isolation, with ambitions for more community kitchens in Hilton hotels to be added in the coming weeks.

Russell Impiazzi, Executive Head Chef, Hilton London Metropole said: "We've always been passionate about using our culinary skills to support our local community and tackle food waste, so when we get the opportunity to do both - and for such an important cause - it's something the whole team is genuinely excited about. Hospitality has an incredible ability to bring people together and above all else, to do the right thing and put people first. That's what we will continue to try and do. In committing to provide over 12,000 meals in the coming weeks, we have the fun challenge of working with the amazing suppliers, producers, charities and foodbanks trying hard to find homes for the vast amounts of surplus that would otherwise go to waste, and using it to create something delicious for those who desperately need it."

Adam Roberts, CEO of Open Kitchens said: "Open Kitchens was borne from a desperate need to reach the individuals who have been hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis. In just seven weeks, we've opened up 32 restaurant kitchens to provide more than 100,000 meals to those in need - relying on public donations and support from businesses. The magnitude of this challenge is enormous. With Hilton's Kitchen Hubs we'll be able to ramp up our operation on a scale like no other - feeding more people in more corners of the country and diverting more food from being wasted."

Stephen Cassidy, Managing Director, UK & Ireland, Hilton said: "It's been heartening to see the hospitality industry come together to support local communities during this pandemic - offering food, kitchen space and manpower to ensure key workers and vulnerable individuals don't go hungry. We've been incredibly impressed by Open Kitchens' ability to quickly react to this challenging situation with an innovative solution, and we look forward to being on this fast-paced journey with them through the course of the pandemic and beyond."

Mark Curtin, CEO of The Felix Project, says: "The Felix Project have been working on the forefront of the coronavirus crisis to get food out to people in need across London. The need is so great that we have had to quadruple our output. Open Kitchens - and this new partnership with Hilton - are the crucial link to convert existing food supply into the cooked meals which so many people desperately need. We're incredibly grateful to Open Kitchens and to Hilton for helping create a viable solution so we can continue to support communities in need."

To donate to Open Kitchens, visit: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/openkitchensuk.

To find out more about how Hilton is supporting the communities in which it operates during the Covid-19 crisis, visit newsroom.hilton.com/corporate/page/11937.

1 According to Open Kitchens - based on the FAO UN Voices of the Hungry Report 2016, using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) to measure hunger

2 According to Wrap Surplus food redistribution in the UK; 2015 to 2017

About Travel with Purpose

Travel with Purpose is Hilton's corporate responsibility strategy to redefine and advance sustainable travel globally. By 2030, we plan to double our investment in social impact and cut our environmental footprint by half. We track, analyze and report our environmental and social impact at each of Hilton's more than 6,100 hotels through LightStay, our award-winning performance management system. Travel with Purpose capitalizes on Hilton's global scale to catalyze local economic growth; respect human rights; invest in people and local communities; and preserve our planet by reducing our impact on natural resources. Our strategy aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Visit cr.hilton.com to learn more.

About Open Kitchens

More resources including imagery, logos and a video explaining the concept can be found here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nfKubBrFQyA4HDtDRqiWw9VJgU8H8JxU?usp=sharing

Website: www.openkitchens.co.uk

Central Just Giving page: https://justgiving.com/crowdfunding/openkitchensuk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OpenKitchensUK/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openkitchensuk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OpenKitchensUK

About the Felix Project

The Felix Project is a London-based charity working to reduce food waste and food poverty. We collect food from supermarkets, wholesalers and other food suppliers right across the commercial food industry - food that is fresh and nutritious but cannot be sold for various reasons. We deliver this food free of charge to charities and schools, serving people who are extremely vulnerable and living at the margins of society. Our business model is very lean, with every 1 donated delivering over 5 of good food to people in need. Right now, we are on the frontline of the Covid-19 crisis, providing food to vulnerable families and children, the elderly, the homeless, refugees, domestic abuse survivors and people who are simply struggling to find and afford food. In April we rescued and delivered enough food for 1.6 million meals.
Daniel Horowitz writes:

The act of the officer who placed his knee on George Floyds neck for several minutes after he was completely neutralized and couldnt move is obviously indefensible. As with every criminal act that leads to murder, he should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. But why is it we never heard on the news about the endless trend of cop ambushes and executions at the hands of violent criminals in recent months? Why do we never hear about the cases where cops engage in near-suicidal restraint to go the extra mile to defuse a situation? Consider the following: According to the Washington Posts database on police shootings, 17 unarmed African-Americans were killed by police in 2018. Lets just assume the unlikely assumption that all 17 were unjustified in the mold of the choking death of George Floyd. That accounts for just 0.002% [note: actually 0.2%] of the 7,407 black homicide victims that year, according to the FBIs Uniform Crime Report, the overwhelming majority of whom were killed by black criminals, not white criminals or police. In cases where the races of both the victim and offender were known, a staggering 88.9% of black homicide victims were murdered by black criminals.

Race mongers and other leftists want to dismiss these facts as what-aboutism, an attempt to divert attention away from Americas allegedly endemic racism. But to rational people, these facts simply provide perspective.

The facts from the Washington Post preclude rational people from using words like genocide to describe policing in America. They preclude rational people from saying, as the Central Park bird watcher did, that the obnoxious woman with the dog was trying to bring death by cop down on my head. They preclude rational people from accepting nearly all of the rubbish spouted by the BlackLivesMatter movement.

The other problem that race mongers and other leftists have with what-aboutism is that it highlights the fact that the overwhelming threat to black lives in America is criminal behavior by blacks. As Horowitz notes, nearly 90 percent of black homicide victims were killed by blacks.

The problem is on display in the Twin Cities right now. I disagree with Horowitzs claim that whats going on in Minneapolis has nothing to do with George Floyds murder. However, Horowitz is right to see a relationship between the rioting and a pre-existing acceleration of criminal activity in the Twin Cities. He observes:

Accordingly, its reasonable to view the killing of Floyd as a pretext for more robbery and more violence.

All Minneapolis residents, of whatever race or national origin, have good cause to be incensed by the conduct of their police department and mayor. Residents are experiencing the worst of all policing worlds. A police force with a record of using too much force against individual suspects is now standing by while thugs burn down portions of the city, destroy businesses, and harm innocent people.

What liberal governance brought Baltimore, its also bringing to Minneapolis  and maybe to an even greater degree.
The universe is a vast place full of mystery, for years, researchers have been trying to figure different planets, solar systems and most importantly, if there is life other than that on our planet. So as the search for life continues, scientists have confirmed that Proxima B is definitely present at the Proxima Centauri.

New Earth Proxima b could be our big hope

Proxima Centauri is the closest star to our solar systems sun. Reportedly, Proxima b sits 4.2 light-years away from the sun and has a mass 1.17 times the mass of the Earth. The planet orbits star Proxima Centauri in eleven days. The planet was first discovered in the year 2016 using the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher spectrograph, which is based in Chile.

Read Also | NASA Satellite Images From Worldview Show Heatwave Impact In Northern India

More information regarding the same has come through using the Swiss manufactured ESPRESSO spectrograph. Researchers have told a media portal that the Proxima b is about 20 times closer to its star Proxima Centauri compared to the distance between Earth and the Sun. However, the amount of energy that the Proxima b and Earth receive from their respective stars are akin.

Read Also | What Is Google Proxima Beta Fraud And Can You Get A Refund After Getting Scammed?

Due to this reason, it is believed that the surface temperature of the Earth and Proxima b would also be similar. This further could mean that there is the hope of water being present on the Proxima b, which further implies that there could be life on the planet. Francesco Pepe, a professor in the Astronomy Department in UNIGE's Faculty of Science and leader of ESPRESSO spoke to a media portal on the matter.

He told the portal that they were already pleased with the performance of HARPS which discovered hundreds of exoplanets over the last 17 years. He further added that they have been happy that ESPRESSO could produce even better measurements. Francesco Pepe further said it is gratifying and just rewarding for the teamwork lasting nearly 10 years.

Image Credits: spaceclub Instagram

However, there is some potentially bad news regarding the possibility of life on Proxima b. Scientists have said that the Proxima Centauri tends to radiate X-rays towards planets near it, and the rays are 400 times more than what the sun sends towards the Earth. Therefore, a lot depends on the atmosphere around Proxima b and whether it is able to shield the surface from these rays.

Read Also | Akshay Kumar Is A Man With A Heart Of Gold And He Has Proved It During The Lockdown

Read Also | Akshay Kumar Talks About Feeling Anxious When It Comes To His Family And Close Ones

Image Credits: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Instagram
NEW YORK, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The silver price is gaining traction, bringing the gold-silver price ratio down from historical highs and creating a ton of buzz around the silver market. It seems that silver is starting to catch up with rising gold prices and analysts expect the white precious metal to outperform gold for the next few years. The gold price has been rallying since the beginning of the year due to market volatility and economic slowdown, sending gold giants like Barrick Gold (NYSE:GOLD) (TSX:ABX) soaring along with it. During the first quarter, silver price lagged behind due to its perceived industrial demand. Luckily, thanks to the reopening of economies around the world, silver is expected to shine in Q2 and beyond, putting silver stocks like Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE:EXK) (TSX:EDR), Wheaton Precious Metals (NYSE:WPM) (TSX:WPM), Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE:CDE), and First Majestic Silver Corp. (NYSE:AG) (TSX:FR) in the spotlight.

Although the global pandemic has put a damper on the markets overall, the safe-haven status of gold and silver has injected new life into the precious metals market and these companies are ready for their time to shine.

Gold-Price Ratio Drops From Historical Highs

The gold-silver price ratio recently hit a historical peak of 124:1, marking a drastically higher margin than the average 87:1 ratio in 2019. The ratio is now floating around the 100:1 mark, which still reveals a wider-than-ever margin between the precious metals and signals a potential reset in the months to come.

After a tough first quarter which sent silver price below $12 an ounce, the white metal is making a comeback and is up 6.7% since the beginning of May. The uptick is encouraging for silver market enthusiasts, but it could only be the beginning for the undervalued metal. According to analysts at CIBC, silver will average around $18 an ounce in 2020 and $19 the following year. The sentiment is much the same for other financial institutions, including Bank of Montreal, CPM Group and Silver Institute, although some are suggesting prices as high as $22 this year .

Some of the key catalysts that could send silver prices soaring is the reopening of economies in the coming weeks and months, which is expected to boost industrial demand, and a supply crunch due to COVID-19 mine suspensions in prolific silver regions like Mexico. New applications like 5G infrastructure and solar energy are also expected to support rising silver prices, but it's investor interest that will likely be the biggest driver.

"People say silver has industrial uses and the demand isn't there," explained RJO Futures senior commodities broker Bob Haberkorn, who predicts silver to hit $20 in the coming weeks. "Of course, it has industrial use and it has always had industrial use. But it also has always been a flight-to-safety asset, and it has been throughout history."

Silver Producers Focus on Ramping Up Output Post-Pandemic

With the global pandemic causing temporary shutdowns in numerous key mining jurisdictions around the world, a large chunk of silver production was taken offline in the first quarter. The temporary setbacks may have hindered the supply in the first quarter, but operations are starting to come back online and silver producers have ambitious goals for the rest of the year.

Although the circumstances of COVID-19 shutdowns caused silver producers to withdraw their 2020 production guidance, many have reported strong numbers for Q1 2020.

In the first quarter of 2020, First Majestic Silver Corp. (AG) (FR.TO) reported a total production of 6.2 million equivalent ounces of silver , consisting of 3.2 million ounces of silver and 32,202 ounces of gold, which is inline with the previous quarter and 9% above guidance prior to suspension.

In terms of financial results, First Majestic Silver Corp. (AG) (FR.TO) came out of Q1 2020 mostly unscathed by COVID-19 with revenues of $86.1 million , which is only 1% lower than Q1 2019. The slight drop was primarily due to suspending sales in March in an attempt to maximize future profits due to metals market volatility.

The company decided to postpone the sale of 292,000 ounces of silver and 700 ounces of gold, worth approximately $5.3 million at the end of Q1 2020. As of May 2020, First Majestic Silver holds 1,045,342 ounces of silver and 1,459 ounces of gold in inventory.

During that period, however, First Majestic Silver Corp. (AG) (FR.TO) also managed to reduce cash costs by 19% to $5.16 per payable silver ounce, beating previously suspended cost guidance. The company came out with quarterly earnings of $0.04 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.03 per share.

Temporary Mining Suspensions in Mexico Begin to Lift

Moving into the second quarter, temporary suspensions at Mexico mining operations are expected to be lifted by May 30, a month longer than initially expected.

One company that has already been greatly affected by the temporary shutdowns is Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE:CDE), a gold and silver producer with projects in the US and Mexico. Although the company's three US-based mines remain in operation, the drop in production from its Mexico-based Palmarejo mine will likely have a significant impact on its second quarter 2020 results. The company estimated that a 30-day shutdown would reduce cash flow from the mine by around $10 million.

Luckily for Coeur Mining and other silver producers in Mexico, suspensions could be lifted sooner than the end of the month. On May 13, the Mexican government offered an exception to silver miners in jurisdictions that haven't had a high number of COVID-19 cases.

Coeur Mining announced last week that it has begun taking the necessary steps to reopen the Palmarejo mine, although an update has yet to be provided.

Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE:EXK) (TSX:EDR) also announced plans to restart operations at its three Mexico-based mines on May 18, all of which are located in municipalities with low or no transmission of the SARS-CoV2 virus.

In Q1 2020, Endeavour reported revenue of $21.9 million from the sale of 665,500 oz of silver and 7,454 oz gold at average realized prices of $15.33 per oz silver and $1,633 per oz gold. The company experienced a net loss of $15.9 million ($0.11 per share) for a number of reasons, including reduced sales, increased depreciation and depletion due to current short reserve lives and significant foreign exchange expenses as the depreciation of the Mexican peso impacts the value of VAT receivables and other working capital accounts.

First Majestic Silver Corp. (AG) (FR.TO) has also begun implementing restart procedures across each of its mine sites, while maintaining strict sanitary controls and supporting our local communities. The company said it expects full production rates will be reached in early July.

Indeed, although the silver industry has taken a hit in recent months, the supply deficit from mining closures to bode well for silver companies once the price of silver reflects the supply squeeze.

Investors who are interested in the precious metals market should definitely keep an eye on the gold-silver ratio in the coming weeks and pay attention to silver producers who are effectively weathering the post-pandemic storm.

Barrick Gold Corporation (GOLD) (ABX.TO) has settled the majority of the North Mara legacy land claims and has paid the first tranche of the $300 million settlement it agreed with the Tanzanian government to resolve the disputes it inherited from Acacia Mining.

President and chief executive Mark Bristow said these were landmark events that demonstrated the strength of the partnership the company forged earlier this year through the formation of the jointly owned Twiga Minerals Corporation, which oversees the management of Barrick's operations in the country.

In terms of its framework agreement with the government, the shipping of some 1,600 containers of concentrate stockpiled from Bulyanhulu and Buzwagi resumed in April and the first $100 million received from the sale has gone to the government. Barrick said all material issues had been dealt with or were being finalized. This initial payment will be followed by five annual payments of $40 million each.

Wheaton Precious Metals (NYSE:WPM) (TSX:WPM) had a strong start to 2020 with over $177 million generated in operating cash flow in the first quarter. Given our strong financial position and the immediate needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic, Wheaton launched a $5 million fund designed to support our local communities and those around the mines from which we receive precious metal, more than doubling our budget for community support. At this time, our top priority is the health and safety of our employees and the communities in which we and our partners operate." said Randy Smallwood, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wheaton Precious Metals.

"With one of the highest quality portfolios in the precious metals space, we remain confident in the strength and sustainability of our business model through this pandemic, and our ability to continue delivering shareholder value. We hope everyone stays safe and well."

To learn more about First Majestic Silver Corp. (NYSE:AG) (TSX:FR), click here for more information .

Disclaimer: Microsmallcap.com (MSC) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with MSC or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by MSC are solely those of MSC and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable MSC and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. MSC and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author (MSC), and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author (MSC) has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, MSC, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment. FNM was not compensated by any public company mentioned herein to disseminate this press release but was compensated twenty five hundred dollars by MSC, a non-affiliated third party to distribute this release on behalf of First Majestic Silver Corp.

FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and MSC and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

Media Contact:

FN Media Group, LLC

[email protected]

+1(561)325-8757

SOURCE Microsmallcap.com
BERLIN - A German court has convicted an American-born dentist of strangling her British husband, whose body was found in a Czech wood with its teeth removed to hinder identification.

The regional court in the southeastern city of Regensburg on Friday sentenced 61-year-old Cheryl von U., whose surname wasnt released for privacy reasons, to nine years for manslaughter.

Prosecutors had sought a life sentence for the woman, accusing her of trying to avoid paying a divorce settlement to her husband Peter von U. when she killed him in November 2018.

The defendant operated a dental practice in Munich and had earlier sold two practices in Britain that specialized in treating children.

The 69-year-old mans body was found in a forest in the neighbouring Czech Republic. The teeth had been removed to make it harder to identify him.

The defendant told the court that she had found a garrote in their shared home near Regensburg and confronted her husband with it, whereupon a fatal struggle ensued. Her lawyers had sought to have her serve a maximum sentence of five years for manslaughter, according to the dpa news agency.

A court spokesman, Thomas Polnik, told The Associated Press that while judges dismissed the defendants claim that she had acted in self-defence, they couldnt determine with certainty that she had been motivated by greed or carried out a surprise attack on the victim.

Under German law, either of those two aggravating factors could have justified a murder conviction.

The verdict can be appealed.
The facts  that Scarborough was in Washington and that the police found no evidence of foul play  make no difference to the conspiracy theorist in chief.

Now, after his avalanche of lies, Trump has signed an executive order trying to curtail Twitters legal protections in retaliation for its appending fact-checking labels to two of his tweets about mail-in ballots. Oh, the audacity of Twitter in suggesting that Trumps accuracy should be checked! Attempted interference, Trump claims, in the 2020 election! The presidents mantra owes much to Cosa Nostra: Threaten, threaten, threaten, and to heck with legality.

Tell me, are you inclined to trust a president who this week retweeted a video from an account called Cowboys for Trump in which the speaker starts by saying, The only good Democrat is a dead Democrat? The speaker then says hes not speaking literally  affording Trump plausible deniability as, with an eye to November, he winks to his gunned-up Second Amendment cohort.

Or the president who, in response to growing protests over the death in police custody in Minneapolis of George Floyd, an African-American, tweets, when the looting starts, the shooting starts? Trumps tweet violated company rules on glorifying violence, Twitter said.

Trump is a coward. Perhaps if Biden wins, the president will skulk out of the White House like the little boy he is who never grew into a man. And the nightmare will be over. I dont think so. The chances are growing that Trump will not concede in the event of a Biden victory, that he may encourage violence and use the fear and division spread by the virus to extend autocratic power.

Trump is a doughnut. There is a hole in the middle of him where honesty, humanity, decency, morality and dignity never formed. He has done incalculable damage. Kessler and his colleagues quote Jonathan Swift: As the vilest writer hath his readers, so the greatest liar hath his believers: and it often happens, that if a lie be believed only for an hour, it hath done its work. Three and a half years of Trump lies have done their work.

In The Doughnuts, before the machine goes haywire, a wealthy woman loses the diamond bracelet she took off to mix the doughnut batter. Homer has a fine idea! To offer $100 to anyone who finds the bracelet. The excess doughnuts get bought and devoured; the bracelet is found inside one.

Behind this oversized, sticky, misshapen doughnut of a president the hard diamond of recoverable truth lurks. To seize it, and save the Republic, requires the certain knowledge that Trump will stop at nothing between now and Nov. 3.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com.

Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reportedly met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday to discuss the way forward in relation to coronavirus lockdown. The nationwide lockdown, which has already been extended three times, is to end on Sunday. According to reports, a decision on lockdown would be taken on May 30.

On Thursday, Amit Shah spoke to various chief ministers of states and asked for suggestions on a plan for May 31 onwards. Many states have suggested that the coronavirus lockdown is necessary at this stage as the cases have continued to spike. The government had earlier given many relaxations, allowing states to take a decision on what to reopen and what to remain shut.

"I spoke to Home Minister Shah on the phone and I feel lockdown may be extended for 15 more days. However, we demand that there should be some relaxations - restaurants should be allowed with social distancing at 50% capacity. Many people also want gyms to resume. Lockdown must be extended for 15 more days, it is needed, as the graph of coronavirus is rising," Goa CM Pramod Sawant said on Friday.

On March 24, PM Modi had announced the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus across the country.

India recorded the biggest jump of 7,466 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, taking the total number to 1.65 lakh. With 175 deaths in one day, the death toll in the country now stands at 4,706. The active cases are 89,987, of which 71,105 have been cured or discharged. Meanwhile, fresh 1,106 coronavirus cases have been reported in Delhi, taking the total tally in Delhi to over 17,000, said state Health Minister Satyendar Jain.

Also read: Coronavirus in India: 7,466 cases in 24 hours, highest 1-day jump, death toll at 4,706; Maharashtra worst-hit

Also read: Delhi-Gurgaon border: Haryana govt seals border as coronavirus cases increase in capital
President Tsai Ing-wen visited exiled Causeway Bay bookseller Lam Wing-kei in his new bookstore on the democratic island of Taiwan on Friday, sending out a strong message of solidarity with anti-government protesters in Hong Kong.



Lam fled to Taiwan after being detained by mainland China's state security police alongside four colleagues for selling "banned" political books to customers in China.



Tsai told Lam that the books he was selling at his "Causeway Bay Books" store looked good and she would have to come back to browse further.



She also wrote a note for display in the shop which read: "Free Taiwan supports Hong Kong's freedom."



"Today I visited the Causeway Bay Books in Taipei to welcome Lam Wing-kee on behalf of the people of Taiwan & thank the people of Hong Kong for their commitment to freedom & democracy," said Tsai via her Twitter account.



Tsai was accompanied by former 2015 student protest leader Lin Fei-fan, now deputy leader of her ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).



She said she had noticed more and more people were choosing to live in Taiwan, which recently announced a fast-track residency and support package for Hongkongers fleeing political reprisals linked to the anti-government protests.



"We will set up an ad hoc group to deal with this matter ... to coordinate various ministries and departments to make it easier for people to come here, and to stay here," Tsai said. "They will need care and government assistance when they first arrive."



"We would like to thank bookstore owner Lam Wing-kei for his pursuit of human rights, freedom, and democracy in Hong Kong, and to offer him a warm welcome on behalf of the people of Taiwan," she said.



"I also hope that you can work together with us here to develop our freedom and democracy," she said.



Immigration support needed



Lam said that the immigration package would be sorely needed.



"Not everyone can afford to apply for an investment visa, and there are plenty of people in Hong Kong with no resources who know they are no longer safe," he said. "Right now we can expect to extend our visas a couple of times, but six months isn't a long time -- maybe that should be extended to nine months or a year at least."



"There is a huge need among Hongkongers and it's hard for Western countries to process them all in a short space of time -- they take much longer to do it," he said.



Tsai's visit came as Taiwanese lawmakers issued a cross-party joint statement criticizing Beijing's plan to impose a draconian sedition and subversion law on Hong Kong, bypassing the city's Legislative Council (LegCo).



The statement, signed by Tsai's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), which has previously campaigned on a platform of closer ties with China, said the move to impose the national security law would lead to a rapid deterioriation in Hong Kong's situation.



"We hereby express our deep regret and strong condemnation concerning mainland China's attempts to enforce its version of a national security law in Hong Kong by circumventing the territory's Legislative Council, as Beijing would be reneging on its promise of 'a high degree of autonomy' for 50 years in Hong Kong," the statement said.



The statement also urged Taiwan to provide assistance to the people of Hong Kong, saying they strongly support Hongkongers' pursuit of freedom, democracy, and human rights.



Reported by Chung Kuang-cheng for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Hsia Hsiao-hwa for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Telangana on Thursday recorded 117 new Covid-19 cases and four deaths, taking the total number of cases in the State to 2,256. Of the 117 new cases, 66 were from the State, 49 were deportees from Saudi Arabia and two were of migrants.

Of the 66 new local cases, 58 are from GHMC limits, five are from Rangareddy district, two from Medchal and one from Siddipet, taking the total Covid-19 cases of people in Telangana to 1,098. The rest 348 cases fall under the category of those who have come from outside and have tested positive in the State, which include 175 migrants, 143 deportees from Saudi Arabia and 30 foreign evacuees.

Meanwhile, a 32-year-old police constable has tested positive for Covid-19, according to information provided by the Health Department. The constable is a resident of Venkata Reddy Nagar in Ramanthapur and was on duty at Gandhi Hospital. The constables family members were not living with him as he had sent them to his native district of Nirmal.

Review meeting

Health Minister Eatala Rajender conducted a review meeting on the state of affairs at Gandhi Hospital on Thursday with the officials concerned, including hospital superintendent Dr Raja Rao, Medical Advisory Board officials and senior Health Department officials.

He directed the hospital superintendent to submit an indent for medicines and other essentials. At another meeting with Special Chief Secretary Shanti Kumari, Family Welfare Commissioner Dr Yogitha Rana and other officials, Eatala asked them to ensure that separate Fever clinics are set up at all the primary, tertiary and district health centres.

In GHMC limits

Of the 66 new local cases, 58 are from GHMC limits, five are from Rangareddy district, two from Medchal and one from Siddipet, taking the total Covid-19 cases of people in Telangana to 1,098


China In Focus (May 28): Beijing Passes Draconian Hong Kong Law

After Beijing passed a draconian law for Hong Kong, the United States might revoke Hong Kongs special trading status. What implications would this bring? An expert explains how Chinas move to rein in Hong Kong is not an impulse, but has been years in the making.

A city of nearly 3 million in Chinas Heilongjiang province braces for a second wave of coronavirus cases. Several neighborhoods are in lock down.

Tensions are rising over ongoing clashes between troops at the disputed Indo-China border. There are concerns of escalation as the military builds up on both sides.

Twitter recently adding fact check labels to two of president Trumps tweets. After pressure, the social media giant also added warning labels to two tweets from Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson on the origin of the virus.

And the has FBI issued a statement on a Chinese scientist who pleaded guilty to stealing $1 billion worth of trade secrets from an American company.

Subscribe to our Youtube channel for more first-hand news from China

For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter
Texas Supreme Court rules against Episcopal Church: $100M in properties belong to breakaway diocese

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Texas highest court ruled that approximately $100 million in church properties of a diocese whose leadership left The Episcopal Church over theological differences belongs to the breakaway group.

The Texas Supreme Court released an opinion last Friday in The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth v. The Episcopal Church in which they partially reversed an earlier ruling against the breakaway leadership.

At issue was who controlled the diocese name and property  leadership chosen by the national denomination or the breakaway leadership that joined the more conservative Anglican Church in North America.

The Episcopal Church said it controlled the property through the Dennis Canon, a measure labeling all church properties as being held in trust for the benefit of the national denomination.

Justice Eva Guzman delivered the opinion of the court, ruling that changes made to the Dioceses Constitution and Canons in 1989 prevented the Dennis Canon from being applicable.

While it is true, as TEC says, that the dioceses organizational documents prohibited the adoption of canons inconsistent with the national churchs constitution and canons, revocation is not inconsistent with a revocable trust, wrote Guzman.

Moreover, in the twenty years between revocation and eruption of a dispute over the property, TEC lodged no objection to the amended canon and does not now contend the 1989 amendment is invalid for any other reason than purported inconsistency.

In a statement released last Friday, the Anglican diocesan leadership celebrated the high court decision, saying they were grateful for the Courts hard work on this decision and for the clarity with which it was rendered.

We give thanks for our visionary founding Bishop, the Rt. Rev. A. Donald Davies, and for those who assisted him in setting the legal and temporal foundations of the Diocese and Corporation, they stated.

We praise God for the steadfast faith and leadership of our third Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker, a true shepherd of the flock, who made many sacrifices throughout his episcopate for the sake of Christs holy Church.

Episcopal Bishop Scott Mayer, who oversaw the continuing Episcopal diocesan leadership, sent a letter to supporters expressing disappointment at the ruling.

Mayer noted that he and the other Episcopal leadership were considering their next steps and that as followers of Jesus Christ, we live in hope.

I ask for your prayers and urge us all to stay focused on the saving gospel of Jesus Christ and on our mission and ministries in the days ahead, wrote Mayer. I remain convinced that we are right in our affirmation that we are the continuing Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and that I am its bishop.

In 2008, a majority of the Fort Worth Diocese voted to leave The Episcopal Church over the increasing liberal theological direction of the mainline Protestant denomination.

A major point was the ordination of the denominations first openly gay bishop, the Rev. Gene Robinson, which led to other churches and dioceses opting to depart the denomination.

Litigation over who rightfully owned the diocesan property ensued in 2009, with the Fort Worth Court of Appeals ruling in favor of The Episcopal Church in April 2018.

Although Appellees argue that under state associations law they were within their rights to remove the diocese and diocesan property from TEC, such law applies to the rules used by associations to regulate, within legal limits, their own internal affairs, not to the question of an associations identity, read the 2018 ruling.

Individual members of a parish may decide to worship elsewhere; a majority of individual members of a parish or diocese may decide to do so. But when they leave, they are no longer Episcopalians as identified by TEC; they become something else. And that something else is not entitled to retain property 
CHICAGO - The false social media posts started just hours after protesters first began chanting and carrying banners around the Minneapolis neighbourhood where George Floyd, an African American man, died handcuffed in police custody.

The cop who killed George Floyd, Facebook and Twitter users claimed, wrongly identifying a man pictured laughing alongside President Donald Trump at a rally as former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin.

More fake videos and photos followed as the demonstrations turned violent the next day. Some speculated, without evidence, that Floyds death was staged or that protesters had been paid to stir up trouble, in tweets collectively shared thousands of times. Others said a video showed a protester driving a car through a shopping complex in Minneapolis, when in fact the footage was taken during an incident at an Illinois mall last year.

Since a video of an officer kneeling on Floyds neck first surfaced, internet troublemakers and even celebrities have posted misleading or unsubstantiated claims around his death and the ensuing protests. The social media inaccuracies have created confusion around the unfolding news, tearing at the already loosely woven seams of Americas racial tapestry.

A good deal of this, if not all of this, is intentionally trying to stoke the racial flame that has been ablaze in the United States almost since slavery started 400-plus years ago, said Lanier Holt, a communications professor at Ohio State University who studied in Minneapolis.

While the falsehoods may have been unwittingly amplified by some, they have likely been planted by those preying on existing racial tensions, Holt said.

They put out that false information to get that narrative in the minds of people who already have these ... pre-existing biases, he said.

The online misinformation so far appears to have fallen along those racial divides.

The day after Floyd died, Twitter and Facebook users shared a photo of a man wearing a Make America White Again red cap, claiming it was Chauvin, who was charged Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyds death.

A version of the image was actually first posted online by a pro-Trump internet trickster who has previously duped media outlets into writing fictitious stories. Jonathan Riches confirmed to The Associated Press through messages that he was the man in the photo.

Twitter later labeled rapper and actor Ice Cubes tweet with the photo as manipulated media.

After protests on Thursday night, the St. Paul Police Department denied rumours trending online that one of its police officers was responsible for breaking windows of an AutoZone store in neighbouring Minneapolis.

We know with precision where that officer has been and who that officer has been with, St. Paul Police spokesman Steve Linders said. He was at work, and not at the location.

Meanwhile, others have posted old or out-of-context photos online and falsely suggested it showed the damage caused by Minnesota protesters.

Hundreds of thousands viewed a short video clip circulating online that purported to show a car driving through the Mall of America, the massive shopping complex that sits in a Minneapolis suburb.

RIP to Mall of America, one Twitter user wrote.

Fact checkers debunked the video, but as of Friday afternoon, people on Facebook and Twitter continued to say that the mall had been looted by protesters.

Facebook declined to comment Friday on misinformation on their platform around Floyds death or the protests.

Divisive misinformation around Floyds death and the resulting protests thrives online because social media users choose who they do  or dont  follow and are less likely to be exposed to differing viewpoints outside of their circle of pages, family and friends.

We thought social media was going to be this great equalizer, Holt said. People find networks of people who are just like them. If they dont actually have literal black friends, this reinforces all the stereotypes that were fed to them.

___

Associated Press writers David Klepper in Rhode Island, Ali Swenson in Phoenix and Beatrice Dupuy in New York contributed to this story.
Australian bikies exiled to New Zealand are in a desperate and violent power struggle with the country's home bred outlaws to seize control of bikie territories.

Many of the worst offenders are from the Australian chapters of the Comanchero, Rebels and Bandidos gangs.

The bikies have become well-known in their new environments as the 501s, Herald Sun reported.

The title stems from section 501 of the Migration Act that allows the government to turf people from the country if they fail certain character provisions.

Australian bikies exiled to New Zealand are in a desperate and violent power struggle with the country's homebred outlaws to seize control of bikie territories

Many of the worst offenders are from the Australian chapters of the Comanchero, Rebels and Bandidos gangs

Among the list of deportees and troublemakers is NZ Comancheros chapter president and Australian exile Pasilika Naufahu.

Naufahu, Tyson Daniels, Jarome Fonau and Connor Michael Tamati Clausen were arrested following a raid of $4million worth of luxury vehicles, homes and cash in Auckland in 2019.

The gang was allegedly planning to bring methamphetamine and ephedrine into New Zealand.

Former senior Melbourne Comanchero Norm Meyer has been living in New Zealand and it is expected his son Vincent will be deported to the country after serving an 18 month sentence for breaking a Comanchero's arm.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton revoked the visa of Victorian President of the Rebels OMCG Ray Elise for his criminal history, while Canberra Comanchero sergeant-at-arms Sosefo Tu'uta Katoa could be deported over bomb charges.

New Zealand Police Association president Chris Cahill raised concerns many of the bikies sent to New Zealand had spent their lives in Australia and had few ties to the country.

'The only links they've got (here) are straight back into gangs. The public are now seeing the problems they're causing,' he said.

Senior New Zealand OMCG cop Ray Sunkel said the foreign bikies had distinguished themselves from the New Zealand chapters through displays of intense violence.

He noted a street-style execution had local gang members on edge

'Don't look at us, mate, that's the Aussies, that's not what we do, you know that,' Mr Sunkel recalled local gang members telling him.
Canadian natural gas stocks are being pummelled by the market. A perfect storm of a growing supply, declining demand, and a prolonged price slump are applying considerable pressure to their operations. This is expected to trigger a spate of bankruptcies among natural gas producers, with most bleeding red ink for a prolonged period.

One Canadian natural gas stock that will thrive despite the harsh operating environment is Canacol Energy (TSX:CNE). The upstream natural gas producer has lost 16% since the start of 2020, which is less than the 35% decline of the North American natural gas price.

The reason for this is simple; Canacol has been able to capitalize and profit from the extraordinary conditions that exist in Colombias domestic energy markets.

Uniquely positioned natural gas stock

In 2016, Canacol pivoted away from being an oil producer and focused on building its natural gas operations to become Colombias leading privately owned onshore natural gas producer. Canacol has amassed 624 billion of cubic feet of natural gas reserves. It has been growing natural gas production and sales at a solid clip.

For the first quarter 2020, Canacols natural gas production reached 201 million cubic feet daily, which was a whopping 63% higher than a year earlier. As a result, Canacols petroleum total output was 35,648 barrels of oil equivalent daily  a 62% year-over-year increase.

More importantly, Canacols natural gas sales are growing at a rapid clip. The driller reported a 65% year-over-year increase in natural gas sales for the first quarter.

That notable growth gave earnings a solid boost. EBITDAX, which is earnings before income tax, depreciation, amortization and exploration expenses, shot up 48% year over year to US$59 million.

Crucially, Canacol has been able to establish take or pay contracts for 80% of the natural gas that it produces with a price of US$4.80 per thousand cubic feet sold. That is almost triple the North American Henry Hub benchmark price of US$1.85 per million British thermal units (MMBtu).

Story continues

This gives Canacol a considerable financial edge over its competitors operating solely in North America. The spot natural gas price in Colombia is higher than the North American benchmark.

The contracted nature of most of Canacols revenue enhances the certainty of its earnings while removing the considerable uncertainty associated with natural gas prices.

There is every indication that this favourable situation will continue.

Favourable market conditions

Colombia is experiencing an energy crisis. Dwindling natural gas supplies and rapidly rising demand is supporting higher prices. This situation wont change anytime soon.

Colombias aging offshore natural gas fields have rising decline rates causing production to decline. There havent been any major oil or natural gas discoveries in the Andean nation for over a decade. Consequently, Colombias proven natural gas reserves are falling. Sharply weaker oil prices have caused investment in Colombias energy patch to collapse, causing drilling activity to decline boding poorly for any new discoveries.

The loss of natural gas imports from Venezuela is exacerbating the crisis.

For these reasons, the natural gas shortage in Colombia will continue.

Even lower consumption because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Colombias economy wont lead to lower prices for a sustained period.

Once Colombias economy returns to growth, demand for the fossil fuel will soar, particularly with the government seeking to expand gas-fired power generation. This will ensure that Canacol can continue locking in sales prices for its natural gas that are significantly higher than the market rate.

Growing natural gas market

This, along with the expansion of Colombias pipeline infrastructure, will allow Canacol to access additional domestic markets, including the countrys second-largest city Medellin.

Once the pipeline is operational, Canacol expects natural gas sales to grow by 131% to over 330 million cubic feet of natural gas daily between now and the end of 2023. Canacols copious natural gas reserves and expanding production will support planned higher sales.

Such strong sales growth will give Canacols earnings a considerable boost.

Foolish takeaway

Canacol will soar regardless of the gloomy outlook for natural gas stocks in North America. Growing sales, higher than market prices, and increased production will boost Canacols earnings, giving its share price a significant lift. While waiting for that to occur, you will be rewarded for you patience by Canacols sustainable dividend yielding 5%.

The post A Canadian Natural Gas Stock to Buy Today to Profit in 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

More reading

Fool contributor Matt Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020
Europe should have a candidate to become the next head of the World Trade Organization, EU trade chief Phil Hogan said on Thursday, describing the prospect of a future European head as "wonderful".

Brazilian Director-General Roberto Azevedo will quit at the end of August, a year earlier than expected.

"Of course we will look forward to having a European candidate," EU trade commissioner Hogan told the trade committee of the European Parliament.

"It would be wonderful to have a European candidate elected to the director general of the WTO at a time when we need an organisation to be reformed, to be made more effective and efficient, to adapt the rules to the new realities of the 21st century," he continued.

One name often cited by analysts is Spanish foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya, who was chief of staff for former WTO chief Pascal Lamy.

She told Reuters on Thursday she had a "full plate" with her current job and was "100% devoted" to serving her country in difficult circumstances due to the coronavirus crisis.

"It is a process that has barely started, a discussion that the EU has to have," she said.

Nominations can be made from June 8 to July 8.

With three of the previous six directors-general from Europe and the others from Thailand, Brazil and New Zealand, there is pressure to choose a leader from Africa.

Finding a successor is unlikely to be easy at a time of global tensions exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including strained U.S-China relations and rising protectionism.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Phillip Bent

Winston-Salem

Hazards in gyms

In response to the letter about reopening gyms and churches (A gross mistake, May 27):

It isnt the machines in a gym that will infect everyone  it is the other people in the gym, huffing and puffing and blowing and coughing out the virus they dont know they are carrying that can poison everyone in the building.

There is no ventilation system that can filter out the virus. There was a choir practice with 60 members attending; with one carrier, singing out the virus with every breath. More than 40 people were infected in that one choir practice.

I, too, would like to get back to my gym, with enhanced cleaning practices in place. But I cannot trust the other people there not to infect me. This is a time to think of not infecting others as much as we want to stay safe ourselves, which is why I wear a mask everywhere I go.

Anything else is selfish and self-serving.

Deborah Price

Lewisville

Missing the flock
Teagasc participate in new 80 million programme to improve agricultural soil management in Europe

Teagasc is a major partner in a new 80 million programme to improve the management of agricultural soils across Europe, called the European Joint Programme on Agricultural Soil Management, or EJP SOIL in short. The European Commission and research organisations in 24 European countries have come together to fund the new 5 year initiative, with support from relevant ministries including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) in Ireland.

Teagasc participants attending the initial EJP launch at INRAE, France and Wageningen Univeristy & Research in the Netherlands. Pictured from (L to R) were Lilian OSullivan, Teagasc Researcher; Raymond Kelly, Head of Research Support, Teagasc; Claire Chenu, EJP co-ordinator INRAE, France; Professor Frank OMara, Teagasc Director of Research and David Wall, Researcher, Teagasc.

Teagasc participate in new 80 million programme to improve agricultural soil management in Europe

The overall objective is to provide sustainable agricultural soil management solutions that contribute to key societal challenges including climate change and future food supply. EJP SOIL will develop knowledge, tools and an integrated research community to foster climate-smart sustainable agricultural soil management, and enhance the contribution of agricultural soils to key societal challenges, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, sustainable agricultural production, ecosystem services provision and restoration and prevention of land and soil degradation.

The implementation of climate smart sustainable soil management differs from region to region, between agricultural practices and obviously between different soil types. As one of its first activities, EJP SOIL will involve European and national stakeholders in identifying knowledge gaps and differences in existing regional and national activities. Stocktaking will establish the baseline of available knowledge and tools in partner countries and help to identify research priorities. This will enable the construction of a roadmap that will function as a strategic research agenda that allows for strategic decision making in science, policy and implementation issues across Europe.

EJP SOIL will seek to raise general public awareness and improve understanding of agricultural soil management. Farmers, landowners, land managers and industry will get access to context-specific guidelines for sustainable soil management practices, technology and tools for carbon level accounting. As part of the roadmap development, stocktaking will look at current models for accounting for soil quality and soil carbon in partner countries. Among other outcomes, this will lead to possibilities for the implementation of agricultural soil management options accounting for the potential effect on soil organic carbon stocks and GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

Welcoming the initiative, Teagasc Director of Research, Professor Frank OMara said that Soils are right at the intersection of food production and climate change. Carbon sequestration has been highlighted in the Green Deal as an opportunity for farmers, but we need solid information on the rates of sequestration in our soils and how we can manage soils to increase that sequestration. We have an active research programme in Teagasc on soil quality and management. For example, recent research by Teagasc researcher Lilian OSullivan modelled the carbon stocks in our mineral soils, and the estimate is that they contain 1,800 M tonnes of CO2 equivalent to 1 metre, or over 30 years worth of total GHG emissions from Ireland at current rates. This is a huge store of carbon which must in the first instance be protected, and we look forward with European colleagues to researching how we can increase soil carbon sequestration and thus contribute to climate change mitigation by bringing our farms towards carbon neutrality.

Like the other 25 research institutes who are partners in EJP SOIL, Teagasc will participate in the transnational research projects, training of PhDs, educational training, dissemination and communication which will be funded by the programme. But Teagasc is also a significant partner in the management of EJP Soil, and is responsible for packaging the information for policy makers across the EU. Dr. David Wall, a soil scientist from Teagasc Environment Research centre, Johnstown Castle, is the overall lead for this activity in EJP SOIL and commented that it is critical that the new knowledge that will be generated is effectively communicated to all interested parties, including policy makers, so that the right choices can be made regarding the role of soils in food production and climate change. We have very effective linkages between scientists and policy makers here in Ireland and we will bring that expertise to this pan European project.

EJP SOIL is jointly coordinated by INRAE from France and Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands. The programme has a term of 5 years. Total funding amounts to 80 million, of which 40 million will be from the European Union and 40 million from the Programme partners, including Teagasc.

For more information about EJP SOIL, please visit www.ejpsoil.org and please subscribe to the programme newsletter. The EJP SOIL programme has received funding from the European Unions Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 652615.
David Corenswet as Jack Castello in Netflix's "Hollywood," in which his character, an aspiring actor, takes a job at an unconventional gas station. Read more

David Corenswets first review in his hometown paper was a single line.

Corenswet, The Inquirer reported in April 2004, is fine as the oddly named Great in The Forgiving Harvest, a family drama at Peoples Light & Theatre Company in which the then-12-year-old played a boy whose stepfather wanted to buy part of a familys farm.

To be described as fine, thats pretty [good]," said Corenswet, now 26, with a laugh in a recent phone interview  one punctuated by the occasional yowls of his 17-year-old cat, Fred.

Corenswet, who grew up in Center City near 22nd and Pine, is starring in Ryan Murphys new 1940s-set Netflix miniseries Hollywood, alongside the likes of Patti LuPone, Holland Taylor, Jim Parsons, and Dylan McDermott. He also plays a pivotal (and mostly posthumous) role in another Murphy-produced Netflix series,The Politician.

The Shipley School grad  who went on to Juilliard  is introduced in the first of Hollywood's seven episodes as Jack Castello, a Missouri farm boy fresh from World War II whos moved to Los Angeles, sure that he was born to be a star. Hes not wrong, but he eventually learns theres more to acting than good looks.

Corenswet, brought up in a home where Broadway albums were played regularly, and where Fred, whos a female cat, until last year had a sister named Ginger, seems to have figured that out early.

Hes been acting since the age of 9, when he made his debut in the Arden Theatres production of Arthur Millers All My Sons, directed by Arden cofounder Terry Nolen. He also appeared in the Ardens 2008 production of Our Town.

Nolen, Corenswet said, gave me my first big acting lesson, while rehearsing an entrance in All My Sons in which his character was supposed to have just run several blocks. I pretended to be out of breath, he said.

Terry stopped me and said, David, were not going to pretend to be out of breath because thats  pretending. If you think that youd be out of breath, you should do some push-ups. Do some jumping jacks and then youll really be out of breath. And then you can go from there.

Corenswets father, John, who died last June, was a lawyer who, before going to law school, spent several years in New York as an actor. He was a big fan of Nolens, and not just for giving Corenswet his start in regional theater.

My dad always said that Terry really treated me like an adult and talked to me like I was just one of the cast, Corenswet said.

Summer in the chorus

If any of this suggests that Corenswet missed his childhood, or was always sure hed end up in Hollywood, neither seems to be the case.

When he recounts his experience at Upper Darby Summer Stage  whose veterans include Nolen and his wife and Arden cofounder Amy Murphy as well as Tina Fey, Monica Horan (Everybody Loves Raymond), and TV writer Tom Donaghy (Star)  Corenswet makes it sound like a happy accident.

 READ MORE: This actress from Delco is the link between "Everybody Loves Raymond" and the Arden

The first year he and his best friend, Ian Monaco, were too old for our day camp," hed thought they could just spend the summer hanging out together. But then he told me he was going to do this musical camp, and so I signed up rather last minute, I think, just because I was hoping that wed still be able to spend the summer together, he said.

He ended up in a junior production of The Music Man, discovering the joys of being part of the chorus. You really get that feeling of being a part of something bigger than yourself where you get to play around, you get to have a ton of fun,  and you can sing as loud as you want because youre just one of you know, 15 chorus members, he said.

I actually didnt end up spending any time with my best friend, Ian, because he actually got a speaking part in the show.  But the program and the other kids were so much fun that I was sold and I knew I was going to go back.

Even the decision to apply to Juilliards famously selective drama program wasnt automatic. After graduating from Shipley in 2011, Corenswet spent a year at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dont put that on his father or on his mother, Caroline Packard, a lawyer who specializes in conflict resolution. They had a wonderful outlook of kind of  whatever experiment I wanted to run, they were going to support me in running it, knowing that nobody really knows what to do in this world, he said. His sister, Amy, graduated from Penns law school this month.

His father had told him that he believed a Juilliard education would guarantee him an acting career, if not necessarily a great living.

Penn was my choice, basically, because even though I knew I loved acting, and wanted to keep doing it, I just had no idea what the life of an actor looks like day to day, he said. The school was close to home, and he already knew people there. Having applied early decision, he couldnt apply anywhere else, but I already had decided that every year that I was at Penn, I would apply to Juilliard.

Hes still friends with people he met at Penn, and I loved studying there and I loved a bunch of my professors. But when I got to Juilliard, it really felt like these were my people, he said.

Working for Ryan Murphy

Corenswet has found more of his people on the sets of Murphys shows, where both performers and crews tend to return, series after series. Hell be seen again in the second season of The Politician, which premieres on Netflix on June 19.

The really cool thing about Ryans crews is they can pull off the absolute miracles of scheduling and execution because most have worked together before, he said.

Starting work on Hollywood, where Murphy directed the pilot, as he had for The Politician, he had already accepted me as the guy who would show up on set with a lot of questions and maybe a couple suggestions or at least thoughts, Corenswet said. And at the same time, he knew that he could tell me to just shut up and do what he said, and I would very happily oblige.

Corenswet shot his final scenes for the new season of The Politician in New York just before things started to shut down, he said. Im incredibly lucky that it hasnt been particularly disruptive for me, personally, because as an actor, hes used to being unemployed for long stretches.

Like many other people Im realizing that all the lofty aspirations I had for the great use I would make of two weeks or a month with nothing to do  didnt pan out as expected, he said, though hes managed to do some writing and editing, and to work on a couple of music videos for a friend.

Hes also participated in a couple of play readings on Zoom with other members of the Juilliard community, including one for a program called Mon Ami, which in non-pandemic times connects college students with senior citizens.

Corenswet is also considering doing a quarantine episode of Moe and Jerryweather, a web comedy series he created in 2014 with Juilliard classmate Adam Langdon and whose second season was directed by another friend from Juilliard, Max Woertendyke. It has been, he said, on a temporary and lengthy hiatus."
The Bullitt Hotel in Belfast being boarded up during lockdown

The Northern Ireland Executive has been accused of creating "confusion" after announcing hotels could be allowed to take bookings, with no reopening date set in stone.

Allowing hotels to take bookings was one of the lockdown relaxation measures proposed by the Executive at their daily briefing on Thursday.

If the infection rate does not increase then hotels could be allowed to take bookings from June 8.

However the Executive has not indicated when they could potentially reopen.

First Minister Arlene Foster said more information on the matter would be available next week following the publishing of further guidance from the Department of Economy.

The Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) said the sector had been left "disappointed" by the announcement.

However Mrs Foster defended the decision and denied it was contradictory.

"I think we've been listening very carefully to not just what hoteliers have been saying to us, but right across the tourism sector," the DUP leader said.

"They are saying to us that they want to take bookings at risk and we're saying to them they are of course free to take bookings at risk.

"The economy minister is also bringing forward next week, she's going to look right across the tourism and particularly the accommodation sector, to see what more guidance we can give them in relation to that."

Read More

Mrs Foster said it would allow hotels to plan for the future.

"If someone rings up and wants to book a hotel in advance for sometime in late summer that is a matter for them, they can take that booking, then if we can come forward and say, before that time, that hotels can open then that booking can be realised," the First Minister said.

"We absolutely recognise the devastating impact this has had, particularly on the tourism industry."

Expand Close NIHF chief executive Janice Gault / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp NIHF chief executive Janice Gault

However NIHF CEO Janice Gault said the announcement "only adds to the confusion around when hotels can actually open".

"As an industry, we are keen to open in a safe and secure manner giving staff and customers reassurance. Taking a hotel booking on an on spec basis without any agreed pathway is a far from ideal situation," she said.

"It makes it very difficult to plan, budget and set guidelines for the sector. We understand further information will be imparted on the 8th June after the Executive has reviewed specific information on the entire accommodation sector.

"Hotels are frustrated with many now aligning themselves with dates already agreed for opening in the south of Ireland and others using an early July date as indicated by the Prime Minister."

Mrs Gault said hotels respected that all dates are subject to change if there is any move in the R rate or any change to the control of the pandemic.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that the decision "represents forward momentum".

"It's signposting to the fact hotels should be getting ready to take bookings," the Sinn Fein vice-President said.

"It's not just hotels, it's also B&Bs, self-catering, caravans, all those things.

"I think today is forward momentum and we'll come back to you next week whenever we have this paper around the whole tourism sector."
Australian Jock Palfreeman is a step closer to freedom after Bulgaria's highest court dismissed an appeal against his release.

After a months-long delay, The Supreme Court of Cassation dismissed the unprecedented appeal against Palfreeman's parole as invalid and unlawful on Thursday.

'The request for reopening of the case is procedurally inadmissible and should be left without consideration and the proceedings should be terminated,' the judges' ruling said.

The court said its decision cannot be appealed.

An appeal against Australian Jock Palfreeman's release from prison has been shot down by Bulgaria's highest court after he spent 11 years in jail for a streetfight murder. Pictured in October 2019 when he was released

Palfreeman, a 33-year-old former Sydney private schoolboy, was sentenced for 20 years jail after he stabbed two Bulgarians men in 2007, and killed one of them, during a street fight.

He was granted parole in September after serving almost 12 years of his term, on the condition of a good behaviour bond.

However Palfreeman says he has not made any plans to leave the country as the Bulgarian government is still controlling his movements.

'I don't have any plans now because I am not in control of my life,' Palfreeman told AAP.

'I am out of prison but very much still at the whim of the government.

'The government has refused to allow me to leave despite it not being legal, and so there is no movement on allowing me to leave or not, and this decision doesn't change that because my being kept in Bulgaria isn't based on law.'

Bulgaria Helsinki Committee president Dr Krassimir Kanev, who wrote a letter in support of Palfreeman's early release, said the court's decision was a 'major step' towards his freedom.

'Jock's return back to Australia is a matter of time now,' Dr Kanev told AAP on Thursday.

'These past nine months have been a huge stress for Jock and his family.

'They must feel relieved now, as I do.'

Palfreeman was sentenced for 20 years jail after he stabbed two Bulgarians men, killing one of them, during a street fight. Pictured during his release in 2019

Palfreeman moved to Europe when he was aged 19 and was serving in the British army when the fight broke out in the country's capital of Sofia.

He has always maintained he acted in self defence and claimed he was protecting minority Roma people who had been set upon by the two Bulgarians.

Palfreeman called for Bulgaria's former chief prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov to resign as head of the country's corruption watchdog after Thursday's decision.

Tsatsarov lodged the appeal against Palfreeman's parole.

'It is clear that he is compromised and did not fulfill his duties as required by the law,' Palfreeman told AAP.

'He abused his office and abused the grief of the family of the deceased to deceive the entire country, and that means he is compromised and can no longer credibly head Bulgaria's anti-corruption body.'

Palfreeman said he is unable to return to Australia due to the Bulgarian government controlling his movements. Pictured during his 2019 release

Meanwhile, the former student of St Ignatius' College Riverview is waiting for a ruling on his lawsuit against Bulgarian prison authorities for keeping him in 'inhumane' conditions.

Palfreeman founded the country's first advocacy union, the Bulgarian Prisoners' Association in 2012, and hopes his high profile case will have a knock-on effect.

'The more people sue over bad conditions, the more we hope to improve them,' he said.
Venezuelan refugees and migrants collect blankets from UNHCR staff in Cusco, Peru, where night time winter temperatures fall to below zero.  UNHCR/Andrea Diaz

As Latin America emerges as the new epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, warns of worsening conditions for displaced Venezuelans in the southern region of the continent as winter approaches.

In addition to health risks, COVID-related lockdowns and confinement measures have already resulted in severe hardship for Venezuelan refugee and migrants. Many have now lost their livelihoods and are faced with poverty, destitution, eviction, widespread hunger and food insecurity as well as increased protection risks.

As national capacities are stretched to breaking point, access to public health services and timely medical care is also a challenge, especially for those in an irregular situation.

UNHCR is worried that their plight could now worsen with the onset of winter as temperatures drop in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, which together host more than 1.5 million Venezuelans.

With the approaching cold weather, UNHCR is bracing for a deepening of the crisis. The winter season will considerably increase the need for humanitarian and medical assistance, including to respond to other types of respiratory diseases, such as influenza.

UNHCR expects an increase in the numbers of those that will now require emergency shelter and winter items such as blankets, warm clothing, medicine and fuel to heat their homes.

Shelter, food, hygiene kits and cash assistance are already critically needed for many vulnerable Venezuelan refugees and migrants living in precarious conditions, who are at risk of becoming homeless or living on the streets.

UNHCR is stepping up its response to face this double challenge. Together with partners, UNHCR is continuing to provide emergency shelters, rental subsidies, and other material assistance. UNHCR is also strengthening humanitarian partnerships to be able to provide essential healthcare for refugees in vulnerable conditions.

In the continents southern region, UNHCR is also delivering assistance through cash-based interventions to help refugees and migrants prioritise their most urgent needs during winter.

In Chile, almost 790 Venezuelan families have already received virtual multipurpose vouchers that enable them to buy products in local stores and supermarkets, including clothes, fuel or hot meals.

In Peru, where torrential rains and snow are expected during winter, UNHCR has prioritized support in refugee host regions, such as Cusco, which stands at 3,400 metres above sea level and where temperatures can drop to well below zero degrees Celsius.

So far, more than 2,000 basic-needs kits and 4,700 blankets have been distributed to vulnerable Venezuelans and their host communities, while cash transfers continue for those most at risk.

Winter assistance is also planned for vulnerable displaced Venezuelans in Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia as cold weather hits the region in the coming weeks.

UNHCR welcomes the recent commitments made on Tuesday at a virtual International Donors Conference for Venezuelan refugees and migrants. Donors at the conference committed US$2.79 billion to support refugees, migrants and host communities in countries across the region where Venezuelans have found safety, healthcare and jobs.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29)  In his televised briefing on Thursday night, President Rodrigo Duterte asked the Department of Education to implement a staggered type of tuition payment in schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The President added state-owned Landbank of the Philippines can provide financial assistance to parents who would encounter difficulty in paying their childrens tuition.

"Itong Landbank bubuksan namin (We will open Landbank) and you can borrow money to finance the education of your children," Duterte said.

Landbank recently launched its Access to Academic Development to Empower the Masses towards Endless Opportunities (ACADEME) lending program, which is a study now, pay later scheme to help private school students continue their education.

The banks lending program offers zero interest to students loans.

In his speech, Duterte also emphasized the need to prioritize the education sector despite the financial challenges faced by the national government in its COVID-19 response.

We are hard pressed in our finances but we have to place the premium on education. The future of this country depends on how we educate our young people nowadays, the President stressed.

Duterte also praised the Education Departments alternative learning methods that will reach the students amid the pandemic.

DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones highlighted they will utilize online resources, printed modules, and radio and television programs as the new learning platforms for students in lieu of face-to-face classes.

Im impressed with the simplicity of the program and I believe that all that you have said is really feasible: radio, television and all of these things. I believe we have a very workable program and I support you, said Duterte.

DepEd earlier announced the opening date of classes this year will be on August 24 and the enrollment will start on June 1.

The Education Department is also not allowing face-to-face classes, in compliance with the minimum health standards of physical distancing amid the pandemic.

In his previous public address last Tuesday, Duterte supported the idea of not opening the classes for the upcoming school year unless a vaccine for COVID-19 has been discovered.
With the fourth phase of the lockdown set to end on May 31, gyms, fitness centres and salon owners associations have written to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal urging him to allow the reopening of these ventures from June 1, but with strict safety precautions in place.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

The associations as well as app-based beauty and wellness service providers have shared a long list of measures that they are ready to take in line with social distancing norms once they are allowed to open shop. This includes downloading of the Aarogya Setu app by both clients and staff, PPE kits for all staff members, turning away walk-in customers, using disposable and sterilised equipment, and sanitisation of the gym exercising area every 45 minutes, among others.

There are an estimated 5,500 gyms and over 5,000 salons registered across the city, as per these associations.

We have written to the CM as well as to Delhi labour minister Gopal Rai to consider reopening gyms, fitness studios and salons from next month. We have been suffering losses. We have a complete strategy in place to open shop while maintaining social distancing and ensuring safety of customers, said Chirag Sethi, vice-president, Delhi Gym Association.

Some of these measures, he said, including deploying staff in PPE kits at the entry of shops for thermal screening of clients, maintaining a minimum of six feet between machines and disinfecting equipment every 45 minutes. We will request people to get new memberships and book slots online, Sethi said.

Currently, gyms and salons are closed in Delhi, as per the Delhi-specific guidelines for the fourth phase of the lockdown. In several cities, including neighbouring Gurugram, salons and barbershops have opened since May 3, during the third phase of the lockdown.

A senior Delhi government official said, A decision on the matter will be taken by the government after the Centre issues the new set of guidelines for the period from June 1.

Meenakshi Dutt, vice president, Delhi Salons Association, said they have written a number of letters to the CM and the deputy CM to allow the opening of salons given that the retail and wholesale markets have been allowed to open with restrictions.

Salons and parlours in Delhi employ around 3 lakh people, most of whom come from modest backgrounds. They have been jobless for almost two months and are surviving on 50% salaries. For how long can all of us survive without work with rents and bills to pay? We are ready with a standard operating procedure (SOP) to reopen the shops keeping everyones safety in mind, Dutt said.

She said all salons have been asked to impart at least a weeks training to staff before reopening. Also, we will ensure clients and staff download the Aarogya Setu app and keep their bluetooth on, only after which they will be allowed entry. Walk-in customers will not be allowed and prior appointments will be mandatory. Disposable kits will be used for each customer and the equipment will be sanitised after use, she said.

Brijesh Goyal, convenor, Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) trade and industry wing, said he had also received requests from these sectors and will be sending a recommendation to the government in this regard. Most of these establishments run out of rented properties with high rents and maintenance bills to pay. Besides, they employ a large number of both skilled and unskilled workers, Goyal said.

App-based service providers such as Urban Company (formerly Urban Clap) too have appealed to the government to allow restarting of services.

We have appealed to the Delhi government on multiple occasions to allow us to resume at-home beauty and wellness services. We believe, in the near term, customers will be keener to have services delivered to them at home rather than stepping out. We have in place a comprehensive set of protocols for providing these services. We will not be catering to containment zones, said Mukund Kulashekaran, SVP Beauty and Wellness Vertical, Urban Company.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Dublin-listed venture capital firm Draper Esprit has a made a provision for a 99m (111m) adjustment across its portfolio due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the value of businesses.

This modification is on the pre-coronavirus estimates from the company and is equivalent to a 21pc adjustment across 53pc of its portfolio, according to an update from the group.

Before the onset of Covid-19 the company had targeted 20pc portfolio growth. Around one third of the adjustments related to the company's 18 core portfolio assets, which it said reflected "the strong performance and positions of these businesses even when viewed through a more stringent valuation lens."

The long-term potential of the portfolio "remains positive," it said, adding that it expects the value of the portfolio to grow post Covid-19 "particularly in light of the accelerated transition to digital".

"Over the medium term, we believe the recovery from the pandemic will sharply accelerate the trends which Draper Esprit's portfolio businesses focus on," said Martin Davis, CEO of Draper Esprit.

"Draper Esprit's position as one of Europe's most active VCs, and our long and deep understanding of the needs of this community, put us in an excellent position to play a leading role in helping innovative businesses of all sizes emerge stronger from this crisis."

The executive directors in Draper Esprit have deferred 20pc of their salaries for three months and will use these deferred balances when paid to buy shares in the company.

Draper Esprit said none of its staff have been furloughed or made redundant and it has not applied for any of the Government funding schemes.

Ahead of its results for year ended 31 March 2020, the company's gross portfolio value is expected to be at least 695m, up from 594 the prior year.

The net asset value per share is predicted to be 550p or more, up from 524pc at 31 March 2019.

Draper Esprit's has invested 48m (53.5m) since September 2019, bringing the total for the year to 90m.

The former CEO of Draper Esprit, Simon Cook, will step down from the board in July. However, Mr Cook will remain with the company, with his focus on "generating new deals for the group". His new title will be 'founding partner.'
China rejects US call for UN Security Council meeting over Hong Kong

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 28 May 2020 5:48 AM

China has rejected attempts by the United States to have the United Nations Security Council hold a meeting over Beijing's proposed national security law for Hong Kong, emphasizing that the issue is an internal matter.

During a Security Council meeting on Wednesday, the United States and China traded barbs over the imposition of the law on the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

China "categorically rejects the baseless request" because the national security legislation for Hong Kong was an internal matter and "has nothing to do with the mandate of the Security Council," China's Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun said later on Twitter.

The US's bid to put the Hong Kong issue on the Security Council's agenda came after China introduced a national security law on Hong Kong as part of measures aimed at restoring calm to the city after seven months of violent anti-government protests last year.

The US Mission to the UN claimed in a statement that the introduction of the law was "a matter of urgent global concern that implicates international peace and security," arguing in favor of a Security Council meeting.

In response, China's ambassador to the UN accused the United States of being "the trouble maker of the world," urging Washington to stop its "bullying" actions across the world.

"Facts prove again and again that the US is the trouble maker of the world. It is the US who has violated its commitments under the international law. China urges the US to immediately stop its power politics and bullying practices," Ambassador Zhang said.

Hong Kong was rocked by turbulent protests starting in June last year against a proposed extradition bill. The proposal was later withdrawn but the protests continued and became more violent, endangering the lives and properties of citizens.

The protesters have been demanding Hong Kong's secession since then. They have received encouragement from the United States.

The Chinese government says the United States and Britain have been fanning the flames of the unrest in Hong Kong by supporting the protesters.

Hong Kong has been governed under the "one-country, two-system" model since the city  a former British colony  was returned to China in 1997.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Gov. Charlie Baker is expected to announce a recovery plan for restaurants Friday, as part of the four-phase reopening in Massachusetts in the wake of the coronavirus.

Under the plan, restaurants would be allowed to resume outdoor dining services as Phase 2 begins, a source told MassLive. Restaurants would get the green light to resume indoor dining services in the latter half of the second phase. Baker also plans to unveil details on lodging soon.

CBS Boston also reported the restaurant reopening plan details, citing a source.

The governors office did not comment on the reopening plan. Baker is expected to deliver updates on the states COVID-19 response 2 p.m. Friday at the Massachusetts State House.

The states four-phase reopening began May 18 with places of worship, construction sites and manufacturers getting approval to resume services with restrictions in place.

A week later, retailers were allowed to operate through curbside pickup, hair salons and barbershops were allowed to operate by appointment and beaches were reopened.

Baker said to expect restaurants to resume operations in some capacity in Phase 2.

Rhode Island and New Hampshire allowed restaurants to serve customers outside, banning indoor dining, as part of their reopening plans.
In the midst of rising tensions with China and the World Health Organization, President Donald Trump on Friday announced that the U.S. was revoking its support for the agency, the latest escalation in a battle that has seen the president accuse the WHO of being beholden to Beijing, and failing in its obligations to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

The WHO has come under heavy fire from the U.S. for being slow to declare COVID-19 a global crisis, and being perceived as too deferential to China, where the outbreak originated.

Chinese officials ignored their reporting obligations to the World Health Organization, and pressured the World Health Organization to mislead the world when the virus was first discovered by Chinese officials, Trump told a news conference, where he also announced measures designed to punish Beijing over its provocations against Hong Kong.

China has total control over the WHO, despite only paying $40 million per year, compared to what the U.S. has been paying, which is approximately $450 million a year, Trump said.

Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs, the president added.

The world needs answers from China on the virus. We must have transparency, he said.

But the bold move by Trump upset a number of top health experts in the country.

Dr. Atul Gawande, who heads Haven, the health venture between Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and J.P. Morgan, tweeted the move was a disaster.

Pulling out of WHO is a disaster for the lives and health of all people, including Americans. I cant imaging a worse thing to do in the midst of a pandemic and ongoing work to fight back TB, HIV, polio and other health threats. America First does not work for global disease, Gawande said.

Similarly, Dr. Tom Tsai, faculty and collaborator with the Harvard Global Health Institute, noted that details about the termination of the relationship were still unknown.

Story continues

President Trump has a history of making announcements without any clear policy guidance of what he means, Tsai said.

But what is clear, he said, is that the U.S. is abandoning a global effort to combat the pandemic at a time where its more crucially needed. The rest of world is still marching on, in terms of collaboration and cooperation. That mean the U.S. may be left behind to face this on its own and weve clearly seen the failure of that approach.

Separately, New York City was poised to mark a major turning point in the global crisis, with the city targeting June 8 to join other regions in relaxing the restrictions that have throttled the worlds largest economy.

Up until very recently, the Big Apple was considered one of the worlds largest epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected nearly 6 million worldwide and killed over 362,000. In the U.S., more than 1.7 million cases have been reported with more than 101,000 dead, but the Empire States daily death count hit a new low of 67 on Thursday.

Yet with hospitalizations and new infections on a down-curve, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the city would begin unwinding stay-at-home orders  among the nations strictest  with NYC-based businesses eyeing early June for a return to work. Meanwhile, CNBC reported that Wall Street banking giant Morgan Stanley will allow traders to come back to the office next month.

The developments come as the Centers for Disease Control unveiled wide-ranging office guidelines to prevent new infections, but are seen as having a dramatic impact on workplace culture. Both the CDC and the Empire States governor urged citizens to continue wearing masks, and abiding by social distancing measures to prevent further spreading.

Those simple devices...make all the difference, Cuomo told reporters on Friday. Getting 19 million people to do it, thats whats hard.

The U.S. coronavirus death count has surpassed 100,000. (Graphic: David Foster/Yahoo Finance)

More debate over COVID drug treatment

As more pharmaceutical companies rise to the challenge of finding effective COVID-19 treatments and a potential vaccine, new controversy was stirred over hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial generic thats been used in coronavirus trial treatments.

Reuters reported on Friday that Sanofi (SNY) has temporarily stopped recruiting new COVID-19 patients for two clinical trials on hydroxychloroquine, and will no longer supply the drug until concerns about safety are cleared up.

The drug has been the center of a media firestorm, especially after President Donald Trump announced he was using it as a preventative measure. Last week, an article in The Lancet article, a medical journal, prompted the World Health Organization to halt its trials on hydroxychloroquine.

However, that same article  which said the drug was ineffective and deadly  has been questioned by experts, with more than 100 doctors from around the world signing a letter that pushed back on its conclusions.

The subsequent media headlines have caused considerable concern to participants and patients enrolled in randomized controlled trials...This impact has led many researchers around the world to scrutinize in detail the publication in question. This scrutiny has raised both methodological and data integrity concerns, the letter said.

It isnt the first time experts have doubted The Lancets conclusions. It also published the results of clinical trials of Gilead Sciences antiviral treatment in China, which were halted due to a lack of sufficient participants. The article stated the treatment, remdesivir, was ineffective.

However, data from the National Institute of Health showed the treatment had a positive effect. But even those results had critics, saying the improvement seen in treated patients was insignificant and detailed data was missing.
I'm a graduate from the Missouri School of Journalism and former reporter with the Missourian. Currently, I'm a working for a law firm in Dallas, Tx before beginning law school later this year. Reach me at @ByHunterGilbert on Twitter

Follow this search Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
The real estate industry in the greater Houston area has noticed a change in trends from the beginning of the year after the novel coronavirus negatively affected jobs and the economy across the nation.

In April, data from the Houston Association of Realtors shows that total property sales dropped 21.6% with 7,192 units sold in Houston year-over-year. Lease properties also had a negative performance  single-family home rentals decreased 4.1% with the average rent down by 1.7% at $1,765 and townhomes or condominiums decreased by 9.5% with the average rent lowered by 1.2% at $1,565, according to data from HAR.

REAL ESTATE: Tilman Fertitta warns of real estate bust on CNBC's 'Power Lunch'

According to HAR, this years sales were outpacing those of 2019 before April.

I think what I can tell you is that Houstons real estate market was strong at the new year, but however it was abruptly interrupted in April as the whole impact of the coronavirus outbreak was felt across the area, said Daniela Sumbera, a real estate specialist with the Sumbera Team at Keller Williams Realty Northeast and HAR Board of Directors member representing the northeast.

Making online adjustments

As the coronavirus has changed the operation patterns for many businesses, real estate agents are also working to adjust.

The industry switched to virtual open houses and property showings, among other online tools previously established, to give new options for buyers and sellers to maintain physical distance in the home buying process.

For in-person showings, Sumbera said they screen the buyers ahead of time to see if they are displaying any symptoms. If anyone feels under the weather they will tour through the virtual option until they are well. They also ask for buyers to be preapproved, wear face masks, take off their shoes at the doorway and not touch surfaces when they are well enough to tour in-person.

I think there was some fear in buyers and sellers, Sumbera said. Sellers, you know, had some fears of putting their houses on the market and having complete strangers walk through them and touch surfaces or possibly cough. Also I think there was a fear, however, I think some of those issues were how we addressed them.

Deborah Rose Miller, the agent broker for Rose Realty, said the Lake Houston area has had a difficult time in the past three years. Between Hurricane Harvey, the May floods in 2019 and Tropical Storm Imelda, the coronavirus is just another hit to the system.

Tracking the Lake Houston area

When analyzing the current market, Miller said by comparing last year to this year the Lake Houston area market is not looking as bad right now, as it was in recovery last year. The demand for rentals in the area increased after Harvey, and she said she is unsure if there has been an opportunity to adjust since then. As some renters are not sure about what may happen with their job, they are choosing to rent again right now. Those who can buy right now have fewer options but there is still enough inventory for buyers to find something to fit their needs.

CORONAVIRUS: Texas Childrens, Childrens Memorial Herman treating several for mysterious coronavirus syndrome

She said they have only sold a difference of less than 10 houses in the last 90-day period, which she attributes to what the community has lived through in the last few years.

The one big thing that I think that [makes] our markets different than were seeing in Montgomery County and certainly in Tomball probably, is the last three years in the Lake Houston Area weve been under crisis management, Miller said. It started with Harvey two years ago. Last year we had Imelda, hit but we also had a Memorial Day flood that impacted Kingwood and that really stunts our growth.

Miller said she has been working predominately remotely as a realtor, functioning from her car and cell phone, so she did not have much of a transition due to the coronavirus.

While having more virtual viewing options is nice, she said most people will want to still see homes in person before purchasing them. As realtors have had to adapt to virtual showings, bringing masks and gloves for in-person activities, and making other arrangements, Miller said its just part of the job.

The changes obviously in the industry, we had to be sensitive to peoples safety needs. So you need to be prepared with masks and gloves, not only for your clients showing but also out of consideration for those people whose homes you were showing if they were still living in them, Miller said. But I mean, being sensitive to peoples differences and needs is a part of being a realtor so I didnt see a big difference, it was just a part of it. You just have to add that on.

An unpredictable future

The future of the real estate industry is, like so many others, unknown.

I dont think anybodys crystal ball is working well enough to know, Miller said.

Miller, who started her own financial group in 1987 and worked in financial planning and banking for 40 years, said retail and restaurants are a determination of when an economy is getting back on track. As restaurants are able to reopen to 50% capacity, they are not filling that space completely which could indicate people are more cautious to getting back out which could have a trickle-down effect to real estate. She said she is seeing a majority of buyers who are seriously looking for a home but is not seeing as many sellers come onto the market right now.

She has been on three economic conference calls since the coronavirus started and said that they started off the year incredibly strong but it will take a 90-day time period on new inventory to see the effects the coronavirus may have had. She believes that if people can get back to normal, that is where they will see the biggest impact.

Will we be back to last years numbers? I dont know, Miller said. Early on everybody was predicting we would be, I think its still anybodys guess to see how quickly we come out of this and were able to get back to business, whatever this new normal is going to be.

savannah.mehrtens@chron.com
JACKSON, MI  Like in its neighboring counties, Jackson County has seen its fair share of COVID-19 news this week.

But, aside from reporting the number of positive COVID-19 cases confirmed this week, there were other stories coming from the Jackson County community.

From a naked woman breaking into a county lot to steal a truck and crashing it minutes later, to the city considering banning smoking in public parks, a lot has been going on in the Jackson area.

Here are some headlines you might have missed this week.

Naked woman breaks into JCDOT lot, steals truck, hits deer

Perfect storm of circumstances led to naked woman stealing JCDOT truck, officials say

A Jackson County Department of Transportation truck was heavily damaged a week ago when a naked woman broke into a Napoleon Township lot, stole the truck and hit a deer with it, police said.

Officers received the strange call about the crash near a home at the intersection of Clark Lake and Cranberry Lake roads at around 1 a.m., Wednesday, May 20.

They arrived to find a heavily damaged JCDOT pickup, a dead deer and a woman wearing only an orange safety vest and hat she had retrieved from the truck.

City officials consider outlawing smoking in Jackson public parks

An ordinance banning smoking in Jacksons public parks is being considered by the City Council.

The City of Jackson Clean Air Ordinance was introduced for a first reading by a 5-1 vote during its Tuesday, May 26 virtual meeting. The ordinance, which would ban smoking in public parks, if its approved, will be back before council at its June 16 meeting.

Woman stabbed twice during road rage incident in Walmart parking lot, police say

A Parma woman was stabbed twice Tuesday afternoon during an apparent road rage incident in a Jackson Walmart parking lot, police said.

The 40-year-old victim suffered stab wounds in her left hand and left thigh that needed medical attention, but were not considered life threatening.

Michigan family loses one loved one too early, but celebrates and welcomes another shortly after

Chrysta Gustwiller will always remember how her husband Sean pushed her in ways so few could.

Sean Gustwiller, a 2003 Columbia Central High School graduate, died suddenly from an aneurysm on April 14 at age 34, just six days before Chrysta gave birth to their daughter Carter, named after Seans father who died when he was just 17.

Chrysta and Carter lost their health insurance when Sean died, so some of his high school friends decided to set up a GoFundMe page to help the two during their hard times. The fundraiser has already raised more than its original $25,000 goal.

Woman found shot, killed outside Jackson home

A Jackson woman was shot and killed Thursday morning, and a man suspected of killing her has been arrested, police said.

Shameka Oliver, 30, was found dead outside her home in the 1200 block of Chittock Avenue at about 7 a.m. May 28, by police checking a report of gunfire being heard in the area.

Oliver was pronounced dead at the scene. She suffered a single gunshot wound.

10 police department jobs cut in budget approved by Jackson officials

Ten Jackson Police Department jobs are among 18 positions being cut as part of a new budget approved by the Jackson City Council on Tuesday.

The council unanimously approved a $28.3-million budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year at its May 26 virtual meeting, and then immediately approved an amendment cutting $2.6 million from that budget to help recoup projected revenue losses from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Rolling thank-you parade supports Jackson essential workers amid COVID-19 pandemic

United Way of Jackson County, along with many businesses, showed support and gratitude for essential workers by having a rolling thank-you parade on Thursday, May 28.

The parade traveled to the Middle School at Parkside, Consumers Energy Headquarters, Meijer stores on Michigan Avenue and Airport Road and Consumers Energy office on Parnall Road.

New 5th ward city council member picked in Jackson

Karen Bunnell has been picked from a slate of three candidates to fill the open 5th Ward seat on the Jackson City Council.

Bunnell, Peter Bormuth and Susan Murdie all interviewed before current council members during a Wednesday, May 27 special virtual meeting. The seat was vacated by the early-April resignation of Kelsey Heck.

Construction to begin on Jackson bridges known for stuck trucks

Construction will soon start on a pair of downtown Jackson bridges that have mangled stuck trucks for decades.

Installation of an underground conduit system for electric cables for the Jackson Street and Mechanic Street bridges will start at 7 a.m., Monday, June 1, Michigan Department of Transportation officials said.

Why not open a new restaurant during coronavirus pandemic, Jackson businessman asks

The menu was finalized, the cups were printed and the to-go bags were ready, so why not open a new restaurant in the middle of the global novel coronavirus pandemic?

We couldnt think of a reason why not, Doll n Burgers co-founder John Burtka said. We have a great product and were ready to go.

Around 500 customers ate fresh, locally sourced burgers and fries during a charity event on the Tecumseh restaurants opening day on Saturday, May 23, said Burtka, owner of Jacksons Grand River Brewery with partner Justin Dalenberg.
New Delhi, May 29 : With Britain announcing new dates the already deferred crucial climate UN talks, known as the COP26, until November 2021 owing to coronavirus pandemic, climate experts on Friday said shifting the date is understandable but the postponement must not be an excuse to delay ambitious climate actions.

The Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, to which India is also party, said it is committed to take forward crucial work to tackle climate change under the umbrella of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) despite the COVID-19 crisis.

The COP26 was originally set to take place in Glasgow in November 2020 under the presidency of Britain.

"Pleased to have agreed a new date for COP26 with our Italian partners and the UNFCCC," COP26 President-Designate and British Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma informed in a tweet on Thursday evening.

COP26 will now take place between November 1 and 12, 2021. The new date will also allow the UK and Italy to harness the G7 and G20 presidencies in driving climate ambition, he added.

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa said: "Our efforts to address climate change and COVID-19 are not mutually exclusive." "If done right, the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis can steer us to a more inclusive and sustainable climate path. We honor those whom we have lost by working with renewed commitment and continuing to demonstrate leadership and determination in addressing climate change, and building a safe, clean, just and resilient world," she said in a statement.

Reacting to deferring the summit one year, World Resources Institute President and CEO Andrew Steer told IANS that the shifting the date is understandable, but there can be no let-up in tackling the climate crisis.

"Just as we have witnessed extraordinary determination and courage in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we need a similar commitment to avoid a climate catastrophe," he said.

"As countries turn to jumpstart their economies, they have a once in a generation moment to rebuild societies to be more sustainable, equitable, resilient, and healthy.

"Leading businesses, economists and health experts are clamoring for countries to lead on the climate crisis. Last week, over 150 CEOs -- representing companies with a combined $2.4 trillion in value -- urged world leaders to ensure the recovery is in line with climate science. Leading economists are finding that investing in a green recovery will not only reduce emission but create better economic returns," Steer said.

He said countries like Chile and Rwanda recently revealed climate plans that are far more robust than what they offered five years ago.

"Others, especially the largest economies, should step forward with bold climate commitments of their own. Countries should integrate climate plans with their recovery efforts to create jobs, boost inclusive economic growth, and protect the health and livelihoods for all people." Responding to the new date for the UN climate summit, Britain-based Christian Aid's Global Climate Lead, Dr Kat Kramer, said: "It makes sense to push back the climate summit to November next year, this is one meeting that can't be done by zoom call. But it's a concern that the world is missing out on a major opportunity to agree the next steps in the global fight to tackle the climate crisis." "Years of rising emissions mean that people on the front lines of climate change will be battling both the coronavirus pandemic and extreme weather. We need to see countries using their economic recovery packages to accelerate the transition to a zero carbon world." "We also want to see a global summit in spring 2021 to ensure there is international solidarity in the recovery from COVID-19 which will ensure no country is left behind," Kramer added.

Longtime UN observer and Director of Nairobi-based think tank Power Shift Africa Mohamed Adow said moving the climate summit is the right move.

"However let's not fool ourselves that climate change will wait for us until we can hold a conference," he said, adding "it would be shameful if rich countries recharge their economies on the backs of the climate vulnerable".

Hurricane season threatens to crash down on most vulnerable already reeling from COVID-19.

In a new research paper, scientists have found the Caribbean hurricane region to be among the hotspots of compounding climate and COVID-19 risks in the next months.

Recent weather disasters in COVID-struck countries like India and Bangladesh already resulted in grim impacts on poor people's livelihoods.

In Bangladesh, for example, more than 2 million people had to be evacuated into storm shelters to protect against Cyclone Amphan, limiting possibilities of social distancing, and many crops and arable lands were destroyed by seawater, trees and homes uprooted, and animals killed.

Welcome the clarity that the next official UN climate conference will take place under the British Presidency, leading humanitarian organization CARE's Global Policy Lead on Climate Change and Resilience, Sven Harmeling, said its postponement must not be an excuse to delay ambitious climate action.

"Undoubtedly, climate protection and support for those affected by the climate crisis, especially women and girls, cannot be delayed and must be addressed through economic stimulus programs in response to COVID-19.

"CARE supports the announcement by the COP26 presidency that numerous other multilateral conferences will advance climate action over the next 18 months." (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
By Marty Hagerty

The other day, another Black man was killed by a cop, and his family and community are grieving and demanding justice.

A trained Minneapolis police officer knelt on George Floyds neck until he could no longer breathe. Based on video that Ive seen, the officer had his hands in his pockets. To me, that looked like he didnt have to exert any effort at all to hold Floyd down.

I tried kneeling like that, on a pillow, with my hands in my pockets. Im in pretty good shape, and I wobbled. That cop was steady and sure and he knew exactly where to put his knee so that it would have maximum impact. He knew what he was doing. And the other three cops on the scene let it happen.

Also recently, a woman in New York Citys Central Park was relieved of her dog after she called 911 on a Black man who was literally watching birds, after he asked her to leash the dog as required. Her dog was immediately taken away, allegedly because she was choking him with the collar. The four white cops involved in the Floyd incident have been fired, but as of now, there are no criminal charges against any of them. Why is that?

My friends with Black and Brown skin are grieving today. Im seeing tweets that say there is an obvious effort to obliterate the Black race and that no one cares. My niece is married to a Black man, and they have a beautiful baby boy. He will be raised in a way that is different from the way, as a mom, that I raised my son because his life was never going to be in danger if he went for a run in the neighborhood.

All over Twitter, there are white people talking about Black-on Black crime, with specific examples of Black men who killed a white person, as if that somehow excuses the police behavior.

I taught my kids that silence equals complicity. None of us can be silent, and neither can the many good cops who I know are working every day to do the right thing.

Id like to see two things come from this, but I wont hold my breath.

Id like to see every white parent sit down with their kids at dinner and discuss systemic racism. Its going to require some research, because public school systems havent taught the truth about this, and most of us think were already woke.

Its not going to be easy for white parents to tell their kids that pretty much everything they desire is twice as likely to happen for them because of their skin color. Its going to be awkward and difficult, because, if you have this discussion, youll have to admit some things about yourself and your life that are embarrassing.

But, its a necessary conversation. Maybe it will be slightly less uncomfortable if you realize that every Black parent in America must discuss these issues on a regular basis so their kids wont get killed when they go out for a candy bar.

Id also like to see all the good cops come together and denounce behavior that is destroying their professions reputation. If ever there was a time for good cops to stand up and speak, its now  loudly, publicly and with no equivocation.

Police officers all over this country could put a stop to this abuse right now, if they wanted to. They could pick a day, get in front of some press, and declare that they will not tolerate this from their co-workers another minute. They will have to start watching each other and helping each other make necessary changes. And, theyll have to be willing to turn in and testify against those officers who do the wrong things.

Silence equals complicity. I wont be silent. I will grieve with my friends and stand with them demanding justice and change, knowing full well that I can never know their pain because the color of my skin affords me a level of comfort that they have never had.

I wont hold my breath, but I will hold my hope, small though it may be.

Marty Hagerty writes from Cinnaminson, Burlington County.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com
Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our nonprofit public service journalism: Donate now.

Pastor Stephen "Cue" Jn-Marie said he knows that many white people might not understand why he and other black Los Angeles community leaders led protestors onto the 101 Freeway on Wednesday afternoon, briefly blocking eastbound traffic.

"We've been dealing with a lot of pain throughout our existence here in America," Jn-Marie said. "To compound that, to see George Floyd's murder -- I call it a modern-day lynching."

Floyd, a man who'd already suffered the loss of his job to the coronavirus crisis, died in police custody in Minneapolis this week. Video of the incident showed he was handcuffed and restrained by an officer who dug his knee into his neck for several minutes, while Floyd pleaded, saying he couldn't breathe.

Protests have roiled Minneapolis and several cities, including Los Angeles, since the video was released.

Jn-Marie, the cofounder of The Church Without Walls in Skid Row, said he recognizes the effects of institutional racism just in the disproportionate number of African American men and women he sees living on the street in Los Angeles.

And the same anger that has motivated demonstrations against police in cases like the deaths of Mike Brown, Sandra Bland, Alton Sterling, Charly "Africa" Keunang -- and now, Floyd -- is fueling a united group of activists to fight to change how money is spent at City Hall.

THE 'PEOPLE'S BUDGET'

If you've tuned into a Los Angeles City Council meeting lately (livestreamed here), you've heard it: public comment lines packed with people asking councilmembers to reject Mayor Eric Garcetti's pared-down fiscal year 2020-21 budget proposal, and to rethink the shape of city spending as the city faces possibly the most serious fiscal crisis in its history.

These voices are also on social media, with hashtags like "#CareNotCops" and "BlockTheLABudget" -- both of which broke into the top trending Twitter list for L.A. last week.

.@PaulKrekorian...we need you to adopt a Peoples Budget! The people have spoken & we do NOT want more funding for police. We want #CareNotCops. More money to community services, housing, jobs, education & healthcare. You must be accountable to the people! #PeoplesBudgetLA  #BlackLivesMatter-LA (@BLMLA) May 25, 2020

Jn-Marie summed up the sentiment: "We don't want to give money to police that we should be giving to vital services."

A coalition of community groups and activists helmed by Black Lives Matter-L.A. is pushing to slash funding for the Los Angeles Police Department in favor of investment in social workers, housing, public transportation, health care and other services.

Their goal: to convince the council to call emergency budget committee meetings to overhaul the mayor's plan. According to the city charter, if the council doesn't act by Monday, June 1, the city budget will be adopted as is and take effect July 1. (That doesn't mean city spending is set in stone, however -- more on that later.)

"We were outraged when we saw a budget that cut virtually every other city department, including the ones most needed right now in the midst of the pandemic and the economic fallout -- while actually increasing funding to LAPD," said Dr. Melina Abdullah, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter - L.A.

The groups -- including Community Coalition, Los Angeles Community Action Network, Stop LAPD Spying, Ground Game L.A., Sunrise Movement and more than a dozen more -- have developed a "People's Budget" outline that shifts spending from law enforcement to alternatives like crisis management, restorative justice programs, and community-based safety measures.

The coalition published its report after surveying close to 1,500 Angelenos and engaging an audience of roughly 10,000 on YouTube and various social media channels, said David Turner, a Black Lives Matter - L.A. researcher.

"The biggest takeaway is that people want alternatives over policing," Turner said. "And people want to invest in the things that they know work."

"Why are we investing over half of our budget in a police department that quite frankly, hurts more people than it helps?" Turner added.

One call-in protester to a recent city council meeting put his comments in a song:

Nury, delay this budget vote today.

They shouldn't get any more.

It's so obvious to see:

L.A. spends too much on the LAPD.

Stop, stop, stop funding LAPD.

Stop sponsoring anti-black violence in the community.



- Adam Smith, an organizer with White People 4 Black Lives, singing to the tune of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," by Bob Dylan, via telephone during the public comment period at a L.A. City Council meeting.





The board of directors for the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), the union that represents sworn police officers, responded to LAist questions in an email. Their statement is excerpted here:

As usual, these groups either don't want to rely upon facts or are incapable of telling the truth when it comes to policing Los Angeles. The Mayor's budget includes all contractually scheduled and agreed upon pay raises and incentives for every bargaining unit in the city not just for police officers. It is no surprise that the Mayor and City Council are keeping public safety services, as a top priority.



Police services are a fundamental and essential service the City provides to its residents and they should be protected.



These groups have failed again to make their case, to convince voters or a majority of their local elected officials that their worldview is the right one. They bristle at holding criminals accountable, they don't believe in the incarceration of dangerous repeat offenders and they have no plan to fix anything.



Cutting the police department will put our community at greater risk but sure makes for a good headline.





The LAPD is one of the only departments spared from the mayor's belt-tightening cuts, announced last month.

The police budget is slated to increase by nearly $120 million in general fund spending beginning July 1, including expenses from a new contract for police officers that was negotiated last year: 4.8% pay raises, $34 million in additional overtime for sworn employees and a new $41 million bonus program for officers with college degrees. (The L.A. Times highlighted the program this week.)

The proposed 2020-21 spending on LAPD accounts for just under 54% of the city's unrestricted revenues.

At the same time, when the new city budget kicks in, nearly 16,000 civilian city workers will get a 10% pay reduction. Paradoxically, many of those workers are in line for a pay hike thanks to their own updated labor contracts -- but they're also being partially furloughed to help L.A. save $230 million in the next fiscal year.

These furloughs will indirectly hurt police staffing -- requiring patrol officers to be reassigned to cover critical civilian employee shifts. According to a May 19 City Administrative Officer report, initial analysis shows "there would be a corresponding reduction of 220,000 hours to patrol deployments."

On top of personnel reductions, which equate to shrinking services, city budget analysts point out that cuts are planned to nearly every city department, reducing things like graffiti removal, lengthening 311 call wait times, and slicing into programs like Vision Zero, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths.

Sworn firefighters and some city workers involved in core services like sanitation are also saved from furloughs.

"If we care about taking care of vulnerable people at any level -- this budget goes against all of that," said Lydia Nicholson, a member of the L.A. Tenants Union who wants to see funding restored to the Housing and Community Investment Department, which faces a cut of more than 9% under the mayor's proposal. "I think that the city has the ability to actually help people."

'CARE NOT COPS'

The union representing the LAPD says uniformed police are expected to provide an ever-expanding array of services, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.



"In addition to traditional policing, our officers are on the frontline of providing services to our community during this pandemic, from helping to transport homeless residents to shelters to providing security at these shelters," the LAPPL said in a statement. "We cannot shelter in place and we put ourselves in harm's way daily.

But activists don't agree that LAPD funding levels should be justified by pointing out the multiple roles that police officers fill when they encounter people on the street.

"Police officers, even when well-intentioned, are not social workers," said Laura Abrams, chair of social welfare at UCLA's Luskin School of Public Affairs.

On a conference call organized by the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, Abrams described the special training involved in becoming a certified social worker -- including adhering to a code of ethics and gaining the ability to appropriately advocate for vulnerable communities.

"These skills or training cannot be paralleled by any work in law enforcement," Abrams added. "Social workers are also on the front lines right now. And they're getting cuts and laid off."

"We want people to stay in their lane. Police shouldn't be doing things that they have no business or expertise doing," said Melina Abdullah with Black Lives Matter-L.A.

Some behind the People's Budget movement say they hope the dire revenue outlook caused by COVID-19 will force the city to reopen contract negotiations with the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

"It doesn't matter how much you're cutting out of [other departments]," said Chris Roth, an activist with the community groups Ground Game L.A. and Ktown For All. "It's never going to make up for the shortfall that's being forced upon us by these increases in the LAPD budget."

Councilmember Mike Bonin, who represents parts of Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Venice and Westchester in District 11, said there will have to be some tough conversations with labor unions.

"I don't see any way out of this crisis unless we start reopening contract negotiations with all of our labor partners," Bonin said. "We need to start having those conversations now."

But the LAPPL says no new contract talks are happening. "Our understanding is that the Mayor's budget assumed all employee raises, including those negotiated by the civilian workforce are being honored," the union said in an email.

Black Lives Matter co-founder Melina Abdullah speaks to reporters in March following a confrontation at District Attorney Jackie Lacey's home, where Lacey's husband pulled a gun on protesters who rang their doorbell in the early morning hours. (Emily Elena Dugdale/LAist)

WHERE DID THIS FISCAL CRISIS COME FROM?

The global pandemic has blown a crater in Los Angeles' revenue streams -- especially sales and hotel occupancy taxes. But critics say the city had already dug itself into a fiscal hole last year when it signed new labor agreements.

After the budget was adopted last July, the city negotiated contracts with unions for police, fire, and civilian city employees. The resulting salary, healthcare and pension costs swallowed projected revenue surpluses, putting Los Angeles on track for deficits of "between $200 and $400 million in each of the next four years," according to an October report from City Administrative Officer Rich Llewellyn, who warned at the time that the city should be curtailing costs to brace for an economic slump that was likely on the horizon.

Then came coronavirus. Instead of a projected recession, the virus plunged the globe into economic freefall. L.A. began spending millions on new homeless shelters, emergency personal protective gear for city workers, and testing to stop the spread of the virus.

Much of that should be reimbursed by the federal government: local authorities can apply to FEMA for 75% of emergency spending costs. Money from the CARES Act, a bailout package passed by Congress and signed by President Trump, has also begun flowing to states and larger cities -- but that carries restrictions on how the funding can be spent. CARES Act dollars must be used up by the end of December, and can't be tapped to cover local governments' revenue shortfalls.

House Democrats have passed a new stimulus bill, called the HEROES Act, that includes a trillion dollars of more flexible help for state and local governments. But Republicans in control of the Senate say they won't consider the bill in its current form.

NEXT STEPS

The picture is likely to change, drastically. L.A.'s financial analysts said at a city council meeting last week that the mayor's budget assumes a return to "normal" in July, and predicts a revenue picture far rosier than what's already playing out.

"It's a hot mess. And a foggy mess," Bonin said of the city's financial predicament. "Revenues have never been this uncertain before."

General fund revenues are already running $30 million behind Garcetti's budget assumptions, according to Chief Legislative Analyst Sharon Tso, who presented to the city council last week.

"It is very, very likely that the budget that we have before us may be a 'best-case scenario,'" Tso said, adding more cuts will probably be necessary.

The city is looking at the proposed budget as a placeholder, said budget committee chairman Paul Krekorian during last week's meeting. "That road map is going to be dramatically changed from week to week."

Groups behind the People's Budget say their long-term goal is to change what they call a 'rubber-stamp' attitude for city funding of LAPD.

"Right now, the budget reflects America's priorities. And that is policing," Pastor Stephen "Cue" Jn-Marie said.

UPDATE 10 AM FRIDAY: The estimated number of LAPD patrol hours the CAO projects will be reduced because of civilian worker furloughs was added to the story.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 11:43:28|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Local job applicants line up to register for job interviews for the recruitment of trainees for the operation period of the China-Laos railway at the Confucius Institute of the National University of Laos in capital Vientiane, Laos, on May 28, 2020. The China-Laos railway project has started interviewing local job applicants for future operation since Thursday. At the Confucius Institute of the National University of Laos in capital Vientiane, 330 Lao young talents attended the interview for the recruitment of trainees for the railway's operation period on Thursday, organized by the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd.(LCRC), a joint venture based in Vientiane, in charge of the railway's construction and operation. The LCRC told Xinhua on Friday that, the company will maximize the recruitment of local staff to increase local employment. The company is to recruit over 600 trainees to assume the positions of locomotive drivers, locomotive maintenance personnel, infrastructure maintenance personnel, station attendants and train crews, etc. The project started in December 2016 and is scheduled to be completed and open to traffic in December 2021. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)

VIENTIANE, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The China-Laos railway project has started interviewing local job applicants for future operation since Thursday.

At the Confucius Institute of the National University of Laos in capital Vientiane, 330 Lao young talents attended the interview for the recruitment of trainees for the railway's operation period on Thursday, organized by the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd.(LCRC), a joint venture based in Vientiane, in charge of the railway's construction and operation.

The LCRC told Xinhua on Friday that, the company will maximize the recruitment of local staff to increase local employment. The company is to recruit over 600 trainees to assume the positions of locomotive drivers, locomotive maintenance personnel, infrastructure maintenance personnel, station attendants and train crews, etc.

After passing the interview, the trainees will receive Chinese language education and professional railway theory training, and will be sent to China's Kunming for on-site practical training and expected to return to Laos in August, 2021 for pre-job skills training to prepare for the opening of the China-Laos Railway in December 2021.

The company has selected 450 from 1,340 Lao candidates for interview at the end of May, with 330 in Vientiane and 120 in Luang Prabang, and plans to recruit 310 of them.

According to Xiao Qianwen, general manager of the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd., the recruitment and training of Lao employees is a key step for the railway's sustainable development, which has been attached great importance by the Lao government and the company.

Xiao also said, by now, the construction of the railway project is steadily advancing, shifting from offline civil engineering to online engineering and station building; by the end of 2020, the company will gradually switch from engineering construction to operation management. The recruitment of the Lao employees is laying a sound foundation for the coming operation period.

The China-Laos Railway is a strategic docking project between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Laos' strategy to convert from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub.

The 414-km railway, with 198-km tunnels and 62-km bridges, will run from Boten border gate in northern Laos, bordering China, to Vientiane with an operating speed of 160 km per hour.

The electrified passenger and cargo railway is built with the full application of Chinese management and technical standards.

The project started in December 2016 and is scheduled to be completed and open to traffic in December 2021. Enditem
By Trend

International Financial Corporation (IFC) supports the government of Uzbekistan to structure public-private partnerships (PPPs) that will best attract qualified private-sector investors to participate in transparent and open bidding processes to develop various projects, Regional Manager for Central Asia of IFC Cassandra Colbert told Trend.

"We are working on this closely with the World Bank, which is assisting the government to implement a broad range of reforms in the power sector," she said.

As Colbert noted, IFC is advising the government on a PPP for construction of two photovoltaic power plants of capacity of 200 MW each in Samarkand and Jizzakh regions. The project received 84 expressions of interest (EOIs) before the March 21, 2020 deadline. The companies that submitted EOIs and satisfy all criteria of request for qualification (RFQ) document, will be invited to request for proposal (RFP) stage.

"In addition, IFC is working with the government to plan future projects. In March, we organized a workshop on structuring of PPPs to develop solar photovoltaic (PV) parks with battery energy-storage systems; this was for officers from the ministries and state agencies working to attract investment in the energy sector. The workshop provided insights into - and discussed - the PPP structure for the proposed stations, which will generate a total of 500 MW of power. The new power stations will be the first of their kind in Uzbekistan as they will combine solar PVs with battery energy-storage systems," Colbert stated.

She stressed that IFC is also helping the government structure and tender a PPP to develop a 1,200-1,500 MW gas-fired power plant in the Syrdarya region.

"This is an important project for both IFC and Uzbekistan. This large-scale PPP will help modernize Uzbekistan's aging power infrastructure and supply both residents and businesses with steady electricity. It will also significantly increase efficiency of the use of gas, contributing to reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions. The new equipment will make the power sector more flexible, creating a better environment to introduce intermittent renewable-energy sources," she said.

The International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global institution dedicated to supporting the private sector in emerging markets. The corporation works with more than 2,000 private enterprises around the world.

In fiscal year 2019, the company provided more than $19 billion in long-term funding to developing countries. In doing so, the corporation has attracted the strong potential of the private sector to eradicate extreme poverty and improve global prosperity.

Recently, IFC and Ipak Yuli Bank of Uzbekistan signed an agreement allowing the bank to better manage currency risks and increase local currency financing for small and medium-sized enterprises, which play a key role in the economic development of Uzbekistan.

"The agreement shows that IFC is standing by its partner banks and is ready to support them in all circumstances. Ipak Yuli Bank can better manage its currency risk and continue lending in local currency to firms that need funding. This is critically important at a time when businesses are suffering currency vulnerabilities due to the global impact of the COVID-19 crises," Colbert stated.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
New Delhi, May 29 : The New Delhi Bar Association on Friday allowed lawyers to open their chambers in Patiala House Court complex on odd-even basis for three hours.

Only one lawyer along with one assistant will be allowed to sit in the chamber from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon. No litigants or clients will be permitted inside the complex.

"Life is more important than anything else. However, since there is no improvement in overall situation and number of Covid-19 positive cases is rising day by day, we also have to find ways of going ahead taking all possible precautions," said NDBA secretary Nagendra Kumar in a circular.

It added, "Chambers have been made open with effect from May 29 from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. on odd-even basis for the members to operate with certain guidelines.a The arrangement will be reviewed after fifteen days and necessary steps will be taken to bring total normalcy on the campus, the circular added.

"We request the members to visit the courts only if urgent, else stay at home and be safe; chambers with odd numbers such as ending with 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 shall open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday whereas all even number chambers such as 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 shall open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday." Nagendra Kumar said that only self-driven vehicles will be permitted inside the court complex. Those with chauffeur will have to park the car outside the court complex and drivers will not be allowed inside court premises.

NDBA is making necessary arrangements for sanitization and disinfection of chambers from inside.

"For the safety of members, it is advised that unless very important, please do not visit the court and stay safe," the circular said.
[May 29, 2020] Two-thirds of Business Executives Say the U.S. Economy Will Recover Within a Year

Despite the widespread business and health challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, two-thirds of American business leaders are optimistic the U.S. economy will make a full recovery within the next year, according to a new survey from professional services firm TMF Group. Nearly three-quarters (74.7%) of survey respondents have some level of confidence in the economy, bolstered by the massive government stimulus package to support businesses and workers. "It's an encouraging sign that business leaders in the U.S. are expressing this type of optimism, particularly based on the unprecedented challenges experienced throughout the economy over the last few months," said Larry Harding, TMF Group's head of North America. "This group was obviously very confident before the onset of the pandemic, and they now seem eager to not only restart their businesses but help reignite the economy as well." Looking beyond the U.S., business executives were a little less optimistic but still positive: 56% said the global economy would recover within a year. Correspondingly, business decision makers are confident their businesses will rebound quickly. More than half say their companies will return to normal operations within six months. Their financial recovery will be slower: 42% say they will bounce back financially in six months. The health of international supply chains was found to be a major concern. Respondents said they are considering reducing risk in locations such as China, Italy and the United Kingdom, countries that also have dealt with significant outbreaks of the virus. "COVID-19 has impacted supply chains globally, and multinational companies that have borne the brunt of this impact have had to optimize their flexibility. Yet they are still expressing optimism that each market can synchronize their operational recoveries in a safe, efficient manner," Harding added. Despite uncertainty, about a third of respondents said they are planning to accelerate domestic or internatioal business expansion, as they are looking for opportunities to fuel growth coming out of the pandemic. The top countries for international business expansion are Canada, the United Kingdom, and Mexico, a sign of confidence following the passage of the USMCA trade agreement in January.



"The survey illustrates that business leaders are rapidly reacting to challenges, reassessing what they do and reconfiguring their companies to adapt to the disruption," said Mark Weil, chief executive officer of TMF Group. "Given the level of geographic risk, even after supply chains globally return to full operation, many of those who conduct multinational operations will look to diversify supply chains as part of their domestic and international expansion plans." Other major findings from the survey include:

Three-in-five respondents (61%) say the impact of stimulus efforts from the federal government have had a very positive or somewhat positive effect on their businesses.

60% of respondents say they will introduce a revised home working policy as a result of COVID-19, with 48% of respondents introducing more stringent health and safety policies.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of respondents expect a V-shaped economic recovery, meaning a short, sharp collapse followed by a dramatic bounce to pre-virus activity by the end of 2020. The full report can be found here on TMF Group's website. About TMF Group: TMF Group is the leading provider of administrative support services for international business expansion. With some 7,800 experts - in-house, on the ground in over 80 locations - and is the only company worldwide to provide the combination of fiduciary, company secretarial, accounting and tax and HR and payroll services essential to the success of businesses investing, operating and expanding across multiple jurisdictions. We know how to unlock access to some of the world's most attractive markets - no matter how complex - swiftly, safely and efficiently. That's why over 60% of the Fortune Global 500 and FTSE 100 and almost half of the top 300 private equity firms use us. www.tmf-group.com About the research: TMF Group commissioned FINN Partners' research and insights division RPM (research, planning and measurement) to survey 300 business executives from multinational companies with more than $100 million in annual revenue on a range of national and global economic issues. The aim of the survey was to obtain a deeper understanding of U.S. business sentiment and how companies plan to navigate these uncertain times. Those surveyed included C-level executives/business owners (55.7% of respondents), Presidents and Managing Directors (25%), and other executives from the information technology, financial services, manufacturing, and professional services industries, among others. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005087/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
A 73-year-old man under home quarantine died in Almora district on Friday, said health officials.

Health department officials have sent his body for post-mortem and collected samples for Covid-19 testing.

The patient had returned from Delhi on May 21 where he lived with his son. According to his family members, he was an asthma patient.

Dr Savita Hyanki, chief medical officer (CMO) Almora said that the person had been screened when he returned to Almora and directed to remain in 14 days home quarantine.

His family members told us that his condition deteriorated on Thursday late night. They rushed him to Bhikiyasain community health centre in the district, where doctors declared him brought dead, she said.

We have sent his body for post-mortem. The exact cause of his death will be known after post-mortem report is received,  she said.

Dr Hyanki said they will also collect samples of his family members for testing. Personal protection kits have also been given to the family members for protection while completing the rituals, said Dr. Hyanki.

On Thursday, a 32-year-old cancer patient who was under home quarantine in Ramnagar in Nainital district, died and within hours following his death, his samples tested positive for Covid-19. After his death, health officials said that the person died of cancer and not coronavirus. The patient had returned from Delhi on May 20 where he was undergoing treatment for cancer for the past four months at a hospital in the national capital.

On Monday (May 25), samples of one 48-year-old man, who had died on May 21, tested positive for Covid-19. He had returned from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and was under home-quarantined. The cause of his death could not be ascertained as per the post-mortem examination report, so it was preserved and sent for histopathological analysis, according to health officials.
A lumber yard employee has met a grisly end after he became stuck in a wood chipper and died.

Brandon Lee Vandyke, 34, was responding to a jam alarm at the Phenix Lumber Co. in Phenix City, Alabama early on Wednesday morning when he was killed, police said in a statement.

Vandyke had gone to service the machine and became stuck and tangled in it.

Brandon Lee Vandyke, 34, was responding to a jam alarm at the Phenix Lumber Co. in Phenix City, Alabama early on Wednesday morning when he was killed

Phenix City Police say they responded to a medical call at 5am.

'Officers discovered partial remains of the attendant that went to check on an equipment malfunction,' Capt. Darryl Williams said in a press release.

There is no criminal investigation, he said, but other agencies will be conducting independent safety investigations into the operation of the mill.

Police responded to the Phenix Lumber Company (above) and found Vandyke's mangled body

According to an online obituary, Vandyke was the father of a young daughter, and worked as a boiler operator for Phenix Lumber Company.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of three people die in wood chipper accidents every year in the U.S., and another 204 are injured.
From a safe return to business, to actions for controlling the Covid spread, and how many others a patient is infecting in India  read these and more in todays India dispatch. Expert Speak Can Indias workforce have a safe return to business? What are the priorities to mobilise the economy during the pandemic? As the lockdown phase draws to a close, can workers return to their jobs safely? What are the concerns for the economy for productivity, with such special ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
Two companies that caused a chlorine gas leak over Atchison, Kansas, in 2106 have each been fined $1 million for violating federal clean air laws.

Harcros Chemicals Inc., and MGP Ingredients Inc., had pleaded guilty to negligently violating the Clean Air Act. The fines, which were expected, have been paid, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

On Oct. 21, 2016, a greenish-yellow chlorine gas cloud formed over Atchison when 4,000 gallons of sulfuric acid were mistakenly combined with 5,800 gallons of sodium hypochlorite at MGPs plant.

The noxious cloud covered the city for 45 minutes, prompting evacuation of nearby homes and schools and orders for residents to shelter in place. About 140 people sought medical attention.

Atchison has about 11,000 residents and is about 50 miles (about 80 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City.

The chemical release occurred when a delivery truck driver inadvertently unloaded sulfuric acid into a tank that contained sodium hypochlorite. The chemical reaction produced chlorine gas, which drifted for nearly 6 miles over the Atchison region before dissipating after about four hours, according to findings from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Kansas Chemicals
- Center for Ethical Governance and Administration (CEGA), has underscored the need for the country to be under lockdown for 10 days.

- They have advised on President Akufo-Addo not to ease restriction as the number of Coronavirus cases has surged to over 7000

- They want the government to use the 10 days to undertake or conduct mass testing to curtail the spread of the disease

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

A pressure group, Center for Ethical Governance and Administration (CEGA), has underscored the need for the country to be under lockdown for 10 days.

They, however, called on President Akufo-Addo not to ease restriction as the number of Coronavirus cases has surged to over 7000.

According to CEGA, government should use the 10 days to undertake or conduct mass testing to curtail the spread of the disease.

READ ALSO: Okudzeto Ablakwa blasts parliament for lying about COVID-19 status of MPs

We call on His Excellency the President to rather lock down the entire country completely and comprehensively for 10 days and use the period to conduct mass or random testing in order to substantially contain the disease before any consideration can be given to ease the restrictions on social or physical distancing and other hygienic protocols meant to protect the lives of Ghanaians.

In a press statement, sighted on Ghanaweb.com, CEGA stated that all institutions with the EC included should not put the lives of Ghanaians at risk by holding any sort of public gathering.

In this regard, we urge the President and all state institutions including the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the National Identification Authority not to be motivated by any non-health considerations to undertake any mass gathering activities to recklessly jeopardize the lives of Ghanaians.

READ ALSO: Philipa Baafi: Top Ghanaian gospel artiste to soon graduate as Medical Doctor

In other news, Member of Parliament for the North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has expressed total disappointment in how the COVID-19 testing of MPs and Staff of the House of Parliament has been managed.

Okudzeto Ablakwa said there should be nothing to hide with regards to the coronavirus disease since it is not a death sentence.

In a Facebook post sighted by YEN.com.gh, he asked that the "leadership by example" principle should be adopted in order to avoid stigmatisation as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

READ ALSO: Ghanas Covid-19 cases stand at 7,616 with 2,421 recoveries

Ghanaian female accounting graduate and mushroom farmer recounts her experience | #Yencomgh

Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
Once, the lynx, wolverines and eagles that preyed on their animals were the main concern for reindeer herders as they moved them to find food in the winter. But now Margret Fjellstrom and Daniel Viklund, a married couple from Sweden's indigenous Sami community with hundreds of tawny reindeer, worry about a new threat. Shifting weather patterns in northern Sweden are forcing them to go further afield to find grazing for their hungry reindeer, pushing up costs and taking more time. Dressed warmly in jackets and ski pants against the minus 17-degree-Celsius (1.4 Fahrenheit) temperatures, the couple watched on a February morning as their animals pawed through deep snow for the lichen they eat. It's their main food source in winter on the hillsides near Sweden's Baltic Sea coast. Back when snowfall like this was a regular occurrence, Fjellstrom's herder parents would follow the same migration routes year in, year out, stopping at tried-and-tested spots for food. But that isn't the case now. "It can rain in January, it can snow in May, there's no logic to it any more," Fjellstrom, 39, said, sitting with Viklund by their snowmobiles. Between 1991 and 2019, parts of northern and eastern Sweden saw a rise in average temperature of nearly two degrees C compared to the 1860-1900 period, Sweden's meteorological institute said in a report. For several days in early January, temperatures in the north climbed about 10 degrees C more than normal, the institute said. And on January 2, three weather stations in central Sweden reported their highest temperatures for the month since 1971. Unseasonably high temperatures cause the snow to thaw and freeze again when the cold returns, building up thicker layers of ice that prevent the reindeer from digging down through the snow to the lichen. - GPS, drones - To ensure they will find food during the migration, the couple spends two months taking turns to scout out unfamiliar areas, before setting off with the animals. Moving the reindeer from their summer pasture now often involves navigating them around motorways, windfarms or hydroelectric projects. The journey this year took nearly twice as long as it would have done in predictable weather, Fjellstrom said. "The biggest problem today is climate change," she bemoaned. The Sami have herded reindeer across areas of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia for generations and are thought to number between 80,000 and 100,000, with many living above the Arctic Circle. In Sweden, only the Sami are allowed to herd the animals, raised for their meat, pelts and antlers. Fjellstrom and Viklund annually move their herd from Dikanas, a village 800 kilometres (500 miles) north of Stockholm, to the plains near Ornskoldsvik. They transport them first by lorry, then release them and follow by snowmobile, tracking them using GPS collars. - Adapting - Viklund watched as the reindeer disappeared into the snow-dusted forest, before launching a drone with a speaker attached into the freezing air above. It allows him to keep track of the animals when poor snowfall makes travel by snowmobile impossible. He can also herd them on with recordings of his dog barking when they head to areas with little food or hazards like roads or windfarms whose turbine noise scares the reindeer. "We're getting more and more days that don't look like this, the snow is just a few centimetres," he said. "It's a way to adapt." Concerned that the animals get enough to eat, the couple split their herd and asked Fjellstrom's cousin to move the other half. It's an added expense for 31-year-old Neila Fjellstrom but he understands the need. "The unusual winter is a normal winter," he said. - 'Vulnerability' - The Sami peoples and their reindeer are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, according to research. A "warming climate alters the vegetation conditions and threatens the reindeer's wellbeing and access to food," Finland's University of Oulu and its Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research said in a study last year. Many Sami are more worried about fluctuating temperatures now, than encroaching infrastructure, said Gunhild Rosqvist, a Stockholm University researcher into the effects of climate change in mountain and polar environments. "I think their awareness of their vulnerability has increased a lot," she told AFP. - Future in peril? - At the annual Sami market in Jokkmokk above the Arctic Circle in early February, thousands of Sami mixed with tourists, just weeks before the new coronavirus forced countries around the world to introduce lockdowns. Reindeer products were proudly on display, from steaming pots of reindeer stew to soft pelts and knives with handles carved from antlers. "Reindeer herding has been practised for many hundreds of years and it's an important part of Sami culture," Kjell-Ake Aronsson, a researcher at the local museum, said. "Reindeer meat is an important product," he also added. "A lot of people are related indirectly to reindeer herding." Sweden's Sami parliament estimates around 2,000 people are directly dependent on herding the country's 250,000 animals for a living. Away from the crowds, young Sami activists, in traditional outfits embroidered in blues and reds, gathered for a "climate strike" attended by Greta Thunberg. Fjellstrom and Viklund's 17-year-old daughter Alva also spoke at the event and hopes to become a herder herself. But the increased effort needed for herding reindeer now makes Viklund worry about the future. "I want to give my children the opportunity to do it," he said, the sun casting long, blue shadows across the snow. "Climate change could destroy that dream."
Memorial Day while watching the commemorations on television, Im sure everyone had his or her own individual memories of celebrations of the past. When we lived in Maryland, John and I went to Washington D.C. one Memorial Day and witnessed the Rolling Thunder, which well never forget. As we walked near to the formation of the parade, we watched the many men and women waiting proudly with their shiny motorcycles, many of which bore American, military, POW, or MIA flags. When the speeches ended and the signal was given, the rolling thunder began as they revved their engines. The roar was unbelievable, and gave us a very memorable tribute to all those who have served our great country.

Memorial Day during my junior high and high school years in my hometown of Macomb, Illinois, was a pretty big deal. For all band members, the school year end was the Memorial Day march from downtown around the square, all the way down Randolph Street to the cemetery at the edge of town. Illinois in late May can be very hot, and those wool band uniforms were tough. There was a big hill to march down and back up. By the time we reached the cemetery, sometimes some had fallen by the wayside from the heat. Then, after playing the Star Spangled Banner, we stood at attention during the speeches and prayers, waiting to play other patriotic music as the program continued. I always felt sorry for the baritone and tuba players while I carried my piccolo! Remembering back, I know all of us were very aware of the meaning of the day and well remember our participation in honoring all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our countrys honor.
Technology has proven its indisputable value over the past few months  empowering family and friends to stay connected and informed during a time when being physically close together may not be possible. While everyone can stand to benefit from innovative technology, its especially important for older adults to consider the advantages digital tools can offer in their everyday lives.

Though many young people believe that older Americans arent digitally savvy, more and more seniors are adopting technology as a way to simplify daily tasks and keep in touch with loved ones near and far. In fact, one in seven adults age 50 and older own a home assistive device, such as Google Home or Amazon Alexa, according to AARP. With more seniors taking advantage of smart devices, technology companies are even looking to aging experts to design new technology with their unique needs in mind.

When paired with human touch, technology has the power to help older adults age safely, independently and with dignity, said Lakelyn Hogan, gerontologist and caregiver advocate at Home Instead Senior Care. Computers, smartphones and tablets are among the most valuable tools available to help older adults remain in their homes as they age.

While no device can take the place of human interaction, the right digital platform can ensure older adults remain healthy, safe and socially engaged. Hogan shares five ways technology can empower seniors to live independently:



Social Connection. Video chat platforms like Skype or Zoom and tablets such as an iPad or GrandPad can supplement social interactions when in-person visits aren't possible. To reconnect with old friends or forge new relationships, consider creating a social media profile on platforms such as Facebook or Instagram.

Overall Well-being. While social distancing can make it a little trickier to stay active, there are plenty of free tools online to keep your body moving. Fitness trackers and smartwatches such as Fitbit or the iPhone Health app can also help you stay on top of daily activity, sleep pattern and eating habits.

Independence. Delivery services like Instacart, Shipt and Uber Eats make it possible to stay safe at home while still enjoying your favorite meals or household essentials. These helpful apps allow you to choose the exact item you would like and when you would prefer the delivery to take place. With so many other things to focus on, knowing groceries and other supplies can be delivered safely to your doorstep can be a source of great relief.

Health Management. Staying on top of your health has never been easier with direct-mail services like Simple Meds that automatically organize and sort medications, and apps such as RxmindMe that send quick reminders to prevent medication errors and reduce missed doses. Many doctors offices and insurance carriers are also offering telehealth options to obtain medical advice from the comfort of your own home. Home Insteads care technology can also enhance the aging experience with tools like the Home Care tablet. Virtual visits help keep seniors connected and engaged with their caregivers and providers, as well as ensuring safety in their homes.

Mental Stimulation. Keeping our minds active as we age is critical to protecting against cognitive decline. For mental exercise, try online games such as Tetris (to improve spatial recognition), Trivial Pursuit (to improve fact recall) or Mahjong (to improve memory and matching). After youve practiced on your own, consider challenging loved ones to a friendly competition.

When it comes to integrating technology into our daily lives, theres no one-size-fits-all approach. Its important to consider which tools and programs work best for your preferences. And, even as exciting new gadgets hit the market, remember that no app or machine can replace genuine human interaction. For tips on how to embrace technology at home, visit https://www.caregiverstress.com/senior-activities/technology-computers/.

ABOUT HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE

Founded in 1994 in Omaha, Nebraska, the Home Instead Senior Care franchise network provides personalized care, support and education to enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Today, the network is the world's leading provider of in-home care services for seniors, with more than 1,200 independently owned and operated franchises that provide more than 80 million hours of care annually throughout the United States and 13 other countries. Local Home Instead Senior Care offices employ approximately 90,000 CAREGivers worldwide who provide basic support services that enable seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes for as long as possible. Home Instead Senior Care franchise owners partner with clients and their family members to help meet varied individual needs. Services span the care continuum  from providing personal care to specialized Alzheimers care and hospice support. Also available are family caregiver education and support resources. Visit HomeInstead.com. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
WASHINGTONAs parts of Minneapolis smouldered after a third night of civil unrest, and as protests spread to other cities across the United States, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made a plea for peace on Friday morning that sought to acknowledge the deeper problems that sparked fires in his city.

The ashes are symbolic of decades and generations of pain, of anguish, Walz said, and the world is watching.

This came at the end of a week in which the U.S. passed the grim milestone of 100,000 deaths from COVID-19, and in which President Donald Trump announced revenge on social media for fact-checking his tweets.

On Thursday, as Trump signed his executive order and his press secretary fielded questions about the COVID-19 milestone, it seemed those stories might dominate American news.

But social media, in large part, ensured that the world couldnt look away from the ongoing toll of another plague, which has preyed on Americans for generations.

Racism is not getting worse, its getting filmed, the actor Will Smith told Stephen Colbert in 2016. Colbert responded, The revolution is not being televised, but its being tweeted. Four years later, both remain. true.

Early in the week, bird-watcher Christian Cooper shared a video on Facebook of a white woman calling police and falsely claiming that Cooper  who she referred to as an African-American man  was threatening her in New Yorks Central Park. The video went viral. So did one posted Wednesday of a man in Minneapolis calling security on a group of Black entrepreneurs, who he refused to believe were allowed to use the gym in the building where all present were commercial tenants.

A reminder of why making false claims against African-Americans is perceived as an egregious threat arrived in the form of another video, which showed Minneapolis police killing a Black man on Monday. George Floyd was arrested because he allegedly matched the description of someone whod tried to pass a counterfeit bill at a convenience store. The video shows Floyd appearing not to resist as an officer knelt on his neck until he died.

What followed was the firing of the officers involved; condemnation from authorities, including police chiefs, the Speaker of the House, the president and Joe Biden; and mounting civil unrest over three nights of protest that saw a police precinct burned in Minneapolis, while demonstrations spread to other cities. Finally, on Friday afternoon, Minnesota authorities announced that the officer who knelt on Floyds neck had been charged with murder, and that there was an ongoing investigation into the other three officers involved.

It is an all-too-familiar scene, recalling the deaths at the hands of police of Black residents suspected of petty crimes in Ferguson, Staten Island and across the country.

And predictably, the rage of the protests leads to a policing crackdown against Black Americans that can only serve to make things worse. When the looting starts, the shooting starts, Trump tweeted Thursday night, threatening to send the military to crack down on thugs (a tweet that was marked as glorifying violence by Twitter, prompting more outrage from Trump).

Incidents of police violence are hard to watch, but easy to galvanize around. Harder to grasp is the ongoing reality of racial disparity in the United States  one exemplified by the cost of the coronavirus paid disproportionately by people of colour. In Washington, where 47 per cent of the population is Black, they have accounted for 75 per cent of COVID-19 deaths; in New York City, early reports showed the virus was twice as deadly for Blacks and Latinos as for whites; across the country, the numbers are similarly disproportionate.

Overt acts of racist violence  whether perpetrated by authorities or by white Nationalist terrorists  make cause and effect obvious. But the body count attributable to systemic racial discrimination continues to take its toll even when explicit violence is not in the headlines.

Canadians tempted to feel smug should look at maps released this week by the city of Toronto. They show radically disproportionate numbers of COVID-19 cases in low-income areas of the city, neighbourhoods disproportionately populated by people of colour. But Canadas health departments do not collect statistics by race  something experts told the Star this week they ought to do if they want to understand the injustice built into society. As Heather Scoffield opined, we dont know exactly what kind of race-based dynamic might be playing out in Canada during the pandemic  because we wont look.

On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commented about Floyds death, and he specifically pointed out that anti-Black racism, and racism in general, is not exclusive to the U.S. Understand that we have work to do as well in Canada, he said.

In the U.S., the collection of statistics, the emergence of smartphone video and social media for it to circulate on, and the protests they inspire mean the dynamic is clear to all. Theres often no choice but to look. In a week when it was as obvious as ever that Americans have not adequately reckoned with racism, they were again reminded  even during the White House news churn during a global pandemic  of how it preys on them still.

Read more about:
A group of NGOs has launched a website providing the public with information on a controversial mass-surveillance system that is currently being installed in Belgrade. The system will include 1,000 cameras and is being supplied by the Chinese company Huawei.
Shares of Colfax Corporation CFX have declined sharply since the beginning of 2020. We believe that the share price decrease primarily reflects investors reactions to the companys exposure to the uncertainties related to the coronavirus outbreak.



The Fulton, MD-based company belongs to the Zacks Manufacturing  General Industrial industry, which, in turn, comes under the ambit of the Zacks Industrial Products sector. The industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #195, which places it in the bottom 23% of more than 250 Zacks industries.



We believe that the industry is suffering from global uncertainties due to the pandemic, unfavorable movements in foreign currencies, softness in industrial production in the United States and strained trade relations due to tariffs.



Year to date, the companys shares have dipped 22.9% compared with the industrys decline of 16.1% and the sectors fall of 14.8%. Notably, the S&P 500 has declined 5.9% during the same period.













The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Factors Affecting the Stock



So far in 2020, Colfax has reported results for fourth-quarter 2019, with an earnings beat of 8.93%, while that for the first quarter of 2020 was 2.70%. It is worth mentioning here that the coronavirus outbreak had adverse impacts on the companys results in first-quarter 2020  with revenues declining 4.3% year over year due to reduced demand and forex woes.



Despite better-than-expected results, we believe that the broader market nervousness caused by the pandemic and the uncertainties faced by Colfax caused the decline in its share price year to date. For 2020, the company has suspended previously provided projections, while expects second-quarter demand to be the lowest in the year.



In addition, unfavorable movements in foreign currencies as well as an increase in costs of sales and operating expenses might be concerning for the company. For the second quarter, it expects forex woes to lower sales by 4% year over year.



Also, high debt levels  with a balance of $2,513 million at the end of the first quarter  can be concerning for the company, as it inflates financial obligations. This situation can be detrimental, especially in the prevailing difficult operating conditions. Colfax expects interest expenses to be $25-$30 million in the second quarter, suggesting rise from $24.8 million recorded in the first quarter.



Notably, the companys cost-reduction measures might be of help  with savings of $100 million expected in the second quarter. Also, revival in product demand in the second half of 2020 and synergistic gains from buyouts might aid.



Currently, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the companys earnings is pegged at $1.21 for 2020 and $1.90 for 2021, marking declines of 16% and 0.5% from the respective 30-day-ago figures. Notably, there were seven and three downward revisions for 2020 and 2021, respectively. However, there was one upward revision for 2020 and four for 2021.



Colfax Corporation Price and Consensus

Story continues

Colfax Corporation Price and Consensus

Colfax Corporation price-consensus-chart | Colfax Corporation Quote



Also, earnings estimates for the second quarter have moved down from 18 cents per share to 3 cents in the past month. Such a downward revision in earnings estimates is reflective of bearish sentiments for the company.



Colfaxs Performance Versus Three Peers



The company underperformed three peers in the year-to-date period. Three such stocks are Illinois Tool Works Inc. ITW, Graco Inc. GGG and IDEX Corporation IEX, with respective year-to-date declines of 3.8%, 6.4% and 8.5%.



The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All



Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.



See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Graco Inc. (GGG) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Colfax Corporation (CFX) : Free Stock Analysis Report



IDEX Corporation (IEX) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has asked the Indian authorities to account for the death of one of its citizens in the As...

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has asked the Indian authorities to account for the death of one of its citizens in the Asian country.





On Thursday, video clips had surfaced on social media of an exhausted Nigerian man being seized by the shirt by an Indian man as others surrounded the duo in what appeared to be a scene of violence.





It was gathered that the Nigerian, a businessman who is simply identified as Sunny Mike, was accused of theft. A mob action was reported to have ensued, leading to his death.





Reacting to one of the video clips, Abike Dabiri, chairman of NIDCOM, said the commission has reached out to its mission in Delhi and requested a full investigation on the incident.

The Nigerian mission in India has reported to the police and has demanded a full investigation on this incident which happened two days ago. We will keep on it and update. Sad!, Dabiri wrote.

Pls check @nidcom_gov handle. The Nigerian mission in India has reported to the police and has demanded a full investigation on this incident which happened two days ago. We will keep on it and update . Sad ! https://t.co/IO9U921Ayt May 28, 2020



Our attention has been drawn to above incident of a Nigerian brutally beaten up in Delhi, India.

The Nigerian mission in India is aware and are currently investigating the circumstances.



We call on Nigeria Community in India to be calm as the Mission is aware. VIDEO:Our attention has been drawn to above incident of a Nigerian brutally beaten up in Delhi, India.The Nigerian mission in India is aware and are currently investigating the circumstances.We call on Nigeria Community in India to be calm as the Mission is aware. pic.twitter.com/FajTErEeHh May 28, 2020

The Nigerian mission in India is aware and is currently investigating the circumstances. We call on Nigeria Community in India to be calm as the Mission is aware.





It was gathered that Mike died at the scene on Wednesday, before the arrival of the police and his body was immediately moved to the morgue.

In a statement issued via its Twitter handle, the commission said: Our attention has been drawn to the above incident of a Nigerian brutally beaten up in Delhi, India.
A seven-year-old boy from North Carolina thew a beautiful backyard prom for his beloved 17-year-old babysitter after the dance was canceled at her high school.

When Curtis Rogers' mom told him that his babysitter, Rachel Chapman, would miss her senior prom at Sanderson High School in Raleigh, the little boy suggested that they host a mini prom for her at their house.

'I was so surprised,' Rachel told Good Morning America. 'I had no idea he was going to go all out. It was very thoughtful and sweet.'

Sweet! Rachel Chapman, 17, saw her prom at Sanderson High School in Raleigh, North Carolina canceled because of the pandemic  so Curtis Rogers threw one for her

Dapper! He dressed up in an adorable suit and matched his bow tie to her dress

Rachel has been watching the little boy part time for over a year, picking him up after school, helping him with homework, taking him to the playground and ferrying him to piano lessons.

'She has become a part of our family ... he absolutely adores her,' said Curtis' mom, Elissa Rogers. 'She's a just great person with good heart so it's been a blessing to have her helping us out with Curtis.'

So the little boy was bummed when the pandemic hit and Rachel stopped babysitting for two months.

When his mom mentioned that she would be missing her prom, too, he immediately responded that they throw her a mini prom to make up for it.

Surprise! He even staged a promposal to invite her to the event

'She has become a part of our family ... he absolutely adores her,' said Curtis' mom, Elissa Rogers

Adorable: The two still maintained social distancing, posing for pictures six feet apart and eating at opposite ends of a long table that was decorated with flowers

Curtis started out with a special 'promposal,' coloring a sign asking her to an at-home party the following Monday.

She turned up that day in her lilac dress, all smiles as he escorted her in an adorable blue checked suit. He even picked a bow tie to match her dress.

The two still maintained social distancing, posing for pictures six feet apart and eating at opposite ends of a long table that was decorated with flowers.

Curtis and his mom prepared a menu with Chick-fil-A, smoothies, and one of their favorite foods  peanut butter and apples  as an appetizer.

Yum! Curtis and his mom prepared a menu with Chick-fil-A, smoothies, and one of their favorite foods  peanut butter and apples  as an appetizer

'It was really cute. He was really excited for it to start and make sure he was ready to impress her,' his mom said

'I planned it out because Rachel probably wanted to see me a lot,' Curtis told WTVD. 'She also is one of the best people I've known.'

'It was really cute. He was really excited for it to start and make sure he was ready to impress her,' his mom added.

Rachel, who will study public health at East Carolina University in the fall, said she had a great time.

'It was a sweet thing for him to do,' Rachel's mom, Becky Chapman, told GMA. 'They have a special relationship.'
The Ukrainian government is determined to liberalize the procedure for entry of foreign citizens into Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said Ukraine plans to lift the entry ban of foreigners imposed over the spread of COVID-19.

"Indeed, the Ukrainian government is gradually lifting restrictions imposed over the coronavirus pandemic, and we are resuming operations at border checkpoints," he said at a joint press conference with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto in Budapest on May 29.

Read alsoInt'l air travel recovery: MFA Ukraine elaborates on destinations

"The second issue that needs to be addressed is changing the rules for foreigners entering Ukraine. You are probably aware that this issue is difficult to resolve in a number of European countries, but we are determined to liberalize the procedure, and, accordingly, two elements, namely the reopening of checkpoints and allowing foreigners to cross in subject to certain rules, will let us tackle the issue and resume free movement," Kuleba said.
Nationwide, coronavirus infection numbers continue to drop, but a small number of states are not seeing any improvements.

Ten states, mainly in the South, have either seen their caseloads over the month of May get worse or hold steady.

These include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah and West Virginia.

Over the last seven days, the average of new cases between May 19 and May 26 had shot up 150 percent in West Virginia from 19.7 per week to 49.3 per week, Axios reported.

In Arkansas, the average has spiked 66 percent from 108.4 new coronavirus cases per week to 179.6 per week.

Many of these states have had a lack of testing, never imposed stay-at-home orders or were quick to reopen in spite of public health officials' concerns.

Meanwhile, previous coronavirus hotspots including New York and New Jersey, are reporting a drop in their infection numbers.

Ten states have not seen a single week of improvement including Alabama, Arkansas, Maine, Mississippi, South Carolina, Utah and West Virginia.

Their caseloads over the month of May have either gotten worse or held steady. Pictured: People party at Backwater Jacks Bar & Grill in the Ozarks, Missouri, May 24

Many of these states have had a lack of testing, never imposed stay-at-home orders or were quick to reopen in spite of public health officials' concerns. Pictured: Boaters participate in the Make America Great Again parade in Charleston, South Carolina, May 24

South Carolina reported its largest daily increase in deaths with 20 on Wednesday, exceeding the previous high of 15. Pictured: People watch the Make America Great Again boat parade in support of President Donald Trump from the battery in Charleston, May 24

West Virginia saw the biggest spike in weekly cases, according to data from both the health department and the COVID Tracking Project.

The state was the last US state to report cases of COVID-19, the highly-infectious disease caused by the virus.

The R0 (R-naught value) for the Mountain State - a mathematical term that indicates how contagious an infectious disease is - currently at 1.

The numbers that follows 'R' tells you the average number of people who will contract the disease from an infected person.

At midweek, the R-naught value for West Virginia was 7.05, particularly after more than 100 cases were confirmed at a state prison, reported WV Metro News.

CDC RESTAURANT REOPENING GUIDELINES Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, under all circumstances, the following precautions should be followed by restaurants providing dine-in: Consider assigning duties to vulnerable workers that minimize their contact with customers and other employees. Enforce hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes. Develop standards for the use of non-medical grade masks or cloth face coverings by employees when near other employees and customers. Ensure adequate supplies to support healthy hygiene practices for both employees and customers including soap, hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol (perhaps on every table, if supplies allow), and tissues. Consider posting signs on how to stop the spread of COVID-19, properly wash hands, promote everyday protective measures, and properly wear a face covering. Intensify cleaning, disinfection and ventilation practices. Wash, rinse, and sanitize food contact surfaces, food preparation surfaces, and beverage equipment after use. Avoid using or sharing items such as menus, condiments, and any other food. Instead, use disposable or digital menus, single serving condiments, and no-touch trash cans and doors. Wipe any pens, counters, or hard surfaces between use or customer. Train all employees in the above safety actions. Advertisement

However, Gov Jim Justice, a Republican, says he is satisfied with the way the state's numbers stand.

'West Virginia, keep on doing it. You're doing great. Proud of you,' Justice said at the end of a Thursday press conference

He attributed the rise in cases to the 105 confirmed infections among inmates at Huttonsville Correctional Center in Randolph County.

Justice has now pledged to test all staff and inmates in the state's corrections system, which has been severely lacking.

WV Metro News reports that just 43 inmates at West Virginia's other 10 prisons aside from Huntsville, had been tested as of Wednesday night. Across the 10 regional jails, only 93 tests had been performed.

The state, despite its rise in infections, has not been as aggressive in reopening with small businesses that have fewer than 10 employees allowed to reopen as of May 4

Hair salons, nail parlors, pet groomers and restaurants with outdoor dining were also allowed to resume business, with restrictions.

Meanwhile, in Arkansas, which saw the second-highest rise in weekly infections, the state also hit another record.

On Thursday, the health department reported 261 new cases, the largest-single day increase in community since reporting began.

Gov Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, said he doesn't believe the spike was due to Memorial Day celebrations or businesses reopening businesses.

'There is a second wave...it's a combination of expanded information through testing with the spread of the virus in northwest Arkansas,' he said.

West Virginia saw a 150 percent spike in cases over the last week and Arkansas saw a 66 percent surge - the two highest across the US. Pictured: People pack the beaches on Okaloosa Island, Florida, May 23

Although active COVID-19 cases and deaths are still increasing in Maine, the state says it has slowed the spread of the virus. Pictured: Shops that cater to tourists are starting to reopen under strict guidelines in Camden, Maine, May 28

On Thursday, the Utah Department of Health reported the number of cases rose by 215 from Wednesday, the largest single-day COVID-19 case increase. Pictured: People ride the Roller Coaster at Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Utah, May 23

Gov Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, said he doesn't believe the spike was due to Memorial Day celebrations or businesses reopening businesses.

'There is a second wave...it's a combination of expanded information through testing with the spread of the virus in northwest Arkansas,' he said.

Arkansas is one of the few states that never issued stay-at-home orders leading some residents to be cavalier in their actions.

South Carolina also reported its largest daily increase in deaths from the coronavirus on Wednesday,

The state's Department of Health and Environmental Control confirmed 20 fatalities due the disease between Tuesday and Wednesday, exceeding the previous record of 15 on May 11.

This is shortly after public attractions such as amusement parks were permitted to reopen throughout South Carolina.

On Saturday, Hutchinson told reporters that several people who attended a high school swim party had contracted the virus.

'A high school swim party that I'm sure everybody thought was harmless. They're young, they're swimming, they're just having activity and positive cases resulted from that,' Hutchinson said, noting the incident was 'just an encouragement for us to be disciplined in our activities.'

In the state, restaurants reopened starting April 29 while gyms and other facilities reopened on April 30 with hair salon and barber ships resuming service on May 1.

But it's not only states in the south that are not seeing improvements.

In Maine, coronavirus cases have risen over the last week by 39 percent from about 37.7 per week to 52.6 per week, reported Axios.

On Thursday, the state's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported three new outbreaks of the virus.

One is at a Procter and Gamble Tambrands facility and another is Happy Haven Home, a home for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Although active COVID-19 cases and deaths are still increasing in Maine, restrictions have been easing.

The state, however, says it has succeeded in slowing the spread of the virus and preventing hospitals from becoming overwhelmed.

Utah, which has also not reported a single week of significant improvement in May, records were also broken.

On Thursday, the Utah Department of Health reported the number of cases increased by 215 from Wednesday.

That's the largest single-day COVID-19 case increase in the Beehive State.

Additionally, The William E Christoffersen Salt Lake Veterans Home reported a COVID-19 outbreak this month.

KSL reported that 41 of 72 residents and 17 healthcare workers have tested positive for the disease, but the facility said no one is critically ill.

Meanwhile, previous hotspots such as New Jersey and New York have been higher overall numbers, but rates are falling.

According to Axios, New York saw a 23 percent decrease in new coronavirus cases and New Jersey saw a 18 percent decrease.

Gov Andrew Cuomo said new daily coronavirus cases in New York are now lower than they were at the beginning of the outbreak.

Additionally, daily new hospitalizations and total deaths are at their lowest since mid-March.

In New Jersey, which has the second-most deaths and cases behind New York, Gov Phil Murphy said the state is 'well past' its peak.

However, he cautioned that the decrease in numbers doesn't mean the state should quickly reopen.

'For everybody who says: "Open the thing up tomorrow, let's turn all the lights on, let's get back to normal," we had 365 folks going into the hospital yesterday,' the governor said on Thursday.

'We've got to make sure we are watching this like a hawk...We're still digging out of this.'
By about 3:30 a.m. police had issued two warnings to the crowd before a line of officers with shields were seen advancing on the group that was chanting black lives matter. People scattered after the deployment of a spray as officers shouted the park is closed! U.S. Park Police, uniformed Secret Service officers and D.C. police all appeared to be at the scene pushing protesters through Lafayette Square Park outside of the White House before the crowd finally broke up.
THE Cebu Provincial Government has set its eyes on improving rice production in the province amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis.

This, as Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia wants to help local farmers affected by the Covid-19 pandemicand make Cebu self-sufficient.

Aside from growing rice, Garcia said in a meeting with feedmillers and pork producers on May 26, 2020 that her administration will also focus on improving corn production as the soil in Cebu is conducive for growing such crop.

The governors move is part of her Enhanced Countryside Development program.

Provincial Agriculture Officer Roldan Saragena said 63 percent of rice supply in Cebu came from outside the province. Only 37 percent of the rice supply came from Cebu.

He said there are arable lands on Bantayan Island and Camotes Islands, and in northern and southern parts of mainland Cebu.

The governor also ordered an inventory on all Capitol-owned lands that can be used for farming.

To start the improvement on rice and corn production, Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines and Philippine Veterans Bank heeded the governors request to set aside a common fund for the endeavor. The farmers and businessmen can borrow money from the fund.

If more farmers will plant corn, the Capitol sees no problem for feed millers in getting supplies. Corn is one of the ingredients in making hog feeds.

Garcia said the Provincial Government will make sure the farmers will earn as it will act as their middleman.

The governor will meet with feedmillers again to discuss specifics on corn production, price and signing of an agreement. (ANV)
The world's oldest man, Bob Weighton, has died at the age of 112 after battling with cancer.

According to Evening Standard, Weighton's family shared that he died "peacefully in his sleep" at his home in Alton, Hampshire, England on Thursday morning.

"With great sadness, the Weighton family announces the death of our beloved Bob Weighton," the official statement reads.

The family described the centenarian as an "extraordinary man" and shared how he served as a "role model" to them.

"Bob was an extraordinary man, and to the family not really because of the amazing age he reached. A role model to us all, he lived his life interested in and engaged with all kinds of people from across the world," Weighton's family said.

The family also revealed how he lived his life with a positive outlook, as he "viewed everyone as his brother or sister" and always believed in "loving, accepting, and caring for one another."

Up until his death, the centenarian -- who was a former teacher and an engineer -- liked to share his ideas that involve politics, theology, ecology and had actively "cared greatly for the environment."

"We are so grateful that until the very end Bob remained our witty, kind, knowledgeable, conversationalist father, grandfather, and great grandfather, and we will miss him greatly," the family added.

Weighton is survived by his children Dorothy and David, including his 10 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

The World's Oldest Man By Guinness World Records

Weighton, who was born on March 29, 1908, has been named by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest man last February, following the death of 112-year-old Chitetsu Watanabe from Japan.

On the contrary, upon receiving the prestigious title, he explained to BBC that he did not consider this to be an exciting part of his life.

"I don't really feel satisfied because it means someone else has died. I just accept it as a fact. It's not something I ever intended, wanted, or worked for but it's just one of those facts of life. You might find it amazing but it's just one of those things," Weighton said.

He also proved that he has a great sense of humor by noting that the secret to longevity is "laughter" and "to avoid dying".

Birthday Celebration Amid COVID-19

Furthermore, in his last birthday celebration last March 29, the family observed strict health protocol and chose to celebrate his special day behind closed doors because of coronavirus lockdown.

The 112-year-old Weighton described how the "world is in a bit of a mess" with the ongoing health crisis.

It was also reported that he declined a birthday card sent by the Queen and explained that he did not want one at the taxpayers' expense.

On behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, the Firm sends greeting cards to those who are celebrating their 100th and 105th birthdays, as well as those who are celebrating their diamond wedding, 65th and 70th wedding anniversaries.

The centenarian spent his lifetime working as an engineer in Taiwan, Japan, Canada before finally relocating to the U.K.
India on Friday surpassed the Covid-19 death toll of China, where the outbreak was first reported in December last year. India recorded 175 deaths from coronavirus disease in the last 24 hours (between Thursday and Friday).

According to Union health ministry update at 8 am on Friday, the coronavirus disease has killed 4,706 people in India. This is more than China, where the toll is 4,634, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

While China was the first country to report disease last December and recorded over 84,000 total cases so far, India that reported its first case in January end, now has 1,65,799 cases that is more than Turkeys (1,60,979).

The only good news for India is that the health ministry has said that the countrys recovery rate is 42.88 per cent. More than 70,000 people (71,105 to be exact) of the patients have been cured and sent back home, as per the health ministry.

Maharashtra contributed a lions share to Fridays tally with over 2,500 fresh Covid-19 cases between Thursday and Friday. The overall tally of Maharashtra, the worst-hit state in the country, reached 59,546 on Friday.

Delhi and Tamil Nadu showed jump of around 1,000 cases. Tamil Nadu now has 19,372 and Delhi 16,281 cases.

Gujarat reported 15,562 cases, Rajasthan 8,067, Madhya Pradesh 7,453 and Uttar Pradesh 7,170.

Other States and union territories have also reported steady increase and West Bengal now has 4,536 cases, Telangana (2,256), Punjab (2,158), Jammu and Kashmir (2,036), Bihar (3,296) and Andhra Pradesh(3,251).

India is currently in the fourth phase of lockdown which is till May 31. Cases spiked at record rate during the lockdown 4.0 that allowed much relaxation.

China, meanwhile, reported no new confirmed coronavirus cases in the mainland on May 28, down from two a day earlier, the countrys health authority said on Friday.
Psychiatrists at OHSU Hospital and clinics have seen a 120% increase in visits since the pandemic began, and officials there worry that insurers will make it difficult to provide the level of mental health care needed in the wake of the pandemic.

Dr. George Keepers, chair of psychiatry in the OHSU School of Medicine, expects demand for psychiatric treatment to continue to rise over the next two years. That has been the case with previous disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina.

But Oregon already faces significant problems in its ability to provide care to people who need it. And doctors and officials worry shortages and unmet need will intensify as more people seek mental health treatment and the state eyes budget cuts to those services.

Over the past two years, Keepers has become increasingly mad that insurance companies make providing that care even harder  despite Oregon passing a mental health parity law in 2005 that was deemed the strongest in the nation.

He and other OHSU professors and psychiatrists have repeatedly raised the alarm about what they see as attempts by private insurance companies to circumvent federal laws that require mental health insurance to be treated equally to other medical health care.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, sent a letter Thursday to federal watchdogs calling for an investigation into what he says appear to be violations of state and federal parity laws.

Its adding layer upon layer to the thick walls insurance companies have built up to block Americans from getting the mental health care they need, Wyden said.

He said that the Government Accountability Office, which is tasked with auditing and investigating federal programs to make sure they are working as intended and not wasting resources, has indicated to him that officials will look into Wydens request as part of its oversight of appropriations under the CARES Act.

Its not just an Oregon issue, Wyden said. Since passage of the 2008 federal law that required parity between mental and physical health care, private insurance companies have increasingly turned to carve out companies -- subcontractors that solely deal with mental health coverage -- to give psychiatric patients short shrift, according to Wyden.

He fears that with unemployment skyrocketing and isolation preying on peoples psyches, the insurance issue could become an even greater obstacle to proving care to a growing patient population.

Across the country, more than half of all adults say that worry and stress from the pandemic has caused their mental health to suffer, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study.

Its also a personal issue for the senator, whose brother struggled with schizophrenia and eventually died from causes related to his illness.

COVID-19 is making a ramshackle mental health system even worse, Wyden said.

At OHSU, Keepers has been documenting the insurance companies tactics for years.

After the 2008 law passed, he saw mental health coverage get better for years. Then, it seemed that companies began to try to limit how much they had to reimburse providers.

Now, insurers increasingly farm out handling solely of mental health claims under their policies to smaller companies that Keepers said use a variety of ways to discourage reimbursement.

One of the most common, Keepers said, is just blanket denial. A company will deny a claim, even if it is covered, with the idea that no one will contest the denial.

Keepers said it is an effective tactic because so many psychiatrists have individual practices or practice as part of small groups, so they dont have the time and resources to fight with an insurance company.

The four or five strategies Keeper has seen become more complicated from there. Some will require pre-authorization for treatment of an attempted suicide, for instance. While the surgery to repair a self-inflicted knife wound wont need pre-authorization, the emergency visit from a psychiatrist will, according to the insurance company.

Which is ridiculous on the face of it because people dont call into their insurance company saying, I am going to commit suicide and I need pre-authorization for treatment, Keepers said.

He has seen companies expect to be paid back if they covered treatment after a patient switched insurance plans. Often, a person in severe mental health crisis might be seen by psychiatric staff for evaluation, testing and support network planning in the same day, which has caused Keepers to have reimbursement denied on the grounds he billed for the same issue too many times in one day.

The payment issue trickles down to patients by limiting the kinds of care they can receive. Many mental health professionals will refuse certain kinds of insurance to avoid these problems.

Many mental health patients are also unable to advocate for themselves within the technical jargon and byzantine bureaucracy of insurance claims.

So Wyden sent a list of questions he asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate, mostly revolving around how state and federal regulators are ensuring private and public health insurance plans comply with parity laws. He also asked how families, who are already dealing with the unusual conditions of coronavirus lockdowns, are having their rights to mental health treatment protected.

In crisis times like this, they dont need a separate battle with insurance companies, Wyden said.

-- Molly Harbarger

mharbarger@oregonian.com | 503-294-5923 | @MollyHarbarger

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
1. Yes. Too many kids are staying home. They need a virtual learning option to keep up.

2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed.

3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms.

4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually.

5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings.

Vote

View Results
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceX pressed ahead with its second attempt to launch astronauts for NASA  a historic first for a private company  but more stormy weather threatened more delays.

Elon Musks company came within 17 minutes Wednesday of launching a pair of NASA astronauts for the first time in nearly a decade from the U.S., before the threat of lightning forced a delay.

With more storms ahead, managers debated Friday whether to bump the next launch attempt from Saturday to Sunday to take advantage of slightly improved forecast at Kennedy Space Center.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted that no decision was made, and they would reassess the situation Saturday morning.

At an earlier outdoor news conference, Bridenstine stressed the need for safety for astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken  no matter how many times it takes to launch them in a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station.

We cannot forget this is a test flight. This  is  a  test  flight, he repeated. We will go when everything is as safe as we can possibly make it.

Forecasters put the odds of acceptable weather conditions Saturday at 50-50, with the outlook improving to 60% favourable on Sunday. Rain and clouds were the main concerns for both days.

Bridenstine said back-to-back tries would be tough on the launch team  and the astronauts  given that this is a test flight.

Hurley and Behnken, veterans of two space shuttle flights, have both faced launch delays before. In a tweet Friday, Hurley said his first shuttle flight was scrubbed five times for weather and technical issues.

Were ready for the next launch opportunity! Behnken tweeted.

While NASA had urged spectators to stay home Wednesday because of the pandemic, prime viewing spots at area parks and beaches were packed. A weekend launch could draw even bigger crowds. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex reopened Thursday, after a 2 1/2-month shutdown, and within a few hours, all 4,000 tickets were snapped up for Saturdays launch attempt.

President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence were planning to return Saturday to watch from inside Kennedy. The number of employees, journalists and guests allowed at the space centre remained extremely limited because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Whether an attempt is made Saturday or Sunday, There will be no pressure. We will launch when were ready, Bridenstine said.

Liftoff on Saturday would be 3:22 p.m. EDT.

The last time astronauts launched to orbit from the U.S. was in 2011 when Atlantis closed out the 30-year space shuttle program. Hurley was on that mission as well.

NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing in 2014 to get the ball rolling again  kicking off a commercial revolution for getting people to low-Earth orbit. In the meantime, NASA has spent billions of dollars to buy seats on Russian Soyuz capsules for U.S. astronauts, in order to keep the space station staffed.

Boeings first astronaut flight, on the companys Starliner capsule, is not expected until next year.

Bridenstine offered high praise for Musk on Friday and all his personal touches: spiffy spacesuits, Tesla rides to the launch pad, a colour-co-ordinated rocket and capsule  and more.

Musk has brought vision and inspiration to the American space program, Bridenstine said. While theres occasionally a little tension between NASA and SpaceX, he gives me a commitment and he delivers on that commitment. That has happened every single time.

The California-based SpaceX is also developing a rocket and spaceship designed to go to the moon and Mars.

On Friday, a prototype of its Starship exploded while undergoing a routine engine test at the companys Texas site. The ship vented large amount of gases and was engulfed in a tremendous fireball.

SpaceX did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

NASA, which has a contract with SpaceX to develop Starship for its lunar landing program, has no problems going ahead with this weekends unrelated launch of astronauts from Cape Canaveral, agency spokesman Bob Jacobs.

Thats a test program. Thats why they test, Jacobs said.

___

AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland, contributed to this report.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
NEW HAVEN  A city police officer working an extra duty job at a local store Wednesday night suffered a possible knee injury in a struggle with a suspect accused of trying to steal more than $500 worth of merchandise, a summary of the incident indicated.

Around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, New Haven Police Officer Paul Vitale was working extra duty at Walmart at 315 Foxon Blvd. He was at the exit door with Asset Protection Manager Fanny Chan when a man, later identified as Richard Smith, tried to walk out of the store with a cart with a grill, two air conditions and a grill cover, Vitales report said.

Chan asked Smith, 29, of New Haven , to see his receipt, but Smith couldnt provide one, the report said. Smith, according to the report, made a comment about problems with his employee discount.

Vitale said he called Asset Protection Officer Kenny Kuczynski to the door because Smiths voice was rising, and he began displaying belligerent behavior toward Chan. Smith allegedly made claims that he worked at a Walmart in North Haven.

For the record, Vitale said in his report, there is no Walmart in North Haven.

Vitale said Smiths behavior was becoming a threat to people in the checkout lines and Chan, so he asked him to walk away and leave the items behind.

This video contains offensive language:

Based on Richard Smiths erratic behavior, I told him this because I believed he was going to escalate a conflict and I wanted him away from other civilians in order to prevent them from potentially being injured, Vitale said. I took out my Mace because I believed Richard Smith was going to start fighting.

Vitale said Smith was shouting at Chan, calling his behavior aggressive in the report. Vitale said he called for backup units multiple times.

The officer said he repeatedly told Smith he needed to identify him because of the disturbance he caused in Walmart. It is common for Walmart to ban aggressive offenders from the store.

Vitale said Smith tried to walk by him and he grabbed Smiths arm, prompting Smith to allegedly pull away from the officer and try to run. At that point, Vitale said, I discharged my department-issue Mace. Smith was treated by firefighters.

A sergeant and four other New Haven police officers arrived on scene and helped Vitale secured Smith in handcuffs. Vitale said as the officers tried to put Smith into a squad car, he continued to resist.

New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes said in a statement later Thursday night that Vitales actions, including the use of force, were appropriate given the circumstances.

The arresting officers body camera footage clearly shows the officer attempting to detain an individual, later identified as Richard E. Smith, Jr., who is suspected of trying to walk out the store without paying for a shopping cart of merchandise, Reyes said. The officer is injured as he and responding officers attempt to detain the man.

The chief said the officer used the amount of force necessary to overcome Smiths resistance.

Vitales report said the officers found Smith in possession 15 folds of heroin, an eight of crack and nine small bags of crack cocaine.

The cost of the items that Smith tried to steal were totaled at $598.97, Vitale said.

During the struggle, Vitale said he suffered a possible knee injury.

Vitale had a previous encounter with Smith in a one-vehicle collision where he was issued a citation. He said he was later contacted by Orrin Smith, who has no relation to Richard Smith, for the rental vehicle that Richard Smith crash.

Vitale said Orrin Smith told him Richard Smith had insurance problems and used a Walmart discount code when renting the vehicle. A check confirmed Richard Smith was never an employee at any Walmart location.

Walmart does not want Richard Smith on any of their premises after this incident, Vitale said.

Smith was charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, interfering with a police officer, fifth-degree larceny and assault on a police officer.
Since March, some US senators, officials, media outlets, think tanks and non-governmental organizations have been accusing China of spreading the novel coronavirus, demanding the so-called compensations from China. Their instigation has resulted in multiple lawsuits filed against the Chinese government over the COVID-19 pandemic that demand China be held accountable and request huge amount of compensations.

It is reported that Missouri Attorney General in April filed a lawsuit in US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, demanding that the Chinese government take responsibility for the global pandemic and make compensations. This is an extremely rare case that a local government of a country attempted to hold a sovereign state accountable through a domestic court.

At present, relevant scientific issues revolving around the COVID-19 pandemic are gradually turning into some political topics requesting China to take responsibility and make compensations, and are becoming a weapon for some international anti-China forces to manipulate international public opinions.

All the lawsuits filed against China in US courts over the COVID-19 pandemic, be them non-governmental or government-led, are based on the presumption that the Chinese government is responsible for the spread of the disease. Those who filed these lawsuits just arrogantly assume that the virus came from China, and the global spread of the virus was caused by the Chinese governments inaction and failure to report the disease to the world. They also hold that the Chinese government should compensate for the losses because of its improper and inhumane response measures.

What they believe is just groundless and has no basis in the international law.

Although China was the first to report the COVID-19 disease, there is not a conclusion yet that the virus indeed originated in the country. Neither the World Health Organization (WHO) nor the global scientific community has confirmed the source of it. The tracing of the virus should be an issue studied by scientists, not something to be politicized.

Besides, according to the international law, countries shall not be held accountable for a disease no matter its origin is confirmed or not. There is no regulation in the international law that a country where a virus starts shall compensate the losses suffered by other countries. Even if Wuhan reported the disease first, China does not have to take the state responsibility in the international law, let alone the fact that the origin is still up in the air. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was firstly spotted in the US and then spread to the rest of the world, and Washington has never been requested to shoulder the losses.

Chinese governments notification on and response to COVID-19 conform to the International Health Regulations (IHR). As a member country of the WHO, China shall observe the IHR revised in 2005 and report timely to the WHO when epidemic happens.

According to the Articles 6 and 7 of the IHR, the core responsibility of member countries is notification.

Each State Party shall notify WHO, by the most efficient means of communication available, and within 24 hours of assessment of public health information, of all events which may constitute a public health emergency of international concern within its territory in accordance with the decision instrument, as well as any health measure implemented in response to those events, the Article 6 stipulates, adding that Following a notification, a State Party shall continue to communicate to WHO timely, accurate and sufficiently detailed public health information available to it on the notified event, where possible including case definitions, laboratory results, source and type of the risk, number of cases and deaths, conditions affecting the spread of the disease and the health measures employed; and report, when necessary, the difficulties faced and support needed in responding to the potential public health emergency of international concern.

And the Article 7 notes that If a State Party has evidence of an unexpected or unusual public health event within its territory, irrespective of origin or source, which may constitute a public health emergency of international concern, it shall provide to WHO all relevant public health information. In such a case, the provisions of Article 6 shall apply in full.

According to a timeline of China releasing information on COVID-19 and advancing international cooperation on epidemic response released by the Xinhua News Agency on April 6, the Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Central Chinas Hubei Province detected cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in late December 2019, and the WHOs information system received report on the cases on December 31.

Starting January 3 this year, China has been regularly informing the WHO, relevant countries and regions and Chinas Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan about the pneumonia outbreak, and began to inform the US of the pneumonia outbreak and response measures on a regular basis. Facts speak louder than words. China has fully, timely and effectively fulfilled its obligations in the IHR.

Based on the state responsibility in the international law, a country must take the legal consequences for its wrongful acts in international activities. The law of state responsibility is of great significance for protecting the legitimate rights and interests of victims, for safeguarding the international legal order, and for preventing and rectifying international wrongful acts.

According to the international law, there is an internationally wrongful act of a State when conduct consisting of an action or omission: attributable to the State under international law; and constitutes a breach of an international obligation of the State.

China has well fulfilled the obligation in the IHR and done nothing illegal, so it shall not take the state responsibility for the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US and the rest of the world.

As a matter of fact, the severe situation in the US today is totally caused by the US government itself. In early January, China began to inform the US of the pneumonia outbreak and response measures on a regular basis and has always kept the information updated. Besides, the WHO also made decisive response from the very beginning, sending an alarm to the world. It declared the epidemic a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on January 30.

Therefore, the US should have enough time to take effective measures to cope with the health crisis. However, it failed to exploit the window of opportunity and took no effective measures, which finally led to the explosive spread of the virus in the US. The losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic should be attributed to the failure of the White House, and have no causal relationship at all with Chinas pandemic response.

(Huang Jin is president of the Chinese Society of International Law.)
There are 13 worst-affected cities by Covid-19 in India, the Centre has said. But none of these cities are in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba held a meeting with Chief Ministers and administrators of union terriroties on Thursday. Municipal authorities of these 13 cities were also present in the meeting.

These 13 cities are: Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Thane, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Indore, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur.

The meeting holds significance because it comes days before the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown is scheduled to end. The lockdown will end on May 31.

These 13 cities will continue to see the restrictions similar to those clamped in containment zones, Hindustan Times Hindu language publication Hindustan reported. These 13 cities constitute about 70 per cent of Covid-19 positive cases in the country.

District magistrates or collectors of the 13 cities also joined the meeting, the official said. The measures taken by the officials and the staff of the municipal corporations for the management of Covid-19 cases were reviewed in the meeting chaired by Gauba.

The central government has already issued guidelines on management of Covid-19 in urban settlements.

Highlights of this strategy include work on high-risk factors, indices such as confirmation rate, fatality rate, doubling rate, tests per million people etc, news agency PTI reported.

The strategy defined the factors to be considered while mapping the containment and buffer zones, the activities mandated in containment zones like perimetre control, active search for cases through house-to- house surveillance, contact tracing, testing protocol, clinical management of the active cases.

The nationwide lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 for 21 days in a bid to combat the coronavirus pandemic. It was first extended till May 3 and again till May 17. The lockdown has now been extended till May 31.
GAINESVILLE, Fla., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Concept Companies, Inc. completed the sale of a newly constructed and fully leased biotechnology and life science research facility within the Foundation Park development in Alachua, Florida. This 43,180-square-foot building was sold to HF Holdings Colorado, LLC for $12 million, the largest commercial real estate sale in Alachua County Florida since 2015.

Foundation Park, a 43,180-square-foot biotech and life science research facility, is located in Alachua, Florida.

Foundation Park, Concept Companies' biotechnology and life sciences development, is a four-phase project with phase two in the planning stages. Located adjacent to Progress Park, UF Innovate's Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator, and Santa Fe College's Perry Center for Emerging Technologies, Foundation Park is a cornerstone of north Florida's dynamic life sciences cluster.

Phase 1 of Foundation Park, developed in 2015, is anchored by Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation (AGTC). AGTC performs research and development of genetic treatments for rare inherited conditions with its most advanced products focused on vision-related disorders.

"Foundation Park Phase 1 was developed to serve the growing bioscience and life sciences cluster in the Alachua and greater Gainesville area," said Brian Crawford, CEO of Concept Companies. "Concept Companies is proud to be a partner with the tenants in the first building which includes AGTC, University of Florida's Biotility and AavantiBio and we look forward to continuing to serve the facility needs of the cutting edge companies needing best-in-class laboratory and research facilities."

Concept Companies is committed to the life sciences in Alachua County and will be announcing new projects in the region in the coming months. The sale of Building 1 at Foundation Park is the beginning of the next chapter of new development in the region.

About Concept Companies:

Concept Companies, Inc. is a full-service commercial real estate and development company based in Gainesville, Florida. With a focus on bioscience, life science, health care, and retail development, Concept Companies is managing active development projects throughout the southeastern United States. For more information, visit conceptcompanies.net.

Concept Companies Contact:

Emily Williams

Marketing Manager

352-333-3233, ext. 138

[email protected]

Related Images

foundation-park.jpg

Foundation Park

Foundation Park, a 43,180-square-foot biotech and life science research facility, is located in Alachua, Florida.

SOURCE Concept Companies

Related Links

http://www.conceptcompanies.net


Press Release

May 29, 2020 CBMS Law to correct inefficiencies in SAP distribution; Gatchalian lauds IRR signing Now that the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) of the law has been signed, Senator Win Gatchalian urges the government anew to use the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) Act to ensure efficient distribution of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP). Five million more poor families have been added to the list of beneficiaries who will receive the second wave of cash assistance under the national government's SAP. Beneficiaries of the second wave of financial assistance are indigent families living in areas under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), including Metro Manila. Gatchalian said the CBMS law will correct inefficiencies in the past two months of SAP delivery and will ward off irregularities and corruption among local officials who will disburse the cash. Since the inclusion of the new beneficiaries is subject for validation by the local government units (LGUs), Gatchalian said the CBMS law will be very helpful because it is a system that collects information on all households in the community that is LGU-based, starting at the barangay level. Gatchalian, co-author of the law, said that with a community-based monitoring system the government will now be able to produce critical data required for more comprehensive poverty analysis and prioritization. "This will be very useful in coming up with a targeted national program not only for poverty alleviation but also in times of disasters and crises, such as the coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) pandemic," Gatchalian said. Gatchalian himself witnessed the recent signing of the IRR of the CBMS Act with Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Undersecretary Claire Dennis Mapa, and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Assistant Secretary Marjorie Jalosjos at the PSA office. The PSA takes the lead as the implementing agency of the CBMS. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is tasked to develop data-sharing arrangements between government agencies, while the DILG is responsible to disseminate information relating to the activities of the CBMS.
Woman Suffers Irreparable Damage After Forcefully Removed by Authorities

Around 5 pm on May 22nd, Wuhan petitioner Ms. Iris was intercepted by more than a dozen policemen and community workers after she did an interview with a foreign media reporter. Related videos were quickly spread online. Iris said on Twitter that after she was interviewed by a BBC reporter she was followed closely by three policemen and seven or eight community workers. They stopped her in a small roadside park. They even stopped the taxi she called in front of the BBC reporters car.

Wuhan petitioner Iris said: He [BBC reporter] just asked some views of Wuhan residents. I just expressed my own thoughts directly. I didnt exaggerate anything, and I didnt know that [police and community workers] would come to intercept me.

She asked: Are you trying to expose your ugliness? 

Iris said that the police and community workers wouldnt let her go and pulled her away. She called a taxi, but they blocked the front of the car, not letting the taxi driver go and even threatening him.

Iris revealed to reporters that last October, the Wuhan Metro was under construction near her house, which made cracks in her house, making it unlivable.

She went to the subway office to defend her rights.

However, her shoulder was torn by community workers, causing irreversible injuries which made her unable to work until now.

Despite filing complaints many times, she didnt receive any response.

But after accepting an interview from a foreign media, suddenly a community worker called her, saying that they would resolve some of her claims, but they only reimbursed some medical expenses from the early stage.

Iris said that her road to defending her rights is so bumpy.

Iris said: For example, I went to the office for letters and calls. The person I was going to file a complaint with was the person who responded to my case.

What kind of effect do you think it would have?

No effect at all.

They even fabricated the responses to petitions.

They are totally unsupervised.

I think its so scary. Theyre putting on shows themselves.

Iris also tweeted that she is really patriotic and hopes that the political system will be more open. Based on this principle, she only gave some mild criticism in a limited scope. But because of it, she had such an unexpected experience. It made her feel scared.
[May 29, 2020] Reliq Health Technologies, Inc. Files Quarterly Financial Statements, Provides Corporate Update

HAMILTON, Ontario, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reliq Health Technologies Inc. (TSXV:RHT or OTCQB:RQHTF) (Reliq or the Company), a technology company focused on developing innovative mobile health (mHealth) and telemedicine solutions for Community-Based Healthcare announced that the interim consolidated financial statements (Financial Statements) and Managements Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, are now available on the Companys profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). The Company is also pleased to provide the following corporate update.

As previously announced, Reliq will be hosting a webinar today, May 29th at 9:00am EDT at https://bit.ly/2yooZZd . For those who are not able to attend the webinar, a recording of the webinar will be available on the Companys website immediately following the session. A written summary of the material updates to be presented in the webinar is also provided below. Agenda for Webinar Highlights from Q3 FY2020 Financial Statements Discussion of the impact of the global pandemic on the healthcare market Overview of Reliqs current pipeline Review of Care Management Center (Call Center) support services Date for webinar to review annual audited financial statements 1. Q3 FY2020 Financial Statements The quarterly financial statements for Q3 FY2020 (quarter ending March 31, 2020) have been filed on SEDAR under the Companys profile. Highlights: Revenues increased by 359% relative to same quarter in FY2019, and 14% over the previous quarter (Q2 FY2020).

During the quarter ending March 31, 2020 and subsequent, the Company received gross proceeds of $1,255,625 from option exercises by employees and consultants and $200,000 from the final settlement payment from the litigation the Company initiated and concluded via mediation in 2019.

The Company does not expect to need to raise funds to reach profitability in Calendar Year 2020. 2. Discussion of Impact of Global Pandemic on Healthcare Market The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event for Reliq and the rest of the world. Many of the Companys clients and potential client are urgently moving to a virtual care model to reduce the risk of virus transmission associated with in-office and in-home visits. Reliqs clients provide care to patients who are at the highest risk for poor outcomes from COVID-19 infection  elderly individuals with multiple underlying chronic conditions  and the Company has responded to its customers urgent need to protect and care for this vulnerable population remotely. Reliq is very fortunate to be able to continue to grow its business in these unusual times. Reliq is abl to provide solutions that ensure continued access to healthcare and protect vulnerable populations during the global pandemic. As it becomes increasingly clear that the world is going to have to learn to live with the novel coronavirus for longer than anyone had hoped, demand for Reliqs iUGO Care Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), Chronic Care Management (CCM), Principal Care Management (PCM), Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) and Telemedicine solutions has increased significantly and the Companys pipeline continues to expand every day. Analysts consistently agree that Virtual Care models for healthcare delivery will become even more vital as healthcare providers prepare for a potential second wave of coronavirus infections in the fall and winter, and that the pandemic has dramatically advanced acceptance of and demand for Virtual Care solutions. Reliq will be dedicating additional resources to onboarding patients to the iUGO Care platform in the coming months to help the Companys clients achieve their goals of keeping patients healthy and at home and reducing their potential exposure to the virus.



3. Overview of Reliqs Current Pipeline Between clients currently under contract and the accounts expected to close within the next two quarters, the Company has a near-term pipeline of over 1,300 providers and more than 550,000 patients.

4. Review of Care Management Center (formerly Call Center) Support Services As previously disclosed, the Company opened a US Sales Office and Care Management Center (formerly referred to as the call center) in Port St Lucie, Florida to provide paid support services for its clients, including onboarding, training, patient engagement and case management. The services Reliq is able to offer through the Care Management Center are a key differentiator for the Company. Reliqs Care Management Center provides patient care management services for Physician Practices and their Medicare patients. The Care Management Center acts as an extension of the physicians office, with qualified Medical Assistants providing services for which Reliq receives payment. Care Management Center staff update patients electronic records, communicate with doctors offices and make calls to patients to provide education and ensure compliance with prescribed therapies and monitoring programs. The Center typically makes outbound calls only and is not a general help line nor a technical support line. 5. Date for Next Quarterly Update Webinar The Companys annual audited financial statements for FY2020 are due to be filed on or before October 28, 2020. The quarterly financials are not reviewed by the Companys auditors, but the annual financials will be audited by the Companys auditors, KPMG. The webinar to review the annual audited financial statements will be scheduled on or before October 29, 2020. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Dr. Lisa Crossley CEO and Director About Reliq Health Reliq Health Technologies is a healthcare technology company that specializes in developing innovative software solutions for the Community Care market. Reliqs powerful iUGO Care platform supports care coordination and community-based healthcare. iUGO Care allows complex patients to receive high quality care at home, improving health outcomes, enhancing quality of life for patients and families and reducing the cost of care delivery. iUGO Care provides real-time access to remote patient monitoring data, allowing for timely interventions by the care team to prevent costly hospital readmissions and ER visits. Reliq Health Technologies trades on the TSX Venture under the symbol RHT and on the OTCQB as RQHTF. For further information please contact: Investor Relations at [email protected] Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are "forward-looking statements". We caution you that such "forward-looking statements" involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual and future events to differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to commercial operations, including technology development, anticipated revenues, projected size of market, and other information that is based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Reliq Health Technologies Inc. (the "Company") does not intend and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties relating to, among other things, technology development and marketing activities, the Company's historical experience with technology development, uninsured risks. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Reliq Health Technologies Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
A community has come together in Minneapolis for a war against its own city.

Whether someone believes they are rioting for good or bad reasons, its certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I walked straight into it Thursday, the third night of the riots that have resulted in ruined vehicles, burned buildings and looted stores.

I had never witnessed anything like it in my life. It was as if I entered into a world that I had only seen before through television coverage of foreign countries. But it was only about two hours from Winona this time.

When I was initially heading toward the city, I even found myself questioning how severe the riots could really be.

There werent people throwing rocks at my vehicle as I drove down the highway like social media had prepared me for.

At the outskirts of the city about 6 p.m., I couldnt see smoke darkening the sky.

I had to wait until I approached the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct building to truly understand what a riot looks like.

Everybody seemed to have forgotten about the COVID-19 pandemic as they crowded the area surrounding the building and nearby stores on Minnehaha Avenue.

There was no such thing as six-foot social distancing as people called out chants and waved signs in the air expressing their frustration about the death of George Floyd, a black man in handcuffs who pleaded for air as a police officer kneeled on his neck during an arrest.

It was a community effort to call for justice in response to Floyds death.

People were walking through the crowds and standing on the sidewalks, offering free snacks and water and gallons of milk.

Initially, for a brief second, I thought they were all taking a moment to appreciate the dairy industry. As a southwestern Wisconsin native, I was excited by the idea.

I soon learned it was actually to battle the effects of tear gas, which police were using on crowds as they attempted to burn down local buildings  including the police precinct.

While I didnt witness the building get taken down by flames, I was there as someone called out about history being made. I was there when the gates around the building were torn down and used as a way to attempt to break the glass of the windows.

I knew at that moment I was witnessing the breaking point.

Soon enough, as the battle to get inside the building began, fireworks were lit off by protestors.

Tear gas was used by the police officers now visible on the sides of the building. While I quickly removed myself from the situation in fear of my safety, I did get a taste of the chemical pain as I watched a nearby pawn shop burn uncontrollably.

Fire truck lights shined in the smoke as there was attempts made to stop the blaze.

I can confidently say there is not much of a chance that the building will be used again as a store anytime soon, if it will even be left standing after the riots.

As for some of the other stores  even the local Target  they might not have burned down but they were rummaged through and some even flooded from their sprinkler systems.

It was time to leave when my eyes and lungs burned from the tear gas and smoke.

As I moved back to my car, I witnessed people outside of a church helping with first aid for the protestors. People were suffering from the tear gas.

Others were sharing their stories about having protective cushions strapped to their bodies being hit by multiple rubber bullets.

There was physical pain that night, along with the emotional pain already caused by the loss of Floyd.

I eventually moved toward the Hennepin County Government Center, where there were far fewer people at 11 p.m. than there were near the precinct.

A line of police officers blocked the doors, with dozens of others inside the building seemingly prepared for any attacks.

More peaceful protestors sat on the cement in front of the officers.

A few did express their anger more clearly, standing about a yard from individual officers yelling at them, accusing all on the force of being a problem to the community.

I felt a mix of emotions as I took their photos, because I witnessed the hateful emotions from the rioters, while I also wondered what the officers could have been feeling.

Driving away from the scene that evening, police cars  along with unmarked cars and vans  raced toward the chaos I had witnessed.

I knew, that night, nothing would ever be the same for Minneapolis.

Later, I saw the precinct was no longer in one piece. I knew stores would no longer be a part of the community. I watched arrests via social media.

I witnessed history Thursday that I will never be able to forget.

(tncms-asset)f0323944-a177-11ea-abf9-00163ec2aa77[2](/tncms-asset)

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0
SpaceX is not having the best of luck this week  first the Falcon 9 launch was scrubbed Wednesday and now the firms' a prototype Starship rocket has exploded.

The prototype Serial Number 4 vanished into a fireball at SpaceX's Boca Chica site in Texas Friday shortly the engine was ignited for a pressurized test.

The failure comes days after SpaceX had to abort the blastoff of their Falcon 9 rocket, in what would have been the first manned launch from US soil in nine years.

That launch has now been rescheduled for tomorrow.

This is the fourth Starship rocket that has been lost while testing - all of the the previous vessels also imploded during testing.

Starship, a rocket standing 394 feet tall, is designed to carry humans and 100 tons of cargo to the moon, Mars and beyond.

The SN4 had passed several important milestones during development, including a pressurization test that had foiled previous models.

Scroll down for videos

The prototype Serial Number 4 vanished into a fireball at SpaceX's Boca Chica site in Texas Friday shortly the engine was ignited for a pressurized test

The massive rocket is SpaceX's planned next-generation fully reusable launch vehicle, the center of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's ambitions to make human space travel affordable.

The first rocket was tested in 2019, Mk1 prototype, but was engulfed in flames during a cryogenic pressure test.

The second rocket, dubbed Serial Number 1 (SN1), fell victim to another pressure test when it failed to contain its liquid nitrogen.

This is the fourth Starship rocket that has been lost while testing - all of the the previous vessels also imploded during testing. It began smoking shortly after the test began

And in seconds was engulfed in a ball of flames. The SN4 had passed several important milestones during development, including a pressurization test that had foiled previous models

However, this time the stainless steel cylinder flew off the stand and came down crashing .

And the third time SpaceX saw its third catastrophic failure was last month -again the Starship prototype imploded during the cryogenic pressure test.

Musk had high hopes that Starship would be ready for its first orbital test flight sometime this year, which would send the rocket over 12 miles into orbit and land the craft back in the same spot it took off from.

SpaceX was among the three companies awarded a combined $1 billion by NASA last month to develop rocket systems capable of ferrying cargo and humans to the moon. SpaceX proposed Starship for the award.

The FAA granted the space company a license Thursday to begin Starship's first suborbital flight tests, though it was unclear when those tests would occur.

The failure is just the icing on the cake for Musk this week, as Wednesday the billionaire had to scrub the launch of the Falcon 9 rocket due to poor weather.

The mission, called Launch America, was set to take astronauts Robert Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station.

However, with just 16 minutes and 54 seconds left on the countdown clock, the mission was aborted.

Starship, a rocket standing 394 feet tall, is designed to carry humans and 100 tons of cargo to the moon, Mars and beyond

The rocket launch has now been rescheduled for 3:22pm Saturday, but bad weather is still on the minds of the team, as there is currently a 50 percent probability Falcon 9 will head to space.

If successful this would be the first time American astronauts have been launched from US soil in nine years.

SpaceX has lost three prototype before losing its fourth Friday. The second rocket, dubbed Serial Number 1 (SN1), fell victim to another pressure test when it failed to contain its liquid nitrogen. The top went flying off the rocket that was left mangled on the test pad

The ground crew needed to pass three weather criteria in order to launch at the 4:33pm liftoff time, but officials had to stop the countdown - even though the weather would have cleared 10 minutes afterwards.

But the launch could not wait, because the fast-changing position of the International Space Station (ISS) meant the rocket would have missed the target even leaving just seconds after the schedule liftoff time.

The space station orbits some 250 miles above Earth and travels more than 17,000 miles per hour.

This means NASA needs to stay with a precise launch schedule in order for the Crew Dragon to successfully dock on the ISS.

The current forecast for Saturday calls for precipitation, anvil clouds and cumulus clouds  three key factors that could keep Launch America grounded.

According to the reports, Sunday holds just a 40 percent chance of bad weather for liftoff - making it a 60 percent chance the mission will be a go.

The bad weather looming over Florida is related to Tropical Storm Bertha, which made landfall in South Carolina Wednesday morning.

The failure is just the icing on the cake for Musk this week, as Wednesday the billionaire had to scrub the launch of the Falcon 9 rocket due to poor weather. The mission, called Launch America, was set to take astronauts Robert Behnken (left) and Doug Hurley (right) to the International Space Station

'Launch America' is set to takeoff at 3:22pm Saturday, but bad weather is still on the minds of the team, as there is currently a 50 percent probability Falcon 9 will head to space

The National Weather Center said the storm's center was near the Great Lakes by the end of the day on Thursday, and is expected to dissipate in the next two days.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstein hosted a live press conference today to discuss the details of Saturdays event.

'One of the things we are going to do this afternoon is get another weather brief and we might make the decision that Sunday is the day and not Saturday, he said.

'It will depend on the probabilities, it will be arranged by what the probabilities are on Saturday and what the probabilities are on Sunday.'

'If it is a high enough probability on Saturday, we target that day.'

'The question is, if we have a 50 percent probability and the next opportunity is on Sunday, we could put ourselves in back-to-back wet dress rehearsals Saturday and Sunday.'

However, NASA has recently noted that the final decision on Saturday's launch will be made tomorrow morning.
The race to automate vehicles on China's roads is heating up. Didi, the Uber of China, announced on Friday an outsized investment of over $500 million in its freshly minted autonomous driving subsidiary. Leading the round -- the single largest fundraising round in Chinas autonomous driving sector -- is its existing investor Softbank, the Japanese telecom giant and startup benefactor that has also backed Uber.

The proceeds came through SoftBank's second Vision Fund, which was reportedly lagging in fundraising as its Fund I recorded massive losses in part due to the collapsing valuation of WeWork.

As China's largest ride-hailing provider with mountains of traffic data, Didi clearly has an upper hand in developing robotaxis, which could help address driver shortages in the long term. But it was relatively late to the field. In 2018, Didi ranked eighth in kilometers of autonomous driving tests carried out in Beijing, far behind search giant Baidu, which accounted for over 90% of the total mileage that year.

It's since played aggressive catchup. Last August, it spun off its then three-year-old autonomous driving unit into an independent company to focus on R&D, building partnerships along the value chain and promoting the futuristic technology to the government. The team now has a staff of 200 across its China and U.S. offices.

As an industry observer told me, "robotaxis will become a reality only when you have the necessary operational skills, technology and government support all in place."

Didi is most famous for its operational efficiency, as facilitating safe and pleasant rides between drivers and passengers is no small feat. The company's leadership hails from Alibaba's legendary business-to-business sales team, also known as the "Alibaba Iron Army" for its ability in on-the-ground operation.

On the tech front, the subsidiary is headed by chief executive Zhang Bo, a Baidu veteran, and chief technology officer Wei Junqing, who joined last year from self-driving software company Aptiv.

The autonomous segment can also benefit from Didi's all-encompassing reach in the mobility industry. For instance, it's working to leverage the parent company's smart charging networks, fleet maintenance service and insurance programs for autonomous fleets.

Story continues

The fresh capital will enable Didi's autonomous business to improve safety -- an area that became a focal point of the company after two deadly accidents -- and efficiency through conducting R&D and road tests. The financing will also allow it to deepen industry cooperation and accelerate the deployment of robotaxi services in China and abroad.

Over the years, Didi has turned to traditional carmakers for synergies in what it dubs the "D-Alliance," which counts more than 31 partners. It has applied autonomous driving technology to vehicles from Lincoln, Nissan, Volvo, and BYD, to name a few.

Didi has secured open-road testing licenses in three major cities in China, as well as California. It said last August that it aimed to begin picking up ride-hailing passengers with autonomous cars in Shanghai in a few months' time. It's accumulated 300,000 kilometers of road tests in China and the U.S. as of last August.

The headline of this article was corrected on May 29, 2020.
DUSHANBE -- A journalist of Tajikistan's independent Asia Plus new agency has been attacked for the second time in less than a month as he covered the aftermath of a recent landslide that killed two men.



Abdulloh Ghurbati told RFE/RL that three men attacked him on May 29 in the southern region of Khatlon after one of the assailants introduced himself as a village chief and accused the journalist of being "provocateur."



"When I tried to explain that I am a reporter working on material about people affected by the landslide, one of the three [men] unexpectedly knocked be down, punching me in the face, and then continued beating me after I fell down," Ghurbati said, adding that the attackers then left by car, the model and the license plate of which he remembered.

Ghurbati said that he is confident the attack was premeditated and might be linked to his professional activities. He said he had filed a complaint with local police.

The OSCE representative on freedom of the media, Harlem Desir, said he was alarmed by the attack and called for a quick and thorough investigation to bring culprits to justice.

Journalists must be safe to report on matters of public interest, Desir wrote on Twitter.

Less than three weeks ago, the 23-year-old reporter was attacked by two masked men in Dushanbe, the Central Asian nation's capital.



Ghurbati said then that he had received numerous threats during several phone calls from unknown individuals who threatened him for his articles questioning some of the governments activities, including efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country.



Desir, the OSCE representative, and rights watchdogs condemned the attack and urged Tajik authorities to thoroughly investigate it.



Last month, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Tajikistan 161st out of 180 countries for press freedom.



According to RSF, conditions for independent media working in Tajikistan have dramatically worsened in the last two years.
US cancellation of HK special status 'beneath notice'

Global Times

By GT staff reporters Source:Globaltimes.cn Published: 2020/5/28 4:03:34

China should 'speed up HK national security legislation for retaliation'

The US' move to announce that Hong Kong is "no longer autonomous from China" and threatening to cancel the city's special status in trade won't shake China's determination to finish national security legislation for Hong Kong to crack down on anti-China activities in the city sponsored by the US and other foreign interests, said Chinese analysts, and they even encouraged the central government to speed up the legislation to clean up the mess in Hong Kong as soon as possible.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reported to the US Congress on Wednesday that "Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China," a move that could jeopardize the administrative region's favorable trade relationship with the US and open up Chinese officials to sanctions, CNBC reported.

The State Department was required to issue a determination on "Hong Kong's autonomy under pro-democracy legislation" passed late last year. The law also requires the president to impose sanctions on foreigners who undermine "fundamental freedoms and autonomy in Hong Kong."

Diao Daming, a China-US relationship expert at the Renmin University in Beijing, told the Global Times that "the US has no right to define if Hong Kong is autonomous or not because this is entirely the domestic affairs of China, and offering Hong Kong a favorable special status in trade is not a charity. It is totally serving US national interests."

Therefore, if the US cancels the "special status" for Hong Kong, US companies that benefit from favorable trade ties will surely be harmed, and the White House will receive blowback, Diao noted, adding that no matter what decision the US makes, China's determination to safeguard its own national security won't be shaken at all.

The central government of China is trying its best to protect Hong Kong from instability and riots regardless of pressure from the West, and the US is taking actions to harm Hong Kong's economy and development, so Hong Kong people with common sense can clearly see "who is really helping Hong Kong," Diao further said.

Not a big deal

Pompeo tweeted on Wednesday that "Today, I reported to Congress that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China, given facts on the ground. The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong."

Many Hong Kong anti-government or separatist protesters left comments under the tweet, thanking Pompeo and saying this would "help" Hong Kong. While others suggested the move would hurt both Hong Kong and US companies and the US is clearly using Hong Kong as a bargaining chip for the major power competition with China, it is "insane to thank the person who is hurting you," said a comment.

Shen Yi, a professor of international politics at Shanghai's Fudan University, told the Global Times that "Pompeo's announcement is beneath notice, and it is just wasting time to expect separatists to think and speak like a normal person with common sense. The best and most effective solution is to finalize the national security legislation and arrest them as soon as possible."

What the US could do is basically sanction Hong Kong officials or mainland officials involved in the legislation and launch economic and financial sanctions against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). This move would be harmless to both the mainland and Hong Kong, but US companies that export products from Hong Kong to the US market would be the first victims of ignorant US moves, Shen noted.

Chinese analysts hoped the central government of China can finish the legislation as soon as possible and launch a thorough investigation and law-enforcement in Hong Kong to clean up the garbage created by the US and other foreign interests, and this would be the best response to the arrogant and hegemonic interference by the White House.

As for any potential impact on Hong Kong and the mainland's economy, Chinese experts mostly believe it is nothing compared to national security.

"It's no big deal. Let the storm come more violently," Mei Xinyu, a trade expert close to the Ministry of Commerce, told the Global Times.

As a great nation marching on its path to rejuvenation, "wind and rain are inevitable," he said, adding that China should be prepared for Huawei's protracted war launched by the US and make Hong Kong's economy more diversified to do business with other major economies around the globe to fill the gap left by the US.

National security law needed

Pompeo's announcement also seems senseless to some foreign scholars, as they believe China's national security legislation for Hong Kong has not changed "the one country, two systems" principle in the HKSAR.

Tom Fowdy, a British political and international relations analyst and a graduate of Durham and Oxford universities, told the Global Times that, "To say that Hong Kong is not autonomous from China is an obvious exaggeration pursued for political motivations. Article 18 of the Basic Law sets out that the National People's Congress (NPC) has a right to impose laws under the fields of national security, defense and foreign affairs (which are not granted autonomies) in the Third Annex of the Basic Law."

Article 18 also sets out that the NPC has the right to impose relevant national laws in Hong Kong if turmoil within the region is beyond the control of the HKSAR government, said Fowdy, adding that the US instead wishes to utilize the HKSAR to undermine China as a whole, and in that regard is why the national security law is needed.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The Centre is likely to retain a limited role and allow states and union territories to take decisions on whether to tighten or give additional relaxations in the nationwide lockdown in their respective jurisdictions from June 1, officials said on Friday.

The central government may, however, advise state authorities to continue with strict curbs in Covid-19 containment zones in the worst-affected 30 municipal areas that account for 80 per cent of the positive cases in the country.

These 30 municipal areas are from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Odisha.

There is every possibility that the Centre will have very limited role with regards to imposing restrictions or giving relaxations from June 1. The states and UTs will take decisions on such issues depending on the situation locally, a senior government official told PTI.

The central government may continue with the suspension on operation of international flights and political gatherings as well as closure of malls and cinema halls, besides ordering mandatory wearing of face mask by people in public places and maintenance of social distancing norms everywhere.

On reopening of schools or restarting metro train services, the states may be allowed to take a call.

From now onwards, lockdown measures will be reviewed every fortnight where states will have major say in every decision related to their respective jurisdictions, the official said.

The states may also be allowed to take a decision on allowing religious places, which have been shut since March 25, when the lockdown had begun.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had recently said that he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him that Karnataka be allowed to reopen temples, mosques, churches and other religious places.

The nationwide lockdown was first announced by the Prime Minister on March 24 for 21 days in a bid to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. It was first extended till May 3 and then again till May 17. The lockdown has been further extended till May 31.

Hectic parleys are still going on in the central government to assess the impact of the lockdown so far and the role to be played by the centre government and the States and Union Territories after the fourth phase of the curb comes to an end on Sunday.

The central government is particularly concerned over the COVID-19 situation in 30 cities, including four metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, where positive cases are spiralling.

On Thursday, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba had a meeting with municipal commissioners and District Magistrates of 13 of these 30 cities and took stock of their work to check the virus.

The 13 cities are Chennai, Delhi/New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Thane, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata/Howrah, Indore, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur.

To take views of the state governments on the future course of action with regards to the lockdown, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has spoken to all Chief Ministers of the country.

During his talks with the chief ministers, Shah sought to know the areas of concern of the states and the sectors they want to open up further from June 1, another official said.

Interestingly, till now, it was Prime Minister Modi who had interacted with all chief ministers through video conference before extension of each phase of the coronavirus-induced lockdown and sought their views.

This was for the first time that the home minister spoke to the chief ministers individually before the end of another phase of the lockdown.

Shah was present in all the conferences of chief ministers along with the prime minister.

It is understood that majority of the chief ministers wanted the lockdown to continue in some form but also favoured opening up of the economic activities and gradual return of the normal life, the official said.

After his talks with Shah, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said he felt the lockdown may be extended for 15 more days.

However, we want some more relaxations like opening of restaurants with social distancing at 50 per cent capacity, he said.

The central government is also taking into account the rapid increase of coronavirus cases in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam and Karnataka after arrival of migrant workers and other people from big cities or virus-hit regions.

Some states want curb on travel of people from outside. However, such blanket decisions are not acceptable to everyone, the official said.

The Karnataka government on Thursday decided to suspend air travel from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, saying a large number of people arriving from these states have tested positive for COVID-19.

While extending the fourth phase of the lockdown from May 18 till May 31, the central government had announced continuation of prohibition on opening of schools, colleges and malls but allowed opening of shops and markets.

The government, however, allowed limited operations of train and domestic flights. The Indian Railways is also running special trains since May 1 for transportation of migrant workers from different parts of the country to their native states.

The number of COVID-19 cases in India has climbed to 1,65,799 on Friday, making it the worlds ninth worst-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic. The Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 4,706 in the country.
Companies may have to rethink their plans regarding their business operations in California as the state plans to pass an order to charge head tax for large companies operating in the state. It means that the state's unemployment problems may worsen as some big companies operating in the state may postpone or pull-out their plans on setting shops and stores in California. Also, this means that potential employment opportunities for the state's unemployed population may decrease if the new law on head tax gets passed.

Currently, almost 25% of the state's population is left without any jobs after the stay-at-home orders had affected the postponement of many businesses in the state that were deemed non-essential. It means that 25 % of California's total residents need jobs and they will not get that many opportunities during job hunting if large businesses will be rethinking of establishing branches or shops in the state due to the imposition of the head tax if it gets approved.

About The Proposed Head Tax

The proposal includes asking tax payments from large companies doing business in different parts of the state, according to an article. Furthermore, the proposed tax is said to be charged to big businesses that employ more than 500 employees that are working in any part of California. Moreover, the proposal states that these businesses will be asked to pay a tax of $275 per employee.

Similarly, Seattle formerly proposed a similar tax a few years ago. However, due to many parties expressed their disagreement with the implementation of the proposal, it was scrapped and had not taken into effect.

If It Gets Approved

Based on an article, if the proposed tax gets approved, California will be the sole state in the United States of America to impose a head tax in the country. It means that it will become the only state in the country to charge tax to large businesses for employing more than 500 employees. With the huge number of unemployed individuals in the country brought by the coronavirus pandemic, this head tax may not help significantly reduce the unemployment rate in the state.

Check these out:

The Big Companies

According to an article, Amazon points out the alarming unemployment numbers in California and that the proposed head tax across the state can make it worse. Elon Musk's Tesla plant may also be moving its headquarters after a dispute with local authorities during the stay-at-home orders across the state.

Plantir Technologies, the company of Peter Thiel and Alex Karp, may also move to a different state. The closing and relocation of many large businesses in the state may mean that the job opportunities they would have offered for the residents of the state will be inexistent. It means that there may be some job hunters who will be left with no choice but to move to a different state to look for work.
High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has said normalization of relations of the European Union with Russia is connected with Ukrainian reconciliation based on the principles of Helsinki and fulfillment of Minsk commitments.

Speaking on a videoconference in the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, Borrell stated: "I have to mention Ukraine, where the illegal annexation by Russia of the Crimean peninsula and the unfulfilled commitments of Minsk have brought a major disruption  I am sorry to say that  in European Union-Russia relations."

According to the head of EU Diplomacy, "support for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity will remain key elements of the relationship between the European Union and its Eastern partners."

"The principles enshrined in Helsinki cannot be forgotten while working for a cooperative, more secure and cohesive European continent," Borrell said.
Irelands two largest airlines have clarified that the facial coverings they are expecting passengers and crew to wear inflight in order to ensure protection from infection as a result of Covid-19 will not be aligned with official EU guidelines.

Aer Lingus yesterday became the latest entity to outline its guidelines for safe travel while the coronavirus remains present in society.

The airline, which is wholly owned by International Airlines Group (IAG), said facial coverings will be mandatory on all flights, with the exception of small children and those unable to wear one for medical reasons.

It said the coverings can be in the form of a reusable cloth mask or a disposable mask, and would be expected to be worn from the time passengers enter a departure airport to the time they leave the airport at their destination.

Ryanair, meanwhile, had previously welcomed advice released by the European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) on May 21 saying that those guidelines were based on science, as opposed to ineffective quarantines.

The airline called on the Taoiseach to read the evidence and remove restrictions on international travel and the recently introduced mandatory quarantine of 14 days for all travellers inbound into Ireland via ports and airports. It said it would be resuming flights across Europe from July 1, with all passengers and crew required to wear facial coverings.

The EASA guidelines for the maintenance of health and safety for air passengers during the pandemic state that the wearing of medical face masks should be recommended for all passengers and people within both the airport and aircraft. Further, the protocol states that the use of such masks should only be seen as a complementary measure to established anti-virus measures such as social distancing.

However, medical-grade face masks are not the same as lower-grade, or even homemade, facial coverings - a fact underlined at length within the EU guidelines.

A medical face mask is a superior-quality professional device covering the mouth, nose, and chin to ensure a respiratory barrier between hospital staff and patients. Due to concerns over their potential scarcity for frontline workers given the problems faced worldwide regarding the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE), the use of medical-grade masks has not been recommended for citizens by the Irish public health authorities.

Non-medical coverings are not standardised and are not either intended nor suitable for use in clinical settings.

Queried as to why medical masks would be required on its flights, an Aer Lingus spokesperson said its interpretation of the European protocol is appropriate and in line with the Governments own guidelines recommending the use of masks on public transport.

Therefore, were not requiring that passengers use medical grade face masks, they said, adding that social distancing would likewise not be required on board.

Meanwhile, Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary on Friday wrote an open letter to Health Minister Simon Harris urging him to read the science and immediately withdraw the 14-day quarantine period. The airline said it would be making no further comment on the matter.

In recommending the implementation of that isolation period Irelands National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) stated that the single greatest reason for doing so is that it would act as the greatest deterrent against any non-essential travel.

Further to its mask requirement, Aer Lingus said it would be introducing significantly enhanced cleaning processes on all aircraft, together with new boarding and disembarkation procedures which would see passengers doing so in small groups, according to seat row numbers.
Donald Trump has tweeted that Section 230 should be revoked  beginning a process that could fundamentally change how the internet works.

It comes after the president signed an executive order which limits the protections social media companies such as Twitter, Facebook, and search giant Google has over content on its platforms.

Mr Trump revealed the executive order after Twitter added a fact-checking link to one of Mr Trumps tweets that incorrectly linked voting by mail to election fraud.

The president has since tweeted about people rioting in the wake of George Floyds death after a police officer put their knee on his neck. Twitter deemed such as tweet had violated its rules on glorifying violence, and placed it behind a label.

Mr Trump said that such companies have unchecked power, and wants to make changes to Section 230, a part of the Communications Decency Act from 1996.

Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party. They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States. Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated! Mr. Trump posted.

What is Section 230?

The core purpose of Section 230 is to protect the owners of any interactive computer service from liability for anything posted by third parties. The idea was that such protection was necessary to encourage the emergence of new types of communications and services at the dawn of the Internet era.

Section 230 was enacted in 1996 as part of a law called the Communications Decency Act, which was primarily aimed at curbing online pornography. Most of that law was struck down by the courts as an unconstitutional infringement on free speech, but Section 230 remains.

In practice, the law shields any website or service that hosts content - like news outlets' comment sections, video services like YouTube and social media services like Facebook and Twitter - from lawsuits over content posted by users.

When the law was written, site owners worried they could be sued if they exercised any control over what appeared on their sites, so the law includes a provision that says that, so long as sites act in good faith, they can remove content that is offensive or otherwise objectionable.

The statute does not protect copyright violations, or certain types of criminal acts. Users who post illegal content can themselves still be held liable in court.

The technology industry and others have long held that Section 230 is a crucial protection, though the statute has become increasingly controversial as the power of internet companies has grown.

What prompted the creation of Section 230?

In the early days of the Internet, there were several high-profile cases in which companies tried to suppress criticism by suing the owners of the platforms.

One famous case involved a lawsuit by Stratton Oakmont, the brokerage firm depicted in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Wolf of Wall Street, against the early online service Prodigy. The court found that Prodigy was liable for allegedly defamatory comments by a user because it was a publisher that moderated the content on the service.

The fledgling internet industry was worried that such liability would make a range of new services impossible. Congress ultimately agreed and included Section 230 in the Communications Decency Act.

 Trump press secretary says president always tries to tell truth as she attacks social media

What does Section 230 have to do with political bias?

President Trump and others who have attacked Section 230 say it has given big internet companies too much legal protection and allowed them to escape responsibility for their actions.

Some conservatives, including the president, have alleged that they are subject to online censorship on social media sites, a claim the companies have generally denied.

Section 230, which is often misinterpreted, does not require sites to be neutral. This is a view that many congresspeople including Republican Senator Ted Cruz have incorrectly stated as Section 230 becomes a partisan issue.

The law is becoming a partisan issue because of the belief from Republican lawmakers that social media companies take down content from right-wing voices more than left-wing or liberal ones. This statement is questionable. While Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has said in the past that employees have a left-leaning bias, that does not affect how Twitter makes decisions on content on its platform.

Moreover, there is evidence to suggest that social media companies are in fact catering more to conservatives in order to avoid political bias; this includes a recent report that suggests Facebook shelved research at the behest of CEO Mark Zuckerberg to make the platform less politically polarising because of fears that right-wing voices behaving in spam-like behaviour would be targeted.

Criticisms are also repeatedly levied at Twitter and YouTube that they are not doing enough to control extreme right-wing views on their platforms.

While these large companies have made errors and incorrectly taken action against right-wing voices, it is difficult to state that these multinational, multi-billion dollar companies have a definite instituional bias against conservative users.

Can President Trump order changes to Section 230?

No. Only Congress can change Section 230. In 2018, the law was modified to make it possible to prosecute platforms that were used by alleged sex traffickers. As the power of internet companies has grown, some in Congress have also advocated changes to hold companies responsible for the spread of content celebrating acts of terror, for example, or for some types of hate speech.

A draft of Trump's May executive order instead calls for the Federal Communications Commission to propose and clarify regulations under Section 230. The order suggests companies should lose their protection over actions that are deceptive, discriminatory, opaque or inconsistent with their terms of service.

Earlier today an FCC commissioner Brendan Carr accused Twitter of "abandon[ing] any attempt at a good faith application of its rules" and making decisions "based on whether it approves or disapproves of their politics."

Despite Trump not being able to order changes to the law by himself, the threat of continued action by the government against social media companies could be enough.

Jeffrey Westling, a technology and innovation policy fellow at research organisation R Street Institute, said that: People are starting to realise is the executive order doesnt need to be legally enforceable to still be a threat to these companies. The companies will likely win any challenge, but no one wants to go through litigation. It becomes a cost-benefit analysis of, Is it worth it to put a fact check the next time the president puts a false tweet out there?

What is the view of the platforms?

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said in the past that the company should be regulated "somewhere in between" a newspaper and a telecom company, but has also criticised Twitter's actions against Mr Trump for being "arbiters of truth".

Facebook has also been an "arbiter of truth" with regards to numerous subjects, such as coronavirus information that could cause physical harm and removed pages of conpiracy theorists such as David Icke, but has been criticised for not fact-checking deceptive adverts in the US or during the UK General Election in 2019.

When interviewed by Congress, Jack Dorsey said that eliminating Section 230 would stop the good-faith attempts companies take to police their platforms, forcing them to take a more hands-off approach.

"If we didnt have that protection, we would not be able to do anything around harassment or to improve the safety or health of the conversation around the platform, Dorsey said.

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki has said that if YouTube "were held liable for every single piece of content" that was hosted, or that its recommendation algorithm promoted, "we would have to review it. That would mean thered be a much smaller set of information that people would be finding. Much, much smaller."

Do other countries have an equivalent to Section 230?

The legal protections provided by Section 230 are unique to U.S. law, although the European Union and many other countries have some version of what are referred to as safe harbor laws that protect online platforms from liability if they move promptly when notified of illegal content.

The fact that the major internet companies are based in the United States also gives them protection.

Would revoking Section 230 benefit Mr Trump?

Despite Mr Trump tweeting that the legislation should be repealed, such a move could have negative effects on his own accounts. The Section 230 protection has stopped Twitter from taking action against the inflammatory content Mr Trump is prone to post, but the social media company may have to change that if it is legally responsible for what is published on its platform.

Ironically, Donald Trump is a big beneficiary of Section 230, said Kate Ruane, a senior legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. If platforms were not immune under the law, then they would not risk the legal liability that could come with hosting Donald Trumps lies, defamation and threats.

Additional reporting by agencies
The hashtag #JusticeForRegis has been trending since Wednesday evening when 29-year old Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a Black woman, fell to her death from a 24th floor apartment near High Park after the police had been called to assist her.

While the officers involved described her death as a suicide, her mother insists that she was pushed, stating bluntly in a video released to social media: "The police killed my daughter".

Regiss death during a law enforcement encounter is not, by far, the first instance that Black communities have brought to light the violent  and even fatal  policing of Black women in Canada. This is because despite being generally outside of public attention, law enforcement violence against Black women has a long legacy in this country.

Since (at least) the 1980s, Black women in Toronto  including the Black Womens Collective, Sherona Hall of the Black Action Defence Committee, among others  have worked to bring visibility to the realities faced by Black women at the hands of the police. Their work highlighted, for example, the 1989 police shooting of then-23-year-old Sophia Cook, as well as the violent public strip-searching of Jamaican tourist Audrey Smith, in 1993.

In more recent years, Black womens encounters with police continue to be marked by heightened surveillance and violence in many forms. Of course, proportionate violence is not the goal of any meaningful racial justice project.

Still, a vast overrepresentation of Black women in police encounters is notable:

In a 2014, study by criminologists Akwasi Owusu-Bempah and Scot Wortley, Black women were found to be three times more likely than white women to have been stopped by police.

A 2008 Montreal based study on Black youth found that Black girls were three times more likely than white girls to have been arrested two or more times.

A 2019 report on street checks commissioned by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission found that Black women are significantly overrepresented in street checks, being stopped more than white men and at a rate 3.6 times greater than white women.

This reality extends beyond surveillance, a harm in its own right. The cases of egregious violence against Sharon Abbott, a Black Toronto-based postal worker assaulted by police in 2007, and the lack of action when Alloura Wells, a Black trans women who disappeared from Torontos east end (and was later found dead), illustrate that far from protecting Black women, police are, instead, frequently a source of harm.

The ongoing uprisings after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis make clear that the policing of Black communities, regardless of gender, remains an ongoing North American crisis, even in the context of a global pandemic.

Yet its essential that Black women are kept in view. As the Black Womens Collective stated in a 1989 editorial, despite popular misconceptions that only Black men are impacted, We too get harassed and physically abused by the police.

As protests continue in Louisville, Ky., over Breonna Taylor, shot and killed in her home by police on March 13, and Black community members in Toronto rally in support of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, it is clear that combating the violent policing of Black women remains an urgent necessity for all of us.
Global Citizen festival recently announced a new initiative called Global Goal: Unite for Our Future. The program enlists celebrities like Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, J Balvin and Justin Bieber to generate revenue for the coronavirus relief fundings and programs in the US.

If the reports are to be believed, the coveted campaign will have music, film and TV stars recording to help rally the public to call on their world leaders to commit the funding needed to ensure equal access to the tools needed to fight COVID-19.

Also Read | 2 Floors Of Parliament Annexe Building Sealed After Official Tests Positive For COVID-19: Sources

Reportedly, stars like Chris Rock, Coldplay, Hugh Jackman, Idris Elba, Sabrina Elba and Shakira, too, have come onboard. The officials at the Global Citizen revealed that some of the celebs efforts will go toward using their social media to engage fans. Reportedly, the celebrities will also contact governments and corporate leaders themselves to solicit their pledges to fight the pandemic.

As per reports, the initiative is being described as a joint effort between Global Citizen, the European Commission, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust. If the reports are to be believed, leaders from many of the major nations of the world are already on board with the initiative, including representatives from the UK, Mexico, France, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Canada, Germany, Norway, Austria, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates, South Arabia, Morocco and New Zealand.

Also Read | Huma Qureshi Urges People To Stay Aware And Help The Needy Amid COVID-19 Lockdown

Today we are excited to announce the launch of Global Goal: Unite For Our Future, a new campaign calling on leaders to step up commitments to treatment, vaccines, testing, and more, to beat COVID-19 and strengthen global health systems: https://t.co/E57ahCjj59 #GlobalGoalUnite pic.twitter.com/rZnzb2BIJW  Global Citizen (@GlblCtzn) May 28, 2020

Also Read | COVID-19: 129 Indians Return From Bangladesh Through Land Route, To Be Quarantined

Coronavirus pandemic

Nearly 58,03,416 positive Coronavirus cases have been recorded across the world, claiming the lives of more than 3,59,791 people. The USA remains the worst-hit country in the world, with more than 1.78 million cases, followed by Brazil and Russia with 4,38,000 and 3,79,000 cases respectively. In India, Maharashtra remains the worst-affected state with more than 59,000 cases, followed by Tamil Nadu and Delhi. Overall, as per reports, India has recorded more than 1,65,000 cases, with more than 4,700 fatalities.

Also Read | 2 Floors Of Parliament Annexe Building Sealed After Official Tests Positive For COVID-19: Sources
France has experienced one of the worst impacts of the novel Coronavirus spread and several industries, including the automobile production in the country, have been critically hit. In order to revive the countrys auto sector in such unprecedented times, French government has announced a massive 8 billion euros (~Rs 66,671 crore) plan on Tuesday.

The funds will be majorly directed at coping up with the losses faced by French automobile OEMs including Renault, Peugeot and Citroen during the Coronavirus induced lockdown. But the government is not just looking to revive the sector. It finds it a good time to work for a future empowered by electric vehicles.

Our country should embody this avant-garde, said French President Emmanuel Macron. We need not only to save (the industry) but transform it.

French President Emmanuel Macron at the factory of manufacturer Valeo in Etaples. (Image: Reuters)

Unveiled by Macron, the new plan will offer up to 12,000 euros to buyers of electric cars. The government subsidies aim to encourage buyers to scrap their old cars and buy the new zero-emission models.



The move is in line with Macrons target of producing 1 million electric cars in France by 2025. With that, Macron wants France to be the leading electric car maker in Europe.

Renault seems well on the path to this transition to clean vehicles, being the second largest EV manufacturer in Europe. It has, however, experienced a drastic blow to sales since the Coronavirus lockdown in the country. Production by the car maker has dropped by as much as 90% in France alone.

As a remedy, along with the incentives to the buyers, a 5-billion-euro loan guarantee is also under discussion by the French government for Renault. The company is expected to announce a cost-cutting plan upwards of $2 billion. The loan guarantee is based on the condition of keeping two key French factories open, as mentioned in a report by Time.

French President Emmanuel Macron (Image: Reuters)

Macron acknowledges the role of the French car makers in the shaping up of the economy. Our country wouldnt be the same without its great brands  Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, Macron said. But not all of these have been in a good shape lately.



PSA Group, the maker of Peugeot and Citroen cars, has been in a decent position for the last few years, with the most recent update being its merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to create the worlds fourth-largest auto maker.

Renault, however, has been struggling since the 2018 arrest of its CEO Carlos Ghosn and Renault and Nissan are soon expected to address the future of their alliance amid the difficult times.
I n a bid to "move on" from the continuing row over his chief aide Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson declined to answer questions on the issue at Thursday's daily briefing.

Mr Cummings is accused of breaking lockdown rules by travelling from London to County Durham, but he has denied any wrongdoing and has received the full backing of the Prime Minister.

Durham Constabulary said Mr Cummings may have committed "a minor breach" of coronavirus lockdown rules when he drove the 50-mile round trip to Barnard Castle, but added it did not intend to take "retrospective action".

Later on Thursday, Mr Johnson avoided answering questions about Mr Cummings and stepped in when questions were asked of his chief medical and scientific advisers, Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance respectively, to stop them "being dragged into a political argument".

Here are the questions that went unanswered:

- "If one of your [Mr Johnson's] most senior team was not paying proper attention to the rules why should anyone else? And to the doctors - is that the kind of example you want people to follow?"

Mr Johnson refused to answer the question from the BBC, which referenced how Durham police would have sent Mr Cummings home had officers seen him at Barnard Castle.

He subsequently stopped Prof Whitty and Sir Patrick from answering the question directed at them.Mr Johnson said: "I've said quite a lot on this matter already and I also noticed that Durham police said that they were going to take no action and that the matter was closed."I intend to draw a line under the matter."

He continued: "I know that you've asked Chris and Patrick, but I'm going to interpose myself if I may and protect them from what I think would be an unfair and unnecessary attempt to ask a political question.

"It's very, very important that our medical officer and scientific advisers do not get dragged into what most people would recognise as fundamentally a political argument."

Dominic Cummings: Police say adviser may have committed 'a minor breach' of lockdown rules

- Did Sir Patrick and Prof Whitty "fear compliance with rules will be reduced as a result?"

Mr Johnson was told by ITV that a number of scientific advisers to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) have said that Mr Cummings' behaviour risked more people not complying with social distancing rules.

One of those advisers, social psychologist Professor Stephen Reicher, who is on the Independent Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Behaviours which passes its advice to Sage, said earlier this week that Mr Johnson had "trashed" their advice.

In response to the question, Mr Johnson repeated his earlier statement of wanting to protect the advisers from "being dragged into political controversy" and described the matter as a "distraction".

"We want to get some very clear and simple messages across to the British public," Mr Johnson said.

"What they want to hear is what we are doing to tackle coronavirus and what the plan is.

"We've announced a huge amount today and I think people need to focus on those messages."

Dominic Cummings has become engulfed in a row over lockdown travel / PA

- "Are you [Prof Whitty and Sir Patrick] entirely comfortable with the Prime Minister telling you that you can't answer questions about Dominic Cummings? And if you can't give a verbal answer a nod or a shake of the head will suffice. Is there anything else the Prime Minister has told you not to answer on?"

The advisers gave short responses to the question posed by Sky News.

Prof Whitty said: "I can assure you that the desire not to get pulled into politics is far stronger on the part of Sir Patrick and me than it is in the Prime Minister."

Sir Patrick replied: "I'm a civil servant, I'm politically neutral, I don't want to get involved in politics at all."

- "Would you [Prof Whitty and Sir Patrick] advise motorists to go on a 50-mile round trip to test their eyesight?"

The question by the Sun newspaper referenced Mr Cummings' claims that he drove to Barnard Castle with his family to test his eyesight after it was affected by Covid-19.

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and Moorfields Eye Hospital said on Tuesday that there is little evidence of a link between Covid-19 and eyesight problems.

The question was ignored.

TODO: define component type apester

- "Can you [Mr Johnson] bring yourself to utter any words of criticism of how he [Mr Cummings] has acted?"

With the Prime Minister not intending to sack Mr Cummings, the Belfast News Letter asked whether Mr Johnson would criticise his adviser's behaviour amid concerns some people would dismiss lockdown measures due to his actions.

Again, the question went unanswered.
ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Attorney General's office reached an Agreement in Principle for a Victims' Compensation Program with the Epstein Estate counsel and victims' counsel. The Agreement includes safeguards that U.S. Virgin Islands' Attorney General Denise N. George insisted be included. With the Agreement, Attorney General George will allow the release of a portion of Estate funds for the victims so that the program may proceed.

When the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands filed a civil enforcement action under the Virgin Islands Criminally Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act against the Epstein Estate and six other related companies based in the Virgin Islands in January 2020, the Attorney General's Office committed to advocate for the women and girls victimized by Epstein in the Virgin Islands while representing the Government's interest.

Prior to the Government's lawsuit, the Estate filed a motion with the probate court in the Virgin Islands to seek approval for a claims fund to provide an alternative resolution process for numerous victims who filed claims against the Estate. Upon reviewing the protocol developed by and for the Estate, the Attorney General raised a number of fundamental concerns about the proposed process, which did not comply with the laws and public policy of the Virgin Islands or fully protect the rights of Epstein's victims.

The Attorney General's Office, working closely with Epstein's victims and their counsel, have now reached an agreement upon the terms of the fund, which include a set of reforms that provide a process that will be more fair, credible, and victim-oriented. Through the discussions, the Attorney General made clear her support of a compensation fund that would allow victims to avoid the publicity and trauma of a trial and provide them, promptly, with a measure of justice and closure.

The Victim Compensation Fund as it stands now, is a substantial improvement from the original victims' claim fund proposed by the Estate. Specifically, the victim compensation fund now includes:

Involvement of victim advocate Marci Hamilton , CEO of Child USA and the country's preeminent expert and advocate on child sexual abuse issues. This will help ensure that the decisions of the fund administrator are fully informed by and sensitive to the unique experiences and needs of survivors of trafficking and sexual abuse;

, CEO of Child and the country's preeminent expert and advocate on child sexual abuse issues. This will help ensure that the decisions of the fund administrator are fully informed by and sensitive to the unique experiences and needs of survivors of trafficking and sexual abuse; Dedicated funding to ensure that victims who have not yet come forward or who are not satisfied with the claims process or award can opt-out without sacrificing the chance of a judgment or recovery;

Protections to ensure that information shared by victims in the claims process is not provided to the Estate and, potentially, used against the claimant or other victims;

Access to counseling and referral services through the FBI Victim Services program and Child USA ; and

; and Approval of the program's administrative budget by the Probate Court and monthly reporting to the Attorney General's Office and the Probate Court on the number and value of claim awards.

The Attorney General opposed the Estate's initial demand that, in order to obtain funds under the program, victims be required to sign broad releases to protect other individuals who sexually abused them. With that broad release in place, the Fund could not ensure a fundamentally fair and legally sufficient process for victims who choose to participate.

The parties now agree, and the Program Administrator has committed, that no information obtained solely through the Program by the Estate will be disclosed publicly or used by the Estate in defending itself from any claim, regardless of forum.

Additionally, the Estate has agreed that there is no assertion that the Attorney General's release of compensation program funds does not act as a waiver of any ability by the Government to object to the Program's administrative expenses, including those paid with these initial funds.

"I continue to admire the tremendous bravery and strength of the women who have come forward to work with my office on this process," said Attorney General Denise George. "I'm hopeful the Agreement will receive final approval, so these women are able to receive the help they need. My office will forcefully continue its work to hold accountable Epstein's criminal enterprise through the Government's CICO lawsuit and send a clear message that the USVI is not, and will not, be a safe haven for sex traffickers or sexual abuse."

SOURCE U.S. Virgin Islands Office of the Attorney General
P.D. James said, "Crime fiction confirms our belief, despite some evidence to the contrary, that we live in a rational, comprehensible, and moral universe.' " Ready for some escape into a rational universe? Five new top-notch mysteries and thrillers are here to help out.

---

The Delightful Life of a Suicide Pilot, by Colin Cotterill

It's too bad that this 15th installment in the Siri Paiboun mystery series is the final one. The good news is that it's as wry, culturally incisive and utterly captivating as all the others. In 1981, Dr. Paiboun is retired from his job as the national coroner in corrupt, Communist Laos. He's helping out in his wife's noodle shop when an anonymous party sends him a Japanese soldier's World War II-era bilingual diary. While tracking down a present-day perilous connection to the relic, the good doctor is assisted by, among others - and quite plausibly - Auntie Bpoo, Dr. Paiboun's recently deceased "transvestite spirit guide." It's a wonderful farewell to a boundary-breaking series.

---

The Mist, by Ragnar Jonasson

If you're looking for a fictional good fright to distract you from the real ones, look no further than this third entry in the Hidden Iceland series (available June 23), featuring brainy, glum police inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir. It's midwinter with blowing snow and little daylight when three bodies are found in and near a remote farmhouse. The talented Jonasson backs up two months to portray - with the precision of Harold Pinter - two complex marriages whose outcomes are not at all ambiguous, this being a crime novel. On a couple of occasions, Hermannsdottir shrieks with horror, and readers will, too.

---

The Silence, by Susan Allott

Australia's ugly history of forcibly removing Aboriginal children from their families is central to the plot of this first novel, a wrenching melodrama about a Sydney seaside neighborhood that's rife with alcoholism, marital discord, thwarted good intentions and possibly murder. Londoner Isla Green, intent on sobering up and staying that way, flies to Sydney to help her ever-tipsy father, a suspect in the disappearance 30 years earlier of a neighborhood woman. As the anxious, sympathetic Green investigates, she has the advantage of the "awful clarity" of her newfound but still fragile sobriety.

---

The Streel, by Mary Logue

The author of the Deputy Sheriff Claire Watkins series is off on a winning new tangent with Brigid Reardon, an immigrant Irish housemaid who lands in the Dakota Territory of the 1870s and sets out to clear her gold-miner brother in the murder of a "streel," a Deadwood prostitute. Reardon is a prayerful Catholic girl who is also appealingly droll and self-possessed. She can be crafty, too, casually extorting train fare to the West from a St. Paul tycoon by mentioning that "your son has been paying improper attention to me." Brigid also learns to swoon on cue and aim a derringer in this vibrant new series.

---

These Women, by Ivy Pochoda

In this angry, absorbing, psychosocial thriller, the grisly murders of 17 prostitutes in a seedy Los Angeles neighborhood are ratings-grabbers for "the candy-colored news programs" but only mild headaches for a police department indifferent to the humanity of the victims. That is, until ticked-off vice cop Esmeralda Perry joins the mother of a victim to zero in on a violent psycho and his respectable enabler. Among the most poignant of the dead women is Jujubee, whose talent as a smartphone photographer produces both fine art and damning evidence.

---

Lipez writes the Don Strachey PI novels under the name Richard Stevenson.
If theres anyone who has stood out in these trying times to help those who are in dire need, it is none other than actor Sonu Sood - who has a heart of gold! Due to the nationwide coronavirus lockdown, people are facing immense challenges and out of them all, migrant workers are the most affected. With hundreds and thousands of them walking miles in a bid to reach their home states, their plights are only reaching out to the deaf ears. Unfortunately, many of them have lost their lives too because of travelling in this scorching heat with little to no food or any kind of proper arrangements.



Even though theres only little the government is doing for them, several Bollywood celebrities have come forward to do their bit and especially, Sood has won many hearts with his exceptional selfless initiatives. His generous efforts have now made him a national hero. He has arranged for buses for over a thousand migrant workers till now, just so they can safely return to their homes. While people on Twitter are all praises for the actor, one fan recently shared a Mumbai local train pass of the actor with the caption that read, "The one who has suffered understands the plight of others. Sonu Sood used to travel with a local pass of 420."

Life is a full circle  https://t.co/XTVp1ysRaz  sonu sood (@SonuSood) May 29, 2020

Subsequently, Sood retweeted the picture saying, "Life comes a full circle." Indeed, thats true! The pass, in fact, gives us a glimpse into the actor's struggling days from 1997 which tells us how he has faced challenges in his life to reach where he is today. Perhaps thats why he is so compassionate and full of humility even today.



Heres how people on Twitter reacted to this post calling him a messiah:

Kudos @SonuSood May God bless you in all your endeavours !!

         !

Respect and gratitude #real_life_hero  Yogesh Supe (@YogeshSupe) May 29, 2020

you are great sir  TARA RAJ (@TARARAJ35997086) May 29, 2020

Dear Sonu sir...u r doing a great job....ab shayad Akshay sir apki biopic me kaam KR skte h  Shaba Parveen (@ShabaParveen1) May 29, 2020

     #                 Pramod Sao (@sao_pramod) May 29, 2020

We love u sir  bindiya singh (@bindiya_singh) May 29, 2020

Hi sonu thanks a lot apne un gareebo ki madat ki I promise that from now onwards I will watch each and every movie of yours in cinema hall, first day first show.

Apne to hum sabko karjdaar bana diya   Manu Yadav (@ManshaYadav2) May 29, 2020

According to the reports, apart from helping people who are stranded, Sonu Sood is also providing food for over 45,000 people on a daily basis. Well, hold on! Not just that, but the actor has also set up a toll free number to reach out to maximum number of people in distress. Here is that number - 18001213711. The number connects to a call centre set up by him for those who seek help. He truly is a messiah for all those who are in dire need of help at this difficult time. Kudos to your good work, Sonu!
NEW YORK, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ad Hoc Bondholder Group, represented by White & Case LLP, and the Exchange Bondholder Group have jointly submitted a proposal to Argentina that supports the country with front-loaded cash flow relief in excess of $36 billion over nine years. The joint proposal is supported by Argentina's largest creditor constituencies, and is on more favourable terms for Argentina than the prior proposals submitted by the Ad Hoc Bondholder Group and Exchange Bondholder Group.

The joint proposal has been specifically designed in good faith to meet the macro-fiscal objectives expressed by the Government, and represents a considered and responsible initiative by international asset managers who have invested in Argentina on behalf of millions of savers around the world. The groups are balancing a fiduciary obligation to make decisions in the best interest of these savers, while at the same time recognising the difficult circumstances facing the Argentine government, including in responding to the challenges posed by COVID-19.

The Ad Hoc Bondholder Group encourages the Argentine government to seize this opportunity. We are confident the joint proposal provides the basis for a collaborative solution that will both serve the interest of the Argentine people and help to restore the trust of the international financial community.

For media enquiries:

Greenbrook

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7952 2000

SOURCE White and Case LLP
London: A while back, someone sent me a short video on WhatsApp in which, against a suitably faux-inspirational New Age soundtrack, a Polish singer/songwriter, Riya Sokol, thanks COVID-19 for the many gifts the disruptive powers of the virus are supposedly showering on the world.

Going nowhere: nearly 70 parked American Airlines jets in Pittsburgh. Credit:Getty

So cringingly awful is it that to begin with I thought it must be a spoof - but apparently not. Thank you coronavirus, it says, for forcing us to slow down, for the cleaner air, for grounding the aircraft, for the re-evaluation of our lives and the luxuries we once enjoyed, for making us understand that we are all connected, for the unity it has bestowed on mankind, for the chance to build the world anew, and so on.

All this delivered without a trace of irony.

According to Sokol's website, the video has been downloaded more than 15 million times and translated into dozens of languages, so there is a market for this kind of guff. I wouldn't deny that the virus might indeed change some things for the better, or that we should seek the positive in even the most dire of situations.
DULUTH, Minn., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that workers are planning a vehicle caravan as part of their effort to save hundreds of jobs at Essentia Health at approximately noon on Monday, June 1, 2020.

"As a nation, we have never been more aware of the tremendous debt we owe to front-line workers in hospitals and clinics who put the health needs of our communities ahead of their own every day," said USW District 11 Director Emil Ramirez. "The reward for a career doing this selfless and absolutely essential work cannot be a permanent pink slip for 900 Essentia employees. The company should be focused on helping us fight a disease instead of padding its bottom line."

Essentia workers' jobs are at risk even though, according to CDC data, the company received more than $78 million in federal aid as of May 15. Workers and their allies will assemble on Monday at Miller Hill Mall at 11:30 a.m., and caravan through the main Duluth campus of Essentia Health to call attention to their fight to preserve these jobs for the benefit of communities throughout the Iron Range.

Union members will have signs and some will have leaflets that will be distributed observing stringent social distancing protocols, including plans to maintain appropriate physical space between any participants or observers.

Photo and video opportunities available

Who: Union members whose jobs are threatened at Essentia



What: Caravan to prevent hundreds of health care job losses



When: Noon on Monday, June 1, 2020



Where: Essentia's Main Duluth Campus - 400 E. Third Street, Duluth, Minnesota 55805

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and health care as well as in the service and public sectors. For more information: www.usw.org.

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)

Related Links

http://www.usw.org


WILLIAMS BAY  Williams Bay High School senior Daniel Rees has been awarded a Herb Kohl Excellence Scholarship, an honor reserved for 100 students throughout state each year.

The $10,000 scholarship honors students who have demonstrated academic prowess, leadership, community service and other talents.

For Rees, the award both recognizes his involvement in high school and provides financial assistance for his studies in English education starting this fall at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois.

The graduating senior said he attributes his receiving the Kohl scholarship in part to his academic success and the many extracurricular activities in which he has been involved at school.

Ive been involved in a lot of extracurriculars, maybe too many, he said.

Throughout his high school careers Rees said he has been involved in the schools history club, drama club, band, jazz band, orchestra and cross country team.

Already missing the high school as graduation approaches, Rees said he is glad to have attended Williams Bay High School, because its smaller student body allows students to participate in a number of different activities.

When you dont have a big student population, you have a lot more cross over, so I ended up doing a lot more extracurricular activities here than I would have done at a larger school, he said.

Principal Bill White said Rees is a hard-working student, well deserving of the scholarship award.

Throughout the scholarship application process, White said, Rees community service involvement through the history club and musical ability through school programs helped distinguish him during evaluations by the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation.

I think the reason Daniel did very well, and the other kids who have received that recognition, is that they have the opportunity here to be very well rounded, White said.

One student from Williams Bay has won a Kohl scholarship each year for the past seven years, according to White. He added that the awarded scholarships for Rees and other students can be seen as a reflection of the quality of programs the school offers.

The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation, created by the former U.S. senator and business figure, has distributed awards to graduating high school seniors since 1990. Over its 30 years of operation, about $21.2 million has been distributed.

Sara Terrill, an English teacher at Williams Bay High School, has had Rees in classes for three out of his four years at the school, and said he has always excelled in her classes.

Noting Rees academic strength and involvement in various clubs throughout the school, Terrill said he was well deserving of the scholarship.

Im very proud; it was very well deserved, she said. He is very service-oriented, and really likes to give back to others.

As Rees moves on to Wheaton College, Terrill said while she is excited to see him thrive in his next stage of learning, his presence in the classroom will be missed.

Its been a gift to have him for three years, she said. Im certainly going to miss him.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
CLEVELAND, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 27, General Electric announced that it had agreed to sell its Lighting unit to Savant Systems Incorporated, a business that concentrates on smart home systems, in a transaction said to be valued at around $250 million. This plan reflects the company's ongoing movement away from consumer-facing goods and commodity products and toward heavy equipment. This unit was General Electric's last business producing consumer products.

Savant's purchase of GE Lighting will include a long-term licensing deal for the well-known GE Lighting brand. Savant, which largely operates in professionally installed home automation categories, expects to use the unit to expand its smart lighting elements and use the GE brand as a bridge to the consumer market.

Jennifer Mapes-Christ, Freedonia's Consumer & Commercial Group Manager notes, "Smart lighting has been a rapidly growing industry, a trend that is likely to accelerate in a world now shaped by the COVID-19 crisis. Consumers and businesses are looking to reduce the need for frequently touched surfaces, including light switches, and smart lighting fits the bill."

GE, which had been trying to exit the lighting business for a number of years, had previously sold its Current, powered by GE unit, which supplied LEDs and smart lighting solutions, to private equity firm American Industrial Partners in 2019. The remaining Lighting unit, one of GE's aging, but iconic businesses, invented LED lighting in 1962 and has been producing incandescent bulbs and other light sources since the days of Thomas Edison.

Mapes-Christ called GE's divestiture interesting, but inevitable. "Although, historically, it's interesting that a company that originated these products will no longer sell them, this divestiture was just a matter of time given the business conditions and their ongoing shift in corporate strategies." With the entire lighting industry experiencing heavy downward pricing pressure from incandescent and fluorescent bulbs to LED light sources, lighting manufacturing is a low margin business. Former lighting giants have ceded those segments to lower cost manufacturers in China and elsewhere. Producers have, instead, expanded in higher margin operations relating to high value lighting technology design and smart interconnection services. However, even smart lighting products are not immune as this category is also experiencing sharp downward pricing pressure as the industry expands and continues to innovate.

Additional analysis of the lighting industry can be found in the following Freedonia reports: Smart Lighting in the US, General Purpose LEDs & Other High-Efficiency Lighting, and General Purpose Lighting Fixtures.

About The Freedonia Group  The Freedonia Group, a division of MarketResearch.com, is a leading international industrial research company publishing more than 100 studies annually. Since 1985 we have provided research to customers ranging in size from global conglomerates to one-person consulting firms. More than 90% of the industrial companies in the Fortune 500 use Freedonia Group research to help with their strategic planning. Each study includes product and market analyses and forecasts, in-depth discussions of important industry trends, and market share information. Studies can be purchased at www.freedoniagroup.com and are also available on www.marketresearch.com and www.profound.com.

Press Contact:

Corinne Gangloff

+1 440.684.9600

[email protected]

SOURCE The Freedonia Group

Related Links

www.freedoniagroup.com


Thierry Delaporte, who will replace Abidali Neemuchwala, was most recently the chief operating officer of Capgemini Group.

IT major Wipro Ltd on Friday named Thierry Delaporte as chief executive officer and managing director of the company, effective 6 July, 2020.

#JustIn | Wipro appoints Thierry Delaporte as CEO & Managing Director w.e.f July 6. Abidali Neemuchwala will relinquish his position as MD, CEO on June 1 pic.twitter.com/cNTUFdqNCU  CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) May 29, 2020

Delaporte, who will replace Abidali Z Neemuchwala, was most recently the chief operating officer of Capgemini Group.

Until recently, Thierry Delaporte was the Chief Operating Officer of Capgemini Group and a member of its Group Executive Board. During his 25-year career with Capgemini, he held several leadership roles including that of Chief Executive Officer of the Global Financial Services Strategic Business Unit, and head of all global service lines. He also oversaw Capgeminis India operations, and led the groups transformation agenda, conceptualizing and driving several strategic programs across various business units.

Rishad Premji will oversee the day to day operations of the company until 5 July and Delaporte join Wipro on 6 July.

"l am delighted to welcome Thierry as CEO and Managing Director of the company. Thierry has an exceptional leadership track record, strong international exposure, deep strategic expertise, a unique ability to forge long-standing client relationships, and proven experience of driving transformation and managing technological disruption. We believe that Thierry is the right person to lead Wipro in its next phase of growth," said Rishad Premji, Chairman, Wipro Limited.

Commenting on his appointment, Thierry Delaporte said, I am deeply honored to be invited to lead Wipro, an extraordinary company and an exemplary corporate citizen with a deep technology heritage built on a strong foundation of values. I look forward to working closely with Rishad, the Board, senior leadership and the hugely talented employees of Wipro to turn a new chapter of growth and build a better tomorrow for all our stakeholders.

He will be based in Paris and report to Chairman Rishad Premji.

Neemuchwala will relinquish his position as CEO and MD on 1 June.

In January, Wipro had said Neemuchwala has decided to step down due to family commitments and the company's board had started scouting for his successor.

The 52-year-old Neemuchwala's term as CEO was to end in 2021.

Premji said, I want to thank Abid for all that he has done for Wipro and for making this transition as smooth and seamless as possible despite his personal commitments.

Rishad Premji will oversee the day to day operations of the company until 5 July.

Neemuchwala had joined Wipro in 2015 as Group President and Chief Operating Officer after a 23-year-long stint at Tata Consultancy Services.

Deepak M Satwalekar appointed as independent director

Wipro also announced the appointment of Deepak M Satwalekar, a financial services professional, to its Board of Directors for five years effective 1 July, 2020, subject to the approval of the shareholders.

Satwalekar will serve as an Independent Director on the Board. He has been the MD of HDFC Ltd and subsequently the MD and CEO of HDFC Standard Life Insurance. He has also been a consultant to the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT).

Welcoming him to the Board, Premji, Chairman, said, I am truly excited to have Deepak join our Board. With his deep repository of knowledge spanning across the financial services sector, sharp business acumen, understanding of technology and as a strong votary of the highest standards of corporate governance, his invaluable experience will immensely benefit Wipro.

Commenting on his appointment, Satwalekar said, I am delighted and honored to be invited to join the Board of Wipro, an organization which is globally respected both for its technology leadership and its steadfast commitment to values. I look forward to contributing to the companys growth charter."
On May 16, nearly two dozen police vehicles from three agencies responded to this home on North Street in the village of Manlius on a call that a man was threatening to kill himself. The standoff lasted four hours before police cleared the scene leaving one officer behind. The man's body was found a couple hours later.
St. Helenas Caymus Vineyards has sued Californias Governor Gavin Newsom and the states public health officer, Sonia Angell, alleging that the states delay in reopening wineries for wine tastings is a violation of its constitutional rights, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in San Francisco Federal Court.

Wineries, bars and breweries in California may offer sit-down service if they provide food with alcohol, state officials announced earlier this week, in what represented a loosening of the states stay at home order. In Napa County, which last week progressed into Stage 2 of what Gov. Newsom has called the resilience roadmap, restaurants reopened for dine-in service with modifications and retailers were given the green light to once again open their doors to customers.

But the relaxation did little for wineries in Napa Valley, almost all of which are expressly forbidden from serving on-premise meals by the countys Winery Definition Ordinance and many of whom are barred by the conditions of their county-issued use permits from serving any food in conjunction with wine tastings.

There is no distinction between wine tastings with and without food from a public safety perspective, according Caymus founder and President Chuck Wagner. The regulations are thus inequitable, Wagner said in an interview Friday.

The suit, among other things, asks that wineries be allowed to open for tastings and seeks just compensation for economic loss Caymus has incurred as a result of its forced closure.

The closures represent a violation of  among other things  the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendments, according to the lawsuit.

If the government is going to allow for restaurants and barbershops to reopen, why would you not allow wine tasting? Wagner said. Its not right. Were being singled out.

Wagner rejected the notion that wineries, which he called the driving force of Napa Countys economy, could attract tourists in larger numbers to the area than could restaurants or other business.

An estimated 20% of Caymuss direct sales come through its tasting room, according to Wagner, who added that the winery has continued to pay 40 tasting room employees their full time pay, has not furloughed any of its workforce and did not apply for government assistance to fill the revenue gap it is facing.

At a certain point  and Im not saying were at that point yet  this is going to have gone on too long, Wagner said of the closure, nodding to wineries smaller than Caymus that rely on tasting rooms for significant percentages of their sales and revenue.

Wagner said he had been in touch with some of the countys Supervisors who had earlier reached out to state officials to ask that Napa Countys wineries be allowed to reopen their tasting rooms as part of Stage 2. The Governor didnt budge, Wagner said, expressing his parallel frustration that the countys wineries are still expected to comply with the terms of the Winery Definition Ordinance even given the extenuating circumstances.

The Winery Definition Ordinance (WDO) was passed in 1990; it bars wineries from undertaking any other purpose beyond those related to agriculture and agricultural processing. Wine tastings, of course, are permitted, but wineries (except those established before July 31, 1974) are barred from serving meals or acting as event centers  hosting weddings, for example.

I think the Board of Supervisors should be allowing wineries to do all that they can in order to regain a stable financial position, Wagner said, theorizing about the possibility of an executive order which would temporarily override the WDO.

While he would wait and see what transpires with Napa Countys reopening, Wagner said his ultimate goal was to see wineries reopen their tasting rooms. It was his belief the industry could do so safely, he said, and that adding food service into the picture could further complicate safety and sanitation even if it was permitted at wineries in Napa County.

I believe in safety, and I also believe this valley is centered around agriculture and wine, Wagner said. If youre in the wine business, you should have the freedom to have visitors at your winery.

You can reach Sarah Klearman at (707) 256-2213 or sklearman@napanews.com.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Maverick MP Bob Katter has backed Pauline Hanson in her battle to remove the Queensland state borders.

Senator Hanson is plotting a legal challenge to Queensland's border closure, claiming it is not allowed under the constitution.

Mr Katter thew his weight behind her campaign on Friday, saying hundreds of businesses have been suffering without inter-state tourism.

Maverick MP Bob Katter (pictured) has backed Pauline Hanson in her battle to remove the Queensland state borders

Motorists are stopped at a checkpoint on the Gold Coast Highway at Coolangatta on the Queensland/NSW border border in March

The 75-year-old, who represents the division of Kennedy, wants lockdown to be eased faster to get the economy back on track.

'We have had no coronavirus in North Queensland for two months. It does not really exist up here and we have been locked down,' he told the Hit Network.

'There will be a thousand businesses up here that are now bankrupt, some of them built on four or five generations of sacrifice and working an 80 hour week - all gone.'

Mr Katter accused Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk of deliberately protracting restrictions to benefit herself politically.

'The longer it goes on the less time the Queensland labor government's opponents have to get out there and campaign and the more the Queensland premier can get herself on the television morning, noon and night,' he said.

Asked about Senator Hanson's legal challenge, he said: 'We're backing Pauline 1,000 per cent'.

Senator Hanson also accused the Queensland Premier of keeping the state borders closed for political reasons.

'I believe she's using this as an election ploy leading up to the election in October and I think it stinks,' she said earlier this week.

'We need leadership not dictatorship.'

Senator Hanson is plotting a legal challenge to Queensland's border closure, claiming it is not allowed under the constitution

Regions such as Port Douglas (pictured) in north Queensland are not available to anyone outside the state due to border restrictions

Senator Hanson has got lawyers and potential plaintiffs lining up to be part of her planned High Court challenge.

She believes it's unconstitutional for the premier to restrict the movement of people, causing severe harm to the economy in the process.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has backed the legal challenge, saying the premier's 'lack of logic' is killing the economy.

University of Queensland constitutional law professor Nicholas Aroney says Senator Hanson's promised case relates to section 92 of the constitution, which deals with trade and the movement of people between states.

He's told SBS the High Court would have to decide if the border closure and resulting restrictions on the movement of people was a response proportionate to the situation.

And the case for keeping borders shut would weaken as infections drop, he said.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Advocates and experts on domestic violence likely saw this coming: the response to keep people safe from COVID-19 would result in greater harm for victims of domestic violence. All of that time isolated and at home alone with an abusive partner has meant that the severity of the abuse can increase.

According to Futures Without Violence, a health and social justice nonprofit working to end various forms of abuse, increases in reports of domestic violence have occurred in a number of cities. The online chat options on websites supporting victims has also seen an uptick, indicating that victims likely feel unsafe attempting to call for help while in the home with their abuser.

And the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, a statewide domestic violence coalition representing 200 organizations, reports an increase in calls to the National Domestic Violence Hotline with more than 8,000 calls and texts from California between Feb. 24 and May 19. On March 16, the hotline began tracking reports that specifically cited COVID-19, and more than 1,000 of the calls and texts received from California were related to the pandemic between March 16 and May 19. The hotline also noted that California is in the top percentile of COVID-19-related calls in the nation, according to Jacquie Marroquin, director of programs for the California Partnership.

"What weighs most heavily on advocates on the ground is the fact that there are many more survivors who are unable to reach out at all because they are with the person who is causing them harm 24/7," Marroquin said.

Esta Soler, president and founder of Futures Without Violence, and Marroquin took some time to discuss what victims of domestic violence face, particularly during this pandemic, as well as the kinds of support that are necessary and most helpful. (This email interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Q: What are some of the ways in which COVID-19 has contributed to the increase in reports of abuse?

Soler: We see the impacts in two major ways: First, for those who are sheltering at home, the constant presence of an abusive partner and the inability to get out of the house or apartment creates and enhances danger. Isolating a victim from friends and family is a primary tool of the abuser and now the pandemic is causing that to happen. Second, survivors may be even more desperate than in the past to keep their jobs because they know that job is the only thing providing economic security. Being forced to work in unsafe conditions is also a consequence of this pandemic, and this in turn can also mean survivors who are parents are forced to leave their children in less-than-ideal conditions.

Q: What is the response to this virus exposing about domestic violence?

Marroquin: The domestic violence field has been grappling with the fact that there are many survivors who do not reach out for assistance because they don't want to separate from their abusive partners; many simply want the abuse to stop and be a healthy, safe family. And here we are, with a global pandemic whose appropriate response is to stay home with our families. In much of our work at the Partnership, we have been pivoting to services for the entire family, including those who cause harm. And truthfully, if we want to end domestic violence once and for all, there must be robust interventions for those who do cause harm, regardless if they are together or separated.

Q: Can you talk a bit about support networks and escape plans, and what these personal support systems should look like during the pandemic?

Soler: Futures Without Violence has published "Calling All Family and Friends of Families Experiencing Violence at Home," which includes links to support services and hotlines. It also offers recommendations for helping someone at risk create a support network and explains how we can all be part of it. It is geared toward how we can all help those who may be isolated and struggling with violence or abuse during the coronavirus public health emergency. It talks about the importance of reaching out, helping with basic necessities, finding safe ways to interrupt or intervene, providing virtual or physical respite, sending texts or handwritten letters of love and encouragement to those who are hurting, and more. Despite the obstacles, there are still many ways to help people who are at risk right now.

Marroquin: Support for survivors should always be rooted in nonjudgmental connection, regardless of who is providing that support. Crisis lines and law enforcement are not generally a survivor's first call; it is often family, friends or faith leaders who survivors turn to for support. I worked with many survivors who waited years to reach out because of a negative or victim-blaming reaction from the first person to whom they first told their story. So, in terms of support networks, the most important thing anyone can do is to be supportive without judgment. To trust the survivor when they tell you they are not ready to leave because they need a plan. Then to reach out to a domestic violence organization that can help to create a plan with the survivor.

Survivors leave an abusive relationship an average of seven to nine times. For loved ones, that alone can lead to frustration and anger, resulting in increased levels of isolation and fear of reaching out for help again. During this pandemic, patience with both the process of leaving an abusive relationship, and the process of healing for a family that wants to stay together, is essential. It's not easy, but it's the best support we can offer.

Q: What does a domestic violence response, specifically tailored to COVID-19, ideally look like? What kinds of resources should we be thinking about and providing?

Marroquin: Flexibility. Flexibility. Flexibility. Every household, every survivor, and every family dynamic is different. We always say there is no "one size fits all" solution. ... Whether it's financial assistance, counseling, support groups, emergency shelter, community prevention efforts, or legal assistance, flexibility in the way survivors and their families utilize these services is essential for a COVID-19 tailored response. Ultimately, any pandemic response would ideally involve a range of immediate responses that then turn into long-term services that facilitate healing for survivors, regardless if they are with or separated from the person who caused them harm. That is our vision for domestic violence-free families and communities in California.

Soler: Put simply, we need to prioritize preventing violence and addressing the needs of victims of domestic violence because doing so saves lives. ... We also MUST understand that this will continue and maybe even worsen in the short term since the economic recovery will take months if not years. This won't end magically with the lifting of stay-at-home orders. We ask people to stay engaged and keep helping your family and friends and supporting policy responses that help adults and children affected by domestic violence survive, heal and thrive.

2020 The San Diego Union-Tribune

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
all the challenges and struggles that people have experienced in the journey of life can be understood on the purpose of positive outcomes.

Jae Hong Lees book, Gold Mine + A Practical Strategy to Overcome Social Challenges of Poverty($17.99, paperback, 9781631292743; $8.99, e-book, 9781631292750), is available for purchase.

What is Gold Mine+? As Bible describes as "After He has tested me, I shall come out as pure gold (Job 23:10), all the challenges and struggles that people have experienced in the journey of life can be understood on the purpose of positive outcomes. Modern generation of current IT Age has inherited all the incredible achievements for comfortable life, but there are still dark side of modern society that so many people are struggling with the poverty in the world as well as in America. It can be called Gold Mine as perceived as an opportunity to achieve incredible possibilities with individual effort as well as community-wise cooperation.

Jae Hong Lee is to share his experience how to overcome the challenges of poverty, especially concerning our urban communities' economic struggles. Jae was born in Korea in 1943 which was extreme difficult time under the occupation of Japanese Imperialist regime, and so he grew up in extreme poverty, and immigrated to America in 1972. Currently, Jae with his family lives in Kansas City.

# # #

Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the worlds largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 12,000 titles published to date Gold Mine + A Practical Strategy to Overcome Social Challenges of Poverty is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.
When Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the president of Iran, the Islamic Republic made inroads across various Latin American countries. To the ire of Washington, Tehran deepened its links with left-wing governments in Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Venezueladuring those years, TRT World reports in its article It's US foreign policy that gives life to Iran-Venezuela solidarity.

Such relationships, which spoke volumes about the growth of South-South relations in the 21st century, were largely a product of shared grievances and a common determination to challenge US hegemony in a world growing more multipolar.

Today, the Trump administrations foreign policy remains heavily focused on imposing maximum pressure on Iran. Although most discussions about this anti-Iranian agenda pertain to Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere in the Middle East, there have been implications for Latin America. The pressure that Washington has put on Argentina, Colombia, Honduras, and Paraguay to designate Hezbollah a terrorist organisation underscores the US administrations determination to eject Tehrans influence from Latin America.

Washington is now focusing energy on pressuring Venezuela, where Washington maintains that Hezbollah has its Western Hemisphere foothold, into severing its relations with Iran. The Trump administrations recent threats to use military force to prevent Iranian oil tankers from reaching the South American country underscore the extent to which the White House views the growth of Iranian-Venezuelan relations as a grave threat.

Earlier this month, Trumps administration condemned Iran  plus China, Cuba, and Russia  for giving support to the illegitimate and tyrannical regime of Nicolas Maduro, and vowing to continue applying maximum pressure against Caracas until Maduro's hold on Venezuela is over.

Michael G. Kozak, Acting Assistant Secretary for US Department of State's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, accused Caracas of importing Irans terror gasoline. Yet despite the US attempting to prevent the Islamic Republic and Maduros government from growing any closer, the Trump administrations policies have had the polar opposite effect.

Today Iran and Venezuela are closer than ever before, largely because Washingtons efforts to bring down both governments have given these two countries virtually no choice but to turn to each other to circumvent American efforts to isolate and strangle Caracas and Tehran amid the global Covid-19 pandemic and period of collapsed oil prices. Across Irans political spectrum, many voices have been celebrating their countrys successful delivery of oil shipments to Venezuela without any US interception.

One newspaper owned by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Javan, hailed the move as a demonstration of Irans might under the nose of America while others said that the deliveries humiliated America.

Maduros own statements, expressing gratitude for solidarity from the Islamic Republic, and the displays of Iranian flags in the Venezuelan capital say much about the countrys appreciation for Tehrans help.

The Venezuelan president boasted that his country and Iran are two rebel nations, two revolutionary nations that will never kneel down before US imperialism.

Venezuelas Minister of Energy Tareck El Aissami tweeted: We keep moving forward and winning.

As both Caracas and Tehran see it, the delivery of these tankers successfully called the Trump administrations bluff and the US did not take actions to thwart the Islamic Republic from helping Maduros crisis-stricken government.

Undeniable is that the Tehran-Caracas partnership has reached new heights. The IRGCs warning earlier this month about the US facing repercussions if America acts like pirates vis-a-vis Iranian fuel shipments to Venezuela was significant as one analyst explained, Iran-Venezuela ties are close, but Iran typically reserves this kind of language for its proxy forces, rather than extra-regional countries.

The growth of this partnership is an outcome of a common trend in international relations. States that are targeted by US sanctions tend to work together.

While Iran-Venezuela relations predate the ascendancy of both regimes and go back to the Shahs era when the two countries were founding OPEC members, their current relationship is special for its geopolitical context.

A fair comparison is the Iran-North Korea partnership, which has evolved under rather similar circumstances. As Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared while visiting Pyongyang shortly after the Iran-Iraq war, If big countries threaten progressive countries, then progressive countries should threaten them in turn.

Iran-Venezuela ties have been, at least up until now, largely symbolic. Yet there is potential for the relationship to become more substantial. As one expert on Iranian foreign policy opined, there is huge potential for bilateral cooperation to boost significantly in the upcoming months and years.

If Trump is to secure a second term in November, the odds are good that his administration will continue efforts to topple Maduros government which could result in Caracas embracing military assistance from the Islamic Republic.

The technology behind Iranian missiles, which have deterred Tehrans global and regional adversaries from striking against Irans homeland, could possibly be transferred to Venezuela in order to strengthen the South American countrys own defenses down the road.

Similar to how Iran and Russia worked in tandem to prevent their Syrian ally from falling from power throughout the post-2011 period, it is clear that Tehran is also joining Moscow in terms of investing resources and taking chances to ensure that Maduro does not fall in any US-backed coup or campaign of sabotage.

As Venezuelas head of state said, Venezuela has friends in this world, and brave friends at that.

From the Iranian perspective, Tehrans increased support for Caracas serves to remind Washington that the Islamic Republic not only challenges US interests in the Middle East, but also in Americas own backyard.

By establishing stronger ties with Maduros government, the Iranians will likely be able to enhance their ability to force the US to deal with unpredictable blowback in the Western Hemisphere should there be a continuation of maximum pressure on Tehran.

Put simply, the Iranian-Venezuelan partnership is a card that the regime in Tehran can continue playing in order to gain greater leverage as US-Iran brinkmanship remains intense.
Trump Renews Promise to Withdraw US Troops from Afghanistan

By Ayaz Gul May 28, 2020

President Donald Trump has renewed his resolve to "bring our soldiers back home" from Afghanistan, publicly questioning again the goal of the current U.S. military mission to the war-torn country.

Trump reiterated his intention amid reports that the ongoing U.S. troop drawdown in Afghanistan "is well ahead of schedule" outlined in a landmark peace-building pact the United States signed with the Taliban in late February to end the nearly 19-year-old Afghan war.

"We are acting as a police force, not the fighting force that we are, in Afghanistan," Trump tweeted Wednesday. After 19 years, it was time for Afghan authorities to police their own country, he wrote.

"Bring our soldiers back home but closely watch what is going on and strike with a thunder like never before, if necessary!" Trump added.

Under the Feb. 29 U.S.-Taliban agreement, Washington has committed to reduce its military footprint in Afghanistan from about 13,000 to 8,600 by mid-July before withdrawing all troops, along with several thousand partners in a NATO-led non-combatant mission by mid-2021.

The drawdown started within days of the signing of the agreement in Qatar, and U.S. military officials say the process has since been on track.

In return, the Taliban is committed to preventing terrorist groups from using Afghanistan for international terrorism. It has also promised to reduce battlefield violence and engage in a political reconciliation process with other Afghan stakeholders to negotiate a permanent cease-fire and power-sharing arrangement in post-war Afghanistan.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Letters between the Queen and the governor-general who dismissed then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1975 are set to be revealed for the first time.

Historian Jenny Hocking has been fighting a million-dollar legal battle for four years to have the 211 letters between the Queen and Sir John Kerr released.

The National Archives of Australia had refused to release the letters that were exchanged in the lead-up to Mr Whitlam's 1975 dismissal.

But on Friday, Professor Hocking won her battle in the High Court in a result that could provide key insight into one of Australia's greatest political crises.

She found that the Palace had known of Mr Kerr's intentions to sack Whitlam and believes the letters can determine if the Queen influenced his decision.

Professor Hocking says the archive must now release them immediately.

The letters between the Queen and former Governor-General Sir John Kerr (pictured together) during the dismissal of Gough Whitlam are set to be released for the first time

The so-called Palace letters between Buckingham Palace and Mr Kerr around the time of the 1975 dismissal had been deemed personal communications by the National Archives of Australia and the Federal Court.

That meant they couldn't be released until 2027, and only then with the permission of the Queen.

But a majority of the High Court's full bench has ruled they are in fact commonwealth property.

'I would be horrified if they did (deny access) given the four-year legal case,' Professor Hocking told reporters in Melbourne.

'Even cabinet records, the most confidential records of government, are released after 20 years. Unless it has the Queen's medical details in it, you would expect them to be released.'

If the archives continued to refuse access, that would raise questions about what role they were playing in the dismissal matter, she added.

Gough Whitlam was dismissed as Australian prime minister on November 11, 1975

Justices James Edelman and Michelle Gordon agreed the letters were commonwealth records, although published separate reasons.

Justice Gordon said some of the letters' contents may be considered personal.

Justice Geoffrey Nettle made a dissenting judgment, saying the letters should not be deemed commonwealth property simply because Sir John held public office.

The letters were supposed to be released 12 years ago but they were deemed 'private' instead of 'Commonwealth records'.

Professor Hocking had lost the bid to have the letters released by the Federal Court in 2016.

The court has now ordered the archives to reconsider Professor Hocking's request to access the letters, and pay her legal costs.

Professor Jenny Hocking has been in a legal battle for four years to have the letters released to the public, something she believes will provide insight into one of Australia's greatest political crises

Mr Whitlam was dismissed on November 11, 1975 after being elected in December 1972.

In October 1975 the Liberal Party announced they would not pass the governments Supply Bills in the Senate until they agreed to call an election.

This would mean the government would soon run out of money to pay public servants, and provide pensions and services.

The last day a pre-Christmas election could be announced was November 13, and if that date was missed the government would potentially have no money for months.

Mr Whitlam refused to call an election and sought a half-Senate election from Mr Kerr.

Mr Kerr then dismissed Mr Whitlam and appointed Opposition Leader Malcolm Fraser as caretaker prime minister.

An election was held in December and Mr Fraser was appointed the new prime minister when the Coalition won power.

Former Liberal Senate leader Reg Withers revealed that Mr Kerr had plans to dismiss Mr Whitlam in the lead-up to November 11.

It's believed Mr Kerr had been in talks with Buckingham Palace to have Mr Whitlam (pictured) dismissed in the lead up

He and Mr Fraser had even been in secret phone contact.

It was also later revealed that Chief Justices Garfield Barwick and Anthony Mason advised Mr Kerr on how to dismiss the prime minister.

Justice Mason had reportedly advised Mr Kerr for months and had even drafted a letter of dismissal for him.
The cost of quarantining around 60 residents and citizens who initially returned overseas is approximately Vt13 million, according to Acting DG Wabaiat. Photo Kizzy Kalsakau
Syracuse, N.Y. -- New guidance from the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo says zoos and other places of amusement must remain closed.

But the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse has been open for a week, allowing patrons by appointment with permission from Onondaga County.

The disconnect is just another bit of conflicting direction coming from various levels of government. For now, the zoo will stay open.

Last week, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon approved the zoos plan to reopen with limited visitors and a host of new safety precautions. It was touted as a win and another sign that Central New York was moving toward reopening its economy.

Cuomos office today released much anticipated guidance on the next phase of New Yorks plan to reopen businesses.

That state guidance said places of amusement must remain closed during phase two, which could start any day and will last at least two weeks. That includes water parks, carnivals, amusement parks, water parks, aquariums, zoos, arcades, fairs, childrens play centers, theme parks, bowling alleys and childrens attractions.
Two armed men were shot by Houston police officers overnight in separate incidents within 30 minutes of each other, one of which resulted in an officer being taken to the hospital.

In both cases, the person shot by the officer is expected to survive. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo also vowed to release body-worn camera from the incidents once grand jury inquiries are complete.

FRIENDLY FIRE: Fort Bend deputy accidentally shot and killed by fellow officer during investigation

Around 11:45 p.m., a uniformed gang officer tried to pull over a 19-year-old driver along Willowbend Boulevard near Hillcroft Avenue, Acevedo said. The driver sped off and evaded the officer for a few minutes before jumping out of the car and running to an apartment complex in the 10100 block of Sandpiper Drive.

The officer almost caught the suspect as he fumbled to enter a gate code into the apartments entrance, but he managed to escape. The suspect ran across the street to the 6300 block of Dumfries, where then pulled a gun on the officer, Acevedo said.

You will see when (the video is) released upon the conclusion of this investigation that the officer continued  in his uniform  and ordered his suspect to drop the weapon, to drop his pistol, Acevedo said. You will see when he does turn with the pistol in his hand, the officer does discharge.

The officer started life-saving measures on the 19-year-old as he called for an ambulance, which took the injured suspect to the nearby Memorial Herman Southwest Hospital. Acevedo said he is expected to survive.

The lawman in question has been on the job five years, Acevedo said.

Around 12:25 p.m., an officer 10 miles away had just pulled a car over in a gas station parking lot in the 7100 block of Cullen, just north of the South Loop. He detained two people from inside the car, placed them in the back of his patrol car and was about to search the vehicle when a man walked up close to the officer, Acevedo said.

The officer told the man to leave him alone as he investigated, Acevedo said.

MISTAKEN RELEASE: Parole violator erroneously freed from Harris County Jail faces felony murder charges

Just as the officer started to search the car, the man returned with a large metal pipe in his hand, Acevedo said. The two men who were detained in the back of the police car started yelling to alert the officer, who couldnt hear their pleas, Acevedo said.

The man then struck the officer in the head with the pipe, Acevedo said.

You can hear the sound of the thump on his head, Acevedo said after reviewing the officers body-worn camera footage. The officer screams out in pain, draws his pistol. As hes turning  you can see the suspect coming at him again with that weapon.

The officer opened fire, striking the pipe-wielding man. Paramedics rushed him and the officer to the hospital.

Both the officer and suspect are expected to recover from their injuries, Acevedo said.

At the end of the day, were thankful everything was on video, Acevedo said.

The chief said videos of the incident will likely be released after a grand jury decides if charges are necessary.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com
Before moving to Philadelphia to attend Temple University two summers ago, I spent my life in the Twin Cities, where protests this week erupted to demand justice after the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died after Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes.

Prior to studying at Temple, I went to a small performing arts high school in the suburbs west of Minneapolis where I practiced theater. I remember walking into school in May 2017 on the day after news broke that Khaleel Thompson, an 18-year-old black man, was shot more than 18 times by local police after an incident in a park. Khaleel wasnt another name to me  just months before, hed been my acting partner in class at school, playing Stanley opposite me as Blanche in Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire.

That day at school, most of our student body of fewer than 300 sat in the hallways holding Justice for Khaleel signs and didnt attend class. Our teachers and the administration did not punish us  instead, they took pictures and stood with us. Later that week, they marched in suburban streets to protest the shooting alongside us.

The officers involved in Khaleels shooting were never charged, and his story and protests never made national news. But even before George Floyds death, other protests and incidents of Twin Cities police brutality against black men drew widespread attention. I was in the Twin Cities for the protests after Jamar Clark was shot by police in 2015, after Philando Castile was shot by police in 2016, and after the officers involved in their shootings were announced to face no charges.

But as I watch from Philadelphia this week, as another black man in the Twin Cities is dead after an incident with local police, I see the same high school classmates and teachers who I mourned with after Khaleel, Jamar, and Philandos shootings. This time, though, the protests have been days long and more intense. The Twin Cities police have been teargassing and shooting rubber bullets at protesters, the governor has deployed the National Guard, many neighborhoods and buildings are burned down, and stores everywhere have been looted. As I write this, Im seeing video of my favorite bar and music venue on fire.

Even watching from more than 1,000 miles away, things feel different. I didnt return to my hometown after leaving my dorm at Temple when it closed because of COVID-19 concerns, but instead stayed in Philadelphia with family friends who are from the Twin Cities. Weve been watching live streams of protest events this week. From the looks of it  the emotional and economic stress of the pandemic, combined with the history of unchecked police brutality against black communities in the city and the indisputable visualizations of this instance  has pushed the city over the edge.

As a white person not currently living in the Twin Cities, I cannot speak for everyone hurting or those most affected by this. But, today, I wish I could be on the ground there to show support.

Watching the neighborhoods Ive grown up in turn to ashes and be covered in graffiti, I empathize, and remember writing Khaleels name along the walls in my old high school building. And in the same way Im mourning for local Philadelphia stores hurt by COVID-19 city business restrictions, I feel for the local Twin Cities businesses dealing with it too, who now also may be damaged by the protests.

Today, a first step toward justice was announced in Derek Chauvin being arrested and charged with murder. And today, Im proud of the Twin Cities for not keeping quiet. We can construct new buildings, but we cant bring people back to life.

Madison Karas is a freelance reporter and Editor in Chief of The Temple News.
The city failed, but so did the people, Teitel, May 26

Sitting down to breakfast in my downtown home with the paper, it was remarkable to again see city officials and the Toronto Star blindly promoting a kind of class warfare.

Pages A8-9 juxtapose two scenes from city neighbourhoods close by: Young urban condo and apartment dwellers trying to enjoy some outside space in a city woefully undersupplied with it, and families in front of their million-dollar homes enjoying all the space such wealth allows.

With a typical parochial schoolmaster attitude, officials denounce young people outside instead of recognizing that the city needs more outdoor public space and should be busy creating it.

Queen and Dundas Streets, both four-lane downtown roads adjacent to the park in question, remain open for the greatly diminished car traffic to zoom along.

Living near Trinity Bellwoods, I know it gets crowded. But the people were doing their best to avoid unnecessary contact: avoiding hugging, handshakes and sharing food. It was, for the most part, quiet conversation in the outdoors in small groups. The police were at the park monitoring any obviously problematic behaviour.

The failure to recognize the profound differences in lived experience between people in Liberty Village and Annex homeowners is just lazy thinking.
(Photo : Chris Reid on Unsplash) Super-Hacker Who Stole 1 Million Private Data Caught After Making 1 Facebook Mistake; 5,000 Websites Breached By "VandaTheGod" (Photo : Clint Patterson on Unsplash) Super-Hacker Who Stole 1 Million Private Data Caught After Making 1 Facebook Mistake; 5,000 Websites Breached By "VandaTheGod"

A super-hacker was caught after making an unexpected Facebook mistake. According to Forbes' latest report, "VandaTheGod', the person behind a 7-year hacktivism campaign, was caught. Cybersecurity company Check Point Research published the investigation on May 28, providing the details of how he was exposed.

The infamous super-hacker was responsible for the theft of 1 million private data after attacking 5,000 websites and stealing credit card information. The UGNAzi-affiliated hacker pushed an anti-establishment message despite the theft accusations he got.

Although the hacker claimed to focus on social injustices and pushed anti-government sentiments by attacking dozens of government websites, VandaTheGod was accused of benefiting financially from the act since he also stole private medical records from 1 million citizens in New Zealand.

4,800 scalps of VandaTheGod were mostly governmental and in the United States, but he also attacked academic institutions and private companies in more than 40 countries. The tally of his scalps was shown on his Twitter account that has been inactive since November.

"We started the entire research process after we received a request from one government to assist with finding his real identity," said Lotem Finkelsteen, an author of Check Point Research.

"The more he expanded his activities, the more we could see him developing new capabilities and showing interest in new hacking fields. He was obviously pleased with the skills he acquired and made sure to boast about his dubious achievements on Twitter, Facebook, and any other platform," Finkelsteen further explained in the report.

Super-Hacker who stole 1 million private data caught after making 1 Facebook mistake; 5,000 websites breached by "VandaTheGod"

According to Forbes, the super-hacker was caught because of a simple mistake. It was a failure that compromised his own security. VandaTheGod took a screenshot of a hacked email account and shared it on Facebook, not knowing that it would lead to his exposure.

"The screenshot also shows an open Facebook tab with the name 'Vanda De Assis', and looking that name up led us to a profile belonging to the attacker," Check Point explained.

Check Point looked for further clues by comparing various Twitter and Facebook accounts, and by also pulling out different threads. Another screenshot was eventually found with a set of initials left unmasked. The team pulled all Facebook profiles that matched by linking the initials to the Brazilian city of Uberlandia.

"We were able to locate a single account, which contained an uploaded image endorsing the Brazilian Cyber Army," the team confirmed.

The acquired account was connected by the team to one of the known VandaTheGod's accounts. Several cross-points between Vanda de Assis's Facebook account and the newly discovered profile were located.

The team was able to acquire the proof they needed. VandaTheGod was exposed after Check Point discovered that the photos of the same surroundings from different angles, specifically, the poster's living room were posted on Vanda De Assis's Facebook Account and the super-hacker's Twitter Account.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
tech2 News Staff

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg took pains to distance his company from Twitter and its fight with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, as the White House moved to scrap a law protecting social media companies.

Republican Trump, who accuses social media firms of bias against conservatives, without evidence, stepped up his attacks on Twitter after the company put a fact-checking label on two of his tweets about mail-in ballots on Tuesday for the first time.

We have a different policy I think than Twitter on this, Zuckerberg told Fox News, Trumps preferred broadcaster.

Both sites take down content that violates their terms of service, but Facebooks approach, he said, has distinguished us from some of the other tech companies in terms of being stronger on free expression and giving people a voice.

While Facebook does apply labels to misleading posts, it exempts from review posts by politicians, a decision that some lawmakers and presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden say helps lies to flourish online.

Unlike Twitter, Facebook outsources its fact-checking to media partners and says it takes no stance itself.

The split with Twitter comes despite Zuckerbergs more aggressive posture against misinformation in recent months, including pledges to wipe from Facebooks apps any misleading posts about the novel coronavirus which could cause physical harm.

Facebook took down a coronavirus-related post from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in March. It also explicitly bans content that misrepresents methods for voting or voter registration regardless of who its coming from.

Zuckerberg said Trumps comments on Tuesday did not hit Facebooks bar to be considered in violation of its voter suppression rules.

Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen. We saw what they attempted to do, and failed, in 2016. We cant let a more sophisticated version of that....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2020

Trump had posted unsubstantiated claims on both Twitter and Facebook saying the governor of California was sending mail-in ballots to anyone living in the state, no matter who they are or how they got there, although ballots are only sent to registered voters.

After signing the executive order cracking down on social media, as of 29 May, Trump has put out another tweet with similar claims.

MAIL-IN VOTING WILL LEAD TO MASSIVE FRAUD AND ABUSE. IT WILL ALSO LEAD TO THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY. WE CAN NEVER LET THIS TRAGEDY BEFALL OUR NATION. BIG MAIL-IN VICTORY IN TEXAS COURT TODAY. CONGRATS!!!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

(Also read: 'This is just noise': A primer on Donald Trump's Executive Order targeting social media websites)

Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey said Trumps claims may mislead people into thinking they dont need to register to get a ballot and hit back at the White House for pinning the decision on a mid-level Twitter staffer.

Just to be clear: Trumps statement that Twitter, a private company, is abridging his First Amendment freedom of speech by tagging his wild tweets about write-in voter fraud as misleading is totally absurd and legally illiterate. This thread explains why:  Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 27, 2020

A Twitter spokeswoman said that senior executives, including Dorsey, had approved the decision to label Trumps tweets.

Twitter, for its part, has at times sought to differentiate itself from Facebook. Last year, it announced a political advertising ban just as criticism of Zuckerbergs fact-checking exemption was reaching a fever pitch.

Trump remains one of Facebooks top political spenders, although campaign ads comprise a tiny slice of its total revenue.

Nu Wexler, a former spokesman for both companies, said Twitters political ads decision gave it more freedom to maneuver now. Trumps threats against the platform, he said, amounted to little more than Washington kabuki theater.

Note that Trump has much less leverage over Twitter than other companies. Twitter dont sell political ads, theyre not big enough for an antitrust threat, and hes clearly hooked on the platform.  Nu Wexler (@wexler) May 27, 2020

Trump has much less leverage over Twitter than other companies. Twitter dont [sic] sell political ads, theyre not big enough for an antitrust threat and hes clearly hooked on the platform, Wexler tweeted.

With inputs from Reuters.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29)  The Philippines reported its highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases this week, when much of the country is preparing for relaxed quarantine measures.

The Department of Health in an online media briefing on Friday explained the recent spike in reported infections should not be a cause for concern since most of the cases were diagnosed weeks ago.

Only 109 out of the 539 new COVID-19 cases reported on Thursday were "fresh cases," or were confirmed only in the past three days.

"Ang balanse na humigit kumulang 400 ay mga late cases o mga kaso na ang mga resulta ay lumabas noong nakaraaan pang linggo pero kahapon lamang po nasubmit ang mga laboratory results nila, kaya kahapon lang rin po na-validate ng Epidemiology Bureau ng DOH," Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

[Translation: The balance of more or less 400 were late cases or those with results that came out last week but whose laboratory results were submitted only yesterday. That's why the DOH's Epidemiology Bureau was able to validate them only yesterday.]

Vergeire said the validation of cases is important to ensure that there is no double counting or over-reporting of cases.

Dr. Troy Gepte, a public health epidemiologist, explained that the validation process really takes time, but stressed that it is being addressed now as the government works on unifying data collection and reporting, in coordination with the World Health Organization.

Despite the surge in COVID-19 cases, Vergeire said other factors contributed to the government's decision to put Metro Manila under a more relaxed general community quarantine, while most of the country will transition to an even less strict modified GCQ.

Vergeire explained that the number of COVID-19 deaths in the country has been decreasing, based on the date of death. The time it takes for confirmed infections to double has shortened to seven days, Vergeire said, citing an improvement from the previous three to four days.

On top of this, she said the country presently has a 36 percent critical utilization rate, which means there are still more facilities to accommodate patients.

The number of COVID-19 cases nationwide rose to 15,588 on Thursday, with 921 deaths and 3,598 recoveries.

On Friday, the health department delayed the release of its case bulletin. The agency said it will be released at 8 p.m. because some of the data are still being validated.

The DOH instead provided an update on the number of infected healthcare workers, saying 28 more medical frontliners have contracted the virus, bringing the total to 2,480. A total of 1,228 have recovered, while the death toll remained at 31.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, reported 24 new COVID-19 cases among Filipinos abroad. The total number of overseas Filipinos who have caught the virus is now at 2,845. Of this number, 340 have died while 947 have recovered.
The Jharkhand government will airlift 60 stranded migrant workers from Batalik in Leh on Friday, officials from the Chief Ministers office said. These migrant labourers were working on a Border Road Organisation (BRO) project in the area.

According to the officials, the workers will be airlifted by a SpiceJet flight departing at noon today from Leh.

The migrant workers will arrive in Delhi at around 2 pm and will be flown out by an Indigo flight departing Delhi at 6 pm and reaching Ranchi 8 pm, the officials said. Upon arrival in Ranchi, the workers are most likely to be received by Chief Minister Hemant Soren at the airport.

Concerned officials of Ladakh administration and the BRO are actively supporting the effort and all 60 migrant workers have been checked, thermal screened and transported by BRO to Leh and are in a transit camp.

The Jharkhand Chief Secretary had, on May 12, written a letter to the Union Home Secretary seeking permission to allow the State government to airlift stranded workers of Jharkhand from Andamans, Ladakh and the North-eastern states at its own expense.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren had also personally written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the issue. However, officials said that no response was received from the Central government.

Soren has said that two flights are being operationalised to get back around 320 workers from Andamans soon as well.

Migrant workers had May 10 reached out to the Chief Minister on Twitter seeking assistance for their return, following which Soren had urged Ladakh administration to provide assistance.

After the resumption of commercial air operations, Soren on May 26 personally entrusted a small team to work out all operational possibilities to ensure the safe return of 60 migrants from Dumka district stuck in Gorgodoh Village, Batalik in Kargil district, Leh.

Officials said that around 3.5 to 4 lakh of the approximate 7.5 lakh registered migrant workers have already returned to the state and further efforts are being made to ensure that no one is left behind.
TUCSON, Ariz., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In a letter sent to Vice President Mike Pence as Chairman of the White House Coronavirus Task Force as well as to Governors across the United States, more than 550 physicians from all 50 states "urgently request that our country's businesses and schools be allowed to reopen." 89 non-physician medical professionals and 175 concerned citizens added their names to the letter in support of the physicians, for a total approaching 900 signatures collected in less than 5 days and the signature page keeps growing.

The letter was authored and the signature campaign was led by several concerned Texas physicians. "We were sharing a dialogue of these concerns with our Congressman Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21), who represents us at the national level, and felt called to share our boots-on-the-ground perspective with Vice President Pence and the COVID Task Force directly as well," explains San Antonio ophthalmologist, Kristin Story Held, M.D. As we began circulating the letter, physicians across the country, especially from New York, New Jersey, Michigan, California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania asked us to send a copy to their governors too.

Patient access to medical care has been devastated by the lockdown, the physicians write:

"Our patients have suffered needlessly in pain and physical decline with disease progression because of short-sighted government edicts to stop all non-emergency care that is unrelated to COVID19. Some patients now face inevitable death because the diagnosis and treatments were delayed too long."

The letter continues: "The cumulative knowledge we now have of COVID-19 and the observed devastation of shutting down the economy gives us confidence to request that the American people be given the freedom to engage in commerce and community again immediately. Growing evidence indicates that the unprecedented policy of forcing healthy Americans to quarantine was not necessary to save lives but instead inflicted devastating harm on 10s of millions of people."

Evidence-based research demonstrates that the lockdown is doing more harm than good: "This virus is survivable by greater than 99% of those infected. For those under 60, the estimated infection fatality rate is 0.05%. On average, the infection fatality rate is 0.2%," explain the authors. That is 2 in 1,000.



Mandatory testing is also the wrong prescription, they state: "Mass testing of citizens should not be used to create policy that restricts an individual's livelihood and freedom to participate in society, and absolutely should not be used to threaten businesses and counties with repeated closure."

The physicians conclude: "We cannot accept the current dysfunction in society as the "new normal." Our goal is to lead with hope and courage instead of fear and confusion. We want to help restore a renewed sense of purpose in our communities and allow people to pursue a livelihood and participate in music, sports, and art again. Our medical professionals are ready to serve this nation according to the time-honored Hippocratic Oath that calls us to serve with respect and compassion and, above all, to do no harm."

Interested physicians are invited to add their name to the letter at: https://bit.ly/signpence .

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) is a national organization representing physicians in all specialties, founded in 1943. Its motto is "omnia pro aegroto," or "all for the patient."

SOURCE Association of American Physicians and Surgeons
The morning began with a Western in Brovary. The situation was already compared to the classic 90s, some of the participants in the shooting were detained. And the Ministry of Internal Affairs promises to cure it. So, here is what is known at the moment

On May 29, around 7 a.m in the morning, an armed shootout occurred in town of Brovary, Kyiv region. It happened right in the sleeping area.

It went like this:

As a result, many residents still signal to law enforcement officers about souvenirs they find after the shooting.

Here is one example:

Shootout in Brovary: Windows were shot through bullets in neighboring houses Kyiv Operative

Why were they shooting?

The police in Kyiv region said that, according to preliminary data, there was a conflict between entrepreneurs engaged in passenger transportation and illegal transporters.

According to the chief specialist of the communication department of the National Police in Kyiv region Vitaliya Hroholska, the police arrived at the site in a minute and detained 10 people with weapons.

At the same time, the police said that the guests arrived from other regions of Ukraine.

Deputy Interior Minister Anton Herashchenko on his Facebook page said the following:

- There was a criminal showdown between the groups patronizing the shuttle taxis.

- Clashes are the result of an opaque distribution of routes.

- Three participants in the showdown were injured from traumatic weapons.

A significant amount of hunting and traumatic firearms was seized from the detainees.

According to Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, mass detentions continue. And the shootout itself is an echo of corruption in determining the quotas of transporters, attracting gangs in the fight for transportation routes.

Mayor Brovary Ihor Sapozhko also reacted to the incident.

Recently, by the decision of the tender commission of the regional state administration in Brovary, a new company entered the existing route. This applies to intercity routes. Now all the circumstances of the case are being investigated. A criminal proceeding was opened over the shooting.

As of 9 a.m, the police detained 11 people. There are also two injured, delivered to Brovary hospital with gunshot wounds.

He also noted that all intercity routes are approved by Kyiv Regional State Administration.

We have repeatedly sent official letters and appeals to the head of the region and the department head of Kyiv regional infrastructure on the approval of the new express route from Torhmash to Lisna metro station via Velyka Okruzhna Doroha. All the appeals were ignored.

Instead, the regional administration created and approved another route, which repeats the existing one. Therefore, I believe that due to the lack of dialogue between local authorities and the regional administration, the situation worsened with every day.

It is important to note that local residents started discovering the results of the shootout at their home.

What happened next?

At the moment, the reaction is as follows:

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Kyiv region introduced the Interception plan. Now all participants in the shootout are being established and detained.

Now police officers are looking for 5 cars in which the participants of the incident disappeared from the place of shooting. All police units in Kyiv region and the town of Brovary searching for cars, the police say.

Criminal proceedings were opened under article of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for hooliganism.

Meanwhile, the head of Vinnytsia police and the head of the operational service were suspended from duty due to gross shortcomings and miscalculations. Specific reasons are currently not indicated.

According to the MP of Servant of the People party Oleksandr Dubinsky, it was from Vinnytsia that one of the group of shooters was brought.

President's reaction

I wish these people did not go free. I would like us to find customers. I think this is obvious. I also saw on the video that the shots got into the windows. We need to figure it out on the spot and help people, just ordinary people who are now in this situation, Zelensky said during a meeting with Avakov.

According to the Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, as a result of the investigation, there may be questions to the local police.

Avakov also clarified that three criminal proceedings were opened on the fact of the shootout: under article of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for hooliganism, illegal handling of weapons, ammunition and explosives, and for intentional destruction or damage to property.

Later, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported the detention in Zhytomyr region of five participants in the shootout.

In a commentary for 112 Ukraine, Brovary Mayor Sapozhko said that all the detainees were Vinnytsia residents.

2 minibuses, 1 Toyota car were seized. According to preliminary information from the police, all the detainees are not local, but from Vinnytsia, the mayor said.

At the entry to Vinnytsia region, five more people involved in the shooting in Brovary were detained.

Thus, the total number of identified and detained persons who participated in the redistribution of the black market of route transportation reached the 21, Deputy Interior Minister Anton Herashchenko said.
LONDON - Police have urged people to stay away from a 40-foot (12-meter) long whale, believed to be a juvenile, that washed up dead on a beach in southeast England.

Images posted on social media show the giant mammal, thought to be a fin whale, on its back very close to a sandy shore in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, on Friday.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue charity said the whale appeared small for the species and said it believed the mammal to be a juvenile.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said officers were called to the scene after reports of a large object on the beach early Friday.

Essex Police said the area has been cordoned off and it was working with others to plan how to remove the whale.

The fin whales is the second-largest mammal in the world, after the blue whale. It has a distinct ridge along its back which gives it the nickname razorback. It is classed as endangered by the World Wide Fund for Nature.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Raipur: The last rites of Ajit Jogi, the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh who died at a hospital here on Friday, will be conducted on Saturday in his home district of Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi, an official said. Jogi will be cremated with full state honours at Gaurela, his native place, he added.

The state government has declared a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect to the leader.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, his cabinet colleagues and the BJP's national vice president Raman Singh paid tributes to the veteran politician on Friday evening at his official residence `Sagaun Bunglow' here in Katora Talab area.

Baghel paid floral tribute to the mortal remains of Jogi, an official here said.

He also spoke with Jogi's wife and MLA Renu Jogi and son Amit Jogi and expressed condolences, he said.

"Baghel said that he saw Jogi's life in three phases, a meritorious student, a skilled administrative officer and a good politician," the official said.

"Even under adverse circumstances, he did not give up the struggle. His death is an irreparable loss to the state," the official quoted the CM as saying on the occasion.

Governor Anusuiya Uikey, Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey, Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu, Forest Minister Mohammad Akbar, former chief minister Raman Singh, state BJP chief Vikram Usendi, JCC (J) MLA Dharmjeet Singh and several other leaders visited Jogis residence to pay their tributes.

Ajit Jogi, an IAS officer-turned-politician who went on to become the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh in 2000, died at 3.30 pm at a city hospital where he was being treated for the last 20 days.


The guided-missile frigate Yulin (Hull 569) attached to a destroyer flotilla with the navy under the PLA Southern Theater Command fires its main-gun against mock ashore targets during a maritime training exercise in waters of the South China Sea in late March, 2020. The guided-missile frigates Xuchang (536) and Yulin (Hull 569) jointly execute maritime tasks on subjects including formation maneuver, live-fire operation, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operation, joint salvage, etc. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Li Hongming and Li Wei)

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday expelled a US warship that trespassed into Chinese territorial waters off the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, and the US operation amid the COVID-19 pandemic showed the US is the source that sabotages peace and stability in the South China Sea, a Chinese military spokesperson said on Thursday.

US provocations like this proved China's increased defense budget is well justified, analysts said.

The PLA Southern Theater Command organized naval and aerial forces to follow the US guided missile destroyer USS Mustin when it illegally trespassed into China's territorial waters off the Xisha Islands on Thursday without authorization from the Chinese government, said Senior Colonel Li Huamin, a spokesperson of the PLA Southern Theater Command, on Tuesday.

The PLA Southern Theater Command troops followed and monitored its course, identified the ship, warned and expelled it, Li said.

This provocative move, a naked hegemonic navigational action, seriously violated China's sovereignty and security interests and related international law and norms, and seriously sabotaged peace and stability in the South China Sea region, the spokesperson said.

This is not the first time the PLA has expelled a US warship from the South China Sea this year. Similar incidents occurred in late January with the littoral combat ship USS Montgomery near the Nansha Islands; in early March with the destroyer USS McCampbell near the Xisha Islands and in late April with the destroyer USS Barry also near the Xisha Islands.

While the US is attempting to make such operations routine, the PLA has showed it is ready and able to stop these US military actions, a Chinese military expert who asked not to be named told the Global Times on Thursday.

In a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is still ravaging the world, the US is disregarding its people's safety and not focusing on domestic epidemic control, nor is it contributing to global pandemic control, but sending warships over a great distance to the South China Sea to show off its strength and cause trouble, spokesperson Li said.

This shows the US' hypocritical nature of talking in one way and acting in another, and fully demonstrated that the US military is the source of disaster sabotaging peace and stability in the South China Sea, Li said.

China has indisputable sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea and nearby waters, and Chinese troops are always on high alert and will take any necessary measure to resolutely fulfil their duty, safeguard national sovereignty and security as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea, Li said.

China just announced a 6.6 percent rise in its defense budget for 2020 on May 22.

China takes both its economic situation and national defense demands into account when setting the scale and allocation of its military expenditure, and repeated US military provocations near China and some even into Chinese territory have obviously threatened China's national security, the anonymous expert said.

The moderate and steady increase in the nation's defense expenditure is right, proper and necessary, Wu Qian, spokesperson for the PLA and People's Armed Police Force delegation to the 3rd session of the 13th National People's Congress, said on Tuesday.

Hegemony and power politics grow from time to time, as some countries are practicing unilateralism, geopolitical risks are rising, and the international security system and order are being challenged, and China's homeland security and overseas interests are also facing some real threats, Wu said, noting that China must have a clear mind when it comes to national defense and be prepared for danger in peace time.
Hundreds of thousands of South Korean students have returned to school after a delay of more than two months because of the coronavirus outbreak AFP/Ed JONES

The country has been held up as a global model in how to curb the virus, but reported its biggest spike - 79 new cases - in nearly two months as life appeared returning to normal.

The new cases - mostly centred in the Seoul metropolitan area where half the South Korean population lives - prompted officials to strengthen social distancing rules that were eased on May 6.

Museums, parks and art galleries will all be closed again from Friday for two weeks, said health minister Park Neung-hoo, while companies were urged to re-introduce flexible working, among other measures.

"We have decided to strengthen all quarantine measures in the metropolitan area for two weeks from tomorrow to Jun 14," he said.

Citizens were also advised to refrain from social gatherings or going to crowded places - including restaurants and bars - while religious facilities were asked to be extra vigilant with quarantine measures.

There were no new delays, however, to the phased re-opening of schools that is currently underway.

"The next two weeks are crucial to prevent the spread of the infection in the metropolitan area," Park said, adding: "We will have to return to social distancing if we fail."

The health minister said the government will be forced to re-impose an all-out social distancing campaign if the country sees more than 50 new cases for at least seven consecutive days.

NEW CASES LINKED TO LOGISTICS FACILITY

At least 82 cases so far this week have been linked to a cluster of infections at a logistics facility operated by Coupang Corp, one of the country's largest online shopping firms, in Bucheon, west of Seoul, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

About 4,100 workers - including 603 delivery people - at the warehouse were believed to have not followed social distancing and protective measures properly, including wearing a mask, KCDC deputy director Kwon Jun-wook told a briefing.

Coupang, one of group of e-commerce firms whose plants have been scrambling to meet a surge in demand, has said the Bucheon centre went through daily disinfection and all employees wore masks and gloves and had temperatures checked.

The new cases, the third straight day of rising infections, brought the country's total as of midnight on Wednesday to 11,344 with 269 deaths.

South Korea's robust programme of testing earlier this year was credited with helping the number of deaths comparatively low in a global pandemic that has now killed more than 350,000.

The warehouse cluster appears linked to an outbreak that emerged in several Seoul nightclubs and bars in early May, the KCDC said, and comes as the country had sought to ease social distancing rules.

More than 2 million children returned to class on Wednesday, the latest in a phased opening of schools.

Unlike many countries, South Korea didn't impose a strict lockdown to counter the new coronavirus.

Health officials said they would be conducting on-site inspections of logistics centres across the country, to develop better policies for preventing outbreaks at such facilities.

Bucheon city announced it would return to intensive social distancing, which means religious facilities, sport fixtures and other public facilities would be shut down.

Coupang, backed by Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank Group, said it closed the Bucheon facility on Monday. It said on Thursday it had also closed a separate facility in Goyang, in the Seoul suburbs, after an employee tested positive there.

"As soon as the employee's diagnosis was confirmed, Coupang sent home and self-quarantined employees who had contact with the employee," the company said in a statement.

The spreading outbreak and warehouse closures come as South Korea's e-commerce firms soak up rocketing orders, as more people opt to shop from home during the coronavirus outbreak, despite the absence of a strict lockdown.

In February, March and April, sales of South Korean online retailers including Coupang jumped 34 per cent, 17 per cent and again 17 per cent respectively from the same months a year ago, according to trade ministry data.

That compared with offline retailers' sales that dropped 7.5 per cent, 18 per cent and 5.5 per cent in the same three months from a year earlier.
PM Modi-Shah meet, strategy post May 31 on discussion table

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 29: A day after speaking with the Chief Ministers, Union Home Minister is meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the lockdown coming to an end on May 31.

During the meeting, both leaders are expected to discuss the strategy post May 31. Shah would convey in detail the opinion of the Chief Ministers, with whom he had met on Thursday.

Earlier, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the nation-wide lockdown may be extended for another 15 days.

After speaking with Shah, Goa CM hints, lockdown may be extended by 15 days

He told the media that after speaking with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he felt that the lockdown may be extended for another 15 days. We, however, demand that there should be some more relaxations.

LAC tension: Rahul wants govt to come clean on what is happening at border | Oneindia News

Restaurants should be allowed to open with social distancing and at 50 per cent capacity. Many, even want the gymnasiums to open, the Goa CM said.

With the lockdown 4.0 set to come to an end on May 31, several states want curbs only in the containment zones.

In the existing lockdown, states were given a bigger hand to decide on the curbs. Many states have been getting representation to open schools, religious institutions and also hotels.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah spoke with the Chief Ministers and sought their view on the way forward. The MHA is likely to come out with a set of new guidelines before the lockdown ends on Sunday.

While the States would continue to decide on the strategy, the Centre is likely to insist on stricter implementation of curbs in the containment zones. While no final decision has been taken, sources say that there would be further relaxations, but the strategy on containment zones would remain as it is or even stricter.

The source cited above said that many States are not inclined as yet towards opening of malls, hotels, gyms and schools. States want to ramp up testing and also do not want any change in the quarantine rules.

Next phase of lockdown: States want strict implementation of guidelines in containment zones

Many States have also been getting representations from television and film production units to allow them to start production. In Rajasthan, there would be curfew and non-curfew zones to contain the spread of the virus.

Telangana Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to wait for the Centre's regulations. However, the state is unlikely to relax the norms for theatres, function halls and places of worship.

The other big challenge for the States would be to ensure that the academic year is not disturbed. Some states are wary of immediately opening educational institutions, while others wanted a graded exit in this matter. In Chhattisgarh, it has been decided that schools would open only from July 1. Karnataka, on the other hand, wants the Centre to issue guidelines on the re-opening of schools.

Karnataka on Thursday said that travel into the State from those States reporting a high number of cases would be restricted. While all travel by road is barred, the State has requested the Centre to restrict the number of trains and flights into the state.
'... the government provides adequate cash and kind support for the poorest of the poor for survival...

...conditional cash and skilling support for the economically poor to raise their incomes to adequate levels...

...and make functional arrangements for providing unemployment allowance to the vulnerable poor during disasters like the present one.'

IMAGE: A lady and her children arrive for a medical checkup before boarding a train from Vasai, a township on the outskirts of Mumbai, to reach their native village, May 26, 2020. Photograph: PTI Photo

"The poverty focus of the government must continue,"Subhash Garg, former Union finance and economic affairs secretary, tells Aditi Phadnis. The concluding segment of a two-part interview:

State finances are under extreme pressure: There is no revenue -- not from alcohol, tolls, property or petrol and diesel sales. But salaries and pensions will have to continue to be paid.

Where will the money come from?

State finances, even in normal times, are strait-jacket.

About half of the states's tax revenues devolve from share in central taxes.

States have ceded policy control on SGST to the GST Council.

Less than one fourth of state tax revenues -- excise duty on liquor, stamp duty on property transactions etc -- only is in the state governments's control.

The states could collect only 10 to 25 per cent of their own tax revenues in April.

Situation might improve somewhat in May, but nowhere close to normal.

States are staring at about 25 per cent less share in central taxes this year.

States's expenditures are completely inflexible.

A lot of revenue gets spent on salaries, pensions, interest payments and implementation of centrally sponsored schemes (CSSs).

Desperate state of finances has forced many states to defer salaries and allowances.

GST, CSSs, operation of Disaster Management Act and 'stimulus' packages have fundamentally altered the basic nature of fiscal federalism in the country.

From being a "cooperative federalism", nature of fiscal relations between the Centre and the states has become very close to being "competitive unionism".

States negotiated hard to get guarantee of 14 per cent compounded increase in their VAT revenues when Centre pushed GST.

Centre negotiated and succeeded to limit compensation for five years.

Massive shortfall in the GST revenues in 2019-20 created big tension between states and the Centre.

The Centre first delayed. The GST compensation to the states has not been paid fully yet.

The situation would be worse this year. The compensation demand might exceed Rs 2.5 trillion.

The Centre is required to share 42 per cent of tax revenues with states.

However, cesses and surcharges are not shared. CRIF levied on petrol and diesel is expected to yield additional Rs 1 trillion.

But this will not be shared with the states. Centre transfers states' projected share (about Rs 8 trillion this year) in 14 instalments.

There is every likelihood that the Centre would reduce the instalment amount soon.

The Finance Commission recommended revenue deficit grants of Rs 74,340 crores for 14 states.

The Centre has provided only Rs 30,000 crore in the Budget.

The Centre controls states's borrowings. While state laws limit borrowing to 3 per cent of the state GDP, the Centre decides the actual borrowing amount.

The Centre has raised its borrowing by over Rs 4 trillion, more than 50 per cent over fiscal deficit limit, in violation of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act.

The states have petitioned the Centre and waiting to be allowed more borrowing but the Centre has not yielded.

Stimulus packages announced by the Centre shifts the states' connect with households and small businesses to the Centre.

Additional cash to over 200 million women and pensioners is delivered directly by the Centre bypassing the states.

Credit to MSMEs under the package announced on May 13 will reach them under the cover of Centre's guarantee.

Funds for the states to meet the expanding fiscal gap can come only from the Centre and by additional borrowings.

States are fighting for their rights, but are at total mercy of the Centre. "Competitive unionism" is in real danger of becoming "fiscal unionism".

Is this the time to undertake decisive, brutal economic reform?

Like cutting government employment, abolishing unnecessary posts and rationalising the government workforce? Something state government should have done any way, given the digitisation of services?

Yes, it is time to undertake fundamental economic reforms.

We are currently in the Economic Policy Reforms 2.0 cycle initiated in the 1990s.

These reforms eliminated controls on private sector in production of goods and services.

However, the government continued to be engaged majorly in production of private goods.

The financial system of the country is still dominantly in the public sector.

Cost of bailing out the public sector -- banks, telecom companies, airlines etc -- has risen massively.

Infrastructure and capital investment have consequently suffered.

A fundamental re-division of production of goods and services between the government and private sector should form the pivot of Economic Policy Reforms 3.0.

The government should be refocused on public goods and services like defence, police, justice, macro-economic stability, monetary policy, regulation of financial system, control of pollution and on merit goods like primary health and education.

Government should leave production of private goods and services entirely to private sector.

Why should government be in the business of power distribution, banking, running colleges and universities, telecom and the like?

These fundamental reforms will lead to re-staffing of government.

Those employed for production of private goods would go out to private owners.

On the contrary, we need more judges, health workers, pollution controllers, economic offence investigators etc.

The business re-engineering of government would throw up what is to be discarded and what is to be additionally hired.

IMAGE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with Subhash Chandra Garg, then the Union finance and economic affairs secretary.

Garg was transferred soon after the Budget in July 2019 and sought voluntary retirement from the Indian Administrative Service thereafter. Photograph: R Raveendran/ANI Photo

Will 2020 mark the end of welfarism? Because there just isn't money for it?

We are not a great welfare State though there are multiple programmes to deliver benefits to poor.

We run numerous poverty alleviation programmes, including wage employment.

We also target specific services like access to electricity, house, gas, toilets.

We could achieve a level of saturation -- reaching out everyone -- in most of these services.

The poverty focus of the government must continue.

We will become a good welfare State if the government provides adequate cash and kind support for the poorest of the poor for survival, conditional cash and skilling support for the economically poor to raise their incomes to adequate levels and make functional arrangements for providing unemployment allowance to the vulnerable poor during disasters like the present one.

We conducted an Economic and Caste Census in 2011.

It is time to conduct another Household Economic Census and assess the poverty status of all our households.

This census should form the basis of our welfare State.

Production: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
Lancashire-based Hollands Pies has relaunched its sausage roll with a new recipe.

The 130g sausage roll comprises British pork seasoned with spices and wrapped in a golden puff pastry.

It can be cooked in the oven from frozen in less than 30 minutes, or 18 minutes from fresh, said the company.

Were pleased to be relaunching our new-recipe sausage roll to retail. It includes the finest ingredients and British Pork to create this mouth-watering snack, said Leanne Holcroft, brand manager at Hollands Pies.

The sausage roll is available now in Morrisons and selected independent stores across the north west, with an rrp of 1.

Hollands Pies launched a hunt for a new taster to join its Pie Panel this month.
The government is now working on a strategy to avoid another total lockdown in the country

Ukraine's Healthcare Ministry will be offering a different strategy of combating coronavirus during the second wave. These measures will be aimed at preventing the new total quarantine in this country. Viktor Lyashko, the chief sanitary doctor of Ukraine said so as quoted by Pryamy TV channel.

According to him, Ukraine should be preparing for the second wave of Covid-19, because it could walk the path of flu and flu-like diseases.

"We should prepare the healthcare system for this, so as not to impose total quarantine. We imposed the first quarantine, and then we gradually mitigated the measures... This experience will be evaluated by expers, and we will offer completely different strategy of struggling when the second wave comes", Lyashko said.

He also added that currrently, it is important to prevent the amassment of various infections so that flu and coronavirus do not circuate together.

According to Ukraine's Healthcare Ministry, as of early May 28, Ukraine had 22,282 cases of Covid-19, 669 of these had lethal outcome.
KOCHI: There is no community transmission of coronavirus in Kerala so far, but cant confirm that the third stage community spread wont happen here, health minister KK Shailaja has said.

Most of the expats are coming from virus-dense containment zones and are infected. Though the increasing number of positive cases is not a big concern, the patients poor health condition is the major challenge. Most of the Covid patients returning to Kerala are in poor condition with other serious ailments. Such patients will succumb to the infection even before the treatment procedure begins here, the minister told media persons at Thiruvananthapuram.

The number of virus tests has increased and nearly 3000 tests are being done per day.

Despite the increasing number of fresh cases, the testing and treatment of patients will continue to be free in Kerala.

The minister said that the rate of infection through contact was 30 per cent earlier, which is only 15 per cent now. She added that only two or three cases have been reported with unknown source of infection. "The contact tracing team is working efficiently to track source of each case," she said.

Health authorities are keeping strict vigil and the number of pneumonia cases is closely being observed to check any sharp increase in any part of the state. Auditing of all deaths with any of the virus symptoms is being done regularly, she said.

Till May 7, the state had reported only 512 cases and three deaths. But now, the total cases are 1088 and the number of casualties is eight.

One more death on Friday, total deaths eight

A 68-year-old Thiruvalla native who was under treatment at Kottayam government medical college died on Friday. Maximum efforts were taken to save the life of the patient from Thiruvalla, who returned from Abu Dhabi on May 11, but he couldnt be saved. The patient had severe diabetes and issues related to obesity, said the health minister.
MBABANE  While UNESWA students have raised concerns over online teaching and learning, lecturers and academis seem not to be warming up to the idea.



UNESWA is an acronym for University of Eswatini.

The lecturers apprehension is that the online teaching method, which was adopted by the university Senate did not work as some of them were not capacitated on information, communication and technology (ICT). They mentioned that they required adequate IT support in the faculties.



In a statement released by the Association of Lecturers and Academic Personnel (ALAAP), it was mentioned that a meeting was held by the association executive and faculty representatives on May 26, 2020. The lecturers acknowledged that Senate was the highest decision-making body on

academic issues.



View



However, they were of the firm view that their members should have been adequately consulted on this issue as it was predicated on their terms and conditions of service.

We note the statement made by the registrar on the latest developments regarding the online teaching in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, they said.



It was further highlighted that should their members have been consulted, they could have made an input on the dynamics of online teaching. The statement alluded to that ALAAP welcomed the use of Moodle as an online learning platform.

However, the lecturers also noted a concern that some of their members did not have the required resources to use Moodle as a learning platform.



Moodle is an online portal where students access study materials, notice and updates on assignments.

A registered scholar simply logs in with the student number and password.

There is lack of computers, the university has not provided desktops and/or laptops for most of our members, the statement reads in part.



It was elaborated that there was unstable Wi-Fi coverage within the campuses and lack of data for their members to use when they were outside of campus. The statement stated that these entirely made it impossible for most of the lecturers to access online course, TBL 002, which was uploaded on Moodle.



The teaching, learning and assessment over the next months were not excluded. In addition, it was stated that given the link between Moodle and the university email, there was a need to increase the capacity of the email to store information.



The lecturers noted that most staff members had no access to e-library outside the university server yet it was an important teaching and learning resource. In light of the prevailing pandemic, we deem it prudent that all staff members be provided such access for efficient teaching and learning, it was mentioned.

Further, the lecturers highlighted that students were not ready for online learning.

They stated that it was their concern that students who were recipients of the online content hardly used the platform. It was further mentioned that necessary measures should be taken to ensure maximum students participation in the online learning to avoid it being a one-way communication.



In light of the concerns, the association of lecturers held that members should not be liable for the inability to access the current online training offered on Moodle (TBL 002). It was also stated that they should not be blamed in the event of failure to facilitate learning due to poor connectivity. Further, they highlighted that they should not be held responsible for the failure of students to engage in any learning activities on Moodle. It was noted that the association should not be held liable for any activities students performed outside of Moodle.



When reached for comment, UNESWA Registrar Dr Salebona Simelane said the lecturers had done the right thing by addressing their concerns.

Management will respond to them, Simelane said.



Meanwhile, UNESWA students also raised concerns on the implementation of online learning by the institution. According to a press statement issued by Bongani Sifundza, Secretary General of the UNESWA Kwaluseni Campus SRC, online learning had truly been adopted in almost the entire world as a way to study during the time of the pandemic in universities, but it was highlighted that this did not make Eswatini ready to implement it haphazardly without smoothening the conditions for the underprivileged liSwati child.



Emergency



Online teaching has been happening at UNESWA for some time since the period of state of emergency was announced and it was uncovered that some students of the very same institutions were already signing continuous assessment scores, reads in part the report.



It was further stated that this meant that the boat of education was sinking for some and floating for others. According to the students, this was unfair and was in bad taste.



The students were encouraged to take their chances and try online learning while they continued to voice out their challenges.
Advertisement

Plans to quarantine travellers coming into Britain were falling apart last night as they came under fire from all sides.

Border Force and police officials say the system is unenforceable and MPs, including Boris Johnsons former adviser, warned the scheme would hang the Closed sign on Britain.

Those set to enforce the plans are yet to be told how to do so  and there were calls for the evidence that it will work to be made public.

Officials behind the project were accused of making it up as they go along, while Whitehall sources said travellers would simply be trusted to follow the rules.

Government plans to quarantine all travellers coming into Britain have been labelled 'unenforceable' by Border Force and police officials

Senior Government sources said last night Mr Johnson was preparing to water down some of the scheme, or even axe it completely. Just ten days before all arrivals into Britain will be told to self-isolate for two weeks, it can be revealed:

Those with upcoming medical treatments  as well as gas fitters, electricians and sewage workers  could be exempt under a raft of absurd loopholes;

Adherence to the rules will be taken largely on trust;

Border Force officials have yet to be told who to check or how;

Those using electronic passport gates are unlikely to be quizzed.

Andrew Griffith, a former chief business adviser to Mr Johnson and now MP for Arundel and South Downs, said: A blanket quarantine hangs the Closed sign on Britain just as competitor nations lift their travel restrictions.

It is unscientific to apply it to countries with a lower rate of infection than our own  if a plane full of passengers from Iceland lands in the UK it would actually lower the average infection rate  and it is devastating for the wider economy.

Andrew Griffith, a former chief business adviser to Mr Johnson and now MP for Arundel and South Downs, said: A blanket quarantine hangs the Closed sign on Britain just as competitor nations lift their travel restrictions.' Pictured: People enjoy the warm weather at the Samil beach, Vigo, Spain

Going into this pandemic, our aviation sector was world leading in terms of growth, jobs and competitiveness but that is now at real risk. I know first-hand just how passionate the Prime Minister is about unleashing British business and he will be chafing at the bit to remove this restriction at the very earliest opportunity.

Former Labour home secretary Lord Blunkett said: I dont think itll be enforceable. The more exemptions you give, the more unworkable a policy becomes. The best thing the Government could do is to get off this as fast as possible and recognise that, given our current infection rate, its more likely that other countries would want to prevent our citizens visiting them than the other way round.

A former senior minister said: There has been abject chaos in Whitehall over this. Its been driven by the Home Office but the Department for Transport are clearly against it. They are going out of their minds. Everything is being arranged at short notice and theyre making it up as they go along. Its utter carnage, a complete pantomime. To my mind, it is simply unworkable.

Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt called for the evidence to be made available, saying: Many people find it difficult to understand why we are introducing a blanket quarantine policy rather than targeting it at coronavirus hotspots. It is essential the scientific advice behind this approach is published.

Extra pressure on a depleted Border Force could see scores of arrivals slip through every day without having filled in the electronic contact form at the heart of the scheme, it is feared

A Downing Street source said last night: The quarantine system is a way of protecting the virus coming into the country when we have got domestic levels of transmission down low, but we are of course considering ways in which travel to other countries could be allowed if it is safe to do so.

Problems with the proposal begin at the border but continue all the way through the scheme, sources said.

The plan is due to be put before Parliament next week but crucial details are yet to be made public. Extra pressure on a depleted Border Force could see scores of arrivals slip through every day without having filled in the electronic contact form at the heart of the scheme, it is feared.

The online form, in which travellers will have to say where they will quarantine and supply a phone number, will not be linked to passports or a database, forcing guards to manually check it has been completed.

To check every passenger would cause queues that snake for hours, sources warned.

Prime Minister is considering watering down or even axing his plans for all incoming travellers to Britain to isolate for two weeks only ten days before measures were due to be put in place

And those who use E-passport gates are unlikely to be checked at all. Hundreds of millions of foreign nationals have the right to enter the UK without being seen by an immigration officer.

Immigration officers will have the power to hand out 100 on-the-spot fines to those who refuse to complete a form while lying about your details will be a criminal offence.

A Border Force source said there was concern among staff about how they will be expected to deal with travellers who refuse to complete the so-called contact locator form. Frontline immigration officials have never been required to issue on-the-spot fines in this way before, he said. Its a completely new way of doing things and no one knows how its going to work.

Once through the borders, arrivals will be told to expect check calls on a regular basis.

Private agency staff will carry out telephone interviews with travellers. They will work from a script in a bid to gauge the honesty of each person they interview, the Mail understands. The system will rely heavily on the public complying with the rules voluntarily  as they did during the stay at home phase of the Covid-19 emergency measures, sources said. The Home Office said there were no plans to use technology which could help pinpoint whether travellers were self-isolating at the address they provided.

Spanish flight with 140 people on board is quarantined in Lanzarote after passenger gets positive coronavirus test result while in the air

Plane was flying from Madrid to Lanzarote when the man received his results

On arrival, the aircraft was immediately zoned off by health and security officials

As of today, Spain has recorded 27,119 deaths from the virus and 255,760 cases

By Rita Sobot for MailOnline

A flight with at least 140 people on board was quarantined today after a passenger received a positive coronavirus test result while in the air.

The plane, which arrived in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands from Madrid this afternoon, was immediately zoned off by health and security officials at Cesar Manrique airport, with the police also attending.

An investigation is already underway to find out why he was flying in the first place and whether he met all the travel rules, which only allow people to fly for a number of reasons, including work or in the event of an emergency.

Two travellers get into an emergency vehicle after disembarking in Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain this afternoon

Reports say the passenger took a COVID-19 test before he travelled because he had been in contact with someone who had died from the virus and had attended the funeral.

However, he left before the result came in and it was only revealed he was positive when the aircraft was in mid-air. It has been reported but not confirmed that the person who died from the virus was the man's mother.

The Canary authorities were immediately contacted by the Castilla y Leon public health department and the airport launched all the coronavirus protocols.

The man now faces prosecution for skipping quarantine and the State of Emergency and has been reported for a possible crime against public health.

A traveller gets into an emergency response vehicle after disembarking in Lanzarote, Canary Islands this afternoon

He and his nearest passengers were immediately isolated and the rest of the passengers will have to be quarantined and take tests to see if they have contracted the virus while on the flight.

It is understood the island's government has offered them rooms in one hotel as they won't be able to mix with family members or friends.

The man and the passengers sitting closest to him will have to be in quarantine for two weeks.

The others must stay in confinement until tests are taken in one week as only then would the result be accurate.

The incident adds fuel to the debate of travel generally and concerns over importing cases to regions, like the Canaries, which have had a low incidence of coronavirus and would not want to see any flare-up.

Lanzarote has only had six deaths and 84 positives. In total, there have been 160 coronavirus deaths in the Canary Islands which wants to protect its low incidence level for the safety of residents and tourists.

Today, independently from this incident, the Canary government has called for all travellers to take a coronavirus test before they leave their country of origin.

As of today, Spain had recorded 27,119 deaths from the virus and 255,760 cases.

This devastating quarantine policy will scar the economy forever, says EasyJet boss JOHAN LUNDGREN after announcing possible staffing cuts of 30 per cent

Like all airlines, easyJet has been put in a critical position by coronavirus. This week, I had to announce that we may have to reduce our staff numbers by up to 30 per cent. I am sorry to have had to deliver such terrible news, but this crisis has left us with little choice.

My focus now is to ensure that easyJet survives and that we protect jobs for the long term.

We need to return to flying as soon as possible, but for this to happen, the Government must act fast. Many measures are needed, but quick action on quarantine will be an important part.

easyJet boss Johan Lundgren (pictured) said: 'It was frustrating that the Government chose not to consult our industry on the implementation of the quarantine measures'

The Mails Alex Brummer wrote yesterday in stark terms, criticising the decision to quarantine passengers arriving in Britain for two weeks irrespective of where they have come from, from June 8.

Our flights will recommence on June 15, and we want to be able to fly as many people as possible to wherever it is safe to do so.

It was frustrating that the Government chose not to consult our industry on the implementation of the quarantine measures.

Quarantine will severely restrict Britains connectivity. It will render many international routes unviable for travellers to the UK.

British holidaymakers and business travellers will think twice about going abroad if they have to quarantine for 14 days on their return.

Should the quarantine remain in place throughout the summer, it will have a huge and lasting impact on the recovery of the economy and on all our lives, just as many economists are predicting the most serious recession in a century.

Revenue from tourism is vital for many parts of the UK, from London to the Scottish Highlands, in cities and towns such as York and Stratford-upon-Avon. Many businesses reliant on this income will be permanently scarred by the impact of the proposed quarantine.

Business recovery will also be linked to the ability to travel. I acknowledge that this period has shown us the potential of using video calls for work. But it has also demonstrated what we miss through not having face-to-face meetings.

British exporters will soon be competing on a screen against other businesses that can travel in person.

An exemption for business travel alone will not solve these issues, as the vast majority of passengers travel for leisure. Without leisure travel, few routes on any airline would be viable.

easyJet boss Johan Lundgren said: 'Quarantine will severely restrict Britains connectivity. It will render many international routes unviable for travellers to the UK'

And, of course, there is the impact of any quarantine on our wellbeing. Travelling on holiday is something that families across the UK save up for and look forward to  not to mention all those vital visits to see loved ones abroad.

Quarantine will not only make all of this much harder  it runs against the trend we can see across the world and in Europe.

The main European tourist markets, such as Greece and Spain, anticipate reopening safely to visitors from July.

Germany is expected to lift its quarantine, and France is also expected to open up to European visitors.

Even Italy, which suffered so much from Covid, is looking to facilitate international travel.

So how can the UK safely reconnect to the rest of the world? Boris Johnson has outlined a sensible way forward: The implementation of air bridges. These would allow for travel between countries where Covid-19 is under control and where effective health measures are in place.

I support the Prime Ministers objective, and believe it is critical for these air bridges to be established quickly wherever it is safe to do so.

'Travelling on holiday is something that families across the UK save up for and look forward to  not to mention all those vital visits to see loved ones abroad,' said the easyJet boss

Speed is important. If the Government announces an air bridge for a new country from tomorrow, this does not mean we can start flying immediately.

Anyone hoping to go on their summer holiday in July needs to know what air bridges will be in place.

So we propose four key steps for the Government to take.

First, the quarantine should be scrapped. In its place, air bridges should be arranged between countries, such as Greece, where the number of new Covid-19 cases is close to zero.

Second, clear criteria for air bridges should be published so that new ones can be put in place as soon as possible. We see no need to wait for a periodic review.

Third, the number of air bridges should be maximised, where this is safe.

Finally, where the science allows, governments should look at the possibility of introducing Covid passports identifying passengers who have been infected and are therefore immune. Rapid testing prior to departure or on arrival may help to make this possible.

The first priority of any airline is to ensure that its passengers can fly safely. We encourage measures to support this, but a blanket quarantine is too blunt an instrument.
WASHINGTON  The Army is withdrawing the promotion of a senior Special Forces officer involved in the fatal Oct. 4, 2017, ambush in Niger, Defense Department officials said Friday. The attack resulted in the deaths of four Americans and exposed the United States militarys shortcomings in western Africa.

Col. Bradley D. Moses, the officer in charge of the Third Special Forces Group at the time of the attack, is the only officer in his unit involved in the episode who has escaped some form of punishment so far. His subordinates have been disciplined.

The decision to withdraw Colonel Mosess promotion in many ways signals an end to the yearslong investigation into why a small unit of American troops found themselves stranded in the scrub of remote Niger, under siege from Islamist militants.

Colonel Moses, who approved the mission that led to the ambush, was destined for the rank of general, despite his role in the Niger episode. But on Friday, the Army, under pressure from Congress and even members of the services rank and file, yielded and reversed course.
The law banning the importation of salvaged and used cars older than ten years will come into force in October this year.

The Customs (Amendment) Bill, 2020 which was opposed by the Minority and vehicle dealers across the country was later passed into law by Parliament in March 2020.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo also assented to the Act on April 30, 2020.

According to section 154 (5) of the Act, the prohibitions will come into force six months after the Act is assented to by the President.

The prohibition against the importation of salvaged motor vehicles into the country under paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 58 shall come into force, six months after the date of the coming into force of this Act, the said section of the Act reads.

The Act also notes that the Minister [of Finance], in consultation with the Minister of Trade, may, by Legislative Instrument, specify the date on which a motor vehicle over ten years shall not be imported into the country. The date specified under subsection (3) shall not be earlier than six months after the first vehicle has been assembled under the Ghana Automotive Manufacturing Development Programme.

Among other issues, the Act also notes that, The date specified under subsection(1) shall not be earlier than six months after the new motor vehicles manufactured under the Ghana Automotive Manufacturing Development Programme are made available.

Also, arrangements have been made for the motor vehicles to be sold in accordance with the investment plans of the automotive manufacturers and assemblers registered under the Ghana Automotive Manufacturing Development Programme.

Background

The government as part of its transformational agenda identified Vehicle Assembly and Automotive Components Manufacturing as a strategic anchor industry that will promote economic development in the country and provide incentives for auto manufacturers.

It thus launched the Ghana Automotive Development Policy, GAMDP, in August 2019 to promote the manufacture of automobiles for both the domestic market and the West African sub-region.

A report by Parliaments Joint Committees on Finance, Trade and Industry and Tourism earlier noted that Cabinet had approved the Ghana Automotive Development Policy, in which various incentives had been provided for automotive manufacturers and assemblers registered under the GAMDP.

It indicated that the committee was informed that the review in policy, as contained in the then Bill, would lead to an estimated revenue loss of approximately GH802.25 million for the first three years.

Amid the fears over job losses and a potential revenue drop by GHS802 over the next three years, the government said it has plans to make second-hand car dealers distributors of the cars assembled in Ghana by international automobile firms.

The Minority rejected the passage of the Act calling for its withdrawal.

 citinewsroom
New Delhi, May 29 : In a bid to ensure financial discipline among states, the Power Ministry wants their borrowing limits under FRBM Act be recalibrated to take into account liabilities of their Discoms.

In his briefing on the power sector to the 15th Finance Commission, Power Minister R.K. Singh said there was a need for the state governments to be also conjointly responsible for the financial health of their fully owned Discoms.

On the proposal to link borrowing limits of states to discom liabilities, the minister said this was based on financial transparency to bring about financially and managerially responsible behaviour among states with respect to Discoms.

Singh also highlighted to the Commission the current disconnect in the structures of the power system between decision-making by state governments and the financial consequences thereof, which are borne by the Discoms, leading to losses.

The Commission took note of the suggestions given by the Power Ministry and gave assurance that it fully takes into consideration the suggestions of the Ministry in its deliberations and also in its final report.

The Finance Commission headed by N. K. Singh on Friday held a detailed meeting with the Power Ministry on issues relating to reforms in the electricity sector in states. This was in continuation of the recommendations made on the power sector by the Finance Commission in its report for the financial year 2020-2021.

The discussion was a lead-up to the Commission's next report following announcement of Rs 90,000 crore liquidity injection for electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) by the Finance Minister as part of the Rs 20 lakh-crore economic package announced to combat the disruption from the coronavirus lockdown.

The power Minister also briefed the Commission about the reforms in the pipeline for the turnaround of the Discoms. This included the new tariff policy which is under consideration for approval. Amendments are also proposed to the Electricity Act of 2003.

Singh informed the Commission that the old schemes of the Ministry are being amalgamated into a new scheme for which he requested the Commission for a support of Rs. 3 lakh crore over a five-year period. This scheme would primarily focus on steps for reduction of losses, separate feeders for agriculture and smart prepaid meters.

The 15th Finance Commission in its report for FY 2020-21 noted that most states have reduced, to some extent, their aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses and the difference between average cost of supply and average realizable revenue (ACS-ARR) after implementation of the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) in 2016-17.

However, the progress did not appear to be sustainable unless systemic issues in the power sector are suitably addressed. The Minister and the Commission felt that robust and systemic reforms are required to improve the health of the power sector.
The cross-border trade between India and China through Shipki La in Himachal Pradesh will not take place this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the standoff between troops of the two countries in eastern Sikkim and Ladakh.

The annual trade between the two countries begins in June and ends in November. Traders, mostly from Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts of the state adjoining China, start registering themselves in May.

Not a single trader has come forward to get registered so far, Kinnaur deputy commissioner Gopal Chand said on Friday.

The Indo-China Trade Association has requested the industries department, which facilitates the trade through Shipki La, to defer the cross-border business. We have requested the government to postpone the trade between the two countries till Covid-19 subsides and things become normal, the president of the Indo-China Trade Association said.

TRADITIONAL TRADE

The traditional trade between India and China has seen many ups and downs. Bilateral trade through Shipki La reopened in 1993 after it was shut due to the Indo-China war in 1962. Shipki La is a mountain pass that connects Kinnaur district to the Tibetan Autonomous Region in China. Its a border post at 18,599 feet. It is through this pass that the turbulent Sutlej enters India from China-occupied Tibet.

Till 1959 when Chinese troops entered Tibet, trade was carried out under the barter system. Indian and Tibetan traders frequented Shipki village in Chinese Tibetan Autonomous Region and Namgia village on the Indian side. But after China occupied Tibet in 1959, no trader from Tibet visited India for varied reasons.

At present, 37 trade items are exported from India that include agricultural implements, copper products, clothes, cycles, coffee, tea, barley, rice, flour, dry fruits, vegetables, edible oil, tobacco, snuff, spices, shoes , kerosene, stationary, utensils, liquor, milk-processed products, canned food, cigarettes, herbs, palm oil hardware, flowers, readymade garments, handloom products, and carpets.

Due to the countrywide lockdown to combat the coronavirus crisis, traders this time were unable to stock on items to export as they buy them from markets in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

TRADE SUFFERS SETBACK

Nearly 20 items are imported from China, including wool, raw silk, yak hair, China clay, borax, butter, common salt, horse, goat, sheep, readymade garments, shoes, quilts, blankets, carpets, and local herbal medicines.

Trade suffered a setback when the Indian government banned the import and export of livestock that was a major component of trade in 2012 due to lack of quarantine facility for animals.

Livestock comprised a major portion of cross-border trade. Traders imported chigu goats reared for wool and meat in China-controlled Tibet, while Chamurthi horses, known for their sturdiness, were popular among Indian traders.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Things are not looking good in the Himalayas. And its not just because of Indias longstanding border dispute with China and recent skirmishes along the Line of Actual Control.

On Tuesday, Nepals Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli convened an all-party meeting seeking a consensus on amending the constitution to include the strategic northwestern tri-junction with India and China  Kalapani, Limpiadhura and Lipulekh  within Nepals territory. It could turn out to be a significant political move, though the amendment has not yet been endorsed by Parliament at the time of writing. Oli obviously wants to negotiate with New Delhi from a position of strength.

Nepal maintains that the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, ratified by both sides, designates the (Maha)kali as the boundary river. It considers the treaty as the only authentic document on boundary delineation and all other documents as subsidiaries.

A lot has changed in Nepal since Indias defence minister Rajnath Singh opened the track linking India and China through the disputed territory on May 8. Battling for political survival amid a serious intra-party feud, the issue with New Delhi has given Oli a new lease of life. For the second time since 2015, New Delhis foreign-policy decisions have buttressed Olis nationalist credentials.

Heres a bit of election history. In 2017, Olis party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) rode to power on a strong nationalist wave, following Indias undeclared border blockade to express its displeasure over the new constitution that it believed wasnt inclusive enough. After a formal merger between his party and Prachandas Maoist party, Oli now heads Nepals strongest government in 30 years. If Indian pressure increases, there is a strong possibility that Olis nationalist position will trump all intra- and inter-party differences, eroding all nuances. Nepal could yet again be pushed towards China. As of now, Nepals strategic community and political leaders are at least wondering why China in 2015 agreed with India to allow the construction of a link road through the disputed Lipulekh. Is China telling us the full story? Does it consider its ties with Nepal independent of its ties with India, an Asia-Pacific power?

In 1963, when Nepal and China signed a border agreement, the two sides decided to remain open to Nepals both northwestern tri-junction (where Kalapani lies) and for the northeastern tri-junction to be discussed at some point with India. The Indo-China border war had just ended, and there was too much acrimony for all three sides to sit down for talks, recalls Bhek Bahadur Thapa, who was a Nepal government secretary then. When Thapa became Nepals ambassador to India in 1997-2003, then prime minister IK Gujral and his counterpart in Nepal formed a joint team at the foreign secretary level to settle outstanding border issues.

When India published a new map in November last year unilaterally, with the Kalapani region within its terroritory, the Nepali side felt that the move breached the status quo and international conventions on the disputed border, argues Thapa. From Nepals viewpoint, if inaugurating the Lipulekh track traversing a disputed territory in the middle of a pandemic was bad enough, the Indian Army chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravanes claim that Nepal was acting at someones behest  a clear reference to China  only added to the complications. The Indian position is that the new map was published in light of Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmirs changed status as a Union Territory and that the disputed region has always beenin its possession.

As both sides dig in their heels over cartographic interpretations, a political solution is the only way out. The recent border agreement between India and Bangladesh offers a good example.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi got much of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), and certainly, Nepalis, excited over his Covid-19 Diplomacy on March 15 when he convened a videoconference inviting the leaders from the region to work together. But the initiative was subsequently sidetracked due to Indias own battle against the pandemic and, now, upended with the border dispute. All this while, China is seen as being largely successful in containing the outbreak. President Xi Jinping is reasserting himself politically internally and China is projecting its power externally. Nepal continues to import urgent medical supplies from China.

The pandemic offers India, a regional power in its own right, a similar window of opportunity to make its presence felt in the region. A strong case can be made for greater engagement with Nepal, given our vast open border and strong people-to-people ties. Nepali professionals who worked alongside their Indian counterparts after the 2015 earthquake still recall their familiarity of each others languages, cultures and even standard operating guidelines (for example, during medical treatment).

New Delhi and Kathmandu need to immediately engage with each other through public diplomacy to bring down the temperature. It could even mean establishing communications at the highest level  between the prime ministers. And with the populations reassured, they can then let their respective bureaucracies handle the issue.

Many in Indias strategic community believe that Oli is playing up the nationalist card for his political survival. Some in Nepal also offer a similar analysis. If that is the case, it is all the more reason to resolve the border dispute early. Indias future response will significantly shape the emerging narrative in Nepal. The main opposition, the Nepali Congress and other parties  the Janta Samajbadi Dal, and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party  want to be seen as independent contributors to the solution, instead of giving the impression that they just followed Oli. A hardline approach by New Delhi will further strengthen Oli. India has a difficult choice to make.

Akhilesh Upadhyay is a senior fellow at IIDS, a think tank, based in Kathmandu

The views expressed are personal
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- While most parents attend their children's college graduations as spectators, Dr. Michael Solomon will attend his son's MIT commencement as both a parent and as a graduating student. On May 29, Dr. Michael Solomon will graduate from the MIT Executive MBA Program, and his son, Samuel Solomon, will graduate from MIT's Undergraduate Program.

"I came to MIT for its unique combination of liberal arts and sciences. It provided an opportunity to explore all of the disciplines of science, which is important to me because my long-term goal is to pursue a career in aerospace and space medicine," says Samuel.

Seeing his son flourish at MIT, Michael decided to pursue his MBA in MIT's EMBA Program. "I had visited a lot of colleges for my three children and MIT stood out to me as a special place. It is an amazing community. Many parents have a desire for their children to attend their alma mater, but we flipped the script when I came to MIT," he says.

Michael adds, "Sam helped me adjust to student life by loading my computer with software he felt would be helpful to me at MIT and providing notes with directions and formulas. Sam was on the MIT diving team and being on campus allowed me to watch some of his practices and cheer him on at meets. Going to the same School was a special experience."

Samuel agrees. "It was nice to go through the experience together and know that I wasn't alone in staying up all night to study and prepare for tests."

About Samuel Solomon

Samuel majored in chemistry-biology and physics and is currently working as a remote research assistant at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is the founder of Mind Network, an online tutoring center for advanced classes such as quantum mechanics and nuclear fusion, and cofounder of an app designed to help people with special needs better engage in the marketplace.

Although he graduated from the Undergraduate Program, Samuel's time at MIT is not over yet. He was accepted into MIT Sloan School of Management's MBA Early Admissions program, designed for ambitious and forward-thinking college seniors interested in securing a seat in a future MBA class. This fall, he will begin a PhD program at Caltech in biomedical and medical engineering, and after graduation from Caltech he will matriculate into the full-time MIT Sloan MBA Program.

"I'm interested in entrepreneurship and plan to explore that more when I return to MIT Sloan for my MBA," he says. "Then it will be my turn to follow in my dad's footsteps."

About Dr. Michael Solomon



Michael is a senior research physician for the Intramural Research Program at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. Through this joint appointment in the Critical Care Medicine Department (CCMD) of the NIH Clinical Center and the Cardiology Branch of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, he provides leadership within CCMD for cardiovascular related issues in patient care, intensive care unit policy, and staff training.

"During the pandemic, I've been in the hospital more than ever as a critical care cardiologist. I am working in the regular and COVID-19 intensive care units. It's is refreshing to use many of the tools I learned at MIT during the pandemic and I look forward to applying them more as we look towards the recovery," he says.

Michael adds, "To paraphrase what my accounting professor said during our online convocation, 'Before people care about what you know, they need to know you care.' MIT teaches you to use your knowledge and skills to make a positive difference in the world. I'm proud that Sam and I not only shared the experience of being in school together, but we shared the MIT experience."

The MIT Sloan School of Management is where smart, independent leaders come together to solve problems, create new organizations, and improve the world. Learn more at mitsloan.mit.edu.

For further information, contact:



Paul Denning or Patricia Favreau Director of Media Relations

Associate Director of Media Relations (617) 253-0576

617-253-3492 [email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE MIT Sloan School of Management

Related Links

http://mitsloan.mit.edu


Rome limited traffic zone or ZTL to remain open this summer.

Rome's restricted traffic areas, or ZTL, will remain open to traffic until 30 August, as part of an order due to be signed by the city's mayor Virginia Raggi.

The order will extend the measures currently in place, until 31 May, which allow full access to the zone a traffico limitato in the historic centre and Trastevere.

Read also:

The extension until 30 August is part of an effort by the city to help businesses as they struggle with the fallout from the covid-19 lockdown and the absence of tourists.

Photo: Nadezhda Kharitonova / Shutterstock.com
Nicolas Audier - Chairman, European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam

The EVFTA represents a vote of confidence in Vietnam, as just the second ASEAN nation to sign a free trade agreement with the European Union. It will usher in an era of increased trade and investment and begin the process of phasing out almost 99 per cent of tariff lines and barriers to trade. It will also open up new markets to European investment and innovation, and promote sustainable growth and development in Vietnam.

The EVFTA is now more important than ever, as trade wars and a global pandemic disrupt normal business operations on an unprecedented scale. Therefore, the fact that Vietnam will soon have privileged access to an EU consumer market of around 500 million people, while also opening its market to EU enterprises keen to do business and invest in a strong, secure, and prosperous nation at the heart of Asia, is a positive signal for the future.

However, it is important to remember that the benefits of the EVFTA should be seen over the coming decades, not the coming days. The moment it enters into force, it will liberalise 65 per cent of EU exports to Vietnam and 71 per cent of Vietnamese exports to Europe.

The remaining tariff lines will be gradually phased out over the next decade. For instance some sectors, such as chemicals, will see 70 per cent of their exports to Vietnam become duty free as soon as the EVFTA enters into force, with the remaining being phased out later in the implementation period. Likewise, around half of European pharmaceutical exports will be duty free at entry into force, with the rest liberalised after seven years.

Duties on other European products such as beer and smaller motorcycles will not be duty free until much later in the implementation process, after 10 years. Therefore, while the EVFTA will undoubtedly see trade and investment increase, it will take some time for this to bear fruit across the board.

The agreement is likely to be implemented this summer if it is ratified in Vietnams National Assembly next month. Once it has entered into force, sectors will be further opened up to EU investment and innovation. These sectors include telecommunications, advanced education, computer services, and the environment.

Meanwhile, other sectors such as banking and financial services will be opened up later in the transition period, so that after five years EU banks will be able to invest up to 49 per cent in certain joint-stock commercial banks.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have not seen a significant shift in terms of EU investment to Vietnam. While Vietnam is an attractive trade and investment destination  and will remain so as other countries struggle to match its swift and effective handling of COVID-19  European companies have been hit hard by this pandemic.

Like elsewhere around the world, the suspension of normal business operations has hit company cash flows. While the future remains unpredictable, at least in the short-term, we remain confident that Vietnam will be high on the agenda for European investors in the years to come as the EVFTA enters into force.
Despite her frequent criticism of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Sen. Martha McSally doesn't actually hate the aircraft.

"I love the F-35! We need the F-35!" the Republican senator from Arizona said during an interview Thursday.

Read Next: Army Shoot-Off Will Pit Israel's Iron Dome Against Foreign Competitors

McSally is known for her fierce support of the beloved A-10 Warthog, which is the rugged opposite of the F-35.

HarperCollins Publishers

During her time in the House, where she served from 2015 to 2019, McSally joined forces with the late Sen. John McCain to save the A-10 from mothballs, as the Air Force planned to retire the Warthog and replace it with the F-35.

She pushed for a requirement in the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act ordering a face-off between the F-35 and A-10, with each to be graded on its performance in close-air support missions.

McSally, who was the first female Air Force pilot to fly in combat, knows the requirements of close-air support. She deployed six times to locations in the Middle East, including Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, where she provided cover for ground troops multiple times, firing hundreds of rounds from the A-10's iconic Gatling gun. She flew 325 combat hours, earning a Bronze Star and six air medals, according to her official website.

McSally retired as a colonel in 2010 after serving for 22 years. She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in December 2014. She was appointed to the U.S. Senate in December 2018 as a replacement for McCain, but faces Democrat Mark Kelly in a bid to keep her seat -- and has been sliding in the polls.

She has kept busy in the Senate, tying Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, for the most laws enacted in 2019 -- a total of seven passed in her first year as senator.

McSally spoke with Military.com about the debut of her first book, "Dare to Fly: Simple Lessons in Never Giving Up," which explores her career in the Air Force, loss, grief, being a rape survivor, her unwavering purpose, and championing women. She launched the book along with the website daretofly.us, where readers can contact her and share their personal stories.

"We've got the commonality of finding our courage and dealing with grief and difficult things as human beings and even finding your wingman," she said.

Her comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Military.com: You begin your book by taking readers through what it's like taking off in the A-10 Thunderbolt II. You've seen the Air Force try to phase it out over the last five-plus years, or send a number of them to the boneyard. But really, how far into the future do you think the A-10 could be kept around?

Martha McSally: It's not because I flew the A-10 that I'm trying to keep it around. It's not nostalgia. I flew the T-37 [Tweet]. That's in the boneyard [at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona]. I say "Hi" to it when I drive by the boneyard. My approach to this is that there are some circumstances where there are American troops on the ground under fire, on the move, in close proximity to friendlies, sometimes in terrain, sometimes under the weather. ... They need a continuous firefight with survivability, loiter time and weapons overhead with the expertise that focuses, lives and breathes and studies close-air support. ... There are some circumstances [under which] only the A-10 is going to keep Americans alive. So why would we want to get rid of that until we have a suitable alternative?

Airmen have made air superiority look easy, and we need these fifth-generation fighters in order to continue to ensure air superiority. [But] it can't stay on station as long, it can't take a direct hit, and you don't want it to be in the place where, like the A-10, it's taking a direct hit.. ... And with its upgrade to the A-10C model ... it's got avionics better than some of our fourth-and-a half-generation [aircraft], and now we're rebuilding its wings. So it's got the ability to fly well into the 2040s, and we're going to keep fighting to make sure it does.

The F-35 should be focusing on the things that fifth-generation fighters need to do, which is to be able to gain access against our adversaries -- China and Russia and others -- as they grow their capability  Asking [F-35s] to do this down and dirty mission as well  is having it be the jack of all trades, master of none.

Military.com: In your book, you discuss how you didn't meet the height requirement to become a pilot, so you requested a waiver and appealed when it was denied many times. [With the help of Col. Chris Bell, the academy's clinic commander at the time, and Lt. Gen Charles Hamm, superintendent of USAFA, McSally, who stands a little under 5'4", won her appeal.] The Air Force just removed height requirements for its aviators earlier this month. Is this a sign of good things to come?

MM: So it does matter that you can fit and function in the cockpit. What I dealt with were these arbitrary bureaucratic, one-size-fits-all ... limitations. I passed the cockpit fitting, I showed that I could function, but they still were saying no, and it was just ridiculous. These faceless, nameless bureaucrats who were taking my dream away, and I wasn't going to have any of it. So this is decades overdue. Sure, you still have to be able to function, but not having the arbitrary numbers being something that's gonna immediately disqualify somebody, especially at a time of a pilot shortage. ... I think it's great news for our Air Force, and for every individual who wants to fly, that they'll be given a chance as an individual.

Military.com: You fall into a category of women in the military who have made their own milestones, becoming the Air Force's first female pilot to fly in combat in 1995, and the first woman to command any combat aviation squadron, to include fighters and bombers. Are "firsts" still important?

MM: I feel extremely blessed and fortunate that I had these opportunities. The women who paved the way before me, especially the Women Airforce Service Pilots, were just amazing role models and pioneers for me. ... At the time, we [our cohort] and I, speaking for myself, I was focused on doing my job right and being the best pilot that I could be and also showing that we belonged, proving those people wrong who had a maybe-not-so open mind about women joining the ranks and being a part of their team. In the military, we're just very focused on doing our job doing it with excellence, making a difference, and we just happened to, along the way, break those barriers. I do think it matters for the next generation that they do see role models. We've broken through most of the barriers, right? What's left? Chief of Staff of the Air Force? Chairman of the Joint Chiefs? And in time, that will happen.

Military.com: As you reveal in the book, at one point, you had the option to take an airlift or tanker assignment, but you instead opted to become a T-37 Instructor pilot as your first flying track. What made you push the 'heavy' mission aside?

MM: I just  had this dream to be a fighter pilot. So during [the assignment selection process] I just had to quickly think, 'What is the best path for me to keep my dream alive?' And the T-37 was the answer. And so I looked at my three base options in front of me, selected [Del Rio, Texas, home of Laughlin Air Force Base], wrote it down, handed it to my wing commander, and the rest was history. If that day I had chosen a cargo tanker, they never would have let me switch back over. Also, if I was a guy, I would have been able to pick a fighter. I didn't have a chip on my shoulder, I had to just keep a good attitude and build my airmanship and look at the opportunities to grow as an officer and as a pilot to keep the dream. I share that whole story [in my book] as a way of saying, sometimes your plans get derailed. And a lot of people can relate to that right now in 2020, but for me, had I not been derailed, had I not been detoured. I wouldn't have actually met my dreams and my destiny.

Military.com: Do you see yourself ever taking another job in the Air Force? Maybe as Air Force secretary, if nominated someday?

MM: Right now, I'm focused on being the best senator I could be and the opportunity to continue to serve Arizona.

Military.com: You revealed last year that you had been raped as a junior officer, and you go into that experience in the book. You also talk about the good ol' boys climate and culture in the particularly disparaging comments made about you as a pilot just because you were a woman. Fast forward to the last year, when you petitioned the Pentagon to improve existing processes to address sexual assault, among other changes to accountability. From your experience and from what you've asked the Pentagon to achieve, do you think it's enough? What still needs to be done?

MM: Let me first say, I think we've come a long way. And despite the painful experiences that I share in my book, I really shared them to provide hope to others who have been through it. People who know me, love me, knew these things happened to me. I just felt it was important for me to be an example to others, because this has happened to so many people in and out of the military.

Let me also say I loved my time in the Air Force. I served with so many amazing men and women who served with honor, who served with integrity who had respect for each other, and in no way do my experiences that I share characterize the vast majority of people who wear the uniform. ... But one other reason that I shared this publicly last year was, oftentimes, the discussion is about what the commander's role should be.  Having been a commander myself and a survivor myself, I'm very strongly on the side of, "Commanders need to own this. Commanders need to be responsible for preventing and holding people accountable for sexual harassment and sexual assault." When you're in command, you're responsible for the lives of these men and women, you send them into harm's way, you can put them in jail, you can take away their paycheck. As soon as we outsource it, you see that it becomes something on the sidelines. We've seen that with military housing, by the way, right?

So, as I pushed on the Pentagon last year, they created a task force; specifically, we were focusing on how to further improve the process once somebody reports that they have been sexually assaulted. How do you improve the investigative process? How do you improve the support to survivors? The judicial process? Oftentimes, these things are taking way too long. And it ends up being like a cancer in a unit.

Military.com: What are some things you've seen changing on the military's response on sexual assault since you acted on the initiative?

MM: We've got 17 of the 18 initiatives that I had gotten signed into last year's defense bill. They're being implemented right now. I'm watching and providing oversight to see what has improved. And we've already seen some positive improvements, typically on the access to special victims' counsels earlier on, as quickly as possible.  But we need to do more on the prevention side. The culture is definitely better [compared to] when I was serving in those earlier days, but I think you have a lot of well-meaning commanders who, quite frankly, are just ignorant on sexual assault. They don't understand. They still have these stereotypes of what a predator looks like, and they can't imagine that someone in their unit could do something like that because they look like a good officer and are a loving husband or father, but [sometimes] these are the perpetrators in plain sight.

And so I think still we need to do more and in the real education of commanders -- and it starts early on as officers, early on as enlisted. Most of these crimes are happening between young people between the age of 18 and 25, and we've got to figure out culturally, instead of throwing more PowerPoint slides at our young airmen, we've got to do more for them to be able to stop these crimes among themselves, whether that's not being facilitators [and] not being bystanders, and allow those things to be prevented.

Military.com: You're in a heated campaign against former astronaut and ex-Navy Capt. Mark Kelly in a special election in Arizona. How does it compare to your run for the House, your career in the Air Force? What are some of the things you've learned from this campaign?

MM: The reason I ran for office in the first place, and I share this in my book, some people love politics for me. I'm trying to make a difference with the time I've been given. Having lost my dad when I was 12, I look at it like this could be the last year of my life: What am I going to do to make a difference? Also, as I share my book, don't walk by a problem. I felt this call to duty to step up and serve in this new combat zone, because I was yelling at the television, "What's going on with Washington D.C.?" That's why I stepped up to run in the first place.

And I think ... veterans offer that unique perspective. So it's been an absolute honor to be able to serve in the House, and now in the Senate, I am focused on doing everything I can to support and serve the people of Arizona. The country is very divided. This is going to be a critical decision about the direction of our country. I'm in the arena. I've been through a lot of adversity in my life. So this is nothing like being in combat, or some of the other things [in my life]  so I'm going to just give it everything I've got.

Military.com: You've spoken to classrooms full of younger girls and boys about what it takes to be a pilot, and the opportunity of service. As the military has struggled to connect with the next-generation and refocus how it recruits, do you think that interest has fallen by the wayside?

MM: I don't care what generation you're in -- when you go to an air show and you see planes flying, or if you live by an air base and you see them, you can't help but look up. I didn't want to fly until I got to the Air Force Academy. I had motion sickness when I was a kid; I thought I was going to become a military doctor. And I decided and I desired to become a fighter pilot once I found out for the first time in my life that I couldn't do something just because I was a girl. That I couldn't fly fighters because I was a girl, and it just made me mad. And that's actually why I decided that's exactly what I wanted to do. Regardless of how the younger generation is connecting or learning, being able to fly and being able to serve your country is something that is just an extraordinary opportunity. There's many little girls or little boys with that potential and that dream in their heart. We've just got to connect with them in the right way.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Related: MJ Hegar Sued the Pentagon and Won. Now She's Running for Congress
RE100 is led by The Climate Group, an intentional NPO focused on accelerating climate action, in partnership with CDP. The initiative works to increase corporate demand for  and in turn supply of  renewable energy. To join RE100, companies must set a public goal to source 100% of its global electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2050 and disclose electricity data annually, taking more responsibility for global low-carbon economy development and climate goals.

More than 200 of the world's largest companies have made commitments under the initiative, including Apple, Google, Microsoft and Facebook.

100% renewable is not a new concept but a reality for Sungrow

As part of its CSR efforts, Sungrow has committed to creating a "Green mission, better life" by exploring a variety of ways to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy use. In addition to energy-saving activities, the company promoted 100% utilization of renewable energy by using electric buses for staff transit and installing rooftop PV systems at its factories which was granted as the first batch of National Standard for Green Factories in China.

As one of the most compelling renewable energy players, sustainability is a commitment rooted in Sungrow's DNA. By the end of 2019, its accumulative inverters shipments reached 100GW that is equivalent to eliminating 103 million tons of carbon dioxide, demonstrating Sungrow's continued efforts to achieve sustainability and to lead the industry in minimizing carbon footprint.

Sungrow and RE100 join forces to tackle climate change

"We are pleased to welcome Sungrow to RE100. It's great to have them on board, demonstrating the rising demand for renewable electricity by leading corporations in China," said Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100 of the Climate Group.

"Sungrow's commitment to 100% renewable electricity has shown the world that renewable energy is the future," said Cao Renxian, Chairman of Sungrow.

"Sungrow will uphold its mission of clean power for all, adhere to corporate citizenship responsibilities, formulate practical action plans, and reduce and eliminate carbon dioxide emissions in production and operation activities. We will strive to achieve 100% renewable power consumption earlier than 2028 to make our professional contribution to the global climate goal," he added.

Sungow actions to boost renewable energy in response to Covid-19

To help navigate this challenging time, Sungrow has put together a list of external and internal resources accelerating progress to the renewable energy growth  including ingenuity, partnership and action towards events, programs, 'cloud' visit factory, plus online workshops and more.

Now as Intersolar Europe 2020 has been cancelled, Sungrow has decided to convert the event to a live show on June 15th  19th. Join the first ever Smart Energy Virtual Show, and Sungrow will showcase the latest innovations from its product portfolio and bring the audience live-streamed content, interactive sessions and networking opportunities. Register with the link http://www.sungrowmarketing.com/.

About Sungrow

Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd ("Sungrow") is the world's most bankable inverter brand with over 100 GW installed worldwide as of December 2019. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters, with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial & industrial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions. With a strong 23-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power installations in over 60 countries, maintaining a worldwide market share of over 15%. Learn more about Sungrow by visiting www.sungrowpower.com.

Related Links

www.sungrowpower.com



SOURCE Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd
Press Release

May 29, 2020 Tolentino urges government agencies to utilize existing infrastructure as bike lanes during community quarantine Administration Senator Francis "Tol" Tolentino has filed a resolution calling all concerned government agencies to work closely in designating, developing and improving bicycle lanes in Metro Manila for the duration of the community quarantine. In his Senate Resolution No. 411, Tolentino urged the Department of Public Works and Highways to coordinate with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to put up, and enhance bicycle lanes in the metropolis. During the hearing of Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals Innovation and future thinking, The Senator underscored that there are existing PUV and bus lanes within Metro Manila that are currently unused because of the suspension of public transportation which can be converted into bicycle lanes. By putting up more bicycle lanes, Tolentino said employees will be encouraged to travel to and from their work via bicycles. Tolentino has been pushing for bicycle as means of transportation, even putting up bicycle lanes along EDSA, during his tenure as MMDA chairman. "What we did was not experimental, taon yun ginamit. Signages buhay pa. We have to do away with the notion - adjust or experiment. Totoo na ito. The new normal. Bicycle is part of the innovation." He said. "Hindi na po magiging mahirap para sa inyo na ayusin po ang bicycle lanes natin, dahil may mga existing ordinance na rin po ang ilang siyudad tulad ng marikina, quezon city tungkol dito, kailangan nyo lang po i-revisit" Tolentino added. Tolentino said Filipinos are not new to using bicycles since 24 percent of the population own bicycles, while only six percent own cars, according to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center. "Encouraging Filipinos to ride their bicycles to work would greatly help address the impending transportation woes once the MECQ in Metro Manila is lifted." The lawmaker added. According to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFB), there will be over two million commuters that are expected to avail of public transportation in Metro Manila as it transitions to General Community Quarantine, said Tolentino.
Maxine Peake and Charles Dance in Fanny Lye Deliver'd. (Vertigo Releasing)

Vertigo Films has today launched the first trailer for Fanny Lye Deliver'd a new 1657-set period thriller starring Maxine Peake and Charles Dance, that is described by its director as a Puritan Western.

Peake and Dance play a couple whose quiet Puritan life is turned upside down when a young couple seeking help arrive on their doorstep.

Written and directed by Thomas Clay (The Great Ecstasy of Robert Carmichael, Soi Cowboy) the film also stars Freddie Fox (Black 47, Pride) and Tanya Reynolds (Sex Eduation, Emma).

Watch the first trailer below.

Clay said of his third feature film, In Fanny Lye Deliver'd, I am exploring the English Revolution in microcosm. There are no Kings or Queens, no royal courts. Just common people with competing opinions and agendas  the Puritan, the Ranter, the burgeoning Quaker, the Royalist in disguise, accompanied by the mob to whom he panders.

Read more: The best British films of the 2010s

And Fanny in the centre of all this, the common woman who must adapt and survive and forge her own path through all the violence and upheaval that revolution inevitably entails. Alternatively, you might see it as a western  a Puritan Western  or a thriller, take your pick. For me, it is all these things.

The first trailer gives off Witchfinder General vibes, while the poster below evokes Ben Wheatleys magnificent A Field In England, both of which put it high on our to watch list.

The UK artwork for Fanny Lye Deliver'd. (Vertigo Releasing)

The BFI-backed film, shot on 35mm, premiered at the 2019 London Film Festival after spending three years in post-production.

After a troubled production, the film ran out of money during post leading Clay to personally shepherd it over the line including editing and composing the score.

Visitors call in Fanny Lye Deliver'd. (Vertigo Releasing)

One of the ways we realigned the budget was that I agreed to take on a lot more of the post-production, Clay told Deadline in 2019. On my previous films Ive done a lot of the post myself, and we decided I would do the colour grading, a lot of the sound work, among other things. We didnt want the quality to drop.

It was met with warm reviews at LFF with Screen calling it a meticulous work, while the Guardian praised Peakes performance as fierce, strong, intelligent  a convincing depiction of someone who will learn from what she will survive.

Fanny Lye Deliver'd will be released across digital platforms on 26 June 2020.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. took a major step toward emerging from bankruptcy Thursday when California regulators approved the companys plan to restructure its finances and pay victims of wildfires it caused.

The unanimous vote by the California Public Utilities Commission was one of two essential hurdles PG&E is trying to clear by June 30  the other is getting its restructuring plan approved in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. A trial about whether the court should confirm PG&Es plan is under way this week.

In connection with the commissions approval, PG&E is required to divide its operations into regional divisions, revamp its board and adhere to a new process of escalating enforcement if it continues endangering public safety. PG&Es operating license could be revoked at the most extreme end of the enforcement process.

The vote builds on PG&Es progress toward meeting its state-mandated June 30 deadline, which is required for the company to be eligible for a state fund that will pay future fire-victim claims if necessary. But the company still faces lingering critiques from those who contend its restructuring plan is woefully insufficient.

Commissioners made their decision at a virtual meeting hours after a federal judge in a separate proceeding called PG&E a recalcitrant criminal that deserved prison time.

The utilities commission also expressed deep displeasure with PG&E, which is responsible for wildfires that killed more than 100 people and destroyed thousands of homes in recent years.

Marybel Batjer, the commission president, said she has at times agreed with the numerous people who are angry, frustrated, finished with PG&E.

This distrust has deep roots, roots that have been born out of PG&Es inability to prioritize the people it serves and its incessant and unfilled promises to do better tomorrow, Batjer said. PG&E is in bankruptcy because of years of mismanagement and failure to prioritize its customers safety  a failure that caused catastrophic destruction and death.

Still, Batjer said the regulatory decision imposes new accountability measures, leadership changes and tougher oversight of PG&E.

We have heard the feedback in todays decision and know we must do better as a company, Bill Johnson, CEO of parent company PG&E Corp., said in a statement after the vote. He said PG&E is on track to pay fire victims in short order and transform its operations. Federal regulators approved PG&Es bankruptcy plan on May 12, according to the company.

Earlier Thursday, PG&E endured withering criticism from the federal judge overseeing its criminal probation from the 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion.

If ever there was a corporation that deserved to go to prison, its PG&E, said U.S. District Judge William Alsup at a hearing. PG&E is a recalcitrant criminal, and I am going to do everything within my power ... to protect the people of California from further crimes and further destruction by PG&E.

Alsup had ordered PG&E to overhaul inspections and tree trimming, but the company asked him to reconsider partly because it said the conditions would interfere with the role of its regulators at the utilities commission.

Kevin Orsini, an attorney for PG&E, said company leaders share Alsups desire to prevent more deadly and destructive wildfires. But he defended the companys safety efforts, which he said represent a fundamental sea change from what PG&E has been doing in the past.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Alsup was skeptical of PG&Es insistence on deferring to regulators, noting that state oversight was in place even before the companys power lines caused a series of devastating fires in the North Bay in 2017.

Orsini said the system had changed, noting new requirements for PG&E to develop fire-prevention plans and new state regulatory staff who focus on utility wildfire safety.

PG&E has responded to the failures of the past, Orsini said.

Still, Alsup indicated he harbors serious reservations about PG&Es ability to prevent more fires. When PG&Es attorney said the company did not have a massive backlog in trees it needed to trim around power lines  with 22,000 out of 1.3 million still requiring work last year  Alsup said that comment should be referenced whenever PG&E burns down another town or burns down another neighborhood.

You should not have even one tree in in the backlog, Alsup said. Youre very good at making excuses, but youre not very good at complying with state law.

Yet Alsup did not make a decision about the conditions he originally ordered, which are halted while he reviews them per PG&Es request. The judge directed the utilities commission to submit a legal briefing to him in two weeks and for PG&E and federal prosecutors to meet with the companys court-appointed monitor and report back in three weeks. Another hearing may take place afterward.

J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris
An Alabaster teen was arrested following a raid that turned up guns, drugs and thousands in cash.

The Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task on Tuesday carried out a search warrant in the 100 block of Grandview Lane, said Capt. Clay Hammac. The search turned up LSD, marijuana, $10,947 in cash and multiple firearms to include an AK-47 and an AR-15 pistol.

The Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task on Tuesday carried out a search warrant in the 100 block of Grandview Lane in Alabaster. (Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force)

Jamir Desha Black, 19, was arrested. He is charged with first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana.

Black was released from the Shelby County Jail Wednesday after posting $12,000 bond. Hammac said Blacks involvement in drug distribution in the Alabaster and Shelby County areas remain under investigation and additional arrests are expected.
Pentagon Reportedly Signs Off on Additional $125 Million in Lethal Military Aid to Ukraine

Sputnik News

12:11 GMT 28.05.2020(updated 12:36 GMT 28.05.2020)

The US has already provided the country some $1.5 billion in 'security assistance' over the past five years, including everything from patrol vehicles and fast boats to radar systems, Javelin anti-tank missiles, and training support.

The Pentagon says Ukraine has completed the necessary institutional reforms to justify another $125 million in new US military hardware, CNN reports, citing an anonymous defence official and a congressional staffer.

The Pentagon's approval, said to be contingent on anti-corruption and transparency reforms, means Congress can now move to approve the delivery of the military hardware to the Eastern European country. The assistance is said to include both lethal aid, such as two 30mm autocannon-armed patrol boats, as well as anti-artillery radar systems, communications equipment, and ambulances.

The aid is part of a $250 million package appropriated by Congress in its 2020 National Defence Authorisation Act, a massive piece of legislation signed late last year which committed a whopping $738 billion to US defence spending, including tens of billions for US operations overseas.

Military Aid Scandal

US military assistance to Ukraine has been under intense scrutiny for years, given Kiev's five-year-old frozen civil war in the Donbass region, which has claimed over 13,000 lives and left tens of thousands injured, as well as allegations of large-scale corruption by the Ukrainian government, which is estimated to have eaten away as much as 30 percent of any recent defence procurement deal.

The subject of US military aid to Ukraine also became the focal point of US media attention last year, after Democratic lawmakers accused President Trump of threatening to withhold some $391 million in security assistance to the country unless President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to restart a corruption investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden's son's work for a Ukrainian energy company.

Trump denied any wrongdoing, and Republicans acquitted him following an impeachment trial earlier this year. A Senate committee issued its first subpoena in a probe into Biden's activities last week.

Russia has repeatedly expressed concerns about US efforts to supply arms to Ukraine, citing the threat of an escalation of the war in the Donbass, which borders Russia. Moscow has instead called for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements on Ukrainian peace, which propose granting the Donbass provinces widespread political autonomy in exchange for their reintegration into Ukraine. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German ex-foreign minister-turned President, warned in 2015 that delivering weapons to Ukraine would be "not just highly risky but counterproductive" to peace efforts.

A Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Small business owners are eager to reopen and many are afraid they wont survive the pandemic, according to a recent survey by the Illinois Federation of Independent Business.

There are some desperate folks out there, said Mark Grant, director of the Illinois chapter of the federation.

The survey asked members to see how they are faring in the COVID-19 shutdown. The vast majority of members are business owners with from 10 to 20 employees.

The big takeaway from the survey is small business owners in Illinois are worried about how they can survive if the governor wont let them open their doors and get back to work.

Many of them got federal assistance and they are grateful for that, Grant said. But the shutdown is taking a lot longer than people had anticipated. They are pretty desperate to get their businesses back open as soon as possible.

In Bloomington, Doug Nord employs 11 people at Nords Outdoor Power Corp. His store sells and services small tractors, mowers, chain saws, hedge cutters, outdoor grills and other things. Springtime is the big money-making season of the year at Nords.

Nord is fortunate. His business was deemed essential because he provides and services equipment that is used by local municipalities. Nord has had to cut back his hours and services but he has been able to keep doing business.

Paycheck Protection Plan funds from the federal government have helped. Thanks to a good relationship with his accounting firm and his local bank, Nord received those funds. Even so, his revenues are down by 40% from last year.

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Nords showroom now is blocked off to customers. Repair work is limited to breakdowns and emergency repairs. Customers now have to stand outside while employees go back and forth in the store to help them get what they need.

His employees count on Nord for their paychecks and Nord is determined not to let them down.

Grant said small business owners like Nord understand health and safety guidelines and will do whatever they need to do to keep their customers and employees safe. His members are anxious for Gov. J.B. Pritzker to lift the statewide lockdown before their businesses fail and they have to close up permanently.

They also are concerned that the current climate favors big box stores.

The playing field isnt put down fairly. We feel like the small guys are being really harmed by the policy that is in place, Grant said. Large box stores are open and selling all sorts of stuff: hardware, groceries, even surfboards. Our members, who are their competitors  only really, really small  cant open.

Businesses can do a limited amount of curbside business, but many found it difficult and said it offered little help financially, Grant said.

We think that the smaller operations  the mom-and-pop stores if you will  can take care of the health and well being of their customers as well as the big box stores can.
"Spain will be waiting for you from July," the prime minister said at a press conference on Saturday, when he announced that the country would reopen its borders to international tourism this summer "in conditions of safety".

Government ministers have since confirmed that the current two-week quarantine requirement for anyone entering Spain would be lifted before tourists started to arrive in July.

Foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said, "In the month of July international tourism will resume gradually and quarantine will be lifted," in a Twitter message posted prior to an inter-ministerial meeting on Tuesday.

The minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, said that the quarantine would only last as long as the state of alarm, which at present is in force until 7 June. She too, encouraged foreign tourists, especially French and Germans, to visit Spain this summer. This came in response to statements made by a French minister last weekend who encouraged her compatriots not to visit Spain for their holidays due to the government's "contradictory" measures.

Staggered reopening

On Thursday Gonzalez Laya said in an interview that the government had not ruled out a staggered reopening of its frontiers, with some regions being able to welcome international visitors before others.

She stressed that the Spanish government wanted to agree on the criteria that would allow frontiers to open with its EU partners. Opening up some regions and not others to tourism, she said, would be permitted by the European Commission, but what is important is "to define which conditions are considered safe".

Although quarantine is set to be lifted, the Spanish government has stressed that reopening the country for international tourism will involve health and safety controls as visitors arrive. It has not yet clarified whether this would involve body temperature checks or Covid-19 testing.

"Spain needs tourism and tourism needs safety [in the countries of] origin and safety in the destination, and for that reason we will guarantee that tourists are not at risk here and that they don't bring risks to our country," said Sanchez on Saturday.

Mixed reactions

The president of the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation, Jorge Marichalar, welcomed the news, which he described as "very positive" for the industry, and "a lifeline" for many companies. He also called for "very powerful" promotional campaigns, saying "just because tourists can come, doesn't mean they will come".

In Andalucia, the regional vice-president and Tourism minister, Juan Marin, was optimistic this week, even forecasting 60 per cent of reservations for August and September in the region.

According to Marin, "The international markets are still very active and the airlines are going to start recovering flights in June to return to a position of relative normality in July."

Less optimism

Many local tourism professionals on the Costa del Sol are not so optimistic, however.

Co-owner of the holiday rentals and property management firm Bonasol, Marcus Stephan, believes that the authorities, rather than rushing out to save this season, should be providing a survival plan to help small businesses make it through to next year.

"It's very difficult to remain optimistic," he told SUR in English, adding that he was only receiving cancellations and so far the news that the country could open up in July had not sparked new reservations.

As far as visitors from the UK, the Costa del Sol's biggest international tourist market, he explained that people are still wary of booking holidays for numerous reasons.

"People are getting mixed messages. Until the Foreign Office lifts its advice against international travel people are not going to book," he said, adding that the current situation also raises concerns about insurance.

He also said that some of the restrictions in force due to Covid-19 regarding the use of beaches, pools and having to wear face masks are likely to put visitors off. "It's not a relaxing holiday environment," he said.

Stephan did say that his business had had some enquiries from Spanish tourists, a market that is likely to pick up before the rest.

Indeed the prime minister on Saturday called for people in Spain to plan their holidays and to make the most of the "wonders" this country has to offer.

From 22 June the government is to create "safe corridors" to link areas of Spain that have moved into Phase Three of the plan to ease lockdown restrictions.
Article 21 of the Indian Constitution is a plain statement on the right to life guaranteeing that no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to a procedure established by law; it casts no responsibility on the government on how the person lives his life.

Its the interpretations and enlargement of the scope of the Article by the Supreme Court that converted a passive statement of protection of life into a humane, active, considerate and enabling piece of legislation that offered everyone the right to live with dignity. The apex court has, over the decades, used this as well as other constitutional provisions to remind the governments of their responsibility to come to the aid of the citizens when they are faced with challenges beyond their means to address.

It is in this background that the Supreme Court on Thursday ordering the Union government to ensure free travel home to guest workers who have been rendered jobless after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a nationwide lockdown on March 24 becomes a welcome move. It has also directed the railways and state governments to provide them food.

Many would think that the apex courts intervention has come too late. They would remember the silence of the court when the enormous humanitarian tragedy of millions of Indian citizens, deprived of their jobs, food, shelter and a future, was brought before it in the form of petitions in March, and later in May. The courts directives then were more in line with the governments efforts to contain the pandemic by not allowing the guest workers go home than coming to the aid of the most hapless lot of citizens.

Between then and now, this nation witnessed scenes with little parallel after Partition. Dozens lost their lives while trekking home thousands of miles away; they included the aged, women and children. There were instances where pregnant women delivered their babies on road. It was not just the mother her toddler son was trying to wake up at Muzzafarpur railway station in Bihar on Monday but six others lost their lives this week alone on their way home in the Shramik Special trains the railways have arranged for them.

It is sad it took a stinging letter by jurists of eminence to the Supreme Court on its self-effacing deference to the executive action to jolt the custodian of our constitutional rights to wake up from the slumber and to see the realities for itself.

The governments statement that it transported close to one crore people between May 1 and May 27 reflects not on its caring attitude; instead, it demonstrates the utter lack of understanding on the ground realities when it ordered the citizens to remain where they were during the lockdown. The courts need to be more considerate when governments show no such traits. The latest order will hopefully redeem the prestige of the apex court as the citizens last resort when the executive fails to deliver its basic responsibilities.
OAKLAND, CALIF.Google, facing an advertising slump caused by the pandemic, has rescinded offers to several thousand people who had agreed to work at the company as temporary and contract workers.

Were slowing our pace of hiring and investment, and are not bringing on as many new starters as we had planned at the beginning of the year, Google said in an email to contracting agencies last week. The company told the firms that it will not be moving forward to on-board the people that the agencies had recruited to work at Google.

The move affected more than 2,000 people globally who had signed offers with the agencies to be a contract or temp. worker, according to three people familiar with the decision.

Google employs more than 130,000 contractors and temp. workers, a shadow workforce that outnumbers its 123,000 full-time employees. Googles full-time staff are rewarded with high salaries and generous perks, but temps and contractors often receive less pay, fewer benefits and do not have the same protections, even though they work alongside full timers.

The coronavirus crisis has underscored that disparity. Google announced in April that it was extending its employee paid leave policy to 14 weeks from eight weeks for caretakers, including parents looking after children whose schools are closed. For employees working from home, Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Googles parent company Alphabet, said Tuesday that they could spend $1,000 (U.S.) for equipment and furniture like standing desks and ergonomic chairs.

Many of the contract and temp. candidates who had agreed to work at Google before the pandemic were let go without any severance or financial compensation. This came after weeks of uncertainty as Google repeatedly postponed their start dates during which time they were not paid by Google or the staffing agencies.

Some of the would-be contractors left stable, full-time jobs once they received an employment offer at Google and are now searching for work in a difficult labour market. Some, who are Americans, said the rescinded offers have complicated and, in some cases, delayed their ability to receive unemployment benefits because they left their last jobs voluntarily, according to several of the workers facing this dilemma.

Read more about:
UN chief Antonio Guterres has appreciated India's assistance to other countries to combat the COVID-19 pandemic during a virtual conversation with Ambassador T S Tirumurti, India's envoy to the world body, the Secretary General's spokesman has said.

Tirumurti, who assumed charge as India's Permanent Representative to the UN last week, presented his credentials virtually as telecommuting arrangements are in place at the UN headquarters due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Great pleasure to 'call on' HE UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (through) video conference. He recalled warmly his visits to India, underlined the importance of India for the UN & appreciated India's assistance to other countries during COVID, Tirumurti tweeted on Thursday.

India has sent essential drugs, testing kits and other medical assistance to many countries around the world, including to the US, to help fight the coronavirus that has infected over 5.8 million globally. The death toll from the pandemic has surpassed 358,373.

Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, had said that the UN chief looked forward to working very closely with Tirumurti in the years ahead.

"We obviously very much welcome India's new Permanent Representative to the United Nations. And I know the Secretary-General looks forward to working very closely with the new envoy in the years ahead," Dujarric had said at the daily press briefing last week.

Tirumurti assumed charge just weeks before the General Assembly is set to hold elections on June 17 for the five non-permanent seats of the UN Security Council for the 2021-22 term.

India's seat as a non-permanent member on the 15-nation Council for the two-year term is assured as it is the sole candidate vying for the lone seat from the Asia Pacific grouping.

New Delhi's candidature was unanimously endorsed by the 55-member Asia-Pacific grouping, including China and Pakistan, in June last year.
The lights are going out in Hong Kong. As the world remains focused on fighting COVID-19, Chinas rulers are steadily pursuing their own agenda, and a key part of that is bringing the restive city-state to heel.

They took another big step this week when Chinas tame national legislature adopted a national security plan that will give it sweeping powers to crack down on dissent in Hong Kong under the pretext of tackling subversion, terrorism and foreign interference.

No one should be fooled by this. The people of Hong Kong have demonstrated in the streets and at the ballot box over the past year that they oppose Beijings efforts to stamp out their basic political and legal rights, and they deserve the worlds support as China further undermines its promises to respect their autonomy.

Those promises are essential to the principle of one country, two systems contained in the treaty that transferred sovereignty over Hong Kong from Britain in China back in 1997.

It guaranteed political freedoms, a basically democratic governing system, and a robust legal system in Hong Kong until 2047, rights that Hong Kongs people have exercised fully over the years  much to the chagrin of Beijings increasingly touchy rulers. China has chipping away at the concept for years, and the new security law may well be the fatal blow.

Canada, along with Britain, Australia and the United States, is rightly concerned. The four countries warned this week that the new policy will drastically erode Hong Kongs autonomy and the system that made it so prosperous. It raises the prospect, they say, that people in Hong Kong will face prosecution and long jail sentences for so-called political crimes  i.e. criticizing policies favoured by the Chinese Communist Party.

Canada has a special interest here, since some 300,000 Canadian citizens live in Hong Kong. They may soon be as vulnerable to arrest and prosecution for opposing Beijings policies as someone living in any other Chinese city. There, the government routinely uses national security laws to punish anyone who steps out of line.

Business people with no special interest in political activism will be vulnerable, too. Hong Kong has flourished in large part because they know they can count on the rule of law. Once Beijing compromises its legal system, they wont be able to rely on that any more.

The implications are frightening. In China itself, weve seen how the authorities blatantly manipulate the law for political or diplomatic ends; the fate of the two Michaels jailed on trumped-up charges in blatant retaliation for the detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver is proof of that. Why would anyone risk a similar fate in Hong Kong if they have a choice?

So Hong Kong is bound to suffer if Beijing goes ahead with its plans. Protest and democratic activism will become far more dangerous. Simply doing business will come with a higher risk as well.

In the past Beijing has backed down when faced with local protest and international push-back. But the government of President Xi Jinping is clearly no longer in a mood to be dissuaded. On the contrary, under cover of the pandemic it has become more aggressive about pursuing its interests right across the board.

Its been bullying its neighbours in the South China Sea. Its been talking tough with Taiwan, dropping the word peaceful in its latest call for reunification with the island. And its been pushing back against any and all criticism from outside, fully aware that the rest of world has its hands full dealing with COVID-19.

Its not at all clear what the world can usefully do, faced with this newly emboldened Chinese government.

The United States, traditionally the pace-setter in dealing with Beijing, has gone its own way under Donald Trump. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared this week that Hong Kong no longer has significant autonomy, indicating that the U.S. may be preparing to end special trade and economic relations with the territory.

In the past, that might well have given Beijing pause, but the Trump administration is so inconsistent that such a threat may not have the desired effect.

As for Canada and other smaller countries, they are effectively held hostage to Chinas economic might. As much as they disapprove of its actions, they need access to its market and supplies of crucial goods (including PPE to fight the pandemic), at least in the medium term.

It would be emotionally satisfying to hit back at China with sanctions or boycotts, but that would only hurt us more than them. On the other hand, Canada should certainly not get in deeper with China  for example by allowing Huawei to be part of building the new 5G telecom network. On national security grounds alone Ottawa has no choice but to say no to Huawei.

At the same time, Canada and others must continue to call China out when it violates the very guarantees it made to the people of Hong Kong. At the very least, it may persuade Beijing to tread lightly about exercising the new powers it is grabbing.

Read more about:
Michigans Brian Polcyn, a professional chef since 1980, said that it took approximately 150 trial runs working with pork belly before his maple smoked bacon recipe was perfected.

The recipe was a major reason why his 2005 book Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing (co-written by Michael Ruhlman) has sold almost 300,000 copies by his latest estimate. Many online recipe sites and YouTube videos cite it as the primary source for bacon making.

I approached the recipe from a chefs perspective but wanted to do it in a way that was done with simple ingredients and the process was easy to understand, Polcyn said. Now, its bulletproof. If you go through the steps, you will make great bacon.

Making your own bacon can change your life. I rank it up there with smoking a perfect brisket. Theres also a tremendous amount of satisfaction in giving your finished bacon to friends and family.

Bacon is the perfect starting point to understanding how the curing process works, said Joe Saenz, who opened his Swine House Bodega restaurant in downtown San Antonio in 2019. Its pretty hard to screw up, and even if you do a little bit, odds are good that you still end up with something delicious.

The biggest impediment to making home bacon was acquiring the meat needed to do it, but thats not the case anymore, as pork belly has surged in popularity. Most meat cases now stock 4- to 5-pound slabs at prices that hover around $4 per pound. Thats right on par with the cost of most commercially packaged bacon brands.

After you have acquired the belly, the process is a simple mixture of salts, sugar and patience. Most cured bacon recipes call for the addition of pink curing salt, which contains sodium nitrite. Sodium nitrite is toxic when consumed at high levels, but in the amounts used to make bacon, its harmless.

Curing salt kills botulism and does a lot more good than it will ever do bad, Saenz said.

More Information Home-Cooked Maple-Cured Smoked Bacon 5 pounds pork belly, skin attached 1/4 cup dark-brown sugar 1/4 cup kosher salt 2 teaspoons pink curing salt 1/4 cup maple syrup Pat the pork belly down with paper towels, removing as much moisture as possible. Mix sugar, kosher salt and pink curing salt in a small bowl. Rub maple syrup on both sides of the pork belly, and apply seasoning mixture evenly to both sides of the belly, including the sides of the meat. Place skin-side down in a 2-gallon Ziploc bag or a nonreactive container just slightly bigger than the meat. (The pork will release water into the salt mixture, creating a brine; it's important that the meat keeps in contact with this liquid throughout the curing process.). Refrigerate, turning the belly and redistributing the cure every other day, for 7 days, until the meat is firm to the touch. Remove the belly from the cure, rinse it thoroughly and pat it dry. Place it on a rack set over a baking sheet tray and dry in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 12 to 24 hours. Hot-smoke the pork belly (belly-side down) at approximately 200-225 degrees with wood of choice (hickory, oak and fruit woods work well) until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees, about 3 hours. Let cool slightly, and when the belly is cool enough to handle but still warm, cut the skin off by sliding a sharp knife between the fat and the skin, leaving as much fat on the bacon as possible. (Discard the skin or cut it into pieces and save to add to soups, stews or beans, as you would a smoked ham hock.) Let the bacon cool, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate or freeze it until ready to slice and use. Makes 4 pounds From "Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing" by Brian Polcyn and Michael Ruhlman See More Collapse

Outside of the curing salt and gallon-size freezer bags, the other ingredients needed to make bacon are probably already in your pantry. You can add additional flavor with sliced or chopped jalapenos or other spices, but for first-timers, I dont recommend straying from Polcyns recipe.

Polcyns method takes seven days in the refrigerator, flipping the bagged belly every other day for proper salt distribution throughout the meat. It should be firm to the touch through the bag.

If you get anxious and dont give it a full week, it wont fully cure. And if you go much beyond 10 days, the meat will get too salty, Polcyn said. One week is also an easy time frame to remember. Make Saturdays or whatever your bacon day.

Another benefit to bacon is that its a great way to put your smoker to use. The belly needs to cook to an internal temperature of 150 degrees, which takes about three hours in a smoker set from 200 to 225 degrees. Fruit woods and Texas favorites such as oak and pecan work well.

Im a big fan of using whatever is free, Saenz said. Any hardwood is going to give off that good smoky flavor. I think people can put too much thought into that (with bacon).

Once the pork belly is finished in the smoker, its time to get your hands dirty. Slide a knife over the skin of the belly to remove it, cutting as little into the layer of fat as possible.

Then, its up to you about how you choose to proceed. Finished belly bacon can be sliced while hot, but you can get cleaner slices if you allow it to cool for 30 minutes or so first. If you own a meat slicer, there is no better time to use it.

A 5-pound slab will cook down to about 4 pounds when finished, and thats a lot. Bagged bacon can be frozen, but since it has gone through a curing process, it will remain good stored in the fridge for about two weeks.

There is nothing more rewarding than seeing your work be valued. Its a pleasure, Polcyn said. You ask any real or true chef  the whole point is to share. Thats how food movements happen.
One of the veterans rescued from what was described as a rundown group home in Grand Bay has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Mobile County District Attorneys Office.

The test comes two days after the investigators from Mobile County Sheriffs Office began investigating the One Life Management group home, describing the conditions as deplorable.

They had no access to food or drinks or anything like that, said Mobile County Sheriff Capt. Paul Burch. Several were in dire medical condition.

Two of the six men discovered at the group home were on the floor when deputies gained access. One of the residents had left the home to seek help. Padlocks had been placed on cabinets and refrigerators, while the victims estimated no one had been to see them in a week.

All six men were taken to hospital for treatment.

Owners of the home, Donny and Tilena Owens, both 49, were each charged with one count of Elder Abuse and Neglect 1st and five counts of the same charge in the second degree.

Bond was set at $70,000 during hearings Thursday.

Burch said the sheriffs office was aware of other properties owned by the couple but had not yet established whether any of them were being operated as group homes.

Federal investigators have also become involved after it was discovered the owners had received federal funds, according to the MCSO.
But fear is natural and necessary, a vital tool for survival. The proof is in the experience of a truly fearless woman, known to scientists as Patient S.M., whose amygdala (the brain structure that triggers our fear response) was destroyed by a rare genetic disease. Researchers reported that she handled snakes without trepidation (though she professed to hate them) and didnt startle at sudden, loud noises. Her lack of fear was an obstacle for self-preservation or learning from negative experiences: After she was attacked at knifepoint on a walk one evening, she returned to the same park the very next day. When, in 1968, a UCLA psychiatrist removed the amygdalae from a group of monkeys and then released them back into the wild, they were all dead within two weeks  from drowning, starvation or attacks by other monkeys. Fear can sometimes be irrational, embarrassing or inconvenient  but its also a necessity.
Revenue increases by over 56%

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / EQ Inc. (TSXV:EQ) ("EQ Works" or the "Company"), a leader in geospatial data and intelligence, announced its financial results today for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020.

Revenue for the quarter increased to $2.2 million, an improvement of over 56% from the $1.4 million recorded in same period a year ago. Data revenue grew for the 5th consecutive quarter, up 112% compared to the same period a year ago, as demand continued to grow for the proprietary data assets, machine learning and AI tools that comprise the EQ Works' technology platforms. The adjusted EBITDA loss for the quarter was approximately $0.4 million as the Company continued to invest in its' growth, including unique data assets, enhanced proprietary geospatial platforms and various infrastructure initiatives.

Highlights for the First Quarter ended March 31, 2020

56% increase in revenue compared to the first quarter of 2019

112% increase in data revenue compared to the same period last year

5th consecutive quarter of growth in data revenue

Added 18 new clients including 2 new data license agreements

Acquired Juice Mobile to further strengthen EQ's data assets, marketing relationships and U.S. client base

Consulted on various Contact Tracing programs, authored a technical whitepaper, developed an open SDK for a Contact Tracing application and formed relationships and potential partnerships with a variety of public and private organizations

Seamlessly transitioned to a work-from-home structure to ensure the health and safety of our team and continued to service our partners and customers

"In what is typically a slow quarter for our industry, we are extremely pleased to show continued traction in our data business and a 56% increase in our total revenue" said Geoffrey Rotstein, President and CEO of EQ Works. "I am extremely proud of the work that our team has done on Contract Tracing over the past few months. We are fortunate to have the expertise to help with initiatives that can benefit the country and save lives and our team has done tremendous work. As with all other industries across Canada, the last few months have been challenging and our media business has had campaigns paused or reduced while clients adjust to the impact of the COVID-19. We have taken several measures to address these changes including a review of all unnecessary expenses, a concerted effort to ensure investments are focussed only in areas of growth, and the furloughing of certain employees. Although we are starting to see clients resume their previously paused campaigns, we continue to monitor closely to best protect our financial position and our investments."

The Company also held its annual general meeting on May 21, 2020 and is pleased to announce the appointment of James Beriker to the Board of Directors. Mr. Beriker is a Silicon Valley based technology entrepreneur and executive with start-up, growth stage and public company experience. His business experience includes entrepreneurial and executive positions in business-to-business advertising and marketing technology companies including as Founder/ CEO and Director of Search123, an early pay-per-click search engine (acquired by Conversant (formerly ValueClick)), CEO and Director of Efficient Frontier, a leading search engine marketing platform (acquired by Adobe), CEO and Director of Dapper, one of the first creative optimization platforms (acquired by Yahoo!), among others. Mr. Beriker is currently the CEO of LifeCycle Group, a firm made up of leaders in management, product management, engineering and finance that provides strategic and operational support for venture-backed companies. Mr. Beriker's appointment to the Company's board of directors is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V").

Acceleration of Expiry Date of Warrants

The Company also announces today that it is accelerating the expiry date of 3,333,333 outstanding common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants), which were issued pursuant to a non-brokered private placement in December 2019. Each Warrant is exercisable at a price of $1.00 per common share for a period of 24 months following issuance. The terms of the Warrants are such that the expiry date can be accelerated by the Company at any time if the closing price of the Company's common shares on the facilities of the TSX-V is greater than $1.25 for any 10 consecutive trading days following the date that is four months and one day after the closing of the private placement (the "Acceleration Trigger").

The Company confirms that as of the close of markets on May 25, 2020, the Acceleration Trigger had occurred. The Company intends delivered notice of the acceleration of the expiry date to each of the holders of Warrants, which will cause the Warrants to expire at 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the 30th day following the delivery of the notice of acceleration (the "Accelerated Expiry Date"). Any Warrants remaining unexercised after the Accelerated Expiry Date will be cancelled. As of the close of markets on May 26, 2020, a total of 3,333,333 Warrants were outstanding. If all of the outstanding Warrants are exercised, gross proceeds to the Company will total $3,333,333.

Non-IFRS Financial Measures

EQ Works measures the success of the Company's strategies and performance based on Adjusted EBITDA, which is outlined and reconciled with net income (loss) in the section entitled "Reconciliation of Net Loss for the period to Adjusted EBITDA" in the MD&A. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) from operations before: (a) depreciation of property and equipment and amortization of intangible assets, (b) share-based payments, (c) finance income and costs, net, (d) depreciation of right-of-use assets, and (e) transaction costs of acquisition. Management uses Adjusted EBITDA as a measure of the Company's operating performance because it provides information on the Company's ability to provide operating cash flows for working capital requirements, capital expenditures, and potential acquisitions. The Company also believes that analysts and investors use Adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental measure to evaluate the overall operating performance of companies in its industry.

The non-IFRS financial measure is used in addition to, and in conjunction with, results presented in the Company's consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS and should not be relied upon to the exclusion of IFRS financial measures. Management strongly encourages investors to review the Company's consolidated financial statements in their entirety and to not rely on any single financial measure. Because non-IFRS financial measures are not standardized, it may not be possible to compare these financial measures with other companies' non-IFRS financial measures having the same or similar names. In addition, the Company expects to continue to incur expenses similar to the non-IFRS adjustments described above, and exclusion of these items from the Company's non-IFRS measures should not be construed as an inference that these costs are unusual, infrequent, or non-recurring.

The table below reconciles net loss from operations and Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented:

Adjusted EBITDA for three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 (In thousands of Canadian dollars) 2020 2019 Net loss $ (652 ) $ (525 ) Add: Finance costs, net 126 55 Depreciation of property and equipment 16 13 Depreciation of right-to-use asset 18 42 Amortization of intangible assets 11 11 Share-based payments 9 29 Transaction costs of acquisition 23 - Adjusted EBITDA (449 ) (375 )



About EQ Works

EQ Works (www.eqworks.com) enables businesses to understand, predict, and influence customer behaviour. Using unique data sets, advanced analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, EQ Works creates actionable intelligence for businesses to attract, retain, and grow the customers that matter most. The Company's proprietary SaaS platform mines insights from movement and geospatial data, enabling businesses to close the loop between digital and real-world consumer actions.

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Company's ability to adjust to customer needs in light of COVID-19, the delivery of acceleration notices to the holders of Warrants and the exercise of the Warrants by holders, future financial position and results of operations, strategy, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words "believe", "expect", "aim", "intend", "plan", "continue", "will", "may", "would", "anticipate", "estimate", "forecast", "predict", "project", "seek", "should" or similar expressions, or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Company's expectations, estimates, and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied, or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the risk factors discussed in the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives but cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events, or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.

EQ Inc.

Peter Kanniah, Chief Financial Officer

416-260-4326

1235 Bay Street, Suite 401| Toronto, Ontario |M5R 3K4

press@eqworks.com

www.eqworks.com

EQ Inc.

Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Financial Position

(In thousands of Canadian dollars)

March 31,

2020 December 31,

2019 Assets Current assets: Cash $ 1,996 $ 3,691 Accounts receivable 2,274 2,060 Other current assets 358 197 4,628 5,948 Non-current assets: Property and equipment 153 102 Right-of-use asset 129 146 Intangible asset 983 537 Goodwill 1,260 535 2,525 1,320 Total assets $ 7,153 $ 7,268 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 1,972 $ 1,705 Lease liability 70 70 Loans and borrowings 1,699 - Contract liabilities 119 24 Earn-out 343 256 4,203 2,055 Non-current liabilities: Lease liability 71 88 Loans and borrowings - 1,603 71 1,691 Shareholders' equity 2,879 3,522 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 7,153 $ 7,268

EQ Inc.

Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Loss and Comprehensive Loss

(In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts)

Three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019

2020 2019 Revenue $ 2,198 $ 1,406 Expenses: Publishing costs 1,258 680 Employee compensation and benefits 962 733 Other operating costs 436 397 Depreciation of property and equipment 16 13 Depreciation of right-of-use asset 18 42 Amortization of intangible assets 11 11 2,701 1,876 Loss from operations (503 ) (470 ) Transaction costs of acquisition (23 ) - Finance income 9 8 Finance costs (135 ) (63 ) Net loss before income taxes (652 ) (525 ) Deferred tax recovery - 0 Total comprehensive loss (652 ) (525 ) Loss per share: Basic and diluted $ (0.01 ) $ (0.01 )

EQ Inc.

Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(In thousands of Canadian dollars)

Three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019

2020 2019 Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss (652 ) (525 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash flows from operating activities: Depreciation of property and equipment 16 13 Depreciation of right-of-use asset 18 42 Amortization of intangible assets 11 11 Share-based payments 9 29 Unrealized foreign exchange loss (gain) (48 ) 4 Finance cost, net 134 58 Change in non-cash operating working capital (145 ) 189 Net cash used in operating activities (657 ) (179 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Repayment of obligations under property lease (47 ) (42 ) Proceeds from private placement - 180 Share issuance costs - (4 ) Interest paid (1 ) (2 ) Net cash from (used) financing activities (48 ) 132 Cash flows from investing activities: Interest income received 1 1 Acquisition of Juice Mobile (850 ) - Purchases of property and equipment (64 ) (6 ) Addition of intangible asset (125 ) - Net cash used in investing activities (1,038 ) (5 ) Decrease in cash (1,743 ) (52 ) Foreign exchange gain (loss) on cash held in foreign currency 48 (4 ) Cash, beginning of the period 3,691 584 Cash, end of the period $ 1,996 $ 528

SOURCE: EQ Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/591835/EQ-Inc-Reports-First-Quarter-Financial-Results
TORONTO, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CF Energy Corp. (TSX-V: CFY) (CF Energy or the Company, together with its subsidiaries, the Group), an energy provider in the Peoples Republic of China (the PRC or China), announces that the Company has filed its unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020 (Q1 2020).



Results for the Three-Month Period Ended March 31, 2020

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in late January 2020, the Group experienced a significant drop in revenue across all our business segments in Q1 2020. The economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is largely driven by a fall in gas demand due to the imposition of government protective and containment measures such as quarantine and travel restrictions and temporary cessation of businesses activities in all the cities where the Company operate which has adversely affected our overall revenue and gas sales volume in Q1 2020.

Revenue in Q1 2020 was RMB67.4 million (approx. CAD13.0 million), a decrease of RMB40.4 million (approx. CAD8.3 million), or 38%, from RMB107.8 million (approx. CAD21.3 million) for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019 (Q1 2019).

Gross profit in Q1 2020 was RMB27.3 million (approx. CAD5.3 million), a decrease of RMB11.4 million (CAD2.3 million) or 30% from RMB38.7 million (approx. CAD7.6 million) in Q1 2019.

The overall gross margin in Q1 2020 was 40.6%, an increase of 4 percentage points as compared to 36.0% in Q1 2019. Lower gross margin in Q1 2019 was attributable to the shortage of pipeline gas supply resulting in more expensive LNG supplies had to be purchased to supplement natural gas requirements. Benefited from the new supply source of pipeline gas made available to the Group since late June 2019, there is a significant reduction in the Groups reliance on more expensive LNG supplies, which allowed the Group to normalize its overall gross profit margins since early Q3 in 2019, the gross profit margin in Q1 2020 also improved as a result.

Net profit in Q1 2020 was RMB16.5 million (approx. CAD3.2 million), an increase of RMB11.7 million (approx. CAD2.2 million), or 243%, from RMB4.8 million (approx. CAD1.0 million) in Q1 2019. Net Profit in Q1 2020 included a fair value change on derivative financial instrument of RMB12.1 million (approx. CAD2.3 million) relating to the commitment of the estate of Mr. Huajun Lin to subscribe for the common shares of the Company in the amount of RMB 36.0 million, which in line with IFRS, has been classified as a derivative financial instrument, subject to periodic fair value assessment and adjustment (as applicable). On a comparable basis, after excluding the fair value change on derivative financial instrument, the adjusted net profit in Q1 2020 was RMB4.4 million (approx. CAD0.9 million), close to that in Q1 2019.

Chairman Statement

As with the society and business operators alike in China, we are very delighted and grateful to see Chinas recent lifting of quarantine and travel restrictions with COVID-19 showing encouraging signs of abatement and the virus being under control, which immediately stimulated increased business and social activities and the economy showing early signs of recovery.

Our recent procurement of the exclusive right in the fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) battery swap market in Hainan represents a major break-through, a welcome reinforcement and an additional weapon in our war chest to combat the continuing impact of COVID-19 on our existing business, but more importantly, it also represents one of the main drivers alongside our integrated smart energy initiatives for long term and sustained growth going forward. We will as duty bound continue with our protective measures to protect our employees and customers from contracting COVID-19 and avoid any unnecessary interruptions to our operations.

The unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial results and Managements Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) can be downloaded from www.SEDAR.com or from the Company's website at www.cfenergy.com .

About CF Energy Corp. (Formerly Changfeng Energy Inc.)

CF Energy Corp. is a Canadian public company currently traded on the Toronto Venture Exchange (TSX-V) under the stock symbol CFY. It is an integrated energy provider and natural gas distribution company (or natural gas utility) in the PRC. CF Energy strives to combine leading clean energy technology with natural gas usage to provide sustainable energy to its customer base in the PRC. In 2009, CF Energy was recognized as being one of Chinas the Top Ten Most Influential Brands in the Natural Gas Industry and in 2019, ranked amongst the 2019 TSX Venture 50 top performers on the TSXV for the 2018 year.

TELE-CONFERENCE

A tele-conference will be held following the release of this press release and the results of the Group, details of which will be provided by way of a separate press release in due course.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Corporate Investment Relations

Investor.relations@changfengenergy.cn

Charles Wang

Executive Assistant to CEO & Chair of the Board

Zhaoyu.wang@changfengenergy.cn

Frederick Wong

Director of the Board

fred.wong@changfengenergy.cn

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, Forward-Looking Statements). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated by reference in this document are Forward-Looking Statements, including statements regarding activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future. These Forward-Looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as will, expect, intend, plan, estimate, anticipate, believe or continue or similar words or the negative thereof. No assurance can be given that the plans, intentions or expectations or assumptions upon which these Forward-Looking Statements are based will prove to be correct and such Forward-Looking Statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon.

Although management believes that the expectations represented in such Forward-Looking Statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such Forward-Looking Statements are not a guarantee of performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Statements. These factors include, without limitation, no significant and continuing adverse changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets. Readers are cautioned that all Forward-Looking Statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those risks and uncertainties detailed in the Corporations filings with applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, copies of which are available at www.sedar.com. The Company urges readers to carefully consider those factors.

The Forward-Looking Statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this document and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any Forward-Looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Raipur, May 29 : Ajit Pramod Kumar Jogi (1946-2020) will always be remembered as one who could have put his immense political and administrative acumen to better use to give Chhattisgarh a head-start as its first Chief Minister.

For his intellect and his communication skills in English, Hindi and Chhattisgarhi, he had few peers among the natives --- the tribals and the Satnamis -- who form the core population of the state. Chhattisgarh was essentially carved out as a new state in 2000 to catalyse the growth of the backward classes. His name did not figure among the contenders for the Chief Minister till ten days before the state was formed. He sprang a surprise by outsmarting the fancied players.

Jogi's chequered political career was preceded by brief spells as an engineering college lecturer in Raipur and an IPS officer and a long spell as IAS officer.

His 1968 graduation batchmates from Bhopal's Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (then known as Maulana Azad College of Technology) remember him as a brilliant student who took his Mechanical Engineering degree, winning the University Gold Medal and never needing the reservation quota except while entering the engineering course.

His stints as IAS officer were marked both by innovative ideas and controversies. Almost after each posting, he faced charges of irregularities. He served as District Collector at Sidhi, Shahdol, Raipur and Indore. During his stint at Sidhi, he cultivated veteran Congressman Arjun Singh who mentored him for many years and guarded him against adversities.

The first case of financial impropriety was filed against him in 1980-81 when the Kodar dam was under construction during Jogi's stint as District Collector in Raipur. He wriggled out without any damage. Arjun Singh happened to be the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh then. But the case dragged on till the next decade before he was exonerated.

As District Collector in Indore in 1981-85, he was accused of amassing wealth and there was a raid by the Lokayukta. Arjun Singh was alleged to have played an important role in getting Jogi a Rajya Sabha nomination and a reprieve from the probe. Then Chief Minister Motilal Vora was too much in awe of Arjun Singh to resist him.

He subsequently left the IAS for politics, and had a long stint in the Congress organisation and a Member of Parliament before he rose to the helm in newly-carved out Chhattisgarh.

His confidence was exemplary. He would keep consulting media persons about the reforms to improve the lot of the socially oppressed classes.

As Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, a significant contribution was to secure the interests of migrant labour force. He brought legislation to help the labour force headed to states like Punjab and Haryana during paddy transplant season. He wanted the landlords to insure the workers and see that they lived some dignity.

However, the Congress could not retain the state in the state's first Assembly polls in 2003 and the BJP, under Raman Singh, began a three-term stint.

In June 2007, Jogi and his son were arrested in connection with the murder of NCP treasurer Ram Avtar Jaggi, who was shot dead in June 2003. But, five years later, the CBI said Jogi could not be prosecuted under any law. The BJP then alleged the UPA government misused the CBI to protect Jogi.

Jogi's Scheduled Tribe status certificate issued by a Pendra tehsildar in 1967 kept haunting him till recent times. The issue has remained unresolved. Jogi challenged the adversaries both in the Congress and the BJP who would not let him wriggle out.

Jogi's penchant for intrigues sometimes left a hilarious trail. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he was contesting against Chandulal Sahu of the BJP in Mahasamund. In a close contest, Jogi lost by just over 100 votes. Surprisingly the second, third and even the fourth runners up were all named Chandulal Sahu. They were all independents.

The second and third runners up, between them, polled 28,000 votes. It was easy to guess who set them up to baffle the supporters of original Chandulal Sahu. Such smart moves did not always yield the desired result, though.

In 2015, some audio tapes were found featuring a year-old conversation showing Jogi prompting his own party candidate to pull out of the contest to help the BJP win the Antagarh reserved seat. Then Chief Minister Raman Sngh's son-in-law Puneet Gupta allegedly brokered the pay-off. Congress office-bearers expressed shock over Jogi and his son's involvement in the act. Congress had smelt a rat when party candidate Manturam Pawar had withdrawn from the contest.

On June 6, 2016, Jogi announced ending his association with Congress in the presence of his wife and son in Chhattisgarh. The party eventually had to jettison Jogi, who set up his Janta Congress Chhattisgarh. However, his party's performance in the 2018 elections - in which the Congress swept back to power with a thumping majority - was sub par and it has little to brag about its status now.
Some commuters in Lagos State on Friday expressed dissatisfaction over the hike in fares by the Primero Transport Services Limited, oper...





Recall that the BRT operator on Thursday announced an upward review of transport fares across all routes with effect for Friday to meet up with current challenges.The Managing Director of the firm, Mr Fola Tinubu, had told NAN that a trip that cost commuters N200 had been increased to N300, and that of N300 had risen to N500.Tinubu said that the firm understood the plight of the people and the economic situation, but that the step became imperative to keep serving the commuters diligently and to provide a world-class service for them.According to him, cost of operating the buses had increased so much that the firm is finding it difficult to survive and sustain operations, and had been piling up losses.Some commuters plying Ikorodu-CMS axis, however, told NAN that the increase in fares at such a trying time for the masses would further increase hardship and financial burdens.Why are they doing this to the masses at a time when government is supposed to be doing things that will make people survive this difficult time?Even if the hike is truly necessary, it should not be now. More so, there is no increase in pump price. This action is ill-timed.The government is encouraging yellow buses to push up their fares, then life will be more difficult. It should not be now. This will bring hardship, Mr Gift Wejem, a furniture maker, told NAN.Mrs Ade Adesiyan, a media expert, said that the best the government could have done at such a time was to provide bailout funds for the BRT operators if they were finding it difficult to operate.Adesiyan, who said that though some people would not be affected by the increase in fares, government authorities should have considered the poor whose burden would be heavier.This is not a good time, but for some of us, we are interested in smart, effective and efficient services. We will be glad to witness reformed services. It will be disappointing if the services remain the same.The time we lose at bus stations waiting for buses is too much. We will be happy if this is addressed now that the fares have been increased.A welder, Mr Titus Oyedeji, who was Lekki-bound, from Ikorodu, said the hike potrayed insensitivity on the part of government.Oyedeji asked: How can government-controlled buses be thinking of profit making at a time when the poor masses are fighting hard to survive? I am not happy at all.According to him, the hike will affect so many people who, because of their pockets, always wait for long on queues to use the BRT buses.The BRT operator had earlier withdrawn its services since Monday over losses occasioned by COVID-19 new transport guidelines that mandated it to commute only 20 passengers per trip instead of 70.The firm resumed operation on Friday morning with a new fare regime, saying it had received the governments nod for an upward review.
U S President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at curtailing some of the legal protections given to social media companies.

The move on Thursday marked a major escalation in a years-long bitter row between Mr Trump and the platforms.

Speaking from the Oval Office ahead of signing the order, Mr Trump said he was bidding to "defend free speech from one of the gravest dangers it has faced in American history".

Mr Trump's order is now expected to face legal challenges.

So, here is what you need to know about the saga has unfolded:

President Donald Trump holds up a copy of the New York Post before signing the executive order aimed at curbing protections for social media giants / AP

Frequent attacks on social media giants

Mr Trump has for years threatened to take action against social media firms.

He has repeatedly argued that existing laws allow Facebook, Google and Twitter to stifle or censor conservative voices with impunity - charges the companies stringently deny.

Twitter fact-checks Trump's tweets for the first time

On Tuesday, May 26 Twitter highlighted two of Mr Trump's tweets "potentially misleading" in an unprecedented move that drew immediate scorn from the US president.

Mr Trump had tweeted a baseless accusation that California was using mail-in ballots to ensure a rigged election.

The company later labelled the tweets concerning Californias election planning with a warning sign and provided a link to further information on the issue.

Twitter applied the labels as part of its efforts to enforce the platform's "civic integrity policy", the company said.

"We believe those Tweets could confuse voters about what they need to do to receive a ballot and participate in the election process," it added in reference to Mr Trump's posts.

Trump accuses Twitter of 'stifling free speech'

Twitter's move prompted an immediate rebuke from Mr Trump, who accused the platform of interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election.

Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH, and I, as President, will not allow it to happen!," the US President wrote in a post on the platform.

Twitter puts fact-check warning on Trump tweets

The US President rolls out his executive order

On Thursday May 28, Mr Trump moved to sign his executive order aimed at removing some of the legal protections given to platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Commenting on the move, he said: "A small handful of social media monopolies controls a vast portion of all public and private communications in the United States.

"They've had unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide, alter, virtually any form of communication between private citizens and large public audiences."

The executive order sets out to refashion the 1996 Communications Decency Act.

Section 230 of the Act provides broad immunity to websites. It ensures platforms can moderate the content that appears are not generally held liable for content created by their users but can also engage in moderation of their sites.

Legal experts have described the clause as "the 26 words that created the internet".

The executive order meanwhile called for legislation "remove or change" Section 230.

Mr Trump has tasked Attorney General William Barr with crafting a law in line with the order for Congress to vote on.

Trump escalates war on Twitter and social media protections

Tech giants hit back

Twitter responded to Mr Trump's move by labelling the executive order a "reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law".

"#Section230 protects American innovation and freedom of expression, and its underpinned by democratic values," the company said in a statement.

"Attempts to unilaterally erode it threaten the future of online speech and Internet freedoms."

Google, which owns YouTube, and Facebook meanwhile warned that amending Section 230 risked harming the internet and the digital economy.

Opposition politicians, digital experts, conservative-leaning advocacy groups and a clutch of free speech activists also expressed opposition to Mr Trump's move.

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg did, however, make efforts to distance his company's approach from the one taken by Twitter after the latter's decision to flag Mr Trump's tweets.

Mr Zuckerberg told Fox News that his platform, which has billions of global users, shouldnt be the arbiter of truth in fact-checking everything people say online.

Private companies probably shouldnt be, especially these platform companies, shouldnt be in the position of doing that," he added.

Twitter founder Jack Dorsey hit back shortly after, saying the company would "continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally".

"And we will admit to and own any mistakes we make. This does not make us an arbiter of truth," Mr Dorsey said in a post on Twitter.

"Fact check: there is someone ultimately accountable for our actions as a company, and thats me," he added.

Donald Trump takes to twitter after Minneapolis protest get violent

Twitter hides Trump's tweet

Further escalating tension between the US president and Twitter, the company on Friday hid one of Mr Trumps tweets behind a warning that it glorifies violence.

The move came after Mr Trump had tweeted that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" amid ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Shortly after, Twitter added the message: "This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible."

Trump goes on the offensive, again

Mr Trump on Friday again accused Twitter of targeting him and his supporters as he continued his attacks on the social media platform.

The US president accused the company of being biased against him and his supporters.

Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party," he said in a post on Twitter.

"They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States," Mr Trump added.

"Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated."

The White House Twitter account meanwhile re-posted Mr Trump's tweet concerning protests in Minneapolis that was hidden by the platform for "glorifying violence".
The Appeals Chamber of Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has changed the measure of restraint for former Ukrbud President Maksym Mykytas to arrest with the alternative to post UAH 100 million bail, the court's press service has reported on Facebook.

"Today, on May 28, the HACC's Appeals Chamber considered the appeals of the defense lawyer and the prosecutor in the case of the former Ukrbud president against the investigating judge's ruling of May 14, 2020 to change the measure of restraint for the suspect from bail to house arrest," the report reads.

The court upheld the prosecutor's appeal and changed the measure of restraint for the suspect to arrest until July 14, 2020 with the alternative to post UAH 100 million bail.

On May 14, the HACC chose a measure of restraint in the form of a 24-hour house arrest for former MP and former Ukrbud President Maksym Mykytas.

The investigation established that in the 2000s, the main interior troops department of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry (later reorganized into the National Guard of Ukraine) and the developer signed an agreement to build a residential complex with built-in parking lots and non-residential premises.

In exchange for a one-hectare land plot in the center of Kyiv, the National Guard was to receive 50 apartments and 30 parking spaces in the residential complex.

However, later, in 2016-2017, the parties signed additional agreements according to which the National Guard refused from these apartments and parking spaces in Pechersk in exchange for 65 apartments in a house that the same construction company was building on the outskirts of Kyiv (near the Chervony Khutir metro station).

According to the examination conducted as part of a pretrial investigation, the cost of these apartments is UAH 81,635,448 lower than the estimated cost of apartments that the National Guard had to receive at the start of the agreements.

op
June 11 set as date for start of trial of Russian supercomputer designer

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

17:51 29/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 29 (RAPSI)  The Meshansky District Court of Moscow will start hearing a case against T-Platform supercomputer developers CEO and shareholder Vsevolod Opanasenko and ex-chief of the Interior Ministrys communications directorate Alexander Aleksandrov on June 11, RAPSI has learnt from the court.

The men are charged with large-scale fraud.

Investigators believe that Opanasenko intended to take an advantage in making a government contract amounting to over 357 million rubles (about $4.6 million at the current exchange rate) for supply of several thousands of computer workstations to Russias Interior Ministry and encouraged Aleksandrov to commit the crime. It is alleged that Aleksandrov knew that the equipment to be supplied to the Ministry did not answer its requirements.

Their assets worth over 200 million rubles were seized to recover damages.

AO T-Platform is a Russian company established in 2002 for designing supercomputers and delivery of a wide range of solutions and services for high-performance computations, as well as manufacturing of computers on the basis of locally produced processors.

Opinion of Russian Business Ombudsman

In mid-March, the Moscow City Court released Opanasenko from detention and placed him under house arrest. Russias Business Ombudsman Boris Titov welcomed the court decision relaxing preventive measures in relation to the computer designer. The decision became a new step in implementation of a new practice relating to pre-trial restrictive measures with respect to entrepreneurs, Titov notes. Nevertheless, he observed that there remains much to be done in this respect, and expressed hope that the Supreme Court is to play a more active role in promotion of bail as a preventive measure in cases involving businesspersons.

Moreover, the Business Ombudsman held to an opinion that Opanasenko committed no crime, as he had no opportunity to influence the results of auctions held in electronic form, performed all his obligations under the governmental contract and the parties put forward no claims.

Earlier, Titov turned to President Vladimir Putin asking his instruction to let him examine the Opanasenko case.

Titov was of an opinion that investigators had wrongly charged the defendant under provisions of criminal law developed with respect to those holding state posts, not businesspersons. Therefore, the Business Ombudsman noted, Opanasenko should have been freed from detention.
Two men exonerated of a 2003 murder have sued Chicago police and Cook County prosecutors in federal court, alleging they manipulated photo evidence, physically abused the pair, and fabricated their supposed confessions out of whole cloth.

John Fulton and Anthony Mitchell were arrested as teenagers, then spent nearly half their lives behind bars before a Cook County judge tossed their convictions last year. Their lawsuits, filed Wednesday, seek damages for civil rights violations and malicious prosecution.

I still dont feel free. I still feel like Im trapped inside of an ice cube, stuck in time. Sometimes I feel like the 18-year-old kid that got locked up, that was always told to tell the truth. The truth didnt set me free, Fulton said at a news conference Wednesday.  Its a nightmare every day of my life.

Fulton was two months away from his high school graduation when he was arrested; his fiancee had just given birth to their child, according to a news release from law firm Loevy and Loevy. Mitchells girlfriend was pregnant when he was locked up. Neither had any convictions on their records, according to the lawsuits.

They had everything in the world to look forward to, but instead their lives were shattered, attorney Sam Heppell said at the news conference.

The two teens were arrested for the grisly 2003 murder of Christopher Collazo, whose body was discovered bound with duct tape and partially burned in an alley in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

Police allegedly leaned on a 17-year-old girl to falsely implicate Fulton and Mitchell in the murder, along with another boy, Antonio Shaw.

Fulton had an alibi. On the night of the death, he was with his fiancee at the University of Chicago hospital, then home at their apartment  where security cameras monitored every doorway. And Fultons alibi also clears Mitchell, according to the lawsuit, since prosecutors alleged that Fulton was the instigator of the attack and recruited Mitchell for help.

In order for Anthony to be guilty, John had to be guilty. Because it was John who was supposed to have driven the car, John who supposedly had the beef with the victim, attorney Andrea Lyon said.

But after false promises of leniency, threats and physical violence, Fulton, Mitchell and Shaw each gave multiple false confessions, they allege.

A police officer acting as polygrapher even said that before administering a lie detector test, Fulton spontaneously confessed to the murder  a claim the same polygraph officer allegedly made more than 100 times in a five-year period, according to the lawsuit.

For this phenomenon to happen repeatedly  defies all statistical probability, Fultons lawsuit alleges.

And to get around Fultons alibi, an investigator with the Cook County states attorneys office took misleading photos to make it look like there was an unmonitored back door in his apartment complex  when in fact, each door was in view of a security camera and a key-fob system tracked each entry. Fulton could not have left and returned undetected, as authorities claimed, according to the suit.

Shaw succeeded in getting a judge to throw out his confession before trial, and the charges against him were dropped. But Fulton and Mitchell were convicted and each sentenced to 31 years behind bars.

A spokeswoman for the Cook County states attorneys office declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. A representative of the city Law Department also declined to comment, saying it had not yet seen the suit.

About a year after his release from custody, Mitchell spoke with emotion in his voice at the news conference Wednesday publicizing his suit.

I could stand here all day about how Im bitter or mad, but Im not mad at anybody involved, he said. I just want justice so it wont happen to anybody else.
Sistla Dakshina Murthy By

Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Contrary to expectations of Krishna district administration that around 2,000 Non-Resident Telugus (NRTs) would return from various countries under Vande Bharat Mission and opt for paid quarantine, only 150-odd foreign returnees checked into hotels, much to the dismay of Vijayawada hoteliers.

As per the information provided by the district administration, the first international flight from London arrived at Vijayawada airport on May 21, followed by flights from Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and Kuwait. In all, around 200-odd NRTs returned to Krishna district. Out of them, 150 returnees opted for paid quarantine in hotels such as Hotel Taj Gateway, Fortune Murali, DV Manor, Red Fox and Alankar Inn arranged by the district administration.

Speaking to TNIE on Thursday, Vijayawada Hoteliers Association secretary Sanjay Mehta said, The administration had informed us that around 2,000 NRTs will arrive under Vande Bharat Mission. However, only 150-odd foreign returnees have opted for the paid quarantine facility in the star and budget hotels. Informing about the tariffs, he said the charges for 14-day quarantine period in star hotels are Rs 1,500, Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500 per day.

Despite the Centre giving relaxations for returnees opting for paid quarantine, around 30 NRTs vacated the hotels after their samples tested negative for Covid-19, seven days after their arrival to Vijayawada, Mehta elaborated.

Whether the hoteliers would have any viability after offering the facilities for paid quarantine, he said: As part of corporate social responsibility, we extended support to the district administration though the charges are not viable when it comes to profit. During a meeting held with the district administration, we requested them to ensure at least 50 per cent occupancy per hotel and not allow NRTs to check into hotels as they please. Despite the request, the NRTs checked into hotels of their choice.
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain has urged China to reconsider imposing a new security law on Hong Kong and hopes Beijing is listening, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday.

"We have urged China to reconsider the implementation of this law and live up to its responsibilities as a leading member of the international community," the spokesman said.

"We hope they will listen carefully to the arguments we have made in public and in private about the impact which Beijing's proposal would have on Hong Kong."

Earlier, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters that China firmly opposed a statement from Britain, the United States, Australia and Canada, adding that it had lodged representations with the four countries.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Costas Pitas)
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: The State government has been taking all measures to face the possible locust attack on crops in the State. About 15,000 litres of pesticides would be kept ready at the borders of Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh from where the locusts are likely to enter the State.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao held a review meeting at Pragathi Bhavan here on Thursday and directed the Agriculture and Forest Department officials to be on high alert on the possible invasion of locusts into the State. He constituted a five-member committee to take measures to kill them as they enter Telangana.

The five-member official committee would be camping in Ramagundam for four days starting from Friday and examine the movements of the locusts. The team would monitor the situation from Adilabad to Bhadrachalam by heli-hopping.

15,000 litres of pesticides to be kept ready at borders

The locusts, after entering the country, attacked crops at Bhandara-Gondiya in Maharashtra. From there, they are now moving in swarms towards Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh, the officials told the Chief Minister at the meeting. From MP, the pests may enter Punjab. If the air direction is southwards, then the locusts may enter the State from Chhattisgarh. Though the chances of them entering Telangana are remote, the government, nonetheless, has been taking all precautionary measures.

Besides constituting the committee, the Chief Minister also alerted district Collectors, SPs and other officials about the locust attack in the border districts like Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Mulugu, Jayashankar-Bhupalpally, Mancherial, Asifabad, Adilabad and Peddapalli. He asked them to keenly watch the movements of the locusts.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to keep ready 15,000 litres of Malathion, Chlorpyrifos and Lambda Cyhalothrin. For spraying these, 12 fire tenders and 12 jetting machines would be used. Besides, the officials would also be in touch with senior officials of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh to know the developments.

Five-member committee

The committee comprises Central Integrated Plant Management plant protection officer R Sunitha, Agriculture University principal scientist SJ Rahman, Warangal Conservator of Forest Md Jalaluddin Akbar, Ramagundam CP V Satyanarayana and Mancherial Collector Bharati Hollikeri.
The Bishops of the European Union welcome a proposed EU recovery fund to deal with the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, but says justice for the most vulnerable and the environment must form its core.

By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

The Social Affairs Commission of the Bishops Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) released a statement on Thursday, offering the Catholic Churchs contribution to the proposed recovery plan of the European Union.

The statement, entitled Let Europe recover through justice, calls on the EU to renew the spirit of solidarity and agree on a recovery plan that puts justice at its centre amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking about the statement, the President of COMECEs Social Affairs Commission, Bishop Antoine Herouard, pointed out that this crisis may be an opportunity for the European Union to take an important step forward in asserting and expressing its solidarity, supporting Europe to recover through ecological, social and contributive justice.

Recovery fund

COMECE welcomes the idea of a recovery fund that enables the EU to raise resources to support members states through grants and loans.

The idea, notes the statement, is in line with Pope Franciss Easter Message call for further proof of solidarity, also by turning to innovative solutions. COMECE encourages EU member states to allow discussions be directed towards the common good guided by a spirit of solidarity through ecological, social and contributive justice.

Ecological justice

The statement recalls that the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed our dependence as well as our disastrous impact on a heavily fragile eco-system. The novel coronavirus  which causes the lung disease Covid-19  made us realize that we cannot live healthy on a sick and polluted planet.

In this regard, say EU Bishops, we should acknowledge that the Covid-19 pandemic is linked to a larger socio-ecological crisis that is visible through climate change, biodiversity loss and its devastating consequences on the most vulnerable.

COMECE invites the EU to seize this opportunity to work for radical change and reinforce efforts towards integral development and thinking towards the future. The Bishops also welcome the proposal to integrate the European Green Deal as a part of the EU recovery plan.

Social justice

In implementing the recovery plan, the Bishops call on the EU to care about and respect the needs of the most vulnerable.

COMECE proposes that this can be done by increasing the funding available in already existing programmes that goes to help the poor, the homeless, migrants and asylum seekers.

It also suggests that the EU should work on a contingency plan that will extend the current financial framework by one year in the case that there is no Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) agreement by January 2021.

Contributive justice

We should ensure that nobody is able to shy away from his or her responsibility to contribute to the recovery process in Europe, insists the COMECE statement.

In response to the crisis, European Bishops call on the EU to agree on a common corporate tax base and urgently curb the structures of corruption and tax evasion. This is because the pandemic has revealed to everybody the importance of sound public infrastructures and services.

In conclusion, the COMECE statement invites EU and national public authorities to find new hope for Europe in a joint recovery that expresses the ambition to work for a just future in a renewed spirit of solidarity.
Ajit Pramod Jogi, the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh, who died on Friday at the age of 74, was the pivot of tribal and dalit politics in the state carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000.He emerged as a formidable political force in the tribal-dominated state he led for three years from November 2000 at the helm of a Congress government.

Left in awe by the power and charisma of a Parsi Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who visited his village when he was a boy, Jogi always nursed the ambition of becoming a civil servant. A Marathi Brahmin teacher guided him in the direction by prodding him to learn English.

Always brilliant in studies, Jogi went on to study mechanical engineering in Bhopal before achieving his ambition. He joined the Indian Police Service first, but while training in Mussoorie, he realized that IAS officers tended to treat officers of other services with condescension. He joined IAS in 1971, getting the eighth rank in the civil services examination, according to Union Public Service Commission records.

Jogi served as collector for 12 years in different districts before resigning in 1986 and joining the Congress party. He was sent to the Rajya Sabha twice by the Congress, in 1986-92 and 1992-98.

It was when he was serving as the collector in Raipur that Jogi became acquainted with Rajiv Gandhi, who was then an airline plot.

Rajiv ji was a pilot and when he used to come to Raipur , I visited him at airport. He always treated me as a friend.. We used to talk for hours on various issues in the VIP lounge of Raipur airport, Jogi told this reporter in an interview in 2018.

Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India in 1984 after his mother and predecessor Indira was assassinated. In 1986, the Congress needed a tribal face to represent it in the Rajya Sabha and party politician Digvijay Singh suggested the name of Ajit Jogi. Within a day, Jogi resigned from the bureaucracy and entered politics.

Owing to his sharp intellect and political acumen, Ajit Jogi rose up the ranks in the Congress and became party spokesman and when Chhattisgarh was created in 2000 became its first chief minister. His political fortunes declined because of infighting within the Congress.

After defeat in the 2003 assembly elections, Jogi became the centre of many controversies.In the same year, the Bharatiya Janata Party released an audio tape purportedly to show he tried to break up the partys Chhattisgarh unit by bribing its MLAs

Fielded as the Congress candidate in the 2004 parliamentary election from Mahasamund constituency against Vidya Charan Shukla, who contested the poll on a BJP ticket, Jogi entered the Lok Sabha. It was during the campaign in Mahasamund that Jogi met with a road accident that left him wheelchair-bound.

Jogi parted ways with the Congress in 2016 after he and his son were alleged to have fixed the Antahgarh byelection in Kanker district.In June 2016, Jogi formed his own party, the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J).

In the 2018 assembly elections Jogi managed to win seven seats in a coalition with the Bahujan Samaj Party. Out of 90 assembly seats, Congress won 68 and the BJP was reduced to 15. Jogi himself won his traditional seat, Marwahi

Jogi suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this month and had been in a Raipur hospital since in a comatose state.He is survived by his wife Renu Jogi, MLA from Kota, and son Amit Jogi.

Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel announced three days of state mourning for Jogi, who will be cremated with full state honours.

The death of the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Shri Ajit Jogi is a major political loss for the state of Chhattisgarh. He will live on in the memories of all the people of the state, tweeted Baghel.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
RTHK: UK urges China to reconsider national security law

Britain has urged China to reconsider imposing a new security law on Hong Kong and hopes Beijing is listening, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday.

"We have urged China to reconsider the implementation of this law and live up to its responsibilities as a leading member of the international community," the spokesman said.

"We hope they will listen carefully to the arguments we have made in public and in private about the impact which Beijing's proposal would have on Hong Kong."

Earlier, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters that China firmly opposed a statement from Britain, the United States, Australia and Canada, adding that it had lodged representations with the four countries. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2020-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The move comes as the state moves into phase three of Pritzkers reopening plan, with a wider range of businesses opening their doors for the first time in more than two months. On Thursday, the Illinois Department of Public Health issued new guidelines for houses of worship, hours before the state responded to the U.S. Supreme Court in a lawsuit by two churches seeking to block Pritzkers stay-at-home order.
Niamey, Niger (PANA)  The inaugural session of the management committee for the 2020-2024 action plan on the fight against terrorism within the ECOWAS community region was held on Friday through videoconferencing, under the presidency of the Nigerien minister of foreign affairs, Kalla Ankouraou, also chairman of the Council of ECOWAS ministers
The Lyft logo is seen on a parked Lyft Scooter in Washington

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lyft Inc was sued on Friday by a former driver who accused the ride-sharing company of failing to provide required paid sick leave to drivers in Washington, D.C., a policy she said could fuel the spread of the coronavirus.

Cassandra Osvatics, of Bowie, Maryland, accused Lyft of subjecting current and former drivers to a "Hobbesian choice" between having to risk their livelihoods by staying home when sick, or "risk their lives (and the lives of their passengers)" by working through their illnesses.

Underlying the proposed class action is a belief that Lyft drivers qualify as employees, entitling them in the nation's capital to about seven paid sick days annually based on 2,000 hours worked.

Lyft and larger rival Uber Technologies Inc have long contended their drivers are independent contractors, and therefore not owed benefits available to employees.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.

In a statement, San Francisco-based Lyft said it is financially supporting drivers who contract the COVID-19 disease, and helping drivers obtain federal relief including paid sick leave.

"Forced reclassification would jeopardize access to thousands of dollars in federal funds at the worst possible time," it said.

Christopher McNerney, a lawyer for Osvatics, said experts believe paid sick leave reduces the spread of illnesses, including when drivers and passengers carry them home.

"This is a national issue, because ride-share companies are not providing sick leave anywhere," he said. "You want drivers to stay home when they're sick, so when you hop in a Lyft car you won't get sick."

Many ride-sharing employment disputes end up in arbitration, but McNerney said they belong in court because drivers engage in interstate commerce by ferrying passengers across state lines.

In January 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court said a federal arbitration law did not require transportation workers, including independent contractors, engaged in interstate commerce to arbitrate their claims.

The case is Osvatics v Lyft Inc, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, No. 20-01426.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Alistair Bell)
Kyle Sandilands has offered MasterChef Australia star Reynold Poernomo a job as his personal chef.

Despite the fact that Reynold has a thriving career as a restaurateur, Kyle offered to buyout the young chef's KOI Dessert Bar so he could come and work for him.

'I reckon I could outbid his own business, I'd buy the whole joint,' the 48-year-old said on Friday's Kyle and Jackie O Show.

You're hired! Kyle Sandilands (pictured) has offered MasterChef Australia star Reynold Poernomo a job as his personal chef

Kyle explained that Reynold would be required to live with him in his home, follow him around, and bake extravagant desserts similar to the ones featured on MasterChef.

'I want all these UFO looking desserts, at the moment I'm just scooping the Peters Ice Cream out and scoffing it out of a normal bowl,' he said.

When co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson urged Kyle to hire somebody that can make him healthy meals instead of 'non-stop dessert', he disagreed.

Tough gig: Kyle explained that Reynold would be required to live with him in his home, follow him around, and bake extravagant desserts similar to the ones featured on MasterChef

'How much does [Reynold] want a year to come and live at my house, cook only for me, and anyone else I've got there, visitors, that sort of thing,' he said.

Reynold first shot to fame on the seventh season of MasterChef Australia back in 2015.

The following year, he launched the luxury KOI Dessert Bar in Sydney's Chippendale.

'I want all these UFO looking desserts, at the moment I'm just scooping the Peters Ice Cream out and scoffing it out of a normal bowl,' Kyle said

The eatery was such a success that Reynold expanded with the KOI Dessert Kitchen in Ryde.

He's since opened Monkey's Corner cocktail bar in Chippendale and the pop up bakery TiNi Artisan Bakehouse.

Reynold returned to screens this year as a contestant on MasterChef Australia's all-star season.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Kelowna, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - Crystal Lake Mining Corporation (TSXV: CLM) (OTC Pink: SIOCF) (FSE: SOG) ("Crystal Lake" or the "Company") announces that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be relying on the coordinated relief provided by the securities regulators which consists of a 45-day extension for certain periodic filings, as announced by the Canadian Securities Administrators ("CSA") on March 18, 2020, with respect to the filing of its interim financial statements, management's discussion and analysis, and related officer certificates for its second quarter ended March 31, 2020.

The notice released by the CSA stated that securities regulators will be providing coordinated relief consisting of a 45-day extension for certain periodic filings required to be made on or prior to June 1, 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the British Columbia Securities Commission ("BCSC") has enacted BC Instrument 51-515, Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements ("BCI 51-515").

Crystal Lake will be relying on the temporary exemption pursuant to BCI 51-515 in respect to the following provisions:

the requirement to file interim financial statements for the six months ended March 31, 2020 (the " Financial Statements ") within 60 days after the end of the Company's interim period as required by section 4.4(b) of National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure (" NI 51-102 ");

the requirement to file management discussion and analysis (the " MD&A ") for the period covered by the Financial Statements within 60 days after the end of the Company's interim period as required by section 5.1(2) of NI 51-102; and

the requirement to file certifications of the Financial Statements (the "Certificates" and together with the Financial Statements, the "Interim Filings") pursuant to section 5.1 of National Instrument 52-109 Certification of Disclosure in Issuer's Annual and Interim Filings and section 4.4(b) [being the filing deadline for interim financial statements] of NI 51-102.

The Company is continuing to work diligently to file the Interim Filings by June 12, 2020.

Additionally, the Company advises that management and other insiders of the Company are subject to a trading black-out policy as described, in principle, in section 9 of National Policy 11-207, Failure to-File Cease Trade Orders and Revocations in Multiple Jurisdictions.

The Company confirms that since the filings of its interim unaudited consolidated financial statements for the three months ended December 31, 2019, there have been no material business developments other than those disclosed through news releases.

About Crystal Lake Mining

Crystal Lake Mining is a junior Canadian mining exploration company focused on exploration and development of it's 551 km2 Newmont Lake Property in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company has an option to earn a 100% interest in the Newmont Lake Project, which is one of the largest land packages in the broader Eskay Creek region of Northwest British Columbia's Golden Triangle.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

CRYSTAL LAKE MINING CORP.

"Cole Evans"

Chief Executive Officer

Email: info@crystallakemining.com

www.crystallakemining.com

For further information please contact:

Investor Relations

Sean Kingsley - Director of Communications

Tel: +1 (604) 440-8474

Email: info@crystallakemining.com

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release may contain certain "forward looking statements". Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56870
BDA Centre has launched the first medical digital platform in Bahrain, providing physicians with the opportunity to maintain training and develop themselves and their skills from a distance.

The aim of this digital platform, is to enhance their knowledge of how to deal with patients and employee in hospitals, clinics and health centers, in light of the precautionary procedures used to tackle corona pandemic and maintaining social distancing.

This platform was supported by a digital medical library containing scientific references in various specialties such as dentistry, dermatology, plastic surgery, infection control, and others.

This is considered the first step on the path to expanding in various medical specialties, and the centre has provided this library with visual lectures in containing lectures from fifty consultants and doctors from the Arab world, Europe, USA and India.

The launch of this platform was announced recently through a remote event, during which a prominent British doctor was hosted, and spoke about ways to tackle coronavirus and more than 800 doctors and concerned audience from Bahrain, the region and the world participated in this event.

The CEO of the BDA Centre, Dr Ahmed Shahda stated that both the platform and the library are a Bahraini initiative to assist doctors to develop their knowledge and skills, pointing out the importance of this initiative at this crucial time in light of the current coronavirus outbreak.

BDA Centre is ready to serve any sector or any government agency in using the platform and library free of charge, especially in the field of activating e-learning, as this comes within the framework of the centers commitment to its national responsibility towards supporting the progress of Bahrain, Dr Shahda added.

He said that the BDA Center, which is known for organizing many of the largest medical and health activities in the Kingdom of Bahrain, will utilise this platform to provide medical health courses remotely, and registry will be opened for those courses, lectures or events.

These lectures, events and workshops are recorded, especially the aspects that need practical explanation, and this will be done through the use of the latest digital and stereoscopic cameras for filming, so that they can be followed directly or watched on the platform in a way that ensures the provision of the most valuable benefit to doctors in Bahrain, the GCC and the world, Dr Shahda said concluding his statement. -- Tradearabia News Service
(John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own)

* Chartbook: https://tmsnrt.rs/2Xf3kw5

By John Kemp

LONDON, May 29 (Reuters) - U.S. petroleum inventories increased sharply last week as the fleet of tankers sent from Saudi Arabia at the height of the volume war started to discharge their crude while the recovery in domestic fuel use remained sluggish.

Total stocks of crude and products outside the strategic petroleum reserve climbed by almost 15 million barrels to a record 1.41 billion barrels, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Crude inventories jumped almost 8 million barrels to 534 million barrels, reversing a two-week draw, and the largest inventory build for four weeks ("Weekly petroleum status report", EIA, May 28).

Increased crude stocks were driven by a sharp acceleration in the volume of imports clearing customs, with around half of it discharged from tankers loaded with Saudi crude at the peak of the volume war in March and April.

U.S. crude imports accelerated by 2 million barrels per day (bpd), the largest one-week increase since 1996, adding an extra 14 million barrels to petroleum supply over the seven days ending on May 22.

Crude imports from Saudi Arabia accelerated by almost 950,000 bpd, the largest one-week increase since 2013, and the fastest rate of importation from the kingdom for almost four years (https://tmsnrt.rs/2Xf3kw5).

If these imports are part of a one-off wave, the legacy of the volume war between Saudi Arabia and Russia fought in late March and early April, they will not change the picture of a market rapidly rebalancing.

Domestic crude production was estimated to have fallen again last week to just 11.4 million bpd, slowing sharply from more than 13.0 million bpd at the beginning of March.

Crude inventories around the NYMEX WTI delivery point at Cushing in Oklahoma fell by more than 3 million barrels last week, the third consecutive draw, with stocks now down by a total of 12 million barrels.

Story continues

Cushing storage is now 68% full, down from a peak of 83% at the start of May. Local tank farms have spare capacity to store up to an extra 25 million barrels if needed.

Spare capacity at Cushing should ease some concerns about deliverability under the NYMEX WTI futures contract and reduce the risk of extreme pricing dislocations and volatility.

But it may be some time before anxiety among futures traders about deliverability is assuaged and they are confident to trade the front-month contract again.

CONSUMPTION

Stocks of refined products continued to increase, rising a further 7 million barrels to a record 880 million barrels last week.

Gasoline stocks were stable at 255 million barrels, though that was 24 million barrels above the level at the same point last year and 34 million barrels above the 10-year seasonal average.

But distillate stocks continued to surge, increasing more than 5 million barrels, and are now up by 42 million barrels since the economy went into lockdown.

Bloated distillate stocks are 39 million barrels above last year's level and 37 million barrels above the 10-year seasonal average.

Distillates are heavily geared to the level of manufacturing and freight, ensuring stocks have surged as much of the economy remains stalled.

Stocks are also swelling as jet fuel production is curtailed and surplus jet is blended down into the diesel pool because much of the aviation sector remains shut down.

The total volume of products supplied to the domestic market averaged 16.0 million bpd last week, slightly below 16.6 million bpd the previous week, but still far above the recent low of 13.8 million in early April.

Fuel consumption is trending higher as the lockdown is relaxed but the rate of recovery has slowed. As the lockdown lifts, the impact of the ensuing recession on demand is being unmasked.

Related columns:

- U.S. petroleum stocks stabilise as industry adapts to shock (Reuters, May 21)

- Oil traders shun WTI amid continuing concerns about delivery (Reuters, May 13)

- U.S. motorists start returning to the road (Reuters, May 7) (Editing by David Evans)
The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) recently issued proposed guidelines for the reopening of the economy by the administration of Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo following a stay at home order which shut down non-essential businesses as part of the effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. With a membership of over 42,000 nurses NYSNA is the largest nursing union in the state and the US.

Although the rates of newly confirmed COVID-19 infections and deaths in New York have been reduced to their lowest levels in 30 days through quarantine and social distancing measures, the state is still fully in the grip of the pandemic and continues to see over 100 deaths and over 1,000 infections on a daily basis. To date, the pandemic has claimed the lives of over 29,000 New Yorkers, a death toll higher than France or Spain. Reopening the economy under conditions where the numbers of cases are still high in New York, and increasing across many parts of the country, is preparing the grounds for mass death on a scale that may well outstrip what was seen in the spring.

While reopening at this point has been widely opposed by scientists and the general public, NYSNA has accepted the governors policy with its five-page report titled How To Move New York ForwardWhat Frontline Nurses Need Before New York Reopens.

NYSNA rally (Thomas Altfather Good/Flickr.com)

Well aware of the seething anger among workers and health care workers, in particular, the union advances a series of vague demands such as increased health care funding and adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). Conspicuously absent from the report are critical demands such as the need to provide every nurse with an adequate supply of N95 masks and the need for a comprehensive testing, tracing and quarantine program, which is the only public health policy that can contain the pandemic.

With its guidelines, NYSNA is seeking to provide the reopening of the economy under Cuomo with a left fig-leaf, promoting the illusion that the political establishment responsible for jeopardizing the health of the population and frontline healthcare workers can be pressured into adopting socially responsible policies.

In reality, Cuomo, along with New York City mayor Bill de Blasio and the rest of New Yorks ruling establishment are responsible for allowing the state to become the epicenter of the pandemic. Up until March 22, Cuomo intransigently opposed instituting any kind of quarantine measures, trivializing the disease and insisting that the fear, the panic is a bigger problem than the virus. He only reversed course after thousands of positive cases were confirmed in the state, all but ensuring the catastrophic propagation of the virus. Now, Cuomo, who has received millions in campaign donations from nursing home companies, is ensuring that no nursing home corporate executives will be held accountable for the staggering death toll in their facilities.

Even as the crisis was raging, the Democratic state and city administrations pushed through far-reaching cuts to education and health care. Cuomo has even gone so far as to waive $6.7 billion in emergency federal COVID-19 funding that is predicated on states not making cuts to Medicaid in their 2020 budget. Layoffs and furloughs of medical workers are already underway and further hospital closures are being prepared in an effort to guarantee profits at the expense of workers lives. The last two decades have seen 28 hospitals close across the state. The austerity measures pursued by Democrats and Republicans alike have directly contributed to the tens of thousands of lives already lost.

In the first months of the pandemic, nurses and other health care workers on the frontlines were confronted with a situation where chronically understaffed and undersupplied hospitals forced them to work in unacceptably dangerous conditions. The abandonment of well-established safety standards, including the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions relaxation of its one N95 mask per patient guideline, resulted in the avoidable death of at least 78 hospital workers in New York state alone, among them 32 NYSNA members.

The union bears direct responsibility for these deaths. Throughout the past months, it has blocked any struggle by nurses and other health care workers for more PPE.

In a particularly stark revelation of the unions hostility to nurses, NYSNA director Terry Alaimo attacked a Mount Sinai nurse in a vulgar outburst because she had exposed the inadequate supply of gowns and other PPE by sharing a photo of nurses wearing garbage bags. The photo quickly went viral as a shocking exposure of the horrific conditions prevailing in the hospitals in New York City, the center of world finance capital. In an email that was leaked to the New York Post, Alaimo wrote Diane is full of shit and has no Fking [idea] what is really going on  Tell Diane to shut the fk up and if she has an issue to call me. She is not helping and I am sure she is not working. She is a useless piece of sh-t.

One nurse at Elmhurst Hospital told the World Socialist Web Site that she and her colleagues had all written to the union for help.  I dont think theyre [union] doing anything about it. They [only] take dues out of your paycheck. Even as the pandemic was going to its fifth month, she said, the union was still not doing anything to address the shortage of PPE.

The few demonstrations organized by the union and a series of lawsuits against the state and two hospitals over lack of PPE have had the purpose not of improving the situation, but of diverting anger and demoralizing nurses. A lawsuit filed by NYSNA against Montefiore Medical Center, located in the Bronx, was dismissed on May 1. NYSNA immediately accepted the dismissal of the lawsuit and stated that the fact that Montefiore was now providing one N95 per daywhich falls far short of the required one N95 per patientwas enough of a success.

This record leaves no doubt that whatever vague demands it puts forward for public consumption, NYSNA will not only not fight for more PPE, but, in fact, is actively blocking workers from fighting for their interests and safe working conditions.

Health care workers must not accept that thousands more will die for the profits of Wall Street. In order to save the lives of workers, and ensuring their income, the following demands must be advanced:

Worker control over staffing levels and scheduling to allow for proper treatment for patients and sufficient rest and recuperation for workers.





Guarantee the highest quality PPE in sufficient quantities to allow their use in accordance with health and safety standards.





Immediately call back all laid off and furloughed health care workers.





Full and timely disclosure of information about the spread of the virus in the workforce.





Regular testing for all workers at no cost and full pay for those who must quarantine after testing positive.





Universal health care, free for all, and equality of care.

These demands can only be implemented through the establishment of rank-and-file workplace safety committees by health care workers in every hospital and workplace. They must be based on the principles of the social and medical needs of workers, and not those of private profit, so that they can guarantee that policies be implemented in strict accordance with scientifically recommended guidelines.

These committees must be completely independent of the unions. Nurses have paid a bitter price for the betrayals of the union, including with the deaths of their colleagues. The necessary political conclusions must be drawn.

The fight for safe working conditions and a scientifically based response to the pandemic that is carried out in the interests of the working class, and not those of Wall Street, requires a political break from the Democratic Party and a turn to a socialist and internationalist program.

NYSNAs role in the pandemic flows directly from its long-standing policy of subordinating workers to the Democratic Party. The union regularly organizes meetings with Democratic senators and presidential candidates such as Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders. It has repeatedly endorsed Andrew Cuomo in his election campaigns, touting his supposedly progressive credentials and presenting the politician of Wall Street as a friend of labor.

In its role as an extended arm of hospital management and the Democratic Party, NYSNA is mirroring the trajectory of the unions across the US and the world, which been transformed into organizations working directly on behalf of corporate management and the state.

Health care workers in New York are confronted with the same criminal policies as their colleagues across the country and, indeed, around the world. From Brazil to Germany, Ukraine, Russia and China, the lives of working people, including those of health care workers, are treated as expendable. It is among the working class across the US and internationally that health care workers will find their true allies.

We encourage nurses who are interested in setting up such committees and discussing these questions to contact us today.
New Delhi, May 29 : The output of India's eight major industries crashed in April 2020 by over 38 per cent on account of the national lockdown implemented to curb the Covid-19 outbreak.

On a sequential basis, the Index of Eight Core Industries had declined by 9 per cent in March 2020 and a rise of 5.2 per cent in April 2019.

The eight core industries include coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity.

As per the ECI, all sectors contracted in April, led by a massive decline in cement and steel production.

The ECI comprises over 40 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

"The growth rate of Index of Eight Core Industries for April 2020 declined by 38.1 per cent (provisional) compared to decline of 9 per cent (provisional) in the previous month of March 2020," the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement.

"In view of nationwide lockdown during April 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, various industries viz. Coal, Cement, Steel, Natural Gas, Refinery, Crude Oil etc experienced substantial loss of production." According to ICRA's Principal Economist Aditi Nayar, while the lockdown contributed to a broad-based contraction across all the eight core sectors, it had a differential impact on the extent to which activity was curtailed in the various constituents.
Employers will have to start paying 10 per cent of furloughed workers wages in September and 20 per cent in October, the chancellor has announced, as he laid out how the government will unwind its coronavirus job retention scheme.

People on furlough will be able to come back to work part-time from 1 July, a month earlier than had previously been announced  a move that was welcomed by unions and business groups.

Self-employed workers will be able to claim a second and final grant from 1 August of up to 6,570, Rishi Sunak said on Friday.

Some 8.4 million workers are on furlough, meaning they are not working and the government is paying 80 per cent of their wages up to 2,500 a month.

Firms will have to begin covering employers national insurance and pensions contributions for furloughed workers from 1 August.

They will pay 100 per cent of wages for the hours that part-time furloughed employees are at work. In September, the government will pay 70 per cent of wages for the hours that a furloughed worker doesnt work, with employers contributing 10 per cent. With NI and pension contributions, that will equate to employers covering 14 per cent of gross employment costs.

In October the government will pay 60 per cent of wages with employers contributing 20 per cent  representing 23 per cent of gross employment costs. These costs will create an incentive for companies to get employees back to work where possible. It will also leave them with a decision to make about whether or not to keep some staff on.

Mr Sunak said: Now, as we begin to reopen our country and kickstart our economy, these schemes will adjust to ensure those who are able to work can do so, while remaining amongst the most generous in the world.

When asked about potential job losses when the changes are implemented the chancellor said: There will be hardship ahead for many and that rests heavily on my shoulders.

He said the government would work to get people who lose their jobs back into employment as soon as possible.

The furlough scheme has been widely praised for softening the economic impact of a deep recession caused by the measures taken to combat coronavirus.

But the Treasury is keen to get people back to work and lower the amount of state support for firms and workers. The job retention scheme is forecast to cost about 80bn by the end of October, though most analysts agree that the impact of not intervening adequately would have been far greater.

Mike Cherry, national chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, welcomed the announcement, saying: The government is giving hope to small firms right across the UK.

Frances OGrady, general secretary of Trades Union Congress, said introducing part-time furlough earlier was the right decision. This will help employers gradually and safely bring people back to work, protect jobs and support the economy to recover, Ms OGrady said.

Recommended Why the furlough reforms risk a hard landing for the economy

As employers begin to contribute to the costs of furlough, we remain pleased that all workers will continue to receive at least 80 per cent of their wages for every hour worked until the scheme closes in October. However, the government needs to act urgently to make sure workers with health conditions or childcare responsibilities arent first in line when it comes to redundancies.

Kathleen Heycock, employment partner at law firm Farrer & Co, warned that women are more likely to be in the firing line for redundancy as the furlough scheme is wound down.

Mothers will be under huge pressure to manage competing work and childcare responsibilities, Ms Heycock said.

In reality, the threat of redundancies and instability in the job market may well mean women increasingly having to work longer hours to keep up with demands at work and at home, whilst fearing vocalising worries could leave them in a vulnerable position.

We must be wary that there is a risk of polarising an already hugely prevalent issue of the maternity penalty, meaning women taking time out to care for children either as formal leave or by part-time working suffer discrimination in the workplace.

Business groups and some think tanks had called for the government to adjust the furlough scheme in specific ways for different industries, giving more help to those businesses like pubs and restaurants that do not know when they will be allowed to reopen and which may be operating below capacity for a longer period than others.

But the Treasury rejected the proposal, saying it was difficult to draw lines between who was deemed to work in which sector and would therefore be too complex to implement.

Self-employed workers will be able to apply for a second grant from August which will be calculated at 70 per cent of average monthly trading profits up to 6,570 in total. That is less generous than a previous grant of up to 7,500 which covered 80 per cent of earnings.

Some 2.3 million people have so far claimed under the self-employed income support scheme. The government resisted calls to extend support to those who are ineligible, including people who have become self-employed in the past year.
Xu Lyuping, member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and former vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Party joins others worldwide in calling for cooperation to combat pandemic

The Communist Party of China has been actively working with political parties around the world amid the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen international cooperation against the virus and build a global community of health for all, said Xu Lyuping, former vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

"While the COVID-19 outbreak has temporarily affected the CPC's face-to-face interaction with political parties and organizations in other countries, frequent contact and communication between them have not been suspended at all," Xu, also a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top political advisory body, told China Daily.

In April, the CPC and more than 240 political parties from over 110 countries issued a joint open letter that called for carrying out closer international cooperation to combat COVID-19.

"This is the first joint appeal of major world political parties for strengthening international cooperation since the outbreak, and it has become a major event in the history of exchanges among world political parties," Xu said.

According to Xu, the CPC has sent messages to the leaders of hundreds of political parties in nearly 100 countries to give timely information to them about China's epidemic control and prevention situation during different periods with openness, transparency and responsibility.

China's control and prevention protocols, as well as diagnosis and treatment measures have been translated into several languages and have been provided to nearly 400 political parties, she added.

The CPC also shared China's experiences fighting against COVID-19 to help global anti-pandemic efforts through online meetings, including the Asian Political Parties Online Conference under the theme of "Forging Synergy against COVID-19" in late March, Xu said.

Since the outbreak, more than 600 people from over 300 political parties and organizations in more than 130 countries have sent their messages of solidarity and sympathy to the CPC Central Committee and its General Secretary Xi Jinping, voicing their support for Chinese people fighting against the virus, according to Xu.

"Many political parties and their leaders said that they were very impressed by the CPC's governing philosophy of putting people first and the major advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics," Xu said.

"Through exchanges and cooperation with political parties, the CPC will continue to inject positive energy into the global fight against the virus and undertake its mission as a responsible political party," she added.

Xu said that many political parties also voiced their opposition to individual country's attempts to politicize the COVID-19 pandemic and stigmatize China.

They said that some forces are using the novel coronavirus outbreak to meet their domestic political needs, and the root cause of such behavior is a Cold War mentality, according to Xu.

"They strongly condemned the act of shifting blame under the excuse of COVID-19, saying it would only undermine the solidarity of the international community and undercut anti-pandemic cooperation among countries," she added.
By David Henry

NEW YORK, May 29 (Reuters) - When Wall Street doesn't know where the world economy is heading, it books a session at Mark Zandi's "impairment studio".

Faced with a pandemic-fueled recession with few historical comparisons and a new accounting rule requiring lenders to total up expected losses even before borrowers default, scores of U.S. banks are relying on forecasts from Zandi, the chief economist of Moody's Analytics, to help with their calculations.

The exercise is critical to billions of dollars in quarterly earnings and one that, depending on the actions of regulators, could hit capital levels enough to choke a recovery.

"It feels like we're in the center of the universe," Zandi, 61, told Reuters. "But, at the moment, the economy is at the center of everything."

Even Zandi, who has been in economic forecasting for 30 years and has made countless appearances before Congress as an expert witness, says he was thrown by the coronavirus crisis.

He scrambled to update forecasts for the U.S. economy as countries around the world went into lockdown.

"March was an incredibly difficult month," said the economist, who is widely quoted in the U.S. media and a familiar face on business channel CNBC.

Moody's Analytics, a unit of Moodys Corp, says some 170 institutions around the globe get forecasts from Zandi and his team through a product called "ImpairmentStudio," a platform that helps clients calculate what their loan losses might be based on a range of different economic forecasts.

At least 59 U.S. lenders, including Truist Financial Corp, , the country's eighth biggest by assets, and smaller lenders have said they used Moody's scenarios, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods research shows.

While bigger lenders have stayed mum about Moody's, a bank economist who declined to be named said they check their numbers against Zandi's forecasts.

The chief financial officer of a regional bank, who asked not to be named, added: "We get the benefit of our analysts knowing what we are doing because we are in the pack using Moody's.

Story continues

"The product is pretty good and it is as close to a standard as exists."

Zandi's reputation as an independent-minded economist also helps. He has testified before congress more times than he can remember and, despite working on a presidential bid by the late Republican John McCain, was considered by President Obama as a contender to run the Federal Housing Finance Agency in 2013.

"He's not out there cheerleading and he's not doing gloom," said a second banker, who declined to be named.

MULTIPLE SCENARIOS

The pandemic struck just as the new accounting standard kicked in. The old one allowed lenders to wait to write-down values until losses were clear. That delay had led to doubts about banks' strength during the last financial crisis.

Bank of America Corp, Citigroup Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co and Wells Fargo & Co increased their reserves for loan losses by $16 billion in the first quarter, pulverizing profits.

During earnings calls, analysts pressed for details on which economic forecasts banks had used.

For those that acknowledged using Moody's, the analysts wanted to know, for example, if they had closed their books using Zandis March 27 updated baseline forecast that showed second-quarter U.S. gross domestic product falling at an annual rate of 18%. And, had they made adjustments or blended in any of Moody's more pessimistic or optimistic scenarios?

Answers were vague.

Since then, Zandis mid-April forecast showed the second-quarter rate of GDP at -30% and mid-May at -33%.

Analysts will be watching for the mid-June forecast for possible indications of additional loss expenses in the second quarter, said Brian Kleinhanzl of KBW.

The new accounting rule says banks must use "reasonable and supportable" forecasts, but there is a lot of flexibility on what scenarios they adopt and the choice can be material.

A Moodys study in April applied one of its more optimistic scenarios to a sample of commercial real estate loans and found expected credit losses would be 25% less than its base case scenario. A more pessimistic scenario resulted in 290% greater losses.

"Given the high amount of uncertainty in the economy, it turns out you can come up with multiple scenarios and they are all reasonable and supportable," Kleinhanzl said. (Editing by Carmel Crimmins)


Miramar, Florida police arrested Matthew Crandall, 21, for allegedly breaking into Miramar High School and smashing up the place. He wore only a hat and headphones as he destroyed computers and TVs and apparently caused major flooding. The total wreckage is estimated at $100,000.





Crandall was identified from surveillance footage. According to the Associated Press, "it's not known whether he has ties to the school."





(Thanks to our Florida bureau chief, Charles Pescovitz!)
SEOUL, May 29 (Reuters) - South Korean health authorities said on Friday they would request imports of Gilead Sciences Inc's anti-viral drug remdesivir to treat COVID-19, as new outbreaks of the disease flare as social distancing restrictions are eased.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety must approve the import of the drug but a government panel concluded remdesivir showed positive results, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said.

Foster City, California-based Gilead has said the drug has improved outcomes for people suffering from the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus and has provided data suggesting it works better when given in the early stages of infection.

Preliminary results from a trial led by the U.S. Institutes of Health showed remdesivir cut hospital stays by 31% compared with a placebo treatment, although it did not significantly improve survival.

Remdesivir, which previously failed as a treatment for Ebola, is designed to stop some viruses making copies of themselves inside infected cells.

After mounting an intensive campaign of tracing and testing to blunt an initial wave of coronavirus infections in February and March, South Korea has seen smaller but persistent outbreaks as it has lifted some social distancing restrictions in recent weeks.

As of midnight on Thursday, the KCDC reported 58 new cases, bringing the country's total to 11,402, with 269 deaths.

The new spike in infections have been clustered in Seoul and the surrounding areas, raising concern that the densely populated capital city could see a wider outbreak.

Those concerns prompted officials this week to close most government-run facilities like museums, galleries and theatres.

Education authorities, meanwhile, said they would press on with a phased reopening of schools, but imposed limits on the number of children allowed in some. Hundreds of schools across the country have be closed again, as new cases spring up. (Reporting by Josh Smith and Hyonhee Shin Editing by Robert Birsel)
The global health crisis caused by the COVID-19 disease has had an impact on the physical delivery of capacity building activities by many international organizations. However, both World Customs Organization (WCO) and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have shown their resilience and capacity to adapt to this unique situation by organizing online trainings, the latest being the successful delivery of a five-day PITCH (Prevention of Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Heritage) training from 25 to 29 May 2020.

Fourteen Customs officers from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey participated in the training, aimed at improving their knowledge and skills in preventing offences related to the illicit trafficking of cultural objects.

This joint WCO-OSCE initiative serves as an example of agility, partnership, synergy and flexibility resulting in rapid deployment of the PITCH training for the benefit of the Balkan Customs administrations that requested this training a year ago, said Pranab Kumar Das, Director of the WCOs Compliance and Facilitation Directorate.

Despite the COVID-19 crisis, an online solution was found and the training was adapted and deployed very quickly. We are delighted to be able to provide our best enforcement training packages for our Members, added Kumar Das.

We do believe that in this challenging period, more than ever before the shared expertise and knowledge will contribute towards protection of the unique and extremely rich cultural heritage of the concerned regions and even beyond, said Goran Stojkovski, Customs Adviser at the OSCE Secretariats Border Management and Security Unit.

Bringing representatives of Customs administrations of South-Eastern Europe participating States virtually together to benefit from the WCO PITCH training promotes the principles of confidence building and co-operation, as well as the sharing of resources and knowledge in the prevention of and fight against this specific phenomenon, said Goran Stojkovski. This is a great example of the implementation of the core commitments of the OSCE Border Security and Management Concept, which has proved its efficiency since its adoption in 2005, he added.

The training was conducted within the framework of an OSCE project that aims to position the phenomenon of illicit trafficking of cultural heritage higher on the agenda of the national services of the OSCE participating States, with a focus on further capacity building in accordance with identified best practices in a systematic manner.

It is also in line with the WCOs global deployment strategy of the PITCH training for Customs administrations, as stipulated in the WCOs 2016 Council Resolution, as well as the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2347/2017. WCO PITCH training is specifically aimed at enhancing operational capacities of the frontline Customs officers who act as the first line of defence in the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural objects.

The deployment of the PITCH training for the Balkan Customs administrations was the second joint effort of the WCO and OSCE, after the first instalment of the PITCH training in Central Asia in 2019, based on the Working Arrangement that both organizations signed in 2018, providing the framework for co-operation in areas of mutual interest.

The training was supported by the INTERPOLs Works of Art Unit, national experts from the UK Border Force, Turkish Ministry of Culture, Mersin University (Turkey) and Helicon Conservation Support (The Netherlands).
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: The body of a migrant worker was discovered in the toilet of a Shramik Special train while it was being sanitized in the yard of Jhansi Railway station on Thursday evening.

The migrant worker, identified as Mohan Lal Sharma (38), a native of Basti district in eastern UP, might have boarded the train in Jhansi to go to Gorakhpur on May 23, Government Railway Police (GRP) authorities said.

His family members said Sharma used to work in some factory in Mumbai and was returning home after being rendered jobless.

As per sources, Sharma reached Jhansi from Mumbai by a bus on May 23 evening. In Jhansi, he boarded an inter-district Jhansi-Gorakhpur Shramik Special train (No 04168). He had to de-board the train in Gorakhpur and proceed to his native district of Basti, which is just 70 km away from there.

However, after the passengers deboarded, the train left for Jhansi on May 27 and was taken to the yard for washing and sanitization.

The railway yard workers were shocked to find the decomposed body lying in the toilet. The toilet door was half-closed as the decomposed body was lying inside. GRP authorities in Jhansi claimed that Sharma had a railway ticket dated May 23 for Jhansi-Gorakhpur Shramik Special train in his pocket. Besides, they also found Rs 28,000 cash, some books and other items in the bag Sharma was carrying with him.

Subsequently, Jhansi police contacted Sharma's family members and asked them to come to Jhansi to receive the body.

Meanwhile, the railway authorities in Jhansi claimed that the body had decomposed as it was lying unattended inside the toilet for four days.

Police said the autopsy was being conducted on Sharma's body on Friday to ascertain the cause of the death. They further said the body would be handed over to the family after the autopsy and without the COVID-19 test as it was not possible to collect the sample from the decomposed body.
Matthijs van den Broek, board member of the Dutch Business Association in Vietnam

As countries are struggling to come to terms with the impact of the coronavirus, Vietnam has shown the world how to contain the spread of the virus successfully. Since January, it has closely tracked individual infection cases, closed schools, enforced local lockdowns, and introduced strict quarantine measures.

Vietnam has, rightfully so, received global praise for its timely and adequate response to the virus. Now that the economy is gradually being restarted, businesses are opening again and manufacturers are stepping up production. It is time to look ahead to the post-pandemic future. Vietnam is in the driver seat as far as establishing a new normal and regaining its growth path are concerned.

A true milestone for the Vietnamese economy is the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Tentatively, the deal will take effect on July 1. In addition, the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) will also be ratified by Vietnam. The EVIPA will not take effect until it has been ratified by all EU national parliaments.

The EVFTA will gradually over a period of 10 years remove most tariffs. The value of Vietnams exports to the EU is expected to rise 20 per cent in 2020 and 44 per cent in 2030. The EVFTA is likely to boost Vietnams GDP growth by 2.18-3.25 per cent in 2019-2023 and 4.57-5.3 per cent in 2024-2028. Bilateral agreements on the protection of foreign direct investment (FDI) are being replaced by the EVIPA. This year, Vietnam holds chairmanship of the ASEAN, reaffirming its increasing importance in the 10-nation trade union. Aligned with strengthening the ties with neighbouring states, Vietnam is pushing for more intra-ASEAN trade and investment. Next-door neighbours generally less-affected by the COVID-19 pandemic than further-away Europeans and Americans will be the first to pick up business with Vietnam. Moreover, an increased interest in Vietnam offering viable Southeast Asian manufacturing and supply chain options will further boost its economy.

The EVFTA may not only trigger aligning national policies with the ASEAN region and enhance the associations integration efforts but also make it easier for European enterprises to operate cross-border in several ASEAN countries. Furthermore, the ratification and implementation of the EVFTA is a first step towards re-negotiating an EU-ASEAN FTA.

The Dutch Business Association in Vietnam (DBAV) welcomes the EVFTA and congratulates Vietnam with the ratification. It is looking forward to intensifying the already existing trade relations between both nations in the post-coronavirus era.

The EU is Vietnams fourth-largest trade partner and the Netherlands is the largest investor among EU nations. Dutch multinationals such as HEINEKEN, Friesland Campina, Damen Shipyards, Philips, De Heus, and Unilever among others have a long-time presence in the country and have become cornerstones of the Vietnamese economy. These Dutch multinationals see Vietnam as a key driver for growth with its steady-growing economy and even faster-growing middle-class.

Besides having these multinationals prominently represented in Vietnam, already for decades, the Netherlands has also been bringing their expertise in water management, agriculture, and smart logistics to the country. Emphasising a circular economic model and jointly creating smart cities, the Netherlands and Vietnam are teaming up in developing a more sustainable economy.

Vietnam can continue to count on Dutch support: the Netherlands is, for example, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Vietnamese in addressing the Mekong saltwater intrusion and land subsidence problem. Furthermore, both nations, sharing an entrepreneurial spirit, co-operate closely on work-related topics such as social inclusion, gender equality, and labour rights. In this context, Vietnam adopted the new International Labour Organization-endorsed and EVFTA-triggered Labour Code in November last year.

Since mid-2019 the DBAV, in co-operation with Dutch private sector organisation NLinBusiness, has kick-started a professionalisation process whereby the associations organisational structure is being upgraded, its executive team expanded, its services portfolio broadened, and its Hanoi presence strengthened so as to establish a true business hub.

The DBAV and NLinBusiness are not alone in this, and the diplomatic network of the Netherlands in Vietnam are closely co-operating in welcoming Dutch companies in Vietnam to help them succeed.

The DBAV also maintains close relationships with other international bilateral chambers of commerce in Vietnam and the European Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Vietnamese government and the nations business community. In the Netherlands, the Vietnam-Netherlands Chamber of Commerce offers a Dutch base for firms and entrepreneurs active in Vietnam.

In 2019, Vietnam welcomed a trade mission with over 70 firms from the Netherlands headed by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and other government ministers and business leaders. The DBAV is looking forward to partaking in, and facilitating, new trade missions as soon as circumstances allow.n
Dr. Kwasi Amakye-Boateng, a Senior Lecturer at the History and Political Science Department, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), says poverty is the main cause of monetization in Ghana's politics.

We have been facing this problem as a nation because of the level of poverty in our system, he noted, and hoped the society would overcome this challenge in the course of the country's political development.

Over the years, concerns had been raised by many political analysts and opinion leaders about the systematic payment of money to voters with the intention of buying their votes.

This trend, according to experts, was a setback to building a resilient democracy, where the people were at liberty to choose their own preferred leaders.

Dr. Amakye-Boateng, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Kumasi, said: Gradually, we will get to the stage where voters could no longer be bought with money.

He observed that there had been vast improvement regarding the manner in which money could influence voters, especially under the Fourth Republican Constitution.

He said voters are becoming more conscious of their rights and responsibilities, casting their ballots based on developmental issues.

Dr. Amakye-Boateng stressed the need for the country to stay focused and work seriously to improve the economy, thereby creating jobs and wealth for the people.

When this is done it would reduce the tendency of the Ghanaian voter being influenced with money in order to sway his or her decision during elections, he observed.

The Senior Lecturer, sharing his views on proposals by a section of the public to postpone this year's General Election in the wake of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, said that decision would be terribly imprudent.

It would affect Ghana's democratic dispensation, he insisted, explaining that under the Fourth Republican Constitution, the tenure of elected leaders had been duly stipulated and which ought to be adhered to.

Dr. Amakye-Boateng said postponing the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections scheduled for December, this year, could hamper political stability.

He said The COVID-19 pandemic had come to stay with us, he argued, therefore, it was necessary that the preventive protocols were put in place for the safety of the people, while also not disrupting the electoral processes.

---GNA
A Coalition of Independent Presidential Aspirants (CIPA) in Ghana has decided to join forces to unseat the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) from government in the upcoming General Elections.

According to CIPA, their mission is to present to Ghanaians a coalition of Ghanaian leaders in their own fields, with global expertise, and to let the citizenry know they have the concern and skillset to unseat and replace the entrenched political NDC and NPP parties in the upcoming Presidential Election.

With corruption at its peak, debts at excessive levels and an economy that is only functional on paper but NOT in the pockets of ordinary Ghanaians, and with the natural wealth of Ghana being exploited and exported without corresponding improvements in the standards of living year after year for Ghanaian masses - it is time, for the status quo to be replaced. The time for change is NOW!!, a statement from the coalition has emphasized.

CIPA insists their sole aim is to fight for Ghana's second and final independence from the clutches of the main opposition party and the ruling NPP government in the 2020 elections.

In line with that, each of the aspirants has pledged to consolidate efforts with a unified Presidential candidate, to win the Presidency in 2020.

The goal of CIPA in the next few months is to show Ghanaians their national vision to restore Ghana's dignity in all sectors of the nation including Agriculture, Education, small and medium scale businesses, Health care, Environmental sanitation, etc.

Read the full press release from CIPA below:

INDEPENDENT PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS UNIFY TO UNSEAT NDC-NPP FOR 2020 ELECTIONS

Press Release

Accra, Ghana  May 29, 2020

For Immediate Release

A Coalition of Independent Presidential Aspirants (CIPA) in Ghana have announced their intention to form a united front to change the course of our history and deliver to Ghanaians better Accountability, better Citizen-centred Management of its economy and resources, and a long-term agenda that secures the future of Ghana's posterity.

The mission is to present to Ghanaians a coalition of Ghanaian leaders in their own fields, with global expertise, and let our people know we have the concern and skillset to unseat and replace the entrenched political NDC and NPP parties in the upcoming Presidential Election.

The Coalition of Independent Presidential Aspirants (CIPA) is made up of the list below at the time of Press, and it is our hope that others who share the vision will see the need to join forces with us for the greater good of God and Country:

1. KOFI KORANTENG - A Ghanaian Investment Banker and Real Estate Investor of International repute.

2. SAMUEL OFORI AMPOFO - a retired Ghanaian Mechanical Engineer, Farmer and Rural Banker.

3. MARRICKE KOFI GANE - an International Development Expert, Lecturer and Chartered Certified Accountant.

4. CARL EBO MORGAN - a Businessman, Political Scientist and Project Management Consultant with International experience.

5. ONIPAYEDE OSSOM TEYE - a Businessman and Welder.

The Presidential Campaigns of the various Independent Aspirants have reached this position via consensus - a consensus that the best approach to fight for the survival of Ghana and dispose of the NDC and NPP, is to unite behind a single campaign agenda.

There is a general realization and acceptance in the nation that Ghana is at the crossroads of a leadership crisis and that Ghana as we knew it as an independent nation may not survive under the heavy foreign debt burden, lack of payback plan, and lack of transparency. Neither of the two major political party leadership cares enough to understand the real needs of the ordinary people. They do not seem fully cognizant of the era we are in and about the youth and their struggles for survival. The leadership seem selfish and greedy and unconcerned about the citizens and the need to plan for posterity.

There is an urgent need to position Ghana in a manner that is a blessing to present and future generations.

With corruption at its peak, debts at excessive levels and an economy that is only functional on paper but NOT in the pockets of ordinary Ghanaians, and with the natural wealth of Ghana being exploited and exported without corresponding improvements in the standards of living year after year for Ghanaian masses - it is time, for the status quo to be replaced. The time for change is NOW!!

The Coalition of Independent Presidential Aspirants (CIPA) have one goal in mind - TO FIGHT FOR GHANA'S SECOND AND FINAL INDEPENDENCE from the clutches of the NDC and NPP in the 2020 elections.

Each of these aspirants is pledged to consolidating efforts with a unified Presidential candidate, to win the Presidency in 2020. Their GOAL in the next few months is to show Ghanaians our national vision to restore Ghana's dignity in all sectors of our nation, primarily:

Agriculture to a high level of modernisation, competitive advantage and productivity.

Attractive farming communities with basic roads and amenities to attract the youth.

A pragmatic and superior Educational system linked to job creation for our graduates.

Public and private financial capital investment in the Youth such as scholarships and student loans.

A boost in loans for small and medium scale businesses.

First class Health care that delivers improved life expectancy as in developed countries.

Environmental sanitation second to none with 99.9% control of the mosquito breeding and malaria in 3 years.

Ban open gutters and make underground sewage systems standard throughout Ghana.

Mandatory health standards of water flushing toilets in all homes, commercial and public places.

Support a constitutional amendment to Decentralise Presidential powers and elect local towns and districts for their rapid development.

Build only quality roads and Highways and make all contractors carry a 10 year bond.

Institute Quarterly public reports from the Public Utility Regulatory Authority and enforce the Quality and Reliability standards of services from our Power, water and Communication systems.

Use our Ghanaians scientific and technical expertise around the globe exclusively to develop IT and database systems for our security, corruption monitoring and management, Voting and other management systems.

Reduce the size of Government by 50% or more, cut the colonial allowance systems, and balance the Ghana government budget within 3 years!

Deal with corruption in the most cross-cutting, efficient and ruthless manner within the confines of law.

WE ARE COMMITTED! It is our prayer that the people of Ghana are committed with us to give Ghana a new breath of life.

God has blessed our Homeland Ghana - it is we, who must now make it Great and Strong.

May God continue to bless our Homeland Ghana.

Media Contact:

Ghana: Jeorge Wilson Kingson- +233 24 482 2034

Email: [email protected]

UK: YK Amakye Ansah Yeboah: +44 7984 621031

Email: [email protected]

USA: Dr. Kwaku A. Danso: 1-925-961-7554

Email: [email protected]
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

According to a new research published by Polaris Market Research the worldwide smart fleet market is anticipated to reach around USD 629.5 billion by 2026. In 2017, the automotive segment dominated the global market, in terms of revenue. In 2017, North America accounted for the majority share in the global Smart Fleet market.

The increasing need to track and monitor fleets to increase operational efficiency, and reduce costs drives the Smart Fleet Market growth. Organizations are increasingly adopting smart fleet systems to increase efficiency, and manage high volume of fleets. The growing need for high speed networks further accelerates the adoption of smart fleet systems. Other factors driving the market growth include growing need to reduce operational costs, increase profitability, and avoid road congestions and accidents. New emerging markets, increasing need to monitor driver behavior, and growing safety concerns are factors expected to influence the market in the coming years.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/smart-fleet-management-market/request-for-sample

North America is expected to lead the global Smart Fleet market during the forecast period. Significant investment by organizations to improve the fleet operations coupled with favorable regulations regarding transportation safety drive the growth of smart fleet in this region. Technological advancement and introduction of advanced smart fleet systems by the market players has increased the acceptance of smart fleet systems in the region. Asia-Pacific Smart Fleet Market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This is due to economic growth in countries such as China and India, and increasing investments in increasing fleet efficiency. Expansion of global players into these countries to tap market potential boosts the market growth.

The various mode of transportation covered in the report include automotive, rolling stock, and marine. Use of smart fleet solutions in automotive sector offers remote monitoring, fuel management, remote diagnostics, and route optimization among other functionalities. Increasing safety concerns, and government regulations regarding vehicular emissions support the growth of this segment.

Complete Summary with TOC Available @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/smart-fleet-management-market

The well-known companies profiled in the report include Cisco Systems, Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH, Denso Corporation, Sierra Wireless, Inc., Orbcomm, Inc., Siemens AG, Zonar Systems, Inc., IBM Corporation, Continental AG, OTTO Marine Limited, Harman International Industries, Inc., Globecomm Systems, Inc., and Globecomm Systems, Inc. These companies launch new products and collaborate with other market leaders to innovate and launch new products to meet the increasing needs and requirements of consumers.

elf Healing Materials Market Size and Forecast by Material Type Coatings Concrete Asphalt Polymers Ceramic Others

Self Healing Materials Market Size and Forecast by Technology Type Microencapsulation Reversible Polymers Biological Material Systems Others

Self Healing Materials Market Size and Forecast by End-Use Type Automotive Aerospace Electronics Building & Construction Others

Self Healing Materials Market Size and Forecast by Regions North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany UK France Asia Pacific China India Japan Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa



Avail discount on this report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/smart-fleet-management-market/request-for-discount-pricing

About Polaris Market Research

Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world.

Contact us-

Polaris Market Research

Phone: 1-646-568-9980

Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com

Web: www.polarismarketresearch.com
A device that kills feral cats using lasers and poison gel is getting rave reviews because it poses no threat to Australian native animals.

Researches at the University of New South Wales have successfully trialled the Felixer device, which targets feral cats and shoots a poison gel onto their fur.

The pests then lick the gel off their coat and die.

The device is able to detect the shape of a cat as it walks by before spraying the poison - and it takes a photo with each spray.

Twenty Felixers were set up for a six-week trial on a 2,600-hectare, fenced-off property in South Australia.

At the end of the six weeks researchers found that two thirds of the 50 feral cats on the property had been killed by the device and no other wildlife had been harmed.

Researches at the University of New South Wales have successfully trialled the Felixer device, which targets feral cats before shooting a poison gel onto their fur

One of the study's lead researchers, Katherine Moseby, said the results were very promising for eradicating feral cats in Australia.

'It's another tool in the toolbox,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'In the trial we had 100 per cent firing on cats. In some other trials, native animals triggered the device but it has a much higher target specificity than traps left on the ground.'

Dr Moseby said her and her team were 'really happy' with the trials and were working on similar tests for foxes.

'The initial trials are promising for foxes. Based on the success for the trials on cats, we are now testing conditions for cats across a range of climate conditions,' she said.

Dr Moseby said the Felixer was not yet available to the public but the team is working on commercialising it.

The Felixer devices detect the shape of a cat walking by before spraying poison onto them. The cats then lick this off, ingesting the poison and die

University of Adelaides Dr John Read, the man behind the Felixer device, said each unit costs around $15,000 to make. They can also be set up and left unattended for months at a time.

'At the moment they're not at commercial level as they're very expensive to make,' Dr Moseby said.

'We aim to get them cheaper so people can purchase them and eradicate feral cats.

'This is designed for feral cats, not for people with pet cats. If people keep their cats inside then they won't be affected.'

Western quolls are just one of dozens of native species preyed upon by feral cats in Australia

Dr Moseby said there are around two million feral cats in Australia and the impact on native wildlife is devastating.

'We released the bilbies (into the wild), and literally within only a few days, I was radio tracking one of the females that had pouch young, and I found her dead under a bush where it had been killed by a cat,' Dr Moseby said in a statement on the research.

HOW FELIXER WORKS Felixer is a device used to target and kill feral cats in Australia It can detect the shape of a cat walking by It then sprays poison onto the cat's fur which the cat licks off, ingesting it and then dying It has shown high target success rates and doesn't pose a risk to native animals It can be left unattended for several months and a photo is taken with each spray Advertisement

'The pouch young was still alive and was dying.

'When you see these beautiful, threatened native species, just time and time again being ripped apart by cats and foxes, you realise that although cats are really amazing animals, they don't belong in the wild.'

She said reintroducing protected species into the wild was near impossible due to cats and foxes.

'I've been doing reintroductions of threatened species for 20 years and almost every reintroduction attempt that you do in the wild fails due to cat or fox predation,' Dr Moseby said.

On Friday, a feral cat trapped inside a spit was found with 17 dead lizards inside its stomach.

The cat was found by a ranger on the Kaitorete Spit in Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand during a routine clean up.

On inspecting the cat's stomach content, the ranger found 17 highly endangered lizards.
[May 29, 2020] Enter the Battle of the Gangs in Free Fire's Latest Elite Pass, Fabled Fox

Complete missions to help Ben and Zarya reclaim their home and earn exclusive rewards MUMBAI, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Garena's Free Fire is once again taking Survivors deep within its universe, this time set in the present day, for its latest Elite Pass (EP), Fabled Fox. The new EP launches on June 1, 2020, and features powerful gangs and a story of revenge as two gang leaders return to a home they were forced out of. There are also plenty of rewards to earn, such as Kitsune's Riposte & Revenge skin sets and the Fabled Foxes Motor Bike. The Fabled Fox EP stars two protagonists: Ben and Zarya. Both grew up in the Salter District but were forced out as adolescents when the Smaki Gang took over. Their new home is controlled by the Vulpes, a far worse situation. Coerced to join the Vulpes and rise through the ranks in order to survive, a decade has passed and Ben and Zarya are now leaders. They decide now is the time to use their ferocity and cleverness to take back the Salter District from the Smaki Gang. In the Fabled Fox EP, Survivors can earn a number of themed rewards that include: Kitsune's Riposte / Revenge skins: male and female skin sets featured in the Fabled Fox key art.

Fabled Foxes Rucksack: a new backpack skin that has a special effect when worn.

a new backpack skin that has a special effect when worn. The Dashing Fox: a new skateboard skin whose tail is in the shape of the tail of a nine-tailed fox.

a new skateboard skin whose tail is in the shape of the tail of a nine-tailed fox. Fabled Foxes Loot Crate: a new loot box skin that resembles the Fabled Foxes' mask.

a new loot box skin that resembles the Fabled Foxes' mask. Fabled Foxes Motor Bike: a new moto bike skin that helps players look even more intimidating as they ride down a road.



The Fabled Fox EP will be available for Survivors to experience starting on June 1, 2020.

Survivors looking to tap into their inner Okami are encouraged to download Free Fire at the following locations: Apple iOS App Store :

https://apps.apple.com/US/app/id1300146617?mt=8

: https://apps.apple.com/US/app/id1300146617?mt=8 Google Play Store:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dts.freefireth&hl=en_US About Garena Garena is the leading game developer and publisher in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Latin America, and has expanded into other fast-growing markets globally. For more information on Garena, please visit https://www.garena.com. To find out the very latest on Free Fire, do head down to https://www.facebook.com/freefireIND.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
India records biggest jump of 7,466 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, taking the total number to 1.65 lakh. With 175 deaths in one day, the death toll in the country now stands at 4,706. The active cases are 89,987, of which 71,105 have been cured or discharged. Meanwhile, fresh 1,106 coronavirus cases have been reported in Delhi, taking total tally in Delhi to over 17,000, says Heath Minister Satyendar Jain.

Check out all the latest updates on coronavirus pandemic in India on BusinessToday.In live blog

5.00 PM: Railway today clarified that only 4 trains out of 3840 trains have taken more than 72 hours. All these were North-East bound trains, which are long routes. One train, which was going to Assam got delayed because of landslide on the track, which took one day to clear. Just 71 trains which is 1.8% of total operation, were diverted between May 21 and 24 because of heavy congestion on UP-Bihar route. Media report that a train reached in nine days, is factually wrong.

4.30 PM: Chairman of Railway Board Vinod Kumar Yadav said that 279 Shramik Special trains with almost 3 lakh migrants have been operated till May 20. Most migrants, 42 per cent, have been ferried to UP, 37 per cent to Bihar. Food and water is being provided at starting stations and free meals and water have been arranged en route by IRCTC and Railways Division. Yadav said that the demand for special trains by states have gradually come down.

4.00 PM: PC Rao, President, Bangalore Hotelier's Association said that the hotel industry has been the worst-affected along with the tourism industry due to coronavirus lockdown. He said that the industry has lost its customer base and does not expect much from the six months ahead. Business is likely to be slow even after reopening, he added.

3.35 PM: India reported 7,466 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, its highest single-day spike as of date, taking India's total count of confirmed coronavirus cases to 1.65 lakh on Friday morning, according to the latest update by the Union Health Ministry.

Also read: Coronavirus in India: 7,466 cases in 24 hours, highest 1-day jump, death toll at 4,706; Maharashtra worst-hit

3.30 PM: Lockdown 5.0 might allow a few more relaxations than in phase four. As the current phase is nearing its end, speculations are rife that the government would order another round of restrictions as coronavirus cases in the country continue to rise. The government, reportedly, would focus on a few cities that have a high density of corona cases and account for the bulk of cases in the country.

Also read: Lockdown 5.0: List of activities likely to be permitted, prohibited after May 31

3.20 PM: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday that the ongoing lockdown scheduled to end on May 31 could be extended by another 15 days, a day after his telephonic conversation with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Interacting with media in Panaji on the sidelines of a Tourism Ministry event, Sawant informed that Goa will make a pitch for reopening of hotels, restaurants, malls, gyms, and hotels with the enforcement of social distancing rules.

Also read: Lockdown may be extended by another 15 days, says Goa CM after talking to Amit Shah

3.15 PM: Coronavirus cases in Andhra

The number of COVID-19 cases rises to 2,874 in Andhra Pradesh, with 33 fresh cases being recorded in the last 24 hours. Active cases and deaths stand at 777 and 60, respectively.

3.00 PM: Last conversation between Modi and Trump was on April 4 on issue of hydroxychloroquine. PTI

2.45 PM: Union Home Minister Amit Shah briefs Prime Minister Narendra Modi on views of chief ministers on extension of lockdown beyond May 31.

2.30 PM: Delhi govt believes that places where large gatherings take place, like cinema halls, should remain closed. Schools and colleges should also remain closed: Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain on consultations with Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the coronavirus lockdown.

Delhi govt believes that places where large gatherings take place, like cinema halls, should remain closed. Schools and colleges should also remain closed: Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain on consultations with Union Home Minister Amit Shah over #CoronavirusLockdown pic.twitter.com/gzVFk4MZyO ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2020 2.09 PM: There is no need to panic, recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in Delhi is around 50 per cent, says Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. The COVID-19 death cases in Delhi have jumped to 398. 2.06 PM: Fresh 1,106 coronavirus cases have been reported in Delhi, taking total tally in Delhi to over 17,000, says Heath Minister Satyendar Jain. 1.45 PM: Migrants gather outside Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai to return to their native places. A woman says,"my child was born April 12, we don't have anything to eat now. I request govt to help us reach our homes in Bihar." - ANI Maharashtra: Migrants gather outside Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai to return to their native places. A woman says,"my child was born April 12, we don't have anything to eat now. I request govt to help us reach our homes in Bihar." pic.twitter.com/44HWabLx4N ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2020

1.30 PM: Nine more people have tested positive for coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh, taking the total number of cases in the state to 290. There are 204 active cases in the state and 77 people have been recovered/discharged so far.

1.00 PM: The Finance Ministry is engaging with Labour Ministry over job losses and salary cuts; has asked the Labour Ministry to collect data on job losses during COVID-19. -ANI

Also read: Rajasthan Covid-19 Tracker: 91 fresh coronavirus cases take state's tally past 8,000; Jaipur worst-hit

12.30 PM: BookMyShow has joined the list of companies shedding workforce due to unfavourable business environment amid the coronavirus pandemic in India. The movie ticket booking platform has reportedly laid off or furloughed 270 employees (around 18 per cent) across its offices in the country. Others have faced 10-50 per cent salary cut, depending upon their level in the company. Ashish Hemrajani, CEO of BookMyShow, in an email to the employees said this was "uncomfortable, unfortunate yet inevitable" situation, and that none of this was based on workers' quality of work.

12.00 PM: US investment bank Jefferies Group, in a recent report, has said India's lockdown has been the strictest in the world and that its impact on the economy would be deeper. The report says the economic compulsion has driven lockdown relaxation in the fourth phase, even though the COVID-19 spread is worsening due to multiple factors, including migrant movement and lack of medical infrastructure in big cities. "Around 4 million-migrant labour going back to villages recently has not only driven selective labour shortage but also raised COVID-19 risks," the Jefferies' report said.

Also read: Maharashtra Covid-19: 2,598 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, total count nears 60,000
THE STUDIES SEEM LIKE something straight out of science fiction.

There's one focused on using stem cells to regenerate skull bone for patients with skull defects. Another aims to develop a hydrogel patch that could reduce scarring and regenerate hair follicles and sweat glands in burn victims.

Another looks to create a transdermal patch that could repair skin damaged during radiation therapy for survivors of cancer.

Each is currently being developed at the Center for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Tissue and Organ Regeneration (C-DOCTOR) as it enters Stage 3 of its endeavor, with a $30-million grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR).

C-DOCTOR is a consortium of California academic institutions with a mission of becoming a sustainable, comprehensive national resource center that enables the clinical translation of innovative regenerative therapies to replace dental, oral and craniofacial tissues or organs lost to congenital disorders, traumatic injuries, diseases and medical procedures.

"This initiative isn't about incremental progress," said Ostrow Associate Dean of Research Yang Chai PhD '91, DDS '96. "What we're really trying to do is create disruptive technologies that will fundamentally change the way we treat patients."

The endeavor first began in 2016 when the NIDCR challenged institutions across the nation to develop safe and effective clinical strategies for dental, oral and craniofacial tissue regeneration.

During Stage 1, 10 groups were selected to put together comprehensive teams -- clinicians, research scientists, biostatisticians, regulatory scientists and pre-clinical/clinical trial experts as well as leaders of industry -- to support researchers and expedite innovative technologies and therapeutics to FDA clinical trials.

Only two centers moved forward into Stage 2, with several California schools coalescing into C-DOCTOR, a consortium of academic institutions, including USC, UC San Francisco, UCLA, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC San Diego and the City of Hope.

The other center -- the Michigan-Pittsburgh-Wyss Regenerative Medicine Resource Center -- is composed of the University of Michigan, the University of Pittsburgh and Harvard University's Wyss Institute.

During Stage 2, the centers recruited interdisciplinary translational project (ITP) teams with innovative ideas and provided them all the resources necessary to bring their products to human trials.

"This program is a very clever, very well-designed process to foster the development of these ITP teams," said Chai, who is a co-principal investigator of C-DOCTOR, alongside UC San Francisco's Jeffrey Lotz.

Now entering Stage 3, C-DOCTOR has nine ITP teams (six of which must still meet certain metrics before entering Stage 3).

The other six teams will continue their efforts to move into Stage 3.

They include technologies to regenerate bone, salivary glands and craniofacial musculature and provide relief for arthritis caused by TMJ. The PIs leading two of those teams are Alex Wong and Denis Evseenko of Keck School of Medicine of USC.

"We feel such a great sense of responsibility and trust to be given this opportunity to work with a group of such talented people to help advance dental, oral and craniofacial tissue regeneration," Chai said.

Chai credits the continued success of C-DOCTOR to the team they've managed to put together.

"We have discovered a lot of talent that we didn't know about before," he said. "Just by working with all these people and making these connections, we hope that C-DOCTOR becomes a breeding ground for future innovative research projects that will continue to propel us toward dental, oral and craniofacial tissue regeneration."

He also credited the operations team, led at USC by project director Bridget Samuels, for managing the project on a daily basis.

"This kind of grant is a collaborative agreement with the NIDCR to work together every step of the way to ensure the success of this program," Chai said. "Bridget and her team have been instrumental in this endeavor -- not only in maintaining continued communication with the NIDCR but also with our daily operations."

###

Mark Urata and Scott Fraser from USC are co-investigators on the C-DOCTOR grant and play an important role in clinical and translational aspects of the consortium.

The research is supported by the National Institute Of Dental & Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number U24DE029463.
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday said it has attached assets, including five Swiss bank accounts, worth Rs 385.44 crore of Rajiv Saxena, a middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP choppers money laundering case. It said the value of the properties attached is USD 50.90 million (Rs 385.44 crore) and a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has been issued.

The attachment pertains to two PMLA cases being probed by the central agency, the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP choppers case and the Moser Baer bank fraud case in which the prominent accused are the promoters of the latter firm, businessman Ratul Puri and his father Deepak Puri.

Ratul Puri is the nephew of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and is also an accused in the VVIP choppers case.

"The attached assets include a villa in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, worth 20 million AED and balances in five Swiss bank accounts amounting to USD 45.55 million," the agency said in a statement.

Saxena was deported by India from the UAE in January last year and was arrested by the ED. He is out on bail at present.
The Amritsar rural district police on Friday arrested prime accused Ajaypal Singh of Mode village in Ajnala subdivision in connection with a narco-terror module busted in January.

The module was busted with the arrest of army jawan Rahul Chauhan of Haryana, Dharminder Singh of Dhanoa Khurd village in Amritsar, and Balkar Singh of Kalas village in Tarn Taran district. Police had also recovered two highly sophisticated China-made drones, two walkie-talkie sets, Rs 6.22 lakh in cash, and the magazine of an Insas rifle after quizzing the accused.

As the investigation proceeded, police had arrested six more members of the module, which had been involved in cross-border smuggling of narcotics and weapons from Pakistan by using drones. Army jawan Chauhan was reportedly involved in procuring and supplying drones and providing training to the smugglers.

Senior suprintendent of police (SSP, rural) Vikram Jeet Duggal said Ajaypal Singh was arrested in Chheharta area on the basis of a tip-off. He was being sheltered by one Dilbagh Singh, alias Bagha, of Khasa village. A separate case of criminal harbouring has been registered against Bagha, he said.

Duggal said ten people have been arrested so far in the case and. Certain Pakistan-based drug smugglers who were sending drugs and weapons from across the border have been identified. Ajaypals arrest is likely to lead to further disclosures, said the SSP.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Jakarta, Indonesia  Fri, May 29, 2020 11:47 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdae3aff 2 Environment Bali-Safari-and-Marine-Park,giraffe,coronavirus,animals Free

A Bali zoo has named a baby giraffe Corona in honour of her birth during the global pandemic.

The calf was born on April 9 to mother Sophie and father Matadi, joining two other siblings at Bali Safari Park on the Indonesian holiday island.

A video released by the zoo showed the calf being born in a small enclosure.

Read also: Taman Safari Indonesia names newborn Sumatran elephant Covid

"She was born during the COVID-19 pandemic so the environment minister... named her Corona," said zoo spokesman Anak Agung Ngurah Alit Sujana.

"Corona is healthy and is still breastfeeding. We'll keep her under observation for three months."

Bali Safari Park has been closed to visitors since late March as part of efforts to stem the spread of coronavirus infections.
A top Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist, allegedly involved in the 2018 Bodh Gaya blast case, was arrested from a hideout in Murshidabad district of West Bengal early on Friday, a senior police officer said. The special task force (STF) unit of the Kolkata Police along with Murshidabad district police and local officers in Suti town arrested Abdul Karim alias Boro Karim, one of the JMB's top operatives in the country, the officer said.

"He had provided shelter to JMB leaders from Bangladesh, who were directly involved in the Bodh Gaya blast. He was arrested this morning from Suti police station area of Murshidabad district," the officer said. In 2018, the STF unit had seized a huge quantity of explosives and ' jihadi' material from his house in Murshidabad. Karim could not be traced back then.

READ | 'Last call between PM Modi, US Prez was about HCQ': Sources on Trump's mediation offer

Police sources said that Karim has not been named by the National Investigative Agency in its charge sheet in the Bodh Gaya blast case, but had been under scanner for a while. "He is among the top three JMB operatives wanted in India. We have been looking for him for quite some time. He will be produced before a local court today and we will seek his police custody," she added.

On January 19, 2018, a low-intensity bomb had exploded in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, hours after Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama had finished a sermon at the Mahabodhi temple. The NIA had arrested five people in connection with the case.

READ | Coronavirus Live Updates

India banned JMB

In May last year, Indian had banned terrorist organisation Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), which was blamed for the terror attack at a cafe in Dhaka in 2016 in which 22 people including 17 foreigners were killed. In a notification, the home ministry said that the outfit has committed and promoted acts of terrorism and has been engaged in radicalisation and recruitment of youths for terrorist activities in India.

Therefore, the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Hindustan and all its manifestations have been inserted in the First Schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the notification said. The listing under the First Schedule of the UAPA means the outfit is now a banned organisation in India, a home ministry official said.

READ | Uttar Pradesh: CM Adityanath to sign MoU on employment for migrants, 11.5 lakhs to benefit

READ | Relief for migrant workers as SC passes interim directions; states to bear travel fare

(with PTI inputs)
The Australian Marine Safety Authority has laid charges against the master of the APL England for offences relating to pollution and damage of the marine environment as a result of poor cargo loading.

The charges came as the Singapore-flagged ship, which spilled some of its cargo off the NSW coast last Sunday, confirmed it lost 50 shipping containers in the incident.

Containers cling precariously to APL England last Sunday after other cargo fell overboard. Credit:Australian Maritime Safety Authority

The ship was en route to Melbourne from China when rough seas caused the containers to topple overboard.

AMSA operations general manager Allan Schwartz handed down the charges on Friday, a decision he said was not taken lightly.
359 Shares Share

The United States has some of the most advanced medical technology in the world, yet COVID-19 has exposed significant deficiencies in our health care system. As nothing will be the same after coronavirus, our health care system must also change as we move forward. Now is the time to work towards improving the current system and begin to develop an infrastructure that delivers medical care at an optimum level, not only in crisis situations but also in daily care.

The decision to close down non-essential businesses in most states and implement social distancing protocols was necessary to attempt to control the spread of the virus. However, these policies have resulted in foreseeable but unintended consequences that have had a direct impact on the ability to deliver health care for physicians who provide non-emergent procedures and care. Physician practices are small businesses, and many clinics have had to close and furlough or fire much of their staff. Hospitals have been dealt with large financial blows, and the economic consequence of these decisions will inevitably result in hospital closures and the failure of physician practices. In order to preserve resources for patients with COVID-19, state health departments also issued mandates requiring the cancellation of all elective cases, and hospitals canceled the majority of elective operative procedures.

While currently on hold, these canceled elective procedures will eventually need to be rescheduled, and many systems across the country have plans to resume cases in a step-wise manner. However, prior to this pandemic, many hospitals were already working near to or over capacity, and COVID-19 has overwhelmed an already overburdened health system. When elective procedures do resume, a reallocation of already limited resources will be necessary to provide care. As clinics and hospitals begin to adjust to a new normal where preoperative COVID-19 testing and use of PPE may become the standard of care, in a system already pushed to its limit, safely performing emergent and elective procedures will be a challenge.

One component of addressing these shortcomings and finding solutions will be a need to develop a strategy that would avoid a total shutdown of elective surgical procedures in times of public health crises.

Currently, patients are able to receive surgical care in the hospital, a hospitals outpatient surgery department, an ambulatory surgery center (ASC), or in a physicians office. However, many procedures currently performed in the hospital can be transitioned to the outpatient setting. Implementing a strategy to intentionally move more procedures to ASCs has many benefits, such as:

Moving these cases out of hospitals as a standard of care would result in an increased capacity for hospitals to take care of patients with acute illnesses.

Orthopedic Reviews and the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association estimated significant cost savings for patients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shown that the ASC setting is potentially a cleaner and safer environment for performing procedures.

Delays in procedures can result in complications when procedures initially identified as elective progress and become more emergent. In ASCs, scheduling can be undertaken more seamlessly and personalized to the patients needs.

By decreasing the burden of the numbers of patients receiving elective or less emergent procedures in the hospitals, hospitals would be able to better provide care for those requiring emergent care, patients with acute illnesses, and those who require complicated labor-intensive procedures.

All procedures cannot be performed in ASCs, and more complex procedures requiring hospitalizations would continue to be performed in the hospital setting. However, there is a need for more of these centers to supplement the care provided by hospitals. Unfortunately, barriers remain for opening ASCs. ASCs receive less reimbursement for procedures compared to hospital outpatient surgery centers. More than 30 states have a certificate of need requirement that prevents the opening of these centers. Payments for procedures done in ASCs are also often delayed while awaiting certification. In order for these centers to function optimally, efficiently, and succeed, it is essential payments occur when the procedure is performed, and a swifter certification process is necessary. A certification process should also be required for carrying out complex surgical procedures in the office setting.

These outpatient centers must also have safeguards in place in order to deliver safe care and protect both health care workers and patients, especially during times of national crisis such as a global pandemic. Precautionary measures such as a presurgical COVID-19 test are easier to implement in smaller health centers and decrease the potential exposures to communicable illnesses, including COVID-19, when compared to hospitals where patients interact with far more health care workers. The ability to control exposure while still performing these non-emergent procedures is more easily achieved in the smaller, more intimate outpatient setting. Thus, physicians have a more cost-effective and potentially safer environment in which to deliver care.

The U.S. health care system is broken, as has been made even more apparent during this crisis. In order to continue to provide the best care to patients across the country, the health care system must evolve to meet new challenges. It is time to analyze the current health care delivery system and make changes for the future. One necessary component is an increase in ASCs.

Shikha Jain is a hematology-oncology physician who blogs at her self-titled site, Dr. Shikha Jain. She can be reached on Twitter @ShikhaJainMD. Krishna Jain is a vascular surgeon.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
LANSING, MI -- As employers across the state continue to reopen their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, a newly launched tool is available to help employees and businesses track possible spread at their facilities.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Labor and Economic Opportunity announced Friday a collaboration with the University of Michigan School of Public Health and College of Engineering to launch the MI Symptoms Web Application.

The web application is free and available to all Michigan residents starting Friday. It allows users to enter their symptoms into the portal which will then tell them and their employers if the symptoms are severe enough to seek medical attention, if they should not leave the house and more. It also provides employees a dedicated tool that allows them to inform their employer if they should not be at work.

MI Symptoms will help Michiganders identify symptoms of the virus early, allowing them to take the appropriate actions for their health and the health of those around them, said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health in a press release announcing the platform. This will also help state and local public health workers connect these individuals to important resources like testing locations and support services. I encourage people to sign up on the app to stop the spread of the virus.

Users will log in each day and fill out a simple form that asks questions about any symptoms theyre experiencing that may be related to COVID-19. Depending on the symptoms and their severity, the tool will inform both the user and employer if the employee should stay home. The tool will also provide users with CDC and state suggestions for handling the virus, where they can go to get tested and other vital information regarding COVID-19.

As users share their information, the data will be shared with the MDHHS and local public health systems who can then reach out to a business or individual. That can be especially helpful if multiple people report symptoms at a specific business or property, state officials said.

Instead of a local health department having to wait for lab tests to come back, the department will have an indication if there is a group of individuals working in a place where symptoms have been reported," said Sarah Lyon-Callo, Ph. D, state epidemiologist, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

The data would also allow health officials to reach out and determine what course of action need to be taken by the individuals or to offer assistance to businesses to ensure spread doesnt occur.

Sharon Kardia, Ph.D, Associate Dean at U-M School of Public Health said its important that employees who have not experienced any symptoms continue to report because it will help the state determine if spread of the virus is happening.

Evan Anderson, the chief strategist for the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity said the tool is a cost effective way for employers to comply with state rules regarding employee health checks as businesses open. Anderson made it clear the states tool is not the only tool available to employers, but is a free option to those looking to meet the state minimums for surveying their employees.

Anderson went on to say that a daily temperature check for employees is still recommended by the state, but is not part of the minimum requirements for the allowing employees to work. He went on to say the only information collected by the tool is the users name, total number of people whove reported symptoms and the total number of people who have signed up.

The tool does not track a users through their phone using Bluetooth or GPS state officials said.

The data collected and shared with the state will eventually be used alongside the states MI Safe Start map to better display how the virus is moving.

People can see what is going on in terms of the frequency of those symptoms, Kardia said.

The MI Safe Start map has been touted by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as it explains the various regions the state is examining for the phased reopening. The data will help officials determine the risk factor for each region as the state determines what restrictions can be lifted.

The map was designed and created by faculty, staff, students and alumni from the UM School of Information, alongside university epidemiologists from the School of Public Health. Through the partnership between the state and the university, sharing the data will allow officials to share more information with the public without compromising their privacy.

Were able to make use of knowledge and experience to produce information to create a heat map that gives people an idea of what is going on locally that doesnt expose anyone individually, Lyon-Callo said.

The tool can be accessed online through the state website. Users can access the tool via their home computer or web browsers on mobile devices.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

READ MORE

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

Friday, May 29: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar has been mentioned as a top contender to be Joe Biden's running mate. (Robert F. Bukaty / Associated Press)

Amy Klobuchar has long been seen as a top contender to be Joe Bidens running mate, albeit with a glaring liability: her weak standing with black voters, a core Democratic constituency.

That vulnerability became even more acute this week after George Floyd, an African American man, died after being pinned to the ground by police in Klobuchars home county. The death highlighted once again her record as a prosecutor and sharpened questions of whether the Minnesota senator would be the best choice in this moment of national racial anguish.

She would be the absolute worst pick at this point, said LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the group Black Voters Matter, adding, In light of what is happening now, it would be an absolute slap in the face of black folks. And the party will pay dearly for that.

Floyd was videotaped as he gasped for air while handcuffed on the ground with a Minneapolis policeman pressing his knee into his neck for about eight minutes as three other officers looked on. His death Monday sparked days of destructive protests locally and across the country. Activists describe a black community at a breaking point, frayed by the recent high-profile police killings and violence and threats from white Americans captured on video, as well as bearing the disproportionate brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"If George Floyds death has any legacy  because he will never be brought back  it should be systematic change to our criminal justice system," Klobuchar said in an MSNBC interview on Friday.

She demurred when asked whether she should withdraw from consideration for vice president, calling it "Joe Biden's decision."

In an interview Friday on MSNBC, Biden dodged a question about whether Klobuchar's record disqualified her as a vice presidential pick. "What we're talking about today has nothing to do with my running for president or who I pick as vice president, it has to do with an injustice we all saw take place," Biden said.

Story continues

U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, one of the most influential voices in the Democratic Party, told reporters that Klobuchar's chances probably had diminished in light of the upheaval in Minnesota.

"This is very tough timing for Amy Klobuchar, who I respect so much," he said. "The timing is tough."

Some of Klobuchars backers see her as an unfair target for anger over the killing.

She had nothing to do with that officer putting his knee on this young man's throat and killing him, said Cordelia Lewis Burks, a longtime African American political activist and current vice chairwoman of the Indiana Democratic Party.

Lewis Burks, who favors Klobuchar's pragmatic approach, said that many Democrats have had to acknowledge changing attitudes about criminal justice issues. As time passes, she said, "there is the chance to look at your record and say, 'This was not what I should have done; I wish I had done something else.'"

The incident comes at a precarious time for Klobuchar, whose struggle to appeal to black voters dogged her presidential bid.

Hailing from a predominantly white state, she was a relative unknown to black voters in the Democratic primary. As her profile rose, so did hard looks into her record, such as the flawed prosecution of a black teenager, Myon Burrell, for murder. (She has since called for an independent review of the case.)

Klobuchar built a tough-on-crime image as prosecutor in Hennepin County from 1999 to 2007, but police accountability advocates say that tenure has fostered the discontent that exploded into the uprising this week in Minneapolis.

As far as Im concerned, shes a racist [who] basically made our prisons the blackest place in this state, said Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, a longtime activist group that has collected records on police deaths in the Twin Cities area over the last two decades. She turned nonviolent drug offenses into major felonies. She locked up all of these black men in prisons really to fit her agenda.

Klobuchar has said that she supervised 10,000 to 15,000 cases a year as Hennepin County attorney, and I cannot account for everything that happened in every case, she told the Los Angeles Times editorial board in an interview earlier this year. I do know that the African American incarceration rate, if you look at the pure numbers, went down 12% since I got there.

In the 1990s and 2000s, when she came to political power, mainstream expectations were different for so-called law-and-order Democrats. Many Democratic prosecutors used their records to successfully run for higher office, as Klobuchar did in winning a U.S. Senate seat in 2006.

But that political atmosphere changed in the 2010s, when dropping crime rates and an uprising in Ferguson, Mo., over the police killing of an unarmed 18-year-old black man unleashed a national reckoning over the impact of tough policing and the mass incarceration on black Americans.

Suddenly, former Democratic prosecutors such as Klobuchar and California Sen. Kamala Harris found their records coming under fresh scrutiny as they sought the presidency.

Rashad Robinson, executive director of the racial justice group Color of Change, said Klobuchar, unlike Harris, did not make herself available to activists and reporters to explain her record.

"This has not been a priority for her," Robinson said.

According to records compiled by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 30 people died after encounters with the police under Klobuchars watch; her office did not charge any of the police involved in the incidents.

That included Officer Derek Chauvin, who is at the center of this weeks protests in Minneapolis for kneeling on Floyds neck and who had been involved, with five other officers, in the fatal shooting in 2006 of Wayne Reyes, who allegedly pulled a shotgun on the officers after a stabbing, according to records collected by Communities United Against Police Brutality.

Records from Minneapolis police internal affairs show that Chauvin had been subject to at least 17 complaints over his 19-year career, though only one of them was sustained after investigation. He was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter for Floyd's death on Friday.

The 2006 shooting of Reyes happened during Klobuchars tenure, just days before she was elected to the U.S. Senate. It was not until 2007, after she moved on to the Senate, that a grand jury decided not to press charges against the officers.

Klobuchar denied that she declined to prosecute Chauvin, calling such claims "a lie." A spokesperson for the Hennepin County attorney's office said Klobuchar had "no involvement" in the prosecution of that case.

But Klobuchar acknowledged larger concerns about her policy as a prosecutor to refer every police shooting to a grand jury. The once-common practice has been reconsidered by criminal justice reformers, who see it as a way for prosecutors to avoid accountability. She now says prosecutors should take responsibility to make charging decisions themselves.

Any association between Klobuchar and Chauvin is radioactive, said Cornell Belcher, a Democratic pollster who worked with President Obama, recalling the political maxim: If youre explaining, youre losing.

As Democrats debate potential running mates, many insist Biden must find a way to energize voters of color, especially young African American men, who did not vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016 after voting for President Obama four years earlier.

"Folks who decided to sit out 2016, the people who decided to vote third party in 2016, the people who voted in the primary and just didn't vote for Joe Biden or Amy Klobuchar  all of those sets of voters are going to be important to pull back in," said Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of BlackPAC, a political group focused on mobilizing African Americans. "Those also happen to be the very voters that are out in the streets protesting what just happened."

Klobuchar supporters say she brings her own strengths to the ticket, such as her appeal in the pivotal Midwestern states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Ed Rendell, the former governor of Pennsylvania, said that while Klobuchar had her drawbacks, so did all the other prospects for the job.

"Is Amy Klobuchar the first choice of most African American voters? Probably not. Will that stop them from voting for Joe Biden against Donald Trump? Definitely not," he said.

Even though the unrest in Minneapolis has brought Klobuchar's strains with black voters back to the forefront, some activists said it could provide the moment to reframe that relationship.

"This could be a chance for her to be proactive about where she wants to take us," Robinson said. "But at the end of the day, it would have been much better to do this not under the specter of a job interview."

Times staff writer Janet Hook in Washington contributed to this report.
Defendant Lo Van Huynh, former head of the division for examination and educational quality management at the Son La provincial Department of Education and Training, at the trial (Photo: VNA)

According to the indictment from the Son La provincial Peoples Procuracy, the defendants took advantage of their positions and power for self-interest. Via relations with family, friends, and colleagues, they colluded with one another to raise the scores of 44 examination takers.

The court said the defendants actions were dangerous for society, offended teachers honour, caused inequality among examination takers, and stirred public concern, and so must be strictly handled to ensure future deterrence.

Among those found guilty of both receiving bribes and abusing position and power while performing duties, Lo Van Huynh (former head of the division for examination and educational quality management at the Son La provincial Department of Education and Training) will spend 21 years in jail, including 15 years and six months for receiving bribes and five years and six months for abusing position and power while performing duties.

Nguyen Thi Hong Nga (former specialist at the division for examination and educational quality management ) was given a 15-year prison sentence for the former and a further four years and six months for the latter, totalling 19 years and six months behind bars.

Cam Thi Bun Son (former deputy head of the departments division for politics and ideology) was sentenced to six years and four years behind bars for the two offences.

The court also decided to imprison Tran Xuan Yen (former Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training) for nine years, ban him from serving in any official position for five years, and fine him 50 million VND (2,200 USD) for abusing position and power while performing duties.

Guilty of the same offence, Dang Huu Thuy (former Vice Rector of To Hieu High School) was sentenced to eight years in prison and fined 20 million VND, while Nguyen Thanh Nhan (former deputy head of the division for examination and educational quality management) will spend 30 months in prison.

Do Khac Hung and Dinh Hai Son, former cadres of the internal political security division at the provincial Department of Public Security, received suspended sentences of three years and 24 months.

For offering bribes, Nguyen Minh Khoa (former deputy head of the internal political security division at the Department of Public Security) was given a jail sentence of eight years, while Tran Van Dien (a former cadre at the Chieng Coi Primary and Junior High School) received a sentence of nine years and a fine of 10 million VND.

Hoang Thi Thanh (former Chairwoman of the Farmers Union in Son La provinces Quynh Nhai district) and Lo Thi Truong (a resident of Son La city) were given suspended sentences of three years and 30 months. Both were freed at the first-instance trial, which began on May 21.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - Relay Medical Corp. (CSE: RELA) (OTCQB: RYMDF) (FSE: EIY2) ("Relay" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce the closing of a non-brokered private placement financing (the "Offering") of gross proceeds of $639,500 through the issuance of 3,522,777 Units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.18 per Unit.

Each Unit is comprised of: (i) one common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share"); (ii) one Common Share purchase warrant (each, a " Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.20 on or before May 29, 2022.

Gross proceeds raised from the Offering will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. The securities issued upon closing of the Offering are subject to a hold period until September 30, 2020, pursuant to applicable securities laws.

Certain eligible persons (the "Finders") were paid a cash commission equal to 8% of the proceeds raised from subscribers introduced to the Company by such Finder and also issued an aggregate of 41,200 finder warrants (the "Finder Warrants") to the Finders. Each Finder Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.20 for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance.

In addition, the Company announces that it has entered into debt conversion agreements with arm's length and non-arm's length creditors, pursuant to which the Company has settled an aggregate of $409,850 of indebtedness through the issuance of 2,276,944 Common Shares at a price of $0.18 per Common Share. The Common Shares issued pursuant to the debt settlement are subject to a four-month hold period and completion of the transaction remains subject to final acceptance of the Canadian Securities Exchange.

An insider of the Company participated in the Offering, purchasing 200,000 Units. The participation of the insider constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions. The Company is relying on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the participation in the Offering by insiders does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Company did not file a material change report in respect of the related party transaction at least 21 days before the closing of the Offering, which the Company deems reasonable in the circumstances so as to be able to avail itself of the proceeds of the Offering in an expeditious manner.

About Relay Medical Corp.

Relay Medical is an evolving "Integrated MedTech Accelerator" headquartered in Toronto, Canada, acquiring early-stage technologies and inventions, advancing and preparing them for pre-commercial acquisitions in the HealthTech marketplace. By integrating the funding, development and exit process into one organization led and managed by one expert team, Relay Medical is building the capacity to accelerate and transact technologies with high efficiency and grow into a leading engine for MedTech innovation in the global HealthTech marketplace.

Website: www.relaymedical.com

Contact:

W. Clark Kent

President

Relay Medical Corp.

Office. 647-872-9982 ext. 2

TF. 1-844-247-6633 ext. 2

investor.relations@relaymedical.com

Bernhard Langer

EU Investor Relations

Office. +49 (0) 177 774 2314

Email: blanger@relaymedical.com

Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement

Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for UXD described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56894
In a message issued on Thursday, the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference denounces the situation of suffering experienced by Venezuelans and appeals for social, economic and political transformation.

By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

Venezuelan Bishops, in a statement released on Thursday, have called on the government to create a long-term and inclusive national plan to save the country in the face of its social, political and economic problems.

We are experiencing very problematic moments in our country; on the one hand, we share with the whole world the serious situation of the Covid-19 pandemic that is spreading massively in the country, but, on the other hand, we suffer the ravages of the serious economic, political, and social problems which are becoming more and more intense, generating suffering and uncertainty in the population, reads the statement.

Our people, everyone, without distinction, is immersed in a chain of calamities, said the Bishops.

Covid-19

The Bishops point out that the poor and the migrants have been most affected by the pandemic. The situation is further exacerbated by the governments inability to respond beyond temporary measures, which are necessary, but insufficient.

In the midst of the lockdown measures, note the Bishops, there is an immense clamor that rises to the sky in the face of the helplessness of millions of men and women without economic resources, without food, without medicines, no work, no adequate electricity, water, transport, domestic gas and fuel.

Economically, we see the country adrift said the Bishops. They also warn that the country is close to an economic collapse of great proportion as a result of the pandemic containment measures that have reduced production and left many people unemployed.

The Bishops however, laud the efforts of medical personnel who continue to provide health care to the sick. They also encourage the gestures of solidarity from the people and organizations such as Caritas.

Appeal for change

In the face of this morally intolerable situation, the Bishops insist that the country should no longer content itself with temporarily alleviating the effects of the pandemic. The time for words is over they said. Rather, the government should accompany and encourage the processes that lead to the necessary political, social and economic transformations.

The Bishops propose that this transformation should start from the needs and desires of the suffering people, who have had their dignity and rights violated.

Another cause for concern for the Bishops is the attempt to hide the violent and repressive actions employed by the state security forces in the face of legitimate protests. They point out that in some cases, community leaders, political activists and journalists have been imprisoned without due process.

We will not get out of this crisis by eliminating those who think differently from us, said the Bishops. The most urgent thing in view of the immense national, material and institutional catastropheis a moral action of great significance, an ethical awakening and a political-social agreement that will lead us towards the great common desire: a fundamental change

You can read the full statement (in Spanish) on the website of the Venezuelan Bishops Conference
LONDON - Millions of people around the world watched footage filmed Monday of a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, as he cried out that he couldn't breathe. He later died.

The video, and scenes from the chaotic protests against police brutality that unfolded over the ensuing week, found purchase and provoked responses across the globe.

Progressives took the opportunity to express solidarity with marginalized communities in the United States. And leaders accused of human rights abuses sought to deflect attention toward America.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ended a coronavirus news conference on Friday morning by addressing the Canadians who are watching "the news out of the United States with shock and horror."

"Racism is real. It's in the United States, but it's also in Canada," he said. "We know people are facing systemic discrimination, unconscious bias and anti-black racism every day."

Trudeau called on Canadians to stand up against discrimination and to understand "just how deeply people are being affected" by the news out of Minnesota.

In Britain, lawmaker Claudia Webbe urged Britons to "show solidarity" with George Floyd's community and loved ones in the wake of his death.

"We cannot ignore yet another death of a Black man in police custody. This is how racism works; the regulation and control of Black people," she tweeted, along with the hashtag #blacklivesmatter.

Labour lawmaker David Lammy, also of the Labour Party, described footage of the arrest as "terrifying."

BBC radio presenter David Whitely shared his thoughts on the case in an Instagram video, titled "Can we be angry?"

"When I see that a man has put his knee on a black man's neck it feels like I've been hit," he said, in the recording that has since been viewed more than half a million times. "I keep seeing my people hit and when I see them hit it makes me angry and it makes me irate," he said, adding "there's no sense of justice."

On Friday morning, video footage of CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and his camera crew being arrested by police as they reported live from the Minneapolis protests swiftly started trending on social media as thousands expressed outrage, calling the scene "unbelievable" and demanding he be released.

"Journalists all around the world must be free to do their job and hold authorities to account without fear of retribution," Britain's Foreign Office said in response to the incident.

Leaders who often come under criticism from the U.S. government or U.S.-based human rights groups were quick to seize on the moment.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a "racist and fascist" approach led to Floyd's killing and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. "We will be monitoring the issue," he tweeted.

On his English-language Twitter account, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei retweeted a tweet that read, "If you're dark-skinned walking in the US, you can't be sure you'll be alive in the next few minutes."

European newspapers including Le Monde and El Pais featured prominent coverage of the protests.

"The images are tragically familiar," read an article in Le Monde. "The death of an African-American at the hands of the police; demonstrations of anger that turn into riots; the mobilization of the National Guard."

The article called the events a "bloody routine" linked to large numbers of people killed at the hands of police in the United States each year.

The online edition of Die Zeit, a prominent center-left weekly newspaper in Germany, published an opinion piece Friday headlined "Violence is his solution," which described Trump as racist and accused him of "dropping the pretense of empathy."

Norway's Princess Martha Louise also took to social media to condemn Floyd's death, sharing a photograph of a woman holding a sign that read "George Floyd's life mattered." In the post, she called out the actions of the officers involved, deeming them "monsters" and urged people to "wake up and stop the inhumanity."

Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile who now serves as the high commissioner for human rights at the United Nations, urged the United States this week to take "serious action" to pursue justice and stop a cycle of violent killings of black Americans.

"I am dismayed to have to add George Floyd's name to that of Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Michael Brown and many other unarmed African Americans who have died over the years at the hands of the police - as well as people such as Ahmaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin who were killed by armed members of the public," she said in a statement. "Procedures must change, prevention systems must be put in place, and above all police officers who resort to excessive use of force, should be charged and convicted for the crimes committed."

- - -

The Washington Post's Amanda Coletta in Toronto and Rick Noack in Berlin contributed to this report.
As a rising star of the Congress, Ajit Jogi was originally set for a dream run in his political career.

But when he passed away on May 29 at the age of 74, he did not go out in a blaze of glory as he should have as Chhattisgarhs first chief minister. Instead, Jogi left struggling for political relevance as the leader of a regional outfit, Janta Congress Chhattisgarh, floated by him four years ago after he walked out of the Congress.

Leaving behind a rich legacy of endless controversies he courted both as chief minister and as the Congress partys perennial rebel leader, Jogi is remembered foremost for his political follies and unfulfilled ambitions.

As a favourite of the Nehru-Gandhi family, Jogi had everything going for him. He had a stint in the Rajya Sabha, held several key positions in the Congress organisation, and was rewarded with the chief ministers post when the new state of Chhattisgarh was carved out in 2000. It was not an easy decision for Congress president Sonia Gandhi as it meant incurring the wrath of powerful veteran state leaders Motilal Vora, Shyama Charan, and Vidya Charan Shukla, who were the chief contenders for the top post. Jogi was comparatively a newcomer, having joined the Congress in 1986. However, Sonia Gandhi took the risk and chose to repose faith in Jogi.

The former IAS officer, who was persuaded by Rajiv Gandhi to leave the civil service and join politics, settled in well in his new job as chief minister. His administrative experience as a civil servant stood him in good stead in handling the state. At the same time, the political skills he acquired during his years in the Congress helped him handle internal rebellion and counter the political machinations of his party colleagues.

However, Jogis luck soon ran out. His overbearing and authoritarian attitude did not go down well with the people. Jogi also found himself in the eye of a storm when his caste status as a tribal was challenged and he was accused of procuring a certificate on a false pretext. The case lingered on for nearly three decades and culminated last year with the cancellation of his certificate and registration of a police case against him.

But Jogis weakness for his politically ambitious son Amit proved to be his undoing. Armed with extra-constitutional powers, Amit Jogi ordered around bureaucrats, advised his father on policy issues, and even sat in on key meetings. The final straw was when father and son were implicated in a murder case for which Amit was eventually jailed.

Consequently, the goodwill Jogi enjoyed soon disappeared. This was evident when the Bharatiya Janata Party dethroned him in the 2003 assembly polls. Instead of accepting defeat graciously, Jogi was caught in a sting operation in which he was heard engineering the defection of a group of newly elected BJP legislators. He faced disciplinary action by the party but managed to stage a comeback, and was even inducted into the Congress Working Committee.

While the Congress leadership consistently indulged Jogi, the former chief minister lost no time in raising the banner of revolt when the party attempted to groom other leaders in the state. Jogi pressed for total control of the Chhattisgarh Congress and positions for his son and wife.

This tug of war went on for several years but the party continued to treat him with kid gloves since Jogi had the potential of fanning rebellion in the state unit. For instance, in 2013, a nervous Congress bought peace with Jogi by giving in to his demand for assembly tickets for his son Amit and wife Renu. He was also promised the chief ministers post had the Congress won. But that was not to be.

The relations reached a breaking point when the party decided to prop up Jogis bete noire Bhupesh Baghel and other state leaders. A miffed Jogi then walked out in 2016, floated his own party in the hope that he would hold the key to government formation in case of a hung assembly. But he miscalculated as the Congress won a thumping majority in the 2018 assembly election, which left no scope for a role for Jogi.

On the positive side, Jogi was an excellent spokesperson and a reporters delight. He never lost his cool and answered even the most difficult questions with a ready smile. Unlike current party spokespersons, Jogi did not merely read from a prepared statement but also offered perspective and inside information on the partys thinking on various issues. Jogi was helped by the fact that he had survived the various regime changes in the Congress, managing to win the confidence of successive leaders, starting with Rajiv Gandhi and going on to PV Narasimha Rao, Sitaram Kesari and then Sonia Gandhi.

On the personal front, Jogi showed great fortitude when his young daughter committed suicide in 2000 and he himself was critically injured in a road accident four years later, leaving him paralysed and wheelchair-bound. However, these personal tragedies did not deter Jogi from his regular routine.

Jogi addressed a press briefing barely a few days after his daughters tragic end. Similarly, he did not allow his accident to put him down. He continued to plot and plan until the very end with his trademark smile always in place.

(The author is a senior journalist. Views are personal.)
(Newser)  Australia's highest court ruled on Friday to make public letters between Queen Elizabeth II and her representative that would reveal what knowledge she had, if any, of the dismissal of an Australian government in 1975. The High Court's 6-1 majority decision in historian Jenny Hocking's appeal overturned lower court rulings that 211 letters between the now 94-year-old monarch of Britain and Australia and Governor-General Sir John Kerr before he dismissed Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's government were personal and might never be made public, per the AP. The only dismissal of an elected Australian government on the authority of a British monarch triggered a political crisis that spurred many to call for Australia to sever its constitutional ties with Britain and create a republic with an Australian president. Suspicions of a US CIA conspiracy persist.

story continues below

Kerr dismissed Whitlam's reforming government and replaced him with opposition leader Malcolm Fraser as prime minister to resolve a month-old deadlock in Parliament. Fraser's conservative coalition won an election weeks later. The National Archives has held the correspondence, known as the Palace Letters, since 1978. Hocking, a Whitlam biographer who's been fighting to get the letters released since 2016, said it is absurd that communications between such key officials in the Australian system of government could be regarded as personal and confidential, calling that assertion "an insult to all our intelligence collectively." Buckingham Palace says in a statement that the High Court decision is a "legal matter in the Australian courts and we would not comment." Hocking says she expects to read the letters at the archives next week when a coronavirus lockdown lifts. More here.

(Read more Queen Elizabeth II stories.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 15:29:08|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The national security legislation for Hong Kong will help stop acts endangering China's sovereignty and security and promote the special administrative region's peace and prosperity, experts have said.

On Thursday, Chinese lawmakers voted overwhelmingly at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature, to approve a decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security.

Henry Chan, a visiting researcher of the Manila-based thinktank Integrated Development Studies Institute, said the NPC's decision on national security legislation for Hong Kong demonstrates to the international community the Chinese central government's firm determination to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, as well as its clear stance that Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs.

The move will prevent and punish acts that jeopardize national security to ensure peace, stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, Chan said.

"It is apparent that there is a small group in Hong Kong, instigated from abroad, trying to stir disturbances in Hong Kong," said Khalid Dirar, a professor of political science at al-Rasid Center for Strategic Studies in Khartoum, Sudan.

"China has the right to enact what it sees suitable laws to improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms" for the HKSAR, the professor noted.

Dirar stressed the importance of maintaining the principle of "one country, two systems," saying "this principle has proved to be effective via its implementation in Hong Kong and Macao and it should not be allowed to be undermined."

Vasily Kashin, a senior research fellow at the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies of Russia's National Research University-Higher School of Economics, said certain forces in Hong Kong which "are clearly connected with foreign states" have posed a threat to China's sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security.

No government in the world will tolerate acts of such forces, he said.

Giulia Sciorati, a researcher on China at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, said that Hong Kong remains a crucial financial center for Beijing, and that the protests in Hong Kong "have jeopardized the city's political and economic stability."

Evaristus Irandu, a professor with the University of Nairobi, said that external forces, some of whom are irked by China's development, attempted to use Hong Kong as a launching pad for dissent.

"Hong Kong is and should be part of China," he noted, adding that any potential threat of secession in Hong Kong would jeopardize the country's endeavor to strive for shared prosperity. Enditem
On Wednesday, Americans were set to enjoy a break from the non-stop news coverage of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, the Trump administrations haphazard response to a disease that has now killed more than 100,000 people in the United States, and the seemingly endless scandals and controversies ginned up by a president who relishes dominating the national discourse.

For the first time since July 8, 2011, an American rocket was set to carry men into space from the Kennedy Space Centers Launch Complex 39-A, the same launch pad used by the astronauts of Apollo 11 when they left earth for the Moon in 1969.

And President Donald Trump, who is always eager to take credit for any positive developments that happen under his watch, planned on marking the occasion by doing something that hasnt regularly happened since the heady days of the Apollo program: He was going to the Kennedy Space Center to see off the first NASA astronauts to fly in SpaceXs new Crew Dragon capsule.

Trumps planned itinerary included a tour of some NASA facilities before he viewed the launch, after which he would deliver remarks to celebrate the return of Americans to space in an American-made vehicle.

It was certainly an unusual choice as far as recent history is concerned. While then-President Bill Clinton visited the Kennedy Space Center in 1998 to watch Mercury astronaut-turned-senator-turned-astronaut John Glenn return to space aboard the space shuttle Discovery, presidents have rarely made the trip to the Kennedy Space Center to see astronauts off in person.

Not only is Florida weather notoriously unpredictable (which causes launches to frequently be canceled, as Wednesdays was) but the presidents  any presidents  presence at a space launch could cause him to be associated with any mishaps.

You have the potential for going to be there on a bad day, said Lori Garver, who served as NASA Deputy Administrator from 2009-2013. Bad days for NASA can be a very traumatic thing.

One veteran of a previous administrations communications operation put it more bluntly: You dont send the president because you dont want him there if anyone dies.

But a person close to the president, who asked not to be identified so they could speak candidly, said Trump insisted on going despite being warned of the pitfalls of viewing a space launch in person.

Trump, they said, was genuinely excited about the launch and felt it would be an honest-to-goodness historical milestone worth celebrating. But the source added that the president was also intent on casting himself as the hero in this story  the indispensable man whod, in his own words, reinvigorated NASA from being dead as a doornail when he took office. He cant help but promote himself, they added.

Another source familiar with the White Houses decision-making process said Trump was hoping to cast Wednesdays launch as yet another example of how, in the administrations telling, Trumps leadership had brought NASA back to space after nearly a decade of spending millions on seats on Russian Soyuz capsules.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross previewed the likely sentiment of Trumps remarks in an interview with Fox Business Network on Wednesday.

What has happened is, in contrast to 2011, when President Obama took us out of the space launch business, that ended our leadership in space launch. Now we're going to get it back," he said.

But the weather ended up causing NASA and SpaceX officials to cancel the launch just minutes before the Falcon 9 rocket would have taken astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken to the International Space Station, leading Trump to hastily depart Cape Canaveral shortly after NASA and SpaceX officials announced that the launch was being rescheduled for Saturday.

The cancelation may have been bad news for NASA  and Trumps need to self-promote  but it was probably for the best as far as the truth is concerned.

Garver, who led the Obama transition teams efforts at NASA in 2008, said Ross claim that Obama took us out of the spaceflight business is patently false.

The decision to retire the shuttle, she explained, had been made during the George W Bush administration on the advice of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, which was formed in 2003 after the shuttle Columbia broke up during re-entry, killing the entire crew. And the contracts for the Commercial Crew program which birthed the SpaceX rocket now being used were signed on Obamas watch, in 2011.

George Bush announced the retirement of the space shuttle in 2004, she said, because the board acknowledged that after more than 100 flights, including two disasters which killed 14 astronauts, the design of the shuttle had been too complex and expensive.

They did not feel it be safe to fly beyond 2010 without a major recertification, she said, adding that NASA civil servants told her that there was no way to extend the program because the agency had already ended contracts with second- and third-tier parts suppliers for the vehicle.

But Garver stressed that the Obama administration was still able to extend the Shuttle program with two extra flights by asking Congress for funds to make use of remaining flyable launch equipment, including two external fuel tanks.

We ended up in our budget request asking for and paying for two additional shuttle flights, so its the opposite of what Secretary Ross is saying: We didn't end human spaceflight, we saved it, she said.

Obama really did care about the space program, and for Trump to say NASA was deader than a doornail before he got there, and Wilbur Ross to say Obama was responsible for canceling the shuttle  these are people are very insecure about the their own abilities because everybody knows those things aren't true.
Wong Lee Kim is a journalist with the Sin Chew Daily. As part of the #MYMediaMatters campaign Wong says that journalists need to have a solid ethical core as it is their job to promote transparency and accountability.

1. What does it mean to be a journalist or media worker in Malaysia?

Being a journalist means being able to promote transparency and accountability.

2. Do you see Media Freedom in Malaysia moving forward?

At this moment, I haven't seen any improvement yet. For example, in Malaysia there are still restrictions and journalists continue to be slammed in our country.

3. What can we do to be better?

Journalism can be an exciting and dramatic career that requires dedication and commitment. Media play a crucial role in publishing reliable information, so a solid ethical core is required as well as integrity and honesty. These qualities make journalists better storytellers.

4. What can we do to ensure media freedom?

In my opinion, journalists discover and uphold the truth by verifying the facts. No journalist deserves to be humiliated in public for asking a question.

The #MYMediaMatters campaign is part of a multi-year project, Strengthening Malaysias Media for Change, supported by the European Union. For details please see the IFJ project page.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates.
However it has remained in contact with Deloitte over the past two weeks and reaffirmed its interest in re-launching Virgin on Friday.

Brookfield, which manages $US515 billion ($800 billion) of assets around the world, walked away from the sale process last Monday over concerns that Virgin could run out of cash before a new owner was installed.

Four bidders - private equity firm Bain Capital, Melbourne outfit BGH Capital, American ultra-low cost airline specialist Indigo Partners and the Richard Branson linked Cyrus Capital - had until 2pm today to submit second-round offers for the collapsed carrier.

Canadian asset manager Brookfield has made an 11th hour pitch to re-enter the race to buy Virgin Australia ahead of administrators Deloitte choosing a final shortlist of bidders over the weekend.

Administrator Deloitte will now have to decide whether to accept Brookfield's bid as a separate offer to put to creditors, or whether it can reopen the formal sale process in which there are four other bidders. Sources close to Brookfield said the fund is confident Deloitte will take its proposal seriously.

A source close to one of the four other bidders said any move by Deloitte to let Brookfield back into the formal sale process would almost certainty be met with legal action by the shortlisted bidders, who are spending millions of dollars working on their bids.

"It would just be ridiculous," the source said.

The Canadian giant had concerns about Virgin's cash balance and whether the complex sale process could be completed in time with more than two parties allowed through to the second round of the sale. These concerns still need to be addressed for it to fully re-engage in the sale, sources said.

Unions representing Virgin's workers have viewed Brookfield as a favourable suitor, especially compared to the private equity groups who they fear could be "cut-and-run" investors. Brookfield is a serious bidder and does have a track record around the world of staying with infrastructure assets for a long period of time," said Transport Workers Union national secretary Michael Kaine.
Emergency services are appealing to people to stay within 5km of home this bank holiday weekend following a surge in callouts and three dramatic sea rescues this week.

The RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews have launched 30 times in the last 10 days compared to just 45 callouts during the coronavirus restrictions. And with temperatures set to soar to almost 27C this weekend, the charity is concerned that lives may be lost as more people begin visiting the coast.

Several tragedies were averted this week as emergency services were tasked to incidents including people cut off by the tide, people stranded on rocks, swimmers and kayakers in difficulty, children blown out to sea on inflatables, and leisure craft in trouble.

On Thursday, a six-year-old boy was swept out to sea on a surfboard at Renville in White Strand, north of Cleggan, Co Galway. He was brought to safety by the owner of a local boat.

At around the same time in Ballybunion, Co Kerry, a five-year-old girl being swept out to sea on an inflatable toy was saved by a coast guard winchman who jumped into the water to keep her afloat until a lifeboat arrived.

The day before, four young men who got into difficulty while swimming in Inchydoney in Cork were rescued by onlookers. All four were saved by people on the beach.

Chief Superintendent Con Cadogan said there were large crowds on the beach at the time, and gardai also had to ask several who had traveled out of their 5km zone to leave:

With the nice weather we are experiencing, we all want to get out and enjoy ourselves. But we cannot be complacent and we need to act responsibly.

I would ask that everyone stays within the 5km of their home and to not get involved in activities like swimming where there are no lifeguards present.

"Wednesdays incident could have been a tragedy.

Cork County Council chief executive, Tim Lucey, confirmed that lifeguards will be on duty at selected beaches from today: We would appeal to all to be responsible and choose a lifeguarded beach within your 5km limit if you are going for a swim.

"Adopt a swim and go policy. Warm air temperature does not mean that the water is warm. It is still too cold for extended swims and doing so places you at risk of hypothermia."

Senior Irish Coast Guard officer, Gerard OFlynn, urged people who see somebody in trouble on the water or along the coast, or even think they see someone in trouble, to dial 112 or use Marine VHF channel 16 and ask for the Coast Guard.
Im concerned that a lot of people are not acting like anything is wrong, said Sullivan who, like other early voters who lined up and the two deputies from the Porter County Clerks Office inside the unit, was wearing a mask. No matter what, its going to be difficult to vote with this happening.
She shares her son Jayden with fiance Jeremy Meeks.

And Chloe Green ensured their little boy's birthday still felt special on Friday, as she transformed their living room into a soft play area to celebrate the occasion.

The Topshop heiress, 29, shared a snap of herself posing underneath an array of gold balloons which spelt out the words 'Happy Birthday Jayden'.

Wow! Chloe Green ensured their little boy's birthday still felt special on Friday, as she transformed their living room into a soft play area to celebrate the occasion

Chloe had laid out a selection of soft mats, a trampoline, ramps and tunnels for her little on to play with.

She captioned the image: 'Happy birthday my baby!! Cant believe you are 2 today!! I LOVE YOU.'

Chloe's beau Jeremy, 35 - who attracted the 'Hot Felon' nickname in 2014 after his police mugshot went viral - hit out at rumours about his romance with Chloe being 'strained' last year.

Sweet: She captioned the image: 'Happy birthday my baby!! Cant believe you are 2 today!! I LOVE YOU'

The model was forced to deny they had split after he was photographed arm-in-arm with Romanian-born model Andreea Sasu at two events during Cannes Film Festival.

He was signed up by a modelling agency while serving a 27-month sentence and made his catwalk debut during NY Fashion Week in February 2017.

Jeremy was recently struck by tragedy when his beloved nephew Vincent Naples died earlier this month.

The model, 36, took to Instagram on Monday to share a sweet throwback image of his late relative with his surviving daughter.

Love: Chloe's beau Jeremy, 35 - who attracted the 'Hot Felon' nickname in 2014 after his police mugshot went viral - hit out at rumours about his romance with Chloe being 'strained' last year

Many of the grieving star's followers expressed their condolences to him, one of which included his long-term fiancee Chloe Green - marking their first social media interaction in months.

'Rest in paradise Nephew', the media personality captioned the photo, with Topshop heiress Chloe, 29, commenting: ''. [sic]

The former reality star later shared a touching tribute of her own, writing: 'No words The most incredible Dad and loving person cant believe you are gone we will miss you  Rest in peace.'

The socialite took a trip down memory lane as she also uploaded a flashback image of the pair having fun in Monaco.

Jeremy's ex-wife Melissa also posted a heartfelt message in honour of Vincent, penning: 'Im at a loss for words.

'You had so much life ahead of you. Such an amazing soul. Gone to soon. Rest easy Nephew.' [sic]

Tragic: Jeremy was recently struck by tragedy when his beloved nephew Vincent Naples died earlier this month

Rare public interaction: The model, 36, took to Instagram on Monday to share a throwback image of his late relative, with his fiancee Chloe Green commenting with heart emojis

Old times: The socialite took a trip down memory lane as she also uploaded a flashback image of the pair having fun in Monaco

The catwalk star has not disclosed how his family member died. MailOnline has contacted Jeremy's representatives for further comment.

The statuesque model has turned his life around since being described as 'one of the most violent criminals in the Stockton area'.

He was released from prison in 2016 saying that he had found God, before quickly securing a six-figure modelling job  and ditching his wife and family when he met Chloe.
LIMERICK Institute of Technology has unveiled the roadmap to reopening its campuses and outlined preliminary plans for the new 2020-2021 academic year.

The institute of technology which has campuses in Limerick, Tipperary and Clare, has operated its teaching, learning and administrative work through essentially online means since the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions on March 12.

This Friday, LIT has announced plans to reopen its campuses to students from September 14 on a phased basis and with strict adherence to public health guidelines.

President of LIT, Professor Vincent Cunnane said: I look forward to welcoming staff and students back on to our campuses in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary in September, albeit the numbers on campus at any one time will undoubtedly be smaller.

He continued: "As timetables emerge, we will make them available online at www.lit.ie. I understand plans around accommodation, travel and work are dependent on this information so we are working to have this detail to students and staff as soon as possible."

The higher education institute will introduce a blended model of learning which will include online teaching including lectures coupled with practicals and tutorials that will take place predominantly on campus.

Although LITs campuses will be open more fully from September, the volume of people on campus at any given time will be substantially reduced to allow for social distancing and other public health directives.

From September 14, second, third and fourth year students will return to begin the 20/21 academic year at LIT.

First year students will begin on September 28, in line with all institutes of technology. Individual plans are being put in place for postgrad and research students. LIT is planning to maintain all services for students.

Professor Cunnane paid tribute to staff for their commitment and endeavours on behalf of LIT in these challenging times. He also praised students for their adaptability and willingness to engage with new ways of learning during the Covid-19 restrictions.

"We will be practicing social distancing at all LIT facilities and expect that as a consequence the permissible number of students in classrooms will be substantially less than would otherwise be the case.

"We expect to be operating one-way corridors, and will continue to have hand sanitising and other measures in place on campus. At all times, our priority is the safety of staff and students, and we will continue to adhere to all advice from the CMO, NPHET, the HSE, the Department of Education & Skills and the HSA, said Professor Cunnane.

The health, safety and well-being of staff and students is of paramount importance in all plans to reopen LITs campuses, and all decisions that are being made, and will be made, over the coming weeks will be done with adherence to CMO, NPHET, HSE, Department of Education and Skills and HSA guidelines.

All up-to-date information on LITs plans to reopen its campuses and details for the new academic year will continue to be available at www.lit.ie
[May 29, 2020] TPG RE Finance Trust, Inc. Announces Strategic Investment from Starwood Capital

TPG RE Finance Trust, Inc. (NYSE: TRTX) ("TRTX" or the "Company") announced today that it has entered into a definitive investment agreement with an affiliate of Starwood Capital Group ("Starwood Capital"), a global investment firm focused on real estate, for a commitment of up to $325 million in new capital. Under the terms of the agreement, Starwood Capital has made a strategic, non-voting investment in the Company in the form of preferred stock and detachable warrants to purchase TRTX common stock. The investment will provide TRTX with immediate liquidity and access to additional capital at its option, ensuring the Company has the resources and flexibility to adapt amid the current market disruption, and grow its business as market conditions warrant. Proceeds from the initial closing will be used to make voluntary deleveraging payments under certain of the Company's secured financing facilities, and for general corporate purposes. "The new capital will provide TRTX with additional liquidity and flexibility to navigate the current economic environment," said Greta Guggenheim, Chief Executive Officer of TRTX. "Starwood's investment is a testament to the strength and quality of TRTX's business and portfolio. Today's announcement marks an important step in positioning TRTX for the future as we continue to grow the platform, serve our clients, and execute on our objective to deliver long-term value to shareholders." "We are pleased to partner with TPG RE Finance Trust to provide the company with liquidity to navigate this unprecedented period," said Ethan Bing, Managing Director of Starwood Capital. "With this recapitalization and through our new position as a TRTX stakeholder, we firmly believe the company is positioned for sustained long-term success and will generate meaningful value for its shareholders and the partners of our fund moving forward." Transaction Details TRTX will issue an aggregate of up to 13,000,000 shares of 11.0% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and five-year net-share settled warrants to purchase an aggregate of up to 15,000,000 shares of TRTX's common stock, par value $0.001 per share, at an exercise price of $7.50 per share (subject to certain potential adjustments), for an aggregate cash purchase price of up to $325,000,000. The warrant exercise price represents an approximately 10% premium to the Company's volume-weighted average share price over the last 30 days. On May 28, 2020, TRTX issued 9,000,000 of the preferred shares and warrants to purchase 12,000,000 shares of the common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $225,000,000. TRTX may elect to sell to Starwood Capital an additional two tranches of securities, each of which consists of 2,000,000 preferred shares and warrants to purchase 1,500,000 shares of common stock, and each for a purchase price of $50,000,000 at any time pror to December 11, 2020.



Houlihan Lokey served as TRTX's financial adviser and Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as TRTX's legal advisor. Credit Suisse served as Starwood Capital's financial adviser and Sidley Austin LLP served as Starwood Capital's legal advisor. The securities sold in this private placement have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and accordingly may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. About TRTX TPG RE Finance Trust, Inc. is a Maryland corporation that is a commercial real estate finance company that focuses primarily on originating, acquiring, and managing first mortgage loans and other commercial real estate-related debt instruments secured by institutional properties located in primary and select secondary markets in the United States. TRTX is externally managed by TPG RE Finance Trust Management, L.P., a part of TPG Real Estate, which is the real estate investment platform of TPG. TPG is a global alternative asset firm with a 25-year history and more than $88 billion of assets under management. For more information regarding TRTX, visit www.tpgrefinance.com. About Starwood Capital Starwood Capital Group is a private investment firm with a core focus on global real estate, energy infrastructure and oil & gas. The Firm and its affiliates maintain 16 offices in seven countries around the world, and currently have approximately 4,000 employees. Since its inception in 1991, Starwood Capital Group has raised over $45 billion of equity capital, and currently has in excess of $60 billion of assets under management. The Firm has invested in virtually every category of real estate on a global basis, opportunistically shifting asset classes, geographies and positions in the capital stack as it perceives risk/reward dynamics to be evolving. Over the past 28 years, Starwood Capital Group and its affiliates have successfully executed an investment strategy that involves building enterprises in both the private and public markets. Additional information can be found at starwoodcapital.com. Forward-Looking Statements The information contained in this press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "potential," "intend," "expect," "endeavor," "seek," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "could," "project," "predict," "continue" or other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions, discuss future expectations, describe existing or future plans and strategies, contain projections of results of operations, liquidity and/or financial condition or state other forward-looking information. Statements, among others, relating to TRTX's ability to close the announced private placement, including the two potential future tranches and generate future growth and deliver returns are forward-looking statements, and TRTX and Starwood Capital cannot assure you that each will achieve such results. The ability of TRTX and Starwood Capital to predict future events or conditions or their impact or the actual effect of existing or future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain, in particular due to the uncertainties created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although TRTX and Starwood Capital believe that such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, actual results and performance in the future could differ materially from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect TRTX's and Starwood Capital's view only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, neither TRTX nor Starwood Capital nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements appearing in this press release. TRTX and Starwood Capital do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005400/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 18:28 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdaffc7f 1 City transjakarta,Merpati-Nusantara-Airlines,anies-baswedan Free

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has named the former head of state-owned Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Sardjono Jhony Tjitrokusomo, as the new president of city-owned bus operator Transjakarta to replace the previous chairman, who was implicated in fraud.

The secretary of the Jakarta development body for city-owned companies, Riyadi, said the decision had been made during Transjakarta's shareholders meeting on Wednesday. Sardjono had been elected to helm the company because of his experience in the transportation sector.

Riyadi said the city administration had high expectations of Sardjono to improve Transjakarta services and accelerate the integration of public transportation in the capital city through Jakartas flagship program Jak Lingko.

He has the [necessary] competence and experience in the transportation business. He has served as CEO of Merpati Airlines and also as a director at Angkasa Pura I, Riyadi said as quoted by kompas.com referring to the state-owned airport operator.

Read also: From MRT to Transjakarta, here's how services have adjusted to citywide transport restrictions

Before serving as Merpati president director for two years from May 2010 to May 2012, Sardjono was a senior pilot for United Arab Emirates flag carrier Etihad Airways.

Starting Wednesday, he filled the highest position at Transjakarta, which had been vacant since January.

On Jan. 23, Anies had appointed Donny Andy S. Saragih to lead Transjakarta, replacing previous boss Agung Wicaksono.

However, Donny was sacked only five days after his appointment following revelations of his criminal record. The former employee of private transportation company PT Lorena Transport was found to have cooperated with another employee, Porman "Andi" Tambunan, in 2018 to blackmail then-Lorena president director Gusti Terkelin Soerbakti, demanding a total of US$250,000. Soerbakti filed a lawsuit against the two at the Central Jakarta District Court, which found them guilty of fraud. (vny)
Riot police detain protesters in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, as hundreds took to the streets to march against Beijing's proposed tough national security legislation for the city, on May 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

Australia, US, UK, and Canada Unite to Condemn Beijings Hong Kong Security Bill for Second Time in a Week

Diplomacy expert says Beijing seeks to establish 'Greater China'

A coalition of democratic nations including Australia, the United States, the UK, and Canada have combined to condemn Beijing as it formally passed a new security law targeting Hong Kong. It is the second time this week that Australia combined with a number of other nations to do so.

The statement was signed by Australias Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne and her international counterparts on May 28. The statement called Hong Kong a bastion of freedom, and said Beijings actions would jeopardise the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong.

On May 28, Beijing approved the new security bill with it passing by 2,878 votes in favour, and one vote against. The bill was passed by the regimes rubber-stamp legislature, the National Peoples Congress (NPC), and not via Hong Kongs legislature, effectively overriding the democratic citys official lawmaking body.

The joint statement said the move would curtail the Hong Kong peoples liberties and, in doing so, dramatically erode Hong Kongs autonomy and the system that made it so prosperous.

We are also extremely concerned that this action will exacerbate the existing deep divisions in Hong Kong society, the statement read. The law does nothing to build mutual understanding and foster reconciliation within Hong Kong.

The worlds focus on a global pandemic requires enhanced trust in governments and international cooperation. Beijings unprecedented move risks having the opposite effect.

The statement concluded by calling for a mutually acceptable accommodation that will honour Chinas international obligations under the UN-filed Sino-British Joint Declaration.

Prior to this statement, Australias foreign affairs minister, along with her Canadian and UK counterparts issued their first statement on May 23.

The first statement condemned Beijings initial announcement of the laws and said Australia, Canada, and the UK were deeply concerned that Beijing making law on behalf of Hong Kong without participation from its people, legislature or judiciary, would clearly undermine the principle of One Country, Two Systems.

U.S. President Donald Trump has denounced the Chinese regimes actions and is considering further action.

Hong Kong Protests Restart Due to Beijings Security Law

Protests in Hong Kong have been reignited with Beijings controversial security bill. The bill bypasses Hong Kongs legislature completely, while in the past, previous attempts to pass similar legislation have been through the citys Legislative Council.

The entire document of the law is not available for review, however, an outline has been published on the Chinese regimes state-owned media website Xinhua.

The bill gives the NPC power to pass laws to safeguard national security and prevent alleged activities that could split the country, subvert state power, organize and carry out terrorist activities, as well as prevent foreign and external forces from interfering in the citys affairs.

A wide reading of these clauses means Beijing has the authority to make major changes to the one country, two systems framework, which underpins civil rights in Hong Kong.

Joseph Siracusa, professor of international diplomacy at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, told The Epoch Times that Beijings new security law effectively ends the current legal framework of Hong Kong and will see the communist regime attempt to crush the protest movement.

Siracusa said protestors could resist but eventually would retreat in the face of brutal force.

Under Beijings laws leaders will be arrested and tried for various breaches of secession, subversion, or terrorism; some will go underground, and some will flee, he said.

An anti-extradition bill protester is detained by riot police during skirmishes between the police and protesters outside Mong Kok police station, in Hong Kong, on Sept. 2, 2019. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

Beijing will crush the movement as an example to others (including Taiwan) that dissent will not be tolerated, Siracusa said.

However, Beijing will likely pay a heavy political price and create a tsunami of anti-Chinese feeling throughout the international community.

At the same time, young Hong Kong protestors could provide a rallying cause internally within China.

Why Is Beijing Moving on Hong Kong Now?

The Chinese communist regime must currently contend with a new outbreak of the pandemic in its north-eastern regions, and a severely weakened economy caused by the global shutdown.

Siracusa believes that despite these challenges, the Chinese regime has made its move because the time was perfect, under the radar of the [CCP virus] pandemic crisis.

Xi Jinping, who can no longer count on a booming economy, has moved to complete the Greater China, he said. And he could not hope to bring Taiwan to heel, without first crushing the [protest movement] in Hong Kong.

Greater China is an adoption of an expansionist policy from the former Soviet Union, which sees the communist regime uniting ethnic Han Chinese across Asia under the one banner.

In any case, Xis endgame is the return of Hong Kong and Taiwan to the fold, and he will pay any political price to do so, said Siracusa.

Control of Hong Kong is important because Beijing sees the pro-democracy protests as a potential counter-revolution to its rule.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has, since gaining power in 1949, instigated regular crackdowns whenever a perceived threat emerges, these crackdowns include the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 and the persecution of the Falun Gong meditation movement in 1999.

You can always trust communists to act like communists, Siracusa said.

The CCP is mindful that Bolshevism (Soviet rule) only lasted 73 years, and that they (the CCP) are already up to 70. Or to put it another way, how long can 90 million party members hold back 1.3 billion fellow countrymen?

The Chinese Communist Party gained power over China in 1949. Oct. 1, 2019, marked the 70th year it has ruled the country.
28.05.2020 LISTEN

In the previous episode (episode 1), we examined the Biblical accounts on sibling rivarly and how it led to the deaths of some siblings. For example, with support from his maternal family, Abimelech, the concubinage son of Gideon initiated a chieftaincy dispute and murdered 69 of his brothers within a day.

We equally examined some of the causes of sibling rivalries. The causative factor list is however not exhaustive. We have also come to the conviction that sibling rivalry is deeply inherent in human nature. We consequently cautioned that such rivalyries should be well managed to forestall their negative effects on unborn generations. This is because sibling rivarly arguably goes beyond the generation that started it. As such, many other generations buy into it much later. In fact, one may assert from a geographical perspective that if sibling rivaly was a major river, then there may be many tributaries to it. Sibling rivalry may also be described scientifically as like-poles that repel.

In episode 1, we also discussed kinship or consanguinal tiers and their relevance for traditional societies. In this episode, we will touch on the chieftaincy institution in Ghana and examine the nexus bewtween sibling rivalry and chieftaincy disputes across the country.

Touching on the relevance of kinship, a renowned Ghanaian Anthropologist, Nukunya (1992: 11) submitted with authority, The kinship system prescribes statuses and roles to people who are in particular relatiohsips. Suffice to say that the status and the role of a chief in the Ghanaian society emanates from a family or kinship before it is ultimately accepted and duly revered by the entire community or a traditional area. The authority of a chief therefore goes beyond his kinship or family. As such, when a chief joins his ancestors, it becomes a concern for the whole community. The enire community is the bereaved family in this case.

Traditional And Constitutional Relevance of Chieftaincy In Ghana

Both traditionally and constitutionally, chieftaincy is relevant within the social fabric of the Ghanaian nation. Traditionally, chiefs are monarchical leaders. They are born into a family that leads royally. Years before democratic governance started in the Gold Coast, traditional priests and chiefs were the ultimate leaders in society.

Having studied traditional political institutions within Ghanaian communities, Nukunya (1992) made the following interesting observations.

Most chiefdoms or traditional political systems in Ghana are centralized just as Fortes and Evans-Pritchand found within other African chiefdoms. A centralized society is defined as one that has chiefs or a chief or king whose authority is recognized throughout the territory. One may therefore cite the Asantehene, Awomefia, Yaa-Na, Akwamuhene, Oforipanin and most of the paramount chiefs as examples of chiefs who superintend over centralized societies by traditional rule. These chiefs have their military formations that look similar but with slight variations. Whereas the Akans have Adontehene as the army commander, the Anlos have Avadada (war mother, to wit). The Dagbon Kingdom is headed by Yaa-Na with hierarchy of other chiefs reporting to him. Whereas the Akan systems are matrilineal, other systems in the country are patrilineal.

Perhaps mindful of the important roles chiefs play in the Ghanaian society and mindful of the fact that they are custodians of tradition and custom as well as the land tenure system, the framers of the 1992 Constitution have devoted a whole chapter of the Constitution (Chapter 22) to the chieftaincy institution. Apart from the constitutional provisions, there is a Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759).

The Constitution defines a Chief as a person, who, hailing from the appropriate family and lineage, has been validly nominated, elected or selected and enstooled, enskinned or installed as a chief or queen mother in accordance with the relevant customary law and usage. This gives credence to that it is not just any member of society who can be installed a chief regardless of the persons leadership qualities or remarkable achievements in society.

Article 270 (2) of the Constitution even insulates the chieftaincy institution from parliamentary interference. It is to the extent that Parliament is not clothed with power to make or unmake a chief. The Constitution also maintained the centralized political structure Nukunya (1992) observed. For example, article 273 (1) & (2) clothe the Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs with the appellate jurisdiction to hear and determine any cause or matter affecting chieftaincy which have already been determined by a Regional House of Chiefs.

An appeal in a matter so determined by the National House of Chiefs is only made to the Supreme Court. In tandem with the Constitution, 1992, Section 57 of the Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459) states, Subject to the Constitution, the Court of Appeal, the High Court, Circuit Court and a District Court shall not entertain either at first instance or on appeal a cause or matter affecting chieftaincy.

In Republic v High Court, Accra, Ex parte Odonkorteye [1984-86] 2 GLR 148, Amua-sakyi JA (as he then was) held inter alia, The Courts would be astute enough to see through and thwart attempts by litigants  to circumvent the law by using the High Court to interfere in cases determined by the Judicial Committees, which its jurisdiction has been ousted apart from its supervisory jurisdiction."

In in Ex parte Odonkorteye, the brief facts are that a chieftaincy dispute arose within the Tekperbiawe Division of the Ada State, following the demise of Nene Korle II who until his death was the occupant of the Tekperbiawe Divisional Stool. The second applicant and the second respondent litigated over who between the two of them had been procedurally nominated, elected and installed as a successor to Nene Korle II who passed on to eternity.

The Judicial Committee of Ada Traditional Council relied on a document entitled articles of agreement and adjudicated the case in favour of the second applicant. As a result, the second respondent sought for a remedy at the High Court, Accra. He prayed the court to declare that the document called articles of agreement was a forgery, illegal and that the judgement of the Ada Traditional Council based on the articles was null and void.

Counsel for the applicant raised a preliminary objection that the tenets of section 52 of the Courts Act, 1971 (Act 372), and section 15 (1) of the Chieftaincy Act, 1971 (Act 370) clothed the traditional courts with exclusive jurisdiction in chieftaincy matters. Therefore, the trial judge had no jurisdiction to hear the matter. Contrariwise, the trial judge ruled that the High Court (HC) was exercising its supervisory powers in hearing the suit, explaining that the suit did not qualify as a matter affecting chieftaincy. He therefore ruled in favour of the respondent, that articles of agreement was a forgery and therefore illegal hence the applicant lost the case.

The applicant therefore filed for the reactive quashing order of certiorari at the Supreme Court to set aside the judgement of the HC. The Supreme Court (SC) granted the certiorari in a majority decision on the ground that the HC acted without jurisdiction. The applicant won the case finally. The SC upheld the decision of the Ada Traditional Council that articles of agreement was not a forgery.

However, exceptions abound so far as the jurisdictions of the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs in chieftaincy matters are concerned. For example, in the case of Republic v High Court, Koforidua, ex parte Otutu Kono III [2009] SCGLR 1, the Supreme Court held as follows at Holding (1) of the Headnotes; " the question of the existence, nature and composition of a traditional council had consistently been judicially regarded as a statutory or administrative matter which did not constitute a cause or matter affecting chieftaincy. The trial High Court therefore had jurisdiction to determine the existence, character and composition of a traditional council."

In view of these fine legal arrangements for the chieftaincy institution in Ghana, one may assert that the Constitution and other enactments equate the appellate jurisdiction of the National House of Chiefs to the Court of Appeal in matters affecting chieftaincy. This is because an appeal to the Supreme Court in a matter or cause affecting chieftaincy can only originate from a case already determined by the National House of Chiefs. If this is so, why must genealogical sibling rivalry on the altar of greed be allowed to mar the sacred chieftaincy institution in the name of unnecessary disputes?

The legal frameworks further make the chieftaincy institution very relevant in rule of law for the traditional set-ups. Therefore, all Ghanaians must be concerned about several chieftaincy disputes across the length and breadth of the country. It appears that almost every community in Ghana is susceptible to chieftaincy dispute.

Sibling Rivalry And Other Germane Factors To Chieftaincy Disputes In Ghana

Members of a royal family in Ghana are people of the same genealogy whose forebears had handed over the chieftaincy roles for ages. In simplistic terms therefore, the royal family members are brothers and sisters. They are the descendants of the same great grandfather or grandmother whose stool or skin it is they occupy to wield the traditional power therefrom.

Unfortunately, the contemporary royals tend to initiate their own rivalries or they habour and continue with what their forebears told them regarding the ownership of the stool and skin. In most traditional areas, these ownership stories are shrouded in verbal handing over accounts rather than documented ones. As such, the stories become distorted along the line and bring about more confusion. At times too, the chieftaincy disputes erupt out of greed.

It would be recalled that we cited Nukunya (1992) as the anthropological authority who observed that adopted children within a kinship or lineage are supposed to be fully integrated into the family system to benefit from every inheritance bestowed on them by the biological parents. As such, children adopted into a royal family are supposed to play either all or some of the chieftaincy roles.

With passage of time however, the descendants of the biological children of the head of that lineage tend to point out to those of the adopted children that they are not or less entitled to the stool or skin and its accompanying properties. Certain untrue genealogical narrations are then fabricated to substantiate the greedy claims even against other biological siblings. This brings about bitterness and entrenched chieftaincy disputes. So long as members of this royal lineage dispute over who truly owns the stool or skin, an entire community is denied a chief or a queen mother. They hold an entire community to ransom for years. The community members look on helplessly.

Sometimes, the dispute occurs because on a rotational basis, it was the turn for a particular group within the lineage to produce a candidate to occupy the stool or skin but they lacked the candidate so they permitted their counterparts to occupy it once more. In view of the fact that these arrangements are not often documented, greed sets in and one party wants to take over the entire arrangement to the detriment of others who have also been entitled to it. This in my view qualifies to be called traditional corruption.

Even though the chief is installed or enskinned or enstooled to lead a whole community, the non-royal community members do not have a say in the candidate selection and hence they are unable to even intervene in the chieftaincy disputes. It therefore becomes an unfair treatment to the community members who become vulnerable victims of the chieftaincy feuds. Siblings even kill one another for chieftaincy. Stay alert for the next episode.

~Asante Sana ~

Author: Philip Afeti Korto

Email: [email protected]
Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required!

Stay logged in to skip the surveys.
Michigan United for Liberty, a group with the stated goal of ending Gov. Gretchen Whitmers unconstitutional lockdown orders, canceled a planned Sunday rally at the Michigan Capitol Saturday.

The decision was immediately made when the (Michigan United for Liberty) was informed that another group of demonstrators plans to descend on the Capitol that same day, ostensibly to protest the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, the group said in a press statement Friday afternoon.

Michigan United for Liberty organizers say they have helped organize several prior protests at the Capitol in Lansing, each demanding Whitmer lift orders she issued to slow the spread of the coronavirus that include limits on business activity and socializing.

Sundays rally, dubbed Michigan Marketplace, was to feature various service industry vendors, including dog groomers, massage therapists and hair stylists who are not allowed to work under the governors stay-home order in place until at least June 12.

The majority of the Michigan United for Liberty cancellation statement criticized riots in Minneapolis and other cities involving people who robbed and burned innocent businesses to the ground, overran a police precinct, assaulted officers and committed other acts of senseless violence.

We will not allow our message of peaceful, law-abiding, positive resistance to be conflated with the violent and unlawful actions of unrelated groups, and we cannot ask our members and supporters to put themselves in harms way, said Michigan United for Liberty spokesman Adam de Angeli. We will not be associated with political terrorism in any manner.

Whitmer also addressed issues surrounding the death of Floyd during her Friday press conference.

Its incumbent on every one of us to stand up for what is right," she said. "We have to hold people accountable, people that perpetuate these abhorrent actions.

"George Floyds death and the deaths of many others Amaud Aubery, Treyvon Martin Tenisha McBride theyre not isolated incidents but theyre a part of a systemic cycle of racism and injustice in our country ... The events of the last couple of weeks have really sent a clear message that black lives are under threat every single day whether its the fear of law enforcement or fear of this pandemic and we cannot live in a society and a country where our rights and dignity are not equal for everyone.

Some attendees of prior protests allegedly organized by Michigan United for Liberty were accused of intimidation when they arrived openly displaying rifles and handguns, which is legal in Michigan.

Images of armed protesters inside the Michigan Capitol led the Michigan Capitol Commission, responsible for the grounds and building, to begin discussing a possible firearms ban.

The group had a Facebook event page it created to publicize a May 14 protest deleted by the social media company after several violent comments were posted.

A scuffle erupted during the May 14 protest after one attendee arrived with a brown-haired doll hanging from a noose. Organizers condemned that display as hate speech.

Michigan United for Liberty was involved in Lansing protests on April 7, April 15, April 30 and May 14. The group also filed a lawsuit against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last month. The lawsuit challenged the constitutionality of the Emergency Management Act and the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945, under which the governor has unilaterally declared a state of emergency and issued numerous executive orders.

Michigan United for Liberty says it has over 9,000 members. Past rallies have included a large contingent of vocal President Donald Trump supporters.

Our movement honors the tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who understood that only through non-violence can we achieve justice, de Angeli said in Fridays statement. We had hoped to send that message once again with an upbeat freedom celebration on Sunday afternoon, but given the circumstances, its clearly better that we simply move forward, roll out our legislative program and grassroots leadership program, and steer clear of this danger.

Our movement is of creators  workers, builders, artists, doctors, entrepreneurs  united against the governors destructive orders. The risk of getting mixed up with potentially violent protesters over a separate issue is just not worth it.

The group has not said if it intends to reschedule Sundays rally.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

More on MLive:

Group discussed Capitol gun ban

Stay-home protest held in Lansing

Nessel says guns may be banned at Capitol

Open carry rally at Capitol

Should Capitol ban guns?

Whitmer murky on full state reopening
It was a close shave for around 50 migrant labourers as a fire broke out in over 50 closely packed shanties in Rawat village on Rahon road on Friday. Though no casualty was reported, over 300 migrant labourers, including women and children, have been rendered homeless. Over a dozen goats have died in the incident, labourers said.

Besides, furniture, electronic devices and other valuables, including some cash they had saved for emergencies, were also destroyed in the fire.

Though the cause of the fire has not been ascertained, some claimed that the incident took place while a labourer was cooking food in one of the shanties, while a few others said that there was short-circuit due to the electricity cables hanging overhead.

As per information, the fire broke out around 9am and due to the strong winds, it spread quickly. Four gas cylinders kept in the shanties are also said to have exploded.

Govind Kumar said, I was working in the farms when I came to know about the incident. I rushed back and saw that everything had been gutted. Everyone around was screaming and crying over their loss. It is already so difficult to find work due to the coronavirus spread, and now we lost the roof over our head too.

Most of the residents here hail from Bihar and have been living in this village for over three decades years. They have now been shifted to the village gurdwara, where food is being provided by police and villagers.

RESIDENTS CLAIM DELAY IN FIRE FIGHTING OPS

A few labourers claimed that there was a delay in the arrival of the fire brigade, however, the fire fighters claimed they reached the spot 10 minutes after receiving the alert. Ravi Kumar, a fire fighter, said it took over three hours for the fire brigade to control the blaze.

Meharban station house officer (SHO) Kulwant Singh Malhi said soon after getting the information, he went to the spot and shifted the labourers to the local gurdwara. It is suspected that fire broke out while a labourer was cooking food. Police commissioner Rakesh Agrawal has been apprised of the whole situation, said Malhi.

TWO OTHER FIRE MISHAPS

Meanwhile, a two-year-old girl suffered burns in a fire at a labour quarter in Phase 7 of Focal Point Area. Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Bhupinder Singh deputed at Jeevan Nagar police post said, The fire broke out in the room after a burning candle fell off a shelf when the family was sleeping on Thursday night. The child has been shifted to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, and her condition is stable. Other family members are safe and fire was controlled with the help of fire brigade.

Another fire incident was reported from a shawl manufacturing unit in Geeta Colony on Tajpur road on Thursday night. The incident took place around 9.30pm. As the factory was closed at the time, no casualty was reported, however, the owner said, he lost goods worth lakhs.
(Newser)  A worker at an Alabama lumber yard was killed in a horrific accident early Wednesday, authorities say. Phenix Lumber Co. employee Brandon Lee Vandyke, 34, was apparently pulled into a wood chipper after going to check on malfunctioning equipment around 4:15am, Fox reports. The Phenix City Police Department says officers discovered the man's "partial remains" after they were called to the address, reports WRBL. The county coroner pronounced him dead at the scene. Police and fire officials are investigating the death, as is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the local district attorney's office. (Read more Alabama stories.)
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Kalamazoo Public Schools is asking the federal government to help fill in the budget gaps caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The KPS Board of Education approved a resolution calling for federal action to preserve education funding for districts across Michigan at a virtual meeting Thursday, May 28.

We are truly facing a financial crisis," Interim Superintendent Gary Start said. Based on one state financial projection, Kalamazoo Public Schools would face a reduction of more than $10 million in funding.

Related: Kalamazoo schools brace for potentially major funding cuts

KPS, like all other schools across Michigan, was forced to close its doors in March and provide education remotely to students. As income tax revenue plummeted in Michigan during the pandemic, the source of funding for public education is in trouble, Start said.

Board members discussed at a previous meeting a potential budget shortfall ranging between 10-25% for the 2020-21 school year. A 25% cut to the school districts budget would equate to a cut of $2,070 per student, the superintendent said. A 10% cut would equate to a cut of $830 in spending per student.

The State Senate Fiscal Agencys economic outlook and budget review released May 14 showed a $1.2 billion deficit in school aid funding for the 2019-20 school year along with a $1.1 billion decrease in School Aid Fund revenue anticipated for 2020-21.

A $1.2 billion cut equates to 9% of school aid fund revenue for the state, he said. For Kalamazoo Public Schools, it translates to a $10.8 million cut for the current school year.

There is tremendous uncertainty amid the pandemic and districts face new expenses and challenges for the upcoming year including providing personal protective equipment, creating new health screening procedures, increased cleaning costs, reorganization of learning spaces to accommodate social distancing and expanded access to school-based mental health services, the recommendation states.

Possible budget cuts to the district make providing high-quality education, access to technology and safety for students and staff more difficult, the district said.

With approval of the resolution, the board voiced its support for proposed legislation by Congress appropriating additional funds for states and local districts to fill budget gaps during the state of emergency.

Our only real hope to protect our kids is federal action, Start said.

The board also discussed possible challenges students and families will face in the fall if school cant return to normal. If parents must return to work, students wont have the at-home support to do school virtually, the board said.

Hopefully we will be in in-person school come the fall, board Treasurer Ken Greschak said. Students need to be in school.

The Centers for Disease Control recently released guidelines for school districts should governors allow them to reopen. Some guidelines include keeping desks six feet apart, eating lunch in classrooms, deep cleaning every heavily touched surface and allowing only one student per seat on school buses.

The board also thanked the interim superintendent for his service leading the district for the last year. New Superintendent Rita Raichoudhuri will begin in the role June 1, and Start will return to his job as deputy superintendent of business and finance.

Related: New Kalamazoo superintendent faces extraordinary challenge as she steps into role

Youve done a stupendous job in the midst of a crisis, board member Jermaine Jackson said.

Board members said they felt confident navigating the COVID-19 financial hardships with Start back at the head of the districts finances.

The district is holding three public forums on the budget in June. The forums are scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, June 1, 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 2 and at 3:30 p.m. Monday, June 8. The forums will be live-streamed on Public Media Network.

The community is strong and cohesive, board President Patti Sholler-Barber said. That is the foundation for creative and favorable solutions to the very difficult problems we face.

Also on MLive:

Stringent CDC suggestions come into play as Michigan schools contemplate reopening in fall

Praise, inequity concerns about Kalamazoos remote learning plan shared with board

Whitmer administration calls for federal funding to help fill Michigans multibillion-dollar budget hole
Mumbai:

Three youths who were at the Gateway of India for a weekend meet have alleged that they were harassed and misbehaved with by a police patrolling team, prompting authorities to order a probe.

The incident took place at around 4.00 AM on Sunday when the three youth met at the Gateway of India in South Mumbai on a weekend to catch up.

The youths in their complaint lodged yesterday alleged that while they were chatting, a patrolling van approached them and an altercation broke out between them.

A probe has been a ordered into the allegation made by the youths that policemen misbehaved them and used some objectionable words while they were sitting near Gateway of India, a senior police official said today.

The officer said during the preliminary enquiry, the cops in question have denied the charge.

Still this whole incident is being inquired by senior officers, he said, adding the three youths will also be called for enquiry either today or tomorrow.

A video of the incident was recorded and uploaded by the complainants on Facebook.

One of the cops approached and asked us to leave (the place) in a very rude manner. When we asked that there should be a logical reason and that why should we leave. Then he said, it is an order, you are not allowed to stand here, so just leave, the youths claimed.

While returning to the car, I said that its a sad thing in the country that one cannot stand near his car. Then the policeman came up to me, abused me and said if you dont like the country go and live in Pakistan, alleged one of the youth

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 16:59:44|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ULAN BATOR, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia has met all requirements to be removed from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) grey list, the country's finance minister Chimed Khurelbaatar said Friday.

The FATF is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1989, whose aim is to combat global money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

"The FATF has recently concluded that Mongolia has complied with all six recommendations to combat money laundering and terrorism financing crimes," Khurelbaatar told a news conference.

The next official meeting of the FATF will decide whether to remove Mongolia from the list, according to Byadran Lkhagvasuren, governor of the country's central bank.

Mongolia was added to the list by the FATF last October, after the country failed to pass requirements to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Enditem
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Jesse Vad (The Jakarta Post) California, United States  Fri, May 29, 2020 16:43 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdaf807f 1 Art & Culture Racism,asian-pacific,Asian-Pacific-American-Heritage-Month,America,Agnez-Mo,Dipha-Barus,Andrew-Yang,music Free

Agnez Mo, Andrew Yang and Jeremy Lin are just a few of the big names headlining Identity: Project Blue Marble this month. But the event isnt taking place on a stage. Its happening on screen as a collection of performances by Asian artists that will be live-streamed around the world.

May is Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, but celebrations are looking a bit different this year. Some initiatives have gone digital because of the COVID-19 crisis, and organizers are addressing increased racism against Asians as a result of the pandemic. Whether its through music, education or policy, their message is the same: the way forward is through unity.

James Roh, also known as Prohgress, and Kev Nish are two of the three musicians that make up Far East Movement, a popular electronic hip hop group. Over the past few months, they watched as COVID-19 crippled health care systems and provoked xenophobia against Asian communities. In response, Nish and Roh spearheaded a project to provide aid and represent Asians in a positive way during the month of May.

Identity: Project Blue Marble is their creation along with companies Gold House, Transparent Arts, Pacific Bridge Arts and Amazon Music. The event will be streamed on Twitch and YouTube on May 31. All proceeds will be donated to nonprofit United Ways COVID-19 relief efforts.

Its a celebration of how much our people have accomplished over the last couple years, said Roh. Although theres a lot of struggle and a lot of issues that were going through, theres also a lot to be very, very proud of.

The lineup features more than 50 Asian artists and public figures, including Indonesian musicians Agnez Mo, Raisa and Dipha Barus.

Raisa and Dipha Barus are both excited to be part of the collaborative project and to represent Indonesia. Raisa said she immediately jumped on board when Nish approached her because it was for a good cause and it would be the first time shed be able to represent Indonesia on a global scale.

Although we are from different parts of the world, expressing different kinds of music, we still stand strong, together as one through adversity, said Dipha Barus.

Nish and Roh have both faced discrimination throughout their careers. Despite that, they believe that fighting racism with more hate is the worst response. Instead, they hope to inspire understanding and unity.

We really hope people are able to gather hope and positivity, said Nish. We have a passion to help, we have a passion to be heard, we have a passion to represent. And thats what we hope people get from tuning in.

Other initiatives have also come together to stand up to racism this month. PEN America, a nonprofit that works to protect human rights and freedom of expression, partnered with the Asian American Writers Workshop to develop a day of education about racism.

United Against Hate: A Day of Solidarity consisted of a teach-in, poetry readings and panels, all aimed at providing a space for learning and conversation about racism against Asians.

Pawan Dhingra, a professor of American studies at Amherst College, was one of the academics who took part in the teach-in.

Read also: Agnez Mo, Raisa to perform in international charity concert

Dhingra discussed the history of racism against Asians, which he believed would help people understand the bigotry happening today. He also emphasized the importance of Asians working together to resist hate.

I dont want to see Asian Americans fracture among themselves in an effort to avoid being targeted, said Dhingra. Instead we should be united against this hate.

United Against Hate streamed on May 27 and a video of the event is available online.

In addition to internet initiatives, people are developing new ways to defend Asian communities.

The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans is a coalition of 36 Asian American organizations. The NCAPA has responded to racism by advocating for Asian communities before Congress and policy makers to ensure Asian Americans are not overlooked.

The NCAPA also helped beget the Asian American Pacific Islander Emergency Response Network, a compilation of resources that help people report hate incidents and find COVID-19 support.

We will overcome these circumstances, said Gregg Orton, national director of NCAPA. It really can be done when we come together and band together to meet the challenge head on as opposed to allowing ourselves to be pulled apart by fear, uncertainty or anger.

Cheryl Chow, a musician who goes by the stage name Cehryl, isnt involved in coalitions or politics and doesnt want to make music about issues like racism. Still, she has an idea for how to solve the current crisis.

I think I have to invent a vaccine, said Chow, laughing.

Chow is one of the up-and-coming artists performing in Identity: Project Blue Marble on Saturday. She feels that because music is universal, it can help to break down barriers.

And even though Chows music isnt political, she thinks the initiative is important.

I hope that the music reminds us that were all the same, said Chow. That should be something that goes without saying. (wng)

-------------------

The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post.
What better way to kickstart a Bank Holiday Weekend than by listening to some new music?

Reckless Records and Dublin Vinyl are proud to present a brand new album from Kilkenny's R.S.A.G. The album, entitled Chroma, is out for release today.

A storm of sound and an eruption of percussion mixed with hypnotic music and unique visuals, Chroma is the first album from R.S.A.G. in 10 years. Known to his friends as Jeremy Hickey, R.S.A.G. has gained a reputation not only as one of Europes most impressive drummers but as a celebrated producer and a talented showman.

"Chroma started as a musical diary of sorts, an interior perspective of my life while recording from my home studio in Kilkenny," he said. "It is full of my daily challenges and experiences. I soon realised that these mood pieces, these colours, were part of a larger picture that might combine to form an album and so it progressed, regressed, changed and through frustration even nearly came to a grinding halt at one point.

"Each song reflects these different experiences, struggles and emotions, the realities of pursuing a creative goal whilst also trying to keep the wolf from the door," he added. "Chromas evolution has inevitably been a long one.

"I've always been fortunate to have a great family and friends, the perfect sounding boards for my ideas. I am proud that my co-writer Jamie Walsh and I were able to merge our musical and lyrical ideas to produce songs of intensity and emotion."

A limited edition red vinyl version of the album is available to preorder HERE
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been informed that a total of 6 people with COVID-19 have died.

There have now been a total 1,645 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.



As of midnight Thursday 28th May the HPSC has been notified of 39 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 24,876 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.



Todays data from the HPSC, as of midnight, Wednesday 27 May (24,837 cases), reveals:

 57% are female and 43% are male

 the median age of confirmed cases is 48 years

 3,270 cases (13%) have been hospitalised

 Of those hospitalised, 404 cases have been admitted to ICU

 7,943 cases are associated with healthcare workers

 Dublin has the highest number of cases at 12,023 (48% of all cases) followed by Cork with 1,464 cases (6%) and then Kildare with 1,416 cases (6%)

 Of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 40%, close contact accounts for 58%, travel abroad accounts for 2%



Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; As we approach the last week of Phase 1 it is encouraging to see ICU and hospital admissions declining, the number of new cases remaining stable and a 90% recovery rate in the community.

Moving into next week, I would urge everyone to look back at the progress we have made over the past number of weeks and maintain our efforts to suppress COVID-19 into the future.

Dr. Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; Over the bank holiday weekend, we encourage everyone to enjoy the warm weather within recommended guidelines.

Public health advice currently recommends outdoor meetings of up to 4 people outside of your household, at a physical distance of 2 metres and within 5km of your home.

Dr Siobhan Ni Bhriain, Consultant Psychiatrist and HSE Integrated Care Lead, said; As we emerge out of our homes social distancing can pose real challenges for all, especially those in our vulnerable groups who may be enjoying the outdoors for the first time in weeks. Protect each other by keeping a 2 metre distance."
Jennifer Olenik, left, a palliative care physician, and Nina O'Connor, chief of the palliative care program at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, review paperwork for the Serious Illness Conversation project, a questionaire that helps doctors talk with patients about their priorities. Read more

The coronavirus is strengthening the relationship between Penn Medicine and the West Philadelphia nursing homes that both send it patients and provide post-acute care for people discharged from the systems hospitals.

The program started in March, when Joshua Uy, a Penn geriatrician who is medical director of Renaissance Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, asked for help from Nina OConnor, chief of the Penn health systems palliative care program. Renaissance had the unfortunate distinction of being the first nursing home in the city to have a patient test positive for the new virus, and Uy was swamped with work as he tried to contain the outbreak.

His first patient, who later died, went to the hospital, but Uy was dismayed after her brother told him, Not only would she not want to be on a ventilator, she wouldnt even want to be in the hospital.

He wanted to be able to provide close attention to residents with the virus who did not want hospital care. Penn stepped in with remote monitoring by palliative care specialists, and offered conversations that could keep families in the loop and help guide decision-making. One of the really positive things that came out of this was that families could feel that their loved ones were not just being left in a room to die, Uy said. Five residents who tested positive for COVID-19 died, and Uy suspects that another resident who died had it. Most of the patients in the palliative care program lived.

 READ MORE: How Philadelphia hospitals are protecting the mental health of workers treating coronavirus

Uy said that having extra support from Penn was beneficial for him during a two-week outbreak that felt like two years. (He hasnt had a new positive case since April 3.) You cant get too much help during this pandemic in a nursing home, he said. Having this has really been a lifesaver for me.

As the pandemic spread throughout nursing homes in the city, Penn offered broader assistance to more facilities. OConnor, who is also chief medical officer for Penn Medicine at Home, said the program is now working with 10 nursing homes in West Philadelphia. It can help with protective equipment, testing capacity, information and training on infection control practices, the same kind of remote palliative care assistance that Renaissance received, and other specialty care.

OConnor said Penn is not billing for the service.

While area nursing homes have not always been forthcoming about the coronavirus with the public, OConnor said, shes seen "a tremendous openness to help. Some still dont have enough personal protective equipment (PPE), especially gowns. Access to coronavirus testing remains a problem even as the state and federal governments have encouraged nursing homes to do widespread testing of staff and residents.

 READ MORE: Assume coronavirus is already there, says a Philly nursing home doctor who learned the hard way

The palliative care program grew from recognition that many nursing home patients might not want to go to hospitals, and hospitals are not always the best place for them. For a frail elder, the strain of moving to a new facility can be a stress in itself. In a pandemic, nursing homes might need help clarifying what kind of care many residents would want. Palliative care specialists can help nursing homes provide the best supportive care and monitoring, such as making sure patients are getting enough fluids, and watching for changes in oxygen levels or mental functioning. The program also provides virtual access to social workers and chaplains, who can help family members upset about not being able to visit as well as staff members struggling with the impact of the pandemic. The staff have bereavement needs and a lot of grief, OConnor said.

Susan McCrary, president and CEO of St. Ignatius Nursing & Rehab Center, which is among those working with Penn, said the health system has made it easier to keep sick residents at St. Ignatius. To try to move, at this stage in their life, may not be the best approach for them, she said.

Fifty-eight St. Ignatius residents tested positive for the virus and 22 died. It has not had a new positive case since May 5.

 READ MORE: I usually cry in my car: 3 Philly doctors talk about months of battling coronavirus

During the outbreak, McCrary said, she and her staff have been busy caring for patients. It was a big help to have someone else who could have those really deep and meaningful conversations with residents and their families.

Penn also gave St. Ignatius some PPE. Knowing that [staff] would be protected, that was very comforting, McCrary said.

OConnor said the program has improved relationships with area nursing homes, a trend she hopes will continue. Its been beautiful to watch that grow, she said.
MT. PLEASANT, Mich., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Isabella Bank Corporation (OTCQX:ISBA) announced today that the Board of Directors of the Corporation declared a second quarter cash dividend of $0.27 per common share at its regular meeting held on May 27, 2020. The dividend will be payable on June 30, 2020 to shareholders of record as of June 26, 2020. Based on ISBA's closing stock price of $16.30 per share as of May 27, 2020, the annualized cash dividend yield was 6.63%.

"I am pleased to announce our Board approved a dividend of $0.27 per share for the second quarter. The second quarter dividend represents a 3.85% increase from the second quarter of 2019 and is unchanged from the first quarter of 2020. Our continued financial strength provides us the ability to reward shareholders with a very attractive return on their investment as evidenced by the 6.63% annualized yield," commented Jae A. Evans, President and Chief Executive Officer of Isabella Bank Corporation. "We remain focused on the impact COVID-19 and the economy are having on the communities in which we operate and serve. As we continue to assist businesses and families within our markets during these challenging times, we are looking ahead and planning for the needs of our customers, employees, and organization. This planning includes capital management, and we may deem it necessary to adjust future dividends for loan growth and other corporate purposes."

About the Corporation

Isabella Bank Corporation (OTCQX: ISBA) is the parent holding company of Isabella Bank, a state chartered bank headquartered in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Isabella Bank was established in 1903 and has been committed to serving the local banking needs of its customers and communities for 117 years. The Bank offers personal and commercial lending and deposit products, as well as investment, trust and estate planning services through Isabella Wealth. The Bank has 30 banking locations throughout seven Mid-Michigan counties: Clare, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, and Saginaw. The Corporation has been recognized on the Detroit Free Press list of "Top Workplaces".

For more information about Isabella Bank Corporation, visit the Investors link at www.isabellabank.com. Isabella Bank Corporation common stock is quoted on the OTCQX tier of the OTC Markets Group, Inc.'s electronic quotation system (www.otcmarkets.com) under the symbol "ISBA." The Corporation's market maker is Boenning & Scattergood, Inc. (www.boenninginc.com) and its investor relations firm is Renmark Financial Communications, Inc. (www.renmarkfinancial.com).

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements. To the extent that the foregoing information refers to matters that may occur in the future, please be aware that such forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results. Additional information concerning some of the factors that could cause materially different results is included in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Forward Looking Statements" set forth in Isabella Bank Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available from the Securities and Exchange Commission's Public Reference facilities and from its website at www.sec.gov .

SOURCE Isabella Bank Corporation

Related Links

http://www.isabellabank.com


LOS ANGELES, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Nano DiagnosiX (https://www.nanodiagnosix.com/) recently announced the development of FemtoSpot, a biosensor made through a proprietary manufacturing process that creates nanostructure-based, field-effect transistor chips. FemtoSpot is so-named due to its ability to detect extremely low concentrations (down to femtomolar range) and perform lab-quality tests on the spot. Nano DiagnosiX created FemtoSpot as part of its overarching mission to develop handheld, disease-monitoring technology for use anywhere.

Nano Diagnosix's FemtoSpot Chip

"FemtoSpot represents a fundamental paradigm shift in disease testing  a highly affordable, compact, portable, hand-held laboratory for use directly by patients, without the need for specialized training," said the CEO Ahmad Abbas. "It will parallel the simplicity and convenience of home blood glucose monitors, while maintaining the gold standard for reliability. Another highly innovative feature of Nano DiagnosiX's device is its integration with a smart phone app that communicates patient-acquired test results directly to personal physicians. This allows ongoing monitoring for early disease diagnosis and intervention, while reducing overall healthcare costs. No system on the market has this capability, and it will quite literally change everything we know about disease testing and management."

FemtoSpot requires only a single drop of blood, and leverages an electronic signal amplification to detect the binding of disease-associated biomarkers at extremely low concentrations with highly accurate results. FemtoSpot uses Nano DiagnosiX technology that has already demonstrated the ability to detect biomarkers of cardiovascular disease, and continues to display superior performance when compared to conventional testing techniques; testing which is currently complicated, bulky, expensive and requires trained technicians to perform. FemtoSpot will be the herald of a fundamental shift in the healthcare industry: eventually allowing medical testing, remote monitoring, and predictive healthcare modalities that will replace multiple physician visits and routine hospitalization.

Currently, Nano DiagnosiX is working to apply FemtoSpot's singular technology to develop a rapid detection test (RDT) for COVID-19. With high accuracy and a low detection limit, the FemtoSpot COVID-19 RDT will be a quantitative test that has a short test time, requires no professional training, and no complicated equipment. FemtoSpot COVID-19 testing equipment can be deployed at ports-of-entry, pharmacies, polyclinics, offices, or any other location where mobile testing is required. FemtoSpot is multifunctional, able to determine previous infection, current infection, and infection stage.

About Nano DiagnosiX Inc.

Based in California, Nano DiagnosiX is a passionate biotech startup company that seeks to shakeup and revolutionize the medical testing industry. Currently developing a platform technology for remote monitoring of various diseases, through lab-quality testing via handheld devices, Nano DiagnosiX will bring quantitative assessment of disease-associated biomarkers into the mainstream. Learn more at: www.NanoDiagnosiX.com.

Media Contact:

Ahmad Abbas, CEO

786-246-8258

[email protected]

SOURCE Nano Diagnosix Inc

Related Links

https://www.nanodiagnosix.com


Barracuda Networks, the trusted partner and leading provider for cloud-enabled security solutions, highlights the threat landscape in the month of May 2020. Barracuda researchers have identified a new type of brand impersonation attack that is disproportionately using Google-branded sites to trick victims into sharing login credentials. Of the nearly 100,000 form-based attacks detected between January 1 and April 30, 2020, Google file sharing and storage websites were used in 65 percent of attacks, making up 4 percent of all spear-phishing attacks in the first four months of 2020.

Amid the global pandemic, cybercriminals are evolving and a growing number of their campaigns are using the coronavirus as a lure to trick unfocused users by capitalising on their fear and uncertainty. In this type of brand impersonation attack, scammers leverage file, content-sharing, or other productivity sites like docs.google.com or sway.office.com to convince victims to hand over their credentials. They are performing credential theft in several ways.

The attackers are impersonating emails that appear to have been generated automatically by a legitimate file-sharing site such as OneDrive and takes their victim to a phishing site through a legitimate file-sharing site. Yet another tactic is creating an online form using legitimate services like forms.office.com. The forms resemble a login page of legitimate service, and the link to the form is then included in phishing emails to harvest credentials. These impersonation attacks are difficult to detect because they contain links pointing to legitimate websites that are often used by organizations.

Getting access to accounts without passwords is another attack variant where the original phishing email contains a link that looks like a usual login page. The link contains a request for an access token for an app. After login credentials are entered, the user is presented with a list of app permissions to accept. By accepting these permissions, the attacker can get to use the same login credentials to access the account. Even two-factor authentication cannot refrain the spammers to perform such phishing attacks as the malicious app gets approved by the user to access accounts.

In the recent form-based attacks reported by Barracuda researchers, attackers leveraged 25% storage.googleapis.com, 23% docs.google.com, 13% storage.cloud.google.com and 4% drive.google.com. In comparison, Microsoft brands were targeted in 13 percent of attacks: onedrive.live.com (6%), sway.office.com (4%), and forms.office.com (3%). The other sites used in impersonation attacks include sendgrid.net (10%), mailchimp.com (4%), and formcrafts.com (2%). All other sites made up 6 percent of form-based attacks.

Speaking on the threat highlight, Mr. Murali Urs, Country Manager, India of Barracuda Networks, commented, As working from home becomes the new normal for many businesses and their employees amid multiple restrictions, there has been an exceptional spike in cybersecurity threats and an increase in a variety of phishing campaigns. The attacks are taking advantage of the heightened focus on COVID-19 to distribute malware, steal credentials, and scam users out of money. While phishing tactics are common in nature, this is a new kind of form-based attack that our researchers have been steadily detecting throughout the beginning of the year. They are expecting the numbers to increase going forward as cybercriminals are successfully able to harvest credentials with these attacks. It is now upon the businesses to establish solutions to stop the attackers from bypassing email getaways, spam filters and track suspicious IPs. Users too should be able to identify suspicious emails and report them to reduce the occurrence of such attacks.

While such attacks cannot be eliminated easily, business organisations can establish strategies that use artificial intelligence to detect and block attacks, such as account takeover and domain impersonation. They must also have a solution in place that uses machine learning to analyse normal communication patterns within your organization, instead of relying solely on looking for malicious links or attachments. They must also facilitate multi-factor authentication and two-step verification for online accounts that can provide an additional layer of security beyond username and password, such as an authentication code, thumb print, or retinal scan. Organisations must track IPs that exhibit other suspicious behaviors, including failed logins and access from suspicious devices.

Meanwhile, the users should be educated about email attacks, including form-based attacks, as part of security-awareness training. Business enterprises can use phishing simulation to train users to identify cyberattacks, understand their fraudulent nature, and learn to report them
Arogya Setu completely secure: Ravi Shankar Prasad

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, May 29: Amid privacy concerns, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday maintained that Arogya Setu was completely secure and there was no security or data breach in coronavirus tracking mobile application.

Prasad said that Aarogya Setu app is a product of India's digital mind and it traces and cautions individuals against the spread of the virus.

Domestic travellers with green status on Aarogya Setu app do not need quarantine: Puri

"If you come in contact with anybody who is corona positive, Arogya Setu helps in tracing in most fair and objective manner. It is completely privacy proof. I is completely secure. All the data is encripted except the final data of the affected person which is conveyed to the district administration under no circumstances, the protoicoal which I have finalised, the data shall be retained beyond 180 days. 11.5 crore people have already downloaded the app," the law minister said.

Prasad was delivering the concluding speech during the Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon Memorial Lecture Series organized by Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad, an organisation affiliated to RSS, on 'Legal & Digital Challenges for India Post Covid'. He also echoed the views of Bar Council of India on the resumption of physical/open court hearings in all courts across India and said he favours e-filing, video-conferencing but was not completely against physical arguments in courts.

Bejan Daruwala: Famous astrologer who predicted PM Modi's win dies At 89 | Oneindia News

"We are meeting in very challenging times. The world has changed beyond recognition. Could you believe that man was trying to go to Mars, making scientific inventions and one virus comes and derails the entire world? There is no vaccination until now and the economy has shattered globally. "Learn e-filing and e-arguments, this is the new world, don't know for how long this will go. Post COVID-19 world is going to be completely different. I advocate e-filing, video-conferencing but I am not completely against physical arguments in courts. What Bar Council of India has said is correct and we will discuss it, keeping safety in mind," Prasad said.

The law minister appreciated the leadership and efforts of prime minister Narendra Modi and said that on his call the whole country stood with him and people clapped, lighted diyas to laud the efforts of frontline warriors fighting the battle against the deadly novel coronavirus. He said that excluding China, 15 countries of the world like USA, Spain, Russia etc which are affected by COVID-19, the total population of these countries is 142 crore while the population of India is 137 crore.

"The total number of deaths in 15 countries is over 3.53 lakh while in India it is 4,500 approximately  this is what lockdown has done. I would never dispute that lockdown brings inconvenience. My friends cannot wear black coats and go to district courts, enjoy tea in canteen, talk to clients, or argue in High Court of the Supreme Court. You cannot meet your friends, go to markets, children can't attend school. Lockdown was not easy at all but it was needed to save lives and this is where we have succeeded," Prasad said.

He said Prime Minister Modi has led a very transformative programmes like Digital India, Swachh Bharat, Ujwala Yojna etc. Digital India is designed to empower common people with technology and bring in digital inclusion by bridging digital divide. Prasad said that 37 crore jan dhan accounts have been opened for poor which have helped them to receive financial aid.

"In the last 5 years, 11 lakh crore has been transferred through 'direct benefit transfer' scheme to the poor which has saved one lakh 70 thousand crore which was pocketed by middleman. This is Digital India in actual operation," the law minister said. He also talked about a Make-In-India video conferencing software and said it was better than ZOOM.

Talking about IT industry, he said that work from home has become a new norm. with 85 per cent of the IT professionals working from home in times of pandemic outbreak. Prasad said, at present more than 16,000 courts are properly digitised and they have been given interent connection with 10 mbps speed. The law minister lauded the efforts of the Supreme Court in launching e-filing portal for lawyers and said most of the High Courts are hearing matters through video-conferencing and two lakh e-trials have taken place.

"Learn e-filing and e-arguments, this is the new world, don't know for how long this will go. Post COVID-19 world is going to be completely different. I advocate e-filing, video-conferencing but I am not completely against physical arguments in courts," Prasad said. On the issue of fake news, he said, 'kuch logo ka kaam hai negativity failana'.

To criticise is a right but some people try to weaken the morale of the country to create discord, divisiveness, separatism, hostility and there is a guard ourselves. Talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI), Prasad said that it is going to play a very big role in coming times. The question is how can we use AI in justice delivery. But one thing we have to keep in mind, a machine cannot take the place of human consciousness.
Even when Madhya Pradesh, one of the states worst affected by coronavirus, is battling to combat the spread of virus, political blame game has not taken a backseat. In fact, it has becoming nastier as the state assembly by-polls are scheduled to be held soon.

Posters declaring BJP Member of Parliament (MP), Pragya Singh Thakur, missing have surfaced in her Lok Sabha constituency Bhopal, days after missing' posters of Jyotiraditya Scindia, who quit Congress to join BJP in March this year, were put up in Gwalior.

The missing posters of Pragya Thakur read, While residents of Bhopal are facing difficulties due to coronavirus outbreak, their MP is nowhere to be seen.

In Scindias case, two local leaders were arrested by police.

The instance comes close on the heels of similar posters surfaced in Chhindwara claiming that MLA Kamal Nath and his MP son Nakul are missing from the district in such a difficult times.

While the BJP has not reacted on the posters surfaced in Bhopal, a right wing organisation called Sanskriti Bachao Manch has come forward criticising the incident.

Despite being not physically present in Bhopal, the MP (Pragya Thakur) has been offering all the needed services. On her directives, the Manch volunteers are distributing food among 200 persons daily, claimed Manch president Chandrashekhar Tiwari, who also said that Pragya Thakur was at AIIMS, Delhi for her eye treatment.

Moreover, he alleged that due to the "atrocities by Congress party", Pragya Thakur suffered from bone cancer.

Weeks ago, Pragya Thakur had strongly reacted when Congress leader Ravi Saxena had declared her to be missing and announced Rs 5,000 reward to those who will find the BJP leader.

Taking to twitter, she had even claimed that she is still "bearing the brunt of Congress rule atrocities". Thakur had been accusing the then Congress government in Centre for the alleged custodial torture she was subjected to in the past.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday suggested a slew of measures for home isolation of coronavirus positive patients in an attempt to curb the rapid spread of the Covid-19 outbreak in the city. The national capital recorded 1,106 fresh coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally in Delhi to over 17,000.

Emphasising that coronavirus positive patients do recover from the highly infectious disease, Kejriwal said, More than 80 per cent of coronavirus positive patients either have no symptoms at all or show very mild symptoms and most people recover in about 17 days if they follow proper home isolation guidelines.

The Delhi chief minister urged people not to panic if they test Covid-19 positive and follow all health protocol and isolate themselves completely at home in a separate room with a separate washroom.

ALSO READ | In next phase of lockdown, cinemas, schools and colleges to remain shut: Delhi govt

Kejriwal shared various home isolation guidelines with the people in a televised address on Friday evening. The guidelines dealt with instructions for patients in home isolation as well as instructions for neighbours of Covid-19 positive patients.

The 15-minute instructional video presentation explained important information about the precautions and guidelines to follow during home isolation for coronavirus patients.

The Delhi government has also appointed a team of health workers who will monitor all those coronavirus patients who are in home isolation. The government has urged people to share valid and correct health updates with the team when they call to check on patients in home isolation.

Delhis Covid-19 death toll on Friday climbed to 398 with 82 deaths that took place in the last one month being reported today, as the citys total coronavirus tally jumped to over 17,000, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Heath Minister Satyendar Jain said in a virtual joint press conference. They also announced that 13 of the 82 deaths had taken place on May 27.

The remaining 69 deaths have taken place over a period of 34 days. These cases are being recorded now due to late reporting by various hospitals or due to incomplete submission of information, Sisodia said. The 69 deaths include 52 fatalities that had taken place at Safdarjung Hospital, a report for which was submitted by authorities a couple of days ago, he said.
The U.S. government is funding a health website in Armenia that has published misinformation about COVID-19, according to the British investigative online publication openDemocracy.

In its May 28 report, openDemocracy said the most-read article on the website medmedia.am in May is a piece taken from a local Facebook page calling on people not to receive any potential COVID-19 vaccination.

The article -- which has 131,000 views and 28,000 social-media likes, a large number for a country of less than 3 million people -- claimed such vaccination is part of a conspiracy by Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates and his health foundation.

The second-most read article falsely claims that relatives of an Armenian man who died of a heart attack were offered money to sign a document saying he succumbed to COVID-19, openDemocracy reported.

It said other content describes COVID-19 as a fake pandemic.

A disclaimer on medmedia.am website says that it has been funded through a Department of State Public Affairs Section grant but that its articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. government.

The website was launched in 2019 by the local nongovernmental organization Armenian Association of Young Doctors.

The association, led by urologist Gevorg Grigorian, received a grant from the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan through a State Department program designed to promote transparency and public education.

The grants are worth up to $24,000, according to the U.S. Embassys website.

According to openDemocracy, Grigorian has openly expressed anti-LGBT views and has connections with the far-right VETO party.

Few of the articles on medmedia.am have bylines and the most popular are opinion pieces, most of which are republished Facebook posts.

The website also contains factual coronavirus updates from Armenia and around the world.

Armenian health authorities have warned that misinformation surrounding the coronavirus and a future vaccine is dangerous and could impede the countrys response to the pandemic.

With reporting by Open Democracy
Former Judges, Lawyers Back Justice Departments Dismissal of Flynn Case

Dozens of former judges and prosecutors have requested to file a brief in support of a Justice Department motion to dismiss the criminal case against President Donald Trumps former national security adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.

The bipartisan group of legal professionals on Thursday asked U.S. District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan to grant its request to file a friend-of-the-court brief, which they also submitted to the court. Ex-Whitewater independent counsel Ken Starr and former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) are among the list of lawyers who joined the brief.

The group, who says it has an interest in how certain legal rules regarding dismissal work, argued that the court has no basis to review and deny the federal governments motion to dismiss as it runs afoul the separation of powers under the U.S. Constitution.

The issue presented in this case is whether the court has discretion to deny a motion to dismiss to which the defendant consents, as Gen. Flynn has done here. The answer is no, the group wrote (pdf).

The role of the court, the group said, is to safeguard the integrity of the judicial process, to act as a neutral umpire in contested legal issues, to protect the rights of the defendant, and at sentencing to act as a voice for the community. It added that it is the executive branchs role to decide whether to prosecute a case.

The court is never a partisan for either the prosecution or the defense; it must never assume the mantle of prosecutor or defense counsel. Moreover, the separation of powers precludes the court from exercising Executive powers, the group wrote.

It also argued that the separation of powers precludes the court from second-guessing the prosecutors exercise of discretion regardless of the considerations that prompt the executive branchs decision.

This comes after Sullivan appointed John Gleeson (pdf), a former federal judge in New York, as an amicus curiaeor friend-of-the-courtto present arguments in opposition to the governments Motion to Dismiss in the criminal case against Flynn. Sullivan also ordered Gleeson to address whether the Court should issue an Order to Show Cause why Mr. Flynn should not be held in criminal contempt for perjury.

He also invited outside parties to weigh in on the case with their opinions in friend-of-the-court briefs.

The DOJ said on May 7 that it was dropping its case against the retired general because they believe the FBI had no justifiably predicated investigation when bureau agents went to interview Flynn on Jan. 24, 2017.

The prosecutor who wrote the court filing argued that the government wasnt persuaded that the FBI interviewed Flynn with a legitimate investigative basis, and that Flynns guilty plea was irrelevant. He said to be a crime, a lie needs to be material, which means it has to have probative weight on the investigated matter.

Flynns lawyers requested a superior court, District of Columbia appeals court, to intervene in the case after Sullivans move, alleging that the judge is breaking rules and precedent in Flynns case. That court has ordered Sullivan to respond to Flynns request to the circuit court to intervene in the case within 10 days. Sullivan has since retained trial lawyer Beth Wilkinson to help in the appeal case.

Earlier this month, a group of 15 Republican attorneys general also argued in a separate friend-of-the-court brief to the same court that the separation of powers prevents the judge from compelling the Justice Department (DOJ), which is part of the executive branch, to prosecute a case.

Judges have no share of the executive power, and thus no say in the decision whether to prosecute, the attorneys general wrote (pdf).
Pakistan: Murderers at large for the killing of KTN journalist

Police registered a case against six suspects, accused of the murder of KTN news journalist, Zulfiqar Ali Mandrani who was shot by unidentified gunmen on May 26 in Jacobabad. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of Mandranis killers.

Senior superintended of police (SSP), Jacobadad, Bashir Ahmed Brohi announced four out of the six accused are at large on May 28, including Akbar Ali, Syed Imam Shah, Gluam Ali and policeman Mumtaz Daio. Currently, only Nazir Daio and Riaz Daio have been arrested, found carrying weapons allegedly used in the murder.

Mandrani's father claims the six men attacked his son near a market place, took him to an empty house and killed him. According to the father, the six accused have a history of threatening his son in retaliation to his news coverage on them.

PFUJ said: The PFUJ leadership demand the immediate arrest of the killer.

The IFJ said: The IFJ urges police to continue investigating the murderers and bring Zulfiqar Ali Mandranis killers to justice."
The J.C. Penney store in the Stirling Lafayette shopping center on Louisiana Avenue was one of the first to open in Louisiana as the struggling retailer announced a round of store openings Thursday.

The company opened 150 stores in 27 states and has now reopened 304 stores nationwide following the COVID-19 shutdown, company officials announced. The move comes on the heels of the company filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month and forecasting rounds of stores closures as a result.

The Louisiana Avenue store reopened with shorter hours of noon to 7 p.m. daily except 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. It is also offering shopping for at-risk customers from 11 a.m. to noon Wednesdays through Fridays.

The store at the Acadiana Mall remains closed.

The closures will come, according to a USA Today report on Thursday. J.C. Penney will begin going-out-of-business sales at certain stores within weeks, an attorney for the company said Thursday at a court hearing, as the company is set to close 242 stores permanently as part of the Chapter 11 restructuring plan.

Lafayette JC Penney stores could close as company files for bankruptcy JC Penney Co.s two stores in Lafayette  along with its others stores companywide  are in doubt after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankr

Inside info on doing business in Acadiana We'll keep you posted on the Acadiana economy. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The company's lawyers expect to identify the locations that will be permanently shuttered in a court filing June 4, the report indicated.

The retailer owns its space in the Stirling Lafayette shopping center. It sold its Acadiana Mall space last year and signed a lease that will expire in 2024.

J.C. Penney also opened stores in Lake Charles, Alexandria and the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.
(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters)

* Global copper stocks: https://tmsnrt.rs/3ewJJgM

By Andy Home

LONDON, May 29 (Reuters) - "Have metal markets forgotten about corona?"

The question, posed by analysts at Commerzbank in the title of a May 28 research note, captures the latent optimism the worst of COVID-19 may be over for industrial metals such as copper.

The current London Metal Exchange (LME) copper price of $5,360 per tonne may be down by 13% on the start of January but it has also staged a significant recovery from its March low of $4,371.

The focus is on recovering activity in China rather than downturn in the rest of the world. Beijing's stimulus package, centred on "new" infrastructure such as electric vehicle charging points, should be positive for copper demand.

China's continued strong imports and relatively flat global exchange stocks reinforce the positive optics.

But, Commerzbank warns, "this optimism is premature in our opinion as we believe that the worst is yet to come."

The bank is not alone in this view.

The International Wrought Copper Council (IWCC) is expecting a surplus of almost one million tonnes of metal this year and next.

DEMAND HIT OUTWEIGHS SUPPLY HIT

Clearly, making any form of forecast right now is challenging given fast-moving dynamics on both the supply and demand sides of the copper balance sheet.

However, with 150 members drawn from the copper fabrication sector, the IWCC is in as good a position as anyone to try to throw a light on copper's fundamental landscape.

The Council's twice-yearly update on the copper market is often overshadowed by that of the International Copper Study Group (ICSG).

The ICSG held no May meeting and published no spring forecasts this year but has contributed to the IWCC's supply-side calculations.

Unsurprisingly, given the level of lockdown disruption in key producer countries such as Peru, global mine supply is expected to fall by 4% this year. That will translate into a 2.4% drop in production of refined metal.

Story continues

However, the COVID-19 supply shock will be exceeded by the hit to demand, the IWCC suggesting global usage could fall by as much as 5.4% in 2020.

Hardest hit will be Europe, where usage is projected to slide by 6.4% this year, and North America, facing a 6.9% slump in demand relative to 2019.

Even in China, where activity appears to be recovering and stimulus spending is building, copper demand is expected to fall by 2.8%.

The IWCC's figures imply a copper surplus of 285,000 tonnes this year and a much bigger 675,000 tonnes next year.

WHERE'S THE SURPLUS?

A surplus of copper isn't obvious right now.

Global exchange stocks currently total 461,500 tonnes, which is only 54,9000 tonnes higher than this time last year.

Rises in LME and CME inventories have been almost totally offset by declines on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, where registered stocks have fallen by 219,000 tonnes over the course of April and May.

That speaks to China's post-lockdown restock.

So too does the strength of the country's refined copper imports, up 4% at 1.19 million tonnes in the first four months of the year, although higher import flows may be partly down to a near collapse in scrap supplies. Imports of copper scrap totalled just 292,400 tonnes in January-April, down 43% on last year.

A shortage of recyclable metal may be accentuating the need for primary refined metal.

China's call on metal imports seems set to run for a while, judging by the volume of copper being prepared for physical load-out in LME warehouses in South Korea and Taiwan.

The ratio of so-called "cancelled" stocks at the South Korean port of Busan stands at 68% and that at Taiwan's Kaohsiung at 64%.

At face value, it all looks like a repeat of the last global crisis in 2008-2009, when China's shock-and-awe infrastructure stimulus drove copper to all-time highs above $10,000 even as the rest of the world was struggling to rebuild.

REASONS TO BE FEARFUL

The comparison between now and then is tempting for copper bulls but there are reasons to be cautious that history will not repeat itself, even if there are familiar echoes.

Although Beijing's latest stimulus package ticks a lot of copper boxes, there will be no liquidity flood and construction boom such as seen a decade ago.

Then there is the problem of what China is going to do with all the copper-containing products, such as air-conditioners and white goods, it normally exports.

The coronavirus' second-round hit on demand, in the form of Western consumer appetite, looks set to be bigger than the direct impact of lockdowns.

China's factories suffered a collapse in export orders in April, according to both official and Caixin purchasing managers indices.

Weak exports are the point of maximum weakness for China's copper sector, although it could take several months before a build in product inventories works its way back up the value chain to the refined metal segment.

Evidently, things won't be helped if the simmering trade dispute between the United States and China re-erupts, as seems quite possible given the escalating rhetoric from the White House.

Meanwhile, the disruption to production caused by national quarantine measures is fading.

Restrictions on mining activity in Peru, for example, are gradually being lifted and although the country's metals production is expected to fall by up to 15% this year, the worst of the lockdown effect has already passed.

Supply disruption has helped copper bounce back from the March lows but its positive impact on market sentiment may not last too long.

As production recovers, the market will refocus on the state of demand, which judging by the IWCC's assessments, is not going to bounce back in anything like the same way.

Everything, of course, still depends on the coronavirus.

The IWCC noted its "forecasts have wider tolerances than would normally be the case" because of the core COVID-19 uncertainty.

Things could pan out better than currently expected.

Then again, they might not.

Even as it stands, the copper market may be heading for stormy waters, although the price isn't saying so right now.

(Editing by David Evans)
What may appear elitist and impossible for the man on the street became a reality when Mercy Adu Gyamfi, a hairdresser, was voted as Member of Parliament to represent the people of Akwatia.



The MP who is unable to speak the Queens language like most of her colleagues said she wept the first day she walked into the chamber.



I never imagined an illiterate like me will have such an opportunity so I cried when I entered Parliament, she said on Asempa FM on Wednesday, May 27.



Popularly called Ama Sey, the MP beat the incumbent Baba Jamal in the 2016 parliamentary election and earned designation Honourable.



In the Ghanaian context, this is a big deal despite the irony of it all.



Many were both shocked and amazed after the underdog and political neophyte thwarted the Parliamentary ambition of Baba Jamal, a popular NDC strategist cum organiser.



Ama Sey said that being in the August House of Parliament has shown her that the work of the parliamentarian goes beyond speaking English.



She indicated that her constituents elected her because they believe I represent their best interests in Accra and she will at all cost champion the development of her people.



Ama Sey said she has been able to transform her constituency.



I have been able to connect electricity to 22 communities, lobbied for roads, social amenities and improved infrastructure at Akwatia.



I have been humiliated for not going to school so I am investing heavily in education so that all the children will go to school," she said.



In Ghana, one does not need a formal education to become a Parliamentary candidate and about 85 per cent of persons 15 years and older are illiterate in English.

Source: ghanaweb









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A federal judge has thrown out a copyright lawsuit alleging M. Night Shyamalan had plagiarized Francesca Gregorini's 2013 movie The Truth About Emanuel for his new Apple TV+ series Servant.

Both projects centered on grieving mothers using dolls to process their loss and forming intimate relationships with female 'nannies.'

'Beyond this unprotectable shared premise, the works' storylines diverge drastically and quickly,' Judge John F. Walter wrote - according to Variety.

Denied! A federal judge has thrown out a copyright lawsuit alleging M. Night Shyamalan (L) had plagiarized Francesca Gregorini's (R) 2013 movie The Truth About Emanuel for his new Apple TV+ series Servant

Double take: Both projects centered on grieving mothers using dolls to process their loss and forming intimate relationships with female 'nannies'

'In sum, the alleged similarities between the works pale in comparison to the differences in the plot, themes, dialogue, mood, setting, pace, characters, and sequence of events, and the Court concludes that the works at issue are not substantially similar as a matter of law.'

The dismissal will disappoint the 51-year-old Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee, who publicly shared side-by-side stills to 'prove how blatant the similarities were' back in January.

Gregorini is unable to amend and refile her lawsuit since the judge dismissed it 'with prejudice' and concluded she 'overstated' Shyamalan had 'bastardized' her indie flick 'through a male gaze.'

'Todays ruling is disappointing, but not surprising. The balance of power in the entertainment industry has always favored powerful men and institutions. Their ultimate goal is to silence anyone whose work they steal and repurpose without credit,' Francesca said in a statement.

Judge John F. Walter wrote: 'Beyond this unprotectable shared premise, the works' storylines diverge drastically and quickly...the Court concludes that the works at issue are not substantially similar as a matter of law'

'The culture of appropriation that is clearly at work in our industry': The dismissal will disappoint the 51-year-old Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee, who publicly shared side-by-side stills to 'prove how blatant the similarities were' back in January

'The Truth About Emanuel is a very personal labor of love. It took me years to write, finance, and direct. To have all that work stolen is not only hurtful, it disregards all the hard work needed to bring Emanuel to the screen. Unfortunately, this is the status quo in the entertainment industry.

'Powerful, mostly male, forces work to take what they want from other creators and repurpose it as their own. Throughout this process, Ive heard from countless other filmmakers whose work has been stolen without permission. And this is M. Night Shylamans third time being accused of unlawfully taking others' work. Where there is smoke, there is fire.'

Gregorini continued: 'My case is an attempt to hold those powerful forces accountable and protect the work of so many talented voices who are not as rich and powerful as M. Night Shyamalan. I hoped for a different outcome. I will not allow this to silence me. I intend to appeal this ruling and continue to make my case that Servant and The Truth About Emanuel share similarities that were undoubtedly and knowingly plagiarized.'

Adding insult to injury, the twist-loving 49-year-old tweeted on March 5 that they are 'half way done shooting the second season of Servant' which has been 'incredible.'

'#notyourservant': Gregorini is unable to amend and refile her lawsuit since the judge dismissed it 'with prejudice' and concluded she 'overstated' Shyamalan had 'bastardized' her indie flick 'through a male gaze'

'It's been incredible': Adding insult to injury, the twist-loving 49-year-old tweeted on March 5 that they are 'half way done shooting the second season of Servant'

The two-time Oscar nominee was previously accused of plagiarism over his 2002 alien invasion drama Signs and his 2004 Amish-style drama The Village.

Robert McIlhinney sued M. Night (born Manoj Nelliyattu) in 2003 alleging he stole ideas for Signs from his unproduced screenplay Lord of the Barrens: The Jersey Devil.

And young-adult author Margaret Peterson Haddix believed the Glass filmmaker stole the mission of his Village teenager and twist from her award-winning 1995 novel, Running Out of Time.

Since the drama over The Truth About Emanuel, Gregorini - who's the stepdaughter of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr - has helmed two episodes of BBC America's Killing Eve.

Teflon: The two-time Oscar nominee (L) was previously accused of plagiarism over his 2002 alien invasion drama Signs and his 2004 Amish-style drama The Village (pictured)
China vowed Friday to take "countermeasures" against the United States if the Trump administration attempts to punish Beijing for tightening its grip on Hong Kong, ratcheting up tensions between the world's two biggest economies.

The Chinese warnings were met later Friday with broadsides from President Donald Trump, who accused China of a "pattern of misconduct" and said U.S. officials will begin steps to revoke Hong Kong's special status under U.S. law.

That means the United States will no longer treat Hong Kong and China as separate entities for the purposes of extradition, customs, trade and visa issues, he told reporters during remarks in the White House Rose Garden.

Trump also repeated allegations that the Chinese government covered up the coronavirus outbreak and said Washington is "terminating" its ties with the World Health Organization, which Trump claims is deferential to Beijing.

On another front, China separately threatened military action to "resolutely smash" any move by Taiwan toward declaring independence. The threat raised the prospect of a regional conflict that could draw in the United States.

Analysts on both sides are increasingly worried about the rapid deterioration in relations, already at their worst in decades.

"China is fed up with being the nice guy. Now any negative comments and actions from the U.S. are bound to trigger diplomatic reactions or other countermeasures in China," said Xi Junyang, a professor at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. "The question is how far China is willing to go and what cards we have."

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian warned Trump against such "wanton restrictions" and threatened retaliation.

"The U.S. should see things clearly and stop interfering in Hong Kong's affairs. If the U.S. insists on intervening, China will take all necessary countermeasures," he said.

China's National People's Congress on Thursday approved a plan to draft a new law that would essentially criminalize protests and other political behavior that Beijing disdains, effectively ending the "one country, two systems" framework that has allowed Hong Kong to operate relatively independently of the mainland.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called the new law a "death knell" for the framework and has advised Congress that Hong Kong can no longer be considered autonomous, a step toward stripping the city of the special status that has allowed the United States to trade with it as an entity separate from mainland China for the past 23 years.

Zhao said Friday that Pompeo was "just too full of himself" and that no country allows "separatists and other activities undermining national security on its territory."

The differences over Hong Kong, coming on top of heated exchanges about the coronavirus pandemic, have dramatically worsened an already hostile relationship between Beijing and Washington. The two sides are now embroiled in disagreements ranging from trade and technology to human rights and press freedom.

"It is deeply worrying that China and the U.S. are facing off in arenas other than politics," said Shen Yamei, a research fellow on China-U.S. relations at the China Institute of International Studies, a Beijing-based think tank.

With neither the United States nor China willing to sit down for rational and sensible talks, Shen said, she was reminded of the inability to communicate before the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1979.

"Contrary to what the world had expected, the pandemic has so far failed to pull China and the U.S. into cooperation," she said. "It is a time for pessimism, but who knows, maybe the need to revive the global economy post-pandemic could help the two countries find a common ground."

The stakes could hardly be higher if the two powers move in the opposite direction.

While China and the United States have been involved in rhetorical salvos and tariff battles, the prospect of actual war is not beyond possibility.

Marking the 15th anniversary Friday of a Chinese anti-secession law, which states that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of it, Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department and a member of the Central Military Commission, vowed to use force if necessary to seize control of the democratic island.

"If the possibility for peaceful reunification is lost, the people's armed forces will, with the whole nation, including the people of Taiwan, take all necessary steps to resolutely smash any separatist plots or actions," Li said in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

"We will not commit ourselves to renouncing the use of force on the Taiwan issue, and will reserve the option of taking all necessary measures," he said.

The anti-secession law states that China can use "non-peaceful means" if Taiwan declares independence or takes steps to do so.

While China has long said it would not renounce force to take Taiwan, its language Friday was escalatory and seems to signal that Beijing realizes that peaceful "reunification" looks increasingly unlikely.

The ruling Communist Party in Beijing views the self-governed island as a breakaway province that should be under its rule. Taiwan, however, has never been part of the People's Republic of China.

The threats come amid mounting aggression on all geographic fronts, with China embroiled in a military standoff on its western border with India, confrontation in the South China Sea and increasingly rancorous relations with Australia and Canada.

Since Taiwan's independence-leaning president, Tsai Ing-wen, came to power four years ago, Beijing has sought to isolate Taiwan from the international community, peeling away its remaining diplomatic allies and exerting diplomatic pressure to ensure its exclusion from global bodies such as the World Health Organization.

Taiwan has held itself up as a Chinese-speaking bastion of democracy, siding with Hong Kong's protesters against Beijing's rapid encroachment into the territory and offering to share with the world its successes against the novel coronavirus, which began in China.

Although the United States' formal diplomatic relations are with China, it has close ties with Taiwan and has been helping it strengthen its military so it can stand up to Beijing. The Trump administration last year agreed to sell new F-16 fighter jets worth $8 billion to Taiwan, the largest and most significant sale of weaponry to the island in decades.

The administration has also lent moral support to Taiwan, most recently when deputy national security adviser Matthew Pottinger recorded a video, in Mandarin Chinese, congratulating Tsai on her inauguration and praising Taiwan's democracy.

Tsai and her democratically elected government have been hailed by the international community for their handling of the covid-19 outbreak, which has claimed only seven lives in Taiwan out of a population of 24 million.

Those moves have incensed Beijing, which had Taiwan stripped of its observer status at the WHO after Tsai's election in 2016. She began her second term this month after her Democratic Progressive Party won presidential and legislative elections in a landslide in January.

Seeking to highlight Taiwan's political differences with China in particularly biting fashion, Tsai on Friday visited the Causeway Bay Bookstore in Taipei, run by Lam Wing-kee. Lam formerly operated the store in Hong Kong, specializing in salacious titles about China's leaders, and was abducted in 2015, probably by Chinese agents. After his release, he fled Hong Kong and reopened his store in the Taiwanese capital last year.

"Free Taiwan supports the liberty of Hong Kong," Tsai wrote in a note that she left in the store.

After Beijing's decision Thursday to press ahead with the national security law, Tsai said Taiwan would welcome freedom-loving Hong Kongers.

"We will continue to support Hong Kong people's determination to strive for democracy and freedom, because Hong Kong's democracy and freedom are important factors for regional peace and stability," Tsai wrote in a Facebook post.

Taiwan's legislature would develop a "complete and clear" humanitarian assistance plan to allow Hong Kong people to resettle in Taiwan, she said.

Since regaining sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, China has governed the financial center under the "one country, two systems" framework, designed to afford the city a high degree of autonomy.

Beijing has long hoped to extend that model to Taiwan. But the Communist Party's encroachment into Hong Kong, especially its sometimes-violent crackdowns on pro-democracy demonstrators, has confirmed to Taiwan's "born independent" generation that they do not want to be part of the People's Republic of China.

- - -

Lyric Li, Liu Yang and Wang Yuan in Beijing contributed to this report.
Fulton Bank's new branch is pictured in Philadelphia's Brewerytown neighborhood on Thursday, April 11, 2019. Small banks like Fulton have proven helpful in getting Paycheck Protection Program loans from the government. Read more

There is no doubt that the Paycheck Protection Program  the forgivable loans offered by the Small Business Administration through lenders nationwide  has had its share of challenges. But its hard to argue the critical role that small and midsize banks played in getting the money out to those companies in need, a role that will not be forgotten and will likely affect small business banking in the future.

The numbers speak to this. As of May 23, the SBA reports the program has approved more than 4.4 million loans totaling more than $511 billion. But more importantly, the vast majority of these loans have been distributed not through large banks but via more than 5,500 lenders across the country, with almost 5,400 of them having under $10 billion in assets (and about 3,500 of them having less than $1 billion.)

In the programs early stages, the countrys largest banks were criticized for their slow rollout and alleged favoritism for their largest existing customers, whether or not they could get financing elsewhere. But smaller banks continued to churn out the paperwork. And as the weeks went by, most of my clients who sought these loans did so through a smaller bank rather than a larger one.

Although we have most of our accounts with a large bank in the area, we chose to apply for the PPP loan through Fulton Bank [a $23-billion Lancaster, Pa.-based lender], the controller of a Bristol, Pa., manufacturer told me. They were extremely responsive and made the process easier.

The managers at Fulton Bank realized that the SBA program wasnt just an opportunity to help existing customers. They also recognized it as a great way to get to know other business owners in the area.

 READ MORE: Want to escape paying back that PPP loan? The rules change fast. But heres how to do it.

It was the quickest type of a marketing program you could put together, said Kevin OConnor, the president and CEO of BNB Bank, a $5 billion institution with 39 branches. OConnor said BNB processed over 4,000 loan applications for small businesses, of which 1,000 were from new clients. We had tellers, back office people, and loan officers working 24/7 to get these loans processed, he said.

The guidelines early on from the SBA were scarce and online platforms were still being established to process applications. This proved to be a bureaucratic hurdle for the larger banks, causing them delays. But despite these challenges, many smaller banks like Fulton and BNB pressed forward, often having to resend updated applications as the rules changed.

But we werent embarrassed by that, OConnor said. When youre nimble and small, you can make judgment calls that were in our control on the fly. When we saw the magnitude of what this [the SBA loan program] was then, it was incumbent upon us to implement a process to build that lifeline.

For small businesses needing more advanced services such as international transactions or complicated financing , a bigger bank may be more suitable. Also, smaller banks often lag in technology  mobile apps, online banking  that most big banks have. But smaller banks catch up in the most important part of a banking transaction: the relationship.

And, according to a recent report from the New York Federal Reserve, this relationship has significantly helped small businesses receive PPP loans. The report found that, in states where community banks had a larger market share than larger ones, small businesses received more overall PPP funding. This is why a larger percentage of small businesses in states like North Dakota, Nebraska, and Oklahoma received PPP funding than their counterparts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The smaller banks were simply more responsive to clients needs.

In the end, most small business owners arent experts at financial things. Were experts at what we do. We need a bank that understands that difference and helps us get the financing that makes sense for our businesses. We need an ongoing partnership to help us better understand our finances and financial statements. Its why, in my opinion and given their response to the pandemic, a smaller bank is better suited to work with a smaller business  and why I believe that many small businesses will migrate toward community and independent banks like Fulton and BNB in the years to come.

Everyone says they have an accountant, a lawyer, and a bank, says OConnor. I want people to say they have an accountant, a lawyer and a banker."

Gene Marks is a certified public accountant and owner of the Marks Group, a technology and financial management consulting firm in Bala Cynwd.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that Ireland is on track to move into Phase Two of the plan to reopen the country.

Following on from today's cabinet meeting, Mr Varadkar said that the Government will take another look at the restrictions next week.

Mr Varadkar also said that the Education Minister has said the intention is to open schools at the start of the next school year which begins in August.

The Taoiseach said reopening schools will not be a no-risk scenario but it should be low risk in terms of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

It is the intention of Government to reopen our primary and secondary schools at the end of August at the normal time when the academic year begins.

Mr Varadkar said they will be looking at research from around the world about the effect it has on the spread of coronavirus.

We know that it is not a no-risk scenario but is a low-risk scenario to open schools and we are learning very much from other countries who have reopened schools partially already.

Mr Varadkar said while schools will return in August, it does not mean every student will be able to attend school for the full day.

Provided the virus does not make a comeback between now and then, primary and secondary schools will reopen at the end of August.

It may not be possible for every student to return for the full day, every day, but that is the point we are trying to get to, so it may be necessary to phase in the reopening of schools, but our objective is to open them as fully and as soon as possible provided the virus does not make a comeback.

He added: We are also learning from countries that have had to reimpose restrictions. There have been outbreaks in schools in France and several schools in South Korea had to close due to outbreaks.

It might mean that not every student is able to return to school but we will try to ensure it is as normal as possible.

The cabinet also heard proposals for a summer programme of education for children with special needs.

Guidelines have been issued for childcare providers to facilitate their re-opening on June 29.

Play pods form a central part of the advice to service providers intending to reopen.

Children's Minister Katherine Zappone said up to 12 children will be allowed into play pods under Government plans to reopen childcare facilities.

She said young children cannot do social distancing and play pods will allow children to play in a natural and spontaneous way.

Ms Zappone says it is not clear yet how many will be able to open in the summer.

"It is not possible to say how many childcare services will reopen in July and August," said Ms Zappone.

"Many of them are usually closed during those summer months but childcare providers asked that I would publish the public health guidance four weeks in advance of opening so that they could get ready."

While initially the services were only due to open for children of essential workers, this has now been widened to include other categories.

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe confirmed that a change will be made to the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) to accommodate the salaries of those who have returned to work after a period of maternity or adoptive leave and who may not have been on the payroll of their employer on 29 February, or been paid in either January or February 2020; requirements for qualification for the scheme.

"I am satisfied that this change addresses the anomaly and ensures appropriate operation of the TWSS in recognition of the unique circumstances applying to those returning to work after a period of maternity or adoptive leave," said Mr Donohoe.

Mr Donohoe said the change will be legislated for later in the year but it will now be administered and backdated to March 26 when the scheme was introduced.

The Government is making this important change because we want to ensure that citizens are not denied access to the scheme because of their personal circumstances.

Mr Donohoe said technical details of the scheme will be published on the Revenue Commissioners website on Friday evening.

Speaking at the post cabinet briefing this afternoon, Mr Varadkar also addressed the issue of Brexit saying very little progress has been made on talks.

He said the Government has stepped up planning in the event no Brexit trade deal is agreed.

As we all know, Brexit has not gone away and talks are intensifying at a European level with a view to an EU/UK seminar being held next month," said Mr Varadkar.

Very little progress, in reality, has been made on those talks but that is often the way talks go. Sometimes you have to have a crisis or a breakdown before you come to an agreement or a solution.

We have agreed to step up no-deal planning  that is no trade deal planning  in case we arrive at a position at the end of the year.

Additional reporting by Press Association
SPRINGFIELD  Dependent on state aid for about half its $58 million annual budget and on even more unreliable fare revenue and advertising proceeds for the rest, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority on Friday welcomed $36 million in federal coronavirus response money.

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, announced the funding at a news conference at Union Station with Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and PVTA Administrator Sandra Sheehan.

The money comes, Sheehan said, as PVTA begins to ramp up bus service as the economy reopens from the coronavirus pandemic and workers with no other means of transportation increasingly need to get where they are going.

Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he always  even when lockdown rules were at their most stringent  saw commuting essential workers waiting at PVTA bus stops.

"That shows you the level of dependency that people have on this service," Neal said. "The ease at which we get from one place to another is a big part of efficiency and recovery."

Neal said he expects more transit funding in the next coronavirus recovery bill, legislation still pending in Washington, but that he expects it to pass the Republican-led U.S. Senate.

Neal also cited the Connecticut Department of Transportations ongoing CTrail Hartford Line service and Amtraks Valley Flyer train from Springfield north to Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield.

He said he endorses U.S. Sen Ed Markeys plan  announced Friday as well  to invest $5 billion annually in high-performance intercity passenger rail service. Markeys plan would boost the chances of enhanced Springfield-to-Boston passenger rail service.

5/29/2020 - U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, announces $36M in CARES Act funding to Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) Friday afternoon. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican)

For the PVTA, the money announced Friday will enable transit service during the public health emergency while also allowing the PVTA to respond to new transit operations needs post COVID-19. The grant is 100% federal funds, with no local match required.

Sheehan said the PVTA is still running on what she called modified Saturday service, that is, with fewer bus trips than it would normally run.

The buses carry 7,000 to 10,000 passengers a day, an average of about 60,000 a week. Thats about 25% of normal ridership. But it sometimes fills buses because people spread out and stay to the back, away from the driver.

She asks all passengers to wear masks. Drivers wear masks as well.

Ridership is growing, Sheehan said.

"The stores are opening. Workplaces are reopening," she said. "Our customers are our customers because they rely on us."

PVTA monitors ridership and is adding service on busy routes. It's also installing barriers and sanitizing buses each night.

All that costs money, she said. So does the added payroll cost of filling in for staffers out of work because they tested positive for the virus.

We dont know what is going to happen with our state revenue, she said, adding that advertising revenue has dried up.

She said she expects the fiscal impacts to last through next year and into 2022.
BEIJING, May 29 -- The PLA Navy is conducting sea trials for aircraft carrier Shandong in accordance with the arrangement of the annual trial plan, said Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) at the regular press conference on Friday.

China's first indigenously-built aircraft carrier, the type 001A aircraft carrier Shandong (Hull 17) left the Dalian Shipyard in northeast China's Liaoning Province for military missions at sea on May 25. This is its maiden voyage for training since commissioned five months ago, marking that the Shandong has primarily formed combat effectiveness.

The training is to test the performance of weapons and equipment and improve the level of aircraft carrier training, so as to further enhance the troops' ability to perform missions and tasks, Senior Colonel Ren said.
America has a long tradition of honoring its fallen. We award Gold Stars and build monuments, we stand for moments of silence and sit at memorial services. These rituals give the country a way to confront tragedy on a grand scale, building a sense of common purpose for the challenges ahead.

But in the face of these deaths, Americans have been left to their trauma. To mourn, alone.

While there has been an outpouring of public gratitude  nightly applause for health workers, food sent to hospitals, masks sewn and shipped across the country  there has been a remarkable lack of public grief.

In part, the silence reflects the nature of this illness. Death happens alone, the last gaze of a loved one often just a tinny image framed by the blue light of a computer screen. Funerals, if they happen, are private. Bodies pile up in crematories, cemeteries and refrigerated trucks.

But moments of national crisis also reveal truths about our leaders.

President Trump has long shirked his role as consoler in chief, preferring to focus on the countrys transition to greatness and incredible days ahead. After months of deaths, he ordered flags to be lowered at half-staff last week, under pressure from Democratic leaders. But his schedule this week contains no special commemoration of the 100,000 lives lost.

His only comment about the very sad milestone came in a tweet this morning, where he offered his heartfelt sympathy & love for everything that these great people stood for & represent. God be with you!
The battle between Donald Trump and Twitter reignited Friday after the social media giant ran a warning label on a tweet by the president.

The social media giant said that the president's tweet  which addressed protests in Minneapolis and said that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts"  violated the company's policies on "glorifying violence."

The company also barred individuals from retweeting Trump's post but only after it had been shared more than 23,000 times.

Weve taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts, but have kept the tweets on Twitter because it is important that the public still be able to see the tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance, the company said in a post.

Trump's tweet came after protesters took to the streets in Minnesota to voice their anger against the recent killing of a man by local law enforcement. In a tweet, Twitter said it violated the company's policies "based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today."

The company's move comes a day after the U.S. president signed an executive order aimed at punishing Twitter, Facebook and Google for what he perceives as these companies' attack on free speech. Tech executives and free speech campaigners, however, have defended Twitter's practice of fact-checking Trump's comments as a necessary step to protect vulnerable groups.
Rosneft will fulfil all obligations under supply contracts despite output cuts as part of the OPEC+ deal, Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin said in a statement on Friday.



"There is no doubt Rosneft will strictly fulfil all obligations under supply contracts with its foreign and Russian counterparties despite output cuts made by the company as a part of OPEC+ deal," Reuters cited Sechin as saying.



Russian President Vladimir Putin, who decides on oil policy, spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday about "close coordination" on output cuts, agreed in April to tackle oil market weakness because of the coronavirus pandemic.



Saudi Arabia, de facto leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, proposes to extend the record cuts until December.
For Subscribers Senate votes to increase Partners in Education tax credit program

Senators voted to increase the amount of money the Partners in Education tax credit program can give out for scholarships to private school students.
President Donald Trump unleashed an executive order targeting social media companies like Twitter Inc. that have drawn his wrath of late -- a move that raised immediate doubts about its constitutionality and whether it would actually deliver its intended punch.

Yet, the order Thursday succeeded on another level for Trump. It shifted attention from his struggles responding to the coronavirus pandemic and a cratering U.S. economy. It also delivered a stark warning to the internet giants he has tussled with since taking office, while sending an encouraging message to his political base.

The move showed Trump using the power of his office to squeeze an industry over a political grievance, in this case his complaint that Twitter fact-checked his tweets about mail-in ballots. The order -- which could expose Twitter, Facebook Inc. and other technology giants to a flurry of lawsuits -- sparked broad condemnation from liberals and even some conservatives who accused the president of launching an unconstitutional assault on free speech.

The clash escalated early Friday morning when Twitter flagged another Trump tweet that the company said violated its rules about glorifying violence. Twitter obscured the offending message, about violence in Minnesota after the death of man in police custody, but said it may be in the public interest for the post to remain accessible.

Trump, who uses Twitter to bypass the mainstream media and communicate directly with his base, is stoking the fight just as his reelection in November is increasingly at risk over his handling of the pandemic, which has killed more than 100,000 people and forced millions out of work.

Fordham University law professor Olivier Sylvain called the order little more than bluster to please Trump's base, which is receptive to his claims that the social-media platforms censor right-wing viewpoints. Sylvain and other scholars said the measure is toothless, disjointed and unlikely to survive a court challenge.

"These are editorial decisions that are in the heartland of what we think is protected speech," Sylvain said. "Even threatening it from the White House, that should be deeply troubling to anybody."

The order, which is the result of a multiyear effort by Trump to rein in the internet platforms over his claims of anti-conservative bias, seeks to narrow liability protections that social media companies enjoy for posts by third parties. It specifically names Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Alphabet Inc.'s YouTube for their power to shape public perceptions and raises the specter that the government is trying to punish decisions about content by the platforms that it disagrees with, which is banned by the free-speech protections in the First Amendment.

It also revives Trump's anti-Obama rhetoric, and he complained that: "As recently as last week, Representative Adam Schiff was continuing to mislead his followers by peddling the long-disproved Russian Collusion Hoax, and Twitter did not flag those tweets."

Twitter shares fell 4.5% in New York trading, the most since April 30, while Facebook shares slipped 1.6%.

Liability protections for internet platforms are spelled out under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which allows the companies to display content that's controversial, offensive and libelous without fear of lawsuits. The law also protects companies from legal repercussions if they take down posts "in good faith" -- a term it leaves undefined -- because lawmakers wanted to limit objectionable content, including pornography.

The executive order takes aim at this second protection by pushing the Federal Communications Commission to issue rules defining bad faith. That could open the door for lawsuits if the decisions to take down content were inconsistent with companies' terms of service, didn't provide enough notice or meet other criteria laid out by the FCC.

The order also pushes the FCC to examine whether companies should still enjoy a legal shield when they leave users' controversial content on display.

Trump, who routinely courts and promotes conservative provocateurs online, has repeatedly charged that the social media platforms silence right-wing ideas and has suggested that the federal government should intervene to protect free speech.

"In a country that has long cherished the freedom of expression, we cannot allow a limited number of online platforms to handpick the speech that Americans may access and convey on the Internet," the order stated.

"This will be a Big Day for social media and FAIRNESS!" Trump said in a tweet Thursday morning that has garnered more than 270,000 likes.

Trade groups representing technology platforms, civil liberties organizations and legal scholars slammed initial reports of the executive order, saying that it was unlikely to survive a court challenge and that punishing ideas that the administration dislikes is incompatible with the order's claims of protecting free speech.

The order "would be a blatant and unconstitutional threat to punish social media companies that displease the president," said Kate Ruane, senior legislative counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is a frequent Trump critic. She said it was ironic that the president, a prolific Tweeter, would attempt to weaken the company's protections against the kind of controversial content he often spreads.

"The president is trampling the first amendment by threatening the fundamental free-speech rights of social-media platforms," said Steve DelBianco, president of NetChoice, a conservative-allied trade association that counts Twitter and Facebook as members.

Denunciations by Democrats

The order sparked a chorus of criticisms from Democrats, including former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump's presumptive Democratic challenger, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, who helped write Section 230 when he served in the House in the 1990's.

"Donald Trump's misinformation campaigns have left death and destruction in their wake," Wyden said in a statement. "He's clearly targeting Section 230 because it protects private businesses' right not to have to play host to his lies."

Twitter and other social-media companies have apologized for occasional mistakes around taking down harmful or misleading content, but deny that they deliberately silence any political viewpoints. The platforms say they are focused on users who are threatening or spread harmful misinformation on issues such as voting or the coronavirus.

Yet some conservatives celebrated the executive order, saying the power of the internet giants must be reined in. "Given the political and cultural influence that these multinational corporations wield, it is of utmost importance to defend free speech values," said Jon Schweppe, director of policy and government affairs of the Trump-allied American Principles Project, although he expressed some reservations about the order's "deference to federal agencies."

The order directs the Commerce Department to ask the FCC for the rulemaking within 60 days. If the agency decides to take up the issue, it could still be months before it issues a final regulation. The FCC could decline to act because it isn't controlled by the Commerce Department. Any rules could also spark lawsuits from the companies, which they would likely win, according to Gautam Hans, a law professor at Vanderbilt University.

Andrew Jay Schwartzman, senior counselor at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, said the FCC has no authority to enforce Section 230 and called the directive "preposterous, but at the same time, horrifying."

The FCC, which is independent from the White House and is overseen by Congress, regulates airwaves uses and telephone providers, and doesn't oversee internet companies. The order attempts to give the agency a role by having the Commerce Department request action.

"This is about working the ref" and intimidating Twitter, said Gigi Sohn, who served as counselor to former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, a Democrat.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai -- a Republican and Trump appointee -- has criticized Twitter for what he called a politically motivated approach to content.

"This debate is an important one," Pai said in a statement Thursday, adding that his agency "will carefully review any petition for rulemaking filed by the Department of Commerce."

FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly, a Republican, slammed the platforms in a tweet and said that he wasn't troubled by the White House's seeking a "review of the statute's application." But he added that the First Amendment "governs much here."

Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement that an executive order that would turn the agency into "the president's speech police is not the answer" to frustrations with social media. "It's time for those in Washington to speak up for the First Amendment," she said.

The order also calls on the Federal Trade Commission, which has a consumer protection mandate, to take a closer look at whether companies misrepresent how they moderate content. It also convenes a working group of state attorneys general to look into similar practices, working with the Justice Department.

The FTC said in a statement that it's committed to laws "consistent with our jurisdictional authority and constitutional limitations."

The order would also initiate a review of all ad spending on the platforms by executive branch agencies with reports to the government's budget office and have the Justice Department determine if the platforms are "problematic vehicles for government speech." The department should also propose legislation to change the law, under the order.
WOOD RIVER  Eleven new coronavirus cases were reported Friday by the Madison County Health Department, bringing the total to 569.

No additional deaths were reported, leaving the toll at 58.

The Madison County figures include 100 people hospitalized and 374 released, meaning they have completed isolation.

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike on Friday said there were now 117,455 cases recorded statewide and 5,270 deaths. She also said 21,796 tests had been completed in the past 24 hours, for a total of 851,762.

Ezike announced there were 3,599 COVID 19 patients in Illinois hospitals, of which 980 were in intensive care units and 593 on ventilators.

IDPH information by ZIP code showed additional cases in the Alton, Godfrey, Wood River, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville and Staunton areas.

As of Friday, 110 cases had been reported in 62025 (Edwardsville), 92 in 62002 (Alton), 74 in 62040 (Granite City/Pontoon Beach), 68 in 62034 (Glen Carbon), 61 in 62234 (Collinsville), and 24 in 62095 (Wood River) and 22 in 62060 (Madison) and 62035 (Godfrey).

Eighteen were reported in 62294 (Troy) with 14 in 62052 (Jerseyville) and 62010 (Bethalto); 13 in 62249 (Highland) and 62056 (Litchfield); 11 in 62090 (Venice); nine in 62024 (East Alton), 62062 (Maryville) and 62069 (Mt. Olive); eight in 62018 (Cottage Hills); seven in 62088 (Staunton); and six in 62012 (Brighton).

The IDPH is releasing case numbers by ZIP code for areas with more than five cases. Numbers are not released in ZIP codes with fewer cases to protect the privacy of patients. The information is online at www.dph.illinois.gov.

Additional cases also were reported Friday in Macoupin, St. Clair, Clinton and Monroe counties in the Metro East. Two additional deaths were noted in St. Clair County.

More Information COVID-19 cases by county St. Clair - 1,091 (79 deaths) Madison - 569 (58 deaths) Clinton - 181 (17 deaths) Monroe - 94 (11 deaths) Macoupin - 45 (2 deaths) Montgomery - 39 (1 death) Jersey - 20 (1 death) Bond - 12 (1 death) Washington - 18 Greene - 5 Calhoun - 1 Sources: Illinois Department of Public Health and Madison County Health Department. See More Collapse

Ezike talked a little about the push for contact tracing, emphasizing the need for people to answer questions. However, she noted there will be scammers and no one will be asked for money, Social Security numbers, bank accounts or similar information by a legitimate contact tracer.

The IDPH also updated data on clusters in long-term care facilities.

Five clusters have been identified in Madison County, including three cases in Cedarhurst of Bethalto, three cases in Cedarhurst of Highland, 49 cases and 18 deaths in Eden Village Care Center, 93 cases and 20 deaths in Edwardsville Care Center and 21 cases and four deaths in Riverside Rehab and Healthcare.

For the latest information on COVID-19 or coronavirus resources, visit the Madison County Health Department online at www.madisonchd.org or on Facebook @MadisonCHD. Also visit www.co.madison.il.us for more news and a daily update or on Facebook @MadisonCountyIL.
'Amazon is willing to spend heavily to automate its business.' Photo: Nick Ansell/PA

Amazon is in talks to rent an office block in Dublin with space for about 750 workers, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The online retail giant is in negotiations to lease the 2 Burlington Plaza office block in central Dublin, said the person who asked not to be identified as the information is private.

The 75,000 square foot (6,967 square meters) building is currently occupied by Bank of Ireland.

Amazon does not comment on rumours or speculation, a company spokesman said by email.

Should Amazon go ahead with the deal, which is not yet certain, it may help assuage concerns about the impact of the coronavirus crisis on Dublins real estate market, which is in part underpinned by US firms.

Demand for office space in the city fell 21pc in the first quarter of the year compared to the last three months of 2019, according to real analysis from CBRE.

Twitter will allow employees to work from home permanently, while Facebook and Alphabets Google unit do not expect most staff to return to the office until 2021.

All three have offices in Dublin.

Amazon employed about 2,500 people in Ireland at the end of 2018, according to the most recent accounts available for its Irish business, and said it would hire 1,000 more people in June 2018.

The company already has offices nearby in the Burlington Plaza complex, and is in the process of setting up its first fulfilment centre in Ireland on the outskirts of the city.

The pandemic has raised concerns as to whether globalisation will be thrown into reverse, with the US leading the way with protectionist and seeking to reshore manufacturing of pharmaceuticals that is based.

The States low tax business model is also under threat from proposed new global tax rules, while Brexit threatens to drive trade costs sharply higher.

Bloomberg
Dust storms, thunderstorms accompanied by light rain and squalls at 60 kmph are likely to occur over Delhi and the National Capital Region in the next 2-3 hours, Dr Kuldeep Srivastava, Head of the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC) said on Friday.

The national capital along with northern India has been reeling under a severe heat wave for the past one week with temperatures crossing 47 degrees Celsius for five consecutive days.

The IMD earlier in the week had issued an orange warning for parts of Delhi for a heat wave. A red warning is usually issued for a severe heat wave.

ALSO READ | Heatwave continues to scorch Delhi for 5th day

Much of north, northwestern and central India including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have also been facing severe heat wave conditions.

Isolated light showers on Thursday evening in some parts of Delhi and adjoining areas, however, brought down the temperature by a couple of notches.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) too on Thursday predicted that the Delhi-NCR region is likely to witness very light rain and dust storms on Friday till about 8:30 pm.

Very light rain/thunderstorm/dust storms accompanied with gusty winds is the forecast for Delhi NCR till 8.30 pm, the IMD had said.

The Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into some parts of Maldives-Comorin area, some more parts of south Bay of Bengal, remaining parts of the Andaman Sea and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Conditions are becoming favourable for further advance of the Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of Maldives-Comorin area during the next 48 hours, the IMD said in its All India Weather Forecast Bulletin.

In addition, the IMD said Tripura and Mizoram are also very likely to witness heavy to very heavy rainfall during the next 24 hours.
This article is published through a partnership with New York Medias Strategist . The partnership is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected by New York Media. If you buy something through our links, Slate and New York Media may earn an affiliate commission.

There are no shortage of options for men when it comes to shaving. Some swear by more old-school wet shaving methods, using a safety razor or a straight razor with shaving cream. While this approach has certainly stood the test of time, it requires some care and attention to technique, and comes with the risk of cuts. Cartridge razors, like the ones youd pick up from Harrys or Gillette, offer a sort of middle ground in terms of effort. Theyre designed to be as simple as possible, but to ensure an optimal shave, youre still going to need to use them with shaving cream. Plus, the cost of regularly replacing their blades can make this option pricier with time, even though the razors themselves are usually cheap enough. And as anyone who has shaved in a hurry knows, theres still the risk of nicks and cuts if you arent careful with a cartridge razor.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Thats why, for a truly effortless, quick, and fiscally prudent shave, an electric razor may be the best way to go. Powered by motors and high-tech cutting mechanisms, electric razors are without a doubt the most efficient option, requiring minimal maintenance and prep. Thats partly because theyre designed to work on dry hair (though newer models work on wet hair, too) without needing to lather up first. As Chad Beightol, the owner of mens grooming boutique Consigliere in the East Village, puts it: There was a time when electric razors would burn the skin and not get a very close shave, but that time has long passed. Modern electric razors are great.

But since everyones skin and shaving preferences are different, its hard to choose a one-size-fits-all electric razor. According to the 13 grooming experts we spoke with  including nine professional barbers  a foil razor will provide a slightly closer shave than a rotary-style razor, but one limitation with foil razors is that they really only work well on short facial hair. For that reason, we decided to structure this list slightly differently than usual, designating separate best overall rotary and foil electric razors. In fact, because rotary and foil electric razors each work better for different types of facial hair, having one of each in your arsenal wouldnt be excessive if youre truly looking for a professional quality electric shave at home. Use a rotary for cutting down short enough, then a foil to get super close, explains Vince Garcia, the owner of L.A. barbershop Grey Matter, who told us he likes to use both on his clients (who include some of the NBAs biggest names).

Best overall rotary electric razor

When it comes to ease of use and efficiency, a rotary-style razor will likely be the best all-around option. I swear by the Philips Norelco triple-head models, says Beightol. They get as close a shave as a safety razor without that scraped-skin feeling. While the experts tended to agree that a foil razor will provide a slightly closer shave than a rotary-style razor, they all noted the limitation that foil razors really only work well on short facial hair. A foil razor is most effective if you use it regularly, daily to every three days, says Beightol, whereas a rotary gets a very close shave and can be used when you have up to seven to ten days of growth. That flexibility is one of the main reasons we feel this is the best overall, as is the fact that this electric rotary razor will work on wet hair in addition to dry hair. When your hair is wet, it softens, which allows the blade to move much better, preventing irritation, says barber Craig Whitely, explaining why many men prefer those wet shaving methods we referenced earlier.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

When former Strategist deputy editor Jason Chen tested out a selection of electric razors on his own face, the older version of this Norelco rotary was his top pick. I love this shaver: Its lightweight, feels good in the hand, and catches hairs on the first pass with hardly any effort, wrote Chen, adding that out of all the electric razors he tried, it provided the smoothest, most effortless shave. Beightol adds that since rotary-style razors have a larger surface area, it takes less time to pass over your face for a full shave. And while Beightol personally uses the less expensive version of this same razor (featured below), he thinks this one would be worth the premium if you have the budget for it. The flexible head ones tend to be more expensive, he notes, but they let you shave around the chin and around the neck more easily, allowing for a faster and more comfortable shave.

Best (less expensive) rotary electric razor

As mentioned above, Beightol uses this slightly less expensive version of the previous model. The circular heads still pivot, but not quite as dynamically as those of the 6800. Ive been using rotary electric razors for over a decade, he says and has always stuck with a relatively simple model like this one.

Best overall foil electric razor

When it comes to foil electric razors, the Braun Series 9 is the cream of the crop, says master barber Angelo Ruscetta of American Haircuts in Kennesaw, Georgia. He told us it shaves almost as close as a [straight] razor and, after he uses it, I cant feel any stubble. Like the Phillips 6800, it was designed to also work on wet hair, meaning that even though youre cutting as close as possible the face, your skin shouldnt feel any irritation afterwards. Garcia also uses this electric razor in his shop, and told us he recommends it to clients for home use. In addition to getting nice and close, he says that the higher quality of Braun blades makes them less prone to irritating sensitive skin, because theyre able to achieve as much power with thinner metal on the foil; the thicker the foil, the harder it is for the blade to cut hair, and the more it pulls. Garcia adds that hes had to replace the blades on cheaper foil razors because theyve dulled down over time, but says hes never had to do that with his Braun. Whitely, another fan, praised Brauns technology, explaining that the brand has perfected the balance between a strong motor and a gentle shave in this and other models on this list.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

It is, of course, quite pricey, but its worth noting that this is Brauns top-of-the-line model, made in Germany and packed with features like an automatic self-cleaning base. The ability to disinfect between uses, which helps prevent shaving-induced breakouts, is especially important to men who shave their heads, adds Ruscetta  so this would be a great choice for anyone looking for a razor that can shave their face and give them that cue-ball look.

Best less-expensive foil electric razor

Whitely told us that this slightly less expensive (and older) Braun model basically gives you the best of the above Braun Series 9 razor, but at a fraction of the price. He compares it to buying last years BMW: Youre still getting a great machine, just not the latest upgrades, which he says are merely bells and whistles. Says Whitely: I dont think its necessary to go for the Series 9; the motor in the Series 7 is the same powerful, amazing Braun motor. Importantly, he adds, it also works in the shower.

Best even-less-expensive foil electric razor

Should you be looking for something thats simple and gets the job done, we are happy to report the experts have another favorite foil electric razor thats surprisingly utilitarian, and substantially less expensive than a lot of the other options on the market. Almost every single barber we spoke with mentioned this razor. Its not exactly designed for consumers  note the clunky box shape and not super-appealing gray plastic  but its the model most of the experts trust to deliver professional-grade results and handle a high volume of use, relying on it for everything from a face shave to skin fades for haircuts to cleaning up their clients necks. Master barber Karac Ruleau of Mott NYC told us its what he uses at the shop and at home. It gives you a super-close shave without any razor burn. Its light, durable, inexpensive and doesnt require a frequent charge. He also told us that he often spots contestants using it when hes watching RuPauls Drag Race, which he takes as a strong endorsement.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Multiple experts also assured us that theres no reason for this razor to only be used by barbers. Though some do note that you might need to be more aware of technique than you would otherwise (since it doesnt have a pivoting head), and, as with any electric razor, its important to swap in new blades as recommended by the manufacturer.

Best electric razor for stubble

Wahl is an old barbershop standby, so it was no surprise that the company was mentioned by pretty much every expert we spoke with. This specific model, the Wahl Peanut, came recommended by Beightol, celebrity groomer Jason Schneidman (the owner of THEMENSGROOMER), and Rafael Tadgieve (the owner of Rafaels Barbershop Vintage in the East Village). Tadgieve likes that its small and easy to clean, unlike some of the bulkier and more advanced razors out there. He prefers the corded version because it has a little more power, but Schneidman thinks this cordless model is just as good for personal use. The Peanut is technically a beard trimmer, as its designed to be used with guards to cut hair at specific lengths, but multiple experts shared a useful tip: Using it on your face without a guard will cut your hair right to that five o clock shadow length.

Best electric razor for styling

In our roundup of the best razors for men, celebrity groomer Marissa Machado told us about the Philips Norelco One Blade, which made the list as the best electriccartridge hybrid razor. Its really an all-in-one product, she said, noting that it comes with useful trimming attachments and the razor itself gives a smooth finish. Like the Peanut above, its a trimmer-style razor, so its not going to be as close of a shave as a foil or rotary, but it should be just right if youre going for a five oclock shadow look, or want to trim down longer beard hair. And the fact that this ones designed more like a cartridge razor makes it a bit easier to maneuver than the Peanut, which means creating neat lines around the ears and jawline will be even easier. In addition to being a great tool for styling facial hair (long or short), contributor Kurt Soller notes that its also great for traveling. The small size, decent battery life, and punchy color make it just right for my Dopp kit.
New research has revealed the evolution of colour vision in elapid snakes following their transition from terrestrial to fully marine environments, and for the first time, provided evidence of where, when and how frequently the species have adapted their ability to see in colour.

Published in the journal Current Biology, the study is an international collaboration between the University of Adelaide, the University of Plymouth, University of Bristol and The Natural History Museum, London, and others, involving scientists from the UK, Australia, Denmark, Bangladesh and Canada.

The research suggests sea snakes vision has been modifying genetically over millions of generations, enabling them to adapt to new environments and meaning they can continue to see prey  and predators  deep below the sea surface.

Study lead author Dr Bruno Simoes, Adjunct Lecturer in the University of Adelaide and Lecturer in Animal Biology at the University of Plymouth, developed part of the work when he was a Marie Skodowska-Curie Fellow at the University of Bristols School of Earth Sciences.

He said: Sea snakes first entered the marine environment 15 million years ago and have been evolving ever since to survive in its changing light conditions.

All snakes are descended from highly visual lizards, but advanced colour vision was lost in the early ancestors of snakes  probably because they inhabited dim-light environments.

We used sequencing of vision genes and spectrophotometry to reveal that sea snakes have undergone rapid changes in their visual pigments compared to their relatives on land.

Gene losses during snake evolution have left living snakes with only two types of cone opsin, which are the pigments responsible for detecting bright light.

In most terrestrial snakes, the short wavelength sensitive cone opsin (SWS1) has peak sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light. But in sea snakes this pigment has undergone repeated shifts into the visible spectrum, which would be beneficial for vision underwater, where longer wavelengths dominate.

Many living things have pairs of chromosomes (inherited from each parent) and consequently have two different copies of the same gene (alleles). The researchers were surprised to find that some sea snakes possessed two genetic alleles of the SWS1 gene, one with peak sensitivity to UV light and the other to visible (blue) light.

Because these alleles appear to have been retained across species during millions of years of sea snake evolution, they concluded that this spectral polymorphism was maintained by natural selection because it may confer expanded colour sensitivities.



In the retinae of sea snakes that possess both alleles, if some photoreceptors express the UV-sensitive allele and other photoreceptors express the blue light-sensitive allele, or these are activated in different light conditions, this could compensate for the ancestral loss of opsins in snakes.

Senior scientist on the report, Dr Kate Sanders, Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide, says their research also suggests that diving sea snakes actually share their adaptive properties not with other snakes or marine mammals, but with some fruit-eating primates.

Like sea snakes, marine mammals such as whales and seals are descended from terrestrial ancestors.

Where sea snakes have evolved new visual abilities not seen in their closest terrestrial relatives, the visual systems of whales have degenerated since their separation from land mammals.

An interesting comparison can also be made between sea snakes and primates; some fruit eating primates have expanded colour sensitivities attributed to the retention of different alleles of their long wavelength sensitive opsin.

Our study suggests an intriguing parallel in diving sea snakes, but we have a lot to learn about the ecological and genetic mechanisms at play in sea snake visual evolution.
A 12-year-old boy has been charged with manslaughter over the death of an 11-year-old girl who died when she was thrown from the back of a ute.

The boy, aged 11 at the time, was allegedly driving dangerously and speeding when he rolled the Mazda Bravo ute on mudflats in Wyndham, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, on September 7 last year.

As the vehicle rolled, Abbey Forrest and another 11-year-old girl were thrown from the ute tray. Abbey was killed.

Just weeks before her death, Abbey was named junior person of the year at the East Kimberley Aboriginal Achievement Awards in August.

The 12-year-old driver was charged with manslaughter over Abbey's death on Friday and is due to face court next month.

Abbey Forrest (pictured) died on September 7 when she was thrown from the tray of a ute as it rolled near Wyndham in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. A 12-year-old boy was charged with manslaughter over her death on Friday

Her mother, Jessica Forrest (pictured together), laid her daughter to rest on October 7 - what would have been Abbey's birthday - as she could only think of it as the day Abbey would have turned 12

There were five children in the car when it crashed - two 11-year-old girls, two 11-year-old boys and a 13-year-old boy.

Four of them were injured, with Abbey's injuries resulting in death.

Abbey's mother Jessica Forrest laid her daughter to rest on October 7 last year - what would have been her 12th birthday.

'I won't refer to it as anything but her birthday party, I hate the "f" word and everything around it,' she told The Kimberley Echo in the lead up to the day.

On the day extracts from Abbey's diary were included in the funeral booklet.

The entries revealed she wanted to live with her best friend after they dumped their future boyfriends so they could raise a set of males twins together.

The talented schoolgirl, who was named junior person of the year at the East Kimberley Aboriginal Achievement Awards weeks before her death, had just been accepted into three boarding schools

Ms Forrest has said she doesn't want her daughter's legacy to be about the day she died.

Mourners at Abbey's funeral wore black, turquoise and white - her favourite colours.

Her mother recalled their last evening together before her daughter's death during her eulogy.

'I will never forget our last night together...we sat up eating popcorn, telling stories, talking and laughing until past midnight,' she said.

She said in the 12 months before her daughter's death she had matured emotionally and physically, and that the last message she had given her daughter was that she loved her.

Abbey was in the ute with four other children, three of whom were also injured. But only Abbey's injuries resulted in death

After the service her family celebrated her birthday - complete with songs, food and lots of colourful balloons

Ms Forrest said her daughter worked hard after moving to the area in 2015.

The talented schoolgirl, who was named junior person of the year at the East Kimberley Aboriginal Achievement Awards weeks before her death, had just been accepted into three boarding schools.

Abbey was buried surrounded by family, elders, classmates and community - some of whom read letters to her during the service.

After the service her family celebrated her birthday - complete with songs, food and lots of colourful balloons.
Regional heads of Air India medical department have appealed the airline management to repeal the transfer of an alleged doctor who has a sexual harassment case pending against him.

The doctor had been transferred to Hyderabad from Mumbai by the ex-chairman and managing director (CMD) Ashwani Lohani after a female colleague complained of sexual harassment at the workplace. He has now joined the airline headquarters in Delhi as a general manager.

The doctor, who has the rank of a senior official, was transferred and given higher responsibility on May 13. Senior airline sources said that despite an ongoing sexual harassment inquiry, Air India asked the officer to join his duty in Delhi as the executive director (ED) of the medical department is retiring on Sunday, and the transferred officer will be heading the department after him.

While the airline spokesperson on May 15 had said that they wouldnt comment on the matter citing internal issues, the spokesperson had called the transfer of senior officers to be a routine administrative exercise as per administrative and operational requirements.

Lohani had earlier endorsed a report that stated that the officer has a negative attitude and has an ongoing sexual harassment inquiry against him.

In a letter written to airline management (HT has a copy of it) on May 16, the doctors of Air India stated: ...the said official has been vindictive, vengeful domineer who has an extremely negative attitude, insults everyone at the drop of a hat, belittles colleagues and juniors.

It further added, We are privy to the humiliating experiences to our lady colleagues and the lady patients in the guide of his cheap remarks and inappropriate jokes. Most of these ladies contract doctors are forced to genuflect as they are scared to lose their jobs due to his explicit hints of contract termination.

Requesting to repeal the said officers transfer, the airline doctors added, Heads hang in shame as this doctor bearing the cross sexual harassment will now lead us for the altar of medical headquarter, Air India.
The companys mission is to promote Egyptian art while linking it with the past

Art D'Egypte last week launched a YouTube channel as well as a podcast.

Both platforms are extensions of the company's activities to promote Egyptian and Arab art while creating a strong link between the past and present.

The podcast features the "movers and shakers in the local, regional and global art landscape including curators, historians, artists, patrons, gallerists and art writers," according to a press release.

The podcast is accessible via the companys Instagram account, with new programmes posted every Monday and Wednesday.

The company has already published the podcast schedule for this week.



In the YouTube channel launched by Art D'Egypte, the company shares the discussions around the art, our past versus modernity through a series of videos.

Most recent video posted on 28 May presents a discussion with Yannick Lintz, Director of Islamic Arts at the Louvre Paris, paralleling the podcast release.

The topics tackled in the video include understanding the necessity of showcasing modern art in historical venues, the ways of presenting today's art in historic buildings and museums, and the interaction created between the modern and the historic.

A shorter video Reimagined Narratives and posted on 24 May, gives us a glimpse at the exhibition organised by Art D'Egypte by the end of 2019. The exhibition presented modern art works across a number of venues located in Historic Cairo.

"The contemporary treasures on display are engaged in a profound dialogue with the glorious Islamic monuments, linking past to present," wrote Nevine El-Aref in an article describing the exhibition.







The videos posted on YouTube are aligned with Art D'Egypte activities set within the company's principal mission.

"Our aim is to promote the Egyptian art while preserving our historical science. We make yearly exhibitions by displaying contemporary art and historical science and by doing so we link our past to our creative presence," reveals Art D'Egypte founder Nadine Abdel Ghaffar in an introductory video titled Who We Are.

Art D'Egypte is one of the most active platforms raising creative discussions embedded in Egyptian and Arab art, organising exhibitions, supporting young artists and providing curatorial services.

With the general cultural shutdown put in place at the beginning of March, Art D'Egypte has swiftly moved its activities online.

Over the past two months, it has provided "never-before-seen online content aiming to educate, inspire, and inform the youth of today on the importance of art history and cultural preservation in the sustainable development of our nation," reads a press release.

Prior to the launch of YouTube channel and podcast, Art D'Egypte featured numerous Egyptian artists on its Facebook page. This is done through posts introducing the artist and its creative work or a direct live-streamed interaction with an artist, as in a recent discussion held with media and video artist Mohamed Allam, who is also founder of Medrar collective.

In April, Art D'Egypte supported the inauguration of the Mahy Khalifa Art Fund and Scholarship, which was created by Dina Shehata and Karim Abou Youssef in memory of Mahy Khalifa, an art lover and collector who passed away in July 2019.

Paralleling the online activities, Art D'Egypte is currently working on a monograph on Modern Egyptian Art pioneers Effat and Mohammed Nagi.

"He was the first Egyptian Dean of the Beaux Arts Academy and created the Atelier DAlexandrie. This book will be one of the most important pieces of literature on Egyptian art history," reads the press release.

Art D'Egypte can be found on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.



For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 22:41:19|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

CAIRO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi discussed on Friday with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades means of promoting bilateral cooperation and several regional issues, the Egyptian presidency office said.

In a phone conversation, the two leaders talked about the efforts in fighting COVID-19 and containing its health, economic and social impacts, said Bassam Radi, spokesperson of the presidency, in a statement.

The talks also touched upon regional issues of common concerns such as securing the energy in eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The Cypriot president hailed "the vital role and the political weight of Egypt in maintaining the regional stability," reiterating the European Union's appreciation for Egypt's efforts in achieving stability, fighting terrorism and combating illegal immigration.

Radi added that the two leaders also exchanged views on the recent developments in Libya and agreed on intensifying efforts for settling the ongoing conflicts through political solution. Enditem
- Dave Bautista expressed anger with the US president over threats aimed at protesters

- President Trump termed demonstrators "thugs" and blasted them for not honouring the late George Floyd

- Floyd died after a policeman knelt on his neck in a dramatic event captured on camera and which has gone viral video

WWE legend Dave Bautista was among millions of athletes who were irritated by the response of US President Donald Trump to protestors in Minneapolis over the death of African-American George Floyd.

Trump gave a bizarre response on social media after hundreds turned out in protest over Floyd's death.

READ ALSO: Mario Balotelli: Ex Man City star hits new low as Italian club set to sack him over indiscipline

Protesters took to the streets, stormed a police station and shattered windows, destroying cars and property.

Taking to his Twitter, Trump condemned the acts but subtly hinted that police might have to start using brute force to contain the protests.

READ ALSO: Bruno Fernandes: 14 beautiful photos of Man United superstar being the ideal family man

Trump wrote on Twitter: "Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

The head of state's sentiments instantly led to outrage online, with many accusing him of instigating more violence.

An angered Bautista joined the online outrage, tweeting The president of the United States ladies and gentleman. Commander and Fuhrer! And seriously?"Youll call governors back when you want to send military in to shoot people for looting but you wont call governors who are desperate to save lives in their states".

Facebook's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, earlier criticised Twitter for fact-checking some tweets posted by Trump.

READ ALSO: Bruno Fernandes: 14 beautiful photos of Man United superstar being the ideal family man

Though Facebook takes down ads that discourage people from voting, it was gathered its spokesperson said Trumps tweets, which were also posted as Facebook statuses, did not violate its rules, which focus on misrepresentations that would interfere with the vote.

READ ALSO: Aston Villa manager in mourning after losing father to coronavirus

Trump on Wednesday, May 27, threatened to close down the micro-blogging site, Twitter and other social media platforms.

The threat came after he was fact-checked by Twitter following his comment on Tuesday, May 26, that mail-in ballots could encourage fraudulent activities.

Angered by the site's position that his tweet lacked evidence to prove this, Trump asked social media platforms to clear up their act immediately.

The US president claimed that there was a general feeling in the Republican party that social media was out to silence the voices of conservatives.

Do you have an inspirational story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Tuko news.

Daughter from heaven: Fighting cancer as a family during Covid-19 | Tuko TV:

Source: TUKO.co.ke
A student who dared to criticise the Chinese government and lead a pro-Hong Kong protest has been suspended by the University of Queensland.

Drew Pavlou, 20, is a passionate student activist due to graduate in just six months, but has been suspended after criticising the university for its ties to Beijing.

He led a series of campus demonstrations last year, in support of Hong-Kong's pro-democracy movement.

The activist also posted messages to social media criticising China's authoritarian regime and denounced the university's close financial ties with the Communist Party.

It has around 10,000 Chinese students, bringing in $150 million in student fees each year.

He accused the University of Queensland, where he is enrolled studying philosophy, of behaving like the country's communist government after it suspended him for two years.

Drew Pavlou (pictured) is a passionate activist for Taiwan and Hong Kong independence, as well as an anti-poverty campaigner

The fourth-year philosophy student (pictured) led a series of demonstrations on the campus last year, in support of Hong-Kong's pro-democracy protests

Speaking after his suspension on Friday following a controversial disciplinary hearing, he said the university hadn't given any good reason for its decision.

'Refusing to provide exonerating evidence, calling no witnesses and providing no reasoning for my expulsion during a secret hearing no one was supposed to know about,' he said.

'What an amazing standard UQ has set in regards to transparency - at least by Beijing's standards.'

Mr Pavlou faced a disciplinary hearing on May 20 at the university over 11 allegations of misconduct, detailed in a confidential 186-page document.

It is reportedly linked to his on-campus activism supporting Hong Kong and criticising the Chinese Communist Party.

Chinese consul general in Brisbane Xu Jie (pictured, left) serves as an honorary professor at the University of Queensland

The University of Queensland has faced intense scrutiny for its relations with the Chinese government, which has co-funded four courses offered by the university.

It is also home to one of Australia's many Confucius Institutes - Beijing-funded education centres some critics warn promote propaganda.

The Chinese consul general in Brisbane, Xu Jie, even serves as an honorary professor at the university.

Mr Pavlou led a series of campus demonstrations last year, in support of Hong-Kong's pro-democracy movement.

He also posted messages to social media criticising China's authoritarian regime and denounced the university's close financial ties with the Communist Party.

The university ordered Mr Pavlou's suspension on Friday after the 20-year-old student left the previous hearing after about one hour, citing procedural unfairness.

Mr Pavlou told reporters he views the suspension as 'an expulsion for all intensive purposes' as he was due to graduate in six months.

Mr Pavlou was named in a Chinese state media article by Mr Xu (pictured) and accused of being 'anti-China'

'I think they're using the term suspension to talk down just how harsh this punishment actually is,' Mr Pavlou said on Friday.

'They've been threatening me with suspensions ever since last year.'

Mr Pavlou says he found out about the suspension via email at 4pm on Friday. The email allegedly asked him to keep the outcome confidential.

'I absolutely p**s on their rule book when it comes to confidentiality,' the Brisbane student said.

'They're trying to do me over in the shadows. F**k that. No way.'

UQ Chancellor Peter Varghese said on Friday he was concerned with the outcome of the disciplinary action against Mr Pavlou.

University of Queensland student Drew Pavlou (pictured) has been suspended by the university after speaking out against the Chinese Communist Party

'There are aspects of the findings and the severity of the penalty which personally concern me,' Mr Varghese said in a statement.

'In consultation with the vice chancellor, who has played no role in this disciplinary process, I have decided to convene an out-of-session meeting of UQ's Senate next week to discuss the matter.'

Mr Pavlou said he found it hard to believe the chancellor and vice chancellor had no part in his punishment and questioned the independence of the disciplinary board.

'They (the UQ chancellor and vice chancellor) directed this from the beginning. There is no way they wouldn't have known about it. It's a joke.'

A UQ spokeswoman said on Friday the institutions disciplinary matters are dealt with under the Student Integrity and Misconduct policy.

Mr Pavlou said he will now appeal the decision with the assistance of his lawyer, Tony Morris QC.

'We're going to immediately appeal this decision in an independent court of law outside UQ.'

Mr Pavlou recently took Mr Xu to court after being attacked at a rally by Chinese nationalists.

'In July 2019, I led a peaceful campus sit-in calling for UQ to completely cut ties with the Chinese state until Tibetans were freed, Uighur detention camps were closed, and Hong Kongers were afforded greater democracy,' he said.

'Masked pro-CCP heavies violently attacked our rally, assaulting me and choke-slamming other pro-Hong Kong students to the ground.'

Following the ugly incident, Mr Pavlou was named in a Chinese state media article by Mr Xu and accused of being 'anti-China'.

As a result, Mr Pavlou claims he then received death threats, unsettling phone calls and letters.

The University of Queensland said in a statement, it rejects the 'unsubstantiated' claims and is not attempting to prevent students from expressing their personal political views or trying to limit their right to freedom of speech.
New Delhi: A day after US President Donald Trump said that he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi was that he is not in a good mood over border issues with China, sources claim that there has been no recent contact between President Trump and PM Modi.

Sources familiar with the matter said: "There has been no recent contact between PM Modi and President Trump. The last conversation between them was on April 4 2020 on the subject of hydroxychloroquine."

Sources also said: "Yesterday, MEA had also made it clear that we are directly in touch with the Chinese through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts." The clarification comes after President Trump once again offered to mediate between India and China.

President Trump while talking to reporters at Washington had said: "We have a big conflict going on between India and China, two countries with 1.4 billion people and very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy, I did speak to Prime Minister Modi, he is not in a good mood about what's going on with China. If they thought it would help if I were the mediator or arbitrator, I would do that.

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump had tweeted, "We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute. Thank you!"

In the past, US President has offered to mediate between India and Pakistan with New Delhi rejecting it saying all issues can be resolved bilaterally.

The border situation at Ladhakh detoriated on May 5 when 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders. Reportedly over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

Another incident was reportedly from North Sikkim on May 9.

In 2017, the Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.
Jules Robinson has emerged into the outside world for a date night, for the first time since COVID-19 lockdown began.

The former Married At First Sight star and her husband Cameron Merchant, 36, enjoyed a meal, and Cameron indulged in some tequila, in Sydney on Friday night.

Jules, 38, shared two photos from the night, for which she dressed up glamorously, in an Instagram post.

Party time! Jules Robinson (right) has emerged into the outside world for a date night, for the first time since COVID-19 lockdown began. The former Married At First Sight star and her husband Cameron Merchant, 36, (left) went to dinner in Sydney on Friday evening

She captioned the images: 'I did it! I went out for the first time in M O N T H S and I think I'm going to be okay emerging from my #isolife bubble.

'And last night I was a Uber driver! It's usually the other way round. Husband needed to let off some steam with some tequila!'

The former reality star added: 'Thank you to the restaurants for opening up and obeying the #covid_19 restrictions.'

Fun! Jules, 38, shared two photos from the night, for which she dressed up glamorously. She explained: 'Last night I was a Uber driver! It's usually the other way round. Husband needed to let off some steam with some tequila!'

Jules and Cameron met on Married At First Sight in September 2018. They legally wed a year later in November 2019.

The couple announced their baby news in Stellar magazine last month. It's believed they were paid for the interview.

Jules, who found out she was pregnant in January, told the publication at the time: 'I've had my moments - times of sadness, fear, despair and tears, fuelled by hormones. We're all in this together, though. It has to be okay.'

Baby love: The couple announced their baby news in Stellar magazine last month

So happy! 'To create a baby with the man you love, there is no greater gift, and Cam will be one incredible father.' Jules said at the time

The couple had tried throughout 2019 to conceive a child, but had faced difficulties because of Jules' age.

'Because of my age I had done all the hormone testing, the egg count... so much is instilled that you're going to struggle because of your age,' she said.

'Once it was all confirmed, I bawled out of pure joy and happiness. To create a baby with the man you love, there is no greater gift, and Cam will be one incredible father.'

Jules is set to give birth in September.
Italy wants an independent inquiry into the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic in China and backs Indias calls for reform of multilateral bodies such as WHO that didnt perform as expected during the current crisis, the countrys minister for European affairs Vincenzo Amendola has said.

With Italy and India set to take on the presidency of the G20 in 2021 and 2022, Amendola said the two countries would also play a key role in helping shape the post-Covid-19 world order, including global supply and value chains and ways to recover from the economic crisis created by the pandemic.

In an interview with Hindustan Times over Skype, Amendola said Italy backs Prime Minister Narendra Modis call, made during the G20 virtual summit on March 26, for reforms of international bodies such as the World Health Organization to meet the needs of a changing world.

The WHO for this crisis didnt perform according to some criteria andits necessaryto open an independent inquiry on what happened in China that was the starting place of this Covid-19 crisis, he said.

Your prime minister was right because the multilateral aspect of the global order is not updated [with] the risks and opportunity of the current period. The WHO, I dont think, it performed in a correct way during this crisis, there were many delays and many problems, he added.

Describing Europe and India as sisters, Amendola spoke of the need for closer cooperation between Italy and India both to shape the agenda of the G20 and to help fashion a new world order.

If I look where we are going to invest, I see that you [India] are the actor relevant for our common future, he said, referring to the possibility of working together on green technologies such as renewable energy and digital transition, for which India is well placed because of its technological capability and human capital.

With Italy set to become the G20 president in 2021 and India taking on the same role in 2022, Amendola said: We are going to be the two countries that will bring the G20 out of the recession. We have a coordinated responsibility to present to the main actors on the global level how we can recover from this pandemic and this global economic crisis.

The Covid-19 had emerged as a big test for multilateral cooperation, he said.

A few months ago, there were many people who wanted to participate in the funeral of multilateralism but nowadays it is clear that multilateralism is necessary in order to strengthen the resilience of the global economy.

Amendola was also critical of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, saying Italy and India will have to work on different aspects of free and fair trade and global legal standards as the post-Covid-19 set-up moves towards new supply and value chains.

There is not just one way like the Belt and Road Initiative, there are many ways that we have to restore the global chain. There should be not just one way of distributing, producing and giving the ownership of this trade track. There should bedifferent options and the European Union isdevoted to diversification of rules of trade and creation of value chains, he said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
A relative of an East Timorese woman who died of presumed Covid-19 has described how she listened to her final breaths over a video call.

Luciana da Silva passed away earlier this month just a day after becoming ill.

Ms da Silva, who was in her 50s, lived in Dungannon and worked in the Moy Park chicken plant in the town.

In an interview with Channel 4 news on Wednesday, her niece Maria da Silva said she believed her aunt contracted the virus in the factory, although the programme pointed out it was impossible to know this for sure.

During an eight-minute slot about concerns over safety in Northern Ireland food processing plants, presenter Paraic O'Brien, said "presumed Covid-19" was cited on Ms da Silva's death certificate.

In an interview with the Irish News on Tuesday, Dermot Hawkins, head of complex at Moy Park in Dungannon, described claims by the Unite union that Ms da Silva died with coronavirus as "inaccurate and hurtful".

The Channel 4 report said that Ms da Silva was sent home from work on Saturday, May 2, after she began to feel unwell.

By Sunday night she was very ill and video-called her niece in England from her bedroom.

Maria da Silva said: "The light was off, but I could see the candle she was praying. The breath was going down and down and I was saying, 'Calm down, breathe with me, deep in, deep out'."

The programme recounted how Maria heard the paramedics knocking on her aunt's bedroom door but that it was too late - she had already heard her aunt "slip away".

"She was calling my name she was saying my nickname, she said it three times," she said, wiping away tears.

Her niece also said that Ms da Silva did not receive a shielding letter and that, if she had, she would have told her employers at Moy Park and "got furloughed".

She said her aunt had struggled to cope financially when she was off sick with tuberculosis two years previously and that for this reason she was reluctant to approach her employer when the pandemic struck.

Another woman, Roberta Oliveira, tearfully told the programme that Ms da Silva, who didn't have any children, was her best friend and "like a mother" and that the two things that mattered most to her were work and family.

Friends said she enjoyed working at the factory.

Moy Park has implemented a raft of safety measures in response to coronavirus, including social distancing.

Speaking of Ms da Silva, company director Ursula Lavery told the Channel 4 programme: "She is greatly missed by her colleagues here. She was a very well-liked and well-respected individual."
HONG KONG (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Hong Kong no longer qualifies for its special status under U.S. law, unnerving investors worried about the risk to the Chinese-ruled city's status as a global financial hub

HONG KONG (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Hong Kong no longer qualifies for its special status under U.S. law, unnerving investors worried about the risk to the Chinese-ruled city's status as a global financial hub.

His comments came after Beijing's proposal last week to directly impose national security legislation in China's freest city, stoking global concerns over freedoms in the former British colony and reviving anti-government protests.

China's National People's Congress, or parliament, on Thursday approved the decision to go forward with the national security law that would tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference. It is expected to be enacted before September.

Hong Kong's special status has helped to keep the former British colony one of the world's premier financial hubs since it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997.

For the latest story, see

Following is some comment on what people are saying about the latest developments in Hong Kong.

Rabobank research note:

"If the imposition of a Hong Kong national security law is approved by the National People's Congress today we will almost certainly see U.S. sanctions against Chinese entities in Hong Kong ... These could make Hong Kong of no de facto use to Beijing as a capital conduit  and hence of little use at all ... Some say this no longer matters because China can just access (U.S. dollars) via other banking centres.

"Let's put a fact-check marker on that, too, because is the U.S. really going to let China circumvent sanctions that easily? What just happened with Iran, for example?"

Benjamin Quinlan, CEO and managing partner at Quinlan and Associates:

"We expect the latest move to have considerable implications for the city, with the threat of higher tariffs, sanctions, as well as tougher investment and visa rules between Hong Kong and the U.S., including potential sanctions on businesses (particularly banks) operating in the city found to be supporting anyone in violation of the 'one country, two systems' model.

"Expect to see businesses and investors become even more skittish over the future over the city as an international financial hub. Being caught in the middle of a standoff between the U.S. and China, its another sad day for Hong Kong."

Iris Pang, chief economist, Greater China at ING, based in Hong Kong:

"If they are targeting Hong Kong's financial business (presumably) they'd think U.S. financial companies have a lot of dominance in Hong Kong. But this is not really the case anymore, since Chinese companies have gained market share.

"China will retaliate on this. It's more the Chinese retaliation that I'm waiting for and worried about, because I don't know how they will retaliate."

(Reporting by Noah Sin; Compiled by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Stephen Coates)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Protesters cheer as fire burns a Minneapolis police precinct during protests over the arrest of George Floyd - CRAIG LASSIG/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Murder. Brutality. Reprehensible. Indefensible. Police nationwide, in unequivocal and unprecedented language, have condemned the actions of Minneapolis police in the custody death of a handcuffed black man who cried for help as an officer knelt on his neck, pinning him to the pavement for at least eight minutes.

But some civil rights advocates say their denunciations are empty words without meaningful reform behind them.

Authorities say George Floyd was detained on Monday because he matched the description of someone who tried to pay with a counterfeit bill at a convenience store, and the 46-year-old resisted arrest.

A bystander's disturbing video shows Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck, even as Mr Floyd begs for air and slowly stops talking and moving.

Cheering protesters torched a Minneapolis police station on Thursday that the department was forced to abandon as three days of violent protests spread to nearby St Paul and angry demonstrations flared across the US over the death of Mr Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air.

A police spokesman confirmed late on Thursday that staff had evacuated the 3rd Precinct station, the focus of many of the protests, "in the interest of the safety of our personnel" shortly after 10pm. Livestream video showed the protesters entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as blazes were set.

Protesters could be seen setting fire to a Minneapolis Police Department jacket and cheering.

"There is no need to see more video," Chattanooga, Tennessee, Police Chief David Roddy tweeted on Wednesday of the footage of Mr Floyd. "There is no need to wait to see how 'it plays out'. There is no need to put a knee on someone's neck for nine minutes. There is a need to do something. If you wear a badge and you don't have an issue with this ... turn it in."

The reaction from some law enforcement stands in stark contrast to their muted response or support for police after other in-custody fatalities. Sheriffs and police chiefs have strongly criticised the Minneapolis officer on social media and praised the city's police chief for his quick dismissal of four officers at the scene. Some even called for them to be criminally charged.

Story continues

"I am deeply disturbed by the video of Mr Floyd being murdered in the street with other officers there letting it go on," Polk County, Georgia, Sheriff Johnny Moats wrote on Facebook. "I can assure everyone, me or any of my deputies will never treat anyone like that as long as I'm Sheriff. This kind of brutality is terrible and it needs to stop. All officers involved need to be arrested and charged immediately. Praying for the family."

Typically, police call for patience and calm in the wake of a use of force. They are reluctant to weigh in on episodes involving another agency, often citing ongoing investigations or due process.

"Not going hide behind 'not being there'," tweeted San Jose Police, California, Chief Eddie Garcia. "I'd be one of the first to condemn anyone had I seen similar happen to one of my brother/sister officers. What I saw happen to George Floyd disturbed me and is not consistent with the goal of our mission. The act of one, impacts us all."

But Gloria Browne-Marshall, a civil rights attorney and professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said she wouldn't be a "cheerleader" for a "handful" of chiefs who harshly decried the officers' behaviour.

"Any minute progress is seen as miraculous because so little has been done for so long," she said. "It's nothing close to progress or what outrage would be taking place if it was a white man as the victim of this assault."

Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles, said she wasn't "particularly moved" by the relatively few police who voiced outrage.

Ms Abdullah said the three other officers who witnessed Officer Chauvin's actions and did not intervene contributed to a long-standing system of police racism and oppression against people of colour.

"We've got to remember that it was not just Officer Chauvin who was sitting on George Floyd's neck," she said.

Ms Abdullah and hundreds of others protested what she called Mr Floyd's lynching on Wednesday night. Some blocked lanes of a freeway and shattered windows of California Highway Patrol cruisers.

Minneapolis is bracing for more violence after days of civil unrest, with burned buildings, looted stores and angry graffiti demanding justice. The governor on Thursday called in the National Guard.

The heads of the Los Angeles and Chicago departments - both of which have been rocked before by police brutality scandals - addressed Mr Floyd's death and its potential effect on race relations between law enforcement and communities of colour.

Even the New York Police Department weighed in. Eric Garner died in the city in 2014 after he was placed in a chokehold by police and uttered the same words Mr Floyd did: "I can't breathe."

It took city officials five years to fire the officer, and no criminal or federal charges were brought.

"What we saw in Minnesota was deeply disturbing. It was wrong," NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea wrote on Thursday. "We must take a stand and address it. We must come together, condemn these actions and reinforce who we are as members of the NYPD. This is not acceptable anywhere."

Before he was commissioner, he spearheaded the NYPD's shift to community policing that moved away from a more confrontational style favoured by other commissioners after Mr Garner's death.

Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, who also spoke out online, told The Associated Press that law enforcement agencies keep promising reforms in the wake of fatalities, but they are "not delivering it on a consistent basis".

"When bad things happen in our profession, we need to be able to call it like it is," he said. "We keep thinking that the last one will be the last one, and then another one surfaces."


The new coronavirus has hit South Africa harder than any other African nation. So far, the country has reported more than 23,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 480 deaths. But the disease is also affecting peoples mental health, as they deal with social distancing and the economic impact of the virus.

Sixty-year-old Wendy Jones has not been able to work for 15 years because of severe mental health problems. She is also not permitted to drive. With the health care system centered on the COVID-19 outbreak, getting the right treatments has become more difficult for her.

I personally feel more anxious, I get really worried, and with who do I go to? Am I on the right medications, should my medications be increased? I dont know these things, I need somebody to tell me...your trust in the medical system as it is, it should be complete, it should be absolute, but it isnt.

Masutane Modjadji is the leader for information and awareness at South Africas Federation for Mental Health. She says most patients are going untreated.

While clinics and hospitals are open, very few of them still pay attention to current mental healthcare users during this time. And also, there is no screening for mental health during COVID-19 screening and testing"

Kagisho Marooganye is a member of South Africas Society of Psychiatrists. He says mental health care was poor even before the coronavirus crisis.

Now we are in a pandemic and you're finding yourself sort [of] on the back-foot with an already fragile system and not knowing how to go about fixing it," he said.

Masutane Modjadji agrees. She said, In South Africa only 5 percent of the National Health Budget goes towards mental health services.

She added that in low- and middle-income countries like South Africa, between 76 and 85 percent of people with mental illness receive no treatment.

South Africas mental health workers worry about what will happen after the pandemic. The country has been through similar health crises before and the effects are lasting, Kagisho Marooganye said.

There will be some long-lasting effects on the psychic and mental state of the population. Based on what has happened before, we had SARS [Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome], we had MERS [Middle East Respiratory Syndrome], we had Ebola and all of these have required some sort of lockdown, some sort of quarantine to take place...

Experts worry that this time, South Africas struggling mental health care system will fall even more behind in meeting the needs of patients.

I'm Jonathan Evans.

Franco Puglisi reported on this story for VOANews. Jonathan Evans adapted this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

absolute  adj. not limited in any way

fragile  adj. easily broken or destroyed

income  n. money that is earned from work, investments, business, etc.

lockdown  n. the confinement of prisoners to their cells for a temporary period as a security measure

pandemic  n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people over a wide area or throughout the world

psychiatrist  n. a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders

quarantine  n. the period of time during which a person or animal that has a disease or that might have a disease is kept away from others to prevent the disease from spreading
On 28 May 2020, the Estonian Government decided that as of 1 June, citizens of 16 Schengen countries (Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland) may enter Estonia without a quarantine obligation and in addition, citizens of 11 other European countries (Sweden, Belgium, Portugal, Malta, Luxembourg, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Great Britain, Ireland) may enter the country, but must then remain in quarantine for two weeks. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs updates the list of countries whose citizens will be allowed to enter without a quarantine obligation every Friday according to the rate of infected persons in the countries of origin.



The government's decision will help to resume passenger transport on Estonian-Finnish shipping lines, where it has been possible to travel only for work-related purposes or for urgent family matters since 14 May. Finland has not yet announced the opening of borders to tourists, so Finnish citizens can travel freely to Estonia, but citizens of Estonia and other countries cannot travel to Finland for tourism, yet.

In the statistics of the summer months of 2019, the share of citizens of the above-mentioned countries without quarantine obligations accounted for 61% of all passengers on the Tallinn-Helsinki route, including 53% in Finland. The share of citizens of countries subject to quarantine obligations was 3.2%. Thus, it can be assumed that the lifting of restrictions will most affect Finnish passengers, who will be able to sail to Tallinn again. The second largest group of passengers on Estonian-Finnish shipping lines are Estonians (24%), of whom 26% travel for work.

The Tallinn-Stockholm and Tallinn-St. Petersburg shipping lines are still closed, and it is unknown at this time when they will be restored. There have been no cruise ship calls in Tallinn this season, there are valid reservations for the period July-September, but cruise companies have the right to cancel them free of charge, which has been done with current May-June reservations.

Story continues

Tallinna Sadam is one of the largest cargo- and passenger port complexes in the Baltic Sea region, which in 2019 serviced 10.64 million passengers and 19.9 million tons of cargo. In addition to passenger and freight services, Tallinna Sadam group also operates in shipping business via its subsidiaries  OU TS Laevad provides ferry services between the Estonian mainland and the largest islands, and OU TS Shipping charters its multifunctional vessel m/v Botnica for icebreaking and construction services in Estonia and offshore projects abroad. Tallinna Sadam group is also a shareholder in an associate AS Green Marine, which provides waste management services. Tallinna Sadam group's sales in 2019 totaled EUR 130.5 million, adjusted EBITDA EUR 74.3 million and net profit EUR 44.4 million.

Additional information:

Marju Zirel

Head of Investor Relations

AS Tallinna Sadam

m.zirel@ts.ee




Israels September 2019 elections gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu his first bitter taste of defeat in a decade. The newly established Blue and White party led by three former army generals garnered one more seat in the Knesset than his own Likud party did. Worse still, the protective bloc of right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties that Netanyahu had labored to form accounted for only 55 seats, six fewer than Netanyahu required to ensure a majority in the 120-seat legislature and 10 less than the majority achieved by the anti-Netanyahu center-left bloc. Faced with the results, he thought all was lost. For the first time in ages, he could not put together a coalition government. Blue and White was blocking his road to reelection, and appeared to be sending him down a slippery slope to his political demise.

Netanyahus troubles were just starting. Two months after the elections, on Nov. 21, 2019, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced his decision to indict Netanyahu on three charges  bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Whats more, polls indicated that a decisive majority of Israelis blamed Netanyahu for forcing them into an unprecedented, consecutive third round of elections within less than a year, a very rare occurrence in democratic regimes. (Last recorded in the twilight days of Germanys Weimar Republic.)

This set the stage for Blue and Whites rejection at the time of Netanyahus entreaties to join a unity government under his stewardship. They even turned him down when he pledged to cede the premiership to Blue and White leader Benny Gantz a year or even eight months hence. The chairs of the centrist Yesh Atid party Yair Lapid and of the hawkish Telem party Moshe Yaalon  respectively No. 2 and No. 3 on the Blue and White Knesset slate  led this militant line. They believed, as did most analysts that Netanyahu would continue his downward slide on an even steeper trajectory on the road to the third elections on March 2  continuing the trend begun in the first elections, in April 2019, with the loss of three seats for the Likud and five for the Netanyahu bloc.

These projections have all come crashing down in recent months. In the third March elections, Netanyahu netted four additional seats for his Likud, even after indictment on serious criminal charges and although most Israelis still blamed him for the ongoing political stalemate. There has been more bad news for Netanyahu since the elections. May 24 marked the first day of his trial, and the first of an incumbent Israeli premier, bringing to life the bizarre scenario of a prime minister conducting the affairs of state in the morning and going to court in the afternoon to conduct his defense.

Here, too, expectations and logic regarding his popularity fell by the wayside. A poll conducted shortly after his trial opened, boosted the Likud from its current 36 seats to 41. Blue and White, which had split in two after Lapid and Yaalon refused to join Gantz in a Netanyahu-led government, plunged to 12 seats in the poll  from the 33 it received in the March 2 elections  and was overtaken in the poll results by the Lapid-Ya'alon party with 14 seats. In the polls most amazing finding, 42% of respondents said they believed law enforcement authorities, part of a deep state system, were hounding an innocent, gifted, brilliant leader. Had the poll been confined to Jewish respondents, the results would have been even more astounding, likely indicating that a majority  albeit slim  of Jewish Israelis believes the State of Israel is framing a prime minister suspected of severe crimes.

Netanyahu appears to have finally managed to translate into Hebrew the famous 2016 campaign trail boast by then-candidate Donald Trump, I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and wouldnt lose any voters. President Donald Trump is without a doubt Netanyahus role model. Netanyahu observes political events and voting trends 6,000 miles away and skillfully implements the lessons in Jerusalem. He plays Israels version of the community/origin card, exploiting the social and cultural legacy of periphery/Mizrahi resentment; crowns himself the leader of so-called second Israel of the underprivileged  although he himself hails from a well-to-do, Ashkenazi background; and ignoring all the conventions, red lines, checks and balances of which he was mindful in the past. Netanyahu has become a valuable brand, enjoying a huge political base in whose eyes he can do no wrong and which will stick by him to the end.

That end does not appear to be in sight. On his way to these unprecedented political achievements, Netanyahu has had no qualms about crushing what was left of multipartisan, dignified leadership and grinding into dust the states law enforcement institutions. He has managed to convince many that the attorney general, whom he appointed himself, has framed him, as has former police commissioner Roni Alsheikh whom he appointed. Both men, by the way, are right wing in their political identity, and Alsheikh was even a settler for many years. At the same time, Netanyahu continues his unbridled onslaught against the police, the state prosecution, the attorney general and his opponents remaining media bastions. Many of his Likud ministers and Knesset members accompanied him when he presented himself in the Jerusalem District Court on May 24. Crowed behind him on a small landing as he delivered a lengthy diatribe against police and prosecutors, their faces hidden by surgical masks, they formed a grim memorial to the rule of law and an implacable shield for their great leader.

Meanwhile, the flame of hope Gantz lit 18 months ago among those praying for Netanyahus defeat, is dying. Netanyahus excellent poll results, while attesting to his skill, reflect to no lesser extent the tremendous disappointment and despair over his rivals performance. Gantzs decision to join a Netanyahu-led rotation government deeply disillusioned over 2 million voters who backed the anti-Netanyahu bloc and who may be so downhearted that they do not even participate in current polls.

Gantz himself, who had hoped to unseat Netanyahu and assume the premiership, has become a hostage to Netanyahu, the cat toying with a mouse. The poll results and Netanyahus surging popularity have whetted Netanyahus appetite for fourth elections. If the poll results are borne out, he could vault over the 61-seat hurdle and declare himself king of Israel. Netanyahu smells Gantzs (political) blood and both know that Gantz does not have any option other than staying the course. The resulting situation is absurd. Gantz does not dare criticize Netanyahus attack on the holy of holies of the states law enforcement, on the opening trial day, and instructs his ministers and Knesset members to tread gently. Meanwhile, Netanyahu acolyte Transportation Minister Miri Regev said in a weekend magazine interview with the popular Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper that Gantz is half-baked to serve as prime minister, even as she continues to spread innuendo about an Iranian hack of his cellphone.

Will Netanyahu go back on his pledge to switch places with Gantz in November 2021  as agreed in the rotation deal between them  and instead engineer fourth elections? There is no knowing. For that to happen, Donald Trump must win reelection, and Netanyahu must successfully carry out his plan to annex parts of the West Bank and get a handle on the post-corona economic crisis. If those conditions are not met, Netanyahu has another escape route: running for the state presidency in a little over a year with the end of Reuven Rivlins term. That would guarantee him seven years in the lap of luxury and complete immunity from criminal prosecution. Either way, Netanyahu is signaling that he is here and here to stay.
As the country moves towards Level 3 lockdown regulations on 1 June, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, outlined some of the details of the eased regulations at a briefing in Tshwane.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma

Hotspots

Tshwane

Johannesburg

Ekurhuleni

eThekwini

Nelson Mandela Bay

Buffalo City

Cape Town

the West Coast, Overberg and Cape Winelands district municipalities in the Western Cape

Chris Hani District in the Eastern Cape

iLembe District in KwaZulu-Natal

Limitations on movement

travelling for purposes of starting work

moving to a new residence

or caring for an immediate family member

Curfew and exercsing

Returning to work

On-site consumption venues

Restaurants

shebeens

taverns

night clubs

bars

cinemas

theatres

fetes

bazaars

casinos

Religious gatherings

Liquor and cigarette sales

Domestic workers, weddings

Stringent measures will be implemented in the metropolitans, district municipalities and other areas identified as Covid-19 hotspots.These include:In the event that our collective efforts bear little or no fruits, such areas will require additional efforts, including being subjected to higher level restrictions, including limiting of movements within and to and from the hotspot.In the areas that are not hotspots, we will allow movements within the district and localities. We will permit movement only to and from work, as well as to buy or obtain available goods, services and medical attention, Dlamini Zuma said.Interprovincial movement is still prohibited under Level 3, and now also between metropolitan areas and districts and hotspots, except for (and provided such persons have the relevant permits}:With the schools opening to learners in a phased approach from 1 June 2020, travelling between provinces and districts will be allowed for learners, students and teaching staff.The nighttime curfew on the movement of people will be lifted.Dlamini Zuma emphasised that outdoor exercise is permitted at any time, provided it is not done in organised groupings and health protocols, especially social distancing, must be strictly observed. However Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, said that exercise would be limited to between 6am and 6pm. Arts, Culture and Sports Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, is expected to elaborate on this regulation.Public training, fitness and recreation facilities will remain closed, except those conducting non-contact sports matches, without spectators.As from 1 June, most employees, including public servants, will be returning to work, except employees who are over 60 years and those with comorbidities.Dlamini Zuma said workers with pre-existing conditions should be encouraged to work from home.She said all employers must have a Covid-19 plan and Covid19 compliance officer.Workplace gatherings for work purposes will be permitted under strict conditions and the observance of health, hygiene and social distancing protocols. Employers must ensure that the 1.5 metre distance is maintained amongst employees.We will have to limit the number of people in the workplace, so that we minimise the chance of infection, she said.In minimising the chances of infection, on-site consumption places for food, entertainment and recreation will remain closed. These include places such as:Hotels, lodges, bed and breakfasts, timeshare facilities and resorts and guest houses, remain closed, except those that are accommodating remaining and confined tourists, people lodging due to work travel; and people in quarantine or isolation.Under level 3, religious gatherings such as church services will be permitted, for a maximum of 50 people, as long as health, hygiene and social distancing is observed.Places of worship must be sanitised, and the screening of participants is mandatory, the Minister said.Limited interprovincial travel to attend funerals will still continue under Level 3, provided attendees have the requisite permits.. The number of funeral attendees will continue to be limited to 50.The sale of liquor at licensed premises, in sealed bottles will be permitted under level 3 lockdown between Mondays and Thursdays, 9am to 5pm. However, onsite consumption is prohibited. E-commerce sales will be permitted subject to the same onsite trade days and times.The sale of tobacco, tobacco products, e-cigarettes and related products remains prohibited, except when they are destined for the export market.Under Level 3, domestic workers may return to work, provided strict health and hygiene protocols are adhered to.Those wishing to marry may do so under Level 3. However, no celebrations where people will gather are permitted. A marriage certificate will be issued to the couple.
By David Kirton SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) - Wang Zongxing hoped that opening a restaurant would lead to an easier life after 14 years of working long hours in Shenzhen's factories, but serving the spicy noodles of his central China hometown was never his dream. Wang's real passion is rock music. Known by his stage name, Ghost, he is the front man of Zhong-D-Yin, whose songs tell of the lives of workers in crowded dormitories, loneliness, romance and risking injuries

By David Kirton

SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) - Wang Zongxing hoped that opening a restaurant would lead to an easier life after 14 years of working long hours in Shenzhen's factories, but serving the spicy noodles of his central China hometown was never his dream.

Wang's real passion is rock music.

Known by his stage name, Ghost, he is the front man of Zhong-D-Yin, whose songs tell of the lives of workers in crowded dormitories, loneliness, romance and risking injuries.

"I don't think about my role in life when on stage," said Wang, 33. "For example, you open a restaurant and you are a chef. In the family, you are a son. I think my joy comes from the moment on the stage, when I can feel I am myself."

The five-member band, based in Shenzhen's industrial Henggang area, an hour's drive from downtown, started nine years ago when a charity project involving its current drummer taught factory workers to play instruments.

Zhong-D-Yin, whose name puns on the Chinese for "subwoofer" and "heavy grassroots music," has made its mission to document the life and culture of migrant labour as it is pushed out from the city. Economic pressures and rising land prices have led many factories to move inland or to Southeast Asia over the last eight years, the band said.

The coronavirus has sped that up, with many of Henggang's migrant workers giving up on returning to Shenzhen after lockdowns kept them away.

"The virus impact was huge," Wang says, frying noodles over a roaring flame in the cramped kitchen of his restaurant. "Not so many people are working here now. Unless things change, maybe the restaurant will survive another two months."

The dip in business has forced him to take a job at a small cardboard box factory, but even there, he said, "there's just not enough work to go around."

WE BUILT THIS CITY

Shenzhen grew quickly in from its rural roots in the 1980s into a gleaming symbol of China's emergence as a global economic power.

But with Shenzhen's government focused on next-generation industries, and some of China's highest property prices, lower-end manufacturers are being pushed out.

"Ten years ago this area was all factories or dusty plots," Wang says on the 10-minute walk from the noodle shop to the band's practise studio.

"Now there's a subway, a highway, fancy malls," he said. "But now an apartment costs 3,200 yuan a month. A factory salary is 5,000 yuan a month. Life's becoming impossible for workers."

It is even harder in the aftermath of the coronavirus.

A since-retracted report from brokerage Zhongtai Securities last month said the virus could have cost about 70 million jobs, implying an unemployment rate of 20.5%, far above the official 5.9% rate for March.

And Guangdong province's total foreign trade totalled 1.92 trillion yuan (218 billion pounds) between January and April, down 9.9% year-on-year, official data showed.

RAGING IN MEMORY OF THE MACHINE

The decline of Shenzhen's migrant worker culture makes Zhong-D-Yin's mission more timely, says bass player Huang Xiaona, 34.

Huang, a social worker, is the only member of the band without a factory background.

"The grass is growing out (at the factories)there are no more machines running ... but we want to record the memories of workers, write down our own history and have our own voice about what life was like here," she said.

The band is preparing for its first post-virus performance next month.

"We want to memorialize those lost, so that people in the future know their lives matter," Huang said.

(Reporting by David Kirton. Editing by Gerry Doyle)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Adrian Wail Akhlas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 14:33 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdaef4d6 1 Business Krakatau-Steel,profit,steel-industry,operational-cost,debt-restructuring Free

State-owned steelmaker Krakatau Steel reported its first profit in eight years, thanks to its continuous measures to lower expenses.

The company booked US$74.1 million in profit in the first quarter this year, a major switch from the $62.3 million loss it suffered in the same period last year, as its cost of revenue as well as general and administrative expenses dropped 39.8 percent and 41.5 percent respectively.

Krakatau Steel president director Silmy Karim attributed the positive performance to the companys concerted move to improve its performance since last year.

The company has taken several measures to improve its performance such as through [debt] restructuring and transformation, he said in a statement on Friday.

Earlier this year, Krakatau Steel received the green light from its creditors, mainly local banks such as state-owned Bank Mandiri and Bank Negara Indonesia, to restructure its loans totaling $2 billion in its bid to avoid bankruptcy.

Silmy said earlier this year that the debt restructuring would cut interest payments to $466 million from $847 million. It is also expected to slash costs by around $685 million until 2027.

The steelmaker also mentioned that the move to optimize its workforce, lower energy costs and slash spare part costs also contributed to the profit.

Krakatau Steels operating expenses in the first quarter this year dropped 31 percent year-on-year (yoy) to $46.8 million. In total, the company claimed it had saved $130 million between January and March this year.

However, Silmy expected the current economic condition induced by the COVID-19 pandemic to affect the companys future performance this year.

Second quarter performance is expected to be different as the steel market weakened by 50 percent amid COVID-19 pressure, he said.

Steelmakers are facing severe blows to their business demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The low demand is partially due to the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) imposed by the government to contain the virus, which has led to the closure of businesses, including major steel-consuming businesses in the automotive and construction industries.

A weakening national economy has had a severe impact on the steel industry. If it continues further then we expect it will have a severe impact on [the companys] full-year performance, Silmy added.

Krakatau Steel shares had risen 7.5 percent in Friday trading as of 13:08 p.m.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the ins and outs of the governments plans to annex parts of the West Bank in an interview published today in the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom.

Netanyahu said that there will only be a Palestinian state if Palestinians agree to Israeli security control, and that Palestinians in to-be annexed areas will not receive Israeli citizenship.

They need to acknowledge that we control security in all areas. If they consent to all this, then they will have an entity of their own that President [Donald] Trump defines as a state, Netanyahu told Israel Hayom.

The interview offered a glimpse into the new joint governments annexation plans, which are set to be dealt with by the Knesset in July ahead of the US presidential election. Israel intends to extend sovereignty over Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which is internationally recognized as a Palestinian territory. The move has been met with significant opposition from both the international community and Palestinians, who want the area to be part of a future independent state of Palestine and consider Israel an occupying power there.

Some Jewish settlers and hard-line Jewish nationalists have also voiced concerns over the plan, saying it implies that the non-annexation of other West Bank areas will lead to an independent Palestine. Netanyahu scoffed at the rights criticism in the interview, pointing to the US support for Israels annexation of the Golan Heights, for Jerusalem to be the Israeli capital and now West Bank annexation.

Did they deliver the prospect of sovereignty from the Americans? Who delivered it? For the first time since the establishment of the state, I've managed to secure American recognition, he said.

Netanyahu said that negotiations on a Palestinian state will only continue under certain conditions, which he said were Israeli sovereignty west of the Jordan River, preserving a united Jerusalem, refusing to accept (Palestinian) refugees, not uprooting Jewish communities, and Israeli sovereignty in large swathes of Judea and Samaria.

The Israeli government refers to the West Bank as Judea and Samaria.

The prime minister also said that Palestinians in the annexed areas will not become citizens of Israel.

No. They will remain a Palestinian enclave, he said when asked about this by Israel Hayom. They will remain Palestinian subjects if you will. But security control also applies to these places.

The West Bank is home to around 3 million people. They are mostly Palestinians who do not have Israeli citizenship. The area is currently divided into areas controlled directly by the Israeli military and parts under control of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The annexation plans have coincided with increased support among both Israelis and Palestinians for a one-state solution to the conflict, as opposed to two states. Israeli and Palestinian visions for what one state would look like vary considerably, however, including on issues of citizenship and the right of return for Palestinian refugees living in Israels neighboring countries.
The Pakistani government has decided to form the National Locust Control Cell against the rising attacks of the locust swarms across the country, which are posing a serious threat to the national food security, the information minister said Thursday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

Pakistan's Information Minister Shibli Faraz told media that the government has formed national strategy against the desert locust and the proposed cell is part of it.

The minister added that the government is well aware of the current situation being faced by farmers in different regions where the desert locust swarms are attacking different crops.

"We fear that there would be a great threat of locust swarms in July this year. The government is preparing for it," said the minister, adding that nine jets and helicopters are taking part in spraying missions against the locust, which would be increased to 15 in July.

The minister advised farmers to report about the arrival of locusts quickly to the helplines so that the authorities can spray pesticides in their region.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations released a report last month and warned the Pakistani government of a huge level of locust raid in Pakistan if it is not controlled efficiently because locust breeding is taking place at 38 percent of the country's total area. The report added that the locust could cause 817 billion rupees (about 5.08 billion U.S. dollars) loss to Pakistan's agriculture production this year.
A Thursday evening shooting in North York has left a man in serious condition while police continue to hunt for two suspects.

Officers were called to the scene just before 10 p.m., in the area of Grandravine Drive and Driftwood Avenue, where they found an adult male with multiple gunshot wounds.

The victim was taken to hospital with serious injuries, and police say that eyewitnesses saw two men running south toward Sheppard Avenue West.

One suspect was described as a Black man wearing a black hoodie and a black bandana. The second suspect was described as a Black man who wore a grey hoodie and a black bandana.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call 416-808-2222 or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS.

David Nickle is a reporter with toronto.com. Reach him via email: dnickle@toronto.com
The school year is over, and so is Spring ISDs first try at at-home learning during the coronavirus pandemic, but the district is now preparing to further develop their at-home learning for summer school starting in June.

Two at-home learning sessions will be held this summer to run Monday through Thursdayone from June 10 to June 30 and another from July 7 to July 28.

Class of 2020 reflects: Spring ISD valedictorians, salutatorians talk lessons learned

Khechara Bradford, Spring ISD chief of curriculum and instruction, told the Spring ISD Board of Trustees Thursday the district would be taking lessons learned from their current period of Empowered Learning 2.0 to expand upon their summer learning.

Our vision for summer learning is that we can continue learning throughout the entire summer, Bradford said. We want to mitigate effects of students being at home during the COVID slide and improve upon lessons weve learned during at-home learning.

The COVID slide refers to any falling behind students could have from not being in school during the pandemic, like the summer slide where students lose academic skills or knowledge during the break between semesters, Bradford said.

Bradford said they took a different approach with summer learning this year, establishing a summer learning taskforce made up of principals, assistant principals, teachers, assistant superintendents and other faculty members. The group came together for two large meetings before breaking into smaller meetings to develop the plan.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Spring, Alief ISDs change 2020-21 calendars amid COVID-19 concerns

The summer learning this year includes opportunities for students in the special education program, as well as multilingual and gifted and talented programs, Bradford said. There would also be a targeting for students in summer school based on their mid-year Measure of Academic Progress scores, as well as targeting students who may have not passed their end of course assessment or need credit recovery or grade repair.

What we learned is that our Empowered Learning platform really does give us the opportunity to offer different projects to all students so they can work at their own pace, Bradford said.

Each summer session also includes either a morning or evening session for students to choose, based on their or their parents work hours.

The first level of the summer sessions is project-based enrichment, Bradford said, offering student opportunities like literacy camps and book clubs, and also targeting specific ideas for STAAR assessments or end of course exams.

Bradford said there would also be a focus on intervention and assessment over the summer, having students enrolled in courses specifically designed for their level of need based on their mid-year MAP skills to intervene on specific skills. A teacher for a summer course could have students from every campus across the district based on a specific area where the school is intervening.

When we first left school, we really didnt know if our teachers would be able to meet with our students, Bradford said. Now that we have a really good handle on it moving forward, it will be more of those individualized courses.

paul.wedding@hcnonline.com
Advertisement

By Tim Brockwell

May. 28, 2020 | PADUCAH

By Tim Brockwell May. 28, 2020 | 12:34 PM | PADUCAH

Police have located and arrested former Barbecue on the River executive director David Boggs Jr.



The Paducah Police Department says officers arrested 50-year-old Boggs Thursday morning at a mobile home park in Columbia, SC. He is charged with stealing nearly $25,000 from an account associated with Paducahs annual Barbecue on the River festival.



The investigation began when Boggs left his home in downtown Paducah on Nov. 4, 2018, and disappeared. After he was reported missing, officials with Barbecue on the River told police that $24,955 was missing from the organizations operating fund. The ensuing search for Boggs, who many feared dead, included multiple agencies and various methods.



The investigation eventually led detectives to a social media scam in which they say Boggs was blackmailed for thousands of dollars.



Chief Brian Laird said in a Thursday press conference that Boggs had been writing checks to himself from the Barbecue on the River operating account for about six weeks to pay the scammer.



"During the Summer of 2018, Mr. Boggs had used a cellphone app to send an inappropriate picture of himself to someone. After sending the picture, Boggs was later told that he had sent the picture to an underage person. This was not true. This situation is a common social media scam used to blackmail and extort money from people," Laird said. "Over the next several weeks, during the summer of 2018, Mr. Boggs sent thousands of dollars to the scammers using prepaid cards and wire transfers. As the scammers demanded more money to keep the photo he'd sent secret, Mr. Boggs began taking money from the Barbecue on the River bank account."



In all, Laird said Boggs ended up paying the scammer more than double what he had stolen from Barbecue on the River.



The case had begun to grow cold by early this year, but Laird said detectives caught a break in April when a medical bill was sent to Boggs' former home linking him to the Columbia, SC area. Detectives then began issuing search warrants for telephone and medical records, and scouring social media in an effort to locate Boggs. They eventually identified a potential friend of Boggs in Columbia who was associated with a Facebook page aimed at assisting the homeless, and saw a man who appeared to be Boggs in a photo on that page.



"Finley Park is an area that is known to have a large homeless population. The photo showed Mr. Boggs standing in a line to receive items being handed out by a homeless outreach organization." Laird said.



On Wednesday, PPD detectives began searching for Boggs with assistance from the Lexington County, SC Sheriff's Department. He was later found at a mobile home park just outside Columbia and arrested without incident.



Police said Boggs admitted to stealing the money from Barbecue on the River. He reportedly told them he walked the Greenway Trail on the day of his disappearance, spending the night in the woods. The next morning he said he walked to a truck stop near I-24 Exit 3 and began hitchhiking, trying to get to Florida. He told detectives he ended up in South Carolina, where he spent the next six months living in the woods.



Boggs was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center, where he will await extradition to Kentucky.



Im incredibly proud of our detective division and how they never gave up in their search for Mr. Boggs, Laird said. They followed every lead and utilized resources and technology to solve the mystery surrounding Boggs disappearance. This is another good example of the great police work our officers do.


TOKYOAs the world tries to get a handle on the coronavirus and emerge from paralyzing lockdowns, public health officials have repeated a mantra: test, test, test.

But Japan went its own way, limiting tests to only the most severe cases as other countries raced to screen as many people as possible. Medical experts worried the approach would blind the country to the spread of infection, allowing cases to explode and swamping hospitals.

It hasnt happened. Japan has one of the lowest mortality rates from COVID-19 among major nations. The medical system has not been overwhelmed. And the government never forced businesses to close, although many chose to.

This week, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared Japans battle against the outbreak a resounding success, taking the country off an emergency footing  a sort of lockdown lite that lasted only a month and a half.

Its still unclear, though, exactly what accounts for Japans achievement and whether other countries can take lessons from its approach.

Instead of testing widely to understand and limit the virus spread through the general population, Japan has focused on quickly containing small outbreaks through contact tracing. Instead of dictating strict constraints on daily life, it has focused on educating people about measures like social distancing and gently prodding them to follow along.

The country has recorded fewer than 900 deaths even as the United States and European countries have reported tens of thousands.

Epidemiologists say widespread testing for the virus is important because it allows officials to isolate those who test positive and to track trends in infection rates to help determine when it is safe to reopen schools, businesses and other places where people congregate.

Japan initially told people who suspected they were infected with the virus not to seek help unless they had experienced a fever for four days, or two days if they were over 65.

Despite the constrained testing for the virus, the rate of positive results has dropped below one per cent.

Some say Japan may have a large hidden population of asymptomatic cases. Shigeru Omi, deputy head of the governments expert panel on the coronavirus, told lawmakers the real number of infections could be as much as 10 or 20 times as high as currently believed. Japan has reported fewer than 17,000 cases, versus more than 1.7 million in the United States.

Read more about:
When it comes to choosing the best and worst cities for car lovers, there are some choices that are just obvious. New York, for example, has outstanding public transportation  along with high taxes and lots of traffic  making it a clear front-runner for the title of worst city for car lovers. But on the other side of the equation, not many would easily name a small city in middle America as the best place in the country for car lovers.

GOBankingRates analyzed the 75 most populous cities in America using nine factors to calculate the best and worst states for car lovers. Part of the formula involved considering the percentage of households that had access to between zero and four or more vehicles, along with typical factors such as average commute time, gas prices and registration fees. These are the cities that make vehicle owners smile the most.

Last updated: Sept. 30, 2020

The Best Cities for Car Lovers

Low costs, breezy commute times and easy access to vehicles all combine to make these 25 cities the best places to own a car.

Its no doubt hard for San Francisco residents, who are stuck with the highest gas prices in the country at $3.84 per gallon, to imagine paying $2.16 for that same gallon of gas in Plano, Texas. Residents of Minnesotas Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, who pay the highest typical registration fee in the country at $471.61, are no doubt jealous of the two cities in Colorado  Aurora and Colorado Springs  that have no fee at all.

If youre looking to keep your vehicle costs low and spend less time in your car, check out these cities.

25. Aurora, Colorado

Average commute time (minutes): 29.3



Average gas price: $2.41



Transportation cost-of-living index: 141.4

Annual vehicle expenses: $8,722.97

Typical registration fee: $0

24. Austin, Texas

Average commute time (minutes): 24.1



Average gas price: $2.32



Transportation cost-of-living index: 130.6

Annual vehicle expenses: $8,056.71

Typical registration fee: $50.75

Story continues

23. Indianapolis

Average commute time (minutes): 23.1



Average gas price: $2.40



Transportation cost-of-living index: 103.8

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,403.42

Typical registration fee: $21.35

22. Anchorage, Alaska

Average commute time (minutes): 18.9



Average gas price: $3.07



Transportation cost-of-living index: 117.2

Annual vehicle expenses: $7,230.07

Typical registration fee: $50

21. Nashville, Tennessee

Average commute time (minutes): 24.6



Average gas price: $2.39



Transportation cost-of-living index: 115.9

Annual vehicle expenses: $7,149.87

Typical registration fee: $23.75

20. Charlotte, North Carolina

Average commute time (minutes): 25.3



Average gas price: $2.33



Transportation cost-of-living index: 112.6

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,946.29

Typical registration fee: $36

19. Kansas City, Missouri

Average commute time (minutes): 21.80



Average gas price: $2.25



Transportation cost-of-living index: 101.70

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,273.87

Typical registration fee: $51

18. Fort Worth, Texas

Average commute time (minutes): 27



Average gas price: $2.23



Transportation cost-of-living index: 135.80

Annual vehicle expenses: $8,377.50

Typical registration fee: $50.75

17. San Antonio

Average commute time (minutes): 24.10



Average gas price: $2.23



Transportation cost-of-living index: 116.90

Annual vehicle expenses: $7,211.56

Typical registration fee: $50.75

16. Raleigh, North Carolina

Average commute time (minutes): 23.40



Average gas price: $2.42



Transportation cost-of-living index: 100.10

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,175.17

Typical registration fee: $36

15. Arlington, Texas

Average commute time (minutes): 27.20



Average gas price: $2.23



Transportation cost-of-living index: 136.30

Annual vehicle expenses: $8,408.35

Typical registration fee: $50.75

14. Lexington, Kentucky

Average commute time (minutes): 20.90



Average gas price: $2.23



Transportation cost-of-living index: 101

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,230.69

Typical registration fee: $21

13. Albuquerque, New Mexico

Average commute time (minutes): 21.20



Average gas price: $2.35



Transportation cost-of-living index: 105.70

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,520.63

Typical registration fee: $44.50

12. Greensboro, North Carolina

Average commute time (minutes): 20.70



Average gas price: $2.39



Transportation cost-of-living index: 85.50

Annual vehicle expenses: $5,274.50

Typical registration fee: $36

11. El Paso, Texas

Average commute time (minutes): 22.70



Average gas price: $2.39



Transportation cost-of-living index: 107.60

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,637.84

Typical registration fee: $50.75

10. Tulsa, Oklahoma

Average commute time (minutes): 18.40



Average gas price: $2.18



Transportation cost-of-living index: 105.30

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,495.96

Typical registration fee: $85

9. Fort Wayne, Indiana

Average commute time (minutes): 20.90



Average gas price: $2.38



Transportation cost-of-living index: 93

Annual vehicle expenses: $5,737.17

Typical registration fee: $21.35

8. Omaha, Nebraska

Average commute time (minutes): 18.70



Average gas price: $2.32



Transportation cost-of-living index: 95.80

Annual vehicle expenses: $5,909.90

Typical registration fee: $15

7. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Average commute time (minutes): 21.80



Average gas price: $2.45



Transportation cost-of-living index: 106.50

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,569.99

Typical registration fee: $0

6. Oklahoma City

Average commute time (minutes): 21.30



Average gas price: $2.19



Transportation cost-of-living index: 110.20

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,798.24

Typical registration fee: $85

5. Corpus Christi, Texas

Average commute time (minutes): 19.20



Average gas price: $2.23



Transportation cost-of-living index: 93.30

Annual vehicle expenses: $5,755.68

Typical registration fee: $50.75

4. Lincoln, Nebraska

Average commute time (minutes): 18.30



Average gas price: $2.49



Transportation cost-of-living index: 86.50

Annual vehicle expenses: $5,336.19

Typical registration fee: $15

3. Virginia Beach, Virginia

Average commute time (minutes): 23.70



Average gas price: $2.31



Transportation cost-of-living index: 115.30

Annual vehicle expenses: $7,112.86

Typical registration fee: $40.75

2. Plano, Texas

Average commute time (minutes): 26.50



Average gas price: $2.16



Transportation cost-of-living index: 100

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,169

Typical registration fee: $50.75

1. Wichita, Kansas

Average commute time (minutes): 18.20



Average gas price: $2.20



Transportation cost-of-living index: 92.80

Annual vehicle expenses: $5,724.83

Typical registration fee: $35

The Worst Cities for Car Lovers

If you live in one of the worst cities for car lovers, you probably dont need a study to tell you. High costs and slow commutes are the scourge of many big cities, and the 25 listed ahead all share some unfortunate combination of the two. New York, for example, has both the longest commute and the highest annual vehicle expenses in the nation, no doubt contributing to the fact that a whopping 54.46% of residents dont even have a single vehicle available. Youll have to really love your car if you want to own one in these cities.

25. St. Paul, Minnesota

Average commute time (minutes): 23.70



Average gas price: $2.49



Transportation cost-of-living index: 127.20

Annual vehicle expenses: $7,846.97

Typical registration fee: $471.61

24. New Orleans

Average commute time (minutes): 23.80



Average gas price: $2.17



Transportation cost-of-living index: 155

Annual vehicle expenses: $9,561.95

Typical registration fee: $37.17

23. St. Louis

Average commute time (minutes): 24.10



Average gas price: $2.38



Transportation cost-of-living index: 113.80

Annual vehicle expenses: $7,020.32

Typical registration fee: $51

22. Cincinnati

Average commute time (minutes): 22.60



Average gas price: $2.54



Transportation cost-of-living index: 108.50

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,693.37

Typical registration fee: $34.50

21. Sacramento, California

Average commute time (minutes): 25.40



Average gas price: $3.49



Transportation cost-of-living index: 132.80

Annual vehicle expenses: $8,192.43

Typical registration fee: $46

20. Atlanta

Average commute time (minutes): 26.30



Average gas price: $2.56



Transportation cost-of-living index: 144

Annual vehicle expenses: $8,883.36

Typical registration fee: $20

19. Portland, Oregon

Average commute time (minutes): 26.10



Average gas price: $3.14



Transportation cost-of-living index: 147.40

Annual vehicle expenses: $9,093.11

Typical registration fee: $43

18. Minneapolis

Average commute time (minutes): 22.90



Average gas price: $2.53



Transportation cost-of-living index: 126.7

Annual vehicle expenses: $7,816.12

Typical registration fee: $471.61

17. Cleveland

Average commute time (minutes): 24.10



Average gas price: $2.65



Transportation cost-of-living index: 105

Annual vehicle expenses: $6,477.45

Typical registration fee: $34.50

16. Pittsburgh

Average commute time (minutes): 23.80



Average gas price: $2.80



Transportation cost-of-living index: 121.20

Annual vehicle expenses: $7,476.83

Typical registration fee: $36

15. Honolulu

Average commute time (minutes): 23.40



Average gas price: $3.55



Transportation cost-of-living index: 142.60

Annual vehicle expenses: $8,796.99

Typical registration fee: $115

14. Long Beach, California

Average commute time (minutes): 30.40



Average gas price: $3.66



Transportation cost-of-living index: 182.30

Annual vehicle expenses: $11,246.09

Typical registration fee: $46

13. Miami

Average commute time (minutes): 28.10



Average gas price: $2.48



Transportation cost-of-living index: 169.70

Annual vehicle expenses: $10,468.79

Typical registration fee: $257.50

12. Seattle

Average commute time (minutes): 27.50



Average gas price: $3.41



Transportation cost-of-living index: 156.50

Annual vehicle expenses: $9,654.49

Typical registration fee: $30

11. Los Angeles

Average commute time (minutes): 30.90



Average gas price: $3.66



Transportation cost-of-living index: 190.70

Annual vehicle expenses: $11,764.28

Typical registration fee: $46

10. Oakland, California

Average commute time (minutes): 31.90



Average gas price: $3.67



Transportation cost-of-living index: 131.70

Annual vehicle expenses: $8,124.57

Typical registration fee: $46

9. Baltimore

Average commute time (minutes): 30.70



Average gas price: $2.41



Transportation cost-of-living index: 144.60

Annual vehicle expenses: $8,920.37

Typical registration fee: $135

8. Detroit

Average commute time (minutes): 26.40



Average gas price: $2.69



Transportation cost-of-living index: 208

Annual vehicle expenses: $12,831.52

Typical registration fee: $234

7. Chicago

Average commute time (minutes): 34.60



Average gas price: $2.97



Transportation cost-of-living index: 159.80

Annual vehicle expenses: $9,858.06

Typical registration fee: $101

6. Philadelphia

Average commute time (minutes): 32.90



Average gas price: $2.78



Transportation cost-of-living index: 162.40

Annual vehicle expenses: $10,018.46

Typical registration fee: $36

5. Boston

Average commute time (minutes): 30.40



Average gas price: $2.81



Transportation cost-of-living index: 151.70

Annual vehicle expenses: $9,358.37

Typical registration fee: $60

4. Newark, New Jersey

Average commute time (minutes): 35.50



Average gas price: $2.73



Transportation cost-of-living index: 114.10

Annual vehicle expenses: $7,038.83

Typical registration fee: $84

3. Jersey City, New Jersey

Average commute time (minutes): 36.80



Average gas price: $2.61



Transportation cost-of-living index: 180.70

Annual vehicle expenses: $11,147.38

Typical registration fee: $84

2. San Francisco

Average commute time (minutes): 32.80



Average gas price: $3.84



Transportation cost-of-living index: 176.80

Annual vehicle expenses: $10,906.79

Typical registration fee: $46

1. New York

Average commute time (minutes): 40.80



Average gas price: $3.01



Transportation cost-of-living index: 211.50

Annual vehicle expenses: $13,047.44

Typical registration fee: $53.75

More From GOBankingRates

Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed the 75 most populous cities according to the United States Census Bureau in order to find the best and worst cities for car lovers. The study looked at the cities along the following factors: (1) average commute time in minutes, sourced from the United States Census Bureaus 2017 American Community Survey; (2) gas prices by county, sourced from AAA; (3) annual vehicle expenses, which were defined as vehicle purchases (net outlay) + vehicle finance charges + maintenance and repairs + vehicle insurance per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for the third quarter 2017 through the second quarter 2018. Each citys annual vehicle expenses were then factored out using each citys Sperlings Best Places transportation cost of living index; (4) registration fees by state according to documentation used at the 2018 National Conference of State Legislatures; (5) percent of households that have access to zero vehicles; (6) percent of households that have access to one vehicle; (7) percent of households that have access to three vehicles; and (9) percent of households that have access to four or more vehicles, all sourced from the United States Census Bureaus 2017 American Community Survey. These nine factors were then scored, with the lowest score being best, and combined to give a final total. In final calculations, factor four was given a weight of 0.5, factor seven was given a weight of 0.75, factors two and nine were given a weight of 1.5 times and factor five was given a weight of 2 times. All data was collected and up to date as of Sept. 3, 2019.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Best (and Worst) Cities for Car Lovers
There were echoes of the 1960s.

President Donald Trump once again waded into the nation's raw racial divide, describing street protesters in Minneapolis as "THUGS" and suggesting he might order a military intervention there. The protests were sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who was handcuffed and prone as a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than seven minutes.

"When the looting starts, the shooting starts," the president said early Friday in a tweet that Twitter flagged with a warning label as "glorifying violence."

Trump's wording was a notorious phrase coined by Miami Police Chief Walter Hedley in 1967, when he vowed a crackdown on "young hoodlums" who he said had "taken advantage" of the civil rights movement. He dispatched police dogs and officers armed with shotguns to enforce order in minority communities.

A year later, Richard Nixon  nominated in Miami Beach, where the Republican National Convention was held  successfully exploited the alarm of many whites about race riots in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Nixon won the White House over Democratic Vice President Hubert Humphrey.

George Floyd death: Experts say knee-to-neck restraint is dangerous, but Minneapolis allows it

A screen grab of a Twitter notice on a tweet by President Trump on Friday, May 29, 2020.

This time, Donald Trump is also counting on the support of white voters in November to win a second term, as he did for his first. In 2016, surveys of voters as they left polling places showed that he carried 57% of white voters but just 8% of black voters. His support among African Americans continues to be measured in single digits.

"We know that President Trump came into office on the strength of the white vote and spent much of the 2016 campaign using racist statements and racial resentments as a way of energizing his base to vote for him, and so I think we're seeing something of a replay of this," said Nicole Hemmer, a historian at Columbia University. "Could it work? Yeah. I mean, we've seen it work time and again in U.S. presidential history."

Story continues

Court review?: Legal immunity for police misconduct may get Supreme Court review

Trump's latest provocative comments on race also served as a distraction, at least momentarily, to two historic challenges that have raised questions about his leadership in the White House: the grim milestone reached Wednesday of more than 100,000 Americans killed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and another troubling milestone reached Thursday with more than 6 million Americans unemployed.

Of course, more than a half century has passed since the 1960s era, and the United States has become much more diverse since then. According to the U.S. Census, 16.5% of the population were members of minority groups in 1970. By 2010, that proportion had more than doubled, to 36.3%  and was projected to become a majority of the country in 2042.

The political challenges that loom for former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump's presumptive Democratic opponent, are complicated. His strategy to win the White House relies on generating more enthusiasm than he now shows among black voters, especially young ones, while also appealing to older white voters in industrial states who were drawn to Trump last time.

Biden called the Floyd family Friday before delivering a somber, almost mournful statement from his home in Wilmington, Delaware.

"In weeks like this, we see it plainly that we're a country with an open wound, and none of us can turn away, none of us can be silent," he said.

Without mentioning Trump by name, Biden delivered a clear rebuke to him.

"This is no time for incendiary tweets; it's no time to encourage violence," he said. "This is a national crisis and we need real leadership right now."

George Floyd: Trump to receive 'full report' on death, calls it a 'very sad event'

The eruption of race as an issue in the presidential race could increase the pressure on Biden to choose an African-American running mate. Several are on his reported list of prospects, including California Sen. Kamala Harris, Florida Rep. Val Demings and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

It could also make it less likely he will tap Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar. She has faced criticism for deciding not to prosecute police officers in a string of police-involved fatalities when she was the Hennepin County attorney, where Minneapolis is located and where protests are taking place.

What we know: George Floyd protests erupt across nation

Trump had responded with a tweet early Friday to news coverage of burning stores and riot police on the streets of Minneapolis.

"...These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

In the furor that followed, Twitter shielded the tweet with a gray box that said, "This Tweet violated the Twitter rules about glorifying violence." Readers could then click through to see it.

The White House responded by posting the same message on the official White House Twitter account  which Twitter once again flagged.

More than 12 hours after his original tweet, and in the wake of the firestorm it provoked on social media, Trump tried to recast his "looting leads to shooting" comment.

"I dont want this to happen," he said in a pair of tweets. "It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement. Its very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media. Honor the memory of George Floyd!"

Among those urging temperance was someone down the hall.

"Our country allows for peaceful protests, but there is no reason for violence," first lady Melania Trump tweeted a few hours after her husband's posting. "I've seen our citizens unify & take care of one another through COVID19 & we cant stop now. My deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd. As a nation, let's focus on peace, prayers & healing."

Our country allows for peaceful protests, but there is no reason for violence. Ive seen our citizens unify & take care of one another through COVID19 & we cant stop now. My deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd. As a nation, let's focus on peace, prayers & healing.  Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) May 29, 2020

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd: Trump protest tweet uses Nixon-era civil rights language
Russia is building a new military base in the Kurdish enclave in northeast Syria, a UK-based monitoring group reported today.

Russian forces are making the base in Qeser Dib, a village outside of al-Malikiyah near the Turkish border. The troops installed radar and brought 12 armored vehicles to the area, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Al-Malikiyah is a mixed Kurdish-Christian area. It is also one of the closest towns to northeast Syrias border crossing with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

This part of the autonomous administration of north and east Syria territory is the location of Russian, American and Turkish military activity. Both the United States and Russia patrol the area, and the United States sometimes prevents the Russians from passing through  creating tensions. Turkey and Russia have also conducted joint patrols near al-Malikiyah.

Relations between Russia and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)  the Kurdish-led and US-backed armed group that controls much of northeast Syria  are mixed. The US military says Russia is trying to get Arab communities in northeast Syria to cut their ties with the SDF. The co-chair of the SDFs political wing, the Syrian Democratic Council, also told the Kurdish outlet Rudaw that Russia wants to create sedition in northeast Syria when it comes to the Arabs and the SDF. The SDF is a multiethnic group with Kurdish, Arab, Christian, Yazidi and Turkmen fighters.

The SDF does not fight Russia, though, and its primary enemies are the Islamic State (IS) and Turkey. Turkey attacked northeast Syria in October due to its opposition to Kurdish groups being stationed along its border and IS continues attacks in the area. The SDF received help from Russias ally, the Syrian government, during the battle with Turkey and the Syrian government rules some parts of the otherwise SDF-controlled cities of Qamishli and Hasakah.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported today that Russia prevented commercial trucks from traveling along the M4 highway between Hasakah in SDF territory and government-controlled Aleppo.
<! Nigerian doctors attending to Coronavirus patient >

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, on Thursday confirmed 182 new cases of Coronavirus in the country, with Lagos ramping up huge figures.

The total number of confirmed Coronavirus cases stand at 8,915.

Of the 182 new cases, Lagos recorded 111 cases, which represented a drop from the 256 cases it raked in on Wednesday,

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, recorded 16 new cases, with Akwa Ibom raking in 10 fresh cases and Oyo, with eight new cases.

According to the NCDC, five deaths were also recorded on Thursday, taking the overall total to 259.

On the 28th of May 2020, 182 new confirmed cases and 5 deaths were recorded in Nigeria. No new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours.

Till date, 8,95 cases have been confirmed, 2,592 cases have been discharged and 259 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The new cases are reported from 15 states- Lagos (111), FCT (16), Akwa Ibom (10), Oyo (8), Kaduna (6), Delta (6), Rivers (5), Ogun (4), Ebonyi (4) Kano (3), Plateau (2), Gombe (2), Kwara (2), Kebbi (1), Bauchi (1), Borno (1), it said.

How States Stand in Thursdays new infections

Lagos-111

FCT-16

Akwa Ibom-10

Oyo-8

Kaduna-6

Delta-6

Rivers-5

Ogun-4

Ebonyi-4

Kano-3

Plateau-2

Gombe-2

Kebbi-1

Kwara-2

Bauchi-1

Borno-1




Akinwumi Adesina

The chairperson of the board of governors at the African Development Bank (AfDB), Niale Kaba has reacted to reports calling for sack of Akinwumi Adesina as the banks president.

Kaba said the bank has not asked for Adesinas resignation.

In a statement on Thursday, Kaba said the board has not reached a decision on a request by the US to carry out an independent investigation into allegations of favouritism against Adesina.

On Tuesday, May 26, the office of the board of governors of the African Development Bank Group held a meeting to examine the matter arising from a complaint from the board of directors of the bank, and about that which I received from some shareholders expressing different points of view, she said in the statement.

The office which I chair wishes to reassure the public that it has taken up the matter and is treating it with the greatest rigour and with all the seriousness that it deserves.

However, the office informs the public that no decision has been made as falsely conveyed in some publications, Haa

Everyone must allow the Office to do its work and let the process of examining this case to take its course. The opinion of all the governors will be sought for its successful outcome.

Bloomberg, had reported on Wednesday, that the board has agreed to an independent investigation in line with demands from Steven Mnuchin, the US treasury secretary.

In a letter addressed to Kaba, Munchin said the US disagreed with the decision of the banks ethics committee which absolved Adesina of the allegations.
Four Brazilian men were remanded in custody this morning after appearing on Portlaoise District Court on firearms charges allegedly committed in Co Offaly on Wednesday morning.

Hugo Henrique Rodrigues, aged 23, Apartment 4, Inny Court, Ballymahon, Co Longford and Sergio Machado Filho, 36, Apartment 7, No 3 Temple Bar, Dublin 2, were refused bail by Judge Catherine Staines.

There were no bail applications for the other two accused men, Jefferson Dos Santos, 34, also with an address at Apartment 4, Inny Court, Ballymahon, Co Longford, and Ildomar Cabrar Da Silva, 29, of no fixed abode.

All four are accused of possession of firearms in suspicious circumstances at River Street, Clara on May 27 and with breaching the Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Opposing bail applications, Inspector Brian Farrell said there was evidence Mr Rodrigues was the driver of a car in which a sawn-off shotgun and a submachine gun were found at two minutes after midnight.

Inspector Farrell said Mr Filho was the driver of another car which was in convoy with the vehicle driven by Mr Rodrigues.

He said gardai believed both firearms were going to be used to cause loss of life or serious injury.

Inspector Farrell said enquiries had linked the incident in Clara with an ongoing feud in Tullamore between two families. Evidence from phone analysis indicated a Google map search for an address of one of the feuding families.

Mr Rodrigues was in the State illegally since January 21, 2019, and was obliged to leave but had not done so.

A bottle of petrol and a lighter were found in the car driven by Mr Filho and he had been seen earlier on CCTV in Enfield at the toll plaza and at Applegreen.

Inspector Farrell said gardai believed the petrol would be used to burn out the other vehicle.

Donal Farrelly, a solicitor for Mr Rodrigues, applied for bail on the grounds that he had a permanent address in Ballymahon with his partner and he would sign on daily at a garda station.

Michael French, for Mr Filho, said his client denied any hand, act or part in the matters outlined by the gardai.

He also said Mr Filho had concerns about his health because he had been admitted to hospital with a cough and breathing difficulties while in custody.

Judge Staines refused both bail applications and remanded the four men in custody to Cloverhill Prison to appear at Cloverhill District Court on June 3 next.

She ordered that Mr Filho be tested immediately for Covid-19.
Mayor John Tory says the city is looking at whether its legally possible to require commuters to wear masks on the TTC.

And on Friday he announced a coalition of banks, universities and other large organizations that have committed to allow the majority of their employees to work from home until at least September to continue limiting the risk of spread.

The TTC has made it clear that as ridership starts to increase again, the ability for people to physically distance themselves in transit vehicles will diminish very quickly, Tory said at a press conference at city hall on Friday afternoon. This will be one of our biggest challenges of the restart and post-COVID Toronto.

Tory said they thought it would only be responsible to look into mandatory mask use as they consider all options as part of the reopening plan for the city, but havent made any determinations yet.

In the meantime, officials are strongly recommending wearing face coverings when taking transit as the city works to create alternatives with new bike lanes, approved at council on Thursday, and streets closed to vehicle traffic.

The organizations that have agreed to prioritize working from home include many of the major financial institutions and schools largely concentrated in the downtown core  along with the City of Toronto itself.

They are: The Bank of Montreal, Canada Life, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Centennial College, Deloitte Canada, EY Canada, George Brown College, Humber College, KPMG Canada, Manulife, National Bank, OCAD University, PwC Canada, Rogers Communications, Royal Bank of Canada, Ryerson University, Scotiabank, Seneca College, Sun Life Financial, TD Bank, the University of Toronto, Yamana Gold Inc., York University and Zurich Canada.

Saad Rafi, who is leading the Toronto Office of Recovery and Rebuild, said there was a high degree of co-operation from businesses about working from home, saying the pandemic has been especially challenging for corporations where team-based and flexible workspaces were becoming the norm.

The TTC has said it isnt up to the transit agency to compel passengers to wear masks, and has raised concerns about how such a rule would be enforced.

The direction to wear masks would have to come from government or public health officials along with a mechanism to support such direction that would not put TTC employees in conflict with customers, TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said in an email earlier this month.

Tory said Friday that how such an order would be enforced and who is best to make an order like that is part of what the city is considering.

At meeting of the agencys board on May 13, TTC CEO Rick Leary said wearing a mask on transit, particularly when social distancing isnt possible, was prudent advice. But he stopped short of saying all passengers must wear face coverings.

We are in lockstep with Toronto Public Health, and everything we do is with the advice of (Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa), he said. We will keep you aware of her direction.

A public awareness campaign the transit agency has launched on social media and elsewhere during the pandemic says: We strongly recommend customers wear a cloth mask or face covering when travelling on the TTC.

Normally, the TTC carries about 1.8 million riders every day. Since the start of the pandemic, ridership has dropped by about 85 per cent and in response the agency has reduced service by about 20 per cent.

Despite crowding on some of its bus routes, the agency says it is currently able to operate enough vehicles to allow passengers to practice safe social distancing.

However, its ability to safely carry riders will be put under pressure if passengers return in large numbers as the economy reopens and more people venture out to work and go shopping.

The agency has said that space constraints on its vehicles mean that it can safely carry about 30 per cent of its regular ridership, but that would require ramping service back up to pre-crisis levels. If ridership increases to more than 30 per cent of pre-COVID-19 levels, it will no longer be able to provide for social distancing across the network.

The province began lifting constraints on non-essential businesses at the start of last week, but the TTC has yet to report a significant rebound in ridership.

Agency spokesperson Stuart Green said the network saw a ridership increase of about two to three per cent last week compared to the week before. Most of the increase was on bus routes.

Well continue to monitor the trends and the busier routes, and adjust service as needed, he said.

Metrolinx, the provincial agency that operates GO Transit, also hasnt made masks mandatory for riders.

Agency CEO Phil Verster said in an interview that Metrolinx considered the idea but rejected it because there are many reasons why some people cant wear face coverings, such as medical conditions that cause breathing difficulties, and mental health issues like claustrophobia.

Transit agencies elsewhere in the province have taken a different approach. In Ottawa, OC Transpo will require passengers and riders to wear masks, effective June 15, as part of the agencys recovery plans.

Dr. Eileen de Villa, the citys medical officer of health, said the number of people working from home has been a critical step in reducing the spread of the virus and keeping front-line workers safe. She also noted the challenges people have faced acclimatizing to those changes and offered advice on staying healthy at home, including creating a consistent routine.

This will be the new normal for a while so its important to make sure that were setting ourselves up for success, she said.

Jennifer Pagliaro is a Toronto-based reporter covering city hall and municipal politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @jpags

Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation for the Star. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr
A former co-worker of Amy Cooper - the woman filmed calling 911 to report an African-American bird watcher for 'threatening her life' when he asked her to leash her dog in Central Park - has said he wasn't surprised by the former banking exec's erratic conduct, claiming he's 'seen that type of false hysteria before'.

Martin Priest, who first met Cooper while working at investment banking firm Lehman Brothers in 2003, told DailyMail.com how the now 41-year-old allegedly attempted to destroy his life with a series of 'baseless' allegations in a 2015 lawsuit.

Priest said he had been friends with Cooper for a number of years before the suit but says he began to distance himself from her sometime in 2012 when she confessed to having romantic feelings for him that weren't reciprocated.

In the months that followed, Priest says he was routinely 'harassed' and 'stalked' by Cooper. He claims she would often leave him threatening texts and voicemails, in which she menaced that she would hurt him, his family members and even herself if he continued to ignore her.

The purported onslaught culminated in Priest contacting police in Ridgewood, New Jersey, in February 2013 to report her for harassment.

'She became increasingly abusive and unstable,' Priest told DailyMail.com. 'I tried to get away from her as she became more outrageous and threatening with her demands.'

Scroll down for video

Martin Priest, who first met Amy Cooper (above) , told DailyMail.com how the now 41-year-old allegedly attempted to destroy his life with a series of 'baseless' allegations in a 2015 lawsuit

Amy Marie Cooper became a household name earlier this week when a now infamous viral video captured her hysterically calling the police on African American bird watcher, Christian Cooper, claiming he was 'threatening her life' after he asked her leash her dog in an area of Central Park known as The Ramble

Priest said he first met Cooper while working at investment banking firm Lehman Brothers in 2003

Priest said his attempts to oust Cooper from his life were made in vain. Just over a year later, on June 8, 2014, he would once again contact police, but this time in Long Island City, dialing 911 to accuse Cooper of attempting to break into his house.

'I caught her in the act,' Priest claimed. 'She lied to my doorman pretending to be my sister and said she needed to get inside.

'I was at home at the time - ignoring her calls - and she knocked on the door, then opened it and tried to walk inside. I got up, slammed the door shut and called the police.'

Priest said that by the time officers arrived, Cooper had fled the scene. 'She texted a lot of crazy stuff afterwards,' Priest recalled.

The NYPD has not yet returned a DailyMail.com request for information on the purported incident. But the department confirmed to the NY Post that Priest had filed for harassment against Cooper on June 8, 2014.

A spokesperson told the outlet she came to his home, repeatedly rang the doorbell and asked to enter the location.

A number of text messages were also observed, police said, but no arrests were made and no charges were filed.

But the ordeal wouldn't end there. Priest said he later received a call from Cooper, who, angered that he had called the cops on her, apparently told him she 'wasn't going to stop until she'd put him in the gutter'.

Priest said he had been friends with Cooper for a number of years before the suit but began to distance himself from her sometime in 2012 when she confessed to having romantic feelings for him that weren't reciprocated

The following year, Cooper filed a lawsuit against Priest  which has since been dismissed  claiming that she had been involved in a romantic relationship with the Wall Street trader from 2008 to 2012, while he was still with his first wife.

In the suit, she claimed she broke up with him when she learned of his marriage, but reconvened with him in October 2013 when that relationship ended.

Cooper accused Priest of stealing $65,000 from her between February and July 2014. She also claims Priest later threatened her life, warning her she should 'keep the f*** out of [his] life' or she 'would get hurt.'

Priest vehemently denies he was ever involved romantically with Cooper and fiercely denies the allegations she made in the lawsuit, calling them 'fabricated' and 'heinous'.

'Those allegations were deeply hurtful to my family. I never had a romantic relationship with her,' Priest told DailyMail.com. 'It was all fabricated in retaliation of our falling out. It was an explicit attempt to damage me and my reputation. She told me on the phone she wasn't going to stop until she put me in the gutter.'

The case was later dismissed when both Cooper and Priest failed to show up for court conferences in January and March 2018, DailyMail.com has confirmed.

'She put all that damaging and false information out there and then just disappeared - derailing my career, hurting my family and reputation,' Priest said.

'It's taken me years to rebuild my life after that,' he continued. 'I was unfairly maligned based upon the allegations that she made - the baseless allegations.

'And so from that point, you know, obviously people would refuse to employ me  because of the voracity of the allegations.'

In 2015, Cooper filed a lawsuit against Priest  which has since been dismissed  claiming that she had been involved in a romantic relationship with the Wall Street trader from 2008 to 2012, while he was still with his first wife

Amy Marie Cooper became a household name earlier this week when a now infamous viral video captured her hysterically calling the police on African American bird watcher, Christian Cooper, claiming he was 'threatening her life' after he asked her leash her dog in an area of Central Park known as The Ramble.

When Priest was made aware of the footage said he was 'horrified' by Cooper's reaction, but said he wasn't surprised.

'I was just, like, horrified she could do that to someone,' he told DailyMail.com, 'but I wasn't shocked. I have seen that type of false hysteria before.

'I just feel that Mr. Cooper is fortunate to have had the foresight to record her reaction, because I'm certain a worse result would have happened to him otherwise.

'I'm so sorry [for Mr. Cooper],' Priest added. 'You know I empathize a great deal and I'm grateful that he had the foresight to record her. She's just a predator, what she did was predatory.'

Priest also said he wasn't surprised that Cooper was being accused of being racist, as he claims she previously said used a racial slur when he told her he was voting for Barack Obama years earlier.

'The reaction was cultivated, it didn't just happen in one snap moment,' Priest said. 'That's not a spontaneous event. There was a clearly a pre-conditioned, premeditated strategy.'

Amy Cooper has not yet responded to a DailyMail.com request for comment on any of the allegations made by Priest. Messages left at her listed address went unanswered.

In the viral footage - commonly referred to online as Central Park Karen - Amy Cooper told birdwatcher Christian Cooper (above) she was going to call the cops, telling them 'an African American man is threatening her life' after he calmly asked her to leash her dog

Amy Cooper: Full Public Apology I want to apologize to Chris Cooper for my actions when I encountered him in Central Park yesterday. I reacted emotionally and made false assumptions about his intentions when, in fact, I was the one who was acting inappropriately by not having my dog on a leash. When Chris began offering treats to my dog and confronted me in an area where there was no one else nearby and said, 'You're not going to like what I'm going to do next,' I assumed we were being threatened when all he had intended to do was record our encounter on his phone. He had every right to request that I leash my dog in an area where it was required. I am well aware of the pain that misassumptions and insensitive statements about race cause and would never have imagined that I would be involved in the type of incident that occurred with Chris. I hope that a few mortifying seconds in a lifetime of forty years will not define me in his eyes and that he will accept my sincere apology. (Dated May 26) Advertisement

In the hours that followed the video's emergence, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio branded Cooper as 'racist...pure and simple' as outrage over the incident  commonly referred to as Central Park Karen  rippled out nationwide.

Cooper was terminated from her $170k-per-year role at as head of insurance investment solutions at Franklin Templeton shortly afterwards. A petition to ban her from Central Park for life also emerged, as did new legislation that would make falsely reporting an incident as a hate crime illegal, should it pass.

In a statement, Amy Cooper offered her sincere apologies to Christian Cooper, saying she 'reacted emotionally and made false assumptions about his intentions when, in fact, I was the one who was acting inappropriately by not having my dog on a leash.

'I am well aware of the pain that misassumptions and insensitive statements about race cause and would never have imagined that I would be involved in the type of incident that occurred with Chris. 'I hope that a few mortifying seconds in a lifetime of forty years will not define me in his eyes and that he will accept my sincere apology.'

In a later statement to CNN, Cooper further elaborated, saying: 'I'm not a racist. I did not mean to harm that man in any way,' she told the network. 'I think I was just scared. When you're alone in the Ramble, you don't know what's happening. It's not excusable, it's not defensible.'

She said that since the video has sparked widespread outrage online, her 'entire life is being destroyed right now'.

Cooper was terminated from her $170k-per-year role at as head of insurance investment solutions at Franklin Templeton shortly afterwards

In a statement, Amy Cooper offered her sincere apologies to Christian Cooper, saying she 'reacted emotionally and made false assumptions about his intentions when, in fact, I was the one who was acting inappropriately by not having my dog on a leash'

Priest admonished Cooper for the statement, accusing her of 'race-baiting' and 'false victimhood'.

'There are women and African Americans out there  real victims that are threatened every day, and she has now technically endangered both by 'crying wolf'.

'It's tragic because there are so many people with this sort of antisocial behaviour that are allowed to function and work, and it takes something this gripping to demonstrate that there are these terribly troubled people wandering around in our society.'

On Thursday, Christian Cooper told the panel of The View that he has accepted Amy Cooper's apology but urged viewers to look at the bigger picture of racism that the encounter displayed.

'I do accept her apology,' Christian said. 'I think it's a first step. I think she's gotta do some reflection on what happened because up until the moment when she made that statement.

'It was just a conflict between a birder and a dog walker, and then she took it to a very dark place. I think she's gotta sort of examine why and how that happened.'

Christian, a board member of the NYC Audubon Society, also doubled down on his previous urges asking the public to stop making death threats against Cooper.

'If you think that what she did was wrong, that she was trying to bring death by cop down on my head, then there is absolutely no way you can justify then turning around and putting a death threat on her head,' he said.

Cooper explained that he's also 'uncomfortable' with judging Cooper solely on a 'few secondsover very poor judgement.'

'[There's] no excusing that it was a racist act because it was a racist act,' he told the show. 'But [does] that define her entire life? Only she can tell us if that defines her entire life by what she does going forward.'
A survey has been launched looking at the issues surrounding future farm employment in Scotland amid warnings of an upcoming 'economic shock'.

Legislators in the UK and Scotland are currently considering policies which could have a significant bearing on the sectors future ability to employ workers.

These include the UK Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which is advising the UK government on the new post-Brexit points based immigration system.

The committee is currently consulting on which occupations should be prioritised in the new Shortage Occupation List.

Elsewhere, negotiations are ongoing at the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board. The UK Low Pay Commission, which advises government on the minimum wage, is also consulting on wage rates.

The three live consultations has led NFU Scotland to create an employment survey, which the union said would be 'integral' in shaping future policy.

President Andrew McCornick said 2020 was a 'watershed year': The Covid-19 crisis has shown us the real value of the people who work on our farms, crofts and agricultural businesses.

"We have done a fantastic job in delivering food to the nation, but we could not have done that without our valued workforce across the whole supply chain."

Mr McCornick added that the Scottish farming industry faced a 'significant economic shock' due to the pandemic and Brexit negotiations between the UK and the EU.

There will clearly continue to be challenges ahead and whether they are financial, economic, or political, they will impact our businesses and the individuals we employ.

We urge all employers to complete this survey which will help us feed in robust evidence on the industrys employment needs at this critical time, he said.

NFU Scotlands Employment Survey 2020 is available online to complete. The deadline for responding is 5.00pm on Monday 15 June.
DALLAS, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Puration, Inc. (USOTC: PURA) today confirmed and provided additional details on plans regarding the company's cannabis cultivation spinoff highlighted in the management performance update published on May 22, 2020.

In an effort to concentrate on its CBD infused products business, PURA spun off its cannabis cultivation business it had been developing to Nouveau (NOUV) in a transaction that included a planned dividend of NOUV stock to PURA shareholders. Brian Shibley, the CEO of PURA continues to serve as the interim CEO of PURA's cannabis cultivation spinoff.

The cannabis cultivation operation is thriving. The operation has recently purchased and relocated to a new property from its former leased property. Texas lawmakers have recently implemented hemp friendly farming regulations and in so doing, universities within the State of Texas have initiated hemp farming research programs. PURA's cannabis cultivation spinoff has initiated a number of joint research applications with Texas universities.

While the cannabis cultivation spinoff is operationally advancing, the plans for harnessing the NOUV public holding company capital structure opportunities to contribute to further advancing the cannabis cultivation spinoff have languished. PURA has devised a strategy to unwind the NOUV deal and simultaneously execute a new spinoff transaction. The new strategy does include a dividend within the spirit of the original transaction with NOUV.

PURA's cannabis cultivation spinoff has been working with Kali-Extracts' (KALY) NCM Biotech subsidiary in a joint effort to develop a proprietary cultivar to advance NCM Biotech's ongoing work to produce various medical treatments from their patented cannabis extraction process. NCM Biotech and PURA's cannabis cultivation spinoff are developing a plan to merge the two operations. The new PURA plan to unwind the NOUV deal and simultaneously execute a new spinoff does currently include an intended divided on the NCM Biotech and cannabis cultivation merged organization.

NCM Biotech is focused on medical research and the development of treatments derived from its patented cannabis extraction process. See a recent research report on CBD extracts derived from NCM Biotech's patented extraction process: Journal of Cannabis Research.

While plans for the new strategy for PURA's cannabis cultivation spinoff do involve an intended merger with KALY's NCM Biotech subsidiary, it does not include a stock transaction with the KALY public holding company. The intended merger would be realized within a new company. The new strategy does include a dividend from the new company to the PURA shareholders within the spirit of the original transaction with NOUV. The planned new strategy that includes a merger of NCM Biotech and PURA's cannabis cultivation spinoff is designed to benefit both PURA shareholders and KALY shareholders.

PURA anticipates making specifics of the new strategy public next month.

For more information on Puration, visit http://www.purationinc.com

Disclaimer/Safe Harbor:

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. The statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Among others, these risks include the expectation that any of the companies mentioned herein will achieve significant sales, the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of the companies' contracts, the companies' liquidity position, the companies' ability to obtain new contracts, the emergence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing. In the light of these uncertainties, the forward-looking events referred to in this release might not occur. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Contact:

Puration, Inc.

Brian Shibley,

[email protected]

+1(800)861-1350

SOURCE Puration, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.purationinc.com/


[May 29, 2020] TopDev launches AI/Computer Vision technology helping connect businesses with the unemployed due to COVID-19

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- When accessing https://covid.topdev.vn, companies will approach a list of candidates finding jobs associated with their CVs. And only with a few keystrokes of keywords or filters can output candidates' results that match their requirements. As a result, candidates and companies can connect with each other securely. COVID-19 is the main cause of mass layoffs owning to businesses' downsizing, dissolution, and staff reduction. In the US, just 1 month after the outbreak, more than 400 startups have announced to let go of more than 50,000 jobs. This number is just a tip of the iceberg since it only counts tech startups in Silicon Valley (Source: https://layoffs.fyi ). In Vietnam, according to a recent survey by TopDev (https://topdev.vn/Eng_TopDevReportHR2020_Covid19.pdf), up to 34% of businesses are downsizing, costs- and staff-cutting to survive the risk of bankruptcy until the vaccine is invented. There is never been a better time need to have solutions helping the jobless with the most common one is to publicly list the employees who have lost their jobs so that other businesses can recruit. However, this leads to the disclosure of personal information like phone number or email address, and obviously, a bait for cybercriminals. Besides, insufficient information about education, skills, experience and others often shown in candidates CVs, also causes obstacles for businesses to choose the right one. With a different approach, using AI to automatically hide the contact informationin candidates' CVs helps ensure personal information privacy while still maintaining the aesthetic features and other candidates' distinctive details. Also, with an automated connection platform, businesses will be able to evaluate as well as find the right candidates. AI technology which scans and hides personal information in PDF files was developed by CEO Nguyen Huu Binh from a hobby project (project based on personal interest) that he has pursued for 3 years, and the outcome is the exact identification ability whether the CV was created from any tool or service. Mr. Binh said: "We have used the latest advances in recognition technology so this solution can function correctly with myriad CVs designs. Because it is extremely complicated to ensure the original design and to locate the information, using new technology helps them best express what they have while ensuring personal information security in the process of finding new jobs".



The solution was created with an aim of helping unemployed people find a new job as quickly as possible, while candidates are guaranteed with the standards of content, format, personal information security, opening a new era of finding jobs many times faster than before. Currently, this CV-publicized system is in its most advanced security conditions within the recruiting technology sector in Vietnam and the world. Additionally, employers from organizations/businesses also can benefit as well. When looking for candidates, they want a list arranged in a clear, logical order and easy-to-use format. From TopDev's solution, it not only helps job seekers reach employers faster, but employers also have a new platform to easily search for professional and potential candidates. However, this project is considered as a risky move. "Because this solution is completely free, there are potential risks affecting the company's revenue, however, when facing the fact that 34% of enterprises are cutting costs, downsizing and laying off employees, also with the desire to support the society and the community, I received encouragement from the board of directors as well as from my subordinates to deploy this project devotedly", Mr. Nguyen Huu Binh said. Besides those worries, even during the peak of covid-19 outbreak this Vietnam-based IT recruiting startup TopDev still got a seven-digit deal investment from Korean recruiting company SaraminHR earlier this February.

Boilerplate: TopDev is a recruitment network and ecosystem in Mobile & IT fields. It is top leading recruitment network in Mobile & IT fields, in Vietnam, offering Tech talent solution which meets potential needs. Its networks cover 95% of Tech communities in Vietnam and clients come from both Vietnam and South East Asia. The network TopDev is building consists of all activities and values that any tech manpower may need, work with and entertain with, including tech events, tech communities, tech sites, forums, etc. Based on this network, we reached 95% of the Tech communities in Vietnam. Online CV creation solution from TopDev team in general and initiatives from Mr. Nguyen Huu Binh, CEO of TopDev and his colleagues in particular, all aim at providing unemployed candidates an opportunity to experience and create their own CV on a technology platform guaranteed with safety and authenticity. TopDev hopes the solution will create a powerful resonance, bringing the most practical value to users. Website: https://topdev.vn/ View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/topdev-launches-aicomputer-vision-technology-helping-connect-businesses-with-the-unemployed-due-to-covid-19-301067676.html SOURCE TopDev

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Protests and riots broke out across American cities this week to demand justice for George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who was killed by Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer, while three other officers watched. The four officers involved were fired after video of the officer kneeling on Floyds neck went public. But for days, the Hennepin County Attorneys Office maintained that it would wait for an investigation to conclude before deciding whether or not to prosecute. On Friday, after protesters burned down a police precinct and pressure mounted, Hennepin County Attorney Freeman announced he was charging Chauvin with third-degree murder and manslaughter. I didnt want to wait any longer to share the news that hes in custody and charged with murder, he said.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

This was a rapid shift for the attorney, who less than 24 hours earlier had warned that he did not yet have the evidence he needed to indict Chauvin, and warned repeatedly that the investigation would take time. Were going to investigate [Floyds death] as expeditiously, as thoroughly and completely as justice demands, Freeman said in a press conference Thursday. Sometimes, that takes a little time and we ask people to be patient. We have to do this right.

The statement raised eyebrows for good reason. The video clearly shows a homicide. Even if, somehow, investigators discovered Floyd had threatened the officers in some way before the cameras had started rolling, what could possibly justify kneeling on his neck until he died?

Advertisement

Too often, the promise of investigation serves mostly to buy time until public outrage quiets down.

On Friday, reporters pressed Freeman, asking him what had changed between Thursday and Friday, and if public outcry had influenced his decision. He maintained simply that on Thursday, his office did not have all the information it needed, and today it did.

It may well be true that there was some key piece of evidence that clicked everything into place; Freeman would not specify what evidence he had been waiting for to bring charges. Whats more likely is that Freeman had unsuccessfully deployed a script used by many a city official facing anger over police brutality: Urge calm while promising a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of what exactly happened, and then take long enough to get to the bottom of it until public anger has, to some degree, dissipated.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Minneapolis police force has a well-established record of using excessive force and killing people who pose no threat. Chauvin himself has been involved in multiple police shootings and has at least one other death under his belt, but this is his first indictment.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Freeman insisted this was the fastest his office has ever charged anyone. A reporter quickly called out that she had previously seen the attorney bring charges much more quickly than the four days this case took. He clarified that this was the fastest indictment of a police officer. Normally, these cases can take nine months to a year, he said.

So what, exactly, needed to be investigated before making an arrest in this case? As Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey noted, if a video surfaced showing a civilian committing such violence, they would be arrested immediately. The video was more than enough to establish probable cause for an arrest on its own. Another point of comparison is how quickly police arrested a black CNN reporter, Omar Jimenez, early Friday morning, surely knowing there was no case against him. (His press badge was visible, and he was live on camera.) The police are still arresting other people involved in the protests and booking them in jail, likely with much less evidence in hand and before conducting substantive investigations. Typically, the bulk of investigations continue, both by the prosecution and defense, after a charge has been brought.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its not that investigations never reveal new information. They are valuable and important. The Department of Justice investigation into Ferguson, Missouri, determined that the early, iconic narrative of Browns deaththat officer Darren Wilson shot him while he had his hands upwas not true. There was no video of the shooting, and conflicting witness statements were one key reason why a grand jury declined to indict Wilson. That same investigation also detailed how the people of Ferguson and the surrounding region had been living under an unconstitutional extortion scheme that threatened nearly every resident with jail time if they did not pay any number of fines and fees.

Advertisement

But too often, the promise of investigationparticularly in cases like this, where video exists and eyewitnesses are plentifulserves mostly to buy time until public outrage quiets down. Minneapolis protesters showed theyre not falling for that anymore.

Advertisement

Theyre right to be skeptical. After police officers killed Jamar Clark in November 2015, Black Lives Matter demonstrators camped outside the 4th Precinct for 18 days and sustained regular protests well into January. Freeman took four months to investigate before announcing he was not charging the officers on March 30, 2016.

Advertisement

The investigation into the killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014 was among the most egregious examples of this tactic. Protests erupted after the release of video showing police officers driving up to the child as he played with a toy gun, exiting their car, and, within seconds, opening fire on him. The officers then tackled and handcuffed his 14-year-old sister rather than try to administer first aid to Rice. Cleveland prosecutor Timothy McGinty handed the decision to indict the officers to a grand jury, and the county sheriff took on the investigation, declining to set a deadline. A municipal judge determined there was probable cause to prosecute the officers for a slew of charges, from manslaughter to negligent homicide, but McGinty dismissed that recommendation. It took him nearly a full year to conclude that shooting the preteen was an objectively reasonable thing to do.

Advertisement

When Baton Rouge, Louisiana, police officers killed Alton Sterling in 2016, bystanders videos showed officers using a stun gun on Sterling multiple times and forcing him against a car before shooting him. The East Baton Rouge district attorney quickly recused himself, saying he had worked closely with one of the officers parents, who were also police officers. The DOJ took 10 months to investigate before they ultimately decided not to bring federal charges. Only then did Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry take up the case, claiming he needed time to review investigative materials collected by the DOJ. He dragged his feet for another 11 months before declaring that the killing had been justified.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

One reason these investigations and outcomes are so frequently slow-pedaled is because officials know how unlikely it is for the cops in question to ever end up in prison. Yes, the delays bring the wrath of the peoplebut quick action that doesnt end in conviction might have other political consequences. Others have pointed out that the cozy relationship between prosecutors and police makes it impossible for the former to conduct a fair investigation; prosecutors depend heavily on police to do their jobs and typically arent willing to alienate them. Law enforcement cannot fairly investigate itself. Its also very difficult to secure a guilty verdict against a police officer. The Supreme Court has cooked up permissive standards that justifies police use of deadly force so long as other police officers would see the action as reasonable. Stringent police union contracts pile on requirements to allow officers to get their stories straight before being interviewed, or refuse to be interviewed at all.

Advertisement

Judging by his offices statements this week, Freeman is keeping all of this front of mind. In order to bring charges and obtain a guilty verdict, there are very specific parts of the law which must be met in prosecuting any crime of violence, the county attorneys office tweeted Wednesday. On Thursday, Freeman reiterated, That video is graphic and horrific and terrible, and no person should do that. But my job in the end is to prove that he violated a criminal statute.

This statement is revealing. Not only does it hint at the cost-benefit analysis that slowed down prosecutionit shows how prosecution and indictments are driven not by who is actually guilty of a crime but how easy it will be to convict them. The results are visible in the convictions the Hennepin County Attorneys Office churns out, which look like its counterparts all across the country. Sure, sometimes theres a strong case with a mountain of evidence. But more often than not, the people who are easiest to convict are those with the least protection, not those with the most evidence. The vast majority of convictions in the U.S. arise from people pleading guilty long before they get to face a jury of their peers. The easiest person to convict is someone who is sitting in a cell awaiting trial because they cant afford bail. Studies have found that pretrial detention increases the likelihood that someone will be convicted or plead guilty. People in jail also tend to receive longer sentences than people who are able to fight their case from home. If you cant pay your way out, you plead your way out. Or you hope you survive jail to make it to trial.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

These same people tend to be brutalized by the police. Their convictions rarely look like justice. They have reason to be skeptical of the calls for careful investigation before making an arrestthats not how it works for them. And they have reason to doubt that a system set up like this can deliver justice to the people its victimized so thoroughly. The arrest of Chauvin doesnt guarantee he will be convicted, or that the city will do whats necessary to prevent another murder like Floyds. But this week, so many residents of the city of Minneapolis demonstrated they wont be easily satisfied this time.

For more of Slates news coverage, listen to The Political Gabfest.
The council in Velez-Malaga has announced that it is revisiting its plans for three stretches of coastal pathway along the N-340 road between Chilches and Benajarafe after Malaga province's Diputacion rejected the project last week.

The provincial authority has taken five months to give an answer to Velez-Malaga, after the latter submitted its proposals in December 2019. The Diputacion has said that it rejected the proposal on the grounds that the town hall failed to provide a geotechnical study of the area and changed its original plans.

Mayor of Velez-Malaga, Antonio Moreno, said the town hall is already looking at its proposal again and that the footpath is "non-negotiable" as well as "strategic". The path is part of the provincial authority's ambitious 'Senda Litoral' project to have a coastal walkway the length of the Costa del Sol.

Protests

Spokesperson for the Chilches and Benajarafe residents group, Olga Rodriguez, said that members were "in shock" over the decision. The group has organised a series of protests in recent years demanding improvements for these villages which belong to Velez-Malaga's municipal area.

Moreno said, "We don't understand why the Diputacion keeps placing administrative obstacles in the way of the coastal path," and added that locals "don't deserve the treatment they are receiving".

The three sections included in the project make up a 2.4km stretch between the arroyo de Chilches and Las Adelfas to the west of Benajarafe. The plans include seven footbridges and an investment of over one million euros.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mersana Therapeutics, Inc. (MRSN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing a pipeline of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting cancers in areas of high unmet medical need, today announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 8,000,000 shares of common stock at a price to the public of $19.00 per share. Gross proceeds to Mersana from the offering are expected to be $152.0 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by Mersana. In addition, Mersana has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,200,000 shares of common stock, at the public offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions. All shares are being sold by Mersana. The offering is expected to close on June 2, 2020, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.



Cowen and SVB Leerink are acting as joint bookrunning managers for the offering. Wedbush PacGrow is acting as lead manager and Baird and H.C. Wainwright & Co. are acting as co-managers for the offering.

Mersana intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to support clinical development of XMT-1536 and XMT-1592, to progress Mersanas next ADC product candidates into Phase 1 clinical development, to progress Mersanas early platform development and the balance to fund working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes.

The shares of common stock described above are being offered by Mersana pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-238140), as well as a related registration statement on Form S-3MEF filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. A preliminary prospectus supplement related to the offering was filed with the SEC on May 28, 2020. The final prospectus supplement related to the offering will be filed with the SEC. When available, you may obtain copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus from: Cowen and Company, LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717 Attention: Prospectus Department, by telephone at (833) 297-2926, or by email at PostSaleManualRequests@broadridge.com; or SVB Leerink LLC, Attention: Syndicate Department, One Federal Street, 37th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, by telephone at 800-808-7525, ext. 6218 or by email at syndicate@svbleerink.com. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus will also be available on the website of the SEC at www.sec.gov.

Story continues

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the offering, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

About Mersana Therapeutics

Mersana Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company using its differentiated and proprietary ADC platforms to rapidly develop novel ADCs with optimal efficacy, safety and tolerability to meaningfully improve the lives of people fighting cancer. Mersanas lead product candidate, XMT-1536, is in the expansion portion of a Phase 1 proof-of-concept clinical study in patients with ovarian cancer and NSCLC adenocarcinoma. XMT-1592, Mersanas second ADC product candidate targeting NaPi2b-expressing tumors, was created using Mersanas customizable and homogeneous Dolasynthen platform and is in the dose escalation portion of a Phase 1 proof-of-concept clinical study. The Companys early stage programs include a B7-H4 targeting ADC, as well as a STING-agonist ADC developed using the Companys Immunosynthen platform. In addition, multiple partners are using Mersanas Dolaflexin platform to advance their ADC pipelines.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release, including those relating to the expected proceeds from the offering, the use of proceeds from the offering and the expected closing of the offering, are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with the consummation of the proposed offering and general economic conditions, including as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and other risks identified from time to time in the reports we file with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus related to the offering on file with the SEC, which are available at www.sec.gov. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of the statements. Our business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

Contact:
Regulatory News:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) ("PSH") today announced that it has purchased, through PSH's agent, Jefferies International Limited ("Jefferies"), the following number of PSH's Public Shares of no par value (ISIN Code: GG00BPFJTF46) (the "Shares"):

Trading Venue: London Stock Exchange Ticker: PSH Date of Purchase: 29 May 2020 Number of Public Shares purchased: 38,131 Shares Highest Price Paid Per Share: 1,908 pence 23.55 USD Lowest Price Paid Per Share: 1,884 pence 23.26 USD Average Price Paid Per Share: 1,891 pence 23.34 USD Ticker: PSHD Date of Purchase: 29 May 2020 Number of Public Shares purchased: 20,999 Shares Highest Price Paid Per Share: 23.30 USD Lowest Price Paid Per Share: 23.30 USD Average Price Paid Per Share: 23.30 USD Trading Venue: Euronext Amsterdam Ticker: PSH Date of Purchase: 29 May 2020 Number of Public Shares purchased: 48,323 Shares Highest Price Paid Per Share: 23.45 USD Lowest Price Paid Per Share: 23.15 USD Average Price Paid Per Share: 23.32 USD

PSH will hold these Public Shares in Treasury. The net asset value per Public Share related to this buyback is 34.07 USD 27.63 GBP which was calculated as of 26 May 2020 (the "Relevant NAV"). After giving effect to the above buyback, PSH has 197,219,099 Public Shares outstanding, or 203,133,091 Public Shares calculated on a fully diluted basis (assuming that all Management Shares had been converted into Public Shares at the Relevant NAV). Excluded from the shares outstanding are 13,737,651 Public Shares held in Treasury. The prices per Public Share were calculated by Jefferies.

The number of PSH Management Shares and the one special voting share (held by PS Holdings Independent Voting Company Limited) have not been affected.

About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005605/en/

Contacts:

Camarco

Ed Gascoigne-Pees Hazel Stevenson +44 020 3757 4989, media-pershingsquareholdings@camarco.co.uk
Nigerias information minister Lai Mohammed said that no ventilators have arrived on Nigerian soil, a month after US President Donald Trump made the promise to send the medical devices to cope with hospitalised Covid-19 patients.

Mohammed said Trump made the offer to his Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on 28 April, saying that the US was committed to helping the Nigerian people.

The information minister was responding to questions at Nigerias daily coronavirus task force meeting after Trump said he had sent ventilators to Nigeria last week.

Nigeria just called. Were giving them 250 ventilators, Trump said on 12 May.

That number is different from Trumps comments during his tour of the Ford Motor Plant in Michigan on 21 May, where he said that the US was giving Nigeria 1,000 ventilators.

Trump has earmarked 8,000 of the medical devices, essential in fighting Covid-19 in the most severe hospitalised cases, to be shipped around the world by the end of July.

The ventilators cost between $5,000 to $30,000 per machine, depending on the model. There was no indication as to whether the US would pick up the bill or would pass the price on to the countries that requested the devices.

Back at the daily Covid-19 press conference, Information Minister Mohammed said that if a consignment of ventilators arrive, they will be announced publicly.

Chinese Ali Baba Entrepreneur Jack Ma has already donated testing kits and ventilators to each African country in three separate shipments, including 300 ventilators sent to Nigeria.

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Nigeria has recorded some 8,915 coronavirus cases, including 259 deaths.
Punjab labour minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said that working toiling hard in various factories in the state are the backbone of the economy and the government would leave no stone unturned in ensuring their welfare.

Distributing ration packets, containing 5-kg atta, 2-kg sugar and 1-kg dal, among around 2,000 workers and labourers, Sidhu said the governments policies always aimed at providing better working conditions for workers and this initiative (of providing ration) was a small step to help them in the hour of need.

Sidhu also exhorted the workers to strictly observe social distancing, wear masks, and use hand sanitisers and washing hands as often as possible, to stay safe from the coronavirus.
Radio personality Jackie 'O' Henderson slammed influencers for promoting 'unnecessary' products on Instagram on her KIIS FM show on Monday.

The 45-year-old told her co-host Kyle Sandilands that she was 'really getting over' people endlessly spruiking gadgets and beauty brands on social media.

And when questioned by The Sydney Morning Herald's Private Sydney on Saturday as to her own Instagram feed with 'links to various products', Jackie said she often 'knocks back' requests.

'They feel like an ad': Radio host Jackie 'O' Henderson (pictured with daughter Kitty, nine) told The Sydney Morning Herald's Private Sydney on Saturday that she 'knocks back 95 per cent' of paid offers to promote products on Instagram

'I personally receive requests to do paid posts all the time, but I knock back at least 95 per cent of those offers if they feel like they're just an ad,' she explained.

'I think I've done maybe four paid posts in the last five years, and all of those have been products I'd already used or loved.'

On Monday's The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Jackie said: 'I'm really getting over Instagram and people flogging products and doing ads. I just don't like it too much.'

'I'm really getting over it!' It comes after Monday's The Kyle and Jackie O Show, where Jackie slammed influencers for promoting 'unnecessary' products on Instagram

'If you do it every now and then and you feel it suits you and it fits with your brand, I think, "Fine, do it."

'But if you're just flogging face creams et cetera, I just get over looking at your posts because I don't think you're very authentic.'

Jackie added that influencers must not get paid that much, with the exception of top-tier stars like Kim Kardashian or Charlie Demilio.

'I don't think it even works': Jackie told her co-host Kyle Sandilands (pictured) that she was doubtful influencer marketing was even that effective

Kyle, 48, said he wouldn't buy a product online just because he saw an influencer promoting it, and questioned whether influencing 'even works'.

'If you follow a bikini girl on Instagram but they're selling acne cream [it's not going to work] because most of them will be blokes,' he said.

'It's not really going to translate and it's a big hole. A lot of people think it's going to work one way and it doesn't.'

Instagram influencer: Some of Australia's most popular reality stars have launched careers as influencers. For example, Married At First Sight's Jessika Power (pictured) earns up to $8,000 per week from social media endorsements and personal appearances

Some of Australia's most popular reality stars have launched careers as influencers.

Married At First Sight's Jessika Power earns up to $8,000 per week from social media endorsements and personal appearances.

The 27-year-old boasts an impressive 214,000 followers on Instagram, and has promoted everything from teeth whitening products to vibrators.

Cashing in: Jessika's MAFS co-star Martha Kalifatidis (pictured) earns $700 for each sponsored post, according to website Influencer Fee

Jessika's MAFS co-star Martha Kalifatidis earns $700 for each sponsored post, according to website Influencer Fee, which estimates how much an influencer is worth based on the amount of followers they have.

Martha, 31, has 329,000 followers as of Monday, making her one of the more popular reality stars making a living off social media.

Jules Robinson also makes approximately $650 per sponsored post.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) -TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FSE: TH8) ("TransCanna" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the launch of a "CEO Verified" Discussion Forum on AGORACOM. The forum will serve as the Company's primary social media platform to interact with both shareholders and the broader investment community in a fully moderated environment.

The TransCanna HUB is live and can be found at https://agoracom.com/ir/TranscannaHoldings

TransCanna will also receive significant exposure through millions of content brand insertions on the AGORACOM network and extensive search engine marketing over the next 12 months. In addition, exclusive sponsorships of invaluable digital properties such as the AGORACOM home page and the AGORACOM Twitter account will serve to significantly raise brand awareness of the Company among small-cap investors. AGORACOM is the only small-cap marketing firm to hold a Twitter Verified badge, averaging 4.2 million Twitter impressions per month in 2019.

MODERATED DISCUSSION FOR TRANSCANNA MANAGEMENT AND SHAREHOLDERS

AGORACOM "CEO Verified" provides the first ever identity verification of small-cap executives on a finance platform. For the first time ever, small-cap CEOs and other company officers can post or communicate within a discussion forum without the risk of impersonation. As the ultimate influencers of their own companies, "CEO Verified" Forums create unmatched levels of engagement between companies and investors that have long desired civilized, constructive and factual conversation.

Posts to AGORACOM are shareable on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, which provides Management with one-click sharing of valuable content to these social media platforms, with automatic links back to AGORACOM for civilized investor engagement.

There are no log-in requirements for investors to visit the forum, read posts and share company posts with their networks on other platforms. Investors wishing to post questions, comments and interact with company officers can quickly log-in using their Facebook or LinkedIn accounts, or create an anonymous new user account.

The TransCanna Forum can be found at:

https://agoracom.com/ir/TranscannaHoldings

VERIFIED TRANSCANNA OFFICER AT LAUNCH

Bob Blink, CEO of TransCanna Holdings

"The greatest support a company can have is from its shareholder base, and that begins with broad awareness and great communication. We look forward to working with Agoracom to tell our story to online investors and facilitate great communication with TransCanna shareholders. Our HUB on AGORACOM will tell our story in real-time, while also providing management and shareholders with a moderated forum for the most professional and constructive chat on the internet. I encourage all of our shareholders to check in and help us build the TransCanna investor community", stated Bob Blink CEO.

George Tsiolis, AGORACOM Founder, stated, "With the Cannabis markets having consolidated over the past year, investors are demanding better companies with real businesses, products, and revenues that are supported by real growth plans. TransCanna checks all the boxes, with strong current revenues and the 196,000 sq ft behemoth Daly facility coming in 2021 to support massive growth. We're proud to take the TransCanna story to the world."

SHARES FOR SERVICES

TransCanna intends to issue shares for services to AGORACOM in exchange for the online advertising, marketing and branding services ("Advertising Services"). Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and subject to regulatory approval, the Company will be issuing;

$12,000 + HST Shares For Services upon Commencement May 1, 2020

$12,000 + HST Shares For Services at end of Third Month August 1, 2020

$12,000 + HST Shares For Services at end of Sixth Month November 1, 2020

$12,000 + HST Shares For Services at end of Ninth Month February 1, 2021

$12,000 + HST Shares For Services at end of Twelfth Month April 30, 2021

The number of shares to be issued at the end of each period will be determined by using the closing price of the Shares of TransCanna on the Canadian Securities Exchange on the first trading day following each period for which the Advertising Services were provided by AGORACOM.

The term of the Agreement is for 12 months effective immediately. The Company will issue a press release after the issuance of shares under the terms of the agreement.

About TransCanna Holdings Inc.

TransCanna Holdings Inc. is a California based, Canadian listed company building Cannabis-focused brands for the California lifestyle, through its wholly-owned California subsidiaries.

About AGORACOM

AGORACOM is the pioneer of online marketing, broadcasting, conferences and investor relations services to North American small and mid-cap public companies, with more than 300 companies served. AGORACOM is the home of more than 7.7 million investors that visited 55.2 million times and read over 600 million pages of information over the last 10 years. The average visit of 8min 43sec is more than double that of global financial sites, which can be attributed to the implementation and enforcement of the strongest moderation rules in the industry.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Bob Blink, CEO

604-349-3011

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56867
The Porter and LaPorte county fairs have been canceled because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The LaPorte County Fair, which was scheduled July 12-18, is Indianas oldest county fair.

Fair manager Don Stoner said the decision was extremely difficult, but had to be made given the risk involved and safety precautions that would have to be imposed and followed.

Part of the fair is youre gathering with friends. Its a yearly event. That's when a lot of people get together. To try and make them stand social distanced apart, it is just not possible, he said.

After reviewing federal, state and local guidelines and knowing how quickly and easily the COVID-19 virus spreads in large groups of people, the board did not believe it would be possible nor prudent to have the fair at this time, said Steve Mrozinski, president of the LaPorte County Agricultural Association, which operates the fair.

People who have purchased tickets for the fair or any of the grandstand events, such as the Toby Keith concert, will be contacted in the coming weeks on how those tickets will be handled, fair officials said.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Carlos Barria and Eric Miller (Reuters) Minneapolis, United States  Fri, May 29, 2020 17:31 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdafc068 2 World US,racial-discrimination,racial-issues,racial-tension,Racism Free

A third night of racially charged arson, looting and vandalism gripped Minneapolis as protesters vented rage over the death of an unarmed black man after a white police officer knelt on his neck as he lay on the ground following arrest.

The latest unrest in Minnesota's largest city went largely unchecked late Thursday, with the mayor ordering a tactical police retreat from a police station that was set ablaze.

National Guard troops called out earlier in the day by the governor kept a low profile. Governor Tim Walz had ordered the Guard to help keep the peace after two previous nights of disturbances sparked by George Floyd's death on Monday.

In a late-night Twitter message, President Donald Trump said he would send in National Guard troops to "get the job done right" if the "weak" mayor failed to restore order, suggesting lethal force might be needed.

"Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts," Trump wrote.

The arrest of Floyd, 46, was captured by an onlooker's cell phone video that went viral and showed a police officer pressing his knee into Floyd's neck as he moaned: "Please, I can't breathe."

Four police officers involved in the arrest of Lloyd, who was accused of trying to pass counterfeit money at a corner store, were dismissed on Tuesday, but unrest has continued unabated.

Sympathy protests erupted on Wednesday in Los Angeles and Thursday in Denver, with freeway traffic blocked in both cities. In Phoenix, protesters faced off with police in riot gear at City Hall, and a rally was held at the Arizona state Capitol.

Thursday night's disturbances in Minneapolis also spread into adjacent city of St. Paul, the state capital, with fires and vandalism breaking out there.

In contrast with Wednesday night, when rock-throwing demonstrators clashed with police in riot gear, law enforcement in Minneapolis kept mostly out of sight around the epicenter of Thursday's disturbances, the Third Precinct police station.

Protesters massing outside the building briefly retreated under volleys of police tear gas and rubber bullets fired at them from the roof, only to regroup and eventually attack the building, setting fire to the structure as police withdrew.

National Guard troops were absent, as were members of the fire department. Protesters were later observed on the roof, and a crowd of hundreds lingered around the building for hours, feeding flames with hunks of plywood and other debris.

Strong as hell

At a news briefing early Friday, Mayor Jacob Frey defended his decision to evacuate the precinct station due to "imminent threats to both officers and the public."

Asked by reporters if he had a response to Trump's tweet, Frey said: "Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions. Weakness is pointing your own finger at a time of crisis."

"Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis. We are strong as hell," he said.

The Minnesota National Guard said it activated 500 of its soldiers in the greater Minneapolis area, mostly to provide security support to firefighters.

The mayor said many of the troops had been posted around the city to help police prevent looting of banks, grocery stores, pharmacies and other essential locations during the coronavirus pandemic.

Several other buildings and a car were set ablaze and looters plundered several businesses, including a burning liquor store and nearby discount store that had been ransacked the night before. Fire officials said 16 buildings were torched on Wednesday night.

The upheaval followed concerted efforts by law enforcement officials to ease tensions by promising justice for Floyd.

The Floyd case was reminiscent of the 2014 killing of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man in New York City who died after being put in a banned police chokehold as he, too, was heard to mutter, "I can't breathe."

Garner's dying words became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement that formed amid a wave of killings of African-Americans by police.

At a peaceful daytime rally and march on Thursday around a county government center in Minneapolis, protesters pressed their demands for the four policemen to be arrested and charged.

"We're not asking for a favor. We're asking for what is right," civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton said as he addressed the crowd.

Police Chief Medaria Arradondo publicly apologized to Floyd's family on Thursday morning, conceding his department had contributed to a "deficit of hope" in Minneapolis.

Officials overseeing investigations from the US Justice Department, FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and prosecutors appealed for calm, vowing a thorough investigation.

Floyd was a Houston native who had worked as a nightclub security guard. An employee who called police described the suspect as appearing to be drunk, according to an official transcript of the call.
Brantford police say theyve found a girl seen walking alone early Thursday morning and shes safe.

Police had issued a public appeal after a concerned citizen saw the girl, who appeared to be between the ages of 10 and 12, walking alone in the area of Veterans Memorial Parkway and Shellard Lane around 4:30 a.m. May 28.

Police first issued an appeal to the public Thursday, but when they still hadnt identified the child Friday morning they released an image from a security camera at a Shellard Lane plaza.

There was no missing person report, police just wanted to verify her well-being.

By Friday afternoon Brantford police said the girl has been located and her well-being has now been verified.
Jammu and Kashmir police have set free alleged Pakistani spy pigeon, who was captured along the International Border (IB) in Kathua district on May 25, after finding nothing suspicious on him.

The pigeon with a coded message in its ring was captured by residents of Manyari village in Hiranagar sector of Kathua soon after it flew into this side from Pakistan. After his capture, a man from the neighbouring country had appealed to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the birds release.

Also read  Suspected 'spy' pigeon from Pakistan captured along International Border in Jammu and Kashmir

We did not find anything suspicious on the pigeon which was caught by the locals; hence we set it free on Thursday, senior superintendent police (SSP) Kathua, Shailendra Mishra, said.

He said they got the pigeon medically checked by a veterinary doctor as it was frightened and also fed him during his stay.

Habib Ullah, a resident of Shakker Garh in Sialkot, Pakistan, through a video message, claimed that the pigeon belonged to him and on Eid-ul-Fitr, his birds had taken a flight during which one among them had crossed the IB.

He claimed that the code was actually his mobile phone number and he owned a dozen pigeons.

Meanwhile, after the release of the pigeon, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah asked whether prisoner exchange took place or was it just allowed to fly?

I believe the spy pigeon has been released. Was there prisoner exchange or was it just allowed to fly? Perhaps its a double agent now!  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 28, 2020

I believe the spy pigeon has been released. Was there prisoner exchange or was it just allowed to fly? Perhaps its a double agent now! he tweeted.


With a massive reduction in the number of episodes being aired, there has been an inevitable transformation in the way we watch soaps.

A major Friday-night treat of Corrie used to be the break between the double showing (time to make a brew  in keeping with the plot), when the audience had to wait a tense 30 minutes after the cliff-hanger in the first episode before it was resolved in the second.

Then, there was the biggie at the end of the second episode, ensuring that we returned on Monday to start the process all over again.

Now, with the big gaps between episodes of all three soaps  which is likely to continue owing to the limitations of shooting in relative lockdown  there is a constant nagging feeling of dissatisfaction: like an itch you cant scratch.

It makes one realise how astute story-liners and writers have to be when catering to the human desire for narrative structure.

Tim catches Geoff (pictured) deleting footage from the secret camera he installed in the house in Coronation Street

It will be interesting to see whether the shows continue to operate at a reduced level when life returns to normal (or whatever semblance of normality we can hope for in the times ahead).

Actors have long complained about their excessive workload. Perhaps periods of hibernation are the future.

CORONATION STREET

A HARD DRIVE BARGAIN

This is like Chinese water torture (without the water, obviously). Just as we think Geoff is going to be caught out, he leaps one step ahead of everyone else.

Weve all been relying on the secret camera he installed in the house to be discovered, but when he regains access to the house, he retrieves the damning evidence from the hard drive.

AAGGHH! When Geoff is deleting the footage, Tim catches him in the act... Will this be the end? Possibly not.

Despite Geoff being forced to admit using prostitutes, will Yasmeen tell all in court? The only hope is that Geoff has a software programme that has inadvertently saved everything to a storage cloud and, soon, everything will rain down on his head.

Now, maybe Im worrying about the less relevant parts of the story here, but whos covering Geoffs hospital radio show?

He hasnt done it for weeks, and even when he was in hospital, there wasnt one broadcast to cheer him up  Id have chosen Tom Joness Delilah: I found the bottle in my hand and he laughed no more.

The Platts search for Shona (pictured), who is taken inside Roy's cafe, in this week's Coronation Street

Dev, meanwhile, decides to take Asha and Aadi out of Weatherfield High and move them to the private school Oakhill.

Good luck with that; has he seen the fees? Sales of one bottle of shiraz and 4oz of bonbons a month arent going to put a dent in that bill.

NOT MISSING IN ACTION

How much time do locals spend looking for missing people? How far can they go, for goodness sake? The pub, the cafe, the ginnel, or, budget allowing, the Red Rec?

The Platts are looking for Shona, who is lurking outside Roys cafe (see? How hard was that?), but she doesnt recognise Roy when he takes her inside. David is relieved to find her with Roy and he has an idea. Please tell me its not involving Ninas make-up bag.

EMMERDALE

TWOS FAILED COMPANY

When will anyone learn that going into partnership with friends is never a good idea? Being involved in any kind of double act with Moira never works out well, including for those with husbands, so what was Rhona thinking?

In this week's Emmerdale, Moira and Rhona (pictured) clash in a meeting with restaurant boss Ricky as their partnership takes a turn for the worse

Sure enough, it takes a turn for the worse when the pair clash in a meeting with restaurant boss Ricky, with Moira claiming his proposed meat order is impossible to fulfil.

But the entire village barely gets through two pork chops and a chicken thigh a week; anyone with a strong stomach and the right kind of cleaver could deliver that order in two minutes.

BOB'S A WRITE-OFF

Reading and writing does not come easily to these villagers, whose penchant for kidnappings, guns and rolling around in haystacks takes precedence over education.

So, on the rare occasions anyone gets to write anything down, youd think theyd pay extra special attention to their missive falling into the right hands.

Alas, for Wendy, Rishi believes that her love letter to Bob is meant for him and he then discusses its contents with Bob, who later denies his feelings for Wendy when she confronts him.

Oops. Will women never learn? Dont ask a man what hes feeling: the most you can hope for is a grunt.

EASTENDERS

JOB (NOT) WELL DONE

Ben is driven to drink when Lola (pictured) admits that she slept with Peter in EastEnders

And so, the day of The Job comes along and, with it, a ton of things that go wrong every time Phil and his Mafia Lite bunch of cronies attempt anything.

Goodness knows why Phil thought it a good idea to rope his son in (the episode is entirely from Bens perspective with limited audio), and Bens lack of focus is intensified when he sees Peter and Lola together.

Ben confronts her, but its hard to see why her behaviour drives him to such distraction, even though he is Lexis father.

When Lola admits she slept with Peter, Bens driven to drink. Mind you: it doesnt take much to send a Mitchell running to the bottle: Google Maps and the word pub is usually all it takes.

As Phil and Danny head off for The Job, what will happen with the proverbial gun on the loose (yes, I think its the same one from the props department they bring out every time someone says, We got a Big Job on; you in, bruv? or words to that effect)? Finding himself at the wrong end of the barrel, Ben is in trouble yet again. Shoulda left it.

JACK  BACK IN YOUR BOX!

Max (pictured) pulls Vinny up on dealing laughing gas after spotting Ruby flirting with Martin in EastEnders

Jack is so pompous these days  always sticking his nose in and offering advice where its not wanted. How I long for those heady, sexy days when Janine was chaining him to a radiator and the like.

Now, hes offering Max advice about his relationship and it inevitably falls on deaf ears, especially when Max spots Ruby flirting with Martin.

Trying to be the Big Man, Max pulls Vinny up on dealing laughing gas, but will Ruby be impressed? Surely there are better ways to please a lady, Max.

A pint and a bag of crisps usually does the trick in Walford. And whats Martin got to offer her, anyway? A pound of Granny Smiths? Discount carrots?

Poor Max  he doesnt have much luck with the ladies, does he? There have been a lot of them, but I would have started asking some questions about my behaviour when my partner decided to bury me alive in a forest.

Maybe he does have something to learn from Jack  if only where to buy an overcoat as good as his. A decent shave wouldnt go amiss, either.
Investors who take an interest in Houston We Have Limited (ASX:HWH) should definitely note that the Member of Advisory Board & Non-Executive Director, Antanas Guoga, recently paid AU$0.032 per share to buy AU$177k worth of the stock. That's a very solid buy in our book, and increased their holding by a noteworthy 16%.

Check out our latest analysis for Houston We Have

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Houston We Have

Notably, that recent purchase by Member of Advisory Board & Non-Executive Director Antanas Guoga was not the only time they bought Houston We Have shares this year. Earlier in the year, they paid AU$0.03 per share in a AU$700k purchase. That implies that an insider found the current price of AU$0.033 per share to be enticing. That means they have been optimistic about the company in the past, though they may have changed their mind. If someone buys shares at well below current prices, it's a good sign on balance, but keep in mind they may no longer see value. Happily, the Houston We Have insiders decided to buy shares at close to current prices.

In the last twelve months Houston We Have insiders were buying shares, but not selling. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

ASX:HWH Recent Insider Trading May 29th 2020

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Insider Ownership

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Houston We Have insiders own about AU$3.1m worth of shares. That equates to 37% of the company. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

Story continues

So What Does This Data Suggest About Houston We Have Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. However, we note that the company didn't make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Houston We Have insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. At Simply Wall St, we've found that Houston We Have has 3 warning signs (2 shouldn't be ignored!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Facepalm: Following yesterdays report of a $346 anti-5G USB stick that's nothing more than a cheap, 128MB (yes, megabyte) thumb drive, the UKs trading standards agency is now looking to halt sales of the device and shut down the companys website.

A firm called BioShield Distribution is offering a product called the 5GBioShield, which "provides protection for your home and family, thanks to the wearable holographic nano-layer catalyser, which can be worn or placed near to a smartphone or any other electrical, radiation or EMF [electromagnetic field] emitting device." If that sounds like total horse crap, thats because it is.

The BBC performed a teardown on the 5GBioShield and, not too surprisingly, found it was virtually identical to 'crystal' USB keys available from various suppliers in Shenzhen, China, for around $6. Its unlikely that the sticker added an extra $340 of value.

In a follow-up report, the BBC writes that the UKs trading standards agency is now investigating and is working with the City of London Polices Action Fraud squad. "We consider it to be a scam," said Stephen Knight, operations director for London Trading Standards.

They are now seeking a court order to take down the companys website. "People who are vulnerable need protection from this kind of unscrupulous trading," added Knight.

While the USB stick has been exposed as a scam, it seems the placebo effect is strong in some people. Toby Hall, one of the members of the Glastonbury Town Council's 5G Advisory Committee, said "he had no regrets about buying it and since plugging it in had felt beneficial effects, including being able to sleep through the night and having more dreams." He also felt "calmer," though that may disappear after learning he paid $346 for something that sells for $6.

In BioShields lengthy testimonials section, someone identifying themselves as "Dr D" wrote that they put a 5GBioShield under their pillow expecting nothing to happen, but later felt "a strange 'tingling' feeling... I suspect the USB device has in some way normalized my energy to be as it should, and not negative or harmful." If this person really is a medical doctor, as claimed, weep for their patients.

Fear that 5G might have harmful effects has led to masts being set on fire in the UK, while YouTube has removed videos supporting the claim.

Back in March, a seven-year study by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) found there is no evidence that 5G mobile networks pose any threat to human health.
A Southwest Philadelphia woman with close ties to Mount Moriah Cemetery and the Warlocks Motorcycle Club was arrested and charged Thursday in relation to the discovery of the body of a 36-year-old Delaware County musician last month in a crypt at the cemetery.

Donna Morelli, 48, of the 6400 block of Trinity Street, was charged with conspiracy, hindering apprehension, abuse of corpse, and related offenses in connection with the disposal of Keith Palumbos body. She was not accused in his death.

The remains of a second man, who police believe was David Rossillo of Drexel Hill, were also found in the crypt. No charges were filed against Morelli in that case and the cause of his death remains undetermined.

Morelli was released after posting bail Thursday. Efforts to reach her have been unsuccessful and her attorney, William Davis Jr. of Media, did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

The Philadelphia police homicide unit did not immediately respond to questions Friday.

Authorities believe that Michael DeLuca, an alleged member of the Warlocks, fatally shot Palumbo in DeLucas Southwest Philadelphia apartment on Feb. 6. Police have issued an arrest warrant for DeLuca, 38, on charges of murder, conspiracy, abuse of corpse, and related offenses. He remains in federal custody after being arrested in Wyoming in an unrelated case.

Earlier this month, police arrested Billy Gibson, 47, of Drexel Hill, and charged him with conspiracy, hindering apprehension, and abuse of corpse in connection with the disposal of Palumbos body.

Morelli was until recently a member of the board of directors of the Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery, the nonprofit formed to preserve the cemetery, which closed in 2011. She lives across from the cemetery and was instrumental in cleanup efforts there.

She had been married to Eric Martinson, a former leader of the local Warlocks, who died in September 2015, according to an obituary. A daughter of Martinsons later said that the two were not actually married. In 2016, Philadelphia Magazine described Morelli as having tattooed arms and biker-gang ties that give her the aura of a Wild West outlaw."

According to the affidavit of probable cause for Gibsons arrest, he and another man went with Palumbo to DeLucas apartment on the 7000 block of Woodland Avenue on Feb. 6. The second man, who is unnamed, told police that all four were associated with the Warlocks Motorcycle Club."

The two-story Woodland Avenue building is owned by Warlocks MC LLC, and property records list Morellis home as the mailing address for the property.

The witness told police that DeLuca shot Palumbo in the face, but the affidavit does not say why. DeLuca then allegedly ordered the witness and Gibson to cut up the bloodstained carpet and roll Palumbos body in it, the affidavit says.

DeLuca then went to Morellis home and returned in her red pickup truck, and he and Gibson placed Palumbos body in the pickup and left, the witness told police.

A relative of Palumbos has said that Palumbo and DeLuca knew each other as childhood friends in Drexel Hill.

Four days after the April 3 discovery of Palumbos body, police interviewed a second witness, who allegedly told them that DeLuca said he killed Palumbo and needed help disposing the body.

This second witness told of accompanying DeLuca and Gibson to the cemetery, where DeLuca and Gibson allegedly threw Palumbos body into the crypt.

Rossillo, who police believe was the other man found in the crypt, would have been 35 on Friday. Homicide Capt. Jason Smith said this month that police do not believe DeLuca was responsible in his death.

DeLuca has been jailed awaiting court proceedings since his April 2 arrest in Wyoming on a weapons charge.

Gibson remains in custody at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Northeast Philadelphia. The Defender Association of Philadelphia, listed as representing him, has declined to comment on his case.
The civil service used to be more politically neutral, said Mr. Lam, the analyst. Hong Kong is increasingly following the Communist Partys customs.

Carrie Lam, Hong Kongs chief executive, has helped lead the charge. She has said the law has drawn a positive response from citizens and that foreign investors are eager for a safe environment. On Thursday, she stood alongside residents of a pro-Beijing neighborhood and signed a petition in support.

Critics warn that the security law could imperil Hong Kongs status as a global financial center. So the party has mobilized allies in business to offer endorsements.

Mr. Xi recently dispatched a top deputy to meet members of the citys business elite who had traveled to Beijing for the annual meeting of Chinas legislature. The deputy, Han Zheng, who oversees Hong Kong policy, praised them for their diligence and reminded them of their duties as party members to publicly support the law.

Then came the talking points. Growing unrest forced Beijing to push through legislation, Mr. Han said, according to a video of the meeting released by the Chinese government. Social stability was important for Hong Kongs economy, he said.

Afterward, as Hong Kong erupted in the first major public display of protest since the outbreak of the coronavirus, some of Hong Kongs most prominent tycoons, including Li Ka-shing, Hong Kongs richest man, issued public statements in support of the law.

Hong Kongs business community once served as a buffer to Beijings hard-line policies. But the party has brought many business leaders to its side in recent years, turning to them for support during crucial moments of political instability.
Founded in 2009 by Xuan Lan, Kenli started as a company specialized in consulting and interior constructing for large projects in hotels, villas, or apartments. Soon, the team behind Kenli noticed that Vietnamese customers desire to have high-quality furniture that doesn't just look great, but it's also made from high-quality materials.

At Kenli, visitors can discover modern Italian style leather sofas made by some of the most reputable brands in the world. Italian leather sofas are simply beautiful and elegant. They are not flashy and shiny, and customers can place them anywhere they want. The design of Italian sofas is perfectly optimized and it pays attention to every little aesthetic detail.

Kenli recognizes all the wonderful aspects of leather and that's the reason why they choose to distribute 100% genuine leather sofa products. Kenlis genuine leather sofas are imported from renowned brands such as Chateau d'Ax and Milano & Design. Chateau d'Ax is Europe's second-largest maker of real leather sofas. Founded in 1948, Chateau d'Ax has more than 70 years of experience in the field of handmade leather sofa. Milano & Design is a brand under the Chateau d'Ax group, researched and developed by Chateau d'Ax specifically for the Asian market.

Customers of Kenli can find leather sofas from Chateau d'Ax and Milano & Design that are manufactured from cowhide materials that are carefully selected from the same source and have undergone tanning processes in Italy. Raw materials are selected from the strongest cows in South America and Northern Europe. These cows are large and have smooth, thick skin. When it comes to the tanning process, Chateau dAx offers genuine leather sofa products that are made with herbal tanning. This complicated process can take as long as 6 weeks and it uses herbs that help to eliminate bacteria, do not break down the collagen structure, keep toughness, and elasticity.

Real leather sofas are easy to clean. Unlike felt material, or cloth, genuine leather sofas are waterproofed and they can be quickly cleaned from dirt by using a towel. When removing dust from a leather sofa, customers can simply use a damp cloth to wipe it as clean as it was originally. Leather sofas offered by Chateau dAx are also safe for the health of users. To keep the leather of the sofa always looking beautiful, some companies use a coating method to create a coating on the surface. However, this coating method is using chemicals that are bad for the health of the users. Chateau d'Ax offers all-natural leather sofa products that are manufactured with methods that dont involve the use of chemicals that can affect the health of their customers and their families and friends.

Kenli offers high-end sophisticated Italian leather sofas that are designed by famous designers such as Corrado Dotti from Chateau dAx. These sofas possess modern and sophisticated Italian essence and they can be considered genuine artworks. Kenli also pays great attention to the suitability of these products and they only choose sofa designs suitable for the living space and lifestyle of Vietnamese people.

There are many companies in Vietnam that are always looking to make a profit by selling poor quality products, or even by selling fake and counterfeit goods. However, Kenli has its own way of doing business, and they consider quality first. This is the reason why they are providing their customers from Vietnam with the highest quality furniture products.

MEDIA CONTACT

Address: Noi That Kenli 02 Pho Dich Vong Hau, Cau Giay, Ha Noi

Phone: 094 920 8008

Email: info@noithatkenli.vn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kenli.vn/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kenlidecor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/noithatkenli/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kenli_luxuryfurniture/
BEIJING, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CGKSB) is proud to announce that 4 of its professors have been named on publication group Elsevier's annual "Most Cited Chinese Researchers" list. Liu Jing, Professor of Accounting and Finance; Teng Bingsheng, Professor of Strategic Management; and Zhang Xiaomeng, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, have been named on the "Business, Management and Accounting" list, whilst Cao Huining, Professor of Finance, has been named on the "Economics, Econometrics and Finance" list. Liu Jing, Teng Bingsheng, and Cao Huining have been named on Elsevier's "Most Cited Chinese Researchers" list now for six consecutive years, whilst it is the first time Zhang Xiaomeng has been named.

The "Most Cited Chinese Researchers" list aims to scientifically analyze and evaluate the global influence of Chinese researchers promoting academic advances. A paper's citation frequency is one of the most important indexes that is used to evaluate the author's contribution and influence in the corresponding academic field.

Professor Liu Jing is an internationally recognized expert on equity investment and security analysis, specializing in capital markets, financial accounting and equity investment. He is one of the most cited authors among Chinese scholars of social sciences in the past decade.

Professor Teng Bingsheng specializes in the fields of strategic alliances, M&A, corporate and multinational business management. In the past few years, Professor Teng has published over 20 papers in top-level international journals like the Academy of Management Review and Organization Science.

Professor Cao Huining specializes in the fields of portfolio management, asset pricing and international finance. His research is widely published in leading journals like the Journal of Finance and Review of Financial Studies.

Professor Zhang Xiaomeng's specializes in the inter-disciplinary areas of leadership and psychology. She is extensively published in top academic journals including the Academy of Management Journal and Journal of Applied Psychology.

About Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB)

Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) is the preeminent choice for management education among influential business leaders and a new generation of disruptors in China, and the preferred choice for academics returning to China from globally-leading business schools.

Since its establishment in 2002, CKGSB has aimed to cultivate transformative business leaders with a global vision, a humanistic spirit, a strong sense of social responsibility and an innovative mind-set.


Trumps move comes after Twitter added a fact-check label in two of his posts and provided links to news coverage of his comments.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order that seeks to limit liability protections social-media companies enjoy after Twitter Inc. began selective fact checks of his posts on the platform.

Under current law, companies like Twitter and Facebook Inc. are protected for users posts. Trump told reporters that his order calls for new regulations under section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to make it that social media companies that engage in censoring or any political conduct will not be able to keep their liability shield.

Trumps move comes after Twitter earlier this week labeled two of his posts about mail-in voting potentially misleading and provided links to news coverage of his comments. The president responded with outrage, accusing the social media company of censorship and election interference and threatening to possibly shut down the service.

Im signing an executive order to protect and uphold the free speech rights of the American people, Trump said. Currently, social media giants like Twitter receive an unprecedented liability shield based on the theory that theyre a neutral platform, which theyre not.

ALSO READ: Jack Dorsey says they will continue to point out incorrect information

Trump said he expected the order or the regulations it produces to be challenged in court. If it were legal for him to shut down Twitter, Trump said, I would do it.

Twitter rose less than 1% in late trading Thursday after the signing was announced. That followed a 4.4% decline in the regular session, the most in four weeks.

WATCH: Trump signs executive order, targets social media giants

Order Text

The order said the protections against lawsuits should only apply when companies act in good faith to take down or limit the visibility of content.

Any removal or restriction made in a manner that is deceptive, pretextual, or inconsistent with a providers terms of service would not qualify as being in good faith, nor would a move without adequate notice, reasoned explanation, or a meaningful opportunity to be heard.

Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Technology Association trade group, called the order unconstitutional and ill-considered.

Americas internet companies lead the world and it is incredible that our own political leaders would seek to censor them for political purposes, Shapiro said in a statement.

In a tweeted statement, Twitter called the executive order a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law, adding, attempts to unilaterally erode it threaten the future of online speech and Internet freedoms.

A Facebook spokesperson said exposing companies to liability would penalize those that allow controversial speech and encourage platforms to censor anything that might offend anyone.

The Department of Commerce, in consultation with the attorney general, would be responsible for petitioning the Federal Communications Commission within 60 days to craft the new regulation.

Republicans have alleged that Twitter and Facebook are politically biased in the way they display posts and block certain material deemed offensive, and objected to Twitters decision to ban certain political advertising. (Bloomberg)

This debate is an important one, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement. The Federal Communications Commission will carefully review any petition for rulemaking filed by the Department of Commerce.

Industry and civil liberties groups who denounced the order as an illegal end-run around free-speech protections and said it gave the FCC powers it does not actually have.

Twitter has been an essential tool for Trump as both a politician and as president, dating back to his false allegations that President Barack Obama was born in Kenya. Trump has observed himself that the social media platform allows him to dodge the press and speak directly to his 80 million followers. It has also afforded him the unfettered opportunity to assail political opponents and to promulgate conspiracy theories and other misinformation.

Attorney General William Barr, who joined Trump for his remarks, said the order would not repeal Section 230, which provides social-media companies their liability protection.

But its been stretched and I dont know of anyone in Capitol Hill who doesnt agree that its been stretched beyond its original intention, he said. I think this will help get back to the right balance.

Trump and Barr also said they were reviewing possibilities to seek legislation further curbing Section 230 protections. Barr said the government may also bring litigation.

One of the things we may do, Bill, is just remove or totally change 230, Trump said. What I think we can say is were going to regulate it.

Roth Criticism

Earlier Thursday, Trump called out a single Twitter employee, head of site integrity Yoel Roth, in a tweet complaining that the platforms decision to fact-check his tweets on voting by mail could taint the U.S. election.

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany criticized Roth for political tweets, including one that said actual Nazis inhabit Trumps White House.

Twitters head of site integrity has tweeted that there are quote, actual Nazis, in the White House and no fact-check label was ever applied to this actually outrageous and false claim made against the White House and its employees, she said.

White House officials complained that Twitter did not originally append fact checks to China Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lijan Zhao, who without evidence wrote that it might be the U.S. military that brought the coronavirus to China. Twitter has since added the fact-check link to his tweets.

Democrats have largely applauded the effort to fact-check the president. But they questioned why Twitter didnt similarly add links to recent tweets by the president that baselessly accused MSNBC host Joe Scarborough of murdering a former staffer who died while at work in one of his congressional offices nearly two decades ago.

Yes we like Twitter to put up their fact check of the president, but it seems to be very selective, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday.

The executive order is the latest in a years-long campaign by the president and his allies against social media companies. The companies say they have more aggressively sought to combat disinformation and foreign interference campaigns after the federal government found that Russia and other state operatives used U.S. social media to influence the 2016 election.

Bias Allegations

Republicans have alleged that Twitter and Facebook are politically biased in the way they display posts and block certain material deemed offensive, and objected to Twitters decision to ban certain political advertising. Last May, the administration set up a website asking Americans to submit instances of alleged political bias on social media.

We always knew that Silicon Valley would pull out all the stops to obstruct and interfere with President Trump getting his message through to voters, Trump 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale said in a statement. Partnering with the biased fake news media fact checkers is only a smoke screen Twitter is using to try to lend their obvious political tactics some false credibility.

The president has complained about Twitters efforts to combat manipulative and abusive content by deleting fake profiles -- leading to a decline of hundreds of thousands of users in his follower count.

The websites have denied their actions are politically motivated, and Twitter Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey said then he also lost around 200,000 followers in the purge. In 2018 congressional testimony, Dorsey said there were technical explanations for cases of alleged bias raised by Republican lawmakers.

Still, the debate has exposed a rift among Silicon Valley tech giants, with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg criticizing Twitters decision in an interview with Fox News.

I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldnt be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online, he said. Private companies probably shouldnt be, especially these platform companies, shouldnt be in the position of doing that.

Dorsey fired back in a tweet posted Wednesday night, saying the fact-check was designed to make sure people didnt misunderstand the presidents tweet and believe they didnt need to register to vote in order to receive an absentee ballot.
Prince Carl Philip of Sweden donned his naval regalia today to pay tribute to the country's war dead.

The royal, 41, a former Major in the Swedish Navy wore a white hat and double breasted navy jacket for the country's yearly ceremony in Stockholm.

The father-of-two looked sombre as saluted in front of the flag before laying down a wreath in front of the Maritime Museum.

Prince Carl Philip of Sweden donned his military regalia today to pay tribute to the country's dead

The father-of-two looked sombre as saluted in front of the flag before laying down a wreath in front of the Maritime Museum

Known as Sweden's real-life Prince Charming, Carl-Philip broke the hearts of royal-watchers across the globe when he announced his engagement to former glamour model and reality TV star Sofia Hellqvist in 2014, four years after news of their relationship first hit headlines.

The couple welcomed their first son, Prince Alexander, in April 2016 and another little boy, Prince Gabriel, arrived in August the following year.

The prince is the only son of the King and Queen of Sweden and is fourth-in-line to the throne.

In 1980 a law was passed which gave his older sister Victoria precedence in the line of succession.

The royal, 41, a former Major in the Swedish Navy wore a white hat and double breasted navy jacket for the country's yearly ceremony in Stockholm

Supreme Commander, general Micael Byden and Prince Carl Philip at Sweden's Veterans Day at the Maritime History Museum in Stockholm

The day is particularly sombre this year amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sweden has registered more than 4,000 coronavirus deaths after shunning lockdown in favour of more relaxed social distancing.

The country reported a total of 33,843 cases on Monday and 4,029 deaths, with a death rate that now stands at 399 per million inhabitants.

Known as Sweden's real-life Prince Charming, Carl-Philip broke the hearts of royal-watchers across the globe when he announced his engagement to former glamour model and reality TV star Sofia Hellqvist in 2014

Carl-Phillip, who was a Major in the Swedish army, lays a reef to fallen soldiers

But the royals have been chipping in to the fight against the disease, with Carl-Philip's wife, Princess Sofia scrubbing up to work in a hospital.

The royal, 35 took a three-day medical course at Sophiahemmet University College in Stockholm, where she is an honorary chair member.

The university is training up to 80 people a week to help lift the heavy burden placed on doctors and medical workers in the country, according to local media reports.

Carl-Phillip welcomes his first son, Prince Alexander, in April 2016 and another little boy, Prince Gabriel, arrived in August the following year

Pictured: Sverker Goranson, chairman of the Swedish Veterans Association, Andreas Norlen, Speaker of the Parliament, Prince Carl Philip, General Micael Byden and Peter Hultqvist, Minister for Defence at Sweden's Veterans Day at the Maritime History Museum in Stockholm

The fourth-in-line stands in front of the Swedish flag at Veterans Day in Stockholm
(Adds quote from U.S.-China Business Council)

By Steve Holland, David Brunnstrom and Sarah Wu

WASHINGTON/HONG KONG, May 29 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Friday ordered his administration to begin the process of eliminating special U.S. treatment for Hong Kong to punish China, but stopped short of calling an immediate end to privileges that have helped the territory remain a global financial center.

In making the announcement, Trump used some of his toughest rhetoric yet against China, saying Beijing had broken its word over Hong Kong's autonomy by moving to impose new national security legislation and the territory no longer warranted U.S. economic privileges.

At a White House news conference, Trump called this a tragedy for the people of Hong Kong, China and the world, having already attacked Beijing over the coronavirus pandemic, which began in China. Trump said China's "malfeasance" was responsible for massive suffering and economic damage worldwide.

"We will take action to revoke Hong Kong's preferential treatment as a separate customs and travel territory from the rest of China," Trump said, adding that Washington would also impose sanctions on individuals seen as responsible for "smothering - absolutely smothering - Hong Kong's freedom."

He did not name any of the potential sanctions targets. Trump said his announcement would "affect the full range of agreements we have with Hong Kong," from the U.S. extradition treaty to export controls on dual-use technologies and more "with few exceptions."

"Our actions will be strong, our actions will be meaningful," Trump added.

China's state-run Global Times newspaper called Trump's announcement "recklessly arbitrary."

Trump gave no time frame for the moves, suggesting he may be trying to buy time before deciding whether to implement the most drastic measures, which have drawn strong resistance from U.S. companies operating in Hong Kong.

He also said he was issuing a proclamation to better safeguard vital university research by suspending entry of foreign nationals from China identified as potential security risks.

Story continues

Sources, including a current U.S. official, told Reuters on Thursday that the latter move could affect 3,000 to 5,000 Chinese graduate students.

Financial markets saw Trump's announcement as more bark than bite and U.S. stocks finished mostly higher as it was seen as less threatening to the U.S. economy than investors had feared.

"I don't think a lot has changed," said Craig Allen, president of the U.S.-China Business Council. "We haven't taken steps that really ratchet up the tension even more."

He said he interpreted the actions rescinding Hong Kong's special status as being first subject to review by various agencies and not happening immediately.

REVVED-UP RHETORIC

Trump's revved-up rhetoric against China comes in the midst of his re-election campaign in which opinion polls show voters increasingly embittered toward Beijing, especially over the coronavirus.

Trump may be mindful though that a more serious rupture with Beijing could upend his hard-fought Phase One trade deal with the world's second-largest economy, which he has counted on for economic benefit in major U.S. farm states.

Trump also has to take into account the effect on the more than 1,300 U.S. firms that have offices in Hong Kong and provide about 100,000 jobs.

Daniel Russel, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia until early in Trump's administration, said his Hong Kong provisions remained "fairly vague" and "it remains to be seen how quickly and extensively they are implemented."

But there was a risk that removing Hong Kong's special status might inadvertently accelerate its loss of autonomy.

"Beijing clearly calculated that the collateral damage to their overall interests from U.S. retaliation for would be manageable," Russel said.

While Trump gave no time frame for moves, two people familiar with the matter said that among options under consideration were to set a deadline of a year from now for China to step back or else face full revocation of Hong Kong's special status.

Such a deadline would buy time to avoid a major rupture in relations ahead of the Nov. 3 U.S. election. By the end of that period, however, Trump might no longer be in office to make the final decision.

Trump's announcement came after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared China's erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy meant the territory no longer warranted special treatment under U.S. law.

Earlier, Hong Kong's Beijing-backed government told Washington to keep out of the national security debate, and warned that withdrawal of the financial hub's special status could backfire on the U.S. economy.

"Any sanctions are a double-edged sword that will not only harm the interests of Hong Kong but also significantly those of the U.S.," it said late on Thursday.

It said that from 2009 to 2018, the cumulative U.S. trade surplus of $297 billion with Hong Kong was the biggest among all U.S. trading partners.

Chinese authorities and Hong Kong's government say the security legislation poses no threat to the city's autonomy and the interests of foreign investors will be preserved.

(Reporting Steve Holland, David Brunnstrom, Eric Beech, Jeff Mason, Matt Spetalnick, David Lawder and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Additional reporting by Sarah Wu and Marius Zaharia, James Pomfret, Greg Torode, Clare Jim, Sumeet Chatterjee and Anne Marie Roantree in Hong Kong, Michael Shields in Geneva, Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Writing by David Brunnstrom, Michael Perry and Robert Birsel; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Simon Cameron-Moore, Timothy Heritage, Will Dunham and Cynthia Osterman)
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich explores the decades of sex trafficking and sexual abuse Jeffrey Epstein managed to get away with. But the Netflix documentary series also uncovers Ghislaine Maxwells involvement in the convicted sex offenders crimes. After watching the series, many are wondering, where is Ghislaine Maxwell now?

Ghislaine Maxwell in 2015 | Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

Ghislaine Maxwell came from a well-known family

Maxwell is the daughter of British publishing mogul, Robert Maxwell. Her father was a Minister of Parliament who built a publishing empire in the 60s and 70s and was later exposed as a fraudster who stole millions from his companys pension fund. Ghislaine was the youngest of nine children and worked for Roberts companies alongside her other siblings.

The Oxford-educated socialite grew up in a 53-room mansion near the college and worked very closely with her father until his mysterious death in 1991. Roberts body was found in the sea near the Canary Islands, and while his death was determined as a heart attack and accidental drowning, but Ghislaine had publicly suggested that she thinks he was murdered.

After Roberts death, and the demise of his business empire, Ghislaine moved to New York City. She joined the citys circle of wealthy socialites and met Epstein. As his supposed girlfriend, the two often attended high-profile events and parties together.

Ghislaine Maxwell and Robert Maxwell | Staff/Mirrorpix/Getty Images

Filthy Rich examines her relationship with Epstein

Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich examines Maxwells relationship with Epstein and exposes her involvement in his predatory sexual behavior. The Netflix docuseries features testimony from multiple victims who say that Maxwell would lure them into giving Epstein sexual massages, and sometimes even take part in the abuse herself.

One survivor, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, details how Maxwell saw her working as a locker room attendant at Donald Trumps Mar-A-Lago resort, and offered her a job as Epsteins personal traveling masseuse. Upon Giuffres arrival to Epsteins West Palm Beach mansion, she says she was greeted by Maxwell, and then taken up to Epsteins massage room. There, Giuffre says that she was sexually abused by both Maxwell and Epstein, which led to them grooming her as a victim for years.

Another survivor, Maria Farmer, who reported Maxwell and Epsteins abuse to the FBI, says Maxwell repeatedly threatened her over the phone to keep her from talking to the authorities. She says Maxwells daunting calls and threats drove her into hiding.

Ghislaine called and said she was going to burn all my art, and she was going to burn my career, said Farmer. She told me to watch my back  She would say she knew where I lived. She would say the same kind of veiled threats like Youre not safe where you are, you might want to check over your shoulder.'

RELATED: Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich: What Happened to Epsteins Florida House Shown on the Netflix Docuseries?

Where is Ghislaine Maxwell now?

Epstein was arrested in July of 2019 and was found dead in his cell weeks later. Since then, Maxwells whereabouts are unknown. She is named in numerous ongoing civil suits over the sexual abuse allegations. But, as revealed on the Netflix series, Maxwell denies being involved in any criminal activity.

As of early 2019, Maxwell was reportedly living in Manchester by the Sea in Massachusetts. And by August of 2019, the New York Post reported that she was spotted in Los Angeles. Since Epsteins death, tabloids and newspapers have been trying to track down Maxwells whereabouts, and some have even offered rewards for information on her location.
WASHINGTON - No fist bumps or handshakes. No carpooling or coffee pots. Face masks everywhere.

Americans who start returning to office jobs will find a substantially different environment than the one they left weeks ago, if their employers follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on reopening safely during the coronavirus pandemic.

While restaurants, resorts and retail stores have started reopening, many businesses with employees who can more easily telework have said they plan to stay closed at least until Labor Day. But the economic devastation of the pandemic has hit white-collar workers, too, with law firms, management companies and other firms laying off or furloughing staff.

Some CDC recommendations would require investment in new equipment to improve ventilation and air filtration, and to attempt to kill germs with ultraviolet light. The guidelines call for rearranging furniture to keep workers six feet apart, and physical barriers to separate them. Trash cans that require lifting a lid should be replaced with no-touch options.

Other guidance would be a struggle for many companies to implement without moving into larger, more expensive spaces - especially to keep workers six feet apart, even on elevators.

The CDC recommendations say workers should be encouraged to drive alone rather than sharing rides or taking public transportation. Communal drinks and snacks should be replaced with single-use items. Work stations, keyboards, telephones, handrails, printers and copiers, drinking fountains, and doorknobs should be sanitized regularly. Meetings and group lunches should be outdoors if possible.

Some recommendations are stricter than what the CDC previously suggested. In early May, the agency told employers to "encourage workers to wear a cloth face covering at work if appropriate." Now, the CDC said "employees should wear a cloth face covering to cover their nose and mouth in all areas of the business." Visitors should also be asked to wear masks and stay six feet apart from employees. Employees with a sick family member were previously told to follow safety protocols; the CDC now said those workers should stay home.

Offices that have been closed for several months, the CDC warns, should also be checked for mold, rodents and stagnant water before reopening.

Rick Woldenberg, chief executive of the Vernon, Illinois-based toy company Learning Resources, said the guidelines were "kind of just a nice way of saying you can't go back to the office." His 300 employees moved into new headquarters March 3 and then to their homes a week later. The remodeling did not account for a global pandemic: There are few interior walls, and the windows don't open. Even if they could constantly ventilate and sanitize, he said, he thinks it would leave employees uncomfortable and on edge.

"Having to wipe everything down every five minutes is just a reminder you're in a dangerous place," he said.

He said he expects most of his team will keep working from home until it is clearer how risky certain behaviors are, such as touching shared surfaces.

"We don't have to be on the bleeding edge; we can wait and see how other people have figured it out," he said.

Columbia Sportswear is one such company.

"This is a rare instance where the government is so many steps behind the private sector, it's not even funny," said Peter Bragdon, the chief administrative officer and general counsel for the international clothing brand. "We benefit in part by being a global organization that's operating in countries where the public health issue has been managed competently."

He said only about a third of employees can safely return to the Portland, Oregon, headquarters under the guidelines. But, he said, the costs will still be high, and investing in changes as guidance shifts is a risk.

Concerns over changing regulations will be a problem across the business world, said Travis Vance, an attorney at Fisher Phillips who advises firms on workplace safety.

"A lot of companies have never had hazards that they knew of, so they didn't pay attention to OSHA regulations before," he said. "Now, every workplace is a hazardous environment."
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Nina A. Loasana and Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 09:11 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdad8ddd 1 World Palestine,West-Bank,Israel,Retno-Marsudi,Foreign-Ministry,united-states,Mike-Pompeo,secretary-of-state,United-Nations,Benjamin-Netanyahu Free

Indonesia has again launched calls to support the plight of the Palestinian people after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Monday to further annex parts of the West Bank.

Netanyahu said Israel would place Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank under Israeli sovereignty, Reuters reported, setting July 1 as a starting date for Cabinet discussions on the issue.

The plan has alarmed supporters of the state of Palestine, including Indonesia. Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said on Thursday she had raised the issue with the United Nations (UN) secretary-general as well as foreign ministers of countries in the UN Security Council, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement, among other parties.

"Indonesia is very concerned about Israels plan to annex Palestinian territory in the West Bank," the minister said during a virtual press briefing on Thursday.

Read also: Indonesia criticizes Israels reluctance to open up about Palestine

She added that she had also mentioned the issue to United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a phone call on Wednesday morning.

Thank you Secretary Mike Pompeo @SecPompeo  for the phone call this morning (27/05). We discussed among others issues related to Afghanistan, Covid-19 cooperation and Palestine. pic.twitter.com/MTHOloXUTH  Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia (@Menlu_RI) May 27, 2020

I reiterated that Indonesias position remains unchanged on the Palestine issue. I hoped for US leadership in preventing Israels plan to further annex the West Bank from, Retno said.

She went on to say that the annexation would not only threaten peace and stability in the region but also undermine all efforts to reach a political solution on the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution, where two sovereign and democratic states of Israel and Palestine could live in peaceful coexistence.

I call on the international community to work together to uphold our commitment, international parameters and consensus again to find a long-lasting solution on the future state of Palestine.

Read also: Indonesia demands global commitment on Palestine at UN meeting

In January, US President Donald Trump released his long-delayed Israeli-Palestinian peace plan in a joint announcement with Netanyahu. The proposed plan lays out a vision for establishing an independent Palestinian state while also formalizing Israeli sovereignty over settlements built in occupied territory, AFP reports.

The plan covers strict conditions, including a requirement for the future Palestinian state be demilitarized.

However, Palestinians were not involved in drafting the plan.

As a staunch supporter of the Palestinian struggle for statehood, Indonesia has consistently backed the cause in many international forums, including the UN Security Council, where Indonesia is currently in its last year of non-permanent membership. (kuk/dis)
The Electoral Commission of Ghana says it will be adopting a 'cluster system' to ensure a smooth running of the upcoming voters' registration exercise.



The compilation of the new register which is now scheduled for last week of June will take place in over 33,000 polling stations.



Giving further details during a one-on-one interview on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Samuel Tetteh, a Deputy Chairperson of the EC in-Charge of Operations said all 33,367 polling stations will serve as registration centres.



"This will prevent a lot of people gathering at one place," he said.



Cluster system



Explaining how the cluster system works, he said: "This is where in a district with 50 polling stations, 5 will form one cluster which means there will be 10 clusters."



According to him, each cluster will receive BVR kits.



Logistics



Mr Tetteh also disclosed that "every logistic needed for the exercise has been procured".



Listen to him in video below





Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Celestial Hunter

By Roberto Calasso

Translated from the Italian by Richard Dixon

Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 450 pp. $35

---

"It is perfectly possible to live without gods," Roberto Calasso writes in "The Celestial Hunter." "It is more difficult, however, to live without the divine." This thought explains the persistence of ancient mythology within secular society - such as the siren (used in the Starbucks logo), the staff of Hermes (the symbol of medicine) and even the origins of our days of the week. While myth is fiction posing as history and cosmogony, its function is to connect humans with the divine. A bridge to the invisible, myth is marked by the visible - statues and images, plays and rituals. Every culture has its own, but in "The Celestial Hunter" Calasso focuses on Greek myth, with supporting references to India, Egypt and Rome. Armed with the vast library of his mind, Calasso journeys into this territory to explore the caverns that lie beneath our modern thought processes and belief systems. That is, he is hunting for truths in places where meaning is ambiguous.

Now almost 80, Calasso, the publisher of Adelphi Edizioni in Milan, has been called "a literary institution of one." In 1983, he embarked on an ambitious project to explore the forces that drive civilization. "The Celestial Hunter" is the eighth volume in the series that began with "The Ruin of Kasch," which examines Romantic nationalism and the rise of the modern state but is really about, in the words of Italo Calvino, "all the things that have happened in human history." Called a "master of obliquity," Calasso has a style that is at times obscure and impenetrable; unlike most writers of contemporary nonfiction, he never explicitly articulates his point - giving you the wild feeling of swimming in the open ocean.

He likes to start his short sections with declarative, aphoristic sentences that give pause. "One who writes is following the animal guide," is one example. "When two shamans met, it was never clear what would happen," is another. Or: "Discovering sacrifices, for the Vedic gods, was like Western mathematicians discovering irrational or transfinite numbers." Yet Calasso follows these opaque openings with meandering paragraphs that give the reader the experience of trying to catch a fish with your hands - the moment you think you've grasped something, it slips away.

The title refers to Orion, and the early chapters focus on him and other hunters: Artemis and Apollo, Procris and Clymene. Calasso has an epic ability to tell the great stories as One Great Story. For instance, in the chapter "The Brief Age of Heroes," he writes: "To capture the Golden Fleece, to hunt the Calydonian Boar, to fight the Trojan War: three times - and only for those three times - did the heroes gather for an expedition. For the remains of an animal, to kill an animal, to win back a woman. No other reason could be sufficient for the heroes to act together. There were three patterns of events: In the first, a monster was killed. In the second, a powerful animal was hunted. In the third, men killed one another. First kill the monster, then hunt, then kill one another. It was the epitome of all that had happened since primordial times."

Along with such insightful consolidating passages, Calasso puts thinkers who lived centuries apart in conversation with one another. Throughout "The Celestial Hunter," he threads Simone Weil through Euripides, Plato and Plotinus. And as he pulls together these literary seams, Calasso shows that he has a point after all. In a later chapter, he implies that civilization not only culminates in literature but begins in literature. To him, the Greek hunter stories contain the seeds of the novel, with their representation of our perpetual unrest, ambiguous emotions and self-destructive impulses. In other words, the key to understanding the modern human mind is found in ancient hunter myths.

Hunting, Calasso contends, is what transformed us into humans, when the prey became predator. He calls hunting "the first art for art's sake." Gods hunt, but they do not eat. Humans hunt, but it is a "nonessential, gratuitous activity," he writes. And indeed, our primate ancestors survived for tens of millions of years on fruits and roots, before beginning to eat meat about 16 million years ago. That is, we kill even though it's unnecessary. That's why Calasso sees hunting as an act of sacrifice, a ritual for alleviating the guilt from killing animals, a way to console ourselves "for death with acts of murder." This method of consolation later found expression in ritual blood sacrifice, which was thought to provide "katharsis," or purification. Calasso claims that replacing the act of killing with a retelling of it was how theater arose, which is why there is always a katharsis at the end of a Greek tragedy. From hunting, to blood sacrifice, to literature.

In "The Unnamable Present," the ninth book in this series (published in translation last year ahead of the eighth book), Calasso writes: "If so many human tribes have celebrated sacrifices in so many different places and ways, there must be some deep reason for it. Indeed, a tangle of reasons that can never be unraveled." And maybe this is what Calasso is doing with "The Celestial Hunter" - trying to unravel a tangle of reasons that can never be unraveled. By the end of the book, I felt that the fish ultimately got away. Calasso left me in the middle of the ocean, exhausted and unsure what I was doing there.

Yet perhaps that's just his point.

---

Rosenthal has a master's in theological studies from Harvard University, where he teaches writing.
(Newser)  Madonna likely meant well with a tribute to George Floyd that she posted on social media Thursday, but the video featuring one of her sons has received more backlash than applause. E! News reports on the three-minute clip, which shows David Bandathe 14-year-old adopted by Madonna in 2006 from Malawihonoring the memory of the black man who died Monday in Minneapolis while in police custody. "As news of George Floyds brutal murder travels around the world my son David Dances to honor and pay tribute to George and His Family and all Acts of Racism and Discrimination that happen on a daily basis in America," the 61-year-old star wrote in the caption accompanying the video, which showed David performing an emotional dance to Michael Jackson's "They Don't Care About Us."

story continues below

But many viewers cringed at her postnot so much at David's decision to dance, but at Madonna's "inappropriate" decision to put it out there, per Yahoo. "This is trash, and deeply disrespectful," one commenter responded to her tweet, asking her to donate instead to a fund that has been set up to bail out protesters in Minneapolis. The video was also called "exploitive" of her son and "tone-deaf." "I really appreciate you for allowing your son to dance away the racism for us," one eye-roller sarcastically noted. But not everyone blasted the video. "This isnt trash. Thats her son expressing himself. Let him be," one supporter commented, while another wrote: "Why is it disrespectful for Madonna to give her son a platform of 2.6M followers to express his solidarity for a cause you believe in?" (Read more Madonna stories.)
The Indian government on Friday doubled down on its rejection of US President Donald Trumps offer to mediate on the border standoff with China, with people familiar with developments dismissing the American leaders contention he had discussed the face-off with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The people cited above, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the most recent conversation between Modi and Trump had been on April 4, when the US request for supply of hydroxychloroquine to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic was the subject of the discussions.

The clarification came hours after Trump reiterated his offer to mediate between India and China to resolve a standoff between the border troops of the two countries during a briefing at the White House early on Friday (Indian time).

The external affairs ministry had on Thursday tacitly rejected Trumps initial offer to mediate, made through a tweet on Wednesday, by saying India is directly engaged with China to peacefully resolve the standoff.

There has been no recent contact between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump. The last conversation between them was on April 4 on the subject of hydroxychloroquine, said one of the people cited above.

Yesterday [Thursday], the external affairs ministry had made it clear that we are directly in touch with the Chinese through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts, the person added.

This is the second time that New Delhi has called out such a claim by Trump regarding mediation between India and another country. In July 2019, India had dismissed Trumps remarks, at a joint news briefing along with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, that Modi had asked him to help resolve the Kashmir issue.

Also read: India China standoff explained- Bridge over troubled waters

At that time to, Trump contended he had spoken directly with Modi about Kashmir. And he actually said, Would you like to be a mediator, or arbitrator? I said Where?, and he said Kashmir, because this has been going on for many many years, Trump had said at the time.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
On Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order targeting social media companies in response to Twitter fact-checking two of his tweets in which he posted potentially false or misleading information about mail-in voting just a couple days earlier. In the tweets, Trump claimed that mail-in ballots would be wrought with fraud, including forged ballots and millions of unregistered voters in California receiving ballots, all unsubstantiated. Fox Newss Neil Cavuto, as he tends to do, called out the president and agreed that Twitter was right to fact-check Trump.

The issues that came to mind, one of them that prompted a quick fact-checking on mail-in ballots is what got the presidents ire, because he said he was being policed on that. He was being policed on that because he was wrong, Cavuto said. He was policed on that because he said millions of illegals were getting ballots when that simply was not the case. So this isnt a left/right issue. That was not the case. That was a wrong fact. That was a misstatement. Some have said it was an outright lie.

The executive order Trump signed on Thursday calls for new regulations under Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act that would remove legal liability protections for social networks like Twitter. As the law is currently written, it lets companies like Twitter, Facebook and Youtube to moderate the content on their sites as they see fit, while protecting them from lawsuits over what gets posted. Twitter called the executive order a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law.

This EO is a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law. #Section230 protects American innovation and freedom of expression, and its underpinned by democratic values. Attempts to unilaterally erode it threaten the future of online speech and Internet freedoms.  Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) May 29, 2020

Cavuto thinks Trump might not like the consequences of this new order.

Story continues

He might be careful what he wishes for on this, Cavuto said. Because if you are limiting their protection from any legal action because of something users are saying, that could presumably include no less than the president of the United States, among Twitters biggest users on the entire planet. If they feel uncomfortable about something he is saying, next time forget fact-checking him, they might have to take him down. Thats what the president has set in motion here.

Before Trump signed the executive order, Fox News legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano agreed with Cavuto and said that if this order were to take effect, companies would be much more selective about what they post, and that could be bad for Trump. He also believes the order may be unconstitutional.

Look, they could terminate his account this afternoon if they want. They have no obligation to run anything that they dont want to and the government has absolutely no right whatsoever to censor what they run, or  to get inside the inner workings of Twitter. Thats quite simply immunized from government scrutiny by the First Amendment.

Napolitano also said this order flies in the face of a favorite Supreme Court ruling among conservative circles: Citizens United. The ruling states that corporations have freedom of speech.

The president can condemn it, he can use other means to communicate, but he cant use the powers of the government to interfere with the free speech of the people who own or operate Twitter, Napolitano said. If he does, or if he attempts to do so, its very easy for me to say, the courts will interfere with it.

Your World With Neil Cavuto airs weekdays at 4 p.m. on Fox News Channel.

Check out Don Lemons fiery rant saying no one wants to hear from Trump regarding George Floyd:

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
Global investment in energy will fall by $400 billion in 2020, the largest single-year decline in history. U.S. shale will be hit particularly hard, with capex set to fall in half, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). After watching hundreds of oil rigs disappear from the field, and after watching U.S. oil production fall by around 2 million barrels per day (mb/d) since March, perhaps that statistic comes as no surprise. Some of the most dramatic cuts in the oil and gas sector  in many cases above 50%  have been among highly leveraged shale players in the United States, for whom the outlook is now bleak, the IEA wrote in its new World Energy Investment 2020 report.

Drilling has come to a standstill and steep decline rates are taking hold. The CEO of Precision Drilling said that the U.S. is set to see a prolonged downturn in oil drilling, and the rig count may not begin to rebound for another year.

The pace of bankruptcies is set to accelerate. However, while thousands of workers are sent packing, oil executives seem to be some of the very few people who are not suffering from the historic downturn. CEOs and other top executives continue to see million-dollar paydays.

Reuters pointed out that CEO pay often is linked to the performance of competitors. Since everyone else is doing poorly, compensation for the average CEO remains extraordinarily high. They look good when compared to the next guy.

Reuters cited the example of Clay Williams, CEO of National Oilwell Varco Inc., who received $3.3 million in stock in February, despite presiding over a company that saw its share price plunge by two-thirds since 2017.

Related: What Does The Work From Home Movement Mean For Oil?



There are even more egregious examples. Chesapeake Energys management team was awarded $25 million in cash bonuses right around the time the company issued a regulatory filing warning about a potential bankruptcy. Worse, Whiting Petroleum declared bankruptcy on April 1, but company executives made sure they received $14.6 million in cash bonuses.

Energy companies are set to hand out $140 million in executive compensation over the next two years, according to Reuters. [E]nergy company CEOs have been winning for losing for at least a decade, Reuters said.

Many of these shale companies wont survive the next year or two, and Wall Street may not throw them a lifeline this time around. The fall in the oil price also means that companies that use reserve-based lending face a significant revision in their value of available debt. This will hit small and medium-sized companies particularly hard (not just in shale), the IEA said in its report. With the possibility of more constrained access to capital in the future, one consequence of the current crisis may well be a consolidation of the industry towards larger players with deeper pockets.

But the majors have their own problems. They have been living beyond their means for years. According to a new report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), four out of the top five oil majors paid more in dividends to investors than they earned from operations in the first quarter of this year.

Chevron, for instance, generated $1.6 billion in positive free cash flow, but paid $4 billion in dividends and share buybacks. Just this week Chevron planned to cut 10 to 15 percent of its global workforce in order to match projected activity levels, a spokeswoman told Reuters.

This isnt just a one-off anomaly because of the pandemic. For the oil and gas majors, deficits have been the norm over the past decade, IEEFA analysts wrote in their report. All told, these five companies generated $340 billion in free cash flows from 2010 through the end of 2019, while rewarding their shareholders with $556 billion in share buybacks and dividendsleaving a $216 billion cash shortfall.

Again, that time horizon demonstrates that this problem goes beyond the current downturn. It is hard to imagine how borrowing billions of dollars in order to hand the money over to shareholders can be a sustainable business model.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The Tennessee Reconnect Scholarship at Chattanooga State Community College is a program that has enabled hundreds of students to either begin a new educational path or return to college, basically debt-free.

During this unprecedented economic downturn, TN Reconnect can provide the opportunity to further educational goals that may have been put off due to other obligations. Most Tennessee Reconnect students are 24 or older, said Adult Services Director Marsha Barker. Students must first apply for the PELL grant, but if they do not qualify for PELL, or if they only qualify for a partial PELL grant, Reconnect, as a last-dollar scholarship, will pick up the rest of the cost so that 100 percent of your tuition and fees are paid for up to five years. Also, TN Reconnect has no income limit. Ms. Barker says that Reconnect allows those five years because most adult students work full-time jobs.

Combinations of Virtual and In-Person Information Sessions about Tennessee Reconnect have been scheduled through June. With several choices of available days and times each week, participants can choose the best time to attend.

Reservations for Tennessee Reconnect Virtual and In-Person Information Sessions can be made at www.chattanoogastate.edu/tnreconnect for any of the following dates:

Mondays, June 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 at 2 p.m. via Webex online

Thursdays, June 4 and 29 at 5 p.m. via Webex online

Thursdays, June 11, 18, and 25 at 5:30 p.m. in-person in Room C-30

Saturdays, June 6, 13, 20, and 27 at 10 a.m. via Webex online

Sessions last approximately 45-minutes and provide information about how to apply for TN Reconnect, FAFSA and to Chattanooga State, eligibility requirements, covered costs, and how to access Adult Student Success Stories for inspiration.

I went to college right out of high school in 2007, but I was unsure about a career, unmotivated, and did not succeed in my courses. TN Reconnect made it possible for me to return to school and focus on a career in nursing that would have an impact on others, said Olga Powers, 30, registered nursing major.

Join me for a TN Reconnect Info Session to learn more about the last-dollar scholarship for adults to earn an associate degree free of tuition and mandatory fees, said Ms. Barker.
ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI -- Allegan County is now offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing twice a week, the health department announced.

In partnership with Intercare Pullman, the health department is offering drive-thru testing from 1-4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5498 109th Ave. in Pullman.

The announcement of the new site came shortly after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order to expand COVID-19 testing to anyone with reason to be tested. The order also grants the ability to order a test to nurses, physicians assistants and pharmacists.

The order allows for anyone who has been working outside their home for at least 10 days or who has symptoms of COVID-19 to receive a test at a community testing location, without having to first secure a doctors order in advance. Instead, medical personnel at the testing sites can order the test when you arrive, according to the executive order.

The Allegan County Health Department recommends anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or having trouble being tested call the hotline at 269-686-4546 or their medical provider to be screened.

Symptoms related to COVID-19 include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.

As of Thursday, May 28, Allegan County reported 211 coronavirus cases and six deaths, according to state data.

Those who wish to be tested and have health insurance are asked to bring their insurance card. However, insurance is not required for testing and will be free to those who are uninsured, according to the health department.

Testing locations throughout the state are available at www.michigan.gov/coronavirustest.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

The Powering Positivity campaign by MLive Media Group highlights how Michiganders are supporting one another during the coronavirus pandemic. It is sponsored by The MediLodge Group.

More coronavirus coverage on MLive:

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs order expanding coronavirus testing

500 coronavirus patients have recovered in Kalamazoo County

1,500 tested for coronavirus at Kalamazoo County nursing homes in a single day

Entire families encouraged to get tested for coronavirus at next Kalamazoo County site




PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday said Government is committed to improving the welfare of members of the security services.





The President said this during the commissioning of 138 junior officers at the Zimbabwe Military Academy (ZMA) in Gweru.





Government will continue to improve the conditions of service for the Defence Forces and other security apparatus. We will endeavour to provide decent accommodation and other amenities that are necessary for you to effectively carry out your duties, he said.





President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe remains committed to the promotion of regional and continental integration.





The Zimbabwe Defence Forces will therefore continue to be an active participant in the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) standby force to enhance peace and security in the region and within member states, said the President.





Yesterdays graduation and pass-out parade of Regular Officer Cadet Course was the 36th to be held at ZMA since independence and had an initial 214 recruits of which 45 were females.





One female recruit died due to illness during the course of training.





President Mnangagwa who is the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, urged the ZMA to revisit its recruitment criteria after 76 recruits dropped out due to various reasons.





He said the ZMA should be innovative and use broader assessment in its selection to avoid loss of life and reduce the number of dropouts.





Im advised that Regular Officer Cadet Course number 3/36/18 commenced on 3 September 2016 with an initial enrolment of 214 candidates of whom 45 were females. It is disheartening that 76 recruits dropped out of the course including one who passed on due to illness. I wish to extend my profound condolences to the family and friends of the departed. May her soul rest in peace, he said.





President Mnangagwa urged the Academy to adopt more contemporary and scientific indicators and variables during the selection of recruits.





This should enable the assessment of a broader range of abilities, traits and competencies that attract a higher calibre of cadets as well as minimising the risk and costs of dropouts, he said.





The President said he was confident that from the skills acquired, the graduates had been moulded into competitive young officers for modern day military warfare, endowed with integrity, proficiency and efficiency.





He said the qualities combined with selflessness, hard work and patriotism are the hallmarks of good military leaders.





The 21 months of Regular Officer Cadet Course which was divided into three phases, namely basic military skills, conventional warfare and low intensity operations, equipped you with the requisite tactical, regimental and administrative skills. These will assist you to serve as regular and competent officers of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, said President Mnangagwa.





He said going forward, and in line with Governments multi-faceted modernisation, deliberate investment will be made towards facilitating cadets to gain the requisite exposure through training exercises and simulations equipment that expose them to possible situations in a technologically evolving warfare.





The President commended ZMA for its continued systematic integration of female officer cadets into the course thereby ensuring gender mainstreaming and also creating equal opportunities for both women and men.





He said it was also gratifying that 135 of the 138 graduates are also graduating with Diplomas in Military Training and Education courtesy of ZMAs association with the Midlands State University.





He said the military Academy should also take advantage of the Zimbabwe National Defence University to produce fine military personnel in the face of growing global military technology.





President Mnangagwa commended the ZDF and the graduates for their sacrifice in the face of the challenging economic situation and Covid-19 which affected the latter part of the training.





The course number 3/36/18 was undertaken against the backdrop of challenging economic conditions, characterised by severe drought and the continuing debilitating illegal sanctions. This was worsened by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which brought about other challenges and realities. Let me commend ZMA staff and yourselves for playing your part in the fight and reduction of the spread of the coronavirus, he said.





The President said the cadets should also be inspired by their tour of liberation shrines such as Chimoio in Mozambique and Freedom Camp in Zambia. He said the visits to such historical shines should instil a sense of patriotism.




The store clerk who called 911 on George Floyd complained to an operator about an 'awfully drunk' man who was 'not in control of himself'.

A call transcript released by the Minnesota Police Department on Thursday reveals that the caller reported a customer for using a counterfeit bill to buy cigarettes at the Cup Foods in Minneapolis.

According to owner, Mike Abumayyaleh, Floyd had tried to use a counterfeit $20 bill but was turned away by an employee. He is said to have come back a second time, using the fake bill, NBC News reports.

The caller said staff only realized the money could be fake once he left the Cup Foods store in Minneapolis. Someone followed him out and demanded he turn in his phone and the cigarettes before he was allowed to leave, however he refused.

'What took place outside after that was not in our hands,' Abumayyaleh said. 'The murder and execution was something done by the police and the abuse of power. The police brutality needs to stop.'

The incident took place outside Cup Foods at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue Monday. A caller reported a customer who refused to return cigarettes when they accused him of using counterfeit money after he had already left. They told the operator he was sitting in a blue van

The caller claimed around 8.30pm on Monday 'he is not acting right', CCTV footage from a nearby restaurant shows part of the altercation between Floyd and the officers

In the call, the employee can be heard explaining to authorities that the suspect ran off once paying with the fake bill.

'Someone comes our store and give us fake bills and we realize it before he left the store, and we ran back outside, they was sitting on their car,' the caller explained to the operator on Monday around 8.30pm.

Floyd was accompanied by two people at the scene however their identities are unknown.

'We tell them to give us their phone, put their (inaudible) thing back and everything and he was also drunk and everything and return to give us our cigarettes back and so he can, so he can go home but he doesn't want to do that,' the clerk continued.

'And he's sitting on his car cause he is awfully drunk and he's not in control of himself.'

The operator obtained the vehicle description and described where the blue van was parked.

'So, this guy gave a counterfeit bill, has your cigarettes, and he's under the influence of something?' the operator clarified.

The caller responded: 'Something like that, yes. He is not acting right.'

George Floyd was filmed Monday begging the Minneapolis cop to stop kneeling on him and telling him he could not breathe before he lost consciousness and later died

George Floyd's (pictured) heartbroken family have called for the cops to be charged with murder and their lawyer revealed white cop Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for a staggering eight minutes during the arrest for forgery

CUPS FOOD 911 CALL TRANSCRIPT: GEORGE FLOYD Operator: Okay, what type of vehicle does he have? Caller: And. um hes got a vehicle that is ahah he got a vehicle that is ahone second let me see if I can see the license. The driver license is BRJ026. Operator: Okay, what color is it? Caller: Its a blue color. Its a blue van. Operator: Blue van? Caller: Yes, van. Operator: Alright blue van, gotcha. Is it out front or is it on 38th Street? Caller: Ah, its on 38th Street. Operator: On 38th Street. So, this guy gave a counterfeit bill, has your cigarettes, and hes under the influence of something? Caller: Something like that, yes. He is not acting right. Operator: Whats he look like, what race? Caller: Um, hes a tall guy. Hes like tall and bald, about like 661/2, and shes not acting right so and she started to go, drive the car. Operator: Okay so, female or a male? Caller: Um Operator: Is it a girl or a boy? Caller: (Talking to somebody else)hes asking (inaudible) one second. Hello? Operator: Is it a girl or a boy that did this? Caller: It is a man. Operator: Okay. Is he white, black, Native, Hispanic, Asian? Caller: Something like that. Operator: Which one? White, black, Native, Hispanic, Asian? Caller: No, hes a black guy. Operator: Alright (sigh). Caller: How is your day going? Operator: Not too bad. Caller: Had a long day, huh? Operator: Whats your name? Caller: My name is REDACTED Operator: Alright, a phone number for you? Caller: REDACTED Operator: Alright, Ive got help on the way. If that vehicle or that person leaves before we get there, just give us a call back, otherwise well have squads out there shortly, okay? Caller: No problem. Operator: Thank you. Operator: Okay, what type of vehicle does he have? Caller: And. um hes got a vehicle that is ahah he got a vehicle that is ahone second let me see if I can see the license. The driver license is BRJ026. Operator: Okay, what color is it? Caller: Its a blue color. Its a blue van. Operator: Blue van? Caller: Yes, van. Operator: Alright blue van, gotcha. Is it out front or is it on 38th Street? Caller: Ah, its on 38th Street. Operator: On 38th Street. So, this guy gave a counterfeit bill, has your cigarettes, and hes under the influence of something? Caller: Something like that, yes. He is not acting right. Operator: Whats he look like, what race? Caller: Um, hes a tall guy. Hes like tall and bald, about like 661/2, and shes not acting right so and she started to go, drive the car. Operator: Okay so, female or a male? Caller: Um Operator: Is it a girl or a boy? Caller: (Talking to somebody else)hes asking (inaudible) one second. Hello? Operator: Is it a girl or a boy that did this? Caller: It is a man. Operator: Okay. Is he white, black, Native, Hispanic, Asian? Caller: Something like that. Operator: Which one? White, black, Native, Hispanic, Asian? Caller: No, hes a black guy. Operator: Alright (sigh). Caller: How is your day going? Operator: Not too bad. Caller: Had a long day, huh? Operator: Whats your name? Caller: My name is REDACTED Operator: Alright, a phone number for you? Caller: REDACTED Operator: Alright, Ive got help on the way. If that vehicle or that person leaves before we get there, just give us a call back, otherwise well have squads out there shortly, okay? Caller: No problem. Operator: Thank you Advertisement

The clerk then refers to a woman but it's unclear whether the pronoun was mistakenly used.

'He's like tall and bald, about like 661/2, and she's not acting right so and she started to go, drive the car,' the caller continued.

The operator asks for clarification on whether the suspect is male or female and the caller seemingly checks with someone else in the store.

It's unclear whether the caller was involved in the original encounter.

'Okay so, female or a male?' the operator asked.

The caller, whose name was redacted from the transcript replied: 'Um'

It prompted the operator to follow up with: 'Is it a girl or a boy?'

The caller is then heard conferring with someone else.

'He's asking (inaudible) one second. Hello?' the caller adds.

The operator asks once more for the gender of the person, clarifying that they are asking about the person who allegedly handed over counterfeit money.

'It is a man,' the caller responds.

However there appears to be some confusion about the identity again.

'Okay. Is he white, black, Native, Hispanic, Asian?' the operator asked.

The caller replied: 'Something like that', prompting the operator to probe further for specific information.

' Which one? White, black, Native, Hispanic, Asian?' the operator questioned.

'No, he's a black guy,' the caller replied.

According to the transcript, the operator sighed after managing to obtain the basic to send out police and then told the caller to let them know if the vehicle leaves.

'We'll have squads out there shortly, okay?' the operator said.

It's unclear how the situation escalated but one video shows police dragging Floyd out of his vehicle and sitting him down on the sidewalk. Police claimed he resisted but he doesn't appear to do so in the surveillance footage from a nearby store.

Footage from a passerby shows a cop kneeling into Floyd's neck for eight minutes as he begs for his life and calls out for his mother, crying, 'I can't breathe, officer.'

He eventually stopped breathing and died.

The employee then called Abumayyaleh 'crying, telling me "Mike, Mike. What should I do? The guy can't breathe. They're killing him,"' the owner shared.

'I said, "Call the police on the police. And make sure it's recorded." And she did that.'

Four MPD cops involved have been fired after the distressing video went viral but across the country there have been calls for them to face murder charges.

It has sparked protests, looting and riots, as Americans demand reform of the criminal justice system. Floyd's death evoked painful memories of the police killings of many African Americans. Specifically, Floyd's death was compared to that of Eric Garner who cried out: 'I can't breathe,' before he too lost his life.

Floyd's family demanded the officer and three others who were present, all since fired from their jobs, face murder charges.

'You know, I want an arrest for all four of those officers tonight. A murder conviction for all four of those officers. I want the death penalty,' Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, told CNN.

'I have not slept in four days, and those officers, they're at home sleeping,' he said. 'I can't stand for that.'

'But people are torn and hurting because they are tired of seeing black men die, constantly, over and over again.'

Civil rights leaders Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton arrived in Minneapolis and urged more protests.

'We told the governor you must call murder a murder,' Jackson told an audience at the Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church.

'When you put... your foot down somebody's neck until they can't breathe no longer, you murdered them,' he said.

Sharpton said videos were all the evidence needed to arrest the police officers involved.

'We are going to make sure that this prosecution goes down,' said Sharpton.

Local and federal investigators said they were working the explosive case as fast as they could.

'The Department of Justice has made the investigation in this case a top priority,' said Erica MacDonald, the US federal attorney for Minnesota.

'To be clear, President (Donald) Trump, as well as Attorney General William Barr, are directly and actively monitoring the investigation in this case.'

The White House said Trump was 'very upset' upon seeing the 'egregious, appalling' video footage and demanded his staff see that the investigation was given top priority.

'He wants justice to be served,' Trump's press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters.
Omaha Democrat Kara Eastman is securing help today from the national party  more than two months earlier than she did in 2018, The World-Herald has learned.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is adding Eastman to its 19-candidate Red-to-Blue list, which shows donors which races the party thinks more money might help them win.

In practical terms, Eastman campaign manager Dave Pantos said, that should mean more people to make phone calls and, if allowed, to campaign door to door. It means more direct mail, more TV ads and better research.

Eastman, who lost the Omaha-area House race by about 5,000 votes in 2018, said the DCCCs quicker decision this time shows she can beat U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.

Its clearer than ever that the party is unified at all levels, so we can steer the country in the right direction, said Eastman, a consultant for nonprofit organizations.

Bacon and several of his Republican allies shrugged off the national Democrats decision to embrace Eastman in late May instead of early August, as they did in 2018.
YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a congratulatory letter to sculptor, Peoples Artist of Russia, full member of the Russian Academy of Arts, Georgy Frangulyan on the 75th anniversary of birth, the Presidents Office told Armenpress.

Your unique sculptures continue to cross the borders of time and countries. Many famous individuals and significant events receive a new life through them, and the events and phenomena are presented with a unique interpretation thanks to your talent. Its not a coincidence that your works are highly appreciated, and you enjoy a high reputation. I hope that any of your monumental works will also be presented in Armenia where you are known as well, like in Russia and in the world, the letter says.

The Armenian President wished the sculptor health, creative enthusiasm and all the best.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
While doctors and nurses are risking their lives working with COVID-19 patients in hospitals, others are risking theirs working in stores and making deliveries. Indiana Public Broadcastings Rebecca Thiele has been talking with other essential workers whose stories need to be told.

Juan Ruffin Sr. is a butcher at Kroger. He says he likes being able to do something most people cant  sectioning out cuts of meat from a cow, chicken, or pig.

Its always been a physical job, we lift slabs of meat upwards of 100 pounds constantly, most of the day. So the physicality Im used to  I enjoy that  but its mentally now, he says.

Ruffin says a lot of meat processing plants have closed because some workers have come down with COVID-19. That means less meat for customers and more uncertainty for him when trying to reorganize the meat coming in.

He says his Kroger store has been limiting customers to two packages of beef, two packages of pork, and two packages of chicken  which frustrates some people.

If you just are randomly shopping, you dont understand why you can only get two bags of ground beef or if you have a large family, Ruffin says. We dont discriminate. Theres a limit of two packages because were short on product. Its the times that were in now.

Ruffin says hes not worried about getting sick himself  hes always been pretty healthy  but he is concerned about his coworkers. He feels like Kroger could be doing more to keep employees safe.

They said that were going to limit our capacity to half capacity  or going by what the fire marshal says. But there is not a Kroger that ever has full capacity in their stores. So youre not really limiting the customer contact, Ruffin says.

Ruffin says employees have plenty of masks and gloves, but he says customers should be required to wear masks and Kroger should put hand sanitizer at the door.

I just feel like if its about keeping your associates safe, then you should require the same things of your customers that you require your associates, he says.

Ruffin says about 20 percent of the people coming in the store arent wearing masks. While that might seem small, he says a lot of those customers are regulars.

I have several shoppers that come in my store every day, maskless. Its concerning  and then the stance that if they are carrier, then theyre exposing the same people every day, Ruffin says.

Ruffin estimates that he comes in contact with anywhere from 500 to 1,000 people a day in his eight-hour shift.
When NSW art galleries start opening their doors next week, eager art lovers should perhaps take as many precautions against the medical condition known as Stendahl Syndrome as they will against the coronavirus.

Art Gallery of NSW director Michael Brand is looking forward to reopening. Credit:Edwina Pickles

Named for the French novelist and critic known as Stendhal, who became physically sick from feasting on too much art in Florence in 1817, the psychosomatic disorder is known to cause rapid heartbeat, fainting and even hallucinations. Art-starved Sydneysiders could encounter the same reaction when galleries reopen their doors for the first time since March warns art historian and lecturer Lorraine Kypiotis, education outreach coordinator at the National Art School.

Some people do have a physical reaction to art especially if they have an emotional connection to a work," she says of the syndrome which still afflicts gallery visitors in Florence today.

"Theres nothing that replaces the physical experience of seeing an artwork up close; to stand so close you can see the texture of the paint or feel the smoothness of the marble. With people hankering to have galleries open again, many will recall this feeling of being overwhelmed by a sense of an artwork's beauty, says Kypiotis, who is also a guest lecturer at the Art Gallery of NSW which opens again on Monday.
William Carr in police custody: (Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office)

A teenager from Florida has been arrested, after allegedly throwing a burning cereal box at a kitten.

William Carr, an 18-year-old from Milton, Florida, was arrested on Friday and charged with animal abuse, according to the Pensacola News Journal.

Mr Carr met an unnamed woman at a residence in Milton on Friday, to help paint the inside of a house, according to the arrest affidavit.

The woman brought two adult cats and a kitten with her, but got into an argument with Mr Carr at some point during the day.

After the argument escalated, Mr Carr threatened to burn the womans cats and proceeded to put the kitten into a black bucket outside the residence.

The 18-year-old then allegedly set a cereal box on fire with a blowtorch, and threw it into the bucket and onto the kittens head, according to the documents.

It was confirmed that the kitten was not seriously hurt in the incident, but had its whiskers singed.

The police were called and Mr Carr was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail on Friday, with a $5000 (4057) bail set.

Mr Carr was released on Friday, but a court date for his next hearing has not yet been confirmed by the Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office.

Read more

Man kidnaps girl to get through coronavirus checkpoint, police say
Thirty prisoners lodged in the high-security Puzhal Prison off Chennai have tested positive for the coronavirus, a senior official in the state police department said on Friday.

A team of health officials from Madhavaram collected samples from close to 90 inmates known to have been in close quarters with a few prisoners in Cuddalore and Tiruchi prisons.

According to a senior police official, seven of the 30 from Puzhal prison have been hospitalised while the remaining inmates stay in isolation inside the prison. Prison officials are closely monitoring the movement of prisoners now that the disease has pervaded even totally enclosed spaces like prisons.

Outside the walled prisons, the virus is appearing to have a field day in the capital Chennai. On Friday alone, 618 cases were recorded in the city out of the 874 positives across the state. Tamil Nadu has been recording more than 800 cases for the last three days in a row, a worrying sign for officials amid no detection of new clusters after the Nizamuddin conference and the Koyambedu market cluster.

Returnees from Maharashtra have been testing positive in a big way. In the breakup provided by the state government on Friday, exactly 129 cases were attributed to the returnees who came by road, and six cases by flights into the city.

Recoveries in Tamil Nadu have been at an all-time high recently. Out of the 20,246 cases, 11,313 have been discharged. On Friday alike, discharges touched 765 people. On Thursday however, the death toll was 12. On Friday, nine people were reported dead from COVID-19.
Paying bills on time has become a challenge for many Americans, thanks to the novel coronavirus.

But here's the good news: Cash-strapped individuals have access to a range of relief measures to make monthly bills affordable. The federal government, state lawmakers and private companies have rolled out forbearance and deferment programs to combat the financial woes caused by layoffs, furloughs and other financial setbacks.

While it often makes sense to continue paying your bills on time if you're able, these programs are available to ensure that the hardest-hit Americans can afford essentials such as food and shelter.

Here are bills you may be able to skip, pause or deprioritize during the coronavirus pandemic:

-- Mortgage payments.

-- Rent payments.

-- Student loan payments.

-- Credit card bills.

-- Bank fees.

-- Car payments.

-- Utility bills.

To get started, review your credit card and bank statements to tally which bills you're paying each month. After that, investigate whether relief is provided through some kind of state or federal program or whether you need to call a private company.

[Read: How to Build an Emergency Fund.]

Mortgage Payments

If you're struggling to pay your mortgage, you're not alone. An estimated 4.1 million American homeowners are now in forbearance plans, according to a May report from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The federal government -- plus, some private lenders -- is pausing payments for eligible, struggling homeowners. Your mortgage relief options are determined by whether you have a federally backed mortgage or a private one.

Federal loans are those lent through entities such as the Federal Housing Administration, or FHA, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, among other agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau website contains resources to determine your mortgage owner.

Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, homeowners with federally backed mortgages may request up to 180 days of forbearance, which gives them a break from making payments, with an additional 180 days upon request. Forbearance doesn't forgive payments but puts a pause on them, without accruing additional fees and interest. At the end of your forbearance, you may choose to pay all of your missed payments at once, spread them out over a period of months or add them to the end of your mortgage, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB.

Story continues

If you have a private home loan, call your servicer or check its website for information on financial hardship programs. "You have to call mortgage servicers and ask for that relief," says Ashley Harrington, federal advocacy director at the Center for Responsible Lending, a North Carolina-based organization that works to ensure fair credit practices.

Your state may offer its own mortgage relief options, so investigate what programs are available. And if you can pay your mortgage, you should, according to the CFPB.

Rent Payments

There are some eviction protections available to renters under the CARES Act. If your landlord owns a property that has a federally backed mortgage, you cannot be evicted for nonpayment for 120 days beginning on March 27, 2020. After that, the landlord cannot require you to leave until providing you with a 30-day notice to vacate the property.

You can find out if your landlord's mortgage is financed by Fannie Mae at this website, and by Freddie Mac at this site.

If you don't rent a property covered by the CARES Act, investigate whether your state or municipality has suspended evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, relief is available for renters in subsidized housing such as Section 8.

[See: 10 Expenses Destroying Your Budget.]

Student Loan Payments

Like with mortgage and rent payments, your relief options are tied to who owns your loan. Under the CARES Act, federally held student loan and interest payments are automatically suspended through Sept. 30, 2020.

Those paused payments count toward loan forgiveness programs, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness, so participants in those payment plans don't need to pay their student loan bill to continue making progress toward their forgiveness goal. This is a rare case in which you shouldn't pay your bill, even if you can afford it.

Automatic relief only applies to loans owned by the Department of Education, Harrington says. So if you have Perkins Loans, for example, which may be owned by the institution you attended, you cannot seek an automatic reprieve.

Private student loan holders should contact their servicer. Harrington also notes that some states have partnered with private loan servicers to offer relief to borrowers.

Credit Card Bills

If your credit card payments are unmanageable due to job loss or another income disruption, consider working with your issuer to find some relief. "Right now, many credit card issuers are working with clients," says Simon Zhen, senior research analyst at MyBankTracker.com.

Credit card issuers may offer forbearance programs, which allow you to push back or reduce payments for a set period of time. They may also nix late fees and penalties.

While you may try calling your issuer to discover your options, there are reports of long wait times. So consider visiting your issuer's website, which may have a request form to apply for a financial hardship program, Zhen says. Get everything in writing, so you understand when payments resume, whether you'll owe some kind of bulk payment and whether interest continues accruing.

Bank Fees

Right now, there are lots of opportunities for banks to charge fees, such as account maintenance or overdraft fees. But there's some good news for Americans experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic. "For banking fees and whatnot, most of those are being waived and refunded," Zhen says.

You may have to call and ask to have these fees reduced, so monitor your accounts to see if they're being charged and investigate your bank's relief options.

[See: 12 Useless Fees Draining Your Budget.]

Car Payments

Lenders are also working with drivers to provide relief for auto payments during the coronavirus pandemic, Zhen says. Work with your lender to reduce or pause payments while you experience financial hardship.

Utilities

Providers of essential utilities such as gas, electricity and water are working with customers to guarantee continuation of essential services if you can't pay, Zhen says.

You may have to call and request hardship relief, Harrington says. Check also whether your state or municipality has any relief programs available. Many states have suspended public utility disconnections, according to the CFPB.

The Bottom Line

Your monthly bills to many federal and state entities can qualify for relief. Pausing or reducing your payments to private entities isn't guaranteed, but many lenders are willing to work with borrowers. Check whether your state has its own hardship programs available.

If you can pay your bills, it's often a good idea to continue. But in some cases, like when paying federal student loans on a forgiveness plan, paying when unnecessary is a waste since nonpayments still count toward your end date. So do your research.

And if you're struggling to make ends meet, take advantage of these programs and use the money left over to take care of essentials, including shelter, food and health care expenses, Zhen says. Perhaps this is the time to divert extra cash toward your emergency fund or simply ensure that you can feed your family or pay for health insurance.

Keep an eye on the news. More relief options through legislation such as the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, or HEROES Act, may be signed into law.

"We don't when this is going to end and what the overall effects are going to be," Harrington says. "Just think about your entire financial situation and how you can make it more manageable in the short and long term with this relief."





More From US News & World Report


New Delhi: India had started to see green shoots, before the coronavirus pandemic hit in February, Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman said even as India's economy grew at its slowest pace in at least eight years in the January-March quarter.

Asia's third-largest economy grew at a faster-than-expected 3.1 per cent in the last quarter. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth stood at 5.7 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2018-19, according to the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Friday.

To this end, Sitharaman, in an exclusive conversation with WION, said, "This is a quarter where we thought we had started seeing green shoots. That is one reason the estimates were made the way they were made. The contraction happened in April because by this time the coronavirus pandemic had hit us really fully and badly. So the 3.1 per cent -- given the fact that by February we had started having some kind of impact of the pandemic -- therefore gives me the feeling that revival was happening. But unfortunately, God's hand... [hit us]."

India's economic growth slowed to an 11-year low of 4.2 per cent for the full fiscal 2019-20 amid a drop in consumption and investment.

During 2019-20, the Indian economy grew at 4.2 per cent as against 6.1 per cent in 2018-19. The economic growth was the lowest since 2008-09 when the economy had expanded at 3.1 per cent.

India has so far reported 1,65,000 coronavirus cases, with 4,706 deaths. The government imposed a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus from March 25, 2020.

Economists expect the fiscal year that began in April will see the worst economic contraction in four decades, and say the economy could contract up to 5 per cent.

But Sitharaman would not like to make any estimates.

India's economic growth slowed to an 11-year low of 4.2 per cent for the full fiscal 2019-20 amid a drop in consumption and investment.

During 2019-20, the Indian economy grew at 4.2 per cent as against 6.1 per cent in 2018-19. The economic growth was the lowest since 2008-09 when the economy had expanded at 3.1 per cent.

India has so far reported 1,65,000 coronavirus cases, with 4,706 deaths. The government imposed a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus from March 25, 2020.

Economists expect the fiscal year that began in April will see the worst economic contraction in four decades, and say the economy could contract up to 5 per cent.

A Reuters poll of economists had forecast a growth rate of 2.1 per cent for the March quarter, compared with a downwardly revised 4.1 per cent rise in the October-December period in 2019.

Sitharaman also spoke about the gradual withdrawal of the coronavirus lockdown, and the importance of striking a balance of economic growth with the health and lives of the people.

Also, on Friday, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation cut its growth estimate for the fiscal year that ended on March 31 to 4.2 per cent -- the lowest in at least eight years under the current series -- from a previously projected 5 per cent.

The government has maintained the lockdown ordered in late March though many restrictions were eased for manufacturing, transport and other services from May 18.

India's infrastructure output contracted 38.1 per cent in April from a year earlier, data released on Friday showed.

Infrastructure output, which comprises eight sectors including coal, crude oil and electricity, accounts for nearly 40 per cent of the country's industrial output.

The lockdown's full impact on manufacturing and services will become more apparent in the June quarter. Goldman Sachs has predicted a 45 per cent contraction from a year ago.
Varanasi : , May 29 (IANS) Five teenaged boys drowned in the Ganga river here while taking a bath on Friday morning.

Initial reports said that the boys were making a TikTok video when one of them slipped into the water while the others drowned while trying to save him.

However, PRO Sanjay Tripathi in the SSP office denied this and said that they had waded into deep waters and drowned.

Divers were pressed into service to rescue the boys, whose bodies were later retrieved.

The bodies were taken to the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in Ram Nagar where the doctors declared all the five as brought dead.

The deceased have been identified as Tausif, 19, Fardeen, 14, Saif ,15, Rizwan,15, and Saki, 14.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the incident. He has asked senior officials to provide relief to the family members of the deceased.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Al Orton, a veteran Associated Press journalist who spent much of his career on the overnight shift, mentoring dozens of reporters along the way, has died in Ohio. He was 84.

Orton, who used his full name of Alvin Orton Jr. in his byline, died Wednesday in Columbus of a heart attack after experiencing several health problems, said his son, Andrew Orton.

Orton worked for the AP from 1963 until he retired in 2006. His father, Alvin Orton Sr., also was an AP editor, joining the news co-operative in Chicago in 1936 and serving as a bureau chief in Indianapolis and Minneapolis before returning to Chicago and retiring in 1971.

When I asked him what he thought about my going to work for the AP, he said, Fine, but you wont work for me, Orton recalled in a remembrance of his father in 1987, the year he died. And I told him, Thats OK, because I wouldnt work for you, anyway. Thats the way we both wanted it.

One of Al Orton Jr.s first assignments was covering the 1963 execution by electric chair of a man whod killed a grocery store clerk. Orton was one of only two reporters at the former Ohio Penitentiary, and unbeknownst to him then, he witnessed the last use of the chair in the state.

As antiseptic as prison officials tried to make it, the execution process was rather primitive, Orton recalled in a 1999 first-person column as Ohio prepared to execute its first inmate in 36 years, by lethal injection. There was no viewing room separated by glass or any other accommodations for witnesses.

That same year, Orton was working the day after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated when word came of a fire in a nursing home between Toledo and Cleveland that killed 63 residents. Orton rankled New York editors by interrupting the wire services Kennedy coverage with updates to that story.

Orton preferred the overnight shift because it allowed him more time with his family, son Andrew Orton said. He usually saw his wife off to work in the morning and ran errands and relaxed until about noon when he slept for five hours and prepared for another shift.

Orton spent his retirement enjoying time with his wife, Loretta, who survives him, along with two sons and four daughters, 16 grandchildren and several-great children. A fifth daughter died several years ago of cancer.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that Orton was assigned to cover Ohios first execution in 36 years, not 33 years.
SPRINGFIELD  Families looking for fruits and vegetables may be able to score some at two Springfield schools from now until the end of June.

Sodexo, the food service provider for the Springfield Public Schools, will now be offering free produce boxes at the High School of Commerce and Chestnut Accelerated Middle School meal sites on Thursdays.

The fresh produce initiative is made possible through a partnership with the Springfield Food Policy Council and World Farmers and is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, school officials said.

The pre-packed boxes of fresh produce will be available on Thursdays for families picking up meals on a first come, first serve basis. The boxes will contain everything from lettuce, onions, potatoes, apples, Swiss chard or kale or collard greens, to parsley or cilantro.

Sodexo has been serving free meals to students since schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic on March 12. The program has served 866,336 meals so far.

Springfield Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick has called Sodexos and the districts efforts unprecedented, adding that no school meal program in the state has served as many meals during the crisis.

While the meals are primarily consumed by Springfield residents, the program was extended to families in surrounding communities.

The meals are grab-and-go and are available between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at 17 locations throughout the city including Boland, Bowles, Brookings, Chestnut Middle School, Commerce, Dorman, Glickman, Indian Orchard, Kensington, Liberty, Lincoln, Milton Bradley, Rebecca Johnson, Sumner, Talmadge, Warner and Washington schools.

No identification is required, and parents, guardians or grandparents may pick up meals for their Springfield students.

Related Content:
Last week one of KMLs volunteer treasures, Allan Priaulx, celebrated a special birthday. He turned 80 and his daughters, Sharmon and Beth, along with his best friend, Peter, honored him by presenting a years worth of childrens programming for Kent Memorial Library, in his name.

Priaulx has spent many years giving his time and expertise to the Kent Memorial Library. Most recently, he has been known as one of the car guys who are in charge of choosing a car and running a successful annual raffle throughout the summer as a major fundraiser for the Library. He was the president of the Kent Library Association Board of Directors from 2001 - 2006. He has also been spotted power washing the Librarys exterior on a number of occasions, along with other thoughtful, caring chores for the Library.

I am simply overwhelmed by gratitude and love by this wonderful gift. When Sharmon and Beth were very little girls and we were just weekenders, it was always an adventure for them to climb the very precarious flight of stairs to get to what was then the children's library. Such fun, and it is terrific that now their gift helps continue serving the kids of Kent. Peter is the Godfather of Sharmon and Beth and has been in their lives since their infancy. He is, indeed, a best friend forever, Priaulx said in a statement.

To honor a family member or friend, for any reason, birthday, graduation, in memory, new arrival, or any reason at all, the library will put your gift to very good use. Go to kentmemoriallibrary.org and click on tribute gift.

Website has lots of information

A new website has been established to help the community find local business and services that are still open, and notify them of re opens and operating limits. Visit https://www.litchfieldcounty.org

Its founders are reaching out to businesses in Litchfield County to stay up to date with hours, operating limits, and will add re openings to our calendar and listing section.

Everything is completely free and businesses can add their pictures, menus, and updated information to keep the public informed.

School honors employees, helps students

WASHINGTON  The Glenholme School is honoring its essential employees through weekly Thanks for Being Awesome celebrations.

The celebrations are held on campus every Friday at 6:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to ensure front-line staff on all shifts are recognized.

During the inaugural celebration on May 1, team members, wearing face masks and practicing social distancing, served coffee and donuts to their colleagues in the morning, and held a food fest featuring a variety of tasty treats in the afternoon.

We wanted to show our front-line staff - who are absolutely awesome how much we value and appreciate their hard work and dedication during this challenging time, said Glenholme School People Operations Manager Jackie Ross. Each week, we do something different to honor, and engage with, our team members. Weve served meals and distributed homemade goodie bags filled with candy, pretzels and a T-shirt. Our employees love connecting with colleagues they havent seen in a while, and we plan to keep the celebrations going all year long.

The Glenholme School also hosts The Lunch Bunch, a Zoom get-together, every day at lunch time for the students to socialize. Normally, the 80 students can socialize in their cottages, at school, during activities and at meals. The Glenholme School provides education, therapeutic supports and social experiences to help students interact with other students in a more comfortable, normalized way. The students may have learning challenges, high functioning autism, depression, anxiety and other social, emotional and academic differences. When the pandemic began, some students chose to return home and some stayed on campus. Classroom teaching is virtual and social interactions have changed. To compensate, students convene over Zoom with daily topics of interest, designed to spark thought and conversation. Dean of Students Michael Cipriani comes up with concepts and leads the lively discussions.

Dog license renewals due in June

BARKHAMSTED  Holly Krouse, Barkhamsted Town Clerk, reminds all dog owners that per CT State Statute 22-338, all dogs aged 6 months and older must be licensed each year during the month of June. The spaying/neutering certificate and an updated rabies certificate may be necessary. Rabies dates must be valid through July of each year to be considered valid. The fees ae $8 for spayed/neutered dogs and $19 for intact dogs. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year, consider renewing by mail. Send a check made out to Barkhamsted Town Clerk along with any necessary paperwork to 67 Ripley Hill Road, Barkhamsted, CT 06063, and include a self-addressed, postage paid envelope for return of the license, tag, and paperwork. Renewal paperwork can also be left in the the locked black mailbox located outside the lower level side door of Town Hall; be sure it is in an envelope. Office hours are still Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-noon. Customers will be restricted to visit one at a time, along with other rules, so wait times may be longer.

For information on fees and whats required, call 860-379-8665 or email hkrouse@barkhamsted.us .
Coleg Cambria student balancing key worker role with college studies during coronavirus pandemic

This article is old - Published: Friday, May 29th, 2020

A teenage student is balancing college assignments with her role as a key worker during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Cerys Harris wakes at 4am every day before beginning a 5am shift as a home delivery picker at Morrisons supermarket in Rhyl.

The 17 year-old is on the shop floor until 12.30pm, before returning to the home she shares in the town with mum Rhian, her sister and grandparents.

Currently studying AS Levels in History, Law and English Language at Coleg Cambria, Cerys is on track to attain high grades and is progressing well, embracing remote learning while keeping in touch with classmates.

She even secured a work placement with London-based law firm LedLet this summer, that now looks set to take place via phone calls and video conferencing.

Everything was going great, I had just been for an interview at Morrisons for a job I could do at weekends and during the summer and was looking forward to the year ahead, said the former Rhyl High School pupil.

Like everyone else, its been a challenging time but my colleagues at Morrisons have been amazing and the tutors at Deeside Sixth Form Centre are very supportive, getting in touch every day to see how we are and sending us work to do.

I am in contact with friends, but it is difficult not seeing everybody, especially as a lot of them live locally and travel to the college with me every day.

Cerys is working 35 hours a week at Morrisons and says the environment has improved, with more people getting to grips with rules around social distancing.

At first it was challenging, a lot of them were not keeping their distance, there were issues over stock running low or running out because of panic buying nationally, she said.

I think weve all adapted, and a lot of that is down to the staff here, weve all stuck together and its such a great team.

Cerys added: Im at the supermarket early in the morning so when I do finish in the afternoon I am still in a work mindset and go straight to my coursework and revision.

Its a lot to take on but I think its helped me physically and mentally because the time has gone quicker, I havent had time to dwell on whats happening, we just try and get the job done as safely as possible.

I count myself lucky to have this job and really enjoy it, especially as we helping to get stock out to people during what is a really tough time for them, and for all of us.

Miriam Riddell, Head of Deeside Sixth Form Centre, praised Cerys for her positive attitude, adding: The way she has managed to complete her college work while being out there on the frontline helping to ensure people self-isolating are able to get their shopping safely, is admirable  we are very proud of her, shes an inspiration.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29)  The Philippine National Police said Friday it is assessing the possible reopening of its detention facility to visitors amid the easing of quarantine measures in Metro Manila.

PNP Chief General Archie Gamboa, however, noted that the Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City is in close proximity to the quarantine center for infected police personnel, and to its COVID-19 testing laboratory.

"We need to reassess whether to open up yung visitors sa Custodial Center," Gamboa said in an online media briefing.

He was reacting to minority senators' protest against Senator Leila de Lima's "solitary confinement" in the Custodial Center, where she has been detained since 2017 on what she calls trumped up drug charges.

"Sinagot na natin itong sulat (We already responded to the letter) but basically inaallow naman natin yung kanyang correspondence, we also allow her to make the phone calls," Gamboa said.

He was referring to the letter sent by Senators Franklin Drilon, Kiko Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros who said De Limas alleged incommunicado detention is illegal and unconstitutional.

Gamboa stressed they are following the same protocols set by the Bureau of Corrections and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported in several jails and prison facilities across the country. Human rights groups have called them "ticking time bombs" for infection because of their crowded state.

The country now has more than 15,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, majority of which were recorded in Metro Manila. The capital region is transitioning to a more relaxed general community quarantine starting June 1 as officials cite the need to open the economy.
Most of the shareholders of Total SA voted on Friday against a resolution put forward by a group of investors demanding the French oil and gas supermajor amend its by-laws to do more under the Paris Agreement goals.

Totals shareholders approved all resolutions put forward by the companys board of directors, while a vast majority, or 83.2 percent, of shareholders rejected a resolution that was proposed by a group of shareholders and that the Board of Directors recommended not to approve, Total said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Total became the latest European oil major  after BP, Eni, and Shell  to announce a new climate ambition to get to net zero emissions by 2050. Under Totals plan, the French company committed to become a Net Zero Emission Company for all its European businesses by 2050.

We are determined to advance the energy transition while also growing shareholder value. Today, we are announcing our new Climate Ambition to get to Net Zero by 2050 - together with society. The Board believes that Totals global roadmap, strategy and actions set out a path that is consistent with goals of the Paris agreement, chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanne said in early May.

In recent years, oil and gas majors have been under intense pressure from investors to do more to mitigate climate change and provide greater transparency in their climate-risk and lobbying reporting.

This week, climate-related resolutions were put to the vote at the shareholders meetings of the two U.S. supermajors, Exxon and Chevron, too.

Exxons shareholders rejected proposals for a report on lobbying and a report on the risks of petrochemical investments.

A shareholder proposal at Chevron, urging it to report on climate lobbying aligned with Paris Agreement Goals, however, passed, as some 53 percent of the votes cast voted for the proposal to report on climate lobbying.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Syracuse, N.Y.  All eyes will be on Gov. Andrew Cuomo this morning as Central New York leaders wait to learn when they can enter the second phase of Cuomos four-phase restart plan.

Central New York leaders are looking for any sign that the region is cleared to open its offices, stores, barber shops and real estate services.

Were proceeding cautiously, said Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup, who is part of the CNY regional control group. We anticipate the governor will make some sort of announcement at this presser. Were all pretty solid on this one, so well see what the governor does. Its his move.

I still have high hopes, he added.

Cuomos office hasnt yet released his public schedule, but he typically hosts his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m.

Central New Yorks representatives have been measured and mostly quiet since state officials pumped the brakes on phase two. They were reluctant to encourage open defiance of Cuomo, unlike their counterparts in other regions.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said Thursday night he was waiting for guidance from the state. A spokesman for Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said the same.

Weatherup said Cuomos office reached out to local leaders around 6 a.m. today to share that newly released guidance for phase two businesses.

Cayuga County Chairwoman Aileen McNabb-Coleman tweeted early Friday that the state was working on developing additional guidance for more phase two businesses. She also encouraged people to wait and see what the state would say.

I want the county to open up ASAP, but I cant protect business licenses, she wrote. Stay tuned!

County leaders in other parts of the state have been less patient. Many slammed Cuomo and vowed disobedience.

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, who sits on the Mohawk Valley regional control group, held a news conference last night in which he blasted Cuomo for moving the goalposts at the last minute.

The lack of communication from this governor ... to Upstate officials has been outrageous, Picente said Thursday night.

Picente said his law enforcement agencies wouldnt punish businesses that decided to open today.

Chemung County Executive Chris Moss, whos on the Southern Tier control group, said his region would open regardless of what the state decided, since they had met all the metrics established by the state.

If the governor wants to travel to Elmira, New York and tell us we cant open, I look forward to the meeting, Moss told WENY in Ithaca.

Until last night, regional officials were under the impression they could start phase two today, since Central New Yorks coronavirus numbers were all within the states established limits. Theyve been talking about Friday as the start of the next phase all week, with no definitive word from the state.

But in a call Thursday evening, state officials said no region was cleared to immediately start phase two, setting off a power struggle between local leaders and the governor.

In the call with state officials, many county leaders vented about Cuomos seemingly last-minute road blocks, Weatherup said. He described the call as polite, but filled with frustration.

Weatherup said, for now, hes not going to tell businesses what they can or cant do. But no matter what companies decide, they still need to practice safe social distancing and take precautions like wearing masks and washing hands, he said.

Id just tell them that every decision anyone makes has risks or rewards, he said.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

After a week of hype, phase two of NYs restart wont begin tomorrow

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Syracuse AD John Wildhack anticipating reduced Carrier Dome capacity during football season

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com
Floyd died Monday after being pinned with Chauvin's knee on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. In video captured by a bystander, Floyd can be heard saying he couldn't breathe, that he hurt all over. "Please, please," he said, before passing out.

His death has sparked violent protests in Minnesota and in cities across the country.

Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister said the incident had fractured not only the relationship between Minneapolis residents and their police department, "but potentially every police-community relationship in the country."

Bliemeister said he watched video of the Minneapolis police officers involved in the incident and witnessed tactics directly in contrast to the Lincoln Police Department's use-of-control training and policies.

"But more importantly, the actions of those officers violate our oath to protect, serve and uphold the dignity of all residents," the police chief said. "Our policies demand that our officers intervene when they witness another employee violating our procedures and values, including violations of our use-of-control tactics."
A Panama border police officer points as he begins to patrol in the Darien Province, on the border with Colombia, in Yaviza, Panama on Jun. 19, 2018. (Arnulfo Franco/AP Photo)

Regional Court Orders Panama to Protect Migrants Health

PANAMA CITYA regional human rights court has ordered Panamas government to immediately provide medical care and more sanitary conditions for some 2,000 migrants detained near the Colombian border.

Prior to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Panama had practiced what it called a controlled flow, which allowed migrants emerging from the dangerous Darien jungle to rest at camps before boarding buses and continuing their journey up through Central America.

Now, the border police are holding migrants in those same centers as COVID-19 infections build.

Panamas government and the International Organization for Migration, which aids Panama in the area, didnt immediately respond to requests for comment on May 28.

This week, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ordered the government to safeguard the welfare of the migrants held in Penitas and Lajas Blancas.

The migrants come from Haiti and Cuba, as well as African and Asian nations. About 80 infected with the virus were moved to Lajas Blancas, the second camp along the route. Dozens of others with symptoms or who had contact with the infected have been sent there as well.

The court said the Penitas shelter was still far beyond its capacity with nearly 1,700 people there including more than 400 children. It ordered immediate access to essential health services without discrimination to all of the people in the camps.

With more than 4,000 confirmed infections and at least 315 deaths, Panama has the highest reported figures in Central America.

The government of President Laurentino Cortizo has previously denied any mistreatment of the migrants and insisted that their detention since late March is only due to the pandemic.

Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Federico Alfaro Boyd noted earlier this week that Costa Rica and Nicaragua had closed their borders as well, making it impossible for the migrants to advance.

He said a strong effort was being made to provide the migrants with the medical care, as well as basics such as cots to sleep on and water.

The court has watched Panama closely since a 2002 case about human rights violations of an Ecuadorean migrant in Darien. The nongovernmental Center for Justice and International Law monitors Panamas compliance. The center says that migrants crossing the Darien face a policy of automatic and arbitrary detention and overcrowded conditions.

By Juan Zamorano
Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) announced that it has entered into a clinical trial collaboration agreement with a subsidiary of Merck Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, U.S.A., known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, to evaluate the combination of DS-1062, a TROP2 directed DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC), and KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in patients with previously-treated advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without actionable genomic alterations.

There are no TROP2 directed therapies and no ADCs currently approved for treatment of NSCLC, which frequently overexpresses the TROP2 protein.1

"Strategic research collaborations like this support our goal of developing our TROP2 directed DXd ADC in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors to improve upon the current standard of care therapies across a wide range of NSCLC subtypes," said Gilles Gallant, BPharm, PhD, FOPQ, Senior Vice President, Global Head, Oncology Development, Oncology R&D, Daiichi Sankyo. "We look forward to evaluating the safety and efficacy of DS-1062 in combination with KEYTRUDA as a potential combination therapy strategy to advance treatment outcomes for patients with metastatic NSCLC without mutations known to drive cancer growth."

About the Study

Under the terms of the agreement, Daiichi Sankyo will conduct a multicenter, two-part, open-label, non-randomized, phase 1b study of DS-1062 in combination with KEYTRUDA in patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC without actionable genomic alterations and previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy with or without immunotherapy. Patients need to have been previously treated with one regimen of a PD-1/PD-L1 directed immunotherapy, except if patients have a PD-L1 proportion score of <1%.

The first part of the study (dose escalation) will evaluate the safety and tolerability of increasing doses of DS-1062 with a fixed dose of KEYTRUDA to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and/or recommended dose for expansion (RDE). The second part of the study (dose expansion) will evaluate the safety and tolerability of DS-1062 at the RDE in combination with KEYTRUDA.

The primary endpoints of the study are safety and tolerability of the maximum tolerated dose/recommended expansion dose of DS-1062 in combination with KEYTRUDA. Secondary endpoints include objective response rate (ORR), duration of response, disease control rate, clinical benefit rate, progression-free survival, time to tumor response, best percentage change in sum of diameters of the tumor as assessed by investigator, overall survival, and pharmacokinetic and immunogenicity parameters. Patients with documented wild-type EFGR and ALK mutations, alterations in ROS1, NTRK, BRAF, or other known actionable mutations are not eligible for the study.

The study is expected to enroll approximately 60 patients in the U.S. and Japan. Additional details of the agreement were not disclosed.

KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp Dohme Corp, a subsidiary of Merck Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, U.S.A.

Unmet Need in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

Lung cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide; there were an estimated 2.1 million new cases of lung cancer diagnosed in 2018 and 1.8 million deaths.2

NSCLC accounts for approximately 80 to 85 percent of all lung cancers.3 The majority of patients diagnosed with advanced NSCLC have traditionally received platinum-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment; the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies in recent years has created new options.3 These newer types of agents may be recommended in first or subsequent lines of treatment based on genetic and biomolecular profiling of tumors.4 For patients whose cancer continues to progress on available regimens, new and novel therapeutics are needed.4

About TROP2

TROP2 (trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is overexpressed in many cancers; high TROP2 expression has been identified in a majority of NSCLCs.1 Overexpression of TROP2 is associated with decreased patient survival.5 TROP2 is recognized as a promising molecular target for therapeutic development.5 No TROP2 directed therapies are currently approved for treatment of NSCLC.

About DS-1062

DS-1062 is one of three lead DXd antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) in the oncology pipeline of Daiichi Sankyo. ADCs are targeted cancer medicines that deliver cytotoxic chemotherapy ("payload") to cancer cells via a linker attached to a monoclonal antibody that binds to a specific target expressed on cancer cells.

DS-1062 is comprised of a humanized anti-TROP2 monoclonal antibody attached to a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload by a tetrapeptide-based linker with a customized drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) of four to optimize the benefit-risk ratio for the intended patient population. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that DS-1062 selectively binds to the TROP2 receptor on the surface of a tumor cell. It is proposed that DS-1062 is then internalized into the cancer cell where lysosomal enzymes break down the tetrapeptide-based linker and release the DXd payload.

DS-1062 is an investigational agent that has not been approved for any indication in any country. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

About Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise

The mission of Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise is to leverage our world-class, innovative science and push beyond traditional thinking to create meaningful treatments for patients with cancer. We are dedicated to transforming science into value for patients, and this sense of obligation informs everything we do. Anchored by our DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC) technology, our powerful research engines include biologics, medicinal chemistry, modality and other research laboratories in Japan, and Plexxikon Inc., our small molecule structure-guided R&D center in Berkeley, CA. For more information, please visit: www.DSCancerEnterprise.com.

About Daiichi Sankyo

Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical therapies to improve standards of care and address diversified, unmet medical needs of people globally by leveraging our world-class science and technology. With more than 100 years of scientific expertise and a presence in more than 20 countries, Daiichi Sankyo and its 15,000 employees around the world draw upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of promising new medicines to help people. In addition to a strong portfolio of medicines for cardiovascular diseases, under the Group's 2025 Vision to become a "Global Pharma Innovator with Competitive Advantage in Oncology," Daiichi Sankyo is primarily focused on providing novel therapies in oncology, as well as other research areas centered around rare diseases and immune disorders. For more information, please visit: www.daiichisankyo.com.

References:

1 Inamura, K. et al. Oncotarget. 2017; 8(17):28725-28735.

2 Bray F. CA: Cancer J. Clin. 2018;68:394-424. Global Cancer Statistics 2018

3 Economopoulou P. et al. Ann Transl Med. 2018 Apr; 6(8): 138.

4 National Comprehensive Care Network. NCCN Guidelines Version 2.2020. NSCLC. pNSCL-18.

5 Zeng, P. et al. Nature Scientific Reports. 2016;6: e33658.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005050/en/

Contacts:

Global/US:

Jennifer Brennan

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.

jbrennan2@dsi.com

+1 908 992 6631 (office)

+1 201 709 9309 (mobile)

Japan:

Masashi Kawase

Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.

kawase.masashi.a2@daiichisankyo.co.jp

+81 3 6225 1126 (office)

Investor Relations Contact:

DaiichiSankyoIR@daiichisankyo.co.jp
Networking is still a critical part of job hunting, even if meetings take place online. (Olivier Douliery/AFP-Getty Images)

Walking into a room full of people you dont know to try and build up your contacts book is never easy. Even for the most confident person, it can be hard to know how to approach someone, how to strike up a conversation and how to make a good impression.

For people who struggle with anxiety in social events, though, networking can seem impossible.

Its tempting to skip networking events and conferences, but forming professional relationships can be really beneficial to career success. They allow us to share ideas, get access to job opportunities, get advice and support, gain different perspectives and build confidence too.

In 2014, researchers from the University of Toronto, Harvard University and Northwestern University studied 165 lawyers at a large North American law firm to find out whether networking benefitted their careers. The results found their success depended on their ability to network effectively both internally  to get themselves assigned to choice clients  and externally, in order to bring business into the firm.

Social anxiety is a common problem and its a good idea to see your GP if it is having a big impact on your life. But there are other ways you can make networking a little easier too, according to career experts - including doing it virtually.

According to the UK tech job board CWJobs, business networking is thriving under the current lockdown  with two fifths (40%) of UK office workers having attended a virtual networking event during isolation. The most popular platforms Brits are using to grow and expand their network of contacts include Zoom (38%), Skype (35%) and even WhatsApp (32%).

READ MORE: How COVID-19 will change the way we work in the long-run

Virtual networking can benefit those who struggle with anxiety when networking. The research has shown that more than half (59%) of us find online networking a more relaxed environment to socialise in, over the traditional face-to-face format which can feel quite forced and daunting for some, says Corinne Mills, managing director of Personal Career Management.

Story continues

More than half (54%) of the tech industry said they prefered virtual networking to traditional face-to-face meetings, the research found, with two thirds (66%) saying they believed virtual networking benefited introverted employees the most.

The use of video platforms can remove the social pressures like approaching and greeting new people or making small talk, Mills says. The logistical planning that goes into virtual networking events means that people are paired, and so it also removes the uncertainty of where to go and who to speak to. The data in the survey has reflected this and said that the video format has balanced the books for the more confident and for those that are more shy  or more anxious.

There are, of course, some downsides to networking virtually. Technical issues like sound problems and frozen screens can be frustrating - and it can still be nerve wracking to know you are being watched if you are video conferencing. So how can you make it a little easier?

Practice your introduction, Mills advises. One of the things that hasnt changed for online networking is the need to introduce yourself clearly and confidently so that your audience is left with a positive impression of who you are, what you do and that you are pretty good and enthusiastic about doing it.

It can also help to prepare yourself beforehand and know what you are looking for. Think about what you will say when people ask what you do and what you like about your job, for example.

It can be difficult to maintain eye contact if you struggle with anxiety, but its important to look engaged. Position the camera at eye level, which is more flattering and gives the illusion of more direct eye contact rather than talking side-eye to people, Mills says.

READ MORE: How to network when you have social anxiety

Remember that first impressions still count. Make sure that there is nothing that people will see which could undercut that impression, she adds. If you dont want to share too much of your domestic interior, then use a neutral bare wall as your background or try the video blurring function.

Make sure you secure contact details or social media channels of the person youre networking with, if they are willing to share them, so you can keep in touch in the future.

Sometimes, even when youve prepared for a virtual networking event, panic can still take over. Rather than try to fight it, step away from your computer for a few minutes to get some fresh air and headspace. Deep breathing can help reduce feelings of anxiety.
Smith said if elected he would pursue a satellite office in northern Lake County in either Gary, Hammond or East Chicago. He would also like to implement one-time computer access for families who need to get an autopsy report instead of requiring them to come in the office. Death certificates must still be obtained from the health department or funeral home.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 14:55:42|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

YANGON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A police outpost in Myanmar's Rakhine state was attacked by Arakan Army (AA) group, leaving 10 police personnel and three family members missing early Friday, an official from the Military True News Information Team told Xinhua.

"All of the missing ones can't be seized by the group. Some may be killed in the attack and some may be taken away by them," said Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, secretary of the team, adding that more reinforcement troops have been sent to the scene.

The police outpost in Rathedaung township was attacked by about 100 AA group members with small and heavy weapons at around 2:00 a.m. local time.

According to the Military True News Information Team, the AA group launched a number of armed attacks at four police outposts and a police station in Buthidaung township, one in Ponnagyun township and one military headquarters in Mrauk-U township, killing 25 police personnel and injuring 16 people while some police personnel and family members were seized by the group last year. Enditem
Revelation of the Time: a stirring read across pages of poetry that speak about a variety of subjects that are deemed important to ones own faith and perspective of the world. Revelation of the Time is the creation of published author Jackie Moody, a devout Christian. She is a dedicated wife and mother to her family. For over four decades, God has given her the words to many poems of varied subjects that she has used on many occasions at churches and at many programs that have encouraged and inspired the hearts of many.

Moody shares, The Bible declares in Ecclesiastes 3:1, To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heavens.

The book Revelation of Times reveals Gods perspective of many of those times and seasons as he uses his servant Jackie Moody to express them in poetry as he inspires her and gives her the words to write in each and every poem. The poems express clearly and beautifully many seasons that we all have experienced or will experience at some time in our life.

The poetry in this book covers a vast amount of subjects, such as eternal judgement, attributes of God, love, as well as special holidays, such as Mothers Day, Fathers Day and many others.

Revelation of Times is a book that is very unique in nature. As you begin to read this book, there will be no doubt in your mind that each and every poem flows from the very heart of God. It is the prayer of the author that every person that reads this book will find the hope, the comfort, and the answers that they need to increase their knowledge of God and to enhance the quality of their life.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Jackie Moodys new book is a truly well-written creation that captures the beauty of living in praise and worship. May the readers who journey in these pages find the hope and the comfort they need in life.

View a synopsis of Revelation of the Time on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Revelation of the Time at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Revelation of the Time, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Raipur, May 29 : Chhattisgarh's first Chief Minister Ajit Jogi succumbed to cardiac arrest in a hospital here on Friday, doctors said. He was 74.

Jogi suffered cardiac arrest round 1.30 p.m. and doctors battled for over two hours to revive him, but were unsuccessful and he breathed his last around 3.30 p.m., said a medical bulletin from the Shree Narayana Hospital here.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Gov. Charlie Baker has discussed the death of George Floyd with leaders across the state and encouraged them to provide protestors with the ability to demonstrate if groups gather in Massachusetts.

If people choose to protest, we need to make sure they have the ability to do that, Baker said. We hope people protest peacefully but honestly, a moment like that, an event like that, I cant imagine why people wouldnt want to get out on the streets and make a point about it.

Baker made the comments on Friday after he was asked if he had reached out to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, which he hadnt yet done.

Protests in Minneapolis grew violent after a video on Monday showed police officer Derek Chauvin with his knee on Floyds neck as Floyd gasps for breath on the ground with his face against the pavement. The officer does not move for at least eight minutes, even after Floyd stops speaking and moving.

Chauvin was arrested on Friday and charged with murder in connection with Floyds death.

I don't know how anyone could watch that video and not be just outraged by it, Baker said. I know I was. I say that as somebody who knows a lot of folks in law enforcement and I believe in the important and critical role that law enforcement plays in keeping people safe.

Chauvin has worked with Minneapolis police for 19 years, according to CBSN. Authorities did not immediately say what his charges were.

CNN reported that Chauvin had 18 complaints filed against him with the Minneapolis Police Department prior to Floyds death on May 25.

During his press conference on Friday, Baker highlighted the George L. Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery, the highest medal of honor law enforcement can receive in Massachusetts.

Baker said many of those honored with the awards receive them because they deescalated situations to protect others.

More than half the people that receive them is because of some situation they were in where they deescalated, they avoided trouble, Baker said. They were in a tough, difficult, tense environment, and they used their training to do the things they needed to do to deescalate the situation so that nobody got hurt.

In Minneapolis, Chauvin was one of four officers that were fired as a result of Floyds death.

In Massachusetts, protests have taken place across the state. A pair of protests occurred in Boston on Thursday with another in Framingham.

On Friday, protests were expected outside the Springfield Police Department.

Related Content:
Mumbai, May 29 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a fine of Rs 4 crore on Citibank for non-compliance of regulations.

In a statement issued on Friday, the RBI said the penalty has been imposed on Citibank N.A. for violation of banking regulations related to customer credentials.

According to the central bank, Citibank had not complied with the directions issued by the RBI on obtaining declaration from customers about credit facilities enjoyed with other banks, granting non-fund based facilities to non-constituent borrowers, verifying data available in CRILC database and obtaining no-objection certificate (NOC) from lending banks at the time of opening current accounts, and submission of compliance to risk assessment findings.

"This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Section 46 (4) (i) of the Act, taking into account the failure of the bank to adhere to the aforesaid provision of the Act and the directions issued by RBI. This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers," the RBI said.

The RBI said that the statutory inspection of the Indian operations of the bank with reference to its financial positions as on March 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018 and the Risk Assessment Reports (RARs) pertaining thereto revealed, inter-alia, contravention with the provisions of the Act and non-compliance with the concerned directions of the central bank.

In furtherance to the same, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show-cause as to why penalty should not be imposed for contravention of the provisions of the Act and failure to comply with the directions issued by the RBI.

"After considering the bank's reply to the notice, oral submissions made during the personal hearing and examination of additional submissions, the RBI concluded that the aforesaid charges of contravention with the provisions of the Act and non-compliance with RBI directions warranted imposition of monetary penalty," it said.

Further, the apex bank has also imposed penalty on three co-operative banks -- Nagar Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd., Ahmednagar, TJSB Sahakari Bank Limited and Bharat Co-operative Bank (Mumbai) for non-compliance with various directions issued by it.

It has imposed a fine of Rs 60 lakh on Bharat Co-operative Bank for non-compliance with the norms on income recognition, asset classification and reporting of frauds.

Similarly, fines of Rs 40 lakh and Rs 45 lakh have been imposed on Nagar Urban Co-operative Bank and TJSB Sahakari Bank, respectively.
Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi has declared support for the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Akinwumi Adesina.

Obi urged Africa and state governments to rally round and support Adesina to avoid consequences

The former governor made the plea amidst demand for Adesinas probe for corruption.

Also Read: Peter Obi Backs Buharis Order For Importation Of Madagascar COVID-19 Remedy

Advertisement

The United States Department of Treasury had called for an independent corruption probe of Adesina after he was cleared by the banks ethics committee.

Reacting to this development, he wrote:

For a people in search of leadership that will inspire a continent-wide transformation, Africa and its state governments need to rally round and celebrate opportunities such as been presented by Dr @akin_adesinas presidency of the AfDB.

We will have ourselves to blame if we miss this opportunity. Adesina deserves ALL of our support.-PO
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd is quoting at Rs 196, up 5.46% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 38.3% in last one year as compared to a 20.6% fall in NIFTY and a 21.77% fall in the Nifty Energy index.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd rose for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 196, up 5.46% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is down around 0.05% on the day, quoting at 9485.55. The Sensex is at 32082.66, down 0.37%. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd has dropped around 11.03% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Energy index of which Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd is a constituent, has dropped around 1.73% in last one month and is currently quoting at 12845, up 0.64% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 52.67 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 69.88 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark June futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 194.45, up 4.97% on the day. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd is down 38.3% in last one year as compared to a 20.6% fall in NIFTY and a 21.77% fall in the Nifty Energy index.

The PE of the stock is 5.08 based on TTM earnings ending December 19.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Agartala, May 29 : New waterways between Tripura and Bangladesh would start within three months and it would boost trade and numerous economic activities, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said on Friday.

Deb said that a temporary jetty would be built at Sonamura in western Tripura within three months before starting the new waterways through Gomati river between Tripura and Bangladesh. "After operating the small vessels to carry various goods during the monsoon season, dredging for operating big vessels and ships would start in the Gomati river during the winter season," Deb told the media during his day-long visit to the bordering sub-division Sonamura.

An official of Tripura's Transport Department said that to operate vessels smoothly between Tripura and Bangladesh, 18 km waterways (15 km in Bangladesh territories and 3 km in Tripura territories) in the Gomati river would require dredging.

The Gomati river, one of the eight rivers of Tripura flows to Bangladesh, linked with Meghna, one of the major rivers in the neighbouring country. The Chief Minister's announcement came a week after India and Bangladesh have added five more "ports of call" on either side and increased the protocol (water) routes from 8 to 10.

The Second Addendum to the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade was signed in Dhaka on May 20 by Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das and Bangladesh Shipping Ministry Secretary Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury.

In the Second Addendum, Sonamura (Tripura)-Daudkhandi (Bangladesh) stretch (93 km) of the Gomti river was included as IBP route number 9 and 10 in the protocol and it would improve connectivity of Tripura and adjoining northeastern states of India with Bangladesh's economic centres and would help the hinterland of both the countries.

There are six "ports of call" each in India and Bangladesh. In the new agreement five more "ports of call" on the Indian side -- Dhulian, Maia, Kolaghat, Sonamura and Jogigopha and equal number on the Bangladesh side -- Rajshahi, Sultanganj, Chilmari, Daudkandi and Bahadurabad - have been included.

Two more extended 'ports of call' -- Tribeli (Bandel) and Badarpur in India and Ghorasal and Muktarpur in Bangladesh -- have been added.

An official release issued by the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh said that to boost trade, economic activity and connectivity, India and Bangladesh have extended the water connectivities and waterways between the two neighbours.
Pandemic isolation has compounded mental health challenges for many young people  while simultaneously bringing some surprising new benefits, an about-to-be-released study has found.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health study, currently under peer review, shows an overall deterioration of mental health among young people with growing concerns about depression and anxiety. But the impacts of sudden self-isolation are nuanced, with many respondents reporting reduced substance abuse and deeper connections with family.

Its part of an emerging portrait of mixed youth mental health reactions to a global pandemic.

The CAMH survey, conducted from April 10 to 24, asked people aged 14 to 27 to answer questions about their mental health. They reported statistically significant deterioration of mental health from pre-pandemic times to the point of data collection, the study reads.

Of the 622 respondents, about half had previously sought mental health services while the other half had not. Mental health declines were evident in both groups overall, but pandemic stressors were more impactful on those with pre-existing mental health challenges, the study found.

More than two-thirds of respondents who previously sought mental health support  68 per cent  and 40 per cent of those who had not previously sought support were experiencing problems consistent with depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges, the study reports.

They are doing worse because they started off with difficulties, said senior study lead Dr. Joanna Henderson, a clinician scientist and director of the Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health at CAMH.

Those who havent been experiencing mental health difficulties are experiencing them now and that means were going to be having new people coming to our doors.

Overall, 18 per cent of respondents said they thought about suicide in the previous month before completing the survey (during the early stages of the pandemic).

But there was a clear split among the two groups of respondents. Thirty per cent of those who had previously sought mental health care referenced suicide versus eight per cent of those who had not previously sought help.

Population level data from Statistics Canada suggest six per cent of Canadians aged 15 to 24 had thoughts of suicide in the past year.

I am concerned about the number of young people across both groups experiencing thoughts of suicide and it signals to us we must find ways as a system to offer ongoing services that meet the needs of these youth, Henderson said.

Among the added concerns triggered by COVID-19 isolation are disruptions in education and career plans, economic concerns triggered by loss of employment and worries about the virus infecting themselves or loved ones.

Like many of the youth in this survey, Ive seen a huge impact on my education and the way its being delivered and what was expected versus what Im getting, said Em Hayes, who is currently enrolled in a Masters of education program at the University of Toronto and works part-time as a youth facilitator at CAMH.

The amount of digital fatigue is a thing when school is delivered online so intensely. I, and my classmates, have been overwhelmed.

At a time when mental health services are most needed, half of respondents with pre-existing mental health challenges said their access to mental health care  ranging from therapy to someone to talk to  has been disrupted.

But theres ambivalence in the message respondents conveyed.

When asked about positive changes resulting from COVID, nearly half with previous mental health challenges and 40 per cent of those without treatment history identified pandemic lifestyle benefits, including improved self-reflection and self-care, the study found.

Examples listed by respondents included more time with family, less stress from work and school, and more engagement in activities  such as hobbies, and rest and relaxation  that assist with mental health.

Even people who are experiencing significant mental health problems can feel a bit improved because the pressure may be off of them in these important domains, said Henderson.

Substance use also declined during the pandemic, the survey found.

Many have moved back into the family home, so the opportunities (for substance abuse) may be fewer, said Henderson. If youre under the legal age limit, your access to alcohol or cannabis and other substances may be diminished.

Mardi Daley, 26, said the deep breath brought on by the pandemic revealed to her just how stressed young people are during normal times.

As a young person in Toronto who lives alone, it made me realize how much it takes to keep a roof over my head, work every day and stay on task because in this market you cant slip, said Daley, who has several part-time jobs including as a youth facilitator at CAMH.

My stress level has taken a dramatic decrease.

She points to social media-induced pressures as a key generational stressor.

Its a constant bombardment of advertising, messages and having to keep up with everything socially, educationally and with familyA lot of people are making money off of our stress. Its markedly different from previous generations.

Another recent Canadian survey  The Social Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadian Youth  detected a similar mixed emotional response to outbreak-induced isolation.

The survey, released earlier this week and conducted by the Association for Canadian Studies in partnership with Experiences Canada and the Vanier Institute of the Family, asked nearly 1,200 young people aged 12 to 17 about their pandemic state of mind.

While 72 per cent of girls reported feeling sad often or sometimes since the outbreak, the figure for boys was 55 per cent. The older group of respondents  aged 15 to 17  also showed higher levels of outbreak-related sadness with 72 per cent reporting sadness often or sometimes versus 59 per cent of those aged 12 to 14.

At the same time, a large majority of respondents reported feelings of happiness often or sometimes since the outbreak began  89 per cent for 12- to 14-year-olds and 84 per cent for 15- to 17-year-olds.

Kids are having high levels of anxiety, theres a lot of uncertainty about the future and for the first time ever, theyve been asked to stay home and figure out online learning, said Ashley Manuel, managing director of the non-profit research organization Association for Canadian Studies.

But its also interesting to see that kids are having more meaningful conversations at home with their family. It is a strange time when theyve been asked to stay at home but they are also connecting with their parents, and the dynamic in the home and family is very important, too.

Eric Windeler, who in 2010 founded the national youth mental health charity Jack.org with his wife Sandra Hanington following the suicide of their son Jack, has been tracking the mix of youth responses to the pandemic.

Those who are best prepared to cope will manage okay and possibly even well. But were getting a lot of anecdotal feedback that those who are struggling already will be even more impacted, especially, in terms of education and opportunities, he said.

We were already facing a mental health crisis with over 20 per cent of youth deaths being via suicide. Then comes COVID-19 and the increased mental health challenges for many, especially for those who were already struggling.

Statistics Canada has also been tracking the issue in its surveys.

In April, the agency reported the percentage of Canadians aged 15 and over reporting excellent or very good mental health had fallen during the COVID-19 outbreak  to 54 per cent from 68 per cent in 2018.

And the mental health decline between 2018 and 2020 was particularly striking among those aged 15 to 24. Forty-two per cent reported excellent or very good mental health during the pandemic compared to 62 per cent in 2018.

A separate Statistics Canada survey released May 15 found 87 per cent of youth aged 15 to 30 are very or extremely concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on the health of vulnerable people and about 21 per cent are very or extremely concerned about their own health.

The CAMH study recommends a number of supports to address youth mental health during the crisis including better access to online or phone counselling for youth, financial support aimed at young people and high-quality, positively framed information online.

Swiftly growing mental health demands have inspired new approaches in many places.

The outbreak triggered an immediate pivot to virtual counselling services at a national network of youth mental health centres called ACCESS Open Minds (AOM), which serves urban, rural and Indigenous communities from Nova Scotia to the Northwest Territories.

I am grateful that they offered (telephone) services during this time, wrote a 24-year-old client at the networks Eskasoni First Nation centre in Cape Breton. It relieves a lot of the stress and worry because you know you have someone 24/7.

Beginning early on in the pandemic, young clients were reporting worries about meeting basic needs such as income, stable housing, isolation, caring for younger siblings and the new demands of online course loads and exams, according to an AOM summary report on pandemic response provided to the Star.

At the same time, however, some communities reported the pandemic has brought families together.

Perhaps a silver lining of the pandemic is that it brought mental health services into the 21st century and created innovation at lightning speed, the report reads. The networks sites report that some young people, who were reluctant earlier to seek services due to anxiety, seem to be more comfortable sharing concerns and attending groups over the phone or online.
(Natural News) Global e-commerce giant Amazon is once again under fire after sending out a media package containing a pre-edited news story and script for anchors to read on air. The package trumpeted Amazons efforts to allegedly keep its warehouse employees safe from the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) to several news stations in the United States.

The media package, which also included pre-recorded footage of Amazons fulfillment centers and interviews with its workers, was broadcast by 11 stations, according to a report by Courier Newsroom.

The segments, prepared and hosted by company spokesperson Todd Walker, were meant to give media outlets a first look at how the company is keeping its associates, or warehouse employees, healthy and safe, while still able to keep packages flowing, despite being in the middle of a global pandemic.

In a statement obtained by The Verge, Amazon claimed that the package was designed to aid news outlets that cannot shoot on location during the pandemic.

Stations apologize for airing segments

Among the 11 news stations that aired the segments, only ABC affiliate WTVG in Toledo, Ohio, explained Walkers actual connection to Amazon.

Two of the stations that broadcast the segments have since aired their apologies.

It was an oversight on our part that we didnt check all the bells and whistles, and it wont happen again, Wesley Armstead, news director at WVVA in Bluefield, West Virginia, said.

Meanwhile, Holly Steuart, general manager of WTVM in Columbus, Georgia, said that a lack of experience in her stations newsroom was the reason Amazons segment aired.

It came in as an email. It was a failure of our internal news management system. We have a lot of young producers here on their first jobs, Steuart said in an email.

Other reporters have called out the company for sending the media package to their networks.

Just got an email from Amazons PR team with a pre-edited news story and script to run in our shows. They are selling this as giving our viewers an inside look at the companys response to COVID-19. No. Let us go inside a fulfillment centers with our own cameras pic.twitter.com/7mDk2xmf4O  Zach Rael (@KOCOZach) May 24, 2020

The segments were broadcast a day before Amazons annual shareholders meeting, where a group of investors was expected to urge Jeff Bezos to release more information regarding the actual effectiveness of the companys health and safety efforts, according to a report by CNBC.

Critics have since dismissed the testimonials in the segments, noting that they do not reflect the reality going on inside the warehouses owned and operated by the e-commerce giant.

Amazon still refuses to disclose coronavirus numbers among its employees

Amazon has faced severe backlash over the past few months due to what employees have pointed out to be inhumane working conditions, as well as the companys propensity to retaliate against workers speaking out against corporate abuse. (Related: Amazon workers FORCED to work amid rising coronavirus cases, decry workplace as living hell.)

More recently, the company has also been hit for its lack of transparency regarding the actual systems it has put in place to safeguard its workers, as well as its constant refusal to disclose the number of employees who have been infected with the virus, despite there being several requests for the company to do so.

Amazon previously declared that it would stand by its decision to not disclose information regarding employee infections and deaths, noting that the company does not think of that number as particularly useful.

As reported by CBS in its 60 Minutes program, Indiana-based Amazon warehouse employee Jana Jumpp has started a system that counts and tracks the number of infected Amazon employees across the United States.

I can tell you right now, and the number is higher than this, but we have at least 600 [cases], Jumpp said during her 60 Minutes interview, which aired May 10.

Amazon, which currently has over 400,000 employees, has since opened 75,000 slots for new workers in order to meet increased demand during the coronavirus pandemic.

As of reporting time, eight Amazon warehouse workers have died of COVID-19, that we know of.

Sources include:

CourierNewsroom.com

BusinessInsider.com

TheVerge.com

NBCNews.com

Twitter.com

CNBC.com 1

CNBC.com 2

CBSNews.com

FT.com

USAToday.com
Syracuse, N.Y. -- After a week of hype, it appears Upstate New York wont be eligible to start phase two of the states four-phase restart plan tomorrow, as promised by many local leaders.

The reversal comes just hours after Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon insisted the region was headed toward reopening.

But Gov. Andrew Cuomo complicated any hopes of a speedy move forward during a radio interview Thursday afternoon. He said phase two wouldnt begin at the end of phase one. Rather, international experts would analyze the states data and determine whether it was safe to move ahead.

After a call with regional leaders Thursday night, it became clear Cuomo planned to sign an executive order extending phase one of the restart.

Anthony Picente, the Oneida County Executive, told the Utica Observer Dispatch after the call that the Mohawk Valley region wouldnt be moving into phase two.

Im not confused. Im outraged, Picente told the paper. There was plenty of time to at least give us some indication.

Cuomos position surprised and angered local leaders, who were operating under the assumption that hundreds more businesses would be able to reopen Friday. But Cuomo never gave explicit approval for any region to start phase two, which includes office jobs, retail and many private services like barbers and stylists.

In a meeting with regional control groups later in the evening Thursday, Cuomos aides told local leaders that no region would be eligible to start phase two until experts had reviewed the data from phase one.

According to North Country Public Radio, state officials told local leaders no region was authorized to begin phase two right now.

McMahon has said all week he hasnt gotten explicit approval to move into phase two. Hes said, however, that no one has told him he cant move into phase two.

But hes also been on daily calls with the regional control room -- a group appointed by Cuomo to guide regional decisions. At least one state official sits in on those meetings, which have been closed to the public. At no point, McMahon said, did any state official say the region wasnt cleared to start phase two on Friday.

That regional control group met at 7 p.m. Thursday with members of Cuomos staff. They were told that no region would start phase two tomorrow, according to multiple reports.

The Central New York group is meeting again later Thursday for clarification and guidance on phase two, according to a spokesman for McMahon.

McMahon hasnt yet addressed what was discussed on the regional control room call. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, another member of the group, said Thursday night they are still awaiting guidance from the state on the timing and requirements for phase two.

It seems, however, that no matter what the state says, businesses will begin opening tomorrow, since theyve spent the week being told they could.
(@FahadShabbir)

ALEPPO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th May, 2020) Syrian railroad workers have restored 90 percent of the track between the capital Damascus and the city of Aleppo which had been destroyed by militants during the country's conflict, and trains should resume within two months, Director-General of Syrian Railways Najib Al-Fares said.

"We have almost completed the repairs, roughly 90 percent of the route between the two capitals has already been restored. We will launch the first train in a month or two which will take people from Aleppo to Damascus or back in four hours," Al-Fares told reporters at a press conference.

The director-general stated that government troops discovered that the track had been destroyed, and the rails and sleepers removed, after liberating territory from militant groups in the region.

"We have very old rolling stock. However, our technicians are assembling electric trains and diesel locomotives from old parts. The most important problem is the engines and we are counting on the help of our Russian friends," Al-Fares remarked.

At present, a small section of track, 12.4 miles in length, is in operation between Aleppo and the settlement of Jibrin, Al-Fares continued. The director-general stated that two trains run during the day, one in the morning and one in the evening, to bring workers and students to Aleppo.

The train is fully sanitized after each journey, in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the director-general said.

According to Safan Kadur, an engineer at the repair depot, the restoration of Syria's rolling stock is well underway, and work is rapidly being done to get trains back on the rails.

In February, Syrian Transport Minister Ali Hammoud announced that flights could resume once again from Aleppo International Airport, after a successful government campaign to recapture land previously held by terrorist organizations. The airport had been shuttered since 2013 when the city fell into rebel hands.
Amanda Larson pulls up at a water station a few miles from her home in the Navajo Nation and her three children get to work filling up large bottles lying on the bed of her pickup truck. The 66 gallons will be used by her family for drinking, washing clothes and bathing -- before the next trip out in two or three days to repeat the back-breaking task. "It's embarrassing, it's degrading, it's heartbreaking for my kids because they can't jump into a shower like everybody else and just wash," the 35-year-old preschool teacher tells AFP after returning to her prefabricated home in Thoreau, which lies in the southeast corner of this sovereign territory, the United States' largest Native American reservation. "This is how we get ready for school, this is how my husband and I are getting ready for work, in these two totes," she says, pointing to large plastic containers placed inside the bathtub. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Washing your hands is easy, and it's one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs," advice it has relentlessly emphasized over the course of the coronavirus pandemic. That's just not possible for an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the Nation's 178,000 residents, who don't have access to running water or sanitation. This is seen as a major reason behind the surge in COVID-19 cases within the territory, with nearly 5,000 confirmed infections and 160 deaths -- one of the highest per capita fatality rates in the country. - Two million Americans without water - "Water is life," say the Navajo, who prefer to call themselves "Dine" and their land "Dinetah." These three words are spray painted on walls throughout a geographically diverse territory that stretches 27,400 square miles (about the size of Scotland) across Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, a land of arid deserts with striking sandstone formations that give way to high plateaus and alpine forests. It's a sentiment also reflected in place names: Sweetwater, Many Farms Lake, Willow Spring. But these names often no longer reflect reality. Rising temperatures and declining rainfall led to a decrease in the area's surface water by an estimated 98 percent over the 20th century, according to a report by water nonprofit DigDeep. Chronic neglect by the government is another aspect to this story, says George McGraw, who founded DigDeep in 2012 to help communities in Sub-Saharan Africa but who has since shifted his focus to America. Starting in the mid-19th century, the US began heavily investing in water and sanitation systems -- but an estimated two million of America's 330 million people remain unconnected to this day. "There are these gigantic swaths of the country, mostly black, brown, indigenous and rural, that were bypassed when it came to the major federal infrastructural investment that was made to service the rest of the country," he told AFP. Native Americans are the hardest hit group: 58 out of every 1,000 households lack complete plumbing, compared to three out of every 1,000 among whites. The Navajo signed a treaty with the US government in 1868, four years after they were forced from their homeland in a mass deportation called the Long Walk of the Navajo. In exchange for giving up their resistance to the colonizers, as well as vast tracts of land, they were promised basic necessities such as education and healthcare in perpetuity. A 1908 Supreme Court judgement emphasized that the creation of reservations also included an implicit right to water sufficient to fulfill the territories' purpose -- but left open the thorny question of how much that was, an ambiguity that has prevented enforcement. By contrast, southwestern states built hundreds of dams in the following decades, creating plentiful supply for their residents, often at the expense of Indian reservations. - Sugary drinks drive diabetes - Apart from the ability to wash your hands, a lack of water has several secondary effects, explained Dr Loretta Christensen, the chief medical officer for the area for the Indian Health Service (IHS). "The ability to shelter in place to self-isolate, quarantine, is dependent on having very rudimentary things available to you such as water, food and the products necessary to both disinfect your house and to wash your hands and have really good hygiene," she said. "So I think it has a huge impact on the general health of the population, but certainly in a time when you're fighting a very potent microbe I think it's even much more intensified." Water access also dovetails into another important public health challenge for the Navajo -- a high rate of diabetes, which has been shown to worsen the disease progression of the COVID-19 illness by supercharging an abnormal immune response that ravages the lungs. Sugary beverages are often more readily available than clean water, driving up Type-2 diabetes rates among Navajo to two to four times that among whites. Scarce water supplies also drive overcrowding, with multiple families forced to live in the same space to share a shower. - Uranium contaminated wells - Nikishia Anthony, 25, lives with her boyfriend and his family in White Clay, a green, wooded settlement in the center of the Nation, some 7,500 feet (2,300 meters) above sea level. The area is remote and accessible only by dirt paths that require four wheel drive vehicles. On a hot spring day, she receives a delivery organized by the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, one of several groups active in the area, which is also providing families hand washing stations that were first developed for use in Africa. She says she'll use the water to wash bottles and feed formula milk to her baby Xavier, born last week. During the region's harsh winter, Anthony's family uses snow to wash their clothes and dishes. Otherwise, they depend on windmill-pumped water from a well about a mile away. But it takes time to draw water from the ground, and ever since the pandemic wait times have grown longer as multiple families use them. While windmills dot the landscape, there are other good reasons to avoid them: many are polluted with microbes, or even radiation -- the result of contamination from some 521 abandoned uranium mines. They are still used to water livestock, however, and these will eventually be eaten. According to DigDeep's report, "Gastric cancer rates doubled in the 1990s in some areas where uranium mining occurred." - Waiting lists - While Anthony lives in a remote area, being close to a water line isn't always enough to guarantee a connection. Larson, the teacher, lives 250 yards (meters) from a main line and says she's been on a three-year waiting list with the IHS to get her home connected. Last year, DigDeep installed a 1,200 gallon tank under her home that gets refilled once a month and is used to provide water to the kitchen area. That, she said, has made a "big difference" because "I can just kind of get a normal breakfast boiling and normal dinner going." Still, between the water station fill-ups every three days and the monthly top up of her kitchen tank, the family consumes just 3,200 gallons (12,000 liters) of water, about a third what the average American family goes through. Water groups like DigDeep are carrying out experiments with atmospheric water extraction, as well as exploring methods to decontaminate ground water at lower costs -- but these technologies remain in their infancy. Given the tough terrain, the IHS places the current cost of outstanding sanitation projects on the Navajo reservation at $520 million. The Nation's President Jonathan Nez has vowed to use some of the $600 million the territory has so far received in coronavirus stimulus funding to address the problem. But the Nation would still need to reach final settlements with two of the three states it spans (Utah and Arizona) on how much water it can divert from the Colorado River, the San Juan River and their tributaries. Even so, Larson said she was hopeful, and was actively calling up the IHS and her local political representatives to try to push her case. "The main issue in the Navajo Nation is running water, and they need to address that right away," she said. Members of the Larson family who have no running water in their home, collect water from a distribution point in the Navajo Nation town of Thoreau Amanda Larson who has no running water at her home, carries water for her son Gary Jr. to have a bath in the COVID-19 affected Navajo Nation town of Thoreau "Water is life," say the Navajo, who prefer to call themselves "Dine" and their land "Dinetah" According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Washing your hands is easy, and it's one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs," advice it has relentlessly emphasized over the course of the coronavirus pandemic. That's just not possible for an estimated 30 to 40 percent of this sovereign territory's 178,000 residents, who don't have access to running water or sanitation. This is seen as a major reason behind the surge in COVID-19 cases in the United States' largest Native American reservation, with nearly 5,000 confirmed infections and 160 deaths at one of the highest per capita fatality rates in the country. Navajo Indians riding their horses, arrive to collect water and supplies from a distribution point, as the coronavirus spreads through the Navajo Nation A dog with an empty water bowl outside his home near the Navajo Nation town of Fort Defiance in Arizona Navajo Indians line up in their vehicles to collect water and supplies from a distribution point Nikishia Anthony, 25, lives with her boyfriend and his family in White Clay, a green, wooded settlement in the center of the Nation, some 7,500 feet (2,300 meters) above sea level Members of the Larson family who have no running water, sit outside their home in the Navajo Nation town of Thoreau According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Washing your hands is easy, and it's one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs," advice it has relentlessly emphasized over the course of the coronavirus pandemic. That's just not possible for an estimated 30 to 40 percent of this sovereign territory's 178,000 residents, who don't have access to running water or sanitation. This is seen as a major reason behind the surge in COVID-19 cases in the United States' largest Native American reservation, with nearly 5,000 confirmed infections and 160 deaths at one of the highest per capita fatality rates in the country.
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State on Friday swore-in caretaker chairmen for the 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tenure of elected chairmen in the councils elapsed on May 28.

The state House of Assembly had earlier confirmed the list of the caretaker chairmen nominees submitted by the governor.

The governor charged them to assist the government in defeating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Umahi, who also swore in other appointed political office holders at the occasion, reminded the chairmen that they were coming into office at a very terrible period of COVID-19 pandemic.

The virus infuses fear into people but God has given us a strong heart to overcome fear.

We will not allow anyone to use COVID- 19 to instill fear into us and the disease is still avoidable through observance of personal hygiene, adherence to all precautionary protocols and prayers of our religious leaders, he said.

The governor said in the coming months, the state would be working with the federal government on re-opening of schools and its economy.

We did not completely shut our economy but because we cannot operate in isolation, our economy cannot grow the way it is supposed to grow.

Presently, with the gradual opening of the economy in the country, we believe that we will reach the level we planned with or without COVID- 19.

COVID- 19 has brought lots of challenges and opportunities and we Africans should start thinking of how to develop our health institutions and agricultural potentials and technologies, he said.

He urged the incoming chairmen to realise where their predecessors made mistakes and their areas of strongholds, all in the effort to keep to their oaths of office.

Whatever you are doing presently, realise that you are before the social media, the public and that you must account for every fund that enters your councils coffers.

Your enemies will not be my enemies, make friends as you will meet challenges where people expect you to make magic and manufacture money, he said.

Read also:

Mr Umahi thanked the out-gone chairmen for their efforts in developing the state, noting that the average of two kilometre of concrete roads they constructed in their councils would be indelible.

These roads cost 200 Million each and when you pass through them on your way home, you will be revived, happier and beat your chest for doing well, he said.

The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Cletus Ofoke, said the caretaker chairmen came into being due to the inability of the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) to conduct council polls in the state.

This is due to the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the globe and most importantly, the need to avoid a vacuum in the leadership of the councils.

This action is in line with section 26 sub section one and two of Ebonyi Coronavirus and other Infectious Diseases Law 2020, section 10 paragraph C of the Ebonyi local government council and development centres law and the LGA transition committee amendment law of 2015, he said.

The Caretaker Chairman of Afikpo North LGA, Amuche Otunta, thanked the governor for appointing them and pledged on behalf of others, to justify the confidence reposed in them.

(NAN)
A Kuwait Airways plane is seen at Kuwait International Airport on Dec 9, 2016. (Photo: AFP/Yasser Al-Zayyat)

The loss-making national carrier, which has a total of some 6,925 employees, has struggled amid the regional and worldwide downturn in air travel.

"In dealing with the coronavirus crisis and its negative impact on commercial operations ... Kuwait Airways announces the termination of around 1,500 non-Kuwaiti employees," the airline said on Twitter.

It said the decision comes as part of a "comprehensive plan" to deal with the pandemic's economic impacts which meant the company is facing "significant difficulties".

Kuwait, like other oil-rich Gulf states, has been severely hit by a slump in oil revenues and the economic impacts of coronavirus.

Kuwait Airways, which has a fleet of 30 aircraft, has been mostly grounded like almost all airlines in the Middle East due to the massive lockdowns.

It however operated over 200 flights in late April and early May to repatriate some 30,000 Kuwaiti citizens from abroad.

The carrier's losses are paid by the government, which has not yet announced any special compensation.

The International Air Transport Association forecast last month that air traffic in the Middle East and North Africa is set to tumble by more than a half.

IATA said that MENA airlines' revenues in 2020 will be slashed by US$24.5 billion compared to last year, and warned the region's aviation shutdown threatened some 1.2 million jobs.

Private companies in Kuwait have fired hundreds of employees but the airline is the first government agency to take such action.

The Kuwait Municipality has said it would soon sack at least half of its 900 expatriate employees.

Around 3.4 million foreigners live and work in Kuwait, making up some 70 per cent of the Gulf state's population.
40 kilograms of explosives: Thwarting a nightmare at Pulwama

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 29: The car from which the Jammu and Kashmir police recovered explosives and thwarted a Pulwama type attack belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen operative Hidayatullah Malik.

He is a resident of Sharatpora in Shopian and had joined the outfit in 2019. Malik is an active member of the outfit, police sources tell OneIndia.

"We are still ascertaining, who these terrorists were trying to target", the source also said.

Grade A intel, seamless coordination: How Forces thwarted JeMs attempt of another Pulwama strike

LAC tension: Rahul wants govt to come clean on what is happening at border | Oneindia News

Based on the analysis the police say that the car was laden with 40 kilograms of explosives. The explosives were placed in a drum on the rear seat of the car.

Security forces recovered an IED from a Santro car. The same has been diffused by the bomb disposal squad of the army and police at Avindgund, Rajpora in South Kashmir. After searching the vehicle, a joint team of the 44 Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF and Pulwama police recovered the IED.

The action was taken based on concrete intelligence that was provided four days back. The IGP of Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that a major incident of a vehicle-borne IED blast has been averted by the timely input and action by the Pulwama polices CRPF and Army.

The vehicle bore the number JK08, B1426. This is reportedly the number of a scooter, sources also said.

Had the car managed to get away, it was would have been a catastrophe. So many lives would have been lost. It is thanks to pin-pointed intelligence that we were able to intercept the vehicle.

Bomb diffused: Big Pulwama like terror attack averted in Valley

An Intelligence Bureau (IB) official explained that they had picked up chatter earlier this week.

It was clear that the JeM was planning something very big in the Valley. The intelligence was found to be Grade A in nature and hence the operation was so precise, the officer further explained.

While there were clear inputs about a major terror attack there was no specific information on which route the driver would take. The police, Army and the CRPF formed separate teams, spread out and covered all possible routes. When the car was first spotted, the security forces opened fire. The driver/terrorist stopped the car and fled from the spot.

Kashmir's police officer Rayees Mohammad Bhat said, 'this is such great work. Imagine if this had led to loss of lives", he said on Twitter. The Kashmir police said in a tweet that a major incident of a vehicle-borne IED blast is averted by the timely inputs and action by the Pulwama Police, CRPF and Army.

It may be recalled that last week, the police was attacked by terrorists in Pulwama. Two jawans were injured in the attack. The terrorists had opened fire when the security personnel were patrolling the area.
On March 11, just as New York City was beginning to shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a friend and I rode the subway from our Brooklyn homes over to Manhattan's Lower East Side to see the classic 1982 film. We knew it was a bit foolhardy. But in a mostly empty theater we watched Harrison Ford battle replicants. Afterward on the subway platform, we said goodbye.That was the last time I saw my friend, and the last time I took the subway. Sheltering in has reduced my need to take a bus or train, but it's also because I'm scared. I imagine sitting close to others with the air circulating the coronavirus. And I know that thousands of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's more than 70,000 workers have contracted the disease and that more than 130 have died.This combination of reduced need and increased fear is why the region's famously busy subway, bus and commuter-rail system is carrying a small fraction of the millions it used to daily. Chicago, Washington, D.C., and other transit-dependent cities have seen similar drops as millions stay home or turn to other means of getting around. You might need to get on a waiting list to buy a bicycle.In an effort to make their systems safer, transit authorities are scrubbing and cleaning as never before. New York City, for the first time in the subway's history, has suspended 24-hour service so workers can deep clean the trains in the wee hours. Around the world, technology is being brought to bear : Shanghai is trying out ultraviolet light to kill the virus in buses and trains. Hong Kong is using a disinfection robot.It may be taken as a given that squishing people together on a train or bus is sure to spread COVID-19. But what if this isn't as true as it might appear? What if New York's status as the nation's densest and most transit-dependent city is not the primary reason its inhabitants have the highest infection rate of any big city in the country and a death toll of at least 21,000? The answer is important, because most cities, even suburban ones, have some type of mass transit.I am not a neutral observer. I like big cities. I like not owning a car, and I like taking buses and trains. So take what I say here with a grain of salt, but hear me out.When I look around the world, I see dense cities with large mass transit systems, such as Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo, that have far lower COVID-19 infection and death rates. So clearly, density and crowded trains and buses don't automatically produce a pandemic.And when you look at New York City more closely, the evidence blurs. Staten Island, the most suburban part of the city with the least transit use, has one of the city's highest rates of confirmed cases, as do less-dense parts of Queens. There are high infection rates in more suburban areas of the metropolitan region, such as Nassau County on Long Island, and upstate in the rural area of Ulster County.The East Side of Manhattan has the most crowded subway in the city, the Lexington Avenue Line. Pre-social distancing, it carried more than a million passengers a day, more than the entire systems of Boston, Chicago or Washington. Yet the districts along the line generally have lower COVID-19 case and death rates than the citywide average. Could this be because the area's wealthier inhabitants left town, perhaps carrying the infection with them? Hard to say given what we know and don't know at this point.There are also big transit hubs where multiple lines come together, such as the Fulton Street complex in Lower Manhattan and Atlantic Center in Brooklyn. One would think this might correlate with infection rates, but no such evidence leaps out at you when you look at infection rates by ZIP codes.On the website Market Urbanism, the economist Salim Furth studied the evidence and concluded, surprisingly, that car use in New York City correlates more strongly with infection than subway use . "To the small extent that transportation options matter," Furth writes, "automobiles appear to be more dangerous disease vectors than subways." While no one can say exactly why this might be so, Furth suggests two possibilities: Those dependent on subways may have reduced their travel more than the automobile-dependent, and drivers' greater mobility gives them the means to carry the virus beyond their immediate neighborhoods.Still, all things equal, riding on a bus or train must have some positive correlation with spreading COVID-19 as well as other diseases. It stands to reason. But perhaps the risk is actually relatively low and countered by wearing a mask and gloves and regular cleaning of the cars.What is needed are some good studies on how much mass transit and density spread disease and, if they do, how it can be countered. Perhaps a good place to start is studying why all those MTA workers got sick. Was it due to their direct duties, such as driving trains or being in ticket booths? Or could other factors have had big impacts, such as daily worker meetings or where the workers live?Getting clearer answers is important, because history is driven by perception, and if people think riding a bus or train will infect them, they will avoid doing so regardless of the real risk factor.My own theory about why New York City has such high infection rates is that it's the airports, which bring in more international passengers than arrive in any other U.S. city. It now appears that the coronavirus began spreading from Wuhan, China, to Europe in December, much earlier than had been previously thought. It's quite possible that infected people from Europe and Asia began streaming into the region's three international airports weeks or even months before the state's first official cases were diagnosed on March 1. The disease would have had much more time to spread unhindered than in cities with lower international traffic.My logical mind tells me all this. But for the time being I'm still avoiding the subway and buses. I'll find other ways of getting around until better data confirms that they're safe, or at least as safe as they were before the arrival of the coronavirus. Maybe I'll get on a waiting list to buy a bike.GoverningGoverning
A doctor and a nurse, who had to cancel their wedding due to unprecedented coronavirus outbreak, recently got married in the hospitals historical chapel. According to a press note released by Guys St Thomas, Jann Tipping and Annalan Navaratnam tied the knot at the end of April in the Grade 2 listed chapel at St Thomas Hospital, London, UK. The couple had planned to marry in August, however, they decided to cancel as their families wouldve been unable to travel safely from Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka.

As they asked the hospitals chaplaincy team if it was possible to have a wedding ceremony and decided to have a small scale private wedding in April, their families and friends attended the ceremony virtually. Tipping said that they wanted to have a ceremony while everyone was still healthy, even if it meant our loved ones having to watch us on screen. She added that they also wanted to make sure that they could celebrate while they were still able to.

READ: Anand Mahindra Wants The Word webinar To Be banished, Netizens Agree

According to the press note, Tipping said, "The chaplaincy team worked hard to get permission for us to be married, which we appreciated greatly at a time when so much was going on. A date was set within two weeks and we hadnt bought my dress, our rings and other things we needed so we rushed to get everything done quickly.

While taking to Twitter, the hospital shared the beautiful pictures from the wedding. Tipping even said that it was nice being just us as if felt very intimate. She added that it was lovely wedding and the camel was beautiful. She even said that it was surreal to get married where they both work.

A doctor and nurse from St Thomas who had to cancel their wedding due to the #coronavirus outbreak have got married in the hospitals historical chapel.



Read about Jann and Annalans special day and why it meant so much to them to tie the knot at work https://t.co/ECH4nJuBSo pic.twitter.com/tz6T0jj2Bi  Guy's and St Thomas' (@GSTTnhs) May 26, 2020

READ: London: RSPCA And Firefighters Rescue Fox After Its Head Got Stuck In Tyre

Netizens wish them nothing but happiness

Since shared, the pictures have gone viral. With more than 20,000 likes, hundreds of internet users also congratulated the newlyweds. While some netizens called the wedding elegant, others wrote, That is amazing. Congratulations to you both and well-done @GSTnhs for allowing these guys to get married in that beautiful chapel.

Awww so nice to read this. Congratulations for both of you   Jacek B (@JacekBorek2) May 26, 2020

congratulations both ,the bride looks beautiful and the groom handsome

Have a wonderful life together.  wendy moore  (@wendymo94921768) May 26, 2020

Thats lovely. Good idea to do it while they can. They can always have a party in 6-12 months and wear those lovely outfits again. A hospital chapel is actually very special. Hospitals can feel very spiritual anyway, circle of life, miracles...  Frauke Wong (@fraukewong) May 26, 2020

READ: Video: Girl With Artificial Arm Plays Violin, Netizens Laud Her 'indomitable Spirit'

Truly delighted for you both many congratulations and much love and happiness for your future together as husband and wife.  AlisonJane Addison (@ALIROB17) May 26, 2020

Awesome  and thanks @GSTTnhs for making this happen and facilitating the special day for very special couple #COVID__19 FightBack  Makala Wellington #StayAlert # SaveLives (@wmakala) May 26, 2020

What a stunning couplewishing them nothing but happiness   Olly Field  (@OliverMField) May 26, 2020

READ: Video Of Baby Rhino Trying To Wake Its Dead Mother Leaves Netizens Heartbroken
Siam Cement receives approval to set up IPO for packaging unit

29 May 2020

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand has given Siam Cement PCL approval to go ahead with its plans for an initial public offer of its packaging unit.



SCG Packaging Public Co along with its financial advisor is assessing the current situation, including that of the equity capital markets, and confidence level of both Thai and international investors, said Siam Cement.



"Once the overall situation becomes clearer and more conducive, SCGP will proceed with its IPO and the listing of its shares on the SET (Stock Exchange of Thailand)," the company said.



Last year, Siam Cement had said that it planned to sell up to 30 per cent of SCG Packaging's shares through an IPO.





Published under
The financial press has welcomed Prime Minister Scott Morrisons announcement on Tuesday of a tripartite offensive against workers jobs, wages and conditions, to be enforced by state and federal governments, the major corporations and the trade unions.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Morrison outlined plans for the establishment of five government-led working groups involving corporate figures and union officials. They will be tasked with providing recommendations for a further pro-business overhaul of working conditions and industrial relations by the end of September, on the pretext of the economic disruption caused by COVID-19.

In a sign of what is to come, business commentators have invoked the Accords introduced by the Hawke Labor government in the 1980s, which provided for the deregulation of the economy and the destruction of hundreds of thousands of jobs across industry and manufacturing.

As in the 80s, the unions are to play the central role in suppressing opposition from workers and imposing the dictates of big business.

Morrison made a point of thanking the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and its secretary, Sally McManus, for their role since the coronavirus pandemic began. This has included slashing penalty rates for millions of hospitality and clerical workers and removing shift restrictions. He insisted that it was necessary for companies and the unions to continue to work together and to put the weapons down.

When McManus was installed as ACTU secretary in 2017, she fraudulently presented herself as a militant who would be willing to break unjust laws to advance the interests of workers. A life-long bureaucrat who has overseen countless sell-out deals, McManus adopted this posture in a bid to head-off growing hostility among workers to the sordid machinations of the unions. She was depicted in the media as a radical firebrand.

Now, however, McManus has openly become the darling of the financial press.

Yesterday, the Australian published an opinion piece by the ACTU secretary headlined Seat at the table a chance to create stronger economy together. McManus stated that the government had at last recognised what millions of Australian workers already knowunions are a vital part of a civil society. The unions, she wrote, want to be part of building a better, stronger economy.

The Australians editorial this morning began, ACTU secretary Sally McManus was right to declare in our pages on Thursday that as we contemplate the mammoth challenge of rebuilding Australias economy, its become clear that there is no going back to business as usual.

The Murdoch-owned newspaper congratulated McManus for having recognised the merit of employer concerns about clauses in federal legislation that supposedly place nominal restrictions on cuts to jobs and wages, along with inefficiencies and delays in the bargaining process.

McManus and the ACTU have cynically claimed that their participation in the government is aimed at ensuring the creation of jobs, after having overseen the laying-off of more than a million workers since the pandemic began.

The Australian editorial further exposed this fraudulent posture, demonstrating that the unions have already agreed to some of the key demands of the Australian Industry Group and the Business Council of Australia, whose calls for a restructuring of industrial relations motivated the governments creation of the working groups.

The editorial indicates that the ACTU has agreed to the abolition or curtailment of the Better off overall test (BOOT) that must be fulfilled when enterprise agreements (EA) are established. On paper, it requires that the conditions of all workers covered by an EA be better off than previously. This is aimed at presenting the EA system as fair and equitable. In practice, it has done nothing to prevent innumerable union-imposed EAs which have lowered wages, slashed conditions and facilitated job destruction.

BOOT, however, has come to be viewed as a thorn in the side by major employers and the unions. It has served as the basis for a number of legal challenges over the past two years to sweetheart deals between the unions and major companies, especially in the fast food and supermarket industries. The abolition of BOOT would clearly be aimed at removing any impediment, no matter how toothless, to sweeping attacks on jobs and conditions in new EAs.

Industry lobby groups have also insisted that the EAs and federal awards be streamlined and simplified, so that individual employers can more rapidly impose their dictates. McManus has previously bragged about the ACTUs role in overhauling working conditions within the space of a week across a number of industries since March. She has insisted only that the employers continue to work through frameworks involving the unions, declaring last month that this would enable them to get everything you want.

In comments to the media, federal Industrial Relations minister Christian Porter signalled that hospitality workers will be among the first in the firing line, with a push to simplify the federal awards that govern their conditions. Employer groups have called for the measures imposed by the unions since the pandemic began, including the slashing of overtime penalty rates for hospitality workers, to be permanently instituted.

McManus has collaborated with Porter on a near-daily basis throughout the pandemic, prompting him to describe her last month as his BFF [best friends forever.]

This week, the Australian Financial Review magazine profiled the two, examining how the new BFFs are getting along. One commentator described the article as When Christian met Sally.

McManus revealed that she was invited to secret government briefings in early March, revealing the scale of the coronavirus dangers while governments, the unions and the employers were still resisting calls for lockdown measures to be introduced.

At one of the first such meetings, she told those gathered that the union movements prepared to put aside all hostilities and work together with the government, and with employers. Now we have three meetings, usually, a week.

Porter states that he contacted former ACTU secretary, Labor parliamentarian and industrial relations fixer Greg Combet: Id sort of said to him I think I need to try and talk directly with people in the union movement. I dont necessarily speak their language. And Greg suggested that Sally was probably the one that I should talk to first.

Porter and McManus then began meeting on a daily basis. The right-wing government minister told the AFR that Sallys intelligent, rational, reasonable. McManus in turn praised Porter: [W]hat Christian actually does is interrogate it. Hell ask questions. Hell probe, and want to understand the argument.

Both declared that the pandemic meant an end to politics as usual and the old theoretical views. Weve developed enough of a relationship to understand each other, McManus said.

Her role is described by the Conversation: McManus has greased wheels during the crisisthe government hopes it can now parlay the relationship with the ACTU into assisting Morrisons attempt to land permanent industrial relations reforms.

Far from being an aberration produced by the pandemic, the close relationship between McManus and Porter demonstrates the real role of the unions as a corrupt, industrial police force of governments and the corporations.

McManus has made clear that, having already imposed sweeping attacks on workers over the past three months, the unions are preparing to take their pro-business offensive to yet new levels. The emerging struggles of the working class, in defence of jobs, wages, conditions and safety, will confront these corporatised organisations as their enemies.
Back in 1994, I had the chance to catch a speech by then Representative Sam Johnson. He was fascinating, specially when he related his amazing military story.

Former US Representative Sam Johnson died in Texas on May 27. He had a wonderful life, as you can see in this obituary:

Former U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson, a Texas congressman for more than 25 years and Vietnam War hero, died Wednesday in Plano, a family spokesperson said. He was 89. First elected to Congress in 1991, Johnson gained a reputation as a strong conservative voice in the Texas delegation. In 2010, he was tied for the most conservative member of Congress, according to the National Journals rankings. Johnson flew combat missions during the Korean and Vietnam wars as a fighter pilot. While flying over North Vietnam in 1966, his plane was struck down. He was held as a prisoner of war for nearly seven years, including a stint at the Hoa Lo Prison known as the Hanoi Hilton.

Along the way, he flew fighter jets in Korea, Vietnam, shared a cell with the late Senator John McCain and became a prominent member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Best of all, he was always happy to talk to a constituent even when they disagreed. He was a first-class gentleman and true patriot.

Rest in Peace, Congressman Johnson.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Californias plan for reopening businesses discriminates against Napa Valley wineries, alleges a lawsuit filed by Caymus Vineyards against Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state public health officer. The complaint, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks permission for Napa Valley wineries, including Caymus, to reopen now.

Napa County is currently in Stage 2 of the states reopening plan, which has allowed some nonessential businesses, including dine-in restaurants, to reopen with limitations. The state has published guidelines that wineries may resume hosting visitors under Stage 2 as long as they serve full meals, but Napa Countys general plan prohibits wineries from serving full meals. (Smaller food pairings are allowed as long as theyre an accessory to the winerys main purpose, which is agriculture.)

Noah Berger / Special to The Chronicle 2017

Thats left wineries with their hands tied, even as dozens of wineries in Sonoma County, which has different regulations, have reopened in the past week. In the meantime, Caymus complaint alleges, business is suffering, as wineries that depend on tasting room sales have seen a major revenue source depleted.

The lawsuits central argument is that if other types of businesses, like sit-down restaurants, are allowed to reopen, then its unfair to force wineries to remain closed. Newsom and Sonia Angell, the state public health officer, are violating the U.S. and California constitutions equal protection, due process and takings clauses, it claims. (The lawsuit cites two articles by The Chronicle, one of which it uses in support of its argument.)

If you come to Napa Valley you can eat in a restaurant, you can get your hair cut, and those are somewhat intimate connections with people, Caymus owner Chuck Wagner said in a phone interview. A wine tasting at Caymus, on the other hand, could be outdoors, with groups spaced 20 feet apart, which feels safer, he said. We dont feel were being treated equally to other businesses.

Eric Risberg / Associated Press

Caymus is one of Napa Valleys most recognizable wineries, its Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon a mainstay of steakhouses across the country. Wagner said about 20% of the winerys business comes from direct-to-consumer sales, which includes the tasting room. An additional 25% of revenue comes from selling wine to restaurants, many of which are still closed or operating in a limited capacity.

Add those two together, and it becomes a significant piece of our business, Wagner said.

Newsom himself co-owns three Napa Valley wineries  Cade, Odette and PlumpJack  but has put them in a blind trust while hes in office.

Under the coronavirus shutdown, smaller wineries are feeling the loss of tasting room sales much more acutely than Caymus is, Wagner acknowledged.

Ourselves, are we going to go broke here? Well, not for a while, he said. Its not just about Caymus. This is about Napa wineries, particularly small Napa wineries that are family owned.

Wineries that produce fewer than 5,000 cases a year are expected to see an average revenue loss of 57% in 2020, according to industry analyst bw166.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Napa County has had just 111 confirmed coronavirus cases and three deaths, the fewest of any Bay Area county. If residents of other counties descend on Napa wineries, theres a risk of bringing infections to an area that has, so far, been successful in curbing the spread of the virus.

If youre coming from a community where the chances of infection are much higher and youre going to a community where the numbers are small, youre going to cause problems, John Swartzberg, professor emeritus of infectious diseases and vaccinology at UC Berkeley, said in an interview with The Chronicle.

Napa Countys Board of Supervisors has requested special permission from the state to reopen wineries, saying that it believes tasting rooms can follow proper safety protocols.

When asked whether he was concerned about the potential dangers of encouraging tourists to come to Napa right now, Wagner reiterated his position: If restaurants and other businesses are deemed safe enough to reopen, then wineries should be too.

Were prepared and ready to open, going beyond the call of duty when it comes to all the new directives that have been given us to act safely, he said.

Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob
NEW YORK - Following the arrest of a CNN crew on live television by police on Friday, an apologetic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz promised that journalists would not be interfered with in reporting on violent protests following the death of George Floyd.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Protesters gather in front of a burning fast food restaurant Friday, May 29, 2020, in Minneapolis. Protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody Monday, broke out in Minneapolis for a third straight night. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

NEW YORK - Following the arrest of a CNN crew on live television by police on Friday, an apologetic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz promised that journalists would not be interfered with in reporting on violent protests following the death of George Floyd.

CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and two colleagues were released within an hour after network chief executive Jeff Zucker called Walz to demand answers about why they were led away and held in a police van.

We have got to ensure that there is a safe spot for journalism to tell this story, Walz said.

Jimenez and colleagues Bill Kirkos and Leonel Mendez were doing a live shot for CNN's New Day shortly after 5 a.m. Central Time, describing a night of fire and anger in the wake of Floyd's death after a Minneapolis police office knelt on his neck. Fired officer Derek Chauvin was charged with murder in that case later Friday.

When first approached by officers, Jimenez, who is black, told them, put us back where you want us. We are getting out of your way.

A protester carries the carries a U.S. flag upside, a sign of distress, next to a burning building Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Minneapolis. Protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody Monday, broke out in Minneapolis for a third straight night. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

After being told he was being arrested and his hands were tied behind his back, Jimenez asked why he was being arrested. He did not get an answer.

The Minnesota State Patrol said on Twitter that the journalists were among four people arrested as troopers were clearing the streets and restoring order following the protests. The patrol said the CNN journalists were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media.

Its not clear why they were confused: Jimenez was holding what appeared to be a laminated ID card before his hands were secured, and his fellow crew members told police that they were from CNN and showing the scene live on the air.

Ive never seen anything like this, CNN New Day co-anchor John Berman said.

After being released, Jimenez said that he was glad that his arrest was shown on the air.

You dont have to doubt my story, he said. Its not filtered in any way. You saw it for your own eyes. That gave me a little bit of comfort. But it was definitely nerve-wracking.

Police move through an area during demonstrations Thursday, May 28, 2020, in St. Paul, Minn. Protests over the death of George Floyd, the black man who died in police custody broke out in Minneapolis for a third straight night. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

At a later news conference, Walz said that I take full responsibility. There is absolutely no reason something like that should happen ... This is a very public apology to that team.

The arrest drew widespread condemnation across the news industry. CNN competitors MSNBC, CBS News and Fox News all issued statements in support of Jimenez, along with the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists.

CNN accepted Walz's apology, saying the network appreciated the sincerity of his words.

Walz's words in support of journalists have impact at a time when the news media is often under attack, said Jane E. Kirtley, Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law and director of the Silha Center at the University of Minnesota.

It's really important for the governor to make that kind of statement to emphasize to everyone, especially law enforcement, that the press has an important job to do ... and they need to be respected, said Kirtley, who lives blocks away from the protests and could still smell smoke from the fires on Friday.

Later Friday, the network was again thrust into the story when hundreds of protesters confronted police outside CNNs downtown Atlanta headquarters. Activists spray-painted a large CNN logo outside the building, breaking a window and tagging doors. One protester climbed on top of the CNN sign and waved a Black Lives Matter flag to cheers from the crowd.

As anchor Chris Cuomo opened his prime-time show, he told viewers the networks headquarters had been swarmed and defaced. Footage of the damage outside was mixed with scenes from other protests around the country.

Correspondent Nick Valencia reported from inside the building as protesters hurled objects at the building and police.

Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"This is our home, Chris, you know, this is where we come to work every day, journalists who are trying to tell the truth, trying to deliver information. ... And these demonstrators have decided to come here today to take our their frustration and anger it seems not just on police but on our CNN centre as well, Valencia said.

Meanwhile, there were signs Friday that cable news networks, who were spending much of their time covering the story, have become sensitive to the impact of showing witness video of Floyd's treatment by police.

News anchors on all three networks usually warned viewers of its graphic nature before showing the video.

I must warn you that this is difficult to watch, said CNN's Brianna Keilar, but it is important to remember.

___

Associated Press writers Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee and Aaron Morrison in New York and Television Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
HNAs net assets dipped to about 980 billion yuan in the middle of last year from 1.2 trillion yuan in 2017.

Panama-based shipping services provider China Joy Shipping Inc. filed a petition in Hong Kong to liquidate debt-laden HNA Group Co. Ltd., renewing a 2012 attempt to wind up the Chinese conglomerate.

A Hong Kong court is set to hear the case Aug. 26, according to records on the Hong Kong Judiciarys website. No details of the complaint were made public.

China Joy, which registered its business in Hong Kong in November 2010, terminated operations in the city in March. The company filed for HNAs liquidation with Hong Kongs High Court in 2012 after a debt default but later withdrew the case as HNA promised to repay an outstanding debt of $400,000.

The incident is another blow to once high-flying HNA, which is struggling to pay off a mountain of debt built up during a multibillion yuan global spending spree in which borrowings surged to as much as 700 billion yuan ($99 billion).

The company, whose businesses range from aviation to real estate to financial services, is one of several Chinese conglomerates that embarked on aggressive buying campaigns in the 2010s, only to later struggle under huge debt loads. Others include Anbang Insurance Group Co. Ltd. and Dalian Wanda Group Co. Ltd. Since 2017 HNA has steadily pared back its assets, selling stakes in hotel giant Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and a number of real estate holdings.

The government of Hainan province in southern China, where HNA is headquartered, set up a working group in February to organize a rescue of the company, which faces a severe cash crunch after its financial situation further deteriorated as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

As Covid-19 outbreak continues pummeling the global travel industry, HNAs core business unit Hainan Airlines Holding Co. Ltd. is being hit hard. The carrier, Chinas fourth-largest, posted a 6.3 billion yuan net loss in the first quarter, compared with a 1.1 billion yuan profit a year earlier, its worst result since at least 2003. Revenue slumped 63% to 6.9 billion yuan, according to the companys financial report.

Last month, HNA enraged bondholders by calling a last-minute meeting to approve a plan to delay repayment of a 390 million yuan ($55.3 million) domestic bond to avoid immediate default. Some bondholders filed complaints with regulators accusing the company of manipulating the vote.

HNA had as much as 1.2 trillion yuan in assets in 2017 at the height of its buying binge. But the total has declined steadily as the company sells off assets, some of which have lost value since their original purchase. Net assets dipped below 1 trillion yuan to about 980 billion yuan in the middle of last year, according to the 2019 mid-year report.

Tang Ziyi and Yang Ge contributed to this story.

Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bobsimison@caixin.com)
The International Air Transport Association (Iata) called on the government of Jordan to provide urgent financial relief to airlines as they struggle to survive the devastating impact of the Covid-19 crisis.

Iata estimates that revenues generated by airlines in the Jordanian market will fall by $700 million (52 per cent) compared to 2019. That puts at risk nearly 34,400 Jordanian jobs and $1.1 billion of Jordans GDP, which is generated by aviation directly as well as by aviation-related tourism.

Jordans leaders have always understood the importance of having a sustainable aviation sector. They have prioritised policies that have encouraged the development of air connectivity that supports travel and tourism. But the Covid-19 crisis is putting that positive progress at risk. Airlines are fighting for survival. Passenger traffic has virtually stopped, and cash flows are almost non-existent. The consequences for the Jordanian economy are severe. Urgent financial support from the government is needed now to keep the sector alive," said Muhammad Albakri, Iatas Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.

It is essential that the Jordanian government move quickly to minimise the economic damage resulting from the Covid-19 crisis. Government support is urgently required to ensure the liquidity which will allow airlines to survive the coming months and thus protect the jobs generated by the air transport sector. The government should consider the following financial relief measures:

 Direct financial support to passenger and cargo carriers

 Financial relief on air traffic control (ATC) charges and taxes

 Reduction, waiver or deferral of government-imposed taxes and fees

Air transport in Jordan contributes $2.2 billion to the countrys GDP and supports some 70,000 jobs. This includes spending by foreign tourists who travel to Jordan by air which supports $1.3 billion of GDP. In total, 5.7 per cent of the country's GDP is sustained by the input of the air transport sector and foreign tourists arriving by air.

"When the Covid-19 virus is brought under control, a healthy aviation sector will be essential to jump-start the Jordanian, Middle East and global economies. Timely government support is urgently required to ensure the liquidity which will allow airlines to survive the coming months and thus protect the jobs generated by the air transport sector and preserve Jordans tourism industry, said Albakri. - TradeArabia News Service
An autopsy technician who stole more than $200 from a corpse at the Webb County Medical Examiners Office has learned his fate in court.

READ MORE: Laredo man arrested on drug charges after DEA operation

On Tuesday, 111th District Court Judge Monica Z. Notzon handed Mateo Gonzalo Arredondo a five-year probated sentence. Deferred adjudication was also granted.

Arredondo must also complete 200 hours of community service, Thinking Positive for a Change, anti-theft class, drug and alcohol evaluation. He will also write a letter of apology to Medical Examiner Dr. Corinne Stern, according to court records.

Arredondo pleaded guilty on Tuesday to theft of property from a human corpse. He was indicted in October 2019.

The case unfolded Nov. 5, 2018, when a Webb County Sheriffs Office deputy responded to a theft report at the medical examiners office.

The offices investigator stated that on Nov. 2, 2018, he was dispatched to an unresponsive male report with Laredo police. The investigator arrived and began conducting his physical exam on the body of Jose Jesus Martinez. At the scene, the investigators discovered a set of keys inside a pocket on Martinez. He took the body to the Medical Examiners Office.

After double-checking, the investigator found $204 in one of Martinezs pockets. The investigator logged the money in the medical examiner report and placed Martinez back in intake along with the money that was found.

Later that same day, Arredondo told the investigator that Martinezs property was ready to be put away. He went back to the autopsy room and noticed the $204 missing.

Where is the cash? he asked Arredondo, states an arrest affidavit.

Arredondo claimed Martinez did not have any cash on him. The investigator kept looking for the money to no avail. When he told Arredondo that he would have to report the incident to Stern, Arredondo said, I took the money, states the affidavit.

READ MORE: Plane makes emergency landing on US 59 east of Laredo

Arredondo was arrested on Nov. 27, 2018.
The U.S. Army has successfully tested the new 1B version of the Excalibur GPS guided artillery shell. The 1B model can turn in flight and hit targets behind a ridge (the reverse slope) or under a bridge. In effect, the Excalibur is programmed to carry out a high-speed U-turn so that it comes down behind a ridge next to a bridge. Artillerymen have mentioned that they are often asked to hit Islamic terrorists on the reverse slope or under a bridge because that provides them some protection from guided artillery shells, rockets and mortar shells.

The 1B may not enter service because of cost or reliability issues. Moreover, there is already a cheaper solution for hitting personnel or equipment on a reverse slope or under a bridge; the MOFA (Multi Option Fuze for Artillery). Entering service in early 2003, American artillery units began to receive one of the few fuze breakthroughs in over half a century. The M782 MOFA is a multi-mode fuze. Before GPS guidance was added, there were four basic fuze functions for artillery shells. And never before have the original four been found in one fuze. The M782 can be set to explode on contact, or after a short delay once hitting something, in order to do more damage to fortifications or buildings. Then there is ToT (time on target) where the shell explodes in the air after a certain number of seconds. Finally, there is Proximity Mode, where a tiny radar set in the fuze detonates when the shell is 5-10 meters (16-30 feet) from something (usually the ground). The ToT and Proximity setting both produce air-bursts, which do less damage because most fragments up and outs rather than right into the ground. The Excalibur 1B explodes on the ground, inflicting more damage to the target.

MOFA can also be set by machine, which is how fuzes are set if a lot of them have to be set in a short amount of time. MOFA made life a lot easier for artillery crews and replaced seven earlier fuzes. After 2003, older fuzes quickly disappeared from service. MOFA comes in two versions, one for 105mm shells, and the other 155mm shells and bother are still in use despite the appearance of GPS guided shells.

One reason for developing the 1B version was to keep Excalibur completive with the cheaper M1156 Precision Guidance kit fuze, which became available in 2011, costs one fifth what Excalibur does and is screwed into the front of the shell, just like MOFA or any other fuze would be. A similar M395 GPS guidance fuze for 120mm mortar shells was introduced in 2011 and has been popular (and successful) with the troops. The 120mm mortars are attached to brigades and controlled by the brigade commander. The M395 equipped 120mm shell lands within six meters of the target at 7,000 meters (max range of most 120mm shells) and became available shortly after M1156. That was because both these fuzes used the same tech and were from the same manufacturer.

The army has found that GPS guided shells were more successful than anticipated. As a result orders for dumb (unguided shells) were sharply reduced. The high accuracy often meant that only one Excalibur or M1156 equipped shell had to be used to destroy a target. This meant that demand for GPS guided shells also soon declined. Another reason for lower GPS shell demand was the fact that were so many other guided missiles and bombs available. These often destroyed targets before GPS guided shells got a chance. The GPS guided MLRS (GMLRS) rocket has been very popular and often the first choice of commanders in need of some precision firepower. The army also uses a lot of laser-guided Hellfire missiles, fired from AH-64 helicopter gunships. In addition to the reduction in Excalibur production, the army has cut the number of M395 GPS guided 120mm shells on order.

From the beginning, Excalibur and the ATK fuzes were facing a lot of competition from GMLRS (GPS guided multiple launch rocket system), which cost about the same as an Excalibur shell but has a much longer range and a bigger bang. Another edge GMLRS had was the truck-based HIMARS rocket launcher. Only costing about $3 million each, these smaller truck mounted MLRS (HIMARS) rocket launcher systems have become very popular. HIMARS carries only one, six MLRS rockets, container (instead of two in the original tank-like MLRS vehicle). But the 12 ton truck can fit into a C-130 transport, unlike the 22 ton tracked MLRS, and is much cheaper to operate. The first HIMARS entered service in 2005, about a year after GMLRS did.

The 309 kg (680 pound) GMLRS missile is a GPS guided 227mm rocket that entered service in 2004. It was designed to have a range of 70 kilometers and the ability to land within meters of its intended target, at any range. This is possible because it uses GPS (plus a backup inertial guidance system) to find its target. The army soon found that GMLRS was just as accurate at max range (about 85 kilometers). This enabled one HIMARS vehicle to provide support over a frontage of 170 kilometers or in places like Afghanistan, where the fighting can be anywhere, an area of over 20,000 square kilometers. This is a huge footprint for a single weapon (an individual HIMARS vehicle) and fundamentally changes the way you deploy artillery in combat. Excalibur has a max range of 37 kilometers, and 120mm mortars about 7.5 kilometers.

Nearly all GMLRS rockets are fitted with an 89 kg (196 pound) high explosive warhead. About half of that is actual explosives. These have been used with great success in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, where several thousand have been fired so far. The guided rocket is much more effective than the older, unguided, version and has replaced it in the U.S. military. The army stopped buying unguided rockets in 2009. The accuracy of GMLRS means that one rocket does the job that previously required a dozen or more of the unguided ones. That's why HIMARS is so popular. While it only carries six rockets, that's often enough to last for days, even when there's a lot of combat. One GMLRS will often get the job done destroying or demoralizing the Taliban foe.

The GPS 155mm and 120mm shells still have an advantage over GMLRS. The 120mm mortar round has about 2.2 kg (five pounds) of explosives, compared to 6.6 kg (15) pounds in a 155mm shell. The smaller explosive charge limits collateral damage to civilians. But in Afghanistan, it was more common to need a large bang (which GMLRS can deliver). Excalibur was more suited to Iraq and Syria and while American troops left Iraq by 2011, they were back in 2014 using lots of ATK fuzes, especially in Syria where one battery (six 155mm howitzers) was more effective than ten times as many guns firing unguided shells. That battalion was a key element in the ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) loss of their capital (Raqqa) in eastern Syria.

Meanwhile, there are a lot of precision weapons, with small warheads, readily available to the infantry. The Javelin missile has a 4 kg (9 pound) warhead, and the larger TOW has a 5.9 kg (13 pound) warhead. The Hellfire missile has a 9 kg (20 pound warhead). The air force also has its SDB, a 114 kg (250 pound) small diameter bomb, carrying 23 kg (51 pounds) of explosives.

There is still demand for unguided 155mm and 120mm shells. There are times when you need firepower over a large area (several hundred meters by several hundred meters), and for this unguided shells do the job best and cheapest. But precision (or smart) shells are the future and these weapons are expected to continue getting cheaper.

Excalibur was becoming cheaper and more accurate and reliable after the AKT fuze showed up. There was less demand for both Excalibur and ATK fuzes because other guided weapons were also getting cheaper, more portable, easier to use and more reliable. This included lightweight explosives equipped UAVs (like Switchblade and Firefly) that infantry could carry and used for reconnaissance and to attack any enemy discovered. The infantry often needs portable precision firepower right away and now they have it.

While MOFA seemed like a major technical advance for artillery in 2003, few realized it was just the start of a decade of even more breakthrough weapons. GMLRS came in 2004, Excalibur in 2007, and ATK fuzes in 2011 along with similar advances in precision weapons carried and used by the infantry.

Excalibur 1b may not enter service for the same reason the 1970s Copperhead laser guided 155mm shell failed to gain widespread acceptance. Copperhead worked but it was too expensive (ten times more than Excalibur) and required someone within a few kilometers of the target operating a laser designator. In practice there was little demand for Copperhead. Russia and China still make laser guided artillery shells, adopting that tech in the 1980s and 90s before GMLRS and Excalibur showed up. The Russians and Chinese have copied GMLRS but not yet GPS guided shells.
Help.org, a trusted online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones, has announced the Best Rehab Facilities in Sacramento, California for 2020. The informational guide recognizes the top 10 rehab facilities based on cost, treatment options, location, accompanying services and more.

According to recent studies, drug overdose is the leading cause of death among people under age 50. In Sacramento, deaths related to opioid abuse increased significantly from 2011 to 2015. Substance abuse among adolescents is also escalating in Sacramento with 55 percent of high school students reported using alcohol, 38 percent reported using marijuana, 8 percent reported using prescription drugs without a valid prescription, and 2 percent reported using heroin. With the growing need for accessible and high-quality rehab programs, Help.org has developed a unique ranking process to help connect individuals with treatment providers that meet their needs.

The Help.org research team analyzed thousands of facilities across the country and then identified the most cost-effective and highest rated programs in larger cities like Sacramento. Each facility was evaluated based on rehabilitation services, treatment approaches, cost, special programs for unique demographics and ancillary services. The website also provides information about drug use and side effects as well as educational articles. For a detailed listing of the Best Rehab Facilities in Sacramento, California please visit https://www.help.org/drug-and-alcohol-rehab-centers-in-sacramento-ca/

2020 Best Rehab Facilities in Sacramento, California (in alphabetical order)

Aegis Marysville

201 D St., Suite G

Marysville, CA 95901

530-742-7747

Bridges, Inc. Outpatient Treatment Program

3600 Power Inn Road, Suite C

Sacramento, CA 95826

916-453-0704

Chapa-De Indian Health

11670 Atwood Road

Auburn, CA 95603

530-887-2800

Common Goals, Inc.

256 Buena Vista St., Suite 100

Grass Valley, CA 95945

530-274-2000

CommuniCare Health Centers: Hansen Family Health Center

215 W. Beamer Street

Woodland, CA 95695

530-405-2827

CommuniCare Health Centers: Salud Clinic

500 Jefferson Boulevard, Suites #180 & #195

West Sacramento, CA 95605

916-403-2907

National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependency: Sacramento

1433 Fulton Avenue

Sacramento, CA 95825

916-692-8565

Sacramento County Department of Health Services: Alcohol and Drug System of Care

3321 Power Inn Road, Suite 120

Sacramento, CA 95826

916-874-9754

Sacramento Native American Health Center

2020 J Street

Sacramento, CA 95811

916-341-0575

Sierra Vista Hospital

8001 Bruceville Road

Sacramento, CA 95823

916-229-8515

ABOUT HELP.ORG

Help.org is an online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones. The website provides the latest research through scientifically proven methods, community recovery resources as well as information about local financial assistance. Help.orgs team of researchers, activists and writers work together with addiction counselors and other professionals to offer useful and accurate resources to help individuals seeking recovery. To learn more, visit https://www.help.org/.
Lucknow, May 29 : The Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Hriday Narain Dixit, has allowed the Samajwadi Party to withdraw the disqualification petition moved earlier against Shivpal Singh Yadav.

The Samajwadi Party (SP), on March 24, had moved a formal petition before Speaker, seeking to withdraw an earlier application, it had moved for the disqualification of Shivpal Singh Yadav from the state Assembly.

"Since we are not able to submit certain documents before you regarding his disqualification, we would not like to pursue the disqualification of Shivpal Yadav," the letter sent by leader of opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary to the Speaker had stated.

The SP had earlier moved an application for Shivpal Yadav's disqualification last year after he formed his own party following a family feud that had spilled over into the party.

Shivpal had won from his traditional Jaswantnagar seat in Etawah in the 2017 Assembly elections on an SP ticket.

The first signs of a thaw between Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav were seen at the Holi Milan function in Sefai in March when they shared the dais and Akhilesh even touched his estranged uncle's feet. Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav and his cousin Ram Gopal Yadav also had joined the celebration. It was the first complete family reunion in four years.

The bickering in the family had begun in 2016 and the party, as a result, fared miserably in both, 2017 Assembly and 2019 Lok Sabha Shivpal contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls under the banner of his own Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia (PSPL) but could not win even a single seat.

The withdrawal of the petition against Shivpal is being seen as a step towards mending of fences within the party, though a political rapprochement between Akhilesh and Shivpal is still not visible on the horizon.
Bakhmatiuk confident he is right, applications to extradite him after HACC decision to arrest him in absentia to be futile

The owner of Ukrlandfarming Oleh Bakhmatiuk is confident that he is right and law enforcement authorities acted illegally in the case of VAB Bank belonged to him, and he is ready to applications seeking to extradite him after the decision of the appeal chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) of Ukraine about his arrest in absentia and he is confident that they will be futile.

"They have already appealed to Interpol, but Interpol refused and replied that they know there I stay, there are legal conventions between states, please contact them. If you want to contact Austria for extradition, let them contact, what's the problem? I'm sure that we will win!" he told Interfax-Ukraine by phone on Friday.

At the same time, Bakhmatiuk said that such a decision by the HACC would stop the peace process he initiated on debt restructuring.

"We are ready for any investigative actions, but according to international standards. There is no ground for the case, exactly nothing have been achieved. We only see that no one needs a potential solution to the problem, especially Sytnyk and NABU, who do uncontrolled things using their impunity," the businessman said.

According to him, there are no investigative actions in the case, and instead of investigating the activities of officials, the NABU is engaged in pressing companies and people from the holding, taking advantage of the limited public appearances due to lockdown.

The ex-owner of the bank also said that he would appeal against the actions of the HACC judges in the High Council of Justice, stressing that in the identical cases against former Minister of Tax and Income Oleksandr Klymenko and former head of the Presidential Administration Andriy Kliuyev, the appeal chamber of the HACC refused to apply preventive measures in the form of arrest.

Bakhmatiuk said that he would appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, but noted with regret that his decision would appear no earlier than in one and a half to two years.

Commenting on the reaction of government bodies of Ukraine to his proposal on debt restructuring, the businessman said that only the Deposit Guarantee Fund reacted positively, as this would allow it to receive significantly more funds for the assets of the banks withdrawn from the market compared with the existing procedure. Responses from other government agencies to the restructuring proposal are still absent, the former owner of VAB Bank and bank Financial Initiative said.

He also added that the HACC decision and the rejection of the proposed peaceful resolution of the dispute worsened the economic prospects of Ukrlandfarming, which is already experiencing difficulties due to the crisis caused by COVID-19.

"I received three "bonuses"  lockdown, the wanted list, and exile. Never mind, we are already used to living in a crisis: we have sown, now we are going to harvest," Bakhmatiuk said.
By Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J. S. Davies

May 29, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - On May 6th, President Trump vetoed a war powers bill specifying that he must ask Congress for authorization to use military force against Iran. Trumps "maximum pressure" campaign of deadly sanctions and threats of war against Iran has seen no let-up, even as the U.S., Iran and the whole world desperately need to set aside our conflicts to face down the common danger of the Covid-19 pandemic.

So what is it about Iran that makes it such a target of hostility for Trump and the neocons? There are many repressive regimes in the world, and many of them are close US allies, so this policy is clearly not based on an objective assessment that Iran is more repressive than Egypt, Saudi Arabia or other monarchies in the Persian Gulf.

The Trump administration claims that its "maximum pressure" sanctions and threats of war against Iran are based on the danger that Iran will develop nuclear weapons. But after decades of inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and despite the USs politicization of the IAEA, the Agency has repeatedly confirmed that Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program.

If Iran ever did any preliminary research on nuclear weapons, it was probably during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, when the US and its allies helped Iraq to make and use chemical weapons that killed up to 100,000 Iranians. A 2007 USNational Intelligence Estimate, the IAEAs 2015 "Final Assessment on Past and Present Outstanding Issues" and decades of IAEA inspections have examined and resolved every scrap of false evidence of a nuclear weapons program presented or fabricated by the CIA and its allies.

If, despite all the evidence, US policymakers still fear that Iran could develop nuclear weapons, then adhering to the Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA), keeping Iran inside the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and ensuring ongoing access by IAEA inspectors would provide greater security than abandoning the deal.

As with Bushs false WMD claims about Iraq in 2003, Trumps real goal is not nuclear non-proliferation but regime change. After 40 years of failed sanctions and hostility, Trump and a cabal of US warhawks still cling to the vain hope that a tanking economy and widespread suffering in Iran will lead to a popular uprising or make it vulnerable to another U.S.-backed coup or invasion.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

United Against a Nuclear Iran and the Counter Extremism Project

One of the key organizations promoting and pushing hostility towards Iran is a shadowy group called United Against a Nuclear Iran (UANI). Founded in 2008, it was expanded and reorganized in 2014 under the umbrella of the Counter Extremism Project United (CEPU) to broaden its attacks on Iran and divert US policymakers attention away from the role of Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other US allies in spreading violence, extremism and chaos in the greater Middle East.

UANI acts as a private enforcer of US sanctions by keeping a "business registry" of hundreds of companies all over the world  from Adidas to Zurich Financial Services  that trade with or are considering trading with Iran. UANI hounds these companies by naming and shaming them, issuing reports for the media, and urging the Office of Foreign Assets Control to impose fines and sanctions. It also keeps a checklist of companies that have signed a declaration certifying they do not conduct business in or with Iran.

Proving how little they care about the Iranian people, UANI even targets pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical-device corporations  including Bayer, Merck, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, and Abbott Laboratories  that have been granted special US humanitarian aid licenses.

Where does UANI get its funds?

UANI was founded by three former US officials, Dennis Ross, Richard Holbrooke and Mark Wallace. In 2013, it still had a modest budget of $1.7 million, nearly 80% coming from two Jewish-American billionaires with strong ties to Israel and the Republican Party: $843,000 from precious metals investor Thomas Kaplan and $500,000 from casino owner Sheldon Adelson. Wallace and other UANI staff have also worked for Kaplans investment firms, and he remains a key funder and advocate for UANI and its affiliated groups.

In 2014, UANI split into two entities: the original UANI and the Green Light Project, which does business as the Counter Extremism Project. Both entities are under the umbrella of and funded by a third, Counter Extremism Project United (CEPU). This permits the organization to brand its fundraising as being for the Counter Extremism Project, even though it still regrants a third of its funds to UANI.

CEO Mark Wallace, Executive Director David Ibsen and other staff work for all three groups in their shared offices in Grand Central Tower in New York. In 2018, Wallace drew a combined salary of $750,000 from all three entities, while Ibsens combined salary was $512,126.

In recent years, the revenues for the umbrella group, CEPU, have mushroomed, reaching $22 million in 2017. CEPU is secretive about the sources of this money. But investigative journalist Eli Clifton, who starting looking into UANI in 2014 when it was sued for defamation by a Greek ship owner it accused of violating sanctions on Iran, has found evidence suggesting financial ties with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

That is certainly what hacked emails between CEPU staff, an Emirati official and a Saudi lobbyist imply. In September 2014, CEPUs president Frances Townsend emailed the UAE Ambassador to the US to solicit the UAEs support and propose that it host and fund a CEPU forum in Abu Dhabi.

Four months later, Townsend emailed again to thank him, writing, "And many thanks for your and Richard Mintz (UAE lobbyist) ongoing support of the CEP effort!" UANI fundraiser Thomas Kaplan has formed a close relationship with Emirati ruler Bin Zayed, and visited the UAE at least 24 times. In 2019, he gushed to an interviewer that the UAE and its despotic rulers "are my closest partners in more parts of my life than anyone else other than my wife."

Another email from Saudi lobbyist and former Senator Norm Coleman to the Emirati Ambassador about CEPUs tax status implied that the Saudis and Emiratis were both involved in its funding, which would mean that CEPU may be violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act by failing to register as a Saudi or Emirati agent in the US

Ben Freeman of the Center for International Policy has documented the dangerously unaccountable and covert expansion of the influence of foreign governments and military-industrial interests over US foreign policy in recent years, in which registered lobbyists are only the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to foreign influence. Eli Clifton calls UANI, "a fantastic case study and maybe a microcosm of the ways in which American foreign policy is actually influenced and implemented."

CEPU and UANIs staff and advisory boards are stocked with Republicans, neoconservatives and warhawks, many of whom earn lavish salaries and consulting fees. In the two years before President Trump appointed John Bolton as his National Security Advisor, CEPU paid Bolton $240,000 in consulting fees. Bolton, who openly advocates war with Iran, was instrumental in getting the Trump administration to withdraw from the nuclear deal.

UANI also enlists Democrats to try to give the group broader, bipartisan credibility. The chair of UANIs board is former Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman, who was known as the most pro-Zionist member of the Senate. A more moderate Democrat on UANIs board is former New Mexico governor and UN ambassador Bill Richardson.

Norman Roule, a CIA veteran who was the National Intelligence Manager for Iran throughout the Obama administration was paid $366,000 in consulting fees by CEPU in 2018. Soon after the brutal Saudi assassination of journalist Jamal Khassoghi, Roule and UANI fundraiser Thomas Kaplan met with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in Saudi Arabia, and Roule then played a leading role in articles and on the talk-show circuit whitewashing Bin Salmans repression and talking up his superficial "reforms" of Saudi society.

More recently, amid a growing outcry from Congress, the UN and the European Union to ease US sanctions on Iran during the pandemic, UANI chairman Joe Lieberman, CEPU president Frances Townsend and CEO Mark Wallace signed a letter to Trump that falsely claimed, US sanctions neither prevent nor target the supply of food, medicine or medical devices to Iran, and begged him not to relax his murderous sanctions because of COVID-19. This was too much for Norman Roule, who tossed out his UANI script and told the Nation, "the international community should do everything it can to enable the Iranian people to obtain access to medical supplies and equipment."

Two Israeli shell companies to whom CEPU and UANI have paid millions of dollars in "consulting fees" raise even more troubling questions. CEPU has paid over $500,000 to Darlink, located near Tel Aviv, while UANI paid at least $1.5 million to Grove Business Consulting in Hod Hasharon, about 10% of its revenues from 2016 to 2018. Neither firm seems to really exist, but Groves address on UANIs IRS filings appears in the Panama Papers as that of Dr. Gideon Ginossar, an officer of an offshore company registered in the British Virgin Islands that defaulted on its creditors in 2010.

Selling a Corrupted Picture to US Policymakers

UANIs parent group, Counter Extremism Project United, presents itself as dedicated to countering all forms of extremism. But in practice, it is predictably selective in its targets, demonizing Iran and its allies while turning a blind eye to other countries with more credible links to extremism and terrorism.

UANI supports accusations by Trump and US warhawks that Iran is "the worlds worst state sponsor of terrorism," based mainly on its support for the Lebanese Shiite political party Hezbollah, whose militia defends southern Lebanon against Israel and fights in Syria as an ally of the government.

But Iran placed UANI on its own list of terrorist groups in 2019 after Mark Wallace and UANI hosted a meeting at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York that was mainly attended by supporters of the Mujahedin-e-Kalqh (MEK). The MEK is a group that the US government itself listed as a terrorist organization until 2012 and which is still committed to the violent overthrow of the government in Iran  preferably by persuading the US and its allies to do it for them. UANI tried to distance itself from the meeting after the fact, but the published program listed UANI as the event organizer.

On the other hand, there are two countries where CEPU and UANI seem strangely unable to find any links to extremism or terrorism at all, and they are the very countries that appear to be funding their operations, lavish salaries and shadowy "consulting fees": Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Many Americans are still demanding a public investigation into Saudi Arabias role in the crimes of September 11th. In a court case against Saudi Arabia brought by 9/11 victims families, the FBI recently revealed that a Saudi Embassy official, Mussaed Ahmed al-Jarrah, provided crucial support to two of the hijackers. Brett Eagleson, a spokesman for the families whose father was killed on September 11th, told Yahoo News, "(This) demonstrates there was a hierarchy of command thats coming from the Saudi Embassy to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs [in Los Angeles] to the hijackers."

The global spread of the Wahhabi version of Islam that unleashed and fueled Al Qaeda, ISIS and other violent Muslim extremist groups has been driven primarily by Saudi Arabia, which has built and funded Wahhabi schools and mosques all over the world. That includes the King Fahd Mosque in Los Angeles that the two 9/11 hijackers attended.

It is also well documented that Saudi Arabia has been the largest funder and arms supplier for the Al Qaeda-led forces that have destroyed Syria since 2011, including CIA-brokered shipments of thousands of tons of weapons from Benghazi in Libya and at least eight countries in Eastern Europe. The UAE also supplied arms funding to Al Qaeda-allied rebels in Syria between 2012 and 2016, and the Saudi and UAE roles have now been reversed in Libya, where the UAE is the main supplier of thousands of tons of weapons to General Haftars rebel forces. In Yemen, both the Saudis and Emiratis have committed war crimes. The Saudi and Emirati air forces have bombed schools, clinics, weddings and school buses, while the Emiratis tortured detainees in 18 secret prisons in Yemen.

But United Against a Nuclear Iran and Counter Extremism Project have redacted all of this from the one-sided worldview they offer to US policymakers and the American corporate media. While they demonize Iran, Qatar, Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood as extremists and terrorists, they depict Saudi Arabia and the UAE exclusively as victims of terrorism and allies in U.S.-led "counterterrorism" campaigns, never as sponsors of extremism and terrorism or perpetrators of war crimes.

The message of these groups dedicated to "countering extremism" is clear and none too subtle: Saudi Arabia and the UAE are always US allies and victims of extremism, never a problem or a source of danger, violence or chaos. The country we should all be worrying about is  you guessed it  Iran. You couldnt pay for propaganda like this! But on the other hand, if youre Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates and you have greedy, corrupt Americans knocking on your door eager to sell their loyalty, maybe you can.

Medea Benjamin is cofounder of CODEPINK for Peace, and author of several books, including Inside Iran: The Real History and Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Nicolas J. S. Davies is an independent journalist, a researcher with CODEPINK and the author of Blood On Our Hands: the American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq.

Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here
The suspected key figure in a ring of people smugglers has been arrested in Germany over the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants in a refrigerated truck in Britain last year, several sources told AFP. On Tuesday, 26 other suspects were arrested in the greater Paris region and in Belgium in a coordinated police swoop. The migrants -- 31 men and eight women -- were found dead in the truck in an industrial zone east of London in October 2019. The driver of the lorry has already admitted manslaughter over the deaths but Tuesday's arrests targeted the ring of smugglers suspected of organising the migrants' journey. The suspect arrested in Germany's Upper Rhine region is a 29-year-old man nicknamed "The Bald Duke," the sources said. "He could be the head of the network on the French side," a source close to the investigation told AFP, adding that he had been arrested following a European arrest warrant issued by France. There were no details of the man's nationality. Eleven of the 13 suspects arrested simultaneously in Belgium have already been charged by a judge in Bruges with people trafficking, membership of a criminal organisation and fraud, according to Belgian prosecutors. Most of those arrested in France are also Vietnamese, according to an investigation source. The probe has discovered that the migrants who died were loaded into the truck in northern France, and that the network continued its operations even after the tragedy, charging 15,000 to 20,000 euros to cross from France to Britain. Even the coronavirus lockdown did not stop the gang's smuggling activities, the source said. The tragedy shone a spotlight on the extraordinary dangers migrants are willing to risk to reach Britain, with some paying smugglers up to $40,000 for the perilous journey. Post-mortem tests found the victims died from lack of oxygen and overheating, and one sent a poignant text message to her family in Vietnam as she lay dying in the truck. The victims came from poor and remote corners of central Vietnam, a hotspot for people willing to embark on dangerous journeys in the hope of a better life abroad. Many are smuggled illegally through Russia or China, often left owing huge sums to their traffickers and ending up working on cannabis farms or in nail salons. The driver of the lorry, Maurice Robinson from Northern Ireland, last month pleaded guilty to manslaughter over the 39 deaths. Four other men are on trial in London over the tragedy, while another man, Ronan Hughes, is facing extradition from Ireland to Britain on 39 counts of manslaughter and one of conspiracy to commit unlawful immigration.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 20:59:57|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

by Sanaa Kamal

RAMALLAH, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Ghassan al-Najjar, a Palestinian farmer from the northern West Bank village of Burin, has been struggling to obtain sufficient irrigation water for his cultivation land.

With summer approaching, al-Najjar believes that the strict Israeli measures in the remote villages as well as the consequences of COVID-19, have led to the scarcity of water resources for Palestinians.

Although Nablus municipality supplies al-Najjar's land with water twice a week, al-Najjar and other Palestinian farmers are asking to increase the quantity of irrigation water in the hot summer months to avoid crop failure.

Until that demand is met, the farmer, who owns a 10-donum (or 1 hectare) farm in the village, is forced to buy water four days a week to irrigate his crops.

"I spend about 30 U.S. dollars every day to buy water for irrigation. Coronavirus has negatively affected our cultivation season in light of the lockdown that prevents us from reaching our lands and taking care of them," explained the father of five, while he was watering his harvests.

Nevertheless, this is not the only problem that al-Najjar faces. Israel controls some parts of the West Bank (Area C) and has tightened its grip as a result of the pandemic that erupted in mid-March including preventing recently Palestinian farmers from digging wells, citing security measures.

Area C, which takes up over 60 percent of the West Bank's area of 5,655 square km, is under Israeli control according to the Oslo Accords, signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Israeli government in 1993.

At that time, West Bank was divided into three areas: Area A under Palestinian control, Area B under control of both sides, and Area C.

Shady Ghassan, 40-year-old Palestinian farmer, also suffers from the water shortage.

However, he decided to take matters into his own hands, buying a tank of water to overcome the ongoing water shortage in his village.

"The villagers have been suffering from water problems for years because of the Israeli measures, but the situation has deteriorated recently under the spread of the pandemic that made people consume more water," said Ghassan.

Several days ago, the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) said in a statement that Israel significantly reduced the amount of water allotted to the West Bank districts of Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin and Hebron, during the past few days.

"We are under great pressure to manage and distribute the available amount of water in a fair manner," PWA leader Mazen Ghneim told Xinhua.

He pointed out that the demand for water has increased in the summer season by nearly 30 percent compared with the winter.

Therefore, the cultivation areas, especially in the northern West Bank, have seen an increase in the water consumption of 50 percent in the summer.

In comparison, the southern governorates need to increase the water supply by 17 to 22 percent, according to the PWA leader.

"Israel controls about 85 percent of the Palestinian water sources," the official said, adding that "it denied the supply of sufficient water to the Palestinians despite the spread of COVID-19."

He noted that Israel uses the water resources as a tool to restrict the Palestinians, calling on the international communities to pressure the "occupation" to abide by the international laws.

"The water crisis is affecting most districts of the West Bank as the summer's approaching," Ramallah-based water expert Abdul-Rahman al-Tamimi told Xinhua.

He said that the complicated political situation caused by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict denied the population from accessing water resources.

Al-Tamimi stressed that the Palestinians could overcome this crisis by finding a final political solution with Israel through brokered-negotiations.

"Only then, the Palestinians will have their own decision to extract and distribute water and benefit as much as possible from the rainwater by building dams devoted to agriculture, and taking advantage of the water of the valleys, especially the Jordan River," he explained.

The Palestinian expert warns that the coming years may be "bad and scarce" if the water issue continues with the increase of population and urban growth in Palestine, the risks of declining agricultural areas and a decrease in the quantities of water allocated for drinking. Enditem
[Read more about the rise of community-supported agriculture in the pandemic.]

My goal isnt to make anything too ambitious or fancy, its just to feed myself and my partner as well as I can. Cooking almost every meal, every single day, is a challenge, but I also try to approach it as a game of wits  how do I use up everything, I mean, every single thing? In what combinations? In what sequence? And how can I cleverly repurpose my leftovers?

The first time I got a bunch of agretti, I had to consult my fellow cooks on Instagram for advice. Id never cooked the feathery succulent before, only eaten it in restaurants. Turns out, there was no need for a recipe: I sauteed it in olive oil with some green garlic, and had it as a side with a spatchcocked roast chicken from Marin Sun Farms. And the leftover sauteed agretti made a perfect omelet mix-in the next day.

When I get overwhelmed by greens, I make kale sauce, using up whatever greens and wilty herbs Ive got lying around. And last night, I worked my way out of a carrot glut by making kosambari  a ridiculously quick and delicious salad from Karnataka  using a mix of multicolored carrots from County Line Harvest, grated on a box grater, along with the frozen grated coconut I keep in the freezer.

[Read a conversation with David Mas Masumoto, a peach farmer, about why small farms may be better positioned to thrive after the pandemic.]

If Ive got extra onions or shallots lying around, its always good to pickle them. A jar of bright, sweet and salty pickled onion in the fridge means I can throw together Scarletts tuna salad with salted cucumbers, ripe avocado and canned tuna in just a few minutes, or season a bowl of baked red beans in spicy tomato sauce, my take on rajma.

Tomatoes are on their way in Los Angeles, and B.L.T. season is almost here. I love Yewandes agege, a soft, sweet Nigerian bread. Make it now and keep it sliced in the freezer, then pull out pieces to toast as you need them.

[Here are more of Tejal's excellent recommendations for what to eat, watch and read.]
Emma Amos, an acclaimed figurative artist whose high-color paintings of women flying or falling through space were charged with racial and feminist politics, died on May 20 at her home in Bedford, N.H. She was 83.

The cause was complications of Alzheimers disease, said the Ryan Lee Gallery in Manhattan, which represents her.

A key event in Ms. Amoss career came in 1964. A 27-year-old graduate student in art education at New York University, she was invited to join a newly formed artists group called Spiral.

Its members, all African-American, included Charles Alston, Romare Bearden, Norman Lewis and the muralist Hale Woodruff  midcareer artists with substantial reputations. Organized in response to the 1963 March on Washington, the group was formed to discuss and debate the political role of black artists and their work.
Gurugram, May 29 : A gangster who was a close aide of another dreaded criminal was gunned downed in broad daylight by around a dozen armed men in Gurugram's Feroze Gandhi Colony on Friday, police said.

Deceased Vikas Dureja alias Anda was said to be right-hand man of dreaded gangster Birender Singh Dayma alias Bindar Gujjar and was leading the gang in the latter's absence.

Gujjar is lodged in a Mumbai jail in connection with the killing of another Gurugram gangster Sandeep Gadoli in February 2017 by a team of Gurgaon police at a hotel near the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai.

Gurugram police was tightlipped on Friday's killing but hinted that preliminary investigation hinted at involvement of professional shooters. Police suspect either the men owing allegiance to one Kaushal or Gadoli many be involved.

Vikas was on way to a nearby market in a Maruti Swift car around 2.30 pm when he was cornered by his attackers 300 to 400 metres away from his house. As an SUV blocked his path from the front, Vikas tried to reverse his car but around half a dozen attackers riding two motorcycles blocked his way. He was subsequently killed in indiscriminate firing.

Gurugram Police seized 40 spent cartridges from the crime spot.

Gurugram ACP (Crime) Preet Pal Singh Sangwan said: "We have registered an FIR of murder and criminal conspiracy and investigation is underway. We have some clues about the assailants. They will be arrested soon."


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Gov. Andrew Cuomo has ordered shopping malls in New York to remain shut even when regions enter phase two of the states reopening plan.

Under guidelines issued by his office Friday, any indoor common portions of retail shopping malls with 100,000 or more square feet of retail space available for lease must remain closed under phase two.

That would include Syracuses Destiny USA, which, with 2.4 million square feet of leasable space, is the largest mall in New York and the sixth-largest in the nation.

Earlier in the week, Destiny USA officials were preparing to reopen the interior portions of the mall on Friday in anticipation of the state giving Central New York the go-ahead to enter phase two of the states regional reopening plan. At the time, it was assumed by many that malls would be included in phase two.

A Destiny USA representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

Mall stores that have their own external entrances separate from the general mall entrance will be allowed to open under phase two. Those stores have previously been allowed to open for curbside pickup only.

Under phase one of the states reopening plan, stores in the interior portions of malls have been allowed to offer curbside pickup service, and a few at Destiny have been doing so since Central New York entered phase one on May 15.

Panera at Destiny USA in Syracuse is providing curbside service to customers during the coronavirus pandemic. Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com

Cuomo ordered malls in the state to close March 19 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Outside of malls, retail stores will be allowed to open under phase two but will be restricted to 50% occupancy, including employees and customers.

Currently, no regions in the state have been approved for phase two. On Thursday, Cuomo said international experts will review phase one data and must sign off before phase two proceeds.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

After a week of hype, phase two of NYs restart wont begin tomorrow

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Syracuse AD John Wildhack anticipating reduced Carrier Dome capacity during football season

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Rick Moriarty covers business news and consumer issues. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact him anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

Trend:

The closure of the state border of Azerbaijan has been extended until June 15, 2020, Trend reports on May 29 citing the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Yiming Woo (Reuters) Paris, France  Fri, May 29, 2020 22:09 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb02372 2 Art & Culture Paris,France,orchestra,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

Renaud Capucon, a French concert violinist accustomed to playing to rooms of 2,000 people and more, performed on Thursday evening to an empty auditorium, but he said the experience was none the worse for it.

"It's like a return to life," he said of the performance, his first at the Philharmonie de Paris concert hall since the COVID-19 outbreak forced the cancellation of all concerts back in March.

"We're all very happy to ... play again after the long period when everything was closed. It's a real rebirth."

Capucon and his 23-person string orchestra on Thursday evening performed "Metamorphosen", a piece by German composer Richard Strauss.

The auditorium, which can seat up to 2,400 people, was empty, apart from one or two staff members wearing surgical masks - complying with a French government ban on mass gatherings still in force even as some other restrictions have been eased.

Read also: Masked Ukrainian orchestra makes concert recording as lockdown eases

The members of the orchestra themselves were not required to wear masks, but had to stay seated at least 1 meter away from each other on the concert hall stage.

The audience was virtual: people watching and listening at home via a live stream on the concert hall's website.

Capucon said that the previous times he had played the Strauss piece, a mournful composition that ends on a somber note, he always felt it would be appropriate if there were no applause.

The COVID-19 outbreak now means that the ending of the performance is met with silence. "It suits perfectly," said the musician.
She enjoyed a pop career in 2012.

And Jess Wright returned to her roots Friday as she shared an incredible video while pulling her best Beyonce moves.

The former TOWIE star, 34, added a caption on the stunning video reading: 'Its FRIDAY my fellow Beyonces. now lets POP!'

Rock out: Jess Wright returned to her roots Friday as she shared an incredible video while pulling her best Beyonce moves

Jess was showing off her taut abs as she made the most of her moves in a video which featured reflected versions of herself.

She was rocking out to the iconic hitmaker's 2011 hit from her 4 album.

The TOWIE star has more than enough stage experience as she has enjoyed chart success herself, first with her group Lola and then solo.

In 2012, Jess signed a three-single deal with record label All Around the World and went to Marbella to film the music video for her debut single Dance All Night.

Who run the world? The former TOWIE star, 34, added a caption on the stunning video reading: 'Its FRIDAY my fellow Beyonces. now lets POP!'

The song was released on 16 September 2012 and peaked at number 36 on the UK Singles Chart, while her second single "Dominoes" featuring Mann was released on 17 February 2013, and entered the UK Official Dance Chart at number 36.

Prior to her playful video, Jess was forced to hit back at a fan who accused her of not being 'honest' over her appearance on Wednesday night.

She took to Instagram to share a radiant bare-faced snap yet one follower claimed she was wearing make-up and wasn't being 'true' to her 1.4 million followers.

Dance All Night! The TOWIE star has more than enough stage experience as she has enjoyed chart success herself, first with her group Lola and then solo

Rock on: In 2012, Jess signed a three-single deal with record label All Around the World and went to Marbella to film the music video for her debut single Dance All Night (pictured)

Jess went makeup-free as she posed in her white Calvin Klein underwear and captioned the photo with: 'Calvins & a fresh face never go out of fashion.'

With one fan commenting: 'And a winged liner!!!!! Also your face doesn't match your skin!!!!!! It's just sad because be honest!!!!

'People look up to the likes of you and you should be true to what you do.'

Radiant: Jess went makeup-free as she posed in her white Calvin Klein underwear and captioned the photo with: 'Calvins & a fresh face never go out of fashion'

To which Jess hit back with: 'Liner was tattooed years ago & I have nothing on my face other than moisturiser .'

Yet all appeared to be resolved, with the fan replying: 'I'm not saying anything wrong you are a beautiful woman, probably one of my faves to look at and think are naturally pretty!

'I just think you have more on that what you are saying! But fair enough no harm done, I wish I looked like that with just a bit of moisturiser.'
Economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura and National Governorsa Association Chairman Kamon Iizumi agreed Thursday to work together in promoting aa new way of livinga and migration to rural areas to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

aA growing number of people are wishing to work in rural areas instead of urban areas with high infection risks,a Nishimura said in a videoconference with Iizumi. aItas a good opportunity to promote regional revitalization.a

The minister also said he hopes to distribute more subsidies to municipalities than was done during the economic crisis following the collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers in 2008, under the fiscal 2020 draft second supplementary budget that was approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday.

Iizumi called on the government to pave the way for promoting the new way of living, including drafting legislation.
Meghan Markle-inspired earrings are available to buy from Etsy and cost under 50. (Getty Images)

Yahoo Lifestyle is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

Most of us will agree that Meghan Markle is something of a sartorial icon. The majority of her wardrobe sells out within hours - if not minutes - of her being seen in it.

While some may swoon over her black Everlane jumpsuit, others have been splashing out on the Veja trainers she previously wore on the royal tour in Sydney.

However, there is another item we have been lusting after for months: the mum-of-ones diamond Snowstorm earrings.

The 38-year-old royal wore the statement jewellery piece, from Canadian jeweller Birks, to her wedding rehearsal dinner at Windsor Castle just days prior to marrying Prince Harry on May 19, 2018.

What if we told you there was a way we could replicate the look, but for a fraction of the price?

Etsy seller, MeghansMirror, has recreated the accessory for just 35.67, while the original is said to have cost 7,109.

The affordable earrings have previously proved to be a huge hit and sold out. However, theyre now back in stock and available for pre-order.

The design, which measure 19mm in length and 13mm in width, are made from AAA grade cubic zirconia with a mirror polish, as well as gold plating.

Buy it: Meghan Markle Inspired Snowstorm Earrings | 35.67 from Etsy

Customers cant get enough of the dupe, which has been sold over 2,600 times, and received an average of 4.9 stars.

One shopper wrote: The earrings are stunning!!!! I must say , I just love anything pave! They are made extremely well, worth the wait. They are extremely comfortable too, very happy with them. Cute packaging as well.

Absolutely beautiful replica earrings! The backs are sturdy as well which was a concern of mine. Very happy with my purchase, shared another.

Markle also accessorised with the expensive earrings during the royal tour of Ireland two years ago, as well as for the Commonwealth Day Service in London in March this year.
Another day in the United States, another unarmed black man dead following unwarranted, insupportable, outrageous police violence. When will it end?

In Minneapolis on Monday evening, a white officer bore down with his knee on the neck of a handcuffed black man who lay sprawled on the street, rasping, I cannot breathe and Dont kill me. The man died a short time after.

The suspect, George Floyd, was in his 40s. He was arrested when officers responded to what they called a suspected forgery in progress. They said the man appeared to be intoxicated and that he resisted arrest, though no evidence has been presented for either assertion.

There is plain evidence of what came next, however, from a video recorded by someone in a group of witnesses who stood a few feet away. In it, the white officer appears impassive, almost bored, as the suspect gasps for breath. He is unmoved as witnesses curse and plead with him to get off the suspects neck, as they warn that the mans nose is bleeding, that he cant breathe, that he isnt resisting. Nor does the officer relent when an ambulance medic arrives and checks the mans neck for a pulse.

When, finally, the officer lifts his knee, the man appears to have lost consciousness as he is dragged onto a stretcher.

On Tuesday, that officer and three others were fired. Now the FBI is investigating the incident. Now the outrage and condemnation are erupting in social media. It is all painfully familiar.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was blunt. Being black in America should not be a death sentence, he said. This officer failed in the most basic, human sense. What I keep coming back to is this: This man should not have died.

In a jarringly anodyne statement Tuesday, as if describing a highway pileup, the Minneapolis police said that officers at the scene noted (the suspect) appeared to be suffering medical distress.

Incredibly, the statement made no mention of the fact that the medical distress occurred in the course of having the weight of an officers body bear down on the mans neck. The title of the statement is almost risible: Man Dies After Medical Incident During Police Interaction.

Six short years ago, Americans watched, horrified, as Eric Garner, his neck in a police officers chokehold, pleaded again and again, I cant breathe on a sidewalk on Staten Island. Mr. Garner died. They watched macabre videos showing the deaths of Michael Brown, Walter Scott, Tamir Rice and other black Americans, all shot to death by police.

Perhaps the suspect in Minneapolis was intoxicated. Perhaps he did resist arrest. The officers at the scene activated their body cams; that footage should be released immediately. Even if it confirms the police account, it will do nothing to justify what occurred next. No police protocols recommend kneeling on a human beings neck until he passes out. That is a protocol for homicide, not law enforcement.

 The Washington Post
The 91-year-old woman, who was found Covid-19 positive at a Mohali hospital on Thursday, tested negative within 24 hours of the first result.

The elderly was found infected after she was admitted for a medical procedure at Max Hospital in Mohali.

She was tested at one of the labs of the hospital. However, the second sample sent to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, returned negative results.

Officials said the samples were examined carefully as the case was reported positive by a private hospital.

UT health secretary Arun Kumar Gupta said the woman will not be tested again, but had been advised strict home isolation.

PGIMER report should be treated as final, and at most, she may be advised to isolate herself at her house and watch out for symptoms. Asymptomatic positive patients are advised the same protocol, he said

Max Hospital said they will issue a detailed statement on the issue on Saturday.

Three family members and two community contacts of the elderly woman, who were quarantined at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, were also found negative.

NO NEW CASE

Meanwhile, the city reported no new positive case after 12 days. It was on May 17 last when no new case surfaced.

With this, the count of Covid-19 cases in the city remains 288, out of which 95 are active and rest 189 are discharged. Four patients have died due to the virus.

In the daily review meeting, UT administrator VP Singh Badnore specifically directed that necessary preparations should be made to fight water and air-borne diseases, which are likely to come in monsoon.

The administrator has desired that regular health programmes of vaccination, tuberculosis and dengue should be continued in all dispensaries, and adequate stock of blood should be kept by holding blood donation camps regularly, the official spokesperson said.

Health secretary Arun Kumar Gupta said 116 persons had arrived in Chandigarh from abroad, out of which 29 were sent home after necessary testing. Similarly, 281 domestic flyers had also arrived in Chandigarh and advised to do self-monitoring at home as per the central guidelines.

UT adviser Manoj Parida said the administration was ready with 3,000 beds to accommodate patients of both mild and serious categories.
In May 1945, a squadron of P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft poured .50-caliber rounds on a Japanese military convoy, blowing the trucks up in flames. The fighters-who were part of a 300-strong squadron nicknamed Aztec Eagles-were all Mexican soldiers fighting to liberate the Filipino people.

The 201st Fighter Squadron of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force were celebrated as brave and deadly in their aircraft. Filipinos and Americans remembered them for their ferocity in battle and their contribution to improving the relations between Mexico and the United States following the end of the war.

Forming the Squadron

Mexico was the only other Latin American country to fight against the Japanese empire. The decision to join the war was made by a soldier-turned-president, President Manuel Avila Camacho. Avila Camacho was initially reluctant to join the war. But on May 14, 1942, several Mexican sailors were killed after German forces torpedoed an oil tanker off the coast of Florida. A week later, the Germans killed seven Mexican sailors aboard another tanker. In response, the president organized the Aztec Eagles. The soldiers were sent to the United States to train.

The squadron included Colonel Antonio Cardenas Rodrigues who had previously flown with the U.S. Air forces in North Africa. Lieutenant Reynaldo Perez Gallardo, who came from a powerful Mexican family, also joined the ranks. Other men volunteered to join the squadron. The Mexican soldiers suffered through discrimination during training. At one point, a restaurant refused to serve them food because they were Mexicans. They also assumed the Americans doubted their capacity.





Fighting the Axis

The U.S. Army assigned the Aztec Eagles to the Fifth Air Force. They boarded the U.S.S. Fairisle and arrived in the Philippines on April 30, 1945. They immediately sprung into action near Vigan, where they were responsible for flushing out the Japanese by executing dangerous dive-bombing runs. The Mexicans succeeded in the mission, amazing Americans who gave them the nickname "White Noses."

On June 1, 1945, they planned to attack an ammunition depot that was surrounded by three high cliffs and anti-aircraft batteries. The Mexicans took the task and planned a dive-bomb maneuver that the Americans called a "suicide." The 201st sent out four pilots-one of whom died at just 22. The unit continued to attack Japanese locations through June. They flew into combat despite the rainy season and attacked Japanese infantry and anti-aircraft guns across the Philippines. Their losses were stacking up.

MacArthur ordered the air forces to attack Formosa, now Taiwan. The remaining Mexicans flew six-hour missions over the open waters to bomb Japanese units in Formosa. Due to the gravity of their missions, the pilots were pried out of their aircraft and helped off the tarmac each day.

In August, the unit took the trip home after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing the enemy to surrender. They were greeted by confetti, marching bands, and parades. Their contribution helped Mexico receive a seat on the United Nations Security Council. The Mexican military forces were granted federal aid. The CIA also built a covert site in Mexico City. Free trade was then opened between both countries.

The unit is remembered at a monument in Mexico City on February 9 each year. Ten of the brave Mexican soldier are still alive, including Carlos Garduno who turned 100.





Want to read more?
The worst fears of Hong Kong's richest person Li Ka-shing, proprietor of trading behemoth Hutchison, are being realised.

When the Union Flag was hauled down in 1997, Li recognised the potential danger to Hong Kong's democracy and free markets if sovereignty were handed over to Beijing. He has spent the last several decades diversifying the family's wealth.

Li viewed Britain as a safe haven and has poured more than 40billion of investments into the country. These include Britain's premier container port at Felixstowe, water companies up and down the land and mobile network Three.

A security guard at the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing

Last year he splashed out nearly 5billion on the Greene King brewery and pub network. That is just as well given the existential threat to less well-endowed landlords caused by Covid-19.

China showed restraint last year during Hong Kong's street and parliamentary protests. No tanks lumbered onto the streets and only a handful of lives were lost.

Now we know that President Xi Jinping and his nodding dog assembly was biding its time and has passed a tough security law which tightens its control over the territory.

The clampdown must also be regarded as a threat to the City, which has long regarded Hong Kong as its main outpost in the Pacific.

Britain's largest bank, HSBC, makes most of its money in Hong Kong and Asia and currently is engaged in a retrenchment in Europe and the US which will leave it even more heavily exposed to Beijing's sphere of influence.

Our biggest insurer Prudential, may still be based in London, but operations are focused on Hong Kong and China. The London Metal Exchange is owned by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Only last year the Hong Kong exchange made a failed 32billion bid for its valuable London counterpart.

Beijing's super-rich are estimated to have parked more than 800billion in Hong Kong. Bankers report that money is on the move again.

A Chinese client of a Hong Kong bank bought five apartments in Singapore and moved his family investment office there this week in expectation that the People's Republic will squeeze the lifeblood out of the region.

The Americans will almost certainly respond to Beijing's move by imposing sanctions on companies and individuals close to President Xi and his circle.

If Beijing planned to sneak in its gradual political power grab in Hong Kong, under the radar of a pandemic, the UK must disabuse it without delay. It is in defiance of solemn undertakings made to Britain and a blow to our economic interests.

Sitting Pretty

At a time when the prospects of much of UK clothing retail are so dismal the success of online fast fashion pioneers Boohoo and Asos is something to savour.

In spite of a quote on the less regulated AIM market, Boohoo has attained a valuation of 4.7billion, which is more than twice that of Marks & Spencer's worth, currently less than 2billion.

The rise and rise of Boohoo does not mean that it is excused from normal governance rules. The decision to buy out the minority interest in its brasher sister Pretty Little Thing needs careful scrutiny.

The potential 324million deal is a family affair. Pretty Little Thing is run by a son of Boohoo founder and executive chairman Mahmud Kamani and is the target of criticism from short-seller Shadowfall. It alleges the profits of Pretty Little Thing are exaggerated.

Valuations for fashion enterprises are notoriously unreliable, as we learned at Ted Baker. The accounts of Jigsaw's parent company were qualified because the auditors were not able to confirm the valuation of stock.

Boohoo has ambitions to build a brand presence, alongside its cheap and cheerful approach, and acquired the Coast and Karen Millen brands. It would be a pity if its advance were interrupted by questions over inter-company dealings.

Vaccine race

Astrazeneca has cornered recent favourable headlines with its backing for the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trials and a new heady stock market valuation. So it is good to know its UK compatriot and rival GSK is hard on its heels.

GSK has laid out plans to produce 1bn doses of vaccine-efficiency boosters, or adjuvants, as it races to come up with a riposte to coronavirus in partnership with France's Sanofi.

Even better it is pledging to make the adjuvant available to poor nations by donations through global institutions.

That's the spirit.
Kyiv mayor Open source

In Kyiv, there are developers who sell apartments before the start of construction, but then leave people without money and without apartments. In this regard, many victims of fraudsters are trying to resolve the issue at the Kyiv City State Administration. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said that this issue needs to be addressed at the legislative level, as 112 Ukraine reports.

You can imagine that unscrupulous builders collect money from people, then at one point they somehow either dont have enough money, these construction projects end, they either hide on the run, leave, or just tell some fancy tales ... Im clearly sure we have big holes in the legislation. We are trying to help, but, excuse me, to build for someone ... Im sure that I cant, as Kyiv mayor, spend the money of the community in order to complete private facilities. This is beyond my authority, Vitaliy Klitschko said.

He advised people to check the company's reputation with lawyers before buying an apartment from them before and during construction. Klitschko is also sure that the developer should start the construction of residential buildings only if the bank can guarantee everyone a living space in exchange for money.

Klitschko noted that he had already appealed to the MPs, the Prime Minister and the president to resolve similar issues at the legislative level.

As we reported before, the Kyiv City State Administration claims that the capital's preschool are fully prepared to resume work from June 1.


Video: The online snippet recorded by a bystander in Minneapolis, the biggest city in the Midwest state of Minnesota, on May 25, 2020, shows a white police officer holding George Floyd down with a knee on his neck though the black man in his 40s repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "Please, I can't breathe." (Xinhua)

"Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy," tweets Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

WASHINGTON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- In the wake of the death of George Floyd in police custody, protests have continued after turning violent on Wednesday night with fires burning and businesses looted in Minneapolis, the biggest city in the midwest state of Minnesota.

Demonstrations over his death also spread to some other U.S. cities including Los Angeles and Memphis, local media reported.

Floyd died on Monday evening shortly after a white police officer held him down with a knee on his neck though the black man in his 40s repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe." The police officer's way of handling the man is not approved by the local police department.

Protesters gathered for a second night Wednesday evening in Minneapolis. Videos on social media showed that some demonstrators grew violent, looting a Target and Cub Foods supermarket, setting fire to an Auto Zone, and smashing the windows of other nearby businesses.

"The situation near Lake Street and Hiawatha in Minneapolis has evolved into an extremely dangerous situation," Minnesota Governor Tim Walz tweeted last night. "For everyone's safety, please leave the area and allow firefighters and paramedics to get to the scene."

A sreengrab from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's Twitter account on May 28, 2020, shows he tweeted on Thursday that "The situation near Lake Street and Hiawatha in Minneapolis has evolved into an extremely dangerous situation. For everyone's safety, please leave the area and allow firefighters and paramedics to get to the scene." (Xinhua)

The Minneapolis Fire Department said in a statement Thursday that firefighters responded to approximately 30 fires overnight, including at least 16 structure fires. No civilians or firefighters were injured in the blazes.

Footage showed buildings on fire in Minneapolis in the early hours of Thursday. A report by The Wall Street Journal said residents took morning walks over broken glass and a McDonald's was recognizable only by its salvaged drive-through menu after the riot.

On the edge of the shopping plaza that included the looted Target, a resident told local media she had been sitting in her car since before sunset, just in case she needed to leave quickly. "We're afraid to go to bed," said the woman, who declined to give her name. "I've never seen this."

Amid the riot, the owner of a nearby pawn shop shot and killed a person suspected of looting his building. Police are investigating the shooting with one suspect in custody.

A video shared on Twitter by Minnesota Public Radio photojournalist Evan Frost showed people gathering again outside local police's Third Precinct by mid-morning. Officers stood with face shields around the building and on its roof.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for the city to remain calm in a plea to his residents overnight.

"Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy," he tweeted.

The mayor and Floyd's family on Wednesday called for the arrests of the officers involved in his death, and federal authorities on Thursday promised a "robust criminal investigation."

A sreengrab from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey's Twitter account on May 28, 2020, shows he tweeted on May 27, 2020, that "George Floyd deserves justice. The Black community deserves justice. His friends and family deserve justice." (Xinhua)

The four officers involved in the case were fired shortly after a video recording Floyd's death went viral on social media on Tuesday, sparking a national outcry for justice. Minneapolis police's statement about Floyd's arrest said that "he physically resisted officers" after getting out of the vehicle, but the video showed two officers grabbing Floyd and pulling him from a vehicle as they put handcuffs on him.

Some other cities also saw protests Wednesday night.

In Los Angeles, demonstrators marched on a major freeway and at least one protester was injured after falling off a moving police car, said the report of The Wall Street Journal.

In Memphis, a silent demonstration holding signs reading "Black Lives Matter" and "Stop killing black people" turned into separate verbal confrontations with Memphis police and two counter-protesters. Memphis police temporarily shut down a portion of road after the confrontation grew, local newspaper The Commercial Appeal reported.

"The death of Mr. Floyd is deeply disturbing and should be of concern to all Americans," the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which represents the heads of police departments in largest U.S. cities, said in a statement on Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Floyd's death "very sad and tragic," saying "justice will be served" in his case.

A sreengrab from buzzfeednews.com on May 28, 2020, shows an undated photo of George Floyd (R) and the title of its report "Friends Say George Floyd Always Went Out Of His Way To Help People Who Were Less Fortunate." (Xinhua)

Floyd's death evoked the country's memory about the case of Eric Garner. In 2014, a cellphone recorded Garner, an unarmed black man, repeatedly saying "I can't breathe" when a New York officer held him in a chokehold before his death in police custody. Since then, the plea has become a rallying cry at demonstrations against police misconduct across the country. 
We should know how to proceed with an event on August 24th, Reed said. Instead, we do not have a commitment that provides clarity or guidance. Like the rest of the state, we will be ready and waiting for North Carolina leadership to offer clear guidance on how we should safely plan for the type of convention for which we originally contracted.
At the current rate, it will take a long time for us to get it right. I have always said economics and politics are like two legs of men. If the other leg is dysfunctional, the other leg wont be able to walk straight.
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has signed the law ratifying the Lanzarote Convention, as reported on the official website of the President of Armenia.

The Law on Ratifying the Council of Europe Convention on the protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, adopted by the National Assembly, was submitted to the President of Armenia for signing on May 12, 2020.

Before adoption of the law by the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court had considered and, upon the decision of March 31, 2020, stated that the commitments assumed by the Convention comply with the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia.

Armenia has been a member state of the Council of Europe for more than 20 years, has adopted the common values of the Council of Europe and its 47 member states through several conventions, and yet, it has stayed true to and preserved its national values. In this value system, family, children, their safety and health are under the special care of the State, the Armenian Apostolic Church and each and every Armenian.

The President of Armenia has always paid special attention to all issues related to children, prescribing the events aimed at ensuring their education, health, safety and carefree childhood as the main priority. The position of the President of Armenia on the signing of the law on ratification of the Convention is very clear  giving in to certain calls being made in regard to compliance with the Constitution and not signing the law on ratification will mean avoiding responsibility.

In this sense, the President of Armenia has stated several times the importance of care for children, stating that they are the worthiest citizens of the Republic of Armenia, the future of our country, and our love, respect and care for them is expressed through our attitude.

The President of Armenia is certain that the main activities for educating and protecting children starts now. The President calls on all interested bodies, organizations and individuals to cooperate, as well as present their comments and suggestions to the President and implement joint projects.

The President of Armenia will continue to keep the implementation of the Convention in its focus and strictly follow implementation, based on the perception of family and children as the highest values that are characteristic of the nations image, the press release reads.
Pentecost, the Promised Power

"We the People," The Home Church Movement, are God's "Department of Morality!"



We are The Front Line and The Last Line of Defense, for This Nation, If It Is To Endure







NEWS PROVIDED BY

Home Churches International

May 28, 2020



RIVERSIDE, Calif., May 28, 2020 /Standard Newswire/ -- This coming Sunday, May 31st, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. PST, 4:00 p.m. EST. A fiery anointed teaching, of the Pentecost power of God, through His Holly Spirit on His children, who want to know and see the answers, as to the virus, vaccine and why they want to track us!



Only the remnant few, will hear the holy call, to the soldier saints of God, who are willing to stand up with no fear and no shame, in fighting for their families in their homes!



For such a time as this, saints of God have been called out from the Bible, and even through our Declaration of Independence.



We must serve the laws of nature and nature's God, to fight for our unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We still must fight against all enemies, foreign and domestic, natural and supernatural, seen and unseen.



Jesus said, go to the upper room and wait for the promised power of the Holy Spirit and receive tongues like fire, over every soul in attendance.



Your individual home, can be your personal "upper room." By joining us live online that day, and there after, be a part of our physical network of believers, being there for each other, no matter what the world may throw our way!



Together, we'll burn brighter! God's people uniting physically & spiritually in these evil days!



We do have enemies seen and unseen, foreign and domestic, natural and supernatural!



For a time, such as this, we must become the new "PC" (Practical Christianity). We are a dedicated network of believers, doing what Christ commanded us to do: To occupy and evangelize the world (starting with our homes) until He comes.



We are preaching, praying, preparing, and protecting our families and friends in this life,

for the next! (Proverbs 11:30)



Join us - sign up today!



HomeChurchesInternational.org or TheUnitedSaintsOfAmerica.US



Regular Sunday Service

8:00 a.m. PST, 11:00 a.m. EST

HomeChurchesInternational.org

Listen by phone: (872) 240-3311 code 511-278-085#



SOURCE Home Churches International



CONTACT: Pastor Sylvester Bland, 951-360-3399, hci1million@gmail.com


Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 19:53:45|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

XIAMEN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- An air cargo route linking southeast China's Xiamen city and Spain's Valencia was launched Friday.

A charter cargo flight carrying e-commerce goods and medical supplies such as face masks and gloves for COVID-19 control took off from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport for Valencia at 1:45 a.m.

The route is operated by Xiamen Airlines as the company's first direct connection to Spain.

According to the carrier, charter cargo flights will operate on the route in the first few months before it becomes a regular route.

The company said the route will promote Xiamen as a logistics center for international e-commerce and help the airline explore the European market. Enditem
(Repeats story from Thursday)

By Ingrid Melander and Belen Carreno

MADRID, May 28 (Reuters) - European Union leaders must reach a deal fast on a recovery fund to avoid a long and painful recession for a region shattered by the coronavirus pandemic, Spain's foreign minister said.

The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled a 750 billion euro ($831 bln) plan to prop up the bloc's economies, but it could face resistance in fiscally conservative northern nations dubbed "the frugal four": Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.

Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya told Reuters the whole region's economy, not just those of worst-hit southern nations such as her own and Italy, was at stake.

"This is not a battle between some frugal countries, and some free-spending countries. The battle today is between a swift recovery that generates jobs or a long recession that creates pain," she said, calling for the disbursement of some of the funds before a full EU deal can be ironed out.

"We have to be sober and act quickly."

The Commission proposal, if ratified by all, would be a milestone in a half century of continental integration, marking a step towards mutualised debt as a major funding tool for the first time and paving the way for greater EU taxation powers.

The minister was optimistic a deal could be found.

"In two months we have completely changed the dynamics in Europe," she said.

Gonzalez Laya said the car sector, along with tourism and renewables, would be priorities for Spain when it comes to using this fund. The first two are hard hit by the crisis and the latter is a government priority.

The minister, a former senior official at the World Trade Organisation and the European Commission, joined the new minority government led by the Socialist Pedro Sanchez in January.

"Spain does not fear reforms, Spain is already doing reforms," she said.

($1 = 0.9020 euros) (Reporting by Belen Carreno and Ingrid Melander; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
A customer at a bank in Mogadishu, Somalia on June 7, 2015. Abdulfitah Hashi Nor | AFP | Getty Images

The coronavirus pandemic is leaving migrant workers unable to send money or goods home to families, cutting off a vital lifeline for communities already under siege from a barrage of external shocks. Remittance flows to low and middle-income countries (LMICs) are projected to fall by almost 20% in 2020, one of the sharpest declines in history, according to the World Bank. The coronavirus pandemic has led to mass unemployment and hammered wages in the U.S. and Europe, key destinations for migrant workers, leaving many unable to send money home.



A number of major European countries have introduced furlough schemes to partially subsidize wages for those unable to work, but many of those in less formal employment have still found themselves without income. For workers in the U.S., there is less of a social safety net, which has led to more than 40 million Americans filing for unemployment since the pandemic was declared in mid-March. Sub-Saharan Africa is projected by the World Bank to suffer a 23.1% decline in remittances over the course of 2020. To compound the tighter financial conditions for African migrant workers, in the first quarter of 2020, the region continued to have the highest average remittance costs, with the average transfer of $200 charged at about 9%.

Residents transfer money using the M-Pesa banking service at a store in Nairobi, Kenya, on Sunday, April 14, 2013. Trevor Snapp | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Even for those who have maintained the financial capability to transfer money, lockdown measures have impacted access to MTOs (money transfer operators) in receiving countries. Oxfam and around 90 other NGOs, academics and aid workers recently penned a letter to international bodies documenting the impact of the plunge in remittance payments in Somalia, in particular. The letter urges the U.S. and European governments to take urgent action to facilitate wiring or other payment settlement mechanisms, and calls on Somali officials, MTOs, international banks and bodies such as the UN to coordinate efforts to boost the accessibility of remittance payments.

Somalia: A case study

Many domestic economies in Sub-Saharan Africa are suffering as a result of shutdowns associated with the coronavirus pandemic, and in some cases dealing with multiple concurrent shocks such as historic locust swarms, droughts, flash flooding or violent insurgencies. Almost half of all households in Somalia rely on remittances to cover basic needs such as food, water, health care and education. The UN estimates that 4.1 million Somalis are food insecure in 2020, while around 2.6 million are internally displaced and more than a third have insufficient water for their basic day-to-day needs. The country's total population is just over 15 million, according to World Bank data from 2018. The above average rainy season anticipated in the coming months is expected to exacerbate the flash flooding which has devastated communities, along with offering ideal breeding conditions for the locust swarms that have affected around 360,000 hectares of land. Meanwhile, conflict continues to rage between government forces, clan actors and insurgent groups, including notorious terror organization Al Shabaab.

People gather near burnt vehicles a day after a truck bomb exploded in the center of Mogadishu on October 15, 2017. Mohamed Abdiwahab | AFP | Getty Images

Some MTOs in Somalia have had their bank accounts closed due to bank concerns about exposure to terrorism financing and anti-money laundering regulation, preventing access to their online services, according to the letter. Others have been rendered unable to reach more remote locations of the country, including settlements for internally displaced persons and refugees, the most vulnerable portion of the population. "MTOs not only provide the only viable mechanism to legally and transparently send money to Somalia/Somaliland, they also serve a dual function in terms of providing letters of credit to Somali traders who come to Dubai, Djibouti and other international hubs to purchase essential food and nonfood items for sale inside Somalia/Somaliland," the letter explained. "Across the U.S. and around the globe, Somalis are working hard to support their families back home," Scott Paul, Oxfam America's humanitarian policy lead, said in a recent statement. "Sadly, many have fewer resources to share today, and because of the U.S. government's irresponsible approach to bank regulation, banks have been scared away from helping Somalis send what they can."

A displaced Somali woman sits outside her temporary dwelling after fleeing famine Feisal Omar | Reuters
Warming events are increasing in magnitude and severity, threatening many ecosystems worldwide. As the global temperatures continue to climb, it also raises uncertainties as to the relationship, prevalence, and spread of parasites and disease.

A recent study from the University of Washington explores the ways parasitism will respond to climate change, providing researchers new insights into disease transmission. The paper was published May 18 in Trends in Ecology and Evolution.

The review builds upon previous research by adding nearly two decades of new evidence to build a framework showing the parasite-host relationship under climate oscillations. Traditionally, climate-related research is done over long timescales, however this unique approach examines how increasingly frequent "pulse warming" events alter parasite transmission.

"Much of what is known about how organisms and ecosystems can respond to climate change has focused on gradual warming," said lead author Danielle Claar, a postdoctoral researcher at the UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. "Climate change causes not only gradual warming over time, but also increases the frequency and magnitude of extreme events, like heat waves."

Claar explained that both gradual warming and pulse warming can and have influenced ecosystems, but do so in different ways. Organisms may be able to adapt and keep pace with the gradual warming, but an acute pulse event can have sudden and profound impacts.

The 2013-2015 "blob" is one such extreme heat pulse event which has been linked to a massive die-off of sea stars along the Pacific coast of the U.S. and Canada. Many species of sea stars, including the large sunflower sea star, were decimated by a sudden epidemic of wasting disease. Five years later, populations in the region are still struggling to recover. The abnormally warm waters associated with the blob are thought to have favored the spread of the sea star-associated densovirus, the suggested cause of the disease.

The authors compare the prevalence of these marine diseases to a rising tide, an ebbing tide, or a tsunami. Disease transmission can rise or ebb in concert with gradual warming or a series of pulse warming events. However, a severe pulse warming event could result in a tsunami, "initiating either a deluge or drought of disease," as was observed with sea stars along the Pacific Northwest.

However, not all pulse heat events will cause the same response. What may benefit a particular parasite or host in one system can be detrimental in another. Warming can alter a parasite's life cycle, limit the range of suitable host species, or even impair the host's immune response. Some flatworms which target wildlife and humans cannot survive as long in warmer waters, decreasing their window for infecting a host. Another recent UW study found that parasites commonly found in sushi are on the rise with their numbers increasing 283-fold in the past 40 years, though the relationship between heat pulse events and their abundance is not yet clear.

"The relationships between hosts, parasites, and their corresponding communities are complex and depend on many factors, making outcomes difficult to predict," said Claar, who recommends researchers make predictions on a case-by-case basis for their individual systems.

The authors conclude that rather than a straightforward tidal prediction, they would expect pulse warming to cause "choppy seas with the occasional rogue wave."

"It is important that we are able to understand and predict how parasitism and disease might respond to climate change, so we can prepare for, and mitigate, potential impacts to human and wildlife health," said Claar.

###

The paper's co-author is Chelsea Wood, a UW assistant professor of aquatic and fishery sciences.

This research was supported by the NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, administered by UCAR's Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS); the National Science Foundation; a Sloan Research Fellowship from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; a UW Innovation Award from the UW President's Innovation Imperative; and a UW Royalty Research Fund Award.

Grant numbers: NA18NWS4620043B (CPAESS), OCE-1829509 (NSF)

For more information, contact Claar at danielle.claar@gmail.com.
Longford groups are being encouraged to apply for funding under the 2020 Town and Village Renewal Scheme by a Fine Gael Senator Micheal Carrigy

A total of 15m has been allocated to this years scheme, which is one element of a 30 million package of integrated supports announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring.

Senator Carrigy said, The Town and Village Renewal Scheme provides funding for projects which support Longford towns and villages to be more attractive and sustainable. This year it will specifically support projects that aid the economic and social recovery of our towns and villages in response to Covid-19.

Town and villages in Longford are at the heart of our economic and social activity and will play a pivotal role once again in providing safe spaces for people to meet and do business as the current restrictions are eased in line with the Governments Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.

A new standalone measure under this years scheme will provide accelerated support for Longford towns and villages in to adapt to public health requirements such as social distancing in the short term, and to encourage increased footfall.

The sort of initiatives that could be supported in Longford include projects to temporarily repurpose or pedestrianise public areas to facilitate street trading; the development of an online platform to promote retailers and small scale events that attract people back into town centres safely.

Other parts of the 30m package of supports are the CLAR Programme and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme which will be announced later. The Departments Rural Development Investment Programme is funded under Project Ireland 2040.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring, said: Along with the other elements of my Departments Rural Development Investment Programme, the Town & Village Renewal Scheme represents a real opportunity to invest further in the sustainability of our rural communities.



I have increased the funding rate that will apply to projects approved under the scheme this year, from 80% to a maximum of 90%. This should ensure that the requirement on businesses, communities and Local Authorities to source match funding is kept to a minimum.
The controversial 'R' rate of the coronavirus is lower than previously revealed, much closer to 0.5 in the community as a whole, newly released documents show

The controversial 'R' rate of the coronavirus is far lower than previously revealed, newly released documents show.

Government scientists have refused to break down the reproduction value, known as R0, into separate numbers for the community, hospitals and care homes during the numerous daily press conferences.

But previously secret documents show that in the community as a whole it was much closer to 0.5.

The national average is inflated by the huge rate of infections in care homes and hospitals.

The R rate is the critical value on which the Government is basing decisions as to whether to ease the lockdown.

Sage, the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said that cases of infections in care homes and hospitals are pushing up the overall R number, which is much lower outside of institutional settings.

The admission may provide some comfort to those fearful of catching the disease outside of care homes and hospital settings, as the spread of the disease is not as alarming as the headline figure would suggest.

A huge tranche of papers were released late yesterday afternoon including the minutes of 34 of their meetings since they began convening on coronavirus in January.

Sage, the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said infections in care homes and hospitals are pushing up the overall R number. Pictured, support workers with Michael Kidd, 82, at NHS Seacole Centre at Headley Court, Surrey

Minutes of the Sage meeting on May 5 said: 'The overall epidemic can be considered as three separate but interacting epidemics: In the community; in hospitals and in care homes.

'The overall reproduction number, R, is in the range 0.5 to 0.9. If health and social care settings are excluded it is likely to be at the lower end of this range.'

The idea that the epidemic is split in three has not been directly expressed before by the Government, although the National Statistician Sir Ian Diamond has suggested to get the R number down 'we need, certainly, to get on top of the epidemic in care homes and in hospitals'.

Further documents released by the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling warn that up to 90 per cent of care homes could be infected with the virus.

Figures two weeks ago from Public Health England and the Care Quality Commission found that four in ten homes had been infected so far.

But the scientists on this group warned that 'a figure approaching 90 per cent cannot be ruled out if current trends are maintained'.

The R rate is the critical value on which the Government is basing decisions as to whether to ease the lockdown. Pictured, people enjoying the warm weather in Potters Field next to Tower Bridge, London, on May 29

The document was written on April 20 when the virus infection rates were still rising in care homes. They have since peaked so the experts' predictions may now be out of date.

The documents from Sage reveal a rapid shift in scientific opinion on dealing with the virus.

Minutes from February suggest that the public would react with 'complacency and scepticism... until the first confirmed domestic fatality'.

On March 3, a Sage meeting said there was 'no evidence that cancelling large events would be effective', and closing restaurants and bars 'would have an effect, but would be very difficult to implement'.

Elsewhere, the minutes showed the scientists' hesitancy at advising a lockdown, which was finally imposed on March 23.

Ten days earlier they wrote: 'Sage was unanimous that measures seeking to completely suppress spread of Covid-19 will cause a second peak.

'Sage advises that it is a near certainty that countries such as China, where heavy suppression is under way, will experience a second peak once measures are relaxed.'
Grace Curran, restaurant manager of Republique, wipes tabletops with disinfectant in March. L.A. County has received permission from the state to resume in-person dining. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County on Friday received permission from the state to reopen restaurants for in-person dining, and resume services at barbershops and hair salons, marking a new phase in the region's efforts to restart the devastated retail economy.

The move comes even though the county remains the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in California, with more than 2,200 deaths. More than half of all COVID-19 fatalities in the state have been in L.A. County, which has been slower to reopen than areas less hard-hit by the outbreak. The total number of confirmed infections in L.A. County is more than 50,000.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and other health officials said the county, despite continuing to see coronavirus deaths, is ready for this next phase, pointing to reduced hospitalizations, infection rates and increased testing capacity.

But it's still a potential risk, and officials warned it could result in new outbreaks if social distancing and other safety rules are not enforced. Some health officials, notably Silicon Valley's public health officer, have expressed concerns that California is reopening too quickly and the risk of more outbreaks is still too high.

With the L.A. County shift, restaurants, barbershops and hair salons will be able to reopen as early as this weekend, provided they can meet the county's guidelines and safety protocols, officials said.

"This is a fine line that were walking in the county of Los Angeles," County Supervisor Janice Hahn said Friday. "We are threading the needle between keeping the public safe and allowing our economy to reopen."

She said that officials have been working with the countys Economic Resiliency Task Force, which includes experts from a variety of sectors, including the restaurant industry, to develop a detailed safety plan for in-restaurant dining. The plan includes diagrams showing how to separate tables six feet apart and proposes putting physical barriers between tables where such distancing isnt possible, Hahn said.

Story continues

As those plans suggest, things wont immediately return to business as usual for the newly reopened establishments.

County public health officials are expected to announce restrictions on operations, including a 60% capacity limit for restaurants.

Many of them will have to find creative ways to do that by utilizing their parking lots and the streets in front of their restaurants, Hahn said.

Effective immediately, restaurants, barbershops and hair salons are permitted to reopen within the city of Los Angeles as long as they follow official guidelines, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced at a news conference Friday.

Barbers and hair stylists can only take one client at a time, and both the stylist and client must wear face masks. Nail salons and spas will remain closed for the time being, the mayor said.

Because it will be a struggle for restaurants to maintain distancing guidelines and remain profitable, the city has launched a program called "L.A. Al Fresco" that relaxes the rules for outdoor dining so customers can eat at tables set up on sidewalks and private parking lots, the mayor said. He added that businesses will be immediately approved if they apply.

"Businesses are not mandated to open," Garcetti said. "So if you're a business owner, take your time to get it right."

Office businesses can also reopen, but only if teleworking from home is not possible, the mayor said.

Other county communities, including San Pedro and Long Beach, are similarly preparing to close streets to traffic and expedite permit variances so restaurants can put more tables and chairs outside.

Both restaurants and salons are expected to be required to keep detailed records of customers, including contact numbers, so public health officials can quickly follow up with patrons in the event of an outbreak.

Environmental health inspectors will be out inspecting and providing guidance to newly reopened establishments, but the businesses are not required to undergo an inspection before they resume services, Barbara Ferrer, the county health director, said Friday.

As we enter the weekend and we are out of our homes and visiting many of the reopened establishments because were all really hungering for some return to normalcy, I want to just note that the new normal that you're going to see reflected in the businesses reflects the fact that COVID-19 is still very active in our communities and there's a great deal at stake in the reopening, she said.

She said that it continues to be crucial for people to practice physical distancing, wear a cloth face covering and stay home if they're feeling sick.

We do again want to note that the actions we take now are essential to making sure that people don't become seriously ill, we dont overwhelm our hospitals and we save peoples lives, she said.

It's never been more important for businesses, individuals and institutions to use the tools that we have available to take care of each other and to continue to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Earlier this week, the county reopened shopping malls, many retail businesses and churches with strict social distancing rules. But reopening restaurants and personal care businesses is considered a bigger step forward because both are considered higher-risk than typical stores.

L.A. County joins the vast majority of other counties in California to reopen restaurants and hair salons with social distancing rules.

Restaurateurs and other business owners had mixed reaction to the news Friday.

I don't think were going to scramble to open, said Jon Yao, chef-owner of Kato in West L.A. I think our timeline is going to be more in line with how we combat the disease instead of what the city says is OK.

Some establishments expressed concern with the pace of the reopening.

Personally I think its all a disaster, said Josiah Citrin, chef-owner of restaurants including Charcoal, Dear Johns and Melisse. It all went too fast; nothings been smartly done.

Citrin said he plans to reopen Charcoal, his steakhouse in Venice, on Thursday. But things will look remarkably different: Instead of as many as 110 diners spread across booths, a communal table and the bar, hes limiting capacity to 40 diners at a time, all at their own tables.

He has removed the bottles of steak sauce, chimichurri and barbecue sauce that used to remain on tables all day. No walk-ins will be allowed. Instead of 56 employees, hell have about 35.

The rush to reopen Charcoal, he said, is because the money he received from the federal PPP loan is almost out.

I followed the rules, and I have almost no money, he said. I have a couple weeks left.

He figures going to a restaurant is safer than shopping at a crowded grocery store and believes diners will return after being cooped up for so long.

If cases start spiking and it gets really bad, then maybe people wont go out, he said. But for now, what else can you do? You cant go to a movie, you cant go to a concert, you cant go to a sporting game, so restaurants will be in pretty high demand.

Still, with only 40 diners max at a time, hes bracing for a significant revenue hit.

Its going to really hurt my bottom line. From now until this is over, its not about making money, its about surviving. Its about finding ways to see another day.

Johnny Ciccone, 42, owns Headbetter, a hair salon in Sherman Oaks that had eight chairs, four worked by employees and four worked by stylists who rented their space. It has been closed for the past 2 months.

Weve just been decimated by this, he said.

Even with the plans for reopening, Ciccone fears that as many as half of the citys hair salons are still destined to fail. The only reason Im still able to hang out at my salon is because there has been a moratorium on evictions. I did receive PPP funding but that was six weeks in and I havent been able to pay anyone or bring them back to work, he said. For a lot of salons, its going to depend on the landlords. Are they willing to make deals? Maybe my landlord will make a deal with me, maybe not.

Ciccone was told to close March 15. Prepandemic, Headbetter would see 25 to 30 customers a day. Ciccone estimates he will be able to serve about half that number under the new guidelines. Even as he talked about the reopening, workers were removing four of his eight chairs, in order to comply with the new spacing requirements. Ciccone added that it wasnt as if he could just reopen and conduct business as usual  he must provide everyone with hand sanitizer, screen people for fevers before they enter and require both employees and clients to wear masks.

One of the biggest changes is that there are not going to be any walk-in services, he said. Customers are going to have to wait outside until we are ready for them.

He said hes purchased thousands of masks and gloves and gallons of disinfectant and rubbing alcohol, as well as new point-of-sale card readers.

Even signage will require another outlay of money, Ciccone said. The city has released sample signs, requiring social distancing, hand washing and other requirements, how we are going to be operating safely, he said. We have to have all that posted, so Ill be dealing with that this weekend.

For a small business like mine, we have spent a few thousand dollars getting ready for the reopening, changing chair layouts, other things.

In spite of all this, Ciccone said, I dont think we are going to pass this on to our clients, especially if they have faced unemployment. They are going to have wait longer to get appointments. These are people I have a close relationship with. They have been going through the same tough times Ive gone through."

Anre Anduha, 35, who owns Brotherhood Barbershop in Sherman Oaks, said hes also taken on a lot of debt.

Im $15,000 in debt now when I consider rent, my $400 to $500 DWP bills, cable bills and thats not even counting the lost income, he said. When I open back up, Im only going to be using four chairs.

Before COVID-19 struck, Brotherhood Barbershop was always busy with appointments and walk-ins, averaging between 75 to 100 customers a day. It's been closed since March 19.

Anduha also faces additional expenses, such as capes, for every single client that comes in, instead of many switching capes two or three times in a day."

Also, by contrast, hair salons do not typically rely on walk-ins for a significant slice of their business. Thats not the case with barbershops, which do rely on them. Anduha said that half of his business were people who just walked in, hoping to quickly find an empty chair and willing to sit around inside the shop to wait, which will not be allowed now.

Its supposed to be appointment only now, said Anduha, who was already thinking about workarounds, depending on the peace of mind of the particular barber, especially if dealing with strangers. Barbers may want to take a clients temperature, ask whether they have been traveling. For the majority of those, wed probably just write down their information, ask them to wait outside in case a chair opens up. You cant just say come on in, sit in a chair like we used to.

In spite of being in debt, he was just as reluctant as Ciccone to raise prices as substantially as circumstances might warrant, noting that his customers have also suffered from issues such as lost work and income.

Do I think I will survive? I really dont have another option. Ill have to. But we were already at a decent price level at $40 a cut, Anduha said. We might go to $45, but Im not going to raise prices a lot right away.

L.A. County submitted its variance application on Wednesday to the state, which decides whether counties can reopen at an accelerated rate if they meet certain COVID-19 benchmarks.

I think the only reason that we felt comfortable asking the governor for a variance was because we have flattened the curve and we have not ever seen that spike and that surge in cases we were predicting a couple months ago, Hahn said Friday. She noted that the countys hospitals and intensive care units never reached capacity and the healthcare system did not become overwhelmed.

Still, she said, officials will monitor metrics to quickly identify and respond to any potential spike in cases.

We know that with every part of the economy that we look to reopen, we're talking about millions of people who now might be venturing outside to do something new and different, she said. So of course we're going to keep a watchful eye on this and pay very close attention to the cases.

Newsom, who established the variance process earlier this month, has cautioned residents that although businesses across the state are starting to reopen, the threat of the coronavirus is not over.

In its application to the state, L.A. County officials make the case that the county has met the criteria created by the California Department of Public Health to reopen.

For example, Los Angeles County had to prove that the prevalence of COVID-19 cases is low enough that, if the stay-at-home order is eased and cases undoubtedly increase, the county will have the capacity to respond.

The county reported a decline in its total number of hospitalized patients, a seven-day average of daily percent change of -1%, according to the variance application.

L.A. County also had to prove that the prevalence of the coronavirus spreading in the community was low enough to reopen. The states criteria is: fewer than 25 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days, or less than 8% testing positive in the past seven days.

L.A. County was able to meet the latter, with 6.5% people testing positive in the past seven days, according to the variance application. Meanwhile, the county saw almost 100 cases (98.7) per 100,000 people in the past 14 days, four times higher than the states criteria.

One of the more concerning portions of the countys application related to showing that nursing homes are prepared should the COVID-19 pandemic intensify.

As of Tuesday, only 33% of the 381 nursing homes in L.A. County had enough personal protective equipment to last more than 14 days, according to the application. Less than half, 47%, have enough N95 masks to last two weeks, and only one-third have adequate gowns.

Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of health services for L.A. County, said last week that at the start of the coronavirus outbreak, every one person who contracted the virus infected more than three others. After the stay-at-home order was issued, that rate of transmission dropped to 1  every person who contracted the virus infected only one other.

But, Ghaly warned, that number could rise again if the use of face coverings and social distancing practices do not continue.

For the past four days, the number of hospitalizations in L.A. County has remained relatively unchanged from 1,440 to 1,477 people in hospital care, and between 28% and 27% in intensive care. The county has also reported for the past four days that 8% of those who have been tested for the virus have been positive.

In the application to the state, the county included a draft of its community mitigation plan, which outlines how the pandemic could play out in the coming months in Los Angeles County.

According to that mitigation plan, completed May 15, health officials anticipate additional waves of cases at varying levels of severity will occur over the next 18 to 24 months throughout the U.S., including Los Angeles County, and will continue until enough people  at least 60% to 70% of the population  are immune to the virus.

Extraordinary and historically unprecedented efforts have resulted in disease transmission slowing in Los Angeles County, the plan reads. However, its future course is still highly unpredictable.

Dr. Sara Cody, health officer for Santa Clara County and a key architect of the nations first coronavirus shelter-in-place order, this week criticized Californias increasingly fast pace of lifting stay-at-home restrictions.

Cody expressed concerns that California risks a surge in cases if it reopens too many sectors of society too quickly. Reopening so fast, she said, means there isnt enough time to implement new procedures to make reopened activities safe.

Since early May, the state has shifted away from the stay-at-home model and has made significant modifications with increasing frequency, Cody said. The pace at which the state has made these modifications is concerning to me.

Health experts have made the same point.

Without having social distancing, we are going to definitely see some increased spikes and transmission occurring. Thats definitely going to happen, said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, epidemiologist and infectious-disease expert at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

Times staff writer Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.
Guwahati/Agartala, May 29 : As many as 155 Indians deported by Kuwait landed in Guwahati in Assam on Friday and would be quarantined, officials said.

According to health and security officials, 52 deportees are from Tripura and 103 from Assam.

Swab samples of all the returnees would be tested and they would remain in mandatory quarantine.

"Under the Vande Bharat Mission for northeast India, a Jazeera Airways flight with 155 deportees arrived at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati on Friday evening," an official of the Airport Authority of India said.

An Assam government health official in Guwahati said that the deportees would be quarantined and legal proceedings and formalities would start thereafter.

In Agartala, Tripura Education and Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath said that the Tripura deportees left for the state capital in two buses and their swab samples would be tested before sending them to a quarantine centre soon after their arrival in the city.

Quoting an External Affairs Ministry communication, Nath said that all the deportees were in Kuwaiti jails for violation of that country's laws.
President Donald Trumps re-election campaign on Friday renewed his criticism of local leadership in Minneapolis Friday  and defended CNN and press rights  by criticizing the on-air arrest of CNN journalist Omar Jimenez and two of his colleagues during coverage of the unrest in the city in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

Mayor Frey & Gov Walz have completely lost control in Minneapolis in a catastrophic display of failed leadership. The city is on fire & they outrageously arrested a CNN crew, the campaign wrote on its official Twitter account. @realDonaldTrump called in DOJ to investigate George Floyds death. Clear-eyed justice must be served!

Trumps criticism of local leadership began overnight as unrest in Minneapolis continued for a third day after George Floyd, a black man, was killed by a white police officer. The officer and three colleagues were fired, but none have been charged with a crime, leading to violent protests in Minneapolis.

On Friday morning, Twitter placed a content warning on an angry tweet by Trump that threatened military intervention against demonstrators in Minneapolis with the warning, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. The social media company cited its rules about glorifying violence.

Also Read: CNN Reporter and Camera Crew Arrested by Minneapolis Police While Covering Protests (Video)

Late Thursday night, Trump weighed in on the latest developments in the city on Twitter, saying in a pair of tweets: I cant stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right..These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

Story continues

The moment of Jimenezs arrest was aired Friday morning on CNNs morning show, New Day. As CNN noted in its own write-up of the situation, the camera  which was also taken by police  continued to roll as they were all handcuffed. They were later released.

The Minnesota State Patrol released a statement later Friday morning via Twitter, writing, In the course of clearing the streets and restoring order at Lake Street and Snelling Avenue, four people were arrested by State Patrol troopers, including three members of a CNN crew. The three were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media. That statement was widely disputed since the crew were broadcasting live as they identified themselves as journalists to the troopers.

Read original story Trump Campaign Calls CNN Reporters Arrest Outrageous, Faults Minneapolis Failed Leadership At TheWrap
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Fox News he did not support fact-checking false claims made by politicians on his platform.

Fox News

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Fox News on Wednesday that his platform would not follow Twitter and fact-check claims by President Donald Trump.

"I believe strongly that Facebook shouldn't be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online," Zuckerberg said.

On Tuesday, Twitter for the first time added a fact-check warning to a false claim that Trump made.

In response, Trump was thought to be preparing to sign an executive order meant to erode social-media companies' legal protections against being sued over the content published on their platforms.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Mark Zuckerberg has said Facebook will not be following Twitter's example to fact-check claims made by President Donald Trump.

The CEO's comments came after Twitter for the first time added a fact-check warning to two tweets by Trump, in which he made false claims about mail-in ballots and voter fraud.

"We have a different policy than Twitter on this," Zuckerberg told Fox News' Dana Perino on Wednesday.

"I believe strongly that Facebook shouldn't be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online. I think in general, private companies shouldn't be, especially these platform companies, shouldn't be in the position of doing that."

On Wednesday night, Trump appeared set to dramatically escalate a dispute with social-media companies as reports indicated he was drawing up an executive order designed to cut back the legal protections shielding them against liability for what is said on their platforms.

On Tuesday, the president had tweeted out a two-part message claiming "There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent."

Twitter tagged both tweets with an exclamation point and a warning message and linked to several news articles debunking the claim.

Story continues

The president has responded with fury, renewing claims that social-media companies are seeking to censor conservatives.

But a rift is opening between Twitter and Facebook over the best approach to take toward the conspiracy theories, falsehoods, and smears Trump frequently spreads on social media.

On Wednesday, Facebook said it would take no action against an identical message posted by the president on its platform to the one Twitter had fact-checked. Trump has 29.5 million followers on Facebook, compared with more than 80 million on Twitter.

President Donald Trump and Zuckerberg at the White House in September.

Facebook/Donald Trump

Facebook has introduced new measures to make misinformation and disinformation less visible on its platform, including false claims about voter registration and voting processes.

But messages from politicians and political campaigns are exempt.

"What I believe is that in a democracy, it's really important that people can see for themselves what politicians are saying, so they can make their own judgments," Zuckerberg told CBS News in December in defense of the policy.

"And, you know, I don't think that a private company should be censoring politicians or news."

His full interview with Fox News was set to air later Thursday.

Read the original article on Business Insider
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices eased on Friday on fears of worsening Washington-Beijing relations and lacklustre U.S. fuel demand, but were still headed for sharp monthly gains.

July Brent crude futures LCOc1 fell 34 cents, or 1%, to $34.95 a barrel by 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 was down 12 cents, or 0.4%, at $33.59.

Both benchmarks were on course for steep monthly gains due to global production cuts and optimism over demand growth as U.S. states and countries reopen after coronavirus-related lockdowns.

WTI is on track for a record monthly rise of 78% after trading negative last month. Brent is set for a 38% increase for its strongest monthly rise since March 1999.

This year, oil prices have fallen more than 40% largely due to slashed fuel demand caused by efforts to limit travel and shut businesses to combat the virus.

A further deterioration in U.S.-China relations over Beijings plan to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong threatens to batter oil further.

U.S. President Donald Trump is due to announce his response to the situation in Hong Kong later on Friday.

Sustaining these price declines will hinge, to a significant extent, on Trumps expected comments today that could determine how the oil market finishes this week and month, said Jim Ritterbusch of Ritterbusch and Associates.

Also weighing on prices was Thursdays Energy Information Administration data showing U.S. crude oil and distillate inventories rose sharply last week, while fuel demand remained slack.

The market is now looking ahead to the outcome of output cut talks between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, known as OPEC+, in the second week of June.

Some OPEC members are considering extending record production cuts of 9.7 million barrels per day beyond June, but have not yet won Russias support.
Pendyala Varavara Rao, the 81-year-old Telugu poet arrested in connection with the Elgar Parishad case, was admitted to Sir JJ Hospital on Thursday evening.

Taloja jail authorities said that Rao who has various ailments was being treated at the medical facility within the jail since the last three days. However, Rao did not show any improvement after which the jail doctor recommended him to Sir JJ Hospital.

A senior IPS officer, requesting anonymity said, Rao has been sent to JJ Hospital. He has multiple ailments and a series of tests were recommended for him at the hospital. We will know the nature of his ailments only after we get the test results.

Rao who had moved for interim bail before the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai had claimed that he be granted interim bail, looking at the spread of Covid-19, as he suffered from piles, prostate enlargement, coronary artery disease, oedema/ anasarca (swelling of feet), hypertension, sinusitis, migraine and vertigo. This bail plea was adjourned to June 2.

Pune police had arrested Rao in November 2018 claiming that he had direct nexus with the top underground leaders of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) group and that he wanted to procure arms via Nepal and Manipur, and that he was in direct touch with top Maoist leader Ganapathy. The case was then transferred to the NIA in February 2020.
TOWAMENCIN  In a ceremony that looked like none before it, Towamencins supervisors welcomed their newest member Wednesday night.

Resident Daniel Bell was appointed unanimously to fill the seat left vacant by the passing of supervisor Jim Sinz earlier this month.

Im very excited to join the team and support the community, Bell said.

Readers may remember Bells name from 2019, when he ran as part of the Republican North Penn VIEWS team that unsuccessfully challenged six incumbent Democrats for seats on the North Penn school board. Since then, Bell said Wednesday night, hes made a major career change, moving from a human capital consulting job back to his previous employer, Mastery Charter Schools, where he had previously been an assistant principal and is now their senior director of finance.

Bell had previously worked as a teacher at E. Merton Crouthamel Elementary School in Souderton, and as a teacher for Mastery Charter in Philadelphia, and now oversees the financial operations, analysis and planning for the school that counts roughly 14,000 students in Philadelphia and Camden. He and wife Jennifer have three daughters who attend Walton Farm Elementary School, and said his other interests include community events, church membership at Lenape Valley Church, and summer events with the BuxMont Swim League, according to a biography provided by the township.

I am honored to represent the people of our township and serve the interests of our community through these critical times, Bell said.

Hell take the spot of former supervisor Jim Sinz, a U.S. Navy aviator who was first elected to the board in 2003, was reelected in 2009 and 2015, and passed away on May 8 at age 74 after a battle with brain cancer. Last week the board announced a special meeting would be held on May 27 to fill that vacancy though 2021.

Supervisor Laura Smith nominated Bell, a motion seconded by supervisor Dan Littley and then approved unanimously; Smith said afterward she had nominated Bell due to his demonstrated abilities and leadership in his professional life.

Daniel is eager to leverage his commitment to his family and community, along with his background and skills, to support the continued growth, health and safety of Towamencin and the surrounding region, said supervisors Chairman Chuck Wilson.

After the unanimous vote, Bell placed his hand on a Bible held by his wife Jennifer as he was administered his formal oath by township Solicitor Jack Dooley, in a meeting room closed to the public, as the other four supervisors sat spaced out in the township meeting room and the proceedings were streamed live online.

We welcome Dan to the board. We look forward to working with him over the next two years, Wilson said, as Bell took a seat next to Littley.

I know his experience in finance and budget analysis will certainly come in handy over the next several months, as we work through the impacts  that are really unknown at this point  of COVID-19 on the economy and on the townships financials. Welcome aboard, Wilson said.

Once Bell took his seat, the board took up several housekeeping items to fill spots left vacant by Sinz. Supervisor Rich Marino was named to fill Sinzs former position of board secretary, and Bell was then nominated to fill Marinos former posts of board assistant secretary and assistant treasurer. All three appointments were approved by unanimous votes, and Wilson announced the first two as four-nothing votes, before the rest of the board pointed out their fifth member.

Im so used to saying four over the last several months, Wilson said.

The board also named Bell to Sinzs former positions on the boards police pension committee and non-uniform pension committee, both of which were also five-nothing votes. Towamencins supervisors are scheduled to next meet online at 7:30 p.m. on June 10; for more information visit www.Towamencin.org.
A pervert policeman was jailed for eight years for grooming two schoolgirls for sex - and was caught after he was sacked from North Wales Police Force for stalking a female officer.

Shamed Stuart Bradshaw, 34, of Hawarden, North Wales, was paid to protect the community when he targeted two girls aged 13 and 15 for 'completely depraved' online sex chats.

A court heard the PC used aliases with the underage girls by posing as a teenage schoolboy to persuade them into sex acts and trying to arrange meetings.

Stuart Bradshaw, 34, was sentenced to eight years in jail for grooming two girls aged 13 and 15

His grooming came to light after Bradshaw was kicked out of the North Wales Police for stalking a female police officer - and hacking into her social media accounts - in 2017.

Bradshaw developed an 'unhealthy obsession' with fellow officer Emma Dinning, then 28, after meeting her through a dating website.

She ended their short-lived relationship - but Bradshaw accessed her Snapchat account more than 250 times to look at photographs including in her underwear. He was sacked from the force after admitting stalking.

But his former colleagues were then tipped off that 'creepy' Bradshaw had been grooming the two girls before he was sacked.

Bradshaw was sacked from North Wales Police for stalking fellow officer Emma Dinning

Elen Owen, prosecuting, said one schoolgirl believed he was a schoolboy only slightly older - and she regarded him as her boyfriend.

Bradshaw had called himself Simon Jones in his chat with the first girl. He had encouraged her to carry out sexual acts.

Miss Owen said: 'When she was still only 14, he had arranged to met her in London but the girl's father learned of her trip and stopped her. They did eventually meet at a seaside resort in Essex when she was 16.'

The second girl received a friend request from a Justin Lambourne - also an alias of Bradshaw.

Ms Owen said the girl became aware Bradshaw had appeared in court for the stalking charge in 2017 and contacted his former police colleagues.

His electronic devices were examined to find the email address and telephone number of the first girl.

Bradshaw was then arrested. He later admitted charges of causing a child to engage in sexual activity between August 2011 and August 2014.

He also admitted similar charges against a second girl between June 2012 and June 2013.

Jailing Bradshaw for eight years at Mold Crown Court, Judge Rhys Rowlands said: 'It goes without saying your behaviour was completely depraved.

'At the time you were a police officer, trusted and expected to protect the community, yet in the privacy of your home you were doing quite the opposite.

'This was seriously depraved behaviour. Your behaviour involved repeated targeting of young girls who have quite enough on their plate without the likes of you seeking them out and pressurising them into various forms of sexual activity.'

The former police officer was sentenced to jail at Mold Crown Court (pictured)

Bradshaw was put under an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the Sex Offenders Register.

The judge paid tribute to the hard-work of his former colleagues at North Wales Police after it was reported by the victims.

He was only caught after fellow police officer Miss Dinning raised the alarm - because he 'blitzed' her with texts saying that he would never give up on her and sent gifts including jewellery and flowers.

She sent 'creepy' Bradshaw a message telling him to leave her alone, but he replied that he had a photograph of her with her new partner.

Miss Dinning later reported Bradshaw, who threatened to harm himself, to the police.

Bradshaw was spared jail after he admitted stalking Miss Dinning - and handed a 12-week suspended sentence at Flintshire magistrates.

He was also banned from contacting Miss Dinning for five years.

Miss Dinning, who works for West Midlands Police, said she had let Bradshaw into her life for a short time after meeting him on the dating website Plenty of Fish.

She added: 'I have a new life, I have moved on. But I feel that he is lurking in the background and is still haunting me.'
The second cause is low productivity.

Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Yakiv Smolii says that most of the problems on the country's labor market are not related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

"Most of the problems in the Ukrainian labor market are not related to COVID-19. First, one of the systemic problems of the Ukrainian economy has for years been the mismatch between job seeker skills and employer requirements," he said during the annual research conference of the National Bank of Ukraine and Narodowy Bank Polski on May 28.

"Late last year, a third of companies cited labor shortages as being one of the key factors limiting production, according to business surveys. This partially explains why unemployment in 2019 was quite high despite significant demand for labor from businesses," he said.

Read alsoNBU forecasts unemployment peak in Ukraine in Q2

The second cause is low productivity. "Despite having grown over the past 15 years, productivity is still too low. Ukraine is below the top one hundred countries in an ILO [International Labour Organization] ranking of countries by productivity. In 2019, labor productivity in Ukraine was lower not only compared to EU member states, but also relative to several former Soviet countries," he said.

The third cause is a reduction in the population and aging. "Ukraine ranks 12th in the world in terms of population decline, according to World Bank data. Overall, Ukraine has 11 pensioners per 10 employees. As a result, the Pension Fund needs constant additional contributions from the state budget. This diverts public funds from being spent on investment and education, and weighs on potential GDP growth. The high workload on employed individuals further increases the already elevated levels of informal employment. In 2019, one in five workers in Ukraine was employed informally," he said.

The fourth factor is labor migration. "About three million Ukrainians work abroad. Some of them are seasonal workers. Last year, an average of approximately 2.5 million citizens [of Ukraine] were abroad at a given point in time, according to NBU estimates. For us, this presents a double challenge. Not only does labor migration affect the quantity and quality of labor resources and labor productivity in Ukraine, but also it makes our economy heavily dependent on remittances," he said. Ukraine ranks 12th globally in terms of total incoming remittances and is in the top 15 countries by the remittances to GDP ratio (not counting island states).

The fifth factor is low labor force participation. "In particular, the labor force participation of women in Ukraine is insufficient compared to Europe. While the labor force participation of men in the population aged 15 and older is 65%, that of women is 49%. This is due to difficulties with accessing childcare services, and the low availability of part-time employment. In its turn, low labor force participation puts a drag on potential GDP growth," he said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the NBU forecasts that unemployment in Ukraine in the second quarter of 2020 will grow to 11.5%.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal previously said that the number of the officially registered unemployed in Ukraine soared by almost 10 times compared with the figure before the introduction of the nationwide quarantine.
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The NASA Advisory Council (NAC) virtual public meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, has been postponed until further notice.

The postponement is due to the delay of NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 launch, originally scheduled for May 27. The launch was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions. Currently it's targeted for Saturday, May 30, but could be delayed further if such weather conditions continue through the weekend. Postponing the NAC meeting will allow NASA leadership and others to focus their attention on the Demo-2 prelaunch, launch, and post-launch activities.

When the NAC meeting is rescheduled, the new date will be published in the Federal Register and made available at:

https://www.federalregister.gov/

It will also be posted online at:

https://www.nasa.gov/offices/nac/

The NAC provides consensus advice and makes recommendations to the NASA administrator and consists of members from industry, academia and professional organizations who are chosen by NASA and serve at the pleasure of the NASA administrator.

The council typically meets several times a year for fact-finding and deliberative sessions. The meetings are open to the public. Meetings are typically held at NASA Headquarters in Washington, as well as at NASA Centers across the country. Due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, NAC meetings will be held virtually until further notice.

For more information about the NAC, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/offices/nac/

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


A custodian of a place of worship in northern Bac Ninh Province reveals how the centuries-old artifact became a national treasure.

Nguyen Ngoc Bich, 75, recalls the time when he prayed to the tutelary "cua vong" at the communal house in Diem village in Hoa Long Commune, which is in reality a decorative gold-painted door frame, and then jumped behind it to hide from French soldiers.

When he was a child and playing with other kids around the temple, village elders would narrate stories about how the seven-meter-high "cua vong" had saved the lives of many Vietnamese soldiers during the French colonial and Vietnam War periods.

"Cua vong" in Diem village in Bac Ninh Province's Hoa Long Commune was recognized as a national treasure in January 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Dao.

The temple faces a lake. In the past children used to herd chickens and ducks nearby and come here to seek shelter in the afternoon while seniors would sit in the front porch sipping tea. During spring and autumn, the villagers would sit around the communal house to listen to and sing folk songs and celebrate post-harvest festivals.

"The "cua vong" stands in the middle of the main hall," Bich says. "It has thousands of flower and animal carvings running from the floor to the roof of the temple. People just find it beautiful, but no one knows much about its history."

According to the village's historical records, the Diem communal house was built at the end of the 17th century during the rule of the Later Le Dynasty, the longest ruling dynasty in the countrys history (14th to 17th centuries).

The communal house, which has typical northern architecture, is also used to worship past rulers. Diem is one of 49 ancient villages in the region.

"Cua vong" was carved in wood during the Le Trung Hung period, considered the most brilliant for wood sculpture in Vietnam, but there is no record of the craftsmen who created this massive work.

It is about four meters wide, and has images of the moon, the sun, the four holy beasts (the dragon in the east, qilin in the west, turtle in the north, and phoenix in the south), other animals, and daily activities. The top portion represents the upper world, and has the sun surrounded by four dragons with minor goddesses in the background.

The portion below that is divided into three layers that are decorated with more goddesses, including one surrounded by lotuses, and a phoenix holding a lantern in its mouth.

The center portion has the most intricate and complex carvings, including nine layers intertwined with each other and covered by stylized leaves and 54 dragons, all of them different from each other.

There are images of old people playing chess, men in loincloth and elephants and birds. There are lots of women sitting and smiling with hands touching braided hair resting on their chests.

According to cultural researcher Tran Lam Bien, many of the images in it cannot be found anywhere else, including a human-like demon, a monkey's head under a horse's belly and a hand squeezing the head of the horse.

"We do not know for certain what these images signify or if it has any spiritual significance."

A close-up view of one of the "cua vong" pillars. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Dao.

The communal houses roof is held up by smooth wooden pillars and there are no walls.

According to village elders, the wooden floor of the communal house was dug up by Vietnamese soldiers to build a secret tunnel during the years of resistance against the French.

In early 1950 French troops stormed the village. The communal house was where they would summon people. Anyone whose name was called but was not present was deemed to be in the Vietnamese army. They would later be arrested and taken to the communal house to be tortured into confessing the location of their comrades.

Bich, who was six years old at the time, cannot forget the scene of people tied up and kneeling in the yard, silent with faces covered in blood.

When people carried out the "vuon khong nha trong", a military tactic in which people vacated their houses and abandoned their fields, Diem villagers asked people in the neighboring village to remove the roof of their communal house.

In turn, they took down the roof in another village. By doing this, they ensured they did not violate their oath to their village tutelary deities.

When they returned to the village after many days, the people of Diem village were surprised to see the communal house badly damaged but with the main hall and "cua vong" still intact.

Nguyen Ngoc Bich, custodian of Diem villages tutelary god. Photo by VnExpress/Lam Phuong.

Residents of Hoa Long Commune pooled money to rebuild the communal house and collected gun shells from around the commune to replace the old bell.

The communal house has once again become a meeting place for the villagers.

In 1964 the Diem communal house became one of the first artifacts in the country to be recognized as a national architectural and artistic relic.

The historic flood of August 1971 broke 400 km of the Red River dike, engulfing 200,000 hectares of rice crops and forcing Hoa Long residents to move to Kim Linh mountain to avoid the raging waters. The flood also swept away idols of Diem village's tutelary deities.

Despite nearly a month of soaking in the floodwaters, the door shone bright again after the mud covering it was washed away.

Though over 300 years old now, the wooden work shows no signs of age or being harmed by termites.

Earlier this year "cua vong" was recognized as a national treasure and local officials plan to carry out a restoration of the communal house.

Bich and other village elders have petitioned the government "to keep the old structure, only fix what is broken and definitely not add new designs."
Seoul, May 29 : South Korean tech giant Samsung is working on a new chipset called the Exynos 992 and now a new report has claimed that the chipset may debut with the Galaxy Note 20 lineup in August.

Exynos 992 will be Samsung's first mobile chipset to be built using a 5nm EUV process and the company has completed mass production preparations for the same, ZDNet Korea reported recently.

Interestingly, the report states the Exynos 992 will use the all-new ARM Cortex-A78 CPU and Mali-G78 GPU designs.

The Cortex-A78 CPU is claimed to offer 20 per cent higher performance compared to the previous-gen Cortex-A77, which is used in the Snapdragon 865 chipset.

Samsung is planning to skip the physical event to launch its Galaxy Note 20 series and, instead, aims to host it online owing to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Ahead of the launch, some specifications of the Galaxy Note 20 series surfaced online.

The standard Galaxy Note 20 will sport a 6.42-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1084*2345 resolution.

The top-end Note 20 smartphone will get slightly bigger and sport a massive 6.87-inch LTPO screen with an AMOLED panel.
YEREVAN.  Seventy Armenian citizens who were stranded at the Upper Lars border checkpoint between Russia and Georgia arrived in Armenia late in the evening. This was reported by the Health and Labor Inspectorate Body (HLIB) of Armenia.

As per the respective statement, immediately at the border with Georgia, the HLIB team at Armenias Bagratashen checkpoint checked the body temperature of these citizens, externally examined them for any clinical signs of infectious diseases, and everyone was provided with masks, gloves and self-isolation notices.

None of them was running a fever, or had any clinical symptoms.

Earlier, the Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, had reported that these Armenian citizens were being transported to Armenia by three buses provided by the government. "It should be noted that this transfer was made as an exception. The entry of foreign citizens to Georgia through the Upper Lars checkpoint is still closed," it had added in its statement.
Bottom line: Magic Leap founder and CEO Rony Abovitz recently announced intentions to step down as chief executive after founding the company in his garage and leading it for the past decade. Along with a pivot, the future of Magic Leap could look very different.

Abovitz said in a message on the companys website that after securing significant new funding and pivoting to focus on delivering a spatial computing platform for enterprise clients, both he and the board agreed that a change in his role was a natural next step.

As such, Magic Leap has been actively recruiting CEO candidates although the firm seemingly hasnt found its new chief just yet. Abovitz said they would share more details on the matter in the near future. In the interim, Abovitz will stick around as chief executive through the transition and is holding discussions with the board with regards to how he can continue to assist the company at the board level.

The firm spent years developing its augmented reality tech and conjuring funding from investors before finally revealing its debut product in late 2017. Unfortunately for the company, initial hardware didnt quite live up to reviewers expectations and was prohibitively expensive.

After disappointing sales and rumors that a successor could be years away, it seemed that the train was heading off the rails completely before the effort was saved with the latest round of funding. Abovitz reportedly managed to secure $350 million in additional funding, allowing the firm to pause its layoff plans.

Masthead credit: Wired
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29)  As the local economy takes a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic, a think tank said Friday public-private partnership (PPP) deals are needed now more than ever.

In a virtual rountable discussion, Foundation for Economic Freedom president Calixto Chikiamco said the administration started of on the wrong foot with the private sector, which was seen as greedy private parties especially in infrastructure projects.

With the government scouring for resources to address the COVID-19 crisis, he said,

it may have no choice but to see the private sector as valuable partners, rather than enemies to be demonized, in healing the damage to public health and to the economy that the pandemic has caused.

Chikiamco said the PPP scheme could be tapped for public health and in public transportation under the new normal.

He cited as an example the possible privatization of government hospitals, including specialty facilities like the Philippine Heart Center and Philippine Orthopedic Center.

Not only would privatization raise money for the government, but it would improve efficiency and reduce corruption in the delivery of hospital care, the economist said.

In public transportation, Calixto said, lets accept the fact that government is a poor operator of public transport  MRT and PNR  and therefore these should be privatized.

He said privatization may lead to salary-based drivers and innovations such as use of apps to gauge demand and dispatch.

In the same forum, Senate Committee on Public Services chairperson Grace Poe said should the private sector sway the government to fully embrace PPP, it should behave in a socially responsible manner.

Play fair, play by the rules, and keep the public interest in mind, she added.

Foreign investors

Poe said local capital may not be brought as every sector of the economy needs credit extensions and even bailouts. Recovering from the crisis, she added, may require opening up the country to more foreign investors.

These investments will provide the capital infusion needed by several industries including manufacturing, transportation, logistics, and telecoms, the senator said.

But since laws restrict foreign ownership in public services, Poe said she filed a bill that will open up the economy.

She said the entry of more players and capital investments will enhance competition, leading to better consumer service.

On fears that foreign ownership of vital industries could pose threats to national security, Poe said increasing foreign investments and promoting national security are not conflicting goals.

She explained under her bill, the National Security Council has the power to review. The President may also suspend or prohibit transactions that are a threat to national security.
(Disclosure: HP is a client of the author.)

Remote collaboration products generally arent ideal. We know this because, at least up until recently, employees preferred to fly to events rather than attend them remotely. The fact is that you cant go now in person and fear of COVID-19 is having a significant impact on that behavior. However, this pandemic will eventually moderate and, unless something changes, we are likely to still feel we need to be at important meetings in person.

Over the years, Ive seen companies try to build in travel penalties, freeze travel budgets, and use other compensation related tools to try to force people to stay off planes and out of cars. But employees revert to old habits after these rules expire and find creative ways around them even when theyre in place.

We also know that properly managed, remote workers can be as  or more  productive as local workers. They prefer working from home, companies gain access to a larger pool of qualified workers and, if properly managed, remote workers, perform and advance (except to the very top levels) as quickly as those that work in the office.

After being forced to avoid travel now for several months, Ive observed a path to what could be a better permanent solution. It isnt, as Facebook is trying to do, paying remote workers less; its by doing what HP has done  treating them as an asset.

The underappreciated corporate advantage of a remote worker

When I saw Facebooks plan to pay remote workers less, I knew the company was 180 degrees off from the proper direction. Unfortunately, this isnt unusual. Companies, and their executives, are measured on financial performance and both tend to think tactically. The old saying is penny-wise and pound-foolish.

This kind of mistake isnt uncommon. In fact, we just saw a massive version of it with the initial COVID-19 response in the U.S. The government decided to hold the borders open to avoid a relatively small economic and political impact. This resulted in a wave of infected people coming into the U.S. mostly from Europe, forcing the country to shut down and endure a level of financial distress that exceeds the Great Depression in terms of unemployment and deficit spending.

Assuming remote workers are well managed (which isnt always the case), we know they can be as productive as on-premise employees because they often to have fewer distractions. Remote workers dont need physical security; they dont need a physical office; they dont need a parking space; they are less likely to get sick or injured on the job (reducing company liability); and because they have more spendable income (unless their salaries are cut) they have less distracting personal financial pressures.

They can pick safer and more affordable areas to live, which also reduces external pressures and, if managed well (this is important), they can be more loyal because content people are less likely to look for another employer. Besides, given that living wherever you want is still more an exception than a rule, poaching them is generally less successful. (For this last to work reliably, the employee needs to be regularly reminded of the advantages of working remotely.)

Because remote employees dont have to travel to the office, an after-hours or early morning event that requires them to be spun up, can often be dealt with over the phone. They can be on the job in minutes. (A remote employee doesnt even really need to get dressed up if time is important.)

To get these benefits, you do have to do things differently.

HP shows the way

I was reviewing HPs work-from-home effort, and its doing some fantastic things. Its actively retraining managers to handle remote workers better, focusing on stronger productivity metrics, more regular one-on-one meetings, and reviews. It is also aggressively using collaboration tools like Zoom to keep people connected. (One clear advantage: when everyone is remote, no one feels like theyre being left out of the meeting.)

HP is also aggressively providing not only training for employees but for their families. They have regular nightly departmental and company-wide virtual events (including group movie nights on Fridays). These efforts make people feel like they are part of something.

The result is greater engagement. People dont feel disadvantaged by working at home, HP isnt cutting their income and benefits, and the results have been so promising that HP is considering leaving those that can work remotely in place right where they are. As you would expect, this has opened up the available pool of future employees, particularly qualified women who are in high demand at the moment.

And if HP eventually shares the cost savings resulting in office reductions with those employees, it should enhance the companys ability to keep them on board.

Wrapping up: Heres the lesson

What HP has shown me is that if we want to be successful and gain the full economic impact of shifting to a work-from-home model, we need to thoroughly rethink how we manage, incentivize, and measure our employees. Workers still need to feel part of something and be reminded that they matter. This means training programs for both managers and employees so they can develop better skills working on their own. It means not just milking employees for money as Facebook is proposing (which I think is idiotic and results from too many managers not studying Maslow), but sharing the savings with them.

In short: people need to be treated more like family than replaceable parts.

There are substantial financial and agility benefits to doing this right. A firm is far better able to survive catastrophic events because it is distributed. Based on what I see at HP, we could exit this pandemic better than we went into it, but only if we, as they did, approach the problem as an opportunity to improve rather than, like most, something to survive.
File photo of Kate Garraway and her husband Derek Draper, who is battling coronavirus.

Kate Garraway has said she was in tears over the weekly Clap For Carers possibly ending while her husband continues to fight the coronavirus.

The Good Morning Britain stars husband Derek Draper has been in hospital battling the virus since the end of March and Garraway often updates fans on his progress after the weekly applause for the NHS.

It is thought Thursday nights clap could have been the last one, with the event becoming annual instead.

Read more: Kate Garraway FaceTimes husband in hospital for NHS clap

Sharing a clip of her children Billy, 10, and Darcey, 14, banging drums as they applauded, Garraway said the clap had given her great comfort while her husband battles the illness.

She also told how she was having to find new ways of staying strong and that thinking of how hard Derek is fighting and the bravery of all in the NHS helped her.

Hear this might be the last clap for carers so Billy thought we should get the drums out to go out in style! Garraway, 53, said on Instagram.

Its been such a source of weekly comfort for them & me & I must admit I felt the tears come tonight to think its coming to an end while our fear for Derek goes on.

But even if we dont clap next Thursday it wont diminish my eternal thanks to all in the #nhs.

Kate Garraway being kissed by husband Derek Draper at the 2007 National Televsision Awards (NTA's) at the Royal Albert Hall, west London.

They are keeping Derek alive & everyone of them is fighting as hard as Derek is to give us the chance to be reunited. Hope has to keep us all going doesnt it?

She went on: I am having to find new ways of staying strong everyday for Darcey & Billy, as I know Derek would want me to.

Its not easy but when I think of how hard Derek is fighting & the bravery of all in the #nhs it helps.

Kate Garraway, her husband Derek Draper and their son Billy attend The Princess And The Frog special event at The Mayfair Hotel on January 24, 2010 (Jon Furniss/WireImage)

Thanks so much for all your messages & thanks for sharing on club Garraway.com.

Standing together & learning from each other has to get us all through.

Story continues

Read more: Piers Morgan tests negative for the coronavirus

The presenter added the hashtag #wherethereslifethereshope to her moving message.

Garraway and Draper, 52, have been married since 2005.

The presenter recently penned a personal blog about her familys struggle, saying the last few weeks had been the hardest of my life.
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], May 29 (ANI): Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse on Thursday informed that around 50 per cent locust swarms were killed in the state by the agriculture department.



"Around 50 per cent locust swarms were killed in Maharashtra by the agriculture department. Fire brigade vehicles are being used for spraying insecticides. We are providing chemicals/insecticides to farmers free of cost in the affected areas," Bhuse said.

Meanwhile, local administration in Bhandara sprayed disinfectant to fight locust attack and locals beat drums to drive away the insects.

In a bid to control the locust attack in the country, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday said that 15 sprayers will arrive from Britain in the next 15 days.

Tomar on Thursday held a high-level meeting to review locust control operations in the country. The Centre is in close touch with affected states and an advisory has been issued.

"Forty-five more sprayers will be procured in a month or one-and-a-half months. Drones will be used to spray pesticides on tall trees and inaccessible places for effective control of locusts, while plans are afoot to deploy helicopters for aerial spray," the ministry said.

Locust swarms from Pakistan have entered Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, threatening major damage to standing cotton crops and vegetables, said a spokesperson of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Rajasthan is the most affected state, the spokesperson informed.

The desert locust is a species of locust, a swarming short-horned grasshopper. They are known to devour everything in their path, posing an unprecedented threat to food supply and livelihoods of millions of people. (ANI)


There are things we have done well and there are things we could have done better. Overall, the response to the COVID pandemic underscores the importance of every American doing their part during a crisis, not just the president, Lemmons said.
Mr. Egan cleaned out the machine and turned it on. Surprisingly, it worked, although the clothes came out with a musty odor. But by the middle of April, the upstairs machine began leaking water from the back, even though it wasnt in use, and the house began to smell of mold. Ms. Egan decided shed had enough.

In early May, she called a local appliance company and ordered a new washing machine. The deliverymen arrived wearing masks and gloves. Ms. Egan asked them to spray their shoes with disinfectant. Carrying a heavy washing machine up a flight of stairs is hard work, and Ms. Egan worried about all the heavy breathing. I felt badly for them, too, she said of the workers. I dont know if we should be putting other people at risk.

But once the washer was installed, and no one fell ill, Ms. Egan was relieved to have her laundry room back in working order.

Many contractors have put protocols in place for safely entering a home. Ron Potesky, who owns a Mr. Handyman franchise in Springfield N.J., with his wife, Christina Langdon, sends workers into homes with gloves, masks and disposable booties over their shoes. They also sanitize their van, tools and work area with a peroxide-based cleaner.

On the day of the job, Mr. Potesky asks the homeowner if anyone in the house has been sick recently. And his workers stay home if they feel unwell. He suggests that household members stay in a separate room and leave a clear path with doors open for workers. Homeowners should also open windows in the rooms where work will be done to increase ventilation, and wipe down surfaces that were touched after the service call.

We have to think about the customer, but we also have carpenters who may be in their 50s. Theyre as worried about going into homes as customers are about them coming in, Mr. Potesky said. Despite the persistent anxiety, call volume from potential customers is now back to about 80 percent of normal, he said, after it fell off a ledge in March.

Sometimes, homeowners just need advice. Can the drip wait, or will it cause lasting damage? Or, what is that strange clanging noise in the walls, and can anything be done to make it go away? So just as telehealth has replaced the doctors office, some home repairs have gone virtual, too.
A crowd of Bangladeshis move to get on a ferry in the outskirts of Dhaka, May 29, 2020.

Bangladesh officials on Friday confirmed more than 2,500 new coronavirus cases  the largest single-day increase here  as health experts and others urged the government to reconsider its plan to end a COVID-19 shutdown on Saturday amid soaring numbers of infections.

The new cases recorded on Friday represented a 20 percent hike from a daily record set on Thursday. Also on Friday, a public safety official said that authorities had opened an investigation into a deadly fire that killed five patients at a Dhaka hospitals coronavirus unit on Wednesday night.

Today we see more than 500 more new cases than yesterday. This is very alarming, A.F.M. Ruhal Haque, a physician and former health minister, told BenarNews.

During Fridays briefing, the health directorate reported 2,523 COVID-19 cases and 23 deaths in the previous 24 hours  topping 2,029 new cases confirmed a day earlier. Bangladesh has recorded 42,844 cases and 582 deaths since the virus was first detected in the country in March.

Globally, more than 5.8 million people have been infected by COVID-19 and more than 362,000 have died as of Friday, according to data compiled by disease experts at U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

On Thursday, the government announced that the two-month shutdown  referred to locally as a public holiday  would not be extended after May 30. The announcement included restricted openings of government offices and public transportation, maintaining certain protocols including social distancing and wearing masks.

In consultation with experts, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has decided not to extend general holidays, and resume public transports with conditions aiming to keep the livelihoods of the people smooth apart from protecting their lives, Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of the ruling Awami League, told state news agency BSS.

Dr. Kamal Hossain, a leader of the opposition alliance National Unity Front, criticized the move.

The decision to reopen the offices and public transportation is a big mistake. This will further increase the number of coronavirus infections in Bangladesh, he said in a statement issued Friday.

Haque expressed similar concerns about the nation moving too quickly to lift the shutdown, as he pointed to a limited effort to return to normal earlier this month.

The economy, though on a limited scale, and mosques were opened after May 8. So, this peak was the consequence of opening market places and mosques, Haque said, adding our only solace is that the number is lower than other countries.

The coronavirus has been mainly concentrated in Dhaka and the capital region, but people who traveled home for the Eid al-Fitr celebration could have spread the virus across the country. So we are likely to see another surge of coronavirus cases in other parts of the country after 10 to 15 days, he said.

Ahead of the lifting of the shutdown, two ferry stations near Dhaka  Shimulia and Paturia  were filled with Dhaka-bound passengers, Shafiqul Islam, an official at the Shimulia ferry station, told reporters.

The ferries were packed with people who did not practice social distancing, he said.

On Friday, the IMF approved a U.S. $72 million emergency pandemic loan for Bangladesh, the 60th loan provided by the crisis lender since the COVID-19 pandemic began undermining the global economy, AFP news agency reported.

Hospital fire investigation

The fire and civil defense services under the Ministry of Home Affairs, meanwhile, has started an investigation into the blaze that killed five patients at the United Hospital, a private and upscale medical care facility in Dhaka, an official said.

I took my mother for treatment. But the hospital gave us her body, Md. Alamgir, the son of victim Khodeza Begum, 70, told BenarNews on Friday. Talking to the hospital officials, I am convinced that the United Hospital authorities did not try to save my mother and the other patients from the fire.

He said he wanted an investigation to determine what caused the fire that led to the deaths of his mother and four others.

Dr. Shagufa Anwar, the hospitals director of communications and business development, told BenarNews that all five patients were in a COVID-19 unit.

I do understand how much pain the deaths inflicted on each of the family members of the victims, but their allegations are not true, Anwar told BenarNews. What I can say that we have set the coronavirus unit at the hospital to treat the patients amid the lockdown-like situation in Bangladesh.

Many of the allegations hurt us, make the doctors, nurses and health workers feel demoralized as they have been working round the clock to serve the patients, she said. I would urge people to be rational while raising questions about sincerity. We are committed to saving lives, not to killings.

The fire ignited when an air conditioner exploded in a shed belonging to the hospital, fire service official Kamrul Hasan told the Agence France-Presse news agency.

Lt. Col. Zillur Rahman, a fire and civil defense official, said he was heading a five-member team investigating the fire.

We have already started the investigation. Hopefully, we will finish it in the next seven days, Rahman told BenarNews.
<! Akinwumi Adesina of AfDB >

By Nehru Odeh

It sounds like deja vu. But as the plot thickens, it is following the same story line. The Ethics Committee of the African Development Bank, AfDB, has finally bowed to pressure by the United States to initiate an in-depth investigations into the allegations some concerned staff members of the organization had leveled against its embattled president, Dr Akinwumi Adesina.

The right move? Not at all. Many see it as an insidious move by the United State to prevent Adesina from seeking re-election for another term and another way American is wielding the big stick, just as it had done by withdrawing its funds from the World Health Organization. Like the World Health Organization, like the African Development Bank, they say.

The U.S. Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, had, in a letter, dated 22 May, addressed to the Chairperson of the AfDB board of directors, Niale Kaba, asked the Ethics Committee of the African Development Bankto Initiate an In-depth investigation of the allegations some whistleblowers had leveled against Adesina.

We have deep reservations about the integrity of the committees process. Instead we urge you to initiate an in-depth investigation of the allegations using the services of an independent outside investigator of high professional standing, the latter reads.

This latest development is coming after the whistleblowers had petitioned the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption (PIAC) and the presidents of the Ethics Committee and Audit and Finance Committee accusing Adesina of multiple cases of abuse and breaches of the banks code of ethics. The allegations include various cases of alleged breaches of the code of conduct, unethical conduct, private gain, impediment to efficiency, preferential treatment, and involvement in political activity, all affecting confidence in the integrity of the bank.

The Ethics Committee, made up of executive directors representing shareholder nations, deliberated over every allegation over a three-month span and in May 2020 cleared Adesina on every single allegation. The report described the allegations as frivolous, baseless, and without merit or evidence.

The whistleblowers had however expressed serious doubts about the ability of the African Development Bank to conduct an independent investigation. Therefore, they said they did not have enough confidence in the Ethics Committee handling the case dispassionately. Perhaps that explains the reason why the United States later asked for a thorough investigation.

However, Adesina, in a press statement released on Wednesday, 27 May insisted on his innocence, having been cleared by the banks Ethics Committee of all charges brought against him. He also hit back at unprecedented attempts by some people to tarnish his reputation and stated that he would continue to work with all the shareholders. In his statement, Adesina also expressed confidence that a fair and transparent probe would eventually prove his innocence.

I maintain my innocence with regard to trumped-up allegations that unjustly seek to impugn my honor and integrity, as well as the reputation of the African Development Bank. I am confident that fair, transparent and just processes that respect the rules, procedures and governance systems of the bank, and rule of law, will ultimately prove that I have not violated the code of ethics of this extraordinary institution, he said.

However, many believe, due process was followed to the letter during the investigation. Since its outcome did not suit the anticipated expectations of the U.S., it now seeks to undermine the credibility of the bank, derail Adesinas leadership, and possibly set the pretext for a veiled threat to pull out of the bank as a shareholder.

Still, many are seeing this latest development as a move orchestrated by the United States, the fourth highest shareholder in the organization, after Nigeria, Egypt and Germany to nail Adesina and subsequently prevent him from running for second term.

Sources, as reported by the Guardian, alleged that the allegations made against Adesina were orchestrated by the American representative at the bank, Stephen Dowd, whom the French press unmasked. It was also Dowd, a member of the Ethics Committee, who also leaked the complaints to staff, the public, and the press, in what was clearly the beginning of an assault and a major smear campaign

But why does the United States want Adesina removed as President? The reasons are legion. According to sources in and outside of the Africas premier development institution, there was and there has always been an insidious attempt by the United States to remove Adesina as president of the bank.

The Guardians findings indicate that, the United States of America, one of the non-African shareholders, has not hidden her distaste for the revolutionary manner Adesina has been driving the AfDB as it would wean Africa from relying on the West for solution to the continents problems through the dramatic increase in the share capita of the financial institution which will enable it to undertake so much intervention on the continent.

The United States vigorously opposed him during his election in 2015. Ever since, at the board level, the U.S. has done everything possible to derail Adesina and his Africa-focused development agenda.

According to the sources, America believes that Adesina is an unapologetic pan-Africanist, who, more than any other president, has moved the development agenda of the bank and Africa forward in a manner that no other in the banks 56-year history has done.

On the board, he does not kowtow to the U.S. or its whims on critical issues relating to Africas development.

In 2019, he successfully led the banks shareholder General Capital Increase from $93 billion to $208 billion. In the process, he became the first bank president to take the risk of championing a case for increasing capital for Africas development during a first term in office. It was a gambit that paid off in spite of initial strong American opposition.

In 2018, Adesina championed and helped create the bank-sponsored Africa Investment Forum which in 2018 and 2019 attracted more than $80 billion in infrastructure investment interests into the continent. This was an unprecedented initiative. The U.S. representative was said to have considered the forum a departure from the banks original mandate.

Some also saw this as an attempt by Adesina to help wean African nations off a dependency on foreign aid. Some critics also suggested that he was attempting to burnish his credentials among African heads of state via the investment forum.

Nigeria is the banks largest shareholder, followed by Egypt, Germany, and the United States. In 2019, an OpEd believed to have been crafted by the American Executive Director (Stephen Dowd), appeared in an American newspaper  The Hill. Among other things, it questioned why the U.S. (as the second largest non-regional shareholder and the fourth largest shareholder after Nigeria, Egypt, and Germany), did not have veto power at the African Development Bank.

The U.S. Treasury Department has not taken kindly to the fact that Adesina has not publicly spoken against Chinas increasing economic dominance in Africa. Instead, he has framed his economic argument as follows  Do not be overly concerned about Chinas presence in Africa economically. Be more concerned about Americas absence, the sources said.

In 2019, the U.S. set up DFC  the Development Finance Corporation  with approximately $60 billion. With DFC and firm control of the World Bank, the idea was that the U.S., which has not hidden its anti-multilateral development bias, could easily checkmate China on the African continent.

The current plan, therefore, is to use U.S. reservations about the conclusions of the African Development Banks Ethics Committee as a pretext to possibly pull out of the bank (Stephen Dowd is reported to have intimated some of his colleagues on the board of this plan early in May 2020). The veiled attempt is to imperil the institution financially, and subsequently become the dominant development power on the continent. With DFC and the World Bank under its control, the U.S. would seek to dominate Africa economically via a proverbial carrot and stick strategy.

If the governors of the bank come back to the United States, and say no we have carried out our due diligence and duly cleared Adesina of any wrong doing, this will be the signal for the U.S. to carry out its next line of action  a possible pullout from the bank, just as it pulled out of the World Health Organization.
New York (AFP) - Pop icon Taylor Swift hit out at Donald Trump on Friday after the US president suggested law enforcement might shoot protesters angry over the killing of a black man by Minneapolis police.

"After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence?" Swift wrote on Twitter, where she has 86 million followers.

She cited Trump's controversial tweet in which he said, "When the looting starts, the shooting starts," before threatening: "We will vote you out in November. @realdonaldtrump."

Trump sparked controversy with a late-night tweet on violent anti-police protests in Minneapolis, when he called protesters "THUGS" and warned of military intervention.

Twitter took the unprecedented step of hiding the tweet because it violated the platform's rules against "glorifying violence."

Hundreds of troops were deployed to the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul on Friday after a third night of rioting over police brutality against African Americans.

The demonstrators are outraged over the videotaped death of George Floyd, 46, while handcuffed on the ground and in custody of Minneapolis police on Monday.

He died after an officer kneeled on his neck for more than five minutes.

In the past few years Swift has opened up about politics after initially struggling to control her own voice as an artist who found massive fame at a young age.

She endorsed Democratic candidates in Tennessee in 2018 and has criticized Trump previously.
The late former defense minister set a record as the first from the Air force to become Joint Chief of Staff in 1993 during the Kim Young-sam administration. He died May 28 at the age of 83. Yonhap

By Do Je-hae



Lee Yang-ho, who served as minister of national defense during the Kim Young-sam administration, died of natural causes on May 28. He was 83.

Born in North Chungcheong Province in 1937, he joined the Air Force Academy in 1960 and served in key Air Force posts. He is known for being named as the Air Force's first head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in May 1993.

The rare appointment was due to his role in purging a large number of generals from "Hanahoe," a private military organization, during the Kim administration, which sought reforms in various sectors after years of authoritarian rule.

Lee served in other key posts in the Air Force, such as Air Force operations commander in 1989 and Air Force chief of staff in 1992.

He was also only the third defense minister from the Air Force. Defense ministers had usually been selected from the Army. He served as defense minister from December 1994 through October 1996.

During his tenure as chief of staff, Lee made efforts to build a "future-oriented air force" and showed commitment to modernizing the flight education system by introducing T-50 advanced flight education trainers.

As joint chief of staff, he is also credited with laying the ground work for the transfer of wartime operational control after successfully regaining peacetime operational control in December 1994.

Lee won several government medals for his contributions in the Air Force.

He is survived by two daughters and will be laid to rest on Saturday at a family burial site in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province.
A contact tracing app pushed by the governors of North Dakota and South Dakota as a tool to trace exposure to the coronavirus violated its own privacy policy by sharing location and user identification information with third-party businesses, according to a report from a tech privacy company.

The Care19 app, developed by ProudCrowd, of North Dakota, was one of the first contact tracing apps endorsed by state governments in response to the coronavirus. Governors from both states promoted it as a way to help health officials stop outbreaks and retrace the steps of people with infections, while assuring people that their data is protected. But tech privacy company Jumbo Privacy reported last week that developers included lines of code that send users location and identification data to third-party companies including Foursquare, BugFender and Google.

Concerned citizens have been eyeing the tradeoff between controlling outbreaks using apps and intrusions on privacy. Civil liberty groups and tech watchdogs have warned about contact tracing apps, saying governments and companies should not be able to access personal data.

The Care19 app shared location data with Foursquare, an advertising company that markets to people based on their location.

ProudCrowd CEO Tim Brookins said his company sends data to Foursquare to determine which businesses a user has visited, but the data is discarded and not used for commercial purposes.

The simple overarching fact here is that we have stated, and Foursquare has confirmed, that they have not, nor will not, collect data from Care19 users. Period, Brookins said.

The app generates an anonymous code for every user. The Jumbo Privacy report noted that the code, along with the phones identification, was sent to BugFender, a Barcelona-based company that helps developers track malfunctions. The app also sent an advertising identifier linked with the users phone to Googles Firebase service. That adds up to serious privacy risks, Jumbo said.

Its really an oversight from them, said Jumbo Privacy CEO Pierre Valade. Its not a bad intention. They were rushing to build this product.

Until Friday, Care19s privacy statement told users their location data would not be shared with anyone, including government entities or third parties, unless you consent or ProudCrowd is compelled under federal regulations.

A revised statement says third parties may have temporary access to aspects of your data for their specific data processing tasks. However, they will not collect this data in a form that allows themselves or others to access or otherwise use this data.

South Dakota Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon said the Care19 app doesnt violate the privacy statement and that users always had to grant permission for the app to use their data. The South Dakota version of the app has been downloaded more than 18,000 times, but hasnt been used to trace an active infection yet.

This is a voluntary, opt-in app, she said.

North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum said in a statement that the app, which has over 33,000 downloads in his state, does not use names, addresses or other personal information.

The anonymous information Care19 is gathering can save lives, and smartly and safely using technology is one more way to help us speed up our economy recovery, he said.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
US President Donald Trump has defended his offer to mediate the India-China border dispute saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been unhappy about the situation.

I can tell you, I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. Hes not -- hes not in a good mood about whats going on with China, Trump told reporters in response to a question on Thursday.

I would do that, he said in response to another question about his offer to mediate. You know, I would do that. If they -- if they thought it would help if I were the mediator or the arbiter, I would do that. So, well see.

As expected, India has politely and indirectly turned down Trumps offer to mediate with the external affairs ministry (MEA) spokesperson telling reporters in New Delhi, in response to a direct and specific question about it, that India was in talks with China to resolve the dispute.

Trump had offered to mediate on the border issue between New Delhi and Beijing in a tweet on Wednesday morning. We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute, Trump wrote.

There are no public readouts of a conversation between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi after April 4, when they discussed Trumps specific request to Modi to lift the ban on the export of hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug Trump has promoted as a game-changer cure for Covid-19, and which he has himself used as a preventative after possible exposure to the coronavirus after two White House staffers tested positive.

This is the second time Trump has referred to a conversation with Modi details of which are not backed by public records or readouts.

Trump had in 2019 said while offering to mediate Indias dispute with Pakistan to a direct request from Prime Minister Imran Khan that he had been asked by Modi earlier as well. India had denied that assertion and swiftly rejected his offer.

New Delhi took longer to reject Trumps mediation offer on China in contrast. There was a view in certain quarters in the Indian foreign policy establishment that the offer of help, though dead on arrival, would irk China, which has responded with prickly no-thank-you. We are capable of properly resolving the issues between us through dialogue and consultation. We do not need the intervention of a third party, a spokesperson told reporters in Beijing. Between China and India we have existing border-related mechanisms and communication channels.

At the White House event, Trump described the India-China border dispute as a big conflict and said, Two countries with 1.4 billion people. Two countries with very powerful militaries. And India is not happy, and probably China is not happy.

He also referred to his India trip in February, saying, I got back -- I know. And they like me in India. I think they like me in India certainly more than the media likes me in this country.

The United States has been closely watching the latest flareup on the India-China border, and backed India in its first official response. The flareups were a reminder that Chinese aggression is not always just rhetorical, Alice Wells, the top US diplomat for South and Central Asia told reporters last week.

Whether its in the South China Sea or whether its along the border with India, we continue to see provocations and disturbing behavior by China that raises questions about how China seeks to use its growing power, she had added.

Trump administration officials have refused to comment further on the president mediation offer tweeted Wednesday. And there have been no explanations forthcoming for it, except that it could be a part of the growing antipathy for China in the United State that the president and his allies are hoping to tap into with an eye on the November general elections.
ILLINOIS  Today's the day: With the state hitting all the necessary benchmarks to move into phase 3 of the coronavirus reopening plan, Friday is the day when bars and restaurants can reopen to diners for outdoor seating only, and with social distancing and sanitation measures in place. Many bars and restaurants have been shut down since Gov. J.B. Pritzker banned dine-in customer service March 16.

With the extended stay-at-home order expiring Friday, the Restore Illinois plan allows for some businesses previously deemed nonessential to reopen, including salons, barbershops and health clubs  all with capacity limits and new guidelines such as allowing only outdoor group fitness classes.

Illinois Coronavirus Update May 29  Don't miss updates about precautions in the Chicago area as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.



With most of the state shut down since mid-March  more than two months  many are rejoicing at the return to a new normal and simple pleasures such as dining out. And in the wake of several Reopen Illinois protests, some believe the reopening is coming too late.

Business owners speak out

So how do Illinois business owners feel? On Thursday, Patch sent a survey to the more than 1,600 business owners who filled out our business directory surveys in late March and early April.

Of those who responded, more than 85 percent agreed with Pritzker's decision to allow many businesses to reopen as phase 3 began.

In fact, more than 40 percent of business owners said they felt the phase 3 reopening was coming "too late," compared with just 13.6 percent who said it's happening too early. Thirty percent said they feel it's the right time to reopen, and business owners seemed almost evenly split in their opinion on Pritzker's performance during the pandemic. More than 42 percent said they are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the governor's performance, while more than 45 percent are satisfied or very satisfied.

Story continues

An overwhelming majority  more than 87 percent  said they plan to reopen their business as soon as possible, while just 7.1 percent said they won't.

Despite business owners' overwhelming approval of the phase 3 reopening, some did express anxiety as Illinois residents continue to test positive for the coronavirus even though the positivity rate is dropping.

"I think (reopening) should happen very cautiously," one business owner wrote.

Reopening Illinois: 6 Things To Know

"I would hold off on opening, but my clients are getting restless," another said. "Other businesses have not obeyed the state's mandate, and people were asking me to violate it as well. I wouldn't, but I also have to open now by the same reasoning."

Another business owner seemed fairly pessimistic about whether customers will practice social distancing, writing, "I think the public is mostly nuts & I won't be surprised at another peak in the virus."

But others were more optimistic.

"As long as people practice safe distancing, wear masks, wash hands and keep groups to a minimum  and realize that this isn't over yet, we should be good," one business owner wrote.

Another said businesses "never should have been closed in the first place."

Another felt even more strongly, telling Patch, "fear is a prison."

Some said they were initially happy with Pritzker's response to coronavirus but are beginning to lose faith in the decisions he's making.

"I believe Pritzker has done a great job and stood up to the federal government. However, it really seems like he's caving now," a business owner told Patch. "The coronavirus is still spreading at an alarming rate. It's not going down, and there will most likely be a massive resurgence of cases of COVID-19 as businesses reopen. I will not reopen until I see how the other businesses reopening affects the rate of transmission. They can be the guinea pigs. I'm losing money like crazy, as I am doing only 30% of normal business. However, I'd rather be cautious for my employees, customers, myself, and anyone any of us may come into contact with."

Others said they are losing faith in Pritzker, but for a different reason.

One business owner said they started questioning Pritzker's decisions in early April, saying, "I'm very disappointed with how slow the state is opening up. Having us set everyone up outside in tents is even more of a joke."

Another business owner said, "We were initially somewhat satisfied with the government response, but that has changed as they maintained the broad closures with little consideration given to the impact on businesses. In our opinion, lower-risk businesses should have had restrictions eased about a month ago."

Still others were not happy with which businesses were deemed essential early on.

"I think it was very unfair that businesses like Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. were able to stay open but small businesses had to close," one business owner wrote.

Another said, "Who is to say what an essential business is  tell that to the families still out of work. Please explain to me how liquor stores, abortion clinics and marijuana are essential!"

Some business owners talked about the precautions they are taking and what they will ask of their customers as they reopen:

"Our business will reopen but will require clients to wear face masks and we will be sanitizing regularly."

"We are opening with 4 days a week, not 7 as in the past. We will be following the governor's guidelines and practicing many safety precautions of our own."

"We are following the Governor's and Skokie's guidelines for Phase 3 by limiting classes inside the studio to 1:1 and classes outside for up to 10 people set up 10 feet apart."

Restaurant owners who don't have a patio said they believe the new regulations are unfair. "Those of us with no patios should be allowed some customers inside as well with distancing as well," one wrote.

Customers feel reopening anxiety

While restaurants and bars have been hard at work prepping to reopen  building new picnic tables, reconfiguring seating to allow for social distancing and even using their parking lots to host outdoor seating  some customers are wary.

Of more than 1,400 residents who responded to a Patch survey, the overwhelming majority  more than 76 percent  said they do not plan to dine out this weekend, even as bars and restaurants open their patios.

Some residents seem to feel they'll be more comfortable in the coming weeks, with a near 50-50 split on whether they plan to visit a restaurant or bar in June.

More than 56 percent said they do not feel bars and restaurants are safe at this point, and more than 65 percent said they feel anxious about dining out.





This article originally appeared on the Across Illinois Patch
*Editors Note: This story has been changed from its original format to correct the name of Dewitt Styling Shop

Syracuse, N.Y.  The business at Dewitt Styling Shop had always revolved around walk-in clients. The coronavirus changed that.

In the two months that she was unable to cut hair, owner Nicole Hagerty installed a system to book appointments in order to reopen safely at her barber shop. She renovated the space, removing a closet to create more distance between stations.

When Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon indicated for most of last week that phase two of Central New Yorks reopening was set to start Friday, Hagerty booked the day solid.

Then came Gov. Andrew Cuomos comments on Thursday night, which put the reopening on pause and inserted uncertainty back into the lives of local business owners who were hoping to be part of the states phase two reopening.

It was like, Well, Im not going to get any sleep tonight," Hagerty said. Maybe in the morning, Ill have some better news.

Hagerty spent the morning canceling the appointments that shed made over the previous two weeks.

A little warning would have been nice, Hagerty said. Weve been closed for two months now. We have this whole grand reopening and we worked hard to let people know were open. To find out the day before were supposed to be open that we cant, its been really tough.

When Hagerty arrived to work, she says she began calling her customers to cancel. She told one of her barbers not to come in. She estimated that she lost about half of the business that she had scheduled for Friday.

The other half decided to show up anyway. And since they made the trip, Hagerty cut their hair.

She said she didnt start the day intending to flaunt Cuomos orders and by mid-afternoon, well, it no longer mattered much. The nights worth of stress and chaos and confusion was rendered pointless when Cuomo officially announced the start of phase two about 13 hours later than most expected.

They wanted it this morning instead of 1 p.m., I can understand that. But we want to make sure that data was reviewed by all the experts, Cuomo said on Friday afternoon. A county executive may be very good at what they do, but theyre not an expert in viral transmission in a global pandemic.

Hagerty wasnt the only one who wound up working around Cuomos orders on Friday afternoon, as barbers and stylists responded to the suddenly changing in plans in various ways. In Syracuses most visible business areas, barbers and stylists largely chose to follow the orders.

In places less well-traveled, they seemed more comfortable bending them.

Syracuse.com called or observed approximately two dozen barbershops and salons across Central New York, visiting the villages of Baldwinsville, Liverpool and Mattydale, as well as parts of Syracuse  all before 1 p.m. when the governor announced the region was allowed to reopen.

About half of the barbershops and salons appeared to remain completely shut down, with lights off and closed signs hanging prominently in the windows.

But three shops were up and running and advertising it. Their open signs were lit up, beckoning customers in for a long-awaited haircut. One shops iconic barbers pole twirled outside but appeared to have only employees inside preparing the space for reopening.

The rest appeared to have decided theyd had enough of the uncertainty and quietly went rogue.

Some had dark storefronts but stylists could be seen washing hair in a back room. Many had placed paper or curtains on the windows and hung signs out front saying walk-ins were not allowed. There were signs of activity inside. Chatter and laughter emanated from windows.

Several wrote extensive notes to customers and hung them on the doors, directing clients to call stylists to schedule for an appointment, while trimmers and shears could be seen at work through the windows.

At one shop, a woman emerged wearing a mask with wet dripping hair. At another, an elderly woman sat waiting by the window as another client got her hair cut and a state trooper drove by the large open windows.

By afternoon, any broken rules amounted to less than the legal equivalent of jaywalking. During his daily press conference, McMahon shared a story of how he cancelled his 8:30 a.m. haircut appointment on Friday morning.

I cancelled the haircut," McMahon said. Im not going to ask what the barber did. They get a four-hour pardon if they were open.

After months without a haircut in the midst of the pandemic, the desire of customers for a quick trim was fierce. Hagerty said her phone has rung incessantly throughout the day.

Gentlemans Corner, a barber shop in New Hartford, opened at 8 a.m., comfortable opening for the day because of the public support area businesses had been given by Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr.

Two hours before opening, multiple customers had already arrived to wait in their cars. The number grew to approximately 20 by the time opening arrived. Physical distance was maintained by customers putting their names and phone numbers on a waiting list.

One of the first customers was a state trooper who also caused the only scare of the day when he was visited by a colleague.

One of my first customers was a state trooper and he got here early so he could beat the rush, said Mitch Beauchamp, a barber at Gentlemans Corner. One of his colleagues came driving by the barber shop five minutes before we opened in a state trooper car. All of our hearts, you know, kind of dropped dropped. Were like, are we getting shut down right now five minutes before we open?

Ann Affinito, the owner of Fortunatos European Hair Design in Liverpool, has been cutting hair for 44 years. After putting off customers for months she said she had a full day scheduled on Friday and planned to cut hair from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

As shes been preparing to reopen, shes had customers offer to come in and answer her phones knowing thered be little time for her to stop her work.

Shortly after Cuomos announcement on Friday afternoon, her kids called. The reopening that had been off was back on again. Affinito ran to the window. She flicked on her open sign. Within an hour of Cuomos announcement, she was officially back to work.

She planned to finish whatever customers she could on Friday and return on Saturday morning. She had to make up for lost time. She scheduled her first customer for 5:30 a.m.

Im coming in tomorrow morning for someone coming all the way from Binghamton, Affinito said. This is how devoted people are. The phone hasnt stopped ringing."

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

McMahon: Ugly reopening was making sausage,' but state made the right call in the end

Central New York, 4 other regions clear to move to phase 2 of reopening

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Contact Chris Carlson anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1639
29 May  With more time with daughter Ellie Belle, Jake Ejercito found himself learning new ways of becoming a father.

As reported on PEP, the actor recently posted a video of his daughter, now in Grade 3, attending her classes via video conference app and with him accompanying her throughout the period.

He wrote, "New normal = unexpected new parenting skills."

Back in April, Ejercito also posted a photo of Ellie reading "Harry Potter", expressing his excitement that his daughter is now reading his favourite book.

"Really couldn't be more excited for you, little love! May its wonders work on you as much as they did on me some 20 years ago," he wrote.

Ellie, who is Ejercito's daughter with ex-girlfriend Andi Eigenmann, has been staying with him for the past two months since the Philippines government announced the enhanced community quarantine.

On the other hand, Eigenmann is currently residing in Siargao with partner Philmar Alipayo and their baby Lilo.

(Photo Source: Jake Ejercito Instagram)
Pacific Workers' core clients are Essential Workers Firefighters, Peace Officers, Health Care Workers, and other frontline workers. Governor Newsom's order creating a presumption for workers' compensation coverage for Essential Workers has driven demand for more representation for the clients we serve.

Pacific Workers' already represents clients throughout Northern California, covering every Workers' Compensation Appeals Board and all Civil Courts.

"We were seeing more and more calls from essential injured workers throughout both of these areas," said Bilal Kassem, Managing Attorney of Pacific Workers'. "We simply want to better serve our clients and their families with a physical presence in these areas."

The new Stockton and Sacramento offices are likely temporary spaces until Pacific Workers' finds more permanent space.

Pacific Workers' has always valued the communities it serves, supporting various community organizations that help the most vulnerable. Pacific Workers', through the self-funded Pacific Workers' Foundation, donates and assists with manpower for various organizations such as the Oakland 55 Firefighters Union and the non-profit organization Best Buddies.

Currently, Pacific Workers' has decided to donate 5000 masks to community organizations, to get free reusable masks to the most vulnerable.

As the company expands its presence in Northern California, it will continue to reach out to more organizations that help the most vulnerable of our society and continue to contribute.

About the Company:

Pacific Workers', The Lawyers for Injured Workers is Northern California's Premier Workers' Compensation and Personal Injury Law Firm. They represent First Responders, Health Care Workers, Construction Workers, Delivery Workers, Warehouse Workers and the other hard-working people that keep our community moving in their Fight for Justice against the Insurance Companies.

Founded in 2014 by Eric Farber and Bilal Kassem, the firm began with just 4 people. In just over five years, they have grown to close to 50 team members. They have been named to the Inc. 5000 multiple times, the Bay Area 100 (a list of fastest growing companies in the Bay Area), the Law Firm 500 and most importantly been nominated for Best Workplaces in America. Mr. Farber is also the author of the Bestselling Book, The Case for Culture, How to Stop Being a Slave to Your Law Firm, Grow Your Practice and Actually Be Happy. The book is the story of how a great law firm culture can help grow a practice.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Pacific Workers' has joined the national small business No Layoff Pledge, agreeing to not lay any team members off to June. On the contrary, Pacific Workers' has actually hired several people for their expansion.

www.PacificWorkers.com

SOURCE Pacific Workers' Compensation Law Center

Related Links

www.PacificWorkers.com


In 1928, Winnipegs aviation future took off, but 92 years later, its flight path has run into a bit of turbulence.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/5/2020 (602 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In 1928, Winnipegs aviation future took off, but 92 years later, its flight path has run into a bit of turbulence.

The COVID-19 pandemics grip on business large and small has remained tighter than an airplane seatbelt. This isnt the first time our provinces rich aviation history has faced hardship and plight  and it certainly wont be the last.

SUPPLIED Stevenson Aerodrome was officially opened May 27, 1928. The plaque was unveiled by the parents of the late Capt. F.J. Stevenson.

IN THE BEGINNING

In 1928, the simple 165-acre field was christened Stevenson Aerodrome, after noted Manitoba aviator and pioneer bush pilot Capt. Fred J. Stevenson. The current Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, which opened in 2006, sprawls across 1,500 hectares with two runways, 28 gates, and serves about 4.5 million passengers a year.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Stevenson Field dedication ceremony. May 1928

From baggage carousels to the security line to even the number of passenger planes flying these days, the airports emptiness is the embodiment of government health protocols  but it also echoes its humble beginnings.

Standing on an open prairie field on May 27, 1928, some 7,000 people gathered, believing, celebrating, and soaking up a new age of transportation. It wouldnt take long before the airport transformed aviation history, eventually becoming the first international airport in Canada.

As the airport played a pivotal role delivering mail, passengers, and even freight, it also served as the flight training headquarters for the British Commonwealth Air Training Program as the country prepared for the Second World War.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESs fileS A plane flies over piles of gravel needed to construct a second main runway in May 1963.

JET AGE BEGINS

In 1958, Stevenson Field was renamed Winnipeg International Airport and thanks to the period commonly known as the "Jet Age," air travel became popularized. As the 1980s recession crept into the 1990s, some airports were feeling the implications of an unstable economy, but the Winnipeg Airports Authority began replacing runways and investing in the cargo sector and community connections.

JACK ABLETT / WINNIPEG FREE PRESs fileS Air traffic controllers Bill Sersum (from left), Bob Smith, Darryl Pernisie and Don Deally at Winnipeg International Airport in 1972.

By 1997, WAA took over airport operations from Transport Canada and began investing more into the airport campus. The WAA said jobs supported by the airport climbed to 18,500 from 7,000 and the economic impact increased to $4.3 billion from $384 million annually.

This year, that record will be broken not by an ultimate high, but by a new low. WAA projects it will serve fewer than two million people in 2020.

WHATS NEXT

Barry Rempel became CEO of WAA in 2001, right after the 9/11 terror attacks, which ultimately transformed airport security. He says he anticipates another transformation to occur after this pandemic.

"Just after 9/11 we had a whole bunch of new security requirements that at first seemed intrusive but now everybody is used to," said Rempel.

"I really do believe that what we will see, in the days ahead things like temperature checks at the airport... and even now in Canada you have to be wearing a mask, some sort of facial covering if you are going through a security checkpoint or when you are boarding an aircraft."

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Airport Authority CEO Barry Rempel.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

While Rempel remains optimistic about the airports future, WAA has grappled with a significant drop in passenger travel.

"On the passenger side, weve lost 97 per cent of our market and since basically March 15, weve been well below 200 passengers departing per day. So cargos clearly are not going to make up for that kind of a volume," said Rempel, adding he anticipates passenger travel wont return to typical levels until 2024.

"In terms of what we are working with the air carriers on, I expect that well (this summer) see a return toprobably about 25 per cent of our former capacity."

Until then, Rempel said WAA will continue working on relationships with new and existing cargo carriers to build upon the airports "carrier-friendly environment."

"Whats fascinated me about Winnipeg forever is how connected this community is to its airport... if you go back to 92 years ago today, there were 7,000 people that came out to the airport in their spring finest, to launch what was then Stevenson Field, which was basically a dirt patch. But that was a symbol to them of their connectivity to the community. From that day to today, this city more than any other that Ive lived in or visited has a more direct connection with that access to the world than any other city."

nadya.pankiw@freepress.mb.ca
New Delhi/Islamabad, May 29 : The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain has appealed to the US Congress to table a bill for the independence of Balochistan and Sindh from Pakistan on the same lines as they introduced a bill on Tibet's freedom from China.

In his latest statement released on Twitter, Hussain said that the US Congress should table the bill for the sake of the humanity and to save the lives of over 80 million people of Balochistan and Sindh who want independence.

While welcoming the US Congress decision to table a bill on Tibet's independence, Hussain said he would like to appeal to all the members of the US Congress to also pay attention to the plight of Baloch people of Balochistan province and Sindhi and Urdu speaking people (commonly known as Mohajir) of Sindh province of Pakistan.

He said Baloch and Sindhi men and women are often subjected to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and put behind bars by Pakistan Army and its intelligence agencies. This, he said, has been going on for the last seven decades.

Ninety per cent people in Balochistan and Sindh provinces want independence from Pakistan, he said.

Praising the move of the US Congress for the bill on Tibet, Hussain said, China had mercilessly curbed the basic fundamental rights of the Tibetans for years. "This is the right time for the Dalai Lama to make more efforts for helpless Tibetans," he added.

The MQM was founded by Hussain in 1984. However, the party split into two factions -- MQM London run by Hussain and MQM Pakistan headed by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.
Representative image

Indian carriers like many other airlines across the globe are in a "survival mode" due to the coronavirus pandemic and there is a need for sustainable revival of the domestic aviation industry, International Air Transport Association (IATA) DG and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said on Friday.

Speaking at a webinar hosted by the aviation consultancy Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), de Juniac also forecast the air travel demand in India to drop by 47 percent and revenue by $11 billion this year over 2019 owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Much has happened in the last four months. We are experiencing an unprecedented crisis in the history of our industry and recovery from this crisis will be long and slow. India's aviation industry has not been spared by the COVID-19 crisis," he said.

IATA expects passenger demand for 2020 to fall by 47 percent, with revenue falling by $11 billion compared to last year, the chief of the global airlines grouping said, adding, "about 3-million jobs, including those that depend on aviation, such as travel and tourism, are also at risk."

"The Indian carriers, like many airlines around the world, are in survival mode," de Juniac said.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

He said it is particularly disappointing that the package of economic relief unveiled earlier this month contained nothing for airlines in the form of direct financial relief compared to $123 billion in government financial aid that has been announced around the world, including $26 billion in the Asia Pacific region.

"I urge the Indian government to support the airlines with a financial aid package that provides a bridge over this challenging period. Specifically, help the airlines with measures that raise equity financing rather than to increase debt. This needs to be done urgently before it is too late, he said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier this month while as part of the fourth tranche of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package to revive the economy announced measures such as easing of restrictions on the utilisation of Indian air space, privatisation of six more airports, among others.

de Juniac also said that aviation should be started with measures that are globally agreed and mutually recognized by states as this will give confidence to travellers.

"The restart of domestic aviation in India this week is a step forward. But more can be done, including the need to harmonise measures across Indian states," he said.

India opened its domestic air travel routes for flying from May 25 after a two months halt. The international operations by airlines, however, remain suspended.

IATA is a member of ICAO's COVID-19 Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART), which is developing the global standards needed for the safe restart of aviation, de Juniac said.

"We are also engaging a number of governments directly, including India. We have proposed a roadmap for restarting aviation that outlines a temporary layered approach to biosafety until a vaccine, immunity passports or nearly instant COVID-19 testing is available at scale," he said.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
A pilot flew 300 miles in his private plane to an RAF base just so he could visit a picturesque Welsh beach in breach of lockdown, MailOnline can reveal.

His 4million aeroplane was surrounded by fire crews and military police as he touched down at RAF Valley in Anglesey on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon.

He told the stunned cops: 'I just wanted to go to the beach'.

The unnamed pilot claimed he had spotted the beach near the village of Rhosneigr on the island of Anglesey in North Wales on Google Earth.

He told officers from the RAF police and Ministry of Defence guards that: 'It looked lovely' and that he 'wanted to go for a dip'.

His 4million aeroplane was surrounded by fire crews and military police as he touched down at RAF Valley in Anglesey on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon

The man had taken off from Fairoaks airport in Chobham, Surrey and landed just after 2pm in his single-engine Pilatus PC-12 plane

However they told him he should not have landed and he was in breach of lockdown rules during the coronavirus pandemic.

Wales have stricter Covid-19 lockdown rules than England with people from travelling far to visit beaches.

The brazen pilot tried to justify his extravagant jaunt as he told them: 'It's OK, I had it two months ago.'

Police did not arrest him as he had not broken any military laws but he will now be investigated by civil aviation chiefs.

The pilot decided he needed to make a speedy exit after he had passed a security check despite being told the airport was shut.

He then jumped in the cockpit and promptly took off back to the southern England without visiting the beach, which is at the end of the runway, where families were playing.

Prince William was based there when he he served as an RAF Search and Rescue pilot on Anglesey from 2010 to 2013 (pictured in a Sea King helicopter in 2011)

A source said:'It was all very bizarre. He made up some cock and bull story about why he wanted to be there.

'But he was told in no uncertain terms that he shouldn't and then he just got in his plane and took off'.

The man had taken off from Fairoaks airport in Chobham, Surrey and landed just after 2pm in his single-engine Pilatus PC-12 plane.

The MoD have reported him to the Civil Aviation Authority for breaching aviation regulations.

Civilian planes can use the military base nut must give 24 hours notice and be given clearance to land.

An RAF spokesman said: The RAF can confirm that on 25 May a civilian PC-12 aircraft landed on a closed runway at RAF Valley without permission.

'Whilst irregular, there was no threat to station personnel or the wider public.

'The incident has been reported to the Civil Aviation Authority.

The airfield, which is used to train fighter pilots, was closed for the bank holiday and work was scheduled to be carried out on the runway.

Prince William was based there when he he served as an RAF Search and Rescue pilot on Anglesey from 2010 to 2013.

William and Kate rented a secluded farmhouse for three years for 750-a-month for three years.

The beaches in Rhosneigr is a popular summer destination caravan parks and many people having holiday homes.

It is well-known for kite-surfing and windsurfing.
Representative image

A mid-sized cookware brand with a manufacturing facility in Uttar Pradesh was hopeful of starting operations with 33 percent capacity from May 18 onwards. But none of the 300 workers the company expected to work out of its Ghaziabad plant showed up.

In the meantime, the Uttar Pradesh government through an ordinance passed on May 6 announced that all labour laws would be set aside for three years with the exception of laws pertaining to women and child, bonded labour, building/ construction workers and employee compensation.

The chief executive of the cookware brand quoted above said while such flexibility in labour laws would increase daily productivity, it would be tougher to convince workers to accept the new regime.

Labour, the stepping stone to setting up a manufacturing facility, has become a bone of contention amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in India. The lockdown announced to curb the virus spread led to several million workers, especially contractual labour, without a job for almost two months.

It is estimated that a total of 64 man-days have been lost due to the lockdown. The actual numbers of production loss will be higher, especially with the loss of livelihood leading to workers rushing back home in the special 'Shramik' trains arranged by the Indian railways.

While state governments like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have diluted labour laws to expedite restarting of production facilities and to attract new investments, industry experts and companies believe it may not be adequate.

What do the worker numbers look like?

According to a 2019 working paper on employment by the International Labour Organisation, the total number of workers in India in 2017-18 stood at 465 million.

Of this, the manufacturing sector employed 56.4 million people. Here, 9.2 million people constitute casual wage workers while 20.5 million were regular wage workers.

Though no nationwide data exists on the exact number of people employed by each industry, the KLEMS India Database by Reserve Bank of India released in July 2019 said the construction industry employed the largest number of people with 75.2 million workers in 2016-17 followed by textiles and allied activities at 12.3 million and food products sector at 11.7 million.

The agriculture sector still continues to be the largest employer of people with almost 206 million people employed across the country. Labour laws are not applicable to those working in the fields even as bonded labour remains prohibited.

What happened when COVID-19 hit India?

A nationwide lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 which has now been extended till May 31. In a bid to minimise the virus spread, malls and restaurants remain shut while public transport is minimal.

Except for essentials like banking, insurance, stockbroking, mutual funds and public utilities, all offices and manufacturing units were ordered to stay shut.

Even those manufacturing entities which had to run the machines, labour supply slowly started dwindling from the next day itself. Workers started planning to go back to their home states due to rising safety concerns and lack of livelihood in the larger towns.

On April 15, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) brought out a set of rules enabling restart of production activities in a phased manner with social distancing as a new normal for factories. Workers, however, had already started migrating to their respective home towns. The impact: production could not begin even in green zones at the stipulated 33 percent capacity.

A few weeks later, states like Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh decided that doing away with the provisions of labour laws would bring back investment and reopen industries. The provisions related to hiring and firing, formation of labour unions and even maximum working hours had been effectively abolished.

This meant workers could be hired when needed, made to wear as per the factory requirement, and retrenched when the production requirement was complete.

But isnt labour the main impediment?

Citing labour impediments, a few companies in the manufacturing sector including textiles, leather, electronic appliances had also appealed for incentives to restart production. However, the dilution of labour laws and worsening COVID-19 situations in larger cities would mean that reverse migration would continue for another quarter.

Avneet Singh Marwah, CEO of Super Plastronics which is the brand licensee of global television brands like Thomson and Kodak in India told Moneycontrol said the problem with manpower is they have reached their respective native land and mostly they are in quarantine.

For the company, he said one of the major challenges is to set-up the manufacturing assembly line according to new norms. This, he said is affecting productivity even as safety remains a priority.

In sectors like automobile, which employs over 37 million people (directly and indirectly) in India, loss of contractual labour is posing a lot of challenges.

R C Bhargava, Chairman - Maruti Suzuki had recently said that there are uncertainties about production because manpower movement is still not free.

Adding to the woes is the migration of people, many of whom are employed as contract labourers in several component manufacturing factories surrounding the automotive factories has led to the shortage of manpower. While Maruti Suzuki has not been directly affected by the migration, its vendors have.

Much of their manpower has run away to the villages and it is not so easy to get them back because there is no communication. Many smaller vendors have financial problems. These are the areas where the supply chain is running into problems, added Bhargava.

Similarly, at EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) major KEC International, availability of labour, however, is a problem.

From about 30,000 people who used to work at its sites and factories before the outbreak, the number is down to about 17,000.

KEC International MD Vimal Kejriwal told Moneycontrol that the local administration in some places was asking labourers to leave for hometowns after train services resumed though they were willing to stay back and work.

In recent days, thousands of labourers have boarded special trains to head home from cities and industrial hubs where they were employed as lockdown brought economic activity to a standstill.

Will the dilution of laws help?

Even across the multiple states that have passed ordinances to bring about changes in labour laws, starting up has continued to be a concern.

The appliance manufacturing facility of a white goods firm is awaiting approvals to procure components from China even as freight movement for non-essential goods remains slow.

Our labour lives in nearby villages so we could get them on time. But unless we have the materials to produce, how can we start operations?, said the head of the Gujarat plant of this company.

Another United States-based white goods brand that is planning to enter India is facing real estate issues.

We have found workers in the Delhi-NCR region but are struggling to find a manufacturing facility to suit our budget. If ease of doing business is the vision of the Indian government, why not iron out these bottlenecks?, said the India director of the brand.

While across the country, there is a consensus on the simplification of labour laws, both companies and experts agree that dilution should be beneficial to all stakeholders.

Samir Kaji, Managing Director of Selec Controls that manufactures goods for segments like electrical measurement & protection, and automation control said that there is a need to liberalise labour laws so that companies do not fear to hire.

He said that reforms are needed in the area of exit of workers, right to strike and double pay for overtime since they are unhealthy situations. Kaji added that a contract for any hiring that allows for an exit but protects the worker with an exit pay of 45 days per year of service (capped to 9 months of payout) would be a good way to support the unemployed.

Currently, the central government is working on the unification of the 13 labour laws and 44 related regulations to bring a single code for wages and worker safety.

What do the experts say?

Labour economists are of the view that sudden dilution could become counter-productive and ensure that the reverse migration situation remains intact.

KR Shyam Sundar, a labour economist and professor at XLRI - Xavier School of Management told Moneycontrol that the argument of reviving the economy by diluting labour laws does not hold true.

This is something which even the employers did not ask for. Dilution of labour laws means that hire and fire can be done. But is there really a demand in the market for companies to hire? Another important point is, for example if a worker has gone back to Tirupur and his employer in Mumbai or Delhi-NCR is offering lesser wages, why will he come back? The pay is less and there is also a the COVID-19 threat, he added.

Sundar explained that instead, there should be good wages and income support so that the workers are motivated to return to the factors.

Even looking at the total worker numbers, where only 12 percent of the 465 million workers are into manufacturing, he added that this is not good economics.

Who is this really benefiting? Even in the manufacturing sector, only 4-5 percent will report to work considering social distancing. Making them work for 12 hours is ridiculous. These changes appear to be convoluted, he said.

However, human resource experts are of the view that once the COVID-19 situation subsides, workers will be ready to come back.

Rituparna Chakraborty, co-founder and Executive Vice-President, TeamLease Services, told Moneycontrol, Nothing has been implemented yet on labour laws. Companies are willing to pay more but workers are not ready to come back yet. Nobody has the luxury to be pricey and people are choosing to stay away because of the virus threat. But they will eventually come back.

When will the workers be back is the question which all manufacturing companies are grappling with. Considering the twin challenges of rising COVID-19 cases in urban and semi-urban areas with tighter labour laws, companies expect workers to stay away till July-August citing safety concerns.

The labour law changes may get a handful of new players to set up factories with rigid work conditions in India. But for a majority of India Inc, this served no real purpose. The real need was immediate cash support to restart work and attract talent, said the chief executive officer of a kitchen appliances manufacturer.

(With inputs from Prince Mathews Thomas and Swaraj Baggonkar)
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - FenixOro Gold Corp. (CSE: FENX) is pleased to announce the formal commencement of its Phase 1 exploration program at the flagship Abriaqui project in Antioquia state. Abriaqui is the closest gold exploration project to the Continental Gold/Zijin Mining Buritica deposit, located 15 km to the west along the Middle Cauca gold belt.

The $US 2.9 million exploration program, already underway, consists of mapping, sampling, ground magnetometry and 6000m of diamond drilling. The drilling will test areas of "Buritica-style" closely spaced, high grade veins with each inclined drill hole targeting multiple veins and interstitial areas of lower grade quartz-sulfide stockwork.

Pre-drill field work began earlier in 2020 but was temporarily placed on hold when the Colombian federal government mandated a national lockdown due to COVID-19 in early April. Strict controls on travel and social distancing have been mandated until at least the end of May. Mining production activity has been declared an essential industry in Colombia and is not subject to lockdown restrictions. Additionally, individual municipalities have the autonomy to determine essential industries and business locally.

Within the Municipality of Abriaqui there have been zero cases of the virus and the local Mayor through Decree has granted FenixOro an exemption from work restrictions, providing the ability to continue its field program under certain protocols. The Company is using only the local labour force and geologists from the region.

FenixOro VP Exploration Stuart Moller commented: "We feel very fortunate to have the ability to continue accelerating our exploration program through this challenging time. This is a reflection of the strong relationship, social importance, and trust the Company has built with the local community. As a group we are eager to discover what results this maiden program will generate for the company and all of its stakeholders."

The current work program has commenced with soil sampling which is expected to define areas of non-outcropping vein and replacement potential in areas of heavy vegetation and soil cover. The ALS assay laboratory has re-opened and sampling results will be reported in due course. FenixOro has also begun a cooperative program with local authorities that provides donations of face masks, hand sanitizer and canned food supplies for the community.

The Colombian Federal government for the time being continues to work remotely from home and the process of acquiring drilling permits is continuing. Initial drill targets have been selected and the Company believes it is in the final stages of approval for the last component permit that will allow it to begin drilling. The planned program of ground magnetics will be completed once travel restrictions are lifted in June.

The Abriaqui project, located 100km northwest of Medellin, is at the northern end of the Middle Cauca geologic trend along which over 80 million ounces of gold have been discovered since 2007 in vein and porphyry deposits such as Continental Gold/Zijin's high grade Buritica project and AngloGold's Nuevo Chaquiro and La Colosa. As documented in "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Abriaqui Project Antioquia State, Colombia" (December 5, 2019) and on the Company's website, more than 80 high-grade veins have been discovered, some of which have been mined in the district for over 100 years. These crop out over a minimum of 800 vertical meters with >20 g/t gold assays being common over the entire vertical interval.

Contact Information

FenixOro Gold Corp

350 Bay St., Suite 700

Toronto, ON

Email: info@FenixOro.com

Website: www.sedar.com

Technical Information

Stuart Moller P.Geo., Director, VP Exploration and a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101, has prepared the technical portion of this press release. Mr. Moller is a professional geologist with 40 years of worldwide experience in mineral exploration including 10 years in Colombia.

About FenixOro Gold

FenixOro Gold Corp. is a Canadian company focused on acquiring gold projects with world class exploration potential in the most prolific gold producing regions of Colombia. FenixOro's flagship property, the Abriaqui project, is located 15 km west of Continental Gold's Buritica project in Antioquia State at the northern end of the Mid-Cauca gold belt, a geological trend which has seen multiple large gold discoveries in the past 10 years including Buritica and Anglo Gold's Nuevo Chaquiro and La Colosa. As documented in "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Abriaqui project Antioquia State, Colombia" (December 5, 2019), the geological characteristics of Abriaqui and Buritica are very similar. The report also documents the high gold grade at Abriaqui with samples taken from 20 of the veins assaying greater than 20 g/t gold. Abriaqui has not yet been drilled but surface and underground geological mapping and sampling as well as a preliminary magnetometry survey have been completed. The property is drill-ready pending finalization of the government permitting process.

Fenix's VP of Exploration, Stuart Moller, led the discovery team at Buritica for Continental Gold in 2007-2011 which included drilling the first 270 holes. The Buritica Mine currently contains measured plus indicated resources of 5.32 million ounces of gold (16.02 Mt grading 10.32 g/t) plus a 6.02 million ounce inferred resource (21.87 Mt grading 8.56 g/t) for a total of 11.34 million ounces of gold resources. Buritica is scheduled to commence production in 2020 with annual average production of 250,000 ounces at an all-in sustaining cost of approximately US$600 per ounce. Resources, cost and production data are taken from Continental Gold's "NI 43-101 Buritica Mineral Resource 2019-01, Antioquia, Colombia, 18 March, 2019"). Continental Gold was recently the subject of a takeover by Zijin Mining in an all-cash transaction valued at C$1.4 billion.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56861
Syrian civilians block US military convoys seeking to enter two villages in Hasakah

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 28 May 2020 3:53 PM

The residents of two small villages in the northern countryside of Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah have blocked US military convoys attempting to pass through their areas, forcing them to return to their bases.

Syria's official news agency SANA reported that the US convoys were confronted by local residents in the villages of al-Qahirah and al-Dushaisha, who chanted slogans against the forces and threw stones at them.

SANA added that the convoys were forced to "go back to where they came from." No one was hurt in the confrontations, according to the report.

Since late October 2019, the United States has been redeploying troops to the oil fields controlled by Kurdish forces in eastern Syria, in a reversal of President Donald Trump's earlier order to withdraw all troops from the Arab country.

The Pentagon claims the move aims to "protect" the fields and facilities from possible attacks by Daesh. That claim came although Trump had earlier suggested that Washington sought economic interests in controlling the oil fields.

Syria, which has not authorized the presence of the US military in its territory, says Washington is "plundering" the country's oil.

The presence of US forces in eastern Syria has particularly irked the civilians, and local residents have on several occasions stopped American military convoys entering the region.

Blaze scorches wheat, barley crops near Abu Rasin town

Separately, tens of tons of wheat and barley southwest of Abu Rasin town in Hasakah province have been scorched during the harvest season.

Local sources, requesting not to be named, blamed the blazes on foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists operating in the area close to Turkish-backed militants.

Some farmers, on the other hand, said the crop fires were the work of US-sponsored and Kurdish-led militants from the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) under the pretext of clearing mines planted by Turkish-backed militants.

Turkish-backed militants were deployed to northern Syria last October after Turkish military forces launched a long-threatened cross-border invasion in a declared attempt to push the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militants away from border areas.

Ankara views the US-backed YPG as a terrorist organization tied to the homegrown Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region in Turkey since 1984.

On October 22 last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, signed a memorandum of understanding that asserted the YPG militants had to withdraw from the Turkish-controlled "safe zone" in northeastern Syria within 150 hours, after which Ankara and Moscow would run joint patrols around the area.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Thursday that could pave the way for federal regulators to punish tech companies for how they moderate content.

The draft order centers on Section 230, a law that is now more than 20 years old and that has helped define the way we all communicate on the internet. It has been the subject of off-and-on controversy and has again been brought to the forefront of lawmakers' attention by the Trump administration this year.

Critics says Section 230 gives tech companies too much power over what is and is not allowed on their sites. Supporters - including a wide range of internet companies, free-speech advocates and open-internet proponents - say that without the law, online communication would be stifled and social media as we know it would cease to exist.

So what is this law, anyway?

- What is Section 230?

Section 230 is a provision of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. It says that companies that operate online forums - everything from the billions of posts made on Facebook to restaurant reviews on Yelp to comment sections on Twitter - cannot be considered the publisher of all those posts that others put on their sites. And therefore the forum operators can't be held liable for what others choose to share on their sites, even if those posts could break a law. In other words, it means that Facebook can't be held legally responsible for a user putting up a post that defames their sixth-grade math teacher.

The key portion of Section 230 is only 26 words long and reads, "No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider."

- Why does it matter?

Section 230 "gave companies the go-ahead to launch every single technical intermediary that you depend on for internet communication," said Daphne Keller, the platform regulation director at Stanford Cyber Policy Center. With few exceptions, it gives companies the right to police content on their websites as they see fit. That means companies don't have to sift through millions of posts to make sure they are not violating any laws before allowing them to appear online. It also means people can post pretty much whatever they want and companies can duck responsibility for the effects.

But it was not designed to keep online forums neutral, Keller said. In fact, she said, it was meant to encourage companies to keep an eye on the conversations on their sites.

Section 230 "was very specifically crafted to get platforms to moderate content," she said.

- Why should we care now?

Section 230 allows tech companies to leave up pretty much any posts that others make. It also gives those companies broad ownership of what they decide to remove from the sites, as long as the companies follow a few rules. It's this part of the provision that has been thrust into the spotlight recently as Trump and others accuse social media sites of censoring conservative voices. Trump has claimed the sites favor liberal voices and are trying to "silence" conservatives, though his own massive and growing Twitter following suggests otherwise. The companies have denied those charges.

- Who wants Section 230 to be changed?

Democrats and Republicans have expressed concern over the limits of 230 in recent years.

Some Democrats have pushed back on how tech companies moderate hate speech or other objectionable speech on their platforms, saying the companies don't go far enough in curbing hurtful language. But that language is generally protected by the First Amendment.

"Congress can't actually require companies to take down lawful speech," said Emma Llanso, director of the Free Expression Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology. "That's one of the really big challenges happening in the U.S. and around the world when it comes to online content regulation."

Some Republicans have pushed back on the immunity tech companies have to take down most types of content, asserting that companies are acting with bias toward conservatives.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, questioning Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at a hearing in 2018, suggested the law requires companies to provide "neutral" forums. But the law does not require companies be neutral. In fact, it was originally conceived to encourage them to step in and moderate.

- How did the provision come to be?

Section 230 bloomed out of two lawsuits against early internet companies in the days long before social media. One court found that Prodigy Services could be held liable for speech made on its site because it tried to set standards and moderate content. Another court found that CompuServe, which took a hands-off approach, was merely a distributor and not a publisher and therefore not liable.

That seemed to suggest that companies could protect themselves by taking a hands-off approach, said Jeff Kosseff, a cybersecurity law professor at the U.S. Naval Academy and the author of a book on Section 230, "The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet."

Wanting to circumvent that and encourage companies to moderate their sites, Section 230 was created.

"The idea behind 230 was that the platforms were much better suited to come up with the rules of the road than the government," Kosseff said.

The idea was that people would use whichever sites suited them and which rules they agreed with. Of course, that was years before the rise of dominant social media sites with billions of users.
Zoom is the single biggest breakthrough service of the 2020 global lockdown, in or out of tech. Before February, it was a niche business tech tool. 90 days on, its a global household name. Grannies, schoolteachers and friends now use it daily. It has replaced Skype and FaceTime as our default verb for video-conferencing.

And the chief information officer, responsible for making large chunks of it work, is a man from Rathfarnham.

Harry Moseley is unlike a typical CIO. Hes relaxed and easygoing with the emeritus demeanor of a board member rather than the guy logging 14-hour days to make sure everything is ticking.

Adrian hears from Harry about the upsetting moments over security reports in recent weeks. He also touches on his childhood here, including growing up as a Jewish kid in Dublin.

Adrian also talks to Vanessa Tierney, CEO and co-founder of Abodoo, an Irish firm set up with a specialty in matching remote workers to employers.

In a wide-ranging chat, Adrian and Vanessa go beyond the cliches of remote working to discuss the future of cities and whether therell be a generational split in who wants to live in built-up areas.

The Big Tech Show is in association with Fidelity Investments.
Criticism of his efforts to hold President Donald Trump accountable for dismissing inspectors general is an inside-the- Beltway issue fueled more by partisanship than an accurate reflection of his 40-year record of oversight, Sen. Chuck Grassley said Thursday.

Grassley is under fire for not doing more than writing letters objecting to Trumps removal of inspectors general. Under the law, the president must provide Congress a detailed written explanation of why an inspector general is being dismissed 30 days before dismissing the federal watchdogs.

The president citing a lack of confidence for removing an inspector general didnt cut it with Grassley.

Congressional intent is clear that an expression of lost confidence, without further explanation, is not sufficient to fulfill the requirements of the statute, he wrote.

The criticism hes facing is very similar, Grassley said, to what he faced when he investigated President Barack Obamas firing of an inspector general in 2009.

Asked whether the criticism is warranted, Grassley said its pretty much limited to inside-the-Beltway criticism, and I think the criticism comes from Democrats more than Republicans.

I dont seem to be doing a good enough job for Democrats when we have a Republican president, but when I do exactly the same thing when we have a Democrat president, I dont get the help out of them that they expect when we have a Republican president, he said.

I think Ive been pretty consistent in this through all of my efforts to be impartial of whether or not I find a Democrat or Republican president not faithfully executing the laws.

Grassley said he is accustomed to the criticism, including its partisan nature. If anything, he said, hes become more aggressive in his advocacy and defense of inspectors general as a committee chairman  previously of the Justice and now Finance committee  with more staff to conduct oversight.

Inspectors general are independent, nonpartisan watchdogs appointed by the president to audit federal agencies and investigate cases of misconduct, fraud and waste, ensuring a department is operating legally.

In the past two months, Trump has fired or replaced five inspectors general: the one investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; the one at the Department of Transportation investigating allegations of favoritism by Secretary Elaine Chao, the wife of Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell; one in the intelligence community who gave Congress the complaint that touched off Trumps impeachment; the one overseeing coronavirus spending, replacing him with an administration loyalist; and one at the Department of Health and Human Services who documented shortages of personal protective equipment.

Grassley acknowledged the White House can argue the president has constitutional authority to hire, fire and make appointments as well as question congressional intent in inspectors general legislation.

But do they understand the spirit of the law and the independence (that) inspector generals ought to have  not whether or not they might be friendly to an administration or not? Grassley said.

Its not Grassley versus the president  regardless of party, he said. Its the responsibility of Congress to make sure the executive branch faithfully executes the law.

I see inspectors general as part of that, he said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
Wednesday, May 20, was World Bee Day.

Bees need flowers and on World Bee Day, Teagasc reminded farmers to allow space for common wildflowers to grow and flower on farms.



Early in the year, bees get pollen and nectar from willow, hazel and primrose. Now, whitethorn, bluebells and dandelions are important, while later on blackberry, woodbine and heather will feed the bees.

With its late flowers, ivy is the last source of food at the end of the year.



Diversity

A diversity of common flowering plants is needed in hedgerows, field margins, field corners, along farm roadways and around farmyards. The quest for neatness should not override ecological considerations. Allow plants to flower before cutting.

A current cultural challenge is to get recognition that common weeds are wildflowers which may (or may not) be growing in the wrong place.



The only plants which are universally undesirable are Invasive Alien Species such as Japanese Knotweed; while noxious weeds (ragwort, thistle, docks, male wild hop, common barberry and wild oats) must be controlled under the Noxious Weeds Act.

Recent research by Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist, found that farmers were positive towards biodiversity, but understanding of biodiversity was relatively poor, in particular: the value of common habitats; how species decline relates to individual farms; and how the absence of a silent spring analogy masks serious declines.

Biodiversity is one of the principal public goods to which agriculture can contribute.
Jerusalem: Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar and Malaysia have formed a new alliance in the Islamic world and they perceive India, Israel and the Christian nations in the West as their enemies, a noted expert on Middle East opined.

The alliance also reflects a slow shift in power in the Islamic world away from its traditional Arab center, said Jonathan Spyer, director of the Middle East Center for Reporting and Analysis and a research fellow at the Middle East Forum and the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security.

In an article published in The Jerusalem Post, he said: "Ankara, Islamabad and Kuala Lumpur, with Qatar as an additional partner, today constitute an emergent power nexus, built around a common orientation toward a conservative, Sunni political Islam."

"This nexus is united as much by common enmities as by common affections. Its enemies, are India, Israel and (at the rhetorical level) the Christian West," he opined.

Speaking on the rivalry in the Islamic world, he said: "Its rivals within the diplomacy of the Islamic world, meanwhile, are Saudi Arabia, which has traditionally dominated the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the main pan-Islamic diplomatic body, and the UAE."

He referred to the Indian televangelist Zakir Naik's issue and wrote: "THE DISPUTE around Naik casts light on the currently burgeoning relations between three significant Muslim countries  Turkey, Pakistan and Malaysia. This emergent alliance is a reflection of a shift in power in the Islamic world away from its traditional Arab center."

The controversial televangelist is avoiding coming to India since 2016 amid accusations of spreading extremism.

Naik is also accused of radicalising a group of teenagers who carried out a terror attack in Bangladesh in 2016.

The preacher, who founded the Islamic Research Foundation and runs a satellite television channel PeaceTV  both banned in India  is being sought by authorities and agencies in India for questioning on charges of money-laundering and spreading extremism.

Naik is facing a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after his sermons have been attributed as a reason by Bangladesh for an attack in Dhaka in 2016 which claimed 22 lives.
(This May 28 story corrects paragraph 3 to make clear police were referring to Cummings trip to Barnard Castle, not his London-northern England trip)

(Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons senior adviser, Dominic Cummings, is considering quitting later this year, the Daily Mail newspaper reported.

Cummings, who faced calls from within the Conservative Party to resign for driving 250 miles (402 km) during the coronavirus lockdown, could be out in six months, the newspaper reported, citing sources.

Another trip by Cummings, a 50-mile journey to Barnard Castle, was described by local police as a breach of the coronavirus lockdown, although a minor one, the Telegraph newspaper had reported earlier on Thursday.

Cummings behaviour has been criticised by politicians from all major parties, but Johnson has said he wanted to move on from the topic.

Cummings, architect of the 2016 campaign to leave the European Union, came under pressure when it was reported he had travelled from London to northern England in March when his wife was ill with COVID-19 symptoms during a nationwide lockdown.

He said on Monday that he had not offered his resignation.

Cummings, who is Johnsons close aide, had said that he should have explained the circumstances behind his journey during the lockdown earlier but that his decision to take the trip had not been a mistake.
The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks!

Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics.

The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc.

The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics.

The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates.

Access to college recruiters and advisors  its harder to line up higher education.

Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family.

Vote

View Results
 

1
The big dilemma this year is whether we have some form of a Triple Crown. Will the winner of all three classics go down as the 14th Triple Crown winner, along with Secretariat, Citation, American Pharoah, Justify and the others or will there be a Triple Crown winner with an asterisk or will there not be a Triple Crown winner at all, even if one horse wins all three races? And regardless of how it appears in the record books, will each individual go along with the official designation or make his or her own decision based strictly on how they feel about it and ignore the record books?

Right now, we have a terrific field lined up for the 11/8-mile Belmont Stakes (G1) June 20. But is it a terrific field because it is perceived as a classic or because so many good horses simply need a place to run? Will Bob Baffert run two of his major stars because it is a classic or because he doesn't want to run three horses in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and he wants to take advantage of a one-turn mile-and-an-eighth race for his two speedballs, especially with the elite tag of classic to go with it?

We should get an indication of how horsemen look at the Belmont Stakes when Godolphin and trainer Brendan Walsh announce their plans for Matt Winn (G3) winner Maxfield, who is undefeated in three lifetime starts. If they truly look at the Belmont as a classic, you would think they would want to run. After all, who passes up a classic race and being featured on a three-hour NBC telecast, especially when you have one of the favorites?

But if they don't run and decide to wait three weeks for the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) on the track that Maxfield obviously relished when he romped in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) last fall, does that mean they regard the Belmont as just another big race and not a true classic? If they regard it as a classic, then you have to run. Just to reiterate what I said, you don't pass up a classic, especially the first one, and lose a chance of being a Triple Crown winner, asterisk or no asterisk.

If they don't look at the Belmont as a classic, then the logical step for Maxfield would be to wait for the Blue Grass Stakes three weeks later. That would then give them four weeks to the Travers Stakes (G1) (assuming it is run on Aug. 8), then four weeks to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), then four weeks to the Preakness (G1) if they want to run there. They could also go straight to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) from the Kentucky Derby with that race and the Travers under their belt. If NYRA for some reason schedules the Travers for Aug. 1 then it might be coming back too quickly off the Blue Grass, thus making the Belmont more feasible timing-wise. Got all that?



Speaking of the Travers, will NYRA keep it at its traditional distance of a mile and a quarter or shorten it to a mile and an eighth? If the thinking is that asking a horse to run back-to-back mile and a quarter races is too tough, it is not nearly as tough as a younger, less mature 3-year-old running a mile and a quarter and then coming back two weeks later and running a mile and three-sixteenths and then coming back three weeks later and running a mile and a half.

By keeping the Travers at a mile and a quarter, it keeps the long tradition of the race and makes it more attractive, because the only change would be the date. And if a horse should win the Travers and then get beat in the makeshift Derby, at least he is a "real" Travers winner, which is extremely prestigious in its own right. Why bastardize one of America's greatest races when there is no reason for it? Trainers have to get it into their heads that running in the 10-furlong Travers and coming back in the Derby in four weeks is far easier than the traditional Derby--Preakness double, where the difference is a mere sixteenth of a mile. And you are dealing with tougher, stronger, and more mature 3-year-olds in August and September than you are in early to mid-May.

Now, if NYRA polls a number of trainers and owners and asks them if they would run in the 10-furlong Travers and they say no, then that is quite a statement on today's racing and the perceived fragility of the Thoroughbred, as well as the mentality of today's trainers when it comes to the durability of their horses. Can you imagine the cachet a horse would have winning the Travers and Kentucky Derby within a month's span. It will never happen again.

Right now let's see what Godolphin and Walsh do and the historical importance they put on the Belmont Stakes in its current form. Maxfield or no Maxfield, mile and an eighth or no mile and an eighth, classic or no classic, it will be a great race. And in these trying times, that is a lot.
There is no end in sight for the pandemic in the Philippines, which in mid-March instituted a lockdown that is now among the worlds longest. With more than 16,000 cases and 900 deaths, the country has suffered one of the most extensive outbreaks in Southeast Asia. Officials have faced criticism for not conducting enough tests, but a spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday that authorities are expanding testing capacity.
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court (HC) extended the parole of gangster Arun Gawli by five days on Friday. Gawli is serving a life sentence at Nagpur jail for the murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar. He now has to surrender before the Nagpur central prison on June 2.

Gawli, who is on parole from February 26 for his daughter Yogitas wedding, was directed by the bench to surrender at the Taloja Jail in Navi Mumbai after refusing to extend his parole last week.

In a petition before the court on Friday, Gawlis counsel said that as per the court directives, he went to Taloja prison on May 24 to surrender, however, the jail superintendent refused his entry. The gangster then approached the divisional commissioner, Nagpur, through an application, citing the development.

Gawli then moved a fresh plea to the bench, seeking a parole extension. On hearing both the sides, a division bench of justices SB Shukre and Anil Kilor granted a five-day extension. The court further directed him to apply for travel permission to the competent authority within the next 24 hours and thereafter he has to surrender within before the Nagpur central prison on June 2.

The gangster was originally supposed to surrender on April 27, but following the national lockdown, his parole was extended on April 23 for seven days. On April 30, the parole was again extended by another week. Finally, the HC on May 17, directed Gawli to appear before the jail authorities within a period of seven days. Gawli again moved the HC for an extension till May 31 and grant him a further period of seven days to travel to Nagpur from Mumbai for surrendering.
(CNN)  Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called for new protections for women after a 14-year-old girl was allegedly murdered by her father in a so-called "honor killing," sparking outrage in the country.

Romina Ashrafi's father is suspected of killing her with a farming sickle after she ran away from her family home in northern Iran's Talesh county with a 29-year-old man, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Police have arrested the teenager's father. Ashrafi's death has been widely covered by Iranian media across reformist, moderate and pro-government news outlets.

It is unclear whether the 29-year-old man will face criminal charges.

Amnesty International condemned the killing and called on authorities to ensure full "accountability" for the crime.

"We call on Iran's authorities & lawmakers to end the impunity for violence against women/girls & criminalize domestic violence. They must amend Article 301 of the Penal Code to ensure accountability proportionate to the severity of the crime, without resort to the death penalty," Amnesty said in a statement on Twitter, Thursday.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Article 301 reduces punitive measures for fathers involved in so-called "honor killings."

Rouhani has expressed "regret" over Ashrafi's death. During a cabinet meeting in Tehran, the President "ordered accelerated study and ratification" of a bill that protects women against violence, Fars reported Thursday.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Death of 14-year-old Iranian girl in so-called 'honor killing' sparks outrage."
LIMERICK TD Patrick ODonovan says he is gobsmacked at comments made by Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald around the Troubles.

In a major interview with the Sunday Independent newspaper at the weekend, the leader of the current most popular party in Ireland, described the IRAs campaign in Northern Ireland as justified and said there was every chance shed have taken up arms.

Speaking in the wake of the interview, Mr ODonovan described the remarks as a smack in the face to the children of parents that were murdered and the parents of children that were murdered.

I was gobsmacked by it. Maybe in some ways, I thought this was going to a new generation of Sinn Fein leader who was not going to try and justify the atrocities that were committed. But here, emblazoned all over the front page of a major Sunday newspaper, we have these comments, Mr ODonovan, a Minister of State at the Department of Finance said.

I thought of Adare - Jerry McCabe and Ben O'Sullivan and Seamus Quaid from Feohanagh, a guard working down in Wexford, who was murdered as well, he added.

Mr ODonovan, who was returned to the Dail for a third straight occasion in Februarys election, said there was nothing justified about the IRAs campaign of terror.

It had the support of nobody this side of the border in terms of mandate. No mandate from the people of Ireland. To come out and say it was justified I thought was just unbelievable.

And he said it is comments like these which made him and his Fine Gael colleagues find it difficult to enter into government talks with Sinn Fein.

If anyone was looking for a reason as to why Patrick O'Donovan as an individual would be opposed to any form of coalition support which would put them into government, well there it was, emblazoned all over the Sunday Independent, he concluded.

Ms McDonald's interview was the first time the Sunday Independent  edited by former Leader man Alan English  had questioned a Sinn Fein leader.
Ruling on Meng 'won't alter Huawei's set strategy

Global Times

By GT staff reporters Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/28 19:33:40

A court ruling in Canada over the fate of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou has again put the Chinese tech giant in the global spotlight. The ruling, though disappointing, won't alter the firm's set strategy toward the US supplies ban - from building backups and finding alternatives to quietly adjusting its management structure for long-term development.

More importantly, Huawei will never surrender to US bullying, Chinese observers said.

All these efforts, combined with technological strength it has built up over the years, and the broad public belief that Meng's being taken to custody is unjustified, will become a strong force for the tech giant to counter any challenges that lie ahead, they noted.

On Thursday, a Canadian judge ruled that the extradition case against Meng could proceed, as the case meets the Canadian extradition standard of so-called "double criminality," which also means an increased chance for Meng to be extradited to the US.

In a statement sent to the Global Times on Thursday, Huawei said it is disappointed in the ruling. "Huawei continues to stand with Meng in her pursuit for justice and freedom  Meng's lawyers will continue to work tirelessly to see justice is served," read the statement.

But the ruling may not have a major impact on the firm's existing strategy. "The ruling was expected, and Huawei has been making adjustments since Meng's arrest in December 2018," Ma Jihua, a veteran industry analyst, told the Global Times on Thursday.

The ruling will force Huawei to make firmer preparations for management succession. Meng, who's also the daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei, is seen by some as his potential successor, according to industry insiders.

Moreover, its business strategy will also continue to be one of development across multiple lines, instead of just focusing on the telecommunications sector. Huawei may make forays into new sectors, such as connected autos and smarter homes, to cash in, Ma said.

In a sign of continuing to press forward amid the US ban, Huawei's new product releases have shown no signs of delay during the past days. On Wednesday, Huawei released its 5G MatePad tablet.

In the first quarter of 2020, Huawei shipped about 1.5 million tablet PCs, up 4.3 percent year-on-year, taking a market share of 40.2 percent. That put it first domestically, ahead of Apple's 35.1 percent.

The company is also eyeing the intelligent security sector. It released the HoloSens SDC, the next-generation camera, on Monday, aiming to build what it called the "first brand in machine vision."

HoloSens is the Chinese tech giant's intelligent security brand based on its self-developed Kunpeng and Ascend chip series.

In response to the latest chip ban from the US, a Nikkei Asian Review report said on Thursday that Huawei has built up a two-year reserve of the "most important" US chips, laying the ground for future product releases.

"Intensified external pressure will only push the firm to be more united," Xiang Ligang, an industry analyst and a close follower of Huawei, told the Global Times.

In response to the court ruling, a senior executive of Huawei vowed to "work harder and harder, as there's never an easy way to achieve success."

"Justice may come late, but it will come," said another senior employee of Huawei.

Nevertheless, experts noted that though the firm's future is by no means bleak, it's set to be bumpy.

"The US crackdown on China's technology rise, starting with Huawei, will only become tougher until Washington plays all its cards and then realizes it will pay more than it could gain," Fang Xingdong, founder of Beijing-based technology think tank ChinaLabs, told the Global Times on Thursday.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 28 May 2020 - The Singapore based enterprise LabMed has entrusted global logistics company GEODIS to support the company's growing activity in new markets by delivering urgently needed PPEs from Asia to the COVID-19 'hot-spots' of Europe and North America.









GEODIS is providing LabMed with customs brokerage, short-term storage solutions and transport management services from LabMed's factory in China via a distribution hub in Singapore to a wide array of international destinations including India, Malaysia, Germany and the United States.

"In terms of fulfilling our multi-faceted needs, GEODIS has been well up to the task," says Wilson Ang, LabMed's Regional Managing Director in Singapore. "The close attention and efficiency of the GEODIS staff has been impressive, from the local service in China to the performance at our many destinations."

The partnership between LabMed, a family owned subsidiary of Kin Seng Hong Pte, and GEODIS began in early May 2020, with the immediate need to swiftly react to fast-changing market demands and devising flexible end-to-end supply chain solutions. LabMed has been called upon to significantly increase its production of surgical masks, sanitising gel and other PPE at its own plant in Dong Guan, Southern China. From initial small shipments of 10 tons of sanitizer to India to bulk supplies of millions of masks to Germany, LabMed's pipeline of PPE has grown rapidly to include other parts of South-East Asia, Europe, Latin America and the United States.

"In Asia-Pacific, GEODIS has a strong focus on enabling Asian based SME businesses to grow their markets", comments Rene Bach-Larsen, GEODIS' Sub-Regional Managing Director, ASEAN. "While GEODIS is a trusted partner to global multinationals, we also function as the lifeblood of regional economies through the services we provide."

Story continues

"During the current pandemic, we are even more intimately involved in the business of local customers who partner with us. As an essential service, we continue to fast-track their growth, using for instance, specially arranged weekly scheduled flights to many destinations and locating the necessary carrier capacity, whatever the mode. Our GEODIS colleagues at delivery locations around the world enable a truly door-to-door service for vital supplies to reach frontline workers and protect many more."

The current crisis has required innovative responses from logistics professionals to achieve their customer's delivery goals. Unprecedented demand peaks on certain trade routes, widely variable carrier capacity across transport modes, critical time constraints, staffing issues and communications challenges have blighted almost all international supply chains. In providing such response, the application of ingenuity and tailored solutions benefit greatly from the ability of supply chain management to be controlled by one entity.





About GEODIS

GEODIS is a worldwide leader in transport and logistics, recognized for its commitment to helping its customers overcome their logistical constraints. With five lines of business (Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express and Road Transport), a direct presence in 67 countries and a global network spanning 120 countries, GEODIS is ranked first in France, sixth in Europe and seventh worldwide in its field. In 2019, GEODIS had more than 41,000 employees and generated 8.2 billion in sales.

Website: https://geodis.com/





About LabMed

Label Med Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Kin Seng Hong that was established since 1977. As set up by Wilson Ang and Jason Tan, LabMed is a company specialized in manufacturing disposable civil mask, medical mask, surgical mask, KN95-FFP2 mask and other medical instruments. Strategically located in Singapore with an access to a wide distribution network both locally and globally. We are a strong connection in exporting our products to all over the world focusing on United states, France, Germany and United Kingdom.





The company has cooperated with many local well-known medical device companies, MNCs as well as government entities to provide new and old customers with procurement services for medical supplies such as medical masks, protective suit, rubber gloves, goggles, thermometer, disinfectant, hand lotion, mask production equipment as well as nasal swab test kit for Covid-19.

Website: https://thelabmed.com/
Many investors define successful investing as beating the market average over the long term. But its virtually certain that sometimes you will buy stocks that fall short of the market average returns. Unfortunately, that's been the case for longer term China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corporation Ltd (SGX:G92) shareholders, since the share price is down 36% in the last three years, falling well short of the market decline of around 16%. It's up 7.9% in the last seven days.

View our latest analysis for China Aviation Oil (Singapore)

In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.

During the unfortunate three years of share price decline, China Aviation Oil (Singapore) actually saw its earnings per share (EPS) improve by 3.9% per year. This is quite a puzzle, and suggests there might be something temporarily buoying the share price. Or else the company was over-hyped in the past, and so its growth has disappointed.

After considering the numbers, we'd posit that the the market had higher expectations of EPS growth, three years back. But it's possible a look at other metrics will be enlightening.

We note that the dividend seems healthy enough, so that probably doesn't explain the share price drop. We like that China Aviation Oil (Singapore) has actually grown its revenue over the last three years. If the company can keep growing revenue, there may be an opportunity for investors. You might have to dig deeper to understand the recent share price weakness.

The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

SGX:G92 Income Statement May 29th 2020

We're pleased to report that the CEO is remunerated more modestly than most CEOs at similarly capitalized companies. It's always worth keeping an eye on CEO pay, but a more important question is whether the company will grow earnings throughout the years. So it makes a lot of sense to check out what analysts think China Aviation Oil (Singapore) will earn in the future (free profit forecasts).

Story continues

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. We note that for China Aviation Oil (Singapore) the TSR over the last 3 years was -32%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

While it's never nice to take a loss, China Aviation Oil (Singapore) shareholders can take comfort that , including dividends, their trailing twelve month loss of 13% wasn't as bad as the market loss of around 18%. Longer term investors wouldn't be so upset, since they would have made 9.0%, each year, over five years. It could be that the business is just facing some short term problems, but shareholders should keep a close eye on the fundamentals. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Take risks, for example - China Aviation Oil (Singapore) has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is significant) we think you should know about.

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on SG exchanges.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Donald Trump's incoming national security advisor Mike Flynn can be seen counseling the then-Russian ambassador to the U.S. to avoid a 'reciprocal' confrontation over sanctions the outgoing Obama administration was imposing, newly declassified documents reveal.

Trump's acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grennel declassified the documents on his way out the door, and new DNI John Ratcliffe transmitted the information to Congress Friday, at which point it promptly leaked.

'We are taking into account entirely your arguments,' Russia's former longtime ambassador to the U.S. told Flynn in a December 29 phone call.

As the Obama administration was hitting Russia with sanctions to respond to election interference, and with Donald Trump yet to assume office, Flynn told his counterpart: 'Do not, do not uh, allow this administration to box us in, right now, okay?' the transcript reveals.

'I know you have to take some sort of action,' Mike Flynn told Sergey Kislyak, according to a newly declassified transcript of their December 29, 2016 phone call

'You might appreciate the sentiments that are raging in Moscow,' Kislyak tells Flynn at another point after the former Defense Intelligence Agency head made his pitch.

'I do appreciate it, I very much appreciate it,' Flynn responded.

Flynn, who would not take office as Trump's national security advisor for weeks at the time of the Kislyak contacts, urged restraint.

'But I really don't want us to get into a situation where we're going, you know, where we do this and then you do something bigger, and then you know, everybody's got to go back and forth and everybody's got to be the tough guy here, you know?'

His guidance was that Moscow respond in a 'reciprocal basis'  to avoid having the incoming Trump administration take over during a difficult diplomatic standoff.

Kislyak was a longtime diplomat

President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak during talks with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (not in picture) in the Oval Office at the White House

Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about the call, although his lawyers then sought to toss the case and the Justice Department sought to drop charges

That same day, the outgoing Obama administration imposed sanctions, kicking out Russian diplomats as punishment for Moscow's interference in the 2016 elections. Prior sanctions in 2014 hit Moscow for Russia's invasion of Crimea.

Flynn would later plead guilty to lying to the FBI when he said he didn't remember talking about sanctions with Kislyak.

'They're gonna dismiss some number of Russians out of the country,' Flynn told him.

'What I would ask Russia to do is not  is  is  if anything  because I know you have to take some sort of action, to, to only make it reciprocal,' he said, in a full transcript reported published by Iowa Republican Sen. Charles Grassley's office.

The DNI declassified the call transcripts and gave them to Congress

Flynn asks Kislyak that Russia make a 'reciprocal' response and not let things 'escalate,' on a day the Obama administration imposed sanctions in response to Russian election interference

Flynn urged Kislyak not to get into a 'tit-for-tat'  the exact phrase the FBI questioned him about weeks later during his interview in the White House.

'So, you know, depending on, depending on what uh, actions they take over this current issue of the cyber stuff, you know, where they're looking like they're gonna, they're gonna dismiss some number of Russians out of the country, I understand all that and I understand that  that, you know, the information that they have and all that, but what I would ask Russia to do is to not - is - is - if anything - because I know you have to have some sort of action - to, to only make it reciprocal,' Flynn asked.

'Make it reciprocal. Don't - don't make it- don't go any further than you have to. Because I don't want us to get into something that has to escalate, on a, you know, on a tit for tat. You follow me, Ambassador?' he said.

'I understand what you're saying~ but you know, you might appreciate the sentiments that are raging now in Moscow,' Kislyak responded.

FBI agents would later ask Flynn if he recalled any interaction with Kislyak over 'the expulsion of Russian diplomats or closing of Russian properties'  the Obama sanctions. Flynn 'stated that he did not,' according to the official FBI summary of his interview. Flynn stated that he was 'not aware' of the upcoming actions and didn't have access to TV news in the Dominican Republic, where he was traveling and his government Blackberry wasn't working, according to the FBI notes.

Trump continues to rail against the probe he calls a 'witch hunt'

The two men also discussed lining up a secure call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Trump's first full day in office

Flynn explained in another portion of the call that the idea was 'if you have to do something, do something on a reciprocal basis, meaning you know, on a sort of an even basis.

'Then that, then that is a good message and we'll understand that message. And, and then, we know that we're not going to escalate this thing, where we  where because if we put out  if we send out 30 guys and you send out 60, you know, or you shut down every Embassy, I mean we have to get this to a - let's, let's keep this at a level that uh is, is even-keeled, okay? ls even-keeled. And then what we can do is, when we come in, we can then have a better conversation about where, where we're gonna go, uh~ regarding uh, regarding our relationship.'

He called for a common enemy  terrorists in the Middle East. 'And also, basically we have to take these, these enemies on that we have. And we definitely have a common enemy. You have a problem with it, we have a problem with it in this country, and we definitely have a problem with it in the Middle East,' he said.

The two men also on the Dec. 29 call discussed a proposal 'from the Kremlin' to have Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump hold a call on Trump's first full day in office.

'Maybe to organize a conversation over the secure video line that starting on the twentieth would be available to Mr. Trump. And it's there, certainly, uh, between the White House and the Kremlin,' Kislyak told him.

'And our proposal is to have the conversation on the twenty first between our Presidents. And the idea of Mr. Putin is first of all to congratulate uh, your President-elect or the president, at the time, and maybe to discuss small number - briefly, of issues that are on our agenda,' Kislyak told Flynn.

Flynn's response was transcribed as: 'Okay. Ummm,' Flynn responded. He then said: 'I understand.'

A bit later, he told Kislyak: 'do not, uh, allow this administration box us in, right now, okay?'

'We have conveyed it,' Kislyak assured him.

The decision to release the transcripts comes as Trump continues to rail against the Russia probe he calls a 'witch hunt,' as allies gear up to make alleged FBI misconduct a key focus. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold its first hearing on the 'Crossfire Hurricane' investigation next week.

One Trump ally, conservative talk host Dan Bongino, jumped on the information to tweeted that it showed Flynn was 'framed.'

'Its now CLEAR, Mike Flynn was framed. This conversation was clearly about the expulsion of the Russian diplomats & de-escalating a dangerous situation.The mention of sanctions is secondary & Flynn responds yeah yeah. How could Flynn lie about sanctions he wasnt asked about?' he wrote.

The sanctions Obama imposed expelled 35 Russians identified as intelligence operatives, sanctioned numbers entities including Russian military intelligence, and shuttered two diplomatic compounds known to the U.S. to house Russian spying.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff of California tweeted in response to the release: 'Heres what the Flynn transcripts show: Gen. Flynn secretly discussed the U.S. response to Russias brazen election interference, and lied about it to the FBI and Vice President. No wonder Trump and his allies are trying to re-write history, Because the facts are so damning.
New Delhi: Aviation regulator DGCA on Friday (May 29) issued an operation circular directing all airlines' staff, including pilots, on how to deal with locust swarms, saying they pose a threat to aircraft in the critical landing and takeoff phase of a flight.

"Generally, locusts are found at lower levels and therefore pose a threat to aircraft in the critical landing and takeoff phase of the flight. Almost all air intake ports of the aircraft will be prone to ingestion in large numbers, if the aircraft flies through a swarm (areas like engine inlet, air-conditioning pack inlet etc.)," the regulator said in its circular.

The aviation regulator advised pilots to consider the impact of a large number of locust on the windshield which may impact their forward vision and stated that use of wipers in the windsheild will only worsen the situation.

Pitot and static sources can also get partially or fully blocked while flying through locust swarms, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said. "Blocked pitot and static sources lead to erroneous instrument indications, especially unreliable airspeed and altimeter indications," it said.

A pitot tube in airplanes is used to measure the flow speed of the wind.

India is battling the worst desert locust invasion in more than 21 years. The crop-destroying swarms first attacked Rajasthan and have now spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier in the day, the Centre issued alert to at least 16 states, including Delhi, Maharashtra, Haryana on locust attack in the country. The government also asked the farmers near the national capital region to stay alert of the swarm of locusts.


A new species of iguana has been identified in the Caribbean after scientists analysed the DNA of individuals thought to be an introduced South American variety.

The Southern Antilles iguana, which lives on St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, was shown to form a distinct genetic group.

Known to humans for centuries, it was also found to have unique bodily features including horns on its nose, a high crest and dark brown eyes.

It is the fourth iguana type to be identified in the region in two years, as zoologists tear up the rule-book from previous research, which had classified each as the common green iguana.

Southern Antilles iguana: The species, Iguana insularis, has been identified from two other varieties - or subspecies. Pictured above is a very rare Saint Lucia iguana, identified by its black bands. This has been named a subspecies of the new species.

Southern Antilles iguana: This is an older individual in the new species. It is also part of a subspecies, the Grenadines pink rhino iguana, Iguana insularis unsularis, which turns a pinkish white in old age

Fauna & Flora International (FFI), which announced the discovery, said work was already underway to protect the 'new' reptiles.

Two types identified last year, the very rare Saint Lucia iguana and Grenadines pink rhino iguana, have been named as variations of this species - or subspecies.

The former is identified by broad black bands across its body while the latter turns pinkish white in old age.

Zoologists think they may have overlooked the species previously as their juveniles are bright green, just like those of the invasive species, making them 'virtually indistinguishable' until they reach adulthood.

FFI senior conservation biologist Dr Jenny Daltry heralded the find as a breakthrough, but said more action must be taken to protect the reptiles.

'Caribbean iguanas are in grave danger because of invasive alien species, habitat loss and over-hunting for bushmeat and the pet trade,' she said. 'We know what needs to be done.'

Lesser Antillean iguana: It was initially thought only two iguanas lived in the Caribbean. One, the Lesser Antillean iguana, or Iguana delicatissima, is pictured above

Scientists think they may have missed the species as they look identical to the invasive common green iguana, Iguana iguana, when they are juveniles

What is the Southern Antilles iguana? The Southern Antilles iguana is a new species identified by scientists at Fauna and Flora International (FFI). It was separated due to a unique genetic profile and distinguishing features, which include horns on the nose, a high crest and dark brown eyes. The St Lucia iguana, identified by black bands on its body, and Grenadines pink rhino iguana, which turns a pinkish white in old age, have been named as subspecies. The find was made possible with the help of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the Saint Lucia Forestry Department, and the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Forestry Department. Advertisement

Initially only two species of six-and-a-half-foot iguanas were known in the Caribbean - the critically endangered Lesser Antillean iguana and the introduced common green iguana.

But that changed last year when scientists identified the Saint Lucia iguana, which has broad black bands on its body, and the pink rhino iguana, which turns pinkish-white in old age.

In April this year a fifth was added when the very dark reptiles living on Montserrat and Saba were identified as the melanistic or Saban black iguana.

The Southern Antilles iguana emerged after experts at FFI, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the Saint Lucia Forestry Department and the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Forestry department ordered an analysis of genetics of several iguanas living in the Southern Antilles, which confirmed suspicions they weren't invasive.

All the species are threatened by the introduced common green and Central American horned iguanas, which can cross-breed with them and out-compete them for resources.

Both arrived on the islands after they were discarded as pets, swept ashore by hurricanes and through stowing away on cargo boats.

The invaders also breed faster than the natives, meaning there is a risk they will be outcompeted for access to resources.

Common green iguana: They were initially identified as this species, which has invaded the islands and can cross-breed with native populations

Horned iguanas: This species hailing from Central America has also invaded the Caribbean

Saint Lucia used to be called 'Iyanola'. meaning land of the iguanas, revealed the head of wildlife at the Saint Lucia forestry department, Pius Haynes.

But the reptiles have been in decline as their natural habitat is removed by humans and they are hunted for meat and as pets.

The new designation gives them better protection under CITES, making it harder to export the native iguanas.
A speeding motorcyclist who ran over and killed a French tourist in front of her two teenage sons has been jailed for 32 months.

Jack Gough, 28, was riding his Suzuki motorbike at around 60mph in the moments before he struck 45-year-old Muriel Sanna as she stepping into the road in Borough.

Ms Sanna was carried along by the bike for up to 35 metres before hitting with a parked car, suffering serious injuries and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gough denied racing with a Harley Davison just before the crash, saying he was simply on my way home.

Sentencing him to 32 months in prison this morning, Judge Richard Marks QC, the Common Serjeant of London, said there is significant suspicion over what Gough was doing but he could not be sure.

It seems to me you had likely decided, perhaps because you were late, that you were going to put your foot down, he said.

The court heard Ms Sanna, from Nice in France, was crossing Great Dover Street in Borough to look at a street map when she was knocked down and killed, on the evening of July 23, 2018.

She was in London with her two sons, aged 16 and 18, who witnessed the crash and would have endured simply unimaginable trauma, said the judge.

Nothing I can say or do is capable of bringing Muriel Sanna back or undo the terrible pain and hurt caused by you to her family, he added.

Moreover, any sentence I impose is likely to be regarded by her family as wholly inadequate  and perhaps by your family as being excessive.

Describing the seconds before the crash, Gough, from Welling, told the court: I braked, I tried to honk and I tried to swerve but it was simply too late. I could not stop in time.

I remember standing up after the accident and collapsing. I would have helped if I could. I remember asking if she was OK.

He was riding his motorbike at around 60mph, according to experts, which was double the road's 30mph limit.

Gough, who fractured his collarbone and injured his knee, was said to have reacted with terrible anguish and uncontrollable sobbing when he heard that Ms Sanna had died.

He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.
Washington

President Donald Trump is escalating his war on social media companies, preparing to sign an executive order Thursday challenging the liability protections that have served as a bedrock for unfettered speech on the internet.

Still, the move appears to be more about politics than substance, as the president aims to rally supporters after he lashed out at Twitter for applying fact checks to two of his tweets.

The proposed order would direct executive branch agencies including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to study whether they can place new rules on companies  though experts express doubts much can be done without an act of Congress.

Trump and his allies, who rely heavily on Twitter to verbally flog their foes, accuse Silicon Valley of targeting conservatives on social media by fact-checking them or removing posts. The executive order was expected to argue such actions should cost companies their protection from lawsuits for what is posted on their platforms.

Companies like Twitter and Facebook are granted liability protection under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act because they are treated as "platforms" rather than "publishers," who can face suits over content.

A similar executive order was previously considered by the administration but shelved over concerns it couldn't pass legal muster and that it violated conservative principles on deregulation and free speech.

A draft was circulating on Twitter  where else?

"This will be a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS!" Trump tweeted.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the Twitter fact checks reflected "bias in action".

Trump reacted after Twitter added a warning to two Trump tweets calling mail-in ballots "fraudulent" and predicted "mail boxes will be robbed." Under the tweets, there's a link reading "Get the facts about mail-in ballots" that takes users to a page with fact checks and news stories about Trump's unsubstantiated claims.

Trump accused Twitter of interfering in the 2020 race and declared "as president, I will not allow this to happen." His campaign manager, Brad Parscale, said Twitter's "clear political bias" led the campaign to pull "all our advertising from Twitter."

Twitter banned political ads since November. Wednesday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted, "We'll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally."

The Democratic National Committee said Trump's vote-by-mail tweets should be removed, not just flagged.
A still from a video shows police in Minneapolis trying to arrest George Floyd before his death i

Screenshot/Fox9

The Minneapolis Police Department released a transcript of the 911 call that led to the arrest of George Floyd, a black man who died while in police custody after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.

Floyd's death incited mass protests in several states, some of which have escalated and resulted in a Minneapolis police precinct set ablaze.

According to the 911 call, the caller told the operator that Floyd appeared to be inebriated and refused to return his purchase once the caller realized he had used fake bills.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Minneapolis Police Department released the transcript of the 911 call that led to the arrest of George Floyd, who died in police custody after an officer knelt on his neck for roughly eight minutes. Video of the incident incited mass protests against police brutality.

Floyd was apprehended by police Monday after being accused of using fake bills to purchase cigarettes. He was in police custody when a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. Floyd begged the officer to get off and said he couldn't breathe about a few minutes in and later became unresponsive.

Floyd died shortly after an ambulance arrived to take him to the hospital. A video of the incident soon went viral, prompting protests across the country, condemning police brutality. The protests began to escalate on Thursday night.

According to the 911 call, the caller told the operator that Floyd appeared to be inebriated and refused to return his purchase once the caller realized he had used fake bills.

Read the full transcript of the call:

Operator: 911 what's the address of the emergency?

Caller: This is ah 3759 Chicago Ave.

Operator: How can I help you?

Caller: Um someone comes our store and give us fake bills and we realize it before he left the store, and we ran back outside, they was sitting on their car. We tell them to give us their phone, put their (inaudible) thing back and everything and he was also drunk and everything and return to give us our cigarettes back and so he can, so he can go home but he doesn't want to do that, and he's sitting on his car cause he is awfully drunk and he's not in control of himself.

Operator: Okay, what type of vehicle does he have?

Caller: And .... um he's got a vehicle that is ah ... one second let me see if I can see the license. The driver license is BRJ026.

Operator: Okay, what color is it?

Caller: It's a blue color. It's a blue van.

Operator: Blue van?

Caller: Yes, van.

Operator: Alright blue van, gotcha. Is it out front or is it on 38th St.?

Caller: Ah it's on 38th St.

Operator: On 38th St. So, this guy gave a counterfeit bill, has your cigarettes, and he's under the influence of something?

Caller: Something like that, yes. He is not acting right.

Operator: What's he look like, what race?

Caller: Um, he's a tall guy. He's like tall and bald, about like 6 ... 6 1/2, and she's not acting right so and she started to go, drive the car.

Operator: Okay so, female or a male?

Caller: Um...

Operator: Is it a girl or a boy?

Caller: (Talking to somebody else)  he's asking (inaudible) one second. Hello?

Operator: Is it a girl or a boy that did this?

Caller: It is a man.

Operator: Okay. Is he white, black, Native, Hispanic, Asian?

Caller: Something like that.

Operator: Which one? White, black, Native, Hispanic, Asian?

Caller: No, he's a black guy.

Operator: Alright (sigh).

Caller: How is your day going?

Operator: Not too bad.

Caller: Had a long day, huh?

Operator: What's your name?

Caller: My name is (deleted)

Operator: Alright, a phone number for you?

Caller: (Deleted)

Operator: Alright, I've got help on the way. If that vehicle or that person leaves before we get there, just give us a call back, otherwise we'll have squads out there shortly, okay?

Caller: No problem.

Operator: Thank you.

Read the original article on Insider
NTT Communications (NTT Com), a subsidiary of tech giant NTT Corp, disclosed a data breach that impacted hundreds of customers.

NTT Communications (NTT Com), a subsidiary of the tech giant NTT Corp, disclosed a data breach that impacted hundreds of customers.

NTT Com provides network management, security and solution services[3] to consumers, corporations and governments.

NTT Com Group has more than 30 companies in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the Americas.

The company launched an investigation after discovering unauthorized access to some systems on May 7, then this week it confirmed that threat actors may have been stolen.

NTT Communications (hereafter NTT Com) detected an unauthorized access to our equipment that has been made by an attacker on May 7, and the possibility that some information may have leaked to the outside was confirmed on May 11. reads the data breach notification.

Experts at NTT Com initially noticed suspicious activity on an Active Directory server, then they discovered that threat actors have breached an operational server and an information management server that stored customer information.

The internal investigation revealed that attackers initially targeted a server in Singapore, then used it for lateral movements and reach the infrastructure in Japan.

In response to the incident, the company shut down impacted servers to avoid the malware from spreading and communicating with external servers.

According to NTT, the security breach could impact 621 companies whose information was stored on the information management server.

The company announced that it has taken additional measures to prevent similar attacks in the future.

Other major Japanese companies recently disclosed security breaches, some of them took place years ago, including NEC, Mitsubishi Electric, Pasco and Kobe Steel.

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  NTT, hacking)

Share this...

Linkedin

Share this: Twitter

Print

LinkedIn

Facebook

More

Tumblr

Pocket





Share On
Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription.

Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service.
Linda Wood organising Stilton cheese for sale at the Melton Cheeseboard in Melton Mowbray - Andrew Fox

The European Union will reject British demands for stronger legal protection for UK regional products such as Stilton cheese and Scottish whisky after the end of the Brexit transition period in trade negotiations next week.

The UK agreed to keep EU protections for delicacies like champagne and Parma ham in place and in perpetuity in negotiations over the Withdrawal Agreement - but failed to secure the same guarantees for British products in the EU.

While EU product protection is now enshrined in an international legally binding treaty, British products will only be protected under EU law if they remain on the EUs register of Geographical Indications (GIs).

We have no intention of reopening the Withdrawal Agreement, an EU source told the Telegraph.

GIs are a kind of intellectual property right that protects the names of qualifying food or drink products from a certain area, preventing other producers from using them.

Melton Mowbray pork pies, Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb, Shetland wool, Welsh lamb and traditional Cumberland sausage are among the 83 British products that have the protection.

There are 3,347 EU GIs which will now be protected in the UK after the Brexit transition period. That will prevent, for example, UK vineyards calling their white sparking wine Champagne.

Deadlock and mutual recrimination

The total GI sales value of UK protected products was worth about 7 billion in 2017, according to European Commission analysis published in April. Scotch Whisky is worth 5.5 billion to the British economy, and is the UKs largest food and drink export, with global exports reaching 4.91 billion in 2019.

The European Commission wants to agree a legal framework to guarantee protection for new EU GIs in Britain. The UK rejected an EU draft agreement in the last frustrating round of negotiations, which ended in deadlock and mutual recrimination.

Story continues

The UK currently refuses to engage on our text even though it has accepted similar provisions in its agreements with other non-EU countries, an EU source said.

David Frost, the UKs chief negotiator, told a parliament scrutiny committee on Wednesday: The problem with the Withdrawal Agreement, which obviously we are committed to, is that it requires us to protect EU GIs in this country in perpetuity but does not place any such obligation on the EU to protect ours."

Mr Frost, a former chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, added: We would like to have something that is a bit more balanced and make sure that our GIs are properly protected."

British officials argue that the Withdrawal Agreement calls for the current arrangement for existing GIs to be superseded by the free trade agreement.

The British Government plans to introduce a new UK GI system from Jan 1 next year. Producers from the EU and the UK will be able to apply directly to that scheme, which will begin at the end of the transition period.

UK and EU negotiators face a tight deadline to finalise the trade deal before the end of the year, otherwise they will be forced to trade on less lucrative WTO terms. The UK has ruled out extending the transition period.

GIs are part of the trade in services stream in the negotiations. Michel Barnier stopped negotiations in the stream in the last round, which ended on May 15, after becoming frustrated with the UKs refusal to bow to Brusselss demands over level playing field guarantees on fair competition.

The clock is ticking

Trade experts were pessimistic about Britains chances of securing stronger legal protection in the week-long round of negotiations, which begin on Tuesday. It is the final round before a June UK-EU summit to evaluate progress in the talks.

Im slightly at a loss as to why the UK thinks it can reopen the discussion on GIs, having already conceded to the EUs demands as part of the Withdrawal Agreement, said Sam Lowe, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform.

Unlike much of the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK's guarantee to protect EU GI's does not expire at the end of transition, or indeed ever, said Dmitry Grozoubinski, founder of ExplainTrade.

This effectively secures a key EU offensive in perpetuity, denying UK negotiators the ability to leverage it in the free trade talks.

Ian Duncan, a Scottish Conservative peer, former government minister and MEP for Scotland, said the EU GI system gave the whisky industry a legal framework and foundation in the lucrative Asian markets in particular.

We know how important the whisky industry is for Global Britain and how important the Asian markets will be going forward, he said.

Meanwhile, a Scotch Whisky Association spokesman added: The GI system is a critical guarantee of Scotch Whiskys quality and provenance, and has been a key factor in our industrys export success, helping to deter those who wish to produce fakes.

The USA is an implacable opponent of the EUs GI system, which Brussels has made part of many of its trade deals around the world, including with Canada.

Mr Frost told MPs that he was confident no one planned to change existing UK GI rules to make a trade deal with Washington easier.

There are countries which have accepted EU GIs and have trade agreements with the US, such as Mexico and Canada.

"The British have not understood or do not want to understand that Brexit has consequences for them. For us too but also for them," Michel Barnier told German radio on Friday.

"It is difficult for them to accept the consequences of Brexit. There should be more realism in London in the near future if they want an orderly agreement to exit the Single Market and Customs Union."

He added, "The United Kingdom will not dictate to us the terms of access to our market for British goods, services, data or for workers and businesses. We remain sovereign."
 Flash

Some 40 people were arrested in New York City on Thursday during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, local media reported.

Over 100 people gathered in Manhattan's Union Square Thursday afternoon to express their anger over what they called police brutality that led to Floyd's death.

The protesters chanted slogans, including "I can't breathe", while standing in lines face to face with dozens of policemen. Some of them used abusive language toward police.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in custody on Monday evening after a white police officer held him down with a knee on his neck for nearly 10 minutes. Floyd repeatedly pleaded "I can't breathe" during the encounter.

"I can't breathe" was also what Eric Garner, a black man in New York's Staten Island, repeatedly said before his chokehold deaths in 2014 by a white officer. Garner's death galvanized the nationwide "Black Lives Matter" movement.

Police arrested some 40 protesters after several scuffles and a fight between the two sides. Local news channel ABC said someone threw a trash can to police and another tried to grab an officers' gun, while NBC reported that a protester punched an officer in the face.

Demonstrations, for the same reason, took place as well in cities like Los Angeles and Memphis, according to media reports, while large-scale protests have turned violent in Minneapolis, for which Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Thursday declared a state of emergency.
Denver made the latest cut to the shrinking list of candidates seeking to host the Republican National Convention in 2016, according to the Denver mayor's office. The Mile High City remains one of six finalists, said Denver mayoral Chief of Staff Janice Sinden, who said the office heard from national Republican officials Wednesday. Phoenix and Columbus were cut. That leaves  aside from Denver  Cincinnati, Dallas, Kansas City, and Las Vegas and are also in the running.
In 2014, Jianjun Wang was appointed CEO of China VAST Industrial Urban Development Company Limited (HKG:6166). This analysis aims first to contrast CEO compensation with other companies that have similar market capitalization. Then we'll look at a snap shot of the business growth. Third, we'll reflect on the total return to shareholders over three years, as a second measure of business performance. This method should give us information to assess how appropriately the company pays the CEO.

Check out our latest analysis for China VAST Industrial Urban Development

How Does Jianjun Wang's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies?

Our data indicates that China VAST Industrial Urban Development Company Limited is worth HK$5.1b, and total annual CEO compensation was reported as CN951k for the year to December 2019. That's just a smallish increase of 0.1% on last year. While we always look at total compensation first, we note that the salary component is less, at CN666k. As part of our analysis we looked at companies in the same jurisdiction, with market capitalizations of CN2.9b to CN11b. The median total CEO compensation was CN3.6m.

Next, let's break down remuneration compositions to understand how the industry and company compare with each other. Speaking on an industry level, we can see that nearly 69% of total compensation represents salary, while the remainder of 31% is other remuneration. China VAST Industrial Urban Development does not set aside a larger portion of remuneration in the form of salary, maintaining the same rate as the wider market.

At first glance this seems like a real positive for shareholders, since Jianjun Wang is paid less than the average total compensation paid by similar sized companies. However, before we heap on the praise, we should delve deeper to understand business performance. The graphic below shows how CEO compensation at China VAST Industrial Urban Development has changed from year to year.

Story continues

SEHK:6166 CEO Compensation May 29th 2020

Is China VAST Industrial Urban Development Company Limited Growing?

Over the last three years China VAST Industrial Urban Development Company Limited has seen earnings per share (EPS) move in a positive direction by an average of 5.1% per year (using a line of best fit). Its revenue is down 33% over last year.

I would prefer it if there was revenue growth, but the improvement in EPS is good. In conclusion we can't form a strong opinion about business performance yet; but it's one worth watching. We don't have analyst forecasts, but shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Has China VAST Industrial Urban Development Company Limited Been A Good Investment?

I think that the total shareholder return of 37%, over three years, would leave most China VAST Industrial Urban Development Company Limited shareholders smiling. As a result, some may believe the CEO should be paid more than is normal for companies of similar size.

In Summary...

It looks like China VAST Industrial Urban Development Company Limited pays its CEO less than similar sized companies.

It's well worth noting that while Jianjun Wang is paid below what is normal at companies of similar size, the returns have been very pleasing, over the last three years. Although we could see higher growth, we'd argue the remuneration is modest, based on these observations. On another note, China VAST Industrial Urban Development has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit unpleasant) we think you should know about.

If you want to buy a stock that is better than China VAST Industrial Urban Development, this free list of high return, low debt companies is a great place to look.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
In a shocking development, Buddhist rock carvings in the Chilas area of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK)'s Gilgit-Baltistan were found to be vandalised on Tuesday. The rock carvings belong to 800 AD and are archeologically important. Visuals show slogans and the Pakistani flag painted over the carvings.

Locust invasion wreaks havoc on Pakistan's crops, orchards

Buddhist carving in PoK vandalised

Sources state that the vandalised carvings were found by local Buddhist residents and the paint was allegedly found to be fresh. Sources also report that the vandalism was allegedly in retaliation to the protests over the Pak-China DiamerBhasha dam project, which will reportedly destroy this archeological site. The recent vandalism comes 19 years after the Taliban's destruction of the carved statue of Buddha in Bamyan valley of Afghanistan in 2001.

Afghanistan government releases another 900 Taliban inmates

As per reports, the Taliban's 'Commander of the Faithful' - Mullah Mohammed Omar ordered the destruction of all statues and non-Islamic shrines located in different parts of Afghanistan on February 26, 2001. Explosives, tanks, and anti-aircraft weapons blew apart two colossal images of the Buddha in Bamiyan Province in stages. Initially, the statues were fired at for several days using anti-aircraft guns and artillery, and then anti-tank mines were placed at the niches, as per reports. Later, 25 men were lowered down the cliff-face to drill holes and place explosives, damaging more parts of the statues. Ultimately, the Taliban launched a rocket leaving a hole in the remains of the stone head, justifying it 'in accordance with Islamic law'.

Afghanistan to release up to 2,000 Taliban prisoners after ceasefire declaration

India opposes Pak-China dam

On May 14, India opposed Pakistan and China's move to build a major hydropower plant in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the Gilgit-Baltistan region is part of Jammu-Kashmir and was illegally occupied by Pakistan. India has conveyed its protest and shared concerns with both China and Pakistan on such projects. Previously, India has opposed projects in PoK as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

China echoes India, rejects '3rd party intervention' in border issues after Trump's offer

China-Pak's dam project

The Pakistan government has signed a Rs 442-billion contract with a joint venture formed by China Power and Pakistan Army's commercial arm - Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam, on May 13. China has a 70% in the joint venture, while Pakistan has 30%, as per reports. The eight million acre-feet reservoir will be constructed at a height of 272 metres - making it the worlds tallest roller compact concrete (RCC) dam. Construction work on the dam is expected to begin in a couple of weeks, as per Pakistani media reports.


A Minneapolis police station has been set on fire amid mounting protests over the killing by police of an unarmed black man.

On the third straight day of protests over the killing of George Floyd, who died after his neck was stepped on by a white police officer, crowds stormed the station of the citys 3rd precinct.

Reports said that soon afterwards, fire alarms could be heard as fires were set.

Police appeared to have left the left the area before the protesters surged into the station located near the citys Seward neighbourhood.

There were also reports of protests from Minneapoliss so-called twin city, St Paul, located east of the Mississippi River.

(AP (AP)

Television footage showed several buildings on fire in the neighbourhood, located to the southeast of the city centre.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota National Guard, which had been deployed earlier in the day by governor Tim Waltz, said it was dispatching 500 soldiers to Minneapolis and St Paul.

Our mission is to protect life, preserve property and the right to peacefully demonstrate, it said in a tweet.

A key objective is to ensure fire departments are able to respond to calls.

Anger had been steadily growing over the death on Monday of 46-year-old Mr Floyd, who had been handcuffed and taken into police custody by four white officers. Video footage showed one of the officers, Derek Chauvin, standing on the neck of Mr Floyd, as he gasped for breath.

His death was the latest in series of incidents in which African American men have lost their lives at the hands of police. These include the 2014 death of Eric Garner, who was put in a fatal choke hold by officers in New York, the shooting of teenager Michael Brown in 2014 Ferguson, and Freddie Gray, who died after being detained by officers in Baltimore in 2015. There have been numerous others since then.

Critics say the way the police treat people of colour is in stark and frequently deadly contrast to the way they deal with white men.

We dont want to be here fighting against anyone. We dont want anyone to be hurt. We dont want to cause any damages, Erika Atson, 20, who was among thousands of people gathering outside government offices in downtown Minneapolis where organisers had called a peaceful protest, told reporters. We just want the police officer to be held accountable.

While the four officers were fired, there remains intense anger and concern over whether men will be prosecuted.

Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement and on preventing this from ever happening again, tweeted St Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, who is black.

Earlier on Thursday, the US Attorneys Office and the FBI in Minneapolis said they were conducting a robust criminal investigation into the death. Donald Trump has said he had asked an investigation to be expedited.

The FBI is also investigating whether Mr Floyds civil rights were violated.

Mr Chauvin, the officer who trod on Mr Floyds neck, was fired on Tuesday with three other officers involved in the arrest. The next day, the mayor called for him to be criminally charged. He also appealed for the activation of the National Guard.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
Narendra Modi (1)

At the end of the first year of Modi 2.0, it is time to look back at the governments economic performance. Interestingly, in the first year major political decisions have overshadowed the economic decisions. That said, several significant steps were taken to counter the persistent slowdown in the economy and undertake much-need reforms.

One major step was the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019, to replace the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Ordinance. It allows domestic companies to pay 22 percent tax if they are not availing any incentive or exemptions. It also stipulated that manufacturing companies set up after October 1, 2019, will pay 15 percent tax.

The start-ups registered with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) were finally exempted from the much-resented angle tax. The Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) was reduced from 18 percent to 15 percent, and various concessions were extended on the capital gains. The rationale was to make India an attractive destination for the investment by bringing its tax rates nearer to the international level.

While this reduction was long overdue, concerns were raised regarding the timings as India was amidst a slowdown and government revenues were already under pressure. Mere reduction in tax rates in the face of a weak demand may not in itself spur investment and manufacturing. Also, India is yet to see the expected benefits of this policy change.

The government also launched the Vivaad Se Vishwas scheme to reduce litigation related to direct taxes and resolve pending disputes which account for nearly Rs 9.32 trillion. Similarly, Sabka Vishwas was launched to resolve the pre-GST regime-related disputes.

The path of a significant institutional change was also paved with the introduction of International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) Authority Bill, 2019, that provides for the creation of a unified financial regulator. The government also took bold steps towards disinvestment of the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, the Container Corporation of India Ltd (Concor) and the Shipping Corporation of India. The decision for stake sale in the LIC was one among the many significant decisions to revive the stalled disinvestment agenda. However, the COVID-19 crisis and falling markets mean that there will be little action in the FY21. The decision to sell a 100 percent stake in Air India was also taken and the government released the Expression of Interest (EOI) to invite bidders in January. The pandemic has hit this plan as well.

In June, the central government extended the PM-KISAN scheme to all farmers instead of just small and marginal farmers. Under the scheme now all farmers are eligible to receive Rs 6000 per year in instalments.

The Union government has continued its reform initiatives and the pandemic has not stopped it. It has recently initiated the ambitious process of reforming and streamlining labour laws under four codes; the process is yet to pass the legislative procedures. Another major decision taken recently was to make the ration cards portable across all the states. The scheme was already launched as a pilot project and will bring much-needed relief to the migrant workers once it is fully implemented.

Another significant achievement was the merger of 10 public sector banks into four to consolidate the public sector banks, tackle NPAs and reduce fragility while ensuring better services to the customers. The issue was languishing for years and the banking sector required this major restructuring. The government also launched the National Infrastructure Pipeline which envisions the investment of more than Rs 110 lakh-crore in the roads, shipping, railways, energy, aviation etc. till 2025 to improve logistics and boost economic growth.

It was, however, only during the COVID-19 crisis that most far-reaching economic decisions were put into action. Modi 2.0 seized the opportunity to implement what is in effect a 1991 moment. Among the policy decisions, the change in the definition of the MSME sector, dismantling of the Essential Commodities Act and the APMCs, higher FDI in defence, a new coal auction policy, a composite exploration-cum-mining-cum-production regime, and reforms in the aviation and energy sectors stand out. Several of these reforms, such as the end of license-permit raj in the agriculture, were languishing for decades.

Over the past year, the government has enacted several vital reforms and taken long-term policy decisions aimed at restructuring the economy. The issue is that almost all of them deal with the supply-side bottlenecks in the economy and do little to tackle the short-term problem of falling aggregate demand, especially after the COVID-19 crisis and lockdown. Supply-side changes sometimes take years to fructify, but the government has adopted a conservative approach due to concerns about the fiscal deficit and credit rating agencies.
U.S. experts on North Korea sanctions have expressed dire misgivings about the South Korean government's baffling attempts to cajole North Korea into some kind of cross-border business.

Their tenor, according to a summary by Voice of America on Thursday, was remarkably similar -- namely that any attempts to engage the North in business are futile and will violate international sanctions.

They also warned that the overtures could pose a very real legal risk for South Korean businesses, who could face punitive measures from the UN Security Council or America.

William Newcomb, a former member of the UN Panel of Experts on North Korea, told VOA, "I view this as an issue for South Korean citizens to decide whether their government is acting correctly or foolishly to remove [2010 sanctions] without ever having obtained any sign of regret from North Korea over murdering those sailors" in the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan that sparked the sanctions.

Joshua Stanton, a lawyer who participated in drafting a bill on U.S. sanctions on the North, pointed out that Seoul is already in dangerous waters. "We know that South Korea bought coal from North Korea in flagrant violation of the sanctions, after having been warned by the U.S. government that it was doing it. We know that the South Korean government allowed luxury vehicles to go through the port of Busan to North Korea."

"So already, what this represents is legal risk for South Korean companies, and that risk is greater now and has longer-reach now, because of the Otto Warmbier Nuclear Sanctions Act that has just passed recently and further regulation so just been published by the Treasury Department," Stanton added.

According to Michael O'Hanlon of the conservative Brookings Institution, however, the lifting of the 2010 sanctions was token politics. "Softening them can be OK if linked to a broader strategy. If however it's just a tactic to break the ice, it smacks of desperation -- and even a bit of disrespect for the memories of the 46 [sailors], perhaps."

President Moon Jae-in "needs to be careful," he added. "And he needs to explain what he's doing clearly."

The U.S. State Department earlier this week reiterated that any inter-Korean cooperation must proceed "in lockstep with" progress in North Korea's denuclearization. North Korea has at any rate responded to all overtures with deafening silence.
A senior Trump administration official misused his office for private gain, investigators said in a report obtained by the Associated Press.

Assistant Interior Secretary Douglas Domenech was found by investigators to have capitalised on his position to advocate for a family member when they were seeking a job at Environmental Protection Agency.

According to the report, which detailed the investigation ahead of public release, Mr Domenech used his government connections to reach out to an EPA official on a number of occasions.

The Interior Departments Inspector General found that Mr Domenech reached out to the official both in person and later by email in 2017.

The contact between Mr Domenech and the EPA official began at a concert at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Virginia in the fall of 2017, the report said.

While at the Wolf Trap concert, Mr Domenech sat with the official and used his position to gain access to the EPA senior official when he believed family member 1 could not, the report said.

Mr Domenech did not respond to the AP's request for comment.

The agencys assistant secretary for insular and international affairs told investigators that the emails he sent to the EPA official to follow up on the initial meeting was only a courtesy to move the process along.

When asked if moving the process along was a way to influence the EPA hiring process, Mr Domenech said, Well, when I think of influencing ... I guess youre right. I was trying to influence the process to move along. Thats different than influencing the process to hire', the report said.

Investigators also said Mr Domenech seemed to have misused his position to promote another family members wedding-related business to the same official.

The report is the second finding of ethical violations in six months against Mr Domenech, after investigations found in December that he broke federal ethics rules by meeting twice with his former employer to discuss legal disputes.

No criminal violations were found against him according to the report. Interior spokesman Nicholas Goodwin said that he was required to undergo additional ethics training as a result of the finding,

The identity of the senior EPA official was not disclosed in the report and EPAs media office did not immediately respond to the AP.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press.
Residents living in urban areas should not be worried about any physical harm from a locust attack, according to an official from Ministry of Agriculture's Locust Warning Organisation.

"Locusts don't attack people. They only go after vegetation. It has never happened that locusts have entered houses. Don't fall for the misinformation," the official said.

"It only attacks vegetation and moves along with the wind. If an urban area with no vegetation falls on the way, it crosses it, but doesn't attack," the official added.

ALSO READ: Worst locusts attack in decades; crops damaged in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, UP, Rajasthan

ALSO READ: Locusts spare Delhi for now, but threat continues

Possible desert locust attack has created panic among residents in urban areas such as Delhi and Mumbai, who are already living in fear amid growing number of coronavirus cases.

Rumours had also spread of locusts invading Mumbai after posts on WhatsApp and Twitter showed similar looking insects swarming and entering homes.

While the risk of any harm to humans does not quite arise, Delhi authorities are taking precautions, including spraying disinfectants, to protect the vegetation in the region.

"As the swarms usually fly in the day time, the locust should not be allowed to rest at night," the advisory issued by Joint Director of Agriculture AP Saini says. It further suggested spraying of chemicals - malathion, chloropyriphos - as per need.

The closest swarm of locusts from Delhi has been reported from Dousa in Rajasthan, which is at a distance of 285 kilometres from the national capital. Dousa is closer to Rajasthan's Jaipur at a distance of near 60 kilometres. The swarm was controlled by the Locust Control Department on Friday morning, the official confirmed.

Locusts are small insects from the grasshoppers' family, which form massive swarms to devour crops. They cause serious agricultural damage and are a menace in many parts of the world with breeding grounds in sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and South Asia.

These insects are not a cause of concern till they are solitary, but during dry spells they come together in search of food. Interestingly, as they gather there's a release of serotonin in their central nervous system (CNS) which brings about behavioural changes, which includes entering what's called a gregarious state in which they travel fast in swarms and devour crops. Rains result in fertile breeding ground for these locusts.

ALSO READ: Locust attack in Mumbai: Authorities allay fears as WhatsApp messages claim infestation

The locusts that have attacked parts of India have come from Pakistan. They crossed over to Indian territory in April end and they will remain a threat till wind direction changes, since the movement of locusts completely depends on wind direction.

"If the wind direction changes towards Pakistan, it will all move to Pakistan. If the wind movement is from Pakistan towards India, the locusts there will come to India. They fly with the wind," the official from Locust Warning Organisation added.

Department of Agriculture, Corporation and Farmers' Welfare has said that swarms were observed in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer, Barmer, Phalaodi, Bikaner, Nagaur, and Ganganagar areas in the first fortnight of May.

Control operations to stop the movement of the swarms were made in an area covering 21,675 hectare. But swarms of locusts have spread to many areas in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat in the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Ministry is equipping plant-protection workers to fight locusts. The ministry said on Thursday that 15 sprayers will be procured from the UK, while drones and helicopters will be deployed for aerial spray of pesticides.

"15 sprayers will start arriving from Britain in the next 15 days. Besides, 45 more sprayers will be procured in a month or one-and-a-half months," Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said.

He also added that 11 Regional Control Rooms have been set up and larger teams have been deployed to check the spread of locusts in affected areas. Temporary control camps have been set up at Jaipur, Chittorgarh, Dausa in Rajasthan; Sheopur, Neemuch, Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.

ALSO READ: Is locust swarm invading Delhi? Here's the latest update
China's top legislature holds closing meeting of annual session

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 15:32, May 28, 2020

Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders attended the meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, delivered a speech at the closing meeting.

Lawmakers adopted the Civil Code and a decision to make national security laws for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

They approved resolutions on the government work report, and the work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate at the meeting.

They also passed resolutions on the national economic and social development plans, as well as on the central and local budgets.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Gurugram, May 29 : After Delhi recorded its largest surge in Covid-19 cases in a day crossing 1,000-mark, a cautious Haryana government decided to seal its border with the national capital. This on Friday morning led to major chaos at the Delhi-Gurugram border as people unaware of the directive piled up vehicles in large numbers at the several entry-exit points.

This is the second time when the Haryana government has taken such a decision to curb Coronacases in districts like Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonepat and Jhajjar. In last three days, 121 cases of Corona appeared in Gurugram.

Following this, Gurugram administration has put extra barricades at Delhi-Gurugram-Sarhaul border located on NH8, Chakkarpur border on Mehrauli-Gurugram (MG) road, old Delhi road at Kapashera and other stretches connected to Delhi.

Due to this, long queues of vehicles piled up from Delhi to Gurugram ever since the barricades were placed around 8 a.m.

Many commuters and office-goers who are trapped in the queues said that they were not aware of this late night development.

Rahul Sharma, a resident of Delhi said: "I was on the way to Gurugram to attend office but police stopped me and asked for fresh movement pass. I have informed my office and returning home as cops are not allowing residents." Another commuter Rahil Khan said: "I am waiting in queue for the last 30 minutes and would request police to allow me as I am resident of Gurugram. I went to a relative's house yesterday. I would be trapped here for don't know how long if they do not allow me." Gurugram police has opened just one lane at the border only for essential services.

As police too, do not have clear guidelines, they are also in confusion of who should be allowed and who not.

"We have sealed the border but allowing essential services vehicles to go through. Thorough checking of any person coming from Delhi is applied here. The idea is to prevent cross border travelling -- to minimise spread of Coronavirus," said an official of DLF phase-3 police station.

The police personnel deployed at the border are allowing only those having valid movement passes.

The fresh decision of Haryana government largely affects police personnel of Delhi, besides MCD, DJB and others employed in Delhi but are native of Haryana. A large portion of Delhi Police personnel, around 40,000 are natives of NCR cities falling under Haryana.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw speaks outside Thomas Jefferson University Hospital after the shooting of Philadelphia police Lieutenant Robert Friel. Friel was shot in his leg in South Philadelphia on Friday. Read more

Lt. Robert Friel had just finished his shift in South Philadelphia when he saw trouble in the parking lot of the CVS store near Passyunk Avenue. A fellow officer was confronting a man who had been reported as missing, armed, on drugs, and suicidal.

Friel stopped to help, then had to fight for his life. Inside the store, he and another officer wrestled with Richard Kralle, a local bodybuilder suspected of having ties to a biker gang. Kralle then fired two shots: one from his 9mm, and another after grabbing an officers gun.

Friel was struck in a leg before Kralle was wrestled to the ground.

As authorities stood Friday morning outside Thomas Jefferson University Hospital  where Friel, 48, was in stable condition before surgery  they said they were grateful the encounter did not end in tragedy.

Youre leaving work and youre off-duty, you can get in your car and drive home. Mayor Jim Kenney said of Friels actions. He didnt do that. He stepped into harms way to look out for another officer.

The shooting came during a 13-hour stretch in which 15 people were wounded in shootings across the city. Even as city officials have urged residents to stay home due to the coronavirus, gun violence has continued to surge, and Kenney said Friday that his administration was still searching for solutions.

I dont have an answer, the mayor said, lamenting the number of guns on the street. Were going to keep on working hard at it and do our best to get the violence down.

 READ MORE: Gun violence claims three lives in the city, injures eight others

The incident also came two months after Sgt. James OConnor IV was fatally shot while trying to arrest a murder suspect in Frankford.

Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said Friels actions, which occurred as a national furor rose over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, show how good cops do their jobs.

We still show up, she said. We still fulfill our obligations to keep people safe.

Friel has been on the force for nearly 30 years, and was newly promoted as a lieutenant, assigned to the Third District in South Philadelphia, just blocks from the CVS.

His family has already lost someone in the line of duty: In 1994, Friels older brother Joseph was killed at age 25 when a drunk driver struck his cruiser in Roxborough.

The brothers had graduated the academy just six months earlier and were set to become partners.

He was always doing something to help somebody else, Robert Friel told the Daily News at the time, describing his brother. Even though he liked the excitement, he knew the main part was helping people.

Authorities said thats what Friel tried to do Friday morning.

Hours earlier, police had received a 911 call from Kralles wife. Her husband had sped away from their home on Cross Street in his gray Acura, she said. He had battled substance abuse issues and was threatening to kill himself. He left with three guns that belong to his son, a Navy veteran, two handguns and a high powered assault rifle.

Police believed Kralle had ties to an outlaw biker gang with members in South Philadelphia, law enforcement sources said. He was sentenced to a year in prison in 2001 for carrying a firearm without a license and he has past convictions for assault and DUI.

On his Facebook page, he describes himself as self-employed and a 100 clean and sober gym rat.

His son, Robert, 26, said Friday that his father did not belong to a biker gang, and that he had been sober for five years after suffering from addiction in the past.

At the CVS at 10th and Reed Streets, about 6:45 a.m., an officer approached Richard Kralle after noticing the Acura, Outlaw said.

All persons entered the CVS, and a struggle ensued, she said.

Friel was the only one hurt, and he was stable and in surgery for a broken femur on Friday, police said. They did not release the name of the other officer involved.

Deputy Commissioner Christine Coulter said she spoke with Friel before he went into surgery and he was in good spirits.

He is a cop that has always been very much a law-and-order, crime-fighting cop, Coulter said. He was concerned about his family, made sure we passed on a message he is doing good."

Kralles son condemned his fathers actions and said he was hoping Friel recovered quickly.

If anything, that man was just doing his job and my father shot him," Kralle said. "The cop wasnt in the wrong.

District Attorney Larry Krasner said Kralle, who was in custody, would be charged for the shooting. Krasner did not specify what charges Kralle would face.

Kenney spoke despairingly of another long night of violence  this one that ended with four people dead, many wounded, and a veteran officer in the hospital.

Its very sad and depressing, Kenney said, especially in the middle of this medical emergency.

Staff Writer Mensah M. Dean contributed to this article.
Recently, a police officer has received several complaints after videos surfaced where he knelt on the neck of George Floyd, a black man who was killed during the arrest as he screamed that he could not breathe.

Uproar

Citizens have called for the arrest of Derek Chauvin, the officer in question, for murder against the victim. The news, however, comes as Democrat Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota refuses to indict Chauvin during previous conduct complaints against the officer when Klobuchar was a prosecutor, as reported by the Dailywire.

Four police officers were at the scene in the arrest of Floyd on Monday which led to the victim's death after he was unable to breathe due to Chauvin kneeling on his neck.

According to The Guardian, Klobuchar was the state's top prosecutor between 1999 and 2007, and she declined to press charges against several police officers who were allegedly responsible for the murder of civilians.

Chauvin was one of the officers involved in a man's shooting that led to his death in 2006. The victim allegedly stabbed others before turning his focus onto the police.

Klobuchar was the attorney for the Hennepin county at the time, and she declined to prosecute the officer in the October 2006 shooting. The case instead went to a grand jury which deemed in 2008 that Chauvin was not guilty.

As protests continue to swell amid the death of Floyd, Chauvin's past conducts have begun to surface. They have taken the attention of citizens who are scrutinizing the Minneapolis police department's apparent lack of capability in handling similar situations.

"This is what finally broke the camel, and now it's about to go down," said a protester amid Tuesday night's events. The protested added that it could easily have been him or his son in Floyd's position and stated that the whole ordeal was unjust, which should not be the case.

Also Read: Mayor Wants Minneapolist Cops Who Killed Black Man Jailed, Will Justice Be Served

Racial discrimination

A social justice organization named "Campaign Zero" has been mapping the events where police violence is seen across the United States.

The organization has seen that data regarding the Minneapolis police officers reveal they kill black civilians at a rate that is 13 times more frequent than against white residents which shows one of the nation's most significant racial differences.

Andrea Jenkins, a councilwoman, said in a statement to Kare that their community had been continuously and repeatedly plagued and terrorized by these sorts of events. "My heart is breaking for the tragic loss of life last night near 38th and Chicago," she added.

The councilwoman also said that the development of a summer strategy for the neighbourhood is currently underway.

Klobuchar has been under fire after information regarding an investigation of an incident where an 11-year-old girl lost her life due to a stray bullet that was shot while she was at home.

According to the New York Times, Klobuchar used the 2002 case as support that she has a tough handle on crime and seeks justice for African-American communities traumatized by gun violence.

Chauvin has retained Tom Kelly to be his lawyer with the case regarding Floyd's death. Kelly, however, refused to answer requests for any comments.

Related Article: White Minneapolis Cop Caught on Video Suffocating a Black Man to Death, Public Demands Justice

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Amy Klobuchar on Friday said it was 'absolutely false' and 'a lie' that she declined to prosecute the white officer who knelt on the neck of George Floyd, killing him, when she was a state prosecutor and the officer was involved in another case.

That officer, Derek Chauvin, was part of an October 2006 shooting that came under investigation by the state prosecutor's office. Klobuchar was the head of that office before she was elected to the Senate in November 2006, taking her new post in January 2007.

She told MSNBC the decisions about Chauvin shooting case were made by her successor and she was already in office by the time that case went to the grand jury.

'This idea that I somehow declined a case which has been reported on some news blogs, and then sent out on the internet, against this officer is absolutely false. It is a lie. I don't know what else to say about it than it is a lie,' she said.

'The case went was investigated, that investigation continued into a time where I was already sworn into the U.S. Senate. I never declined the case. It was handled and sent to the grand jury by my successor, and he has said that his office had said that it was not my place to make the decisions because the decisions were made when I was in the U.S. Senate. In fact nine months after I was in the US Senate is when I went to the grand jury,' she added.

Amy Klobuchar said it was 'a lie' that she declined to prosecute the white officer involved in George Floyd's death when she was a state prosecutor and Derek Chauvin was involved in another case

While Amy Klobuchar has condemned the slaying of George Floyd, Derek Chauvin (pictured) was involved in another case during her time as state prosecutor

Chauvin was among six officers who shot and killed Wayne Reyes, 42, in 2006 after the man allegedly pointed a gun at cops. The grand jury found that the use of force was justified.

Klobuchar has been frantically defending and clarifying her role as a state prosecutor in the wake of Floyd's death as she also tries to salvage her bid to be Joe Biden's running mate on the Democratic ticket.

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office has confirmed Klobuchar had no say in he Chauvin case regarding Reyes, saying on the record she 'had no involvement in the prosecution of this case at all.'

Democratic Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina, who endorsed Biden in that state's crucial Democratic primary and gave him a victory there that saved his presidential campaign, questioned Klobuchar's history on African American issues.

'It certainly won't help,' the powerful black congressman told Vanity Fair when asked if Floyd's death hurt her vice presidential chances.

'But it's not just this. Her history with similar situations when she was a prosecutor came up time and again during the campaign. I suspect this incident plays into that,' he added.

Minneapolis police officers had long faced charges of racism, including during the time Klobuchar was a prosecutor, an issue the Minnesota senator addressed during her own presidential bid but is now facing greater scrutiny.

She declined to bring charges against many police officers who were involved in shootings during her seven-year tenure at Hennepin County attorney. Instead she often opted to send cases to a grand jury, which was a common practice.

But some experts say that process favors police officers.

Klobuchar told MSNBC she was following the state procedure on those cases but added, that, looking back, 'I think that was wrong.'

'I have said repeatedly back when I was the county attorney, the cases that we had involving officer involving shootings, went to a grand jury. That was a true in every jurisdiction across our state. And that was true in many jurisdictions across the country. I think that was wrong,' she said.

'Now, I think it would have been much better if I took the responsibility, and looked at the cases and made the decision, myself. But let me make this clear. We did not blow off these cases we brought them to a grand jury, presented the evidence for a potential criminal prosecution and the grand jury would come back with a decision,' she added.

Klobuchar declined to take herself out of consideration to be Biden's running mate. He is facing increased pressure to chose an African American woman to be on the ticket with him when he challenges President Donald Trump in November.

'This is Joe Biden's decision, and he was an excellent vice president, and he's gonna make the best decision for him for our country for the pandemic and the crisis we're facing to take over leadership of who's the best partner with him to come in there with the competence that he is going to show with the compassion, he's going to show with his strong support and understanding of the African American community. He will make that decision. He will decide who he's considering,' she said.

Democratic Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina, who endorsed Biden in that state's crucial Democratic primary and gave him a victory there that saved his presidential campaign, questioned Klobuchar's history on African American issues

Amy Klobuchar's record as a prosecutor has come under fire after the police-related death of George Floyd in Minneapolis this week. The senator is pictured in Las Vegas in April

Klobuchar's record as a prosecutor is being questioned as as the Democratic senator is on Joe Biden's list of potential vice presidents to run with him in the upcoming 2020 presidential election. Biden is pictured in a mask during a Memorial Day service this past weekend

Chauvin was among six officers who shot and killed Wayne Reyes, 42, (pictured) in 2006 after the man allegedly pointed a gun at cops. A grand jury found that the use of force was justified

There were more than two dozen cases involving police-involved fatalities that were not charged by Klobuchar during her tenure as a prosecutor. Those matters again were left to a grand jury, which was a common practice, reports the StarTribune.

Biden has remained mum, so far, on who he will pick as his running mate. He has promised to pick a woman.

However, he also has been under pressure to pick a candidate who will resonate with black voters. Two black women said to be under consideration have extensive backgrounds in law enforcement: Senator Kamala Harris of California, who was a district attorney and state attorney general; and Representative Val Demings of Florida, who was the first female police chief in Orlando, Florida.

Klobuchar has been courting black leaders as she tries to keep herself in the mix. She called the Rev. Al Sharpton; Derrick Johnson, the president of the NAACP; and Leslie Redmond, the president of the Minneapolis NAACP, The New York Times reported.

Klobuchar had already faced skepticism over her qualifications to be Biden's vice president before Floyd's death.

She has her strengths too, including her appeal to suburban women, a voting block that will be a crucial swing vote in the 2020 election. Polls show she also appeals to older voters, who have been fleeing from Trump in the wake of his handling over the coronavirus pandemic.

Critics, however, said she may not appeal to the left enough to help beat President Trump, and she drew backlash over the conviction of Myron Burrell, a black teen, when she was a Minnesota state prosecutor.

Questions have been raised over the case that got Burrell, a black man, a life sentence for the slaying of 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards in 2002.

The young girl was killed by a stray bullet while doing homework at her dining room table.

Several black activist groups from Minnesota asked Klobuchar to drop out of the race over revelations that Burrell may have been wrongly convicted.

Questions have been raised over the case that got Myron Burrell, a black man, a life sentence for the slaying of 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards in 2002

The gravestone of Tyesha Edwards, 11, who was fatally shot in 2002 by a stray bullet allegedly shot by Myron Burrell, now serving a life sentence

Klobuchar had prosecuted the case.

When asked about it on Fox News earlier this year while she was still running to become the Democratic presidential nominee, she dodged the question.

Klobuchar then said, 'I didn't know about this new evidence. No, I didn't know about this new evidence until I saw this report,' she said of an Associated Press investigation of the case.

''I couldn't have. I haven't been in the office for 12 years.'

Klobuchar later asked the district attorney's office in Hennepin County to launch an independent review of Burrell's case. She also met with Burrell's family.
Amaravati, May 29 : For the first time in almost 2 weeks, Andhra Pradesh reported a significant dip in daily tally of new coronavirus cases on Friday with 33 more patients in the last 24 hours. It is far lower than 54 new cases reported in the preceding 24-hour cycle.

In fact, the last time Andhra Pradesh reported a single-day tally lower than Friday's figure was 25 cases reported on May 17.

The number of active cases has now fallen to 777. With death of one coronavirus patient in Kurnool district, the death toll touched 60 on Friday morning.

Friday's tally included 6 persons that had travel histories to the Koyambedu market in Chennai. While Chittoor district reported 4 new cases, Nellore district reported 2.

The state Nodal Officer reported that the state's total now stands at 2,874 as of 10 am on Friday.

Andhra Pradesh's tally of patients among foreign returnees remains unchanged at 111 since Wednesday.

As many as 79 patients were discharged from hospitals on Friday, taking the tally of cured patients to 2,037 in Andhra Pradesh.

The officer reported that 11,638 samples were tested during the past 24 hours as against 9,858 tested during the preceding cycle.

As per data available till Thursday, the state's average in terms of tests conducted per million population stands at 6,409, below Delhi's 9,454, and Jammu and Kashmir's 10,753.

However, in terms of tests conducted, Andhra Pradesh with 34,22,236 tests till Thursday lags behind Rajasthan's 3,46,427 tests, Maharashtra's 4,05,020 tests, and Tamil Nadu's 4,42,320. A total of 33,62,136 tests hae been conducted across India.

On Thursday, Andhra Pradesh's mortality rate of 1.82 per cent ranked 12th among all the states.

Meanwhile, coronavirus cases among returnees from other states climbed to 345 from 293. However, the tally of active cases fell to 156, as 22 persons were discharged on Friday.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
U.S. schools were not prepared for an overnight shift to virtual learning, USA Today reported recently, a fact that became obvious to most parents as soon as schools were shut down by the pandemic. In fact, however, some schoolsincluding many charter schoolswere better prepared than most traditional public schools.

As Robin Lake and Bree Dusseault of the Center for Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington Bothell noted recently, charter networks in particular were able to make rapid leaps from the classroom to the cloud.

Thats because charters typically are more nimble and less bureaucratic than traditional public schools, recruit teachers and administrators who often have prior experience dealing with time-sensitive challenges, and rely more heavily on technology than traditional public schools, all of which apply to the four Title 1 charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy (RBA), the charter management organization I founded in southeastern, North Carolina.

Parents have many reasons for choosing one school over another: convenience, educational rigor, academic focus, safety, values. When they select one of our schools, its typically because we have safe and well-mannered campuses and our students do extremely well on North Carolinas annual end-of-grade tests.

Parents know this when they choose us. What they dont know is that I, and a number of our key people, come from professions that stress attributes such as rapid response, analytics, on-the-run decision-making and high-tech innovationall keys to being successfully goal-driven.

For example, Im an electrical engineer, former Associate Biomathematician with the University of Texas, and retired entrepreneur.

After selling my computer company, I began volunteering as a science instructor at local elementary schools. Thats how I met Thaddeus Lott, principal of Wesley Elementary School in north Houston, a high-achieving school with a student body of 1,100 low-income African Americans.

Despite the barbed wire fence surrounding the school for protection, the students were well-behaved and academically advanced, reading Shakespeare in the fourth grade, for example. Thats how I caught the education bug: from a successful school reformer.

While the RBA schools are admittedly highly structured and traditionalwere firm believers in Direct Instructionwe also had several advantages when Covid-19 closed us down.

First, our classrooms are outfitted with some of the latest technology, which our teachers were using every day to interact with students in delivering instruction. Likewise, most of our administrators were tech savvy.

Secondly, weve always been firm believers in lateral-entry hiring, bringing outsiders with diverse backgrounds into our schools as teachers, managers, and administrators. For example, we currently have a former meteorologist as a science teacher, a former analytical chemist as head of quality control, compliance, and human resources, and our lead headmaster is a 28-year Marine Corps veteran for whom rapid decision-making, leading and motivating teams, and improvising on the run are second nature.

We had one other advantage as well. Unlike traditional public schools, charters by their nature are less encumbered by unnecessary bureaucracy.

So, when we had to transition to on-line instruction, we were able to move quickly. By March 23shortly after the governor ordered schools closedwe already had surveyed parents, many of them low-income, to assess their computer needs; we had produced training videos for our teachers; and we had rostered all of our 2,153 K-8 students into more than 400 live Zoom classes covering every grade and subject at each school. Between April 6 and 10, we distributed 776 loaner computers to students and teachers who needed them. Whiteboards were designed, produced, and distributed for teachers to use at home. And we started familiarizing teachers and parents on the new normal on April 13, holding dress rehearsals for teachers, students, and parents to shake out any problems with their live, on-line classes. On April 20 we were ready to go, with every teacher providing a full day of live on-line classes in each subject. Attendance that day was 88 percent and has grown slightly higher since.

What are the lessons for other schools and school districts in case theres a need for classes to continue online through next Fall?

First, as Grant Freeland, a leading business strategist, suggested in a 2019 Forbes column, organizations need to be less rigid and more improvisational than theyve been. He wasnt talking about schools, but they need it more than most.

Second: Technology is not an option. Our classical curriculum (which includes cursive in first grade and Latin beginning in fifth grade) may be considered old-fashioned, but the technology we use for instruction and management is cutting edge. Its a necessary investment.

Third: Schools need to broaden their view of diversity and embrace individuals with expertise in fields other than education. In our case, its business, the sciences, and the military. That diversity enabled us to jump on the challenge and quickly support teachers to get the job done.

And we didnt have to wait for paperwork to be approved. Thats number four: Bureaucracy slows things down, reducing efficiency and innovation while increasing costs. Less bureaucracy is better, especially during these challenging times.
Two weeks ago, I attended a graveside funeral service in rural Alabama, 45 miles east of the Mississippi state line. The funeral was for a man who my 76-year-old grandad considered to be his brother, and best friend. This man was my grandads last best friend on this side of the earth.

Now, my grandad is alone.

As my grandad, uncle, and I made our way to the graveyard in a blue Chevy pick-up truck, we turned off onto a road that was no longer paved.

The gravel now slowed us down. The three of us swayed side to side in the trucks cab, wrestling, struggling, playing tug-of-war, as the rocky road turned to mud. The speed of the truck fluctuated as the brownish mush clung to the wheels.

Heavy rain from the previous day made the mud personify quicksand. But we maneuvered through the muddy slop, determined to say our last hello and goodbye to a friend and member of the family.

We arrived at the graveyard early, giving me enough time to meet death. I walked the lifeless plantation to listen and learn.

The truck ride made me ponder lifes skewed nature. Life is sometimes smooth, sometimes rocky, sometimes muddy, inevitably leading us to a dead place: the graveyard.

I walked the area, seeing tombstones with names and dates, scriptures, and eulogized wording. Some tombstones did not enumerate names, or dates, or scriptures, or any wording. Only cement was present, causing me to think about the future.

Bodies in the ground. Cement on top. This is our future. A day will come when we will meet death one last time.

Every meeting with death does not lead towards the end of life, however. Sometimes these meetings lead towards self-reflection, reprioritization, or renewal. I can remember the time I was in a car accident, and my car spun more than six times. The car was totaled, but my body was intact: no scratches, scars, or bruises. Many of us have similar stories of survival.

Surviving an accident or cancer, living with and through diabetes or heart conditions, or overcoming illnesses and diseases are meetings with death most of us manage to escape. Even if it is only temporary.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 10 leading causes of death in the United States, in both 2017 and 2018, were heart disease, cancer, accidents, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimers disease, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis, and intentional self-harm.

This year, a novel virus is competing to become the leading cause of death in the United States and the globe: the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. More than 90,000 people in the United States have died due to COVID-19 this year, and that number is likely to increase until a vaccine is readily available. As of May 19, 2020, there are more than 12,000 coronavirus cases in Alabama and over 490 deaths.

COVID-19 is our collective meeting with death. Many of us will survive. Some of us will not.

At the offset of this virus, states across the nation shut down, issuing Stay At Home orders in efforts to mitigate the effect of COVID-19. Schools closed. Businesses shut down. Gatherings canceled. Zoom became more than just going fast.

More than 33 million people have filed for unemployment in the United States since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. In conjunction with economic uncertainty, the precarious nature of the virus will inevitably lead towards the indefinite closing of some small businesses and churches, and maybe even the foreclosing of homes. Meeting death comes in more shapes and sizes than a body bag or graveyard.

Not only are people taking their last breath in hospital beds, but small businesses are running out of oxygen as well. Students have had to bury their chances of walking across the stage to shake the hand of their school principal, chancellor, or president. First-generation college students have had to bury what was never able to live: the chance for their relatives and friends to see them walk across the graduation stage.

Meeting death amid COVID-19 has been a communal cacophony. It has stripped us from normalcy, prevented possibility, and limited our mobility.

As states begin reopening, we should be mindful that a second wave of COVID-19 is not only possible but likely.

Some people see COVID-19 as merely a mountain, something their faith can speak to and tell it to move. Our faith, however, can sometimes be borderline arrogant, rooted in human supremacy that laughs at nature and taunts death, thus welcoming it into our homes and our lives.

We must use faith, wisdom, and science to escape this meeting with death called COVID-19.

Faith and wisdomand even scienceare friends. We should not view them as enemies. We should use them, together, to navigate these troubling times.

As we reckon with the inevitability of death, we must also explore the possibilities of life.

Life calls on us to be aware of the inevitability of death, in hopes that we might not waste a day or time. It calls on each of usas a member of the human familyto work together. It calls on our government to provide medical resources and economic relief to ensure that this virus, or unemployment, or anxiety and depression, do not lead people to involuntary or voluntary meetings with death.

We cannot allow arrogance to get in the way of meeting the needs of people.

We cannot be so self-centered that we ignore small businesses on life support, or families mourning a loved one, or students unsure about their academic futures, or individuals unemployed, or children hungry, or our neighbors struggling.

We cannot be so political that we forget this truth: all of us are in a meeting with death, suffering.

Each day, we should embrace those who have lost loved ones, acknowledge those on the front lines of this pandemic, and aid each other as if today is our last day on this side of the grave.

Alive.

Breathing.

My grandads best friend did not die of COVID-19. Approaching the casket before the service, my grandad and I glanced at his best friend one last time. He had an Auburn Tigers hat sitting next to his numb face.

Grandad said, He looks just like the way I saw him when I walked into his housesleeping peacefully. Grandads best friend died in his sleep.

At the conclusion of the graveside service, most attendees went back to their cars. I, however, decided to commune with death for a little while longer.

I watched the gravediggers place the casket into the ground and place that thick cylinder cement over it with their yellow machine, locking the door of life, entrapping the body in death.

Watching these final moments made me think of a conversation I had with my grandad the night his best friend died.

He said, Life is short. Death is inevitable. I hope I get to see my seventy-seventh birthday. Grandads words pierced my soul and caused me to shiver. Every time I have called my grandad since February, he provides me a list of the people near his age who passed the days or weeks before. Some to COVID-19. Some to other illnesses and diseases. Some to natural causes.

Grandads birthday is three days away.

Three days.

COVID-19 has shown us that much can change in a matter of days.

Confronting the inevitability of death amid COVID-19and beyond itrequires us to meet this inescapable reality with the hope of life.

Hope is all we have in the face of death. Hope in the now, and in the after.

EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated June 2, 12:58 p.m., to correct typos and fix inadvertent word changes incurred during the editing.

Christian G. Crawford is from Birmingham, Alabama. He received his B.S. in Political Science from Auburn University at Montgomery and is currently a candidate for a Master of Theological Studies at Vanderbilt University, while also focusing on Black Church Studies and American Studies. Crawford frequently writes on issues of theology and politics.
  ,  Cookies        .          cookies.




Burma Taang Armed Group Attacks Myanmar Military Convoy in Shan State

A Myanmar military truck on fire after the fighting early on Friday. / PSLF / Taang National Liberation Army

YANGONWithin hours after the Arakan Army (AA) launched attacks on a border guard police outpost in Rakhine State early Friday morning, its ally the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) intercepted a military convoy in northern Shan State, according to Myanmar military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun.

The TNLA attacked the military convoy en route from Muse with remote-detonated mines near Namkut Village near the Union Highway in Kutkai Township, Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun confirmed to The Irrawaddy.

The military convoy on patrol between Kutkai and Nam Phet Ka was attacked with remote-detonated mines near Namkut Village, according to the latest information. There was some damage to trucks but no injuries or deaths. They carried out the mine attacks on the Union Highway, Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun told The Irrawaddy.

On Friday around noon, the TNLA Information Department shared photos online of the damaged military trucks and weapons it allegedly seized from the Myanmar military.

It appeared that Palaung [TNLA] troops were watching as the soldiers came down. The clash happened near the village. We heard gunshots from heavy and small arms. We dont know if anyone was hit. We dare not go outside, a local resident of Namkut Village told The Irrawaddy on condition of anonymity.

The clash between the TNLA and the Myanmar military lasted for an hour-and-a-half, according to TNLA Information Officer Major Mai Aik Kyaw. But he said he did not know further details.

I heard that as our troops crossed the road, they encountered Myanmar military troops who were going down from Muse and there was shooting. I still dont know the damage, said Maj. Mai Aik Kyaw.

The fighting took place on the highway that forms part of a major border trade route between Myanmar and China. Passenger and cargo vehicles on the highway at the time of the fighting took shelter in Namkut Village, said a local villager.

On May 9, the Myanmar military announced a unilateral ceasefire across Myanmar except for places where terrorist organizations are based. Both the Myanmar government and the Myanmar military have declared the AA to be a terrorist organization.

The military alliance of the AA, the TNLA and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, collectively known as the Brotherhood Alliance, had already announced a unilateral ceasefire on May 3. However, in a joint statement issued the following day, the armed groups said they would cooperate as necessary in response to political and military developments in the country.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

You may also like these stories:

TNLA Gives Shan Woman 3-Year Jail Term

TNLA Destroys Bridge, Targets Myanmar Military Battalion in Shan State
- Memuna Malik is a Ghanaian acid attack survivor

- Then 27-year-old Memuna Malik was attacked by a fellow Ghanaian with acid at a house in Saudi Arabia, where she was based as a casual worker

- YEN.com.gh highlights the soul-wrenching ordeal of the brave acid survivor

Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana

After being drenched in acid following an attack from a fellow female Ghanaian whilst at a salon where she went to braid her hair, Memuna Malik is now battling suicidal thoughts.

Memunas attacker, Rabi, allegedly intended to throw the acid on the hairdresser but mistakenly threw the dreaded substance on her.

At the time in December 2018, then 27-year-old Memuna Malik went to a salon to braid her hair at a house in Saudi Arabia, where she was based as a casual worker.

Midway into the braiding, her attacker, Salomey, stormed the house with acid intended for the hairdresser, Rabi.

Narrating her heart-wrenching ordeal, Memuna disclosed that Rabi was braiding her hair when she stopped to go and eat.

According to her, as Rabi was eating, they heard a knock on her door and she asked me to help her open it.

As soon as I opened the door all I saw was someone pushed me and poured a substance on me. That was my end she recounted.

In an interview with Crime Check Foundation, Memuna said she had to return home as she was no longer wanted by her employers.

Memuna said she returned to Ghana without money to fend for herself and has been struggling since she arrived in the country.

I am without even a pesewa to go to the hospital because I still feel pains and sick always, she said

Visibly distraught Memuna has been contemplating suicide following the unfortunate acid attack on her.

Addressing her plight in the interview since her return, Memuna said when some children saw her they started running away because they thought they had seen a ghost.

Her mother, Hajia Safia, who could not hold her tears said it was difficult when she first saw pictures of her daughter after the incident.

''It wasnt easy for me at all because she is all Ive got in life.''

Memuna recently received a GHC4,000 cash amount from Crime Check after donors contributed for her to seek immediate medical care.

''With no money to go to hospital, she has completely given up on life and prefers to die. Her saddest day was when some kids saw her and started running away because they thought they had seen a ghost. Some donors of CCF have given Memuna four thousand cedis to immediately seek medical care. We hope others will also come to the aid of our suffering sister after reading this piece. May God bless all those who supported,'' parts of a statement on Crime Check TVs Facebook page said.

In other stories, YEN.com.gh previously reported that Abena Safo Kantanka is among few successful graduates who have made careers in this field.

After she graduated from senior high school with WASSCE certification in Agricultural Science, she went on to pursue her bachelor's degree in Development Communication at AUCC.

In spite of the challenges women in least-developed countries face, Abena Safo Kantanka began farming whilst in the university with goats and just a sheep in Damango and an acre of maize farm.

READ ALSO: 67-year-old great grandmother graduates with first degree from US university (photos)

Ghanaian female accounting graduate and mushroom farmer recounts her experience | #Yencomgh

Have national and human interest issues to discuss?

Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition?

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
JACKSON COUNTY, Mississippi -- The states top health officer warned residents against large social gatherings as the health department reported Friday 418 new cases statewide, along with 17 deaths.

Every county is one wild weekend from falling off the cliff, said Dr. Thomas Dobbs.

Wayne County, just over 100 miles north of Jackson County, has seen a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases since the middle of May. Ventilators at Wayne General Hospital were maxed out as of Thursday, Dobbs said.

Dobbs said officials there told him there had been large gathering were social distancing guidelines were ignored and there was evidence those gathering were points of outbreak.

In north Mississippi, a person with the coronavirus attended a funeral in Baldwyn, with 100 people in attendance. Of those, at least seven Mississippians and two out-of-state guests have since tested positive.

Fridays update from the Mississippi Department of Health brought the state totals to 14,790 cases and 710 deaths. Of the 17 deaths reported Friday, four were from May 11-15 which were not previously reported.

Locally, Jackson County actually had its total number of case reduced by one for a total of 302, while Harrison County reported four new cases and Hancock County none. There were no new deaths on the Mississippi Coast.

The coast totals now stand at 640 cases, representing 4.3 percent of the statewide total, and 31 deaths, or 4.4 percent of the state total.

The state death rate for COVID-19 is now 4.8 percent.

Gov. Tate Reeves acknowledged that people are attending large gatherings.

There are some things government just can't stop, Reeves said, although he acknowledged that law enforcement agencies have the power to break up big groups.

If you go to a social gathering that has 100 or 200 or 300 people at it, the risks are going to be higher than if you choose personally to stay in your home, Reeves said. I dont believe that I, as governor, have the ability to order people to stay in their homes for months and months and months on end.
Beginning with the second survey, fielded April 3-6, the number of questions was expanded to collect information on treatments FPs used for patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. Additional highly topical questions have also been included periodically.

Survey Highlights

Slightly more than 92% of all respondents who have taken the survey at least once said they specialize in family medicine. About 55% of respondents reported working in a primary care-only setting, while about 13% belonged to a multispecialty group.

More than three-quarters of respondents reported treating patients with suspected COVID-19 or who displayed symptoms associated with the disease. The most common treatments provided week-to-week included

supportive care (84.62%-91.04%),



education and reassurance (83.64%-88.06%),



acetaminophen (69.70%-85.45%) and



optimizing treatment for comorbidities (67.16%-78.18%).

When survey respondents were first asked about treatment options, more than 6% reported providing chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine. That number increased to 10% the following week but had dwindled to zero by the end of April.

Effect of COVID-19 on Practices

Each week, about one-half of respondents have reported extensive declines in patient volume, which has severely impacted practice revenue and hindered clinicians' ability to pay operating costs and other expenses. Some respondents reported scheduling fewer appointments to address chronic conditions, as well as reductions in acute care appointments resulting from shelter-in-place recommendations.

Many respondents have reported embracing telehealth. On average, more than 30% of respondents said they either already offered or planned to offer remote care. However, remote care visits did not make up for the lack of in-person visits, resulting in decreased revenue.

In addition, numerous respondents have reported using various strategies, either alone or in combination, to offset declining revenues. Some clinicians chose to forego their own salaries or bonuses; others reduced staff hours, transferred staff to areas with increased demand, and/or implemented layoffs or furloughs. But even after implementing salary cuts, reduced hours and other staffing changes, a substantial proportion of survey respondents said their practices were experiencing severe financial stress.

"I am disheartened that so many practices report so much financial strain," Jabbarpour told AAFP News. "It just highlights the fact that chronic underinvestment in primary care and a fee-for-service payment structure lead to a health care system that starts to crumble when any stress is put on it."

Perhaps most significantly, some practices reported that they might not be able to withstand the long-term financial effects of the pandemic. In the April 17-20 survey, participants were asked how long they would be able to continue providing care under the current circumstances. Of those who responded, more than 59% said they could continue operating for more than six months. However, more than 22% reported that they would only be able to provide care for two months or less.

Jabbarpour, who also is a practicing family physician at MedStar Health in Washington, D.C., described the effects the pandemic has had on her personally and professionally.

"I work for a large multispecialty health system," she said. "We were fortunate in that we had the resources to switch to video-enabled telehealth almost immediately. Nonetheless, our patient volume did drop in the initial months of the pandemic, and as a result, we had to furlough and redeploy some of our staff. Recently, though, we have seen a large spike in visits. Some are related to COVID, some are related to catching up on chronic condition and preventive visits, (but) most are related to the mental health effects of the pandemic.

"Personally, the pandemic has just caused a lot of worry," Jabbarpour continued. "I worry that many of my patients are too afraid to call us with complaints that may snowball into larger issues. I also worry that I am not catching diseases via telehealth that I would in person. I worry about our patients and staff as we do return to in-person visits; how will we keep everyone safe? And, of course, as a parent of school-aged children, my biggest worry is how do I continue to work and serve the community if schools stay closed and we have no safe child care options?"

Your Participation Wanted

Callen told AAFP News that the current projected end date for sending surveys is six months after the end of the pandemic.

"We will continue to ask questions about telehealth, sustainability, impacts, mental health and reopening," Callen said. "We plan to ask questions around policies, patient panels and other topics as the need arises."

Surveys are distributed each Friday morning and close at 11:59 p.m. PT the following Monday. According to Wade, the survey typically takes less than five minutes to complete.

AAFP members who wish to participate are invited to provide their email address to begin receiving the survey link each Friday morning.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Guitar Center, Inc. (the " Company ") today announced the launch of an exchange offer (the " Exchange Offer ") to exchange any and all of its existing 13.000% Cash/PIK Notes due 2022 (the " Existing Notes "), of which there is currently $62,205,340 aggregate principal amount outstanding, for additional 13.000% Cash/PIK Notes due 2022 (the " New Notes ") upon the terms and subject to the conditions as set forth in the Confidential Offering Memorandum, dated May 29, 2020 (as it may be supplemented and amended from time to time, the " Offering Memorandum "), and a related Letter of Transmittal.

The Exchange Offer is being made, and the New Notes are being offered and issued, only (i) in the United States to holders of Existing Notes who are "qualified institutional buyers" (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the " Securities Act ")) and (ii) outside the United States to holders of Existing Notes who are persons other than "U.S. persons" (as defined in Rule 902 under the Securities Act) in reliance upon Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act (collectively, " Eligible Holders ").

As further described in the Offering Memorandum, Eligible Holders of Existing Notes will receive, in exchange for a combination of (i) each $1,000 principal amount of Existing Notes validly tendered prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 29, 2020 (the " Expiration Date ") and accepted by the Company and (ii) $24.288758 as a cash payment per $1,000 principal amount of the Existing Notes validly tendered rounded down to the nearest penny (the " Cash Payment ") paid to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., in its capacity as paying agent, promptly after the Expiration Date but prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 2, 2020, $1,035.63 principal amount of New Notes (the " Exchange Consideration ").

The Cash Payment represents the equivalent of the cash interest paid by the Company (including any cash paid in respect of defaulted interest) on Existing Notes in respect of the interest payment period ended April 15, 2020 per $1,000 principal amount of Existing Notes. For each $1,000 principal amount of Existing Notes, the Exchange Consideration represents (i) a one-for-one exchange of principal amount of Existing Notes to New Notes, plus (ii) a principal amount of New Notes equal to the amount of cash and PIK interest paid by the Company in respect of the interest payment for the period ended April 15, 2020, plus (iii) a principal amount of New Notes equal to an additional fee for participating in the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer will expire on the Expiration Date, unless extended or earlier terminated.

The New Notes and related guarantees, as applicable, will be the Company's and the Company's direct and indirect subsidiaries' (the " Guarantors ") senior unsecured obligations and will (i) be effectively subordinated to any of the Company's and the Guarantors' existing and future secured debt, including any of the Company's newly issued 10.000% Senior Secured Superpriority Notes due 2022, the Company's existing 9.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2021 (the " Existing Secured Notes "), and the Company's asset-based revolving credit facility, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such debt, (ii) rank senior in right of payment to any of the Company's and the Guarantors' subordinated indebtedness and equal in right of payment with any of their other senior indebtedness, (iii) be structurally senior to any Existing Notes that remain outstanding after the completion of the Exchange Offer, with respect to the obligations of the Guarantors, and (iv) be structurally subordinated to all obligations and liabilities of any future non-guarantor subsidiaries.

The consummation of the Exchange Offer will be conditioned on the satisfaction of certain conditions described in the Offering Memorandum. The Company will not be required to accept for exchange or to exchange Existing Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and may, in its sole discretion (subject to applicable laws), terminate, amend or extend the Exchange Offer or delay or refrain from accepting for exchange or exchanging the Existing Notes or transferring any Exchange Consideration for the Existing Notes for any reason, including if any of the conditions as described in the Offering Memorandum shall not have been satisfied or waived by the Company.

The settlement date for the Exchange Offer is expected to occur within five business days following the Expiration Date.

The New Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities referred to herein, nor shall there be any sale of the New Notes, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

The Company is making the Exchange Offer only to Eligible Holders through, and pursuant to, the terms of the Offering Memorandum and the related Letter of Transmittal. None of the Company, the information agent, the exchange agent, the paying agent, the trustee with respect to the Existing Notes or the trustee with respect to the New Notes or any affiliate of them makes any recommendation as to whether Eligible Holders should tender or refrain from tendering all or any portion of the principal amount of such Eligible Holder's Existing Notes for New Notes in the Exchange Offer. Eligible Holders must make their own decision as to whether to tender Existing Notes in the Exchange Offer and, if so, the principal amount of Existing Notes to tender.

The Exchange Offer is being conducted pursuant to the Transaction Support Agreement, dated May 13, 2020, of the Company with (i) holders of approximately 83.3% of the aggregate principal amount of Existing Notes outstanding as of May 15, 2020, (ii) holders of approximately 63.4% of the aggregate principal amount of Existing Secured Notes outstanding as of May 15, 2020, and (iii) the primary holder of the Company's previously issued $7,043,000 aggregate principal amount of 9.625% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2020.

Documents relating to the Exchange Offer will only be distributed to Eligible Holders who properly complete and return a letter of eligibility confirming that they are within the category of eligible holders for this private exchange offer. Eligible Holders who desire a copy of the letter of eligibility should contact D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information agent for the Exchange Offer, by telephone at (877) 478-5047 (toll free) or (212) 269-5550, or by email at [email protected], or access the letter of eligibility at www.dfking.com/guitarcenter.

About Guitar Center

Guitar Center has been helping people make music for more than 55 years. As the leading retailer of musical instruments, lessons, repairs and rentals in the U.S., Guitar Center operates nearly 300 stores across the U.S. and has one of the top direct sales e-commerce sites in the industry. Guitar Center also provides customers with various musician-based services, including Guitar Center Lessons, where musicians of all ages and skill levels can learn to play a variety of instruments in many music genres; Repairs, an in store modifications, maintenance and repairs service; and Rentals, offering easy rentals of instruments and other live sound and recording gear. Guitar Center's sister brands include Music & Arts, which operates more than 250 stores serving teachers, band directors, college professors and students by providing band and orchestral instruments for sale and rental, as well as band and orchestral instrument lessons. Other brands in the Guitar Center portfolio include the e-commerce sites Musician's Friend, Woodwind Brasswind and Music123.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Andrew Greenebaum / Madeleine Crane | [email protected]

Guitar Center | [email protected]

Edelman | [email protected]

The Company has included statements in this press release that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act. As a general matter, forward-looking statements are those focused on future or anticipated events or trends, expectations and beliefs including, among other things, the Company's expectations with respect to the Exchange Offer described herein. Such statements are intended to be identified by using words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "will," "project," "plan" and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Any forward-looking statements are and will be based upon the Company's then-current expectations, estimates and assumptions regarding future events and are applicable only as of the dates of such statements. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those projected in this press release for various reasons, including, among others, the ability of the Company to satisfy the conditions to the Exchange Offer and those reasons described in the Offering Memorandum, in the reports and other documents the Company provides to its noteholders from time to time, and in the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" sections contained in the Company's annual report for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2020. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Guitar Center
Thailand is putting more efforts in research and technology

Thailand has performed well in containing the COVID-19 outbreak and mitigating its impact. Since 27 April 2020, the number of new COVID-19 cases has increased only slightly, while some days saw no new cases at all. About 96 per cent of those infected have fully recovered, and fatality rate is less than 2 per cent, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand states.

In tandem with public health measures, the government is addressing economic risks by injecting loans and financial assistance to the people. Some observers rightly noted that if the economy is an ailing patient in dire need of oxygen, the cash flow pumped in by the government is comparable to the breath of fresh air in a stale room.

The government has gradually relaxed certain restrictions in phases since 3 May 2020, to let businesses revive. The decision was made based on the satisfying outcome in controlling COVID-19.

Thailand is putting more efforts in research and technology, particularly in innovative medical treatment and solutions. Thailand now have assistant robots and telemedicine to help doctors and nurses take care of patients from a distance.

It will be a long road to recovery before Thailand resume normalcy and our economy regains momentum. But as long as Thailand remain committed to its aspirations, the world will rebound and emerge with a stronger sense of resilience and solidarity.
I noticed that there was a certain impression that the European Court of Human Rights hadnt touched upon the first and second questions of the Constitutional Court of Armenia and rejected them. There shouldnt be such formulations because the first two questions concerned the requirements of the principle of legal certainty, and the ECHR had touched upon them in the third point. This is what Aram Vardevanyan, one of the attorneys of second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, told reporters today, touching upon the responses of the ECHR addressed to the Constitutional Court of Armenia.

According to him, the blanket reference is the norm that is in another document, not the Criminal Code. For instance, take Article 300.1 of the Criminal Code, the norms of which are stated in the Constitution. The ECHR has clearly established that the blanket reference may be used and be lawful only if it is rather clear and foreseeable. In the case of Article 300.1, there is no clarity or foreseeability. The ECHR also underlined that the scope and volume of the act that is deemed to be a crime must be clear, but Article 300.1 doesnt meet this requirement either, the attorney said.

Touching upon the issue of retroactivity, he said the following: If the ECHR hadnt seen a problem, it would simply state that there is no problem. When the ECHR analyzes an issue and with such an extensive document, this means that there is a problem. If there was no problem, the ECHR wouldnt even accept it for proceedings. This decision is a rather helpful decision in which the part about retroactivity clearly states that a more aggravating act cant be retroactive.
Oklahoma pipeline operator Williams plans to add solar power to natural gas processing plants and other facilities in nine states.

Williams announced Thursday that solar farms producing between 1 to 40 megawatts of power will be installed on company-owned land next to 48 sites in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Taking advantage of federal and state tax credits, the company views natural gas and solar as complimentary technologies with financial and environmental benefits.

Natural gas is key to our countrys ability to add more renewable energy to the power grid in large volumes  it is a clean, affordable fuel that can quickly provide power when renewable energy sources are producing less due to the variability of sunlight and wind," Williams CEO Alan Armstrong said.

Midstream: Williams lands Gulf of Mexico pipeline deal

The solar farms are expected to be placed into service starting in late 2021.

Williams currently buys more than 400 megawatts of electricity for the facilities where the solar farms will be installed. The on-site farms will produce a combined 350 megawatts of electricity with the potential at some locations to sell any excess power generated back to the grid.

Given the current market structures and tax incentives, we are able to make these attractive incremental investments while continuing to enjoy the reliability that the grid provides via natural gas fired power generation, Armstrong said.

Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox
Several hundred protesters had gathered to call for justice following the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis on Monday after an officer knelt on his neck for almost eight minutes. In footage recorded by a bystander, Floyd pleaded that he couldn't breathe.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 22:29:26|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BERLIN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Sixty-one percent German citizens were more concerned about economic consequences of the coronavirus crisis than health, according to a survey published by public broadcaster ZDF on Friday.

Only 33 percent of Germans were more concerned about health issues with respect to COVID-19, the survey of more than 1,350 German voters found.

In late March, the government approved the "largest aid package" in the country's history to fight the coronavirus and finance a "protective shield" for families, employees, self-employed people and companies.

A majority of 59 percent considered government support for companies and businesses as "just right." Only 22 percent of Germans thought that state aid was still too low while nine percent said the government was even doing too much for the economy.

As part of the state aid program, companies can apply for funds from the special credit line offered by the government. So far, more than 50,000 applications for credits totaling more than 47.5 billion euros (52.9 billion U.S. dollars) had been received by the state development bank KfW.

According to the survey, 71 percent of Germans expected the economic situation in Germany to deteriorate sharply as a consequence of the coronavirus crisis.

However, only 12 percent feared a sharp deterioration of their own financial situation, while 86 percent of Germans did not expect their financial situation to suffer, the survey showed.

On Thursday, the government announced to extend state-guaranteed wage payments to parents to a maximum of 20 weeks. Wages would be covered by two-thirds if parents had to look after their children at home due to the shutdown of schools and day care centers for children.

German citizens were divided about the future development of the coronavirus. The survey found that 42 percent of those polled believed that Germany had already overcome the worst, while 51 percent believed that the worst was yet to come. Enditem
Treatment just got more expensive in the tricitys private hospitals with patients being asked to cough up anything between Rs 1,800 to Rs 5,000 for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE kits) and Rs 50 for sanitisers used  not by them  but by health workers as protection against Covid-19, it has been learnt.

Hospitals say they are passing off costs of protection kits to patients to balance increasing expenses due to Covid-19 safety protocols put in place by health authorities.

A woman treated at Alchemist hospital in Panchkula who did not want her name revealed said she was shocked to find she had been billed Rs 18,000 for nine PPE kits. I delivered a baby at the hospital and was shocked to find Rs 18,000 added to the bill for nine PPE kits, of which seven were used by health workers during my surgery (Rs 1,800 each for six kits and Rs 2,400 for one kit) and two for the baby (Rs 2,400 per kit), she says.

When she questioned the hospital she was told all patients were being charged for the safety kits.

When asked to comment on the matter, a hospital spokesperson also not wishing to be named, said, We are following Haryana health department guidelines and are charging as per the guidelines and not charging unnecessarily.

A Chandigarh resident who went to Chaitanya Hospital in the city for some tests was surprised when he was charged Rs 50 for a sanitiser. Confirming the costs, Dr Neeraj Kumar, director of the hospital, said Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 was also being charged for PPE kits.

We have to take precautions because of Covid-19. Hygiene has to be maintained, OPD area is cleaned every two hours and more house staff is employed. Fewer patients are coming in while hospital expenses have increased, Dr Kumar said.

10% extra fee can be charged

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Dr Kumar added, had said that 10% extra fee could be charged from patients in outpatient departments as sanitation expenses had increased. The cost of the PPE also depended on the kind of surgery being performed. On an average, Rs 5,000 is charged for a PPE kit from patients, he said.

When contacted, however, Dr Rajesh Dhir, president, IMA, Chandigarh, said, I am not aware of any such percentage being allowed by IMA. However, I believe that the private hospitals should maintain a balance while charging the amount so that it does not pinch the pocket of the customer but at the same time doctors too dont feel demotivated as it has become too expensive to run health services during the pandemic.

All hospitals were passing on costs of safety measures to patients. My elder brother is undergoing dialysis from one private hospital in Mohali and we went to Fortis Hospital for some medical intervention, where they charged Rs 4,200 for PPE, said Mohit Sharma from Chandigarh.

When asked to respond, Ajey Maharaj, head, corprorate communications, Fortis Healthcare, said costs of safety measures had driven up expenses in hospitals. Confirming that patients were billed for PPE, he said, as per the government directive, hospital medical staff in direct contact of the patients are advised to use good quality PPE kits and masks. Where PPE is required for treatment, cost of actual PPE being used is charged. In ICUs or wards with multiple patients, the total cost of PPEs is divided by the number of patients in the ward. Also, to ensure minimal impact on patient, PPE is being charged at much lower rates than the MRP.

Overcharging, irrational usage

Meanwhile, when contacted, Panchkula civil surgeon Dr Jasjeet Kaur said an order had been issued about overcharging for PPE kits in certain hospitals. It read that irrational usage and overcharging for PPE kits had been observed in certain private hospitals, adding unnecessary burden to the patients. A serious note of this is being taken and all private hospitals are directed to use PPEs as per guidelines already issued. Cost of these if passed on to the patient should be justified and not unnecessarily included in the bill, she added.

The order also reads that any such complaints by the patients will be viewed seriously and appropriate action would be taken.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed closing two state prisons, in part to address budget shortfalls caused by the coronavirus lockdown. (Los Angeles Times)

Editors note: This editorial is the last in a series of three. The first two were published Wednesday and Thursday; you can find them at latimes.com/opinion.

In many U.S. jails and prisons, hygiene costs money. Through work or good behavior, inmates can earn credits at the institutions canteen and exchange them for packages of soap, shampoo, toothpaste, washcloths and the like. Or families can pay to have those packages delivered to their loved ones, to help them stay relatively healthy during their time behind bars.

But staying healthy while incarcerated is hard, even with purchased personal care products. Contrary to movie images of each inmate locked alone in a cell, many jails and prisons house inmates in barracks-like settings, with beds almost touching, or with bunks doubled or tripled. Inmates live in close contact, eating shoulder to shoulder, sleeping head-to-toe.

Hand sanitizer is generally banned, largely because officials believe inmates will try to intoxicate themselves using the alcohol-based fluid. Soap and water are available, but the brisk business in costly hygiene packets demonstrates serious continuing concerns about sanitation.

Infectious outbreaks in such conditions are the rule  but only now, with the coronavirus pandemic, are Americans witnessing the scope of the hazard we have constructed.

Jails and prisons are the nations top danger zones for COVID-19 transmission. Prisons, rather than nursing homes or cruise ships, have vied with one another over the past three months for the largest outbreaks. Chicagos Cook County Jail was quickly overtaken by Ohios Marion Correctional Institution, then the federal Terminal Island prison in Los Angeles.

Many prisons have sharply reduced their populations to allow inmates to practice a modicum of social distancing. The releases have led police and prosecutors to warn that having so many accused or convicted criminals on the street puts the public in danger. Yet during the pandemic, crime has held steady, or in some cases dropped.

Story continues

So its time to ask: Why did we build and pack prisons in the first place? Why did we create institutions that are inherently unsafe and unsanitary? What kind of society clusters people together and then charges them money for hygiene?

Jails and prisons concentrate societys ills. They have become centers of addiction, mental health breakdown, rape and gang recruitment. One judge labeled Californias prisons as criminogenic  fostering rather than slowing criminality. They harden rather than rehabilitate inmates. And they further endanger rather than protect the rest of us, because instead of coming home with new attitudes and new skills, former inmates too often return to their families and neighborhoods broken and likely to continue criminal patterns and behaviors.

And of course released inmates may return to their homes infected with serious disease.

Surely we can do better. No nation on the planet locks up so great a proportion of its people or gets so little benefit  and so much damage  from its efforts.

Slowly, states and the federal government have rolled back laws and policies that have filled jails and prisons. Excessively harsh sentences, adopted and imposed during moments of societal panic over drugs and amid fear-mongering reports over a supposed wave of young predators, are being revisited. Many states, including California, have redefined more nonviolent felonies as misdemeanors. Even before the pandemic, jail and prison populations were dropping in many states.

We can go further. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed closing two of its 35 state prisons. Its a step in the right direction, in this state and around the nation.

The Los Angeles County jail has reduced its population from about 17,000 to less than 12,000, where it finally is near its rated capacity. In this case, at least, the coronavirus has done what lawsuits, county officials and activist pressure could not  rid the jail of unconscionable overcrowding. It now falls to the sheriff and the supervisors to ensure that the number never again creeps back up.

To do that, they will have to double down on the Alternatives of Incarceration project they adopted in principle earlier this year. Building an infrastructure of community-based mental health, drug treatment, peer counseling and skills training programs will improve public safety and health, so this is no time to plead poverty or de-prioritize the project. It's time to push forward, swiftly and with a new sense of purpose.

Pandemic aside, there should be fewer prisons, less of our treasury devoted to incarceration, and less reliance on locking up people for long terms. Prisons may always be needed, but a free society should envision a system that houses hundreds of people, rather than thousands or tens of thousands. Crime should have consequences, but those consequences should not gratuitously strip offenders of their liberty for decades on end. A society that considers itself free and enlightened surely can find a way to deal with public safety problems and mental health crises in an efficient way that leans less on incarceration and more on rehabilitation.
Bravo Professor Jenny Hocking. The Monash University academic and member of the Australian Republic Movement's national committee  which I chair, blah, blah, blah  has fought the good fight for TEN YEARS to get access to the "Palace Letters", the 211 pieces of correspondence between Buckingham Palace and Sir John Kerr, that led up to The Dismissal. And on Friday, the High Court ruled 6-1 in her favour. Ideally, we shall all soon be privy to the contents of that correspondence.

The most staggering thing? It is that to this point we little Australians had no right to see correspondence between our own head of state and her representative in Australia, the governor-general, on a matter of such enormous import, even though the letters are in our National Archives, not the Queen's bottom drawer in the third chamber from the left!

Professor Jenny Hocking, with a statue of Queen Victoria behind her, took her fight for the release of the 211 'Palace Papers' letters to the High Court. Credit:AAP

The fact we even had to ask the question in the first place is nothing short of embarrassing. On the one hand we argue we are a sovereign and independent nation and, on the other, we couldn't take a peek at correspondence between our two highest office holders on a matter of such import, nigh on half a century later?

That position, my learned friends, was absurd. And good on the High Court for saying so. Most of all though, bravo Professor Hocking who took on major institutional powers, and won. For us of the Australian Republic Movement it is a boost. For that "little Australian" view is still extant. No less than the chief of the Australian Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, has recently written to the Prime Minister and, in the course of giving reasons why a Victoria Cross should not be posthumously awarded to Teddy Sheean, who kept firing at the Japanese even as he went down with HMAS Armidale during the WWII bombing of Darwin, said this might damage our standing among other Commonwealth countries and "potentially with the Queen herself".
By IANS

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Supreme Court has fixed the hearing of the murder case of American journalist Daniel Pearl for June 1, it was reported.

On Thursday, Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed constituted a three-judge special bench that would hear the Sindh government and the appeal of Pearl's parents against the Sindh High Court's (SHC) judgment regarding the acquitting of the key accused, The Express Tribune reported.

On April 2, the SHC had commuted the death sentence of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the man convicted of kidnapping and murdering the journalist in 2002, to a seven-year sentence.

The court had also acquitted three others who had been awarded life imprisonment in the case.

The order came almost two decades after they were found guilty and subsequently jailed.

The slain journalist's parents had approached the Supreme Court against the SHC's verdict.

Two criminal petitions have been filed on behalf of Pearl's parents.

The petition states that the SHC "failed to note that this was a brutal murder" and a result of international terrorism, and the principle of the standard of proof, as well as the benefit of the doubt in cases of international terrorism, has to be applied keeping in context that the nature and type of evidence available in such terrorism cases cannot be equated with cases involving non-terrorism crimes.

Pearl was South Asia bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal when he was abducted in Karachi in January 2002 while researching a story about religious extremism.

A graphic video showing his decapitation was delivered to the US consulate nearly a month later.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), in a letter Friday to the Justice and Treasury departments, is calling for a criminal investigation of Twitter over allegations the company is violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Why it matters: Twitter is already under fire from President Trump for adding fact checks and a warning label, respectively, to misleading and incendiary tweets he made in recent days. Cruz's letter adds another dimension to the tech company's woes in Washington.

Details: Twitter allows Iranian leaders to maintain accounts on its service, and Cruz is asking Attorney General Bill Barr and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to probe whether that violates U.S. sanctions prohibiting American companies from providing goods or services to the country's top officials.

"I believe that the primary goal of (the International Emergency Economic Powers Act) and sanctions law should be to change the behavior of designated individuals and regimes, not American companies," Cruz wrote."But when a company willfully and openly violates the law after receiving formal notice that it is unlawfully supporting designated individuals, the federal government should take action."

The big picture: Twitter has said it's in the public interest to have political figures' speech on its platform, even if some find that speech objectionable.

The company on Friday labeled a tweet from Trump about the unrest in Minneapolis as breaking its rules on "glorifying violence."

The White House and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, among other prominent conservatives, questioned why Twitter hasn't applied similar labels to tweets from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Background: Cruz led an earlier letter from Republican senators to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in February, calling on the company to ban Iranian leaders, including Khamenei and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. The senators suggested providing the accounts may violate U.S. sanctions.

Twitter responded in April, arguing that its service is exempt from the sanctions, and that the public conversation on the platform is critically important during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Fundamental values of openness, free expression, public accountability, and mutual understanding matter now more than ever," Vijaya Gadde, Twitter's legal, public policy & trust and safety lead, wrote. "Regardless of the political agenda of a particular nation state, to deny our service to their leaders at a time like this would be antithetical to the purpose of our company, which is to serve the global public conversation."

Twitter declined to comment on the new Cruz letter.

Flashback: Cruz talked to Axios' Dan Primack on the Pro Rata podcast last year to discuss allegations that major tech platforms are biased against conservatives.
Delhi's COVID-19 death toll has mounted to 398 with 82 fatalities that took place in the last one month being reported on Friday, as the city's total tally jumped to over 17,000, authorities said.

Deputy Chief Manish Sisodia and Heath Minister Satyendar Jain in a virtual joint press conference also announced that 13 of the 82 deaths took place on May 27.

"The remaining 69 deaths have taken place over a period of 34 days. These cases are being recorded now due to late reporting by various hospitals or due to incomplete submission of information," Sisodia said.

The 69 deaths include 52 fatalities that had taken place at Safdarjung Hospital, a report for which was submitted by authorities a couple of days ago, he said.

"The Delhi Death Audit Committee had looked into all these cases and given the figures. So, this rise of 82 seen at once," Sisodia said.

Jain said the death toll due to COVID-19 in Delhi has risen to 398.

From May 12-20, one death took place on each of the days during that span, he added.

Fresh 1,106 coronavirus cases have been reported, taking the total tally in Delhi to over 17,000, he said, adding that 7,846 people have recovered from the infection.

This is the highest single-day spike in coronavirus reported so far in Delhi.

This is the first time in Delhi that over 1,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported in a day.

The previous highest spike of 1,024 fresh cases was recorded on May 28, taking the tally of coronavirus cases in Delhi to over 16,000.

In a bulletin issued on Thursday, the Delhi Health Department had said the death toll from coronavirus infection has risen to 316, and the total number of cases mounted to 16,281.

With 1,106 more cases, the total number has mounted to 17,387.

Jain said about 21,000 beds are available in hospitals, 1,400 in private facilities and 3,700 in government hospitals.

Sisodia also appealed to people to not panic as the "government has made all arrangements".

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted on Friday, "My Delhiites do not worry if you contract corona. Most of you can be treated in home quarantine itself. Still, if you need to be admitted to hospital, we have full preparations for it. I pray to the god for your good health and happiness."

"Corona patients who have no or mild symptoms can recover at their home. They need not get admitted to hospital," he tweeted.

Sisodia during the press conference also said people need not visit hospitals unless they have symptoms of the virus infection, and added 80-90 per cent recovery was registered among the cases cases where patients were home quarantined.

"If people do not have symptoms but tested positive, there is no need to panic, or for the neighbours to get panicked. Such people can just isolate themselves and follow all precautions. Our doctors even offer counselling to them (over phone)," he said.
Australian job hunters have been at the forefront of a changing labour market, as they try to navigate an economy in flux.

Analysis from job site Indeed shows how different sectors have fared with the shutdown, with hospitality and retail jobs again in hot demand.

The number of searches for delivery driver jobs meanwhile has declined alongside farm and supply chain workers, as other opportunities emerge.

Visit Business Insider Australia's homepage for more stories.

The Australian job market has just undergone what will go down as its strangest few months on record, as businesses begin reopening their doors.

While the business shutdown in March left job seekers out in the cold, they're now being welcomed back into the fold  and it shows.

Analysis by job site Indeed, provided exclusively to Business Insider Australia, shows just how the workforce adapted over the months leading up to May.

"Early in the crisis, job seekers reacted swiftly to new hiring announcements. Australias supermarket sector, led by Coles and Woolworths, was one of the chief beneficiaries," Indeed Asia-Pacific economist Callam Pickering said. "At its peak, more than 10% of all searches on Indeed AU were directed at Australian supermarkets, around seven times higher than normal."

However, while those same people might have been shoved unceremoniously out of hard-hit industries, they're now hoping to be taken back into the fold as venues and shop re-open.

"In the week ending 22 May, searches for cafe and restaurant were up 56% and 49%, respectively, compared with two weeks earlier. Rapid search growth is also apparent for terms such as chef, cook, barista and hospitality."

As the likes of Merivale begin reopening, hospitality might be dominating the surge in search traffic but it's not the only sector looking to make a comeback. Searches for retail jobs were up around 30%, while the reopening of dentists saw dental assistant positions jump by a similar margin.

Story continues

However, it's hardly business as usual quite yet.

"While job seekers are certainly more interested in hospitality and retail, their search share is still

somewhat below pre-crisis levels. That reflects a number of factors, including a limited number of new job postings in those areas, along with staggered re-openings across the country," Pickering said.

Despite demand for workers in these areas still lagging, many will soon be forced to begin applying again. From June, JobSeeker 1 recipients will again be required to search for and apply for jobs to receive their benefit.

With many left desperately looking for a steady income, Indeed saw roaring demand for 'driver' and 'delivery driver' roles that is only just beginning to abate.

"Delivery driver, which requires little to no training, was particularly attractive to Australians who had lost their jobs or been stood down temporarily. Even with the current decline, searches for driver or delivery driver is still well above pre-crisis levels," Pickering said.

Perhaps reflecting a decline in demand for groceries and other essentials, job searches for farm work, pharmacy assistants and supply chain functions like forklift drivers and stackers have also fallen sharply.

With restrictions only just beginning to ease now, and unemployment expected to only rise from here, job hunters aren't out of the woods just yet.
SPRINGFIELD  Illinois residents can now attend worship services without fear of prosecution as the state enters Phase 3 of Gov. J.B. Pritzkers Restore Illinois reopening plan.

Pritzker made the announcement Thursday in Chicago, the same day a new lawsuit was filed in Lake County Circuit Court challenging the ban on public gatherings of more than 10 people as it applied to worship services. It also came on the same day the U.S. Supreme Court was preparing to decide whether it would hear the appeal of another case involving two churches in Chicago that were challenging the ban.

Having received many plans and ideas from responsible faith leaders, (the Illinois Department of Public Health) has reviewed many detailed proposals and has provided guidance  not mandatory restrictions  for all faith leaders to use in their efforts to ensure the health and safety of their congregants, Pritzker said. This includes suggestions on capacity limits, new cleaning protocols, indoor gatherings of 10 persons or less, a reduction of activities like sharing food and the safe conduct of outdoor congregating.

The safest options remain remote and drive-in services, he added. But for those that want to conduct in-person activities, IDPH is offering best practices.

Earlier Thursday the Thomas More Society, a conservative public-interest law firm based in Chicago, filed suit in Lake County on behalf of five local churches and their pastors who said they intended to hold worship services anyway on Sunday, which is the Christian holy day of Pentecost.

This is a total and complete victory for people of faith, Peter Breen, vice president and senior counsel of the Thomas More Society, said in a statement. Illinois governor and his administration abused the COVID-19 pandemic to stomp on the religious liberty of the people of Illinois. By issuing guidelines only and not the previously announced mandatory restrictions, he has handed a complete victory to the churches in Illinois.

The Thomas More Society also represented the Beloved Church, in Lena, when it challenged Pritzkers order in federal court in late April. And it represented the Jesus House Restoration Ministries in Urbana, which caters mainly to people struggling with homelessness and substance abuse, in another federal lawsuit filed May 12.

Another legal advocacy group, the Florida-based Liberty Counsel, filed suit on behalf of two Chicago churches. That request for a temporary restraining order was rejected in U.S. District Court as well as the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. But attorneys in that case appealed to the nations high court and on Wednesday, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who oversees the 7th Circuit, gave the Illinois attorney generals office one day to file a reply brief so the court could decide whether to hear the case.

All of those cases argued, in one form or another, that Pritzkers stay-at-home order as it applied to churches interfered with individuals freedom of religion. The federal cases were based on the U.S. Constitutions guarantee of the free exercise of religion, while the Lake County case focused on the Illinois Constitution and the state Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Governments can and do put restrictions on churches on a regular basis. Churches are, for example, subject to local building codes and fire safety regulations, and those codes often put limits on the number of people who can be in the building at one time.

During an interview Thursday, however, Breen argued those laws apply uniformly to religious and secular facilities alike. Pritzkers executive orders, he argued, singled out churches while other businesses such as supermarkets, manufacturing facilities and meat processing plants were allowed to operate without capacity restrictions.

Theres no constitutional right to run a meat packing plant; there is an express constitutional right to have a church, he said. So, this is the problem that were pointing out, which is youve singled out churches for different treatment. And there are plenty of other places in society today that are fully open, that are more dangerous than a church.

In a ruling May 19 denying Liberty Counsels request for a temporary restraining order, a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit disagreed with that argument.

The Executive Orders temporary numerical restrictions on public gatherings apply not only to worship services, the panel wrote, but also to the most comparable types of secular gatherings, such as concerts, lectures, theatrical performances, or choir practices, in which groups of people gather together for extended periods, especially where speech and singing feature prominently and raise risks of transmitting the COVID-19 virus. Worship services do not seem comparable to secular activities permitted under the executive order, such as shopping, in which people do not congregate or remain for extended periods.

Before Pritzkers announcement Thursday, a number of churches around the state had been targeted for enforcement action, including the Jesus House Restoration Ministries which received a cease-and-desist notice from the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District in April.

Although churches now will be able to operate without fear of prosecution, IDPH said it still does not encourage them to hold indoor services with large congregations.

Indeed, it is strongly recommended that places of worship continue to facilitate remote services, particularly for those who are vulnerable to COVID-19 including older adults and those with co-morbidities, the agency stated in the new guidelines. Even with adherence to physical distancing, multiple different households convening in a congregational setting to worship carries a higher risk for widespread transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19, and may result in increased rates of infection, hospitalization, and death, especially among more vulnerable populations.

The new IDPH guidelines for in-person services are substantially similar to those issued recently by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They still encourage limiting attendance and offering multiple small services instead of one large one. They also encourage churches to thoroughly clean and disinfect their facilities, to practice physical distancing, avoid singing and group recitations and to discontinue serving food and beverages.
1,000 Helbiz electric scooters hit the streets of Rome.

Rome mayor Virginia Raggi has announced the arrival of a fleet of 1,000 electric scooters, operated by American company Helbiz, and available on the streets of the capital from 28 May.

The mayor, speaking during a presentation at the Trevi Fountain, hailed the scooter service as "helping Rome to start again in an environmentally sustainable way."

Raggi also said the scooters were a way of "helping tourists to return" to Rome, adding that the covid-19 pandemic has "forced us to rethink our lifestyles."

Read also:

The mayor recently called for Roman commuters to swap their cars for bicycles and electric scooters following the coronavirus lockdown when the capital's streets were practically deserted of traffic.

How does Helbiz scooter sharing work?

The rental is based on a free mobile app that provides the geolocation of the scooters and subsequent unlocking by scanning the QR code on the scooters' handlebars. Once finished, users can park the scooter on the spot, in "free floating" mode, without having to return it to a collection point.

The fare, which is the same throughout Italy, is 1 for the initial release plus 15 cent per minute for the ride. There is also the "Helbiz Unlimited" flat rate of 29.99 per month which allows users to make an unlimited number of daily trips lasting 30 minutes (with at least 20 minutes between each ride). For full details see Helbiz website.

In addition to Helbiz there are already two other electric scooter companies operating in Rome, both American: Lime and Bird.
We havent heard much from former New York City Transit President Andy Byford since he departed New York for greener pastures. It was a messy breakup after a toxic relationship; it makes sense that he would take some time for himself. But after three months, hes ready to move on. Byford has returned home to England to be Londons Train Daddy. Though he'll be missed by his adoring fans across the pond, to London, we simply say: treat him well. Keep reading for the rest of this weeks news.

State Legislature meets again

After nearly two months of remaining on the sidelines during the coronavirus crisis, the state Legislature reconvened a mostly remote session to pass a slew of coronavirus-related bills. It was the first time meeting since the Legislature passed the state budget at the beginning of April. Over the course of three days, both chambers passed more than 30 bills, most of which related to the coronavirus response. They included several rent relief measures, including a limited voucher program for landlords with tenants who are facing financial hardships and an extended eviction moratorium that forbids landlords from ever evicting tenants for rent payments missed during the pandemic. Tenant advocates strongly denounced the voucher bill, calling it totally inadequate. Lawmakers also passed a bill extending the look-back window for one year to file lawsuits under the Child Victims Act. The original yearlong window to bring lawsuits regardless of how long ago the alleged abuse occurred was set to end in August, but many cases were not able to be heard due to the pandemic halting most court activity. And in what turned out to be a slightly contentious matter, legislators repealed a nearly 200-year-old law that made it illegal for groups of two or more people to wear masks in public. Notably, many Republican state senators who made the trek to the Capitol chose not to wear masks on camera.

Reopening continues

It has been two weeks since five upstate New York regions entered the first phase of reopening, and because those areas havent experienced any red flags, upstate leaders expected more businesses to begin reopening on Friday. But as the day grew nearer, Gov. Andrew Cuomo stayed mum on the issue, sowing confusion and frustration. The next phase includes the return of office jobs, in-store shopping at retailers and limited hair salon service. The delay left many upstate leaders fuming, and some even said they would encourage businesses to reopen regardless of the governors directive. However, Cuomo announced on Friday that those five upstate regions had the green light to move forward to the second phase of reopening. Meanwhile, two of the states most populous regions, the mid-Hudson Valley and Long Island, entered the first phase of reopening last week, leaving only New York City closed now. But Cuomo said that the city is on track to begin the first phase on June 8. Mayor Bill de Blasio began laying out some preliminary plans for reopening.

Protests erupt after police-involved death

Protests erupted across the country after the police-involved death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in Minneapolis after a police officer put a knee into his neck while placing him under arrest on the suspicion of using counterfeit money. Grimly reminiscent of Eric Garners death on Staten Island in 2014, among Floyds last words were I cant breathe. Although the officers involved in the incident were fired, so far only one is facing criminal charges. In Minneapolis, thousands of Black Lives Matter activists and others took to the streets at various protests, some of which turned violent. For several nights, the city was burning, including when protesters set fire to a police precinct. In New York City, at least 70 people were arrested at a Union Square protest over Floyds death. The New York City Police Department said that several of its officers were assaulted, including one who was hit over the head with a garbage can. The same day that Floyd died, an unrelated racist incident sparked outrage in the city: A white woman was filmed calling the police on a black man who asked her to put a leash on her dog in Central Park, falsely claiming that he was threatening her, and repeatedly specifying that he was an African American man. Observers noted that while the man, Christian Cooper, walked away from that encounter, there was the possibility that he could have ended up like Floyd if officers had shown up. The woman, Amy Cooper (no relation), was fired from her job after the video went viral.
Charlotte's year group is supposed to be back at school next week. (Getty Images)

Children across the country are preparing to return to school on Monday, 1 June, as the government ruled schools must reopen for Reception, Year One and Year Six classes.

That means Princess Charlotte, the only daughter of Prince William and his wife Kate, should also be heading back to school with her classmates.

But the princess, who recently turned five, is still in Norfolk, staying with her family at their home on the Sandringham Estate, Anmer Hall.

She and her brother George attend Thomass School in Battersea, in south London. Charlotte is in Reception and George is in Year Two.

The government ruling has sparked discussion about whether the family would move back down in order for her to go back to school.

There wont be any punishments for parents who opt not to send their children back yet.

Read more: Viewers praise 'relatable' Duchess of Cambridge as she discusses homeschooling three young royals in television interview

Charlotte and George have been in Norfolk with their parents and younger brother Louis. (Getty Images)

Russell Myers, the Daily Mirrors royal editor, told Good Morning Britain: I think this is very, very interesting and certainly the whole country will be watching this.

The issue is the different ages of the children, who have been holed up in Anmer Hall in Norfolk with their mum and dad.

Essentially Princess Charlotte would have to go back to school under the government guidelines on Monday, but the Cambridges are considering keeping the children together and I think a lot of parents who have been homeschooling over the last few weeks will have this conundrum to solve themselves.

Myers suggested their decision would send a message to the government.

Read more: Prince William admits 'hardest time is dinner time' with three children at home

Georges year group hasnt been told to return to school, so he would still be at home, even if the family returned to Kensington Palace, their London home.

Kate and William have been open about the realities of homeschooling, with William adopting something of a sarcastic tone as he called it fun on a number of occasions, while Kate has admitted George would rather do Charlottes work.

Story continues

William, 37, also told carers on a call that children dont understand social distancing, which could indicate his thinking as they grapple with the decision on sending Charlotte back.

Prince George and Princess Charlottes younger brother Prince Louis is not yet at school, as he is two-years-old, but his parents might be planning to send him to nursery in London this year.
Congress leader Manish Tewari on Friday spoke about China's aggressive activities across the world amid the pandemic. In a series of tweets, the Congress leader pointed out that China was engaging in 'brazenness' and was trying to 'deflect' from taking responsibility for thousands of death across the globe and damages to the global economy.

In the last few weeks, China has been at loggerhead with the US and has warned the country of a 'cold war' amidst talks of 'unifying Taiwan'. With India, it has been engaging in repeated violations along the LAC in Ladakh leading to escalating tensions. In the most recent developments, China has also been under fire for its brutal use of force on the protesting citizens of Hong Kong and the introduction of the contentious national security law.

Read:China Declares War On 'problematic Maps'; Targets Taiwan Amid Larger Aggressive Posturing

Chinas strategy to escape culpability for ChinaVirus/Wuhan Pandemic.

1.Escalate Tensions in South China Sea.

2.Sharpen the rhetorical conflict with @realDonaldTrump

3.Escalate territorial disputes with India.

4.Get its Toadies in Nepal to conjure up a mythical disputes 1/1  Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) May 29, 2020

1/2

5. Draft a New Security Law for HongKong.

6. Block Taiwans entry into WHO even as an observer.

7. Misuse its Presidency of UNSC to block discussion on China Virus.

Bottom Line.

Display brazenness in strategic arena to deflect from killing thousands& destroying economies.  Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) May 29, 2020

Read: On LAC Standoff, Indian Troops Following Protocols; Centre Firm On National Security: MEA

India-China standoff

Last week, Chinese military helicopters were spotted close to the border between India and China in eastern Ladakh after a clash between soldiers from both sides took place on two occasions. Thereafter, a fleet of Su-30 fighters of the Indian Air Force carried out sorties in the area. According to reports, Indian and Chinese Army personnel clashed along the northern bank of the Pangong Lake in Ladakh on May 5. 4 days later, a face-off between the two sides was witnessed near Naku La Pass in Sikkim.

As per sources, high-level Indian and Chinese military commanders met at designated points along the Line of Actual Control on May 22 and 23 to defuse the situation in Eastern Ladakh. Furthermore, diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Beijing are also working towards a peaceful resolution. However, sources have confirmed that India shall not compromise on the sanctity of her borders.

Speaking to Republic TV on Wednesday, Union Minister and former Army Chief General VK Singh contended that this was China's attempt to divert attention from its failure on the novel coronavirus front.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump yesterday offered to mediate between India and China. Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries. In response to Trump's mediation offer, India said on Thursday that it is engaged with the Chinese side to resolve the border issue peacefully.

Read: Hong Kong's Business Hub Status Imperiled By Security Law

Read: Trump Claims PM Modi Not In 'good Mood', Offers To Mediate On India-China Border Row Again
By Associated Press

BOGOTA: The passenger from Spain that Sonia Sanchez picked up at the airport in Colombia's capital in March did not seem well.

He coughed during the Uber ride in her small, red Chevrolet Spark, as he sat next to her, a precaution many of the app's drivers use to avoid attracting the attention "and harassment" of police.

A few days later, the mother of two had a soaring fever, her relatives say.

Within three weeks, she was dead - the first coronavirus patient to die in Bogota's working-class Kennedy neighbourhood, now a hotspot of infections.

"The only thing we have of her is her ashes," her brother, Oscar Sanchez, said.

Sonia Sanchez's story illustrates a phenomenon emerging in Latin American nations and other developing countries: The virus initially brought to the region largely by wealthy citizens or visitors coming from Europe and the United States is now increasingly concentrated in poorer neighborhoods where residents have few means of protecting themselves.

"Epidemics are not democratic at all," said Diego Armus, a professor of Latin American history at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania.

"We know this because those who have suffered the most are the poor."

In megacities throughout the region - from Bogota to Sao Paulo; Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Santiago, Chile - infections first emerged about three months ago in upper-class neighborhoods.

Data from city health bulletins show many of those areas have succeeded in slowing the virus, in large part because residents there are able to stay indoors, working from home or living off savings until the crisis passes.

The disease took longer to reach the poorer areas of those cities, but now infections are surging in those heavily congested neighbourhoods, and hospitals are stretched.

Kennedy had few infections at the end of March, weeks after the first case was confirmed in Bogota, but now has over 2,000, the highest number anywhere in the city.

The migration of the disease from rich to poor has been seen elsewhere: In South Africa, for instance, the first few hundred cases were virtually all in people who had traveled to Europe; Cape Town, a city popular with international tourists, now has more than half of the country's total confirmed cases, and its shantytowns are major hot spots.

The phenomenon is especially stark in Latin America, the most unequal region in the world behind sub-Saharan Africa.

Sonia Sanchez, 53, was born in Colombia's impoverished countryside and raised in Bogota. She spent much of her adult life selling home appliances.

After Uber entered Colombia in 2013, she decided to try her luck, paying an acquaintance to use his car.

She almost always had passengers ride up front, looking to avoid the suspicion of police in a country where Uber has operated on shaky legal standing.

The earnings allowed her to rent a small apartment near Kennedy and to help support her children.

Colombia announced its first coronavirus case on March 6 - a 19-year-old who had been studying in Milan. Though the crisis was gathering steam in Europe, it still felt distant in Colombia. Though the Spaniard she picked up on March 10 had a cough, Sonia didn't immediately worry.

That changed a few days later, when she spiked a fever.

"She felt it intuitively," Oscar Sanchez said.

She told her relatives to keep their distance.

She was refused care at the local Red Cross and a hospital and had to wait another week before getting treatment.

By then, she was struggling to breathe. "Am I going to die?" she texted her brother.

By April, similar stories were surfacing in Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Mexico.

In Buenos Aires, 48 per cent of cases were initially concentrated in four of the city's wealthiest neighbourhoods.

Since then, cases in trendy Palermo have risen from around 40 in early April to 135 by May.

But in working-class Flores, the increase has been sharper - from about 20 cases to 435.

Big cities in Brazil - the epicenter of Latin America's outbreak - have seen a similar dynamic.

The first case in Sao Paulo was a 61-year-old man diagnosed in late February who had been in the hard-hit region of Lombardy, Italy.

He was treated at one of the city's best hospitals in the upscale Morumbi neighbourhood.

Cases there have ticked up, but zones that are home to sprawling slums and working-class neighborhoods are seeing some of the largest jumps.

Latin America is home to five of the world's 30 largest cities, and they are highly segregated.

The poor often live in conditions ripe for the spread of the coronavirus: more people in smaller homes, many of whom are unable to abide by strict quarantines because they must go to work or go out to buy food.

"The virus is killing all of us here," Ramona Medina, 43, who lived in Villa 31, the oldest slum in Buenos Aires, complained in an interview with The Associated Press in early May.

She died from the virus two weeks later.

As more of the poor fall sick, the hospitals that serve them are emerging as some of the most stretched.

At the public Arzobispo Loayza Hospital in downtown Lima, Peru, dozens of patients are sleeping in wheelchairs and even sharing access to oxygen, according to an ombudsman report.

At the Bogota hospital where the first case was diagnosed, only about 5 per cent of all intensive care unit beds are currently occupied.

But in Kennedy, the ICUs at two of the largest hospitals are operating at over 80 per cent capacity.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and lead to death.

"The illness is appearing in a very socially stratified way," said Marcelo Mella, a history professor at the University of Santiago in Chile.

"I think this is the dramatic visualization of a historic condition." In 1961, late U.S. President John F.Kennedy helped lay the first bricks in the Bogota neighbourhood that now bears his name.

The original plan was to house 126,000 people; today it is home to an estimated 1.5 million.

Doctors at Kennedy Hospital, the area's major public hospital, say years of treating gunshot wounds, injuries from assaults and a hefty load of chronic conditions means they are uniquely prepared for an onslaught of complicated virus cases.

But the patients in Kennedy include some of the city's most vulnerable, like Dionis Palacios, 18, a Venezuelan migrant with no health insurance.

He went to the hospital after experiencing chest pain and said he was taken aback by how many beds were filled.

"The hospitals are totally collapsing," he said.

Health workers in Kennedy have protested in recent weeks, saying they do not have enough masks and protective gear - a complaint that has been echoed nationwide.

Sonia Sanchez spent her last week of life on a ventilator at Kennedy Hospital. After her death, the family gathered in a video conference to share stories.

But her brother tears up thinking about her spending those final days in the hospital alone; being taken for cremation alone.

He does not harbor anger toward the passenger the family believes infected her, but he does wonder:

"Who else crossed his path?"
The battle over voting by mail flared up over the last week, thanks in part to some presidential tweets that, as they often do, have generated more heat than light.

On May 20, President Trump tweeted: Breaking: Michigan sends absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of Primaries and the General Election. This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State. I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path.

On May 26, he tweeted: There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent. Mail boxes will be robbed, ballots will be forged & even illegally printed out & fraudulently signed.

Theres a lot to unpack here. First of all, Michigan hadnt sent out 7.7 million ballots  it announced plans to send out 7.7 million absentee-ballot applications. Trump replaced the original tweet with one correcting the error, but it still included the claim that he would ask to hold up funding to Michigan for sending out absentee-ballot applications. Ask whom? It wasnt clear, and he dropped the idea shortly thereafter.

As for the tweet that mail-in ballots would be substantially fraudulent? Thats the claim that prompted Twitter to issue its first ever presidential fact-check. It may be unwise for any social-media platform to get into the business of fact-checking politicians, and it was especially odd to single out this tweet, rather than the deranged tweets suggesting MSNBC host Joe Scarborough is a murderer.

If you strained hard enough, you could come up with a somewhat plausible defense: The word substantially may mean largely or significantly. Maybe he meant the latter? And since elections are sometimes decided by a very small number of votes, any amount of voter fraud is significant. That reasonable defense was dashed Thursday night when the president tweeted Thursday evening that MAIL-IN VOTING WILL LEAD TO MASSIVE FRAUD AND ABUSE. IT WILL ALSO LEAD TO THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY.

Story continues

To cut past the confusion and misinformation, its important to keep in mind three things in the debate over mail-in voting.

The first is that the November elections will very likely be a mostly mail election whether anyone likes it or not  even if no laws are changed. Twenty-nine states already have no-excuse absentee voting, including the states where control of the White House and the Senate will be decided: Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Iowa, Montana, and Maine. In April, when Wisconsin held its Democratic primary, only one-quarter of voters cast ballots in person on Election Day. If voters are concerned about the coronavirus, and theres every reason to believe it will still be a threat in November, the overwhelming majority will choose early mail-in or curbside voting.

The second thing to keep in mind is that expanded mail-in and early-voting will not necessarily hurt Republicans in November. The GOP just won an all-mail special election in California. Colorado Republican Cory Gardner won his first term in the Senate in 2014 in an all-mail election. In 2018, 79 percent of ballots were cast in Arizona by mail. Republican governor Doug Ducey won re-election by 14.2 points even as Republican senator Martha McSally lost by 2.4 points.

So Republicans can win in mail or mostly-mail elections, and at any rate its unlikely that many states will transition to California-style all-mail states before November. The logistical hurdles are too high, but there will be an increase in absentee- and early-voting nationwide. If Republicans were solely interested in winning, they would be more concerned about a significant sliver of elderly voters  a Republican-leaning demographic  not voting because of concerns about catching the virus than about the possibility of a slight increase in the small number of illegitimate votes.

And that brings us to the third point, which is that there are real and legitimate concerns about voter fraud and the best way to safely and securely expand voting options in the fall. This year, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Arizonas ban on ballot harvesting  the practice of third-party collection of mail-in ballots. Critics of ballot harvesting are concerned that the practice opens the door to voter fraud and intimidation, not to mention the spread of the virus if ballot collectors are going door to door. Arizonas attorney general is trying to get the Supreme Court to review the Ninth Circuits decision, which could affect more than 20 other states that have similar laws.

In Congress, meanwhile, the fight is between Democrats who want to force states to adopt a uniform policy on how to conduct elections and Republicans who are adamantly opposed to a federal takeover over the elections process but are not opposed to providing more money for election assistance.

As much as the presidents Twitter feed and media coverage may make it difficult to see, thats where the real debate over balloting stands.

More from National Review
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Amidst the global devastation wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic, a silver lining has emerged for seal pups off the east coast of Canada as figures for the country's annual commercial hunt have fallen dramatically, with the majority of the commercial hunt remaining closed.

According to preliminary figures on the website of Canada's Department for Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), only 388 seals have been reported killed to date in this year's hunt in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, which would usually run from mid-April through late May. In all of 2019, the number of seals killed numbered 32,071. While still a significant number, this was only 8% of the 2019 quota of 400,000. Hence, the 2020 figures to date represent an even greater overall reduction.

The seals are killed primarily for their pelts, for use in both the fur and oil industries. Sadly, they are struck using a traditional club called a hakapik, or shot from boats.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has campaigned for an end to Canada's commercial seal hunt since the organization was founded in 1969, on the grounds that the hunt is cruel, unnecessary and unsustainable. In addition, the impact of climate change on the seals' ice breeding habitat has added further urgency among the international community to calls for the hunt to end.

According to Sheryl Fink, IFAW's Campaigns Director, Canadian Wildlife, "This strong decline in the number of seals killed this season is significant, giving us confidence that an end to the commercial seal slaughter in Canada is imminent. We must however keep the pressure on and continue our collective and tireless work to end this cruel and unnecessary slaughter once and for all. We strongly urge the government of Canada to support activities in Atlantic Canada that benefit all marine wildlife, particularly the removal of lost and abandoned fishing gear and reducing marine plastic debris."

In the mid 2000s, seal hunters regularly killed around 330,000 seals a year. These figures dropped steeply however after a successful campaign by IFAW and other groups for the European Union to introduce a ban on the trade in seal products, which was passed in 2009. With a significantly reduced market for the seal skins, many seal hunters stopped taking part in the hunt. IFAW remains committed to continue working on this issue until no seals are killed in Canada for commercial reasons.

Last year IFAW reported that the number of seals killed in the decade since the EU trade ban had dropped by 91%, saving over four million seals pups from this cruel and unnecessary death.

DFO officials confirmed that a commercial hunt of both grey and adult harp seals took place in Canada this year in the Gulf of St Lawrence. However, due to the figures being extremely low, they are not being revealed for privacy reasons and are merely described as 'minimal'. In the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, where the majority of the commercial sealing usually takes place, the commercial seal hunt is not currently open. As harp seals and their pups migrate northwards to Arctic feeding grounds, the likelihood of a significant commercial hunt in Newfoundland remains low.

For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Rodger Correa via email [email protected]. Images are available on request.

Additional information:

Link to latest DFO seal hunt data found here.

About the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) - The International Fund for Animal Welfare is a global non-profit helping animals and people thrive together. We are experts and everyday people, working across seas, oceans and in more than 40 countries around the world. We rescue, rehabilitate and release animals, and we restore and protect their natural habitats. The problems we're up against are urgent and complicated. To solve them, we match fresh thinking with bold action. We partner with local communities, governments, non-governmental organisations and businesses. Together, we pioneer new and innovative ways to help all species flourish. See how at ifaw.org.

SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare

Related Links

http://www.ifaw.org


A man kicks out a storefront window during a protest Thursday in St. Paul, Minn. (Scott Olson / Getty Images)

As footage of George Floyd begging for help while he died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer continued to stoke outrage across the country, the chorus of voices condemning the killing was joined by unfamiliar allies.

Leaders of some of the largest police departments in the U.S. have spoken out this week against the officer at the center of the video, criticizing not only his tactics but also fellow officers who might seek to justify Floyd's death. It was a rare moment when police leaders were unequivocal in their public disdain for the conduct of one of their own.

New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said Thursday that the officer's actions were "deeply disturbing." Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said the footage tarnished others who wear a badge and tore "at the very fabric of race relations in this country."

Over the last two days, L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and the heads of police agencies in half a dozen other cities across the U.S. have bluntly criticized the actions of Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin.

There is no need to see more video. There [is] no need to wait to see how 'it plays out.' There is no need to put a knee on someones neck for NINE minutes," Chattanooga, Tenn., Police Chief David Roddy tweeted Wednesday. "There IS a need to DO something. If you wear a badge and you dont have an issue with this ... turn it in.

In years past, police brass might have asked for the public's patience during similar controversies or offered a refrain about the footage not telling the entire story. But law enforcement experts and criminal justice activists believe the visceral depiction of Floyd's death -- a black man beneath the knee of a white officer -- and years of demonstrations following officer-involved killings made it palatable to call out blatant misconduct.

Protesters and police face off during a rally for George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii / Star Tribune)

I think Black Lives Matter has to take credit for the consistency in which we have reminded people that black death is unacceptable, even by the police. I think there was a community response to Eric Garner, but there wasnt a political response," said Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter. "Now that theres been seven years of consistent fight back and resistance and challenge, I think people are changing. I think peoples minds are changing, hearts are changing."

Story continues

Floyd's deadly encounter with police began Monday night after he was accused of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery store.

Cellphone video of Floyd's arrest outside the business shows Chauvin driving his knee into the 46-year-old's neck as Floyd pleads that he can't breathe. After several minutes, Floyd appears to lose consciousness and a bystander can be heard yelling that Floyd's nose is bleeding. Even as paramedics arrive to check Floyd's pulse, Chauvin's knee remains positioned on the man's neck.

In an interview Thursday, Moore said the gruesome nature of the video was part of the reason he felt compelled to speak out.

The technique, the visual of an individual on the ground, apparently not offering resistance, expressing in an ongoing persistent fashion that he cant breathe, that hes having difficulties breathing," Moore said. "Hes in despair. Hes in duress."

A Minneapolis officer is shown in a video kneeling on the neck of a handcuffed man who was pleading that he could not breathe. (Darnella Frazier)

Although it's rare for sitting police chiefs to so openly criticize the actions of an officer involved in a controversial on-duty killing, it's not unheard of. In 2016, then-LAPD Chief Charlie Beck called on Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey to prosecute one of his officers for the fatal shooting of a homeless man in Venice Beach. Lacey ultimately declined to do so. Beck declined to comment on Floyd's death.

Some activists noted that even the local police union had not offered the type of spirited defense of the officers that has become commonplace during other national controversies. It signified, at least to some, a defining event in the nation's often disturbing racial climate between the police and the public.

After Tamir Rice was shot and killed in Cleveland in 2014, the head of the city's police union described the 12-year-old as "menacing." In the wake of Floyd's death, Minneapolis police union President Bob Kroll -- who called Black Lives Matter a "terrorist organization" after a prior shooting in the city, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune -- only asked for the public to wait for the completion of an "in-depth investigation."

Still, some observers noted, the litany of police leaders criticizing Chauvin's actions stopped short of calling for the officer to be prosecuted.

A protester near a burning store in Minneapolis on Wednesday night. (Associated Press)

Theres always that line. The line that keeps everything the same way," said Patricia Bynes, a former Democratic committeewoman in Ferguson, Mo., who was involved in demonstrations after the shooting death of Michael Brown in 2014.

But Bynes also believes sustained demonstrations like those in Ferguson helped create an atmosphere drastically different from the one she faced in Missouri years ago.

"Youve got these politically correct things, where its now OK to say this," Bynes said. "Because back in Ferguson, you didnt even say this much about whats going on."

In Minneapolis, echoes of Ferguson could be felt through a chaotic night of protests that ended with looting and buildings burning. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called in the National Guard on Thursday as he braced for another night of potential chaos.

Demonstrators in Minneapolis have made clear that they will not accept anything short of a prosecution.

"There is ample probable cause to arrest them. Had community members engaged in the violence these officers engaged in, they would already have been arrested," said Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality. "The fact that these dangerous men are free to roam the streets is indicative of the special treatment they are being given as cops."

Twyana Balla, a 38-year-old black woman who owned one of the businesses damaged during Wednesday's demonstrations, said condemnations from the city's mayor and other national police leaders rang empty as long as Chauvin remained free, she said.

Were wondering why are you sitting home? You caused all of this, she said.

Asked why he had upbraided the officer's actions but stopped short of calling for a prosecution, Moore said he didn't feel qualified to speak for a district attorney.

I dont know Minnesota law, what constitutes criminal homicide, what constitutes manslaughter. Thats not my area of expertise or understanding," he said. "What I speak from is 38, going on 39, years of law enforcement experience.... I believe that I can see and recognize to me what appears to be a lack of humanity, a lack of compassion."

The police leaders speaking out from thousands of miles away and demonstrators marching through Minneapolis at least seemed to agree on one thing: A life was taken for no reason.

"Do not defend the undefendable, attempt to justify the unjustifiable or excuse the inexcusable," Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina tweeted Thursday. "George Floyd should be alive today."

Queally reported from Los Angeles and Hennessy-Fiske from Minneapolis. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
AKRON, Ohio  An 18-year-old male was wounded in the leg in a shooting in the West Akron neighborhood, according to police.

Officers were called to the 800 block of Work Drive at about 10 p.m. Wednesday for a report of shots fired. A 24-year-old woman tells police that a man she is acquainted with began firing at her as she walked her dogs.

The woman was not injured, but the teen had to be taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center. Police say his injury was not life-threatening.

The suspect, who is 32 to 35 years old, remains at-large. The incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information can call detectives at 330-375-2490 or Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS. Text TIPSCO with tips to 274637. Callers can remain anonymous.

Read more from cleveland.com:

Duo arrested in SUV connected to violent crimes in Cleveland after 14-mile police chase that started at Edgewater Beach

Man shot to death in school parking lot in Clevelands Tremont neighborhood

Man shot in Clevelands West Boulevard neighborhood dies, police say

DNA links man to beating death of woman found stuffed in Cleveland church stairwell in 2018, court records say
A father who shook his baby because he would not settle at night has pleaded guilty to manslaughter after the boy died from his injuries a year later.

South Australian man Brandon Lee Harris, 23, was jailed for four years with a non-parole period of 18 months for the aggravated assault of his son Kobe in May 2018.

Kobe died from his injuries in August last year after being kept on life support. His father was rearrested in prison and charged with manslaughter three months later.

Harris will face sentencing submissions in the Supreme Court in June.

Brandon Lee Harris (pictured), 23, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter after he shook his son so hard he later died from critical injuries

The baby was initially taken to the emergency room at Kadina, in the Yorke Peninsula, where Harris told a nurse his son was 'breathing funny'.

Kobe was taken to see a doctor who noted he was suffering from dilated pupils, irregular breathing and a bruise to the wrist.

The infant was admitted to the Wallaroo hospital, where he was placed on emergency neo-natal resuscitation and suffered seizures.

He was transferred to the Womens and Childrens Hospital where a pediatrician found he had suffered 'significant neurological impairment'.

The same doctor discovered Kobe had haemorrhaging, swelling and bleeding on the brain consistent with the baby being forcefully shaken.

He was left with several critical injuries including brain damage, severe spastic quadriplegia, epilepsy and blindness, The Advertiser reports.

Harris (pictured) initially said baby Kobe had smacked his head on a chair by throwing himself backwards, but later admitted to shaking his son when he would not settle

Harris initially said the baby had thrown himself backwards during a feed and hit his head on the arm of a chair but later admitted shaking the baby twice when he would not settle at night.

Harris, who has worked as a cleaner, also said he had shoved a bottle into the baby's mouth in frustration and may have caused an injury to his tongue and lip as well as his collarbone.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated recklessly causing serious harm, and that court case was finalised while the baby was still alive.

During his initial sentencing in July last year, District Court Judge Rauf Soulio accepted Harris was genuinely remorseful and did not intend to harm his child but had nevertheless failed as a parent.

'Given the babys age he was most vulnerable,' he said.

'As a father it was your duty to care and protect him from harm, not to cause him harm.'
Paz Ellis just released her latest masterpiece Plantains and the Seven Plagues: A Memoir: Half-Dominican, Half-Cuban, and Full Life Second Edition On Amazon. With the spectacular success of her book's first release, this is finally available in its second edition, with a possibility of more books to come in the future. This memoir talks about "cross-cultural and trans-generational journey" and coming of age.

Many could relate to the part where it tells about the strong family ties amongst migrant families during the 70s and 80s. The book pertains to life living in West New York, New Jersey. The book's realistic approach to adjustment and society is strikingly relatable to the readers. The expectations meet reality plots about living the American life is also a fact that many migrants experience. The challenges with keeping up with the roots of her Cuban and Dominican ancestry gives a clear view of what it means to lead a "multi-hyphenated" life as a Hispanic who migrated to the United States. It is also an eye-opener to the living struggles of all migrant workers and their families. It strikes as very reminiscent of the financial challenges and employment opportunities of keeping up with the basic needs of a family.

The reviews garnered a 4.7 stars rating. It really catches the attention and a full-on page-turner. The funny and realistic plot about the obsessive cleaning rituals of moms to common tinkering habits of fathers, yes, all the Hispanic families have that. This book beautifully explains what living a hyphenated-life means for so many Hispanics. The journey depicted in this book is not just about identity. It is seeing the world and finding the definition of "embracing changes".

A reader named Mary left a captivating review "Excellent reading. Having grown up in West New York during the '70s and '80s, the author took me back in time. Her description of apartment living back then was on point.....though I did not move around as much as her. I also remember family trips to the Jersey Shore and fishing on the Belmar waters as well as trips to El Fanguito (Wolves Pond Park on Staten Island). I am a white Cuban male who is married to a feisty Dominican woman....much like Paz Ellis' parents. Being an avid reader, I truly enjoyed this work. Highly recommended."

Picking up this book makes you realize that it's not just a good read. It gives you a self-realization that despite the many racial challenges out there, the employment struggles, and the health problems we are having now, there are still a lot of things to celebrate. It makes you appreciate and love what you have now and feel thankful for everything. It also encourages you to be more and to find your identity. After all, a good book is the one that moves and inspires you. The second edition of Plantains and the Seven Plagues: A Memoir: Half-Dominican, Half-Cuban, and Full Life is now available for in paperback and ebook form on Amazon and other book retailers nationwide.
Uber driver Andrew Pound loves the vibrancy of Tauranga city.

Once a Baptist minister, he has been with Uber since the company began in the Bay of Plenty more than two years ago and enjoys seeing whats happening around the city as he takes passengers, dinners and diners to their destinations.

I took my wife on an overseas trip about four years ago. We did nine countries in nine weeks, finishing with a cruise in the Mediterranean and had a magnificent time. As part of that we used Uber for the first time in the United States and Italy. I was very intrigued and quizzed the drivers deeply, asking them all sorts of questions. I thought if it ever comes to Tauranga, I might even consider doing it.

Sure enough, a few months later, I heard Uber was starting here.

On his final day working at an English language school, Uber launched in Tauranga.

I had imagined that I might turn on Uber and catch a ride on the way home. As it turned out I had some software problems, so I started two days later.

He collects and delivers Uber Eats but prefers to drive people and loves to work at night.

With COVID-19 there were massively reduced numbers of people for nights. Im doing days at the moment, until things really step up again, especially in terms of the nightlife, with people visiting each other and socialising.

Its a whole different world out there at night, its very peaceful. Youve got the roads to yourself and see an entirely different set of people, like the bakers who start work at one in the morning. Night has a different charm to it.

The retired Baptist minister of 20 years spent five years school teaching, followed by five years as a Baptist minister in Oamaru and 15 years at Westgate Baptist in Auckland.

The ministry was the first thing I really wanted to do. But Kay and I also had a dream of doing something together at some point in our life.

The couple took up a position as managers at Chosen Valley Christian Camp with 150 beds, nine staff, two chefs, and 6500 people through per year. After Kay became unwell, they resigned, with Andrew moving on to a manager role at the language school.

As well as his driving, they also now run a retreat at their Tauranga home for people suffering burn-out.

We've been doing that for five years now. People come and stay with us for whatever period of time they need. They just become part of the family and we cook for them and they live with us.

He enjoys the flexibility of being an Uber driver, being able to get his hair cut and meet Kay for coffee before heading back to the road again to pick up the next passenger.

Last year I took six weeks off, cut down trees on the property and cleaned out the garage.

He finds he gets to know some passengers very well after driving for them many times.

You get fabulously qualified people sometimes. The jobs they have are just amazing, some jobs that I never knew existed. Some people are very, very entertaining - the stories they tell, the things they're into, the experiences they've had around the world. Its just an awful lot of fun.
Joel Edgerton knew there was something special about Animal Kingdom while he was making it  but he had no idea it would become one of the most acclaimed Australian movies of all time or launch so many of its key cast and crew internationally.

"It was special in that I was making a film with a really, really close friend," he says, referring to writer-director David Michod, with whom he reteamed on last years Netflix feature The King. "There was a pride attached to it. I was only on it for two weeks and I remember feeling jealous because I couldnt stick around for longer. But you cant really hang around on a movie set if youre not needed."

Writer-director David Michod with Jacki Weaver on the set of Animal Kingdom in 2009. Credit:Tony Mott

This Sunday, Edgerton, Michod and fellow star of the gritty crime drama, Ben Mendelsohn, will revisit the movie and the life-changing impact it had on so many careers in a free virtual interactive Q&A to mark the 10th anniversary of its release.

For Michod, it is likely to be a bitter-sweet experience. "I cant bear looking at my films, they just make me squirm," he says from the Sunshine Coast hinterland in Queensland, where he is recovering from an operation to repair a badly broken wrist (he fell off a ladder while trying to pull weeds from a tree).
Certain revenues are restricted to specific uses but the council has the ability to loosen those limits, she said. For example, the council could reallocate unused special events money to expand social service programs or create relief funds for local businesses, she said.
United Nations, May 29 : United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday said that attention should be given to increasing risk of nuclear proliferation and the lawlessness of cyberspace, while the international community has been fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our world is afflicted by enormous fragilities: weak health systems; runaway climate change; unsustainable levels of inequality. We see other signs of this fragility everywhere, from the increasing risk of nuclear proliferation to the lawlessness of cyberspace," Guterres said at a virtual press conference on High-level Event on Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond, Xinhua reported.

"Ignoring these warning signs is senseless arrogance. Existential threats demand humility, unity and solidarity," the UN chief noted.

"We cannot contemplate a return to the same failed priorities and systems. We must invest in a sustainable and inclusive recovery," he added.

The secretary-general said that he was encouraged to see 50 heads of state and government, the leaders of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Institute for International Finance, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the special envoys of the United Nations and the African Union and others - "the largest gathering of leaders since the pandemic began - coming together around joint solutions to the crisis caused by the pandemic." The UN chief noted that "this pandemic is reminding us that the important things in life require investment - in people; in physical and mental wellbeing; in protecting our environment and in combating inequalities, including gender inequality." "The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change address precisely the failures that are being exposed and exploited by COVID-19," Guterres said.

Convened by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, and the UN chief, the virtual event aims to advance concrete solutions to the development emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ex-FSB officers charged with $2 mln embezzlement and robbery go on trial

 TASS, Vitaly Nevar

11:19 29/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 29 (RAPSI)  Ex-officers of the Federal Security Service (FSB) charged with assault related to robbery and embezzlement of 136 million rubles (about $2 million) will stand trial in the Moscow District Military Court, the courts press service has told RAPSI.

Hearing on the extension of detention of the defendants is scheduled for June 2.

There are 8 defendants in the case. According to investigators, on June 10, 2019, under the pretense of active search measures the accused persons stole at least 136 million rubles (over $2 million) from an office of the bank Metallurg. Muscovite Alexander Yumaranov was recognized as victim in the case.
Russian officials have said the countrys coronavirus death toll is so low that it is a miracle. But after weeks of scrutiny, Moscow health authorities now say they have improved their count and found that more than twice as many people died in the Russian capital in April as they initially reported.

The new figures, announced by Moscows municipal health department late Thursday, are a retreat from strident denunciations Russian officials had issued against news organizations that had questioned the official numbers.

Under the new revision, health officials said 1,561 people died in the capital with coronavirus in April, more than twice the previous number of 639. The new counting methodology includes fatal diseases accelerated by the coronavirus as a catalyst but not necessarily directly caused by it, the statement said.

The health department said that even with the new numbers, far fewer people have died of coronavirus in Moscow as a proportion of known cases than in other countries, a measure known as the case-fatality rate. Moscows case-fatality rate in April was still undeniably lower than Londons or New York Citys, it said.

But the case-fatality rate is a flawed way to compare cities, researchers say, because it is highly dependent on the level of testing. As more cases are confirmed, the rate shrinks. Russia has tested more aggressively than many other countries, performing 10 million tests nationwide.

Until now, Russia had adopted a different standard of what counts as a coronavirus death than the United States and Western Europe. Even if a patient tested positive for Covid-19, some death reports gave a narrower cause of death, researchers say. Russia carries out autopsies on all those who die and has argued that this gives a more precise accounting the cause of death.

Moscows number of deaths from all causes saw a significant spike in April. But it was not anywhere near the levels seen in the hardest-hit cities in Europe, Latin America and the United States. With 387,623 infections as of Friday, Russia has the third-largest known outbreak after the United States and Brazil.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications Dan Scavino, left, has been reported to have the most influence on President Trump's Twitter account of anyone else in the West Wing.

AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

President Donald Trump's political weapon of choice is his personal Twitter account, @realDonaldTrump.

Trump has escalated tensions with Twitter this week, threatening an executive order to "regulate, or close them down" after a fact-check was slapped on one of his tweets where he made false claims about voting by mail.

The @POTUS handle is also at Trump's disposal, but the official account mostly just retweets some of the content coming from @realDonaldTrump.

The Hatch Act and federal records laws detail procedures over social media use for federal officials, but the method for why the POTUS account retweets some of Trump's personal tweets but not others remains unclear.

"The White House complies with the relevant records laws, including as they apply to social media platforms," White House Deputy Press Secretary Judson Deere told Insider.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump has had a wild week on Twitter, but it would be hard to tell if you have only been following the president's official account.

Trump's main newsmaking tool is his longstanding personal account, @realDonaldTrump.

He has always been a prolific tweeter, but this week the president escalated his attacks on Twitter as a company.

But few of the president's most controversial tweets  including his recent false claims about voting by mail, which Twitter fact checked, and his baseless insinuations that MSNBC's Joe Scarborough is a murderer  can be found on the official POTUS account.

Under then-President Barack Obama, the @POTUS account was used for official administration communiques and announcements, while Obama's personal account was used more sparingly for campaign and family-related content.

Under Trump, the @POTUS account is mostly reserved for selective retweets of @realDonaldTrump.

The White House did not explain why when Insider asked what the procedures are.

Story continues

"The White House complies with the relevant records laws, including as they apply to social media platforms," White House Deputy Press Secretary Judson Deere told Insider.

The vague response underscores the mystique and lack of structure surrounding Trump's Twitter use.

An AI bot named Margaret uses syntax and other inputs to estimate whether Trump is composing or dictating the tweets, or whether a staffer composed them.

Dan Scavino, the White House deputy chief of staff for communications, is reported to have the most access and influence over the president's twitter account aside from Trump himself. Deere did not answer whether Scavino is involved with what the POTUS account retweets.

The distinction between the official and personal accounts is important when it comes to both the Hatch Act and the Presidential Records Act.

Under the Hatch Act, federal officials from members of Congress to White House staffers cannot use their offices  and, by extension, their official social media accounts  for campaign-related messaging. This gets tricky when it comes to the bully pulpit of the presidency.

As for the Presidential Records Act, meticulous procedures are in place to preserve internal and external communications  which is what Deere was referring to.

Yet the POTUS account does not retweet all of Trump's personal tweets, and has demonstrated a pattern of omitting many of Trump's most controversial ones from its feed.

The distinction between personal and official government accounts has caused issues for other high profile political tweeters, such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

Ocasio-Cortez settled a lawsuit after blocking a critic from her personal account, @AOC. First Amendment scholars have argued it's unconstitutional for government officials to block anyone for expressing a point of view, even if said blocking occurs on a personal social media page instead of an official one.

A court ruled that Trump cannot block people from his personal account last July.

For now, the broader distinctions between the president's Twitter pages beyond blocking remain unclear.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Bhubaneswar, May 29 : The Odisha government on Friday announced a special package to provide employment opportunities for migrant workers and people affected due to Covid-19 pandemic in the rural areas.

The council of ministers' meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, approved the package named Special Livelihood Intervention Plan.

Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said the livelihood intervention package will be implemented from June 2020 to March 2021 as the public health crisis has led to an economic crisis in the rural areas.

The plan is aimed at generating employment in rural areas through sectors like agriculture, fisheries, animal resources development, MGNREGS, forest and handlooms and handicrafts.

Under the package, the government would provide assistance to the farmers for various crop cultivation including flower, mushroom, and plantation of fruit-bearing trees.

The Chief Secretary said about 2 lakh farmers would be assisted for plantation of fruit-bearing trees including mangoes in the state while women self-help groups will be provided assistance for mushroom cultivation.

The Odisha government also announced two industrial parks of 1,000 acres each at Dhamra in Bhadrak district and another in Dhenkanal district with an investment of about Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 crore each.

A textile park will be set up at Dhamra, which will provide employment opportunities for 20,000 people. A medical park will be set up at Dhenkanal, which will create job opportunities for 16,000 people, said the Chief Secretary.
Jammu: A massive fire that engulfed a large forest stretch at Mendhar in Balakote sector in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district along the Line of Control triggered several landmines to explode, which were planted to prevent infiltration from across the border, officials said on Friday (May 29).

According to reports, the fire was started by Pakistan on Thursday (May 28) evening at the Line of Control which gradually spread to Indian territory. The fire broke out in Baba Khori and Kalal areas of Nowshera division along the LoC.

According to intelligence agencies, in order to push its terrorists across the Line of Control, Pakistan resorts to putting the forest area cover on the LoC on fire every year during summer, a covert infiltration bid that always gets foiled by the Indian Army.

Meanwhile, in a major breakthrough in the recently foiled Pulwama-style car bombing case, the J&K Police has identified the owner of the explosives-laden car which was intercepted by the security forces in Pulwama thus averting a major attack.

He has been identified as Hidayatullah Malik. According to the J&K Police, Malik is a resident of Shopian and had joined the Pakistan-backed terror group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in July 2019. He is being interrogated for more leads.

It may be recalled that on May 28, an improvised explosive device (IED) was recovered from a Santro car in Ayengund area of Rajpora in south Kashmirs Pulwama district. The IED was defused successfully by the bomb disposal squad and a major attack was averted.
MINNEAPOLIS, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Candidate Daniel McCarthy returns to Minneapolis, having served as an Army Major, entrepreneur, civil rights attorney, immigration policy analyst and refugee officer.

On 6/2/20, McCarthy holds a post-filing presser at Daymark Homes, 1477 W. Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN in the 6th Floor club room at 2 pm.

Daniel McCarthy will make himself available for candid, in-depth answers to questions. He'll also feature a poetry-slam rendition of his campaign platform. In that sense, attendance can serve as a form of honoring this candidate's namesake, Minnesota's late US Senator and poet, Eugene McCarthy.

Given the interior space involved, current imperatives of social distancing, and an unpredictable response level from the media community, this event is not open to the general public. Be amongst the first to learn the story of a "renaissance man" whose career trajectory hit multiple setbacks incident to adult ADHD.

McCarthy also sponsors this event to mark his resumption of Minnesota residency after driving in last week from his retirement venue of San Francisco. The event site doubles as not only a club room, but a fitness center as well - which has further resonance given the host's lifelong devotion to heavy physical exercise.

Working on his own memoir (congruent with the one Rep. Omar has just published), McCarthy is eager to talk about both sides of the parallel he has inhabited as a near-perfect foil to the incumbent Congresswoman. As a former civil servant of senior rank, he believes he can offer timely insights on how the federal pandemic response went so wrong. From his personal experience as a criminal defense lawyer and a strong sense of rule-of-law integrity, McCarthy is keen to speak out on the killing of George Floyd - not to mention his singular views on war and peace, immigration and hyper-partisanship, among many other topics.

Other elements of McCarthy's bio include a 1994 Congressional bid in Minnesota's old 6th District (which includes the part of the current 5th District where he then lived), getting called up for Desert Storm and doing staff work for the post-Vietnam Presidential Clemency Board. The last time he ran for Congress in the Twin Cities area McCarthy garnered 30% of the vote in a three-way primary.

There's a new report of damage to the event site last Wednesday night - incident to unrest over Monday's police killing just miles away. The presser will proceed, not despite this, but because of it. Having drawn danger pay while interviewing refugees in unstable areas of Cote d'Ivoire and Chad (during his 2008 - 2010 posting in Ghana), McCarthy will run risks on important missions.

Media Contact:

Daniel McCarthy

312.898.0377

[email protected]

SOURCE McCarthy for Congress
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham repeated his stance that the federal government should end extra unemployment benefits for workers out of a job because of the coronavirus pandemic, describing the benefits as a hindrance to reopening Charleston's economy.

Workers in the region's hospitality and tourism sectors must return to work as soon as possible, Graham said Friday during a stop at the Medical University of South Carolina.

More generous benefits given to the unemployed during COVID-19 are holding back efforts to revitalize the local economy, he said.

"I saw this coming from day one," Graham said. "If you pay someone $23 an hour not to work, they're going to take you up on it."

Graham is advocating for an end to the additional $600 per week the federal government tacked on to every qualifying American's unemployment benefits. The extra payment is set to expire at the end of July.

Graham spoke in Charleston where he and MUSC leadership met to discuss statewide improvements to internet. Such improvements could help medical providers like MUSC extend their virtual health care into more remote parts of the state.

At one point during the pandemic, three-quarters of the tourism workforce was not working, according to one survey.

Willis Cantey, chairman of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and CEO of Cantey Tech Consulting, said the additional unemployment benefits have "made it very difficult to bring in employees."

"We want to make sure that we get that under control," he said.

Graham, who faces three GOP challengers in the June 9 primary but is on the more likely duel path against Democratic contender Jaime Harrison in November, also acknowledged some businesses won't be able to bounce back.

The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce has already instructed companies to report any employees who decline to return to work, if offered their jobs back. Those people are then removed from the unemployment rolls.

Roughly 240,000 South Carolinians were still seeking jobless benefits as of May 16, a little less than half of the peak number of workers who filed a claim since mid-March. Figures released Thursday showed that nearly 25,000 sidelined workers statewide filed a new request for unemployment aid between May 17 and May 23.

Ultimately, MUSC laid off 1,200 workers. It has been able to bring back 300 of those employees so far, MUSC Health CEO Dr. Pat Cawley said.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has made its CH-47 Chinook helicopters operational in the strategic Eastern Air Command.

The deployment of the high-end helicopters comes at a time India and China are engaged in a major standoff in Ladakh.

CH-47 Chinook advanced multi-mission helicopters are operational in Eastern Air Command & are being utilized in the service of Nation. Based at Air Force Station, Mohanbari in Dibrugarh district of Upper Assam, they will provide IAF the unmatched strategic airlift capability across the full spectrum of combat & humanitarian missions, Shillong-based defence spokesman Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh said.

These are modern helicopters. Not only can they fly at high altitudes compared to existing assets such as Mi-17, but they can also carry more loads, Singh said.

The Mi-17 can carry 24 passengers and even small vehicles. It has a 4,000 kg internal payload capacity. In contrast, the Chinook helicopter can load around 22,000lb (10,000 kg) of freight or 55 fully armed troops.

Given the treacherous terrains in the Northeast, particularly the Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh, the deployment of the Chinook helicopters is being seen as the capacity build-up and boosting of assets.

One such helicopter had on Thursday dispatched essential commodities in the remote Vijoynagar circle of Changlang district. Bound on three sides by Myanmar, Vijoynagar is one of the remotest parts of India. The 16 villages there have a combined population of around 4,500.

There goes Chinook Helicopter of @IAF_MCC carrying 83 quintals of essential commodities for remote Vijoynagar in Changlang dist from Miao today. Thankfully the weather cleared enabling essential items to be delivered to the needy in this pandemic, completing days task in 2 sorties, Chief Minister Pema Khandu had tweeted.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

29 May 2020 LSE: PDL

Petra Diamonds Limited

("Petra" or the "Company" or the "Group")

Q3 FY 2020 Trading Update and Liquidity Update



Petra Diamonds Limited announces the following Trading Update (unaudited) for the three months ended 31 March 2020 (the "Period", "Q3 FY 2020" or "Q3") and the nine months ending 31 March 2020 ("9M FY 2020").

The Company is also providing a further update in relation to liquidity, its capital structure, projected capex and its discussions with relevant financial stakeholders.



Summary

Q3 and 9M FY 2020

9M FY 2020 Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate ("LTIFR"): 0.27 ( 9M FY 2019: 0.19); considerable focus on curtailing the increasing LTIFR via comprehensive safety intervention initiatives which have seen a reduction in LTIFR recorded so far in Q4 FY 2020. Total injuries, including those that did not result in a lost shift, for 9M FY 2020 reduced by 26%.

FY 2020 Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate ("LTIFR"): 0.27 ( FY 2019: 0.19); considerable focus on curtailing the increasing LTIFR via comprehensive safety intervention initiatives which have seen a reduction in LTIFR recorded so far in Q4 FY 2020. Total injuries, including those that did not result in a lost shift, for FY 2020 reduced by 26%. Q3 production up 1% to 932,456 carats (Q3 FY 2019: 924,228 carats) notwithstanding the COVID-19 lockdown measures implemented in South Africa from 23 March 2020 .

from . 9M FY 2020 production up 2% to 3,002,697 carats ( 9M FY 2019: 2,943,374), demonstrating the delivery of significant throughput benefits realised through the implementation of Project 2022, offset by the disruptions to production relating to Eskom load shedding during Q2 FY 2020 and the COVID-19 lockdown measures towards the end of Q3.

FY 2020 production up 2% to 3,002,697 carats ( FY 2019: 2,943,374), demonstrating the delivery of significant throughput benefits realised through the implementation of Project 2022, offset by the disruptions to production relating to Eskom load shedding during Q2 FY 2020 and the COVID-19 lockdown measures towards the end of Q3. Q3 revenue down 32% to US$91.3 million (Q3 FY 2019: US$135.2 million ), with the March 2020 tender being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Post Period end, a follow-up tender in Antwerp realised US$6.3 million with rough diamond prices for the combined March / April tenders down ca. 27% compared to February 2020 prices. Ca. 24kcts, being 5% of the volume of goods offered for sale and comprising predominantly higher-value goods, remain unsold, further impacting prices realised, and will be offered for sale in the next tender cycle.

(Q3 FY 2019: ), with the tender being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Post Period end, a follow-up tender in realised with rough diamond prices for the combined March / April tenders down ca. 27% compared to prices. Ca. 24kcts, being 5% of the volume of goods offered for sale and comprising predominantly higher-value goods, remain unsold, further impacting prices realised, and will be offered for sale in the next tender cycle. 9M FY 2020 revenue down 17% to US$285.2 million ( 9M FY 2019: US$342.4 million ) due to weaker prices and lower sales in the March tender.

FY 2020 revenue down 17% to ( FY 2019: ) due to weaker prices and lower sales in the March tender. Net debt at 31 March of US$601.0 million ( 31 December 2019 : US$596.4 million ).

( : ). Unrestricted cash of US$64.2 million ( 31 December 2019 : US$40.1 million ), including US$28.0 million further to the Company drawing down shortly before Period end the full ZAR500 million under its working capital facilities ( 31 December 2019 : nothing drawn under the bank facilities).

( : ), including further to the Company drawing down shortly before Period end the full under its working capital facilities ( : nothing drawn under the bank facilities). ZAR:USD exchange rate volatility continued during the Period, averaging R14.92/ USD1 but closing the Period at ZAR17.84 / USD1 ; the weakening ZAR is partially offsetting some of the price weakness realised through diamond sales.

Outlook

Post the lockdown that came into effect on 26 March 2020 , the Company's South African operations were reduced to approximately one third of normal operating levels. From around 24 April 2020 to date, the South African mines have been operating at staffing levels of no more than 50%, in accordance with the Department of Minerals and Energy ("DMRE") guidelines.

, the Company's South African operations were reduced to approximately one third of normal operating levels. From around to date, the South African mines have been operating at staffing levels of no more than 50%, in accordance with the Department of Minerals and Energy ("DMRE") guidelines. From 1 June 2020 , South Africa will be moving to Level 3 restrictions, which will allow for a further easing of restrictions and a subsequent increase in production. The Company is in discussions with the DMRE and organised labour around further increasing production, safely and in accordance with COVID-19 regulations.

, will be moving to Level 3 restrictions, which will allow for a further easing of restrictions and a subsequent increase in production. The Company is in discussions with the DMRE and organised labour around further increasing production, safely and in accordance with COVID-19 regulations. The Williamson mine in Tanzania remains under care and maintenance and recommencement of operations is dependent on improved market conditions and rough diamond pricing.

remains under care and maintenance and recommencement of operations is dependent on improved market conditions and rough diamond pricing. Due to ongoing uncertainty around the impact of COVID-19, production guidance for FY 2020 remains suspended.

Given the level of global restrictions on the movement of people and goods affecting the entire diamond supply pipeline, the Company cancelled its sixth annual tender cycle, which is usually held during May. Petra is assessing the viability of conducting a tender during June 2020 as the Antwerp diamond market is showing signs of reopening. However, we expect prices to remain subdued until such time as activity levels across the pipeline are able to increase in a safe manner.

as the diamond market is showing signs of reopening. However, we expect prices to remain subdued until such time as activity levels across the pipeline are able to increase in a safe manner. In response to the impact of COVID-19 on the business, and taking into consideration the ongoing discussions with its various stakeholders in relation to the Company's capital structure, the Company has taken steps to optimise its future capex profile in order to minimise short-term capital requirements and manage its liquidity through the crisis period. This has led to a significantly reduced level of capital provisionally planned for FY 2021 of ca. US$28 million , which has been achieved through some capital savings, but largely deferrals to future periods as set out in the 'Longer-term Capital Guidance' section of the announcement.

, which has been achieved through some capital savings, but largely deferrals to future periods as set out in the 'Longer-term Capital Guidance' section of the announcement. The Company has reached agreement with its South African lender group regarding the conditions upon which ZAR400 million of its ZAR1.0 billion revolving credit facility is to be made available in order to manage near-term liquidity risks arising from the unprecedented operating and trading environment.

of its revolving credit facility is to be made available in order to manage near-term liquidity risks arising from the unprecedented operating and trading environment. The Company has also reached agreement with the South African BEE lender group to reschedule the capital repayments due in May 2020 and November 2020 under the Company's outstanding bank financing of its Black Economic Empowerment partners.

and under the Company's outstanding bank financing of its Black Economic Empowerment partners. Finally, Petra has today entered into a forbearance agreement (the "Forbearance Agreement") with the ad-hoc group of holders (the "AHG") of the Company's US$650 million 7.25% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2022 (the "Notes"). Pursuant to the Forbearance Agreement, the AHG has agreed to forbear from the exercise of certain rights and remedies that they have under the Notes indenture, including agreeing not to accelerate the Notes obligations as a result of the missed interest payment due 1 May 2020 . As a result, the Company will not make the interest payment at the present time and will be in a strong position in the near term, to continue discussions with its various stakeholders regarding strategic alternatives towards longer term solutions to improve the Company's capital structure.

7.25% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2022 (the "Notes"). Pursuant to the Forbearance Agreement, the AHG has agreed to forbear from the exercise of certain rights and remedies that they have under the Notes indenture, including agreeing not to accelerate the Notes obligations as a result of the missed interest payment due . As a result, the Company will not make the interest payment at the present time and will be in a strong position in the near term, to continue discussions with its various stakeholders regarding strategic alternatives towards longer term solutions to improve the Company's capital structure. The agreements with the lender groups referenced above and the Forbearance Agreement are subject to certain conditions, which are set out in the 'Liquidity and Capital Structure' section of the announcement.



Q3 and 9M FY 2020 Production and Sales - Summary

Unit Q3

FY 2020 Q3

FY 2019 Variance Nine months to 31 March 2020 Nine months to 31 March 2019 Variance Sales Diamonds sold Carats 1,082,937 1,061,343 2% 2,826,744 2,797,700 1% Gross revenue US$M 91.3 135.2 -32% 285.2 342.4 -17% Production ROM tonnes Mt 3.2 3.4 -5% 10.2 9.8 5% Tailings & other1 tonnes Mt 0.2 0.3 -50% 0.7 1.3 -51% Total tonnes treated Mt 3.4 3.7 -9% 10.9 11.1 -2% ROM diamonds Carats 913,017 898,517 2% 2,908,529 2,845,234 2% Tailings & other1 diamonds Carats 19,439 25,711 -24% 94,168 98,140 -4% Total diamonds Carats 932,456 924,228 1% 3,002,697 2,943,374 2%

'Other' includes alluvial diamond mining at Williamson.



Richard Duffy, Chief Executive of Petra Diamonds, commented:

"Our operations continued their strong H1 performance into Q3, in large part due to the delivery of throughput benefits further to the positive implementation of Project 2022, prior to the disruptions caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. We continued to prioritise the safety and health of our workforce in implementing prescribed COVID-19 measures as we moved the South African mines to operating at 50% of our workforce and will continue to carefully manage the increase towards full production over time.

Although restrictions brought about by lockdowns implemented globally resulted in the cancellation of our May tender, we are seeing early signs of markets re-opening and are looking at the viability of holding a June tender. We intend to remain highly flexible in our sales approach in order to take advantage of optimal market conditions when available.

We are also reviewing our capex requirements, with a view to deferring near term capital as one of the key levers available to the Company in terms of managing our liquidity whilst at the same time ensuring that the business remains well positioned when the market recovers over the medium to longer term.

Likewise, we have made good progress in improving our liquidity position and addressing our capital structure through securing access to R400 million of our RCF and executing the Forbearance Agreement, allowing us to withhold the May interest payment to our note holders and to continue with constructive discussions around our capital structure."



COMMENTARY

Health and safety

9M FY 2020 Group LTIFR of 0.30 ( 9M FY 2019: 0.19) impacted by eight LTI's reported during Q3. The Group recorded 16 LTI's in the nine months to June, ten of which were at Finsch where the majority of the accidents were found to be behavioural in nature and of low severity. Considerable focus has been placed on changing these behaviours through management intervention, including in-shift safety stops, visible-felt leadership and management walkabouts, safety discipline enforcement and safety inspection procedures. In Q4 so far, Finsch has recorded no further LTIs, although Cullinan has had two additional LTIs. Our primary value at Petra is "Do No Harm", meaning safety is at the heart of everything we do, and the Company is continuously aiming to improve the systems and processes already in place to support our target of a zero harm working environment.

FY 2020 Group LTIFR of 0.30 ( FY 2019: 0.19) impacted by eight LTI's reported during Q3. The Group recorded 16 LTI's in the nine months to June, ten of which were at Finsch where the majority of the accidents were found to be behavioural in nature and of low severity. Considerable focus has been placed on changing these behaviours through management intervention, including in-shift safety stops, visible-felt leadership and management walkabouts, safety discipline enforcement and safety inspection procedures. In Q4 so far, Finsch has recorded no further LTIs, although Cullinan has had two additional LTIs. Our primary value at Petra is "Do No Harm", meaning safety is at the heart of everything we do, and the Company is continuously aiming to improve the systems and processes already in place to support our target of a zero harm working environment. The health, safety and wellbeing of all Petra people remains the Company's overriding priority. While Petra's South African mines are highly mechanised underground operations, with limited human interaction, the Company has put in place stringent protocols in order to minimise the risk of COVID-19 to its employees and contractors. More information about the Company's response to the pandemic can be accessed here: https://www.petradiamonds.com/sustainability/health-and-safety/our-response-to-covid-19/

Production

South Africa:

Q3 FY 2020 production increased 1% to 932,456 carats (Q3 FY 2019: 924,228 carats), with a 2% increase in ROM production to 913,017 carats (Q3 FY 2019: 898,517 carats).

9M FY 2020 production increased 2% to 3,002,697 carats ( 9M FY 2019: 2,943,374 carats), with a 2% increase in ROM carats produced to 2,908,529 carats ( 9M FY 2019: 2,845,234 carats). This production result was achieved despite the disruptions caused by Eskom load shedding in Q2 and the COVID-19 lockdown measures implemented towards the end of Q3, demonstrating the delivery of significant throughput benefits through the proactive implementation of Project 2022.

Cullinan's Q3 production was down 7% to 400,542 carats (Q3 FY 2019: 432,001 carats) with ROM tonnes treated reducing 3%, mostly due to the lockdown towards Period end coupled with the ROM grade declining 4% to 38.5 cpht, though remaining in line with guidance, and tailings treatment being restricted to higher grade recovery tailings at much reduced throughput levels.

Finsch's Q3 production increased 15% to 444,578 carats (Q3 FY 2019: 387,370 carats), supported by improving ROM grades delivering 60.4 cpht (exceeding guidance), up 21% from the 50.1 cpht achieved in the comparative period. The improved grade is the result of only treating underground ROM tonnages and no lower grade surface material, as was the case in the comparative period.

Koffiefontein's Q3 production was in line with the prior year at 17,307 carats (Q3 FY 2019: 17,355 carats), despite being impacted by the lockdown initiated towards Period end.

Tanzania:

Williamson's Q3 production was down 20% to 70,029 carats (Q3 FY 2019: 87,503 carats), affected by the pit slump of ca. 1.3 Mt that occurred in January 2020 in an area of the south western sector of the pit.

Post Period end, the Williamson mine was placed on care and maintenance in mid-April, due to the unprecedented depressed market environment. The Company will look to resume operations once diamond prices are at a level that make it operationally sustainable.

Discussions with the Government in relation to various issues, including the overdue VAT receivables and the blocked diamond parcel, are ongoing but have been interrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Diamond market and sales

The diamond market has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, which has significantly reduced activity throughout the pipeline, from production, rough sales, trading, cutting and polishing right through to consumer sales. How quickly the market can recover will depend upon the success with which the pandemic can be arrested, thereby limiting the length and severity of the economic downturn, as well as the lifting of restrictions on the movement of people and products, in order for activities across the pipeline to be resumed safely.

There are early indications of improving market conditions in China and other Asian economies, while in the US a small number of retail outlets are beginning to reopen. In the midstream, small volumes of exports have resumed from India and buyer interest for rough diamonds in cutting centres seems to be picking up. At this stage, however, it is too early to draw firm conclusions from these developments.

and other Asian economies, while in the US a small number of retail outlets are beginning to reopen. In the midstream, small volumes of exports have resumed from and buyer interest for rough diamonds in cutting centres seems to be picking up. At this stage, however, it is too early to draw firm conclusions from these developments. The Diamond Producers Association will be playing its part to support the market by tapping into the pent-up demand for meaningful personal connections effected by the global lockdowns and self-isolation, with diamonds potentially having a significant role to play in people's lives as they emerge from this difficult period.

The major diamond producers have taken steps to restrict supply to the market, via production cuts and reduced sales, which will assist with restoring the supply/demand balance in due course. Longer-term the supply cuts implemented this year are expected to benefit the fundamentals for natural diamonds, which are an increasingly scarce resource.

Diamond Sales and Prices

Revenue for Q3 FY 2020 was down 32% to US$91.3 million (Q3 FY 2019: US$135.2 million ) driven by significantly reduced prices, especially in the March tender.

(Q3 FY 2019: ) driven by significantly reduced prices, especially in the March tender. The Company's tender in February 2020 saw pricing on a like-for-like basis up marginally in comparison to prices achieved in H1 FY 2020, reflecting stable market conditions before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold globally.

saw pricing on a like-for-like basis up marginally in comparison to prices achieved in H1 FY 2020, reflecting stable market conditions before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold globally. Towards Period end, the Company experienced depressed and opportunistic bidding for its diamonds at its fifth sales cycle of FY 2020, particularly in the larger size, better quality and higher value categories. The Company therefore chose to only sell a portion of its South African goods, representing ca. 75% by volume and ca. 50% by value. The remaining goods were exported to Antwerp and of these, ca. 75% were subsequently sold at the Company's Antwerp marketing office. Prices achieved at this tender were down ca. 27% overall on a like-for-like basis in comparison to those achieved at the February 2020 tender.

A total of 24,254 carats, comprising higher value +10.8 carat single stones as well as parcels across the larger size and higher quality (gem and clivage) ranges, were withdrawn and will be offered for sale in the next tender cycle.

Prices achieved during Q3 FY 2020 are set out in the table below, with Q3 figures impacted by the lower sales volumes than usual and the withholding of certain higher value parcels to be sold post Period end.



Mine Actual



Q3 FY 2020

(US$/ct) Actual



H1 FY 2020

(US$/ct) Actual



FY 2019

(US$/ct) Cullinan 73 112 110 Finsch 66 79 99 Koffiefontein 352 431 480 Williamson 161 184 231

The Company is closely monitoring the rough diamond market to assess the viability of conducting a rough diamond tender during the forthcoming months. Petra is maintaining a highly flexible approach in order to be ready for sale when market conditions allow. To this end, it is working towards being in a position to sell inventory prepared for sale during June 2020 in South Africa and Antwerp .

Project 2022 Update

Project 2022 is now fully operational at all of Petra's mine sites, as well as at Group level, with central teams focusing on overhead costs and strategic sourcing.

The work to date has entailed a structured assessment of the value drivers at each site. As previously noted, the focus is on throughput improvement (75% of the target), with the balance comprising cost efficiencies, strategic sourcing and one-off initiatives.

All ideas are evaluated and identified initiatives are systematically structured with timelines, enablers and project plans for each. The implementation of the identified initiatives was firmly on track but has been significantly interrupted by the COVID-19 lockdown. When operations return to full capacity, focused steps will be taken to continue the initiatives to ensure the delivery of the expected benefits.

Focus on cost and capital efficiencies continues.

Corporate and Financial

A summary of the Group's current cash, diamond inventories, debtors, borrowings and net debt is set out below.

Unit 31 March 2020 31 December 2019 30 June

2019 Closing exchange rate used for conversion R17.84:US$1 R13.99:US$1 R13.99:US$1 Cash at bank (including restricted cash) US$m 77.0 53.6 85.2 Diamond inventories1 US$m

Carats 61.3

842,144 85.2

992,425 57.5

666,201 Diamond debtors US$m 14.9 12.8 23.8 US$650 million loan notes (issued April 2017) US$m 650.0 650.0 650.0 Bank loans and borrowings US$m 28.0 0.0 0.0 Net debt2 US$m 601.0 596.4 564.8 Bank facilities undrawn and available3 US$m 22.4 107.2 106.6 Consolidated net debt3 US$m 627.0 632.9 595.2

Notes:

Recorded at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Net debt is the US$ loan notes and bank loans and borrowing net of cash at bank (including restricted cash). Of the Company's ZAR1 billion (ca. US$56.0 million ) banking facilities, ZAR400 million (ca. US$22.4 million ) is available to the Group, while ZAR600 million (ca. US$33.6 million ) is conditional on further approvals by the Lender Group - see page 9 below for further information. Consolidated Net Debt is bank loans and borrowings plus loan notes, less cash, less diamond debtors and includes the BEE guarantees of ca. US$40.9 million ( ZAR729.0 million ) as at 31 March 2020 (ca. US$49.3 million ( ZAR689.5 million ) as at 31 December 2019 ).



Longer-Term Capital Guidance

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on both the supply and demand side of the global diamond market. The national lockdown in South Africa has impacted on the ability of the business to deliver on capital programmes during the lockdown period, while currently depressed diamond prices have led us to a re-evaluation of the Company's capital planning, based on the expectation that cash flow generation will be negatively impacted over the short term. Deferral of capital was identified as one of the key levers available to manage liquidity whilst still ensuring that the business remains well positioned when markets return to pre-COVID levels over the medium to longer term.

has impacted on the ability of the business to deliver on capital programmes during the lockdown period, while currently depressed diamond prices have led us to a re-evaluation of the Company's capital planning, based on the expectation that cash flow generation will be negatively impacted over the short term. Deferral of capital was identified as one of the key levers available to manage liquidity whilst still ensuring that the business remains well positioned when markets return to pre-COVID levels over the medium to longer term. As a consequence, capital expenditure was optimised with the view to minimise FY 2021 expenditure through some capital savings, but largely through deferrals to future periods. This has led to a significantly reduced level of capital planned for FY 2021 of ca. US$28 million , with a ramp-up in following years, as evidenced in the table below setting out the Company's indicative capital profile to FY 2026. The deferral of capital will not impact the Company's reserve profile.

, with a ramp-up in following years, as evidenced in the table below setting out the Company's indicative capital profile to FY 2026. The deferral of capital will not impact the Company's reserve profile. As part of the Company's discussions with the AHG, the Company is providing the indicative longer-term capital expenditure projections below, which are based on current life-of-mine ("LOM") planning assumptions. These internal projections have not been formally approved by the Company's Board of Directors as constituting official Company forecasts, nor should they be taken as approval by the Board of the continuance of operations that the capital expenditure projections may imply.

Operation Capex Unit FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26 TOTAL Finsch Expansion $m 7 2 23 56 56 48 48 242 Sustaining $m 4 4 5 5 6 6 5 36 Total $m 11 6 29 62 63 55 54 278 Cullinan Expansion $m 13 10 31 31 36 36 6 164 Sustaining $m 4 3 8 8 8 8 8 45 Total $m 16 13 39 39 44 44 14 209 Koffiefontein Expansion $m 3 1 1 - - - - 5 Sustaining $m 1 1 1 - - - - 3 Total $m 5 2 2 - - - - 9 Williamson Expansion $m - - - - - - - - Sustaining $m 8 7 6 6 8 7 7 48 Total $m 8 7 6 6 8 7 7 48 Total Operations Expansion Capex $m 23 13 56 88 92 84 55 411 Sustaining Capex $m 16 15 20 19 22 21 20 133 Total Capex $m 39 28 76 106 114 106 75 544

Notes:

Capex guidancegiven in FY 2021 real money terms. South African operations capex guidance converted at R15.55: US$1 for FY 2020 and a real exchange rate of R16: US$1 from FY 2021 over LOM.

The revised capital profile above allows for the continuation and completion of each asset's LOM plan, including the installation of the new Block 5 Block Cave at Finsch, the CC1E project at Cullinan and the completion of the SLC at Koffiefontein. While no expansion capital is allocated to Williamson, the level of sustaining capex provided will allow for the mitigation of the pit slump in order to maintain its current mine plan, once the operation is in a position to resume production.

Further detailed market guidance, including planned production levels and operating expenditures, will be released to the market when appropriate.



Liquidity and Capital Structure

South African First Lien Banking and BEE Facilities

The Company refers to its previous market updates published on 27 March 2020, 9 April 2020 and 1 May 2020, confirming it has been in discussions with its South African lender group (the "SA Lenders"), being Absa Bank Limited (acting through its Corporate and Investment Banking division) ("Absa"), FirstRand Bank Limited (acting through its Rand Merchant Bank division) ("RMB") and Nedbank Limited, regarding the conditions (the "RCF Drawdown Conditions") upon which up to ZAR400 million of its ZAR1.0 billion revolving credit facility, as amended (the "RCF") is to be made available in order to manage near-term liquidity risks arising from the unprecedented operating and trading environment.

In addition, as part of the expected RCF Drawdown Conditions, the Company has also been in discussions with its South African BEE lender group (the "BEE Lenders"), being Absa, RMB and NinetyOne SA Proprietary Limited (previously known as Investec Asset Management Proprietary Limited), acting as agent for and on behalf of its clients, to reschedule the capital repayments due in May 2020 and November 2020 under the Company's outstanding bank financing of its Black Economic Empowerment partners (the "BEE Facilities").

Today, the Company, the SA Lenders and the BEE Lenders, have entered into an Amendment Agreement amending certain terms of the RCF, working capital facilities and BEE Facilities including:

resetting the maturity date of the RCF and the BEE Facilities to 31 July 2021 (from 20 October 2021 and 20 November 2021 , respectively);

(from and , respectively); increasing the margin under the Company's working capital facilities provided by Absa and RMB by 100 bps to match the South African prime lending rate;

re-profiling the capital payments under the BEE Facilities due on May 2020 and November 2020 to a single bullet payment on the maturity date ( 31 July 2021 ); and

and to a single bullet payment on the maturity date ( ); and the payment of fees and expenses, including a 50bps fee to the SA Lenders in connection with the BEE re-profiling, referenced against the current principal amount outstanding under the BEE Facilities.

Senior Secured Second Lien Notes

In its 1 May 2020 market update, the Company announced that the RCF Drawdown Conditions are expected to include a restriction on the Group from making interest payments on its outstanding US$650 million 7.25% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2022 (the "Notes"). Given the desire to preserve liquidity and the need to draw on the RCF (and the corresponding need to satisfy the expected RCF Drawdown Conditions), the Company decided not to make the interest payment on the Notes due 1 May 2020 (the "Interest Payment") and instead to utilise the 30-day grace period provided for under the Notes indenture to continue active discussions with an ad-hoc group of holders of the Notes holding in aggregate over 50.7% of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes (the "AHG") with a view to agreeing a forbearance agreement in relation to the missed Interest Payment.

Today, the Company entered into a Forbearance Agreement with the AHG which initially expires on 11:59 p.m. GMT on 31 August 2020 (the "Initial Expiration Date"). However, the Initial Expiration Date is automatically extended on a month-by-month basis, provided that such extension will not apply to those forbearing holders who notify the Company of their intent to withdraw from the Forbearance Agreement.

The Forbearance Agreement is subject to certain conditions, including any representation or warranty made by any Note Party under the Forbearance Agreement continuing to be true and complete in all material respects as of the date of the Forbearance Agreement. Such representations and warranties include, among others, that as at the date of the Forbearance Agreement no member of the Group holds any property, asset or right with a market value in excess of US$5.0 million which is not subject to valid and effective security in favour of the Security SPV (under the Indenture) other than (i) the properties, assets and mining right of Williamson Diamonds Limited, (ii) assets of Petra Diamonds Belgium BVBA which will be subject to further security to be granted in favour of the Note holders and the SA Lenders and (iii) any restricted cash held in the Petra Guardrisk rehabilitation account by Guardrisk for the purposes of rehabilitation provisioning.

The Forbearance Agreement is subject to further conditions, including (i) the availability of the ZAR400 million under the RCF, (ii) the delivery of an irrevocable drawdown request for ZAR400 million under the RCF by no later than 15 June 2020, (iii) the maintenance by the company of an actual and forecasted balance in cash and cash equivalents of at least ZAR100 million and not less than ZAR200 million for 10 consecutive days, (iv) restrictions on payments of capital expenditure in relation to the Company's South African operations in excess of ZAR175 million during the period commencing on 1 June 2020 and ending on 30 September 2020, (v) additional restrictions on the incurrence of additional secured debt (other than in respect of certain local working capital financing lines incurred by non-Guarantor subsidiaries and permitted under the Notes Indenture up to a maximum of US$25 million that is non-recourse to the wider Group in terms of credit support and security, and (vi) compliance with certain milestones and obligations in relation to the ongoing discussions with stakeholders regarding the Company's long-term capital structure, including the presentation of a draft term sheet setting out the proposed terms of a capital restructuring plan setting out the terms of the restructured capital structure of the Group by no later than 30 June 2020.

Pursuant to the Forbearance Agreement, the AHG has agreed to forbear from the exercise of certain rights and remedies that they have under the Notes indenture, including agreeing not to accelerate the Notes obligations as a result of the missed Interest Payment. As a result, the Company will not make the Interest Payment at the present time.

The effectiveness of each of the RCF amendments, the BEE Facilities payment re-profiling and the AHG forbearance are subject to certain conditions, including where applicable, the payment of certain customary fees and expenses. It is expected that as soon as practicable upon satisfaction and/or waiver of such conditions, the Company will drawdown in full the ZAR400 million available under its RCF. It is anticipated that with its immediate liquidity needs addressed, the Company will be in a strong position in the near term to continue discussions with its various stakeholders regarding strategic alternatives towards longer term solutions to improve the Company's capital structure.

Petra Diamonds Belgium BVBA

In connection with the Amendment Agreement, Petra Diamonds Belgium BVBA will accede as a guarantor under the Company's South African banking and BEE facilities as well as the Notes and will grant security over its cash and receivables in favour of the SA Lenders and the holders of the Notes, in each case in accordance with and pursuant to the terms of the Amendment Agreement and the Notes indenture.

Notes:

The production and financial results in this announcement are adjusted to exclude the results of KEM JV, which has been reclassified as a discontinued operation following the proposed disposal, announced in July 2018 . The following definitions have been used in this announcement:

cpht: carats per hundred tonnes Kcts: thousand carats Kt: thousand tonnes LOM: life of mine LTI: lost time injury LTIFR: lost time injury frequency rate Mcts: million carats Mt: million tonnes FY: financial year Q: quarter of the financial year ROM: run-of-mine (i.e. production from the primary orebody) SLC: sub level cave

The information communicated in this announcement is inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information will be considered to be in the public domain. The person responsible for arranging for the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Jacques Breytenbach, Finance Director.

~ Ends ~

For further information, please contact:

Petra Diamonds, London Telephone: +44 20 7494 8203

Cathy Malins investorrelations@petradiamonds.com

Des Kilalea

Marianna Bowes



Rothschild & Co

Giles Douglas giles.douglas@rothschildandco.com

Glen Cronin glen.cronin@rothschildandco.com

Mahir Quraishi mahir.quraishi@rothschildandco.com



About Petra Diamonds Limited

Petra Diamonds is a leading independent diamond mining group and a consistent supplier of gem quality rough diamonds to the international market. The Company has a diversified portfolio incorporating interests in three underground producing mines in South Africa (Finsch, Cullinan and Koffiefontein) and one open pit producing mine in Tanzania (Williamson). Petra also conducts a limited exploration programme in Botswana and South Africa.

Petra's strategy is to focus on value rather than volume production by optimising recoveries from its high-quality asset base in order to maximise their efficiency and profitability. The Group has a significant resource base of ca. 250 million carats, which supports the potential for long-life operations.

Petra conducts all operations according to the highest ethical standards and will only operate in countries which are members of the Kimberley Process. The Company aims to generate tangible value for each of its stakeholders, thereby contributing to the socio-economic development of its host countries and supporting long-term sustainable operations to the benefit of its employees, partners and communities.

Petra is quoted with a premium listing on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker 'PDL' and is a constituent of the FTSE4Good Index. The Company's US$650 million loan notes due in 2022 are listed on the Global Exchange market of the Irish Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.petradiamonds.com.

Important Notice

This announcement contains statements about Petra that are or may be forward looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this announcement may be forward looking statements. Without limitation, any statements preceded or followed by or that include the words "targets", "goals", "should", "would", "could", "continue", "plans", "believes", "expects", "aims", "intends", "will", "may", "anticipates", "estimates", "hopes", "projects" or words or terms of similar substance or the negative thereof, are forward looking statements.

Such forward looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results and are based on certain key assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied in any forward looking statements. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Petra disclaims any obligation to update any forward looking or other statements contained herein, except as required by applicable law or regulation.

N.M. Rothschild & Sons Limited ("Rothschild & Co"), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting exclusively for Petra and no one else in connection with the contents of this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Petra for providing the protections offered to clients of Rothschild & Co nor for providing advice in relation to the subject matter of this announcement or any other matters referred to in this announcement.



APPENDIX - MINE BY MINE PRODUCTION TABLES

Cullinan - South Africa

Unit Q3

FY 2020 Q3

FY 2019 Variance Nine months to 31 March 2020 Nine months to 31 March 2019 Variance Sales Revenue US$M 31.2 46.2 -32% 112.9 112.4 0% Diamonds sold Carats 426,283 456,652 -7% 1,157,130 1,145,188 1% Average price per carat US$ 73 101 -28% 98 98 0% ROM Production Tonnes treated Tonnes 1,016,653 1,043,105 -3% 3,311,850 3,039,730 9% Diamonds produced Carats 391,235 417,742 -6% 1,246,606 1,203,186 4% Grade cpht 38.5 40.0 -4% 37.6 39.6 -5% Tailings Production Tonnes treated Tonnes 37,412 164,911 -77% 154,524 861,265 -82% Diamonds produced Carats 9,307 14,259 -35% 43,722 60,841 -28% Grade cpht 24.9 8.6 188% 28.3 7.1 301% Total Production Tonnes treated Tonnes 1,054,065 1,208,016 -13% 3,466,374 3,900,994 -11% Diamonds produced Carats 400,542 432,001 -7% 1,290,328 1,264,027 2%

Note:

The Company is not able to precisely measure the ROM / tailings grade split because ore from both sources is processed through the same plant; the Company therefore back-calculates the grade with reference to resource grades.

Finsch - South Africa

Unit Q3

FY 2020 Q3

FY 2019 Variance Nine months to 31 March 2020 Nine months to 31 March 2019 Variance Sales Revenue US$M 34.9 48.0 -27% 96.5 135.1 -29% Diamonds sold Carats 529,443 475,312 11% 1,313,406 1,304,843 1% Average price per carat US$ 66 101 -35% 73 104 -29% Total ROM Production Tonnes treated Tonnes 724,690 758,003 -4% 2,258,945 2,261,337 0% Diamonds produced Carats 437,537 379,488 15% 1,318,244 1,307,422 1% Grade cpht 60.4 50.1 21% 58.4 57.8 1%

Tailings Production Tonnes treated Tonnes 37,373 52,532 -29% 211,541 186,927 13% Diamonds produced Carats 7,041 7,882 -11% 39,890 27,372 46% Grade cpht 18.8 15.0 26% 18.9 14.6 29% Total Production Tonnes treated Tonnes 762,063 810,535 -6% 2,470,486 2,448,265 1% Diamonds produced Carats 444,578 387,370 15% 1,358,134 1,334,794 2%

Note:

The Company is not able to precisely measure the ROM / tailings grade split because ore from both sources is processed through the same plant; the Company therefore back-calculates the grade with reference to resource grades.

Koffiefontein - South Africa

Unit Q3

FY 2020 Q3

FY 2019 Variance Nine months to 31 March 2020 Nine months to 31 March 2019 Variance Sales Revenue US$M 8.9 8.3 6% 23.6 18.8 25% Diamonds sold Carats 25,151 14,925 69% 59,314 38,332 55% Average price per carat US$ 352 559 -37% 398 490 -19% ROM Production Tonnes treated Tonnes 236,350 282,860 -16% 797,646 660,251 21% Diamonds produced Carats 17,307 17,355 0% 61,852 42,630 45% Grade cpht 7.3 6.1 19% 7.8 6.5 20% Total Production Tonnes treated Tonnes 236,350 282,860 -16% 797,646 660,251 21% Diamonds produced Carats 17,307 17,355 0% 61,852 42,630 45%

Williamson - Tanzania
A letter from the office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday morning played a key role in persuading West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to let jute mills in the state operate with full workforce from June 1.

Banerjee made the announcement around 5 pm on Friday afternoon, hours after Bhaskar Khulbe, advisor to PM Modi, shot the letter to chief secretary Rajiva Sinha. HT is aware of the contents of the letter.

I would request you to kindly consider assisting the jute mills in reaching the assured production of 10,000 bales per day as early as possible and definitely by June 15. We shall appreciate your feedback by June 4 to enable us to further review the matter on June 8, said the letter. State government officials did not want to comment on the letter.

Since April, the Centre has been urging the Bengal government to direct jute mills to resume operation in view of the shortage in supply of packaging materials. In a earlier letter, the Centre said, Procurement operations of foodgrain, for which the availability of packaging material like jute bales are immensely required by major procuring states like Punjab, Harayana, Uttar Pradesh and Madya Pradesh where procurement operations will begin from April and peak season is for only two-three weeks only.

On April 5, Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao requested the Prime Minister to open jute bag manufacturing units in Bengal and ensure transportation of jute bags through special goods trains to his state. Rao told Modi that there was a severe scarcity of bags and Telangana needed 20 crore jute bags to procure paddy.

For Coronavirus Live Updates

The Bengal government initially allowed some mills to start production with 15 per cent workers and increased the number to 50 per cent in phases. Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA), the apex business chamber for Indias jute industry, however said that with such a limited workforce it was not possible to meet the demand for jute bags across India.

You are well aware that I have made a request to the Honble Chief Minister for allowing IJMA to deploy full workforce in the 59 functional mills of West Bengal so that they are able to attain the daily production capacity of 10,000 bales per day by June 15, 2000. She had kindly agreed to consider their request with due empathy, Khulbe wrote to Sinha on Friday.

The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19

IJMA has also appealed to you to allow them to operate at full strength, committing to abide by the social distancing and safety guidelines and mobilizing their workforce immediately, Khulbe wrote.

The letter said that the inability of the jute mills to meet the requirement would not only be detrimental to the interest of jute farmers and industrial workers in Bengal but also dilute the purpose behind mandatory use of jute which is environment friendly.

The governments decision to allow mills to operate with full workforce was welcomed by the industry. We welcome the development. There is huge scarcity of jute bags in several states. It is good that Mamata Banerjee took the decision, said R K Poddar, a senior IJMA member.

Incidentally, the jute industry has suffered a nationwide loss of Rs 1,250 crore during the lockdown.

The jute Industry is grappling for survival after being in lockdown for over one and a half months now. Already 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of production of jute goods has been lost, estimated at Rs1,250 crores. With the cash flows drying up, jute mill companies are finding it extremely difficult to make ends meet, IJMA said in a statement on May 19.
His numbers have also flagged in polling matchups with Joseph R. Biden Jr., the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee; rare is the poll these days that finds Mr. Trump escaping the low 40s in a head-to-head scenario.

In back-to-back Fox polls, Mr. Trumps approval among registered voters on handling the pandemic fell by eight points from April to May; it now sits at 43 percent, roughly even with his 44 percent approval rating over all, according to Fox.

Basically, if you were for Mr. Trump before, you are probably still with him now. If you started out this year generally against him but willing to see how he led during the crisis, you have probably given up on that by now.

Still, it matters that Mr. Trump has proved to have a remarkably high floor. With the Republican establishment and the conservative news media firmly behind him, the president is unlikely to fall far below 40 percent approval. To finish strongly in November, he would need to win back between five and 10 points nationally, relying heavily on persuadable voters.

A lot of it has to do with where people will be economically going into the election, and who they will credit or blame for that, Thomas Sutton, a professor of political science at Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio who runs the universitys statewide poll, said in an interview. At this point in October, the unemployment rate will be less, Trump will claim credit for that, and Bidens got to run a really strong campaign with a countermessage to stop him from getting that credit and taking it to victory in Ohio.

The economy could make or break Trumps chances

Mr. Trump has historically enjoyed positive ratings on his handling of the economy. Of the five issues that Fox asked about in its latest poll, the economy was the only one on which voters did not generally say they would prefer to have Mr. Biden overseeing it.

The president has made it clear that he prioritizes restarting the economy soon, even if that means disregarding the warnings of his own health experts. With most states now moving forward with a partial reopening of public accommodations and businesses, Mr. Trump is eager to point to signs of economic life.
Who could ever forget the Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Jennifer Aniston love triangle in the 2000s?

Jennifer Aniston had a really messy divorce with her ex-husband Brad Pitt for having an affair with Angelina Jolie when they were still married.

When rumors of the "Ocean's 11" actor surfaced, the "Friends" actress exhibited immense trust and faith in Pitt, as she refused to believe what the media has been saying about the actor.

It was reported that Aniston and Pitt even tried to bring their relationship back on track. However, their marriage had hit the rocks, and the only solution for them was divorce.

When they officially parted ways in 2005, Aniston sat down for an explosive interview where she spoke about her failing marriage.

The "Bounty Hunter" star believed her then-husband over the intimate pictures of the actor with Jolie.

Aniston told New York Post, "I just don't know what happened. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised by anything, but I would much rather choose to believe him," addressing the rumors that Pitt cheated on her for Jolie.

Following Pitt and Aniston's split, Jolie and Pitt appeared in a photo spread for W magazines titled, "Domestic Bliss," and called it "odd timing."

"Is it odd timing, yeah. But it's not my life. He makes his choices. He can do whatever."

Aniston continued, "We're divorced, and you can see why," and called out to her ex-husband, "There's a sensitivity chip that's missing."

When asked about her reactions to the photos of Pitt and Jolie fondling, Aniston confessed that she was shocked.

"The world was shocked, and I was shocked." She further said, "I'd be a robot if I said I didn't feel moments of anger, of hurt, of embarrassment."

Aniston also explained that she went through so many "stages of grief," expressing that their separation "cracks you open, in a way - cracks you open to feeling."

However, despite the pain, Jennifer Aniston admitted that she loves Brad Pitt.

"I love Brad. I really love him. I will love him for the rest of my life. He's a fantastic man."

She also recalled the one occasion she met Angelina Jolie, telling her that Pitt was very excited to work with her and that she hoped that they have a good time.

Jennifer Aniston even expressed to Jolie hoping, "someday we can be friends again."

In 2004, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie met on the set of their movie, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."

In an interview with Vogue magazine, Jolie revealed that she fell in love with the hunky actor during filming.

"Because of the film, we ended up being brought together to do all these crazy things, and I think we found this strange friendship and partnership that just suddenly happened."

The "Maleficent" actress further said, "I think a few months in, I realized, 'God, I can't wait to get to work.'"

But it looks like Jennifer Aniston is over the petty feud with Angelina Jolie.

In 2015, she commented on Jolie's directorial movie debut and expressed that "it's time to stop with that petty BS" as it's "tiresome" and "old."

READ MORE: Not Jennifer Aniston, Alia Shawkat: Brad Pitt Has the Hots for THIS Woman
Police stand guard following a night of rioting sparked by the death of George Floyd while in police custody on May 29, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Getty Images/Scott Olsen

Local prosecutors have charged the police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck, and federal authorities have also announced an investigation.

Now, the question has become how tightly prosecutors can button up their case against the former officer, Derek Chauvin, and whether to charge the other three police officers involved in the incident.

One legal expert told Insider Chauvin should have been charged earlier  and the civil unrest that has plagued Minneapolis reveals just how deep-seated citizens' lack of trust is in the justice system.

Other experts told Insider the speed of the arrest isn't nearly as important as ensuring a thorough investigation against Chauvin and the other officers.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on the neck of George Floyd for eight minutes before he died was arrested Friday and charged by Hennepin County prosecutors with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Within hours, the Justice Department had also announced it was investigating Floyd's death and was looking into charges for possible federal civil rights violations.

Both developments occurred unusually quickly for a case involving an on-duty police officer, legal experts told Insider on Friday. Now, the question has become how tightly prosecutors can button up their case against the officer, Derek Chauvin, and what will become of the three other police officers who were fired over the incident.

The news comes amid growing civil unrest across the country, and particularly in Minneapolis, where protests have turned violent and resulted in riots, looting, and even the burning of a police station. The demonstrations are reminiscent of the 2014 riots in Ferguson, Missouri, after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, and the 1992 riots in Los Angeles after four officers were acquitted of beating Rodney King.

A chain portrait of George Floyd is part of the memorial for him, Wednesday, May 27, 2020, near the site of the arrest of Floyd who died in police custody Monday night in Minneapolis after video shared online by a bystander showed a white officer kneeling on his neck during his arrest as he pleaded that he couldn't breathe.

Jim Mone/AP

Mark Osler, a former federal prosecutor and law professor at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, told Insider the violence reflects the lack of trust the public has in the government's ability to hold police officers accountable for misconduct. He said that obvious lack of trust was good reason for prosecutors to ensure Chauvin was arrested and charged quickly.

Story continues

"If we can trust that the government can take care of it, we tend not to riot or try to hurt individuals themselves," Osler said. "People weren't acting very trusting last night. That's for sure."

Osler added that the evidence against Chauvin was so overwhelming that he should have been charged even earlier than Friday, "unless there's something extraordinary that we don't know, that wasn't on the video" that showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck.

Experts say the speed of the arrest doesn't matter as much as the thoroughness of the investigation

In a press conference on Friday, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman acknowledged the monumental public outrage over the situation but said he would not have laid charges without solid evidence to back them up.

"I am not insensitive to what's happened to the streets. My own home has been picketed regularly," Freeman said. "My job is to [bring charges] only when there's sufficient evidence."

Already Floyd's family has criticized the charges against Chauvin for being too lenient, and for not encompassing the actions of the other three officers involved.

"We want a first-degree murder charge. And we want to see the other officers arrested," the Floyd family's lawyer, Ben Crump, said in a statement. "We call on authorities to revise the charges to reflect the true culpability of this officer. The pain that the black community feels over this murder and what it reflects about the treatment of black people in America is raw and is spilling out onto streets across America."

Plumes of smoke rise into the sky in the aftermath of a protest in Minneapolis.

Reuters

But other legal experts cautioned that the speed of the arrest won't guarantee the success of the case  only a thorough investigation can do that.

Susan Gaertner, a former Minnesota prosecutor who now works in private practice, told Insider it's responsible for prosecutors to hold off on arrests until thorough investigations are complete  assuming prosecutors have that luxury.

Typically, situations where speedy arrests occur usually involve a fear that the suspect could flee, harm witnesses, tamper with evidence, or commit other crimes unless they're arrested, she said.

"The most important thing is to get it right and not have a major reaction to public pressure to move quickly," Gaertner said.

She added that even though some may think the videos of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck were clear-cut evidence of murder, prosecutors likely have a mountain of other evidence to go through  including body camera footage, surveillance videos from nearby businesses, interviews with witnesses and bystanders, and even an autopsy to formally determine Floyd's cause of death.

Hennepin County prosecutors said it's the fastest they've ever charged a police officer

Ultimately, just four days lapsed between the time when Floyd died and the moment when Chauvin was arrested  that time period pales in comparison to other instances in Minnesota where police officers killed citizens.

After the 2017 fatal shooting of Justine Damond by the police officer Mohamed Noor, Hennepin County prosecutors took eight months before they arrested and charged Noor with murder.

And in 2016, Minnesota prosecutors took four months to investigate and arrest the former St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez in the fatal shooting of Philando Castile. Yanez was later acquitted of all charges.

Hennepin County prosecutors emphasized on Friday that the charges against Chauvin had been laid with unprecedented speed, which they said was due to the strength of the evidence against him.

"This is by far the fastest we've ever charged a police officer," Freeman told reporters on Friday. "Normally these cases can take nine months to a year."

He added that there were particular challenges involved in bringing police officers to trial, which don't exist when charging civilians.

"We entrust our police officers to use certain amounts of force to do their job, to protect us. They commit a criminal act if they use this force unreasonably," he said. "We have to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt."

Floyd's family has urged that prosecutors charge the other three police officers involved  but one expert warned that's easier said than done

A whole new set of obstacles may well delay any potential charges against the other three officers involved in Floyd's death, according to Bennet Gershman, a former federal prosecutor and law professor at Pace University.

Gershman speculated that perhaps prosecutors will try to charge the men  identified as Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and Alexander Kueng  as accomplices to the murder Chauvin was charged with. But that effort has its own set of challenges prosecutors will have to contend with.

"Those other officers could be seen as accomplices if they were there with the same intent," Gershman told Insider. "To be an accomplice, you have to share in the intent and the actual conduct of the principal perpetrator."

Minnesota state troopers provide protection as firefighters battle a fire, Friday, May 29, 2020

Associated Press/Jim Mone

Prosecutors have mostly declined to discuss the other three officers and any potential charges they face, saying the investigation is ongoing but the priority was "on the most dangerous perpetrator."

On Friday, a new video showed two other officers on the ground with Chauvin and Floyd, both of whom appeared to be pinning Floyd to the ground while Floyd repeatedly begged for air.

Gershman said prosecutors will need to prove that those officers shared in Chauvin's alleged "mental culpability" in killing Floyd  simply "not stopping the person who committed the crime" may not be enough.

"It certainly is much less likely that these other officers would be charged in a particular way as the actual killer. That's clear," Gershman said.

Read the original article on Insider
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 23:57:32|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese military has been working vigorously to support the country's poverty reduction efforts, helping 4,100 villages that are suffering from poverty, with a total population of around 924,000 people.

Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, announced the operations at a press conference on Friday.

Ren said the Chinese People's Liberation Army, under the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China, serves as an important force in the battle against poverty and has been acting in obedience to the Party's command.

They are also dedicated to serving the people and have carried out targeted poverty alleviation measures, Ren said.

The spokesperson explained that the targeted measures included the military's efforts in helping build over 1,500 schools and kindergartens and 1,458 village clinics in poor rural villages, as well as planting trees to improve the local environment. Enditem
In this May 19, 2020 photo, a nurse holds bone marrow for transplant at the Israeli Ezer Mizion bone marrow registry, in the Israeli central city of Petah Tikvah. Over the past two months, as air travel has ground to a halt, Mishel Zrian has criss-crossed the Atlantic and the United States dozens of times, sleeping in empty airports and unable to return home to see his family in Israel, all in a race against time to deliver life-saving transplants. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

Over the past two months, as air travel ground to a halt, Mishel Zrian has crisscrossed the Atlantic and the United States dozens of times, sleeping in empty airports and unable to return home to see his family in Israel, all in a race against time to deliver life-saving transplants.

Zrian is a courier hired by Israel's Ezer Mizion bone marrow donor registry, which has had to perform logistical acrobatics to get its transplants to their destinations amid the travel disruptions caused by the pandemic. The nonprofit, as well as others involved in coordinating transplants around the world, has been tested by the shortage of flights and restrictions on travel, forced to find creative solutions or risk the health of patients.

"It's been a struggle the entire time but at the back of our minds always is that the patient must receive this transplant or else he will die," said Bracha Zisser, director of Ezer Mizion, the world's largest Jewish bone marrow donor registry.

With the coronavirus upending air travel and countries shutting down borders to prevent the influx of infected travelers, airlines have been forced to drastically cut services, leaving those who still rely on commercial flights scrambling for ways around the logjam.

For those in need of a bone marrow transplantusually cancer patientsfinding the right DNA match is difficult and often requires the help of international donors.

In this May 19, 2020 photo, an Israeli man donates bone marrow for transplant at the Israeli Ezer Mizion bone marrow registry, in the Israeli central city of Petah Tikvah. Over the past two months, as air travel has ground to a halt, Mishel Zrian has criss-crossed the Atlantic and the United States dozens of times, sleeping in empty airports and unable to return home to see his family in Israel, all in a race against time to deliver life-saving transplants. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

Timing is critical. At the start of the transplant process, the patient's own bone marrow is removed; if the transplant is not provided within 72 hours, the patient could die.

Ordinarily, delivering a bone marrow transplant to a far-flung destination is simple. But according to the World Marrow Donor Association, donor registries and transplant centers around the world have been grappling with how to navigate the new rules under coronavirus restrictions.

In one case, an Italian military plane was called up to deliver a transplant from Turkey to a 2-year-old patient in Rome. Germany, Italy and the U.S. set up special exchange points at military bases to allow couriers to drop off and pick up transplants there rather than have them enter the country by way of civilian airports.

As flights to Israel became scarce, Ezer Mizion's transplants were sent to Europe via Belgium by cargo flights and then driven to their final destination. A daily commercial flight out of Israel to the U.S. has allowed the organization to continue its deliveries, but within the confines of the chaos wrought by the pandemic.

Zrian, the nonprofit's main U.S.-bound courier, left Israel for what was supposed to be a brief journey in mid-March, only to be told upon his return that he would need to remain in quarantine for 14 days, according to Israeli rules on all incoming travelers.

In this May 19, 2020, photo, Israeli courier, Mishel Zrian carries a bone marrow transplant donation at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, Israel. Over the past two months, as air travel has ground to a halt, Zrian has criss-crossed the Atlantic and the United States dozens of times, sleeping in empty airports and unable to return home to see his family in Israel, all in a race against time to deliver life-saving transplants. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

At that point, Ezer Mizion appealed to the Israeli Health Ministry and the National Security Council, and managed to secure Zrian special entry to the country, as long as he didn't leave the airport.

He is allowed to sleep in an airport lounge between flights and receive his deliveries without being forced to quarantine. With airport restaurants closed, Zrian subsists on fast food while in the U.S. When he returns to Israel, he gets to have more lavish meals at the airport lounge.

But he can't go home.

The 47-year-old hasn't seen his two teenage sons in more than 70 days, and his wife was only granted one airport visit during that time. In the U.S., he has been given special clearance to enter on the grounds that he is an essential worker.

Zrian, who works for courier company Royale International, has flown with his precious cargo more than 50 times since mid-March, often the only passenger on the plane and landing at deserted airports. While he sometimes sleeps at his destination, his life moves to the beat of his deliveries. He recently spent six straight nights on flights. He's been wearing the same pair of jeans for weeks, he said, washing them in hotel bathtubs when he gets the chance.

In this May 19, 2020 photo, an Israeli man donates bone marrow for transplant at the Israeli Ezer Mizion bone marrow registry, in the Israeli central city of Petah Tikvah. Over the past two months, as air travel has ground to a halt, Mishel Zrian has criss-crossed the Atlantic and the United States dozens of times, sleeping in empty airports and unable to return home to see his family in Israel, all in a race against time to deliver life-saving transplants. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

"I miss my family," he said. "But I always carry the transplant with me and I know I am doing the right thing."

In one delivery, destined for Oslo, Zrian boarded a cargo flight to Belgium, where another courier was set to drive the transplant 14 hours to Norway. When pilots he encountered offered him a seat on a direct flight to Oslo, which would save several crucial hours, he jumped at the chance.

But with flights from Europe to Israel nearly at a standstill, Zrian had to make a roundabout journey through Frankfurt and then New York to be able to get back to Israel.

The drop in flights has also affected the U.S., where kidneys, the most common transplant in America, are often flown across the country and need to reach patients within 30 hours. The longer a kidney is out of a body, the more its condition deteriorates. Other organs typically travel on private planes.

According to Dorry Segev, a professor of transplant surgery at Johns Hopkins University, the travel disruption is likely leading to delays, which affects the quality of the kidney and could prompt some patients to postpone the care they need.

In this May 19, 2020 photo, Israeli courier Mishel Zrian, right, receives bone marrow at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, Israel. Over the past two months, as air travel has ground to a halt, Mishel Zrian has criss-crossed the Atlantic and the United States dozens of times, sleeping in empty airports and unable to return home to see his family in Israel, all in a race against time to deliver life-saving transplants. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

"We don't have our commercial flight infrastructure in the United States, which kidney transplantation rides on the back of," he said. "It's very chaotic."

Rick Hasz, of the Philadelphia-based Gift of Life Donor Program, said kidneys were still reaching their destinations, although with different preservation techniques and additional planning.

Zisser, of the Israeli nonprofit, said none of the dozens of deliveries made over the past two months has missed its deadline.

"The idea of saving a life was always in our hearts," she said, "and we were willing to do everything for that."

Explore further What to know about COVID-19 and organ donation

 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Independently-run schools are expected to overtake the Catholic system as NSW's second-biggest education sector in two years, federal government projections show, partly due to the growing popularity of low-fee Islamic colleges.

Under projections from the Department of Education, the NSW public system will maintain its 65 per cent share of students, adding more than 72,000 enrolments to bring total numbers to almost 900,000 by 2029.

Maths students and their teacher at Al-Faisal College, where there is a waiting list of 900 across the school's Auburn and Campbelltown campuses. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Catholic systemic schools' share will drop from 17.6 to 16.8 per cent over the same period, while the proportion of students enrolled in independently-run schools - which include 46 independent Catholic schools - is expected to increase from 17.1 per cent to 18.6 per cent.

The data shows enrolments at independent schools will surpass those at Catholic systemic schools for the first time in 2022, by 3000 students.
Seoul:

North Korea has executed a top education official and banished two other officials to rural areas for re-education, South Korean officials say on Wednesday. If confirmed, they would be the latest in a series of killings, purges and dismissals carried out since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un took power in late 2011.

North Korea is a closed, authoritarian country with a state-controlled press that often makes it difficult for outsiders, and even North Korean citizens, to know whats happening in the government. Rival South Korea, which runs several intelligence organizations mainly tasked with spying on North Korea, has a mixed record on reporting developments in the country.

In May, a former North Korean military chief, who Seoul said had been executed, was found to be alive and holding several new senior-level posts. Jeong Joon Hee, a spokesman for Seouls Unification Ministry, told reporters Wednesday that Kim Yong Jin, a vice premier in North Koreas cabinet, had been executed.

Jeong said Kim was in charge of education affairs, but refused to disclose why and when South Korea believes he was executed. He also didnt explain how his ministry obtained the information.

Little is known about Kim Yong Jin, who was last mentioned by North Koreas state news agency on June 15 when it reported he attended an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of North Koreas taekwondo federation.

The rival Koreas have shared the worlds most heavily fortified border since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, and they bar ordinary citizens from exchanging phone calls, letters and emails without special permission.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Omar Jimenez and his CNN crew were arrested - and since have been released - by police Friday morning while giving a live television report in Minneapolis during protests over the death of George Floyd,.

The crew was handcuffed and detained during Jimenezs live report from Minneapolis street shortly after 5 a.m. CT. The team was released from the Hennepin County Public Safety facility in downtown Minneapolis just before 7 a.m. CT.

That gave me a little bit of comfort knowing that you guys saw what was happening, I was living what was happening and the country was seeing what was happening unfold in real-time before their eyes," Jimenez told CNN after his release. "As we were walking away, and you were taking in the entire neighborhood that had been decimated from the passion of the protesters and unfortunately some of the rioting and looting that we had seen, it did cross my mind that, what is really happening here?

CNN released the following statement shortly after the arrest:

A CNN reporter & his production team were arrested ... for doing their jobs, despite identifying themselves - a clear violation of their First Amendment rights. The authorities in Minnesota, incl. the Governor, must release the 3 CNN employees immediately.

Minnesota police arrest CNN reporter and camera crew as they report from protests in Minneapolis https://t.co/IY0H1Lc77E pic.twitter.com/s9XmwVfabP  New Day (@NewDay) May 29, 2020

The network is reporting CNN president Jeff Zucker spoke to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who apologized for the arrest of Jimenez and his team. Walz is working to get them released, per the report.

Live now on CNN as reported by @JohnBerman: CNN president Jeff Zucker spoke to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz who apologized for State Polices arrest of @OmarJimenez and our team. He is working to get them released. Walz said he takes full responsibility for what happened.  Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) May 29, 2020

CNNs Brooke Baldwin took to Twitter to identify Jimenezs crew that was arrested: CNN producer Bill Kirkos and CNN photojournalist Leonel Mendez.

Police told the crew they were being detained because they were told to move, and didnt, according to CNN.

In the footage, Jimenez appears to be non-confrontational, even presenting his media badge. The officers persist as Jimenez broadcasts live on air before he is told that he is under arrest and placed in handcuffs.

We can move back to where you like. We are live on the air here. ... Put us back where you want us. We are getting out of your way -- wherever you want us (well) get out of your way, Jimenez said before he was led away.

"We were just getting out of your way when you were advancing through the intersection," Jimenez said.

Cheering protesters torched a Minneapolis police station that the department abandoned as three days of violent protests spread to nearby St. Paul and angry demonstrations flared across the U.S over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer kneeled on his neck.

A police spokesman confirmed late Thursday that staff had evacuated the 3rd Precinct station, the focus of many of the protests, in the interest of the safety of our personnel" shortly after 10 p.m. Livestream video showed the protesters entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as blazes were set.

Minnesota State Police arresting CNN's @OmarJimenez and crew live on TV on @NewDay for reporting on the protests. Police say they were arrested because they were told to move and didn't. Omar was completely respectful and cooperative, ans asked the police where to do the report. pic.twitter.com/HPVtvQ59Xo  Sam Fernando (@Sujayanth) May 29, 2020

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.
Twitter has tagged a tweet by President Trump as a violation of its rules about glorifying violence after he threatened a harsh crackdown on protests in Minneapolis, warning that any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

The move by the social media giant is sure to inflame the growing hostility between the White House and Twitter, hitherto Trumps favored mode of communication. After the company began flagging some of his tweets as misleading earlier this week, Trump signed an executive order Thursday aimed at limiting the immunity of some digital media companies over the content on their platforms.

On Friday morning, after his tweet on the George Floyd protests was tagged, Trump complained  again on Twitter  that the company was biased against him and others on the political right. "Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party. They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States," Trump wrote, vowing that the platform "will be regulated!"

Later, the White House put out the same offending tweet about the Minneapolis protests from its own Twitter account, but it, too, was slapped with a warning label.

Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, who is expected to address the situation in Minneapolis later Friday, sharply criticized the president in a tweet of his own.

He is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many, Biden said. Im furious, and you should be too.

In his tweet about the protests, Trump denounced some of the demonstrators as THUGS. Despite the warning label about glorifying violence, Twitter allowed the post to remain up "in the public's interest" but blocked users from responding to it.

Screen shot of a Trump tweet that was flagged by Twitter. (Twitter)

Floyd, who was black, died Monday after a white police officer was videotaped kneeling on his neck for several minutes. The incident has sparked outrage and protests across the U.S., including in Minneapolis itself, where demonstrators late Thursday overran and set fire to a police station near the spot where Floyd, 46, was pinned down.

Story continues

Some stores have been looted, other buildings have been set ablaze and protesters have fired guns into the air. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has called in the National Guard.

Trumps post about the demonstrations was his third to be flagged by Twitter, which slapped two fact-check warnings on his tweets castigating the use of mail-in ballots.

He took particular aim at California and at Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsoms plan to send mail-in ballots to all voters. Trump falsely claimed that the state distributed ballots to noncitizens and, without proof, alleged that people would print and mail in fake ballots by the hundreds of thousands.

Whether Trump's executive order will have any teeth is unclear, though it could increase pressure on Twitter, Facebook, Google and other Silicon Valley companies by opening the door to lawsuits and regulatory reviews.

In another tweet on the Minneapolis protests, Trump attacked the leadership of the "very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey" and admonished him to "get his act together and bring the City under control."

That earned a derisive retort from Frey, who told reporters: Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis. ... Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions. Weakness is about pointing your finger at somebody else during a time of crisis.

Times staff writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report.
The latest escalation between the U.S. and China could compromise U.S. energy sales worth $52 billion that China pledged to make over the next few years as part of the trade deal between the two nations.

China could be well short of its purchasing obligations for politically important agriculture products and energy goods, energy consultancy ClearView Energy Partners told Bloomberg. President Trump might see more political upside in scapegoating China for the spread of Covid-19 than preserving the compact.

The terms of the so-called Phase 1 trade deal between Washington and Beijing included the addition of U.S. energy exports to China worth some $18.5 billion this year and another $33.9 billion in 2021. The additional exports span the whole spectrum of fossil fuels and their derivatives, from crude oil and liquefied natural gas to various fuels as well as coke and coal.

Now, these are under threat if the deterioration in bilateral relations--over the coronavirus outbreak and Hong Kong--continues. Whats more, China would likely be hard-pressed to import all the $18.5 billion worth of energy supplies agreed for this year: based on customs data seen by Bloomberg, in the 12 months to this April, Chinas imports of energy commodities from the U.S. were worth a meager $3.6 billion, including coal, oil, and petroleum coke, among others.

With congressmen insisting that Trump sanctions China for its new national security law for Hong Kong and with China threatening to retaliate against sanctions, the chances are that even if the situation somehow de-escalates, it would be difficult for China to by more than $15 billion worth of U.S. energy commodities this year. Its demand for energy is improving after the lockdown, but it may not be growing fast enough for such a surge in energy imports.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Safehaven.com:
The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

A sharply divided Supreme Court on Friday rejected a challenge to California's limits on large church gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, dismissing an appeal brought by a San Diego-area church that argued state rules infringed on its religious freedom.

The justices by 5-4 vote said California could enforce its rules, at least for now. Chief Justice John G. Roberts joined the court's four liberal justices in upholding the state's rules.

"The precise question of when restrictions on particular social activities should be lifted during the pandemic is a dynamic and fact-intensive matter subject to reasonable disagreement. Our Constitution principally entrusts 'the safety and the health of the people' to the politically accountable officials of the states 'to guard and protect,'" Roberts wrote.

Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh wrote a dissent, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil M. Gorsuch.

"Californias latest safety guidelines discriminate against places of worship and in favor of comparable secular businesses. Such discrimination violates the 1st Amendment," he said.

"California already trusts its residents and any number of businesses to adhere to proper social distancing and hygiene practices," he said. "The state cannot assume the worst when people go to worship but assume the best when people go to work or go about the rest of their daily lives in permitted social settings."

Justice Samuel A. Alito also said he would have granted the church's appeal.

The court's decision may blunt a drive by religious conservatives to enlist judges to reopen churches and to free religious gatherings from state limits on indoor crowds.

Lawyers for the church argued that the 1st Amendment's protection of the "free exercise" of religion meant the government could not shut down church services or limit their attendance, particularly if it was allowing businesses  from factories to grocery stores  to remain open.

Story continues

President Trump took up their cause a week ago. He said churches and other houses of worship should be deemed "essential," and he asserted he would "override the governors" if they failed to allow religious institutions to fully open.

The president does not have direct authority over a state's quarantine measures, but federal judges could override a state's regulations if they were deemed to be unconstitutional. And the Supreme Court, with two Trump appointees, Kavanaugh and Gorsuch, has shown an increasing interest in religious-liberty cases.

But the legal claims tied to the pandemic appear to have fallen short. Most judges have been reluctant to interfere with health and safety rules that aim to prevent the spread of the virus. And those rules are changing as states move to reopen.

Those changes may have been crucial in the outcome of the California case.

Late last week, lawyers for the South Bay United Pentecostal Church in Chula Vista filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court, seeking an order that would permit a church service on Sunday. They were contesting California's "stay-at-home" regulations that prevented churches, theaters and other gathering places from opening their doors.

But earlier this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued new guidelines that will allow houses of worship to reopen, but with limits on their attendance. Under the new rules, churches and other faith centers may have no more than 100 people present at a time or occupy more than 25% of the capacity of their building, whichever is smaller.

Earlier Friday, the court unanimously rejected a second and similar appeal that challenged an Illinois regulation that limited churches to having 10 people at a time. But Gov. Jay Pritzker already had announced that the regulation would end on Friday.

Lawyers for the churches denounced what they called "11th-hour attempts by California and Illinois to moot" challenges to their laws, and they urged the justices to exempt them from the new restrictions on attendance.

"California is still violating plaintiff's fundamental constitutional rights, and millions of Americans across the country are still having their constitutional rights trampled upon," they said Friday.

The Chula Vista church and Bishop Arthur Hodges III first sought a court order on May 8 that would shield them from the state's restrictions, but they lost before a federal judge in San Diego and by a 2-1 vote in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeals court upheld California's rules in a brief decision on May 22.

"We're dealing here with a highly contagious and often fatal disease for which there presently is no known cure," wrote Judge Barry Silverman, an appointee of President Clinton.

The dissent came from Judge Daniel P. Collins, a new appointee of Trump's, who noted that factories and warehouses were open and operating while churches were closed.

In its appeal to the Supreme Court, the church urged the justices to act quickly to open services for this Sunday, the "Christian holy day of Pentecost." It said the "sanctuary seats 600 persons, and each service normally brings in between 200 and 300 congregants. Some of the larger houses of worship in California can seat 1,000 congregants or more. But under Californias guidelines, plaintiffs will only be permitted to welcome 100 congregants, with no explanation as to the justification for this arbitrary cap."

"In contrast, there is no percentage limitation for manufacturing and warehousing facilities  simply a social distancing requirement," the church's lawyers added. "California has never explained why letting large numbers of people sit together indoors for eight hours at a factory or a school, but not for one hour worshiping, provides a 'real or substantial' benefit to curbing the COVID-19 pandemic," they wrote.

Attorneys for California advised the court to dismiss the appeal.

"Labor in manufacturing facilities, warehouses and offices does not typically involve large numbers of people singing or reading aloud together in the same place, in close proximity to one another, for an extended duration," the state's lawyers said. They noted that church gatherings in Sacramento, Seattle, Kentucky and South Korea have been blamed for the early spread of the virus.

Under the new guidelines, the church may hold a worship service on Sunday, and it could accommodate more people by scheduling several services during the day, the state lawyers said.
In a significant U-turn, Premier Doug Ford now says Ontario will forge ahead with a regional approach to reopening the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A mere 24 hours after the premier said we just have to be cautious, he announced Friday the province would move region by region for the next stage of opening businesses and services in the weeks ahead.

With the Greater Toronto Area accounting for 65.8 per cent of Ontarios coronavirus cases, Ford said he reconsidered his earlier stance that the entire province should reopen at the same time.

Its very fluid. It moves very quickly, he said, explaining why Ontario will follow the lead of neighbouring Quebec, Manitoba, and New York, which have embraced regional strategies.

You have to be ready to make the changes.

Asked what had changed so suddenly and dramatically between Thursday and Friday, Ford said: Theres never a light bulb that goes off in my head. I take the advice  its about a team approach.

Im no health expert, I rely on health and science. I am not going to go against the advice of medical professionals in this, the premier told reporters at his daily teleconference.

Ford stressed that because Ontario has finally ramped up testing for COVID-19, which has killed 2,272 people in the province, there is a clearer picture of the hot-spots, which includes Brampton and Scarborough.

We have more testing, we have a better scope on whats happening, he said.

As disclosed by the Star on Thursday, Progressive Conservative MPPs from outside the GTA have been lobbying the premier to rethink his one size fits all approach.

There are relatively few coronavirus cases in North Bay, Parry Sound, Sudbury, Algoma, Kenora, Kingston, Renfrew, Huron-Perth, Prince Edward County, Peterborough and most of the southwest other than Windsor.

Some Tory MPPs in those areas have told Ford they are feeling pressure from their constituents to allow more people to go back to work.

How am I supposed to keep telling businesses in my area to remain closed for whats essentially a Toronto problem? one rural PC MPP, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to freely discuss internal caucus discussions, said earlier this week.

Dr. David Williams, the provinces chief medical officer of health, emphasized that the end of a testing blitz of all nursing-home residents and staff has allowed broader testing in the province.

That has made regional openings possible, but these will likely be well away from the GTA and its many hot spots.

Were getting a picture of whats happening live time, said William, who noted some health units are seeing no cases forsometimes two or three weeks in a row, and thats encouraging.

But it likely wont be a free-for-all when parts of Ontario reopen further.

Williams suggested its unlikely a region with a low number of cases would be allowed to open if a neighbouring region, such as the GTA, has a lot.

That makes it very difficult for the public to understand the rationale, he added. A little bit further out might make more sense.

Other points of concern are areas with border crossings to the U.S. and in northern Ontario, where First Nations communities are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and must be protected.

As a policy is developed, Williams hinted there could be guidance from public health officials not to travel to regions that have opened to respect each others jurisdictions and to contain this virus.

Ontario, which has been under a state of emergency since March 17, entered the first stage of reopening the economy on May 19, which allowed shops with street entrances to reopen as long as customers and staff kept safe social distancing.

Stage two would permit more workplaces to open as well as outdoor spaces and some larger public gatherings. Until June 9, Ontario is limited gatherings to five people unless they live in the same household.

A third stage, which could be months away, would allow all workplaces to reopen and relax restrictions on public gatherings.

However, the governments framework for reopening warn that large public gatherings such as concerts and sporting events will continue to be restricted for the foreseeable future.

In Quebec, where 4,363 people have died from COVID-19, there is a phased regional approach to opening.

Outside of Montreal, the epicentre of the pandemic in the province, much of the economy will be up and running next week, including indoor shopping malls.

In Manitoba, where seven people have died of COVID-19, most businesses  including restaurants, bars, and gyms  will be open next week.

New York, which has seen more than 10 times as many deaths than Ontario despite a state population just one-third larger, also has a phased regional reopening.

State regions must meet seven different metrics before being allowed to move a broader stage of reopening, including a sustained decline in total hospitalizations over a three-day rolling average, a decline in deaths, and at least 30 per cent spare capacity of all hospital beds, including in intensive-care units.

Western New York, less than two hours drive from Toronto, currently meets all requirements for reopening selected businesses and services.

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

Read more about:
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The head of the nation's largest veterans organization is imploring President Trump to sign legislation which would relieve students from repaying loans that were issued because they were defrauded by disreputable schools.

"Veterans have been aggressively targeted due to their service to our country," American Legion National Commander James W. "Bill" Oxford said. "Student veterans are a tempting target for certain online and for-profit schools to mislead with deceptive promises, while offering degrees and certificates of little-to-no value. We urge President Trump to sign House Joint Resolution 76, which allows for a 'borrower defense' to be used by students to obtain discharges to loans that were issued because of these false promises. This is the type of legislation that our delegates called for when they unanimously passed Resolution No. 82 at our 2017 national convention."

Oxford added that Trump stood with veterans in 2019 when he exercised his executive authority to order the Department of Education to forgive hundreds of millions of student loan debt for veterans with severe disabilities. "We are hoping that President Trump will once again come to the aid of student veterans," Oxford said. "Under current conditions, it is nearly impossible for veterans to successfully use a 'borrower defense.' The American Legion believes this needs to be fixed. We hope that he will sign this needed legislation."

The American Legion, www.legion.org, is the nation's largest veterans service organization and was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national defense, the care and wellbeing of U.S. military veterans, patriotic youth programs and Americanism.

Media contacts: Indianapolis: John Raughter (317) 630-1350, [email protected]; Washington: Paul Harris (202) 263-2991, [email protected]

SOURCE The American Legion

Related Links

http://www.legion.org


In 1849, several thousand argonauts created a tent city in a South of Market area called Happy Valley. It was soon to become one of the grimmest neighborhoods in the citys history.

Happy Valley was located between todays First and Third and Mission and Harrison streets  the present-day Palace Hotel would be right in the middle of it. Hard as it is to imagine now, this was a beachfront area. The shoreline of Yerba Buena cove extended as far west as First Street.

The Forty-Niners were drawn to Happy Valley because it was sheltered from San Franciscos westerly winds by large sand dunes, because it had some water and greenery, and because it was free. A New Englander named George Kent, who arrived in San Francisco in September 1849, wrote that Happy Valley was a large collection of tents pitched in a valley near the beach which may contain some 2,000 inhabitants, mostly newcomers waiting for a chance to go to the mines and miners who have left the diggings for a season. These locate in Happy Valley wherever they see fit, and any attempt to collect rent of them (there have been several such attempts made) is rejected as absurd.

According to the accounts of two Forty-Niners, Happy Valley was so named either because it was refreshingly green and strikingly beautiful, or from the merry character of its citizens who live in tents.

Happy Valley, where not just tents but hogsheads, dry goods boxes, a covered wagon and even beached ships were used as dwellings, may have been playful and carefree at first. But this Burning Man-like paradise quickly turned into a hell. By fall 1849, Happy Valley had become the instant citys first disease hot spot. The culprit: dysentery, caused by bad water.

There were one or two small springs in the vicinity, but many of the Forty-Niners who camped in Happy Valley drank water from what a physician described as brackish little seep holes two to three feet deep.

Because latrines in the sandy campground were primitive at best, water in these shallow holes soon became contaminated by human waste. The result was dysentery, a potentially deadly form of gastroenteritis characterized by bloody diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and dehydration.

Happy Valley was already suffering the ravages of dysentery when Kent arrived that September of 1849. An anonymous Forty-Niner wrote that month, Visited Happy Valley. This name is a great misnomer by the way, for (a) more squalid unhealthy place I never saw. Hundreds of tents in and about it with vast numbers of sick lying in them on the ground and about them in all directions. Poor fellows, many of them must die from the melonekolly fact of having no one to do or take the least interest in them.

In October, an English traveler named Edward Lucatt wrote, We made a descent into a sandy hollow, bordering the sea, where much wretchedness and sickness were found under canvas tents, but which has received in mockery the name happy valley. 

More Information Trivia time The previous trivia question: What happened in a closet in apartment 6, 1827 Golden Gate Ave.? Answer: Patty Hearst was imprisoned there in 1974 by the Symbionese Liberation Army. This week's trivia question: What heavily secured building at Pine and Jones streets was known as "The Fortress"? Editor's note Every corner in San Francisco has an astonishing story to tell. Gary Kamiya's Portals of the Past tells those lost stories, using a specific location to illuminate San Francisco's extraordinary history - from the days when giant mammoths wandered through what is now North Beach to the Gold Rush delirium, the dot-com madness and beyond. His column appears every other Saturday. Dig deep into Chronicle Vault Like what you're reading? Subscribe to the Chronicle Vault newsletter and get classic archive stories in your inbox twice a week. Read hundreds of historical stories, see thousands of archive photos and sort through 153 years of classic Chronicle front pages at SFChronicle.com/vault. See More Collapse

In May 1850, a Forty-Niner named John McCrackan spent three hours wandering through Happy Valley searching for the tent of a family friend, an older man who was suffering from dysentery. When he finally found the sick man, he had him moved to a hospital, but he died the next day. It is dreadful to think of him coming out here to suffer so much, and to die at last, McCrackan wrote his family.

Making health conditions worse, many of the dead were buried right in Happy Valley, sometimes next to their tents. One of the argonauts who met this fate was a young Australian named Francis Forbes.

Forbes was no anonymous Forty-Niner  he was the son of the chief justice back home in Sydney, and his death made Happy Valleys wave of disease an international story.

According to Albert Shumate in Rincon Hill and South Park, after Forbes died, several Australian newspapers tried to slow the exodus from their country to California by publishing dark accounts of conditions there. In 1850 a Sydney newspaper, the Peoples Advocate, editorialized, The fever and ague, diarrhea and dysentery had made dreadful havoc ... and the awful pictures of the tent town or encamping ground at Happy Valley are horrifying in the extreme. To multitudes it has proven the valley of the shadow of death.

Graves were everywhere, the paper reported, impressing on the downcast spirits of new arrivals that they had been thrown by their own voluntary exile into a Golgotha.

More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond.

But Happy Valley, like everyplace else in San Francisco, changed with stunning speed. A number of wealthy men had bought lots in Happy Valley, and with $5,000 of their own funds and $6,000 more voted by the town council in January 1850, roads leading into and through the area were created and brush removed. Many elegant homes sprang up, including a prefabricated Chinese house inhabited by Col. John C. Fremont and his wife.

Industry came next. In 1850, factories, iron foundries, shipyards, sawmills and other industrial plants began popping up across Happy Valley.

When Forty-Niner Samuel Upham returned there that year after being away for two months, he wrote, I visited the gold diggers encampment, Happy Valley, but that too was so changed I could hardly recognize a familiar spot. ... A three-story warehouse was being erected on the spot where I had pitched my tent.

By 1852, the once-sprawling tent city, and its poisonous seep holes, had disappeared.

In April 1851, in what may have been the first published lament for the citys good old days, a local newspaper responded to the transformation of Happy Valley by noting, One by one the relics of San Franciscos early days are disappearing.

The very first Forty-Niners to camp out in Happy Valley may have had fond memories of the place  if they didnt stay long. But for most of its inhabitants, Happy Valley was, in the words of San Franciscos first city physician, Dr. T.R. Palmer, the most unhappy locality on Gods earth.

Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco, awarded the Northern California Book Award in creative nonfiction. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. To read earlier Portals of the Past, go to sfchronicle.com/portals. For more features from 150 years of The Chronicles archives, go to sfchronicle.com/vault. Email: metro@sfchronicle.com
WILTON  A parade of emergency vehicles on May 27 in Wilton honored all front-line staff, healthcare workers, and emergency personnel at Wilton Meadows Healthcare.

The Heroes Parade procession of police cruisers and fire trucks traveled from the Allens Meadow parking lot to Wilton Meadows, where healthcare workers wearing scrubs and face masks clapped and waved.

Even residents at the healthcare facility came outside with nurses and watched the parade as well.

About a dozen vehicles (not including emergency vehicles) participated. Some of the vehicles included Meadows Healthcare works such as Administrator Ellen Casey and Jessica Cioffi who is the facilities therapeutic recreation director. Other drivers included members of the Facebook group Wilton Birthday Parades.

I really hope everyone felt appreciated with this parade, said Cioffi.

Cioffi said the idea for having a parade around the facilitys parking lot originally came from Casey. I cant take credit for this since Ellen came up with it to start with, Cioffi said.

Casey wanted to create a special time where the healthcare workers would be honored for what they do everyday.

We are truly grateful for what they do, and appreciate the sacrifice that they make everyday, said Casey.

Every day healthcare workers risk themselves coming into Wilton Meadows due to the coronavirus outbreak, because in certain times anything can happen.

The workers have the fear that they may bring the virus home to their families, said Casey.

The parade may have only lasted a few minutes, but it brought much joy to the staff and the residents. Many were clapping and waving as the cars came through honking their horns at all the spectators.

Wilton resident Kara Berghaus was quite pleased with the turnout at the parade.

Normally it is a family of four for Berghaus but for that day, it was just her and her son Kevin, who will be graduating from the fifth grade. Kevin was excited as he sat in the back seat with a megaphone.

It warmed our hearts to be a part of this tribute to the healthcare workers, Berghaus said.

She was part of the crowd representing the Birthday Parade group.

The Wilton Birthday Parade group on Facebook has created such a stir in town that many birthday parades have been popping up all over. There was another parade at the healthcare campus last month to celebrate the 100th birthday of Greens at Cannondale resident William Dunlap.

The group feels that parades have given such joy during this time of quarantine and that coming together makes a difference for their community. With the parades they feel its wonderful to see each other from a safe distance.

When the group learned of the Heroes Parade, they just knew they had to participate in the joy to all fron-tline workers.

Brian Lauro, a Fairfield resident arrived in his car with his wife to support the parade. Lauros wifes mother was at the facility at one point.

Were ready, man, for this parade and all festive, he said.
A teenager from Florida has been arrested, after allegedly throwing a burning cereal box at a kitten.

William Carr, an 18-year-old from Milton, Florida, was arrested on Friday and charged with animal abuse, according to the Pensacola News Journal.

Mr Carr met an unnamed woman at a residence in Milton on Friday, to help paint the inside of a house, according to the arrest affidavit.

The woman brought two adult cats and a kitten with her, but got into an argument with Mr Carr at some point during the day.

After the argument escalated, Mr Carr threatened to burn the womans cats and proceeded to put the kitten into a black bucket outside the residence.

The 18-year-old then allegedly set a cereal box on fire with a blowtorch, and threw it into the bucket and onto the kittens head, according to the documents.

It was confirmed that the kitten was not seriously hurt in the incident, but had its whiskers singed.

The police were called and Mr Carr was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail on Friday, with a $5000 (4057) bail set.

Mr Carr was released on Friday, but a court date for his next hearing has not yet been confirmed by the Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office.
Ashwini M Sripad By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Ten ministers in the BS Yediyurappa government completed 100 days in office on Monday. The party high command is said to be closely monitoring the performance of rebel Congress and JDS leaders, who helped the BJP form its government in Karnataka, by joining the party and winning crucial assembly bypolls.

On February 6, nearly two months after they won, 10 rebels from the Congress-JDS alliance were sworn in as ministers in Yediyurappas cabinet, and portfolios were allotted four days later. The Budget session started and even before it concluded, the lockdown was imposed due to the coronavirus outbreak, posing a challenge to the ministers to perform.

Highly-placed sources said the party high command and CM Yediyurappa are closely watching the performance of the new ministers. In fact, the new team of ministers is doing better than the batch which took oath last year. Some of the new ministers are holding plum portfolios like Agriculture, Labour, Medical Education, Horticulture, and have a crucial role to play in the pandemic. Most of them are travelling across the State and working, and the CM is aware of it. The message has been conveyed to leaders in Delhi, sources said.

There is pressure on the new ministers to perform, as any mistake could embarrass the CM himself.

Yediyurappa braved opposition from his party leaders, and many ministerial aspirants were disappointed. They will naturally keep a critical eye on the new ministers performance, said a senior BJP leader.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Gopalaiah said this was a challenging period for everyone. Apart from BPL and APL cardholders, there are lakhs of people who dont have any cards. Starting Tuesday, we are supplying 5kg rice per person to 40.20 lakh people, including migrants who dont have cards. We have sufficient grains, he said.

Agriculture Minister BC Patil, who travelled to all 30 districts during the lockdown, said this was crucial. Its the harvest season and also pre-monsoon period, when work needs to be done on farms. Unlike other industries, we cannot tell farmers to stay home, and have to ensure their health too. We set up agri war rooms to supply seeds and also cracked down on fake seed rackets. We seized 11,000 quintals of fake seeds, he said.

However, political analyst Prof Harish Ramaswamy differed, saying the Covid situation has overshadowed performance. In this situation, it is important for ministers to be visible in terms of performance, and not many succeeded. The policy output is largely by the Centre, with the State as the implementing authority. Most important is these ministers collective contribution to the government, which is again disappointing. It is largely managed by the bureaucracy. None of these new ministers could put their vision in practice. This was the time to grow in their political career and individually, but they failed to take it as a challenge, Ramaswamy said.
East Entrance sign NPS/Jacob W. Frank

May 27, 2020

Contact: Morgan Warthin, (307) 344-2015

This proposal would replace, improve, and expand existing Wi-Fi service provided to Xanterra Travel Collection restaurant and lodging patrons and employees.

The project would be funded by Xanterra Travel Collection.

No new towers would be installed under this application.

No antennas would be installed in, nor would service be provided in, backcountry areas, park roads, campgrounds, or picnic areas.

The new wireless equipment would only be installed on existing structures in existing developed areas.

The Wi-Fi service area would be limited to the general footprint of each facility included in the proposal.

This is not a 5G or cellular communications proposal. Voice communication over the internet would be available, as it is with all Wi-Fi services.

Commercial Wi-Fi use can be considered a utility and, like other utilities on NPS lands, will be authorized using the right-of-way permit process described in Reference Manual 53. The authority to permit telecommunication antenna sites is 54 U.S.C.  100902 (b). The NPS will recover all costs associated with the application. No government funds will be expended whether the installation is approved or denied.

This proposal allows for the installation of up to 484 small (10 x 10 inch or 7-inch diameter) antennas installed in or on employee housing and visitor lodging facilities at Canyon Village, Grant Village, Lake Village, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Old Faithful.

To link the local antennas to the internet service outside of the park, a network of 39 additional antennas would be required. The purpose of these antennas would be to deliver service directly to the developed areas and not to broadcast Wi-Fi signals. The antennas would include: Twenty-seven antennas installed at various locations in the developed areas (Canyon Village, Grant Village, Lake Village, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Old Faithful). These antennas will be a combination of 29 x 7-inch and 27 x 9-inch units. Three microwave antennas (one 2-foot-diameter and two 3-foot-diameter) would be mounted to the existing antenna support structure on Mount Washburn. Three additional microwave antennas (all 3-foot-diameter) would be installed in concealed vaults below the Mount Washburn fire lookout. Three 6-foot-diameter microwave antennas would be installed on existing towers (one each at Old Faithful, Grant Village, and Fishing Bridge). Three 2-foot-diameter microwave antennas would be installed on existing towers at Old Faithful (1) and Lake Village (2).

All exterior antennas would be located out of view wherever possible and, if visible, the installations would be painted to match the buildings on which they are installed.

To have no adverse effect to historic properties or districts, most (more than 75%) of the antennas on National Register of Historic Places eligible structures would be located in attic spaces or under eaves.

Photo-simulations and location details for all proposed antennas are available at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ap.

This proposal is consistent with the Yellowstone National Park Wireless Communications Services Plan.

Wi-Fi services could eventually be installed in facilities at other developed areas such as Norris, Madison, and Bechler for administrative and employee use only. Under the parks current wireless plan, the public would not be given access to the Wi-Fi service in these areas.

A complete list of affected properties, the proposal, and associated materials are available at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ap

The proposed project is an undertaking as outlined under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (36 CFR  800). On March 20, 2020, the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office concurred with the parks determination of no adverse effect. However, consultation will continue on this project given the public release of this proposal with more photo simulations.

AccessParks is the Wi-Fi service provider that is requesting a permit to locate their equipment in Yellowstone National Park.

Bulk comments in any format submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.

Before including your address, phone number, email, or other personal information, be aware that your entire comment  including your personally identifiable information  may be made public at any time. You may ask us to withhold your personally identifiable information from public review, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY - The National Park Service (NPS) seeks additional comments from the public about the impacts a Wi-Fi proposal may have on Yellowstone National Parks historic properties or other cultural resources. The proposal from AccessParks includes the installation of indoor Wi-Fi networks and associated equipment for park visitors and employees at select park lodging facilities and employee housing.On November 14, 2019, the park asked for public comment on affects to historic properties from a proposal by AccessParks. At the time of the original announcement, typical photo-simulations of a limited number of installations were included for public comment. On March 18, 2020, AccessParks released a proposal that showed significantly more photo-simulations of the proposed installations. The park is asking for additional comments because the public has not had the opportunity to view and comment on the additional photo-simulations.Comments must be received by June 10, 2020. Comments may be submitted online at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ap , or by mail. Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or by any other means.Mail comments to: Compliance Office, Attention: AccessParks Broadband Proposal, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.
Petoskey officials at odds over best process for housing reforms

While discussing a possible change to the zoning ordinance, some council members said it doesn't do enough to encourage more housing.
Almost 3,000 people will attend a Sunday service at a Florida megachurch where the pastor, who was arrested for ignoring lockdown orders, said 'we will not social distance, we will not wear masks.'

Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne, of Tampa, announced on Facebook Live Tuesday that The River at Tampa Bay Church will host an 'open air mass healing and miracle crusade' called 'The Stand.'

The 58-year-old pastor revealed The Stand event will be the official reopening of The River Church.

'People are flying in from everywhere. Its going to be off the chain,' said Howard-Browne.

So far, around 2,800 people have registered for the even online.

Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne (pictured) revealed during a Facebook Live broadcast that he will host a Sunday service called 'The Stand' this week

Howard-Browne admitted during the Facebook broadcast that he will not enforce public health rules put forward by the CDC and other health officials to curb the spread of coronavirus.

'Were not obviously doing social distancing, were not wearing masks or anything like that because we believe in the blood and the healing power of God,' he said.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Howard-Browne has flouted Florida's lockdown orders and held in-person services despite warnings from authorities.

In March, he mocked social distancing and said mass sermons would continue because his congregation are 'revivalists, not pansies.'

Pictured: The River at Tampa Bay Church, where Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne held sermons in defiance of Florida's lockdown orders

Pictured: The River at Tampa Bay Church's invitation to The Stand event on Sunday that will have more than 2,800 attendees present

He was arrested later that month after hundreds of residents definitely attended a service at his megachurch. Those charges were eventually dropped.

Coronavirus cases in Florida have grown over the last two months, with more than 52,000 infections recorded and 2,200 deaths.

Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne turned himself in to authorities on March 30 and was charged with unlawful assembly and violation of a public health emergency order

Howard-Browne added during his Facebook Live stream that although he would not adhere to public health guidelines, people will need to sign waivers to attend.

'But people are going to sign a waiver to say theyre not going to hold the church responsible because you could have picked up something at the gas station or Walmart or whatever,' he said.

Services are scheduled for Sunday at 9.30am and 5.30pm, then nightly congregations will be held at 5.30pm until June 7.

The Liberty Counsel, the conservative group that legal representation to Howard-Browne, said The Stand will take place in a parking lot covered with artificial turf that can hold up to 10,000 people.

Parishioners were told to bring umbrellas, hats and chairs.

Attached to The Stand invitation was a 'manifesto' that accuses governments and world agencies of discriminating against religious groups and churches.

The Stand will be held in parking lot that is covered in artificial turf and can hold up to 10,000 people

At the event, a manifesto said the congregation will 'stand and lay hands on the sick and cast out demons' and 'we will stand and baptize converts and dedicate babies'

Services are scheduled for Sunday at 9.30am and 5.30pm, then nightly congregations will be held at 5.30pm until June 7

'The antichrist system, operating through the WHO, the UN, and governments worldwide, have mocked the Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ,' it read.

'They have done this by arbitrarily shutting down the Church, by not acknowledging or recognizing the Church as an essential service, by openly discriminating against, and even persecuting, the Church.

'In their arrogance and godlessness, they have attempted to neutralize the Word and power of God and to mute the voice of the Churchthe voice of Righteousness and Truth.'

The manifesto added that 'We will stand and lay hands on the sick and cast out demons' and 'we will stand and baptize converts and dedicate babies.'

Howard-Browne revealed he has as much as 10 babies to dedicate during The Stand on Sunday.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister will also be in attendance at the Sunday service.

Howard-Browne (pictured): 'Were not obviously doing social distancing, were not wearing masks or anything like that because we believe in the blood and the healing power of God'

In a manifesto, Howard-Browne accused the federal government of discriminating against religious institutions

Chronister previously worked with Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren to obtain a warrant for Howard-Browne.

In April, Chronister visited Howard-Browne and his wife, Adonica, at their home in Hernando County home.

He called the move proactive policing and was meant to work closely with community leaders as America reopens.

'I met with Pastor Howard-Browne to discuss the future, not the past. We have committed to moving forward together,' Chronister said at the time.

In a statement to the Tampa Bay Times, Chronister wrote: 'The health emergency laws have evolved constantly during this unprecedented time, and we continue to make clear the Governors recommendations for social distancing, hand washing and wearing facial coverings.

'During this COVID-19 situation, we must remember that which we are taught during worship  we are our brothers and sisters keeper.'

Howard-Browne said on Thursday that church officials and authorities had a 'great meeting this morning' to review 'traffic flow and people flow and security for The Stand.'

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister (right) met with Howard-Browne (left) in April after obtaining an arrest warrant

Howard-Browne (right) said he had 'a great meeting' with Tampa authorities about traffic and people control for Sunday

Such provisions will almost certainly be needed as Howard-Browne continued to boast about his high attendance levels.

During the Facebook Live, Howard-Browne showed footage of a 'private volunteers' meeting held after a church on Tuesday.

The group shows what appears to be hundreds of people standing next to each other under an outdoor tent. No one seems to wear a face mask, gloves or social distance.

Howard-Browne said that around 50 people attended the meeting, but then added that he 'might have left off a zero.'

After Howard-Browne's arrest in March, Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered that religious services and churches by considered 'essential activities.'

Several churches initially stayed closed and relied on streaming services online, but have gradually begun to reopen their doors as lockdown orders begin to lift.

Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis (pictured) made an executive order that churches were 'essential' after Howard-Browne was arrested in March

Pictured: Hundreds of worshipers attended the service at The River at Tampa Bay Church in March after its conservative evangelical pastor, Rodney Howard-Browne (center), vowed never to close

Churches adhering to CDC guidelines must prohibit handshakes and hugs, encourage face mask and sanitation, stop using prayer books and hymnals, and social distance.

The CDC suggests that religious services be held in large areas, outdoors or places with good ventilation.

Dr. Marissa Levine, a professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, told The Times that these places may cause less risk infection.

She said air circulation dilutes the coronavirus, but doesn't change recommendations to practice social distancing.

'At the end of the day, were not out of the woods,' said Levine.

'Individuals are going to have to make choices based on not only their own risk but how much theyre willing to help or hinder the communitys efforts, so its important for everybody to plan accordingly.

'I like to say denial is not a strategy.'
A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Friday rejected a plea for interim bail by civil rights activist Sudha Bharadwaj, an accused in the Elghar Parishad case.

Bhardwaj, 59, had sought bail on health grounds after a prisoner and a doctor at Mumbais Byculla Jail, where she is being held, were infected by the Coronavirus.

In her plea, Bharadwaj said she was also suffering from several pre-existing medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension and high blood pressure. She said there was a high risk of her being infected by the Coronavirus in prison.

Her counsel also argued Bhardwaj has a history of pulmonary tuberculosis, which made her particularly susceptible to contracting other respiratory infections.

The plea was objected to by special public prosecutor Prakash Shetty on the ground that Bharadwaj was booked under stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and hence couldnt be released on interim bail, as mentioned by the high-power committee of the Bombay high court.

The prosecution also told the court that prisoners in Byculla Jail have access to all facilities and treatment for any ailments.

Bharadwaj, along with several other activists, was arrested under UAPA and provision of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly having links with Maoist rebels and being involved in the Elgar Parishad gathering on December 31, 2017, which sparked caste-based violence at Koregaon Bhima in Pune the next day.
The decision by Nevada's most populous county to mail ballots to all registered voters ahead of the state's June 9 primary has intensified a partisan debate about the security of all-mail voting, putting sharp focus on how states are handling a process President Donald Trump claims without evidence leads to widespread election fraud.

Officials in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, began sending ballots to 1.1 million active voters this month as part of Nevada's first all-mail election, prompted by the coronavirus epidemic. Roughly 200,000 more inactive voters - those who did not vote in two consecutive general elections - also received ballots in the mail after Democrats sued to make voting in the primary more accessible.

In recent days, Republicans have seized on a few accounts of what appeared to be unattended or discarded ballots in residential areas of Las Vegas as proof that mailing ballots to all voters opens the door to massive election fraud that will benefit Democrats.

The GOP intensified that line of attack last weekend when the Republican National Committee sued to block California Gov. Gavin Newsom, D, from mailing ballots for the general election, the party's most aggressive attempt so far to prevent a state from changing its voting practices in response to covid-19.

"It is an absolute brazen power grab," RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel said this week on Fox News, referring to Newsom's order. "What he's talking about is just sending ballots directly to registered voters. . . . There will be ballots littering the streets, and if you don't believe me, look what is happening in Nevada."

California and Nevada are not alone. Four states are sending ballots directly to voters for this year's primaries because of the risks posed by coronavirus, though so far only California has decided to do so for the general election, joining five states that already vote exclusively by mail.

In Nevada, election officials have not directly addressed reports of unattended ballots found ahead of the primary, and it is unclear how pervasive the problem has been. But those who administer the vote - Republicans and Democrats alike - have said there are sufficient security measures in place to prevent fraud, such as a requirement that signatures on mailed ballots match those on file with the state, unique bar codes that track the receipt of ballots and a prohibition on ballots being returned by third parties.

"Nevada has many safeguards in place to ensure the integrity of an all-mail election," Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, a Republican, said in a statement last week.

"For over a century, Nevadans, including members of the military, citizens residing outside the state, voters in designated mailing precincts, and voters requesting absentee ballots, have been voting by mail with no evidence of election fraud," she said.

As states rapidly expand their absentee and mail-in voting options this year in response to the ongoing health crisis, Nevada's primary represents an early stress test, putting the state's approach to authenticating ballots and maintaining its voter rolls under scrutiny.

Voting by mail has been less common in Nevada than some other states; only about nine percent of voters cast absentee ballots in 2018, compared with roughly 65 percent in California. Another potential complication: the state has recently seen a surge in voter registrations, thanks to a new law that adds residents to the voter rolls when they apply for a driver's license or identification card.

"Most states have never really faced the need to develop a good, consistent statewide system" for voting by mail, said Barry Burden, who directs the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Their systems are designed for sporadic use by a smaller number of voters."

Still, ballot fraud is extremely rare, Burden noted, adding that unsubstantiated claims of widespread problems can undermine public trust in elections, particularly in states with less experience voting by mail.

"It's all voters have to rely on - this kind of secondhand information from party leaders or interest groups," he said. "So to the degree they're raising concerns about the system being vulnerable to tampering, it's likely to lower confidence."

Several residents at Allanza at The Lakes, a large apartment complex in west Las Vegas where discarded ballots had been spotted, expressed anxiety this week about the security of voting by mail in the upcoming primary.

Christine Janicki, a 59-year-old veterinarian, said that earlier this month she noticed a pile of ballots in the mailbox area that went unclaimed for days.

"It really angers me to see it, because this is the type of thing that's going to diminish [the legitimacy] of mail-in voting," said Janicki, a registered Democrat who said she plans to take her ballot to the post office rather than leave it to be picked up.

"I think it's a wonderful idea, but it needs to be perfected," she said. "Because right now, it's too easy for these ballots to get into the wrong hands where somebody can say, 'Well, I think I'm going to mail in 50 of these.' "

Election security experts say many states have safeguards in place to prevent such tampering, including signature match rules or other forms of identity verification and tracking numbers that allow voters to follow the movement of their ballots through the mail.

Extensive security measures are in place in Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington, which already conduct their elections exclusively by mail.

In Washington state, officials announced this month that they found just 142 cases of suspected fraudulent voting during the 2018 general election, a tiny fraction of the roughly 3.2 million ballots cast.

Officials in other states that have ramped up mail voting this year have also increased their vigilance about potential ballot-tampering.

One alleged fraud attempt in West Virginia was prevented this month by a clerk in Pendleton County, who noticed what appeared to be alterations to a small number of absentee ballot forms, including five on which the ballot choice was changed from "Democrat" to "Republican," according to federal court documents.

The clerk knew some of the voters were not Republicans, and called to verify whether they had requested GOP ballots. This week, a local mail carrier was charged with attempted election fraud in the case.

West Virginia, which sent absentee ballot applications to all voters in advance of its June primary, is among nearly 30 states that have sought to lower barriers to voting by mail during the pandemic. More than 40 million people now have the temporary right to cast an absentee ballot for this year's midyear contests.

California had already been moving toward widespread vote-by-mail before Newsom's order about the general election, with more than 70% of ballots in the March primary submitted absentee. County officials have access to a centralized voter registration database, which helps ensure their rolls are up-to-date and verifies mail-in ballots using a signature-match system.

State officials said attacks on their voting system by Trump and the GOP are about politics, not election security.

"Trump's war on voting rights continues," California Secretary of State Alex Padilla tweeted Tuesday. "His lies and conspiracy theories only serve to undermine vote by mail in order to suppress the vote."

In Nevada, Cegavske announced in March that the state would conduct the June primary entirely by mail and send ballots to all registered voters, saying she and the state's 17 county election officials concluded it was "the best option" because of the pandemic.

But the plan became a target for Trump, who in recent weeks has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims about the dangers of mail-in voting.

"State of Nevada 'thinks' that they can send out illegal vote by mail ballots, creating a great Voter Fraud scenario for the State and the U.S. They can't! If they do, 'I think' I can hold up funds to the State," Trump tweeted on May 20.

Cegavske's office responded by touting the "established processes and procedures in place for safe and secure mail-in voting" in Nevada and pointing to a ruling by a federal judge in Reno that affirmed her authority to change the way voting is conducted.

Under Cegavske's plan, only active registered voters in Nevada would have received ballots in the mail, and each county would have been required to open only one in-person polling place to assist voters and provide same-day registration.

Democrats warned that could lead to massive lines in Clark County, home to the majority of Nevada's population, and sued Cegavske and county officials seeking more in-person voting locations and other changes.

"Expanding voting by mail is necessary to protect the right to vote during the coronavirus pandemic, but it must be paired with meaningful opportunities to vote safely in person and include various safeguards to prevent disenfranchisement of voters," the lawsuit stated.

In response, Clark County Registrar of Voters Joseph Gloria announced several changes to his election plan. Inactive as well as active voters would receive ballots in the mail, which Democrats argued was required under state law.

A spokesman for the county said signature matching will be used to verify mail ballots before they are counted. In cases in which a signature does not match or there is no signature, officials will attempt to contact voters to confirm they completed the ballot by providing identifying information and signing an oath.

Democratic officials said that sending ballots to all registered voters was necessary to make sure that those who vote irregularly are not disenfranchised. Donna West, chairwoman of the Clark County Democratic Party, said that tens of thousands of previously inactive voters in Nevada ended up casting ballots in 2016.

"To disregard inactive voters is, to me, to suppress the vote," West said. "Our history here in Nevada is that our people with an inactive status do turn out, especially in presidential election years."

David Sajdak, chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, said that while he supported a shift to voting by mail for the primary to protect voters' health, he thought Gloria's decision to send ballots to inactive voters was a mistake.

"It is wrought with potential fraud," he said.

Republicans have seized on anecdotes about discarded ballots, pointing to examples from a recent Las Vegas Review-Journal story that was cited in the party's lawsuit in California. Trump retweeted a photo on May 12 that appeared to show a pile of ballots that had not been placed in individual mailboxes.

Sajdak said some of his concerns about fraud were lessened when the state of Nevada hired an outside firm that specializes in signature matching to work with counties for the primary.

"It puts some independence on it, so that really tightened up some of the fraud [risk]," he said.

But Sajdak also accused Democrats of playing politics with the vote.

"The majority of the Democratic voters are in Clark County . . . so again, more proof that all they care about is an unequal playing field," he said.

Gloria, who referred questions to a county spokesman, has defended the county's election security procedures.

"It's very important to point out to all voters that mail ballots are not brand new to Clark County," he said in a virtual town hall meeting this month. "We've had several steps in place for many years to verify the identity of the voter when the ballot is received in our office. . . . It's a good process here in Clark County."

- - -

The Washington Post's Matt Jacob in Las Vegas contributed to this report.
'Enough' Joe Biden responded on twitter after President Donald Trump threatened to send the National Guard to Minneapolis to 'assume control,' warning 'thugs' in the city that 'when the looting starts the shooting starts.'

'Enough,' Biden wrote on Twitter.

The presumptive Democratic nominee weighed in on the situation in Minnesota after protesters in Minneapolis set fire to a police station as a part of series of demonstrations throughout the country in support of George Floyd, the African American man who died when a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck

'Enough' Joe Biden responded on twitter to President Donald Trump

President Trump saw one of his tweets muzzled after he threatened to send the National Guard to Minneapolis to 'assume control' of situation there

Law enforcement officers amassed along Lake Street near Hiawatha Ave. as fires burned after a night of unrest and protests

Biden also criticized the arrest of black CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez, who was detained by police and then later released, while reporting on the situation.

'This is not abstract: a black reporter was arrested while doing his job this morning, while the white police officer who killed George Floyd remains free. I am glad swift action was taken, but this, to me, says everything,' Biden wrote in a series of tweets.

He criticized President Trump for writing 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts,' - a provocative statement that harkens back to race riots in Miami during the 1960s when violence was used against African Americans. Twitter muzzled Trump's tweet - but left it online in case people wanted to read it - because they said it 'violated Twitter rules about glorifying violence.'

'I will not lift the Presidents tweet. I will not give him that amplification. But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many. Im furious, and you should be too,' Biden wrote.

He said he would speak more on the issue later Friday.

'I will be speaking more about the events in Minnesota later today,' he noted.

It would not be the first time that racial violence has prompted Biden to speak against President Trump.

Biden launched his presidential campaign by condemning Trump's remarks on racially driven violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, during protest and counter protest rallies in 2017.

Trump declared there were 'very fine people on both sides' of the situation, initially sparked by a decision to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from a public park.

The resulting clashes between white supremacists who organized a rally and counter-protesters ended with a woman's death. Neo-Nazi James Fields was sentenced to life in prison in December for running over Heather Heyer with his car.

'You had some very bad people in that group. You also had some very fine people on both sides. ... I saw the same pictures as you did. You had people in that group that were there to protest the taking down of  to them  a very, very important statue and the renaming of a park from Robert E. Lee to another name,' the president said at the time.

The White House claimed then that Trump's praise was limited to people who showed up in Charlottesville to argue for preserving the Lee statue.

Biden criticized the remarks when he launched his presidential campaign in April 2017 and said one of the reasons he was running was because of Trump's handling of the incident.

'With those words the President of the United States assigned a moral equivalence between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it. And in that moment I knew the threat to this nation was unlike any I had ever seen in my lifetime,' he said.

Minnesota State Police deploy in the city as protests continue

Biden criticized Trump for the president's response to racially motivated violence in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017 and cited it as one of his reasons for running for president

CNN reporter Omar Jimenez was arrested live on air Friday by Minnesota State police for apparently refusing to move when he'd been told to despite being heard on camera telling the cops 'tell us where you want us to go, we'll go wherever you want'

Biden has vowed to speak on the current situation, where dozens of businesses were looted or destroyed in Minneapolis after rioting broke out for the third consecutive night in the city in protest of Floyd's death.

The protests spread across the country with some peaceful and some violent. Denver, Phoenix, and Columbus, Ohio were among the cities showing their support for Floyd.

Additionally, CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez was put in handcuffs and led away by police while reporting from Minneapolis.

According to one of his colleagues, the crew was told he was being arrested for refusing to move when he'd been told to but he was heard live on television telling the officers: 'Put us back to where you want us - wherever you'd want us we'll go. Just let us know.'

Jimenez told them they were live on air with CNN and was put in handcuffs.

He asked: 'Do you mind telling me why I am under arrest sir? Why am I under arrest sir' then was led away.

Two of his colleagues from the same team were also arrested. The trio were put in a police van and were driven to a precinct but were released around 90 minutes later after CNN President Jeff Zucker and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz intervened.

Twitter, meanwhile, flagged a tweet of President Trump for 'glorifying violence.'

'These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!' the tweet read.

Twitter put a warning on the tweet less than three hours later, a move that came after the president designed an executive order seeking to strip social media companies of their legal protections, potentially exposing them to a flood of lawsuits.

Twitter said it muzzled Trump's tweet 'in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts'. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey was informed in advance.

The tweet can no longer be liked or replied to and will not be recommended by Twitter's algorithm, although retweets with comment are still possible - with Trump's message initially hidden.

It is still possible to override the warning message and view the tweet, under special rules for government officials which protect the public's right to know what their politicians have said.

After Twitter muzzled him, Trump had the official White House Twitter account post his words. Twitter flagged that tweet too.
Thiruvananthapuram, May 29 : Kerala on Friday recorded its eighth Covid death when a senior citizen with the coronavirus passed away at the Kottayam Medical College hospital earlier in the day. The condition of another senior citizen who travelled back from Mumbai is said to be serious.

State Health Minister K.K.Shailaja told the media that Kerala does not come under a community spread area as with the arrival of Keralaites in large numbers from within the country and abroad the state which had flattened the curve showed spike in covid cases.

"The problem is what we see now is on expected lines as after May 7, when lockdown norms were eased and people from within the country and abroad started coming, we expected this would happen, as most are coming from epicentres of positive cases.

"There is no need for any concern as things are under control as there is no cluster cases because we track, trace and isolate very effectively. At the same time, we cannot be complacent as all rules of lockdown have to be abided by," said Shailaja.

"It must be recalled that in the first phase the rate of contact spread was 30 per cent and now with more and more cases being reported, the contact spread has come down to 15 per cent and this is something very positive. This shows that there is no community spread," added Shailaja.

She said the 68-year-old person who passed away on Friday morning had returned from the UAE on May 11 and was on quarantine.

"This person along with his wife had gone to visit their son in the UAE. He was obese and a diabetic patient. On May 18 his condition worsened and was moved to the general hospital at Pathanamthitta.

On May 26, his condition became very serious and he was moved to the Kottayam Medical College hospital and was put on ventilator. Sadly he passed away today morning," said Shailaja.

Meanwhile a 80-year-old woman who came with her family on Thursday by train from Mumbai is in critical condition.

Though hailing from Thrissur, since she had severe breathing problems, she was straight away moved to the Kochi Medical College hospital and was put on ventilator.

She has tested Covid positive, while her family members' test results are awaited.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chinese telecom executive Meng Wanzhou wasnt the only loser when a B.C. judge refused to halt her extradition case on Wednesday.

The ruling is bad news for Canadian businesses and farmers, indeed the country as a whole. Get ready for the economic backlash from an enraged Chinese government  its coming.

But the legal decision is especially bitter news for the two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, who will continue to languish in the Chinese jail cells where theyve been held for the past 536 days in blatant retaliation for Mengs arrest. They may never taste freedom again unless Meng is allowed to return to China without being sent to face trial in the United States.

All this will weigh heavily on the Justin Trudeau government. After refusing to intervene and free Meng now, and after reaffirming the Canadian judiciary operates independently of politicians, it has no choice but to let Mengs extradition hearing continue.

But it can and should immediately turn to the United States for help because its the reason were in this mess. The real dispute here is between the two superpowers. Its the Americans who want to try Meng, not us.

Canada was dragged into their legal battle with Meng because were a good neighbour and honoured our extradition agreement with Washington. And because Canada is not a superpower, China saw fit to bully us rather than the U.S. to force Mengs release.

Our American allies have a moral responsibility to help us. Their own president, Donald Trump, muddied the waters and fed Chinese suspicions that the case against Meng is politically motivated when he said he might drop the charges against her  in return for a favourable trade deal with Beijing.

Of course, if Trump can be counted for anything, it is being unreliable. Trudeau needs a Plan B.

The stakes couldnt be higher. Canadas relationship with China is the worst its been in a half century. Chinas authoritarian rulers are seething because Canada is calling it out for cracking down on the citizens of Hong Kong.

Meanwhile the Chinese are impatiently waiting for Trudeau to decide whether to allow Huawei Technologies to participate in building Canadas 5G cellular network for telecommunications. Meng is Huaweis chief financial officer and the Chinese government sees her arrest as part of a western conspiracy against Chinas growing economic prowess.

Canadians may take consolation in knowing Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes ruling on Meng is as sound as the day is long. They may applaud Trudeau for upholding the rule of law. But while principles matter, so does the practical reality that two Canadians are being held in cruel isolation with the lights on 24 hours a day.

For now, the federal government should let Justice Holmes do her job. It should encourage the Americans either to drop the charges against Meng or consider some kind of out-of-court resolution. It should be prepared to veto any role for Huawei in 5G, too. China can no longer be trusted as a friendly trading partner.

But the federal government must be at least willing to consider if at some point, for the sake of Spavor and Kovrig, it will have to get involved in the extradition case itself. The federal attorney general has the authority to overturn an extradition order.

That should be a last resort because it would be seen, in this case, as caving to Chinese pressure. But in the interest of saving two precious Canadian lives, its a tool that Ottawa should keep handy.

Read more about:
PENNSAUKEN, Penn.Williams Trading Co. is offering retailers helpful tips on its many media platforms to help build inexpensive barriers for cash registers and check out areas. The tips are a part of the companys efforts to assist its customers with helpful ideas for conducting business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company says that retailers must pay particular attention to safety around the cash register, which has emerged as the most dangerous place in the store because every item cashiers touch, scan and bag has been handled by customers and other workers.

Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist and health economist at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, said cashiers need N95 masks as much as health care workers. He believes that all stores also need to give their cashiers face shields because many coronavirus carriers are asymptomatic.

Plexiglass sneeze guards, splash guards, cashier shields and other clear partitions are more important than ever. Many online resources are available to order plexiglass barriers or sneeze guards. Visit this Retail Display website here, or go to your local home center after taking measurements to build your own barrier.

A few examples are listed below:

 Simple Plexiglass Installationthis simple plexiglass sheet is a straightforward flat piece of plexiglass with minimal fasteners. A cutout can be provided for credit card terminals. This material is easily found at most hardware centers and can be cut to size.

 Simple Barrier Attached to Counter or RegisterYou can create a simple temporary barrier and mount this directly to your front register counter space. Leave a space at the bottom for products and tender to be passed between employees and customers.

 Suspension from Ceiling with Color BorderMany retailers have attached a sheet of plexiglass to the ceiling with a counter slot underneath. Please be careful to anchor this type of barrier with a rigid mount.

Other tips along with their links are below:

 Tips to Brick & Mortar Retailers to Convert Commerce to Curbside Pick-Up During Openings, available here.

 A Checklist and Store Opening Guide as States Slowly Allow Openings, here.

 COVID-19 How to Exercise at Home and Tips on Stress, here.

 Protecting Yourself From COVID-19 While Grocery Shopping, here.

 Quick Tips How to Safely Remove Disposable Gloves, here.

 Its Time to Make Your Own Face Mask Heres how to do it, here.

 The Vital Importance of Social Distancing, here.

 Williams Trading University e-learning Portal to All Adult channels During the COVID-19 Stay at Home Mandate Period, here.

 COVID-19: A Retailers Guide YouTube video, here.

 Shut In With Recent COVID-19 Travel Restrictions or at Home and Practicing Social Distancing? Game ON! Here.

For ordering and product information, call a Williams Trading Co. Sales Representative at (800) 423-8587 or visit www.williamstradingco.com.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

With the June 2 primary less than a week away, outside groups have spent more than $2.5 million on a congressional race in southern New Mexico that may help determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives.

Of that, more than $1.3 million has been spent by two House Republican-linked political action committees targeting Democratic 2nd Congressional District Rep. Xochitl Torres Small. But 10 other groups have poured in about $1.2 million to influence the hotly contested race for the Republican nomination between Roswell oil and gas executive Claire Chase, former state Rep. Yvette Herrell and Las Cruces businessman Chris Mathys.

I think its a lot for a primary, and a lot of mudslinging for two candidates (Chase and Herrell) who are in the same party, University of New Mexico political science professor Lonna Atkeson told the Journal. And it seems to be about one issue, how much they support (President Donald) Trump.

Both Chase and Herrell have PACs that support their candidacies and that have spent money attacking the other.

According to the Federal Election Commission and Opensecrets.org, pro-Chase PAC Citizens for a United New Mexico has spent $260,000 in the race  $225,000 against Herrell and $35,000 against Mathys. Pro-Herrell PAC Make New Mexico Great has spent about $88,000, with $80,000 of that against Chase.

Two PACs linked to the tea party and the U.S. House Freedom Caucus  House Freedom Action and House Freedom Fund  have spent a combined $442,000 in the race in support of Herrell, with $225,000 of that against Chase. Among the backers for the House Freedom Fund are U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and recently appointed White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

Defending Mainstreet  a moderate Republican group  has spent $100,000 against Herrell. But Right Women PAC, which seeks to help Republican women get elected to office, has thrown in $30,000 in support of Herrell.

Two Democratic-linked groups  Patriot Majority and Women Vote  have received attention for advertisements that seem to support Herrell in her race against Chase.

Patriot Majority, which is affiliated with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has spent almost $247,000, according to Opensecrets.org, on television ads portraying Chase as a Never Trumper and touting Herrells support for the president.

Women Vote  linked to abortion-rights Emilys List  has spent $23,000 on mailers along the same theme.

Weve thought all along that Democrats might resort to dirty tricks to stop Claire, Chases campaign spokesman Mike Berg said in a statement to the Journal. Frankly, its a compliment that Nancy Pelosis allies are this desperate to keep us out of the general election.

Atkeson said, they know Xochitl Torres Small defeated Herrell before. You already know how to run against her. I always think that people like the devil they know better.

Herrell said liberal Super PACs have no business getting involved in this primary and should stop immediately.

We can only control what our campaign does, and we are 100% focused on our positive message of reopening our economy, supporting our ag and energy industries, standing for our constitutional rights, and backing President Trumps agenda, Herrell said in a statement.

The Congressional Leadership Fund has booked $1.1 million in advertisements against Torres Small for the general election.

Thats in addition to the almost $220,000 American Action Network spent in advertisements against her that ran late last year.

I expect the Democrats are going to want to keep that (seat) and the Republicans will want to take that seat back. I expect more groups to jump in for the general election, Atkeson said.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) -Defiance Silver Corp. (TSXV: DEF) (OTC: DNCVF) ("Defiance" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the delineation of multiple and significant new targets at the San Acacio silver project as well as to provide a corporate update.

Defiance's technical advisors, OreQuest Consultants (see News Release dated November 11th, 2019), have spent the past 6 months executing a work program focused on property-scale mapping, 3D modeling and drill core re-logging at the San Acacio project. As a result of this program, OreQuest and Defiance have generated novel targets in previously overlooked portions of the property. The recent work highlights the potential for composite vein systems at depth and suggests the presence of a long-lived mineralizing system at San Acacio. Significant new drill targets that have been generated include:

1) A 1.3km X 300m corridor where a hanging wall mineralizing event has been identified (Figure 1). Key targets in this corridor include hanging wall veins parallel to the Veta Grande and offset hanging wall structures found in the vicinity of the Tiro San Genaro. Significant mineralization outside of the main Veta Grande structure was outlined by positive drill results in the vicinity SAD15-08 (Veta Natividad and Veta Grande) both at depth and along strike between Almaden and Tiro San Genaro (Figure 2). Targets include parallel and offset structures in the vicinity of previous drilling at El Mirador/Almaden and SAD17-12/13/14.

2) Deep targets along strike of the Veta Grande to the immediate south east. This area was tested late in 2017 and is structurally complicated, consisting of down-dropped blocks and regional block rotation.

3) "El Mirador," part of a multi-kilometer felsic fault structure (La Veta Morada) with visible silver sulfides that outcrops near previous drilling in the vicinity of the Almaden Shaft and underground workings (Figure 3). This style of structure has a positive correlation to regional exploration and development successes at other nearby projects.





Figure 1. Overview plan map. Main target areas shown in white boxes.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2950/56835_8934e4ad8455cba0_002full.jpg





Figure 2. Oblique view of San Acacio project drilling and underground workings.

Silver intercepts above 60gpt shown as blue discs.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2950/56835_8934e4ad8455cba0_003full.jpg

Table 1. Highlighted Intercepts in the Hanging wall of the Veta Grande (VG)

Hole ID From To Width* Ag Au Cu Pb Zn Zone SADD09-04A 243.0 244.3 1.3* 769 0.15 0.01 0.23 0.79 Natividad including 243.0 243.30 0.3* 3,090.0 0.57 0.04 0.92 3.27 Natividad SADD10-09 314.85 316.05 1.20* 239 0.42 0.117 1.33 4.10 HW VG SAD15-08 106.05 113.3 7.25* 631.46 0.43 0.01 0.09 0.22 Unknown SAD17-13 261.0 264.0 3.0* 372.21 0.10 0.01 0.16 0.45 HW Vein including 261.0 262.0 1.0* 748.7 0.19 0.01 0.31 0.88 HW Vein

*True Thicknesses unknown

This table is presented to highlight the significant mineralization outside of the principle Veta Grande structure. Re-logging and property-scale mapping has been successful in identifying multiple phases or pulses of mineralization. These targets have largely been untested and may have been intersected in multiple holes, such as SAD17-13, where several styles of overprinting mineralization is witnessed at similar depths as veining found in the NW of the property in the hanging wall of the Veta Grande structure.

Figure 3. Cross-section through the El Mirador Zone with vein structures

& target interpretation shown in red and purple.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2950/56835_8934e4ad8455cba0_004full.jpg

There is strong evidence supporting a buried system at depth. Metal zonation ratios and alteration assemblages support this theory. More importantly, core re-logging (see Figure 4) identified a style of mineralization that is observed as silver sulphide veins in vertical structures in the hanging wall of the Veta Grande, cross cutting the Veta Grande mineralizing events. These important observations help support the theory of a long-lived, multi-phased mineralizing event in the Veta Grande camp. These features can be found in epithermal environments, and micro-veining adjacent to known veins were key features that led to the blind discovery of the high-grade Martha Vein at Coeur Mining's La Preciosa Silver Deposit.





Figure 4. Centre. Cross-section through the San Genaro zone with target interpretation shown in red and brown. Left. Unsampled drill core in hole SAD-17-14 with strong alteration and visible silver and base metal sulfides. Right. High-grade (748.7 gpt Ag) intersection showing cross-cutting relationship of multiple phases of mineralization in drill hole SAD-17-13.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2950/56835_8934e4ad8455cba0_005full.jpg

Next Steps

1) Follow up re-logging and re-sampling of historical drill holes was initiated prior to COVID-related shutdown and will resume as soon as the technical team can safely return to the project in the coming months.

2) 2020 drilling, which will consist of approximately 5000m, is being planned with a number of key targets existing within the current drill permit area.

3) Data compilation of all relevant historical and recent geologic and development data from the Zacatecas District continues; currently there is data covering over 135,000 Ha in the database.

4) In the near-term, a property-wide surface geochemistry program will commence. This will help identify the metal zonation and mineral system footprints. Surface geochemistry in conjunction with geological mapping and geophysics provide excellent tools for system fingerprinting and outlining deeper prospective targets.

5) Defiance is preparing additional drill permit applications that will test some of the targets that lie outside of the current drill permit. Defiance will update the market on the program when it announces the commencement of the program.

San Acacio History

Zacatecas state continues to be the top producer of silver in Mexico (INEGI Data) and is one of the reasons Mexico continues to remain the world's largest silver producer (CEIC Data). The Zacatecas-Fresnillo Silver Belt is one of the most prolific silver producing areas in the world. Production at the San Acacio mine dates to at least 1548 when Spanish colonialists mined mainly bonanza oxide ores, typically grading in excess of 1kg/Tonne Silver. The various veins were operated intermittently until the mid-1800's when an English company drove the ~2km Purisima tunnel to allow for deeper underground access and drainage. From the late 1800's until the Mexican Revolution in 1920, mining consisted of intermittent production from bonanza grade ores. During the Mexican Revolution, heavy fighting in the Zacatecas region led to the halt of most mining endeavors. In the mid 1920's, a cyanide plant targeting silica rich ores and a floatation plant for complex Pb-Zn ores were built with varying success until the transition from oxide to sulphide rich ores made for recovery complexities. In the mid 1930's the first tonnage estimate was created on the property, although the project sat mostly idle save for some stope and adit rehabilitation at Purisima and Refugio. Production was largely dormant except for some small processing done by CIA Fresnillo in the late 1930's to early 1940's. In the 1960's the Amado Mesta family built a 100 tpd floatation plant targeting dumps and backfill material and eventually the Mesta family constructed a larger 250 tpd floatation plant. Throughout the late 1970' and early 1980's a lack of camp consolidation prevented any larger companies from acting on their interest in the Veta Grande camp. In the mid 1990's Silver Standard Resources Inc. began a systematic exploration and evaluation program targeting an open pit silver mine consisting of backfill, remaining stopes and silica rich hanging wall and footwall mineralization of the Veta Grande structure. This entry by a publicly-listed company kicked off nearly 3 decades of exploration, development, and bulk-scale processing.

Defiance Silver has been exploring the project since 2011 and has focused primarily on identifying near-term mine resources. Drilling by previous operators as well as Defiance Silver, from 2009 to early 2017 confirmed the presence of significant mineralizing events that provide evidence for a long-lived mineralizing system. Drilling in late 2017 and early 2019 outlined complexities in the structural geology of the area and identified significant "down dropped" and rotated structural blocks as the company tested the Veta Grande at similar elevations where it was encountered by earlier mining and drilling. [Section Reference: Desautels 2012].

COVID-19 Response

Defiance is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the administrative order put in place by the Federal Government of Mexico on the March 30th, 2020. As announced on May 13th, amended from the Mexican Health Ministry's March 30th decree, the Federal Government of Mexico has identified Mining as an essential service. Defiance's team continues to work remotely on the project data for target generation, permitting and data interpretation, as well as advancing geologic modeling. The company is anticipating a re-commencement of field exploration activities soon while following public health directives for COVID-19.

Finally, Defiance announces that it has granted incentive stock options to certain directors and officers to purchase up to 605,000 shares of the Company, under the terms of the Company's stock option plan, at an exercise price of $0.23 per share.

About Defiance Silver Corp.

Defiance Silver Corp. (TSXV: DEF) (OTC: DNCVF) (FSE: D4E) is an exploration company advancing the district-scale San Acacio Deposit, located in the historic Zacatecas Silver District and the 100% owned Tepal Gold/Copper Project in Michoacan state, Mexico. Defiance is managed by a team of proven mine developers with a track record of exploring, advancing and developing several operating mines and advanced resource projects Defiance's corporate mandate is to expand the San Acacio and Tepal projects to become premier Mexican silver and gold deposits.

Mr. George Cavey, P.Geo, is a Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 and has approved the technical information concerning the Company's material mineral properties contained in this press release.

On behalf of Defiance Silver Corp.

"Chris Wright"

Chairman of the Board

For more information, please contact: Investor Relations at +1 917-563-3821 or via email at

info@defiancesilver.com.

www.defiancesilver.com

704 - 595 Howe Street

Vancouver, BC V6E 2K3

Tel: 604-669-7315 Email: info@defiancesilver.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Defiance Silver Corp. relies upon litigation protection for forward-looking statements.

Reference List

1. Technical Report, San Acacio Deposit, Zacatecas, Mexico (2012). Desautels, P. AGP Mining Consultants for Defiance Silver Corp.

2. INEGI Data: https://sinegi.page.link/UogE

3. CEIC Data: https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/mexico/silver-production

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56835
The fallout at the State Capitol from the delayed notice about a state lawmakers positive COVID-19 diagnosis has spurred a flurry of reactions and demands for change to ensure others are protected from the exposure to the potentially deadly virus.

There have been calls for investigations, a resignation, and changes in rules to ratchet up safety precautions after Rep. Andrew Lewis, a Dauphin County Republican, publicly shared on Wednesday he had been in self-isolation the last two weeks after being exposed to the coronavirus.

Lewis said he had been exposed around May 14, the last day he was at the state Capitol for about three hours. He said he was tested on May 18 and learned the test was positive two days later.

Lewis announcement shared on social media and by the House Republican Caucus on Wednesday afternoon was met with shock and outrage by House Democrats. Angry Democratic lawmakers indicated they felt Republicans displayed a cavalier attitude about a potentially serious health risk by keeping them in the dark.

Rep. Brian Sims, D-Philadelphia, went on a tear on Facebook in a video over the health risk the delay potentially posed not only to members and staffers but their families as well. He said House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, should go to jail for hiding it. He also appeared on CNN on Thursday continuing his rant to a national audience and again calling for Turzai, who is not seeking re-election this year, to resign.

Rep. Kevin Boyle, D-Philadelphia, sent a letter to the state Attorney General Josh Shapiro asking him to investigate House Republican leaders and lawmakers who were aware of Lewis diagnosis. State Sen. Tim Kearney, a Chester County Democrat, backed the call for an investigation by the attorney general.

The Democrats call for the attorney general to investigate doesnt appear to be going anywhere. In a statement, Attorney General Josh Shapiro acknowledged receiving several requests for a criminal investigation into the matter.

While I understand their frustration and concern, a criminal investigation is not warranted based on our initial review. Capitol staff and state House members with concerns about COVID-19 contact tracing and exposure should contact the independent Chief Clerk of the state House and continue to follow the guidance of the Secretary of Health, Shapiro said in a statement.

"It is critical that public officials lead by example and demonstrate common decency during this crisis by following public health guidelines and being transparent with their colleagues and the Department of Health. Failure to act with this decency puts others at risk and extends the period of time we must fight this pandemic.

House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody of Allegheny County called for an immediate rule change that among other measures, would require members diagnosed with COVID-19 or in quarantine due to exposure to it to immediately inform the speaker, caucus leaders and the chief clerk.

The House is now considering a rule change that would impose such requirements.

Pa. Rep. Andrew Lewis, R-Dauphin County, announced Wednesday he had tested positive for COVID-19, days after he learned of his positive test. Some Democratic lawmakers said he and House GOP leaders should have disclosed it sooner.

Nothing to do with politics: Lewis

Lewis, 33, admits to being fully recovered from his bout with the virus that presented itself to him in mild flu-like symptoms around May 14, the last day he was at the Capitol for a three-hour span.

He is grateful that none of the handful of people he may have potentially exposed have shown symptoms. Those he could have exposed include at least two state representatives, as well as his family. Lewis said he was more concerned about them than himself.

But he said he is disappointed that his Democratic colleagues, some of whom he greatly admires, have politicized his health issue. He said he didnt purposely try to hide his diagnosis from them. Instead, he said he was following the recommended protocols from the state Department of Health and U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Lewis said he immediately self-isolated when he started feeling sick around May 14. He made an appointment to get tested and the earliest appointment he could get was on May 18.

He received his results on May 20th and he notified the House human resources department about the handful of people he came into contact within the 48-hour timeframe from when his symptoms started. He also contacted the Department of Health and checked in with the department every day during his self-isolation.

State Reps. Frank Ryan and Russ Diamond, both Lebanon County Republicans, confirmed to PennLive that they were alerted on May 21 about their possible exposure to COVID-19 and went into self-quarantine, which ended on Thursday.

House GOP spokesman Mike Straub explained Ryans and Diamonds 14-day quarantine clock began from the time of exposure, which was determined to be the last time they saw Lewis on May 14, and not from the time they were notified.

Lewis said he followed the Houses protocol to the T.

It was a textbook case of notifying the people I needed to notify, Lewis said. Its very disappointing to see that theres any thought that somehow there was an intentional not letting them know on a partisan basis. For me, it had nothing to do with politics whatsoever.

Rep. Greg Rothman, R-Cumberland County, among others, said they had heard rumblings around the Capitol about Lewis or a member being exposed to the coronavirus but didnt hear it was officially confirmed until the same time the Democrats got word.

Willful disregard

On the House floor on Thursday, arguments made clearly indicated the Democrats felt otherwise.

Boyle accused the House Republican Caucus, who he said knew about the positive diagnosis for a week without disclosing it, of causing a serious workplace safety issue.

"It is willful disregard not just to the members and staff but also the many service and security workers who also work in this building, Boyle said.

He made a motion calling for the House to adjourn until June 8 to allow time for an investigation into who in the Republican Caucus was aware of Lewis diagnosis and why Democrats werent told.

House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster County, argued against Boyles motion. He said the caucus and Lewis followed House policies that interact with patient privacy required by other laws, including the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and the American Disabilities Act.

You have to maintain the balance between public safety and patient privacy, Cutler said.

Cutler pointed out House members could vote remotely. He said the House put in place a temporary rule allowing for remote voting so lawmakers would have an option if they felt uncomfortable coming to the Capitol during the pandemic.

Sims delivered an emotionally charged speech that laid out the timeline that suggested the two-to-14-day incubation period for COVID-19 meant that Lewis could have exposed his House colleagues from May 4 until he self isolated on May 14. He pointed out Lewis attended House sessions in person six times during that 10-day timeframe.

As a lawyer who has practiced law specifically relating to HIPAA protections, Sims said HIPAA doesnt apply in a public health sphere. He also cast doubt that Lewis only had contact with a handful of people in the Capitol, calling it ridiculous.

We dont want to know the names of whomever in your caucus has tested positive. We dont want to know the names in your caucus of whoever is being quarantined," he said. "But we have a right, a public health right to protect our families, to protect our neighbors, to protect our constituents and our staffs.

He ended by echoing Boyles call for the attorney general to investigate and for Turzai to resign over the failure to disclose.

Turzai responded tersely, I was not informed and thats it.

The House defeated Boyles motion to adjourn by a 110-92 vote with one Democrat, Rep. Anita Astorino Kulik of Allegheny County, joining Republicans in opposing it.

House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny County, said he would support a rule change compelling lawmakers to publicly disclose a positive test for COVID-19. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com

Members should self-disclose immediately: Turzai

Still, Turzai shared with the chamber that if he were diagnosed with COVID-19, I would immediately self disclose and immediately quarantine, which drew applause from members.

And I think all members should follow the same protocol, Turzai said. Moving forward for all of us, I would suggest that we self-disclose.

And the House Speaker said he would support a rule change to that effect.

Meanwhile, the General Assemblys first diagnosed exposure to the pandemic is sparking possible changes at the other end of the Capitol as well.

Senate Republican leaders said they now, too, are having discussions about changes to their chambers COVID-19 potential workplace exposure protocol that follows CDC guidelines.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, acknowledged that they asked the state Department of General Services to fog Senate offices and the chamber after learning of Lewis diagnosis.

We will continue to have conversations to make our policy as safe as we possibly can for all of our employees, Scarnati said. This is ... a tight rope of a sensitive issue. Its health-related but it certainly affects those around you as we know. So you know, sometimes we have to rely on some common sense. And you cant legislate that.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
Politicians who want churches to remain closed 'hate faith,' Ted Cruz says

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Thursday said that progressive elected officials who are issuing orders to curb the spread of COVID-19 that restrict churches but not secular entities do so because they hate faith.

On an episode of First Liberty Live! streamed online by the First Liberty Institute on Thursday, Cruz spoke about constitutional rights and states' lockdown orders that were initially put in place to ensure hospitals were not overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients but have been extended by some state governors and mayors.

Cruz said he believed crisis reveals character and as a result, Americans were seeing some politicians act as jack-booted authoritarians by going after religious groups.

Its one thing to put reasonable public health restrictions in place, its another thing to arbitrarily trample on liberty, Cruz said.

The senator argued that there are these politicians on the left who hate faith, who have a demonstrable antipathy to people of faith, to Christians, to observant Jews, to anyone for whom faith is anything real and tangible in their lives.

He cited as an example New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and his controversial comments in which he said he would permanently close down any church found in violation of the city's gathering restrictions.

[De Blasio] repeatedly has demonstrated an over-eagerness, a zealousness to target people of faith, Cruz said.

No tin-pot mayor has the power to permanently close down any church or any synagogue, and the fact that they are licking their lips trying to put a padlock on the church demonstrates that level of antipathy.

Cruz also defended drive-in church, in which congregations gather in parked cars practicing social distancing in worship, denouncing the efforts of some to close such services down.

In Massena, New York, Pastor Samson Ryman was warned that he would face a fine of up to $1,000 for holding a drive-in church service on May 3 with 23 worshipers in 18 vehicles, which the chief of police said was a violation of Gov. Andrew Cuomos COVID-19 Executive Orders. Last week, Cuomo said churches can begin hosting drive-in worship services as long as they follow strict social distancing guidelines.

In April, the Department of Justice intervened after authorities in Greenville, Mississippi, fined attendees at a drive-in church service $500 each for purported violations while permitting citizens to attend nearby drive-in restaurants.

Cruz said such efforts to punish attendees of such services absurd and criticized it as an example of targeting and singling out people of faith because they are people of faith.

There is no coherent constitutional argument that a massage parlor or a bar is somehow more protected, more constitutional privileged, more sacred, more worthy of legal protection than a church service, Cruz said.

Cruz also talked about how his church has put a halt on in-person worship for three months, so he and his family watch worship services on Zoom instead.

In addition to Cruz, the episode also featured comments from First Liberty Institute President & CEO Kelly Shackelford, whose organization hosted the livestream.

Shackelford explained that when it comes to the debate over churches reopening, the good news is in most places, churches who want to can open up safely.

Were going to have to fight in some places, said Shackelford, noting that there are petty tyrants who want to keep church buildings closed until a COVID-19 vaccine is developed, which he said is unacceptable.

Some churches have filed legal action against state and local governments, arguing that they are not treating houses of worship fairly when planning out which entities can open up and when.

For example, Church of the Word of Fenton, Missouri sued St. Louis County over a local order limiting in-person worship to 25% capacity while secular businesses are allowed 100% capacity.

We are actively engaging with the civil realm to make sure that the establishment of religious liberty and freedom of speech isnt lost in these days [of] government expansion and fear, stated the church.
General Electric (NYSE:GE) forecasted negative free cash flow for the full year this week. The new CEO, Larry Culp, took over the company's sprawling asset portfolio 18 months ago, and still has work to do.

Balance sheet concerns at GE have been mitigated by a sale of GE's healthcare unit. Proceeds from that sale raised the company's liquidity position by over 20% during Culp's first year on the job, which should help offset this year's negative free cash flow. Free cash will be further aided by the recently announced sale of its lighting business as well.

Big Challenge Remaining

GE's aviation unit is the root of the cash burn problem. The daunting combination of a pandemic and 737 Max grounding (GE makes part of the engine) removes a cash generating machine for General Electric while the pandemic limits aviation business elsewhere. Boeing's issues are a significant contributor to GE's cash burn.

Good news may finally be on the way for Culp, though, with airlines reporting that demand for air travel is bottoming.

GE profitability concerns still loom, but asset sales will help ensure stability while Culp revamps GE and the 737 Max gets back in the air.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Feminists from across the globe condemned the arrest of Pinjra Tod founding members Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal and demanded the charges against them be dropped. Pinjra Tod is a collective of women students and alumni of colleges across Delhi.

The signatories from the United Kingdom, Canada, Palestine, Nicaragua, Portugal, France, Mexico, Brazil, Bangladesh, Sweden, Germany, and India said in their statement that community activists and academics from around the world stood in solidarity with Kalita and Narwal.

They said the duo along with others were held as part of the current governments clampdown on dissent against the citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens. The government was taking advantage of the dispersion caused by the pandemic, the statement said.

The feminists demanded that the charges against Kalita and Narwal be dropped and that they be immediately and unconditionally released along with other peaceful protesters who participated in the nationwide movement against the CAA and the NRC.

These arrests come after two months of brutal repression with detention of students Safoora Zargar and Meeran Haider, activists Ishrat Jahan, Khalid Saifi and Gulfisha Fatima and hundreds of other Muslim youth as a means of punishing the widespread protests against the CAA-NRC, said the statement.

The two activists were arrested on May 23. After being presented before the duty magistrate, the duo were granted bail. However, soon after, the two were re-arrested and sent to police custody. Both are students at the JNU.

Meanwhile, a Delhi court had on Tuesday allowed the extension of judicial custody of Safoora Zargar and Meeran Haider who were booked under UAPA in a case related to communal violence in northeast Delhi in February.

Unprecedented situations require unprecedented solutions. During the lockdown period, the functioning of the courts was suspended. In such circumstances, the police had no other option but to seek extension of the judicial remand, the court said.
Gogoro, the mobility company best known for its SmartScooters, revealed details about its new e-bike brand Eeyo today. Eeyo will launch with two lightweight models, both powered by the SmartWheel, a self-contained hub designed by the company that integrates motors, batteries, sensors and smart connectivity technology.

Eeyo is the first product that Gogoro will introduce in the United States, nine years after it was founded by HTC executives. The e-bikes will go on sale there and in Taiwan, where Gogoro is based, in July, and in Europe shortly afterward.

With more than 300,000 customers, Gogoros SmartScooters and their charging stations are a common sight in Taiwanese cities. Technology developed by the company, including its lightweight rechargeable batteries, are also used in scooters made by Yamaha, Suzuki, Aeon and PGO. It plans to make Eeyo's tech available to manufacturing partners as well.

Gogoro co-founder and CEO Horace Luke told TechCrunch that even though scooters are widely used in many cities in Asia and Europe, they are less common in the U.S., so the company decided to make Eeyo its first American launch instead of the SmartScooter.

The team began planning Eeyo's launch a year ago, and even though they could not have anticipated it would happen during COVID-19, Luke said the pandemic has created new demand for e-bikes, a market that was already growing quickly.

"At the moment, use of public transportation is down and people are very cautious about it. This is forcing people to find alternative ways to get around," said Luke. "A lot of cities are very hilly, commutes are long and with streets closed, cars are not as efficient as they used to be. So there is a huge demand and the e-bike market is blowing up."

The company began working on Eeyo about three years ago, with the idea of creating a "human-electric hybrid."

"That sounds like a fancy way of saying e-bike until you ride what we made," Luke said. "It took a lot of time for us to create this project. Instead of focusing on utility and the power assistance to get somewhere, we wanted to create a different paradigm. Thinking 'I need to take my e-bike to the grocery store' isnt usually exciting, but we wanted to focus on agility and excitement."

Story continues

Eeyos first e-bike models, the 1 and 1s, were designed with a specific user in mind: city dwellers who want agile, fast bikes that are able to handle tricky terrain, like hills. "I kept telling our team, I want the bike to give me the same feeling I had when I was 18 and able to get somewhere without breaking into a sweat. I wanted to bring that excitement and joy back into riding a two-wheeler to our customers."

The Eeyo 1s and 1 weigh 26.4 pounds and 27.5 pounds, respectively, much lighter than many e-bikes, which typically weigh 45 to 50 pounds. Its carbon-fiber frame was designed so riders can carry the bikes on their shoulder. They are charged either by snapping chargers around their hubs, or placing them on an optional stand charger.

Most of the technology used in Gogoros SmartScooters, including its batteries and charging stations, were designed by the companys engineers. SmartWheel, the key technology behind Eeyo, was also developed in-house.

"What drives the mechanism for performance is our innovation, the SmartWheel," said Luke. "It is a hub-based motor, it has a battery and sensors in it, a computer system and a motor system." That includes Gogoros Intelligent Power Assist system, which uses a torque sensor to detect how hard a rider is pedaling to calculate the amount of assistance the bike needs to give.

The SmartWheel also connects to the Eeyo app, which enables riders to monitor their speed and pedaling power when their smartphones are mounted to the bike. It also downloads over-the-air firmware and software updates for the bike, similar to the Gogoro SmartScooters automatic updates.

Both Eeyo models use the SmartWheel, have full carbon-fiber frames and forks, and two riding modes: "sport mode," which responds to the riders pedaling and delivers about 40 miles of range, or the distance the bike can be used to travel on one charge, and "Eco Mode," which conserves battery power by limiting power assistance and can extend the e-bikes range to 55 miles.

The Eeyo 1s is available in one color, "warm white," and its seat post, handlebars and rims are also made out of full carbon fiber. It weighs 26.4 pounds and will be priced at $4,599. The Eeyo 1 comes in two colors, "cloud blue" and "lobster orange," and uses alloy seat posts, handlebars and rims instead. It weighs 27.5 pounds and will cost $3,899.

Gogoro sees itself as a mobility platform business that not only manufactures vehicles, but also develops technology for electric vehicles and vehicle sharing. Luke said the company wants to offer its e-bike technology, including the SmartWheel, for use by other manufacturers because Gogoro "has never taken a one-size-fits-all approach, even with our scooter business. That is one reason we work with Yamaha, Suzuki, PGO, Aeon."

Working with partners also furthers the company's goal of getting more electric vehicles on the street and reducing pollution.

"We only have X amount of years to make changes and if we get more people alongside us, we can make a giant impact," Luke added. "Other people will build different form factors, ones that are more leisure-like, more focused on utility, while we focus on sportiness, agility and fun."
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

The export of electrical goods from Turkey to Kazakhstan increased by 26.62 percent from January through April 2020 compared to the same period of 2019 and reached $22 million, the Turkish Ministry of Trade told Trend.

In April 2020, Turkeys export of electrical goods to Kazakhstan dropped by 49.61 percent compared to April 2019 and amounted to $7.2 million.

The export of electrical goods from Turkey to the world markets reached $3.1 billion from January through April 2020, having decreased by 13.2 percent compared to the same period of last year and accounting for 6.1 percent of the country's total export volume from January through April 2020.

Turkey exported electrical goods worth $62 million to the world markets in April 2020, which is 33.8 percent less than in April 2019.

The export of electrical goods from Turkey in April 2020 amounted to 6.9 percent of the country's total export volume.

Turkey exported electrical products worth $10.8 billion over the past 12 months (from April 2019 through April 2020).

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Native Americans are cancelling Sun Dances other cultural ceremonies to halt the spread of the coronavirus, as infections amid indigenous communities begin to soar.

In the so-called Great Plains states of North and South Dakota, community leaders have put off this years planned Sun Dances, days-long gatherings when people come together for collective healing. Elsewhere, Pow wows, or traditional gatherings, have gone online for those with access to the internet.

Indigenous leaders say the cancellation of the events, enacted to enforce social distancing, further impacts the well-being of the community, many members of which struggle from mental health challenges. Events such as traditional sweats, are no longer possible.

The 173,000-strong Navajo Nation, whose territory includes part of New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona, remains on lockdown, after recording at least 4,800 infections and 150 deaths  the highest per capita infection rate in the country.

At the same time, other communities across the country are bracing; last week around 80 new infections were reported in the South Dakota town of Rapid City. The Native American population is being affected to a greater extent, Rapid City mayor Steve Allender said in a weekly briefing.

Donald Warne, a physician and associate dean at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, said before the pandemic struck, native communities were already combatting some of the worst national rates of poverty and unemployment, and worst access to healthcare.

Now, he said, as politicians argued, Native Americans were dying of neglect.

I dont look at Covid-19 as a biomedical issue in Indian communities. It really is a policy issue, and a social justice issue, he told a briefing, organised by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which works on health issues.

And as American Indians, we are the only population born with a legal right to health services, and thats based on treaties and other laws and Supreme Court decisions that show American Indians exchanged land and natural resources for various social services, including housing, education and health care.

Mr Warne, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe from Pine Ridge, South Dakota, said communities were trying to protect themselves, even as some politicians sought to undermine their efforts.

Earlier this month, South Dakota governor Kristi Noem threatened to sue two tribes, the Cheyenne River Sioux and Oglala Sioux, who erected a number of roadblocks and check points on routes leading to their reservations.

The Navajo Nation has seen highest per capita infection rate in nation (Getty)

The efforts were part of a broader effort to limit the spread of the virus, but Ms Noem claimed the tribes had broken the law by failing to speak to the authorities about their plans. She is one of around a half-dozen governors who imposed no lockdown measures when the virus struck.

Its even had some cultural implications. We have ceremonies like the Sun Dance, for example. Most of those have been postponed or cancelled for this year, which is highly unusual, he said.

Dr Warne later said the Sun Dance, which involves a number of dancers and drummers, was just one of the events being put off.

Many of our traditional healers and medicine men are now postponing or just cancelling for this year. A lot of those sacred practices does have cultural implications, he said

With the Sun Dance people commit to doing that for four years. So theres many, many people who are supposed to be finishing their four year commitment this year, but because of the pandemic, itll get postponed until next year.

Mary Owen, who is also a doctor and who directs the Centre of American Indian and Minority Health at the University of Minnesota, said cultural practices and traditions varied by community. Yet virtually all had been cancelled or else moved online.

Our Pow wows are held by many, many tribes. Theyre a meeting, and a celebration of our culture, the time to get community stuff done, she told The Independent.

She said research had shown the relationship between attending such events and positive mental health among community members.

Ive not looked into this, but Im guessing you can find something similar for some people with church and religion, said Ms Owe, who is originally from Alaska and is a member of the Tlingit community.

She added: Its not just the traditions themselves, but its coming together to practise the traditions.
A 51-year-old resident of Chhawani Mohalla has become the eight Covid-19 fatality in Ludhiana, confirmed Dr Ashwani Chaudhary, in-charge of the Covid-19 cell of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), where the patient breathed his last.

The deceased had been suffering from multiple comorbidities, including hypertension, diabetes and renal disease, and was rushed to Deep Hospital in Model Town on Thursday night. As his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to DMCH and put on ventilator support, but he could not survive.

5 FRESH CASES IN CITY

Five new cases of Covid-19 were detected in the city on Friday. While three are residents of Ludhiana, two are from outside the district.

One of the patients is a 57-year-old man from Doraha. He had visited two private hospitals in Doraha from where he was referred to Deep Hospital in Model Town on Thursday. Dr Baldeep Singh, managing director of the hospital, said the patient was showing mild symptoms of coronavirus, so he was isolated immediately and his swab samples were taken for testing. The reports that arrived on Friday stated he was positive for the virus.

The second patient is a 33-year-old woman of Green Park area in Ludhiana, who had returned from Mumbai on May 25. The other patient, a 27-year-old man from Samrala, had visited Delhi on May 20 to bring his wife home. After reaching home, he started showing flu-like symptoms. He was rushed to the hospital where his samples were taken. His wife has tested negative for the virus.

The fourth patient is a 58-year-old woman from Patiala, who had returned from Chandrapur in Maharashtra on a train on May 24. She had been put up at the quarantine centre in Meritorious School after arrival and samples were taken for testing. The reports that came in on Friday declared she was Covid-19 positive, civil surgeon Rajesh Bagga said.

A 27-year-old resident of Rishi Nagar, who had come from Mumbai by plane, has also tested positive for the virus. His sample was taken in Chandigarh. He has now been admitted at Fortis Hospital in Ludhiana.

Deputy commissioner (DC) Pradeep Agrawal said the districts current tally was 183, not including 90 who were from other districts or states.
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions (SRCS) has expanded its parametric offering with the launch of HAIL, a parametric hail insurance cover. The new product is designed to protect companies in the United States from the financial impact of a significant hail event, such as physical damage, lost revenue due to business interruption, or significant retentions in traditional property policies.

CoreLogic, a provider of hail data in the United States, will serve as the data provider for SRCS. CoreLogic delivers a proprietary hail verification model to verify the maximum hail size both at the location and in the surrounding area. SRCS will rely on CoreLogic hail size metrics to determine whether a parametric policy is triggered.

Similar to other parametric solutions offered by SRCS, HAIL combines the customer location data with a pay-out table that outlines policy amounts for reported hail size at said location(s) during an event. In the days after a hailstorm, CoreLogic provides the necessary hail size data.

When a customer has hail damage and the hail size calls for a pay-out under the policy, instead of waiting for a loss evaluation, the payment is released soon thereafter. The customer can use the money for any financial loss associated with the event.

HAIL is currently available in 11 states across the U.S.: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas.

Topics Swiss Re
By PTI

KOLKATA: A minister in West Bengal has tested positive for COVID-19, making it the first such case in the Mamata Banerjee-led state cabinet, a well-placed source in the government said on Friday.

State Fire Services minister Sujit Bose has been advised to undergo home quarantine after his test results came out positive, the source said.

A domestic help at the minister's residence was diagnosed with the disease, following which samples of Bose and his family members were sent for examination.

The reports, which arrived on Thursday night, showed Bose and one of his family members have contracted the virus, the source added.

West Bengal on Thursday registered the biggest one-day spike with 344 people testing positive for COVID-19, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 4,536.

As many as 223 people have succumbed to the disease in the state so far.

Earlier, the government had attributed the death of 72 coronavirus patients to comorbidities.

ALSO READ | COVID-19: Bengal to start plasma therapy; blood component collected from first donor

The state recorded the biggest single-day spike of 344 COVID-19 cases on Thursday which took the total tally to 4,536, while the death toll rose to 223 with six more fatalities in the last 24 hours, a state health department bulletin stated.

Of the six fatalities, three were reported in Kolkata, two in Hooghly and one in North 24 Parganas districts.

The number of active cases in the state stood at 2,573, it said.

The highest number of new cases were reported in Kolkata (87), followed by Howrah (55) and North 24 Parganas (49) districts, the bulletin stated.

North Dinajpur recorded its biggest single-day spike till date with 46 new cases.

Other northern districts like Malda saw nine new cases while one each was reported in Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling.

Twenty-seven cases were reported in Birbhum, 16 in East Burdwan, 15 in Nadia, 10 in South 24 Parganas, eight in East Midnapore, seven in Murshidabad, four in Bankura three in Hooghly and one each in West Burdwan and West Midnapore districts, the bulletin said.

Two persons hailing from outside the state also tested positive for COVID-19 while the residential addresses of two other patients are yet to be ascertained, it said.

A senior health official attributed the sudden rise in the number of active cases to the increasing number of migrant workers returning to the state.

"Most of the labourers are coming from states which have a high number of COVID-19 cases. We don't know in which condition they were staying in those states. They have been released by administrations of those states without proper diagnosis."

"We are conducting massive testing which is the reason behind the rise in the numbers of confirmed cases," the official told PTI.

According to the bulletin, a total of 90 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours after they tested negative for the disease, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 1,668.

At least 9,256 samples were tested for the since Wednesday evening.

With this, 1,75,769 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in the state so far.

The bulletin stated that the deaths of 72 other COVID-19 patients were due to comorbidities and novel coronavirus was "incidental" in their cases.

Several Shramik Special trains on Thursday arrived in the state from different states, including Maharashtra and Gujarat, two of the most affected states with the COVID-19 disease, officials said here.

One Shramik Special arrived at Burdwan from Bandra, a railway official said.

Two other specials reached Malda from Mumbai and Surat, the official said.

Another special was on its way to New Jalpaiguri from Nagpur in Maharashtra, he said.

Two more Shramik Specials were scheduled to arrive at Howrah later in the night, the railway official said.

Special trains on way to destinations in north Bengal had stoppages at Dankuni near Howrah, at Burdwan and Rampurhat, with hundreds of passengers getting down at these places on way to their homes.

Some special trains bringing in migrant labourers from different states were scheduled to reach various destinations in West Bengal later in the night, the official said.

Medical screening facilities for passengers detraining were set up at all the stations where the special trains had stoppages or at the terminal stations, state officials said.

The state government has set up quarantine facilities for passengers coming from the states which have been affected the most by the coronavirus pandemic.
Every part of New York has different issues with real estate, but in the neighborhoods I know, landlords are holding out for higher rents, or they feel they cant lower our rents because of the terms of their mortgages. That makes us victims of the financial industry, not of the free market.

A lender provides a commercial mortgage based on a buildings appraised value, which is based on its rent roll. If landlords lower rent, their buildings become less valuable. Moreover, if a landlord owns many buildings in the same area, and she lowers the rent on even just a store or two, her entire portfolio loses value in the eyes of the bank, because future appraisals will assume a lower market rental rate. Thats why an empty store that theoretically commands a high rent can be a safer option for a landlord than a reliable tenant paying a reasonable rent.

We dont know what the vacancy rate will be when the shutdown is finally over, but without a plan to help us, it will almost certainly be catastrophic. In France, the government offered to suspend rent for small businesses closed during the lockdown, so that when the country reopened, stores and restaurants could, too.

In New York, by contrast, the meter is ticking every day. When the shutdown is over, small-business owners like me will be expected to pay our back rent, despite months of lost revenue. And our excessively high rents will remain in place even though fewer customers may be allowed in our shops, fewer diners in our restaurants, fewer clients in our salons.

This is a systemic problem, but there has been no systemic solution offered. At the start of the pandemic, state legislators proposed suspending commercial rents for small businesses that have suffered financial losses for 90 days, but the bill is languishing in committee. The City Council passed a law that will keep landlords from enforcing personal guarantees on leases if the tenant has defaulted on rent because of the pandemic. That means my landlord cant seize my personal assets, like my car, if I were to default. The law is a lifesaver for people when their businesses sink, but it does nothing to keep us afloat.

The federal government has allocated money for small businesses, but we have to spend most of the money immediately on wages, or find a way to pay it back. That money is important for workers across the country. Unfortunately, it wont help businesses in New York pay back all those months of rent that we will owe.

During the pandemic, as before, the killer of New York storefront business will be rent. Even now, facing a post-Covid twilight, too many landlords would rather have vacant stores than retain paying tenants by helping them through these months of closure. We need intervention to encourage landlords to keep their storefront tenants.
In a rare joint statement, the San Francisco Police Officers Association, the Oakland Police Officers Association and the San Jose Police Officers Association condemned the killing of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department.

Floyd's death has sparked protests and riots in the city of Minneapolis, and the three Bay Area police unions issued a statement expressing concern the actions of the four officers involved in Floyd's death will "tarnish" the image of law enforcement.

What we saw on that video was inconsistent and contrary to everything we have been taught, not just as an academy recruit or a police officer, but as human beings," the statement reads. "Reverence for life in every incident a police officer encounters must be the floor and not the ceiling. We cannot see any law enforcement or self-defense rationale for what occurred. We are equally disturbed by not seeing any of the other officers on scene intervene to prevent this tragedy.

"Whats depicted in that video is not who we are as law enforcement professionals. We actively train and seek training, to safely manage similar situations we encounter to ensure safe resolutions. On the very same day of Mr. Floyds death, there were literally millions of encounters and interactions with public safety professionals throughout our country that were peaceful, respectful, and problem-solving oriented. We will not let the failures shown in this incident tarnish the hard work and sacrifice of those officers who get it right on a daily basis. Our deepest sympathies go out to Mr. Floyds family, their pain and grief must be unbearable.

Unlike similar statements from other law enforcement bodies across the country, the Bay Area POAs did not explicitly call for accountability, either through an investigation or formal charges against the officers.

Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown stated Thursday his department will face accountability for its actions.

Thats really an important message, that being complicit, you will be held accountable as well as those officers that do the wrong thing, Brown said. Its our duty to stop officers from doing the wrong things as much as it is for us not to do the wrong things ourselves.

Protests are being planned in Oakland on Friday night.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting
A still taken from a video posted to Twitter April 5 by an inmate at Fort Dix federal prison, shows prisoners milling about the recreation yard with little adherence to social distancing guidelines. Read more

A federal judge in Camden has rejected a lawsuit seeking the release of potentially dozens of medically vulnerable inmates from the Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution in New Jersey due to concerns over the prisons ability to protect them from the coronavirus.

The ACLU of New Jersey sued the prisons administrators earlier this month, saying that without significant changes, the prison was headed toward catastrophe.

But in her ruling Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Renee Bumb argued that the portrait inmates lawyers painted of Fort Dix as a coronavirus deathtrap was not really a fair one and not supported by the evidence.

While acknowledging prisons  with their cramped quarters and limited ability, limited hygiene, and difficulties implementing social distancing guidelines  pose a challenge for officials seeking to curb transmission of the virus behind bars, Bumb concluded that the U.S. Bureau of Prisons efforts to limit contact between inmates and tighten cleaning regiments had been adequate to protect inmates, if not entirely foolproof.

She also added: Conspicuously absent in [the ACLUs] analysis is any meaningful discussion of the risks associated with a large-scale release of inmates. What would be the plan that addresses the safety and security of the communities to where they are released.

ACLU lawyers had asked Bumb to give class-action status to their suit and order the release of all inmates over 50 and those with preexisting health conditions that make them more vulnerable should they become infected.

They argued that the facilitys 3,000 inmates mostly live in 12-person rooms in buildings that house up to 300 people and make social distancing impossible. They spend their days crowded into the same TV rooms, phone booths, bathrooms, and mealtime pickup lines. Soap dispensers are routinely empty and inmates have taken to pooling meager supplies of shampoo that theyve bought from the commissary to fill them.

As of Wednesday, at least 58 inmates have tested positive since the start of the pandemic.

But prison officials pointed to their current numbers  22 inmates who are actively infected and 26 who have recovered  to argue that preventative measures including twice-daily temperature checks, strict quarantining procedures, and increased testing capacity are working.

The Fort Dix lawsuit was one of several the ACLU and other organizations have filed on behalf of inmates at detention centers across the country during the pandemic. Similar legal fights involving detainees in the Philadelphia jails and the Federal Detention Center in Center City remain pending.

The ACLU of New Jersey said it was considering its next move.

We brought this case to protect the hundreds of people incarcerated at Fort Dix who are at risk of serious illness or death if they contract COVID-19, staff attorney Tess Borden said in a statement. "Our clients and so many others fear for their lives in prison right now. We will continue to work with them and our advocacy partners to fight for people who are incarcerated throughout New Jersey and to combat the spread of this deadly virus in prisons.
NEW DELHI : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not spoken with US President Donald Trump about the south Asian nation's military standoff with China, a government source said on Friday, after Trump suggested Modi was upset about border tension.

The neighbours' troops have been facing off along the disputed border in the western Himalayas since early May, after Chinese troops intruded into Indian territory, Indian military officials say.

"They have a big conflict going with India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people. Two countries with very powerful militaries," Trump told reporters, according to a White House transcript.

"And India is not happy, and probably China is not happy. But I can tell you, I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He's not - he's not in a good mood about what's going on with China," Trump added.

The comments followed a Twitter post the previous day in which Trump said the United States had told India and China that it was ready to arbitrate their "raging border dispute", the first time he has thrown himself into India-China diplomacy.

But Indian officials expressed surprise at Trump's latest remarks.

"There has been no recent contact between PM Modi and President Trump," a government source said. "The last conversation between them was on April 4, on the subject of hydroxychloroquine."

The source spoke on condition of anonymity, citing diplomatic sensitivities.

On Trump's offer to mediate between the two nuclear-armed nations, the source said, the "Indian foreign ministry had also made it clear that we are directly in touch with the Chinese through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts."

On Friday, China's foreign ministry said there was no need for a third party to mediate. Both countries lay claim to thousands of kilometres of territory in each other's possession along a vast stretch of the Himalayas.

Military observers say one likely reason for the renewed border tension in the Ladakh sector is India's effort to build new airstrips and roads near the de-facto border to try to narrow the gap with China's superior infrastructure.

During talks to resolve the crisis, the Chinese side have demanded that India stop all construction activity in the area, saying the whole area is disputed, one of the sources said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more

Google is integrating its Google Meet videoconferencing application with Gmail, and it already appears as an option in some users accounts.

Google last week announced that it was making the service free for everyone.

It will be available to everyone in the coming weeks,on the Web and through mobile apps for iOS and Android. Users will be able to start or join Meet videoconferences from within Google Calendar as well.

Users who cant access Meet yet can sign up to be notified when its available.

Meet will be available to anyone with an email address, said Javier Soltero, general manager of G Suite. Users will need a Google account to join meetings created by individuals.

Among the new features Google announced are tiled layout for up to 16 simultaneous participants, higher-quality video content with audio, low-light mode, and noise cancellation for filtering out background noises

The noise cancellation feature will roll out in the coming weeks to G Suite Enterprise and G Suite Enterprise for Education customers.

Google Meet has been playing catch-up to some degree with the features and functions users came to expect, thanks to experiences in Zoom and in Microsoft Teams, remarked Liz Miller, principal analyst at Constellation Research.

By addressing the issues users had been requesting, including the Brady Bunch tile view and noise cancellation, Zoom has proven they are listening to users and trying to move fast to close the gap on the enterprise side, she told the E-Commerce Times.

Meetings are limited to 60 minutes for the free version of Meet, but the time limit will not be enforced until after Sept. 30, Soltero said.

Meet is competing with the current king of the hill, Zoom, as well as with Microsoft Teams and the recently announced Facebook Messenger Rooms.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Google Meet is business class, meaning Google has done decent work to secure the platform, observed Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

Google Meet will work with many of the cross-standard conferencing sites like those from Polycom and Cisco, he told the E-Commerce Times. As a result, it should rank towards the top of the set and be safer than more consumer-focused products like Zoom, FaceTime and Facebooks Messenger Rooms.

Google launched Meet in February 2017 as the enterprise version of Google Hangouts.

Safety and Security

Meet has various default safety-on measures, including host controls, complex meeting codes, encryption of video meetings in transit, and recordings both in transit and at rest.

Further, users can enroll their account in Googles Advanced Protection Program.

Meet data is not used for advertising and Google does not sell Meet users data to third parties, Soltero said.

Ill take Googles promise of not selling data to a third party more seriously than a similar pledge from Facebook, but that isnt saying much, Miller said. Googles greatest consumers of data are their first party properties  so lots of flags and questions there.

Meet in the G Suite

G Suite users already have access to Meet, which admins can enable by following instructions in the Meet Help Center.

Through Sept. 30, new and current enterprise G Suite customers get free access to Meets advanced features, such as the ability to livestream to up to 100,000 viewers within their domain.

Also through Sept. 30, existing G Suite customers will get free additional Meet licenses without any amendments to their current contract.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Meet is included in G Suite for Education for free.

Google last week also announced G Suite Essentials, which offers advanced features such as dial-in phone numbers, meeting recording, and access to Google Drive, Docs, Sheets and Slides.

G Suite Essentials will be available free to Enterprise G Suite customers and at no cost to other organizations through Sept. 30.

User Love for Meet

Meets peak usage has grown by 30x since January, according to Soltero. As of last week, Meets daily meeting participants surpassed 1 million.

The application is hosting 3 billion minutes of video meetings and adding roughly 3 million users every day, he said. However, its not clear when the influx began.

Its also not clear how Google defines a user.

Competitors to Meet

Zoom is currently the videoconferencing application to beat, in terms of daily meeting participants.

It recently released v5.0 with a slew of security and privacy improvements.

Oracle last week announced Zoom had selected it as a cloud infrastructure provider.

This will let Zoom scale to meet demand, and ensure reliability and security.

Zoom has gained traction as the preferred videoconferencing solution for many small and mid-sized businesses.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has been beefing up its Teams application. Teams now offers instant translation, and access to more than 400 third-party apps in the Microsoft Teams app store.

Microsoft has released an end meeting feature for meeting organizers, and this month globally rolls out its raise hand feature as well as participant reports that include join and leave times for participants. Later this year, it will launch real-time noise suppression, similar to the Google Meet feature.

Facebook introduced Messenger Rooms last week.

Meet has more potential and actual features than Teams or Facebook, said Mike Jude, research director at IDC.

Its chief problem is that its from Google and theres a trust issue associated with Google and potentially sensitive information, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Meets transcribe ability is especially problematic since the output is machine readable and might be used inappropriately, Jude noted.

Zoom and Facebook Rooms are basically toys right now, while Team is a business tool, he added. The verdicts out on Meet, but it will likely resonate with some businesses and may get some currency in the consumer space.

Microsoft Teams is best for internal meeting between working groups where its widely used and well distributed, and where security is very high, Enderle said.

Facebook Messenger Rooms is for families and friends wanting to stay in touch, he continued. Zoom is for small firms where security isnt a big concern, and Meet would be best for most companies, but especially for those that use G Suite.

Google Meet and Microsoft Teams will be favored most strongly by users of their respective productivity suites, suggested Dion Hinchcliffe, principal analyst at Constellation Research.

Zoom is the egalitarian choice and is arguably the best-of-breed solution in the industry, while Facebook Messenger Rooms is a personal video meeting tool thats not intended for business and lacks key features enterprises require, he told the E-Commerce Times. Its at best an SMB solution where enterprise features like session recording are not necessary or wanted.
If youre dumb enough to pay hundreds of dollars for a simple USB stick with just 128Mb of storage in hoping that it will protect you from the devastating effects of 5G, then you deserve to be scammed.

Here at OC weve always refrained from judging people for their actions, but we draw the line at paying for anti-5G products. Just the other day I was reading a story about some guy in Seattle making hundreds of dollars by selling anti-5G lotion to people dumb enough to believe it actually worked. It was most likely fake news thought up by some The Onion copycat, but today I woke up to this little gem  a real anti-5G product called a 5GBioShield, which reportedly sells for a whopping $350. If you shell that kind of money to protect yourself from thin air, you really are dumb!

Photo: BioShield Distribution

The 5GBioShield landed on the radar of the UKs Trading Standards Institute after it was recommended by a member of Glastonbury Town Councils 5G Advisory Committee, which has called for an inquiry into 5G. According to the company selling it on the UK market, 5GBioShield is the result of the most advanced technology currently available for balancing and prevention of the devastating effects caused by non-natural electric waves, particularly (but not limited to) 5G, for all biological life forms.

Described as a USB key, the tiny device allegedly provides protection for your home and family, thanks to the wearable holographic nano-layer catalyser, which can be worn or placed near to a smartphone or any other electrical, radiation or EMF [electromagnetic field] emitting device.

So how does this super-advanced device protect you? Well, you just have to buy it and enjoy its protection. It is always ON and workingthats why we used quantum nano-layer technology, the company selling it claims, adding that plugging it into a USB port only expands the field effect from 4m radius to 20m +.

Photo: BioShield Distribution

The 5GBioShield makes it possible, thanks to a uniquely applied process of quantum nano-layer technology, to balance the imbalanced electric oscillations arising from all electric fog induced by all devices such as: laptops, cordless phones, wlan, tablets, and also brings balance into the field at the atomic and cellular level restoring balanced effects to all harmful (ionized and non-ionized) radiation.

That sounds like such mumbo-jumbo, but to less tech-savvy people who happen to be into conspiracy theories, it sounds advanced enough to actually work. Sadly, as the Trading Standards investigation recently revealed, they are getting scammed.

We consider it to be a scam, Stephen Knight, operations director for London Trading Standards told the BBC. People who are vulnerable need protection from this kind of unscrupulous trading.

Photo: BioShield Distribution

Experts at Pen Test Partners, a UK company that specializes in taking apart electronic products to spot security vulnerabilities, recently analyzed one of the 5GBioShield sticks sold by BioShield Distribution, and found that apart from a small, round sticker, it virtually identical to a crystal USB key available from various suppliers in China for just $6 apiece.

As for the inner working of the 5GBioShield, there was no quantum nano-layer technology visible anywhere, just an LED light, like on the regular 128Mb USB sticks from China.

Anna Grochowalska, one of the two directors of BioShield Distribution, told the BBC that her company was the sole global distributor of the 5GBioShield, but it it did not own or build the product. Still, she defended the company, saying that the comparison of its $350 device to a $6 USB stick was unjust, as it didnt take into account the exact production costs and intellectual property rights for the 5GBioShield. She also refused to reveal any technical information revealing the product



You can still buy 5GBioShield on its official website, but Id rather you just gave me that $350 instead
Some Ghanaians who are stranded in Libya have appealed to the government of Ghana to facilitate their return home.



Their spokesperson, Seth Asamoah, who is the CEO of Luna Transport, said they do not want to be evacuated by the Libyan authorities as such a development will embarrass the government of Ghana.



In a statement issued on Friday, May 29, 2020, the stranded Ghanaians said they are pleading with President Nana Akufo-Addo to have them airlifted back home immediately.



We do not want a compulsory Kuwait-like evacuation that would further embarrass Ghanaian authorities as happened recently, the group noted.



Just recently, the government of Ghana said it will be chaotic if it tries flying back home all Ghanaians, stranded abroad as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.



We dont have a decision to bring in all Ghanaians, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr Charles Owiredu said at a press briefing on Tuesday, May 26, 2020.



According to him, the government cannot make a decision, saying: All of these people should come in at the same time.



It is going to be very chaotic if you look at the numbers, he said, so, the decision was taken that lets start with those from Kuwait.



The government of Ghana recently received some 245 Ghanaians who were deported from Kuwait in the wake of the pandemic.



These Ghanaians, who lived in Kuwait illegally, arrived home on Saturday, 23 May 2020 on a chartered flight even though Ghanas borders remain closed.



The deportees, according to Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who addressed the media on Friday, May 22, 2020, were to go through mandatory quarantining and testing for COVID-19.



According to Mr Owiredu, the illegal Ghanaians in Kuwait were part of the first cohort. This group that we call the first cohort, they are the ones that the decision was taken by Cabinet to allow them to come in.



The second and third categories comprise Ghanaians who travelled outside and are ready to pay for their return home and those outside the country on national duty, including students on government scholarships.



The fourth category includes people do not have the means to return home.



The little money that they had on them, they started using them, so, now they are broke. We say they are destitute. As a result, even if you provide an aircraft and ask these people to pay, they cannot pay, Mr Owiredu said.



A few weeks ago, the government described as bankrupt and expired, the repetitive call of the Minority in Parliament and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the government to fly back home, Ghanaians who are stranded in other countries as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.



At a press conference on Thursday, 7 May 2020, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said: Many other countries are evacuating their citizens, indicating: India has done it, South Africa has done it, the UK has done it.



It is our considered view that just as our government is able to open our airports, despite the closures, for foreign nationals to be evacuated, the government should do same by providing a narrow opportunity under strict evacuation protocols of screening, testing and quarantining when necessary, in order to secure the safety of Ghanaians abroad.



Responding to the Minority at a counter-press conference on Friday, 8 May 2020, Deputy Information Minister Pius Enam Hadzide, said: The Minority is still unable to offer any pragmatic alternative but merely rehash those same lame queries that Mr Mahama has asked during his political broadcasts on Facebook, adding: Several weeks into COVID-19 and after several media engagements, both at the presidential and other levels, it is disappointing that such deep level of unawareness is being exhibited by the Minority.



He said: It is disappointing, for instance, that the Minority is unaware, that across the various metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, public education is ongoing.



It is shocking and even embarrassing that the NDC is still latching on to the very bogus proposal that the government should have repatriated Ghanaian students from Wuhan, he stressed.



Mr Hadzide noted that: The students themselves have spoken to several media outlets and shown gratitude for the much-wiser decision of the Akufo-Addo government.



This week, schools, in fact, have reopened in Wuhan and for the records, not a single Ghanaian student in China, was infected by COVID-19. And yet, instead of conceding that the government exercised far superior judgement as we always have, they keep repeating this bankrupt and expired proposal.



According to the deputy minister, Under the able leadership of President Akufo-Addo, monthly stipends for Ghanaian students studying on government scholarships abroad, have been paid upfront and in advance. Yes, the second quarter  April, May and June  have already been paid.



This administration inherited an accumulated arrears of one year from the NDC and Mr Mahama. While we decline the invitation of the NDC to engage in a blind partisan banter on COVID-19, it is also imperative that for their education, we restate some of the facts around Ghanas successful and effective COVID-19 response plan.



The claim from the NDC that: Science has been relegated to the background, and that President Akufo-Addo seems more interested in his re-election than the safety and life of Ghanaians is false and without bases. The NDC cannot be allowed to approbate and reprobate on this matter.

Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
It seems that Vietnam has adapted to a "new normal" state after it reopened the economy in late April.

Vietnam's early response to the pandemic has proven effective. (Photo: Zingnews.vn)

Vietnam has initially contained the novel coronavirus and reopened the economy after efforts that are considered timely and meticulous. The countrys primary results have earned ambassadors' remarks about its fight against the pandemic.

At a time of writing, Vietnam confirmed 327 coronavirus infections and no deaths.

Ambassadors told local media and shared their thoughts with Hanoitimes about Vietnams response to COVID-19.

Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam. (Photo: UNDP)

Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam said since the world has been in the throes of grappling with the global COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam has been managing the response and containment impressively. Vietnams exemplary handling of COVID-19 is a powerful demonstration that committed leadership, early, decisive, evidence-based action is the best way to prevent future crises.

Dan Kritenbrink, US Ambassador to Vietnam. (Photo: US Embassy in Vietnam)

Dan Kritenbrink, US Ambassador to Vietnam, said I want to commend the government of Vietnam which has done an outstanding job in its response to COVID-19 and continues to be proactive, cooperative, and transparent. I simply say 'Thank You' to all of the people in Vietnam working on the front line of this fight. Your work is saving lives.

The ambassador said the US has supported Vietnam in this fight since the very beginning of this crisis. Health team in the Embassy in Hanoi and Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City has been collaborating with the government of Vietnam to monitor and respond to the evolving COVID-19 situation.

He noted, We will continue this important work as the COVID-19 crisis continues and even after its resolved.

Ambassador of Mexico to Vietnam Sara Valdes Bolano. (Photo: Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Affairs)

Ambassador of Mexico to Vietnam Sara Valdes Bolano said, The Embassy of Mexico congratulates the government of Vietnam on its successful strategy in the fight to contain the COVID-19 epidemic in the country. The actions undertaken by Vietnam have been widely commended both by diplomats in Hanoi and international media.

The embassy is currently implementing as a priority the government of Mexicos directive to provide consular assistance to Mexican nationals abroad, especially those affected in one way or another by the pandemic and its consequences. The embassy trusts it can count on the support of the Vietnamese authorities in this endeavor.

Ambassador of Italy to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro. (Photo: Italys Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation)

Ambassador of Italy to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro: The Vietnamese authorities have reacted very well so far, since the very beginning of the epidemic. Although the number of cases is limited compared with the rest of the world, the government has introduced drastic preventive measures such as the suspension of entry for all foreigners, a strict traceability of the suspected infections and the compulsory social distancing for the resident population. These measures have proved to be very effective, as confirmed by the WHO and several international experts.

Their success is also due to the Vietnamese people who have strictly followed the instructions and have given priority to public health. The experience of SARS in 2003 and the lessons learned on that occasion have also helped Vietnam in preparing an effective response.

Norways Ambassador to Vietnam Grete Lochen. (Photo: Embassy of Norway in Vietnam)

Norways Ambassador to Vietnam Grete Lochen: I am very impressed with what the Government of Vietnam has done so far to combat the coronavirus nationally, regionally and internationally.

Since the very early stage, you have proactively taken strong actions to isolate and prevent the virus from spreading through information campaigns, medical and administrative measures, such as tracing and testing of people, quarantine arrangements, closing of schools and the most recent measure of social distancing.

Vietnam has been actively sharing information and encouraging cooperation regarding COVID-19 within the ASEAN, and just recently took initiative in holding Special ASEAN Summit and Special ASEAN+3 Summit on the COVID-19 response through video conferences, for the first time.

It is encouraging to see Vietnam, while trying its best to control the spread of COVID-19 domestically, has started to reach out assisting its neighboring countries, ASEAN member States, and partners with medical equipment and face masks.

It is solidarity in practice!

British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward. (Photo: UK Embassy in Vietnam)

British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward said, Were very fortunate to live and work in Vietnam.

The ambassador said in a video clip calling on British citizens in Vietnam to protect themselves and others: You should stay at home as much as possible, and if you need to go outside, always wear a face mask to keep a minimum distance of two meters from people outside your household.

These restrictions are carried out to ensure public health and safety in Vietnam, and we urge you to comply with local laws and customs, to avoid getting fined or punished. We should not expect to be treated differently from local people. So, please respect the law, respect Vietnamese cultural norms and show that youre playing your part in helping to tackle this global pandemic.

Robyn Mudie, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam. (Photo: Australian Embassy in Vietnam)

Robyn Mudie, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam said, The Vietnamese government is doing an outstanding job in combatting the coronavirus. She affirmed that theres no reason to doubt Vietnams coronavirus figures after many were skeptical about the transparency of the infections and deaths.

Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Deborah Paul: Let me commend Vietnamese leaders and civil servants for their early and decisive response to the pandemic through effective community education, systematic contact tracing, and social distancing.

New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Wendy Matthews. (Photo: New Zealands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)

New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Wendy Matthews: As Chair of ASEAN 2020, Vietnam has been active in uniting the bloc's state members to effective respond to the COVID-19 thanks to the foundation of a common funding against the pandemic. This is a great step for Vietnam in particular and for the whole region.

Dato Shariffah Norhana Syed Mustaffa, Ambassador of Malaysia to Vietnam. (Photo: Businesstimes)

Dato Shariffah Norhana Syed Mustaffa, Ambassador of Malaysia to Vietnam: Through my observation, I can see that Vietnam has been doing well in controlling this global virus outbreak.

I believe that Vietnams results so far have shown that the country is winning the war against COVID-19 partly due to the availability of information, transparency of government and effective communication with the people, as well as, the urgency the government has shown in prioritizing the well-being and protection of its peoples health through decisive and essential measures.

The ambassador emphasized: Despite having limited resources in conducting mass testing upon its citizens, Vietnam has acted swiftly in tackling this issue from the get-go.

Saadi Salama, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Vietnam, who was also student of the Faculty of Vietnamese studies and language at University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH), Vietnam National University, during 1980-1984. (Photo: USSH)

Saadi Salama, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Vietnam: I strongly believe that with the support and compliance by Vietnamese people and the community of foreigners in Vietnam, Hanoi will definitely win the battle against the pandemic.

Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres Rivera at a meeting with Vietnams Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on April 17. (Photo: VGP)

Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres Rivera said that the strong and drastic measures of prevention and control of the Vietnamese Government have brought about the results so far.

Solidary and discipline in the fight against the pandemic among locals are among reasons contributing to that success that has been recognized worldwide and Vietnam completely deserves this recognition, she said.

With the very positive results that Vietnam has achieved in the fight against COVID-19, being foreigners, we feel very safe and secure when living in Vietnam, the ambassador shared her feelings.

Former Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Kunio Umeda at a meeting with Vietnams Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in March. (Photo: VGP)

Former Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Kunio Umeda said at a farewell meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on March 24 that the government of Vietnam had taken drastic measures since the beginning of the outbreak, leaving the populous country with a low rate of infections.

The situation leaves investors from Japan and other countries with the secure feeling to work in Vietnam, he said.

Jean-Noel Poirier, former French Ambassador to Vietnam. (Source: Mon Hanoi documentary)

Jean-Noel Poirier, former French Ambassador to Vietnam said in Vietnam, group protection takes precedence over all other considerations. Individual freedom will wait.

If one of the F1s (suspected) tested positive, all of his contacts (F2) then become F1 and are sent in turn to quarantine and tested. And so on. This pyramid monitoring work of the infected and at risk population is a meticulous work.

If this policy works and works for a population of almost 100 million people, it is simply because it is approved and applied by the entire population.

An obvious lesson is that in the face of adversity, a united, disciplined and, if possible, well-led group always prevails over a mass of autonomous individuals who are resistant to authority, he emphasized.

Former US Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak, Senior Vice-President and Regional Managing Director of the US-ASEAN Business Council. (Photo: ISEAS  Yusof Ishak Institute)

Former American Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak, who is Senior Vice President and Regional Director of the USASEAN Business Council, said Vietnam seems to walk on the water while many countries are submerged with SARS-CoV-2 and the country has the right to be proud even though the war continues.

The COVID-19 pandemic makes countries and businesses realize that global supply chains need to be relocated and that they could not rely on China or any single country, but should be diversified. Vietnam has appeared to be a perfect destination for businesses that want to shift their supply chains. Hanoitimes
Limoncello is a vibrantly colored digestif that goes down easy on a hot summers day. Although the sweet liqueur is most often served, chilled, in a shot glass, it is meant to be sipped slowly after your meal.

And although easy to make, limoncello has a complicated  and contested  history. Some people believe that Italian monks first made the spirit as early as the Middle Ages; others credit Southern Italian fishermen who were thought to drink it upon returning to shore to warm themselves and fight off colds. But most accounts attribute its creation to Maria Antonia Farace, who reportedly lived on a small island off Italys southern coast in the early 1900s. One of Faraces descendants registered a small limoncello brand with Federvini, an Italian trade group, in 1988, using her original recipe.

You can use any kind of organic lemon to make your own limoncello. (Youll want to avoid fruit that has been treated with pesticides or other unwanted chemicals, since youll be using the lemon peels to make the elixir.) Note that the spirit needs to sit for at least two weeks before you indulge in a cool glass.

You can also experiment with using other citrus fruits: By following the same process, you can make cellos from limes, grapefruits, oranges  the list goes on. Whatever you decide to use, youll have a lot of leftover of peeled fruit, and that provides its own culinary opportunities. You could squeeze your lemons into a lemonade or stick with the Italian theme and make granita, a Sicilian water ice. Or try your hand at a baked good, like Melissa Clarks Lemon Pound Cake.
'The nation exists from us and we exist from the nation', says PM Modi

PM Modi did not converse with Trump on border standoff with China: Officials

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 29: The last conversation between Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump was on April 4 and the topic discussed was hydroxychloroquine, sources have said.

There has been no contact between PM Modi and Trump in recent time, the source cited above also said. This comes in the wake of Trump suggesting that he had spoken with PM Modi in recent days.

With no immediate solution in sight, India matches China in terms of man power, resources

LAC tensions: India denies having discussed Chinese aggression with Trump | Oneindia News

India is directly in contact with China to address the border stand off, it was also reiterated. Both India and China are locked in a stand off in the Ladakh region along the Line of Actual Control. China had in fact first adopted an aggressive posturing by sending in 6,000 soldiers to the region.

The Chinese troops have been moved to four locations. China says that India must stop the infrastructure work being undertaken in the region.

Earlier, Trump while reiterating his offer to mediate on the border dispute said that he spoke with Narendra Modi about the "big conflict" and asserted that the Indian Prime Minister is not in a "good mood" over the latest flare-ups between the two countries.

PM Modi not in a good mood over flare up with Chinese says Trump

Speaking with the reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump said a "big conflict" was going on between India and China.

"I like your Prime Minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," the President said.


BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT (dpa-AFX) - Groupe Renault plans to cut about 14,600 jobs across the world and lower its production capacity.



The plan includes almost 4,600 jobs reduction in France, through voluntary retirement and retraining, the company said in a statement. More than 10,000 positions in the rest of the world will be eliminated.



The French carmaker said, 'The difficulties encountered by the Group, the major crisis facing the automotive industry and the urgency of the ecological transition are all imperatives that are driving the company to accelerate its transformation.'



The company plans to reduce its global production capacity to 3.3 million vehicles by 2024 from 4 million vehicles in 2019. It will also suspend planned capacity increase projects in Morocco and Romania in addition to suspending study of the adaptation of the Group's production capacities in Russia, and study of the rationalization of gearbox manufacturing worldwide.



Renault announced the transfer of its stake in Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company in China to Dongfeng Motor Corp. and the cessation of Renault branded passenger car combustion engine activities in the Chinese market.



Meanwhile, the company is currently in talks with the French government for a credit facility between 4 billion euros and 5 billion euros.



By taking various cost cutting measures, Renault intends to save more than 2 billion euros over three years, and expects the costs of implementation to be about 1.2 billion euros.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
By PTI

BILASPUR/GARIABAND: A one-and-a-half-year-old daughter of a migrant labourer and a pregnant woman died at coronavirus quarantine centres in two districts of Chhattisgarh, officials said on Thursday.

While the pregnant woman died in Gariaband district on Thursday morning, the death of the child was reported from Gaurela-Penrda-Marwahi district on Wednesday, they said.

Bhagwati Yadav (27), a migrant worker, died in the quarantine centre set up by Dharnighoda village panchayat.

She had returned with her parents from Telangana on May 14.

She was shifted to the district hospital in Raipur for treatment but brought back to the quarantine centre on May 21, a local official said.

"She was under observation but this morning she died. The body was sent for postmortem to Mainpur and the report is awaited," he said.

A one-and-a-half-year-old girl died at the quarantine centre at Tikarkala village under Gaurela police station area, a local police official said.

Her father had returned to Bilaspur on May 17 from Bhopal by a Shramik special train.

He was shifted to a quarantine centre in Pendra from where he escaped on May 18 to his native village, he said.

When residents of his village complained about it to local officials, Singh was shifted to the quarantine centre in Tikarakala with his wife and the infant daughter, the police official said.

On Wednesday, after breastfeeding the child, the mother went for taking a bath leaving the child behind.

When she returned, she found the child was hiccuping and having problem breathing, he said.

The girl was rushed to a local Community Health Centre where doctors declared her brought dead, the official said.

Her swab sample was sent for coronavirus test.

"Prima facie it seems the child choked to death due to air blockage after milk entered her nose. But the exact cause of death will be known after post-mortem report comes," said Dr Abhimanyu Singh, Nodal Officer (COVID-19) of the district.
Call it a flexible response to changing information. Or just call it making it up as you go along.

Whatever as long it gets you to a better place. And Ontario badly needs to get to a better place when it comes to how it runs its COVID-19 testing plan, how it communicates that to the public, and how it manages the delicate task of reopening the provinces economy.

With that in mind, it was encouraging on Friday to see Premier Doug Ford execute a quick U-turn and open the door to a regional approach to reopening. In a province as vast as Ontario, where the pandemic has ravaged some areas and left others almost untouched, that makes eminent sense.

Its not yet clear how the government plans to implement a regional approach, and in fact Ford didnt definitively say he will do it. He should stop hesitating, and get on with it as quickly as possible.

Regional public health officers have already gone public with their own tentative guidelines for tailoring reopening to the various areas of the province, so the first step is obvious: listen carefully to what they are saying. Theyre closest to local realities and have clearly lost patience with the confused and confusing approach taken so far by central authorities.

In practice, a regional approach will presumably mean allowing public life to resume more quickly in areas where the pandemic is well under control  pretty much everywhere but the Greater Toronto Area. Some three-quarters of COVID-19 cases are now being recorded in the five public health units around the GTA, so why not ease restrictions elsewhere more quickly?

Thats the approach taken by some other provinces, like Quebec and Alberta. And while its politically convenient for Ford, whos been under pressure from his own Progressive Conservative caucus not to hold the entire province hostage to the state of the pandemic in the GTA, its perfectly defensible from a scientific point of view as well.

Of course, actually putting that into practice wont be so easy. In normal times people travel around the province all the time, and as the summer progresses more will venture further from home. The potential of the disease spreading from the GTA to other areas will be there, so health officials will have to be careful about exactly when and how they open things up. But overall, its the right direction.

As for the rest of the provinces new and improved testing plan, its not nearly so clear.

The province now promises to test more people in a more targeted and proactive way to get a better idea of how the disease is spreading. That includes more people in obviously vulnerable sectors, like health care and first responders. But it will be broadened to include so-called hot spots in the community or in specific workplaces and institutions, with mobile teams venturing out to conduct tests.

Other areas of the economy are to be included, as well, with the auto industry, major retailers and food suppliers specifically mentioned. But at the moment this all still amounts mostly to a plan to have a plan. It includes no dates or targets for that new phase, only that it will work with each industry to figure those out.

More to the point, its fine to have a plan  but even the most ambitious blueprint is worth little unless its executed well and on time.

Ontario failed for weeks to meet its daily testing targets, so the track record in that regard is spotty at best. Carrying out the expanded plan will presumably mean testing even more people, but Ford and his officials conspicuously declined to commit to any new number for tests in the weeks ahead.

Two weeks into the province-wide reopening, this is all clearly still a work in progress. Ford is showing hes willing to adjust course when necessary, but we still dont know enough to inspire full confidence that were on the right path.

Read more about:
An executive for Chinese tech giant Huawei suffered a legal setback Wednesday when a Canadian judge ruled that proceedings to extradite her to the United States will go ahead. The decision on so-called double criminality, a key test for extradition, found that bank fraud accusations against Meng Wanzhou would stand up in Canada. The interim ruling denying Meng's attempt to gain her freedom means she will continue to live in a Vancouver mansion under strict bail conditions while her case plays out. It also effectively dashed hopes for a quick mending of Canada-China relations, which soured following her arrest on a US warrant in 2018 during a stopover in Vancouver. "The double criminality requirement for extradition is capable of being met in this case," British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Heather Holmes said in her 23-page ruling. "Ms. Meng's application is therefore dismissed," she added. Prosecutors accused Meng of committing fraud by lying to a bank, in this case an American one. That is a crime in both Canada and the United States. Outside the courthouse, protestors held placards that read "Extradite Meng Wanzhou," "No Huawei in Canada" and "Canada don't let China bully us." Inside, Meng was composed as the judge explained her decision, in contrast to a gleeful thumbs up the "Huawei Princess" had given while posing for pictures with family and friends on the steps of the courthouse days earlier. Huawei said in a statement it was "disappointed" by the ruling, adding that it looked forward to Meng ultimately being exonerated. - 'Grave political incident' - China's Embassy in Ottawa, meanwhile, accused the United States of trying "to bring down Huawei" and Canada of being "an accomplice." "The whole case is entirely a grave political incident," it said in a statement. "We once again urge Canada to take China's solemn position and concerns seriously, immediately release Ms. Meng Wanzhou to allow her to return safely to China, and not to go further down the wrong path." Beijing has long signaled that her repatriation was a precondition for improved bilateral ties and its release of two Canadians detained on espionage suspicions. The arrests of former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor nine days after Meng was taken into custody have been widely decried as retribution. While the eldest daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei has been out on bail, the two Canadians remain in China's opaque penal system. China has also blocked billions of dollars' worth of Canadian agricultural exports. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has insisted on leaving it to the courts to decide Meng's fate. He lamented last week that communist-led China "doesn't seem to understand" the meaning of an independent judiciary. On Wednesday his foreign minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne, said Canada would "continue to pursue principled engagement with China to address our bilateral differences and to cooperate in areas of mutual interest." He also said Ottawa would continue to press for the release of Kovrig and Spavor, "who have been arbitrarily detained for over 500 days," and for clemency for a third Canadian, Robert Schellenberg, facing execution. - Iran sanctions - During four days of hearings in January, the court heard that Meng lied to the HSBC bank about Huawei's relationship with its own Iran-based affiliate Skycom in order to secure nearly US$1 billion in loans and credit, putting the bank at risk of violating US sanctions. Lawyers for Canada's attorney general on behalf of the US Justice Department pointed to a 2013 presentation in Hong Kong in which she told HSBC executives that Huawei no longer owned Skycom and that she had resigned from its board. The Crown called this a deception, asserting that Huawei controlled the operations of Skycom in Iran and held its purse strings. "Lying to a bank to obtain financial services is fraud," Crown counsel Robert Frater told the court. Defense lawyer Eric Gottardi accused the US of abusing its treaty with Canada by asking it to arrest Meng as part of a campaign against China's largest international company and leader in 5G, or fifth-generation wireless technologies. The court, however, dismissed defense arguments that the case hinged on the US sanctions against Iran that Canada had repudiated. "The essence of the alleged wrongful conduct in this case is the making of intentionally false statements in the banker client relationship that put HSBC at risk," Holmes wrote. "The US sanctions are part of the state of affairs necessary to explain how HSBC was at risk, but they are not themselves an intrinsic part of the conduct." Holmes noted that her ruling in no way makes a determination on whether there is sufficient evidence to justify extradition. That question will be decided at a later stage in the proceedings. The case now continues to a second phase, yet to be scheduled, when the defense will challenge the lawfulness of her arrest, followed by more hearings likely in September. Any appeals could further drag it out for years.
RIO DE JANEIRO  The embattled president of Brazil stood outside his mansion on Thursday, indignant and angry, wearing a necktie patterned with assault rifles.

The day before, the police had raided properties linked to several of his most die-hard supporters as part of an investigation into an online network distributing disinformation, one of an array of criminal and legislative inquests focused on him, family members and close allies.

We wont have another day like yesterday. Enough! the president, Jair Bolsonaro, said of Wednesdays raid during a news conference outside his official residence. We have reached the limit!

As the investigators encircling him and his associates draw closer, Mr. Bolsonaro has lashed out and even raised the specter of a constitutional crisis by suggesting that the federal police should not carry out absurd orders of the Supreme Court.
Democratic presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden arrives to pay his respects to fallen service members on Memorial Day at Delaware Memorial Bridge Veteran's Memorial Park in Newcastle, Delaware, May 25, 2020.

Joe Biden has seen a surge in support from health-care professionals as President Donald Trump struggles to bring in cash from those working in an industry under pressure from the coronavirus pandemic.

The apparent Democratic nominee for president is ahead of Trump not just in many national polls but also in financial support from individuals in the health-care business. Throughout the 2020 election cycle, people in the field have given over $3.8 million in donations to Biden's campaign and the outside groups that are supporting him, including to pro-Biden super PACs, according to data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

Over the month of April, when most states started to go into lockdown mode due to fears of Covid-19 and donors struggled to find the time to work the fundraising circuit, Biden and his allied groups raised over $680,000 from health-care workers who gave up to six-figure checks, the data shows.

Employees in the pharmaceutical and health-product industries have combined to spend $2.6 million on Biden's run for the White House so far.

Biden's fundraising surge from health-care leaders and their employees comes as Trump's coronavirus response has come under withering criticism from Democrats. The U.S. has confirmed just over 1.7 million cases of the virus and over 100,000 deaths, and over 40 million Americans are unemployed. Trump's approval rating has been stuck below 50%, according to most national polls.

American Bridge 21st Century, one of the super PACs backing Biden, saw a major donation in March from Patricia Cloherty, listed as a chairman of Mojave Therapeutics. The PAC has seen an uptick in contributions since the market started rebounding through at least the month of May, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, who declined to be named as these efforts are made in private.

Party donors appear to sense an opportunity as most national surveys show Trump falling to Biden, this person added. A Real Clear Politics national polling average shows Biden ahead of Trump by close to four points. Biden also leads Trump in several swing states, polls show.

Trump, on the other hand, has a massive war chest, but the campaign and his affiliated external groups have struggled to match Biden's haul from a similar donor pool. Trump and committees supporting him have brought in at least $2.4 million from health professionals during the election cycle, with close to $1.6 million from those who are involved with nursing homes, the data show. In April, though, Trump and the outside committees supporting him raised just over $4,500 from health-care workers.

Many of the donations that have gone toward Trump's reelection bid have come from retirees. But a recent Quinnipiac survey shows Biden ahead of Trump by 10 points with voters over the age of 65.

Biden and the Democratic National Committee combined to raise $60.5 million in April, while Trump and the Republican National Committee brought in just over $61 million. The Republican-led effort, however, has $255 million on hand. Biden and the DNC had $103 million on hand going into May. All campaigns have gone fully virtual in the wake of the pandemic, although Trump reportedly will start hosting small in-person events in June.

Representatives for Trump and Biden did not respond to a request for comment.

The Democratic Party as a whole has placed health care at the top of its 2020 policy platform, according to a memo released by the Democratic National Committee and other official campaign organizations for the party. Democrats successfully ran on the issue during the 2018 congressional midterm elections, when they flipped the U.S. House of Representatives.

Biden has taken a more moderate approach to campaigning on the issue of health care. He has repeatedly said he would not support "Medicare for All" and would rather build on the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, while adding a public option.

"I do not support Medicare for All. I will not support Medicare for All. But I do support making sure that Obamacare is around with a public option," Biden said in an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Box."

Bundlers involved with helping Biden raise campaign cash say they sense that health-care workers are giving big to the former vice president because they have nothing to fear from his policies if he becomes president.
Italy's vines have not stopped growing during the country's long coronavirus lockdown, but without their usual foreign grape-pickers, winemakers are now fearing for their harvests.

But one South Tyrolean vintner in the northern province of Bolzano took matters into his own hands, renting a plane to fly in his team of long-time workers from Romania.

Every summer, tens of thousands of farm workers from Africa and Eastern Europe come to Italy to harvest fruit and vegetables.

The outbreak of coronavirus, which locked down Italy in early March, made it almost impossible for these vital foreign workers to come.

Martin Hofstaetter, whose vines are located around the picturesque town of Termeno, has relied for more than ten years on a team of female Romanian pickers.

Usually, they arrive in a small bus and stay for a few months. But this year, despite having the right to work in Italy, they were turned away at the Hungarian border.

Hofstaetter was quick to act, hiring a small plane to transport the women directly from Romania to Termeno at his own expense.

Italian winegrower Martin Foradori Hofstaetter hired a plane to bring in his harvest workers /  AFP/File

"We had never been on a plane before. It was a great experience for us," Maria Codrea, from Calinesti in Romania, told AFPTV.

Codrea, 39, said she depended on the annual work in Italy.

Staying back in Romania "would have been hard," she said.

"Even where we are, everything is closed, factories and everything."

- Italians hard to find -

Codrea will stay until mid-July in Termeno with her team of seven other Romanian women before returning home. A second team of about 20 workers from Romania will arrive in Termeno at the end of August for the harvest.

Hofstaetter, whose wines include the famous white varieties of Italy's northeast, said he might have been able to find Italian workers, "but now the Italians no longer want to work in the fields or vineyards."

Hofstaetter's vineyard is situation in the picturesque town of Termeno /  AFP/File

"The Italians disappear after a few days" of the back-breaking work, he added.

It was a shame that work in agriculture was not "more highly valued", he said, but he was very happy with the skills and dedication of the Romanians, who had been picking for him for over 10 years.

Last week, the first group of about 100 foreign farm workers arrived in Italy from Morocco, their transport paid for by a farmers' association in the eastern region of Abruzzo.

For Codrea, it is not difficult work among Hofstaetter's family vines in the Adige Valley, with the sound of the birds, and views of the mountains and a nearby church steeple.

"We're used to the work. I like the work, I work with pleasure," she said.
PHILADELPHIA,Pa & FAIRFAX, Va.-- Chimeron Bio, an RNA therapeutics company, and George Mason University's National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases (NCBID), a leading institute conducting pioneering research on infectious diseases including diagnostic, therapeutics and vaccine development, announced their partnership to develop a Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. The vaccine development will be based on Chimeron Bio's ChaESARTM self-amplifying RNA technology and will integrate Mason's complimenting expertise and Biomedical Research Laboratory (BRL), a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/National Institutes of Health (NIAID/NIH) supported, state-of-the-art Regional Biocontainment Laboratory for the rapid screening of the company's vaccine pipeline.

"Our collaborators at Chimeron Bio have a strong commitment to pursuing innovative, personalized treatments which aligns well with our research philosophy - exploring innovative approaches to solve big global problems," said Dr. Aarthi Narayanan, Associate Professor of Systems Biology in George Mason University's College of Science. "At Mason, we know that partnerships like this are critical to making time-sensitive, important biomedical discoveries," Narayanan added.

ChaESARTM, a self-amplifying RNA delivery technology, can deliver highly immunogenic viral genes to elicit rapid and sustained immune response. ChaESAR's ability to amplify the production of viral antigens inside the body is expected to generate a vaccine response at much lower doses compared to traditional mRNA approaches. Moreover, the ChaESARTM particle is a self-assembling delivery system which bypasses the need for expensive in-vitro RNA synthesis. Due to its superior science and manufacturing advantage, a single batch of a low-dose ChaESARTM formulation could vaccinate many more people worldwide, thereby offering a rapid, effective, and affordable solution.

"We strongly believe our self-amplifying mRNA technology is the perfect solution for the generation of COVID-19 vaccines for use both in select markets and populations around the world," said. Dr. Afshin Safavi, Chimeron Bio Chairman of the Board.

"The Biocontainment Laboratory and Mason's exceptional scientists are unique and valuable assets," shared Dr. Charles Bailey, NCBID Executive Director. "We welcome this opportunity to share our resources by teaming with Chimeron Bio on this innovative approach to develop a vaccine for COVID-19."

"ChaESAR's ability to deliver both viral peptides and viral RNA makes it a robust anti-viral approach," explained Dr. Thimmaiah Chendrimada, Chief Scientific Officer at Chimeron Bio. "We anticipate the learnings from this partnership will inform additional designs as we develop effective treatment and vaccines for COVID-19 and beyond," Chendrimada said.

COVID-19 belongs to a family of coronaviruses which can cause serious respiratory diseases. Through this partnership, the company will also test RNA therapeutics and peptide vaccines targeting other coronaviruses in addition to COVID-19.

"This collaboration will test multiple ChaESARTM vaccines enabling rapid selection of the best candidate for further development, said Dr. Jolly Mazumdar, CEO at Chimeron Bio. "I am incredibly proud of our combined expertise as we work to address COVID-19 and validate ChaESAR's potential as a globally accessible vaccine platform," Mazumdar added.

###

About Chimeron Bio

Chimeron Bio is a biotechnology company focused on the research of self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) towards development of novel RNA drugs and vaccines for various diseases. The company is using its proprietary ChaESAR platform to develop a pipeline in oncology, rare genetic disorders, and infectious diseases. For more information, visit http://www.chimeron.com.

About George Mason University

George Mason University is Virginia's largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 37,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. The National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases (NCBID) at Mason focuses on host-pathogen interactions using proteomics and nanotechnology as they are applied to diagnostic, therapeutic, and vaccine development. NCBID manages The Biomedical Research Lab (BRL), one of thirteen Regional Biocontainment Laboratories in the U.S. constructed with funding support from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/National Institutes of Health (NIAID/NIH), performing pioneering research of infectious diseases, both emerging and potential bio threat agents. Learn more at ncbid.gmu.edu.

The College of Science at Mason is a leader in scientific discovery creating innovative solutions for the rapidly-changing needs of today's world. Mason's College of Science blends traditional science education with sought-after programs in disciplines as diverse as personalized medicine, infectious diseases, geoinformatics, climate dynamics, materials science, astronomy, forensic science, and applied mathematics. The College encourages meaningful education and research at all levels offering innovative undergraduate programs, minors, certificates, and graduate degree opportunities, as well as global, transfer-focused, and online, or hybrid, programs that allow professionals the opportunity to reskill or change careers. Learn more at science.gmu.edu.
Taiwan aiming to buy coastal defense missile system from U.S.: official

ROC Central News Agency

05/28/2020 05:47 PM

Taipei, May 28 (CNA) Vice Defense Minister Chang Che-ping () said Thursday that Taiwan will seek to purchase a coastal defense missile system from the United States to boost its anti-ship arsenal.

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) has not yet made a formal request to the U.S. to buy the system but is hoping to acquire it by 2023, Chang said during a legislative hearing.

In response to legislators' questions about a recent local media report on the issue, Chang said the package will comprise a Coastal Defense Cruise Missile (CDCM) system and a number of AGM-84 Harpoon missiles.

The purchase is intended to boost Taiwan's defense capability, particularly its anti-ship capacity, he said, responding to questions by Legislator Tsai Shih-ying () of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

According to the Taiwan military, it has three types of Harpoon missiles, which are carried on its fixed-wing aircraft, ships and submarines.

If Taiwan obtains the AGM-84 Harpoon missiles, they will be deployed by the Navy as part of its coastal defense arsenal, according to the military.

Meanwhile, Chang also said Thursday that the first test flights of Taiwan's new indigenous advanced jet trainer (AJT) will be conducted in late June, as part of the country's efforts to become more self-reliant in terms of defense.

The AJT has already cleared the required pre-flight dynamic and static tests, according to the Air Force.

A prototype of the AJT, named "Brave Eagle (Yung Yin)," was unveiled in September 2019, with the goal of replacing the military's decades-old AT-3 trainer aircraft and F-5E/F lead-in fighter trainers.

According to the military, it will take delivery of 66 AJTs by 2026.

(By Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/pc

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Now that the shock waves over a state lawmakers self-disclosure on Wednesday that he tested positive for COVID-19 a week earlier are starting to subside, policy changes to mandate prompter sharing of a positive diagnosis of the disease are demanded.

House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny County, indicated on the House floor that the Republican and Democratic leaders agreed Thursday evening to work on some rule changes governing COVID-19 workplace exposure. The proposed changes are to be presented to House members when they return to session on June 8.

Also on Thursday, Sen. Anthony Williams, D-Philadelphia, sent a letter to Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati requesting Senate rules changes to better protect staff and members in that chamber and urged COVID-19 disclosure rules apply to state employees who frequent the Capitol as well.

All of this came after some highly charged moments earlier in the day when House Democrats called for an investigation into the Republicans handling of the situation with Rep. Andrew Lewis positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

Lewis, R-Dauphin County, self-disclosed on Wednesday he found out on May 20 he tested positive for the coronavirus. He said he started experiencing some mild flu-like symptoms starting around May 14, the last time he was at the Capitol, and went into self-isolation.

He said he followed his caucus policy for notifying House human resources as well as the Department of Health protocols. By the way, a review of the House Democrats policy requires members and staffers of that caucus to do the same.

House officials then notified the handful of people, including Reps. Russ Diamond and Frank Ryan, both Lebanon County Republicans, who Lewis said he encountered that last day at the Capitol that they may have been exposed. All of them went into self-quarantine and Lewis said none experienced any symptoms. Lewis said he is fully recovered.

House Democrats were outraged at learning of the diagnosis a week after Lewis notified House HR about the diagnosis and felt they were purposely kept in the dark by Republican leaders. They demanded an investigation into finding out who in the GOP caucus knew and why Democrats were not told.

Rep. Brian Sims, D-Philadelphia, on Thursday argued that given the two-to-14-day incubation period for COVID-19, Lewis could have unwittingly exposed his House colleagues from May 4 until he self isolated on May 14. He pointed out Lewis attended House sessions in person six times during that 10-day timeframe.

Sims echoed fellow Philadelphia Democratic Rep. Kevin Boyles call for an investigation and concluded his floor remarks calling on Turzai to resign for failing to disclose Lewis diagnosis.

Turzai quickly responded he wasnt informed about Lewis test results. The speaker later added that he would self-disclose if he found out he was COVID-19 positive and urged the rest of the House members to do the same.

House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody of Allegheny County proposed some rule changes for the chamber including mandating mask wearing on the House floor and at committee meetings, temperature readings, and disclosing positive COVID-19 test results to both Republican and Democrat leaders as well as the chief clerk.

House Republican spokesman Mike Straub said the chambers bipartisan management committee agreed Thursday evening to put together a shared policy that would apply to both caucuses.

Leader Dermody appreciates that the other House leaders accepted the ideas he offered earlier in the day and he is working with them to get the changes ready, said House Democratic spokesman Bill Patton.

Over in the Senate, Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, indicated that chamber too is discussing possible COVID-19-related rule changes and will be watching to see what the House does in light of the controversy surrounding Lewis diagnosis.

Just as the House is looking to mandate disclosure of a COVID-19 diagnosis, Williams said he plans to introduce a resolution requiring the same in the Senate along with immediate testing availability if senators or staffers exhibit symptoms.

Williams disclosed in the letter to Scarnati a member of his staff exhibited symptoms of the virus on March 13 and was immediately sent to be tested. He said the Democratic caucus asked his coworkers to self-isolate, cleaned the office, and reported it to the GOP caucus administrator.

Thankfully, my staff member tested negative; however, that information led to the Senate taking the necessary precautions of delaying a planned session week while awaiting test results, Williams stated. That procedures should be the standard, and should be expanded to include both chambers and other state workers who frequent the Capitol Complex.

He also said in light of Lewis diagnosis and because of the interactions that lawmakers and staffers from both chambers have, he is asking that testing be made available to every Senate employee who requests it based on possible chain transmission resulting from this incident. Id also request that you urge leadership in the House and the Department of General Services to do the same.

Williams said: "As the leaders of this commonwealth, we have a responsibility to set the example for how organizations should respond, and we have the obligation to protect our members and staff from this highly transmissible disease."

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar and his former aide, Francine Godoy. A plea agreement offers an explanation for how Godoy's lawsuit against Huizar was settled. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

As Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar was preparing to run for his third and final term in 2014, he was facing enormous political pressure.

County Supervisor Gloria Molina, one of the biggest names in Eastside politics, had just launched a campaign to unseat him. One of his former staffers had accused him of sexual harassment and was seeking a payout from the city.

Then, the lawsuit was abruptly settled. The city paid her nothing. And Huizar refused to say how he had persuaded Francine Godoy, his onetime deputy chief of staff, to drop her claims.

After nearly six years, that secret appears to have finally broken into public view, with a former Huizar aide agreeing to plead guilty in a sprawling federal corruption investigation and giving his  and prosecutors'  version of events.

George Esparza, who worked as Huizar's special assistant, said in his plea agreement that a Chinese billionaire doing business in Huizars district played a crucial role in helping the councilman settle the lawsuit.

The billionaire, named in federal filings only as Chairman E, had been looking to build a 77-story skyscraper in Huizar's district. In 2014, the billionaire provided $600,000 in collateral as the councilman was applying for a loan, according to Esparza's plea agreement.





The arrangement allowed Huizar to secure a $570,000 bank loan and pay the sexual harassment settlement, resolving it without any public disclosure of the details, according to Esparza's plea agreement.

Had the city paid a financial settlement in the case, its terms would have become public. Private settlements need not be disclosed and often require the parties to promise never to discuss the case publicly.

Esparza, who lives in Boyle Heights, is the fourth person to agree to plead guilty in the sweeping investigation, which is still underway. His attorney did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Several city officials have called on Huizar to resign in recent weeks. Council President Nury Martinez did so Thursday, saying the latest filing directly implicates Huizar in "illegal, offensive and absolute abuse-of-power dealings."

Story continues

Mayor Eric Garcetti said he supported her call for Huizar's resignation, saying the councilman had lost the trust of the public.

Molina, who ultimately lost to Huizar in the 2015 election, said this week that she wished the public could have been informed of the deal to finance the settlement before they cast their votes. Even then, she said, no one who knew Huizar believed that he had the ability to pay Godoy himself.

Former County Supervisor Gloria Molina, pictured in 2014, said she wished voters could have known that year about the arrangement that was allegedly set up to settle Councilman Jose Huizar's sexual harassment lawsuit. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

"Everybody knew he didn't have that money," Molina said in an interview. "Nobody would say how much [the settlement] was, but somebody had to have given it to him."

Federal prosecutors have not named Huizar in any of their filings. But they have provided numerous details in court records that make clear that he is the councilman at the center of what they describe as a criminal enterprise that relied on bribes, extortion and other illicit activities.

Huizar's attorneys have repeatedly declined to comment on the investigation. Godoy's lawyer did not respond to The Times' inquiries.

Prosecutors did not name the company seeking to build the 77-story skyscraper. But details in the federal filings match a project proposed by Shenzhen New World Group, which has been seeking to develop a 77-story tower on property occupied by the L.A. Grand Hotel Downtown on Figueroa Street. The Times was unable to reach a company representative for comment.

The Chinese billionaire ultimately provided more than $1 million in bribes to the councilman to help advance his company's development plans, prosecutors said. Esparza admitted the developer provided him and his boss with "financial benefits" on more than a dozen trips to casinos in Las Vegas and Australia between 2014 and 2018, including free flights on private jets, gambling chips and expensive meals, court records show.

At one point, the Huizar aide told a co-worker that, considering what his boss owed, the developer "should have all the leverage in the world," according to the federal filing.

Godoy filed her lawsuit in 2013, accusing Huizar of waging a campaign of retaliation against her after she rebuffed requests for sexual favors. She also alleged that he sabotaged her bid for a seat on the Los Angeles Community College District board and scaled back her responsibilities, ordering her to work from home.

Plaintiff would sit at home much of her time with no work to perform since she was being retaliated against by Huizar due to her refusal to have sex with him, the lawsuit said.

Huizar denied Godoys allegations, calling the relationship with her occasional and consensual. The councilmans spokesman called Godoys claims false and malicious and said Huizar deeply regretted engaging in the extramarital affair.

He and his wife are currently working on repairing their marriage, the spokesman, Robert Alaniz, said at the time.

With the lawsuit underway, an influential figure at City Hall emerged to help Huizar find a solution, prosecutors said this week.

Ray Chan, then the top executive at the city's Department of Building and Safety, urged the Chinese billionaire to provide the $600,000 needed to resolve the councilman's sexual harassment lawsuit, according to details in the federal filing.

Prosecutors did not name Chan in their filing, identifying him as Individual 1, but included key biographical details that match his resume.

The billionaire provided the financial help after the councilman had introduced a motion to help ensure the Building and Safety executive kept his job, according to the filing.

Prosecutors did not provide further details on that motion. However, at a 2013 committee meeting, Huizar made an amending motion to put off a plan to combine Chan's agency with another city department  a move that may have prevented the loss of jobs in his agency.

Chan's attorney had no immediate comment on the latest allegations. But he previously has said Chan did nothing wrong.

In exchange for putting up the collateral, the billionaire began asking for "a series of favors," prosecutors said. By 2017, one of the developer's executives was applying pressure, reminding Esparza of the help the billionaire had provided, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said that in one phone call with Esparza, a company executive made clear that the developer expected help with the skyscraper project  or else the councilman would have to "pay back that $600,000."

The federal filings indicate that by December 2018, weeks after the FBI raided Huizar's home, the councilman had failed to make three interest payments on the bank loan that allowed him to settle the harassment lawsuit.

That month, the bank that issued the $600,000 loan tapped the collateral provided by the billionaire, according to the federal filing. That move, prosecutors said, meant Huizar no longer had to pay back the remaining $575,000 he owed the bank.
Photo for The Washington Post by Michael A. McCoy

One of Washington, D.C.'s most cherished events has been felled by the coronavirus. The National Book Festival, set to celebrate its 20th anniversary this year, will not be held as planned, the Library of Congress announced Friday.

The literary extravaganza, which in recent years has drawn an estimated 200,000 people to the Washington Convention Center, was scheduled for Aug. 29. But due to the ongoing covid-19 crisis, the presentations by scores of best-selling and award-winning authors will be moved to the weekend of Sept. 25-27 and presented online only.
Ann Mawe - Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam With the National Assembly expected to soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), a massive free-trade area comprising of nearly 600 million people will be formed. It shows Vietnams dynamic approach in pursuing international integration. The EVFTA will spur Vietnams economy to move up the value chain and deliver increased prosperity to its population. As a member of the EU, the EVFTA will create jobs and boost exports from Sweden to Vietnam. It will make it easier and cheaper for Swedish companies wanting to do business in Vietnam. The 99 per cent tariff reduction over a 10-year period is indeed welcome. The biggest advantages for Vietnam, however, lie in other parts of the agreement. The intellectual property provisions will further Vietnams innovation ability and allow for the country to deliver on its ambitions to become a leading economy of Southeast Asia, embracing Industry 4.0. The Trade and Sustainable Development chapter demand for increased care for the environment and human rights will further the more sustainable development of the Vietnamese economy. The COVID-19 pandemic is causing disruption to manufacturing value chains and hampers global trade. Sweden has been standing up for free trade during this period. It is perhaps more important than ever to resist closing our borders to trade. We note that Vietnam is a like-minded supporter of multilateral trade. The swift and active implementation of the EVFTA will allow Vietnam to turn this disruption in its favour and to use it as a tool to rebuild its economy, unleashing more of its potential. Jean-marc deschamps - Managing partner, Mazars Vietnam The obvious benefit of the trade deal between the EU and Vietnam will be the elimination of virtually all tariffs by both sides during the next 10 years. While the EVFTA will bring opportunities, there are also challenges that Vietnam needs to be prepared for. New entrants into the Vietnamese market will require local companies to raise the quality of their products and services to remain competitive. Local companies that do not restructure or innovate will be left behind and lose their market share. European companies will also be looking for more skilled workers and managers, whereas these human resources are still lacking in Vietnam. While we are now an international firm, Mazars origin started in France, so we are very excited about Vietnams trade deal with Europe. We already serve many Europe-based clients in Vietnam, and we look forward to serving even more when new European investors enter the Vietnamese market. We believe the ratification of the EVFTA and the inevitable increase in European investment in Vietnam will open many opportunities for Mazars. We are confident and well-positioned to assist our current clients in Europe that will be entering the Vietnamese market for the first time. lee jae Eun - CEO, Everpia JSC For the bedding business, the EVFTA will open up new opportunities for us to enter into the home textile market of the EU. Since the European home textile market has been traditionally dominated by Chinese suppliers, it has been difficult for us to penetrate the market in the past. With the EVFTA, we see more opportunities to be tapped into. For our cleaning business, it will strengthen our relationship with the current European buyers as the trade deal enables us to offer products at a more competitive price. Related Vietnamese products have been praised for their quality over Chinese products, thus the trade deal will boost export volumes. Moreover, we see prospects to import higher quality fabrics for our linen products in the domestic market. We expect this landmark agreement to become a milestone for Vietnamese enterprises to be a more integral part of the global economy. We also warn caution as more European businesses will enter to the Vietnamese market as we go into theirs. Yet we expect to benefit from each other as it will raise the standards of products and services. Colin Blackwell - Founder and CEO, Enablecode Co., Ltd. Vietnam has performed very impressively with trade deals, leading to a highly internationalised economy. The EVFTA will further strengthen this trend and the opportunities arising. Vietnam has some of the best technology talent in the world, so investors come here for high quality not low cost. The challenge is to keep up with the rapidly evolving new technology and the skillsets it requires. The more local candidates and companies can deliver on the new soft skills, the more relevant they will be to European investors and clients. A particularly bright area will be increased business process outsourcing in Vietnam for European clients. As the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation and automation, Vietnams strength, stability, and business continuity will be a great asset to European companies looking to outsource business processes. Ywert Visser - International sales manager Asia-Pacific, Paul Mueller Company The positive progress on ratification of the EVFTA resulted in one of our Vietnamese customers negotiating a large order with us. The equipment is produced in the Netherlands and can be imported here without customs duties after the EVFTA enters into force. Our customer confirmed to submit the order as soon as the Vietnamese National Assembly ratifies the EVFTA. Reaping the benefits of the EVFTA for our company is luckily very straightforward. The deal helps our customers in Vietnam to simplify the import of our equipment. This helps us to do business in the country and our Vietnamese customers have better access to high-quality equipment made in the EU. European firms will continue their desk research for doing business in Vietnam. John Walsh - International Business Programme manager, RMIT University Vietnam The EVFTA contains some strong commitments for both sides, promising to bring tremendous opportunities for businesses and consumers. The current stalwarts of the economy, such as textiles and garments and agriculture, will continue to be important for many years to come. However, there is space for development into higher value-adding activities. The more producers can move up the ladder from commodity to branded products, the more stable their income will be and the further they can spread their products. This process could be accelerated by opening the domestic market to international retailers who are experts in incorporating local farmers into international value chains. For Vietnamese companies looking to export to Europe, it would be helpful to start with a European partner with expertise in local distribution, the way foreign businesses do it when they come to Vietnam. Overall, unique opportunities will be presented to Vietnam as it undergoes a process of rapid economic development, now with an EVFTA boost. We have seen Japan move from poverty to wealth, then South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, followed by subsequent waves of development involving Malaysia, Thailand, and China. Vietnams development follows all of these predecessors. Harry Loh - CEO, UOB Vietnam The main objective of the EVFTA is to eliminate 99 per cent of tariffs between the EU and Vietnam over the next decade. This is expected to generate 15 billion ($16.35 billion) a year in additional exports from Vietnam to the EU by 2035, while EU exports to Vietnam are likely to expand by 8.3 billion ($9 billion) annually. The increase in exports will help to create more jobs and to drive economic growth in Vietnam. Further, with Vietnam playing an increasingly important role in the ASEANs trade corridor with the rest of the world, the EVFTA will position the country as a preferred destination for foreign investors seeking to expand into Southeast Asia. The EVFTA contains requirements in areas such as environmental governance and labour conditions which will help the countrys sustainability efforts. For example, Vietnam may need to address its commitment to the Paris Agreement and the International Labour Organization conventions. Action in these areas will, in turn, reinforce Vietnams economic competitiveness and attractiveness as a global supply chain base for multinational corporates. UOB has been operating in Vietnam for close to 30 years, having recognised the countrys potential as a long-term investment destination. Since we opened our representative office in Ho Chi Minh City in 1993 and established a full subsidiary bank in 2018, we have been deepening our local insights, building long-term connections and collaborating with strategic partners. We are committed to facilitating the business expansion of our regional clients into the country and will also support them in sustainable development for the benefit of the environment and local communities. VIR
The order by Guvamatanga was notwithstanding his earlier order to Mahomva on April 28 to terminate contracts of all suppliers of medicines and all surgical sundries force majeure to mitigate against escalation in the amount of debt to the said suppliers which Treasury is clearly now not going to be able to meet.
Mumbai: Moved by the plight of stranded migrants, Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan has come forward to contribute his mite to their cause.

After the Friday afternoon namaz', a fleet of 10 buses carrying around 225 excited migrants, including women and 43 children, were flagged off for various destinations in Uttar Pradesh.

As green flag was shown to the Bachchan-sponsored initiative, the weary but cheerful migrants let out collective cheers of joy and relief, with thumbs up' or V' signs, looking forward to their long journey home.

Five of the buses are on way to Prayagraj, two buses each are headed for Gorakhpur and Bhadoi, while one bus will arrive at Lucknow. The migrants will then have to proceed to their respective villages from these towns.

The flag-off was attended by ABCL Managing Director Rajesh Yadav, Suhail Khandwani, Managing Trustee of the Mahim Dargah Trust and Trustee of Haji Ali Dargah Trust, officials and top representatives of both the trusts including Mohammed Ahmed.

"It was the brainchild of Bachchan Sahab, who has been deeply concerned by the sufferings of the migrants since the lockdown. He made a proposal and the Haji Ali Dargah and Mahim Dargah responded by offering to make all the arrangements," Sabir Sayed, Mahim Dargah's IT-Director told IANS.

The Haji Ali Dargah, incidentally, has an emotional connect with Bachchan and his fans. He had shot the climax of his 1983 superhit "Coolie" at the historic shrine. The Manmohan Desai entertainer is still recalled for the grievous accident that the superstar suffered on the film's set, following which he was hospitalised for months.

While on his current initiative, Bachchan had been feeding hundreds of migrants at various locations and also providing them with medicines over two weeks, without much fanfare.

They were also given footwear, as many migrants were developing sores or blisters or gashes on their legs due to long hours of walking in the scorching sun.

Bachchan, through Yadav, and the trustees of the two mausoleums, got down to the nitty-gritties of organising the massive operation over the past two weeks.

"It was tough work. Finally, after securing all permissions, clearances from the Maharashtra and other state governments, the fleet of buses finally started on their trips today, well before the onset of monsoon," said Sayed.

Mahim Dargah Trustee (Dr) Mudassar Lambe informed IANS that a thorough medical screening of each migrant passenger was carried out, taking into account various criteria.

"Besides, to ensure a hassle-free journey, each passenger has been given a full kit of masks, sanitisers, gloves, water bottles and food packets for the entire journey. Each bus has a full-fledged emergency medical kit with essential medicines, fruit juices, glucose, etc," Lambe added.

Owing to the social distancing norms, the 52-seater buses will accommodate around 25 passengers, and the bigger buses will seat 30 travellers.

The migrants hailing from all religions prayed at the Haji Ali Dargah, and later the bus halted briefly at the Mahim Dargah before zooming off to their respective destinations, said M. Imran (Ibrahim) Khan, the COVID-19 relief's executive for the Haji Ali Dargah.

Bachchan's is the second major effort by a Bollywood personality after actor Sono Sood, who organised several buses for migrants over the past days and an AirAsia flight from Kochi to Bhubaneshwar with 167 migrants today. Besides this, the National Law School, Bengaluru alumni along with an IIT team sent 175 migrants by an AirAsia flight from Mumbai to Ranchi, Jharkhand, on May 27.

Alongside the Maharashtra government, scores of other individuals, NGOs and organisations are also engaged daily in the huge humanitarian efforts to ensure the safe repatriation of hundreds of migrants to the safety of their homes.
29.05.2020 LISTEN

The Techiman North District Chief Executive Hon Peter Mensah in the Bono East Region has announced that a massive roads programme will soon kick-off to construct and rehabilitate roads across the district.

He said government has approved 19.95km Tuobodom and Aworowa town roads in fulfillment of President Nana Addos Year of Roads' promise.

According to the DCE, a major concern confronting the chiefs and people of the district had been about the poor nature of the roads. He said the government took the issue of the poor roads in the district very seriously and that the sod would be cut shortly for the commencement of the Techiman North District roads facelift project.

Hon Peter Mensah reiterated Governments commitment to the provision of infrastructure across the District. We are on the cusp of a bold, new beginning, and I urge all Ghanaians to join hands with Government as we strive to bring progress and prosperity to all parts of our country, he added.

The development of the entire District especially Tuobodom, Aworowa and its environs, is very dear to the heart of President Akufo-Addo and his government and called of the people in the area to remain calm and support the government.

President Commitment

The President has declared 2020 as the year of roads and Commencement Certificates to the tune of 6.6 billion cedis have been issued by the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Roads and Highways to undertake the rehabilitation of critical roads throughout the country.

According to him, his government would embark on an aggressive road development across Ghana this year, saying 2020 is the year l adopted as the year of roads.

Cocoa roads in the district

Hon Peter Mensah announced that Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) in collaboration with Government of Ghana, has rolled out the Cocoa Roads Rehabilitation Programme to facilitate the transportation of cocoa beans to buying centres as well as goods and services.

The Cocoa Roads Project also aims at improving road networks in cocoa communities with the view to ensuring access to remote cocoa areas as well as creating congenial environment to promote the livelihoods of cocoa farmers, he added.

The beneficiary roads include Asuaye junction- Asuaye road, Asuaye junction- Buoyem road and Krobo - Agosah road among others.

The DCEs Praise

The DCE heaped high praise on the Nana Akufo-Addo government for the numerous projects undertaken in the relatively short period it has been in office.

He noted that the variety of projects and the pace at which they are being delivered is unprecedented.

The people of Techiman North District cannot thank Government enough for all the things they have done in this short period that they have been in charge, and we pray that God will continue to be with them for them to do even more for Ghana, he indicated.
As more people refuse to come to hospitals for fear of contracting the coronavirus, the threat of acute medical issues grows.

On average, the Montgomery County Hospital District gets around 220 calls a day. That number has dropped to around 140 in the months since Montgomery Countys first positive COVID-19 case in early March. And when first responders do get to the emergency, more people are refusing to be brought to a hospital out of fear that they may get the novel coronavirus.

ESCAPE THE HEAT: Woodlands to open 7 community swimming pools next weekend

(We have had) a big decrease in call volume and an unexpected increase in out-of-hospital deaths, said Dr. Robert Dickson, MCHD Medical Director.

Its not just Montgomery County  across the country, hospitals are seeing a dramatic decrease in admittance numbers, Dickson said. But MCHD, and local hospitals, want residents to know that they are taking numerous precautions to keep people safe and that waiting to call for help could be deadly.

Compared to last year at this time, MCHD said it is seeing an increase in at-home deaths from cardiac arrest. The number of cardiac arrests for March/April last year was 107, according to MCHD. For the same period this year, the number is 149.

SIGH OF RELIEF: City council approves homestead exemption for Conroe homeowners

Earlier this week MCHD, in partnership with several local hospitals, released a video urging people to call when they need medical attention and assuring residents that they are taking all necessary precautions to keep hospitals and ambulances clean and safe.

Honestly being at the hospital is probably safer than being at the grocery store, or the bank, or a variety of other businesses around Houston, said Jason Knight, Chief Medical Officer for Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital.

Starting in March, Knight said the hospital started to see a decline in admissions with 11% fewer admissions than their January and February average. April saw 34% fewer patients, and the trend continued in May, which had a decrease of around 10%.

Unfortunately, when a lot of these people come to the emergency department, the damage is already done, and its much harder to fix when diseases are at more advanced stages when people show up, Knight said.

For a stroke victim, time is brain. For a heart attack victim, time is heart muscle. The longer you wait to get treatment, the more of each you are likely to lose.

In early March, CHI St Lukes Health The Woodlands saw an increase in residents who were concerned that they may have the virus and were looking for testing, said Jim Parisi, president of the hospital. The decline started around mid-March, but, like Houston Methodist, dropped even more significantly starting in April. Last month the hospital had at least a 30% decrease in the ER patient volume.

We are here, we are safe, were taking proper precautions to make sure you are safe, Parisi said.

MORNING REPORT: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox

One option that Parisi has seen many patients take recently is telemedicine. Patients are consulting with their physicians without having to go to the hospital. Moving forward, he expects this aspect of medicine to continue to grow.

MCHD is taking numerous precautions to keep patients safe: responders are wearing gloves and masks, masks are given to every patient, the ambulance is cleaned between runs, MCHD employees are closely monitored for symptoms and do temperature checks twice a day, and clinical guidelines have been re-written for providers on how to handle patients who have a hard time breathing.

The hospitals are severely limiting who can enter, screening those who enter, social distancing within the hospital is being observed, COVID-19 patients are being kept away from other patients as a cohort, testing front-line workers regularly, and have implemented regular and thorough cleaning processes.

What Dickson doesnt want to be forgotten amid the pandemic is that other health issues havent gone away, and they remain serious and deadly.

We cant escape the chronic medical conditions weve always had, he said. We still have very sick patients that we take care of every day here. Just because we have COVID doesnt mean were going to stop having heart attacks, and people stop having strokes.

jamie.swinnerton@chron.com
Mumbai, May 29 : Moved by the plight of stranded migrants, Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan has come forward to contribute his mite to their cause.

After the Friday afternoon 'namaz', a fleet of 10 buses carrying around 225 excited migrants, including women and 43 children, were flagged off for various destinations in Uttar Pradesh.

As green flag was shown to the Bachchan-sponsored initiative, the weary but cheerful migrants let out collective cheers of joy and relief, with 'thumbs up' or 'V' signs, looking forward to their long journey home.

Five of the buses are on way to Prayagraj, two buses each are headed for Gorakhpur and Bhadoi, while one bus will arrive at Lucknow. The migrants will then have to proceed to their respective villages from these towns.

The flag-off was attended by ABCL Managing Director Rajesh Yadav, Suhail Khandwani, Managing Trustee of the Mahim Dargah Trust and Trustee of Haji Ali Dargah Trust, officials and top representatives of both the trusts including Mohammed Ahmed.

"It was the brainchild of Bachchan sahab, who has been deeply concerned by the sufferings of the migrants since the lockdown. He made a proposal and the Haji Ali Dargah and Mahim Dargah responded by offering to make all the arrangements," Sabir Sayed, Mahim Dargah's IT-Director told IANS.

The Haji Ali Dargah, incidentally, has an emotional connect with Bachchan and his fans. He had shot the climax of his 1983 superhit "Coolie" at the historic shrine. The Manmohan Desai entertainer is still recalled for the grievous accident that the superstar suffered on the film's set, following which he was hospitalised for months.

While on his current initiative, Bachchan had been feeding hundreds of migrants at various locations and also providing them with medicines over two weeks, without much fanfare.

They were also given footwear, as many migrants were developing sores or blisters or gashes on their legs due to long hours of walking in the scorching sun.

Bachchan, through Yadav, and the trustees of the two mausoleums, got down to the nitty-gritties of organising the massive operation over the past two weeks.

"It was tough work. Finally, after securing all permissions, clearances from the Maharashtra and other state governments, the fleet of buses finally started on their trips today, well before the onset of monsoon," said Sayed.

Mahim Dargah Trustee (Dr) Mudassar Lambe informed IANS that a thorough medical screening of each migrant passenger was carried out, taking into account various criteria.

"Besides, to ensure a hassle-free journey, each passenger has been given a full kit of masks, sanitisers, gloves, water bottles and food packets for the entire journey. Each bus has a full-fledged emergency medical kit with essential medicines, fruit juices, glucose, etc," Lambe added.

Owing to the social distancing norms, the 52-seater buses will accommodate around 25 passengers, and the bigger buses will seat 30 travellers.

The migrants hailing from all religions prayed at the Haji Ali Dargah, and later the bus halted briefly at the Mahim Dargah before zooming off to their respective destinations, said M. Imran (Ibrahim) Khan, the Covid-19 reliefs executive for the Haji Ali Dargah.

Bachchan's is the second major effort by a Bollywood personality after actor Sono Sood, who organised several buses for migrants over the past days and an AirAsia flight from Kochi to Bhubaneshwar with 167 migrants today. Besides this, the National Law School, Bengaluru alumni along with an IIT team sent 175 migrants by an AirAsia flight from Mumbai to Ranchi, Jharkhand, on May 27.

Alongside the Maharashtra government, scores of other individuals, NGOs and organisations are also engaged daily in the huge humanitarian efforts to ensure the safe repatriation of hundreds of migrants to the safety of their homes.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Protests and looting escalated in Minneapolis Thursday, on the third night of demonstrations over the death of George Floyd at the hands of local police, as protesters set fire to the Minneapolis Police Departments 3rd Precinct. Officers fled from the building around 10 p.m. as demonstrators were able to break into the building. Video of the scene showed protesters streaming into the precinct where the officers who were involved in Floyds fatal arrest worked, ransacking and setting fire to the office. Soon smoke billowed from the roof as the building was engulfed in flames.

Advertisement

The fire at the MPDs 3rd Precinct was only at one corner 5 minutes ago. Its now spread across the entire building. With no firefighters on scene... that building will likely be destroyed tonight. pic.twitter.com/t6p3Yv1KYV  Seth Kaplan (@Seth_Kaplan) May 29, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Fireworks shooting into the sky as the MPD Third Precinct burns. @kare11 pic.twitter.com/fDHOn70T3A  Danny Spewak (@DannySpewak) May 29, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Nearby, fires billowed from local businesses that the fire department said it was unable to access because of safety concerns.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Violence flared throughout the night in portions of the city, as groups of looters broke into area businesses, destroyed storefronts, and in some cases set stores and restaurants alight. Fireworks were thrown at local police and bricks were used to smash police car windows, the Washington Post reports. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz declared a state of emergency, activating 500 members of the Minnesota National Guard. In neighboring St. Paul, the state Capitol was evacuated as a precaution. In the early hours of Friday morning, the St. Paul police said that dozens of fires were blazing and damage had been done to 170 businesses.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Angry protests over Floyds death spilled into other cities around the country Thursday, including New York; Denver; Phoenix; Columbus, Ohio; and Louisville, Kentucky. What started as a peaceful protest against police violence in Columbus turned violent as demonstrators broke into the Statehouse and smashed windows.

Officers speaking over loudspeaker again with same message as earlier telling people to leave the road. More things have been thrown at officers. @nbc4i pic.twitter.com/8SucB6ZfvL  Eric Halperin (@EricHalperinTV) May 29, 2020

Advertisement

In Denver, protests at the state Capitol grew tense after a video on social media showed a driver appearing to deliberately hit a protester. Gunshots fired near the Capitol sent demonstrators scrambling, the Denver Post reports, as city police fired tear gas canisters and pepper spray to disperse the crowds. In Phoenix, police used rubber bullets and pepper spray on protesters who countered by throwing water bottles and rocks back, according to the Arizona Republic.

Advertisement

In Louisville, seven people were shot and one critically injured amid antipolice violence protests demanding justice for the March killing of 26-year-old emergency room technician Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed in her home by police conducting a no-knock raid on the apartment. During a call made to 911 as the incident unfolded, local Louisville news station WDRB reports, Taylors boyfriend can be heard telling the dispatcher he didnt know what was happening and that someone kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend. 

Advertisement

Michael McDowell, one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement in Minneapolis, explained the protesters anger and actions this way: There are folks reacting to a violent system.  You can replace property, you can replace businesses, you can replace material things, but you cant replace a life. That man is gone forever because some cop felt like he had the right to take his life. A lot of folks are tired of that. Theyre not going to take it anymore. Thats why, McDowell explained, Minneapolis is burning.

For more of Slates news coverage, listen to What Next: TBD.
By Frank Simon and Andreas Buerger

FRANKFURT, May 29 (Reuters) - Scores of German business executives were due to return to China on Friday evening, beneficiaries of an accelerated entry procedure offered by Beijing as both countries seek to reignite their economies after months of lockdown.

Under a deal brokered by the German Chamber of Commerce in China, staff from hundreds of German companies with units there can return without undergoing two weeks' quarantine if they can show a certified negative coronavirus test.

Among the executives waiting to board the chartered Lufthansa flight to Tianjin was Karin Warowski, a controller at carmaker Volkswagen, who was eager to rejoin her husband after months of separation.

"Obviously everyone's pleased that business is restarting - it's already underway," she said, rushing through a near-deserted airport to catch her flight.

"I'm one of the first privileged few who can go back to Tianjin... I'm very pleased to be going back to where my husband is. We've been apart for four months."

About 500 to 1,000 business managers have been offered an accelerated re-entry procedure by the Chinese government, a German business representative told Reuters on Tuesday, with family members bringing the total to around 2,500 people.

Even as much of the rest of the world economy has shut down to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which originated in China, factories there have been ramping up production again since the outbreak abated.

China is Germany's most important trading partner by far, with around 206 billion euros ($229 bln) worth of goods traded in 2019.

($1 = 0.9012 euros) (Reporting by Frank Simon and Andreas Buerger; Writing by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the decentralization reform is actually nearing the finish line, as the government has approved prospective plans for all regions of Ukraine, the presidents press service reports.

"Ukrainians will be able to receive better and more services on the ground - where they live. They will be able to build their cities and villages, make them more convenient and comfortable," Zelensky said.

According to him, prospective plans approved by the government will be the basis for the formation of territorial communities and building a successful country for a comfortable life.

Zelensky noted that with the formation of territorial communities, the influence of the central government bodies on the disposal of funds would decrease. Local government bodies will be able to choose within their own community what to develop, where to build a school or a kindergarten.

According to the Presidents Office, all regions of Ukraine already have approved prospective plans, except for the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. The temporarily occupied territories of Donbas are included in the plan.

As reported, the Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on May 27 approved prospective plans for territorial communities in Zaporizhzhia, Lviv and Odesa regions.

iy
Ricky Hurtado's attempt to flip a North Carolina House seat from Republican to Democrat and become the first Latino elected to the states House will go unseen by much of the country. But Hurtado could play a role in Democrat Joe Bidens presidential bid.

So, too, could the campaign of Andre Del Valle, one of the few Latino candidates for a state House seat in the critically important battleground state of Pennsylvania, which holds its primary on Tuesday.

Hurtado, 31, and Del Valle, 27, are among some of the Latino candidates in state and local races who could accomplish historic firsts for Latinos and whose candidacies are important for galvanizing Latino voters in the 2020 election.

Ricky Hurtado, running as a Democratic candidate for the North Carolina state House District 63, would be the first Latino elected to the state House. (Andie Rea)

Hurtado, whose father drives a sanitation truck and whose mother lost her poultry and tortilla factory work in the Great Recession, faces incumbent Republican Stephen Ross in November in the reshaped state House District 63, which leans Democrat. Del Valle, a child of immigrants who grew up in a 10-person household, faces a four-way contest in House District 175 in Pennsylvanias primary.

"Coming of ageand able to vote and run for office"

Both candidates are among an initial batch of legislative hopefuls endorsed by the Latino Victory Fund, a liberal, national organization focused on increasing Latinos in elected office. In the presidential race, the group first backed Julian Castro and switched to Biden after Castro exited the race. The group has close ties to the Biden campaign.

We were looking at our 2020 presidential map and looking at states where Latinos will be the difference for the top of the ticket, said Mayra Macias, Latino Victorys executive director.

We looked at states like Pennsylvania, where the Latino population is established and where the communitys political power is still growing and at North Carolina, where we had lost the state by 100,000 votes, the Latino population is growing and there are young folks who are children of immigrants and are coming of age and able to vote and run for office," she said.

Story continues

Hurtado's parents fled the 1980s civil war in El Salvador to Los Angeles and then transplanted to Sanford, North Carolina.

We were and still are working class. My mom and dad live paycheck to paycheck, as has been the case for many families in the country, Hurtado said.

Latino Victory's Macias says having a national organization support these legislative races "sends a message of affirmation that we are seeing the growth of the community."

We are seeing the work being done on the ground and we want to be supportive, so we are helping the community realize its political power," she said.

Knocking on doors turns to virtual "Happy Hours"

Initially, Hurtado and his campaign were knocking on 1,000 doors a week through about mid-March.

When coronavirus forced Americans to limit their in-person contact, the campaign switched to making 1,000 calls a week to check on the community, find out what issues people were facing, deliver groceries and masks, and help residents get assistance and jobless benefits. He replaced house parties with "Happy Hour With Hurtado" on Zoom to gather donors and supporters and discuss North Carolina politics.

That has helped build the trust and relationship with potential voters that candidates need to encourage some Latino voters to engage, he said.

The last Democrat to challenge the incumbent lost by 300 votes. For candidates whose races could be determined by razor-thin margins in battleground states, the Latino voice is going to be critical," Hurtado said.

As a party we cant just think shortsighted. Many challenges the nation faces existed before Trump and are going to exist after Trump," said Hurtado. "Where we are headed in terms of power, we have to include Latinos in order to be successful in the future."

North Carolina and Pennsylvania arent states with large Latino populations. Eligible Latino voters make up about 4.4 percent, or 338,000 people, of North Carolinas eligible voters, and 5.3 percent, or 521,000, of Pennsylvanias electorate.

Down-ballot races "key mobilizers" for Biden

Latino Victory Fund reasons that the presence of a Latino candidate may help build the margin needed for Biden, while getting more Latinos in the political office pipeline.

Down-ballot races are key mobilizers for Latino voters, Latino Victory Fund president and CEO Nathalie Rayes said in a statement.

Were heading into a high-stakes election that requires an unprecedented mobilization for Latinos, she said, adding that supporting the Latino legislative candidates will help energize our communities to vote.

Castro, who is serving as a senior adviser to Voto Latino, a group focused on mobilizing young Latinos, launched a PAC this week that also focuses on down-ballot candidates, including non-Latinos. Helping candidates at the local and state level can help inspire the Latino electorate, which will be the second-largest voting bloc this election.

Every time we attract new people to politics, especially people who are not afraid to run on a bold agenda, it gets people excited that may not have paid attention to politics before, Castro told NBC News.

Latino Victory Funds endorsement of Del Valle and two other Pennsylvania Latino candidates marks the first time the group has gotten involved in racesat the legislative level in the state, Macias said.

Del Valle, running in a Philadelphia district that is 11 percent Latino, is the son of a father who emigrated from Cuba and mother who emigrated from Colombia. He grew up with many cousins and other relatives who were also immigrants.

Andre Del Valle, 27, is a candidate for Pennsylvania state House District 175 in Tuesday's primary. (Andre Del Valle Campaign)

Del Valle is a former aide to the only Latino member of the Philadelphia City Council, Maria Quinones Sanchez, and helped her draft anti-poverty policies, including a landmark domestic workers rights bill.

But as the coronavirus spread in the U.S., Del Valle said it's been difficult to make his calls to potential voters about turning out for him or contributing to his campaign.

It is not uncommon to call a potential supporter and be told: Now is not the right time. I just lost my job. Im trying to figure out how to get my unemployment checks," Del Valle said.

Seeing the need in his community, which has a mix of incomes but includes an area of high poverty, Del Valle decided that rather than campaign, he would distribute food, help residents navigate the unemployment benefit system and get out more information about coronavirus prevention, including in Spanish.

It would be incredibly selfish of me to continue (asking for votes) and talk about what I want to accomplish, while people around me are suffering and wondering where their next meal is going to come from, he said.

He still believes he and other Latino candidates can have an impact, even if the current coronavirus pandemic has diluted other issues his campaign is advocating, such as tackling the districts opioid crisis and advocating for immigrant and workers rights.

My race has the opportunity to bring out the Latino vote here in Philadelphia. I hope people are engaged and understand the importance of the election, he said, adding he thinks his campaign will have "ripple effects."

In addition to Del Valle, the Latino Victory Fund endorsed Rep. Danilo Burgos, the first Dominican American elected to Pennsylvanias state House, who is running for re-election in state House District 197. It also endorsed Manny Guzman, who if elected, would be the first Latino elected in the state's District 127. Guzman is in a five-way primary that includes other Latino candidates.

The other candidates the Latino Victory Fund is endorsing for election or re-election are:

 In Florida, Alex Barrio, House District 43; Ricky Junquera, House District 118; Rep. Cindy Polo, House District 103; Rep. Javier Fernandez, Senate District 39; and Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, Senate District 37.

 In New York, Catalina Cruz, Assembly District 39; Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Assembly District 34; and Jon Rivera, Assembly District 149

 In New Mexico, Neomi Martinez-Parra, Senate District 35

Gonzalez-Rojas in New York and Martinez-Parra would be the first Latinas elected to their districts if they win.

Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Cuomos Controversial Order on Nursing Homes Disappears from Official Website

A controversial executive order signed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has disappeared from the state governments website.

The order directed nursing homes to accept patients who had been infected with the CCP virus, which causes COVID-19. Cuomo was heavily criticized for it, since a large number of the viruss victims in the state were infected in nursing homes.

Cuomo tried to distance himself from the decision, saying it was the nursing homes prerogative to turn away patients they couldnt safely handle, but the order, issued March 25, emphasizes that no resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the NH [nursing home] solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19.

The order further says that NHs are prohibited from requiring a hospitalized resident who is determined medically stable to be tested for COVID-19 prior to admission or readmission.

The Governors Office didnt answer a request for comment specifically regarding the orders disappearance from the website, which was previously reported by The Epoch Times.

Peter Ajemian, Cuomos senior deputy communications director, provided the following comment via email:

DOH [New York Department of Health] posted updated guidance that builds on the original March 25 guidance which barred nursing homes from discriminating against COVID patients. As we said at the time, the updated guidance didnt supersede the March 25th guidance  rather, it added a new requirement that says hospitals cannot discharge patients to nursing homes until they test negative. Then and now, nursing homes cannot discriminate against COVID patients and they cannot accept patients if they arent able to provide adequate care, including staff screenings, PPE and infection control measures like cohorting.

The CCP virus, also known as the novel coronavirus, broke out in the central Chinese city of Wuhan around November 2019 before spreading throughout the world, wreaking havoc on the global economy as lockdowns were enacted to slow its spread. To date, there have been more than 5.8 million confirmed cases and over 362,000 deaths attributed to the virus, though the reliability of data coming out of some countries, like China, has been questioned.

In the United States, there have been over 1.7 million confirmed cases and over 100,000 deaths attributed to the virus. Nearly 30 percent of the deaths recorded occurred in New York, though the state also counts in deaths presumed to be caused by COVID-19.

About fifth of the states deathsalmost 6,000occurred in nursing homes.

Cuomo said he was only following the guidelines issued on March 13 by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

We followed the Presidents agencys guidance, so that depoliticizes it. What New York did was follow what the Republican said to do, he said in May. Thats not my attempt to politicize itits my attempt to depoliticize it. So dont criticize the state for following the Presidents policy.

Yet Cuomo and his staff were conflating CDC guidelines on COVID-19 patients with its guidelines on non-COVID patients who had spent time in a hospital where they might have been exposed to COVID patients, noted the Media Research Center, a media watchdog.

When it comes to patients who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the CDC said nursing homes can accept them as long as the facility can follow CDC guidance for Transmission-Based Precautions. If a nursing home cannot, it must wait until these precautions are discontinued.

Cuomo tried to blame the nursing homes too, saying the obligation was on them to say, I cant take a COVID positive person. Im too crowded, Im too busy, I dont have enough PPE [personal protective equipment].

His executive order, however, didnt provide such an option, pointed out John Eastman, senior fellow at the Claremont Institute.

It was illegal under this order for them to deny somebody who was COVID positive, he told Fox News Laura Ingraham. Theres nothing in here about them being able to opt out of that if they dont think theyre ready. That was a CDC guideline, but its not in Governor Cuomos order. So they were compelled to take these folks.

In the meantime, Cuomo has also been criticized for putting into his annual budget a provision that shields hospital and nursing home executives from COVID-related liability.

The executives shall have immunity from any liability, civil or criminal, for any harm or damages alleged to have been sustained as a result of an act or omission in the course of arranging for or providing healthcare services related to the epidemic, says the bill, which was signed by Cuomo on April 3.

As The Guardian reported, Cuomo received some $2.3 million in campaign contributions from the hospital and nursing home industry during his second term. That included more than $1.2 million to the Cuomo-controlled New York State Democratic committee from the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA), which openly stated on its website that it drafted and aggressively advocated the legislation that included the immunity provision.

The GNYHA donation was many times higher than the amount it had contributed to the committee in previous years, according to the Empire Center for Public Policy, a New York-based think-tank.

The immunity was criticized by Eastman as excessive.

I do think they should have immunity when they took someone who was COVID positive because of Governor Cuomos order.  But then the immunity statute that he signed gives them much broader immunity than that, he said.

Its anything thats touching on or related or might be somehow connected to COVID. So if they have one person down the hall and that requires a shifting of staff resources and theyre negligent and kill someone else in the main wing, theyre immune, and I dont think they ought to have immunity for that at all, and broad immunity for any negligence whatsoever.

Update: The article has been updated with a response from a spokesman for Governor Andrew Cuomo.
For the first time since tracking COVID-19 cases in the county, Montgomery County health officials confirmed the number of people who have recovered has surpassed the number of active cases.

According to the Montgomery County Public Health District, as of Friday, 468 people have recovered compared with 460 cases still active. Of those active cases, 27 people remain hospitalized and 433 are in self-isolation. The countys number of deaths remains at 26.

Higher Ed: Lone Star follows impact of coronavirus on enrollment trends, budget

Up 14 from Thursday, the countys total number of cases is 954.

County Judge Mark Keough said he was pleased to hear of the number of recoveries.

Montgomery County is in great shape as our recoveries have now surpassed the number of active cases, he said. This trend continues the downward trend of the rate of growth for confirmed cases.

He added since reopening businesses, the county has not seen a spike in cases or hospitalizations.

Everyday I continue to see people taking precautions and using good common sense when out in public and with the continued support of our residents and businesses we can expect more good news in the continued downward trend of cases in the coming weeks, he said.

Additionally, Keough shared Friday there have been 15,476 tests administered in Montgomery County with 14,522 returning negative.

The countys voucher testing is ongoing. Vouchers can be obtained by calling 936-523-5040 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., vouchers, if unused, expire in five days and the testing site is solely responsible for notifying you of results.

For more information on COVID-19, visit https://mcphd-tx.org/coronavirus-covid-19/.

cdominguez@hcnonline.com
Kenyan socialite, Huddah Monroe had made it known she is very sad about racism and the killing of Black men, however, she will never protest for Black men.

According to Moroe, this is because they are racist to Black women and treat White women better than they treat Black women.

She went on to say Black men only remember Black women when they are down and being discriminated against. The reality TV star went on to say once black men become successful, they go for white women and bash Black women.

Read Also: Socialite Huddah Monroe Reacts To 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30

Advertisement

In her words; A place where black man cant prosper without looking suspect is not a place I can live. America is thrash to me, I have gone their many times but I never felt safe. That place is creepy, they sell yall a dream.

She added; Police brutality is bad but how alot of black men disrespect their own black women.

I could careless. I would never go protest on their behalf. To each their own because when you have money. The other race is better than your own. Let them fight for you.

Keep the same energy! And a lot of black women need to wake up and dont let nobody disrespect you or make you feel insecure about yourself because you aint lighter or whiter. You are beautiful! Remember that!

Black men make black women bleach their skin because they idolize lighter skin woman and treat them better

Imagine that! Racist against your own race! Selfishness of the highest order Damn

A lot of successful black men are super racist to their own black women. Never happened to me but I hear them speak and I put them on check. So let is address this issue of racism on all levels

Black men are also racist to their own back women. Some foolish bastards think dating a white woman gives him power and makes him look successful. Why will they not disrespects and kill you?

A White woman only entertain a black man cause of his pocket, not because he looks good or f*cks better. I see how they treat their Nigga boyfriends but bush men think they looking successful.

Once a Nigga falls off thats when he remembers his black women. Yall stupid as f*ck especially black American men and few bush lame African men. Yall make them feel special and better than you. Why wont they kill you?
The High Court has ruled that hundreds of letters between the Queen and former governor-general Sir John Kerr before the dismissal of the Whitlam government are public records, paving the way for the release of the potentially explosive documents.

Professor Jenny Hocking, a political historian who has written extensively on Labor figures including former prime minister Gough Whitlam and his attorney-general Lionel Murphy, fought for a decade for access to the letters to help shed light on what Buckingham Palace knew before the Dismissal in November 1975.

Professor Jenny Hocking, with a statue of Queen Victoria behind her, took her fight for the release of the 211 'Palace Papers' letters to the High Court. Credit:AAP

Her fight included a three-and-a-half-year, million-dollar legal battle with the National Archives, which insisted the letters were "personal" records that sat outside a statutory regime providing for the release of Commonwealth records after 30 years.

Professor Hocking said the historic decision ends "decades of residual British control over Australian archival material, kept from us in the name of the Queen through the exercise of an alleged Royal veto".
The National Police said Friday they are on the lookout for Ream Naval Base deputy commander Has Sothea and two other men for their involvement in a shooting incident with a group of Chinese nationals at Koh Rong island earlier this month.



Deputy National Police Chief Chhay Kimkhoeun said the three individuals, two of whom have not been identified by the police, are on the run after they were part of a brawl with 16 Chinese nationals on the island. The only individual the police spokesperson could identify was Has Sothea.

The court is in charge of this case now, Chhay Kimkhoeun told VOA Khmer. And we are seeking to arrest the three individuals who are on the run.

However, police officials down the chain-of-command said there were no arrest warrants or instructions to detain the three absconding individuals.

Heng Kim An, district police chief for Koh Rong, said the incident took place the night of May 14 at Thansur Beach near Mafiya Resort. The resort is owned by Tea Vichet, son of Navy Chief Tea Vinh, and is also the nephew of Defense Minister Tea Banh.

Heng Kim An declined to comment further directing queries to provincial police officials.

Lim Bunheng, a spokesperson for Preah Sihanouk Provincial Court, said there were 19 people involved in the case, including 16 Chinese nationals, but declined to provide details on the three Cambodian nationals or whether the court had issued an arrest warrant for them.

The likely charges are intentional acts of violence with aggravated circumstance and illegal uses of weapon, Lim Bunheng said.

I just want to affirm that this case involved several complexities that we need time for a comprehensive investigation that I could not comment further on our next move, he said.

Preah Sihanouk Provincial Police Chief Chuon Narin said he had not received any warrants to arrest the men  including Rear Admiral Has Sothea.

Please understand that I have not received anything yet because an investigating judge is working on the case now, General Chuon Narin said. I am only standing by to execute any orders from the magistracy.

The sixteen Chinese nationals were brought via speed boat to Sihanoukville and are being detained at the provincial prison, with Chuon Narin refusing to explain why they were being kept in detention, only to say that both sides caused injuries.



He added that the three Khmer individuals had been sent to a hospital, again unsure of their activities thereafter.

Ream Naval Base came to Has Sotheas defense on Thursday, denying news reports that he had fled an arrest warrant, but did not provide details of the senior naval staffers whereabouts or if Has Sothea was still performing his duties at the base.

Commander of the Royal Cambodian Navys [Ream] Naval Base [Ouk Seyha] has already understood the facts and conducted a comprehensive assessment into the case of violence against Mr. Has Sothea and his friends, read the statement.

The Base stands itself ready to collaborate with a competent authority to bring Mr. Has Sothea in to testify at the summons of the authorities and the court officials, it added.

Am Sam Ath, deputy director for monitoring at rights group Licadho, did not want to comment on the specifics of the case, but said there shouldnt be double standards when it came to legal procedures involving criminal acts conducted by military personnel.

Legal enforcement needs to be done with transparency and equality in front of the law and the wrongdoers need to be prosecuted in accordance with the law, Am Sam Ath said.

The Ream Naval Base made international headlines last year when the New York-based Wall Street Journal, citing senior American military sources, reported that the base was part of a Sino-Cambodian secret deal to allow the Chinese Navy access to use the base.
The move if implemented, will be a temporary measure to protect both consumers and airlines.

A section of airline executives and experts, however, warned that any intervention in pricing would be counterproductive.

The government is considering temporarily setting caps and floors on airfares once air transport resumes after the lockdown, in a bid to protect both consumers and airlines, officials aware of the matter said.

The civil aviation ministry, which has started discussions on the process, feels that it is important to ensure tickets dont become very expensive, and to prevent predatory pricing from hurting the financial viability of airlines.

The move if implemented, will be a temporary measure to protect both consumers and airlines, said officials aware of the matter.

A section of airline executives and experts, however, warned that any intervention in pricing would be counterproductive.

This is not feasible. It changes the rules of competition and is also detrimental to consumer interest, said Kapil Kaul, CEO (South Asia) of aviation consultancy firm CAPA.

India deregulated the industry in 1994, allowing market forces to determine the fares.

However, a clause in the Aircraft Act, 1934, which governs aviation in India, allows the government to frame any rules, including those related to the regulation of tariffs.

With airlines operating only a fraction of their aircraft in the near term, there is a possibility that ticket prices may go excessively high, having an adverse impact on consumers and connectivity.

"There is also a possibility that airlines may start pricing excessively low to fill up their aircraft, potentially affecting the financial viability of carriers as well as that of the industry, said an official.

Both (situations) need to be prevented, he added.

The government banned air transport since March 23 in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but the step is now threatening to push airlines with weak financials into bankruptcy as they grapple with high fixed costs and zero passenger revenue.

A second official said the demand to regulate prices had come from a few airlines, which felt that the market would drastically change as the virus threatened the viability of weaker airlines.

He said the airlines suggested an appropriate profit margin could be added to determine the break-even price per kilometre, accounting for the cost of fuel, crew, and airport charges.

"A few airline executives have asked for regulating pricing as they fear that market leader IndiGo, with close to a 50 per cent market share, may become monopolistic and control pricing in a post-pandemic market, the official said.

The promoter of low-cost airline SpiceJet, Ajay Singh, has been vocal about pricing indiscipline in the industry, saying that a super low fare regime would lead to airlines going bankrupt.

Singhs airline is facing a threat to its survival after the government refused any bailout package for the sector.

SpiceJet practically had little cash before the lockdown and its net worth was negative (Rs 850 crore in end-September 2019), owing to past losses.

A two-month freeze on revenue has made things even worse.

In contrast, IndiGo had a cash pile of Rs 9,412 crore at the end of December 2019.

The government has on previous occasions mulled a price cap and floor, but didnt implement it finally.

Nasim Zaidi, former secretary of civil aviation said that the government is well within its rights to frame a rule to protect consumer interest and airlines, but he warned that there shouldnt be a uniform price cap for all airlines.

He suggested that the price cap and floor if implemented should be related to the cost structure of an airline.

Deregulation doesnt mean complete lack of regulation.

"There is a strong reason for a price cap. However, a one size fits for all approach will not work.

"The optimum price an airline is charging should depend on the cost structure of an airline.

"Cost structure of a full service airline and a low cost airline will not be the same," said Zaidi who in 2012 had commissioned a study to find factors which inhibits competition in Indian aviation.

Photograph: Reuters
Have you ever guessed why people or even yourself type in longer words than its standard spelling? For example, words like 'heeeey,' 'yeees,' 'duuuude' or 'goooaaaalllll' have been the usual words we see online. In fact, a study found that most of the tweets online have stretched words. Here's why people are doing it and, most probably, will always do it.

YEEESSSS! Why do you type like that? Here's the answer

Daily Mail UK reported that most of the people now use uncommon phrasing of words and sentences with longer letters online.

Researchers at the University of Vermont Burlington studied and collected 100 billion tweets generated between Sept. 2008 and Dec. 2016, to identify similarities and uncommon patterns in how people type online.

It turns out that a huge number of tweets sent on this period have been stretching each of their letters per word online.

"We were doing something a bit silly and playful, and that's part of science. You never know what you might find," said Peter Dodds, a professor at the University of Vermont's department of mathematics and statistics.

Another unfamiliar thing about this practice is that people only write words this way online, but rare in formal writing.

The popularity of stretching words has been in line with how people want to convey emotions, even behind screens.

"While most of our online activity is not broadcast publicly, the things we do choose to share are important and worthy of careful enumeration," said study co-author Chris Danforth, a professor at the University of Vermont's Department of Mathematics & Statistics, told MailOnline. "When we want to emphasize our emotions, the visual effect of stretching words can be dramatic."

Words like 'suuuure' convey sarcasm, 'duuuuude' means frustration, 'yeeess' sounds excitement, 'nooooooo' conveys real disappointment, 'heeellppp' means increased desperation, when someone flirts they use words like 'heeeeyyy', and 'aarrrggghh' conveys immense pain.

Two kinds of stretchable words

One thing that was also significantly mentioned in the study is the variety of different words being stretched out online.

Interestingly, there are two kinds of characteristics of stretchable words: balance and stretch. Balance words are when someone stretches a word by repeating it based on the elongation of the word.

For example, the word 'hahahaha,' which has a high degree of balance, are words that have repeated letters that measure equally.

At the same time, the word 'goooooooaaal' is also categorized under less balanced since the letter 'o' is repeated more than usual or compared to other letters.

Stretch, however, is when a word can be modified as long as you wanted it to be. For example, the word 'ha' in 'hahahaha' have a high degree of a stretch since people can lengthen it as long as they can.

However, non-stretchable words like 'infinity' can just be repeated with one letter such as 'infinityyy.'

"It would be interesting to study these things further, such as the distinction between visual and phonetic stretching or how the patterns of stretching have changed over time or differ across geographic regions," said the study.

ALSO READ: Facebook Update: Accounts That Keep Going Viral Will Now Be Verified; Identities and Locations are Now Required

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
N ew Zealand has reduced its active cases of Covid-19 to just one, with a further seven people recovering from the virus in the last 24 hours. The country has now gone an entire week without recording any new infections.

Brazil has reported a daily record of 26,417 new coronavirus cases, bringing its tally to 438,238, second only to the US in confirmed cases. The countrys death toll rose 1,156 from a day earlier to 26,754 confirmed fatalities from Covid-19.

South Korea today imposed limits on the number of pupils going to schools in and around Seoul as officials battle a fresh outbreak threatening to undo the countrys progress in containing the epidemic. Only one in three pupils at kindergartens, elementary and middle schools in the Seoul area will be allowed to attend school each day.

A Samoan rugby team trapped in New Zealand by the lockdown since March 16 was returning home today. The Manuma Samoa spent 14 days in isolation after arriving in Auckland following a match in Perth, Australia, but had to remain at their hostel.

Moscow has more than doubled its death toll for April. The citys health department now says 1,561 people died from the disease, not 639 that was initially announced.
Were slowing our pace of hiring and investment, and are not bringing on as many new starters as we had planned at the beginning of the year, Google said in an email to contracting agencies last week that was seen by The New York Times. The company told the firms that it will not be moving forward to onboard the people that the agencies had recruited to work at Google.
Just days before Tuesdays primary election, a federal judge has ordered Pennsylvania officials to make a last-minute albeit imperfect change to enable blind and vision-impaired people to effectively cast their ballots.

U.S. Middle District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson s decision requires the Department of State to provide Accessible Write-In Ballot forms that will allow those voters to cast ballots by mail and avoid going to the polls during the coronavirus pandemic.

That means visually impaired voters will have the same option as other voters who can avoid the polls and the risk of COVID-29 contagion.

Wilson issued her ruling a week after the National Federation of the Blind filed a civil rights suit against the state, claiming the mail-in ballots being provided for the primary were not adequate for blind voters and so breached their voting rights and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The federation said it had been warning state officials about the problem for months.

Wilson granted the groups request for a preliminary injunction requiring the state to provide suitable ballots for its constituents. She did not, however, order state officials to use the ballot preferred by the federation.

The federation lobbied for use of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act ballot that is available to military personnel stationed outside the U.S. That ballot was used by Michigan when it had to make a last-minute adaptation for the blind during its primary last month.

Wilson said the tight time frame makes the Accessible Write-In Ballot the better option for Pennsylvania. The court believes it is more equitable to order a feasible and moderately adequate remedy over no remedy at all, she wrote.

The case isnt over. Both sides will keep arguing before Wilson to come up with a long-term solution to the voting issue.
I think the vast majority of Americans are actually listening to scientists and are doing the sensible thing, which is to limit our contacts but then to keep ourselves and our family members and our neighbors safe, she said. Thats what we need to do, is look out for one another. We can come together and we can survive this, but only if we come together as a group. And we cant just listen to those on the fringe.
By Maria Caspani and Jonathan Allen NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday outlined the first steps for reopening the United States' most populous city, envisioning up to 400,000 people heading back to their workplaces, an easing of the lockdown that began in March. The city's famed restaurants and bars will remain closed, except for takeout and delivery, but the City Council unveiled legislation to allow outdoor dining.

By Maria Caspani and Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday outlined the first steps for reopening the United States' most populous city, envisioning up to 400,000 people heading back to their workplaces, an easing of the lockdown that began in March.

The city's famed restaurants and bars will remain closed, except for takeout and delivery, but the City Council unveiled legislation to allow outdoor dining.

COVID-19 has killed more than 20,000 of New York's over 8 million people, making the city the American epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.

With hospitalizations and deaths trending lower across New York state, all regions except the city - which is still working to increase hospital bed capacity and meet other criteria - have begun the process of restarting their economies.

De Blasio said he expected the reopening's first phase to be announced by the second week of June and, in line with the state's plan, would include four sectors: construction, manufacturing, wholesale suppliers and non-essential retail.

"We're now actually in a position to start talking about opening things up, step by step, phase by phase," he said at a daily briefing.

At a separate briefing on Thursday, City Council members unveiled legislation to allow restaurants and bars to set up chairs and tables on approved stretches of sidewalks, streets and parking lots while social distancing rules remained in force.

Council Speaker Corey Johnson criticized de Blasio for moving more slowly than other cities in repurposing outdoor spaces, and said the legislation was partly intended to force the mayor's hand.

"New York will not be New York if we do not have restaurants and bars and an enlivened streetscape," he told a news conference via Zoom. "If Cincinnati can do this, no offense to Cincinnati, New York City can do it."

De Blasio said outdoor dining would be considered but that it would not be included in the first of the four phases in the state's plan, which slates restaurants to reopen in the third phase.

De Blasio said the authorities would monitor business compliance with reopening guidelines by conducting random visits, and handing out summonses in egregious cases.

Before the Memorial Day weekend, the mayor had said the sheriff's office would patrol nine "bar-heavy" parts of the city after some bars, restaurants and their patrons appeared to be flouting guidelines, which include people keeping six feet apart.

Sean Pearson, beverage manager at popular Mexican eatery La Esquina's Soho location, said outdoor dining might be the only lifeline for many small restaurants.

"It might be one of the only ways that they can recoup the revenue that's been lost throughout this whole thing," Pearson said in a phone interview. "I think as long as tables are at an appropriate distance and crowds are managed and maintained and ... the level of cleanliness is upheld, I think it's totally fine."

Restaurants generally struggled to make much of a profit even when they could fill every seat inside, Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, a trade group supporting the City Council legislation, said in an interview.

The law would require the city to identify open spaces that can be used for outdoor dining, and New York City's Health Department to create social distancing and cleaning protocols.

"We have to remember that New York City is the hospitality capital of the world," Melba Wilson, the owner of Melba's Restaurant in Manhattan's famed Harlem neighborhood, said at the news conference on the legislation. "We cannot be followers on this front; we have to be leaders."

(additional reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut; editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29)  Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Friday apologized to returning overseas Filipino workers, some of whom got stranded in quarantine sites for more than a month. He vowed that nothing similar will happen again.

Bello admitted in an online briefing they may have inadvertently caused these OFWs anxiety, discomfort and unwarranted sufferings due to test result backlogs.

Hindi na po mangyayari ang nangyari sa ating OFWs.

[Translation: This will not happen again to other OFWs.]

The government expects an additional 42,000 overseas workers to arrive home this June, a majority of whom will be coming from the Middle East, Bello said.

He said they are studying if it is possible to test OFWs before flying back to the Philippines as well as profile them to prevent a prolonged quarantine.

Bello announced that 19,000 out of the 24,000 evacuated overseas workers have been sent home this week. Of this, 5,000 are seafarers who were quarantined in cruise ships docked at Manila Bay.

We are just short by about 5,000 to be transported for their homecoming hopefully by today or tomorrow.

DOLE, the Department of Health and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration have until Sunday to bring home these OFWs, and Bello said he thinks they could meet President Rodrigo Dutertes deadline.

To support this, the DOLE formed the Crisis Management Committee on Coronavirus through Administrative Order no. 124.

Ito ay tugon doon sa panawagan ng Presidente na dapat madaliin ang pagpa-uwi ng ating mga OFW sa kanilang probinsya (This is the answer to the directive of the President that sending of OFWs home should be fast tracked.) That is why the Secretary has to form a Crisis Management Committee. Magiging parang (This is like an) operational and action center, DOLE Usec. Renato Ebarle told CNN Philippines Newsroom Ngayon on Friday.

Ebarle said that this committee will also have close coordination with agencies under the department to know how it can also fast track assistance and to have a more accurate data of how many are still expected to arrive and where they will be quarantined while waiting for their test results. This is also to prevent the past experience, when sending OFWs home took months after their arrival.

The crisis management committee will be headed by former DOLE Secretary Marianito Roque, Ebarle said. This is broken down into task forces namely for returning OFWs to be headed by Usec. Claro Arellano, for outgoing OFWs to be headed by Ebarle, and the communication to be headed by Usec. Joji Aragon.

Ebarle said that many OFWs are still expected to return to the country. There are 60,000 OFWs expected to arrive next month but the figure may change depending on data the DOLE will receive from labor attaches in different countries.

We will have to revise really to come up with a complete and true data kung ilan (of how many), but this time medyo mas ready na tayo. Pinaghahandaan na namin (we are more ready. We are already prepared) together with OWWA and POEA, he said.

Govt braces for second surge

COVID-19 National Task Force Special Adviser, Dr. Tony Leachon, told CNN Philippines New Day that the government is bracing for a second surge of COVID-19 cases which may come from OFWs.

Leachon said around 500 Filipino overseas workers who have returned to the country have so far tested positive for coronavirus disease. These infected OFWs, makes up only 2 percent of the confirmed cases, are asymptomatic, meaning they developed no symptoms, he added.

The Department of Health reported on Thursday its highest ever single-day increase in coronavirus cases, with 539 new infections and a nationwide tally that surged to 15,588, a few days before the country is set to further ease its quarantine measures.

DOH has explained that the sudden spike in cases is an artificial rise as the countrys COVID-19 testing centers work round the clock to clear their backlogs, which include validated results of OFWs who got stranded in quarantine centers in Metro Manila.

It has said the numbers are also expected to continue rising in the coming days, with the reopening of three laboratories, which temporarily halted testing samples for coronavirus due to lack of supplies. The cases recently reported reflected tests conducted days and weeks prior to announcement, it added.

Metro Manila will transition to a more relaxed general community quarantine or GCQ from June 1 to June 15 after two months of being under enhanced community quarantine. Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Calabarzon, Albay, Pangasinan and Davao City will also be under GCQ while the rest of the country will be placed under modified GCQ.

READ: Metro Manila eases to GCQ on June 1
Packing and stacking kiwifruit is a potential backup plan for the National Party leaders semi-retirement.

Todd Muller has been offered a position at the Apata Group Limited pack house in Whakamarama, after a visit to the site on Thursday.

Muller says packing the fruit brought back memories because his very first job as a five-year-old was packing kiwifruit.

If they were too small they went to the cows and if they were slightly bigger they went to the local market.

The industry has moved on since then. Just seeing here the scale of capital investment and the professionalism was very impressive.

They said theyd keep me on if I wanted to ever come back in my semi-retirement.

Apata managing director Stuart Weston says it's nice to have Muller visit the site because his family have been part of the fabric of the business.

Mullers late father Mike was one of the founders of Apata in 1983 and Muller was CEO in 2006.

Its bitter sweet to see Todd back here doing what hes been born to do, it would be nice for his dad to be round to see that.

Stuart jokes that because Muller is tall hes good at stacking boxes because the pallets can get quite high.

Muller visited the post-harvest kiwifruit and avocado supplier to speak with staff and see how it is going after lockdown and if COVID-19 has affected the business.

Most New Zealanders are unemployed but they dont know it yet.

We have an extraordinary crisis in front of us and our caucus is totally focused on developing an economic recovery plan that works for New Zealand families and gives people surety about their future, says Muller.

Nationals priority is to open up the economy as fast as possible and direct foreign investment is absolutely critical, he says.

The government should also prioritise a trans-Tasman bubble to help with economic recovery, says Muller.

Stuart says the kiwifruit season has gone remarkably well for Apata although drought has impacted fruit size but it has been a vintage year so from a taste perspective its outstanding.

The drought will suppress some of the yields particularly in different areas, different regions respond better or worse to the drought conditions. But were nowhere like the pastoral farmers that have really done it hard.

He says the business has had to adapt quickly with the COVID-19 health and safety and social distancing protocols.

It took us about two days to reset the entire business and then we were up and running again but it was a scary time. We resumed and we're continually evolving.

Stuart says kiwifruit sales this season have been great because the high levels of vitamin c create demand for the fruit.

You've got this nutritionally dense super food, in a bio-secure wrapping so everybody wants it.

The visit is Mullers first as National leader after he won a leadership challenge over Simon Bridges last Friday.

He says he has absolutely loved his first week but what counts is the election results on September 19 where New Zealanders will decide which parties have the best recovery plan for the country.

Muller has also taken on the small business portfolio and is outlining part of Nationals plan for small business today.
Following directions from Delhi Development Minister Gopal Rai, authorities on Friday organised a campaign to create awareness among farmers to prevent a probable attack of desert locusts in the national capital.

Officials said the agriculture unit of the Development Department organised a training-cum-demonstration camp in Daryapur village in North Delhi in coordination with the officers of Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

The Delhi government had on Thursday asked authorities concerned to spray insecticides and pesticides on crops and vegetation to prevent a probable desert locust attack, with Rai saying an awareness campaign would be run over the issue.

Joint Director, Agriculture Department, A P Saini in the advisory issued on Wednesday asked the authorities to organise awareness programmes for public and farmers to prevent the attack of locusts in the national capital.

As the swarm of locusts flies in daytime, and rests during the night, it should not be allowed to rest at night, the advisory read.

It asked the authorities to carry out spraying of pesticides chlorpyrifos and malathion.

Also, Delhis forest department is considering covering the saplings in its nurseries with polythene to protect them against the desert locust attack.

It is not possible to cover the trees. We will at least cover the saplings in the nurseries, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Ishwar Singh said.

Covering plants with polythene can also counter-productive during this heat. So, we will do this only when we know for sure that the swarm of locusts is headed towards Delhi, the official said.

Singh said in a city like Delhi, spraying of chemicals can be detrimental for environment.

If we spray the vegetation, trees and plants with chemical in anticipation of a locust attack, we should also consider how dangerous it will be for the environment, he said.

There are 14 lakh saplings in 14 government nurseries across Delhi, Singh said.

India is battling the worst desert locust outbreak. The crop-destroying swarms first attacked Rajasthan and have now spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

According to experts, broadly four species of locusts are found in India -- desert locust, migratory locust, Bombay locust and tree locust.

The desert locust is considered the most destructive. It multiplies very rapidly and is capable of covering 150 kilometers in a day.

This insect, a type of a grasshopper, can eat more than its body weight. A one square kilometer of locust swarm containing around 40 million locusts can in a day eat as much food as 35,000 people.

Experts blame the growing menace of desert locusts on climate change. They say breeding of locusts is directly related to soil moisture and food availability.
A police station in Minneapolis has been set ablaze during the third night of protests over the death of an unarmed black man in custody.

The unrest continued despite the governor of Minnesota ordering the deployment of hundreds of members of the National Guard to restore order.

President Donald Trump said, thugs were dishonouring the memory of George Floyd, 46, who died on Monday.

Video showed him gasping for breath as a white policeman knelt on his neck.

Mr Floyds family have demanded the four police officers implicated in his death face murder charges. But prosecutors have said they are still gathering evidence.

The incident has added to longstanding anger over the police killings of black Americans, including the recent case of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky.

Protesters have also taken to the streets in Chicago, Los Angeles and Memphis.

What happened on Thursday night?

The last few days have seen multiple buildings burned to the ground or looted.

On Thursday, police officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse a crowd outside the 3rd Precinct, the epicentre of the unrest.

But the cordon around the police station was eventually breached by protesters, who set fire to it and two other nearby buildings, as officers withdrew.

The Minneapolis Police Department said in a statement that the 3rd Precinct had been evacuated shortly after 22:00 in the interest of the safety of our personnel.

Later, the city government tweeted that it had heard unconfirmed reports that gas lines to the 3rd Precinct have been cut and other explosives materials are in the building. It urged people near the building to retreat for their own safety.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz activated the states National Guard troops at the request of the mayors of Minneapolis and the neighbouring city of St Paul, declaring the situation a peacetime emergency.

He said the looting, vandalism and arson of Wednesday night had resulted in damage to many businesses, including ones owned by minorities.

George Floyds death should lead to justice and systemic change, not more death and destruction, he said in a statement, calling on all protests to remain peaceful.

President Donald Trump blamed Thursdays violence on a lack of leadership in Minneapolis and warned that he would send in the National Guard and get the job done right if Mayor Jacob Frey failed to bring the city under control.

The White House press secretary said earlier that Mr Trump was very upset when he saw the footage of Mr Floyds death, adding: He wants justice to be served.

Mayor Frey called on Wednesday for criminal charges against the policeman who was filmed pinning down Mr Floyd. He and the three other officers involved in the arrest have already been fired.

The Minnesota police handbook states that officers trained on how to compress the neck without applying direct pressure to the airway can use a knee under its use-of-force policy. This is regarded as a non-deadly-force option.

The incident echoes the case of Eric Garner, who was placed in a police chokehold in New York in 2014. His death became a rallying cry against police brutality and a catalyst in the Black Lives Matter movement.

How have the protests unfolded?

They began in the afternoon on Tuesday, when hundreds of people came to the intersection where the incident had taken place.

Organisers tried to keep the protest peaceful and maintain coronavirus social distancing, with demonstrators chanting I cant breathe and It couldve been me.

During the second night of demonstrations on Wednesday, the crowd grew into the thousands, with protesters pelting rocks and some throwing tear-gas canisters back at police.

There was a standoff outside the police station where officers formed a human barricade to prevent protesters gaining entry.

Whats the reaction?

Mr Floyds brother, Philonise Floyd, told CNN on Thursday he hoped the officers involved got the death penalty.

Im never gonna get my brother back, he said. We need justice.

Speaking through tears, he said the officers who executed my brother in broad daylight must be arrested and that he was tired of seeing black men die.

He added that he understood why protesters were lashing out.

I cant stop people right now because they have pain  they have the same pain that I feel.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo apologised for the pain, devastation and trauma caused by Mr Floyds death and said his department had contributed to a deficit of hope in the city.

United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet has also condemned Mr Floyds death, saying the role of entrenched and pervasive racial discrimination must be recognised and dealt with.

She called for protesters to act peacefully, and for police to take utmost care not to inflame the current situation even more.

President Donald Trump was very upset when he saw the footage of Mr Floyds death, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters on Thursday.

He wants justice to be served.

A number of celebrities and athletes, including John Boyega, LeBron James, Beyonce, and Justin Bieber, have also expressed outrage over the incident.

---BBC
One of the latest steps in the Trump administrations never-ending pressure campaign on Iran is its attempt to extend a United Nations-imposed embargo prohibiting the export to or import from Iran of conventional arms, Responsible Statecraft writes in the article Real and imagined problems of the Middle Eastern arms trade. The embargo in question never was intended to address a problem of destabilizing conventional arms transfers. Instead, it was one more sanction, along with other economic sanctions, that was placed on Iran as an inducement for Tehran to negotiate limitations on its nuclear program that would preclude the possible development of an Iranian nuclear weapon. Iran did so negotiate, leading to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which closed all possible paths to an Iranian nuke and entered into force in 2015.

It would have been logical for the arms embargo, along with the other sanctions having the same purpose, to be lifted once Iran fully complied with its obligations under the JCPOA. But the United States argued for a delay, and Iran, as one of the concessions it made during the negotiation, agreed to a five-year continuation. That five-year period ends in October.

Iran has exceeded some of nuclear limits in the JCPOA during the past year, but has done so only as a delayed, measured, and reversible response to the Trump administrations earlier wholesale violations of the agreement, with Iran intending the move as counterpressure to induce a return to full compliance with the JCPOA. Indefinite extension of the arms embargo would be one more blow against the JCPOA, among the many other efforts by the Trump administration to destroy the agreement altogether. Destruction would mean an end to the JCPOAs restrictions on the Iranian nuclear program, a possible nuclear arms race in the Persian Gulf region, and the elevation of nuclear, not conventional, arms as the prime security worry in the Middle East.

The conventional arms trade is indeed a destabilizing factor in the Middle East, but a multilateral approach that does more than pressure one regional actor would be needed to address that problem effectively. Targeting Iran alone would hardly dent the problem. According to data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, arms exports to the Middle East have increased 87 percent over the past five years and now represent more than a third of the global arms trade  so there is a region-wide problem worth addressing.

It is clear who stands out on the receiving end of that problem. Saudi Arabia imported the most arms of any country in the world during from 2014 to 2018, the period examined in the most recent SIPRI report. Saudi Arabias purchases of arms during that time increased 192 percent over the previous five years.

It also is clear who stands out on the selling end. The United States is the worlds most prolific seller of armaments. More than half of U.S. arms exports from 2014 to 2018 went to the Middle East. Saudi Arabia received 22 percent of worldwide U.S. military exports.

Both ends of this pattern are continuing. Data compiled by the Forum on the Arms Trade in late 2019 showed U.S. arms sales that year more than doubling from 2018. Over the next five years, Saudi Arabia is scheduled to receive 98 more combat aircraft, 83 tanks, and defensive missile systems from the United States. The Trump administration and the Saudi regime have signed letters of intent that would see $350 billion in U.S. arms going to the Saudis over the next ten years.

These deals widen ever further the military gap between the Gulf Arab states and an Iran with much inferior equipment. Lifting the arms embargo currently in question would do little to change that imbalance. The Islamic Republic  quite unlike the previous regime of the Shah of Iran  has never been a big spender in the international arms market. The continuation of other economic sanctions, the decrease in oil revenue, and Irans overall financial stringency make any change in that pattern unlikely. Even in 2017, before the Trump administration re-imposed sanctions that had been eased under the JCPOA, the International Institute for Strategic Studies assessed that high cost would continue to limit any Iranian purchases of advanced weapons systems.

Arms transfers as a problem in regional destabilization are to be measured not just in the quantity of transfers but also the uses to which the arms are put. Arms from the United States have been used in the harsh crackdowns that have abused human rights in Egypt. They have been used in the also abusive  and periodically very deadly  assaults on the Palestinian territories. Most obviously in recent years, U.S. arms provided to Saudi Arabia have helped to turn Yemen into what is commonly described as the worst current manmade humanitarian disaster. The Saudi aerial assault on Yemen has been the biggest factor in making that disaster. According to the Yemen Data Project, the bombing campaign has killed or injured more than 17,000 civilians as of March 2019.

The U.S. arms provided to the Gulf Arabs have been destabilizing in other ways. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have given U.S.-made weapons to militias to buy influence in Yemen. Some of the arms have gone to radical Salafists, including ones with ties to Al Qaeda. Some have even made it into the hands of the Houthi rebels whom the Saudi-led war is supposed to be against.

The methods and motivations behind the U.S. arms sales involved are not the stuff of sound regional policy. An in-depth New York Times article run under the headline Why Bombs Made in America Have Been Killing Civilians in Yemen showed that the sales have been motivated far more by generating business for Raytheon and other defense contractors than by any thought of bringing security to that part of the Middle East.

This part of the arms trade has pitted the Trump administration against Congress. Last year Trump vetoed a bipartisan resolution that  following what many other countries had already done  would have ended U.S. support for the Saudi war in Yemen. The administration also circumvented Congress and swept aside normal approval procedures for an $8 billion arms deal with the Saudis by declaring it an emergency step.

This irregularity reportedly was one of the subjects of inquiry by the State Departments inspector general  along with investigations into Mike Pompeos use of taxpayer funds for private purposes  before Pompeo got Trump to fire the IG.

Yes, there are major problems with aspects of the arms trade in the Middle East, but these will not be solved by subjugating everything to the obsession with Iran.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 23:25:43|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been jointly fighting COVID-19 with defense departments and militaries of multiple countries as the coronavirus continues to spread globally, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of National Defense said Friday.

The PLA has sent epidemic control experts to four countries, including Laos and Cambodia, and provided medical supplies to the militaries of more than 20 countries such as Pakistan, Russia and Thailand, said Ren Guoqiang, the ministry's spokesperson.

The PLA also held video conferences with the armies of 10 countries such as Russia and South Africa to exchange COVID-19 response experience, said Ren.

Ren said that the PLA will continue to step up international cooperation with foreign defense departments and militaries to overcome challenges amid the pandemic. Enditem
The National Chairman of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah says he will simply honour an invitation by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

The CID has invited Mr. Mornah for questioning over some pronouncements he made against the EC deemed to be threats.

According to him, the statement attributed to him deemed as a threat was only an advice.

Speaking on the Point Blank segment on Eyewitness News, Bernard Mornah expressed shock that his statement would be deemed a threat when he was only giving counsel in a form of caution to the Commission over its recent posture.

According to the letter inviting Bernard Mornah to the CID headquarters in Accra, he vowed to resist every attempt by the EC to compile the new register and that amounts to a threat.

People who are already Ghanaians are already registered are going to be taken out of the voters register, don't think confusion will come at the registration station and if confusion comes there, you think the EC staff will be safe, we will beat each other there and, we will kill each other there if that is what the EC wants to lead this nation to, the letter quoted Mr. Mornah as saying.

Mr. Mornah is expected to be at the CID headquarters at 10 am on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.

He said he has no problem honouring the invitation and will do so since he still stands by his words.

I have said that if the Electoral Commission is intending to lead us through this dangerous path, they should know that there will be confusionIt is a caution. If caution becomes threats, I will not run away from it, he stated.

A caution cannot represent a threat but if they take it as a threat then, I may have to bring my English teacher to tell them that cautions are not threats, he added.

He further emphasized his view that the Electoral Commissions posturing concerning the compilation of the new voters register must not be condoned.

He said the ECs decision must be resisted.

The EC is slitting our democracy and we must do everything to resist it and we will resist it.

There is nothing that will allow you to sit down and allow this EC to slit our democracy away from the peace and stability that we have enjoyed so when we are telling them and alerting them that their actions can lead us unto a perilous path and you say we are threatening, I dont know. I will visit the CID, he noted.

The PNC, like the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is also kicking against modalities announced by the EC to commence processes for the compilation of a new voters register ahead of election 2020.

New voters' register brouhaha

The Electoral Commission's decision to compile a new voters' register has been met with mixed reactions from the political front.

Whereas the NDC and some opposition parties including the PNC are against the decision, the NPP and 12 other political parties have backed the move. Regardless of the resistance, the EC has decided to proceed with the exercise but subsequently, put it on hold following the outbreak of the Coronavirus.

The EC says it will observe the necessary safety protocols if the time comes for the registration exercise to commence and it intends to do this late in June.

 citinewsroom
JOS, Nigeria, May 29, 2020 (Morning Star News)  Muslim Fulani herdsmen in Kaduna state, Nigeria attacked seven villages from May 19 to Monday (May 25), killing five Christians and destroying four church buildings, sources said.

In the same state, kidnappers said they will not release a pastor abducted earlier this month until he converts to Islam or a ransom is paid, church officials said.

A survivor of the Fulani attacks in southern Kaduna state, Ayuba Bako, said the five Christians killed were members of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA). Bako identified three of them as Atuna Garba, Thomas Asoja and Manager Garba.

Three of the destroyed church buildings  in Etissi, Bakin Kogi and Magunguna villages  belonged to the ECWA, and the other belonged to Roman Catholic parish in Idazau, he said. The attacks took place in Idazau, Etissi, Bakin Kogi, Dutsen Gora, Ungwan Gora, Pushu Kallah and Magunguna villages.

The Muslim Fulani assailants shot and injured 78 Christians, kidnapped 51 and destroyed 607 houses, Bako told Morning Star News.

Sen. Danjuma Laah, who represents an area of southern Kaduna in the National Assembly, said the attacks were unprovoked.

It is even getting worse during this period of COVID-19 lockdown, because the bandits are still moving about, killing innocent souls in my area, who obey government directive to stay indoors, Laah said in a press statement from Abuja. The attacks have continued, and my people are always the victims. I expect the military, the police, and other security agencies to have come to our aid and protect us, but it is not happening.

Government officials have been referring to the Muslim Fulani herdsmen as bandits, meaning criminals, to avoid ethnic and religious connotations. In a recent video released by Fulani herdsmen camping out in a forest in southern Kaduna, the herdsmen say they are not criminals but Muslims fighting for Allah. They challenge the government to send security agents to fight them, saying they are prepared to fight for Islam.

The military and other security agencies in the state seem not to be interested in what is happening to my people in southern Kaduna state, Laah said. As it is now, my people are under the bondage of terrorists.

Ransom or Conversion Demanded

Muslim Fulani herdsmen who kidnapped a missionary in southern Kaduna states Chikun County on May 9 are demanding that he convert to Islam or a ransom of 2 million naira (US$5,144) be paid for his release, leaders of his mission said.

Pastor Reuben Danbala, a cross-cultural missionary, was abducted from Global Glorious Missions base in Ungwan Badole (also known as Ungwan Mission), said mission leader Samuel Yahaya.

We spoke with Pastor Reuben Danbala, he is fine and strong in faith, and they repeated that he refused to accept Islam, so they are demanding 2 million naira [US$5,144] for his release, Yahaya said in a statement earlier this week. We have been negotiating for his release from his captors who had initially demanded 5 million naira (US$12,860]. We kept pleading and informed them that as missionaries we do not have that kind of money.

At one point the Fulanis lowered their demand to 1 million naira (US$2,572), but as the mission was trying to raise that amount, the kidnappers notified them that the demand had returned to 2 million naira (US$5,144), he said.

Yahaya asked for prayer for the negotiations.

Pray that the servant of God be miraculously and speedily released, for the financial provision to tackle every need as a result of this challenge, for all our fields, especially the Gbagyi fields, that the Lord will preserve and protect His kingdom enterprise across the length and breadth of all the fields, for Danbalas wife, Comfort Reuben Danbala, and their son, Godwin Danbala, that they will enjoy companionship and communion of the Holy Spirit alongside the entire family, Yahaya said.

On Jan. 30, Christian Solidarity International (CSI) issued a genocide warning for Nigeria, calling on the Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council to take action. CSI issued the call in response to a rising tide of violence directed against Nigerian Christians and others classified as infidels by Islamist militants in the countrys north and middle belt regions.

Nigeria ranked 12th on Open Doors 2020 World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution but second in the number of Christians killed for their faith, behind Pakistan.

If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit http://morningstarnews.org/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved.

If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at https://morningstarnews.org/donate/?

Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Rainer Lesniewski

Design Credit: Kayla Koslosky
Texas has suspended certain environmental rules for oil and chemical companies during the coronavirus pandemic as the companies largely claim they do not have the staff on site to conduct tests or file reports.

Since March, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has provided more than 100 exemptions to environmental monitoring and inspection rules, including requirements to check facilities for harmful chemical leaks, according to state records.

The agency announced in early March it would allow companies to request temporary environmental rule suspensions if affected by COVID-19. Most companies receiving exemptions cited staffing limitations as they kept workers at home and prevented contractors from coming on site to reduce exposure to the coronavirus.

The bulk of requests sought extensions on deadlines to file environmental reports until workers are back in the office. But some companies, including Enterprise Products Partners, received approval to temporarily stop monitoring facilities for volatile organic compounds, which are gases that can contaminate groundwater and pose health risks as air pollution.

Gaps in monitoring could be harmful to the health of workers and residents of neighboring communities who may be left unaware of and exposed to chemical releases without their knowledge, environmental advocates assert.

Moments of exposure (to harmful chemicals) cannot be undone, said Adrian Shelley, director of the Texas office of Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group. If you end up with a locally toxic situation that isnt discovered, youre putting the neighborhood at risk.

Since the policy was rolled out, the agency has received more than 140 requests and denied 10, according to TCEQ data. In a statement, the TCEQ said that the agency has not relaxed any limits on air emissions or discharges to water, and noted that the agencys investigators are still responding to environmental complaints.

Contractors are either not able to travel, or entities are limiting facility access for the safety of their workers, said Andrew Keese, spokesperson for the TCEQ, in a statement. Required monitoring is expected to be completed as soon as practical.

TCEQS POLICY: Companies encouraged to comply

Chemical leak monitoring on hold

Enterprise Product Partners, a Houston pipeline, storage and transportation company, received five approvals to suspend its monitoring of volatile organic compound leaks at the companys Mont Belvieu, Houston Ship Channel, Morgans Point, Houston, and Appelt Terminal facilities through the end of June.

The company said in its request that staff scheduling adjustments related to COVID-19 made it difficult to meet the monitoring requirement as the company stopped contractors  which include workers who perform environmental testing  from coming on site. The company wrote that excluding the contractors from the site is an essential component in assuring Enterprises mission-critical personnel are healthy and available in sufficient numbers to continue to operate.

Enterprise is also excluding visitors during the pandemic, according to the letter, and has placed employees on alternating shifts or instructed them to work from home if possible.

The safety and well-being of Enterprise employees and contractors is our top priority, Rick Rainey, spokesperson for Enterprise, said in a statement. The request to the TCEQ is designed to protect essential operations personnel during the current pandemic by limiting contact with third parties.

Rainey said that Enterprise will resume its reporting obligations when employees and contractors can work together safely.

Air Liquide, a French chemical company with a U.S. subsidiary in Houston, received an exemption from performing quarterly monitoring of leaking chemical emissions from pressurized equipment until the end of June at its Freeport chemical plant.

The companys request cited limited contractor availability due to COVID-19 as the reason the exemption was necessary. Air Liquide said in a statement that its vendor notified the company it would not be able to perform the monitoring as scheduled due to the virus outbreak.

Air Liquide continues to be in compliance with regulatory requirements for the site and is fully committed to the safety and welfare of its employees, said Cassandra Mauel, a company spokesperson.

But a lack of monitoring could mean a harmful chemical leak is not discovered as quickly, exposing workers and neighboring communities to excess emissions, said Shelley, of the Texas office of Public Citizen.

We dont quite know how companies are operating, Shelley said. Theres less oversight right now, and those are situations that can lead to accidents.

If there is an accident, he added, there will be less information available to understand what happened and how to prevent it from happening again. You never get that data back, Shelley said.

TCEQs policies on monitoring, reporting and enforcement during the pandemic are similar to those adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which have also been criticized by environmentalists.

The TCEQ pushed back on criticisms last month, when TCEQ Chairman Jon Niermann wrote in an open letter that the agency did not issue a blanket suspension of rules as it did during other major disasters such as Hurricane Harvey.

The agency said in a statement that companies are obligated to follow the rules unless specifically exempted, and that leak monitoring is just one aspect of an extensive program, noting that other methods, such as monitoring of vent stack emissions and visual monitoring for flares and leaks, are ongoing.

TCEQ RESPONDS: Discretion does not relax environmental rules, TCEQ chairman says

Technology for social distancing

Some companies proposed altering environmental monitoring practices during the pandemic. Exxon Mobil, the oil major headquartered in Irving, for example, received approval from the state to conduct inspections on leaking gases and vapors using optical gas imaging, a technology that uses infrared cameras for detecting leaks of industrial gases from afar, instead of the usual method of conducting the inspections with up-close gas detectors.

Exxon Mobil referred a request for comment to the Texas Oil and Gas Association. Todd Staples, president of the TXOGA, said in a statement that optical gas imaging is an effective tool for detecting emissions more rapidly, with fewer staff, and from a further distance.

Staples added that the TCEQs enforcement policy is necessary for companies to continue operating during the pandemic.

The TCEQ outlined an enforcement process that is very transparent and appropriate for an unprecedented time in Texas, Staples said.

erin.douglas@chron.com

Twitter.com/erinmdouglas23
THE University of Limerick Hospitals group has reminded the Limerick public that the ban on visiting its hospital sites remains in place.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, visitors are not allowed attend at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), the University Maternity Hospital in the Ennis Road, St Johns Hospital and Croom Orthopedic Hospital.

This is being done in an effort to protect the safety of front-line staff battling coronavirus, and patients in the hospital.

Dr Collette Cowan pointed out the visiting ban at the hospitals is not affected by the activation of the first stage in the five-phase re-opening of Irish society and economy.

The reasons for limiting movement within our hospitals remain as urgent as they were when the visiting ban was introduced in early March  to minimise the risk of spreading the coronavirus infection among staff and patients within our health facilities, and also within the wider community, Dr Cowan said.

The public are also being urged to keep the emergency department at UHL in Dooradoyle free for urgent treatment only  where someone is seriously injured or whose lives may be at risk.

Those with lesser injuries are first asked to consider local pharmacies, their GP, and the local injuries unit available at St Johns Hospital.

Dr Cowan thanked the public for their support during this toughest of times.

She urged people to remain vigilant, with access to University Hospital Limerick not being expected to return until at least August 10.
The District Chief Executive of Dormaa East Hon. Emmanuel Kofi Agyeman, has on Friday, launched a project to begin the free distribution of one hundred and eight thousand (108,000) improved cashew seedlings to about a thousand (1000) interested farmers and institutions across the District.

The seedlings which would be distributed by the District Agric Department, serve as the first package of a proposed number of over three hundred thousand (300, 000) to be given out to farmers freely, by the close of the year.

At the launch at Baakrom, a community in the district, where fifty four thousand (54000) of the seedlings were raised, the DCE revealed that though the project is in line with governments future plans of transforming Ghanas agriculture industry, it is also being eyed and being pursued seriously by authorities and people of his district for job creation and to grow their local economy by building a reliable and sustained raw material base to support an intent of implementing a cashew processing plant under the 1D1F initiative alongside that of central government.

He noted that, two years ago, after the planting for export and rural development programme was instituted, the district freely distributed two hundred and five thousand, seven hundred (205,700) certified seedlings to farmers, with four hundred and eighty thousand, eight hundred (480,800) distributed last year, all with the aim of climbing the industrial ladder for the good of the people in the district.

He added that majority of the people in the district are farmers and in order to get the district developed and ensure an improved welfare and better livelihood for them, agriculture areas where there are more opportunities like the cashew production cannot be overlooked.

Hon. Emmanuel Kofi Agyeman who is also an Elder at the Pentecost Church, prayed the good Lord would bless their plans and make a way for the districts target of raising and distributing 300, 000 seedlings by the end of 2020 a dream come true.

He was happy for farmers who participated in the previous cultivation of the cashew nut and have already begun harvesting. He appealed to especially the youth to see this opportunity as lucrative and put in all their best for its future benefits. He thanked the President Nana Akufo Addo for his commitment to see the agriculture sector transform the lives of farmers.

The District Director of Agric, Mr Sonkpe Gilbert who spoke about the nutritional value and other benefits of the fruit noted that the type being given out has shorter maturity period and easy to work on since it is able to resist drought and fire. He noted also that the farms of the individual farmers would first be inspected before the seedlings are allotted. He advised farmers to rely on the technical assistance his department is giving them through the extension services and put in all their best for the prospect ahead and the realization of the dreams of the district assembly.

He thanked the Assembly for the support for his department, adding that the assembly is investing so much today for the future prosperity of its people and needs the support of the people in any capacity they can afford.

Farmers present at the launch who had the first share of the distribution thanked government for the opportunity to be productive and to make earns meat. They appealed to government to set a regulatory body to assist in regularizing prices on their behalf just like Cocobod is doing for cocoa farmers in order to be encouraged in the work.

The other 54000 seedling is at Merenfiriwuo also a community in the district.
Piqray (alpelisib) in combination with fulvestrant will become first and only targeted treatment for advanced breast cancer patients whose tumors harbor a PIK3CA mutation in Europe



Phase III trial showed Piqray plus fulvestrant nearly doubled median PFS (11.0 vs. 5.7 months) in this patient population, compared to fulvestrant alone



PIK3CA mutations affect approximately 40% of HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer patients and are linked to cancer growth and a poorer disease prognosis in the metastatic setting

The digital press release with multimedia content can be accessed here:

(https://novartis.gcs-web.com/Novartis-Piqray-receives-positive-CHMP-opinion-to-treat-HR-HER2-advanced-breast-cancer-with-a-PIK3CA-mutation)



Basel, May 29, 2020 - Novartis today announced the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of Piqray (alpelisib) in combination with fulvestrant for the treatment of postmenopausal women, and men, with hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative (HR+/HER2-) locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer with a PIK3CA mutation after disease progression following endocrine therapy as monotherapy.

"PIK3CA is the most commonly mutated gene in HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer, affecting approximately 40% of patients. If approved, alpelisib has the potential to transform the way we treat this cancer in Europe, offering physicians a clear treatment for patients with a PIK3CA mutation that nearly doubles the time to disease progression," said Fabrice Andre, MD, PhD, research director and head of INSERM Unit U981, professor in the Department of Medical Oncology at Institut Gustave Roussy in Villejuif, France, and global SOLAR-1 principal investigator.

The CHMP opinion is based on results of the Phase III SOLAR-1 trial that showed Piqray plus fulvestrant nearly doubled median progression-free survival (PFS) compared to fulvestrant alone in HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer patients with tumors harboring a PIK3CA mutation (median PFS 11.0 months vs. 5.7 months; HR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.50-0.85; p<0.001), the study's primary endpoint. PFS subgroup analyses demonstrated consistent efficacy in favor of Piqray, irrespective of presence or absence of lung/liver metastases.

"We are excited about today's CHMP opinion, recommending the first and only treatment option for European patients specifically developed to target the PIK3CA mutation in their cancer," said Susanne Schaffert, PhD, President, Novartis Oncology. "Piqray is another example of how we are reimagining cancer care to bring new targeted therapies to patients with high unmet needs that help them live longer without disease progression."

In SOLAR-1, most adverse events were mild to moderate in severity and generally manageable through dose modifications and medical management. Of these, the most common grade 3/4 events (=7%) were plasma glucose increased (39.1%), rash (19.4%), gamma-glutamyltransferase increased (12.0%), lymphocyte count decreased (9.2%), diarrhea (7.0%) and lipase increased (7.0%). No patients developed diabetes as a result of transient hyperglycemia.

The European Commission will review the CHMP recommendation and usually delivers a final decision within approximately two months. The decision will be applicable to all 27 European Union member states plus the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Additional regulatory filings are underway with other health authorities worldwide.

Patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer should be selected for treatment with Piqray based on the presence of a PIK3CA mutation in tumor or plasma specimens, using a validated test. If a mutation is not detected in a plasma specimen, tumor tissue should be tested if available.

About Piqray (alpelisib)

Piqray is a kinase inhibitor developed for use in combination with fulvestrant for the treatment of postmenopausal women, and men, with HR+/HER2-, PIK3CA-mutated, advanced or metastatic breast cancer, as detected by a validated test following progression on or after endocrine-based regimen. Piqray is approved in the U.S., and 12 other countries around the world.

About SOLAR-1

SOLAR-1 is a global, Phase III randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial studying Piqray in combination with fulvestrant for postmenopausal women, and men, with PIK3CA-mutated HR+/HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer that progressed on or following aromatase inhibitor treatment with or without a CDK4/6 inhibitor1,2,3.

The trial randomized 572 patients. Patients were allocated based on central tumor tissue assessment to either a PIK3CA-mutated cohort (n=341) or a PIK3CA non-mutated cohort (n=231). Within each cohort, patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive continuous oral treatment with Piqray (300 mg once daily) plus fulvestrant (500 mg every 28 days + Cycle 1 Day 15) or placebo plus fulvestrant. Stratification was based on visceral metastases and prior CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment1,2,3. Patients and investigators are blinded to PIK3CA mutation status and treatment.

The primary endpoint is local investigator assessed PFS using RECIST 1.1 for patients with a PIK3CA mutation. The key secondary endpoint is overall survival, and additional secondary endpoints include, but are not limited to, overall response rate, clinical benefit rate, health-related quality of life, efficacy in PIK3CA non-mutated cohort, safety and tolerability1,2,3. SOLAR-1 is ongoing to assess overall survival and other secondary endpoints.

Piqray (alpelisib) Important Safety Information from the U.S. Prescribing Information

Patients should not take PIQRAY if they have had a severe allergic reaction to PIQRAY or are allergic to any of the ingredients in PIQRAY.

PIQRAY may cause serious side effects. PIQRAY can cause severe allergic reactions. Patients should tell their health care provider or get medical help right away if they have trouble breathing, flushing, rash, fever, or fast heart rate during treatment with PIQRAY. PIQRAY can cause severe skin reactions. Patients should tell their health care provider or get medical help right away if they get severe rash or rash that keeps getting worse, reddened skin, flu-like symptoms, blistering of the lips, eyes or mouth, blisters on the skin or skin peeling, with or without fever. PIQRAY can cause high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). Hyperglycemia is common with PIQRAY and can be severe. Health care providers will monitor patients' blood sugar levels before they start and during treatment with PIQRAY. Health care providers may monitor patients' blood sugar levels more often if they have a history of Type 2 diabetes. Patients should tell their health care provider right away if they develop symptoms of hyperglycemia, including excessive thirst, dry mouth, urinate more often than usual or have a higher amount of urine than normal, or increased appetite with weight loss. PIQRAY can cause lung problems (pneumonitis). Patients should tell their health care provider right away if they develop new or worsening symptoms of lung problems, including shortness of breath or trouble breathing, cough, or chest pain. Diarrhea is common with PIQRAY and can be severe. Severe diarrhea can lead to the loss of too much body water (dehydration) and kidney problems. Patients who develop diarrhea during treatment with PIQRAY should tell their health care provider right away.

Before taking PIQRAY, patients should tell their health care provider if they have a history of diabetes, skin rash, redness of skin, blistering of the lips, eyes or mouth, or skin peeling, are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant as PIQRAY can harm their unborn baby. Females who are able to become pregnant should use effective birth control during treatment with PIQRAY and for 1 week after the last dose. Do not breastfeed during treatment with PIQRAY and for 1 week after the last dose. Males with female partners who are able to become pregnant should use condoms and effective birth control during treatment with PIQRAY and for 1 week after the last dose. Patients should also read the Full Prescribing Information of fulvestrant for important pregnancy, contraception, infertility, and lactation information.

Patients should tell their health care provider all of the medicines they take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. PIQRAY and other medicines may affect each other causing side effects. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your health care provider or pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

The most common side effects of PIQRAY when used with fulvestrant are rash, nausea, tiredness and weakness, decreased appetite, mouth sores, vomiting, weight loss, hair loss, and changes in certain blood tests.

Please see full U.S. Prescribing Information for Piqray, available at https://www.pharma.us.novartis.com/sites/www.pharma.us.novartis.com/files/piqray.pdf (https://www.pharma.us.novartis.com/sites/www.pharma.us.novartis.com/files/piqray.pdf).

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "may," "could," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "seek," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases such as COVID-19; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world's top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach nearly 800 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 109,000 people of more than 145 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more at https://www.novartis.com (https://www.novartis.com).

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at https://twitter.com/novartisnews (https://twitter.com/novartisnews).

For Novartis multimedia content, please visit https://www.novartis.com/news/media-library (https://www.novartis.com/news/media-library)

For questions about the site or required registration, please contact media.relations@novartis.com (mailto:media.relations@novartis.com)

References

1. Piqray (alpelisib) Prescribing Information. East Hanover., New Jersey, USA: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; May 2019.

2. Andre F, Ciruelos E, Rubovszky G. Alpelisib for PIK3CA-Mutated, Hormone-Receptor-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer. N Eng J Med 2019.

3. Andre F, Ciruelos EM, Rubovszky G et al. Alpelisib (ALP) + fulvestrant (FUL) for advanced breast cancer (ABC): Results of the phase III SOLAR-1 trial. Annals of Oncology, Vol 29, Suppl 8, October 2018, Abstract LBA3_PR.

4. Juric D, Ciruelos EM, Rubovszky G et al. Alpelisib (ALP) + fulvestrant (FUL) for advanced breast cancer (ABC): Phase 3 SOLAR-1 trial results. Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) (Abstract GS3-08) on December 6, 2018.

5. Tolaney S, Toi M, Neven P, et al. Presented at: 2019 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting; March 29-April 3, 2019; Atlanta, GA.

6. Di Leo A, Johnston S, Seok Lee K, et al. Lancet Oncol. 2018;19(1):87-100.

7. Moynahan ME, Chen D, He W, et al. Br J Cancer. 2017;116(6):726-730002E

8. The Cancer Genome Atlas Network. Comprehensive molecular portraits of human breast tumours. Nature. 2012;490(7418):61-70.

9. Sobhani N, Roviello G, Corona SP et al. The prognostic value of PI3K mutational status in breast cancer: a meta-analysis. J Cell Biochem. 2018;119(6):4287-4292.

10. Sabine V, Crozier C, Brookes C, et al. Mutational analysis of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in tamoxifen exemestane adjuvant multinational pathology study. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2014;32:2951-2958.

11. Miller TW, Rexer BN, Garrett JT, et al. Mutations in the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Pathway: Role in Tumor Progression and Therapeutic Implications in Breast Cancer. Breast Cancer Res. 2011.

12. Saal LH, Johansson P, Holm K. Poor prognosis in carcinoma is associated with a gene expression signature of aberrant PTEN tumor suppressor pathway activity. PNAS. 2007;104(18):7564-7569.

# # #

Novartis Media Relations

E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com (mailto:media.relations@novartis.com)

Anja von Treskow

Novartis External Communications

+41 79 392 8697 (mobile)

anja.von_treskow@novartis.com (mailto:anja.von_treskow@novartis.com)







Eric Althoff

Novartis US External Communications

+1 646 438 4335

eric.althoff@novartis.com (mailto:eric.althoff@novartis.com)



Julie Masow

Novartis Oncology Media Relations

+1 862 579 8456 (mobile)

julie.masow@novartis.com (mailto:julie.masow@novartis.com)

Novartis Investor Relations

Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944

E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com (mailto:investor.relations@novartis.com)
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has changed the course of life for everyone across the globe.

It has effected all segments of the economy including the power sector of every nation on earth.

Yet in Ghana, the provision of electricity as a public good must continue in order to ensure the sustainability of the economy.

The decision by Government to partially absorb the monthly electricity bills of consumers for the period April, May and June is a step in the right direction, which deserves commendation from all.

The kind gesture which has also been extended to water consumers for the same period, aims to mitigate the socioeconomic cost of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Mr Peter John Amewu, the Energy Minister, the electricity supply by the Government to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Ghanaians would cost one billion Ghana Cedis ($181.82 million).

The COVID-19 pandemic reminds us of the indispensable role of electricity in our lives.

Indeed, electricity is needed in our homes, offices, schools, industries and hospitals.

Taking the hospitals setting for example, electricity is needed to operate ventilators and other medical equipment for treating the sick.

Some preventive measures aimed at containing the COVID-19 pandemic include social distancing, handwashing with soap under running water and the use of hand sanitizer.

Some organisations as part of efforts to promote social distancing have asked their staff to be working from home, however, this can only be possible with a reliable supply of electricity.

Educational institutions, which have also being hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, have resulted to online teaching and learning.

In this case, every student part-taking in this online teaching and learning needs a stable and reliable source of electricity.

According to the International Atomic Energy (2020) across all major regions of the world, the power mix has shifted towards renewables following lockdown measures due to depressed electricity demand, low operating costs and priority access to the grid through regulations.

It said in India, the gap between coal and renewables has narrowed significantly.

Whereas in the United States, natural gas has remained the leading source of electricity, while renewables have far outpaced the contribution of coal-fired power plants.

Because of the shift towards renewable energy, global air quality has improved within this COVID-19 pandemic era.

In Ghana, the Voice for Change Partnership (V4CP) Programme, an evidence based advocacy programme being implemented by the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation in partnership with the International Food and Policy Research Institute with funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is playing a significant role towards the provision of renewable energy in rural areas, especially among island communities around the Volta Lake.

The V4CP programme focuses on generating evidence and building the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the following thematic areas such as Renewable Energy, Food and Nutrition Security and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

Under the V4CP programme, SNV and Centre for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (CEESD) are advocating to speed up mini-grid development for remote island communities, by ensuring the right policies are in place, by increasing collaboration with local communities and private sector, and by ensuring government and development partners prioritise mini- grid programs and investments.

Study shows that about 17 per cent of Ghana's population, or five million people, do not have access to electricity, with 2.9 million of them residing in lakeside and island communities created by the Akosombo Dam in the Volta River, which was built in 1965.

While the benefits of electricity to these communities are huge (for example for access to cold drinking water, listening to the radio, charging phones or watching television), targeting these communities with conventional grid extensions is practically impossible seeing the costs of such investments.

The World Bank funded the construction of the five pilot mini-grids under the Ghana Energy Development and Access Project (GEDAP).

These solar projects have a total of about 200kW and are expected to provide 24-hour electricity to about 3,500 residents of the five island communities of Kudorkope, Aglakope, Atigagome, Wayokope and Pediatorkope in the Sene East, Krachi West, Krachi East and Ada Districts respectively.

Through the V4CP programme, SNV supports CSOs to foster collaboration among relevant stakeholders, influence agenda-setting and hold government and private sector accountable for their promises and actions.

According to Mr Eric Banye, SNV Ghana immediate past National Programme Coordinator, having a constant supply of electricity is equally a right; hence we need more focus on off-grid electrification for many rural overseas communities.

Connecting the rural communities to mini-grids or the national grid, would help promote teaching and learning in those areas.

The electricity would also empower the rural folks to use electrical gargets like television and radios to receive news updates on the COVID-19 pandemic.

It would help staff of health posts, clinics, and health centres located in the hinterlands to store some drugs in refrigerators and deep freezers for the treatment of patients.

Mr Dramani Bukari, SNV Ghana National Programme Coordinator, speaking at a symposium to inform stakeholders of the Government's plans for electricity extension to island and riverside communities in 2017 at Donkokrom in the Eastern Region, said the SNV would continue to use evidence to lobby policy makers to ensure that they remain committed to the deployment of rural electrification.

He said the private sector's role should be clearly stated in Ghana's mini-grid policy environment; adding that beyond contracting a management, they should be given a bigger space to operate.

A stable and reliable electricity would also go a long way to contribute to clean cooking, thereby improving public health by reducing harmful emissions of particulate matter and black carbon.

The role being played by the Energy Ministry in the provision of mini-grids cannot be underestimated.

Indeed, if there is stable and reliable supply of electricity across the country, it would go a long way to contribute towards the Government's efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Renewable energy plays a critical role in helping countries prepare, respond and recover from COVID-19 pandemic.

Promoting the use of renewable energy can provide affordable solutions that are in line with climate targets and can help mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on people's livelihoods and local economies.

The time for us as a nation to take a critical look at the renewable energy sector is now.
Shane Mays, 29, spoke only to confirm his name and address as he appeared before Portsmouth Magistrates' Court this morning (pictured with his wife Cjay, Louise's cousin)

The husband of 16-year-old Louise Smith's cousin today appeared in court charged with the teenager's murder.

Shane Mays, 29, spoke only to confirm his name and address as he appeared before Portsmouth Magistrates' Court this morning.

The defendant, whose wife Cjay Mays was Louise's cousin, was charged on Thursday night after initially being arrested for kidnap.

On his indictment, read to the court, it states Mays is accused of murdering Louise in Havant, Hants, on May 8 - the same day she went missing.

On May 21, police discovered Louise's body in Havant Thicket, a large dense woodland site which is a mile and a half from Mays's flat, where the teenager was believed to be staying.

In a two-minute hearing at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court, Mays - who has short, dark hair with a dark beard and was wearing a black T-shirt - confirmed his name, address, and date of birth.

A police van arrives at Portsmouth Crown Court where Shane Lee Mays will appear this morning charged with the murder of 16 year-old Louise Smith

Police discovered Louise's body in Havant Thicket, a large dense woodland site which is a mile and a half from Mays's flat, where the teenager was believed to be staying

When asked what his nationality was, he answered 'white' and when asked about his postcode he replied 'I don't know what it is'.

District Judge Gary Lucie adjourned the case until Tuesday at Winchester Crown Court, Hants.

He said: 'Mr Mays you are charged with murder which cannot be dealt with here and I can't grant you bail.

'Either way I'm going to send you to Winchester Crown Court where you will appear in front of a judge.'

Police have also been desperately trying to establish her movements between then and her body being discovered.

Louise's devastated mother, 39 year old Rebecca Cooper, paid tribute to her daughter by posting a photograph of them together with the caption 'so proud of my girl Louise' on Saturday night.

A van departs Portsmouth Crown Court after defendant Shane Lee Mays appeared this morning

In a two-minute hearing at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court (pictured), Mays - who has short, dark hair with a dark beard and was wearing a black T-shirt - confirmed his name, address, and date of birth

Over the bank holiday members of Louise's community have been laying flowers at the entrance to the Thicket, with more than 100 bouquets by its gate. Purple balloons - believed to be the schoolgirl's favourite colour - were also added to the tribute.

Many notes read 'RIP' while one said: 'Your life was only just beginning, rest in peace beautiful girl. Fly high Louise.' Another read: 'God bless you darling, fly high with the angels.'

Family friend Jackie Meredith laid a bouquet and described Louise as 'girly' and urged police to get to the bottom of the investigation.

Mrs Meredith said: 'She was just your typical teenager, she was a bubbly and funny girl.

Louise was last seen near her home on VE Day on May 8 and police have been desperately trying to establish her movements between then and her body being discovered on Thursday May 21

'She was a bit girly like teenage girls are, I really can't express how lovely she was.

'What has happened is disgusting, it's just so sad. I really hope the police find out what happened to her, whatever it was.'

Mrs Meredith said she believed Louise had a boyfriend and had finished school. One Havant local said Louise was studying A-levels at nearby South Downs College.

Despite her body being found on Thursday it was several days before her identity was confirmed.

Today's hearing, officially a Portsmouth Magistrates' Court hearing, was held next door at the much larger Portsmouth Crown Court due to lockdown restrictions.
Around the world, citizens are calling for change because COVID-19 has laid bare the dangers of inequality. For women, the risks are diverse and harsh. It is time for a new social and gender pact.

Slashing social programs and services in the name of austerity and deficit-slaying has permitted social and economic inequality to thrive. COVID-19 has confronted us starkly with the result: the risk of death and disease falls unevenly across the population.

The good news in this time of pandemic is that governments have shown they can act when necessary. The best have done so quickly and effectively, addressing social inequalities to protect everyones health and safety. Canadas willingness to spend billions of dollars to support its residents is crucial for social solidarity and well-being.

A fundamental lesson of COVID-19 has been that social justice is a threshold requirement for a resilient and sustainable society. We cannot return to the status quo of inequality when its dangers for everyone are now so obvious. As we learned from the 2008 financial collapse, we also cant leave the planning to those who favour the markets-before-people policies that created the problems.

If we view moving beyond this health emergency as a narrow exercise in getting businesses open again, we will miss a transformative opportunity. This is not about patching up the largest holes in Canadas tattered social safety net. What we need is a new economic and social model that places human rights, social justice and gender equality at the centre.

Key to making an effective recovery is addressing the gender inequality that the COVID-19 crisis has thrown into stark relief.

Women have been disproportionately and harshly affected. They are the majority of the front line essential workers in health care, social welfare and retail services; many of them are racialized or immigrant women. They are at risk at work, where theyre essential to maintaining the lives of others, and yet theyre among the lowest paid workers.

Women are also most at risk of being out of work, as recent unemployment figures show, and they cant return to work without adequate, affordable child care. Theyre also at risk from male violence in their homes, and on the streets, with their means of escaping violence reduced by isolation requirements and by lost income.

To build a resilient society we need to deliver income security, provide adequate housing for everyone and make child care an essential service. We must eliminate discrimination in pay and conditions of work, increase the capacities of our health care and elder care systems, and make real progress on climate change.

We must also address the systemic issue of male violence against women, treat the people whom we convict of crimes fairly and humanely, and start respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples to land, clean water, and healthy lives.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Gutteres, and the inter-American Commission of Women have both issued reports recently recognizing the impact of COVID-19 on women around the world and urging states to ensure that recovery plans are feminist and that women are equal partners in decision-making.

The response of the naysayers to these calls for government action to tackle inequality are predictable. They will cite the need for austerity, seed panic over deficit and debt levels, claim that government is the enemy and must be kept small. But Canadians now know otherwise.

This is a time for governments to think big about a people and women-centred economy and to engage in a major assault on inequality and poverty. There can be no going back to normal.
M P Veerendra Kumar, the managing director of leading Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi and a member of PTI's Board of Directors, died on Thursday at a private hospital following cardiac arrest, family sources said.

IMAGE: Kerala Transport Minister N K Sasheendran pays last respects to M P Veerendra Kumar in Kozhikode, on Friday, May 29, 2020. Photograph: PTI Photo

Veerendra Kumar, a Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala and a former Union minister, was 84.

"He was admitted to the hospital here due to some health complications. But unfortunately he passed away a little before 11 pm," the sources told PTI.

He is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son, M V Shreyams Kumar, who is the Joint Managing Director of Mathrubhumi.

Veerendra Kumar was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1987 and to the Lok Sabha twice.

Veerendra Kumar, the Left Democratic Front-backed Independent candidate, was elected to the Rajya Sabha in the elections held for the lone seat from Kerala in March 2018.

His last rites will be held at Wayanad on Friday evening.

Veerendra Kumar had served thrice as the Chairman of Press Trust of India, and at the time of his death was one of the directors in the news agency's board.

Photograph: / Rediff.com IMAGE: M P Veerendra Kumar, the managing director of leading Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi, died at a private hospital following cardiac arrest, Thursday, May 28, 2020.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders condoled the death of Veerendra Kumar.

The President said he was a 'staunch socialist' who enriched journalism and literature.

'Sad to hear of the passing of Shri M P Veerendra Kumar, Rajya Sabha MP and former Union Minister. A staunch socialist, he enriched the field of journalism and literature by leading the influential Malayalam newspaper, Mathrubhumi. Condolences to his family and well-wishers,' he tweeted.

'He was a multifaceted personality. The veteran leader was also an accomplished journalist and a prolific writer,' Naidu, who is the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, said.

As chairman and managing director of the Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing Limited, he made an invaluable contribution to media and journalism, Naidu said.

Veerendra Kumar authored several books and won many accolades, including the coveted Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, the vice president pointed out.

'Human rights and environmental conservation were recurring themes in his writings. He was always deeply committed to the cause of the deprived and marginalised,' Naidu said in a series of tweets.

In his death, the nation has lost a great leader and true patriot, he added.

'My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members. May his soul rest in peace. Om Shanti,' Naidu said

PM Modi said Veerendra Kumar believed in giving a voice to the poor and the underprivileged.

'Anguished by the passing away of Rajya Sabha MP Shri M.P. Veerendra Kumar Ji. He distinguished himself as an effective legislator and Parliamentarian,' Modi wrote on Twitter.

Veerendra Kumar believed in giving a voice to the poor and the underprivileged, the prime minister added.

'Condolences to his family and well wishers. Om Shanti,' Modi said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Veerendra Kumar's demise was a big loss to democratic and secular movements.

'Until his last breath, he relentlessly fought communalism and divisive politics. Even as he championed development, Veerendra Kumar was a front-line environmentalist as well. I share this moment of deep grief with his relatives and colleagues,' Vijayan wrote in a Facebook post.

Noting that he knew Veerendra Kumar personally for decades, the Marxist leader remembered how the two had fought together the Emergency and maintained that relationship even after they had deviated in their political beliefs for a brief while.

'The death of M P Veerendra Kumar is a heavy loss for democracy and secular movements. His contributions to our social and cultural spheres had been invaluable,' Vijayan said.

He had given insightful inputs at a recent joint meeting of MLAs and MPs on tackling the COVID-19 situation in the state, the chief minister said.

'With his uncompromising stand for the freedom of the press, he also made valuable contributions to the media industry. A talented writer and orator, he deeply analysed every issue that came his way,' Vijayan said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also condoled the death of Veerendra Kumar.

'I am sorry to hear about the passing away of author & Managing Director of the Mathrubhumi Group, M P Veerendra Kumar Ji. My condolences to his family, colleagues & friends in thistime of grief,' he said in a tweet.

Gandhi is also an MP from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala.
Our borders may be closed but some international backpackers are still making the most of their New Zealand travel dreams.

There are estimated to be up to 150,000 overseas visitors still in the country and despite various repatriation flights, many have decided to stay on.

Aotearoa has long been a dream destination for backpackers, and for some lucky travellers their plans to see the country have carried on after lockdown.

"It doesnt feel like Im stuck, its quite nice, nice weather, Ill check out some waterfalls," Belgian backpacker Mats Klaus told Checkpoint.

He arrived in New Zealand in March 2019. He thought about heading home when the Covid-19 situation started to get serious.

"It's way better here because your government is taking care of it way better than anywhere else in the world. Six or seven weeks later we're walking around, and my country is still making stupid decisions so yes, a lot better here."

He's not alone. There are estimated to be between 130,000 and 150,000 visitors from overseas in Aotearoa at the moment.

Not all of those are backpackers, but Mats Klaus says the ones who are, are here to make the most of it.

"I think the people who are still here are the people who are relaxed about the situation and know that New Zealand is going to take care of it.

"The situation at home is a lot worse than here," he says.

"I feel less nervous about finding a job here in New Zealand as a backpacker than at home."

People like him were doing fruit picking or vineyard work, he says.

Mats is living at a Papamoa holiday park. The place is full with people in the same boat, like Chilean Mario Moncado, who cannot get home.

"I couldnt because theres no tickets, I tried to buy one but was not possible. So I have to stay here ... I was in Hastings, I moved here to make some money."

He's camping to keep costs down, and is making the most of being in New Zealand.

"I think its good to be here. It's quiet, it's a peaceful place. But I also miss my family and my friends."

Frenchman Antoine Casanova is staying in his van at the same park - he hightailed it to the Bay of Plenty when his work in Queenstown dried up.

"A few days before lockdown, heaps of people were leaving Queenstown, going back home."

More people left as businesses made redundancies he said, but he plans on sticking around.

"New Zealand is still safer than France so Im going to try and stay here as long as I can" But if he runs out of money then he will head back to France.

Further up the coast the backpackers start to thin out. The summer hotspot of Coromandel Peninsula was already starting to quieten down for winter, but lockdown meant that hibernation began earlier than expected.

Luc Minarro managed to find a spot at Whangamata Holiday Park to see out level 3 and level 4.

"At first I had a lot of doubt about whether I should stay, then I had my mum on the phone who told me the situation was really bad in France.

"I had the opportunity to stay here thanks to Sarah and Dean the owners of the campground.

"It's a really good place to be stuck in, Whangamata is really beautiful."

He also left Queenstown when things started to turn, and is now looking forward to exploring the North Island.

"For me especially it would be quite good because I can do Tongariro which is supposed to be really crowded usually. Maybe there'll be less people doing it.

"Also all the wonderful places which are usually packed with people. Maybe it will be more decent to do it now."

While New Zealand's restrictions ease, Luc says he looked home with concern.

"You kind of feel guilty because you're here, the weather is good, it's a wonderful country, people are nice, and everywhere else in the world it's going kind of bad."

RNZ/Checkpoint
Rebecca Lobie looks to be a fan of the 2020 Netflix documentary series, Tiger King.

In an Instagram Story post on Friday, the 32-year-old joked that she resembled Carole Baskin, the American big-cat rights activist featured on the show.

The niece of the late Steve Irwin posed in a plunging leopard print bodysuit, for a Boomerang clip inside her Queensland home.

'Little Carole Baskin': Rebecca Lobie (pictured), 32, joked in an Instagram Story post on Friday that she's just like the Tiger King star, as she posed in a VERY low-cut leopard print bodysuit

Rebecca drew attention to her cleavage in the eye-catching ensemble, which she teamed with light blue skinny jeans.

She slicked her signature blonde locks back off her face, and added a touch of bling in the form of a gold pendant necklace with the initial of her first name.

Rebecca enhanced her striking facial features with bold brows, false lashes, a touch of blush and a natural colour on her pout.

'Lil Carol Baskins (sic) today,' she captioned the moment, alongside a laughing face emoji.

Phenomenon: Carole Baskin (pictured) is a 58-year-old American big-cat rights activist, who features in the popular 2020 Netflix documentary series Tiger King

Attire: In the Instagram Story clip captioned 'Lil Carole Baskin today', Rebecca teamed the eye-catching bodysuit that revealed her cleavage, with light blue skinny-leg jeans

Carole Baskin is a 58-year-old American big-cat rights activist, who features in the popular 2020 Netflix documentary series Tiger King.

The series captures the feuds between Baskin and main star of the show, Oklahoma-based private zoo operator Joe Exotic.

Just days prior, Rebecca treated herself to a date night with husband Mick Lobie.

He's the one she wants! Just last Sunday, Rebecca channeled Grease's Olivia Newton-John in a sexy black bodysuit and leggings on a date night with husband Mick Lobie

A Boomerang clip shared to her Instagram Stories on Sunday, the blonde channeled Grease's Olivia Newton-John in a sexy black bodysuit and wet look leggings.

Posing in front of the mirror in her bedroom, Rebecca showed off her ample cleavage and tiny waist in a plunging long-sleeved bodysuit.

The bombshell teamed the look with black leggings that enhanced her trim pins.

Smitten: Rebecca told fans in the Instagram Story caption that she 'finally' got to go out with her man. Pictured: Mick and Rebecca on a separate occasion

Iconic: Olivia and John Travolta (centre) are pictured in the 1978 film Grease

Rebecca styled her tresses out and straight, and her makeup included bold brows, mascara and a natural lip.

Rebecca lives with husband Mick and their two young sons on the Sunshine Coast.

She is the daughter of Frank Muscillo, who is married to Steve Irwin's sister Joy.

According to her LinkedIn, Rebecca was previously managing director of the Irwin family business, Australia Zoo, but left in December 2015.

Sunshine State: Rebecca lives with husband Mick and their two young sons in Queensland

Family connection: The Instagram sensation is the daughter of Frank Muscillo, who is married to Steve Irwin's sister Joy

During her tenure, she oversaw 'multiple food outlets' at the Sunshine Coast tourist attraction, as well as 'catering and functions'.

In 2016, The Courier Mail reported that Rebecca, who works as an eyelash technician in Mooloolaba, had cut all ties with Australia Zoo.

She is also no longer following her 21-year-old cousin, Bindi Irwin, on Instagram - despite the fact the pair were once close.

Rebecca rose to prominence in September last year when her racy social media photos caught the attention of the wider media.
Dublin is gearing up for a sizzling June bank holiday, with the capital set to be hotter than Rome.

While the Italian capital will experience 24C, temperatures here could soar to 25C in inland areas.

The fine weather is expected to last well into next week, Met Eireann said.

However, families have been warned to avoid burning by using protective creams and to keep heat exhaustion at bay by taking time in the shade and drinking plenty of liquids.

The sunshine has been so intense over the past two days that farmers have reported animals being treated for sunstroke.

Irish Water Safety (IWS) has urged people to be careful near rivers, lakes and the sea after tragedy was twice narrowly avoided in Cork.

Expand Close Sean Dalton, Levan Baramioze and Lazo Bendo from Clarehall and Santry. at Portmarnock beach / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Sean Dalton, Levan Baramioze and Lazo Bendo from Clarehall and Santry. at Portmarnock beach

The Coast Guard, RNLI and paramedics had to respond to two separate alerts involving six swimmers in west Cork.

Rescued

While all were rescued, officials said the incidents could easily have ended very differently.

IWS warned people never to swim alone, never to swim in unfamiliar areas and to remember that water temperatures are still quite low.

Gardai advised that checkpoints will be maintained over the weekend to ensure householders comply with the 5km travel rule under the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.

However, families can plan for picnics, barbecues and strolls in the sunshine until at least Tuesday as a glorious spell of weather settles over the country.

Met Eireann's Linda Hughes said some areas will see temperatures of 25C, with the best of the sun tomorrow and on Sunday and Monday.

"Friday will be dry and sunny, although the sunshine may turn a little hazy at times, and highest afternoon temperatures will range between 20C and 24C," she said.

Expand Close Loren Stapleton with Rolo at Portmarnock beach / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Loren Stapleton with Rolo at Portmarnock beach

"Saturday will be dry and sunny. It will be warm in most places, with highest temperatures of 21C to 25C, but again it will be cooler along southern and eastern coasts due to a light to moderate easterly breeze.

"Sunday will be dry and sunny in most areas, although some cloud will develop during the afternoon and evening, especially in the northwest, and may bring the odd shower.

Patchy

"It will be warm, with temperatures reaching between 21C and 25C but with an easterly breeze continuing.

"Highest temperatures will be in the high teens along southern and eastern coasts.

"Monday will see some cloud and patchy rain in the northwest, but it will be mostly dry and sunny.

"However, the odd shower may break out during the afternoon and it will be another warm day with highest temperatures of 22C to 25C in light, variable breezes.

"Tuesday looks like it will turn cooler and more unsettled, particularly in the north and west, and highest temperatures there will be 14C to 18C, but it will still be warm in the southeast.

"Highest temperatures will be in the low 20s."
Republic TV founder, Arnab Goswami has once again managed to say things that have put him to limelight amid the Coronavirus crisis. While the world is concerned about bigger problems around the world, Arnab Goswami is creating his own conspiracies and disseminating it on national television. Once again, Arnab Goswami is trending on twitter for voicing his bizarre theories. Recently, Indias security forces said that they prevented the country from a major terrorist attack after a vehicle containing an improvised explosive device was intercepted and was later destroyed by the bomb disposal squad.

 Twitter/Times Now

The incident took place in Pulwama in Kashmir.



Later, Arnab Goswami blamed that Pakistan is planning an attack on India by sending in locusts. He made a bizarre comment that Pakistanis should make Locust Biryani and eat it as their crops have been destroyed by the locusts.

Checkout the full video here-

The longer version of Arnab's expert comments on Pakistan's alleged locust conspiracy against India. If a @republic employee goes job hunting, what would they show as their journalistic achievement? pic.twitter.com/zwgoUtnfWi  Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) May 29, 2020

Now, the people on the internet are having a good-time listening to Arnabs mind boggling comments on how Paksitan cant fight us directly and are sending locusts to fight the battle. The video has already garnered over 145K views on twitter and also 2.5K re-tweets within a few hours and it definitely deserves more. LOL! Another funny video surfaced on the internet wherein people on the panel were seen mock fighting claiming to represent India and Pakistan.



And who thought that the 4th war would be fought on television#RepublicTV pic.twitter.com/IXU9VZKMAm  Abhishek Kaushik (@kaushikabhi11) May 29, 2020

Heres what people have to say about Arnab Goswamis conspiracy theories that suggest Pakistan is planning a locust attack on us-



Actual representation of what people think of him.

He is sick  Nattasha Sharrma (@Nattashasharrma) May 29, 2020

What do you expect from a creature who shouted "Who's the BBC? I am a journalist and facts don't matter to me!"?  SS  (@SSK2607) May 29, 2020

He knows his audience and the audience watches him precisely for this cringe content.  Ritik (@Ritikgehlot15) May 29, 2020

He gets paid for that, what else can we expect from @republic   Nikhil_Deore (@WoldsAndMoon) May 29, 2020

Iska ilaaj karwaoo bhai koi...ye iss desh ki izzat bech khayega #chaatu #ArnabGoswami  MS (@mshareef881) May 29, 2020

The states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh are already prey to locusts plague that has come to India from Iran and Pakistans Balochistan. What are your thoughts ? Let us know in the comments below!
A Portlaoise resident who sits on the Government's Covid-19 Expert Advice Group (EAG) advised that masks should be made compulsory to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Damian Nee, sits ont the EAG to give the perspective of the public on the outbreak and response. He has also been actively involved in helping to supply hospitals with the personal protective equipment which has been mandated in some countries.

We have been fortunate to curtail the spread of Covid-19 by the actions of the EAG, National Public Health Emergency Team, Department of Health, HSE and the Government. Let's not fail now.

Over the last 10 days, there has been a huge growth in people movement, especially in shops, not even 2-3% are wearing masks, little respect for social distancing.

The loose advise to 'recommend' wearing of face coverings has been totally disregarded.

The EAG preferred the wearing of medical masks. Nphet as confirmed in the Irish Times last week, chose not to suggest medical masks based on supply issues nor made any provision for a change when supply volume permitted, he said.

Mr Nee said most parts of Germany, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic say masks must be worn in shops and on public transport.

Italy says masks should be worn in shops and on transport but in public too where it is hard to maintain a safe distance.

In Spain, he said the new rules do not establish specific sanctions for those who refuse to wear a mask.

Mr Nee believes we must follow other countries.

The complacency shown by the public demands strong, immediate action or supermarkets and other shops will become centres for community spread in a fashion that the health service will have difficulty coping and will set the country back many months.

Meat factories have shown the capacity for spread, are shop workers any different, many also live together ?.

Mr Nee said people going to shops and shopkeepers have duty.

It is now internationally accepted that masks give an 80% better chance of limiting spread in shops and enclosed spaces.

No sensible person ought enter a shop where everyone is not wearing a medical mask , shops owe it to their staff and customers to take this matter seriously. It may well be a matter of life or death, he said.
WASHINGTON - Transcripts of phone calls that played a pivotal role in the Russia investigation were declassified and released Friday, showing that Michael Flynn, as an adviser to then-President-elect Donald Trump, urged Russias ambassador to be even-keeled in response to punitive Obama administration measures, and assured him we can have a better conversation about relations between the two countries after Trump became president.

Democrats said the transcripts showed that Flynn lied to the FBI when he denied details of the conversation, and that he was undercutting a sitting president while communicating about sanctions with a country that had just interfered in the 2016 election. But allies of the president who maintain the FBI had no reason to investigate Flynn in the first place insisted that the transcripts showed he had done nothing wrong.

The transcripts were released by Senate Republicans on Friday after being provided by Trumps new national intelligence director, John Ratcliffe, who waded into one of the most contentious political topics in his first week on the job. Ratcliffes extraordinary decision to disclose transcripts of intercepted conversations with a foreign ambassador is part of ongoing efforts by Trump allies to release previously secret information from the Russia investigation in hopes of painting Obama-era officials in a bad light.

The transcripts are unlikely to significantly reshape public understanding of the contact between Flynn and then-Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, a central moment in the Russia investigation. They do show that the men did in fact discuss sanctions, matching the general description of the call provided in the 2017 guilty plea that Flynn reached with special counsel Robert Muellers team.

But the documents will unquestionably add to the partisan divisions of the case, which have intensified in the last month with the Justice Departments motion to dismiss the prosecution.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House intelligence committee, said in a statement that the transcripts show Flynn lied not only to the FBI but also to Vice-President Mike Pence, who erroneously stated publicly that Flynn and Kislyak had not discussed sanctions. Trump later forced Flynn out for misleading the administration.

These calls took place shortly after the Russian government interfered in the 2016 election in an effort to help Trump win, and Flynn was engaged in trying to mute the Russian reaction to sanctions imposed by the Obama Administration over that very interference, Schiff said.

But Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, one of the GOP senators who released the transcript, said Flynn had done nothing wrong. Attorney General William Barr has similarly called the conversation laudable.

Our justice system doesnt work when one side holds all the cards. But this isnt just about safeguarding access to justice; its also about exposing shenanigans and abuses of power by those entrusted to uphold and defend the law, Grassley said.

Flynn attorney Sidney Powell tweeted that Flynn should be applauded for asking for cooler heads to prevail and trying to keep things on an even keel  encouraging the mutual interest of Russia and the United States in stability in the Middle East and fighting radical Islam.

The documents show that Flynn and Kislyak spoke multiple times between the time Trump was elected and took office. The call that Flynn pleaded guilty to lying about took place Dec. 29, 2016, the day after President Barack Obama signed an executive order hitting Russia with sanctions for election interference.

During the call, Flynn urged Kislyak that any action Russia took in response to the sanctions be reciprocal.

Dont  dont make it  dont go any further than you have to. Because I dont want us to get into something that has to escalate, on a, you know, on a tit for tat. You follow me, Ambassador? Flynn said, according to the transcripts.

Kislyak replied that he understood, but that there were angry sentiments raging in Moscow. Flynn said that even so, cool heads needed to prevail since the U.S. and Russia had common interests in fighting terrorism in the Middle East.

I know, I  believe me, I do appreciate it, I very much appreciate it. But I really dont want us to get into a situation where were going, you know  where we do this and then you do something bigger, and then you know, everybodys got to go back and forth and everybodys got to be the tough guy here, you know? Flynn said.

The FBI interviewed Flynn about the call in January 2017. In that interview, according to a guilty plea reached with Muellers team, Flynn denied having asked Kislyak to refrain from escalating the situation over sanctions.

He also said he did not recall a conversation two days later with Kislyak in which the ambassador intimated that Moscow had decided against an aggressive response to the sanctions.

Your proposal that we need to act with cold heads, uh, is exactly what is uh, invested in the decision, Kislyak said.

The release follows the recent declassification by Richard Grenell, Ratcliffes predecessor as intelligence director, of names of intelligence and Obama administration officials who in late 2016 and early 2017 asked the National Security Agency to reveal to them the name of an American whose identity was concealed in classified intelligence reports. That American was revealed to be Flynn.

Names of U.S. citizens are routinely redacted in intelligence reports that document routine surveillance of foreign targets, but U.S. officials can ask to receive the identity if they believe it is vital to understanding the intelligence.

The nature of those intelligence reports remains unclear, and they were not among the documents released Friday. The use by U.S. officials of a routine process known as unmasking to learn Flynns identity from those reports has become a major issue for Trump supporters.

There is nothing unusual about unmasking requests, which have been more prevalent at the beginning of the Trump administration than they were at the end of the Obama administration. But supporters of Trump have suggested that the requests were made for political reasons.
By PTI

JERUSALEM: Israel's Health Ministry is warning people not to "slip into complacency" about the coronavirus after recording a spike in new cases.

The ministry reported another 64 cases late Thursday after weeks of steady improvement when the total number of active cases dropped below 2,000.

New outbreaks have been linked to schools, which recently reopened after weeks of lockdown.

Israel imposed sweeping restrictions on travel and movement in mid-March.

It has reported about 16,900 cases and 284 deaths.

Authorities have lifted most of the restrictions in recent weeks.

This week bars, restaurants, pools and hotels were allowed to reopen.

Authorities are urging people to wear masks in public and practice social distancing, but in recent days many have appeared to ignore the rules.
AS lockdown continues to leave pubs closed, the Limerick Leader has learned that deliveries of draught beer are being made to homes in the county.

Although pubs will not be allowed open until August 10, it emerged at the weekend bars are allowed to sell take-away pints, so long as payment is taken on site, alcohol consumed over 100 metres away from the premises, and not in a public place.

Its because of a lack of clarity in the licensing laws. 

In the wake of this, its emerged deliveries of freshly poured pints are being delivered in a red van to homes in the Askeaton and Foynes area.

One person who availed of a pint said: Its a great service. He charges 5 for a pint of Guinness which is fair enough as he added costs of travel and has to bring someone with him.

As far as Im aware, hes not breaking any laws. He has an outdoor catering license as well as a bar one. We would be lost without it. Its great, said the customer, who wished not to be identified.

However, two city publicans have said it would be difficult for them to do deliveries like this as breweries are not currently delivering beer in kegs at present.

Cathal Callanan, who co-runs the Glen Tavern in Lower Glentworth Street said: Its not viable. We havent the product anyway, so we cant deliver it. Everyone else in the city would have had their delivery within the two weeks [of closure]. Most peoples Guinness would have gone off around April 20. The Heineken would be around the same time. The only thing perhaps in date would be the cider.

Kegs of beer cannot even be purchased in cash and carry outlets, he added.

Councillor Jerry ODea, who is the local Vintners Federation of Ireland spokesperson, and runs his family pub in Mulgrave Street said apart from the novelty value, he couldnt see any benefit to the publican in offering this service.

As it stands, weve returned all our beer to the brewery. So its not something personally wed be getting involved in. In terms of it being a viable business, it wouldnt be practical. The amount of work going into it wouldnt justify the returns, Cllr ODea told the Limerick Leader.

Its a lot of work to provide a few pints, which would probably spill along the way. In terms of the opportunity, I dont think its there, the councillor added.

A garda spokesperson said it continues in line with its graduated policing response to engage with licensed premises offering a delivery service to ensure compliance with public health regulations introduced by the Minister for Health and pre-existing legislation.
Siddhartha Nagar : , May 29 (IANS) A newly born boy who was found buried alive in the Sunoura village of Siddhartha Nagar district earlier this week, has now been christened "Dharti Putra".

The infant was first admitted to the local Community Health Centre (CHC) and then shifted to the district hospital, where his condition was now stable.

"The baby was rushed to the Jogia Community Health Centre and his condition is improving by the day. He appeared to have swallowed some mud, but he is fine now," said doctor Manvendra Pal, who attended to the infant at the CHC.

The child will be kept under observation for about a week, the doctor said.

The incident came to light when local villagers heard a faint voice of a baby crying in a thicket. They traced the source of the sound and noticed a foot of the infant. The local people removed the mud and found a male child buried alive.

Jogia police station in charge, Anjani Rai, meanwhile, said that a case against unidentified persons has been registered in connection with the incident.

The infant will be sent to the Childline after he is discharged from the hospital.
A judge has refused to initiate a wardship inquiry in the case of an elderly woman living in "squalor" with no running water or electricity after a psychiatrist concluded she has capacity to make "unwise" decisions about her living conditions.

"Eccentricity is not a basis for invoking the wardship jurisdiction," High Court president Mr Justice Peter Kelly said today.

He was refusing to send a court-appointed doctor to assess the woman's capacity, not because he did not have great concern for her welfare - "I do, anyone would in regard to someone living in these conditions," he said - but because there was no evidence at this stage to justify such a serious order. The HSE could renew its application if the position changes, he added.

The case came before the judge after lawyers instructed by members of the woman's family wrote to the wards of court office expressing concern her physical and mental health was deteriorating.

Today, Patricia Hill, for the HSE, asked the judge to direct a court-appointed medical visitor to attend the woman, aged in her seventies, to assess her capacity.

Counsel said the woman is a vulnerable adult and, although a consultant psychiatrist who assessed her at her home less than two weeks ago concluded she has capacity, the HSE still had concerns and wanted another report from a medical visitor.

oman lives in isolated area, with more than 20 cats

A social worker team leader with the HSE told the court the woman's living conditions are squalid and her situation has prompted concerns among family, neighbours, her rural community, gardai, social workers and others for some time.

The woman lives alone in an isolated area and shares her home with more than 20 cats, the court heard.

She walks a number of miles regularly to her local village to shop, collect her pension and attend Mass but has refused all offers of assistance from family and others. She buys bottled water and sometimes prepares meals. However, her stove at home is malfunctioning, causing the house to be smoke-filled, but she had refused to have it repaired.

She refuses to attend her GP's surgery and the GP will not attend her at home because of the living conditions, the court heard.

'Eccentric'

The team leader said any attempt to forcibly remove the woman from home for a capacity assessment would distress her and be counter-productive. Any such assessment would have to be carried out at the woman's home, she believed.

The psychiatrist who assessed the woman at home had yet to provide his full report but had concluded the woman has capacity to make unwise decisions about her living conditions, has no mental illness, a likely low IQ and is eccentric.

He also expressed the view it would be "inappropriate and inhumane" to pursue wardship for her or detention under the Mental Health Act.

Mr Justice Kelly said he had no doubt the woman is a vulnerable person living in primitive conditions in an isolated area.

He noted the team leader, whom he commended for her support to the woman, had said she has lived independently, refusing all help and without formal supports, for years, but there are concerns whether her physical and mental health has deteriorated.

It is a serious thing for the court to order a capacity assessment under the 1871 Lunacy Regulation Ireland Act and the power to do so had to be triggered with some element of medical evidence that a person lacks capacity, he said.

The existing evidence is the woman has capacity and has chosen for herself to live as she does, he concluded.
S truggling French carmaker Renault will look to cut 15,000 jobs around the globe as it tries to survive a slump in sales.

The company is to start talks with unions in France today, where one third of the headcount will be reduced.

Renault employs more than 179,000 people in 39 countries, including a large workforce in the UK.

Even before the pandemic, the firm was in trouble, with sales down 3% last year. It said last month the number of vehicles sold dropped by 25% in the first three months of the year and plunged even more dramatically in April.

In total Renault is aiming to make 2 billion in savings over the next three years, including shutting factories.

Six sites in all will be under review. Flins, close to Paris, where it makes its electric Zoe models, could cease to assemble cars and centre on recycling activities instead

The firm is heading for a fight with the French government which holds a 15% stake in the company. Renault is in discussions about a 5 billion emergency loan package but President Macron has told the company to keep workers and production in the country.

The car industry has undergone a torrid time since the coronavirus pandemic forced countries into lockdown.

In the UK car production fell to its lowest level since the Second World War in April amid plant closures because of the coronavirus crisis.

Stats from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show production was down by 99.7% compared with April last year, with just 197 models leaving factory gates in the month.
OTTAWAIf youre a Conservative voter who believes in balancing the budget above all else, you might want to avert your eyes for the next few years.

Leadership front-runners Peter MacKay and Erin OToole both released their ideas for Canadas post-pandemic economic recovery this week. And while both candidates stressed the need to stabilize federal finances, neither would rush to balance the budget any time soon.

In fact, none of the four candidates for the Conservative leadership have given themselves a deadline to balance the books  a tried-and-true party promise dating back to the Harper years.

Instead, the two candidates seen as the mostly likely to lead the party are proposing tax cuts to spur business and consumer confidence, industrial policies aimed at manufacturing essential goods in Canada, and extending some of the multi-billion-dollar relief programs brought in by the Liberal government.

Our country is currently facing its most serious economic challenges since the Great Depression and the greatest risks to national unity and Canadian prosperity in our history, OToole wrote in unveiling his ideas Thursday.

With our economy in tatters, we first need to shock the system back to life, said MacKay in his own mini-platform release on Wednesday.

Despite their leadership rivalry, MacKay and OToole hit many of the same notes in their respective plans  reviewing and simplifying Canadas tax code, extending or expanding emergency business loans brought in during the pandemic, and putting the country on a path to balanced budgets.

Both put Canadas oil and gas industry front-and-centre, repeating Conservative promises to build more pipelines and repeal Liberal environmental legislation, including the carbon levy.

MacKays economic pitch includes narrowly-targeted policies for businesses in advanced manufacturing, technology and natural resource sectors. MacKay would also contemplate temporarily reducing or even eliminating federal sales taxes on hard-hit sectors like service, hospitality and tourism. Canadians would be allowed to draw up to $10,000 from their RRSPs tax-free.

OTooles plans extend beyond the economic recovery to include a royal commission investigating the federal governments handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and give Ottawa a lead role in testing and contact tracing to manage future outbreaks.

The child benefit boost brought in by the Liberals in the pandemic would be extended by OToole until the end of 2021, transferring an additional $12 billion from the federal government to families. The former cabinet minister would also double tax breaks for child care through a refundable credit of up to $16,000 for children under the age of seven.

The other two candidates  Toronto lawyer Leslyn Lewis and Ontario MP Derek Sloan  have promised a more detailed COVID-related economic plan in the coming weeks. But Lewis has already released a number of pandemic platform planks, including manufacturing necessary personal protective equipment in Canada, increasing tax benefits for donating to charity, and bringing in income splitting for families where one spouse is out of work or forced to take care of their family full time.

In a statement, Sloan said his eventual plan will promote Canadian manufacturing, take China to task, and boost the oil and gas sector, among other measures.

According to a recent Mainstreet Research poll of almost 8,000 Conservative members, MacKay leads the race with the support of 44.9 per cent of decided respondents, with OToole next with 36.2 per cent. Lewis had the backing of 11.5 per cent of respondents, with Sloan drawing 7.4 per cent.

But in the Conservatives ranked ballot leadership system, Lewis and Sloans supporters could end up being decisive if they coalesce behind one of the two front-runners. Mainstreet found that OToole has a slight lead as voters second choice option.

The poll was conducted between May 20 and 21, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points. The Conservatives are expected to select their next leader on Aug. 21.

Read more about:
Two days before lockdown 4.0 ends, the government has moved into top gear to decide the way forward. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday morning met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sources say the two discussed suggestions that have come from states and the task forces set up by the Centre. On Thursday, Shah had called up the chief ministers of all states and Union Territories to seek their view on the proposed lockdown extension.

Most states are in favour of giving a boost to economic activities but are also worried about the rising coronavirus numbers. News18 has learnt that Goa CM Pramod Sawant told Shah that the lockdown should continue but the hospitality sector in the state should be permitted to open up.

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has sought the opening of hotels, motels and lodges as well, citing the extensive movement of people along the highways as well as through air and train routes. He has also sought the Centres for opening places of worship.

The Kerala government, however, is being cautious. CM Pinarayi Vijyan has expressed apprehension about allowing places of worship to open. After flattening the curve, the state has seen a resurgence of numbers as train and air travel restarted.

The northeastern states, where the coronavirus numbers started spiking only after the Centre opened up rail and air travel, have told the government they are willing to follow whatever decision taken after May 31.

As per central government sources, the Centre is willing to allow states more freedom to decide on which sectors they wish to open as long as containment zones in their states are dealt with seriously. Thirteen municipal areas, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune and Kolkata/Howrah have had a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary on the steps to be taken.

This is the first instance where the Home Minister and not the Prime Minister is engaging with states on the lockdown. There are indications that Modi is considering whether to announce the extension of the lockdown in his Mann Ki Baat address on Sunday.

The nationwide curbs were first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 for 21 days in a bid to contain the spread of novel coronavirus. It was first extended till May 3 and then again till May 17. The lockdown was further extended till May 31.

The number of COVID-19 cases in India has climbed to 1,65,799 on Friday, making it the world's ninth worst-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic. The Health Ministry said the death toll has risen to 4,706 in the country.

While extending the fourth phase of the lockdown till May 31, the central government had announced continuation of prohibition on opening of schools, colleges and malls but allowed opening of shops and markets. It said hotels, restaurants, cinema halls, malls, swimming pools, gyms will remain shut even as all social, political, religious functions, and places of worship will remain closed till May 31.

The government, however, allowed limited operations of train and domestic flights. The Indian Railways is also running special trains since May 1 for transportation of migrant workers from different parts of the country to their native states.
For months, researchers have believed that the very first known U.S. case of covid-19 in mid-January may have seeded an initial large outbreak in the Seattle area, spreading undetected for almost six weeks.

But a new analysis from researchers at the University of Arizona and elsewhere, based on computer simulations of how the virus evolves, indicates that this is most likely incorrect. Instead, the Seattle-area outbreak likely started weeks later with someone who arrived from Asia around Feb. 13, during a period in which thousands of Americans were returning from China as the outbreak there expanded.

The analysis, which was posted online and has not been peer-reviewed, also suggests that an outbreak in Italy did not stem from an early German coronavirus cluster at an auto-parts maker, as some researchers have suggested. Instead, it also likely started later through an independent introduction from China.

The new study provides reason for optimism: It suggests that if covid-19 cases can be brought down to very low numbers, it's possible to use techniques such as contact tracing to keep an outbreak under control.

"In a lot of ways, it is good news," said Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona, who led the study in collaboration with researchers at University of California San Diego, UCLA, KU Leuven in Belgium, and elsewhere. "It shows that some of the tools that we have to fight this virus actually succeeded in some of these early cases."

The shifting conclusions are also another example of how scientists adjust their theories as more data rolls in. During the pandemic, this normal but messy process is increasingly occurring in full public view.

Having more data "helps us refine our hypotheses," said Joel Wertheim, a molecular epidemiologist at the University of California San Diego and a co-author of the analysis. "The world is witnessing science being done in real time."

The concept that the first U.S. patient directly led to the Washington outbreak was popularized by Trevor Bedford, a computational biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, who originally posted his claim on Twitter on Feb. 29.

In a stream of tweets Monday, Bedford said he had changed his mind, saying that he now did not believe the first patient, dubbed "WA1," was the beginning of the state's outbreak. He said he still thought the virus began circulating in Washington relatively early, sometime between Jan. 18 and Feb. 9.

Bedford's original argument was based on the idea that the first Washington patient and those in the outbreak that followed had viruses that were genetically similar, but contained a key genetic variant that was uncommon in patients in China.

The claim was compelling to Worobey as well, he said in an interview, until he started to look at the data more carefully several weeks ago. By this point, much more genomic information was available, and Worobey said the pattern of mutations didn't make sense. Almost all the later patients in Washington had two specific mutations that weren't present in the first Washington patient. But none of the later patients had just one of the mutations, nor were any of the viruses in the later patients identical to the original patient, as would have been expected.

Worobey said he brought in other researchers to simulate how often the mutation pattern would have occurred if the first patient really did seed the later outbreak. The researchers performed 1,000 simulations but weren't able to reproduce the actual pattern of mutation that was seen in the Seattle outbreak. Other simulations also indicated that the Italian epidemic also was highly unlikely to have stemmed from the original German cases.

"Our results refute prior findings erroneously linking cases in January 2020 with outbreaks that occurred weeks later," the researchers wrote in a preprint posted on the server bioRxiv. "Instead, rapid interventions successfully prevented onward transmission of those early cases in Germany and Washington State."
Mr Dominic Wunigura, the Programmes Coordinator for the Centre for People's Empowerment and Rights Initiative (CPRI), has reiterated the need for a linkage between the COVID-19 pandemic and the psychological wellbeing of the citizens.



"COVID-19, whether you have it or not, but the fear is there and the psychological impact is there, so there should be a linkage between COVID-19 and its psychological impact on the people", he noted.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa, Mr Wunigura underscored the need for the government to resource Mental Health Officers to reach out to the communities to sensitise more people on the pandemic.



He noted that if care was not taken, "we will realize that by the time we wake-up, we will have a serious health issue to deal with than COVID-19".



Mr Wunigura said factors such as economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic could affect the psychological wellbeing of the people, especially, vulnerable groups including persons affected by mental illness, pregnant women and extremely poor among others.



That, he said, could also result in domestic violence and stressed the need for effective sensitisation on the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly at the rural areas.



The CPRI Programmes Coordinator added that persons suffering from mental illness such as bipolar disorder, stress, anxiety and epilepsy among others were extremely vulnerable in the era of COVID-19 pandemic and needed special protection and care against the virus.



They need to be handled in a special way because life doesnt end with mental illness, people recover and make very meaningful contributions in society.



So they should be protected because at this particular moment they may not be able to comprehend the information that is spreading, Mr Wunigura observed.



Mr Wunigura added that families and caregivers of mentally ill people needed more education on the COVID-19 and ways to protect them from the virus.

He said that was the reason why the government needed to resource the Mental Health Officers to provide those services.



According to him, in the Upper West Region, for instance, the few Mental Health Officers were very enthusiastic and committed, but were not well equipped in areas such as transportation to enable them to carry out their duties effectively.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria will move to lift a ban that prevents an Australian man convicted of murder in 2009 and released on parole from leaving the country, the Interior Ministry said on Friday.

The decision comes after Bulgaria's highest appeals court dismissed a request by the former chief prosecutor to review the parole granted to Jock Palfreeman in September.

Palfreeman's parole angered nationalist politicians who have decried his release from prison, while the government's decision to keep him in a detention centre after his release and prevent him from leaving the country strained relations with Australia.

Palfreeman served 11 years of a 20-year sentence for murder and attempted murder in the 2007 stabbing of two Bulgarians, one of whom died, during a street melee in Sofia, before being granted parole by a court panel.

He was serving in the British army at the time of the offence and has said he acted in self-defence and was trying to protect minority Roma being attacked by the two Bulgarians.

After being released, Palfreeman was transferred to a detention centre for foreigners staying illegally in the country. In October, the government released him from the centre after an unprecedented call to do so from the top court, but said he could not leave the country due to an old ban.

"The interior minister has ordered to the head of the migration directorate to start coordinating procedures for the lifting of the travel ban on Palfreeman," the ministry spokeswoman said.

She declined to say how long these procedures might take.

Earlier on Friday, 33-year-old Palfreeman said in Facebook post that he had not yet been allowed to leave the country.

"Please do not believe the false news, I have not been allowed to leave the country as the decision to not allow me to travel is not based on law, but the decision of the government," he wrote.

(Reporting by Angel Krasimirov and Tsvetelia Tsolova; Editing by Alison Williams)
Lt Bob Kroll, head of the Minneapolis police union, slammed former President Barack Obamas handcuffing and oppression of police while praising Donald Trump at a re-election rally the president held in the city last year.

Donning a red Cops for Trump shirt as he took the stage, the lieutenant attacked the Obama administration over its alleged despicable treatment of police, adding: The first thing President Trump did when he took office was turn that around  he decided to start to let cops do their job, put the handcuffs on the criminals instead of us.

The 2019 rally has come under scrutiny after photos from the event circulated online that purported to show one of the police officers involved in the recent killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died at the hands of a white officer named Derek Chauvin. Mr Chauvin was seen in cellphone footage shared online kneeling on Mr Floyds neck as he pleaded that he could not breathe. He and three other police officers have been fired, as protests over the death have erupted throughout Minneapolis and across the country.

Mr Kroll told local news outlets that Mr Chauvin was not actually the officer seen in the photos from the rally. The photos have spread online amid days of violent protests, with many demonstrators condemning local police not just for the killing of Mr Floyd, but for what some have described as decades of systematic and institutionalised racism within the Minneapolis police department.

Mr Krolls comments at the rally, along with the officers actions witnessed in the now-viral footage of Mr Floyds death, have raised questions about the rank and file culture within the citys local police force. On Friday morning, Mother Jones magazine resurfaced its own reporting from 2017 that detailed how the Minneapolis police union under Mr Kroll resisted reforms that banned its long-used warrior-style police training.

George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Show all 30 1 /30 George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Police spray mace at protestors to break up a gathering near the Minneapolis Police third precinct after a white police officer was caught on a bystander's video pressing his knee into the neck of African-American man George Floyd, who later died at a hospital, in Minneapolis Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester holds a sign with an image of George Floyd AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters demonstrate against the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester throws a piece of wood on a fire in the street just north of the 3rd Police Precinct Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets People in other US cities also protested the murder, like Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A police officer lobs a canister to break up crowds Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester is treated after inhaling tear gas Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Two police officers stand on the roof of the Third Police Precinct during a face off with a group of protesters Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters outside a Minneapolis police precinct two days after George Floyd died EPA George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters run from tear gas Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Demonstrators gather to protest in Los Angeles AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Police remove barricades set by protesters AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A fire burns inside of an Auto Zone store near the Third Police Precinct Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Flowers, signs and balloons are left near a makeshift memorial to George Floyd near the spot where he died AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A policeman faces a protester holding a placard in downtown Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A couple poses with a sign in Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 27: A man is tended to after sustaining an injury from a projectile shot by police outside the 3rd Police Precinct building on May 27, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Four Minneapolis police officers have been fired after a video taken by a bystander was posted on social media showing Floyd's neck being pinned to the ground by an officer as he repeatedly said, "I cant breathe". Floyd was later pronounced dead while in police custody after being transported to Hennepin County Medical Center. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) Stephen Maturen Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester reacts after inhaling tear gas Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty Images George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters use shopping carts as a barricade Getty Images George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters clash with the police as they demonstrate against the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images

That type of aggressive training, which experts said can sometimes lead to fatal confrontations, has been associated with other police-involved deaths throughout the US, including the shooting death of Philando Castile in 2016, according to the magazine.

Mr Kroll defiantly sold the red Cops for Trump shirts he wore at the presidents rally last year, in an apparent protest against local policies that prohibited uniformed officers from attending political rallies or supporting candidates for elected office. The lieutenant told local news outlets the money made from sales would go to charity.

Mr Kroll continued to attack the presidents apparent political enemies before Mr Trump took the stage at the rally last year, telling the audience: Debate the facts with the left, and when their facts dont hold up for their debate, wait to be called a racist.

Thats the easy way out, right? He continued. Label. The all-accepting left, Everybodys welcome here, if you think like we do'.

Mr Kroll later joined the president on stage as the crowd  many of them wearing the same Cops for Trump shirt  cheered the lieutenant.

On Thursday night, protesters burnt down the Minneapolis police precinct after officers were evacuated from the area. The mayor said he removed police personnel from the citys Third Precinct to avoid violent confrontations between police and demonstrators. The fire from the police station continued burning into Friday morning.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, aka Chairman Wontumi, has added his voice to those calling for a probe into the death of former President John Evans Atta Mills.

Without mincing words, he stated emphatically that he was convinced the former President who died in office 'did not die a natural death', for which reason the security agencies should investigate the case and punish the perpetrators.

Another NPP guru, Kwame Baffoe, aka Abronye DC, who is the Bono Regional Chairman of the ruling party, has consistently stated that former President Atta Mills was allegedly murdered by ex-President John Mahama.

The family members of the late President, led by one of his brothers, who is currently a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP), have already cautioned the public, especially politicians, to respect their wish and allow the memory of the former leader to rest in peace.

They have expressed worry over the way some politicians are taking advantage of the death of their beloved for their own parochial interest, saying they are satisfied with the autopsy report of the former leader.

an autopsy has been conducted, and I was present when it was doneit is high time those behind these allegations ceased with their act of drunkenness, Prof. Mills's brother said on radio.

However, commenting on the dicey issue, Wontumi stated strongly that he believed ex-President Mahama, who is the NDC flag bearer for the 2020 polls, had a hand in the death of former President Atta Mills.

He further made other wild allegations against ex-President Mahama, alleging that Mr. Mahama wants to kill me too and I fully support Abronye's claim that Mr. Mahama has a hand in the unfortunate death of Prof. Mills.

Wontumi also alleged that Mr. Mahama had committed 'serious atrocities', claiming that he (Mahama) has a hand in the death of other prominent people in the country, especially politicians, but he is walking free.

Mahama has made himself a political killer. Mr. David Lamptey was killed by him. He also killed Mills and he (Mahama) has a hand in the death of Alhaji Iddrisu Adamu of Royal Bank, he said on Kumasi-based Wontumi TV.

Wontumi, who did not produce any concrete evidence to buttress his wild claims, again alleged that Mr. Mahama strangely failed to appear at the funeral of Alhaji Adamu because 'of his guilty conscience'.

Touching on Prof. Atta Mills's death, the Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman said former President Atta Mills was murdered because he wanted to investigate the Airbus saga and so his death must be investigated.

According to him, Mr. Mahama, who was the vice of former President Mills Vice-President, should also be made to answer the exact time and location where Prof. Mills died, asking did Prof. Mills die in Ghana or in Nigeria?

---Daily Guide
New Delhi, May 29 : Temperatures in the high 40s Celsius (as in India these days) would not make much difference to the coronavirus. It may still be active at these temperatures for six to 12 hours, said leading virologist Shahid Jameel, who is also CEO of Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance.

Detailing on the peak of the viral infection, in an exclusive interview to IANS, Jameel insisted if on average 5,000 cases are reported daily, then in six weeks believing, peak will arrive around mid-July, when cumulative cases may touch 4 lakh. He also did not attach much importance to the happy percentages as he said they varied from time to time, given the number of tests increasing.

He disagreed to connect the sharp spike in cases in May due to reverse migration of the migrant workers. "If migrating people were infected and had not migrated, these would still show up in the total count. But, there is good reason to believe that the spike we are seeing now in newer areas, and in rural and small town India is due to it," said Jameel.

Jameel also showed surprise at Bihar and West Bengal figures, as he said the former's health structure was worse compared to the latter.

Excerpts: Q: AIIMS director had said the spike will come in June or July, we are already reporting more than 5,000 cases daily for more than a week now in May. How bad would be the peak of this viral infection? A: Some leading epidemiologists believe that the peak in India would come around mid-July. If that were the case, and if we continue to get on average 5,000 cases daily, in 6 weeks we would add about 2.25 lakh cases to 1.65 lakh cases at present, amounting to about 4 lakh cumulative cases at peak. At the current case fatality ratio (CFR) of about 3, we are looking at about 12,000 deaths by peak time. But there is every indication that the infection rate is picking up with easing of the nationwide lockdown, so we may see more than 5,000 daily cases and a bigger number at peak.

Let me use another way of calculating - from the death figures. Even death figures are underestimated since many who die at home after short symptomatic disease are not counted. Though the CFR is about 7 per cent globally and about 3 per cent in India, the population mortality rate would be in the range of 0.5 to 0.7 per cent. There are a number of studies to suggest this rate.

As of today, we have about 4,700 Covid-19 deaths reported from India. If we multiply this by 200 (assuming 0.5 per cent mortality), we are looking at 9.4 lakh infections. But this number was 18 days ago, since that is the average time from infection to death.

And if the outbreak is doubling every 14 days, by today we have about 22-25 Llakh infections, instead of the 1.65 lakh confirmed cases. Therefore, it appears that population infection is underestimated by about 15-fold if you simply look at confirmed cases. By this measure, we should be looking at about 60 Lakh cumulative infections and about 30,000 total deaths by peak time.

Do remember that there would be a 6-8 week period of decline from the peak to baseline, which would add more cases and mortality. All this assumes that the projected numbers are factual estimates. Since more testing is throwing up more cases, the present numbers are likely to be an underestimate. But this gives you an idea of what we are looking at in the coming months.

Q: Initially few studies pointed out that heat may have an adverse effect on the virus, it is already 47 degrees Celsius and Covid-19 cases are increasing rapidly. What do you have to say on this? A: There are two published international studies that have directly addressed the susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 to high temperatures. A study from the WHO Collaborating Centres shows that SARS-CoV-2 is more stable at room temperature than other coronaviruses, and at 56 degrees Celsius there is quick reduction in infectivity.

Another study from Hong Kong published in the British medical journal Lancet shows that at 37 degrees Celsius, 56 degrees Celsius and 70 degrees Celsius the virus is inactivated in 2 days, 30 minutes and 5 minutes, respectively. Extrapolating from these data, temperatures in the high 40s (as in India these days) would not make much difference. The virus may still be active at these temperatures for 6 to 12 hours.

Q: Do you think movement of migrant workers' across the country led to this sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in May? A: Based on the 2011 Census, 37 per cent of India's population or about 45 crore people were internal migrants. Of these, there were 5.6 crore inter-state migrants, most coming from the Hindi speaking belt of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The Economic Survey 2016 pegged the migrant workforce at 10 crore. A Report from Aajeevika suggests that there are currently about 12 crore people who migrate from rural areas to urban labour markets, industries and farms. The major net migration flows (see Figure) show that people migrate to states and cities that are today the hotspots for Covid-19. A World Bank report estimates the nationwide lockdown to have impacted the lives of over 4 crore migrant workers. It is estimated that about 10 per cent of these have already gone back home in the past few weeks.

Data in the public domain on new or cumulative infections are not granular enough to address what fractions of these are in migrant populations. Newspaper reports show infection rates in Bihar to have surged during May, coinciding with the arrival of migrants. Similar trends are being reported from Assam, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the North Eastern states.

Workers in the unorganized sector that are on a reverse migration generally live in crowded dwellings in urban slums. Unhygienic and dense living conditions and poor healthcare access make them vulnerable to all sorts of infectious diseases, especially those like tuberculosis and Covid-19 that spread through aerosol.

I don't think the spike in total cases in India in May is due to this reverse migration.

If migrating people were infected and had not migrated, these would still show up in the total count. But, there is good reason to believe that the spike we are seeing now in newer areas, and in rural and small towns in India is due to it. This trend is likely to continue in the coming weeks, and should be of much concern. There is poor healthcare infrastructure in these areas, which may spike up the mortality rates.

Q: India has a low case fatality rate (CFR), is it the silver lining in the backdrop of 5,000 to 6,000 cases every day? A: One would have to think so, assuming that we are capturing the death figures accurately. If that is the case, we don't understand why that is so. There are a few hypotheses, but there is no data to prove any.

But let me also make another point. Reducing CFR with time is due to increased testing. Earlier we were testing only very sick people. Then as testing volume picked up we started testing symptomatic people and now we are testing increasing numbers of asymptomatic people. So, the CFR would naturally fall. There is too much being made of this number. It makes little sense.

Q: Covid-19 death rate per million people is very high in two states and one UT -- Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi. What are the main factors for this spike? Whereas death per million is low in other states.

A: There may be multiple reasons for this. The virus possibly arrived early in these places due to international connectivity and commercial activity, and got time to circulate. This coupled with high population density (in Mumbai and Delhi) and delayed government response (in Gujarat and Maharashtra) has likely led to this situation.

The CFR in India is 2.8 per cent. If we compare state-wise data to this average, Gujarat is high at 6 per cent, Maharashtra average at 3.3 per cent and Delhi lower at 1.9 per cent.

There is other data that makes me suspicious about mortality figures. Bihar with one of the worst hospital capacity per unit population shows a CFR of only 0.4 per cent, whereas West Bengal with one of the best ratios shows a CFR of 6.5 per cent. Further, anecdotal data from cremation and burial sites in Delhi show a 4-fold spike in funerals than normally recorded at this time. A suo moto order of the High Court of Delhi of May 28, notes that there is no room left in the Covid-19 mortuary of Lok Nayak Hospital, which is Delhi's largest Covid-19 treatment centre. All this suggests that mortality figures everywhere may be underestimated.

Q) How many times should a person be tested before saying he/she is Covid-19 free? In China, they are testing nearly 5 or 6 times on RT-PCR.

A: The RT-PCR test used to confirm Covid-19 has very high (>99%) sensitivity in laboratory settings. But in clinical settings, its sensitivity was found to be 66-88 per cent. This could be due to multiple reasons. The most common one is improper nasopharyngeal sample collection and storage. Failure to acquire enough samples or not taking it from deep in the nasopharynx does not give the right sample. If not stored properly, viral RNA degrades. In one study a positive test result was highest at week one (100%), followed by 89.3%, 66.1%, 32.1%, 5.4% and zero by week six. The timing of sample collection is also important. If collected too early or too late in the symptomatic phase, there may be too little virus to detect even by the sensitive RT-PCR test. Every test has a threshold. If done properly one or two tests should be sufficient to confirm a Covid-19 free state.

(Sumit Saxena can be contacted at sumit.s@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
LOS ANGELES  Murder. Brutality. Reprehensible. Indefensible. Police nationwide, in unequivocal and unprecedented language, have condemned the actions of Minneapolis police in the custody death of a handcuffed black man who cried for help as an officer knelt on his neck, pinning him to the pavement for at least eight minutes.

But some civil rights advocates say their denunciations are empty words without meaningful reform behind them.

Authorities say George Floyd was detained Monday because he matched the description of someone who tried to pay with a counterfeit bill at a convenience store, and the 46-year-old resisted arrest. A bystander's disturbing video shows Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on Floyd's neck, even as Floyd begs for air and slowly stops talking and moving.

"There is no need to see more video," Chattanooga, Tennessee, Police Chief David Roddy tweeted Wednesday. "There no need to wait to see how 'it plays out'. There is no need to put a knee on someone's neck for NINE minutes. There IS a need to DO something. If you wear a badge and you don't have an issue with this ... turn it in."

The reaction from some law enforcement stands in stark contrast to their muted response or support for police after other in-custody fatalities. Sheriffs and police chiefs have strongly criticized the Minneapolis officer on social media and praised the city's police chief for his quick dismissal of four officers at the scene. Some even called for them to be criminally charged.

Related: Trump calls Minneapolis protesters thugs in tweet flagged by Twitter for violating rules about glorifying violence

Acting Portland Police Bureau Chief Chris Davis said Thursday that Floyds death was a big step in the wrong direction.

And nine metro-area agencies  including Portland police and the Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas county sheriffs offices  released a joint statement condemning the tactics and actions demonstrated in Minneapolis.

The incident in Minneapolis does not reflect our value of the sanctity of life or the code of ethics we have sworn to uphold, the agencies said in the statement, which is signed by the agencies top officials. It is disheartening when the actions of so few tarnish the noble profession that we have dedicated our lives to. We are committed to maintaining and strengthening the trust of our communities who grant us the privilege to serve them.

Typically, police call for patience and calm in the wake of a use of force. They are reluctant to weigh in on episodes involving another agency, often citing ongoing investigations or due process.

"Not going hide behind 'not being there,'" tweeted San Jose Police, California, Chief Eddie Garcia. "I'd be one of the first to condemn anyone had I seen similar happen to one of my brother/ sister officers. What I saw happen to George Floyd disturbed me and is not consistent with the goal of our mission. The act of one, impacts us all."

Related: Minneapolis police arrest CNN reporter Omar Jimenez, crew during live broadcast

But Gloria Browne-Marshall, a civil rights attorney and professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said she wouldn't be a "cheerleader" for a "handful" of chiefs who harshly decried the officers' behavior.

"Any minute progress is seen as miraculous because so little has been done for so long," she said. "It's nothing close to progress or what outrage would be taking place if it was a white man as the victim of this assault."

Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles, said she wasn't "particularly moved" by the relatively few police who voiced outrage.

Abdullah said the three other officers who witnessed Chauvin's actions and did not intervene contributed to a long-standing system of police racism and oppression against people of color.

"We've got to remember that it was not just Officer Chauvin who was sitting on George Floyd's neck," she said.

Abdullah and hundreds of others protested what she called Floyd's lynching on Wednesday night. Some blocked lanes of a freeway and shattered windows of California Highway Patrol cruisers.

Minneapolis is bracing for more violence after days of civil unrest, with burned buildings, looted stores and angry graffiti demanding justice. The governor on Thursday called in the National Guard. On Thursday night, protesters torched a Minneapolis police station that the department was forced to abandon.

The heads of the Los Angeles and Chicago departments  both of which have been rocked before by police brutality scandals  addressed Floyd's death and its potential effect on race relations between law enforcement and communities of color.

Even the New York Police Department weighed in. Eric Garner died in the city in 2014 after he was placed in a chokehold by police and uttered the same words Floyd did: "I can't breathe."

It took city officials five years to fire the officer, and no criminal or federal charges were brought.

"What we saw in Minnesota was deeply disturbing. It was wrong," NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea wrote Thursday. "We must take a stand and address it. We must come together, condemn these actions and reinforce who we are as members of the NYPD. This is not acceptable ANYWHERE."

Before he was commissioner, Shea spearheaded the NYPD's shift to community policing that moved away from a more confrontational style favored by other commissioners after Garner's death.

Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, who also spoke out online, told The Associated Press that law enforcement agencies keep promising reforms in the wake of fatalities, but they are "not delivering it on a consistent basis."

When bad things happen in our profession, we need to be able to call it like it is, he said. We keep thinking that the last one will be the last one, and then another one surfaces.

 The Associated Press

Jim Ryan of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report.
Pipeline

29 May 2020

The prestigious Astoria hotel on Brussels' Koningstraat has been abandoned since 2007. Now things finally seem to be moving again.

We learn more about how this icon will be brought back to life.

The demise of a monument

When it was built at the request of King Leopold II in 1910, the Astoria on Koningstraat was the top address in the city.

Unsurprisingly, it attracted a long list of high-profile guests down the years, including Winston Churchill and Dwight D Eisenhower, among others.

In 2007, the prestigious hotel closed its doors and was sold to Global Hotels and Resorts, a group which is reportedly managed by the Saudi Arabian Sheikh Mohamed El-Khereji. By 2010, work had started on the hotel's expansion. An adjacent building was even torn down to make room for a new wing, which was sadly not completed.

Revitalising a Brussels hotel icon

After the Astoria lay dormant for several years, the Corinthia Group acquired the property in 2016.

Plans were drawn up to expand the property by two floors, revamp it and get construction moving again. Some progress was made, before the project understandably ground to a halt due to Covid-19.

As of now, however, work is scheduled to resume in July 2020.

For an estimated 40-60 million, new rooms will be added and the hotel will be entirely modernised. "Our goal is to make the hotel the best in Brussels," said the chairman of Corinthia.

According to the project's lead architect Francis Metzger, the property will be ready to welcome guests to its 121 beautifully redone rooms and suites by 2022.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has challenged African leaders to rise up in defence of Akinwunmi Adesina, the embattled president of the African Development Bank, whom the US is trying to vilify and render ineligible for re-election in August.

The US, the first largest shareholder and non-African member, has called for an independent investigation of allegations (nepotism, disrespect for rules) some whistleblowers levelled against Adesina, despite the clearance the ethics committee has given to him.

Obasanjo, in a letter he wrote to the leaders, insisted the allegations are parts of an attempt by some non-regional member countries of the bank to frustrate Adesinas reelection for a second term, and to hijack the bank control.

The first non-regional member pushing for Adesina removal is the US. Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finlandhve also backed the call for an independent probe. And some media reports have identified the US executive director on the banks board, Stephen Dowd, as the linchpin.

Dowd was nominated by President Donald Trump in 2017 to represent the US on the board.

Obasanjo accused the US of disparaging the bank and ridiculing its entire governance system, which has been in place since 1964.

If we do not rise up and defend the AfDB Group, this might mean the end of the bank, as its governance will be hijacked away from Africa.

He noted the ethics committee and the chair of the board acted in accordance with the laid-down procedures in dismissing the allegations.

Adesina doesnt only have the support of the AfDB board of governors, he also has the sympathies of ECOWAS, AU, and other leadership bodies on the continent.

According to Finance Minister Ahmed Zainab, Adesinas achievements include securing a general capital increase of $115bn, the largest ever in the history of the bank.

Zainab also developed a $10bn Crisis Response Facility to fight coronavirus in Africa, and also led the bank to launch a $3bn Fight COVID-19 social bond, the largest US dollar-denominated social bond in world history.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said while schools will return in August, it does not mean every student will attend for the full day.

Speaking at a post-cabinet briefing on Friday, he said reopening schools will not be a no-risk scenario but it should be low risk in terms of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

It is the intention of government to reopen our primary and secondary schools at the end of August at the normal time when the academic year begins, he said

It may not be possible for every student to return for the full day, every day, but that is the point we are trying to get to. It may be necessary to phase in the reopening of schools but our objective is to open them as fully and as soon as possible provided the virus does not make a comeback.

He said they will be looking at research from around the world about the effect reopening schools has on the spread of coronavirus.

We know that it is not a no-risk scenario but is a low-risk scenario to open schools, and we are learning very much from other countries who have reopened schools partially already, he added.

The coronavirus death toll in Ireland rose to 1,645 on Friday after a further six deaths were announced.

There were 39 new confirmed cases of the disease, taking the total to 24,876 since the outbreak began.

Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan later said it would be for the education sector to determine appropriate class sizes when pupils return, suggesting it could be different from school to school.

He said the role of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) was to set out broad public health advice that the education sector then applied to the school setting.

How that gets applied in the school environment will be different in different schools, he said.

There are physical dimensions to it, there are other questions that have to be taken into account by that sector.

Expand Close Leo Varadkar said reopening schools will not be a no-risk scenario (Photocall Ireland/PA) PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Leo Varadkar said reopening schools will not be a no-risk scenario (Photocall Ireland/PA)

Mr Varadkar said in terms of speeding up the reopening of the country, the Government will continue to tread carefully.

I have to caution that  if we do that, we have to do that based on data and us being sure that it is safe to do so, he said.

We only eased restrictions on May 18 and if for some reason that has caused the virus to start spreading rapidly again then we wont know the effects of that until next week.

Making any decision today about accelerating the reopening of the country would be premature and risky. It is only something we can consider next Friday when we have data to see if the restrictions eased have caused the virus to propagate again.

I think the worst thing we can do is to reopen businesses and then two or three weeks later have to close them again.

I would rather have a slow and steady plan rather than accelerate it unsafely and end up having to lockdown again.

Nothing would do more damage to economic confidence and national morale if we told people it was safe to reopen then a few weeks later tell them it is not.

Expand Close Dr Tony Holohan said the lockdown exit plan was not a rigid structure (Brian Lawless/PA) PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Dr Tony Holohan said the lockdown exit plan was not a rigid structure (Brian Lawless/PA)

Dr Holohan later told the daily NPHET briefing the phased plan was not a rigid structure and acknowledged it might be possible to change the timeline on the relaxation of some measures if the scientific and health evidence permitted.

He said none of the main indicators of the disease was currently giving cause for concern.

The CMO said he was becoming more confident NPHET would be in a position to make a recommendation to Government next week to move to phase two of the plan on schedule, on June 8.

But he stressed it was still too early to give a definitive assessment.

At this moment in time, there is nothing in the overall progress of the disease that is giving us cause for concern, he said.

But it is too early for us to give the conclusion that we will be able to lift restrictions at the end of next week.

Expand Close People on Portmarnock Beach, Dublin, as the warm weather continues (Brian Lawless/PA) PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp People on Portmarnock Beach, Dublin, as the warm weather continues (Brian Lawless/PA)

On Friday, Mr Varadkar also said the current state deal with private hospitals will not be extended beyond the end of June.

The Government agreed to take over private hospitals in March due to an expected surge in coronavirus cases but Mr Varadkar said it did not happen.

It will instead seek to negotiate a new deal which will allow full access to these hospitals in case a second wave of Covid-19 occurs.

He said: We very much stand over the decision to take control of private hospitals  it was the right thing to do and we have made some good use of them since then, but certainly nothing approaching the level of use we thought we might have required back in March.

In another development, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe confirmed workers returning from maternity and paternity leave will be able to avail of the temporary wage subsidy scheme.

Due to an anomaly, women who are returning from unpaid maternity leave and were not on their companys payroll in January and February are unable to access the subsidy.

Mr Donohoe said the change will be legislated for later in the year but it will now be administered and backdated to March 26 when the scheme was introduced.

The government is making this important change because we want to ensure that citizens are not denied access to the scheme because of their personal circumstances, he said.
Fascinated by recycled handicrafts, a Vietnamese man in Hanoi has been using his gift to create thousands of unique and beautiful toy models from used soda cans and plastic bottles and make tutorial videos for children to make their own toys.

Luu Chung Nghia, 30, from Dong Anh District taught himself the craft of toy-making from waste materials without undergoing any basic training.

Once when I was going out with my friends, I incidentally saw people selling frog-shaped toys made from soda cans. I thought to myself that I could do that too, even more beautifully, Nghia told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

After that trip, I started collecting used cans and bottles. I would cut and assemble those materials into animals in my free time.

Despite having no formal training, Nghia said the passion for handicrafts had helped him create many unique products.

A variety of lively toy animals including insects with small details like legs, antennae, and wings are shaped meticulously from waste.

A toy spider made from recycled materials by Luu Chung Nghia is seen in this photo. Photo: Duong Lieu / Tuoi Tre

Some models only take me 15 minutes to complete but others can take up to a day or even a week to finish. The face takes up the most time to bring to life as plastic and aluminum are not easy materials to work with, Nghia shared.

When making the toy models, Nghia and his friends would film the process and upload the videos on the Internet as tutorials for others to make their own toys from recycled materials, sending a message of environmental protection.

I want to show children how to make handicrafts. Children nowadays have few playgrounds and are regularly on their smartphones. I think simple instructional videos will help them have more meaningful toys, Nghia said.

Luu Chung Nghia makes a toy animal from recycled materials at his small workshop in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo: Duong Lieu / Tuoi Tre

Luu Chung Nghia makes a toy animal from recycled materials at his small workshop in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo: Duong Lieu / Tuoi Tre

A toy animal made from recycled materials by Luu Chung Nghia is seen in this photo. Photo: Duong Lieu / Tuoi Tre

Toy animals made from recycled materials by Luu Chung Nghia are seen in this photo. Photo: Duong Lieu / Tuoi Tre

A toy animal made from recycled materials by Luu Chung Nghia is seen in this photo. Photo: Duong Lieu / Tuoi Tre

Toy animals made from recycled materials by Luu Chung Nghia are displayed at his workshop in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo: Duong Lieu / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
D emonstrators have set fire to a police station in Minneapolis on the third day of violent protests over the death of a black man who was pinned down by police.

Staff at the third precinct, the focus of many of the protests, were forced to evacuate as crowds forced their way into the building on Thursday night.

Rioting spread across the US city following the death of George Floyd, whose neck was kneeled on for almost eight minutes during his arrest on Monday.

In footage of Mr Floyds arrest recorded by a bystander, he could be heard pleading that he could not breathe until he slowly stopped talking and moving.

George Floyd Protests - In pictures 1 /150 George Floyd Protests - In pictures Quincy Mason Floyd (c), son of George Floyd, and attorney Ben Crump (left) kneel at the site where Floyd was killed on June 3, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Crump and Floyd spoke at a press conference after, calling for the arrest and prosecution of all four officers involved in George Floyd's death Getty Images Hundreds of surfers gather in support of Black Lives Matter, following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, as they spell "UNITY" with their boards before participating in a paddle out for unity at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California via Reuters A demonstrator protests as police forces hold a line near Lafayette Park and the White House Getty Images People visit a memorial at the site where George Floyd was killed Getty Images Demonstrators lay down on Pennsylvania Avenue during a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd Getty Images Twenty-nine-year old DC resident, George (letf), slaps hands with three-year-old Mikaela (right) in front of a police barricade on a street leading to the front of the White House during protests over the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images Protesters cross Morrison Bridge while rallying against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Portland, Oregon Reuters An aerial view shows people gathering to pay tribute at a makeshift memorial in honour of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images People visit a memorial at the site where George Floyd was killed Getty Images John Boyega speaks at Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest PA People wearing face masks hold banners in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter Reuters Protesters wearing face masks hold up signs during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images Atlanta police clash with a demonstrator during a protest, AP Marchers lay down on the Burnside Bridge for nine minutes symbolising the amount of time a Minneapolis police officer knelt on George Floyd's neck AP Protesters wearing face masks hold up signs during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images A woman with a message painted on her face, "I Can't Breathe" is seen in Hyde Park during a "Black Lives Matter" protest REUTERS Law enforcement officers stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as demonstrators protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd Getty Images Protesters burn trash bins, shared scooters and bicycles AFP via Getty Images People raise their hands and kneel down as they protest at the makeshift memorial in honour of George Floyd in Minneapolis AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators embrace during a march in response to George Floyd's death in Los Angeles Getty Images Law enforcement officials and Georgia Army National Guard soldiers fire tear gas and advance on protesters on Centennial Olympic Park Drive outside the CNN Center in Atlanta AP A protester throws a smoke device at police AP Protesters march west on Broad Street as protests continue following the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd in Columbus, Ohio AP People marching to protest the death of George Floyd get arrested on Gratiot near Outer Drive in Detroit AP Protesters throw a burning object at advancing law enforcement officials on Centennial Olympic Park Drive at Olympic Park in Atlanta AP Los Angeles Commander Cory Palka, right reaches out and offers a handshake to a "Black Lives Matter" protester outside Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti's house in Los Angeles AP Police officers hold a perimeter near the White House AFP via Getty Images Orlando police deploy tear gas during a demonstration outside Orlando City Hall AP Women ride atop a car and carry a sign in support of a "Black Lives Matter" protest outside Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti's house in Los Angeles AP People kneel in front of a line of California Highway Patrol officers in Redwood City AP Demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd in Washington AP A protester hugs a member of the Army National Guard during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Los Angeles AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators march along Hollywood Boulevard AP Protesters head through downtown into midtown during demonstrations in Atlanta AP A protester holds up a skateboard during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Hollywood, California AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators greet members of the National Guard as they march along Hollywood Boulevard AP Demonstrators pause to kneel as they march to protest the death of George Floyd in Washington AP A demonstrator faces law enforcement officers during a rally near the White House against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd Reuters Roxie Washington, the mother of George Floyd's 6-year-old daughter Gianna Floyd (left), cries after addressing the press, alongside their lawyers at Minneapolis City Hall Reuters People march from Discovery Green to City Hall in downtown Houston AP Protesters rally on the Las Vegas Strip Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Las Vegas, over the death of George Floyd AP Demonstrators kneel in front of a line of police officers near the White House in Washington during a protest for the death of George Floyd AP US President Donald Trump holds up a Bible outside of St John's Episcopal church across Lafayette Park in Washington, DC AFP via Getty Images Fireworks go off in front of police, who with protesters in front of police headquarters in St. Louis AP Protestors are tear gassed as the police disperse them near the White House AFP via Getty Images Children show placard during a protest outside the residence of governor of Minnesota Tim Walz, over the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images A demonstrator try to pass between a police line wearing riot gear as they push back demonstrators outside of the White House AFP via Getty Images Protesters throw a tear gas canister back toward Stafford County deputies on the Falmouth Bridge in Fredericksburg, Va AP Chief of Department of the New York City Police, Terence Monahan, hugs an activist as protesters paused while walking in New York AP Armed National Guard soldiers patrol on Hollywood Blvd AFP via Getty Images In a show of peace and solidarity, law enforcement officials with riot shields kneel in front of protesters during a fourth day of protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis AP Protesters rally at the White House Reuters A protester carries the carries a U.S. flag upside, a sign of distress, next to a burning building AP Protestors are tear gassed as the police disperse them near the White House AFP via Getty Images Police officers clash with protestors near the White House AFP via Getty Images In a show of peace and solidarity, law enforcement officials with riot shields kneel in front of protesters during a fourth day of protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis AP Police begin to clear demonstrators in Washington AP Demonstrators vandalize a car near the White House in Washington as they protest the death of George Floyd AP A single officer takes a knee in solidarity with protesters during nationwide unrest following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, outside the Oklahoma City Police Department Reuters Protesters throw a US flag into a fire during a demonstration outside the White House AFP via Getty Images Police form a line on Fifth Avenue outside Trump Towe AP Protesters are detained by police officers during a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd Reuters Protesters hold up a sign in Long Beach, California as they demonstrate during nationwide unrest following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd REUTERS People rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, REUTERS Protesters lie on the ground during a Black Lives Matter rally AP A young boy raises his fist for a photo by a family friend during a demonstration in Atlanta, Georgia Getty Images Police officers try to disperse people during a protest downtown Lansing, Michigan AP A protester has milk poured on his face after being exposed to tear gas AP Demonstrators block Interstate 244 in Tulsa AP Authorities stand guard in the area around the Georgia state Capitol as protests continued for a third day in Atlanta AP A demonstrator is arressted during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota Getty Images People demonstrate in Atlanta, Georgia Getty Images Tear gas rises above as protesters face off with police during a demonstration outside the White House over the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images Sheriff's deputies arrest people in Minneapolis, Minnesota AFP via Getty Images Police officers advance after firing tear gas during a demonstration in Atlanta, Georgia Getty Images A protester becomes emotional while taking part in a conversation with a police officer during a demonstration in Atlanta, Georgia Getty Images A man vandalizes a vehicle as another car is set on fire during a protest near the White House Getty Images Protesters march down a street during a solidarity rally for George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York AP PA Protesters gather around after setting fire to the entrance of a police station as demonstrations continue Reuters Protesters gather in front of the burning 3rd Precinct building of the Minneapolis Police Department AP A protester moves around the 3rd Precinct building of the Minneapolis Police Department AP Protesters are seen from the roof of the Minneapolis police 3rd Precinct building AP Protesters stand in front of the 3rd precinct police building as it burns during a protest Getty Images People stand outside the Minneapolis police 3rd Precinct building after fires were set at the building AP A man walks past a liquor store in flames near the 3rd Police Precinct AFP via Getty Images A woman holds a sign as protestors gather outside the St. Louis Police Department Headquarters Getty Images A car burns in a Target parking lot AP Tony L. Clark holds a photo of George Floyd AP Denver Police Department officers clear a man who fell to the street after they used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse a protest outside the State Capitol over the death of George Floyd AP Denver police officers fire canisters to disperse a protest outside the State Capitol AP Protesters throw objects onto a burning car outside a Target store near the 3rd Police Precinct AFP via Getty Images Firefighters battle flames at a business along University Avenue as riot officers police the street AP Police spray mace at protestors to break up a gathering near the Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct Reuters Protesters react after the entrance of a police station is set on fire during the demonstrations Reuters A man wearing a face mask holds a sign near a burning vehicle at the parking lot of a Target store during protests Reuters A protester vandalizes an O'Reilly's near the Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct Reuters Police spray protesters with pepper spray during a demonstration over the killing of George Floyd by a policeman outside the 3rd Police Precinct AFP via Getty Images A man poses for photos in front of a fire at an AutoZone store, while protesters hold a rally for George Floyd in Minneapolis AP Police remove barricades set by protesters during a demonstration over the killing of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images Shawanda Hill (right), the girlfriend of George Floyd reacts near the spot where he died while in custody of the Minneapolis Police AFP via Getty Images Protesters gather under the rain near the spot where George Floyd died while in custody of the Minneapolis Police, AFP via Getty Images An injured woman is carried by other protesters during clashes with police at a demonstration over the killing of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images Protesters clash with police during a demonstration over the killing of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images This aerial image provided by KABC-TV shows protesters attacking a California Highway Patrol cruiser during a Black Lives Matter protest on a freeway in downtown Los Angeles AP Protesters clash with police during a demonstration over the killing of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images A man throws a rock at the Minneapolis police 3rd Precinct during a protest AP Dajanae McKinney holds a painting of George Floyd during a protest AP People face police as protests continue calling for justice for George Floyd AP Protesters and police face each other during a rally for George Floyd AP People hold up their fists after protesting near the spot where George Floyd died while in custody of the Minneapolis Police AFP via Getty Images Protesters gather calling for justice for George Floyd AP A memorial left for George Floyd AFP via Getty Images

A police spokesman confirmed that staff had evacuated the station "in the interest of the safety of our personnel.

Livestream video showed the protesters entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as fires were set.

A state of emergency has been declared in Minnesota and the states governor Tim Walz called in the National Guard as the unrest escalated.

George Floyd's sister calls for murder charges for Minneapolis cops

Four Minneapolis police officers were fired on Tuesday after the footage emerged.

Hours after the officers dismissals were announced, thousands of protesters filled the streets close to the scene where the incident took place.

Some stores in Minneapolis and the suburbs closed early on Thursday, fearing more rioting, as the city shut down its light-rail system over safety concerns.

The protests that began Wednesday night and extended into Thursday were more violent than Tuesday's, which included skirmishes between officers and protesters.

Mayor Jacob Frey appealed for calm. "Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy," he said on Twitter.

Fire crews responded to about 30 intentionally set blazes during the protests, including at least 16 structure fires.

Multiple fire trucks were damaged by rocks and other projectiles, the fire department said. No one was hurt by the fires.

The US Attorney's Office and the FBI in Minneapolis said they were conducting "a robust criminal investigation" into Mr Floyd's death.

President Donald Trump has said he had asked an investigation to be expedited.

The FBI is also investigating whether Mr Floyd's civil rights were violated.

Derek Chauvin, the officer who kneeled on Mr Floyd's neck, was fired along with three other officers involved in the arrest.

The next day, the mayor called for Mr Chauvin to be criminally charged.
Days after Twitter added 'fact check' to two of US President Donald Trump tweets, calling them 'potentially misleading', the latter has signed an executive order about social media platforms. The order is aimed at limiting the broad legal protections enjoyed by social media companies. Trump says he is signing this order to protect and uphold free speech and rights of the American people.

The executive order signed today focuses on free speech, protection against online censorship and federal taxpayer dollars from financing online platforms that restrict free speech, federal review of unfair or deceptive acts or practices, and State Review of unfair or deceptive acts or practices and anti-discrimination laws. For purposes of this order, the term "online platform" means any website or application that allows users to create and share content or engage in social networking, or any general search engine.

Also read: Trump to sign executive order on social media firms after Twitter row

US President Donald Trump said, "Social media platforms have unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide, and alter virtually any form of communication between private citizens or large public audiences. There's no precedent in American history for so small a number of corporations to control so large a sphere of human interaction. The executive order will protect and uphold free speech rights of the American people. Currently, social media giants like Twitter receive an unprecedented liability shield, based on the theory that they're a neutral platform, which they're not. My executive order calls for new regulations under Section 230 of the communications decency act, to make it that social media companies that engage in censoring or any political conduct will not be able to keep the liability shield that's a big deal. My executive order further instructs the Federal Trade Commission FTC to prohibit social media companies from engaging in any deceptive acts or practices, affecting commerce, this authority resides in section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. Additionally, I'm directing the Attorney General to work cooperatively with the states."

President Trump is aware that there will be a lawsuit. He added, "I'm also sure that we're going to be going for legislation in addition to this, and the legislation will start immediately."

After the US President first warned about the executive order on social media, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in a series of tweets had explained, "Fact check: there is someone ultimately accountable for our actions as a company, and that's me. Please leave our employees out of this. We'll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally. And we will admit to and own any mistakes we make. This does not make us an "arbiter of truth". Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves. More transparency from us is critical so folks can clearly see the why behind our actions." Dorsey also shared the link of the civic integrity policy.

Also read: Trump-Twitter spat: US President threatens to shut down social media platforms
A group of monkeys reportedly attacked a laboratory assistant in Delhi and escaped with a number of coronavirus blood samples.

According to local media, the red-faced rhesus macaques snatched Covid-19 blood samples from four patients and fled the facilities near the Meerut Medical College in Delhi.

One of the monkeys was later spotted in a tree chewing one of the sample collection kits, the Times of India reported.

Dr S. K. Garg, a top official at the college, told Reuters: "Monkeys grabbed and fled with the blood samples of four Covid-19 patients who are undergoing treatment... we had to take their blood samples again."

He added: "No evidence has been found that monkeys can contract the infection."

The monkeys are said to be an increasing problem in urban areas of the country, but lockdown measures in the last two months have encouraged the monkeys.

Ragini Sharma, a home ministry employee, in 2018 told Sky News: "Very often they snatch food from people as they are walking, and sometimes they even tear files and documents by climbing in through the windows."

People have been told not to feed the monkeys during the pandemic as a preventative measure against spreading mutated versions from of Covid-19.

A senior biologist from the Tamil Nadu Forest Department previously warned the mutated virus could have a devastating impact on primate species and other wildlife which prey on them.

He told The Hindu: "The point is, we have very little understanding of the virus, and it is better to limit our interactions with wildlife till there is more research done on its effects on non-human primates and other animal species."
Oakville, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: CRDL) (OTCQX: CRTPF) ("Cardiol" or the "Company"), a leader in the production of pharmaceutical cannabidiol (CBD) and the development of innovative cannabidiol products for heart diseases, is pleased to announce that it will webcast the Company's virtual Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "AGM") on June 1, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. EDT.

Cardiol Therapeutics 2020 AGM

When: June 1, 2020 4:30 p.m. EDT Where: Virtual meeting only via live audio webcast online at: https://web.lumiagm.com/112044985

Additional information on the AGM, including details on how to participate and vote, is available on the Company's website at https://www.cardiolrx.com/investors/agm/.

About Cardiol Therapeutics

Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: CRDL) (OTCQX: CRTPF) is focused on producing pharmaceutical cannabidiol (CBD) products and developing innovative therapies for heart diseases, including acute myocarditis and other causes of heart failure. The Company's lead product, CardiolRx, is formulated to be the most consistent cannabidiol formulation on the market. CardiolRx is pharmaceutically produced, manufactured under cGMP, and is THC free (<5 ppm). The Company also plans to commercialize CardiolRx in the billion-dollar market for medicinal cannabinoids in Canada and is pursuing distribution opportunities in Europe and Latin America.

In heart failure, Cardiol is planning an international clinical study of CardiolRx in acute myocarditis, a condition caused by inflammation in heart tissue, which remains the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in people less than 35 years of age. The Company is also developing proprietary nanotechnology to uniquely deliver pharmaceutical cannabidiol and other anti-inflammatory drugs directly to sites of inflammation in the heart associated with heart failure. Heart failure is the leading cause of death and hospitalization in North America with associated annual healthcare costs in the U.S. alone exceeding $30 billion. For further information about Cardiol Therapeutics, please visit cardiolrx.com.

For further information, please contact:

David Elsley, President & CEO +1-289-910-0850

david.elsley@cardiolrx.com

Trevor Burns, Investor Relations +1-289-910-0855

trevor.burns@cardiolrx.com

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking information:

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. ("Cardiol") believes, expects or anticipates will, may, could or might occur in the future are "forward- looking information". Forward-looking information is frequently identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "projects", "intends", "believes", "anticipates", "forecasts", and other similar words and phrases, including variations (and negative variations) of such words and phrases, or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions, events or conditions "may", "could", "should", "would", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information contained herein may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: future events; the future performance or the intended business strategy of Cardiol, including, but not limited to, the plan to commercialize CardiolRx and the planning of an international clinical study of CardiolRx in acute myocarditis; the potential for Cardiol's licensed drug encapsulation and delivery technologies to enhance the bioavailability of pharmaceuticals; management's expectations regarding estimated future pharmaceutical research and development opportunities, collaborations and prospects; the success and proposed timing of Cardiol's product development activities; the ability of Cardiol to develop its product candidates; Cardiol's plans to research, discover, evaluate and develop additional products; Cardiol's proposed future collaborations to advance Cardiol's lead nanoformulations into clinical development; and the potential for Cardiol's cannabinoid-based products to provide sources of future revenue. Forward-looking information contained herein reflects the current expectations or beliefs of Cardiol based on information currently available to it and is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual events or results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties and other factors include that the success of Cardiol's product candidates will require significant capital resources and years of clinical development efforts; the results of clinical testing and trial activities of Cardiol's products; Cardiol's ability to obtain regulatory approval and market acceptance of its products; Cardiol's ability to raise capital and the availability of future financing; Cardiol's lack of operating history; unforeseeable deficiencies in the development of Cardiol's product candidates; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future for Cardiol's research and development initiatives; Cardiol's ability to manage its research, development, growth and operating expenses; the potential failure of clinical trials to demonstrate acceptable levels of safety and efficacy of Cardiol's product candidates; Cardiol's ability to retain key management and other personnel; risks related to fluctuations in medicinal cannabinoid markets in Canada and worldwide; uncertainties regarding Cardiol's ongoing collaborative and manufacturing partnerships; uncertainties regarding results of researching and developing products for human use; Cardiol competes in a highly competitive and evolving industry; Cardiol's ability to obtain and maintain current and future intellectual property protection; and other risks and uncertainties and factors. These risks, uncertainties and other factors should be considered carefully, and investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information. Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Cardiol disclaims any intent or obligation to update or revise such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although Cardiol believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, they do involve certain assumptions, risks, and uncertainties and are not (and should not be considered to be) guarantees of future performance. It is important that each person reviewing this news release understands the significant risks attendant to the operations of Cardiol.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56763
At least 1,000 protesters gathered Friday night in Oakland at a demonstration billed on social media as a rally to F*** the police" over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Dozens briefly shut down Interstate 880 until they moved away but things became increasingly tense as protesters defaced buildings and smashed windows, and threw objects and fireworks at police.

Police declared an unlawful assembly and fired tear gas into a crowd. Some demonstrators poured milk or water into their stinging eyes, while others later looted a Walgreens near Oakland City Hall.

BART has closed its 12th Street Oakland City Center station, with trains going through the station without stopping, amid the protest. Alameda-Contra Costa Transit officials said their buses are not stopping on Broadway in downtown Oakland due to the demonstration.

Earlier Friday, protesters stopped traffic on southbound Highway 101 in San Jose, while another demonstration blocked the upper deck of the Bay Bridge.

Footage from local television stations shows that protesters gathered to form a large group across the highway near Alum Rock Avenue in San Jose. Traffic was previously stopped in both directions, but became limited to the southbound lanes by 4 p.m.

By 5 p.m., most protesters had moved off of the highway and traffic resumed. At least one protester was seen smashing vehicle windows.

After leaving Highway 101, protesters moved onto Santa Clara Street. Once the crowd had reached 10th and Santa Clara streets, police used tear gas, said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, who added that the demonstrations in that area have been declared an unlawful assembly.

A little after 7:30 p.m., traffic on the upper deck of the Bay Bridge came to a complete halt as protesters began to gather. Traffic appeared to be moving again by 8 p.m.

The San Jose Police Officers Association said via the Protect San Jose account on Twitter that an officer has been hospitalized.

"We share the anger with what happened in Minneapolis but we have a #SJPD officer in the hospital now, attacked by violent protesters," the association said in a post. "More violence will not help. We need calm & respect for each other. Our officers will protect your ability to protest, but only peaceful protest."

Liccardo said via Twitter that San Jose police "will take a measured approach in facilitating peaceful protest, but there will be no tolerance of violence to our people or damage to our city."

The Valley Transit Authority is reporting delays on its Blue Line and Green Line light rail service and said buses are rerouting due to police activity.

Floyd was killed by members of the Minneapolis Police Department who pinned him to the ground after contending he resisted arrest. Police officer Derek Chauvin  the one who pressed his knee into Floyd's neck  was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday.

This story is developing and will be updated as more information is made available.

The Associated Press and the Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting
JB Hi-Fi has launched a massive 'tax time madness' sale on laptops, smartphones, fitness watches, cameras, TVs and kitchen gadgets.

Australian shoppers can make big-ticket purchases on home appliances in stores and online, with the prices slashed by as much as 50 per cent.

The sale, which starts now and ends on June 10, includes affordable laptops, half-price Samsung Galaxy fitness tracker and a $500 discount on a 77-inch TV.

The big brands to look out for include Samsung, Bose, HiSense, Google Pixel, HP, Lenovo, Garmin, LG, Sony, Breville, DeLonghi, Sunbeam, and more.

JB Hi-Fi has launched a massive 'tax time madness' sale on laptops, smartphones, fitness watches, cameras, TVs and kitchen gadgets

Revealed: The best deals at JB Hi-Fi Bose Wireless In-Ear Headphones: On sale $196, was $296 HP14-DB0006AU 14" Chromebook (32GB): On sale $349 HP 14s-CF1053TU 14" HD Laptop (256GB): On sale $699 Smartphone Alcatel 3x 64GB: On sale $199, was $299 NutriBullet 600 Series: On sale $69, was $79 Samsung Galaxy Fit Activity Tracker: On sale $59, was $119 DeLonghi Nespresso EN85.W Essenza Mini Solo: On sale $119 Kapture KPT-940 2.3" Dashcam with GPS: On sale $149, was $299 Advertisement

Shoppers can get the HP 14-inch laptop for $699 or the HP 14-inch Chromebook or just $349. The Chromebook is currently sold out online due to 'very high demand' but customers are urged to their their local store.

For fitness enthusiasts, there's a Samsung Galaxy fitness tracker for just $59, normally $119, or a selection of Garmin watches ranging from $45 to just $64.

if you're looking to upgrade your current TV, you can get the LG 75 inch screen for $2,495 after a $500 discount or you can buy a cheap screen from just $168.

Other products on sale include Bose wireless earphones for $196, smartphones from as little as $199, or two Lenovo smart display with Google Assistant for just $199, normally retailed at $129 each.

For half price, shoppers can get the Kapture dashcam with GPS $149, or a Navman dashcam with GPS tagging for $99.

In the kitchen aisle, there's a huge range of gadgets on sale for a fraction of the price, including the $69 NutriBullet, $39 Sunbeam slow cooker, $119 DeLonghi Nespresso, $169 Crock Pot and SodaStreams from $109.

Australian shoppers can make big-ticket purchases on home appliances in stores and online, with the prices slashed by as much as 50 per cent (file image)

In light of COVID-19, the retailer is taking extra precautions to ensure team members and customers are safe during their shopping experience.

'We want to do our best during this challenging period to allow our customers to access service, advice and product when they need it,' it said on its website.

'We have expanded our cleaning routines across our stores, including increased cleaning throughout the day.

'Our teams have had additional training on maintaining good hygiene practices. To support this, stores may be operating a little differently than usual.'

All stores will allow a maximum of 100 people into each store at any given time - meaning larger stores will fall well within and smaller stores will meet the federal government's recommendations on social distancing.

Payment via debit, credit or approved finance cards, as well as JB gift cards through our payment terminals is the preferred way to make payment in our stores. However, the store will accept cash if that is the only way you can make payment.

Most stores are open but trading hours have changed so shoppers are advised to check the website for their local store.
Advertisement

On Sunday, May 24, 2020, Senator Douye Diri, clocked 100 days in office as the governor of Bayelsa State. Diri, a member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, emerged Bayelsas number-one citizen on February 14, a day after the Supreme Court quashed the election of David Lyon of All Progressives Congress (APC), the initial winner of the last guber poll in the state.

The idea of first 100 days in office has been used over time to describe the early phase of a new leadership role and gauge the success or otherwise of a new government based on the strategies, action plans, programmes and policies put in place within the period.

The concept was pioneered by the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), who came into office on March 4, 1933 amid the Great Depression, the worst economic predicament in the history of America. Since Roosevelt coined the term, the period has become a benchmark for measuring the early success of a new leader or government.

Advertisement

In his new role then as American President, Roosevelt, in the first 100 days, successfully rolled out series of programmes, financial and regulatory reforms as well as pieces of legislations that instituted the New Deal which led the US to the path of recovery from the Great Depression.

A former president of the White House Correspondents Association, Kenneth T. Walsh, believes that the 100-day concept may not be a perfect measure, the renowned American journalist, author and speaker, nevertheless, considers it a useful standard for gauging effectiveness.

In the words of Niamh OKeeffe, the founder/CEO of First100 Ltd, a London-based leadership development and performance acceleration consultancy firm, The primary task for the executive targeting first 100 days success is to set out the right strategic priorities and stay focused on them.

Despite coming into office at a time COVID-19 had started threatening the world and forcing most countries including Nigeria to lock down, Gov. Diri is believed to have taken some highly commendable steps within the 100-day mark of his administration to reposition and rebuild Bayelsa State. Many observers are of the view that, in 100 days, amidst COVID-19, the erstwhile parliamentarian known as The Miracle Governor, left no stone unturned in demonstrating his unmitigated determination and zeal to significantly impact on the lives of Bayelsans.

In an interview with journalists, Daniel Alabrah, Acting Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Bayelsa helmsman, maintained that his boss was determined to make a difference in governance. Alabrah, who served as special adviser on Public Affairs in the immediate past administration of Hon. Seriake Dickson, noted that in 100 days Diri has worked tirelessly round the clock to put smiles on the faces of the people against all odds.

His words: The Governor Douye Diri administration came in at a time that COVID-19 had just started ravaging our country. Nigeria had the index case on February 27 just two weeks after the Senator Diri government was sworn in on February 14. As it was beginning to settle down after inauguration, the issues with COVID-19 came up and we started hearing about lockdown, shut down your state and that people should stay at home.

Regardless of these early COVID-19 warning signs, the government was determined to kick-start its urban renewal programme. So, one of the first things the governor alongside his deputy did was to visit the Edepie/Etegwe axis where you have the popular Tombia roundabout. That area had been earmarked by the immediate past administration for another flyover in Yenagoa, the state capital. During that visit, the governor, based on the already prepared construction designs, saw the need for the roundabout to be expanded. He also said that an alternative route would be opened through restarting of the work on the AIT/Elebele road that leads to Igbogene in order to decongest and reduce the traffic bottleneck at the Edepie/Etegwe roundabout.

The governor equally visited the Bayelsa Mall project site at Okaka, which he said he would try to complete even within the first hundred days. Unfortunately, COVID-19 slowed him down. As you are aware, there is hardly any state (maybe one or two) in Nigeria today where serious construction work is going on. It is a huge challenge to mobilise contractors to site.

There are however things that have happened that have made people to begin to see the government in a different light. For instance, before now public power supply was a big problem in our state, particularly in Yenagoa. But now most areas of the state capital enjoy better power supply than before. This was not by happenstance. Immediately the governor assumed office, he held several meetings with the management of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company just to underscore the importance he attached to provision of electricity to Bayelsans. He has consequently taken measures to ensure that whatever it was that made us have that parlous power situation in the past was corrected.

Continuing, the acting CPS, said: Previously, in a whole week, the area I live got public power supply for not more than maybe two hours. But now, we have power supply for three or four days consecutively for about 18-20 hours a day. These days whatever you have in the refrigerator all get frozen. This had not happened in the last two or more years. And that is the testimony from across different parts of the state capital. So, the Diri government has been able to address that issue and still addressing it.

There is also the issue of street light in Yenagoa, especially along the major roads. The moment the governor came in, he decided that we needed to light up the whole of Yenagoa city. He started by providing a new generator to power the lights on the Sani Abacha road, which was usually very dark at night. The solar-powered lights on the Mbiama-Yenagoa expressway, which takes you into the state capital, are now on at night. As we speak, the installation of poles on the yet to be completed Isaac Boro expressway is ongoing. At night, some of the lights are on along some portions of this major road.

People are beginning to see a different approach to some of these issues. And it is based on the feedback process that has been put in place. The governor listens to Bayelsans and responds to whatever it is they are asking him to do.

Alabrah, one-time of Head of Media and Communications, Presidential Amnesty Office, stated that The issues of pension and gratuity are areas that the Senator Diri administration deserves thumbs up for, particularly in its handling of the gratuity of retirees. The gratuity backlog dates back to 2008, about 12 years. The last government was actually paying the pension of retirees monthly but there were issues with their gratuity. So, what this new government is doing differently is that it sets aside about N200 million monthly to take care of the backlog of gratuity.

A public affairs commentator, Benjamin Forge, opined that Governor Diri, in the last 100 days, has demonstrated leadership with the effective manner that the issue of COVID-19 has been handled, making the state one of the least impacted by the pandemic. In spite of the low instance of the pandemic, the administration has made critical preventive measures and in compliance made available palliatives to the downtrodden in the state.

Forge said: Security of life and property is another focus area of the (Diri) administration. This will find more expression in months ahead. Police report has shown decline in criminal activities in the state. He added that Diri has also indicated that he will run a slim, smart and cost effective government in the face of dwindling economy, inherited liabilities and several sectors of the economy yearning for attention. This informed the merging of government ministries and departments that have overlapping responsibilities to promote efficient service delivery. Accordingly, this policy direction will cut down the overhead cost ministries which have been reduced to 21 (from 32).

The commentator described Diri as an honest man committed to transparency and accountability in government.

According to him, Openness in government as far as the governor is concerned will promote public understanding and participation. Signing into law of three different pieces of legislation: Public Procurement Amendment 2020, Fiscal Responsibility Amendment Bill 2020 and Debt Management Amendment Bill 2020, is indicative of the core values of honesty, transparency and accountability that will pervade the administration. The amendments were at the instance of the Executive, thus giving out the Governor as a man of honour whose only goal in government is to use public resources for the public good.

There are, however, those who believe Diri has done nothing in his first 100 days to show that he was prepared for the onerous task of governing the state.

For instance, a civil rights activist, David West, questioned Diris delay in appointing commissioners to head the different government ministries. He sees the governors inability to appoint commissioners within his first hundred days as a sign that he was not fully prepared to occupy the exalted seat.

An APC chieftain in Bayelsa and Coordinator of South-South Legacy Forum, Comrade Wilfred Frank Ogbotobo, equally argued that Diri wasnt prepared for the office of Governor. He (Diri) knew, from day one, that he wouldnt win the election, and he ended up losing it. He never expected that the Supreme Court would hand over David Lyons electoral victory to him on that platter of gold. Hence, he doesnt have any discernible plan of action to attest otherwise.

A pro-democracy advocate, Wisdom Ikuli, countered West and Ogbotobos position, insisting that the governor needed to take his time, to assemble the best brains in the state to form his cabinet. Ikuli reminded Diris critics of the fact that the Coronavirus pandemic has slowed down activities worldwide.

Hear him: 100 days in office is just a period for window dressing. What do you expect the government that has four years tenure to do within three months, especially with this period of (global) health crisis? The governor has started well. We have seen his actions on the demolition of illegal structures in markets and city centres for developmental purposes. For the fact that he has not picked his cabinet within this period does not show that he was not prepared for governance. We must understand the particular period we are in, the COVID-19 crisis has affected governance everywhere.

Michael Jegede, a media professional writes from Abuja
In a rich tribute, five Indian peacekeepers who laid their lives will be honoured this week with a prestigious UN medal awarded posthumously for courage and sacrifice in the line of duty.

In total, 83 military police and civilian personnel will be honoured during the ceremony.

Representational Image/unmissions.org

Major Ravi Inder Singh Sandhu and Sergeant Lal Manotra Tarsem, who served with the UN Mission in South Sudan; Sergeant Ramesh Singh with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon; Private Johnsion Beck with the UN Disengagement Observer Force and Edward Agapito Pinto, who served in a civilian capacity with the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in Congo, will posthumously receive the Dag Hammarskjold Medal on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers observed on May 29.



UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will lay a wreath to honour all the UN peacekeepers who lost their lives since 1948. He will then preside over a ceremony at which the Dag Hammarskjold Medal will be awarded posthumously to 83 military, police and civilian peacekeepers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2019.

Representational Image/unmissions.org

The world organisation said this year, the challenges and threats faced by its peacekeepers are even greater than ever, as they, like people around the world, are not only coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, but are also supporting and protecting the people in the countries they are based in.



They are continuing their operations to the best of their abilities and supporting the governments and the local populations, despite the risk of COVID-19, it said.

The theme for this year's Day is "Women in Peacekeeping: A Key to Peace" to mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

Representational Image/unmissions.org

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is commemorated to pay tribute to the uniformed and civilian personnel's invaluable contribution to the work of the world organisation and to honour more than 3,900 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the UN flag since 1948.



India is the fifth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping. It currently contributes more than 5,400 military and police personnel to the UN peacekeeping operations in Abyei, Cyprus, Congo, Lebanon, the Middle East, Sudan, South Sudan, Western Sahara as well as one expert to the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn on Friday said he is taking a wait-and-see approach regarding the Department of Agricultures decision to grant multimillion-dollar contracts for a new food relief program to several companies with no experience in food distribution, including a San Antonio event planner.

Cornyns stance differs from that of two members of San Antonios congressional delegation, who earlier this week called on the USDA to investigate the $39 million contract awarded to CRE8AD8, owned Gregorio Palomino.

The senator said its premature to call for a probe.

Now Playing: See the viral video of San Antonio's Food Bank that changed the narrative of the coronavirus pandemic. Video: Kin Man Hui San Antonio Express News, William Luther San Antonio Express News, Michel Fortier

I am sure there will be a time to look back on how this was actually implemented, the Texas Republican said after handing out groceries at a San Antonio Food Bank event at the Alamodome that fed 1,600 households.

Right now, I want to make sure we get the food to the people that need it, Cornyn said. I think that its hard to imagine the logistical challenge of trying to get somebody who will distribute the food, and obviously there is no playbook.

I am going to wait and see what we learn about the facts. If theres been improper conduct, then people need to be held accountable. But, in the meantime, we just need to get people fed.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio event planner makes federal contract debut with 235 food boxes

CRE8AD8 delivered its first food boxes on Thursday, dropping off 235 boxes each filled with about 25 pounds of fresh produce to the Food Bank two weeks into the scheduled distribution period for the program. The Food Bank receied another 450 boxes from CRE8AD8 on Friday.

The boxes contained oranges, apples, corn, carrots and more from Avila Produce, a small West Side wholesaler.

I believe because of the amount of pressure that is on CRE8AD8, they needed to demonstrate they could deliver, said Eric Cooper, president and CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank.

Matthew Busch /For The San Antonio Express-News

But the contract calls for CRE8AD8 to deliver 750,000 food boxes, or 18 million pounds of food, to a seven-state region that stretches from Arizona to Louisiana and as far north as Utah. The distribution deadline is June 30.

The event planning company has no experience in distributing food, let alone in such large quantities over such a large area, prompting serious concerns from industry experts about its ability to get the job done.

In addition, a San Antonio Express-News investigation published Sunday documented how Palomino boasted of professional credentials he does not possess and blue-chip corporate clients who say theyve never done business with him.

As a result, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro took an aggressive approach to probing the USDA on why Palomino received such a large contract while bids from experienced distributors were rejected.

Tom Reel /Staff photographer

Doggett, D-Austin, called on the USDA to cancel CRE8AD8s contract. Castro, D-San Antonio, sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue asking for an investigation into how the agency awarded contracts for the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, designed to get surplus food to families in need due to the economic wreckage wrought by the coronavirus pandemic.

On ExpressNews.com: Castro calls for investigation into USDA contract; Doggett calls for cancellation

No action is expected on Doggetts request, Cooper said.

We have learned from USDA that they made decisions and they are going to stick to those decisions, he said. For us at the Food Bank, we are just excited to potentially get some food...We are keeping our fingers crossed with the senator, that it all works out so people get food.

CRE8AD8 faces a steep challenge over the next four weeks, including:

Delivering a total of 60 truckloads to the San Antonio Food Bank.

Deliveries to food banks in other cities in Texas, including Austin, Beaumont, Conroe, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Laredo, McAllen, San Angelo and Victoria.

Deliveries to food banks in other states, including Albuquerque, N.M.; Little Rock, Ark.; New Orleans; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Tuscon, Ariz.; Salt Lake City; and Tulsa, Okla.

Due to CRE8AD8s lack of experience in food distribution and lack of knowledge about food banks, Cooper is assisting the company in working with each food bank to determine needs and set up a distribution schedule.

Of the $39 million CRE8AD8 received from the USDA, $25.7 million is earmarked for purchasing boxes of pre-cooked chicken and pork.

Eric Kopelow, chief operating officer of Gourmet Foods of Rancho Dominguez, Calif., said he has a deal with CRE8AD8 to provide about a million pounds of pork and chicken. St. Marys Food Bank and the San Antonio Food Bank will receive one truckload each next week, Kopelow said.

Kopelow said Gourmet Foods will pack the boxes and pay for shipping. He declined to give more details of the deal.

We are supporting the USDA, Kopelow said. Are we losing money? No. Are we making money to where we would say, This is great? No. We are doing it to help our country.

Two weeks ago, Palomino said he would source primarily from minority growers and purveyors from Texas. Iverson Brownell, CRE8AD8s executive chef, echoed Palominos comments, saying he looked forward to helping out great Texas farms.

Palomino did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tom Orsborn covers sports news in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Tom, become a subscriber. torsborn@express-news.net | Twitter: @tom_orsborn
Days after nine deaths were reported on-board Shramik Special trains, the Indian Railways on Friday appealed to people not to travel on these trains if they are suffering from pre-existing health conditions. At least nine passengers were reported dead on May 27 over a span of 48 hours on board the migrant trains, with the railways stating that all of them had health conditions.

The railways have been running Shramik special Trains on a daily basis throughout the country to ensure that migrants can travel back to their homes since May 1. "It has been observed that some people who are availing this service have pre-existing medical conditions which aggravates the risk they face during the COVID-19 pandemic. A few unfortunate cases of deaths related to pre-existing medical conditions while travelling have happened," it said in a statement.

"In order to protect vulnerable persons from COVID-19, the Ministry of Railways makes an appeal that persons with co-morbidities (for example - hypertension, diabetes, cardio-vascular diseases, cancer, immune deficiency conditions), pregnant women, children below the age of 10 and persons above 65 years of age may avoid travel by rail, except when it is essential," it said.

It also said that the railway family is working 24X7 to ensure that rail services are provided to all citizens of the country needing to travel. "We seek the cooperation of all citizens in this matter. In case of any distress or emergency please do not hesitate to reach out to your railway parivaar and we will help you as always (Helpline number - 139 & 138)," it said.

Also read: Delhi-Gurgaon border: Haryana govt seals border as coronavirus cases increase in capital

Also read: No travel fare to be charged from migrant workers, directs Supreme Court
MUMBAI: Maharashtras ruling party Shiv Sena has yet again made a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his past bonhomie with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying it was presumed that the two leaders ''swinging on a swing'' will result in reducing tension at the India-China border but that has not happened.

In a strongly-worded editorial in its mouthpiece Saamna, the party also scoffed at the US President Donald Trumps latest offer of mediation between the two countries.

In its editorial titled The fidget of China! the fun of Trump!, the party wrote while the country is struggling with the coronavirus crisis, the Chinese troops are attacking the border. This is the usual work of China. Taking advantage of the crisis, the Chinese always starts fighting on the border. Xi Jinping was well received by our Prime Minister Modi in Gujarat. He was served with Dhokla and Shev-Gathia etc. Pictures of Chinese President Xi Jinping swinging with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the swing were highly published but that has resulted in vein, the Sena editorial said.

This created an atmosphere as if the India-China border had been resolved forever. What a lie it was, it has been proved again. The Chinese army is obstructing regular patrolling of Indian forces along the Line of Control in Ladakh and Sikkim. China's incursions into Arunachal Pradesh continue. The Chinese monkeys also attack in Doklam, Sikkim, the Saamana editorial stated.

It continued by saying, Now once again, they have fired guns on the Ladakh border. On May 5, a clash between the Chinese and the Indian forces took place in eastern Ladakh. Since then, there has been increasing tension on both sides. Hundreds of soldiers on both sides were injured in these skirmishes, this situation is not good. Now the situation has become so serious that both countries have increased their forces along the Line of Control in Ladakh and North Sikkim.

The party further wrote in its mouthpiece that China claims that the Indian forces have infiltrated into their side in Ladakh, while the Indian army believes that the part they are patrolling belongs to them. The biggest joke in this dispute is that Donald Trump has expressed his desire to play the role of a mediator in the India-China border dispute. 'I am ready to mediate between the two countries', Trump has announced. Trump's desire to mediate is ridiculous.

The Saamana editorial went on to say, Actually, the biggest tension between China and the US has arisen due to the coronavirus crisis. Trump alleges that the coronavirus was created in a Chinese laboratory and invaded the world. Trump has called the coronavirus a 'Chinese virus', which has made the Chinese head of state very angry."

Trump has cut World Health Organization aid, saying the WHO is a puppet in China's hands. Is it not a joke that now Trump speaks of mediation between India and China. To be fair, at present, there is a lot of conflict between China and the United States and the relationship between them has become so tense. Many provinces of China have just recovered from the coronavirus crisis, but the coronavirus havoc has not yet ended in America.

Uddhav Thackerays party further said, The question is that when we are facing such crises in our country, how can we think of the mediation of America? America is ready to mediate between China and India here. At the same time, Trump is preparing to bring a resolution in the United Nations to recognize Chinese-occupied Tibet as an independent nation. If this bet is successful, it would be a big setback for China. Tibet is also an issue in the India-China conflict. Due to the coronavirus crisis, the economy of countries like America, Hindusthan and Europe is in shambles but not in the case of China. There are reports that American companies are consolidating their business from China. True or false, it remains to be proved, but the resentment against China arising from the coronavirus crisis remains. While the entire world is struggling with the coronavirus, China's worm of imperialism and bigotry persists.

''In such a situation, the 'offer' of arbitration by Trump is a mockery of the third grade. Trump had also offered to mediate on the Kashmir issue. India did not pay any heed to that. Trump should first save his country from the corona crisis. Such shocks keep on coming from China. The Indian Army is capable of handling it. What exactly is happening on the India-China border, our Defence Minister should tell the Indian public with confidence!'' the Saamana editorial said.

It may be noted that Shiv Sena had on many occasions in past ridiculed PM Modis soft posturing towards China, saying Beijing has always betrayed India and will do so in the future.
WASHINGTON  Conjuring up memories of police confrontations with protesters during the Civil Rights Movement, national civil rights leaders urged Minneapolis officials not to use military force against demonstrators and called out President Donald Trump for potentially inciting more violence.

We need officers to not take action that escalates tension. The militarized police presence is not helping the situation, Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law told USA TODAY. President Trump, meanwhile, is pouring fuel on the fire by literally advocating for deadly violence to be used.

The committee and other civil rights groups, including the NAACP, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the National Urban League, National Action Network and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., sent a letter late Thursday to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo calling for them to not use military force against protesters.

It is in such times, when tensions are at their highest, that officials should exercise their discretion and lead the way toward peaceful resolution, the leaders wrote.

For days, police faced off against people protesting the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died in police custody Monday after a white officer held his knee to his neck.

The protests turned particularly violent Thursday night with some setting fire to a police precinct and other buildings.

Civil rights leaders said they're still calling for police restraint as well as for calm and accountability.

Theres no need to escalate with military force, said Derrick Johnson, head of the national NAACP. Its simply an opportunity to enforce the law. The nation has seen with their own eyes a murder being committed in broad daylight by sworn police officers.

'This is 2020. This is the United States'

Johnson said the police response is reminiscent of mass protests of the past, including in the 1960s, and even some more recent demonstrations in China or Taiwan.

Story continues

But this is 2020. This is the United States, he said. We can address issues such as this in a very civil manner because the law is clear.

This should not be a question of escalating military arms on U.S citizens, he said. This should be a conversation about enforcing the laws of the state of Minnesota and the U.S. Constitution.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder Friday.

Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), in the Washington, D.C. studios of USA TODAY

Clarke said officials must understand why people are protesting.

This is a community desperate for accountability, she said. We are sounding an alarm and urging restraint and steps that we think can help to prevent escalation. Thats not what we saw in Minnesota.

Civil rights leaders pointed to police using tear gas and projectiles against protesters earlier in the week. This type of militarized response to communities mourning the death of a member only serves to escalate tensions, they wrote.

More: Trump's tweet injects civil rights era into presidential race, protests of George Floyd's death: Analysis

'When the looting starts, the shooting starts'

Civil rights leaders said tension was only heightened by Trump's tweets early Thursday.

In one, he called Frey very weak for not having the situation under control.

These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen, Trump tweeted, adding that he had spoken to Gov. Tim Walz and told him that "the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

Twitter later posted that the tweet violated its rules about glorifying violence. The administration also posted Trump's tweet on the White House account.

Johnson said he appreciated that Twitter stepped up to ensure the platform was not used to incite violence and spread misinformation. I dont expect anything more from this president, he said.

Civil rights leaders said its not the first time Trump hasnt done enough to clamp down on violence and racial tensions. They pointed to when Trump said both sides were to blame for violence during a white nationalist protest in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017 that led to one death, and that there were very fine people on both sides at the protests, where white supremacists marched under Confederate and Nazi flags.

More recently, they said, he embraced armed demonstrators, most of them white, at the Michigan statehouse protesting the stay-at-home for the coronavirus pandemic. The outbreak has disproportionately impacted communities of color.

At moments like this, hes consistently been devoid of empathy for black suffering, said Clarke.

Rashad Robinson, the president of racial justice group Color Of Change, echoed that sentiment.

The presidents tweets convey the same ugliness and deep-seated racial hatred that lie at the underpinning of his entire administration," Robinson said. "From policing to the pandemic, President Trump has always treated black lives as disposable and as political props. ... Leveling threats against us and leaning into old, racist tropes will only incite more anger and fear."

Armored members of the Minneapolis State Patrol stand guard in an intersection in front of burned out buildings in the Third Precinct of Minneapolis on Friday. The area was rocked by looting and widespread destruction overnight by protesters and rioters following peaceful gatherings for most of the day. Protesters were demanding justice for the death of George Floyd, who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck. Friday, May 29, 2020

The civil rights groups called for officials not to use military equipment and tear gas and instead use nonlethal approaches, such as warnings and crowd control, to deescalate tensions.

They also encouraged officials to better communicate with the media and the public and reach out early to protest organizers. They said officials should turn to community leaders as liaisons.

While the police are working to preserve public safety, they must also remember that they are protecting the constitutional rights of those gathered to demonstrate, they wrote.

Contributing: Trevor Hughes of USA TODAY

Follow Deborah Berry on Twitter at @dberrygannett

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd: Civil rights leaders decry Trump 'fueling the fire'
HKSAR Legislative Council resumes 2nd reading debate on National Anthem Bill

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:40, May 28, 2020

HONG KONG, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The Legislative Council (LegCo) of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Wednesday resumed the second reading debate on the National Anthem Bill and will continue the debate on Thursday as the procedure is not finished.

Martin Liao Cheung-kong, chairman of the LegCo committee responsible for the bill, said at the meeting that the national anthem is the national symbol and sign according to the Constitution and Hong Kong bears the constitutional responsibility for the legislation, which implies the importance of respecting the national anthem.

"We lawmakers should review the bill rationally and should not politicize it," Liao said.

Lawmaker Tony Tse Wai-chuen said many western countries have passed such legislation to protect their national flag, emblem and anthem and have made deliberate insults to national symbols a criminal offence.

The bill is aimed at safeguarding national dignity, rather than limiting the freedom of speech and thought.

Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR government Matthew Cheung said at a press briefing on Wednesday that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China and also stressed Hong Kong's constitutional responsibility for enacting the related law to the national anthem.

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs of the HKSAR government Erick Tsang said the main spirit of the bill is to let Hong Kong citizens respect the national anthem.

Hong Kong will make steady social and economic progress when national security is safeguarded, and social order and security are guaranteed, Tsang said.

China's National Anthem Law came into force in the mainland in 2017 and then the Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress adopted the decision to add the law to Annex III to the HKSAR Basic Law.

In accordance with Article 18 of the Basic Law, the national laws listed in Annex III to the Basic Law shall be applied locally by way of promulgation or legislation by the HKSAR.

The HKSAR government started to push for the legislation at the beginning of 2018 and the LegCo finished the first reading and entered the second reading in January 2019. The second reading that should be resumed in June 2019 had been postponed due to social unrest and the deadlock in the LegCo's House Committee.

China's National Flag Law and National Emblem Law were included in Annex III to the Basic Law in 1997. The National Flag and National Emblem Ordinance of the HKSAR took effect on July 1, 1997.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Renaud Capucon, a French concert violinist accustomed to playing to rooms of 2,000 people and more, performed on Thursday evening to an empty auditorium, but he said the experience was none the worse for it.

Its like a return to life, he said of the performance, his first at the Philharmonie de Paris concert hall since the COVID-19 outbreak forced the cancellation of all concerts back in March.

Were all very happy to ... play again after the long period when everything was closed. Its a real rebirth.

Capucon and his 23-person string orchestra on Thursday evening performed Metamorphosen, a piece by German composer Richard Strauss.

The auditorium, which can seat up to 2,400 people, was empty, apart from one or two staff members wearing surgical masks - complying with a French government ban on mass gatherings still in force even as some other restrictions have been eased.

The members of the orchestra themselves were not required to wear masks, but had to stay seated at least 1 meter (1.09 yards)away from each other on the concert hall stage.

The audience was virtual: people watching and listening at home via a live stream on the concert halls website.

Capucon said that the previous times he had played the Strauss piece, a mournful composition that ends on a sombre note, he always felt it would be appropriate if there were no applause.

The COVID-19 outbreak now means that the ending of the performance is met with silence. It suits perfectly, said the musician.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The official blames local authorities for corruption in distributing commuter bus transportation quotas between carriers.

Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has called the shootout in the town of Brovary outside Kyiv "an echo of corruption in determining the quotas for commuter bus carriers."

"This morning's shootout in Brovary is an echo of corruption in determining the quotas for commuter bus carriers, while gangs are attracted in fighting for transportation routes. We will deal with this," the minister wrote on Twitter.

According to Avakov, the police have already detained 10 people, mass arrests are underway.

Read alsoDozen arrests following massive shootout between rivaling gangs in Brovary (Photo, video)

"The executive bodies of Kyiv and the region are obliged  everything's rotten there," the minister said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, about a hundred perpetrators Friday morning were involved in a shootout at a shuttle bus parking lot in the town of Brovary just outside Kyiv.

Police arrived shortly after the incident broke out, detaining 10 armed men involved in the showdown. At least three persons involved in the shootout were wounded.
At a sewing station set up on a dining room table, 85-year-old Ina Barnes has been working diligently to make cloth masks for frontline workers and senior citizens. Barnes, a volunteer with Helping Hands Ladies of Cypress, is one of the members who inspired the group to launch their recent project of making and donating masks.

Helping Hands Ladies of Cypress president Pamela Zwecker, who is Barnes daughter, said that the group started the project in early March because there was a need for masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They have made over 4,500 masks since then for first responders, health care workers, senior citizens and other individuals.

Thanking frontline workers: Houston hospitals plan appreciative gestures for health care workers during National Nurses Week

Helping Hands Ladies of Cypress is a nonprofit that has been around for three years and makes quilts and hats, donating them to places like the Ronald McDonald House and Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.

Barnes began making masks for Zweckers daughter, who is a nurse.

Shes pretty dynamic, she made the first ones for my daughter, and she works, Zwecker said. We set her up at the dining room table because its too hard for her to go up and down the stairs to the sewing room every day.

Barnes started making masks around the same time as another member, who made masks for her husbands fellow Houston Police Department officers. They learned of each others efforts and the initiative started growing. Zwecker said when other members found out about the project, they began requesting materials to make masks for places that were in need.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Retired Harris County bailiff Hilbert Nunez Jr. dies of COVID-19

Everybody got creative and pitched in just to do what needed to be done, Zwecker said.

The nonprofit has a system where they cut out fabric for the masks and put 10 or 15 in a Ziploc bag ready for pick up from Zweckers front porch. Members pick up the kit and assemble the masks, adding elastic for the ears and a metal nose piece.

Ladies would come and sign out the kits, take them home, make it, bring it back, Zwecker said.

Before long, people were reaching out on Nextdoor and Facebook to help with the initiative.

It took off from there, Zwecker said. The more we talked about it on social media, the more volunteers we got.

Determined to help

Zwecker said the project is almost like a social distancing assembly line that was able to bring together not only local seamstresses but also the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union No. 54; a local dry cleaner and tailor; and volunteers from Florida to make this continuing project happen.

The nonprofit has around 40 volunteers helping with various stages of making the masks, Zwecker said.

Zwecker said each mask is made from scratch starting with cutting the mask out from fabric, much of which was donated by the Cy-Fair Womens Club according to Zwecker.

Helping Hands Ladies of Cypress members also purchased a special material to make filters that go inside of the mask. Zwecker said the masks are washable and reusable.

What was hard was getting the elastic and the metal nose pieces in stock because everyone across the nation sold out, Zwecker said.

She said the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union No. 54 in Houston started making metal nose pieces and were giving the pieces away for free as a result of the high demand across the country.

Then we had people that would just donate elastic to us when they could find it, Zwecker said. Some of the ladies were cutting t-shirts into strips and theyll use that to go around the ears.

She said that Anns Tailor & Dry Cleaning in northwest Houston also donated 200 cloth masks and volunteers in Miami sent another 100 cloth masks for them to distribute.

Village of volunteers

So far, Zwecker said the nonprofit has provided masks to several area groups including the PTSD Foundation of America-Camp Hope, an oncology center in Willowbrook, the Department of Public Safety in Spring and Houston Community College.

She said the nonprofit will continue to keep making masks until the demand stops.

I think weve had so much demand for it, Zwecker said. Were getting letters every day. Weve had quite a few that have cried and said how great it is that we could do something for the community that needed to be done.

She said the project is reminiscent of how in World War II everybody stepped up, came forward and helped do what was needed.

Were doing the same thing; weve donated a lot to Harris County Sheriffs Department, to EMS, Zwecker said. They had the steel workers come up and say, We understand you cant get these metal pieces; well make them. Thats what the American spirit is all about: communities pulling together.

We refer to ourselves as a village of volunteers. If we tell them that theres a need for something, theyll all get together and they want to help it get done.

Zwecker said they have masks in stock and are still making them. For more information about Helping Hands Ladies of Cypress, visit www.hhloctx.com.

alvaro.montano@chron.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

For Czechia, Uzbekistan is the second-largest trading partner in Central Asia by trade volume, Head of Press Department and Spokeswoman for Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Stepanka Filipova told Trend.

The mutual trade turnover has been growing since the establishment of the Czech Republic, Filipova said.

The highest volume ($90.7 million) of trade was reached in 2013, the official added.

"The trade balance has been positive in favor of the Czechia since 2005. Unfortunately, in 2018, we recorded the highest decline in mutual trade to date - by more than 33 percent year-on-year in turnover. In 2019, the turnover reached $75.5 million, a year-on-year increase of 46 percent," she noted adding that Czech exports to Uzbekistan increased by more than 55 percent to $70.3 million, while the Czech imports decreased by 19 percent and stood at $5.3 million.

"The expansion and diversification of mutual trade were hampered by non-tariff barriers, notable problems with local currency conversion and transfer, and import protection measures," Filipova said. "Due to these obstacles, interest of Czech investors and exporters lagged far behind the business potential of Uzbekistan.

She added that although a substantial part of mutual trade is made up of Czech exports, the Czech economy's openness creates sufficient possibilities for Uzbekistani companies to operate on the Czech market.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Airlines continue to reduce their workforces to align their businesses with the sharp downfall in air travel.

The top three United States airlines, hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, are rolling out fresh programmes to induce tens of thousands of employees to accept voluntary leave or early retirement in the hope of avoiding widespread furloughs in the fall, company memos show.

Around 100,000 employees of American Airlines Group Inc, Delta Air Lines Inc and United Airlines Holdings Inc have already accepted offers for temporary or permanent leaves, the companies have said.

Airlines continue to reduce their workforces to align their businesses with the sharp downfall in air travel. But they are also trying to keep enough workers, particularly pilots whose training is costly and lengthy, to service any recovery.

If airlines furlough too many workers, the bounce-back is almost impossible, United Chief Executive Scott Kirby said at a conference on Thursday.

United is in talks with its labour unions on voluntary options that Kirby said are focused more on the bounce-back than on survivability.

Airlines have said cancellations are slowing and bookings are improving, though their flying schedules are still just about 20 percent of what they would normally be.

Delta, with around 91,000 employees, announced on Thursday the details of an enhanced retirement package for long-term employees and a separate voluntary opt-out package. Both include cash severance, full healthcare coverage and travel benefits, a memo dated May 27 showed.

In a video seen by Reuters, the company said it is offering between four and 20 weeks of severance along with 12 months of healthcare and travel benefits for the voluntary opt-out. Delta is offering up to 26 weeks of severance for enhanced retirement packages and retiree medical accounts of more than $100,000.

Every voluntary departure helps to protect the jobs of those who most need them, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in the memo to employees. He added: I cant emphasize enough how challenging the environment is, and will be for the foreseeable future.

Delta says most retirements will take place August 1.

US airlines cannot force any job or pay rate cuts until October 1 under the terms of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provides billions of dollars to help cover their payroll expenses until September 30.

After that date, airlines have warned of involuntary reductions if overall workforces are still larger than needed.

American Airlines, with more than 100,000 employees, told its management and support staff on Wednesday that it must cut about 30 percent of their ranks, the same size of reductions planned by United for its management and administrative employees.

We must plan for operating a smaller airline for the foreseeable future, American Airlines Executive Vice President Elise Eberwein told employees Wednesday in an email.

American is also discussing voluntary options with unions representing pilots and flight attendants, and Delta with its pilots union. Deltas flight attendants are not unionised.
The impact of COVID-19 has brought about a change in the way businesses choose to exist, entertain and communicate with consumers on a national and local level.

Old Navy at the Metro Crossing Shopping Center may not be opening in May as planned.

The popular clothing retailer slated to open in early 2020  according to the areas developer Pine Tree in November  hasnt released any indication of an opening date despite multiple requests from Nonpareil reporters.

In early May, we announced our plans to reopen up to 800 stores by the end of the month, said Justine Jordan, an external communication coordinator for Old Navy. To date, weve reopened stores in Texas, Montana, North Carolina, and South Carolina including Old Navy, Athleta, Gap, Banana Republic, and Intermix. We will be continuing to ramp up store openings and Curbside Pickup throughout the month but are not sharing specific locations today.

Old Navy, formerly located at the Mall of the Bluffs, closed in early 2010, but is expected to make a return. Signage at the Metro Crossing Shopping Center indicates it could be sooner than later. Iowas mandated closures of malls and retail stores due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced Old Navys decision to push back.

Jordan said Old Navy is looking forward to reopening its stores and welcoming back its teams when it is safe to do so, including its Council Bluffs location.
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor released its most recent tally of weekly unemployment insurance claims, finding that an additional 2.1 million Americans filed for unemployment insurance between May 17 and 23. Over the past 10 weeks, almost 41 million insurance claims have been filed.

The number of new weekly unemployment insurance claims has fallen steadily for the past eight weeks, after peaking at almost seven million claims during the week of March 28. The 2.1 million new claims marked the smallest weekly increase since March 21, when the coronavirus began its disruption of the U.S. economy.

The number of continued claims, the cumulative number of people claiming UI benefits at a single point in time, also fell. After hitting an all-time high a week prior, this figure declined to 21 million for the week of May 16.
The leading mobile operator has pleased the families of martyrs, disabled people and low-income families living in regions.

Azercell Telecom LLC, as an integral part of the corporate social responsibility strategy, has once again demonstrated the special attitude to the most vulnerable groups in the country on the day of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Holiday packages containing food products were distributed to more than 1,000 families of disabled Karabakh war veterans, those with a disabled member involved in the liquidation of the consequences of Chernobyl NPP disaster, as well as low-income families from Imishli, Agstafa and Shamakhi districts.

This time, Azerpost LLC of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan ensured the delivery of food packages to the relevant addresses once again. It should be noted that the list of disabled people and low-income families was provided by the local executive power bodies.

Notably, Azercell Telecom LLC with the aim to support the most vulnerable category of the society recently distributed holiday gifts to more than 10,000 low-income families with at least one person receiving a pension for the disability of 1st degree and families with disabled members on the occasion of Novruz and Ramadan Holidays, as well as in the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.



At the same time, Azercell employees contributed to the charitable initiatives as a continuation of the actions carried out by the leading mobile operator. Thus, during the period of special quarantine regime, Azercell Volunteers (Azercell Konullulri), consisting of the company staff, visited low-income families and provided them with food products.

Azercell Telecom LLC will continue to focus on and provide social care to the most vulnerable segments of the population.

For more information, please contact [email protected]

The leader of the mobile communication industry, the largest taxpayer and the biggest investor of the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996. Currently, 5 million subscribers choose Azercell services. Mobile operator controls 49% of market share; while its geographical coverage constitutes 99.2% (excluding the occupied territories); and population coverage 99.8%. Azercell was the pioneering mobile operator to introduce a number of innovations in Azerbaijan, including GSM technology, advance payment system, mobile internet services, 24/7 call center service (*1111), 7/7 Front Office service, Azercell Express offices, M2M services, 4G technology and pilot version of 5G, mobile, online customer care services and customer services through social media, mobile e-signature service ASAN Imza etc. Rapidly increasing 4G network of Azercell covers nearly 60 regions of the country, including Baku and Absheron peninsula. According to the results of mobile network quality and wireless coverage mapping surveys by international systems, Azercells 4G network demonstrated the best results among the mobile operators of Azerbaijan. Azercell is the only company in Azerbaijan and CIS region which has been awarded Gold Certificate of International Investors in People Standard.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
As Ireland continues to combat the Covid-19 virus, the three principal response agencies that make up the South East Regional Steering Group (An Garda Siochana, the HSE and the five local authorities) have thanked people for their work on stopping the spread of Covid-19.

Ahead of the June Bank Holiday weekend, representatives of, An Garda Siochana, the HSE and Kilkenny County Council are appealing to everyone in Kilkenny to continue their impressive efforts.

Colette Byrne, Chief Executive of Kilkenny County Council has urged people not to allow everyones hard work to be undermined and not to travel more than 5km from home unless essential and to stay safe and, where possible, stay at home.

Kate Killeen White, Chief Officer South East Community Healthcare, has acknowledged that the collective actions of communities in the region is clearly making a difference but it is crucial that everyone keeps up those efforts:

We know its hard, especially in terms of being apart from families and friends but it is helping to protect and keep our communities - especially vulnerable people and healthcare workers - safe. I want to particularly appeal to young people - we in the healthcare community need you to keep that effort going for another while," she said.

Garda Chief Superintendent Dominic Hayes has warned that there will be a very visible garda presence across Carlow, Kilkenny and the South-east this weekend  making sure that no one is travelling more than five kilometres from home without a valid reason.

Our members will operate an extensive network of checkpoints this weekend, to ensure public compliance with the travel restrictions in place as part of Covid-19 public health guidelines," he said.

"There has been very good compliance with the travel restrictions and we want to thank the public for this. However, it is vital that this continues over the coming days and weeks. It will save lives. In particular, we would ask people who are thinking of travelling to parks, tourist locations or holiday homes outside of the five kilometre limit this weekend not to do so. If you are stopped at a checkpoint, you will be turned back.

The South East Regional Steering Group urges everyone to please play their part and #Stay Safe, # Stop the Spread this June Bank Holiday weekend.
Slot Review: Crusader by ELK Studios

Published May 29, 2020 by Elana K

The new Crusader slot from ELK Studios is a 5-reel, 4-row, 26-payline slot thats playable on all devices. Respins and Free Spins are the main action here, and the max win is 2500x the stake.

The new Crusader slot from ELK Studios is an interesting take on the traditional theme of the Crusades. It focuses on one specific aspect of the Crusades, namely, the armored warriors battle against the Mamluks for the ancient city of Acre, Israel. So yes, the audience for this slot will be fairly niche. However, you don't need to be a history buff to enjoy the Respins and Free Spins that are up for grabs. Crusader can be played at ELK Studios online casinos.

Slot Specs

Crusader is a 5-reel, 4-row, 26-payline slot thats playable on all devices. Bets range from .20 to 100 per spin and the RTP is a decent 96.1 percent. The background of the slot is dark and somber, matching the mood of the many Crusaders who fought terrible battles, including starvation and freezing winter nights.

Reel symbols include lower-paying A, K, and Q royals and higher-paying religious symbols, a shield, treasure chest, dagger, and chalice. The latter is the highest-paying symbol, rewarding 10x the stake for five of a kind. There is also a wild Crusader symbol that only appears on reels 1 and 5.

Crusader Wilds

When the Crusader wild lands partially in view, a Respin is triggered until the wild gets nudged down and fully in view. If two Crusader wilds cover both reels at the same time, the Free Spins bonus round is triggered and players win 8 free spins.

During the Free Spins round, the Crusader wilds remain locked in position and a new, arrow symbol is added to the reels. The arrow is the Expansion symbol, and whenever it lands, players get one free spin and the reels expand by an extra row. The max expansion is 12 rows and 98 ways-to-win.

Bottom Line

Crusader from ELK Studios is a good attempt at something new, but the max win of 2500x the stake is somewhat limiting. Similarly, the sites serious mood is fine for players who thrive on intrigue and adventure, but for those who prefer light-hearted games, the slot may be too dark. The main action is in the Free Spins round, which isnt struck so easily. Fortunately, there are potential intermittent wins from the Respins that are granted when partial Crusader wilds land in view.
Burma 10 Police, Three Others Missing After AA Attacks Border Guard Outpost in Myanmars Rakhine

A Border Guard Police outpost in northern Rakhine / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy

SITTWE, Rakhine StateTen policemen and three civilians are missing after the Arakan Army (AA) overran the Thazin Myaing Border Guard Police outpost in Rakhine States Rathedaung Township at around 2 a.m. on Friday, according to Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) spokesman Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun.

The civilians, who include a child, are relatives of the 10 police officers, the military spokesman said.

That outpost has only a few police. The AA attacked with a large number troops using heavy and small arms, and 10 police and three relatives including a child have gone missing, Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun said.

Attacked by up to 200 heavily armed rebel troops, the border guards stationed at Thazin Myaing were forced to abandon their outpost and join security troops nearby at around 5 a.m., the military spokesman said.

Rathedaung Township residents said they saw flames coming from the Thazin Myaing Border Guard Police outpost at around 2.30 a.m. on Friday. Township administrator U Aung Myint Thein confirmed the attack on Thazin Myaing, but said he did not have any further details.

Myanmar military troops and police are now conducting clearance operations in the area and searching for the missing people, the military spokesman said.

In January, four border guards from the Thazin Myaing outpost were robbed of the posts December salaries on their return from Zedi Pyin Police Station in Rathedaung Township, where they collected the wages. Two of the four border guards went missing.

On Jan. 4, 2019, the AA attacked four Border Guard Police outposts in Buthidaung Township. It also attacked Yoe Tayoke Police Station in Ponnagyun Township on March 3, and a battalion near Koe-thaung Temple in Mrauk-U on April 10, 2019.

The Myanmar military has described the AAs attacks on police, who are responsible for regional stability and the rule of law, as war crimes. The AA has accused the police of playing a part in the Myanmar militarys operations against it, and says the military launches artillery attacks from police outposts.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko

You may also like these stories:

Myanmar Military: Troops Attacked in RCSS Ambush

Army Detains Teachers, Villagers as Dozens Flee Fighting in N. Rakhine
China on Friday rejected US President Donald Trump's offer to mediate between India and China to end their current border standoff.

In a surprise move, Trump on Wednesday offered to "mediate or arbitrate" the raging border dispute between India and China, saying he was "ready, willing and able" to ease the tensions, amid the continuing standoff between the armies of the two Asian giants.

Reacting for the first time to the US president's offer, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said, the two countries did not want the "intervention" from a third party to resolve the current military standoff.

Between China and India we have existing border-related mechanisms and communication channels, Zhao told a media briefing here when asked about Trump's offer.

We are capable of properly resolving the issues between us through dialogue and consultation. We do not need the intervention of the third party, he said.

Several areas along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and North Sikkim have witnessed major military build-up by both the Indian and Chinese armies recently, in a clear signal of escalating tension and hardening of respective positions by the two sides even two weeks after they were engaged in two separate face-offs.

India has said the Chinese military was hindering normal patrolling by its troops along the LAC in Ladakh and Sikkim and strongly refuted Beijing's contention that the escalating tension between the two armies was triggered by trespassing of Indian forces across the Chinese side.

The Ministry of External Affairs said all Indian activities were carried out on its side of the border, asserting that India has always taken a very responsible approach towards border management. At the same time, it said, India was deeply committed to protect its sovereignty and security.
Washington: The Trump administration may soon expel thousands of Chinese graduate students enrolled at US universities and impose other sanctions against Chinese officials in the latest signs of tensions between Washington and Beijing that are raging over trade, the coronavirus pandemic, human rights and the status of Hong Kong.

President Donald Trump said he would make an announcement about China on Friday, US time, and administration officials said he is considering a months-old proposal to revoke the visas of students affiliated with educational institutions in China linked to the People's Liberation Army or Chinese intelligence.

University students. Credit:Andrew Quilty

Trump is also weighing targeted travel and financial sanctions against Chinese officials for actions in Hong Kong, according to the officials, who were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

"We'll be announcing what we're doing tomorrow with respect to China and we are not happy with China," Trump told reporters at an unrelated event Thursday, referring mainly to COVID-19.
Ghanaian actor and television personality David Dontoh has advised scriptwriters and producers of adverts for products to do thorough research of their target audience to ensure that their adverts hit home.



The actor, who has featured in and written scripts for adverts himself, was speaking on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Friday, 29 May 2020.



He told show host Benjamin Akakpo that producers of adverts must not miss certain aspects of advertising.



There are certain aspects of advertising that, at times, we miss in producing them. The advert is for certain people in a certain domain with a certain cultural background. You cannot ignore that and then claim to do an advert that will sell or promote the product.



Mr Dontoh added: So, we have to do very basic research to know the attitudes, the values, the aesthetics, everything of that community or society so that when the advert falls, everybody will be chasing after it. Even the music score of the advert is enough attraction.



The actor also noted that the current advertising trend in Ghana tries to capture the sleek adverts of the foreign world, but its not the same with our side of the world, adding: Our understanding and our appreciation of language, of pictures, of sound are very peculiar to us and, so, you dont have to fall for those sleek, crisp, succinct adverts. Theyre good, theyre beautiful, theyre perfect but not in our system and the problem were having is trying to capture that and use our local advert to do that advert. It doesn't help us."



He advised Ghanaian advert producers to use a language that has currency, use music or sounds or images that have currency and also make sure that the message is simple as possible just so that you can ride on the wings of that to promote the product.

Source: class fm









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Police identified centers that offered treatment to people with symptoms related to coronavirus. The patients were all foreigners, mainly Chinese. The fear is that the sick could still be infected and spread the virus. In the archipelago over 15500 infections and 921 official victims.

Manila (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Philippine authorities have identified and suspended some illegal Chinese clinics on their territory, which did not have the necessary authorizations. They were reserved for foreigners and dedicated to the care of the new coronavirus. The investigators discovered the underground activity, starting from the arrest made in recent days of two Chinese citizens in Makati, who claimed - lying - to be doctors and to manage specialized Covid-19 nursing homes.

Philippine Minister of Justice Mendardo Guevarra has ordered the police to track down people, all foreigners, who have undergone treatments in these centers and "whose movement could pose a risk" because they are still infected, at least potentially.

The two Chinese citizens, who had no identification documents, are 49-year-old David Lai and 41-year-old Bruce Liao (or Liao Songhua). Both must respond to the charge of medical practice without the necessary authorizations, including the prescription of medicines and the violation of the provisions on "infectious diseases". During the searches, the agents allegedly found four Chinese "patients", three men and a woman, who showed symptoms attributable to the new coronavirus.

Previously, two other Chinese citizens, already released, had been detained on 18 May in a villa in Clark Freeport, north of Manila. According to a source, the couple (Hu Ling, 45 years old and Lee Seung Hyun, 38) were in possession of a regular residence permit, but were not authorized to treat patients or practice the medical profession.

The two Chinese citizens are now under investigation and face trial. During the searches, the investigators seized medicines and medical supplies that had not received the Philippine Food and Drug Administration certification. Both are included in an "alert" list and will not be able to leave the country "until the investigation is completed", with probable indictment and civil action against them.

The latest cases confirm the crackdown by the Philippine authorities on the Chinese "secret clinics", which represent a danger to public health. The housing unit containing the illegal clinic was rented on January 7th for a sum of over $ 2400 a month. Inside, the police found "boxes and kits for the coronavirus test, some Chinese medicines and Viagra" as well as a computer with the list of "patients" treated since March inside.

The Philippines peaked yesterday with 539 new coronavirus infections. In total, 15588 infections have been reported to date since the start of the pandemic, with 921 official victims. Nevertheless, on the advice of the technical-scientific committee, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the relaxation of restrictions and the end of the complete lockdown in Manila.
Highlights Trump signed an executive order on Thursday targeting Twitter and social media platforms

Facebook has said that the executive order will restrict more speech online"

While Twitter called the move Twitter has called it reactionary and politicized

Facebook and Twitter have reacted to Donald Trump's executive order that aims to limit social media companies. While Facebook has said that the executive order will "restrict more speech online", Twitter has called it "reactionary and politicized". The war between Trump and Twitter intensified when the latter signed an executive order on Thursday targeting all social media platforms.

Although Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had distanced his company from Twitter-Trump brawl, Trump named Facebook too in the executive order. This, however, didn't go down with the social media giant and it slammed Trump's move.

"Facebook is a platform for diverse views. We believe in protecting freedom of expression on our services while protecting our community from harmful content including content designed to stop voters from exercising their right to vote. Those rules apply to everybody. Repealing or limiting section 230 will have the opposite effect. It will restrict more speech online, not less. By exposing companies to potential liability for everything that billions of people around the world say, this would penalize companies that choose to allow controversial speech and encourage platforms to censor anything that might offend anyone, " Facebook said in a statement shared by Endgadget.

Zuckerberg had earlier said that it has a different policy than Twitter. He went on to add that Internet platforms should not be the "arbiters of truth" and Facebook's approach had "distinguished itself from some of the other tech companies in terms of being stronger on free expression and giving people a voice."

Twitter, one of the key targets of Donald Trump, also reacted to the executive order. "This EO is a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law. #Section230 protects American innovation and freedom of expression, and it's underpinned by democratic values. Attempts to unilaterally erode it threaten the future of online speech and Internet freedoms, " a tweet from Twitter Public Policy account read.

The furor started over Twitter fact-checking Trump's tweets. An infuriated Trump had threatened to close down the social media platforms and had also stated that he is readying the EO. However, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey had put up a tweet defending his company's decision to fact-check the US President. He had said that only he is accountable for the company's actions and also requested Trump to keep his employees out of this.

Dorsey had also said that Twitter will continue to point out disputed information about elections globally."Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves. More transparency from us is critical so folks can clearly see the why behind our actions, " he said.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - Valterra Resource Corporation (OTCQB: VRSCF) ("Valterra" or the "Company") reported today that it plans to issue up to a total of 15,000,000 units, in a non-brokered private placement at a price of $0.05 per unit for gross proceeds of Cdn $750,000. Each unit will consist of one common share and one warrant, with each warrant exercisable to purchase one common share for a period of 4 years at $0.10. The Company will make provision for an over-allotment option (Greenshoe) to allow a purchase of up to 10% additional units beyond the number of units in this offering. The securities issued upon closing of this offering will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from issuance. The private placement is subject to regulatory approval. Finders' fees and commissions may be paid by Valterra in relation to this issuance.

Net proceeds from the private placement will be used to acquire a private Brazilian company that has a purchase agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the 172 ha freehold Lima Property for a purchase price of Cdn$500,000, as well as initial exploration work in preparation for bulk sampling at Lima, and for general working capital.

About Lima Property, Pocone District, Brazil

Valterra has entered into an agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the freehold Lima Property for a purchase price of Cdn$500,000 via purchase of a private Brazilian company. Management believes that this is a rare opportunity to acquire a highly-prospective gold property at exceptionally attractive terms which has the potential to be fast-tracked to production.

It is a Laterite-type gold project with easy logistics in the productive Pocone District. The project comes with a proven operational team in a mature mining district with very attractive economics. Existing mines in the District require no blasting as a result of deep weathering and consist of free-digging open-pit operations, typically to a depth of up to 80 metres.

Story continues

The Lima Project is located within the Pocone Mining District, in central Brazil's Cuiaba Basin (Baixada Cuiabana), in the southern part of the state of Mato Grosso, just 10 minutes' drive from the town of Pocone, a mining town of 32,000. Access to the project area is by paved and gravel roads with daily scheduled flights from an airport located in Cuiaba, the State Capital, 104km north and connected to the principal cities of Brazil by daily scheduled airline flights. The Pocone Mining District reportedly produces over 250,000 ounces of gold annually from 17 different active laterite mines with the Company's Lima Property immediately adjacent to the currently producing Edmur gold mine.

Brazil has favorable geology with several major Archean greenstone and Proterozoic sedimentary-hosted gold districts, which has attracted major miners including Kinross, Vale, Anglogold Ashanti, Lundin Mining, Yamana, and Great Panther and has resulted in significant annual gold production. Brazil is highly regarded as a mining jurisdiction with regulations providing favorable mineral title and foreign ownership. Brazil has a tax agreement with Canada.

The Pocone Mineral Belt has enormous untapped potential for discovery with well-developed infrastructure, including access to power, water, major highways, airports and highly skilled labour and experienced equipment contractors.

The Pocone Mining Team

Richard Crew - Mr. Crew, a British mining engineer, has a wealth of knowledge of Brazilian mining operations built up over 30 years in both open pit and underground mines. Most recently, he was COO for ASX-listed Orinoco Gold. Prior to this, he was General Manager Projects for the Sao Bento Group, a private mining group operating two gold mines in the states of Mato Grosso and Para producing a combined total of 100,000oz per annum of gold. In this role, he successfully managed a Bankable Feasibility Study and construction of a 2Mtpa gravity/CIL processing plant and mining operations. He has previously held a wide range of senior operational and executive positions internationally for AIM, TSX and ASX listed companies. Mr Crew holds a City and Guilds engineering diploma from Cornwall technical college/Camborne school of mines and AACA Level 3 from the Open University and speaks fluent Portuguese.

Jeremy Gray - Mr. Gray has been involved in mining for 26 years. He started his career at Credit Suisse in Melbourne in 1994 as a Mining Research Associate before moving to London to run the Mining Equity research team at Morgan Stanley. In2001, he joined Sthenos Capital as a founding partner of a Hedge Fund with focus on Mining and Basic Materials trading. In 2005, Mr Gray returned to Credit Suisse in London to run the Mining team. In January 2009 he joined the world's largest cobalt producer at the time in DRC before it was acquired by ENRC in September 2009. In 2010, Mr. Gray joined Standard Chartered in Hong Kong to run the Mining team, and in 2014 he became a founding partner of Chancery Asset Management in Singapore. For the last 3 years he has also worked as a Director of a Singapore based gold streaming & royalty company. Mr Gray sits on the boards of Axiom Mining and White Rock Minerals that both trade on the ASX.

Thomas Puppendahl - Mr. Puppendahl has over 28 years' experience in global capital markets as a strategist, portfolio manager, investment banker and analyst. He is the founder and managing partner of Chancery Asset Management, an independent strategic advisory firm based in Singapore, specializing in precious metals and emerging markets. In 2015, Chancery became a founding partner of a gold streaming & royalty company focused on providing development capital to emerging gold producers such as K92 Mining (TSXV: KNT). Prior to setting up Chancery, Mr. Puppendahl worked in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, emerging markets and management consulting with Merrill Lynch, Ermgassen & Co. and the Monitor Group in London and Mumbai. Mr. Puppendahl holds Master's degrees in both Physics and Business Administration from RWTH Aachen University, Germany.

Wallacy Goncalves - Mr. Goncalves is a highly respected Brazilian national who has worked in senior positions for several international mining companies. Both in Africa and Brazil, he is extremely well connected, has direct access to local and regional government agencies and politicians. He is bilingual Portuguese / English.

Marcelo Lima - Mr. Lima is a Brazilian national with more than 30 years of mining experience. He is renowned to be one of Brazil's leading mine operations specialists, and he is a qualified mining technician with CREA registration. Marcelo has held senior operational positions with Anglo Gold Ashanti, Rio Tinto, Votorantim Metals and Jaguar Mining. During his tenure with these companies he was responsible for the opening of 8 mines.

About Valterra Resource Corporation

Valterra is a Manex Resource Group Company. The group provides expertise in exploration, administration, and corporate development services for Valterra's mineral properties located in British Columbia, Nevada, and Mexico. Valterra is focused on early stage properties with the potential to host large deposits in regions with excellent infrastructure. Valterra owns a 100% interest in the Swift-Katie copper gold porphyry property in British Columbia. It is earning a 100% interest in the Weepah property in Nevada, with past production totaling approximately 117,000ozs gold and significant exploration potential for a high-grade bulk-mineable gold discovery and a 100% interest in the Los Reyes copper- gold property in Mexico.

-30-

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Lawrence Page"

Lawrence Page Q.C., President, Valterra Resource Corporation

For further information, please visit Valterra's website at valterraresource.com or contact Valterra at 604.641.2759 or by email at ir@mnxltd.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. These statements are based on a number of assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions regarding general economic conditions, interest rates, commodity markets, regulatory and governmental approvals for Valterra Resource Corporation's projects, and the availability of financing for Valterra Resource Corporation's development projects on reasonable terms. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Valterra Resource Corporation does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.



This news release is intended for distribution in Canada only and is not intended for distribution to United States newswire services or dissemination in the United States.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56709
The State commissioner for health , Dr. Saka Haruna Audu, in a press statement on Wednesday described the claim as a fallacy.

Governor Yahaya Bello

The Kogi State Government has rejected the two index cases reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, The PUNCH reports.

The State commissioner for health, Dr. Saka Haruna Audu, in a press statement on Wednesday described the claim as a fallacy.

He said, Kogi State till this very moment is COVID-19 free. We have developed full testing capacity and have conducted hundreds of tests so far which have returned negative.



We have also continued to insist that we will not be a party to any fictitious COVID-19 claims which is why we do not recognise any COVID-19 test conducted by any Kogite outside the boundaries of the State except those initiated by us.

Any attempt to force us to announce a case of COVID-19 will be vehemently rejected.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Wednesday said that two index cases were recorded in Kogi, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 8,733.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto have signed a number of bilateral documents in Budapest, Ukraine's Ambassador to Hungary Liubov Nepop has said.

"Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Peter Szijjarto have signed a protocol between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of Hungary on the introduction of amendments to the framework agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of Hungary on the provision of a loan on the terms of related assistance and a memorandum of understanding between the State Agency for Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine and the Ministry for Innovation and Technology of Hungary," she wrote on her Facebook page on Friday, May 29.

Kuleba is on his first non-virtual visit to Hungary during his tenure and since the introduction of restrictive measures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

op
Dulquer Salmaan is totally busy in his career with some highly promising projects lining up. As per the latest reports, Dulquer is all set to join hands with hitmaker Jeethu Joseph, for the first time in his career. Director Jeethu hinted that he is in talks with the actor for an upcoming project, in a recent interview.

According to the Drishyam 2 director, he has narrated a subject which he had in mind to Dulquer Salmaan during these lockdown days. The Kurup actor, who is impressed with the idea, has asked Jeethu Joseph to work on the script. The director is confident that Dulquer will definitely give the green signal after he reads the script.

However, Jeethu Joseph has no plans to kickstart the scripting of his Dulquer Salmaan projec in near future. It is because the filmmaker is busy with the pre-production of his upcoming ambitious project Drishyam 2, which features Mohanlal in the lead role. The director will start scripting for the Dulquer project, only after he completes Drishyam 2.

As reported earlier, Jeethu Joseph and Mohanlal were working together for the upcoming action thriller Ram, before the lockdown began. However, the project is currently delayed due to the lockdown. The shooting of Ram will only be resumed after the duo completes the shooting of Drishyam 2. The project, which is a sequel to the 2013-released movie Drishyam, has been planned to be shot in a single schedule at the various locations of Kerala.

Dulquer Salmaan, on the other hand, is all set to release his ambitious project Kurup, once the lockdown comes to an end. The movie, which was originally slated to be released for Eid 2020, is now postponed indefinitely due to the lockdown. The actor is expected to resume the shooting for his upcoming Tamil project Hey Sinamika, once the world comes back to normalcy.

Also Read:

Dulquer Salmaan Reveals Kurup Second Poster; Says The Film Would Have Released For This Eid!
A 42-year-old Boston man has been identified as the victim of a fatal shooting Wednesday night in Dorchester that wounded four other men, according to police.

Officers responded around 11:55 p.m. to a call about several people shot near 5 Ames St. Five men were found with gunshot wounds and taken to nearby hospitals, where one of the victims died, the Boston Police Department said in a statement.

The victim has since been identified as Rolando Verdejo, 42, of Boston, the statement said. The remaining four victims injuries are considered non-life-threatening at this time.

As the shooting unfolded, another violent incident was reported. Two other men had gone to the hospital for treatment after one was shot and the other was stabbed in the area of Massachusetts Avenue, according to police.

Boston Police Commissioner William Gross, at a press briefing early Thursday morning, noted authorities do not know if the two incidents were connected.

The Boston Police Department has urged anyone with information relating to the violent incidents to call homicide detectives at (617) 343-4470 or call the anonymous tip line at 1 (800) 494-TIPS.

Related Content: Six people shot, one killed in two shootings Wednesday night in Boston
New Delhi: The Delhi Police's Special Cell on Friday (May 29) arrested Pinjra Tod activist Natasha Narwal and booked her under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for alleged conspiracy in the northeast Delhi riots in February and were sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

Narwal, along with another JNU student Devangana Kalita have already been arrested in another case, being investigated by the Crime branch, related to communal violence in northeast Delhi and are in judicial custody till June 11. Metropolitan Magistrate Kapil Kumar sent both to judicial remand after the Delhi Police told the court that they longer seek their custody for probe.

The two women are associated with Pinjra Tod group, a collective of women students and alumni of colleges from across Delhi and are currently lodged in Mandoli jail here. The two women were arrested on May 23 in connection with a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Jaffrabad area in February. A day later, they were granted bail by the court in the case.

Soon after the court passed the order, the Crime Branch of the Delhi police arrested them in a separate case related to the violence, after which both were sent to judicial custody on May 28.

Jamia Millia Islamia students Asif Iqbal Tanha and Gulfisha Khatoon, Jamia Coordination Committee members Safoora Zargar and Meeran Haider, President of Jamia Alumni Association Shifa-Ur-Rehman, suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain, former Congress municipal councillor Ishrat Jahan and former student leader Umar Khalid have also been booked under the anti-terror law in the case being investigated by the Special Cell of the Delhi police.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 this year over anti-Citizenship Act, leaving more than 50 people dead and around 200-250 injured.
The Australian share market finished session steep lower on Friday, 29 May 2020, on tracking falls on Wall Street overnight on rising tensions between the US and China after China's controversial national security law for Hong Kong approved on Thursday. At closing bell, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index stumbled 95.41 points, or 1.63%, to 5,755.69. The broader All Ordinaries dropped 85.61 points, or 1.44%, to 5,872.20.

China approved a controversial national security law for Hong Kong on Thursday, triggering concerns that the new law will end the city's autonomy. In response, U. S. President Donald Trump said he plans to hold a news conference about China later today.

The move came after Washington revoked the special status conferred on Hong Kong, paving the way for the territory to be stripped of trading and economic privileges. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the status had been withdrawn because China was no longer honouring its handover agreement with Britain to allow Hong Kong a high level of autonomy.

Losses were led by the financials with the majority of sectors weaker. Westpac (WBC) and National Bank (NAB) eased most with declines of 6.3% and 5.2%.

Freedom Foods (FNP) slumped 14.7% after providing a COVID19 trading update. The health food company is expecting a material impact to its FY20 performance due to the pandemic which will include a one off write down of approximately $25 million.

Defensive names were among the outperformers with utilities and consumer staples improving while the tech sector was also slightly higher.

Support for Fortescue (FMG) and gold miners also minimised losses across the materials sector. Northern Star (NST) was a standout as rallied 7.6%.

ECONOMIC NEWS: Australia Private Sector Credit Flat In April- Australia private sector credit in Australia was flat on month in April, the Reserve Bank of Australia said on Friday, following the 1.1% increase in March. On a yearly basis, credit rose 3.6% - unchanged from the March reading.

CURRENCY NEWS: The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.6643, following its rise from levels around $0.66 yesterday.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
S ocial media has undergone something of a boom period recently with increased users and hours spent on the platforms thanks to the current lockdown. Its the same over on the Amazon-owned streaming platform Twitch: with over 4 million creators streaming each month, theres at least 1.5 million people watching streams on the platform at any given time.

Whilst Twitch is often known as a platform for gamers to stream, its become something of a go-to for members of the drag community. Whether its transformation videos, gaming streams in drag, or talk shows, drag queens and kings have been using Twitch to showcase their creativity for the past few years.

We view drag as a component of beauty, explains director of community and creator marketing Erin Wayne. Its definitely its own art form  its very intricate and requires a lot of talent  so we developed the drag programme as an extension of beauty.

Twitch has been investing heavily in drag this year. In February, drag received its own tag on Twitch so viewers can use the tag to find different creators and performers on the platform. And, for the month of May, the platform has been running its first Drag Community Development Program to support the existing talent on the service and promote the online drag community as a whole.

Its so fun and every day is such an adventure to see what creators will come up with. Twitch provides them with the tools and then they make the art, says Wayne.

As part of the programme, queens have received training and support to help them develop their content and streams, as well as homepage promotion to boost their visibility.

Californian-based DEERE was one of the first queens to start streaming on Twitch back in 2016. I wanted to put my passion towards something I really believe in and decided to forge my own path when it came to drag, she explains. I love video games and for the past 15 years Ive worked as a makeup artist, so I thought, why not combine my love of makeup, drag and queer culture and marry it to video games? And thats when I discovered Twitch.

DEERE has been a central part of the growth of the drag community on Twitch. She established the Stream Queens team with another queen, Drag Trashley, which she describes as an all-drag troupe of content creators, to help support and promote one another online. The team has over 40 members worldwide now, who can stream together or raid each others streams  a feature on Twitch which allows you to send your followers to someone elses stream.

DEERE has been streaming on Twitch since 2016 and has been instrumental in growing the community on the platform / Twitch

That being said, she wasnt sure how the platform would respond to her type of content. The formula at the time for a successful Twitch stream was: be young, be white, be male, be straight and that is really daunting to a queer person. I thought I was going to be banned or escorted off the premises.

I just threw myself into it and slowly realised there is an LGBTQIA+ community, and a big demographic of people that didnt fit that formula. Twitch started to support me and really give me their stamp of approval and it was something I was really proud of so I kept doing it.

DEERE has been an advocate for both their community and also an educator in teaching people the best ways to stream on Twitch and make sure they were having a safe and happy experience, says Wayne. There are a lot of components to streaming on Twitch and it can be very daunting - but DEERE was one of the first to say, let me show you how you can do this too.

Streaming has become an important part of DEEREs income, as well as other queens online. Her work as a make up artist is on hold right now, so she has been streaming five days a week. Streamers can earn affiliate revenue, ad revenue, subscriptions and features for users to donate money in chat during streams.

But its not just money where DEREE is seeing the biggest benefit from Twitch at the moment, its also the human interaction. Streaming has been a godsend, I think its kept my sanity a little bit. I love being alone so I didnt mind at first but it does get a little bit scary and difficult when youre alone for weeks on end, she explains.

The best drag and cabaret virtual events happening online 1 /6 The best drag and cabaret virtual events happening online Scaredy Kat's YouTube series RuPauls Drag Race star Scaredy Kat, also known as Alex Cubb, would have been heading to the Edinburgh Fringe festival for the first time in 2020  instead, hes bringing the show online as part of a new YouTube series. The Bare & Klare Show, which was devised with Alexs partner Remi May, is a series of six two-part 15 minute episodes designed as an inspiration guide during lockdown. It's described as creepy Blue Peter meets Eurotrash meets 80s horror meets naughty Elmo hosted by two magical stoner bears, so expect the weird and wonderful. Digital Drag Fest A celebration of all things drag has been taking place online over the past few weeks thanks to Digital Drag Fest, and the good news for fans is that the virtual event has been extended until May 31. Find some of the best drag performers all in one place this month, with Digital Drag Fest taking place until May 31. Tune in each day to see highlights include Gloria Swansongs Dolly Parton tribute show on May 21, Frankie Grandes Livin La Vida Grande show on May 23 and Todrick Halls Beyonce tribute on May 29, among many others. Buy your tickets now. Getty Images Lolas In Your Lounge The Hippodrome has launched Lolas In Your Lounge, a new series transporting viewers to a London cabaret bar indoors. There are events taking place via The Hippodromes Instagram and Facebook Live every Wednesday and Saturday throughout the lockdown. Upcoming events include a Hula Hoop workshop with burlesque performer Storm Hooper on May 20, as well as regular fitness classes with personal trainer and member of the burlesque troupe the Folly Mixtures, Kylie Bond. The series are free for everyone over 18, so settle in and discover something new. Sink the Pink's drag quiz This much-loved LGBTQ+ collective and drag troupe previously teamed up with Wildcat Gin to launch its very own online pub quiz show. At The Queens Head, drag queen Ginger Johnson hosted a regular pub quiz show streamed live on Sink The Pinks Instagram account. It's taking a break ow, although people can watch re-runs of the series and play the quiz by visiting Sink The Pinks IGTV. Unicorn: Memoir Of A Muslim Drag Queen One of the most interesting names in UK drag, Amrou Al-Kadhi, is launching a new online show this month, and it's one you wont want to miss. Tune in on May 28 to see him discuss acclaimed memoir, Unicorn: Memoir Of A Muslim Drag Queen, focusing on his strict Iraqi Muslim upbringing, on leaving Islam then returning, and everything in between. Its a chance to support a fantastic cause too, with all ticket donations going to Fans Supporting Foodbanks, South Liverpool Domestic Abuse Services and WoW. Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd

For other queens, its been an opportunity to showcase their talent in a way they may not on the traditional show route. Not every queen can have their own drag show, but they might be able to get a spot on BiqtchPuddins Digital Drag Show which takes place every Friday for queens who are unable to work in clubs at the moment. The likes of RuPauls Drag Race stars Alaska and Crystal Methyd have been featured, performing in their homes.

The platform has certainly helped the drag show to go on in lockdown. Though the drag programme will end on May 31, this doesnt mean the end to drag on Twitch. We dont see diversity as a singular moment in time, its something we think about all the time, says Wayne. And if ever there was a time we really need the fun and fantasy supplied by drag, its now.

To me, drag is about escapism, it allows me to be a part of myself that Im not normally. You can just forget your problems and be amazing and fabulous for a night, says DEERE. Everyone in the entire world is scared and not sure of whats going to happen and so people doing drag in their own homes or safety of their own bedroom can help ease that kind of feeling.
Indonesian ministry proposes US$69m stimulus for fisheries, aquaculture

The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has proposed a Rp1.02 trillion (US$69 million) stimulus package to aid small scale fishermen and aquaculture farmers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.



Minister Edhy Prabowo said the stimulus would include social aid for fishermen, fish farmers and salt farmers and funds to strengthen surveillance efforts against poaching.



We will optimise the budget to help enable fishermen to go on fishing while also providing the farmers with seeds, broodfish and infrastructure,  the minister said in an online press conference after attending a limited Cabinet meeting with President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Thursday (May 28).



The stimulus package, which was proposed during the meeting, will provide Rp 413.27 billion in funds for fishermen and Rp 406.55 billion to aid aquaculture farmers.



It also includes Rp 36.07 billion for fish processors and marketeers, Rp 54.1 billion for salt farmers, Rp 106.48 billion to strengthen poaching surveillance and Rp 8 billion for internal audits.



We also would like to have more cold storage facilities to anticipate the possibility of slow demand as several regions are still implementing the large-scale social restrictions [PSBB],  the minister said.



The government has been working to ensure a secure supply of staple food across the country amid disruptions in production and logistics as a result of the pandemic.



The government data presented by President Jokowi on April 28 showed that over 20 provinces faced shortages of staple foods, such as garlic, sugar, chili and eggs.



Jokowi, when opening the meeting on Thursday, stressed the requirement to provide incentives for farmers and fishermen to ensure the countrys food security.



Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data show the agriculture, forestry and fishery sector contributed 12.84 percent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter, the third-largest contributor after manufacturing industry and trade.



Edhy also said state-owned fishery companies PT Perikanan Nusantara (Perinus) and PT Perikanan Indonesia (Perindo) were preparing proposals for around Rp 500 billion each in state capital injections (PMN). The two companies are tasked with buying fishery and aquaculture products to boost demand.



Furthermore, the minister also urged state-owned banks and financial institutions to provide loans for aquaculture farmers.



The government has allocated Rp 34 trillion in loan interest subsidies and loan-payment relaxations for farmers and fishermen through the microcredit program (KUR) and the government's UMi and Mekaar programs, among others.



Ive sent out instructions to relax the access and procedures to get the stimulus so that our farmers and fishermen can secure funds and capital,  Jokowi said on Thursday.



Separately, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) environment and development director Stefanos Fotiou said on Thursday that countries should focus on helping poor coastal communities affected by the negative impact of the pandemic.



In the case of the Covid-19 pandemic, the people left behind were people that did not have access to proper health care, they did not have access to proper facilities,  Stefanos said in an online discussion.



The government has projected that up to 3.78 million Indonesians will fall into poverty amid the pandemic, according to its worst-case scenario. That adds to the 24.79 million people who already lived in poverty last year.



Fishermens average income have fallen sharply to a range of Rp 1 million to Rp 1.5 million per month from Rp 3 million to Rp 5 million as a result of the pandemic, according to the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investments human resource development, science and maritime culture deputy, Safri Burhanuddin.



The pandemic is also expected to result in a decline of around 8 percent in production and prices, undoing an upward trend in the previous two years.



The government, he said during the discussion, would disburse Rp 600,000 in cash assistance per month for three months to fishermen and salt farmers, among other workers in the fisheries sector.



We have done many things now, but of course it takes time and we will see the results after June or September,  Safri said.



The blue economy is very important for Indonesia as an archipelago so it is our ultimate goal to make it the primary driver of the economy,  he added, referring to the concept of the sustainable use of marine resources to improve economic growth and livelihoods.

 1995- 2020 Star Media Group Berhad

Theme(s): Others.
Chennai, May 29 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami has written to the heads of 13 multinational companies (MNCs) in the electronics sector to invest in the sourthern state.

In a statement issued here, the government said Palaniswami wrote to the heads of 13 MNCs, including Tim Cook, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Apple; Kim Hyun Suk, President and Chief Executive Officer, Samsung; Jeff Bezos, CEO, Amazon; and Enrique Lores, President and CEO of HP.

The letters outline the investment attractiveness and inherent advantages of Tamil Nadu and excellent support for business and industry to further their growth and promises a customized incentive package as per their requirement.

Due to the coronavirus impact on the world economy, many overseas industries are likely to exit from certain countries and relocate their manufacturing to countries like India.

Palaniswami has constituted a special Investment Promotion Task Force for attracting such investments.

Recently, Tamil Nadu signed investment MoUs with 17 foreign companies totalling Rs 15,128 crore.
Restaurant Brands International Inc. QSR recently provided business update in the view of the coronavirus pandemic. The company has been witnessing improving sales trends at Tim Hortons, Burger King and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, of late.

The company announced that as of the third full week of May, Popeyes US comparable sales were in positive low forties, up from flat in the second half of March. Moreover, as of the third full week of May, Tim Hortons Canada comparable sales were in negative mid-twenties, compared with negative mid-forties in the second half of March. Over the same time frame, Burger King US comparable sales were in negative mid-single digits, compared with the negative low-thirties in the second half of March.

Restaurant Brands comparable sales are benefiting from robust digital platform, increase in home delivery and growth in group orders. The company has been focusing on expansion of delivery via digital platform amid the pandemic. Two years ago, the company had just couple of hundred restaurants in North America on delivery. However, currently, the company has more than 9,000 active restaurants across its three brands with most offering delivery via the companys digital platforms. At Tim Hortons in Canada, the company stared providing delivery from additional 800 restaurants in the past two months. During the first-quarter 2020 conference call, the company announced that delivery sales increased by more than six times compared with their pre-crisis levels.

Other Updates

Management stated that as of third full week of May, almost all restaurants are open in the domestic market. Further, nearly 60% of the companys restaurants are open in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Moreover, roughly 85% and 50% of the companys restaurant are open in Asia Pacific and Latin America, respectively.

Due to the pandemic, the companys shares have fallen 14.9% year to date, compared with the industrys decline of 7.6%.

Story continues

Restaurant Brands currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Key Picks

Better-ranked stocks worth considering in the same space include Domino's Pizza, Inc. DPZ, Wingstop Inc. WING and Yum China Holdings, Inc. YUMC. All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Domino's Pizza, Wingstop and Yum China have an impressive long-term earnings growth rate of 12.5%, 11% and 9.5%, respectively.

The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All

Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce ""the world's first trillionaires,"" but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.

See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Dominos Pizza Inc (DPZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Wingstop Inc. (WING) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Yum China Holdings Inc. (YUMC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Thirty migrants, 24 of them Bangladeshis, were killed on Wednesday while crossing the Libyan desert in search of work.

The 30 migrants killed by traffickers in Libya on Wednesday were abducted while crossing the country and then tortured to extract a ransom, Bangladeshs foreign ministry has said, citing a survivor.

The migrants had been crossing the desert from Benghazi in search of work when they were taken hostage by an armed group near Mizda 15 days ago, the Bangladesh ministry cited the survivor as saying on Friday.

They tortured them inhumanely for a ransom. At some point in their ordeal, the captives killed the main kidnapper. In retaliation, the militia fired indiscriminately at them, Bangladeshs foreign ministry added in a statement.

On Thursday, Libyas internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) said it had issued arrest warrants for suspects in the killing of 24 Bangladeshi and six African migrants.

Another 11 migrants survived the shooting and are in hospital in Mizda, a desert town 160 km (100 miles) south of Tripoli where the killings took place.

GNA Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha said authorities were doing all they could to find the perpetrators.

A local official in Mizda, speaking anonymously, said security forces there had not detained them because they had lost a family member.

Mizda is under the control of eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar and his self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), but not far from areas held by the GNA.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency, said the incident took place in a smuggling warehouse where a group of migrants was being held.

These criminal groups are taking advantage of the instability and security situation to prey on desperate people, said IOM Libya chief Federico Soda.

Libya is home to a large number of migrants, including some who came to work in the major oil-exporting nation before its descent into civil war, and others hoping to use it as a way station on the journey to Europe.

Many of these migrants have also fled poverty, conflict, war, forced labour, female genital mutilation, corrupt governments and personal threats, only to find themselves stranded in the middle of the Libyan conflict.
Reuters

Two NASA astronauts gearing up to ride SpaceX's new space taxi will now be on a mission planned to last more than a month, instead of a week, to help the short-handed crew aboard the International Space Station, the US space agency said on Friday.

The launch is scheduled for May 27 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida and will arrive at the ISS the following day. The mission, SpaceX's first carrying humans, marks the company's climactic test before NASA can certify its Crew Dragon capsule for regular operational flights.

Space Shuttle veterans Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are set to be the first astronauts launched from American soil since the shuttle program was terminated in 2011.

The mission's extension allows Hurley and Behnken to help swap out the station's batteries, a task that requires an outside spacewalk the current US resident on the ISS, Chris Cassidy, could not do alone.

The two astronauts embraced the mission extension, with Hurley saying it could last anywhere from one to four months.

"I think that it being in the summertime, hopefully with a 27 May launch date, we're hitting a good time so that my son will be able to follow the mission a little more closely than he would if he was in school," Behnken said.

SpaceX and Boeing Co have been awarded a combined $7 billion to build separate crew transportation systems under the Commercial Crew Program, NASA's flagship campaign to use the private sector for ISS missions and curb its reliance on Russia's Soyuz rocket.

"We currently are supporting the station with the bare minimum," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said on Friday. "Without the presence of Behnken and Hurley, we otherwise would likely defer such an operation until additional NASA crew members are available."

Kirk Shireman, NASA's ISS program manager, told reporters on Friday that the agency is basing the length of Hurley and Behnken's mission on how quickly SpaceX can finish preparations on its next capsule.

Delays with development of both SpaceX and Boeing vehicles have led NASA to extend its reliance on Russia, forcing the space agency to buy additional seats on the Soyuz rocket to ferry more astronauts to space.
This is Russian radio traffic ... ... to an air force pilot on a bombing mission over Syria. But these coordinates arent for a military target. They point to this underground hospital. Moments later, the pilot bombs it. Nabad al Hayat is one of more than 50 health care facilities bombed in Syria since April, as president Bashar al-Assad seeks to retake the last pocket of opposition with a ferocious onslaught of air power. Observers have long suspected that Russia bombs hospitals. But no one has been able to prove it  until now. The Times has assembled a large body of evidence from multiple sources that directly implicates Russia in four hospital attacks in just 12 hours: one day thats a microcosm of how health care has been crippled in parts of Syria. We collected four main types of evidence: First, flight logs. For years, a network of plane spotters has tracked air force activity over Syria to warn civilians of incoming attacks. They record sightings of fighter jets and listen in on open radio communications between pilots and air traffic controllers. We received months of those flight logs, which tell us where and when the Russian air force was flying. Second, we obtained thousands of recordings of those radio transmissions as Russian pilots operate in the skies above northwest Syria. We spent weeks translating and deciphering their code words to understand how they carry out airstrikes: A pilot receives coordinates for a target. He confirms the target is locked. The pilot calculates the minute he will strike. The dispatcher gives the green light. And the pilot reports back, saying, Srabotal  I worked it. This gives us the clearest picture yet of how and when Russia bombed targets. Third, we analyzed hours of videos of these strikes, which gave us clues about the type of weapons used. We reviewed that footage with experts on the Russian air force. And fourth, we established the time these attacks happened by interviewing medics, obtaining incident reports and examining social media postings. The times of the attacks matched up with sightings of Russian planes and recordings of pilots carrying out strikes. Our detailed findings show how Russia repeatedly violated one of the oldest laws of war. Well walk through those attacks on May 5 to show how the evidence stacks up. Lets start with Nabad al Hayat, where local journalists were warned it could be bombed and filmed the attack. First, the strike time. An incident report said it was hit around 2:40 p.m. Second, flight logs: Spotters in the area reported a Russian jet flying overhead just minutes before the attack. Third, radio recordings: The Russian pilot and air traffic controller are heard preparing the attack minutes before 2:40 p.m. Those coordinates point directly at the underground hospital, and at 2:40, the pilot confirms the strike. Fourth, analysis of the strike itself: Three projectiles fall in quick succession and very precisely, within around 100 feet of each other. They also appear to explode after a slight delay once they penetrate the ground. Military experts told us these are the hallmarks of a precision strike, something the Syrian air force is not currently capable of, only the Russians. Luckily, the hospital was empty, because days before, staff had received warnings from plane spotters of possible attacks. It had in the past treated hundreds of patients every month, but it remains out of service today. Around three miles away, Doctors in Kafr Nabl were treating patients that afternoon when this single hospital was hit four times in 18 minutes. We spoke to one of its doctors. Again, the evidence from 5:30 p.m. points to Russia. Spotters reported both Russian and Syrian jets flying overhead. Next, radio messages record a Russian pilot making four strikes at that very time. At 5:30 p.m., the pilot says: At 5:35 p.m.: 5:40 p.m.: And 5:48 p.m.: Four strikes in all, each around five minutes apart, at the exact time witnesses reported the attack. And last, the weapon: Three precision strikes hit the hospitals entrance. Experts told us its highly unlikely Syrian jets could do this. Because the hospital was dug deep underground, only one person was killed in the attack  though many were injured. The bombing didnt stop there. Kafr Zita Cave Hospital was hit at 3:15 p.m. The hospital director reported it in a WhatsApp message to a colleague that day. Again, flight logs record a Russian jet near Kafr Zita around that time, and at 3:15, a Russian pilot confirms a strike. That night, Al Amal Orthopedic Hospital was hit. Again, only Russian jets were recorded flying in the area, and a Russian pilot confirms the strike around 2 a.m. Health care facilities have been attacked more than 600 times in the course of Syrias war. Its a deliberate strategy to make civilian life unbearable in opposition strongholds. In response to The Times, Russian officials denied responsibility and said they carry out precision strikes only on what they call accurately researched targets. But these hospitals were on a no-strike list that Russia received from the United Nations. And The Times confirmed with medical groups that they were operational on the day of the attacks. Russia and Syria should have known they were off limits. By law, its their responsibility to avoid hitting them. But this evidence paints a damning portrait of a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council committing gross violations in just one day of Russias four-year air campaign in Syria. Hey, this is Malachy, and I lead the team who worked on this video. We spent thousands of hours putting this investigation together, and we knew we had important new details to share when we got audio recordings of a Russian pilot receiving the coordinates for a hospital and then bombing it. The source of the audio asked to remain anonymous for their safety. But the evidence they provided was irrefutable. We do this work to find the truth and hold people in power to account. Thank you for watching.
SPRINGFIELD  One of two city men arrested on firearm charges Wednesday night was serving a suspended sentence for dragging a police officer with a vehicle during a previous firearms arrest, police said.

The Wednesday incident began about 10 p.m. when narcotics detectives stopped a vehicle near Fort Pleasant Avenue and Leete Street after receiving information that a firearm was inside, said Ryan Walsh, spokesman for Springfield police.

Detectives saw two passengers, later identified as Cedric Simmons and Hudson Collins, remove the fanny packs they were wearing and toss them under their feet.

Detectives found a firearm loaded with eight rounds of ammunition and an additional 12 rounds inside Collins fanny pack, Walsh said. The firearm had been reported stolen out of South Carolina.

Detectives found a firearm loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition and a second magazine loaded with 15 rounds inside Simmons fanny pack.

Inside the vehicle, detectives found a magazine loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition and 38 additional rounds.

In October 2018, Simmons dragged a Springfield police officer with his vehicle and drove directly at another officer while fleeing from a traffic stop, Walsh said. He and a passenger had a firearm in the car.

Simmons pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including assault and battery on a police officer and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He received a two-year suspended sentence in January, Walsh said.

Mayor Domenic Sarno released this statement following the arrests:

Once again, what will it take for our court system to hold these repeat violent offenders accountable for their continued detriment actions against our community? As usual, our brave and dedicated men and women of the Springfield Police Department served and protected our community with great distinction. What the hell does it take for our courts to keep bad individuals like this locked up?

Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood issued a statement that read in part: The only way to keep our neighborhoods safe is to keep these violent repeat offenders incarcerated. Our judges need to hold these individuals accountable.

Simmons, 23, of Fort Pleasant Avenue, was charged with carrying a loaded large-capacity firearm on a public way, possession of a large-capacity firearm in commission of a felony, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, two counts of possession of a high-capacity feeding device and firearm violation with one prior violent/drug crime.

Collins, 24, of Chestnut Street, was charged with carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, receiving stolen property under $1,200 and possession of ammunition without an FID card.

Related Content:
American home kitchens are in an unprecedented moment, where the most pedestrian supermarket staples can be as valuable as finicky homemade products. A household's most prized possessions can include a jar of sourdough starter just as easily as a can of Chef Boyardee Spaghettios.

Which makes this the perfect time to celebrate the tuna melt, one of the most supermarket-driven of sandwiches. It's made from canned tuna, mayonnaise, and sliced cheese from the dairy aisle-not dependent on decent produce, like, say, a BLT. What makes it shine now is the increasing availability of high-quality tinned fish.

The dish has been having a bit of a moment since March 1. According to a Reddit spokesperson, there's been an increase of over 30% in mentions of tuna melts across the platform, which includes an 18.7 million-member food community, compared with the same time period in 2019. Canned tuna references were also up more than 60% across Reddit.

Coincidentally, the sandwich is a highlight of the new The Tinned Fish Cookbook: Easy-to-Make Meals From Ocean to Plate by Bart van Olphen (The Experiment; $19). Van Olphen was once a chef at the 2-Michelin-star restaurant Lucas Carton in Paris. He's gone on to become a passionate sustainable seafood advocate: He advises British food star Jamie Oliver on the subject and has written cookbooks in both English and his native Dutch. In his 2010 award-winning Fish Tales, he chronicles stories and recipes from sustainable fisheries around the world.

His new book includes 45 recipes for different kinds of canned and tinned seafood, from anchovies and sardines to less conventional options such as mackerel. "Tinned seafood is considered secondary to fresh. But people should think of it as a way of preserving-that's a technique that's so popular now and leaves you with a fantastic product," says van Olphen. He, of course, advises buying sustainably harvested tinned fish, especially for tuna, which is heavily overfished. Pole- and line-caught is especially good.

Van Olphen has a soft spot for the tuna melt, which combines creamy tuna salad with melty cheese within the crunchiness of fried bread. He notes you can substitute your favorite cheese for cheddar and even use a thick layer of salty grated Parmesan. But it's hard to argue with a cheese that melts all over the tuna salad as it toasts in the skillet. (He also says you can switch out the canned fish in the sandwich, but who would want to do that?)

The former chef in van Olphen hacks the classic by making a homemade ketchup to serve as a dipping sauce for the tuna melt. It's a good, tangy, sweet tomato mix. But if you love a ketchup in a bottle, use that. Whether you want to go the extra step of making homemade sourdough bread for the sandwich is up to you.

The following recipe is adapted from The Tinned Fish Cookbook.

Tuna Melt With Ketchup

Serves 2

6-oz. can of oil-packed tuna, drained

 cup diced red onion1 scallion, white and light green parts, finely chopped

3 tbsp. coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

3 tbsp. mayonnaise

Hot sauce, such as Tabasco

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 slices of rustic bread

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

4 slices of sharp cheddar cheese

Ketchup (recipe follows), or your favorite store-bought bottle

In a medium bowl mix the tuna, red onion, scallion, parsley, mayonnaise, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Butter each slice of bread on one side. Divide the tuna mixture on the unbuttered side of 2 bread slices and top with the cheddar and then the other 2 bread slices, buttered sides up. Warm a griddle or cast-iron skillet over moderate heat and fry the sandwiches, carefully turning once, until the bread is crusty and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes per side. Serve hot with ketchup.

Ketchup

Makes about 2 cups

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

 cup chopped red onion

One 14-oz. can peeled whole tomatoes

1  tbsp. tomato puree

1 tbsp. dark brown sugar, plus more to taste

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and red onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar, and vinegar and cook over low heat, breaking up the tomatoes, until thick, about 8 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a small blender and puree. Season the ketchup with salt and pepper, and more brown sugar, if desired.
The governors of Illinois and California took somewhat different tacks Thursday night as they urged the Supreme Court not to get involved in disputes over the impact of virus-related lockdown orders on churches in their states.

Hours before a deadline to respond to two churches request for an emergency stay to allow them to have more than 10 people in attendance at Pentecost services this Sunday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.) announced that he was dropping all legal restrictions on religious gatherings and replacing them with voluntary guidance.

The new guidelines encourage congregations to limit attendance to 25 percent of normal capacity with no more than 100 people on hand.

Per the Governors announcement today, religious organizations are no longer subject to any of the gathering restrictions in any phase, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Solicitor General Jane Notz wrote in the states submission to the Supreme Court on Thursday night.

By contrast, California's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsoms most recent virus-response plan includes the same numerical standards for churches, but makes the limits mandatory rather than optional.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised 2020-2021 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, May 14, 2020. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom presented a revised $203 billion budget proposal to state lawmakers Thursday, reflecting an economy and tax revenues hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool)

Both states defended their prior actions and, notably, declined to promise not to reimpose more aggressive measures, if warranted.

When the attendance restriction proves unnecessary, the State will lift it or loosen it, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Solicitor General Michael Mongan wrote in the states filing with the justices. In light of the tremendous uncertainty continuing to surround this new and deadly virus, however, it would be rash to do so today, before public-health officials have had the opportunity to evaluate evidence of the policys effectiveness in practice.

A lawyer for the two Chicago-area churches challenging the Illinois policy, Mat Staver, said Pritzkers last-minute shift showed his earlier directive was unjustified.

The fact that he recently said that churches would never get above 50 people for at least 12 to 18 months, and now a few hours before he had to file with the Supreme Court he removes all restrictions, illustrates that he had no basis for the orders in the first place, said Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel. The only thing that changed was he was dragged to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Story continues

While the churches have argued that the states rules have treated them worse than big box stores or offices, the states rejected that claim Thursday, insisting that the restrictions on religious worship were prompted by compelling evidence that such services pose an unusually serious risk of transmitting the virus.

Unfortunately, the reality is that, given the close quarters and verbal interactions involved in such gatherings, outbreaks of the virus have been traced back to religious services around the world, the Illinois state lawyers wrote.

Attorneys for both states pointed to a slew of significant infections traced to churches, including in California, Kentucky, Washington state, Germany and South Korea.

President Donald Trump jumped into the fray last week, announcing  without citing any legal authority  that he was ordering states to declare religious worship at churches, synagogues and mosques to be essential under states coronavirus lockdown plans.

However, lawyers for both Pritzker and Newsom said they had already labeled churches as essential and made accommodations from early in the outbreak, such as allowing travel by ministers and drive-in church services.

The Illinois churches struck out in their efforts to seek emergency relief from Pritzkers earlier orders. A 7th Circuit Court of Appeals panel turned down a request for an injunction earlier this month.

Chicago authorities sent the pastor of one of the churches a notice last week saying that by defying the ban his church could be deemed a public nuisance subject to summary abatement, which can involve demolition. However, the city has said it has no plans to knock down churches in any fashion.

The San Diego-area church challenging Newsoms order also came up short in court, but did get one 9th Circuit judge to dissent as two of his colleagues refused to grant an emergency stay.

I do not doubt the importance of the public health objectives that the State puts forth, but the State can accomplish those objectives without resorting to its current inflexible and over-broad ban on religious services, wrote Judge Daniel Collins, a Trump appointee. (The state subsequently relaxed those restrictions.)

Other federal appeals courts have agreed to churches requests to block lockdown orders in Mississippi and Kentucky.

Both California and Illinois are suggesting to the justices that wading into the quickly changing array of virus-related orders would be unwise, as infection rates fluctuate and authorities try to tailor their responses accordingly.

It would surely be premature to assess whether a hypothetical future pandemic response would be constitutionally justified without knowing the circumstances that prompted its adoption, the California lawyers wrote.

There is no deadline for the high court to act on the emergency applications. However, some action is expected before Sunday, given the churches' request to hold larger holiday services. The emergency relief the churches are seeking typically requires the support of five of the court's nine justices.
SAN DIEGO, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Special Interest Group on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (SIGKDD) today announced that registration is open for KDD 2020, the premier interdisciplinary data-science conference. For 26 years, the KDD conference has brought together an international community of leading researchers and practitioners in data science, machine learning, big data, and artificial intelligence. Given the rapidly changing landscape of the global pandemic, KDD 2020, which will take place Aug. 23-27, 2020, will now offer its signature programming in an entirely virtual format.

"For years, data science leaders from all over the world have looked forward to the KDD conference as an opportunity to connect with peers and share ideas," said Yan Liu, KDD 2020 conference co-chair and associate professor of computer science at the University of Southern California. "From keynote speakers and workshops to exhibitions and breakout sessions, we are committed to delivering a virtual experience that offers the same opportunities for collaboration and exchange."

The conference brings together leading experts in data science and artificial intelligence to share their latest research, results, and ideas. Confirmed keynote speakers for this year's conference include Emery Brown, Edward Hood Taplin professor of medical engineering and computational neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Kate Crawford, distinguished research professor at New York University and a principal researcher at Microsoft Research; Yolanda Gil, research professor of computer science and spatial sciences at the University of Southern California and principal scientist at USC Information Sciences Institute; Meuala Manuela Veloso, head of J.P. Morgan AI Research and the Herbert A. Simon University professor in the school of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University; and, Alessandro Vespignani, Sternberg Family Distinguished University professor and director of the Network Science Institute at Northeastern University.

In addition to its well-known peer-review process for research papers, KDD is distinctive in its focus on real world applications of the latest discoveries in data science. Sessions on topics as varied as theoretical advances in deep learning, healthcare AI, urban computing, and intelligent transportation ensure programmatic diversity and choice for conference attendees. KDD encourages attendee participation through its numerous workshops, tutorials, and the KDD Cup, an annual competition where thousands of experts and enthusiast participate to solve real world issues in applied data science.

"Building upon SIGKDD's unique participation from both academic and industry experts, KDD fully integrates new knowledge domains through the close alignment of research and real-world utilization," said Rajesh Gupta, KDD 2020 conference co-chair and director of the Halcoglu Data Science Institute at the University of California, San Diego. "Our goal is to offer attendees essential education on cutting-edge trends and hands-on training in artificial intelligence, big data, data analytics, data science, data mining, deep learning, knowledge graphs, machine learning, relational databases and statistical methods."

Highlighting the conference's successful history of industry participation, KDD 2020 is sponsored by some of the world's biggest brands. Past sponsors include Intuit, DiDi, Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn, Apple, KenSci, Wayfair, Criteo, Inspur, D.E. Shaw & Co, Square Point, Naver Line, Microsoft, Siemens, Etsy, Two Sigma, Squirrel AI Learning, Gurobi, JD.com, Geneia, Pinterest, CRC Press, Indeed, and HexagonML.

For more information and to register for the virtual conference, visit: https://www.kdd.org/kdd2020/attending/registration.

About ACM SIGKDD:

ACM is the premier global professional organization for researchers and professionals dedicated to the advancement of the science and practice of knowledge discovery and data mining. SIGKDD is ACM's Special Interest Group on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining. The annual KDD International Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining is the premier interdisciplinary conference for data mining, data science and analytics.

For more information on KDD, please visit: https://www.kdd.org/.

Follow KDD on:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SIGKDD

Twitter https://twitter.com/kdd_news

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/groups/160888/

SOURCE ACM SIGKDD

Related Links

http://www.kdd.org


Representative image

Hula Global, a Noida-based company which is into manufacturing and distribution of personal protection equipment, was counting on the huge windfall opportunity post-COVID-19 outbreak.

During the initial weeks of COVID-19 outbreak in India, there was a huge shortage of coveralls, especially for frontline healthcare workers. A single piece of PPE coverall was being sold for Rs 1,300 - Rs 1,500.

Hula bought machines and expanded capacity to make 10,000 coveralls daily.

Sensing opportunity, many small and medium textile and apparel makers soon jumped into manufacturing coveralls. The problem is coverall making was highly unregulated, with hardly any quality standards. But the prices have started to crash. Now, coverall in bulk costs about Rs 300 - Rs 350 apiece, but quality remains a problem.

Track this blog for latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Companies like Hula were irked by crash in prices and lack of clarity in terms of standardisation and quality.

"Currently, India follows a 'one-size-fits-all' criteria for coveralls in contrast to the category-wise standardisation followed in other countries," said Karan Bose, Managing Director, Hula Global.

Bose said the risk of infection varies depending on the profession. A medical worker is at highest risk of infection - he needs to get the coverall of different quality compared to people working in hair saloon, cab drivers, restaurant workers who are less at risk.

"The government hasn't come up with guidelines on this," Bose said.

Meanwhile hospital workers have started complaining about substandard coveralls that are supplied to them.

"We are currently staying away from coveralls as there is no lack clarity. We are shipping surgical gowns to Europe and other places," Bose said.

While government has given power to eight labs across India that includes the South India Textile Research Association (SITRA), Defence Research & Development Establishment (DRDO), Ordinance Factory Board and Textiles Committe among others to test and validate samples of coveralls and issue certificates.

Bose said it still remains a huge challenge to verify quality of the products supplied as some manufacturers send good quality product for sampling but end up supplying coveralls with inferior quality..

Bose said the a medical grade coverall of good quality would cost Rs 500 - Rs 700 per piece.

Meanwhile the government said HLL Lifecare Limited (HLL), the procuring agency of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is procuring PPE coveralls from manufacturers and suppliers only after getting their coveralls tested and approved by one of the eight labs nominated by the Ministry of Textiles (MoT) for testing the same. It is only after their products qualify in the test prescribed by the technical committee (JMG) of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, that they are procured.

India has significantly ramped up its domestic production capacity of coveralls, producing more than 3 lakh PPEs States as well as Central institutions have been provided with around 74.48 lakh coveralls so far.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
By Trend

Iranian Foreign Ministry has congratulated the Azerbaijani people on the Republic Day, Trend reports referring to the message posted on the official Twitter page of the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

Our sincere congratulation to the government and the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the Republic Day, the message said. On this prominent day, we wish them everlasting peace and prosperity.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
National Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) and Ghanaians to ignore the provocation and empty threats of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) against the compilation of a new register.



According to him, the attacks on the Electoral Commission (EC) are absolutely needless as any attempt to subject the EC to the control and direction of any person or authority is unconstitutional and totally misguided.



In a press statement copied to Peacefmonline.com, Chairman Freddie Blay indicated that the compilation of a new register by the Electoral Commission is constitutional as it is enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.



The 1992 Constitution clearly states out the functions of the Electoral Commission which includes compiling the register of voters and revise same at such periods as may be determined by law, and it to undertake programs for the expansion of the registration of voters, he mentioned.



He said that the oppositions attempt to keep shifting the opposing goalpost from the cost of procuring a new voter register to the cost of lives for going through a progressive electoral process clearly demonstrates their inconsistencies and hypocrisy.



Freddie Blay stressed that those vehemently opposing to the compilation of a new voters register, weaving their arguments around the potential exponential COVID-19 deaths and infections are in pursuit of their parochial and self-serving interests.



They seem to forget that the December 7 elections would not be any different, because Ghanaians would be expected to queue in lines to cast their votes and also witness the votes counted and recorded as prescribed in the 1992 constitution, he scored.



He was of the view that the efforts by nay sayers and warmongers like Major Boakye-Djan, Asiedu Nketia and Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah to suppress the citizenry with fear is, to say the least, wicked, opportunistic and unfortunate.



 . . the CSO Alliance and Inter-Party Resistance Against the New Voters' Register should spare Ghanaians the provocative and empty threats of chaos, confusion, bloodshed and death in the name of protecting the constitution, he scolded.



He added that the NDC leadership in less than four years in opposition was already exhibiting frustration, triggering their irresponsible utterances.



He however urged Ghanaians not to give value to the currency of the arguments of the opposition NDC that Ghana cannot compile a new register due to COVID-19, as it is as bad an opinion that suggests there can be no election this year.



Freddie Blay said his ruling NPP is confident that irrespective of the protocols and restrictions brought about by COVID-19, the nation would always rise to the occasion of protecting and exercising constitutional rights, including going through a new electoral process.



He added that the advent of COVID-19 has offered Ghanaians a great opportunity to work together in terms attitudinal change towards collectively building a disciplined and prosperous nation.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo inspects troops during his visit to the Natuna islands bordering the South China Sea, Jan. 8, 2020.

Indonesia added its weight to recent diplomatic moves by ASEAN members opposing Beijings claims in the South China Sea, sending a rare diplomatic note to the head of the United Nations earlier this week.

The letter, sent to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday, spelled out the Indonesian governments support for a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, when the court sided with the Philippines in a case that Manila brought against China over a territorial dispute in the sea.

Indonesia reiterates that the Nine-Dash line map implying historic rights claim clearly lacks international legal basis and is tantamount to upsetting UNCLOS 1982, said the letter from Indonesias Permanent Mission to the United Nations, referring to a boundary on Chinese maps that encompasses Beijings claims in the maritime region.

As a State Party to UNCLOS 1982, Indonesia has consistently called for the full compliance toward international law, including UNCLOS 1982. Indonesia hereby declares that it is not bound by any claims made in contravention to international law, including UNCLOS 1982, the letter stated.

The letter, parts of which were posted to Twitter by Sidhant Sibal, a reporter for the WION news website, referred to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the international treaty adopted nearly 40 years ago. WION and Rappler.com included portions of the letter in their reports on this issue.

On , a diplomat at Indonesias Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York referred BenarNews requests for comments or a copy of the letter to the foreign ministry in Jakarta.

When BenarNews contacted him earlier in the day about the letter, a foreign ministry spokesman, Teuku Faizasyah, said Ill check it first.

In Washington, Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, said Indonesias action broke new ground.

This note verbale is the first time that any of the Philippines Southeast Asian neighbors has stood up and explicitly endorsed its 2016 arbitration win against China. Officials in Jakarta have been pushing this for four years and it looks like theyve finally won out over political fears about China, he told BenarNews.

If this, or more likely the next, Philippine government ever wants to take up the cause again, Indonesian support could be an important part of building a coalition.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took power days before the Permanent Court ruled in favor of his countrys claim to the contested waterway, has instead sought closer ties with China.

The Indonesian letter is the latest in a flurry of letters from ASEAN countries and China following a Malaysian submission to the U.N. in December 2019 that claimed sovereignty over an extended continental shelf in the South China Sea off its northern coast, potentially an area with significant undersea resources.

It is our sovereign right to claim whatever is there within our waters and which is not claimed by others, said Saifuddin Abdullah, who was Malaysias foreign minister at the time the letter was filed.

The letter drew a response from China, which asserted sole sovereignty over the South China Sea, based not just on its claims to land features, but also on the basis of historic rights to the waters themselves.

The Philippines and Vietnam weighed in, submitting protests to Chinas territorial claims. Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam are among countries that, along with China, have competing claims in the South China Sea. Indonesia is not among the claimant countries, but in early 2020 and in 2016, tensions flared between Jakarta and Beijing over the presence of Chinese fishing boats swarming in South China Sea waters near Indonesias Natuna Islands.

In 2002, the 10-nation ASEAN bloc and China agreed on a Declaration of Conduct, which was a statement of principles on how parties should behave in the South China Sea. But completing a more detailed  and binding  Code of Conduct (CoC) has proved much harder.

Negotiations began in earnest in 2016 with a tentative deadline for acceptance in 2021. A draft of the text of the agreement has been released.

Observers have said that Beijing would like to end negotiations early without touching basic but contentious sections including what it actually claims in the sea region.

China could, by forcing an early resolution to the Code of Conduct, just shut everybody up, Carl Thayer, professor emeritus at the University of New South Wales, told BenarNews in April. Sorry, we closed the door, we cant change anything, what we occupy is Chinas and you relinquish it.

Retno Marsudi statement

Earlier this month, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi issued a statement saying her government was closely following recent developments in the sea region.

Indonesia expresses its concerns on recent activities in the South China Sea which may potentially escalate tensions at a time where global collective efforts are vital in fighting COVID-19 she said during a speech on May 6.

Indonesia underlines the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea including to ensure freedom of navigation and over-flight and to urge all parties to respect international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Retno added.

She also noted that while CoC negotiations had been delayed, all relevant countries should show self-restraint.

We remain committed to ensuring the conclusion of the CoC that is effective, substantive, and actionable, despite the current circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / This newspaper's correspondent in Beijing reported on May 28 that the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference were held in Beijing on May 22. In the context of the global epidemic situation, this year's NPC and CPPCC have drawn particular attention from the outside world.

For the United States, the biggest concern is a legislative bill called Hong Kong national security laws: the Decision of the National People's Congress on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Safeguard National Security, because it will be related to the U.S. policy towards China and the interests of U.S.-funded U.S. enterprises in China.

It is reported that this bill is not based on Hong Kong's "self-legislating" under Article 23 of Hong Kong's Basic Law, but is a bill empowered by the Constitution and the Basic Law and directly implemented by the National People's Congress on Hong Kong national security issues. The draft bill was submitted to the National People's Congress for deliberation and passed today (May 28).

According to the contents of the previously published bill, the bill will authorize the NPC Standing Committee to enact laws to prevent, stop and punish any act that seriously endangers national security, such as splitting the country, subverting the state power and organizing and implementing terrorist activities, as well as activities of foreign and overseas forces interfering in the affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The bill has aroused great controversy since its promulgation, but objectively, the enactment of the national security laws is a normal thing for a sovereign country. As a matter of fact, many Hong Kong politicians and businessmen believe that the national security legislation for Hong Kong is too late.

Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong's former chief executive and now Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, pointed out that it has been 23 years since Hong Kong's return to the motherland. Due to various obstacles from the opposition, similar laws cannot be passed in Hong Kong, thus failing to meet the needs of national security. Under such circumstances, it is completely reasonable and legal for the NPC to plug the loopholes, and at the same time the NPC absolutely has the power to do so.

Story continues

Leung said that in the past few years, the opposition has continuously attacked the bottom line of the Chinese Central Government, endangering the national security and causing negative effects in Hong Kong. "But almost every country and every society in the world, including the United States itself, as well as some Asian countries, such as Singapore, have laws in this regard", he said.

Take the United States as an example, there are dozens of existing laws related to national security, including the National Security Act of 1947, the Sedition Act, the Espionage Act, the Alien Enemies Act, the Protect America Act, the Homeland Security Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, etc. These laws are aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty, integrity, security and stability.

It should be pointed out that Hong Kong national security laws are against four kinds of acts, namely splitting of the country, subversion of the Chinese Central Government, intervention by external forces and terrorism. It is not related to the lawful assemblies, processions, lectures and religious activities of ordinary Hong Kong citizens, nor will it affect normal social and economic activities.

Therefore, Hong Kong national security laws are essentially a normal means for China to safeguard its own national interests, rather than a strategy of war with the United States. In the context of the global pandemic of the COVID-19, the United States is facing the severe challenges of the spread of the pandemic and the economic recession. Therefore, for the benefit of the American people, it is more important to focus on seeking international cooperation to combat the epidemic, instead of concentrating on matters that do not involve the core national interests of the United States. In fact, due to the huge amount of US investment in Hong Kong and its many benefits in Hong Kong, the legislation is conducive to Hong Kong's social and economic recovery and is of great benefit to US enterprises in Hong Kong.

Wong Yuk-Shan, deputy head of the Hong Kong National People's Congress delegation, said that since June last year, many violent incidents have affected the people's livelihood in Hong Kong, and the riots have continued for so long without any sign of stopping, causing great losses to the society.

Leung also pointed out that the Hong Kong version national security laws would not hinder foreign investors from investing in Hong Kong, nor would it hinder the freedom enjoyed by local residents according to law; in contrast, the existing national security loopholes in Hong Kong will affect Hong Kong's social stability, thus affecting Hong Kong's economic development.

Certainly, legislation is only the first step, and the key lies in the detailed rules and strength of law enforcement, which is also something we need to pay attention to for a long time. In summary, the United States should not be too sensitive or nervous about Hong Kong national security laws, but should seek win-win cooperation with China within the existing framework.

Global News Online

Cathy Concord

+1 (321) 800-3487

info@globalnewsonline.info

SOURCE: Global News Online





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/591929/China-Will-Enact-Hong-Kong-National-Security-Laws-Which-May-be-not-a-Bad-Thing-for-the-United-States




New Delhi, May 29 : A day after Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that there were a handful of people -- "prophets of doom" -- who were always sceptical about everything, the Congress on Friday questioned the apex court's silence and alleged that the government was autocratic in its functioning.

Randeep Surjewala, Congress chief spokesperson, said, "Modi Govt's 'New Definitions' in SC - 1)'Some High Courts are running a parallel Govt' 2) Those criticising the govt are 'prophets of doom' 3) Cites instance of a journalist as 'vulture'." "A prelude to complete 'Autocracy & Abdication of Constitution'!" added Surjewala in his tweet.

The Congress leader also questioned the transfer of the bench in the Gujarat High Court. "No wonder the High Court Bench holding Gujarat Govt accountable for abdication of duty & turning the hospital into a 'dungeon' is suddenly changed. Can there be a greater 'travesty of justice'?" Surjewala said.

"Why is SC silent on such rank subversion of justice?" he asked.

Kapil Sibal also lashed out on the SG and tweeted, "Sad but true. A law officer in the Supreme Court dealing with the plight of migrants epitomised by the images in the public domain said: Journalists are vultures and High Courts are running parallel governments. This is politics not law!" Referring to the activists spreading negativity on the measures taken by the Centre to provide relief to migrant workers during lockdown, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court on Thursday that "there were a handful of people -- 'prophets of doom' -- who are always sceptical about everything".

Mehta submitted before a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, S.K. Kaul and M.R. Shah that these people have been squabbling on social media, have been giving interviews, and writing articles against every institution and have not even acknowledged the humongous efforts made by the government.

Mehta said this has become a trend and the court, as an institution, has to prevent its spread. He added that the trend is that a handful of people give "certificates" to judges of neutrality only if judges abuse the Executive.

He submitted that none of these "prophets of doom" have shown any courtesy to the nation during the pandemic. "The government and ministers are working overnight to see that there is the minimum spread of the virus. All these armchair intellectuals and so-called public spirited people have done nothing to contribute", Mehta told the Supreme Court.
Seoul/Washington, May 29 : The US Justice Department has indicted more than 30 North Korean and Chinese individuals on charges of laundering at least $2.5 billion to help fund Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, according to an indictment.

The defendants -- 28 North Koreans and five Chinese nationals -- are accused of using a web of more than 200 shell companies to launder the funds through the international banking system, the Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported on Friday citing the New York Times as saying.

The money went to North Korea's state-owned Foreign Trade Bank and was used to support the country's weapons of mass destruction program, it said.

The Washington Post called it the largest North Korean sanctions violations case charged by the US.

"The charges alleged in this indictment arise from a multiyear scheme to covertly access the US financial system in spite of sanctions which are intended to deal with unusual and extraordinary threats to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the US," said the 50-page indictment by the US attorney for the District of Columbia on Thursday.

North Korea is under multiple layers of US and UN sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, said the Yonhap News Agency report.

US-North Korea negotiations to dismantle the nuclear program have made little progress despite three meetings between US.President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon delivers a commencement speech via video to 27 graduating students of Dwight School Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Dwight School Seoul



By Kim Se-jeong



Dwight School Seoul, an international school in Seoul, had a face-to-face graduation ceremony for its high school senior class Friday, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.



The extra measures employed to prevent any spread of the virus created an unusual scene. Guests and 27 graduating students passed through tight security involving thermal cameras and a sanitizing procedure. Inside the venue, all in attendance wore masks and there were spaces between seats to ensure social distancing.



"This has been a difficult year for seniors all over the world as all of the celebrations that usually happen in the last year of high school have been cancelled because of COVID-19," the school said.



"With the Korean government advising all schools, including foreign schools, to close on Feb. 25, Dwight School Seoul students have been taking online classes for the last three months. Despite the many activities and 12th grade events that have been cancelled, the return to school came just in time to allow for a socially distanced graduation ceremony."



Former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon delivered a commencement speech through a video message.



"The world now has become more interconnected and closer than ever and will continue to become even more so in the future," Ban said. "This has led to the rise of challenges on a global scale such as the COVID-19 outbreak that we are experiencing right now, as well as climate change, the defining global challenge of our time.



"I have always said that global challenges require solutions on a global scale. In the face of great adversity, it may be tempting to turn a blind eye, shift the burden of responsibility to others, and maybe even pretend the problem isn't there. However, that is never the answer to any problem.



"It is in times of challenge that we must stick together and unite more than ever. Please remember the values of a global vision that Dwight School has taught you and let it serve as a beacon of light that guides you into the future."



Dwight School Seoul is a part of Dwight Schools, a network of international Baccalaureate schools founded in 1872. It opened in 2012 in Seoul with programs for kindergarten through high school.


Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 19:33:44|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

-The meetings, "even if 10 weeks later than usual, are the strongest signal that is coming from Beijing: the worst is over," wrote a commentary of German magazine Der Spiegel last week.

-The Chinese economy has demonstrated strong resilience against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

-Experts believe that a package of hardcore measures deliberated in the "two sessions" would keep economic fundamentals stable to help build a solid foundation for economic recovery and give overseas investors new confidence as the epidemic wanes.

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The successful convening of the annual "two sessions" has demonstrated China's resolve to secure decisive success in the fight against poverty, build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and coordinate epidemic control as well as economic and social development.

The completed agendas in the "two sessions" -- the third session of the 13th National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) -- have also injected new confidence into the world's anti-epidemic efforts and economic recovery.

The meetings, "even if 10 weeks later than usual, are the strongest signal that is coming from Beijing: the worst is over," wrote a commentary of German magazine Der Spiegel last week. "Everyday life returns."

The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

STRATEGIC RESULTS

The COVID-19 outbreak is considered a major public health emergency that is the fastest spreading, most widely affecting and most difficult to contain since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

It is also believed to be the most serious global public health emergency since the end of World War II.

Through arduous efforts, China has achieved decisive results in the fight against COVID-19, and major strategic strides have been made in curbing the spread of the virus.

China's epidemic prevention and control measures and experience, and how China will contribute to the global public health governance, have come into focus during the "two sessions."

Volker Tschapke, honorary president of Germany's Prussian Society, told Xinhua recently that China has made a very good response to the coronavirus epidemic, and the "two sessions" will outline the political and economic policies for a period to come.

Gabonese Democratic Party Secretary General Eric Dodo Bounguendza said that as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, China's successful convening of the "two sessions" demonstrates that China has achieved significant strategic results in the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

"Since the coronavirus disease broke out, I felt like we human-being have been in a battle with the virus, where China acted as the vanguard," said Zhang Shuibo, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and head of the School of International Project Management at Tianjin University. "Despite some losses, we have stayed strong."

The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 27, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

CENTENARY GOAL

China is in the final push to achieve the target of poverty eradication as the nation is entering the home stretch in realizing its first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects this year.

As the COVID-19 pandemic presents new challenges, the international community is wondering how China will secure that goal.

Sanjuana Martinez, general director of the Mexican news agency Notimex, said that China's experience in development and poverty elimination could be learned by Mexico, which is also a developing country. China's poverty elimination and rural development were the major topics that her agency had paid attention to during its coverage of the "two sessions."

Noting that a raft of measures aimed at boosting economic and social recovery have been passed at the "two sessions," Jan Zahradil, a veteran member of the European Parliament and chairman of the EU-China Friendship Group in the European Parliament, said the measures will inject strong confidence and impetus into China's war on poverty and other stated goals.

Tschapke believes that China's goals of alleviating poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects have not been frustrated by the epidemic, which could only count as an anecdote in the process of China's robust development.

The epidemic cannot stop the Communist Party of China from leading the Chinese people in their development and progress, Bounguendza said, adding that he is confident that the success of the "two sessions" will further unite the Chinese people to attain the great goal of eradicating poverty and achieving a moderately prosperous society in all respects as scheduled.

Medical workers wait to submit COVID-19 samples for nucleic acid test at the center for disease control and prevention in Fengman District of Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province, May 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

ECONOMIC RECOVERY

The Chinese economy has demonstrated strong resilience against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the government work report noted, China will blaze a new path of shock-resilience and positive growth cycles, which will center on stabilizing employment, energizing the market, stimulating demand, and achieving stable growth.

To that end, China will pursue a more proactive and impactful fiscal policy, setting its fiscal deficit above 3.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and issuing 1 trillion yuan in government bonds for COVID-19 control to release more funds for companies and individuals.

Experts believe that a package of hardcore measures deliberated in the "two sessions" would keep economic fundamentals stable to help build a solid foundation for economic recovery and give overseas investors new confidence as the epidemic wanes.

Jeffrey Sachs, a renowned economics professor at Columbia University and a senior United Nations advisor, told Xinhua in a recent written interview that as China is coming out of lockdown ahead of other parts of the world, it will see an economic rebound in the second quarter, which will buoy markets abroad.

Workers are busy on the production lines at the workshop of Dongfeng Passenger Vehicle Company in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 24, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

"Output will recover significantly in the second quarter and for the rest of the year," said Sachs.

While noting that the Chinese economy has started to recover and stabilize at the end of the first quarter, Pierre Picquart, a China expert at the University of Paris VIII, told Xinhua earlier in May that "the success of China's economic recovery is great news for all nations."

China's economic recovery will revive the world economy, Picquart said, adding that to restore confidence through revitalizing the Chinese and global economy is what he thinks the "priority No. 1." (Video editor: Lin Lin)
One mission drives Jessica Gannon. She is focused on finding a cure for pancreatic cancer.

During her freshman year at Virginia Tech, Gannon's father passed away from the disease. As she prepares for her senior year as a Hokie, her fathers story continues to inspire her.

Its what gets me out of bed every morning, said Gannon, a mechanical engineering major who is one of the universitys Beyond Boundaries Scholars.

She conducts research under Eli Vlaisavljevich, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering and mechanics at Virginia Tech. His lab specializes in therapeutic-focused ultrasound and non-invasive therapies for cancer treatment and clinical applications.

In the past few months, as a result of COVID-19, Gannon has had to find new ways to continue her research with limited access to the Therapeutic Ultrasound and Noninvasive Therapies Laboratory on Stranger Street, which has been closed since mid-March. Her Blacksburg apartment serves as her lab, where she has been working on computer-aided design (CAD) projects for her ongoing research.

While there is a pandemic happening, the reality is that cancer is still affecting many patients and families, said Gannon, who is minoring in biomedical engineering.

This year will be her second summer research stint at Virginia Tech. Last summer, as part of the Clare Boothe Luce Scholars Program, Gannon continued her research that involves using ultrasound as a noninvasive method for treating pancreatic cancer. Through an internship this summer, she hopes to move forward with this research in the campus lab, if pandemic restrictions lift.

Gannon also is president of Bioactivity, a Virginia Tech student biomedical design group that aims to solve medical problems with an engineering approach. Since COVID-19 began, she has organized group meetings via Zoom for the students to stay connected.

In April, the group even entered a month-long CoVent-19 Challenge hosted by GrabCAD, an online community of engineers, manufacturers, designers, and students. It involved designing a ventilator model that a company could produce and manufacture.

Its a good way for us to try to put our brains together to help during the current crisis, Gannon said.
James Durbin/Midland Reporter-Telegram

The U.S. rig count continues to fall to record lows, posting its 12th consecutive decline, according to oil field services company Baker Hughes.

The nations rig count dropped 17 to 301 this week, well below the previous record low of 404 set in May 2016.
Ukraine reopening 66 checkpoints on its border with EU, Moldova

02:40, 29.05.20 7189

Checkpoints on the border with Belarus and Russia remain temporarily closed.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 25 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns and sniper rifles.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Missile markings on the nose of US Air Force jets returning home from the Middle East suggest they took part in the raid that killed ISIS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi last fall.

US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle warplanes stopped off at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom on Wednesday on their way back to the US after flying missions over Syria and Iraq.

Close-up images of the planes published by The Drive show markings on their noses of the aircraft which indicate that they used stealth AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM).

According to The Drive, there have only been two known instances in which JASSMs have been used in combat, with the most recent being the one that leveled al-Baghdadi's compund after he was killed by US special forces.

The drawings and markings on the F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet of the 389th Fighter Squadron seen in Suffolk, United Kingdom, on Wednesday suggest they were one of the aircraft which took part in last October's raid that killed ISIS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria

On October 31, ISIS confirmed that al-Baghdadi was killed in a raid by US special forces in northwestern Syria

According to The Drive, the most likely scenario is that the jets were involved in the raid that killed the ISIS leader.

The only other time the missiles have been confirmed to have been used was when the US ordered cruise missile strikes on Syria in 2018.

This was after it was alleged that government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons against civilians.

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed8 last October when he detonated a suicide vest as US Army Special Ops forces closed in on his hideout in northwestern Syria.

Between 50 and 70 members of the US Army Delta Force and Rangers flew in on six helicopters and surrounded al-Baghdadi during the raid in Syria's Idlib province.

After the raid, the military revealed they had used JASSM missiles to level his compound.

US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle warplanes stopped off at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk on Wednesday after flying missions over Syria and Iraq

Al-Baghdadi rose from obscurity to lead the ultra-hardline group and declare himself 'caliph' of all Muslims, holding sway over huge areas of Iraq and Syria from 2014-2017 before Islamic States control disintegrated under US-led attacks.

The F-15-E jets are now on their way home to Mountain Home base in Idaho after stopping by the RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, UK, earlier this week.

About a dozen F-15E Strike Eagles which are part of the 389th Fighter Squadron, the Thunderbolts, are on their way back home after spending just over 18 months supporting US-led operations over Iraq and Syria.

The elite American warplanes are on their way home to Mountain Home base in Idaho after stopping by the UK base earlier this week

Photos snapped on Wednesday of the planes as they landed in the UK show markings and drawings indicating that two of the fighter jets took part in special missions.

One of the jets is nicknamed 'Checkmate' while the other is named 'Boogeyman' - names which suggest they took part in the al-Baghdadi mission.

US F-15E Strike Eagle jets, first built in 1989, have been involved in missions in the Middle East and have seen recent action in Syria and Iraq.

Royal Air Force base Lakenheath hosts United States Air Force units and personnel.

US Air Force aircraft, together with British, German and Italian warplanes, have recently taken part in a training exercise over the North Sea.

Around 100 personnel and 38 aircraft, including F-16 fighter jets, participated in Wednesday's exercise, which aimed to 'sharpen combat readiness', said large force exercise planner Captain Nathan Hartoin.

Captain Hartoin, of 48th Fighter Wing based at Lakenheath, said the primary purpose of the exercise is to 'maintain a ready force capable of ensuring the collective defence of the NATO alliance'.

He added that video calls enabled planning during the pandemic and further measures were in place to guard against coronavirus.

'Once we get out to the jets, there's a procedure for decontaminating the jets along with the pilot flying and then decontaminating after the flight as well,' he said.

'Along with in-mission planning, we're able to maintain the space based on the size of the working area that we actually have, then we're able to maintain that space again via the video teleconferences across different bases.'

The drill involved F-16 jets from Aviano Airbase in Italy and Spangdahlem Airbase in Germany, alongside KC-135 Stratotanker refueller aircraft from RAF Mildenhall.

Military exercises over the North Sea and in the Baltics are likely to be related to rising tensions between Russia and the Western powers.

A spokesman for EuCom, the US European Command which co-ordinates military activity in Europe, said: 'We have not seen an increase in threatening activity from any potential adversaries in the European theatre; however, we continue to train and stand ready to counter any potential threat that may arise.'
L-R: Freddy Naert  proprietor of the gas station  the lone one on Union Island  succumbed to first degree burns. (Facebook Photo); Lindini Neverson, 12 years old, did not survive second degree burns; and Shaniqua Azaria Alexander died on Wednesday in Trinidad and Tobago.

Seventy-two-year-old Freddy Naert, owner of the UniGas Station and former owner of Big Sands Hotel, and 12-year-old student Lindini Neverson, two of three persons who sustained severe burns about their bodies following a fiery explosion at UniGas Station, Union Island, Tuesday 19th May, died on Sunday 24th May at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.





A third burn victim, Shaniqua Zara Alexander, who had been flown out on Sunday to Trinidad and Tobago to seek specialized medical treatment, died in that country on the evening of Wednesday, May 27.





Alexander and Neverson were students of the Union Island Secondary School.





Understandably so, Union Island, a closely knit Southern Grenadines community, was plunged into deep mourning.

One resident, in describing the atmosphere that seemed to have weighed even more intensely with the news of Zaras passing, said, "You can hear crying all over through the valleys.





The outpouring of grief also brought several inadequacies sharply to the fore that residents are claiming negatively impacted on the burn victims lives. These will be examined in an article to be published in next weeks issue of THE VINCENIAN.





Fire and more fire





The fire is said to have started around 6:40pm and was, according to a Royal SVG Police Force release, brought under control by 11pm.





This was due in great measure to the intervention of private citizens who, according to a source on Union Island, brought and manned pumps and hoses in the herculean effort to control the blaze.





Flames "remained visible up to 4am on Wednesday 20th May, and firefighters were on the scene well into the early daylight hours of that day, addressing heavy steam coming from the foundation/ground of the buildings, and areas within the vicinity of the explosion.





The fire is said to have spread to a number of nearby buildings, causing the St. Vincent Electricity Company Limited (VINLEC) to cut power to the area.





Sources on the Southern Grenadine island told THE VINCENTIAN that "the incident happened while the gas truck  which is owned by the gas station  was being used to transfer fuel to the tanks on the compound.





Those sources also informed that it was Alexander who first alerted the gas station staff to the extraordinary stench of fuel. Alexander, we were told, attempted to investigate but did not escape the flames.





Meanwhile, Union Island based Radio Grenadines reported that at least one other building in the vicinity, a wooden structure used by the Roots Connection Culture Club, was completely destroyed.








Leading enterprise

The forerunner to DNY was the Thanh Loi Joint Stock Company, which had been in the business of steel production for twenty years. In 2008, the Thanh Loi Steel Joint Stock Company was equitized and it transferred its No. 4 steel production facility to establish the Da Nang-Italy Steel Joint Stock Company. On 30 June 2009, the Da Nang-Italy Steel Joint Stock Company officially changed its name to DANA-Steel Joint Stock Company-Italy. At the time of establishing, DNY charter capital was at VND 150 bn, with capital contribution of 87 institutional and individual investors. In 2010, DNY increased its charter capital from VND 150 bn to VND 200 bn. By the end of 2013, DNY paid dividends by shares and issued bonus shares to shareholders, raising its charter capital even further to VND 270 bn.

It is said that the capital raising activities by issuing shares was quite easy for DNY, because at that time, DNY was a huge steel enterprise with strong market share in the Central region and Central Highland region of Vietnam. DNY also had two manufacturing plants, a steel refining factory with capacity to produce 150,000 tons of billet per year and a steel mill with capacity to produce 120,000 tons per year. In the Central region market, DNY accounted for about 50% market share in steel products and in the first year of production, DNY achieved VND 642 bn in revenue and VND 78 bn in after tax profits. Gross margin for DNY was upto 17%, this being the highest level compared to other steel construction enterprises, and the ratio of after tax profit on equity (ROE) was 43%, ranking DNY third among all steel enterprises. The company position as a leading enterprise was further strengthened when DNY put 15 million shares on the HNX, in trading session on 11 May 2010 at closing price of VND 54,800 per share.

Causing environmental pollution

After a strong breakthrough period, DNY began to face accusations of illegal dumping of toxic waste water and slag, and releasing untreated fumes and dust into the environment, and as a result production and business activities in the steel company were seriously affected. In February 2018, hundreds of households gathered in front of the DNY plant to protest against environmental pollution, which then led to local authorities having to shut down the DNY plant. This aggressive reaction of the local residents proved detrimental for the company, but with DNY not complying with environmental regulations, authorities called for total suspension of production.

In addition, DNY was fined VND 390 mn and production was suspended for a period of six months. The closure of operations saw DNY suffer huge losses in 2018, a drop of VND 112 bn. This loss worsened in 2019, with negative profit of nearly VND 358 bn. DNY then subsequently continued to report losses of VND 44 bn in the first quarter of 2020, bringing total accumulated losses by 31 March to VND 418 bn, while the equity also recorded a negative result of around VND 126 bn.

However, even though environmental irregularities were a strong reason for DNY to suffer losses, production and business activities in the company were also showing signs of regressing over the years due to fierce competition from imported steel. Added to this, Thailand and Malaysia initiated anti-dumping lawsuits on some iron and steel products originating from China and brought into Vietnam. Steel prices in the world market also saw unpredictable fluctuation and raw material prices were constantly fluctuating, which all added to DNY woes.

Depreciation in value

In 2019, DNY financial statement report was rejected by the auditor, Auditing and Accounting Company Ltd (AAC), which questioned the actual value of recorded assets as of 31 December 2019. AAC said that it was impossible to collect appropriate evidence about the existence of the entire value of inventory, which was valued at nearly VND 489 bn at the end of 2019. Besides VND 489 bn in inventories, further assets of DNY included nearly VND 398 bn in tangible fixed assets, and VND 297 bn in incomplete construction costs that have either rusted or deteriorated.

Therefore, the audit company noted that figures on the financial statement were still figures based on the original book value, without any adjustments to depreciation in value, and therefore the audit company could not quantify the actual value of all assets. AAC stated they were unable to collect sufficient and appropriate evidence and therefore unable to provide an opinion on the attached financial statements, emphasizing that the financial health of DNY depended on whether banks, related parties and shareholders would be willing to provide credit or financial support in the next 12 months.

AACs refusal to share opinion on the financial statements of 2019 was the reason why HNX decided to cancel the mandatory listing of DNY from 5 June. This information gives DNY no credibility to resist selling pressure from investors. Currently, DNY is trading below VND 2,000 per share.

Kim Giang
The EUs foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has that it is essential to avoid further escalation and to find an urgent and mutually beneficial solution to the dispute around the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Borrell spokes with the Commissioner of the African Union Peace and Security Commission Smail Chergui on Thursday by phone and the pair exchanged views on the latest developments, according to a press release by European External Action Service.

The high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy said that the bloc welcomes the decision to resume technical talks between the irrigation ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.

He stressed that it is now important to avoid further escalation and find an urgent and mutually beneficial solution.

He stressed EUs willingness to support the parties in this endeavour and to share its expertise with them.

Resolving the Nile dispute is a matter of stability for the whole region, read the statement.

Over the past weeks, High Representative/Vice-President Borrell has been engaging with all parties and strongly encouraged them to avoid increased polarisation.

Talks resuscitated

The Egyptian foreign ministry has welcomed the recent revival of talks with Sudan and Ethiopia over the mega-dam, after Khartoum and Addis Ababa announced their willingness to resume technical discussions.

The ministry stressed that those negotiations have to be "serious and constructive" to contribute to a fair, balanced and comprehensive agreement that would preserve Egypts water rights and the interests of the three countries.

Trilateral negotiations on the filling and operation of the under-construction dam stalled in February after Ethiopia declined to sign a deal drafted by American mediators.

Egypt and Sudan then rejected an Ethiopian agreement released on 10 April proposing a partial agreement that would only cover the first stage of the filling.

On 1 May, Egypt sent a memo to the UN Security Council blaming Ethiopia for trying to establish a deal without taking the interests of downstream countries Egypt and Sudan into consideration.

Addis Ababa told the Security Council in a letter sent in response to the Egyptian memo that it does not have a legal obligation to seek the approval of Egypt to fill the dam.

Egypt and Ethiopia disagree over technical details regarding the operation and filling of the dam, which is under construction near Ethiopia's border with Sudan. Ethiopia hopes that the massive $4.8 billion project on the Blue Nile will allow it to become Africas largest power exporter.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The Port Arthur Independent School District voted Thursday to make the first of two payments of just over $4 million to Motiva. The decision came after the company appealed its tax valuation to the Jefferson County Appraisal District in fall 2019  arguing it had overpaid taxes that were given to the district to pay down bond debts.

The agreement we reached was to pay Motiva in two payments, said Phyllis Geans, PAISD assistant superintendent for business & finance and chief financial officer.

Geans said the dispute rattled the districts budget, which was calculated to include taxes from Motiva based on its original tax-assessed value.

All I can tell you is when Motiva and others do a protest of their values, and we are using it to pay debt and to pay our teachers and to pay everyone that is included in the amount we were going to collect  it adversely affects the funds we have available, she said.

When first disputing the payments in July 2019, Motiva said in a statement that the decision was not made lightly.

We are committed to paying our fair share in taxes the company said in the statement. However, we believe the current assessed value is excessive. Simply put, the Port Arthur refinery is overvalued compared to its peers. As Motivas only refinery and largest asset, effective cost management is vital to the companys long-term viability and success.

Motiva did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

The payment, which was voted on as part of the boards consent agenda at its virtual board meeting Thursday, comes as the district tries to put together a budget while facing the unknown costs related to the coronavirus.

That is a big unknown, Geans said. We have to look at other opportunities  like grants, money from FEMA or the CARES act.

PAISD has had to refund tax money before but generally over longer periods of time.

When they want all of their money back now, I dont know how they think we will survive and pay the bills we must pay, Geans told The Enterprise. If you get them to spread it out a little bit, it helps you manage your cash flow.

PAISD said it will have to turn to taxpayers to continue to pay employees and pay down bond debt.

There will definitely be a raise in taxes, Geans said. We cant afford to pay our bond bill and just survive with what we got if we dont raise taxes.

The district will pay off the remainder of the $8.5 million in October.

What they did was they trued up what they paid and what we had already collected, and the difference was the $8.5 million which they indicated was still owed to them, Geans said.

With changes in valuation and the unpredictable future, Geans said the districts prior attempts to keep taxes the same year over year are no longer feasible, noting that one pay period of payroll is more than $2 million for the district.

We have to try and make sure we have enough fund balance to pay our bills and to survive, she said. And we are just kind of teeter-tottering on what we can do to make this work.

isaac.windes@hearstnp.com

twitter.com/isaacdwindes
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are constantly worried about their privacy. This is why, when they noticed drones flying over where they lived, they cannot help but filed complaints about them.Some people may claim this is paranoia, but insiders alleged that Harry and Meghan have every reason to fear these drones.

Apparently, the Duchess already received threats in the past that are racist in nature. These drones flying constantly around their homes just trigger her fears, especially since she and Harry now live with a baby. Paranoid? Maybe not.

It is apparent that the two are feeling threatened and are quick to do something about it.

According to ET Online, drones have repeatedly flown over the Duke and Duchess of Sussex' home. Moreover, because Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not sure who are doing this, whether these are photographers or not, they deemed it best to file complaints. ET found that Meghan Markle has received racist threats before, so these drones feel threatening to her. In fact, they feel really scared, especially since they also have a baby in tow.

"They don't know who's flying them. They assume it's probably photographers, but they can't be sure of that assumption," the source explained to ET. "Meghan has received racist threats before, so they feel real to her. It is really creepy that people could be taking photos. They feel like they're being invaded. It's especially scary when they're outside with Archie. It's really scary," the source added.

Earlier, according to the Daily Beast, Meghan and Harry called the attention of local police over these drone-relate incidents for additional protection and prevention. They already have a security plan in place, which they are funding on their own. Their security entail is quite expensive, and one can only wonder now if this is even effective, given these drone incidents.

A representative from the Los Angeles Police Department told ET that it is true that they received drone complaints in Beverly Ridge. However, the agency would not say whether the royals truly make these calls.

While in quarantine, the two and their kid, Baby Archie, are residing in Tyler Perry's massive mansion. Naturally, it can be assumed that photographers want to be privy to what they could be doing inside their home, but it is threatening and scary nonetheless to have unauthorized drones invading their privacy.

In fact, what the public should only be concerned about is what they are doing for this pandemic, and not what they are personally doing in this uncertain period. According to a source, while in quarantine, the two are just focused on their charity and other good works. They are enjoying time with Archie while like everyone else, trying to cope with the lockdown. They are taking social distancing seriously, even from Meghan's mom, Doria.

According to royal expert, Katie Nicholl, the couple is doing a lot and yet the quarantine has forced them to take a breather, and they are enjoying the "slightly slower pace."
President Trump is greeted in Detroit by Kurt Heise, left, supervisor of Plymouth Township, and Speaker Lee Chatfield of Michigan's House of Representatives. (Associated Press)

To the editor: Our country reached the tragic milestone of 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in fewer than four months. By the time you read this, the number of dead will be higher.

The country finds itself now between a very hard rock and a very hard place. Do we go back to work, constantly fearing illness and death, or do we stay home with the rent or mortgage going unpaid and more people lining up at food banks?

Epidemiologists and doctors say we need to do three simple things to slow the spread of COVID-19: Wash our hands, maintain proper distancing and wear masks. They explain it in simple terms: I wear a mask to protect you, and you wear a mask to protect me.

So why does our selfish, unfeeling, incompetent president refuse to wear a mask in public but wants to be surrounded by those who do? The reason is clear: He seems to care only about himself.

Vote.

Loli Henderson, Rancho Misson Viejo

..

To the editor: Saying that the U.S. virus toll leads the world is misleading. This may be true in absolute numbers, but should be put in perspective, sad as the situation is.

The U.S. has 331 million people, so 100,000 deaths represent 0.03% of the population. The European Union, with a population of 445 million, registers about 126,000 deaths, or 0.02% of its population. Britain, which is not an EU state, has nearly twice the number of deaths per 100,000 people as the U.S.

Lastly, there is no telling what the total death toll was in China, as any of the information released by the government is opaque and highly questionable.

Charles Vorsanger, Pasadena

..

To the editor: More than 100,000 Americans have died alone, in effect in solitary confinement, where even their caregivers, wrapped in protective layers, couldn't give them solace.

How frightened they must have been hoping to recover, yet knowing they might die. How painful it must be for the remaining family members, lovers, friends and associates whose lives have been changed forever.

Story continues

The victims of COVID-19 aren't just numbers, they are human beings and our fellow Americans. Thank you for acknowledging their existence.

Norma Hayes, Hacienda Heights

..

To the editor: Even the most ardent libertarian believes that a valid function of government is to provide security to its citizens, usually via the military and the police.

At 100,000 dead Americans and climbing, COVID-19 has taught us that health security is part of basic, overall security, and our current leadership, handicapped by government minimalists, has been an abject failure.

Jeoffry Gordon, Venice




Police have uncovered the remains of a second child at a home once owned by a Tennessee couple arrested earlier this week for burying their abused daughter beneath a barn.

Michael Anthony Gray Sr., 63, and his wife, Shirley Ann Gray, 60, were taken into custody Monday on charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated child neglect and abuse of a corpse.

Investigators had called around to their home in Roane County on May 22, where they discovered the couple's 15-year-old son locked in a basement and the remains of their daughter buried in their backyard.

Police subsequently obtained a warrant to search a property in neighboring Knox County where the Grays lived prior to 2017.

On Friday, investigators revealed that they had uncovered the body of a second child at that residence. Police have not disclosed that child's gender or given an indication as to their age. It is believed the child died in either 2015 or 2016.

Michael Anthony Gray Sr., 63, and his wife, Shirley Ann Gray, 60, were taken into custody Monday on charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated child neglect and abuse of a corpse. Last week, the remains of their young daughter were discovered buried in their yard. Now, investigators have uncovered the body of a second child at an address the couple formerly lived at

Last week, investigators found the body of the Grays' daughter buried at their home in Roane County (left). It's believed she died in 2017. Now, investigators have uncovered the remains of a second child at a home that previously belonged to the Grays in Knox County (right). It's believed that child died in 2015 or 2016

After finding the body buried beneath a barn at the Grays home in Roane County, police subsequently obtained a warrant to search a property in neighboring Knox County where the Grays lived prior to 2017. The home now belongs to their adult son, Michael Gray Jr.

The Knox County property is currently owned by the couple's adult son, Michael Gray Jr., who claims he was unaware of any abusive behavior perpetrated by his parents.

However, investigators say it is likely Gray Jr. had knowledge of his parents' conduct.

WVLT reports that a cell phone seized from Gray Jr. contained a message sent to Gray Sr. on March 25, 2020, which read: 'Hey, do I need to put [redacted name] and [redacted name] on the census? I don't know if they share info with the IRS.'

Gray Jr. has not been charged with any offenses.

Meanwhile, WATE reports that neighbors saw authorities digging 'a big hole' in the backyard of the Knox County home before 'bringing something out of a shed-like cage'.

Following confirmation that a child's remains had been retrieved from the second property, the Department of Children's Services released a statement saying: 'Words are inadequate. Cruelty such as this makes us question all that we know to be true.'

The alleged cruelty of Michael Gray Sr. and wife Shirley Ann Gray was only uncovered last Friday, when the Roane County Sheriff's Office responded to a call from a concerned couple who said they found a 10-year-old boy roaming the streets alone.

Deputies took the boy to the Department of Children's Services office in Kingston where he told them his name. He revealed he was one of three children living with the Grays at their home in Roane County.

It is believed the three children were fostered by the Grays.

The boy told authorities that he had spent time at the home confined to a wire dog cage alongside another child.

He further claimed that a third child, aged around 15-years-old, was locked in the basement.

The boy additionally revealed to investigators that a fourth minor had also been living at the Grays' home before she died and was buried in their backyard.

Detectives responded to the home and interviewed Michael Gray Sr. who reportedly admitted to burying his daughter near a pole barn on the property after she died in 2017, aged 10 or 11.

Detectives responded to the Grays' home in Roane County last week, where they discovered a boy locked in a basement. Michael Gray Sr. also told investigators he had buried his young daughter on the property

The couple's young daughter was said to be confined to a basement for months before her death, surviving on nothing more than bread and water.

During the same interview, authorities say the disgraced father admitted to locking his 15-year-old son in the home's partially-flooded basement for stealing fruit from the fridge shortly after the family moved to the home in June 2016.

Investigators determined the teen had been confined to the basement ever since, with no contact with anyone outside of it until officials removed him on May 22, 2020. The officers who liberated the teen said he was surrounded by feces, garbage and mold.

Much like his sister, the boy was also only given small amounts of food, including bread and water. The parents reportedly admitted to withholding food from the children at times as a means of punishment.

During the search of the home, officials said Michael Anthony Gray showed investigators where the girl died and where her body had been kept in a cardboard box before she was buried. Her skeletal remains were recovered on Saturday among a grave filled with deceased farm animals.

Detectives responded to the home and interviewed Michael who reportedly admitted to burying his daughter near a pole barn on the property after she died in 2017, aged 10 or 11

The 63-year-old also revealed a small concrete room built under the stairs where two of the children had been kept for punishment. The room allegedly had no running water and no electricity.

Police noted that a bucket that had been placed inside the small room was filled with human feces and magazine pages that had been used as tissue. The rest of the house was stated to be filled with a strong urine smell, with human and animal feces spread throughout the home, on the walls and in a bed.

The home also had no running water and had exposed wires and discarded trash scattered throughout.

The surviving children, ages 10 to 15, were removed from Michael and Shirley's custody by the state Department of Children's Services. They are not their biological children, the Attorney General's office said.

The warrants say Shirley admitted the children had not received medical or dental attention for at least six years prior to the investigation. All four children had been signed up for homeschooling.

The rest of the house was stated to be filled with a strong urine smell, with human and animal feces spread throughout the home, on the walls and in a bed. The home also had no running water and had exposed wires and discarded trash scattered throughout

A memorial for the girl who died a was placed in the home's backyard this week, close to where she was buried

Shirley Gray signed documents declaring that all the children were meeting their homeschooling requirements, however police say two of them 'appear to have had no formal education,' and 'were, in fact, amazed by what a refrigerator does when they observed one in their foster home.'

Officials said all the children appeared to be stunted in growth and lacked the necessary education for their age.

Michael Gray Sr. was arraigned on several counts of aggravated child abuse and aggravated kidnapping, in addition to three counts of aggravated child neglect and abuse of a corpse.

Shirley Gray also faces eight charges: two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping; two counts of aggravated child abuse; three counts of aggravated child neglect and a single charge of abuse of a corpse.

The Grays remain in custody.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Kalamazoo Valley Community College is planning to bring students back to campus in the fall.

KVCC has implemented a phased-in approach to reopening the college after being closed for months during the pandemic, the college said in a news release. The college plans to provide a mix of in-person and online courses during the fall semester, which begins Sept. 8, KVCC said.

The college began distance learning for students in March after the first cases of coronavirus were reported in the state.

The colleges facilities services team returned to work and is doing deep and thorough cleaning and disinfecting of classrooms, restrooms, offices and public spaces, the college said. Some labs associated with health careers and professional trades have opened and additional face-to-face services will become available after June 15 in anticipation of more loosening regulations, the college said.

Other area institutions are announcing similar plans to offer a hybrid model of instruction.

All students, staff and faculty who return to campus will be required to participate in COVID-10 safety training, President Marshall Washington said in the release.

"During the training people learn about PPE, safe distancing and other measures to help prevent the transmission of disease at work and for students, at the college, he said.

Also on MLive:

Kellogg Community College plans to reopen June 29

Michigan community colleges look ahead to fall enrollment, consider hybrid course strategies

Stringent CDC suggestions come into play as Michigan schools contemplate reopening in fall
The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the government to file a detailed affidavit on a bunch of pleas challenging the governments decision to levy 70% special corona fee on the MRP of liquor of all brands in the city.

A bench of chief justice D N Patel and justice Sangita Dhingra Seghal, conducting the hearing via video conferencing, heard part of the arguments and asked the government to file another detailed affidavit and listed the matter for further hearing on June 19.

The Delhi government, in its earlier affidavit, had opposed the petitions that challenged a May 4 notification levying a special corona fee on liquor in the national Capital and said there is an element of privilege via a viz sale/ dealing in liquor and the State is free to regulate it under the excise law.

Earlier this month, after reports of massive crowding at the government-run liquor vends when they opened for business, the government had added a 70% special fee to the MRP of liquor.
An image of the "Hillstate" apartment town in Songdo. Courtesy of Hyundai E&C





By Park Si-soo







Hyundai Engineering and Construction (E&C) is offering 1,100 "high-quality" apartments, branded "Hillstate," in Songdo, an international business city west of Seoul.







They will be on sale from June 1, with relatively looser restrictions for application, purchase and resale compared with those for Seoul and other metropolitan areas.







Hillstate is an award-winning apartment brand with high public awareness, preference and brand value due to resident-friendly house design, landscaping and various welfare facilities open exclusively to residents.







The red block is the town's location.





The apartments are in eight residential high rises, with two stories underground and 49 above ground. Their size ranges from 84 to 156 square meters.







Hyundai officials said residents will be able to have "faster, more comfortable and convenient" travel to Seoul and the metropolitan area in the coming months because an extension of Incheon Subway Line No.1 will start operating from December. A station on the extended line is within walking distance of the complex.







Plans aimed at shortening the travel time between Songdo and the metropolitan area are under way, including an extension of the KTX bullet train line to Songdo Station.







The town is also surrounded by Hyundai Premium Outlet, Costco, Lotte Mart, Home plus and other big shopping malls, with more set to come.






China slams 'unjust' Huawei CFO ruling

Global Times

By GT staff reporters Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/28 22:48:40

A Canadian court on Thursday defied widespread expectations and ruled to keep Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou in custody, a move China firmly opposes, with Chinese experts saying it shows that Canada has completely surrendered its self-proclaimed judicial and diplomatic independence to US bullying, and foreshadows the "worst-ever" China-Canada ties.

On Thursday, a Canadian judge ruled that the extradition case against Meng can proceed, as the case meets the Canadian extradition standard of so-called "double criminality," which also means an increasing chance for Meng to be extradited to the US.

China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the ruling, urging the country to immediately release the Chinese citizen. "The Chinese government is firmly resolved to protect the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and companies. We once again urge Canada to take China's solemn position and concerns seriously, to immediately release Meng and allow her to return safely to China, and not to stray further down the wrong path," said the Chinese Embassy in Canada, noting that China has made serious representations to Canada.

The US and Canada, by abusing their bilateral extradition treaty and arbitrarily taking forceful measures against Meng, gravely violated the lawful rights and interests of said Chinese citizen, the embassy spokesman said.

"The US' purpose is to bring down Huawei and other Chinese high-tech companies, and Canada has been acting in the process as an accomplice of the US," the embassy said. "The whole case is a grave political incident."

The "unjustified" ruling, which will mean the continued detention of Meng, has no real impact on Huawei, because the company will not succumb to the US over any individual. But it will make Canada a pathetic clown and a scapegoat in the fight between China and the US, experts said.

Chinese netizens expressed outrage toward the ruling, saying it "harms Canada's credit and reputation, as the country is siding with the US in trying to crack down on foreign firms through political means disguised as law."

"The ruling showed that Canada has been the loyal lapdog of the US, which has never changed," said a netizen named Yizhimiao.

"Does the US regard itself as the world's police, since Washington utilizes Ottawa to press a company?" asked a netizen named Richangqiufu.

"No good news came after I waited the whole night. The ruling is shameless and Canada should pay for its decision!" netizen Fengpin said.

Huawei told the Global Times on Thursday that the company is disappointed with the ruling by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. "We have repeatedly expressed confidence in Ms. Meng's innocence. Huawei continues to stand with Ms. Meng in her pursuit of justice and freedom."

Meng was arrested by Canadian authorities on December 1, 2018 at the behest of the US for allegedly violating unilateral US sanctions, sparking widespread indignation among the Chinese public and officials, and plunging China-Canada ties into turmoil.

Progress in the case has also drawn close attention from the country - not only the central government but also the public - since Meng's arrest in 2018, and stirred huge sentiment in China.

The ruling will make the bilateral relationship "worse than ever," He Weiwen, a former senior trade official and an executive council member of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies, told the Global Times.

Deteriorating bilateral ties will initially be seen in souring trade exchanges, He said. "You can always give some projects or orders to other countries, instead of just one county."

Mei Xinyu, an expert close to China's Commerce Ministry, said that Meng will likely stay in Canada for years. "Being kept by the US as a key hostage to contain China's industrial upgrading and maintain its parasitic hegemony, the US will hardly let Meng free."

"Canada has been under US pressure since the beginning, or it could have benefited from the trade war between the world's two largest economies," Mei said.

Even if the relationship between China and the US improves, Canada could still suffer from strong sentiment from the Chinese public if it makes an "unjustified ruling" on Meng, experts said.

"Nevertheless, the ruling on Meng will not have any impact on Huawei," Xiang Ligang, a veteran industry analyst and a close follower of Huawei, told the Global Times.

Huawei will not bow to the US over the unjustified detention of any individual, and the Chinese technology giant, which has survived the US' relentless crackdown, will push forward amid headwinds - like a jet riddled with bullets yet still flying its mission, Xiang said.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






By a majority of 2,878 to one (with six abstentions), Chinas parliament this week rubber-stamped a proposal that will change life for the citizens of Hong Kong for ever.

The National Peoples Congress paved the way for a sweeping new security law  so draconian that it would make even Draco, the ancient Greek legislator from whose name the word is derived, blush. It will be imposed in September, but its repercussions are already being felt.

It criminalises what Beijing deems to be subversion, separatism, terrorism and foreign interference  but thats only the start.

Clive Hamilton (pictured) says: 'What the new law really does is trash the one country, two systems constitutional agreement that China signed with Britain when Hong Kong was handed back to it in 1997'

What the new law really does is trash the one country, two systems constitutional agreement that China signed with Britain when Hong Kong was handed back to it in 1997.

This granted the people of Hong Kong freedoms unknown under Communist Party rule in mainland China  the right to self-govern, economic freedom, limited election rights and a separate legal framework.

Of course, it was always only a matter of time. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) never intended to honour the agreement  honour is a concept foreign to it  but was waiting for the opportunity. And growing impatient.

Last year saw the spread of pro-democracy protests and violent clashes between police and activists opposed to another piece of legislation, an extradition bill that in effect gave China the power to arrest Hong Kong citizens who voiced political dissent.

The protesters grew in confidence, gaining international support as the footage of their courage and recklessness beamed into homes across the globe, humiliating Chinas President Xi Jinping.

But the dragon held its nerve . . . waiting . . . waiting.

Now, the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath is providing the perfect moment for Beijing to pounce and to crush democratic opposition in Hong Kong without mercy.

Within weeks we can expect to see the streets flooded with Chinas secret police. Dissident leaders of the 2019 protests are likely to disappear, to be rendered to secret prisons in mainland China, where they will be kept incommunicado and possibly tortured.

Hong Kong citizens are not going quietly. In what may be their last stand before the full force of Chinas repressive apparatus descends on them, thousands have taken to the streets again this week to demonstrate against the new security law. Riot police have fired pepper bullets and hundreds have been arrested.

Protesters grew in confidence, gaining international support as the footage of their courage and recklessness beamed into homes across the globe, humiliating Chinas President Xi Jinping. But the dragon held its nerve . . . waiting . . . waiting

Hong Kongs leader Carrie Lam, a Beijing puppet who echoes Communist Party conspiracy theories, says the protests are being stirred up by foreigners and do not represent the majority.

It is a sinister warning of intent: pro-democracy protesters found to be in league with foreigners can be charged with treason under the new law. In China, traitors can be shot.

The West has responded swiftly, with the U.S. declaring on Wednesday that it no longer regards Hong Kong as autonomous, a move that may bring in punitive trade and financial sanctions for the territory.

In a joint statement, the governments of the UK, Australia, Canada and the U.S. warned the new law would dramatically erode Hong Kongs autonomy and the system that made it so prosperous. By imposing the law, China was breaching its international obligations under the 1997 Sino-British Joint Declaration.

On Thursday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the UK would extend visa rights to Hong Kong citizens if the Communist Party imposed the new law. To such responses, President Xi Jinping might simply shrug and put more troops on alert.

The Hong Kong crackdown is only the sharpest example of the CCPs increasingly belligerent approach to the rest of the world.

Riot police have fired pepper bullets and tear gas and hundreds of protestors have been arrested

Police guard an MTR station exit near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on May 27, 2020, ahead of a debate over a law that bans insulting China's national anthem

Its ambitions are far broader than the territory increasingly in its grip.

Under the iron rule of the CCP, the nation that gave the world a virus that is bringing even the Wests most successful economies to their knees is acting at breakneck speed to exploit new opportunities to advance its power and influence. And distracted by the pandemic, we are letting it happen.

Chinese and Indian troops are engaged in a face-off along their disputed border after violent clashes. China has further boosted its naval presence in the South China Sea, where in recent years it has built military facilities on islands and coral outcrops contrary to international law.

It has driven Filipino fishermen off traditional fishing grounds and stopped Vietnam exploring for oil, while making incursions into waters close to Japan. All the while, the ever-nervous Taiwan waits and wonders if its giant neighbour will try to take back control of the island by force.

In a less dramatic but no less significant fashion, China has been dialling up the rage-o-meter on another front.

Last month, Australias foreign minister, Marise Payne, proposed an independent global inquiry into the origin of the coronavirus outbreak. An inquiry into a catastrophe of this scale seems an entirely reasonable demand, but Beijing angrily rebuked Australia for its impertinence, accusing it of being a U.S. lackey.

Chinas ambassador in Canberra upped the ante by threatening a Chinese consumer boycott of Australian exports.

That aggression prompted a show of unity from other Western nations, despite their own dependency on trade with, and investment from, China for economic growth.

And it worked  for a time. When 194 nations of the World Health Assembly agreed unanimously to hold an independent international inquiry into the pandemic, President Xi backed down, lauded international co-operation  and China voted for the resolution.

But Beijing wasnt finished with Australia, and announced an 80 per cent tariff on barley imports, and a ban on a large slice of beef sales while also threatening coal imports.

Does this matter to British readers? Yes. China, the worlds second biggest economy and likely to be the biggest within a decade or two, is a master practitioner of the dark art of economic statecraft  extracting political acquiescence by threatening economic pain.

Across Europe, Chinas diplomats have been let off the leash and are practising Xi Jinpings aggressive new wolf warrior diplomacy. Pictured: China President Xi Jinping votes on legislation concerning Hong Kong on May 28

It is blackmail by any other name, and South Korea, Japan and Taiwan know all about it.

Canada, too, has been on the sharp end of Beijings intimidation tactics since late 2018, when it arrested, on an extradition warrant, a senior executive from Huawei (the Chinese telecoms giant run by a former member of the Red Army  its a familiar name given its controversial role in building Britains planned 5G network.)

Since then, two Canadians arrested on trumped up charges have been rotting in Chinese jails, and Beijing has imposed bans on imports of Canadian beef and pork.

After years of being groomed by Beijing, Canadas business and political elites, including prime minister Justin Trudeau, still believe that the best policy is to allow China to walk all over them.

Last month, the Communist Partys hyper-nationalist English-language newspaper, Global Times, wrote: Australia is always there, making trouble. It is a bit like chewing gum stuck on the sole of Chinas shoes. Sometimes you have to find a stone to rub it off.

Make no mistake all of this is coming Britains way. Across Europe, Chinas diplomats have been let off the leash and are practising Xi Jinpings aggressive new wolf warrior diplomacy.

In November, during a dispute over a kidnapped Chinese-born Swedish bookseller and critic of Beijing, Chinas ambassador in Stockholm told Swedish public radio: We treat our friends with fine wine, but for our enemies we have shotguns.

or China, it is always might over right. When criticised a few years ago at a meeting of south-east Asian states, Chinas foreign minister retorted: China is a big country and other countries are small countries, and thats just a fact. Pictured: File photo of China's National people's Congress

At the height of Frances Covid-19 crisis, Chinas ambassador to France condemned Western media reports that defame China, and wrongly claimed that French nursing home staff abandoned their jobs overnight, deserted collectively, leaving their residents to die of hunger and disease.

Elsewhere in Europe, Beijing has won a few friends by exploiting Euroscepticism and deploying strategic investments.

Italy was the first Western nation to sign up to the Belt and Road Initiative  Xi Jinpings grand plan to create a Chinese sphere of influence stretching across the globe  and is now acting as Chinas bridgehead into Europe.

Similarly, Beijing is displaying munificence  cash, aid in kind, personal protective equipment  to countries battling Covid-19, while pressuring them to sign up to Belt and Road. For China, it is always might over right. When criticised a few years ago at a meeting of south-east Asian states, Chinas foreign minister retorted: China is a big country and other countries are small countries, and thats just a fact.

The Global Times has defended Chinas newly pugnacious attitude by arguing that the days of being inscrutable are over.

The people are no longer satisfied with a flaccid diplomatic tone, yet the West can only resort to a hysterical hooligan-style diplomacy in an attempt to maintain its waning dignity.

A study of internal party documents and speeches makes it clear the CCP sees itself as engaged in a life-or-death struggle with the West.

Beijing has been mobilising supporters abroad, including overseas Chinese in Britain in particular. Pictured: President Xi Jinping arrives at the National People's Congress on May 25

Shaping the global narrative in ways that strengthen and legitimise Chinas pre-eminent place in the world is vital to victory.

The party refers to it as discourse control and its been pouring enormous resources into influencing Western media, public opinion and academia. And Beijing has been mobilising supporters abroad, including overseas Chinese in Britain in particular.

There are more than 120,000 Chinese students at British institutions. Some, corralled by CCP-linked organisations, have intimidated and silenced Hong Kong democracy supporters at universities in Warwick, Sheffield, Lancaster and elsewhere.

Vice-chancellors, revelling in the flow of Chinese university fees, mouth platitudes about free speech but do nothing.

As we emerge into a post-Covid world, pundits are trying to guess the lie of the land. Nothing matters more to Britain than the contours of the new landscape.

After severing its link with Europe, it must find a new place in the world. Across the Atlantic is an old friend gone rogue who seems hell-bent on infuriating China and its own allies, just as its weaknesses have been horribly exposed in its response to the pandemic.

On the other side of Asia is the new superpower: an authoritarian state with global ambitions, intolerant of dissenting voices, rapidly militarising and overseen by an all-powerful leader bolstered by a cult of personality. Sound familiar?

Britain must also seek to build new alliances with democracies such as Japan and South Korea, and reinforce its relationships with India, Australia and Canada. Pictured: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on May 25

One answer is to go down on our knees and pray for a Joe Biden win in Novembers presidential election. Perhaps the U.S. would then come to its senses and set about rebuilding its old alliances.

However it turns out, Britain must also seek to build new alliances with democracies such as Japan and South Korea, and reinforce its relationships with India, Australia and Canada, all of whom are finding their freedoms threatened by the rise of the new power in China.

As someone who has studied the influence of China in Britain, it is clear to me that this country needs to put in place defences against the covert, coercive and corrupt influence of the CCP, which has been systematically eroding resistance to it from within.

Since the pandemic began, attitudes against the new China have been hardening in Britain, and some politicians have begun to speak out. They talk about the reckoning to come for the havoc wreaked by the virus.

But the CCP has, over the years, built a network of powerful friends in business, parliament, universities, the media and the City.

Never underestimate the influence of the pro-Beijing lobby among Britains elite. They are lying low for now but, once the crisis is over, they will begin their work again.

As for the Prime Minister, Beijing has been cultivating Boris Johnson since he was Londons mayor, so it has been reassuring to see him, in recent weeks, signalling measures to protect Britains technological crown jewels from Chinese takeover.

Beijing has been cultivating Boris Johnson since he was Londons mayor, so it has been reassuring to see him, in recent weeks, signalling measures to protect Britains technological crown jewels from Chinese takeover

His biggest test will be to reverse the disastrous decision to allow Huawei into the countrys 5G network, which will link up the various components to create the nerve system of the next-generation interconnected society. At the same time, it risks giving Beijing a spy-hole into, and perhaps control over, the nations infrastructure.

There are signs that a rethink is under way after increasing numbers of senior Tory MPs hardened their opposition to Huawei,

This week it was reported that Britain is seeking to forge an alliance of ten democracies to create alternative suppliers of 5G equipment and other technologies to avoid relying on China.

Ministers have approached Washington about a D10 club of democratic partners, based on the G7 plus Australia, South Korea and India, with investment channelled to home-grown technology companies based within its member states.

If and when the UK turns its back on Huawei, Britons should gird their loins for the rage-o-meter to be turned up to maximum.

Standing firm will be a question of national sovereignty, as well as self-respect. Being cut off from Europe after Brexit will make it harder. But the bureaucrats of Brussels are pussycats compared to the wolf warriors of Beijing.

Clive Hamilton is the co-author, with Mareike Ohlberg, of Hidden Hand: Exposing How The Chinese Communist Party Is Reshaping The World (to be published soon by Oneworld).
ALAMEDA, Calif., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Penumbra, Inc. (NYSE: PEN) today announced that its management team is scheduled to present at the William Blair 40th Annual Growth Stock Conference on Tuesday, June 9, 2020.

Event: William Blair 40th Annual Growth Stock Conference Date: Tuesday, June 9, 2020 Time: 4:00pm CDT / 2:00pm PDT

A webcast of the presentation will be available by visiting the investors' section of the company's website at www.penumbrainc.com. The webcast will be available on the company's website for at least two weeks following the event.

About Penumbra

Penumbra, Inc., headquartered in Alameda, California, is a global healthcare company focused on innovative therapies. Penumbra designs, develops, manufactures and markets novel products and has a broad portfolio that addresses challenging medical conditions in markets with significant unmet need. Penumbra sells its products to hospitals and healthcare providers primarily through its direct sales organization in the United States, most of Europe, Canada and Australia, and through distributors in select international markets. The Penumbra logo is a trademark of Penumbra, Inc. For more information, visit www.penumbrainc.com.

Investor Relations

Penumbra, Inc.

510-995-2461

[email protected]

SOURCE Penumbra, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.penumbrainc.com


Oil jumped more than 5% on Friday, the last trading day of the month, capping off its best month in history as an uptick in demand as well as record supply cuts pushed prices higher. West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. oil benchmark, finished May with a gain of 88%. To put the number in context, WTI's second best month on record was Sept. 1990, when it gained 44.6%.

But experts are quick to note that the surge in prices follows the steepest downturn on record, and that oil still has a ways to go before it regains old highs. In other words, WTI at $35 per barrel is hardly something to celebrate.

"It certainly doesn't feel like it was oil's best month ever," said Regina Mayor, KPMG's global head of energy. "Low $30s for WTI is clearly better than where we were at the end of April, but it's not sufficient enough to bring the bulk of production back online," she added.

In April, with billions of people around the world under some sort of lockdown in an effort to slow the spread of Covid-19, demand for oil fell off a cliff, which sent prices plunging. WTI dropped below zero and into negative territory for the first time on record. Part of the move was due to the contract's imminent expiration, but it also reflected the very real fact that no one wanted to take the physical delivery of crude while demand was expected to remain depressed.

Since then, things have started to improve. Data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Thursday showed that for the week ending May 22 gasoline demand rose to 7.3 million barrels per day from the prior week. This marked an improvement, although was still below 2019's number ahead of Memorial Day weekend, which was 9.4 million bpd. Storage in Cushing, Oklahoma  the main delivery point for WTI  decreased by 3.4 million barrels, and refinery utilization also rose to 71% from 69%. Overall inventory rose by 7.928 million barrels, compared with the 1.3 million barrel draw analysts had been expecting, according to FactSet.

On the other side of the equation, producers have scaled back output at a record pace as plunging prices made operation uneconomical. OPEC and its oil-producing allies agreed to the steepest production cut in history during an extraordinary, multi-day meeting in April. Then, earlier in May, Saudi Arabia said that, beginning June 1, it would voluntarily cut an additional 1 million bpd, on top of its portion of the cuts agreed to by OPEC+. Kuwait and UAE were among the other cartel members that followed suit and said they would also exercise additional cuts.

In the U.S., production has dropped to 11.4 million bpd, 1.9 million bpd below March's record high of 13.1 million bpd. Norway and Canada are among the other nations that have scaled back output.

The OPEC+ production cuts as they stand now will begin to taper on July 1, and the group is expected to decide on whether or not to extend the deeper cuts at its June 9-10 meeting.

Doubts over whether or not the the deeper cuts will be extended sent some jitters through the oil market this week, although WTI still on track for its fifth straight week of gains. On Friday the contract gained $1.78, or 5.28%, to settle at $35.49 per barrel. Earlier in the session it traded as low as $32.36 per barrel as geopolitical tensions weighed on sentiment. International benchmark Brent crude gained 4 cents, or 0.11%, to settle at $35.33 per barrel. For the month Brent gained 39.81%, for its best month since 1999.

Of course, crude's record month is partially due to the fact that after falling to such low levels, a smaller price move now accounts for a much larger percentage move. WTI is still 4% below its recent high of $65.65 from January. Additionally, oil contracts roll on a monthly basis, but the roll doesn't align with the standard calendar meaning that evaluating price on a standard monthly basis  rather than the duration of the month-long contract  can be somewhat arbitrary.

Mayor, who is based in Houston, said the market is more positive than those who are on the ground in oil country feel. "I think it's too early for the level of optimism we're seeing in the market, and to be frank, I think it's a bit inexplicable," she said. "I don't think demand fundamentals are the key driver of the optimism. I think it's more quick on supply, which means to me that there's downside risk to the current elevated price."

Still, others are more positive on oil's outlook. In a recent note to clients, Morgan Stanley said that the rally looks like it can continue in the coming months, while also acknowledging that many unknowns remain in the market.

Meanwhile, Rystad Energy said that wild price swings are now in the rearview mirror. "Supply developments and other geopolitical tensions that could affect demand are priced in...Now, waiting for the next OPEC+ meeting, the market is also comfortable in a relative calmness," said Bjornar Tonhaugen, Rystad's head of oil markets.

- CNBC's Michael Bloom and Patti Domm contributed reporting.
Thousands of terrorists might have been airlifted out of Kabul: Trump slams Biden

Never in history has withdrawal from war been handled so badly: Trump

PM Modi not in a good mood over flare up with Chinese says Trump

International

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Washington, May 29: Reiterating his offer to mediate on the border dispute between India and China, US President Donald Trump has said that he spoke with Narendra Modi about the "big conflict" and asserted that the Indian Prime Minister is not in a "good mood" over the latest flare-ups between the two countries.

Speaking with the reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump said a "big conflict" was going on between India and China.

LAC tensions: India denies having discussed Chinese aggression with Trump | Oneindia News

"I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," the president said.

Donald Trump offers to 'mediate or arbitrate' between India and China border dispute

"Have a big conflict ...India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," he said when asked if he was worried about the border situation between India and China.

I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump said.

A day earlier, the president offered to mediate between India and China.

Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.

Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump reiterated his offer, saying if called for help, "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help" about "mediate or arbitrate, I would do that," he said. India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump's offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing.

While the Chinese Foreign Ministry is yet to react to Trump's tweet which appears to have caught Beijing by surprise, an op-ed in the state-run Global Times said both countries did not need such a help from the US President.

We are engaged with China to resolve border row: India on Trump's offer to mediate

"The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order," it said.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.

Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal which was rejected by New Delhi.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders.

Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, May 29, 2020, 8:17 [IST]
The nuclear-powered submarine, built four decades earlier for the Soviet Northern Fleet, was being towed to a Murmansk shipyard to be dismantled when it was hit by a summer storm. The sub sank, killing nine sailors and sending around 800 kilograms of radioactive fuel to the sea bottom.



Since the August 2003 incident, K-159s snapped hull has been resting around 250 meters underwater at the entrance to the Kola Bay. So far, the fuel on board has not leaked into the surrounding waters, scientists say.



The K-159 is far from the only radioactive item in the junkyard of debris that was dumped in the Barents and Kara seas over decades by the Soviet Navy. An estimated 17,000 objects are scattered across thousands of square miles, including 18 nuclear reactors and another entire nuclear sub that was scuttled off Novaya Zemlya in 1982.



For years, the Russian government, prodded by Norway, Sweden, and other nations, has struggled to figure out what to do with the waste.



Now, according to a government decree published in March, that process is at last moving forward.

The decree -- titled On The Rehabilitation Of The Russian Arctic From Flooded And Sunken Objects With Spent Nuclear Fuel And Radioactive Waste -- orders the state-run atomic energy company Rosatom to oversee the cleanup of the most dangerous objects over a nine-year-period, up to 2029.



Rosatom, which oversees Russias sprawling nuclear complex including reactors, enrichment, fuel production, and other operations, declined to answer inquiries from RFE/RL to provide details or comment on the effort.



But Norwegian, Swedish, and Russian experts who have followed, or been involved directly with, the effort say the March decree is a concrete step forward for cleaning up some of the most dangerous debris.



"You are quite right that our government and the Rosatom Corporation are definitely moving in this direction," said Pavel Yakovlev, who edits a Russian government-funded web portal called Nuclear Submarine Decommissioning. "The Russian government is well on its way into doing the preparatory work for formalizing the final project."



"This is an important first step for the Russian side to be able to perform practical work to reduce risks from potential radioactive contamination of the marine environment," said Ingar Amundsen of the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority.



The scope of the problem, and the potential hazards to the fragile Arctic ecosystems of the Barents and Kara seas, have been studied for years by both Russian and Western scientists. A 1993 report issued by a special commission set up by President Boris Yeltsin documented three decades of toxic waste dumping, mainly in the waters near Novaya Zemlya.



"It is obvious now that there is a critical situation," the so-called Yablokov Commission said at the time in a landmark report. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) later estimated that Soviet dumping was more than double the total amount dumped by a dozen nuclear nations combined between 1946 and 1982, including the United States.

No Dumping



The IAEA banned countries from dumping high-level radioactive waste in the oceans in the 1950s. In 1983, the London Dumping Convention, whose members included the Soviet Union, the United States, and other nuclear nations, agreed to halt low-level radioactive waste dumping.



Still, Moscow for years maintained that it did not sink hazardous atomic waste, something that ultimately was refuted, and documented in full, by the Yablokov Commission.



Since then, Norway and other countries have conducted joint expeditions with Russian scientists over many years to map and measures the worst locations, and to come up with long-term plans for either cleaning them up or minimizing the danger.



At least six sunken objects, including K-159, are considered priorities for the first phase. Those objects are estimated to hold more than 90 percent of all the identified man-made radioactive waste, according to the Norwegian environment group Bellona, which has monitored Russian Arctic environmental problems for years and first highlighted the significance of the new Russian government decrees.



Scientists have warned that although little to no environmental contamination from the K-159 has been recorded to date, the sub and its reactor are in danger of decay, which would release radiation into the Kola Bay, a major waterway that is home to the port of Murmansk, about 70 kilometers south of the wreckage site.



Another nuclear-powered submarine, called the K-27, was decommissioned by the Soviet Navy in 1982 and sunk in about 100 meters of water off the eastern shore of Novaya Zemlya. Yet another site includes spent fuel from the Lenin nuclear-powered icebreaker.



The government decree does not specify what it will cost to raise or clean up the most problematic waste, nor does it answer the question of liability or responsibility for the actual process.



At a conference in Moscow in December attended by Western and Russian scientists, experts estimated that the overall cost for raising the six wrecks at 287 million euros. ($305 million).



Some experts warn that lifting some of the materials, including the broken submarine hulls or damaged nuclear reactors, will be exceedingly complex -- and risks releasing more radiation into the environment.



"It is a risk of release of radionuclides if an accident occurs during a raising operation. Therefore, it is important to perform risk assessment to minimize this risk," Amundsen told RFE/RL.



"Obviously, there is no good solution," said Rashid Alimov, director of the energy program at Greenpeace Russia in Moscow. "It is dangerous to pick up objects flooded in the seas that contain spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. But you cant leave it at the bottom."



Norwegian scientists last year announced that another Soviet submarine, the K-278, or Komsomolets, which accidentally sank in April 1989 about 350 kilometers northwest of the Norwegian coast, has been leaking radiation into the surrounding waters. That wreck does not appear in the planning documents that were presented at the December conference in Moscow and were published online.



Arctic Strategy



The Russian governments decision to move forward on a cleanup plan dovetails with a broader Arctic strategy that the Kremlin has developed in recent years. Global warming has resulted in receding sea ice, making Russias Arctic coast more accessible for navigation and exploration of natural resources.



Cleaning up the most problematic debris fits into that strategy, said Jonas Kjellen, a military analyst at the Swedish Defense Research Agency.



"These type of operations give Russia another purpose in the region that is not purely military (or geopolitical)," he said in an e-mail to RFE/RL.



"The story to be told is that Russia is not only in control of the Northern Sea Route and a large chunk of the Arctic, it is also a responsible shepherd of the high north," he said. "Polls also show that the Russian public is also getting evermore concerned about environmental issues, and these types of operations give the [Defense Ministry] more legitimacy and popularity."

Sunken objects are also a danger to navigation and undersea exploration, further reasons for the governments decision to move forward, Kjellen said.



The K-159, which sank in the Kola Bay inlet, is "probably a major concern and obstacle for naval operations, and possibly also obstructs laying of submarine cables or submarine sensor systems in this important area," he said.



Still, environmental groups like Greenpeace are skeptical about the government plans, given the secrecy and obfuscation around past incidents that Rosatom was involved in. That includes last years explosion at a White Sea missile test base that spewed radioactive material across a nearby city, and a 2017 incident at the long-troubled Mayak nuclear complex in the southern Ural Mountains, which sent a cloud of radioactive isotopes drifting over Europe.

Both cases were marked by intense official secrecy and shifting government explanations.

Previous, more localized Russian cleanup efforts in two bays on the Kola Peninsula have already led to decreased radiation there, said Anders Turesson, who heads a working group focused on environmental issues at the Arctic Council, an eight-nation intergovernmental group based in Norway.



We hope to see the same in the Barents and Kara seas now that Russia has decided to move forward with cleanup, he said in a statement.
By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 28, 2020 | 02:20 PM | MURRAY

Murray State University plans to celebrate its class of 2020 with a combined commencement ceremony later this year.Due to COVID-19, the spring commencement ceremony, originally scheduled to be held in May, was postponed."While we are regrettably unable to gather in person to celebrate our graduates this May, we are extraordinarily proud of our graduating Racers and wish them the best as they take the next step in their education and careers," said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Tim Todd. "We encourage all graduates to keep in touch with the University and let us know how they're doing. Once a Racer, always a Racer."The University says it plans to hold a combined ceremony for both May and December graduates later this year. Additional details will be provided at a later date.A total of 1,500 degree applicants made up this graduating class. Kyle Britton and Rachel Huck have been named the outstanding seniors for spring 2020. Britton graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Engineering in engineering physics (dual concentration in advanced physics and aerospace engineering), while Huck earned her Bachelor of Arts in accounting.A complete list of graduates can be found at murraystate.edu/commencement/graduates or by clicking the link below.

On the Net:
Portland Police denounced the in-custody death of a black man in Minneapolis who died after police officers ignored his pleas that he could not breathe while restrained.

Acting Chief Chris Davis said at a press conference Thursday that George Floyds death after an officer knelt on his neck for several minutes was a big step in the wrong direction.

Protests over Floyds death have triggered rioting and confrontations with police in Minneapolis and spurred plans for protests in Portland.

Davis, who spoke to the press because Chief Jami Resch is on furlough, did not specify how Portland police are preparing for the protests. In general, he said, police try to remain as uninvolved as possible during protests in which they are the target.

We recognize that the visible presence of police officers could be triggering for people," Davis said.

Davis said Portland Police has taken steps to build trust with communities of color and said Floyds death strengthens their commitment to do so, as Resch had said in a prepared statement provided to the media.

In our profession, we have a problem, Davis said. Particularly with marginalized communities and communities of color.

Resch was on furlough because the city of Portland has required all employees who dont belong to a union to take several unpaid days in response to the financial impact from the coronavirus.

There are currently four events tied to Floyds death in Portland planned, including two scheduled for Friday.

A small protest organized by the Portland branch of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement began at the Portland police headquarters at the same site as another protest and was moved to Pioneer Square Thursday.

A second group of about 100 people gathered later Thursday in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center, which houses the downtown jail and the Portland police headquarters. The demonstration was organized by the Pacific Northwest Youth Liberation Front, which plans to hold a second event in North Portland Friday.

Many protesters sat or lay on the street in front of the jail, before marching together through downtown Portland. Police watched the crowd from a distance, blocking off streets for the group, then moving away as they got closer. At one point, the crowd chanted George Floyd."

Davis said earlier Thursday that police hope organizers work to avoid threats to public safety or property. He also said protesters should practice social distancing in light of the coronavirus pandemic, but said police were unlikely to enforce the practices.

In her statement, Resch said police will also work to engage the community in light of Floyds death.

The actions and tactics displayed on the video do not represent our professions values and are contrary to our fundamental duty to protect and serve, Resch said.

Mark Graves contributed to this report.

-- K. Rambo

krambo@oregonian.com

@k_rambo_

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
TV actor Charu Asopa has revealed she fought with husband Rajeev Sen after they were trolled for a social media post and she had the typical I advised you against this response. She added that she does not usually react to trolls.

Charu told Times of India in an interview, We dont discuss before posting any pic. We share whatever we feel like. Later we realise, arre hum toh troll ho gaye. Then I told Rajeev maine mana kiya tha even then you posted See now we got trolled. We fought a bit too and then all was ok. There is no point reacting to all these. Ignorance is bliss. We just avoid reacting.

Talking to Hindustan Times about trolling, Charu had said last month, This is the time when you can spend quality time with your partner. You might not get this time back again. So whats wrong in that? And that day we were having dinner and decided to click few photos. We didnt think much about it.

After she posted pictures with her husband, the couple was trolled and one user even commented, Get a room, there should be some decency. Another one wrote, Too private to post on Instagram.

Also read: Shraddha Kapoor, brother Siddhanth go grocery shopping with masks and gloves on: Adventure with my bhaiya

Sabse badaa rog, kya kahenge log (The biggest disease is to keep thinking about what people will say). If we only keep thinking whatll people say, we wont be able to do anything in life. Aur isiliye main har baar logon ki baaton pe zyada gaur nahi karti (That is why I do not always pay attention to what people are saying), she further told HT.

Charu and Rajeev got married in June last year in a private ceremony in Goa. Sushmita posted a message for the couple, Dear Charu & Rajeev, Congratulations on your wedding day! May God always bless your union and gift you the courage to honour this beautiful commitment! Thank you for giving me the privilege to dress you both for your wedding ceremony. A moment and memory I will cherish forever!! Heres to your happiness and prosperity together...

Follow @htshowbiz for more

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner implored protesters to remain respectful in airing their frustrations over the death of former Third Ward resident George Floyd, as an initially peaceful demonstration splintered off into groups that blocked highway entrances and threw objects at officers Friday evening.

The protesters would clash with police at several occasions downtown Friday evening. Earlier, the protesters overtook a cruiser a few blocks away, smashing its windshield and windows.

Crowds gathered with Black Lives Matter Houston to protest the death of George Floyd with chants of I cant breathe and No justice, no peace, as they trekked from Discovery Green to City Hall. Some were arrested for attempting to block roads, but no injuries have been reported, Turner said. Some police vehicles were damaged, he said.

It was painful to watch, Turner said of the video footage of Floyds death. There is a lot of pain and a lot of hurt .. for people all over this country.

He said police here are working hard to build relationships in all communities and that the city is working to address racial inequities. He asked for the opportunity to continue to improve the situation.

The frustrations are running very high, Turner said. We see you and we chose not to ignore you.

He added: The answer is not to tear down cities  People want to be heard. They want change.

He reflected on a recent spate of police shootings in Houston, and said he remains convinced that they were justified.

Sometimes the circumstance dictate what the outcomes are, he said. Dont paint everybody with the same brush.

Ashton Woods, Black Lives Matter Houston founder, said Fridays rally was to ensure that people know that they have a place to come and express their anger and frustration.

That anger and frustration occasionally boiled over Friday. At one point, Woods was involved in a fight outside City Hall with a man he said called him a homophobic slur. It was broken up by police and protesters, according to video footage from the scene.

Around 5 p.m., at least three protesters were handcuffed and taken away in police cars. Details on why they were detained were not immediately clear.

Protesters spilled on to an Interstate 45 ramp and, later, on to northbound 288. Hordes of police on horses, foot and in cars worked to close roads and secure the areas.

Floyd, 46, a former Third Ward resident and Yates High School graduate, died in Minneapolis police custody Monday night after video showed an officer kneeling on his neck, pinning him to the ground while he pleaded for help.

Houstons rally began in the same hour that Minnesota officials announced the officer in video, Derek Chauvin, would face murder and manslaughter charges, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Chauvin, who was taken into custody earlier Friday, and three other officers at the scene were fired earlier this week.

Acevedo, who said he supported the charges, said that likely was small consolation to the protesters. The chief was manning the steps outside City Hall and speaking with some of the organizers

Our activists, our Black Lives Matter, and our chiefs, we actually have a working relationship, Acevedo said. One of the things thats really important is we never want to let anarchists and people who want to use legitimate pain, and legitimate grievances, to hijack it by being anarchists and burning things down. What we know about our activists here is they try to work constructively, not destructively.

Floyds death has sparked days of protest and riot in Minneapolis and others across the country. Fridays protest here is the first in Houston. There was a prayer vigil Tuesday in Emancipation Park, attended by the mother of Floyds 6-year-old daughter.

Its cruel  they took him away from my daughter, Washington told Chronicle. Shell never see her father again.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
Commercial properties in Cook County have also taken a hit  some as much as 38%, according to the assessors offices analysis of publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trusts. As a result, many commercial property owners will receive an increase in their capitalization rates, which estimate the rate of income return on property. The adjustment means their properties will be assessed at a lower value because they are receiving less income.
Advertisement

Minnesota cop Derek Chauvin is pictured in his mugshot which was released Friday night, following his being charged with George Floyd's murder

Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin has been pictured in his mugshot after being arrested for the murder of George Floyd, as the criminal complaint reveals the white officer kept kneeling on the black man's neck for almost 3 minutes after he fell unconscious and said 'you're talking fine' when he begged for air.

Chauvin's bail was set at $500,000, according to the criminal complaint filed in the 4th Judicial District Court of Minnesota.

The document does not indicate whether there are any conditions set for Chauvin's release or if he is already out on bail.

The order of detention box was not checked because Chauvin, whose mugshot was released Friday night, was not ordered detained or remanded.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Chauvin was taken into custody by state investigators on Friday afternoon and was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter following nationwide protests and riots demanding the white officer's arrest.

The charges come a day after prosecutors had warned there was 'evidence that did not support criminal charges' in the case, saying they needed to prove Chauvin had used 'excessive' force on Floyd.

A criminal complaint on Friday shed light on the moments leading up to Floyd's death, revealing he was 'non-responsive' for almost three minutes before Chavin released him from under his knee.

'The defendant had his knee on Mr Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds in total. Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Mr Floyd was non-responsive,' the report states.

It notes police officers are trained that this amount of time of restraint on a suspect in that position is in 'inherently dangerous.'

However, a preliminary autopsy did not find evidence of 'traumatic asphyxia or strangulation' and found Floyd may have died from being restrained as well as from underlying health conditions.

George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on Memorial Day as he was arrested by four police officers over allegedly trying to buy cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. He was seen in a video pleading that he couldn't breathe as white officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck

Protests broke out outside a home owned by fired officer Derek Chavin in Windermere, Florida on Friday

Protesters held up signs reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Justice for George Floyd' outside Chauvin's home in Florida

This comes the same day Chauvin has been charged with George Floyd's murder as it's revealed the disgraced cop had knelt on his neck for nearly three minutes after he lost consciousness

George Floyd's (pictured) heartbroken family called for the four cops involved in his death to be charged with murder

THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT The timeline of events reveals that Officers Lane and Kueng arrived on the scene first after responding to a 911 call of a man using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy goods from Cup Foods Deli. They were directed to Floyd's car around the corner from the store where Floyd was sat in the driver's seat, a man was sat in the passenger seat and a woman in the back seat, the complaint states. It details that Lane pulled his gun on Floyd before putting it away when Floyd showed his empty hands on the steering wheel of the car. Lane then pulled Floyd from the car and handcuffed him. The complaint states that Floyd 'actively resisted' being handcuffed but then became compliant and walked with the cop to the sidewalk where he sat for two minutes and had a conversation with him. Lane and Kueng then tried to walk Floyd to their squad car but Floyd 'stiffened up, fell to the ground, and told the officers he was claustrophobic', the complaint says. Chauvin and Thoa arrived on the scene and the four officers tried to get Floyd into the squad car, it states, adding that Floyd 'struggled with the officers by intentionally falling down, saying he was not going in the car, and refusing to stand still'. Floyd began telling the officers he could not breathe while standing outside the car, the report states. Chauvin then tried to get Floyd into the passenger side of the car before pulling him out of the car moments later. 'My. Floyd went to the ground face down and still handcuffed. Kueng held Mr. Floyd's back and Lane held his legs. The defendant placed his left knee in the area of Mr. Floyd's head and neck,' it reads. Floyd is heard saying 'I can't breathe', 'Mama' and 'please' multiple times but Chauvin, Kueng and Lane maintain their positions on his body and tell him 'You are talking fine', the report notes. Lane then suggests rolling Floyd onto his side but Chauvin says 'No, staying put where we got him'. 'Officer Lane said, 'I am worried about excited delirium or whatever.' The defendant said , 'That's why we have him on his stomach.' None of the three officers moved from their positions,' the report adds. Floyd then stops moving at 8:24:24 and at 8:25:31 he appears to stop breathing and speaking, it notes. Lane again suggests rolling Floyd onto his side but none of the cops move position. Kueng checked his right wrist for a pulse and said 'I couldn't find one' but all the officers maintained their position, the report adds. Chauvin finally moved his knee from Floyd's neck at 8:27:24 and he was taken away in an ambulance, 8 minutes and 46 seconds after he first held it on his neck and two minutes and 53 seconds after Floyd became unresponsive, the complaint states. Advertisement

Freeman on Friday highlighted the 'extraordinary speed' in charging the case just four days after Floyd died, but also defended himself against questions about why it did not happen sooner.

As for the other three officers who were fired alongside Chauvin over Floyd's death - J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao - Freeman said the investigation is ongoing and prosecutors chose to focus on the 'most dangerous perpetrator'.

The criminal complaint details the events leading up to Floyd's death and lays out the charges that have finally been brought against Chauvin following four days of bubbling anger that the suspected murderer could walk free.

It reveals that Floyd had stopped struggling under the grip of the officers for more than a minute before he then stopped speaking and breathing.

It was then another two minutes later that Chauvin finally moved his knee from Floyd's neck.

At one point, when Floyd was still talking and breathing, one of the other officers suggested moving Floyd into a different position but Chauvin refused, telling them they were 'staying put', the complaint states.

It also says that after Floyd passed out, one of the officers checked and found no pulse, but still none of the three officers holding him down - Chauvin, Lane and Kueng - moved from their positions pinning him to the floor - or began giving him medical assistance.

The murder charge states that Chauvin caused Floyd's death 'by perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life'.

Chauvin also faces a second degree manslaughter charge citing that his 'culpable negligence' led to Floyd's death.

The preliminary results of the autopsy found 'no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation' and that Floyd had underlying health conditions including 'coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease'.

It concludes that Floyd died from the 'combined effects' of him 'being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system'.

Chauvin faces up to 35 years in prison if convicted - a 25 year maximum sentence for murder and a 10 year maximum sentence for manslaughter.

Calls are now mounting for the other three officers to be charged over Floyd's death, with protesters in Minneapolis taking to the streets chanting 'One down, three to go' and 'all four got to go' following the news.

In widely circulated footage, Floyd was seen on the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back as Chauvin pinned him to the pavement until he lost consciousness and later died.

Floyd family attorney Ben Crump, who was among the first to call for criminal charges to be laid against Chauvin in the wake of Floyd's death, said the move is 'a welcome but overdue step on the road to justice' and demanded he be tried for murder in the first degree.

Gov Walz called Friday for order to be restored in the streets after the third devastating night of protests Thursday left the city in ruin (above)

National Guard on the streets of Minneapolis Friday. Chauvin was taken into custody by state investigators on Friday afternoon and was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter following nationwide protests and riots demanding the white officer's arrest

A member of the National Guard patrols near a burned out building on the fourth day of protests in Minneapolis

A criminal complaint on Friday shed light on the moments leading up to Floyd's death, revealing he was 'non-responsive' for almost three minutes before Chavin released him from under his knee

A fatal shooting and lawsuit for excessive force: What we know about the four officers fired for George Floyd's arrest Derek Chauvin In 2006 Derek Chauvin (pictured), 44, was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes The white police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck has already been investigated over three police shootings and a fatal car chase. In 2006 Derek Chauvin, 44, was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes. Reyes, 42 was killed by officers after allegedly pulling a shotgun on the six cops, which included Chauvin. Also that year he was named in a lawsuit filed by an inmate at the Minnesota Correctional Facility. The case was dismissed in 2007. Two years later Chauvin was investigated for his role in the 2008 shooting of Ira Latrell Toles during a domestic assault call. Toles was wounded after police said he went for an officer's gun and Chauvin shot him. That same year Chauvin was handed a medal of valor for 'his response in an incident involving a man armed with a gun.' But in 2011 23-year-old Leroy Martinez was shot and injured during a chase given by officers including Chauvin. Chauvin was arrested Friday - four days after Floyd's death - and charged with third degree murder and manslaughter. Tou Thao Tou Thao (pictured), was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017 Tou Thao, was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017. A lawsuit obtained by the DailyMail.com shows Thao was sued for using excessive force in arrest where he was accused of punching and kicking a handcuffed suspect 'until his teeth broke'. The remaining two officers have been identified as Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng. Both were reportedly rookie cops who were still in their probationary periods. Thao, Lane and Kueng do not currently face charges. Advertisement

'We expected a first-degree murder charge. We want a first-degree murder charge. And we want to see the other officers arrested,' Crump said in a statement.

'We call on authorities to revise the charges to reflect the true culpability of this officer. The pain that the black community feels over this murder and what it reflects about the treatment of black people in America is raw and is spilling out onto streets across America.

'While this is a right and necessary step, we need the City of Minneapolis  and cities across the country  to fix the policies and training deficiencies that permitted this unlawful killing  and so many others  to occur.'

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who had publicly called for Chauvin's arrest earlier this week, called the decision to charge him an 'essential first step.'

'For our black community who have, for centuries, been forced to endure injustice in a world simply unwilling to correct or acknowledge it: I know that whatever hope you feel today is tempered with skepticism and a righteous outrage,' Frey added.

US Attorney General William Barr meanwhile said he is 'confident justice will be served', calling the videos of Floyd's death 'harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing.'

The Justice Department and FBI are investigating whether federal civil rights laws were broken.

The charges come after three days of riots and protests that erupted across Minneapolis - and several states - demanding justice for 46-year-old Floyd that have left the city in ruins and led the state of Minnesota to take over the response.

Protesters have been running rampant for the past three nights in a show of outrage that has seen a suspected looter shot dead in the street, a Minneapolis police precinct stormed and set alight, and the city up in flames as businesses and stores were looted and torched.

Amid fears that the chaos is entering a fourth night, the twin cities of Minnesota imposed curfews starting at 8p.m. tonight in efforts to bring the rioting and destruction under control.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced a nighttime curfew barring anyone other than essential workers and public safety personnel from being in public places across the city from 8p.m. through to 6 a.m. local time and lasting for the weekend.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter followed suit with a matching citywide curfew as he declared a state of emergency for the city, after 170 businesses were destroyed when protests turned violent Thursday night.

The city of Roseville - which shares borders with both of the twin cities - followed with its own emergency declaration and curfew.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Friday admitted an 'abject failure' by law enforcement in trying to control crowds Thursday night.

On Thursday, as tensions in the city boiled all day, the National Guard started putting in motion plans to intervene to help local law enforcement agencies that were struggling to cope with the mounting threat.

But they weren't given the order to act quickly enough, according to officials who spoke at a press conference on Friday, and it led to a night of chaos that climaxed with the Third Police Precinct being set on fire.

President Trump had threatened to 'assume control' of Minneapolis with military intervention, warning 'thugs' 'when the looting starts the shooting starts', in a tweet that was flagged by Twitter for 'glorifying violence.'

Trump tried to clarify his comments following Chauvin's arrest in another tweet saying he intended to call for peace on the streets to avoid further deaths.

'Looting leads to shooting, and that's why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night - or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot. I don't want this to happen, and that's what the expression put out last night means....

'It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement. It's very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media. Honor the memory of George Floyd!'

The message followed an earlier tweet in which Trump urged to 'REVOKE 230!' after signing an executive order Thursday seeking to strip social media giants of their legal protections, potentially exposing them to a flood of lawsuits.

Twitter would flagged the president's incendiary tweet hours after he announced the order.

Walz told reporters earlier that Trump's tweets were 'not helpful'.

'I did speak to the President. At that point in time, it was in the process where I said we were going to assume control of this and it was unnecessary,' he said.

Governor Walz said the state would take over the response and asked citizens to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering.

Minnesota State Patrol officers stood guard blocking access to streets where businesses had been damaged

A destroyed vehicle is seen above after a third night of looting and protesters setting fires in the city

Devastation: People clean up debris from destroyed businesses - more than 170 businesses have been destroyed

'Minneapolis and St. Paul are on fire. The fire is still smoldering in our streets. The ashes are symbolic of decades and generations of pain, of anguish unheard,' Walz said, adding. 'Now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world - and the world is watching.'

The governor cited a call he received from a state senator who described her district 'on fire, no police, no firefighters, no social control, constituents locked in houses wondering what they were going to do. That is an abject failure that cannot happen.'

'We have to restore order...before we turn back to where we should be spending our energy - making sure that justice is served,' he said.

'We cannot have the looting and the recklessness that went on [last night].'

His comments came the morning after protesters torched a police station that officers abandoned during a third night of violence.

Livestream video showed protesters entering the building, where intentionally set fires activated smoke alarms and sprinklers.

The governor faced tough questions after National Guard leader Major Gen. Jon Jensen blamed a lack of clarity about the Guards mission for a slow response.

Walz said the state was in a supporting role and that it was up to city leaders to run the situation.

Walz said it became apparent as the 3rd Precinct was lost that the state had to step in, which happened at 12:05 a.m. Requests from the cities for resources 'never came,' he said.

'You will not see that tonight, there will be no lack of leadership,' Walz said

On Friday morning, nearly every building in the shopping district around the abandoned police station had been vandalized, burned or looted.

National Guard members were in the area, with several of them lined up, keeping people away from the police station.

Dozens of volunteers swept up broken glass in the street, doing what they could to help.

Protesters face off with Minnesota State Police officers on Friday in Minneapolis, Minnesota

The criminal complaint against Chauvin details how he pinned down Floyd by his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds - 2 minutes and 53 seconds of which Floyd was already 'non-responsive'

Law enforcement officers amassed along Lake Street near Hiawatha Ave. as fires burned after a night of unrest and protests

Protesters gathered in front of the Third Police Precinct which had to be evacuated by police after it was torched

The lack of murder charges have sparked protests, looting and riots in Minneapolis across the country. Pictured: Protesters burn the Minneapolis Police Department 3rd Precinct during protests over Floyd's death, May 28

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freema says the officers don't plan to cooperate with the investigation and have pleaded the fifth amendment

Derek Chauvin, 44, the officer filmed kneeling Floyd's neck during his arrest, is a 19-year veteran of the force who was investigated over a fatal police shooting in 2006

Dozens of fires were also set in nearby St. Paul, where nearly 200 businesses were damaged or looted.

Protests spread across the US fueled by outrage over Floyd's death, and years of violence against African Americans at the hands of police.

Demonstrators clashed with officers in New York and blocked traffic in Columbus, Ohio, and Denver.

In Southern California, nine people were arrested after rocks were thrown at businesses, vehicles and officers during a protest in Fontana where about 100 people moved up and down a thoroughfare and blocked traffic.

Timeline: George Floyd's death at the hands to Minneapolis police sparks nationwide protests Monday, May 25 Cell phone video shows George Floyd, handcuffed and pinned to the ground, with one police officer - Derek Chauvin - kneeling on his neck for eight minutes. Floyd, 46, is heard pleading: 'I can't breathe', as he is arrested by four cops for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill at a convenience store. He later died. Tuesday, May 26 The death of Floyd, 46, (pictured) prompted several protests across the country Four Minneapolis officers involved in the incident, including Chauvin and Tou Thao, are fired. Minnesota Mayor Jacob Frey says it is 'the right call'. As calls mount for the cops to face murder charges, the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension launch an investigation. That night, the first of several protests over Floyd's death take place in Minneapolis, with protesters shouting: 'I can't breathe!' These words echo Floyd's plea to officers but the phrase also became a rallying cry in 2014 after the death of Eric Garner, another black man who was killed in police custody during an arrest for the illegal sale of cigarettes. Wednesday, May 27 Protests continue into a second night in Minneapolis and spread nationwide to Los Angeles and Memphis, Tennessee. As anger mounts, the protests become violent with one person in Minneapolis shot dead, stores are looted and buildings are set on fire. Police in riot gear fired rubber bullets and tear gas at the thousands of protesters demanding justice for Floyd. Mayor Frey called for the officer's to be charged and said 'I want to see justice for George Floyd.' It is revealed Chauvin been subject to at least 12 conduct reports since 2001. Thursday, May 28 A third night of protests with demonstrations in Minneapolis, Memphis, Louisville, Phoenix, New York City and Columbus, Ohio. Protesters burn down the Third Precinct building while 500 National Guards are dispatched to the riots in Minneapolis. At least 70 New Yorkers are arrested after clashing with the NYPD. Protesters in Ohio breached the city's courthouse and shots were fired at the Colorado State Capitol. Friday, May 29 President Trump blasts 'radial left Mayor' Frey and warned 'thugs' that 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts' on Twitter. The phrase comes from former Miami Police Chief Walter Headley in 1967 when referring to 'slum hoodlums' who he believed took advantage of the Civil Rights Movement. Twitter flags Trump's tweet for violating its rules about glorifying violence. It comes mere days after the president was fact-checked, sparking a row with the social media giant. Black CNN Reporter Omar Jimenez is arrested on live TV while reporting on the riots in Minneapolis Officer Chauvin is charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter over Floyd's death. Advertisement

Police said an unlawful assembly was declared and the crowd was ordered to disperse but some persisted.

Elsewhere in the region, demonstrators gathered outside Los Angeles police headquarters but there was no repeat of Wednesday evening's action in which protesters blocked freeways and attacked two Highway Patrol cruisers.

Chaos also spread over in New Mexico where four people in Albuquerque were taken into custody near a protest after gunshots were fired from a vehicle. There were no reports of injuries from the gunshots and it wasn't clear whether that incident was related to the protest.

Albuquerque police used a helicopter and tear gas to disperse a crowd of people after several police cars had windows broken out during an confrontation with 'an angry mob.' Department spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said no injuries were reported.

In New York City, NYPD officers were seen brawling on the ground with protesters as at least 70 people were arrested in the Big Apple.

Protesters in Ohio smashed the windows of the statehouse in downtown Columbus and raided the building and demonstrators damaged a police cruiser in downtown Los Angeles.

Over in Kentucky, seven people were shot in downtown Louisville during a protest demanding justice for black woman Breonna Taylor who was shot dead by cops back in March, as the Floyd case reignited tensions between cops and the African-American community.

President Trump waded in on the escalating violence in Minneapolis in the early hours of Friday as he warned he would step in and take over if officials fail to bring the rioting under control.

He blasted the 'Radical Left Mayor' Frey saying he needs to 'get his act together' while slamming protesters for 'dishonoring the memory' of Floyd and warning 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts'.

'I can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.....,' the president tweeted.

'These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!'

Speaking in the early hours of this morning, Mayor Frey fired back at the president and said: 'Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis.'

'Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions. Weakness is pointing your finger at someone else during a time of crisis,' he said.

'Is this a difficult time period? Yes, but you'd better be damn sure that we're going to get through this.'

Frey said he understood the 'pain and anger right now in our city', but added that 'what we have seen over the last several hours and the past couple of nights in terms of looting is unacceptable'.

The mayor revealed it was him who had decided to evacuate the Third Precinct after determining that there were 'imminent threats to both officers and public'.

'The symbolism of a building cannot outweigh the importance of life, of our officers or the public. We could not risk serious injury to anyone,' he said. 'Brick and mortar is not as important as life.'

Minneapolis city officials issued a warning for protesters and residents to flee the scene of the Third Police Precinct as gas lines were cut because 'other explosive materials are in the building'.

'If you are near the building, for your safety, PLEASE RETREAT in the event the building explodes,' the city government wrote in a Twitter update shortly before midnight.

Protesters broke into the police precinct at around 10pm, smashing up windows and setting fires inside.

As flames engulfed the building, protesters gathered out the front chanting 'I can't breathe' - some of the last words Floyd said before he died.

Minneapolis Police released a statement saying that officers had fled the scene: 'In the interest of the safety of our personnel, the Minneapolis Police Department evacuated the 3rd Precinct of its staff. Protesters forcibly entered the building and have ignited several fires.'

EXCLUSIVE: Pageant-winner wife of white cop accused of killing George Floyd during forgery arrest was charged for writing a bad $42 check - and raved about her husband in resurfaced interview that 'under all that uniform, he's just a softie'

Kellie Chauvin, the wife of the white police officer who was seen kneeling on George Floyd's neck during a fatal forgery arrest, previously had been charged herself for writing a bad check, DailyMail.com can disclose. She was voted Mrs. Minnesota in 2018

The wife of the white police officer who was seen kneeling on George Floyd's neck during a fatal forgery arrest had previously been charged herself for writing a bad check, DailyMail.com can disclose.

DailyMail.com has learned Chauvin's wife Kellie, a former Mrs. Minnesota America winner, was charged with writing a bad $42 check in February 2005.

And despite multiple letters sent to her home about the bad check, she hadn't paid the owed money by July of that year, leading to a criminal complaint being filed against her.

Kellie, who at the time was married to her late ex-husband Kujay Xiong, eventually paid the money and the case was dismissed.

Kellie had raved about her husband in an interview from 2018, telling the Pioneer Press: 'Under all that uniform, he's just a softie.'

Kellie gave the interview as part of a press push for her bid for beauty contest Mrs. Minnesota America 2018.

She won the contest in October that year and went to Las Vegas in 2019 to compete for the national round of the beauty pageant.

Chauvin met his future wife when he brought a suspect in for a health check before an arrest, returning to the hospital shortly after their initial meeting to ask her out.

Kellie had worked as a radiologist at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, which is the same hospital where Floyd was pronounced dead.

DailyMail.com has learned Chauvin's wife Kellie was charged with writing a bad $42 check in February 2005. And despite multiple letters sent to her home about the bad check, she hadn't paid the owed money by July of that year, leading to a criminal complaint being filed against her in Wisconsin

Kellie, who at the time was married to her late ex-husband Kujay Xiong, eventually paid the money and the case was dismissed

She told the outlet: 'He's such a gentleman. He still opens the door for me, still puts my coat on for me. After my divorce, I had a list of must-haves if I were ever to be in a relationship, and he fit all of them.'

The former radiologist, who now works as a realtor with Re/Max Results, told the paper she fled Laos with her family as a child and came to America as a refugee.

She said she had two children, including a son, George Xiong, with her first husband, who is now dead. The realtor married Chauvin around 2010.

Despite reportedly having a short fuse, Kellie had raved about her husband in an interview from 2018, telling the Pioneer Press: 'Under all that uniform, he's just a softie'

The outcry reached Chauvin's front door, as angry protesters drew in chalk on the road and sidewalk outside the couple's $260,000 home in Oakdale: 'A murderer lives here' and 'Murderer'

Protesters wrote 'A murderer lives here' on the ground outside Chauvin's home

On Thursday evening it was revealed Floyd had actually worked with Chauvin as security guards at the El Nuevo Rodeo club, the cub owner confirmed.

'Chauvin was our off-duty police for almost the entirety of the 17 years that we were open,' Maya Santamaria told KSTP-TV.

Santamaria said that she is not sure if the two men knew each other since there were some two dozen security guards, including off-duty officers, working at her club on any given night.

But she revealed there were occasions when they would have been working at the same event.

'They were working together at the same time, it's just that Chauvin worked outside and the security guards were inside.'

According to Santamaria, Chauvin had a tendency to flash his temper and overreact to situations.

'He sometimes had a real short fuse and he seemed afraid,' she said.

'When there was an altercation he always resorted to pulling out his mace and pepper spraying everybody right away, even if I felt it was unwarranted.'

The outcry has now reached his front door, as angry protesters drew in chalk on the road and sidewalk outside the couple's $260,000 home in Oakdale: 'A murderer lives here'.

On Thursday evening it was revealed Floyd had actually worked with Chauvin as security guards at the El Nuevo Rodeo club, the cub owner confirmed. 'Chauvin was our off-duty police for almost the entirety of the 17 years that we were open,' Maya Santamaria (pictured)
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  Bulldozers from the Palestinian Land Authority (PLA) affiliated with Hamas in the Gaza Strip demolished May 21 housing units in al-Qaraya al-Badawiya area in northern Gaza. The authority explained in a statement issued on the same day that the housing units encroach on agricultural lands.

PLA Director of Public Relations Amal Shamali told Al-Monitor, These lands are the governments property. They were rented out to citizens between 2010 and 2012 at a low price of $100 per year for every two dunams of land in order to establish agricultural projects and create new job opportunities for unemployed youths.

Shamali noted that the demolition aimed at halting the ongoing housing violations, among other violations against government lands in the Gaza Strip.

Rami Mansour, owner of a housing unit that was demolished on these lands, told Al-Monitor, After I lost my house in Shajaiya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City during the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip in 2014, I built a small house consisting of one room, a bathroom and a kitchen on a piece of land that I rented from the Hamas government for agricultural purposes. I was surprised when the PLA brought its bulldozers to destroy my house.

Mansour noted that his now-demolished house is the only housing unit for his family of eight, including six children. He added, Just like others whose houses were destroyed, I admit these lands are the governments, but because of the bad living circumstances and our inability to rebuild our houses that were damaged during the war, we had to live here. I ask the government to provide us with houses that can shelter us and our children from the cold of winter and the heat of summer.

On May 14, bulldozers demolished a house under construction for the Chaath family in the Chaouth area in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.

Ahmad Chaath, owner of the destroyed house, told Al-Monitor, We were surprised when dozens of police officers attacked the construction site in the early morning. When we tried to hold on to the columns of the house to prevent them from being destroyed, they beat us  men and women  and removed us from the site to destroy it.

He said his family received the land on which the now-demolished house was built in 1942, based on an order from the British High Commissioner who ruled Palestine between 1920 and 1948, to live on it and cultivate it.

Chaath added, We have lived here, generation after the other, for dozens of years. None of the parties that ruled the Gaza Strip since then  like Israel [1967-1994] and the Palestinian Authority [1994-2007]  forced us out. Now, Hamas, which is ruling Gaza, wants to kick us out.

Hamas recent demolition of houses was faced with opposition from rights groups.

Saleh Abdel Aty, chairman of the International Committee for the Support of Palestinians' Rights, told Al-Monitor, According to the law, citizens cannot be evacuated from lands registered in the name of the [British] High Commissioner. They require a compromise between the citizens and government rather than excessive use of force.

Aty added, Families that have been evacuated have the right to alternative housing from the Hamas government.

On the political level, Hamas moves on the ground reflect its insistence on governing the Gaza Strip separately from the PA. Hamas is working according to Egyptian-brokered truce understandings reached with Israel at the end of March 2019. Meanwhile, President Mahmoud Abbas announced May 19 the end of all agreements, including security ones, signed with Israel and the United States, in response to Israeli plans to annex Palestinian territories.

Under the truce understandings, Israel would offer the Gaza Strip economic incentives to alleviate the siege imposed since 2007, in return for calm in Gaza and Hamas refraining from launching rockets at Israel.

Hamas leader Yahya Moussa told Al-Monitor, The political agreements between Israel and the PA are in no way similar to Gazas understandings with Israel.

He added, Hamas and Israel have no agreements to renege on. They are just oral understandings under Eygptian brokerage that constitute an achievement for us. Our aim is to protect our citizens from any Israeli aggression and ease the blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Moussa clarified that the virtual span of these understandings is set by the field situation. He said, If Israel reneges on its understandings by closing borders or launching a new military aggression on Gaza, the understandings will be null and void.

Secretary-General of the Palestinian Peoples Party Bassam al-Salhi called on Hamas to stand behind the PAs stance and end all understandings and agreements reached with Israel.

He told Al-Monitor, Hamas justifications about the need for understandings with Israel to break the siege on the Gaza Strip are useless. The Palestinian struggle against breaking the siege should be based on unity rather than division. I believe Hamas understandings with Israel at a time when Abbas ended all agreements with it further deepen the rift between the two sides of the nation [the West Bank and Gaza].

Wassel Abu Youssef, member of the PLO Executive Committee and secretary-general of the Palestinian Liberation Front, a leftist party, told Al-Monitor, Hamas agreements with Israel were not coordinated with the PLO, which is the sole representatives of Palestinians. It is incomprehensible why Hamas has chosen to proceed while Abbas ended all agreements with Israel.

He underlined the importance of uniting the Palestinian stance to confront the US peace plan and Israels decision to annex wide parts of the West Bank. He added, Confronting these risks cannot succeed without a united Palestinian strategy. We lack united work.
The family of 29-year-old, Regis Korchinski-Paquet sounded the alarm after Toronto Police Service classified the death of their loved one as a suicide. Korchiniski-Paquet died after falling from the 24th floor of her apartment in High Park on Wednesday, but the family insists the young woman was killed and did not commit suicide.

The police killed my daughter, came in my apartment and shoved her off the building, alleged Claudette Korchinski-Beals, mother of the victim in a video making the rounds on social media.

today, a black woman, Regis Korchinski-Paquet was pushed off of a balcony by toronto police. the police said not to contact CP24, and ruled it as a suicide.

say her name. REGIS KORCHINSKI-PAQUET #BlackLivesMatter #RegisKorchinskiPaquet pic.twitter.com/25kqVCedCu  hourly yves (@HourlyYves) May 28, 2020

Korchinski-Paquets cousin Roca Veli also recorded an Instagram video which has amassed over 180,000 thousands views at the time of writing.

On the day, only three people were inside the apartment, Regis, her mother, Claudette and her brother Reece. According to Reece, his mother had originally called the police due to a family dispute, but things went sideways after the fateful call.

The cops were supposed to come and de-escalate the situation, but how did some one end up dying in their care of the situation? It just doesnt add up, he said.

Reece says the police came up and the three family members were outside in the hallway, when his sister said she had to go use the bathroom. He said two officers followed her inside the apartment, and they said she was already on the balcony trying to hop over to her neighbours balcony. However, Reece said the next door neighbour is like family and that there was mesh between the balconies, so it wouldnt make any sense for his sister to think she could get over.

Story continues

Theres no way you could let a girl whos a 100 lbs get away from you when you followed her into the unit, and they all moved aggressively, I know the feeling when they do to you and how scared you can be, he said.

On top of the movements being heard inside, Reece said his sister had called out for their mother a handful of times, before everything went quiet, and officers hurriedly came out the door.

Regis said Mom help, Mom help, Mom help and then you didnt hear a word, they were in there for a couple minutes then came out, he said.

After police came out, the family said they were never allowed back into the apartment, and have been locked out of their home since the incident.

Were not allowed back in the unit, theyve locked the doors and theyre not speaking to us about it either, Reece alleges. After police initially told the family Regis had jumped to her death, Reece admits he just believed it, but then felt they were trying to cover something up.

They made me feel like she killed herself...like she could have done it, but after they came out the way they acted, I was like no way, he said.

According to Reece his sister did suffer from epilepsy and would have seizures, but never displayed any signs of poor mental health.

They trigger mood swings, sometimes she would come out of them and be mad, but its never anything that couldnt be controlled especially by the so-called people to protect, he said.

The case has since been handed over to the provinces Special Investigations Unit (SIU), who have conducted a post-mortem, and will be interviewing witnesses in the coming days. SIUs news release indicated that police officers were in the building.

The SIU is aware of allegations made by certain family members of the deceased and will be looking to speak to anyone with information about these allegations. As the investigation is in the early stages, it would be inappropriate for the SIU to make any further comment at this time with respect to what transpired, they wrote in their news release.

The original Instagram video, created by Korchinski-Paquets cousin, Roca Veli alleged that his cousin didnt jump, but was rather thrown off the building.

The police threw my cousin off the building...were done protesting, they threw my cousin off the building, he repeated in an Instagram video. A female, the police cant arrest a female properly, they threw her off the building...its what theyre doing.

The death comes on the heels of a slew of large incidents involving black victims, from the death of George Floyd in Minnesota, who died after a police officer pressed his knee while being held down, to a woman in New Yorks Central Park calling the police falsely claiming a black man was threatening to kill her, to the Toronto shooting of 21-year-old rapper, Houdini who was shot and killed in broad daylight in the citys downtown core.

Were done playing, this is what the police are doing  worldwide, said Roca Veli, Korchinski-Paquets cousin.

Korchinski-Paquets mother said the police told news agencies to avoid the scene, as they said it was a suicide. During an event where someone has committed a suicide, news cameras typically avoid showing suicides to limit suicide contagion. The victims brother, Reece Korchinski said that if his cousin had not made the Instagram video, he doesnt think it would have been picked up by mainstream media.

Im so happy my cousin made that video yesterday, because they wouldve just said it was a suicide, he said.

29-year-old, Regis Korchinski-Paquet died after falling from her apartment building. The Special Investigations Unit is investigating the involvement of the Toronto Police Services' involvement in the woman's death.

Veli said he was next to the family when they were called by different news agencies and told that they wouldnt be covering the story, due to the police classifying it as a suicide.

Given the circumstances, Korchinski thinks the viral nature of the video has allowed people to know there is a different side, which has put pressure on police to provide answers.

We feel like at least people can see a story they wouldnt want heard, no one was with her, but the police, said Reece.

I urge the public to please wait

At a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders said officers were called to the apartment complex at 5:15 p.m. and were responding to a call for a domestic incident.

I listened to the call [and] it sounded rather frantic and there was a need for police to be there, he said, adding officers arrived four minutes after they were dispatched.

Saunders admitted his reason to address the media was in part to protect his officers, who cannot speak to the investigation at the time.

My fear is that misinformation, when we dont have an opportunity to speak, can lead to negative comments. I urge the public to please wait for the facts to come out, he said.

As the SIU continues their investigation which will likely last a couple weeks, the family, the police and the city await the results. Toronto Mayor John Tory said he understands the frustration of the waiting game, but told Torontonians to be patient.

We all want answers when a tragic death happens in our community...I know that any delay in getting answers is incredibly frustrating for people, myself included, who want to know what happened but this independent investigation is necessary to provide our community with all the facts and to ensure full accountability and transparency, he wrote in a statement.

Anyone with information or with video evidence related to the incident is urged to contact the SIU at 1-800-787-852.

Black Organizations And Anti-Racist Groups Canadians Can Support Now
London, May 29 : UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson considers the issue involving his top aide, Dominic Cummings as "closed" after police said no action would be taken against the latter who has been accused of breaching lockdown rules, a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Since May 22, Cummings has been at the centre of a major row when it was revealed that he drove about 418 km in March from London to his parents' home in the northeast city of Durham, reportedly breaking the UK's COVID-19 lockdown rules, reports Xinhua news agency.

The row has dominated headlines and led to dozens of MPs calling for Cummings to resign.

In a statement released on Thursday, Durham police said by locating himself at his father's premises, Cummings had not committed an offence contrary to the coronavirus lockdown restrictions, but by making a journey from his father's property to Barnard Castle with his wife and son, there might have been "a minor breach" of the coronavirus regulations that would have warranted police intervention.

The statement added Durham constabulary viewed this as minor because there was no apparent breach of social distancing, and will take no further action in this matter.

Responding to the police announcement, Johnson said it was "now time to move on".

"The police have made clear they are taking no action against Cummings over his self-isolation and that going to Durham did not breach the regulations.

"The Prime Minister has said he believes Cummings behaved reasonably and legally given all the circumstances and he regards this issue as closed," the Downing Street spokesperson said on Thursday.

Cummings made a public explanation earlier this week that he made the car journey together with his wife and their four-year-old son from London to Durham when his wife developed COVID-19 symptoms.

He was worried that if he also became ill, which he subsequently did, there would be problems looking after their young son.

Critics say Cummings has failed to apologize for his actions, while opposition parties continue to call for him to be sacked.

Johnson has publicly backed Cummings.
As Leitrim recovered from the Famine, death, disease and emigration caused lasting changes to the landscape, demography and economy of the county.

The disappearance of the labouring class opened the way for a more systematic clearance of the land and the emergence of larger landholdings and a new middle class. The displaced labourers and new landholders found themselves in a new conflict with each other, as well as with the old landed class.

EVICTIONS



Around Lough Rynn and Mohill, these tensions were exacerbated by William Sydney Clements increasingly highhanded and tyrannical approach to managing his estates. Clements had long believed that the land was over-populated and that small farms were unsustainable.

While he had allowed some tenants to suspend rent payments during the early years of the Famine, by the end of the 1840s, he was engaging in some large scale evictions on his estates. In June 1849, a warrant was issued to evict twenty-nine tenants from the townlands of Errew, Farnaught, Gortletteragh, Gortnalamph and Rouskeynamona for rents owed up to and for the 29th September 1847. Each tenant was given notice to pay within fourteen days, or face repossession of their homes and disposal of their goods and chattels.

After the Famine, the evictions increased, but became less about non-payment of rent, and more about increasing productivity and facilitating agricultural and economic progress. Clements inheritance of the earldom in 1854 marked a further turning point, and served to increase the new earls sense of omnipotence and control over his lands and his tenants.

By the 1860s, Lord Leitrims evictions had won notoriety for their indiscriminate nature and his lavish and pitiless notices to quit. In most cases, the evictions were ordered to accomplish land improvements, create new plantations of trees or for the purpose of revising the townland. Unlike some of his peers, he showed no nepotism to Protestant farmers, and was as likely to order their eviction as he was their Catholic neighbours.

Neither did he discriminate against women, and a number of named leaseholders were female. The earl was driven only in his determination to restrict tenancies to those who would cultivate good working farms  on his terms. In early 1861, The Irishman journal called him an incarnate terror to the Irish tenant.

RESTRICTIVE LEASES

Through the 1860s, the earl set about formalising and renewing existing tenancy agreements. Most of his land became leased on an At Will or year-to-year basis, rather than the 21 year leases that had been common earlier, and his new leases imposed new restrictions on what tenants could do.



A good example is the lease, signed by Michael Rogan in August 1862 for sixteen acres, three roods and eight perches as a tenant from year to year, determinable by six months notice to quit, for 12 p.a. The lease assigns full power to Lord Leitrim to enter the lands and premises at any time, for all reasonable purposes whatsoever.

Rogan could not, without written permission, make any new roads, fences, or drains, or build or alter any house or building.

There were restrictions on how the land could be used and what crops could be grown: Rogan could not grow two white or grain crops in succession or in any year, have tillage more than eleven acres, or dig, plough, or break up, any of the permanent grass fields.

Nor could he take or sell any hay, straw, manure, turnips or mangold worsel. It went without saying that the lease prohibited any subletting or sub-dividing the land for people, crops or grazing.

Rogan held on to the land until 1874, when the earls bailiff evicted Rogan for non-payment of rent. Although Rogan had held on to the land for twelve years under an At Will lease, once the decision to evict was made, the lease terms made the process of eviction easy.

Such lease terms caused obvious great uncertainty for all tenants. Even if the tenants were rehoused, their livelihoods and prospects were crushed.

Rogan, for example, was installed in a small cottage that had recently been occupied by a servant to the earl.

Similarly, a tenant who was evicted from his home at Laheen South was moved to one of the earl's farms in Clooncarne that carried a lower rent while his original farm was handed over to a man named French from County Cavan.

The earls standard lease terms were made public and were met with ridicule. In January 1870, the Pall Mall Gazette and Freemans Journal both published long and mocking articles on the subject, reserving particular derision for the requirement that the tenant shall not take out any dog or dogs, or destroy . . . any game, or the eggs or young of any game, hares, rabbits, or wild fowl. It pointed out that hares and rabbits do not ordinarily lay eggs; but, if they should undergo a change and become oviparous [the tenant] is to preserve the eggs.

The Pall Mall Gazette cited the leases as throwing a strong and most dismal light upon the causes of Irish discontent.

The Freemans Journal reflected on the flagrant injustice, and expressed astonishment at the enormous folly, the gross ignorance and stupidity of the Lord of Leitrim.

Here, they wrote is a blockhead so densely blockish that he cannot see his own interests, though they lie just before his nose.
[May 29, 2020] SEngine Precision Medicine Presented Data at ASCO 2020 on Clinical Validation of the CLIA Certified PARIS Test, a Revolutionary Organoid Based Assay, to Personalize Cancer Treatments

SEATTLE, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SEngine Precision Medicine , a precision oncology company revolutionizing cancer diagnostics and drug discovery by pre-testing drugs on patient-derived tumor-based organoids, today presented data on the predictive value of the PARIS Test in its poster, Predictive value of a CLIA-approved organoid based drug sensitivity test (poster board #360), during the 2020 ASCO Virtual Meeting being held May 29  31, 2020.

The PARIS Test is CLIA certified functional drug assay using tumor-derived organoids. By compiling assay results, the PARIS Test generates an actionable report to oncologists as a tool for therapeutic decisions, ranking sensitivity to targeted, endocrine and chemotherapy agents. This poster presentation summarized the strong correlation between genomics and retrospective treatment outcomes and PARIS Test drug sensitivity results based on an analysis of 240 patients, mostly in the metastatic solid tumor setting. Investigators concluded that the PARIS Test: Exhibits strong concordance with genomics by correlating drug sensitivity in samples that harbor actionable genomic anchors, including HER2+ / HER2 amplification, KRAS G12 mutations, CDKN2A/B loss, and PIKC3A mutations; Increases actionability of genomics reports;

Identifies candidate therapies in patients with no known druggable biomarkers, and

demonstrates strong retrospective concordance with previous treatments. Carla Grandori, MD, PhD, CEO of SEngine Precision Medicine, stated, The data presented today at ASCO showed that our phenotypic organoid-based assay, the PARIS Test, dramatically improves actionable results in comparison with genotypic testing alone by providing therapeutic choices for the majority of cases. Actionable test results identify drugs to which a patients cancer is sensitive. The PARIS Test provides valuable drug sensitivity data not yet eplained by the current translation of DNA sequencing results.



Retrospective concordance between clinical outcomes of prior treatments and organoid drug sensitivity data demonstrated PARIS Test accuracy. Treatments that resulted in clinical progression were evaluated for correlation with negative organoid drug responses, while treatments that resulted in clinical remission were evaluated for correlation with positive organoid drug responses. Results of the test showed a 92% correlation between organoid drug sensitivity and patient response to previous treatments. The poster concluded that the PARIS Test demonstrates strong predictive value based on retrospective concordance and that future studies are proposed to evaluate the correlation between organoid drug sensitivity and prospective treatment response. Details related to the poster presentation are as follows:

Title: Predictive value of a CLIA-approved organoid based drug sensitivity test.

Lead Author: Astrid Margossian, MD, PhD

Senior Author: Carla Grandori, MD, PhD

Poster Board #: 360

Poster Session: Developmental TherapeuticsMolecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology

About the PARIS Test

The PARIS Test is based on the capability to propagate patient-specific cancer cells as organoids outside the body and is applicable to all solid tumors including colon, breast, lung, ovarian and pancreatic cancer. Organoids are cancer-derived cells grown in 3D outside the body, which maintain the functionality of the original tumor as well as its genomic characteristics. For cancers where a treatment path is not clear, such as many metastatic and recurrent cancers, the PARIS test provides crucial information to the treating physicians to match the right drug to the right patient. About SEngine Precision Medicine

SEngine Precision Medicine Inc. is a precision oncology company revolutionizing cancer diagnostics and therapies by pre-testing drugs on patient-derived organoids grown ex-vivo utilizing patient specific tumor cells. As a spin-out from the world-renowned Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, SEngine is leveraging over two decades of R&D in diagnostics and drug discovery. The Company is commercializing the PARIS Test, a next generation diagnostic test that predicts drug responses integrating knowledge of cancer genomics with organoids, robotics, and AI-driven computational tools. SEngines CLIA certified PARIS Test generates predictive drug sensitivity reports for patients with solid tumors. SEngine is also pursuing drug discovery via strategic collaborations with biopharmaceutical / pharma companies leveraging its precision oncology platform. Discover more at SengineMedicine.com and follow the latest news from SEngine on Twitter at @SEngineMedicine and on LinkedIn . Contact:

Stephanie Carrington

[email protected]

646-277-1282

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Wipro Limited (WIT), an information technology, consulting and business process services company, said Friday that it has appointed Thierry Delaporte as its Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, effective July 6, 2020. He will be based in Paris and report to Chairman Rishad Premji. Most recently, Thierry Delaporte was the Chief Operating Officer of Capgemini Group and a member of its Group Executive Board. During his twenty-five year career with Capgemini, he held several leadership roles including that of Chief Executive Officer of the Global Financial Services Strategic Business Unit, and head of all global service lines. Wipro also said that Abidali Neemuchwala will relinquish his position as Chief Executive Officer and MD on June 1. The company's founder Azim Premji's son Rishad Premji will oversee the day to day operations of the company until July 5. In addition, Wipro noted that it appointed Deepak Satwalekar to its Board for five years effective July 1, 2020, subject to the approval of the shareholders. Deepak will serve as an Independent Director on the Board. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Before making the decision to file a claim to their insurers, drivers should carefully analyze if it's worth it. Drivers who are not at fault and suffered minor damages should avoid filling claims to prevent their premiums to increase substantially, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director

Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that presents how car insurance premiums will change for a policyholder who files a claim after an accident.

For more info and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/car-insurance-after-an-accident-how-are-premiums-affected/.

Before making a claim to the insurance provider, drivers should consider a few things before making this move. According to a recent study, drivers who make a single auto insurance claim saw their premiums increase on average by 44.1%. Also, the reported premium increases werent for individuals who have a history of unsafe driving. Even after a single claim, premium increases can be significant.

Drivers who want to file a claim after an accident should consider the following:



How much the premiums will rise. The increase drivers can expect to see on their insurance premiums after an at-fault accident varies by location, driving record, vehicle, and the insurance company. Drivers can expect anywhere from a 23% to 73% increase in premiums in year one after an at-fault accident.

Insurance premium increase by state. Some states report costlier increases than others. Drivers living in states such as North Carolina, Massachusetts, Texas, New Hampshire, and California can expect to see their rates increase after an accident from 57.3% to 63.1%. On the other hand, drivers from Kentucky, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Maryland will see their rates go up anywhere from 21.5% to 30.6%. Increases in the premium paid can last as long three to five years after an at-fault accident if the damages to the vehicle exceed over $2,000.

How to lower the premiums. Be prepared and purchase accident forgiveness. Not all companies offer this, but those that do will give the policyholders a one at-fault accident forgiveness with no increase in premium if they fit certain criteria. Other methods involve raising the deductible and improving the credit score. Furthermore, policyholders should avoid filing claims for small things after they have filed a claim on an at-fault accident.

Which claims affect the premiums the most. Bodily injury claims can cause the premiums to spike the most. A single bodily injury claim will result in an average premium increase of 48.6%.

What if the policyholder isnt at fault. Whether or not the rates will increase after an accident in which the policyholders were not at fault is insurance provider specific. Some companies will not increase the premium for drivers involved in their first accidents, but if they suffer several accidents, even if they are not at fault, it could result in an increased premium.

For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/.

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.
An extreme forest fire risk is deemed to exist in all areas where hazardous fuels such as dead grasses, heather and gorse exist.

The red forest fire warning - the most extreme warning level - has been issued by the Department of Agriculture. It is effective until midnight on Monday, June 1.

"An anticyclone of 1038hPa centred over the North Sea will track steadily eastwards and generate light to moderate easterly airflows over Ireland during the next 24 hours, consistent with a Type A fire weather pattern.

"This type of pattern has previously been associated with extreme fire behaviour under Irish conditions," said a spokesperson.

All indications are for high fire spread potential, they said.

"Overall forest fire risk is likely to be compounded by ignitions risks associated with expected high levels of public activity in fire prone areas during the Bank Holiday Weekend," said the spokesperson.

Under extreme fire risk conditions any ignition source in upland vegetation will give rise to rapid and unpredictable wildfire development and spread.

"Fires can be expected to cover extensive areas and pose extreme difficulties to suppression efforts and may potentially give rise to major emergency scenarios.

The issue of condition red extreme fire risk warnings is a comparatively rare event and implies that recipients should take immediate action to protect resources and property. Such action may involve the mobilisation, assembly and prepositioning of resources such as water tankers, machinery, personnel and contract aviation support to high risk areas," said the spokesperson.

They urge people who may see a fire, "Do not delay, report it to the fire and emergency services straight away. Do not wait for somebody else to make the call. Dial 999 or 112."
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is working in collaboration with Wyba Company Limited, a firm specializing in fumigation, to disinfect all basic schools in the Manhyia North and South Constituencies.



The exercise, being sponsored freely by Wyba, is to cleanse the schools of harmful parasites, micro-organisms, and pathogens, as a precaution in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.



Classrooms, school compounds, and staff common rooms would be thoroughly disinfected in the course of the exercise.



We have no choice than to make our schools safer for pupils and students in this critical period, Mr. Osei Assibey-Antwi, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), told the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Kumasi during the official commencement of the exercise at St. Joseph Experimental Basic School at Ash-Town.



Mr. Assibey-Antwi said the government deserved commendation for the able manner in which the country had been fighting the pandemic.



The campaign so far has brought all stakeholders together to tackle the disease head-on, the MCE stated and asked the citizenry to endeavour to abide by all the preventive protocols.



Ghana had as at Friday, May 29, this year, recorded 7, 616 confirmed cases of the pandemic and 34 deaths, with 2, 421 recoveries.



Mr. David Oppong, the Metropolitan Director of Education, said the leadership of the educational sector had been engaging the government on the possibility of re-opening schools.



When the final agreement is reached, he said, all educational institutions would be expected to follow the COVID-19 preventive protocols strictly to mitigate the spread of the pandemic.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Trump administration has set its sights on Africa as an important front in the fight against the coronavirus  and against China.

In April, President Donald Trump launched a flurry of phone calls to African leaders, promising to send ventilators to help as the coronavirus continued its march across the globe. The outreach came on the heels of a fresh pledge from the State Department to send millions of dollars to several African countries to help combat the pandemic. And earlier this month, the Trump administration said it would donate up to 1,000 ventilators to South Africa, which has the highest number of coronavirus cases on the continent.

The spate of action was notable, given Trump has not publicly discussed the continent much during his presidency. And when he has, it has often been in a negative way, such as when Trump moved to restrict Nigerians immigrating to the U.S., or when reports surfaced the president had referred to African nations as shithole countries.

Yet the administration sees an opening here, according to officials and regional specialists. The U.S. government is aiming to show it can offer leadership on global health after Trump cut off funding to the World Health Organization. The administration is also trying to signal that African countries can look to the U.S. instead of China, which is facing its own backlash on the continent. As China warns the U.S. is pushing the two countries to the brink of a new Cold War, Africa is poised to become a prime spot for proxy battles for influence and capital.

Africa is a key battle point because China wants to keep the African states on its side, said Joshua Meservey, an Africa and Middle East expert at the conservative Heritage Foundation. Its an important source of support for the Chinese Communist Party and they are working hard to make sure their narrative gains traction over the U.S. message.

And the administration is confident its message will win out, arguing that China is essentially trying to help extinguish a pandemic it helped create.

Story continues

The Chinese Communist Party is doing this first and foremost for the Chinese Communist Party, said a senior State Department official. When there is an emergency, whether it is Ebola or Covid, the United States is there. Not only did we not set fire to the village but were bringing the most buckets of water.

During his three-plus years as president, Trump has not made Africa a public priority. He has hosted few African leaders at the White House and rarely prioritizes African issues. Although First Lady Melania Trump and the presidents daughter and senior adviser Ivanka Trump have visited the continent, Trump has not.

Trump has met with African leaders in the Oval Office fewer times than any going back to [Dwight] Eisenhower, said Judd Devermont, director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

To the extent Trump has talked about the continent, it has often been about fighting terrorism on the continent or imposing limits on immigration from African countries to the U.S. Trump has also repeatedly proposed deep cuts to foreign aid that would affect funding that goes to projects in Africa. Congress has largely rejected these proposed cuts, however, and the U.S. remains a leading source of foreign aid for African countries.

Meanwhile, China has been Africas largest trading partner since 2009 and continues to spend billions on development projects on the continent. And during the coronavirus, Chinese charities donated medical equipment to African countries in the first few months of the pandemic. Chinese President Xi Jinping boasted about these efforts at the World Health Assembly last week during a speech that focused on boosting African development.

Trump administration officials have taken note of Chinas coronavirus campaign in Africa, and are frustrated at the countrys attempts to position itself as a benevolent power during the pandemic.

I have to give the Chinese Communist Party the chutzpah of the year award for what theyve done with Covid, the State Department official said.

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has also made a show of extending a hand to Africa. In late April, Trump phoned the leaders of Rwanda, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia and Nigeria.

Devermont described the calls as a burst of activity" on Africa by Trump's standards, probably the most active he has been on sub-Saharan Africa since the [United Nations] General Assembly in 2017, when the president hosted a luncheon with African leaders to discuss trade and economic development. (At the same luncheon, he also lauded the health care system of the nonexistent nation of Nambia ).

Around the same time, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo  coming off a trip in February to Senegal, Angola and Ethiopia  also announced an additional $270 million in foreign aid to combat the coronavirus, specifically targeting some of the money for African countries such as Algeria, Botswana, the Republic of Congo, Ghana and Liberia.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo departs from the International airport in Dakar, Senegal, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, as part of Pompeo's first visit to sub-Saharan Africa during which he will seek to lay out a positive vision for US cooperation with the continent where China has been increasingly active. (Andrew Carballero-Reynolds/Pool Photo via AP)

More recently, there was the ventilator donation from the U.S. Agency for International Development to South Africa, which has more than 25,000 confirmed cases and rising.

Across the African continent, there are over 100,000 confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University , but administration officials caution its hard to get an accurate count due to lack of data and testing. The need for ventilators is particularly acute. According to WHO statistics , there are fewer than 2,000 ventilators in 41 African countries that reported the data.

National security officials have long feared large-scale outbreaks could occur in the more densely populated areas of Africa.

Our actions and investments are not a public relations effort to counter China or to save face, but rather an effort to save lives in Africa during a critical time, one senior administration official said.

But the administration might have a rare window of opportunity, regardless. Anti-China sentiment was on the rise in Africa before the coronavirus over reports that African immigrants were being mistreated in China. The president mentioned racially discriminatory actions in China against Africans in a letter to the WHO focused on the U.N.s relationship with China. And once the pandemic broke out, frustration grew over Beijings stance on granting debt relief to African countries amid the coronavirus-spurred economic downturn.

I think theres a recognition that we have to do more, and China is making a lot of hay through its mass diplomacy, Devermont said. I think we could do a much better job of amplifying what our private sector is doing  thats what the Chinese are doing.

The senior administration official noted that American businesses, NGOs and faith-based organizations have provided nearly $3 billion to Africa in the form of donations and other assistance.

And publicly, the Trump administration in April endorsed a plan from the Group of 20 major economies that allows low-income countries, including those in Africa, to suspend debt payments to other countries. China is considered to be the largest holder of African debt, and there is an ongoing debate about how to handle a looming debt crisis on the continent.

There's an enormous amount of debt that the Chinese Communist party has imposed on African countries all across the region, Pompeo said in late April in a call with Africa-focused journalists . It is something that the African countries should consider, too, in asking China for debt relief on some deals that have incredibly onerous terms that will impact the African people for an awfully long time, if relief is not granted.

The senior administration official said China holds an estimated $143 billion of African debt, although the total may be much higher.
Kabul, May 29 : An inordinate delay in the intra-Afghan talks has threatened the Afghanistan peace process that was set in motion after a landmark agreement between the US and Taliban signed three months ago.

The agreement between the two sides inked in the Qatari capital of Doha on February 29 laid a roadmap for a phased withdrawal of American troops from the war-ravaged country, reports Efe news on Friday.

The deal included a prisoner swap between the Taliban and the Afghan forces as a precursor to intra-Afghan talks for peace in the country after 19 years of a devastating war.

However, the exchange of 5,000 Taliban prisoners for 1,000 of those from the security forces, originally set to commence on March 10, was offset by a dramatic spike in violence and disagreements between the Afghan government and the insurgents.

According to political analyst Safiullah Mullakhil, the delay in the peace talks showed "a lack of will, trust and honesty" between the government and the Taliban that has posed a threat to the process.

"If the matter is not resolved in proper time, the process could end up in a failure that could push the country to other dangerous scenarios including civil war," Mullakhil told Efe news.

The insurgents, who had negotiated with the US for a withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan within 14 months, refused to engage in direct talks with Kabul and demanded the release of all 5,000 of their inmates as a precondition.

On the other hand, the Afghan government, which was mostly sidelined from the negotiations, has argued against releasing a large number of Taliban prisoners amid increasing armed violence from the insurgents and without official discussions on the prisoner swap.

Mullakhil, a member of the Kabul-based Rana think-tank, believes the Taliban do not have faith in the intra-Afghan talks and have been making excuses to delay the process.

Despite disagreements on the prisoner swap mechanism, the government has so far released 2,000 Taliban prisoners over the last two months, while the insurgent group only freed a few hundred security forces members.

Moreover, an increase in violence caused more disruptions.

Following a week-long reduction in violence towards the end of February, which paved way for the signing of the Doha agreement, the Taliban intensified its offensive against government forces throughout the country.

The Afghan government held the Taliban responsible for 3,712 attacks between March 1-May 14, in which 469 civilians were killed and 948 injured, apart from the casualties suffered by the security forces.

According to a UN report released on May 19, Taliban attacks caused 208 civilian casualties in April, an increase of 25 per cent from last year, whereas the Afghan security forces caused 172 civilian deaths or injuries, an increase of 38 per cent.

The Taliban refused to declare a ceasefire or even reduce violence against the Afghan forces, except for the three days of Eid earlier this week.

The political deadlock between President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah has also been blamed for the delay in talks.

On May 17, Ghani signed a power-sharing agreement for a unity government with Abdullah, following months of a post-election political impasse that had hampered any development in the peace process with the Taliban.

Abdullah, as chairman of the newly formed High Council for National Reconciliation, is set to head the talks with the Taliban, but the complete structure of this body is yet to be constituted.
The International Space Station soon returns to a stable rotation of four US Operating Segment (USOS) crew members thanks to the first launch of NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP).

The International Space Station soon returns to a stable rotation of four U.S. Operating Segment (USOS) crew members thanks to the first launch of NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP).

"Returning to stable rotation effectively doubles the amount of time we have available for research," says NASA ISS Deputy Chief Scientist Jennifer Buchli.

Since 2010, the CCP has worked with Boeing and SpaceX to design, build, test and operate systems to transport humans to low-Earth orbit. These partners have conducted multiple test missions as part of the process to begin regularly flying crew missions to the space station.

Demo-1, SpaceX's inaugural uncrewed flight, tested the end-to-end capabilities of the company's new system. The next step is Demo-2, scheduled for launch from Florida no earlier than May 27, with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft.

This and future commercial flights are key to ongoing scientific work on the space station, the only platform for long-duration research in microgravity. During its nearly 20 years of continuous occupation, the orbiting lab's residents have conducted almost 3,000 experiments in many scientific fields, as well as technology demonstrations. CCP is part of ongoing efforts to increase the time dedicated to advancing important science and technology demonstrations to enable future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Typically, the space station crew consists of six people, three of them USOS crew members, but it functions with as few as three total crew. NASA's commercial crew contracts call for the flights to transport four crew members to space at a time. The more crew members, the more time they can dedicate to scientific research, and the more research, the more results.

Those results include thousands of scientific papers, many in top scientific journals. They also fuel a growing space economy and private sector interest in space as well as support for NASA's Artemis program to return humans to the Moon and on to Mars. Space station investigations generate many and varied benefits to humanity as well, ranging from improvements in development of pharmaceuticals to better disaster response, improved materials manufacturing, advances in robotics, bioprinting human tissue and much more.

While many station experiments now require less crew involvement thanks to increasingly automated research facilities, hands-on astronaut participation remains key for numerous microgravity studies. Safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the space station is what enables these experiments to continue, and that's where commercial flights come in.

Commercial crew flights also enable NASA to adjust the duration of astronaut visits in order to close gaps in data about how long-duration space missions affect human health, Buchli says. "We have quite a bit of data about the physiological changes astronauts experience during six-month expeditions and short duration flights through the Space Shuttle program. But to increase our understanding of astronaut health and develop countermeasures, we need missions of roughly one year as well as durations of 30 to 60 days. Varying mission lengths will enable us to reduce risks to astronaut health for longer exploration missions to the moon and Mars."

The commercial flights increase the amount of cargo that can be sent to the station as well, and they have the capability to return scientific samples to Earth and put them in the hands of researchers more quickly. That opens up the microgravity lab to even more types of research.

NASA also continues to validate performance of Boeing's Starliner in anticipation of a flight carrying NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Mike Fincke and Boeing's Christopher Ferguson to the space station.

"We are looking forward to launching astronauts to the station from the U.S. again and returning to an increased four crew presence through the Commercial Crew Program," Buchli says.

Because CCP capability ultimately means more science, and science is what the space station is all about.

###
A group of Laredo protesters will join in with protests around the nation to demand justice for George Floyd. the Minneapolis man who died in police custody.

The protest will take place Saturday, May 30, at 2 p.m. on the steps of city hall and is being organized by Red Wing United, a local organization "devoted to ensuring tierra, democracia, y libertad for everyone."
A stronauts will have a second go at blasting off in the first privately-developed spaceship on Saturday after their first attempt was scotched by poor weather.

To survive the rigours of galactic travel - while looking sharp - Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley have been kitted out with white and grey suits inspired by tuxedos, with a touch of the Star Wars imperial stormtrooper.

Elon Musk, the billionaire tech tycoon behind the SpaceX programme, said he worked for three to four years to create prototypes with costume designer Jose Fernandez, who has dreamed up outfits for The Avengers, X-Men films and Batman v Superman.

Mr Fernandez previously told Bleep magazine: "Musk kept saying, anyone looks better in a tux, no matter what size or shape they are.

The custom-made spacesuits were created from a type of Teflon and Nomex, a fire retardant fabric similar to Kevlar, along with gloves designed to work with the touchscreen dashboard controls used to pilot their spacecraft.

Bob Behnken in his custom smart spacesuit, designed to withstand a loss in air pressure / PA

They were built at the SpaceX facility in California to be sleeker than the traditional Nasa all-in-ones, but must provide the same protection from a loss of air pressure in the capsule.

Features inside the ultimate wearable smart garment include touch-sensitive gloves and an umbilical cable port for communications and air.

The bulky, spherical helmets favoured by Nasa have been swapped for a slightly more oval design resembling motocross protective headgear.

Helmet features include valves, locks, microphones and mechanisms for retracting the clear face visor.

The Crew Dragon capsule prepared for the first launch from the Kennedy Space Centre, which was scrubbed due to poor weather / AP

Mr Musk said: It took us three, almost four years to design these suits that both look good and work well.

You see the spacesuits in the movies  they look good, they don't work well.

You can make a spacesuit that works, but it doesn't look good, because fundamentally it's a pressure suit that has to survive in a vacuum.

Testing the touchscreen control dashboard of the Crew Dragon with their high-tech smart gloves / SpaceX

Colonels Behnken and Hurley, both veteran Nasa astronauts, will once again attempt blast-off on the Demo-2 commercial test flight mission bound for the International Space Station in a Crew Dragon module on top of a Falcon 9 rocket.

It will be the second attempt after the planned departure from Floridas Kennedy Space Centre was scrubbed with just under 17 minutes left on the countdown clock.

The new scheduled launch time is 3.22pm in Florida, or 8.22pm UK time.
The Morrison government is considering revamping elements of its JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme to head off a $100 billion financial cliff beyond September as it works with banks to help hundreds of thousands of Australians once mortgage deferrals end.

Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe on Thursday made it clear the government will have to support the economy as it recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, possibly for years, through infrastructure spending and programs like JobKeeper.

The $70 billion JobKeeper program, along with the JobSeeker coronavirus supplement, is due to end after September but there is growing concern this will pull $100 billion in support from the economy at a time when unemployment is expected to be above 9 per cent.

Banks have deferred repayments on one in 14 mortgages worth more than $160 billion but the six-month grace period is due to expire in September and October. Deferrals on business loans worth another $85 billion are due to end at the same time.
Joe Biden donned a face mask for a few minutes Monday as he laid a wreath at a Delaware war memorial. He wore it again, briefly, when CNN's Dana Bash came to his home for an outdoor interview.

The president could hardly stop talking about this. On Memorial Day, President Donald Trump tweeted a bit of snark about Biden's mask from a former Fox News host; on Wednesday he tweeted the same thing, adding a personal assessment that Biden "looks better!" On Thursday morning, the president retweeted an article that went even further, warning that a pandemic masking requirement "provides the foundation on which governments continue to justify emergency measures and rule by executive fiat."

"So many different viewpoints!" added the president. His campaign is running ads showing Biden with a mask near a Chinese flag while Trump, mask-free, stands in front of an American flag.

To the amazement of Democrats, the president has consistently put himself on the unpopular side of a not particularly divisive issue: whether to wear a mask while in public spaces. He has done so while elevating a series of stories that have had no noticeable impact on public opinion, or opinions of Biden, beyond his already-loyal base. The result: a campaign full of accusations and battles in the culture war, with no detectable impact on voters.

"It's the Trump administration's own recommendation," Biden digital director Rob Flaherty said of wearing a mask. "The idea that we're going to be on our back foot on something people support? We think it's a great opportunity for the VP to lean in."

Polling has consistently found that most Americans are comfortable wearing masks when they go outside or mingle in public and that they would like to see the president do the same. In a Kaiser Family Foundation poll last month, 72 percent of voters said that the president should wear a mask when he goes out; in a Quinnipiac poll last week, 67 percent of registered voters said the same. In the first poll, 48 percent of Republicans recommended a mask for the president, and in the second, 38 percent did.

Plenty of elected Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and several red state governors, have embraced pandemic masks. Conservative media, which the president pays close attention to, largely hasn't. There have been exceptions, such as Fox's Sean Hannity telling viewers that a "temporary" mask policy would do no harm: "Do it for your Mom, your Dad, your Grandma, your Grandpa."

But much like the widely unpopular "reopen" protests at state capitols, which the president quickly embraced, the mask debate has exposed a gulf between conservative media and a wider electorate that doesn't consume the same information as the president. For the past few weeks, the Trump campaign and allies in Congress have launched a series of attacks against Biden - subpoenaing a company that lobbied the Ukrainian energy company that employed Hunter Biden, making a series of "Obamagate" revelations about the probe into the president's former national security adviser, and putting out ads attacking the former vice president's past praise for China.

Not much of this got a response from the Biden campaign, and none of it seemed to stick, with even "Obamagate" falling out of headlines and TV coverage by this week. Navigator, a tracking poll run by two Democratic firms, asked voters over the past few weeks whether the president was focusing on the pandemic or distracted with politics. In the last survey, 56 percent of voters believed that Trump was trying "to distract" from the ongoing pandemic, while 34 percent said the president had "successfully handled the coronavirus outbreak and it's time to start focusing on other things." On a party-by-party basis, it was even grimmer for the president: 69 percent of Republicans agreed that it was time to move on from the pandemic to other topics, while just 14 percent of independents and 8 percent of Democrats agreed.

The scrambled nature of Trump messaging stands out when compared with the ways down-ballot candidates are running their campaigns. In California's 25th Congressional District, where Republican Mike Garcia won the biggest upset for his party since Trump became president, the candidate stayed far away from the cultural fight over the pandemic. He honed a simple message: that his Democratic opponent, a state legislator, did not attend emergency meetings on how to respond to the crisis. In Michigan, one of just two states where Republican candidates for U.S. Senate are playing offense, likely nominee John James has tried something similar, telling voters that Sen. Gary Peters has skipped most of the hearings "on the committee to hold China accountable."

The president and his campaign had occasionally made a similar case against Biden, arguing that the Obama-Biden administration left "the cupboard bare" for its successor to respond to a pandemic and that they bungled the response to a 2009 outbreak. (The Biden campaign has typically responded by noting that the Trump administration dismantled the pandemic response group they left behind.)

"Joe Biden's handling of the H1N1 Swine Flu was a complete and total disaster," Trump tweeted on Tuesday. "Even polls on the matter were terrible!"

Democrats inside and outside Biden's campaign have not found voters reacting to the president's message. Yet among the president's supporters, nearly every one of these moves, and every decision by the president, has been treated like a victory. Biden, for example, ignored the president's repeated accusation that MSNBC host Joe Scarborough may have been involved with the accidental death of a staffer in 2001. (The accusation has been debunked; Scarborough was in Florida, not Washington, when the staffer died.) But Rush Limbaugh, who has the president's ear, told listeners this week that the president had again outsmarted his critics with a powerful distraction.

"Do you think Trump cares whether Scarborough murdered anybody or not?" Limbaugh asked, rhetorically. "Trump is just throwing gasoline on a fire here, and he's having fun watching the flames. And he's having fun watching these holier-than-thou leftist journalists react like their moral sensibilities have been forever rocked."

Biden's campaign commented on Trump's attack with just a Web video, in which it counted off the things that the president had talked about while the coronavirus death toll estimate crept to 100,000. By the end of Thursday, the Biden campaign was selling its own masks.

- - -

Dems in disarray

The Democratic primary is over, but that's no reason for arguments about the primary to end. The fate of the Bernie Sanders campaign is still being dissected by the activist left, with two long essays and a new documentary seeking answers for how a five-year quest for power ended in a few ugly weeks.

The arguments picked up last week when journalists Michael Tracey and Angela Nagle published a bitter look back at the Sanders campaign: "First as Tragedy, Then as Farce." Nagle is an Irish academic who has argued that the left should reject "open borders," and Tracey is an American journalist who covered and advocated for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii's presidential campaign. Both incorporated some hobbyhorses into their theory of Sanders' defeat, arguing at points that Sanders should have distanced himself from Democrats' investigations into Russian influence and that Sanders alienated voters by embracing cosmopolitan immigration policies.

"The campaign's ethos was primarily tailored toward consolidating the voters being siphoned off by [Elizabeth] Warren - the young, supremely "progressive" and identity-fixated Left," they wrote. "And courting such voters was inversely correlated with courting the white working class and rural voters that were so vital to sustaining his electoral coalition in 2016."

The piece began with a rebuttal to Sanders adviser David Sirota, who had argued that Joe Biden's strength was underrated, noting that no modern vice president who sought his party's nomination had lost it. (Dan Quayle's short 2000 bid, eight years after he left the White House, is the anomaly.)

Nagle and Tracey called that a cop-out, considering the name recognition and cash advantage Sanders brought into the primary. He lost, they argued, because he tried to bring mainstream liberals into his coalition, instead of restless white populists. Neither came along, and so "left-wing fusionists proved themselves willing to self-annihilate in order to save liberalism."

That essay inspired a full rebuttal in Jacobin, the country's leading socialist publication and a fount of pro-Sanders essays and reporting. In "We Need a Class War, Not a Culture War," Philadelphia labor organizer Dustin Guastella argued that the authors had focused too much on the trivial, such as the preferences of activists on social media, and they had hand-waved away real problems, like cynical media coverage of Sanders.

But Guastella credited Tracey and Nagle with a point: Left-wing candidates, Sanders included, were "held hostage by a toxic brew of alienating language." Sanders was trying to build a left-wing political movement nearly from scratch, and doing so effectively meant winning voters who hated what they saw as left-wing cultural priorities; he'd have been better off with a "simple message built around destroying the obscenity of inequality and providing universal public goods."

Why did the campaign fail in 2020? It went back to the problems with liberals, he wrote. They thought Biden was electable, and their thoughts were reinforced by the mainstream media, which they trusted. "When liberal outlets began their relentless assault on Trump, Democrats' 'trust' in the mass media increased as Republican trust decreased," Guastella wrote. "In this environment, it's easy to see how Trump was significantly less damaged by liberal media attacks and how disaffected working-class voters can be attracted to a kind of apolitical nonpartisan 'throw the bums out' populism."

The media, defined largely as cable TV news and the corporations that own them, are the villains of "Bernie Blackout: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." Pat McGee's documentary, which debuted on Vice this month, intensely covers the two months between the Iowa caucuses and Sanders' departure from the race. Its premise: Sanders was on track to be the Democratic nominee, until unfair and slanted media treatment threw him off the rails.

McGee relies on three kinds of footage: his own recordings from Sanders rallies, interviews with left-wing commentators and snippets of cable news. Everything is cited to advance the argument that media conglomerates distort reality, even a famous supercut of Sinclair TV channel hosts reading an identical promise to their viewers. (Sinclair, which produces conservative-leaning content for its syndicates, does not otherwise appear in the documentary.)

In McGee's telling, Sanders made no real mistakes of his own. The debacle in Iowa, when it took days to reveal that Sanders won the popular vote but Pete Buttigieg won more delegates, becomes a story of the media suppressing Sanders. Coverage of Sanders' narrow New Hampshire win is cited as proof that the media could not treat him as a front-runner unless it also treated him as a threat: "Despite Bernie's lead, the media finds a way to frame it negatively."

Some of McGee's points about cable news are undeniable. He cites research on how Sanders dominated primary coverage only when the story became nervous Democrats trying to stop him, and runs interviews with two former MSNBC hosts with stories of how they were admonished in the 2016 election for either promoting Sanders or criticizing Hillary Clinton.

But the documentary never interrogates the sort of problems debated by left-wing writers. The viewer is repeatedly told that no Democrat has "won the popular vote in the first two contests" without winning the nomination, implying that Sanders, by mid-February, had done almost everything he needed to win. But the fact that Sanders won only 26 percent of the New Hampshire vote, with most of his 2016 supporters migrating elsewhere, is portrayed as an irritating factoid the anti-Sanders media used to minimize him. But as Tracey, Nagle and Guastella acknowledge, Sanders' collapse with the rural white voters who liked him in 2016 was a real problem, one that quickly destroyed him once he finally got into a two-way race with Joe Biden.

In McGee's version of the primary, Sanders didn't falter so much as the media conspired to destroy him. The argument isn't always coherent. At one point, we are told that "mainstream media warns that if Bernie Sanders comes out of Super Tuesday with the most states, his campaign will be unstoppable," the stated strategy of the Sanders campaign. Minutes later, after Biden bests Sanders on Super Tuesday, a talking head says that Biden may now be unstoppable, a point we are suddenly expected to view as unfair to Sanders.

"The Bernie Blackout" is a deeply pessimistic story about the Sanders movement, leaving the viewer convinced that no left-wing campaign could survive criticism from the modern media. The wider debate on the left about Sanders is more constructive and will not end soon.

- - -

Ad watch

- President Trump,"Won't Cut It." The latest Trump campaign ad looks like the ones that went up before the Democratic primary ended, portraying the president as a "bull in a china shop" who angers the right people. It combines some stances that Democrats criticized - the partial China travel ban becomes a decision to "shut down foreign travel" - with parts of the Cares Act. The president, per the ad, moved to "raise unemployment benefits" and give "immediate cash to families." That was actually a bipartisan deal, repackaged as some evidence of the president cutting through a reluctant Washington swamp.

- Yvette Harrell,"Join Us." A conservative who narrowly lost the 2018 race for New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, Harrell reintroduces herself as a "Trump conservative" who's backed by "Trump allies," including new White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

- Defending Main Street,"Plotted." The super PAC for moderate Republicans, which would prefer to see challenger Claire Chase defeat Harrell in the June 2 primary, attacks Harrell not because she's conservative, but because she attended a 2016 meeting in San Diego organized by Republican opponents of Trump. "Yvette Harrell sold him out. She'd do it again in Congress," warns a narrator, as text labels the conservative an "anti-Trump liberal."

- Claire Chase,"Trust." Chase herself is running ads that resemble the super PAC spot, accusing Harrell of having "undermined Trump's campaign" and adding that she voted for a tax increase. It's all setting up the case that Chase, who had been criticized for old Facebook posts critical of Trump, is the conservative who will help him "build the wall."

- - -

Poll watch

Do you approve or disapprove of the job this person is doing to address the pandemic? (Siena, 796 registered New York voters)

Donald Trump: Approve: 35% (+1); Disapprove: 61% (-4)

Andrew Cuomo: Approve: 76% (-8); Disapprove: 21% (+6)

As stay-at-home orders and quarantines enter their 10th week, there has been slippage in support for governors whose support surged in the pandemic's early stages. The slippage for Cuomo here is largely partisan, with Republican approval of his coronavirus response falling from 75 percent last month to 56 percent. That has happened as Republican state legislators grow increasingly critical of the actions Cuomo takes on his own without legislative approval and of Cuomo's order that prevented nursing homes from turning away applicants with covid-19. But it has not left Republicans themselves in great shape.

- - -

In the states

The absentee ballot wars continued in both Wisconsin and Texas this week, with the first state expanding its absentee ballot program and the second getting a possible expansion struck down by the conservative state Supreme Court. In Wisconsin, where the city of Milwaukee had previously decided to send absentee ballots to all registered voters in November, the state's election commission voted unanimously to send applications to all of those voters across the state. In Texas, the state's highest judicial authority reversed a lower court's ruling that allowed any voter to request a ballot; voters would, pending further appeal, need to have one of the state's previously valid reasons to make the request. Simply worrying that they could be vulnerable to infection would not count, with two judges arguing that while some voters had physical conditions that put them at risk, transmission was "highly improbable."

- - -

Candidate tracker

President Donald Trump and Joe Biden both jumped into the story roiling Minnesota, the death of George Floyd, a black man, in police custody. Biden was first to comment, saying on a Wednesday live stream with Pennsylvania Democrats that the FBI should open a civil rights investigation into the case.

"George Floyd's life mattered," Biden said. "It mattered as much as mine, it mattered as much as anyone in this country. At least it should have. Watching his life be taken in the same manner, echoing nearly the same words of Eric Garner more than five years ago - 'I can't breathe' - is a tragic reminder that this was not an isolated incident but a part of ingrained systemic cycle of injustice that still exists in this country."

The president did not weigh in until much later in the day, after a trip to Florida to watch an aborted space launch, saying that an FBI investigation was already underway "at my request." But he stepped on that news by following through on an executive order that would make it easier to hold social media companies liable for the decisions they made to limit content.

On Wednesday night, Biden joined Pete Buttigieg for a fundraiser and said he would make a decision on his running mate by Aug. 1, a date later than the original Democratic National Convention schedule, but weeks ahead of the new schedule.

"They don't have to agree with me on everything, but they have to have the same basic approach to how we handle the economy, and how we handle everything," Biden said.

- - -

Veep watch

- Amy Klobuchar. She endorsed investigations into the killing of George Floyd and said the case is "crying out for some kind of charge."

- Val Demings. She reacted to the Floyd killing and subsequent protests and riots with a message on Twitter: "When Black Americans are unjustly treated on camera, it rightly gets attention. But don't forget that behind the scenes are countless invisible injustices in health, justice, housing, education. We need to transform America."

- Elizabeth Warren. Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg called her the "obvious solution" to the most fixable problem found in his surveys, that Biden was lagging behind Hillary Clinton among younger and more liberal voters.

. . . five days until the primaries in Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and the District of Columbia.. . . 26 days until New York's presidential and congressional primaries. . . 42 days until the Green Party meets to pick a presidential ticket. . . 81 days until the Democratic National Convention. . . 88 days until the Republican National Convention. . . 158 days until the general election
Swedbank and Its CEO, Folksam, Swedish Tax Authority, Financial Supervisory Authority and Their Director Generals Among Defendants In Lawsuit Versus Vinacossa Enterprises

NEW YORK, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Swedish government agencies  equivalent to the IRS and SEC in the United States  have hired an exclusive international law firm to try to fend off accusations of their central involvement in a $150 billion money laundering scheme. The Swedish Tax Authority and the Financial Supervisory Authority, along with the heads of those agencies  have enlisted the global law firm White & Case to defend them in a $4.2 billion RICO lawsuit against them by Vinacossa Enterprises, among others.

The parties face a June deadline to file initial motions in the case brought by whistleblower Victor Carlstrom, a leading global financial broker who discovered gross financial malfeasance by many of Sweden's leading banks and government agencies. The case resides in the Southern District of New York.

"When people think of Sweden, they think of blond, blue-eyed people driving Volvos to Ikea and eating meatballs for dinner, but they don't see is the vile web of corruption and financial crimes which regularly occur there," said New York Attorney Lawrence Schoenbach, who is representing Carlstrom, along with attorney Joshua Dratel. "Thankfully, we now know about the widespread corruption in Sweden. It's cost Victor everything and almost his life. We owe him a debt of gratitude, but the Swedish government would rather pile up legal debt to continue to cover up its true nature."

Erik Thedeen, the Director General of the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, and Katrin Westling Palm, Director General of the Swedish Tax Agency, also retained White & Case to represent them in the lawsuit.

In addition, Swedish insurance giant Folksam has hired a team of lawyers from the law firm of Cravath Swaine & Moore. Jens Henriksson, the former Folksam CEO and current head of Swedbank in charge of cleaning up a separate money laundering scheme, has hired Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. Swedbank has also retained the same firm.

"The defendants have drafted a lineup of All-Star attorneys and law firms to distract us and defend them from the deepest corruption imaginable," said Joshua Dratel. "They are trying to set up a David-Versus-Goliath battle, but Victor has the strongest weapon in this fight  the truth."

Since discovering widespread corruption, money laundering, bribery and other crimes in the Swedish financial system and government, Carlstrom has been forced to flee Sweden, first to Dubai, and then to the United States, where he has applied for asylum. There have been numerous death threats and attempts on his life as well. He currently switches locations several times a week.

SOURCE Vinacossa Enterprises
File image

UN chief Antonio Guterres has appreciated India's assistance to other countries to combat the COVID-19 pandemic during a virtual conversation with Ambassador T S Tirumurti, India's envoy to the world body, the Secretary General's spokesman has said.

Tirumurti, who assumed charge as India's Permanent Representative to the UN last week, presented his credentials virtually as telecommuting arrangements are in place at the UN headquarters due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Great pleasure to 'call on' HE UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres (through) video conference. He recalled warmly his visits to India, underlined the importance of India for the UN & appreciated India's assistance to other countries during COVID, Tirumurti tweeted on Thursday.

India has sent essential drugs, testing kits and other medical assistance to many countries around the world, including to the US, to help fight the coronavirus that has infected over 5.8 million globally. The death toll from the pandemic has surpassed 358,373.

Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, had said that the UN chief looked forward to working very closely with Tirumurti in the years ahead.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

We obviously very much welcome India's new Permanent Representative to the United Nations. And I know the Secretary-General looks forward to working very closely with the new envoy in the years ahead, Dujarric had said at the daily press briefing last week.

Tirumurti assumed charge just weeks before the General Assembly is set to hold elections on June 17 for the five non-permanent seats of the UN Security Council for the 2021-22 term.

India's seat as a non-permanent member on the 15-nation Council for the two-year term is assured as it is the sole candidate vying for the lone seat from the Asia Pacific grouping.

New Delhi's candidature was unanimously endorsed by the 55-member Asia-Pacific grouping, including China and Pakistan, in June last year.
<! Some Nigerian governors and FCT minister. >

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

With the deadly Coronavirus still sweeping massively across the nation, Nigerians must be extremely careful where they travel to or else, they will be brought down by the pandemic.

Currently, Nigeria has raked in 8,915 confirmed cases of Coronavirus since February. It has been able to discharge 2,592 patients who survived the pandemic, with 259 people who died from the pandemic. Nigeria has 6,064 active cases of the virus to deal with as at Thursday, May 28.

Of this skyrocketing figures, 10 states in Nigeria play major roles in ramping up the virus. These states are dangerous to travel to right now. Some people who travelled to them in recent time came back with the virus.

The states are:

1. Lagos

Lagos is simply the epicentre of Coronavirus in Nigeria. It contributed to almost half of the coronavirus infections in Nigeria. As at Thursday, 28 May, Lagos has raked in 4,123 confirmed coronavirus cases, discharging 745 patients who survived the virus and ramping up 47 deaths.

The States active coronavirus cases stand at 3,331. Right now, the state is not a desire destination for tourists and Nigerians except those who can take the risk. Some have done so and came back with the virus. Lagos is experiencing serious community infections. It is simply the New York of Africa in terms of Coronavirus infections.

2. Kano

Kano is certainly not a place to visit right now, as the deadly coronavirus is sweeping through the land. Currently, Kano has ramp up 939 cases of the virus, discharged 139 survivors and lost 41 people to the pandemic, leaving 759 active cases for the state to manage. Those still insisting that they must travel to Kano must be extremely careful or they find themselves in isolation centres.

3. FCT

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja is another dangerous place to travel to right now as the virus has ravaged the nations capital. Abuja has so far recorded 535 confirmed cases of the virus, with 158 discharges and 14 deaths, leaving 296 active cases to manage.

4. Katsina

Katsina has ramp up 358 coronavirus infections, 51 discharges and 14 deaths, with 293 active cases of the virus to manage. The state is now a danger zone as it has been infested with the deadly virus, couple with the fact that more tests are not being conducted.

5. Oyo

Ever since its governor, Seyi Makinde contracted Coronavirus and later recovered, Oyo State has not looked back. The state has been raking in cases of the virus. It now has 260 confirmed cases, 88 discharges and six deaths, with 166 active cases left to manage. Oyo is a danger zone for travellers because you dont know who has the virus.

6. Borno

The Northeast state has so far garnered 258 coronavirus infections, with 160 discharges and 25 deaths. The State is another area to look out for by travellers. It is risky travelling there.

7. Ogun

Ogun State recorded the first case of Coronavirus in Nigeria, with the visit of the index case, an Italian. Since then, the state has ramp up 246 infections, 128 discharges and nine deaths, with 109 active cases. Ogun is currently, like others, experiencing community transmission of the virus, making visitors at risk, especially as the state shares border with Lagos, the epicentre of the virus.

8. Jigawa

Jigawa State is fast gaining notoriety in coronavirus infections. The state has recorded 241 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and 78 discharges, with four deaths. It has 159 active cases still to manage. Travellers to Jigawa must be extremely cautious.

9. Edo

Edo State has recorded 240 cases of Coronavirus. It has also discharged 69 patients and recorded 13 deaths, leaving 158 active cases of the virus to manage. Edo is another risky area for travellers. They must exercise extreme cautiousness if they must travel.

10. Bauchi

Bauchi has recorded 234 cases of Coronavirus. The state has discharged 205 survivors and recorded seven deaths. It now has 22 active cases to manage. The state has achieved great results, but travellers must be careful as there is still community transmission.
A flight with at least 140 people on board was quarantined today after a passenger received a positive coronavirus test result while in the air.

The plane, which arrived in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands from Madrid this afternoon, was immediately zoned off by health and security officials at Cesar Manrique airport, with the police also attending.

An investigation is already underway to find out why he was flying in the first place and whether he met all the travel rules, which only allow people to fly for a number of reasons, including work or in the event of an emergency.

Two travellers get into an emergency vehicle after disembarking in Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain this afternoon

Reports say the passenger took a COVID-19 test before he travelled because he had been in contact with someone who had died from the virus and had attended the funeral.

However, he left before the result came in and it was only revealed he was positive when the aircraft was in mid-air. It has been reported but not confirmed that the person who died from the virus was the man's mother.

The Canary authorities were immediately contacted by the Castilla y Leon public health department and the airport launched all the coronavirus protocols.

The man now faces prosecution for skipping quarantine and the State of Emergency and has been reported for a possible crime against public health.

A traveler gets into an emergency response vehicle after disembarking in Lanzarote, Canary Islands this afternoon

He and his nearest passengers were immediately isolated and the rest of the passengers will have to be quarantined and take tests to see if they have contracted the virus while on the flight.

It is understood the island's government has offered them rooms in one hotel as they won't be able to mix with family members or friends.

The man and the passengers sitting closest to him will have to be in quarantine for two weeks.

The others must stay in confinement until tests are taken in one week as only then would the result be accurate.

The incident adds fuel to the debate of travel generally and concerns over importing cases to regions, like the Canaries, which have had a low incidence of coronavirus and would not want to see any flare-up.

Lanzarote has only had six deaths and 84 positives. In total, there have been 160 coronavirus deaths in the Canary Islands which wants to protect its low incidence level for the safety of residents and tourists.

Today, independently from this incident, the Canary government has called for all travellers to take a coronavirus test before they leave their country of origin.

As of today, Spain had recorded 27,119 deaths from the virus and 255,760 cases.
A man runs near a burning building after a night of unrest and protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Photo: AP

The US Department of Justice yesterday promised a swift and robust inquiry into the death of a black man after he was restrained by a white police officer, while violent protests over the incident spread from Minneapolis to Los Angeles.

Protesters in both cities took to the streets in their hundreds to express their fury over the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old bouncer from Minneapolis, who was filmed gasping for breath as a policeman pinned him down with a knee on his neck for almost eight minutes.

There have been two consecutive nights of protests in south Minneapolis, where angry crowds looted shops and set buildings alight as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets.

Amid the violence, a man was found shot dead near a pawnshop, possibly by the owner, police said.

Mr Floyds death also sparked protests in Memphis and Los Angeles, where police faced demonstrators who had blocked a motorway and confronted officers in a patrol car ( Daily Telegraph, London).

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
No criminal charges will be filed in the fatal shooting of a 53-year-old Birmingham who was killed by a family member after prosecutors ruled the homicide a justified death, Birmingham police said.

Frank Davis was fatally shot by a family member Tuesday night after an altercation in what was believed to be a domestic incident. A suspect in the case had been in police custody shortly after the incident.

But no criminal charges will be filed in the case after a review from the Jefferson County District Attorneys Office found that Davis death was justifiable, police said.

North Precinct officers responded at 10:02 p.m. Tuesday to a call of a person shot in the 3400 block of F.L. Shuttlesworth Drive. When they arrived on the scene, they found Davis suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

He was rushed to UAB Hospitals Trauma Center by Birmingham Fire and Rescue where he was pronounced dead at 10:44 p.m. Birmingham police spokesman Sgt. Rod Mauldin said Davis and the suspect were in a vehicle together when the altercation erupted. They pulled off the roadway, exited the vehicle, and then shots were fired.
The Air 1 Plus in White Marble from Happy Plugs Happy Plugs is proud to announce the addition of the Air 1 Plus to their family of truly wireless headphones. This marks the fifth generation of true wireless headphones for the brand and an exciting upgrade to their flagship product.

Happy Plugs is proud to announce the addition of the Air 1 Plus to their family of truly wireless headphones. This marks the fifth generation of true wireless headphones for the brand and an exciting upgrade to their flagship product. The new Air 1 Plus features two style options, Earbud and In-Ear, so consumers can enjoy not just great sound quality at an affordable price, but maximum comfort and wear based on the listeners personal fit preferences.

Designed in Sweden to bring you the latest in fashion, function, and technology; the Air 1 Plus offers a battery life of 40 hours and aptX-codecs to ensure pure and clear wireless sound on all iOS and Android devices for the best music experience. The new generation Qualcomm CVC 8.0 clear voice and wind noise reduction microphone technology together with the latest Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity ensures a seamless and powerful fashion tech headphone experience at an extremely competitive price point.

Fully charged, the Happy Plugs Air 1 Plus listening for 6.5 hours. The stylishly designed storage and charging case holds another 5 charges, giving up to 40 hours of playback. And if users need to charge in a hurry, a 10-minute USB-C quick charge gives up to 90 minutes of play time.

Featuring 14 different touch controls, users can easily manage their music and calls with a single touch, adjust the volume or access Siri or Google Assistant.

Created with a contemporary look that remains faithful to the Happy Plugs spirit of fashion tech, the Air 1 Plus blends seamlessly with your everyday style, whether its a street look, tailored suit, or gym gear. And with two fit options available: Earbud OR In-Ear; optimal comfort and security are ensured for any ear shape and any activity.

With the fifth generation of truly wireless headphones weve given fans a more powerful experience and better sound in the same compact design. Even the battery has been boosted by more than 185% to 40 hours of playtime compared to the previous model. Happy Plugs never stop challenging the boundaries of performance and design and this obsession has led to the brand becoming a market leader in fashion tech, says Andreas Vural, founder of Happy Plugs.

The Air 1 Plus, retailing for just USD $99.99 (EUR 99.99, CAD $129.99, GBP 89.99, SEK 999), are available on happyplugs.com and in their worldwide retail accounts, and come in five fashion forward colorways - White, Black, Gold, Pink Gold, and White Marble.

For more information, please visit http://www.happyplugs.com.

Follow the conversation at @happyplugs on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube using #happyplugs

Product Photos:

For product photos visit: https://bit.ly/Air1Plus-Photos

For lifestyle photos visit: https://bit.ly/Air1Plus-Lifestyles

About Happy Plugs:

Happy Plugs is a Swedish house of lifestyle brands based in Stockholm. The company is a global leader in fashion tech with a mission to transform the consumer electronics industry by merging innovative design, fashion and technology. The brand recently collaborated with fashion house Saint Laurent on headphones.

Happy Plugs is an award-winning lifestyle and fashion brand with the ambition of transforming essential tech accessories into fashion must-haves. Happy Plugs is available in the most prestigious concept, department and retail stores in over 70 countries and 10,000 retailers worldwide. Private equity fund Scope Growth III LP is, together with the companys founder Andreas Vural, major shareholders of Happy Plugs.

Notes for Editors:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Bluetooth Version: 5.0

Total Playtime: 40h

Wireless Talk Time: 6.5

Standby Time: 120h

Battery for headphones: 40mAh

Battery for Charge Case: 630mAh

Full charge time: 1.5h

Driver Unit: 12mm

Support Codecs: aptX, AAC / SBC

Sensitivity: 120+/- dB (Earbud) / 106+/- dB (In-Ear)

Frequency Response: 20-20k Hz

Impedance: 16

Size for Charge Case: 69 x 54 x 23 mm

Weight for Headphones: 3.75g

Weight for Charge Case: 47g

WHATS IN THE BOX (EARBUD)

2 x Air 1 Plus Headphones

Charge & Storage Case

2 x Silicon Sleeves

TYPE-C Charging Cable

Manual & Warranty Information

WHATS IN THE BOX (IN-EAR)

2 x Air 1 Plus Headphones

Charge & Storage Case

6 x Silicon Sleeves

TYPE-C Charging Cable

Manual & Warranty Information
"They like me in India. I think they like me in India more than the media likes me in this country. And, I like Modi. I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," he said.

When asked if he was worried about what was going on with China, he said "They have a big conflict ...India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy,"

I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump said.

A day earlier, Donald Trump volunteered to mediate between the two countries. He tweeted that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.

When one of the comments questioned his tweet, he clarified saying "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help" about "mediate or arbitrate, I would do that," he said.

When the media questioned the Indian govts stance on the issue, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava told "We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," "The two sides have established mechanisms both at military and diplomatic levels to resolve situations which may arise in border areas peacefully through dialogue and continue to remain engaged through these channels," he said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry is yet to react to Trumps tweet.

Trump's unexpected offer came on a day when China took the stance that its situation with India is "overall stable and controllable."

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations, NDTV Reported.

Previously, Trump made offers to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir conflict.
Like most family medicine clinics, we have embraced telemedicine so we can continue to help our patients while also reducing the risk of exposure for both patients and staff. Although insurers have committed to paying for telemedicine during this crisis, they have been slow to do actually do so.

So, while my own diverse practice is surviving this crisis, we know many primary care practices across the country are in peril. As the pandemic drags on, the real threat of clinics closing mounts. Without action, the outcome could be disastrous not only for our members, but also the patients and communities who count on our care.

Members of Congress need to hear how family physicians and our patients -- their constituents -- are being affected by COVID-19 and the steps that need to be taken to stabilize, strengthen and sustain primary care.

So, what are we going to do about it?

The Family Medicine Advocacy Summit typically brings hundreds of family physicians and medical students to Washington, D.C., every year not only to learn about being an effective advocate, but to put those skills into action on Capitol Hill. The pandemic forced the cancellation of that live event, but rather than forgo that opportunity to speak with our legislators in large numbers, the Academy is thinking even bigger.

In our first virtual week of action, the Academy is calling on Congress to stabilize, strengthen and sustain primary care. We are urging members to amplify that message by posting short videos on your social media channels, tagging your members of Congress (and the Academy), and using the hashtag #StabilizeStrengthenSustain. Without limiting our scope to the number of members who can attend a live, two-day event, our more than 136,000 members can speak to legislators en masse during the course of an entire week, starting June 1.

AAFP officers have already posted videos you can use as examples to drive home our three-part call to action.

Highlighting the first part of our message, President-elect Ada Stewart, M.D., of Columbia, S.C., calls on Congress to stabilize primary care by passing H.R. 6837 and S. 3750, a pair of bills that would reinstate the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment program for Part B providers and improve loan terms. She also declares that Congress should set aside at least $20 billion of provider relief funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act for primary care physicians.

In his video, AAFP President Gary LeRoy, M.D., calls on Congress to strengthen primary care by ensuring that CMS implements scheduled increases for Medicare evaluation and management payments as planned on Jan. 1. He also urges legislators to enact the Kids' Access to Primary Care Act of 2020, which would bring Medicaid payment rates to parity with those of Medicare. LeRoy notes that more than half of his patients in Dayton, Ohio, rely on Medicaid.

And in my video, I highlight the financial strain on our practices and called for prospective payment systems that would better sustain primary care. This could be achieved by expanding, and improving funding for, CMS' upcoming Primary Care First program or adopting the AAFP's Advanced Primary Care Alternative Payment Model.

The AAFP has resources -- detailed talking points and backgrounders for participants, sample tweets and tips for recording video messages optimal for social media -- in its Family Medicine Action Network community.

For members who would prefer to write to their members of Congress, the Academy also has created distinct Speak Out resources that reflect the same three priorities:

Finally, please join us at 8 p.m. ET on June 3 when Reps. Ami Bera, M.D., D-Calif., and Phil Roe, M.D., R-Tenn., are expected to participate in our weekly Virtual Town Hall meeting.

Take action, and make your voice heard.

John Cullen, M.D., is Board chair of the AAFP.
by Sumon Corraya

Local authorities blame the massacre on traffickers holding the workers hostage. At least 12 million Bangladeshis live abroad, just over 21,000 in Libya. In 2020, 654 Bangladeshi illegally entered Europe from Libya. Caritas Bangladesh notes that migrants pay more than 10,000 euros to end up in the hands of unscrupulous criminals.

Dhaka (AsiaNews)  Some 26 Bangladeshi migrants were killed and 12 injured on Wednesday in Libya. Four African migrants were also killed.

In a statement, Libyas internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) said that the attack took place in Mizdah, 180 km south of the Libyan capital Tripoli.

Local authorities blame the massacre on the family of a trafficker holding the migrants hostage. He was killed by his "prisoners" after asking for more money for their transfer to Tripoli.

According to the International Organisation for Migration, 12 million Bangladeshis live and work abroad, just over 21,000 in Libya, 3 per cent of the 654,000 foreigners currently present in the North African country, torn by a long and bloody civil war between the Tripoli-based GNA and General Khalifa Haftars Libyan National Army.

Until 2011, when Libyan strongman Muhammar al Gaddafi was overthrown, Libyas oil-based economy had attracted thousands of foreign workers. Now its territory is used by human traffickers as a springboard to illegally bring legions of migrant workers to Europe.

According to the European Frontex agency, 654 Bangladeshis illegally entered Europe from Libya in the first four months of 2020.

Joel T Rebeiro, head of the Migrants and Disadvantaged Communities Project by Caritas Bangladesh, told AsiaNews that thousands of Bangladeshis leave their country every year for Europe.

They are mostly poorly educated people, who pay more than 10,000 euros to go to Libya, a country they know nothing about, convinced they will be making a lot of money."

For Rebeiro, the Bangladeshi government should do something to make these people more aware of the risk they take, especially the danger of ending up in the hands of unscrupulous traffickers.
By Rollo Ross

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The union representing workers at a meatpacking plant near Los Angeles where at least 153 employees have come down with COVID-19 called on Thursday for the plant's immediate closure, saying measures to control the outbreak were not working.

The outbreak has hit over 10% of the workforce at the Smithfield-owned Farmer John plant, said John Grant, president of the local chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.

"It's dangerous and the problem with this is that it's invisible, insidious and deadly," Grant said. "And so what you do is when a shark is in the water, you pull everyone out of the water and you make an assessment of what is going on. That's what has to happen right now, a sharp honest assessment of what is going on."

The animal rights group PETA joined the protest, bringing its "Pandemic Pig" in a convertible for a drive-by protest.

Smithfield, owned by China's WH Group Ltd, said in a statement it has "implemented aggressive measures" to protect workers' health and safety, including temperature scanning, free voluntary COVID-19 tests, more personal protective equipment and plexiglass barriers on the production floor.

Meatpacking plants have proved devastatingly effective vectors of the coronavirus across the United States. About 30 plants temporarily closed in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and several other Midwestern states last month, according to the UFCW.

Pork and beef slaughter capacity have dropped by 30% to 40%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To avoid a further decline in a major food supply, President Donald Trump at the end of April ordered meat plants stay open during the pandemic.

Los Angeles County Commissioner Hilda Solis said in a statement the county has asked the Smithfield plant to provide a report by next week detailing its COVID-19 mitigation plans and what it is doing to provide support for the plants "workers, their families, and the surrounding Southeast Los Angeles communities."

Smithfield is the worlds biggest pork processor.

(Reporting by Rollo Ross; writing by Bill Tarrant; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Scientists from Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) in collaboration with colleagues from the Institute of Chemistry FEB RAS come up with a smart technology for the synthesis of sorbent based on a "tungsten bronze" compound powder (Na 2 WO 4 ) aimed to purify industrial and drinking water from hazardous radionuclides cesium (137Cs), and strontium (90Sr), as well as for effective processing of liquid radioactive waste. A related article appears in the Journal of Materials Science.

The new sorbent is appropriate when the concentration of hazardous radioactive elements is extremely higher than the acceptable level, i.e. for processing of liquid radioactive waste from nuclear plants and to eliminate the consequences of technological accidents.

The development resolves one of the pressing problems of modern radioecology, which is to completely or down to the level of regulative standards extract the hazardous radioactive elements cesium (137Cs) and strontium (90Sr) capable of accumulating in the body, replacing potassium and calcium.

The waste sorbent is supposed to convert into high-density ceramics with subsequent safe disposal.

"We propose to apply a sorbent in several ways. First, in the static version, granules based on tungsten bronze powder can simply be introduced into the volume of contaminated water bodies. Second, in a dynamic mode, porous sorbent tablets can be a component of flow filters. The high filtration efficiency registered by calculation methods determining the residual amount of radionuclides in sorbent-purified solutions, as well as the number of radionuclides retained in the sorbent body. We appreciate the Institute of Chemistry FEB RAS for the partial development of these methods in the frame of state assignment. We have studied physicochemical properties of the sorbent material via high-class Shimadzu equipment (Japan) and do believe that the operational properties of the material are up to analogs produced by more expensive technologies. Thus, we hope that our synthesis method will be recognized by the industry as most practical and technologically effective," says Arthur Drankov, a member of the creative team, postgraduate student of FEFU School of Natural Science.

The scientist points out that, if regenerated, the sorbent can serve five or more cycles. However, re-using of "tungsten bronze" sorbents is not the main idea, given that its absorbing abilities with respect to 137Cs and 90Sr radionuclides are well known.

The advantage proposed by researchers of FEFU School of Natural Science and FEB RAS is to convert waste granules or sorption tablets to high-density ceramics for further safe disposal during the half-life of hazardous radioactive elements. For cesium, this period is about 30 years, for strontium is about 29 years.

Scientists will develop a transforming-to-ceramics technology at the next stage of the work supported by a grant of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant chief is I. G. Tananaev, Director of FEFU School of Natural Science, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences).

Researchers suggest that the total outcome will be a cost-effective technology that guarantees environmental safety when dealing with radioactive waste.

###
Uber is bringing a new feature to the U.S. that lets users book rides for $50 an hour and make multiple stops as the ride-hailing company tries to respond to changing consumer needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hourly booking feature, which is already available in a handful of international cities in Australia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East, will launch in a dozen U.S. cities beginning Monday. The product will be available in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Tacoma, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Uber said it expects to expand this feature into other U.S. cities in the coming weeks.

Uber made the move in an effort to offer riders a more convenient way to get things done, and to provide an additional earnings opportunity for drivers as we move forward in this "new normal," Niraj Patel, director of rider operations at Uber, said in a statement.

Riders who want to use the new feature start by selecting "hourly" in the app and then entering their initial stop. Riders can see the $50 hourly rate at a glance and compare to other options before committing to the trip. The rider selects the expected hours and can enter multiple stops  as many as three, including the destination.

Uber Hourly for Rider feature

Image Credits: Uber

There are limitations to the feature, including mileage. In some cities, the hourly booking feature only allows drivers to travel up to 40 miles. Trips that travel farther than the mileage limit will be charged to the rider at a per-mile rate. The same rule applies to trips that run over the booked hour; riders will be charged per minute over the hour.

Hourly booking cannot be used to travel to or from airports and trips must be within a city service area. The $50 hourly rate excludes tolls and surcharges.
Twitter flagged a tweet by President Donald J. Trump indicating it violated the platforms rules against glorifying violence on Friday when he tweeted about protests over the death of George Floyd.

Protesters are demanding that the officers involved in Floyd's arrest be charged. Looting and fires have been widespread in the area where Floyd died Monday.

Protesters began gathering near the city's 3rd Precinct station on Thursday afternoon, in the southern part of the city where 46-year-old George Floyd died on Memorial Day after an officer knelt on his neck until he became unresponsive.

News helicopter footage showed protesters milling in streets near the city's 3rd Precinct station, with some running in and out of nearby stores. A Target, a Cub Foods, a Dollar Tree and an auto parts store all showed signs of damage and looting. As darkness fell, fire erupted in the auto parts store, and city fire crews rushed to control it. Protesters set other fires in the street.

A police spokesman confirmed late Thursday that staff had evacuated the 3rd Precinct station, the focus of many of the protests, in the interest of the safety of our personnel" shortly after 10 p.m. Livestream video showed the protesters entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as blazes were set.

These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, Tweeted Trump. And I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

This Tweet violates our policies regarding the glorification of violence based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today. https://t.co/sl4wupRfNH  Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) May 29, 2020

Within hours, Twitter added a public interest notice to the post stating that; This Tweet violates our policies regarding the glorification of violence based on the historical context of the last line.

The Tweet was left up by the social media company adding that the tweet is of public interest.

You may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people. We also prohibit the glorification of violence, states the companys glorification of violence policy.

On the White House twitter account the tweet that was flagged on Trumps account was copied and tweeted out.

MassLive has previously reported on the use of the taxpayer-backed White House social media accounts regularly attacking rivals and being used for the presidents own gain.

These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you! https://t.co/GDwAydcAOw  The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 29, 2020

On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order asking federal regulators to revisit the 1996 law that protects websites from liability for what their users post.

"Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party. They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States, Trump tweeted on Friday morning. Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated!"

The action comes after Trump was angered by Twitter placing a fact-check label on a pair of the his tweets on mail-in voting. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the labels amounted to censorship and bias in action even though the tweets contained misinformation and were not removed by the platform.

Related Content:

In a first, Twitter adds fact-check warnings to Trump tweets

Reporter Omar Jimenez, CNN crew arrested while covering protests in Minneapolis

Protests break out in Minneapolis following death of George Floyd
Polarized is a weekly series featuring Americans from all 50 states sharing their views on the 2020 elections. Click here if you would like to be a part of this project

Adrienne Brietzke hates Bill Clinton, and she isnt afraid to say it.

The 70-year-old Arkansas voter is a registered Democrat, though she identifies as an independent after having spent her life working in and around local politics.

Brietzke worked for the former president when he served as the attorney general of her home state, and again when he was elected as governor in 1979. In a recent interview with The Independent, she recalls being inspired by the young Clinton and his bold vision for the state  until, she says, he let her and many other progressives down.

Bill Clinton was very progressive at the time, she remembers of the former presidents introduction to local and state politics. He did a 180-degree turn when he was elected president.

Brietzke blames Clinton and the Democratic-establishment politics that followed his tenure in the Oval Office for what she describes to be a neoliberal takeover of the Democratic Party, in which center-left politics have become mainstream and Congress provides nothing more than lip service when it comes to progressive measures.

The Democratic Party used to be the poor mans party, she says. When Bill Clinton came in, he taught the party to be neoliberal.

(Photo courtesy of Adrienne Brietzke) (Photo courtesy Adrienne Brietzke)

When it comes to 2020, Brietzke says politicians like former vice president Joe Biden  the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee  are no different than Clinton.

Its all about the status quo, she says while discussing the swift support Biden received from other Democratic presidential candidates who dropped out of the race and later endorsed him against Vermont senator Bernie Sanders for the partys 2020 nomination.

The Democratic Party doesnt want that to change at all, she continues. Theyre all making money, and things for many of the top Democrats are actually pretty good under [Donald] Trump, at least financially: most of them are barely paying taxes.

Brietzke was a Sanders supporter, and feels the senator left progressives hanging when he dropped out of the race before endorsing Biden for the nomination.

He was perfectly placed to get real concessions from Biden, she says about Sanders, suggesting he should have waited to back the former vice president. Brietzke wishes Sanders instead stayed in the race and fought for Biden to adopt real progressive policies on issues like climate change and student debt.

The former vice president did, in fact, extend some progressive updates to his plans on Medicare and student loans after Sanders dropped out of the race, but Brietzke  like many other progressives Ive spoken to for this project  says those dont go nearly far enough.

Democrats like Biden diss progressives and their biggest issues with their lackluster plans on our top three issues: universal healthcare, climate change and student debt, she says.

What Ive seen is that a lot of the social-media sites I hit that are progressive with a lot of chatter have gone totally silent since Bernie took a powder, Brietzke continues. To me, thats an indicator of progressives stepping back and not participating anymore. If that happens on election day, the Democrats are screwed because they wont get the progressive vote.

Click here to read more of The Independents series, Polarized: Voices From Across America

When I ask whether she intends to vote for Biden, Brietzke pauses.

No, she says. I plan to vote against Trump.

She adds: Trump voters are going to vote for Trump. Biden voters are going to vote against Trump. Biden is a non-entity.

Brietzke plans to cast a ballot for Biden for the sole purpose of removing Trump from office, she explains. Both she and her husband have medical conditions that put them at further risk of contracting coronavirus, and the pandemic has made clear just how incompetent the leadership is at the top.

Biden being the nominee is going to prevent progressive turnout, because hes basically been a placater for Republicans, she tells me, before later concluding: But Trump is just a moron  Im trusting the scientists right now, and ignoring the president.
Necessity is the mother of all invention, this saying has turned into a reality especially in these times with people coming up with various devices and robots to minimise human contact.

This time it is a class 7 Aurangabad-based student who has come up with a robot that can deliver food and medicines to patients at the hospital. Sai Suresh Randal has named his robot as Shourya.

According to a report published by news agency ANI, the main aim behind making this robot is to reduce physical contact of medical staff with COVID-19 patients, which will also eventually reduce their chances of contracting the virus as well.

Emphasising on how the robot, Sai told the agency, It can move forward, backward, 360 degrees right and left. The robot is operated by battery and can be controlled by a smartphone. It can carry items weighing up to 1 kg.

Meanwhile, a man based out of Chennai too has made a coronavirus shaped robot. The primary function of this robot is to sanitise the contamination zones with minimum human contact. The green colour robot has the ability to store 30 litres of disinfectant at a given time.

Gowtham, the creator of the robot has however said that this robot is just a prototype and he is currently working on making better robots.
IF YOU badly needed a short, back and sides it seems the place to try was an army barracks - and it only cost a fiver.

The Defence Forces has launched an investigation into an army barber continuing to cut hair.

A whistleblower contacted the Limerick Leader after reading a story about Deputy Cathal Crowe giving the hairdryer treatment to the barber black market.

"I find it mind boggling that people can be so selfish and careless when were seeing the daily death toll from Covid-19, said Deputy Crowe.

The whistleblower - a member of the Defence Forces  said from Monday, April 2, the barber shop within Custume Barracks, Athlone, has been opened intermittently, often with queues outside and no health and safety changes made to the interior.

All ranks have been using this service. The barber is a serving soldier. Its only 5 a cut. If they deny it the barbers name is (he names a soldier), said the whistleblower.

He contacted the Limerick Leader to highlight this because my young son has an underlying condition and I don't want to put him at risk.

I read your interview with Deputy Cathal Crowe online and this is why I am emailing you. Are the Defence Forces exempt from the government's guidelines? I can not ask these questions myself, said the whistleblower.

The Limerick Leader put these charges to the Defence Forces Press Office. A spokesperson said: As a result of these queries the Defence Forces has initiated an investigation into the matters raised.

Since the Limerick Leader put in the media query the whistleblower said: It has all stopped.

Separately, a member of the public contacted our Glentworth Street office on Sunday to say a barber was brazenly operating in County Limerick.

I was pulled up in a car on the street while herself went into the shops. It was last Friday about 2pm. While I was waiting I saw one fella knock on the door. The barber came to the door, unlocked it, let them in and locked it again. The barber wasnt wearing gloves. Then I saw another fella do the exact same thing. Four in total went in  all young fellows - while I was waiting. I couldnt believe it, said the man, who contacted the Leader because it made him angry.

There hasnt been much coronavirus around here thankfully but this could cause a cluster. It is putting people at risk. It is so selfish. It is only going to be another few weeks or a month. Im cutting my own hair at home and it is diabolical but at least I am not putting anybody at risk, except myself! he said.

The Leader contacted the Garda Press Office with details of the exact location in County Limerick.

A spokesperson said An Garda Siochana does not comment on individual cases.

Instances of hairdressers opening in contravention of the regulations is not something that has been reported to gardai in (the location) and anyone who has information in relation to this practice is asked to report this in the interests of public health, said the spokesperson.

They said where potential breaches of the Public Health Regulations are identified, and where a person does not come into compliance with the regulations, a file is submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a direction as to how to proceed.

It is for a judge of the district court to decide on any actually penalty following a conviction, said the spokesperson.
Katherine Schwarzenegger showcased her growing baby bump on a walk with her beloved pup in Brentwood, California.

For her Thursday outing, the 30-year-old author appeared cheery as she stretched her legs alongside the four-legged inspiration of her New York Times best selling children's book Maverick and Me.

The pregnant wife of Chris Pratt, who married the Jurassic World star in June 2019, stayed bundled up under a black zip-up hoodie, fitted leggings and a matching pair of sneakers.

Dog walk: Pregnant Katherine Schwarzenegger showcased her growing baby bump on a walk with her pup in Brentwood, California

In addition to adhering to the CDC's recommendation to wear a facial covering, the animal activist stylishly wore her shoulder-length tresses in a half-up, half-down hairdo with a yellow ribbon.

As she stepped out of the confines of quarantine, Schwarzenegger donned a pair of Apple earbuds.

Her furry friend, whom she fostered and eventually rescued in 2016, remained close to her side on a blue retractable leash.

Animal activist: The 30-year-old author appeared cheery as she stretched her legs alongside the four-legged inspiration of her New York Times best selling children's book Maverick and Me

Recently, the writer and Chris Pratt read her 2017 book about Maverick aloud on Instagram for the Saving with Stories campaign.

The lovebirds first child together is reportedly due around September/October 2020.

The USC grad is already stepmother to the Onward actor's seven-year-old son Jack from his eight-year marriage to Mom star Anna Faris, which ended in 2018.

'She loves being an extra mom to Jack,' a Pratt pal told People last Thursday.

'Jack will be a great big brother. Katherine always says that he is the sweetest, most caring boy. They can't wait for Jack to have a sibling.'

Bumping along: The wife of Chris Pratt, who married the Jurassic World star in June 2019, stayed bundled up under a black zip-up hoodie, fitted leggings and a matching pair of sneakers

Katherine and Chris - who were introduced by her 64-year-old journalist mother in church - will celebrate their first wedding anniversary on June 8.

Late Thursday, Pratt took to social media and revealed his All In Challenge had ended and that it raised $880,000.

The two winners will get to appear, and get eaten by dinosaurs, in Pratt's upcoming film Jurassic World: Dominion. The names of those winners have not yet been announced.

The money generated will go towards the non-profits: Feeding America, Meals On Wheels and No Kid Hungry, who are all serving needy families amid the COVID-19 crisis.
And now, a growing number of shop workers are back on the job, after the easing of government orders that had closed most stores in Canada except in British Columbia. The latest reopenings came this week in Montreal.

Masks and plastic shields may provide some protection. But the return to work, even if it means not being among the three million Canadians who have lost their jobs during the outbreak, will most likely feel uneasy for many. Its a source of anxiety that even the bonus pay some now receive for continuing to work may not offset.

In the meatpacking industry, staying on the job has brought not only widespread illness but also death.

In High River, Alberta, a town in the foothills of the Rockies, a meatpacking plant owned by Cargill, which is headquartered in Minnesota, has Canadas largest single outbreak. More than 1,500 coronavirus infections and three deaths have been linked to the outbreak within the plant, most of them employees. Another meatpacking plant, in Brooks, Alberta, owned by JBS of Brazil, is linked with hundreds of cases. And about 40 federal meat inspectors who work in those plants have become infected as well, says the union that represents them.

The union representing the plants workers, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, told me that many of the employees were either recent immigrants or temporary foreign workers. (The union also noted that Cargill works with it to gain permanent immigration status for the latter.)
A Victorian secondary school has been closed for at least 24 hours after a student tested positive to COVID-19.

Victorian health authorities said the senior student from Keilor Downs College, in Melbournes north-west, was tested after five family members were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive .

The school will close for at least 24 hours. Credit:Google Maps

The student's diagnosis comes just days after preps, grade 1 and 2, and year 11 and 12 and all specialist school students returned to Victorian schools.

The teenager was in a VET class on Tuesday with seven students from two other schools, St Albans Secondary College and Taylors Lakes Secondary College. Those students are now isolating at home.
The Chairman of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Mr. Bernard Mornah says he is ever ready to die for the truth if that is what the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service wants.



Mornah invitation



The CID invited Mr. Mornah for allegedly saying: Well beat and kill each other should confusion arise at any voter ID card registration centre during the Electoral Commissions forthcoming exercise to compile a new register.



According to the CID, Mr. Mornah made the statement during a press conference by the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Register (IPRAN) on 26 May 2020.



Hes expected to honour the invitation on Tuesday, 2nd June 2020 at 10 am at the CID headquarters in Accra.



No U-turn



Bernard Mornah who is also the leader of the IPRAN, in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie insisted he will not eat his words.



 . . and let me repeat, the path on which the Electoral Commission is trading will bring serious issues to this country. If the CID is inviting me because of what I said, I will go and I will repeat the same thing there, he stated.



Kill me, jail me



He told host Kwesi Aboagye that he is ready to die and maintained that he has no regret whatsoever about his utterance.



I will say it in exactly the same way; what I said. If they [CID] want my life, I will give it to them freely. I will not be guarded and cease from saying what I feel will lead the country to peace and stability. They can kill me, they can jail me but that will not deter me from what I said. I will die but will still say it, he emphatically stated.



IPRAN reacts to Mornah invitation



According to the group, Mr. Bernard Mornahs invite will not soften its poignant stance on the ill-advised and needless decision to compile a new register of voters.



IPRAN, in a statement issued and signed by the Leader and Founder of the United Front Party on Thursday, 28th May 2020, it has taken notice of an official invitation extended to the Convener of the Coalition by the CID to assist in investigations in connection with some alleged inflammatory comments at its press conference.



The group noted that it is "appalled by the decision of the CID to kowtow to the whims and caprices of some individuals who have been irked by, not just the spirited resistance of Comrade Bernard Mornah, in particular, but by the Coalition as a whole.



It continued that the Coalition knows that this is a calculated attempt by the government through the police to intimidate and cow the Coalition into submission on the heated matter of the compilation of anew voters register ahead of the 2020 elections and that as a law-abiding citizen and a renowned public figure, the CID should rest assured that Comrade Bernard Mornah would honour the invitation as scheduled in the invitation letter.



The Coalition continued further that the police should beware that this is not going to soften the poignant stance of the Coalition on the ill-advised and needless decision to compile a new voters register which is going to disenfranchise a vast majority of the people coupled with the fact that it is at a huge cost to the poor taxpayer.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Every Friday, The Citizen features a pet available for adoption from the Finger Lakes SPCA of Central New York. This week, we spotlight Dylan.

BREED: Domestic shorthair, white with gray

AGE: 1 year old

COMMENTS: Dylan and his housemates came to the shelter several months ago. They had been abandoned by their owner and were in dire straits. We're happy to have Dylan and his housemates, and are working hard to find them new homes.

Dylan is now up to date on all vaccinations (rabies, distemper, feline kennel cough), he has been treated for parasites and he was recently neutered.

As Dylan will discuss in his interview, he is FIV-positive. He's come to terms with that and he and we are not going to let that stop us from finding the best home possible for him. He is a very sweet and friendly boy and whoever is lucky enough to add him to their household will never lack for kitty love and licks. If you are interested in adopting Dylan, please fill out our adoption application on our website, flspcaofcny.org. It can be emailed (flspca_cny@yahoo.com), faxed ([315] 282-2387) or delivered to the shelter on York Street in Auburn. Once it is approved, an appointment will be scheduled so you can visit with this most delightful and amazing boy.

Dylan's original interview appeared in March. He is so deserving of a new home, with a few changes, that we are presenting it again. Please read.

Q: Who is your best friend?

A: That would be that cat Bentley. He's my buddy! We came in here together and we have a lot in common. I'm hoping that if I am not to your liking  although I can't imagine that  that you will consider Bentley. He's an awesome boy and really needs a home. You know, Bentley and I were abandoned, left to our own devices as they say. Do you even have an idea how confusing that is for a cat or a dog? We don't get it and don't understand. Anyway, I'll leave it at that.

Q: Do you have a bucket list, and if so, what's numero uno?

A: I do! I really wish that our good friends out there would not let a diagnosis of FIV prevent one of them from adopting me. My shelter people have found dozens of awesome homes for felines like me who are infected (and I really dislike the word "infected") with the feline immunodeficiency virus. The latest research says that FIV-positive felines can and do live normal life spans, and the potential for spreading this nasty little virus is relatively low. By not considering an FIV-positive feline, you are missing out on so much love. Do your research! Talk with my shelter people! Get educated! Adopt me!

Q: If you could meet someone famous, who would that be?

A: I'm not sure if this person even exists yet, but here goes. I would love to meet the veterinarian or researcher who discovers a cure for FIV. I know that there must be many working on this issue, so I'm hoping that a breakthrough comes soon. In the meantime, I need to have good nutrition, excellent veterinary care and lots of love to keep me healthy! I'm a lucky boy  I'm getting that here  but I would rather be with you.

Q: So, tell us something interesting about you!

A: Not sure you will find this interesting, but here goes. The shelter person who named me has a fondness for Bob Dylan. She didn't think I looked like a Bob, so Dylan it was  and is. Is that interesting enough? Well, that's all I have right now.

Q: What has been your best experience?

A: So, I was abandoned and brought here to live. I had to spend some time in isolation, but when I came out I got the best condo in the whole place. I have a room with a view, I have a bird feeder right outside my window and I am entertained all day with the squirrels and birds that visit. Yes, I have gone from having nothing to living in fat city!

Q: Do you have an interesting fact to share?

A: As you know, I have FIV. I would like to share some facts with you, and it's easier to tell you what FIV is not. It is not, in and of itself, life threatening, it is not cat AIDS, it does not necessarily shorten life expectancy, and it cannot be transmitted to other species (human or animal), among other things. There is a great deal of information online or from your family veterinarian, and my shelter people have a lot of info, too. Learn the facts!

Q: How would you describe yourself?

A: I overheard one of my shelter people tell someone that if there was one word to describe me it would be "beautiful." Not to be big-headed or anything  but I do agree. I am also very sweet, neat, tidy, clean and all kinds of other superlatives. I also have some awesome paws! I have extra toes, which makes me some kind of special.

Q: Do you have any advice for our good Citizen readers?

A: I do! Please, good Citizen readers! During these difficult  and, hopefully, temporary  times, please ensure that your fur-family members have a safety net. By that I mean if you were to unfortunately become sick or hospitalized, that there is a family member or friend who would take care of your pet until you are healthy again. This is so important and can eliminate a lot of stress for you and your pet by having these things decided in advance. We shelter animals are very grateful, and thank you for doing this. Much love and many purrs, Dylan and friends.

The Finger Lakes SPCA of Central New York is a New York state-registered shelter/rescue, registration No. RR-181. Pursuant to Article 26-A, Section 408 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, the registrant is authorized to operate as a registered pet rescue, in compliance with such law.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
(Photo : Image Courtesy of PixaBay)

Reinforcing the false notion that 5G causes the coronavirus, online scammers are capitalizing on people's irrational fears by selling 128MB USB flash drives with the promise that it will prevent acquiring COVID-19. It has been established that 5G has no effect, harmful or otherwise, on the human body.

Read More: Zoom Fatigue: What You Should Know And Why It's Disrupting Our Way of Life; Science Explains

Scammers are using fear of 5G to sell USB Sticks saying it will protect people from the 'harmful' effects of 5G

The origin of the scam stems from the 5G conspiracy theory that it was causing the coronavirus. This was already proven to be false. However, this didn't stop a company called BioShield Distribution from showcasing a device that they claim can protect users from the coronavirus using "quantum holographic catalyzer technology."

Despite it looking like an ordinary flash drive, the 5GBioShield went on sale in the UK for $348. The company says that it can protect the user's entire home from 5G. Based on descriptions from their website, BioShield Distribution provided further details on how their technology could help.

"The 5GBioShield USB Key with the nano-layer is a quantum holographic catalyzer technology for the balance and harmonization of the harmful effects of imbalanced electric radiation. The nano-layer operating diameter is either 8 or 40 meters. The 5GBioShield USB Key is resulting from the research of several decades in multiple countries. The active key operating diameter shields and harmonizes a complete family home," the website says.

Even if there have been numerous studies proclaiming 5G to be safe, anti-5G campaigners continue to insist that next-generation networks can cause health problems as well as the coronavirus.

Read More: Twitter Fact-Checking Also Targets China, Not Only President Trump





How did they know it's a fake?

To investigate if the company's claims were actually true, Ken Munro of Pen Test Partners, together with his associate Phil Eveleigh, ordered one 5GBioShield device and dissected it.

From a blog entry posted by the two, Pen Test Partners detailed its teardown of the anti-5G machine saying, "We managed to pull the device off the crystal, which showed nothing other than an LED at the end of the stick, the same as the other 'crystal' USB keys we found made in Shenzen. There were no additional components or any connections. The circular area on the main casing looked like it might be where the 'quantum holographic catalyzer technology' transmitter might be. Carefully taking that off, not to damage the key components and, with crushing disappointment, it looked exactly like a regular sticker."

So in conclusion, the 5GBioShield is simply an expensive 128MB USB flash drive that was falsely marketed as a device that would deter the negative effects of 5G. If you ever come across this device, or anything similar proclaiming the same benefits, being sold online, report it, and don't allow yourself to be scammed by people who wish to exploit your fear for your money.

Read More: A COVID-19 Digital Survival Guide for Entrepreneurs by SEO Expert Lance Bachmann

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Description

GIS -29 May, 2020: The curfew in Mauritius imposed due to Covid-19 is being lifted on Saturday 30 May 2020, at midnight, announced the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, this evening, in a televised address to the nation. As from Sunday 31 May 2020, most economic activities resume. However, some restrictions will still be imposed on certain activities, in public spaces and public gatherings.

Today, said Mr Jugnauth, each person will agree that the lockdown was necessary, and, along with other sanitary measures introduced, has been fruitful. Now, Mauritius is embarking on a new phase.

Commenting on current Covid-19 figures as at now, the Prime Minister observed that Mauritius has registered three imported Covid-19 cases. These patients were passengers in quarantine but the country has not recorded any new local case over more than a month. Presently, Mauritius is among the first countries to have carried out more screenings per 1000 inhabitants. As at now, more than 110 000 tests have been conducted. It is on the basis of this data, that Government has taken the decision to ease the curfew on Saturday 30 May 2020 at midnight, he pointed out.

The only way to fully protect each citizen is to stay indoors but this cannot be the case in the long term and this is why the lockdown has been eased in a phased manner, he highlighted. Covid-19 has impacted the world on the medical front and has also affected economies and the social sphere and Mauritius has not been spared, he indicated.

Mauritius, said Mr Jugnauth, has successfully managed the crisis and a number of activities will be able to resume. However, there are a number of laws and instructions by which citizens will have to abide as Mauritians will have to learn how to live and work in a post Covid world, he remarked.

The Prime Minister said that the sacrifice each citizen has made has brought a positive outcome and cautioned that if ever local sources of contamination are detected, strict measures will be imposed. He urged Mauritians to maintain precautionary actions such as wearing of masks, avoiding spitting in public spaces, respecting social distancing where possible, and washing hands regularly. He advised citizens presenting Covid-19 symptoms, to go to Covid Testing Centres to avoid generating local sources of contamination.

The two-month curfew has severely impacted our economy and if there is a second lockdown it will be even more difficult for our economy to take off, said Mr Jugnauth. Next week the National Budget will be presented in a situation in which never before our country has had to face, he observed.

Government, said the Prime Minister, is aware that an aggressive economic recovery is important and it is crucial to avoid the widening of the gap between different social classes. There are many challenges facing Mauritius and we have to introduce constructive actions and if we all work together we will progress, he added. He further expressed conviction that as a country, Mauritius will be able to face all challenges in the future and succeed.

Resumption of activities

The Prime Minister further outlined how the lockdown will be eased

These include: citizens will be able to go out without abiding to the alphabetical order rule; the Work Access Permit will not be used; the elderly and those who have a weak health will have to avoid rush hours to travel; those aged under 18 will be able to go out; day care centres and nurseries will be allowed to operate; and trades such as supermarkets will be able to operate on a normal hour basis without having to necessarily respect the alphabetical order rule.

The wearing of masks will be compulsory and social distancing will have to be respected as much as possible. Restaurants, coffee shops, food courts, shops, arcades and shopping malls will be allowed to resume operation under certain sanitary conditions. Food and vegetable markets will be allowed to open as per the instructions of Municipality and District Council.

It is recalled that already this week, local authorities have proceeded with the disinfection of all food and vegetable markets. Government is advising citizens to continue working from home wherever possible.

Individual sporting activities will be permitted under certain sanitary conditions. Places of worship will be allowed to receive devotees. Beaches, fairs, cinemas and nightclubs will remain closed. Collective sporting activities, socio-cultural gatherings, sporting and cultural events will not be authorised. However, this decision will be reviewed in two weeks time.

If the Government sees that after testing the population that the number of local cases remains nil, these activities will be able to resume and all public places and other trades will be able to operate after Monday 15 June 2020.

As for the education sector, schools will not open now but on 1st August schools will open to prepare school personnel, students and parents for the resumption of classes scheduled for Monday 3 August 2020. Mauritius frontiers will not open for the moment but stranded Mauritian nationals are being repatriated in a controlled manner to stay safe and avoid the propagation of the virus.





#ResOuLakaz #BeSafeMoris



Govenrment Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http://gis.govmu.org Mobile App: Search Gov
LISBON, PORTUGAL - 2020/03/28: Praca do Comercio, formerly Terreiro do Paco, which is usually full of tourists, practically without people during the state of emergency. SOPA Images

Just when Portugal was getting its public finances back in shape, the coronavirus crisis has meant the southern European nation is now on track for a spending deficit of 6.5% in 2020. Covid-19 has brought all major economies to a standstill and it's no different in Portugal. The country achieved a budget surplus of 0.2% of its gross domestic product in 2019  its first surplus since 1975 with state expenditure lower than revenues. However, the strict lockdown measures imposed in March  which are now being slowly lifted  have brought further economic pain. "We can be looking at (a) substantial change in the deficit figures but those will be completely a one off," Mario Centeno, the Portuguese finance minister, told CNBC's "Street Signs" Friday. He added that the 2020 deficit is likely to be "something in the range that the (EU) Commission forecast a couple of weeks ago."

That Brussels-based institution said last week that Portugal's deficit is likely to reach 6.5% of its GDP in 2020 and 1.8% in 2021. It also said total debt-to-GDP is expected to rise to 131.6% in 2020, before falling to 124.4% in 2021. However, Centeno said he is confident the country will restore its public finances once the pandemic and the lockdowns are lifted. "(The 2020 deficit) will be a one-off change in our very positive trajectory in the last four years. We will recover from this with the same commitment to follow a path of sustainability," he said. European countries are currently discussing further fiscal plans to mitigate the impact of the virus, after the European Commission suggested raising 750 billion euros ($835 billion) in the public markets.
The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) recommends that people watch out for strange calls and do not send any money or provide personal information to strangers over the phone.

Strange phone calls from foreign subscribers aimed to entice customers to call back to generate unintended telecommunications charges.  Photo red.vn

Recently, many people have reported calls from unknown numbers informing the receiver about parcels from relatives or free gifts.

Some callers tell receivers they are suspected of being involved in a serious crime. All of them require users to transfer a certain amount of money, otherwise they will not receive gifts or be prosecuted. However, these are all phone calls from scammers, with the purpose of appropriating property and money.

The ministry therefore sent messages to phone subscribers warning about the issue. People could call the police or phone number 0692348560 of the Criminal Police Department to report the scams.

The Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) said they received many customer complaints about receiving calls from foreign numbers like Moldova (+373), Tunisia (+216), Equatorial Guinea (+240) and Burkina Faso (+226).

These are phone calls from foreign subscribers to VinaPhone subscribers, including those from OTT applications in order to entice customers to call back to generate unintended telecommunications charges.

VNPT recommends customers to be very careful when receiving any unusual calls or messages to avoid fraud.  VNS
It seems like just yesterday that Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex went public with their relationship, and now they are married and are also parents to an adorable son. It has been a whirlwind for them, to say the least, given the fact that in a short amount of time, they have moved away from the United Kingdom and also stepped down from their duties as senior royals.

One thing that remains constant is how much they adore their son, Archie Harrison. The day that he was born, Prince Harry gave an interview in which he couldnt stop smiling, saying that the newborn was to die for. Several days later, Archie made his debut with his proud parents at Windsor Castle, and it was evident as to just how happy Meghan and Prince Harry really were.

It is almost as if they were born to be parents, and fans around the world couldnt be happier for the Sussex family. Recently, Archie turned a year old, and there is no doubt that it was a very special event. Now, a royal source is revealing the insider details of how Meghan and Prince Harry celebrated Baby Archies first birthday.

Who is Archie Harrison?

RELATED: Prince William and Kate Middleton Reportedly Miss Prince Harry More Than Meghan Markle But Heres Why Its Normal

The son of Meghan and Prince Harry is as cute as can be, and when comparing pictures, it is quite difficult to say which parent he resembles more. According to Town & Country, the child was famously not given a royal title when he was born, since his parents want him to have as normal of an upbringing as possible.

Fans have not seen all that much of Archie since his birth over a year ago, and when pictures were shared of him on his first birthday, it was astonishing to see just how much he had grown. Born at the Portland Hospital in London, England, Archies first home was in Windsor and the family now lives in LA.

In the past year, he also went on a royal tour of Africa with Meghan and Harry, and the family also spent some time in London, making Archie one well-traveled toddler.

Archie turned one

RELATED: What Is Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys Parenting Style? An Overview of How the Duke and Duchess of Sussex Are Raising Baby Archie

Now that the family is living in California, that is where Archie was when he celebrated his first birthday. His proud mother shared a video of him sitting on her lap and adorably enjoying a story that she was reading to him on his birthday. The book was the childrens book Duck! Rabbit!.

Supposedly, Prince Harry himself was the one who actually took the pictures, and from looking at them, it is easy to come to the conclusion that Archie was having the time of his life. The young child laughed as he turned the pages of the book, and it was almost as if he couldnt get enough of storytime with his parents, and didnt want it to end.

The video was to support the @SaveWithStories campaign in the U.S., which strives to help children impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The insider details of how the Sussexes celebrated Archie

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor| DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images

A first birthday is a big deal, and Meghan and Prince Harry were over the moon to hold a celebration for their son. So, what did they do to honor the big day? People reports that although they werent able to have a party due to the current pandemic, that didnt stop them from having a great day.

Meghan baked a cake for the occasion. Meghan made the cake  strawberries and cream, a source tells PEOPLE. And Harry helped with decorations and blew up balloons.

The family also had a video call with loved ones. They Zoomed with godparents, friends and family and had a really simple but incredibly joyous day, says the source.

The birthday boy interacted with the familys two dogs, who are apparently his closest friends. They might not have been with the rest of the royal family, but it still looks like Archie had quite an amazing first birthday.
The wife of former Union minister and senior Jammu and Kashmir Congress leader Saifuddin Soz moved the Supreme Court on Friday seeking he be produced before the court as also the quashing of the order by which he has been under house arrest since August 5 last year.

Mumtazunnisa Soz, wife of the octogenarian leader, alleged that till date the reasons for the detention have not been supplied to them and they are unable to challenge the arrest under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978.

This makes "his detention not only illegal, mala fide and unconstitutional, but also extremely appalling", she said.

"The detention of Prof. Saifuddin Soz is wholly contrary and perverse to the constitutional safeguards laid down under Articles 21 (right to life) and 22 (right to know the reasons of arrest), as well as the law on preventive detention.

"Not only does it attract the vice of unconstitutionality, it is also in contravention of the statutory scheme of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978, under which the detention has purportedly been made," said the petition settled by senior advocate AM Singhvi.

The Centre had abrogated certain provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution granting special status Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Presidential Order proposed that the state be bifurcated as Union Territory of Ladakh (centrally administered) and as Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir (with its Legislative Assembly). Prior to this announcement, several leaders...were placed under house arrest with internet and phone services curtailed," said the plea filed through lawyer Sunil Fernandes.

The habeas corpus (bring the person) writ plea has sought production of Soz before the court and a direction for quashing of the detention orders passed by the authorities.
Only 1.85% of the total Shramik Special trains being run were diverted between May 20 and May 24 due to route congestion, Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said on Friday adding that 71 trains had been diverted.

The national carrier till Friday has operated 3,840 Shramik Specials trains ferrying 52 lakh passengers to their home states.

Out of 3,840 trains, 71 were diverted to deal with network congestion only between May 20 and May 24, as the railways had to meet the demand of the respective states, nearly 90% of the trains were going to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Yadav said.

Among the destination-states for which the trains were diverted were Bihar (51), Uttar Pradesh (16), Jharkhand (2), Assam and Manipur (1 each).

Among the originating-states, for which trains were diverted were Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan.

He also added that it is not possible for trains to get lost. The clarification came amid criticism over delays and diversions of Shramik trains.

The railways had come under criticism over the delay and diversion of several Shramik Trains in the last week. A Gorakhpur-bound Shramik Special train from Maharashtra ended up in Rourkela, Odisha adding two days and five states to the original journey, leaving its passengers clueless.

With several Shramik Special trains bound for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar being delayed and diverted over the past two days, the ministry of railways on Sunday said the convergence of trains to these destinations have caused congestion in the network adding that the total number of trains to the region has increased.

Most of the destinations in UP are around Lucknow-Gorakhpur sector and in Bihar around Patna. Of 565 trains running since yesterday, 266 were going to Bihar and 172 to Uttar Pradesh, the ministry had said.

Only four trains took more than three days to reach the destination states in the north eastern part of the country, Yadav clarified adding that allegations of trains taking nearly nine days to reach were incorrect.

Yadav said there was also uncertainty in demand that led to the congestion. As per railway capacity, it was not a 24-hour steady flow. The originations of Shramik Special trains took place after completing all the local protocols by the state mostly in post noon 16-24 shift. Thus, this left one third route capacity per day to handle these trains, he said.

On arrival, all passengers were registered and screened by state governments, which limited the capacity of terminals to handle trains. As against 20 minutes taken in normal trains, it took one to three hours in releasing the train at terminals, he added.

Demand for Shramik Special trains, has lately been diminishing he said.

It appears that demand for these trains is declining from the originating state. 137 trains were flagged yesterday (Thursday) and 172 the day before (Wednesday). Demand for trains has been going down in the last two days, Yadav said.

Nearly 1,524 Shramik Specials operated in the last one week from May 22 till May 28 ferrying over 20 lakh passengers. On May 20, as many as 279 trains operated in a single day.

As of last week, originating states had indicated a demand of 923 trains for migrants, which had come down to 450 trains as of Thursday, Yadav said.

Railways have accommodated almost all requests received from the sending states and we are ready to meet all demand of Shramik movements. We will run Shramik Trains for as long as they are needed. Each and every migrant will be transported, he said.
 Flash

China is set to make Hong Kong national security laws as a related decision was adopted at the national legislature on Thursday. Three foreign people familiar with Hong Kong told Xinhua their views on the legislation.

The interviewees recognized the necessity of the legislation to safeguard national security and stop prolonged violence in Hong Kong and said they believe the rights and freedoms of people living here will remain unchanged.

People uneasy amid violence

"People were uneasy," Robinson, a Hong Kong resident of British origin, said when describing life under the shadow of violence last year in Hong Kong.

Having lived in Hong Kong for over 10 years, he witnessed how the prosperous and safe financial hub was plunged into chaos during social unrest. "The disruption from June (2019) last year did affect life and work. Schools were closed, events canceled and transport disrupted."

Hong Kong's stability is essential to international trade, Robinson said.

During months of disturbances following the now-withdrawn ordinance amendments concerning fugitive transfers, processions, hijacked by rioters who claimed to be "freedom fighters," repeatedly descended into violent incidents, which threatened the safety and freedoms of residents and eroded Hong Kong's economic foundation and rule of law.

Dan Albertson, a freelancer from the United States, was deeply concerned.

"The level of violence in Hong Kong makes me and many other people concerned," Albertson said. "Hong Kong is a very lively city and has a great amount of openness but this openness is in peril."

In 2019, Albertson, 35, left Chicago where he had lived for 10 years to start a new life in Hong Kong. He looked forward to a fresh experience but was shocked by violent protests and destructive activities erupting all of a sudden and keeping intensifying in Hong Kong.

"They are the people who talk about laws and freedom while simultaneously eroding the freedoms of other people who don't agree with them," he said. "You cannot beat up people for disagreeing with you."

Ever since last June, fanatics have used violence of all types to wage war on the society and there has been a surge in home-grown terrorist activities, which is designed to destabilize the country as a whole, Grenville Cross, former director of public prosecutions of Hong Kong, said.

Legislation long "overdue"

Grenville Cross believes the violence in Hong Kong has been condoned and encouraged by foreign powers. "They see Hong Kong as a useful means of destabilizing China at a time of geopolitical rivalry, and Hong Kong is just a pawn on their chessboard for them."

Cross said foreign powers have encouraged their local proxies in the protest movement to stoke up trouble.

"The independence fanatics are clearly pandering to their American backers, who have never really accepted Hong Kong's return to China and see Hong Kong as part of their sphere of influence," Cross said.

Cross stressed that no country would tolerate subversive, secessionist, terrorist activities on its soil, and the legislation is absolutely necessary.

"The national security legislation is overdue in Hong Kong," Robinson said, echoing Cross's words.

"The legislation is the right thing to do because Hong Kong is part of the Chinese territory," Albertson said. "The Chinese authorities have all their legal responsibility to protect their territory. That's the same of any country."

Hong Kong returned to the motherland in 1997 but local legislation in Hong Kong to protect national security, a responsibility written into the Basic Law, has not been completed, leaving a loophole in China's national security.

Albertson said he believes other countries will fill such kind of gap very quickly, including the United States.

The National Security Act of the United States was signed into law by then U.S. President Harry Truman on July 26, 1947. The United States also enacted the USA PATRIOT Act after the September 11 attacks and the CLOUD Act.

"Hong Kong is vulnerable," Albertson said. "I can't think of a country on earth that would allow that kind of vulnerability."

Nothing to fear

"The broad mass of people ... have nothing to fear," Grenville Cross said, stressing that only a small group of people will be targeted and law-abiding residents are outside the ambit. Cross, a British barrister, had worked as the director of public prosecutions in Hong Kong for 12 years since 1997.

The National People's Congress has made it clear that the legislation only targets those engaged in acts and activities to split the country, subvert state power, organize and carry out terrorist activities and other behaviors that seriously endanger national security, as well as activities of foreign and external forces to interfere in the affairs of the HKSAR.

The basic rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people will continue to be protected under the Basic Law and the judicial independence will also be guaranteed, Cross said.

Dan Albertson, who has traveled multiple times to the Chinese mainland, said Hong Kong is a bridge between the mainland and the West and he believes the unique advantage, along with the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people, will continue to be cherished.

There is no logic to be afraid of the legislation, Albertson said. "I suppose a lot of the people who are concerned have never been to the mainland or they only hear about mainland news filtered by biased and unreliable media outlets."

Cross pointed out that the business environment will also improve after the legislation.

"The last thing the business community wants is a continuation of the violent protests of last year, which has resulted in so many businesses closing down or moving elsewhere, and tourists staying away," Cross said.

"If the national security legislation helps to control the illegal and violent activities bringing death and destruction to Hong Kong, I imagine that all foreign businesses will feel very relieved."
London's buses will resume front door boarding from tomorrow after bosses brought in new safety measures aimed at minimising the coronavirus risk to drivers.

Front door boarding will be reinstated on 124 bus routes, with customers required to touch in using their Oyster, contactless or concessionary cards.

The process was abandoned by chiefs at Transport for London on April 20 amid concerns that 26 bus workers in the capital had died from Covid-19.

People board a London bus using the middle door last Saturday. From tomorrow, front door boarding will be reinstated on 124 bus routes, with customers required to touch in

People wait at Canary Wharf in East London for the D8 bus towards Stratford yesterday

But University College London analysis has suggested that safety and hygiene improvements made by TfL has made it possible for front door boarding to resume by substantially reducing the risk to drivers of contracting the virus from customers.

The measures include adding a film layer to screens and sealing off gaps around the screen as a whole, along with a rigorous cleaning regime which sees cabs, handrails and other regularly touched areas treated with hospital-grade anti-viral disinfectant.

Measures to reduce Covid-19 risk to bus drivers and passengers Film layer to screens and sealing off gaps around the screen as a whole

Rigorous cleaning regime for cabs, handrails and other regularly touched areas

These ares are treated with hospital-grade anti-viral disinfectant

Hand sanitiser dispensers installed at bus stations and on Tube station platforms Advertisement

TfL anticipates all London buses will have returned to front door boarding by mid-June, and will limit capacity to ensure compliance with social-distancing guidelines.

Double-decker buses will be able to carry 20 customers while single-decker buses can carry between six and 10 customers.

Drivers will have the discretion to allow more customers on board if they are travelling in households or groups.

Passengers are being asked to avoid non-essential use of public transport despite lockdown restrictions being eased to enable social distancing.

Deputy Mayor for Transport Heidi Alexander said the new measures are essential to protecting the health and safety of transport workers and passengers.

She said: 'Scientific advice has confirmed that it is safe for front door boarding to resume on these buses thanks to these improvements.

A bus is deep cleaned with anti-bacterial wipes at Camberwell Abellio bus garage on May 18

A man hails a bus at Haringey in North London on May 19 as the coronavirus crisis continues

'Our message to Londoners is clear though - please work from home and travel on foot or bike if you can. Public transport is a precious resource that should be preserved for those who need it.

Ex-New York city subway boss dubbed 'the Train Daddy' is TfL's new 335,000-a-year transport boss Andy Byford A former head of New York's public transport system dubbed the 'Train Daddy' will be London 's next transport commissioner. Andy Byford, 54, was responsible in New York for 50,000 staff and devising a 33 billion five-year investment plan to renew the city's transport system. He will start in his new 335,000-a-year role on June 29, taking over from Mike Brown who will stay on until July 10 before taking up a new position overseeing the renovation of the Palace of Westminster. The former president and chief executive of New York City Transit Authority left the role in January under a cloud following repeated clashes with Governor Andrew Cuomo. He was said to have had frequent spats with Mr Cuomo throughout his two-year tenure, despite being considered a rising star in the industry. Advertisement

'But if you absolutely have to travel on our network, wear a face mask, avoid the busiest times and respect the new arrangements to enable everyone to travel safely.'

The move has also received support from the trade union Unite.

Unite officer for London buses John Murphy said: 'Bus workers have tragically lost their lives during this pandemic and our determination is to make sure that no other family endures this heartache.

'Unite has been working closely with experts at UCL, TfL and London bus operators to ensure that the return to front door loading does not adversely affect driver safety.

'Unite will continue to lobby and work with employers and TfL to ensure that all bus workers are full protected at work and that passengers and the wider public are cared for.'

TfL has introduced a 'rigorous cleaning regime' across all its services, including buses and Tube trains.

This includes anti-viral fluid being sprayed inside areas used by passengers, and hand sanitiser dispensers being installed at bus stations and on Tube station platforms.

Until last Saturday, passengers had not needed to present their payment card since April 20 in a bid to boost the safety of drivers.

But the Government required TfL to resume the collection of bus fares as part of the 1.6billion bailout agreed two weeks ago.
Tom Austin, who accused black co-workers in same building of not being tenants there: Top Figure

A white man in Minneapolis asked whether black men were entitled to use the same gym and threatened to call the police on them, amid protests at George Floyds death.

The exchange between black gym users and a white man was posted online in an Instagram video on Tuesday before spreading on social media.

It showed Tom Austin, who worked at the same Mozaic building in Minneapolis, accusing young black men of not being tenants there.

Im a tenant here. Are you? says Mr Austin in the video posted on the Instagram page for the groups business account, Top Figure, which uses the same co-working space.

The video shows Mr Austin asking them whether they are based in the building, to which the men respond were all tenants in the building.

Mr Austin continues to challenge them and asks: What office? What office are you in?

So we have an office here and this guy came accusing us [saying] we cant be here, says one black man to the camera.

Mr Austin then appears to phone 911, whilst a black man comments: As you guys can see were dealing with racism here.

The young men wrote in the caption to their Instagram post that: We all pay rent here and this man demanded that we show him our key cards or he will call the cops on us.

It continued: We are sick and tired of tolerating this type of behaviour on a day to day basis and we feel that we had to bring light on to this situation.

a group of young black entrepreneurs have owned a office building in uptown minneapolis for over a year& got racially profiled at the private gym todaysmh pic.twitter.com/iKmAuW5Tli  nisa (@anisalrh) May 27, 2020

In an email to Newsweek, Mr Austin wrote on Wednesday that criticism was b******t but he should have acted differently.

He added that his actions were regardless of race because the group was threatening and it was building policy to ensure tenants only had access to amenities.

Story continues

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported on Wednesday that Mr Austins lease at the co-working space had been terminated following the encounter.

It comes days after New Yorker Amy Cooper threatened to call police on a black man in Central Park.

Minneapolis has also been the site of clashes between police and demonstrators this week amid nationwide anger at police actions in George Floyds death.

Read more

Fox News host Tucker Carlson calls Minneapolis protests a form of tyr

One person shot dead amid George Floyd protests in Minneapolis

Trump refuses to take position on George Floyd death

New video shows George Floyd being dragged from his car

I cant breathe: Angry protests over death of George Floyd
The city of Aden in south Yemen has the world's highest mortality rate from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) with 70% of its infected residents dying, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.



"In Aden, we have the highest mortality rates in the world of COVID-19 - 70 percent of those that have the disease are dying", Guterres said.

Guterres noted that the situation in Yemen is tragic and it is, therefore, crucial for the international community to demonstrate solidarity with the people there and fully support the appeal for funds that will be issued at an upcoming pledging event, Sputnik reported.



On 2 June, the United Nations and Saudi Arabia will co-host a pledging conference aimed at mobilising financial support for Yemen's response to the COVID-19 emergency.



According to Johns Hopkins University, Yemen has so far confirmed 278 novel coronavirus cases and 57 COVID-19-related deaths. The UN has voiced its concern that the actual numbers may be much higher than reported due to low testing capacity.
Several hundred workers and youth gathered in Washtenaw County, Michigan for a third consecutive day on Thursday to protest a brutal police attack on an unarmed woman that occurred in the early morning hours of Tuesday.

ShaTeina Grady El, described by local television news as employed at Ford Motor Company, and her husband Daniyal Grady El, who works at an eye center, were accosted while outside the home of their daughter, Jacquisy Diggins, at about 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Police had formed a perimeter around Diggins home ostensibly to investigate a potential shooting. The Grady Els, who live in the same neighborhood, had gathered outside to film the police.

In cell phone video footage captured by neighbor Tovah Taylor, a Washtenaw County sheriffs deputy can be seen punching ShaTeina Grady El at least three times to the head. Daniyal Grady El was hit with a police taser. The video has been taken down from several news outlets but remains posted on local station WXYZs site as of this writing.

Both Grady Els are described as immigrants from Africa.

They were arrested Tuesday morning but while Daniyal was released later that day, ShaTeina was moved to a jail in neighboring Wayne County for an outstanding warrant there. Wayne County, where Detroit is located, is the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan and has 20,000 cases and 2,400 fatalities.

On Tuesday afternoon, protestors gathered outside a Washtenaw County Sheriffs building in neighboring Ann Arbor before entering. Inside, County Sheriff Jerry Clayton had to admit to protestors that the video was disturbing and would require investigation. The sheriff who attacked Ms. Grady El has been placed on paid administrative leave but not publicly identified.

The protests have grown in scope each day, with Thursdays event estimated at 300 people, about double the turnout from Wednesday. As it moved through the area, it forced the closure of traffic at the normally busy US-23/Washtenaw Avenue interchange, a primary route for those commuting to work at the University of Michigan and other Ann Arbor employers. Organizers have indicated that a protest scheduled for Friday will take place outside the Wayne County jail where ShaTeina Grady El is being held.

Diggins told the media that her mother was arrested for no reason. She was beaten for no reason. She added, I want my parents out [of jail] today. They did nothing wrong. They need to be out.

To add insult to injury and flying in the face of the video evidence made public, the County Sheriffs office has stated that the Grady Els may be charged with assaulting the police officers who attacked them.

Family members have established a GoFundMe page to cover legal and medical bills. As of Thursday night, the campaign had raised more than $11,800.

The protests coincide with a growing wave of anger at police murders around the country. Minneapolis has seen demonstrations against the brutal asphyxiation of George Floyd on Monday by a cop who kneeled on his neck for seven minutes while he was handcuffed and forced to the pavement. Anger has also boiled over regarding the case of Ahmaud Arbery, killed outside Brunswick, Georgia on February 23, by a retired policeman, his son, and a neighbor while the victim was jogging. The district attorney initially recommended that no arrests be made. Not until this month, after a video of the killing was posted online, were the three suspects arrested.

As summer approaches, a combustible mix of social anger is being produced by continuing police murders, mass unemployment, planned cuts in social spending and the other ramifications of the ongoing COVID-19 disaster, in which the working class is being forced to pay the price for government and corporate indifference and inaction.
Confusing and conflicting directives from state and local officials have upended business owners plans for a reopening today.

Central New York salons and barbers had scheduled their first appointments in months. Shops were ready to invite customers in after weeks of curbside pick-ups. Offices were supposed to begin to come back to life. After sitting quiet since March, Destiny USA was ready to open to open its doors.

Then Gov. Andrew Cuomo on the eve of the phase two reopening announced that a panel of experts would have to review phase one data before moving ahead.

Multiple county and regional officials have said they will not penalize business owners who proceed with reopening today. Yet many professionals who expected to reopen are certified or regulated by New York state and could risk having licenses suspended or revoked.

They took to social media to express their frustration, anger and uncertainty about what to do.

Are you a phase two business owners in the CNY region? Are you moving ahead and reopening? Are you now scrambling to reschedule appointments and employees hours?

We want to hear from you.

Contact Back in Business reporter Julie McMahon (Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992) or reporter Chris Carlson (Email | Twitter | 315-412-1639) to share your story.
GLEN CARBON  On Monday, Glen Carbon Fire Protection District Emergency Management Services Director Eric Wilson will assume the duties of Chief of Fire and EMS for the district.

A longtime resident of Granite City and Glen Carbon, Wilson started his fire service career at Glen Carbon in 1987 where he rose to the rank of captain. He joined the Granite City Fire Department as a firefighter and paramedic in 2000, where he is currently a captain.
Autocracy is a system of government by one person with absolute power, and there were times in today's Johnson County Commission meeting when Chairman Ed Eilert acted as though he could make up the rules at his discretion.
No ban on flights from 5 states, only sought reduction in number: Karnataka govt clarifies

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Bengaluru, May 28: After suspending arrivals of flights from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan into the state, the Karnataka government on May 28 has clarified that it had only sought a reduction in the number of flights coming from these states in light of the high number of COVID-19 cases there.

Coronavirus: Karnataka bans transport from 5 states amid Coronavirus fears | Oneindia News

The state government clarified that it has not sought a ban on flights coming in from the five states but has only sought a reduction in the number.

"Karnataka has appealed to the Civil Aviation Ministry to take steps to lessen the air traffic to the State, with the sacred intention that there may not be adequate quarantine facilities, if there is huge turn out at a short span of time,'' state Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs J C Madhuswamy said.

The state government had earlier said that no train or flight from any of these will be allowed to enter or land the state. people from these five states will not be allowed to enter Karnataka by road as well.

Meanwhile, in a tweet, CM Yediyurappa said while entry by road will remain prohibited, trains that are already running will continue to do so.

The development comes in close heals of a fresh spike in cases in Karnataka.

Coronavirus crisis: 84 per cent of Maharashtra returnees account for new COVID-19 cases in Karnataka

Seventy-five new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Karnataka, taking the total number of infections in the state to 2,493, the health department said on Thursday.

With 47 deaths and 809 discharges, there are 1,635 active corona cases in the state, the department said in its mid-day bulletin.

Twenty-eight patients have been discharged so far on Thursday.

A total of 46 out of 75 cases are returnees from neighbouring Maharashtra, six from Tamil Nadu, two from Telangana, one each from Kerala, Delhi. One person is with international travel history from UAE.

Remaining cases include seven- who are contacts of patients already tested positive, one with the history of SARI while 10 patients' contact history is still under tracing.

Among the districts where the new cases were reported, Udupi accounting for 27, followed by Hassan 13, seven each from Bengaluru urban and Yadgir, six each from Chitradurga and Dakshina Kannada, three each from Kalaburagi and Chikkamagaluru, Vijayapura 2, and one from Raichur.
At the eight-day "two sessions," a key event in China's political calendar ending Thursday, the country has shown firm determination to eradicate absolute poverty and build a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

The third session of the 13th National People's Congress and third session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference were convened in a special year marked by development milestones and unprecedented challenges from COVID-19.

Here are some of the key messages and signals sent from the key political gathering:

Homestretch to key milestones

This year, China is in the final push in poverty alleviation and completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, a centenary goal reflecting China's "people first" governing philosophy.

Despite COVID-19 uncertainties, the country's timetable remains unchanged for the development milestones. China is resolute in completing the toughest mission of its battle against poverty by lifting its remaining poor population out of poverty.

Thinking outside the GDP box

In light of COVID-19 uncertainties and the global economic and trade environment, China has set no specific target for 2020 economic growth.

The decision was made because the country will face some factors that are difficult to predict in its development due to the great uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the world economic and trade environment.

China aims to create over 9 million new urban jobs, record a further drop in energy consumption per unit of GDP, and save more than 2.5 trillion yuan (about 350 billion U.S. dollars) for enterprises throughout the year.

Expanding investment for smarter, connected future

Amid contraction of global trade and investment, China aims to spur effective domestic investment by planning more special local government bonds, with priority given to new infrastructure, new urbanization initiatives and key projects.

Major moves will focus on developing next-generation information networks, expanding 5G applications, building more charging facilities and promoting wider use of new energy vehicles.

Rather than resorting to a massive flood-like stimulus to prop up growth, China is seeking more precise investments in projects that are able to incubate innovation and fortify foundations for future economic and social development.

East and West, coordination is the best

Amid virus-caused disruptions to global economy and trade, China aims to create a new development pattern that domestic and foreign markets can boost each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay.

The country will continue to promote large-scale development in the western region, the full revitalization of the northeast, the rise of the central region, and the trailblazing development of the eastern region. It will also advance coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.

China will actively expand imports, especially with the help of the third China International Import Expo to be held later this year.

To facilitate foreign investment, China will further implement the foreign investment law, shorten the negative list for foreign investment, further open up the service sector, and improve the business environment. Also, China's confidence and determination to join hands with other countries in advancing the Belt and Road remain unchanged despite the pandemic.

Milestone in advancing rule of law

China's long-expected civil code, adopted at the closing meeting of the annual legislative session, is a milestone in the country's advancement of the rule of law.

In addition to general provisions and supplementary provisions, the code has six parts on property, contracts, personality rights, marriage and family, inheritance and tort liabilities.

The civil code fully reflects the vision of people-centered development and highlights respect and protection of personality rights by incorporating personality rights provisions into an independent part.

Putting people's lives above everything else

While going all out to implement regular epidemic prevention and control, China will step up efforts in building a stronger public health protection network to better protect people's lives and health.

Such efforts include reforming disease prevention and control system, boosting the capacity for epidemic monitoring, early warning and emergency response, perfecting the treatment system for major epidemics, improving public health emergency laws and regulations, and launching extensive initiatives to improve public sanitation.

These efforts are a manifestation of China's steadfast commitment to human rights protection. They will help fix the weak links in public health and medical service systems, and contribute to building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Safeguarding sovereignty, security, development interests

China's national legislature has adopted a decision on national security legislation for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, a move necessary for closing the legal loopholes in Hong Kong.

The central government will continue to fully and faithfully implement the policy of "one country, two systems." It will support Hong Kong and Macao in growing their economies, improving living standards and better integrating their development into China's overall development, and help them maintain long-term prosperity and stability.

China will adhere to the major principles and policies on the work related to Taiwan and resolutely oppose and deter any secessionist activities seeking "Taiwan independence."

Advancing toward shared future for humanity

China has reaffirmed that it will always pursue an independent foreign policy of peace, and continue to advance friendship and cooperation with other countries as it opens up wider to the rest of the world.

China stands ready to work with other countries to strengthen international cooperation on epidemic prevention and control, promote global economic stability and advance global governance.

The country will uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and an international order based on international laws, and push for the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Sweden's state epidemiologist has attracted a mixture of criticism and support for refusing to introduce a lockdown like the rest of Europ - AFP

The governments of Denmark and Norway have cut Sweden out of a deal allowing each other's tourists to travel freely between the two countries  citing their Nordic neighbour's higher levels of coronavirus infection.

The deal, announced at parallel press conferences in Oslo and Copenhagen on Friday afternoon, showed Sweden has failed in its diplomatic efforts to be included in the first stage of a Nordic travel bubble.

Under the deal, people from Denmark will from June 15 be allowed to enter Norway without needing to quarantine, while tourists from Norway will be able to enter Denmark, so long as they have booked accommodation for at least six days.

As she announced the agreement, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen acknowledged that it would be difficult for many Swedes.

Danes and Swedes have family, lovers, and holiday homes across the border, she said. Denmark and Sweden are at different places in relation to the coronavirus [epidemic], and this has a bearing on what we can decide in relation to the border.

Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway, said that Norwegian authorities remained in talks with Sweden, Finland and Iceland about including them in the 'travel bubble'.

She said that the ultimate aim was to create a common regulatory framework for all Nordic countries.

"An agreement needs to be reached between the infectious disease authorities on the criteria for identifying which regions have a high rate of infection," she told a reporter in Oslo for Sweden's TT newswire.

"Such areas should not be visited by tourists from other Nordic countries."

But she that Norway had struggled to reach such a deal with Sweden.

"In the situation we're in right now, it is going to be hardest to find a solution for Sweden. But there are regions in Sweden with a low level of infection where we might be able to find a solution," she said.

Story continues

A fact sheet issued by the Danish government noted that the authorities were in talks with Sweden and Finland and hoped to include them in a similar deal before August 31.

"With regard to Sweden, the travel advice could be lifted regionally provided an adequate model can be found," it reads. "There will be a special focus on the resund region."

While Norway will now allow anyone from Denmark to enter the country, Denmark is also allowing tourists from Germany and Iceland. All tourists arriving at the Danish border need to show that they have a booking of at least six days at a hotel, holiday house, or campsite which is outside Copenhagen.

Denmark has also changed its travel guidelines for those leaving the country to travel to Norway, Germany, and Iceland so that they need not spend 14 days in quarantine on their return, so long as they stay in "non-urban areas with a population of less than 750,000".

Sweden's state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said that discussions continued between the Nordic countries. "We are in a continual dialogue between the authorities. As recently as today, we have had contact with both Norway and Finland on this question," he said at Swedish Public Health Agency's daily coronavirus press conference.
Local journalism is important  and producing it costs time and money.

To continue viewing content on tucson.com, please sign in with your existing account or subscribe.
BASEL, Switzerland

May 28, 2020

June 10, 2020

Othmar Pfannes

June 10, 2020

Switzerland

Germany

Japan

Singapore

Miles Fisher-Pollard

/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Genedata, the leading provider of enterprise software solutions for biopharmaceutical R&D, today announced the release of Genedata Screener 17.0, the latest version of its enterprise software for the automated analysis, visualization, and management of screening data from all in-vitro screening assay technologies. Genedata will host a webinar on, detailing and demonstrating the features and benefits of the new software release.Highlights of Genedata Screener 17.0 include the embedding of experimental data in its biological context for advanced decision support and reporting, increased time savings through further automation of data capture and analysis, new biomolecule quantification and characterization methods for experiments using biolayer interferometry or high throughput flow cytometry, and extension of the unmatched technology coverage of the software by adding analyses for transcriptomic screening assays.The new Assay Catalog in Genedata Screener 17.0 allows the definition of terminology for assays, annotations, and result types, registers assays, and connects experimental data to them, thus enabling automated and AI-supported downstream analysis. From simple to complex assays, Assay Catalog consistently captures assay biology and experimental conditions and links screening data to them. An important infrastructure complement to the data analysis and management modules in Genedata Screener, Assay Catalog places rich experimental data into biological context, straight out of the box.With the new release, Hit Profiler, the query and reporting module in Genedata Screener, compiles rich screening results in real time from experiments across the organization into structured, interactive, scalable views and reports. Now displaying rich and relevant experimental results in biological context with detailed visualizations such as doseresponse curves, kinetic traces, and sensorgrams, Hit Profiler allows earlier, deeper characterization of actives, hits, and leads in the discovery process, and provides support for progression decisions.Genedata Screener 17.0 further automates screening and analysis processes for large molecule discovery and development. It features expanded support for biomolecule quantification and characterization of binding kinetics. The new release supports biolayer interferometry (BLI) quantification assays in large molecule workflows, computing sample concentrations from this technique. Enhanced quality control and interactive visualization capabilities in high throughput flow cytometrya critical technique for large molecule discoveryadd further value to the automated analysis of large molecule campaigns with Genedata Screener.The new Genedata Screener also adds substantial time savings through process automation and standardization. High content screening (HCS) images are now automatically uploaded in real time into Genedata Screener 17.0, as they come off the instruments. Users can monitor HCS progress on a dashboard, or simply receive status notifications. A fully automated workflowfrom image capture, through image analysis and data analysis, to reporting to a corporate data warehousecan be set up by combining Genedata Screener 17.0 with the recently released Genedata Imagence 2.0, both parts of the Genedata Biopharma Platform.In addition to the new technologies already noted, Genedata Screener 17.0 enables transcriptomic screening analysis, adding a new source of information for educated decision making when selecting drug candidates for further investigation. The software quantifies high throughput multiplexed gene expression data after compound treatment. Time-consuming, error-prone steps like normalization and quality control are automated, resulting in immediate, accurate display of key results."Genedata Screener 17.0 represents a major step forward to automating screening workflows," noted, Ph.D., CEO of Genedata. "With this latest release we also strengthen the application of Genedata Screener to large molecule screening experiments, and extend its already unmatched screening technology coverage. This release is further proof of our commitment to help our customers globally become more efficient in their R&D."Editorial note: On, Genedata will host a webinar, "What's New in Genedata Screener 17.0", detailing and demonstrating the new features and benefits of the new software release. To register for the webinar, please email your name, title and company name to screener@genedata.com.About Genedata Genedata transforms data into intelligence with innovative software solutions and domain-specific consulting services that automate complex, large-scale experimental processes and enable organizations to maximize the ROI in their R&D, spanning early discovery all the way to the clinic. Founded in 1997, Genedata is headquartered inwith additional offices in, the UK, and the US. http://www.genedata.com LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTubeContactGenedata Public Relations Phone: +41 61 511 85 61 pr@genedata.comDisclaimer The statements in this press release that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with uncertainties related to contract cancellations, developing risks, competitive factors, uncertainties pertaining to customer orders, demand for products and services, development of markets for the Company's products and services. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.All product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.SOURCE Genedata
US President Donald Trump intruded into the tense border standoff between China and India Wednesday with a spurious offer to mediate and even arbitrate their now raging border dispute.

Announced in a tweet, Trumps offer was a provocation meant to signal to Beijing that Washington is involving itself ever more directly in Sino-Indian relations, and doing so as part of an across-the-board ratcheting up of its strategic offensive against China.

Hundreds of Chinese and Indian troops are currently arrayed against each other eyeball to eyeball in at least four places along their disputed border. Beijing and New Delhi have also deployed additional forces and war materiel to forward bases near the border, both to signal their resolve and to acclimatize their troops to the high-altitude Himalayan terrain.

Each accuses the other of violating the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in three places along their western border, as well as at a fourth place some 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) further east. Each insists the other must withdraw if the crisis is to be defused and a further souring of bilateral relations avoided.

The LAC is meant to serve as the de facto border between the worlds two most populous countries pending final resolution of their border dispute. But the LAC is not precisely delineated along much of the 3,400-kilometre (2,100 mile) Sino-Indian border, giving rise to frequent disagreements.

The current conflict, however, goes far beyond such low-level tensions. It began with two incidents in which Indian and Chinese troops jostled one another and exchanged blows with sticks. The first, on May 5, occurred in the west, in the Pangong Tso lake region, where Indian-held Ladakh meets Chinese-held Aksai Chin. The second clash came four days later near Naku La Pass in the border lands of the northeast Indian state Sikkim and Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region. In ensuing days, there were further mutual claims of violations of the LAC. These all gave rise, after meetings between local Peoples Liberation and Indian army commanders failed to defuse any of the disputes, to a general state of heightened tension and military mobilization along the entire border.

Media reports are comparing the current dispute to the 2017 Doklam crisis, in which hundreds of Chinese and Indian troops faced off on a small Himalayan ridge claimed by both Beijing and Bhutan, a tiny kingdom that New Delhi has long treated like a protectorate. During the 73-day Doklam standoff, Beijing and New Delhi exchanged threats of a military clash in what was the most serious border crisis since they fought a brief border war in 1962.

On Wednesday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman claimed that the situation along the border with India is overall stable and controllable, and said the two countries have the diplomatic mechanisms and communications channels to resolve the dispute through dialogue. A similar line was taken by Chinas ambassador, Sun Weidong, later the same day. He told a webinar with an Indian youth organization that the two countries shouldnt let differences shadow bilateral cooperation, and that the dragon and elephant dancing together is the only right choice for both countries.

To date, Chinese state media has reportedly paid scant attention to the border tensions with India, unlike in 2017 when the Doklam dispute became a focal point for nationalist flag-waving.

Indian government and military officials have also publicly downplayed the prospect of the current border dispute spiralling into a military clash, studiously avoiding making the type of bellicose threats they routinely hurl at Pakistan.

At the same time, they have taken steps meant to show that they are treating the current crisis with deadly seriousness.

Indian Army Chief General Manoj Naravane visited the army headquarters at Leh, Ladakhs capital, on May 22 to confer with commanders of Indias border forces. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a meeting with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and key members of the top brass of the Indian military to discuss the border crisis. According to Indian news reports, it is also expected to top the agenda at the three-day biennial Army commanders conference now underway.

The Indian media, meanwhile, is churning out articles alleging India is a victim of Chinese aggression. More and more frequently, these include calls for India to abandon strategic autonomy and formally join a US-led anti-China military-strategic alliance.

The reality is India, which in 2006 entered into a global strategic partnership with the US, has been transformed over the past decade and a half, and especially during the past six years under the rule of the far-right Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata (BJP) party government, into a veritable frontline state in the US military-strategic offensive against China.

New Delhi has thrown open its military bases to routine use by American warplanes and warships, parroted the US line on the South China Sea dispute, and expanded military-security cooperation with the US and its closest Asia-Pacific allies, including through the Quada security dialogue initiated and led by the US, and including Japan, Australia and India.

In so far as New Delhi still makes any pretense of being strategically autonomous, it is largely because of the deep-rooted hostility to US imperialism, its bullying and never-ending wars within the working class.

Trumps tweet declaring the US ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate the Sino-Indian border dispute is all the more provocative in that Washington, in a significant diplomatic shift, had already publicly sided with India in the current standoff.

In a May 20 Zoom conference with Indian journalists, Acting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice G. Wells, held Beijing responsible for the flare-ups on the border and tied them to other purported instances of Chinese aggression. Whether its in the South China Sea or whether its along the border with India, declared Wells, we continue to see provocations and disturbing behaviour by China that raises questions about how China seeks to use its growing power.

Wells statement was in sharp contrast with Washingtons stance during the 2017 Doklam dispute. While it took a number of steps to underscore its close military-security partnership with India, the US refrained from publicly siding with New Delhi over the competing claims of sovereignty over the Himalayan ridge.

As the WSWS has previously noted, Wells statement of support appears to have quickly led to a hardening of Indias stance in the current border standoff. (See: Washington incites India in tense border dispute with China)

The reality is, Washingtons drive to harness India to its strategic offensive against China has dangerously destabilized the entire region. It has driven China and Pakistan to deepen their all weather partnership and added an explosive new charge to the Sino-Indian border disputethreatening to unleash conflicts among nuclear-armed states that would quickly draw in the US and other great powers.

The current ratcheting up of India-China tensions has been fueled both by Indias response to the socioeconomic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, and by the steps China, and particularly India, have taken in recent years to strengthen their respective military positions along their common border.

To revive the economy, the Modi government has unleashed a new wave of pro-investor reforms, one of whose principal aims is to attract US companies, under pressure from Washington to pull back from China, to make India an alternate production chain hub. At the same time, India is aggressively courting, again with the Trump administrations support, American arms manufacturers to use India as a cheap-labour platform.

An editorial in the Hindustan Times, strongly supportive of India not ceding an inch in the current border standoff and of New Delhis claim China is the aggressor, nonetheless points to the major expansion of Indias military capabilities along the disputed border with China, a build-up that has been facilitated by access to US high-tech weaponry. It also applauds the Modi governments steps to tighten Indias hold over disputed Kashmir by stripping Indians lone Muslim-majority of its special semi-autonomous status and downgrading Jammu and Kashmir to a Union Territory. These changes also involved separating Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir, so that the military could have a free rein in using the remote but strategic region as a staging area against China.

China, wrote the Times, has long sought stability on its southern border as well as the dominance of the terrain. As India has ramped up its infrastructure, a process that has also included the deployment of fighters, new artillery, cruise missiles and, most recently, American helicopters and airlift, its dominance is coming under threat. Indias bold moves regarding Kashmir and Chinas deteriorating geopolitical environment may be leading Beijing to up the ante. If so, it is all the more reason for India to stand firm.
A meeting of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Foreign Minister of Hungary Peter Szijjarto has begun in Budapest.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Hungary Liubov Nepop wrote about this on her Facebook page.

The visit of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to Hungary has begun - his first non-virtual visit as foreign minister and first one since the introduction of restrictive measures to counteract the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic," the diplomat wrote.

As earlier reported, among the main topics of discussion during the meeting are further development of investment and trade cooperation between Ukraine and Hungary, implementation of infrastructure projects, ways to further coordinate efforts to overcome the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

iy
Dont miss this opportunity to connect with THE cannabis movers and shakers from across the globe during Benzingas first Virtual Cannabis Capital Conference on June 1. Among the attendees is Redbud Roots.



Redbud Roots is a medical and adult-use vertically integrated cannabis company. Redbud has set its roots in southwest Michigan and is one of the largest cultivators in Michigan with 3 separate facilities.



In 2008, Michigan was one of the first states to adopt medical marijuana. For 10+ years, the medical marijuana market in Michigan grew to a staggering 300,000+ cardholders  second only to California, said Alex Leonowicz, Co-Founder of Redbud Roots.



Leonowicz, a corporate attorney who specializes in cannabis law, will be speaking at Benzingas upcoming Virtual Cannabis Capital Conference along with fellow Redbud Roots Co-Founders, David Murray, Jim Finley, and Chris Fanta.



The team will be providing an overview of the companys 4 retail facilities, current sales and marketing efforts as it relates to Michigan, and a high-level summary of Redbud and its current footprint in the state.



In 2016, Michigan permitted commercial cannabis facilities (medical only). In 2018, the state adopted its adult-use (i.e. recreational) regulatory framework. With a population of 9.9MM (7.1MM over the age of 21), Michigan remains one of the top cannabis markets in the country.



Leonowicz will be providing a summary of Redbuds current offering. The company is currently looking to sell a percentage of its parent company stock to investors attending the event.



The company has utilized previously raised capital to expand cultivation operations, complete additional RBR provisioning centers, and will potentially acquire 3 additional provisioning centers on the east side of Michigan.



Michigans difficult regulations insulate the state from large out of state companies and continue to provide an untapped market for first movers like Redbud Roots.



To learn more about Redbud Roots, you can sign up for Benzingas Cannabis Capital Conference by clicking here.

Story continues

Photo by Sam Doucette on Unsplash

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the coronavirus pandemic severely disrupts life in the U.S., grassroots Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) endeavors emerged across the country to raise monetary and personal protective equipment (PPE) donations for essential institutions such as hospitals, police stations, and fire departments. Despite rising incidents of coronavirus-related racism and xenophobia, AAPIs around the country are putting community resources together regardless of how long they have been in the U.S., where they are from, or where they are on the political spectrum.

The International Leadership Foundation (ILF) has launched the www.united-usa.net website to document and honor efforts made by AAPI communities around the U.S. to help frontline workers fight against COVID-19. AAPI communities around the U.S. have donated over $31 million worth of contributions, donated over 10 million PPE, benefiting over 2,500 hospitals and institutions.

Many AAPI organizations around the country have offered their contribution information, including the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA), Committee of 100, Daofeng and Angela Foundation, Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of North America (TCCNA), Tzu Chi USA, the American Chinese United Care (ACUC) Alliance, and WeStar Alliance.

On May 26th, ILF with major AAPI organizations convened a virtual press and community briefing to pay tribute to the AAPI community's efforts to provide COVID-19 relief. The briefing included International Leadership Foundation Chairman and Hsu Educational Foundation Founder Dr. Paul Hsu, Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), Congresswoman Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS), White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Executive Director Tina Wei Smith, National ACE CEO and International Leadership Foundation Founding President Chiling Tong, Committee of 100 President Zhengyu Huang, Tzu Chi Foundation CEO Jackson Chen, Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association Founder C.C. Yin, Daofeng and Angela Foundation Founder Daofeng He, and Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of North America President Gerald Wang.

"From all corners of America, AAPIs and their strong community organizations are demonstrating their embodiment of this spirit, they represent strong threads of the fabric of America," said Dr. Paul Hsu. "The United USA initiative provides a positive and effective way to remind America of the tremendously united contributions and support made throughout this crisis by the AAPI community. Together, we are making a significant difference!"

"During this time, it is important to remember that so many of the frontline and essential workers are willing to go to their workplaces to help save lives. About 2 million of these frontline workers are Asian Americans and it is important to continue to remind people that Asian Americans too are on the frontline," said Congresswoman Grace Meng. "While our country is dealing with this pandemic and this virus. Our communities are also dealing with viruses of racism and discrimination. We must stand together as a community to speak up for each other and speak out against hate."

"It is especially important to thank all of the front-line workers in the battle with the coronavirus, including hundreds of thousands of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who are employed in our healthcare industry. Through their commitment to their communities and their fellow citizens, they are putting their lives at risk  and some of them have given their lives  to save others," said Tina Wei Smith, emphasizing the quote from Secretary Wilbur Ross. "They contribute every day to making America a caring, and exceptional nation."

"These are challenging times, but we are stronger when we row together," said Congresswoman Amata Coleman Radewagen. "Our Asian American and Pacific Islander American communities have given their time and resources as the Nation rises to this challenge, they provide us many reasons to be thankful, and I am honored to take part."

"There is a significant shortage of PPE in our country. During these challenging times, AAPIs are stepping up to fight against COVID-19. UnitedUSA was created to highlight the efforts and contributions of AAPI individuals and organizations have been doing to protect our frontline medical workers," said Chiling Tong. "We need to stand together and unite to fight against this virus."

"Committee of 100 and its members have been dedicating significant resources over the last few months to provide the necessary supplies needed to fight COVID-19. We recognize that our efforts only help to support the incredible sacrifices made by all American healthcare workers and first responders. This AAPI Heritage Month, we are particularly grateful to the Chinese American and Asian American workers leading the fight, and we celebrate their contributions to helping America heal from this pandemic," said Zhengyu Huang.

"We brought together 13 Asian-American and Asian non-profits to support the fight against this virus by providing PPE to those who need it most. Our goals have always been clear: to save lives by protecting our healthcare workers, and to slow the spread by protecting our vulnerable communities. Especially in times of crisis, we must remember: United we stand," said Daofeng He.

"At the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, when providing disaster relief, we strive to be among the first to arrive where help is needed and the last to leave. During this pandemic, we work hard to procure and distribute PPE nationwide. Delays in receiving such vital supplies can cost lives, and so we take this deeply to heart in all our efforts," said Jackson Chen.

Contact: Lily Hoang / 202.818.0087

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE International Leadership Foundation
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Frances Seymour, Nirarta Samadhi and Hanny Chrysolite (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29 2020

One of President Joko Jokowi Widodos priorities for his second term in office is still on boosting investment in infrastructure across the archipelago: more toll roads, seaports, and airports to support expansion of industry and economic growth.

Investing wisely is now an even greater imperative in light of the fiscal demands of the COVID-19 crisis. Thinking long term in the context of growing economy and improving livelihood in a changing climate means building forests into those plans.

A new working paper by the World Resources Institute (WRI) analyzes the implications for Indonesia of designing a long-term climate strategy that lasts beyond the usual 5 to 10-year timeframe.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Some Ghanaians have expressed their opinions on the need to ease some of the restrictions on COVID-19 protocols by the government.



A survey by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tema Station revealed that although the restrictions imposed by government was to stem the spread of the COVID-19, it has affected the lives of many and poses a threat to their livelihoods.



Mr Evans Dogbe, a driver, said the virus has affected everybody, especially drivers because they have to reduce their passengers to allow for the social distancing protocol.



In every trip we embark on we lose five passengers and this has affected our daily sales because the prices of fuel remain the same.



I drive a four-seater Mazda and at the end of the day I only make a sale of GH120. Out of this you would have to oil and at the same time pay your mate, he said.



Mr Dogbe appealed to the President to ease the measures to allow everyone, including drivers to load the maximum number while they ensure that every passenger wears the nose mask.



Mr Moro Abass, a trader, called for schools be reopened and allowed to run on shift system to observe the social distancing protocol.



This, he said, would prevent pupils and students from roaming aimlessly in town.



Places of worship can also be opened but we must ensure that a certain number attend at a particular time, taking into account the size of their auditoriums to allow for social distancing, he added.



Meanwhile, some were of the view that relaxing the restrictions before a vaccine is developed for the virus could be disastrous to the nation.



Mr Philip Dassi Kise, a car owner, said we have all seen how devastating the virus could be as seen in other countries.



He said currently, with the countrys cases soaring one cannot say the virus was under control, adding that as it stands now, many are suggesting that we relax the restrictions and reopen schools, churches, mosques, etc but what are we going to do when this causes increase in the number of cases,? he quizzed.



Mr Kise urged the President to resist any attempt to have the restrictions relaxed.

On 15th March, 2020, President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the closure of all schools and universities in the country as measure to stem the spread of the COVID-19.

The ban was later extended and is expected to end May 31, 2020.



Recently there have been calls from a section of the public to have schools, places of worship reopened.



In a related development, the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition has called on the Government not to reopen schools until it has put in place a comprehensive regime and infrastructure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among learners and education personnel across the country.



Ghana as at Thursday, May 28, had confirmed 7,303 cases of the coronavirus with 2,412 recoveries and 34 deaths.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The sailors who stopped a gunman who tried to enter their Texas air station on May 21 will be recognized for their quick response, which federal agents say likely saved many lives.

Members of the Naval Security Forces at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi are being considered for awards, said Francoise "Fifi" Kieschnick, a spokeswoman there.

Read next: Meet the Hero Soldier who Took Down an Active Shooter with his Truck on a Kansas Bridge

It's not immediately clear which awards are being considered, "but I do know they will be recognized," Kieschnick added.

The FBI's Houston office, which is leading the investigation, has praised the team's bravery and heroism when 20-year-old Adam Salim Alsahli opened fire from a truck he tried to drive onto the air station.

"The heroic actions of the Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 2nd Class who risked her life and did not hesitate to engage the subject, as well as the actions of the Navy Security Forces, likely stopped what could have been a much more deadly attack," the division said in a statement Tuesday.

The second-class petty officer, officials have said, was shot by Alsahli. She was wearing protective equipment and suffered minor injuries. Officials said she was released from the hospital later that day.

That sailor was able to roll over and hit the switch to raise a barrier, which prevented Alsahli from driving onto the base, The Associated Press reported. Other base security personnel shot him, according to the AP.

Alsahli, a U.S. citizen who was born in Syria with no ties to the military, was killed at the scene. An FBI official said on the day of the shooting that the incident was terrorism related. Investigators have not said what led to that conclusion.

The shooter is believed to have expressed support for extremist groups on social media, including al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, officials told the AP. In December, a Saudi officer training at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida, with ties to that same terror group, opened fire on a classroom building at that base, killing three sailors.

Marines, sailors and civilians at Pensacola who risked their lives to save others during that attack will receive heroism awards, Navy officials said in March. The awards ceremony, which included plans for the fallen and wounded to receive Purple Heart medals, was postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The approved awards include the Secretary of Defense Medal for Valor, Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom, Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.

Two Marines who died while protecting others when their Reserve center was attacked by a terrorist in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 2015 were also posthumously awarded Navy and Marine Corps Medals. Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan and Staff Sgt. David Wyatt received their service's highest non-combat heroism award for braving gunfire to help others get to safety.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Related: 'She's Doing Well:' Esper Discusses Young Sailor Who Took Down Corpus Christi Gunman
(Newser)  President Trump fired back Friday morning after Twitter hid one of his tweets behind a warning for "glorifying violence." He accused Twitter of enforcing its rules unevenly to target conservatives and renewed his call to regulate social media companies more stiffly. "Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated!" tweeted Trump, who signed an executive order targeting social media firms Thursday, days after being fact-checked by Twitter. In follow-up tweets, he added "Repeal Section 230!!!" and "CHINA!" Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, considered a cornerstone of today's Internet, shields service providers from liability for content posted on their platforms.

story continues below

Joe Biden has also called for Section 230 to be revoked, though analysts say it is stranger for Trump to target the law. If attempts to revoke it survive court challenges, which is seen as highly unlikely, the president would find it harder to post content considered false or defamatory, the New York Times reports. "Ironically, Donald Trump is a big beneficiary of Section 230," says ACLU senior legislative counsel Kate Ruane. "If platforms were not immune under the law, then they would not risk the legal liability that could come with hosting Donald Trumps lies, defamation, and threats." In the tweet that fell foul of Twitter's rules the president, referring to the Minneapolis protests, said "When the looting starts, the shooting starts." It's a line attributed to notorious former Miami police chief Walter Headley, whose policies were blamed for race riots in the 1960s, the Guardian reports. (Read more President Trump stories.)
Australia's highest court has rejected a bid by one of the nation's largest iron ore producers to appeal a native title ruling.

The High Court on Friday dismissed Fortescue Metals Group's application to appeal a native title decision covering its Solomon iron ore mine in Western Australia.

Members of the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation celebrate their legal victory over Andrew Forrest's Fortescue Metals Group.

Exclusive rights to more than 2700 square kilometres of land in the Pilbara region, including the Solomon mine, was granted to the Yindjibarndi people by the Federal Court in 2017.

Fortescue initially welcomed the ruling, saying it had no effect on the mining tenure at the Solomon Hub. But it later applied to the High Court to appeal against the judgment.
By Bart Biesemans and Clement Rossignol

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - As coronavirus lockdowns disrupt food supply chains and shuttered restaurants curb demand for some of their produce, Belgium's farmers are grappling with another crisis - drought.

Belgium is facing its driest May since the 19th century, with conditions that have stunted crop growth and cut yields in the agricultural province of West Flanders.

The region's governor Carl Decaluwe on Monday banned water pumping from streams running off the Yser river, after levels fell below 2.9 metres.

"We had to do it because otherwise the damage would be irreparable," Decaluwe said, adding a prolonged drought could cost the region "tens of millions" of euros in damages.

"We haven't seen such low water levels in 30 years, and we are experiencing the driest weeks in 120 years."

For farmers, who usually pump riverwater into their fields, the ban has left them waiting for rain.

"Normally I get 50 to 60 tonnes of corn from an acre. But now we will have to be happy with only half of that - on the condition that it will start raining again," Joel Van Coppenolle, a farmer from the town of Kaaskerke, said. As he spoke, he stood in fields where his corn seedlings are half their usual size, and the soil is cracked and dusty.

The European Union cut its yield forecasts for almost all crops in May, as western and central Europe faced a second month of above-average temparatures and low rainfall.

Parts of Belgium have faced drought for four consecutive years. Scientists said climate change is exacerbating these conditions by disrupting the northern Hemisphere's "jet stream" of air currents, which can mean weather conditions last longer.

"It could be rainfall for weeks, it could also be a drought for weeks," said David Dehenauw of Belgium's Royal Meteorological Institute.

(Reporting by Bart Biesemans, Clement Rossignol; writing by Kate Abnett; editing by Barbara Lewis)
(Newser)  President Obama has weighed in on the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. "This shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America," he wrote in a statement posted online. "It can't be 'normal.' If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better." The former president said it is primarily up to officials in the city to investigate Floyd's death and mete out the proper punishment. "But it falls on all of us, regardless of our race or stationincluding the majority of men and women in law enforcement who take pride in doing their tough job the right way, every dayto work together to create a 'new normal' in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts."

story continues below

Obama touched on other recent incidents, including the death of Ahmaud Arbery and the woman who called 911 on a black birdwatcher in Central Park, noting that "for millions of Americans being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly 'normal.'" Read his statement in full here. (The officer filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck is now in custody, while President Trump's tweet about the response to protests was the subject of controversy with Twitter.)
Feminist activist Clementine Ford has handed back a $2,800 tax-payer funded grant after her tweet saying 'coronavirus isn't killing men fast enough' sparked an outcry.

The author, 39, was heavily criticised for the 'deliberately divisive and unhelpful tweet', which was sent just weeks after she received the publicly-funded grant.

She has since apologised for the outrageous comment, admitting it was 'a horrendous thing to say'.

After days of backlash, it emerged on Friday night that Ms Ford had not accepted the grant.

Greens councillor Rohan Leppert, who is in charge of the arts portfolio, admitted the tweet had 'hurt' many people.

'I respect her decision not to proceed with the application and not to accept the funding,' according to the Herald Sun.

Ms Ford (pictured) has apologised for her outrageous comments and is no longer accepting a publically-funded grant

'The City of Melbourne is committed to freedom of speech, but I also acknowledge the hurt felt by many people who have contacted me this week.'

Ms Ford posted the tweet on May 23, in response to an article written about gender disparities in parenting children during the coronavirus crisis.

The story was about a woman forced to quit her lucrative job during the pandemic because her stay-at-home husband couldn't cope with full time parenting

Sharing her thoughts with her 135,000 Twitter followers, she wrote: 'Honestly, the coronavirus isnt killing men fast enough.'

Responding to the backlash in a lengthy, online post on Friday, she conceded to being ashamed over her actions.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the tweet from Ms Ford (pictured) was 'deliberately divisive and incredibly unhelpful when we are trying to keep our community together during COVID-19'

'It was an horrendous thing to say,' she admitted.

'Theres no question about that. I cannot defend it, and Im not trying to.

'Satire and hyperbole can be an effective tool to translate frustration, but this doesnt fall in that camp precisely because the harm at the centre of the comment is something thats actually happening and devastating lives all over the world.

'I woke up the next morning, full of shame. I have no desire to compound the hurt and fear being experienced by anyone, let alone those grappling with this virus.

'I deeply regret writing that tweet.'

But she followed up on the apology by accusing those of being offended by the tweet as being the 'gatekeepers' of sexism.

'Let's be real. The people making a meal of this dont actually care about words,' she wrote.

Arts chair of the Melbourne City Council Rohan Leppert (pictured) announced on Twitter that Ford was not going to be stripped of the funding - but she is no longer accepting the grant

On Sunday, she issued a long-winded apology about the controversial comment after a grant offered to her by Melbourne City Council was put under review (part of the apology pictured)

'If they did, they wouldnt be so quick to defend the crass, offensive, sexist and bigoted words of every single person whose ideologies aligns with their own.

'What they care about is gatekeeping, and specifically gatekeeping who gets to say words and who doesnt.'

She said she was angry with herself for 'derailing' the conversation she was trying to have about women being badly treated in society.

'One of the reasons I am so furious with myself for expressing myself abominably in that single tweet is that I have derailed the conversation I was trying to have about the ongoing abuse of women and its heightened state in social isolation,' she added.

Ms Ford said the backlash proved 'exactly how fragile men are' but has apologised for the comments

Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp, previously slammed the tweet.

'I found these comments offensive and distasteful and I agree with the sentiment of outrage expressed by many members of our community,' she said.

In a long statement posted on social media today, Ford admitted her tweet was an horrendous thing to say. Theres no question about that. I cannot defend it.

'I have fortunately amassed enough success as a writer that I can afford to walk away from $2,800,' she said.

The grant was given out to help the arts sectors through the coronavirus pandemic, with Ms Ford reportedly planning to use hers to write a book.

Mr Leppert, who organises the grants, had previously said Ms Ford was not going to be stripped of the funding.

Some critics suggested her outspoken views on men could be potentially damaging for her own son (pictured) in the future

'The decisions to award grants have been finalised and they will not be undone,' he said on Monday.

'Above and beyond the politics of the day, recouping funds is not even a legally available option.

'Ms Ford's application met the criteria strongly. It is entirely inappropriate to retrospectively apply special criteria to one applicant.'

Councillor Leppert said the council would not become 'the arbiter of taste and offence'.

'Arts Grants are frequently controversial,' he said.

'It is incumbent on politicians to uphold the integrity of the processes that are set up, knowing that they like others will disagree with some individual outcomes.'

Diehard feminist Ms Ford (pictured) has now turned down the publicly-funded council grant after causing outrage saying coronavirus 'isn't killing men fast enough'

Hours after it was made public her grant was under review, Ms Ford took to Twitter with a lengthy apology saying she was 'a big enough person' to admit when she had 'misjudged something'.

'I still stand 100 per cent behind my fury at men exploiting women's unpaid labour (exacerbated by the global pandemic), but I've reconsidered my flippancy in discussing it,' she wrote.

'Regardless of what people want to think about me, I have no wish to compound harm and grief for anyone, nor be dismissive of the very real impact and fear a crisis like this presents.

'A flippant (and yes, poorly judged) tweet doesn't change that reality and it shouldn't shift the focus away from it.

'If we benefit from privilege, we should also be robust enough to accept critique of the systems that privilege us and work to change them.'

But hundreds of people didn't buy the apology.

'Yeah, not so fast girl. It wasn't flippant it was thirsty and banal. And it's done some serious damage,' one user tweeted.

'This woman doesn't admit fault easily... clearly she got a tap on the shoulder,' another said.

'It is amazing how hard you jumped off when you knew that 20k grant was in jeopardy. Pathetic,' one woman commented.

Ms Ford (pictured) admitted she was ashamed by the tweet, which provoked outrage on last week

'Is this an attempt at some sort of apology? You can't even get that right!' another said.

Others came to the writer's defence and thanked her admitting she'd made a blunder.

'Many who need you love your courage. They feel power and comfort from seeing you talk to men the way men talk to us,' one woman wrote.

'That's an intentionally narrow tightrope to walk, and people who never applaud your daily performances will always be quick to yell at your corpse after a fall.'

'Thank you for your apology to those that it hurt. I just wish more people got angry about DV as much as they got angry at your tweet,' another said.
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. said Friday morning he likely has had the coronavirus over the past few months.

The Democratic senator from Pennsylvania said he learned Friday he had a positive antibody test. He said he learned of the results of that antibody test.

This positive test means that I likely had COVID-19 at some point over the last several months and have since developed an antibody response to the virus, Casey said in a statement.

Casey said he was never tested for the coronavirus but felt some symptoms in the spring.

Earlier this spring, I experienced a low-grade fever and some mild flu-like symptoms for a number of days, Casey said. I consulted my physician over the phone, who suggested that I quarantine at home in Scranton for a period of two weeks. Fortunately, I was easily able to isolate myself.

Casey said his wife was out of town to be with their eldest daughter and son-in-law, who were expecting their first child.

The senator, a Scranton native, said he didnt seek medical care because symptoms were mild and manageable.

My fever went away on its own by mid-April, and it was never recommended that I be tested for the virus, he said in the statement. I was able to work during my illness, remotely engaging with constituents and staff and keeping a full schedule.

Casey said the anitbody test revealed substantial levels of COVID-19 antibody in my blood, significantly more than the amount required to qualify me as a plasma donor.

In an effort to help others fighting this virus, I will be making my first donation today in Taylor, Pennsylvania, Casey said. " I encourage others who have recovered from COVID-19 to consult with their own physician to see if they may also be eligible to donate."

Casey, 60, is in his third term in the U.S. Senate.

I will continue to follow the guidance of public health experts by wearing a mask in public and observing social distancing practices, and I hope that others will do the same to help slow the spread of this virus, Casey said in the statement.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the first member of the Senate to test positive for COVID-19. Paul said in early April he had recovered.

More from PennLive

Delayed notice of Pa. lawmakers COVID-19 diagnosis spurs outrage, calls for investigation

What will fall look like at central Pa. colleges? For now, plans are in limbo

Coronavirus reopening in Pa.: What to expect if your county moves to the yellow or green phase on Friday

An Election Day like never before: Mail-in balloting, new voting machines, multi-day counts for Pa.'s primary

Massive unemployment scam strikes up to 58,000 people in Pa., far more than previously known
Condemnation rained down Thursday on the four Minneapolis police officers involved in the death of George Floyd this week, as local officials, police organizations and President Donald Trump denounced the incident as a tragic and unacceptable case of police brutality.

Trump vowed a federal investigation of the incident, which rose to national attention after a bystander's video showing then-officer Derek Chauvin holding Floyd in a prolonged and illegal hold, his knee on the black man's neck, as a crowd of onlookers begs for Floyd's life and he gasps: "I can't breathe."

District of Columbia Police Chief Peter Newsham on Thursday said the officers' actions were "nothing short of murder" - echoing law enforcement leaders nationwide who were unusually quick to denounce the use of force and side with activists who called it an outrageous abuse of power.

Minneapolis has been mauled by violence since Floyd's death, with stores and restaurants looted and burned. Local leaders anticipated another chaotic night Thursday as the unrest spread to neighboring St. Paul. The region's main public transportation operator suspended bus and light-rail services and stores locked their doors early over safety concerns. Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, called out the National Guard as the region braced for another night of turmoil.

Thousands of peaceful protesters, many in masks, flooded streets in both cities Thursday evening to chants of "Prosecute the police!" and "All four!" As the night wore on, the scenes intensified, with buildings ablaze and police firing rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowds. Smaller groups smashed windows and ran out of businesses with stolen items.

With tensions soaring, an angry crowd swarmed the third police precinct in south Minneapolis. Flames rose from the building as the hordes cheered, no police or fire trucks in sight.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, has called for peace and joined the chorus of protesters who say that Chauvin and three other police officers involved - who were quickly fired - should be charged with murder.

But Hennepin County prosecutor Mike Freeman triggered uproar at a Thursday afternoon news conference when he said "there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge" against the involved officers. His office later issued a clarification, saying Freeman only meant "it is critical to review all the evidence."

Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday with Attorney General William P. Barr standing at his side, President Trump - who in 2017 told officers "Please don't be too nice" to suspects - called the moments before Floyd's death "a very bad thing." He said the FBI will "take a very strong look" at the case, but declined to issue an opinion on whether the officers involved should be prosecuted.

In a joint statement, the Justice Department and FBI said the "robust criminal investigation" will be "a top priority."

Attempts to reach Chauvin and his attorney, Tom Kelly, on Thursday were unsuccessful. Bob Kroll, the Minneapolis police union president, who has been a vocal defender of officers accused of excessive force in the past, has not responded to multiple messages seeking comment.

Floyd's younger brother, Philonise Floyd, choked back tears in a CNN interview on Thursday as he described watching his brother plead for his life and the violent unrest that has followed. Floyd said the family wants peace in the streets - and the harshest possible punishment for the Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd's last moments alive.

"I want everybody to be peaceful right now, but people are torn and hurt because they're tired of seeing black men die constantly, over and over again," Philonise Floyd said. He said justice for the family would be to see the four officers "arrested, convicted of murder and given the death penalty."

Floyd's family will seek an independent autopsy of his body, citing its mistrust in Minneapolis city officials, attorney Ben Crump said Thursday morning on CNN's "New Day."

"His family wants his body back to give him a proper funeral and also have an independent autopsy because they do not trust the city of Minneapolis after they witnessed their brother, on the ground, begging, pleading for his breath," Crump said.

Minnesota has been the locale of several high-profile killings by police in recent years, including the shooting death of Philando Castile during a traffic stop in 2016. The officer involved was charged with manslaughter and acquitted.

Often, law enforcement officials call for patience and a complete investigation - which can take weeks or months - in the immediate aftermath of a high-profile police killing. But not this time.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo moved quickly to fire the four officers involved, and top law enforcement executives applauded his actions.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, the president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post, calling the video "difficult to watch and shocking to the conscience."

"The death of George Floyd must serve as a national call for action," he said.

Two of the most influential police organizations, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Major Cities Chiefs Association, issued statements denouncing the officers' actions. Even the National Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union in the world, which usually calls for deliberate consideration after an explosive police-related incident, weighed in against the killing of Floyd.

"The fact that he was a suspect in custody is immaterial," FOP President Patrick Yoes said. "Police officers should at all times render aid to those who need it. Police officers need to treat all of our citizens with respect and understanding and should be held to the very highest standards for their conduct."

Yoes also said that "the officers are reportedly cooperating with investigators and we must ensure that justice is served, whatever the consequences."

The video of Floyd's death drew such universal condemnation because "it's just so blatantly clear," said Janee Harteau, a former Minneapolis police chief.

"It's the most horrific thing I've seen in my career and in my lifetime," said Harteau, who was ousted from her job in 2017 amid the outrage over another officer-involved shooting.

In a Thursday interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said that his panel may hold a hearing on the issue of police violence in the wake of Floyd's death to assess"why does this happen, how often is it, is it an aberration."

Addressing the Floyd case in particular, Graham said that "what you see on television, in my view, is just a man dying for no good reason. ... It's hard to watch, and I just imagine how many people died without videos."

Graham also said he supports Trump's move to have the federal government look into the incident.

"I have a lot of respect for the cops. But when you get a bad cop and you don't come down hard, you erode trust," he said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., addressed the Floyd case in opening remarks at her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill, saying he had been "murdered on TV."

"To watch Mr. Floyd be murdered in a video at a time when we're all so sad to begin with - it's always tragic," she said.

In Minneapolis, Arradondo fielded questions about what some officials called an insufficient police response to Wednesday's destruction. He acknowledged a "dynamic shift" in the tenor of protests and said the events of Wednesday appeared to include "a different group of individuals" than the night before, when protests remained peaceful.

"There was a core group of people that had been really focused on causing destruction," he said of the looting and fires. "It was clear to me that many of the people involved in the criminal conduct last night were not known Minneapolitans."

The acts of arson were unexpected, Arradondo said, and the decision to let some buildings burn came down to a "matter of resources." Protesters threw rocks and bottles at responding firefighters at several arson sites, and Arradondo said the fire chief was concerned about their safety.

City officials said they will designate a "healing space" near the Third Precinct for the community to gather and grieve.

As looting and violent clashes with police began in St. Paul on Thursday, the mayor of the state capital begged people to stay home and not protest amid outrage over the death of Floyd.

"Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement, and on preventing this from ever happening again. We can all be in that fight together," Mayor Melvin Carter, a Democrat, tweeted Thursday afternoon, as St. Paul police said they were trying to disperse groups damaging property and attempting to steal merchandise on multiple blocks.

"The situation in our city right now is heartbreaking & rapidly devolving," he continued. "I'm angry/ sad as anyone & pushing for the officers who killed George Floyd to be arrested ASAP."

Local news outlets reported that various stores in the area had preemptively closed out of fear of further looting. Police in Maplewood urged people to "avoid retail areas until further notice," citing "the potential for flash looting."

Dozens had stormed a Target in neighboring St. Paul on Thursday and grabbed items they did not pay for, police said.

St. Paul City Council member Mitra Jalali, who went out to University Avenue amid the unrest, called the situation "volatile" and "not good." She emphasized that she wants to see police working "to de-escalate whenever and however possible."

"People out here are hurt and angry and frustrated," she said. "This isn't happening for no reason. We have seen folks that are just really, really hurt from years and years of overlapping causes and conditions," she added, denouncing "structural racism" that existed before Floyd's death Monday.

Some of the most high-profile fatal shootings by police in the past decade have gripped Minneapolis and the larger Twin Cities region and long fostered distrust of law enforcement in that African-American community.

Besides the killings of Floyd and Castile, a Minneapolis police officer shot and killed Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old black man, in 2015, spurring extended demonstrations that effectively occupied the area near the department's Fourth Precinct for weeks. Local and federal officials eventually declined to charge the officers involved.

In 2017, a Minneapolis police officer shot and killed Justine Damond, an Australian woman who had called police about what she believed was a possible sexual assault near her home. Mohamed Noor, the officer involved, shot Damond through an open window when she approached the police car and was convicted of murder last year, becoming one of the relatively few officers sentenced for killing someone on duty.

- - -

The Washington Post's Sheila Regan in Minneapolis; Holly Bailey and Tarkor Zehn in St. Paul; and Brittany Shammas, Seung Min Kim, Dan Lamothe, Matt Zapotosky, Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez and John Wagner in Washington contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 18:20:09|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Three Iranian border guards were killed on Friday by gunmen in Iran's northwestern province of West Azerbaijan bordering Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, Press TV reported.

The guards were killed in the clashes erupted at a border post near the city of Sardasht, according to the report.

In the gunfight, an unidentified number of the assailants were also killed, it added.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 19:00:25|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Video: Demonstrators chanting "I can't breathe" take to streets in Manhattan, New York, the United States, May 28, 2020, over the death of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dozens of them are arrested. (Xinhua)

The protesters chant slogans, including "I can't breathe", while standing in lines face to face with dozens of policemen. Some of them use abusive language toward police.



NEW YORK, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Some 40 people were arrested in New York City on Thursday during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, local media reported.

Over 100 people gathered in Manhattan's Union Square Thursday afternoon to express their anger over what they called police brutality that led to Floyd's death.

The protesters chanted slogans, including "I can't breathe", while standing in lines face to face with dozens of policemen. Some of them used abusive language toward police.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in custody on Monday evening after a white police officer held him down with a knee on his neck for nearly 10 minutes. Floyd repeatedly pleaded "I can't breathe" during the encounter.

"I can't breathe" was also what Eric Garner, a black man in New York's Staten Island, repeatedly said before his chokehold deaths in 2014 by a white officer. Garner's death galvanized the nationwide "Black Lives Matter" movement.

Police arrested some 40 protesters after several scuffles and a fight between the two sides. Local news channel ABC said someone threw a trash can to police and another tried to grab an officers' gun, while NBC reported that a protester punched an officer in the face.

Demonstrations, for the same reason, took place as well in cities like Los Angeles and Memphis, according to media reports, while large-scale protests have turned violent in Minneapolis, for which Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Thursday declared a state of emergency. 
DENVER - Protesters swarmed Denver on Thursday, blocking traffic and smashing vehicles while running from gunfire and police tear gas after a demonstration against the death of a black man in Minneapolis police custody turned violent.

Hundreds of demonstrators stood in the downtown streets and chanted as darkness fell outside the Colorado state capitol, where protesters spray-painted graffiti and broke car windows. In other areas of downtown Denver, police in riot gear fired gas canisters, used rubber bullets and walked in a phalanx through the streets to drive protesters away. The protest briefly spilled over onto Interstate 25, blocking all lanes of traffic until police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The protests continued into the night, despite Denver Mayor Michael Hancock pleading for calm.

I certainly understand everyones frustration and sense of pain and disgust following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, he said in a video posted on Twitter. But I want to plead to everyone. Lets demonstrate, but lets demonstrate peacefully. Leave the weapons home.

Earlier in the protest, gunfire outside the state capitol sent people running for cover. Gary Cutler, a spokesman for the Colorado State Patrol, said the shots were fired in a park across the street. Most of the protesters already had left the area and were marching downtown.

Cutler said the Capitol building was locked down, and everyone inside was safe. No injuries have been reported from the shots.

State Rep. Leslie Herod, who was at the Capitol, tweeted, We just got shot at.

Police spokesman Kurt Barnes said its unclear if the protesters were being targeted, and no one has been arrested.

About six or seven shots were fired, he said.

Several hundred protesters had gathered to call for justice following the death of Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis on Monday after an officer knelt on his neck for almost eight minutes. In footage recorded by a bystander, Floyd pleaded that he couldnt breathe.

Some among the Denver protesters carried signs reading Black Lives Matter and chanted, Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Racist police got to go.

Aerial footage showed several protesters smashing the windows out of at least two vehicles parked outside the Capitol, and others spray-painted graffiti on the Capitol steps.

A cellphone video shot by protester Anabel Escobar, 29, showed a man on the hood of an SUV making its way through the crowd in front of the Capitol. The video showed the driver speeding up and then apparently trying to run the man over after he fell off the hood. The vehicle sped away as other protesters chased it. It was unclear if the man on the hood was injured.

As the protest started, The Denver Police Department tweeted a message from Chief Paul Pazen sending condolences to Floyds family and saying the citys officers do not use the tactics employed by the Minneapolis officers.

He called that type of force inexcusable.

Four Minneapolis police officers have been fired, and the mayor has called for the officer who knelt on Floyds neck to be criminally charged.

The death has led to violent protests in Minneapolis and demonstrations in other cities, including Los Angeles.
Targeted therapy tepotinib for non-small cell lung cancer with MET exon 14 skipping mutation shows durable response

HOUSTON -- Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the MET exon 14 (METex14) skipping mutation had a 46.5% objective response rate to the targeted therapy drug tepotinib, as shown in a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting ASCO20 Virtual Meeting (Abstract 9556 - Poster 322) by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

"The success of this trial, alongside other studies on the same class of drugs, establishes MET exon 14 as an actionable target for non-small cell lung cancer," said senior author Xiuning Le, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology. "We're pleased to show that another group of lung cancer patients may benefit from precision medicine."

METex14 skipping is a mutation that drives cancer growth and occurs in 3-4% of all NSCLC patients. Patients with METex14 skipping tend to be older, with a median age of 74, and typically don't have other actionable mutations with existing targeted therapy options.

The study results represent cohort A of the single-arm, international Phase II VISION trial, which is ongoing with additional cohorts. More than 6,700 NSCLC patients were prescreened for MET alterations through liquid and/or tissue biopsy. A total of 152 patients with advanced NSCLC and METex14 skipping were treated with tepotinib. Patients with prior treatment and/or stable brain metastasis were allowed to participate in the trial. Participants were treated with 500mg daily oral tepotinib.

Meaningful benefit for an elderly population

The primary endpoint was objective response rate, defined as complete or partial response, according to the RECIST v1.1 criteria and confirmed by independent review. After nine months follow-up, the primary efficacy population of 99 patients had a 46.5% objective response rate and durable response of 11.1 months.

"The median duration of response of almost one year is very meaningful for this patient population," Le said. "It's important for these elderly patients to have another treatment option, other than traditional chemotherapy, in oral form that can improve their quality of life for a long duration."

Toxicities were manageable, with grade ? 3 treatment-related adverse events reported in 27.6% of patients. The most common side effect was peripheral edema. Eleven percent of patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events.

The study also collected patient-reported outcomes, which indicated an improvement in coughing and overall maintenance of quality of life.

Liquid biopsy for biomarker detection

The VISION study represents the largest METex14 skipping cohort to be identified prospectively through liquid biopsy, verifying that liquid biopsy is a reliable method to detect the mutation. The study also showed that liquid biopsy was a useful tool to identify response to the drug.

Matched liquid biopsy samples for baseline and on-treatment were available for 51 patients. Next-generation sequencing found 34 of those patients had a molecular response with a complete or deep reduction of the mutation, and radiographic response was confirmed in 68% of patients who had a molecular response.

"This study marked a major advance in that we now have a highly effective, oral therapy for a group of non-small lung cancer patients that previously did not have any targeted therapy options," said co-author John Heymach, M.D., Ph.D., chair of Thoracic-Head & Neck Medical Oncology. "We are proud to lead the field forward as we work to provide novel treatments to patients."

Tepotinib was granted breakthrough therapy designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2019, based on early data from the VISION study. It was approved for use as the first oral targeted therapy for MET-positive NSCLC in Japan in March 2020.

A full list of co-authors and their disclosures are included in the paper. The research was supported by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.

###

About MD Anderson

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. The institution's sole mission is to end cancer for patients and their families around the world. MD Anderson is one of only 51 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). MD Anderson is ranked No.1 for cancer care in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" survey. It has ranked as one of the nation's top two hospitals for cancer care since the survey began in 1990, and has ranked first 15 times in the last 18 years. MD Anderson receives a cancer center support grant from the NCI of the National Institutes of Health (P30 CA016672).

This story has been published on: 2020-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
On Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting social media companies such as Twitter. The order centers on Section 230, a fragment of law from the 1990s that underpins much of todays internet and is often misunderstood.

Heres a rundown of what the law is, whats at stake, and what Trumps executive order might accomplish.

WHAT IS SECTION 230?

Section 230 is a small piece of the 1996 Telecommunications Act that has, in many ways, created the internet we all use today.

Its first part states, No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.

In effect, that means websites are not legally responsible for what other people post there. That applies to every site on the internet, whether theyre social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, sites that depend on customer reviews such as Yelp and Amazon, or any website with a comment section, from the Los Angeles Times to your personal blog.

It also has a second part, which states website owners or users cant be held liable for deleting or restricting access to anything they deem objectionable if those actions are taken in good faith.

Without Section 230, any company operating a website could be sued over a statement posted by a user, and sued by any user whose post was deleted. Internet companies with many millions of users could ill afford to defend large numbers of such lawsuits, even if they won most of them.

There are some existing exceptions to those protections. According to the original law, they dont apply to violations of federal criminal law, intellectual property law, or the Electronic Privacy Communications Act  this is why YouTube tries to take down copyrighted material, for instance, and companies try to respond quickly to reports of child pornography, which is a federal crime. Starting in 2018, a new law also exempted the facilitation of sex trafficking from Section 230 protections.

Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party. They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States. Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

HOW DID SECTION 230 BECOME LAW?

Section 230 was considered a minor part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 at the time that it passed  most of that legislation centered on questions of competition among telecom companies  and was intended to give legal cover to internet companies that wanted to stop users from posting pornography or racist screeds.

The entire internet at the time had fewer than 40 million users (for context, Snapchat has 229 million daily active users today, and Facebook has more than 2.6 billion), but websites had already faced legal trouble.

Two cases in particular had drawn lawmakers attention.

An internet service provider called CompuServe placed no limits on what its users could post. When someone sued the company for defamation over a statement that another user had posted, the judge dismissed the case, arguing that CompuServe fell into the same legal category as a bookstore or a newsstand  its forums were host to other peoples speech, but it didnt claim to control that speech in any way.

Offering a contrasting example, an online service called Prodigy actively tried to maintain a family-friendly website with active moderation. Again, a user sued the company over another users post, alleging defamation. This time, the judge found Prodigy legally liable. Because the website exercised editorial control, went the ruling, it fell into the same category as a newspaper, making its owner responsible for everything on the site.

The result was a legal regime in which companies were punished for trying to actively remove pornography, violent language, hate speech and the like from their sites, and could reduce their liability by letting anything go.

Christopher Cox, a former Reagan appointee who was then serving as a Republican congressman in Orange County, Calif., teamed up with Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden, who has since become that states senior U.S. senator, to fix that problem and incentivize websites to police themselves. Section 230 was their solution.

HOW HAS IT WORKED IN PRACTICE?

Even after its passage into law, Section 230 could have resulted in a very different internet than the one we know today, said Jeff Kosseff, professor of cybersecurity law at the U.S. Naval Academy and author of The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet, a 2019 book about the law.

Before 1996, the law concerning legal liability for distributing other peoples speech had been based on a court ruling from 1959.

The case centered around Eleazer Smith, the 72-year-old proprietor of a bookstore on South Main Street in Downtown L.A. He was arrested by a LAPD vice officer for selling a copy of a pulp novel about a ruthless lesbian realtor considered obscene under city and state law.

Smith argued that he couldnt possibly review every book in his store, and his case wound its way to the Supreme Court. There, the court decided that Smith was right, and could be found in violation of the law only if he failed to remove the book after being informed that it was illegal to be selling it. In the years since, courts upheld that legal distinction between distributors such as bookstores and publishers such as newspapers.

Section 230 made explicit in its language that a website could not be treated as a publisher or a speaker, which theoretically left the door open to their being treated like a bookstore  in fact, thats how the judge described CompuServe in one of the early internet cases.

But the first case to test Section 230 after its passage led to an even broader set of protections for websites. A judge in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that even being a distributor was just a special subset of being a publisher or speaker, and Section 230 made clear that websites were neither.

The judge in that case was a well-respected conservative Reagan appointee, and also a former newspaper editor, Koseff said. He had a strong free-speech streak, and a lot of the laws history rests on the fact that he was the first judge to rule on the law.

That interpretation of the law has held to this day, allowing companies such as Yelp, Facebook and Twitter to exist without fear that theyll be sued for their users statements or for trying to police what kind of statements can stay up on their sites.

WHAT IS THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER TRYING TO DO?

The heart of Trumps executive order is an attempt to modify the scope of Section 230.

If a company edits content  apart from restricting posts that are violent, obscene or harassing  it is engaged in editorial conduct and may forfeit any safe-harbor protection, according to the language of the order signed Thursday.

The order directs Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to work with Attorney General William Barr to request new regulations from the Federal Communications Commission that determine whether a social media company is acting in good faith to moderate content.

If the order is carried out (the FCC has the right to refuse), it could functionally give the agency the ability to strip Section 230 protections from any website that moderates what users post, inviting individuals  or the government  to sue without such suits getting dismissed out of hand, as they are now.

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office before signing an executive order related to regulating social media on Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Washington, D.C. Trump's executive order could lead to attempts to punish companies such as Twitter and Google for attempting to point out factual inconsistencies in social media posts by politicians. (Doug Mills/Pool/Getty Images/TNS)TNS

WHY TRY TO MODIFY SECTION 230?

The executive order came two days after Twitter added a disclaimer to two tweets from Trump, saying that his claims about mail-in ballots leading to widespread voter fraud were false.

Trumps executive order builds on a strain of criticism of social media platforms, embraced in recent years by the political right, that views companies decisions to take down certain posts or delete certain users accounts as censorship.

Twitters disclaimers on the presidents tweets, it should be noted, are not protected by Section 230. Because they represent the speech of the company itself, Trump could sue Twitter for defamation if he so chose.

An almost opposite strain of Section 230 criticism has also arisen in recent years. This criticism argues that social media companies are not doing enough to control the conversation on their sites, allowing extremism and misinformation to spread unchecked.

On this side of the debate, some legal scholars have proposed adding a reasonableness clause to Section 230, which would extend its protections only to sites that can show that their content moderation practices as a whole meet a reasonable standard of actively trying to prevent harm to users.

CAN THE PRESIDENT DO THAT?

The interpretation of Section 230 that the executive order rests on has no legal merit, in the opinion of Aaron Mackey, staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital civil liberties nonprofit.

In Mackeys analysis, the executive order hinges on a fundamental misreading of the law. The executive order argues that if a company violates the second part of Section 230, by moderating content that isnt strictly obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing or otherwise objectionable, then it can be stripped of the protections in the first part of Section 230, which says that websites are not legally liable for what users post.

The first and second parts of the law are clearly not linked in the text, and have not been linked by legal rulings. The first part  the protection against liability  is a blanket statement, unconditionally applied. Most lawsuits against websites for removing or leaving up user-generated content are simply thrown out because the first part of Section 230 has been seen as cut and dried.

WHATS NEXT?

The executive order gives the commerce secretary and attorney general 30 days to request that the FCC make a rule to reflect the policy laid out in the executive order. If the FCC takes up that request, a period of public notice and comment follows before the rule becomes final. Then, if the FCC chooses to exercise its new power to modify Section 230 for some companies, that decision will probably be challenged in court.

By Sam Dean, The Los Angeles Times (TNS)

More: Police arrest CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and crew live on camera as they cover Minneapolis protests
Hyenas, often forgotten, generally neglected, and sometimes even detested by our species, play a vital role in keeping the ecosystem healthy and alive, in turn benefitting our well-being in more ways than one.

In this article, we explore the life of brown hyenas, learn about their current conservation status in Namibia, and tell you why you must visit hyenas in their homes with input from hyena conservation expert Dr. Ingrid Wiesel. She is the Founder, Senior Scientist and Researcher of the Brown Hyena Research Project, a non-profit based in Namibia conducting scientific research on brown hyenas and other carnivores to aid their long-term conservation. Dr. Wiesel began her research on brown hyenas 25 years ago propelled by the fact that no long-term research project on the species existed at that time.

The Enigmatic Brown Hyenas Of Namibia

A brown hyena by the sea beach in Namibia. Image credit: Brown Hyena Research Project

Four extant species of hyenas belonging to the Hyaenidae family survive today. These are the spotted hyena, striped hyena, brown hyena, and aardwolf. A near-threatened species, brown hyenas call southern Africa their home. They are found in most parts of Namibia except for the south-eastern, north-eastern, and northern areas. With a population of only around 4,300 to 10,000 mature individuals, they are one of Africa's rarest carnivores. Talking about the current conservation status of the species in Namibia, Dr. Wiesel said:

"The new Namibian red data list book on carnivores has not been released yet. The Namibian population seems to be stable, but it has been classified as near threatened due to some threats that may affect the population if not mitigated or monitored."

Brown hyenas occur in a wide range of habitats including deserts, wetlands, grasslands, savannas, shrublands, marine coastal areas, rocky areas, etc. Namibia hosts an estimated 800 to 1200 members of the species with nearly half of this population living in the Namib Desert's coastal areas. The Sperrgebiet National Park in an important protected habitat of these wild beings in the country.

Weighing around 35 to 45 kg, brown hyenas are among the largest carnivores in the region. Long fur covers their body. Their hind legs are less developed while their necks and shoulders are muscular. These social animals live in groups called clans and take shelter in dens. Females give birth to 1 to 4 cubs at a time and other members of the clan also participate in the upbringing of the cubs.

Brown hyena with its meal. Image credit: Brown Hyena Research Project

Brown hyenas are primarily scavengers that feed extensively on carcasses of animals that die of natural causes or are hunted by other predators. They also eat fruits and insects and on rare occasions, hunt for prey. In the coastal areas of the Namib Desert, carrion washed up on the shore and mainland cape fur seal carcasses and pups also serve as important food sources for these hyenas. Dr. Wiesel revealed some research findings on brown hyenas in the region:

"A lot of research on the social interactions of brown hyenas had already been done in the 1970s. My initial studies concentrated on their foraging and hunting behavior at seal colonies. However, in the years of study, we managed to collar many individuals along the coastal Namib desert, coastal as well as adjoining inland animals. The analysis of this data showed that some home ranges of resident animals were more than 3,000 km2 in size and that it was not unusual for them to travel more than 35 km on average per night. This shows their amazing capability to live and survive in a very challenging environment."

Why Brown Hyena Conservation Is Necessary

Close-up of a brown hyena (Hyaena brunnea) drinking water, Kalahari desert, South Africa. Image credit: EcoPrint/Shutterstock.com

With relatively stable populations, it might appear the highly resilient brown hyenas are not in urgent need of conservation. However, we must remember that every species ending up on the brink of extinction or actually becoming extinct were once commonly found. With changing human needs and activities, the populations of these species kept declining and sometimes went beyond the control of conservation strategies to end up in total annihilation of the species. Thus, every species must be given adequate attention including the brown hyenas. Their absence would create a void in the ecosystem as they act as nature's cleaners by virtue of their scavenging habits. They prevent the accumulation of carcasses and other waste by feeding on the same and thus safeguarding the health of the ecosystem.

Dr. Wiesel mentioned some of the biggest threats to Namibia's brown hyenas,

"Selective and non-selective persecution, habitat fragmentation, road mortalities, and un-structured removal of animals threaten Namibia's brown hyenas as clan recovery can be very slow," she said.

She also informed us of the local people's perception of the species in the country.

"Perceptions vary a lot. In some areas of Namibia, locals value brown hyenas as a special part of their environment and are proud of their presence. In other areas, they are perceived to be a risk to livestock. A lot of work is still outstanding to evaluate this situation in these areas. In some places, locals are not aware of their presence due to their secretive nature and often do not even know the difference between the hyena species that occur in Namibia. As it is with many carnivores, body parts of brown hyenas are also used in traditional medicines. So far detailed information on the same is missing, and it is not believed to be a major threat at this stage," she said.

Challenges In Brown Hyena Conservation In Namibia

Brown hyena with cub. Image credit: Brown Hyena Research Project

While charismatic species like lions, tigers, rhinos, and elephants get most of the attention of the global conservation community, animals like hyenas often end up being overlooked. We ask Dr. Wiesel about the biggest challenges encountered by her and her team in conserving the species:

"The greatest on-going challenge is to secure enough funding each year to cover basic running costs and also salaries, as brown hyenas are seldom the focus of conservation programs and their conservation status is (fortunately) not severe enough so that we are not eligible to apply with larger, significant programs," she said.

"We have little historic information about their population size that is based on good data. Through the hyena distribution mapping project that was initiated a few years ago, we are in the process of assessing their current distribution as a baseline for future studies and to possibly draw conclusions on their population status too," she continued.

However, Dr. Wiesel also mentioned that their work has received continuous support from the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism and local stakeholders once they overcame the initial challenges of getting acknowledged as a trustworthy partner and consultant concerning conservation matters in the country.

Promoting Hyena Tourism As An Important Conservation Tool

A brown hyena carrying its cub. Image credit: Brown Hyena Research Project

While we have heard of tiger tourism, leopard tourism, orangutan tourism, etc., the word hyena tourism is hardly in vogue. Hyenas, contrary to the general beliefs, lead equally fascinating lives that can intrigue any person visiting them. Dr. Wiesel and her team are planning on harnessing this potential of hyenas to attract tourists to their habitats in Namibia as an aid to their conservation.

"We are working on some tourism orientated programs to enhance knowledge and visibility of this species to the public to increase its intrinsic value, but also their economic value," she said.

Hopefully, soon people will realize that hyenas are nice, not nasty and hyena tourism will flourish in the coming decades.
Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt has flagged an urgent review into state and federal heritage-protection laws after mining giant Rio Tinto destroyed a 46,000-year-old Aboriginal cave site in Western Australia.

Mr Wyatt on Friday expressed sadness at the loss of the ancient rock shelters last week when Rio Tinto detonated explosives at a site near Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara, saying legal frameworks had failed and stronger safeguards were needed.

The view on May 15 over the rock shelters, cleared, but before the blast. Credit:PKKP

The mining giant had secured all the legal approvals and state ministerial consent in 2013 to conduct the blasting for a mine expansion, following consultation with the traditional owners and archaeological surveys. Rio said it had a "long-standing relationship" with the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people (PKKP) spanning two decades and believed it had obtained their consent for the blast to go ahead. After archaeological missions in 2014 found the site was more significant than previously thought, the miner said it had been working with traditional owners to retrieve artefacts from the site and ensure their protection in storage.

The caves are the only inland site in Australia to show evidence of continual human occupation through the last Ice Age.
A commission tasked with determining whether guns should be banned at the Michigan Capitol isnt sure it has that authority.

While Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel sent a letter to the Michigan Capitol Commission on May 8 stating the body not only has the authority to ban guns at the Capitol but the obligation, the commissions in-house legal counsel, attorney Amy Shaw, disagreed.

Due to the conflict, the Michigan Capitol Commission on Friday, May 29, voted to hire Gary P. Gordon of the Dykema law firm to provide a third opinion, including analysis of the scope of the commissions power, the cost of implementing a gun ban and the possible legal outcomes. They limited attorney fees to no more than the $5,000 retainer in a 5-1 vote.

Commissioner Joan Bauer, the lone no vote, said the opinion of Nessel, the states top legal enforcement officer, should be enough.

People rightfully get frustrated by government when they perceive that we form committees to put off having to make decisions, we shop around for legal opinions ... and were afraid to make tough decisions, said Bauer, a former state representative, And they also think we dont have any common sense. I cant count the number of people in all political persuasions who have said to me they cannot believe we allow guns in our Capitol.

The Michigan Capitol Commission, comprised of six appointees, began looking into a possible ban after the issue was brought to attention following multiple armed protests of Gov. Gretchen Whitmers stay-at-home order, although guns have long been allowed in and around the Michigan Capitol building.

Gun rights advocates frequently host open carry days at the Capitol, encouraging supporters to bring their firearms to Lansing in support of gun rights.

One of the reasons I want another opinion is one of the assistant attorney generals (Commissioner William Kandler) and I talked to ... stated this case would go to the Supreme Court, Vice Chair John Truscott said. If were going to be tasked with making a decision thats going to be in that kind of litigation, thats going to be dragged out for many years ... I want to make sure we have all the best opinions possible.

And also, what happens if we get several years down the road and theres a new attorney general with a different opinion.

Commissioner Margaret OBrien, who supports pursuit of a third legal opinion, raised concerns over complications of jurisdiction on and inside the Capitol. While the Michigan Capitol Commission may have jurisdiction over the grounds and certain parts of the Capitol building, she said legislative chambers may have different standards.

Its my hope that at some point the Legislature and the governor could work together, OBrien said, because thats ultimately where the best outcome will happen, is if they all decide to collectively to take this up in their hands.

Bauer agreed.

I wish they would, she said, but they havent, even when many legislators and staff have raised serious concerns about their own safety in the building.

The Commission expects the outside attorneys opinion to be submitted by its next meeting on June 19.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

More on MLive:

Nessel says guns may be banned at Capitol

Open carry rally at Capitol

Should Capitol ban guns?

Whitmer murky on full state reopening
Viet Nams pushback of COVID-19 pandemic has helped shrimp exporters raise their competitiveness on the world market, being over other competitors...

A shrimp raising pond in the southern province of Ninh Thuan. Farmers are encouraged to begin raising shrimp right now to catch up with opportunities after COVID-19 pandemic.

Viet Nams pushback of the COVID-19 pandemic has helped shrimp exporters raise their competitiveness on the world market, overtaking competitors such as India and Ecuador, which are still struggling with the outbreak and not yet able to return to normal production.

The statement was released by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) in Ha Noi on Tuesday.

According to VASEP, the April shrimp export increased by 5.8 per cent to US$242.2 million, marking total $872.8 million in the first four months of this year, up 2.9 per cent year-on-year.

General Secretary of VASEP Truong Dinh Hoe said the prices of shrimp in April, including raw materials, is more positive than in previous months. Inventory in big markets is not much.

Demand for shrimp decreased in restaurants and hotels but increased in supermarkets and retail systems thanks to the trend of home processing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hoe said.

Japan remained the largest shrimp import market of Viet Nam, accounting for 20.7 per cent of the countrys the total export value. After a slight decrease in March, the export to Japan increased by 19 per cent to $48.6 million in April, making total January-April export value of $180.5 million, up 11 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Its followed by the US with a turnover of $158.7 million in shrimp products from Viet Nam in the first four months of this year, an increase of 17 per cent over the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the January-April export value to EU decreased by nearly 8 per cent, reaching $123 million.

With the EU market, Hoe said Viet Nam has a favourable advantage from the Europe-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, which is currently being discussed by Viet Nams National Assembly and is expected to come into effect in July.

However, potential risks still exist, so processors, exporters and shrimp raisers need to work closely to remove difficulties and seize opportunities when the market recovers, Hoe said.

China increased shrimp imports from Viet Nam for the first time after a continuous decline in the previous three months. In April, Viet Nams shrimp exports to China reached $39.2 million, up 16.6 per cent year-on-year. The total exports to China in the first four months of this year reached $108.8 million, down 15.5 per cent year-on-year.

VASEP said that China's demand for shrimp imports in the second quarter of this year is expected to recover as the country has gradually curbed the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Chinese shrimp enterprises have returned to production while the domestic supply of Chinese shrimp is limited due to disease in farmed shrimp.

EVFTA opportunities

Insiders said that the Viet Nams export of shrimp has many opportunities when key shrimp exporters including India, Ecuador and Thailand have been delayed by the national blockade. The orders of shrimp are expected to shift to Viet Nam.

The upcoming EVFTA will help Vietnamese shrimp industry to compete better in Europe, along with low shrimp export tax to the US market, Viet Nams shrimp export is expected to continue increasing in the coming months.

However, the domestic shrimp industry is dealing with negative impacts from disease, drought and saline intrusion, which is hindering farmers to develop shrimp breeding.

VASEP recommended farmers to raise shrimp in order to catch up with the opportunities after COVID-19. If the pandemic is completely controlled, the market will restore and the price of shrimp will recover as well.

VASEP said that consumers would switch to using smaller and medium sized shrimp due to falling incomes. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, large-sized shrimp consumption channels, such as restaurants and hotels, were closed, resulting in reduced demand.

To develop shrimp breeding area, Hoe said VASEP has proposed the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to create favourable conditions for shrimp raisers and fishermen in order to help businesses promote exports to the world market.  VNS

Shrimp exporters see bright future despite Covid-19 Vietnams shrimp exportsin Q1 had export turnover of $660 million, a 2 percent increase compared with the same period last year, according to the General Department of Customs (GDC).
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 00:48:28|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

HONG KONG, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) firmly supports the national legislature in adopting the decision to make national security laws for Hong Kong, a spokesperson of the liaison office said on Thursday.

Deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), the national legislature, attended the closing meeting of its third annual session on Thursday and voted overwhelmingly to approve the NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the HKSAR to Safeguard National Security.

The decision is of great and profound significance in maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and ensuring the practice of "one country, two systems" moves forward on the right track, said the spokesperson, adding the liaison office will jointly fulfill the responsibility of safeguarding national security.

The decision has reflected the common will of all Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots, said the spokesperson.

Political, business, legal and professional circles together with various organizations, institutions and enterprises in Hong Kong have expressed their high recognition of the legality, necessity and urgency of the national security legislation for Hong Kong.

As of Thursday, more than 1.85 million Hong Kong residents have signed a petition, either at street stands or online, in support of the national security legislation for Hong Kong, which has fully shown that seeking stability and security has become a strong voice of the Hong Kong society and it is imperative to make national security laws for Hong Kong, said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson said that no country allows separatist and other activities, which endanger national security, on its own soil.

The loopholes in national security must be plugged in the HKSAR as national security is the precondition for a peaceful life and development environment.

Since the turmoil in Hong Kong following proposed ordinance amendments last year, Hong Kong has been ravaged by "black violence" and "Hong Kong independence", assault, vandalism and arson are rampant during violent protests, and citizens with different political views are lynched by rioters, which have worsened the business environment in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's credit rating was downgraded by global rating agency over the prolonged unrest and chaos and Hong Kong's GDP posted the first negative growth in 10 years. Its consumer confidence index also slumped to the lowest notch since the 2008 global financial crisis, the spokesperson said.

All these consequences were resulted in from the opposition's "burn with us" tactic with Hong Kong lacking legislation on national security.

The national security legislation is not "a dreadful monster," but a "guardian angel" for the rule of law in Hong Kong and the peaceful life of Hong Kong residents, as well as the "safety valve" for new development and prosperity in Hong Kong, the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson noted that while protecting the vast majority of people in the Hong Kong society, establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security will severely crack down on the reckless few to reflect the justice of law.

"We sternly warn those extremist radicals and the forces behind them not to play with fire, not to misjudge the situation, not to underestimate the central authorities' rock-firm determination and not to have the fantasy to take the external forces' unreasonable intervention as their amulet."

"We also sincerely advise those young people in their prime time not to be instigated, not to defy law, not to become cannon fodder of black hands, and not to put their personal safety and future in harm's way," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson stressed that the liaison office firmly supports the decision by the National People's Congress, hoping that the legislation will be completed as soon as possible.

"We believe that under the protection of the national security legislation for Hong Kong, Hong Kong is bound to be back to normal, and Hong Kong people's lives are bound to be back to peace," the spokesperson said. Enditem
The Railways on Friday said it had provided 85 lakh meals, 1.25 crore water bottles for 52 lakh passengers on board the Shramik Special trains since May 1, in the face of growing ire from passengers over lack of food and water during long-winded journeys which resulted in some deaths.

Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav, who holds the highest executive office in the Railway Ministry, said specific complaints have been investigated and no such shortage of food was observed in any of the trains.

Yadav said while the railways understands the desperation of ailing migrant workers to go home, "they should avoid the travel if they are seriously ill".

"If 1,500 passengers are travelling on a train, and one of them dies due to some reason, the death cannot be attributed to hunger and food shortage," he said, dismissing reports that deaths were caused due to food or water shortage on board the trains.

"Because of coronavirus, many contractors did not want to board the trains to distribute food. We would initially give the packets for them (workers) to take on their own. But now our employees are using masks and gloves to enter the trains and distribute food.

"So, out of the 3,840 trains, these incidents are maybe in 1 or 2 per cent of the trains. In 98-99 per cent cases, this has gone smoothly," he asserted.

Expressing his sadness over the deaths, Yadav said while he understood that people were travelling because they were desperate to go home, he also appealed to them to avoid it if they were ill or aged.

"Indian Railways has a control system; the train is immediately stopped if someone is found ill and doctors try to save their lives. Many passengers have been attended to by Railway doctors, 31 successful deliveries have been done. In many cases they were sent to the nearest hospital base.

"I understand they are travelling in desperate times. Each death is investigated. We are compiling the data on deaths and the reasons behind the deaths from state governments. We will make it public when we have the numbers and I don't want to comment on this without the numbers," he said responding to a question on the number of deaths on board these trains.

He also said only four out of the 3,840 trains run so far have reached their destination in more than 72 hours and it amounted to only 1.85 per cent of total migrant trains run.

He said the Railways faced some issues between May 20 and 24, when congestion due to high demand for trains to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar had completely clogged the route.

"On one of these four days, Railways operated 279 Shramik trains and on the other three days, over 250 trains were operated. 90 per cent of these trains were destined for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, resulting in congestion on those routes," he said.

He said meals  breakfast, lunch, dinner  were served at en-route stations and the state governments provided food and water at starting stations.

"IRCTC and various railway divisions arranged free meals and water for migrants in trains enroute and over 85 lakh meals and 1.25 crore water bottles were supplied free.

"NGOs also supplemented efforts. Railway Divisions mobilized local halwais, bakeries at various stations to prepare snacks and foods for Shramiks," he said.
China has evacuated 325 of its citizens from Nigeria via an Air Peace flight that was scheduled to depart at 10:05 pm on Thursday.

The plane is headed for Shanghai.

France, the UK, and the US are among the countries that have also evacuated their nationals from Nigeria since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of Thursday evening, Nigeria had reported 8,915 cases of the novel coronavirus with 259 deaths.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
In a rare instance, the Bombay High Court ordered perjury proceedings against a police head constable who, as an eyewitness, failed to identify the men who murdered builder Swapnil Shirke. The 30-year-old was killed inside the premises of the sessions court in Nagpur in June 2002.

Deepak Trivedi, who was the lone policeman escorting Shirke to the court and was injured and hospitalised in the attack, had failed to identify the accused before a local court claiming that the trial in the case had started after 10 years.

Shirke, who was being produced in the court as an accused in an alleged murder case, was chased in the sessions court premises before being stabbed multiple times by 10 men. A division bench of the Supreme court had dismissed an appeal by the accused and upheld the life sentence awarded to Congress corporator Vijay Krishnarao Mate and six others including Raju Bhadre, Kiran Umrao Kaithe, Dinesh Gaiki, Umesh Dahake, Ritesh Gawande, and Kamlesh Nimbarte in 2017. Four others arrested in the case were acquitted for want of evidence.

In 2015, the Bombay high court, while sentencing the accused to life imprisonment, had initiated perjury proceedings against head constable Trivedi for failing to identify the accused in the case and issued showcause notice asking him why he should not be prosecuted.

The high courts notice was taken into consideration by the division bench of Justice NW Sambre and Justice NB Suryawanshi while ordering the prosecution of Trivedi for perjury.

High court cannot be a silent spectator where stinking facts warrants interference in order to serve the interests of justice, noted the bench and added, If this court remains oblivious to the patent facts on record, it would tantamount to failure in performing its obligation under the law.

Trivedi in his response to the high court notice had stated that he committed the mistake of not identifying some of accused because a period of 10 years had lapsed when he testified before the trial court. He had sought pardon on the ground that he had put in 22 years unblemished service and had been compulsorily retired.

The high court, however, refused to accept the explanation. We are not convinced that because of lapse of 10 years, some mistake has taken place while identifying some of the accused and that the said mistake was not deliberate or intentional.

The bench said being a responsible policeman on duty and since the deceased was in his custody in the court premises when he was brutally murdered, being the eyewitness, Trivedi was duty-bound to tell the truth before the trial court. However, he has resorted to falsehood and hence, we are unable to accept the explanation offered by him.

The bench also rejected the arguments advanced on his behalf that the high court had no authority to order prosecution for perjury. This court not only has the authority to exercise such jurisdiction but also has an obligation to exercise such power in appropriate cases, said the bench. Looking to the facts of the present case, in our considered opinion, this is a fit case to exercise such jurisdiction, so as to maintain the majesty of judicial process and the purity of legal system, noted the bench, while ordering for his prosecution.

Shirke, an engineering graduate, wanted to start his own business and had ventured into real estate and with uncle Ranjit had decided to develop 21 acres of land at Sakkardara. He had formed a cooperative society under the name Bhagyashri Cooperative Society in 2001 to develop the land which came as succession from the erstwhile royal family of Raje Raghuji Bhosle.

Then sitting Congress corporator Vijay Mate had allegedly encroached upon 7,000 square feet of the land in the property that belonged to Shirke, and when he tried to settle the dispute amicably, Mate asked Shirke to stay away from developing the land which set off an ugly war between them.

On July 18, 2001, Mate was allegedly shot at and his confidante Sanjay Gaikwad was killed. Shirke was arrested as the main accused in the case. It was in this case that he was being produced when Mate reportedly engineered an attack on him in broad daylight and killed him.
Riots, looting, arson, vandalism, violence, destruction, and robbery continued for a third night in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd at the of hands of the Minneapolis police. We have quickly moved beyond protests to the shame and disgrace of a terroristic crime spree from which we will be a long time recovering.

The Third Precinct police headquarters at 30th and Minnehaha was torched and burned to the ground  the authorities let it burn to the ground. Law enforcement is invisible. We have reverted to a Hobbesian state of nature a la Lord of the Flies. During her interview with Kyle Hooten on FOX News last night Martha MacCallum played footage of the looting. Alpha News has posted the video here.

The crime spree spread from Minneapolis to St. Paul and points elsewhere. More than 170 St. Paul businesses have been looted or damaged while dozens of fires have been set. St. Paul had nothing to do with the death of George Floyd. It is nothing more than a target of criminal opportunity.

Suburban malls fear they might be next. Civic order has broken down with astonishing speed. Mob rule has descended. The forces of order have withdrawn.

Boy mayor Jacob Frey elected to let the Third Precinct headquarters burn. The mayor declared at a hastily called press conference in the early morning hours overnight that he had made the decision to evacuate the building. He philosophized like a college sophomore: The symbolism of a building cannot outweigh the importance of life. He liked the thought so much he reiterated it this way: Brick and mortar is not as important as life. WCCO has posted video of Freys remarks here.

Governor Walz called out the National Guard. The Guard declares that it has deployed 500 soldiers to Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding communities. That seems a little light to me. We have a case study in the dissolution of order and the abdication of political leadership. We have a pandemic of liberal disorder. The headlines over the Star Tribune stories posted last night give some idea of the breadth of the destruction (some of these headlines have been changed this morning):

 Minneapolis police station on fire as Twin Cities protests grow. Subhead: A third night of protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police came after Gov. Tim Walz called out the National Guard.

 Flash looting spreads to St. Paul; squad cars pelted with rocks, bricks. Subhead: Looting centered on University Avenue in the Midway district, and also hit an East Side shopping mall.

 Target closes 24 Twin Cities stores until further notice. Subhead: Initially, the retailer closed 14 in Minneapolis, St. Paul and inner ring suburbs.

 Metro Transit halts bus, light-rail service in Twin Cities through the weekend. Subhead: Transit spokesman cites concern for rider and employee safety.

Governor Walz has adopted the motto Stay home Minnesota. Get out while you can would be more like it.
Xavier Bureau, Former Deputy General Manager of Publicis Sapient, Joins the Kaliop Group as Group CEO

MONTREAL, May 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- To support its development, the Kaliop Group, an expert in digital transformation and innovation for companies located in France, Canada, the United Kingdom and Poland (turnover of 15.6 million in 2019) announces the appointment of Xavier Bureau as Group CEO.

Xavier Bureau's career has been progressing in the digital ecosystem for more than 20 years, with 7 of those years spent in Canada. He started his career at ACME Multimedia in Montreal, which was bought by Cognicase, providing him with the opportunity to work with Ronald Brisebois. Cognicase was then bought by CGI. He joined the Nurun digital agency, holding the position of Account Manager in Montreal then in Paris, becoming a partner from 2010 to 2013, before being appointed Deputy General Manager of Nurun France in 2013.

In 2014, after the Publicis Group's purchase of Nurun, Xavier Bureau was appointed Deputy General Manager of SapientRazorfish, resulting from the merger of Sapient Nitro and Razorfish, which became a leader in the new consumer experience in the digital-first era. From April 2017, Xavier Bureau was Deputy General Manager of Publicis Sapient, the Publicis Group's digital transformation arm, bringing together the expertise of digital specialists and consultants from SapientRazorfish, Digitas, Xebia and Sapient Consulting.

Xavier Bureau joined the teams at Kaliop in May 2020. He brings to the Group a wealth of expertise in digital transformation consulting, project management, and business management gained from his previous work in senior management with the largest digital and consulting agencies.

He is tasked with furthering and accelerating the development of the Kaliop Group, whose turnover increased by 16% in 2019. To this end, he will consider the Group's positioning and offerings and will support business development and optimise project management by encouraging teams to increase their skills.

"I'm delighted to join Kaliop's teams," says Xavier Bureau. "The Group has valuable assets enabling it to consolidate its position in the digital transformation sector and target the key accounts market. Most of all, its ability to deliver complex high value-added business projects thanks to its experienced project management, using high-tech tools, being highly agile and having a will to win. Furthermore, Kaliop has demonstrated its ability to integrate and be innovative, particularly with the Kuzzle start-up, publishing a new generation of tools to accelerate and develop IoT and mobile applications . Finally, I've discovered genuine human qualities in the teams I've met. The aspect of collaborative interpersonal relationships is key to being successful in targeting and delivering complex projects. I'm very pleased to be able to play my part in Kaliop's development."

Stephane Grunenwald, CEO of the Montreal agency comments: "I'm pleased that Xavier has come to Kaliop. This will help to create even more synergies across the various Group entities, both from the business perspective and in terms of expertise."

Download the portrait photo of Xavier Bureau, CEO, Kaliop Group: click here

Link to the presentation of the Kaliop Group

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1172476/Kaliop_Logo.jpg

Contact:

info@kaliop.com

(+33) 04 99 13 68 60
Photo credit: Courtesy of Devon Cone

From ELLE

When Devon Cone considered what she might do when she grew up, she always imagined listening to people, reporting on issues, and being an intermediary between remarkable situations and the public. In short: She imagined herself right here. Cone has been working on refugee protections for the last 15 years; she first encountered one of the largest refugee camps in the world during an internship and never looked back. She worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and HIAS before starting her job as the senior advocate for women and girls at Refugees International, an advocacy organization that conducts research and fact-finding missions to write reports and make policy recommendations on how to improve the lives of refugees and displaced people.

Typically, this means traveling around the world to where there's forced displacement and interviewing women and girls on the ground. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cone is now working from Colorado, navigating her job while adhering to recent travel restrictions. Below, she talks about how the novel coronavirus has been affecting refugees worldwide, how her work has changed, and how she's navigated a high-stakes career.

How has your job changed because of COVID-19?

I really value being able to witness firsthand situations in which refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people live. Usually, I have to be able to speak directly and witness their emotions, their environments, and their challenges. Sometimes, to get the real information from someone or to truly understand what is going on somewhere, you have to be face-to-face. I can't count the number of times a staff member in a camp or a refugee or even a government official has told me something really important, but it was over a cup of tea at a local cafe where it's informal and they feel as though they can speak more candidly. With the global restrictions on travel at the moment, obviously that's not possible.

Story continues

I am relying on my local contacts and local organizations who are still working on the ground in these humanitarian crises. They are refugees themselves or community leaders or local staff of non-governmental organizations who are doing remarkable work amidst all odds and, in some cases, at personal risk to themselves. I have always advocated for local community members to be empowered and their voices elevated because, of course, they know their communities best and they have trust that we will never gain as people who travel from one location to the next. I am hopeful that long after the pandemic, we will continue to prioritize local voices and continue to recognize that people who are often overlooked, in fact, have extraordinary capabilities.

How has COVID-19 affected refugees around the world?

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates how deeply connected we all are and how our health and well-being depends on the health and well-being of everyone in our society. So exactly at the time during which we need to be more inclusive and global in our thinking, many nations are turning inward as they seek to protect their citizens.

Even before the pandemic, these were some of the most vulnerable and marginalized people worldwide. Now the challenges refugees already faced are exacerbated by the pandemic and measures to control the spread of the virus. Many countries have closed their borders and suspended all asylum applications, making it virtually impossible for refugees fleeing violence in their home countries to find safety. People who have already left their countries and are living as refugees are often in cramped, overcrowded conditions with limited access to water, soap, and healthcare.

The pandemic has had an even greater effect on female refugees. Refugee girls are out of school and, from previous research, we know that refugee girls are less likely than boys to return to their education once it has been interrupted. Refugee women also often support their families by working in the informal economy, jobs like selling food in markets. Because of the pandemic, most of these jobs have disappeared. Gender-based violencealready a huge problem in refugee situationsis dramatically increasing during the pandemic. To make matters worse, many of the services to assist survivors of gender-based violence and provide crucial health care to refugee women and girls have been disrupted.

Photo credit: Courtey of Devon Cone

When you are traveling, how do you stay compassionate and respectful and still get the information you need?

In the beginning of this work, I thought that it was important to be really empathetic, and it is, but empathetic in a professional way. I try to explain it like a doctor. If you tell a doctor about a situation you have, you don't want the doctor to say, "Oh my gosh, that's really scary and terrible," even if it is. You want a doctor to acknowledge that you're in a difficult situation, acknowledge that you have a problem, a serious problem, but also not show that it's shocking and make it clear that [you're] not alone.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Devon Cone

Your job sounds like it can be overwhelming. Does it feel that way?

The scope of the work and the issues at hand are overwhelming, but it's also overwhelming to try to change policy and have the successes be very limited sometimesand very difficult to achieve. I try to look at it as more of an opportunity. There's so much I can learn and so many places I can visit that need assistance and need an outside voice to help raise their voices. I also try to prioritize. There are more than 70 million forcibly displaced people in the world. To be honest, since I've started this career 15 years ago, the numbers have only grown. The pushback against refugee rights has only increased.

Obviously this is quite a high-stakes job. Is there ever a time that you felt like you failed? How did you move through that?

I was working on the resettlement case of a Syrian family that was living in a neighboring country. The family had a seven-year-old with leukemia, and he and his mother were going back and forth over the border to Syria to get chemotherapy. From the recommendations of everyone I worked with, I recommended to them that they stop going across the border because they may get stuck in Syria, and they had a resettlement case to Canada pending. But long story short, the Canadian government took too long; it was all bureaucratic. I went back to visit that family right before they were being resettled, and the boy had deteriorated so much that he couldn't move. Medical professionals that I know say that if what he had was Stage IV leukemia, he probably did not survive, whether it was before he left or after he got to Canada. Experiences like that I will not forget. You just wonder if you could have done more.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Devon Cone

Working to protect the rights of refugees and advocating for policy changes to improve their lives is difficult. And in my experience, it has only become more challenging over the last few years. So I feel like I am always failing. Every day I think about the displaced people I meet who have very little control over their own lives and continue to live in extremely dangerous situations. No matter how many reports I write or meetings I have or facts I present, many of these refugees remain in really awful situations. But I am also always inspired by their resilience, and I take every small success as a huge victory especially because when I am actually able to influence a policy to change, it can have positive effects on tens of thousands, even millions of vulnerable people.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

You Might Also Like
Firefighters and landowners are at the scene of blaze affecting bogland and forestry at Hortland, Donadea.

The County Kildare fire service is tackling the fire and Kildare County Council says local farmers are providing expertise and machinery.

Read more County Kildare news

Coillte has arranged helicopter support to provide water drops on the forestry areas.

The Air Corps provided over 40 water drops from helicopters at a separate fire near Killina recently.

The fire is close to the long established Irish Industrial Explosives facility. IIE is based at Colangh, Enfield, Co Meath and provides explosives to Irish mining, quarrying and civil engineering.

In a statement Kildare County Council said this site is being monitored on an ongoing basis with the operator.

It added: There is no immediate risk to the site from the fire and we will continue to be vigilant in this regard.

KCC also said some concerns have been raised locally about the fire service not being on the bog at night.

However bogs are dangerous places especially in fire conditions (and) for their safety our firefighters do not actively firefight on bogs during darkness.

Residents concerned about their properties during darkness should call 999 or 112 and we will respond to protect life and property.
Columbia-Greene Media has recently teamed up with the US Postal Service to provide same-day delivery of your local newspaper with your mail. Our expanded daily delivery of your local news reaches into the following areas:
Brown talked to the Tribune earlier this month about how he was thinking of starting a permanent, roving citywide unit  similar to others that have come and gone through the years in the department and proven to be controversial. But if he were to start one up, he had said he would add a service component like the one he announced Thursday.
Journalist Ranjita Rabha, who worked for 14 years with Prag News AM Production Pvt Ltd based in Guwahati, in the north-eastern State of Assam, India was forced to submit her resignation on May 5 by the Channels management after she returned to work after nearly one-and-a-half months leave, following advice from her Executive Editor. The management argued that given her pregnancy, she was not agile enough to report. She was told she would not be able to work properly and the company needed more active and mobile people.



The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) strongly condemned her sacking calling it inhuman and said it brazenly violated the Maternity Benefit Act. Following the IJUs condemnation of the incident, the Indian National Commission of Women (NCW) issued a statement on 26 May saying: Of all the rights of women, one of the rights is motherhood; however, a recent incident from Assam exposes the double-standards of organisations towards its pregnant employees.



The NCW condemned " the insensitive attitude of the channel towards its pregnant employee" and pointed out that the sacking violated the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. The Commission asked Prag News to urgently send feedback on the incident.



The IFJ Gender Council Steering Committee has condemned this act of sexism which blatantly violates principles of equality of treatment and dignity at work as well as raising serious concerns over gender equality principles which India has endorsed. The Committee expressed solidarity with the journalist and Indian colleagues and called for Rabha's immediate reinstatement.



"We cannot tolerate that media can unilaterally sack women and discriminate against them on the basis of pregnancy, " said IFJ Gender Council chair Maria Angeles Samperio. "We urge Prag News to review immediately their decision and abide by fundamental gender equality principles ".
Malaysias two-time former prime minister, his son and three other senior members were expelled from the Bersatu party.

Malaysias former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and four other former members have promised to challenge their removal from the Bersatu party.

Mahathir, 94, along with his son and three other senior members, were expelled from the Bersatu party on Thursday in the latest twist in a power struggle with his successor.

The unilateral action by Bersatus president to sack us without valid reason is due to his own fears in facing party elections as well as his unsafe position as the most unstable prime minister in the history of the countrys administration, a joint statement by Mahathir and the four others said.

The party has been split into two camps since intense political wrangling led Mahathir to resign as prime minister in February and the king to appoint fellow party member Muhyiddin Yassin as his replacement despite Mahathirs objections.

Mahathirs son, Mukhriz Mahathir, has since challenged Muhyiddin as party president in a vote that has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mahathir co-founded Bersatu with Muhyiddin in 2016, and the party joined an alliance that claimed a stunning victory in the 2018 polls, leading to the first change of government since independence.

The ruling alliance collapsed after Muhyiddin pulled Bersatu out to work with the former government, which has been accused of massive corruption. Mahathir, a two-time prime minister, resigned in protest.

Mahathir said he still has the majority support of legislators and has called for a no-confidence vote against Muhyiddin.

In their statement, Mahathir and the other expelled members said they may take legal action to challenge their termination and ensure Bersatu is not used as a vehicle for those crazy for power.

Party letters sent to the five said their membership had ceased as they sat with the opposition bloc during a half-day parliament sitting on May 18. But the letter was signed by a lower official who Mahathirs group and others said had no power to remove them.

Muhyiddin had earlier unsuccessfully tried to reconcile with Mahathir.

The current government includes the party of ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is on trial on charges related to an enormous financial scandal.
(Bloomberg) -- SoftBank Group Corp. has named Akshay Naheta senior vice president, moving the Vision Fund managing partner to a new role as the company looks for ways to improve its governance and stem losses, according to people familiar with the matter.

Abu Dhabi-based Naheta will assist SoftBank founder and Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son in managing the conglomerates investments function and will provide strategic advice to its global management team, said some of the people, who asked not to be identified because the appointment isnt yet public. Naheta will start his new role in June, one of them said.

Another Vision Fund managing partner, Tokyo-based Kentaro Matsui, will transition to a senior advisory role at SoftBank Group, one of the people said. The moves were mutual decisions and part of an effort to refine the originally $100 billion funds operating model, the person added. Both Matsui and Naheta -- whose previous roles were focused on Asia and the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions, respectively -- are expected to continue to work on select Vision Fund activities.

A spokeswoman for SoftBank and a spokesman for SoftBanks Vision Fund declined to comment. The senior vice president title at SoftBank Group is held by the likes of its chief financial officer and chief legal officer.

The executive reshuffle signals a heightened focus on SoftBanks senior ranks in a period of turbulence for the Japanese conglomerate. The company reported the biggest annual loss in its history this month as Vision Fund portfolio companies lost value, and its been facing pressure from hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. to bolster governance and buy back stock.

Read more: SoftBanks Masa-Misra Partnership Strained by Losses, Infighting

Naheta, who oversaw investments in the likes of chip designer Nvidia Corp., pharmaceutical company Roivant Sciences Ltd. and German online car trader Auto1, is close to Middle Eastern investor Mubadala Investment Co. and had been working on raising funds for a second Vision Fund, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Story continues

Matsui, who focused on investments in China, oversaw the Vision Funds bets on companies including Full Truck Alliance and Ping An Good Doctor.

Potential Layoffs

SoftBanks Vision Fund is weighing job cuts that could affect about 10% of the companys workforce after reporting about $18 billion in losses from the declining value of its startups, people familiar with the matter have said. In recent weeks, a separate SoftBank unit, SoftBank Group International, cut roughly 10% of staff.

SoftBank earlier this month said it plans to spend as much as 500 billion yen ($4.6 billion) to buy back shares through next March, on top of an existing repurchase plan of the same size. The conglomerate is accelerating efforts to raise cash and is closing in on a deal to sell about $20 billion of its stock in T-Mobile US Inc., people familiar with the matter said previously.

Before joining the Vision Fund, Naheta was managing partner of investment firm Knight Assets & Co. and head of principal strategies at Deutsche Bank AG. Matsui previously worked for Mizuho Securities Co. where he advised on some of SoftBanks largest bets, including Arm, Vodafone Japan and Sprint.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
House Democrats Withdraw Controversial Surveillance Authorization Bill

By Katherine Gypson May 28, 2020

U.S. House Democrats cancelled a scheduled vote on a controversial set of surveillance authorization measures Thursday, citing the threat of a presidential veto looming over their efforts to pass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

"The Administration  particularly some in the Justice Department  would like nothing better than to not have a bill," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Thursday. "Without a bill, there would be none of the bill's important protections for civil liberties. Without a bill, there would be all the leeway in the world not to protect Americans' privacy. Clearly, because House Republicans have prioritized politics over our national security."

But the FISA bill, which had passed the Republican-majority U.S. Senate earlier this month in a bipartisan 80-16 vote, faced challenges from both parties when the Democratic-majority U.S. House added amendments.

Changes in the House version caused the U.S. Department of Justice to withdraw support for the bill Wednesday, threatening a veto from President Donald Trump.

"Given the cumulative negative effect of these legislative changes on the Department's ability to identify and track terrorists and spies, the Department must oppose the legislation now under consideration in the House. If passed, the Attorney General would recommend that the President veto the legislation," Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd said in a statement.

The law establishing procedures for surveillance of foreign powers or foreign agents has drawn criticism from defenders of civil liberties, who seek protections for American citizens who may be subject to unlawful searches.

At issue was an amendment by Democratic Senator Ron Wyden that was defeated by just one vote in the U.S. Senate but added by Democratic Representative Zoe Lofgren in the version under consideration in the House.

"As the overwhelming bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate has demonstrated, Americans do not want the government looking at the websites they visit, the YouTube videos they watch and the internet searches they conduct without a warrant," Wyden said in a statement Tuesday applauding the addition of the Lofgren amendment.

"The House language protects U.S. persons with the same clear blanket prohibition provided by my Senate amendment. That means that it doesn't matter if the government specifically intends to collect U.S. person records or not. Nor does the government get to decide when it is 'reasonable' to believe it is not collecting U.S. person records. If the person whose web browsing or internet searches are of interest could be a U.S. person, the collection is prohibited."

The shift by the DOJ follows a Trump tweet Tuesday night calling on House Republicans to vote against the bill.

"I hope all Republican House Members vote NO on FISA until such time as our Country is able to determine how and why the greatest political, criminal, and subversive scandal in USA history took place!" Trump tweeted.

Trump has alleged the FISA program was used illegally to spy on members of his 2016 presidential campaign in a bid to prevent him from winning the presidency. He had already tweeted a veto threat relating to an earlier House-passed version of the bill this past March.

A DOJ investigation found last year the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had committed errors in its investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 election, including mistakes in an application to put former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page under surveillance. However, the investigation did not find any evidence of political bias as Trump alleges.

"It was used for surveillance on Americans and every day we learn something more. Shouldn't we take an opportunity to correct that? Lo and behold the Speaker is now coming to the same position I told them would be best a couple of days ago," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told reporters Thursday.

McCarthy announced Republican opposition to the bill Wednesday, calling for more time to reach bipartisan consensus.

"I'm interested in making sure the FISA court has reformed and able to sustain itself, that it's looking at foreigners, not Americans," McCarthy told reporters Wednesday.

Progressive Democrats also reportedly had concerns about the legislation, spelling trouble for the bill attaining the numbers needed for passage.

Pelosi said Thursday lawmakers would continue to work on the legislation to insure it passes with a veto-proof majority.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Sogol and Silen Pahlavan, sisters and pediatricians who run ABC Pediatric Clinic in east Houston, have gone two months without a paycheck.

With young patients and their parents worried about contracting COVID-19 and staying home, revenues are drying up. That has made the Pahlavan sisters increasingly anxious about how theyll pay their 40 employees as they burn through cash reserves and an emergency small business loan from the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

Its whatever it takes for us to be able to sustain our business, Sogol Pahlavan said. Thats the short-term plan, but I cant take this for six months.

Private pediatric practices have been left out of the $50 billion federal program aimed at helping medical providers deal with COVID-19 related financial losses. Congress, as part of an initial $2 trillion stimulus bill, carved out the Provider Relief Fund, but required doctors and hospital systems to accept Medicare, the federal insurance program for people 65 and older.

That has effectively cut off small, independent practices such as ABC Pediatric, which accepts patients 15 and under. Without larger physician groups or hospital networks to fall back on, many pediatricians say they are at-risk of shutting down even as money flows to 3,000 doctors, pharmacies, and health care systems, according to federal data.

Large hospital systems have received millions in funding from the CARES Act, while smaller practices have received little to none.

Were the mom-and-pop shops of the community, Pahlavan said. Were trying to compete against a Walmart.

Funding criteria

Federal officials distributed $30 billion of the $50 billion fund to providers in April based on how many Medicare patients they saw in 2019. The rest was divided based on 2018 net revenues for medical providers who accepted Medicare.

HOSPITAL SUITS: Texas hospitals that received bailouts are suing poor patients for failing to pay medical bills

Many pediatricians accept Medicaid, which is a joint federal-state health care program for the poor. But it was easier for the federal government to allocate funding based on Medicare billing records, which are readily available in the computer system of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said Dr. Hanoch Patt, co-medical director of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiology Associates, a national medical group with providers in Houston and Austin.

Medicaid billing and disbursement is typically left to states to track, so it would take longer to establish criteria based on Medicaid funding, she said.

The government, it seems, has not figured out a structural way to release those funds acceptably to Medicaid providers, Patt said.

Asking for help

Meanwhile, with little money coming in, pediatricians worry how theyll meet payrolls and pay the rent.

Dr. Michael Bornstein, who runs the Pediatric Center, with offices in Katy, Sugar Land and Richmond, said hes had to negotiate with his landlords, vaccine vendors and computer system provider to bring costs down. He has saved an estimated $100,000 monthly by deferring payments, but will have to come up with the money as soon as next month.

At the height of the pandemic, Bornstein shut down the office in Sugar Land and divided patients among the remaining two offices. Patients go to the Katy clinic for check-ups, while sick children see the doctors at the Richmond location.

The patients visiting his practice plummeted by two-thirds, from 300 to just under 100 a day, as did revenues. Im hoping that this ends just so I dont fail, Bornstein said.

Loans help, but dont make up for all the losses. Bornstein and Pahlavan have received Paycheck Protection Program and small business loans, but expect the money to be gone by the end of summer.

Pahlavan, who declined to disclose amount of her practices loan, said the money arrived about five weeks into the pandemic. Before that, she and her sister relied on the cash theyve saved since opening in 2008 to pay employees as patient revenues dried up in March and April.

The loans, which businesses began receiving in April, were enough to cover two months of payroll and a small part of their rent and utilities. The Pahlavan sisters, however, wonder what will happen as Texas reopens but most of their patients continue to stay home.

Theyve already had to lay off one employee. Theyre not sure theyll last the summer.

Texas Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox

Bornsteins practice received roughly $150,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program. Between that and the business cash reserves, he thinks he can survive until mid-July, at which point he would have to dip into his personal retirement account.

Should that run out, and patient visits not return to pre-pandemic levels, it could mean taking steps hes never had to consider in 27 years in private practice: cutting staff and closing offices.

Anything Ive built up is gone, Bornstein said.

The coming months

As Congress debates another federal stimulus package, pediatricians hope theres something in it for them and other specialists bypassed by the Medicare-based disbursement.

Federal health authorities said additional funds would be going out quickly to help doctors and hospitals that dont see, or only treat few, Medicare patients.

While Trump administration officials have promised funding for childrens hospitals and doctors who treat kids, pediatricians in private practice are struggling to stay open, said Mark Del Monte, CEO and executive vice president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. There are no statistics yet on pediatrics offices that have been forced to close.

Pediatricians also worry about families who arent coming in for care. If theyre not in for preventive check-ups and vaccines for measles, polio and other childhood diseases, it could mean sicker children and higher health care costs later on for parents.

Relief has been promised but so far pediatricians have been left out, Del Monte said in a statement. Each day without relief puts more childrens care at risk.

Doctors will also have to contend with outbreaks of measles, mumps, chicken pox and other diseases spread by kids who never came in for their vaccinations. That is, if pediatricians can keep their practices open.

If community physicians dont get the support they need, Pahlavan said, and dollars are funneled into health care systems and hospitals, were not going to exist.

gwendolyn.wu@chron.com

twitter.com/gwendolynawu
Protesters march through the street in downtown Minneapolis, Minn. on May 28, 2020. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Minnesota Governor Apologizes for Arrest of CNN Reporter Covering Protests

After a CNN reporter was arrested while covering the protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz apologized to the network.

There is absolutely no reason that something like this should happen. Calls were made immediately. This is a very public apology, Walz said at a press conference Friday.

The Democrat said he called CNN President Jeff Zucker a few minutes after learning of what happened.

CNN confirmed the contact and thanked Walz for his swift action, which aided the release of the crew.

Omar Jimenez was arrested by Minnesota State Patrol officers while reporting live at about 5 a.m. on Friday from the protests. He was led away in handcuffs, followed by a CNN producer and camera crew.

Officers declined requests to state a reason for the sudden arrest.

The network called the arrests a clear violation of their First Amendment rights. The quartet was taken to a public safety building and released about an hour later.

In the course of clearing the streets and restoring order at Lake Street and Snelling Avenue, four people were arrested by State Patrol troopers, including three members of a CNN crew, the state patrol said in a statement.

The three were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media, it added.

Protesters gather in front of the burning 3rd Precinct of the Minneapolis Police Department in Minn., on May 28, 2020. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)

Walz, according to CNN, told Zucker he deeply apologizes and called the arrests unacceptable.

The Democrat activated the Minnesota National Guard later Thursday after protests spiraled out of control, devolving in some areas into riots.

Around 500 soldiers arrived in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and nearby communities by Friday morning.

People gathered to protest after George Floyd, a black man, died after a police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest on Monday.

Jimenez said after being released that the moment before the arrest a person ran past them and was arrested. Officers then arrested the CNN employees.

That was the first moment, I can say, that police had gotten behind us. So in a sense, we were sort of surrounded by state patrolmen and, it seemed like, Minneapolis police officers, as well, he said.

Officers didnt express animosity and talked with Jimenez about the protests and riots, Jimenez said.
Idris Elba has said that people in the UK and US are becoming more aware of the impact coronavirus is having on the rest of the world.

The actor, 47, and his wife Sabrina Dhowre recently became United Nations goodwill ambassadors and were among the first public figures to catch the virus.

They also joined forces with the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to launch a Covid-19 relief fund.

Hey yall we are going LIVE in 10 min with @WEF and @IFAD to talk global food security during #COVID19 pandemic and how it is impacting vulnerable people, our food and our planet. Please join ushttps://t.co/g97BgWvp6k pic.twitter.com/3R7rZQDSuw  Idris Elba (@idriselba) May 29, 2020

Speaking during an online briefing organised by the World Economic Forum, Elba said young people had become more aware of the plight of poorer countries during the pandemic.

He told a panel: At the beginning stages of this pandemic, as far as the media was concerned, the optics were very close to home. Everyone was looking at themselves.

I think what has happened now is we have realised that we are all collective somewhat. There are people looking further afield.

He said that over the past three months he had seen that the optical range has widened.

He added: People still care about their own and their country, but I think the perception from afar, from England, from America, is that: If we have got it bad, then those that were already in a bad position are going to have it worse.

Expand Close Sabrina Dhowre and Idris Elba (Ian West/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Sabrina Dhowre and Idris Elba (Ian West/PA)

Video of the Day

The awareness of that is growing and its certainly growing at a policy-makers optics. We know that because of the outreach we have has been positively received.

But as far as people on the ground watching their TVs, the first question is, Why do we care? and Why should we care?, and that question spurs conversation.

So for me, its encouraging. There is awareness about this, especially amongst the young.

Dhowre said recent months had proven that coronavirus puts people living in poorer and rural areas at risk.

She said: What we have seen is that Covid doesnt discriminate but what it does do is put people who already are suffering from inequalities, people who are in these poor rural areas, women who may be living in fragile and conflict affected states, more at risk.

When we are looking at the perception, I think what we need to keep in mind is that these issues that people in these rural areas are dealing with every day are exemplified by this crisis.

We have done a great job outlining how that is today. We know that malnutrition increases the chances of getting ill, staying ill and dying.

The pair went to Sierra Leone in December with the United Nations to see how IFAD was assisting people there.
The Real Housewives of New York City alum Kelly Killoren Bensimon stripped down to a bikini to get wet and wild crawling in the Palm Beach surf on Thursday.

The self-described 'tanorexic' easily defied her 52 years jogging along the shoreline in a blue-striped Michelle Farmer two-piece, which she paired with Lisa Crawford Jewelry.

Despite graduating from Columbia University and Northeastern University, Kelly seems to gain more confidence by flaunting her fit 5ft10in figure.

Crawling: The Real Housewives of New York City alum Kelly Killoren Bensimon stripped down to a bikini to get wet and wild in the Palm Beach surf on Thursday

After being closed for over two months, the Palm Beach County Commission reopened beaches on May 18 but asked citizens to observe the CDC's social-distancing guidelines.

As of Thursday, there have been 5,541 confirmed COVID-19 cases (median age of cases is 50) leading to 339 deaths - according to the Palm Beach Post.

Bensimon later posed inside the Clock Tower at the entrance of Worth Avenue while clutching a protective yellow face mask and wearing a white eyelet dress.

'Feeling groovy!' the Douglas Elliman realtor - who boasts 392K social media followers - wrote on Thursday.

Bronzed: The self-described 'tanorexic' easily defied her 52 years jogging along the shoreline in a blue-striped Michelle Farmer two-piece, which she paired with Lisa Crawford Jewelry

Status symbol: Despite graduating from Columbia University and Northeastern University, Kelly seems to gain more confidence by flaunting her fit 5ft10in figure

Closed for over two months: The Palm Beach County Commission reopened beaches on May 18 but asked citizens to observe the CDC's social-distancing guidelines

Shade: Bensimon later posed inside the Clock Tower at the entrance of Worth Avenue while clutching a protective yellow face mask and wearing a white eyelet dress

'5 mile walk, 2 mile run, work calls, media kit, metrics, book proposal. I'm not wasting a second.'

Kelly has also kept busy posting IGTV interviews with 'bikini queen' Melissa Odabash, psychiatrist Dr. Lea Lis, and Favour Gum founder Margaret Luce.

Normally an empty nester, Bensimon is thrilled to have both her daughters - 22-year-old Sea Louise and 20-year-old Thadeus Ann - home from college.

The Douglas Elliman realtor wrote on Thursday: 'Feeling groovy. 5 mile walk, 2 mile run, work calls, media kit, metrics, book proposal. I'm not wasting a second'

'She helped Italy by making masks from her factories!' Kelly has also kept busy posting IGTV interviews with 'bikini queen' Melissa Odabash (pictured on Thursday), psychiatrist Dr. Lea Lis, and Favour Gum founder Margaret Luce

Sea Louise - a Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority sister - is set to receive her Bachelor's degree in sport and fitness administration from the University of Mississippi next year.

And Thadeus Ann reportedly attends Trinity College in Hartford - the same school her Illinois-born mother ditched after only a year.

Kelly mothered her girls during her decade-long marriage to 76-year-old French photographer Gilles Bensimon, who divorced the socialite in 2007.
As the legal battle roars on over whether to expand voting-by-mail in Texas, the number of requests for mail-in ballots is rising slowly in two of the states largest counties.

On Wednesday, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that lack of immunity to COVID-19 alone does not qualify a voter to vote by mail. But the justices put the onus on the voter to decide whether he or she meets the definition of having a disability based on aspects of his health and his health history that are physical conditions.

The ruling came as two cases launched by the Texas Democratic Party in state and federal court that seek to open up mail-in voting continue to wind through the courts. The matter, which is enveloped in a nationwide partisan debate, is poised to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The legal status of mail-in voting for virus-related reasons has gone back and forth  earlier this month, one court gave the green light only to be overturned by another court less than 24 hours later. Nevertheless, a considerable number of voters have turned in early requests for mail ballots, a Hearst Newspapers analysis shows.

In Harris County, the number of accepted mail-in ballot requests has risen from about 2.4 percent of registered voters in 2016, or 51,451 voters, to 3.2 percent of voters, or 76,267 voters, so far this year. Most were annual applications and were not limited to a single election.

Requests from Harris County voters age 65 or older, who are guaranteed a mail-in ballot in Texas, continue to represent the vast majority of applications  more than 90 percent. Requests for ballots on the basis of a disability totaled 1,429  0.06 percent of registered voters, compared to 0.04 percent in 2016.

Bexar County has similarly seen a slight increase in mail-in ballot requests compared with 2016. Theyve risen from about 1.6 percent to 2.2 percent of registered voters, or 24,477 total. Voters 65 or older accounted for most of the increase.

Texas primary runoff is scheduled for July 14. The deadline to apply to vote by mail is July 2, some five weeks away. (Applications must be received by that date, not simply postmarked.)

Bob Stein, a Rice University political science professor who studies elections, said the initial numbers point to a significant shift toward mail balloting.

Its historically high, Stein said. For the fall, the data tells me that if the conditions today remain unchanged or worsen  the consequence is that more people will try to vote by mail, try to avoid contracting the virus by voting in person early or they wont vote at all.

But theres no doubt in my mind that the share of the vote cast by mail will go up, and it will go up dramatically.

Depending on how the courts rule, Stein said the number of mail-in ballots cast in Texas could increase anywhere from 15 to 100 percent or more in the Nov. 3 general election.

In Texas, voters 65 or older can automatically vote by mail. The only other voters who can do so are those who have a disability, who will be out of the county during the election or who are in jail but otherwise eligible.

Q-AND-A: Rice University political expert on coronavirus voting: Democracy is at issue here.

Mail-in voting has historically been little-used. In 2018, for example, fewer than 7 percent of Texas voters cast ballots that way. Recent polling has shown that may be changing, especially in light of the pandemic.

A Rice University survey that Stein helped conduct showed that 70 percent of Harris County voters said theyd be likely to vote if they could do so by mail. National polls have shown similar results, including a May 12 Gallup survey that found 64 percent of Americans want their state to allow all voters to cast ballots by mail.

Were in the middle of this pandemic, so people are wondering about ballot by mail, said Michael Winn, director of elections for Harris County. There seems to be an interest.

PREPARING FOR AN INFLUX: Harris County OKs up to $12M for mail ballots amid coronavirus concerns

Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen said the lawsuits over mail-in voting dont appear to have had much effect in the county.

Many voters apply for mail-in ballots after political parties and candidates send them applications as a way to boost turnout. Primary runoffs such as the one scheduled for July 14 generally draw very low turnout, but most voters have the November election on their minds, she said.

We have not seen a big push, Callanen said.

In Tarrant County in North Texas, the number of requests for mail-in ballots has remained flat at about 2 percent since 2016. The county has received slightly more applications from voters in the 65-and-older category  22,929 compared to 19,178 in 2016  and in the disability category  328 compared to 207 in 2016.

RELATED: Survey: Harris County poll workers willing to show up amid pandemic, voters reaction mixed

Lawyers for the Democratic Party and some Texas counties say the increases are another reason to expand mail-in voting.

The VBM requests are already well underway for the July 14 run-off, and voters are already trending toward requesting VBM under the disability category, Susan Hays, an attorney representing Harris County wrote in a May 11 brief. Thus, the status quo of existing law and voter behavior encompasses the trial courts order.

What will happen to those virus-related mail-in ballot requests already received by counties if the courts strike down an expansion? They will likely still count.

The Texas Supreme Court in its ruling Wednesday said election clerks are not responsible for investigating disability claims, and during oral arguments justices highlighted the fact that most applications do not provide space for voters to explain their disability.

Lawyers for the state acknowledged that only applications that happened to include extra information indicating the virus was the only reason for claiming a disability can realistically be rejected.

Although some may view voting by mail as more convenient, Stein said the method has a major downside: First-time mail-in voters are more likely to make mistakes that cause ballots to be disqualified, he said.

The debate over mail-in voting has developed largely along partisan lines. President Donald Trump as well as top Republican leaders in Texas have pushed back against the method, claiming it would allow for more voter fraud, although studies have shown its extremely rare.

In the Harris County survey, about 82 percent of Democrats said they were likely or very likely to vote by mail compared to 54 percent of Republicans. Yet voters 65 and older make up a large percentage of the Republican electorate, many of whom vote by mail. Stein said that suggests the messaging by conservative leadership is having an effect.

Explain to me why the Republican Party is against vote-by-mail, Stein said. Theyre not against vote-by-mail  theyre just against vote-by-mail by anyone who doesnt vote Republican. And that would be true if the Democrats were in the same position, I suspect.

Studies have shown that the method does not tend to benefit any one party. A working paper by the Institute for Economic Policy Research at Stanford University found that voting by mail modestly increased turnout but benefited both parties equally.

In any case, a major broadening of mail-voting in Texas, if allowed by the courts, would be extremely costly and require counties to obtain more staff and equipment, Stein said. It would take a herculean effort to institute mass mail-in voting in time for the November election, he said.

Some counties have already started preparing. Callanen said Bexar County plans to use federal coronavirus relief money to supplement its budget for mail-in ballot processing in November.

The Harris County Commissioners Court has approved up to $12 million for increased staff, equipment and postage. In a first for the county, Winn said, commissioners also recommended the clerks office automatically send vote-by-mail applications to all the countys registered voters age 65 and older.

Theres always that uncertainty that leaves you wondering how this is going to end up, Winn said. But I think being proactive, like we are, is going to put us in a better position to deal with it.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has ordered the citys flags to fly at half-staff in memory of George Floyd, the unarmed black man who died earlier this week in Minnesota after a police officer pressed his knee into Floyds neck while handcuffed. Videos of the event posted on social media have sparked protests across the country.

Friday afternoon, Woodfin posted the following to his social media accounts.

"Ive asked the citys flag to be lowered to half-staff in memory of George Floyd. The injustice of police brutality has pressed upon our nations consciousness. Its a story Birmingham knows all too well. Our city should not be silent in the outpouring of support for George Floyds family nor the fervent demands for justice.

Birminghams history has been intrinsically tied to both protest and reconciliation. Truth, solidarity, accountability, hope  these are the enemies of injustice. With those tools we know that victory is attainable. We speak from personal experience. For George Floyd and countless others, today and every day, we stand united for justice."

Ive asked the citys flag to be lowered to half-staff in memory of George Floyd.



The injustice of police brutality is a story Birmingham knows well. Our city should not be silent in the outpouring of support for George Floyds family nor the fervent demands for justice. pic.twitter.com/kk5xNi5XwZ  Randall Woodfin (@randallwoodfin) May 29, 2020

This post included a photo of a flag pole at city hall. On the pole, the United States flag flies at full-staff, while the City of Birmingham flag flies at half-staff.

A protest was held in Birmingham Thursday night. More than 100 demonstrators gathered in Birminghams Kelly Ingram Park on Thursday for an event dubbed the Alabama Rally Against Injustice.

On Sunday, demonstrators plan to gather at Mardi Gras Park in Mobile to protest the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the black woman who was killed March 13 after officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department raided her home. The event is set to begin at 3 p.m.
Female workers at Airservices Australia, the federal agency responsible for ensuring safe air travel, have revealed the extent of the boys club culture inside the nations air traffic control towers.

Their accounts of comments by male managers such as are you hanging around because you want to fme, Grumpy - are you going to be happier after you have a shag on the weekend or too many men get blamed for rapes helped inform Fridays devastating review of Airservices Australias workplace culture by former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick.

In its submission to Ms Broderick, air traffic controllers' union Civil Air said: Hostility to women is ingrained in Airservices.

A toxic bullying culture in Australian air traffic control towers has been likened to the "Lord of Flies" film. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

After a nine month inquiry in which almost 200 staff were interviewed, 81 written submissions received and 2171 employees - nearly 60 per cent of the workforce - completed an online survey, Ms Broderick found Airservices Australia has a big problem.
A coronavirus patient has been booked by Uttarakhand police for attempt to murder since he allegedly jumped quarantine to attend a free-ration-kit distribution programme organised by the Bharatiya Janta Party on May 25 at Ramleela ground in Haridwar.

Currently recuperating at Mela Hospitals Covid-19 care unit in Haridwar, the infected person has been booked under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant.), 307 (attempt to murder) and under relevant sections of Epidemic Diseases Act and Disaster Management Act.

He is accused of exposing several people at the public function to the risk of infection including the urban development cabinet minister Madan Kaushik, who was the chief guest at the free ration kit distribution function and arrived at the venue within a couple of hours after the virus infected person had left the Ramleela ground after receiving a free ration kit from the organisers.

The youth was tested for Covid-19 on May 21 and his report came positive on May 26.

Station house officer of Haridwar city police station, Praveen Singh Koshyari registered a case against the person on a complaint by Dr Vinay Kumar for allegedly violating quarantine norms.

District magistrate, Haridwar, C Ravi Shankar said the local intelligence unit and police had identified twenty-eight persons who attended the ration kit distribution programme to be home quarantined as a precautionary measure.

The list includes Mukesh Kaushik, brother of cabinet minister Madan Kaushik and several BJP district and ward office bearers and activists.

The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19

BJP district general secretary Vikas Tiwari and ward councillor Lalit Rawat said they follow the quarantine protocol as per the directions issued by the administration and health officials.

But some BJP activists whose name figured in the home quarantine list have expressed resentment on social media over their inclusion.

We urge the administration not to be biased and come under pressure from any VIP or so-called senior party office bearers. Many in this list were not in the main contact or near the said COVID positive person but still their name has figured in the list, while some, who were in close proximity have been left, said a BJP leader whose name figures in the list.

For Coronavirus Live Updates

Local intelligence unit personnel, wishing not to be named, said that about 500 people had attended the ration kit distribution programme and the list of people to be quarantined was compiled on the basis of information gathered. Based on video footages and photographs of the event and statements of the organisers and receivers, the list was compiled, the intelligence unit personnel said.

Congress Mahanagar president Sanjay Aggarwal alleged the district administration didnt quarantine local legislator and cabinet minister Madan Kaushik under pressure, while normal citizens and migrants were being forced into quarantine.
The time is 4pm on December 8, 1980, a mild day in New York.

As John Lennon leaves his home on Central Park West, he pauses to autograph a record album for a 25-year-old former security guard named Mark David Chapman, without a suspicion in the world.

The moment is caught on camera by Paul Goresh, one of the knot of hardcore Beatles fans always to be found loitering outside the Dakota Building, where Lennon lives on the seventh floor with his wife Yoko Ono and their five-year-old son Sean.

John Lennon is photographed for the last time signing a record album for his killer, Mark David Chapman at 4pm on December 8, 1980, in New York

John Lennon was leaving his home on Central Park West when he was pictured from behind. The newly enhanced photograph has never been published before

Goresh, whom Lennon knows well, takes four more snaps of him, standing on the sidewalk, in no particular hurry before Lennon heads off to the Record Plant studios on West 48th Street. Goresh little realises he has a world scoop. For these will turn out to be the last pictures of Lennon ever taken.

When the former Beatle returns home late that evening, Chapman will be waiting in the shadows with a stubby .38 handgun and murder him in the street in front of Yoko.

Forty years on, the horror at Lennon's violent death remains. Millions of people can remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news.

Mark David Chapman, serving a sentence of 20 years to life at New York state's Wende Correctional Facility, is unlikely ever to be given parole, for his own safety.

Goresh's photo of Lennon signing an album for Chapman has gone around the world many times in blurry reproduction, and many will recognise it.

But the far better quality print shown here, taken from the newly unearthed negative, clarifies the horrible irony of the moment: a pop superstar performing an act of kindness for his soon-to-be assassin.

With the four other images, it is to be sold on Tuesday in a posthumous auction of Goresh's collected memorabilia, expected to fetch about $500,000 (405,000).

The moment was caught on camera by Paul Goresh (pictured with John Lennon on November 17, 1980), a hardcore Beatles fan seen loitering outside the Dakota Building, where Lennon lived on the seventh floor with his wife Yoko Ono and their five-year-old son Sean

When the former Beatle returns home late that evening, Chapman will be waiting in the shadows with a stubby .38 handgun and murder him in the street in front of Yoko

Here, for the first time, the Mail publishes all five together  a prologue to one of the most shocking events in celebrity history.

In the first one, never before published, Lennon has emerged from the Dakota building and is pictured from behind.

Next he is with Chapman, signing his album. Then he is looking at Chapman with cassette tapes in one hand, autograph pen in the other.

After that he turns to the camera just as Goresh's flash fails  a ghostly image. And finally he is at the car that will take him to the recording studio.

The sad irony is that when Lennon was gunned down at the age of 40, he had just started writing songs and making records again after a five-year 'retirement' and was feeling as good about the future as any chronically dissatisfied genius ever could.

It was almost a decade since he had left Britain for New York, weary of being chained to his smiley Beatle image even after the band's break-up, and sickened by the abuse hurled at Yoko by fans and the media alike.

With the radical Yoko as his spur  rather than PR-minded Paul McCartney as his brake  he had plunged into revolutionary activism while fighting the U.S. Government's efforts to deport him on the strength of a minor drug offence in London in 1969.

After signing Double Fantasy album for the 25-year-old former security guard, John Lennon is photographed getting into his limousine - and is thought to be the last picture of him alive

Pictured, the original negative of, what is thought to be, the last photograph of John Lennon alive

The marriage with Yoko, his obsession for the past five years, seemed to have soured and in 1973, tired of his blatant infidelities, she had banished him to Los Angeles for the 18 months of drunken frolicking with rock pals he would later call his 'lost weekend'.

Finally, in 1976, he had managed to acquire a Green Card, allowing him permanent residency in the U.S.  and Yoko had given birth to their son Sean.

John had decided to bring up Sean as a 'house husband', a novel concept in the late 1970s. So the pampered rock star learned childcare and even to cook, while Yoko looked after his business, cannily investing in real estate and even a herd of valuable Holstein cattle.

In those years John was no recluse and was seen regularly in the neighbourhood of the Dakota, eating in restaurants or pushing Sean in a stroller through Central Park.

He often said what he liked most about New York was being allowed his space and privacy. So personal security  as even minor stars have now  was non-existent.

In 1979 he had started writing songs again and the result was an album, Double Fantasy, on which Yoko and he had a side each. It revealed a very different John Lennon from the restless rebel the world remembered.

Songs such as Woman and Beautiful Boy celebrated his newfound security as a husband and father, and he returned to the singles charts with (Just Like) Starting Over, which seemed to promise more the same mature spirit.

He was even planning to return to Britain, chartering the liner QE2 to sail up the River Mersey to his native Liverpool.

New York in 1980 could hardly be called a safe place. Shootings and muggings were rife. In his revolutionary days, John had denounced the police as 'pigs'; now he and Yoko donated $1,000 towards bulletproof vests for Manhattan street cops.

In fact, for months before John's death, the superstitious Yoko had lived in dread of something bad happening to her husband.

After signing the record album, John Lennon turns to the camera just as Goresh's flash fails, providing a ghostly black-and-white image

Chapman told Paul Goresh that he had travelled all the way from Hawaii to get his album signed. Pictured, the original Kodacolor negative taken by Paul Goresh of John Lennon

She consulted a Japanese numerologist who claimed to see 'clouds of evil' around him  and had four psychics on her payroll, to predict the immediate future.

One of them reported seeing a vision of a woman with long hair weeping uncontrollably, but she thought that meant her sister.

Mark Chapman had arrived in New York on Friday, December 5, 1980, flying from Hawaii, where he lived with his Japanese-American wife. He was a Beatles fan, as the 11 hours of their music on tapes in his rucksack showed.

But his hero-worship of John had turned to hatred.

He believed that by accumulating wealth, property and pedigree cattle, John had 'betrayed' the spirit of The Beatles. And he claimed voices in his head were telling him this could be avenged only by 'blood'.

He was also obsessed by Holden Caulfield, the anarchic narrator of J.D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye, and believed John's murder would allow him to be transformed into Caulfield.

He hung around outside the Dakota on December 6 and 7 but didn't see John until the Sunday, when he 'snatched' some photographs of him, then fled.

The next day, Paul Goresh arrived outside the Dakota just before noon with his camera and a copy of John's book A Spaniard In The Works, which he hoped to persuade its author to sign.

As he took up his usual vantage point, he was approached by a pudgy young man in a thick coat, holding a copy of the Double Fantasy album.

'He said, 'Hi, my name's Mark. I came all the way from Hawaii to get my album signed,' Goresh remembered. 'But when I asked where he was staying he got really aggressive, so I said 'go back to where you were standing and leave me alone'.'

When Lennon emerged, Goresh approached him with the book he wanted autographed. While they were talking, Chapman came up and thrust the Double Fantasy album in front of Lennon.

When Lennon was gunned down at the age of 40, he had just started writing songs and making records again after a five-year 'retirement'. Pictured, the original Kodacolor negative of John Lennon signing the album for Chapman

Paul Goresh had a short conversation with Chapman outside the Dakota when they were both waiting for John Lennon on December 8, 1980. Pictured, original negatives showing Paul Goresh with John Lennon on November 17, 1980

'He didn't say anything,' Goresh recalled. 'Eventually, John said 'Do you want me to sign this?' so I took a shot of him doing it.'

Lennon's car to the Record Plant hadn't shown up and he stood there at a loss until a crew from RKO Radio in San Francisco  who had just taped what would turn out to be his last interview  also emerged from the Dakota.

The RKO crew had a car waiting to take them to the airport, and DJ Dave Sholin offered to drop John at the Record Plant on their way. The atmosphere was so relaxed, Goresh took more pictures.

John spent the evening at the Record Plant playing guitar on a Yoko solo track, Walking On Thin Ice. When the session ended at 10.30pm, she suggested dinner at the Stage Deli but he insisted on returning to the Dakota to say goodnight to their son.

Even then, disaster might have been avoided if their car had been driven into the building's courtyard. But it parked at the kerb.

Chapman opened fire, hitting him four times. When the police arrived minutes later, they found John beyond help and his killer leaning against a buttress, calmly reading The Catcher In The Rye.

The negatives of Goresh's one known Lennon image and four unknown ones became part of his vast collection of Beatles memorabilia, their existence unknown to newspapers and magazines.

Goresh died in 2018, having handed the collection to a dealer on the understanding it would not be sold during his lifetime.

Ken Farrell, from the auctioneers Just Kids Nostalgia, calls the five last pictures of Lennon 'one of the most important groups of [Beatles-related] images to come to market in many years.'

The Lennon images will be auctioned on Tuesday. The whole Goresh collection can be viewed on eBay or justkidscollections.com

Philip Norman is the author of John Lennon: The Life.
A Watertown company beat out some 90 others nationally for the rights to make ventilators for patients afflicted with the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus, under a free license from the California Institute of Technology.

Evo Design will make VITAL units  an acronym for Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally  which was developed in under 40 days by engineers with NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory affiliated with Caltech. The Food & Drug Administration awarded JPL an Emergency Use Authorization for the device in late April.
US President Donald Trump is feeling absolutely great after taking a two-week dose of antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine and will take it again if he thinks he is exposed to the coronavirus, a top White House official has said.

Hydroxychloroquine sulfate was first synthesised in 1946 and is in a class of medications historically used to treat and prevent malaria. It is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, childhood arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases.

Follow latest updates on coronavirus here

The drug is not FDA-approved for the treatment of Covid-19 but it has been identified as a possible treatment for the infection and the US government has requested its immediate availability.

Trump has called hydroxychloroquine a game-changer drug in the fight against the coronavirus.

I went to him just before coming out here and I asked him that. And he said, hes feeling perfect, he is feeling absolutely great after taking this regimen. And, he would take it again if he thought that he was exposed, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnaney said on Thursday when asked how the US president was feeling after taking the antimalarial drug.

Many experts have underscored the prophylaxis use of hydroxychloroquine. One such paper by Tina Hesman Saey author at ScienceNews.org talks about nearly 200 clinical trials around the world, including 28 involving healthcare workers, she said. In fact, at Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan, 3,000 healthcare workers are taking it as part of a trial. And theres some really excellent information there about the use of prophylaxis for this, the press secretary said.

Responding to questions, McEnany said that a number of doctors and researchers have been coming out in support of hydroxychloroquine.

Its not specific to the President, these doctors. But they just talk in general about what theyve seen. For instance, Sarah Lofgren, an infectious disease doctor at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis - theyre testing hydroxychloroquine there to prevent COVID-19. And she said, When used alone, were not seeing major issues. Out of the thousands of patients, were not seeing things that some people are concerned about, she said.

McEnany also said that it was always important to get a prescription from doctor if one wished to take hydroxychloroquine.

Doctors are the ones that need to be prescribing this, she said.

Click here for complete coronavirus coverage

But that being said, I think that some of the hyperbole around this drug that has been on the market for 65 years - been approved for use in three other maladies and has been approved for off-label use - when theres a lot of hyperbole about this being unsafe - some of the things Ive seen reported out there - are consequences, deterring people from being recruited into actual clinical trials, McEnany said.

I have some quotes from a New York epidemiologist and others conducting trials, saying theyre having trouble recruiting people because some of the myths that are out there. So its important to note that this drug has been safely used by millions of people for a long time, she said in response to a question.

After Trump announced early this month that he was taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure against coronavirus, a number of Indian-American doctors have written to the Trump Campaign about the usefulness of this antimalaria drug in the fight against Covid-19.

Also read| Covid-19: What you need to know today

Some of them even said that they had been taking the drug.

Hydroxychloroquine is a very safe drug used by millions all over the world over several decades, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) president Dr Suresh Reddy said in a recent letter to Al Mason, co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian American Finance Committee.

On a personal note, several of my friends including me, have been taking Hydroxychloroquine, Reddy said.

In a statement, Mason said Trump had taken unprecedented steps to respond to the coronavirus crisis.

He took swift action to shut down travel from where the virus originated  China, he added.

Also read: India most infected by Covid-19 among Asian countries, leaves Turkey behind

Observing that the unprecedented global pandemic is testing every world leader, he said that nations were judging their leaders on a daily basis. A pandemic was never a subject for any world leader to have to have a mastery over, yet Trump has a handle now on every facet related to the coronavirus, Mason said. After Trumps repeated touting of hydroxychloroquine as a game changer cure for the virus, the FDA issued an advisory warning that the drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for treating or preventing COVID-19. The Trump Administration has bought millions of doses of hydroxychloroquine and stockpiled it. India, which is one of the major manufactures of the drug, has sent several millions of doses to the US as part of its humanitarian gesture.
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, center, is surrounded by a group of lawmakers after being elected as speaker of the parliament, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, May 28, 2020. Iran's parliament voted Thursday to elect Qalibaf, a hard-line former mayor of Tehran as the legislative body's new speaker. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Hard-Line Former Tehran Mayor Named Iran Parliament Speaker

DUBAI, United Arab EmiratesIrans parliament elected a former mayor of Tehran tied to the Revolutionary Guard as its next speaker on May 28, solidifying hard-line control of the body as tensions between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic remain high over its collapsed nuclear deal.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibafs assumption of power comes after a string of failed presidential bids and 12 years as the leader of Irans capital city, in which he built onto Tehrans subway and supported the construction of modern high-rises.

Many, however, remember Qalibaf for his support as a Revolutionary Guard general for a violent crackdown on Iranian university students in 1999. He also reportedly ordered live gunfire to be used against Iranian students in 2003 while serving as the countrys police chief.

It is time to thank all representatives, all workers at the parliament complex, experts, managers, security forces and services, Qalibaf said, promising to give a speech on May 31.

Qalibafs candidacy received 230 votes from the 264 lawmakers present in the parliament in the first round of voting, state television reported. Parliament has 290 seats.

Qalibaf, 58, replaces Ali Larijani, who served as the parliaments speaker from 2008 until this May. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed Larijani as an adviser and a member of the countrys Expediency Council on May 28, state TV reported.

As a speaker, Qalibaf leads a body that can debate Irans annual budget and push for the impeachment of government ministers. However, laws passed by the parliament must be approved by a 12-member Guardian Council, and Khamenei holds final say on all matters of state.

The position also puts Qalibaf onto Irans Supreme National Security Council, the countrys highest level body that handles defense and nuclear issues. That takes on new importance as the U.S. withdrew waivers from Irans nuclear program late on May 27 and tensions between the two nations remain high.

On May 28, Guard navy chief Adm. Ali Reza Tangsiri issued a new warning to the U.S. while inaugurating 112 new vessels in the port city of Bandar Abbas.

Today, we announce that wherever the Americans are, we are right there beside them and they will feel it more in the near future, Tangsiri said, according to the semiofficial Tasnim news agency.

A trained pilot, Qalibaf served in the paramilitary Guard during the countrys bloody 1980s war with Iraq. After the conflict, he served as the head of the Guards construction arm, Khatam al-Anbia, for several years leading efforts to rebuild.

Qalibaf then served as the head of the Guards air force, when in 1999 he co-signed a letter to reformist President Mohammad Khatami amid student protests in Tehran over the government closing a reformist newspaper and a subsequent security force crackdown. The letter warned that Khatami the Guard would take action unilaterally unless he agreed to put down the demonstrations.

Violence around the protests saw several killed, hundreds wounded, and thousands arrested.

Qalibaf then served as the head of Irans police, modernizing the force and implementing the countrys 110 emergency phone numbers. However, a leaked recording of a later meeting between Qalibaf and members of the Guards volunteer Basij force, included him claiming that he ordered gunfire be used against demonstrators in 2003, as well as praising the violence used in Irans 2009 Green Movement protests.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hinted at the 2003 incident during a debate in the 2017 presidential election.

There was an argument that you were saying that the students should come then we can pincer attack to them and finish the job, Rouhani said at the time.

As mayor, Qalibaf faced corruption allegations, including over some $3.5 million being donated to a foundation run by his wife. However, he also used his prominence to travel to the World Economic Forum and even praised New York City in an interview with the Financial Times, undoubtedly raising eyebrows among hard-liners.

Qalibaf ran failed presidential campaigns in 2005, 2013, and 2017, the last of which saw him withdraw in support of the hard-liner Ebrahim Raisi, now the head of the countrys judiciary. Despite that, U.S. diplomats suggested Qalibaf enjoyed the support of Khameneis influential son Mojtaba, according to diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks.

Despite winning the vote, Qalibaf may still face suspicion from other lawmakers, particularly over his ambitions, wrote Jason Brodsky, the policy director of the Washington-based group United Against Nuclear Iran.

Some factions view his bid with suspicion given rumors Qalibaf wants to use the speakership as a means to run for the presidency in 2021, Brodsky wrote. Also, because of his previous election campaigns facing off against Rouhani, Qalibaf would preside over a more combative parliament.

By Jon Gambrell
Dublin, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Asia B2B Database: B2B Contacts and Company Data; 17 Million Companies and 50 Million Employee Names" database has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This database monitors 17+ million companies in 16 APAC countries, using an artificial-intelligence-powered data crawling system combined with reliable governmental sources. It upgrades the way researchers and salespeople currently operate by reducing the steps needed to reach to necessary information / prospects.



This database, Asia's largest B2B contacts and company data portal, covers more than 50 million key employee contacts across more than 1,000 industries. It works like a search engine for companies and B2B contacts in Asia, allowing the user to search real-time company data - background data, business descriptions, shareholder/manager names, financial data and employee data, along with e-mail addresses, Linkedin profiles, Facebook, company websites and much more.



It has been made simple and easy for researchers, salespeople and marketers to search and access company data and direct contact information of key employees across the economically booming APAC region. Because government sources are monitored - including tax departments - there are no inactive companies in the database.



Countries covered include:



Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, New Zealand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei.

What's included:

Quarterly package: 13,920 credits for data export, email search and email verification

Annual package: 55,680 credits for data export, email search and email verification. Customers purchasing their first year will receive an additional 16,704 and a free 3 month extension of their online access

For more information about this database visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kgixr3

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.
Following the locust attacks in more than five states, farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut have been asked to stay vigilant as the threat of potential locust invasion in the state looms large. Known to have traveled from the gulf, the huge swarms of locusts transit from Pakistan to India.

The first locust attack of this year was reported from Ganganagar, a district in north Rajasthan bordering Pakistan on May 11 and have now spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh.

READ | Uttar Pradesh: CM Adityanath To Sign MoU On Employment For Migrants, 11.5 Lakhs To Benefit

Farmers asked to stay alert

District Magistrate Anil Dhingra instructed farmers in Meerut to remain alert about a potential invasion of locust swarms into the district and said that a review meeting was chaired with all the concerned officials.

Detailing on the steps taken to tackle the menace, District Magistrate Dhingra said that 500 spray tankers were ready to be employed in case of an attack. Further, he said that the farmers were given proper training in order to efficiently deal with the locusts attack.

READ | Maharashtra Agriculture Varsity Suggests Ways To Tackle Locust Menace

UP CM takes cognisance of locusts threat

Taking cognisance of the matter, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had issued directions to district magistrates of Jhansi, Lalitpur, Agra, Mathura, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Mahoba, Banda, Chitrakoot, Jalaun, Etawah and Kanpur Dehat on Wednesday, May 27. At the state-level, teams have already been formed and control rooms established to track the movement of locusts. At the district headquarter level, a nodal officer has been appointed, and a task force and control room already set up.

Officials have been instructed to list elaborate details of the danger posed by locusts and precautions that need to be taken. The officials will be sharing them through social media as well, in addition to making them available to farmers and locals. An advisory was also issued to beat drums, tin containers, metal plates and create noise to shoo the locusts in case of an attack. Officials of the Agriculture Department have been told to coordinate with members of the locust warning team, locals and farmers.

READ | Odisha Guv Contributes Rs 11 Lakh To CM Fund For Amphan Relief Work

Government's measures

The Union Agriculture Ministry on Thursday said that 15 sprayers are being procured from the United Kingdom and plans are afoot to deploy drones and helicopters for the aerial spray of pesticides.

Union Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that control measures are in full swing and in close coordination with state agriculture departments, local administration, and Border Security Force (BSF).

READ | Coronavirus Live Updates: Cases At 1,58,333; SC Says 'no Migrant To Be Charged For Travel'
In February 2020, the City of Houston released Resilient Houston, its high-level strategy for dealing with unexpected shocks and systemic stresses. It was a plan born mainly out of Hurricane Harvey, with thought also given to crises such as heatwaves, terrorism and cyberattacks. But no one yet foresaw a pandemic.

In mid-May, the city released a COVID-19 addendum to the plan. In this weeks episode, we talk with Jeff Hebert, a partner at HR&A Advisors, which helped Houstons resilience officer develop the original plan  and which also contributed, pro bono, to the COVID addendum.

Hebert is former Deputy Mayor and Chief Resilience Officer for the City of New Orleans, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. As a partner at HR&A, he works with cities around the world to plan for disasters.

In our interview, he talks about the importance of saving Houstons small businesses; a lesson learned from Hurricane Harvey thats being used now; planning for the pandemics overlap with disasters such as a hurricane or heatwave; and also, the thing that makes Houstons approach to disasters different from the United States other big cities: our hard-won experience dealing with lots of them.

How is a pandemic different from those other crises that the city was already planning for  things like hurricanes, floods cyberattacks and terrorism?

On the Gulf Coast, what we're most used to are the types of disasters that we can see  a hurricane, a flood, or other types of disruptions. We sort of know what those mean. In the period just after the disaster happens, we know that we have to do damage assessments, we have to do cleanup, we have to rebuild. We know what that looks like. For those of us who grew up in the Gulf Coast, it's something we're sort of used to.

This is totally different. First, this is invisible. It's related to public health. Theres a psychological shift that we have to make: that even though it's beautiful outside and there isn't flooding and it's not raining and there aren't high winds, the threat that we cant see is just as significant. That's the first piece.

Second, recovery is very different. It's not picking up the pieces and rebuilding your house. It's, how do we rebuild our businesses? I saw a recent statistic: Over 400,000 people in Houston are now without work. How do you rebuild the capacity to have those jobs filled, to have people able to go back to work?

It becomes more social than physical. I think that's very hard for us to imagine  particularly for those of us who are used to disasters in the context of a physical disaster. However, there are similarities in preparation.

More from Lisa Gray Hotez: Scientists divided on what recent COVID decline means

The list of disasters that you ran through  hurricanes, floods, cyberattacks, terrorism  are different from each other. And clearly, a pandemic is also different. But the ability to prepare for any sort of shock and be able to withstand the period of time that it's going to take to come back and recover is very similar.

The difference  the frightening thing as June 1, the start of hurricane season, comes upon us  is that the pandemic overlaps with the hurricane season. So we could be dealing with the pandemic, which is something that is sort of new to us, on top of something that we very much know how to prepare for  a hurricane. Or the parts of a hurricane  excess rainfall and high wind and all that.

So, not only is the pandemic something that is different and new for us, adding a pandemic on top of hurricane season is also new for us. It's going to stretch the way we think about disaster and the way we have to move forward to prepare.

At the end of the day, it's about how we prepare and learn and move forward.

Where would you say we are now in the COVID-19 pandemic?

We've thought about this as a framework in four pieces. There's emergency response, which is what we're in right now. The virus is not yet done, and we still have numbers of people who are sick, so we're not out of emergency response.

But at the same time, with reopening, we're in stabilization. This pandemic is a bit different than a lot of other disasters in that we're doing both things at the same time.

What's next is adaptive recovery, which is, How are the programs and the funding that's coming now going to allow us to adapt for the next thing? We need the best possible programs to deal with existing issues and make Houston a more stable place in the future. We dont want to spend money on just getting to get back to the way things were before. We should spend it in ways that help us out in the future.

Last, as we develop those programs, comes institutionalizing: How do you keep it all going, so we become more resilient long-term, and so that Houston or any city can build from this experience? One of the things that Mayor Turner did was sign an executive order institutionalizing the resilience strategy  literally to codify it in a way that would keep the idea of resilience moving forward.

We released the resilience strategy in February. We didnt imagine that in March, wed be updating it.

With the coronavirus, its tougher to respond to everything because of the economic problems ratcheting through the city. What sorts of things there are you recommending we look at?

One of the largest sectors being hit throughout the country is small business. In many places small businesses are the backbone of community. The small businesses support the neighborhoods, the suburbs, the subdivisions. Those businesses are greatly impacted, and the service workers who work in those industries in small businesses are also greatly impacted.

So small business support is going to be very, very important  not just because businesses like restaurants affect our daily lives and are what we like about our cities. But small business also supports a large portion of our working population.

They provide services at a local scale, services that are important for neighborhoods to survive  all the food and materials and services that communities need.

THE NEWS YOU NEED: Sign up for free newsletters and get the best of the Houston Chronicle delivered to your inbox

So focusing on small businesses, helping them better withstand disruptions, is really important to the Houston resilience strategy. That was true, too, pre-COVID. That comes out of understanding what happens in disaster: After any disaster, communities need small businesses to come back and thrive.

Small businesses were especially vulnerable to the COVID crisis, so they will need particular support to recover and build resilience against future disasters.

That is not to say that large employers and large sectors are unimportant. It's just that small businesses are much more vulnerable than some of our larger corporations. And these small businesses are the backbone of our cities and our communities. We have to make sure sure that they're able to come back.

One of Resilient Houstons goals is to make Houston not just more resilient, but more just. COVID isn't hitting all of Houston evenly: In particular, so far, African Americans have been most at risk. How does the plan take that into account?

That's a really important question. Equity and resilience go hand in hand. Theres a foundational principle: A community cannot recover unless everyone in the community can recover. Its a core concept of how we are able to build resilience in communities.

So with a resilience strategy, one of the first things is communication, making sure everyone has access to information  for instance, making sure that all the communities and vulnerable populations know where services are.

With COVID, are some communities are missing that?

A lot of lessons were learned in Houston from Hurricane Harvey  making sure, for example, that there is translation available for information as it's coming out. As we know, Houston has an extraordinarily diverse population. I think there are more languages spoken in Houston today than there are in L.A. or New York.

That diversity is amazing to build off culturally, but it also means that you have to be able to communicate to all the different populations, particularly people who have newly arrived.

When we discussed Hurricane Harvey last year, as we were working on the general resilience plan, it was about building for the future. Who would have known that the strategy released in February would in March be something that we were going to have to really focus on?

713Photography

With COVID, communication is extremely important. As Houston has rolled out testing, its been extremely important for people to have information like where the testing sites are.

You mentioned worries that the pandemic may overlap with a hurricane. What sorts of problems would be caused by having both simultaneously?

The Gulf Coast and South Florida have been preparing for hurricanes for years. It's a part of the DNA of those regions. The city, the county, the state all put a great deal of effort into preparing every year for June 1, when the Atlantic hurricane season starts.

COVID puts another lens on that. Things like evacuation and shelters  all of those things that we are used to preparing for  have to be thought about in a completely different context. We're still in the middle of a pandemic. We still need social distancing.

Think about the ability to evacuate. Normally many people go stay with family or relatives from other households, and others stay in shelters with a large number of people. But social distancing complicates both those options. It may mean, for instance, that fewer people are allowed in one shelter, so we have to have more locations.

We can handle two crises at the same time. It's just going to take more creativity and a different way of thinking, given this new reality.

The second thing I will say is that our emergency preparedness system, particularly for hurricanes, is based on a system of sharing mutual aid. Because the entire country is stressed by this pandemic, the mutual-aid system is stressed, and it may be more difficult to call in aid from other parts of the country.

That means is we have to be more creative at the local level  to be more resourceful to take care of our people.

The constraints that we have to deal with now are all workable, but we do have to think about things differently. It's going to take more thought and more resourcefulness.

You've also been worried about the danger of extreme heat, especially given the economic distress many people are in because of COVID-19. Could you talk about that?

A lot of places, Houston among them, have been able to map where there's a higher occurrence of heat in the city. The outdoor temperature has a lot to do with things like park space and tree canopy.

Frankly  and this is true of cities across the country  the communities that are most vulnerable to extreme heat are low-income communities of color, where the built environment has fewer parks and less tree canopy and other things that lower temperature. So its hotter in those communities. On days with extreme temperatures, its harder to keep those homes cool.

Its that much more stressful during the pandemic, particularly for people who may have lost their jobs. As we all know, as it gets warm and we use more air-conditioning, our bills go up. People are already making hard choices about food and rent. And this summer, heat is going to be much more challenging for populations that are already vulnerable.

Add on top of that the problems of cooling centers. Because more people will have trouble paying for the electricity for air-conditioning, more people will need to take refuge in cooling centers or with friends or family from different households. To maintain social distancing, we have to think about cooling on extreme heat days in the same ways for the same reasons we have to rethink hurricane shelters.

As I said before, the problem is not necessarily intractable. It can be figured out.

Youve worked on resiliency planning for cities including New York, Miami and New Orleans. Is it different for Houston than for other American cities?

Houston is different. Of our largest cities, Houston is the one thats had the most practice. Similar to New Orleans and Miami, Houston is used to routine events.

Routine disasters?

Right: Routine disasters. Things happen all the time with flooding.

And if you're looking at the largest cities in the U.S.  New York, L.A., Chicago, Philadelphia and others in the top 10  Houston's really the only one where its routine.

You have more practice. And so you're much more prepared for these larger-scale events. That's a good thing. Thats important.

The second thing is, part of the DNA of Houston is a can-do attitude. Out of that comes ingenuity about how to solve problems. What I see in Houston is a willingness to really try to find solutions to very difficult challenges. I think it comes out of your culture of engineering.

Houston has its share of challenges also. Theyre not as unique  like the number of people who are vulnerable to these crises. Like a lot of cities, Houston has a wide disparity in income, and what we know about disasters  no matter what city it is, no matter what disaster it is, it is going to impact lower-income people more than others.

We see that in Houston, the same way we see it in Miami, New Orleans, New York, L.A. and lots of other places. But particularly after Hurricane Harvey, you've seen people come together to really try to make a change and go in a different direction.

That can-do attitude, that can-do spirit, is what's pushing Houston forward in our work over the past year-and-a-half or so with Resilient Houston. The thinking behind that plan is the experience that unfortunately comes from having to manage a lot of these disasters. But that experience also makes Houston very well prepared amongst our largest cities to deal with these issues.

lisa.gray@chron.com, @LisaGray_HouTX

TRY THE APP: Get alerts, breaking news and in-depth coverage on what's happening in Houston for your mobile phone and tablet devices through our mobile apps on Google Play and the App Store
The students used an online tool to create the comics as part of their social studies project, CTV News reports.

Grade 3 students create comics about immigrant stories The students used an online tool to create the comics as part of their social studies project, CTV News reports.

Grade 3 students create comics about immigrant stories The students used an online tool to create the comics as part of their social studies project, CTV News reports.

Grade 3 students create comics about immigrant stories The students used an online tool to create the comics as part of their social studies project, CTV News reports. Mohanad Moetaz Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

A

Grade 3 students in a social studies class in Toronto have created comic strips about immigration using an online tool.

The stories were gathered through online personal interviews, and the comic background was designed using Pixton, an online comic-maker.

One of the students, Adya Bhartia, interviewed a close family friend she calls Aunt Ludivine, and decided to write the comic about the process of writing the comic.

Find out if you are eligible for any of Canadas immigration programs

Bhartia felt as though creating the comic was a learning experience for her, and found that she and Aunt Ludivine had some similarities, because Bhartia too is an immigrant.

My favourite thing about Canada was the really kind people, Bhartia told CTV News, The people who are really polite, try and help you. I really like that, and my aunt also liked the same.Bhartias teacher, Ian Lawrence, was surprised that students approached the assignment in different ways.

One student, Adya, she went with making a comic about the whole process of making the comic, very meta, which is really cool, he said.

Another student just did a whole story from the perspective of his grandfather from Yugoslavia all the way to the process of immigrating to becoming a Canadian citizen. Very different process, but very cool comic as well.

Lawrence himself made a comic as an example to his students. The comic was about his mothers immigration journey from Macau, to Hong Kong and then to Canada where she worked as a Public Health nurse.

Canada is a popular destination to immigrate to, with tens of thousands of people invited to apply for permanent residence so far this year, despite travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Find out if you are eligible for any of Canadas immigration programs

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved
C ontact tracing apps have been heralded as one part of the tool kit to help manage the spread of coronavirus with countries working establish their own versions across the globe.

But its not as simple as designing an app and pushing it out for everyone to use. You need to take into account what method is being used, e.g if it is bluetooth-based or location-based, is it a centralised or decentralised approach and what are the privacy implications of such an app.

Polly Sanderson, privacy counsel at the Future of Privacy Forum based in Washington D.C, usually spends her days focusing on privacy legislation in the US but since the pandemic has hit has switched her focus to the privacy implications of Covid-19, including the contact tracing apps. She recently spoke at the Privitar digital In:Confidence event on the impact of the virus on data privacy.

If the apps are going to be adopted then individuals need to trust them. And in order to trust them, individuals need to feel their privacy is being protected, she tells the Standard.

The early models: Israel and Singapore

Israel and Singapore were two of the first countries to create contact tracing apps but being the first doesnt make them the best when it comes to privacy. In particular, the Israeli model had a lot of issues, according to Sanderson.

The Israeli app focused on collecting the full location histories of individuals using GPS location. This meant that if someone was infected with Covid-19, the government could cross-reference individual locations in order to find a proximity event, and warn those who had been in contact to self-isolate.

But location history is very sensitive. The fact they were collecting location history, combined with a centralised model whereby there was a government database with all the information is concerning. Theres nothing technical stopping the government from re-purposing that data in the future for other purposes, she explains.

On top of that, if the government has a big database of personal information, this always runs the risk of a data breach.

Over in Singapore, the focus was on using a Bluetooth approach: collecting and identifying peoples proximity-based on Bluetooth which is more accurate than GPS data. However, this approach was also centralised, which means data breaches are a risk here too.

Decentralising data: Google and Apple API

Early on in the pandemic, Google and Apple announced a joint effort to use their respective smartphone software as part of the contact tracing system. Its almost unprecedented for these two rival tech companies to work together but, given the severity of the scenario, the companies thought they could work together to harness the powers of smartphones whilst keeping privacy at the core of the model.

The Google and Apple API works by using short-ranging Bluetooth signals and decentralised rotating identifiers, so it is possible to know phones have crossed paths but not identify where this happened. This model is based on the DP-3T protocol developed in Europe, which uses Bluetooth tech but the data is stored in a decentralised location.

The only information thats created and transferred is that theres a proximity event between two individuals, explains Sanderson. No one knows where the event was, you dont know anyones location, so you get around that sensitive data collection issue that Israel ran into.

Theres no government database which could be repurposed.

The NHS contact tracing app has been tested in the Isle of Wight ahead of a nationwide roll-out / Steve Parsons/PA Wire/PA Images

Before the two decided to work together, there was a technical limitation with Apples operating software, iOS, and Googles Android software which decreased the accuracy of the respective devices recognising each others Bluetooth signals. This would significantly affected the contact tracing model. Only governments that have applied to use this model can get over the technical hurdle of Google and Apple phones not recognising one anothers Bluetooth signals.

This week, Switzerland has rolled out the first contact tracing app using the Google and Apple API. In total, 22 countries, as well as some US states, have requested access to the tech.

What about the NHS version?

Englands contact tracing app, which launched yesterday, relies on Bluetooth, not location, for tracing. However, the NHS version isnt using the Google and Apple model because it wants to hold the information centrally.

The information of those who have coronavirus will be kept for 20 years, and the contact information of people youve been near will be kept for five years. Public Health England says it needs to keep the data in order to help control the spread of the virus, both currently and in the future.

How will the coronavirus test-and-trace system work?

But this means the accuracy of the app may not be as effective as this runs into the issue of Google and Apple phones not working as well together when it comes to Bluetooth.

I can see why countries like the UK and France want to collect more information and want to do it for legitimate purposes. But using the API, thats not possible, says Sanderson. But not using the API decreases the accuracy of the system.

TODO: define component type apester

Not only does it not work as well from a tech perspective, but there are the privacy and security implications of using the centralised database that people may not trust as much.

If you need trust to get adoption and adoption is necessary for good public health outcomes, I do sympathise with the UKs original approach but I completely understand why Google and Apple did what they did.

Which is best when it comes to privacy?

For coronavirus contact tracing apps, Sanderson thinks the Google and Apple API is one of the best when it comes to privacy.

Theyve taken a privacy-preserving technique and theyve really included privacy by design. The reason theyve done that is they recognise that if [the apps] are going to be adopted then individuals need to trust them.

If you dont use the API, the accuracy of your Bluetooth-contact tracing app is going to be decreased.

Though the UK is forging ahead with its own version currently, the government may ditch this in favour of the decentralised API model. The prime ministers official spokesman told reporters in early May: Weve set out our plans for a centralised model and thats what we are taking forward but we will keep all options under review to make sure the app is as effective as possible.

It's tricky as citizens: you want to help prevent the spread of the virus but not at the expense of privacy. These apps will be part of our new normal for years to come, so it's important we get it right.
HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Pokhriyal on Thursday suggested that colleges and varsities could promote students to the next semester or grade based on some criteria as suggested by the UGC but students of final year may be asked to take the exam.

In an interaction with academicians with universities and colleges, Nishank said the present situation should be treated as an opportunity to overcome limitations in the system.

He called upon the educationists, students, parents to switch-over to the online method and make the most of the situation so that the academic session of the students is not interrupted. He said there is an urgent need to improve and enhance the online ecosystem in India and educators should contribute to enhance the reach so that online education reaches even the rural areas.

In the hour long interaction and address, the Union Minister reflected on various issues and concerns raised by educationists of over 45,000 institutions related to academic calendar, online education, examinations, fees etc.

The minister also suggested that colleges and varsities could promote student based on some criteria as suggested by the UGC. Students of final year will have exam while those in other classes can be promoted, he suggested. The UGC has left the choice in this regard with individual institutions. HRD officials said the minister was referring to the UGC guidelines when he made the comments.

The higher education regulator also said examinations in colleges and universities can be held in May and June with July being the month of summer vacations. The next academic cycle can begin in August for second- and third-year students and in September for freshers, it said.

Generally, academic sessions end in colleges and universities in May-June and new sessions begin in July-August. Education institutes have been shut down across India since March 25, when a nationwide lockdown was imposed to stop the spread of Covid-19.

In guidelines issued on Wednesday after long deliberations, UGC said if the previous semesters result is not available, particularly in the first year, 100% evaluation of students may be done on the basis of internal assessments.

The internal evaluation process can be continuous, mid-semester or it can be any method that gauges a students progression, UGC said, adding that the guidelines are advisory in nature and an individual institute will have to chart its own course based on its circumstances.
Readers hoping to buy Television Broadcasts Limited (HKG:511) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. You can purchase shares before the 1st of June in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 16th of June.

Television Broadcasts's next dividend payment will be HK$0.20 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of HK$0.50 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Television Broadcasts has a trailing yield of 5.1% on the current share price of HK$9.8. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

Check out our latest analysis for Television Broadcasts

Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. Television Broadcasts's dividend is not well covered by earnings, as the company lost money last year. This is not a sustainable state of affairs, so it would be worth investigating if earnings are expected to recover. Considering the lack of profitability, we also need to check if the company generated enough cash flow to cover the dividend payment. If Television Broadcasts didn't generate enough cash to pay the dividend, then it must have either paid from cash in the bank or by borrowing money, neither of which is sustainable in the long term. Television Broadcasts paid out more free cash flow than it generated - 122%, to be precise - last year, which we think is concerningly high. We're curious about why the company paid out more cash than it generated last year, since this can be one of the early signs that a dividend may be unsustainable.

Click here to see how much of its profit Television Broadcasts paid out over the last 12 months.

Story continues

SEHK:511 Historical Dividend Yield May 28th 2020

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

When earnings decline, dividend companies become much harder to analyse and own safely. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. Television Broadcasts was unprofitable last year and, unfortunately, the general trend suggests its earnings have been in decline over the last five years, making us wonder if the dividend is sustainable at all.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Television Broadcasts has seen its dividend decline 11% per annum on average over the past ten years, which is not great to see. While it's not great that earnings and dividends per share have fallen in recent years, we're encouraged by the fact that management has trimmed the dividend rather than risk over-committing the company in a risky attempt to maintain yields to shareholders.

We update our analysis on Television Broadcasts every 24 hours, so you can always get the latest insights on its financial health, here.

Final Takeaway

Should investors buy Television Broadcasts for the upcoming dividend? It's hard to get used to Television Broadcasts paying a dividend despite reporting a loss over the past year. Worse, the dividend was not well covered by cash flow. With the way things are shaping up from a dividend perspective, we'd be inclined to steer clear of Television Broadcasts.

Although, if you're still interested in Television Broadcasts and want to know more, you'll find it very useful to know what risks this stock faces. For example, we've found 1 warning sign for Television Broadcasts that we recommend you consider before investing in the business.

A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
N ewbury Racecourse will reopen for racing on 12 June, the company said on Friday, with plans for a ramp up in the schedule in August.

Spectators will not be permitted but the move should help the business improve revenues due to TV rights.

The British Horseracing Authority banned racing on 17 March due to the Covid-19 outbreak
The Rockhampton nurse whose travel is now being investigated by Queensland Health followed protocol by self-isolating after a trip to Malaysia and before she drove to Blackwater, according to her union.

A month after her road trip to the small mining town, her union said, she tested positive for COVID-19.

The nurse had made a road trip inland to Blackwater before returning to work at the North Rockhampton Nursing Centre. Credit:AAP/Levi Appleton

Queensland Health is tracing people who may have had contact with 30-year-old Blackwater miner Nathan Turner, who died in his home on Tuesday.

A post-mortem revealed Mr Turner had COVID-19, but his exact cause of death is still unknown, as he suffered from other medical issues.
People are seen next to their thatched homes at the Muna camp for internally displace people in Maiduguri, Nigeria, December 1, 2016.  UNHCR/Afolabi Sotunde

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and humanitarian partners are stepping up assistance to nearly 4,000 displaced people who lost all their goods in a large fire which swept through a camp in Maiduguri, in eastern Nigerias Borno State.

The blaze left two people dead and hundreds of families had their shelters destroyed.

The fire broke out on the eve of Muslim festival of Eid-al-Fitr celebrating the end of Ramadan, at the makeshift camp now hosting some 40,000 internally displaced people. It began after sparks from a cooking fireplace spread out and ignited a fire which soon engulfed shelters all around the camp. Houses were razed to the ground and damaged other facilities.

The majority of those affected people were women.

Nearly 300,000 displaced people are scattered in organized and makeshift sites in and around Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. In the past few months, several fire incidents have occurred in congested IDP camps across North East Nigeria where shelters are too close for safety.

UNHCR is working with the authorities, aid agencies and local partners to make sure those affected receive shelter and other relief items as people are once again displaced inside and outside of the camp. Many, including young children, are living under the open skies, needing immediate help with shelter, food and clothing.

A total of some 2.5 million people are displaced across the Lake Chad region, including some 1.8 million inside Nigeria and the rest in Cameroon and Chad. With the ongoing violence by Boko Haram and other armed groups thousands more have to run for their lives each day. Young girls, old women and aid workers continue to bear the brunt of this escalating violence.

With violence on the rise, the threat of COVID19 brings in new threats for the internally displaced living in overcrowded camps and settlements where social distancing is impossible. In response, UNHCR is working with the UN Development Programme to expand several camps and build additional shelters.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
Universal Orlando has announced it is reopening some of its hotels to guests on June 2 after they were closed to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

In a statement sent on Friday, officials said the hotels will be carefully managed in phases, and will reopen with a range of safe practices and hygiene procedures.

Six resorts including Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Universal's Aventura Hotel and Universal's Endless Summer Resort-Surfside Inn and Suites will be reopening.

Plans to reopen Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Universal's Endless Summer Resort - Dockside Inn and Suites will be announced at a later date, the company said.

Guests will also be able to visit the theme parks before the formal reopening takes place on June 5.

The news comes as Florida officials signed off on a phased reopening of Walt Disney World - about nine miles away - starting on July 11.

Universal Studios Orlando will be reopening six of its hotels to guests on June 2 with the park opening to the public on June 5. Pictured: Guests wearing face masks pose for selfies at the Universal Orlando's CityWalk, May 14

Hand sanitizer stations will be available in public areas and elevator landings and high-touch areas such as door handles will be frequently cleaned. Pictured: Guests at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Diagon Alley at the Universal Orlando Resort, June 2014

Florida officials approved Walt Disney World's phased reopening starting with the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11. Pictured: Guests leave the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World before the park closed, March 15

Social distancing and face coverings will be required for both guests and employees in public areas at Universal resorts.

Additionally, team members and vendors will be required to have their temperatures taken before coming to work.

Guests will be asked to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms and anyone with a fever of 100.4F or higher after three checks will not be allowed to enter.

Hand sanitizer stations will be available public areas and elevator landings and high-touch areas, including telephones, remote controls, door handles, light switches, elevators, and table tops will be frequently cleaned.

Universal says, if possible, guest rooms will be left vacant for 24 to 48 hours after a guest leaves so it can throughly cleaned before checking in a new guest.

Additionally, those staying in Universal's hotels will be able to visit the theme parks on June 3 and 4, before they open to the public on June 5.

SeaWorld plans to reopen on June 11 and Walt Disney World announced it will begin reopening in phases, starting with the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11.

The successful reopening of Disney parks in Shanghai is a signal event for the company and the rest of the world as governments and companies strategize how to move out of lockdown while the coronavirus is still a threat.

Disney World is currently not selling new theme park tickets or allowing new reservations to enforce social distancing measures.

When the parks reopen, guests and employees will be required to wear masks and undergo temperature checks.

The resort will suspend parades, fireworks displays and other activities that create crowds such as meeting-and-greeting characters

Walt Disney World will suspend parades, fireworks displays and other activities that create crowds such as meeting-and-greeting characters. Pictured: Fireworks in the Magic Kingdom before the park closed, March 15

At both parks, guests will be required to wear face masks and have their temperatures taken before entering. Pictured: A security employee checks the body temperature of a guest before allowing her to enter at the Universal Orlando's CityWalk, May 14

Disney will encourage contactless payment systems and expand its existing mobile order systems in restaurants, it said on Wednesday.

However, all existing dining reservations, including Disney dining plans in vacation packages, have been canceled, according to Slashfilm.

It plans to restrict the number of guests, who will be required to reserve their park passes ahead of time.

In Florida, there are currently more than 54,000 confirmed cases of the virus and more than 2,400 deaths.

Meanwhile, California theme parks - such as Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego and Legoland - were told that it can reopen in Phase III of the state's four-stage plan.

However, there are no hard dates for when they can welcome guest back..
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Press Club and the National Press Club Journalism Institute condemn the early morning arrests of CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and his production team, who were taken into custody just after 5 a.m. local time , while live on the air. They were released more than an hour later, after Gov. Tim Walz apologized to CNN President Jeff Zucker for the actions of law enforcement.

Jimenez could be heard on camera calmly telling the Minnesota state police, " We can move wherever you'd like, we are live on the air ," and showing them his press credentials. This contradicts the statement by police to the crew that the journalists were arrested for refusing to move.

"Every American should watch this video and put herself/himself in the position of the correspondent," said National Press Club President Michael Freedman. "It speaks volumes about our rights, our responsibilities, the challenges reporters face in seeking the truth, and why journalism matters."

"This is the United States, where a free press is enshrined in our Constitution. Journalism is not a crime," said Angela Greiling Keane, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute. "The CNN team was doing its job, protected by the First Amendment, when it was wrongfully taken into custody."

In a statement, the cable network said, "A CNN reporter & his production team were arrested this morning in Minneapolis for doing their jobs, despite identifying themselves - a clear violation of their First Amendment rights. The authorities in Minnesota, incl. the Governor, must release the 3 CNN employees immediately."

The network reported that CNN correspondent Josh Campell was reporting nearby and was also approached by police, but was allowed to remain.

"I identified myself ... they said, 'OK, you're permitted to be in the area  I was treated much differently than (Jimenez) was," said Campbell, who is white. Jimenez is black and Latino.

The CNN team was in the area covering unrest precipitated by the death of George Floyd.

The National Press Club, the world's leading professional organization for journalists, represents more than 3,000 reporters, editors and professional communicators worldwide. The National Press Club Journalism Institute, a nonprofit affiliate of the Club, promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire civic engagement.

Contact: Julie Moos, Executive Director, National Press Club Journalism Institute, [email protected]

SOURCE National Press Club

Related Links

http://press.org


With funding from the National Institutes of Health, University of Arkansas researchers hope to develop the first therapeutic drug that can regenerate heart tissue. The lesion-seeking biological drug, released through stent placement, could treat coronary blockages and prevent heart failure.

"Currently, there are no viable therapeutics available on the market that can promote regeneration of the heart to prevent myocardial infarction, or heart attack," said Josh Sakon, professor of biochemistry in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. "All available medicines treat only symptoms to slow the onset of heart failure. The design of our biologics improves current methods of controlled release, because it takes advantage of specific biochemical events that occur during heart failure."

Biologics, or biological drugs, are pharmaceutical products made from or containing components of living organisms. Used in biotechnology, biologics include a variety of products taken from humans, animals or microorganisms.

Sakon received $30,000 from the NIH - and a matching gift from the Commercialization Fund, a subset of the U of A Chancellor's Fund - to develop and commercialize sFGF1, a human "fibroblast growth factor" designed by Suresh Thallapuranam, professor of biochemistry. Fibroblast growth factors are cell-signaling proteins involved in a variety of processes critical to normal physiological development. Irregularities in the function of these proteins lead to a range of developmental defects.

Thallapuranam and Kartik Balachandran, associate professor of biomedical engineering, are part of Sakon's team focused on developing the drug. They are working on fusing sFGF1 with a different, collagen-binding protein released through stents, the thin mesh tubes that a heart surgeon inserts into arteries and blood vessels to relieve blockage and promote tissue healing. As Sakon mentioned, the advantage of their drug is that it functions in accordance with specific biochemical activity that occurs leading up to and during an adverse event.

In addition to funding drug development, the NIH award will help the researchers obtain intellectual property and pursue critical safety and feasibility assessments, including toxicity and biocompatibility testing in both lab and animal studies. Their results will be used to secure Small Business Technology Transfer funding for preclinical efficacy studies before seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The NIH funding will also help the researchers identify a potential drug carrier.

The researchers' project is one of seven biomedical innovations funded by the NIH via XLerateHealth and its affiliate, the Southeast XLerator Network, which is led by the University of Kentucky. The award is part of the network's Ideas to Products program that supports researchers with competitive proof-of-concept funding that will help accelerate healthcare technologies for commercialization.

###

With 24 academic institutions, the Southeast XLerator Network was created to support the commercialization of promising life science and healthcare innovation in several southeastern states and Puerto Rico. Its program goal is to broaden the geographic distribution of NIH funding and to help accelerate early-stage biomedical technology from laboratory to market, with an emphasis on supporting geographically underserved areas in healthcare.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 600,000 Americans experience a new myocardial infarction each year, with 275,000 deaths attributable to heart failure. About one in four patients who survive an initial heart attack develop heart failure within four years of the initial first heart attack. Rapid diagnosis and intervention after a coronary blockage can significantly improve chances of patient survival.

Suresh Thallapuranam holds the Cooper Chair of Bioinformatics Research.
This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

Gladys Cortes, who had always been there for others, was all by herself when she died on April 9 in a Long Island hospital at 48.

To me, that was the most heartbreaking part of it, her sister Miriam Cortes said.

Yet she remains in the minds of her family and friends, of her co-workers and customers.

Some remember her as a struggling single mother of a 13-year-old daughter, Adryanna, or the caretaker for her 85-year-old mother, Narcisa. Others remember her for readying prepared food behind the counter in her job at a supermarket in Islip, N.Y., or ministering to relatives, close colleagues and even mere acquaintances when they were bedbound with illness.
The boyfriend of a pregnant woman who believed keeping her on life support after a horror car crash could save their unborn baby girl has lost a court battle with her family.

Khayla Reno and her two daughters were involved in an accident at Tumut, in New South Wales, on May 16 after she reportedly veered into an oncoming truck.

The 29-year-old's daughter Eryka, 10, was killed instantly, while four-year-old Violet is in a stable condition at Westmead Children's Hospital.

Ms Reno, who was 19 weeks pregnant, was rushed to Canberra Hospital in a critical condition, but four days after the crash she was declared 'life extinct' and doctors moved to turn off her life support.

While her family agreed with the decision, Ms Reno's boyfriend Jamie Damian Millard did not, and made a last minute bid to save their unborn baby by taking the matter to the ACT Supreme Court.

Expectant mother Khayla Reno (pictured) was in fatal crash in NSW, on May 16. Her boyfriend Jamie Millard fought for her body to be kept on life support in the hope their foetus could still be born, but Ms Reno's family won a court battle to turn off the medical machines on Thursday

Mr Millard (pictured) claimed he had been dating Ms Reno for 18 months and that she would want to try and save her baby. But Ms Reno's family fought his efforts and told Daily Mail Australia they believed the pair had only been together since January this year

After having his case dismissed by the court and Ms Reno's life support being turned off Mr Millard lashed out at her family, claiming they had sent his child 'to death row'.

'My unborn baby is now on death row. I cannot do anything to stop the hospital committing this crime against this poor defenceless baby,' he told The Daily Telegraph outside court.

'I now go to my final one-hour visit feeling like a condemned man proceeding to an execution.'

Just hours after the matter was finalised in court, the machines keeping Ms Reno's alive were turned off.

Mr Millard and Ms Reno announced their pregnancy online on May 8, just one week before the accident.

They had decided to keep the gender a surprise.

Not content with his comments outside court Mr Millard hit out at Ms Reno's family in a Facebook post in the early hours of Friday, saying they 'were never there for her'.

'I hope you're happy, Khayla would be so disappointed in you for turning off her machine and killing our baby,' he said.

'This whole time all you gave a s**t about was what was good for you and not her all cared about was taking her organs from the time.

Ms Reno and her 10-year-old daughter, Eryka (pictured), died in the crash while four-year-old Violet is fighting for her life in Westmead Hospital

Mr Millard hit out at Ms Reno's family in a Facebook post in the early hours of Friday, saying they 'were never there for her'

'My unborn baby is now on death row. I cannot do anything to stop the hospital committing this crime against this poor defenceless baby,' Mr Millard said outside the ACT Supreme Court this week, after the decision was handed down

'I hope one day you can feel the pain I'm feeling. You should have just stayed out of it. You were never around, only until now.'

In response, Ms Reno's family said: 'The loss of three family members is an unbearable tragedy our family is struggling to cope with,'

'We are grieving the loss of Khayla, her 10-year-old daughter Eryka, as well as Khayla's unborn baby. The family would have done anything to save Khayla, Eryka and Khayla's unborn baby, however this was just not medically possible.

'Every decision we have had to make has been based on what we believe were Khaylas wishes.

Ms Reno's family believe she would have wanted her organs to be donated and have rallied behind the hospital

'We are disappointed that she has not been able to donate her organs, but take strength in the six lives that Eryka has saved through her organ donation. This tragedy has highlighted to us the importance of making your family aware of your wishes around organ donation.'

Prior to Thursday's farwell visit, court documents revealed the hospital had not allowed Mr Millard in to see the mother of his unborn child.

He had been provided 'an opportunity to visit and say goodbye' by the hospital, but only on the provision he gave permission to donate Ms Reno's organs.

He refused, claiming his decision was based on her Aboriginal heritage.

But Ms Reno's father - her mother has been deceased for more than two decades - said she had never expressed any concerns about donating her organs and in fact would have wanted to do so.

A foetus is considered viable from 23 weeks in ACT, and the court ruled they could not overturn the hospital's decision to terminate Ms Reno's life.

ACT Supreme Court Chief Justice Helen Murrell said it was regrettable Mr Millard felt 'so alienated in the decision-making process.'

'The hospital chose to communicate primarily with other members of Ms Reno's family,' Chief Justice Murrell said.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help support Ms Reno's surviving daughter.
Only a Woman's Heart, the iconic song composed by Eleanor McEvoy, has been given the royal treatment by drag queens and kings.

They joined Ms McEvoy for a special performance of Only a Woman's Heart  With a Twist, to raise funds for Age Action.

Head of advocacy and communications at Age Action, Celine Clarke, said they were delighted that the guys and girls got together to produce the video.

Ms Clarke said promoter, Buzz O'Neill-Maxwell, led the production and Eleanor gave it her full support.

It really has lifted our hearts to see that sort of support for Age Action and the work we do, she said.

Ms Clarke said the video was also an important reminder that older LGBTQI+ people are more likely to live in isolation, be single and live alone.

With Covid-19 and social distancing and the various other public health measures we are just quite mindful that there are people who are not able to connect with others in a way that they might have done easily before.

"Everything we do is based on a recognition of the diversity of identity and situation among older people and a concern for equality for all older people," said Ms Clarke.

Mr O'Neill-Maxwell said that in the five years since marriage equality more than 3,200 same-sex couples have married in Ireland but for many older LGBTQI+ people there was no happy ever after.

They enjoyed the wave of euphoria that marriage equality has brought but I think Covid-19 has awoken ghosts for some of them," he said.

The pandemic has left a lot of the LGBTQI+ community feeling really isolated again and the video is to raise awareness of their vulnerability at this time.

Because I am a promoter I know all the drag queens and kings and a lot of them have been very innovative in putting their shows online and keeping the rest of us entertained.

We discussed doing a video that would be a little quirky and a lot of fun. We wanted something that was intrinsically Irish that would resonate with people of all ages but particularly an older audience.

I had four or five ideas but everybody came back and told me it just had to be Only a Woman's Heart.

Mr O'Neill-Maxwell reached out to Ms McEvoy though television and film producer and director, Bill Hughes, who is involved in producing a documentary for broadcast on RTE about the release and tour of the legendary album A Woman's Heart.

Eleanor said yes before I even asked her."
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 29 (ANI): Kolkata Police's Special Task Force on Friday arrested Abdul Karim, a wanted Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist, from Suti Police Station area in Murshidabad. He will be produced before a court today.



Karim was the leader of the Dhuliyan module and would actively supply logistics and support, shelter to top leaders like Saleuddin, the police said. His name was mentioned as the main operative also by JMB terrorists in Bangladesh during their interrogation.

In 2018, a substantial quantity of explosives and jihadi material were seized from his house during a raid in Bangladesh. However, he managed to escape. (ANI)


As a teacher and a dad, thinking about the return to school in August makes my head spin.

On the one hand, Im desperate to be back with my students  and my own children miss their teachers and classmates. On the other, as I look at the guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, I worry about how much Texas might need before schools can physically reopen.

But there is one thing this country could do immediately to prepare for the next school year, regardless of where learning will take place: Ensure every student has home access to the internet.

In the United States, 12 million children cant access the internet at home. Without the internet, students  typically low-income students and students of color  are unable to take part in remote learning while their school buildings are shut down. Our students already had the odds stacked against them, but if theyre forced to miss school for months on end, existing inequities will widen even further.

I teach fifth-grade math at IDEA Carver Academy, a school on the East Side of San Antonio. As a charter school, were free, public and open to all students. About 86 percent of our students districtwide qualify for free or reduced-price meals. And when we surveyed our families when our schools shut during the COVID-19 pandemic, we learned that a quarter didnt have reliable access to the internet.

So when school buildings closed in March, we worked quickly to make sure our students had access to the devices they need. Our district distributed 12,000 laptops, helped more than 4,000 families sign up for free internet packages and loaned 6,000 mobile hot spots to families.

And were not alone. San Antonio Independent School District launched its largest tech distribution in district history, immediately lending out 17,000 laptops and purchasing 30,000 more for distribution in March. Harlandale ISD and others have created Wi-Fi hot spots for their students across the city.

My colleagues and I have done our best as teachers to adapt to the challenge, offering live instruction to students who are able to join via videoconference and putting up videos for those who cant. Were also continuing to meet our students social and emotional needs and provide special education services via teletherapy and counseling.

As teachers, were adapting to the current reality  and we need the federal government to adapt, too. The Federal Communication Commissions E-rate program makes internet and other telecommunications services more affordable for classrooms. Unfortunately, E-rate rules prohibit the funds from being used for student connectivity in their current classrooms: their homes. A mobile hot spot costs a school about $25 per month per student, whereas with E-rate funds, that cost would drop by more than 70 percent. We cant let bureaucracy stand in the way of helping kids: The FCC should provide a temporary rules waiver so schools can use the existing $2 billion within the E-rate program to get our students connected at home.

We also know next school year we will likely have periods when we have to engage in distance learning again. Its time to make smart investments now to prepare for that reality. With a $4 billion increase in E-rate funding, as a new bill by Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., proposes, Congress could bring the internet to the millions of students currently disconnected.

I urge all of the Texas congressional delegation  from Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to our members of the House of Representatives  to support flexibility for E-rate funds and to include a $4 billion increase to E-rate in the newest federal stimulus bill, known as the HEROES Act. If our leaders make this investment in our kids, I know our kids will deliver in kind.

This pandemic is going to be a challenge for all of us to overcome. Adults should be standing up for kids in this moment and doing everything we can to make sure the coming generation of leaders is supported through this crisis. We can start by ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn.

Clint Rankin is a San Antonio native who teaches fifth-grade math at IDEA Public Schools in San Antonio.
I think it's time to leave The City.

I'm talking about not just Minneapolis, even as we watch it die in real time. There are NYC, so corrupt that it leaves its elderly and other useless eaters to die in place, and Chicago, with a South Side so deadly that decent black people are leaving, after the whites of a generation ago. There are Baltimore, Detroit, Oakland  they're gone  and San Francisco and Los Angeles, too, both of which are approaching a civic point of no return. Even Texas cities like Austin and Dallas are beset by growing crime and homeless culture, the deadly fruits of progressivism.

Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams talks about the "fog of the last mile" that falls eventually at the end stage of societal problems like racism. White people were the problem, he says bluntly, so white people went to war to cure it; they joined with civil rights greats to change the legal structure of racism as well as to pass new laws to abolish later segregation. Yet racism persists, as we watch for seven agonizing minutes as George Floyd is killed. And then we watch the expected rage and violence and the mad glee of looters, then the ritual burning of the American flag for the camera. Now white people in Minneapolis are joining in the mayhem, too; why not? Everybody's doing it, and the cops are racists!

The public has been groomed since the late '60s to accept this narrative. The authorities will stand down, the folks will be allowed to get it out of their system, and ineffectual but well meaning leaders will plead for peace. The looters will get lots of free TVs. Ten years later, the street will be a burnt out empty scar on the city.

Not mentioned in the narrative is who runs these cities, or who is paying for the outsiders to come in and fan the flames, or even the leaders like Michelle Obama, who famously called black voters "our folks." Does that ethnic voting bloc, should that bloc, even exist? Decent black people have nothing in common with these looters, the same as I have nothing in common with the white policeman who held George Floyd down on the pavement.

Finally, I can no longer countenance the crocodile tears of these feckless big-city mayors who do nothing to improve the lot of their citizens but keep them hooked on racial resentment and welfare. Progressives, mostly Democrats, have ruled these cities for decades. It's time for accountability. Perhaps Mr. Trump has the courage or bravado to hold them to it. If so, I hope his aides advise him well and write the speech I know only he would have the guts to give.

The truth is that no one knows what to do in the last mile; we're all a bit in a fog about that. All that hope-and-change and 1970s-style black activism didn't change much. None of that worked to stop killings and poverty and drug abuse, did it?

At this point, I would rather listen to a Kanye West than any of the black leaders who have no answer as to why it all did not work. The media will mock Kanye, and the black ruling class call anyone else who dares to talk this way demeaning names. I say, until we do figure out what we are doing wrong, until we admit that this version of governance is not an accident, we might as well put the house up for sale before everyone else does and move somewhere sane.
As the world faces the deepest slump since the Great Depression (the IMF view, not mine), it might have been expected that the four-year warfare between Leave and Remain would fade.

After all, even on the most dismal of Brexit forecasts, a UK loss of output of 3.5 per cent over several years is hardly in the same category as the Bank of England's Covid-19 projection of a 25 per cent collapse in second-quarter output and a 14 per cent decline over the full year.

The tendency is still to see much of what goes on in the nation's political life through the Brexit prism. When the UK failed to sign up to an EU-wide initiative to procure ventilators, it was seen as the result of anti-EU sentiment on Downing Street. Never mind that the initiative came long after several European countries selfishly had secured their own supplies.

Moving in opposite directions: Europe's nationalist and selfish response to the pandemic is supportive of the UK's referendum decision, reinforced by the December 19 election, to leave

Similarly, the great fuss over Dominic Cummings's madcap journey to Durham and careless excursion to Barnard Castle (for which he should have been sacked) was seized upon by his Remain opponents as red meat. The Government is now being criticised for pursuing the best of all worlds. It is accused of seeking a trade deal with the EU which incorporates zero-tariffs, zero quotas and special arrangements for fishing, financial services et al, which may be impossible to deliver.

Maybe not. But it is worth negotiating from a maximalist position.

What the coronavirus crisis has shown is that when it comes to real emergencies, EU members do not move in lockstep.

It has been a case of every country for itself. Austria was quick to close its borders. German-based Roche factories made sure that the host country was serviced first and exports shockingly banned.

State-aid laws were thrown to the wind when it came to bailing out Lufthansa and other flag carriers. Only now, with the peak well passed, have Germany and France decided that an EU-wide fiscal rescue of 650 billion is necessary.

Contrast the scale of this with other G7 advanced countries. The US has thrown 2.5trillion at the problem and there may be more to come. Japan started out close to the 1trillion mark and is still expanding its response. Here in Britain, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak was speedily out of the box with his furlough, self-employed and bank support schemes for business in a fiscal splurge which pushes the national debt up to 2trillion for the first time.

That is not to diminish the significance of the miserly EU response. A key driver of Angela Merkel's almost certainly was the German constitutional court ruling that rescue of the eurozone, via the European Central Bank, is out of bounds.

Anything which overcomes reversion to nationalism and 'me first' in Europe has to be an advance. The EU resisted any common fiscal measures during the financial crisis and in the 2010 eurozone calamity, which arose in Greece and spread to Spain and Italy. The prospect of Brussels issuing bonds, in the name of the EU, to finance fiscal transfers to other parts of the union is a breakthrough. One can imagine the outrage in pre-Leave UK if HM Treasury had been asked to cover a sovereign guarantee to its share of the fund which would have been in the order of 90 billion.

But like much that happens in Europe, a deal is not cut and dry yet. The 'frugal four' nations  the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Austria  are not keen on setting a precedent which encourages fiscal transfers to the perceived irresponsible countries in 'Club Med'. The case for is that the programme is a one-off to deal with the impact of the pandemic. But there is a tradition of one-off measures, such as funding to support Italian banks, being rolled over.

The UK does not have a dog in this fight. If anything, Europe's nationalist and selfish response to the pandemic is supportive of the UK's referendum decision, reinforced by the December 19 election, to leave.

Nevertheless, no one can look at troubles inside the EU with any equanimity. The EU is the UK's biggest trading partner and a critical market for our tourist, creative industries and financial sector.

So it is to be hoped that the EU panjandrums sort themselves out.
The founder of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai, was turned away from partaking in the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held on Wednesday.



Odike and another person he claimed to be the General Secretary of the UPP were sacked from the venue of the meeting organized by the Electoral Commission (EC) in Accra.



The meeting was supposed to be attended by the elected General Secretaries of the various political parties.



Strangely, Odike, who claims to be the leader of the UPP, accompanied the so-called General Secretary of the UPP to the crunch meeting, but the two were denied access to the meeting.



Odike, who was sharing his disappointment and embarrassment on radio in Kumasi, said my General Secretary has consistently been denied access to IPAC meetings lately.



On Wednesday, I accompanied the UPP General Secretary to the meeting to see what is going on and the EC, again, denied us access to the meeting, he confirmed.



The EC said an imposter UPP General Secretary was already present so we were not allowed to enter the meeting venue, he added.



The EC ganged up and denied my party the chance to take part in the IPAC meeting to state our case, because I usually expose the ECs bad deeds, he boasted.



According to him, he is aware the EC has adopted what he claimed to be a diabolical strategy to frustrate and deny him (Odike) the chance to stage a contest for the Presidency.



Therefore, Odike, who sounded very peeved, threatened to drag the EC to court soon on condition that the commission doesnt change its attitude towards him.











Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) - At least 296 people were killed, 151 others injured and 38 people raped, including many women and children, by the Lendu-majority armed attackers between October 2019 and April 2020, in the territories of Djugu and Mahagi in Ituri, according to a report by the United Nations in DRC, obtained on Friday by PANA
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 08:45:24|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

A poster reminding people not to gather is seen in Hong Kong, south China, April 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson said Thursday that Hong Kong's prosperity and stability brook no interference and disruption by any secessionist forces.

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the comments when responding to the irresponsible remarks made by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority and its leader Tsai Ing-wen on the National People's Congress (NPC) decision on national security legislation for Hong Kong.

Ma urged DPP authority to immediately stop sowing discord in Hong Kong.

Those forces who advocate "Taiwan independence" and "Hong Kong independence" have been colluding with each other for a certain period of time, said Ma, noting that their attempts to mess up Hong Kong and split the motherland have triggered indignation and firm opposition among the Chinese sons and daughters both at home and abroad.

The DPP authority has been distorting the facts and constantly attacking and slandering the NPC's Hong Kong-related decision, he said.

Those moves have once again exposed the DPP's vicious motives of political manipulation over Hong Kong affairs, attacking "one country, two systems" and seeking "Taiwan independence," said Ma.

They have seriously damaged the interests and well-being of the compatriots in both Hong Kong and Taiwan, he stressed.

Bringing Hong Kong rioters into Taiwan will only hurt our Taiwan compatriots, Ma reiterated, warning such attempts will only backfire. 
As always, our daily summary of the most pertinent news stories has all the key information you need to know.

In Luxembourg Luxembourg counted four new coronavirus cases, but a new milestone was reached with fewer than 100 active infections remaining, namely 87 on Friday. Restaurant and terraces with outdoor seating were already allowed to reopen last Wednesday. As of this Friday, indoor seating is also permitted again - provided a number of precautionary measures are respected.





is also permitted again - provided a number of precautionary measures are respected. Minister for the Environment Carole Dieschbourg and Minister for Energy Claude Turmes presented Luxembourg's green relaunch plan, focusing on various support packages that owners who renovate their homes can apply for. The "Baggerweier" swimming area in Remerschen is set to reopen on Saturday 30 May, although access will be regulated. The government said it was not considering reducing the VAT rate on protective products such as masks. And lastly, as flights resume on Friday, Luxairport and Luxair have been working to offer security and comfort to all passengers travelling this Pentecost weekend. In International news Russia reported a record increase of 232 coronavirus deaths on Friday, taking it to a total of 4,374 deaths and 387,623 cases, the third-highest number of infections in the world after the United States and Brazil. More than two months after closing its borders, Denmark has loosened restrictions to let couples separated by coronavirus lockdowns finally see each other again. Sweden's two biggest opposition parties called Friday for an independent commission to be appointed within weeks to probe the country's response to the new coronavirus. There has been broad political unity over Sweden's softer approach to the new coronavirus, but most parties have agreed on the need to examine the government's crisis management. Carmaker Renault said Friday that it would cut nearly 15,000 jobs, including 4,600 at its core French operations, as it seeks to steer out of a cash crunch exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis. Spain's leftwing government approved a minimum basic income scheme on Friday to tackle a spike in poverty stemming from the virus crisis that has forced many families to rely on food aid. Dutch authorities on Thursday announced a nationwide ban on the transport of mink after mink farm workers were believed to have contracted coronavirus from the small mammals.
The entire roof of the Harrington Junior School was detroyed by the blaze (SWNS)

These shocking aerial photographs show the full devastation caused by a huge fire which ripped through a primary school days before it was due to reopen.

Firefighters from nine separate stations rushed to fight the blaze at Harrington Junior School in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, on Thursday lunchtime.

School staff preparing for reopening next week were evacuated as flames tore though the building and smoke billowed into the skies.

Pictures showing the aftermath of the dramatic blaze reveal how the school has been reduced to a blackened shell with classrooms completely gutted by the inferno.

Households nearby were advised to keep windows and doors closed due to the large plumes of smoke pouring from the fire. (SWNS)

A Derbyshire Primary School was ravaged by fire just days before it was due to reopen from lockdown (Elizabeth Mann/Go Fund Me)

Not one part of the roof appears to have survived the massive fire, which has left staff at the school "heartbroken."

Boris Johnson has confirmed that pupils from Years one and six, and those in Reception, will return to school from 1st June despite the move being labeled by a teaching union as nothing short of reckless.

A spokesperson for Harrington School said on Thursday evening: "Today has been an extremely difficult day.

"We cannot thank [the emergency services] enough for their work and efforts in trying to save our school but... this has not been possible. All the staff are devastated.

Local residents were advised to keep windows and doors closed due to the smoke pouring from the fire.

A Go Fund Me campaign to raise money to rebuild the school has already raised more than 1,000 (SWNS)

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue incident commander Dean Gazzard said: On arrival at the scene firefighters were faced with a well-developed fire in the roof of the building.

Crews quickly got to work, surrounding the fire and have now brought the fire under control. Unfortunately two of our firefighters sustained minor injuries dealing with the fire and have been taken to hospital for treatment."

A GoFundMe page has already been set up to raise money to rebuild the school following the devastating blaze.

Read More From Yahoo News UK:

Couple who spent 20 years restoring six-bedroom manor house fight plans for quarry 100m away

Dog walkers find remains of WWII RAF fighter plane that lay buried on beach for 76 years

Story continues

National Trust to reopen 29 gardens next week - here's where they all are

More than 1,300 was donated to the campaign in the first 12 hours.

The page reads: Schools are a place for learning but ultimately they are far more than that. They are an integral part of the community that is there for the people they serve.

---Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK---

They provide safety, nurturing and signposting to services that are required.

This pandemic has shown schools are vital for their communities and in less than an hour, Harrington Junior School, a school that was loved by past and present staff, pupils and their families has been devastated by fire.

Please give what is possible as a small donation can help those that need this much-loved school to be brought back to life.

Anyone wishing to donate, can do so at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/harrington-junior-school
The COVID-19 pandemic has made life difficult for everyone, especially for those battling poverty. In 2019, official figures said 18 million, or 22% of Turkey's population, were living below the poverty line; these numbers have likely increased this year as unemployment and inflation have risen, in large part due to the coronavirus.

Turkey's 2019 municipal elections tipped the balance in favor of the opposition in local governments. The municipalities headed by the main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) govern 48.4% of the population. Although the Justice and Development Party (AKP) led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has grabbed power from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party in many municipalities, the AKPs control of local government is still second in rank to the CHP's.

In the face of the pandemic, municipalities started fundraisers to aid those in need. The central government's decision to declare them illegal stopped the fundraisers, including those run by the AKP.

However, people's needs did not disappear when Ankara decided that the central government should control the aid collection and distribution single-handedly. To help their constituents, local governments quietly connected donors with those in need. The system is user-friendly. Those in need submit their utility bills to the municipality. Donors go online and pay one or more of the bills. Donors receive a receipt, but the recipients names are confidential. Just in Istanbul, the municipality has received over 1 million requests for help.

Izmir Mayor Tunc Soyer told Al-Monitor, I am proud because in these difficult times we provided regular services along with those that were pandemic-related, and increased social solidarity and cooperation. We made sure under curfew that everyone had bread, food and clean water. During Ramadan we delivered meals to each household that would have otherwise gone hungry.

Burdur Mayor Ali Orkun Ercengiz told Al-Monitor, "In line with our social solidarity policies we reached out to all residents and attempted to produce solutions for their specific needs.  We started producing medical masks to minimize the community spread of COVID-19. Ankara launched an investigation about what we were going to do with the masks and why we were producing them. Ercengiz, a pharmacist, said this baffled him, and asked, How could producing masks and distributing them free of charge to the public be investigated as a crime? Ercengiz said he believes members of the public are following the political tug of war carefully because they are directly affected by the results.

The mayor of Izmirs Cigli district, Utku Gumrukcu, told Al-Monitor that he was most impressed by the enthusiasm and high numbers of donors. He said, We reach out to everyone without discrimination. If someone says they need help, we take their word for it.

Several CHP officials contacted by Al-Monitor said that the more the AKP attempted to block aid, the more donors were eager to help CHP municipalities. Even well-known AKP members reached out to donate to CHP municipalities, saying that was where they lived and that they were confident their donations would reach those in need. Given that corruption is seen as on the rise in Turkey, this sort of trust is remarkable. The AKPs lack of transparency is not limited to government spending. For example, the 338 million liras ($50 million) the public donated for July 15, 2016, coup victims still has not been distributed.

Tarsus Mayor Haluk Bozdogan of the CHP told Al-Monitor, We did not want to engage in bitter quarrels with Ankara but rather be the problem-solver in times of this pandemic. We helped to aid our farmers and distributed the produce in Tarsus. The needs of our residents guide our policies.

Seren Selvin Korkmaz, the co-founder and executive director of the IstanPol Institute, told Al-Monitor that there are at least two immediate consequences of CHP municipal governments' successful management during the pandemic. The perception that the CHP cannot do anything is tarnished, Korkmaz said. The AKP for a decade has been propagating the slogan "others talk while the AKP gets the work done. The AKP has lost the exclusive bragging rights to getting things done.

Korkmaz said the second consequence is a vivid mobilization in the ranks of the CHP as a political party.

Political scientist Baskin Oran, who long taught international relations at Ankara University, told Al-Monitor, These acts [of opposition municipalities] are the first and strongest resistance against the AKP and its one-man regime." He said the municipalities actions were so strong that they were, in effect, a coup. Oran said one reason Erdogans grip on power has been so strong for so long was a lethargic opposition.

The CHP has been perceived as incompetent, outdated and quixotic. Now, the outreach methods CHP municipal governments have adopted during the pandemic may be a simple yet crucial milestone.

Grassroots solidarity movements centered around meeting basic communal needs such as health care, education or bread could be an effective form of resistance to growing authoritarianism. In Turkey, the oppositions municipal administrations have shown four ways of battling one-man rule:

Leave no one behind: The aid has been distributed fairly and equitably, not discriminating against any identity marker (party, ethnicity, religious belief, etc.). AKP members were embraced rather than threatened.

Create community solidarity: The aid was needs-based and was met by willing donors. The recipients and donors identities were kept confidential to minimize embarrassment of those in need, and the privacy of those who want to help.

Keep serving the public in a transparent manner: CHP municipalities kept providing services on a dual track  regular duties and emergency services due to the pandemic. They acted in a uniform manner: When free bread distribution was banned, they sold a loaf for a penny.

Be a go-getter: The CHPs youth movement is rejuvenated. Young voters support for the AKP has been diminishing quickly since 2016. An alternative is now possible. Changed perception of CHP provides hope against populist authoritarian rule.

Ankara is determined to alter the electoral system to minimize AKP losses. In the next months, one should expect to see the AKP establishment working to destroy the new image of CHP, hunt down its young grassroots organizers and intensify tacit support for Islamist or right-wing opposition candidates to take the spotlight. Erdogan has a good track record of co-opting right-wing opposition into his coalition's rank and file. Grassroots outreach is the best way for the opposition to form solidarity against a deepening populist power grab.
Slashcheva argues that Uspensky did not create the animated character, but that it was developed by the Soyuzmultfilm team that gave Cheburashka the look, voice and halting movement that made it so wildly popular. This was a departure from the books description of a defective toy with yellow eyes that was a cross between a hare, a cat, a dog and a kangaroo, she said.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says he would ensure that the Free Senior High School programme becomes real for every Ghanaian child.



Thus, with the successful implementation of the programme, he would ensure that during his time in government, more senior high schools would be built across the country to improve access to education for the accelerated development of the nation.



It is the ambition that we will be able to plant senior secondary schools all across the country so that access to senior high school will become real for every child, he said.



The President said this on Thursday when he met a delegation from the Kologo Traditional Area in the Kassena-Nankena municipality of the Upper East Region at the Jubliee House, Accra.



He said the educational policy has led to a significant increase in enrolment in high schools, with over a million students accessing free education nationwide.



President Akufo-Addo said every part of the country would benefit from improved educational infrastructure, to strengthen the human resource capacity needed for the socio-economic transformation of the country.



He assured the delegation, led by Naba Clifford Abagna Asobayire, the Paramount Chief of the area, which had requested for a senior secondary school to be sited in Kologo, that the community would benefit from the Free SHS policy in equal measure.



The President commended the king makers and people of the traditional area for the peaceful manner that the enskinment of the paramount chief was carried out last year.



"Having you here also enables me to thank all the people of Kologo, especially the king makers, for the smooth manner in which you ascended onto the skin.



"It is a good example for everybody in Ghana that traditional matters do not always have to end up in quibbles, tensions and difficulties, but that it is possible that the old chief goes and a new one comes and it is all done peacefully. I congratulate you and the people of Kologo in being able to do that," he said.



Naba Asobayire, through his spokesperson, was grateful to the President for accepting to meet them, saying this was the first time a sitting head of state, has granted audience to the chiefs and elders of the area.



He said he and his people are happy that the President has shown commitment to improving the lot of the people of Kologo, commending him and his government for fulfilling the pledge to construct the road from Navrongo to Kologo, which is currently ongoing.



Thanking the President for supporting the people of the area during the 2018 flood that displaced many, the Paramount Chief also tabled a number of requests before him, including the building of a district hospital and the upgrade of the Navrongo airport to facilitate air transport to the area.



President Akufo-Addo, in response, told the chief that government has already planned to site a hospital in the district as part of the plan of his administration to construct 88 hospitals in districts across the country.



He said the other requests would be given the necessary attention.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy on Thursday said the Centre has objected to the state's decision to increase working days at factories, and the matter would be discussed in the next cabinet meeting.

"....the Centre has raise objection to extending working days and has said it should be brought down. We will amend it....I will share the details after the next cabinet meet, the matter did not come up today (Thursday), we have received the letter," Madhuswamy told reporters in response to a question after the cabinet meeting.

He noted that a couple of states that had increased the working hours have withdrawn it. The Karnataka government had, on May 22, issued a notification allowing factories to extend working hours upto 10 hours a day and 60 hours a week till August 21. The extension of work hours is from the existing eight hours a day and 48 hours a week.

Pointing out that while announcing COVID-19 relief package, the Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had announced Rs 5,000 per acre for maize farmers, Madhuswamy said while issuing the circular which mentioned that relief would be applicable to rabi crop, as it would not benefit many farmers.

Follow live updates on coronavirus here

Now, it has now been decided to give Rs 5,000 per acre to all maize farmers, irrespective of rabi or kharif. There were also several rules and regulations for barbers, autorickshaw and taxi drivers among others to claim their one-time compensation of Rs 5,000, the Minister said.

"We have decided to relax most of them (rules) other than those essential and give compensation, as regulations wouldn't have benefited many," he said. With five nominated seats of legislative council falling vacant on June 23, the cabinet has authorised the Chief Minister to nominate for 5 seats.

The cabinet also gave post-facto approval for Karnataka Repealing of Certain Enactments and Regional Law Bill 2020 that has been passed by the legislature.
WASHINGTON : Reiterating his offer to mediate on the border dispute between India and China, US President Donald Trump has said that he spoke with Narendra Modi about the "big conflict" and asserted that the Indian Prime Minister is not in a "good mood" over the latest flare-ups between the two countries.

Speaking with the reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump said a "big conflict" was going on between India and China.

"I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," the president said.

"Have a big conflict India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," he said when asked if he was worried about the border situation between India and China.

"I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump said.

A day earlier, the president offered to mediate between India and China.

Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.

Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump reiterated his offer, saying if called for help, "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help" about "mediate or arbitrate, I would do that," he said.

India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump's offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing.

While the Chinese Foreign Ministry is yet to react to Trump's tweet which appears to have caught Beijing by surprise, an op-ed in the state-run Global Times said both countries did not need such a help from the US President.

"The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order," it said.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.

Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal which was rejected by New Delhi.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders.

Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!!

Topics
Australia Diversifies Trading Partners Amid Dispute With China

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham is confident the demand for Australian goods will be stronger after the pandemic

The Australian federal government is not letting recent trade troubles with China or the COVID-19 pandemic stop it from finding new avenues for trade markets.

Speaking to The Epoch Times on May 29, trade minister Simon Birmingham said, Im confident demand for Australian goods and services will be even stronger when we come out the other side of this pandemic, and the government is committed to helping businesses develop export opportunities and connections. 

The Australian government will continue to work hard to grow new markets for Australias world-class exports, while maintaining trade arrangements with existing trading partners, concluded Birmingham.

Trade With United Kingdom

On May 28, Australias High Commissioner to the United Kingdom George Brandis announced that Australia would enter into negotiations with the UK to create a gold-standard free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.

Speaking to AAP on May 28, Brandis said that Australia and the UKs trade ministers have said the countries were ambitious to conclude the agreement.

Our negotiations will get underway soon, and we are confident in doing a deal that creates more jobs and economic opportunity, said Brandis.

The UK is Australias eighth-largest trading partner with almost $27 billion in two-way trade transactions in 2018, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Trade With India

The announcement of FTA negotiations with the UK comes after the prime ministers department flagged upcoming talks with India as another trading partner.

According to DFAT, trade between Australia and India was worth $30.4 billion dollars in 2018.

A spokesperson for the prime minister told AAP on May 20 that Australia would also pursue deeper economic ties with India at the upcoming virtual meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 4.

Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the National Cemetery in Seoul, South Korea, on Feb. 22, 2019. (Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo via Reuters)

On May 19, The Australian reported that Morrison and Modi will meet to finalise agreements to develop reliable supply chains in key strategic sectors, including medical goods, technology, and critical minerals, as well as the export of agricultural products.

Australia and India are natural partners with deep people-to-people links, a spokesman for Morrison said.

The Morrison government will also seek a new education partnership to overcome Australias reliance on Chinese university students.

Currently, Australia and India are negotiating the Australia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

Trade with the EU

Minister for Trade Simon Birmingham has also been hard at work negotiating the Australian-European Union Free Trade Agreement (AusEUFTA).

Writing on Twitter on May 18, Birmingham noted that it was great to make progress on the ambitious and comprehensive AusEUFTA.

Great to make progress with the teams from @Trade_EU during our virtual round of negotiations towards an ambitious and comprehensive #AusEUFTA. Look out for the report on the round  https://t.co/rfnprCCZN1@Trade_EU @Birmo @PhilHoganEU https://t.co/qDcyLcvlKD  DFAT (@dfat) May 18, 2020

According to DFAT, the key components the Australian government is seeking from the agreement is education, services, foreign investment, and access to supply chains for goods like agricultural products.

As a bloc, the European Union is Australias second-largest trading partner, second-largest services export market, and third-largest export destination.

Trade With Japan

Birmingham also met with Japans Minister for Trade Kajiyama Hiroshi on May 18 to discuss trade and regional cooperation. Writing on Twitter, Birmingham said Australia and Japan share a commitment to open, rules-based trade and regional cooperation.

Always nice to speak with @METI_JPN Minister @kajiyamahiroshi. Our shared commitment to open, rules based trade, regional cooperation (including signing RCEP this year) & facilitating responsible growth in areas like e-commerce is resolute, notwithstanding #COVID19.  pic.twitter.com/2NXCN0vO12  Simon Birmingham (@Birmo) May 18, 2020

Australia and Japan are both set to sign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement with 13 other states, including China in 2020.

DFAT noted that in 2018 trade with countries involved in RCEP was worth $522.1 billion to Australia.

Trade With Indonesia

On May 7, DFAT announced that the new free trade agreement with Indonesia (IA-CEPA) would be coming into effect on July 5.

Birmingham said in an interview with Channel 7 on May 19, that the IA-CEPA will be a boon to Australian exporters and will offer some relief for barley exporters with 500,000 tonnes of feed grain to enter Indonesia without duty or tariff.

In 2018-19, DFAT noted that Australias total two-way trade in goods and services with Indonesia was worth $17.8 billion, making Indonesia our thirteenth largest trading partner.

Indonesia is one of the fastest-growing economies in the region with DFAT noting there are predictions it will be the worlds fifth-largest economy by 2030.
Pipeline

29 May 2020

Centrally located on America's Cup at Commercial Wharf, the newly built Hammetts Hotel welcomes travelers to the waterfront of Newport, RI, this summer. The 84-room boutique hotel has a distinctive presence in the heart of downtown Newport, providing guests with a sense of belonging immediately upon arrival and stunning views of the harbor and adjacent Newport Marina.

Upon arrival, guests enter through double doors into the expansive lobby lounge. Sun-drenched with floor to ceiling windows, the space welcomes visitors with abundant seating artfully arranged for individuals to linger and small groups to socialize. The Murray and Sullivan rooms add equally inviting flexible meeting space of up to 800 square feet overlooking the Hammetts Hotel courtyard with doors that open up to the 9,000 square foot deck, but also offer privacy as needed. Rain's Room is an elegant guest lounge at Hammetts that honors Lorraine Kane (Rain), the remarkable matriarch of the Kane family, developers and owners of Hammetts, who passed away in 2019. A commissioned portrait of Rain by Nicholas Lima will hang in Rain's Room.

Designed by Union Studio Architecture & Community in Providence, RI, the top two floors of the hotel house forty-two guest rooms per level ranging in size up to 560 square feet for suites. Room categories include: Queen Twin Room, King Room, The Maritime Suite, The Commerce Suite, The Exchange Suite, and The Mercantile Suite.

With interiors by international design firm DiLeonardo, the guest rooms draw from Newport's seafaring heritage with a fresh color palette of grays, crisp whites, unfinished woods, and pops of reds and navy. Adding an industrial chic style are antiqued black iron sconces, polished nickel pendant lamps, and touches of wood to accent the room decor. Statement headboards are upholstered in dark navy fabrics then framed with black iron and distressed leather straps. The beds are Serta Presidential Line outfitted with luxury Mascioni linens. Wood sliding pocket doors provide access to private bathrooms with sleek subway tiled walls, luxury wooden plank vinyl floors, and contrasting black matte fixture finishes. The walk-in showers feature Lockwood New York organic hand-crafted bath products.

The restaurant Giusto at Hammetts Hotel is scheduled to open this summer. Chef Kevin O'Donnell, a Rhode Island native, returns home after working in Boston as a chef and partner at SRV, which won numerous accolades including a nomination from The James Beard Foundation for Best New Restaurant in the USA. Giusto will be open seven days a week and features a private dining room, semi-open kitchen and an outdoor bar. The cuisine will focus on regional Italian dishes with playful Rhode Island touches. To complement the food, the bar program will offer a mix of classic and freestyle cocktails, beer from local breweries, and a predominantly Italian wine list with plenty of natural selections. The restaurant is partnering with local farms and producers to support as many small businesses in the area as possible.
The Washington County Sheriffs Office said deputies shot and killed a man who displayed a knife as officers tried to detain him late Thursday.

The shooting happened just after 10:30 p.m. at the West Slope Apartments on Southwest Canyon Lane near 87th Avenue, between Beaverton and Portland, the sheriffs office said.

Deputies said they were dispatched to the mans apartment after multiple people called to report shouting. When officers arrived, they found a man and a woman inside the apartment, they said.

Deputies were taking the man into custody when he pulled out a knife, and they shot him, according to the sheriffs office.

Video from a body camera worn by a deputy shows officers first tried to use a stun gun to subdue the man, who was holding a large kitchen knife, the sheriffs office said in a statement Friday afternoon.

While still brandishing the large kitchen knife, the man advanced toward deputies and was subsequently shot, the sheriffs office said.

The agency did not disclose any other information about the man or the shooting, including how many deputies fired their guns.

The sheriffs office said the Washington County Major Crimes Team, made up of investigators from multiple police agencies, is investigating what happened.

This story has been updated to include more information about the circumstances of the shooting.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
Some six districts in the Upper East Region have been restrained from dealing with sales and distribution of subsidized fertilizer to farmers due to incessant reported cases of smuggling.

According to the Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Francis Ennor, only nine districts could provide the services to farmers during the present cropping season.

The restricted districts are Kassena Nankana West District, Bawku West and Bawku Municipal, Pusiga, Garu and Tempane Districts.

Mr Ennor who made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, had earlier said in some interviews, that until the rains start, no fertilizer would arrive in the Region due to the smuggling.

The Regional Director has however given a nod to input in the remaining nine districts to start bringing in their produce with the onset of the rains, to help the farmers who have started preparing and cropping their farms.

He said due to irrigation and farming activities at the Tono Irrigation areas, input dealers in the Kassena Nankana District had been given approval to supply farm inputs.

Though he was unable to give specified quantities because his outfit was still sorting that out, he mentioned that 20 articulator trucks of fertilizer had arrived in the Bolgatanga Municipality, for PENTASCO, distributors of farm inputs.

The MoFA Director reiterated that in all remaining fertilizer sales points, personnel of Nation Builders Corps (NABco) will be present to oversee the distribution of the fertilizer.

On Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJs), he said the programme would continue to receive the needed support in the entire region and indicated that District Chief Executive Officers will provide approval for the distribution of government subsidy to the farmers.

He said this year, the compound fertilizer was expected to be sold for GHC42 while Urea would be sold at GHC40, and both were contained in 25kilogramme bags instead of the 50KG bags distributed last cropping season.

All the inputs would be in identifiable PFJs sacks, he added.

On Seeds, he said the maizehybrid and open pollinated varieties, cowpea and soya beans would be sold at GHC 5.00 per kilo.

On Covid-19 and how farmers can be protected, he advised input dealers to follow the protocols and not allow over-crowding at the sales points.

Daily Guide
The Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., is extending its cancellation of performances and public events until Aug. 1.

In a statement, the theatre festival said it was following a municipal order limiting organized mass gatherings in town due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We cant have a human, connected theatre without healthy humans, so we will do whatever it takes to keep everyone safe, whether they work here or are itching to come and watch us play, artistic director Tim Carroll said in the statement.

The Shaw is taking a more incremental approach to cancellations than Ontarios other major theatre festival. The Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ont., announced in April that it was putting its entire 2020 season on hold indefinitely, saying it would not be able to put on plays even if physical distancing rules were eased this summer.

The Stratford Festival also went to the federal government earlier this month asking for $8 million to help cover a $20-million budget shortfall.

Shaw is asking ticket holders to consider taking credit for the value of their tickets rather than refunds or donating the amount to help us continue with our commitment to staff and artists. Ticket-holders can email feedback@shawfest.com with questions.

Stratford has made the same request of its ticket holders, as well as cutting overhead expenses, drawing on its endowment and line of credit, and cutting its artistic and executive directors salaries 50 per cent.

Both festivals are vitally important to the economies of their small towns, which are within a couple of hours drive from Toronto. It has been estimated the Stratford Festival drives $135 million in economic activity in the town each year.
Students at Dublin City University have been offered flexible accommodation for the upcoming academic year as it is highly unlikely they will be on campus for full weeks.

With the university planning a mix of face-to-face lab classes, practical sessions and online lectures in the coming academic year, not all students will be on campus at the same time.

As a result, DCU is offering students the option of booking on-campus accommodation for specific days, weeks and months as needed. This is a radically different model for on-campus university accommodation, says Prof. Brian MacCraith, DCU president.

"But it reflects the new circumstances for students and, from our discussions with them, we are confident that it addresses their needs in an adaptable fashion.

The allocation of on-campus residences will take place in early June and will operate through the normal lottery process operated for all students at DCU. Students who receive an offer of a room will be asked to secure that room through a fully refundable deposit.

Once degree timetables have been issued, students will have two weeks to update their details to confirm whether or not they need accommodation for the full semester or for specific dates and their deposit will be applied accordingly.

Meanwhile, the University of Limerick (UL) is to issue refunds totaling 3.45 million to students who left their residences on foot of the Governments decision to close campuses in March.

This follows objections from students and politicians who criticised UL for not refunding students forced to leave due to the pandemic their rent as other universities had. Education Minister Joe McHugh also waded into the row, contacting UL Chancellor Mary Harney to discuss the matter.

The decision to issue the refunds was made by the board of Plassey Campus Centre Ltd, a UL subsidiary that manages on-campus student residences at UL.

"Each student will be refunded rent from the date they vacated their student residence to the end of their semester license term," a UL spokeswoman said.

Semester one will begin on September 28 for all students. Courses will be blended, with some on-campus face-to-face teaching as well as online learning.
New Delhi, May 29 : An Indian Army officer Major Suman Gawani is being awarded the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate award later on Friday. She served as a women peacekeeper with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan in 2019.

She will receive the award from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres during an online ceremony being organised at the UN Headquarters, New York on the occasion of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.

Major Suman will be receiving this award along with a Brazilian Naval Officer Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo.

She served as a military observer in South Sudan from November 2018 to December 2019. While at the mission, she was the principal focal point of contact for gender issues for military observers in the mission.

The officer encouraged participation in joint military patrols to maintain gender balance, irrespective of the hardships under extreme field conditions.

She visited various mission team sites across South Sudan to integrate gender perspective into the planning and military activity in the mission.

The officer was selected to attend specialised training on Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) at Nairobi and participated in various UN forums to demonstrate how a gender perspective can help in protecting civilians, especially from conflict related sexual violence.

Apart from supporting the United Nations Mission in South Sudan initiatives, she also trained the South Sudan government forces on Conflict Related Sexual Violence related aspects.

The officer also commanded the UN Peacekeepers Day Parade organised at South Sudan, where she commanded twelve contingents of United Nations Police, Military and Civilians.
TORONTO, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clear Blue Technologies International Inc. (Clear Blue or the "Company") (TSXV: CBLU) (FRANKFURT: 0YA), the Smart Off-Grid company, is pleased to announce that it has entered into debt settlement agreements with certain directors, officers and employees of the Company to settle aggregate indebtedness of $340,225 in exchange for the issuance of an aggregate of 2,013,161 common shares of the Company at a price per share of $0.169, being the volume weighted average price of the Company's common shares 20 trading-day period ended May 29, 2020, thereby allowing the Company to preserve cash and improve its balance sheet.



As a further cash savings measure, the Company has granted an aggregate of 365,880 restricted stock units ("RSUs") to certain members of the Company's senior management team in lieu of variable cash incentive payments. Each such RSU bears a grant date of May 29, 2020 and will vest in full on February 1, 2021.

The completion of the Shares for Debt Transactions is subject to a number of conditions, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). All securities issued pursuant to the Shares for Debt Transactions will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities legislation.

The Shares for Debt Transactions involving directors and officers of the Company will, in each case, constitute a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from the valuation and the minority approval requirements of MI 61-101 provided for in subsections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a) of MI 61-101, respectively, as the fair market value of the subject of, and the consideration paid in the Shares for Debt Transactions, in each case, in relation to the interested parties, will not represent more than 25% of the Company's market capitalization, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The participation by these directors and officers in the Shares for Debt Transactions has been approved by directors of the Company who are independent in connection with such transactions. No special committee was established in connection with the Shares for Debt Transactions, and no materially contrary view or abstention was expressed or made by any director of the Company in relation thereto. Further details will be included in a material change report that will be filed by the Company in connection with the completion of the Shares for Debt Transactions. The Company anticipates that the material change report will be filed less than 21 days before the closing date of the Shares for Debt Transactions, but believes that this shorter period is reasonable and necessary in the circumstances as the Company wishes to improve its financial position by reducing its accrued liabilities as soon as possible.

The Company also wishes to announce that it has granted an aggregate of 951,000 RSUs and 190,001 options to acquire Shares of the Company ("Options") to certain directors, officers, consultants and senior executives of the Company. Each such RSU bears a grant date of May 29, 2020 and will vest in full on May 29, 2021, and each such Option issued on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 using volume weighted average price of the Company's common shares 20 trading-day period ended June 3, 2020, and will expire on June 3, 2025.

Lastly, Clear Blue has re-engaged German Research GmbH ("German Research") as its investor relations consultant in Germany under an extension to the agreement originally signed with German Research in November, 2018. Under the terms of the extension, which can be terminated by either party on 30 days' prior written notice, German Research will receive a cash payment of approximately $5,500 per month. In addition, Clear Blue will issue German Research options to purchase 100,000 common shares of Clear Blue at an exercise price of $0.13 per share, vesting in accordance with the policies of the TSXV. German Research and Clear Blue are unrelated and unaffiliated entities, but German Research and/or its clients may have an interest, directly or indirectly, in the securities of Clear Blue. There are no performance factors contained in the agreement.

About Clear Blue Technologies International

Clear Blue Technologies International, the Smart Off-Grid company, was founded on a vision of delivering clean, managed, wireless power to meet the global need for reliable, low-cost, solar and hybrid power for lighting, telecom, security, Internet of Things devices, and other mission-critical systems. Today, Clear Blue has thousands of systems under management across 35 countries, including the U.S. and Canada. Clear Blue is publicly traded on the TSXV under the symbol CBLU.

Media Contact:

Becky Nye

Director

Montieth & Company

155 E 44th St., New York, NY 10017

bnye@montiethco.com

+1 646.864.3517



Investor Relations:



Miriam Tuerk

Co-Founder and CEO

+1 (855) 733-0119 x200

investors@clearbluetechnologies.com

http://www.clearbluetechnologies.com/en/investors

Forward-Looking Information Disclaimer

This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Resulting Issuers beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Clear Blue's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". The forward-looking information contained herein may include, but is not limited to, information concerning the completion of the proposed Shares for Debt Transactions, including receipt of TSXV approval of the Shares for Debt Transactions.

By identifying such information and statements in this manner, the Resulting Issuer is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Resulting Issuer to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements.

An investment in securities of the Resulting Issuer is speculative and subject to several risks including, without limitation, the risks discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Resulting Issuer's listing application dated July 12, 2018. Although the Resulting Issuer has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.

In connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Resulting Issuer has made certain assumptions. Although the Resulting Issuer believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Resulting Issuer does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward- looking information and statements attributable to the Resulting Issuer or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
BookMyShow has joined the list of companies shedding workforce due to unfavourable business environment amid the coronavirus pandemic in India. The movie ticket booking platform has reportedly laid off or furloughed 270 employees (around 18 per cent) across its offices in the country. Others have faced 10-50 per cent salary cut, depending upon their level in the company. Ashish Hemrajani, CEO of BookMyShow, in an email to the employees said this was "uncomfortable, unfortunate yet inevitable" situation, and that none of this was based on workers' quality of work.

Also read: Coronavirus: Companies assure employees of no layoffs as businesses take a hit

"Today, we are at the stage where I have to share with you, the uncomfortable, unfortunate yet inevitable downsizing exercise that we have to take due to the unfavourable environment. None of these decisions reflects the quality of the work that any of these team members have put in," Hemrajani wrote.

The company has forwarded medical insurance to employees and their families till September 30, and gratuity and other benefits to the laid off or furloughed employees. The employees have also been given severance equal to two-month salary. Those asked to leave the company will also get a certification from the company, highlighting their skills.

Also read: Coronavirus impact: Cognizant to lay off 400 senior executives

Hemrajani said the decision to let people go was taken after exhausting all options and cutting all other expenses and renegotiating with vendors, partners and landlords.

The economic slowdown has forced several companies to let people go in the face of mounting losses due to lockdown. As per an estimate, the film industry, particularly, is losing around Rs 90 crore a day due to restrictions of movie theatres and film exhibition.

In other sectors too, companies are on firing spree to cut expenses as there's little clarity on how businesses would turnout in future. French carmaker Renault today announced 15,000 layoffs worldwide. Cognizant is planning to lay off around 400 executives in the ranks of directors, senior directors, associate vice presidents, vice presidents. Indiabulls has asked nearly 2,000 employees to resign as part of its "annual attrition cycle". Ola and Uber both have fired 1,400 and 3,000 employees, respectively.

Also read: Boeing axes 12,000 jobs as coronavirus corrodes travel industry
Due to ongoing impacts from the recent flooding event in Midland County, the Midland County Department of Public Health will host a mass COVID-19 testing clinic in conjunction with the Michigan National Guard, Michigan State Police and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Testing, which is free, will take place via a drive-thru clinic from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31, at Dow Diamond, 825 E. Main Street in Midland. Nasopharyngeal testing will be done by the National Guard with data collection assistance by the Midland County Department of Public Health. Individuals do not need to have symptoms to be tested.

Residents are asked to stay in their vehicles if possible as this will be a drive-thru clinic. Residents should enter the clinic via the main Dow Diamond entrance off Buttles Street. Individuals without vehicles will be accommodated.

Flood relief efforts have presented numerous challenges to the many measures used to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The inability to properly use social distancing and face masks, the implementation of congregate shelters, and the large influx of volunteers and emergency response personnel have created additional concerns that warrant residents being tested for COVID-19.

The recent catastrophic flooding event has raised concerns regarding the risk of COVID-19 transmission in our community, said Midland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Mark Bone. We appreciate the assistance of the National Guard to bring testing resources to our residents.

The Midland Area Farmers Market will operate during its regular business hours on Saturday, May 30, from a temporary location near the main ticket office of Dow Diamond. For more information, follow the Midland Area Farmers Market on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

In Thursday's state report, Midland County added one new coronavirus case, bringing its total to 81 cases and eight deaths.

Bay and Isabella counties both added two news cases, bringing their totals to 296 cases and 22 deaths and 76 cases and seven deaths, respectively. Saginaw County added 11 more cases and one death, bringing its total to 1,013 cases and 108 deaths.

Gladwin County remained at 18 cases and one death.

The state on Thursday added 406 cases and 38 deaths; 14 of them from reviews of death records. Overall, Michigan is at 56,014 cases and 5,372 deaths.

"We cannot stress enough how important it is for our community to be diligent in their community mitigation efforts," said Fred Yanoski, Midland County Public Health director/health officer. "We know that COVID-19 is in our community, and our residents can make a huge impact on slowing the spread of disease by following the recommended precautions."

Flooded wells

Yanoski also addressed Midland County residents who may have had their wells flooded. Yanoski said there is potential risk of contamination for people who have well water and if their wells were submerged by flood waters. Water should be tested before consumed.

With that, he said hes heard through the grapevine that some wells were going dry; however, no one has formally contacted the Midland County Health Department about having a dry well. He said sometimes older or shallow wells that might not have been constructed properly might have some issues, but that any legally drilled wells are unlikely to have been affected in this way.

If someone does have an issue with their well, they should contact the health department to have it looked at to determine the problem, Yankoski said. In addition, he said there has been some community support as it relates to providing people with clean water to drink in Edenville.

We like to think to think the community did a great job responding to the need for drinking water and I think theres readily available amounts out in the community, he said.

Bike Midland canceled due to coronavirus

Also on Thursday, Bike Midland, a bike share program in Midland that offers seven stations with five bikes each predominantly spaced along the Pere Marquette Rail Trail, has been canceled, according to Bike Midland's Facebook page. The program is offered through the Zagster app.

"Like many businesses, Zagster has been drastically impacted by COVID-19," the Bike Midland Facebook post read. "Beyond the pandemic's impact on Zagster's business, we were provided no additional information on the cancellation. Station removal will begin today and is expected to be completed by 6/12."
Twitter has hidden one of two recent tweets from US President Donald Trump, saying it violated the Twitter rules about glorifying violence. The tweet in question referred to protests in Minnesota over the death of George Floyd in police custody. In it, Trump said that he would send in the US National Guard and added that when the looting starts, the shooting starts. The tweet is now hidden from view, but can be accessed by clicking on the view button. Engagement is also limited, meaning users can retweet with comment, but cant like, reply or retweet it.

We have placed a public interest notice on this Tweet from @realdonaldtrump. https://t.co/6RHX56G2zt  Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) May 29, 2020

Twitters decision to place a public interest notice on the tweet was made by teams within Twitter and CEO Jack Dorsey was informed of the plan before the tweet was labeled, tweeted Ina Fried from Axios. In a subsequent tweet, Twitter said that this tweet violates our policies regarding the glorification of violence based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today.

Twitter is referring to the fact that Trumps looting comment is a quote from former Miami Police Chief Walter Headley, in charge during the Miamis 1967 race riots and known for his stop and frisk tactics. During the riots, he used the same phrase: When the looting starts, the shooting starts. Hes also known for saying: We dont mind being accused of police brutality. They havent seen anything yet.

As Chris Geidner from the Justice Collaborative noted, Trumps tweet also appears to be inaccurate. The Minnesota National Guard tweeted that it had already activated more than 500 soldiers to St. Paul, Minneapolis and surrounding communities... to protect life, preserve property and the right to peacefully demonstrate.

We've taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts, but have kept the Tweet on Twitter because it is important that the public still be able to see the Tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance.  Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) May 29, 2020

Its the second time in days that Twitter has taken action on a Trump tweet, as the social media network added a fact check to another one just a few days ago. As a result of that action, Trump signed an executive order yesterday trying to limit legal protections for social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. However, critics have said that the order was ill-advised and probably not legally enforceable.

Last year, Twitter said that it would label but not delete tweets from political leaders, as it was in the public interest to leave them up. The company also said that it would downrank such tweets so that they wouldnt surface easily during searches.

Where Twitter has taken action with recent Trump tweets, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said its wrong for companies to become the arbiter of truth. As it stands, Trumps looting message is also up on his Facebook account with no label or warning. Trump has long maintained that social media networks have a bias against him and conservative views, so Twitters latest action will no doubt greatly escalate tensions between them.

Update 9:55AM ET: Twitter has applied the same notice to an identical tweet from the official White House account.
NTT Docomo, Japan's largest mobile carrier, said Thursday it has secured exclusive rights to offer Disney's streaming service Disney+ in the country starting June 11.

The deal marks the first time a carrier will distribute Disney+ exclusively, and gives Docomo a weapon to snatch subscribers from rivals at a time when the industry is struggling to boost growth. The highly anticipated launch of 5G in the spring was disrupted by the outbreak of COVID-19.

In Japan, Disney+ will initially stream popular films like "Toy Story 4" and "Lion King," as well as original content. Disney+ subscribers will not need to have a contract for Docomo's telecommunication service, but will be required to set up a free account with the company. The service will cost 700 yen ($6.50) per month.

Docomo has been nurturing ties with Disney, offering users a separate streaming service called Disney Deluxe last year.

Disney said in early May it had more than 54.5 million Disney+ subscribers, just six months after its launch, making it one of the biggest rivals of U.S. giant Netflix.

The Disney franchise has a large fan base in Japan thanks to its popular theme parks on the outskirts of Tokyo. The parks drew 29 million visitors in the year ended March 2020, down 11% from the previous year due to closures related to the coronavirus.
SoftBank (OTC:SFTB.Y) revealed today that it will lead a more than $500 million investment in an autonomous subsidiary of China's Didi Chuxing.

Softbank will invest via its new Vision Fund 2 vehicle, Didi Chuxing announced. This marks the first time Didi Chuxing's autonomous driving unit has raised money from outside sources and is the biggest fundraising round for any self-driving business in China. The company did not reveal the implied valuation for the autonomous subsidiary following Softbank's investment.

Proceeds will be used to enhance autonomous vehicle safety and efficiency and for research and development of self-driving technology. Didi Chuxing also plans to use some of the funding to accelerate self-driving services in specific areas in China and internationally. Didi has open-road testing licenses in Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou in China and in California in the U.S.

SoftBank's investment in Didi Chuxing comes at a time when the Japanese technology giant is struggling with massive losses on investments gone bad in its first Vision Fund. In March, the tech stock announced plans to sell $41 billion in assets to buy back shares and shore up cash. Among the assets reportedly up for sale is its stake in T-Mobile it received following the telecom company's merger with Sprint.

For the fiscal year ended March 31, the Vision Fund reported a loss of 1.9 trillion yen or close to $18 billion driven in large part by writedowns on its investments in WeWork and Uber Technologies. Despite the losses, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son has vowed to continue to invest in the technology leaders of tomorrow. Son clearly believes Didi Chuxing is on that list.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-29 01:41:26

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 948 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

ANGUILLA, BWI / ACCESSWIRE / May 28, 2020 / Kidoz Inc. (TSXV:KIDZ) (the "Company"), kid-tech software developer, owner of the KIDOZ Safe Advertising Network ( www.kidoz.net) , the KIDOZ Kid-Mode Operating System, the KIDOZ publisher SDK, and the Rooplay edu-games platform ( www.rooplay.com) , announced today its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020. All amounts are presented in United States dollars and are in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.Recent Kidoz Inc. highlights include:Revenue increase to $983,979 for the first quarter of fiscal 2020.Cash of $545,512 and working capital of $1,927,546 at March 31, 2020.Development of Kidoz Programmatic SystemsLaunch of Kidoz System Support to Google's New Teacher Approved ProgramPlatform Growth to Record Usage Levels of DAU and MAU"The first quarter of 2020 started well for Kidoz," stated Eldad Ben Tora, Co-CEO. "We saw strong bookings domestically and internationally across our product lines and demand from our publisher network was excellent as Kidoz offers a unique monetization service in the market. We continue to increase the number of active developer publisher partners and applications on our system given that Kidoz is one of the only ad SDKs and networks both certified by Google and approved by Apple for apps in the Kids section of the App Store." "As the market continues to advance technically, we are seeing an increase in campaign volume from programmatic sources and have been investing heavily in our server and SDK technology to ensure we capture these digital advertising opportunities each time they arise," stated Jason Williams, Co-CEO. "We have launched a new programmatic bidder-server that will become the new core of our server system and allow Kidoz to integrate with any open-real-time-bidding system that creates the demand and supply structure of modern advertising technology. As the under-13 kids market continues to increase in size and importance for advertisers, Kidoz is able to solidify its position and leadership in the market," continued Williams."As the Covid-19 situation unraveled globally in the second half of the quarter we saw record levels of usage on the Kidoz platform with daily active users above nine million for the first time in the Company's history. However, while usage was at its peak, we did see a softening of advertising demand as retail stores were shut and consumer patterns disrupted. Kidoz management took measures to control costs during these uncertain times and remains confident that 2020 will be a strong year for the Company despite a negative impact from Covid-19 on short-term performance." First Quarter Financial ResultsTotal Current Assets as at March 31, 2020 were $2,738,076, compared to $3,469,904 as at December 31, 2019, and Total Current Liabilities as at March 31, 2020, were $810,530, compared to $1,277,399 as at December 31, 2019.Total revenue, net of platform fees (to Apple, Google and Amazon) and withholding taxes, for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, increased to $983,979, an increase from revenue of $305,956 for first quarter of 2019. Ad Tech advertising revenue increased to $895,555 for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, an increase from ad tech advertising revenue of $230,862 in the first quarter of 2019. Content revenue increased to $88,424 for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, an increase from revenue of $75,094 in the first quarter of 2019. The increase in total revenue compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2019 is due to acquisition of Kidoz Ltd and the strong demand for kid safe advertising generated by the introduction of strong regulations worldwide.Selling and marketing expenses were $115,705 for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, an increase of 34% over expenses of $86,352 in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. This increase in sales and marketing expenses in the quarter ended March 31, 2020, compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2019 is due to the acquisition of Kidoz Ltd. in the quarter ended March 31, 2019. Selling and marketing expenses principally include sales staff and the publishing services and user acquisition costs to acquire players.General and administrative expenses consist primarily of premises costs for our offices, legal and professional fees, and other general corporate and office expenses. General and administrative expenses increased to $143,255 for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, an increase of 35% from costs of $105,928 for the first quarter of fiscal 2019. The increase in general and administrative expenses compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2019, is due to the acquisition of Kidoz Ltd.Salaries, wages, consultants, and benefits decreased to $136,240 for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, a decrease of 53% compared to salaries, wages, consultants, and benefits of $288,663 in the first quarter of 2019. This decrease compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2019, is due to the synergies incurred with the acquisition of Kidoz Ltd.The Company does not capitalize its development costs. The Company expensed $284,723 in content and software development costs during the quarter ended March 31, 2020, an increase of 17% compared to content and software development costs of $241,897 expensed during the first quarter of fiscal 2019. The increase compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2019, is due to the acquisition of Kidoz Ltd and the increase in the production of playable ads.The net loss after taxation for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, amounted to ($403,924), a loss of ($0.00) per share, compared to a net loss of ($826,304) or ($0.01) per share in the quarter ended March 31, 2019. This decrease in total loss for the quarter compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2019 is due to an increase in revenue as a result of the acquisition of Kidoz Ltd.Earnings before interest; depreciation and amortization; stock-based compensation and impairment of goodwill ("EBITDA") for the period ended March 31, 2020, amounted to ($246,954), compared to EBITDA of ($612,007) in the period ended March 31, 2019.During the quarter ended March 31, 2020, we used cash of ($400,604) in operating activities compared to cash used in operating activities of ($585,273) in the same period in the prior year.During the quarter ended March 31, 2020, we used cash of ($4,909) in i
Mayor Jim Kenney puts his face mask back on after speaking at a press conference at the almost completed Coronavirus facility at the Liacouras Center, in Philadelphia, April 10, 2020. The facility will open on Monday. Staff and volunteers are still doing some finishing work on the facility. Read more

TL;DR: Philadelphia is expected to move into the yellow phase next week, meaning some of the restrictions on businesses that have been in place since March can lift. Mayor Jim Kenney released a plan for what to expect, and said residents should still avoid large gatherings.

 Allison Steele (@AESteele, health@inquirer.com)

What you need to know:

 34 Pennsylvania counties will be in the green phase of reopening by the end of next week, Gov. Tom Wolf said, as Philadelphia and its surrounding counties move to yellow." Wolf vowed to open schools this fall, but said that could involve a mix of online and in-person classes. In the event of a second wave of the virus, Wolf said, We cannot do a lockdown."

 New Jersey child-care centers, camps and other businesses can re-open starting next month, Gov. Phil Murphy said. The state also reversed its stance on graduation ceremonies, and will allow drive-in and drive-through celebrations starting next month.

 The Philadelphia Parking Authority will start enforcing meters again on June 8.

 Sen. Bob Casey tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, which suggests he had a mild case of the virus earlier this year. He said he will donate his plasma to antibody studies.

 Following President Trumps lead, many Pennsylvania Republicans arent opting for mail-in voting.

Local coronavirus cases

The coronavirus has swept across the Philadelphia region and cases continue to mount. The Inquirer and Spotlight PA are compiling geographic data on tests conducted, cases confirmed, and deaths caused by the virus. Track the spread here.

Calling it a mini-step forward, Mayor Kenney offered guidance for businesses that can reopen next week, such as allowing no more than five customers per 1,000 square feet in stores, wiping down frequently touched surfaces, spacing cash registers six feet apart, and offering customers hand sanitizer upon entry.

Office-based businesses, manufacturing, and retail can reopen. Child care centers, outdoor day camps, and warehouse operations can also resume. Bars and restaurants will remain closed, and with the virus still spreading in the city, Kenney said residents should still remain home as much as possible.

Were ready to put our toe in the water and see how everybody behaves and how everybody reacts, he said."

Before COVID-19 made in-person medical care risky, efforts were already underway to expand access to abortion pills through telemedicine and mail-order pharmacies. Now, a historically divisive political issue has become a matter of public health, and those efforts are accelerating.

Helpful resources

You got this: Get ready for life in the yellow phase

As more Pennsylvania counties emerge from red, shelter-in-place status, restaurants will open for outdoor dining. Child care services will resume. You could shop or even see some of your friends again. But experts say we should remain vigilant and continue following safety guidelines.

 One South Jersey chef has turned foraging for ingredients into a new father-son bonding routine.

 A ninth-grader at St. Josephs prep is drawing a numbered professional athlete for every day of quarantine.

 Did you get a fake-looking stimulus debit card in the mail? Dont toss it, its real.

Have a social distancing tip or question to share? Let us know at health@inquirer.com and your input might be featured in a future edition of this newsletter.

What were paying attention to

Heres what we have to do to show a coronavirus vaccine works, according to the MIT Technology Review.

The CDC says choirs singing in houses of worship can spread the coronavirus. This week, the Trump administration removed that warning from reopening guidelines.

The landlord for an Old Navy in Center City Philadelphia is suing the company for rent that has gone unpaid during the pandemic.

Enjoy getting our journalism through email? You can also sign up for The Inquirer Morning Newsletter to get the latest news, features, investigations and more sent straight to your inbox each morning Sunday-Friday. Sign up here.
A book about the history of Capard House in Laois written by an Offaly man has won the Nilsson Local Heritage Writing Award 2020 at Listowel Writers Week.

Capard House, near Rosenallis at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, is a Georgian mansion that dates back to the late 1790s.

The book charts the history of Capard House and estate from the arrival of the Pigott family in Ireland in the 1560s to its present-day restoration. Lavishly illustrated throughout, the story of Capard challenges many of the stereotypical interpretations of the Irish country house.

In 2015 it was sold to a US property magnate. Since then Capard has undergone one of the largest restoration projects of an Irish country house to date. Read more on that here.

It was seldom featured on the trail of the travel writer or gazetteer, making its research all the more challenging for the writer, historian Dr Ciaran Reilly.

"The writing of this book was particularly onerous owing to the lack of records or archival material which existed to tell the story of Capard. There were days when I thought that this was an impossible task but at various times what seemed small breakthroughs, yielded massive results.

"In many respects, Capard remained unknown to the outside world and lay in the shadow of the other great houses of Laois. However, Capard was central to the social, economic and political life of Rosenallis and the wider community over several hundred years," he said.

Dr Reilly from Edenderry is an historian of nineteenth and twentieth century Irish history based at Maynooth University.

His other titles include The Irish Land Agent, 1830-60: the case of Kings County (2014); Strokestown and the Great Irish Famine (2014); John Plunket Joly and the Great Famine in Kings County (2012) and Edenderry, county Offaly and the Downshire estate, 1790-1800 (2007) all published by Four Courts Press.

He was delighted to win the writer's award, presented online due to Covid-19 restrictions.

"Obviously it is a great honour to win this prestigious award at the primary literary festival in Ireland which celebrates its fiftieth year in 2020. It is also obviously very special owing to the many long hours that have gone into writing the book," Dr Reilly told the Leinster Express.

"My previous book on Strokestown House in Roscommon, for example, involved me examine 50,000 documents before writing the book. In the case of Capard surviving records probably amounted to less than 1% of that.

"This is not a history of fireplaces, of art or cornices but a history of people and of place. Capard, one of the great country houses of the midlands, was central to the social, cultural, political and economic world of Rosenallis and Mountmellick over several generations."

The book is available through the Irish Georgian Society HERE and the Offaly History Centre, Tullamore at

www.offalyhistory.com.
Washington:

Alleging that forces across the border are fomenting trouble in violence-hit Kashmir, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said that "a small percentage" of people in the Valley are holding the majority to ransom.



He said the government is working "proactively" in handling the violence in the state.



"As far as Kashmir is concerned, the Indian Government has been very proactive in handling the violence which comes from across the border" Parrikar told Pentagon reporters on Monday at a joint news conference with US Defence Secretary, Ashton Carter.



"A few small percentage is holding the majority to ransom," he added.



Asked about the current situation in Kashmir, he said curfew has already been lifted and an all-party delegation is also heading to the Valley.



"Kashmir is actually having a government which is a democratically elected. And the chief minister belongs to the Valley," he said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Ten people were indicted in a mortgage fraud scheme that abused a controversial program that gave landlords a full year of rent upfront to move homeless families out of New York City, the Essex County Prosecutors Office announced Friday.

Those who were charged are accused of getting more than $1.8 million by deceiving lenders and duping the mortgage applicants. The seven properties that were purchased by unsuspecting buyers at inflated prices were in Newark, East Orange and Irvington, the prosecutors office said.

Authorities say the mortgage applicants were convinced they would generate income through New York Citys Special One Time Assistance (SOTA) program, which relocated homeless families across the country. Newark sued NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio last year over the program because families were often rushed to sign leases for uninhabitable apartments, the federal suit alleged.

The alleged mortgage plot took place between 2016 and 2019, authorities said. Prosecutors say the properties that were part of the scheme were in various states of disrepair.

The defendants had collected the year of prepaid rent from the SOTA program and allegedly absconded with those funds, the prosecutors office said in a news release. The defendants ultimately abandoned the tenants and left the new unsuspecting owner with an unmaintained building."

Those who were charged were operating under the name of four companies: Alford & Associates; Integrity First Construction and Property Management; Barnette Consulting Group; and 83 & Company. The four companies could not be reached for comment.

The charges included racketeering, theft, tampering with records, and money laundering.

The following people were charged: Darnell Alford, 42, of Toms River; Travis Glover, 57, of Jackson; Albert Johnson, 54 of Hillside; Christina Barnett, 37, of the Bronx; Lashawn Glover, 50, of Jackson; Vera Johnson, 74, of Hillside; Sean Huey, 42, of Piscataway; Donnette Ford, 51, of Piscataway; Cherryl Sharp, 62, of Clarksburg; and Jalisa Clark, 31, of Irvington.

Alford and Barnett remain at large, the prosecutors office said. Authorities say Barnett, who was presented as a property manager, failed to manage the properties.

Buyers made little to no down payment on the properties and had questionable financial stability, but they were led to entrust the mortgage application process to Alford and Glover, authorities said.

Yet their mortgage applications were allegedly manipulated and buyers were not aware that a significant portion of the money they were borrowing was being paid to Alford, Glover and Johnson, authorities said. In some cases, between $50,000 to $106,000 was being paid to them, authorities allege.

Buyers were given gift money from the inflated loan that was disbursed at the time of the closing, authorities said. They were also allegedly guaranteed monthly income from the property and were sometimes told their student loans would be paid off, the prosecutors office said.

More than 2,200 families were placed in 62 New Jersey towns with 1,198 in Newark under the SOTA program, NJ Advance Media previously reported.

Newark passed a local measure to effectively ban the SOTA program last year. New York City later agreed to only provide landlords rent payments on a month-to-month basis and allowed families to report living condition issues so they could stop payments.

Any members of the public who may have additional information regarding this case should contact the Essex County Prosecutors Office Financial Crimes Unit at 973-688-3041. Calls will be kept confidential.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
In a letter to the Indiana secretary of state, Marion County Clerk Myla Eldridge expressed concern that many voters wont have had enough time to mail their absentee ballots back to election board in time to be counted for the June primary.

The letter, provided by the Marion County Clerks Office, acknowledges some of the frustrations seen on social media from people who say they submitted an application for an absentee ballot weeks ago but havent gotten a ballot yet.

Russell Hollis, deputy director of the county clerks office, said in an email voters are encouraged to hand deliver their ballots at an early voting location or on election day at a vote center.

The office received more than 123,000 absentee ballot applications by the May 21 deadline, according to the letter, which is 20 times more than for the 2016 primary.

The office processed 99.5% of those applications. A small number of applications contained errors, Hollis said.

In the letter, dated May 28, Eldridge referenced earlier correspondence with the secretary of state, Connie Lawson, in which she outlined concerns about the safety and efficacy of a wide-ranging vote-by-mail push alongside in-person voting.

Eldridge reiterated she supports voting by mail in the primary but said her office has had to divert precious resources to securing voting locations and poll workers for in-person voting.

The county has been operating three early voting locations and will have 22 vote centers on Election Day, which is June 2.

I can now report that these and other concerns are being realized in substantial ways that not only have strained our resources to the breaking point, but also threaten to disappoint thousands of voters whose mail-in absentee ballots might not be counted under Indiana law, Eldridge wrote in the letter.

Staff has also been limited, Eldridge said, because of COVID-19. The office had just 10 staff members to process applications at the beginning of the application period but finished with more than 100.

Eldridge said there has also been significant delays with the U.S. Postal Service in mailing ballots, which is why some voters have been waiting weeks to get their ballot.

In short, this could mean that thousands of ballots will remain uncounted despite the best efforts of both the Marion County Election Board and the voters themselves  even while state and county officials have strongly encouraged voters to vote by mail, Eldridge wrote.

Eldridge said it is not too late for the Indiana Election Commission to extend the deadline for the county to receive absentee ballots, which is currently noon June 2.

Hollis said the Marion County Clerks Office has not received a response from Lawson.

The Recorder has reached out to the secretary of states office for comment.

Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.
Patients will have to wait until next year for a dental check-up because practices face a huge backlog of urgent cases, the dentists professional body warns today.

With clinics only able to see a few patients a day, even those with severe toothache will be left waiting up to two months, according to the British Dental Association.

Earlier this week the NHS announced that dentists could reopen on Monday, June 8  but only if they felt appropriately prepared to provide safe care without spreading the virus.

However, the BDA  which represents 22,000 dentists in the UK  estimates that they will only be able to see a third of their usual level of patients because of strict infection control measures.

The BDA  which represents 22,000 dentists in the UK  estimates that they will only be able to see a third of their usual level of patients because of strict infection control measures

Before coronavirus, the 10,000 practices in England would typically carry out 3.25million appointments a month, but this is predicted to fall to just above one million a month, and possibly lower.

The BDA also estimates that 6.5million patients have missed out on check-ups and treatment in the two months since surgeries were closed by NHS England on March 25.

Dr Edward Crouch, deputy chairman of the BDAs board, said: I qualified 36 years ago. Ive never been more worried about the profession and the care for patients. Its horrendous. Every day I hear horror stories. Yesterday I found out about a four-year-old girl whod been admitted to hospital with swelling going into the throat and into the eye as a result of an abscess.

The mother had tried desperately to get help and support. It was a potentially life-threatening situation. Other people have taken their own teeth out. Its barbaric stuff.

Youve got people who are in terrible pain. The patients in the most pain we will prioritise and get them seen as quickly as possible but sadly some of them may have to wait three, four, five, six, eight weeks, depending on our capacity.

He continued: Weve got two months of patients that havent been seen. As a consequence, we will be spending several months clearing the backlog of people who have got pain and problems.

If youve got absolutely no symptoms, and just want to go to your dentist for reassurance and a check-up or a scale or polish, they are the last services that will be available.

The BDA also estimates that 6.5million patients have missed out on check-ups and treatment in the two months since surgeries were closed (file photo)

Dr Crouch said it would be an optimistic guess that routine check-ups would restart next January.

The BDA is also aware that some patients have been put on four or five courses of antibiotics because they cannot get proper dental treatment, such as a filling or root canal procedure.

This is likely to encourage antibiotic resistance, which is where bacteria become immune to the drugs and potentially untreatable. Currently, patients can only be seen at one of 500 urgent dental clinics, but services are very restricted and they will usually only treat emergencies such as abscesses or severe infections.

Patients were struggling to be seen by a dentist even before coronavirus took hold.

Dr Crouch, a dentist in Hall Green in Birmingham, explained that when practices reopen they will only be able to see a third of patients compared to normal because many routine procedures generate aerosols, tiny droplets of water, which may contain the virus. This means rooms will have to remain fallow for up to an hour afterwards as well as being deep-cleaned. Waiting rooms will be limited to a few patients at a time to ensure adequate social distancing.

An NHS spokesman said: NHS treatment can now begin on a phased basis in June with dentists offering treatment based on what they assess is appropriate in their particular practice  ensuring no dentist will do any treatment they think would put themselves at risk.
Volkswagen AG said on Friday it has agreed to invest 2.1 billion euros ($2.33 billion) in two separate Chinese electric vehicle players, upping its bet on the world's biggest auto market as international rivals seek to muscle in. VW said it will invest 1 billion euros to take a 50% stake in the state-owned parent of Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group, also raising its stake in an existing electric vehicle joint venture with JAC to 75% from 50%.

The joint venture will launch five more electric models by 2025 and establish a car manufacturing base, said VW. The German giant aims to sell 1.5 million new energy vehicles (NEV) - including battery electric cars as well as plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles - a year in China by 2025.

In a separate transaction, VW said it will pay 1.1 billion euros to acquire 26.5% of Guoxuan High-tech Co Ltd, a maker of electric vehicle batteries, becoming its biggest shareholder. VW said Guoxuan, based in Hefei like JAC, will supply batteries to its EV models in China. Reuters exclusively reported on Wednesday that VW was in final talks to invest in the two companies.

The deals come as global rivals like U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc seek to make inroads in the Chinese car market. Tesla last year became the first foreign automaker to wholly own a car plant in China. China has set a target of 25% of 2025 annual vehicle sales to be made up of NEVs. More than 25 million vehicles were sold in China last year.

Friday's moves also make VW the latest foreign automaker to increase ownership of operations in China since the government started to relax rules in 2018, with German peer BMW AG quick to take control of its main local venture. VW also has ventures with state-owned China FAW Group Corp Ltd and SAIC Motor Corp Ltd. Shares in both JAC and Guoxuan climbed their maximum daily limit of 10% on Friday morning.

Also read: Volkswagen India initiates safety, sanitisation programme across facilities

Also read: Volkswagen in final talks to seal biggest M&A deals in Chinese EV sector
General Motors Co.s North American assembly plants have overcome initial parts-supply challenges and will boost production next week.

Three U.S. factories building mid- and full-size pickups will operate on three shifts starting June 1, the automaker said in a statement Thursday. GM has been running just one shift at the facilities and was unable to increase output this week because supply of parts from Mexico was constrained.

GM said three other factories that build crossovers in the U.S. and Canada will move to two shifts, from one. Five of its assembly plants will still operate on one shift.

Chevrolet and GMC dealers have been running low on inventory of GMs redesigned Silverado and Sierra models, which are among the most lucrative in the companys lineup. Mike Jackson, the chief executive officer of AutoNation Inc., said in a Bloomberg Television interview this month that the largest U.S. new-car retailer was eager to rebuild its stock of Silverado.

If they can restart the pickup truck plants first, Ill be standing here in line saying send me all you can get, Jackson said.
A woman from Florida was arrested by the authorities for murder and child abuse after a 4-month-old baby girl died. The 28-year-old suspect tried to pin the blame on a toddler who she said had been rough with the baby on numerous occasions.

Blame game

The suspect, Samantha Angeles-De La Rosa, told the police that the 2-year-old toddler was the one who pulled the 4-month-old baby off a changing table, causing the baby to hit the floor and sustain fatal injuries. The incident happened at Polk County on May 26, at around 10 p.m.

According to the spokeswoman of the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Carrie Horstman, Del La Rosa called the police after she saw that the baby was no longer responding. When the authorities arrived at the home, they found the baby with bruises all over her body.

The infant was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead. The authorities asked De La Rosa about the bruises in the infant's head, face, and body, but her answer was inconsistent with the result of the investigation. She claimed that the 2-year-old child was rough with the baby and has been hitting the infant with toys.

Dr. Stephen Nelson, the medical examiner who conducted an autopsy on the baby, found that the infant had a fractured skull which then caused a brain bleed and bruising outside the brain of the baby.

Also Read: Ohio Mother, Stepfather Charged for Abusing and Drowning 7-Year-Old Boy

Dr. Nelson also said that the lethal injuries were caused by blunt force trauma, and he noticed that the infant had two fractured ribs and a fractured left forearm. All of the fractures were healing, which means that the injuries were old. He stated that the infant died due to homicide.

How she committed the murder

After the autopsy on the infants was done, detectives interviews De La Rosa again and she told them that she caused the arm injury because she pulled the infant out of a car seat and the rib injuries were caused by her squeezing the baby too hard when she was angry.

De La Rosa continued to blame the 2-year-old for the death of the infant, but she told the detectives that she was overwhelmed the morning of the murder because the infant would not stop crying. She eventually admitted that she lost it and grabbed the infant and struck its head hard twice against the changing table frame.

De La Rosa was arrested on one count of second-degree murder and two counts of aggravated child abuse and she was booked into the Polk County Jail without the possibility of parole.

Grady Judd, the Polk County Sheriff, advised anyone people to reach out to family, friends, clergy, or even social services for assistance if they feel overwhelmed by taking care of a child.

A study done in 2009 shows that in the United States there were a total of 2,402 children that were less than 2 years old who have died from homicide from the years 2001 to 2005. The data has no signs of slowing down soon, as the mental health issues in the country are beginning to increase, especially during the pandemic.

Judd also urged people to contact their local law enforcement agency or the Department of Children and Families Abuse if they know any child that is being abused.

Related Article: Dead Body Leads to Two Naked, Malnourished Teenagers Locked in Australian Home

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
 Flash

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday donated surgical face masks, goggles, protective clothing and other medical supplies to the Lebanese army to help combat COVID-19.

Speaking at the handover ceremony held here at Lebanon's Defense Ministry, Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Wang Kejian said that when China was in the middle of its anti-epidemic fight, the Lebanese leader and people from all walks of life expressed their support for China.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the two countries have maintained close cooperation on exchanging expertise and information on epidemic prevention and control as well as the treatment of patients, said Wang, adding that China has actively coordinated resources and offered several batches of medical supplies to Lebanon.

"The PLA is offering today equipment to the defense ministry in Lebanon, which reflects the great friendship between the two countries, armies and peoples," Wang said.

China is willing to tide over the difficulties together with the Lebanese people and army, Wang added.

Expressing appreciation for the donation, Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, who also attended the ceremony, said that it is not the first time that China supports Lebanon during difficult circumstances.

This donation, which marks a milestone in the friendly cooperation between the two countries, "will have a great impact on the efforts exerted by the (Lebanese) army to protect its members from COVID-19," Aoun said.

"We are keen to continue cooperating with China in a way that serves the interests of both countries," he added.

Lebanon reported its first COVID-19 case in Feb. 21. As of Wednesday, the country had registered a total of 1,161 cases, with 26 deaths.
Baicells played a crucial role in the Indigenous Connectivity Summit in 2019, said Mark Buell, Internet Society North American Regional Vice President.

Baicells, a leading manufacturer in LTE and 5G technologies with a vision to connect the unconnected, has joined the Internet Society, a global non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the global Internet and expanding its reach.

The Internet Society and Baicells share a common vision that the Internet is for everyone. In 2019, Baicells sponsored the Internet Societys Indigenous Connectivity Summit in partnership with the First Mile Connectivity Consortium, the Internet Societys Hawaii Chapter, the North American Network Operators Group, the Nation of Hawaii, the University of Alberta, and the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

The 2-day summit explored Indigenous connectivity, showcased successful community networks, and looked for ways to improve existing policies. Community Networks are networks built, owned and operated by local communities and a key way to bring Internet access to remote, rural and underserved areas. The summit culminated in the establishment of a private LTE network that is owned and operated by the Nation of Hawaii. This private network now serves all of its 90 residents.

Baicells played a crucial role in the Indigenous Connectivity Summit in 2019, said Mark Buell, Internet Society North American Regional Vice President. Their generous donation of the equipment made possible a community network in a Native Hawaiian village. The Baicells team delivered the hands-on training for community members to operate the network in a manner that was both respectful, engaging and appropriate.

Its a natural fit for Baicells to join the Internet Society as an Organization member, stated Rick Harnish, Baicells Chief Marketing Officer. Baicells disruptively-priced and innovative LTE wireless broadband access solutions are accessible around the globe. The Internet Societys worldwide connectivity goals resemble our own. We were very pleased to work alongside the Internet Society during last years ICS, and we are looking forward to joining this years summit as well. Now, more than ever before, Internet connectivity is crucial.

About Baicells

Baicells is a privately-held, high tech company providing disruptively-priced and technically innovative LTE wireless broadband access solutions, supporting fixed wireless, and mobile small cells. With the vision to connect the unconnected, Baicells has introduced some real breakthrough technologies to LTE, like moving a complete LTE system to unlicensed spectrum and building it with an IT based architecture. With Baicells turnkey end-to-end solutions, it becomes much easier to provide wireless internet within everyones reach at a very low cost. Baicells innovative solutions can be used by mobile operators, broadband access operators, cable operators, mobile virtual operators, governments and enterprise private networks.

About the Internet Society

Founded in 1992 by Internet pioneers, the Internet Society (ISOC) is a global non-profit organization working to ensure the Internet remains a force for good for everyone. Through its community of members, special interest groups, and 150+ chapters around the world, the organization defends and promotes Internet policies, standards, and protocols that keep the Internet open, globally-connected, and secure. For more information, please visit: internetsociety.org.
Jerusalem, May 29 : Israel's Ministry of Health has reported 79 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily rise since May 2. The total number of coronavirus cases in Israel reached 16,872, while the number of recoveries increased by 109 to 14,679.

The death toll from the virus rose to 284, with three new deaths reported, while the number of patients in serious condition dropped from 41 to 37, out of 106 patients currently hospitalized.

The ministry said on Thursday that it considered new steps to deal with the unusual increase in new infections with the deadly respiratory disease, Xinhua reported.

The ministry also urged the public not to be complacent, and strictly follow the guidelines on taking precautionary measures, including wearing face masks, ensuring hygiene and keeping social distance.

"The mood that the coronavirus pandemic behind us is wrong," the ministry added.

Part of the increase in coronavirus cases is related to a high school in Jerusalem, where 11 students and seven staff members were tested positive in recent days.

As a result, the school was closed, and by Sunday, coronavirus testing for all 1,400 students and staff is scheduled to be completed.

Earlier on Thursday, Israel's ministries of higher education, education and health announced that universities and colleges will reopen on Sunday, under restrictions.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Some New Jersey renters who are financially struggling due to the coronavirus crisis could soon receive emergency rental assistance from a new $100 million fund, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Friday.

From the moment this emergency took hold, we have made it clear that no family should fear losing their home as a result of financial hardship due to COVID-19, Murphy said during his daily briefing in Trenton.

The state Department of Community Affairs has created the COVID-19 short-term rental assistance program to help to low- and moderate-income households facing financial hardship, focusing on those who became unemployed due to the pandemic, according to Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, who also heads the department.

A portion of the $100 million fund will be allocated for residents who are very low-income," homeless, or at risk of homelessness and cover up to 12 months of rent.

These residents will be prioritized before an online lottery system opens up in July for residents seeking up to six months of rental assistance, Oliver added. The lottery will give a preference to households earning less than 80% of the median income in their area.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

We have heard the call for help from renters loud and clear, and we understand the enormity of the problem," she said at Fridays briefing.

Rent-assistance checks are expected to reach landlords later this summer, Murphy said.

Landlords and tenants groups both lauded the move, as residents fall further behind on rent during the economic crisis.

From the start of this crisis, our association and membership have been advocating for a rental assistance program for those in need," said David Brogan, executive director of the New Jersey Apartment Association. "The use of federal and state funds to support tenants facing financial challenges is imperative to keeping tenants in their homes and the multifamily industry intact.

Staci Berger, president of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, called it a terrific step in the right direction to help folks who are struggling to make their rent payments.

Residents can also apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program for help with utility costs. The program recently received $29 million through the CARES Act.

While late fees for renters have not been waived, as has been done for mortgage payments, Murphy noted the one thing we want to prevent is somebody getting crushed by the late fees.

Murphy said the states moratorium on lockouts due to eviction or foreclosure remains in place, and hopes to strengthen protections for tenants in the future. He also recently signed an executive order allowing tenants to pay rent with their security deposit.

In April, he suspended rent increases for 36,000 low- and moderate-income homes, and some cities, including Hoboken and Newark, have independently imposed rent freezes.

Since the pandemic began in mid-March, more than 1.1 million New Jersey residents have filed for unemployment, as nonessential business were forced to close, causing the states unemployment rate to surge to 15.3%. Many say theyve been waiting for weeks to get paid and have struggled with the states busy phone and online systems.

Oliver said the new program will use federal funds allocated through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

New Jersey, a densely populated state of 9 million residents, has reported at least 11,531 deaths attributed to COVID-19, with 158,844 cases, since the outbreak began here March 4. Officials on Friday announced 131 new deaths and 1,117 new positive tests.

Only New York has more deaths and cases among American states.

New Jersey is currently the first stage of the governors multi-phase reopening plan, though Murphy has not provided hard dates or specific benchmarks the state has to hit to reach the next two stages. He said Friday he will have more details Monday, including a date when Stage 2 can begin.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
Reiterating his offer to mediate on the border dispute between India and China, US President Donald Trump has said that he spoke with Narendra Modi about the big conflict and asserted that the Indian Prime Minister is not in a good mood over the latest flare-ups between the two countries.

Speaking with the reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump said a big conflict was going on between India and China.

I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman, the president said.

Have a big conflict India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy, he said when asked if he was worried about the border situation between India and China.

I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China, Trump said.

A day earlier, the president offered to mediate between India and China.

Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was ready, willing and able to mediate between the two countries.

Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump reiterated his offer, saying if called for help, I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help about mediate or arbitrate, I would do that, he said. India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trumps offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing.

While the Chinese Foreign Ministry is yet to react to Trumps tweet which appears to have caught Beijing by surprise, an op-ed in the state-run Global Times said both countries did not need such a help from the US President.

The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order, it said.

Also read: Donald Trumps mediation tweet is part of growing anti-China juggernaut

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.

Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal which was rejected by New Delhi.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to disengage following a meeting at the level of local commanders.

Also read: India China standoff explained: Bridge over troubled waters

Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.
Iran Can Supply Itself With Nuclear Fuel Without Russia's Help - Atomic Energy Body

Sputnik News

11:40 GMT 28.05.2020(updated 11:52 GMT 28.05.2020)

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran is capable of supplying itself with nuclear fuel even without Russia's assistance, Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) spokesman, Behruz Kamalvandi, said on Thursday.

"Fuel is delivered from Russia each time we need it, without any problems. If we run out of fuel, we will be capable of producing it, without resting on any other country," Kamalvandi told the ISNA news agency.

His comment came soon after the United States announced ending sanction waivers covering Iran's nuclear projects.

In late April, Russia delivered a fresh batch of nuclear fuel to Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, necessary for efficient functioning of the reactor.

A Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Addressing the councils open debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict on May 27, Quy said that the most effective and long-term solution is to prevent and end conflicts and maintain sustainable peace.

When a conflict happens, the top responsibility of each nation is protecting its civilians, he emphasised, adding that international organisations and UN peacekeeping forces can support conflict-hit nations, but they need be supplied with sufficient resources.

The diplomat strongly condemned attacks targeting civilians and civil facilities, especially schools, hospitals and water and food production systems.

He also stressed Vietnams backing for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' appeal for a global ceasefire amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UN Secretary-General said that more than 20,000 civilians were killed or injured in just ten conflicts in Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen in 2019, and 90% of people killed by explosive weapons in populated areas were civilians.

Last year, tens of thousands of children were forced to take part in hostilities, and millions of people were displaced as a result of armed conflict, he added.

The COVID-19 pandemic rages on, causing enormous human suffering and additional stress to health systems, economies and communities, said Guterres. Where armed conflict continues, COVID-19 makes the protection of civilians more challenging than ever.

He urged States to review and rethink their approach to urban warfare, committing to the protection of civilians in their doctrine, strategy and tactics.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Liberian President, emphasised the need to exert efforts to put an end to conflicts. She called for regional and international solidarity to support underdeveloped countries, and intensify international cooperation and women empowerment.
NEWS PROVIDED BY

Alveda King Ministries

May 29, 2020



ATLANTA, May 29, 2020 /Standard Newswire/ -- Evangelist Alveda King submits the following and is available for comment:

I was very restless in my spirit yesterday. With my goddaughter, Angela Stanton King, "boots on the ground" in Minneapolis, Minnesota, COVID-19 qualms at critical mass, personal family matters and that type of thing, it was hard to pray. However, I did.



This morning as I spoke with Angela by phone, the POTUS text about looting and shooting surfaced. With my heart heavily grieved and moved by the cruel murder of George Floyd, who was a man of God, and other related events, an urgent cry arose in my heart. Pray for an end of the looting and shooting. Unite in prayer as One Blood!



"And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'"  Acts 17:26-28 NKJV



I am saddened, yet undaunted that a quote of my Uncle MLK is being taken out of context: "violence is the language of the unheard." Prophet Martin Luther King Jr. MLK spoke those words in defense of non-violence; he refused to promote violence as a solution to the ills of society.



As we are in "the eye of the storm," the solution remains: PEACE BE STILL.



We are in flux, with George Floyd, Martin Luther King Jr., COVID-19, unborn aborted babies, all whirling around in a chaotic storm. PEACE BE STILL. Anchor with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.



"When and where peripherals collide, convergence is imminent."  Evangelist Alveda King



Today, as these storms coincide and converge what can we do so that we are not fearful and not panicking but praying, believing and loving? We must pray and unite as one blood, one America, one human race.



As I write this message, I am joining a business empowerment round table discussion with our Vice President, HUD Secretary, Georgia Governor, Secretary of Agriculture, Unity Bank officials and other. Very encouraging.



Thank God for promises made and promises kept. We must continue on.



As we pray, as we thank God, as we see all of the progress we are making together in America, we will get through this. PRAY FOR AMERICA.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and other officials applaud after the vote on the national security legislation for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region at the closing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on May 28, 2020. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)

ANU Student Released From Hong Kong Detention

An Australian student has been released after reportedly spending more than 30 hours in detention in Hong Kong amid Chinas approval of a strict new national security law for the semi-autonomous city.

Kai Clark, an Asian studies major at Australian National University, posted on social media on May 29 he had been released unconditionally after a 33-hour detention.

All good  lawyers and I were challenging charges and prepared for the full 48 hours plus habeus corpus (sic). Unnecessary now, Clark wrote on Twitter on Friday morning.

Still under investigation and phone had been seized.

Will get back to you all soon and am safe with family and good legal advice.

The Canberra student said he had earlier in the week been cordoned on the streets of Hong Kong in a dragnet.

It remains unclear whether he was involved in any protests against Beijings proposed national security laws.

Angry expat was told that to stay put and that the police will see if youre innocent later, Clark posted on Twitter on May 27.

Riot police rushed then extended red tape. Uncertain if being arrested or detained.

He said he was later handcuffed and taken to a police station.

ABC on Thursday reported Chinas government had by 2,878 to 1 voted in favour of security legislation to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in Hong Kong.

Australiain conjunction with the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canadacondemned the legislations approval.

Chinas decision to impose the new national security law on Hong Kong lies in direct conflict with its international obligations under the principles of the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration, the four countries said in a joint statement on Thursday.

By Gus McCubbing
KYIV -- Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has said that a mass shooting incident in the town of Brovary near the capital is linked to corruption among Kyiv city and regional authorities.

Avakov wrote on Twitter that 10 people were arrested and more are expected to be apprehended for their involvement in the shooting incident on May 29.

"The shoot-out in Brovary this morning is an echo of corruption with regard to the definition of quotas for transportation services and the involvement of gangs in the war for passenger routes.... Executive authorities of Kyiv and the region...something is rotting," Avakov tweeted.

Earlier in the day, Avakov's deputy, Anton Herashchenko, wrote on Facebook that three people were wounded in the shoot-out, which he called "a criminal settling of scores" between businesses providing transportation services with the involvement of local officials.

"The [transportation] routes must be distributed legally and in a fair way, not under the table or for bribes," Herashchenko wrote, adding that "a significant number of firearms was confiscated" from people involved in the shoot-out.

Media reports quoted police in Brovary as saying that some 100 people, many from other regions of the country, were involved in the incident and that a probe into "hooliganism" had been launched.
As protests spread across the nation in response to George Floyds death in Minneapolis police custody, demonstrators are poised to gather at the Wisconsin state Capitol Saturday to demand justice in the latest high-profile death of a black person at the hands of white law enforcement officers.

The gathering is set to come a day after former officer Derek Chauvin, who was shown on video kneeling on 46-year-old Floyds neck during an arrest Monday even as Floyd said that he couldnt breathe, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, Twin Cities media reported Friday.

Floyds death has sparked a flurry of protests and riots in the Twin Cities as well as events nationally, including in Milwaukee on Friday and in Columbus, Ohio, where reports documented smashed windows at the statehouse and nearby storefronts.

The Madison event, scheduled to begin Saturday at noon, has drawn attention from thousands of interested individuals on Facebook. Organizers said the gathering would be in solidarity and peace with the Minneapolis protesters.

Please join us at the State Capitol to protest the murder of George Floyd and the countless innocent black lives taken before him, the event description added. We demand justice for George and criminal charges for the officers involved.

The protest comes as Madison and Dane County remain under certain restrictions to continue combating the novel coronavirus. Under Phase 1 of the Forward Dane plan, which went into effect this week, mass gatherings are allowed outside with a maximum of 50 individuals who must also practice physical distancing.

The Facebook event said participants would practice social distancing guidelines as they circle the Capitol.

While the demonstration could likely violate the local orders crowd size cap, a Public Health Madison & Dane County spokeswoman said officials have not provided any policing advice or guidance to local law enforcement.

Individuals have the First Amendment right to protest, spokeswoman Christy Vogt wrote in an email. We encourage anyone attending a protest to stay six feet from people they dont live with, wear a cloth face covering, carry hand sanitizer and use it often, and wash their hands when they get home.

Madison Police Department spokesman Joel DeSpain noted Capitol Police would be taking the event given the protests location, but also said that Madison officers would still be there to help facilitate as needed, adding: Were not anticipating any problems.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Administration, which includes Capitol Police, didnt immediately return a request for comment.

Top Democratic leaders in Wisconsin, including Gov. Tony Evers, Attorney General Josh Kaul and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, called for justice on Friday as they voiced support for those protesting.

People are hurting. People are tired. We are done dying, Barnes, Wisconsins first black lieutenant governor, said in a statement. I am tired of addressing the disregard for Black life in this country.

He also called on Wisconsinites and others to not just watch, but to speak out and to act in response, adding: The idea that things should be better, not worse, is worth demonstration."

Evers offered a similar message in a series of tweets, writing: We must see the trauma, fear, and exhaustion of being Black in our state and our country. We must offer our empathy, we must offer our support, but most of all we must offer our action.

Local leaders from the African American community and area police chiefs this week held a virtual town hall meeting to address Floyds death, which came after a store clerk called police when Floyd allegedly tried to pass off a counterfeit $20 bill. Three other officers were at the scene with Chauvin as he knelt on Floyds neck, but none intervened.

All four officers have since been fired. Chauvin, according to national reports, has had 18 prior complaints about his conduct filed with the Minneapolis Police Departments office of internal affairs.

During the Dane County town hall, participants expressed their anger, frustration and pain, as officers denounced Chauvins use of a knee on Floyds neck during the arrest.

Media outlets have reported the approach is widely discredited by law enforcement experts because it can cause suffocation -- even though it is allowed in Minneapolis.

Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
India on Thursday indicated its readiness to engage with Nepal to resolve the festering border row on the basis of mutual sensitivity and respect.

India is monitoring the current situation in Nepal, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said referring to Kathmandu deferring a plan to bring in a constitutional amendment to validate a new map that depicted Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as its territory.

"We note that this matter is receiving careful consideration in Nepal, taking its seriousness into account," he said at an online media briefing.

In the midst of a border dispute with India, Nepal last week released a revised political and administrative map of the country laying claim over the strategically key areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura.

India reacted angrily to the move saying such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims will not be acceptable and asked the neighboring country to refrain from such "unjustified cartographic assertion".

"India is open to engaging with all its neighbours on the basis of mutual sensitivity and mutual respect, in an environment of trust and confidence. This is a continuous process and requires constructive and positive efforts," Srivastava said. He also talked about India attaching great importance to the deep rooted historical, cultural and friendly relations with Nepal.

Nepal delayed a discussion in Parliament to amend the Constitution for updating the country's map after Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli decided to seek national consensus on the issue. The Constitution amendment proposal was to be tabled in Parliament on Tuesday but it could not be done after Oli said that he wanted to hold an all-party meeting to discuss the matter.

According to Nepal's law, a constitutional amendment requires two-third majority vote.

The ties between the two countries came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.

Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.

Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali earlier this month summoned Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra and handed over a diplomatic note to protest against India inaugurating the key road.

The Lipulekh pass is a far western point near Kalapani, a disputed border area between Nepal and India. Both India and Nepal claim Kalapani as an integral part of their territory -- India as part of Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district and Nepal as part of Dharchula district.
The coronavirus has affected every facet of society, and charitable organizations that accept donations of clothing and other goods have not escaped its effects. Goodwill, the Rescue Mission and the Salvation Army closed their stores in the Central New York area and currently are not taking donations.

There are some places where donation boxes are overflowing. It got so bad at some donation sites that they had to put caution tape or fencing around their buildings to discourage people from leaving items there.

Last week, the Rescue Mission began accepting donations again and their retail shops are hoping to reopen in the coming week.

Syracuse.com did some research and found places where you can go to donate items you accumulated while spring cleaning. Here is a list:

Clothing, household items and furniture

The Rescue Mission is currently taking donations and intends to open its retail stores soon. The retail stores are a major source of funding, and they drive revenue for programs to help the homeless with services like food, housing, education and more.

The Rescue Mission wont take big TVs or large furniture but will take clothing, linens, gently used toys, household items, sporting goods, electronics and small appliances at these sites: (see the website for exclusions)

Donation Trailers

Trailers are staffed every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wegmans, 6789 East Genesee Street, Fayetteville

Wegmans, 4979 West Taft Road, Liverpool

Wegmans, 3955 Route 31, Liverpool

Walmart, 5399 W Genesee St, Camillus

Walmart, 297 Grant Ave, Auburn

Retail Stores

See the store list for hours.

Thrifty Shopper, 376 Elmira Road, Ithaca

Thrifty Shopper, 57 East Bridge Street, Oswego

Thrifty Shopper, 2214 W. Genesee Street (Westvale Plaza), Syracuse

Thrifty Shopper, 1222 Arsenal Street (Stateway Plaza), Watertown

3fifteen, Elm Hill Towne Center, 3779 Milton Ave, Camillus

3fifteen, Marshall Square Mall. 720 University Ave, Syracuse

Hours: Monday through Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Syracuse Habitat for Humanity builds and renovates homes, which are then resold to partner families.

They accept donations of furniture except upholstered items or bedding. You can either drop off or have items picked up ($10 fuel donation if picked up).

Their retail store, Habitat for Humanity ReStore (309 Otisco St., Syracuse 315-475-9172) is accepting donations of furniture. Hard furniture only, no upholstered items like couches or bedding. Please call before dropping off or to arrange pickup. You also can email pictures of an item to see if they will take it.

Helio Health provides a variety of inpatient and outpatient services for addiction and mental health clients and their families. The Recovery Center is a drop-in day program for all members of the recovery community. They are accepting donations of new and gently used kitchen items to provide to members who are moving into housing.

You may call the center at 315-701-1518 to make an appointment to drop off items.

Victory Transformation offers faith-based services that include addressing critical needs assistance, employment and job skill services, community outreach and more. They run a womens and a mens homeless shelter and are accepting donations of goods for folks who are moving from the shelters into housing.

Please call them at 315-403-7681 or message them via Facebook to make arrangements to drop off a donation.

Salvation Army Thrift Stores are on track to accept donations of clothing, household goods, furniture, toys and books beginning Tuesday, June 2 in Liverpool, Chittenango, Rome , Ilion, Auburn, Fulton, and Watertown. The Erie Blvd. will open in two weeks when ongoing renovations are completed. North Syracuse will not open.

Part of the mission of the Animal Alliance is to reduce the number of homeless animals on our streets and in local shelters, end euthanasia of healthy animals and end animal cruelty.

If one of the things you cleaned out of your closet was shoes, the Animal Alliance will be happy to take them. They have been accepting shoe donations since March and are holding regularly scheduled shoe drives throughout Onondaga County until June 30. You may contact them via their website or Facebook for more information on donating; or attend one of their drive-up events:

Saturday, June 6, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5300 S. Salina St., Syracuse

Saturday, June 20, 9 a.m.-noon, Holy Cross National Catholic Church, 3690 Armstrong Road, Lakeland

Saturday, June 27, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Touch of Broadway Style Delicatessen Restaurant, 6812 Manlius Center Road, East Syracuse

Non-perishable food items and canned goods

If your spring cleaning included the pantry and kitchen cabinets, here are some places you can go to donate non-perishable food and canned food items (be advised that food must be within their code dates):

The Food Bank of Central New York works to eliminate hunger through nutritious food distribution, education and advocacy. They partner with 282 emergency food programs in Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, and St. Lawrence counties.

You may make bring donations of food items to their location at 7066 Interstate Island Road in Syracuse and leave it in the vestibule at the entrance to the building Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The Food Bank has partnered with Make-A-Wish Central New York and is holding a food donation drive in support of Cadens Wish Break Boxes from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, in the Silver Parking Lot across from Destiny Suites at Destiny USA. Donations may be dropped off there as well. (Make-a-Wish made him an offer, but CNY student wished to feed hungry families.) Click the link to see what is still needed to fill the boxes.

The Salvation Army provides food pantry and meal programs to those in need, among other services, and this has become increasingly important with the pandemic as so many more people face food insecurity. Food donations may be dropped off at these locations Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.:

Salvation Army of Fulton Food Pantry, 62 South First St., Fulton, 315-343-5039

The Salvation Army of Auburn, 18 East Genesee St., Auburn, 315-253-0319

Of course, all of the above organizations will take monetary donations as well.

If you know of an organization that is taking donations and would like to be included in the list, please contact me by phone (315-282-8675) or email.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

After a week of hype, phase two of NYs restart wont begin tomorrow

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Syracuse AD John Wildhack anticipating reduced Carrier Dome capacity during football season

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com
The Queensland Child and Family Commission will investigate two cases of "horrific" alleged neglect of vulnerable children in Brisbane this week.

Child Safety Minister Di Farmer announced the independent investigation on Friday after the death of four-year-old Willow Dunn and discovery of two teenage boys at a home in Stafford.

A pram is seen at a property in Cannon Hill, where the body of four-year-old Willow Dunn was found on Monday. Credit:AAP Image/Darren England

In a statement, Ms Farmer said she had contacted Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath to ensure the investigation would begin "as quickly as possible".

"I know the community wants answers about these two horrific incidents, and so do I," she said.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has backed calls for full disclosure on the COVID-19 status of Members of Parliament.

John Mahama made the call via a tweet on his official Twitter page on Friday.

Reports that the virus has spread to the Chamber and offices of Parliament is very disturbing. While it is important to give hope to citizens, it is absolutely necessary to be transparent and communicate the full picture of the extent of the disease, he said.

The former presidents call comes at a time when the leadership of Parliament has been accused of lying to Ghanaians following reports that two members of parliaments and 13 parliamentary staff have been infected with COVID-19.

On the instruction of the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, a mass COVID-19 testing was done in parliament about two weeks ago for the legislators and parliamentary staff.

A week after, it emerged that two parliamentarians had tested positive for COVID-19 alongside about a dozen of parliamentary staff but the parliamentary service denied the claims.

The Minority Chief Whip, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka , later insisted that the report was true and lambasted the leadership of Parliament for trying to conceal the truth.

Prof. Oquaye later described as unacceptable what he terms as the unilateral declaration of COVID-19 results of persons in public, saying such actions fuel stigmatization.

Release MPs' COVID-19 test results  Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had earlier also called for the full disclosure of the COVID-19 test results of Members of Parliament.

I am totally disappointed in how the COVID-19 testing of MPs and Staff of the House has been managed. There should be nothing to hide. Let us lead by example and in a way that avoids entrenching stigmatization which is becoming a major challenge in the national coronavirus response. Many world leaders and institutions of repute have not concealed the result of their tests, the Ghanaian Parliament shouldn't be an unworthy exception, Ablakwa noted. ---citinewsroom
TOKYO, May 29, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Sharp Corporation has announced the decision, made at a meeting of the Board of Directors convened today, to spin off the Display Device Business Division.This is an absorption-type split into a wholly-owned subsidiary and is expected applicable as a simple company split. Contents of succeeding assets etc., schedule of a spin-off, and name of succeeding company, etc. are to be determined and will be announced separately following resolutions by another meeting of the Board of Directors.For the full details visit https://global.sharp/corporate/ir/topics/pdf/200529-3.pdf.About Sharp CorporationSharp Corporation (TSE: 6753) is a worldwide developer of innovative products and core technologies that play a key role in shaping the future of electronics. As a leader in liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and digital technologies, Sharp offers one of the broadest and most advanced lines of consumer electronics, information products and electronic components, while also creating new network businesses. For more information, please visit www.sharp.co.jpSource: Sharp CorporationCopyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BEIRUT - Lebanons government agreed on Friday to extend the mandate of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon along the border with Israel for another year, the countrys information minister said.

The extension of the peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, comes as Israel is calling for major changes in the way the mission operates on the ground in southern Lebanon. Israel is demanding that it have access to all sites and freedom of movement and that it report back to the U.N. Security Council if it is being blocked.

The decision to extend the term of UNIFIL also comes amid rising tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border in recent weeks.

Earlier Friday, Israeli troops opened fire toward a shepherd on the edge of the Israeli-occupied Chebaa Farms, Lebanons state-run National News Agency reported, adding that the man was not hurt. Earlier this month, Israeli troops shot and wounded a shepherd in a nearby area, saying he crossed the border.

Lebanese Information Minister Manal Abdul-Samad told reporters after a Cabinet meeting that the government has agreed to extend the term of the U.N. force until Aug. 31, 2021.

The announcement came two days after Prime Minister Hassan Diab visited UNIFILs headquarters where he described the presence of the force in the volatile area as a necessity.

The governments decision comes amid the backdrop of a war of words between Israeli and Lebanese officials, including Lebanons powerful militant Hezbollah group, over the mandate of UNIFIL. The force has been deployed in southern Lebanon since an Israeli invasion in 1978.

The quibble over the UNIFIL mandate comes up every year before the mandate is typically renewed in the summer.
What happened

Cruise-ship stocks gave up some of their recent gains on Thursday. Shares of Carnival (NYSE:CCL), Royal Caribbean (NYSE:RCL), and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE:NCLH) fell 7.6%, 4.8%, and 8.6%, respectively.

So what

Many travel-related companies saw their stock prices rally as the markets resumed trading after Memorial Day weekend. Crowds of people were seen at outdoor events around the country, despite coronavirus-related social distancing guidelines still being in effect in most areas. Many people are apparently willing to risk their lives in order to partake in these activities.

The news likely gave investors optimism that people would also return to cruise ships once they begin sailing again, and shares of Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings rose in kind.

In recent days, however, multiple events have shown that the coast is not yet clear for the major cruise-ship operators. Reports that several trial volunteers experienced adverse reactions to Moderna's experimental COVID-19 vaccine reminded investors that it's still uncertain if the leading novel coronavirus vaccine candidates will prove to be both safe and effective. Additionally, Merck's CEO Ken Frazier cautioned that the time frames given by other vaccine developers may be too optimistic -- and that it could take much longer than 18 months before a COVID-19 vaccine becomes widely available.

While some people might be willing to risk their lives to go on a cruise during the coronavirus pandemic, many won't. Thus, this recent news may have tempered investors' optimism for a faster-than-expected vaccine rollout and, by extension, cruise-ship stocks.

Now what

To their credit, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line have all raised vast sums of money to stay afloat until coronavirus-related sailing restrictions end. However, even if no sail orders are lifted, people won't necessarily just flock back to cruise ships. Many people will likely hold off until we have an effective treatment or vaccine for COVID-19.

Cruise-ship stocks will likely continue to react to new vaccine-related developments in the days and weeks ahead.
Chandigarh:

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar along with his cabinet ministers and party MLAs on Wednesday cycled to the Legislative Assembly here in a bid to encourage people to opt for eco-friendly transportation.



62-year-old Khattar Khattar and many others rode bicycles to cover the short distance of over one km from the chief

minister's residence to the Assembly, some of the women MLAs travelled by e-rickshaws.



The chief minister later told reporters that they wanted to give a message to people to make more use of environment-friendly mode of transports.



He said though their gesture was "symbolic", but they want a message should go out that using bicycles is not only good for health, but also environment-friendly.



Notably, on the opening day of the monsoon session of Haryana Assembly on Friday, BJP MLA Pawan Kumar Saini had pedalled around 110 km from his constituency in Kurukshetra district to reach the Assembly in Chandigarh.



45-year-old Saini was also among the group of MLAs who cycled to the Assembly on Wednesday.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
IRELAND is set to ask the Spanish authorities to consider allowing the remains of Red Hugh O'Donnell, one of the country's most heroic figures, to be repatriated after four centuries.

While Spanish archaeologists have not yet located the remains of the famous Gaelic clan chief who died on September 10 1602, a dig at Valladolid has perfectly matched known historical maps and experts are confident they will locate his burial site.

Now, Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher has said that if Red Hugh O'Donnell's body is located, he wants Ireland to formally request that the Spanish authorities consider allowing the heroic Irish figure to be allowed return home.

The Spanish media have been captivated by the search for the Irish chieftain's remains - and he has been variously described as the Irish 'El Cid' or 'William Wallace.'

Expand Close A view shows human remains found in an archeological dig, during the search for Irish nobleman Hugh O'Donnell in Valladolid REUTERS/Juan Medina / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A view shows human remains found in an archeological dig, during the search for Irish nobleman Hugh O'Donnell in Valladolid REUTERS/Juan Medina

"I really think that this man who devoted his entire life to fighting for Irish freedom and independence should be brought home to a free Ireland," he said.

"I can understand how the Spanish authorities might want to keep his remains in Valladolid because, if the remains are located and identified, they will inevitably become an enormous tourist attraction.

"I can also understand how they might want to honour O'Donnell's dying wish as to where he was buried.

"But Red Hugh O'Donnell's entire life was devoted to Ireland and to his native Donegal - and I think that is where he should be finally laid to rest in a place of honour.

"He is one of the most iconic figures in Irish history and he deserves to be brought home and a fitting burial monument erected to him."

Mr Kelleher said that, if necessary, he will raise the proposal with his Spanish counterparts in the European Parliament.

He is to discuss the matter with Tanaiste Simon Coveney.

Expand Close A wall of Chapel of Wonders and human remains found in archeological dig searching for Irish nobleman Hugh O'Donnell are seen in Valladolid, Spain May 26, 2020 in this picture obtained from social media. Cultura Y Turismo Valladolid/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A wall of Chapel of Wonders and human remains found in archeological dig searching for Irish nobleman Hugh O'Donnell are seen in Valladolid, Spain May 26, 2020 in this picture obtained from social media. Cultura Y Turismo Valladolid/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

Red Hugh O'Donnell died, aged just 29 years, in Valladolid while attempting to meet King Philip of Spain in a bid to secure further support for their fight against Britain.

The Irish chieftain had been ill with a fever for a fortnight and, as he neared death, had expressed a wish to be buried in the famous Chapel of Wonders at a Franciscan monastery in the north western Spanish city.

Two Irish monks attended his bedside as he died.

Because of his fame in the Nine Years War in Ireland and his daring escape from British custody, Spanish officials granted his dying wish.

He would be interred a short distance from Christopher Columbus though the explorer's remains would later be moved.

Earlier this week, Spanish archaeologists thought they had finally found him after they unearthed a "big and strong man" during their dig.

However, their hopes were dashed when they cleared away four centuries of dust and clay and found the mystery man had all ten toes.

Red Hugh O'Donnell had lost his two big toes to frostbite in the Wicklow mountains after escaping from Dublin Castle at the height of winter.

One of his two companions in the daring escape bid froze to death.

After allied Irish and Spanish forces were defeated at the Battle of Kinsale, O'Donnell went to Spain to lobby King Philip for further military aid.

The monastery where he was buried was effectively lost during a period of civil and religious upheaval in the 18th Century.

Historian Dr Hiram Morgan of University College Cork said the loss of the two big toes will make Red Hugh O'Donnell's skeleton very easy to identify.

On Wednesday, archaeologists uncovered 12 intact skeletons and suspected they were now nearing Red Hughs crypt.

Excavation spokesperson Carlos Burgos said they believe they are close to a breakthrough.

"We are at the entrance of the Chapel of Marvels (Wonders), the place where the archaeologists know where the body of Christopher Columbus and Red Hugh was buried," he said.

"Its the greatest story. The area where they were buried was for very important people. It was for very high-level people, very important noble people- Earls and bishops, people of that kind."

While hopes of finding Red Hugh in the coming days are high, Mr Burgos said success is not guaranteed.

"It is difficult to get inside the chapel because the building that was built a few centuries after in that area has destroyed a part of it.

"Another thing the archaeologists were trying to find is if there is a crypt under the area where all the bodies are appearing. We want to pass through this and go further into the chapel.

"We think if there are the remains of Red Hugh he will be further inside. We are not sure - we cant say for 100pc Red Hugh is going to appear but we are trying our best to know.

"We dont think he is in the bodies we have now. But, everything that is appearing so far is important and of that time the 14th, 15th and even 17th century.

"There has appeared a woman with a rosary. It is incredible. And another thing that has appeared is a coin of Philip II the King of Spain at that time.

"So everybody here is very excited. We are happy to hear from Ireland and that they are interested in our work."

If located, the body will first be subjected to a detailed forensic analysis amid claims from the 17th Century that he was poisoned by a British agent in the form of Galway merchant James Blake.

It is also hoped that DNA tests might be possible if teeth are recovered with the remains - and this could be cross-referenced with members of the extended O'Donnell family.

Such DNA tracing proved successful when the remains of King Richard III were found in Leicester in 2012 - almost 530 years after his death.

Spanish authorities did not suspect murder in the early 17th Century because Red Hugh O'Donnell had fallen ill with fever for two weeks before his death.

Amongst the speculated causes were typhoid, influenza or possibly even complications from a tapeworm.
Ikin's supporters have also been buoyed by news that two of Despallieres' alleged accomplices have also been indicted by the French judiciary to face forgery charges over the former Warner Music executive's $20 million estate. Despallieres had initially claimed to be the sole beneficiary of the fortune, but he reached an out-of-court settlement with Ikin's Australian relatives when they challenged his claim and the will was found to be a forgery. Eighteen months after Ikin was found dead in a Paris hotel, police detained Despallieres and his personal assistant, Jeremy Bilien, for whom Despallieres bought a new Porsche after claiming Ikin's estate. Another man, Vincent Bray, who identified as Bilien's lover and was named as a witness to the forged will, was also arrested. Alexnadre Despallieres and Jeremy Bilien. Credit:Facebook All three denied accusations of foul play and were eventually released on bail, pending the decision by a Paris judge on whether they would face charges. A decade later, that decision finally arrived this week. It was the dead 62-year-old's friends, namely Reid and Burke, who became suspicious, even as Despallieres wept in the dank funeral chapel at Paris's famous Pere Lachaise cemetery. Reid and Burke had rushed from London to be there for the hurriedly organised cremation, held two days after Ikin died.

Reid, along with another of Ikin's oldest friends, Rod Stewart's former manager Billy Gaff, refused to believe it was simply a heart attack. They ordered a toxicology report after discovering that under French law a blood sample must be taken after death and kept for one year. With only weeks to go before the first anniversary of his death, the report found Ikin died with "lethal" doses of paracetamol in his system. Alexandre Despallieres and Peter Ikin with Elton John. Meldrum has previously told PS he was suspicious when Despallieres, 20 years Ikin's junior, "moved so quickly to claim the estate  it was all very odd". Over the years, PS has interviewed a range of other people who have cast doubt on Despallieres' story, including his former sister-in-law, Peta Campbell, who made a report to French police after she raised suspicions about how Despallieres' own parents had died. She accused Despallieres of being "a dangerous, accomplished conman", a claim he vehemently denied at the time when PS tracked him down in Paris.

"I am grieving the death of my husband, these claims are very hurtful," he said before refusing to answer any further questions. In 2012 he was interviewed on Seven's Sunday Night program and flatly denied murdering Ikin. Despallieres and Ikin met in San Francisco in 1987, and their courtship involved luxury cruises, travelling the world and mingling with the rich and famous. After a few months Despallieres disappeared from Ikin's life, only to resurface six months before his death. He turned up on Ikin's Sydney doorstep accompanied by Bilien. Ikin told friends Despallieres had become a wealthy internet entrepreneur, but that he would soon die of a brain tumour. Just a month after the pair married in a London civil ceremony, Despallieres, Ikin and Bilien holidayed in Paris, staying at the Abba Montparnasse Hotel. It was here Ikin was found dead.

Alexandre Despallieres in 2011. Concerns were raised when Despallieres texted Ikin's former assistant to say her old boss and friend had fallen down a flight of stairs but was refusing medical treatment  odd, as Ikin was known to be fastidious about his health. It later emerged that Ikin had in fact been admitted to a Paris hospital three times in the three days before he died. Soon after the funeral, Despallieres' lawyer made a claim on Ikin's millions, using a single-page photocopy of a will witnessed not by an attorney, but by Bilien and Bray. The men then took up residence in Ikin's Victorian home in London's swanky Cheyne Place, with reports of decadent soirees and Despallieres buying three Porsches  one for himself and the others for his new housemates.

In the months and years that followed Ikin's death, other bizarre stories about Despallieres emerged  including the tale of an elderly but wealthy widow in Los Angeles who met the handsome young Frenchman on a sunbed by the pool at the swish Beverly Hills Hotel. Marcelle Becker, who had recently lost her own stepson, formally adopted Despallieres, a grown man, in 2005, three years before he reappeared by Ikin's side. The French TV news show Sept a Huit reported in 2010 that she annulled the adoption after she began to suspect he tried to poison her. "He's so dangerous," she later told a journalist from Bloomberg. "I was lucky to get out of it. I don't want to get involved."

Jackie O swears she plugs for love, not profit Given she is reportedly one half of a $100 million media power couple, radio star Jackie "O" Henderson ruffled a few feathers with her comments slamming social media influencers for promoting "unnecessary" products on Instagram. Radio's $50 million woman, Jackie 'O'. "I'm really getting over it! I'm really getting over Instagram and people flogging products and doing ads. I just don't like it too much," she wailed on air. "If you do it every now and then and you feel it suits you and it fits with your brand, I think, 'Fine, do it'."

One of Jackie O's Instagram posts for a hair styling device. Credit:Instagram This from a woman who has many posts on her own Insta feed featuring links to various products, from hair styling contraptions to tropical resorts. Henderson later explained to PS: "I personally receive requests to do paid posts all the time, but I knock back at least 95 per cent of those offers if they feel like they're just an ad. I think I've done maybe four paid posts in the last five years and all of those have been products I'd already used or love." What about all those flash holidays at billionaire Lang Walker's private island resort Kokomo?
By ANI

KOLKATA: Kolkata Police's Special Task Force on Friday arrested Abdul Karim, a wanted Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist, from Suti Police Station area in Murshidabad. He will be produced before a court today.

Karim was the leader of the Dhuliyan module and would actively supply logistics and support, shelter to top leaders like Saleuddin, the police said. His name was mentioned as the main operative also by JMB terrorists in Bangladesh during their interrogation.

In 2018, a substantial quantity of explosives and jihadi material were seized from his house during a raid in Bangladesh. However, he managed to escape.
A small device on sale for nearly 340 claiming to give people protection from the alleged risks of 5G waves is being investigated by trading standards after officials said they "consider it to be a scam".

The plugin stick fantastically offering quantum holographic catalyser technology that shields users from electromagnetic rays was dismantled by British security researchers who found it to be just a humdrum USB drive with a tiny storage capacity worth about 5.

Its sellers have apparently tried to cash-in on peoples fears about claimed negative health impacts of the superfast mobile technology being rolled out across Britain, fuelled by hoaxes spread on social media.

An outcry from conspiracy theorists has seen scores of 5G masts attacked in Britain, even though the allegations have been dismissed by mainstream scientists and regulators.

The USB stick was found to have the same innards as other types - only with an ornate case / Pen Test Partners

But it has not stopped the promotion of the plug-in devices, called 5GBioShield, which sell for about 340 each including VAT, or less for bulk buys.

It is claimed that a stick when plugged into a computer generates a virtual protective "bubble" up to 40 metres (131ft) in diameter from alleged 5G radiation emitted by electrical devices.

They are also advertised as a wearable device that can be "be worn or placed near to a smartphone" and were even recommended by a committee member on Glastonbury Town Council, who said he found the holographic nano-layer catalyser was useful.

However, now they have been revealed to actually have just tiny a 128MB of storage - with no special powers.

It was claimed the USB stick offered a "holographic" layer shielding users when plugged in / 5GBioShield

The claims were debunked by Pen Test Partners, which strips down products to look for security flaws.

Ken Munro, a partner at the firm, said when he dismantled the device it appeared to offer the functionality of a regular memory stick, albeit with an ornate crystal-like clear casing.

First he plugged in the device, and found a 25-page PDF with details about the supposed powers and reach of the "bubble".

Mr Munro told BBC News: "So what's different between it and a virtually identical 'crystal' USB key available from various suppliers in Shenzhen, China, for around 5 per key?"

The answer is apparently just a sticker on the keys outside, and upon taking the device apart Mr Munro found inside an LED light and a circuit board that is standard in similar drives.

It is claimed the device could offer a virtual anti-5G dome of up to 40 metres / 5GBioShield

Mr Munro added: "Now, we're not 5G quantum experts but said sticker looks remarkably like one available in sheets from stationery suppliers for less than a penny each.

Now London Trading Standards, which is investigating the case with City of London's Police's Action Fraud squad, said they "consider it to be a scam".

The product's UK vendor, Bioshield Distribution, has rejected the claims.

It said: "We are in possession of a great deal of technical information, with plenty of back-up historical research.

"We are not authorised to fully disclose all this sensitive information to third parties.
Other campaign violations stuck. OPP Commissioner Jeff Mangan faulted ODonnell for disclosing specifics about the candidates campaign spending and for filing his campaign reports after the deadline. ODonnell had missed the reporting deadline by a day. The candidates March and April campaign finance reports failed to disclose sufficient detail describing his expenditures.

The ethics complaint remains. Mangan told The Gazette on Thursday that he wouldnt get to the complaint until after the election.

ODonnell is accused of recording campaign videos in his government office, as well as using the Public Service Commissions official government logo in his campaign material and using his official government photo. It is illegal for public officials and employees to use government property, public time or supplies in their campaigns.

This is a misuse of a public officials facilities, especially when the clear intent was to record and use this video footage for a re-election campaign, Zolnikov said in his complaint.

ODonnell said one of the videos on his campaign website was recorded in his office. He said he used his own phone to record the footage.
3DHEALS 2020 I've been involved with 3DHeals since 2015 and highly recommend it as a top organization, network and knowledge base for anyone involved in 3D printing, bioprinting or new technology for healthcare and medical future.

3DHEALS, LLC is pleased to announce its global virtual summit 3DHEALS 2020, June 5th- June 6th, focusing on healthcare innovations using 3D printing, bioprinting, and related technologies. The event expects 500+ attendees from 20+ countries, and 20 early-stage startups to participate in Pitch3D, a fast-paced pitch event to institutional investors. 3DHEALS 2020 addresses the need for a global cross-disciplinary forum. It will feature more than 70 world-class experts from more than 60 organizations and companies to showcase technological developments, share insights, tackle challenges, and present opportunities for future collaborations. The content-rich two-day multi-track virtual summit allows the attendees to learn practical knowledge from world-class experts, including hands-on application-focused workshops. The organizers have conducted more than 29 speaker interviews, which can also be downloaded as podcasts.

The virtual summit is not just two days of webinars, but a simulated virtual networking experience, where speakers, exhibitors, and attendees can engage through the conference's dedicated mobile app, before, during, and after the meeting. The fee for the conference is 100 USD.

The two-day virtual event offers nineteen sessions. While there is no dedicated COVID-19 panel, many presentations address how 3D printing and bioprinting communities respond to the pandemic.

Highlighted presentations and panels include the following:

In the first keynote presentation, Sam Onukuri, Head and Senior Fellow at Johnson & Johnson 3D Printing, will explain how the world's largest healthcare company is leveraging 3D printing technology to transform the design, manufacturing and delivery ecosystem across Johnson & Johnson's medical device, consumer and pharmaceutical businesses.

In the second keynote presentation, Dr. Alan Dang, an orthopedic spine surgeon and co-founder of PrinterPezz, will share the "behind-the-scenes secrets" of how PrinterPrezz democratizes medical device innovation and helps its customers go from concept to production.

The biofabrication and bioprinting panels collect some of the brightest minds in the world of tissue engineering and biofabrication, tackling 3D printing nearly every organ system from brain tissue, vasculatures, to heart valve. Many speakers are well-known scientists, including professors Stephanie Willerth, Adam Feinberg, Jordan Miller, who are also co-founders behind some of the newest startups in the bioprinting space. More established companies critical to tissue engineering and cell therapy will also join the conversation, including Melanie Mathieu from Prellis Biologics, Jon Rawley from Roosterbio, John O'Neil from Xylyx, Taciana Pereira from Allevi, and Kevin Caldwell from Ossium Health, and Qrquidea Garcia ("Orchid") from JNJ.

A related panel focusing on 3D printing on the International Space Station also deserves much attention from speakers from Techshot, ISS/CASIS, and Allevi (Ricky Solorzano).

The legal and regulatory panel will include the most comprehensive list of legal and regulatory concerns, focusing on healthcare 3D printing applications. The topics include intellectual property/patent issues(Roger Kuan, Haynes and Boone LLP), product liability, FDA pathways, manufacturing standards, and more. Steven Bauer, from FDA CBER, will address concerns related to cell therapy and stem cells.

The early morning Global Perspective sessions are reserved for international speakers to share their unique experiences, needs, and hopes. Both America Makes director John Wilczynski and NAMIC director Dr. Chaw Sing Ho, along with experts from Turkey, India, and Taiwan, will share how 3D printing and bioprinting innovations can thrive in both local and global healthcare environs. The audience will also learn about how different countries are implementing the concept of 3D printing for Point of Care, with experts from UCSF, Stanford, Germany (Kumovis), India (Anatomiz3D), Korea (MEDICALIP), and developing countries. More than ten 3DHEALS community managers will also present city-based healthcare 3D printing innovation ecosystems and share their progress.

As one of the largest sectors in FDA cleared devices, metal and orthopedic 3D printing will permeate throughout the entire conference, from keynotes to dedicated panels focusing on materials, designs (nTopology, ANSYS, MEDICALIP), and end-user applications head to toe (Printerprezz).

As a fast-growing sector, the dental 3D printing panel will feature an unprecedented group of speakers from a combination of academia (University of Michigan, USC, UOP) and industry (Boneeasy, Origin) focusing on critical issues facing the industry both short and long term.

The material science panel will feature speakers from Henkel, Evonik, Origin, and 3Degrees for an in-depth discussion on what roles material manufacturers should play in 3D printed medical devices, investment opportunities, and the latest trends.

The investor panel will feature VCs in the medtech and life science space, including NEA, Intuitive Surgical, Evonik, and more.

The entrepreneur fireside chat session will invite CEOs of Aspect Biosystems and Fluidform to share their perspectives based on their startup journeys.
If such a policy is put in place, real risk exists that this personal COVID-19 information will get out beyond the first responders. What if this list got out through a computer hack or by someone whispering some addresses to a friend? If history is a teacher, neighbors, friends and even employers might start shunning the patients. Even though we have been sheltering at home, some of those orders are opening up, and these might be houses that people shun. Or even worse, they may be houses that people vandalize and harass seeing the people within as a threat to their community.
New Delhi, May 29 : As businesses around the globe adapt to the new normal, Google Cloud is helping a diverse set of organisations, from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based company Fluid AI efficiently manage their workloads across remote locations, Karan Bajwa, Managing Director, Google Cloud India, said on Friday.

Bajwa, a senior industry veteran with over three decades of leadership experience who joined Google Cloud in March this year, said that most businesses and users in the country depend on Google Cloud to stay connected and get work done.

"As Covid-19 runs its course, we at Google Cloud are working hard to deliver technology and business solutions to help millions of people stay connected. We believe today more than ever, we need to collaborate and innovate and build new features to make our tools helpful, secure and safe," he said in a blog post.

Bajwa said that today, employees of NPCI have been able to efficiently manage work across remote locations where employees can securely work and collaborate with colleagues, clients and stakeholders.

"Kochi-based conglomerate Muthoot Group, one of the largest financial services providers in the country has been using G Suite's collaboration tools to stay connected and carry business as usual during the lockdown period," he informed.

Popxo, India's largest community of women online was able to accomplish a smooth transition to Google Cloud and optimise performance with the help of highly efficient tools and the support and collaboration from teams.

According to Bajwa, real estate company Rustomjee can access every business application via Google Cloud Platform.

"Fluid AI has leveraged our collaboration to spin up custom virtual machines on demand in the cloud for employees and stream it to them in a secure, cost effective way that is monitored and restricts data transfer," he added.

Google Cloud has a rich list of customers in India, including Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Indiamart, Hero Motocorp, ICICI Prudential, L&T Finance, LIC HFL, Manipal Hospitals, OYO Hotels and Homes, Truecaller, Wipro and others.

In March, the company announced plans to expand its presence in India by launching a cloud region in Delhi, adding to its Mumbai region that was opened in 2017.

Google Cloud this month appointed former Microsoft executive Anil Bhansali as Vice President of Engineering.

In his new role, Bhansali will coordinate all software development support efforts for Google Cloud in India.

Bhansali joins Google Cloud from Microsoft where he was Corporate Vice President of their Azure cloud division and site leader for their R&D team in India.
(Natural News) One of the greatest economic booms in our countrys history has been brought to its knees by a virus. Over 80,000 souls have been lost to this pandemic, and our country is slowly collapsing. The number of businesses lost to this virus is said to be about 100,000 that will never come backone hundred thousand livelihoods and families that will no longer grace our towns and cities across this country. The economic downturn has been devastating, and there are many of our fellow citizens that will never recover.

(Article by John C. Velisek republished from AllNewsPipeline.com)

Dr. Anthony Fauci is tasked with leading us through this as the resident expert that has all of America shut down. It was his advice to President Trump that has locked down our country. It is Dr. Fauci that has set the limits of what our country should do. The damage is done when the experts are spreading fear and panic throughout the country and are allowed to set policy for the nation.

Dr, Fauci persuaded President Trump to lockdown the entire U.S. economy based on a false Imperial College model-based on the work of Dr. Neil Ferguson. The Imperial College model has since been deemed to be a model completely unusable for scientific purposes. If the model was so flawed, why did Dr. Fauci not look closer into the results and question the facts as they were presented? It has been agreed to by many, including software engineer Sue Denim, that the Ferguson model is garbage and can not be scientifically replicated. The results- a destroyed economy and over 30 million Americans out of work and on the edge of generational poverty is the result of Dr. Fauci not understanding the impact of statements based on failure.

Another study that Dr. Fauci showed to the President as factual was the study from the University of Washington IHME, another project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Once again, Fauci showed a preference for fault models and the meaningless havoc they would cause.

As the proclaimed infectious disease specialist, Fauci has had many failures of this Chinese virus. On January 21 of this year, Fauci proclaimed the coronavirus was not a major threat and was something the American people should worry about. On February 29, Fauci told NBC Today that there is no need to change anything you are doing on a day to day basis. All these statements were based on World Health Organization statements, which Dr. Fauci parroted to the American People. Perhaps it is informative that Fauci had signed a memo of understanding with the WHO in 2018, stipulating that Fauci would rely on the WHO for information about China outbreaks.

Faucis failures go back to the HIV/Aids search for a vaccine. The Washington Post described Fauci as someone with a reputation of being a skilled public health expert while battling AIDS in the 1980s. The battle against AIDS has proven to be a total failure with no vaccine ever found to be effective. To this day, Fauci claims that progress in vaccination therapy holds promise for an HIV/AIDS vaccine. All attempts to find an HIV/Aids vaccine have failed. The latest effort, funded by the NIAID (Faucis employer) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the tune of $100 million, also failed.

It is also Dr. Fauci, who gets to decide what therapeutics we should use for treatment. It was in research done by the National Institutes of Health, where Dr. Fauci is the director, that Chloroquine was found to be an effective inhibitor of the coronavirus in 2015. It was during the SARS outbreak (SARS-CoV) that Chloroquine was found to be an effective agent, stopping SARS CoV completely. The coronavirus now ravaging our nation has a genome designated as SARS CoV-2 and shared almost 80% of the SARS genome. Both have been shown to use the same host cell receptor, which allows the virus to infect the host victim.

In the Virology Journal, an official National Institute of Health published an article on August 22, 2005, that stated that Chloroquine is a potent inhibitor of SAR coronavirus infection and spread. It was also shown to be effective before or after exposure. Hydroxychloroquine, a milder form of Chloroquine, has been in use since 1952 with manageable side effects. It has been used to not only treat current cases but also to prevent future cases. It functions both as a vaccine and a cure if taken early enough. This shows that the NIH, of which Dr. Fauci was director, knew as far back as 2005 that Chloroquine was effective against the coronavirus. It was also Dr. Fauci who sent $3.7 million to the Lab in Wuhan to study the weaponization of the coronavirus that had been outlawed in U.S. research laboratories because of the inherent dangers.

Read more at: AllNewsPipeline.com
Protesters attacked a police vehicle in Denver, Colorado, on May 28, during a demonstration sparked by the police-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis this week.

This footage shows protesters spray painting graffiti and using skateboards to smash the side of a police car on Thursday night. One man appears to puncture the front tyre. People can be heard cheering, and one person yelled: F*ck the police.

Local reports said the demonstration descended into chaos after gunshots were fired and police shot tear gas canisters and pepper spray to disperse hundreds of people on the Capitol lawn.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis said on Twitter that the protest had devolved into vandalism and violence.

Coloradans are better than this, he said. I share the immense anguish we all feel about the unjust murder of George Floyd. But let me be clear, senseless violence will never be healed by more violence.

The protests were sparked after a video circulated on social media showing Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinning Floyd to the ground with his knee on the mans neck. Floyd could be heard pleading for help before going still. He was later pronounced dead.

An outbreak of violent protests took over Minneapolis and St Paul on May 27, but clashes involving police and demonstrators have now spread to cities across the US. Credit: Madison Lauterbach/Ms. Mayhem magazine via Storyful
A headteacher has said 'none of her staff have needed persuading' to come back to work next week, and that although they're 'scared' amid the coronavirus crisis, they 'want to do their job'.

Yesterday, Boris Johnson announced the phased reopening of primary schools in England will begin as planned on Monday, with reception, year one and year six pupils the first to return to classrooms.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Worcester primary school head teacher Bryony Baynes discussed the decision with child psychologist and education expert Laverne Antrobus, from North West London, and parent Ben Anderson, from Kent.

Bryony explained that her staff have been 'brilliant' throughout lockdown, while Laverne, 53, said that children are 'incredibly adaptable' and she feels they'll adjust quickly to changes made to enable their return.

Child psychologist and education expert Laverne Antrobus (pictured), from North West London feels children will adjust quickly to changes made throughout the pandemic

The teacher said: 'The whole period has been difficult for everyone, staff, parents, children. My biggest job is reassuring parents, reassuring staff and reassuring children.

'Although it is new, it can still be safe and fun and exciting. They don't need to feel they're coming into something that will be scary.'

When quizzed on her staff's reaction to the decision, she said: 'To be fair my staff have been amazing.

'I havent had to persuade anyone and they've been brilliant. We've been open right the way through lockdown and we've have had staff on a rota. I've had no staff refusing to come in.

Boris Johnson announced the phased reopening of primary schools in England will begin as planned on Monday,and the panel discussed whether they feel comfortable with the decision

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, head of a Worcester primary school Bryony Baynes (pictured) said 'none of her staff have needed persuading' to come back to work next week

Laverne has appeared as a child consultant for Channel Four and BBC and agreed that young students are flexible to their environment

'Obviously they are concerned and one of my teaching assistants said "I am scared, I am anxious, but it's my job and I want to do it". It it's about recognising staff will be anxious.'

Laverne - who has appeared as a child consultant for Channel Four and BBC - agreed that while the crisis means a different class system will be in place, young students are flexible to their environment.

She told: 'I do think children are incredibly adaptable and what they will be walking into is a different class system, but they will be walked through it and told "This is how we do it now, together".'

She added: 'Actually I think they will quickly adapt and as far as Im aware, the teachers I have spoken to won't be wearing PPE - unless they're doing particular jobs around the children.'

Ben Anderson, Kent, told that because of the constant stream of communication from his son's school, he feels more comfortable sending him back

Also joining the panel was parent Ben Anderson, whose son Arlo is set to return to school, and he said that because of the constant stream of communication from his son's school, he feels more comfortable sending him back.

He told: 'With Arlo were 50/50. A lot of our confidence has come from consistent communication with the school. They explained that while changes will be happening, it's not completely drastic.'

Speaking of reports that strict social distancing measures will be in place in primary schools, he went on: 'At our school we arent expecting anything as scary looking as that.

'Throughout the lockdown period Arlo has been aware things are very different, we've tried not to overwhelm him with information.

'He is keen to go back, excited to see his friends and we felt - given the steps put in place at our school, we felt comfortable to do that.'
Woodrow Wilson, Henry Ford, and the Dispute Over the Automobile

Commentary

During the coronavirus crisis, we have gotten a dismaying preview on a temporary basis of what socialism would feel like on a permanent basis, from empty shelves, shortages, and limits on basic commodities, a wholesale assault on our civil liberties, and invasions of our privacy to restrictions on our freedom of assembly and religious expression.

Of course, this is not full-scale socialism, but its undoubtedly a movement in the direction of socialism. This movement is driven by progressive Democrats, who have opted this year for the creeping socialism of Joe Biden over the explicit socialism of Bernie Sanders. Even so, Biden has embraced many of the policies favored by Sanders and the socialist Squad, from free college to the Green New Deal.

The impetus for socialism derives from the conviction that socialists and progressives are better custodians of society as a whole than entrepreneurs. While the entrepreneur narrowly looks out for his own interest, progressives look out for the public interest. Entrepreneurs care about profit, while progressives care about larger principles such as freedom and social mobility. Their angle of vision is larger, and thus, they see the future more clearly.

The very name progressive is intended to indicate an apostle of social progress.

But is this progressive boast valid? We can answer this question by considering a century-old dispute between a leading progressive, Woodrow Wilson, and a leading entrepreneur, Henry Ford. The subject of the dispute was a new invention, the car. The wrangle over the car, and the outcome, shows us whether progressivism or capitalism is a better instrument of freedom, mobility, and social progress.

Wilson, Americas first progressive president, opposed cars. The automobile, he said, was the picture of arrogance and wealth. He warned that cars in the United States would lead to socialism. Nothing has spread socialistic feeling more than the use of the automobile.

Notice that Wilson isnt merely expressing a personal aversion to driving a car. He doesnt think anyone should have a car. Theyre a rich mans toy. They exist only for ostentatious display. They create class resentment. Who really needs a car for personal transportation, when we already have the horse and buggy?

True, Wilson made this statement in 1906, six years before his presidency, while he was president of Princeton University. True, the cars he observed on the streets of New York were rich mens toys. They were crafted by hand from custom-order parts, some of them imported from Europe. There were dozens of companies producing their own versions of the automobile. Each type was different, and in some cases, companies made cars to the individual specifications of a prospective wealthy buyer.

And at the dawn of the 20th century, cars werent much faster than horses.

Wilson, however, lacked vision. His argument against the car may be termed the argument from personal incredulity. I get this phrase from the biologist Richard Dawkins, who used it in a different context.

Here is how the argument works: Whats the point of a car? Can I think of any good reason why anyone would want to own a car? Here, sitting in my office and twiddling my thumbs, I cannot. Clearly, theres no good reason why anyone should want a car. Therefore, cars should not exist.

It may seem that Im singling out Wilson for special abuse, but actually this is a common progressive mode of argument. To take a contemporary example: Fracking is such a bad idea. Who knows what its doing to the environment? It could be causing earthquakes, for all we know. Here, sitting in my office and twiddling my thumbs, I cannot personally think of a single good reason for fracking. Fracking should not exist.

This is the same progressive sensibility, operating in pretty much the same way, more than a century later.

Wilson saw the car only as it was, not as it could be. He viewed the entrepreneurs making cars as useless dabblers, catering to the pretensions of the upper class. Wilson viewed himself more as a man of the people; not one of them, certainly, but an objective administrator of the peoples genuine interests. He knew what they wanted, and just as importantly, what they ought to want. He was there to show them how, under his leadership, their lives could be better.

This was true democracydemocracy under adult supervision. Here is the familiar pose of the enlightened progressive intellectual.

Its helpful to contrast Wilson with one of the objects of his contempt, Henry Ford. Its tempting for me to say that Ford had a better understanding of what people wanted than Wilson, that Ford, in other words, recognized consumer demand whereas Wilson didnt. But in reality, there was no consumer demand for cars. Ford himself said that had he consulted the customers beforehand to ask them what they wanted, they would have told him they wanted a faster horse.

So, Fords genius was to envision a society in which not only the rich but also pretty much everybody would own and drive cars. He could see consumer demand that didnt exist then but would develop later, after people saw what Ford had made for them. We customarily think of demand preceding supply, but with transforming innovations, such as the car and the iPhone, its typically the opposite way around: supply precedes demand. If we make it, they will come.

Ford knew he had to make it right. He didnt have a Princeton education, but he didnt think he needed one. Observation and practice were more important: It is not possible to learn from books how everything is made.  Machines are to a mechanic what books are to a writer. He gets ideas from them.

Before he started work on the automobile, Ford worked as an apprentice in a machine shop, then in the engine room of a shipbuilding firm, then at a power plant.

Ford built his cars using two important innovations: interchangeable parts, and the moving assembly line. Interchangeable parts enabled Ford to make a standardized product. He didnt care about customization; later he would say that you could buy his Model T in any color you wanted, so long as it is black. Ford got his idea for a moving assembly line from what he observed in the giant slaughterhouses of the Chicago stockyards. By bringing this concept to the factory floor, Ford found a way to mass-produce cars. Then he added a marketing innovation, the car dealership, where cars could not only be purchased but also regularly serviced.

While cars were initially selling for around $3,000a fortune in those daysFord sold his first cars for under $1,000. He reinvested his profits to make a better, cheaper product. Its important to recognize here that Wilsons bogeymen, the rich showoffs who paid the higher initial price, ended up subsidizing the research and development that brought car prices lower. By 1916, Fords Model T was selling for less than $400.

What started out as a rich mans toy became the aspiration of every working family in the United States, and then the world. Ford created the culture of the automobile that transformed American society. The prototypical entrepreneur had a much greater impact than the prototypical progressive statist.

Moreoverand this is the crushing pointthe car was perhaps the most democratizing force in history. Ford did far more to promote social mobility, social equality, and social justice than his disdainful detractor. If the word progress has any meaning, Ford was the progressive, Wilson the regressive.

Dinesh DSouza has had a prominent career as a writer, scholar, and public intellectual, and has also become an award-winning filmmaker.

This article is adapted from Dinesh DSouzas new book United States of Socialism, published by St. Martins Press.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
American pharmaceutical company Pfizer believes that a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready by the end of October 2020, reported The Times of Israel, citing Albert Bourla, the CEO of the firm.

If things go well, and the stars are aligned, we will have enough evidence of safety and efficacy so that we can have a vaccine around the end of October, Bourla was quoted as saying in the report.

Pfizer is working with German firm BioNTech for several possible vaccines in Europe and the United States, said the report.

Besides, the report also quoted AstraZeneca boss who said that one or more vaccines could begin rolling out by the end of the year. AstraZeneca, in partnership with the University of Oxford, is working to come up with a vaccine and expects at least one could be ready by the end of 2020.

"The hope of many people is that we will have a vaccine, hopefully several, by the end of this year, Pascal Soriot, head of AstraZeneca, was quoted in the report as saying. He, however, said we are running against time".

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

The report also highlighted the warnings from experts saying the challenges could be "daunting" as the estimates show that about 15 million doses would be required to stop the pandemic.

According to the report, Soriot said that one of the challenges in coming up with a vaccine was declining transmission rates as it will be difficult "to properly conduct clinical vaccine trials in a natural setting".

According to the report, more than 100 labs across the world are working to develop a vaccine against the deadly virus. Of these, ten have made to the clinical trial stage.

The deadly virus has killed over 358,000 people and infected more than 5 million worldwide so far.

Source: CNBC-TV18
CNN host Chris Cuomo's ratings have plunged 49 percent in the two months since he announced he'd contracted coronavirus, data from Nielsen Media Research shows.

Since the week of March 30, Cuomo has dropped from first in his 9pm time slot among cable news hosts to bottom of the barrel, last week averaging just 440,000 daily viewers in the age demographic prized by advertisers.

Cuomo's stunning ratings nosedive came after interviews with his brother, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, in lighthearted segments that were widely panned as ratings stunts amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Though all cable news saw something of a drop-off in viewership in May, as viewers seemingly grew weary of the pandemic coverage, Chris Cuomo's decline was sharper than his time slot competitors, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and Fox News' Sean Hannity.

This chart shows the daily average viewers ages 25-54 for the 9pm cable news hosts

Chris Cuomo (left) mocked his brother New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (right) with a prop nasal swab to tease him about the size of his nose in a segment last week

A spokesperson for Chris Cuomo declined to comment when reached by DailyMail.com.

However, a source close to the anchor pointed out that cable news ratings rise and fall dramatically depending on what's happening in the news cycle. The person argued that weekly averages don't provide an accurate picture of viewership.

Chris Cuomo's ratings peak came the week of March 30 when he announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus and was isolating in his basement, beating out Maddow and Hannity with 862,000 daily viewers in the 25-54 age demographic.

Since then, his ratings have dropped 49 percent in the demo and 35 percent overall, while Maddow is down 17 percent in the demo and 7 percent overall. Hannity has dropped 38 percent in the demo and 12 percent overall.

Last week, Chris Cuomo dropped below Maddow in the demo for the first time since March 2. Maddow had 498,000 daily average viewers in the demo and Chris Cuomo had 355,000.

Hannity has beaten Chris Cuomo since the week of April 6. Last week, Hannity garnered 4.7 total viewers and 589,000 in the 25-54 demographic.

Cuomo's ratings peak came the week of March 30 when he announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus and was isolating in his basement

Cuomo garnered big ratings for CNN with his own struggle with COVID-19

Chris Cuomo's sibling interview segment last week drew heated backlash over its lighthearted tone, coming as his brother Andrew Cuomo faced tough questions over a March order requiring nursing homes to accept patients recovering from coronavirus.

The virus has since raged through New York's nursing homes, killing more than 5,800 elderly and vulnerable residents.

Florida, which banned such nursing home patient transfers in mid-March, has suffered 1,032 deaths in nursing homes, despite having a larger and older population than New York.

'Journalism that truly aims to restore trust in media would hold Andrew Cuomo to account for these missteps,' wrote David A. Graham for the Atlantic this week.

Instead, Chris Cuomo brandished oversized prop swaps to mock the size of his brother the governor's nose in a segment last week.

'The problem comes when the efforts to juice ratings start to get in the way of accurate journalism that holds officials accountable,' Graham wrote.

Cuomo's sibling interview segment last week drew heated backlash over its lighthearted tone

The View host Meghan McCain also leveled criticism of the segment on Twitter, saying: 'Im not sure Im going to ever be able to buy a crib or baby clothes for my first child in a store, Most of my friends are jobless, petrified and dealing w depression & @JaniceDean lost both her mother and father in law to COVID within a week of each other.'

'This is HILARIOUS guys,' she added sarcastically.

However, some Twitter users came to the Cuomo brothers' defense, noting that Gov. Cuomo holds a press conference every day on the coronavirus crisis and numbers in hard-hit New York.

'This was the best! I literally laughed out loud and we need those moments of hilarity in these times,' one viewer tweeted.
This week, the Sri Lankan government stopped planned air flights to bring Sri Lankan migrant workers back home from the Middle East. The decision was made after it was discovered that many were infected with the coronavirus.

On May 26, President Gotabhaya Rajapakses media division announced that a new mechanism is to be formulated to repatriate Sri Lankans. Information about the new mechanism has not yet been released.

On Wednesday, Army Commander Shavendra Silva, head of the National Operation Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19, told the media that 157 coronavirus cases had resulted from workers returning from abroad. If more Sri Lankans were repatriated from Middle Eastern (ME) countries, he said, theres the possibility of more infected patients.

Workers jostle to get seat in bus at Kottawa (Credit: WSWS)

Between May 24 and 28, the number of confirmed infections in Sri Lanka spiked by 383, to a total of 1,524. The increase was a new record and saw the government allocate two additional hospitalsin Hambantota and Teldeniyato deal with the growing number of cases. The surge was a result of virus-infected migrant workers returning from Kuwait, Dubai and Qatar, along with increased cases among Sri Lankan sailors.

The migrant workers have correctly pointed out that they became infected because Colombo refused to organise their prompt repatriation. There are still more than 16,000 migrant workers stranded with lapsed visas in Kuwait alone.

On April 21, the Kuwaiti government granted a general amnesty period so these workers could leave the country. The Sri Lankan government, however, failed to immediately organise their return, even as the pandemic rapidly spread in Kuwait.

The Sri Lankan workers, many of whom are destitute and currently staying in unsafe and overcrowded accommodation, even staged a protest outside the Sri Lankan embassy in Kuwait. Several workers spoke out on a YouTube video calling on Colombo to get them back home.

R. Wickremanayake, a Sri Lankan printer in Sharjah, a city in the United Arab Emirates, told the WSWS that his salary was cut by 50 percent last month and then reduced by 40 percent in May. His previous 1,600 dirhams ($US435) monthly salary is now just 640 dirhams.

Social-distancing not possible as workers board bus in Kottawa (Credit: WSWS)

The government hospitals were full of patients and migrant workers were instructed to remain where they were even if they became ill, he said. The Sri Lankan government had done nothing more than advising the migrant workers to be careful and register their locations.

There are over one million Sri Lankan migrant workers in the Middle East, one component of the multi-million-strong South Asian workforce toiling in that region for low wages and in horrible working conditions.

The cash-strapped Sri Lankan government depends on up to $7 billion in annual remittances from these workers. Successive Colombo governments have hypocritically praised these workers as the lifeblood of the country, but the real attitude of Sri Lankas ruling elite was blurted out by Mahindananda Aluthgamage, a former minister and ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna leader. Appearing on the Derana talk show this week, he referred to the infected workers as bombs.

While Middle Eastern governments want to send back the migrant workers, Colombo is not interested. Discouraging expatriate workers from returning home, Ravinatha Ariyasinha, Sri Lankas foreign ministry secretary, said: Our plea to these employees, as we did to students some time ago, is to ask them to carefully calibrate the possible loss of jobs or loss of educational opportunity or major delays which can occur with their return.

The attitude of the Sri Lankan capitalist class towards these workers echoes observations made by Friedrich Engels about the British bourgeoisie in his 1845 book The Condition of the Working Class in England: For it [the bourgeoisie] nothing exists in this world, except for the sake of money, itself not excluded. It knows no bliss save that of rapid gain, no pain save that of losing gold. In the presence of this avarice and lust of gain, it is not possible for a single human sentiment or opinion to remain untainted.

On May 26, as it was rejecting the stranded Sri Lankan migrant workers appeals, Colombo continued its reckless reopening of the economy, ending the daytime lockdown for all districts, including the countrys most virus-affected commercial centres in Colombo and Gampaha.

Army Commander Silva, however, cynically declared: We are winning the war against the deadly virus. What I expect from the public is to bear with us for another few weeks by strictly adhering to health and security advisories, paramount being physical distancing and hygiene.

These health directives cannot be observed by workers, who have to travel on overcrowded buses or railways and endure workplaces where social distancing is impossible.

The Rajapakse governments callous indifference towards the plight of the stranded migrants is the same as its attitude towards workers inside Sri Lanka. The government has not bothered to even issue an estimate on national job losses or the numbers of people with no income. There is no official information on whose wages and pensions have been slashed, and whose working hours have increased.

Like its counterparts around the world, the Sri Lankan government, with the support of a compliant media, is covertly practicing herd immunity policies that allow the virus to spread unhindered and infect the most vulnerable sections of society.

From the outset, the Rajapakse government downplayed the deadly disease when the first case was discovered in January and claimed that the problem was under control.

Colombo is disregarding World Health Organization (WHO) advice and attempting to paint a rosy picture of the situation, asserting that Sri Lanka is open for business.

WHO emergencies head Dr. Mike Ryan said on May 25 that COVID-19 cases were still increasing in Central and South America, South Asia and Africa, and that infection rates could rise again more quickly if measures to halt the first wave were lifted too soon.

According to figures released yesterday by the national health bureau, daily average tests conducted in Sri Lanka between February 18 and May 27 were just 883, one of the lowest rates in the world.
Joe Biden called on Americans to demand change when it comes to police brutality against African Americans, saying he'd spoken with George Floyd's family and that "none of us can stay silent. None of us can hear the words 'I can't breathe' and do nothing."

Why it matters: The livestream remarks by the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee had the look and sound of an address to the nation  and came right before President Trump was set to give remarks.

Trump tweeted overnight that protesters in Minneapolis were "thugs" who were "dishonoring" Floyd's memory, and he warned that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

What they're saying: Biden said Floyd's relatives are "a close, decent, honorable family loving one another.

"One of the things everyone must be able to do: Breathe."

"The original sin of this country still remains today, and sometimes we manage to overlook it. We just push forward with a thousand other tasks in our daily life, but it's always there."

Biden spoke about other black Americans who've died at the hands of police recently, including Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky.

"It's a list that dates back more than 400 years," Biden said, one that affects black men, black women and black children.

The big picture: Biden implored white Americans to consider systemic injustices against African Americans more broadly.

"Imagine if every time your husband or daughter, son or wife left the house and you feared for their safety from bad actors and bad police," Biden said. "Imagine if you have to have that talk about not asserting their rights, taking the abuse given to them, just so they could make it home."

He called Floyd's murder "an act of brutality so elemental it denied him of his very humanity, it denied him of his life."

Earlier in the week, Biden addressed Floyd's killing before a virtual roundtable with Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, comparing it to the 2014 killing of Eric Garner who was heard on tape repeatedly saying, 'I can't breathe' while a New York police officer used an illegal chokehold on him.
Islamabad, May 29 : The Pakistan Supreme Court has fixed the hearing of the murder case of American journalist Daniel Pearl for June 1, it was reported.

On Thursday, Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed constituted a three-judge special bench that would hear the Sindh government and the appeal of Pearl's parents against the Sindh High Court's (SHC) judgment regarding the acquitting of the key accused, The Express Tribune reported.

On April 2, the SHC had commuted the death sentence of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the man convicted of kidnapping and murdering the journalist in 2002, to a seven-year sentence.

The court had also acquitted three others who had been awarded life imprisonment in the case.

The order came almost two decades after they were found guilty and subsequently jailed.

The slain journalist's parents had approached the Supreme Court against the SHC's verdict.

Two criminal petitions have been filed on behalf of Pearl's parents.

The petition states that the SHC "failed to note that this was a brutal murder" and a result of international terrorism, and the principle of the standard of proof, as well as the benefit of the doubt in cases of international terrorism, has to be applied keeping in context that the nature and type of evidence available in such terrorism cases cannot be equated with cases involving non-terrorism crimes.

Pearl was South Asia bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal when he was abducted in Karachi in January 2002 while researching a story about religious extremism.

A graphic video showing his decapitation was delivered to the US consulate nearly a month later.
As India gets ready to emerge from lockdown 4.0 on June 1, the Rs 27 trillion Indian mutual funds (MF) industry is opening its shutters, but slowly. Some fund houses have started opening their branches across India, while a few others are still hesitantly testing waters by opening only a handful of offices. Still others havent opened a single branch yet.

Opening selectively

Of the 135 branches that Aditya Birla Sun Life mutual fund has, the house has opened less than a third (30 percent) of its of its outlets. A. Balasubramanian, the fund houses chief executive officer says that the fund house has opened almost all such branches in locations that managed to get 33 percent staff strength.

In an order dated May 17, the Central government said that private offices can operate with up to 33 percent of the staff strength. Axis mutual fund too has upped the shutters of many of its offices. Of the 57 branches it has all over India, the fund house has opened all its branches in green and orange zones, totalling up to 16. It has 41 branches in the red zones that remain shut. But Chandresh Nigam, chief executive officer of Axis MF says that the fund house hopes to open them gradually.

There are challenges; last week we had to shut down one branch in the Kolhapur, which is in the orange zone because there was a rise in Coronavirus cases there and the local authorities advised us all to close offices, says Chandresh. SBI Mutual has already opened close to 100 of its total of 210 offices. But the fund house has avoided red zones so far.

On the other spectrum are fund houses such as DSP Mutual Fund who are opening gingerly. Of the 40 branches it has all over India, the fund houses has opened just two; one each in Cochin and Goa. Almost all my staff has been comfortably working from home and I am not in any hurry to open our branches till we are internally convinced that its safe out there, says Kalpen Parekh, President, DSP Investment Managers. Tata mutual fund too hasnt opened any of its 72 branches yet. Prathit D. Bhobe, chief executive officer of Tata mutual says that the fund house has started internal discussions about how to open its branches and the standard safety protocols it must put in place to ensure branches remain well sanitized.

Digital shift

For the MF industry though, keeping the shutters down hasnt been such an inconvenience during the pandemic. Much of the industrys inflows come digitally. Apart from the fund houses own websites and R & Ts (registrar & transfer agents) mobile apps that allow investors to deploy and redeem electronically, a chunk of inflows also comes in through the industrys platforms for distributors such as BSE Star, National Stock Exchange, R & Ts platforms for straight-through processing for large distributors and the industrys own platform Mutual Funds Utility (MFU). Anuj Kumar, President & CEO CAMS (one of Indias largest registrar and transfer agents) says that physical transactions used to account for 30-35 percent of the MF industrys inflows two years ago.

Of late  even before the pandemic struck  they accounted for just 25-27 percent of the inflows. The balance used to flow through digitally. But after the closure of R&Ts and AMC branches during the lockdown, all transactions came online for a few weeks.

Hanoz Patel, co-founder and partner, Power Pusher Financial Services LLP, is one of the leading MF distributors in western India. The firms clientele includes a largely well-off, but miniscule, Zoroastrian community that has a large chunk of senior citizens. On a normal day, Hanozs team of six people are buried in a stash of physical applications. As Indias lockdown began, Power Pusher enrolled for CAMS edge360; an online portal launched in August 2019 that focussed on independent distributors (it has around 25,000 distributors on-boarded already) through which they can invest their customers funds online. Now, all Hanoz does is to log into the platform and initiate a transaction. A weblink goes to the investors email account, which the customer needs to click. A One-Time Password gets generated, which goes to the investors mobile phone for authentication. The link then takes the investor to her own banks internet banking channel and the amount gets invested in the fund.

March 2020 was crucial as from April, the dividend distribution tax gets abolished. Instead, dividends will now get added to our income and get taxed at our slab rates. A large number of transactions, Hanoz and CAMS point out, took place in March where investors shifted out of their dividend plans, leading to a peaking of switch transactions. The MF industrys online preparedness took good care of it.

Much of the inflows through physical applications come in MFs through R&T offices. CAMS has 265 branches all over India. Since a single R&T serves multiple fund houses, distributors who handle physical applications prefer to visit an R&T branch to submit applications across multiple fund houses at a single counter. CAMS has been opening its branches from as early as April.

The new normal for branch visitors

Fund houses are making elaborate plans about having standard operating procedures as they open their branches. Some fund houses such as Aditya Birla have recommended that their investors download the Aarogya Setu app (the contact tracing app by the Government of India) on their mobile phones and show their status at the entrance of branches. Visitors who dont have the app installed are required to fill a lengthy form elaborating their health status and travel history. The government of India has not yet mandated the use of Aarogya Setu although it has urged its citizens to download the app. On Axis mutuals protocols, Chandresh says that the branches will put in place the necessary sanitisation required, though the health app is not mandatory. All fund houses mentioned here intend to provide face masks to visitors. A few others may give away gloves as well.

Although we have started opening branches, thats more for us to get them ready, cleaned and sanitized before they are opened as collection centres, says Swarup Mohanty, chief executive officer of Mirae Asset Global Investments (India).

Physical branches may be important, but with the growth in digital adoption and the industrys online preparedness, customers can invest via web portals comfortably.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Arterys, a leading global medical imaging platform to deliver clinical AI products over the internet, just received its seventh USA FDA clearance and announced its latest round of funding  a $28 million Series C investment from a syndicate led by Benslie Investment Group and Temasek Holdings, with participation by Fosun, Revelation Partners, Emergent Medical Partners, and Varian Medical Systems.

Arterys said it will deploy this new round of financing to broaden the Arterys ecosystem, comprising a broad set of partners on the new Arterys Marketplace working together to deliver clinical applications built on the Arterys cloud-native viewer and platform. A particular focus will be to accelerate partners' efforts to bring new clinical-grade AI applications to providers by extending its proprietary technology platform to application partners thereby making it easier for clinicians to integrate AI into their workflows from a single interface.

"The current crisis has shown us the necessity of a different approach to providing healthcare, where technology and AI are crucial for future success. Arterys is committed to transforming the way AI is integrated into the medical workflow, a promise that is long due in the industry. We recently launched our cloud platform and marketplace that will consolidate the work of thousands of AI models to be readily available for use by healthcare institutions around the globe," said Henry Weinstein, Managing Partner at Benslie International Ltd.

Arterys has appointed John Axerio-Cilies, co-founder, as the acting CEO. "We realize that we can't transform the healthcare system alone," says Axerio-Cilies. "No company can. And now, the same technology and strengths that we've leveraged to build our core products [Arterys Cardio AI and Arterys Lung AI] are now available to medical innovators at companies and universities around the world  they can benefit from regulatory support, channel partnerships, performance, security, and best-in-class hospital system integrations."

Interested in bringing a unified AI experience to your practice? Start today by reaching out to John Axerio-Cilies via [email protected].

About Arterys

Arterys is the market leader and the world's first internet platform for medical imaging. Its objective is to transform healthcare by transforming radiology. The Arterys platform is 100% web-based, AI-powered, and FDA-cleared, unlocking simple clinical solutions. For more information on Arterys, please visit www.arterys.com.

About Benslie

Benslie International Ltd is a Digital Health Investment vehicle of EMC2 Fund Ltd. It is an investment company founded by the Weinstein family, with 90 years of experience in the healthcare industry worldwide, which has several venture capital investments in the United States and Israel.

About Temasek

Incorporated in 1974, Temasek is an investment company headquartered in Singapore. Supported by 11 offices globally, it owns a S$313 billion (US$231 billion) portfolio as of March 31, 2019. Temasek is a generational investor, seeking to make a difference always with tomorrow in mind.

The company's global portfolio spans a broad spectrum of industries: financial services; telecommunications, media & technology; consumer & real estate; transportation & industrials; life sciences & agribusiness; as well as energy & resources.

For more information on Temasek, please visit www.temasek.com.sg.

SOURCE Arterys, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.arterys.com


BILLINGS, Mont. - A U.S. appeals court on Thursday turned down a request by the Trump administration and energy industry groups to revive a permit program for new oil and gas pipelines that had been cancelled by a lower court.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/5/2020 (602 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In this April 13, 2020, photo provided by TC Energy, construction contractors for TC Energy are seen installing a section of the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline at the U.S.-Canada border north of Glasgow, Mont. U.S. District Judge Brian Morris has struck down a nationwide permitting program for new oil and gas pipelines in a lawsuit against the controversial Keystone XL oil sands pipeline from Canada. (TC Energy via AP)

BILLINGS, Mont. - A U.S. appeals court on Thursday turned down a request by the Trump administration and energy industry groups to revive a permit program for new oil and gas pipelines that had been cancelled by a lower court.

The case originated with a challenge to the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to the U.S. but has affected oil and gas pipeline proposals across the nation.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting program allows construction of pipelines across wetlands and other water bodies with minimal review if they meet certain criteria.

Backed by numerous states and industry groups, attorneys for the government argued the cancellation would delay construction of pipelines needed to deliver fuel to power plants and other destinations.

U.S. District Judge Brian Morris in Montana said May 11 that officials had failed to adequately consult with wildlife agencies before reauthorizing the permitting program in 2017. Its continued use could cause serious harm to protected species and critical wildlife habitat, he said.

A two-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied an emergency request to block Morris' ruling.

They said in a one-page decision that the government, states and industry groups had not demonstrated sufficient harm to their interests to justify reviving the program while the case is still pending.

The issue could take months to resolve barring further court intervention.
Gov. Phil Murphy warned businesses that are organizing through social media to reopen together in defiance of his restrictions that they are playing with fire.

It has to be done the right way and at the right time, Murphy added. And I think were going to, if you bear with us over the next few days, well give some more guidance on that."

Beginning Friday, Murphy said, he said he will make more specific and general announcements. Among the new guidelines he may soon announce are for resuming youth sports, allowing outdoor dining and how small businesses can operate.

No dates or benchmarks have been provided for when the state can begin Stage 2 of its three-phase reopening plan.

Theres a lot of comfort were seeing in the data, he said Thursday. But weve got to make sure things are in fact going in the direction we want to go."

Officials reported 1,261 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and 66 new deaths, bringing the states totals to 157,815 people testing positive and 11,401 fatalities from the virus.

They also announced, for the second day in a row, a slight increase in the number of patients being treated for coronavirus. There were 2,797 people hospitalized with confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases as of Wednesday at 10 p.m. Thats an increase of 36 patients from Tuesday.

We have expected this increase in new hospitalizations given the holiday weekend, but we are going to watch these numbers closely over the coming days to see if there may be a deeper meaning to them, Murphy said

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Heres a roundup of coronavirus news:

One N.J. company got millions in small business money despite not being a small business. A New Jersey company that tapped into a federal relief fund meant to help small companies weather the coronavirus crisis did so despite the firm not appearing to meet the criteria for small businesses, at least as theyre defined by the federal government.

N.J. small businesses could get boost from federal loan changes that just passed House. Small businesses trying to navigate a federal loan program that ignored New Jerseys high rents would get some help under legislation that overwhelmingly passed the U.S. House on Thursday.

We need to know when we can reopen, say N.J. daycare and summer camp operators now in limbo. Operators of New Jersey summer camps and daycares said Thursday theyll need financial support, clear guidance and plenty of time to hire and train staff before they reopen  whenever that may be.

'Convoluted, contradictory and confused: Frustrated N.J. school officials still puzzled by state graduation rules. After weeks of speculation, New Jersey school superintendents expected to find out once and for all this week what an in-person graduation ceremony can look like in July.

N.J. slashes $335M from its school funding proposal. Heres what it means for your district. Even with the reduction, about a 3.7% decrease from what Murphy proposed in February, the state would still spend as much on K-12 schools as it did in the 2019-20 school year. But that may be little solace for districts now forced to cut costs because they already built 2020-21 budgets based on the governors proposed funding increase.

Where can I get a coronavirus test in N.J.? While the spread of the coronavirus continues to slow in New Jersey, the availability of testing in the state has expanded. How to get a coronavirus test varies throughout the state, depending on whether its from a private medical facility, a state-run testing site, or one operated by a town or county.

Some Shore towns stop selling seasonal beach tags. Asbury Park is one of at least two Monmouth County Shore towns that has now stopped selling seasonal badges as officials wait to see how many people can fit on a beach while still maintaining social distance. To the south, nearby Ocean Grove also temporarily halted seasonal tag sales.

NJ Advance Media staff writers Brent Johnson, Matt Arco, Payton Guion, Jonathan D. Salant, Adam Clark, Samantha Marcus, Avalon Zoppo, Brianna Kudisch contributed to this report.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
West Linn Police Sgt. Tony Reeves, who was the lead investigator in the wrongful arrest of a black man in Portland, will never be called to testify in any criminal court case again in Clackamas County and should have his police certification revoked, Clackamas Countys district attorney ruled Friday.

The decision came after the District Attorneys Office investigated the unfounded West Linn police arrest of Michael Fesser in 2017.

It is the first inquiry completed of more than a half-dozen local, state and federal investigations launched after The Oregonian/OregonLive reported in February that the city of West Linn paid $600,000 to Fesser to settle his civil rights suit against its police force.

The DAs investigation found that Reeves colluded with then-Chief Terry Timeus to pursue an unsupported arrest of Fesser for a personal friend of the police chiefs. The friend was Fessers employer at the time.

The investigation also found that Reeves withheld key evidence, engaged in an illegal recording of Fesser, deleted racist and vulgar text messages he received from Fessers boss on his cellphone and disclosed Fessers confidential attorney-client information to Fessers boss.

West Linn police targeted Fesser, using " inappropriate and offensive investigative tactics, and lacked transparency, honesty and any sense of fair play, said the district attorneys 42-page report obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

The report, signed by Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Owen and two senior deputy district attorneys, described a troubling pattern of deceit by omission in an attempt to mislead and arrest Fesser for alleged theft as a favor to the chiefs friend -- Eric Benson, the owner of A&B Towing Co. in Portland.

The inquiry lacked any pretense of being thorough and objective, the report said.

Fessers civil litigation against West Linn police and his boss uncovered that Benson was a fishing buddy of Timeus and a West Linn resident. Fesser said the arrest was in retaliation for his complaints about a racially hostile work environment at the towing company.

Theft charges against Fesser ultimately were dropped, and Benson and his company paid $415,000 to Fesser to settle a separate discrimination and retaliation suit.

Reeves failed to document in his reports the personal relationship between Benson and Timeus and the racist text messages Benson exchanged with him. Reeves also didnt disclose his seizure of a confidential letter between Fesser and his employment discrimination lawyer from Fessers car that discussed Fessers racial discrimination claims against Benson.

Benson admitted in a civil deposition that Reeves handed him the letter after Fessers arrest, yet Reeves told an investigator he didnt remember if that occurred. Timeus also was aware that Reeves, then a detective, had shared the confidential legal document with Benson, the report said.

This is intolerable, the Clackamas County report said.

Reeves has been on paid administrative leave since Feb. 12.

Timeus had Reeves initiate the 2017 investigation into Fesser. Timeus retired Nov. 1, 2017, but his police certification was never revoked, despite questionable conduct throughout his career. The district attorney is now recommending that Timeus also lose his certification.

Timeus failure of leadership created a culture that allowed this to happen, the report said.

The findings trigger a so-called Brady notice, an obligation under the 1963 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brady v. Maryland that requires prosecutors to disclose to defense lawyers any material that could impeach the credibility of a government witness.

Clackamas County prosecutors are reviewing 40 active criminal cases in which Reeves played a role and will dismiss any that cant be proven without his testimony, according to the report. The office is also reviewing 500 closed criminal cases in which Reeves played a role to determine if any of those need to be dismissed.

Theres no place for this kind of behavior in law enforcement, District Attorney John Foote said. "Frankly, theres no place in civilized society for the racial misconduct in this case.''

In a letter to West Linns acting police chief, Foote said for years now we have heard of unrest and dysfunction in the West Linn Police Department under the leadership Chief Timeus. However, the level of misconduct that has been uncovered in this matter is deeply disturbing and totally unacceptable.

Reeves lied in July 2018 to a West Linn police investigator when he said there were no racial or homophobic text messages or emails exchanged between him and Fessers boss, the report said. He had previously deleted the text messages from his police cellphone, but Fesser and his lawyer obtained a copy of them from Bensons phone during civil litigation. The texts were replete with racist, derogatory and crude messages, according to the cell phone evidence.

Reeves told an internal affairs investigator that he got rid of the text messages because the case was closed, but they had been deleted before prosecutors in Portland presented the case to a Multnomah County grand jury, the Clackamas County report found. Reeves also never informed Multnomah County prosecutors of the text messages.

The racist text messages from Benson revealed his strong motive to fabricate these allegations to avoid civil liability in a racial discrimination suit. Reeves responses by text message also were unprofessional and displayed a far too familiar banter, the report said.

What Reeves omitted from his sloppy and inadequate reports on the case was stark and concerning, and done in bad faith, with no explanation as to why West Linn got involved in an alleged Portland theft case outside of West Linn city limits or any mention of Bensons friendship with the chief, according to the report.

Quite simply, the WLPD decided to initiate a criminal investigation when there was no actual evidence that a crime was taking place, the report said.

Depositions and records from Fessers suits against West Linn and Benson revealed West Linn police, with civilian help, made a surreptitious audio recording of Fesser at work in Portland without a warrant or court order, then arrested him without probable cause with the help of Portland police officers. They also seized Fessers cash and cellphone in addition to the personal legal document without a search warrant, according to the records.

Their conduct was not merely negligent, inadvertent or result of a momentary lapse of judgment, '' the district attorneys report said. "It reflects negatively on their honesty, judgment and sense of fair play that every suspect and victim deserves.

Michael Fesser, pictured here with his lawyer, Paul Buchanan, at the start of a community meeting held Wednesday night at De La Salle High School in North Portland to discuss issues of injustice around policing. "This is a very important step toward accountability,'' Buchanan said of the Clackamas County DA's report. March 11, 2020. Beth Nakamura/Staff

Publicity about Fessers claims against West Linn police and his settlement prompted at least four separate investigations.

The U.S. Department of Justice is continuing to conduct a civil rights investigation into the police actions.

The Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards & Training has tapped an outside lawyer to look into the role played by Michael Stradley, a former West Linn police lieutenant who enlisted the help of Portlands police gang enforcement officers in the arrest of Fesser and most recently was working as a training supervisor for the states basic police academy. Stradley remains on paid leave from the police academy.

West Linns City Council contracted with the California-based OIR Group to investigate how city officials handled Fessers lawsuit against police. The city is paying the firm up to $50,000.

Current Chief Terry Kruger, who had vigorously defended the police investigation and arrest of Fesser in two closed executive sessions of the City Council, was placed on paid administrative leave in April while OIR Group inquiry occurs. Kruger also had a personal relationship with Fessers boss, West Linn emails obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive revealed.

The city is paying $28,500 a month in salary and benefits to Reeves and Kruger while theyre on leave.

Reeves lawyer David Lesh did not return messages seeking comment Friday about the district attorneys report.

West Linn Acting Police Chief Peter Mahuna said in a statement late Friday, "I firmly believe the West Linn Police Department will become a better and more professional police department as a result of this investigation and the others still underway. We have a long way to go in earning back the confidence and public trust weve lost.''

Fessers lawyer Paul Buchanan said he was encouraged by the district attorneys thorough review and conclusions.

"This is a very important step toward accountability,'' Buchanan said. "As were seeing in Minneapolis, if accountability for police abuse and racism is not vigilant and ongoing, more and greater abuses will occur. We still need accountability for West Linn Police Departments current leadership and their decision to vigorously defend this egregious abuse of their police power for a year and a half, and for former Lieutenant Stradley.''

Stradley had Portland police gang enforcement officers assist with Fessers arrest, contending Fesser had gang ties, though Stradley, a retired Portland police lieutenant, hadnt had contact with Fesser for more than two decades.

" Im hopeful that the investigations into those actions, which are ongoing, will be as searching as the one conducted by the Clackamas D.A., and that the willingness to hold those individuals accountable will be present in those investigations as it was here,'' Buchanan said.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

Subscribe to Facebook page

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter
As the pandemic continues, care providers should continue to produce new resources and convert existing resources to online platforms for refugees to access from their homes. In addition, providers should conduct check-in phone calls with their clients to inform them of these resources and to monitor how they are doing. Continuing support to these families during this time of heightened anxiety and stress will be crucial.
Panjab University Exam Controller Dr Parvinder Singh informed that the varsity has finalised standard operative procedures (SOPs) to conduct exams for exit classes from July.

As per the SOP, a maximum of 150 candidates will be allowed at each centre in one session and exam duration will be of 2 hours.

Not more than 15 candidates and an invigilator will be allowed in a room. No candidate living in red zones/containment zones will be allowed to appear in the exams. Separate arrangements will be made for them, Singh told ANI.

The staffers on examination duty have to download the Arogya Setu application to check their COVID-19 status. The varsity has made wearing of masks mandatory for teachers, staff and students.

Also, examination halls will be sanitised and thermal screening of every entrant in the hall will be conducted. Any student or staffer under quarantine or having symptoms of Covid-19 will not be allowed to enter the centre.

As the country continues to witness an increase in coronavirus cases, Panjab University had vacated two of its hostels to convert them into quarantine centres to support fight against Covid-19.
An Bord Pleanala has given the green light for plans to construct 753 residential units in Ballyvolane on the outskirts of Cork city.

The appeals board has granted planning permission to Cork company, Longview Estates Ltd in spite of its own inspector recommending that planning permission be refused.

The scheme is made up of 531 homes and 222 apartments on lands located in the townland of Lahardane, 3km north of Cork city.

The site consists of a number of large fields currently used for tillage farming and is identified as an Urban Expansion Area in a local area plan.

The developers were seeking a 10-year planning permission for the development over six phases that will also include a local centre that includes retail, a doctors surgery, a creche and community.

However, the appeals board has granted a seven-year permission in order to speed up the delivery of the homes.

The plan faced some local opposition and at the end of her 32-page report into the plan, Senior An Bord Pleanala planning inspector, Karen Hamilton recommended that planning permission be refused on three grounds.

She found that the density of the development would not be at a sufficiently high density to provide for an acceptable efficiency in serviceable land usage given the proximity of the site to Cork city.

Ms Hamilton also found that the proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard.

However, the appeals board has granted planning after concluding that the proposed development had an acceptable density of 35 homes a hectare.

The board also found that after the omission of a proposed access road onto a local road to the north of the site, the proposed development would not endanger public safety through traffic.

The appeals board found that the plan would not seriously injure the visual or residential amenities of the area and would be acceptable in terms of urban design.

Local business had supported the plan but objectors had raised concerns over residential amenity; the design and layout of the development along with traffic and transport.

Cork City Council offers its support for the plan.
When Kimberly Dodt was in high school, her anthropology teacher assigned a book to read that changed Dodts life.

The book, called Guests of the Sheik, recounts the authors experience as a young American living with her husband in a rural Iraqi village in the 1950s. It piqued Dodts interest about Middle Eastern society so much that the University of Miami senior has spent the past three years honing her Arabic skills to be able to research womens rights in the Middle East without a translator.

Middle Eastern women have ways of expressing their own agency that is different from how women express freedom in America, said Dodt, a history and Arabic studies major. I wanted to learn Arabic to research this topic.

Dodt was recently given the chance to fulfill her goal when she was awarded a Boren Scholarship to study in Oman, a small country on the Arabian Sea that borders the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. She is one of several University of Miami students awarded prestigious scholarships and fellowships this spring.

Emily Parks, a recent alumna was awarded a U.S. Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to work in Athens, Greece. Parks graduated in 2019 with a degree in English literature and art history. Although her program was set to start in the fall, it will now begin in January 2021, said April Dobbins, director of the Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships, which is part of the Office of Academic Enhancement.

Morgan Gianola was selected for a Critical Language Scholarship to study Portuguese in Brazil this summer. Gianola is a graduate student in the Social and Cultural Neuroscience Laboratory interested in studying how language and culture interact to influence psychological and neurological processes. His research addresses how personal experiences are colored by the lens of culture. While his program was canceled this cycle because of the coronavirus pandemic, Gianola has the option to pursue the scholarship next summer.

Although many of the fellowships and scholarships offered were canceled or delayed because of coronavirus-related travel restrictions, there are plenty of opportunities still available to students in 2021, Dobbins said.

We were very pleased with the number of students recognized this year, especially at such an uncertain time, Dobbins noted.

Castro

Nina Yari Castro, assistant director of Study Abroad, was offered a Fulbright International Education Administrator grant to study in Japan. Although it was set to begin this summer, Castros program also was delayed until summer 2021. Three other University students also were named alternates for the Fulbright program in the Caribbean, the Netherlands, and Taiwan. This means that if any chosen candidates do not accept the award, these students will be selected, Dobbins pointed out. Students interested in applying for Fulbright scholarships through the University must apply by Aug. 17 if they would like the benefit of a campus committee (many of whom are Fulbright alumni) to help review their application.

A number of University of Miami students received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRF). The three-year fellowships, which provide an annual stipend as well as funding toward tuition and fees, can be used at any institution where the student studies for their graduate degree.

James Wilson, a marine science and biology major who graduated this spring, was awarded an NSF-GRF and a GEM Associate Fellowship Award to support his graduate study. Wilsons research aims to investigate how the immune systems of corals and related species operate by identifying cells that are specialized for immune activity and examining their behavior. Wilson, who was also a George W. Jenkins Scholar, recently moved to Austin, Texas, where he will start studying for his doctorate in cellular and molecular biology at the University of Texas.

Jimmy Ge, a second-year Ph.D. student at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science was also awarded an NSF-GRF fellowship. Ge is researching tropical cyclogenesis, or the process where a cluster of small-scale thunderstorms over tropical waters develops into a hurricane. His project will use weather models, as well as aircraft and satellite observations, to examine how thunderstorms and their interactions with the broader environment contribute to the formation of hurricanes.

Quinton Lawton, another Rosenstiel School Ph.D. student, was also awarded an NSF-GRF fellowship. Lawton, a first-year student in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, is researching how interactions between atmospheric waves can play a major role in whether a hurricane forms or not.

Dodt is looking forward to spending the first seven months of 2021 in Oman and improving her language skills to hopefully propel her into a career in Middle Eastern diplomacy.

Once I started Arabic I fell in love with the language, she said. Its very rich. When you read, there are millions of words you dont know, but it gives depth to the language. My ultimate goal is to have near-native fluency, so I think this scholarship will add to my ability to do that.

Students interested in applying for a scholarship or prestigious award should plan ahead because many of the applications are due at the start of the fall semester. Therefore, Dobbins recommended that students visit the Office of Academic Enhancements website and research the awards to see what piques their interest. Then, they can attend an information session in the fall or email her at prestigiousawards@miami.edu if they need more information. They also can follow her offices Facebook page or Instagram @umiami_oae to keep up to date with new developments during the summer.
PARIS (Reuters) - French carmaker Renault is poised to announce 15,000 layoffs worldwide on Friday as it unveils a plan to boost its profitability and cope with faltering sales, a representative for the CFDT union said after meeting with the company.

Some 4,500 jobs would go in France, though largely through a voluntary departure plan and a retirement scheme, the CFDTs Franck Daout told Reuters on Thursday.

The overall cuts would affect just under 10% of Renault's 180,000 global workforce. The firm has around 48,500 staff in France.

"They've insisted on the fact everything will be negotiated," Daout said, adding that unions and state bodies would be involved in talks over potential job losses in France.

Renault declined to comment. The carmaker's board signed off on the plans to launch its cost savings programme on Thursday, a source familiar with the matter said.

The French group, which is 15% owned by the government, had earlier this year flagged a looming "no taboo" plan to cut 2 billion in costs after posting its first loss in a decade last year.

That raised concern for some of its factories, including in France, although closures could be politically sensitive.

The French government has already said it will not sign off on a planned 5 billion euro state loan for Renault - an aid measure linked to the coronavirus pandemic - until management and unions conclude talks over the carmaker's French workforce and plants in France.

The coronavirus crisis has compounded the company's problems, accentuating a slump in demand that was already hurting sales.

Renault's plans to invest in and extend operations in Morocco and Romania are likely to be frozen, Les Echos newspaper reported on Thursday, while its worldwide production capacity could be cut by 4 million vehicles to 3.3 million.

The restructuring follows a retrenchment by Japanese partner Nissan, which is closing some plants and planning to become smaller and more efficient.

(Reporting by Gilles Guillaume and Sarah White; Editing by Geert De Clercq, Editing by Alison Williams and Bill Berkrot)
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - In a forest clearing outside Flagstaff, Arizona, Sasha Krause was found cold and stiff, with a bullet wound to the back of her head. She was face down beneath brush, wearing a gray dress, white coat and hiking shoes. Her hair was pinned in a bun and her hands bound by duct tape. Her underwear was missing.

The 27-year-old Sunday school teacher had disappeared more than a month earlier from a Mennonite community in New Mexico more than 400 miles (640 kilometres) away.

Authorities are still trying to determine how her body ended up steps away from a makeshift camp off a lonely two-lane road that cuts through the canyons and groves of towering pine trees.

A 21-year-old U.S. Air Force airman stationed near Phoenix has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges. Raised in a Mennonite family in Wisconsin, Mark Gooch joined the military to escape what he told investigators was a difficult, sheltered and restricted life, according to sheriffs records obtained by The Associated Press.

Sheriffs officials used cellphone records to link Gooch to Krause, but his attorney Matthew Springer said that doesnt mean his client is a killer. Gooch is jailed without bond.

When authorities first questioned Gooch at the base, he said he thought it was about driving his motorcycle too fast. Coconino County sheriffs Detective Lauren Jones asked him about his recent travel, his family history and church. At the end of the 75-minute interview, she asked pointedly: Did you abduct Sasha Krause?

No, maam, Gooch responded.

Did you kill Sasha Krause?

No, maam, he said again.

The records hint at disdain for the Mennonite community by Gooch and at least two of his brothers. He never became part of the church, a process that involves a period of study, a commitment to be a follower of Jesus, and baptism usually in teenage years.

Gooch said he felt like an outsider because his family wasnt born into the religion. He once told a friend that he found life on his familys organic dairy farm depressing and wanted to live like other people. His older brother, Sam Gooch, told investigators his brother holds a grudge against the Mennonite community over perceived mistreatment, but he didnt elaborate.

Mark Gooch acknowledged travelling to Farmington, New Mexico, on Jan. 18, when Krause was reported missing. He said he had time for a long drive.

He left the base early that Saturday morning and drove north, past Flagstaffs snow-capped mountains and through the Navajo reservation, stopping for food and then for gas in Farmington.

He said he went to the Mennonite church on the outskirts of town where the words Lamp + Light are spelled out in painted white rocks on the side of a mesa  a nod to the publishing ministry where Krause worked. He said he wanted to attend a service because he missed the fellowship of Mennonites. But he hadnt checked to learn when services would be held and instead hurried back to the base to meet a friend the next day.

Detectives say there were inconsistencies in Goochs story. Cellphone records indicate he was around the church for a couple of hours and in the forest outside Flagstaff after midnight. Surveillance video at the base showed his car returned about 7 a.m. the day after he left. Gooch said he thought it was no later than 2 a.m.

A receipt showed Gooch had his car detailed a day after authorities announced a body had been found in the forest. In addition, Goochs phone was the only device that communicated with the same towers as Krauses phone before her signal dropped off west of Farmington, prosecutors said.

Authorities arent sure yet whether the .22-calibre bullet believed to have killed Krause was fired from a rifle that belonged to Gooch. Results also are pending on DNA from under Krauses fingernails and on her neck.

Gooch was assigned to Luke Air Force Base in October and worked in equipment maintenance. Base officials wouldnt say whether hes ever faced disciplinary action.

The case has entangled other members of Goochs family. Sam Gooch was arrested last month after authorities said they suspected he flew to Arizona to pick up the rifle used in the killing. He was released on bond and hasnt been charged.

Sam Gooch said the family left a Mennonite church in Wisconsin around 2015. As the siblings grew older, some went separate ways but kept in touch through occasional phone calls and text messages.

In one text exchange in mid-April, brother Jacob Gooch, a state trooper in Virginia, told Mark and Sam he gave a Mennonite a ticket and coughed on the driver so he would spread Corona to the wedding they were going too. lol. The other brothers encouraged the behaviour, according to the messages.

Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said the text exchange is part of an internal investigation into Jacob Gooch, who was placed on administrate leave May 8 as part of a separate criminal investigation. She declined to discuss details but said the probe is unrelated to the death of Krause.

Authorities dont have any indication that Mark Gooch and Krause, who both came from large families, knew each other. Calls to numbers listed for the Gooch family and Krauses parents went unanswered or unreturned.

In what has been chalked up to coincidence, one of the elder Gooch brothers attended Bible school with Krause in her hometown in Texas several years ago and had dinner at the Krause home.

A former school teacher in Texas, Krause arrived in Farmington two years ago to work for the publishing ministry. She knew Spanish, a skill that proved valuable to the ministry known for its outreach to Spanish-speakers, and she was learning French.

Krause was part of a group of conservative Mennonites where women wear head coverings and long dresses or skirts. Men wear plain clothing. They practice non-resistance and believe in forgiveness, said Paul Kaufman, general manager of Lamp and Light Publishers.

Krause also was a poet whose words became hymns. Some were sung at her memorial service. Her father Robert Krause described her as friendly and deeply compassionate with zero ability to hide stress or emotion.

On the evening she disappeared, Krause drove to the church to pick up materials for use as she filled in at Sunday school. She parked her silver Ford Focus close to the sidewalk and went inside the church.

She wouldnt be seen alive again by anyone in her community.

An autopsy report released Thursday declared Krauses death a homicide, citing the gunshot wound and head injuries. It noted there was no definitive evidence of injury to her genital area but didnt elaborate.

Goochs phone records indicate he returned to the forest a couple nights after authorities said he left Krauses body beneath the brush.

A camper discovered her body while gathering firewood. She noticed something white on the ground amid the black volcanic cinders and dry pine needles.

Weeping and shaking, the camper drove to a nearby visitor centre and told staff she had seen legs and shoes.

The news spread through Mennonite communities across the world.

It hit people, it became very personal to people, Kaufman said. It was so wrong.

___

Associated Press writer Denise Lavoie in Richmond, Virginia, contributed to this story.
If there is one drug countries around the world need the most to cope with the coronavirus, it is paracetamol. A medicine used universally as the safest cure for fever and pain that is available over the counter. India makes this drug in both the tablet form and as active pharmaceutical ingredient (API in quickspeak), which is used to make the tablet. On Thursday night, the makers of this drug in India learnt that the government has lifted all restrictions on exports of the paracetamol APIs. As expected, the industry hailed the decision and expressed relief that Indian companies can still stake claim to being the pharmacy of the world that fulfills almost 40 per cent of the world's paracetamol requirement.

Half a dozen Indian companies make 6,000 metric tonnes of paracetamol every month. These firms include Granules India, Sri Krishna Pharma, Farmson, Meghmani and Bharat Chemicals. The requirement within India, both for domestic use and domestic sourcing for exports as tablets, is at best around 2,000 metric tonnes. This means around 4,000 metric tonnes can always be exported every month. These have traditionally been exported to counties across Europe, the United States, Latin America, Australia, Malaysia and parts of Africa. However, since March this year, the government restricted exports, arguably with good reasons. Indian makers have been dependent on China for the key starting material called para aminophenol, or PAP, used for making the API and there were fears of shipments being disrupted from China due to the coronavirus lockdowns. Had curbs not been imposed, India could have ended up with shortages, which would have proved disastrous.

The government, however, still allowed formulation or tablet exports. The lifting of curbs on APIs has however been done in stages. Some argue that the process of lifting the curbs on the API exports could have been faster as this way the importing countries would not have had to look to other sources for overcoming any shortages. Also, we could have looked at the Chinese example where despite the peak of the COVID-19 crisis, China was still able to keep up with its supplies to some key global markets. But then, it is easy to complain now because there were no shortages. As some experts point out, these are unprecedented times and an era of ultra-nationalism and most of the importing countries would hopefully be able to appreciate the compulsions of India.

ALSO READ: Govt lifts ban on export of Paracetamol APIs with immediate effect
SEOUL, South Korea  The soldier spoke in a shaky voice, describing how he had lived like a beggar in South Korea and smoked cigarette butts thrown by American G.I.s. As he told listeners over the radio, he had fled his South Korean unit in Vietnam, defecting to the bosoms of North Korea.

For the soldiers family, the radio broadcast from North Korea in 1967 was the beginning of a decades-long persecution and an ongoing campaign by his brother to clear their names.

South Korea labeled the 23-year-old soldier, Ahn Hak-soo, as a defector, and his family members as potential enemies of the state. His brother, Ahn Yong-soo, said that when he was a teenager, he was tortured by military intelligence agents who used electricity or water laced with salt and pepper. Later, he said they forced him to quit his job as a schoolteacher.

South Korea, which once victimized innocent citizens in the name of guarding against the Communist North, is still struggling to come to terms with its past.
An anti-extradition bill protester is detained by riot police during skirmishes between the police and protesters outside Mong Kok police station, in Hong Kong, on Sept. 2, 2019. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

Wish Hong Kong (Fare)Well

Commentary

President Donald Trump is right to take steps to revoke Hong Kongs special trade status, but not for the reasons that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and other democratist hawks believe.

Involving Hong Kong in the trade war against China, will, in the short term, escalate Sino-American tensions, but could, in the long term, if joined to other policies in the same vein, help to extricate us from foreign alliances, attachments, and intrigues, to borrow the language of George Washingtons famous Farewell Address.

Pompeos announcement to Congress that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China is doubtless an act of saber rattling in the name of democracy rather than a move motivated by a desire for greater national economic sovereignty and fewer unnecessary foreign entanglements, but it could nonetheless have that effect under Trump.

Trump has thus far shown little interest in involving the United States in the plight of Hong Kong, however noble it may be. We may hope that Trump, if not his administration, is beginning to buck the trend of nearly every U.S. president since William McKinley and is asking himself what benefit there is to U.S. national interests in our involvement in anothers nations cause for liberty.

The time is ripe to break the spell of liberationist interventionism that has long enchanted the crafters of U.S. foreign policy. This begins by turning this potential flashpoint with China over Hong Kong into a component of American retrenchment and a move toward greater economic nationalism, rather than an economic sanction in the name of an ideological goal.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has made it abundantly clear that economic and political retrenchment is in order. From the nurses and doctors in need of PPE to drug manufacturers unable to get life-saving supplies, we are witnessing the dangers of offshoring our manufacturingto say nothing of the towns and lives destroyed by the policies that have encouraged the exportation of American jobs.

Trump has already taken steps to protect U.S. businesses from Chinese interference, universities are beginning to crack down on the Chinese Communist Party cells that have infiltrated their campuses through the auspices of Confucius Institutes, and corporations are taking a second look at offshoring, having seen the fragility of a global supply chain.

Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, these trends were apparent with the ascendency of so-called populism in the United States and Europe. Now, it has become even more evident that national sovereignty is not only the sine qua non of the state but also a basic expression of human nature.

The speed with which borders around the globe closed, despite vociferous warnings from the enlightened political class that such actions constituted xenophobia, racism, etc., demonstrate the flimsiness of the global community construct in the face of serious threats to the well-being of a nation.

The nation-state is not giving way to an international community but is demonstrating its relevance and purpose as the entity that foremost protects and administers to its own people. The death on arrival of Wilsons League of Nations in the form of World War II should have already taught us that lesson, but another global calamity, it would seem, must teach it to us once again. Let us hope that calamity is merely the pandemic and not World War III.

Hong Kong is no exception to the rule of the nation first. But neither is the United States. If tensions were to further escalate between Hong Kong and China and Hong Kong was to assert its independence, even at gunpoint, would the United States intervene? Would it sell arms and aid the enemy of a nuclear-armed China? These are considerations for Trump and his foreign policy team.

A great American statesman cautioned Americans against going abroad in search of monsters to destroy. America is the well-wisher to freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own, John Quincy Adams said in 1821.

This speech has been in the limelight as ideas of a more restrained foreign policy have become ascendant in the United States. And for good reason. The last 70 years of wars fought in the name of liberation have demonstrated the real, concrete meaning of Quincy Adamss prophetic words, which warned that by waging war on behalf of others, even in the name of freedom, the fundamental maxims of [Americas] policy would insensibly change from liberty to force. The frontlet upon her brows would no longer beam with the ineffable splendor of freedom and independence; but in its stead would soon be substituted an imperial diadem, flashing in false and tarnished lustre the murky radiance of dominion and power.

International Relations realists have long argued the futility of meddling on behalf of a foreign peoples liberation. Yet few have traced this impulse in the American foreign policy psyche to its deep origins in our roots, in figures such as Thomas Jefferson and even, at times, in Quincy Adams, and many others.

Earlier in Quincy Adamss July 4 speech he echoes the general sentiment of Jefferson and others that the form of government that the United States took was the only legitimate foundation of civil government.

It was the corner stone of a new fabric, Quincy Adams said, destined to cover the surface of the globe.

This type of dialectical democratism is arguably the seed from which our foreign policy of interventionism has grown. Jeffersons oxymoronic vision of America as an empire of liberty portends such a legacy as we now have. Woodrow Wilson, another great democratist, seemed to believe that taking America to war fulfilled Quincy Adamss belief about the Declaration of Independence, that it demolished at a stroke the lawfulness of all governments founded upon conquest.

To assert that any government that deviates from the form of government of the United States is dangerous. It beckons the would-be saviors and humanitarian crusaders to lobby on behalf of the benighted peoples of the world, which must always be among us. It is easy to see how the American sentiment of well-wishing, when backed by a philosophy of history that imagines democracy as the inevitable course of the globe, evolved into armed intervention in support of that imaginary destiny.

Trump should be a well-wisher to the freedom and independence of Hong Kong. He should not entangle this nation in yet another affair of a foreign country struggling against an oppressor, which the Chinese Communist Party, to be sure, is. It is time to put the nail in the coffin of interventionism, the failed grand strategy of the 20th and early 21st centuries, and to turn to another of our foreign policy strategies, limited engagement.

Emily Finley holds a Ph.D. in Politics from The Catholic University of America and is a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University. She is the managing editor of Humanitas, a journal of politics and culture, published by The Center for the Study of Statesmanship.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Pakistan: Annual ban on fishing -from June to July

May 29,2020 | Source: The International News

Fishermen aiming to make last net-casting trips to catch whatever they can before the annual ban on fishing -from June to July- are right now stranded by choppy waters amid dust storms, which are forcing majority of crews to avoid moving their boats to the open sea for their own good. Currently, coastal people are experiencing rough sea weather phenomenon, dust storms and heat waves, which have not only ruined newly cultivated crops, but have also pushed small boat crews to avoid moving to the open sea for usual fishing trips.



Gulab Shah, a community activist from Keti Bunder, Thatta district said, The sea is rough nowadays and majority of boats, which were preparing to resume their fishing activities after Eid-ul-Fitr, are now anchored at their traditional jetties aimlessly, waiting for the weather conditions to normalise. Besides this, he said, farmers had also lost standing Paan farms, newly cultivated cotton crop and vegetables like ridge gourd, bitter gourd, pumpkin, and guar to powerful dusty storms.



There is salinity all around in coastal area, while dust storms have brought brackish dirt from barren lands to the agriculture farms, causing soil infertility everywhere. In result farmers are losing their crops, paying the price for the authorities disregard to the situation, Shah said adding, In some areas, local farmers, to their dismay, have also detected diseases at early stage of cotton crops after dust storms.



Growers preparing to develop nurseries for the next immediate paddy crop at their lands were also hit hard by the rough winds, leaving them in helpless situation. Noor Muhammad Thahimor from Jati, Sujawal district said, Only a small number of courageous boat crews move to nearby creeks for fishing to feed their families. Otherwise, many boats are still anchored at their jetties, waiting the seawaters to calm down.



He said the heat wave and dust storms had forced community people to stay home or take shelter under trees. He quoted reports coming from the vicinity show that dusty storm has also damaged makeshift shelters, leaving poor families to live in the open. Thahimor resides in the area, which was hit by devastating cyclone 02A and had seen destruction and displacement. After this, he said whenever our community elders observed low depression in the seawater, they understood something was not right.



Shahzado Otho, a community activist from Kharo Chhan said, It is a normal phenomenon that usually happens during May, June, and July and sometimes it continues till August and September, depending on the weather. However, this year it seems above normal and both, farmers and fishermen seem uncomfortable due to strong winds and rough sea, which have affected livelihood activities of a large number of coastal people. Presently, only the huge fishing boats are having a party out there without awhile others are anchored to safety but without any catch.



The fishermen always experience two-month ban on fishing starts from June to July, which always forces hundreds of thousands of people to stay idle at home without work for the period -sometimes it goes up to August and September, depending on weather. But this year, the community people expect the government may exclude them from imposing ban on fishing, as they are already facing hardships due to lockdown following coronavirus pandemic.



Saeed Baloch, who is associated with Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) and is general secretary Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) Employees Union, said, Almost all the community people are demanding the government to avoid imposing ban on fishing this year, because they have already faced hardships. Asif Bhatti, a leader of Native Indigenous Fishermen Association (Nifa) based at Bhit island, Karachi, said, We have a clear stance as usual that the government must clarify the ban. For example, Bhatti cited notification being issued every year in this season, which shows that fishermen refrain from catching only three species of shrimps because of its breeding season to avoid extinction of the commercial species.



Influential people always violate the ban and continue fishing, while those, who abide by the law always face hardships,. He said the government authorities should clarify in notification that which species are banned and not to be fished. Let the community people continue catching other fish species other than shrimps. This should be checked and monitored at the major market Karachi Fisheries Harbour (KFH) and seafood processing zones set up there to avoid violation and protect the natural resources, he advised. Coastal community people are facing disasters one after another in the shape of pandemic, rough weather, cyclone, unjustified ban on fishing activities for two months and now the emerging threat of locust attack.



When the people of entire country are crying against locust attack, coastal people are also keeping an eye on the menace to avoid an emerging disaster. Community activists said it was quite recently the authorities had stopped the flow of river water downstream Kotri, depriving the islanders of their water share. Otherwise, the coastal communities, after receiving river water earlier in the month of March were on cloud nine, hoping to reap benefits in terms of increasing fish catch, storing water in makeshift reservoirs for drinking purposes, and recharging underground water level.



The elderly coastal community members say the river water always checks the rise of sea level and the also reduces the possibility of intrusion. They were expecting to see the fresh river water flowing as it would curb the sea intrusion and save villages and fertile lands, besides rehabilitating mangroves forests. Many people celebrated the early arrival of fresh water in early March this year through the river to meet its ultimate end, delta. But after two months the situation has changed, threatening the communities to face problems.



Coastal community people in Keti Bunder, Kharo Chhan, and Shah Bunder in Thatta and Sujawal districts have expressed concerns over the stopping of river water flowing downstream Kotri and said the action was aimed at depriving the islanders and marine ecology of their water share. They urged the authorities to ensure release of river water downstream Kotri immediately so the community people may heave a sigh of relief after long time.
A decision about whether F1's 2020 season can restart in Austria is now imminent.

Formula 1, and race promoter Red Bull, have submitted a safety plan for the back-to-back 'ghost races' for July to the Austrian government.

Health minister Rudolf Anschober now says that a decision should be made "immediately after Pentecost". Pentecost is a Christian holiday that this year falls on May 31.

"We are actually finished with the processing," Austrian press quote the minister as saying.

"Our experts are looking at this very precisely because, of course, it is also an essential decision that in reality also sends a signal."

Anschober also said the corona pandemic in the country is "very stable".

Dr Helmut Marko said he is eagerly awaiting the announcement of the decision about whether the racing can go ahead at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.

"Extra questions were asked and they were answered. We hope to receive positive news as soon as possible," he said.

"If the decision comes after Pentecost, we can still organise the races. It would be better if we got an answer before the weekend, but we don't want to impose on the government," added Marko.

(GMM)
New Delhi :

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his United States counterpart, Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter signed a long-anticipated bilateral deal on military logistics exchange on Monday in Washington. Seventeen-year-old Malvika Raj Joshi doesnt have a class X or XII certificate but has made it to the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), thanks to her computer programming talent. Here are the top 5 news of the hour.



1. India-US defence deal: 10 things you must know about military logistics exchange pact



Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar met his United States counterpart, Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter, on Monday in Washington. The visit is Parrikars second to the United States as Indias defence minister and resulted in the conclusion of a long-anticipated bilateral deal on military logistics exchange, known as the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) that was first mooted in the early 2000s.

2. Najeeb Jung unsuitable for post, need a Sangh person in Delhi: Swamy



Bhartiya Janta Party MP Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday slammed Delhis Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. The former cabinet minister Swamy accused Jung of being unsuitable for his post. In my opinion, this LG of Delhi Mr. Jung is unsuited for this high post. He is another 420 like Kejri. We need a Sangh person in Delhi  Swamy tweeted through his official handle @Swamy39.



3. 17-year-old 'unschooled' Malvika Joshi makes it to MIT



Seventeen-year-old Malvika Raj Joshi doesnt have a class X or XII certificate but has made it to the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), thanks to her computer programming talent. Hers is a story about a mothers conviction to break stereotypes and the self-belief of her teenage daughter, who showed why merit has more weightage than marks.



4. Jain monk case: AAPs Ashutosh says mixing religion with politics is against the spirit of constitution



Jain monk Tarun Sagar may have forgiven Vishal Dadlani for his controversial remarks on Twitter but, the controversy doesn't seems to die soon. Now, AAP leader Ashutosh Kumar has shared his views on the matter where he claims that politics and religion should not be mixed.



5. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil teaser out; Karan Johar brings heavy dose of complicated relationships



After releasing poster of his upcoming movie, Karan Johar shared the first teaser of 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil'. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the lead roles. The 1 minute and 33-second long video clip shows Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan facing the complex situation in their relationship.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Rishi Kapoor took his last breath on April 30 after battling leukemia for almost two years. Ever since he left us, his daughter Riddhima Kapoor has shared some rare and unseen pictures of her late father.



Recently, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni shared another throwback picture where shes seen as a tiny tot cradled in her parents arms. While the picture is super-adorable, watching Rishi Kapoor in his young avatar all smiles makes us realize that Bollywood has truly lost a great gem and the loss is irreplaceable. Riddhima has shared several throwback pictures on her profile but this latest one truly shows that she was daddys dearest and surely the apple of his eye. Check out the click here...





Riddhima was very close to her father and Rishi Kapoor loved spending time with her and his grand-daughter Samara. Sadly, due to the lockdown and the spread of coronavirus, she couldnt make it for her fathers last rites as she had to come by road from the capital. However she was present for her fathers 13th day rituals and even posted a picture from the ceremony on her Instagram.
A group of dogs have been visiting a seal sanctuary to keep the rescued sea animals company and reduce loneliness during the lockdown.

Staff at The Cornish Seal Sanctuary usually welcome ore than 100,000 people a year to their centre but they have closed during the pandemic, leaving the animals they care for increasingly isolated and lonely.

In an attempt to keep the seals engaged, the workers have been taking their dogs for daily visits to the sanctuary.

Tamara Cooper, curator at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, said: "It was definitely a real treat for the seals to see the dogs, it has been such a long time since they have seen anyone other than the team so they were definitely intrigued and interested in saying hello from afar.

"As well as our guests we have dogs on site every day when we are open and both the seals and the dogs are always very interested in seeing each other so it was great to be able to give the animals a bit of normality."

Staff member at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary visiting the centre with their dog Credit: Cornish Seal Sanctuary

The team have also played music over their speaker system to help to keep the animals calm and happy during the pandemic.

Staff have also set up a fundraising page to help with the 23,000 bill it costs every month to keep the charity going.

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary which is occupied by Humboldt penguins, common seals and sea lines rescues and rehabilitates grey seal pups that have suffered from malnourishment or separation from around the Cornish coastline.

The centre has so far raised over 28,000 of their 486,000 target.

On their JustGiving page they wrote: ""With the Sanctuary still being closed, and with no certain opening date, we are struggling without the vital revenue from our guests.

"We are now entering our third month without guests, and need your support more than ever."
The French government presented its new colour-coded map on Thursday, indicating that due to a slowdown in the coronavirus epidemic, most regions will see a complete lifting of lockdown measures. However, the greater Paris region and two overseas territories face ongoing restrictions.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, accompanied by health minister Olivier Veran and education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer on Thursday presented new measures in relation to phase two of easing lockdown measures, as of 2 June, based on data drawn up by regional health authorities.

The overall message in terms of recovery from the coronavirus epidemic is positive Philippe says, but he warned that vigilance is required in areas where Covid-19 remains active and hospital services remain under pressure.

According to the latest edition of the colour-coded map, which was first released on 7 May, all of the country and its territories have now switched to green except Ile-de-France (Paris and its suburbs), Mayotte and Guyana, which now appear in orange, as opposed to red.

Ile-de-France : 149,071 confirmed cases of Covid-19, 6663 people in hospital, 589 of those in intensive care, 7053 deaths as of Thursday.

Mayotte : 1 621 cases, 21 deaths reported on Thursday

Guyana: 409 cases, 1 death.

"We will be closely monitoring Ile-de-France, Guyana and Mayotte where the virus is more active than elsewhere," Philippe said in his televised address, adding that "in these regions classified as orange, the easing of lockdown measures will be more cautious."

100 kilometre travel limit lifted

In terms of travel, the good news for those across mainland France, regardless of region, is being able to move beyond the 100 kilometre radius rule in place since 17 March.

Elsewhere, however, rules remain in place for overseas travel.

Philippe emphasised the fact that no travel is permitted between mainland France and the overseas territories except in limited circumstances.

Story continues

Quarantine in place for overseas territories

Those arriving in overseas France's territories will be required to remain in quarantine for 14 days, and be tested and monitored for symptoms by local health services.

Philippe alluded to the "possibility" of opening up the number of flights during the summer vacation to these destinations, only if the health situation was deemed satisfactory.

Europe, and beyond

Travel across European borders is not authorised until at least 15 June, with a quarantine put in place reciprocally, if other countries intend to impose it.

Travel outside European borders will be announced closer to the 15 June, Philippe said, in conjunction with other member states.

The third phase of lockdown easing will be established on 22 June.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has congratulated Ukrainian peacekeepers with International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

"The high professionalism and impeccable moral and business qualities of the Ukrainian peacekeepers, their worthy fulfillment of tasks in the troubled corners of our planet, have been appreciated by all UN member states. Civilians on different continents know and remember valor, peacefulness and humanism of Ukrainian world warriors, their willingness to always come to the rescue and do everything possible to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population and reconcile the warring parties," Zelensky said in his congratulation issued by his press service.

The head of state emphasized that despite difficult challenges, Ukraine would not stop participating in UN operations and would continue to strengthen its contribution to international peace and security.

"Eternal memory and glory to all those who gave their lives during UN peacekeeping operations. I am confident that Ukrainian peacekeepers will continue to faithfully serve the ideals of humanism, peaceful existence and protection of people's lives. I wish you and your families good health, prosperity and success in an important case laid on the Ukrainian peacekeepers," he added.

In turn, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Taran noted that the Ukrainian military were carrying out tasks as part of a number of international peacekeeping and security operations led by the UN, NATO and as part of joint peacekeeping forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Kosovo, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and the Republic South Sudan, in Cyprus, in Abyei, in the security zone of the Transnistria of the Republic of Moldova.

According to the press service of the National Guard of Ukraine, since 2000, 278 National Guard guards have been taking part in international peace and security operations under the auspices of the United Nations in Kosovo, Liberia, South Sudan, East Timor, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire and Cyprus. To date, seven National Guard officers serve in the national staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine as UN Civil Police officers in international peacekeeping and security operations in South Sudan, Congo and Cyprus.
Former Coronation Street actress Georgia May Foote has slammed the TV industry for not using northerners in northern roles.

The 29-year-old Bury native said: 'Why are northern actors not asked to play northern parts? The accent is really difficult if youre not from here.

'A neutral accent is something northerners have always had to do to get work. Now our accent is more popular, why are we not getting the jobs when it is required?'

North of the border: Former Coronation Street actress Georgia May Foote has slammed the TV industry for not using northerners in northern roles

She was agonising over choosing something to watch on TV when she made the remarks on social media - with some believing she was specifically criticising new Netflix series White Lines, starring non-northern actors Laura Haddock and Laurence Fox, who both perform on the series with accents.

'Trying to watch what should be a good series, but completely put off with an accent. I see and hear this so much!' she added.

This comes after Georgia opened up about how taking anxiety medication 'saved her life'.

The actress, who played Katy Armstrong on Corrie, revealed her struggles during a Q&A on Instagram recently, in which she told her followers that she has been taking Citalopram - an antidepressant which is used to treat depression and panic attacks.

The 29-year-old Bury native said: 'Why are northern actors not asked to play northern parts? The accent is really difficult if youre not from here!' [pictured filming The Outpost]

Thinly-veiled dig? Some felt she was specifically criticising new Netflix series White Lines, starring non-northern actors Laura Haddock [pictured] and Laurence Fox, who both perform on the series with accents

She said: 'I have been on it for over two years now and it probably saved my life.

'I am grateful there is medication that can help when you struggle so much to motivate yourself to help yourself. Now I understand what helps I am slowly coming off it.'

While the former soap star admitted that she found the side effects 'awful at first' she thinks it was worth it because of how much it changed her life.

Candid: This comes after Georgia opened up about how taking anxiety medication 'saved her life'

She said: 'I have been on it for over two years now and it probably saved my life'

The common side effects of Citalopram during the beginning stages of taking it are: dry mouth, sweating, being unable to sleep, feeling sleepy and feeling tired or weak.

Georgia gave her followers more tips on what else helped her gain control of her mental health alongside medication.

She said that while Citalopram cures the symptoms of some mental health problems it doesn't cure the root causes.

Opening up: Georgia, who played Katy Armstrong in the soap, gave her followers more tips on what else helped her gain control of her mental health alongside medication

Helpful: While the former soap star admitted that she found the side effects 'awful at first' she thinks it was worth it because of how much it changed her life

Georgia said: 'It doesn't cure anxiety, it doesn't cure depression. It's something that helps you think a little bit clearer so I found it was really useful alongside therapy because I could think a little bit clearer.

'I could sleep at night. It gets rid of that fuzzy feeling.

'But I do still have them days, very badly at times like I don't get how Chris puts up with me to be honest because I can't put up with myself half the time.

'It's really difficult and I'm coming off them so I do feel like sometimes I'm having more of those days more often but yeah it definitely helped me, it helped me alongside therapy so I would advice it if you can.'
"Effective financial sector supervision has contributed to preserving financial stability and improving financial development. In such a context, growth has been robust averaging nearly 5% over the past 15 years while poverty has declined significantly ," she added.
The warning signs of our contrary nature can be seen in the potshots that Morrison government members have been taking at Labor premiers, undermining the national cabinet's first principle of shared leadership. The political nature of these attacks is betrayed by the absence of an equivalent comment against Liberal premiers implementing similar policies. Tasmania has been hastening just as slowly as Victoria in easing restrictions; Tasmania and South Australia have been just as reluctant to re-open their borders to NSW as Queensland or Western Australia. Even the Prime Minister couldn't help dividing the states between Labor recalcitrants and Liberal heroes at his press club address on Tuesday. "It may well be that Sydneysiders can fly to Auckland before they can fly to Perth, or even the Gold Coast," he joked. Ghosts of past global shocks: Gough Whitlam, Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison is still afloat. Illustration: Matt Davidson Credit: Federal Labor is matching the coalition's pettiness with its own opportunistic sniping.

The response to Treasury's costings blunder on the JobKeeper payment mimicked the attack lines that Tony Abbott used about debt and deficit when he was opposition leader a decade ago. "This is a Government that couldn't run a bath let alone be good economic managers," Opposition leader Anthony Albanese roared last Saturday. "The fact is that if you can't get this right, how can the Government get economic recovery right?" Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese says unemployment is being made worse by the government's exclusions to its JobKeeper program. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The incentives of Australian politics reward the party that complains about the cost of things, while media elevates the sceptic who nit-picks the forecasts which proved too pessimistic. We are a marvel of national unity in a crisis. Not even the 1990-91 recession, with its policy blunders and the self-indulgence of the Hawke-Keating leadership war, pushed us down the American road of civil strife. It is the recovery that divides us along familiar lines of entitlement and tribal loyalty. Labor is still scarred by its failure to convert the policy triumph of 2008-09 into a long-term government with a lasting legacy of reform. In opposition, it is torn between constructive engagement with the coalition - a courtesy it was denied in office - and the temptation to press the buttons of community resentment for political gain. The byelection for the seat of Eden Monaro, in southern NSW, will test Albanese's judgment and temperament. Morrison failed the equivalent test in 2018, when he faced a byelection for Malcolm Turnbull's old seat of Wentworth, in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

For Labor, official forecasts are easy to mock at the moment. But Albanese would recall the paradox of 2008-09, when government intervention in the economy exceeded expectations. Treasury was still predicting a recession in the 2009 budget, despite two rounds of stimulus. Unemployment was supposed to remain above 8 per cent throughout 2009-10 and 2010-11. It never got to 6 per cent under Labor. Interestingly, it finally crossed 6 per cent following the release of the Abbott government's first budget in 2014. The backlash to that document poisoned the well for tax and spending reform for the remainder of the decade. What Treasury couldn't put a figure on in 2009 was the boost to confidence from a crisis avoided. The stimulus showed the government was prepared to spend whatever it took to defend the economy, and employers responded by hanging onto their staff. But then Treasury overshot in the recovery by assuming that revenues would snap back to normal with employment growth. It was never going to happen without serious fiscal repair because the tax base had been undermined by excessive handouts in the Howard years. Labor wasn't willing to take the risk of deep cuts to government spending while the recovery was fragile. It left office in 2013 without the early return to surplus it had been promising.

The coalition has its own fiscal demons. The budget was finally tracking for surplus when the pandemic stuck. Now it faces an unprecedented deficit, notwithstanding the dramatic revision to the JobKeeper payment, which will now be worth $70 billion rather than $130 billion. There is an element of the 2009 experience in the costings drama. Once again, Treasury was too pessimistic in its initial assessment. But the Government will get no credit for spending $60 billion less on JobKeeper than it thought it would. Those who missed out will understandably want to be added to the scheme. And as both Treasury and the Reserve Bank have pointed out, the payment may need to be extended beyond September if the economy remains vulnerable to further shocks. Another echo from 2009 is the argument over the modelling of the coronavirus. None of the health projections imagined the caseload and death toll would be as small as what we have at the moment. But that doesn't diminish the argument for lockdown. It just means the experts couldn't put a figure on our obedience. As Professor James McCaw, from the University of Melbourne's School of Mathematics and Statistics and the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, tweeted in mid-May, the modelling didn't over-estimate the risks of COVID-19. "Rather it underestimated society's ability to respond and prevent transmission," he wrote. "Stay safe!"

Consider the bleak picture overseas. The American death rate per head of population is currently 77 times Australia's. In Sweden, which kept its economy open, the death toll is 100 times ours; in Britain which had kept its border open until recently, it is 140 times ours. Depending on which country you take as the benchmark, our policy response helped save between 7700 and 14,000 lives. It is an argument the government can make with credibility. Whether is has any more salience than the Treasury numbers in 2009, which showed unemployment hitting 10 per cent without stimulus, remains to be seen. On the other side of over-achievement is complacency. Every European and Asian country that has eased restrictions has seen their infection rate rise. How will the Australian psyche cope if there is a second wave of the coronavirus? Public opinion of Morrison and his government may well snap back to the position it was during the black summer of fires. There is a lesson in the last deep recession about what lies ahead for the Morrison government. The Keating government won the 1993 election by recasting itself as the opposition against John Hewson's Fightback package. Morrison pulled off a similar escape last year by making the election a referendum on Labor's then leader Bill Shorten and his tax and spending program. What ultimately brought Keating down was the idea that he was offering something for nothing; in this case a tax cut without the GST. The horror budget of 1993, which cancelled half the value of those tax cuts, and a series of interest rate rises in 1994 were, by his own admission, the things that finished off his government. These were the delayed political costs of recession, when fiscal and monetary buffers had to be rebuilt for the next shock.
It is a little like the High Line in New York, in that its an overlooked place, Corner, whose firm designed it, said in 2017. The whole idea of the High Line is to amplify what is already there.
Coimbatore:

Six people got a new lease of life after the family of a 21-year old civil engineer, who was declared brain dead after an accident, donated his vital organs.

Yuvaraj, hailing from Dharapuram in Tirupur District, had met with an accident in March and was recovering. However he had frequent fits and lost consciousness a couple of times, family sources said.

He was brought to Sri Ramakrishna hospital here on August 26 and was under treatment, but did not respond to medication and was declared brain dead last evening, Hospital nephrologist Dr Chezian said in a release.

A team of doctors harvested his heart, liver, two kidneys and two corneas this morning. One kidney was transplanted on a patient in Ramakrishna Hospital and another on a patient at KG hospital here,it said.

The corneas were sent to Sankara Eye Hospital, the liver to PSG Hospitals and heart to GKNM hospitals, all in the city, and transplanted on patients.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Oil rallied as investors looked past an increase in U.S. crude stockpiles to focus on tentative signs of a recovery in fuel demand as well as output cuts.

Futures in New York rose 2.7% Thursday. While U.S. government data showed that American crude stockpiles rose last week, the demand outlook is improving. The four-week average of gasoline supplied to the market has steadily risen as parts of the country emerge from coronavirus lockdowns. The Energy Information Administration again posted a large negative adjustment factor, indicating that production is probably lower than official data show.

"You still have a significant amount of production offline, which is helping bring supply and demand in balance, all the while, you have demand starting to recover as states open up in various stages," said Nick Holmes, a portfolio manager at Tortoise. "People are looking more to the supply and demand equation."

Rallying equity markets also supported oil's rise. Stocks have recovered globally to levels last seen in early March on fresh stimulus measures and hopes that economies are on the mend as lockdowns ease. U.S. unemployment filings shrank for the first time since the outbreak began, even as millions more Americans filed for unemployment benefits.

Economic improvement and declining crude supplies are key to lifting prices as the market contends with both a massive global inventory glut and diminished demand due to the pandemic. Production cuts and the easing of lockdowns have helped boost oil nearly 80% this month. But the market remains fragile, with high prices likely to spur producers to restart wells and undercut gains.

The physical market has been showing some signs of strength, with refiners across Asia buying distressed cargoes in an indication of demand. OPEC+ is set to meet June 9-10 to decide whether to extend output cuts beyond July. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reiterated their cooperation on the deal ahead Wednesday. The Kremlin described the call as positive on Thursday.

Additionally, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. said it will reduce crude production in line with the OPEC+ agreement and government directives, according to a company notice to buyers, agreeing to cut shipments of all crude grades by 5% for July.
Stop arresting reporters for doing their job.

That was one of many tweets I sent out before the clock even hit 7:30 a.m. Friday.

The news, locally, this week has been busy; nationally, too. Despite my unusually early wake up, I was glad to have reached the end of a very hectic week.

It was a good Friday for about five minutes.

Then I saw the video of CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and his production crew getting arrested while doing their jobs, covering ongoing protests in Minneapolis in the wake of the death of George Floyd after his arrest by Minneapolis officers. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told CNN he expects there will be charges against the four officers involved in Floyds death.

Jimenez, along with producer Bill Kirkos and photojournalist Leonel Mendez, were arrested on live television shortly after 6 a.m.

It was 6:52 a.m. I was awake and I was angry.

My brain took me back to Bridgeport on the night of May 9, 2019. For my own sanity, I wont rehash all the details surrounding my arrest.

But heres the thing: I was on the sidewalk. I was doing my job. I identified myself. I didnt have a crew  no other media were there at that point actually because our photographer had just left about 10 minutes prior.

I got arrested while my phone filmed the entire thing, capturing mostly just the audio as two sergeants pulled my arms back and put cuffs on my wrists.

Like Jimenez and his crew, there was no immediate reason given for my arrest.

CNN president Jeff Zucker spoke with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Friday morning after the teams arrest, according to CNN. Walz apologized to Zucker for the arrests and said he was working to have them released immediately.

Hearst Connecticut Medias then-Vice President of News Matt DeRienzo had a call with Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim after my arrest  Im sure much like the conversation Zucker had with Walz. Like Walz, Ganim apologized. He said he was encouraging police officials to release me.

In a statement later Friday, Minnesota State Patrol said: In the course of clearing the streets and restoring order at Lake Street and Snelling Avenue, four people were arrested by State Patrol troopers, including three members of a CNN crew. The three were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media.

The city of Bridgeport released a similar statement after my arrest.

Walz said the Minneapolis arrests were unacceptable, CNN reported. They were.

The team was released from the Hennepin County Public Safety facility in downtown Minneapolis around 7 a.m.

Before their arrests, Jimenez was standing in front of a long line of police officers in riot gear, when the officers moved toward Jimenez and his crew and asked them to move.

It was all on camera.

Jimenez told the officers he and his three colleagues were part of a CNN crew and identified himself with his CNN identification card, CNN reports.

We can move back to where you'd like, Jimenez is heard saying. We can move back to where you'd like here. We are live on the air at the moment. This is the four of us. We are one team. Just put us back where you want us. We're getting out of your way. So, just let us know. Wherever you'd want us, we will go. We were just getting out of your way when you were advancing through the intersection. Let us know and we've got you.

At 5:11 a.m. local time  6:11 a.m. here in Connecticut  two officers in riot gear stepped up to Jimenez and said, you are under arrest. Jimenez asked why. He was handcuffed and led away by the officers.

Again, the camera and the live audience watching this unfold, caught it all. It felt all too familiar for me.

U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, an organization that highlights violations against journalists, said at least 40 journalists have been arrested while covering protests since 2017. Nine journalists were arrested in 2019.

Two journalists have been arrested so far this year, according to the organizations data, which has not yet been updated to include the CNN arrests.

The data shows at least eight journalists have been attacked, at least five have had equipment damaged, at least six have faced access denials and at least eight have been served subpoenas or legal orders. I say at least because theres no guarantee every incident is reported on.

Back in Connecticut, News 12 reporter John Craven captured what I was feeling perfectly in a tweet: These encounters between police and journalists are a lot more common than people know  just ask @Tara_ONeill_ from @connpost  but they rarely play out on live TV.

CNN called the teams arrests as a violation of First Amendment rights. And thats exactly what it was.

Those officers could have told the crew where they could move to, especially given how cooperative Jimenez was leading up to the arrests.

The media must continue to condemn First Amendment rights violations, like the arrests of Jimenez, Kirkos and Mendez.

Any police officers involved in arrests of the media in situations like this should undergo First Amendment training to ensure this never happens again. If the training doesnt exist, create it. This is not acceptable.
London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2020 -- The Maine Group specialises in Office Support Recruitment is glad to announce the continuation of its consultancy services currently amid the current pandemic situation.



Our company having a vast experience of 30 years in Office Recruitment Consultation is well placed to connect the people willing to be hired with those in need of corporate staff. Working specifically in the West End City of London we have a conscious approach towards the best match resulting in the ultimate experience for both employers and employees. We specialise in providing Office Support across four key areas; Secretarial, HR, Charity, Sales and Marketing. While offering it in terms of permanent, temporary and internee.



"I have registered with a huge amount of agencies, but none of them have been as friendly and helpful as Maine-Tucker". These are the praiseworthy words of one of our clients leaving not a single question behind regarding the competitiveness and professionalism offered.



One of the best reasons to choose The Maine Group is that we offer a full 3 months 100% financial guarantee like none other, sharing not only the highs with our business partners but their lows as well.



With a commitment to improve the Office Support Recruitment experience, we also offer an "Employability Report" where appropriate professional advice is provided to more ambitious and extra cautious candidates for a flawless work environment.



Those wishing to be employed or in search of staff during the current lockdown are welcome to contact us for a satisfactory consultation based upon mutual collaboration and understanding. We do an extensive research in selecting, matching and finalising the most suitable candidates for a phenomenal corporate experience.



Further details including the latest vacancies can be found at https://www.themainegroup.co.uk/jobs



Media Contact



Company name: Maine-Tucker Recruitment Ltd

Tel: 020 7734 7341

Website: http://www.themainegroup.co.uk/

Contact person: Kate Stannard

Email: Kate.Stannard@themainegroup.co.uk

Address: Maine-Tucker Recruitment Ltd

Greener House

66-68 Haymarket

St James's

London
Friday, May 29th, 2020 (3:35 pm) - Score 20,432

Mobile operator EE (BT) has started to extend their new 5G ultrafast mobile broadband network to cover an additional 9 towns and cities across the United Kingdom, including locations such as Southend-on-Sea, Stirling and Weybridge.

The development means that EEs 5G network is now live across busy parts of 80 UK locations, although it will take a long time to reach the same level of coverage in each areas as has already been achieved by existing 4G networks. The operators website actually lists Stirling under towns, although these days its usually described as a city (weve noted this to EE).

NOTE: The latest 9 additions include the towns of Borehamwood, Weybridge, Newton-le-Willows, Paisley, Chesterfield, Southend-on-Sea, Inchinnan, Stirling and Westhoughton.

At present the operator is only able to harness a 40MHz slice of the 3.4GHz radio spectrum band for their 5G service, although more bands are due to be released by Ofcom later this year (e.g. 700MHz and 3.6-3.8GHz). Nevertheless theyve so far been able to deliver better speeds than rivals at Vodafone, O2 and Three UK, although it remains to be seen whether this will last.

Marc Allera, CEO of BTs Consumer Division, said: One year ago today, we started the UKs 5G journey by launching the first 5G network. In just one year, weve already seen a number of incredible experiences and real-life use cases that 5G enables, both for consumers and businesses, and theres still so much more to come. 5G technology will continue to make our customers lives easier, make our networks more efficient, and help launch entirely new ideas and businesses that we havent yet imagined.

The operator has previously told customers to expect an increase in speeds of around 100-150Mbps from 5G  even in the busiest areas  and at the same time they also predicted that some customers may break the 1Gbps (1000Mbps+) milestone on their 5G smartphones (the fastest speed possible when EE launched 4G in 2012 was just 50Mbps). But getting 1Gbps in busy urban areas, with only 40MHz of spectrum, is likely to be quite rare.

The most recent data from Opensignal did however confirm that their customers were achieving an average 5G download speed of 149.8Mbps (Megabits per second), which is well above the typical 4G average on their network of 33.1Mbps (here).
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 17:53:41|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LAGOS, May 29(Xinhua) -- Two suspected kidnappers were killed and six others arrested in a police operation in Nigeria's northern state of Katsina, local authorities said on Friday.

The suspects were killed and arrested on Wednesday following raids on their hideouts, state police said in a statement reaching Xinhua in Lagos.

Katsina police spokesman Gambo Isah said 130 rustled cows, 225 sheep and one AK-47 rifle were recovered in the operation.

The northern part of Nigeria has witnessed a series of attacks by gunmen in recent months. Enditem
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday that Congress will decide whether to pass a "final" coronavirus relief package in the coming weeks.

"We're taking a careful look at a fourth and final bill," the Republican said in his home state of Kentucky. "You could anticipate the decision being made on whether to go forward in about a month. And it will be narrowly crafted, designed to help us where we are a month from now, not where we were three months ago."

Congress has split over how next to address economic and health care crises created by the pandemic. As tens of millions of people file for unemployment insurance and state and local governments stare down budget shortfalls, House Democrats passed a sprawling $3 trillion stimulus bill this month. McConnell, meanwhile, has stressed he wants to see how efforts to reopen businesses in most of the country affect the economy and job market before he would pass more legislation.

Democrats, who have pushed for measures including another round of direct payments of up to $1,200 and an extension of an enhanced federal unemployment benefit, have argued the need for people to cover vital expenses requires more immediate action.

"We need a pause? Tell that to the virus," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Thursday. "Is the virus taking a pause? Is hunger in America taking a pause?"

In a separate letter to colleagues Friday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged the Senate to take more action to address the pandemic when it returns next week. He called on Republicans to "join Democrats at the negotiating table, immediately."

Schumer also said Senate Democrats would try to pass a House-approved bill that aims to give small business owners more flexibility in how they spend money loaned as part of a coronavirus aid program.

McConnell outlined a set of conditions for the next coronavirus package. He said it "will be written in the Senate" and "supported by" the Trump administration, with input from Democrats  whose support it will need to pass even the GOP-held Senate.
Abia state government has declared one Emmanuel Ononiwu, who was said to have absconded after testing positive for COVID-19, wanted. ...

Abia state government has declared one Emmanuel Ononiwu, who was said to have absconded after testing positive for COVID-19, wanted.





The announcement was made on Thursday by John Okiyi Kalu, the commissioner for information.





Ononiwu was said to have escaped from a temporary isolation facility after he was informed that he tested positive.





The government said all efforts to reach the patient had proved abortive as he insisted that he would not present himself for isolation.





He escaped from a temporary holding facility in Aba prior to movement to an isolation center after being informed of his COVID-19 status, Kalu said.





All subsequent appeals made to him through his phone line, 08033484117, fell on deaf ears as he insisted that he will not turn himself in and has gone ahead to switch off his line along with that of his spouse who is also required to come in immediately for testing.





His last tracked location was around Asa Triangle in Aba South LGA. If seen anywhere, please report to the nearest security agency or call 0700 2242 362, but do not approach him without full protection to avoid infection.





Enforcement teams all over the state are also advised to be on the lookout and take him in as soon as he is found.





All those who had contact with him in the past 14 days were advised to call the state authorities in order to submit themselves for testing.





We strongly advise all citizens and residents to be vigilant and take necessary measures to protect themselves, he added.





As of May 27, 2020, Abia has recorded 10 COVID-19 cases.
The discovery of six new cases of COVID-19 in the Campbellton area over the last week may trigger increased testing for the virus throughout New Brunswick, which had been slowing noticeably in the province in recent days to the point of falling below "minimum" amounts it set for itself.

Yesterday, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health suggested the province might have been doing "too much" testing in May because of the long stretches of no new cases being found in the province  something the current outbreak has undone.

"The tricky parts about testing have to do with if there really, really are not very many cases or no cases at all," said Dr. Jennifer Russell in explaining why testing in New Brunswick has recently fallen below its own minimum targets.

"You test too much, your positivity rate changes and that can affect your data," said Russell.

Ed Hunter/CBC

Positivity rates are the ratio of positive test results to negative results.

Ratio below WHO recommendation

According to Raywat Deonandan, an epidemiologist and an associate professor at the University of Ottawa, the World Health Organization recommends the positivity rate for COVID-19 testing should be below 10 per cent  in other words there should be at least nine or more negative tests for every positive one.

New Brunswick's positivity rate is below one per cent with just one case identified in every 175 people tested since the beginning of the pandemic.

Supplied/Raywat Deonandan

It was not immediately clear what problem with New Brunswick's data would be caused by a positivity rate that low, or lower, to cause a reduction in testing, but the province's numbers have been falling.

According to Public Health Agency of Canada data, New Brunswick tested 1,899 people for COVID-19 in the most recent full week, ended May 27. That's a 22 per cent drop from two weeks earlier and it's several hundred below the "minimum" number of people the province was targeting to test earlier this month.

Story continues

"We knew that in order to give Public Health advice on removing Public Health measures as we go through the phases we would have to maintain a minimum number of tests of between 2,300 and 2,500 (per week) so that's our goal for the minimum number of tests," Dr. Russell told reporters on May 15.

New Brunswick has not been meeting those minimum amounts even while other provinces with limited new case counts have kept their testing numbers up.

Prince Edward Island has the lowest positivity rate in Canada among provinces  one case for every 218 people tested so far. It has also not found a new case in more than a month.

Still, over the last week P.E.I. tested 993 people, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada, a per capita amount 2.4 times the number of people New Brunswick tested.

On Thursday, Dr. Heather Morrison, P.E.I.'s chief medical health officer, said testing on the Island is one of its key strategies to prevent an outbreak there.

Shane Hennessey/CBC

"When we hear about the case in New Brunswick, it reminds us how important all those measures are  the screening of health-care workers before they come to work, the personal protective equipment but also the testing we're able to do," said Morrison.

Deonandan said ongoing testing is useful, even in jurisdictions where new cases are rare.

"If the case load is low, then the testing capacity should be employed as proactive screening to detect asymptomatic cases that otherwise would not prevent themselves," said Deoandan.

The province appeared to have COVID-19 under control after a long stretch of no new cases in 35 of 39 days between April and May, including one period of 16 straight days without a new case.

The three new cases revealed in the Campbellton area Thursday were the most in a single day in New Brunswick since April 9.
Chinese medical team ends mission to help fight against COVID-19 in Algeria

ALGIERS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A team of Chinese medical experts on Thursday ended their mission to help tackle the COVID-19 epidemic in Algeria after two-week work.

Director of the Asia-Oceania Department of the Foreign Ministry of Algeria Boumediene Guennad expressed his country's gratitude to the Chinese medical team and spoke highly of their work.

He stressed that their work will help Algeria overcome the epidemic at an early date.

Chinese Ambassador to Algeria Li Lianhe said that the Algerian government and experts gave a high evaluation to the work of the Chinese experts during their two-week stay in the country, which will help the two sides strengthen communication and learn from each other during the fight against the COVID-19.

The Chinese medical expert team arrived in Algeria on May 14 to help fight the coronavirus, through sharing China's experiences in the spread of the contagious disease.

They carried out extensive and in-depth exchanges with their Algerian counterparts on the prevention and control measures of COVID-19, clinical treatment techniques and laboratory testing.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission today reopened shooting ranges on additional state game lands in counties upgraded to the yellow phase in the states three-phase matrix to ease COVID-19 restrictions.

Those counties are Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lebanon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike and Schuylkill.

Within those counties, any rifle, shotgun, pistol and archery ranges on state game lands have been reopened and regular hours of operation have resumed.

The newly reopened ranges are on five additional game lands: State Game Lands 211 in Dauphin County, State Game Lands 91 and 206 in Luzerne County, State Game Lands 127 in Monroe County, and State Game Lands 183 in Pike County.

Where counties remain in the matrixs red phase, and where stay-at-home orders remain in place and large gatherings are prohibited, shooting ranges on state game lands remain closed.

The latest upgrades also will reopen the commissions Southcentral and Northeast Region Offices, which will resume regular lobby hours beginning June 1.

This is the fourth round of shooting-range reopenings to be announced, and only five of the commissions shooting ranges remain closed.

Shooting ranges that reopened previously include those on State Game Lands 203 in Allegheny County, State Game Lands 108 in Cambria County, State Game Lands 141 in Carbon County, State Game Lands 176 in Centre County, State Game Lands 72 in Clarion County, State Game Lands 77 in Clearfield County, State Game Lands 58 in Columbia County, State Game Lands 230 in Cumberland County, State Game Lands 109 in Erie County, State Game Lands 51 in Fayette County, State Game Lands 24 in Forest County, State Game Lands 179 in Greene County, State Game Lands 223 in Greene County, State Game Lands 248 in Indiana County, State Game Lands 50 in Somerset County, State Game Lands 245 in Washington County, State Game Lands 159 in Wayne County, State Game Lands 42 in Westmoreland County, and State Game Lands 242 in York County.

Future opening of additional game-lands shooting ranges will be announced by the commission as they are authorized.

After the June 1 office reopenings, the Southeast Region Office near Reading will be the only one of the agencys six region offices to remain closed to the public.

The Harrisburg headquarters also will remain closed to the public until further notice.

The commission closed all shooting ranges on state game lands in late March in accordance with Gov. Tom Wolfs developing guidance to help control the spread of coronavirus.

To enable hunters and target shooters to make up for lost opportunity due to ranges being closed, the Commission extended the life of 2019-20 shooting-range permits, which have a printed expiration date of June 30, 2020. The permits will be considered valid to use on state game lands shooting ranges until Aug. 31, 2020.

Pennsylvania 2019-20 hunting and furtaker licenses, which also are set to expire June 30, 2020 and allow holders to use shooting ranges on game lands, will be honored for range use through Aug. 31, 2020, as well. However, hunters and trappers are reminded that beginning July 1 they will need 2020-21 licenses before hunting or trapping.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.

Contact Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.
A prolific shoplifter who racked up her 100th conviction after stealing candles from a department store had gone from "zero to 100" on drugs at the time, a court heard.

Aimee Cully (25) was a heroin and crack cocaine addict when she carried out the latest theft.

Judge Gerard Jones jailed her for two months, but made the sentence concurrent to a prison term she is already serving.

Cully, of Oliver Bond House, in Dublin's south inner city, pleaded guilty to stealing three Yankee candles from Shaw's Department Store, George's Street, Dun Laoghaire, on October 17, 2018.

Dublin District Court was told she had 99 previous convictions, including for theft.

The most recent was handed down last month, when she was jailed for another theft.

There was "no shying away" from Cully's previous record, her lawyer said.

She had had a traumatic childhood, after which her young life "spiralled".

Tragedy

Cully "did make something of herself" and went back to college, where she took a course in youth, community and social studies, the lawyer added.

However, she suffered another personal tragedy, after which her drug use spiralled out of control and she became addicted to heroin and crack cocaine.

"She went from zero to 100 in her drug use," her barrister said.

The accused also suffered a very bad injury in a car crash a number of years ago, was in a coma for a time and struggled to pay for the pain medication afterwards as she did not have a medical card, the court heard

Cully was making good use of her time in Mountjoy Prison's Dochas Centre and was studying hair and beauty.

She wished to engage more in education and had applied to do a psychology course in prison.

Judge Jones said he would not extend Cully's time in custody as she had "suffered a lot".

He made the two months concurrent to her existing sentence.

"Thanks," the accused told the judge when the case concluded.
The topic of wearing masks during the COVID-19 crisis has been controversial. The latest message is that, to limit the spread of the virus, we should all wear masks if we are likely to be indoors within 1 - 2 metres of other people for any prolonged length of time.

And we should do this not to protect ourselves directly, but to stop us from infecting others if we are carrying the virus. This is especially important if we happen to be asymptomatic carriers i.e. if we don't realise that we have been infected with the virus and that we may be inadvertently transmitting it to those around us.

The use of masks should reduce the overall spread of the virus through our society, and hence, if we wear a mask, we will protect ourselves in a roundabout, "big picture", way.

In some countries (like Spain) it is now compulsory to wear masks in public, and in some walks of life (e.g. for air travel and even for all public transport) it's also likely to become compulsory. So for more and more people, it's becoming normal to wear a reusable mask, which may be washed/boiled every night.

The best type of mask has a three-layer fabric construction, with a pocket to insert a filter (such as coffee-filter paper, or even just kitchen roll). There are many variants on this, and perhaps the main thing is just to wear covering over your mouth and nose, rather than worrying too much about the precise type of covering.

In my own vet clinic, we've already been wearing masks for much of our day, and this has been a learning process. As vets, we are used to wearing masks during operations (to stop bacteria from our breath contaminating operation sites) but this is only for a short period: the longest operations only last a couple of hours.

When you wear a mask for your entire working day, it becomes much more of a restriction. It can be difficult to speak to people with ease, and if you exert yourself at all (e.g. lifting a big dog onto a consulting table), the mask can become uncomfortable, restricting the flow of breath in and out. It's often a relief to take a few moments off to remove the mask, and to be able to breathe normally for a short while.

Some veterinary organisations have used this common-place use of mask-wearing to make an interesting point: the situation we are experiencing should remind us of the permanent restriction of free-breathing that some breeds of dogs and cats suffer due to their flattened faces. The Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) recently issued a press release pointing out that extreme versions of so-called "brachycephalic breeds" (such as Bulldogs, Pugs, Persian cats, and others) are forced to suffer the same type of muffled breathing all the time, for every moment of their lives.

I have written about this before, and every time that I do it, I fear that I will be upsetting owners of these animals. Indeed, I have had people coming up to me, asking me why I dislike their pets so much. As I say in response, I do not dislike their pets at all: in fact, it's because I like them so much that I am campaigning about this. The point is that these animals have a particular physical appearance because humans choose this on their behalf. Humans breed dogs deliberately so that they are born this way. There is nothing accidental or natural about it. And while there are positive aspects to this (these breeds have an undeniably "cute" appearance), the negative aspect on the animals' welfare cannot be ignored.

As the veterinary organisations are pointing out, if you can imagine yourself having restricted breathing (as you experience when wearing a mask all day), you need to remember that flat-faced pets feel like this all the time. There is nothing pleasant about this, however adorable the animals may be.

The frustrating aspect of this situation is that it could be very easily solved. A generation of dogs zips by in a decade. If a decision was made that it was no longer acceptable to breed dogs that have difficulty breathing, it would be simple to end the suffering of thousands of animals by ensuring that they were all born with longer, wider airways.

Indeed, in the Netherlands, the government has made it illegal to breed dogs with ultra-short muzzles, effectively prohibiting the breeding of around twenty flat-faced breeds unless they comply with specific measurements and ratios of nose-length and skull-shape. The result of this policy will be that within a decade, all dogs bred in the Netherlands will be able to breathe normally, like humans who are not wearing face masks. This seems like such obvious common sense that it's hard to understand why other countries are not following suit.

After all, it's easy to do. So-called "out-crossing" is one answer: a longer-snouted breed is cross-bred with a flat-faced breed. The result is a dog that looks similar to the pure flat-faced breed, but they have a longer muzzle, with easier breathing. Examples of these dogs include "Jugs" (Jack Russell-Pug crosses), "Puggles" (Beagle-Pug crosses) and many more.

If you don't like the sensation of wearing a mask all day, please pause to reflect how it must feel to be a flat-faced dog, snuffling and snorting as you go about your daily life.
File Photo

Chandigarh: Arrangements are being made to take large number of migrants from the city to their homes by train. The people who are being sent by these trains to different districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar include the people of Bapudham Colony. By doing so, the Chandigarh administration is creating trouble for other states.

CoronavirusA large number of migrants from Bapudham Colony have been called for thermal screening at CCET in Sector-26. These people from Bapudham Colony have been sent from Chandigarh railway station in the evening in a special train to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Advertisement

At present Bapudham is one of the most hotspot centre for coronavirus in Chandigarh. In such a scenario, calling for the repatriation of these people from Bapudham Colony could be dangerous for other passengers travelling in the train as well.

The Chandigarh administration has so far sent migrants from Bapudham Colony to seven districts of Uttar Pradesh - Moradabad, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Lucknow, Jaunpur and Sultanpur.

Only thermal screening of people being sent from the city to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is being done. The same thing is happening with about 800 migrants being sent from Bapudham to Uttar Pradesh. These people are being provided train tickets only through thermal screening.

Advertisement

CoronavirusIn two days from Bapudham Colony, Chandigarh, about 1000 people have been sent by labour special train to seven cities in Uttar Pradesh. No one can enter or leave the containment zone. In such a scenario, the negligence of the UT administration could weigh heavily on Uttar Pradesh.

Early in the morning, the migrants gather at the CCET in Sector-26 after which they were screened and later they were dropped off at the railway station in buses.

According to officials, no one is allowed outside the Bapudham containment zone. The people who are being sent in the train are also undergoing medical examination.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who is busy fighting coronavirus, is now also battling a fresh round of revolt by his MLAs.

About 20 MLAs, mostly from North Karnataka, are once again gunning for the chief ministers head, this time over former minister Umesh Katti.

Katti, a powerful Lingayat leader from Belgaum district, raised the banner of revolt by hosting 20 like-minded MLAs at a dinner party on Thursday night.

Though none of them are talking about it officially, it is an open secret that all are miffed with the CM for various reasons.

According to insiders, they want Yediyurappa to change his style of functioning and make Katti, an eight-time MLA, a cabinet minister. They also want his brother Ramesh Katti to be sent to the Rajya Sabha as a member apart from seeking a greater say in the affairs of the government.

Alarmed by the sudden development, Yediyurappa has summoned Katti for a meeting seeking an explanation.

Another senior Lingayat MLA and former Union minister, BR Patil Yatnal, is also facing the ire of the chief minister for working against the government.

City police were seen outside Patil's flat at the Legislators Home next to Vidhana Soudha, the assembly building in Bengaluru.

While the Yediyurappa camp is downplaying the latest revolt by describing it as mere posturing and claiming that the government is absolutely safe, opposition Congress and JDS are closely watching the developments.
The Maharashtra government, as on Friday, has managed to send back nearly 11.5 lakh stranded migrant workers to their home states, mostly onboard around 800 Shramik Special trains that started operating on May 1, a senior IPS officer from the state police told HT. The officer added that not only a very small number of migrants are now left to be sent back, but also many of the remaining migrants are now cancelling their return trip after receiving assurance of regular food and work from employers.

The police said that most of the stranded migrants who had registered to return home by Shramik special trains from Maharashtra have been dispatched except those from West Bengal since trains to the state were suspended due to the state governments preoccupancy with the destruction caused by super cyclone Amphan. Police said they, too, would be sent back soon.

Registration of new applicants for Shramik special trains has dropped drastically and hardly any migrants are now registering. We have observed that even those migrants who had registered for Shramik special trains are now backing off and opting to stay back in the city as their employers have assured them regular work and supply of food. As a result of this, many Shramik special trains had to be cancelled. On Thursday 11 trains were supposed to start from Mumbai, but as migrants backed off, only 3 trains operated, said a senior police officer.

Amitabh Gupta, principal secretary (special) and head of the three member committee formed to oversee the stranded migrants issue in Maharashtra confirmed the development, The Mantralay staff--over 1,400 state government employees-- who were given the task to assist police force in the registration process for the migrants, have been asked to return to their office after May 31 as very few stranded migrants are left in the city.

Lakhs of migrants faced tough times in the state after a nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24.

For Coronavirus Live Updates

After the announcement of Shramik Special trains, the procedure for registering migrants by Mumbai Police started on May 2. Busses were also used to send migrants home. The first bus with migrants left on May 4 for Rajasthan from Mumbai.

Desparate to go back home, many migrants started gathering in areas outside railway stations. And as a result, the city witnessed chaotic situations outside Bandra and Kandivali railway stations and also in Dharavi in the last two weeks. Thousands of migrants along with their families had to spend nights outside the stations after trains were cancelled without prior intimation.

Nearly 20 stranded migrants died in various accidents in the state during the ongoing lockdown. This includes 16 deaths in Aurangabad when a goods train ran over migrants sleeping on railway tracks during the night. A 58-year-old woman from Vasai also died while waiting for her token pass for the Shramik Special train to Uttar Pradeshs Jaunpur.

The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19

Film actor Sonu Sood, too, has helped several migrants reach home by arranging transport for them.

Lakhs of poor migrants left for their states on their own. While some hired private vehicles many chose to walk.

No senior police official from Mumbai Police, state intelligence department and law and order department of the state police could provide information on the number of migrants/labourers who had left the state on their own without any government assistance. Senior IPS officers said they did not maintain such data.
T he last time Tom Roberts, 26, met his friends before lockdown, he read them a new screenplay hed written. Its the story of a spoken- word poet who becomes a sensation, laughs the film producer, better known by his stage name Probably Tomfoolery, from his bedroom in south-west London. The world has since shown me that its got a bit of a sense of humour.

If youve been on WhatsApp in the last month youll recognise Roberts by now as the angel-faced poet whose short fictional film about the pandemic you were forwarded by your aunt and you tearfully sent to everyone you know.

If you havent been a recipient yet, youll find it on Robertss Instagram @probablytomfoolery: an optimistic rhyme that sees a father read his son a bedtime story looking back on the Covid-19 pandemic as the moment the world changed its selfish ways.

We now call it the Great Realisation, and yes, since there have been many, smiles a candlelit Roberts, who plays the father. But thats the story of how it started, and why hindsights 2020. The four-minute clip, released at the end of April, has amassed more than 260,000 likes on Instagram and has been viewed more than 60 million times across social media by people from Zimbabwe to New Zealand, where Roberts was born. Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Aniston are among those to have praised the poem, while Jake Gyllenhaal has asked if he could turn it into a childrens book. Its really, really humbling, Roberts told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield when he appeared on This Morning via Zoom last month.

Today, Roberts is equally bashful, insisting its the message behind his poem, not his own talents, that attracted all the attention. I feel like its an idea that people were looking for, he says. His inspiration? A feeling that this virus was affecting a lot of people mentally and that was being overlooked slightly. Weve had Matt Hancock standing up explaining what the scientific community is doing to work towards a cure, yet I felt there was a neglect of giving people hope for the future. That was my aim, to bring a hopeful message amidst a time that was lacking in hopefulness.

His 24-line poem was simple  proof that sometimes the point is more important than the complexity of the delivery  but the meaning struck a chord with people worldwide. His father, an epidemiologist, put it best over dinner the previous week: Ideas have exactly the same set-up as viruses. They have a level of infectiousness.

For now, hes not stopping. On the day we speak, Roberts is juggling the filming of his follow-up poem A Tale of Two Mindsets, about optimism versus pessimism, with home-schooling his younger brother and sister Cai and Sora. They played his children in the film. If you thought they were lying there sweetly and peacefully just out of shot, think again, laughs Roberts.

Toms exclusive poem for the Standard: The poet says Be Hopeful The poet says be hopeful

But the governments not clear

The poet says be hopeful

But the TVs full of fear The poet says be hopeful

But how on earth can we be

The poet says be hopeful

But were low on PPE. The poet says be hopeful

But my business is going under

The poet says be hopeful

But cant the poet hear the thunder. The poet says be hopeful

But Im stuck inside my flat

The poet says be hopeful

But Im sick of virtual chat. The poet says be hopeful

But I fear were in a rut

The poet says be hopeful

But still the schools are shut. The poet says be hopeful

But we cannot tell whats true

The poet says be hopeful

But we dont know what to do. The poet says be hopeful

Despite the abundance of despair

The poet says be hopeful

Because without hope, what is there? The poet says be hopeful

But not naive or passive

The poet says be hopeful

Because our potential could be massive. The poet says be hopeful

And not to let the fear deter

The poet says be hopeful

And one day, well be glad we were.

So what next? Tonight, Roberts joins the likes of Dua Lipa and Jason Derulo for OHM Lives global 24-hour fundraiser (hes challenging followers to submit short poems ahead of the event), and hes working on further pandemic-themed poetry. An exclusive poem for Evening Standard readers can be read above. Hes encouraging readers to record themselves reciting it, to become part of a compilation video (you can submit your recording at submit.probablytomfoolery.com).

Roberts still intends to film his screenplay, Blaggers. He insists he had no notion that he was writing the lead part for himself and still wants it to remain fictional, but admits that the way he envisaged it could be a little different now. He adds: The last few weeks have certainly given me more insight.

To be part of Robertss exclusive Evening Standard video, submit a recording of yourself reading The Poet Says Be Hopeful at submit.probablytomfoolery.com.
Mitron app, which has been attempting to tap into both the vocal for local and the anti-TikTok narratives, appears to have not been made by an IIT student, after all. News18 has learnt that the Mitron apps entire source code, including its full set of features and the user interface, was bought from Pakistani software developer company, Qboxus. According to Irfan Sheikh, founder and chief executive of Qboxus, his company sold the source code of their app to Mitrons promoter for $34 (~Rs 2,600).

Speaking to News18, Sheikh said, We expect our customers to use our code and build something on their own. But Mitrons developer has taken our exact product, changed the logo and uploaded it on their store.

However, Sheikh affirms that the problem is not this. There is no problem with what the developer has done. He paid for the script and used it, which is okay. But, the problem is with people referring to it as an Indian-made app, which is not true especially because they have not made any changes.

Sheikh further confirmed that the app was sold by his company to Mitron for $34 on CodeCanyon, which is about Rs 2,600. When asked about the data hosting process, Sheikh said that while Qboxus does offer the option to host user data on their server, Mitron did not opt for that, and has instead chosen to host their user data on their own server. However, there has been no clarity on Mitrons treatment of user data so far.

In an email response to News18s queries, ShopKiller e-Commerce, which is the promoter behind the Mitron app, said, We want to work in stealth mode, and didn't want people to know us by our name. I found (the article) a little disappointing. I would have liked you to appreciate the fact that we are working hard on the app, and the reason for developing the app was just to give a Make In India alternative to people.

While the Make in India narrative may work for many, particularly with prime minister Narendra Modis aatmanirbhar and vocal for local push, it is important to hold checks and balances in place before promoting such apps. ShopKiller, the pseudonym hiding the promoters of the app, failed to provide an adequate response regarding Mitrons privacy policy, or any info regarding the scarcity of details about the app.

It is important to note that purchasing an apps source code and using it with a different name is not illegal or unprecedented. Qboxus has in the past built multiple apps that work as clones of other popular apps. Some of its offerings include Hashgram (based on Instagram), Foodies Single Restaurant (akin to Zomato) and TicTic (replicated from TikTok). Of the lot, it is the latter that happens to be one of their most popular listings on the Google Play Store, with over 5,000 downloads and 50-odd reviews with a rating of 3.3.

Alongside offering these apps as direct downloads, Qboxus also offers the source codes of their apps for purchase by other interested parties. Some apps apart from Mitron, which were based on Qboxus TicTic, and hence offer a very similar interface as Mitron, include Follow (released in September 2019), KidsTok (released in December 2019) and HotToks (released in December 2019). As a result, there is no ground for Mitron and its team, which still wants to work in stealth mode, to claim that its app is a built in India alternative to TikTok that has been developed by them from scratch. In fact, the team has not even put the effort of changing the interface one bit, which makes for clearly fraudulent practice.

Given the present situation of apps without adequate security protocol on Google Play, it remains to be seen if Google penalises the Mitron app for operating without any privacy policy, no clarity on what it does with user data, and simply hopping on to the Make in India bandwagon by purchasing the source code of a TikTok clone.
A male passenger, who arrived at Kolkatas Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport on the first flight from Delhi on Thursday, was detected with high fever, airport officials said.

He was handed over to the state health department authorities, who took him to the nearest quarantine centre at Rajarhat, the officials said.

Domestic flight operations to and from the NSCBI and Bagdogra airports resumed on Thursday since the nationwide lockdown restrictions were imposed on March 25 to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

Though the domestic flight services across the country resumed on May 25, the air services to Kolkata and Bagdogra got delayed by a few days, as the region was devastated by the destruction caused by super cyclone Amphan last week.

At the NSCBI airport in Kolkata, 11 flights arrived with 1,745 passengers and another 11 departed, carrying 1,214 passengers.

The first flight from Kolkata left for Guhawati at 6.05am with 40 passengers. While another 122 passengers arrived from New Delhi on Thursday morning, the sources said.

Welcome Back, Passengers! #KolkataAirport saw the arrival of 122 passengers from @DelhiAirport after two long months and 40 passengers departed to #Guwahati. Proper checks were followed, and regular sanitisation was carried out in the terminal which was abuzz with passengers, the NSCBI airport authorities tweeted.

An official at the airport said a contact-less procedure with least possible surface touch was provided to passengers from the time of entering the terminal building till boarding their flight, as per the guidelines.

At the Bagdogra airport, six flights - four from Delhi and one each from Chennai and Bengaluru -- arrived on Thursday. Out of the six flights, one returned to Guwahati and the rest five left for their originating destinations.

Raju Bista, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) member of Lok Sabha from the Darjeeling constituency, was among the first passengers to arrive in Bagdogra on Thursday.

Ill remain under home quarantine for seven days each in Siliguri and Darjeeling, respectively, Bista told media persons at the airport.

Kalimpong falls under Bistas constituency from where the first Covid-19 positive case was reported in March. The patient, a middle-aged woman, who had arrived in Bagdogra from Chennai was the first Covid-19 victim in the region, as she died at the Siliguri-based North Bengal Medical College & Hospital (NBMCH) on March 30.

Bagdogra airport also falls under the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, from where two Covid-19 related deaths have been reported to date.

My flight had over 80% occupancy. However, no water and snacks were served on the flight as per the governments norms, said a passenger, who arrived in Bagdogra from Delhi on Thursday.

Darjeeling district magistrate (DM) S Ponnambalam said that standard operating procedures (SOPs) are duly followed. Were monitoring the health condition of all the passengers whore arriving. The symptomatic passengers will be taken to a nearby hospital for a health check-up, the DM said. However, not a single passenger, who arrived in Bagdogra on Thursday, was found to be symptomatic, airport authorities said.

P Subramani, director, Bagdogra airport, said, An AirAsia flight was the first one to arrive from Delhi since the resumption of the domestic air services, but was delayed by a couple of hours.

(With inputs from Kolkata)

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Days after 76 illegal immigrants from the state were deported from the United States, the Haryana police on Friday cracked the whip on illegal travel agents in several districts.

As many as 25 FIRs were registered in Karnal, 16 in Kurukshetra, 15 in Kaithal, 11 in Ambala, four in Jind and one each in Panipat and Yamunanagar districts.

Karnal Range Inspector-general of police Bharti Arora said that the FIRs were registered on the complaints of the deported persons. She said that an investigation has been initiated against these travel agents and action will be taken as per the law.

The police said that these FIRs were registered under Section 24 of the Immigration Act and Sections 420, 406 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code. However, they said that many agents were already booked for illegally sending people abroad.

An illegal immigrant Pushpendra Singh from Ambala district said, I paid 14 lakh to a travel agent to send me to the US in April last year. I along with 18 other Indians, walked for nearly five days in the Panama Forests and spent a month there. On reaching Mexico, we received a country-out pass and later travelled to Tijuana that is near to the American border. Then, I was caught by the American Border Patrol. I had to spend seven days at a police station in California and I was transferred twice to camps where I spent nearly nine months and I was finally transferred to Texas. On May 18, we were deported back to India from Texas.

Kurukshetra superintendent of police Astha Modi said, We have registered 16 FIRs against different travel agents on the complaints of the illegal immigrants.

According to health minister Anil Vij, of the 76 illegal immigrants, 22 were tested positive for coronavirus and they were admitted at a hospital in Panchkula and 52 have been sent to their native districts where they will be quarantined in government facilities for a period of 14 days.
Shelley Davies waits for her delivery at Plants and Friends./Douglas Zimmerman/SFGate

LATEST May 29, 4:30 p.m. Here's a look at new cases reported in Bay Area counties. This list will be updated as more counties release case reports on Friday.

Napa County reported no new cases Friday, keeping the county total at 111. The death toll remains three.

Marin County announced 14 new cases for a total of 450. The death toll remains 14.

Santa Clara County reported new cases Friday for a total of 2,707.The death toll remains 140.

Solano County announced eight new cases, bringing the county total to 517. The death toll remains 22.

Alameda County reported many new cases to increase its total to 3,195. The death toll also rose by one, to 95.

Contra Costa County announced 20 new cases for a total of 1,404. The death toll remains 37.

San Francisco reported 36 new cases to increase its total to 2,473. The death toll rose by one, to 41.

San Mateo County announced 39 new cases, bringing its total to 2,061. The death toll rose by two, to 84.

Sonoma County announced one new case for a total of 531. The death toll remains four.

May 29, 3:20 p.m. San Mateo County was the first Bay Area county to branch off of the original six-county consortium and announce a move into early Stage 2 of the state's reopening plan, and is now the first to reopen in-store retail and religious services.

Under a new order written by county health officer Dr. Scott Morrow, the county will now allow in-store retail and religious services to resume beginning Monday, June 1. The order also removes previous restrictions on access to the county's beaches and mandates that every business implement physical distancing measures to ensure safe reopening.

Read more from SFGATE Reporter Eric Ting.

May 29, 3:15 p.m. After it was reported Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick changed his stance and will continue to enforce the county's stay-at-home order, the sheriff's office posted the following message to Facebook: "Contrary to other reports the Sheriff is not reversing his position."

No additional comment was provided.

May 29, 3:00 p.m. Marin County will take several major steps towards reopening Monday, June 1. The county will reopen parks and beaches in the area previously temporarily closed, and allowing for vehicle access to some. More popular parks which may draw crowds, such as Muir Woods, will still be closed to motorists. (See the a more comprehensive list of parks here.)

Furthermore, the county is also set to allow outdoor dining, offices, curbside library pick-up and outdoor retail operations to resume June 1 as well, "if guidelines from Marin County Public Health are followed."

Each business preparing to open must complete a Site-Specific Protection Plan "to define how a business will reopen in a safe and clean manner for patrons and employees."

May 29, 1:45 p.m. California Gov. Gavin Newsom took a more combative tone during a Friday press conference in which he responded to criticism that the state is reopening too quickly.

The governor has taken fire from newspaper editorial boards, local health officials and state lawmakers in recent days over the release of several new guidelines pertaining to reopening of churches, hair salons and barbershops. Newsom stated Friday that even though the state is releasing guidelines, counties do not have to reopen those businesses until they feel comfortable doing so.

"Localism is determinative," Newsom said. "We put out the how, counties decide the when."

Read more from SFGATE reporter Eric Ting.

May 29, 1:10 p.m. This week SFGATE spoke with Dr. Susan Philip, San Francisco's Director of the Disease Prevention and Control Branch, to answer some of the most pressing questions about COVID-19 and antibody testing.

Read her answers to all of your most urgent inquiries about local testing here, from SFGATE Digital Editor Alyssa Pereira.

May 29, 1:05 p.m. Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick will continue to enforce the county's stay-at-home order, a reversal from a statement he made Thursday saying he "can no longer in good conscience continue to enforce Sonoma County Public Health Orders."

Read more from SFGATE reporters.

May 29,12:40 p.m. Here's a look at new cases reported in Bay Area counties. This list will be updated as more counties release case reports on Friday.

Alameda County reported many new cases to increase its total to 3,195. The death toll also rose by one, to 95.

Contra Costa County announced 20 new cases for a total of 1,404. The death toll remains 37.

San Francisco reported 36 new cases to increase its total to 2,473. The death toll rose by one, to 41.

San Mateo County announced 39 new cases, bringing its total to 2,061. The death toll rose by two, to 84.

Sonoma County announced one new case for a total of 531. The death toll remains four.

May 29, 12:30 p.m. President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. will be terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization, saying it had failed to adequately respond to the coronavirus because China has total control over the global organization.

He said Chinese officials ignored their reporting obligations to the WHO and pressured the WHO to mislead the world when the virus was first discovered.

He noted that the U.S. contributes about $450 million to the world body while China provides about $40 million. The U.S. is the largest source of financial support to the WHO and its exit is expected to significantly weaken the organization.

Read more from the Associated Press.

May 29, 12:05 p.m. Los Angeles County  the site of over half of the state's COVID-19 deaths  has received state clearance to move deeper into Stage 2 of Gov. Gavin Newsom's reopening plan and can reopen restaurants and hair salons as soon as today.

The county formally applied for a regional variance earlier in the week, and members of the county board of supervisors announced Friday the state has granted L.A. County permission to move into late Stage 2. Hair salons and barbershops were originally classified as "high-risk" Stage 3 businesses, but Newsom announced Tuesday that counties that go through the regional variance attestation process can reopen hair salons and barbershops with other late Stage 2 businesses.

Read more from SFGATE reporter Eric Ting.

May 29, 8:45 a.m. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf shared with KCBS Radio Friday morning that she was tested for COVID-19 on Saturday due to a mild sore throat.

The mayor's test came back negative.

"Its a little awkward but it doesnt hurt," Schaaf said. "They do stick a Q-tip up your nose and you will learn how deep your sinuses go. It really doesn't hurt."

Schaaf encouraged the public to get tested often and said tests are available for free without insurance.

Find a list of free testing sites in Oakland at OaklandCA.gov.

May 29, 8:35 a.m. The Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival that occurs annually in October has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This is absolutely heartbreaking, far beyond words, for our festival committee," Cameron Palmer, chairman of the Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee, wrote in a statement on Facebook. "We know fully well the Pumpkin Festivals critical importance as a fund-raiser for more than 30 participating non-profit groups from the community  that is the essence of the festival. The festival is also a premier showcase event for independent artists, musicians and corporate partners and a major economic boost for the entire coastside so its a big blow to those fronts as well.

Find the full statement from the organizers of the Pumpkin Festival here.

May 29, 8 a.m. CVS Pharmacy announced Friday morning nine new drive-thru testing sites in the Bay Area:

--Antioch, 4028 Lone Tree Way

--Fremont, 2000 Driscoll Rd.

--Hayward, 26059 Mission Blvd.

--Napa, 291 South Coombs St.

--Oakland, 7200 Bancroft Ave.

--Pinole, 1617 Canyon Dr.

--San Francisco, 377 32nd Ave.

--San Leandro, 1550 E. 14th St.

--Vallejo, 1193 Admiral Callaghan Ln.

The locations offer self-swab tests and are available by appointment by registering with CVS.com to individuals meeting CDC and state criteria.

CVS first started opening testing sites in March and is now on track to operate 1,000 locations across the country with a goal of administering 1.5 million tests a month.

You can also find testing sites near you on the State of California's COVID19.ca.gov website.

May 29, 7:30 a.m. Sonoma County deputies will stop enforcing the more restrictive local stay-at-home order beginning Monday and instead focus on the rules and requirements of the statewide order.

Sonroma County Sheriff Mark Essick released a lengthy statement Thursday explaining his position.

"As your elected Sheriff, I can no longer in good conscience continue to enforce Sonoma County Public Health Orders, without explanation, that criminalize otherwise lawful business and personal behavior," Essick wrote. "Effective June 1, 2020 I am directing all Sheriffs Office staff to discontinue the enforcement of the Sonoma County Public Health Orders issued by the Sonoma County Public Health Department and the Public Health Officer. Reports of violations, when brought to our attention, will be evaluated against the California State guidelines on a case-by-case basis."

Read the full story on SFGATE.

Coronavirus in the greater Bay Area: A county-by-county snapshot

ALAMEDA COUNTY: 3,195 confirmed cases, 95 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing

For more information on Alameda County, visit the public health department website.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: 1,404 confirmed cases, 37 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing

For more information on Contra Costa County, visit the public health department website.

LAKE COUNTY: 23 confirmed cases

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, offices where telework is not possible, received state approval to open dine-in restaurants, shopping malls and schools

For information on Lake County, visit the public health department website.

MARIN COUNTY: 436 confirmed cases, 14 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing

Fore more information on Marin County, visit the public health department website.

MONTEREY COUNTY: 469 confirmed cases, 8 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing

For more information on Monterey County, visit the public health department website.

NAPA COUNTY: 111 cases, 3 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, offices where telework is not possible, received state approval to open dine-in restaurants, shopping malls, schools and hair salons

For more information on Napa County, visit the public health department website.

SAN BENITO COUNTY: 85 confirmed cases, 2 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing, restaurants, shopping malls

For more information on San Benito County, visit the public health department website.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY: 2,473 confirmed cases, 41 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing

For more information on San Francisco County, visit the public health department website.

SAN MATEO COUNTY: 2,061 confirmed cases, 84 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing

For more information on San Mateo County, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY: 2,701 confirmed cases, 140 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities; retail and manufacturing

Fore more information on Santa Clara County, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY: 205 confirmed cases, 2 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing

For more information on Santa Cruz County, visit the public health department website.

SOLANO COUNTY: 509 confirmed cases, 22 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: All "low-risk" businesses that can comply with physical distancing guidelines; received state approval to open dine-in restaurants, shopping malls and schools

For more information on Solano County, visit the public health department website.

SONOMA COUNTY: 531 confirmed cases, 4 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing, car washes, pet groomers, outdoor museums, offices where telework is not possible, received state approval to open dine-in restaurants, shopping malls and schools

For more information on Sonoma County, visit the public health department website.



CORONAVIRUS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Here are answers to your most frequently asked questions about coronavirus

Stage 3 may come soon: What that means for summer travel

Sweden's 'herd immunity' experiment backfires

With more research on kids and coronavirus, a UCSF doctor shares what parents need to know

WHEN WILL THE BAY AREA REOPEN?

What's open and closed in California?

In-store retail can reopen across California, pending county approval

Newsom details 4 stages to reopen California businesses
A popular ad campaign from the 1980s is being revived to encourage Australians to buy local during the COVID-19 crises.

The television ad from 1986 featured the Australian Made trademark of a green triangle and yellow kangaroo, launched that same year, to the tune of 'Hey True Blue' by John Williamson.

The campaign became iconic and is now being rebooted in an effort to boost the Australian economy after the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

A popular ad campaign from the 1980s is being revived to encourage Australians to buy local during the COVID-19 crises

The Australian Made logo is important said the organisation's CEO with businesses known for being Australian having been bought by overseas companies, such as Bonds and Arnotts

The new multimedia ad campaign launches on Monday with the tagline: 'It has never been more important to buy Australian than right now.'

Australian Made CEO Ben Lazzaro said the new ads were important for the country's economic recovery.

He also noted that applications by businesses to use the kangaroo logo have surged by 400 per cent since the coronavirus pandemic began.

'By calling on Australians to buy Australian right now, not only will we get products made to some of the highest quality and safety standards in the world, we can create local jobs and economic activity,' Mr Lazzaro told News Corp.

Further highlighting the importance of supporting Australian companies is the fact some of the brands featured in the 1986 television ad have been bought by overseas companies or have gone out of business.

Ampol was bought by American company Chevron, Ford has moved Australian production overseas, Meadow Lea was bought by Hong Kong and Singapore based Goodman Fielder, and both Ansett and FAI Insurance have gone out of business.

Australian airline Ansett, featured in the iconic TV campaign, went out of business in 2001

Some of the companies are still going strong, however, with Weet-Bix owner Sanitarium, Boral, and Cyclone Tools remaining Australian owned and operated.

Looking for the Australian Made logo is important said Mr Lazzaro with some companies known for being Australian, such as Bonds and Arnotts, having recently been bought by overseas conglomerates.

Meanwhile, research has shown that using Australian made products for government construction projects would create 53,000 new jobs and boost the economy by $3.5 billion.

The research, done by economists from the Australian Workers Union, said the figures could be achieved by using Australian materials such as steel, glass, cement, and aluminium on 90 per cent of government construction rather than imports.

The study also found using Australian mined and manufactured steel in just eight major projects would create 3,000 jobs and keep $200 million circulating locally.

'Government has no excuse for not backing Australian building products on major infrastructure projects,' Australian Workers Union national secretary Daniel Walton said.

Boral and Cyclone Tools featured in the TV ad and are still Australian owned and operated

'We keep getting the situation where some anonymous number cruncher in the public service identifies a $1 saving from buying Chinese steel and, as a result, Australians miss out on hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars,' Mr Walton said.

The West Gate Tunnel in Victoria and the Sydney Convention Centre were built using Chinese steel.

The Sydney Metro Northwest, which cost a massive $8.3 billion, used steel from Spain.

Mr Walton said the government is now set to stimulate the economy by spending on infrastructure and we should make sure we are supporting local companies as much as possible.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-28 23:25:20|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Turkish Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoglu gets on a train and talks to passengers in Ankara Train Station, Turkey on May 28, 2020. Turkey on Thursday resumed intercity train service on a limited basis as an important step towards its normalization amid COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

ANKARA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Turkish government on Thursday resumed high-speed train services between four provinces as part of its normalization plan after the novel coronavirus outbreak.

"We are taking another important step in the normalization process. The high-speed train will run 16 times a day, between Ankara and Istanbul, Ankara and Eskisehir, Ankara and Konya, and Konya and Istanbul," Turkey's Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu told reporters at a ceremony for the resumption of the service.

Although the trains will run at 50-percent capacity with a sparse seating arrangement, social distancing rules and isolation, ticket prices will remain the same, he said noting that wearing a mask at all stations and trains will be mandatory.

According to the normalization plan, citizens need to provide a special code to be obtained on an application developed by the Turkish health ministry, and permits for inter-city travels and train tickets are subject to the same practice.

Train services in Turkey were halted two months ago as part of precautions to stop the COVID-19 pandemic spread.

Turkey and China have supported each other in the fight against COVID-19. The leaders of the two countries held a phone conversation on April 8, pledging to cooperate on combating the pandemic and deepen the bilateral ties.

China has facilitated the procurement of medical supplies by Turkey. On April 10, Chinese doctors and medical experts held a video conference with Turkish counterparts to share China's experiences in treating coronavirus patients, protecting medical workers, and controlling the spread of the virus.
Indore, May 29 : Indore in Madhya Pradesh remains one of the most coronavirus-infected cities in the country, with 1,545 active cases and 21 containment zones, health authorities said.

City Municipal Commissioner Aakash Tripathi however said the recovery process was "encouraging" as 1,673 patients were cured, including 100 persons discharged on Thursday. A woman and her one-year-old child were among those discharged after treatment.

On Thursday, 84 new positive cases were reported by 4 pm, taking the total so far to 3,344. The city has witnessed 126 deaths since March 5.

According to district Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Praveen Jadia, samples of 33,477 patients have been examined so far.

Incident monitors have been appointed to keep watch on individual cases in containment areas.

Meanwhile, a study conducted by Devi Ahilya University in Indore suggests that both Indore and Bhopal, the second most affected city in the state, have seen corona peak and by July 7 the two cities would have taken care of 99 per cent of their cases.

The study conducted by Rakesh Vishvakarma of School of Data Science and Forecasting says the coronavirus infection curve will start flattening soon in the two cities.

"Indore will have reported 97 per cent of its total estimated coronavirus cases by June 24 while Bhopal will report 97 per cent of cases by June 25. In both cities 99 per cent of the cases will be reported by July 7. Remaining one per cent of the cases will be reported later," says the study based on the SIR (Susceptible, Infectious and Recovered) model.

Meanwhile, a controversy erupted over a farewell programme organised by police on Thursday for Rajpur police station incharge Anil Bamaniya who was transferred to Indore.

In a video clip that went viral, his colleagues carried him on their shoulders and took him to the police jeep. Among those present were Rajpur police station acting incharge Sub-Inspector Ajmer Singh Alawa.

Barwani Superintendent of Police Daluram Teniwar suspended Alawa with immediate effect and attached him to the Police Lines. Teniwar admitted to serious violation of social distancing norms.
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / Compare-autoinsurance.org (https://compare-autoinsurance.org/) is a top auto insurance brokerage website, providing car insurance quotes online from trustworthy agencies all over the United States. This website explains why drivers should use online car insurance quotes to find better and more affordable coverage.

With millions of U.S. citizens left unemployed, now it is more important than ever to find affordable, but high-quality coverage. Looking online for coverage and comparing multiple car insurance quotes is the smart thing to do. For more info and free car insurance quotes, visit http://compare-autoinsurance.org/how-useful-are-auto-insurance-broker-websites/

The main reasons for using a brokerage website:

Multiple possibilities . Unlike official websites of insurance companies, brokerage websites can provide multiple results on the same search page. Some websites ask the ZIP code, then show all available companies in the areas. Other websites ask for the ZIP code, then other preliminary questions. After the questionnaire is completed, they will also show insurance companies that match. These are the 2 ways in which a brokerage website can redirect a user to an insurer.

Get in touch with numerous insurance companies . A person who's not working in the insurance industry is not typically aware of the numerous providers selling coverage in the area. The typical driver is aware of 6-7 big names and 1-2 smaller companies. Keep in mind that not all the big names may be present in and area, this drastically limiting a client's options. With brokerage websites, a person will investigate how many companies can sell to his/her location and will be given hyperlinks to follow.

Free estimates . Every insurance company offers free quotes. This is also true to brokerage websites. Furthermore, this increases the chances of saving more money. Some companies offer discounts for getting online quotes before buying or discounts for purchasing coverage online. Either way, brokerage websites can help drivers have a swift and pleasant underwriting process.

Story continues

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.

For more information, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org

"Brokerage websites can help you find the best car insurance deals in your area. Visit our website for free online car insurance quotes", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

CONTACT:

Company Name: Internet Marketing Company

Person for contact: Gurgu C

Phone Number: (818) 359-3898

Email: cgurgu@internetmarketingcompany.biz

Website: https://compare-autoinsurance.org

SOURCE: Internet Marketing Company





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/591960/How-To-Save-Car-Insurance-Money-With-The-Help-Of-Brokerage-Websites




OFX Daily Market News





Posted by OFX



AUD  Australian Dollar

The Australian dollar crept higher through trade on Thursday, buoyed by a sustained risk-on backdrop and broad US dollar weakness. The rally across equity markets continued as the global economy continues to respond positively to increased activity and mobility as lockdown measures ease. The AUD found further support after the Peoples Bank of China arrested the Yuans collapse, fixing the currency near record lows. Increased trade tensions have forced investors to dump the offshore CNY on speculation Beijing would let the currency weaken in a bid to sure up exports amid mounting tariffs. With Chinese state-run banks selling USD through the later half of the Australasian session the Yuan stabilised helping cap AUD downside in the short-term. Having touched intraday day lows at 0.6587 the AUD pushed through resistance at 0.6630 to touch 0.6667, before edging lower into this mornings open.

The Australian dollar remains vulnerable to the ongoing uncertainties surrounding trade and the global economic recovery with topside gains increasingly hard won. However, having broken resistance at 0.66 and 0.6630 there is scope for further short-term upside. If optimism continues to foster sustained demand for equities, the AUDs close correlation with equity markets could prompt a run through 0.67.

Key Movers

Safe havens were again the days big losers as the risk-on backdrop prompted investors to chase higher yields. The USD index fell half a percent, slipping below its 100-day moving average and marking a new two month low. Having broken key supports this week, sustained optimism could add further downward pressure as focus begins to shift to underlying macroeconomic performance and monetary policy.

The euro consolidated its break above 1.10, touching two-month highs as investors confidence that EU leaders will introduce extensive fiscal support in the coming months improved. This weeks 750billion euro proposal has helped narrow bond yield spreads for Italian and Spanish bonds as markets prepare for extensive stimulus programs through H2. While the current proposal is yet to be approved by all 27 EU countries, the current plan at least offers a starting point for joint debt negotiations.

Story continues

Expected Ranges

AUD/USD: 0.6480  0.6680 

AUD/EUR: 0.5930  0.6050 

GBP/AUD: 1.8450  1.8930 

AUD/NZD: 1.0620  1.0750 

AUD/CAD: 0.9050  0.9180 





Posted by OFX

The post Risk-on backdrop continues to drive broader AUD upturn appeared first on .
Hoegh LNG Partners LP (NYSE:HMLP)

Q1 2020 Earnings Call

, 8:30 a.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:

Operator

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Hoegh LNG Partners Q1 2020 Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] After today's presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. [Operator Instructions]

At this time, I would like to turn the conference call over to Steffen Foreid, CEO and CFO. Sir, please go ahead.

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Thank you, Jamie. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Hoegh LNG Partners earnings call for the first quarter 2020. For your convenience, this webcast and presentation are available on our website. Before we start, please take a note of the forward-looking statements on Page 2 and a glossary on Page 3.

Turning to Page 4 and the highlights. I would like to start with some comments relating to the COVID-19 situation. As of today, the Partnership and the Hoegh LNG Group are experiencing limiting impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Group has taken steps to mitigate risks from the pandemic to ensure the health and safety of our crews and staff, which is our highest priority. We are continuously monitoring the situation, and are as prepared as possible to address any changes to the situation that might impact us.

As of today, the Group has experienced no known cases of COVID-19 infection among any of our crews or staff. The only direct effect on its operation has been delays in crew changes, which had limited financial impact. However, this situation is improving, and the Group has been able to conduct crew changes on several of its vessels in recent weeks, including one of the vessels for the Partnership. Additional crew changes are being prepared for the week ahead.

The technical availability of the Group's fleet has not been affected by the current pandemic. All charter parties remain in full force and revenues are being collected, in accordance with the contractual term.

Now to go into the financial, and thanks to the hard work of our crew and staff, I'm happy to report that all units in the Partnership's fleet had 100% availability in the quarter. This resulted in total revenues of $36.7 million, segment EBITDA of $36.1 million, and a coverage ratio of 1.2 times in the quarter. The Partnership distributed $0.44 per common unit for the quarter. Furthermore, during the quarter, the Partnership exercised the option to charter Hoegh Gallant to Hoegh LNG. The subsequent charter has now been signed with its five-year term expiring on July 31st, 2025. The charter rate is 90% of the previous charter rate for the year.

Turning to Page 5. We have put in more numbers to the quarter, which shows the stable underlying operating performance compared to the same quarter last year. Excluding unrealized losses on derivative instruments and foreign exchange, segment EBITDA was $36.1 million for both the first quarter of 2020 and 2019. Limited partners' interest in adjusted net income was $13.6 million in the quarter, up slightly from the first quarter of 2019. The improvement is mainly due to one more calendar day in the quarter due to the leap year, lower operating expenses and lower taxes, partly offset by higher net financial expense.

I'm happy to report despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Partnership delivered strong operating performance and a strong distribution coverage from our long-term contracts in the quarter.

Turning to Page 6. We are showing the development of key measures over time. As you can see from these graphs, the consistency stands out underpinning the distribution made for the quarter. And with execution of the five-year option relating to Hoegh Gallant, we have further ensured the long-term stability of the Partnership's cash flow. And with approximately 9.2 years of average remaining duration of our contract portfolio, the Partnership is well positioned to continue providing predictable distribution.

Turning to Page 7, we are showing the income statement in more detail. Total revenues in the quarter is up from the same period last year, mainly due to the extra trading day in the quarter. Vessel operating expenses of $5.5 million in the quarter is down from the same period last year, mainly due to lower use of spare parts and external services in the quarter.

Equity in losses of joint ventures of $10 million in the quarter compares to equity in earning of $300,000 in the same quarter last year. Excluding unrealized losses on derivative instruments, the equity in earnings of joint ventures would have been $1.7 million in the quarter compared to $2.9 billion for the same quarter last year. The decrease primarily related to higher charter project costs in the quarter. The majority of which are expected to qualify for reimbursement from the charter in future period.

Total financial expense of $6.9 million in the quarter is up from the same quarter last year, mainly due to a gain on debt extinguishment in the first quarter last year. Interest expenses were down in the quarter compared to the same quarter last year. Taxes was $900,000 in the quarter, which is down from the same quarter last year, mainly due to a reduction of tax rate in Indonesia.

Turning to Page 8. The balance sheet has not changed much since year-end 2019. The total liabilities and equity standing at just below $1 billion at the end of the quarter. One thing worth mentioning is that in addition to the cash on the balance sheet, the Partnership had approximately $95 million in undrawn amounts under the two revolving credit facilities, taking total liquidity to approximately $123 million at the end of the quarter.

Turning to Page 9. We have shown the Partnership assets, all of which operated according to contract during the quarter as already mentioned. In regards to Hoegh Gallant, the subsequent charter is now enforced as mentioned, with the term running through July 31st, 2025. The charter rate is 90% of the previous charter rate, subject to certain adjustments for avoided or incremental costs.

As previously announced by Hoegh LNG, our parent has secured an interim contract for Hoegh Gallant in LNG Carrier mode for a period of around seven months from mid-2020. And in addition, the unit is considered for several of the potential long-term FSRU projects that Hoegh LNG is working on, which I will come back to later in the presentation.

In regards to Neptune and Cape Ann and the boil-off claim, the settlement agreement has now been signed and the first installment has been made with the remaining to be paid later this year. The indemnification payment from Hoegh LNG relating to the first settlement installment has further been settled.

Turning to Page 10. We are showing the overview of the business development activity at Hoegh LNG level. And I'm happy to report that this slide is becoming increasingly busy. During the quarter, Hoegh LNG was selected as the preferred bidder for two and shortlisted for one additional FSRU project. The box to the left shows the projects where Hoegh LNG has the preferred bidder status. We have previously announced the two projects in Australia, but now there are two additional projects on the list, both located in Latin America, with the schedule started in 2021 to 2023 time frame.

In terms of progress for the Australian project, AIE has now received approval for its application to modify existing development consent for Port Kembla terminal. And for AGL's project in Crib Point, the environmental permit process is ongoing and expected to be completed by the end of the year. The box in the middle is showing ongoing tenders, and for one of them, Hoegh LNG has been shortlisted during the quarter. Also, this is located in Latin America.

Finally, the bottom right is showing bilateral projects or projects that Hoegh LNG is developing itself. This includes a project on the European side of the Atlantic basin being developed by Hoegh LNG and one potential project in Cyprus. This development of the business development side shows that the activity in the FSRU market is high. And the way we see it, this is driven by the low price of LNG. This is triggering new LNG importers to move ahead with their plans to facilitate import of natural gas. And this high activity is ongoing, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Turning to Page 11, and the LNG market. In the first quarter of 2020, the LNG market grew by 13%. Europe continues to be the main driver of growth. However, demand from Asia also remained strong where India and South Korea were the main growth markets in the quarter. If you take India as an example, the import continues to increase, driven not only by the low price of LNG, but also by the country's need for a continued fuel switching to deal with the pollution. China was clearly [Phonetic] impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter. However, it is now showing signs of coming back and increasing its LNG import.

Turning to Page 12. We have a graph illustrating the expected development in the global LNG market. If you look at the graph to the left, this shows the forecasted LNG demand, both prior to and after the COVID-19 pandemic. And as you can see, demand growth is expected to continue despite the pandemic, but be less this year than estimated previously, before picking up again in 2021. After which, it is expected to be aligned with the prior quarter. Total demand is expected to be only marginally lower in the years ahead and reach approximately 430 million tonnes in 2024.

The graph to the right shows where the reduced demand growth is expected to result in reduced supply growth. And as you can see from this graph, U.S. export is expected to see most of it. And why is that? Well, simply because most U.S. export agreements are flexible, allowing buyers to reduce the offtake. U.S. exports are not tied to a particular gas reservoir. It's sourced from the whole upstream market, so it's easier for U.S. exporters to make adjustments. That is not the case elsewhere in the world, which is why we expected to see this picture.

Turning to Page 14 and the competitive situation. This picture looks more or less as presented over the last couple of years. We have not added any new building orders since the previous quarter, even though there has been reports of a new building order by MOL. However, we understand that this is conditional and have therefore not included it in the list. However, we have included two conversion units in the captive market, one relating to a project in the El Salvador and one for a project in Africa. However, for Hoegh LNG, this means that the competitive situation has not changed from the previous quarter in the markets where we are active.

And with that, I would like to turn to Page 14 [Phonetic] and a summary and open up for questions from the audience.

Questions and Answers:

Operator

[Operator Instructions] Our first question today comes from Ben Nolan from Stifel. Please go ahead with your question.

Ben Nolan -- Stifel Nicolaus and Company -- Analyst

Great. Thank you. Good morning. Good afternoon. I had a few questions, but the first relates to the commentary in the earnings release about the possibility or the need to refinance the Lampung next year? Just making sure that was more -- that the commentary and there was more of just an abundance of caution, rather than some foreseeing challenge with respect to the need to refinance that vessel, correct? It should be relatively easy to refinance, yes?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Hi, Ben. Yes, that has a long-term financing, involving ECAs from South Korea and a commercial tranche on top of that. And the commercial tranche is maturing next year. It's about $15 million or so. And it has always been part of the plan to refinance that in 2021. But the facility as such, including the ECA tranche, is not up for refinancing, it's the commercial tranche of the facility.

Ben Nolan -- Stifel Nicolaus and Company -- Analyst

Okay. And you wouldn't foresee any concern or wouldn't have any concern over the ability to refinance that, correct?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

No, I don't. This is a vessel with a long-term contract with a strong counterparty that has performed. So this is a good coverage -- contract coverage for that vessel, so I see no problem with that.

Ben Nolan -- Stifel Nicolaus and Company -- Analyst

Okay, perfect. And then, another thing I was going to ask that we've heard a little bit in this whole COVID environment and given the challenges of crew changes and so forth. There may be a little creep in the operating expenses, as crews might be -- existing crews that have overstayed their contracts might have to be paid a little bit more. Is that something that you might would expect in the second quarter, maybe the third quarter?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah, it's -- we haven't really -- that's a risk. We haven't really seen that so far. But that is a risk or you could have overlapping crew sitting. But so far, that has not really been a problem. And we -- so, I wouldn't see that as a material risk, but potentially, there could eat some minor costs.

Ben Nolan -- Stifel Nicolaus and Company -- Analyst

Okay, perfect. And then lastly, just on -- from a macro perspective, you've -- in the latter slides there, you kind of walked through the projects and also the competitive landscape. And obviously, there has been a few project awards for conversion vessels. Although for you guys, you have the purpose-built vessels that -- where you're -- I guess the stocking horse in several Latin American projects. Has there been any change or switch at all in the cadence between the desire to maybe use a converted vessel -- maybe a little bit cheaper, lower and converted vessel versus something that is purpose-built with higher throughput and capacity. Anything you've noticed there?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

No, I would say -- I think there's room for both. I think what we see, as I said that, actually the activity in the business development side is high, and we see that there is more and more projects moving forward. And that's projects both for new built and conversions. So, I wouldn't say that there has been a shift in preference, but it's a market where there is room for both type of FSRUs, which we have seen.

Ben Nolan -- Stifel Nicolaus and Company -- Analyst

Perfect. All right. Great. I'll turn it over. Thank you.

Operator

Our next question comes from Chris Wetherbee from Citi. Please go ahead with your question.

Christian Wetherbee -- Citi -- Analyst

Hey, great. Thanks for taking the question. Yeah, maybe a conceptual one here, to a degree. So, lots of interesting activity that you highlight on Slide 10. If we were to see some incremental uptake activity at the parent level, what would it take for maybe the resumption of dropdown activity into your vehicle? What are sort of the circumstances that you would need to see to do that? Or is it something that could happen if you get a long-term contract signed with the parent that could happen sort of -- is there financing available? I guess I wanted to make sure I understood sort of the moving parts around kind of getting back into that type of direction for the Company.

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Well, so the parent has assets that is available for the drop-down, and they just need to secure the long-term employment of them. And this slide shows that there is high activity in serving -- securing the long-term employment, so that's good. So that's kind of one trigger of growth. But another -- and another element we need to see is then the financing of such growth. Now if you look at the timing, most projects we are working on, they have -- or the parent is working on has a start-up of -- potentially start-up from end '21 through 2023. So, I would say that the timing of when we could expect to see a drop-down coming our way would be 2022.

And I think we will have to wait and considering the financing option at that point in time. We will have to see how the equity market is both for the common and preferred. And we will also see how much we have deleveraged by then, because we are deleveraging the partnership. And if the equity market should not be available, then potentially there could be room for the leveraging off, but that's an assessment we will have to make at that point in time. But anyway, the second [Phonetic] point is for the parent to secure the long-term employment of its assets, so that it has something to offer to us.

Christian Wetherbee -- Citi -- Analyst

Okay. And then financing will be the secondary component. That is helpful. On the topic of deleveraging, can you give us a sense that maybe what you feel like you can accomplish through 2020? And then maybe if we are talking about potentially a 2022 timeline and the question that we just talked about, what would be the potential opportunity to deleverage over the course of the next two years, so say 2020 [Phonetic] and 2021.

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

So, I think it will be along the same lines as we have done previously. We have now secured the long-term stability of cash flow from all our assets, including Hoegh Gallant. So, we will allocate the cash flow to debt repayment and dividend distributions. And we have in the past seen a steady deleveraging, and we expect that trend to be continuing through 2020 and 2021.

When we then do a drop-down, we should expect to see leveraging precisely because on a debt-to-EBITDA basis, the debt that follows with the asset when it is being dropped down from the parent is probably going to be higher. Same debt amount as it has been the case in previous drop-down, but probably lower EBITDA follows that vessel. So, it is an increase in the leverage in terms of debt-to-EBITDA upon the drop-down.

Christian Wetherbee -- Citi -- Analyst

Okay, but just assuming that the -- all the contracts perform as expected, how much cash flow above the distribution do you think you generate in 2020?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

So, it is not going to change from what we have seen in the past. It is going to be the same free cash flow that we can use for deleveraging purpose as we see on that -- in a quarter like this quarter and we have seen in the past. So, there won't be any changes to that compared to what have seen in the past.

Christian Wetherbee -- Citi -- Analyst

Okay. That is very helpful. Thank you very much for the time. I appreciate it.

Operator

Our next question comes from Ken Hoexter from Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Please go ahead with your question.

Ken Hoexter -- Bank of America -- Analyst

Hey, Steffen. I think -- good morning and good afternoon. Maybe just a wrap up on the prior one, I think Chris was just looking, can you give just a kind of, I don't know, debt-to-EBITDA level or what that reduction in the freak [Phonetic]? I know you keep saying it is going to be the same, but just maybe an absolute number of what you are looking in terms of debt reduction in the year ahead.

Operator

And ladies and gentlemen, the speaker line has dropped. Please remain patient, while we attempt to reconnect. Mr. Foreid, you can continue with the conference. We have Ken in the question queue.

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Yes. Thank you. I'm sorry for dropping out here, something technically happened. Back to the question of deleverage. We have -- at the moment, the Partnership has a debt-to-EBITDA of -- on a proportionate basis of around 4.2 times. And I think we could expect to see deleveraging of around 0.5 times on an annual basis based on the cash flow that we are generating around that.

Ken Hoexter -- Bank of America -- Analyst

That's very helpful. That's great. I feel I'm on the line. You can hear me, right, Steffen?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Yes, I can.

Ken Hoexter -- Bank of America -- Analyst

Okay. Wonderful. So, thanks for that. So, just on the Gallant, I guess now -- I just want to understand what some of the new projects that you are talking about with Hoegh, is there any incentive for them to permanently place the Gallant in those projects? Is that -- or they would be looking solely at new builder conversion for those projects? Or could you look for an extension on the tie-up of the Gallant aside from just putting it to the parent?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

The parent has incentivized to make sure that the Partnership has long-term stability in its cash flows, and is offering Hoegh Gallant on several projects where that unit is best suited compared to -- is available and well suited. So, when the parent then secures long-term employment through a third-party for Hoegh Gallant, the plant will benefit from that through getting off the hook themselves and also through stabilizing or securing the long-term cash flow for the Partnership. So, I think they are pursuing both alternatives and securing assets or employment for new asset and for Hoegh Gallant in parallel.

Ken Hoexter -- Bank of America -- Analyst

And then, I guess, maybe just a follow up on that, right. In the charter -- in the release, you talked about the outlook. You mentioned 90% of the rate payable subject to adjustments for avoided or incremental costs, which can reduce revenues. Is there anything you can quantify there? Or is that just outside of the realm than the parent covers, but you're still -- I just want to understand what the exposure is by that kind of sentence?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

No, it's -- the formula is that when we then enter into new long-term FSRU contract to the extent that the sum of operating expenses and taxes relating to such contract exceeds $22,000 per day. That will result in an increase in the day rate that the parent is paying. During the period of time when the unit is operating in carrier mode, it will save taxes that you previously had in Egypt, equivalent to approximately $4,000 a day, and that will then reduce -- lead to a reduced hire for $4,000 during the period of time when the vessel is operating in carrier mode. So, that is the limit and $4,000 per carrier mode and then actually, as long as total costs exceed $22,000 in FSRU mode, it will lead to an increase in the day rate.

Ken Hoexter -- Bank of America -- Analyst

And just to confirm there, you said that the parent is incentivized for long-term stability, nothing other than just the stability of the -- of HMLP. Is there other incentivization that they have in guaranteeing your stability other than the dividends they receive and the continuation of that?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

No, they have the dividend and the IDRs and the stability of the Partnership's cash flow. That is their incentive for securing the employment.

Ken Hoexter -- Bank of America -- Analyst

Okay. Thanks, Steffen. Great. I appreciate it. Congrats on the stability and good luck. Thank you.

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Thank you.

Operator

Our next question comes from Liam Burke from B. Riley FBR. Please go ahead with your question.

Liam Burke -- B. Riley FBR -- Analyst

Thank you. Good afternoon, Steffen.

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Good afternoon, Liam.

Liam Burke -- B. Riley FBR -- Analyst

Steffen, you mentioned in the press release, general risk in terms of the ability of the counterparties to be able to deliver. Is this COVID-19 related, or is this just a general caution about the overall FSRU market for the time being?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. I think it's a general statement we have had for some time. We have -- in relation to the COVID-19, all our assets have been put forward according to contract and all our clients have been delivering their obligations. And there has been no discussions around any change to the time charter. So, we see that our clients have performed their obligations. So, we don't see -- necessarily any material increase risk associated with the counterparty, but it is a general statement that we make in our documentation.

Liam Burke -- B. Riley FBR -- Analyst

Okay. And on the operating expense side, I know it wasn't a material change, but you did have lower year-over-year expenses. I know you highlighted the potential of COVID-19 increasing them, but what kept expenses so low in the first quarter?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

So, we had some -- we had lower spare parts and external services. And that were the two main components of driving the reduction.

Liam Burke -- B. Riley FBR -- Analyst

Thank you, Steffen.

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

It's correct [Phonetic]. We have compared to the same quarter last year, we did see in fact a reduction in operating expenses, which is good.

Liam Burke -- B. Riley FBR -- Analyst

Thank you.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] Our next question comes from Craig Hannah from Palm Beach Capital. Please go ahead with your question.

Craig Hannah -- Palm Beach Capital -- Analyst

Hey, Steffen. It looks like a really good job in a very difficult environment. Looking at your cash flows, I see that you had -- your really only negative that I could find in the whole financials was this unrealized loss on derivatives. Is there anything else that you can tell us that might negatively impact cash flows and your ability to continue to pay the steady dividend for the next couple of quarters or so that maybe not jumping out at us?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. This quarter was a good quarter. Good operating performance and no extraordinary items. So in many ways, it was a very good quarter. I think we have highlighted the main risks as we see them. And in terms of the counterparty risk and impact from COVID-19, so far, we have not been materially impacted by COVID-19, but the situation is unfair and it can move -- change quickly.

We are doing as much as we can to prepare for adverse development and implement measures to mitigate that. But I think COVID-19 is a situation that is difficult for everyone, and we are putting a lot of time and resource in mitigating the risk associated with that. So, I think maybe that is the biggest risk element in the quarters ahead where we don't really know what the consequence of the pandemic and how that will pay off.

Craig Hannah -- Palm Beach Capital -- Analyst

And so, it looks like, other than this unrealized loss on derivatives, everything is pretty much the same. It just continues to go. You have got these nine-year contracts. So, it looks like a very steady business to stay invested in and to continue to grow the investment. I'm looking at your opportunities in Australia and Asia, which sounds like obviously everything takes a long time, but that looks pretty exciting. What is going on in Europe? You said that, that business is going quite well too. Are there some good growth opportunities there?

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

We see that Europe has been a growth market for LNG, and they have actually been driving much of the demand over the last 12 months. That is very interesting. Europe has previously taken most of -- is taking most of its cash gas from pipeline, but the fact that LNG is going to Europe is interesting. So I think that is the -- there is lot of opportunities that follows that where there might be needed more points for importing LNG, so Europe is offering some opportunities. We mentioned this project in Cyprus. And we also have one bilateral project that we are working on, on the European side of where we are looking at bilaterally developing a project. So, Europe is a place where there are some opportunities available in the years ahead.

Craig Hannah -- Palm Beach Capital -- Analyst

Okay. Thanks, Steffen. Great job.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] And ladies and gentlemen, at this time, I'm showing no additional questions. I would like to turn the conference call over for any closing remarks.

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Okay, thank you. I would just like to thank everyone for dialing in, and listening and for asking questions and thank you for the session today. Thank you.

Operator

[Operator Closing Remarks]

Duration: 38 minutes

Call participants:

Steffen Foreid -- Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Ben Nolan -- Stifel Nicolaus and Company -- Analyst

Christian Wetherbee -- Citi -- Analyst

Ken Hoexter -- Bank of America -- Analyst

Liam Burke -- B. Riley FBR -- Analyst

Craig Hannah -- Palm Beach Capital -- Analyst

More HMLP analysis

All earnings call transcripts
A Circuit Court in Accra has granted a GHC100,000 bail to a private security man by name Bless Amedegbe for inciting the public against President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The court also charged the accused to produce two sureties, of which one must be a public officer who earns nothing less than GHC1,000.

President Nana Akufo-Addo

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: We will make SHS a dream come true for every Ghanaian child - Akufo-Addo

The 24-year-old security man is facing a charge of an assault on a public officer as well as False Communication, contrary to Section 76(1) of the Electronic Communication Act, 2008 (Act 775).

He used social media to incite arson against President Akufo-Addo.

The young man, however, denied the offences.

When Ghana started recording cases of the novel Coronavirus, President Akufo-Addo announced restrictions in the movement of people in Greater Accra, Kumasi, Tema, and Kasoa because these areas have started seeing an increase in cases.

Bless Amedegbe shot a video of himself and circulated via YouTube and WhatsApp Platforms, inciting the public to defy the Presidents Executive Orders on the lockdown.

READ ALSO: Ghanas Covid-19 cases stand at 7,616 with 2,421 recoveries

The police followed up and arrested him, leading to his prosecution.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that some angry residents of Ofankor, in Accra, have set ablaze the two-bedroom apartment of the landlord who shot and killed his tenant on Sunday, May 24, 2020.

The landlord, Victor Stephen Nana Kankam allegedly murdered the musician tenant over a woman, according to police investigations.

Ghanaian female accounting graduate and mushroom farmer recounts her experience | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: Election 2020: EC to compile new voters' register June

Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
NEW YORK, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading global communications consultancy Ketchum and Pantene were awarded overall best in show at the PRWeek Global Awards, held virtually last week on Twitter. Pantene's "Sueltate El Pelo (Let Your Hair Down)," supported by Ketchum's office in Brazil as part of MMK+, was named Global Campaign of the Year in addition to winning Latin American Campaign of the Year. Ketchum (including MMK+ and Emanate) won a total of 10 PRWeek Global Awards and one High Commendation for work on behalf of its clients.

The Pantene campaign was brought to life with its extensive research behind Latin American women's unifying effort of empowerment and their belief that hair is their most powerful beauty asset. The campaign's creation strategically used these two components to communicate an empowering message to engage the brand's target audience.

"It's incredibly meaningful to see our work recognized on a global stage during this time of adversity, and it reaffirms the value of communication in a world seeking connection," said Barri Rafferty, partner, president and CEO of Ketchum. "I'm grateful for the valued partnerships we have with our clients, who continuously place their trust in us to take risks and explore creative ways to build and nurture relationships with their stakeholders."

Ketchum and its clients won awards in the following categories:

GLOBAL CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR

"Sueltate El Pelo (Let Your Hair Down)"

P&G's Pantene with MMK+ (Ketchum) and Grey

BEST EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN (OUTSIDE U.K.)

"BURGER KING Deutschland's Spoiler WHOPPER"

Burger King with Emanate and Grabarz & Partner

BEST GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP CAMPAIGN

"We Believe"

Gillette with MMK+ (Ketchum) and Grey

BEST GLOBAL CONTENT

"We Believe"

Gillette with MMK+ (Ketchum) and Grey

BEST GLOBAL CREATIVE IDEA

"First Shave"

Gillette with MMK+ (Ketchum and Porter Novelli) and Grey

BEST GLOBAL EVENT ACTIVATION

"Seizing the Moment to Inform a Nation About Epilepsy"

UCB with Ketchum

BEST HEALTHCARE CAMPAIGN

"'Life Lolli'  The First Lollipop That Can Save Lives"

Bone Marrow Donor Center of the University Hospital Dusseldorf (KMSZ) with Ketchum, BBDO Group Germany, Peter Schmidt Group, Fuse and OMG

BEST INFLUENCER MARKETING CAMPAIGN

"'Life Lolli'  The First Lollipop That Can Save Lives"

Bone Marrow Donor Center of the University Hospital Dusseldorf (KMSZ) with Ketchum, BBDO Group Germany, Peter Schmidt Group, Fuse and OMG

BEST LATIN AMERICAN CAMPAIGN

"Sueltate El Pelo (Let Your Hair Down)"

P&G's Pantene with MMK+ (Ketchum) and Grey

BEST PUBLIC SECTOR CAMPAIGN

"'Life Lolli'  The First Lollipop That Can Save Lives"

Bone Marrow Donor Center of the University Hospital Dusseldorf (KMSZ) with Ketchum, BBDO Group Germany, Peter Schmidt Group, Fuse and OMG

In addition, Essity's Libresse brand and Ketchum (with AMV BBDO and Somesuch & Co.) received the Highly Commended designation for Best European Campaign for "Viva La Vulva."

The PRWeek Global Awards honor transformative work that demonstrates the highest standards across regions and territories, as well as the best teams, individuals and activations in the distinct markets of Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe.

These awards follow a series of major award wins in recent months including Ketchum and Wendy's winning the Platinum SABRE for Best In Show at the In2 SABRE Awards, being named PRovoke's Global Creative Agency of the Year, and becoming the most-awarded PR firm in the 2019 Cannes Lions Festival with 29 Cannes Lions.

About Ketchum

The winner of 105 Cannes Lions and PRovoke's Global Creative Agency of the Year, Ketchum is the most creatively awarded firm in our industry. We're equal parts human-centered and business-focused, empathetic and intelligent. As a global communications consultancy, we combine the deep industry and specialty expertise of boutique firms with global reach to find unexpected connections that lead to lasting relationships and work that matters. For more information on Ketchum, a part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, visit www.ketchum.com.

About Omnicom Public Relations Group

Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,300 public relations professionals in more than 370 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group delivers for clients through a relentless focus on talent, continuous pursuit of innovation and a culture steeped in collaboration. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research.

SOURCE Ketchum

Related Links

http://www.ketchum.com


Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 21:04:32|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ISLAMABAD, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan will resume its international flight operations from Friday night after the government eased some of the restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to a notification issued by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Friday.

"As per decision of the Federal Government, the outbound international flights operation has been allowed with effect from 23:59 (local time) tonight," the notification said.

Both national and foreign airlines will be allowed to operate from all international airports of Pakistan with exception of the country's southwest Gwadar and Turbat airports, said the notification.

The standard operating procedures (SOPs) for outbound international flights have already been issued, according to which, airlines will be required to follow the SOPs of the destination country, said the CAA, adding that disinfection of aircraft will be ensured and no congestion at airports will be allowed.

Pakistan has suspended international flight operations since March as part of the safety measure to stem the spread of COVID-19. Earlier on May 16, Pakistan resumed domestic flight operations in a phased manner. Enditem
During a community discussion Thursday night about Tye Anders arrest two weeks earlier, Midland Police Chief Seth Herman rebuked comparisons to Minneapolis police, saying his officers are the antitheses of that department.

Hermans remarks followed comments by a resident who expressed concern the climate of the Midland Police Department was moving in the direction of Minneapolis police. Four officers in Minneapolis were fired earlier this week after video surfaced of a white officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man who later died.

What happened in Minneapolis is an atrocity, Herman said. Youre not going to find an officer with the Midland Police Department who doesnt look at that with disgust and anger.

He said the department in Minneapolis is the antithesis of what we are.

Mayor Patrick Payton and Midland Councilman John Norman announced the town hall-style event last week after a bystander video -- of Anders lying in the grass as officers pointed guns at him -- was widely shared on social media. The video again went viral on Wednesday in the wake of Floyds death, and was posted by multiple celebrities, including filmmaker Ava DuVernay and Jay-Z.

Anders was charged with evading arrest, a third-degree felony, after allegedly running a stop sign and failing to immediately pull over when an officer initiated a traffic stop. Dashboard camera footage released by the city of Midland showed Anders continued for 20 seconds before pulling into a residential driveway  or two blocks, according to an arrest affidavit. He could later be heard on the footage saying he was afraid of the arresting officer.

Anders lawyer, Dallas-based civil rights attorney Justin Moore, held a press conference before the public forum, calling for an independent investigation into the Midland Police Department by the Texas Rangers or FBI.

He also lamented what he described as vigilante behavior by law enforcement and criticized the felony charge against Anders.

To talk about a person with felonies, its hard for them to get employment  its hard for them to even rent an apartment, Moore said. So, they endeavor to hamper Tyes life severely due to the fact that they want to cover their own butts.

Moore said in a press release he and Anders would not be attending the town hall because any action towards having a discussion about what happened to Tye Anders without dismissing his felony charges is dishonest and is in bad faith.

Later in Thursdays forum, Herman was asked by an attendee if he would have done anything differently than his officers in the footage of Anders arrest. He said he would have pulled Anders out of the car  and the incident would have ended quicker and looked worse.

It probably would have ended up with a broken window and someone arrested and transported immediately, Herman said. It would not have looked as professional as the men and women that were there that day that showed extreme patience.
The leader of INRI Evangelical spiritual church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, says the ambition of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole to scuttle the re-election of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state will eventually scatter the settings of the party in the state.

Reacting to the tussle, Primate Elijah Ayodele said Oshiomhole would play Lagos politics to ease Obaseki out, noting that two candidates may emerged in APC on the 22nd.

While advising Obaseki to strengthen his group, Prophet Ayodele said Edo governorship would scatter APC settings because Oshiomhole is bent on the issue of Edo, and ready for pure war.

Ayodele warned that the primary election will be a much tensed one, adding that APC may have two candidates at the end of the election.

There will be a lot of gimmicks and plans that will be exposed the night before the election and on the day of the election, there will be fracas, violence in the place, there will be two different election results if care isnt taken. Obaseki should involve God in whatever he does. God wants to elect him but that is if he listens.

It is worthy of note that there have been fracas in the Edo chapter of the APC which majorly bothers on power tussle between the governor and Oshiomhole.

Ize-Iyamu, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC late last year, has been chosen as the consensus candidate of the pro-Adams Oshiomhole faction of the party in the state.

He was granted a waiver by the National Working Committee of the party on May 21, 2020.

Primate Ayodele warned that Oshiomhole was ready ready for pure war.

Primate Ayodele said: Obaseki must strengthen his group, its going to be two candidates, if Obaseki wins, we should be expecting a court case. After the primaries, none of the candidates will agree because they want to ease Obaseki out.

He also warned that in anything Obaseki does, he should ensure that he involves God and listens to instructions because he has a very good chance.
Burma COVID-19 Forces Ceremony for Depayin Massacre to Downsize

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's motorcade is welcomed by local residents during an upcountry tour on May 25, 2003, five days before being attacked by a government-backed mob in Depayin.

MANDALAYDue to COVID-19 restrictions, the 17th anniversary of the commemoration ceremony to remember the victims of the Depayin massacre on May 30 will be held with a few local residents, according to the ceremonys organizing committee.

About a hundred survivors usually hold a commemoration ceremony every year to remember the scores of National League for Democracy (NLD) party members and supporters killed and injured in the deadly ambush under the military regime. On May 30, 2003, a group of pro-junta thugs in Kyee Village in Sagaing Regions Depayin Township attacked the convoy of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, NLD party members and their supporters.

Although the vehicle of now-State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi managed to escape, many NLD members and their supporters were seriously injured and at least 70 were killed during the attack.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was later detained and kept under house arrest and other survivors were jailed for many years. Survivors families were threatened and their businesses were forced to close down.

Every year, the survivors now hold a commemoration ceremony by offering alms to Buddhist monks and recalling the vicious memories.

This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, we will only do the offering of alms to three Buddhist monks with a few locals and will lay a wreath at Kyee Village, where the massacre took place, said U Than Lwin, a local NLD member from Depayin and one of the members of the ceremony organizing committee.

The construction of a pagoda to commemorate those killed during the massacre is also stalled due to COVID-19 restrictions and a funding shortage.

COVID-19 prevention is important not only for our region, so we will not be going to join the ceremony this year, said U Ko Lay, an NLD member from Mandalay who was seriously injured in the massacre and later jailed. Although we will send our merits for the fallen from our home, we will never forget them and the incident as well, because this massacre is the most malicious history for us and for our countrys democracy struggle.

No legal action has been taken against the culprits behind the massacre, which mainly targeted Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The military regime at the time and the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) have been implicated in the massacre. The leading generals of the USDA later transformed their association into a political party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), before the 2010 elections.

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has repeatedly said that she will not seek vengeance for the incident, for the sake of peace, stability, national reconciliation and the democratization of the country.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi recently visited Depayin for the first time in the 17 years since the massacre on March 11, to meet with local residents.

During her visit, she didnt mention anything about the massacre or share her opinion on the incident but said only that she is glad to be back in Depayin after 17 years and thanked the locals for their hospitality.

Our mother Suu said we shall not seek vengeance, so we will not. However, we will never forget the incident and it shall never be wiped out from history, U Ko Lay added.

You may also like these stories:

Myanmar Human Rights Commission Fails to Stop Abuses: NGOs

10 Police, Three Others Missing After AA Attacks Border Guard Outpost in Myanmars Rakhine

Myanmar Parliament Slashes Militarys Budget Request for First Time
Demonstrators stand in front of the entrance of the 'Fonderie de Bretagne' foundry, a subsidiary of Renault group, on 28 May 28, in Caudan, western France. (Fred Tanneau/AFP via Getty)

French carmaker Renault (RNO.PA) announced on Friday that it will cut 14,600 jobs worldwide and reduce its production capacity as part of a plan aimed to create cost savings of 2bn (1.7bn, $2.1) in the next three years.

Renault, already hit by falling sales before coronavirus caused shutdowns and a collapse in consumer demand, said in a statement that 4,600 of the job cuts would take place in France, and 10,000 in the rest of the world.

The company, which employs about 180,000 people globally, also said it would reduce production from 4 million to 3.3 million vehicles by 2024, and focus on its more profitable models.

The French government, which holds a 15% stake in Renault, is in discussions with the carmaker about a 5bn state-backed loan to help it weather the crisis. However, in exchange for the money, Renault must comply with the governments requests to save jobs and safeguard production in France.

READ MORE: France earmarks 8bn stimulus package to support its car industry

French president Emmanuel Macron this week announced 8bn in aid for the French automotive industry, which directly employs some 400,000 people in the country.

Macron in return wants to see Renault and the Peugeot group focus more on electric and hybrid vehicles. French car buyers will receive big incentives to buy clean-energy cars as part of the government spending package.

Renaults overhaul is part of the new strategy for the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. The Alliance announced on Wednesday (27 May) this week that it would radically restructure to become more cost efficient and avoid doubling up on production.

Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard said at a press conference that the focus would be on efficiency and competitiveness, rather than volume.

READ MORE: Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi reboot alliance with new strategy

Under what it calls the leader-follow concept, Renault will focus on smaller models and diesels and Nissan (NSANY) will lead development of SUVs and bigger cars. Mitsubishi (MSBHY) will be in charge of hybrid SUVs.

The three will also carve up global regions: Renault will be in charge of the European and Russian regions, and Nissan will focus on China, the US and Japan. The smallest partner of the three, Mitsubishi will be head up south-east Asia.

On Thursday, protestors gathered at Nissans plant in Barcelona, Spain, after the Japanese carmaker said it would shut the plant down, making 3,000 people redundant.
Chile's top court on Wednesday denied prosecutors' requests to jail a 29-year-old man awaiting extradition to France to face charges of murdering his Japanese ex-girlfriend.

The state prosecutor's office -- which represents the interests of the French state in the case -- argued that Nicolas Zepeda was a "flight risk" and sought to ensure he was held in custody while awaiting extradition.

Supreme Court judge Jorge Dahm maintained a ban on Zapeda leaving the country and a requirement that he report weekly to police, but ruled against holding him in preventive custody.

The judge said Zepeda had complied with his obligations under the extradition agreement and said "there is no immediate danger of flight."

Chile last month agreed to France's request to extradite Zepeda, and the move was formally confirmed by the Supreme Court last week.

Dahm said Wednesday that a date for the extradition had yet to be set, as both countries had shut their borders over the coronavirus pandemic.

Zepeda, the son of a wealthy Chilean family, met Kurosaki in Japan in 2014 where he was a student. A year later, they began a relationship that ended after Kurosaki moved to France in August 2016.

In Besancon, France, Kurosaki entered a new relationship, which prosecutors said angered Zepeda, who threatened Kurosaki in an online video he later removed.

Kurosaki, 21, went missing from her university residence in Besancon, a town near the French Alps, in December 2018.

Investigators said that in the days before her disappearance, Zepeda flew to France, hired a car and drove to Besancon to meet her.

On the way, they said he stopped to buy matches, flammable liquid and bleach at a supermarket.

Her body has never been found, despite extensive searches.

Zepeda was questioned in April last year by a Chilean judge in the presence of French investigators.

He denies any hand in Kurosaki's disappearance.
New Delhi, May 29 : The count of novel coronavirus cases in Delhi witnessed a record jump of 1,106 in a day, taking its total tally on Friday to 17,386. The death toll due to coronavirus has reached 398, the Delhi Health Department said.

"At least 7,846 patients have recovered from coronavirus so far in Delhi while 9,142 cases are active," the Health Department said.

As per the Delhi health reports, 82 new casualties were added to the death toll. However, 13 deaths have occurred in the last 24 hours.

The Health report said that the cumulative death figures refer to fatalities where the primary cause of death was found to be the infection, as per the report of the Death Audit Committee on the basis of case sheets received from various hospitals.

On Thursday, for the first time since the corona outbreak, the cases reported in a single day crossed 1,000-mark with 1,024 cases. On Friday, it was the second time that positive cases saw another huge jump.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had explained that out of the 82 new deaths, 13 took place in the last 24 hours.

"The remaining 69 deaths have taken place over a period of 34 days. These cases are being recorded now due to late reporting by various hospitals or due to incomplete submission of information," Sisodia said.

The 34-day period, as per the health bulletin, is between April 10 and May 27, not including all the dates between them.
The City University of New York (CUNY) system is beginning to implement sweeping budget cuts triggered by New York states estimated $13.3 billion loss in tax revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

So far, the administration is targeting thousands of adjunct faculty members for layoff and looking to significantly reduce the number of classes being offered. These austerity measures will have a devastating impact on the largest urban university system in the US, forcing faculty and students to bear the brunt of the current crisis.

While New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo is slated to announce details on the first round of state cuts in the coming days, a CUNY memo distributed in April said that up to $95.3 million could be slashed from its budget through combined city and state cuts.

North campus The City College of New York

The US CARES Act allocated over $100 million to CUNY for institutional needs stemming from the pandemic, but it is unclear what this money is going towards since CUNY administration has informed its 25 collegeswhich enroll 275,000 students and employ 6,700 full-time faculty members and 10,000 adjunct faculty membersto prepare for significant financial losses.

Within the last month, John Jay College in Manhattan announced it will not be rehiring all 450 of its adjuncts that work on a semester-to-semester basis and comprise nearly 40 percent of the schools faculty positions. Similar announcements have been made by City College, Queens College and the College of Staten Island. Brooklyn College has ordered department chairs to cut course offerings for next semester by 25 percent and to increase class sizes. These actions have set a precedent for the rest of the CUNY system.

In response, adjunctswho earn low wages, rely on their university job for health insurance, and are often graduate students financing their educationare taking to social media to voice their anger and concern, posting oppositional material on Twitter under the hashtag, #cutCOVIDnotCUNY.

Much of the material on Twitter addresses the need to eliminate the deadly spread of COVID-19, rather than an essential public university system and the basic needs of its faculty, staff and students. As of May 6, CUNY has reported that 14 faculty, 10 staff and 3 students have died from COVID-19.

One CUNY adjunct on Twitter said, Ive been an adjunct going on 15 years and to have my health care cut during a pandemic is unconscionable, not to mention the devastation our students will face with larger classes and minimal choices.

Others have pointed to the need to tax the rich in order to save CUNY, which was founded as a free university system for New York Citys working class and only started charging tuition after the citys 1975-76 fiscal crisis. One adjunct tweeted, 1 in 6 billionaires lives in NYit is possible to have a free CUNY AGAIN. A proposed $320 tuition hike will be voted on by the CUNY Board of Trustees in June.

CUNY students have also taken a stand against the budget cuts and firing of adjuncts. A Brooklyn College student speaking to the schools Vanguard newspaper said, CUNY is located in the epicenter of the pandemic and to propose austerity measures at such a time is simply cruel. Instead of going after the billionaires and the ultra-wealthy, Governor Cuomo wants to eliminate a source of income and health insurance from people that need it to survive.

Struggling students (42 percent of incoming CUNY freshmen come from households with incomes of $20,000 or less) are also demanding a tuition freeze for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Professional Staff Congress (PSC), the union that supposedly represents 30,000 CUNY faculty and staff, has issued token statements against the budget cuts and layoffs and called for a car and bike caravan outside Cuomos New York City office in protest. On Wednesday, the PSC joined several other unions in calling for a tax on billionaires to prevent statewide budget cuts, a cheap and toothless proclamation that neither the unions nor the Democrats will implement.

The PSC is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), an organization that seeks to uphold the authority of the corporate Democratic Party, which has proven to be no less an enemy of public education than the Republicans. The AFT was instrumental in betraying the 2018-19 wave of US teacher strikes against social inequality and austerity measures imposed by both big business parties, isolating each state strike and preventing them from coalescing into a national strike, while forcing through agreements that abandoned teachers demands.

Earlier this month, the PSCs president, Barbara Bowen, who is also one of 40 vice presidents of the AFT, negotiated with the CUNY administration to push back the deadline for schools to notify adjuncts of termination from May 15 to May 29, the day after grades are due.

A Hunter College adjunct on Twitter reacted to this development: PSC shouldnt be negotiating with the boss on when they can fire us. It feels as if the union is in bed with CUNYthis negotiation is all in the favor of the bossesnot us. They dont need help firing us. This hurts our ability to organize adjuncts around a grade strike, etc. PSC has negotiated the new date, and it just happens to be the day after grades are due? Huge pressure point has now been taken away from us. Thanks.

According to several reports, the union shut down any vote on strike action at a recent PSC delegate assembly, although this demand was repeatedly raised by delegates. PSC officials reportedly stated that strike activity is illegal and cannot be considered.

Since then, Rank and File Action (RAFA), a faction of the PSC, has sought to pressure the union leadership by launching a campaign threatening grade strike action. The group called on CUNY faculty to pledge via a Google document to withhold grades for the semester after the May 28 grade deadline and May 29 adjunct-reappointment notification deadline, but only if they received seventy percent pledge support from the entire CUNY facultynearly 12,000 signatures.

Making this unlikely pledge goal a requirement before calling a CUNY-wide grade strike was essentially calling the strike off in the same breath that it called for one. On Thursday, RAFA announced that they had received a total of nearly 800 faculty signatures and called on faculty to not withhold their grades beyond the deadline.

No struggle against the budget cuts can be done through the PSC. As with all the unions, the PSC functions to channel working class dissent behind the Democratic Party in the form of pleas for modest reforms that the capitalist system is unable and unwilling to grant.

The pandemic is being used as a cover for deeper assaultswhich were already taking place before the spread of the coronaviruson public education and other social rights. Public primary and secondary schools in New York City are already facing budget cuts of $827 million, with more to come. There is widespread opposition by educators and parents to this austerity.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has borrowed tens of billions of dollars in the form of bond issues before and during the pandemic, which Wall Street will demand be repaid from the livelihood of transit workers, 107 of whom have died from COVID-19 because of inadequate protection on buses and subways.

Recently, graduate workers at New York University participated in a three-day sickout and graduate workers at Columbia University have gone on strike, both protesting each universitys negligent response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The criminal response of the American ruling class to the coronavirus pandemic has led to the deaths of over 100,000 to date and a bailout, passed with unanimous support by both Republicans and Democrats, that provides trillions of dollars for Wall Street and big business, while crucial social services and the working class face crushing austerity.

CUNY faculty and students must draw the political conclusions from the conduct of the Democrats and the unions over the last four months and turn to the struggles of workers in New York, the US and internationally, in response to the expanding economic, health and social crisis stemming from the pandemic. New organizations of struggle, rank-and-file committees composed of graduate students and all education workers, must be organized to demand that trillions be made available to protect their jobs, education, and health, while also protecting and funding essential social services.
Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more

By this, the fourth and final entry in this series, you should have a grasp of information security basics. Lets take stock of them before continuing down the rabbit hole.

How to Stay Safe on the Internet, Part 1

How to Stay Safe on the Internet, Part 2: Take Canaries Into the Data Mine

How to Stay Safe on the Internet, Part 3: Drive the Black Hatters Mad

Youve examined a variety of attack vectors and ways to close them off. In observing their patterns, youve learned the weak points that are exposed inherently online, and thus require intervention.

Youve learned that any software or operator handling your communication controls it. Information security comes down to breaking this hold. To do that, you either excise intermediaries when that is possible, or you encrypt your connections through them when it isnt.

In the process, you also discovered that humans are bad at devising truly random outputs, so you cant assume that passwords your brain thinks up are random enough. Our most glaring weakness is our tendency to trust our instinctual assessments automatically. This normalcy bias also lowers our guard when people request sensitive information.

Category 2 adversaries are nothing to sneeze at, but their resources are finite. If you armor up enough, they will give up, and move onto an easier comparable target.

In confronting the threat of category 3, everything you have learned ratchets up to a whole new level of paranoia. Category 3 adversaries have functionally unlimited resources for pursuing top targets.

Often called nation-state actors or advanced persistent threats (APTs), they have tax revenue, national sovereignty and the law behind them.

Pontificate With Extreme Prejudice

Before continuing, consider the following.

First, the guidance in this part of our series almost certainly doesnt apply to you. You may find it interesting, and you probably will gain from it. However, statistically, you will never face this level of threat.

If for some reason this guide does apply to you, you are going to need significantly more help than I can provide. At present, I would fail at fending off a nation-state. I dont know anyone who could resist one for more than a month or two, either.

Rather than taking this guide as the authoritative word on defense against nation-states, use it as a jumping off point for further research. I recommend studying the Electronic Frontier Foundations Surveillance Self-Defense manual next, followed by the Open Source Society University degree track.

There are many more worthy resources you should consult, but these are a modest start. As the volume of information implies, you need a thorough computer science background to stand a chance.

Second, even if you practice only the techniques that this piece presents, your operational security (OPSEC) must be impeccable. That is, you will probably fail.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

OPSEC is your discipline in following the security controls prescribed by your threat model. As I noted at the outset of this series, security comes at the cost of convenience, and when you are facing the ultimate threat, the sacrifice of convenience is total.

Thats why the best OPSEC practitioners keep their pursuers at bay only for a few years. So, have a contingency plan for when you fail. Only you will know what that looks like.

So who does this installment apply to? National security or international affairs journalists, for one. This goes doubly for those reviewing classified information or sensitive sources. Secrets are invaluable to nation-states, and they will stop at nothing to hunt down those that leak out.

High-profile political dissidents also can find themselves in nation-states crosshairs. These dissenters advocate policies that governments view as extreme enough to justify silencing by any means.

Finally, military technology researchers should anticipate category 3 attacks. Nation-states compromise engineers developing sources of military or economic advantage all the time, so they can glean a copy of the work and level the playing field.

Trust No Ones  or Zeroes

Its important to understand trust in computing. Here, trust is bad. Specifically, trusting something, like hardware or software or the entity that maintains it, means you have to trust it with handling your data. In a trust relationship, you cant defend against whatever youre trusting: You can only hope it doesnt betray you.

Instead, adopt a no-trust posture. Without trust, you dont have to trust some entity that touches your data. You reach this posture by implementing measures ensuring youre not harmed if the entity tries undermining you.

End-to-end encryption is an example of obviating trust. A VPN, for instance, renders an ISP incapable of snooping on you, so you dont have to trust it.

To stave off category 3, the number of entities you trust must be zero.

Your Adversaries Are in the Army Now

Government adversaries are extremely dangerous because they bring a governments resources to bear.

They have enormous budgets. Deep pockets allow APTs to staff dedicated agencies with hackers. They can afford expensive toys, like supercomputers for brute force attacks, or zero-day vulnerabilities (found on the gray market) for crafting custom exploits.

Another advantage nation-states enjoy is the power to grant their agents legal immunity. To paraphrase technologist Chris Soghoian, just as soldiers can kill people without going to prison, government hackers can compromise you with impunity. Its one of the main attractions for hackers who seek gainful employment.

Finally, government actors can employ legal coercion. Simply put, they can order digital service providers to rat you out. Legally supported actions can range from requests for your data to orders compelling service providers to insert backdoors. Snippets of code inside other programs allow root access to anyone who knows how they work, making it trivial to spy on users.

An exhaustive listing of the techniques nation-state actors actually use is impossible. Few feats are impossible for them. The weapons they array against their targets are a matter of what nation-states are willing to do to nail a target.

With so many targets, its not likely that you, the hypothetical prey, are near the top of an APTs list. Thus, you have an opening: Make it so onerous to attack you that its not worth the strategic payoff. You cant necessarily know what the tipping point is, but if you are sure you are hounded by an APT, you have to try.

With all of that said, lets dive right into countermeasures, and Ill explain along the way what they aim to counter. Defense against category 3 involves two considerations: the tools to use, and the OPSEC required to use them.

This Is My Computer. There Are Many Like It, but This Ones Mine.

The truly ideal approach would be to run your devices through a woodchipper, incinerate the shards in a blast furnace, and throw the remains into the ocean. If thats not an option, read on.

Odds are if you are laboring this ardently to secure your computer, its because you need it for communication. All communication being mediated by some provider, start by picking one that is committed to protecting user privacy.

A good bet is to choose an email provider, chat server, etc., that is incorporated outside your enemys jurisdiction. Your adversary government then has to inveigle the providers government to execute the records request, to which the latter will not always acquiesce.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The next thing you should do is route all your communications through Tor. Tor is a network designed to make users anonymous by shuffling around all user traffic before routing it to the proper destinations.

Essentially, it puts a VPN on steroids. A VPNs weakness is that a moderately competent attacker can get around it. VPNs are effective against adversaries that can see either the clients connection to the VPN, or the VPN servers connection to the Internet, but not both.

ISPs fit this profile, since they only see your device connecting to the VPN. However, foes at or above the top tier category 2 can observe traffic on both sides of VPNs. If they see your device hit the VPN, and then an instant later see the VPN hit a website, they can put two and two together.

Instead of routing via one proxy, as VPNs do, Tor uses three consecutive proxies. Schematically, your traffic travels from your device to Tor node A, from Tor node A to Tor node B, from Tor node B to Tor node C, and finally from Tor node C to your destination.

Along this path, your connection is triply encrypted: the B-C leg is encrypted with Cs key, the A-B leg with Bs key, and the device-A leg with As key, in that order. This way, although A knows who you are, it doesnt know where youre going. Correspondingly, C will know where your connection is going, but it wont know who made the request.

This makes it difficult to follow your traffic through the Tor network, complicating the correlation attacks that work on VPNs. Oh, and for good measure, Tor switches the nodes you use every five minutes.

Tor offers the Tor Browser, which lets you browse via Tor. However, that protects only your Web browsing, so Im not talking about that. You have to configure your system to route all Internet traffic through Tor. This is too system-dependent to delineate here, but there are guides on how to do this.

Once this is set, though, everything your device sends or receives filters through Tor. Assuming you dont do anything to out yourself (a matter of OPSEC, discussed below), this makes your traffic functionally anonymous.

Using Tor does not preclude a nation-state from spying on you, but it does force it to attack Tor itself instead of demanding records from a third-party or sniffing your connection off taps on the Internet backbone. These sources contain traces of your activity, but are not attributed to you.

Along with Tor, concealing the source of your communications requires MAC address spoofing. A MAC address is a unique hardware serial number for your devices network interface controller (NIC).

Your device NIC bundles its MAC address inside the metadata of every packet it sends. With MAC spoofing, your software substitutes an arbitrary MAC for your hardware MAC in the packet instead. Without this step, a nation-state that knows your MAC address wont be fooled by Tor.

Against high-caliber adversaries, you also have to trade up your encryption to PGP. Despite their learning curve, PGP keys provide some of the most powerful and versatile encryption around.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

In a nutshell, PGP keys work in pairs: One can decrypt anything the other encrypts. If you hand out one of the duo to anyone who wants to communicate with you and keep the other for yourself, anyone can encrypt messages that only you can decrypt.

The strength of PGP keys is that they can encrypt anything, anywhere. Whether its email content, text files, video and audio, or even text posted on the Web, PGP can encrypt it all. Another neat trick is it can sign data to affirmatively attribute it to the keys creator. Properly utilized, PGP will prove highly dependable. Though it has been around since the 90s, to this day it remains unbroken.

Any hope of fending off APTs also means switching to an open source operating system (OS). In practice, this means installing either Linux or FreeBSD on your desktop device (i.e. desktop or laptop). Android isnt good enough (Ill explain later). Open source OSes are not necessarily more secure than proprietary ones, but because their source code is available to the public, it can be audited to discover tampering.

Open source OSes are developed in so many jurisdictions that you are guaranteed to find one outside your adversarys grasp. As with extraterritorial communication providers, OS foreign developers insulate them from legal orders.

Whatever OS you choose, enable full-disk encryption, too. Ive said a lot about encrypting communications  data in transit  but you also can encrypt data at rest. Without encryption, the data on your hard drive is stored in readable form, meaning anyone who snatches your hard drive can see all your files. Encrypting your hard drive protects not just user files like documents, videos, etc. but your OSs core files as well.

Unfortunately, thats still not enough  its not that simple. Think about this: If your computers entire OS on the disk is scrambled, how would your computer know how to boot? The answer is it wouldnt. Thats why, in reality, a small bit of your OSs boot data is unencrypted even under full-disk encryption.

This leaves you open to attack if, say, your adversary deployed a team to break into your home, pop your hard drive out, replace your boot code with its own, and pop it back in. Every subsequent boot, your computer will seem to run normally, but will invisibly execute whatever it is your adversary wants. Not good.

Enter secure boot. Basically, secure boot is a motherboard firmware process that allows a boot only if the signature on the unencrypted boot sector checks out. Most modern computers do this by default, but with the manufacturers key, meaning youre trusting it. Although its tricky, you can create your own encryption key, sign your OSs boot sector, and then flash the key to your secure boot register.

Theres a snag here, too. If your adversary bugs your hardware itself, nothing youve done so far can help you. For that, theres open hardware. This is currently less mature than open source, but it embodies the same concept: transparent specifications allow the detection of tampering.

The vulnerability that open hardware tackles is not theoretical. Its childs play to re-flash a computers BIOS (motherboard firmware) with a backdoored lookalike. Nation-state actors also could somehow breach Intels Management Engine, a tiny, totally opaque OS running underneath your computers OS. If that doesnt work, your government can just intercept your new computer, or get its hands on your existing computer and insert a bug in it.

Although Ive barely scratched the surface of category 3 attack vectors, the fact that all these mitigations are necessary and proportionate should make it clear that these adversaries are no joke.

OPSEC: Sharpening the Warrior, Not the Weapon

OPSEC is the other half of the nation-state threat model. Without unassailable OPSEC, all of your tools are worthless.

First and foremost, ditch your phone. Cellular baseband-equipped devices (collectively mobile devices) are perfectly optimized to track you. For one thing, your mobile device expresses un-spoofable hardware serial numbers as it reports your location to your carrier in real time.

This puts you one legal order way from having your every move exposed. It doesnt matter how secure your desktop device is if your mobile device is nearby. Then theres always that microphone your adversary can turn on.

So, why not just repeat what you did for your desktop? Well, you cant.

One, you cant install fully open source software on it. Its practically impossible to install purely open source Android on a mobile device without proprietary drivers, and by law cellular basebands must contain proprietary firmware for radio frequency compliance.

Two, mobile devices dont allow you to run secure boot with custom keys.

Three, mobile open hardware is not ready for prime time, so you have to trust the hardware.

Finally, architecturally, the SIM is the master of your mobile device, letting it override literally anything you do. With mobile devices brimming with fatal, unavoidable vulnerabilities, the only winning move in this strange game is to not play.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Additionally, choose your networks carefully. Obviously, you never should connect from your home network, but dont pin all your hopes on Tor either. Always assume that your IP is exposed. Never log onto the same network twice. Instead, rotate through public networks without leaving a pattern.

Since youll be traveling to use networks, youll also want to practice basic counterintelligence techniques. Be able to tell if youre being tailed in physical space.

Counterintelligence doesnt stop there, though. You also must know how to figure out if your contacts have been compromised. The easiest way to reach someone is through their associates. In the digital context, this usually isnt being turned la spy thriller, but having a device compromised to monitor interactions with you.

The remedy here is to ensure either that your contacts forget you or that they practice everything in this guide along with you. Communication is a two-way street. If your associates fail at any of these steps, the outcome is the same as if you failed.

To the extent that you hope to retain a normal life, you must bifurcate your secure and normal lives strictly. Never transfer any file, message, or other digital artifact between devices, accounts or platforms across this divide.

Moreover, dont behave in similar ways in each life. Patterns like the contents of concurrently open tabs or the order in which you visit sites are enough to identify your unique behavior.

To summarize OPSEC, dont make a move unless youve completely thought it through.

Where the Path Ends, the Wilderness Begins

At this point, Ive said about all I can. The reasons one might face category 3 threats are so numerous and personal that only you can determine how best to apply the tools and techniques herein.

Although there is much left for the category 3 targets to do, everyone who reads this should be equipped to reevaluate your threat models and extend your toolset, no matter the threat you face.

Security is a journey, but only some of the trail is blazed. Good luck, and may you have sharp machetes.
A Russian-language Facebook group that started off as a playful attempt by a group of friends to get through the coronavirus lockdown by recreating art masterpieces using everyday items has become an unexpected global hit.

The project - Izoizolyacia - was launched at the end of March, shortly after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia to adopt lockdown measures to try to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Within a day, it had garnered 2,500 members. Now it has over 600,000, with people the world over submitting their versions of famous masterpieces using everything from vegetables to old clothes.

Its a child of todays quarantine situation, because none of it would have happened without it, said co-founder Katerina Brudnaya-Chelyadinova, who never thought the idea would become so popular.

Its cool content, its easy to produce, its full of humour and it helps to distract you when you look at those works, she said.

A view shows a recreation of "Female Torso" painting by Kazimir Malevich in Penza, Russia, in this undated picture obtained from social media. Participants of the Facebook group "Izoizolyacia", or Art Isolation, recreate art masterpieces using everyday items, amid the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Daria Lisitsyna/Facebook via REUTERS (via REUTERS)

Some of the groups creations include versions of self-portraits by Henri Matisse and Vincent Van Gogh, Edvard Munchs The Scream crafted from slippers and clothes and Kazimir Malevichs Black Square canvas composed of socks hanging from a towel rack.

The groups co-founders say moderating it had become a full-time occupation, as hundreds of new art works flood in from across the world daily.

Participants dress themselves and family members in elaborate costumes  or shed layers  to reproduce portraits of the past as well as modern art and movie scenes, sometimes with striking accuracy.

My husband immersed himself in the role of a Swedish princess so deeply that he couldnt leave it behind for a while, said Maria Kigel, another founder, who photographed her husband in the guise of Ulrika Eleonora, an 18th century queen of Sweden, for the project.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Production of coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity contracted.

The record contraction in the growth rate of eight core sectors will affect the Index of Industrial Production.

The output of eight core infrastructure industries plunged by a record 38.1 per cent in April as the nationwide lockdown to contain coronavirus pandemic caused a substantial loss of production across sectors.

The production of coal, natural gas, refinery products, steel, cement and electricity contracted in double digits in the month, according to official data released on Friday.

The eight core sectors had expanded by 5.2 per cent in April 2019 while in March 2020 the sectors had contracted by 9 per cent.

"In view of nationwide lockdown during April 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, various industries - coal, cement, steel, natural gas, refinery, crude oil etc experienced substantial loss of production," the commerce and industry ministry said in a statement.

Production of coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity contracted by 15.5 per cent, 6.4 per cent, 19.9 per cent, 24.2 per cent, 4.5 per cent, 83.9 per cent, 86 per cent, 22.8 per cent, respectively.

During 2019-20, core industries recorded 0.6 per cent growth against 4.4 per cent in 2018-19.

The record contraction in the growth rate of eight core sectors will affect the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

These sectors account for about 40.27 per cent of the IIP.

Commenting on the numbers, Icra vice-president Aditi Nayar said while the lockdown contributed to a broad-based contraction across eight core sectors, it had a differential impact on the extent to which activity was curtailed in the various constituents.

"While data on automobile production has not been explicitly released for April 2020, the output is likely to have been close to zero as most plants were shut for a large part of the month during the lockdown," Nayar said.

"Based on the available trends, we anticipate a contraction of 75-80 per cent in industrial output in April 2020, led by a collapse in manufacturing volumes of non-essential items amid the lockdown, moderate decline in electricity demand and a relatively insulated mining sector," she added.

The outbreak of the virus has also impacted the country's exports growth, which dipped by a record low of 60.28 per cent in April.

Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters
Islamabad, May 29 : The Pakistan government has said that it has no immediate plan to go for a stricter lockdown, despite thousands of new COVID-19 cases, as well as deaths, it was reported on Friday.

Speaking to Dawn news on Thursday, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said that although there were reports from some big metropolitan cities about pressure on certain hospitals due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 patients, the overall situation and conditions in hospitals overall were "satisfactory".

Faraz said the number of COVID-19 patients was still less than what they had previously estimated.

Responding to a question, he expressed his concern over reports of violations of SOPs (standard operating procedures) by the public, but said there was no decision to impose a "strict lockdown" in the country.

Faraz said there was no confusion among the government ranks or in the mind of Prime Minister Imran Khan about the need for continuing economic activities in the country.

He said the lockdown was not sustainable in a country with more than 150 million poor population.

"The situation is tricky. We are very closely monitoring facts and figures which will basically become our guide," he said.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza told Dawn news also on Thursday that the next meeting of the National Coordination Committee on COVID-19 would be held on June 1.

The remarks come as the number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan has increased to 62,789, while the death toll stood at 1,286.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Mostly clear, breezy, and very cold. Near or below zero wind chills by morning. .

Tonight

Mostly clear, breezy, and very cold. Near or below zero wind chills by morning.
To further cement Russia's long-term military presence in Syria, President Vladimir Putin reportedly tasked his defense and foreign ministries with obtaining additional land and naval rights from Damascus.

Putin has signed a directive tasking the Defense Ministry, in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry, with holding negotiations with Syria on transferring more real estate and water territory to the Russian military's possession, the Russian Interfax news agency reported today.

As Syrian President Bashar al-Assads most important ally, Russia currently has two permanent military facilities in the war-torn country  the Hmeimim air base in the coastal Latakia province and a naval facility at the port of Tartus on the Mediterranean Sea.

Since Russia intervened militarily with air support in 2015, Assad has managed to retake much of the country from the opposition that seeks to oust him. Most recently, Russian warplanes played a key role in the regimes assault on Idlib province, the last stretch of territory still held by the rebels after nine years of war.

The deadly campaign to retake the northwest enclave left more than one million displaced and hundreds of civilians dead since December. Russia and Turkey, which each back opposing sides in the conflict, announced a cease-fire in early March that largely put a halt to the Kremlin-backed offensive.

The proposed talks over additional military facilities come days after Putin appointed Moscows ambassador in Damascus, Alexander Efimov, as his special envoy for developing relations with Syria in whats seen as an attempt to balance military and diplomatic involvement in Russia's Syria policy.
Kolkata: The team of Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police has got great success. The STF team has arrested Abdul Karim (alias Abdul Karim) alias Boro Abdul Karim, the top commander of the terrorist organization Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (Bangladesh) in India. Karim is considered the second top leader in India after Salauddin Salihin, the leader of terrorist organization Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen.

According to the information received, Karim has been arrested by the Special Task Force from the Murshidabad district of West Bengal along with the local police. The senior officer of the STF team has said that 'Abdul Karim alias Boro Karim has been arrested by the STF in the morning today (May 29) with the help of the local police. He will be produced in LD court today. After which we will hold press talks.

An Indian by nationality, Karim was the main leader of the Dhulian module involved in the Bodh Gaya blast. According to sources, top leaders like Karim Salauddin actively assisted in finding the hideout. Not only this, the terrorist organization was also active in the recruitment drive for Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB). However, in the year 2018, he was absconding in a sudden raid by Kolkata Police. Due to which he could not climb the hands of the police. However, the police seized a large quantity of explosives and jihadi papers from his whereabouts. Since then, the police were searching for Karim.

Also Read:

25 policemen lost their lives due to corona in Maharashtra

This man appointed as managing director of Wipro

Alex Trebek appeared in a pale blue shirt after a long time

Rahul asks government to know about China dispute, Bagga says 'This is not Nehru ji India'
The Lockdown enforced in our country with effect from 25 March 2020, to contain the spread of COVID 19, and the recommended protocol for controlling the Pandemic, has led to the Courts in India lay down new rules for the administration of Justice. Conventional filing of cases by the Advocates, by presenting printed Petitions on paper have been substituted by e-filing.

Judges are no longer sitting in Courts to hear Advocates and Litigants but are conducting hearings of cases from their homes through the electronic medium of Video-Conferencing. However, the establishment of e-Courts, in these times, is confined to hearing urgent cases at this moment. What needs to be considered is, if this is going to change the future scenario completely? Will Judges no longer sit in the Courts to hear cases? Will Advocates no longer come to the Courts to argue cases? Whether with the optimum utilization of the best of the technology, are we going to develop a more convenient and advanced future of the traditional litigation? Buoyed with these thoughts, Amity Law School, AUH conducted a Webinar on "Future of Litigation in India and e-Courts".

The idea behind this Webinar was to enlighten the participants and provide them with deep insight of Future of Litigation in our Country and scope of e-Courts after this current Pandemic situation. The Panelist for said Webinar was Honble Mr. Justice Swatanter Kumar, Former Judge Supreme Court of India and Former Chairperson, National Green Tribunal.

In his address, the Honoured Guest explained the traditional modus operandi of our legal system. He said that in this difficult time created by the Pandemic, a lot of hue and cry is being created regarding the functioning of Courts post this situation. He opined that India is the largest democracy in the world and we have a system for Administration of Justice, which had been established in our country more than 100 years ago and it is not so easy to take a complete shift therefrom. He said that considering the vastness of our Country, the hierarchy of Courts, the procedures to be adopted for Trials and non-availability of proper Internet Infrastructure, we cannot put the entire Judicial System to operate through e-Mode. Yes, there will be changes for which the younger generation of Advocates should keep them abreast with, he added.

Vote of Thanks was proposed by Maj Gen PK Sharma (Retd), Professor & Director, Amity Law School and Dean Faculty of Law, Amity University Haryana and gave an overview about ALS and the session.

Pranshul Pathak, Coordinator and all Faculty Members along with a large number of students and Advocates also attended the webinar.
A gang boss who is the leading player in the so-called anti-Maguire faction in the Drogheda feud is back in the country after months on the run, gardai believe.

Last night, detectives were urgently trying to find the 25-year-old thug whose mob is suspected of being behind the murder and dismemberment of Keane Mulready-Woods (17) last January.

A High Court bench warrant was issued for his arrest earlier this year when he absconded to Spain after being charged with an attack linked to the feud, which has claimed four lives.

Execute

Expand Close Robbie Lawlor was killed. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Robbie Lawlor was killed.

"This individual is perhaps the main instigator of violence in the feud and gardai are very anxious to arrest him but do not know where he is hiding out," a senior source said last night.

"It is very possible he may be in Dublin, where he has hid before.

"The information that he is back is coming from the Owen Maguire faction, who are also looking for him as they want to execute him.

"The information is being treated as credible."

Gardai do not know how the violent criminal, who was closely linked to murdered Richie Carberry and Robbie Lawlor, got back into the country during the coronavirus lockdown, but it was "most likely" through the UK.

He fled with his younger brother to Spain following Mulready-Woods' murder, and the pair were then joined by their right-hand man, who has since returned to Ireland.

Expand Close Gang boss Owen Maguire / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Gang boss Owen Maguire

It is understood the thug's younger brother remains in custody in Spain after he assaulted a woman.

Sources said the lockdown has helped ease tensions in the feud, but the return of the gang boss could lead to an escalation of violence.

The dispute was triggered by the attempted murder of Owen Maguire in July 2018.

The 25-year-old is a mortal enemy of paralysed Maguire and is suspected of ordering the botched hit on him, which gardai believe was carried out by Lawlor, who was shot dead in Belfast early last month.

"The Drogheda feud may be calm at the moment in terms of incidents, but the return of this individual could change all that," the source warned.

"In the last few weeks, gardai have had great success in chipping away at both gangs.

Battle

"It's a constant battle. The strategy is to keep on top of them, carrying out raids even if it's only a couple of grand worth of drugs.

"It hurts these crews and leaves them out of pocket."

The 25-year-old gang boss survived two gun attacks last year, including one last June when he was shot in the chin in the Elmwood Close estate in Drogheda, leading to a number of revenge petrol bomb attacks.

He had been targeted weeks earlier by a gunman in the Donaghmede area of Dublin.
It also ensures that what made Hong Kong a great place for the West to do business, especially with China, will be lost. The reason China didnt make such a move before this is because the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its companies rely on the city for their economic success and survival, exploiting its relative openness and rule of law to funnel international money into its own coffers and to fuel Chinas economic expansion.
The Islamic Republic of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appointed outgoing Majles Speaker Ali Larijani as his adviser and a member of the Expediency Council, demoting his status to a not-so-influential politician who has to spend his life at a not-so-significant advisory council.

Ali Larijani's rise to power as Majles Speaker was a symbol of the rising power of the Larijani clan; and his departure from the parliament signalled the decline in the clan's influence and status.

But this decline which was marked by damning disclosures against the Larijanis has its root in a bigger story: The story of succession to replace Khamenei after his death.

The former Speakers brother Sadeq Amoli Larijani who is currently the chairman of Expediency Council wrote a strongly worded letter to his predecessor Mohammad Yazdi in August 2019 in which he said the disclosures are part of "a game being played by the state TV and other institutions, as part of a bigger project."

The semiology of recent developments in Iran reveals that the project was one of preventing Sadeq Larijani from rising to the throne of the Supreme Leader as a successor to Khamenei. From this perspective former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's battle against Sadeq Larijani was a proxy war on behalf of former Judiciary Chief Mahmoud Shahroudi, also a contestant for succession.

Sadeq started a campaign to marginalize Shahroudi and had some of his rivals aides arrested to portray him as a corrupt and inefficient manager. As this battle escalated alongside the war between Ahmadinejad and Ali Larijani, Shahroudi tried to form an alliance with Ahmadinejad.

This episodes, however, remained inconclusive with Shahroudi's death. In the meantime, Sadeq Larijani jailed Ahmadinejad's aides. But the former presidents camp dealt harder blows to Larijanis by revealing transactions in the Judiciary's bank accounts and accusing Larijani's daughter of espionage.

But Shahroudi's death was not the end of the story. The rise to power of Ebrahim Raeesi, another contestant for the post of Supreme Leader, to the post of Judiciary Chief had a clear message for Sadeq Larijani: That Shahroudi was dead, but there were still other rivals.

By arresting a close aide to Sadeq Larijani and highlighting corruption cases in the Judiciary, Raeesi did to him what he had tried to do to Shahroudi.

In this way, Sadeq's attempts to position himself as a successor to Khamenei turned into the clan's point of weakness.

The same has happened to Hassan Khomeini, a grandson of Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini, yet another contestant dreaming to sit on his grandfather's throne as the Islamic Republic's next leader.

The young Khomeini fell in the trap of leadership so hard and so deep that he could not even get a seat for himself at the Assembly of Experts. This deprived him of any political chance for a long time to come.

The same threat also exists for Hassan Rouhani, one more candidate for the post of next Supreme Leader. Rouhani's attempts to appease Khamenei by proving his full obedience, has so terrified his rivals that they do their best to deprive him of any future political chance. This explains why when Rouhani called the nuclear deal with world powers, "The biggest victory of all times," Sadeq Larijani swiftly moved to prove him wrong and to say it wasn't a victory at all.

In another example, following a 2018 missile attack on ISIS positions in Syria, when Rouhani said that the IRGC simply carried out a decision made by the Supreme Council of National Security, the IRGC quickly reacted and announced the strike was an IRGC initiative and had nothing to do with Rouhani and his administration.

These examples as well as IRGC's missile tests after the JCPOA indicate that the power struggle was perhaps not over the nuclear deal or relations with the United States. It was about the credit that could have been given to Rouhani thanks to a breakthrough with America. In such a tense situation no one wants his rival to have an opportunity to prove his potentials for leadership.

To the same extent that the chance of becoming the Supreme Leader can be an opportunity or a dream, the ambition can equally lead to a threat or even a nightmare.

The Larijani clan have still not experienced their nightmare. However, they have most probably realized that the ceiling for their dreams under the Islamic Republic was what they already had a chance to experienc during the past ten years.
Goas agriculture department has reported over four-fold increase in the demand for mainly vegetable seeds in April and May that officials say indicates people have begun to fall back upon their traditional sources of income to tide over the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic on the states tourism-dependent economy.

Usually, we used to sell between 200-250 kilos of seeds during this time of the year. But this year, we have already sold 800 kilos, said state agriculture department director Nevil Alphonso. This is one of the clearest indicators that people are going back to agriculture in these times.

He said the biggest demand has been for vegetable seeds which can be grown multiple times. We are also seeing an increase in the demand for paddy seeds, but we will have to wait until the end of June to measure the increase in area under paddy cultivation--Goas staple crop...

Vegetables offer farmers better returns and unlike rice can be sold locally even in small quantities. The demand is mainly for vegetables like gourds, pumpkins, and cucumbers which grow in this season as well as beans and ladyfingers.

Damiao Telles, who ran a stall along the Candolim beach serving tourists, said they have to do something to feed themselves. Some will go back to fishing, some to farming.

Goas economy has largely been dependent on tourism. Most stakeholders like tourist taxi operators, small hotel and shack owners, left traditional occupations of their forefathers like fishing and farming to get into the tourism sector.

Hotels have laid off staff en masse leaving people without a regular source of income since the pandemic forced India in March to suspend almost all visas, modes of transport, including international flights, to check its spread and hit the tourism sector the hardest. In 2019, over 5 million international and domestic tourists visited the state, and between 9-11% to the states GDP, according to official data.

Miguel Braganza, a former agriculture professor at the Don Bosco College of Agriculture, said they have been guiding and encouraging people to plant in their own backyards and kitchens or in whatever area they can find. We are teaching them techniques on what crops can be grown alongside others to help with the soil fixation.

A task force that the Goa government has set up to recommend an economic revival plan for each village has suggested all panchayats should identify potential activities within the village to provide livelihoods to the people. The activities relate to horticulture, poultry, dairy, fishing and revival of micro and small scale industries as well as traditional arts.

Chief minister Pramod Sawant said he expects the slowdown in tourism to be temporary. Tourism may have dropped for now, but when tourism starts, Goa tourism is in a better position to quickly rebound in comparison with the rest of the country and will scale new heights. We will bring in new concepts to promote tourism.

Allwyn Jorge, a panchayat representative from Carmona,said there are some encouraging signs but several problems lie along the way including the high cost of labour and its shortage. The government should try and ensure that more people are enthused by this.
A local artist who has been painting pictures of ships visiting Wicklow Harbour along the pier wall aims to complete his 50th painting this summer.

So far 46 of paintings by Pat Davis decorate the harbour wall and Wicklow Municipal District have plans to honour the artistic postman after a proposal from Cllr Paul O'Brien.

Pat's creations combine two of his greatest loves - ships and art.

He says: 'As a young lad my big hobby was ship watching, which I still enjoy. I used to draw pictures of ships into my notepad. Then when I got older I started drawing the ships onto paper on location at the harbour. I was quite an independent child and I got to meet quite a few people who would be looking over my shoulder to see what I was drawing.

However, it was a visit of a Greek ship called Eliana to Wicklow Harbour in 1971 which kick-started Pat into starting to paint picture of visiting vessels along the harbour wall. The Eliana used to regularly travel from Casablanca to Wicklow Harbour with cargoes of phosphorus which was used to manufacture fertiliser.

Pat explains: 'In 1971 the ship had a collision with the north pier on a lovely day and had to stay to get repair work done. A Greek crew member, who was only a little bit older than me, painted the Eliana on the harbour wall. It wasn't actually regarded very well by the Gardai at the time and they wanted to have words with him. Anyway, the ship departed around a week later and over the years the image became quite rough and began fading away. People had seen me painting boats onto paper while at the harbour and they asked if I would redo the picture. That was around 1976. I asked the local Harbour Master for permission and he gave me the go-ahead. The rest is history.'

Pat sill has plenty of fond memories of heading down to Wicklow Harbour while he was a national school pupil, to visit some of the boats and ships docked in the harbour.

'You would chat away to the different crews and they would let you walk the gangway. Sometimes we would do their shopping for them. You got to meet people from all sorts of different countries, like the Cape Verde Islands, Poland and the Philippines. We got on very well with them. It was actually through the Eliana that I actually tried spaghetti bolognese for the first time. That was around 1971 as well.'

Pat maintains that there is no particular routine regarding which ships he decides to paint. So far 46 of his paintings decorate the wall.

'There is no real rule to it, and at the times it is just completely random. However, I do have something in mind for the next four paintings, which will bring me up to 50.'

For his 50th painting, which he hopes to complete around August, Pat is hopeful of reuniting with a couple of grandparents from Avoca and their two grandchildren, who he met at Wicklow Harbour a few weeks before Christmas of 2018.

'It was a pretty bad day so there weren't many people around. There were four people admiring my paintings - grandparents and their granddaughter aged 9 and grandson aged around 7. They really liked the paintings so I introduced myself and brought them on a little tour for around 20 minutes of each painting, explaining a brief history of each ship. I mentioned that I did the paintings on my own time and at my own cost. The little girl's name was Aoife and she found a crumpled up and soaking wet 50 note stuck in some railings. I said 'aren't you a lucky girl, what are you going to spend the money on?' She replied 'I'm giving it to you'. I thought it was such a lovely gesture so it would be nice if I could get in touch with the grandparents and Aoife before I paint my 50th painting, which will be of an old Irish naval vessel which is called L.E. Aoife.'

Wicklow Municipal District intend to celebrate his art-work by unveiling a plaque dedicated to Pat. He admits to being greatly humbled by the gesture.

'I was deeply moved,' says Pat.

'The harbour is like my second home and I also carry out a lot of photography down there. The paintings have become something I can share with anyone along the pier and I meet people of all sorts of nationalities admiring the paintings. It's a great honour.'
Rahul Gandhi gives adjournment notice on giving unhindered access to pasture lands in Ladakh

'Do you work for govt?' Rahul Gandhi asks reporter; BJP calls him entitled brat

Word 'lynching' practically unheard of before 2014, 'Thank You Modi-Ji': Rahul Gandhi

Hindu and Hindutva are not different things: Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi

Even teleprompter could not take so many lies: Rahul's dig at PM Modis Davos speech

'Govt's silence fuelling speculation: Rahul Gandhi on situation with China

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, May 29: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that the government must come clean on the border face-off between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

"The Government's silence about the border situation with China is fueling massive speculation and uncertainty at a time of crisis. GOI must come clean and tell India exactly what's happening," Gandhi tweeted on Friday.

With no immediate solution in sight, India matches China in terms of man power, resources

India has made it clear that there would be no backdown amidst the escalating tensions with the Chinese at the Line of Actual Control.

LAC tension: Rahul wants govt to come clean on what is happening at border | Oneindia News

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders.

Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, May 29, 2020, 13:37 [IST]
Toni Johnson of Susquehanna Township was just happy to be out of the house.

Earlier today, she navigated a cart through the At Home store in Lower Paxton Township looking for accessories such as throw blankets and flower stems for a redecorating project.

Johnson said she decided to do her part to support the economy and shop following her appointment at Patient First for a leg injury.

I didnt spend a lot of money [the past couple of weeks.] I have been riding around on a full tank of gas for two months, she said.

On Friday, several retail stores in Dauphin County were given the yellow light to reopen as Pennsylvania eases up stay-at-home restrictions. The county, along with eight other Pennsylvania counties, including Lebanon, Franklin, Huntingdon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike and Schuylkill, enters the states yellow phase.

In the yellow, businesses like manufacturing plants, retail stores and offices can reopen. Retailers are asked to limit customers to half of the stores traditional maximum occupancy and to provide specific hours at least weekly for people considered at high-risk for COVID-19, like the elderly, to have exclusive use of the business.

Stores including Bass Pro Shops, Books-A-Million, 2nd & Charles and Dicks Sporting Goods opened today, while Christmas Tree Shops and Boscovs will open their Dauphin County locations on Saturday.

On Friday morning, shoppers arrived at stores, but it wasnt the same mad dash witnessed last week when retailers opened in neighboring Cumberland County.

It has just been a steady trickle of customers, said Chris Willard, store director the At Home store. Although, he said he expects business will pick up later in the day and into the weekend.

The store has plenty of merchandise and sales on patio furniture and cushions. Its also practicing social distancing with masks and floor markers.

At the Community Aid store in Swatara Township, the doors unlocked about 15 minutes early as a line formed outside the store. Shortly before 9 a.m., shoppers browsed clothing racks and tables filled with home goods, DVDs and various knick-knacks.

Spokesman Bob Hauer said it was evident there is pent-up demand because shoppers mistakenly lined up earlier in the week under the impression the store was reopening.

We knew there was excitement about coming in. Why let people wait any longer? They were so ready to get in. I can only assume there were smiles under those masks," Hauer said.

Shopper Karen Wiebner of Swatara Township found treasures, including a bag of candles and a sugar skull Halloween wreath, among other items, while her daughter, Kami Markowski, bought clothing for her children. Wiebner said more stores should be permitted to open because people need to be out and interacting with one another.

Ive been anxious to go anywhere and do anything, she said. I couldnt wait. And I think its safe."

Today also marked the first time shoppers in the county could visit Fine Wine & Good Spirit stores since they shut down in mid-March.

At the store on Jonestown Road in Lower Paxton Township, there were no lines or waits shortly before 10 a.m. An employee, wearing a sign reminding shoppers to social distance, stood outside ensuring no more than 25 people (including employees) were inside the store at once.

The agency has reopened 349 stores across 56 counties. Measures including signs encouraging social distancing and one-way aisles as well as enhanced cleaning practices, masks and early shopping hours dedicated for at-risk and senior citizens have been put in place. In addition, shoppers are advised not to touch products unless they plan to buy them.

Customers seem to be very understanding and they are following the protocols and guidance we have in place, said Shawn Kelly, LCB spokesman.

Stores are closing an hour early so employees can clean and restock shelves, he said.

Shopper John Hummel of Lower Paxton Township said he was happy to return to in-person shopping. In the past couple of weeks he turned to curbside pickup at an LCB store and a local distillery for booze.

It feels good, he said. The mask is the new normal. They have rules and Ill follow them.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
Northern Ireland's Housing Executive is seeking a major 40m contract to supply its staff with key personal protective equipment (PPE) gear "to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19", it can be revealed.

It says it's now seeking to establish a framework agreement for the supply and delivery of PPE.

"The supplies are required to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19 and to ensure staff are able to provide essential public services," it said.

"Due to the urgency, disruption and current shortages of PPE, adherence to the normal open procedure time limits could result in failure to obtain the required supplies." The four year contract, worth around 40m, has now gone out to tender.

A spokesperson for the Housing Executive told the Belfast Telegraph: "We are currently undertaking a tender exercise for a four year framework to meet the future requirements of PPE for the organisation.

"As part of this procurement exercise the Department for Communities has requested that we undertake the procurement of PPE equipment for our Supporting People partners on an interim basis.

"We will continue to maintain the highest health and safety standards during Covid-19."

It comes as one of the remaining buildings in the King's Hall complex has been reconfigured to store PPE for use by NHS workers. Nugent Hall, adjacent to the main King's Hall building, has been made watertight and refitted with electricity to allow the safe storage of face masks, protective gowns and other essential gear. The building is being made available by Benmore Octopus, which is in the process of developing the site.

Work to prepare the building as an NHS storage facility has been carried out at cost or discounted rates by a number of firms.

As the coronavirus pandemic spread across Northern Ireland, many of our manufacturers stepped up to retool and produce a range of key PPE gear for frontline workers, amid a shortage.

Sportswear giant O'Neills grabbed the headlines towards the start of the crisis - retooling and training staff to produce PPE for nurses and other key workers.

Just a few days in, and more than 40 companies volunteered to assist in providing support to produce various PPE requirements.

The situation also spurred on the creation of the Hero Shield project. It was the brainchild of Adam Murphy, who co-founded Newtownards-based company Shnuggle with his wife Sinead more than a decade ago following the birth of their first child.

And this week, the UK Government said it is to rebuild its stockpile of PPE.

Global shortages of the protective gear frontline staff need to keep them safe left many health and care workers under-equipped while battling Covid-19 during the early stages of the pandemic.

During Tuesday's Downing Street briefing, Matt Hancock said that "significant progress" had been made with PPE.
These are interesting times. We are spending more time at home. In our house, we notice more TV time, so I am on the receiving end of the Beadle ads. He is reinventing, embracing technology, cutting spending, and increasing transparency. Imagine the surprise of my team and me to learn we have so many challenges in the Office of State Treasurer.

Allow me to set the record straight.

The Office of the State Treasurer leads the nation in transparency and technology. We continue to provide and expand our searchable information relating to state buckets, and tax distributions. At times, we have been accused of being too transparent! Our team works diligently to provide a view of your tax dollars, most recently adding the Prairie Dog distribution to our website. We have received accolades from many, including the League of Cities and the Association of Counties, on the ease and transparency of our website.

We have embraced technology, which allows us to do more with less, reducing staff and holding our operating budget to nearly even for over a decade. No other agency inside state government can say that. We just celebrated another clean audit, no findings since 2009. Reinvent? I dont think so!

I could not be prouder of the team that has moved us forward. We have given the people of North Dakota a Treasurers Office to be proud of, cost-efficient, paperless, seamless, and defect-free. The TV commercials are from the person, who as a legislator, voted to eliminate the Office of the Treasurer. And now, he wants to claim this office, the title, and take credit for what is already completed.

When you launch a campaign with lies, imagine what you will get if he is elected. The voters should be concerned.

State Treasurer Kelly Schmidt

Love 12 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 4
Sarah Ferguson has shared a gushing tribute to her 'darling' Princess Beatrice as she marks the date which was set to be her wedding day to fiance Edo Mapelli Mozzi.

The Queen's granddaughter, 31, was due to marry Edo, 37, at St James Palace and celebrate with family and friends at Buckingham Palace today, but the wedding was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Princess Beatrice, daughter of the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, is currently spending lockdown with Edo and future mother-in-law Nikki Shale at her 1.5 million country house near Chipping Norton.

Sharing a childhood picture of Princess Beatrice on Instagram, Sarah Ferguson, who is known as Fergie, commented: 'I am so excited to celebrate yours and Edos love when we all are out of lockdown.'

Sarah Ferguson, 61, has shared a gushing tribute online to her daughter Princess Beatrice, 31, on what was set to be her wedding day

Sharing the post, Fergie posted: 'Love you my darling Beatrice. You have given me more joy than I could ever wish for.

She went on: 'The most important thing is health and love and today I send it to you and all the other people that were getting married during this time ...so proud of you all.'

Beatrice was overjoyed after becoming engaged on a weekend trip to Italy last September, and the couple said they could not wait to be married.

But her nuptials were overshadowed by the scandal that has engulfed her father Andrew, with the date changing twice to accommodate the Queen's second son.

Princess Beatrice was due to marry Edo in a ceremony at the Chapel Royal today, followed by a reception in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, but the wedding was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic

The duke retired from public royal duties in November after his disastrous Newsnight interview about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew has strenuously denied claims from Virginia Giuffre that he slept with her when she was 17 after she was trafficked by Epstein.

As the granddaughter of a monarch, Beatrice would have been expected to wed in front of 800 guests in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, just like her sister Princess Eugenie, whose ceremony was televised and was followed by a carriage ride through the town.

But, amid the controversy over her father, the princess opted for the more intimate, low-key option of the Chapel Royal and was due to invite 150 guests.

The Duchess of York, who is currently living in the Royal Lodge in Windsor, shared a childhood photograph of her daughter

Edo's son, Wolfie, from his relationship with architect Dara Huang, was set to be in the wedding party, alongside Eugenie as chief Bridesmaid.

The Queen was to host the private reception in the grounds of her London residence.

But plans were changed after the Government called on all people in the UK, particularly the over-70s, to avoid all non-essential contact and travel as part of unprecedented peacetime measures aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19.

The Queen, 93, and the 98-year-old Duke of Edinburgh are at Windsor Castle, where they are socially distancing themselves.

Princess Beatrice and Edo said they couldn't wait to get married when they got engaged in September last year in Italy (pictured together)

And in April, Boris Johnson put a ban on weddings as the virus raged through the UK public.

Sources confirmed the wedding had been postponed earlier this year, telling People that the invitations were never sent out, due to complications with the virus.

While Duchess of York and her ex-husband Prince Andrew, 60, have been joined by Princess Eugenie, 30, and her husband Jack Brooksbank, 34, at their home the Royal Lodge in Windsor during the pandemic, Beatrice and Edo have stayed with his mother.

Speaking on the City Island podcast, Fergie explained: 'Edo and Beatrice have been living with her future mother-in-law who is lovely...I'm missing my [other] daughter but it's just like everybody else, we are just the same family as everybody else.'

The royal's nuptials were initially overshadowed by the scandal that has engulfed her father Andrew, with the date changing twice to accommodate the Queen's second son

She later revealed she felt 'sad' that Princess Beatrice's nuptials, which were due to take place next week in St James' Palace, had been postponed due to the pandemic.

She said: 'It's sad for me that Beatrice, she was going to get married next week, but they postponed the wedding.

'Edo and Beatrice have been living with her future mother-in-law who is lovely. Great friend of mine.
The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has confirmed the arrest of popular cross-dresser known as Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky.

KanyiDaily had published a video that shows the moment Bobrisky was arrested while driving in Lekki phase 1, Lagos State. The policemen entered his white Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and drove off with him.

Confirming his arrest, the spokesperson of the police, DCP Frank Mba said a woman in Abuja petitioned the police accusing Bobrisky of N30 million business fraud.

Yes, Bobrisky was arrested in the early hours of today (Thursday) following a petition by a Nigerian woman that the crossdresser collected N30m from her for sales but did not keep to the end of the deal.

Frank Mba, however, revealed that the crossdresser has been granted bail.

Bobrisky was granted bail but the case is still an active one. It is a case under investigation, Mba stated

This will not be the first time that Bobrisky has been arrested by the police. kanyiDaily recalls on January 23, 2020, Bobrisky was picked up at his residence inside Bera Estate, Chevron Drive, in Lekki and taken to an unknown destination.
JACKSON, MI  The layoffs of 46 Jackson Public Schools employees were approved by the Board of Education on Thursday.

The board unanimously approved the layoffs at a special May 28 meeting. The district is expecting a budget shortfall of $5.8 million in 2020-21, as state funding is likely to decrease drastically because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Superintendent Jeff Beal said.

The district is expecting a reduction in state funding around $750 per student, which would be a $3.525-million decrease in funding for the 2020-21 fiscal year, per documents. A decrease of around 180 students is also expected, which will cost the district just less than $1.4 million.

We need to be proactive, not simply to give our impacted staff the opportunity to find work if it exists for them, but to provide for the financial needs of the district, Beal said at the meeting.

The layoffs will save the district $4.3 million, per documents.

Included in the cuts is the assistant superintendent for human resources position. Beal will take over the job responsibilities, he said.

Thirty teaching positions also are being eliminated. Since 10 teachers are retiring this school year, around 20 teachers will receive layoff notices, Beal said. Five support staff positions are being cut, along with five and a half administrator positions, which include principals and assistant principals.

All employees affected by the layoffs will be notified by Friday, June 5, Beal said.

Unfortunately, there is a weekend in front of us where lots of us will have to wonder, and I apologize for that, Beal said. I am trying very hard to use a very scripted process and protocol. Ive got a lot of people looking over my shoulder to make sure that how we go about this process is transparent and fair.

The district expects to be just $536,000 short of a balanced 2020-21 budget, per documents. That money will come from its fund balance, leaving it at 5.34 percent. When a district drops below 5 percent of unrestricted revenue the state intervenes.

If Michigan cuts funding for schools, students and the community will suffer, Beal said in a Facebook post.

I dont care which party you vote for, I dont care who you supported, plan to support or which ideology you subscribe to, he wrote in the post. Our schools educate children from both sides of the aisle and this is wrong. I need your help. I have shared my story with local, state and federal legislators. I have advocated, offered insight and understanding and I am only one voice.  I need your help. I cant do this alone.

The board also passed a resolution asking the federal government to provide funding for schools in Michigan because of the budget shortfalls Michigan is experiencing from COVID-19.

READ MORE JACKSON NEWS:

Woman found shot, killed outside Jackson home

Naked woman breaks into JCDOT lot, steals truck, hits deer

Construction to begin on Jackson bridges known for stuck trucks

10 police department jobs cut in budget approved by Jackson officials

Woman stabbed twice during road rage incident in Walmart parking lot, police say

Why not,' open a new restaurant during coronavirus pandemic, Jackson businessman asks

New 5th ward city council member picked in Jackson
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Rhode Islands two casinos plan to reopen June 8 by invitation only with new measures in place to ensure the health and safety of workers and guests, including temperature checks.

The reopening of the Twin River Casino Hotel in Lincoln and the Tiverton Casino Hotel, both operated by Twin River Worldwide Holdings Inc., will be limited to reward program members and one guest each, and each facility will be limited to about 25% of capacity.

Only video slots spaced six feet apart, and virtual table games, will be available at first, the casinos said in a statement Friday.

Face coverings will be mandatory for guests and staff, and security staff will conduct a non-invasive temperature check on guests.

The Lincoln property will be managed as three mini casinos with separate entrances. Upon entry, guests will receive a colour-coded wrist band that will identify their assigned gaming room.

The casino floors will be continually cleaned.

We are incredibly excited to welcome back our guests to both of our Rhode Island casinos and to do so in a safe manner, casino President Marc Crisafulli said.

___

ZOO OUTLINES REOPENING PLANS

The Roger Williams Park Zoo, one of Rhode Islands most popular attractions, will begin a phased reopening starting Monday when members only are invited to visit, the zoo posted on its website.

The Providence zoo, which closed to the public on March 14 because of the coronavirus pandemic, will reopen to Rhode Island residents only starting Wednesday, and will reopen to all on June 8.

Workers at the zoo, which has 160 species on 40 acres, have created a detailed plan to welcome visitors back, officials told The Providence Journal.

Visitors will have to reserve tickets in advance for a specific entrance time. They will be required to wear face coverings and have their temperatures checked before entering. Once inside, they will be required to follow a one-way pedestrian pattern and keep an appropriate distance from other groups, zoo spokeswoman Diane Nahabedian said.

___

SUMMER CAMPS Cancelled

Some Rhode Island towns are cancelling summer camps for children even though Gov. Gina Raimondo said camps would be allowed to go on with certain health and safety protocols in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Richmond Town Administrator Karen Pinch tells The Westerly Sun that town-run camps have been cancelled because of the difficulty of adhering to the governors guidelines.

Hopkinton Recreation Director Mary Sawyer said the guidelines would have made running the camp next to impossible.

Charlestown Town Administrator Mark Stankiewicz said distancing requirements would have made it especially difficult to care for children on rainy days.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 28, 2020) - Red Light Holland Corp. (CSE: TRIP) ("Red Light Holland" or the "Company"), an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, is pleased to announce that it has engaged global comedy superstar, Mr. Russell Peters (4 million Twitter followers, 1.1 million Facebook likes, and 399,000 Instagram followers), as an independent consultant to the Company in the capacity of Chef Creative Officer. In his role as CCO, Mr. Peters will work closely with the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Todd Shapiro, to among other things, develop and implement the creative vision of the Company and direct the Company's marketing, advertising, social media and other creative efforts. Mr. Peters' engagement magnifies the Company's commitment to assembling the group of skilled leaders necessary to build its business and brand recognition in the early stage of this emerging industry.

"I am extremely pleased to appoint Russell Peters as Chief Creative Officer. As one of the most popular entertainers across the world, Russell brings a creative mind like no other to Red Light Holland. We will lean on his savvy business skills, joyful quick wit, and his extraordinary ability to appeal to and connect with millions of people, to connect with end consumers, build strong brand recognition, and drive Red Light Holland forward towards its goal of becoming the most recognizable premium magic truffles brand on the planet," said Todd Shapiro, the CEO, Chairman, and Co-Founder of Red Light Holland.

"I've enjoyed watching my buddy Theodore Shapiro's evolution from a fearless radio show host to a family man, and now, the CEO of Red Light Holland, a publicly-traded company, in let's face it - a kick ass sector! I'm elated to be a part of this team. Seriously, I'm very happy even if it means I have to start calling Todd by his real name now," added Russell Peters.

Story continues

In consideration for his services as Chief Creative Officer, the Company has agreed to issue to Mr. Peters 3,000,000 common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share"), at a deemed price of $0.06 per Common Share. In addition, the Company authorized the grant of 9,450,000 incentive stock options to Mr. Peters and certain other third parties. Each such option entitles the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share for periods between 3 to 5 years, at an exercise price of $0.06 per share, vesting over a 12 month period. Furthermore, the Company authorized the issuance of 8,650,000 warrants with an exercise price of $0.06 per Common Share for issuance to various arm's length third parties as incentive-based compensation for services.

All securities issued remain subject to compliance with all applicable laws (including the rules and policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange), including being subject to a hold period of four months plus one day from the date of issuance.

About Red Light Holland Corp.

The Company is an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale (through existing Smart Shops operators and an advanced e-commerce platform) of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, in accordance with the highest standards, in compliance with all applicable laws.

For additional information on the Company:

Todd Shapiro

Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, and Director

Tel: 647-204-7129

Email: todd@redlighttruffles.com

Website: https://redlighttruffles.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expect", "potential", "believe", "intend" or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56741
[May 29, 2020] World No Tobacco Day, 31St May: Allen Carr's Easyway Celebrates Helping More Than 50 Million Smokers Worldwide

LONDON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Coinciding with World No Tobacco Day on 31st May 2020, the international publishing agents for Allen Carr's Easyway, have revealed that this drug-free method has now helped more than 50 million smokers worldwide. Niko Heyng of Arcturus Publishing, publisher of Allen Carr's books in the UK, North America & Australia and global publishing agents for Easyway comments: "Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking book is the world's best-selling stop smoking book of all time. It's clear that our estimate of 50 million smokers is quite conservative with book sales, seminar sales, and digital sales already counted in tens of millions alone without factoring in readership." John Dicey (former 80-a day smoker), Global CEO & Senior Therapist of Allen Carr's Easyway comments: "Our live seminar centres have now spread to more than 150 cities in 50+ countries taking in nations as diverse as Italy, Japan, Iran, Trkey, China, Chile, Russia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the USA. What better day to make the '50 MILLION' announcement than 'World No Tobacco Day' which is not particularly well observed in the UK but a huge day elsewhere in the world. As a UK organisation and business, Allen Carr's Easyway has a huge global footprint but continues to offer its assistance to the UK NHS & Public Health England, so far in vain, but we will keep persisting."



Allen's Carr's Easyway method is endorsed by a wide variety of celebrities and opinion formers. Michael McIntyre, Chrissie Hynde, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ellen DeGeneres, Lou Reed and Anjelica Huston are long-term supporters of Allen Carr's Easyway. Having achieved the '50 million smoker' milestone and in light of the COVID19 pandemic, Allen Carr's Easyway has been offering smokers and vapers free of charge advice and guidance which includes a 'Prepare to Quit' online programme, free support chats via Zoom or email, and even access to many of its best-selling audiobooks, completely free of charge, to help everyone #QuitForCovid. In advance of lockdown, they also moved their Live Online Group Seminars entirely online to ensure that all smokers had continued access to them throughout lockdown.

Global corporations such as Vitality Health Insurance, Google, Facebook, and Unilever have provided Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking Live Seminars to their employees as part of their wellbeing programs for many years. Clinical trials in the UK & Ireland recently proved the Allen Carr method to be as effective, if not more, than the techniques currently used by their national health services. Allen Carr's Easyway is clinically proven and requires no drugs or nicotine substitutes/replacement. www.allencarr.com

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
A senior defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, had spoken with Walz on Friday. The two officials pledged to support him in any way that he would need, the official said. The governor had no requests at this time and the Defense Department is not sending any additional assets.
North Korea has declared that 'sexual immorality' is treason in a bid to stop Japanese porn and racy foreign films from corrupting its youth.

Pyongyang has ordered a crackdown after noticing that 'more and more high school boys and girls are engaging in immoral sexual deviance'.

Party bureaucrats see promiscuity as 'a treasonous act that helps the enemy to destroy our society', a source in the country told Radio Free Asia.

Schools have been ordered to check for phones with salacious material while teachers and parents have been threatened with punishments under the new rules.

North Korea's ruling party has ordered a crackdown after noticing a rise in 'sexual immorality' among young people (file photo, North Korean students have a dance in Pyongyang)

Materials including Japanese porn and racy films from South Korea and the U.S. are thought to circulate on phones and USB drives which arrive from China.

The rise of mobile phones has made it easier for youngsters to get their hands on such materials, officials fear, although smartphones are heavily monitored.

The ruling party's Central Committee has urged 'strong measures' amid fears that young people are being 'influenced by capitalist lifestyles'.

The committee 'defined sexual promiscuity among teenagers as a treasonous act that helps the enemy to destroy our society,' the source in North Korea said.

'The Central Committee pointed out that the reason why [sexual promiscuity] is so common in students these days is because they are imbued with decadent capitalist culture, due to the increase in electronic media, including mobile phones.

'Since they are warning of strong punishment, students are shaking with fear.'

Teachers are also said to be 'anxious' because principals and tutors have been warned that they too will be punished if such behaviour is allowed to continue.

Some of the alleged decadence was uncovered in an inspection by the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League, named after Kim Jong-un's two predecessors.

Human Rights Watch warned in a 2018 report that North Korean schools provide little sex education and that men and women are left 'unprepared for the realities of sexual activity'.

The ruling Workers' Party led by Kim Jong-un (pictured earlier this month) has threatened to punish teachers and parents for pupils' perceived immorality

People in North Korea 'know little about reproductive health, pregnancy, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, or sexual crimes and seldom talk about these topics, the report said.

The porn coming over the border from China has also led to an 'increased depiction of women as sexual objects,' it warned.

Phones in North Korea are already subject to surveillance by various agencies including the army and the ruling party.

The country has an operating system called Red Star which can scan for words or phrases deemed unfavourable to the regime and delete them.

Red Star also uses software that takes regular screenshots of what is being displayed on a person's screen.

The screenshots cannot be deleted by a typical user, but are available for checking if a trained government official decides to take a look.

Instead of the World Wide Web, North Koreans have access to a specially-designed intranet which is sealed off from the outside world.

Some North Koreans living near the Chinese border secretly use phones on Chinese networks to bypass state control.
PROVO, Utah, May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SmartyStreets , a leader in location data intelligence, announces the release of the new US Autocomplete Pro API , a service that improves data governance at the source and simplifies address data entry in real time.



The US Autocomplete Pro API starts suggesting valid addresses as soon as the user first starts typing an address. All addresses suggested are 100% validated, standardized US addresses, and are returned to the user in a fraction of a second. Additionally, the API can determine if an address should also include a unit number, and will suggest valid unit numbers to the user accordingly. This ensures rapid, precise data entry, thereby ensuring clean address data in business databases.

More than ever, businesses rely on quality address data. When bad addresses enter into a system, it can negatively impact customers, a companys revenue and even the companys reputation, explained Jonathan Oliver, Founder of SmartyStreets. The cost of unreliable address data is too high. By introducing the US Autocomplete API, we help empower businesses so they can dramatically increase the accuracy of data as it first enters their systems.

Many other autocomplete services include invalid addresses in their suggestions. And, they usually do not include unit numbers as part of their address suggestions. Users who dont see their correct address suggested can become frustrated and decide to abandon their shopping cart. Or, if they decide to proceed, they can cause incorrect data to enter into a business systems resulting in shipping errors, returns and inconsistent data. All of this can be avoided by using a tool like SmartyStreets US Autocomplete Pro API.

To try the API, visit the SmartyStreets US Autocomplete Pro API demo page . As with all of SmartyStreets APIs, the US Autocomplete Pro API comes with SmartyStreets unlimited customer service, 100% uptime guarantee and easy implementation.

Story continues

About SmartyStreets

SmartyStreets is headquartered in Provo, Utah and provides enterprise-grade address data governance, standardization and geocoding services for addresses in 240+ countries and territories. SmartyStreets consistently processes billions of addresses every month. The company does this through easy-to-use website tools, and fully-documented APIs. SmartyStreets also provides free, unlimited accounts to qualifying startup companies.

More information about SmartyStreets can be found at https://SmartyStreets.com . You can also follow SmartyStreets on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media

Rob Green

Phone: +1.801.877.5778

Rob@SmartyStreets.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 27

Trend:

Azerbaijan has taken 44th position in the Energy Transition Index (ETI) in the Davos Economic Forum's report, showing the highest result among the CIS countries, Trend reports.

The report takes into account the main criteria for creating safe, sustainable, affordable and inclusive energy systems for future generations and provides for the transition to renewable, alternative energy systems.

Azerbaijan has been betting on the development of alternative electricity in the recent years. The country is rich in renewable energy sources, which, according to experts, will allow it to painlessly reorient itself towards environmentally friendly electricity production in the post-oil era.

Natural opportunities of Azerbaijan attract the attention of foreign investors. In general, the potential capacity of alternative energy in the country is 26,940 megawatts, with 90 percent of it being solar energy.

Stanislav Tkachenko, Doctor of Economics, Professor of St. Petersburg State University (SPBU) says the concept of alternative energy sources is very broad. Among them, the most prominent role is played by solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy, tidal and geothermal energy.

"What unites all these different sources of energy is that they are renewable, i.e. essentially endless. And their use does not have such a negative impact on nature as traditional sources have, Tkachenko said.

Presently, alternative energy is also strongly associated with the concept of progress, like oil and gas at the beginning of the last century, he noted.

The previous era, which is commonly called the oil or oil and gas era, began in the last quarter of the 19th century and coincided with an unprecedented growth in the economy, living standards, the emergence in all spheres of life of technologies that use the energy of oil, gas, as well as electricity, said the expert.

It is too early to say that this era is over. But it is also obvious that in only 10-20 years, even during the lifetime of present generations, the role of oil, gas, coal and shale will begin to decline until it becomes miniscule and insignificant for the economy of the future. Traditional energy sources will be replaced by alternative ones. They are less environmentally hazardous. Their use will save mineral resources for more efficient use than now, when they are burned for the production of heat or electricity, Tkachenko said.

He said that the production of alternative energy will require new technologies, as well as the culture of consumption of this energy - more environmentally friendly and economical.

The most relevant technologies for Azerbaijan are the resources of wind and solar energy. Moreover, these technologies can be used everywhere both at the level of the state and large energy companies (electricity production for industry, agriculture, utilities, as well as household consumption), and at the level of individual family households, especially in small towns and rural areas, said Tkachenko.

He said that initial investments in the development and implementation of alternative energy technologies are large, but they pay off in an acceptable time frame (usually 7-10 years) and help to preserve the unique nature of Azerbaijan and the health of its citizens.
MINNEAPOLIS  What was intended to be a show of support and community took a violent turn Wednesday.

Peaceful protesters and supporters have lined the streets surrounding Cup Foods in Minneapolis the past several days to protest and show support after George Floyd died hours after being restrained with a knee on his neck in police custody.

He had been detained by four police officers outside of the business. One of the officers pinned him down while Floyd said, I cant breathe.

During a gathering Thursday, attendee Eric Jordan said the protests are a good start, but they are just the beginning.

It says a lot that we have to have something horrible happen to one of our brothers for us to all come together like this, Jordan said. Stuff like this has been happening for decades and it needs to stop. This city needs to wake up and see us and see our struggle if things are ever going to change. George lost his life and we cant let that go to waste.

George Floyd memorial Speakers presented their testimonials in support of the fallen George Floyd outside of Cup Foods in Minneapolis Wednesday, the site of the inc

The four officers involved in the incident were fired earlier this week and the next question that arose after the firings is whether one or all of the officers will be charged with any crimes.

Emilee Richardson said the protests and demonstrations will not stop if justice goes unserved.

There needs to be charges, there needs to be indictments and it needs to happen now, Richardson said. If there isnt, we are going to bring these protests to the courthouse, to the streets, shut down the highways and whatever we need to do. Im sick and tired of things like this happening and it is going to stop whether they like it or not.

Hundreds gathered throughout the morning through the early afternoon Thursday on the outskirts of downtown Minneapolis, a crowd Jordan said was one of the smallest yet.

He said onlookers cannot just attend once if they want anything to change and need to continue to come back with friends if they want their presence to be felt.

I dont care if it rains or how hot it is, Im staying here, Jordan said. Ill sleep in my car on the side of the street if I have to. This is real and I wont rest until we do something about it. People need to make this their nine-to-five or five-to-nine job. Thats the only way this will work and anything will come of it.

Dozens of handmade signs with phrases such as we cant breathe, black lives matter, f*** the police and justice for George were placed throughout the site and many of the gatherers held their own as well.

Photos of Floyd were displayed in memorial sites on the surrounding blocks outside of Cup Foods, and both planned and unplanned speakers spoke about the power of community, love and support throughout the day.

While this rally was peaceful, the frustration and anger surrounding the situation turned violent on Wednesday.

Rioting, looting and one death in Minneapolis were among the results of protests late Wednesday, going against the calls for community and peace seen throughout the majority of demonstrations.

Chris Stevenson, who attended Wednesdays rally, said the hurtful actions of a few bad apples should not pollute the message thousands of Minnesotans and people around the United States are trying to convey.

Of course we dont condone violence, Stevenson said. Unfortunately some dont know how to process their frustrations effectively and last night is an example of that. We want everyone to be safe, just like we wanted George Floyd to be safe. We dont support any more violence and I hope people will instead come to an event like this and show their support that way.

Events and rallies will continue to be held outside of Cup Foods in Minneapolis and throughout the city for the foreseeable future as developments in the case transpire.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
HOUSTON -- Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the MET exon 14 (METex14) skipping mutation had a 46.5% objective response rate to the targeted therapy drug tepotinib, as shown in a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting ASCO20 Virtual Meeting (Abstract 9556 - Poster 322) by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

"The success of this trial, alongside other studies on the same class of drugs, establishes MET exon 14 as an actionable target for non-small cell lung cancer," said senior author Xiuning Le, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology. "We're pleased to show that another group of lung cancer patients may benefit from precision medicine."

METex14 skipping is a mutation that drives cancer growth and occurs in 3-4% of all NSCLC patients. Patients with METex14 skipping tend to be older, with a median age of 74, and typically don't have other actionable mutations with existing targeted therapy options.

The study results represent cohort A of the single-arm, international Phase II VISION trial, which is ongoing with additional cohorts. More than 6,700 NSCLC patients were prescreened for MET alterations through liquid and/or tissue biopsy. A total of 152 patients with advanced NSCLC and METex14 skipping were treated with tepotinib. Patients with prior treatment and/or stable brain metastasis were allowed to participate in the trial. Participants were treated with 500mg daily oral tepotinib.

Meaningful benefit for an elderly population

The primary endpoint was objective response rate, defined as complete or partial response, according to the RECIST v1.1 criteria and confirmed by independent review. After nine months follow-up, the primary efficacy population of 99 patients had a 46.5% objective response rate and durable response of 11.1 months.

"The median duration of response of almost one year is very meaningful for this patient population," Le said. "It's important for these elderly patients to have another treatment option, other than traditional chemotherapy, in oral form that can improve their quality of life for a long duration."

Toxicities were manageable, with grade ? 3 treatment-related adverse events reported in 27.6% of patients. The most common side effect was peripheral edema. Eleven percent of patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events.

The study also collected patient-reported outcomes, which indicated an improvement in coughing and overall maintenance of quality of life.

Liquid biopsy for biomarker detection

The VISION study represents the largest METex14 skipping cohort to be identified prospectively through liquid biopsy, verifying that liquid biopsy is a reliable method to detect the mutation. The study also showed that liquid biopsy was a useful tool to identify response to the drug.

Matched liquid biopsy samples for baseline and on-treatment were available for 51 patients. Next-generation sequencing found 34 of those patients had a molecular response with a complete or deep reduction of the mutation, and radiographic response was confirmed in 68% of patients who had a molecular response.

"This study marked a major advance in that we now have a highly effective, oral therapy for a group of non-small lung cancer patients that previously did not have any targeted therapy options," said co-author John Heymach, M.D., Ph.D., chair of Thoracic-Head & Neck Medical Oncology. "We are proud to lead the field forward as we work to provide novel treatments to patients."

Tepotinib was granted breakthrough therapy designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2019, based on early data from the VISION study. It was approved for use as the first oral targeted therapy for MET-positive NSCLC in Japan in March 2020.

A full list of co-authors and their disclosures are included in the paper. The research was supported by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.

###

About MD Anderson

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. The institution's sole mission is to end cancer for patients and their families around the world. MD Anderson is one of only 51 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). MD Anderson is ranked No.1 for cancer care in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" survey. It has ranked as one of the nation's top two hospitals for cancer care since the survey began in 1990, and has ranked first 15 times in the last 18 years. MD Anderson receives a cancer center support grant from the NCI of the National Institutes of Health (P30 CA016672).
In 1990, Dr. Qiao Shihui went to Niger, West Africa from the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and started his first overseas medical aid trip there at the age of 39.

From October 1990 to November 2012, Dr. Qiao Shihui had been to Africa for five times, worked nearly 13 years for many places including Niger Capital Hospital, Zinder National Second Hospital, Maradi Provincial Central Hospital and Comoros Capital Hospital, and treated more than 38,000 patients.

His selfless act has made a great contribution to the unity and friendship between Chinese and African people. In December 2012, the selection campaign of the fourth 'China-Africa Friendship Award' was announced in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and Qiao Shihui's name was on the list of successful candidates. He was the only representative from the national health care system among 10 prize winners and was grandly commended.

Witnessing the changes medical aid missions brought to people around the world, many more Chinese doctors follow Dr. Qiao's footsteps and volunteer their time and expertise where they are needed most.

Mr. Zeng Siming is another doctor who brings hope and spreads bright and friendship in the documentary. He started volunteering medical aid missions since 1996, and his footprints spreads across Niger, Comoros and Cambodia.

Dr. Zeng joined the "Belt and Road" plan of eliminating cataract that causes blindness in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia. Zeng and his team members have completed more than 6,200 cataract surgeries in Cambodia within two years.

Under Dr. Zeng's guidance, the only two qualified ophthalmologists in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia are now able to perform the phacoemulsification cataract surgery independently and help patients to regain vision.

Dr. Qiao and Dr. Zeng have shown us what "Benevolent Healers, Boundless Love" mean in practice. And many Chinese doctors like them are looking forward to bringing bright and hope to people of more countries.

According to the statistics, it has been 57 years since China sent its first overseas medical team to Algeria in 1963. Over the years, China has sent overseas medical teams to 71 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and Oceania, and over 280 million people have received care and treatment from Chinese medical teams.

Image Attachments Links:

Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=364401

Caption: Work photo when Dr. Qiao Shihui aided Africa

Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=364406

Caption: Dr. Zeng Siming is examining for local residents of Cambodia

SOURCE Mango TV
WARE  A lieutenant on the municipal fire department has been terminated, though town officials have not publicly said why.

Lt. Brian Coulombe recently has been on paid administrative leave. He has been under investigation by a private attorney hired by Ware Town Manager Stuart Beckley.

Coulombes last day of work for the Town of Ware is Thursday May 28, 2020, Beckley said in an email statement when asked about the firefighters employment status.

His father, Thomas Coulombe, was fire chief until the Board of Selectmen demoted him last fall, saying he improperly hired Brian Coulombe before he was old enough to apply.

Thomas Coulombe returned to work as a lieutenant in January following a 30-day suspension. He has appealed his demotion to the state Civil Service Commission, with a hearing scheduled in the coming weeks.

A letter Beckley sent Thomas Coulombe in 2019 said he was under investigation because you may have abused your position as Fire Chief and acted inappropriately in your role as Fire Chief ... when you failed to disclose that Brian Coulombe was ineligible to apply for and take the firefighters exam that placed him on the civil service list that led to his original appointment in 2004.

In Massachusetts, the minimum age to become a firefighter is 19. Thomas Coulombe has said his son was born June 12, 1985, and his date of hire was April 28, 2005, when he was 6 weeks from being 20.

Beckley did not disclose details about why Brian Coulombe was terminated.

The firefighters union is expected to file a grievance to challenge the termination that likely will be decided via arbitration.
On Thursday, May 28, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced that horse racing is returning to Illinois racetracks in June.

The Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association (IHHA) has announced that live Standardbred racing at Hawthorne Race Course will resume on Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7. The IHHA has also stated that Hawthorne will then be switching to a three-night-per-week schedule.

Via release, the IDOA has announced that it has worked with various stakeholders to bring patron-free Standardbred and Thoroughbred racing back to raceways around the state while adhering to the social distancing guidelines. According to the IDOA, the move is an effort to provide economic relief to the horse racing industry, as other states have done.

Only licensed essential personnel for the care of racehorses, and those necessary to conduct live racing will be allowed on the grounds. Wagering will take place online since no spectators are allowed in the venues.

"These conditions necessitate changes to keep horse racing going in Illinois" Illinois Racing Board Executive Director Domenic DiCera has been quoted as saying. "The return of live horse racing in Illinois is welcomed by many hardworking men and woman that work and are committed to this industry."

Strict safety protocols will be in place when racing returns, and everyone must follow new rules, according to the IHHA. Temperatures will be taken when people enter the backstretch. Participants will be required to wear masks at all times and social distancing will be enforced. Additionally, new paddock and ship-in areas will be designed to conform to the rules. The IHHA has stated that its membership will follow the rules religiously. The IHHA release on the matter states that, 'No one person is more important than the whole of the industry. Do not show up without a mask and dont take these warnings lightly. We have sacrificed too much lost time already to risk a setback.'

According to the IHHA, Hawthorne qualifiers have been scheduled for Monday, June 1 at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, June 3 at 11:00 a.m. If a Standardbred raced after Friday, March 6, it is not required to qualify, according to the IHHA. The horsemen's association has also stated that qualifying standards will go back to the traditional 45 days, effective June 10.

The IHHA has also indicated that there may be an adjustment on the starting post time to maximize the opportunity for handle. The organization has also stated that because of the obvious lack of simulcasting wagering from the past three months, racing will start back with a 15 per cent reduction in purses. The IHHA is hopeful that the reduction will be the only purse cut of the year. The Illinois Racing Board will be open for licensing at the racetrack (days and hours to be announced soon).

"We have been working almost since the start of the pandemic to find a way to get horses back on the tracks in Illinois," IDOA Acting Director Jerry Costello II has said. "We think the safety guidelines that have been laid out for social distancing of personnel while at the track, as well as the other precautions being taken to protect the horseman will allow for a safe racing environment, while maintaining the integrity of the sport."

(With files from the IDOA and IHHA)
Already under threat, Venice's traditional gondola shipyards now lie silent apart from the gentle sound of canal water lapping at their doorsteps. When Italian master Canaletto was painting his panoramas of the floating city in the 18th century, the "squeri", as they are known, were ten a penny. Now only four of the small shipyards remain. All of them have been at a near or complete standstill since a blanket ban on sailing gondolas was imposed during the coronavirus pandemic. "Venice without gondolas is dark and meaningless," said Roberto Dei Rossi, one of the few remaining traditional carpenters who build the long black boats. The 58-year-old crafts between four and five gondolas a year by hand, each one taking some 400 hours to make. "Every time I put a new one into the water, it's like witnessing a birth. It's my creation," he told AFP. - Fit for a king - The boats are just over 10 metres (32 feet) long, 1.38 metres wide and weigh 600 kilogrammes (1,320 pounds). They are made up of 280 pieces of wood from eight different species of tree -- oak, larch, walnut, cherry, basswood, cedar, mahogany, and fir. They are bought almost exclusively by gondoliers, who pay between 30,000 euros ($33,000) and 50,000 euros depending on the finish. Each is made to measure and adapted to the weight of its new owner. "We also have had a few enthusiasts who have placed orders with us, in the United States, Germany and Japan," said Dei Rossi. They were once considered a present fit for a king: some, along with their gondoliers, were offered by Venice's Doge to France's Louis XIV for the "royal flotilla" that sailed on the Palace of Versailles' Grand Canal. The bulk of the fleet now glides along the canals of Venice, punted by some 400 gondoliers. Would-be newcomers have to bid for a limited number of navigation licences granted by the city hall. These are glum times for gondoliers though: the pandemic has put a temporary end to romantic tours by water. The sector had already suffered during exceptional high tides at the end of last year, which put off tourists and damaged boats. They will sail again once tourists are allowed to return to Italy from June 3, covering their noses and mouths with masks -- a far cry from the city's flamboyant carnival costumes. - 'Axe masters' - Italy's government imposed a national lockdown in early March. Images of pristine waters in Venice after marine traffic was halted went viral around the world. But the long shutdown was bad news for the shipyards, which not only make but also repair and maintain gondolas. It has been particularly hard for the Tramontin shipyard, the oldest workshop still active in Venice. Bordering the Ognissanti Canal, it was taken over by two young sisters in 2018 after the death of their father Roberto Tramontin, heir to a family business founded by his great-grandfather in 1884. "With dad no longer around, the main thing was missing," said Elena Tramontin, 33, who decided along with her younger sister Elisabetta to do what they could to keep the company alive. "We had to reinvent ourselves," she told AFP. Despite having no experience and no previous plans to enter the gondola-building business, they took the plunge, relying heavily on the help of gondola carpentry experts known as the "maestri d'ascia", or "axe masters". "My sister is in charge of public relations, the cultural side of the business, which is important, and I paint and do some small repairs on the boats," Elisabetta Tramontin said. The art graduate, 30, says that despite the obstacles -- be they high tides or viruses -- they are determined to honour their father's memory and transform "Tramontin and sons" into "Tramontin and daughters". "You don't get rich with this job, you have to have passion. But it does bring a lot of satisfaction," she said.
The closure on Monday, due to a coronavirus outbreak, of Weston General Hospital in Weston-super-Mare, England is a devastating rebuttal of all government claims that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is over.

The outbreak reveals the enormous dangers to the health and lives of National Health Service (NHS) workers.

Weston General Hospital serves a large population of 212,000 people in north Somerset and people needing medical care are being directed to other hospitals and facilities in the region.

On Monday, news broke that the hospital, including its A&E department, had closed its doors from 8 a.m. to new patients due to an outbreak of COVID-19 within the facility. This was initially reported as an outbreak among patients. The hospital issued a statement saying this was a precautionary measure in order to maintain the safety of staff and patients in response to the high number of patients with Coronavirus in the hospital.

But this was only half the picture. It was revealed within hours by local press outlet Somerset Live that 40 percent of a limited group of staff who had come into contact with infected patients had tested positive for COVID-19, with around half of the cases asymptomatic. This information was based on information in an internal memo leaked by a staff member at the hospital.

On Monday afternoon, Somerset Live posted a story , Testing of NHS staff at Somerset hospital reportedly reveals 40 percent as COVID-19 positive as new admissions urgently halted. The memo also revealed, reported the outlet, that the number of COVID-19 patients at the hospital has risen by nearly 100 percent since the beginning of last week.

The message reportedly sent out to NHS staff states that Weston General Hospital was reporting 64 inpatients as COVID-19 positivean increase from 30 at the beginning of the week. The memo stated that when asymptomatic staff were tested, 40 percent were found to be COVID-19 positive.

The memo warned, Discussions at CCG [Clinical Commissioning Group], regional and national level have all concluded that there is no mitigation that can be put in place to safely manage and maintain operations at Weston.

The hospital did not deny the existence of the memo, only stating, There is an emerging picture of asymptomatic staff testing positive for the virus.

In the wake of the outbreak, a mobile testing unit appeared in a car park in Weston-super-Mare. The unit, managed by military personnel, is for pre-booked testing only and was expected to be there for a few days.

On Wednesday, the hospital issued further guidance including that all visits to patients were suspended, with exceptions to be made on compassionate grounds.

The same day, Robert Woolley, chief executive of University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, said he did not know when the hospital would reopen, adding that it could be a week or longer. The hospital had to be closed, he said, because we were seeing a stubbornly high level of infectious patients inside the hospital.

There would be a deep clean, with all inpatients to be tested, and the hospital was testing all the staff who are working onsite because clearly a number are at home. The hospital employs around 2,000 staff.

Wooley downplayed the reported figures as being taken out of context because it was [a] 40 percent [infection rate] of 10 percent of the most high-risk staff working in the COVID-19 infectious wards.

Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledged that 312 NHS and social care workers had lost their lives due to COVID-19. This is one of the highest death rates in the world among health care workers. Among the deaths was Weston Hospital health care support worker Amarante Dias, who died from COVID-19 on April 13. His funeral was held April 24. There have been 118 confirmed COVID-19 patient deaths between Weston General and Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI).

For years, there were warnings that the NHS would not be able to cope in a pandemic, with a chronic shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) a central factor. On Wednesday, the Daily Mail quoted a source at the Royal College of Nursing who said Weston had has experienced issues over supplies of PPE.

What caused the recent spike in infections at the hospital has not been established. But there can be no doubt that the governments incessant back to work mantra, relaxing of lockdown measures and general messaging that the pandemic is all but over have played a part.

North Somerset had a generally low incidence of coronavirus infections, with 406 in total, but over the last days this has escalated. As of Tuesday, 55 people had tested positive for the virus over the previous seven daysmaking up more than 50 percent of all new cases across the entire county of Somerset. Another sizable increase took place in Somerset West and Taunton, with 19 new infections and 247 in total.

Over the last few weeks of warm weather, thousands have flocked from other areas of the country to North Somersets coastal towns and beaches, including Weston-Super-Mare, Clevedon and Portishead. Residents have pointed to other large gatherings such as those allowed by the government to mark VE Day. Rhiannon tweeted, Two weeks ago for VE day weekend people piled onto the beach. It felt like lockdown had stopped  Now our hospital has had to stop admissions as there are so many cases of COVID.

The failure to adequately test and trace individuals with suspected symptoms led to the pandemic taking a grip across the country. While lockdown finally came into effect on March 23, key workers were still required to work. Without adequate testing and tracing in place, asymptomatic workers were spreading the virus.

Many NHS hospital staff will have unwittingly passed on the coronavirus due to there being no systematic testing for months. A recent study by Cambridge University researchers at Addenbrookes Hospital showed 3 percent of a sample of 1,000 staff had tested positive for COVID-19, but had otherwise been fit to work. Based on the studys findings, it could mean as many as 15,000 staff nationwide still working would have tested positive for COVID-19 in April. Data released by NHS England this month found that up to a fifth of patients with COVID-19 in several hospitals contracted the disease while being treated in hospital for another illness.

The crisis at Weston hospital points to the immense dangers associated with the governments reckless ending of the lockdown, with nurseries and primary schools to begin opening from Monday.

The governments response to Westons closure was of a piece with its indifference to the fate of millions embodied in its herd immunity policy. Speaking about the outbreak at the hospital during his appearance before Parliaments Liaison Committee on Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, We will be working with the local outbreak committees, and those responsible for dealing with whatever happens locally and we will go through the local resilience forums which are leading on this  for instance, the other day you saw there was an outbreak in Weston-Super-Mare. We moved very quickly to close things down there to try to sort it out.

Johnson compared fighting the deadly virus to a childs game, declaring, That is the kind of whack-a-mole tactics that we are going to use as we keep driving the virus down and keep reducing the incidents. It is very important that we have a very sensitive test, track and trace operation in order to cope with local outbreaks.

Johnsons hot air is meant to conceal the essential fact that there is no systematic testing operation in the UK, and, until yesterday and only if it works, not even a rudimentary track and trace system in place.
Actor Sonu Sood has once again come to the rescue of people stranded in different parts of the country, looking to go back to their hometowns amid the lockdown. Sonu has helped 177 girls get to their homes in Odisha. The actor airlifted the girls, who were stuck in Kerala due to the lockdown.

According to reports, Sonu heard about the girls from a friend in Bhubaneshwar, and he decided to help them out, after taking many permissions from the Kerala and Odisha governments to have airports opened.

PTI quoted a source as saying, "The actor started the process by taking several permissions from the government to have Kochi and Bhubaneswar airports opened. A special aircraft has been called from Bangalore to airlift these 177 girls from Kochi who will be now taken to Bhubaneshwar so they can finally reunite with their families."

The source added, "The flight duration from the village to Bhubaneswar is going to be two hours and soon after finishing their journey, the girls will be heading back home."

Thanking Sonu for his gesture, Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik wrote on Twitter, "@SonuSood Ji, your helping the Odia girls to return safely from Kerala is commendable. Kudos to your noble efforts. It's incredible to see how you are helping the needy reach their homes safely. More strength to you."

A while back, Sonu had organized several buses to transport migrant labourers from Maharashtra, to their respective home states such as Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.

ALSO READ: COVID-19 Lockdown: Sonu Sood Arranges Transport For The Migrant Workers Stranded In Maharashtra

ALSO READ: Sonu Sood Offers His Mumbai Hotel To Accommodate Doctors & Medical Staff Treating COVID-19 Patients


Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Doha, Qatar  Fri, May 29, 2020 11:15 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdae1843 2 World Qatar,Gulf-Cooperation-Council,exit,rumors Free

Qatar denied on Thursday that it plans to quit the Gulf Cooperation Council as it prepares to mark three years of isolation led by the regional bloc's heavyweight Saudi Arabia.

However, the gas-rich state cautioned that the effort by three of the GCC's six members to isolate Doha economically and politically meant people in the region were "doubting and questioning" the organization.

Rumors of Qatar's imminent departure from the GCC, founded in 1981 and headquartered in Riyadh, have been swirling in Gulf capitals in recent weeks, with analysts and diplomats flagging it as a possibility.

"Reports claiming that Qatar is considering leaving the GCC are wholly incorrect and baseless," Qatar's assistant foreign minister Lolwah al-Khater told AFP.

"Such rumors must have originated from people's despair and disappointment with a fractured GCC, which used to be a source of hope and aspiration for the people of the six member countries," she said.

"As we are reaching the third year of the illegal blockade on Qatar by Saudi, UAE and Bahrain, there is no wonder why the people of the GCC are doubting and questioning the GCC as an institution.

"Qatar hopes the GCC will once again be a platform of cooperation and coordination. An effective GCC is needed now more than ever, given the challenges facing our region."

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, along with non-GCC member Egypt, abruptly cut diplomatic, economic and travel ties with Doha in June 2017 over their insistence that Qatar was too close to Iran and backing radical Islamist movements.

Qatar fiercely rejected the charge and refused to budge on any of the 13 demands made by its allies-turned-adversaries. They include the closure of the Doha-based Al Jazeera news network and shutting a Turkish base.

The dispute will enter its third year on June 5.

"Qataris are asking themselves what benefit a membership in the GCC still has, as the organization has been usurped by Saudi Arabia and the UAE to coerce the smaller states into followership, while no initiative is being made to bring the Gulf Crisis to an end," said King's College assistant professor Andreas Krieg.

Oman and Kuwait are the other two members of the body, which oversees regional economic and military coordination, along with Qatar and its regional rivals.
Applications for loans with credit unions have dropped by 80% during the pandemic.

Some branches have already laid off staff and there are fears some are facing closure.
The attorney general is facing calls to resign after appearing to pre-empt the result of a police investigation into Dominic Cummings.

Suella Braverman was accused of serious constitutional impropriety after backing a previous Downing Street statement that said the prime ministers chief adviser had behaved reasonably and legally.

On Thursday, Durham Constabulary revealed the result of an investigation that found Mr Cummings might have breached coronavirus laws with a trip to Barnard Castle.

Police said he would have been ordered home and potentially fined under the Health Protection Regulations if he was stopped on the Easter Sunday excursion, although his initial journey from London to County Durham was not considered a violation.

Officers said they would not be taking retrospective action against Mr Cummings.

While the investigation was ongoing on 23 May, Ms Braverman wrote about the case on Twitter.

Protecting ones family is what any good parent does, she said. The @10DowningStreet statement clarifies the situation and it is wholly inappropriate to politicise it.

The tweet sparked strong criticism from a number of lawyers and legal commentators, who questioned why the attorney general appeared to back a statement claiming Mr Cummings had behaved reasonably and legally and in line with coronavirus guidelines before the investigation was completed.

Downing Street also said that at no stage was he or his family spoken to by the police about this matter, as is being reported. However, it was later confirmed that police spoke to his father.

Ms Braverman, who was appointed to her post by Boris Johnson in February, is the governments chief legal adviser and oversees the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

After Durham Constabulary announced its findings, prolific legal blogger the Secret Barrister was among critics calling for her resignation.

This, Im afraid, is a resigning issue for Suella Braverman, a tweet said.

She has, through a wholesale failure to understand her role as attorney general, politicised an independent criminal inquiry, presupposing the outcome and embarrassing the CPS.

Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings Show all 11 1 /11 Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings The TImes Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings Daily Mirror Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings Daily Express Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings The Independent Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings Daily Mail Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings The Guardian Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings The Daily Telegraph Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings Financial Times Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings i Newspapers react after Johnson stands by Cummings The Sun

The call was backed by numerous prominent lawyers and Scottish National Party MP Joanna Cherry QC called Ms Braverman a disgrace.

Labour's shadow attorney general, Lord Falconer, said: Mr Cummings has got away with breaking the lockdown because the prime minister, with the backing of the attorney general, said he did not break the law.

It is absolutely wrong that the prime minister and the attorney general abused their position in that way and overrode the law.

Several media outlets reported that during a cabinet meeting on Monday, Ms Braverman told ministers that Mr Cummings had not broken coronavirus laws.

The Good Law Project group has written to the attorney general and Cabinet Office requesting information on any legal advice given by Ms Braverman on the matter, and the basis for it.

We believe the requests made are well grounded and we intend to litigate if they are refused, a spokesperson said.

Lord Falconer wrote to Ms Braverman on Sunday asking her to provide clarity on her position.

The Labour peer said her tweet on 23 May made clear that she supported Downing Streets initial statement over clashing comments from Durham Constabulary.

Lord Falconer, a former Lord Chancellor and barrister, accused the attorney general of joining a politically orchestrated campaign in support of Mr Cummings and highlighted similar tweets by other ministers.

As attorney general you have a special constitutional responsibility for the appropriate enforcement of the criminal law and are responsible for oversight of criminal prosecutions, he wrote.

(AFP)

It is a rigid constitutional principle the attorney general will discharge those functions free from political considerations or influence.

Lord Falconer accused Ms Braverman of serious constitutional impropriety over the tweet and said it showed she was either unaware or utterly indifferent of her legal obligations.

He called for her to delete the tweet and affirm her independence in decision-making relating to the criminal justice system.

In a reply sent on Wednesday, Ms Braverman said that since the letter was sent Mr Cummings had given a full account of his decisions.

There is of course no question of my having offered any public legal view (as you know, law officers do not publish their legal advice much less tweet about it), nor of seeking to pre-empt any formal investigation, she added.

The purpose of my comments, as I think would be obvious to a fair-minded observer, was simply to support the decision to clarify events.

The letter was written before Durham Constabulary announced the result of its investigation, and Ms Braverman has not publicly commented on the findings.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, yesterday (May 28) received a phone call from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the phone conversation, they discussed the efforts being exerted to stabilize the oil markets, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

For his part, Putin praised the kingdom's prominent role and efforts in stabilising the global oil markets.

They also discussed the relations between the two countries and means of developing them, it added.
Advertisement

Huge swarms of desert locusts have been pictured clinging to every available surface as swathes of the two-inch insects plague western and central India - as the country battles floods, a heatwave and a soaring number of coronavirus infections.

Photographs taken this week in Jaipur, one of 33 Rajasthan districts, show millions of the insects ravaging fields and covering walls as swarms continue to destroy harvests across the country.

Drones, tractors and cars have been sent out to track the voracious pests and spray them with pesticides. The locusts have already destroyed nearly 125,000 acres of cropland.

'Eight to 10 swarms, each measuring around a square kilometre (0.4 square miles) are active in parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh,' the government's Locust Warning Organisation's deputy director K.L. Gurjar told AFP.

The insects caused massive damage to seasonal crops in both states, devastating many farmers already struggling with the impact of a strict coronavirus lockdown.

Scroll down for video.

Photographs taken this week in Jaipur, one of 33 Rajasthan districts, show millions of the insects ravaging fields and covering walls as swarms continue to destroy harvests across the country

Swarms of locust attack in the residential areas of Jaipur, Rajasthan, Monday, May 25. More than half of Rajasthan's 33 districts are affected by invasion by these crop-munching insects

Swarms of locust attack in the walled city of Jaipur. Drones, tractors and cars have been sent out to track the voracious pests and spray them with pesticides. The locusts have already destroyed nearly 125,000 acres of cropland

They destroyed harvests in the agricultural heartlands of neighbouring Pakistan in April, before entering Rajasthan.

Smaller swarms are also active in a handful of states across India, Gurjar said.

To add to India's problems, a heatwave has sent temperatures to 122F (50C) in some places while the capital New Delhi saw its hottest May day since 2002.

The hot spell is projected to scorch northern India for several more days, the Meteorological Department said, 'with severe heat wave conditions in isolated pockets'.

Churu in Rajasthan was the hottest place on record on Tuesday, at 122F (50C), while parts of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh sweltered just below that level.

Last year the government said the heat had killed 3,500 people since 2015, although no deaths have been reported so far this year.

People stood in the streets as the swarm passed through Jaipur on Monday, with some parking their motorcycles along the side of the road. Many wore masks to protect themselves from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic

The state capital Jaipur was overwhelmed by the insects as bewildered locals banged on pots and pans to try and ward them off. Others stood on roofs while snapping photographs on their smartphones to capture the phenomenon

One swarm came to rest on a roof, with millions of the insects turning the cement building a shade of copper as they covered every available surface

The country of 1.3billion people suffers from severe water shortages with tens of millions lacking running water - to say nothing of air conditioning.

Meanwhile, a swarm of 40 million locusts can eat as much food as 35,000 people - or six elephants - according to UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Residential areas in the state capital Jaipur were overwhelmed by the insects as bewildered locals banged on pots and pans to try and ward them off. Others stood on roofs while snapping photographs on their smartphones to capture the phenomenon.

People stood in the streets as the swarm passed through, with some parking their motorcycles along the side of the road. Many wore masks to protect themselves from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Experts warn the situation could worsen with more expected to reach India via Pakistan from the Horn of Africa in June.

One man grabbed a locust to show the size of the insects. Each locust can range in size between 0.5 and three inches long. They come from the same family as grasshoppers and can be either solitary or gregarious, meaning social

In this photograph taken on Monday a resident tries to fend off swarms of locusts from a mango tree in a residential area of Jaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan

The insects cause massive damage to seasonal crops, devastating many farmers already struggling with the impact of a strict coronavirus lockdown

One swarm came to rest on a roof, with millions of the insects turning the cement building a shade of copper as they covered every available surface.

Heavy rains and cyclones enabled unprecedented breeding and the rapid growth of locust populations on the Arabian peninsula early last year, according to the United Nations.

India has not seen locust swarms on this scale since 1993 when it experienced a widespread plague, the warning centre said.

Locusts destroy crops in some parts of Rajasthan close to the border with Pakistan most years, but it is rare for the insects to move further into the state.

Heavy rains and cyclones enabled unprecedented breeding and the rapid growth of locust populations on the Arabian peninsula early last year, according to the United Nations

A swarm of 40 million locusts can eat as much food as 35,000 people - or six elephants - according to UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation

They destroyed harvests in the agricultural heartlands of neighbouring Pakistan in April, before entering Rajasthan. Smaller swarms are also active in a handful of states across India, Gurjar said. Pictured, a motorcyclist continues driving along the road despite the swarm

Wind patterns have been pushing the swarms southwest, the locust warning centre said. Some swarms can travel as far as 81 miles or more a day.

In 1954, a swarm flew from northwest Africa to Great Britain. In 1988, another flew more than 3,100 miles in ten days, from West Africa to the Caribbean, according to National Geographic.

A desert locust swarm has been known to be up to 460 square miles in size, packing between 40 and 80 million insects into less than half a square mile.

Coronavirus infections rose by 6,566 in India today, leading the country to become the fourth most affected by the virus worldwide, with a total of 166,000 confirmed cases.

The South Asian nation now trails only Russia, Brazil and the US on total number of cases.

Wind patterns have been pushing the swarms southwest, the locust warning centre said. Some swarms can travel as far as 81 miles or more a day

A desert locust swarm has been known to be up to 460 square miles in size, packing between 40 and 80 million insects into less than half a square mile

In 1954, a swarm flew from northwest Africa to Great Britain. In 1988, another flew more than 3,100 miles in ten days, from West Africa to the Caribbean, according to National Geographic

People wait in a line to board a train that will take them to their home state of Uttar Pradesh, during an extended lockdown to slow the spreading of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India on Tuesday. India has become the fourth most-affected country

Despite its new ranking, New Delhi has continued to maintain a relatively low death rate.

Today health ministry officials reported a total of 4,706 deaths, up 194 since yesterday.

They said Indias death rate stood at 0.3 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to what they said was a world average of 4.4.

On May 17 the country's lockdown was extended until May 31, but with a relaxing of restrictions. All factories, manufacturing units, supply lines and offices can now reopen. Buses and other vehicles also now have complete freedom.

Air and metro travel remain off limits and schools and recreational activities are still closed.

Separately, cyclone Amphan last week killed more than 100 people as it ravaged eastern India and Bangladesh, flattening villages and destroying farms.

The cyclone tore up trees, washed away roads and left millions of people without power after triggering a disastrous storm surge on the subcontinent.

The north-eastern states of Assam and Meghalaya are also currently experiencing floods, with more heavy rainfall forecast in the coming days.
Ian Paisley said comments made about the Stormont Executive which were emailed to more than 300 people, were made in a "jocular manner" and meant for a friend.

As the track and trace scheme in England got off to a shaky start yesterday, it emerged that North Antrim MP had accidentally emailed hundreds of MPs saying he "wouldn't let any government, least of all the NI Execuitive [sic], track and trace me and my movements!"

The email was seen by Sunday Times journalist Gabriel Pogrund, who shared the story on social media, adding that Mr Paisley said he was "responding in a 'jocular manner', and backs efforts to support health of the nation".

Mr Paisley said in a second email: "Oops, was replying in a jocular manner to a friend and obviously sent you all an email by mistake.

"Of course I support measures to protect the health of the nation by our government and NI Executive.

"Hope you saw the funny side of that. Ian."

The email which sparked the exchange was from a member of the public who said the government should direct their focus towards contact tracing.

"Please consider devolving responsibility to local health centres who can be trusted," it said.

Contacted by the Belfast Telegraph on Thursday night, the MP was reluctant to comment further on the email.

It is what it is, he said.

Earlier First Minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster told a Stormont press conference that the Northern Ireland contact tracing scheme was the cornerstone of what we are doing to try to control the virus.

She said she was very pleased that we are the first part of the UK to have contact tracing in place and I hope that everyone realises we're ahead in relation to that.

The DUP has not responded to requests for comment.
The other is a soft-spoken Air Force engineer who has worked on projects for 32 years with the singular goal of protecting and defending the United States. The 6-foot-3 Florida resident is still mourning the death of a wife he lost 19 years ago. He holds on to cherished memories of Lori Klausutis as a lifelong Republican, a devoted Catholic who sang in her church choir and an avid runner so perpetually cheerful that people called her Little Miss Mary Sunshine. After Loris death, T.J. Klausutis returned alone to the home the couple had just bought in Niceville, Fla., and faced an almost immediate barrage of Internet conspiracy theories about the murder of his wife.
<! >

Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde took to social media to express her concerns after her husband went on his first flight since the pandemic began.

The actress said she doesnt know how to feel after her husband Captain Matthew Ekeinde was involved in flying back Chinese medics that arrived in Nigeria in April.

She shared photos as they left and wrote;

#Is this the New Normal? ?

#TheCaptain went on his first Flight today in 2 months!

Those are the Chinese ppl that flew in some time ago leaving! ? ~~~~ Not sure how to feel ~~~~

See post below ;

However, her post stirred reactions from other celebrities.

Joke Silva wrote: Why did they comewhy were they being sought by NA???????

Sola Sobowale wrote: stay safe omy darling

My darling all my love , Moabudu commented.
Minneapolis police block a road on the fourth day of protests over George Floyd's death: Getty Images

Donald Trumps escalating war with Twitter has taken a new turn since rioting broke out in Minneapolis over the killing of George Floyd. Raging at the sight of looting and vandalism in a major city, the president Thursday night tweeted that he would not stand for it.

These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, he wrote, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

The president's tweets come following the death of Mr Floyd, 46, who died on Monday after being held down by a police officer who knelt on his neck, despite him telling the officer he could not breathe.

The second tweet was flagged by Twitter, who put it behind a click-through warning saying it violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. It was then quoted in full by the official White House account, where it was not immediately flagged.

The threatening words at the end of the tweet, however, arent Trumps own. They belong to a Miami police chief of the 1960s, Walter Headley  a man who deployed harsh, even brutal policing tactics in an attempt to bring black residents of his city to heel.

In 1967, as social unrest roiled many American cities, Headley gained a level of national notoriety for declaring war on crime in his city  and especially upon young black men, who were subjected to warrantless searches, including strip-searches, and frequently met with outright violence.

In declaring war on young hoodlums, from 15 to 21, who have taken advantage of the civil rights campaign, he said, we dont mind being accused of police brutality. They havent seen anything yet.

His forces tactics drew anger from civil rights leaders, who accused him of stoking racial resentment of the police even as the crime rate dropped. But Headleys conscience was apparently impervious to their pleas: according to a UPI article from the time, Headley said the crime rate in the city had dropped thanks to his letting the word filter down that when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

Story continues

The summer after he made those remarks, the Republican party held its national convention in Miami, Florida, where Richard Nixon accepted the nomination for the election he would go on to win. While the convention was in progress, riots broke out in Miamis predominantly black Liberty City area, where resentment at racist policing tactics had finally boiled over.

Headley refused to return from his North Carolina vacation  simply saying of his officers that they know what to do. When he died in 1968, his AP obituary called him the architect of a crime crackdown that sent police dogs and shotgun-toting patrolmen into Miamis slums in force.

Ironically, Mr Trump himself says he has considered moving his own Republican convention to Florida, angry that the scheduled host state, North Carolina, is enforcing social distancing rules that would limit the number of people allowed into the arena.

Meanwhile, the violence in Minneapolis goes on.




NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Army rushed in additional troops and weaponry to eastern Ladakh as part of its strategy to fend off China's aggressive military behaviour with "firmness", even as top Army commanders deliberated on the delicate situation in the region for the second consecutive day on Thursday, official sources said.



They said military reinforcements, including troops, vehicles and equipment, were sent to shore up Indian presence in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie.



The Army commanders extensively deliberated on the situation in eastern Ladakh on the opening day of a three-day conference on Wednesday as well.



The conference, which is being chaired by Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, also reviewed anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in certain areas in the North Eastern region, the sources said.



The Indian Army will continue to maintain its aggressive posturing in all disputed areas in eastern Ladakh and will not back off till status quo is maintained, they said.



The sources said the Indian Army has significantly bolstered its strength in eastern Ladakh and even brought in artillery guns.



The commanders' conference was originally scheduled to be held from April 13-18, but it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The biannual army commanders conference is held in April and October every year.



The second phase of the conference will take place in the last week of June.



In the meantime, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said India was engaged with China at military and diplomatic levels to resolve the border standoff in eastern Ladakh, but at the same time asserted that the country is "firm" in its resolve to protect its sovereignty and national security.



He said India is committed to the objective of maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and that Indian troops take a very responsible approach towards border management.



The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders.



Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.



The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.



On the face-off in eastern Ladakh, India last week said that it has always taken a very responsible approach towards border management but the Chinese military was hindering normal patrolling by its troops.



It is learnt that both India and China are looking at a solution to the issue through talks.



On May 5, the Indian and Chinese army personnel clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting in the Pangong Tso lake area in which soldiers on both sides suffered injuries.



In a separate incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector on May 9. At least 10 soldiers from both sides suffered injuries.



The troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam tri-junction in 2017 which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.



The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long LAC. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.



Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas.


Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low around 35F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low around 35F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Anti-China bills presented to the U.S. Congress demanding an investigation into China and blaming it for the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. are groundless, untenable, and a typical example of political manipulation, said deputies to the National Peoples Congress (NPC), Chinas top legislature.

The third session of the 13th National Peoples Congress opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 22. Photo by Weng Qiyu/Peoples Daily Online

China has strictly followed the procedures for reporting, verifiction and releasing information on infectious diseases stipulated by the law on prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in an open, transparent, and responsible manner, said Zheng Shuna, a deputy to the NPC.

China released the relevant information about the COVID-19 outbreak at the earliest possible time, Zheng stressed, adding that the country has published a detailed timeline on its COVID-19 response.

Facts have shown that the Chinese government has taken the most comprehensive, strict, and thorough epidemic prevention and control measures, which helped promptly and effectively cut off the virus transmission chain, Zheng said.

According to a research report published in Science magazine, the lockdown measures introduced in China may have prevented more than 700,000 people from being infected with the novel coronavirus, Zheng noted.

In contrast, the U.S. has seen its number of confirmed COVID-19 cases surge from less than 100 in February to more than 1.6 million today, Zheng said, noting that the absurd allegation that Chinas lack of transparency in releasing information caused delays in the U.S. pandemic response does not stand up in the face of the facts.

The international community has reached a consensus that the origin of a virus is a serious scientific issue that must be studied by scientists and medical experts using scientific methods, said Xu Anbiao, a NPC deputy.

The jump to conclusions by some people and attempts to blame China based on presumption of guilt in the absence of scientific conclusions wont enjoy popular support, Xu said.

Chinese medical experts and scientists were the first to share with the world the full genome sequence of the novel coronavirus and the first to isolate the virus strain, Xu noted, adding that the information on COVID-19 released by China has served as reference for and contributed significantly to global efforts to study the virus transmission mechanism, develop testing kits, and treat COVID-19 patients.

There have been many media reports showing that clinicopathologic analyses of patients in some countries revealed that some people who had not been to China were infected with the novel coronavirus before the concentrated outbreak of the disease, Xu added.

Some U.S. Congress members have shifted the blame for the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. onto China in their bills, and even claimed compensation from China, NPC deputy Yu Zhigang said, noting that these bills were drawn up with total disregard for facts and logic.

These bills have revealed the shocking Cold War mentality, arrogance and bigotry of some members of the U.S. Congress, Yu noted, adding that U.S. Congress members attempts to claim compensation from China over the pandemic by proposing bills and promoting amendments to municipal laws are in fact a breach of the principle of sovereign equality stipulated in international law.

These bills have also challenged the universally recognized principle of sovereign immunity in international law and disturbed the international order, Yu pointed out.

The U.S. has the worlds most advanced medical technologies, best medicines, and largest number of biotechnology labs, and yet the country has witnessed a rapid spread of the disease due to inadequate epidemic prevention and control efforts, Yu said.

There have been many pandemics in the history of mankind, and many of them were first reported in the U.S., Yu said, asking why the U.S. didnt assume responsibility for those outbreaks.

Playing the blame game and shifting the responsibility onto China will never help combat the pandemic, stressed NPC deputy Chen Fuli, adding that countries can only defeat the disease by intensifying cooperation and supporting the role of the World Health Organization.

China has always upheld the idea of a community of a shared future for mankind and worked together with various countries in their global efforts to fight the pandemic, Chen said, noting that the country has offered assistance, dispatched medical teams, and provided massive amounts of medical supplies to countries across the world.

Many social organizations, enterprises, and people in the U.S. also offered help to China in the initial stages of the pandemic, Chen revealed, saying that China has offered support and convenience to the U.S. in purchases of anti-epidemic materials from China, while many Chinese provinces, cities, enterprises, and institutions have donated large amounts of urgently needed medical supplies to the U.S.

Some U.S. Congress members fabrication of lies to smear China in disregard of the above facts is a political virus inflicted upon and spreading around the world while COVID-19 is still raging, Chen said.
President Xi Jinping on Friday encouraged scientific and technological workers across China to make new and greater contributions to building China into a global power in science and technology.





Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in replying to a letter by 25 representatives of sci-tech workers. He also called for efforts to achieve breakthroughs in key and core technologies.





Xi extended greetings to sci-tech workers across the country ahead of China's fourth national sci-tech workers' day, which falls on May 30.





A vast number of sci-tech workers have dedicated themselves to serving the country through their innovative thinking and practices, Xi noted.





He pointed out that innovation is the primary driving force for development, and science and technologies are powerful tools to overcome difficulties.





Facing the sudden COVID-19 outbreak, sci-tech workers have risen up to challenges and worked day and night on the clinical treatment, vaccine research and development, material support as well as big data application, providing sci-tech support against the epidemic, Xi said.





Xi hoped that sci-tech workers across the country strive to resolve problems with key and core technologies, promote the in-depth integration of application, education and scientific research, reach the peak of science and technology and make new and greater contributions to building China into a global power in science and technology.





In November 2016, the State Council, China's cabinet, set down May 30 as the national sci-tech workers' day.





Recently, 25 representatives of sci-tech workers, including agronomist Yuan Longping, respiratory specialist Zhong Nanshan and space expert Ye Peijian, wrote to Xi to express their determination to make contributions in the new era of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Nina Ahmad, who ran briefly for lieutenant governor in 2018, is now a candidate for Pennsylvania Auditor General. Read more

Clout pop quiz: Name the six Democrats running in Tuesdays primary election for auditor general in Pennsylvania.

We understand if you could only name one or two, or maybe none of them, even if this is the most competitive statewide race on the ballot. The office just doesnt attract much attention.

Which brings us to Nina Ahmads million-dollar bet.

Ahmad, a former Philadelphia deputy mayor seeking the nomination, has sunk $1,090,773 in the last two years into two races for relatively obscure offices  $655,835 for lieutenant governor in 2018 and now $434,938 for auditor general.

Unfortunately, it is obscure," she said of the office, which serves as a fiscal watchdog for state agencies and programs. "But that doesnt make it unimportant or less expensive to run statewide to communicate to voters.

Ahmad, who moved to the United States from Bangladesh in 1980 and became a citizen nine years later, knows a statewide office can launch future campaigns. She also knows that just five women have been elected to statewide executive offices in Pennsylvania in the last 66 years.

And no person of color has ever been nominated by the Democratic Party statewide for executive office, she said. "And the reason is, we are usually under-resourced and not backed by the establishment.

So Ahmad and her husband, real estate developer Ahsan Nasratullah, are spending big.

Pennsylvanias vast size and expensive television markets drive up the costs for candidates who lack name recognition. Ahmad has spent $532,026 on broadcast and cable television campaign advertising, according to the ad-tracking firm Advertising Analytics.

Michael Lamb, the four-term Pittsburgh city controller, trails her in resources. He has spent $143,870 on television. Rose Marie Davis, a certified public accountant from Monroe County, has spent $1,004 on television.

The other Democrats havent spent any money on TV, according to Advertising Analytics. They are seven-term State Rep. Scott Conklin of Centre County; Tracie Fountain, a certified public accountant who has served in the Auditor Generals Office for three decades; and Christina Hartman, a nonprofit executive from Lancaster County who ran for the U.S. House in 2016.

Ahmad, Conklin, and Lamb appear to have the strongest name recognition. Some political watchers wonder if voters will treat this race like a statewide judicial contest with little-known candidates. The candidate with the first ballot position in those races has an advantage. Conklin holds that spot.

The primary looks like the real challenge this year. Republican Timothy DeFoor, the two-term Dauphin County controller, reported having just $2,385 in the bank when the latest campaign finance reports were due last Friday.

A new face, or two, coming to the PPA

The Philadelphia Parking Authority is about to have at least one new face on its six-member board. And that person will be there a while, since terms run for 10 years at the citys last bastion of Republican patronage.

The terms for former City Councilmember Al Taubenberger and attorney Andrew Stutzman expire Monday. They hold seats appointed by the state Senate. By law, Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, a Jefferson County Republican, had to send Gov. Tom Wolf at least three nominations to fill the two seats.

A Scarnati spokesperson said he resubmitted Taubenberger on May 12, along with Darren Smith, a lobbyist at Wojdak Public Relations and attorney in the suburban law firm Lamb McErlane, and Lynette Brown-Sow, a Philadelphia business consultant and former Community College executive.

Mike Cibik, a Philadelphia attorney who has been at the center of local Republican Party battles in the past, served on the PPA board from 2002 to 2010. Scarnati did not heed his request to return.

State Rep. Martina White, chair of the Republican City Committee, said the local party offered no input on the nominations.

Clout asked Stutzman, who won his original nomination with some help from the Delaware County Republican machine, if he wanted to be reappointed. He emailed to say he was pleased to turn over that role to a new voice.

Taubenberger told Clout he wanted to serve another term and thought his experience would help the agency.

He took serious heat four years ago when he defended the PPAs handling of a sexual harassment scandal that eventually ousted former executive director Vince Fenerty. Taubenberger described Fenertys actions as a puppy-love situation.

The pitfalls of talking trash while teleconferencing

Were on week  whatever  of working from home and connecting remotely. But government officials still havent learned to mute their microphones before talking some trash.

City Councilmember Cindy Bass asked Parks and Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell a question about summer programs during a teleconferenced budget hearing Tuesday.

The hearing moved on, but then Lovell was heard saying: I hate her so much. So out to get me. Its ridiculous, isnt it?"

Councilmember Cherelle Parker cut her off, declaring, OK, somebody needs to mute. It was too late. Bass made it clear she was offended.

That was very disrespectful, because Im the only one who asked her a question," Bass said. So I would like for her to elaborate."

Lovell then apologized again to Bass, twice.

State Sen. Bob Mensch, a Berks County Republican, learned this lesson last month after he told someone in his office during a teleconferenced session that he could stare daggers at State Sen. Katie Muth, a Montgomery County Democrat. And she doesnt even know it, the person replied.

Menschs microphone was hot. So Muth knew it.

Mensch later apologized without mentioning Muth by name, dubbing it an off-handed comment and a personal observation.

Staff writer Laura McCrystal contributed to this column.
For as long as I can remember, my refuge in troubled times has been nature-the wilder, the better. Particularly the mountains, thanks to girlhood adventures with my mum in Austria's Dachstein Group and Italy's Dolomites. Whenever I return home, even almost two decades later, my mud-caked hiking boots are slung in Mom's trunk and our flasks are filled before I can even unpack. Walking is our mother-daughter jam. It's where frustrations are vented, the world is put right, and we can return a bit lighter.

My curtailed, yet still gratifying, strides across Northumberland's empty moors have fostered my own meditation during England's lockdown. Stripped of human connection, I dream not of scaling lonely peaks but of roaming Slovenia's gentler hinterland. It's there, on assignment in 2018,that I discovered its smiling hospitality to be as generous as its home-brewed pear brandy (which packs some serious oomph).

Better known as U.S. first lady Melania Trump's homeland, this speck of a country in Central Europe boasts a disproportionate variety of wonders for its size (comparable to that of New Hampshire). Slovenia's 23 gastronomic regions are the fruits of its boutique vintners, alpine dairy farmers, and third-generation olive oil growers' hard work. You need only look to the country's 8,000 beekeepers, who maintain an unwritten rule to harvest just 20% of their bees' honey, to realize how closely attuned Slovenians are to their environment. The fact that it's the only EU country to have protected its native bee speaks volumes.

My repurposed jars of chestnut honey, cherry jam, and pumpkin seed oil (a surprising hit with vanilla ice cream) testify to my love for Slovenia's cuisine. So when the time is right, with my frustrated-hiker mom in tow and a larder to replenish, I'll be taking a foodie ramble through its Northwestern province.

Getting There

The best pre-pandemic flight connections from the U.S. to Ljubljana passed through Amsterdam or Istanbul via KLM and Turkish Airlines, respectively. It's possible to fly there via Lufthansa through Munich to Trieste, Italy, just 35 miles from Slovenia's border. Considering its proximity to Italy, one of Europe's Covid-19 epicenters, Slovenia has suffered a mercifully small outbreak (around 100 deaths among its 2 million population). On May 18, Slovenia reopened its borders to EU citizens, making it the first European nation to declare an end to its Covid-19 epidemic.

Hiking for Our Supper

With a mutual aversion to driving abroad, my mother and I would hop on a three-hour bus ride west from the capital, Ljubljana, with its picturesque castle sitting high above the city, to Lake Bohinj. This serene cousin of heavily touristed Lake Bled is blessed with the same scintillating reflections of the Julian Alps-minus crowds. I'd talk my mum into a bracing 64F-degree (18C) dip in its glacial waters. Invigorated, we'll take a two-hour gambol across Dobrava's hummocky meadows, where wildflowers exhale perfumed vapor and bees drone till the sun goes down. Before it emerged from the collapse of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, western Slovenia was known as Carniola, after its prized pollinator.

This is stage seven of a new, 186-mile Julian Alps Hiking Trail that circumnavigates Slovenia's loftiest peaks in Triglav, Europe's second-oldest national park. Ramblers with two weeks to spare can tackle all 16 sections. I'll plan to take a bite out of the circuit, which is serviced, for the most part, by Slovenia's dirt-cheap public transport. On stage eight, we'll spend $1 trundling from Bohinjska Bistrica to Podbrdo on the Habsburg-era Bohinj Railway line, a marvel of engineering that connects the Julian Alps to the Adriatic.

Drunk on alpine air, we'll be ready to hit the hay in our first kmetija, a sustainable, family-run tourist homestead at which farm-to-table is more than a meaningless buzz phrase.

I can still remember my first taste of local sweet buckwheat-rolled dumplings called struklji at one such kmetija in Tolmin (Tourist Farm Pri Kafolu, at stage 11 of the trail), that's lovingly run by the Leban family and nestled in orchards. We'll eat our weight in tangy Tolminc cheese-a protected designation of origin food used as currency by local peasants to settle taxes in the 1200s.

Onward to the next day's walk, from Podbrdo to Kobarid through valleys freckled with half-timbered houses, winsome church spires, and satin-coated cows that make for a bucolic backdrop. We'll refill our water bottles from medicinal springs and graze on Slovenia's very own trail mix: swollen cherries (sweetest in June) and honey-like persimmons.

Wrapped in craggy peaks and dripping in Alpine-Italianate architecture, Kobarid is famous for the Battle of Caporetto, a World War I battle immortalized in Ernest Hemingway's 1929 novel "A Farewell to Arms." It's also where beekeeper Tilen runs a charming chalet-cum-domestic apiary, where guests are coaxed to sleep by thousands of humming bees. Tilen is capitalizing on apitherapy, a curative cornerstone of Slovenia's growing wellness tourism and something ancient Egyptians were first to harness. Inhaling clouds of sugary air straight from his beehive (safely on view through a glass partition) is deeply relaxing, if you can get over the initial mask-wearing ordeal.

The final push to Bovec, on Day 3, demands a squirrel's head for heights (and a tight squeeze of mom's hand), as we navigate the Soca Gorge. Its namesake emerald river burbles with the valley's endemic marble trout-grilled to perfection at Dobra Vila, Bovec's former telephone and telegraph office.

Just down the road, a hazmat-suited Maja gives very hands-on-tours of her Crayola-painted hives at Bee Happy. As if tastings of pine and acacia honey aren't indulgence enough, I'll slough off the hiker's tan lines and any residual covid-19 anxiety with an exfoliating honey massage. (Even with the promise of silken skin, I'm not sure mom will agree to being slathered like a giant piece of toast!)

The next morning, we'll breakfast like queen bees on Slovenian street food par excellence at Kuhnjca, a chalet-style hut in Bovec's main square. It serves frika (cheese and potato rosti with herbs and polenta) and forest mushrooms foraged by owner Ojan.

Fueled and inspired, onward we'll go, 40 miles south to the footsteps of the Julian Alps, where we'll earn our foraging stripes with Vesna Veliscek, founder of SLocally. She hosts three-hour herbal walks from her homestay in Goriska Brda, a region that's changed hands five times in the past century and a half.

If the weather obliges, we'll drink in views of Venice, across the sparkling Adriatic Sea from Smartno, a medieval, walled cultural heritage monument primed for idle strolling. Then we'll follow our noses down its labyrinth of lanes to Hisi Kulture's lemon-scented balcony for an olive oil tasting. Mopping up puddles of Slovenia's liquid gold with host Tatjana's freshly baked bread is strangely soothing, the perfect palate warmer for Hisa Marica's nettle-pine nut pasta. And if it's anything like last time, I must remember to leave room for the bed-and-breakfast's four-year-aged, cherry-wood prosciutto.

As tempting as it would be to sleep off a long lunch here, I have a soft spot for Hista Stekar's homespun charms, a five-minute cab ride away. At this working organic winery, a slobbery welcome from the family pooch is paired with liberal pours of Goriska Brda's glory grape: rebula. With its stucco-tiled roof, wood-shuttered rooms, and soul-gladdening views over vine-terraced hills, one could be forgiven for thinking it's Tuscany.

Drivers on a DIY wine safari of this macro wine-growing region can unwittingly slip across the border into Italy. To avoid this rookie error, we'll enlist Vesna again. She arranges tastings to wineries such as Erzetic, which ages its orange wines in ancient amphora, and biodynamic Klinec, a centenary estate known for some rich, Bordeaux-style blends and heavenly plates of wild asparagus. Goriska Brda's scene is all about low-key tastings and low-intervention wines. This is the understated Slovenia that I miss and will loosen my belt for, as soon as travel permits.
Today President Trump signed an executive order intended to address the problem of liberal bias in the major social media platforms. Reporting on the order has generally been poor. This is some of what it actually says, after a long preamble:

Sec. 2. Protections Against Online Censorship. (a) It is the policy of the United States to foster clear ground rules promoting free and open debate on the internet. Prominent among the ground rules governing that debate is the immunity from liability created by section 230(c) of the Communications Decency Act (section 230(c)). 47 U.S.C. 230(c). It is the policy of the United States that the scope of that immunity should be clarified: the immunity should not extend beyond its text and purpose to provide protection for those who purport to provide users a forum for free and open speech, but in reality use their power over a vital means of communication to engage in deceptive or pretextual actions stifling free and open debate by censoring certain viewpoints.

***

Sec. 4. Federal Review of Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices. (a) It is the policy of the United States that large online platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, as the critical means of promoting the free flow of speech and ideas today, should not restrict protected speech. The Supreme Court has noted that social media sites, as the modern public square, can provide perhaps the most powerful mechanisms available to a private citizen to make his or her voice heard. Packingham v. North Carolina, 137 S. Ct. 1730, 1737 (2017). Communication through these channels has become important for meaningful participation in American democracy, including to petition elected leaders. These sites are providing an important forum to the public for others to engage in free expression and debate. Cf. PruneYard Shopping Center v. Robins, 447 U.S. 74, 85-89 (1980).

***

c) The FTC shall consider taking action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to prohibit unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce, pursuant to section 45 of title 15, United States Code. Such unfair or deceptive acts or practice may include practices by entities covered by section 230 that restrict speech in ways that do not align with those entities public representations about those practices.

The genesis of todays order is, as I understand it, the tech platforms desire to have their cake and eat it too. They want to be classified with internet service providers under federal law, so that they are immune from liability for anything that might be posted on their platforms. ISPs, of course, have no idea what publishers of web sites (like us) are putting up on the internet, and dont purport to take any responsibility for it. As a result, under federal law they are immune from liability for, e.g., defamation.

The social media platforms want that immunity, and so far they have, I believe, enjoyed it. But at the same time, they, unlike ISPs, constantly monitor and often censor material that is posted by their members. They represent that they suppress certain kinds of undesirable information in the public interest, and to provide a better user experience. Fine: but in that case, they cant claim the legal immunity that the federal government has conferred on ISPs.

No doubt this is a oversimplification, and more knowledgeable readers can weigh in via comments, but that is my understanding of the legal significance of todays order. What it will mean, as a practical matter, remains to be seen. The FTC is a bureaucracy like any other, and the likelihood of its taking any significant action before the next presidential election seems slim. So todays order is perhaps best viewed as a shot across the bow.

A final observation: note this definition.

Sec. 7. Definition. For purposes of this order, the term online platform means any website or application that allows users to create and share content or engage in social networking, or any general search engine.

So the order applies, in some fashion, to Google too.

UPDATE: I should add that no one denies that the social media platforms are all run by liberals, and manifest a more or less grotesque left-wing bias. This could be illustrated in a million ways, but lets just go with this tweet by Nicholas Sandmann, the 16-year-old boy against whom Twitter hosted countless death threats:

REMINDER: Twitter allows these two Verified accounts to remain on the platform after making Death Threats against me and my classmates. This not only against their rules, its illegal. But they banned @ALX for nothing. Why is this ok? cc: @vijaya @TwitterSupport #FreeALX pic.twitter.com/T7v7ngtjsc  Nicholas Sandmann (@N1ckSandmann) May 28, 2020



Twitter has no answer, of course, except that it is a left-wing organization, as exemplified by its first attempt to fact check a tweet by President Trump. The fact check, done by a far-out leftist, was wrong. To return to the main point: if Twitter wants to be a far-left platform, it has that right. But if that is the path it has chosen, it cant expect to be granted the same legal immunity that federal law extends to ISPs that have nothing to do with the content of the web sites that they host.
LOS ANGELES, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A retailer sued Farmers Insurance in Los Angeles Superior Court for denying a business interruption claim on the very same day the claim was made.

The Great Frame Up is a national chain of framing stores with 100 locations throughout the United States. A franchisee of the Great Frame Up located in in Northridge, California brought a class action lawsuit against Farmers Insurance after its business interruption claim was denied over the phone the very same day the claim was made.

A recent survey found that 87% of small businesses in America are "hurting" because of the recent outbreak, and many are turning to their business interruption insurance policies which were purchased to help mitigate unforeseen circumstances. However, this lawsuit claims that while Farmers (which boasts more than $17 billion in assets) was willing to accept premiums from millions of businesses, the insurance giant is unwilling to abide by the terms of its own policies or the laws of the states it does business in.

The class action alleges Farmers Insurance is employing a strategy to summarily deny any claim for loss of business income made by small business in the hopes that they will not pursue litigation. The suit alleges Farmers employed the same tactic after the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

"According to California insurance law, insureds are entitled to a fair and thorough investigation of claims, but Farmers chose to deny this completely legitimate claim sight unseen," said attorney Mike Arias, managing partner of Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Torrijos.

On March 19 of this year, California Governor Newsom ordered all "non-essential" business closed to help deal with the Coronavirus outbreak. This was done to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic which to date has cost roughly 100,000 American lives. The Great Frame Up #672 was deemed non-essential and its doors were shut as a result. As it is an "in-person" business, it has not made a single sale in more than two months since the government-ordered shutdown. On April 8, 2020, the company reported a claim to Farmers which denied the claim over the phone that very same day and followed up with a written denial on April 9. When The Great Frame Up #672 hired an attorney to find out exactly why the claim was unjustly denied without any investigation, Farmers refused to cooperate and refused to provide any justification for its denial.

The Great Frame Up #672 purchased a Uniform Businessowners Policy which it alleges should have covered the government ordered lock down. There is an "Additional Coverages" clause which the complaint alleges covers business income should a business sustain losses "due to the necessary suspension of your 'operations' during 'period of restoration.'" The lawsuit seeks to represent a class of other retail and service business in California, who like the plaintiff, do business in-person with customers but were not considered "essential" under the California's statewide stay-at-home order.

The case is Odessa Investment Group, dba The Great Frame Up v. Farmers Group Inc., Los Angeles Super Court, Case No. 20STCV20188.

To read the complaint go to - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zR0TMPTVFs4-emacLWTf7ae0Vt7LcZR5.

About Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Torrijos, LLP

With offices in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Las Vegas and Montreal, Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Torrijos represents clients in complex litigation in state and federal courts throughout the United States. Some of our practice areas include: Class Actions, Mass Torts, Major Personal Injury, Employment Law, and Intellectual Property Rights. To learn more about us, go to: www.aswtlawyers.com.

CONTACT: 310-844-9696

SOURCE Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Torrijos

Related Links

www.aswtlawyers.com


"These THUGS are dishonouring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!" Twitter later added a note to Trump's tweet saying it violated the social media's platform about glorifying violence but that it remained in the public interest to keep it on the site. The Minneapolis police station for the third precinct - which housed the officers connected to Floyd's death - was set on fire by protesters who had also looted local businesses, according to the twitter account of the Star Tribune. Protesters gather in front of the burning third precinct station of the Minneapolis Police Department. Credit:AP

It was the third consecutive night of violent protests following Floyd's death on Monday. In footage recorded by a bystander on Monday, Floyd, a black man, can be seen pleading that he can't breathe as Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, kneels on his neck. Loading Mayor Frey hit back at Trump's comments at a media briefing saying he knew nothing of "the strength" of Minneapolis. "Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions, weakness is pointing your finger at somebody else at a time of crisis," he said. "Is this a difficult time period? Yes, but youre going to be damn sure were going to get through this."

Mr Frey said firefighters and police were dealing with multiple fires and instances of looting. "We are doing absolutely everything we can to keep the peace," he said. "This is one of the most difficult situations that our city has been through. Im not going to stand up here and say there are easy answers to it, because there are not." Protesters set fires at the third precinct station of the Minneapolis Police Department. Credit:AP As night descended, people swung baseball bats and fireworks abruptly lit up the sky. Demonstrators carried clothing mannequins from a looted store and threw them onto a burning car. Fires broke out. Gunshots rang out and some people carried large boxes from shops as police helicopters lingered overhead.

But elsewhere in Minneapolis, thousands of peaceful demonstrators marched through the streets calling for justice. Erika Atson, 20, was among thousands of people who gathered outside government offices in downtown Minneapolis earlier in the day, where organisers had called a peaceful protest. Atson, who is black, described seeing her 14 and 11-year-old brothers tackled by Minneapolis police years ago because officers mistakenly presumed the boys had guns. She said she had been at "every single protest" since Floyd's death and worried about raising children who could be vulnerable in police encounters. "We don't want to be here fighting against anyone. We don't want anyone to be hurt. We don't want to cause any damages," she said. "We just want the police officer to be held accountable."

A man breaks a window at the Furniture Barn store on University Avenue West, on Thursday in St Paul, Minnesota. Credit:St. Cloud Times Much of the Minneapolis violence occurred in the Longfellow neighbourhood, where protesters converged on the precinct station. In a strip mall across the street, the windows of nearly every business had been smashed, from the large Target department store at one end to the Planet Fitness gym at the other. Only the 24-hour laundromat appeared to have escaped unscathed. "WHY US?" demanded a large expanse of red graffiti scrawled on the wall of the Target store. A Wendy's restaurant across the street was charred almost beyond recognition. Among the casualties of the overnight fires: a six-storey building under construction that was to provide nearly 200 apartments of affordable housing. "We're burning our own neighbourhood," said a distraught Deona Brown, a 24-year-old woman standing with a friend outside the precinct station, where a small group of protesters were shouting at a dozen or so stone-faced police officers in riot gear. "This is where we live, where we shop, and they destroyed it." No officers could be seen beyond the station.

"What that cop did was wrong, but I'm scared now," Brown said. Young men stand atop a burning car in the Target parking lot. Credit:Star Tribune The protests were more violent than Tuesday's, which included skirmishes between offices and protesters but no widespread property damage. "If the strategy was to keep residents safe - it failed," City Council Member Jeremiah Ellison, who is black, tweeted. "Prevent property damage - it failed." He urged police to leave the scene of violence, saying their presence brought people into the streets. Protests have also spread to other cities including New York, Los Angeles, Memphis, Denver and Columbus.

At least seven people were shot in Louisville on Thursday night as protesters turned out to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, a black woman fatally shot by police in her home in March. Amid the violence in Minneapolis, a man was found fatally shot on Wednesday night near a pawn shop, possibly by the owner, authorities said. Loading The US Attorney's Office and the FBI in Minneapolis said they were conducting "a robust criminal investigation" into the death. President Donald Trump has said he had asked an investigation to be expedited. Chauvin, the officer who kneeled on Floyd's neck, was fired on Tuesday along with three other officers involved in the arrest. The next day, the mayor called for Chauvin to be criminally charged.
Netanyahu: Annexation is top task

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week that he will not miss a historic opportunity" to extend Israeli sovereignty over settlements in parts of the occupied West Bank and Jordan Valley, considering it a top task of the unity government.

The prime minister has dismissed or ignored calls by the European Union to hold off, as well as warnings by UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov that annexation would represent a most serious violation of international law and the League of Arab States that annexation would be considered a new war crime.

Netanyahu told Likud Knesset members that he is going ahead with a July date to introduce annexation legislation. He's confident he will win on what he considers his legacy issue because most Israelis and US President Donald Trump appear to be in his corner.

More on that below, but first lets review where some other stakeholders stand.

Abbas: a leap in the dark

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas abrogated Palestinian Authority agreements with Israel and the United States on May 20 and transferred responsibility over the occupied territories to Israel in response to Netanyahu's statements on annexation.

Abbas announcement is a leap in the dark, Ahmed Melhem writes, as there is no clear-cut Palestinian plan for how to dissolve the agreements with Israel, most notably the Oslo Accords concluded on Sept. 13, 1993, in virtue of which the [Palestinian Authority] was established.

Some Palestinian factions doubt the PAs ability to implement important decisions in response to the Israeli annexation plan and both Islamic Jihad and Hamas may step up activities in the West Bank, Melhem reports.

Senior Palestinian officials, such as Fatah Secretary General Jibril Rajoub, insist that the decision is strategic and sincere, writes Daoud Kuttab. Yet many are doubting the decision because it seems to come with little planning and almost no details are available. It is being argued that the decision by the Fatah-dominated PLO goes in line with Fatah's practice of making decisions and then making adjustments as they are implemented.

For now, Netanyahu is unfazed by Abbas declarations, betting that the security coordination that matters most to him will likely continue as it is in both parties interests.

The Times of Israel reports that the PA has back channeled to Jerusalem that it will keep a tight grip on terrorist groups and prevent any popular demonstrations against Israel. PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh confirmed as much Monday when he said the PA will keep order in the West Bank.

Abbas needs the security coordination with Israel just as much as Israel does, a Likud minister told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. If he undermines the coordination, he will be hurting himself and he knows it.

Neither Netanyahu nor his government colleagues made any statements over the halting of security coordination, writes Mazal Mualem. Netanyahu is estimating that he should not fan the flames, but rather leave Abbas an opening to withdraw from his decision.

The PA later suspended security coordination with the CIA, the last working channel for communication between the PA and the United States on security, Jared Szuba reports.

King Abdullah: steps short of massive conflict

Another reason Netanyahu may be feeling confident is that Jordan's King Abdullah, who said that annexation would lead to a massive conflict, may instead be weighing steps short of war, at least initially.

Jordan is considering, among other options, suspending parts of the 1994 peace treaty claiming that the Israeli annexation of the Jordan Valley violates the delineation of borders between Israel and Jordan, in addition to being illegal under international law and pertinent United Nations resolutions, writes Osama Al Sharif. Immediate reaction may include expelling the Israeli ambassador in Amman and recalling the Jordanian ambassador in Tel Aviv.

But Netanyahu should not underestimate the stakes for Jordan.

The unilateral annexation of parts of the West Bank is seen as presenting an existential threat to Jordans national security, explains Sharif. It not only renders the two-state solution irrelevant, but it resurrects some far-right Israeli claims that Jordan is a de facto Palestinian state. It also raises fears about the fate of over 2 million Palestinian refugees living in Jordan. Jordan had not supported Trumps peace vision, unveiled last January, and rallied Arab and international support for the two-state solution.

Gantz: his worst nightmare

Its been a bad week for Defense Minister and Blue and White Party Leader Benny Gantz, co-prime minister with Netanyahu in the unity government.

In his worst nightmare, writes Mazal Mualem, Gantz could not have imagined the major damage that would be inflicted on him on the opening day of Netanyahu's trial on bribery charges May 24.

For several but seemingly endless minutes, while standing in front of mask-wearing silent Likud ministers, the prime minister hurled poison darts at the police and the state prosecution office, adds Mualem. Now [Gantz] had not only made a political alliance with the accused defendant but also found himself trapped between his promises to defend the legal system and the necessity of retaining a cordial relationship with the defendant.

Gantz again blandly expressed his reservations about annexation, saying this week, We will examine how to proceed and we will act responsibly, but nobody, including Netanyahu, seems to care what he says on the subject.

Gantz has a few cards to slow the annexation train, Ben Caspit writes, by rallying opposition outside Israel, including perhaps a clandestine call on Jordans King Abdullah in Amman or even a hush-hush meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Sharm el-Sheikh, because it seems Gantz has lost the fight inside Israel.

Trump: stick to the plan

Netanyahu has said at every turn that whatever he does on annexation will be in accord with the US administrations peace plan.

Given the US presidential election year and Netanyahus close personal connections with Trump and the family of Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law, senior adviser and lead on the peace proposal, the odds look good for Netanyahu to get the go-ahead for his plans.

The Trump administrations formal statements have been careful, but with a Bibi tilt.

During a visit to Israel this month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that annexation is up to Israel. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus later said, We think these discussions should be part of the peace process, part of discussions between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Netanyahu senses a window could close if Trump loses the election. Presumed Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden told campaign donors today that annexation would choke off any hope for peace, Bryant Harris reports. Nineteen Senate Democrats have also sent a joint letter to Netanyahu opposing annexation.

Are Israelis settled on annexation?

Netanyahu, like any good politician, reads the polls and that might be another source of confidence as his popularity appears to be rising as a result of the trial, Caspit reports.

There is a majority in favor of partition and retaining the settlement blocs, Jerusalem (the Temple Mount in particular) and the Jordan valley, writes Efraim Inbar. A recent poll commissioned by the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security confirmed that over 60% of Israelis (and over 70% among the wider Jewish public) favor extending Israeli law to these areas. The current composition of the Knesset favors incorporation of the Jordan Valley into Israel.

However, in a perhaps unusual twist, there might be some surprising opposition from a key Netanyahu constituency.

"There is growing opposition to the plan among the settlers leadership, writes Danny Zaken. While some leaders have encouraged Netanyahu to embrace the plan as a sign of things to come, others have gone so far as to demand that he reject it out of hand. The main reason that these opponents give is that agreement to the proposal in principle would imply Israeli acceptance of an independent Palestinian state in the rest of the West Bank.

Netanyahu said on May 28 that Palestinians living in annexed areas of the Jordan Valley would not be granted Israeli citizenship, but Israel would have control over security. To the settler critics, he said, We are not the ones required to give up [territories], the Palestinians are," and that Palestinians "have to recognize that we are the ones dictating security rules over the entire territory. If they agree to all of this, then they will have their own entity that President Trump defines as a state.
GSK announces intention to produce 1 billion doses of pandemic vaccine adjuvant in 2021 to support multiple COVID-19 vaccine collaborations

Details Category: Vaccines Published on Friday, 29 May 2020 09:56 Hits: 1202

Announcement follows completion of global manufacturing review and decision to invest in expanded manufacturing capacity

LONDON, UK I May 28, 2020 I GSK today confirmed its intention to manufacture 1 billion doses of its pandemic vaccine adjuvant system, in 2021, to support the development of multiple adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine candidates.

GSK believes that its pandemic adjuvant technology could make a significant contribution against COVID-19. As demonstrated in the last flu pandemic, GSKs pandemic adjuvant can reduce the amount of vaccine protein required per dose, which allows more vaccine doses to be produced, contributing to protecting more people. Additionally, an adjuvant can enhance the immune response and has been shown to create a stronger and longer-lasting immunity against infections.

GSK has prioritised its efforts towards making its pandemic adjuvant technology available to partners developing promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates that are suitable for use with an adjuvant. To date, the company has formed several collaborations, including with scientific partners in North America, Europe and China, to develop vaccines. Discussions with potential partners on further collaborations are ongoing.

Confirmation of the enhanced manufacturing capacity follows completion of a review conducted across the companys global supply network. GSK will manufacture, fill and finish adjuvant for use in COVID-19 vaccines at sites in the UK, US, Canada and Europe.

Roger Connor, President, GSK Global Vaccines, said: We believe that more than one vaccine will be needed to address this global pandemic and we are working with partners around the world to do so. We believe that our innovative pandemic adjuvant technology has the potential to help improve the efficacy and scale up of multiple COVID-19 vaccines. With this significant expansion in our manufacturing capacity, we can help deliver up to 1 billion doses of adjuvanted vaccines through 2021, helping protect many more people and support the global effort to fight COVID-19.

Given the unprecedented need to develop COVID-19 vaccines, GSK has started manufacture of the adjuvant at risk. The company is in discussions with Governments and global institutions about funding for production and supply of the adjuvant.

GSK is committed to making its adjuvant available through mechanisms that offer fair access for people across the world. Making the adjuvant available to the worlds poorest countries will also be a key part of these efforts, including donations, by working with governments and the global institutions that prioritise access.

Overall GSK does not expect to profit from sales of its portfolio of collaborations for COVID-19 vaccines made during this pandemic phase, as profit generated will be invested in support of coronavirus related research and long-term pandemic preparedness, either through GSKs internal investments, or with external partners.

About GSK

GSK is a science-led global healthcare company with a special purpose: to help people do more, feel better, live longer. For further information please visit www.gsk.com/about-us.

SOURCE: GlaxoSmithKline
For more than two decades, Saginaw Valley State University's Cardinal Formula Racing team built a reputation for engineering some of the fastest vehicles in the international college competition circuit. Even as the competition's talent pool deepened, the team's Indy-style vehicles blew past peers from multiple hemispheres. After a global pandemic spoiled the hard work of the last 12 months for the team, members say the next 12 months will present a new kind of challenge that will reveal as much about their character as their car.

The results, they predict, will demonstrate the team's world-class determination and persevering spirit.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) officials canceled the annual Collegiate Design Series less than two months before the May competition at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. The competition has served as a capstone to a year's worth of engineering work by Cardinal Formula Racing and more than 100 competitors from higher education institutions across the world.

"The entire team was very saddened by the cancellation," said Edward Tomczyk, co-captain of the 2019-20 Cardinal Formula Racing team. "It was going to be a big moment for our young team and a test of improvement."

Instead, the group already has plans to rally for next season which, in many ways, has already begun.

When the FSAE competition comes and goes in May, the SVSU students who expect to participate in the contest for the following year immediately meet to begin planning. The new group typically spends the next 12 months designing and engineering a new vehicle, although sometimes concepts from earlier models are utilized.

Cardinal Formula Racing will refine the vehicle - known as "The 113 Car" - utilizing the additional 12 months of preparation time to optimize the car's capabilities.

Brooks Byam, the team's adviser and an SVSU professor of mechanical engineering, said the team may also explore an additional objective for the next 12 months.

"There may be an opportunity to get a car ahead by starting the 2022 car," he said. "That plan is budget dependent."

Since Byam started as the team's adviser in 1998, Cardinal Formula Racing has built an outstanding reputation in the FSAE college circuit despite the competition's expansion to include teams from international institutions. Byam was the 2013 recipient of the Carroll Smith Mentor's Cup from the Society of Automotive Engineers, the top honor given to faculty who advise college formula racing programs.

For five consecutive years, SVSU has recorded the highest finish among exclusively undergraduate programs in the FSAE Collegiate Design Series.

- Processed by Victoria Ritter, vritter@mdn.net
The nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus disease Covid-19 should continue beyond the fourth phase which will end on May 31, Haryanas home minister Anil Vij said of Friday.

He said that giving more relaxations can lead to an increase in coronavirus cases, news agency PTI reported.

If you ask my personal opinion, strictness will have to be maintained. Giving more relaxations at this stage can lead to increase in cases. Because the stage at which coronavirus is right now, need of the hour is that lockdown should be extended, he told reporters in Chandigarh.

Giving reason for his suggestion about lockdown extension, the minister said that there already exists relaxations in lockdown norms and more relaxations would result in spike in cases.

Already relaxations have been given like opening of bazaar (markets), factories domestic flights have restarted. I am not in favour of more relaxations because cases are going up, Vij said, adding he would convey his opinion to the chief minister.

Haryana on Thursday registered 123 fresh Covid-19 cases, biggest single-day spike, and one death in Gurugram, its worst-affected district. Sixty-eight of the new cases were detected in Gurugram alone. The states case count now stands at 1,504, while the death toll is 19.

Vij also justified the strictness at Haryana-Delhi border, citing a sharp increase in coronavirus cases during the past week in Haryana districts bordering the national capital. The minister had ordered sealing the Delhi-Gurugram border on Thursday.

Anil Vij, who also has the health portfolio, on Thursday wrote a letter to the additional chief secretary, home department stating that sharp increase in the Covid-19 cases in Haryana was happening due to large scale movement of people between Delhi and the state.

Cases are increasing in the districts adjoining Delhi. The main reason for this is movement of people from Delhi into these adjoining districts of Haryana. Barring the categories exempted by the Delhi High Court and those exempted by the Centre under lockdown 4.0, the state borders for others will remain completely sealed, the order had said.

Following the sealing, hundreds of commuters were stuck on the Delhi-Gurugram on Friday morning. Police said all the 11 points that connect Gurugram and Delhi had been sealed and entry would be allowed on the basis of passes issued by the district administration.

Restrictions were also put up at Delhi-Faridabad border.

Talking to media, Vij said , that if Haryana allowed free movement of people at its borders with Delhi, then its cases would be at par with the national capital.

I regularly monitor things and keep a close watch on the situation. Here we are trying to save each life, if we do not maintain strictness at the borders and allow free movement of people, then I can say undoubtedly, our cases would be at par with Delhi. I have to stop free movement of people, Vij asserted.

However, he added that if the central government will allow free movement of people after lockdown 4.0 ends on May 31, the state will follow the directions.

Gurugram district reported 68 positive cases on Thursday  the highest single-day spike so far  taking the number of cases in the district to 405. The district has the highest number of cases in Haryana.

The death toll due to the disease in Delhi stands at 316 as against 19 people in Haryana, according to the Union health ministry data on Friday evening. With, 16,281 active cases, the national capital has over ten-times more cases than Haryana which has 1,504 Covid-19 active cases.
Abandonment for a long time now, have staggered many Mexican hospitals. To date, as COVID-19 continues to devastate the nation, some patients die not only because of the virus but also because of abandonment or faults which could have been easily avoided. This is what doctors and nurses have believed so.

The senseless deaths, medical professionals claim, are tormenting them the most. Specifically, when an article reported a patient who died because of the unplugging of a ventilator, reportedly by an inexperienced nurse. Then, there's another patient who, this same reputable news agency reported, "died from septic shock" as no one was around for the observation of his vital signs.

There were also patients too, whose breathing tubes reportedly clogged after being neglected four hours in their hospital beds.

It's Not Just COVID-19 that Claims Lives

With some of the reported deaths due to neglect in several Mexican hospitals, it is not just COVID-19 that is claiming the lives of the many. Mexico's broken system, observers say and according to reports, is indeed, killing people, too.

As earlier mentioned, neglect in many hospitals for a long time now, have undeniably staggered the health care system of Mexico, leaving it a dangerous shortage of nurses, doctors, and equipment to combat the global health crisis that has severely affected even the affluent countries.

To date, the COVID-19 crisis has even worsened the situations, infecting over 11,000 Mexican frontliners. The number turns out to be among the world's highest rates, and reduces the "already thin ranks in hospitals." Some hospitals, according to reports, have lost their workers due to either absenteeism or sickness. Other facilities, on the other hand, are experiencing a shortage of basic health apparatus including heart monitors, among others.

These scarcities several health workers across the nation claimed, have had alarming consequences for patients. Moreover, some medical professionals recalled dozens of fatalities in hospitals that could have been prevented.

Spending Less on Health Care

The World Bank said, the Mexican administration has not allotted a considerable amount on health care as its economy's percentage compared to most nations in the Western Hemisphere, and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador managed the spending reductions, even after he acknowledged that Mexico had "200,000 health workers than it needed."

When the pandemic hit the country two months ago, a lot of hospitals sent frontliners to deal with the overflowing of cases. They were not provided with any training or personal protective equipment or PPE. In relation to the occurrence, according to some nurses, they were instructed not to wear face masks to get rid of causing panic. Despite that, still, a lot of people were reportedly forced to buy goggles and face covers as their shield from possible contagions.

The effect has been severe. Based on the data The New York Times reported, about "one in every five confirmed COVID-19 cases" in the country is a health care worker. This ratio is considerably a greater share than in China, the US, or Italy.

The outbreak of Mexico has grown fast. It does not show any indication of slowing, either. Reported cases and mortalities have increased each week for several months now, particularly hitting Mexico City. Also severely affected is Baja California, specifically including Tijuana.

Check these out!
Volunteer Joseph Hill, 25, of West Philadelphia, hands out cantaloupe along with the boxes of packaged food from Philabundance to a resident of the neighborhood around 59th Street and Lansdowne Avenue. Starting Friday, and continuing every Friday through June, the agency will distribute food to people in cars at Citizens Bank Park. Read more

Philabundance will hold a free, drive-through emergency food distribution in the parking lot of Citizens Bank Park from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, and each Friday thereafter until June 26.

Its the first time that Philabundance, one of two leading anti-hunger agencies in the region, has organized a drive-through distribution, according to spokesperson Samantha Retamar.

With Philabundance partner agencies reporting up to a 60% increase in clients due to the pandemic, she said, the primary goal of this new site is to safely distribute food to clients on a mass scale.

Philabundance plans to give out 35 pounds of food per vehicle every Friday. The agency will be able to serve up to 1,600 vehicles each week at the site, with clients receiving a combination of perishable products varying weekly, Retamar said. It will likely include produce, dairy products, and bread.

Anyone showing up for food will not be be asked for identification or to document income, she added.

The distribution will be handled in a limited-contact manner. Drivers will pull into parking lot N, where they will be asked to open their trunks. Volunteers will load up the food, packed in two to three boxes.

Motorists will be allowed to line up prior to the 9 a.m. starting time.

Retamar said Philabundance is working in tandem with the City of Philadelphia as well as the Phillies organization  a long-time supporter of Philabundances hunger relief efforts, she said.

To help give out the food, staff from both the National Guard and Civil Defense will be on site.

Along with this new operation, Philabundance has been working with the city and the Share Food Program, another regional anti-hunger agency, during the pandemic to distribute free food at 40 sites throughout the city.


FOSTER CITY (dpa-AFX) - Here's a quick look at some of today's ASCO presentations.



Oncolytics Biotech Inc.'s (ONCY) (ONC.TO) phase 1b study evaluating the Company's intravenously delivered immuno-oncolytic virus Pelareorep in combination with Amgen's approved multiple myeloma drug Kyprolis has demonstrated that the combination treatment results in selective replication of Pelareorep in cancer cells and beneficial induction of an inflamed tumor environment associated with clinical responses.



According to Oncolytics, Pelareorep, when combined with Kyprolis had a 50% overall response rate and an 83% clinical benefit rate.



Three partial responses (PRs), one minimal response (MR), one stable disease (SD), and one progressive disease (PD) were achieved among patients with advanced and difficult-to-treat Kyprolis-refractory disease, added the Company.



Commenting on the results, Rita Laeufle, Chief Medical Officer of Oncolytics Biotech, said, 'The exciting clinical proof-of-concept data demonstrate that Pelareorep induces an inflammatory response in multiple myeloma, which is an unusual lymphoid tumor with immunosuppressive properties.'



ONCY closed Thursday's trading at $2.48, up 7.83%.



Gilead Sciences Inc.'s (GILD) updated results from a phase Ib trial of Magrolimab, an investigational anti-CD47 monoclonal antibody, in combination with Azacitidine demonstrates durable activity in previously-untreated myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia.



Of the 33 myelodysplastic syndrome patients who were evaluable for efficacy, 91 percent achieved an objective response, including 42 percent with a complete response (CR). The CR rate with at least six months of follow-up was 56 percent in MDS patients, noted the Company.



In the case of acute myeloid leukemia, 64 percent of patients evaluable for efficacy achieved an objective response, including 56 percent with a CR or a CR with incomplete blood count recovery. In TP53-mutant AML, a treatment-refractory and poor prognosis population, 75 percent achieved a CR or Cri, the Company noted.



GILD closed Thursday's trading at $75.32, up 0.56%.



IMV Inc. (IMV) (IMV.TO) said that updated data from a phase II study of DPX-Survivac with intermittent low-dose Cyclophosphamide (CPA) in patients with recurrent, advanced platinum-sensitive and -resistant ovarian cancer shows prolonged durable clinical responses, alongside favorable tolerability, and strong translational data linking the observed clinical benefit with DPX-Survivac' mechanism of action.



In the trial, dubbed DeCidE1, of the 19 evaluable patients, 5 patients (26%) achieved a partial response with tumor regression of over 30% on target lesions; 15 patients (79%) achieved disease control, defined as Stable Disease. Overall, the treatment was well-tolerated, according to the Company.



IMV closed Thursday's trading at $3.08, down 2.22%.



Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TAK) has revealed data from a phase II trial evaluating Pevonedistat plus Azacitidine versus Azacitidine alone in patients with rare leukemias, including higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (HR-MDS), higher-risk chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (HR-CMML) and low-blast acute myeloid leukemia (LB-AML).



Although the combination of Pevonedistat and Azacitidine did not achieve pre-defined statistical significance for the primary endpoint of overall survival (OS), it demonstrated a numerically longer OS compared with Azacitidine alone and a trend towards benefit in event-free survival, defined as death or transformation to AML.



TAK closed Thursday's trading at $19.22, down 0.26%.



Cardiff Oncology Inc. (CRDF) said that new data from its ongoing phase Ib/II clinical trial of Onvansertib in combination with FOLFIRI and Avastin for second-line treatment of patients with KRAS-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer reveals an objective response rate (ORR) of 44% , while the ORR with the current standard-of-care is only 4%.



Mark Erlander, Chief Executive Officer of Cardiff Oncology, said, 'Our trial is achieving critical milestones and gaining momentum. We continue to see safety and efficacy demonstrated and this, coupled with the FDA granting of Fast Track Designation, is further validation of the potential value of Onvansertib to tackle the once undruggable KRAS-mutations that drive aggressive growth of colorectal cancer tumors.'



CRDF closed Thursday's trading at $2.53, up 10.00%.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

The export of cars from Turkey to Georgia decreased by 21.63 percent from January through April 2020 percent compared to the same period of 2019 and amounted to $16.7 million, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend.

In April 2020, the export of cars from Turkey to Georgia dropped by 84.01 percent compared to April 2019 and amounted to $877,000.

The export of cars from Turkey to the world markets decreased by 26.9 percent from January through April 2020 compared to the same period of last year and reached $7.6 billion.

Meanwhile, the export of cars from Turkey accounted for 14.6 percent of the country's total export volume from January through April 2020.

Turkey exported cars worth $596.3 million to the world markets in April 2020, which is 77.2 percent less than in the same month of 2019.

The export of cars from Turkey in April 2020 amounted to 6.6 percent of the country's total export volume.

Turkey exported cars worth $27.8 billion over the past 12 months (from April 2019 through April 2020).

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
If they are to make a success of their proposed acquisition of Torstar Corp., announced this week, entrepreneurs Jordan Bitove and Paul Rivett will be tempted to adopt the business strategy of New York Times Co. and the very few other traditional newspapers that have figured out how to thrive in the Information Age.

Here is what ails Torstar, in a nutshell. Its flagship publication, the Toronto Star, has attracted just 32,000 or so paid online subscribers (albeit after a late start). By contrast, the Times Co. can boast about four million paid online subscribers to The New York Times. A Star rival, the Globe and Mail, has about 120,000 paid digital subscribers.

More on that successful 21st-century model of newspapering later.

First a word on Torstars proposed buyers.

Jordan Bitove is a private equity fund manager, whose family brought the Toronto Raptors to the city. And Paul Rivett, before setting out on his own recently after a long stint as president of renowned investment banker Prem Watsas Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd., oversaw Watsas longtime ownership of the largest portion of Torstars non-voting shares.

As such, Rivett understands Torstar, its frustrations and potential.

Rivett and Bitove have committed to Torstars investigative-journalism approach to newspapering, and to the Atkinson Principles of comforting the afflicted that make the Toronto Star one of North Americas few genuinely progressive news organizations. That is a prime asset of the Star franchise, in attracting readers and talent, and distinguishing the Star from rivals.

Bitove and Rivett are Torontonians, whose bid to own Torstar would keep the Star, a 128-year-old civic asset, in local hands. Thats important. The Vancouver Sun, Ottawa Citizen and Montreal Gazette do not benefit from their absentee ownership.

Bitove and Rivett also benefit from the timing of their proposed Torstar acquisition.

Ottawa is gearing up to confront the U.S. social media giants, with a goal of getting Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. to share a portion of the revenue they generate by carrying Canadian newspaper content without paying for it.

As well, the COVID-19 crisis has further depressed Torstars already weak ad revenue, pushing Torstar stock down to a low of 30 cents this month before NordStars 63-cent-per share bid for the companys voting and non-voting shares. Torstar shares traded as high as $31 in 2004.

And Bitove and Rivetts investment vehicle for their Torstar purchase, NordStar Capital LP, is offering to pay just over $51 million for a Torstar that has just over $69 million in cash on its books, and no debt.

That is a bargain price by any metric. And if approved by Torstar shareholders, the purchase could be a deal of the century. Rivett and Bitove need only perfect a formula for boosting Torstars digital subscription revenue to increase the value of their Torstar investment several times over.

Consider that in 2013, Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com Inc., paid just $250 million (U.S.) to purchase The Washington Post. The longtime Graham family owners, deciding newspapers had no commercially viable future, practically gifted one of the worlds leading newspaper franchises to Bezos.

Like the New York Times  and The Wall Street Journal and the U.K. Financial Times  the Post then focused like a laser on investigative journalism, and on displacing ads with digital online subscriptions as its chief, and reliable, source of revenue.

Bezos has been hands-off at the Post, except in boosting its editorial budget. Today, the Post is one of the half-dozen most indispensable  and lucrative  news journals in the English language. If Bezos, who owns the Post personally, were to sell the paper today, it would fetch at least $3 billion (U.S.)  a 12-fold increase in the value of his Post investment.

The New York Times Co., for its part, is currently worth $6.6 billion (U.S.). Shares in the firm have nearly tripled in value in the past five years.

Paid digital subscriptions to the Times now account for most of the firms total revenue, which topped $443 million (U.S.) in the first quarter. In that same quarter, Torstars revenue fell 20 per cent, and the company posted a $23.5-million net loss.

The contrast in performance between the two papers comes down to one word: advertising. A sudden dive in ad revenue has only the slightest impact on the Times.

Paid online subscribers are the future of 21st-century newspapering. Most North American newspapers lose money on every print copy they sell. And chasing ad dollars has long been a waste of time. Mark Thompson, CEO of New York Times Co., said as much last year in speculating on a Times that sooner than later wont sell a single column-inch of ads.

Its fair to ask why this model has not been embraced by Torstar or most North American newspaper publishers. The answer is that it has not been easy to shed a 20th-century business model that long made newspapers among the most profitable of all industries. And Torstars digital ventures  including a tablet edition and a national network of digital papers  failed to win advertiser support.

If its bid for Torstar is successful, NordStar will take Torstar private. That changes the character of a company. As it happens, most of the trailblazers in newly viable newspaper publishing, described above, are privately owned. The outlier is the publicly traded New York Times Co. But its shares are controlled by the Sulzberger family, longtime publishers of the Times.

If this deal goes through, Bitove and Rivett and their Torstar colleagues will be undistracted by the financial markets as they reinvent Torstar to market and design Torstars papers in a way that most effectively drives paid subscription growth.

There is a science to the new newspapering. It consists of indispensable journalism, new-product development and expert marketing. The latter includes cross-promotion among products and bargain pricing to lure online subscribers and retain those who think of straying.

Low-priced boutique Times products like its crossword and cooking sites generate incremental revenue; are a gateway to the core New York Times site; and recruit readers in unlikely places  including Kansas and elsewhere in the U.S. Heartland, to the initial surprise of Times managers when those products were first launched.

Bitove and Rivett will have that same range of possibilities, with large Torstar metro and regional papers unsurpassed in their local coverage and brand awareness.

All of the above, of course, is coloured by my fulfilling time working with splendid Star colleagues  though, alas, I missed out on sharing a newsroom with erstwhile Star employees June Callwood, Ernest Hemingway and Duncan Macpherson.

Be well, and enjoy your social-distancing walks in the newly welcoming great outdoors.
IN Virginias recent municipal elections, something slightly surprising happened. In the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime (we pray) pandemic, people voted.

In Fredericksburg, the turnout was approximately the same as it was four years ago (17.2 percent vs. 17.3 percent in 2016). In many cities and towns, a larger percentage cast their ballots this time.

Of course, they had some help. The absentee ballot played a major role (61,220 of them were cast this time statewide vs. 1,452 four years ago), and drive-by voting enabled others who might not have run the risk of COVID-19 by voting the old-fashioned way.

In one city, Staunton, the voter turnout more than doubled, from 13 percent in 2016 to 27 percent this time.

What does this mean for November? It will be even easier then to vote in absentia. A new state law taking effect July 1 will permit unconditional early voting starting 45 days prior to an election. Also, for the first time, Election Day in November will be a state holiday, and a photo ID no longer will be required.
More than a dozen refugees in eastern Lebanon have tested positive for the coronavirus. The news follows a handful of virus cases last month in the impoverished community.

There were 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Syrian refugees in Majdal Anjar near the Syrian border as of yesterday, a UN spokeswoman told Al-Monitor. The individuals live in the same building. There was only one confirmed COVID-19 case among Syrian refugees before the ones in Majdal Anjar, and this person living in northern Lebanon has since recovered, the spokeswoman said.

In April, five COVID-19 infections were confirmed in a Palestinian refugee camp in eastern Lebanon.

The news shows the vulnerability of Lebanons large refugee population. The country hosts more than a million Palestinian, Syrian and other refugees, many of whom live in crowded, poor conditions.

The International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian nongovernmental organization, reported that 90% of Syrian refugees they surveyed in April said they are in critical need of food. This figure was only 32% in March, a spokeswoman for the organization told Al-Monitor.

Many refugees in Lebanon also lack access to soap and other hygiene materials effective at fighting the virus.

Lebanon overall has had relatively few cases of the virus. To date, there have been 1,168 total cases, according to the Ministry of Public Health statistics. This includes seven cases on May 27. There was a big jump on May 21, however, with 62 confirmed cases, the statistics show.

The virus and accompanying closures have severely damaged Lebanons already fledgling economy, however. Salaries have been cut and banks are restricting the amount of money customers can withdraw.


Japans real GDP is estimated to decline by 1.8% in the first quarter of 2020 but leasing markets remain healthy across most sectors in Japan (Photo: Unsplash)

The leasing markets and real estate fundamentals remain healthy across most sectors in Japan as of March 2020, according to a report by DWS Group dated May 2020. Office vacancy is stable across all major markets, but over the course of the year, there could be a gradual increase, says the asset manager. Rents at residential and logistics properties have also posted healthy growth and are expected to receive resilient demand, even amid Japans economic downturn.

Commercial real estate transaction volumes in the rolling 12 months to March 2020 have dropped by 20% from the previous year, says DWS. However, cross-border investment activities remained relatively strong across the residential, hospitality and industrial sectors.

Particularly, the luxury retail and hospitality sectors are expected to be severely impacted in the coming months following the governments restrictions. Tourist consumption in Japan has posted a sharp decline in the first quarter of 2020.

The J-REIT index experienced a historic plunge in March 2020, making the steepest 49.5% decline in one month, or 28% in total since the end of 2019. The decline is consistent with major global listed REIT indices. In Singapore, REITs have declined by 22%. In the US, the decline was 24% and in Australia, 33%.

The Japanese economy, which has been negatively impacted by an increase in consumption tax from 8% to 10% in October 2019, has been further ravaged by Covid-19, says DWS. To combat the pandemic, the Japanese government only allowed essential businesses to open under a state of emergency declared for April 7 to May 25. It is looking at gradually allowing more businesses to resume operations.

As such, Japans real GDP is estimated to decline by 1.8% in the first quarter of 2020 and is expected to decline even more sharply as the global supply chain and trade disruption continues through the second half of the year, says DWS.

Story continues





See Also:






A number of leaders from Daraa were assassinated when they attended a meeting to discuss the deployment of regime checkpoints in western Daraa writes Alsouria Net.

Military leaders targeted by assassination on Wednesday were set to meet with regime commanders to coordinate deploying checkpoints in rural western Daraa, an exclusive source told Alsouria Net.

Prominent leaders from factions in western Daraa were targeted in an assassination operation by unknown assailants, leading to the deaths of three of them: Adnan al-Shambour, Rafat al-Barazi and Udai al-Hashish, while others were wounded, including one critically: Abu Murshed al-Bardan.

The assassination presented a major blow to former opposition faction leaders, who had joined a resettlement agreement in 2018 with the Assad regime under Russian sponsorship, and had become members of the Central Negotiations Committee.

The source spoke on Thursday of security tensions in all of Daraa governorate, adding that tension was not limited to rural western Daraa where the assassination took place, but extended also to Daraa al-Balad, which is technically outside of the Syrian regimes security control.

According to the source, any confirmation that the Islamic State (ISIS) was behind the assassination would place rural western Daraa in the binds of a new regime security position, particularly after the latters attempts to extend its influence there in recent days.

The party responsible for the assassination remains unknown, with some blaming ISIS and others blaming the Assad regime, the source said.

The Central Committee meanwhile imposed a curfew on Thursday in Tafas, in rural western Daraa, for security reasons. The measure was announced over mosque loudspeakers that morning, according to activists, while the committee warned against individuals violating the curfew.

Recent assassinations have targeted members of the Central Negotiations Committee in Daraa, including Ihsan al-Subeihi and Walid al-Barazi, while another member, Bassem Jalmawi, was wounded in another attempt.

Media sources told Alsouria Net that the targeted killings of committee members had extended to all areas of western Daraa, with a lack of any alternatives for handling the fate of the area in the coming days.

Prominent leaders from rural western Daraa factions were targeted with assassination by unknown assailants, with a number of them killed and wounded.

Omar al-Hariri, a rights activist from Daraa city, wrote on Twitter Thursday that an assassination operation targeted Abu Murshed al-Bardan, Udai al-Hashish, Adnan al-Shanbour, Ahmad al-Aasemi and others.

Hariri added that they had been killed and injured.

Media sources from rural Daraa told Alsouria Net that Udai al-Hashish had been killed immediately along with Adnan al-Shanbour and Rafat al-Barazi, while the condition of Abu Murshed al-Bardan was not yet known by time of publication.

The assassination presented a major blow to former opposition faction leaders, who had joined a resettlement agreement in 2018 with the Assad regime under Russian sponsorship, and had become members of the Central Negotiations Committee.

Bardan, whose real name is Mahmoud Abdelqader, is a member of the Central Negotiations Committee due to the resettlement agreement in Tafas in rural western Daraa.

The media sources added that the assassination attack included gunfire by unknown assailants near the Kounsarwa Factory, on the outskirts of Muzeirib in rural western Daraa.

The attack comes amid tension in western Daraa, after Assads forces sent massive military reinforcements in recent days, hinting at a possible military operation to extend their security and military authority over the area.

The assassination also came after the killing of two regime military personnel by unknown assailants.

Daraa governorate has been under a state of security chaos since the signing of the resettlement agreement in 2018, while those responsible for the killings and explosions still remain unknown.

ISIS claimed responsibility for a number of killings in recent days, and has targeted former opposition leaders and regime commanders and personnel alike.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Editors Note: In recognition of National Historic Preservation Month, local historian Cindy Reinhardt will tell the stories behind some of Edwardsvilles historic buildings in a series of articles during the month of May.

Generations of local residents have driven past this big house, set far back from Troy Road, and wondered about its story. As commercial development sprang up all around, the house, surrounded by nursery plantings, became the only residential property in view. Someday, probably not too far distant, the property will be sold for another commercial enterprise and the house will be torn down. Although it is attractive, it is not a grand house with fine architectural lines, but it sits on property that has been owned by just two families since 1830.

The abstract for this property, as part of a much larger tract, shows that it was deeded by the United States of America to Francis (Frank) Kirkpatrick in 1814. However, the documented history going back even farther.

In an 1875 article in the Alton Telegraph, John W. Wright was asked to reminisce about Madison County. He describes three Kirkpatrick forts, built as protection from Native Americans.

He writes, There was one built about half a mile north of my fathers house, called James Kirkpatricks fort, which I helped to build. The next fort was built where Edwardsville now is, it was called Thomas Kirkpatricks fort, and there was another built near where Joseph N. McKee now lives, called Frank Kirkpatricks fort.

When that article was written, the property was Joseph McKees farm. Although not known for certain, it is likely that there was a fort, probably only a blockhouse, on this property. Remnants of early construction still in memory include a log building that was at the SE side of the house until the mid-1940s and hand-hewn logs that make up part of the house foundation. It is unknown when the house was built, but the current owner, whose family has owned the property since 1944, was told it was built in the mid-1860s.

There have been rumors over the years that an earlier house was once an inn where Abraham Lincoln spent the night, but, although an intriguing story, it is probably not true. It is difficult to prove a negative, but often this kind of story begins with someone saying, Just think, Lincoln could have stayed there.

After Kirkpatrick, there were several transactions of larger pieces of property until 1830 when James W. McKee bought the piece of land that would become known as the McKee farm. Looking at the property using todays landmarks, it included roughly the area from First Avenue on the north to Center Grove Road on the south. East/west borders were roughly Troy Road and South Plum Street.

Little is known about James W. McKee except that he purchased this property, then within a few years he died young, unmarried and without a will. One news article, published many years after his death, said he died in a logging accident. He had multiple siblings, nieces, and nephews that were all entitled to a part of his estate, so it took several years for legal issues to be settled. In the end, by 1838, two of his brothers obtained the property. Joseph N. McKee the south half which is in Section 23 (where the house is today) and John H. McKee the north half, located in Section 14 (where Edwardsville Crossing is located today).

The McKee brothers came to Illinois with their parents John and Mary (Patton) McKee, in 1817. The parents and their older children were born in Virginia before moving to Kentucky and then to Madison County. The father, John, died within a year of their arrival. With them on the journey to Illinois was

Johns nephew, Robert McKee, who had married Johns daughter, Letitia, just before leaving Kentucky. (John and Letitia were first cousins.)

Joseph died in 1844 and his widow, Emma, and their three surviving children continued to live on the property. In 1851, Emma married George Rice, a widower with five children. In 1855, since Joseph had died without a will (a McKee family tradition), Emma went to court to straighten out the title. All this was before the big house was supposed to have been constructed. Emma had three more children with George, for a total of 11 children in the household.

In 1868, the descendants of Joseph N. McKee sold the farm to Josephs brother-in-law, Robert McKee, and to Roberts son, Joseph Newton McKee. The following year Robert McKee died (without a will) and by 1871 Joseph Newton McKee was the sole owner of the southern part of the property. By 1888, he had purchased a portion of the northern part of the property originally purchased by James W. McKee in 1830 bringing his property up to the section line. (The boundaries of what would later be known as the Foucek farm.)

A review of the abstract for this property prior to 1888 includes names of spouses and others with claims against the estates. This Whos Who of Madison County history includes some of the earliest settlers: Judy, Wolf, Stephenson, Kirkpatrick, Barnsback, Kinder, Watt, Barber, Robinson and more. These were all well-respected, prominent leaders of the community. Many of their fathers fought in the Revolutionary War and others in the War of 1812.

Joseph Newton McKee was born in 1839 in Madison County. He married Jane Barnsback on April 2, 1868. By this time Joseph had already started accumulating acreage. With lands inherited by his wife, by the 1890s they had over 400 acres of prime farm ground. In 1895, they retired to town and thereafter leased the farm. The McKees led an active social life, going to Florida every winter, and moving to St. Louis near one of their daughters for the last years of their lives. Joseph died in 1918 and his wife in 1929, but the property was not sold by their heirs until 1944 when it was purchased for a plant nursery.

The Foucek Era

Men named Joseph seems to be a recurrent theme for this property because the next owner was Joseph Foucek and his wife, who bought the McKee farm as an expansion of their Troy, Illinois, business, Sunnyside Nurseries, Inc.

Joseph Foucek, the son of immigrant parents, was born in Glen Carbon, Illinois, in 1905. As a young man, he worked in the coal mines with his father, but in 1927 he found work with Home Nurseries in Edwardsville. In 1932, he purchased a farm near Troy, Illinois, and started his own business. The following year, he married a 22-year-old Glen Carbon girl, Zdenka Zea Fiala, who was the daughter of Czech immigrant parents. As related in a history of Troy, the young couple had no honeymoon. The next day, Zea was out in the field, hoeing sweet potatoes. Zea was working as a secretary in St. Louis when they married, but had grown up on a farm, so was familiar with the work. Theirs was a personal and business partnership in every way with both believing that the secret to success was hard work. Family was also important to the Fouceks who had three daughters. The business they started during the midst of the Great Depression provided income and investment for three generations of their family.

The Foucek business began with a truck farm selling produce to locals from a stand near the road, as well as to St. Louis wholesale markets. In the early years, they also raised pigs and chickens to help pay off the farm and gradually added pansies and other plants to their inventory. In 1941, they bought two greenhouses from a lettuce farm in Granite City, disassembled them and moved them to their Troy farm. By 1944, they needed to expand the business to make room for trees and shrubs. Thats when they indirectly purchased the Joseph McFee farm at auction. Joseph Foucek was concerned that if people knew he was bidding on the property, it might inflate the price, so he asked his sister and brother-in-law, Joseph and Agnes Rieger, of St. Louis, to purchase it for him.

When purchased, the property had numerous outbuildings in addition to the house and, as previously mentioned, a log cabin. The cabin was in poor condition as were most of the sheds, so Joseph dismantled or burned them. In later years, he expressed regret about tearing down the log cabin. The house was divided into apartments in the 1940s-50s but from 1963-2017 it was a single-family home for Carl and Doris (Faucek) Gause. Many remember how the Gause family lined the house with lights at Christmas, giving it the appearance of a Hallmark card. As for Joseph and Zea, although they owned this farm for over a half century, they spent their entire married life on the farm in Troy, Illinois, and never lived in this house. A granddaughter and her husband live in the house today.

In the 1960s, the State of Illinois platted the South By-Pass connecting the SIUE Campus to Interstate-55. The connector, later called Governors Parkway, sliced through the nursery property. The Fouceks fought against it in court in the 1990s but the state took the property in 2000. Soon after, the Fouceks sold the portion of their property cut off by the connector to developers.

Joseph Foucek died in 1987. Zea, who lived to be 91-years-old, enjoyed working in the nursery right up to the time of her death in 2002. After more than 85 years in business, Sunnyside Nurseries closed last year.

Turkey, deer and other wildlife still inhabit the 54 remaining acres of the old McKee farm. The quiet pastural neighborhood is nearly gone and what some call progress is coming. Until then, its good to pause and reflective on the people who made this place home.

If you have questions about this article, contact Cindy Reinhardt at 618-656-1294 or cynreinhardt@yahoo.com.
UPI payment and digital wallet app MobiKwik was restored after a few hours of being taken down by Google from Play Store on Thursday. The payments and digital wallet app was removed by Google over violation of its ads policy. The app failed to comply with the developer programme policies that disallow apps with deceptive or disruptive ads, Google had earlier said in an email to developers of MobiKwik.

Reacting to the development, Bipin Preet Singh, MobiKwik, CEO, claimed that the ad in question was related to Aarogya Setu. The wallet app was removed from Play Store by Google because it carried a link to it, he added. "Hey @GoogleIndia @GooglePlay you removed @MobiKwik app from play store because we had a link to Aarogya Setu app. We were asked to do this by regulators (@RBI ) and understand it's in public health interest. You have too much power!," Singh tweeted.

In 2018, Google removed ads from 1.5 million apps and nearly 28 million pages that violated publisher policies.

Meanwhile, amid security concerns over Aarogya Setu, the government has recently made the source code of the app open for developers. Aarogya Setu was launched by the central government on April 2 to help people identify the risk of contracting coronavirus by using bluetooth and location features. The people can also use the app to alert authorities if they have come in close contact with a person infected with the deadly virus. The app is available in 11 languages including English, Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Kannada, among others.

The app is designed in such a way that it keeps a user informed in case she or he has crossed paths with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.

Also read: Coronavirus in India: 7,466 cases in 24 hours, highest 1-day jump, death toll at 4,706; Maharashtra worst-hit

Also read: Delhi-Gurgaon border: Haryana govt seals border as coronavirus cases increase in capital
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) may declare the locust invasion a plague if it takes a turn for the worse by end of this year following successful breeding in India, Pakistan, and in west Africa. The locust invasion has been currently categorised as an upsurge by FAO.

The Union Agriculture Ministrys Locust Warning Organisation (LWO), headquartered in Jodhpur, has sprayed Malathion 96 and Chlorpyrifos, both organophosphate pesticides, to control the locust invasion across states. Both pesticides are extremely toxic and high exposure may cause nausea, dizziness, and even death in humans. It can also impact soil fertility by altering the ecological balance.

Unfortunately, spraying of chemical insecticides is the only effective method, when desert locusts are in such large numbers. There are biopesticides that are safe ways of controlling them but may not be as effective. FAO doesnt encourage control of desert locusts by farmers. State or federal teams that are trained in locust invasion management should do it with safety equipment, said Keith Cressman, senior desert locust forecasting officer at FAO, during a webinar organised by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Friday.

One of the options with farmers is to dig trenches around their farms to prevent hoppers from entering. Making noise can scatter locusts but they prevent focused control operations by authorities as the insects move in different directions.

Cressman said the current severe locust invasion is linked to climate change-induced aberrations in rainfall. There was good breeding in India last year, the monsoon was protracted, which allowed a further increase in locust populations. The drying vegetation in southwest Pakistan also led to them reaching India a month in advance, he said. India was alerted by FAO last year about the possibility of waves of invasions and that LWO authorities are in a position to control these waves. India is well equipped. It has the oldest national locust programme in the world.

The desert locust was expected to remain limited to its desert habitat, but it scattered to Madhya Pradesh (MP), Uttar Pradesh (UP), and Maharashtra because of the strong north-westerly winds following super cyclone Amphan last week.

There are two situations India is currently staring at: with the onset of monsoon rains the locusts, which have now scattered to MP, UP, Maharashtra from Rajasthan, will come back to their summer breeding sites in the desert along the India-Pakistan border. They will be flying back and forth with the winds till monsoon arrives, he added.

The other forecast that FAO has made is that with the southwest monsoon winds desert locusts that bred in the Horn of Africa will travel to Rajasthan across the Indian Ocean in June.

Richard Mark Mbaram, a technical adviser to the ministry of agriculture, Nigeria, said, spraying of insecticides is compounding environmental problems in the Horn of Africa. We do not have the wherewithal to undertake these measures at the scale required, we need aircraft to spray, expertise to spray. Biotechnological interventions should be consideredlocust invasions are an existential challenge if they are allowed to exist in the coming years.

Except for Malathion 96, the rest of the pesticides are highly poisonous. They are red labelled. They are meant for locust control in desert areas, which are largely uninhabited. But the same pesticides are being sprayed on in areas with habitation and with water bodies. These pesticides will drift and residue will remain. Theyll definitely disturb the ecological balance of the area and kill natural enemies  pests, which can counter other crop pests. We can expect an outbreak of other pests, said GV Ramanjaneyulu, executive director at the Hyderabad-based Centre for Sustainable Agriculture. Desert locusts dont multiply in non-desert areas so there is no point in spraying toxic pesticides in such large quantities in other states. They have a short life cycle and will die in due course. The government must consider biocontrol agents, he added.

Weve conducted control operations in 47,000 hectares in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and MP by spraying pesticides, said KL Gurjar, deputy director, LWO.

A locust swarm is scattered near Jhansi in UP. But there is no clear indication that some of them will fly towards Delhi, Gurjar added.
'No third-party intervention' is required to resolve problems, says Chinese Foreign Ministry said after Donald Trump offers to 'mediate or arbitrate' the raging border dispute between India and China

Beijing: After US president Donald Trump offered to mediate on India-China border stand-off, China on Friday said that both sides have the ability to properly resolve problems and no "third-party" intervention is required.

"Both parties have the ability to properly resolve problems between the two countries through dialogue and consultation. No third-party intervention is required," said Zhao Lijian, Spokesman, Chinese Foreign Ministry on US President's offer to mediate over ongoing India and China border issue.

The Spokesman further said that current situation on India-China border is "generally stable and controllable".

"Current situation in the border area between China and India is generally stable and controllable. China and India have perfect border-related mechanisms and communication channels," he said.

China's statement comes in the wake of Trump's offer on Wednesday to "mediate or arbitrate" the raging border dispute between India and China, saying he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between India and China.

However, in response to Trump's mediation offer, India said on Thursday that it is engaged with the Chinese side to resolve the border issue peacefully.

When asked about his tweet regarding his offer to mediate between India and China, Trump told reporters at his Oval Office on Thursday, "I would do that. If they (China and India) thought it would help."

India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that the two sides have established mechanisms both at military and diplomatic levels to resolve situations that may arise in border areas peacefully through dialogue and "continue to remain engaged through these channels."

Indian and Chinese field commanders have been holding talks on de-escalating the tensions.

China has also struck a conciliatory tone on the border issue with India, saying the two countries pose no threat to each other and should resolve their differences through communication, while not allowing them to overshadow bilateral relations.

"We should never let differences overshadow our relations. We should resolve differences through communication. China and India should be good neighbours of harmonious coexistence and good partners to move forward hand in hand," said Chinese Ambassador to India, Sun Weidong, on Wednesday.

The tensions escalated between India and China following a number of confrontations between soldiers of both armies.
Noel Clarke has said that racism is just as embedded in the UK as it is in the USA, and that he has been silenced by individuals in the film industry for speaking up about it.

Amid widespread US outcry and protest over the killing of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man pinned to the ground and knelt on by a white police officer, Clarke reminded his followers that such incidents are not exclusive to the US.

People on here acting like this is just a US problem, he tweeted. Racism is prevalent here too. Embedded in the fabric of society, the industry Im in. Sometimes its hard to keep fighting, when whenever you speak up, youre silenced or labelled as aggressive, difficult or Chippy.

Clarke wrote that his smash hit Sky One series Bulletproof struggled to get off the ground because it was written to be headlined by two black actors  him and Ashley Walters.

Just remember nobody wanted Bulletproof, we were told Bulletproof would never work or sell with two BLACK leads. NEVER. Look now.

Clarke also tweeted the poster for the 2019 British comedy film Fishermans Friends, which Clarke appeared in. Despite his name appearing at the top of the poster with five actor others, including Daniel Mays, James Purefoy and Tuppence Middleton, he was the only actor of the five whose actual face did not.

Ill just leave this here, Clarke captioned the image. And not one of these other actors spoke up for me and the fact I was not on here, being as well known as most of them.

A Bafta and Olivier Award winner, Clarke has appeared in film and television including Doctor Who and Star Trek Into Darkness. He also created the Kidulthood series of films, as well as writing and directing sequels Adulthood and Brotherhood.
Ministerio da Saude atualiza sobre situacao do coronavirus no Brasil
She has returned to her marital home amid reports her marriage is in crisis.

And now it has been claimed that Jacqueline Jossa, 27, has given her husband Dan Osborne, 28, a 'last chance ultimatum' as they work on their turbulent relationship.

A source told The Sun: 'Dan insists he has done nothing wrong but Jacqueline is frustrated he can't just focus solely on her and thinks he has been communicating with other girls.

Putting her foot down: Jacqueline Jossa has 'issued a last chance ultimatum to husband Dan Osborne amid their marital woes', it was reported on Friday

'She remains suspicious as she has caught him out before and he has form for being pictured chatting to attractive female celebrities at showbiz parties when she's been at home or working.'

The publication also alleged that while Jacqueline has returned to her marital home she issued an 'Osborne Ultimatum', demanding that Dan 'stop his infatuation with glamorous female reality stars.'

MailOnline has contacted Jacqueline's representatives for comment.

Claim: A source told The Sun: 'Dan insists he has done nothing wrong but Jacqueline is frustrated he can't just focus solely on her' so she has issued the ultimatum

Jacqueline put on a defiant display as she took to Instagram on Friday to share a sweet snap with her daughter Mia, 23 months, and her two dogs.

She looked every inch the doting mum as she sat on the patio steps with her arm wrapped around her daughter.

Jacqueline, who is also mum to Ella, five, beamed for the camera as she modelled her loungewear range from In The Style.

Good spirits: Jacqueline put on a defiant display as she took to Instagram on Friday to share a sweet snap with her daughter Mia, 23 months, and her two dogs

The latest Instagram post comes after Dan reportedly 'begged' Jacqueline to return to their marital home after she moved out amid their marriage issues.

The actress is said to have missed her husband and wants to take things 'really slowly' now she has returned part-time. She will split her time between their marital home and her parents' house.

A source told The Sun: 'Dan begged her to come home and she's admitted she missed him.

Working it out: The latest Instagram post comes after Dan reportedly 'begged' Jacqueline to return to their marital home after she moved out amid their marriage issues (pictured in April)

'They had been fighting non-stop but together they make a good team. It won't be easy but Jacqueline's sure they can make it work. She wants to take it really slowly.'

MailOnline has contacted both Jacqueline and Dan's representatives for comment.

It comes after the actress revealed she had returned to her marital home from her parents' house amid her issues with Dan.

The EastEnders star announced that she had come back to be with her kids and husband - yet will split her time between the two.

Moved back: The soap star recently revealed she had moved back into their abode part-time on Thursday amid claims they had been 'fighting non-stop'

She admitted that she 'has some stuff going on', in the wake of news that her three-year marriage to the former TOWIE star, 28, has been called into question amid claims of increasing domestic tension during the coronavirus lockdown.

Jacqueline said: 'Not that it's got anything to do with you, but was going to let you guys know I am back at home. I'm gonna be doing the pix at my mum and dad's new place because there's loads of new empty rooms.'

Then discussing her own house, she went on: 'The place is a mess because I haven't been here in a while. I am back home but I'll be coming home because I've got stuff going on at the moment.'

Love life: Jacqueline said: 'The place is a mess because I haven't been here in a while. I am back home but I'll be coming home because I've got stuff going on at the moment'

The previous day, Jacqueline insisted her decision to move away from her husband in the midst of a global pandemic bore no reflection on the state of their relationship as she took to Instagram with a lengthy post.

Taking to Instagram, she wrote: 'Morning all. This is a message for all of the amazing supporters who always show me so much love...

'I've been honest about my situation at the moment, and yes I've been staying at another house - a house my parents will eventually be moving into.

'I had really been struggling (haven't we all?) lately and as I said the other day, I've just needed some time and breathing space.'

She added: 'I'm going to enjoy the sunshine with my kids. Thanks to everyone who always stands by us, and to all the hard working parents trying to get through this crazy time  and for those who just don't get it, just Be Kind...

'I will not be commenting any further.'
Sixteen digitally displayed artworks by prestigious artists Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele will be shown in Hanoi starting May 31.

The "Image and Distance" exhibition will include high-definition digital works by the two iconic artists displayed via projectors, monitors, computers, mobile phones.

This is the first time Klimts "The Kiss" and "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I", as well as Schieles "Four Trees" will be shown to Vietnamese art lovers. Most of the works were created in the early 20th century, an era having witnessed historical events like World War I and the Spanish flu pandemic, which killed both artists.

Exhibition poster featuring "The Kiss" by Gustav Klimt. Photo courtesy VCCA.

Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA), organizer of the event, stated it would ensure an appropriate physical distance between viewers and art, alongside the employment of social distancing measures.

"In our age of social media and almost limitless image access, it is hoped the exhibition could help us reflect on the way we see and on how this affects daily perception," said Mizuki Endo, director art at VCCA.

The "Image and Distance" exhibition will be held from May 31 to July 31, at Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA), Vincom Mega Mall, Royal City, 72A Nguyen Trai Street, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Entrance is free.

Gustav Klimt (1862  1918) and Egon Schiele (1890  1918) were contemporaries based in Vienna during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Klimt rebelled against academic education and the conservative art world. Many of his paintings reflect a strong sense of eroticism, life and death, and he also took the initiative to develop the function of painting as decoration.

Schiele looked up to the older Klimt and was greatly influenced by him, but rather than aesthetic refinement, he pursued simple yet dynamic paintings that put everything into vital strokes.




Good Morning, Nigeria, Welcome To Naija News Roundup Of Top Newspaper Headlines In Nigeria For Today Friday, 29th May 2020

President Muhammadu Buhari has reached out to the House of Representatives to request for the approval of fresh $5.513bn loan.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, while reading the letter forwarded by the President at the plenary on Thursday, noted that the funds were for 2020 budget deficit, financing of critical projects, and some states of the federation.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has ordered the immediate posting/redeployment of new Commissioners of Police to some Commands/Formations.

This development was confirmed to Naija News in a statement in Abuja on Thursday by Frank Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reduced the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) from 13.50% to 12.50% for the second quarter of the year.

However, the Governor of CBN, Godwin Emefiele who made this known while reading the communique at the end of the MPC meeting on Thursday revealed that the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) remained at 27.5%, Liquidity ratio at 30%.

The presidency has noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has touched the lives of Nigerians within the past five years in diverse ways, despite many challenges.

It listed the identified challenges to include economic, security, political, social, and many more.

The Chairman of the Nassarawa State Christian Association of Nigerian, Bishop Joseph Masin has been abducted by some unknown bandits.

Naija News learnt that the abduction was confirmed by the immediate past Secretary of the association, Elder Yohanna Samari in Lafia.

The Acting Executive Director of Finance of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Ibanga Bassey Etang, has died mysteriously from suspected food poisoning.

Naija News understands that Bassey Etang died on Thursday amid the Forensic Audit of the Commission ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has approved some re-organizations within the Nigeria Police Force with immediate effect.

The approvals are to make the force more effective in the discharge of its duties as well as bring security closer to the people of the country.

The Kogi State Government has rejected the report of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC) that two cases of COVID-19 were recorded within the province.

Speaking on the NCDC report via a statement on Wednesday, Saka Haruna Audu, Kogi health commissioner, said the state government has developed full testing capacity and conducted hundreds of tests which have all come back negative.

The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump has reacted as the COVID-19 death toll in America hits 100,000.

Trump described the development as a very sad milestone and expressed sympathy to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives to the virus.

The English Premier League board has announced that the 2019/2020 season matches will restart on the 17th of June 2020.

According to the Telegraph, the first game scheduled would have Sheffield United travel to Villa Park to face Aston Villa while Arsenal FC, on the other hand, will be hosted by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Thats the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.

Share this post with your Friends on
Insurance fraud seems like it might be an easy thing to do. Insurance companies are often so huge, one wonders how they might not even notic...
MoneyTV with Donald Baillargeon television program, Copyright MMXX, all rights reserved. MoneyTV does not provide an analysis of companies' financial positions and is not soliciting to purchase or sell securities of the companies, nor are we offering a recommendation of featured companies or their stocks. Information discussed herein has been provided by the companies and should be verified independently with the companies and a securities analyst. MoneyTV provides companies a 3 to 4 month corporate profile with multiple appearances for a cash fee of $6,950.00 to $11,995.00, does not accept company stock as payment for services, does not hold any positions, options or warrants in featured companies. The information herein is not an endorsement by Donald Baillargeon, the producer, publisher or parent company of MoneyTV.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Six regional winners, including D'Angelo and Farr, received a $1,000 scholarship award to support their education. In total, Syngenta awarded $18,000 in scholarships.

Judges selected this year's winners out of a diverse pool of applicants who shared how their roots influenced the way they view the future of the ag industry.

"We received a lot of strong applications this year," said Pam Caraway, communications lead at Syngenta. "This year's applicants have a lot to say about where the industry might be going  and how they will help take it there. The future of our agricultural industry is in good hands."

In his winning video essay, D'Angelo, who's double majoring in plant biology and agriculture and food systems, emphasized the importance of supporting sustainable, profitable production. "The future of agriculture is not simply about growing more food," he said. "It's about growing food in a safe and sustainable way, while preserving the economic viability of the farmer."

Farr, who grew up on a corn, soybean and wheat farm in western Nebraska, struck a similar note. "I see agriculture moving in a direction that is not only more environmentally conscious and efficient, but also more integrated with an intertwined, sustainable system," he said. "That system will give us the ability to adapt to changing economies and a changing climate," he said. Through his studies in weed science, Farr hopes to contribute to that movement.

The other regional winners include:

Kristen Dunning , Dallas, Georgia , an undergraduate student at the University of Georgia

, , an undergraduate student at the Madigan Jean Hawkins , Olympia, Washington , an undergraduate student at the University of Idaho

, , an undergraduate student at the Leah Mosher , Liscomb, Iowa , an undergraduate student at Iowa State University

, , an undergraduate student at Chelsea Newbold , Corvallis, Oregon , a graduate student at Oregon State University

For additional information about the winners and scholarship program, please visit http://www.syngenta-us.com/scholarships. Join the conversation online  connect with Syngenta at Syngenta-us.com/social.

About Syngenta

Syngenta is one of the world's leading agriculture companies. Our ambition is to help safely feed the world while taking care of the planet. We aim to improve the sustainability, quality and safety of agriculture with world class science and innovative crop solutions. Our technologies enable millions of farmers around the world to make better use of limited agricultural resources. With 28,000 people in more than 90 countries we are working to transform how crops are grown. Through partnerships, collaboration and The Good Growth Plan we are committed to improving farm productivity, rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Syngenta and www.twitter.com/SyngentaUS.

Web Resources:

Accelerating a Generation Syngenta Scholarship

Know More, Grow More

Syngenta Newsroom

Syngenta U.S.

Thrive

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as 'expect', 'would', 'will', 'potential', 'plans', 'prospects', 'estimated', 'aiming', 'on track' and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. For Syngenta, such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to legal proceedings, regulatory approvals, new product development, increasing competition, customer credit risk, general economic and market conditions, compliance and remediation, intellectual property rights, implementation of organizational changes, impairment of intangible assets, consumer perceptions of genetically modified crops and organisms or crop protection chemicals, climatic variations, fluctuations in exchange rates and/or commodity prices, single source supply arrangements, political uncertainty, natural disasters, and breaches of data security or other disruptions of information technology. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors.

2020 Syngenta, 410 Swing Road, Greensboro, NC 27409. The Syngenta logo is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Syngenta

Related Links

https://www.syngenta-us.com


(Natural News) The social media crackdown on free speech has escalated once again with the implementation of a new oversight board at Facebook that, as you may have noticed, no longer allows the sharing of any content from Natural News or Brighteon  including through Messenger.

Also known as Facebooks supreme court, this far-left governing body will hand-select which content is acceptable on Facebook and which content has to be censored, completely sidestepping the United States Constitution and the First Amendment.

In case you think we might be exaggerating, this oversight board openly brags about flouting the rights and liberties afforded to the American people. Its stated goal is to shift away from a U.S. constitutional-law paradigm towards an international human rights approach, meaning increased censorship and more stifling of free speech.

This is according to Catalina Botero-Marino, a co-chair of Facebooks oversight board who wants to shed any remaining American norms at Facebook and make the platform more aligned with European and other international norms  you know, norms that foment tyranny and discourage independent thought.

Amazingly, Facebook claims that these changes are part of a company-wide effort to increase accountability and transparency. Mark Zuckerberg has also stated that he sees this new oversight board as a replacement for the actual Supreme Court, as it has the power to deliver binding decisions and policy advisory statements, except at the global level.

Check out the following episode of The Health Ranger Report as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses how this type of Big Tech tyranny needs to be brought to an immediate end:

Is Facebook morphing into its own global government?

In an attempt to lessen the blow, Facebook has indicated that its new supreme court has at least six constitutional lawyers on board. This is apparently supposed to quell all fears that Facebook might be trying to completely sidestep American law, despite existing and doing business in the U.S.

But it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out what is actually going on with this new policing system, the constitutional features of which are specious at best. Even a cursory look at what the new system entails reveals that Facebook is trying to become its own government that controls what people say and do through social media, much like Twitter, Google, YouTube, Pinterest, Amazon, and all of the rest are doing.

What this all means is that the world can expect a whole lot more silencing of unpopular viewpoints, as well as false accusations of hate speech any time a leftist sees, hears, or reads something that she does not like. And Facebook will be there to rescue her from being offended by silencing those doing the offending.

It all aligns with a leaked briefing from Google that was published back in 2018 entitled, The Good Censor. In this briefing, Google admitted that itself and other tech companies had shifted towards censorship after 2016, a move that included abandoning the American tradition.

Google openly stated at the time that it now prioritizes free speech for democracy, not civility. It also now favors dignity over liberty, and civility over freedom, which is completely antithetical to the Constitution and directly in line with the European approach.

As for Facebook, there are no conservatives to be found anywhere on its oversight board, which just goes to show that it is perfectly allied with Google. Conservative viewpoints are now considered uncivil, and thus worthy of censorship, while leftist tolerance is the only thing that remains.

To keep up with the latest news about Big Tech tyranny, be sure to check out Censorship.news.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

NaturalNews.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - Nutritional High International Inc. (CSE: EAT) (OTCQB: SPLIF) (FSE: 2NU) ("Nutritional High" or the "Company") is pleased to announce in connection with its press release dated March 31, 2020, the closing of its second and final tranche of a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering"). The second tranche consisting of C$272,000 aggregate principal amount of secured convertible debenture units (the "Convertible Debenture Units") at a price of $1,000 per Convertible Debenture Unit.

Each Convertible Debenture Unit is comprised of a $1,000 principal amount 12% secured convertible debenture (each, a "Convertible Debenture") and 20,000 common share purchase warrants (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable into a common share of the Company (a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.05 ("Warrant Exercise Price") for 36 months from the date of issuance (the "Maturity Date"). The Convertible Debentures are convertible into common shares in the capital of the Company ("Conversion Shares") at a price of $0.05 per share ("Conversion Price") at any time prior to Maturity Date. The Convertible Debentures, Conversion Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the applicable issuance date. The Company may prepay, in whole or part, the principal amount of Convertible Debentures at any time without penalty.

The Convertible Debentures rank pari passu and will bear interest at a rate of 12% per annum from the date of issuance payable semi-annually in arrears. The interest can be payable in cash or by issuing common shares against the amount due at the sole option of the Company.

The Convertible Debentures are secured by certain assets of the Company as set out in the certificates representing the Convertible Debentures and security documents.

Certain directors and officers of the Company (the "Related Parties") participated in the Offering. This transaction constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The transaction is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of securities being issued to the Related Parties nor the consideration being paid by the Related Parties exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization. A material change report in respect of this related party transaction will be filed by the Company but could not be filed at least 21 days prior to the closing of the Offering due to the fact that the Company wished to close the transaction as soon as practicable to enable it to use the proceeds of the Offering in an expeditious manner to bolster the Company's financial position.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for capital projects and general corporate purposes.

About Nutritional High International Inc.

Nutritional High is focused on developing and manufacturing branded products in the cannabis industry, with a specific focus on edibles and oil extracts for medical and adult recreational use. The Company works exclusively in jurisdictions where such activity is permitted and regulated by state law. Nutritional High has brought its flagship FLI edibles and vape product lines from production to market in various markets including Colorado where its award winning FLI products are manufactured by Palo Verde, LLC. The Company signed a purchase agreement for Palo Verde and is awaiting regulatory approval. In California, the Company distributes products through its wholly owned distributor Calyx Brands Inc. For updates on the Company's activities and highlights of the Company's press releases and other media coverage, please follow Nutritional High on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit www.nutritionalhigh.com.

For further information, please contact:

Robert Wilson

Chief Financial Officer

Nutritional High International Inc.

416-666-4005

Email: rwilson@nutritionalhigh.com

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR OTC MARKETS GROUP INC., NOR THEIR REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDERS HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be correct. We assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

The Company's securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking information expressed in this press release include, but are not limited to: the ability of the Company to complete the full issuance of up to $5 million of Convertible Debenture Units, obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals including acquiring and renewing U.S. state, local or other licenses, the uncertainty of existing protection from U.S. federal or other prosecution, regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. state-law legalization, market and general economic conditions of the cannabis sector or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56901
- In the new leadership changes in the National Assembly, NASA replaced Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa as deputy minority whip with Tongaren's Eseli Simiyu

- Vocal Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa was also kicked out of the Parliamentary Service Commission and her place taken by Likoni MP Mishi Mboko

- Senator Wetang'ula vowed to challenged the changes in court as he accused ODM of being behind their de-whipping

A new battle is looming within the National Super Alliance (NASA) after members who were allegedly leaning towards Deputy President William Ruto were ejected from their positions in the National Assembly.

Bungoma senator, Moses Wetang'ula, cried foul after his close ally Chris Wamalwa (MP Kiminini) was ousted from the deputy minority whip position vowing to challenge the decision in court.

READ ALSO: George Magoha's 10-member team proposes schools be reopened in September 2020

Bungoma Senator and Ford Kenya Party leader Moses Wetang'ula speaking at a public rally. Photo: Moses Wetang'ula.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: GoFundMe set up by family of black man killed by police raises over KSh 100M

Speaking to Sulwe FM, the Ford Kenya party leader, whose party is an affiliate of the NASA coalition accused the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) of behaving as if it was "Alpha and Omega".

It is not a privilege to be in a parliamentary committee leadership position. We have not met as Ford-Kenya, Amani National Congress (ANC) and Wiper to deliberate on this matter, and we shall move to court if they make the changes, said Wetangula.

Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa lost his position as the deputy minority whip in the National Assembly on Thursday, May 28. Photo: Chris Wamalwa.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Mungiki wamerejea Mt Kenya, Kibicho asema

The Bungoma senator claimed the Raila Odinga led party was behind the plot to discipline alleged errant members who were lukewarm to the handshake between the former premier and President Uhuru Kenyatta.

We cannot collapse NASA casually because there are assets and liabilities we ought to agree on. NASA cannot be killed until the end of its term, but accountability must be upheld, he said.

In the new changes, Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu (Ford Kenya) was elected to take Wamalwa's position as the deputy minority leader in the National Assembly.

Outspoken Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa was also recalled from the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) with her position taken by Likoni MP Mishi Mboko.

"As NASA, we have met this afternoon and held very fruitful deliberations aimed at not just improving the performance of our coalition in parliament, but also strengthening our democracy. Party/coalition discipline is critical to the proper conduct of parliamentary business," Minority Whip Junet Mohamed who is also the Suna East MP said.

Wetang'ula himself was stripped of his Senate minority leadership position in March 2018 and replaced with Siaya senator James Orengo, a vocal Raila ally.

The 19 senators who voted to kick him out accused him of being "a bully and an arrogant man who did't listen to them".

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly.

My husband left me for my bestfriend and imprisoned me after I gave him 12 children - Virginia

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Five years into the eight-year tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, his administration is yet to deliver on key promises upon which Nigerians overwhelmingly voted him.

President Buhari, who is celebrating his first year of the second term and fifth year in office today (Friday), had on Thursday written to the National Assembly to approve a fresh external loan request of $5.513 billion.

The Senate during their plenary on Thursday justified the presidents loan request to finance 2020 budget, insisting that it would not be a burden to the country.

However, KanyiDaily recalls that the National Assembly had in April this year approved N850bn domestic loan request of the President, to finance projects in the 2020 budget.

The loan was to be sourced from external lending institutions, but the arrangement was frustrated due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier in the year, the Senate had also approved another $22.79bn external loan request for Buhari, which was also meant to fund the total 2020 budget size of N10.5tn.

Surprisingly again on Thursday, May 28, 2020, Buhari sent another external loan request of $5.513bn to the two chambers of the federal parliament.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, read the letters during plenary, after a closed session with members on Thursday.

Buhari said the loan would be used to finance the proposed 2020 revised budget, some priority projects and other projects to support state governments.

He said it became imperative for the funding of the revised 2020 budget and insulating the nations economy from the yet-to-be-abated COVID-19 pandemic.

The sources for the loans, according to him, are the International Monetary Fund, $3.4bn; World Bank, $1.4bn; Africa Development Bank, $500m; Islamic Development Bank, $113m, among others.

As the Senate may be aware, the COViD-19 pandemic has resulted in economic and fiscal challenges for many countries, the letter partly reads. Nigeria has also been affected in this regard, especially with the lower demand for crude oil, which has affected our sales and the sharp decline in the price of oil below $25 per barrel, which is much lower than the $57 per barrel benchmark in the 2020 Appropriation Act. The COVlD-19 pandemic has also created the need of additional expenditure in the health sector. All of these have necessitated a review of the 2020 Budget and the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (2020-2022). The draft revised budget proposed by the executive for 2020 has a higher deficit. In order to finance the deficit, the Federal Government is planning to raise funds from both domestic and external sources. For the external component, the government is negotiating with multilateral institutions for funding on concessionary terms. The facilities totalling $5.513bn, being arranged in this regard, are detailed below.

Details of the projects were not made available to journalists, but both chambers of the National Assembly had referred the documents to their committees on local and foreign debts. The committees are expected to submit their reports on Tuesday next week.

ALSO READ: President Buhari Selling Our Future Generation With N24.947 Trillion Debt Profile  Olusegun Obasanjo
"Out of the Gulch, Onto the Mountain Top" by Frederic Marsh Civish, Jr. "The style of the book is great detailed, funny, and at times even poetic. I found 'Out of the Gulch: Onto the Mountain Top' a transportive, engaging joy to read.  Charles Asher

Born in a small coal mining town in 1931, Frederic Marsh Civish, Jr. lived through things most people nowadays would consider history. For example, he is older than the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Hoover Dam. He has gone from asking an operator to place a call to invoking Siri. His is a perspective to be valued.

On Pearl Harbor Day, he was duck hunting with a 12-gauge shotgun. He witnessed the great Sunnyside Mine explosion in 1945 and fought in the Korean War. As the new century dawned, he was in the classroom teaching millennials.

Mr. Civish has led an impressive life, having witnessed and experienced a radically changing world while managing to maintain his sense of self, a rugged individualism of a time that it sadly seems is now fading into the past. But thats what makes this memoir inspiring, really. Following the authors adventures, diving into his worldview, acts not only as a ticket to the last century, but as a sort of guide to life today, a roadmap to finding yourself despite whatever changes or troubles the world throws at you. The style of the book is great detailed, funny, and at times even poetic. I found 'Out of the Gulch: Onto the Mountain Top' a transportive, engaging joy to read.  Charles Asher

After joining the Navy during the Korean War, the author lived in several California cities before, in 1962, moving back home. Growing up in Utah he says, I felt the state and everybody in it could be described with two words: I called the state sticks and people hicks. So, I decided to move back to the sticks and become one of them thar hicks. He now lives Out of the Gulch, Onto the Mountain Top.

OUT OF THE GULCH, ONTO THE MOUNTAIN TOP (ISBN: 978-1-68181-559-6) is now available for $22.50 and can be ordered through the publishers website:

http://sbprabooks.com/FredericMarshCivishJr or at your favorite book seller.

WHOLESALERS: This book is distributed by Ingram Books and other wholesale distributors. Contact your representative with the ISBN for purchase. Wholesale purchase for retailers, universities, libraries, and other organizations is also available through the publisher; please email bookorder@sbpra.net.
Mumbai:

Nearly one lakh autorickshaws went off the roads in Mumbai during a day-long strike to press for regulation of app-based cab sevices, hitting commuters hard with many stranded in several places across the metropolis.



Protesting rickshaw owners and drivers under the Mumbai Autorickshawmens Union are demanding effective regulation on business operation of popular app-based taxi aggregators like Ola and Uber including their pricing strategy to attract customers.



The government has miserably failed to regulate the practice of transportation of passengers via cab services booked through call centres which are making a dent in our business, Union leader Shashank Rao told PTI.



And not only this, they are eating into our livelihood without following any rules. We resorted to this strike as we had no option left. The transport ministry has turned a deaf ear to our legitimate demands, said Rao.



The protesters are demanding that a badge be given to all rickshaw drivers and owners, who are in this business since three years without imposing any restrictions on them.



Currently, there are 1.05 lakh registered rickshaws plying in the city and the Rao-led union claims to have over 90 per cent of them in its fold.



Out of these 1.05 lakh registered rickshaws, almost 98,000-99,000 rickshaws are off roads today which shows our strength, Rao added.



Meanwhile, a senior Transport department official said that it is unfortunate that despite being given an assurance from the government, they went ahead with the strike.



He, however, said that the administration has taken ample measures including plying of additional civic BEST buses to ferry commuters who are feeling the pinch due to the stir.



Manoj Varade, spokesperson of BEST undertaking told PTI, Our administration has already given a free hand to all 27 bus depot managers across the city to operate additional services as per requirement.



Earlier on August 29, two auto and taxi driver unions Jai Bhagwan Taxi Rickshaw Sangathana and Nitesh Rane-led Swabhimaan Sanghatana had put on hold their decision till September 1 to go an indefinite strike in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai after the Maharashtra government promised to look into their demands seriously.



Their three key demands included to put the operations of app-based cab aggregators on hold till rules and regulations are formulated by the state government, and if allowed, they should be asked to ply outside the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and they should be under the ambit of RTO rules and regulation.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Photo: The Canadian Press A man carries items past a burned out Auto Zone store near the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct Thursday, May 28, 2020, after a night of rioting and looting as protests continue over the death of George Floyd, who was seen on video gasping for breath during an arrest in which an officer kneeled on his neck. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called in the National Guard on Thursday as looting broke out in St. Paul and a wounded Minneapolis braced for more violence after rioting over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man in police custody, reduced parts of one neighbourhood to a smoking shambles.

The Minneapolis unrest ravaged several blocks in the Longfellow neighbourhood, with scattered rioting reaching for miles across the city. It was the second consecutive night of violent protests following Floyd's death, which was seen in a video that showed him gasping for breath while an officer kneeled on his neck for almost eight minutes. In footage recorded by a bystander, Floyd pleads that he cannot breathe until he slowly stops talking and moving.

Another protest was announced for Thursday evening near county offices in downtown Minneapolis. Some stores in Minneapolis and the suburbs closed early, fearing more strife. The city shut down its light-rail system and all bus service out of safety concerns.

Around midday Thursday, the violence spread a few miles away to a Target in St. Paul's Midway neighbourhood, where police said 50 to 60 people rushed the store attempting to loot it. Police and state patrol squad cars later blocked the entrance, but the looting then shifted to shops along nearby University Avenue, one of St. Pauls main commercial corridors, and other spots in the city.

St. Paul spokesman Steve Linders said authorities were dealing with unrest in roughly 20 different areas.

Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement and on preventing this from ever happening again. We can all be in that fight together, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter tweeted.

Erika Atson, 20, was among several hundred people who gathered for the planned demonstration outside government offices in downtown Minneapolis, where organizers called for peaceful protest.

Atson, who is black, described seeing her 14- and 11-year-old brothers tackled by Minneapolis police years ago because officers mistakenly presumed the boys had guns. She said she had been at every single protest since Floyds death and that she worried about raising children who would be vulnerable in police encounters.

We dont want to be here fighting against anyone. We dont want anyone to be hurt. We dont want to cause any damages, she said. We just want the police officer to be held accountable for his actions.

The governors order did not say how many Guard members were mobilized and whether they would be in service Thursday night. After calling in the Guard, Walz urged widespread changes in the wake of Floyd's death.

"It is time to rebuild. Rebuild the city, rebuild our justice system and rebuild the relationship between law enforcement and those theyre charged to protect. George Floyds death should lead to justice and systemic change, not more death and destruction, Walz said.

By Thursday morning in Minneapolis, smoke rose from smouldering buildings in the Longfellow neighbourhood. In a strip mall across the street from the police's 3rd Precinct station, the focus of the protests on both nights, the windows in nearly every business had been smashed, from the large Target department store at one end to the Planet Fitness gym at the other. Only the 24-hour laundromat appeared to have escaped unscathed.

WHY US? demanded a large expanse of red graffiti scrawled on the wall of the Target. A Wendys restaurant across the street was charred almost beyond recognition.

Among the casualties of the overnight fires: a six-story rental building under construction that was to provide nearly 200 apartments of affordable housing.

Were burning our own neighbourhood, said a distraught Deona Brown, a 24-year-old woman standing with a friend outside the precinct station, where a small group of protesters were shouting at a dozen or so stone-faced police officers in riot gear. This is where we live, where we shop, and they destroyed it.

What that cop did was wrong, but Im scared now, Brown said.

Others in the crowd saw something different in the wreckage.

Protesters destroyed property "because the system is broken, said a young man who identified himself only by his nickname, Cash, and who said he had been in the streets during the violence. He dismissed the idea that the destruction would hurt residents of the largely black neighbourhood.

Theyre making money off of us, he said angrily of the owners of the destroyed stores. He laughed when asked if he had joined in the looting or violence. I didnt break anything.

The protests that began Wednesday night and extended into Thursday were more violent than Tuesday's, which included skirmishes between offices and protesters but no widespread property damage or looting.

Mayor Jacob Frey appealed for calm. Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy, he said on Twitter.

The citys response to the protests was being questioned even as things started spiraling Wednesday night into violence. If the strategy was to keep residents safe  it failed, City Council Member Jeremiah Ellison, who is black, tweeted. Prevent property damage  it failed."

We failed last night. We are failing our city again," he tweeted Thursday, urging police to leave the scene of the overnight violence, saying their presence brings people into the streets.

Protests also spread to other U.S. cities. In California, hundreds of people protesting Floyds death blocked a Los Angeles freeway and shattered windows of California Highway Patrol cruisers. Memphis police blocked a main thoroughfare after a racially mixed group of protesters gathered outside a police precinct. The situation intensified later in the night, with police donning riot gear and protesters standing shoulder-to-shoulder in front of officers stationed behind a barricade.

Amid the violence in Minneapolis, a man was found fatally shot Wednesday night near a pawn shop, possibly by the owner, authorities said.

Fire crews responded to about 30 intentionally set blazes, including at least 16 structure fires, and multiple fire trucks were damaged by rocks and other projectiles, the fire department said. No one was hurt by the blazes.

There was no sign of police at the destroyed shopping centre, though a couple dozen officers were outside the precinct house. One man standing outside the building used a bullhorn to shout I cant breathe, I cant breathe. Mama, I cant breathe, repeating some of Floyds pleas for relief.

Across from the precinct, someone had spray-painted the sidewalk in red: Wheres humanity?

The 46-year-old Floyd died as police arrested him outside a convenience store after a report of a counterfeit bill being passed. The U.S. Attorneys Office and the FBI in Minneapolis said Thursday they were conducting a robust criminal investigation into the death and making the case a priority. The announcement came a day after President Donald Trump tweeted that he had asked an investigation to be expedited.

The FBI is also investigating whether Floyds civil rights were violated.

The officer who kneeled on Floyd and three others were fired Tuesday. The next day, the mayor called for him to be criminally charged. The mayor also appealed for activation of the National Guard.
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
Yadav also defended the Railways against the flak over lack of food and water on board the delayed trains.

New Delhi: The Railways defended itself on Friday in the face of severe criticism over delays by Shramik Specials in reaching their destinations, saying they were not regular trains and they can be extended or short-terminated, and their stoppages and routes can be changed for the benefit of migrant workers.

Addressing a press conference, Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav clarified that no train can ever be "lost", as has been said about the delayed trains, and pointed out that of the 3,840 trains operated since May 1, only four have taken over 72 hours to reach their destinations.

The clarifications came amid criticism over delays that the migrant trains were getting "lost" before reaching their destinations.

Railways data shows that 36.5 per cent of all Shramik trains have ended up in Bihar and 42.2 per cent have terminated in Uttar Pradesh, leading to unequal pressure on these routes.

Repeatedly stating that these were "unusual times", Yadav also defended the Railways against the flak over lack of food and water on board the delayed trains, saying 85 lakh meals and 1.25 crore water bottles were supplied free of cost to passengers.

He said complaints from passengers aboard specific trains have been investigated and it was found that there were no discrepancies in supply of meals.

"Because of coronavirus, many contractors did not want to board the trains to distribute food. We would initially give the packets for them to take on their own. But now our employees are using masks and gloves to enter the trains and distribute food," he said.

"So, out of the 3,840 trains, these incidents are maybe in 1 or 2 per cent of the trains. In 98-99 per cent cases, this has gone smoothly," he asserted.

Yadav said the Railways was compiling a list of people who died on the Shramik Specials as he urged everyone with pre-existing health conditions, pregnant women and the aged to avoid unnecessary travel.

"Indian Railways has a control system; the train is immediately stopped if someone is found ill and doctors try to save their lives. Many passengers have been attended to by Railway doctors, 31 successful deliveries have been done. In many cases they were sent to the nearest hospital base.

"I understand that they are travelling in desperate times. Each death is investigated. We are compiling the data on deaths and the reasons behind the dates from state governments. We will make it public when we have the numbers and I don't want to comment on this without correct numbers," he said responding to a question on the number of deaths on board these trains.

He also said 90 per cent of these migrant trains ran with an average speed higher than regular mail express trains.

"There was some fake news that a train reached Siwan in nine days... We diverted only 1.8 per cent of trains. From 20-24 May, 71 trains were diverted because of high demand for trains to UP, Bihar, where 90 per cent trains were going from across the country," Yadav said.

He said in one case, a train which was to go to Allahabad was sent to Lucknow and was reported as "lost". It was diverted to the Uttar Pradesh capital when it was realised that there were fewer people destined for Allahabad and more on the Lucknow route.

"We spoke to the state government and we took a decision in Kanpur to take the train to Lucknow. These trains are not normal trains, Railways has maintained full flexibility in them. State governments have been given full flexibility to extend trains, change stoppages and change routes," he said.

Among the destination-states for which the trains were diverted were Bihar (51), Uttar Pradesh (16), Jharkhand (2), Assam and Manipur (1 each). Among the originating-states for which trains were diverted included Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan.

Till May 28, Yadav said, 3,840 Shramik Specials operated ferrying a total of 52 lakh passengers. He said 1,524 Shramik trains operated in last one week and over 20 lakh passengers were ferried.

"Railways has accommodated almost all requests received from the sending states and we are ready to meet all demand of Shramik movements. Requirement of states as on May 24 was 923 trains, as per requirement yesterday, the figure is now 449 trains," he said.

He said meals -- breakfast, lunch, dinner -- were served at enroute stations and the state governments provided food and water at starting stations. IRCTC and various railway divisions arranged free meals and water for migrants in trains enroute and over 85 lakh meals and 1.25 crore water bottles were supplied free.

"NGOs also supplemented efforts. Railway Divisions mobilized local halwais, bakeries at various stations to prepare snacks and foods for Shramiks," he said.
Contact tracers will not inform the police if people reveal that they have broken coronavirus lockdown laws, the government has said.

There are concerns that infected people may not be honest about where they have been, or who with, if they fear that they or their loved ones will be penalised.

But the Department of Health said that all information shared with the NHS Test and Trace service is confidential and will not be passed on to the police or other bodies.

It said it was important that people who test positive share accurate information on who they have been in contact with so the virus can be contained.

Under the new system, those with confirmed Covid-19 will be contacted by contact tracers and asked about their recent interactions, which will include people who have been within two metres for more than 15 minutes.

Anyone identified will be told to self-isolate for 14 days, even if they do not have symptoms, and seek a test if they develop Covid-19.

Isolation instructions are currently voluntary but the Department of Health said that tougher measures would be introduced if people do not comply, such as home visits and fines.

The service - seen as key to easing lockdown restrictions - has been rolled out across England with the help of 25,000 contact tracers, while a separate app has been delayed.

The Department for Health admitted some staff initially encountered issues logging on to their systems on Thursday, while MPs said they were told the programme would not be operational at a local level until the end of next month.

The health secretary said he believed that the vast majority of people self-isolate voluntarily under the new system.

I think that the vast majority of people will understand that it is in everybody's interest that those who are in higher risk follow the requests from the NHS, these instructions, and it is very important that they do, Matt Hancock told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"This is about how, as a country, we get out of this lockdown in the safest possible way, short of having a vaccine or an effective treatment, which obviously we're working on but we don't yet have.

 Matt Hancock laughs hysterically after being asked about the 'rushed' test and trace launch

Mr Hancock said people will not receive penalties for failing to abide by the guidelines in the first instance, but left open the possibility of making it mandatory for people to stay at home in the future.

The Health Protection Regulations, which allow people to fine and arrest people for breaking the lockdown, currently make it illegal to leave home without reasonable excuse but do not contain any powers on isolation requirements.

The separate Coronavirus Act empowers public health officials and police to order potentially infectious persons to a place suitable for screening and assessment, but not their own homes.

Anyone arriving in the UK will also be required to self-isolate for 14 days from 8 June.

Human rights groups have raised concerns about a Public Health England privacy notice stating that the NHS may keep personal data about people with coronavirus for 20 years as part of the tracing programme.

The body said it was important to retain information about infected people and their contacts to help control any future outbreaks and that it would be held securely.

The national launch of an NHS contact tracing app has been delayed but Mr Hancock played down its importance on Thursday.

The health secretary said: The pilot on the Isle of Wight showed that the best thing to do was to introduce the human contact tracing, and then build on that once people have got used to the idea that when the NHS Test and Trace system get in contact you've got to do quite a big thing, which is to isolate for two weeks.

Mr Hancock said the app, which uses Bluetooth signals to detect when users come close to one another, will be useful later because it could help broader tracing like on public transport where people do not know who they have come into contact with.

Unlike the human contact tracing system, the app allows people to trigger an alert when they self-report coronavirus symptoms, rather than a verified test result.

The plan raised concerns that users could lie about falling ill to spam people with malicious alerts, but Hampshire Police told The Independent they had not yet received any reports of misuse on the Isle of Wight.

The NHS Providers group, which represents trusts in England, said the UK was weeks behind where it should be with coronavirus testing and tracing.

Chief executive Chris Hopson said: We think it has been very unhelpful for the government to say there will be a world-class test and trace system in place on 1 June because that was never going to be the case.

Baroness Dido Harding, executive chair of NHS Test and Trace, was said to have told MPs in a call on Thursday that the service would be operational locally at the end of June.

Labour former minister Ben Bradshaw said that was in complete variance with Boris Johnson's pledge to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions last week that the system would be running by Monday.
By Trend





Specialists of healthcare system of Uzbekistan and France held a videoconference, Trend reports citing Dunyo News Agency.

The videoconference was attended by resuscitators, infectious disease specialists, virologists of the University Clinic of Lille (CHU Lille), representatives of Uzbek Ministry of Health and more than 120 doctors from the capital and regions of Uzbekistan.

CHU Lille is an advanced European clinic, which consists of 14 specialized clinics. It employs 16,000 people and simultaneously trains 12,000 students. CHU Lille is distinguished by strong specialists in cardiology, pulmonology and neurosurgery.

During the videoconference, representatives of Uzbekistan stressed their interest in learning experience of, and sharing information with, leading French specialists in the fight against the pandemic.

French specialists highly appreciated the measures taken in Uzbekistan to combat COVID-19, the message said.

During the videoconference, foreign experts shared their experience in the fight against coronavirus and the research conducted as part of the fight against this disease.
The Egyptian embassy in Canada has invited Canadians to enjoy a 3D virtual journey across Egypt from Aswan to Alexandria, exploring the countrys historic sites.

The virtual tours are compiled by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities launched previously on its social media platforms.

Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zaid said that 14 virtual tours of archaeological sites all over Egypt were selected, in order to show the diversity of the Egyptian civilisation.

The tours were sent to the members of the Canadian parliament, the Canadian government and ambassadors to different countries in Canada, in addition to the Egyptian community there.

The tours will provide Canadians with the opportunity enjoying those virtual visits during their confinement as well as encouraging them to visit Egypt soon after the return of tourism, he said.

The tours include the tomb of Meresankh III, the tomb of Menna, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, and the Red Monastery, among other sites.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951

/var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f04863c3800)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f04862efd28)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f04863c3800)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f04862efd28)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f048641d2b8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f04862efd28)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f04862efd28)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f0485adc2d8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f0486403c70)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f0486403c70)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
Church Sues for Equal Treatment with Graduation Ceremonies

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Pacific Justice Institute

May 29, 2020



OAKLAND, Calif., May 29, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ -- A church in the San Francisco Bay Area filed a lawsuit yesterday in federal court challenging the unequal treatment of churches by Alameda County public health officials. Christian Cathedral in Oakland, California, brought the legal challenge after receiving notification from the Public Health Officer that in-person, in-door graduation ceremonies of 25 persons would be allowed for the church's accredited K-12 school, Patten Academy. Christian Cathedral's senior pastor, Tobey Montgomery, sent a letter asking the County to allow churches to meet using the identical protocol.



Dr. Montgomery wrote that he applauds the County's efforts to accommodate young people who have reached this meaningful milestone. Turning to churches, he explained, "There are other assemblies in the community that are also meaningful to those who participate." After not receiving a response, the church's attorney, Kevin Snider of the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), wrote notifying the Public Health Officer, Dr. Erica Pan, that Patten Academy would hold an in-person graduation in accordance with the guidance issued by the County for such events. He further notified her that Christian Cathedral would begin Sunday services under the same rules.

Dr. Pan responded via an e-mailed letter to the church's counsel that neither the graduation nor church services would be permitted. She further stated that the rules are being changed to disallow in-person, in-door graduation ceremonies. "This is nothing less than issuing criminally enforced edicts via e-mail," Snider said. "It represents a substitution of the rule of law for the rule of bureaucrats."

Brad Dacus, President of the Pacific Justice Institute stated, "Alameda County's Public Health Officer's unequal treatment is not only unconstitutional, it also demonstrates blatant intolerance and discrimination against religious gatherings versus secular gatherings. Such outrageous actions must not be allowed to go uncontested."

Christian Cathedral is a long-standing presence in the Oakland community, established in 1944, and is a member congregation of the Church of God, a 7.5 million member global organization.



SOURCE Pacific Justice Institute



CONTACT: Brad Dacus, 916-616-4126, (Spanish: 206-257-3239)



Related Links



pacificjustice.org


Actor Nandamuri Balakrishna has expressed utter disappointment over not being invited for the recent meeting held by members of Telugu film fraternity and Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) to discuss various issues pertaining to the film industry in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

In a video that has surfaced online, Balakrishna is seen expressing his frustration over not being invited for the meeting. I was not invited to the meeting and I came to know about it from news reports. Did they meet to discuss the distribution of lands in Hyderabad? They are doing real estate business. Am I not part of the industry? asked Balakrishna.

Last week, Telugu industry bigwigs such as actors Chiranjeevi, Akkineni Nagarjuna, filmmaker SS Rajamouli and producer Dil Raju met chief minister KCR to discuss the road ahead.

A producer on the condition of anonymity told Hindustan Times that KCR responded to the demands positively. In the meeting, it was decided that post-production work on films and TV serials will begin immediately in a phased manner. The decided that film shooting can begin from June; however, it will be done with lot of restrictions. The decision of reopening theatres will be taken after a review, he said.

Also read: Marvel superfan arranges every MCU scene in chronological order, loses his mind, goes viral: Took a global pandemic

Meanwhile, Balakrishnas distasteful comment has drawn strong criticism from Chiranjeevis brother actor Naga Babu. He has demanded an apology from Balakrishna. Balakrishnas comments are definitely not in good taste. The way he described the meeting as a real estate business deal is strongly offensive. By doing this, he has disrespected the Telangana government and the film industry. He should know his limits and apologise for defaming their efforts, said Naga Babu in a video message posted on Youtube.

If everything goes as planned, the Telugu industry is hopeful of resuming film shooting from June. In his recent interview, Chiranjeevi said the industry will bounce back strongly.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop
(Photo : REUTERS/Thomas Peter) People walk past a poster simulating facial recognition software at the Security China 2018 exhibition on public safety and security in Beijing, China October 24, 2018.

Clearview AI, the developer of a facial-recognition tool used by law enforcement agencies, is currently facing charges from the American Civil Liberties Union for violating people's rights to privacy.

The ACLU alleges that Clearview's technology runs against the 2008 Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. According to the complaint filed Thursday, May 28, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, the company is engaged in "unlawful, privacy-destroying surveillance activities."

The union filed the case to stop the company from "its unlawful surreptitious capture and storage of millions of Illinoisans' sensitive biometric identifiers." Other non-profit groups like the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation and Sex Workers Outreach Project Chicago have also joined the suit.

However, Clearview dismissed the ACLU complaint as "absurd." According to its website, Clearview's service "has been independently tested for accuracy and evaluated for legal compliance" by authorities recognized nationwide.

American Civil Liberties Union files case against Clearview AI for violating privacy

Clearview AI's attorney Tor Ekeland told CNN Business in an email that the company is a "search engine that uses only publicly available images accessible on the internet." Ekeland also found ACLU's actions ridiculous, aiming to censor which search engines people use online which is prohibited by the First Amendment.

Meanwhile, Hoan Ton-That, founder of Clearview AI, described their technology as "basically a search engine for faces," scraping billions of publicly available images from social media sites and other websites using facial-recognition software to make the database searchable.

Clearview's database can identify photos of a person from the internet using one photo of that individual. It then links back to their sources to help identify unknown people.

However, Clearview pointed out it is not for public use, but an investigative tool for over 600 law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Canada to help them identify suspects and resolve crimes.

Clearview's controversies and cases

The company is recently under fire after a front-page probe by the New York Times in January.

According to this investigation, people don't understand that when they share photos of themselves--even if they are posting it publicly--law enforcement can still access and place them into a massive database.

For example, Clearview's technology can easily grab an Instagram post and the image will still show up in the company's database even if the person changes the privacy settings or deletes the photo altogether. The tool can also scrape a person's photos posted by other people without that person's knowledge.

Tech companies like Twitter, Google, and Facebook have requested Clearview to stop its practice as the tool violates their terms of service. Clearview said it would address the companies' concerns, but reasoned that there is a First Amendment right to public information.

Clearview said that a hacker gained access to its entire client list in February. It includes police forces, law enforcement agencies, and banks.

In January, New Jersey enacted a statewide ban on law enforcement from using Clearview while Vermont's attorney general also filed a lawsuit against Clearview for alleged data privacy violations.

The company's lawyer Ekeland, said in an email that Clearview AI is "one of the most innovative, effective, and accurate law enforcement tools" available in the market now" because it protects victims by helping law enforcement arrest child rapists, murderers, and thieves. Also, the tool's precision "protects the innocent from being falsely accused" by making public images accessible to everyone on the internet.

Ekeland also added that Clearview works in "strict accordance with the US Constitution and American law" while it collects less data than some other online firms. "Clearview AI only collects public images and their web addresses," said Ekeland.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
She has told how she rebuffed Donald Trump when he called her beautiful, saying she'd heard 'better lines' in Middlesbrough's Club Bongo.

Now Steph McGovern has revealed that, as well as trying  and failing  to charm her during an interview on BBC Breakfast in 2012, the President also made threats to her producer.

'Trump worked out Sean [the producer] would be the one deciding which bits would go in the piece,' the presenter, 37, pictured, told Susannah Constantine's podcast My Wardrobe Malfunction.

Steph McGovern (pictured) revealed that Donald Trump made threats to her producer, as well as trying  and failing  to charm her during an interview on BBC Breakfast in 2012

'So he went over to Sean and kind of gave him this fairly harsh slap on the back and said "Sean. You've got a good career here. You want to keep it that way."

'So he basically threatened Sean. I was like, "God. That's the measure of you, isn't it? You just think the way to do this is to chat up women and threaten blokes."

'That's what we're seeing every day with him in power.'

Miss McGovern, 37, was the main business presenter on BBC Breakfast between 2010 and 2019.

She now hosts Channel 4's new lunchtime programme The Steph Show, which launched during lockdown.

She added: 'He had this massive entourage with him. He had a stylist - that makes me laugh to this day - someone is paid to that.

The business reporter told Susannah Constantine's podcast My Wardrobe Malfunction that Donald Trump (pictured in the Oval Office on May 28) said to her producer 'You've got a good career here. You want to keep it that way'

'So he came into the room and he just did this really ridiculous thing of stopping dead, looking at me and going: "Wow. You're so beautiful."

'And then he just did this whole big parade of going: "You're so beautiful. I'm going to have to leave the room to make myself look better because if we do this interview now, everyone is going to be staring at you and not looking and listening to me."

'And I just literally howled because I just thought that was so funny... I just thought: "You're trying to butter me up so I give you an easy run on an interview or just disarm me in some way."

'But it just literally made me burst out laughing and I was just like, 'Oh love, I've just heard better lines than that down Club Bongo.'
Who Is Qalibaf, Iran's New Parliament Speaker

Morad Vaisibiame May 28, 2020

Brigadier General Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf who was elected as the Speaker of Iran's parliament (Majles) on Thursday May 28, has 40 years of experience in military, political, economic, policing and urban management. Nonetheless, he is best known for being implicated in major financial corruption cases.

He was the first IRGC general who became the Mayor of Tehran. Now, he is the first general who serves as Majles Speaker, and the first IRGC commander who leads one of the three branches of government.

With his rising to the position of Majles Speaker almost certainly none of the corruption cases against him, his family and perhaps even his friends will be taken any further, although even during the past 15 years no one followed up those cases and no one was summoned to court.

The first major corruption case against Qalibaf dates back to 15 years ago and is about the relations between his campaign team in the 2005 presidential elections and a major gang of drug and fuel smugglers. It has been said that based on a deal, Qalibaf helped the release of the smugglers from jail against their financial assistance to his campaign. State officials kept the case under the wraps until the 2013 presidential campaign when Hassan Rouhani spoke about the case as a rival candidate.

Rouhani said that the case was to be reviewed by the Supreme Council of National Security, but he prevented it from being made public.

Former government speaker Abdollah Ramezanzadeh tried a few times to make the case public on social media. He even said that Qalibaf's brother was once arrested in connection with this case. But both the Judiciary and the media ignored his comments.

Qalibaf was not summoned to court even when his deputy at the Tehran Municipality, Isa Sharifi was arrested. Sharifi has been in jail for three years now with no open trial. The public was effectively barred from a glance into the mayor's role in his deputy's case.

In a third case against him and his colleagues involving giving "astronomically-priced properties," to Qalibaf's managers and friends, not only he was not summoned to court, but Yashar Soltani, a journalist who had revealed the case was arrested.

In yet another case, major financial corruption was revealed in Bank Shahr [City Bank] and Bank Sarmayeh [Capital Bank] which operated under the aegis of the Tehran Municipality, but still no judiciary official questioned the mayor.

It was later revealed that in a fifth case, Qalibaf had paid 600 billion rials ($20 million at the time) to his wife Zahra Moshir's charity, the Imam Reza Charity Institute. This was other than the case involving Qalibaf's son, Elias. Still the mayor was not summoned to court and the case remained inconclusive.

It is a question for the public how Qalibaf could get away with all those accusations. However, there is very little doubt that it has to do with Qalibaf's powerful position in the network of IRGC commanders and his long-standing ties with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Like Khamenei, Qalibaf comes from Mashhad. It is known to Iranian media that it was Qalibaf who first came up with the spectacular forms of address Aqa [Sire] and Hazrat-e Aqa [His eminence] for Khamenei even during Khamenei's presidency in the 1980s. In return, Khamenei has shown his special favor to this fellow Mashhadi commander. During the past 30 years, Qalibaf got all of his military ranks and political positions with direct orders from Khamenei.

He was a brigade commander during the 1980s war with Iraq and became a division commander thanks to Khamenei's endorsement. With the same blessing by Khamenei he became the deputy commander of Basij militia and then the commander of IRGC's financial conglomerate Khatamolanbia Headquarters where he served until 1997. Khamenei then appointed him as the commander of IRGC's air force.

Two years later in 1999, when Iranian students took to the streets and called Khamenei "dictator," Qalibaf and 23 senior IRGC commanders wrote a letter to then President Mohammad Khatami and threatened him that he IRGC was prepared to suppress the students. Meanwhile, during the 2017 presidential election campaigns, President Hassan Rouhani disclosed that during the anniversary of the student uprising in 2003 Qalibaf had called for violence and "a pincer attack" against the protesting students.

Khamenei had appointed Qalibaf as Police Chief in in 2000. In an audio released on social media he acknowledged that he and the IRGC Qods Force Commander General Qassem Soleimani wielded clubs on motorcycles in the streets to suppress the student protest.

Ten years later, during the 2009 post-election unrest, Qalibaf as the Mayor of Tehran, put municipal facilities at the disposal of those who suppressed the protests.

In 2005, he became the Mayor of Tehran, once again with direct support from Khamenei after his presidential bid failed. At the time, Qalibaf believed Khamenei's office supported his candidacy in the presidential elections but was surprised by the shift in Khamenei's support to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. There is evidence indicating that Khamenei's son seriously intervened in that election.

President Ahmadinjad who was the mayor of Tehran before his presidency tried to appoint one of his aides as the mayor, but Qalibaf, as he says in an audio file released on social media, became the mayor thanks to Khamenei's office. He held the position for 12 years until 2017 when he took part in the presidential election for the third time. Eventually, he withdrew his candidacy in the last minute in favor of current Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raisi.

With such a strong network in the IRGC and Khamenei's office, it is unlikely that anyone would follow up the corruption cases against Qalibaf. Some may call him "the most corrupt general," but now that he has taken over the Majles, he might still want to rise to the position of the President of the state.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/who-is- qalibaf-iran-s-new-parliament- speaker-ghalibaf/30639559.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Ashaiman commercial drivers have thronged the residence of Alhaji Labaran Yakubu, New Patriotic Party's (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Ashaiman, seeking his intervention in a long standing impasse between them and city authorities.

According to the 'trotro' drivers, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) and the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly's (ASHMA) taskforce had decided to arrest all drivers that pick and alight passengers on the main road in town.

The drivers parked their vehicles in front of the parliamentary candidate's house and chanted war songs to register their frustration and anger while appealing to him to contact the authorities and plead on their behalf for a change in that directive.

Mr. Dordzi Azor, leader of the drivers, told the Ghana News Agency that the decision taken by the authorities was inappropriate as that was the only place a driver could pick and alight passengers along the stretch.

Mr. Azor also added that the authorities had decided to arrest commercial drivers who intend to make a U turn from the Mandela park stretch at the traffic light leaving those from the main station stretch to turn without being arrested.

He said they were ready to comply with all directives from the assembly and the MTTD adding however that they must allow them to pick, alight and make u-turns at the traffic light as it was unfair to alight passengers going to the markets several metres away.

Mr. Labaran Yakubu, the NPP parliamentary candidate, on his part, assured the drivers that he would request a meeting with the authorities to find an amicable solution to the issue.

Mr Yakubu however advised the drivers to calm down and return to work adding that they should obey the directives for now until the authorities agree to change it.

I want to thank you for having the trust in me and coming to my door step, I want to assure you that, I will meet with the authorities responsible and make sure things are solved in a way which will not stop others from working, but please go back and work according to the directives of the authorities,  he said.

He then encouraged the drivers not to hesitate to call on him whenever they needed his support as according to him he was there for them and the members of the constituency.

---GNA
A humpback whale spotted in the Shrewsbury River in Monmouth County on Friday morning was entangled in a net and is now endangered, authorities said.

The mammal was spotted around 9 a.m. in the area of the Route 36 bridge which connects Sea Bright and Highlands and the troopers from the state polices Marine Services Bureau responded minutes later, the New Jersey State Police reported on their social media accounts..

Another state police vessel arrived with a member of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center to check the whales condition.

Unfortunately, officials did not see that the whale, which is not full grown, had a fishing net wrapped around its head before it made its way back out to Sandy Hook Bay, Robert Schoelkopf, executive director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, told NJ Advance Media.

Schoelkopf said that the net will prevent the animal from feeding.

It would be like you trying to eat with a face mask on, he said. And now we dont know where it is.

Also, on its way out to the bay, the whale was run over by a boater, but thankfully it did not appear to be seriously injured, he added.

ALERT: Boat strikes humpback whale on #JerseyShore at Highlands Bridge on Navisink River. Even worse-nose is entangled in fishing net @brigantineseals tells me help is on way. @NBCNewYork @GrantonGranton @gothamwhale @NYNJBaykeeper pic.twitter.com/mKU4dYZZ5X  Brian Thompson (@brian4NY) May 29, 2020

People have to pay more attention when they are out boating, he said. This time of year whales are coming in now to feed in Sandy Hook Bay.

Now, a federally permitted marine mammal rescue team from Cape Cod will work on a plan to remove the net from the whale, but it could be days or even a week before they make their way to the area, Schoelkopf said.

While he did not encourage people to go whale watching, he asked anyone who saw or encountered the animal over the weekend to call the Marine Mammal Stranding Center at 609-266-0538 so officials there can keep track of its position and inform the Cape May team.

Schoelkopf said this was the first time in his 45 years at the center that he has heard of a humpback whale entering the Shrewsbury River.

Last year, rescuers saved a 25- to 30-foot humpback whale that became entangled in fishing gear about 8 miles off Sandy Hook near the approach to Ambrose Channel, the main shipping channel in and out of the Port of New York and New Jersey.

That area is not far from the entrance to the Shrewsbury River where the whale was spotted Friday.

Unfortunately, a dead one that was adrift for days washed ashore in Sandy Hook last summer and another was found dead one county south on Island Beach State Park two months later.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
There few moments in musical cinema that eclipse Topol's performance of If I Were A Rich Man in the 1971 movie Fiddler On The Roof.

And now the beloved classic is getting a reboot thanks to MGM.

Variety reported Thursday that the studio has tapped Tony Award-winning Hamilton director Thomas Kail to helm the project with a screenplay adapted by Dear Evan Hansen creator Steven Levenson.

Beloved classic: The 1971 musical movie Fiddler On The Roof starring Topol, pictured, is getting a reboot at MGM, the studio announced on Thursday

The 1971 film by Norman Jewison was based on the stage musical that premiered on Broadway in 1964.

Fiddler On The Roof transformed the Great White Way and became the longest-running musical in Broadway history, a title it held for almost a decade until being unseated by Grease.

With music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, the story was based on Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevye the Dairyman) and other tales by Sholem Aleichem.

Fiddler On The Roof premiered on Broadway in 1964. It won nine Tony Awards and became the longest-running musical in Broadway history, a title it held for almost a decade

The story centers on the life of Tevye, a poor Jewish farmer in Imperial Russia at the start of the 20th century, who is preoccupied with finding husbands for his five daughters

He and his community find their way of life and cultural and religious traditions threatened when, in 1906, the Tsar issues an edict evicting the Jews from the small town of Anatevka

It centers on the life of Tevye, a poor Jewish farmer in a remote part of Imperial Russia at the start of the 20th century, who is preoccupied with finding husbands for his five daughters.

He and his community find their way of life and their cultural and religious traditions threatened when, in 1906, the Tsar issues an edict evicting the Jews from the small town of Anatevka.

In addition to If I Were a Rich Man, it includes such memorable songs as Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Sunrise, Sunset and To Life.

The original Broadway production won nine Tony Awards including best musical and the film released in 1971 earned eight Oscar nominations, winning three.

The musical includes such memorable songs as If I Were a Rich Man, Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Sunrise, Sunset and To Life

The movie version of the musical earned eight Oscar nominations, winning three

In a statement, Thomas Kail said Thursday: 'It has been a lifelong dream of mine to direct Fiddler, though I always imagined I would do it on stage.'

'I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to make a new film version of my favorite show with Mike DeLuca at MGM, where so many transcendent musical movies have been made.'

Levenson added: 'Fiddler On The Roof was the first piece of theater I saw, at the age of 5. Today, more than 50 years after it changed the face of Broadway forever, the story of Tevye and his beloved village of Anatevka feels more timely than ever.'

'I am beyond grateful ... for the opportunity to tell this unforgettable story of resilience and hope in the face of hopelessness,' he said.

In a statement, Thomas Kail said: 'It has been a lifelong dream of mine to direct Fiddler... I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to make a new film version of my favorite show'
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday produced notorious gangster and drug lord Ranjeet Rana, alias Cheetah, in the special NIA court in Mohali via video conferencing.

The court extended his police custody till June 2.

Wanted in the 532-kg heroin haul from Attari, Amritsar, in June 2019, Cheetah along with his brother Gagandeep was arrested from Begu village in Haryanas Sirsa on May 9. The catch came following the arrest of Hizbul Mujahideen operatives in Amritsar.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Sara Hussein (Agence France-Presse) Tokyo, Japan  Fri, May 29, 2020 08:06 602 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdace28e 2 Health Science,science-and-technology,scientists,genes,health,genome Free

Imagine the body's instruction manual, the genome: here words are genes, letters are DNA, and the equivalent of typos can have disastrous consequences.

In recent years, scientists have grown increasingly fluent in the language of genome, but much remains mysterious, including the function of many of our genes.

Discovering what these genes are for, and how they work, is key to understanding what happens when they malfunction, causing disease and sometimes death.

Now a group of scientists is harnessing a massive database of genetic information from over 140,000 people to better understand which of our genes are important, and how we might better target medicines to treat genetic disease.

The database itself is something of a landmark. Known as the Genome Aggregation Database or gnomAD (pronounced nomad), it contains over 15,000 whole genome sequences -- the equivalent of a full-length instruction manual -- and over 125,000 whole exome sequences, akin to key points in the set of guidelines for the human body.

In seven papers published Wednesday in the journals Nature, Nature Communications and Nature Medicine, scientists combed through gnomAD data, focusing on a type of spelling error that effectively breaks the gene.

We all have some of these errors, known as loss-of-function variants, in our genome. But in most cases, they switch off or break a gene without ill-effect. We might end up with a diminished sense of smell, for example, but otherwise be healthy.

But when these mistakes occur in more important genes, they can result in serious illness.

Read also: New York maps coronavirus genome to help track future outbreaks

Finding drug targets

People with these variants in important genes often don't pass them on because they die young or can't have children.

That means scientists can search a giant dataset like gnomAD, looking for genes that have fewer variants than expected.

They can extrapolate that these genes must be important to our health, because variants in them have not been passed down due to natural selection.

"With 144,000 people we start to have big enough numbers that if we don't see loss-of-function variants in a particular gene that tells us that people carrying broken copies of this gene are being lost from the population, probably as a result of severe genetic disease," said Daniel MacArthur, who led the gnomAD project.

"We can't tell exactly what that disease is, but this tells us that this particular gene is likely to be important in some way," added MacArthur, senior author on six of the seven papers, who carried out the research at Harvard and MIT's Broad Institute.

Knowing which genes are important in disease not only offers targets for new drugs, but can also suggest whether a new treatment will be safe.

That was the focus of research by Eric Vallabh Minikel, who is studying a rare illness called prion disease at the Broad Institute.

The research is personal for Minikel. His mother-in-law died from the disease and his wife, a fellow scientist, carries a genetic mutation that means she is likely to develop it too.

He and his wife want to find a drug that prevents the disease, and examining naturally occurring gene inactivation offers insights into what side effects such a new treatment might have.

"The effects of DNA changes that inactivate a gene can help to predict what might happen if we treated people with a drug to target that gene," he told AFP.

Read also: Human genome decoded with pocket-sized device

Need for bigger datasets

In a similar vein, another team used the data to predict whether switching off a gene associated with Parkinson's might cause side effects.

They found genomes where that gene was naturally switched off by loss-of-function variants, and in the majority of cases found this caused no harmful health effects.

That could suggest a drug targeting the gene might protect against Parkinson's, though the researchers cautioned significant further work is needed.

MacArthur, who is now director of the Garvan Institute's Centre for Population Genomics, said much bigger datasets than gnomAD are needed for further breakthroughs, potentially involving hundreds of millions of people and information on their health.

"We need that type of information... to get to the point where we can really start to fully understand the impact of variation in all genes in the genome on human disease risk."
Despite Nissan Motor Co.as latest efforts to become more cost-efficient and profitable by strengthening its collaboration with Renault SA, its business downturn may be causing a costly delay in the global race toward new mobility technologies, analysts say.

While the new systematic divisions of labor in the automakers alliance of over 20 years may help cut fixed costs, it could take five years or so before they can launch jointly developed models under the new collaboration framework, they say.

The new approach to working together can put an end to infighting over product development often seen under ousted former boss Carlos Ghosn, but it will need time to bear fruit, said Tatsuo Yoshida, senior auto analyst at research group Bloomberg Intelligence.

aThis new alliance scheme, which encourages the sharing of not only platforms but upper vehicle bodies, will enhance efficiency, but this may also mean that the byproduct will be a nondescript model with weak product appeal,a said Yoshida, a former Nissan employee.

aWhen it comes to maximizing the benefits of the alliance, it was always easier said than done,a he said. aNissan finally stands at the start line.a

The alliance, which also includes Mitsubishi Motors Corp., hopes to boost their profitability, already battered before the new coronavirus pandemic put even more pressure on sales.

Nissan said Thursday it will close plants in Spain and Indonesia and cut annual output by 20 percent after it reported a hefty net loss of A671.22 billion ($6.2 billion) in the year ended March 31, its largest red ink in 20 years.

Reviving the U.S. business ais taking significantly more time than initially expected,a Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida said in an online news conference.

Under the new framework, Nissan will play the role of supervisor in the field of autonomous driving and the allianceas operations in Japan, North America and China.
The ongoing riots in Minnesota hurt Senator Amy Klobuchars prospects for Democratic nomination as vice president, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D., S.C.) said on Friday.

Klobuchar declined to bring charges against multiple Minneapolis police officers involved in shootings over the course of her seven-year tenure as attorney for Hennepin County. Minneapolis has seen four days of riots after resident George Floyd, an African-American man, died following his arrest at the hands of white officers.

We are all victims sometimes of timing.This is very tough timing for Amy Klobuchar, who I respect so much, Clyburn told reporters. When asked directly if Klobuchars chances at the nomination were diminished, Clyburn said, that is the implication, yes, although he added that Klobuchar absolutely is qualified to be vice president.

Clyburn is the highest-ranking African American member of Congress, and was instrumental in Bidens victory over Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) in the Democratic primaries. Following Clyburns endorsement of Biden, the former vice president received overwhelming support from African American primary voters.

Biden on Friday denied that his campaigns vice presidential nomination process was affected by the Minnesota riots.

What we are talking about today has nothing to do with my running for president or who I pick as a vice president, Biden told MSNBC. It has to do with an injustice that we all saw take place.

Klobuchar has expressed regret for not prosecuting police officers accused of offenses, instead opting to send the cases to grand juries.

I think that was wrong now, Klobuchar said in a Friday interview on MSNBC. I think it would have been much better if I took the responsibility and looked at the cases and made the decision myself.

More from National Review
Oil and gas companies have struck out in their attempt to kill lawsuits filed by seven parishes that accuse the companies of destroying coastal marshes and wetlands during decades of drilling and exploration activities.

We ran out of time, state Sen. Mike Fesi, sponsor of the legislation, Senate Bill 440, said in an interview Thursday. Well shoot for it next year. Fesi is a Republican from Houma.

The development represents a major defeat for oil and gas companies, who had labeled it their biggest priority during this years legislative session, which ends Monday night.

Unfortunately, the shortened session created a timing issue, Gifford Briggs, president of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, and Tyler Gray, president and general counsel of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, said in a statement. Nonetheless, we look forward to continuing the conversation on ending these meritless lawsuits and bringing our oil and gas workforce home.

The defeat of SB440 represents a major win for the Talbot Carmouche Marcello law firm in Baton Rouge that has filed most of the lawsuits, beginning eight years ago.

The taxpayers of Louisiana had a huge victory today because theyre not going to have to pay to restore the coast of Louisiana, said attorney John Carmouche. Big Oil, which damaged the coast, will have to pay for provable damages caused by their operations, and the coast of Louisiana will be restored.

The defeat of SB440 is also a victory for Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng and St. Bernard Parish President Guy McInnis, who came to Baton Rouge twice to testify against it.

It was the right thing to do for the citizens of this state, McInnis said. Now I think well have talks and can come to a solution that could be a settlement between the two sides.

Carmouche has reached a tentative settlement with one small player in Louisiana, Freeport McMoRan, that calls for the company to pay 12 coastal parishes $100 million over 20 years. He said he has been in settlement discussions with other oil and gas companies.

SB440 had passed the Senate narrowly on May 20 and won approval Wednesday in the House Natural Resources Committee after being amended. But SB440 had to pass another legislative step, the House Appropriations Committee, because the Legislative Fiscal Office had determined that its cost to the state was likely to be significant.

Thats because the Carmouche law firm is bankrolling the 42 lawsuits filed by six of the parishes: Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. John the Baptist, Plaquemines, Vermilion and Cameron. Carmouche said the firm has spent $9 million on just two of the cases.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Retroactively nullifying those lawsuits would have allowed the state Department of Natural Resources or Attorney General Jeff Landry to take over the lawsuits. But the state agency pegged the cost at $4.3 million per case for the state to do so.

Carmouche can pay for the parish lawsuits and seek payment for its legal fees from a judge if the firm reaches a settlement or wins a judgement against oil and gas companies. State law, however, would require the state to hire lawyers, at $150 to $500 per hour.

Potential future costs could include additional expert reports to address remediation, restoration, and damages, as well as attorney costs associated with the continued litigation in either federal or state court, reported the Legislative Fiscal Office. The office noted that the state would incur no cost if the Department of Natural Resources or Landry decided not to continue them.

Another bill to kill the lawsuits, Senate Bill 359, stalled before the full Senate after winning approval by a Senate committee.

The death of SB440 leaves the oil and gas industry with one remaining measure to express its opposition to the lawsuits.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 7 urges the parishes to drop their lawsuits and says the parishes have contracted with private legal counsel to improperly bring unprecedented enforcement actions.

SCR7, sponsored by state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell, needs only approval of the full House to take effect.

As a resolution, it does not change the law but is an expression of legislative intent. Gov. John Bel Edwards, an opponent of SB440, cannot veto it.

SCR7 appears to be an attempt to influence the federal judges who will be deciding whether the parish lawsuits should be heard in federal court (as the oil companies favor) or in state court (as the parish attorneys favor).
Are you Pentecostal?

Todd Johnson, co-director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, couldnt quite place the Chinese Christians he met at a conference in South Africa. Theologically, they seemed Pentecostal, so he asked.

They responded: Absolutely not.

Do you speak in tongues? Johnson said.

Of course.

Do you believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Of course.

Do you practice gifts of the Spirit, like healing and prophecy?

Of course.

Johnson said that in the United States, those were some of the distinctive marks of Pentecostals. But maybe it was different in China. Why not use the term?

Oh, theres an American preacher on the radio who is beamed into China, the Chinese Christians explained. Hes a Pentecostal, and were not like him.

Names can be tricky. What do you call a Pentecostal who isnt called a Pentecostal? The question sounds like a riddle, but its a real challenge for scholars. They have struggled for years to settle on the best term for the broad and diverse movement of Christians who emphasize the individual believers relationship to the Holy Spirit and talk about being Spirit-filled, Spirit-baptized, or Spirit-empowered.

Globally, the movement includes 644 million people, about 26 percent of all Christians, according to a new report from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity. The study was done in collaboration with Oral Roberts University, named for one of the most famous Pentecostal evangelists in the 20th century, to be shared at the Empowered21 conference, featuring 70 speakers such at Bethels Bill Johnson and Assemblies of God leader George Wood. The conference, which was originally going to be in Jerusalem, will be held online starting Sunday.

Image: CSGC / Christianity Today

The report represents the first attempt at a comprehensive demographic analysis of this group of Christians in almost 20 years. These findings will be widely cited by scholars and journalists seeking to understand these Christians, especially as they impact places like Qatar, Cambodia, and Burkina Faso, where their numbers are growing fastest, and places like Zimbabwe, Brazil, and Guatemala, where they now account for more than half of all Christians.

In the debate over what to call the movementwhich has been dubbed global Pentecostalism, Pentecostal/Charismatic, and renewalist Todd Johnson and his co-author and co-director Gina Zurlo propose another option: Spirit-empowered Christianity.

The name has been a perennial problem, Johnson told Christianity Today. One of the first things we asked is what is it that is common with all these groups. It turned out to be the baptism of the Holy Spirit. People talk about being filled with the Holy Spirit and an older term is Spirit-filled. But a lot of groups have emphasized being empowered.

Like the Chinese Christians noted, Pentecostal is associated with American churches, Johnson said, such as the Assemblies of God and the Church of God in Christ. The term indicates a connection to the multiracial Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles in 1906, where the Los Angeles Times reported a new sect of fanatics is breaking loose with a weird babel of tongues. The term Charismatic is connected to a renewal movement starting in the 1960s and 70s, where Christians received the baptism of the Holy Spirit but mostly stayed in their own denominationsespecially Anglican and Catholic churches.

But there are lots of other groups that are independent of major denominations and disconnected from the American history of Azusa Street. They also emphasize the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and the importance of the experience of Spirit baptism, but theyre not really Charismatic or Pentecostal in the same way.

Image: CSGC / Christianity Today

Asking groups, Do you believe or practice the baptism of the Holy Spirit? that was a really good question to ask, Johnson said. What we found in the end is that the baptism question gets at the commonality.

Not all scholars are convinced by this new term. Some dont even think a single name can work for a movement so diverse.

Its tough to nail Jell-O to the wall, said Daniel Ramirez, professor of religion at Claremont Graduate University and author of Migrating Faith: Pentecostalism in the United States and Mexico in the Twentieth Century.

Ramirez said that part of the power of Pentecostalism has always been that people can take it and make it their own. It is endlessly adaptable, portable, and regenerative. An indigenous Mexican man, for example, received the gift of the Holy Spirit at the Azusa Street revival and was recorded through a translator thanking the people at that church. But then he left, Ramirez said, and no one at Azusa Street had any control over his theology or authority over how he shared that religious experience with others.

Thats part of what makes it interesting, said Arlene Sanchez-Walsh, professor of religious studies at Azusa Pacific University and author of Pentecostals in America. Its been diverse from the beginning. You look for a catchall term thats vague and broad, and I use Pentecostal to glue it back to the origins, but then I want people to think twice about the origins of the movement. Pentecostalism didnt start in one place, whether its Azusa Street or a revival in Wales or in India, and so its always diverse.

A single name can also imply that different Christians are more closely associated than they really are, argues Anthea Butler, a professor of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Women in the Church of God in Christ.

Lumping people together across traditions and cultures, you risk obscuring the historical and theological differences between a Catholic group that speaks in tongues, a Vineyard Church that practices holy laughter, and a Celestial Church of Christ that emphasizes purity and prophecy.

Image: CSGC / Christianity Today

You say Spirit-empowered and an old-time Pentecostal would say Well that Spirit could be a demon, Butler said. And nobodys going to invite a Catholic priest over to a Charismatic church in Nigeria unless its for an exorcism. You cant just compress the theological differences and flatten out the history.

The Empowered21 conference, which begins this Sunday on Pentecost, has adopted the Spirit-empowered label. Some of the breadth of the movement is reflected in the conference lineup alone: American evangelicals like megachurch pastor Chris Hodges and Hobby Lobby board chair Mart Green are sharing a virtual stage with Cindy Jacobs, part of the New Apostolic Reformation, and Todd White, a Word of Faith preacher, in addition to leaders from Asia and Africa.

Any term is going to bring some people together and drive a wedge between others, according to Cecil M. Robeck, professor of church history at Fuller Theological Seminary. Robeck has been a part of ecumenical dialogues since 1984 and thinks the term Spirit-empowered Christian could help some believers see what they have in common. But it also might throw up walls where they dont need to exist.

I worry about line-drawing, Robeck said. I want to know: Do we have an ecumenical future together? I want people to experience the Holy Spirit, but I dont want to say they have to jump another hurdle to talk to me.

Johnson is unfazed by the criticism. He doesnt think Spirit-empowered Christian is a perfect term, but he will argue its as good as any.

We used renewalist for a while, Johnson said, but we decided thats a neologism, and we thought, Well, we want to use something more natural.  If youre trying to get at what all these groups have in common, empowerment isnt a bad choice, but its also not the only one.

The new study, Introducing Spirit-Empowered Christianity, will be widely available in September. It predicts that by 2050, the numbers of Spirit-empowered Christians will grow to over 1 billion, which will be about 30 percent of all Christians. But when nearly one out of every three Christians practices Spirit baptism, scholars will likely still debate what to call them.

This argument is always going on, said Nimi Wariboko, a Pentecostal theologian at Boston University. What they are trying to capture is the move of the Spirit. Americans often want a term that reminds people of the umbilical cord to the West. But the essence is not geographical origin. The essence is not history and the essence is not doctrine and the essence is not the numbers. Its the Spirit. And the Spirit moves.

Portuguese,



You can also follow articles like this on our new Telegram channel. Editors note: Want to read or share this article in Spanish Korean or Indonesian ? Now you can!You can also follow articles like this on our new Telegram channel. Come join us!

[ This article is also available in espanol, Portugues, , and Indonesian. ]
Toronto police are investigating after a collision that left a motorcyclist in life-threatening condition on Friday just after midnight.

In a news release, police said a 33-year-old man was driving a Kawasaki motorcycle west on Lawrence Avenue East near Markham Road.

A man driving a BMW struck the motorcyclist as he was leaving a local business.

The BMW remained on scene, Sgt. Jason Kraft told the Star.

The traffic services unit is investigating. Police are appealing for residents, businesses and drivers who may have dash-cam or security footage of the collision.

TY Tom Yun is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @thetomyun
A woman looks at her smartphone as she walks past Google Building 8510 at 85 10th Ave., New York City, N.Y., on June 3, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

DOJ Hires Outside Counsel as It Readies Antitrust Case Against Google: Report

The Justice Department (DOJ) has hired outside litigators as part of their big tech probes, an indication the department is readying an antitrust suit against Google, according to a new report from Fox Business.

Last July, the DOJ announced that their departments Antitrust Division is reviewing market-leading online platforms over a wide array of concerns relating to how they have reduced competition, stifled innovation, or otherwise harmed consumers.

Though the department has not publicly named which online platforms they were reviewing, it has been widely reported that they are probing Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple.

Fox Business reporter Charles Gasparino, who first reported the move, said the hiring indicates the DOJ is really preparing a case against Google and that it is a fairly big step.

When you go that step to hire an outside litigator, a tough outside litigator  you are preparing for a case, he told the network.

Gasparino did not disclose who the outside counsel was, noting only that it was a name brand.

The Epoch Times reached out to the DOJ for comment on the development but did not immediately receive a response. A Google spokesperson also did not immediately respond.

Googles main campus in Mountain View, Calif., on May 1, 2019. (Amy Osborne / AFP) (Photo credit should read AMY OSBORNE/AFP/Getty Images)

Attorney General William Barr said last year that the antitrust probes had been moving very quickly and that they were talking very broadly with people and getting a lot of input from people in the industry and experts.

Barr told the Wall Street Journal CEO Council that the review was not just focused on antitrust issues, but also anti-competitive behavior. He said at the time the probes would be completed some time this year.

Days ago, the state of Arizona filed a consumer fraud lawsuit against Google, alleging that the company used unfair practices to track the location data of its users even after they had turned off the tracking function. A Google spokesperson told The Epoch Times that the suit mischaracterized their services and that they have always built privacy features into our products and provided robust controls for location data.

A congressional committee and subcommittee are also investigating all four big tech companies, and the Federal Trade Commission is reviewing one or more of them.

At an early hearing of the antitrust panel in July, executives of the four companies pushed back against lawmakers accusations that they operate as monopolies, laying out ways in which they say they compete fairly, yet vigorously, against rivals in the marketplace.

Meanwhile, the attorneys general of 48 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have also opened an antitrust probe into Google and the companys potential monopolistic behavior. The investigation is being led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who formally made the announcement on Sept. 9. 2019.
The EIP Card is sponsored by the Treasury Departments Bureau of the Fiscal Service as part of the US Debit Card Program. Check your junk mail in case it arrived. Read more

About four million Americans will receive their stimulus corona cash on a prepaid debit card, according to the Treasury Department.

And yes, these debit cards are real.

If you thought these debit cards were fake, you have a lot of company, according to local accountants.

One client thought the card was a scam, and shredded the prepaid debit card which had their $1,200 payment, said David Zalles, a CPA based in Blue Bell.

It took a lot of people by surprise, said Mary Lew Kehm, a CPA in Whitehall Township.

As the Treasury Department sends out the prepaid debit cards  called Economic Impact Payment (EIP) cards  look for them in your mailbox, probably in a plain envelope.

These cards are issued by Treasurys partner MetaBank and preloaded with government stimulus payments. Be on the lookout in case you thought it was junk mail.

If you threw yours away, call MetaBanks 24-hour call center: 1-800-240-8100. You can also call to check your card balance or just ask questions.

Single people earning less than $75,000 generally are to receive an economic stimulus payment of $1,200; married couples earning less than $150,000 receive $2,400; and theres an additional payments of $500 for eligible children under the age of 17.

Those receiving a debit card this week have filed tax returns but do not have bank account information on file with the IRS.

 READ MORE: Confused by all the unemployment numbers? Heres how to read economic data in a pandemic.

According to Treasury, once these four million taxpayers receive the preloaded cards, they will be able to use them to withdraw cash from in-network ATMs, to make direct purchases anywhere that accepts Visa cards, and to transfer funds directly into their own bank accounts without being subject to any fees. The cards are going primarily to Americans without banks accounts.

You will have to activate the card and it should come with instructions on how to do that, as well as directions for use.

For information on activating the EIP card, call Meta Banks Customer Service at 800-240-8100 or visit this website: https://www.eipcard.com.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

The government stimulus payments are meant to offer relief amid the COVID-19 pandemic and have already been sent out to about 140 million recipients, but that hasnt eliminated frustration for the roughly 10 million taxpayers still waiting on the IRS.

What can you use the debit card for?

You can transfer the funds from your EIP card to an existing bank account online at EIPCard.com. You will need the routing and account number for your bank account.

To transfer funds:

Call 1-800-240-8100 (TTY: 1-800-241-9100) to activate your card.

Register for online or mobile app access by going to EIPCard.com and click on Register. Follow the steps to create your User ID and Password. Be sure to have your EIP Card handy.

Select Move Money Out and follow the steps to set up your transfer. Transfers should post to your bank account in one to two business days.

"Prepaid debit cards are secure, easy to use, and allow us to deliver Americans their money quickly, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in a statement. Recipients can immediately activate and use the cards safely.

Treasury has already delivered more than 140 million Economic Impact Payments worth $239 billion to Americans by direct deposit to accounts at financial institutions, on Direct Express card accounts, and by check.
This news release is not for distribution or dissemination in the United States of America

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / XGC Software Inc ("XGC or the Company") announces that Mr. Miles Nagamatsu has joined the company as Chief Financial Offer.

Mr. Nagamatsu is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Accountant with over 30 years of financial experience, in the areas of accounting, finance, management, lending, restructurings and turnarounds. Since 1993, Miles has acted as part-time Chief Financial Officer of public and private companies primarily in the mineral exploration and investment management sectors. Miles is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Cartier Iron Corporation, Eloro Resources Ltd., Essex Oil Ltd., United Hunter Oil & Gas Corp., Forsys Metals Corp., Laurion Mineral Exploration Inc., Blockchain Evolution Inc., and GreenBank Capital Inc.

Mr. Nagamatsu assumes the role previously held by Mr. Gaurav Singh, who retired as both Chief Financial Officer and a Director of the Company on March 5, 2020 in order to pursue other interests. The Board expresses its appreciation of Mr. Singh's contribution both as CFO and as a director and wishes him well in his future endeavors.

About XGC Software

XGC Software is the holding company for GreenCoinX, a software company which has developed the world's first cryptocurrency requiring user identification. XGC Software is a Canadian reporting issuer in British Columbia and Alberta.

For more information please see www.xgcsoftware.com or the Company's profile on www.sedar.com or contact Mark Wettreich at (647) 693-9411 or by email Mark@GreenBankCapitalinc.com

Forward-Looking Information: This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business and trading in the common stock of XGC Software Inc., the raising of additional capital and the future development of the businesses of XGC Software and GreenCoinX. The forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the company's management. Although the company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because XGC Software can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and XGX Software disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: XGC Software Inc

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/592008/XGC-Software-Announces-the-Addition-of-Miles-Nagamatsu-as-Chief-Financial-Officer
Local long-term-care facilities deserve credit for coping successfully with COVID-19 outbreaks so far in the pandemic, said Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith.

I think our long-term-care facilities have done an excellent job, said Smith in an interview this week.

Not every Ontario nursing home has fared well. This week, a new report from the military, which is helping battle COVID-19 in five long-term-care facilities in the Greater Toronto Area that had many deaths, described deplorable living conditions.

The report found people left in filth for weeks, for example, patients with brutal pressure sores and seniors pleading for help for hours to no avail.

The Ontario government has since taken over the management of those five facilities, which are privately owned.

But Smith praised local facilities this week, saying they had a lot of factors in their favour.

For one thing, he said local long-term-care facilities and retirement homes are built to modern standards  meaning no ward rooms, where up to four people live together and may have increased chance of exposure to the virus, which was the case in the deadly outbreak at the 65-bed Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon.

Smith also said local long-term-care facilities had their isolation plans in place before COVID-19 began circulating much in the community, which helped.

He had particular praise for Fairhaven long-term-care home, a municipally owned home. He gave executive director Lionel Towns credit for having isolation protocols in place early in March, before the Ontario government issued any emergency orders.

This week, Towns wrote to The Examiner that Fairhaven is getting about $100,000 from a provincial fund of $50 million for infection control and additional supplies.

That money helps, he said, and non-management workers are also getting a $4-per-hour wage increase for 16 weeks from the provincial government.

As for the appalling conditions in the five long-term-care homes that were singled out in the military report, Towns said its unfair to blame either provincial inspectors of the homes or all the staff there.

Provincial inspectors sometimes write lengthy reports on long-term-care homes, Towns said.

Ive seen some reports that are 100 pages long, he wrote in his email, adding that its ill-informed to say neglectful inspectors may have led to the deplorable conditions.

Its also unfair to judge the staff in those five homes, he wrote.

While it is clear that some seriously improper actions occurred, there are also a large number of PSWs and nurses that, despite overwhelming conditions, stayed to care for residents when other staff were leaving and not going back.

With files from The Canadian Press
Providence Resources says a transfer of funds due from Norwegian group SpotOn Energy has arrived, having been delayed for a week. The company will now issue new shares to the investor.

The troubled Irish explorer received an initial 300,000 (334,300) from SpotOn last month as part of a 3m fundraising.

SpotOn committed to invest a further 200,000 within six weeks of that announcement, but the second instalment was delayed by a week. That setback inevitably prompted comparisons to last year's long-running delays in the transfer of a promised $9m loan from Chinese company Apec which never arrived.

However, Providence has confirmed the 200,000 second instalment from SpotOn Energy has arrived into the company's accounts.

Providence Resources has now therefore issued 6,116,208 of new shares to SpotOn at an issue price of 3.27p each - the closing price on the London Stock Exchange on May 21, the date funds were originally expected to be received.

Providence said the most recent delay was a result of Covid-19-related restrictions, saying SpotOn "had experienced some delays in closing out the necessary arrangements with its consortium because of current working and travel restrictions".

As part of the deal with SpotOn Energy - in relation to the farm-out of Standard Exploration Licence 1/11, which contains the Barryroe oil and gas field - SpotOn has been given a period of exclusivity until October 31 in respect of the licence.

In January, Alan Linn, an oil and gas veteran with more than 35 years' experience in the sector, took over the reins of Providence following the resignation of Tony O'Reilly Jnr at the end of last year.

The group has since implemented a number of cost-cutting measures, including redundancies, and now operates with a skeleton staff.
Anger: Donald Trump holds up a front page of the New York Post as he speaks to reporters while signing an executive order on social media companies in the Oval Office. Photo: Reuters

Donald Trump has escalated his war on social media companies, signing an executive order challenging the liability protections that have served as a bedrock for unfettered speech on the internet.

But the move appears to be more about politics, as the US president aims to rally supporters after he lashed out at Twitter for applying fact checks to two of his tweets.

Mr Trump said the fact checks were "editorial decisions" by Twitter and amounted to political activism.

He said it should cost those companies their protection from lawsuits for what is posted on their platforms.

Mr Trump and his allies, who rely heavily on Twitter to attack their enemies, have long accused the tech giants in liberal-leaning Silicon Valley of targeting conservatives on social media by fact-checking them or removing their posts.

"We're fed up with it," Mr Trump said, claiming the order would uphold freedom of speech. It directs executive branch agencies to ask independent rule-making agencies including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to study whether they can place new regulations on the companies - though experts express doubts much can be done without an act of Congress.

"They've had unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide, alter virtually any form of communication between private citizens or large public audiences," Mr Trump said of social media companies as he prepared to sign the order.

"There is no precedent in American history for so small a number of corporations to control so large a sphere of human interaction."

Mr Trump and his campaign reacted after Twitter added a warning phrase to two Trump tweets that called mail-in ballots "fraudulent" and predicted "mail boxes will be robbed".

Under the tweets, there is now a link reading "Get the facts about mail-in ballots" that guides users to a page with fact checks and news stories about Mr Trump's unsubstantiated claims.

Mr Trump accused Twitter of interfering in the 2020 presidential election" and declared "as president, I will not allow this to happen".

Late on Wednesday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted: "We'll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally."

Mr Dorsey added: "This does not make us an 'arbiter of truth'. Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves."

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Fox News yesterday: "I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldn't be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online."
'No masks, no gloves': Kenyan government under fire over quarantine centres FILE PHOTO: A security person points as he orders quarantined travellers protesting being held because of the coronavirus disease outbreak for more than the usual 14 days at Kenyatta University near Nairobi

By Ayenat Mersie

NAIROBI(Reuters) - Kenya's government is facing growing criticism over quarantine centres it set up to curb the spread of the coronavirus, with witnesses saying some are squalid and expose residents to the risk of catching COVID-19.

Since mid-March, the government has enforced a mandatory 14-day quarantine period for anyone who flies into the country or has direct contact with someone infected and lives in an area where self-isolation is not allowed.

Those who can pay spend the quarantine in an upmarket hotel. Others are placed in government-run facilities established in buildings such as schools or universities.

Demonstrations have broken out in some centres, break-outs have been reported, and the government faces two lawsuits over alleged mistreatment which it has yet to respond to.

Reuters interviewed 12 people who have spent time in quarantine in the government-run centres. Two said conditions were satisfactory. The other 10, who asked not to be identified to avoid stigma, described filthy conditions with bedbugs, overflowing toilets and bad food.

Reuters sought comment from the facilities where these people were housed, but phone and text messages sent over several weeks received no responses. Health Ministry spokeswoman Judy Sirima declined comment.

One woman told Reuters she was quarantined at Nairobi's Kenya Medical Training Center for two weeks and tested negative for the coronavirus.

Then others at the facility, where people were crowded together at mealtimes, tested positive. She was kept another week, and then tested positive too.

"I got it from the quarantine," she said. "We were sharing washrooms; we were sharing everything."

Reuters could not verify where she contracted the virus.

A woman in quarantine at the Karen Cooperative Retreat and Conference Center said she and others received no protective gear.

"We are not given masks; no gloves, no sanitizer," she said.

Story continues

Neither facility responded to requests for comment.

PUBLIC TESTING

Kenya has reported 1,348 cases and 52 deaths from COVID-19, but large-scale public testing began in the country of 47 million only this month because of shortages of materials.

On Sunday, Kenya's Health Ministry tweeted that many people being tested were giving false contact information.

Robert Alai, a popular blogger, quickly offered an explanation for their reluctance.

"Because you treat those who test positive like pigs," he tweeted.

Alai has been sharing pictures of grim quarantine conditions which he says he received from people in government-run facilities. Reuters reached three by telephone and they confirmed the conditions.

Dr Mark Nanyingi, an infectious disease epidemiologist with the University of Nairobi, said the threat of having family quarantined could deter sick people from coming forward.

"Public health messaging shouldnt be threatening," he said. "If we militarise this, we wont have as much success."

Facing criticism over the quarantine centres, Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said on May 6 they would be free.

"Testing, quarantine and isolation is free. Come out and be tested," the ministry tweeted on Tuesday.

Until this month, the minimum rate for quarantine was 2,000 Kenyan shillings ($20) per night. Some centres had refused to release people who did not pay their bills.

Kagwe has also said people who break a dawn-to-dusk curfew will no longer be put in quarantine.

A Senate report last month said hundreds of curfew breakers had been quarantined alongside people who had been exposed to COVID-19, the respiratory disease the coronavirus can cause.

One woman, Caroline Akumu, told Reuters she was held in a quarantine centre where she and her two-month-old son slept on a concrete floor after she was accused of breaking curfew and refused to pay 20,000 shillings to be released. She was freed only after a public uproar.

(Additional reporting by Katharine Houreld; editing by Katharine Houreld and Timothy Heritage)
The bill for cleaning and provision of hand sanitisers in schools to prevent the spread of Covid-19 would run to a massive 24m for the period between September and Christmas.

It is only one of the additional costs facing the State as work continues on how to reopen schools safely against the backdrop of an ongoing public health threat.

Read More

Education Minister Joe McHugh revealed the 24m figure as he also pointed to the potential need for more teachers when schools return, to a new way of doing things.

He said that while it was his "ambition to have as many students as possible together back in class", with the two-metre social distancing rule it was "very difficult to see all students back in September".

Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan told the Cabinet this week that public health advice on social distancing remained in place for now, but was under constant review.

A relaxation of the two-metre rule would ease the situation, and Mr McHugh is hoping that will happen before the Department of Education provides its reopening guidance to schools, which, he said, would be issued within two weeks.

In an interview with RTE's Sarah McInerney, Mr McHugh also said they were analysing the need for extra teachers in anticipation of pupils potentially returning to a blended learning scenario, involving a mix of face-to-face and distance teaching.

Speaking on 'Prime Time' last night, Mr McHugh went further and said he had not given up on children returning fully to school. "I am not accepting that the two-metre regime will be in place in September," he said.

When schools reopen, they face the dual challenge of social distancing and ensuring that hygiene standards are maintained at a level that prevents, or minimises the risk of, transmission of the virus.

Mr McHugh responded to a question about a call for more funding support for third-level with the figure of 24m for cleaning and hand sanitisers in schools, for one term, as an example of the costs coming down the track.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education has strengthened advice to teachers and schools about how they mark and rank Leaving Cert candidates in the calculated grades process.

Additional guidance, issued yesterday, covered avoidance of unconscious bias, interpreting evidence of achievement in the case of students with disabilities and bonus marks that would have applied for answering written exams through Irish.

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) wrote to Mr McHugh this week strongly recommending specific guidance to teachers and schools on "mitigating the risk of inadvertent discrimination stemming from unconscious bias".

IHREC acting chief commissioner Dr Frank Conaty also said: "All teachers involved should, as best practice, complete online training on unconscious bias."

The focus of IHREC concerns are high-achieving students in schools in disadvantaged communities, amid fears the process will not treat them as favourably as high-attaining students from more advantaged backgrounds.

The new guidance includes advice to teachers to avoid the tendency to see a "halo glow" around certain students because of one positive thing about them.
CHICAGO, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research "Asia Pacific Generator Sales Market by Fuel Type (Diesel, Gas), Power Rating (<100kVA, 100-350kVA, 350-1000-2500kVA, 2500-5000kVA, >5000kVA), Application (Standby, Continuous, Peak Shaving), End-User, Country - Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Asia Pacific Generator Sales Market size is projected to reach USD 8.8 billion by 2025 from an estimated USD 6.8 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period. Increasing demand for uninterrupted and reliable power supply in several industries is driving the growth of the market. Moreover, the electrification of rural areas in developing countries is likely to provide opportunities for Asia Pacific generator sales industry.

The industrial end-user segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025.

Industrial generators ensure a continuous supply of power in the event of power failure from the grid system. Thus, such generators guarantee an efficient performance of the equipment, in case there are breaks on the electric supply. Moreover, mining industries raise the demand for diesel generators as they provide over 70% of all the power needed in mining operations by heavy-duty equipment, such as excavating machinery, drillers, conveyor belts, and cranes. Developing countries, such as China, India, and Thailand, are witnessing rapid industrialization and have introduced several policies to support industrial growth, including adequate power supply. Thus, industries keep generators for peak shaving time to continue their operations irrespective of power outages in remote locations. These factors drive the growth of the industrial generator sales market.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Asia Pacific Generator Sales Market"

82 - Tables

50 - Figures

173 - Pages

Download PDF Brochure:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=150307902

The 2,500-5,000 kVA power rating segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the Asia Pacific generator sales industry during the forecast period.

Generators with a capacity of 2,500-5,000 kVA are mostly used in large manufacturing facilities, power generation, and commercial sectors-the end-users select generator capacity based on their requirements. For instance, in 2018, GE Renewable Energy and GE Power provided 270 MW of wind energy capacity to Wind Energy Holding for the Theparak Wind Farm in Central Thailand. Such developments drive the demand for electric generators as electromechanical generators in power plants generate power. Therefore, high demand in the power generation sector is expected to emerge as key revenue pockets for the 2,500-5,000 kVA generators in the Asia Pacific Generator Sales Market.

The standby segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Standby power generators are used in applications requiring a regular power supply to carry out operations. Their primary function is to supply emergency power for a limited duration during a power outage. Moreover, commercial buildings, such as the telecom industry, hospitals, data centers, and office buildings, require emergency power. Hospitals and data centers consume a large amount of energy and require generator sets that are reliable and ensure continuous power supply in the event of grid failure and power outages. Also, in the Asia Pacific region, the use of standby diesel generators is high due to the availability of fuel and as it offers continuous power supply during peak hours. Further, standby gensets are witnessing increasing demand due to the increased demand from hospitals and data centers for uninterrupted and reliable power supply in the Asia Pacific region.

Inquiry Before Buying:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=150307902

To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the Asia Pacific Generator Sales Market. The major players in the Asia Pacific generator sales industry are Caterpillar (US), Cummins (US), Generac (US), Wartsila (Finland), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan), Rolls-Royce Holdings (UK), Yanmar (Japan), Siemens (Germany), Weichai Group (China), and Sterling & Wilson (India). These players are adopting various strategies to increase their share in the Asia Pacific Generator Sales Market. Contracts & agreements, and new product launches have been a widely adopted strategy by the major players in the generator sales industry.

Browse Adjacent Markets: Energy and Power Market Research Reports & Consulting

Browse Related Reports:

Generator Sales Market by Type (Diesel, Gas), Application (Standby, Peak Shaving, Continuous), Power Rating (<100 KVA, 100-350 KVA, 350-1000-2500 KVA, 2500-5000 KVA, >5000 KVA), End-User (Residential, Commercial, Industrial)- Global Forecast to 2024

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/generator-sales-market-47544335.html

Portable Generator Market by Fuel (Gasoline, Diesel, Gas), Application (Emergency, Prime/Continuous), Power Rating (below 5 kW, 5-10 kW, 10-20 kW), End-User (Residential, Commercial, Industrial), and Region- Global Forecast to 2024

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/portable-generator-market-195875841.html

Power Rental Market by Fuel (Diesel & Gas), Power Rating, Equipment, End Users (Utilities, Oil & Gas, Events, Construction, Mining, Manufacturing, Shipping, Data Center), Application (Peak Shaving, Base Load, Standby), Region - Global Forecasts to 2023

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/rental-power-generation-market-744.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Aashish Mehra

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com

Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/asia-pacific-generator-sales-market.asp

Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com

Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/asia-pacific-generator-sales.asp

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg
FLINT, MI -- Flint water prosecutors are asking a federal judge to keep documents and transcripts in their possession secret despite a request from attorneys representing Flint residents in civil lawsuits in U.S. District Court.

Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammound filed the brief, opposing a motion to compel her to release documents and testimony that have been compiled over the years by criminal investigators representing the Department of Attorney General.

Enforcing the plaintiffs sweeping demands would comprise an unprecedented breach of the barrier traditionally erected between an active law-enforcement investigation and a civil action for money damages ..., Hammoud wrote in a May 13 court filing. At the heart of (our) opposition to the plaintiffs subpoena is the publics interest in a thorough investigation into the criminality that led to the Flint water crisis, as well as the criminality that occurred in its aftermath. It goes without saying that secrecy during the pendency of the investigation furthers that public interest.

Hammoud has been tight-lipped about the status of her criminal investigation into the water crisis since she was appointed by Attorney General Dana Nessel to lead it in January 2019.

Last month, she said in a statement issued by her office that the investigation remains on track and we are delivering on our commitment to the people of Flint.

Hammouds court filing came in response to a motion to compel the release of additional documents filed by Corey Stern, a New York-based attorney who represents 10 of 14 Flint children whose civil cases could start as early as November.

In the motion to compel the release of records, Sterns legal team says some of the documents they are seeking have trickled into the hands of other litigants -- and created an uneven playing field in the processin a number of ways.

Among them -- the defendants who worked for the former Michigan Department of Environmental Quality have received production of such materials (or at least a subset of them) in criminal discovery that corresponded with the filing of (now dismissed or resolved) criminal charges against them.

Several employees or former employees of what is now the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy were among 15 current and former state and city officials charged with crimes related to the water crisis by former Attorney General Bill Schuette.

Because the criminal investigation has taken so long, Sterns legal team says in its court filing that many witnesses "have testified that they simply no longer remember crucial facts. And at least one witness testified that he now is being treated for memory issues that have surfaced in the intervening years.

To the extent that these witnesses were deposed by criminal investigative attorneys in earlier years, access to that testimony provides far more reliable testimony than what can be obtained now, the motion to compel says.

Hammoud announced in June 2019 that all charges against eight remaining Flint water defendants who had not accepted plea deals would be dismissed. She has criticized prosecutors who worked for Schuette for having failed to properly review millions of documents that she has said could have led to additional or reduced charges.

With assistance from Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, Hammoud restarted the investigation, which remains active but has not resulted in any new criminal charges.

The solicitor generals court filing says she has not completed interviewing persons of interest in their investigation into the Flint water crisis and says some witnesses who have agreed to be interviewed have received assurances that their testimony would remain confidential to the greatest degree possible.

Ordering disclosure at this point will undermine the prosecutions credibility with those to whom it has already made such assurances, chilling them from future participation in the prosecution, the filing says. It also will signal to those who have not yet been interviewed that their testimony is subject to dissemination.

Flint water prosecutors say statute of limitations wont stop investigation

Flint water crisis lawsuits for kids 6-12 go to front of the line in federal court

New boss of Flint water prosecutions vows to 'right the ship

Flint residents express hope and skepticism at water crisis forum
Research has shown that public defenders from properly funded offices deliver better results than assigned attorneys. The compensation that appointed attorneys receive in Virginia  $120 per district court misdemeanor and between $445 and $1,235 for felonies  encourages a system overly reliant on plea deals. Typical of the stories that VOICE activists heard was that of Deshapreca Robinson, who was 18 and about to go college when she admittedly made a bad decision in passing bad checks. Arrested and charged with three felonies, Ms. Robinson was assigned an attorney she met once who, she says, treated her like a nuisance when she asked questions. Told she would get 20 to 30 years in jail, she accepted a deal she didnt fully understand  There was no Google then, she told us  and spent three years, one month and a day in prison. Her criminal record has made it hard for her to get a job and rent an apartment.
The following items were taken from Lincolnshire Police Department reports and releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt.

Drivers license

David C. Wilson, 19, of the 200 block of South Cass Avenue, Westmont, was charged with operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration for non-insurance on May 21 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Milwaukee Avenue. Wilson was given a July 15 court date.

Diante T. Bell, 26, of the 2100 block of West Garfield Boulevard, Chicago, was charged with driving while license suspended, operating a vehicle with suspended registration and uninsured vehicle on May 21 following a traffic stop on Old Half Day Road at Milwaukee Avenue. Bell was given a July 8 court date.

Luis J. Rodriguez, 22, of the 300 block of North Pershing Avenue, Mundelein, was charged with driving while license suspended on May 21 following a traffic stop on Milwaukee Avenue at Riverside Road. Rodriguez was given a July 8 court date.

Henry Younan, 39, of the 7000 block of North Hamlin Avenue, Lincolnwood, was charged with no drivers license on May 20 following a traffic stop on Milwaukee Avenue at Half Day Road. Younan was given a July 8 court date.

Nancy Garcia, 24, of the 400 block of Poplar Street, Waukegan, was charged with driving while license suspended and uninsured vehicle on May 18 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Schelter Road. Garcia was given a July 15 court date.

Louis A. Nava Jr., 47, of the 20-30 block of Peace Avenue, Wauconda, was charged with driving while license revoked and possession of drug paraphernalia on May 18 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Old Mill Road. Nava Jr. was given a July 8 court date.

Ariel E. Abrams, 32, of the 700 block of Broadway Avenue, North Chicago, was charged with driving while license suspended on May 18 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Old Half Day Road. Abrams was given a July 8 court date.

Lorenzo Garcia, 36, of the 71000 block of Northshore Avenue, Chicago, was charged with having no valid drivers license on May 16 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Elm Road. Garcia was given a July 8 court date.

Fraudulent identification

Rafay Noor, 19, of the 1000 block of Creek View Drive, Vernon Hills, was charged with possession of a fraudulent ID on May 20 following a traffic stop on Olde Half Day Road at Milwaukee Avenue. Noor was given a July 15 court date.

Speeding

Elijah Boston, 33, of the 7200 block of South Indiana Avenue, Chicago, was charged with speeding 26 miles-per-hour over the speed limit on May 21 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Oxford Road. Boston was given a July 8 court date.

Krista C. Sheehy, 32, of the 500 block of Burr Road, Lake Zurich, was charged with speeding 26 miles-per-hour over the speed limit on May 20 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Stevenson Drive. Sheehy was given a June 17 court date.

Mitchell S. Nevel, 51, of the first block of Sandpiper Lane, Hawthorn Woods, was charged with speeding 26 miles-per-hour over the speed limit on May 19 following a traffic stop on Half Day road at Hillbrook Drive. Nevel was given a July 15 court date.

Latanya D. Nichols, 37, of the 200 block of Metropolitan Avenue, Waukegan, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles-per-hour over the speed limit on May 18 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Oxford Drive. Nichols was given a July 15 court date.

Prado L. Livera, 50, of the 2800 block of Neenah Avenue, Chicago, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles-per-hour over the speed limit on May 18 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Millbrook Drive. Livera was given a July 15 court date.

Jessica Lopez, 26, of the 700 block of Broadway Avenue, North Chicago, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles-per-hour over the speed limit on May 18 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Stevenson Drive. Lopez was given a July 8 court date.

Janbota Syemyeikhan, 39, of the 500 block of Barry Avenue, Chicago, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles-per-hour over the speed limit on May 17 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Old Half Day Road. Syemyeikhan was given a July 8 court date.

Hongyu Mao, 23, of the 1300 block of West Hubbard Street, Chicago, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles-per-hour over the speed limit on May 16 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Hewitt Drive. Mao was given a June 10 court date.

Julia G. Day, 20, of the 1900 block of Palmgren Drive, Glenview, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles-per-hour over the speed limit and possession of marijuana under 21 May 15 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Oakwood Lane. Day was given a July 8 court date.

Destiny R. King, 19, of the 400 block of Minuet Circle, Volo, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles-per-hour over the speed limit on May 15 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Schelter Road. King was given a June 17 court date.

Jaciel M. Martinez, 31, of the 300 block of Oak Terrace, Highwood, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles-per-hour over the speed limit on May 15 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Oxford Drive. Martinez was given a July 8 court date.
Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives in the foyer of the House of Commons Wednesday.

Justin Trudeau is being pressured by some of his own Liberal backbenchers to implement enforceable national standards for the operation of long-term care homes in Canada.

The pressure came Thursday from five Toronto-area Liberal MPs, whose ridings are home to some of the facilities that have been devastated by COVID-19.

And it came just as the prime minister was preparing later in the day for his 11th conference call with premiers since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Canada in mid-March.

He had promised to repeat on the call his offer of federal help to improve conditions in care homes and to provide paid sick leave for workers forced to stay home due to COVID-19.

Both issues fall squarely within provincial jurisdiction and could test the Team Canada spirit that has prevailed among first ministers so far during the COVID-19 crisis.

Trudeau's offer of help has met with a mixed reaction so far from provincial and territorial leaders.

In a letter to Trudeau and Health Minister Patty Hajdu, the five Liberal MPs upped the ante, asking Ottawa to call on the Ontario government to launch a full, independent, public inquiry to investigate the failings of the province's long-term care system and make recommendations for fixing them.

Those failings were exposed in appalling detail earlier this week in a scathing report by the military, which has been called in to help out in long-term care homes in Ontario and Quebec. The report cited examples of neglect, abuse and unsanitary conditions in five Ontario homes.

Similar problems had been reported in some Quebec homes in April, although a military report this week on that province said conditions have now improved somewhat.

The five Ontario Liberal MPs  Gary Anandasangaree, Yvan Baker, Jennifer O'Connell, Judy Sgro and Sonia Sidhu  also called on the federal government to work with provinces to establish and implement enforceable national standards for long-term care homes across the country, echoing earlier calls from NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.

"It is a tragedy taking place across Canada as approximately 80 per cent of all COVID-19-related deaths across our country have occurred in long-term care homes," they wrote.

Trudeau must deal with the fact that not all provinces have been as hard hit by the pandemic as Ontario and Quebec and are less keen to have the feds rush in with help.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said all provinces need federal funding to help defray pandemic costs but suggested his province doesn't need it for long-term care homes. He said Saskatchewan already has standards and noted that its homes have not been subject to the high death rate experienced in the two largest provinces.

On sick leave, Moe said if it's a federal initiative, it should be federally funded, employers should not have to foot any part of the bill and it should be in place only temporarily during the pandemic.

"There can be no cost to the businesses that are just trying now to dust themselves off and reopen and get back into the marketplace," Moe said Thursday.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister shared that concern but nevertheless welcomed a national program to encourage any worker who feels ill to stay home.

Trudeau has credited British Columbia Premier John Horgan with first raising the idea of a sick leave program. And Horgan appeared optimistic Wednesday that agreement can eventually be reached among first ministers to put one in place.
The city is not forcing people to go paperless, Pepplitsch said, there is a choice, but just the added cost now.

The city is also making changes to payment for utility services, starting on July 1 they will only be accepted in a non-cash format.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Pepplitsch said 25 percent of payments in the past have been through cash. He said the city wants to move away from cash payments, as they have the technology to take card or other payments easily.

We want to be efficient as possible, said Pepplitsch.

Mayor John Fagot said many utility companies no longer take cash payments and saw no reason why the city shouldnt do the same.

The options for payment include an automatic bank account withdrawal, online credit or debit card, toll free phone line or text payment by credit or debit card or a check or money order.

Pepplitsch said the city will take the month of June as time to educate the city residents on the changes and how they can switch. Those wishing to change their payment method can call the city offices.
HOUSTON, Texas and COLUMBIA, Md., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study reveals the Chicxulub impact crater may have harbored a vast and long-lived hydrothermal system after the catastrophic impact event linked to the extinction of dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

The Chicxulub impact crater, roughly 180 kilometers in diameter, is the best preserved large impact structure on Earth and a target for exploration of several impact-related phenomena. In 2016, a research team supported by the International Ocean Discovery Program and International Continental Scientific Drilling Program drilled into the crater, reaching a depth of 1,335 meters (> 1 kilometer) below the modern-day sea floor. The team recovered rock core samples which can be used to study the thermal and chemical modification of Earth's crust caused by the impact. The core samples show the crater hosted an extensive hydrothermal system that chemically and mineralogically modified more than 100,000 cubic kilometers of Earth's crust.

The lead author, Universities Space Research Association's David Kring at the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), explains, "Imagine an undersea Yellowstone Caldera, but one that is several times larger and produced by the staggering impact event that resulted in the extinction of the dinosaurs."

The team found evidence that subsurface rivers of water were heated and driven upwards towards the boundary between the floor of the impact crater and the bottom of the Yucatan sea. The hot water streamed around the edges of an approximate 3-kilometer thick pool of impact-generated magma, percolated through fractured rock, and rose to the seafloor where it vented into the sea. The hot water system was particularly intense in an uplifted range of mountains on the seafloor that form a 90 kilometer-diameter ring around the center of the crater. The rock core recovered from that peak ring is cross-cut by fossil hydrothermal conduits that are lined with multi-colored minerals, some, appropriately enough, a fiery red-orange color. Nearly two dozen minerals precipitated from the fluids as they coursed through the rock, replacing the rock's original minerals.

The peak ring of the crater is composed of fractured granite-like rocks that were uplifted from a depth of approximately 10 kilometers by the impact. Those rocks are covered by porous and permeable impact debris. Both rock units are affected by the hydrothermal system. "Hot-fluid alteration was most vigorous in the permeable impact debris, but garnet crystals, indicating high temperatures, were found at different levels throughout the core," explains former LPI Postdoctoral Researcher Martin Schmieder who recently assumed a new post at Neu-Ulm University in Germany.

Minerals identified in the new rock core indicate the hydrothermal system was initially very hot with temperatures of 300 to 400 C. Such high temperatures indicate the system would have taken a long time to cool. The team determined the cooling time using a geomagnetic polarity clock. "Our results indicate that tiny magnetic minerals were created in the Chicxulub crater due to chemical reactions produced by a long-lived hydrothermal system. These minerals appear to have recorded changes in the Earth's magnetic field as they formed. Their magnetic memories suggest that hydrothermal activity within the crater persisted for at least 150,000 years," says co-author Sonia Tikoo from Stanford University.

Further evidence for the hydrothermal system's longevity comes from an anomalously high concentration of manganese in seafloor sediments, the result of seafloor venting. Co-author Axel Wittmann from Arizona State University explains, "Similar to mid-ocean ridges, venting from marine impact craters generates hydrothermal plumes that contain dissolved and slowly oxidizing manganese, which compared to background concentrations produced enrichments up to ten-fold in post-impact sediments over 2.1 million years at Chicxulub."

Although the expedition only tapped the hydrothermal system in one location, Kring says "The results suggest there was an approximately 300 kilometer-long string of hot water vents on the peak ring and additional vents scattered across the crater floor as impact melt cooled. Importantly, such hydrothermal systems may have provided habitats for microbial life." Yellowstone's volcanic hydrothermal systems are rich with microbial organisms and imply impact-generated hot water systems have the same biologic potential. Kring concludes, "Our study of the expedition's rock core from a potential deep Earth habitat provides additional evidence for the impact-origin of life hypothesis. Life may have evolved in an impact crater."

The extent and longevity of the Chicxulub hydrothermal system suggest that impact-generated systems early in Earth history may have provided niches for life. Thousands of these types of systems were produced during a period of impact bombardment more than 3.8 billion years ago. As each system cooled, it would have provided an environment rich in materials suitable for thermophilic and hyperthermophilic organisms.

This research was funded by the National Science Foundation.

Complete list of research contributors: David A. Kring, Sonia M. Tikoo, Martin Schmieder, Ulrich Riller, Mario Rebolledo-Vieyra, Sarah L. Simpson, Gordon R. Osinski, Jerome Gattacceca, Axel Wittmann, Christina M. Verhagen, Charles S. Cockell, Marco J. L. Coolen, Fred J. Longstaffe, Sean P. S. Gulick, Joanna V. Morgan, Timothy J. Bralower, Elise Chenot, Gail L. Christeson, Philippe Claeys, Ludovic Ferriere, Catalina Gebhardt, Kazuhisa Goto, Sophie L. Green, Heather Jones, Johanna Lofi, Christopher M. Lowery, Ruben Ocampo-Torres, Ligia Perez-Cruz, Annemarie E. Pickersgill, Michael H. Poelchau, Auriol S. P. Rae, Cornelia Rasmussen, Honami Sato, Jan Smit, Naotaka Tomioka, Jaime Urrutia-Fucugauchi, Michael T. Whalen, Long Xiao, and Kosei E. Yamaguchi.

Related Resources:

Kring, D. A., Tikoo, S. M., Schmieder, M., et. al., 2020. Probing the hydrothermal system of the Chicxulub Impact Crater. Science Advances 6, eaaz3053.

Two-page summary: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/habitability2019/pdf/1037.pdf

The DOI for David Kring's paper is doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz3053 and the URL when published is https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/22/eaaz3053.

About USRA

Founded in 1969, under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences at the request of the U.S. Government, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is a nonprofit corporation chartered to advance space-related science, technology and engineering. USRA operates scientific institutes and facilities, and conducts other major research and educational programs, under Federal funding. USRA engages the university community and employs in-house scientific leadership, innovative research and development, and project management expertise. More information about USRA is available at www.usra.edu.

About LPI

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), operated by Universities Space Research Association, was established during the Apollo program to foster international collaboration and to serve as a repository for information gathered during the early years of the space program. Today, the LPI is an intellectual leader in lunar and planetary science. The Institute serves as a scientific forum attracting world-class visiting scientists, postdoctoral fellows, students, and resident experts; supports and serves the research community through newsletters, meetings, and other activities; collects and disseminates planetary data while facilitating the community's access to NASA science; and engages and excites, and educates the public about space science and invests in the development of future generations of explorers. The research carried out at the LPI supports NASA's efforts to explore the solar system. More information about LPI is available at www.lpi.usra.edu.

PR Contact:

Suraiya Farukhi, Ph.D.

[email protected]

410-740-6224; 443-812-6945

Julie Tygielski, [email protected]

Technical Contact:

Dr. David A. Kring, [email protected]

SOURCE Universities Space Research Association

Related Links

http://www.usra.edu


29.05.2020 LISTEN

Break Bread Foundation, a non-governmental organization passionate about promoting the well-being of the underprivileged persons in society has donated 700 nose masks to seven communities in the Volta Region.

The communities which include Gblorkorpe, Tove Wukpo, Siame Kome, Tegbi, Keta, Agave Afedume and Asidowui were also educated on the right ways to use nose mask and how to protect themselves against the novel coronavirus

Rev Fr. Wisdom-Bhakita Y.B Anane, the President of the foundation said the donation and the education has become necessary because the less privileged in society also deserves to take good care of themselves and be informed on how to avoid the coronavirus.

Every single life matter, whether poor or rich, that has been our initiative to get to the hard to reach communities and inform them on the ways to protect themselves against the coronavirus, he said.

He said the under-privilege in society needs to be shown more care in this era of Covid-19 pandemic to fight the disease and the foundation has been doing its best to put smiles on the faces of them through the provision of Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) to them.

Rev Fr. Wisdom-Bhakita said the Break Bread Foundation has supported a lot of girls in breast cancer education and screening, this has made them informed about the various deprived and under-privilege people in the Volta region which made reaching them easy for the foundation.

He called on other stakeholders, organizations and individuals in the society to help support the underprivileged in society adding that Break Bread Foundation accepts membership and support from anybody that would be ready to help put a smile on the face of the underprivileged in society.

We dont own anything in this world and what we are given are not for us but to be shared. That has been why I ask from those who are capable to help support this noble course, he said.

Some of the underprivilege people who benefited from the donation expressed their gratitude to the foundation adding that we know we needed the nose masks to protect ourselves against the coronavirus but most of us cannot afford it since our financial standings do not permit us.

They asked other organizations to add more PPEs and also support them to have a good living standard in these hard times.
Pro-life protesters have returned to a Perth abortion clinic after permits cancelled earlier this year were reinstated.

The picketers, who regularly gather outside the Marie Stopes facility in Midland, had permission to protest rescinded in March following the coronavirus outbreak.

Protestors outside the Marie Stopes abortion clinic in Midland last year. Credit:Kate Hedley

Despite this, staff at the clinic said they had to call police after the anti-abortionists showed up on March 27.

Now they are back, and with the WA government's safe access zone legislation yet to be introduced, the clinic said clients and staff were being upset by the protesters' presence.
Maharashtra government authorities on Friday expressed its inability to a two-member division bench Bombay high court (HC) about setting up a full-fledged coronavirus disease (Covid-19) testing facility in all 36 districts in the state, but maintained that they are complying with the Indian Council of Medical Researchs (ICMR) guidelines that stipulate operating a laboratory within a radius of 250 kilometres.

The HC bench, comprising chief justice Dipankar Datta and Justice KK Tated, expressed their displeasure about the state governments irresponsible statement to advocate-general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni.

Kumbhakoni admitted that the state government was at fault and a Covid-19 testing facility must be set up in each district.

The court told the advocate-general that the state governments approach was unacceptable, and asked an official to redress the grievance by next week.

The court made the observation following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a fisherman, Khalil Ahmad Hasanmiya Wasta (58), from Maharashtras Ratnagiri district on May 22.

Wasta had complained that the district has reported a spike in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive cases after the government lifted inter-state travel restrictions.

The plea said that around 600,000 people have returned to the Konkan region, which includes Ratnagiri, Raigad and Sindhudurg districts, from Covid-19 hotspots such as Mumbai and Pune after the government had allowed intra-state travelling.

He cited that Ratnagiri district had reported seven Covid-19 positive cases, including two deaths, till April.

However, 108 Covid-19 positive cases have been recorded since inter-state travel has been allowed in May amid the easing of lockdown restrictions, the plea said.

He also demanded that a facility to conduct Covid-19 tests be set up in Ratnagiri district, as the nearest centre is located in Sangli and Miraj, which are 237 kilometres away, leading to a delay in the availability of results.

In its response, the state government told the court that a testing laboratory at Ratnagiri Civil Hospital would become functional within eight days, as per an official order issued on May 25.

However, the state government authorities said that new testing facilities could not be set up overnight in each district owing to several practical constraints such as lack of availability of technical infrastructure.

Besides, the ICMR norms stipulate that a testing centre is needed in only those areas, which are reporting over 100 suspect Covid-19 cases a day, the authorities said.

Though the authorities argued that each district doesnt need a dedicated Covid-19 testing facility, the court has rejected their contention.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Weeks after recovering from COVID-19, Hollywood actor Tom Hanks once again donated his blood plasma for research work.

New Delhi: Weeks after recovering from COVID-19, Hollywood actor Tom Hanks once again donated his blood plasma for research work.

(Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak)

The Forrest Gump actor took to Instagram to post a picture of two bags full of plasma. "Plasmatic on 3! 1, 2, 3 PLASMATIC! Hanx," he wrote in the caption.

Here is Tom Hanks' post

Two other additional pictures shared by the actor show his arm hooked to an IV.

Earlier, the actors had volunteered to donate blood and plasma for COVID-19 research, Hanks revealed on NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me! podcast via MSN.

The first Hollywood personalities to have COVID-19 infection, Hanks and Wilson revealed their diagnosis on 11 March.

They returned home to Los Angeles at the end of March after quarantining and recovering from their symptoms.

The couple was in Australia for the pre-production of Baz Luhrmann's untitled Elvis Presley film from Warner Bros, when they contracted the disease. Hanks stars as Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

The couple has since then been spreading awareness about the virus and has been sharing their journey of recovering from the condition.

(With inputs from Asian News International)
The Lagos State Government has approved the establishment of the State Cash Transfer Unit (SCTU) for the National Cash Transfer progra...





The Lagos State Government has approved the establishment of the State Cash Transfer Unit (SCTU) for the National Cash Transfer programme.





This was confirmed by the State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke, on Thursday.





Arobieke gave details of the programme, while giving a recap of her ministrys activities for the last one year, to commemorate Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olus first anniversary, the Nation reports.





She said in a matter of weeks, the payment of the beneficiaries cleared in the first phase of the programme would commence.









According to her, the conditional cash transfer of N5,000 will be paid per household monthly in the first phase.





The cleared beneficiaries are from Amuwo Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Ibeju Lekki and Lagos Island.
Maharashtra recorded 2,598 fresh coronavirus cases and 85 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the state's count to 59,546. The tally includes 18,616 recoveries and 1,982 deaths, according to the latest update by the Union Health Ministry. 4

Of the 85 deaths on Thursday, 38 were reported from Mumbai.

"Out of 85 deaths, 37 deaths occurred in the last two days, while the remaining 48 took place between May 15 to May 25," a health official told PTI.

Also Read: Coronavirus in India: 7,466 cases in 24 hours, highest 1-day jump, death toll at 4,706; Maharashtra worst-hit

The city's total COVID-19 count stands at 35,485 comprising active cases at 25,694, while the death toll stands at 1,135 as of date. Mumbai is the worst-hit city not only in Maharashtra but all of India.

INDIA CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: BusinessToday.In brings you a daily tracker as coronavirus cases continue to spread. Here is the state-wise data on total cases, fatalities and recoveries in one comprehensive graph.

According to state's health department the recovery rate in Maharashtra stands at 31.26%, while the mortality rate is at 3.32%. Presently 6.12 lakh people are in home quarantine and around 35,000 are in institutional isolation in the state. There are 2,816 containment zones in Maharashtra as of date.

698 patients were discharged from hospitals on Thursday, taking the tally of recovered persons in the state to 18,616, the official added.

Apart from 38 deaths in Mumbai, 10 patients died in Pune city, nine in Satara, seven in Solapur city, five in Akola city, four each from Vasai Virar and Thane, three from Aurangabad, two from Navi Mumbai, one each from Raigad, Jalgaon and Nanded city, he stated.

The second worst hit area is Pune city where COVID-19 cases stand at 6,050 and the number of fatalities so far is 286.

The number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the Pune division is 8,036 and 376, respectively, the official said.

The Nashik division has reported 1,822 cases and 122 deaths due to Covid-19.

Kolhapur division has reported 675 cases and seven deaths while Aurangabad division has reported 1,640 cases and 61 deaths, the official stated.

The Latur division has reported 310 cases and nine deaths, while the Akola division has reported 905 cases and 45 deaths. 630 cases and ten deaths have been recorded in Nagpur division.

Fifty-four people from other states are presently receiving treatment for Covid-19 in Maharashtra.

The virus has also claimed the lives of 13 people from other states who were undergoing treatment in Maharashtra.

The state has conducted 4,19,417 tests so far.
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA is seen at the company's headquarters in Sao Jose dos Campos

By Marcelo Rochabrun, Sanjeev Miglani and Tim Hepher

SAO PAULO/NEW DELHI/PARIS (Reuters) - Aircraft makers are circling Brazil's Embraer <EMBR3.SA> weeks after Boeing <BA.N> ditched plans for a historic commercial aviation tie-up, people familiar with the matter said.

Boeing axed plans to buy 80% of Embraer's commercial unit in April, ending a planned move into regional jets that mirrored rival Airbus' <AIR.PA> purchase in 2018 of a competing model developed by Canada's Bombardier.

China's state-owned COMAC planemaker has voiced informal interest in co-operation with the world's third-largest jetmaker, two of the people said. Russian aircraft manufacturer Irkut has also explored the issue, two others said, though the company denied any current interest.

India, another rising aerospace power focusing mainly on defence but with a huge civil market, has informally conveyed interest at government level while still studying the matter, sources said.

That places Embraer's fate at the centre of the so-called BRIC group of nations, with each honing aerospace strategies as Airbus <AIR.PA> and Boeing <BA.N> reel from the coronavirus crisis.

Embraer shares rose around 8% immediately after publication of the Reuters report, with trading halted momentarily in New York due to excess volatility.

China's COMAC and the Indian and Brazilian governments did not reply to requests for comment.

An Irkut spokeswoman denied interest in Embraer. The Brazilian planemaker declined to comment.

Both COMAC and Irkut are developing aircraft to compete directly with Airbus and Boeing in the busy 150-seat market. China's plans are considered the most advanced.

A deal with Embraer would add engineering resources and global support but also clash with smaller and commercially less successful regional jets developed by both countries.

A Russian industry source said Irkuts ultimate parent Rostec is focusing on its existing MS-21, designed to compete with Airbus and Boeing, and Superjet regional aircraft.

Story continues

Although it has invested heavily in parts and maintenance, India is the least visible suitor in commercial aerospace with no active project other than a 14-seater jet dubbed SARAS.

But India has a potential requirement for developing an 80-90-seat regional jet - a category occupied by Embraer - for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's signature UDAN project to expand air services to small towns.

Embraer is also seen as a one-off chance to rebalance India's aerospace ambitions against strategic rival China.

R.K. Tyagi, ex-chairman of state-run Hindustan Aeronautics, said he had written to the government urging it to move fast.

"Any country with ambitions will look at this. I feel this is a good opportunity. Valuation is down and if we get control of a modern, proven aircraft programme, it is a big jump."

Modi administration officials and a government thinktank are preparing a strategy paper on Embraer but no formal approach has yet been made, an official aware of the plans said.

"The situation at Embraer is fairly bad, share value is drastically eroded; there would be many countries showing interest in this including us," the official said.

Although Embraer says it can rebound, aircraft buyers have said it lacks deep enough pockets to counter Airbus's powerful commercial backing for the Canadian-designed A220.

VALUATION

Embraer's jetliner boss said on May 1 the company had not initiated talks with anyone, but that he could not "legislate for the inbound calls that could come."

Embraer has said it will consider its next moves carefully. A major headache for the company is a valuation down 64% this year, underperforming the crisis-hit aviation sector.

Embraer may be reluctant to yield to bargain-hunters, but with aviation in shock globally from the pandemic, its options remain limited even though it is the only available full-scale manufacturer, Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafia said.

"Embraer is a fantastic commercial prime (contractor) but very few people are trying to buy a commercial prime," he said.

Privatised in the 1990s, Embraer remains close to Brazil's government, which can veto strategic decisions.

Any negotiation with China, Russia or India would require a slow and methodical process to put everyone at ease, said Oliver Stuenkel, a professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation and expert on the BRICS group that since 2010 includes South Africa.

Tensions with China have risen since Brazil's right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took over last year, while Brazil has deepened ties with India in various sectors.

Stuenkel does not expect resistance to China, Russia or India from Brazil's politicians. But he said Bolsonaro might not want to be linked publicly to any talks with China and would likely enlist his vice-president, retired general Hamilton Mourao, who has already backed Embraer having a Chinese partner.

"Bolsonaro does not want to be seen as the one who sold Embraer to the Chinese," Stuenkel said.

Other industry analysts cautioned that while China has discussed buying major aerospace assets in the past, including the Canadian jet that eventually went to Airbus and became the A220, but has completed relatively few acquisitions.

(Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun in Sao Paulo, Sanjeev Miglani in New Delhi, Tim Hepher in Paris, Stella Qiu in Beijing, Gleb Stolyarov in Moscow. Additional reporting by Jake Spring and Anthony Boadle in Brasilia. Editing by Jane Merriman)
It is an honor to be considered as a potential running mate but I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration, she said in a statement on Thursday. Nevadas economy is one of the hardest hit by the current crisis and I will continue to focus on getting Nevadans the support they need to get back on their feet.
In a vote conducted after midnight, City College of San Francisco trustees approved a controversial plan on Friday to shut its longtime Fort Mason arts campus.

The vote to leave Fort Mason, which took place at 12:37 a.m., drew immediate ire from CCSF students, teachers and critics of the school administration.

That decision is kind of ridiculous, said longtime political science teacher Rick Baum. Theyve been cutting and cutting. Either theyre incompetent or purposely trying to discourage people from attending class.

Any time you do something at 12:37 a.m., it seems that youre hiding something, said Leslie Smith, a retired teacher of English as a second language. They wanted everyone to be worn out, or gone.

The vote means that dozens of sculpture, drawing, printmaking and ceramics classes that have been held for decades at the old Army site on the northern waterfront will be either dropped or moved to other sites.

Interim Chancellor Dianna Gonzales said money woes brought on by the coronavirus pandemic were forcing the perpetually short-of-cash college to make the change.

With this new economic crisis, it is even more important to make changes in our portfolio of locations, Gonzales said.

In a letter to the college community, she said a possible $35 million budget deficit was absolutely devastating and would require salary and hiring freezes, furloughs and reduced schedules. She said the college must focus on its equity students, recent high school graduates seeking degrees and transfers.

The colleges lease on its Civic Center campus, where instruction in English as a second language is a mainstay, expires in February and no decision has been made whether to extend it.

Both campuses typically serve older students, not teenagers and young adults. Critics of the administration have long maintained that the college is neglecting minority students and seniors.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

A spokesman for Fort Mason Center, which is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, said the center was incredibly sad to see CCSF go.

The students brought so much vibrancy and vitality, said Nick Kinsey, director of external affairs. They have been an important part of our mission.

Kinsey said the college was already paying discounted rent at the center. He also said it would not be easy for the college to move its arts equipment elsewhere.

Theres a kiln and printmaking and other equipment, he said. Its not like moving out of a one-bedroom apartment.

Steve Rubenstein is a staff writer for The San Francisco Chronicle. E-mail: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Steve Rube SF
What Is Section 230?

How 230 Became a Target

Putting Limits on Protection

The Perils of Regulating Speech

The technology sector has been a bright spot during the coronavirus pandemic. Online platforms have allowed millions of Americans to work from home, while rising share prices of major tech firms have fueled much of the stock markets rebound.If the tech industry thought any of this would buy them political goodwill, however, they were mistaken.On Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order to curtail protections for the industry under a provision of federal law known as Section 230 . Even as Republicans have been pushing to shield businesses from legal liability stemming from COVID-19, Trumps order removes liability protections from social media platforms.His action is certain to face legal challenges. Section 230 is an essential underpinning of free speech law on the Internet. In fact, its often been described as the 26 words that created the Internet.Amending Section 230 is always a challenging question because it has been such a bedrock in how online speech has developed in this country, says Emma Llanso, director of the Free Expression Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology, a civil liberties group.Trumps executive order has three main components. The Commerce Department will ask the Federal Communications Commission to create new regulations to clarify when an Internet platform had violated the good faith provisions of Section 230. The order directs the Federal Trade Commission to review White House complaints about political bias and potentially sue companies for violations. And it instructs the federal Justice Department to consult with state attorneys general about allegations of political bias.Big Tech is doing everything in their very considerable power to CENSOR in advance of the 2020 Election, Trump tweeted on Wednesday. If that happens, we no longer have our freedom. I will never let it happen! They tried hard in 2016, and lost. Now they are going absolutely CRAZY. Stay Tuned!!!Twitter has long been one of the presidents primary megaphones, allowing him to bypass traditional media outlets (which obsessively cover his tweets) and reach more than 80 million followers directly. Trumps executive order appears to have been precipitated by Twitters decision on Tuesday to append fact checks to a pair of his tweets that made dubious claims about mail-in voting. On Friday, Twitter flagged a tweet posted by Trump for violating its rules regarding "glorification of violence." Trump referred to protesters in Minneapolis, where there have been looting, arson and vandalism this week, as "THUGS... Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts."While it may be ironic that the president is going after one of his own major platforms, some of the ideas in his order have been percolating for months. No longer are tech companies the underdog upstarts; they have become titans of U.S. industry, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said in a widely noted speech in February. Given this changing technological landscape, valid questions have been raised on whether Section 230s broad immunity is still necessary, at least in its current form.Even as social media companies find themselves under attack by the administration and Republican senators such as Marco Rubio of Florida and Josh Hawley of Missouri, they have their critics on the left as well. Democrat David Cicilline of Rhode Island, who chairs the U.S. House Antitrust Subcommittee, has been working on legislation to limit Section 230 immunity for platforms that knowingly publish false political ads.On the left and the right, people are saying these companies are discriminating against us, says Grace Morgan, director of external relations at the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, a government watchdog group that defends Section 230. Like others quoted in this story, she was interviewed about the law prior to Trumps order being floated.Social media platforms find themselves criticized either way, whether theyre policing speech or failing to do so. Trumps order may not survive in court, but the so-called techlash will continue.Section 230 takes its name from the 1996 Communications Decency Act. Under that law, telecommunications providers could face charges if they fail to take good faith, reasonable, effective and appropriate actions to prevent minors from seeing pornography or indecent content.Section 230 offered platforms that do make a good faith effort protection from liability. It also makes it clear that no provider of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher and speaker of any information provided by another information content provider. In other words, Internet platforms are not treated like traditional publishers. It would be one thing to expect a magazine publisher to vet its own articles, but another thing entirely to expect social media companies to check millions of posts per day.When the law was enacted, Congress was thinking less about the infant Internet than traditional broadcasters and telecoms. But Section 230 allowed the Internet to flourish  not just social media giants such as Twitter and Facebook, but any site or Wiki or message board with a comment section. Plus any site that features reviews. Really, just about everything we think of as the Internet.Taking away 230 protections would limit the interactions youd be allowed to have with people online, Morgan says. When people think about bias, they dont think about how taking away 230 would stop people from reviewing a product on Etsy or rating a property on Airbnb or commenting on mom blogs.In 2018, Trump signed the first major revision to Section 230. Known as FOSTA-SESTA, the law targeted online sex trafficking and prostitution, making platforms responsible for content promoting such illegal activities.Some state attorneys general viewed FOSTA-SESTA as just a start. The National Association of Attorneys General has repeatedly sent letters to Congress complaining that courts have interpreted Section 230 in ways that protect individuals and companies that benefit from illegal online activity. While helpful, (FOSTA-SESTA) does not allow for state prosecution of other crimes involving these platforms, such as online black market opioid sales, identity theft and election meddling, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said last year.Attacking Section 230 has been part of a broader campaign state AGs have launched against tech, says Paul Nolette, a political scientist at Marquette University. A group of attorneys general, led by Ken Paxton of Texas, has been investigating Google in preparation for a likely antitrust lawsuit.On the Section 230 issue, it is consistent with the increasingly aggressive approach AGs have been taking against the tech sector, Nolette says.Section 230 has become a convenient shorthand for politicians wanting to attack the tech industry, suggested Adam Conner, vice president of technology policy at the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank. People may have lots of issues with the big tech companies, but content they find objectionable is a harm they can feel viscerally. Section 230 is not well understood, but it comes a convenient shorthand for a lot of problems, not all of which are tied to it, Conner says.In March, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the EARN IT Act, which would require Internet companies to actively fight child exploitation or risk losing some liability protections under Section 230.There are problems with such an approach, according to Internet speech experts. Even laws meant to address narrow issues, such as sexual abuse of children or pornography, can present technological challenges. Its relatively easy to filter such material  but not actually easy. Broader limitations on Section 230, including the questions of bias raised by Trumps executive order, present much greater challenges.Lets say calling a politician dumb was considered evidence of bias. Someone could post comments that dont contain words such as dumb, idiot or stupid. Instead, they could suggest the idea obliquely, for instance by offering a twist on a phrase such as a few pounds short of a full load, coming up with variations that would make the point clearly to human readers but never be flagged by machines.What about intent? At midnight on Thursday, Trump retweeted a video featuring Couy Griffin, a county commissioner in New Mexico, stating that the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat. Griffin said he didn't mean the words literally, but he has also said Democratic governors should be executed for treason. Who gets to decide when an apparent threat is being made sarcastically, and whether that matters?Regardless, the fact is that major Internet platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are far likelier to have the enormous resources needed to build artificial intelligence systems and hire armies of humans to root out offensive or harmful speech than their smaller competitors.The irony is that in weakening Section 230, its not necessarily Facebook and Google youre going to hurt, says Elliot Harmon, activism director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties law firm. Youre going to hurt the ability of new companies to compete.Free speech protections under the First Amendment are meant to protect individuals from restrictions placed by the government. Private companies dont have to allow free speech. Thats why employers can block their workers from showing up at political rallies, or stores can post no soliciting signs on their doors.Its the protection from liability that encourages Internet companies to monitor illegal activity. If something is a crime, its still a crime on the Internet. Section 230 lets companies moderate or remove content, assuming theyre making a good faith effort, even if theyre not catching everything, Conner says.Otherwise, they might issue a blanket policy that they bear no responsibility for content and fail to block any infractions, allowing more indecent or offensive material to flourish. Conversely, it could prompt platforms to curtail speech of any or all users, in order to avoid legal peril.Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made clear his preference for a hands-off approach in an interview Wednesday with. I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldnt be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online, he said. Private companies probably shouldnt be, especially these platform companies, shouldnt be in the position of doing that.Of course, that stance is part of what makes Facebook unpopular in some quarters. The site has clearly been used to spread misinformation, not least when it comes to election interference.So, should Internet platforms have no standards at all? If they should, who should set those standards? Free speech adherents say it would be a mistake for government agencies to determine which sites are prone to bias.The order directs federal agencies to ignore judicial precedent and cut online ad spending with certain social media platforms, Daniel Castro, vice president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, said in a statement on Thursday. This is an inappropriate use of the powers of the presidency and opens the door to legitimize similar actions by other political leaders around the world. The long-term impact of such retaliatory policies would be a chilling of free speech online, especially counter-speech, a rise in disinformation, and a decline in innovative social media platforms.Trumps order is rooted in the sense expressed by many conservatives that theyre treated unfairly by social media platforms. In 2018, Facebook apologized to the conservative group PragerU for blocking several posts and videos under the initial misapprehension that they violated its community standards policy.Morgan says accusations of anti-conservative bias are mistaken. She says that many conservative voices have gained prominence thanks to social media, while her own groups work seeking to expose wasteful spending and regulations wouldnt be disseminated as widely without it.Government regulation, from our perspective, is never the answer, Morgan says. If we took away 230 protections, it would allow social media companies to take down anything they please.
Time to review our fight against pandemic



The latest infections at "contact-free" business facilities illustrate that the COVID-19 pandemic will leave no aspect of our lives untouched. It's a dampening realization since the public was just getting over the Itaewon night club infections. But it can serve as a timely juncture to review and readjust the battle against the unknown.



Responsible for staving off a buying frenzy in the initial days of the coronavirus outbreak, leading e-commerce companies such as Coupang and Market Kurly are seeing infections at their facilities grow. The authorities announced Friday that new daily infections had reached 58. This is the second consecutive day of new infections surpassing 50 cases daily, the standard Korea set to relax social distancing to "everyday life quarantine."



In particular, the authorities tallied more than 100 infections linked to Coupang since the first case was reported six days ago. The infections are broadly spread out among business outlets, cram institutes and schools, with a majority linked to the early May outbreaks at Itaewon nightclubs.



The health authorities have rightly suspended operation of the Seoul Metropolitan area's public facilities through June 14, and have started an across-the-board inspection of logistics centers associated with online retailers. The government also capped the number of students in different grades attending schools in the metropolitan area, but said it will proceed with a third opening of schools on June 3. However, it has stopped short of fully returning to strict social distancing, a cautious step that hopefully will prove that carrying out "pockets" of this can be effective.



If the worst comes to worst, we must go back to social distancing. But in the meanwhile, we can put more effort into striking a balance between life versus virus vigilance, and business versus virus vigilance.



When it shifted to everyday life quarantine, the government issued guidelines covering 31 aspects of work, everyday life and leisure. Yet applying them on site eluded us because so much remains unknown about COVID-19. Calls are growing for the authorities  whose stellar dedicated work has made South Korea a model of quarantine  to ensure to a certain extent that the guidelines are kept.



It's hard to deny that Korea has been lax since the May 6 easing of social distancing. At this time, we would do well to ask ourselves if there was an over-reliance on our ability to test and wear masks.



COVID-19 seems poised to live with us for a long time. We need to exercise humility before this unprecedented virus, like it or not.


Now 30, Markiv has been in Italian detention for almost three years and in 2019 received an extraordinary 24-year sentence despite no investigation ever having been carried out in the place where the two journalists were killed during military conflict

A group of Ukrainian forensic experts are in Sloviansk in the Donetsk oblast to carry out important investigative experiments linked with the death of two journalists exactly six years ago and the charges Italy brought against Ukrainian soldier Vitaly Markiv over the deaths. Now 30, Markiv has been in Italian detention for almost three years and in 2019 received an extraordinary 24-year sentence despite no investigation ever having been carried out in the place where the two journalists were killed during military conflict. It is to be hoped that evidence now obtained will be taken into account during the appeal hearing against the conviction and sentence.

The investigative activities were announced by Ukraines Interior Ministry as timed to coincide as much as possible with the sixth anniversary of the two journalists death in order to ensure that all conditions were as similar as possible to those on that tragic day.

31-year-old Andrea Rocchelli was a freelance photojournalist who had come to Donbas to cover the military conflict, together with his interpreter, Russian human rights activist Andrei Mironov. They died near Sloviansk on 24 May 2014, after the taxi they were driving in came under mortar fire. The two men had effectively been in a war zone without official press accreditation. They were not wearing anything to identify them as journalists, and in fact Mironov was dressed in camouflage gear like virtually all of the Russian and pro-Russian fighters in Donbas.

The forensic experts will be carrying out acoustic, ballistic and topographical investigations in the same area where the deaths took place, as well as from the location where Markiv and other Ukrainian soldiers were positioned. The Ministry expresses the hope that the results of these investigations will be used by the Italian justice system for an objective examination of the appeal.

One of the many problems in this case is the fact that no investigation in situ has ever before been carried out, with the charges essentially based on flimsy and contradictory testimony and on unproven assertions about a war zone. The pandemic has delayed everything, however it was reported months ago that the defence were planning in their appeal to ask that the investigators finally examined the site and carried out their own investigative experiments.

The lack of such investigative measures is only one of the strange gaps in the prosecutions case. Others include the failure to question absolutely vital witnesses. This appears to have been for want of trying since producers of a film about the case, entitled The Wrong Place, were able to find and interview the taxi driver driving the men that day and a young man whose photo Rocchelli had taken just before he was killed. They have also spoken with professional military experts who provided technical details about the weapons, including that used by Markiv. They concluded that, from where Markiv was positioned, he could not have seen people at a distance of one and a half kilometres, and his rifle did not have an optical enlarger.

A detailed cartographic analysis was carried out, with the professionals concluding that from Mount Karachun where the Ukrainian soldiers were positioned, you would not have been able to clearly see people at the distance where the two journalists were killed.

There are multiple questions about this case, in which the Italian prosecutor effectively denied the existence of military conflict in Donbas and used Russian propaganda as evidence. It is also of concern that this case so closely mirrors Russias internationally condemned prosecution of Ukrainian military pilot Nadiya Savchenko. In both cases, the deaths of journalists in crossfire were treated as deliberate murder by Ukrainian military and both Savchenko and Markiv were accused of having directed that fire, with both receiving huge sentences.

Savchenko had, in fact, been captured by the Russian-controlled militants before the two Russian journalists death, however Russia lied brazenly about how she had escaped to avoid admitting that she had been abducted to Russia.

Markivs situation is different, however it does seem to defy the laws of probability that the Italian prosecutor should have found a culprit who just happened to be probably the only Ukrainian soldier holding Italian citizenship and with a mother living in Italy, making arrest easy.

The Italian prosecutor first laid charges of murder, but was forced to change this to involvement since Markiv himself had no access to the mortar shells which killed the men. Markiv was supposed to have provided information to the Ukrainian Army about the mens whereabouts, in the knowledge that they were journalists.

In the courts justification of the conviction and 24-year sentence announced on 12 July 2019, it was claimed that Markiv, as a soldier of Ukraines National Guard, had helped to murder the foreign journalists in what they called an ambush of the journalists. He had purportedly been able to see the ceramic factory Zeus Ceramica and the railway, near which Rocchelli and Mironov were killed from his position on Mount Karachun. As mentioned, military professionals have said that he could not have made out people from a distance of 1.5 kilometres.

This, it should be said, is just one of the reasons why investigative experiments from the site itself are so crucial.

The court essentially claimed that Markiv had confessed in a supposed telephone call reported by a third party, Ilaria Morani, in an article for Corriere della Sera on 25 May, 2014. Morani had clearly wanted to give her report more weight and therefore called Markiv a captain who had been coordinating the defence of the city. The court ignored the evidence provided that Markiv was a rank-and-file soldier simply taking orders.

This is what Markiv is supposed to have said in what was clearly advice to his interlocuter to not approach an area of danger.

"Here it is not a joke, we must not approach it: this is a strategic place for us.

"Normally we dont shoot in the direction of the city and on civilians, but as soon as we see a movement we load the heavy artillery. This happened with the car of the two journalists and the interpreter. We shoot from here within a kilometre and a half. Here there is no precise front, it is not a war like Libya. There are actions scattered throughout the city, we await only the green light for the final attack ".

There are some quite extraordinary assertions, such as that even in the absence of any plans for an armed attack by the enemy, having suspected movement of the journalists in the direction of the train, he began acting, shooting at everything that moved in a radius of two kilometres, and it would appear that this was the normal practice of the joint military action of the National Guard and Armed Forces.

The court asserts that the journalists, as journalists, were targeted, with Markiv having first used a Kalashnikov rifle, and then, when that couldnt reach, he informed the commander of the mens coordinates for mortar fire.

The court even claimed that Markiv had violated the Fourth Geneva Convention regarding the protection of civilians during conflict. The Ukrainian attack was alleged to have been unprovoked and aimed against journalists exercising their right to gather information about the conflict

All of this ignored absolutely critical evidence that there had been gunfire prior to the use of mortar fire and that this had come from the militants.

The court also disregarded the fact that Roguelons testimony was contradictory. Back in 2014, he had acknowledged that he did not know where the initial gunfire had come from. It was only four years later in 2018, during the trial of Markiv, that he suddenly knew that it had come from up the hill, and therefore from the Ukrainian army position.

Roguelons own account of the events contradicted this. He recalled, for example, hearing a sniper shot, which he could not possibly have heard from a distance of two kilometres. The angle at which the bullets hit the taxi also suggested that they had come from the militants who the owner of Zeus Ceramica has confirmed were surrounding the factory, and not from above.

More importantly, Roguelon managed to shout Journalists! and the gunfire stopped. Such a reaction clearly demonstrates that it was the nearby militants who were shooting, since there was no chance of such a shout having been heard from up the hill.

The court also ignored the last video with Mironov who can be heard saying: Somebody is sitting nearby and shooting and there are also mortar guns here.

The above-mentioned film was supported by the Italian Federation of Human Rights, whose President, Antonio Stango, is convinced that the Markivs trial was heavily influenced by Russian propaganda.

Stango is not alone in noticing this. In December 2019, the New York Times reported that the court had cited in its reasoning for the sentence reports from notorious outlets for Russian propaganda. There were a number of videos, described as open source, found on YouTube or from a local TV station, but which all carried the logo of the Kremlin-funded RT, or Russia Today. The ruling also cited an article from the propaganda website Russkaya Vesna, which produced a fake document from the Ukrainian authorities instructing Markivs fellow soldiers to testify in his favour. The prosecutor Andrea Zanoncelli had even admitted that it was never clear how genuine it was yet claimed that he had presented it to show this thing existed, so that the court could evaluate it. He did not divulge how it was that the court was supposed to determine whether the material he produced as evidence was fake.

Read the full story here.
The drug hydroxychloroquine, pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump and others in recent months as a possible treatment to people infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is displayed at the Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, May 27, 2020.

U.S. prescriptions for malaria drug hydroxychloroquine surged nearly 2,000% in March when President Donald Trump first promoted the drug as a potential treatment for the coronavirus, according to a new study published in JAMA.

During the week of March 15 to March 21, there were 45,858 short-term prescription fills for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, compared to 2,208 in 2019, according to researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School whose findings were published Thursday.

The researchers said 28-to-60 day and 61-plus day prescriptions generally used by people with chronic conditions like Lupus jumped 179% and 182%, respectively, during that week. They said overall there were 483,425 excess prescriptions fills of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in the 10 weeks from Feb. 16 to April 25 examined by the study.

The findings come a week after a study published in medical journal The Lancet found that hospitalized Covid-19 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine had a higher risk of death than those who didn't take it.

Patients who took the drug or chloroquine, which hydroxychloroquine is derived from, were also more likely to develop irregular heart rhythms, according to the study, which looked at more than 96,000 patients from 671 hospitals across six continents.

Trump first mentioned the drug during a White House press briefing on March 19 and has touted the drug ever since.

Earlier this month, Trump said he has been taking hydroxychloroquine daily for over a week to prevent infection from the coronavirus despite warnings from the Food and Drug Administration that it may cause serious heart issues.

Hydroxychloroquine is also often used by doctors to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Numerous clinical trials are looking to see if it's effective in fighting the coronavirus, but it is not a proven treatment.

Hydroxychloroquine is known to have serious side effects, including muscle weakness and heart arrhythmia. A small study in Brazil was halted for safety reasons after coronavirus patients taking chloroquine developed arrhythmia, including some who died.

France said Wednesday it banned the use of the potential treatment. On Monday, the World Health Organization said it temporarily suspended its trial of hydroxycholoroquine over safety concerns.

The researchers said they used U.S. pharmacy data from 58,332 chains, independent and mail-order pharmacies across more than 14,000 zip codes in all 50 states.
personnel staff Open source

The president says he suffers from the lack of personnel to appoint them to the state offices. The country has a staff shortage. No people. What happens when you have staff shortages? When you personally have no idea who to appoint. Well, it happens.

You cannot all and know everything about everyone. Especially if you have never been interested in this issue. So what are you doing then? That's right, you hold open contests. So that people themselves come. And among them you already choose.

What has been happening in Ukraine for the past six months? That's right, all open contests are either canceled or scored on their results. Or they are held on the night of Friday to Monday and so that no one heard. Sometimes, however, according to the results of the competition, even someone is appointed. True, as with the film industry, for some reason it is not a winner of the competition.

The last two examples. The first is a search for the head of Ukrnafta. A competition is being held. Many strong candidates come to the competition. Despite staff shortages. And then, when the competition enters the final stage, it is canceled. And they propose to support the wise idea of a minority shareholder - to leave the current management of the company.

As a result, the practice of managing the company with the wise hands of Kolomoysky (Ukrainian oligarch, - ed.) will continue. And all because of staff shortages. And Ukrnafta will probably continue to sell oil cheaper than the market to Kolomoyskys structures. But also just because there is simply no one else.

The country suffers from hunger. There is no demand. And there are no people. Everything rests only on Kolomoyskys strong shoulders. Which therefore Centrenergo company cannot leave without its paternal care. After all, there will simply be no one in the country to starve staff and manage the company. Without him. True, before him the company was profitable, and now it has become unprofitable. As part of the fight against corruption, apparently, but these are trifles.

As a result, the State Company Ukrnafta demonstrates two trends at once. The first is the fight against the oligarchs. Here is such a deoligarchization in Ukrainian. And the second is personnel shortage, because of which the government is simply forced to take the people of the oligarchs as managers. Both at state-owned companies and at ministries. There is simply no one else. The second is the National Health Service. Competition again.

Three strong candidates again. And six months later, another interim minister meets with them and says that everyone is not suitable. It happens. They have passed the contest and are not suitable. And there is nobody to appoint. After all, there is a famine in the country. And again, it will be necessary to appoint some kind of strong business executive, because there is no one else. We would like, but no one. Personnel hunger. No people. Not to mention how the competitions were held for customs, State Bureau of Investigation, and tax. When they learn about the competitions only by a fluke and all the documents had to be submitted yesterday.

With such contests, it is not surprising that there is a hunger strike in the country. With this approach, you can starve to death with a full refrigerator. If you dont open it. With such contests, even when you have around 100 Harvard graduates, staff shortages will begin. And these are not random events, this is a system. From time to time, it repeats.

And people who used to win contests are fired. Very often for no reason. And not only these people do not perceive the reason why they are fired, which often happens. But there is often simply no reason.

And tell me, who is to blame for the fact of personnel shortages? No answer.

Read the original text on Facebook
P.D. James said, "Crime fiction confirms our belief, despite some evidence to the contrary, that we live in a rational, comprehensible, and moral universe.' " Ready for some escape into a rational universe? Five new top-notch mysteries and thrillers are here to help out.

---

The Delightful Life of a Suicide Pilot, by Colin Cotterill

It's too bad that this 15th installment in the Siri Paiboun mystery series is the final one. The good news is that it's as wry, culturally incisive and utterly captivating as all the others. In 1981, Dr. Paiboun is retired from his job as the national coroner in corrupt, Communist Laos. He's helping out in his wife's noodle shop when an anonymous party sends him a Japanese soldier's World War II-era bilingual diary. While tracking down a present-day perilous connection to the relic, the good doctor is assisted by, among others - and quite plausibly - Auntie Bpoo, Dr. Paiboun's recently deceased "transvestite spirit guide." It's a wonderful farewell to a boundary-breaking series.

---

The Mist, by Ragnar Jonasson

If you're looking for a fictional good fright to distract you from the real ones, look no further than this third entry in the Hidden Iceland series (available June 23), featuring brainy, glum police inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir. It's midwinter with blowing snow and little daylight when three bodies are found in and near a remote farmhouse. The talented Jonasson backs up two months to portray - with the precision of Harold Pinter - two complex marriages whose outcomes are not at all ambiguous, this being a crime novel. On a couple of occasions, Hermannsdottir shrieks with horror, and readers will, too.

---

The Silence, by Susan Allott

Australia's ugly history of forcibly removing Aboriginal children from their families is central to the plot of this first novel, a wrenching melodrama about a Sydney seaside neighborhood that's rife with alcoholism, marital discord, thwarted good intentions and possibly murder. Londoner Isla Green, intent on sobering up and staying that way, flies to Sydney to help her ever-tipsy father, a suspect in the disappearance 30 years earlier of a neighborhood woman. As the anxious, sympathetic Green investigates, she has the advantage of the "awful clarity" of her newfound but still fragile sobriety.

---

The Streel, by Mary Logue

The author of the Deputy Sheriff Claire Watkins series is off on a winning new tangent with Brigid Reardon, an immigrant Irish housemaid who lands in the Dakota Territory of the 1870s and sets out to clear her gold-miner brother in the murder of a "streel," a Deadwood prostitute. Reardon is a prayerful Catholic girl who is also appealingly droll and self-possessed. She can be crafty, too, casually extorting train fare to the West from a St. Paul tycoon by mentioning that "your son has been paying improper attention to me." Brigid also learns to swoon on cue and aim a derringer in this vibrant new series.

---

These Women, by Ivy Pachoda

In this angry, absorbing, psychosocial thriller, the grisly murders of 17 prostitutes in a seedy Los Angeles neighborhood are ratings-grabbers for "the candy-colored news programs" but only mild headaches for a police department indifferent to the humanity of the victims. That is, until ticked-off vice cop Esmeralda Perry joins the mother of a victim to zero in on a violent psycho and his respectable enabler. Among the most poignant of the dead women is Jujubee, whose talent as a smartphone photographer produces both fine art and damning evidence.

---

Lipez writes the Don Strachey PI novels under the name Richard Stevenson.
Infiniti Research, a leading market intelligence solutions provider, has recently announced the completion of its latest success story on market intelligence solution for a medical device packaging company. This success story highlights how Infiniti's market intelligence solution helped a medical device packaging company to successfully enter the US market and realize savings of over $2.7 million.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005341/en/

Planning a market entry can be daunting. It requires a deep understanding of the current market dynamics, including the competitive forces, barriers to entry, trade environment, and so on. Without these insights, navigating the business environment can be extremely challenging and can set the business up for failure. Our market entry research can help companies across various industries to strategically enter a new market or expand in an existing market. Request a FREE brochure to gain detailed insights into our services portfolio.

The business challenge: The client, a medical device packaging company based out of Europe, approached the experts at Infiniti Research to create an informed US expansion strategy. By partnering with Infiniti Research, they wanted to examine critical factors including investment environment, industry development, and regional market changes. Besides, the client wanted to understand the stricter FDA medical device packaging regulations in the US, focus on building packaging materials that follow industry standards, and identify the best third-party services providers to support them in transportation needs.

Having a comprehensive understanding of the market opportunities, trends, and challenges can help businesses to efficiently adapt to the market demands and succeed in the long-run. Our market intelligence solution can help you to achieve these objectives. Contact us today.

Infiniti's Integrated Approach:

Evaluated potential barriers to market entry, identified supply chain risks, and understood regulatory requirements in the US

Identified medical device packaging trends and alternatives that need to be focused on in the coming years

Analyzed the top companies in the US medical device packaging market and identified their business strategies and plans

The business impact of the market intelligence solution for the medical device packaging company

Devised a sound market entry strategy to enter the US medical devices packaging market

Analyzed industry development, investment environment, US medical device packaging market size, and market opportunities

Understood the policies and regulations of the United States

Designed products that could withstand shipping through all types of climates and a variety of physical hazards

Exceeded their sales expectation and realized savings of over $2.7 million

About Infiniti Research

Established in 2003, Infiniti Research is a leading market intelligence company providing smart solutions to address your business challenges. Infiniti Research studies markets in more than 100 countries to help analyze competitive activity, see beyond market disruptions, and develop intelligent business strategies. To know more, visit: https://www.infinitiresearch.com/about-us

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005341/en/

Contacts:

Infiniti Research

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

US: +1 844 778 0600

UK: +44 203 893 3400

https://www.infinitiresearch.com/contact-us
French carmaker Renault is poised to announce 15,000 layoffs worldwide on Friday as it unveils a plan to boost its profitability and cope with faltering sales, a representative for the CFDT union said after meeting with the company.

Some 4,500 jobs would go in France, though largely through a voluntary departure plan and a retirement scheme, the CFDT's Franck Daout told Reuters on Thursday.

The overall cuts would affect just under 10% of Renault's 180,000 global workforce. The firm has around 48,500 staff in France.

"They've insisted on the fact everything will be negotiated," Daout said, adding that unions and state bodies would be involved in talks over potential job losses in France.

Renault declined to comment. The carmaker's board signed off on the plans to launch its cost savings programme on Thursday, a source familiar with the matter said.

The French group, which is 15% owned by the government, had earlier this year flagged a looming "no taboo" plan to cut 2 billion in costs after posting its first loss in a decade last year.

That raised concern for some of its factories, including in France, although closures could be politically sensitive.

The French government has already said it will not sign off on a planned 5 billion euro state loan for Renault - an aid measure linked to the coronavirus pandemic - until management and unions conclude talks over the carmaker's French workforce and plants in France.

The coronavirus crisis has compounded the company's problems, accentuating a slump in demand that was already hurting sales.

Renault's plans to invest in and extend operations in Morocco and Romania are likely to be frozen, Les Echos newspaper reported on Thursday, while its worldwide production capacity could be cut by 4 million vehicles to 3.3 million.

The restructuring follows a retrenchment by Japanese partner Nissan, which is closing some plants and planning to become smaller and more efficient.
Coronavirus had already begun spreading in the US sometime between late January and early February - albeit in fits and starts - a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis suggests.

The first identified case of coronavirus in the US was confirmed on January 21, in a 35-year-old man who had traveled to Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus pandemic originated.

But soon, cases began cropping up in various other places in the US, among people who had neither had contact with that man, nor traveled to China. On February 27, the CDC announced what they believed was the first case of community spread.

Now, the agency has pooled together the results of coronavirus tests run on nasal mucus samples collected before American health officials knew coronavirus had arrived in the US and established a new timeline of its spread.

There was no significant increase in flu- or COVID-like illness in early February before the first known cases of community spread were identified in counties in Washington and California (pictured), but the deaths of people in California in early February suggest it was already here

Once the World Health Organization announced, on January 14, that coronavirus was spreading from person-to-person in China, it became likely that it would only be a matter of time before it made its way with travelers to other parts of the world.

It took less than a week for the CDC to confirm that that had happened.

But at that point, there was still hope - even widespread belief - that the virus could be contained to travelers and perhaps their close contacts.

It took just over a month for that hope to be dashed, when a California resident with no recent history of travel to China was confirmed to have coronavirus.

Confirmation of that first case of so-called 'community spread' was a hair-raising moment: there was no telling how this person contracted the disease, or how many others had also already been infected.

Two days later, another non-travel infection confirmed, this one in Washington (but not tied to the first identified patient).

Further east, coronavirus-like illnesses didn't start ticking upward until March in counties in Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts and Louisiana (pictured)

Local health departments keep tabs on flu activity be collecting samples and keeping from people who get tested for flu and sharing the results with the CDC.

After coronavirus spread was detected in the US, these archived samples were also tested for the new virus.

CDC's analysis of flu-surveillance networks didn't show any notable increase in cases of flu-like illness - of which coronavirus is now considered one - before that date, February 28.

But the new analysis also includes testing performed on the bodies of people who died in late January and February of suspiciously COVID-19-like symptoms.

Two deceased people who had not travelled internationally in the weeks before their deaths tested positive for coronavirus: Two unaffiliated residents of a California county who died on February 6 and 17, respectively.

New York has been hit hardest by coronavirus, and many experts now believe the virus was in New York City by January or February, but its spread was subtle, and didn't trigger noticeable increases in similar illnesses until early March, the CDC's graph shows

Health officials also later identified a person who left San Francisco on a cruise ship on February 11.

Taken together this group of cases 'confirms cryptic circulation of the virus by early February,' the CDC officials write.

Based on these testing data and genetic analysis of samples of the virus, the CDC now believes that the virus started spreading in the US after a 'single importation' from China, occurring before the first cases were identified.

After that point, they theorize that more people arriving from Europe brought additional strains to the US, where they spread - an hypothesis that is consistent with other genetic analyses suggesting that the virus arrived in New York from Europe.
A Rajya Sabha Secretariat official tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, the fourth such case reported in the Parliament complex so far, sources said in New Delhi.

Out of the four, three were found to have contracted the infection after Parliament resumed operations on May 3 when Lockdown 2.0 ended and were on duty.

The director-level officer, who attended work on May 28, was found positive for the infection along with his family members, they said.

Two floors of the Parliament's Annexe building have been sealed, the sources added.

This is the second case of an official posted in the building testing positive for the infection.

Earlier, an official of the Lok Sabha Secretariat working in the editorial and translation services department was found positive for COVID-19.

The first employee posted at Parliament to test positive for the virus was a housekeeper, who had been at home since the Budget Session was adjourned on March 23, the sources said, adding that the other one was a security official.

After the Lok Sabha Secretariat official contracted the disease, the authorities had sanitised the entire premises on the building before resuming operations and continued to take all precautions thereafter.

Employees are now allowed to enter Parliament only after proper screening.

All vehicles are also sanitised before entering the complex.

The sources suggested that there have been a few symptomatic cases of coronavirus among employees working in different secretariats and branches at Parliament and its adjoining buildings.

Government buildings in the vicinity of the Parliament complex such as Krishi Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan and NITI Aayog, which have offices of several ministries and ministers, were sealed for a day or two following the detection of COVID-19 cases there.
Steve Linick, State Department inspector general, center, exits after closed-door testimony on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019.

Democratic lawmakers on Friday announced they will seek interviews with "key officials" as part of an expanded investigation into President Donald Trump's decision to fire State Department Inspector General Steve Linick.

Trump dismissed Linick in a surprise move on May 15 on a recommendation from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was involved in at least two investigations reportedly being conducted by the watchdog's office at the time.

"If Secretary Pompeo pushed for Mr. Linick's dismissal to cover up his own misconduct, that would constitute an egregious abuse of power and a clear attempt to avoid accountability," three Democratic committee leaders said in a statement Friday.

"Congress has demanded answers about the abrupt firing of the Inspector General, but Secretary Pompeo has failed to explain his actions," the Democrats said. "We call upon administration officials to comply and appear for interviews with the Committees, and for Secretary Pompeo to comply with the Committees' investigation and not obstruct the American people from discovering the truth about his own actions."

House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Bob Menendez, D-N.J., said they plan to publicly release transcripts of their interviews "as quickly as possible." They also vowed to take "further public-facing steps" related to their probe.

"The truth about Mr. Linick's firing will come out," they said.

Democrats have demanded Linick's reinstatement and requested documents from the Trump administration related to Linick's firing. The administration not yet provided any such documents, the Democrats said Friday.

The State Department did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the press release.

Pompeo maintains that he was not retaliating against Linick because he was not aware of the investigations being conducted by the inspector general's office. But he revealed last week that he had previously submitted written responses to questions from the watchdog.

Trump said he had an absolute right to fire Linick. He told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in a letter that he had lost "confidence" in the watchdog, without providing further explanation. Pelosi later said the firing could be "unlawful" if it was an act of retaliation.

Linick was investigating alleged wrongdoing by Pompeo related to having a political appointee at the department perform personal tasks for him and his wife, Susan Pompeo, NBC News and other outlets have reported.

Multiple outlets also reported that Linick was nearly done with another probe, this one dealing with Pompeo's approval of a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Saudi Arabia that bypassed congressional approval.

On Fox News on Thursday night, Pompeo said that he should have recommended Linick's firing earlier, and added that Linick "was investigating policies he simply didn't like."

But the Foreign Affairs Committee tweeted Friday morning that Linick was investigating the arms sale "because we asked him to."

HFAC TWEET
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Although warmth is already off to the races across much of the northwestern United States, even more heat is in store ahead of an unusual storm and cooler weather to end the week.

Heat began to soar on Thursday and a handful of locations recorded some firsts for the year. The mercury in Portland, Oregon, topped out at 91 F - the city's first reading of 90 degrees or greater of 2020. Typically, the city records its first 90-plus degree day in mid-June. Farther east, Spokane, Washington, recorded its first 80-plus degree day of the year on Thursday.

The mercury will continue to rise across the region on Saturday.

"It will be across the interior Northwest where the heat really cranks up with records in jeopardy of falling," AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said.

Temperatures soared nearly 20 degrees above normal, into the middle 90s in Boise, Idaho, on Friday, coming close to the long-standing daily record high of 100 last reached in 1897.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

As the interior continues to heat up into the weekend, the hottest days will be in the rearview mirror for costal areas as a storm system begins to sweep from south to north along the Pacific Northwest coast.

"The path of this system is a bit unusual, especially for late May," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and western U.S. blogger Brian Thompson said. "One thing that is clear is that the system will help erase the heat across much of the West and get temperatures back closer to average heading into the end of the month and the beginning of June."

Not only will this system spell heat relief for many, it will also usher in some much-needed rain to portions of California, Oregon and Washington.

"Beneficial rainfall is expected to target drought-stricken Northern California and the Pacific Northwest as the system comes ashore this weekend," AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys said.

Rain first began across Northern California on Friday night and continued to spread northward into the Pacific Northwest early Saturday. The storm is forecast to quickly strengthen over the area on Saturday, with periods of heavy rain expected to fall over western Oregon and Washington during the afternoon and evening.

Story continues

Although the parched soils across the area will welcome any rainfall, localized flash flooding can develop under the heaviest downpours where soil infiltration is overwhelmed.

Due in part to very warm conditions east of the Cascades and cooler air in the upper levels of the atmosphere, the threat for severe weather will ramp up Saturday afternoon for portions of the Northwest.

These severe thunderstorms will be rather scattered in nature but will likely bring hail, flooding downpours, damaging winds and even an isolated tornado or two to portions of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana through Saturday evening.

An AccuWeather Local StormMax of 80 mph wind gusts can occur in the strongest storms.

The center of the storm system will continue to lift northward into British Columbia, Canada, late Saturday into Sunday.

Much of the rain south of the Canadian border will come to an end overnight Saturday, but there will still be a few areas in northern Washington, Idaho and western Montana that will have some rain continue into the day on Sunday.

A widespread 1-2 inches of rainfall is anticipated along the coastal Pacific Northwest over the weekend, with locally higher amounts possible, especially in areas where rainfall is enhanced due to upsloping.

While this storm will not come close to fully erasing drought concerns for the area, every drop of rain will help ease the burden, especially as AccuWeather meteorologists are predicting a rather dry, hot summer with an increased likelihood of wildfires.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Sandia National Laboratories has more than 50 COVID-19-related science and technology projects underway that were not in existence at the start of the outbreak in New Mexico 10 weeks ago.

There are a lot of things going on behind the fences of Sandia, said Marcey Hoover, director of the Energy and Homeland Security Program Management Center at the labs. Weve got the best teams and the best minds trying to help not only our state, but also our country get through the pandemic, she said.

Hoover discussed some of the efforts during a webinar Wednesday hosted by Economic Forum.

The efforts range from computer modeling to helping researchers track and forecast COVID-19 to helping small businesses like a Santa Fe distillery produce a hand sanitizer when the product was in short supply at the onset of the outbreak.

Hoover said the pandemic is pulling on the capabilities that the labs provide.

We have scientists and engineers that study things like this, fluid dynamics, the performance of complex engineered systems, all of that plays into developing solutions.  Sandia has a deep expertise in bioscience.

Hoover said a large team at the labs devotes a significant amount of time working on modeling the spread and transmission of COVID-19. The labs have done such work before with infectious diseases, she said, pointing out Sandias work during the Ebola virus outbreak.

She said the labs are partnering with Los Alamos National Laboratory, Presbyterian Healthcare Services and the New Mexico Department of Health on regional modeling to help determine where resources such as pop-up testing centers, medical supplies and medical personnel are needed. Hoover said the modeling takes into account characteristics of a certain region such as the Albuquerque metro area or the northwest corner of the state where the outbreak has hit the hardest.

Hoover said Sandia and LANL are also collaborating with other labs such as Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago and Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee to develop a statistical model using publicly available data to track the epidemic and its risk that can be used by government officials to undo social distancing and lift other restrictions in ways that keep the nation physically and economically healthy.

The methods were working right now can be applied to future pandemics to help minimize the impact on our way of life, Hoover said.

She also said the labs are looking at developing COVID-19 testing systems and looking at ways to improve the development and manufacturing of personal protective equipment and analyzing decontamination and sanitizing methods for PPE.

We have some efforts with our bioscience focused on the treatment of COVID-19, she said. The efforts include how to sequence the coronavirus and how to prevent infections associated with the virus.

Hoover said the labs are also offering free access to intellectual property to COVID-19 researchers.

And the labs have been partnering with local businesses in the area of COVID-19 prevention. Hoover cited the example of Sandia providing expertise to help Wayward Sons Craft-Distillery in Santa Fe develop a hand sanitizer called Elbow Bump that met World Health Organization and U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29)  The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) said it is currently providing assistance to 3,121 IPs which got stranded amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"[A]ng nas-serve pa lang po namin as of the moment is 937, so mayroon pa kaming 2,184 na unserved stranded IPs," said NCIP Commissioner for Central Mindanao Jennifer Pia Sibug-Las in a Laging Handa virtual briefing on Friday. The number of stranded indigenous peoples reported to the commission is growing day by day, she said.

The volume in reports of IPs in Metro Manila and nearby provinces getting displaced by the pandemic has prompted the commission to establish Oplan Bayanihan for Stranded IPs. The NCIP has teamed up with the Departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Air Force, Bureau of Fire Protection, and PNP for the initiative. Certain civil society groups and private companies are also part of the program, Sibug-Las added.

Through this program, the NCIP has been distributing assistance in the form of hygiene kits and food packs to these stranded individuals, she said.

The commission is also helping stranded IPs get back home by conducting profiling on them, added NCIP Commissioner Gaspar Cayat.

"Ang opisina natin, kagaya ng sinabi kanina ni Commissioner Jenny, ay tumutulong para maayos ang kanilang mga documentation, and then iyong transportation allowance or paano sila maibalik sa kanilang mga probinsiya," said Cayat.

[Translation: Our office, like what Commissioner Jenny (Sibug-Las) mentioned earlier, is helping fix their documentation and their transportation allowance, or how will they be able to get back home.]

However, both commissioners admitted the NCIP had faced challenges in providing assistance to the stranded IPs.

"Nahihirapan din po kami dahil siyempre iisa-isahin po namin kung saan sila nakatira," said Sibug-Las.

[Translation: We're also having a hard time (distributing aid to the stranded IPs) because we have to go to them one-by-one.]

Cayat, meanwhile, said that the meager assistance the commission could provide these individuals will not be enough to help bring all of them home.

With this, the NPIC is also seeking support from agencies like the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in their efforts to help them return to the provinces, he mentioned.

"Ang sinasabi po natin dito, kailangan po talaga makipagtulungan sa different departments pati nga po iyong mga NGOs na tumutulong sa ating mga stranded na IPs diyan sa Manila ay sila rin po ay nakikipag-coordinate po sa atin," explained Cayat.

[Translation: What we're saying here is that we need to cooperate with different departments, and even the NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that are helping the stranded IPs in (Metro) Manila are coordinating with us.]
A national security law proposed by China could imperil Hong Kong's status as one of the world's best places to do business.

The law, approved Thursday in Beijing, led Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to say Washington will no longer treat Hong Kong, already reeling from anti-government protests and the pandemic, as autonomous from Beijing.

The Chinese government has not given details of the law, which is aimed at suppressing secessionist and subversive activity in the former British colony.

After 11 months of protests, Chinese leaders say it's needed to combat unspecified threats in the semi-autonomous region of 7 million people. But business groups, lawyers and financial analysts say potential repercussions range from loss of business for Hong Kong's financial markets and law firms to a loss of professional talent in the city.

Hong Kong is highly regarded for its skilled workforce, business-friendly legal system, Western-style free speech and ease of movement. But global companies already were shifting some operations out of Hong Kong due to rising costs and uncertainty after prolonged, sometimes violent clashes between police and pro-democracy protesters.

Scott Salandy-Defour, founder of clean-tech startup Liquidstar, has been considering moving out of Hong Kong, and the security bill is the "last straw," he said.

"I don't see how it gets any better from here." "When we say we're a Hong Kong-based company when talking to investors, it's just not as attractive as it was as a year ago," said Salandy-Defour, whose company provides sustainable battery rental and charging services for developing countries.

"We're potentially cutting ourselves off from a lot of different funding avenues, like grants from the US government," he said.

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam has tried to reassure companies and the public that its civil liberties won't be affected. But the law shows Chinese President Xi Jinping is determined to tighten control.

"Hong Kong is riskier than it used to be," said Tara Joseph, president of AmCham Hong Kong. "There is a big worry that there are two buses careening towards each other, and that's the US and China, and that this could have a profound impact in Hong Kong," Joseph said.

Critics say the law undermines the "high degree of autonomy" promised when Britain handed control to China in 1997. That autonomy meant Washington and other governments have treated the city as a separate territory for trade, travel and other affairs.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday those changes are significant enough that Washington will no longer treat Hong Kong as autonomous.

Washington could revoke its promise to exchange Hong Kong dollars for US dollars, potentially disrupting the city's financial system, Deutsche Bank economist Michael Spencer said in a report.

The financial sector would take a big hit if companies such as MSCI reclassify Hong Kong as an emerging market like Shenzhen and Shanghai instead of a developed market, Spencer said.

"A very large share of capital invested in the Hong Kong market will have to leave," he said.

Hong Kong's uncertain future is putting it at a disadvantage with other Asian destinations that are competing to attract foreign investment, such as Singapore and Tokyo.

"Over time, people get nervous, and think that this place may not be, my money may not be, as safe as it once was, and I'm going to think about going somewhere else," said William Reinsch, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "It sends a signal that Hong Kong is no longer a safe and reliable place to put your money or to do business."

The national security law has added to worries that Hong Kong's legal system is losing its independence. The Hong Kong Bar Association says the method for enacting it is a threat: China is circumventing the territory's legislature by changing its mini-constitution, the Basic Law, to require its government and courts to enforce security measures, regardless of what local lawmakers decide.

Beijing has shown little regard for such considerations, said Reinsch.

"China is not a rule-of-law state, it's a state where the party makes decisions about what's going to happen, those are arbitrary decisions, and if that's what's going to happen in Hong Kong, it doesn't bode well for the economy or for the people," he said.

Bob Broadfoot, managing director of Hong Kong-based research firm Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, said companies might shift legal work to Singapore or other countries.

"Singapore's going to get more business as a dispute resolution center," said Broadfoot. "Its legal system, which is a bigger earner, will benefit from Hong Kong's problems."

Hong Kong's troubles and broader global economic uncertainty due to the pandemic also may make it harder for businesses there to attract and retain talent.

Still, some experts believe the concerns over a possible loss of Hong Kong's special status are overblown.

Many big companies have sizable operations in both the mainland and Hong Kong, and most of Hong Kong's manufacturing base shifted to China years ago, said Nicholas Lardy, a fellow at the think tank Peterson Institute for International Economics.

"The real economic consequences are fairly limited," Lardy said.

Hong Kong is still an attractive base for many companies, said Andrew Bishop, a partner with Signum Global Advisors, a risk advisory firm.
Cynthia Brehms runoff opponent is a San Antonio real estate appraiser named John Austin. But thats not who shes running against.

Brehm, the perpetually embattled Bexar County GOP chair, is choosing to wage her campaign against Mayor Ron Nirenberg, County Judge Nelson Wolff and all manner of protective face coverings.

That strategy was on display during last Fridays instant-classic news conference in which Brehm and her army of eight loyalists gathered at City Hall and declared war on COVID-19 political tyranny.

Brehm described the global pandemic, which has taken the lives of more than 100,000 Americans, as a political weapon wielded by Democrats against President Donald Trump and lovers of freedom such as herself.

Why is this happening today? Brehm said. Ill tell you why. All of this has been promulgated by the Democrats to undo all of the good that President Trump has done for our country, and they are worried.

Brehm went beyond suggesting that individuals should have the right to decide if they want to wear protective masks in public settings.

So, take off your masks, she proclaimed. Exercise your constitutional rights.

In doing so, Brehm inadvertently urged people to defy guidelines from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who has advised Texans to wear masks when theyre unable to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others.

Of course, she preferred to direct her fire at Nirenberg and Wolff  two convenient punching bags for local conservatives  even though they had issued orders only three days earlier that aligned with Abbott by saying that they strongly encouraged (but didnt require) the use of masks.

So, last Fridays news conference served no purpose  aside from allowing Brehm to hype her wobbly re-election campaign.

It gave her a handy way to distract GOP voters from the fact that in 2018, on Brehms watch, 55 of the 60 local Republican candidates who had Democratic opposition lost their elections.

It momentarily shifted attention away from Brehms intraparty squabbles, including a December 2019 altercation with long-time Republican activist Monica Rojas Stone, resulting in a police report in which the officer described Brehm as highly irate, irrational and angry.

It temporarily overshadowed Brehms persistent conspiracy theories about vote tampering within the Bexar County Elections Department and her idle threats to pull the local GOP out of this years joint primary.

Then theres the fact that Brehm came to office touting her experience as a military wife, but neglected to tell Republican voters that her husband, Norman, pleaded guilty in 1999 to exposing himself to Cynthias then-14-year-old daughter.

The Army Criminal Investigation Command also found probable cause to believe Brehms husband previously committed forcible sodomy against two other children.

Until last Friday, Brehm was purely a local embarrassment, the subject of countless sheepish eye rolls from San Antonio politicos. Last weeks theatrical display, however, made her the subject of national ridicule, with 2.3 million views and nearly 6,000 retweets for a 51-second excerpt of her City Hall speech.

Of course, the question hanging over the July 14 runoff is whether all the criticism directed at Brehm makes Republican voters reject her or embrace her. Will they see her as a tinfoil-hat-wearing incompetent or a wrongly persecuted culture warrior?

One thing is certain: Her primary opponents have united behind Austins campaign.

Charlotte Williamson Eisenhauer and Jacinto Chinto Martinez, who between them collected more than 35 percent of the primary vote, will issue a joint statement today in which they criticize Brehm for character flaws, ineptitude, divisiveness and lack of leadership and good judgment.

They laud the soft-spoken Austin as a unifier who exercises calm and thoughtful judgment.

Austin already has promised Eisenhauer, a former candidate for state representative, that he will nominate her for vice chair if he wins the runoff. He also has indicated an eagerness to work with Martinez, a South Sider who based his primary campaign on the partys need to improve its outreach to Latino voters.

Eisenhauer has argued that Brehms ascendance to the party chairmanship was not an aberration, but a manifestation of mounting frustration within the party.

Basically, in part of the county, Republicans didnt feel like they were being listened to, she said. They felt that it was the country club Republicans that have been controlling this party for years.

Austin, like Brehm, is an unabashed Trump supporter. But Brehms City Hall news conference seemed designed to position her as the presidents biggest champion in the runoff race.

The more Trump gets bashed by the media, the more his base tends to love him. Brehm is hoping for the same effect in her runoff.

Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Gilbert, become a subscriber. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan today participated in the session of the Council of Heads of Governments of CIS countries which will discussed 15 items on the agenda, including the joint declaration on the spread of the novel coronavirus.

In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan particularly stated the following:

This session is taking place remotely, but Armenia sincerely hopes the coronavirus situation changes drastically and we have the chance to meet face-to-face.

At a time when all countries are facing challenges due to the pandemic, it is clear that we all need to combine our efforts. In this regard, Armenia acknowledges the Russian governments initiative to adopt a declaration of the heads of governments of CIS countries on the spread of the novel coronavirus. Armenia is certain that the adoption of urgent joint social and economic measures will allow us to move forward in the fight against the pandemic and overcome the consequences of the latter.

Based on this, Armenia plans to continue to strengthen cooperation within the scope of the CIS countries. As of today, Armenia has 8,676 coronavirus cases, 5,212 patients are under treatment, 3,297 have recovered, and unfortunately, 120 patients have died.

The lockdown that the government declared during the state of emergency ensured conditions for functioning of the healthcare system. Armenia also imported more tests, equipment and face masks and organized training courses for specialists. Later, the government felt the need to lift restrictions and allowed the operation of all types of economic activities under the condition that companies strictly follow the rules, but violation of those rules entails fines.

At the same time, the government has already implemented nearly 20 social support programs and has provided assistance to businesses.

I am certain that a systemic approach will underlie the development of an action plan for implementation of the first phase (2021-25) of the Economic Development Strategy of the Commonwealth of Independent States until the year 2030 that has been submitted to the Armenian government for approval.

Attaching importance to multilateral cooperation within the scope of the fight against global terrorism, Armenia supports Kyrgyzstans proposal to appoint a deputy director of the anti-terrorism center of CIS countries.

Armenia intends to deepen cooperation in the sectors of education and culture. In our opinion, the CIS has great potential to establish an educational system that will comply with modern requirements. I would also like to reaffirm Armenias commitment to maintaining cultural diversity and enhancing cultural dialogue for the purpose of strengthening the trust and mutual understanding between our peoples.

Overall, I would like to emphasize that the CIS countries have all the necessary prerequisites and opportunities for implementation of our ideas and projects within the scope of cooperation. Armenia believes the potential must be fully used, intensifying cooperation of young people in the CIS and expanding partnering ties between national organizations for physical culture and sport.

Summing up, I would like to inform that Armenia supports the adoption of all agreed documents.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: Reiterating his offer to mediate on the border dispute between India and China, US President Donald Trump has said that he spoke with Narendra Modi about the "big conflict" and asserted that the Indian Prime Minister is not in a "good mood" over the latest flare-ups between the two countries.

Speaking with the reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump said a "big conflict" was going on between India and China.

"I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," the president said.

"Have a big conflict 'India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," he said when asked if he was worried about the border situation between India and China.

"I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump said.

A day earlier, the president offered to mediate between India and China.

Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.

Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump reiterated his offer, saying if called for help, "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help" about "mediate or arbitrate, I would do that," he said.

ALSO READ | Amid border row with New Delhi, China bans pork imports from India

India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump's offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing.

While the Chinese Foreign Ministry is yet to react to Trump's tweet which appears to have caught Beijing by surprise, an op-ed in the state-run Global Times said both countries did not need such a help from the US President.

"The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order," it said.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.

ALSO READ | India, China don't need US help to resolve border frictions: Chinese official media hits back at Trump

Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal which was rejected by New Delhi.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders.

Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.
OTTAWA  Manitoba Premier Brian Pallisters approval rating has stayed nearly as flat as the provinces COVID-19 curve, with almost all other premiers riding a wave of support during the pandemic.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/5/2020 (602 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Manitoba Premier Brian Pallisters approval rating has stayed nearly as flat as the provinces COVID-19 curve, with almost all other premiers riding a wave of support during the pandemic.

An online survey by the Angus-Reid Institute conducted last week puts Pallisters approval rating at 47 per cent among almost 500 surveyed Manitobans.

Thats just a four per cent rise since the start of the pandemic, putting the premier at the back of the pack, while other premiers see double-digit rises in support.

"Hes not a warm and cuddly guy," said political scientist Paul Thomas. "He takes pride in being contentious."

Pallister and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney failed to crack 50 per cent support from their provinces in the poll of 5,001 Canadians, which excluded Prince Edward Island and the territories.

The survey, released Thursday, shows Pallister had 48 per cent support after his re-election last fall, which dipped in February to 43 per cent but has since rebounded.

Thats in contrast to Ontario Premier Doug Ford's 69 per cent approval rating, up by a staggering 38 points since February despite shoddy virus testing, reports of atrocious treatment of residents in long-term care homes and Fords own flouting of physical-distancing rules.

Pallister played down the polling Thursday, saying his party has fared well in elections, and helped public-health officials halt the spread of COVID-19 faster than many other jurisdictions.

"I dont care about being popular; I care about getting results. And thats the same thing Ive said since I got into politics and Im not likely gonna change," the premier told reporters Thursday. "If you dont like me, thats fine. If you like our results on COVID, thats good."

But Thomas, a University of Manitoba professor emeritus, said Pallister's austerity agenda is probably falling flat.

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"Across the world you have seen leaders get a slight boost based on how skilfully theyve handled the crisis, and the nature of the policy responses," Thomas said.

He gave the example of former NDP premier Greg Sellinger riding support around 70 per cent during the 2011 spring flooding; his approval collapsed to half that rate when boosting the PST caused a cabinet revolt in 2014.

Pallister has focused on eventually balancing the budget and getting a more favourable credit rating. Thats driven Manitoba to fund support programs that pale compared to other provinces, according to analysis by the Library of Parliament.

"Hes been very, almost dogmatic, in saying this will not disrupt for too long our long-term plan," Thomas said, adding that a $200 tax-free payment to seniors regardless of income has largely been seen as vote-buying.

The premier said Manitobans are more focused on how well officials and the public writ large have handled the crisis. "The reality is most Manitobans think were doing a heck of a good job," he said.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Chris and Jennifer Holen, the owners of acclaimed Astoria restaurant Baked Alaska, plopped down in their picturesque waterfront space Thursday night for a rare treat: a scrumptious, fresh-cooked meal they were not responsible for preparing.

On the menu was fettuccine, hand-rolled and made from scratch. In the kitchen was their daughter, 13-year-old Ana.

She insisted we all go down to the restaurant, Chris Holen said. So we sat in the corner and had a meal well never forget. It was fantastic.

It was also the last meal Baked Alaska will host.

The venerable fine-dining landmark, located on a pier along the Astoria Riverwalk, has permanently closed after 20 years, joining an expanding list of restaurant casualties in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Baked Alaska temporarily shut its doors in March, when Gov. Kate Brown issued a stay-at-home order and relegated bars and restaurants to takeout service only to help halt the spread of COVID-19.

After spending the last two-and-a-half months plotting their future and planning for a reopening, the Holens decided it was not financially feasible or perhaps even safe to do so in a world guided by social distancing and virus anxiety. The Holens notified their landlord and employees earlier this week of the decision, marking the end of their 20-year run as one of Astorias most respected restaurants.

What it came down to was: What is going to make us happy? Chris Holen said. Why reopen and start from scratch in this environment and risk anything we have left? We kind of figured out the math on a scenario that might be able to work  but we just decided its not best for anyone.

The Holens were anxious about their decision and the impact it would have, long-term, on the community and, specifically, the restaurants 25 employees. But the Holens have been reassured by the response from their staff. Some expressed concerns about safety surrounding a reopening during a pandemic and others said they already had leads or offers on new jobs.

Our staff is our family, Jennifer Holen said. And you feel a responsibility for so many. But what brought me a little more peace - one of our servers said, Were all going to be OK. Were going to figure it out. This is not your burden to bear. It felt like it was for a very long time, so that just showed us this path is definitely right for everyone involved. We have no regrets.

Baked Alaska was born 20 years ago on a whim, when the Holens happened to pass through Astoria en route to Alaska, where they planned to sell food out of their van at summer music festivals. They instantly fell in love with Oregons oldest city and the potential it offered and boldly purchased a downtown cafe within three hours. A year later, they expanded and moved to the pier, rising in popularity along with Astoria through the years.

The Holens say they will remain in Astoria and are plotting a new business venture, which they plan to unveil in July. They own an event space across from Baked Alaska and said they will continue to host weddings and other local group functions. Chris Holen also said he would continue to produce his popular web video series Fish Outta Water, which has grown in popularity during the coronavirus crisis.

So Thursday nights final meal at Baked Alaska evolved into a celebration. And the Holens took advantage, uncorking a 23-year-old bottle of champagne they had been saving for a special occasion.

It was awaiting a celebration of some sort, Chris Holen said. We choose to be optimistic about this. This experience has really opened our eyes. What a perfect time to move into a different direction in our lives. Were happy with our decision and looking forward to whats next.

 Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman | Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories
31 May 2020

Type Media Article



Soil microbes are the key drivers of N transformations. Their activity determines to a large extent whether N is retained in a plant available form within soil, or lost to either air or water. Researchers Coline Deveautour and Fiona Brennan give more information



Soil microbes mediate denitrification

Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) is a potent greenhouse gas that has a global warming potential nearly 300 times that of carbon dioxide. It also depletes the ozone layer. In Ireland, agriculture contributes to 92.5 % of N 2 O emissions and is associated primarily with the application of inorganic and organic nitrogen (N) fertilizers, or through grazed animal excreta. Many factors influence the losses of N from the soil but soil microbes are the key drivers of N transformations. Their activity determines to a large extent whether N is retained in a plant available form within soil, or lost to either air or water. Losses of N from soil represent an economic loss to the farmer with potentially damaging environmental impacts. By understanding the microbial communities in soils, and the factors that influence their activity, there is great potential to manage soils in a manner to increase the efficiency of fertilisation and greatly reduce losses.

Nitrous oxide emissions can occur when gaseous forms of nitrogen are released in the atmosphere. This occurs principally through the process of denitrification, where microbes sequentially transform nitrate into either the potent greenhouse gas N 2 O or the environmentally benign di-nitrogen (N 2 ). Whether N 2 O or N 2 is released from the soil into the atmosphere depends on the presence and abundance of particular groups of microorganisms within the soil, as only certain microorganisms can transform gaseous nitrogen to an environmentally safe form. Microorganisms mainly denitrify under wetter conditions where there is excess available N in the soil so farmers can substantially reduce these gaseous losses by matching N application to plant growth requirements, and avoiding applying fertiliser under wet conditions or where heavy rain is forecast.

A national study on soil denitrification

An on-going large-scale study as part of the MINE (Manipulation and Integration of Nitrogen Emissions) project, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM) is currently evaluating the range of denitrification in Irish agricultural soils and whether these soils release mostly N 2 O or N 2 emissions. This study encompasses a total of 136 sites across 32 different locations across the island of Ireland, including a range of soil types, climatic zones and landuses. A study at such a scale allows researchers not only to have an overview on soil denitrification but also on the specific characteristics of the sites that determine such emissions and enables us to address such questions as:

Which denitrifying microbes are present and how abundant are they? How do they contribute to N 2 O vs N 2 emissions released in the atmosphere?

O vs N emissions released in the atmosphere? Which soil properties and soil types result in the production of more N 2 O?

O? Which type of farm management and climatic conditions result in greater potential losses of gaseous nitrogen from soil?

Can we manage our soil microbial communities to reduce N 2 O emissions?

Map of the 32 locations included in the MINE study (left), encompassing a wide range of soil types (right). This is the first national denitrification study across the island of Ireland thanks to the many farmers that agreed to be a part of this research. The outcome of this study will be available around this time next year.

Soil sampling in Timoleague (Co. Cork), one of the 32 locations included in the MINE study.

Twitter handle:@soilmicrobio
Vodafone Idea said currently there is no proposal as reported by the media that is being considered at the Board

Contrary to the Financial Times report, Google is not planning to invest in it. The telecom major-Vodafone Idea has clarified that "currently there is no proposal as reported by the media that is being considered at the board".

Vodafone Idea clarifies on FT's reports Google exploring Vodafone Idea stake as part of India push. Company says currently, there is no proposal as reported by the media that is being considered at the Board https://t.co/ZQ93OXFRNe  CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) May 29, 2020

Vodafone Idea on Friday said it constantly evaluates various opportunities but there is no proposal before the board of the firm as yet.

The clarification to the BSE by Vodafone Idea comes a day after reports that Alphabet Inc's Google is eyeing about 5 per cent stake in the telecom company.

"As part of corporate strategy, the company constantly evaluates various opportunities for enhancing the stakeholders'' value. As and when such proposals are considered by the board of directors of the company warranting disclosures, the company shall comply with the disclosure obligations," Vodafone Idea said on Friday.

Currently, there is "no proposal" as reported that is being considered at the board, it added.

"We wish to reiterate and clarify that the company will comply with Sebi Listing Regulations and duly keep the stock exchanges informed of all the price-sensitive information," it said.

Vodafone Idea shares up intraday

Shares of Vodafone Idea Ltd were up 34.87 percent to hit the intraday high of Rs 7.85 per share on the BSE on Friday on reports that Google Inc. is considering picking about 5 percent stake in Vodafone Idea Ltd-a telecom joint venture between Vodafone PLC of UK and Aditya Birla group.

According to a report in Financial Times, Google is looking to make an investment in the embattled Indian telecom company.

At 10:52 AM, Vodafone Idea was at Rs 7.56 per share, up 29.9 percent.

On NSE, it rose sharply by 25 percent to Rs 7.25

A combined 352 million equity shares changed hands and there were pending buy orders for 83 million shares on the NSE and BSE, the exchange data shows.

Shares in Vodafone Idea Ltd jumped 25 percent and hit an upper limit after a report that Google was eyeing a stake in the telecom firm.

Tech titan Google is said to be exploring taking a minority stake in British telecom group Vodafone's struggling India business.

Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets

The investment in Vodafone Idea will pit the search giant against Facebook which has picked up a stake in Jio Platforms, the firm that houses India's youngest but biggest telecom company, Reliance Jio, according to a PTI report.

Alphabet Inc's Google is looking to buy about 5 per cent stake in Vodafone Idea Ltd, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.

Both companies refused to comment.
- The Palace said that the Department of Education may need to tap private television networks for its distance learning program

- Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that it could include ABS-CBN should the franchise will be renewed by the Congress

- The opening of classes is still expected to happen on August 24, as of posting time

- There are 15,588 confirmed coronavirus disease cases now in the Philippines

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed

According to the Palace, the Philippine government may tap private broadcasting networks for the distance learning program led by the Department of Education (DepEd).

KAMI learned that the Palace said it could also tap ABS-CBN should the franchise be renewed by Congress.

In a report by the Inquirer (authored by Krissy Aguilar), the government expressed its need for the education department to partner with several television networks.

Ang sinasabi ko lang po is lahat ng private companies na media ay pupuwedeng i-tap po no and if ABS-CBN can come back on the air, Im sure as a way of showing their commitment to the Filipino people, they will allow their broadcast to be used for educational purposes. And it goes naman for all the broadcast companies in operation, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

Sa dami po ng mga grades natin Im sure we would need more than one, more than two, more than three companies at a time to partner with DepEd for long-distance learning, he added.

PAY ATTENTION: Shop with KAMI! The best offers and discounts on the market, product reviews and feedback

PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news!

As previously reported by , the Palace confirmed that the opening of classes on August 24 will push through. The enrolment will start on June 1, Monday.

The ABS-CBN network was ordered to shut down by the National Telecommunications Commission and its franchise renewal is still pending in Congress.

As of posting time, there are 15,588 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines, as reported by the Department of Health (DOH).

Please like and share our amazing Facebook posts to support the KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinions about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts and views on different matters!

Source: KAMI.com.gh
The Russian authorities condemned reporter and activist Ilya Azar to 15 days in prison on 28 May and detained several journalists who rallied in his support close to the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ) in condemning the arrests and urging authorities to explain their arrest.

Prominent journalist Ilya Azar was sentenced to 15 days in jail for repeated violations of the protest law. The ruling sparked outrage among his colleagues and followers, who gathered at the police offices to protest, claiming it was dangerous to keep the journalist in jail for two weeks during the coronavirus epidemic.

Up to eight journalists were arrested during the picket. Most of them were freed later in the day.

The Tver court of Moscow ruled against Ilya Azar for participating in a picket in support of the founder of the project "Police Ombudsman", Vladimir Vorontsov.

The RUJ has condemned both the arrest of Ilya Azar and the journalists who showed their support to him and urged the authorities to clarify the reasons for their arrest.

"We are aware of the situation and we are monitoring it. We ask to check the circumstances of the detention of the journalists, since solitary pickets are not prohibited," head of the RUJ, Vladimir Solovyov, said.

We have a wide range of mechanisms for protecting journalists in any incident they have while doing their job, he added.

IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: COVID-19 pandemic can not serve as an excuse for governments to clamp down on media and freedom of expression. The arrest of journalists for exercising their right to peaceful assembly is an act of intimidation that cant be accepted. We call on the Russian authorities to stop harassing and intimidating media workers.
Citizens, came to Mauer Park, to inspect and to take photos in front of the mural of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis of USA on Monday night, on May 29, 2020 in Berlin, Germany.

Former President Barack Obama said Friday that the death of black man at the hands of the Minneapolis police, and the continued disparate treatment of other blacks and minorities in the United States, "shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America."

"It can't be 'normal,'" Obama wrote in a Twitter post.

"If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better," wrote Obama, who is the only black person elected to the White House.

The tweeted statement came as protests continued in Minneapolis over the death Monday of George Floyd, who in a video of his arrest in Minneapolis can be heard telling cops, repeatedly, "I can't breathe."

A white officer, Derek Chauvin, held Floyd down by pressing a knee into his neck.

Chauvin and the other three officers involved in the incident were fired Tuesday. On Friday afternoon, after Obama's tweet, Chauvin was arrested in connection with Floyd's death.

Obama's tweet referenced a widely publicized and controversial incident in February in which an unarmed black man in Georgia named Ahmaud Arbery was fatally shot by one of two white men chasing him as he ran down a street.

The post also cited an incident from last weekend in which a white woman in Manhattan called police and said that she was being threatened by a black man who had asked her to leash her dog as he bird-watched in Central Park.

Obama wrote that he received an email from an African American businessman who told him that, "I cried when I saw that video" of a cop using his knee to hold Floyd in place by the neck.

"It broke me down," the businessman wrote, according to Obama. "The 'knee on the neck' is a metaphor for how the system so cavalierly holds black folks down, ignoring the cries for help. People don't care. Truly tragic."

Obama wrote that he and "millions of others" shared an "anguish" over the death of Floyd and other such incidents.

"It's natural to wish for life 'to just get back to normal' as a pandemic and economic crisis upend everything around us," Obama wrote.

"But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly 'normal'  whether it's while dealing with the health care system, or interacting with the criminal justice system, or jogging down the street, or just watching birds in a park."

"This shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America."

Tweet

Obama wrote that it will be largely up to Minnesota officials to make sure that Floyd's death is fully investigated, and "that justice is ultimately done."

"But it falls on all of us, regardless of our race or station  including the majority of men and women in law enforcement who take pride in doing their tough job the right way, every day  to work together to create a 'new normal' in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts."

Earlier Friday, Joe Biden, who was Obama's vice president, blasted President Donald Trump for a tweet that threatened to send National Guard troops to deal with protesters in Minneapolis and warned that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

Biden, who is the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee this year, said he was "furious" over Trump "calling for violence against American citizens."

"Enough," wrote Biden.
Tri-Star Resources PLC / AIM: TSTR / Sector: Natural Resource

29 May 2020

Tri-Star Resources plc ("Tri-Star" or the "Company")

Total Voting Rights

For the purposes of the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules, the Company advises that the total number of shares in issue and total voting rights as at the date of this announcement is 95,276,864 Ordinary Shares of 5p each.

Tri-Star does not currently hold any shares in treasury and, therefore, the above figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change in their interest in, the share capital of the Company.

**ENDS**

For further information, please visit www.tri-starresources.com or contact:

Tri-Star Resources plc

David Facey, CEO/ CFO c/o SBP

Tel: +44 (0)20 7236 1177 St Brides Partners (Financial PR)

Isabel de Salis / Beth Melluish

Tel: +44 (0)20 7236 1177 SP Angel Corporate Finance (Nominated Adviser) Jeff Keating/ Caroline Rowe

Tel: +44 (0)20 3470 0470 finnCap Ltd (Broker)

Scott Mathieson / Camille Gochez

Tel: +44 (0)20 7220 0500

Notes to Editors:

Tri-Star's principal interest is in an antimony and gold production facility (the "SPMP Project"). The SPMP Project is based in Sohar, Sultanate of Oman, and is being developed by Strategic & Precious Metals Processing LLC ("SPMP"), an Omani company in which Tri-Star has a 40% equity interest.
It is almost three months since the ban on social and religious gathering, as a measure to curb the coronavirus, came into force. Since then churches have been forced to resort to social media, particularly face book, to stream their services so they can still reach their members with the word of God.



If truth should be told as it is, online streaming of church service is not the same as members congregating at one place for fellowship. Further, it is turning out to be a more expensive way of reaching to members. Apart from the warmth that has been missing, there is also the issue of cost. It is relatively more expensive to do ministry online.



Churches, as well as members have to get the gadgets and the data; and even with all that there is no guarantee that church members will follow the service.



These challenges notwithstanding, social media has been a blessing for churches in this period of the ban.



As the month of May ends in a few days, and the period of the last ban expiring, the question many are asking is will the ban be lifted or extended?



Within the last month, the leaders of the Christian Church put together a proposal on how the churches will manage to control the crises should the government ease the ban.



I think that the Christian leaders ought to be commended for being proactive or better still, for taking a step of faith. The reasons that have been put forward for the ban to be lifted are quite thought provoking.



It has been argued that the church is more organised and more disciplined and so will do a better job than the markets. Secondly, there is the view that the ban, occasioned by the virus, is biting hard the churches as far as their finances are concerned.



Whether one agrees or not, the churches have staff to pay and its regular source of income, namely tithes and offering, has suffered seriously for obvious reasons. The argument has also been made that other countries are easing these bans and so why not Ghana?



Finally, some of those who are pushing for the ban to be eased contend that since the virus has come to stay, we should learn how to still have church, as we and still manage the virus.



On the other hand, there is a voice calling for the ban to be extended. The extension, according to the proponents of this view, is one of our best measures in curbing the spread of the virus.



The reason they give is that many people throw away their sense of reasoning when they enter church and it is unpredictable what people might do in the name of faith. They have further argued that people can still be in their homes and practice fellowship. Some of these proponents have gone for the jugular on church leaders by describing them as being greedy and wanting opportunity to continue milking their members.



It must be a very difficult time to be the President of nation that is plagued with a pandemic such as COVID-19, not to mention that this is an election year! If the virus has come to stay, then for how long will these restrictions be in force? The hard truth is that there is no vaccine for the virus and we do not know when the world may be blessed with one.



This leaves us with only one option: we must learn to manage the cases and live with the virus. Should we wait until we get a vaccine before the ban is lifted? Should we begin to have a conversation about how the church can competently handle their members so the spread does not become more serious than it is presently?



The government, given the facts available to him, has to make that decision. If he decides to extend the ban, the church must embrace that decision and continue praying and reaching its members with technology.



If the government decides to lift the ban, the church must embrace it and adopt the all the necessary safety protocols in order not to exacerbate the situation.



Until then, it remains the decision of the President; and like they say, Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.

Source: Rev. TR Bosomtwe









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / Codebase Ventures Inc. ("Codebase" or the "Company") (CSE:CODE)(FSE:C5B)(OTCQB:BKLLF) an investment company, announces that Red Light Holland, in which the Company invested in January 2020 through its wholly-owned subsidiary Titan Shrooms & Psychedelics Inc., has begun trading on the Canadian Stock Exchange using the symbol TRIP as of Thursday, May 28th.

Red Light Holland Corp. is a company based in the Netherlands with a focus on the production, growth and sales of truffle-based products in compliance with all applicable laws.

About Red Light Holland

Red Light Holland's business revolves around the production, growth and sale (through existing Smart Shops operators and an advanced e-commerce platform) of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, in accordance with the highest standards, in compliance with all applicable laws. Red Light Holland is strategically based in the Netherlands, an area with a long-standing, established legal magic truffles market.

About Codebase Ventures Inc.

Codebase Ventures Inc. is an investment company, led by technology and business experts who invest early in great ideas in sectors that have significant upside, including the cannabis sector. We operate from the understanding that technology is always evolving, bringing early opportunities for strategic investments that can deliver the exponential returns to our shareholders. We seek out and empower the innovators who are building tomorrow's standards with platforms, protocols and innovations - not just products. We invest early, support those founders, take their ideas to market, and work tirelessly to help them realize their vision.

For further information, please contact:

George Tsafalas - Ivy Lu

Investor Relations

Telephone: Toll-Free (877) 806-CODE (2633) or 1 (778) 806-5150

E-mail: IR@codebase.ventures

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.

SOURCE: Codebase Ventures Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/591883/Codebase-Ventures-Inc-Investment-Red-Light-Holland-Lists-on-CSE
Dozens of scientists have raised concerns over a large-scale study of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine published in the Lancet that led to the World Health Organization suspending clinical trials of the anti-viral drugs as a potential treatment for COVID-19. Hydroxychloroquine, normally used to treat arthritis, has become one of the most high profile drugs being tested for use against the new coronavirus partly because of endorsements by public figures including US President Donald Trump. Researchers on Friday stood by the conclusion of their study that treatment with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, an anti-malarial, showed no benefit and even increased the likelihood of patients dying in hospital. The observational research, led by Mandeep Mehra of the Brigham and Women's Hospital in the US, looked at records from 96,000 patients in hundreds of hospitals between December and April and compared those who received treatment with a control group. The research, published in the Lancet medical journal on May 22, followed numerous smaller studies that suggested hydroxychloroquine is ineffective in treating COVID-19 and might even be more dangerous than doing nothing. Both drugs can produce potentially serious side effects, particularly heart arrhythmia. Within days the WHO temporarily suspended use of the drugs in its Solidarity Trial, which has seen hundreds of hospitals across several countries enrol patients to test possible treatments for COVID-19. "This impact has led many researchers around the world to scrutinise in detail the publication in question," said the open letter in response to the study, which was signed by a number of prominent scientists and published Thursday. It added that this scrutiny raised "both methodological and data integrity concerns". One of the main concerns was a lack of information about the countries and hospitals that contributed data, which was provided by Chicago-based healthcare data analytics firm Surgisphere. Other issues highlighted included discrepancies in the data for Australia, where they said there were more deaths recorded in the hospitals covered by the study than official figures for the entire country. In a statement late Friday the Lancet said it was publishing a correction to amend the discrepancy, which occurred because one hospital had self-designated as being in the Australasia continent, when it should have been in Asia. "The Lancet encourages scientific debate and will publish responses to the study, along with a response from the authors, in the journal in due course," it said, adding that the conclusion of the study remained unchanged. - 'Serious doubts' - Mehra also released a statement saying the authors of the study had initiated an academic review of their work, adding that it had been undertaken "in the absence of a large, robust and publicly available dataset on hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine". "As articulated in the study, the authors have underscored the importance and value of randomized, clinical trials and articulated that such trials will be necessary before any conclusions can be reached," he said. "However, results are not anticipated from such trials until the summer and, given the urgency of the situation, leveraging the available dataset was an intermediary step." A spokesman for the WHO said a comprehensive review of the drugs was expected to reach a conclusion in mid-June. Among the signatories of the letter questioning the research were clinicians, epidemiologists and other researchers from around the world, from Harvard to Imperial College London. Francois Balloux of University College London, said he believed it was his "duty" to add his name to calls for answers to questions about the study and for greater transparency. "I have serious doubts about the benefit of CQ/HCQ treatment for #COVID19 infection, and cannot wait for the whole drama to be over," he said on Twitter. "Though, I believe 'research integrity' cannot be invoked only when a paper doesn't support our preconceptions." The letter was also signed by French researcher Philippe Parola, a colleague of the Marseille-based professor Didier Raoult, whose work has been at the forefront of promoting hydroxychloroquine and has also been subject to criticisms over methodology. The coronavirus crisis has put enormous strain on the normally sedate system of scientific publication, with an avalanche of research and the process of peer review considerably accelerated. Hydroxychloroquine is often used to treat arthritis
UK Joins Condemnation of China's Hong Kong Bill as Undermining 'One Country, Two Systems' Principle

Sputnik News

16:01 GMT 28.05.2020(updated 18:13 GMT 28.05.2020)

The new security legislation for Hong Kong has made it a crime for citizens to undermine Beijing's authority in the territory. It could also see China installing its own security agencies in the region for the first time.

The UK has joined Australia, Canada and the US in criticising China's decision to impose a new national security law on Hong Kong.

In a joint statement Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and ministers from the three other countries said; "China's decision to impose the new national security law on Hong Kong lies in direct conflict with its international obligations under the principles of the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration."

"The proposed law would undermine the One Country, Two Systems framework. It also raises the prospect of prosecution in Hong Kong for political crimes, and undermines existing commitments to protect the rights of Hong Kong people."

The statement also voiced concerns that the legislation "will exacerbate the existing deep divisions in Hong Kong society."

The four nations have called on the Chinese government to work with the Hong Kong SAR government and the people of Hong Kong to "find a mutually acceptable accommodation that will honour China's international obligations under the UN-filed Sino-British Joint Declaration."

Dominic Raab also said, "the UK will extend visa rights for as many as 300,000 Hong Kong British national (overseas) passport holders if China continues down the path of imposing repressive security laws on the former British colony."

Raab stressed the offer was dependent on the precise next steps China seeks to take to impose its security laws.

Protests broke out in Hong Kong on Wednesday after the parliament discussed a different law which would make it a crime to disrespect the Chinese national anthem. Hundreds of people were arrested in protests over that and the security law, as reported by the BBC.

The new security law which makes it a crime for Hong Kong citizen's to challenge Beijing's authority in the territory, means Hong Kong can no longer have "a high level of autonomy" from mainland China.

China's treatment of Hong Kong has further fuelled tensions between the US and China. Relations between the two countries have been tense over China's claims in the South China Sea and trade, with the coronavirus pandemic adding to the acrimony.

China will take "strong countermeasures" if Washington continues to intervene in the country's internal affairs, the Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Commissioner in Hong Kong said in on Thursday in response to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's statement suggesting that a new Hong Kong security bill undermines the administrative region's autonomy from China.

Pompeo said on Wednesday he had certified to Congress that Hong Kong did not warrant the same treatment in accordance with US laws applied to the territory before 1997. The state secretary said he made the determination in light of China's efforts to impose national security legislation in Hong Kong.

"The spokesperson emphasized that Hong Kong is part of China and its affairs are China's internal affairs. China is rock-firm in implementing 'One Country, Two Systems' and enacting national security legislation for Hong Kong. We urge the US side to abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations, and immediately stop meddling with Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs as a whole. Otherwise, it would only meet with firm opposition and strong countermeasures from the 1.4 billion Chinese people, including our Hong Kong compatriots," the statement read.

China says the legislation will aim to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in the city, but critics fear it could lead to Hong Kongers being prosecuted - even retroactively - for criticising their or the mainland's leadership, joining protests or exercising their current rights under local laws, cited in the BBC.

A Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc cabled congratulations to State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh sent congratulatory messages to Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi and Union Minister for International Cooperation Kyaw Tin on the occasion.

Their messages spoke highly of important achievements in bilateral ties over the past 45 years, both within bilateral and ASEAN frameworks, other sub-regional, regional and international cooperation mechanisms.

The two countries leaders expressed their belief that with common efforts of the two Governments and peoples, the Vietnam - Myanmar friendship and comprehensive cooperative partnership will grow further in the near future, bringing practical benefits to the two peoples while making active contributions to ASEAN Community, for the sake of peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity in the region and the world.
LA JOLLA, Calif. and JUPITER, Fla.- MAY 29, 2020 - Surgery would be inconceivable without general anesthesia, so it may come as a surprise that despite its 175-year history of medical use, doctors and scientists have been unable to explain how anesthetics temporarily render patients unconscious.

A new study from Scripps Research published Thursday evening in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences (PNAS) solves this longstanding medical mystery. Using modern nanoscale microscopic techniques, plus clever experiments in living cells and fruit flies, the scientists show how clusters of lipids in the cell membrane serve as a missing go-between in a two-part mechanism. Temporary exposure to anesthesia causes the lipid clusters to move from an ordered state, to a disordered one, and then back again, leading to a multitude of subsequent effects that ultimately cause changes in consciousness.

The discovery by chemist Richard Lerner, MD, and molecular biologist Scott Hansen, PhD, settles a century-old scientific debate, one that still simmers today: Do anesthetics act directly on cell-membrane gates called ion channels, or do they somehow act on the membrane to signal cell changes in a new and unexpected way? It has taken nearly five years of experiments, calls, debates and challenges to arrive at the conclusion that it's a two-step process that begins in the membrane, the duo say. The anesthetics perturb ordered lipid clusters within the cell membrane known as "lipid rafts" to initiate the signal.

"We think there is little doubt that this novel pathway is being used for other brain functions beyond consciousness, enabling us to now chip away at additional mysteries of the brain," Lerner says.

Lerner, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, is a former president of Scripps Research, and the founder of Scripps Research's Jupiter, Florida campus. Hansen is an associate professor, in his first posting, at that same campus. The Ether Dome

Ether's ability to induce loss of consciousness was first demonstrated on a tumor patient at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in 1846, within a surgical theater that later became known as "the Ether Dome." So consequential was the procedure that it was captured in a famous painting, "First Operation Under Ether," by Robert C. Hinckley. By 1899, German pharmacologist Hans Horst Meyer, and then in 1901 British biologist Charles Ernest Overton, sagely concluded that lipid solubility dictated the potency of such anesthetics.

Hansen recalls turning to a Google search while drafting a grant submission to investigate further that historic question, thinking he couldn't be the only one convinced of membrane lipid rafts' role. To Hansen's delight, he found a figure from Lerner's 1997 PNAS paper, "A hypothesis about the endogenous analogue of general anesthesia," that proposed just such a mechanism. Hansen had long looked up to Lerner--literally. As a predoctoral student in San Diego, Hansen says he worked in a basement lab with a window that looked directly out at Lerner's parking space at Scripps Research.

"I contacted him, and I said, 'You are never going to believe this. Your 1997 figure was intuitively describing what I am seeing in our data right now,'" Hansen recalls. "It was brilliant."

For Lerner, it was an exciting moment as well.

"This is the granddaddy of medical mysteries," Lerner says. "When I was in medical school at Stanford, this was the one problem I wanted to solve. Anesthesia was of such practical importance I couldn't believe we didn't know how all of these anesthetics could cause people to lose consciousness."

Many other scientists, through a century of experimentation, had sought the same answers, but they lacked several key elements, Hansen says: First, microscopes able to visualize biological complexes smaller than the diffraction limits of light, and second, recent insights about the nature of cell membranes, and the complex organization and function of the rich variety of lipid complexes that comprise them.

"They had been looking in a whole sea of lipids, and the signal got washed out, they just didn't see it, in large part for a lack of technology," Hansen says. From order to disorder

Using Nobel Prize-winning microscopic technology, specifically a microscope called dSTORM, short for "direct stochastical optical reconstruction microscopy," a post-doctoral researcher in the Hansen lab bathed cells in chloroform and watched something like the opening break shot of a game of billiards. Exposing the cells to chloroform strongly increased the diameter and area of cell membrane lipid clusters called GM1, Hansen explains.

What he was looking at was a shift in the GM1 cluster's organization, a shift from a tightly packed ball to a disrupted mess, Hansen says. As it grew disordered, GM1 spilled its contents, among them, an enzyme called phospholipase D2 (PLD2).

Tagging PLD2 with a fluorescent chemical, Hansen was able to watch via the dSTORM microscope as PLD2 moved like a billiard ball away from its GM1 home and over to a different, less-preferred lipid cluster called PIP2. This activated key molecules within PIP2 clusters, among them, TREK1 potassium ion channels and their lipid activator, phosphatidic acid (PA). The activation of TREK1 basically freezes neurons' ability to fire, and thus leads to loss of consciousness, Hansen says.

"The TREK1 potassium channels release potassium, and that hyper-polarizes the nerve--it makes it more difficult to fire--and just shuts it down," Hansen says.

Lerner insisted they validate the findings in a living animal model. The common fruit fly, drosophila melanogaster, provided that data. Deleting PLD expression in the flies rendered them resistant to the effects of sedation. In fact, they required double the exposure to the anesthetic to demonstrate the same response.

"All flies eventually lost consciousness, suggesting PLD helps set a threshold, but is not the only pathway controlling anesthetic sensitivity," they write.

Hansen and Lerner say the discoveries raise a host of tantalizing new possibilities that may explain other mysteries of the brain, including the molecular events that lead us to fall asleep.

Lerner's original 1997 hypothesis of the role of "lipid matrices" in signaling arose from his inquiries into the biochemistry of sleep, and his discovery of a soporific lipid he called oleamide. Hansen and Lerner's collaboration in this arena continues.

"We think this is fundamental and foundational, but there is a lot more work that needs to be done, and it needs to be done by a lot of people," Hansen says. Lerner agrees.

"People will begin to study this for everything you can imagine: Sleep, consciousness, all those related disorders," he says. "Ether was a gift that helps us understand the problem of consciousness. It has shined a light on a heretofore unrecognized pathway that the brain has clearly evolved to control higher-order functions."

###

The paper, "Studies on the mechanism of general anesthesia," appears May 29, 2020, in PNAS. In addition to Lerner and Hansen, the authors are Mahmud Arif Pavel, E. Nicholas Petersen and Hao Wang, all of Scripps Research.
"We are delighted to have closed this acquisition which will give us a significant competitive advantage moving forward," said Gilbert Ghostine, CEO, Firmenich. "This acquisition affirms our commitment to becoming a global leader in renewable ingredients as we meet the growing demand for sustainable products in Perfumery and beyond. Above all, we look forward to working with our long-time partners and welcoming all DRT employees to Firmenich."

DRT will further strengthen Firmenich's already leading Perfumery & Ingredients business, enabling the Company to offer its customers the world's best selection of renewable and sustainable ingredients. DRT will also bring new capabilities in health & nutrition, cosmetics, as well as a number of new markets, including adhesives, coatings and agriculture. The acquisition reinforces Firmenich's presence in France, its second largest market.

DRT has a turnover in excess of 550 million, employs more than 1,500 people around the world and operates through a global footprint with four production sites located in France, two in the USA, two in India and one in China.

Firmenich announced that it had entered into exclusivity with Ardian, Tikehau Capital and family shareholders to acquire the company on March 6, 2020. Consultation with the relevant employee representatives and the required customary approvals by the antitrust authorities have been obtained since then, and the acquisition has now closed.

About Firmenich

Firmenich is the world's largest privately-owned perfume and taste company, founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895. Driven by its purpose to create positive emotions to enhance wellbeing, naturally, Firmenich has designed many of the world's best-known perfumes and tastes, bringing delight to over four billion consumers every day. Renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its leadership in sustainability, each year, Firmenich invests 10% of its turnover in R&D to understand and share the best that nature has to offer responsibly. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 3.9 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2019. More information about Firmenich is available at www.firmenich.com.

About DRT

Founded in 1932, DRT specializes in the development of gum rosin and turpentine extracted from pine resin. DRT's head office is located in Dax, France and sells its products around the world. DRT has a diversified product portfolio of more than 300 ingredients addressing a variety of end markets. DRT operates 9 manufacturing facilities either directly or with joint venture partners. More information about DRT is available at www.drt.fr.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1120565/Firmenich_Logo.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1174079/DRT_Logo.jpg

Related Links

https://www.firmenich.com



SOURCE Firmenich
SPRINGFIELD  Bank of Springfield (BOS) distributed $20,000 in grant funds to six organizations thanks to a program COVID-19 Relief program offered by The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago). Program consisted of zero-rate advances and grants to benefit small businesses and nonprofit organizations in Illinois and Wisconsin. As a FHLBank Chicago member institution, BOS nominated organizations in the communities it serves.

Main Street Community Center in Edwardsville received $3,000.

Additional beneficiaries were Community Interfaith Food Pantry in Belleville, Quincy Medical Foundation in Quincy, The Nursery School in Jacksonville, The Outlet in Springfield and Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County in Springfield.

BOS was founded in 1965 in Springfield, IL and remains locally owned and operated. BOS serves eight communities in Illinois with full service branches in Springfield, Chatham, Jacksonville, Quincy, Shiloh, Swansea, Staunton and Glen Carbon and a branch in Clayton, MO.

The mission of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago is to partner with member institutions in Illinois and Wisconsin to provide competitively priced funding, a reasonable return on investment, and support for community investment activities. FHLBank Chicago is one of 11 Federal Home Loan Banks chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932 to promote homeownership.
When Disney World reopens there will be a collection of employees dedicated to ensuring that people are practicing social distancing.

Theyre called the social distancing squads, and they have already started working at Disney Springs.

They are tasked with making sure people are staying six feet apart, wearing masks and using hand sanitizer frequently.

Another group of workers with iPads are stationed at the entrance to stores to make sure people don't barge, until they've checked in. If a store has reached capacity, guests have to provide a phone number to receive a reservation by text message.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek was asked Wednesday how the company plans to enforce people wearing masks inside of the parks since it's a mandatory guideline.

Video: Walt Disney World senior vice president of operations provides updates on safety protocols

Well, so far our experience has been that the guests have been very cooperative when it comes to wearing the masks. And I think that's really going to be part of the contract of coming to Walt Disney World in any capacity. We're going to enforce that rule. It's for everybody's safety. We've had a great experience in Shanghai. And so far the experience at Disney Springs, after only a short week, is that guests are willing to wear the masks because they know that it's for everyone's good. You know I've had this mask on pretty much the whole day, and you just forget about it after a while, and I think that's going to be a part of maintaining the magic, Chapek said.
The 'Caribbean Princess' cruise ship in Colon, Panama, on May 28, 2020: such vessels will be banned from Canadian waters until October because of the coronavirus pandemic

The Canadian government on Friday extended by three months a ban on cruise ships entering Canadian waters because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The ban, which began in April and will now run to October, has been tightened to include passenger boats and other vessels with more than 100 passengers and crew, the ministry of transport said in a statement. The original ban was on vessels with a capacity of 500 or more people.

The move will deal a blow to several Canadian cities such as Vancouver, Quebec and Montreal, where the cruise industry makes an important economic contribution.

In 2019, Canada was visited by 140 cruise ships from a dozen countries with some two million tourists on board, according to the ministry.

Small boats for short excursions, such as whale watching, will however be allowed to resume their activities starting on July 1, in line with permission by provincial and local authorities.

Nevertheless, the movement of vessels with a capacity of more than 12 people will be banned from Arctic coastal water until October 31.

These rules do not apply to small craft used by local communities for transport or fishing.

Ferries, deemed essential services, will be allowed to continue operating but will have to implement safety measures to curb the spread of the disease.

Anyone caught violating the ban faces a fine of Can$5,000 ($3,600) per day for individuals and Can$25,000 for businesses.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

After two month of experiencing clients putting their writing projects on hold, Gini Graham Scott, author of over 250 published books, has turned the extra time into a new career of writing, publishing, and licensing songs. And she has signed with a Music Publishing Company that acts as a licensing administrator: Missing Link Music, which handles registrations and collecting money from licensed songs.

The new career started when Gini began writing a series of song, turning them into music videos, and publishing several books and articles to help people feel better and overcome their fears and anxieties. The song collections includes the Feel Good Song Book and The Feeling Better Song Book, in which the most popular songs reflect nostalgia for the way things used to be and highlight what's good to get through the hard times. These top three songs are:

- "Remember the Good Times" https://youtu.be/ASPwZDTKiQ4

- "Fighting Against the Corona Virus" https://youtu.be/LMZtxgMBdEM

- "Don't Let Today Get You Down" https://youtu.be/hrMxTxnLmwQ

Next Scott began revising a series of songs originally created in 1993-1995, starting with some songs about what's wrong in America and what needs to change. Ironically, the songs were as timely now as then in describing the same problems with almost no change in 25 years, such as crime in the streets, drug problems, warring gangs, homelessness, bank fraud, oil spills, forest destruction, and global warming. These are described in two of the most popular songs about social problems: "Are We All Right?" https://youtu.be/worpkeAtlRw (though the answer is no) and "A Shot in the Dark" https://youtu.be/CFymL1hdCIk (about stopping the violence in the streets).

Most recently, Scott has added a dozen song about finding, losing, and discovering love again, such as in "Cyberqueen" https://youtu.be/bd-RSfoLys8, about finding love on the Internet, "Jigsaw Puzzle of My Heart" https://youtu.be/NZcmwTQOfwQ, comparing falling in love to completing a jigsaw, and "Repo Girl" https://youtu.be/XBbVIz4QUZ4n, about a girl who steals hearts like a thief in the night.

Now, as a BMI writer (through Changemakers Music) and publisher (through Changemakers Publishing) with over 100 songs, Scott has just signed with a licensing publisher Missing Link Music to begin signing songs to major record labels and artists. In this way, in response to the pandemic, Scott has fashioned another career and expect to continue it even after the ghostwriting clients and book publishing deals return.

In Scott's view, such self-transformation is needed for employees, business owners, and professionals due to the coronavirus, which has wrought vast changes throughout the economy. These changes have been so massive that even after the pandemic is over, many industries won't come back- or will be dramatically transformed. As Scott, who has written several dozen self-help and inspirational books, puts it:

"People today need to become like chameleons to adapt to changes in the work and business environment. They have to learn what's still working and what isn't, and be ready to modify whatever they do. Emerging from this long period of isolation and lockdown can feel like starting again or doing a relaunch. But if you approach this changed world with a can-do attitude, it can be an exciting time, like you are in the vanguard of opening a new frontier and being an explorer in a new world."

In this way, Changemakers Music and Publishing has become this new frontier for Gini Graham Scott. This new business even has its own website at www.changemakersmusic.com, and she plans to keep it going, alongside her other company Changemakers Publishing and Writing at www.changemakerspublishingandwriting.com, which features books on self-help, memoirs, business, and criminal justice; ghostwriting books, proposals, and scripts for clients; and helping writers find publishers and agents. Plus Scott speaks on writing, self-publishing, and promotion, most recently as a speaker at the Marketer's Content Playbook Virtual Summit to be held August 4-6th online with about 30,000 attendees.

For more information, to get PDFs of books, and to set up interviews, please contact:

Jana Collins

Jones & O'Malley

Toluca Lake, California

(818) 762-8353

jana@jonesomalley.com

Nancy Parker

Executive Assistant

Changemakers Publishing

Lafayette, California

(925) 385-0608

www.changemakerspublishingandwriting.com

changemakerspub@att.net
Gold ribbons were being tied around trees at Buckner Parkway Place while members of Memorial Drives United Methodist Church prepared a car-parade around the senior living facility.

The leader of the parade inflated a larger-than-life balloon Jesus that poked out of the SUVs sunroof, while children hung signs and party balloons in the windows and door handles of their cars.

COMMUNITY DONATION: Joint Chinese College Alumni Association donates to the Houston Food bank

The gold ribbons are part of an original Parkway Place campaign called Going Gold for Senior Living, to show support for residents and front line workers at their senior living communities. The parade serves as a way for members of the church to provide a safe and fun way for residents to see their loved ones, as many of Parkway Palaces senior residents are members of the church.

All of it is to, remind the community that the heroes work at Parkway Place, said Parkway Place executive director Abraham Mathew.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Tracking coronavirus: Interactive maps, charts show spread of COVID-19 across Houston, rest of Texas

All Buckner senior living communities have observed strict visitation restrictions since March 13, as well as put in place thorough employee screening procedures. Despite the restrictions, 96 percent of senior living residents agreed with the social distancing and visitation restrictions in place, according to a recent survey conducted by Buckner Retirement Services.

The anonymous survey was distributed to 140 senior adults living across six different Buckner Retirement communities in early May with the intention of providing a look into the communities and show how senior adults feel about the current safety policies.

We understand how difficult it is for our residents and their family members and friends to be physically apart during the pandemic, said senior vice president of Buckner Retirement Services Charlie Wilson, so our goal with the survey and infographic was to provide everyone outside our communities with some more insight.

The infographic, which contains the survey results, shows that 74 percent of residents spent their time reading, 29 percent spent their time napping, and 63 percent can be found on the phone with loved ones.

More than 75 percent of seniors surveyed listed family visits as something they miss most. Wearing masks, visitation restrictions and lack of group activities were some of the seniors' biggest inconveniences brought on by the pandemic.

So when Memorial Drives United Methodist Church honked their horns through Parkway Place, several senior residents bathed in the Houston sun while appreciating the churchs love and attention.

Weve got at least 20 members who live here, said a member of the United Methodist Church who helped organize the car parade, we were thinking about things that we could do for them and ways our members could help.

The church group drove around the storied facility twice while residents and workers waved from appropriate distances. Each car was also given a gold ribbon on their way out- memorializing their appreciation for all the hard work and sacrifice each front line worker has put in for Parkway Place.

ryan.nickerson@hcnonline.com
Thousands of Australians could soon be forced to put their houses on the market despite tumbling property prices amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The value of business and household loan deferrals has hit $250billion as thousands of Australians are allowed to stop making repayments as unemployment skyrockets due to lockdown measures.

The huge figure has led the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority to warn of a looming cliff in September when the deferrals end and some customers are forced to put their properties on the market because they can't repay the deferred loans.

The value of business and household loan deferrals has hit $250 billion as thousands of Australians are allowed to stop making repayments during the pandemic (stock image)

Australians who can't afford to repay their loans when the deferral ends in September could be forced to put their properties on the market (real estate agent at home auction, pictured)

Many Australian banks allowed customers to defer their mortgage repayments for six months in April after lockdown restrictions and border closures forced thousands to be stood down or take reduced salaries.

'We often talk of the cliff, which is when everything ends in six months' time,' APRA Chairman Wayne Byres told a Senate committee into COVID-19 on Thursday.

Experts have long predicted house prices across the country could plummet due to the COVID-19 health crisis.

Melbourne University economist Dr James Brugler has forecast a drop in many major cities, particularly Perth, which could be affected by a 30 per cent decrease.

He said most homeowners have only a small amount of borrowings against their house and can withstand a reduction in property prices.

However, some who have large borrowings will be hit hard.

'In Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, we calculate that a quarter of households will see a fall in equity of 10 per cent or more,' he told News Corp.

'In Adelaide, the figures are less severe but for Perth, one quarter of households face a reduction in home equity of 20 per cent or more. This is because the Perth property market is more exposed to movements in stock prices, and average household debt levels are higher relative to home values.'

Experts say the prices for investment properties might fall even more as overseas buyers drop out of the market.

Labor senator Katy Gallagher said on Thursday she was concerned about the Reserve Bank of Australia's comment that it may be a mistake to end the JobKeeper scheme in September.

She said a part of the economic recovery is consumer confidence to spend - and if loan deferrals and JobKeeper are cutoff in September the doubled effect may harm the ability of the economy to bounce back.

The knock on effects to the economy, such as shrinking housing and credit markets, could push Australia dangerously close to a recession.
In first comments, Chinas defence ministry border issue with India controllable, stable

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 29: The Chinese Defence Ministry has said that the ongoing standoff along the India-China border is controllable.

The ministry said that the situation is stable and both countries have the wherewithal to resolve the situation through established mechanisms. This is the first statement from the ministry since the standoff in eastern Ladakh.

LAC tensions: India denies having discussed Chinese aggression with Trump | Oneindia News

Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang said that China's position on the China-India border is clear.

With no immediate solution in sight, India matches China in terms of man power, resources

The Chinese border troops are committed to maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas.

At present the situation in the China-India border is stable and controllable on the whole, Reg also said. The two sides have the ability to communicate and solve relevant issues through the established border related mechanisms and diplomatic channels, he also said.

Meanwhile China's ambassador to India, Sun Weidong conveyed a conciliatory message and said that India and China did not pose a threat to each other. Both countries should never allow their differences to shadow bi-lateral cooperation, he also said.

Both countries are opportunities to each other and need to see each other's development. Steps also should be taken to enhance strategic mutual trust. The statements come a day after the Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing described the overall situation at the border as stable and controllable. Both India and China are capable of resolving the issue through dialogue, the ministry had also said.

We should gradually seek understanding through communication and constantly resolve our differences. China and India should be good neighbours and commit to harmonious co-existence. We need to be good partners and move forward Weidong also said.

PM Modi did not converse with Trump on border standoff with China: Officials

India and China should adhere to basic judgment that they are each other's opportunities. Both countries pose no threat to each other. The realisation of the dragon and the elephant dancing together is the only right choice for India and China, Sun also said. China and India should strengthen practical cooperation and expand the cake of common interests, Sun said at a webinar, in which students and some journalists took part.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, May 29, 2020, 11:51 [IST]
Webinar: Small fisher-folk of North Africa and Palestine in times of COVID19

May 29,2020 | Source: NAFSN

The North African Food Sovereignty Network (NAFSN) and the Transnational Institute (TNI) will organize a webinar on Saturday 30 May 2020 at 14:00 Tunis time (15:00 Amsterdam time and 16:00 Palestine time) to put a spotlight on the situation of fishers in Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia and Palestine.



Description



Small-scale fisher-folks in the North African region contribute to providing food for millions of people. But they find themselves in a catastrophic social situation: low wages, inadequate compensation for work accidents and very long working hours, in addition to the limited awareness of the laws regulating the sector. Moreover, neoliberal plans and neo-colonial trade agreements concluded by North African governments, including with the European Union, favor industrial fishing and allow big boats to overfish in their waters, threatening

the livelihoods of traditional and small-scale fisher-folks. While in Palestine, this group suffers severely from the violent oppression and restrictions imposed by the occupation.



The situation of small-scale fisher-folks worsened in the context of the COVID19 pandemic, and their working conditions exacerbated, as some maritime ports are still normally operating, exposing the lives of

millions of workers to the risk of infection, and others have stopped working altogether, bringing to the surface the dilemma of fisher-folks dispossession through dismissal from work without any compensation .



Speakers



Brahim Mounassir, General Secretary of National Union of Fishers  Coastal and Offshore fishing (Morocco)



Mohamed Yahia Mohmeden from the Professional Union for Fishing and Maritime Services (Mauritania)



Tunisia: a testimony of the conditions of women in the fishing sector in Tunisia.



Saad Ziada from the Union of Agricultural Work Committees - Gaza Strip (Palestine).



Facilitator: Torkia Chaibi, from the Association of One Million Rural Women.

Duration of the seminar: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Theme(s): Others.
Ajit Pramod Kumar Jogi, the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh, was known in the political circles as someone who never gave up despite defeats, controversies and debilitating health issues.

IMAGE: Ajit Jogi, 74, passed away at a private hospital in Raipur. Photograph: PTI Photo

Jogi, 74, who died at a private hospital in Raipur on Friday, was the quintessential politician who enjoyed support among tribal and scheduled caste communities because of his easy accessibility.



Born into a family of modest means in Pendra Road area of the then Bilaspur district, Jogi earned his engineering degree with a gold medal from a university in Ujjain in 1964.

After that he qualified first for the Indian Police Service and then the Indian Administrative Service.

After serving as collector for 12 years in various districts includingIndore and Raipur, Jogi resigned in 1986 and joined the Congress. The party sent him to the Rajya Sabha for two terms -- 1986-92 and 1992-98.

His rise in politics was meteoric, and he became chief minister of the newly formed Chhattisgarh state in November 2000, trumping rivals such as Congress stalwart Vidyacharan Shukla.

As chief minister, he was credited with setting up a state-of-the-art heart hospital in Raipur under the Public-Private-Partnership mode.

Jogi focused on improving health infrastructure in the tribal-dominated backward state and also laid the foundation stone of the new capital city near Abhanpur area of Raipur.



His ambitious `Jogi Dabri scheme' to develop small water sources won praise, but was later marred by corruption allegations.

He was accused for splitting the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party after 12 of its MLAs joined the ruling Congress in 2002.

Jogi succeeded in sidelining Vidyacharan Shukla, who was seeking to become Rajya Sabha MP in 2002. Shukla then joined Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party.

In January 2003, Jogi faced a major political setback when he and his son Amit were named as suspects in the murder of Ram Avtar Jaggi, then treasurer of the state NCP. Amit Jogi was also arrested but was later acquitted by the trial court.

The BJP cashed in on the issue during the assembly elections held towards the end of 2003, in which the Congress suffered a humiliating defeat.

After coming to power, the BJP released an audio tape which purportedly suggested that Jogi had tried to bribe BJP MLAs in an attempt to engineer a split.

Jogi was suspended from the party, but a few months later the Congress fielded him against Shukla who was contesting on BJP ticket in the 2004 Lok Sabha election from Mahasamund.

During the campaign, Jogi met with a road accident near Rajim and was permanently confined to a wheelchair. But he went on to defeat Shukla.

During the 15-year-long tenure of Raman Singh that followed 2003 assembly polls, Jogi was often dubbed as `Team B' of the BJP for his perceived closeness to the ruling party.



When the Congress lost a third Assembly election in a row in 2013, knives were out for Jogi, and the party then made Bhupesh Baghel the state unit chief despite the fact that he did not share any bonhomie with Jogi.

Isolated, Jogi quit the Congress in 2016 after he and his son were accused of involvement in alleged fixing of the by-election to Antagarh assembly seat in 2014.

After the scandal broke in 2015, Baghel expelled Amit Jogi from the Congress. In June 2016, Ajit Jogi formed the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh-J.



Ahead of the 2018 assembly elections, Jogi sprang a surprise by forming alliance with Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party. It was expected that the alliance will play the role of kingmaker.

But the Congress won a landslide by bagging 68 out of 90 seats. Jogi-Mayawati combine won only seven seats.

Ajit Jogi himself managed to win his traditional Marwahi seat, banking on his charisma.

Jogi's status as the member of a tribal community had been the subject of controversy since he entered politics.

After he became chief minister, BJP leader Sant Kumar Netam had complained to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes that his claim of belonging to a Scheduled Tribe was based on forged documents.

With the Congress's return to power, he and his family members faced several fresh allegations with regard to Antagarh bypoll and the caste status issue.

Though sidelined in the state's politics, the four-time MLA never lost his sharp sense of humour, especially while targeting his opponents. His political legacy is now expected to be carried on by his son and JCC chief Amit Jogi.
The country's GDP growth is likely to be at 3.6 percent in January-March 2020 as economic activity came to a complete halt due to the countrywide lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus outbreak, says a report

Mumbai: The country's GDP growth is likely to be at 3.6 percent in January-March 2020 as economic activity came to a complete halt due to the countrywide lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus outbreak, says a report.

The government will release the fourth-quarter GDP data on Friday.

"We expect GDP growth in Q4 to be 3.6 percent with the headline number coming down to 4.7 percent for the entire year," rating agency Care Ratings said in a report.

The expected growth of 3.6 percent will be an all-time low in the GDP new series, it said.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

In the first three quarters of FY2020, the growth was 5.1 percent.

Recently, SBI research report- Ecowrap, has predicted fourth-quarter GDP growth at 1.2 percent, with full-year growth expected to be at 4.2 percent.

The report said the fourth-quarter GDP growth numbers will be noteworthy as it includes one week of lockdown which has the potential to skew the growth numbers.

Several companies tend to have some kind of bunching of activity towards the end of the financial year to meet their targets, which lends an upward thrust to growth numbers.

Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets

"In the Indian case, while the shutdown was in the last week of March several restrictions had come in earlier especially for services which would have pushed back growth numbers further," the rating agency said.

It said the growth rate of the last quarter would also be relevant when estimating the first quarter of FY2021 growth rate when economic activity had come to a virtual standstill in April and showed extremely limited momentum in May with the services sector being affected the most.

"Considering that growth is expected to be a substantial negative in Q1 of FY21, the downward trajectory will be exacerbated this year and can show positive signs only post Q3 FY21," Care said in the report.

Many analysts expect the country's economy to shrink by 5 percent to 6.8 percent this fiscal.

The response of individuals would be critical on the resumption of this consumption cycle.

The industry would invest more depending on demand conditions and it is here that the infra push of the government can make a difference.

"There could be a strong case for the government announcing an aggressive infra spending plan of say 1-2 percent of GDP that can tackle the issue of both investment and employment to begin with, the rating agency added.
<! Above Trump and WHO chief Tedros >

U.S. President Donald Trump said his country will be terminating its relationship with the World Health Organisation(WHO).

He announced this today in Washington, weeks before the 30 day ultimatum given to the UN agency expires.

Trump had earlier stopped U.S. funding of the agency.

He blamed the agency, that he described a puppet of China, for the mismanaged coronavirus pandemic in his country.

The U.S. leads the world in the number of virus caseload and fatalities.

Over 100,000 people have died of the virus in the U.S. and over 1.75 million cases recorded.

Trump had refused to take responsibility for the poor management and blamed WHO for not alerting his country about the seriousness of the virus.

The WHO has vehemently denied his accusation.

He also blames China, where the virus started last December, for not being transparent.

Trump said the WHO had failed to make reforms to the organisation that the president had demanded earlier this month.

He said Chinese officials ignored their reporting obligations about the virus to the WHO and pressured the WHO to mislead the world when the virus was first discovered by Chinese authorities.

China has total control over the World Health Organisation despite only paying $40 million per year compared to what the United States has been paying which is approximately $450 million a year.

We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engaged with them directly but they have refused to act, said Trump.

Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organisation and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs, he said.

Trump has long questioned the value of the United Nations and scorned the importance of multilateralism as he focuses on an America First agenda.

Since taking office, Trump has quit the U.N. Human Rights Council, the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO, a global accord to tackle climate change and the Iran nuclear deal.

The World Health Organisation is a U.N. specialised agency  an independent international body that works with the United Nations.

The WHO and the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have not responded to the latest move by Trump.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called on the Treasury and Justice departments to launch a criminal investigation into Twitter for alleged violations of U.S. sanctions against Iran.

In a letter on Friday to Attorney General William Barr and Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin, Cruz centered on the accounts of Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

Twitter allows top Iranian leaders to have accounts on its platform, which Cruz said violates sanctions in place to prevent providing services or goods to that nation's officials. Twitter is blocked in Iran.

"The cohesion and legitimacy of our laws rest on their equal application to all citizens and entities, no matter how large or how powerful," Cruz wrote. "The Department of Treasury and the Department of Justice should investigate what appears to be Twitter's blatant and willful violation of IEEPA and E.O. 13876 by providing services to Khamenei, Zarif, and other designated Iranian entities, and, to the extent appropriate, enforce any violation through sanctions and by seeking civil and criminal penalties."

IEEPA and E.O. 13876 refer to the International Emergency and Economic Powers Act and Executive Order 13876, which imposes sanctions, respectively.

Axios first reported news of the letter.

Cruz called on Twitter to revoke the leaders' access in early February, though the company said it was not violating sanctions.

Twitter declined to comment on Friday's letter.

The call to investigate Twitter comes against the backdrop of an already tense week between the White House and Twitter. Twitter fact-checked misleading claims made by President Donald Trump on Tuesday regarding mail-in voting. The company also placed a "public interest notice" on a tweet from Trump, later copied by the White House, saying it violated its rules regarding the glorifying of violence.

The White House later pushed back on Twitter by pointing out that Khamenei has an account, claiming Twitter "has determined that it will allow terrorists, dictators, and foreign propagandists to abuse its platform."

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.
The Macomb Township Board of Trustees approved hiring outside legal counsel for employee matters, including but not limited to a recent whistleblower lawsuit, after a lengthy and heated debate of the issue.

On Wednesday, May 27, the board converged via electronic means. Trustee Kathy Smith made the motion for outside counsel, which was seconded by Trustee Charles Oliver. Trustees Smith and Oliver voted yes, along with Supervisor Janet Dunn and Clerk Kristi Pozzi. Trustees Nancy Nevers and Timothy Bussineau voted no, joining with Treasurer Karen Goodhue.

Smith said that at the boards prior meeting of May 13, Supervisor Janet Dunn brought concerns regarding the recent reinstatement of HR Director/General Counsel Thomas Esordi to the board.

I know Mr. Esordi is back but I do not think he can walk us through this, and that is why I am asking for outside legal counsel, Smith said.

Goodhue said the townships insurance company attorneys are handling the whistleblower lawsuit. Smith said she was unaware of this attorney until recently, and had not had a chance to talk to the insurance company regarding the whistleblower lawsuit. She said Dunn has raised additional issues that needed attention, including a protest of the outcome of a Loudermill hearing regarding Esordi and questions about why she was unable to vote at that session, as well as concerns regarding retaliation.

Normally if we have an issue that would be concerns over, that an employee has with an HR director, or had issues with anything regarding the township, they would go to the HR director or maybe would contact our legal department, Smith said. But we are not able to do this because our HR is our legal and this person is suing the township and board members. So who else would look into these matters?

Bussineau said the board received many legal opinions indicating Dunn should recuse herself from the Loudermill hearing. Nevers said that there were multiple attorneys hired at different times regarding matters related to Esordi.

So my concern is who is paying for these lawyers and who will pay for the lawyers? Nevers said.

Smith said she was unaware of multiple attorneys. Goodhue believes hiring additional attorneys is a waste of taxpayers money, and that Esordi is being retaliated against.

Dunn clarified her statements of May 13 on May 27, saying she never claimed to be physically afraid of Esordi.

I said, and I am quoting this from what I said last meeting, quote, The employees are afraid of retaliation. The department heads are afraid of retaliation. I am afraid of retaliation. This is a hostile work environment, Dunn said.

Dunn also said that she had spoken to Esordi on May 26, a communication she described as very cordial.

I am not afraid of Mr. Esordi whatsoever, Dunn said.

Esordi was reinstated after an April 29 Loudermill hearing that saw the board split in 3-3 votes on whether or not there was just cause for his job termination. The townships temporary legal counsel, Greg Meihn, advised the failed motions meant Esordi could return to his position. Dunn recused herself from that vote.

Esordi was terminated from his job with the township by the majority vote of the board on Feb. 19. The hearing permitted him to speak to present his case. During the hearing, Esordi indicated that an outside attorneys investigation noted he did not appear to have any prior disciplinary actions or any written employment policies that were applicable to him. He added the board had not performed an employment evaluation of his work though his contract calls for it.

Esordi filed a state whistleblower lawsuit against the township, alleging he was fired for reporting suspected fraud and theft by the township supervisor and blackmail and extortion by other public and union officials. The lawsuit was filed in Macomb County Circuit Court on April 21, naming the township, Dunn and Pozzi as defendants. It alleges one count each of violation of the Michigan Whistleblowers Act, wrongful termination and breach of contract.

On April 29, Bussineau said that during March, he had consulted an attorney about documentation which he said demonstrated behavior of our supervisor, our clerk and our parks and recreation director that I though violated Michigan law. Bussineau further said that an attorney suggested the information indicated the existence of a quid pro quo, and the U.S. Attorney Generals Office was contacted, adding he reported his concerns to the FBI in April.

Similar allegations were contained in Esordis lawsuit, claims Dunn and Pozzi publicly denied on April 22. On April 22, Pozzi said she had voted to remove Esordi for just cause in February subject to a Loudermill hearing due to evaluations of those he worked with and other aspects. She said that in her opinion, Esordis vague threats were meant to intimidate the board and help him retain his position. Pozzi said that Esordis claims were based on lies, speculation and many untruths.

I unequivocally deny that at any time, I in any way coerced or forced Supervisor Dunn to do anything against her wishes as it pertains to Mr. Esordis employment, Pozzi said on April 22.

That same night, Dunn said that votes and decisions she made while in office were hers alone, adding that the lawsuit claims were filled with inaccuracies, lies and distortions of the truth. Dunn further denied on April 22 Parks and Recreation Director Salvatore DiCaro and Pozzi used any information to coerce or force her to take a certain position with regard to Esordis employment.

In fact, it is the opposite, Dunn said, adding she believes Esordi sent a memo to the board designed to intimidate her.

On May 28 DiCaro also denied involvement in the allegations made by Esordi, indicating he look(s) forward to the day in court when these allegations will be disproven and added that he expects public apologies from Esordi and Bussineau.

I believe at the April 22nd 2020 board meeting, Mrs. Dunn  the person who was supposedly blackmailed  made it perfectly clear that I or Ms. Pozzi did not influence her in any way. She called the allegations ridiculous and stated in fact that she though Mr. Esordi used the information to scare and intimidate her, DiCaro said.

Also on May 26, the Macomb Township Board of Trustees:

* Held a public hearing on the 2020-21 fiscal year budget. The board did not take action on the matter.

* Extended the townships current state of emergency, set to expire on May 28, to June 25.

 Macomb Daily Staff Writer Mitch Hotts contributed to this report.
T he internet can make fools of us all. There were red faces at the much-loved Hay Festival this week after a prankster played on the honesty of an event host and a speaker by tricking them into thinking he was watching from the International Space Station.

During a Q&A session of a talk by materials scientist Ainissa Ramirez, hosted by Hay chairman Peter Florence, a commenter giving his name only as Michael said he was turning in from the ISS. Cue huge excitement from Florence and Ramirez.

Unfortunately Ramirez tweeted: I communicated with the space station today. Im done. This day is one for the ages. Ramirez, the author of several books, later added that she would never forget that moment.

She wasnt the only one taken in. One viewer tweeted: Loved that there were also comments in the live chat coming from the International Space Station. Dan Davis, a professor of immunology at Manchester, tweeted his excitement at the comment direct from the SPACE STATION no less.

Why would someone up on the ISS tune into a science talk at Hay? Perhaps they needed help getting back down to Earth again...

---

This autumn could be an embarrassment of riches for the reader according to one leading literary agent, ahead of a book release pile-up caused by coronavirus. The alternative, Jonny Geller explained to the Londoner, is to push to next spring but that will take the air out of the debuts so its a tough choice. A literary dust-up beckons.

---

Wise to it: Alexander Waugh (Photo: Glyn Howells/Getty Images) / Getty Images

John Mortimer, who wrote such a poor script for the film of Brideshead Revisited that it had to be rewritten by the director and producer straight from the book, was once asked: How did you do it? Alexander Waugh, Evelyns grandson, recounts his self-effacing reply, well you know its all Waugh, hes wonderful, hes just such a good writer. Alexander Waugh adds to the Spectator's podcast: He wouldnt quite admit that he didnt write it at all, and yes it was all Waugh.

SW1A

Harrumph: Nick Timothy with Fiona Hill (Photo: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images) / Getty Images

Nick Timothy, Theresa Mays former joint chief adviser, huffs: The point about politics is that voters never say thank you for what youve done, they always ask whats next. Given that Timothy was key in arguing for the disastrous 2017 election which lost May her majority and caused him to resign soon after, no wonder he sounds so sniffy about voters.

---

Alan Johnson says Keir Starmer has weeded out some of the rubbish from the Shadow Cabinet already, specifically those who were there just for ideology, for the glory of their great leader Corbyn. The former Labour home secretary adds to the Planet Normal podcast that Starmer is someone to be feared at PMQs, whereas it was all a bit of a laugh for the Tories under Corbyn. Theyre not laughing any more.

Let us entertain you: Robbie and Ayda join the pod squad

Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda Field are back in the podcast game. Like everyone, weve been stuck indoors so we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to bring you back into our home, they say. Will anyone emerge from lockdown having managed not to start a podcast? Meanwhile Alexa Chung looked typically chic as she sniffed a flower, and fashion designer Kyle DeVolle gave his followers a positive message ahead of the weekend, telling them you are solid gold. Does that mean everyone has a price?
Plastic Surgeon - Post-Covid Times Just like many other businesses, plastic surgeons had to adjust, offering virtual consultations and finding creative ways to keep providing their services.

2020 has been an interesting year for plastic surgery practices. In addition to the highly competitive nature of the industry and the ever-changing trends, surgeons have had to adjust their operations to continue serving patients under the Coronavirus pandemic. In addition to keeping up to state and federal guidelines, surgeons had to temporarily shut their doors to their patients. Just like many other businesses, plastic surgeons had to adjust, offering virtual consultations and finding creative ways to keep providing their services.

And that was only a few weeks ago.

Today, we are realizing that the impact of the pandemic might not be temporary, and might have lingering effects in not only the economy, but in the way businesses operate. Just like many industries, including technology, financial companies, and even educational institutions, plastic surgery and other medical practices have now realized that communities are inclined to maintain a more virtual approach to their everyday lives. Working from home, relying on delivery services, and holding virtual meetings and conferences might permanently become more standard than in the past.

For this reason, it is vital for businesses, including plastic surgery practices, to ensure that they are optimized to continue serving their patients and customers efficiently and with ease. Now more than ever, customers expect businesses to adapt to their needs, and the businesses that thrive are and will be the ones that do it best.

With that said, here is a checklist that should serve as a starting point to maximize the efficiency in the business process between your plastic surgery practice and your patients.

A User-Friendly, Responsive Website

Though it has been essential for years, having a modern, responsive website for your practice is one of the most important tools for your practice. Your website should not only be your presentation card, but also make it easy for your current and future patients to find the latest information about your services, your practice, and the industry itself. Additionally, your website should be able to integrate appointment scheduling and have easy ways for your patients to get in touch with your practice - whether by instant messaging, Chatbots, or other integrations. All of this should, of course, be built in an inviting, professional way thats user-friendly, and more importantly, responsive. More people are migrating to their mobile devices for navigation - make sure to give them the experience they expect.

Virtual Consultations

As we mentioned earlier, there is a high probability that virtual consultations are here to stay. Whether your practice offered this in the past or used it during the pandemic, virtual consultations can help you service patients that do not have the opportunity to visit your practice. Remember, many people in your community arent relying on this because they remain hesitant or uncertain about the pandemic, but because their situations make it difficult for them to do so. With schools and daycares still closed in many places, parents are forced to stay at home with their children, or simply do not have time to leave their homes.

Before-and-After Patient Gallery

Many studies have confirmed that before-and-after galleries are the most efficient ways to pushing your future patients to take action and book their consultations. It is important to have a dedicated page on your website that offers a user-friendly, well-arranged gallery of before-and-after patient photos broken down by categories and services you offer.

Rapid-Response To Appointment Requests

When a patient is looking for a plastic surgeon, he/she typically looks at various different practices through their browsing/searching session. Additionally, patients have become more and more used to instant gratification. This means that you must be able to be there for your patients to answer their questions or book their appointments at all times. Is your practice optimized to text, email, or follow-up with your patients 24/7? If not, there are many services and tools that make it easy for you and your staff to do so.

An Exceptional Marketing Plan

Almost every practice has a social media page these days that enables them to quickly bring information, case studies, discounts, and other material to their clients. But we find it incredible that many practices are relying solely on posts these days! If your practice does not have a well-structured marketing plan and strategy for patient acquisition and retention, then your practice is lagging. By defining what works for your practice and your area, focusing on the most efficient methods, and tracking the results of your ads and campaigns, your practice can stay ahead of other plastic surgeons in your city. Over time, this efficiency in your marketing plan not only leads to a lower cost per lead, but also ensures that you have a devoted following that can help your business grow even further.

Review Your Reviews

How often do you manage the reputation of your practice? If its not daily, then youre not doing it as you should. One bad review or comment can have a significant impact on the reputation of your practice, and thus your patient acquisition and retention. It is vital to quickly respond to both positive and negative reviews, and to make sure your patients and future patients feel like theyre listened to. No matter the nature of the comment or review, you must respond in an empathetic manner and work on gaining the trust of the patient or solidifying his/her loyalty to your practice. Never let a review or a comment harm your practice when you can use it to your advantage.

Remember, accomplishing these vital strategies take time. You do not have to create a marketing plan, set up a gallery, automize consultations and respond to patient reviews all in a single day. Great things take time. And thankfully, there are many tools, services, and companies that help you stay up to date. From automatic scheduling tools that you can integrate into your website, reputation management companies, and digital marketing companies that build marketing plans and lead generation programs, there are many, many ways to ensure you distinguish your practice from your competitors, and that you dont do so by yourself.

If you feel youre falling behind, start by taking small steps. Respond to a review. Research what offers have worked best, what posts have had the best reach. Start working on a before-and-after gallery. Reach out to marketing companies to see what they can do for you - many usually offer free consultations. If you are unsure where to look, we encourage you to check out Fully Booked Doctors, a company that offers plastic and cosmetic surgery practices a complete done-for-you system that helps establish patient generation systems and marketing strategies. Whatever you do, dont let your practice become stagnant.

About The Author

Carlos J. Gracida is the co-owner of Fully Booked Doctors, a small business company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas that focuses on bringing complete done-for-you systems to plastic and cosmetic surgeons. With over 10 years of experience in helping companies grow in different industries, Carlos has dedicated to helping business owners grow their companies through successful marketing and advertising. For more information, visit FullyBookedDoctors.com
During her own presidential campaign, Ms. Klobuchar faced continued protests, as well as some calls to drop out of the race from local black leaders in Minneapolis, after news reports found numerous faults in the prosecution of a black teenager named Myon Burrell while Ms. Klobuchar was the prosecutor. Mr. Burrell was convicted in the murder of an 11-year-old girl, but maintained his innocence, and one of Mr. Burrells co-defendents had said he was in fact the gunman responsible. Ms. Klobuchar has said that any new evidence in this case should be reviewed by the court

Two days before Super Tuesday in March, a rally in her home state was shut down by protesters demanding she do more to help free Mr. Burrell.

Ms. Klobuchar said while on the campaign trail that the case should be reviewed, but local civil rights leaders in Minneapolis wanted the senator to use the full power of her office to demand a new investigation.

This week, Ms. Klobuchar issued a statement after Mr. Floyds killing, calling for an outside investigation and saying that those involved in this incident must be held accountable. She was met with near immediate criticism from local and national activists for not mentioning Mr. Floyds name or saying that he had been killed by the police, and for not immediately calling for charges to be filed.

Behind the scenes, Ms. Klobuchar has been reaching out to local and national leaders in the black community since Mr. Floyds killing. She called the Rev. Al Sharpton; Derrick Johnson, the president of the NAACP; and Leslie Redmond, the president of the Minneapolis NAACP. She joined other Minnesota elected officials to send a letter to the local United States Attorney and district attorney urging a full investigation into Mr. Floyds death.

But still, some Democrats thought that Ms. Klobuchar, now one of the partys leading national voices, should have been more publicly vocal in the wake of Mr. Floyds death.

I think that clearly how she behaves and conducts herself in her home state with the situation with the killing is going to be something everyone is going to watch, Mr. Sharpton said in an interview. Id like to see her do more, Id like to see her be more aggressive in calling for intervention here. When you have the mayor saying the people ought to be charged, it raises the bar on other elected officials who have not said that.
President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the appointment of M. B. Dongban-Mensem as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) with effect from June 3 for a further period of three (3) months.

This is pursuant to Section 238(4) and (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic, Mr Buharis spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said.

Mrs Dongban-Mensem was sworn in as acting court of appeal president by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, on March 6.

The swearing-in followed Mrs Dongban-Mensems appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari after Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa retired as she clocked the statutory mandatory retirement age of 70 years as Justice of Appeal Court.

Swearing her in, Mr Muhammad urged Mrs Dongban-Mensem to continue to discharge her duties diligently, noting that hardworking and discipline earned her the new position.

As a seasoned judicial officer, there is nothing to tell her but just to work very well.

She has been doing her job satisfactorily well and it is as a result of this hard work, character, and attitude that enticed the Court of Appeal and the National Judicial Council to uplift her as Acting President Court of Appeal.

I urge you to continue to with your charisma, both attitude and ability, to carry out all the tasks and assignments you are given to.

Our expectation will never fall short of this kind of testimony from the public. Please continue to bear that testimony and the sky will be your limit, Mr Muhammad said.

READ ALSO:

Mr Muhammad urged her to carry along her colleagues, pointing out that consultation was important in discharging her duty.

Speaking to journalists after the swearing-in session, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau expressed confidence in Mrs Dongban-Mensems ability to serve meritoriously.

Mr Lalong said the appointment was an indication that the judiciary is taking its rightful place.

Mrs Dongban-Mensem, who is from Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau, was the presiding justice of the Court of Appeal, Jos division.

Mrs Dongban-Mensem, in 2015, headed a five-member appeal panel that upheld the ruling of the governorship election tribunal in Rivers, which ordered the sacking of Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party and a rerun within 90 days.

Mrs Dongban-Mensem received LL.B and LL.M degrees from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. She is the daughter of a retired appeal court judge, M.B. Douglas-Mensem.
It began with an early-morning report of a suspicious person jumping into a backyard, then a light going on in a vacant house.

Deputies from the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office responded to the sprawling Sienna Plantation subdivision in Missouri City at around 1:45 a.m. Friday. So did a deputy from the Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Constables Office.

The law-enforcement officers noticed a back door was not secured and entered. As they were clearing the home, a sheriffs deputy discharged his weapon, believing a suspect was inside.

The gunfire struck not a suspect but Deputy Constable Caleb Rule, authorities said. The 37-year-old officer was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he later died.

Rule was a married father of four who had served 14 years with the Missouri City Police Department. He joined the Precinct 4 Constables Office in September.

This can be a very, very dangerous job and lives are at risk, Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls said at a morning news conference. This here is something that no law enforcement officer in this country ever wants to have deal with something like this. This is an absolute tragedy.

The identity of the sheriffs office deputy who discharged his firearm  described by Nehls as an officer with more than two decades of law enforcement experience  was not immediately released.

The incident has drawn attention to the intersecting law-enforcement and political lives of Nehls and his twin brother Trever, who is the Precinct 4 constable.

Troy Nehls was elected sheriff in 2012 and previously served as Precinct 4 constable. A Republican, hes running for the congressional seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Pete Olson. Trever Nehls, who has served two terms as Precinct 4 constable, is now running for sheriff.

The Texas Rangers, as well as the offices of sheriff and district attorney, are all investigating the shooting. Sheriff Nehls said it marks the first officer-on-officer shooting in his tenure as sheriff.

Between 2015 and 2019, nine law enforcement officers across the country were accidentally killed in firearm-related incidents, according to data compiled by the FBI.

Joint operations common

The house that deputies responded to is located in the 3900 block of Chestnut Bend in Sienna Plantation, a master-planned community located about 12 miles southeast of Sugar Lands town square.

The sheriff deputies and Rule apparently arrived at the residence around the same time.

Constable Nehls said its common practice for the two agencies to work together on calls and under the same radio channel system.

Rule was wearing his bulletproof vest at the time of the shooting, said the sheriffs office. It was unclear where he was struck, and authorities declined to say how many shots were fired.

Constable Nehls said he is unsure whether there was a verbal exchange before the deputy sheriff discharged his weapon.

Rule apparently was wearing a body camera, but the other deputies were not, according to the Nehls brothers.

All sheriff deputies involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave pending the result of the investigation.

Im not going to say anything was done wrong. I think what we have in this certain circumstance is a tragedy of mistaken identity, said Constable Nehls. I have not spoken to the deputy in question. Im confident that he will be interviewed while the investigation is ongoing, but Im not going to speculate what I think the deputy felt at that time or what he was feeling as the home was being searched.

Mentor and friend

Officials said Rule had an outgoing personality and loved engaging with the community.

He spoke often of his family and the love of his family, Constable Nehls said.

Rule made a positive impression on his fellow officers during his short tenure with the constables office, during which he was assigned to be a patrol deputy for the Riverstone subdivision

He was a mentor and a friend to many, said his supervisor, Constables Sgt. Christina Resendez. Its a great loss and hell be greatly missed.

Rule had served as a Missouri City police detective from 2011 to 2018.

We are devastated by the passing of Deputy Constable Rule, said Missouri City Police Chief Mike Berezin. He was part of a family who took an oath to protect the community. It was an honor to serve with him in Missouri City, and our hearts are heavy for his family.

Other local officials also expressed sympathy to the family.

This is a very unfortunate incident, said Missouri City Mayor Yolanda Ford.

Fort Bend County Judge KP George praised Rule as a dedicated law enforcement officer and a loyal public servant. He ordered flags at county buildings flown at half-staff.

Rule is survived by his wife and four children, ages 13 to 18. His oldest daughter was to graduate Friday evening from Needville High School.

claire.goodman@chron.com

brooke.lewis@chron.com
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951

/var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f04863a7708)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f04865f1240)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f04863a7708)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f04865f1240)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f04863f4da8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f04865f1240)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f04865f1240)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f0485adc7d0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f0486390488)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f0486390488)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
Member of Parliament (MP) for the North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has paid the salaries of private teachers in his constituency to mitigate their plight caused by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP on May 18 announced via a Facebook post that he is going to support teachers of 45 private basic schools in his constituency who have been deprived of salary since March.

I have been in touch with the leadership of the 45 private basic schools in my beloved constituency to find out how they are coping with the exigencies of the times and to express my solidarity. Sad to hear that unlike their counterparts in the public sector, teaching and non-teaching staff have not received salaries since March, thanks to COVID-19.

In the unfortunate circumstances, I have notified the leadership of private schools of a new MPs initiative to offer a cash compensation package to all 570 teaching and non-teaching staff at the end of this month (May), Hon. Ablakwa said then.

On Thursday, May 28, the North Tongu MP has fulfilled that pledge after overseeing direct cash transfers to 659 indomitable teaching and non-teaching staff in his constituency.

The figure comprises some 570 teaching and non-teaching staff from 45 private schools and 89 volunteer teachers in public basic schools who are not on Government payroll, he explained in a Facebook post.

According to the lawmaker, the source of funds for the intervention is from the MPs Common Fund [30%], his personal contribution [20%], MPs fundraising efforts from donors [50%].

While expressing his delight to all donors who made contributions, Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa stressed that the country will surely win the fight against the Coronavirus disease.

Check out his full Facebook post below:

Promise Kept!

We have this evening concluded direct cash transfers to 659 indomitable teaching and non-teaching staff in my beloved constituency.

The figure comprises some 570 teaching and non-teaching staff from 45 private schools and 89 volunteer teachers in public basic schools who are not on the government payroll.

This MPs initiative to ameliorate the plight of private school teachers who have not received salaries since March due to the COVID-19 induced closure of schools has now been successfully implemented.

The source of funds for the intervention are as follows: MPs Common Fund financed 30%; MPs personal contribution 20%; MPs fundraising efforts from donors accounted for the remaining 50%.

I express my heartfelt appreciation to all those whose generosity have helped us make this initiative a resounding success. I am eternally indebted to my army of dedicated volunteers who authenticated the data and verified the MoMo transactions. May God bless every one of you greatly.

As I have maintained - we are all in this together, we shall defeat COVID-19 together and like the Phoenix, we shall rise from the ashes together.
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided they don't want to be senior members of the royal family, they also decided to become royal family members who are financially independent.

They were criticized for cashing in on their royal identities without having to perform the required royal duties and for pretending to live up to their credentials.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were dependent on Prince Harry's family to pay for whatever they may need, as well as their son Archie, and their household's budget in Frogmore Cottage.

Accoridng to The Telegraph, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry desired to become financially independent since April 2019, nine months before their bombshell announcement.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry planned to be financially independent, only accepting money from Prince Charles for additional support.

When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made an appearance and had a short talk at JP Morgan, they were reportedly paid between $500,000 to $1 million.

A royal expert said, "I think it has been a bit critical, and the problem they face here is the monetization of the Sussexes and what it's going to do to the monarchy moving forward."

Prince Harry was also using his mother's death, Prince Diana, when he's out on his speaking gigs.

An American columnist said, "But for the right price, he'll dredge up all that deeply personal emotional chaos, held sacred for decades, to a room full of global powerbrokers - despite zero chance any of it will elucidate or ameliorate a single real-world problem."

But fast forward to today.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are currently living in an $18 million mansion that was loaned to them by Hollywood producer, Tyler Perry.

Before this, they spent four months living in a $20 million waterfront home on Vancouver Island.

But now that they're finally free to do whatever they want, how much freedom and money have they gotten?

And while Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are reportedly looking for a home to buy and call their own, they have been relying on their celebrity friends to give them a home.

David Foster arranged their Canadian home, while Oprah Winfrey reportedly facilitated the couple's stay in Perry's mansion.

Even Meghan Markle's career, where she narrated on the Disney documentary about elephants. It was reportedly given to her because they were close to then-Disney head Bob Iger.

On the other hand, Prince Harry was working on a mental health documentary in collaboration with Oprah.

In a way, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have exchanged being reliant on the British monarchy and being dependent on Tinseltown's royal family.

For Meghan Markle's career, it was reported that she turned to George Clooney, who she has gotten close to, and it was even said that he would be helping her secure high profile acting gigs.

But a source close to his lawyer's wife Amal Clooney said that she was not happy with the pair's back and forth text messages.

"He's one of the best-connected A-listers in town, so it makes sense that Meghan would want his advice alongside, if not above, most others."

So even in Hollywood, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have celebrity friends to lean on for support and help.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle Heartbreak: Hollywood Will Serve the Duchess Her Karma Soon
The art of Chinese dissident Badiucao shows the ugly side of his countrys Communist regime and he has a warning for Premier Daniel Andrews: take a closer look at China before getting closer to the Asian superpower.

The artist has added his voice to the chorus of criticism of Mr Andrews and his state Labor government over the decision to sign up to Chinas global $1.5 trillion Belt and Road Initiative.

Badiucao, a Chinese dissident artist living in Melbourne, cautions Victoria's closer economic relationship with China comes with political and cultural costs. Credit:Eddie Jim

Badiucao, who only uses one name, says any short-term economic benefit derived from the agreement could be dwarfed in importance by getting too close to a regime which, he says, has no respect for democracy, the rule of law or human rights.

The artist says he is not alone among Victorias Chinese-Australian community in his disdain for the countrys rulers and disquiet over its growing relationship with the state they call home, but few dare to risk the ire of the Chinese authorities by speaking out.
A YouTube star who is facing backlash for placing her four-year-old adopted son from China with a new family has responded to the criticism, saying he 'wanted this decision 100 per cent.'

Myka Stauffer, 32, and her husband James, 34, posted a tearful video on Tuesday saying they've decided to 'rehome' Huxley, whom they adopted in October 2017 and was later diagnosed with autism, citing unspecified behavioral issues.

After coming under fire for their controversial decision, the Ohio-based mom allegedly responded in the comments. The message appears to have been deleted but is now circulating online.

Choice: YouTuber Myka Stauffer, 32, from Ohio, has defended her decision to place her adopted autistic Huxley with a new family that is better equipped to handle his special needs

Response: After coming under fire for her announcement, Myka allegedly responded in the comments. The message appears to have been deleted but is now circulating online

'We would never just give up a child with special needs, this is a personal matter to Hux it had nothing to do with he just had Autism,' she wrote.

'Multiple scary things happened inside the home towards our other children, and if these events happened with one of my biological kids, after all the help and after the behaviors we witnessed sadly we would have no other choice then to seek help and get their needs met.'

Myka and James have four other children: Kova, eight, Jaka, six, Radley, four, and Onyx, 11 months.

The mom went on to insist that rehoming Huxley  who turns five next week  was what was best for him and something he wanted.

'Huxley wanted this descion [sic] 100% we saw that in family time with other poeple [sic], he constantly chose them and signed with and showed tons of emotion to show us and let us know he wanted this,' she explained. 'Huxley never had a say in his adoption, and he needed more help and also wanted this and we know that 100%.'

The couple's lawyers, Thomas Taneff and Taylor Sayers, told People that Myka and James 'are very caring parents that would do anything for their children,' but 'this was the best decision for Huxley.'

They explained that the couple had consulted multiple healthcare and education professionals since his adoption and were advised 'it might be best for Huxley to be placed with another family.'

Family update: Myka and her husband James posted a tearful video on Tuesday saying they've decided to 'rehome' their Huxley, who is turning five next week

'This is devastating news for any parent. Our clients came to the difficult determination to follow the advice of the medical professionals,' they said. 'To be clear this did NOT include any considerations for placement in the foster system, but rather to hand-select a family who is equipped to handle Huxleys needs.

'They were forced to make a difficult decision, but it is in fact, the right and loving thing to do for this child.

'We have advised our clients not to say anything further at this time, but it is likely they will share more when the time is appropriate for them and all involved,' the attorneys' added.

When the Stauffers brought Huxley home from China in 2017, Myka documented his international adoption on her YouTube channel, which now has more than 700,000 subscribers.

Myka also wrote about Huxley's adoption and his special needs. In a piece she had penned for Parade in September, she said that they were surprised when they came home with their adopted son and realized his file was 'inaccurate.'

'Our son ended up having a stroke in utero, has level 3 autism, and sensory processing disorder,' she wrote. 'It took a lot of time to process and to readjust to his new diagnosis.'

She shared that Huxley receives '30 hours of ABA [Applied Behavior Analysis] in-home therapy a week and goes to private preschool' to help with his needs.

'He is a great kid and his condition doesnt involve that much overall careall you need is a big heart and practice patience every day,' she said.

Story: Myka adopted Huxley from China three years ago, and he was later diagnosed with autism. She cited unspecified behavioral issues for having to place him in another home

Backing them up: The couple's lawyers said Myka and James 'are very caring parents that would do anything for their children,' but 'this was the best decision for Huxley'

Myka featured Huxley on her YouTube channel and social media pages until early 2020. One of her last photos featuring her adopted son was posted on February 16, and in the captions, she opened up about how difficult it can be to care for his special needs.

'We have hard days, lots of them. I wish autism and adoption trauma had a manual to direct you through it all,' she wrote.

After months of fans wondering what happened to Huxley, Myka and James shared a family 'update' on her YouTube channel, saying their adopted son has a new 'forever family' that is better equipped to take on his special needs.

'With international adoption, sometimes there are unknowns and things that are not transparent on files,' James said. 'Once Huxley came home, there was a lot more special needs that we weren't aware of, and that we were not told.'

Myka stressed that they love Huxley; they just realized they weren't able to give him what he needs.

'There's not an ounce of our body that doesn't love Huxley with all of our being,' she said as her eyes welled up with tears.

'There wasn't a minute that I didn't try our hardest and I think what [James] is trying to say is that after multiple assessments, after multiple evaluations, numerous medical professionals have felt that he needed a different fit [for] his medical needs. He needed more.'

The influencer said 'the last couple months have been the hardest thing [she] could have ever imagined.'

'Do I feel like a failure as a mom? Like, 500 per cent,' she admitted, but she said Huxley is 'thriving' and 'very happy.'

'He is doing really well,' she said. 'His new mommy has medical professional training, and it is a very good fit.'

The couple ended their emotional video with a plea for fans to have 'grace' with them during this difficult time.

Family: Myka and James have four other children: Kova, eight, Jaka, six, Radley, four, and Onyx, 11 months

For the best? Myka claimed 'multiple scary things happened inside the home' towards their four other children

'We are still struggling,' she said. 'We are going to be heartbroken for a very long time.'

The backlash was swift, with many critics accusing the couple of adopting Huxley as a stunt to gain viewers.

'She adopted a child for views and then got rid of him and treated him like a brand deal,' one person wrote, another added: 'You adopted him solely for the attention it would give you and now you're giving him away. Unbelievable.

'I never watched that Myka Stauffer youtube mom, but I am RAGING over the fact that they rehomed their adopted special needs son,' someone else chimed in.

Others angered by the couple's decision called on Myka's sponsors to drop her.

Brands that have worked with her before were flooded with social media messages from people in they days following her announcement about Huxley, prompting a number of companies to say they will not longer work with her.

Playtex Baby responded to one concerned consumer, saying: Her last Instagram post for Playtex Baby was back in February. We are not partnering with her moving forward.'

Danimals, Big Lots, and Suave have posted similar messages on Instagram.

'We have previously worked with Myka Stauffer and are no longer working with her,' Danimals wrote. 'We are aware of the news she shared about her family, and are very sad to hear about this difficult situation.'

Big Lots noted that they 'had a one-time partnership with Myka in the summer of 2019' and 'will not work with her in the future.'

'We last partnered with Myka in Fall 2019 as a limited engagement,' Suave said.

Some companies she has worked with have yet to respond to the controversy, including Fabletics and Mattel.
CAMBRIDGE, MA / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / IIOT-OXYS, Inc. (OTC PINK:ITOX) announced an update on business and their 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K filing. Cliff Emmons, CEO of IIOT-OXYS, Inc. stated, "IIOT-OXYS, Inc. is committed to keeping its shareholders well informed on the company's business and its SEC filings, specifically the filing of the 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K."

Due to circumstances stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, IIOT-OXYS, Inc.'s leadership, legal, accounting, and audit teams determined that the company's 2019 SEC 10-K filing would be delayed beyond the current deadline of May 29, 2020. Mr. Emmons stated, "Our team has targeted mid-June to file, and is doing everything it can to file as early as possible."

"We understand our shareholders have been patient for information since our last filing, so we've included in this press release a list of answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from our shareholders," stated Mr. Emmons.

FAQs:

Please provide an update to the Company's business activity since your last filing.

Answer : Due to tight cash flow in Q4 2019 and Q1 2020, the Company focused on its current customers and their ongoing projects. This included successfully completing a pilot program with its Fortune 500 Pharma company, and continuing its bridge monitoring pilot for a New England state's DOT. Since signing a collaboration agreement with Aingura IIoT, S.L. in March 2020, the Company and its partner are preparing combined use cases to renew engagements with all of the Company's earlier prospects. The Company expects to close new business with both its previous customers and prospects throughout forthcoming quarters of 2020.

Please comment on market cap, dilution, and management salary over current management's tenure.

Answer : It is company policy not to directly discuss PPS and market cap, because our management team focuses on executing and growing the Company's business. It should be noted that the stock was and continues to be volatile, both prior to and since current management came on board in mid-2018, and basing the Company's value on market cap is not accurate given that volatility. The Company has warned in its risk factor disclosure of the volatility of its share price. With respect to dilution, we recently disclosed shares issued and outstanding in a recent filing on Form 8-K, and we will continue to keep shareholders informed on this matter. As for management salary, it should be noted that throughout 2019, all management compensation was accrued and the executive team received no pay during that period. Given the tight cash flow and current balance sheet, the entire executive team is contemplating forgiveness of accrued and unpaid salary, which will be formally announced in a Form 8-K, once agreements are entered into.

Please comment on Company communications and its website.

Answer : As noted above, tight cash flow in Q4 2019 and Q1 2020 made it difficult to issue Press Releases. We've been addressing the more pressing issues with our website, for example, updating our contact phone number. Management asks for your patience in addressing your other concerns with our website.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that reflect Management's current views about future events and financial performance. Forward-looking statements often contain words such as 'expects,' 'anticipates,' 'intends,' or 'believes.' Our forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and events to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could adversely affect us include, without limitation, the loss of major customers, our failure to obtain new contracts, our inability to patent products or processes, our infringement of patents held by others, our inability to finance our business and the other risks and uncertainties that are discussed in our most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release. We undertake no obligation to update our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Us

IIOT-OXYS, Inc. is a technology company at the intersection of IIoT, AI & Machine Learning, Edge Computing and Manufacturing Operations. We provide actionable mission-critical insights for the Medical/Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Defense, and Structural Health, and other industries. IIOT-OXYS, Inc. edge computing open-source hardware and proprietary ML algorithms employ our Minimally-Invasive Load Monitoring (MILM) technology to simply gather data and gain insights to monitor, scope, move from preventive to predictive maintenance, and even optimize development and manufacturing processes. For additional information visit www.oxyscorp.com

CONTACT:

Clifford L. Emmons

CEO

IIOT-OXYS, Inc.

contact@oxyscorp.com

www.oxyscorp.com

SOURCE: IIOT-OXYS, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/591861/IIOT-OXYS-Inc-Provides-Business-and-SEC-Form-10-K-Filing-Update
China is fed up with being the nice guy. Now any negative comments and actions from the U.S. are bound to trigger diplomatic reactions or other countermeasures in China, said Xi Junyang, a professor at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. The question is how far China is willing to go and what cards we have.
Russian photo colorist Olga Shirnina has stunning new work ready to post for her more than 45,000 followers on social media but is unwilling to share three new images on Facebook and Instagram because, as she told RFE/RL, I would be [suspended] again for sure.

Shirnina (above), who works under the name Klimbim, is a professional German-Russian translator and considered one of the best in the world at using Photoshop to transform historic black-and-white images into color. The Moscow-based translator and history enthusiast says she spends hours on her computer researching, then adding vibrance to monochrome historic images purely for pleasure. Shirnina has been profiled in leading news and art websites around the world and labels her work free for anyone to use not-for-profit. Photos in her colorized collection are a mixture of daily life, portraits, and historic photojournalism from around the world. None of her captions includes political commentary.

In September 2019, Shirnina received her first notification from Instagram that an image she colorized of senior Nazi leaders had violated community guidelines and that her account could be deleted if she posted similar content in the future.

In the following months, several more of Shirninas colorized photographs were removed from both Facebook and Instagram, which is owned by Facebook. The situation escalated when Shirninas Facebook account was suspended after she posted the image below of two Nazi soldiers during a battle in Ukraine. No Nazi insignia is visible in the photo, suggesting the image may have been flagged by a person rather than through automation. Shirnina was again warned she had broken Facebook rules on dangerous organizations. It would prove the first and last time she says an appeal was successful.

Facebooks policy on Dangerous Individuals And Organizations states: "In an effort to prevent and disrupt real-world harm, we do not allow any organizations or individuals that proclaim a violent mission or are engaged in violence to have a presence on Facebook. This includes organizations or individuals involved in the following: Terrorist activity Organized hate Mass murder (including attempts) or multiple murder Human trafficking Organized violence or criminal activity We also remove content that expresses support or praise for groups, leaders, or individuals involved in these activities. Then in early May, Shirninas Facebook account was suspended for three days -- this time for posting a colorized version of Evgenei Khaldeis iconic photo of Soviet soldiers raising their flag above the Reichstag in Berlin in 1945. Her appeal against the decision was rejected and she was able to use her account with more than 20,000 followers only after waiting three days, then sending a scan of her drivers license, which Facebook requested to confirm her identity.

Shirnina says she has been puzzled by the apparent inconsistency of Facebooks changing rules and says it remains unclear which images could trigger a permanent ban. I work with real historical photos and they can't be corrected! she says. Several images of Soviet leaders responsible for the deaths of millions of people -- as well as photos with Soviet symbols clearly visible -- have been published without problem on her pages.
After causing havoc in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the menace of the migratory locusts hit Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, May 28. Swarms of locusts hit Dasappa Road, Rayadurga in Anantapuram district, destroying planted crops in farmlands.

"This plant was good when I came to my shop in the morning. But now while returning home, I saw that the plant is leafless. And the plant next to it is full of locusts. I had seen locusts on TV. But they came to Rayadurga for the first time," Ramesh, a local shopkeeper, told a news agency.

READ | UP Launches Locust Control Operations In Vulnerable Areas

Locust, known as 'Tiddi Dal' in North India, is a type of grasshoppers that usually move in large numbers and devastate crops.

Earlier this year, several parts of Rajasthan had reported locust attacks. The Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had warned of another attack in May-June this year.

Known to have travelled from the gulf, the huge swarms of locusts transit from Pakistan to India. The first locust attack of this year was reported from Ganganagar, a district in north Rajasthan bordering Pakistan on May 11.

READ | Locust Attack: Centre To Buy Sprayers From UK, Use Helicopters, Drones To Spray Pesticides

The Union Agriculture Ministry on Thursday said that 15 sprayers will be procured from the UK in a fortnight and plans are afoot to deploy drones and helicopters for the aerial spray of pesticides. Union Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that control measures are in full swing and in close coordination with state agriculture departments, local administration and Border Security Force (BSF).

While the Uttar Pradesh government swung into action, spraying crops with various chemicals and insecticide in Jhansi and Sonbhadra districts, farmers in Uttar Pradesh have resorted to playing DJs and loud music to deal with locusts and minimize potential damage.

READ | Video: Farmers Use DJ And Loud Music To Scare Off Locusts In Uttar Pradesh

READ | Telangana Govt Taking Precautions To Avert Entry Of Locusts Into State: CM
(Newser)  Elon Musk doesn't take a salary from Tesla. He doesn't seem to need one. The company has met its financial goals, Mashable reports, which makes Musk eligible for his reward. He can now buy 1.69 million shares at $350.02 apiece. At Thursday's closing price of $805 or so, the CEO's payout comes to about $770 million. Under his compensation plan, announced in January 2018, Musk has to hold onto the shares for five years. The company goals included a market cap averaging more than $100 billion for six months, and either annual revenue of $20 billion or adjusted earnings of $1.5 billion. In an SEC filing in advance of a shareholder meeting, the company confirmed that the goals were met and Musk can collect.

story continues below

And that's just the beginning. There are 11 more tranches ahead, should Tesla meet the connected goals. The program faces a challenge, however, per CNBC. A shareholder has sued Musk and board members over the plan, saying the board violated its fiduciary duty by approving excessive compensation for the CEO. Musk already is worth about $40 billion on paper, per the Verge. But he has said he doesn't have all that much cash because he puts his money back into his companies, often borrowing more to invest in them. Tesla's annual meeting is scheduled for July 7 in Mountain View, California, and the company says it will be an in-person gathering, despite the pandemic. (Musk has been selling off his properties.)
Farmers should create loud noise by beating drums, tin containers and utensils to protect their crops from millions of locusts, which have invaded India at a time when the country is battling the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

The northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is on alert and various districts, including Gautam Buddha Nagar adjoining the nations capital New Delhi, have warned citizens to take preventive measures. Authorities have cleared locusts from about 50,468 hectares (124,709 acres) in several states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and Maharashtra, according to the federal agriculture ministry.

In the event of a locust attack, farmers are advised to collectively beat loud drums, tin containers, utensils and use loudspeakers to prevent locusts from descending on farms and damaging crops," Suhas L.Y., district magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar district, said on Twitter. The government is planning to spray pesticides during the night when locusts rest on trees, he said.

A massive locust attack on the countrys farms adds another challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration, which is trying to contain the spread of the coronavirus and limit its impact on the economy. It cannot risk food crops getting destroyed by the insects at a time when millions have been pushed into poverty after losing livelihood due to the worlds most stringent stay-at-home rules.

Some summer pulses, early-sown cotton, vegetables and fruit plantations run the risk of destruction from the winged invaders. The silver lining is that the harvesting of winter crops is over and sowing for the monsoon season is yet to begin. Still, there are concerns that locusts may hit mega cities, including New Delhi and Mumbai.

Drones, Choppers

While officials in the affected states are working on measures to control locust swarms, the federal government is arranging drones to sprinkle pesticides on trees and inaccessible places to kill the insects. There are plans to deploy helicopters for aerial spraying, according to Indias farm ministry.

As many as 15 sprayers will start arriving from the U.K. in the next 15 days, followed by 45 more in one-and-a-half months, the farm ministry said Thursday, adding that affected states will be given financial aid, if required.

Swarms of desert locusts occur irregularly in North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, usually when drought is followed by heavy rain. Normally, with the arrival of the monsoon, locust swarms enter the desert areas of India via Pakistan for breeding in June-July, but this year pink adult swarms were reported as early as April 30 in Rajasthan and Punjab.

This is in part because of the uncontrolled swarms in Pakistan that breed continuously, the ministry said earlier. Swarms of pink immature adults fly high and travel long distances with strong winds coming from Pakistan. Most of them settle on trees during the night and mostly fly during the day.

Further Attacks

The locust movement was helped by strong westerly winds from Cyclone Amphan that hit eastern India last week, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Several successive waves of invasions can be expected until July in Rajasthan. These movements will cease as swarms begin to breed and become less mobile. Swarms are less likely to reach south India, Nepal and Bangladesh, it said on its website.

The control work is in full swing in coordination with states and the Border Security Force, the farm ministry said. There was no information regarding entry of any new locust swarm from India-Pakistan border areas as of Thursday. However, locusts entered from Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan on Wednesday, with control operations going on, it said. There are some active swarms of immature locusts in some parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

In January, the biggest locust swarm to hit Indias Gujarat in over a quarter of a century resulted in more than 25,000 hectares of wheat, rapeseed, cumin and potatoes being attacked, with at least a third of the crops damaged in 75% of the affected areas, according to the states directorate of agriculture. A massive locust attack in 2019-20 saw about 403,488 hectares treated with pesticides, according to the federal farm ministry.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!!

Topics
Deputy National Committee Director of the Conventional Peoples Party (CPP), Benjamin Nsiah has said the governments method of distributing food to widows and the deprived, might be the reason for the increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the country.



He made this assertion on Happy FMs political Show Epahoa Daben with Kwame Afrifa Mensah.



Benjamin explained that he is of this view because the president did not allow the state to lead in the food distribution, but rather allowed his political party, the NPP, to do so.



When it comes to food distribution, there are institutions that can do that, and with this, they should have fished out people living in poverty and people who are sick. There is data that shows people who are living in poverty here in Accra so if there is corona, you target them and bring them out for food, he opined.



Per Benjamins view, the NPP government has simply rendered the state useless by refusing to allow them perform their roles, and not only in relation to the food distribution.



NCCE should have been in charge of educating people on Coronavirus but the government took all the money to the MMDCEs and other people in small towns to use for whatever they wanted, he further disclosed.



According to him, the NPP, since it was introduced as a political party, has not benefitted the country in any way.





Source: Happyghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
BRUSSELS, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Results of the world's largest study into strategic communication and public relations have been launched today. The European Communication Monitor 2020 surveyed more than 2,300 professionals in 44 countries, producing the following highlights:

Digital communication channels bring along new ethical challenges, but the majority of communication professionals are lacking up-to-date resources to tackle them

Three out of four communication departments employ more women than men, but still only one out of two top leaders in the field are women - the main barriers identified are a lack of flexibility and intransparent promotion policies within organisations

Communication practitioners fear the hacking of websites and social media accounts - they are often involved in handling cyber security issues, but seldom help to build resilience

Large competence gaps are identified in the fields of technology and data, although communication professionals have completed an average of 19 training days in 2019

There are significant differences between countries and various types of organisations

The full report is available for free at www.communicationmonitor.eu.



The results of the European Communication Monitor 2020 have been presented today in a virtual launch event organised by the European Association of Communication Directors (EACD). This year's edition of the world's largest survey of the communications profession is based on more than 2,300 respondents from 44 European countries, providing valuable insights for public relations, corporate communications and public affairs.

The study includes insights on moral challenges and ethical resources, cyber security and communications, gender equality in the profession, as well as status quo and future needs of competency development. Salaries, key strategic issues and communication channels as well as the characteristics of excellent communication departments have all been researched. A strict selection of participants, a unique research framework based on established theories, and statistical analyses fulfilling academic standards are key features of the study. It has been conducted and supported by a team of renowned communication professors from universities across Europe.

Professor Ansgar Zerfass, lead researcher of the survey and Chair Professor at Leipzig University, explained: "Communication leaders need to think about the time after the current downturn. Which competencies are needed in the future? What type of contribution can communications make in the field of cyber security? And how can we create a better future for the profession that enables practitioners to deal with the ethical challenges of digital technologies and how to make it easier for women to reach the top positions in communications? The European Communication Monitor explores these issues and provides insights that can stimulate internal debates in communication teams about their future set-up."

Kim Larsen, Head of Group Communications, Brand & Marketing at Danske Bank and Acting President of the European Association of Communication Directors, added: "In times of radical disruption and uncertainty, it becomes evident for everyone, that as communicators we have an important role to help bring out the facts, facilitate dialogue and create shared meaning that will enable individuals, communities and organisations to respond to the crisis and move forward in a balanced and sustainable way. We are very proud to present this report, a joint project with EUPRERA for more than a decade. It sheds light on some of the key issues and opportunities we are facing as communicators."

Ethical challenges and resources to tackle them

Today's globalised and complex world is interconnected in many ways. This makes it difficult to assess the consequences of individual actions. Many activities might be legally acceptable, but challenging from a moral point of view. Strategic communicators influence public opinion building and the construction of reality in mediatised societies to a huge extent. This poses severe ethical challenges to communication professionals, which are explored in the study.

Almost every second communication practitioner (47%) has experienced several ethical challenges in their day to day work during the last 12 months. A smaller portion reports about one issue of this kind (18%). The frequency of moral hazards has grown within the last years. When dealing with these issues, a clear majority (86%) relied on personal values and beliefs - codes of ethics (58%) or organisational guidelines (77%) are less important. Digital communication practices like the usage of social bots and big data analyses pose new ethical challenges - perhaps because only a minority of practitioners has participated in ethics training of any kind within the past three years.

Assessing and advancing gender equality in the profession

Since the United Nations addressed gender equality as the fifth of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), business in general and the communications industry in particular have promoted discussion on the issue. Annually the European Communication Monitor monitors female practitioners and gender issues in the profession. This year it evaluates how gender equality achievements are perceived. The study also explores the awareness of the glass ceiling and its causes and responsibilities at the individual, organisational and profession level.

Results show that gender issues remain a particular concern in an industry where three out of four departments and agencies in Europe employ more women than men, but still only one out of two leaders are women. Over half of practitioners observe an improvement in gender equality in their country, but disagreement arises when it comes to evaluating how much has actually been done to support female practitioners. The majority identify barriers for women at the organisational level: lack of flexibility to take care of family obligations (62%) and intransparent promotion policies (58%).

Cyber security and communications

We are all becoming more and more reliant on the Internet and digital communication which is making individuals and organisations vulnerable to cyber (in)security. These new realities are also recognised by professional communicators in Europe.

Two thirds of the surveyed professionals (63%) have given attention to the public debate about cyber security, and 59% of them see cyber security as relevant for their daily work in their communication departments or agencies. The major concerns are that cyber criminals could hack websites and/or social media accounts (42%) or close down digital infrastructures (29%). Governmental and public sector entities are more threatened than other types of organisations. More than half (54%) of communication practitioners in Europe have already experienced cyber attacks on their own organisations. Communication professionals are often involved in handling cyber security issues; but only a minority is helping to build resilience.

Competency development: Status quo and future needs

Skills, knowledge and personal attributes lead to broader competencies which have been identified as drivers of success for communication departments. For communication professionals, competencies are the foundational abilities that are both specific to communication such as data handling and those that are relevant to organisational success more generally, such as management skills.

Almost half of the respondents (43%) agree that competencies are intensively discussed in their country, highlighting their importance to communicators across the continent. Most practitioners (81%) believe in the need for constant improvement. The awareness for competency development is strongest in Western and Northern Europe. 69% of practitioners believe that technological competence is important, but only 51% report a highly developed competence in this area. Despite data handling being an important skill for all communicators, a lack of data competencies is particularly striking across all levels, with 51% of communicators underskilled in this key area. Communication professionals have completed an average of 19 training days a year in 2019, with 10 of those taking place in their free time (weekends, holidays or evenings). Most practitioners (84%) report that individuals should invest in their own development, but many (83%) plead for development programmes at the organisational level.

About the European Communication Monitor 2020

The European Communication Monitor 2020 is annually organised by the European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA) and the European Association of Communication Directors (EACD), supported by premium partner Cision Insights, digital communications partner Fink & Fuchs, and media partner Communication Director magazine. The communication monitor series is known as the most comprehensive research in the field worldwide covering more than 80 countries - the European survey is complemented by bi-annual surveys in other regions like Asia-Pacific, Latin and North America.

www.communicationmonitor.eu

About the survey organisers

European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA)

The mission of EUPRERA is to enhance and promote innovation in the knowledge, research, education and practice of strategic communication. Through its membership of universities and other research associations and bodies, EUPRERA has developed a range of high profile transnational research projects and a worldwide network. More than 200,000 scholars and practitioners can potentially be reached through its extended communication channels and partnership arrangements.

www.euprera.org

European Association of Communication Directors (EACD)

The EACD aims to attract, inspire and engage current and future communication leaders to drive excellence in the profession. It offers a platform to connect, deepen their expertise, share best practice, establish and promote relevant standards. The EACD is a networked community that convenes its members in national chapters and working groups. It engages its members - and others - through a rich online programme and regional debates across Europe. www.eacd-online.eu

Infographic - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173569/EUPRERA_1_Infographic.jpg

Infographic - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173570/EUPRERA_2_Infographic.jpg

Infographic - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173571/EUPRERA_3_Infographic.jpg

Infographic - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173572/EUPRERA_4_Infographic.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173800/EUPRERA_Logo.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173801/EACD_Logo.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173802/Leipzig_University_Logo.jpg
A protester stands next to a flag with the words Free Hong Kong, Revolution Now at a protest at the IFC shopping mall in Hong Kong on May 29. 2020. (Song Bilung/The Epoch Times)

China Threatens Retaliation Against Possible US Sanctions Over HK Security Law

Chinese authorities have been leveling threats against the United States in the past few days, in the face of possible U.S. sanctions against China after Beijing passed a national security law for Hong Kong.

On May 28, Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, the National Peoples Congress (NPC), passed a draft resolution of the law, which will pave the way for Chinese security agencies to operate in the city. Beijings endorsement of the resolution drew immediate criticism and outcry from many local pro-democracy lawmakers.

Later on the same day, President Donald Trump announced he will hold a press conference on China on Friday. It is widely expected that the president will announce a set of measures, such as suspending Hong Kongs preferential tariff rate, to pressure Beijing into giving up its new law for Hong Kong that it has passed without going through the citys own legislature.

All eyes on the president tomorrow. Lets see what happens. I very much hope the administration will strike the right balance between exerting economic pressure on China and defending Hong Kongers rights. https://t.co/26dlZ7cuIr  Joshua Wong   (@joshuawongcf) May 29, 2020

The Chinese threats began on May 27 when Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for Chinas foreign ministry, stated in a daily briefing that the security law was part of Chinas internal affairs.

If someone is bent on harming Chinas interests, China will take all necessary measures to hit back, said Lijian in response to a reporters question about possible U.S. sanctions.

On Thursday, the Office of the Commissioner of Chinas Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong, issued a statement accusing the United States of being shameless for talking about possible sanctions against China if it challenges the autonomy of Hong Kong as it views as protected under the Sino-British joint declaration of 1984. It said that there would be resolute countermeasures if the United States is stubborn to push ahead.

Chinas hawkish state-run media Global Times published an editorial on May 28, stating that U.S. suspension of Hong Kongs preferential tariff rate would be a double-edged sword, that would also hurt U.S. companies.

Chinas hostile move to strip #HongKong of its autonomy under the pretense of national security is wrong. I stand with the people of Hong Kong who deserve freedom, independence, and protection from unjust persecution. pic.twitter.com/zxoiUTMHAt  Rep. Daniel Lipinski (@RepLipinski) May 28, 2020

Hong Kongs pro-Beijing government echoed the Global Timess language in a press release responding to the U.S. State Departments 2020 Hong Kong Policy Act Report.

Any sanctions are a double-edged sword that will not only harm the interests of Hong Kong but also significantly those of the U.S., stated the Hong Kong government.

There are over 1,000 American businesses operating in Hong Kong.

On May 26, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong issued a statement expressing concerns about the national security law. It urged Beijing to find ways to peacefully de-escalate the situation in Hong Kong and preserve the one country, two systems framework.

On May 27, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certified that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China in his report to Congress.

The U.S. secretary of state is required to certify every year whether Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous from China under the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019. Being autonomous is a prerequisite for Hong Kong to enjoy special economic and trading privileges with the United States as a separate entity from mainland China under the 1992 U.S.-Hong Kong Policy Act.

The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong as they struggle against the CCPs [Chinese Communist Party] increasing denial of the autonomy they were promised, the policy report concluded.

Washington-based organization Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC) called on Trump to declare Hong Kong a national emergency pursuant to International Emergency Economic Powers Act following the NPC vote.

The law grants the U.S. president the power to regulate American commerce, such as imposing severe economic penalties on entities or countries that are designated as a threat to U.S. interests.

Protesters Worry About Dissident Persecution

One day after Beijing passed its national security law, lawmakers and members of the pro-democracy Civic Party were seen handling out pamphlets that warn Hongkongers of the implications of the CCPs national security law on their existing freedoms of speech, assembly, and their access to a free press.

The flyer explained different scenarios in which Hongkongers would likely be at risk of breaking the CCPs national security law. For instance, using the words Free Hong Kong and autonomy could lead them to being found guilty of secession; criticism against China, the Chinese Communist Party, and Chinese leaders could be considered subverting the state; and contacting foreign legislatures and speaking to foreign officials could be interpreted as colluding with foreign forces that threaten Chinas national security.

Kwok Ka-ki (front) and Alvin Yeung, both Civic Party lawmakers, in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, on May 29, 2020. (Xiao Long/The Epoch Times)

There were also lunchtime protesters who gathered in opposition to Beijings law at the IFC shopping mall in the Central district.

According to a recent survey conducted by Citizens Press Conference, an advocacy group established by Hong Kong protesters, an overwhelming majority of responders93.1 percentsaid that they anticipate Chinas security agents will employ extreme and extrajudicial means to persecute dissidents, such as extradition to mainland China, unlawful arrests, and extrajudicial punishments.

Additionally, 90.1 percent said they feared that online discussions about the anti-CCP, pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong would become a high-risk activity once the security law was enacted.

Three Hong Kong activistsSunny Cheung, Joshua Wong, and Nathan Lawhave set up an online petition urging the United Kingdom, members of the European Union, and other non-EU countries to pressure Beijing to withdraw its security law.

It also urged these countries to incorporate clauses that protect Hong Kongs human rights in any trade agreements with China.

At the time of writing, over 60,200 people have signed the petition.
Kolkata: Vessels operated by the West Bengal Transport Corporation and a cooperative on various routes across the Hooghly river will recommence services from June 1, a state minister said on Friday.

Passengers in each vessel will be limited to 40 per cent capacity for maintaining social distancing norms, and no one will be allowed to board without wearing a face mask, Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikary said.

The vessels will operate between 8 am and 6 pm with a frequency of one hour, the minister added.
NEW YORK, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bureau Veritas today announced it has entered into an agreement with Las Vegas Sands to deploy the Safe GuardTM Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label for all Sands properties worldwide. Designed to support the operational restart activities of the hospitality and restaurant industries, the Safe GuardTM Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label is a suite of services offered through Bureau Veritas' "Restart Your Business with BV" program.

As an independent, third-party partner to Sands, Bureau Veritas will:

Review detailed safety guides and protocols to achieve hygiene excellence using industry best practices, local laws and requirements, and leading medical expertise

Leverage best-in-class digital solutions to conduct audits of Sands' properties to ensure compliance with hygiene protocols and operational requirements

Administer Safe GuardTM Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label upon successful audit to demonstrate Sands is in compliance, thus providing an extra layer of assurance to their Team Members, guests, and suppliers

Natalia Shuman, Executive Vice President and CEO Bureau Veritas North America, commented:

"For nearly 200 years, Bureau Veritas has been a source of truth and trust in our communities. We are very excited to work in partnership with Sands, as they take this very important step to build that trust and confidence with travelers as they restart their operations. Every guest visiting their resorts can take comfort in knowing that they hold the Bureau Veritas Safe GuardTM label, and are following the industry's strongest safety standards and hygiene protocolsbuilt on a foundation of excellence, and science-based evidence."

"Restart your Business with BV"

The Safe GuardTM Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label is a suite of services offered through Bureau Veritas' "Restart Your Business with BV" program. As an independent third-party partner, Bureau Veritas provides laboratory hygiene testing, hygiene and safety protocol audits, e-training programs, and continued monitoring of safety protocols to ensure businesses restart operations safely.

Cleveland Clinic serves as the Medical Advisor for Bureau Veritas' health, safety and sustainability programs including "Restart your Business with BV." Bringing the best of Cleveland Clinic, Bureau Veritas is able to leverage the strategic insight, advice and recommendations of the world's leading medical community to develop protocols, guidelines and standards that help businesses restart their operations safely and meet appropriate health, safety and hygiene requirements.

For more information on "Restart Your Business with BV", please contact

[email protected] and visit: https://www.bvna.com/magazine/restart-resource-center.

About Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas is a world-leading provider in testing, inspection and certification. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 78,000 employees located in more than 1,500 offices and laboratories around the globe. Bureau Veritas helps its clients to improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.

Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and belongs to the Next 20 index.

Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock symbol: BVI.

For more information, visit www.bvna.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Theresa Anderson

+1 917 344 4593

[email protected]



SOURCE Bureau Veritas
Bangalore, May 28, 2020: At a time when healthcare workers across the country are donning protective gear to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, a team of medical staffs at Aster CMI Hospital suited up to deliver a life-saving liver transplant for 4-year-old Raghavi from Vellore who was suffering from advanced liver illness and required a liver transplant immediately. Efforts taken by the team of doctors at the hospital ensured that the child gets a life-saving transplant even in the time of a pandemic and brought a new ray of hope to the family.

A few years ago, baby Raghavi, who was a 7-month-old infant had contracted a high fever and her parents immediately rushed her to the nearby doctors. A detailed examination by a local doctor highlighted that the child had mild swelling in her stomach and some temporary treatment was instituted at that instance. As the child grew up, her suffering increased and her situation worsened. Numerous investigations, constant medications, and frequent visits to the hospitals in the city failed to bring about any improvement in her condition, leaving her parents in despair.

Over the ensuing years, the childs condition deteriorated further, she started vomiting blood and developed jaundice which progressively increased leading to severe illness in the child. Her parents also found blood in her stools but owing to their economic condition, they were left helpless and heart-broken whenever they looked at their child. The case was then referred to Aster CMI Hospital where the doctors informed the parents that the child was at the last stage of liver failure and required an urgent transplantation. The childs parents were counseled regarding the need for urgent liver transplantation as a life-saving therapy.

In a surgery that lasted for 9 hours, a team lead by Dr. Sonal Asthana, Sr. Consultant, HPB & Liver Transplant Surgery, Aster CMI Hospital, Dr. Mallikarjun Sakpal, Consultant - Hepatology & Liver Transplantation, Aster CMI Hospital, and Dr. Karthik K Raichurkar, Consultant- HPB and Liver Transplant Surgery transplanted the liver of childs mother Mrs. Pavithra M, aged 26 years, into the child. The mother volunteered as a living donor under the Affordable Liver Transplant Initiative (an ILC and Aster CMI joint program) which also raised 80% of the treatment cost for the childs treatment through crowd-funding and CSR. The result of this was a healthy playful child who is now out of the hospital and is back at his home in Vellore with his family.

Speaking on the challenges of transplanting during a pandemic, Dr. Sonal Asthana, Sr. Consultant, HPB & Liver Transplant Surgery, Aster CMI Hospital, said: Owing to the COVID-19 crisis, transplantation and organ donation have come to a complete halt. Due to this deceased liver transplants have completely stopped. This has had some serious implications, as many of our patients are suffering from kidney and liver failures and they may not survive while we wait for the pandemic to resolve. We are currently dependent on living liver transplants for patients who are critically ill and cannot survive. There is also a lot of stress while operating during such times as we not only have to focus on saving the life of the child but also have to take care of our team and have to ensure that all the precautions are undertaken to avoid any contamination. Another major challenge which we faced was raising money for the treatment of the child at the time of the pandemic, fortunately, we were able to raise money through several donors and were able to make sure that the child got her life-saving transplant even at the time of the pandemic.

Liver diseases among children is quite a unique problem which also affects them physically, mentally, and emotionally. These cases are related to congenital diseases, the cause of which is sometimes not identifiable. These diseases could be the inherited diseases of the liver that initiate the illness or it could occur due to a tumor that is not operable and cannot be removed by surgery. Hence in such cases, liver transplant gives these children a new lease of life with most of the organ changes reversing with 3 months time. Baby Raghavi showed signs of advanced liver disease leading to severe jaundice, a bloated belly and, bleeding episodes due to liver dysfunction and was in the cycle of liver failure. We were at the risk of losing the child had we not been able to provide her treatment on time. We are glad that with Aster ILCs affordable liver transplant programme, we have been able to fulfill our vision to ensure that no child who comes to us is turned away for lack of funds even during such trying times. We believe that as healthcare workers, we must save as many lives as possible during such an hour. said Dr. Mallikarjun Sakpal, Consultant - Hepatology & Liver Transplantation, Aster CMI Hospital

Speaking on the precautions taken while conducting the transplant during the lockdown, Dr. Karthik K Raichurkar, Consultant- HPB and Liver Transplant Surgery, said: Before conducting the operation, we conducted special COVID-19 tests for the patient and her family members. Our team took all the necessary precautions including wearing PPEs, gloves, and masks for the entire duration of the operation. Since the childs mother was the donor, we made arrangements for her father to stay at the hospital in order to provide all the necessary mental support to the family during the complex transplant. During the entire process, our team was regularly in touch with family and we counseled them on various issues. Post the treatment, we are following up with the patient and her family through virtual follow-ups in order to avoid the risk of any contamination.

Expressing his gratitude to the life-saving treatment provided by Aster doctors, Mr. Muni Swamy, the patients father, said: Seeing my daughter at that stage was the end of my life, my wife and I were constantly worried about her health condition. We visited multiple hospitals for treatment but didnt find a cure, we were finally referred to Aster CMI Hospital where doctors informed it was the last stage and she required liver transplantation. We booked an ambulance from Vellore to Bangalore during the lockdown. The medical team at Aster CMI hospital took all safety measures amidst COVID-19. I was provided with a pass from the hospital, hence I did not face any issue with traveling, also mostly I stayed in the hospital as my child was undergoing the treatment and my wife was the donor. I was advised by doctors to reduce my commute and follow all safety measures to stay safe from COVID-19. I am very happy to see my daughter has recovered, I am thankful to Dr. Sonal Asthana, Dr. Mallikarjun Sakpal and the support team of Aster CMI Hospital who gave a new lease of life to my child. My daughter turned 4 in the hospital post-surgery, and I believe that the gift of a new life is perhaps the most precious gift which she can ever receive.

Asters ILC team includes specialist doctors- Dr. Sonal Asthana, Dr. Rajiv Lochan J, and Dr. Mallikarjun Sakpal who have been adopting several methods to make liver care affordable and manageable for all. The team of expert doctors have devised ways to significantly reduce the cost of liver transplants by making use of crowdfunding, corporate sponsorships from CSR budgets, cross-subsidies, matched funding and tie-ups with state governments which helps in creating a budget pool leading to an overall reduction in the cost of the surgery and out of pocket expenses of the patient. While a normal liver transplant ranges from Rs 12 to Rs 30 lakh, the affordable liver transplant at Aster has gradually brought down the cost of a transplant and post-care management to just Rs 2.5 lakh. With the use of this unique method, Aster hospitals have been able to subsidize the overall cost for liver transplantation for children, Asters ILC team has so far performed 84 transplants for the needy children and raised Rs 9 crore approximately to support this initiative.
By IANS

DHAKA: The Bangladesh government has allowed domestic flights to resume in a reduced capacity from June 1 after grounding them for more than two months in a measure to stop the spread of coronavirus, it was reported.

"The domestic flights on Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet and Syedpur routes will be operational from Jun 1," Civil Aviation Secretary Md Mohibul Haque told bdnews24 on Thursday.

"We are not reopening flights on all domestic routes for now as three airports are now ready," said Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh or CAAB.

Flights will resume on all routes within a week if all the airports are ready, he said, and added that a decision about international air connectivity remained pending as Bangladesh was still flagged as a high-risk zone by many countries.

CAAB spokesman Mohammad Sohel Kamruzzaman said the suspension on international flights has been extended to June 15.

In a bid to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection, Bangladesh initially banned all flights to and from Europe, except the UK, on March 16, reports bdnews24.

Later, the ban was extended to flights from all countries, except China.

Domestic flights were grounded too although the restrictions did not apply to chartered flights, cargo flights, air ambulances and any emergency landings.

Meanwhile, public transport services such as buses and trains will restart operations with a fixed number of passengers from May 31, the day after the nationwide lockdown ends.

The Public Administration Ministry on Wednesday announced that the lockdown, which has been in effect since March 26, will not be extended beyond May 30.

In an order on Thursday, the Cabinet Division said the government will outline the steps that will have to be taken to resume public transport services between May 31 and June 15.

The tally of coronavirus infections in Bangladesh has surged to 40,321 after the daily caseload crossed 2,000 for the first time on Thursday. The death toll stood at 559.
What's next for bars?

With so much changing around us, will the bar or brewery taproom of the future be anything like what we remember?

Jim Woods, who founded and owns Woods Beer & Wine Co., will be watching the changes in consumer habits over the next couple months to help him determine how his new bar at 530 Haight St. (in the old Mad Dog in the Fog space) will look when San Francisco eventually emerges on the other side of the coronavirus outbreak.

Right now, people want to be outside, Woods told me Thursday. People sick of being cooped up in their homes want to stretch their legs and talk to people, with a beer in hand in real life.

The bar owners want that, too, but in California, many feel like they've been left behind in efforts to help small businesses. Restaurants, or even bars with minimal food concepts, have been given options in how they may operate under current conditions, but for those running bars, choices are minimal or nonexistent. Some, like The Page owner Bob Wait, say they're just as capable of relaunching operations under safety guidelines as those running restaurants.

I think there are ways to manage things safely," he told us last week. "I would say the majority of our staff would be eager to return to work. We'll get a food partner if we have to. We have to feed ourselves. We have to open somehow.

Many brewery owners are feeling the strain, too. There's little relief, but one beacon business providing a lifeline is the Can Van, a mobile canning company servicing much of Northern California. Co-founders Jenn Coyle and Lindsey Herrema have been modifying their business model to help small breweries can the beer they now need to sell in packaged formats.

I was really emotional about [it] the first several weeks, like, what can I do? How do we not let anybody down? Coyle told me last week. How are we going to do this? We gotta make sure everybody is comfortable working, and have safety measures in place. Were sending people out into those environments, but we have an obligation to support breweries, because they have supported us. This is the time to pull out all the stops to do what we can.

For now, breweries are going to have to keep at sales of packaged beer. In San Francisco at least, things won't change for taprooms until later in the summer, as Mayor London Breed outlined in a plan Thursday. While restaurants may present plans for outdoor-only dining to open as early as June 15, bars may not open until mid-August. Breweries may be able to resume selling kegs of beer to such restaurants, but service inside their own taprooms will need to continue to wait.

In the meantime, you can support your favorite breweries and bars by ordering beer delivery or to-go. Check out our compilation of sales options and crowdfunding campaigns for Bay Area bar and brewery businesses here.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGate digital editor. Email: alyssa.pereira@sfgate.com | Twitter: @alyspereira


In its separate Twitter account, the White House jabbed directly at Mr. Dorsey: The President did not glorify violence. He clearly condemned it. @Jack and Twitters biased, bad-faith fact-checkers have made it clear: Twitter is a publisher, not a platform.

And Dan Scavino, the presidents deputy chief of staff, said Twitter should be targeting the protesters in Minneapolis. Twitter is targeting the President of the United States 24/7, while turning their heads to protest organizers who are planning, plotting, and communicating their next moves daily on this very platform, he wrote. He added that Twitter was full of it and more and more people are beginning to get it.

Twitter said it had decided to restrict Mr. Trumps tweet about the protests in Minnesota based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today. It had applied a warning label on a tweet from the Brazilian minister of citizenship, Osmar Terra, last month, but the label was not for glorifying violence.

Mr. Dorsey also tweeted on Friday morning that social networks fact-checking process should use open-source technology  software that is created and shared for general use  and be verifiable by everyone. He did not respond to a request for comment.

The conflict has thrown Twitter into chaos, with employees racing to take action on Mr. Trumps tweets while also scrambling to protect themselves from harassment. After Mr. Trump and his allies lashed out at one Twitter employee who had publicly criticized Mr. Trump and other Republican leaders, other employees removed their company affiliation from their social media profiles or locked their accounts from public view.

First Amendment scholars said Friday that Mr. Trump and his allies had it backward and that he was the one trying to stifle speech that clashed with his own views.

Fundamentally this dispute is about whether Twitter has the right to disagree with, criticize, and respond to the president, said Jameel Jaffer, executive director at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Obviously, it does. It is remarkable and truly chilling that the president and his advisers seem to believe otherwise.
Taiwan finalizing plan to help Hong Kong asylum seekers: MAC

ROC Central News Agency

05/28/2020 05:37 PM

Taipei, May 28 (CNA) The Taiwan government is devising an action plan to offer humanitarian assistance to people in Hong Kong who wish to seek asylum, and the draft will be completed within a week, the agency in charge of cross-Taiwan Strait relations said Thursday.

The basic idea is for the Taiwan government and private sector to work closely to offer assistance to Hong Kongers who wish to move to Taiwan, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chen Ming-tong () said during a legislative session.

He later told reporters that the cooperative effort will be coordinated by the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council, a semi-official organization founded by the Taiwan government in 2010 to handle interaction with Hong Kong authorities.

As part of the plan, MAC will work with the relevant government agencies to process applications by Hong Kongers who wish to seek asylum in Taiwan, Chen said, adding that the Taiwan government will fund the application process.

The details provided by Chen came on the heels of a statement Wednesday by President Tsai Ing-wen () that said she had issued a directive to MAC to draft an action plan to facilitate "residency rights, settlement and social assistance" to Hong Kongers arriving in Taiwan.

Tsai said plan should include a budget to fund an asylum process that should be as simple as possible.

The directive was issued in the wake of a move by the Communist Party of China to enact a national security law that would introduce criminal penalties into Hong Kong's legal code, targeting "splittism, subversion, terrorism, any behavior that gravely threatens national security, and foreign interference."

The proposed law is widely seen an effort by the Chinese government to take full control of Hong Kong after a year of pro-democracy protests in the special administrative region.

While Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration and opposition parties have expressed willingness to assist Hong Kongers, Taiwan has no law in place to govern a refugee policy, although its "Laws and Regulations Regarding Hong Kong and Macao Affairs" allow for preferential treatment of the people of Hong Kong and Macao in terms of trade, travel and cultural relations.

Taiwan's engagements with mainland China, meanwhile, are governed by a separate law -- the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area -- that sets stricter restrictions on similar exchanges.

Chen said Thursday that in light of China's proposed security law, Taiwan may be forced to reevaluate whether it should retain a separate law to govern its dealings with Hong Kong.

If China's proposed national security law is implemented, Hong Kong would lose its high level of autonomy, Chen said.

"We have to consider whether the decisions of Hong Kong government will then be based on their own evaluations or on direct orders from Beijing," he said.

(By Lai Yen-hsi and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/pc

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






DGAP-Ad-hoc: Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC / Key word(s): Statement/Miscellaneous

Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC : Commencement of Strategic Review and Formal Sale Process



29-May-2020 / 08:51 CET/CEST

Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.

THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A POSSIBLE OFFER UNDER RULE 2.4 OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE "TAKEOVER CODE" OR "CODE") AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A FIRM INTENTION TO MAKE AN OFFER UNDER RULE 2.7 OF THE TAKEOVER CODE. THERE CAN BE NO CERTAINTY THAT AN OFFER WILL BE MADE NOR AS TO THE TERMS ON WHICH ANY OFFER MIGHT BE MADE.

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 ("MAR"). With the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

29 May 2020

Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC ("Williams", "WGPH", the "Company" or the "Group")

Commencement of Strategic Review and Formal Sale Process

The Board of Williams is currently undertaking a review of all the various strategic options available for the Company. Options being considered include, but are not limited to, raising new capital for the business, a divestment of a minority stake in WGPH, or a divestment of a majority stake in WGPH including a potential sale of the whole Company. Whilst no decisions have been made regarding the optimal outcome yet, to facilitate discussions with interested parties, the Board of the Company resolved today the commencement of a "formal sale process" (as referred to in Note 2 on Rule 2.6 of the Takeover Code).

The WGPH board has appointed Allen & Co. and Lazard as joint financial advisers to assist with the strategic review and formal sale process. Parties with a potential interest in Williams should contact Allen & Co. or Lazard at the contact details set out below.

Any interested party participating in the formal sale process will be required to enter into a non-disclosure agreement with WGPH on terms satisfactory to the WGPH board. The Company then intends to provide such interested parties with certain information on the business, following which interested parties will be invited to submit their proposals.

The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers has agreed that any discussions with third parties may be conducted within the context of a formal sale process. Accordingly it has granted a dispensation from the requirements of Rules 2.4(a), 2.4(b) and 2.6(a) of the Takeover Code such that any party participating in the formal sale process will not be required to be publicly identified under Rules 2.4(a) or (b) and will not be subject to the 28 day deadline referred to in Rule 2.6(a) of the Takeover Code for so long as it is participating in the formal sale process.

The Company is not in receipt of any approaches at the time of this announcement and confirms that it is in preliminary discussions with a small number of parties regarding a potential investment in the Company. There can be no certainty that an offer will be made, nor as to the terms on which any offer will be made. The WGPH board reserves the right to alter or terminate the process at any time and if it does so it will make an announcement as appropriate. The WGPH board also reserves the right to reject any approach or terminate discussions with any interested party at any time.

Following this announcement, the Company is now considered to be in an "offer period" as defined in the Takeover Code, and the dealing disclosure requirements summarised below will apply. Further announcements regarding timings and procedures for the formal sale process will be made as appropriate.

For further information please contact the following:

Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC Tel: +44 1235 777 842 Tim Hunt Allen & Company LLC (Joint Financial Adviser) Tel: +1 (212) 339 2383 Paul Gould williamsprocess@allenco.com Georg Schloendorff Lazard & Co., Limited (Joint Financial Adviser) Tel: +44 20 7187 2000 Richard Shaw Matthew Knott

Important Notices

Notes relating to the Joint Financial Advisers

Allen & Company LLC, which is registered with and licensed as a broker-dealer by the United Stated Securities and Exchange Commission and incorporated in the state of New York, is acting as financial adviser to Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC and no one else in connection with the matters described in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC for providing the protections afforded to clients of Allen & Company LLC nor for providing advice in relation to the matters described or referred to in this announcement. Neither Allen & Company LLC nor any of its affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Allen & Company LLC in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein or the matters described or referred to in this announcement or otherwise.

Lazard & Co., Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting as financial adviser to Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC and no one else in connection with the matters described in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC for providing the protections afforded to clients of Lazard & Co., Limited nor for providing advice in relation to the matters described or referred to in this announcement. Neither Lazard & Co., Limited nor any of its affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Lazard & Co., Limited in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein or the matters described or referred to in this announcement or otherwise.



Forward looking statements

This announcement (including information incorporated by reference in this announcement), oral statements made regarding the formal sale process, and other information published by the Company may contain statements about the Company that are or may be deemed to be forward looking statements. Such statements are prospective in nature. All statements other than historical statements of facts may be forward looking statements. Without limitation, statements containing the words "targets", "plans", "believes", "expects", "aims", "intends", "will", "may", "anticipates", "estimates", "projects" or "considers" or other similar words may be forward looking statements.

Forward looking statements inherently contain risks and uncertainties as they relate to events or circumstances in the future. Important factors such as business or economic cycles, the terms and conditions of the Company's financing arrangements, tax rates, or increased competition may cause the Company's actual financial results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any forward looking statements. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward looking or other statements contained herein, except as required by applicable law.

Disclosure requirements of the Code

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) of the Code applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.



Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) of the Code applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.



If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3 of the Code.



Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4 of the Code).



Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

Rule 2.9 disclosure

In accordance with Rule 2.9 of the Takeover Code, the Company confirms that it has 10,000,000 ordinary shares of 5p each in issue ("Ordinary Shares"). The International Securities Identification Number (ISIN) reference for these securities is DE000A1H6VM4. The Company does not hold any Ordinary Shares in treasury.

Publication on Website

In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be available, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in restricted jurisdictions, on the Company's website at https://group.williamsf1.com/corporate/investors/strategicreview as soon as possible and in any event no later than 12.00 noon (London time) on 1 June 2020 (being the business day following the date of this announcement). The person responsible for arranging for the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Mark Biddle, General Counsel and Company Secretary. The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.



This announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote in any jurisdiction whether pursuant to this announcement or otherwise. The distribution of this announcement in jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore persons into whose possession this announcement comes should inform themselves about, and observe such restrictions. Any failure to comply with the restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities law of any such jurisdiction.

The securities of the offeree company have not and will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any U.S. state or jurisdiction securities laws, and cannot be offered or sold in the U.S. or to a U.S. person without registration or an applicable exemption from registration.

Legal Entity Identifier: 213800AFJXFAVYBTE915

END



Contact:

Mark Biddle

General Counsel

Mark.Biddle@WilliamsF1.com
After nearly a lifetime in prison, Paul Redd had become accustomed to rejection.

Hed been behind bars for more than four decades, and his legal bids to escape solitary confinement had fallen on deaf ears for more than a quarter of a century. The state parole board was equally crushing. Redd, 63, can recall at least 13 denials, but eventually he lost track.

So, when Redd learned his first-degree murder conviction was up for a resentencing hearing at San Francisco Superior Court this month, he kept waiting for that familiar, bureaucratic hammer to drop.

Youve been in prison 44 years, Im thinking people are going to say, Hey, wait a minute, Redd said, noting that he expected opposition or at least another delay. But when that didnt happen, I started thinking maybe they know something I dont know.

A San Francisco judge ordered Redds release on May 15, and six days later, he walked out of the California Medical Facility in Vacaville a free man. Tears soaked his cheeks as family pulled him into their arms at a nearby park  social-distancing guidelines be damned for the moment.

Redd is now the fifth person to be released with the help of a new San Francisco public defenders office unit that focuses solely on post-conviction relief. The unit offers a fresh eye to sometimes decades-old cases, many of which were sentenced under harsher tough-on-crime laws that no longer exist today.

The unit, which was created in September, seizes on two new laws that make it easier for people with protracted or unjust sentences to win their freedom. Those efforts have benefited from a unique relationship with San Franciscos top prosecutor, Chesa Boudin, who previously worked for the public defenders office.

San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju said his attorneys have witnessed firsthand the wisdom of resentencing and returning people to their communities.

Our office believes in the power of redemption, he said. We also see, on a daily basis, the many factors that can lead to convictions or pleas that have little to do with a true and thorough analysis of the facts.

Paul Redd had just celebrated his 19th birthday in December 1976 when a drug dealer was gunned down near some railroad tracks in San Francisco. At the time, Redd, an Oakland resident, was living in that lifestyle and dealing drugs himself.

Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

He and two other men were charged with first-degree murder, but one of the men testified at trial that Redd pulled the trigger. That mans charges were dropped, and the other was given a two-year deal, said Redd, who pleaded not guilty. He said he knew the men but was not at the scene of the murder and didnt know the victim. With no other physical evidence, a jury found Redd guilty and sentenced him to seven years to life in prison.

The trial lasted for three days and jury lasted less than an hour in deliberation, Redd said.

Redd served more than 30 years of his sentence in solitary confinement at multiple facilities, including about 25 years at Pelican Bay. Prison officials alleged that he belonged to a gang and conspired with others to assault prison guards, which he denies.

Because of his age at the time of the crime, Redd was referred to the San Francisco public defenders post-conviction unit for a youth offender review. But a different path emerged when the team started looking at Redds case. Danielle Harris, a public defender who heads the unit, thought Redd could have a shot at resentencing  an accelerated route to freedom that doesnt involve parole boards.

Judges have long had the power to consider reducing a previously imposed term, but legal changes in the last two years have broadened the scope to qualify.

AB1812, which passed two years ago, allows courts to consider post-conviction factors like a persons disciplinary record, age, proof of rehabilitation and whether release is in the interest of justice. And beginning last year, AB2942 has allowed district attorneys to petition a court for a reduced sentence. Only prison officials could previously do so.

For Harris, Redd fit the bill. His health had been waning for years and his record behind bars was striking.

During his time in the hole, Redd was one of 16 representatives in a 2013 hunger strike that drew national attention to the states solitary units. He also was a plaintiff in a lawsuit that drastically limited California prisons use of the measure.

After he returned to the general prison population in 2014, Redd worked in the hospice unit at the Vacaville prison and helped create a cancer support group and an antiviolence education group.

So, we put together this just remarkable package, really sort of beyond anything Ive ever seen ... and presented it to the district attorneys office, Harris said of the April request.

Within days, Harris received a response from San Francisco prosecutors: They were, in fact, willing to move forward, she said.

California lawmakers have enacted a wave of criminal justice reforms in recent years that reduced prison time, boosted parole grants and helped to deflate a prison population that still remains over capacity. But most of these measures dont apply automatically, and candidates must still be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

To handle the load, prosecutors and public defenders around the state have created units dedicated to reviewing cases of people who have already been convicted.

While most units have largely focused on wrongful convictions and reforms centered on low-level offenses, these efforts have benefited only a fraction of the people spending lengthy or excessive stints in prison, said Hillary Blout, founder of For The People.

We still havent come up with solutions, or enough types of reforms, for those serving an offense categorized as serious and violent, said Blout, whose Oakland nonprofit supports re-entry initiatives. And many of them, just based on data, are less likely to reoffend.

Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

The recent resentencing laws have opened new opportunities for people convicted of serious crimes.

Since 2018, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has made 1,498 referrals for resentencing and 436 of them, about 29%, have resulted in reductions in sentences, said Terry Thornton, deputy press secretary for the prison system.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Blout, who drafted the bill that allows prosecutors to petition for resentencing, said voters expect their district attorneys to enforce the laws they pass. Decades ago, those were tough-on-crime laws. But now voters are demanding reforms.

Its not swift, it does take resources, time and analysis, Blout said. But we are ushering in more and more D.A.s into a conversation that they hadnt historically been a part of.

San Francisco prosecutors have initiated nine resentencing petitions to courts since District Attorney Chesa Boudin came into office in January, all of which resulted in release. Of those nine, three were referred by public defenders, three came from the prisons and three were from the prosecutors own initiative.

The post-conviction unit has found an eager partner in Boudin, who served in the public defenders office and vowed during his campaign to combat mass incarceration.

Boudin said the public defenders office has been instrumental in moving cases forward to resentencing because they have a unit dedicated to it, they have the resources to do things like get in touch with the family member and access re-entry plans.

Several factors stood out about Redds case, Boudin said, including his re-entry plan, prison resume and the concerns about the evidence against him.

In this case, theres no other legitimate purpose served by continuing to incarcerate him, Boudin said.

Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

Redd was listening by phone on May 15 when a San Francisco judge ruled that his first-degree murder conviction should be reduced to manslaughter. The designation reduced his sentence to 17 years, which Redd had already served more than twice over.

He was ordered to be released from prison as soon as possible. Through the call, Redd could be heard erupting in tears.

Id like to thank you all, at the district attorneys office ... and everybody, for giving me a second chance, he said.

He is still undergoing chemotherapy while staying at his nephews Benicia apartment, learning the nuances of a smartphone and eating all of his favorite foods. Because of coronavirus concerns, his first meal was takeout: pancakes and a rib eye steak.

Redd received several offers to work as a paralegal, but he ultimately landed a research job at the social-justice organization American Friends Service Committee in Oakland. He said he wants to shine a light on the resentencing laws that fast-tracked his way to freedom.

I want to try to convince more district attorneys and more counties to do the same, Redd said. I want to bring attention to those who should be out as well.

The public defenders post-conviction unit is now working with 61 other potential candidates for resentencing, 40 of whom are serving life terms under Californias three-strikes laws.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
IELTS has launched IELTS Indicator, an online English language test for students not able to attend an IELTS test through our test centre(s) due to the Covid-19 related restrictions and office closures.



IELTS Indicator will assess a students English language skills in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking in a timed, online test from the comfort of their home. At this stage the test is available for the ACADEMIC module only.



Ensuring the test focuses on real-life conversation skills, students will conduct their speaking test face to face with a trained IELTS Examiner via video call.



IELTS Indicator content has been developed using the same high-quality standards as for all IELTS tests and has the same format and timing as the Standard pen and paper or Computer Delivered (CD) IELTS. Tests will be marked by official IELTS Examiners.



Christine Nuttall, Managing Director IELTS at Cambridge Assessment English, said IELTS Indicator will help both students and education providers during this period of disruption.



We know that many students have been affected globally by the suspension of in-person testing, with their international education aspirations delayed by Covid-19, Ms Nuttall said.



In response to this, the IELTS Partners have developed a test that retains the quality and accuracy of IELTS to give education providers a clear indication of an applicants English language skills. she said.



While it is not intended to replace IELTS, education institutions will be able to use IELTS Indicator results to help assess students applications during this period of suspended in-person or Standard pen and paper or CD testing.

We recognise that this is a difficult time and we want to ensure that education providers are still able to proceed with students applications. IELTS Indicator will provide an interim measure.



Once test centres are able to re-open, we will work to offer IELTS testing as soon as possible and have programmes in place to help address additional demand, she said.



The Indicator test will be available in Ghana through British Council where it is not currently possible to deliver Standard pen and paper or CD IELTS testing.



The IELTS Indicator test will be delivered online once a week at a fixed time.

Bookings are now open.



To learn more about IELTS Indicator, please visit www.ieltsindicator.com









Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Former President John Mahama is calling for mass testing for students, teachers and churchgoers should the government ease restrictions for schools and churches.

In a message to Ghanaians ahead of the weekend, Mr Mahama said: In the face of the imminent easing of restrictions, let me repeat the call on the government to consider conducting mass testing, at least, at the point of need.

What it means, the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress explained, is that, for instance, all students, teachers, and ancillary staff returning to school or church attendants, following the easing of restrictions, should undergo a mandatory COVID-19 test as a safety precaution.

In his view, the government has accumulated enough resources in the name of COVID-19 to be able to fund a mass testing, even if it has to rely on private laboratories; for the sake of the life and health of Ghanaians.

I must indicate here my support for the position of the various teacher unions and parents who have spoken and cautioned against the hasty reopening of schools. The government must pay close attention and take into consideration, the concerns of the various unions and parents.

Finally, he said, as I have always said, any decision taken by the government to ease restrictions must be based on the utmost respect for human life and the science of the disease we are dealing with, adding: Decisions based on false premises will have grave consequences for us all, Ghanaians.

My party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), congratulates once again, all our health workers, still at the frontline of the fight against the coronavirus. Ghanaians truly appreciate your sacrifices, and you can be assured that your commitment and sacrifice will never be forgotten, he noted.

Last week, President Nana Akufo-Addo announced that stakeholder consultations were taking place on the way forward toward the easing of COVID-19 restrictions so that the social and economic lives of Ghanaians can go back to normal.

I expect these consultations to conclude this week, he said at a virtual national Eid celebration on Sunday, 24 May 2020, adding: So that I can announce to Ghanaians a clear roadmap for easing the restrictions.

We have to find a way back, but in safety, for we cannot be under these restrictions forever, the President said.

President Akufo-Addo said at the Eid ceremony that his confidence in easing the restrictions is fortified by three considerations: Firstly, sad though any premature death is, the hard fact is that the rate of deaths in Ghana amongst confirmed cases is very low  one per one million, i.e. 0.0001%, one of the lowest in Africa, and, indeed, in the world, this, despite the very high number of tests we are carrying out.

This has been so since the very beginning of the outbreak over two (2) months ago. The number of positive cases stands at six thousand, six hundred and eighty-three (6,683), out of one hundred and ninety-four thousand, seven hundred and sixty-three (194,763) tests conducted, with one thousand, nine hundred and ninety-eight (1,998) recoveries. This means that our positivity rate, that is the ratio of confirmed cases to the total number of tests conducted, is 3.43%, which, again, is one of the lowest in Africa, and in the world.

Furthermore, virtually all the thirty-two (32) corona-related deaths, that have so far been recorded, were of persons with, what the doctors call, comorbidity, i.e. with other underlying causes and diseases. Most of them died within twenty-four (24) hours of admission to hospital. May their souls rest in peace. It appears that, by the grace of God, Ghanaians are not dying of this virus in the numbers that were originally anticipated and feared, he observed.

Secondly, the president noted, the numbers of severe virus cases that have been hospitalised have been persistently low since the outbreak, adding: The fear that our hospitals would be overburdened, and, indeed, overwhelmed has, so far, again by the grace of God, not materialised. As we speak, there are sixteen (16) severe cases in six (6) hospitals across the country, none of them on a ventilator. We pray for their speedy recovery.

Thirdly, he announced: We now have a more robust mechanism for enforcing our central strategy of defeating the virus  the application of the 3Ts, tracing, testing and treating. The tracing teams are more experienced and more efficient; testing capabilities are no longer concentrated in Accra and Kumasi, but spread more evenly across the country in Ho, Tamale, Navrongo, Takoradi and Cape Coast; treating capacity has been considerably enhanced with isolation facilities better distributed across the nation.

These developments, and continuing strong adherence to the social distancing and hygiene protocols, including wearing masks and strengthening our immune systems by eating our own foods, will enable us to face the future with greater confidence, as we battle to defeat the virus, and pray for our healthcare workers. And, it is appropriate that we should end this unique Ramadan with this declaration of confidence in the future, because, as I have said, this too shall pass! For the battle is the Lords!!

---classfmonline
The Woodlands Township will reopen seven community swimming pools with limited hours and reduced capacity on Saturday, June 6. The pools, located in various villages around the township, are smaller and normally only used by nearby residents.

The township Board of Directors unanimously approved an updated reopening plan during their meeting on Wednesday, May 27, including changes to the 2020 swimming pool user fee structure to reflect less access, a reduced swimming pool season and fewer programs.

Related: Woodlands board may finalize initial swimming pool openings

Chris Nunes, the director of the townships Parks and Recreation Department, provided another detailed report on the status of the townships vast swimming pool network, which includes the village pools, various splash pads and the Rob Fleming Aquatic Center. Nunes has been furiously working on a swimming pool reopening plan for weeks, made more complex by the ever-changing uncertainty over reopening dates and levels of capacity.

Nunes said the seven community pools would operate on a 25% capacity and with very limited hours  from noon to 6 p.m. each day. The fees for the pools were reduced following a public hearing during Wednesdays meeting. No members of the public called into the online Zoom meeting to comment on the fee changes and it was approved quickly with little discussion.

The seven pools that will reopen on June 6 are: Alden Bridge, Sawmill, Forestgate, Bear Branch, Wendtwoods, Harpers Landing and Creekwood. The fee structure for the 2020 season only is as follows: resident day pass costs were reduced from $6 to $5; the non-resident day pass cost was decreased from $12 to $10; and season pass rates were kept at the normal $40 for residents and $120 for non-residents.

The pools will have very limited access due to the 25% capacity rules. Alden Bridge can only have 97 bathers at one time; Sawmill is set at 64 people; Wendtwoods is limited to 104 people; Harpers Landing can hold 44 swimmers; Bear Branch is limited to 58; Creekwood is reduced to 68 people and Forestgate is limited to 69 swimmers.

As for the openings of the Rob Fleming Aquatic Center and the other community pools and splash pads, those dates are still in flux, Nunes said, and are dependent on several factors such as a loosening of restrictions from state and county officials as well as CDC best practices guidelines.

Nick Wolda, the communications director for the township said the township board wanted to emphasize, That the pools will have restrictions in capacity and a season pass does not grant any additional rights over day passes.

No punch cards or external day care or group pass rates will be available this summer due to social distancing. Individuals purchasing an annual pass need to be aware that there will be a limited number of pools open this year due to COVID-19 and there is no privilege for admission as compared to a daily pass holder, Wolda said in an email. Refunds will not be issued due to the limited number of pools and/or state or other guidelines that may require pools to be closed.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Cornyn, Cruz at odds over further immigration restrictions

Township Director Bruce Rieser said opening of the pools has been complicated for several reasons, including the restrictions and closures ordered by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as well as a lack of the necessary number of lifeguards to staff all the pools in an appropriate manner. In addition to their duties watching swimmers, the lifeguards will now be required to do more intensive and regular COVID-19 novel coronavirus-related cleaning and disinfecting of the pools and equipment, something that requires more staff than normal.

The township is taking a cautious approach to open as quickly and safely as possible while following the guidelines set down by the governor and the CDC, Rieser said. We are trying to get the pools open and everything back to normal. The issues around social distancing and other restrictions on group sizes not only affect the capacity of pools, but prevented us from doing (lifeguard) training. It is just going to take longer than normal. If we can only have limited openings, weve kind of concentrated on community pools. Wed like to have them all openwe have less than half the normal number of lifeguards. It is going to be an unusual season.

jeff.forward@chron.com
A large number of Hongkongers see a bleak future for themselves after Chinese parliament approved plans for a bill that threatens to limit freedoms in the semi-autonomous state, bypassing its legislature to punish acts that subvert state power.

According to Germany's Deutsche Welle News, the move would likely force more and more people to choose to leave Hong Kong, a former British colony. Although it has enjoyed autonomous status since the 1997 handover when China resumed control of the territory, it has witnessed a slow erosion of its freedoms in recent years, the media reported further.

Members of Hong Kong's pro-democracy protest movement fear that the new legislation will further tighten Beijing's grip on the state.

Some 50,000 people, from the financial hub of 7.5 million, emigrated in the last two quarters of 2019, a time of protests and escalating violence.

Last December, around 20,000 people applied to the police for a Certificate of No Criminal Conviction, which is a mandatory document for anybody hoping to emigrate. This was a 60 per cent increase over the same period in the previous year.

Josephine, a 30-year-old journalist born in Hong Kong, told DW News that she had taken part in the protests against the government and the extradition bill that was eventually retracted late last year. She said that she had intended to stay in despite Beijing's tightening grip. However, she changed her mind overnight after the National People's Congress' approval of the national security law for

"I would never have believed that the residents of Hong Kong would one day become refugees," she said. "I want to emigrate."

She said that after the announcement there was a despondent atmosphere in the newsroom where she works.

"My colleagues and I were stumped. We had assumed that there would be a security law for Hong Kong sooner or later, but we were surprised that Beijing wanted to push it onto us like this." She said even some pro-Chinese politicians were taken aback by the move.

Chou, who works in a Chinese bank, said he is also pessimistic about Hong Kong's future and wants to emigrate, ideally with his family to Canada. He told DW he had been thinking of leaving Hong Kong for a long time and the announcement about the new law had solidified his resolve.

He also said he did not want his son, who is now only two, to be subjected to random police violence later on in life if he takes part in a demonstration. He said that he had not forgotten the violent crackdown on the student and pro-democracy movement on Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989.

"Beijing wants complete control," he said, expressing doubts that peaceful demonstrations or debates in Hong Kong's parliament would be tolerated in the future. Nor did he think that sanctions from the West, as some politicians have called for, would help.

Woo Hong-pong, who works for an agency that is specialised in emigration to Canada and Australia, told the German newspaper that over 20 affluent clients had contacted him in the past four days. "Many of them hesitated to leave in 2019, but now they want a quick solution. They want to get out super fast," he added further.
China has said that it will 'fully instruct' Hong Kong police on the crackdown on anti-government demonstrations, sparking fears for even more violent clampdowns on the city's pro-democracy protesters.

The Chinese Ministry of Public Security said it would 'earnestly carry out' a newly passed national security law, which allows China to quell activities it deems as 'subversive, treason and foreign interference' in the semi-autonomous city.

Human rights campaigners have called the Ministry's announcement 'truly alarming' and said many people in Hong Kong 'are now terrified of what might happen'.

Zhao Kezhi, the head of Chinese Ministry of Public Security, said his team would 'fully instruct and support' Hong Kong police after Beijing yesterday approved a controversial security law for the financial hub amid international outrage. Pictured, Hong Kong riot police fire tear gas as hundreds of protesters protest against the new security legislation in Hong Kong on May 24

Human rights campaigners have called the Ministry's announcement 'truly alarming' and said many people in Hong Kong 'are now terrified of what might happen'. Pictured, riot police detain a protester during a demonstration against Beijing's new law in Hong Kong on May 24

Meanwhile, Beijing's state media criticised Britain after it extended the visa rights for Hong Kong people amid mounting international concerns over the end of freedoms in the former British colony.

Beijing's Global Times mocked London's decision by saying it had won 'overwhelming support' in China. It praised users of China's state-controlled social media after they suggested 'all traitors should be sent to the UK'.

China's army chief in Hong Kong this week issued chilling warning to protesters. He said his soldiers were ready to 'smash' any anti-government demonstrations.

Beijing's new law, set to be enacted before September, is intended to tackle what the Communist Party views as 'secession, foreign interference and treason' in Hong Kong.

But critics say the act would lead to the widespread use of secret police, arbitrary detentions, surveillance and even control over the internet on the island territory.

Beijing's state media criticised Britain after it extended the visa rights of Hong Kong people amid mounting international concerns over the end of freedoms in the former British colony. Pictured, protesters take part in a pro-democracy demonstration in Hong Kong on May 24

Zhao Kezhi (pictured in 2017), the head of China's Ministry of Public Security, ordered police forces in China to show their full support to Beijing's new security legislation for Hong Kong

China's rubber-stamp parliament passed the bill in Beijing yesterday despite facing intense criticism from Western countries, which have accused Beijing of breaking its promises and ripping freedoms away from Hong Kong people.

Zhao Kezhi, the head of China's Ministry of Public Security, said his team would 'fully instruct and support Hong Kong police to end violence and curb chaos'.

In a meeting yesterday, he ordered police forces in China to 'strictly guard and severely punish any subversive activities carried out by domestic and foreign forces'.

Chen Daoxiang, Beijing's army chief in Hong Kong, said he and his soldiers were ready to quash pro-democracy rallies. Pictured, members of the People's Liberation Army perform drills during a demonstration at the Shek Kong Barracks on June 30, 2018, in Hong Kong

The national security law approved by Beijing has re-ignited anti-government rallies in the financial hub. Pictured, pro-democracy supporters take part in a rally on May 24 in Hong Kong

China's rubber-stamp parliament approved the bill at a major political conference yesterday amid mounting global fears that Beijing could take full control of the city. Pictured, a Hong Kong riot police officer tackles a protester during an anti-government rally on May 24

Johnny Patterson, Director of UK-based human rights group Hong Kong Watch, said minister Zhao's order means 'anything is now possible' for Hong Kong.

He told MailOnline: 'This is truly alarming. The Chinese government are blowing a hole through the principle of one-country, two-systems. Many in Hong Kong are now terrified of what might happen.

Mr Patterson called for unified diplomatic action by international governments, describing it as 'desperately needed'.

He warned: 'Having decided to flout international law, the Communist Party may be readying themselves for more drastic action.'

Britain offered stronger rights to its passport holders in Hong Kong yesterday after the passage of the new legislation.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and counterparts from the US, Australia and Canada warned the new law 'would curtail the Hong Kong people's liberties'. Britain offered stronger rights to its passport holders in Hong Kong yesterday, allowing them to travel here for up to 12 months

British Nationals (Overseas) do not have the automatic right to live or work in the UK, but can currently travel here without a visa for up to six months. Pictured, a protester holds a British National (Overseas) passport in a shopping mall during a protest in Hong Kong on Friday

More than 300,000 British National (Overseas) passport holders will be able to travel to Britain without a visa for up to 12 months.

They could then apply for UK citizenship - amid fears the new legislation will undermine human rights in the former British colony.

Britain joined a wave of condemnation after the National People's Congress approved the legislation.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and counterparts from the US, Australia and Canada warned the new law 'would curtail the Hong Kong people's liberties'.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the law meant Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China and its special trading status should be revoked  a serious blow to its standing as a financial hub.

China warned the US to 'stop meddling'. Beijing says the law will defend its national security following pro-democracy demonstrations.

But critics claim it has effectively ended the 'one country, two systems' principle agreed in the 1997 handover treaty with Britain.

Mass anti-government street protests have rocked Hong Kong since last June. Pictured, protesters displaying hand sign indicating their 'five demands' in Hong Kong on Sunday

British National (Overseas) passports were granted to those permanent residents of Hong Kong who were classed as British Dependent Territories citizens before the 1997 handover to China.

They do not have the automatic right to live or work in the UK but can travel here without a visa for up to six months.

Mr Raab said that would be extended to 12 months unless China suspended the new security law.

In the joint letter with his international counterparts, he said Hong Kong had flourished as a 'bastion of freedom'.

The letter said: 'The proposed law would undermine the One Country, Two Systems framework.

'It also raises the prospect of prosecution in Hong Kong for political crimes, and undermines existing commitments to protect the rights of Hong Kong people.'

The Global Times, the mouthpiece of China's Communist Party, called Britain's new visa policy for Hong Kong a 'threat' to Beijing.

'The threat has won overwhelming support on Chinese media, with netizens urging the UK to receive all Hong Kong rioters,' the newspaper said in an opinion piece today.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping pushes a button on Thursday to vote on the new national security law for Hong Kong, which critics say will destroy the autonomy of the former British colony

Chinese legislators have pushed through new laws to stamp out 'secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference' in Hong Kong. Pictured, pro-democracy supporters scuffle with riot police during an detention at a rally in Causeway Bay district on May 27

The Hong Kong government will 'complete the legislation as soon as possible to discharge its responsibility of safeguarding national security', according to Carrie Lam, the chief executive of the financial hub. Hong Kong police officers and activists are pictured clashing on May 27

Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous city, has been rocked by sometimes violent anti-government protests since last June.

Demonstrators press for five demands, including choosing their own leaders and democratic reforms.

The unrest died down temporarily this year due to the coronavirus pandemic but has now been re-ignited by the new draconian law from China.

Police fired pepper pellets and made 360 arrests on Wednesday as thousands took to the streets in anger over the national security legislation and a separate bill that would criminalise disrespect of China's national anthem.
Food blogger Deliciously Ella has revealed how she is finding her second pregnancy far easier' because of the coronavirus lockdown.

Ella Mills, nee Woodward, 28, from Rugby, is expecting her second daughter with Matthew Mills, the son of the late Baroness Jowell, having welcomed Skye, one, last summer.

Sharing an Instagram post yesterday, she showcased a growing baby bump and said she had 'way more energy' than with her first baby.

She revealed: 'Im finding pregnancy much easier in many ways under the current climate - not commuting, being able to sit really comfortably while I work at home and not getting so hot and sweaty rushing around is truly making each week so much more enjoyable and comfortable than it felt last summer.'

Food blogger Ella Mills, 29, from Rugby, who is also known as Deliciously Ella, showcased a growing babmy bump as she cuddled up with her daughter Skye, nine months

Sharing the snap, in which she could be seen cuddling up with her nine-month-old daughter Skye, she said: 'A few days off with my best pal and growing bump.

'Skyes been up at 5am everyday and teething all week but its been heaven, utter bliss to just be able to focus solely on her and not be trying to juggle as much - theres always a feeling of being torn between the two so getting a few quiet days just to be a mama really is so special.'

She explained: 'Were 22 weeks now with her sister, Im feeling pretty good, way more energy than Skye.

'If shes anything like her sister well be meeting her pretty soon too, in about 16 weeks time.'

Ella announced she was expecting her second child in March of this year with an adorable selfie with her husband Matthew and daughter Skye

She added: 'Not the year we expected in so many ways but genuinely the best it could ever be, these girls just bring us endless sunshine and have a way of allowing us to stay present like nothing Ive experienced before.'

Ella announced she is expecting her second child at the end of March, sharing a sweet snap with her husband Matthew and Skye who was sweetly holding an ultrasound snap.

She added a caption reading: 'Skyes going to be a big sister. Were feeling so lucky to hold on to something so special while the world feels so topsy turvy, and whilst of course its a little unnerving to be navigating pregnancy in this climate...

'We are just so incredibly grateful. Like everyone else, were staying quietly at home, taking Austin and Skye our for a little daily walk on our own, which this morning was the quietest and emptiest Ive ever seen London. Sending so much love to you all'.

The food blogger said she had found this pregnancy 'much easier' because lockdown had allowed her to slow down more

Following Skye's birth, Ella explained last year to her social media followers why the couple had chosen to plump for an alternative birth after researching hypnobirthing and water births, and described labour as 'powerful' and 'intense'.

Their daughter Skye Tessa Camilla Davan Mills, was given her middle name in honour of her late mother-in-law, Labour MP Tessa Jowell.

Writing about the birth, Ella explained she first started thinking about hypnobirthing when a friend sent her a book on the practice shortly after she'd announced her pregnancy.

This led Ella and Matthew to look into the technique before meeting with their midwife.

'It just felt so right for us,' she went on. 'Id heard so many horror stories and had a lot of fear around the process, so I was really interested in exploring something a bit different if I could.'
Often referred to as a virtue, patience is also a skill. You learn it by doing, and modern life has eroded our need to do it. We live in a 24/7 world of instant this and on-demand that, of fast, faster, now. Even the word patience sounds old-fashioned, like the name of a meek character in a Victorian novel.
Conservatives know that the tech giants, whether social media platforms or search engines, have consistently sought to silence conservative viewpoints. Trumps more extreme tweets of late were probably intended to goad Twitter into censoring him, and Twitter took the bait on his tweets about mail-in ballots and voter fraud. Once Twitter engaged in overt political censorship, it gave Trump the opening he needed to expose the tech titans to expensive lawsuits and FCC oversight.

Its no secret that Big Tech, which is located almost exclusively in the uber-leftist Bay Area, leans left. From top management down to the recently hired college graduate, these institutions seek to push a leftist agenda using their power over the flow of almost all information in America. Twitter bans and shadow-bans conservatives, YouTube restricts and demonetizes conservative sites, and Google uses algorithms that force viewpoint discrimination on its searches. Vox has openly admitted that the tech titans plan to use their vast power over information traffic to elect Joe Biden

After Google, via its YouTube subsidiary, demonetized Prager U videos and hid them from searches, Prager U sued both Google and YouTube in a California federal court. The lower court said that Google, as a private business, wasnt subject to First Amendment limitations, a ruling the 9th Circuit upheld. (In leftist land, the baker must bake the gay wedding cake, but the largest gatekeeper of information in America can do whatever the hell it wants.)

Trump, naturally, knows that Big Techs viewpoint discrimination is a problem. Hes known since the day he was elected that the tech giants will use their tremendous power to prevent his reelection. His problem has been that his hands have been tied.

When Trump had a Republican congress, that would have been an excellent time to push through legislation akin to the Civil Rights of 1964, recognizing that the tech titans are places of public accommodation for ideas and that they therefore cannot engage in viewpoint discrimination. Unfortunately, the Russia Hoax, combined with RINO hostility, prevented him from acting. Then, when the House went to the Democrats in 2018, Trump lost any chance of using legislation to tamp down on Silicon Valleys biased stranglehold on public discourse.

Trump has now done the next best thing. He baited Twitter to comment (incorrectly) on one of his purely political tweets. When Twitter took the bait, it provided an opening for Trump to issue an Executive Order striking at the tech giants status as non-publishers, something that has kept them immune from defamation lawsuits and FCC oversight.

The EO begins with a masterful summary of the problems with social media companies:

Free speech is the bedrock of American democracy. Our Founding Fathers protected this sacred right with the First Amendment to the Constitution. The freedom to express and debate ideas is the foundation for all of our rights as a free people. In a country that has long cherished the freedom of expression, we cannot allow a limited number of online platforms to hand pick the speech that Americans may access and convey on the internet. This practice is fundamentally un-American and anti-democratic. When large, powerful social media companies censor opinions with which they disagree, they exercise a dangerous power. They cease functioning as passive bulletin boards, and ought to be viewed and treated as content creators. [snip] Online platforms are engaging in selective censorship that is harming our national discourse. Tens of thousands of Americans have reported, among other troubling behaviors, online platforms "flagging" content as inappropriate, even though it does not violate any stated terms of service; making unannounced and unexplained changes to company policies that have the effect of disfavoring certain viewpoints; and deleting content and entire accounts with no warning, no rationale, and no recourse. Twitter now selectively decides to place a warning label on certain tweets in a manner that clearly reflects political bias. As has been reported, Twitter seems never to have placed such a label on another politician's tweet. As recently as last week, Representative Adam Schiff was continuing to mislead his followers by peddling the long-disproved Russian Collusion Hoax, and Twitter did not flag those tweets. Unsurprisingly, its officer in charge of so-called "Site Integrity" has flaunted his political bias in his own tweets.

The EO then explains that 47 U.S.C.  230(c) of the Communications Decency Act has protected the tech companies by holding them harmless from content in third party material on their sites. The goal was to allow social media companies and search engines to delete sex trafficking, terrorism, threats, and other dangerous and illegal content without turning them into custodians and publishers of that content who then could be sued.

What the tech titans have been doing of late, however, is to remove or flag third-party viewpoints with which they disagree. Trumps requires the agencies tasked with enforcing the Communications Decency Act to recognize that, once the tech giants start interfering with third-party ideas on their sites, theyve become publishers and have given up their immunity.

Contrary to some claims, this will not end comments on websites. As long as the website owner deletes only imminently dangerous and illegal material (threats, sex trafficking, etc.) but leaves viewpoints intact, the owner is safe. Nor will it end social media, provided that Facebook, Twitter, and the others stop flagging or deleting political statements with which they disagree.

Trump cleverly created an opening, and then he took advantage of it with the best weapons available. In the interests of a free election, we can only hope that these weapons are enough.
SINGAPORE, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore Space and Technology Limited (SSTL) is pleased to announce its collaboration with the World Bank Group for the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Challenge. This challenge supports the Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility (SEADRIF), which has developed a regional catastrophe risk pool for flood risks developed by and for Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar.



In 2019, the World Bank partnered with Singapore and Japan to support the establishment of SEADRIF, a platform for ASEAN countries to access disaster risk financing solutions and increase financial resilience to climate and disaster risks.

Launched to stimulate and tap into the creativity of companies, start-ups, research groups, or even students, the challenge seeks functioning solutions using satellite imagery to improve real time information about the risk and extent of flooding across ASEAN.

Through this challenge, SSTL hopes to foster relationships between countries in Southeast Asia to build a thriving and collaborative regional space ecosystem.



"Remote sensing satellite technology has become a critical tool for real-time disaster management. We launched the HADR Challenge to tap into the ingenuity of space tech companies to find novel and translatable solutions. We want to show how space tech can help humanity, and in the process build bridges between communities," said Ms Lynette Tan, Chief Executive, Singapore Space and Technology Limited.

SEADRIF also provides ASEAN countries with advisory and financial services for post disaster rapid financing to reduce their impact on people and their livelihoods. The challenge aims to better deploy satellite data for improved flood monitoring across ASEAN and inform SEADRIF financial instruments.

"This partnership is a great opportunity to leverage the strong space and technology expertise in ASEAN and beyond, to continue supporting SEADRIF in developing technical and financial solutions for its member countries to better manage the impact of disasters and climate shocks. We look forward to seeing new solutions emerge through the HADR Challenge," said Olivier Mahul, Practice Manager, Crisis and Disaster Risk Finance, World Bank.

Registrations for HADR Challenge 2021 opened on 18 May 2020. To-date, the Challenge has on board Kayrros (France), SatSure (India), Synspective (Japan) and organisations from Italy and Singapore. SSTL and World Bank are expecting more international companies to sign up in the coming weeks.

Media Contact:

Yvonne Lin

[email protected]

+65-97410497

Gillian Chin

[email protected]

About Singapore Space and Technology Limited (SSTL)

Singapore Space & Technology Ltd (SSTL), previously Singapore Space and Technology Association (SSTA), is a leading non-government space organization in southeast Asia.

As a resource for government and business community, SSTL serves as an advocate and thought leader, spearheading the adoption of space-related technologies, and fostering partnerships between various stakeholders to promote and grow the regional space ecosystem. www.space.org.sg

About SEADRIF

SEADRIF is a regional catastrophe risk pool akin to a reinsurance-based disaster liquidity facility, designed to provide participating countries in Southeast Asia affected by natural disasters with immediate rapid response financing. Countries participating in the SEADRIF also benefit from advisory services at the national level to build and implement comprehensive disaster risk finance strategies as well as the development of innovative joint regional financial solutions. Initially focused on Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar, SEADRIF could expand to other countries to strengthen regional cooperation and financial resilience.

SOURCE Singapore Space and Technology Limited

Related Links

http://www.space.org.sg


OTTAWA - Justin Trudeau is being pressured by some of his own Liberal backbenchers to implement enforceable national standards for the operation of long-term care homes in Canada.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/5/2020 (602 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives in the foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill for a meeting of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ottawa, on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA - Justin Trudeau is being pressured by some of his own Liberal backbenchers to implement enforceable national standards for the operation of long-term care homes in Canada.

The pressure came Thursday from five Toronto-area Liberal MPs, whose ridings are home to some of the facilities that have been devastated by COVID-19.

And it came just as the prime minister was preparing later in the day for his 11th conference call with premiers since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Canada in mid-March.

He had promised to repeat on the call his offer of federal help to improve conditions in care homes and to provide paid sick leave for workers forced to stay home due to COVID-19.

Both issues fall squarely within provincial jurisdiction and could test the Team Canada spirit that has prevailed among first ministers so far during the COVID-19 crisis.

Trudeau's offer of help has met with a mixed reaction so far from provincial and territorial leaders.

In a letter to Trudeau and Health Minister Patty Hajdu, the five Liberal MPs upped the ante, asking Ottawa to call on the Ontario government to launch a full, independent, public inquiry to investigate the failings of the province's long-term care system and make recommendations for fixing them.

Those failings were exposed in appalling detail earlier this week in a scathing report by the military, which has been called in to help out in long-term care homes in Ontario and Quebec. The report cited examples of neglect, abuse and unsanitary conditions in five Ontario homes.

Similar problems had been reported in some Quebec homes in April, although a military report this week on that province said conditions have now improved somewhat.

The five Ontario Liberal MPs  Gary Anandasangaree, Yvan Baker, Jennifer O'Connell, Judy Sgro and Sonia Sidhu  also called on the federal government to work with provinces to establish and implement enforceable national standards for long-term care homes across the country, echoing earlier calls from NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.

"It is a tragedy taking place across Canada as approximately 80 per cent of all COVID-19-related deaths across our country have occurred in long-term care homes," they wrote.

So far, Trudeau's weekly conference calls with premiers have been notable for their collegial, collaborative spirit as they all work as one to cushion the impact of the deadly pandemic on Canadians' health and the country's economy.

The Prime Minister's Office said Thursday's two-hour call was no different, although there was no progress to report on either the long-term care or sick leave fronts other than first ministers continued to commit to work together on both.

But there are signs that team spirit may be starting to give way to the usual regional tensions and jurisdictional spats that have historically bedevilled federal-provincial relations in Canada.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault, whose province has always jealously guarded its jurisdiction against perceived federal intrusions, is lukewarm about Trudeau's promise to ensure 10 days of paid sick leave for workers who fall ill with COVID-19 or are required to go into quarantine.

"I told Justin Trudeau this morning first, regarding sick leave, that there was a very negative reaction from the corporate side," he said Wednesday.

"Well, obviously, there is a question there that isn't clear: Who will pay?"

On long-term care homes, Legault came close to suggesting the feds should butt out, apart from sending the provinces more money for health care in general which they could spend as they see fit.

At the outset of the pandemic, the federal government did increase those transfers by $500 million.

In contrast to Legault, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been effusive in his thanks for the offer of federal help to fix what he calls "this broken system."

Ford too has called for more federal funding but he's gone beyond that. He's said "everything is on the table," including integrating long-term care homes into the public health system, which is delivered by the provinces but under the national principles of the Canada Health Act.

And he's called for national standards for such facilities.

"We need a system standard ... a standard operating procedure that applies right across the country, no matter if it's in Quebec or Ontario or B.C.," he said Tuesday.

Trudeau has been careful so far to avoid wading into specifics, repeatedly stressing the federal government will respect provincial jurisdiction as it embarks on discussions with the premiers.

"I'm not going to short-circuit that conversation by putting forward aggressive proposals right now," he said Wednesday.

Trudeau must also deal with the fact that not all provinces have been as hard hit by the pandemic as Ontario and Quebec and are less keen to have the feds rush in with help.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said all provinces need federal funding to help defray pandemic costs but suggested his province doesn't need it for long-term care homes. He said Saskatchewan already has standards and noted that its homes have not been subject to the high death rate experienced in the two largest provinces.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

On sick leave, Moe said if it's a federal initiative, it should be federally funded, employers should not have to foot any part of the bill and it should be in place only temporarily during the pandemic.

"There can be no cost to the businesses that are just trying now to dust themselves off and reopen and get back into the marketplace," Moe said Thursday.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister shared that concern but nevertheless welcomed a national program to encourage any worker who feels ill to stay home.

Trudeau has credited British Columbia Premier John Horgan with first raising the idea of a sick leave program. And Horgan appeared optimistic Wednesday that agreement can eventually be reached among first ministers to put one in place.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2020.

 with files from Giuseppe Valiante, Stephanie Taylor, Allison Jones, Dirk Meissner and Steve Lambert.
New Delhi, May 29 : To deal with the rising cases of coronavirus, the Delhi government is aiming to double the number of beds in the coming days in comparison to the number of patients right now, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Friday.

Speaking to the media, he noted the national capital has more than 5,000 beds for coronavirus treatment.

"Of these 1,400 beds are in private hospitals and 3,700 in government hospitals. The number of patients currently on the ventilator is 28. And we have more than 300 dedicated ventilators available currently in Delhi. Our aim is to double the number of beds in the coming days in comparison to the number of patients right now," Jain said.

He also said that there have been 17,386 positive cases up till now in Delhi.

"(As many as) 1,106 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the last 24 hours in Delhi. 7,846 people have recovered so far. 351 of them recovered on Thursday. And there have been 398 deaths so far in the national capital due to Covid-19," said Jain.

He also informed that the health bulletin will reflect 82 new deaths out of which 13 were reported in the last 24 hours while the rest 69 deaths have happened in the course of the last 34 days.

Jain advised everyone to be cautious of the disease.

"We should practice social distancing, wear masks, and wash our hands with soap and water. If you think you're infected, you should isolate yourself in a room, it takes two weeks to recover, and most of the people are recovering without any medical intervention," he added.

On Thursday, the coronavirus cases count in the national capital witnessed a record jump of 1,024 in a day, taking the total tally to 16,281 while the death tally has reached 316.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New York State Forest Rangers have been busy assisting with wild fires, along with human mistakes, and helping lost or injured hikers.

The following incidents took place from May 18 to 25. All information below was supplied by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Town of Brasher, St. Lawrence County

Wildland fire: On May 18 at 2:56 p.m., Region 6 Forest Rangers overheard a call by St. Lawrence County 911 about a five- to six-acre fire off Murray Road in the town of Brasher. Forest Rangers assisted 10 area fire departments using ATV firefighting apparatus and hand tools. A Ranger drone mapped the fire at 14 acres as the fire spread through dry vegetation in swamps and wooded areas. Low humidity and high temperatures, before the leaf growth, helped to spread this fire caused by the landowner burning brush.

Town of Waverly, Franklin County

Wilderness Rescue: On May 18 at 5:43 p.m., Franklin County 911 transferred a call to DECs Ray Brook Dispatch from two hikers lost on Azure Mountain in the Debar Mountain Wild Forest. The 18-year-old female and 19-year-old male from Massena went off trail on the way up the mountain and failed to find the trail again on the way back down. Forest Ranger Scott Sabo responded to the trailhead off Blue Mountain Road. Coordinates obtained through 911 placed the hikers about 0.6 miles north of the trailhead and 0.5 miles from Blue Mountain Road. At 7:12 p.m., Ranger Sabo located the lost hikers and escorted them back to the trailhead to their vehicle.

Camp Smith, Westchester County

Multi-Agency Training: On May 19, Region 3 Forest Rangers attended bucket training along with New York and Connecticut Army National Guard Aviation units at Camp Smith in Westchester County. The training furthers the Tri-State Wildland Firefighting Task Force initiative.

Town of Kortright, Delaware County

Wilderness Search: On May 19 at 6:15 p.m., Delaware County 911 contacted DECs Central Dispatch requesting Forest Ranger assistance in the search for a 79-year-old woman last seen near a residence in Kortright. The woman wanted to help collect firewood and took a five-gallon bucket with her when she went missing. She was reported to be wearing a red hat, dark red vest, and black pants with orange shoes. New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation flew over the property while both NYSP and DLE K9 searched nearby woods. Forest Rangers Stephen Ellis, Jenna Curcio, Katie Fox, and Erin Stoddard searched a wooded area behind the house and located a set of footprints. Shortly thereafter, Ranger Fox found the bucket and the missing woman. Ranger Fox escorted the woman out of the woods for evaluation by waiting EMS, and it was determined that additional medical attention was not needed. The Delaware County Sheriffs Office and Hobart and Stamford Fire Departments assisted with this search.

Town of Wilmington, Essex County

Wilderness Search: On May 21 at 3:20 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a call to DECs Ray Brook Dispatch from two hikers on the Flume Knob Trail in the Wilmington Wild Forest. The hikers were requesting assistance because one of the pair had a lower leg injury. While descending the mountain, a 56-year-old woman from National Park, New Jersey, made an incorrect step, injuring her leg, and was unable to put any weight on it. Essex County 911 provided coordinates that placed the hikers near the trail for Bears Den Mountain, slightly off course from the trailhead. Forest Rangers James Giglinto, Benjamin Baldwin, and Scott Sabo responded to assist, along with the Wilmington Fire Department. At 4:35 p.m., Ranger Giglinto was with the injured hiker. He splinted her leg and they began to slowly start walking back out to the trailhead at Whiteface. At 5:21 p.m., the hiker and Rangers were back at the trailhead and the hiker was transported to a local hospital for further medical treatment.

Town of Keene, Essex County

Wilderness Search: On May 24 at 6:34 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a female hiker who lost the trail from the Giant Washbowl back to the Roaring Brook trailhead. Per Forest Ranger Lt. Chris Kostoss, the hiker was asked to call 911 for her coordinates. Essex County 911 provided three sets of coordinates as Dispatch attempted to assist the hiker back to the trail using her compass and the coordinates provided. After those attempts failed, Forest Ranger James Giglinto responded to the Roaring Brook trailhead to assist. The 47-year-old hiker from Plattsburgh was located at 8:53 p.m., and back to the trailhead and out of the woods by 9:45 p.m.

Town of Harrisville, Lewis County

Wildland Fire: On May 24, DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from St. Lawrence County 911 asking for Forest Ranger assistance for a wildland fire on Jayville Road in the town of Harrisville. A landowner burning brush during low humidity and high heat caused the fire. The fire was held to 1.2 acres thanks to the immediate response by five local fire departments. Forest Rangers used ATV fire apparatus to mop up the fire and put out hot spots. The fire was out by the afternoon of May 25.

Town of Austerlitz, Columbia County

Wildland Fire: On May 25, four individuals were camping at Harvey Mountain State Forest at approximately 3:30 p.m. when they left their campsite and a smoldering campfire unattended. The fire crept out of the fire pit, igniting nearby grass, and eventually burning 1.8 acres of forest, including the campers tents and belongings. Forest Ranger John Gullen responded to the scene along with the Austerlitz, Spencertown, Red Rock, and Canaan fire departments to extinguish the fire. The leader of the group was issued a ticket for leaving an open fire unattended.

Adirondacks, DEC Region 5, multiple counties

Wildland fires: DEC Forest Rangers remained busy of the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend dealing with several wildfires in Region 5. A cold, dry spring delayed green up of vegetation throughout much of the Adirondacks resulting in nine wildfires. These fires, burning approximately 40 acres, ranged in size from less than one acre to more than 20 acres. A number of these fires were caused from downed power lines and unattended campfires. Two of the fires remain under investigation.

DEC continues to remind New Yorkers to take proper steps to prevent wildfires. Visit DECs FIREWISE New York website, with tips on protecting homes and communities.

Adirondacks, multiple counties

Patrols for Public Safety and Increased Visitors: Memorial Day Holiday Weekend brought an influx of visitors to the Adirondacks. In anticipation of this increase, Forest Rangers worked with members of DECs Division of Lands and Forests, Division of Law Enforcement, and Public Outreach, as well as NYSP, local officials, and representatives from the State Department of Transportation to develop a strategic plan. The result was increased public outreach, real-time messaging provided by roadside message boards, and strict enforcement of parking at busy trailheads, particularly in the High Peaks and Shelving Rock areas. With significant support from State Troopers, the busy State Route 73 corridor in the High Peaks and the Shelving Rock area were heavily patrolled and closely monitored. Forest Rangers and Assistant Forest Rangers were present at trailheads and on the trail to provide education and information regarding social distancing and backcountry safety. A total of 45 tickets were issued for traffic infractions. As the Adirondacks continues to see increased spring visitation numbers, Rangers will continue to work with multiple DEC divisions and public and private partners to manage usage at popular destinations.

Statewide

New York State COVID-19 Response:

DEC personnel from across agency divisions and regions statewide continue to support the States response to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Personnel from more than 20 New York State agencies are working on response efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. DEC Forest Rangers expertise in the Incident Command System (ICS) and experience in applying ICS to wide area searches and large wildland fire have made them a key part of this statewide effort.

MORE NYUP

Coronavirus in NY: State is close to the bottom of the curve, Cuomo says

Must-See Home in Upstate NY: $39,900 for gorgeous marina view in Whitehall

Yikes! Theres a gray fox family in my backyard -- what should I do?

Road trips: 6 great Upstate NY motorcycle rides
The Aughrim Town and Country Market re-opened on Saturday in a slightly different form.

The popular farmer's market was back as an outdoor only event after closing its doors in March due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Speaking on Thursday, Caroline Dillon of Aughrim Town and Country Market said 'it's going to be very different from the last 14 years. We are opening as an outdoor market under Phase One guidelines. I contacted the HSE and they suggested it would be better if the market was held outdoors.'

Planning is already well under way for the re-opening of the Pavilion itself including a new one-way system through the building. Physical distancing and other safety measures will also be in place.

Caroline explained that necessary changes have been made, but they want to preserve the important social element of the market, in a different form.

'We are hoping all [who come] will be responsible and look after us as well as themselves.'

The revised layout of the market has meant that there is currently no parking to ensure the safety of all those in attendance.

A range of producers were back at their stalls selling fruit and vegetables, eggs, take away food options and much more. The social aspect of the market was also present with shoppers following all the guidelines.

The farmers market returns on Saturday and is also offering an order and collect service for those who may be cocooning. For more information, contact Caroline on 086 0865838.
The tightening of traffic restrictions put in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus by Gurgaon and Ghaziabad administrations on their borders with Delhi led to chaos and traffic congestion on Friday.

IMAGE: Traffic jam on the NH-24 at Ghazipur after the authorities sealed Delhi-Ghaziabad border due to a sudden surge in coronavirus cases, during ongoing COVID-19 lockdown-4, in New Delhi. Photograph: Vijay Varma/PTI Photo

This comes a day after the Haryana government issued fresh orders to seal the inter-state border to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Earlier this week, the Ghaziabad administration too made the inter-city movement stricter after it reported a spike in coronavirus cases.

Although Ghaziabad, Noida and Gurgaon fall under different states, a large number of people stay in these cities, but work in Delhi or vice versa.

"There was a massive chaos this morning with traffic jams as the police were not allowing people to cross the border from either sides," Ruchir Sharma, who stays in Uttam Nagar in west Delhi but works with a diagnostics laboratory in Gurgaon, said.

"The new directive (of tightening the restrictions) came late night, so no one had clarity and instructions were not issued to the police. I am not sure if they are allowing essential services people or not but to get to the check post after clearing the whole queue was a long wait so I decided to come back," Sharma added.

IMAGE: Police stop commuters, who were trying to cross the Delhi-Gurugram border, near Dhanchiri Camp in Gurugram. Photograph: PTI Photo

Those travelling to and from Ghaziabad said the checking had become very strict.

Rajendra Singh Yadav, who works in a medical store in Ghaziabad and resides in Shahdara in east Delhi, said the checking by police in Ghaziabad led to traffic congestion on the border.

Assistant Superintendent of Ghaziabad Police Keshav Kumar said that entry will be allowed for only those involved in essential services. He acknowledged that there was heavy traffic on the borders due to checking by the police.

Haryana's Home Minister Anil Vij justified strictness on the state's borders with the national capital, saying if the state does not take such measures its coronavirus cases would be at par with Delhi. He has cited a sharp increase in cases in the Haryana districts adjoining Delhi for the decision.

"I regularly monitor and keep a close watch on the situation. Here we are trying to save each life, if we do not maintain strictness on the borders and allow free movement of people, then I can say undoubtedly our cases would be at par with Delhi. I have to stop free movement of people," said Vij.

IMAGE: Traffic jam on Delhi-Gurugram road after the Haryana government sealed its border due to a sudden surge in coronavirus cases. Photograph: PTI Photo

The Delhi traffic police alerted commuters taking the route to plan their travel accordingly.

"Traffic is moving very slow in the carriageway from Delhi towards Haryana due to checking by Haryana Police at Singhu border," it tweeted.

Similar was the case with Gautam Buddh Nagar. In an open letter to Noida and Greater Noida residents, Suhas L Y on Thursday stressed the need for maintaining the status quo on the Noida-Delhi border.

"These decisions are being taken after looking at the epidemiological data, prevailing situation in the neighbouring places and contact tracing of previous Covid positive patients. Therefore, the pertinent point to note is, what cost in terms of convenience are we willing to incur for the health of and well-being of the community and vice versa," he wrote.

Commuters had to face major obstacles, with some even being forced to apply for 'personal leaves' as they could not reach their work stations.

Seema Mishra (name changed) said she could not travel to work in Gurgaon from her residence in west Delhi because of the restrictions.

"Our company recently asked us to report at work but has given no guidelines on how to deal with the border sealing. No public transport is available. Now if I take a cab and get stuck on the border, that would be a major trouble," Mishra said.

IMAGE: Traffic jam on Ghazipur road near Delhi-Ghaziabad border after the authorities imposed restrictions on the movement of vehicles following a sudden surge in coronavirus cases, during ongoing COVID-19 lockdown-4, in New Delhi. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo

"What increases the problem is that the office has asked me to apply for personal leave if I cannot reach work. This whole week I applied for leave. Some of my colleagues who are supposed to be on duty next week also fear the same experience," she added.

Noida resident Sumit Chauhan said in absence of metro services and the hassle at state borders, he is forced to not report to work in Gurgaon.

"I would take the metro to reach office. But all public transport is shut. My office has resumed. I tried to go in an auto-rickshaw, but there is UP-Delhi border and then Delhi-Haryana border. I gave up midway and returned home. It was too much of a stress commuting," said Chauhan, a resident of Sector 74.

Bhavna Bhatti, who travels to Gurgaon from Delhi, said the chaos was due to late night instructions as neither employers nor employees were prepared.

"My office is calling minimum staff on rotational basis. They could have called someone else other than me had they known but half of the day had gone struggling at the border. I then returned home," she said.

Commuters said pedestrians too were not allowed to cross the border, leading to protests and heated exchange with police officials.
An operation is underway to remove a 40ft long dead whale from a beach in Essex.

The large mammal, which is believed to be a fin whale, washed up on the shore at Clacton-on-Sea on Friday and the area has since been cordoned off.

It was first seen in shallow water at around 5.30am, locals said.

Essex Police has advised the public to stay away while authorities plan on how to remove the whale.

The force said it is working organisations, including the Big Blue Ocean Cleanup, to remove it.

A 40ft-long whale that has washed up on the beach at Clacton-on-Sea in Essex (PA)

Essex Police wrote in a Facebook post: Sadly a 40ft whale has been washed up on Clacton this morning.

We are currently in attendance with other organisations and discussions are under way on how to remove her.

The area is cordoned off and the public are advised to stay away. #SocialDistancing #StayAlert."

A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said officers were called to a report of a large object on the beach, later confirmed to be a dead whale, just after 5.30am.

Removal of the carcass is the responsibility of the beach owner, the charity said in a Facebook post.

In the meantime we strongly advise people to avoid going near it as there is a risk of contracting an infection from contact with its bodily fluids or the body itself.

Fin whales are the second-largest mammals on Earth after the blue whale, and are classed as an endangered species.

They can grow up to 80ft in length, but the British Divers Marine Life Rescue charity said this particular whale was actually rather small for the species and was therefore likely to be a juvenile.
ustinas Ivaskivicius, 34, is accused of taking the gem back in December 2017

James Stunt's former bodyguard stole a 16-carat yellow diamond worth 515,000 from a safe during a 20million raid on the tycoon's Belgravia mansion, a court heard.

Justinas Ivaskevicius, 34, allegedly swiped the rock at some point between 12 and 15 December 2017. He denies theft and a second charge of possession of criminal property, 50,000 in cash.

Police attended the address to find no forced entry and interviewed Mr Stunt's entourage of butlers and bodyguards after he reported a quantity of gold bars and diamond jewellery had gone missing.

Stunt, 38, who was married to Formula 1 heiress Ms Ecclestone, 31, from 2011 to 2017, made his fortune as a gold dealer and art collector.

James Stunt, pictured in 2018, is the alleged victim in a theft charge after a 515,000 diamond was stolen from his home in Belgravia, Westminster between 12 and 15 December 2017

The socialite couple had three children together before divorcing in a 5.5 billion settlement in October 2017.

Ivaskevicius allegedly sold the enormous sparkler on using the fake name 'Tomas Cowal' before it reached the Geological Institute of America (GIA) who identified it as stolen.

Detectives from Met Police's Flying Squad arrested him in Chesterton, Cambridge on Wednesday.

Lithuanian dual national Ivaskevicius appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court today via video-link from custody wearing a grey prison tracksuit.

He is charged with theft from the person and possessing criminal property and indicated not guilty pleas.

Prosecutor Malachy Pakenham said: 'There was a report of a burglary that had taken place some time between 13 and 14 December 2017.

'The victim is James Stunt, he describes himself as a multi-billionaire businessman. He's a man of means and he reported the burglary.

'He said items were stolen, quantities of diamonds, diamond rings, gold and gold bars. Initially he thought the value could be 50 - 90 million. However, police think it's nearer to 20 million.

'Police started an operation because of the high values of the alleged items taken. They examined the address and made CCTV and telephone enquiries.

'They spoke to his staff, bodyguards, visitors, anyone who had any connections with the victim. The victim employs a large number of people including butlers, bodyguards, cleaners and has at least five members in his security team.

Justinas Ivaskivicius, 34, is accused of taking the gem from the home, above, of Petra Ecclestone's ex-husband. Met Police's detectives arrested him on Wednesday

'They were all interviewed and police reached conclusion there was no evidence of break in. They were stolen from a safe on the ground floor. Two people have access to the safe. There was no evidence of forced entry to the safe.

'The sole safe key was kept in a vehicle and the keys to the vehicle were kept in a communal area in his abode there was no evidence linking anyone at the initial enquiry.

'The investigation continues and statements were taken from a jeweller in Bond Street who confirmed the sale of a number of pieces of high value jewellery which police found belonged to the victim.

'One 16.18 carat, what's described as fancy yellow rectangular corner cut diamond. The diamond has a reference number and has a certificate as diamonds do. The value of that item was some 515,000.

'Items of jewellery were circulated and the Geological Institute of America (GIA) were informed of stolen items.

'We then move on to 10 May 2018. The GIA received a 16.8carat diamond and they looked at it, authenticated it, and the diamond had been supplied to the GIA via a gem lab in Antwerp in Belgium. The certificate was linked to the diamond.'

Mr Pakenham said Ivaskevicius was employed by the victim as a bodyguard.

'He has a Lithuanian passport and a British passport. He's a dual national,' the prosecutor added.

District Judge Angus Hamilton remanded Ivaskevicius into custody and told him: 'The allegations you face need to be dealt with in the Crown Court.

'Southwark Crown Court will take over the management of this case.'

Ivaskevicius, of Fallowfield, Cambridge, is charged with theft from the person and possessing criminal property.

He will next appear for a further hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 26 June.
Calling all Ringers affected under lockdown: an unexpected reunion is about to happen, and it involves the Fellowship. That's right! The casts from the famous film series 'Lord of the Rings' will have the most epic reunion after nearly two decades on Zoom. Josh Gad's well-received 'Reunion Apart' Youtube show will feature casts including Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Sean Astin, and even Ian McKellen, in one of the most one-of-a-kind reconciliation in the Hollywood industry.

Here's an unexpected reunion happening Sunday!

Josh Gad, known for his iconic voice-over role as Olaf in Frozen I and II, has been doing some of the best things that T.V. series or film fans have been dreaming about. It is reuniting the casts of the most remarkable shows and movies in the history!

Fans had already enjoyed the reunion of casts from The Goonies, Splash, or Back in the Future from its past episodes. However, on Sunday, May 31, at 9 a.m. P.T., the most iconic reunion so far, is about to happen. Gad had already posted a teaser for the next episode, which will feature the main casts of J. R. R. Tolkien's novel trilogy 'Lord of the Rings' film series.

Dominic Monaghan played as Merry from the trilogy, also posted a screenshot from the episode. Based on the image, the reunion had also invited other cast members such as Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), Liv Tyler (Arwen), Andy Sirkis (Gollum), and John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) to join the Zoom call.

Not only the actors joined the Zoom call, but even the director Peter Jackson and writer Fran Walsh from the series were also invited.

Where to watch the 'Lord of the Rings' Zoom reunion?

Since this reunion seemed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fans to see their old-time favorite 'Lord of the Rings' cast members in one screen, everyone should mark their calendars now.

As said, this 'Reunion Apart' episode will happen on Sunday, May 31, at 9 a.m. P.T. or 12 p.m. E.S.T. If you want to watch it live, make sure to set the bell button on Josh Gad's Youtube page for the platform to update you once the episode is already on air.

ALSO READ: Lord of the Rings New Patch Notes 25.4 Features Several Tweaks on Classes and Crafting and Adds New Raid

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Audio Attachment: Listen to them sharing their views on the new normal

Campaign by political parties in the country towards the 2020 election would have started seriously had it not been the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.



In view of this, Peace FMs Erica Eyifah spoke to some leaders of the major political parties to find out how they intend selling their message to the electorates as we wait for the lifting of restrictions on public gatherings which will enable the parties hold political rallies.



CPP to use all available avenues



The Acting General Secretary of the Convention People's Party, James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr, says the CPP is using all means of communication that are available to them under the circumstance the country finds itself to campaign for votes.



He explained that, Covid-19 has changed the strategy used by the party to campaign for votes.



James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr, said that, the party will adopt other forms of communication to reach out to the electorates ahead of the December 7th election.



PNC to focus more on social media



The People's National Convention General Secretary, Atik Mohammed says social media and media engagement is going to be an active part of how the PNC will sell their message to the public as they wait for the lifting of restriction on public gatherings.



He said the party will use all innovative ways of effective and far reaching campaign even in the period of Covid-19.



Government's successful works a major part of NPP strategy



Hon. Yaw Buaben Asamoa, Adenta MP who doubles as the National Communications Director for the NPP said the Covid-19 has disabled any political party to do a proper campaign including the NPP.



He explained that, the NPP is already doing a good work for mother Ghana by making sure the Ghanaians have access to everything good that they deserve which is part of how they intend to sell their campaign message to the public.



Lawyer Buaben Asamoa, says the good work of the government speaks for itself for instance in terms of how government is handling the Covid-19 issues in the country.



NDC has changed a lot of its strategy



The Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor, told Peace News reporter, Erica Eyifah that with the Covid-19 restriction on social gatherings the NDC party has changed a lot of its campaign strategies.



According to him, the party will use all forms of Communication Avenue to sell its campaign message.



Peter Boamah Otokunor explained that, they were looking forward that government measures put in place to combat the Covid-19 will help matters but it seems the Covid-19 cases keep increasing.



PPP to adopt new media technology to reach masses



The Director of Operations of the Progressive People's Party (PPP), Nana Ofori Owusu, has noted that, the Covid-19 has restricted the partys movement on doing campaigns and other things in this election.



According to him, the Progressive Peoples Party has adopted technology as their key factor on how the party will sell their campaign message to the public.



Nana Ofori Owusu, explained that, due to the health implication that comes with the Covid-19, the PPP will be using social media more in this years campaign.



EC to register 16 million Ghanaians



The Electoral Commission has estimated to register sixteen (16) million eligible Ghanaian electorates onto the new voters' register.



The Commission, during an IPAC meeting on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, announced the registration exercise will begin in June this year.



Legal documents for the registration exercise are the Ghana card and passport but those without these two requirements can register the names by the help of guarantors.



The EC's decision to compile a new voters' register has however been met by opposition from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and members of the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Voter Register [IPRAN] who claim the Commission's is plotting to disenfranchise about 11 million eligible Ghanaians.









Source: Erica Eyifah/Peace News









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 18:25:56|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

MANILA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on Friday said it has approved a 750 million U.S. dollars loan to help the Philippines "stave off the worst public health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Co-financed with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the AIIB said the budgetary support will go toward increasing the government's testing capacity, bolstering vulnerable sectors, including agriculture, and providing conditional cash transfers and emergency assistance to poor households.

The AIIB said at least 1 million micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, of which 58 percent are registered to women, will benefit from wage subsidies.

The Philippines imposed a lockdown in mid-March to halt the spread of the virus.

"The lockdown measures are expected to take a heavy toll on the country's economic growth with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimating that gross domestic product could see a sharp contraction from 6.2 percent to 0.6 percent for 2020," the AIIB said in a statement.

"The focus of our efforts is to help the government tackle the immediate health and economic challenges posed by the pandemic. AIIB's support will contribute to building economic resilience and ensuring quick recovery," said AIIB Vice President, Investment Operations, D.J. Pandian.

While AIIB does not have a regular instrument for policy-based financing, the AIIB said it is extending such financings on an exceptional basis under the COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility to support its members through projects co-financed with the World Bank or the ADB.

On April 17, AIIB said it is doubling available funds under its COVID-19 crisis recovery facility to 10 billion U.S. dollars due to high client demand.

The decision came after requests for funding have substantially exceeded the 5 billion dollars originally allocated for emergency relief, as clients require immediate assistance in areas including health infrastructure and pandemic preparedness to alleviate health care pressures.

AIIB is currently reviewing projects from its members.

The AIIB is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia. Enditem
About 50% of respondents to the poll said cobalt would be most prone to disrupted supply or limited availability as a result of Covid-19; nickel and lithium each received 20% of respondents votes, while the remaining 10% went to either graphite or manganese.Concerns around cobalt supply mainly arise from the industrys dependence on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - which accounts for about 70% of the worlds cobalt output - and export routes out of Africa for shipment to Asia, Fastmarkets minors ores and alloys editor, Asia, Susan Zou said.Cobalt is in the spotlight because of the dynamics of its supply. When the lockdown in South Africa started, it cut the route for suppliers to ship out their hydroxide so its in focus at the moment, Zou said.

Payables for cobalt hydroxide, settled as a percentage of the standard-grade metal price, stood at 65-67% on Wednesday...
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted Tuesdays primary elections in Pennsylvania. Not only are officials having to clean and disinfect polling stations, but more people are opting not to take the chance of being exposed to the coronavirus. Theyre voting by mail.

Adding to all of this is the fact that many poll workers also dont want to be exposed to thousands of voters coming into polling places, some of whom may be bringing an unwanted guest  COVID-19. Thats meant fewer poll workers, forcing election officials to consolidate some polling places for the primary election.

If that werent enough, voters who do head to the polls Tuesday will find something else different  new voting machines.

David Thornburgh, president of President and CEO of the Committee of Seventy, an influential independent government reform group in Philadelphia and Suzanne Almeida, interim Executive Director of the election reform group Common Cause, are guests at noon Friday on PennLives Coronavirus Q & A on Facebook Live.

They will talk about whats at stake in Tuesdays primary and the efforts being made to make sure things go as smoothly as possible in tabulating results.

Join us for Fridays Coronavirus Q & A on PennLives Facebook page.

Quality local journalism has never been more important. You deserve the best. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.

And please subscribe to Battleground PA to stay abreast of the issues in the 2020 elections!
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After the death of George Floyd, 46, a black man who died while being arrested by Minneapolis police officers on Tuesday  despite his pleas that he could not breathe as an officer kneeled on the handcuffed mans neck  NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea publicly said the act should be condemned.

What we saw in Minnesota was deeply disturbing, Shea wrote on Twitter Thursday. It was wrong.

We must take a stand and address it, he continued. We must come together, condemn these actions and reinforce who we are as members of the NYPD. This is not acceptable ANYWHERE.

An NYPD spokesperson confirmed Sheas comments were directed toward the actions taken by the officers who initiated the arrest on Floyd.

What we saw in Minnesota was deeply disturbing. It was wrong.



We must take a stand and address it.



We must come together, condemn these actions and reinforce who we are as members of the NYPD.



This is not acceptable ANYWHERE.  Commissioner Shea (@NYPDShea) May 28, 2020

The officers involved in the incident have been fired, the Associated Press reported, but widespread carnage has followed in the wake of the incident, with protestors rioting through the streets of the city for the past two nights  looting stores, setting fires and causing extensive damage.

Mayor Jacob Frey, who called for the National Guard to quell the protests  a request that has since been carried out by Minnesotas Governor  attempted to calm those embroiled with anger from the death of Floyd.

Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy, Frey said on Twitter.

The case accumulated widespread attention after a 10-minute long video shot by a civilian and posted to Facebook showed a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee against the mans neck on the pavement for a prolonged period of time. The man is heard pleading with officers: I cannot breathe!... Dont kill me!"

Police were responding to a report of a forgery when the incident unfolded, according to a Washington Post report.

In a press conference on Thursday, Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins called for a state of emergency declaration on racism.

I am asking my colleagues ... to declare a state of emergency declaring racism as a public health issue. Until we name this virus, this disease that has infected America for the past 400 years, we will never, ever resolve this issue."

The tragedy is reminiscent of the 2014 death of Eric Garner in Tompkinsville, who died in police custody during an attempted arrest by Officer Daniel Pantaleo and other cops for the illegal sale of cigarettes.

A five-year saga that followed included heated protests and a personnel shake-up within the NYPD. Protestors who backed Pantaleo pointed to Garner resisting his arrest, his health conditions and a history of arrests as the reason for his death.

After a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo on criminal charges, the U.S. Department of Justice declined to file civil right charges against Pantaleo, citing insufficient evidence.

Ultimately, an NYPD judge deemed Pantaleo used a prohibited chokehold to arrest Garner and he was fired from the force.

Shea began his tenure following the decision to have Pantaleo fired, and has cemented his tenure in the concept of taking neighborhood policing to the next level.

Under that strategy, each precinct is divided into four or five sectors, patrolled by the same officers who work the same shifts each week, in an effort to familiarize themselves with residents to prevent crimes from occurring.

Repeating the sentiment of the NYPD in 2014 at the start of the neighborhood policing initiative, Shea said he believes the city can continue to drive down crime statistics with far-less intrusive policing.
The Oregon Legislature has recalled the head of the Employment Department for an unusual, three-hour hearing Saturday to testify about the issues plaguing the unemployment benefits system.

The departments top officials presented to a state House committee Wednesday. But they left no time for questions about a backlog that has left more than 200,000 Oregonians unpaid since they were laid off amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The presentation frustrated many lawmakers, who are calling on the department to work more quickly to fix the issues.

Here are more developments to know Friday:

OUTBREAK: Oregon officials pledged late Thursday to disclose workplace outbreaks of coronavirus. Earlier in the day, officials acknowledged that the state never disclosed a widespread outbreak at Townsend Farms, which is now gripped by a second wave of coronavirus infections.

CARE: Psychiatrists at OHSU Hospital and clinics have seen a 120% increase in visits since the pandemic began, and officials there worry that insurers will make it difficult to provide the level of mental health care needed in the wake of the pandemic.

EDUCATION: Portland Public Schools leaders say theyll prioritize students of color as they face an uncertain budget forecast.

COURTS: Attorneys for the state filed their latest paperwork in their state Supreme Court challenge of an injunction canceling Gov. Kate Browns emergency coronavirus orders.

REOPENING: Bridgeport Village, an outdoor mall in Tigard, will reopen Monday, the same day Washington County enters Phase 1 of Browns reopening plan. It will become one of the first shopping areas in the Portland area to open once again to customers.

CASES: State health officials reported 49 new confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases, and three additional deaths. An Oregon Health & Science University study to examine the spread of the virus in Oregon hit an unexpected testing snag as researchers try to ramp up.

LIFE TODAY: Childrens daily screen time has skyrocketed under coronavirus stay-home restrictions -- and thats not necessarily a bad thing.

LISTEN: On this weeks episode of the Peak Northwest podcast, Jamie Hale and Jim Ryan continue to dig into the complicated issues around recreating outside during the pandemic.

#TEAMOREGON:

Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
US Attorney General William Barr.

Alex Wong/Getty Images

Attorney General William Barr announced Friday that the Justice Department, including the FBI, was investigating the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes.

The department is "conducting an independent investigation to determine whether any federal civil-rights laws were violated" related to Floyd's arrest and subsequent death, Barr said in a statement.

Earlier Friday, Hennepin County prosecutors charged former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was filmed kneeling on Floyd, with third-degree murder in the case.

The attorney general called video images of the incident "harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing."

A former federal prosecutor told Business Insider that it was unusual for the Justice Department to get involved so early in the process and it typically doesn't intervene unless state prosecutors have already tried and failed to charge or convict a police officer.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Attorney General William Barr on Friday announced a federal investigation into the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes.

Barr said in a statement Friday that a state prosecutor "has been in the process of determining whether any criminal charges are appropriate under state law."

He added that the Justice Department, including the FBI, was also "conducting an independent investigation to determine whether any federal civil-rights laws were violated" related to Floyd's death.

Earlier Friday, Hennepin County prosecutors charged former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was filmed kneeling on Floyd, with third-degree murder in the case.

Barr said in his statement that state and federal officers "are working diligently and collaboratively to ensure that any available evidence relevant to these decisions is obtained as quickly as possible."

Story continues

He called video images of the incident "harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing."

"Under our system, charging decisions must be, and will be, based on the law and facts," the statement said. "This process is proceeding quickly. As is the typical practice, the state's charging decisions will be made first. I am confident justice will be served."

It's unusual for the Justice Department to get involved so early in the process, Mark Osler, a former federal prosecutor and law professor at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, told Business Insider.

Osler said the department typically doesn't intervene unless state prosecutors have already tried and failed to charge or convict a police officer.

"Straight-up murder isn't a federal offense," he said, noting there were limited exceptions, such as if the murder took place on a military base. "There's a federal law against the violation of civil rights, but usually that doesn't happen until after murder charges fail."

Osler continued: "Usually what you're going to see is the state make the case for murder, and then if they fail, the feds would step in."

He likened the situation to the ex-LAPD officers Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell, who were videotaped beating Rodney King in 1991. The men were first acquitted on state charges, but federal authorities pursued the case, and both men were later convicted of federal charges of violating King's civil rights.

Floyd's death sparked widespread outrage and prompted thousands of people to protest police brutality against black men. The demonstrations started in Minneapolis on Thursday and have continued spreading across the US since.

President Donald Trump weighed in on the protests, calling the demonstrators "thugs" and threatening to send in the National Guard.

"These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!" Trump wrote in a tweet.

Shortly after, Twitter flagged the tweet with a "public interest notice," which warned that it "violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence."

However, the social-media company did not take down the tweet, saying was "in the public's interest" for Trump's tweet to remain accessible, though users can no longer reply, like, or retweet it.

Read the original article on Business Insider
VinFast factory is seen in the northern city of Hai Phong, September 25, 2018. Photo by Reuters/Kham.

Planning to first conquer the most challenging market, Vingroup has set its sights on car, smartphone exports to the U.S.

"Its a test. If we could win over the most difficult market, we could easily enter others. We need to set high goals for our startups," said Pham Nhat Vuong, chairman of the largest listed company in Vietnam, at a shareholder meeting Thursday.

He was referring to automaker VinFast and smartphone producer VinSmart, both subsidiaries identified as the companys new core businesses.

VinFast on Thursday tested its first electric car model in Hanoi in preparation for Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Although the company does not release sales figures, official data shows 5,124 VinFast cars were registered in the first quarter, helping the auto brand rank fifth in Vietnam sales.

VinSmart has sold 1.2 million smartphones in 17 months to claim third place in Vietnam market share behind South Koreas Samsung and Chinas Oppo.

However, losses are expected for both companies in three to five years, Vuong warned. "For the next several years our target is not to profit but to dominate the market."

Vingroup, with a market cap of over $14 billion, has not been immune to coronavirus impacts. The board has announced that it would strictly manage spending and investment this year to reduce costs and focus on developing its existing businesses.

The company aims to hit a revenue of VND145 trillion ($6.2 billion) this year, up 12 percent over 2019, and a post-tax profit of VND5 trillion ($214 million), down 35 percent.




President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Yerima Shettima

President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Yerima Shettima, has accused Northern governors of turning banditry and killings in the region into business by not doing what is necessary.

Speaking with SaharaReporters, Shettima also blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for not taking definitive steps to end banditry and insurgency in the region.

He attributed the incessant killings to poor leadership in the region.

He said, The renewed attack emanated from lack of leadership, those who are saddled with responsibilities are not serious.

What does it take our security forces if not that everything has been politicized and some of them take it as a business that they make so much money out of it. What does it take to wipe off this banditry?

It is because there is no political will. It has become a business where they receive money in the name of security vote; unaccounted for, non-remittable, so they just continue doing it as a business. The day they wake up and there is no banditry, automatically, no more business.

Shettima compared the bandit attacks to Boko Haram, saying Northern governors lacked the political will to put an end to the unnecessary killings.

He said, When there is no clear direction or policy by government to tackle the issue and with lack of political will to address issues, things will continue to metamorphose to something else.

When the leaders lack the political will to address these issues, it becomes the order of the day and this is exactly what we are facing in the northern part of the country.

Banditry issue is high, Nigerians are tired of hearing we will let us see it. Do it and dont tell us, just do it because things are getting out of hand.

Shettima said the President must immediately swing into action to end the killing in his state, noting that it the issue was not addressed, it could spread to other parts of the country.

He added, It will be impossible until we have a government at the central willing and determined to address this issue once and for all.

They need a political will to address this issue, otherwise, what is affecting us today will turn out to be a serious problem in other parts of the country. We must see it as our collective responsibility to fight it out, all hands must be on deck.
Previous pandemics have often disproportionately impacted ethnic minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. While early evidence suggests that the same may be occurring in the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, research into the subject remains limited.

A team of researchers at the University of Glasgow and Public Health Scotland, UK analysed data on 392,116 participants in the UK Biobank study, a large long-term study investigating the contribution of genes and the environment to the development of disease. UK Biobank data, which include information on social and demographic factors, such as ethnicity and socioeconomic position, health and behavioural risk factors, were linked to results of COVID-19 tests conducted in England between 16th March 2020 and 3rd May 2020. Out of the total number of participants whose data were analysed, 348,735 were White British, 7,323 were South Asian and 6,395 were from black ethnic backgrounds. 2,658 participants had been tested for SARS-CoV-2 and 948 had at least one positive test. Out of those, 726 received a positive test in a hospital setting, suggesting more severe illness.

The authors found that, compared to people from white British backgrounds, the risks of testing positive were largest in in black and South Asian minority groups who were 3.4 and 2.4 times more likely to test positive, respectively, with people of Pakistani ethnicity at highest risk in the south Asian group (3.2 times more likely to test positive). Ethnic minorities also were more likely to receive their diagnosis in a hospital setting, which suggests more severe illness. The observed ethnic differences in infection risk did not appear to be fully explained by differences in pre-existing health, behavioural risk factors, country of birth, or socioeconomic differences. The authors also found that living in a disadvantaged area was associated with a higher risk of testing positive, particularly for the most disadvantaged (2.2 times more likely to test positive compared to the least disadvantaged), as was having the lowest level of education (2.0 times more likely to test positive compared to the highest level of education).

The findings suggest that some ethnic minority groups, especially black and South Asian people may be particularly vulnerable to the adverse consequences of COVID-19. An immediate policy response is needed to ensure that the health system is responsive to the needs of ethnic minority groups, according to the authors. This should include ensuring that health and care workers, who often are from minority ethnic populations, have access to the necessary protective personal equipment. Timely communication of guidelines to reduce the risk of being exposed to the virus in a range of languages should also be considered.

The authors caution that test result data was only available for England. Those who were more advantaged were more likely to participate in the UK Biobank study and ethnic minorities may be less well represented. Further research is needed to investigate whether these findings are reflective of the broader UK population, alongside analysis of other datasets examining how SARS-CoV-2 infection affects different ethnic and socioeconomic groups, including in representative samples across different countries.

###
By Trend

Export of steel from Turkey to France declined by 17.2 percent from January through April 2020 compared to the same period of 2019 and amounted to $47.4 million, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend on May 21.

In April 2020, the steel export from Turkey to France also decreased by 8.6 percent compared to April 2019, making up slightly over $15.1 million.

From January through April of this year, Turkey exported the steel in the amount of $4 billion to the world markets, which is 18.1 percent less compared to the same period of 2019.

The overall export of steel from Turkey made up 7.8 percent of the country's total export over the reporting period.

In April 2020, Turkey exported steel in the amount of $903.1 million to the world markets, which is 26.9 percent less compared to the same month of 2019.

Meanwhile, Turkeys steel export amounted to 10 percent of the country's total export.

During the last 12 months (from April 2019 through April 2020), Turkey exported the steel in the amount of $12.9 billion.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Gov. Mike DeWine accidentally touted a pamphlet produced by the Church of Scientology as literature that would be handed out to minority communities in the coronavirus response, the governors office said Thursday.

The pamphlet  which was first identified by Tony Ortega, former editor-in-chief of The Village Voice who now exclusively covers Scientology for his blog  was part of a package of materials the governor showed off at his May 21 briefing. He said the bags would be handed out to minority communities, who have been disproportionately affected by the disease. The governors office said Thursday the pamphlet was mistakenly included in the governors presentation and wont be handed out as part of the care package at community health centers.

To my knowledge, the only bag that included that pamphlet was the one given to the governor to use as a sample during the press conference, said Dan Tierney, a spokesman for DeWine.

The packages, which will be assembled by the state, will include materials from the Nationwide Foundation for distribution by the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers and are part of an outreach effort by the governors office to help educate minority communities on how best to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. People of color have a higher rate of infection than the population at large.

Again, I want to thank the Nationwide Foundation for helping us make this distribution to the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers, DeWine said at the briefing. You will find in here, facial coverings, hand sanitizer and equally important information. So, we're looking forward to getting these distributed.

The pamphlet, titled Keep Yourself & Others Well, contains basic information about preventing the spread of coronavirus, such as recommendations on hand washing, social distancing, cleaning and sanitizing and how to wear face masks. It makes no mention of Scientology until the last page, which contains a QR code that, if scanned, takes the reader to the Church of Scientologys website.

Tierney said the literature was put into the packet by an employee from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. He did not know how the DRC employee came into possession of the pamphlet.

The bag was assembled by a DRC staff member as far as what weve been able to determine at this point, Tierney said. Were still looking into it.

DRC spokeswoman JoEllen Smith did not respond to phone calls seeking comment about how the department came into possession of the pamphlets.

Ortega theorized in an interview the pamphlet may have reached DRC through Criminon, Scientologys prison outreach program that distributes literature to prisons.

The literature that would be going out in the packets would be printed by the state with information from the Ohio Department of Health, Tierney said.

A spokeswoman for Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes, who serves on the Minority Health Strike Force, said the strike force hadnt approved the pamphlet.

The goal of printing and distributing the pamphlets wasnt necessarily for the controversial church to recruit new members, but to seem like a proactive part of the solution, Ortega said in an interview.

They just want to try to present to government that theyre a beneficial force to prevent them from looking into exactly what is going on in Scientology, Ortega said.

Church of Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw described Ortega as a liar and a bigot.

Our policy since the beginning of this is that we are all in this together, Pouw said. We are doing our part to help.

We have been supplying 5 million copies of this internationally to assist the communities in which we live, Pouw said. Its information. It was extremely well researched so that we could help people who were confused or needed information.

Pouw asked for further questions to be submitted via email. She did not immediately respond to that email asking for comment on DeWine deciding against using the pamphlet.

Read more cleveland.com politics coverage:

Limited outdoor visitation to some long-term care facilities can resume June 8 as Gov. Mike DeWine scales back coronavirus restrictions

Lawmakers urged to make to-go cocktails permanent

New state criteria for coronavirus tests could include a broad group of Ohioans

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine scaling back daily coronavirus briefings
BRASILIA (Reuters) - President Jair Bolsonaro slammed Brazil's Supreme Court on Thursday for investigating an alleged disinformation and intimidation campaign by his supporters, as a political crisis deepened amid the country's accelerating COVID-19 outbreak.

In an escalating confrontation with the court, Bolsonaro decried court-ordered police raids on Wednesday into the homes of business leaders, bloggers and lawmakers accused of spreading lies and threatening foes on social media.

"The Supreme Court investigation is targeting those who support me," the president told reporters. "We will not have another day like yesterday. Enough!"

"Don't plunge Brazil into a political crisis," he warned, urging the court to suspend the investigation.

On a social media broadcast, Bolsonaro said the court's investigation was unconstitutional and any move to restrict fake news in Brazil would establish censorship in the country.

The crisis in Brasilia continued to distract from efforts to control an exploding coronavirus outbreak, which has killed more than 25,000 and infected more than 400,000 people in the country - second only to the United States in confirmed cases.

Criticism of the top court on pro-Bolsonaro social media last year, including calls for its closure and threats against judges, led the chief justice to open the probe into alleged financing and coordination of a "fake news" network.

Bolsonaro's tensions with the judiciary boiled over last week, when a judge released a video of a cabinet meeting where one of Bolsonaro's ministers said the Supreme Court justices should be jailed.

The video was made public by the court in a separate probe into alleged presidential interference in law enforcement.

In the first opinion poll since that video was released, a Datafolha survey on Thursday showed 43% of Brazilians see Bolsonaro's government as "bad" or "terrible" - up from 38% in April. But the poll showed Bolsonaro maintaining core support, with 33% of those surveyed rating the government as "good" or "excellent."

Story continues

Bolsonaro supporters, including retail entrepreneur Luciano Hang, Sao Paulo lawmaker Douglas Garcia and former congressman Roberto Jefferson, said their homes and offices had been searched on Wednesday with telephones and laptops seized.

They denied wrongdoing and called the investigation an attack on their freedom of expression. Bolsonaro said the "invasion of the homes of innocent people was unacceptable."

Jefferson, head of the PTB party that backs Bolsonaro, said the clash with the top court will lead to chaos, adding the president should call on the armed forces to mediate.

The speaker of the lower house of Congress, Rodrigo Maia, came out in defense of the Supreme Court and said hate messages targeting it should be investigated.

(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Ricardo Brito; Writing and additional reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Brad Haynes, Tom Brown and Lincoln Feast.)
Switch the Market flag

Open the menu and switch the

Market flag for targeted data from your country of choice.

for targeted data from your country of choice.
Texas Southern University admitted thousands of students who did not meet the colleges academic criteria and awarded a total of $2.1 million in scholarships over a three-year period to hundreds of students who were not qualified, according to a recent review.

The five-page executive summary of the colleges admissions and enrollment process, obtained by the Houston Chronicle, details consulting firm Berkeley Research Groups review into the schools admissions, financial aid and administration practices, and cites higher numbers of students who fall short of academic criteria than previously reported.

The review, ordered by the TSU Board of Regents, revealed that half of the students  or 4,141 of 8,273  admitted to TSU in the fall semesters of 2017, 2018 and 2019 did not meet TSUs academic criteria and were admitted based on a variety of undocumented scenarios.

In addition, more than 900 students who did not meet admissions criteria in the three fall semesters received a total of $2.1 million in scholarships despite not meeting qualifications for the scholarship or financial aid programs.

Incoming students must have a 2.5 minimum GPA, and a combined SAT score of 820 or higher if taken before March 2016 or a score of 900 if taken after that date, according to the college. Those who take the ACT must earn a composite score of 17.

TSUs interim President Kenneth Huewitt said in a written statement that the university received the Berkeley report and submitted it to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas State Auditors Office, as required.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Bombshells revealed in Texas Southern University admissions scandal

Most important, we will continue to address this issue and the recommendations listed in the report, Huewitt wrote.

Albert Myres Sr., chairman of TSUs Board of Regents, said the long-awaited report was disappointing, but its another step toward getting the university on the right path with compliance and strengthening the universitys connection with the greater community and businesses.

Were going to have to digest the data. Even though (the data) is not favorable, even though its upsetting, what we have to do is put it into perspective and say Lets not let it happen again, Myres said. We have to look at it for what it is, what were going to do to correct it, improve it and give these students at this university what they deserve.

Board member Marc Carter said in a written statement that he was appalled by the reports findings, saying scholarships should go to students that meet admission standards but cannot afford tuition and to students for high academic achievement.

Nothing devalues a degree more than not adhering to admission standards, Carter said, adding that past practices have harmed the TSU brand.  The board is committed to reversing the practice, increasing admission standards and focusing on being the best HBCU rather than the biggest.

Exceptions were made

The Berkeley summary of the report said exceptions were made to TSUs academic admissions criteria without sufficient documentation or (Board of Regents) approval that allowed students to be admitted.

Those who were admitted but did not meet TSUs admissions criteria did worse than students who did, and were less likely to remain enrolled at the school, the review found.

Around 63 percent of students in the fall 2017 cohort and around 49 percent in fall 2018 were no longer enrolled at TSU in fall 2019, according to the report. TSUs fall 2017 cohort, of which 56 percent did not meet academic criteria, saw the highest number of withdrawals within the students first semester.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas Southern interim president welcomes change, new responsibilities

The research group reported that the board-approved criteria for several financial aid and scholarship programs, including the Texas B-On-Time Loan, Maroon and Gray Program, the Helen Giddings College Completion Program, and the First-time Freshmen Scholarships, were not always applied and were sometimes changed without approval or sufficient documentation.

Students were still given an average of around $30,000 in financial aid in 2018, $28,800 in 2018, and more than $21,100 in 2019.

Myres said he found the data on attrition especially disheartening.

That number is showing you want happens when you (admit students) if theyre not prepared, Myres said.

Berkeleys analysis comes after controversy at the school that includes an investigation into TSUs law school admissions, which revealed several students had been fraudulently admitted, as well as the ousting of former president Austin Lane in February. Lane had served as president since 2016 and is now being considered for the position of chancellor at Southern Illinois University.

The universitys board hired the research group to conduct the admissions audit following the issues at the school and previous claims and concerns.

According to the report, a TSU employee submitted an anonymous complaint to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in November 2018, saying the college tried to increase enrollment by encouraging staff to admit all candidates, regardless of their qualifications.

TSUs office of internal audit and insurance investigated and later issued a report that cited criteria for incoming students and the percentages of students who were considered exceptions, based on their participation in TSUs summer success program or the application of a sliding scale. But the TSU offices report, the Berkeley Research Group wrote in its recent review, included inaccuracies and much lower numbers regarding students who didnt meet the admissions criteria.

Myres called the contrast between the reports troubling  from an internal audit perspective but added that it will be addressed.

On HoustonChronicle.com: TSU regents censure member after sordid comments caught on recording

The Berkeley review made several recommendations for TSU, including establishing an automated admissions criteria formula, redesigning freshman scholarship programs, and additional budgeting and accounting of awards to help determine how scholarship and financial aid is used. The group also recommended requiring an annual report be submitted to the board of regents and the need to analyze student success and improve graduation rates.

More recommendations

New goals to help shape decision-making, including those made on borderline students, should be established and documented, the research group said. The review also recommended that TSU re-issue an updated and accurate report to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and that all changes and exceptions to the admissions policy be approved by the board.

Myres said the board of regents and the president will meet to discuss how the recommendations can be incorporated.

I think the report turns on a light of clarity in terms of the admissions process at the university, Myres said. What my job is now is to put the right policies in place, work with President Huewitt and his people to put forth the right effort  and put in place steps and different scenarios to where we make sure this university is operating correctly.

Myres said moving forward the board and president will focus on the students and ensuring that that the university has a value proposition and that students will have a degree of value that will make them competitive in the marketplace and help them get a job.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Former TSU president a chancellor finalist at Illinois university

Weve got to get past everything thats being printed, everything thats being communicated about this university. There are some very good things that are happening there, and those are the things that we need to get at the forefront, Myres said. Thats where I really want to get. It might take a minute, but were working in that direction.

brittany.britto@chron.com
Our Divisions

Copyright  2021-22 DB Corp ltd., All Rights Reserved

This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics.
Brytnee Ratledge is determined.

The actress is one of the many New Mexico film success stories.

Ratledge has worked her way up through the industry over the years.

Shes done background work. Shes been in a featured role.

And shes done a lot of stunt work.

All of the milestones have led her to another one  lead actress in a film.

Ratledge stars in Lifetimes The Au Pair Nightmare, which was filmed in New Mexico last May.

I had actually worked with the producers on another film before they started this project, she says. I had such a blast working with the amazing producers and incredible cast. I have to say the local New Mexico crews are some of the most hardworking crews in the business.

The Au Pair Nightmare follows Taylor, played by Ratledge, who is looking to escape her past. She applies to be the au pair for a well-to-do, small-town family.

Invited into their world, Taylor starts to suspect her very private, new employers are hiding something, and her curiosity quickly puts her directly in their crosshairs.

She discovers their darkest secret and must save herself.

The film also stars Anne Heise and Tristan Thomas. It is streaming on Lifetime.com and its app, as well as all major video-on-demand platforms.

Ratledge says Taylor is a strong young woman trying to find her way.

Life dealt her a difficult hand, and shes trying to do her best to be OK, she says. Then she gets caught up in the midst of this crazy family and trauma.

Ratledges journey in the film industry started when she was 8 years old.

The journey was almost over by the age of 11, after she signed with an agency that scammed her out of the majority of her money for college.

That was a huge setback for me, she says. I was done with it.

She went to high school in Clovis and moved back to Albuquerque to attend the University of New Mexico.

She now resides in both Los Angeles and New Mexico.

While at UNM, she was about to do background work on a production and the fire was ignited again.

I was there for 14 hours, and I felt like someone was going to have to drag me off the set, she says. I loved it. I started doing stand-in work, and then I dove into classes.

Working with Lora Martinez-Cunningham has helped her gain the confidence and skills.

Lora is a mentor of mine, Ratledge says.

Being able to film her first lead role is an accomplishment. The feat is twofold for Ratledge.

Im more grateful that I was able to be home while filming this project, she says. Theres a comfort of being in New Mexico. Id get off of work at sunset and see that sky. To be able to be around family and be at home added to how special this role is for me.

Now streaming

The Au Pair Nightmare is streaming on The Au Pair Nightmare is streaming on lifetime.com and the Lifetime app.
First Lady Melania Trump has tweeted her own thoughts about the protests taking place in Minneapolis and across the country following the death of George Floyd.

In a tweet, she wrote: "Our country allows for peaceful protests, but there is no reason for violence. I've seen our citizens unify & take care of one another through COVID19 & we can't stop now. My deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd. As a nation, let's focus on peace, prayers & healing."

This was the first time the first lady spoke out about Mr Floyd's death.

Her statement comes after protests heightened in Minneapolis on Thursday evening, with protesters setting fire to the Minneapolis Police Department's third precinct among other buildings.

Tensions escalated in Minnesota following a news conference on Thursday with state and federal law enforcement. People thought the press conference would involve the announcement of charges potentially against the four former police officers involved in Mr Floyd's arrest and ultimate death. But instead, the officials said they had no new developments.

"We thought we would have another development I could tell you about, unfortunately, we don't at this point," US Attorney Erica MacDonald said at the opening of the press briefing.

Ms MacDonald went on to say the US Attorney's Office and the FBI were conducting a "robust and meticulous investigation".

Mrs Trump's statement about the protesters was shared after the president released two tweets late Thursday night that alluded to violence against the protesters.

The president called the people involved in the riots "thugs" before quoting a former Miami police chief.

"When the looting starts, the shooting starts," Mr Trump wrote at the end of his tweet. This was later flagged by Twitter for violating the social media site's rules for "glorifying violence".

The quote comes from when a Miami police chief in 1967 said he and his department "didn't mind being accused of police brutality". The officer went on to say looting was not happening in his city because residents knew "when the looting starts, the shooting starts".

After facing backlash for the tweet, the White House later claimed the president's tweet intended to halt violence not glorify it.
If approved, XENLETA has the potential to be a first-in-class pleuromutilin antibiotic for the intravenous (IV) and oral treatment of adult patients with CAP in Europe



CHMP opinion supported by robust safety and efficacy data from two global pivotal Phase 3 trials of XENLETA



European Commission decision anticipated in the second half of 2020

DUBLIN, Ireland, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nabriva Therapeutics plc (NBRV) announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of XENLETA (lefamulin) for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults when it is considered inappropriate to use antibacterial agents that are commonly recommended for the initial treatment of CAP or when these have failed. The CHMP opinion will be reviewed by the European Commission (EC), which has the authority to approve medicines for all 28 countries of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. A regulatory decision is anticipated during the second half of 2020.

Todays announcement brings us one step closer to the first approval of a new class of antibiotics for patients with community-acquired pneumonia in Europe in almost 20 years, said Jennifer Schranz, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Nabriva. XENLETA has a novel mechanism of action and provides an urgently needed short course, empiric monotherapy treatment alternative for adult patients with CAP. We look forward to the European Commissions decision and the opportunity to bring this important medicine to patients.

The CHMP recommendation for marketing authorization is based on efficacy data from the Lefamulin Evaluation Against Pneumonia (LEAP) 1 and LEAP 2 studies and a safety database of 1,242 study participants.

In the two Phase 3 clinical trials, the EMA co-primary endpoint was the Investigator Assessment of Clinical Response (IACR) at Test of Cure (TOC) in both the clinically evaluable (CE) and modified intent-to-treat (mITT) populations. Both studies established XENLETA to be non-inferior to the standard-of-care moxifloxacin in the treatment of adults with CAP independently and when the pooled data were analyzed across PORT scores of II-V. In the pooled analysis, the IACR success rate at TOC in the modified Intent-to-Treat (mITT) population was 85 percent in the XENLETA group and 87.1 percent in the moxifloxacin group (treatment difference 2.2 percent; 95 percent confidence interval (CI): 5.9, 1.6), and 88.5 percent in the lefamulin group and 91.8 percent in the moxifloxacin group (treatment difference 3.3 percent; 95 percent CI: 6.8, 0.1) in the Clinically Evaluable population. In these trials, lefamulin was generally well-tolerated. The most frequently reported adverse reactions are administration site reactions, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, hepatic enzyme elevation, headache, hypokalemia, and insomnia.

Story continues

The European Commission will review the CHMP recommendation and typically delivers its final decision in approximately two months. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved XENLETA in August 2019 for the treatment of adult patients with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP).

About Nabriva Therapeutics plc

Nabriva Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the commercialization and development of innovative anti-infective agents to treat serious infections. Nabriva Therapeutics received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for XENLETA (lefamulin injection, lefamulin tablets), the first systemic pleuromutilin antibiotic for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP). Nabriva Therapeutics is also developing CONTEPO (fosfomycin) for injection, a potential first-in-class epoxide antibiotic for complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including acute pyelonephritis. For more information, please visit www.nabriva.com .

About XENLETA

XENLETA (lefamulin) is a first-in-class semi-synthetic pleuromutilin antibiotic for systemic administration in humans discovered and developed by the Nabriva Therapeutics team. It is designed to inhibit the synthesis of bacterial protein, which is required for bacteria to grow. XENLETAs binding occurs with high affinity, high specificity and at molecular sites that are different than other antibiotic classes. Efficacy of XENLETA was demonstrated in two multicenter, multinational, double-blind, double-dummy, non-inferiority trials assessing a total of 1,289 patients with CABP. In these trials, XENLETA was compared with moxifloxacin and in one trial, moxifloxacin with and without linezolid. Patients who received XENLETA had similar rates of efficacy as those taking moxifloxacin alone or moxifloxacin plus linezolid. The most frequently reported adverse reactions are administration site reactions (7%), diarrhea (7%), nausea (4%), vomiting (2%), hepatic enzyme elevation (2%), headache (1%), hypokalaemia (1%), and insomnia (1%). Administration site reactions led to discontinuation in <1%; gastrointestinal disorders were predominantly associated with the oral formulation and led to treatment discontinuation in <1%.

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Nabriva Therapeutics, including but not limited to statements about the potential outcome of and timing of a decision by the European Commission with respect to regulatory approval for XENLETA in Europe, Nabriva Therapeutics ability to successfully launch and commercialize XENLETA for the treatment of CABP, including the availability of and ease of access to XENLETA through major U.S. specialty distributors, marketing exclusivity and patent protection for XENLETA, the development of CONTEPO for cUTI, the clinical utility of XENLETA for CABP and of CONTEPO for cUTI, plans for and timing of the review of regulatory filings for CONTEPO, efforts to bring CONTEPO to market, the market opportunity for and the potential market acceptance of XENLETA for CABP and CONTEPO for cUTI, the development of XENLETA and CONTEPO for additional indications, the development of additional formulations of XENLETA and CONTEPO, plans for making lefamulin available in China, plans to pursue research and development of other product candidates, expectations regarding the ability of customers to satisfy demand for XENLETA with their existing inventory, the sufficiency of Nabriva Therapeutics existing cash resources and its expectations regarding anticipated revenues from product sales and how far into the future its existing cash resources will fund its ongoing operations and other statements containing the words anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, intend, may, plan, predict, project, target, potential, likely, will, would, could, should, continue, and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: Nabriva Therapeutics ability to successfully implement its commercialization plans for XENLETA and whether market demand for XENLETA is consistent with its expectations, Nabriva Therapeutics ability to build and maintain a sales force for XENLETA, the content and timing of decisions made by the European Commission, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory authorities, the uncertainties inherent in the initiation and conduct of clinical trials, availability and timing of data from clinical trials, whether results of early clinical trials or studies in different disease indications will be indicative of the results of ongoing or future trials, uncertainties associated with regulatory review of clinical trials and applications for marketing approvals, the availability or commercial potential of CONTEPO for the treatment of cUTI, the ability to retain and hire key personnel, the availability of adequate additional financing on acceptable terms or at all and such other important factors as are set forth in Nabriva Therapeutics annual and quarterly reports and other filings on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent Nabriva Therapeutics views as of the date of this press release. Nabriva Therapeutics anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. However, while Nabriva Therapeutics may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Nabriva Therapeutics views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

CONTACTS:

For Investors

Gary Sender

Nabriva Therapeutics plc

ir@nabriva.com
Is Quanzhou Huixin Micro-Credit Co., Ltd. (HKG:1577) a good dividend stock? How can we tell? Dividend paying companies with growing earnings can be highly rewarding in the long term. Yet sometimes, investors buy a stock for its dividend and lose money because the share price falls by more than they earned in dividend payments.

Quanzhou Huixin Micro-Credit pays a 4.2% dividend yield, and has been paying dividends for the past three years. A high yield probably looks enticing, but investors are likely wondering about the short payment history. Some simple research can reduce the risk of buying Quanzhou Huixin Micro-Credit for its dividend - read on to learn more.

Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis

SEHK:1577 Historical Dividend Yield May 29th 2020

Payout ratios

Companies (usually) pay dividends out of their earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, the dividend might have to be cut. As a result, we should always investigate whether a company can afford its dividend, measured as a percentage of a company's net income after tax. In the last year, Quanzhou Huixin Micro-Credit paid out 53% of its profit as dividends. This is a fairly normal payout ratio among most businesses. It allows a higher dividend to be paid to shareholders, but does limit the capital retained in the business - which could be good or bad.

We update our data on Quanzhou Huixin Micro-Credit every 24 hours, so you can always get our latest analysis of its financial health, here.

Dividend Volatility

One of the major risks of relying on dividend income, is the potential for a company to struggle financially and cut its dividend. Not only is your income cut, but the value of your investment declines as well - nasty. The company has been paying a stable dividend for a few years now, but we'd like to see more evidence of consistency over a longer period. Its most recent annual dividend was CN0.05 per share, effectively flat on its first payment three years ago.

Modest dividend growth is good to see, especially with the payments being relatively stable. However, the payment history is relatively short and we wouldn't want to rely on this dividend too much.

Story continues

Dividend Growth Potential

Dividend payments have been consistent over the past few years, but we should always check if earnings per share (EPS) are growing, as this will help maintain the purchasing power of the dividend. In the last five years, Quanzhou Huixin Micro-Credit's earnings per share have shrunk at approximately 8.4% per annum. A modest decline in earnings per share is not great to see, but it doesn't automatically make a dividend unsustainable. Still, we'd vastly prefer to see EPS growth when researching dividend stocks.

Conclusion

To summarise, shareholders should always check that Quanzhou Huixin Micro-Credit's dividends are affordable, that its dividend payments are relatively stable, and that it has decent prospects for growing its earnings and dividend. Quanzhou Huixin Micro-Credit's payout ratio is within normal bounds. Earnings per share have been falling, and the company has a relatively short dividend history - shorter than we like, anyway. With this information in mind, we think Quanzhou Huixin Micro-Credit may not be an ideal dividend stock.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for Quanzhou Huixin Micro-Credit that investors need to be conscious of moving forward.

We have also put together a list of global stocks with a market capitalisation above $1bn and yielding more 3%.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has required local hospitals to check foreign patients history of entry into Vietnam and their certificate of completion of mandatory quarantine before giving them medical service.

According to the municipal heath department, as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic continues to have complicated developments, the medical sector is anticipated to face problems in providing medical care for foreigners and Vietnamese citizens returning from overseas.

The department has thus issued an urgent document to guide hospitals through a set of criteria to ensure their services for the aforementioned patients meet the requirements of COVID-19 prevention and control.

Accordingly, hospitals can only provide medical treatment to a foreigner or overseas Vietnamese returnee who has been in Vietnam for more than 14 days, counted from the date they visit the institutions, if they carry certificates proving that they have completed the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Meanwhile, medical institutions are asked to keep foreigners or overseas Vietnamese returnees who have stayed Vietnam for less than 14 days but yet to be placed under the required quarantine, together with their companions, in a temporary quarantine facility onsite and report the case to the municipal Center for Disease Control (CDC).

Critical cases that need immediate medical care shall be handled by the International Health Quarantine Center of Ho Chi Minh City, the citys CDC, and the 115 Emergency Center.

They will be transported to one of the designated hospitals to be treated for their current disease.

The designated hospitals include 115 Peoples Hospital, Gia Dinh Peoples Hospital, Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital, Hung Vuong Hospital, Childrens Hospital 1, Childrens Hospital 2, Tu Du Maternity Hospital, FV Hospital, and Vinmec Central Park International Hospital.

They will also be isolated for 14 days and tested for COVID-19 there.

During this 14-day period, cases where the patients test positive for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 or exhibit symptoms of influenza or a suspected respiratory viral infection must be immediately reported to the CDC.

Meanwhile, centrally quarantined patients who suffer from acute symptoms or require regular check-ups for existing chronic conditions shall receive medical consultations from doctors at the designated hospitals.

On the other hand, hospitals must also contact the local police and municipal health department for assistance in cases where a patient is a foreigner or overseas Vietnamese returnee without a valid passport or visa.

Vietnam has reported 327 COVID-19 cases, with 279 recoveries and no death as of Friday.

The country has gone 43 days without community transmission of the disease while having recorded 59 imported cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

Ho Chi Minh City has logged 59 COVID-19 patients, only five of whom remain in treatment.

Twenty-four patients in the city are foreigners, and nine are Vietnamese citizens returning from abroad, according to a health ministry tally counted by Tuoi Tre News.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
SEOUL, South Korea  A South Korean man who spent 355 days at the top of a slender traffic-camera tower in a protest against Samsung ended his demonstration on Friday after the company apologized and agreed to resolve his grievances.

The man, Kim Yong-hee, 60, climbed the 82-foot tower near Samsungs headquarters in Seoul on June 10, demanding that the tech giant apologize and offer compensation for what he called its illegal decision to fire him 25 years ago for union activism. He chose his midair protest site, overlooking the busiest intersection in the South Korean capital, to highlight his grievance against the countrys most powerful conglomerate.

I hope my struggle helps Samsung build a new management-labor relationship, Mr. Kim told the South Korean news media after climbing down on Friday.

He decided to end his protest after Samsung agreed to meet some of his demands. But other than the apology, the details of the signed agreement between Samsung and Mr. Kims representatives were not disclosed.




At least 182 Zimbabweans aboard a cruise ship have docked in Namibia and will come home once suitable transport arrangements are made.





The returnees are coming back home amid rising numbers of Covid-19 positive cases which have now reached 149 after 17 more people tested positive yesterday. The cumulative number of tests done is now 40 847 with 28 recoveries and four deaths.





Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo said Zimbabwes embassy in Namibia was liaising with the Namibian Government to organise the return home of the Zimbabweans.





There are 182 Zimbabweans in the ship and it was meant to be docking yesterday (Wednesday) or today (yesterday). The owners are from the United States and are pursuing options to get them here, Minister Moyo said.





Earlier at State House President Mnangagwa had acknowledged the presence of the Zimbabweans on the ship while receiving donations from several organisations to help fight the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.





The President said the returning citizens would be welcomed home but would all have to undergo quarantine and testing measures recommended by the World Health Organisation, before they finally joined their families.





He said the Zimbabweans were coming from a number of countries, with even Iceland listed.





Because they are Zimbabweans, they are our people. We will welcome them. They are our citizens. We need to receive them.





Zimbabwean citizens residing or working in various places across the world are returning following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns. While most are returning from South Africa, Botswana and the United Kingdom, there are others who have to make more complex journeys and travel arrangements across numerous national lockdowns to come home.





We need to ensure that as they come back home they adhere to the regulations, the processes, the guidelines set by WHO, said the President.





Upon their arrival, returning citizens and residents stay at a quarantine centre as near to their hometown as possible. They are tested on the first and eighth days. If the tests are both negative they are then allowed home where they must stay until the mandatory 21-day quarantine period is finished and they can be certified as non-infectious.





If a test shows that they are infected, then they move to an isolation hospital for treatment until they are better and no longer infectious.





As of yesterday the country had recorded 132 patients, with the overwhelming majority being identified in quarantine centres and only a few being infected within the country, showing the effectiveness of the quarantine system.





Most of the people housed in those centres were coming from South Africa and Botswana.





Prior to these remarks, President Mnangagwa had received goods from several organisations to fight the pandemic. Vice Presidents Chiwenga and Mohadi and senior Government officials attended the ceremony.





Dalaglio Mining Group donated 30 tonnes of roller meal and 500 blankets through its chief finance officer Mr Joseph Crnkovic. The company operates Peakstone Peerless Mine in Chegutu and Eureka Gold Mine in Guruve.





The company has invested US$19 million out of the US$50 million budgeted for this year and expects to produce over 2 400kg of gold a year when fully operational.





We are committed to this investment and we believe in your Vision 2030 of making this country a middle income economy by 2030, he said.





The company is giving food hampers to their employees and surrounding communities.





The Zimbabwe National Water Authority gave six tonnes of roller meal, six tonnes of salt, 600 litres of cooking oil, 3 000 bars of washing soap and 600 cases of mineral water.





The insurance and pensions industry said they had contributed $100 million in initiatives that include free $20 million life cover for frontline workers and provision of personal protective equipment and funding for universities to produce sanitisers and protective equipment.





Telecel Zimbabwe said its platforms had been used to raise awareness campaigns, including toll-free numbers to enable people access information about the disease. The company provided 12 fixed cellular lines within the Covid-19 call centre.





The Zimbabwe Diaspora Fund Raising Campaign UK donated sanitisers and face masks and $500 000.





The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints donated 5 000 tonnes of maize.





CBZ Holdings donated 5 000 litres of sanitisers and $6 million that will go towards the refurbishment of St Annes Hospital in Harare, which is being done in partnership with Solidarity Trust, and an ambulance.





Amandiyi Group donated 3 000 tonnes of roller meal, 600kg each of rice, salt and flour, 300kg of soya chunks and 600 litres of cooking oil. President Mnangagwa thanked them all for their gifts.





May I express my deep appreciation as Government to the communities you represent. This is demonstrative of the compassion our people have for one another.





I am happy that despite the challenges we face, upon appeal to our people here in Zimbabwe and abroad, the response has been overwhelming, he said.




Philadelphia police on Friday arrested a 17-year-old in connection with a May 17 home invasion in Overbrook Park in which a 21-year-old woman was raped and her 23-year-old roommate was shot in the abdomen.

Earl Davis of the 5800 block of Spruce Street in West Philadelphia is accused of attacking the victims in their basement apartment in the 7400 block of Brockton Road. He was charged with attempted murder, aggravated indecent assault, burglary, and other crimes, according to the District Attorneys Office

Multiple security cameras captured a man dressed in black, wearing gloves, with a handgun on his hip, burglarizing a car and trying to get into other vehicles shortly before he broke into the victims home just

Before the intruder shot her, the second woman told him to take what he wanted and leave, said Capt. Mark Burgmann of the Special Victims Unit.

In addition to video, other forensic evidence was recovered at the scene, he said.

The victims, who are recovering from their injuries, did not know the suspect, Burgmann said. I think, quite frankly, he was going around trying to get into vehicles or anything he could, and I think he forced his way inside the property, he said.
WSS, a member of XPT Group, a specialty insurance distribution company, has added Meghan Easley as senior broker/underwriter in its Plano, Texas, office.

Easley brings 15 years of industry experience, most recently in underwriting and brokerage business. She has extensive experience writing general liability, property and excess for all classes of business with a previous focus on underwriting risks in coastal areas of Texas, Tier 1 & Tier 2.

WSS recently acquired Houston Surplus Lines, further expanding its Texas footprint and strengthening its position in one of the largest E&S marketplaces in the country.

WSS, with offices in Texas and California, is headquartered in Plano.

West-Pro, a division of WSS, writes bars and taverns with exclusive markets and coverage forms for wholesale brokers.

Source: WSS

Topics Agencies Texas Underwriting
After Sonu Sood, Amitabh Bachchan has come to the rescue of stranded migrants in Mumbai and arranged transport to take them back home. He organised 10 buses for migrant workers in Mumbai to travel to Uttar Pradesh.

The buses left on Friday from Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai, according to an Instagram post by photographer Viral Bhayani.

Earlier, Amitabh supported the families of 1,00,000 daily wage workers belonging to the All India Film Employees Confederation by sponsoring their monthly ration.

Amitabh also starred in a short film titled Family, conceptualised and virtually directed by Prasoon Pandey, which emphasised the importance of staying indoors. The film featured actors from different film industries of India, including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Chiranjeevi, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Sonalee Kulkarni.

Meanwhile, Amitabh shot for promos of the upcoming season of the popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati, earlier this month. The promo was shot in his home, with filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari remotely directing.

In a blog post, the actor said that the clips were shot in a single day. So yes I worked .. got a problem with that .. keep it to yourself then .. damned if you pour it out here in this locked in condition .. sufficient precaution as much that could be taken was taken, he wrote.

And what had been scheduled for 2 days, was completed in one day .. starting 6pm .. ending a short while NOW, he added.

Recently, Amitabh was a part of the I for India online fundraising concert organised by Karan Johar and Zoya Akhtar. For his segment, the actor gave a heartfelt tribute to his co-star and close friend, the late Rishi Kapoor. I for India managed to raise a total of Rs 52 crore, which were given to GiveIndia for coronavirus relief efforts.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli and senior officials in Gov. Phil Murphys administration clashed behind the scenes over the cost of a $500,000 contract for a consultant the state hired to help navigate the deadly coronavirus crisis inside the states nursing homes, NJ Advance Media has learned.

Murphy announced May 6 that Persichilli had retained Manatt Health, a national health advisory consulting group, to assess the states response to the coronavirus in long-term care facilities, where one in 13 residents have died in the pandemic. And Persichilli seemed in full accord with the governor. Theyre going to hit the ground running, she said of the high-profile consultants.

But inside the administration, a different story was playing out.

In private conversations recorded without her knowledge and shared by a source with NJ Advance Media, Persichilli complained about the cost of the three-week contract with Manatt and the companys lack of experience with running nursing homes. In the recording, she tells several unnamed colleagues that she initially had refused to sign it  even as she came under pressure from the governors top advisors.

I am not signing a contract that I think is excessive. I am not signing it as the commissioner and I am not signing it as a taxpayer in New Jersey, she said.

And Persichilli warned what would happen when the contract would ultimately be released under the Open Public Records Act.

This is going to be OPRAed. It will hit the light of day, the commissioner predicted. I dont care what type of public health emergency this is. Theres no contract that Im going to sign that is $195,000 more than the next highest bidder for four weeks of work. Im not doing it.

Persichilli said she ultimately re-negotiated the contract to $195,000 less than what the governors office had offered, according to the recording.

As a professional services contract, the state was under no mandate to put out a bid.

Persichilli did not return calls or texts regarding the discussions. A state Health Department spokeswoman on Friday declined a request for comment.

The governors office, which initially would not disclose the amount of the contract nor respond to an OPRA request, late Friday morning released both the agreement with Manatt and the purchase order authorizing payment. Senior administration officials would not publicly discuss the recordings shared with NJ Advance Media, but said the state negotiated a significant reduction from the original proposal, and ultimately it ended in the right place."

Defending the contract with Manatt, those officials said: There was a universal recognition that long-term care represented a challenge, not only in New Jersey, but nationally, and needed reform.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the governors office said the administration was taking aggressive measures to protect the residents and staff at long-term care facilities in the state, including a thorough investigation by state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, assistance from National Guard and Veterans Affairs teams who have joined long-term care facility staffs on the ground, and the hiring of Manatt, which she called a nationally recognized firm with experience in long-term care solutions.

Gov. Murphy is extremely confident in the knowledge and expertise of the Manatt team, said the spokeswoman, Alex Altman. "The innovative solutions outlined by Manatt will serve as a national model for mitigation, protection, and resiliency against future outbreaks for our most vulnerable populations.

On its website, Manatt outlines how it can help health care providers, insurance companies and employers deal with the many issues raised by the pandemic. In June, Manatt is hosting two webinars on COVID-19 and long-term care facilities which explore the critical issues states and LTC providers are facing nowand provides a road map for building a stronger future.

The consultancy group is part of a politically tied law firm with offices all over the country, and includes a number of former Obama administration officials. Members of the law firm contributed $6,500 to Murphys 2017 gubernatorial primary campaign, state records show.

The company did not return calls or emails regarding its consulting work.

THE WOMAN WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION

The backstage discussions with the commissioner, which were clearly never meant to be shared, offered a glimpse of what appeared to be a sometimes tense relationship between Persichilli, the governors front office staff, and Murphy himself, who in his daily briefing each day still introduces her as the woman who needs no introduction.

As head of the health department, Persichilli, a nurse and former CEO of Trinity Health  then one of the largest hospital chains in the country  has been the point person for the states pandemic response effort.

Sharing the stage in the Trenton War Memorial each afternoon with Murphy, the commissioner goes through the daily numbers of the terrible toll being taken by COVID-19. The hospitalizations. The total patients on ventilators. The deaths in each county. And the dead coming out of the states nursing homeswhere some 1 out of 13 residents have been taken in the deadly outbreak that spread out of control through New Jerseys long-term care facilities.

But in the recording, Persichilli described terse exchanges with George and Matt. George Helmy is the governors chief of staff, and Matt Platkin serves as his chief counsel.

The whole thing with this consultant. I told the governor, I said Governor, I am not opposed to a consultant coming in. Call anyone you want. But do it the right way, Persichilli is heard saying. George and Matt told me it was an appropriate process. And it wasnt. And I wouldnt sign it.

She said on the recording, George said to me, dont worry about it, FEMA is paying for it, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. I said, You didnt say that did you, George? Because I pay federal taxes. Persichilli said.

FEMA pays 75% of disaster relief efforts in the state associated with the coronavirus crisis.

The commissioner said the governor finally reached out to her and told her to negotiate the hell out of it. She said brought it down by $195,000, which was the price she had gotten from another unnamed consultant.

A source familiar with the discussions between the governors office and the commissioner confirmed a similar timeline of events that resulted in a joint agreement to retain Manatt. But the source who spoke to NJ Advance Media on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak to media, characterized the exchanges as less confrontational than Persichilli herself described to others on the recording.

Helmy contacted Persichilli eight weeks ago about hiring a consultant to advise the state on its nursing home response, the source said. He recommended two firms, with one of them being Manatt, and Persichilli interviewed them. She favored Manatt, but given the cost of the contract and the significance of the work, she sought permission to interview more companies.

Persichilli asked the New Jersey Hospital Association for suggestions. In total, Persichilli spoke to five companies and selected Manatt, the source said.

The commissioner still had concerns about the cost of the contract, the source said. Helmy told her FEMA would pay for it, but she told him the price was too high, and she said she was a taxpayer, too, as a joke.

The commissioner texted the governor over her concerns, and he called, giving her the go-ahead to renegotiate the price. And she did, the source said. A senior administration official said Helmy also asked her to negotiate it down. The contract was for $195,000 less after she was finished.

The state has turned to outside consultants in the past to conduct a deep dive into troubled healthcare facilities.

Former Gov. Chris Christie spent $740,500 to hire New Solutions of New Brunswick in the final days of his administration to conduct a review of the states psychiatric hospitals, in response to months of criticism from Greystones board of trustees and news coverage about the hospitals dwindling medical and executive staff, overcrowding and escalating violent episodes.

The New Solutions group, however, was paid for three months of work as part of its review. Manatt is being paid $500,000 for an analysis that was expected to take just three to four weeks.

The hiring of Manatt Health was described as an effort to review what steps to take to best protect nursing home residents, comparing the states oversight of its long-term care facilities to other states, with the aim of making recommendations for improvements.

The review is being led by Cindy Mann, former deputy administrator during the Obama administration, along with Carol Raphael, senior advisor at Manatt Health who served as chief executive officer and president of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.

The report is expected to be completed within days, administration officials said, and will be publicly released.

Ann Kohler, New Jersey former Medicaid director and a retired consultant to the long-term care industry, described Mann and other senior Manatt officials as very competent...but I dont know that they have any New Jersey (nursing home) experience and each state is different."

The states handling of the nursing home crisis, meanwhile, has been raising growing questions in the state Legislature.

An investigation by NJ Advance Media for NJ.com based on internal department records and statements by officials, as well as interviews with families, advocates, workers and players behind the scenes, found that New Jersey failed to react fast enough or take forceful, aggressive actions to slow the deadly rampage in nursing homes as the virus preyed on the states most vulnerable patients.

Knowing that nursing home residents were at grave risk, state inspectors did not begin making on-site inspections inside facilities until 36 days after New Jersey reported its first death, and not until reports surfaced that one nursing home was storing 17 bodies in a makeshift morgue.

The state Senate has announced it is launching a bipartisan committee to investigate New Jerseys response to a range of coronavirus-related issues, including what happened in the nursing homes, days after Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, said he had planned to hold his own hearings.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Local journalism needs your support. Subscribe at nj.com/supporter.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL
KAMPALA  Amongst all the sectors in Uganda, the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector remains the engine of growth for economic development, innovation and wealth creation. In recent reports by the Uganda Investment Authority, SMEs are spread across all sectors with 49% in the service sector, 33% in the commerce and trade, 10% in manufacturing and 8% in other fields.

An amazing fact is that over 2.5 million people are employed by SMEs in Uganda. They account for approximately 90% of the entire private sector, generating over 80% of manufactured output that contributes 20% of the gross domestic product (GDP).

However, despite this significant contribution to GDP, SMEs remain constrained by lack of financing, skills, business records, poor corporate governance, limited ability to adhere to terms and conditions of business contracts, and fierce local and international competition. These limitations lead to the high mortality rate of SMEs and limited growth for those that survive.

With that in mind, Stanbic Bank has been deliberate in its efforts to support the SMEs sector. We continue to put in place key interventions through collaboration with key partners to enable sustainable SME growth and longevity.

Stanbics support in the wake of COVID 19

The world today is facing a wave of uncertainty and a tough business climate brought about by the Corona Virus pandemic COVID19. As a financial institution at the heart of the economy, we feel these shocks and understand the impact the pandemic is causing not only to your day to day lives, but also your business operations. We are therefore proud to be a part of the COVID-19 Business Info Hub, a one-stop-shop for all the information that you will need to be able to overcome these challenges and see how Stanbic can support you during this time.

SME loan holidays

Stanbic is offering relief programmes such as loan holiday packages for business and personal clients as measures against the economic impact caused by the COVID19 global pandemic.

We are encouraging all our SME customers whose incomes have been impacted as a result of COVID19 to apply for a payment holiday of up to 90 days based on their unique circumstances. We are encouraging our clients to reach out to our business bankers, relationship managers or contact our customer care centre.

Our Enterprise Banking solution has been uniquely tailored to serve the needs of SME clients in Uganda. We are embarking on a journey to broaden our operating model while building a digital bank for our SME clients. Enterprise Banking speaks to our clients real needs and ambitions to grow beyond being small or medium sized businesses.

Stanbic support to SME development

Uganda as nation cannot grow without growing the SMEs and supporting their growth and development is a priority for Stanbic Bank.

Stanbic established a Business Incubator in 2018, aimed to provide training and capacity development for SMEs in Uganda. The trainings are free charge for SMEs and more importantly  you do not have to be a Stanbic client to apply and participate.

We have also expanded this programme and successfully launched regional incubator centres in Hoima, Mbarara and Gulu in order to avail training and development opportunities to SMEs upcountry.

Stanbic digital banking platforms

Stanbic offers Digital solutions for business owners make it possible to bank remotely and our relationship managers are available via phone and email to assist wherever possible.

For SME Clients:

Enterprise Online: You can enjoy this free service to manage all your business needs on the go. For more information contact the team at enterprisedirectug@stanbic.com

Enterprise Direct: This a dedicated call centre, a call away to speak with a business banker for all your business needs. Call us on MTN- 0312 222 660 or Airtel -0200 546 600 or UTL-0417 266 600.

We remain committed to supporting all our clients during this time. Together lets take action to ensure we keep each other safe and we shall do all we can to see your businesses thrive now and in the future.

Thank you.

==================================

Anne Juuko is the Chief Executive, Stanbic Bank Uganda.

Related
This article by Jeff Schogol originally appeared on Task & Purpose, a digital news and culture publication dedicated to military and veterans issues.

The heroic soldier who rammed a gunman with his truck in Kansas is a combat veteran and military police officer who is assigned to one of the two military prisons at Fort Leavenworth, according to the Army.

Master Sergeant David Royer, 34, is being hailed for his quick action on Wednesday when he stopped an active shooter on the city of Leavenworth's Centennial Bridge.

Royer later told media that he was speaking to his fiance on a speaker phone when the gunman got out of his vehicle and opened fire at other vehicles in the bridge with a rifle.

"I assessed the situation very quickly, looked around and just took the only action possible that I felt I could take," Royer told reporters during a press conference on Thursday.

Facing an active shooter and with countless lives on the line, Royer counter-attacked.

"I accelerated my truck as quickly as possible and struck the active shooter and pinned him underneath my truck," Royer told reporters.

The suspect was arrested by police shortly thereafter.

"It was a textbook response on their part," Royer said of local law enforcement. "They were amazing on how they handled the situation."

Another soldier who was shot during the incident was listed in serious condition.

Royer joined the Army in January 2005 and then deployed to Iraq from July 2005 to July 2006, according to a statement from Fort Leavenworth.

He is currently assigned to 705th Military Police Battalion, 15 Military Police Brigade, and he is serving as the internment/resettlement non-commissioned officer at the Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility.

Royer is also a graduate of Drill Sergeant School, Air Assault School, and the Military Police Special Reaction Team Training Course.

"I was shocked that it was happening, but the adrenaline took over and with the military training that I've received, I took appropriate action and took out the threat as fast as possible," Royer said.

"It runs in our blood to stand up and do what's right and put ourselves in front of harm's way if we need to," he added. "(My parents) have shown me, do not let fear take control of you and do what's right and protect the innocent."

Leavenworth Police Chief Pat Kitchens was effusive with praise for Royer during Thursday's news conference.

"He won't call himself a hero, but I will," Kitchens told reporters. "He saved countless lives. His actions were extraordinary, and he should be commended for that."

More articles from Task & Purpose:
Rock samples taken from under the Chicxulub crater left by the dinosaur-killing asteroid 66 million years ago could hold the key to the origin of life on Earth.

A team of researchers found that the impact of the city-sized space rock produced a network of warm waterways under the crater, which is in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

This hydrothermal network provides the perfect conditions for micro-organisms to thrive, suggesting a similar asteroid impact billions of years earlier may have kickstarted life on our planet.

This process could even hold the key to finding life on Mars or rocky exoplanets outside our solar system, according to lead author Dr David Kring.

The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs hit 66 million years ago near what is now Mexico and was the size of a city - it killed 75 per cent of all plant and animal life

Hydrothermal minerals (analcime and dachiardite) inside a tiny cavity within impact rocks that fill the Chicxulub crater. Authors say this is a sign of the heated waterways

The hydrothermal network under the Chicxulub crater lasted more than a million years, and fuelled production of chemicals and proteins that make up living cells, according to the researchers.

The study was carried out by an international team from the Universities Space Research Association, Imperial College London and the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow.

It backs up a theory that our once barren planet was seeded with life by meteorites that crash-landed and leached essential elements into hot springs.

Basic building blocks in the nutrient-rich broth bonded into self-replicating bits of DNA called RNA molecules - turning into the genetic code for life.

Study authors say the same findings would apply to any rocky world in the habitable zone - and even some on the edge, like Mars.

This discovery could help NASA and other space agencies plan future missions to the Red Planet and give them a good idea of where to hunt for signs of life.

Dr Kring, an award winning NASA scientist, said the hydrothermal system was nine times the size of Yellowstone National Park's system.

His team extracted samples of sediment during an expedition to the site near the port of Chicxulub in the Gulf of Mexico.

Dr Kring said the disaster 'hydrothermally altered' the rocks under the crater.

Close-up view of hydrothermal minerals (silica and feldspar) in impact melt rock. Rock samples taken from under the Chicxulub crater left by the dinosaur killing asteroid 66 million years ago could explain the origin of life on Earth

'It demonstrates impact cratering is a fundamentally important heat engine in emerging planetary systems,' the scientists said.

'The geologically young Chicxulub crater is a suitable analogue for terrestrial impact basins created almost four billion years ago.

'Impact-generated hydrothermal systems were prominent features on early Earth and wherever water exists in a planetary crust.'

Today, Yellowstone in the US has the largest and most varied collection of hydrothermal features on Earth including geysers, hot springs, mud pots and fumaroles - they bubble, gurgle, hiss and spout throughout the area.

This same activity as seen in Yellowstone would have been happening on a much wider scale in the aftermath of the extinction event.

Hydrothermal minerals (silica and feldspar) in cavity within impact melt rock core. A team from the Universities Space Research Association, Imperial College London and the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow took part in the study

Portion of Expedition 364 rock core that led to the discovery of the hydrothermal networks. These hydrothermal networks - or hot waterways - would have created the perfect conditions for micro-organisms to thrive about four billion years ago

'This hydrothermal system may have persisted for more than 100,000 years, permanently altering the chemical and mineralogical makeup of a large region of Earth's crust,' Kring said.

A previous expedition to the crater uncovered hydrothermal changes 328ft thick.

The latest study published in Science Advances suggests hot fluid circulated at least 2,300ft below the surface of the crater site.

This supports the hypothesis large meteor impacts earlier in Earth's history produced hydrothermal clays that catalysed RNA synthesis - sparking the origin of life on Earth.

Mineral evidence shows the hydrothermal system was initially up to 752F - cooling to below 194F within about two million years.

The asteroid was bigger than Mount Everest and killed off 90 per cent of plants and 70 per cent of animals - including the dinosaurs.

Dr Kring and colleagues also observed a network of porous, permeable niches that could have provided habitats for microorganisms within the crater.

Similar environments created by much more ancient impacts could have provided ideal conditions for the origin and evolution of life.

'Chicxulub is the largest remaining intact impact basin on Earth. The recovered core shows it hosted a spatially extensive hydrothermal system,' said Kring.

The research has been published in the journal Science Advances.
New Delhi: After the Pakistan Foreign Office alleged that the Narendra Modi-led government in India was advancing its Hindutva agenda by commencing the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya amid the coronavirus pandemic, it has come under sharp criticism from India.

Taking strong of the note of the statement, the External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that Pakistan has no 'locus standi' in the matter.

"We have seen an absurd statement by Pakistan on a matter on which it has no locus standi. Given its record, Pakistan should be embarrassed to even mention minorities. After all, numbers dont lie even if they do," Srivastava said.

He added, "As for the judiciary, Pakistan must realise that theirs is thankfully not the norm. There are others elsewhere with credibility and integrity that Pakistan understandably finds difficult to recognise."

"India is a nation served by the rule of law and which guarantees equal rights to all faiths. Pakistan's Foreign Office may take time out and read their own constitution to realize the difference," he said.

On Wednesday, the Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) in a statement said: "The commencement of construction of a mandir at the site of the historic Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on May 26, 2020, is another step in this direction and the Government and people of Pakistan condemn it in the strongest terms"

The statement also said that the commencement of the temple's construction is a sequel to the decision given by India's Supreme Court on November 9 2019, "which completely failed to uphold the demands of justice".

In a landmark verdict by the Supreme Court in 2019 settled the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title case by giving consent for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

The construction of a mandir at the historic site in Ayodhya commenced on May 26, 2020.
BOISE - The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, in consultation with Governor Brad Little, have asked law enforcement agencies to suspend the enforcement of 2020 registrations for recreational vehicles until July 1.

A current grace period was set to expire at the end of May. The extension allows the department time to complete the transition to a new registration system, which ultimately will give customers the ability to easily buy or renew registrations online, at county motor vehicle offices or at retail vendors.

Registration sales were paused, as planned, for most of April to allow the transition from the old system to the new one, including migrating the data of nearly 320,000 customers. The COVID-19 outbreak complicated the transition when it closed county motor vehicle offices (DMVs), which traditionally handled half of the registrations.

This pause and shutdowns created a backlog of customers wanting to register, renew or get help  overloading the departments phone lines.

Were sorry for any inconvenience, and please know were working hard to improve the website sales and to get the county offices and retailers selling again, said Tammy Kolsky, the departments manager of Registrations and Reservations.

The department continues to refine the registration website, making it easier to use  and more than 10,000 customers have successfully bought or renewed registrations for boats, off-highway vehicles and snowmobiles with it.

In coming weeks, the department anticipates bringing the local motor vehicle offices and hundreds of retail vendors back online, giving customers more purchasing options.

Customers who call the department for assistance and are placed on hold have the option to leave a call-back number, which Kolsky suggests they use. Whether a customer leaves a call-back number or remains on hold, they have the same place in line and will be serviced in the order in which they called
Russia aims to build its own orbiting space base when the International Space Station (ISS) is no longer serviceable - to launch missions to the Moon and Mars.

The ISS has been under constant occupation by astronauts since November 2000 but due to structural fatigue needs to be decommissioned by 2030.

After this Roscosmos plans to take the modules it built for the ISS and use them as the base parts of its new orbiting space station - which will take a decade to build.

The Russian agency says the aim would be to use the new space station as a place to assemble and refuel spacecraft before launching them further into the solar system.

The ISS has been under constant occupation by astronauts since November 2000 but due to structural fatigue needs to be decommissioned by 2030

Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos, said the platform was 'for exploring far-out space' and would include flights to Mars, the Moon and asteroids.

'We're going to put together spacecraft in orbit for flights to Mars, the moon, and to asteroids, because it's very difficult and challenging to bring such an entire construction up from Earth,' Rogozin said.

He saw Russia was open to the idea of working with other countries on their new space station - which would double as a refuelling station and assembly point.

Russia plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2028 - four years after the US Artemis mission will put the first woman and next man on the lunar surface.

Moscow also hopes to send cosmonauts to Mars using its Angara heavy lift rockets - currently under development - but hasn't set a date.

The announcement of the new Russian space station comes as NASA moves a step closer to ending its reliance on Roscosmos rockets to send astronauts to the ISS.

Since NASA ended the Space Shuttle programme in 2011 Russia has been the only country able to take astronauts to and from the ISS - using its Soyuz rockets.

After the ISS ends its life Roscosmos plans to take the modules it built for the station and use them as the base parts of its new orbiting space station - which will take a decade to build

NASA has paid Roscosmos to take its astronauts to the space station since 2011 but the long-standing relationship is expected to end soon thanks to SpaceX.

Elon Musk's space firm is expected to launch two NASA astronauts from US soil for the first time since 2011 this weekend on top of its Falcon 9 rocket.

This move may be part of the reason behind Russia's drive to expand its space programme further into the solar system.

Rogozin says the country should start work preparing for its own space station as soon as possible due to the fact it will take a decade to build.

'As a country that has always been a leader in the creation of orbital stations, Russia should immediately begin work on creating a new one,' he told Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda in an interview on the countries space plans.

The country hasn't said whether the space station would be occupied like the ISS or fully automated to assemble and refuel spacecraft.

Rogozin also said Roscosmos is 'considering the possibility of creating a winged manned spacecraft for flights to orbital stations,' to help build the new station.

The ISS - an international orbital laboratory involving the US, European Space Agency, Roscosmos, Jaxa and others - required 42 assembly flights.

Of the assembly flights 37 were on the US Space Shuttle and five were on the Russian Proton/Soyuz rockets.

In a wide ranging interview, Rogozin took aim at White House plans to introduce Artemis accords - the regulate mining on the Moon.

NASA has paid Roscosmos to take its astronauts to the space station since 2011 but the long-standing relationship is expected to end soon thanks to SpaceX

He said Russia 'will not allow the privatisation of the Moon by anyone' and said he would not participate in the lunar race.

The Artemis accords would only apply to nations that sign up to adhere to them.

They would protect mining rights of companies, protect heritage sites on the Moon and require signatories to help other nations astronauts if they are in distress.

In the same interview Rogozin also took aim at Elon Musk and SpaceX.

He said Musk's idea of sending nuclear weapons to Mars to warm the atmosphere and make it more suitable for human life was a cover for the US to deploy nuclear weapons in space.

Rogozin raged at Musk's 'abhorrent' idea and called it a front for military ambitions.

In the same interview Rogozin also took aim at Elon Musk and SpaceX. He said Musk's idea of sending nuclear weapons to Mars to warm the atmosphere and make it more suitable for human life was a cover for the US to deploy nuclear weapons in space

'We understand that one thing stands behind all this demagogy: this is a cover for deployment of nuclear weapons in space,' he said.

Rogozin is not the first Russian official to take issue with Musk's idea, after his fellow Roscomos official Alexander Bloshenko said earlier this month that it would take more than 10,000 nuclear warheads to carry out the plan.

Russia isn't the only space agency looking to expand its presence in orbit - the Chinese space agency plans to begin construction of a small station next year.

The Chinese large modular space station is a planned crewed station for low earth orbit - it will be about a fifth the mass of the ISS.

NASA is also planning a new space station - but this time in orbit around the Moon - called the Lunar Gateway, it will help astronauts explore the Moon.

No specific details have been announced by the US or ESA for plans for a replacement for the ISS.
Lucknow, May 29 : In a major jolt to beleaguered Samajwadi Party MP Mohd Azam Khan, the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board has taken direct control of Waqf number 157, commonly known as the land belonging to the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, till now headed by Azam Khan.

The Board's chairman using his special powers has put the Waqf under an administrator-executive officer Junaid Khan, who will now be managing the over five acres of Waqf property for a period of five years until further notice.

While the decision was taken in March, it could not be delivered due to the lockdown.

Junaid Khan received the Board's letter recently.

As per the official document, the Sunni Waqf Board had an "apprehension of the Waqf property being encroached upon and present mutawalli (caretaker) being unable to manage the same." This formed the premise to take over the property.

"Land was given to the Trust which was its mutawalli. Now, Waqf number 157 is under the direct management of the board," said Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board CEO S.M. Shoeb.

Junaid Khan said, "The land was enlisted as Waqf by Nawab Raza Ali Khan of Rampur as an orphanage in the 1900s. Some 40-42 descendants of those orphans were living on the land. In 2016, they were removed and Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust took over the property." "An under construction school occupies about 35 per cent of the land and, in addition, some 26 people have been brought back to their home in the area," he said.
An ambulance officer has described the harrowing moment paramedics entered a lions' den to help a zookeeper who had been attacked in North Nowra as one of the worst jobs of her career.

Emergency services were called to Shoalhaven Zoo and Adventure World, south of Sydney, at 10.20am following reports 35-year-old Jennifer Brown had been attacked by two male lions.

Ms Brown had been working at the zoo since 2013, Nine News said.

In an interview with the Avicultural Society of NSW in 2013, Ms Brown said she had worked with mammals, birds and reptiles, but big cats held a special spot in her heart.
In New York City, the first confirmed COVID-19 cases arose mostly through untracked transmission of the virus from Europe and other parts of the United States, a new molecular epidemiology study of 84 patients reports. The results provide limited evidence to support any direct introductions of the virus from China, where SARS-CoV-2 originated. The first SARS-CoV-2 case in New York State was identified in New York City by 29 February. Knowing the route it took to arrive is essential for evaluating and designing effective containment strategies. Ana S. Gonzalez-Reiche and colleagues took advantage of SARS-CoV-2 sequences collected at the Mount Sinai Health System through March 18, from patients representing 21 New York City neighborhoods and two towns in neighboring Westchester County. The authors sequenced 90 SARS-CoV-2 genomes from 84 of the over 800 confirmed COVID-19 positive cases and analyzed these sequences together with all publicly available SARS-CoV-2 genomes from around the world (more than 2,000). The results indicate SARS-CoV-2 was introduced to New York City through multiple independent but isolated introductions mainly from Europe and other parts of the United States. Most of these cases appear associated with untracked transmission and potential travel-related exposures, the authors say. Very few of the cases were infected with a virus that looked to be introduced from Asia, and in those, the virus was most closely related to viral isolates from Seattle, Washington. The authors also found evidence that early spread of the virus in New York City was sustained by community transmission. Their data also point to the limited efficacy of travel restrictions in a place once multiple introductions of the virus and community-driven transmission have already occurred. The results also underscore the need for early and continued broad testing to identify untracked transmission clusters in communities.

###
Here, for instance, are the rules for dance class at the Ballet du Rhin in France: Dancers are not allowed to use changing rooms. Instead, they must go directly to the studio and stand at a marked spot at the barre, about 11 feet away from others. Their outside clothes must go into a bag to ensure they do not touch anything  [and] that bag must then be put into another one provided by the company that is thrown into the trash once the class has finished. They are also each given a spray to disinfect the barre. And, of course, they have to dance wearing masks.  The New York Times
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions announced the launch of a parametric hail insurance cover last week.

Known as HAIL, the new product is designed to protect companies in the United States from the financial impact of a significant hail event, such as physical damage, lost revenue due to business interruption, or significant retentions in traditional property policies.

CoreLogic, a provider of hail data in the United States, will serve as the data provider. SRCS will rely on CoreLogic hail-size metrics to determine whether a parametric policy is triggered.

Similar to other parametric solutions offered by SRCS, HAIL combines the customer location data with a payout table that outlines policy amounts for reported hail size at specified locations during an event.

When a customer has hail damage and the hail size calls for a payout under the policy, there is no need to wait for a loss evaluation. The payment is released soon thereafter. The customer can use the money for any financial loss associated with the event.

HAIL is currently available in 11 states across the U.S.: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas.

Source: Swiss Re Corporate Solutions
A First Nations community situated along both sides of the Fraser River in B.C.s Interior is taking steps to protect water in its traditional territory  namely the Fraser River.

?Esdilagh (Alexandria) First Nation leaders said they enacted the historic Elhdaqox Dechen Tsedilhtan (Sturgeon River Law) on Wednesday to protect the health and future of its community.

Coun. Chad Stump said they had no choice but to implement the law, which requires any proposed activities that could impact the Fraser (Sturgeon) River to have the nations free, prior and informed consent.

Industry has forced us to develop a law within our community in order to help suffice and deal with some of the concerns and the problems that have come from industry and the government being in place, he said.

Stump called the discharge of pollutants into the Fraser River a huge problem.

Feeding Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years, the river is no longer a reliable source of sustenance as fish stocks are in the throws of collapse, he added.

They have been closing fish stocks yearly now for the last 15 years, Stump said. Were severely limited on resources in the river, were getting surrounded by private lands that we cant hunt on the river on anymore, so its just degrading the whole river system, and not only ?Esdilagh, but many First Nations up and down the river are facing this problem of degradation of the Fraser River.

Stump said that was one of the main reasons ?Esdilagh acted swiftly on creating the law.

Chief Roy Stump said he remembers the Fraser River once being free from its muddy colour before industry dotted the landscape.

But now, today, the river is all muddy from all the industry along the river as far north as past Prince George, he said. So were doing it for our generations to come, our children, our youth. Were trying to have something for them when were not here anymore.

Coun. Howard Johnny said he has been concerned by industry dumping pollutants, which build up over time, into the river.

This law we put in place so there is no more damage done to our river and (to) protect people from using the river to dilute pollutants, he said. Were hoping to protect our waterways.

The Elhdaqox Dechen Tsedilhtan is a component of the broader Tsilhqotin laws governing lands and water. It applies to all waters in ?Esdilagh territory.

Were front and centre when it comes to ?Esdilagh territory and we need to be consulted with, Chad Stump said.

We need to be talking in good terms regarding the future of the Fraser River, and we need to jointly make decisions regarding the Fraser River because at the end of the day, ?Esdilagh is going to be here forever and we have to be able to utilize the Fraser River in a manner that suits our health that is currently at stake with what is going on in this river.

The law was endorsed by the Tsilhqotin Nation on Thursday.

Chief Joe Alphonse, Tsilhqotin National Government tribal chairman, said the nation is currently appealing a B.C. Environment Ministry permit amendment allowing Gibraltar Mines. Ltd. to increase the rate of its effluent discharge by 50 per cent.

As one of six communities comprising the Tsilhqotin Nation, ?Esdilagh leaders said they can assert their rights and title over their territory since the 2014 Supreme Court decision declaring Aboriginal title for the first time in Canadian history, in the homeland of the Tsilhqotin people.

Read more about:
Now each and every child is ready to fight against India. It was enough for Indian authorities to mete out the pigeon-er of war treatment to the aberrant bird. The suspected spy was taken into custody after it landed at a Border Security Force outpost. The police sent a report to the home ministry that included the birds X-ray results, which did not ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
The Interior Ministry reported on Wednesday that more than 100 Cambodian women had returned from China last year, after being trafficked to be sold as brides, revealing the continuing trend of Cambodian women being tricked into marrying foreign nationals.



Chou Bun Eng, secretary of state at the Interior Ministry, said there were 112 cases of trafficked brides returning to Cambodia in 2019, of which 111 women had returned from China. The Interior Ministry official was speaking at an annual anti-trafficking meeting, which had been postponed on account of the coronavirus pandemic.



However, Chou Bun Eng said officials were not fully convinced of the reasons for the womens reasons for returning, but acknowledged that they had been taken overseas under false pretenses by brokers.

According to their answers, they said they had forced marriage, but we can't agree 100 percent since we need to observe more on the cases, she told VOA Khmer on Thursday.

They had gone before [2019], but when they didn't have happiness as their wish, they returned in 2019, she added.



Cambodia has faced the consistent issue of women being trafficked overseas for forced marriages, more recently to China. The women are promised employment and high salaries, but are often forcefully married to men looking for brides. Despite the conviction of multiple brokers, the practice has continued unabated, according to human rights groups.



Chou Bun Eng claimed the practice was not only prevalent in China, but also countries like the United States, Australia, and the EU, but those women rarely returned or complained about being trafficked.

They never report to us since they use these [fake marriages] as a means to settle down there, she added.



Cambodians wishing to get married to foreign nationals need prior approval from the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs. According to an Interior Ministry report, 2,641 couples had requested approval to get married in 2019, and only 2,016 received permission.



The cases of trafficked brides exist outside this mechanism, where brokers convince women to go to China, promising better work and salary, said Meas Sa Im, deputy head of the womens and childrens rights department at rights group ADHOC.

And that they would be able to marry handsome and rich Chinese men and have better living conditions, she said.

Meas Sa Im interviewed a Cambodian woman who had returned from China in early April after leaving in 2013.

She first married a Chinese man who then sold her to another Chinese countryside man whose living conditions werent great. They live together and had a four-year-old son, she said.

Dy The Hoya, a program officer with the labor rights group Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights, said the practice was lucrative with agents getting anywhere up to $25,000 for every forced marriage.



Additionally, he said the women who had been married to Chinese men had faced an unpleasant and unpredictable experience in the past.

We dont know the intention of those Chinese men, he said. If you are lucky, you will meet a good man and can find real love. If you are unlucky, you will be sold, he said.

According to a study by the United Nations Action for Cooperation against Trafficking in Persons, entitled Forced Marriage Between Cambodia and China released in 2016, found that Chinese men paid brokers significant sums for marriages, ranging from around $10,000 to $20,000.

The study was based on the accounts of 42 Cambodian women who experienced conditions of forced marriages. The issue is also linked to a skewed gender imbalance in China, primarily because of the more than 30 years of one-child policy coupled with gender selection practices, the study reported.

Koy Kuong, an undersecretary of state at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, said the Cambodian embassy and consulate in China had helped trafficked women frequently when they came to seek help.
A Family of Four Built Tiny Houses Instead of a Single Home, and Each Kid Has Their Own Home
Fuel Shipments To Venezuela Hailed In Iran As 'Humiliation For America'

Golnaz Esfandiari May 28, 2020

Fuel shipments to Venezuela are being celebrated in some Iranian circles as a blow to the United States, which has imposed heavy sanctions on Tehran and Caracas targeting both regimes.

The first of the gasoline shipments arrived in Iranian tankers earlier this week in a public show of defiance against Washington, which has said it is weighing "options" for a response.

Three more Iran-flagged tankers are expected to reach Venezuelan waters in the coming days.

The unhampered arrival of the shipments was hailed by Iran's ambassador to Caracas, Hojatollah Soltani, as "a great and historic day" for the two countries, whose leaders share an adversary in Washington that has levied heavy sanctions against them.

The United States withdrew two years ago from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and has reimposed tough economic sanctions "until Iran changes its behavior."

Washington and 60 or so other countries have recognized a rival of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as that country's rightful president, and U.S. officials have slapped sanctions on dozens of Venezuelan officials and the petroleum, food, banking, and other major industries.

Reports suggest Iran will be paid about 9 tons of gold, worth $500 million, for what is believed to be 1.5 million barrels of gasoline as well as key chemicals, although Soltani has insisted Tehran has "fully received payments" for the gasoline.

"Two Iranian tankers reached Venezuela without facing any assault from any country," Soltani was quoted by Iranian media as saying on May 27, while adding that Iran had not violated international law.

"If the U.S. creates a crisis, the safety of international maritime security will be undermined," he added, echoing comments by Iranian President Hassan Rohani, who said over the weekend that Tehran was not seeking a conflict but has the right to defend its interests.

Analysts say Tehran is attempting to project power at a time of intense U.S. pressure and with the Middle East's deadliest coronavirus outbreak adding to its economic misery.

"Tehran is signaling that despite Washington's campaign of 'maximum pressure,' it will not only continue to help its allies but it also has the ability to do so," Sanam Vakil, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House in London, told RFE/RL.

"Moreover, brazenly sailing into waters so close to the U.S. is intentionally provocative," Vakil added.

The ultra-hard-line Iranian daily Kayhan called it "humiliation for America in the Caribbean" in a headline earlier this week after the first two tankers reached Venezuela. It quoted Tehran-based analyst and academic Foad Izadi as saying that Iran's move marked a defeat for the United States.

"For several weeks now, the Americans have been threatening Iran in various ways.... But with the successful arrival of Iranian tankers, the famous saying by [Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah] Khomeini that 'America can't do a damn thing' took on real meaning," Izadi said.

He argued that other countries will take note of the "success" of Tehran's policy vis-a-vis the United States, leading to the crumbling of U.S. sanctions.

"Sanctioned countries have started to fight back against bullying on the international scene," the reformist daily Etemad said, suggesting that Iranian tankers were now openly sailing "a few steps" off U.S. shores.

Ahmad Sobhani, a former Iranian ambassador to Caracas, told the conservative Farhikhtegan daily that Tehran's "deterrent power" was the main factor behind the successful delivery of fuel to Venezuela.

He cited Iran's missile attack on U.S. bases in Iraq in retaliation for the U.S.'s assassination of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) senior commander Qasem Soleimani as proof of his country's "ability and courage" and said the United States sees no point in initiating a conflict.

Former U.S. diplomat Mark Fitzpatrick said he believes Washington has limited options for responding to the Iranian shipments, which mark a deepening of ties between two U.S. enemies that flourished under Iranian ex-President Mahmud Ahmadinejad and Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

Tehran, which has lost traditional oil clients in Asia and Europe due to U.S. sanctions, is hungry for cash, while Venezuela, which sits atop the world's largest oil reserves, is facing severe fuel shortages due to years of mismanagement and corruption, in addition to sanctions.

"Military interdiction would be a massive overreaction to what is a minor evasion of sanctions provisions," Fitzpatrick, an associate fellow at the Institute for Strategic Studies in London, told RFE/RL.

"The U.S. can put the tanker captains on the Treasury blacklist, but to no avail; they would see it as a badge of honor. Nor would they fall for a bribery offer, as the U.S. attempted in the case of Iran's Adrian Darya 1 oil tanker, after it was released last summer by the British territory of Gibraltar," he said, in reference to an Iran-flagged supertanker that was briefly held over an apparent attempt to deliver oil to Syria despite "smart sanctions" aimed at Bashar al-Assad's government in Damascus.

"So the Trump administration's best move is not to say much about it," Fitzpatrick added.

Others suggested that the United States could announce more sanctions.

Speaking on May 27, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, David Schenker, said Washington was "not pleased" with the shipments, adding that the United States was looking at its options.

"These are two pariah states that have horrific human rights abuses," Schenker said during an online event organized by the Beirut Institute. "One could imagine them sending other things -- I mean weapons, who knows?"

On April 30, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned of "Iran's destabilizing role" in Venezuela, pointing to flights by the sanctioned private Iranian airline Mahan Air, which he said delivered cargo of "unknown support" to Maduro's government.

The U.S. special representative for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, alleged that Tehran has been flying components to help Venezuela's oil industry.

"Those planes that are coming in from Iran that are bringing things for the oil industry are returning with the payments for those things: gold," Abrams said at the Washington-based Hudson institute.

Reuters quoted Venezuela's central bank governor as saying on May 27 that it had reached a deal with the UN Development Program to set aside part of the gold in Bank of England accounts belonging to Maduro's government toward the purchase of food and medicine during the coronavirus pandemic. Britain also doesn't recognize the legitimacy of Maduro's administration.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/fuel -shipments-to-venezuela- hailed-in-iran-as-humiliation -for-america-/30640240.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Albany

Lawmakers this week passed a measure that, if signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, would let school districts, counties and other entities that levy property taxes allow installment payments, or up to a 120-day grace period.

The bill was described as a way to provide relief for homeowners who have lost jobs or income due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has brought the states economy to a standstill.

The passage  allows taxing jurisdictions to provide much needed support to those who are struggling to provide the basic needs for their families, such as food and medication, without the additional fear they will be facing penalties for property taxes they are currently unable to pay, said Long Island Democratic Sen. Monica Martinez, who sponsored the bill with Assemblyman Steve Stern, another Long Island Democrat.

A few taxing districts, largely downstate, as well as the city of Albany already have installment plans of sorts. This bill would make it easier for localities to do so.

Tax experts, though, said there could be complications with slowing the flow of property tax dollars to schools and municipalities.

Thats especially true given the uncertainty over how much state aid will be coming this year given the pandemic-driven economic woes that are hitting New Yorks budget .

School districts with cash flow issues or insufficient reserves, could be negatively impacted by a delay in property tax payments, particularly if the state cuts school aid by 20%, said Michael Borges, executive director of the Association of School Business Officials of New York .

Cuomo has suggested that the state might be forced to cut school aid by 20 percent if there is a shortfall in federal assistance.

School taxes for most of upstate are not due until September, so its difficult to predict what will happen then, he added.

We are still reviewing this legislation, said Mark LaVigne, deputy director for the New York State Association of Counties.

At this time, we believe that there are deficiencies that would make it impractical to implement and therefore would not achieve its intended impact. He didnt expand on what the specific deficiencies were.

David Friedfel, director of state studies at the Citizens Budget Commission agreed that the unknowns around state aid should give some municipalities second thoughts about changing property tax collections.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

They should be cautious about any state aid because that may be delayed as well, he said.

Property taxes can be especially important for small municipalities such as villages or rural towns that dont get much sales tax revenue, he added.

The extent to which property taxes will present a crisis to New Yorkers isnt known. Cuomo earlier issued an order extending through Aug. 20 a rent moratorium on those unable to pay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the push for relief hasnt been as loud for homeowners.

Many homeowners have their taxes worked into their monthly payments through escrow accounts so increases are harder to notice.

But not all banks offer escrow services and people whose houses are paid off make their own payments, usually in September when most school taxes come out out, and in January with municipal and county taxes.

rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU
The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is pushing for the Electoral Commission (EC) to appear before Parliament on June 9 to brief the House on its preparedness for the 2020 general elections, instead of June 16 as earlier requested by the Commission.

according to them[EC], they will be able to avail themselves on the 16th [June]. I thought that will be too distant given the issues that are coming up for consideration, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, said in Parliament.

He added that he is strongly urging them to avail themselves on the 9th we've not been able to sort it out even though I am strongly sure they should be here on that day.

The EC will begin the voter registration exercise in the last week of June 2020.

The commission has outlined its plan for the exercise which is expected to last till July 2020 across 33,367 polling stations.

In line with the law, political parties are to be informed of the exact date not later than 21 days before the start of the exercise after the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) which is currently before Parliament matures.

The Minority in Parliament has been calling on the Commission to appear before the House to provide updates on its plans for the 2020 election.

The Minority caucus is also pushing for the rejection of the Electoral Commission's move to make the Ghana Card and Passport the only forms of identification for registration onto the electoral roll.

Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, filed a motion to compel Parliament to reject the EC's request for such amendments to be made to the laws governing elections in Ghana.

The EC presented the Public Election (Amendment) regulation , 2020 (C.I. 126) to Parliament to amend C.I 91 in order to change the identification requirements passed in 2016.

According to a Notice of Motion filed by Mr. Ayariga, the Bawku Central legislator wants Parliament to reject the Public Election (Registration of Voters) (Amendments) Regulations 2020 (C.I. 126) pursuant to Article 11 (7) (c) of the Constitution of Ghana 1992.

 citinewsroom
Sharing is caring!

11 shares Share 11

Tweet

Pin

Follow along as YA contributor Celia shares her journey into the heart of Alaska as an artist in residence in Denali.

There are many reasons to travel, but for an artist, the chance to gain inspiration and experience is often why we choose to venture out into the world. Theres nothing quite like the start of a new adventure. That excitement, the feeling of a stomach full of butterflies, drives me.

Overcome by these feelings as I was about to embark on a new adventure in Alaska, I was ready to begin.

My plane touched down in Fairbanks at sunset, which is to say, at midnight. I was relieved to find the rental car company still open in my blurry state. Yet all I can remember was being told no raw fish in the car and no gravel roads. Noted.

My first day in Alaska passed by in a blur of shopping for provisions, to-do lists, and checklists. Before I knew what hit me, my hire car was full of groceries, art supplies, and outdoor gear. Now all I had to do was drive the two and a half hours inland to begin my stint as Artist in Residence in Denali National Park for the 2019 summer season.

I have a camera, a sketchbook, a can of bear spray, and ten days where it wont get dark. Lets go!

Imposter syndrome hits hard

I am an artist. There, I said it.

For some reason, that sentence is never easy to write or to say out loud for that matter. Im a fake it until you make it person when it comes to confidence, and have had to catch myself repeatedly when suffering from imposter syndrome. In art, we are often our own worst critic.

Perhaps its because there is no one specific moment when someone tells you, Congratulations! Youre an artist!

Instead, its something you have to decide for yourself and then justify again and again. I dread the question, What do you do? more than any other. Sometimes I even practice saying, I am an Artist and Naturalist. Yes, I have two passions, two careers, and that usually leads to confusion and more questions.

Ive found that having one foot in both the art and scientific world to be difficult at times, but ultimately beneficial. The natural world inspires me while creating art gives me a method of processing all of the information. Not everyone sees how these two things go together, but science has always depended on artists to present and record them.

When a place like Denali offers a chance to spend time there, with both my passions merging into one, I knew it was a match made in heaven.

An artist residency is something that some (most) people have never heard of.

It is merely a block of time set aside in a special place for an artist to create, explore, and make, away from the distractions of day to day life and the distractions of the real world. They often take place in remote, wild, and beautiful places, like Denali.

Ive been following the National Park Service residencies since I left university. Over the years, Ive applied to at least a dozen, but when applications for being an artist in residence in Denali came out, I knew it was the one for me, even though its incredibly competitive.

This would be my very first residency.

Getting inspired in Alaska

The National Park Service in the US has a long history of working with artists. As early as the 1870s, painters were the first to depict the beauty of the American West, followed by photographers such as Carleton Watkins and Ansel Adams. The beauty of nature inspires artists, whose art, in turn, inspires a desire to protect that beauty. Talk about pressure and some large shoes to step into.

Some residencies are themed to help the work of multiple artists throughout a season be cohesive. This is how I found a residency that was perfect for me. Denali National Park had put out a call for artists that were looking to focus on wildlife.

Now was my chance to prove just how well my art and love of wildlife went together. My medium of choice? Blown glass.

I am primarily a glass artist. I blow glass using the traditional furnace techniques, as well as creating glasswork over a torch.

Glass techniques have developed over the last 3,500 years. People are perhaps most familiar with Venetian glass, in which glass is gathered on the end of a long metal pipe. Through temperature control and tooling, you can create anything you can imagine.

One of my favorite things about glass making is that no one is naturally good at it.

Artists talk about glass skills in years of experience rather than classes. Just like a musical instrument, the more time you can dedicate to practice, the faster youll improve. In the beginning, you break more than you make.

I would not be able to bring any of that equipment with me into a national park, so instead, I prepared some glass objects I thought would lend themselves to the landscape. Not knowing how exactly I was going to use them, I did know the park would inspire if I were prepared.

Of course, while loading up my rental car on the very first day, I heard a sound every glass artist fears most: tink. Id broken one of my pieces of glass, and you better believe I sat down in the parking lot and cried for a bit.

When science and art blend beautifully together

By the time I arrived as an artist in residence in Denali, I had traveled to just over 50 countries and all seven continents. Travel is in my bones.

While I had fallen in love with Southeast Alaska over three different summer seasons, I had never been inland.

My nerves upon arrival meant that I forgot most of what I read on the first day. Still wondering if I was perhaps a fraud in some fashion, I was relieved when my coordinator expressed her delight in not having to teach me how to use my issued can of bear spray. After all, my love for wildlife and background in environmental education meant that I had many times found myself playing dead on stage in front of 1,000 people while talking about bear safety.

See! I told you my two passions go together! And there wasnt a day that went by that I didnt see a bear too.

The Denali Highway is a 92.5-mile-long gravel road  sorry car hire company!

As the artist in residence in Denali, I was given a very official-looking decal that permitted me to drive in. I wasnt staying in one of the campgrounds, but rather in one of the maintained historical cabins within the park. Upper Toklat Cabin was my home for ten days.

Located at mile 53, its a dry cabin, meaning there is no running water.

After I unpacked that first day in the cabin, I caught myself looking around and thinking now what? I had no obligations or framework, yet there was so much I wanted to do.

Im not sure about you, but when I arrive in a new place, there seems to be this over-hanging feeling of pressure to be immediately capitalizing on every single second of the limited time you have. That feeling is usually closely followed by one of overwhelming guilt as clearly I should be better at this by now right?

So, I did what I do best, I packed my backpack. I went armed with a sketchbook, my camera, the can of bear spray, and I struck off into the park. I also carefully stacked my glass into my backpack, still not sure what Id need it for, but better to be prepared, right?

No trails to follow, literally

One of the things that makes Denali so special, is that it is a trail-less park. Meaning that you can choose to explore just about anywhere, crashing off through the tundra.

This seems counter-intuitive to some from the point of conservation, but the reality is, that by spreading the human traffic out across the landscape, our impact becomes much more similar to the abundance of wildlife that roams these lands.

I knew this going in, but I dont think I truly appreciated it until I arrived. There was no checklist of trails I could use as a crutch. Instead I had to just choose a spot, get up the courage to tell the driver I wanted to get off, and then feel everyones eyes on me as I stepped off the bus and into the food chain.

Before arriving as an artist in residence in Denali, I had imagined this would be an incredible solo wilderness experience.

I quickly learned that its the people themselves that add to the parks overall magic. During my time in Alaska, I rode along with wildlife techs, hiked with rangers, and met fellow creatives, all of whom helped fuel my inspiration just as much as the beauty of the land.

This was incredibly important to me as I realized that my original artistic vision was changing.

The glass I had brought, were clear glass silhouettes of animals, roughly the size of a sheet of paper. Originally I had thought to capture photos of the glass animals with their living counterpart, a play on our expectations of wildlife watching. But after I arrived in Alaska, I realized I would never be close enough to the wildlife in question to make those compelling images.

I had to figure out a new angle.

Wilderness reminds us of our vulnerability

One day as I was walking along, gazing in wonder at the beauty of the land, it occurred to me that with the right perspective, I could use the silhouettes to frame the majesty of the landscape. My idea evolved, hopefully conveying that when it comes to wildlife sightings just knowing the animals are there is enough.

To test this, I decided to take a walk along the Toklat River bed, looking up to check for bears. There were none, just a couple caribou in the distance. I got to work setting up my wolf silhouette and taking one last quick look around, before I laid down to get to work.

I had not been on my stomach long before I heard the sound of galloping hooves and cascading river stones. Oh god!

I had moved around so much in setting up, that my bear spray was now out of reach. In panic I rolled over and swung up with my camera for all I was worth. My sudden movement was enough to send the thundering caribou careening off in another direction. With my heart pounding, I moved my bear spray closer to me wondering if it would do me any good against a caribou, resolving to bring back-up for when my art made me vulnerable.

Usually art doesnt make you feel that way until you show it to someone else.

That was just one of the many amazing moments I had with the locals in Denali. One night I stood barefoot in my PJs, meeting one of the parks most elusive creatures.

As I sat on the porch of my cabin with a bowl of soup, I looked up just in time to see a creature pad silently past the end of my driveway. In my excitement, I nearly dropped my dinner, grasping for my camera. Forget shoes. I made it to the road just in time to see it crest a small rise where it would soon vanish from sight. I raised my camera and hit click. The sound of my shutter made the lynx stop and glance back at me.

There was nothing to do but stand there and stare back. I continued standing there long after it walked away.

I knew the reason I was lucky enough to have this moment was that I was alone. As I stood there looking at the spot the lynx had vanished, it struck me how much I wished someone else was there to see it too. How much I wanted to share the experience, the excitement of it all.

Then I shook it off and laughed at myself. The irony of wanting to share this was exactly why I was in the park! I walked back to the cabin to sketch it out, elated even with painful rocks under my bare feet.

Lessons from the Alaskan wilderness

As an artist in residence in Denali, each day seemed to last a week. My week there seemed to last a day.

I journaled every single day while in Alaska to ensure I wouldnt forget anything. Still, there are those moments, like with the lynx, that stand out above the rest in my memory. Having the freedom to experience moments like that and recognize how special they are, was perhaps the most valuable thing I took away from my experience in Denali.

A great thing about being given time to focus on creativity is that it allows you to branch out. Perhaps you can try things you may not do otherwise because they are intimidating.

Making art and traveling arent so different.

The hardest thing to do is to start. Every artist was first an amateur, said Ralph Waldo Emerson once. I dont consider myself a writer, and certainly not a poet, but there along the riverbed I sat down, opened my sketchbook, and wrote.

Beware the guilt of the midnight sun, for the landscape never sleeps.

The light fades and it grows, time only shows,

how much there is left to see

While in Denali I broke every piece of glass I had so carefully packaged and brought with me. The first broke while packing. Then the next piece broke but I blame on a caribou. Finally, they all broke through rush and excitement.

Then I realized that it only hurt the first time. Every subsequent tink was merely acknowledged with a slight eye roll followed by the same thought, I can make it work. My time in Denali left me feeling re-energized. I felt validated and extremely optimistic about whatever would come next.

As my residency came to an end, and I left the park, I was filled with this wonderful sense of accomplishment. I was so teary while handing in my road permits that the kind woman at the checkpoint asked if I was ok. Replying, I assured her that I wasnt ok; in fact, I was great.

Have you been to Denali? What inspires you to create? Do you have a parallel passion for art and science? Would you be an artist in residence in Denali given the chance? Share!
[May 29, 2020] NKMax America Presents Promising Clinical Research Findings at 2020 ASCO Virtual Conference

SANTA ANA, Calif., May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NKMax America, a biotechnology company harnessing the power of the body's immune system through the development of Natural Killer (NK) cell therapies, announced the publication of three abstracts in the ASCO Meeting Library  available in the Journal of Clinical Oncology and a poster presentation of one of the abstracts.

The 2020 ASCO Annual Meeting is a virtual event held May 29  May 31, 2020 and represents the worlds largest gathering of oncology physicians, biotechnology executives, researchers, and investment analysts to discuss cutting-edge clinical research and therapeutics in oncology. Abstract accepted for presentation: Title: A randomized phase I/IIa study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SNK-01 (autologous non-genetically modified natural killer cells with enhanced cytotoxicity) plus Pembrolizumab in patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract Number: #3037

Abstract: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/188811/abstract



Poster Session: Developmental Therapeutics  Immunotherapy

Presentation: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/188811/video

Presented by Eo Jin Kim, M.D. (University of Ulsan and Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea). Highlights include: The combination of SNK-01 and Pembrolizumab was safe without any dose limiting toxicity or significant adverse events.

Overall response rate (ORR) via ECIST 1.1 in the combination arm was 44% and significantly higher compared to Keytruda alone with an 8-month median progression free survival and a median overall survival that had not yet been met. Patients treated at the highest dose of NK cells had a 50% ORR.

Of note is that among patients with PD-L1 expression 1 - 50%, the overall response rate in the combination group was 40%.

Patients treated with the combination arm had no treatment related toxicity and better overall quality of life compared to 25% Grade 3-5 toxicity in the Keytruda alone arm.



Additional accepted abstracts include: Title: Phase I study of SNK-01 (autologous non-genetically modified natural killer cells with enhanced cytotoxicity) in refractory metastatic solid tumors

Abstract Number: #e15024

Abstract: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/189214/abstract

Title: Natural killer cells and their activity as a potential biomarker for predicting response to checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract Number: #e15559

Abstract: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/188948/abstract We are very excited to share our data at ASCO and believe our robust clinical program is helping to establish the key role that NK cells play in checkpoint inhibitor therapy, said Paul Song, M.D., NKMax Vice Chairman and Chief Medical Officer, Our diagnostic work using our proprietary NK Vue test (which measures natural killer cell activity) strongly indicates that NK cell activity may be more predictive of response to checkpoint inhibitors than PD-L1 expression or microsatellite instability. Dr. Song also commented, Our combination trial with Keytruda seems to validate this as the overall response rate among patients with 1 to 50% PDL1 expression was 40% when patients received both Keytruda and SNK-01. Equally promising is how SNK-01 appears to reduce the incidence of checkpoint inhibitor associated toxicity. We look forward to expanding on these results with our next set of clinical trials. About NKMax America

NKMax America Inc. is a clinical stage biotechnology company dedicated to restoring and enhancing overall immune integrity. Our proprietary natural killer cell expansion and activation technology achieves infinite fold natural killer cell expansion with greatly enhanced cytotoxicity across its autologous, allogenic, and CAR-NK products which are all derived from peripheral blood. Our first in class autologous product, SNK-01, is currently in a Phase I clinical trial in advanced refractory solid tumors and in a Phase I/IIa combination trial with Keytruda in Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. The company and its commercially licensed cGMP facility are headquartered in Santa Ana, California, USA. For more information on the company, please visit www.nkmaxamerica.com Contact:

Denise Chua, MBA, CLS, MT (ASCP)

Vice President, Marketing

949-396-6830

[email protected]

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Paramedics have described a 'harrowing' rescue operation after a female zookeepr was mauled by two lions in an 'extremely vicious' attack.

The 35-year-old was found unconscious in the lion's enclosure at around 10.20am at Shoalhaven Zoo, in North Nowra, NSW.

She suffered 'severe injuries' to her head and neck and is in a critical but stable condition.

Speaking to media after the attack Inspector Faye Stockmen, Duty Operations Manager of NSW Ambulance, said the rescue operation was 'incredibly dangerous'.

'It was absolutely harrowing. It is an incredibly dangerous situations, both for the patient and the paramedics,' she said.

A female zookeeper was attacked by two lions while cleaning its enclosure at a zoo in NSW (stock image of a lion at Shoalhaven Zoo)

The 35-year-old was found unconscious in the lion's enclosure at around 10.20am at Shoalhaven Zoo, in North Nowra

'Being the first to walk into the enclosure was one of the most frightening experiences - we literally had to walk into a lion's den.

'The attack was extremely vicious and paramedics found the woman with severe injuries.

'We are trained to deal with extreme or unusual situations, however, we do have support services available to us.'

Four ambulance crews and a rescue helicopter arrived at the scene and treated the woman before she was airlifted to St George hospital.

NSW Ambulance said the keeper suffered 'a number of lacerations and bites'.

Superintendent Greg Moore said emergency crews were called to the scene at about 10.30am on Friday.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Moore said police were beginning to investigate how the incident unfolded, South Coast Register reported.

'Early indications are that a female zoo keeper was tending to some cleaning duties in the enclosure and was set on by two lions in that enclosure,' he told reporters.

'I take this opportunity to commend the two zoo staff who reacted to the incident and were able to secure the lions and support their colleague.

'I'm advised that the two colleagues, once they secured the lions, assisted the victim and emergency services were able to provide treatment at that point.'

Four ambulance crews and a rescue helicopter arrived at the scene and treated the woman before she was airlifted to St George hospital

Police have also been called to the zoo and were told the woman was cleaning the enclosure at the time

Daily Mail Australia contacted Shoalhaven Zoo who said they are not commenting on the incident at this time.

The zoo, about two hours and 20 minutes south of Sydney, is home to four big cats.

Visitors can pay $80 per person for the 'Lion Feeding Encounter'.

'Come face to face with our Roarsome Foursome and get to feed the 'King of the Savannah',' the website reads.

'Have the experience of a life time getting close to our Big Cats. Feel their power and majesty as you get to feed them with the help of one of our keepers.'

Speaking to media after the attack Inspector Faye Stockmen, Duty Operations Manager of NSW Ambulance, said the rescue operation was 'incredibly dangerous'

The family-owned zoo has been closed to the public since the start of the coronavirus pandemic

The family-owned zoo has been closed to the public since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

A post on the zoo's Facebook page said the family were continuing to live on site while they cared for the animals.

'While we are closed to the public we as a family will continue to live onsite and have key staff coming in to help us ensure the safety and wellbeing, cleaning and feeding of all our animals,' the post reads.

'We value our staff and it has been heart wrenching to stand down some staff. Stay safe everyone!

'Thank you for all your support and we look forward to seeing you all back at the zoo soon.'

The Facebook page received comments of support the mauling was reported on Friday.

'My hopes and thoughts are with the lady, her family and staff at Shoalhaven zoo today,' one person wrote.

'Hoping your keeper is okay and the lion does alright too,' another wrote.

Another animal handler was attacked at the zoo in 2014 during a crocodile feeding show

The latest attack comes after another zookeeper was mauled by a crocodile in 2014.

Trent Burton, aged in his 30s at the time, was grabbed by a 3.7m crocodile, known as John, and dragged him into the water.

Onlookers were terrified to witness Mr Burton being attacked by the crocodile.

'I've seen them in the wild, lying on river banks, and have seen them at Steve Irwin's zoo, but never like this,' witness Marlene Orr told The Sydney Morning Herald at the time.

'It was too scary.'

Mr Burton was able to break free of the crocodile's grasp and escape the water.

He was treated for non-life threatening injuries to both of his hands and was taken to Shoalhaven District Hospital for treatment.
The Chinese behaviour along the LAC points to a familiar pattern vis-a-vis India. However, its time for New Delhi to turn a new page in dealing with Beijing





by Vivek Mishra





After some intense physical showdown between the Indian and Chinese soldiers at the Line of Control (LAC), attempts are now being made by Beijing to dial down the conflict. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said recently that the situation at the border with India is overall stable and controllable and that both countries have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultation. Chinas apparent attempt to de-escalate tensions at the border is as quintessential a leaf from its strategic playbook as its attempt to escalate it in the first place. A few familiar patterns apropos earlier such endeavours cannot be missed.





Burning in the winter?





The timing of the flare-up is, perhaps, the most predictable one. A pandemic-stricken world has been brought down to its knees and India has surpassed Chinas Coronavirus tally. It has now climbed into the top 10 countries worst-hit by the pandemic. To recall, in 2014, when Chinese troops intruded deep into the Indian territory even as Premier Xi Jinping was on a State visit to India, it baffled many. Why would Beijing do that? If anything, it only harmed the purpose of the ongoing bilateral talks. By now, Chinas strategic charade of mixing wrong signals with publicly-perceptible good intentions is all too known. Physical assertion with an intention to send a political message that points south, deliberate obfuscation to prevent perception build-up, international grandstanding and the choice of an opportune time  all of this collectively constitute the Middle Kingdoms new approach to heighten tensions. But there is a marked similarity that runs across modern Chinas strategic behaviour.





In its strategic playbook, it avoids strength and attacks weakness. As the world reels under the Corona pandemic, China seems to have controlled the spread of the virus and has now resorted to practising aggressive behaviour, thus rattling other countries. It has waged conflicts on multiple fronts. Border tension with India along the LAC has escalated; two new municipal districts to control the disputed Paracel and Spratly islands has been declared; military confrontation with Malaysia and Vietnam in the South China Sea, too, has been launched. Besides, China has approved a controversial legislation in Hong Kong to undermine its autonomy. This, in clear violation of the initial terms of agreement between Britain and China that the formers autonomy shall be preserved until at least 50 years.





Furthermore, theres an obvious cold war 2.0 on with the US. Wolf warrior diplomacy has been launched world over as a pre-emptive effort to counter criticism and questions of accountability. It is also resisting a global call for an unbiased probe into the origin of the Coronavirus. Above all, Xi has called upon the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to prepare for war. All such instances have come to test Chinas strategic transition into a great power. As countries look inward to deal with their economic, political and strategic problems arising due to the spread of the virus, China considers this as its moment to test the limits of power transition hypothesis. But in many ways, how China acts during the pandemic will define its future course as a great power.





In the ongoing standoff with India, too, traits clearly point to the aforementioned test-of-its-power transition. China has opened multiple fronts of conflict along the LAC; at least one of them is a hitherto uncontested region, the Naku La Pass in north Sikkim. There are a few other peculiarities that set the ongoing border flare-up apart from earlier skirmishes. The number of PLA troops camped near the LAC is estimated to be somewhere in between 5,000 and 10,000.





Although India has matched Chinese encampments and numbers, this is perhaps a new high of troop build-up by the latter in the absence of any unilateral aggression by the former. The military build-up and Chinas refusal to recede is geared towards political signalling than to protect an apparent incursion into India. This subtle packaging comes at a time when India is scrambling to improve border infrastructure and connectivity in border areas. In the current context, the strategic importance of the Darbuk-Shyok-DBO road, that brings India within an eight kilometre range of the strategically important Karakoram Pass, cannot be overstated.





Steps from either side point to a long-drawn confrontation. While the two sides match in troop numbers that mirror each other, certain factors suggest that neither side will be too quick to withdraw from strategic positions. Chinese troops remain entrenched in bunkers along with a fleet of heavy vehicles and monitoring equipment. Helicopter movement close to the LAC has also been monitored by the Indian side. India, too, scrambled two fighter jets along the LAC in Ladakh. Besides, Army Chief MM Naravane paid a visit to Leh, the headquarters of 14 Corps in Ladakh, for a security review of the sensitive sector amid tensions. Perhaps this suggests that the best way to resolve the present standoff is through established mechanism at the military and governmental level, howsoever ineffective these mechanisms may be.





Chinese behaviour along the LAC points to a familiar pattern vis-a-vis India. Just like its traditional medical practice acupuncture, it is pressing certain points. Its assertions may often be intended to solve a deeper or a different issue. In the present case, unprovoked assertions along the LAC can be linked to a few decisions taken by India in recent times, which may have perturbed China. Among them is the Indian Governments decision to implement three important recommendations relating to border infrastructure that was made by the Shekatkar Committee in 2016. Specifically, the work on the Sela tunnel (connecting Tezpur in Assam to Tawang) is in full swing. Once completed, it will provide all-weather connectivity to an important frontier with China in the Kameng sector. Such projects are also on to connect Zanskar Valley and Ladakh. The Nimu-Padam-Darcha road being constructed across the Sinkunla Pass could have have been points of concern for China, too.





Other factors that could have perturbed Beijing include New Delhis decision to change FDI norms for countries sharing land border with India. This could potentially impact how China invests in India. The virtual presence of two BJP MPs at the swearing-in ceremony of the Taiwanese leader has also irked Beijing. Lastly, Indias support to the global call for a WHO-led probe into the origin of the Coronavirus is a cause, too.





From Indias point of view, the transgressions, including ones at previously uncontested patrol areas, like the Naku La Pass, point towards a wider conflicting arc. To that end, Chinese strategy along the LAC has preferred horizontal to vertical escalation, where scaling up of conflict at the local level has been the preferred strategy.





Indias options in the current standoff are limited. First, and perhaps the most likely way to resolve the tension, is by repeating the Doklam strategy. It should resolutely wait until both sides decide to de-escalate. However, under no circumstances should India negotiate on settled areas like the Naku La Pass. This will not only increase the possibility for China to horizontally escalate against India but would also dilute Indias sacrosanct nature of sovereignty apropos a modern state. This is precisely what makes the current standoff different and more fraught than previous ones. Since both sides have laid claim to a new area as their sovereign part, possibilities of de-escalation are high. India can press other weak points of China to compel desired State behaviour if LAC is too sensitive a matter. Adopting the Indo-Pacific strategy to chart a future strategy in Asia as an emerging global power is a low-hanging fruit. Among other steps, raising a global pitch on Chinas other interests or decisions that run counter to Indian interests can be considered. It is, perhaps, time to turn a new page in dealing with China.





(The writer is deputy director, KIIPS, Bhubaneswar, and research fellow, ICWA, New Delhi)
A 94-year-old woman too frightened to leave home during lockdown was rescued after five days without food.

The desperately hungry pensioner had holed up alone in her top-floor tenement flat in Govan, Glasgow, where she remained rooted for fear of catching coronavirus.

She was eventually found and fed by the Salvation Army, which is using the alarming case to highlight the 'unprecedented' reliance on food banks during the crisis.

The charity told MailOnline the starving woman was 'too scared to go out and had no one to get food for her'.

The desperately hungry pensioner had holed up alone in her top-floor tenement flat in Govan, Glasgow, where she remained rooted for fear of catching coronavirus (Salvation Army food vans in the city, pictured)

Full lockdown kicked in on March 26, but vulnerable elderly people had already been strongly advised to stay at home as they are more prone to the deadly affects of the disease (file photo)

Housing complex staff found her on March 23 during a round of door-knocks and took her to the Salvation Army food van which was parked up outside the building, where she was given a hot meal.

Full lockdown kicked in on March 26, but vulnerable elderly people had already been strongly advised to stay at home as they are more prone to the deadly affects of the disease.

The Salvation Army, which is delivering hauls of food packages during the health emergency, is reporting a 'bleak picture' in communities.

During lockdown, the charity has recorded a 63 per cent surge in households relying on food support, with ten of the busiest local branches reporting a 174 per cent increase.

Local corps volunteers from Govan, Leicester South and Leeds Central are providing parcels to more than 500 households during the crisis.

The woman was eventually found and fed by the Salvation Army, which is using the alarming case to highlight the 'unprecedented' reliance on food banks during the crisis (Govan pictured)

Areas with most households receiving food parcels Leicester South Corps 500+ Govan Citadel Corps 500+ Leeds Central Corps 500+ Hereford Corps 417 Aberdare Corps 382 Boscombe Corps 320 Portsmouth Citadel Corps 320 Jersey Corps 259 Weston-Super-Mare Corps 238 Chatham Corps 220 Source: Salvation Army Advertisement

Hereford, Aberdare, Boscombe, Portsmouth, Jersey, Weston-Super-Mare and Chatham were also among the busiest corps.

The charity is also warning about the economic fallout of Covid-19, and claimed that poverty is at a 'tipping point'.

The Salvation Army's leader in the UK and Ireland, Commissioner Anthony Cotterill said: 'We are approaching a poverty tipping point.

'Our immediate focus is scaling up our provision to get food and support to people who need it now, from families unable to pay utility bills to rough sleepers struggling to feed themselves.

He added: 'We are doing everything we can to stop thousands of people sliding into poverty.'
A terrorist of a West Bengal-based module of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), allegedly involved in the 2018 Bodh Gaya blast case, was arrested from the states Murshidabad district early on Friday, police officials said.

Abdul Karim is an Indian national and hails from Murshidabads Shamshergunj area.

Karim alias Boro Karim was arrested from Kashimnagar village in Suti area by the anti-terrorist squad of the special task force (STF) of Kolkata Police and Murshidabad Police in a joint operation.

A district police officer, who did not want to be identified, said while speaking to HT that Karim was hiding in Karnataka and returned to West Bengal recently along with some migrant workers.

Aparajita Rai, the deputy commissioner of police (STF), said Karim was among the top three JMB terrorists wanted in India.

Boro Karim was the main leader of the Dhuliyan module and would actively supply logistics and support and shelter top leaders. His name was mentioned as the main operative by JMB terrorists arrested in Bangladesh, Rai said from Kolkata.

In 2018, we seized a substantial quantity of explosives and jihadi material from his house during a raid but he escaped, she added.

STF received information that Karim offered shelter to JMBs top leader Salahuddin Salehin when he visited India.

Y Raghuvamshi, the superintendent of police of Jangipur police district, said Karim hails from Chandnidaha village in Shamserganj.

Karim has four children. We were looking for him for a long time. We have come to know that Karim was hiding in Karnataka. He recently returned to Murshidabad with some migrant labourers, a senior district police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

A relative of Karim, who did not want to be identified, said he used to drive a tractor at a brick kiln in Kankuria village and went missing around two and a half years ago.

Karim did not contact his family in 29 months. On Thursday evening, he visited the home of his aunt, Safeda Bibi, at Kashimnagar. Police arrested him around midnight, the relative said.

Another JMB terrorist of the same name, who went by the alias Chhoto Karim, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2018.

A low-intensity bomb had exploded in Bodh Gaya on January 19, 2018, hours after Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama had finished a sermon at the Mahabodhi Temple.

The NIA had arrested five people in connection with the case.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Gunmen have killed dozens of people and wounded many others in a series of attacks on several villages in Nigerias north-western state of Sokoto, according to police and residents.



The authorities say, so far, 59 bodies have been recovered while a search operation for more victims is underway.



This is one of the most deadly attacks in several years in Sokoto - one of the states affected by gunmen who often target communities to kill or kidnap people for ransom.



The gunmen usually attack overnight, but residents say this time the attackers armed with guns and machetes arrived on motorbikes in broad daylight on Wednesday - shooting and hacking the villagers to death.



The attackers then fled.



At least five villages were targeted in the Sabon-Birni area.



Police spokesperson for Sokoto state Muhammad Abubakar Sadiq told the BBC that normalcy had returned and a search for more bodies was underway.



The attacks happened barely a week after the Nigerian military launched a renewed operation against armed bandits in neighbouring Katsina and Zamfara states.



In a recent report, the International Crisis Group said more than 8,000 people have been killed in the last nine years of violence involving farmers and herders as well as criminal gangs in north-western Nigeria.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Another 2.1 million workers in the United States filed for unemployment benefits last week, according to the US Labor Department. This brings the total number of workers filing for jobless benefits to 40.8 million in the ten weeks since the pandemic led to the closure of much of the countrys economic activity in mid-March.

This number, which substantially understates the real scale of joblessness, is still a shocking 24.7 percent of the countrys labor force of 164.5 million people. Economists expect that Mays official unemployment rate, which will be released next Friday, will hit 20 percent, up from 14.7 percent in April.

Estimates of the real jobless rate exceed the historic record of 24.9 percent set in 1933 during the depths of the Great Depression. Millions of jobless workers are not counted in the official toll because they are undocumented immigrants, self-employed or so-called gig workers. Others not counted include those working part-time jobs and those who have given up looking for non-existent jobs. In addition, millions are not counted as unemployed because overwhelmed state agencies have not processed their claims, depriving them of any jobless benefits.

A woman carries a box of food away as hundreds others impacted by the COVID-19 virus outbreak wait in line at a Salvation Army center in Chelsea, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Nevertheless, several states have staggering official jobless levels, including Washington (31.2 percent), Nevada (26.7), Florida (25.0), Hawaii (23.4), Michigan (23.1), California (20.6) and New York (19.9).

According to a University of Chicago report, 42 percent of the jobs that have been lost will never return. Major corporations are using the pandemic to accelerate restructuring plans drawn up long before the present crisis.

This week, Boeing announced it will cut 13,000 jobs, mostly in the US but also in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. American Airlines, which got a hefty portion of the $50 billion government bailout of the airlines, supposedly to retain employees, will slash 5,000 jobs, or 30 percent of its workforce.

This is part of a global trend. After receiving a multi-billion-dollar bailout from the French government, the Renault-Nissan auto alliance has released plans to close factories in France, Spain and other countries and slash more than 20,000 jobs. German auto supplier ZF Friedrichshafen plans to cut up to 15,000 jobs, or around 10 percent of its workforce, by 2025, with half the cuts in Germany.

After a decade of declining real incomes for workers, those returning to work are now facing the prospect of a new round of wage and benefit cuts. A Bloomberg News report cited the comments of Bruce Fallick, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, who said the circumstances of a public-health crisis probably make pay cuts more palatable to workers than they would normally beat least initially.

Wage-cutting will hit every sector of workers, from nurses, grocery, delivery and other essential workers the corporate media has hailed as heroes, to office workers at Google, Facebook, Twitter, JPMorgan Chase, Walmart and other companies that are extending their work-from-home policies.

Once people work from home, there will be an employment arbitrage, Forbes recently noted, as companies decide that a person working at home in Montana has the same skills as someone in Chicago, but will take a much lower salary. It will be hard for employees to negotiate for raises, as management will believe that they could easily find a replacement somewhere else within the United States or abroad.

Meanwhile, corporations that have been handed billions of dollars by the federal government are proceeding to turn the bailout money over to their executives and investors.

In the name of equal sacrifice, major corporations have announced cuts to the base salaries of their chief executives. This is nothing but show, however. Base salaries account for only a tenth of the median pay of chief executives at the largest 500 US companies, with the bulk coming from stock awards.

Based on an examination of regulatory findings, Reuters found that scores of companies, including Uber, Delta Air Lines and Hilton hotels, had already made or were considering changes to pay plans to shield top executives from the economic fallout of the pandemic, even as profits plummeted and the companies slashed thousands of jobs.

Reuters reported that Sonic Automotive, which runs nearly 100 car dealerships, changed its executive compensation plan from awarding stock based on performance to allowing executives to buy company stock, starting in 2021, at the depressed prices that shares hit on April 9 of this year. Their value has risen 67 percent since April 10, as a result of the stock market bubble produced by the Federal Reserves intervention and massive government stimulus spending. This has happened as sales fell about 40 percent year-on-year since the start of the pandemic, and the company furloughed or laid off 3,000 workers.

Since the unanimous passage by the Democrats and Republicans of the CARES Act in late March, which authorized the US Treasury to spend trillions of dollars to take over the bad debts of banks and corporations, stocks have shot up by more than 35 percent. They are now just 10 percent below the record highs before the pandemic.

In the two months since Trump signed the CARES Act on March 27, the US death toll from COVID-19 has risen from 1,700 to over 103,000. Tens of millions have lost their jobs and are lining up for food assistance and face eviction as temporary moratoriums are lifted. During the same period, Americas billionaires have seen their net worth rise by $434 billion.

The ruling classes in every country are pursuing a homicidal policy of forcing workers back to unsafe workplaces even as the pandemic continues to spread, overwhelming new areas of the US and producing new nightmares in Mexico, Brazil, India and other countries. In every country, the capitalist governments are seeking to use economic pressure to force workers back, with Trump preparing to replace the $600 weekly supplement to unemployment benefits with a temporary $450 a week back to work bonus.

For the ruling class, workers are nothing more than our human capital stock, as Trumps senior economic adviser Kevin Hassett said last week, to be herded back to work to produce the profits necessary to pay for the bailout of the rich.

But workers are not cattle. Prior to the pandemic, there was a major growth of social struggle and political radicalization of the working class in every country. In the US, the number of workers engaged in major strikes reached the highest levels in decades. The entire policy of the ruling class in response to the pandemic will produce a vast expansion of class conflict.

Workers must reject the false choice between their lives and their livelihoods. The fight against both the pandemic and the social catastrophe facing the working class is a fight against the financial oligarchy and the capitalist system. It is the fight for socialism.
The Minneapolis officer who was seen on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died in custody after pleading that he could not breathe, has been arrested and charged with murder.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Mr Freeman did not provide immediate details, but said a criminal complaint would be made available later and that more charges were possible.

Expand Close A demonstrator displays a T-shirt with a picture of George Floyd (Ringo HW Chiu/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A demonstrator displays a T-shirt with a picture of George Floyd (Ringo HW Chiu/AP)

Mr Freeman highlighted the extraordinary speed in charging the case just four days after Floyds death, but also defended himself against questions about why it did not happen sooner.

He said his office needed time to put together evidence, including what he called the horrible video by a bystander. He said he would not bring a case unless he had enough evidence to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

News of the arrest and charges came moments after Minnesota Gov Tim Walz acknowledged the abject failure of the response to this weeks protests and called for swift justice for officers involved.

Mr Walz said the state would take over the response to the protests and that it is time to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering.

Minneapolis and St. Paul are on fire. The fire is still smouldering in our streets. The ashes are symbolic of decades and generations of pain, of anguish unheard, Mr Walz said, adding. Now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world  and the world is watching.

As George Floyds family has said, he "would not want people to get hurt. He lived his life protecting people." Lets come together to rebuild, remember, and seek justice for George Floyd.



As Governor, I will always defend the right to protest.  Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) May 28, 2020

The governor cited a call he received from a state senator who described her district on fire, no police, no firefighters, no social control, constituents locked in houses wondering what they were going to do. That is an abject failure that cannot happen.

His comments came the morning after protesters torched a police station that officers abandoned during a third night of violence.

Livestream video showed protesters entering the building, where intentionally set fires activated smoke alarms and sprinklers. President Donald Trump threatened action, tweeting when the looting starts, the shooting starts, which prompted a warning from Twitter for glorifying violence.

The governor faced tough questions after National Guard leader Major General Jon Jensen blamed a lack of clarity about the Guards mission for a slow response.

Mr Walz said the state was in a supporting role and that it was up to city leaders to run the situation. Mr Walz said it became apparent as the third Precinct was lost that the state had to step in, which happened at 12:05am. Requests from the cities for resources never came, he said.

On Friday morning, nearly every building in the shopping district around the abandoned police station had been vandalised, burned or looted. National Guard members were in the area, with several of them lined up, keeping people away from the police station.

Dozens of fires were also set in nearby St Paul, where nearly 200 businesses were damaged or looted. Protests spread across the US, fuelled by outrage over Mr Floyds death, and years of violence against African Americans at the hands of police. Demonstrators clashed with officers in New York and blocked traffic in Columbus, Ohio, and Denver.

President Trump threatened to bring Minneapolis under control, calling the protesters thugs and tweeting that when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

The tweet drew another warning from Twitter, which said the comment violated the platforms rules, but the company did not remove it.

President Trump also blasted the total lack of leadership in Minneapolis.

The Minnesota State Patrol arrested a CNN television crew early on Friday as the journalists reported on the unrest. While live on air, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez was handcuffed and led away. A producer and a photojournalist for CNN were also taken away in handcuffs.

Protests first erupted on Tuesday, a day after Mr Floyds death in a confrontation with police captured on widely seen citizen video.

In the footage, Mr Floyd can be seen pleading as officer Derek Chauvin presses his knee against him. As minutes pass, Floyd slowly stops talking and moving.

Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing members of Mr Floyds family, called for an independent investigation, and said he asked to take custody of Mr Floyds body to have an independent autopsy performed.

Mr Crump said that talk of a heart condition or asthma are irrelevant because Mr Floyd was walking and breathing before his contact with police.
A pharmacy tech pours out pills of hydroxychloroquine at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20, 2020. (George Frey/AFP via Getty Images)

Orange County Doctor Cites Positive Results Using Hydroxychloroquine

Dr. Gregg DeNicola is one of the first doctors in Southern California to develop a cohesive treatment plan for COVID-19 that includes the widely debated drug hydroxychloroquineand he told The Epoch Times hes seen only positive results.

A couple [patients] look you in the eye and say, I think Im going to die, DeNicola said. But none of the Laguna Beach-based doctors 95 COVID-19 patients have died yet, and he credits hydroxychloroquine with helping to save them.

The use of hydroxychloroquine to treat the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, has divided opinion since it was first suggested. On May 18, President Donald Trump announced he had been taking the anti-malaria drug for over a week, as a preventive measure.

But on May 27, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci said hydroxychloroquine is not an effective treatment for COVID-19. The World Health Organization paused clinical trials of the drug on May 25, citing safety concerns. And certain European countries, including France, have begun to ban its use for treating the disease.

The Lancet medical journal published a 96,000-patient observational study on May 22 that failed to confirm any benefit of using the drug. It found hydroxychloroquine drug regimens were associated with decreased in-hospital survival and increased ventricular arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats).

However, the gold standard in testing new medical treatments is randomized, controlled trials. The results of such trials are not yet in.

And while DeNicola is aware of the study, he thinks it has some flaws, and he trusts the results hes seen firsthand with the drug, both in treating COVID-19 and in treating other conditions before the pandemic.

Treating Patients With Hydroxychloroquine

DeNicola said the controversy surrounding the drug makes no sense. The drug has been used since the 20th century to treat connective tissue diseases, he said, and prescribing it has been second nature to him.

I just cant explain all the negativity to it  all I can do is report what I saw, he said, citing a 100 percent recovery rate.

Dr. Gregg DeNicola cites positive results using hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 patients in Laguna Beach, Calif. (Courtesy of Dr. Gregg DeNicola)

The Food and Drug Administration approved hydroxychloroquine for emergency use on March 28. DeNicola immediately began treating his patients with it, coupled with zinc and the antibiotic azithromycin (also known as Z-pak).

He said he uses the patients age, health status, degree of illness, and whether or not the infection is improving or not to determine whether to prescribe the drug.

DeNicola said he has prescribed the drug to 18 severely ill patients. Within three days, they all felt much better.

In some cases, the patients lungs fill up with copious amounts of liquid or mucus, DeNicola said, making them feel as if theyre drowning. But after taking hydroxychloroquine, they began to feel their lungs clear up and their energy restoredin two or three days.

DeNicola started curbside testing of patients in Laguna Beach on March 10. Since then, his company, Caduceus Medical Group, has tested over 2,000 people for the disease.

Of the 95 confirmed patients DeNicola has treated so far, 40 percent are under 40 years old, he said. Ten percent are over 65, and the remainder are between 4065. Men and women are affected equally. A few have underlying health conditions.

Theyre 40 to 50 years old, theyre not geriatric, DeNicola said. All the patients are actually quite healthy.

DeNicola said that 90 percent of his patients cite fatigue as the biggest symptom. Only 80 percent have fever at all, and almost half have parageusia (loss of taste and smell), his blog states.

One of his patientsa 60-year-old man with diabetessuffered for 28 days before recovering. Others recovered after roughly two weeks.

DeNicola has been prescribing hydroxychloroquine for years, to combat lupus, malaria, and other connective tissue diseases. He began administering the drug early in the pandemic when he noticed its effectiveness against a severe case of COVID-19.

One severe case in March was given Plaquenil [hydroxychloroquine] almost as a last resort, according to his blog. There was immediate improvement so we used it again. And again. Every case improved.

The blog added that there have been no cardiac issues.

Poorly Structured Study

DeNicola commented on the Lancet study, saying it was very poorly structured.

They were all retrospective and none of them are prospective, he said of the cases. And they really didnt document definite cardiac problems, it was more of a fear of a cardiac problem.

DeNicola is aware that his successful use of the drug does not match scenarios from other centers, even the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], according to his blog.

Ive had no problems with it. Ive never had a patient go off because of side effects, he said.

Ive probably written 500 to 800 prescriptions [for hydroxychloroquine] in my career. So its not like a new drug, and its a very safe drug normally.

As they say in sportswe gotta call em as we see em, the blog adds.

Testing for Herd Immunity



In early May, DeNicolas practice began administering 50100 antibody tests every day, to check for herd immunity. So far, theyve done about 2,000 total tests, looking for immunoglobulins which protect people against infection.

According to his findings, we only have in our experience about 3 percent of the population immune from COVID right now, he said.

Which means, we either have to have a huge second wave that will affect  millions of more people to get the number up, or we need a vaccineone or the other.

DeNicola said he is seeing a sharp uptick in COVID-19 cases as Orange County businesses reopen.

I cant keep track, because we get a few new ones every day, he said.

Everybody had masks during the lockdown, he added, and nobody went to restaurants or the beach. And then we saw a kind of a loosening of that, the last two, three weeks.

As of May 28, the county had logged a total of 5,744 confirmed cases and 142 deaths. Fourteen deaths were reported on May 21 alonethe most in a single day since the outbreak began.
Source: Reuters

Ravindra Rao

Comex gold was trading marginally higher near $1,715 an ounce on May 29 after a 0.2 percent gain a day earlier.

Gold has witnessed a sharp rebound after taking support near 1,680. It has benefitted from increased US-China tensions, additional stimulus measures by governments and concerns about the health of major economies.

The US and China tensions have intensified in the last few days over Chinas security law for Hong Kong. The law has been approved by Chinas parliament and market players are awaiting US response.

A widening rift threatens the fragile trade deal reached in January and adds to global economic risks. Global economies are already under pressure due to the virus outbreak.

US economic data release on May 28 was largely negative. Q2 GDP estimate was revised downward from -4.8 percent to -5 percent, jobless claims fell less than expectations while pending home sales fell more than forecast. Durable goods orders data was however better than expectations.

ETF inflows also show robust investor interest.

Gold holdings with SPDR ETF rose by 0.58 tonne to 1,119.63 tonne, highest since April 2013. However, weighing on price is expectations of a pickup in economic activity as countries ease restrictions while stimulus measures support recovery.

Weak consumer demand, as evident from latest import numbers from China, is also weighing on the price.

Gold may continue to witness choppy trade as support from US-China tensions is countered by hopes of global economic recovery. General bias, however, maybe on the upside unless equity markets resume their upside momentum.

There was choppy trade in base metals on LME, after most ended on a higher note the day before. The metals pack has been alternating between gains and losses through the week amid mixed cues on both macro and fundamental front.

For the day, prices may come under pressure amid global risk aversion, tracking escalating tensions between US-China along ahead of Presidents Donald Trumps address, which could further deteriorate ties.

On the fundamental front, aluminium prices may come under pressure amid rising stocks at LME warehouses along, with signs of ample supplies in the physical market. However, falling stocks at SHFE may cap the downside.

In other metals, copper and zinc may come under pressure amid expectation of improving supply, especially from Peru.

According to Bloomberg, operations at the Antamina copper and zinc mine in Peru have resumed with a reduced workforce. The mine will restart at roughly 80 percent capacity and is expected to ramp up to full production in the third quarter, Teck Resources said.

However, falling stocks at SHFE and jump in cancel warrants stocks at LME in case of copper and signs of tightness in case of zinc as is evident from backwardation between

LME cash to three-month spread may cap the downside. Nickel may come under pressure amid higher stocks at LME and expectation of improving supply from the Philippines. However, lower stocks at SHFE may cap the downside.

Lastly, lead prices may continue to be pressurised by rising stocks at both LME and SHFE warehouses along with a bleak demand prospects from auto sector.

NYMEX crude slipped more than 1 percent to trade near $33 per barrel after a 2.7 percent gain on May 28.

Crude fell to $ 31.14 in the intraday trade but bounced back to end higher. Crude oil weakened on May 29 anticipating a disappointing inventory report but recovered as the report was mixed.

US EIA noted a 7.928 million barrels increase in crude oil stocks as against forecast of a 1.9 mn bbl decline, however, the build was less than the 8.7 mn bbl rise reported by API.

Stocks at Cushing, the delivery terminal for NYMEX crude futures, fell by 3.395 mn bbl, indicating easing glut. EIA also noted an eight-weekly decline in US crude production which now stands at 11.4 million barrels per day, lowest since July 2019.

EIA also noted an unexpected decline in gasoline stocks and a further increase in refining activity. Crude witnessed mixed trade also, as market players assessed a possibility of additional measures at the upcoming meeting of OPEC and allies on June 10.

As per a Reuters report, Saudi Arabia and other OPEC producers are considering an extension of record output cuts to the end of 2020 but have yet to win support from Russia.

Crude fell sharply after testing over two-month high, however, prices managed to hold above $31. We may see a choppy trade. General bias may be on the downside on global growth worries and US-China tensions. Focus will be on the US economic data, development on US-China ties and the US weekly rig activity report.

The author is VP- Head Commodity Research at Kotak Securities

: The views and investment tips expressed by experts on moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Horse Racing Ireland has published its full programme of National Hunt races for the months of June and July, as well as races scheduled for the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Racing is due to resume in Ireland on June 8 behind closed doors, but no jumps fixtures are planned until June 22 when Limerick will be in action.

Ireland traditionally has mixed cards at some tracks, but HRI has ruled it will allow single-code meetings only as it looks to minimise the number of people working at the racecourse.

That ruling has forced significant changes to the usual Galway Festival programme, although the Galway Plate and Galway Hurdle will be run on the Wednesday and Thursday of the meeting as normal, with a Listed novice hurdle and a Grade Three novice chase featuring on the respective cards.

There are 24 National Hunt meetings at 12 racecourses, with the Grade Three Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary on June 26 and the Grade Three An Riocht Chase at Killarney on July 7 particular highlights.

Shane Doyle, HRIs race-planning manager, said: Most cards have been programmed with the possibility of a divide included to respond as effectively as possible to the demands of the horse population and give additional opportunities in the areas of highest demand.

The quality of horses running through the summer programme, even outside the Galway Festival, continues to rise, with the likes of Ballyoisin, Darver Star, Peregrine Run and Ravenhill appearing regularly last year.

I am sure we can look forward to some top action when National Hunt racing gets back underway.

HRI is planning to publish the full Flat programme up to the conclusion of the Galway Festival next week.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Reuters) Beijing, China  Fri, May 29, 2020 17:40 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdafc7cf 2 News China,united-states,flight,travel,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

Chinese civil aviation authorities plan to extend until June 30 their curbs on international flights to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the US embassy in Beijing said in a travel advisory on Friday.

China has drastically cut such flights since March to allay concerns over infections brought by arriving passengers. A so-called "Five One" policy allows mainland carriers to fly just one flight a week on one route to any country and foreign airlines to operate just one flight a week to China.

Washington has accused Beijing of making it impossible for US airlines to resume service to China and ordered four Chinese airlines to file flight schedules with the US government. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines wanted to resume flights to China in June, the US Transportation Department has noted.

US airlines are not flying to China at all because they suspended services before the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) imposed restrictions on air travel.

Chinese airlines have over the past few days submitted flight schedules to the US Department of Transportation, Reuters searches on a US government website showed.

Read also: Airlines start to recover with more growth in China, Hong Kong

China Southern Airlines is proposing to add more flights to multiple US cities from July, while China Eastern Airlines is aiming to ramp up capacity from September, according to the US government website.

When asked about the US embassy statement on the extension of restrictions, a CAAC news department official told Reuters there was no change to the existing rules.

The maximum number of international flights now allowed is 134 a week under restrictions imposed on March 29.

State media has reported that China's aviation authority would consider increasing international flights as long as imported coronavirus risks are under control, citing the agency's deputy director Li Jian.

China has brought the outbreak largely under control with draconian lockdowns and quarantine rules. No new confirmed cases were reported in the mainland on Thursday. The total number of infections stand at 82,995, of which 1,734 are imported.
Yu Liufen, Party chief, Yanbo Village, Guizhou Province [For China Daily]

In numerous stories related to poverty alleviation, 51-year-old Yu Liufen's efforts stand out.

She helped change and transform Yanbo village. Without a proper road, electricity or water, the village became a model living area with the total assets of over 100 million yuan ($14.2 million) in 2020. A truly remarkable achievement.

When Yu was appointed to be Party chief of Yanbo, Southwest China's Guizhou Province, in 2001, she was a little hesitant since the village was so poor.

"There was a saying describing the village at that time:' Villagers lived in adobe houses. Out of their houses there were ponds full of pig manure. Villagers worked hard doing farm work for a whole year but could only feed themselves for half a year. If you had a daughter, never let her marry a Yanbo man,'" says Yu.

At that time, the average annual income of Yanbo villagers was less than 800 yuan, and the village was also in debt to the tune of 12,000 yuan.

"But I thought if I don't try to change the village, it will be poor forever. Why don't I try?"

The village is located in the deep mountains, and there was no road linking it to the outside world. Yu's first task was to rectify this.

Yu held several meetings with villagers to discuss the task. Some people did not believe in her ability, and doubted whether she would be able to solve problems.

What if the road occupied some farmland? Would there be compensation? She got the officials to use their own lands to compensate for villagers' occupied land and took the lead to work as a construction worker to build the road.

She went to villagers' homes at night to talk with them, and gradually persuaded them to support and join the work. Besides, she took out 40,000 yuan from her own wallet for construction.

After three months, the villagers under her astute leadership built a road of three kilometers, which laid the foundation for the village's future development.

Yu then started to consider how to improve incomes. She noticed a lush forest which Yanbo Village once sold. After evaluating the value of the forest, she borrowed money and scraped together 230,000 yuan to buy it back. After careful management and by selling trees, the village paid back the borrowed money and earned an extra 80,000 yuan after only a year.

With the forest as a mortgage, Yanbo Village applied for bank loans to open a brick company, a ham processing plant, a winery and a poultry farm, enabling villagers to buy shares and enjoy the fruitful benefits.

"Although Yanbo didn't have any market conditions at that time, I still believe developing a local economy through building an industrial chain is the key. Some people wanted to migrate to other places to do manual work, but I told them that cannot lift them out of poverty in the long run."

In 2011, she extended the scale of the winery, and built it into a large business, the Guizhou Yanbo Wine Co. After several years' development, the company's sales reached more than 400 million yuan in 2019, providing more than 650 positions for local people. In this way, Yanbo formed an industrial cluster with the wine business as the center.

"We use wine dross to feed livestock and poultry, use their manure as fertilizer for sorghum and other crops, and use the sorghum to make wine," says Xiao Yulong, head of Yanbo Village.

Two neighboring poor villages, Yuna and Suzuo, were included in the development of Yanbo in 2016, and 3,650 people of the three villages have all become shareholders of the wine company. In 2018, everyone enjoyed a benefit of 1,500 yuan.

In 2015, Yanbo Village was lifted out of poverty, with each villager's average annual income reaching more than 20,000 yuan in 2019.

Yu was titled a "reform pioneer" at the celebration event of the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up by the central government in 2018, and earned the national May 1 labor medal in 2019 from the government.

"I have a sense of fulfillment when I see villagers walk on the wide and flat roads, and their smiles when getting benefits from our business. I really did something for them, and I believe I didn't waste my youth."

Although Yu was doubted by many local people when she started her work 20 years ago as a 31-year-old female official, now she enjoys great prestige.

According to villager Xiao Hailong, "Yu is brave and cautious. She can hit the nail on the head, and the businesses she led us to develop suit the demands of the market."

Yu says the government has helped a lot in her work.

She was elected as a deputy of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, top political advisory body of China. In this year's two sessions, Yu is focusing on rural development, and has asked the government to improve the infrastructure of remote mountainous areas and provide more funds for their development.

(Source: China Daily)
- The fourth Iranian fuel tanker has made its way into Venezuelan waters in a direct challenge to US sanctions on both countries. The first three tankers that Iran sent to Venezuela have already arrived and are in the process of unloading. The total deliveries from Iran to Venezuela are expected to be about 1.5 million barrels of gasoline and refining components that are critical to the nations oil industry survival. Venezuela has already nearly completely shut down all of its refineries, partly due to years and years of maintenance neglect and partly because it lacks the diluent to refine its ultra-heavy crude oil, which it used to import prior to the sanctions. There are five tankers total in the shipment from Iran. The lack of any response will play poorly against the Trump administration, which has allowed Iran to ride roughshod over foreign policy.

- Much to Turkeys dismay, the EastMed gas pipeline project has been approved by the Cypriot cabinet, and studies are currently in progress. The consortium comprises Cyprus-Greece-Israel for the 1300-mile underwater pipeline project that will carry gas from the southeast Mediterranean to continental Europe. The consortium will now begin the process of lining up buyers for the Israeli gas. The project is expected to cut into Russian gas supplies and cut Turkey out of the deal (which is what makes Libya so important to Erdogan).

- Much to Turkeys dismay, the EastMed gas pipeline project has been approved by the Cypriot cabinet, and studies are currently in progress. The consortium comprises Cyprus-Greece-Israel for the 1300-mile underwater pipeline project that will carry gas from the southeast Mediterranean to continental Europe. The consortium will now begin the process of lining up buyers for the Israeli gas. The project is expected to cut into Russian gas supplies and cut Turkey out of the deal (which is what makes Libya so important to Erdogan).

- The fourth Iranian fuel tanker has made its way into Venezuelan waters in a direct challenge to US sanctions on both countries. The first three tankers that Iran sent to Venezuela have already arrived and are in the process of unloading. The total deliveries from Iran to Venezuela are expected to be about 1.5 million barrels of gasoline and refining components that are critical to the nations oil industry survival. Venezuela has already nearly completely shut down all of its refineries, partly due to years and years of maintenance neglect and partly because it lacks the diluent to refine its ultra-heavy crude oil, which it used to import prior to the sanctions. There are five tankers total in the shipment from Iran. The lack of any response will play poorly against the Trump administration, which has allowed Iran to ride roughshod over foreign policy.

- In the midst of a massive humanitarian crisis, Nicolas Maduro is mulling over the idea of charging its destitute citizens more for petrol. Petrol has been nearly given away to its citizens for years. These types of austerity measures are being considered in nearly all oil-dependent economies, including their OPEC brethren in the Gulf, although the Venezuelan people are unlikely to be able to deal with such austerity measures.

- A frigate of the French Navy has prevented a tanker from loading refined oil products at a Libyan port as part of a sale to a UAE-registered company (keeping in mind that the UAE is allied with General Haftar against the GNA in Tripoli). The tanker was stopped at sea as it was heading for the port of Tobruk in eastern Libya close to the border with Egypt. The tanker has been idling in the area for a week and hasnt continued on its course to Tobruk

- The European Union is prolonging sanctions against Syrian President Bashar Assad and other top political officials, extending them until June 1, 2021. The sanctions ban oil imports, certain investments, technology transfer that could aid the regime in repression and freezes Syrian Central Bank assets inside the EU.

- In line with that, the Lebanese army has dismantled 30 meters of oil pipelines discovered to have been smuggling diesel oil into Syria near Akkar. The Army seized 215,000 liters of fuel oil in one week alone earlier this month.

Discovery

- Further to our top note, keep an eye on Apache (NYSE:APA) and French Total SA, which following two discoveries offshore Suriname this year, is now drilling its third well with Total, Kwaskwasi-1 on Block 58. This is approximately 6 miles from the Sapakara West-1 discovery.

- Chinas state-run CNOOC confirmed this week that the new Kenli 6-1 oilfield discovery (Bohai Bay/Laizhou exploration area) has potential oil reserves of more than 100 million metric tons.

Deals

- ConocoPhillips has completed the sale of some of its Australia-West subsidiaries to Australia-based Santos for $1.39 billion. Conoco has already received $765 million for the sale in Q2, which comes at a convenient time for the books amid a squeeze on oil prices. Production with the sold assets averaged 46 Mboepd for Q1, and constitutes reserves of 17 MMboe at the end of last year.

- Russias state-run gas giant Gazprom may have overestimated its Power of Siberia capacity, and senior management at Gazprom may have kept technical setback details from the company, according to internal documents seen by Lenta.ru, as they tried to deliver on the $400-billion deal with China. Russia has been trying to tap the robust Asian market and beat US producers to the punch there, and the Power of Siberia was a massive undertaking designed to do just that. Gazprom may lose $20 billion in the deal as a result, and it may not be able to fulfill its contractual obligations under the deal forged with China. One of the overestimates by management was in one of its largest gas fields, Chayandinskoye.

- Sinopec has signed an investment contract to build a $2.8-billion LNG terminal in the Zhejiang province. The project, for which construction is expected to start next year, will have an annual LNG receiving capacity of 15 million tons.

- Spains Repsol has decided to withdraw from the process of forming a JV with Russian Gazprom and Shell to develop two Arctic oil blocks. The JV, in which Gazprom Neft would hold a 50% stake and Repsol and Shell each 25%, was to develop the Leskinsky and Pukhutsyayakhsky blocks on the Gydan Peninsula in northern Siberia.

Renewables

- The US commercial solar industry is ripe for consolidation, and its been taking a hit under the global pandemic, but one aspect of the business is positioned to do well: Virtual power-purchase agreements (PPAs), or corporate offtake agreements for utility-scale solar projects, according to WoodMac. This trend is businesses going solar via PPAs was gaining ground prior to the pandemic but is now set to become more of a trend.

- Renewables are getting more time to take advantage of tax relief in the United States, and in Europe, the European Commission is hoping to extend billions of euros in financial relief to both high tech and green investments as a strategy for coronavirus recovery. That lumps renewable energy into a basket along with 5G tech, AI, cybersecurity, and supercomputing.




A police officer in the American city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been arrested and charged with murder in the May 25 death of George Floyd.

The police officer is white. Floyd was African-American.

A video recorded at the time shows Derek Chauvin, the police officer, kneeling on Floyd's neck for several minutes as he lay on the street. Floyd repeatedly said, I cant breathe, and, Please, I cant breathe, as the crowd asked the officer to stop.

Floyd died a short time later.

Three other police officers involved in the arrest are also seen on the video.

The mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, and other local leaders denounced the police officers actions. All four were dismissed from the force the next day. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice are investigating.

The incident incited three days of unrest in the city. The protesters threw stones at police, burned buildings, and damaged businesses. Minneapolis fire officials reported that 16 buildings were burned Wednesday night. National Guard troops were called in to protect the area.

Thursday night, police officers were told to leave the 3rd Precinct police station, where the crowd had gathered to protest Floyds death. Livestream video showed protesters throwing objects, breaking the glass entrance to the building, and setting the building on fire.

Clouds of smoke still hung over the city Friday morning.

U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the violence and the citys mayor, who belongs to the Democratic Party. Trump is a Republican.

The president wrote on Twitter that he would send in National Guard troops to, in his words, get the job done right if the mayor, who he described as "weak," failed to restore order. He added, Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

The message led to a warning from Twitter, which said it violated rules about glorifying violence.

Meeting with reporters on Friday, Mayor Jacob Frey defended his decision to evacuate the police station, saying it had become dangerous for officers. He said, There is a lot of pain and anger right now in our city. I understand that ... What we have seen over the past several hours and past couple of nights here in terms of looting is unacceptable.

Across the street from the police station, windows in nearly every business had been broken. The Target department store chain said it would close several nearby stores, including the one heavily damaged in the rioting. One restaurant was burned almost beyond recognition. Other businesses covered their windows and doors.



Protests in other cities

The protests in Minneapolis spread across the river to the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Its Mayor Melvin Carter, who is black, wrote on Twitter, Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement and on preventing this from ever happening again."

In New York City Thursday, protesters disobeyed the citys COVID-19 ban on public gatherings. Some demonstrators clashed with police there. Demonstrators also blocked traffic in Denver, Colorado, and Columbus, Ohio. A day earlier, protesters demonstrated in Los Angeles, California and Memphis, Tennessee.

In Louisville, Kentucky, police confirmed that at least seven people had been shot Thursday night. Protesters there were demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, a black woman who police shot and killed in her home in March.

I'm Caty Weaver.

Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on Associated Press and Reuters news reports. George Grow was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

counterfeit - n. an exact copy of something in order to trick people

distress - n. pain

loot - v. to steal something from a place

glorify - v. to make something seem much better or more important than it really is

evacuate - v. to leave a dangerous place

focus - v. to direct attention and effort at something
The police chief who handled the investigation into Dominic Cummings' trip to Durham is facing a possible inquiry after a furious backlash from the public, according to reports.

Officers said that Mr Cummings might have breached lockdown when he drove to Barnard Castle on Easter Sunday, but his 260-mile journey to the north east of England did not break the rules.

Durham Police received a number of complaints from Britons angry over the handling of the investigation.

A portion of the complaints are understood to have been made against Chief Constable Jo Farrell, The Telegraph reported.

Durham Police received a number of complaints from Britons angry over the handling of the investigation into Dominic Cummings. A portion of the complaints are understood to have been made against Durham Police's Chief Constable Jo Farrell, pictured

Dominic Cummings, top aide to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, arrives at the back of Downing Street after the introduction of measures to bring the country out of lockdown, May 29

The 157,000-a-year police chief whose force found itself at the centre of the Dominic Cummings row Jo Farrell was appointed chief constable of Durham Constabulary last June, becoming the first woman ever to hold the key position in the force's 180-year history. During her time at Northumbria Police she was involved with the manhunt for killer Raoul Moat in 2010, and was in command on the night he called the force to say he was hunting for police. Her appointment as Durham chief capped an impressive rise up the ranks during a career with the police which began nearly 30 years ago when she joined Cambridgeshire Police in 1991 aged 22 as a constable. Mrs Farrell, whose hobbies include cooking and keeping fit, is married to a retired police officer and has two stepsons and a daughter. The 156,958-a-year chief was born on the Wirral in Merseyside before moving to Cambridgeshire aged 15 when her father relocated with his job, and then she completing a degree in business at Sheffield Polytechnic. Mrs Farrell had wanted to join the police since childhood and her first role was a five-year stint on the beat in Cambridge city centre. Then in 2002 she joined Northumbria Police as a chief inspector before being promoted to assistant chief constable. In 2016 Mrs Farrell joined Durham Constabulary and took charge of the policing for various high-profile events before her appointment as chief constable, taking over from Mike Barton after his seven-year stint. Speaking last year, she said: 'I was 22 when I joined the police and I absolutely loved it. Although I don't have any family connection with the police, I had always wanted to join and I was so proud when I first became an officer. 'As I tell all our new recruits, when we get it right, we can have such a positive impact on people's lives  the difference that we can make is phenomenal'. She also works on behalf of the National Police Chiefs' Council in information management and criminal justice file quality. Advertisement

The Force's professional standards department will assess the complaints before a decision is made on whether the matter should be taken further.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) will also be informed, but no referrals have yet been made, reports indicate.

A Durham Constabulary spokesman said there is 'currently' no investigation into the Forces handling of the inquiry.

It is not yet clear whether the complaints are related to anger over the police's decision to investigate Mr Cummings, or anger over the probe's results.

It is understood that roughly 10 complaints have been received in total.

Acting police and crime commissioner Steve White, who last week urged Ms Farrell to investigate Mr Cummings, also received a number of complaints.

Durham's police and crime panel are now set to consider the complaints against Mr White - serving as temporary PCC after the death of his predecessor, Ron Hogg.

The force said on Thursday that Mr Cummings' trip to Barnard Castle 'might have' been in 'minor breach' of the regulations.

The force added that if an officer had stopped Mr Cummings on his journey they would have provided 'advice on the dangers of travelling during the pandemic crisis'.

Had this advice been accepted by Mr Cummings, 'no enforcement action would have been taken'.

But Durham Police said they did not consider Mr Cummings self-isolating at his family's farm a breach of the guidelines, and no further action would be taken.

In a statement the force said: 'In line with Durham Constabulary's general approach throughout the pandemic, there is no intention to take retrospective action in respect of the Barnard Castle incident since this would amount to treating

'Mr Cummings differently from other members of the public. Durham Constabulary has not taken retrospective action against any other person.'

A No10 spokesman said the Prime Minister now considers this matter closed after Durham Police decided not to pursue legal action.

They added: 'The police have made clear they are taking no action against Mr Cummings over his self-isolation and that going to Durham did not breach the regulations.

'The Prime Minister has said he believes Mr Cummings behaved reasonably and legally given all the circumstances and he regards this issue as closed.'

The top aide claims he used the journey on his wife's birthday to check his vision had recovered enough to drive back to London after suffering suspected Covid-19.

Dominic Cummings journey to Barnard Castle, pictured, may have constituted a 'minor' breach of lockdown, according to Durham Police

He had already travelled 260 miles from the capital to the North East two weeks before to stay at his parents' farm.

Road police officers warned it was a bad idea to take to the road with impaired vision in the wake of the Cummings case.

Another police chief accused the UK government of 'rushing' to announce the relaxation of lockdown measures today, saying it may have been a political move to help ministers facing pressure after the fallout from Cummings' actions.

Northumbria's Labour Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness said the government's pre-announcement on Thursday was 'mistimed' and called for an independent inquiry.

Theresa May has become the latest Conservative heavyweight to wade into the row over Dominic Cummings, saying he broke the 'spirit' of lockdown rules

The PM has seen his party's ratings tumble by four points in a week amid the Dominic Cummings row, while support for Labour has gone up five points, according to a YouGov survey for the Times

She said the public need not have been notified so early, putting additional pressure on police to enforce lockdown during a heatwave weekend.

Theresa May has become the latest Conservative heavyweight to wade into the row over Dominic Cummings, saying he broke the 'spirit' of lockdown rules.

Timeline of Durham police's involvement in the Cummings case 22 May - Dominic Cummings is accused of breaching lockdown by driving to his father's farm in Durham. A Durham police statement said the force contacted the owner of the address to remind the individual they had breached lockdown. 23 May - Durham Constabulary said they spoke to Cummings' father and discussed security matters. An eyewitness said they saw Cummings at Barnard Castle. 24 May - Journalists accuse Cummings of breaching lockdown again, by returning to London, where he had been photographed. 25 May - The chief advisor addressed the allegations in a public statement, where he admitted to travelling to Barnard Castle, 30 miles away from the family home. He denied the second journey to London. Durham's Acting Police, Crime and Victims Commissioner Steve White asked the Constabulary to investigate any potential breaches of law or regulations in the Cummings case. 28 May - The force announced they did not believe the chief advisor had committed an offence in relation to his journey to Durham. They added that a minor breach to lockdown rules 'might' have happened in relation to Cummings' second trip to Barnard Castle. They said they would not be taking any further action. 29 May - It's revealed that Durham Police have received 10 complaints about the Constabulary's handling of the case. Advertisement

In a letter to her constituents in Maidenhead, the former prime minister said her successor's senior adviser 'didn't act within the spirit of the guidance' and that she 'can well understand the anger' of those who did.

Mr Cummings was accused of breaking lockdown rules after travelling from London to his parent's farm in Durham against government guidance over fears he would be struck down by coronavirus and unable to care for his son.

After recovering from what he says was coronavirus, the aide took a trip to a local beauty spot near Barnard Castle with his family to 'test his eyesight' before returning to London.

Durham Police said that Mr Cummings 'might' have broken the rules with the trip, but would be taking any further action.

There are now nearly 100 Tory MPs, including several ministers, who have either called for Mr Cummings to go or criticised his conduct.

Last night, Theresa May became the latest prominent Tory MP to criticise the aide.

She said: What this matter has shown is that there was a discrepancy between the simple messages given by the Government and the details of the legislation passed by Parliament.

'In these circumstances I do not feel that Mr Cummings followed the spirit of the guidance.'

His actions were met with fury from the public and politicians when they were exposed by the Daily Mirror and The Guardian.

'I can well understand the anger of those who have been abiding by the spirit of the guidance given by the Government and expect others to do so,' Mrs May added.

But she also raised concerns that the ongoing focus on Mr Cummings 'has been detracting from the most important task, which is dealing with Coronavirus and starting the process of recovery and easing lockdown.'
A march is planned in Mobile Sunday to protest the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, both of whom were African-American and died at the hands of white police officers.

The march will start at 3 p.m. in Mardi Gras Park and make its way to the Mobile Police Department building on downtown Dauphin Street.

In an Instagram post promoting Sundays event, organizers said that the protest will be PEACEFUL, PHYSICALLY/ SOCIALLY DISTANT.

Tiffany Trotter, who decided to organize the event after being inspired by a similar event in Atlanta taking place Saturday, said that it was sad people of color were continuously having to protest the way they are treated by law enforcement.

Its frustrating for all people, she told AL.com. Mostly for people of color because this is our experience every day.

A spokesperson for the City of Mobile said that the administration respects the right of citizens to peaceful assembly.

The Mobile Police Department added: As with any protest that happens in our city, we ask that the groups protest peacefully in their assembly and demonstrations. We are always prepared and always have a plan in place if we must respond.

A similar event took place in Birmingham Thursday evening and one is planned in Huntsville Saturday.

The protest comes just days after video emerged of Floyd being pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis Police Officer. The officer placed his knee on the back of Floyds neck for about seven minutes, according to multiple reports from the May 25 incident, and continued to do so long after Floyd had lost consciousness. Local EMTs tried to revive the father of two before he was pronounced dead in hospital.

The death has since sparked days of unrest and mass rioting in Minneapolis and protests in other cities across the nation.

Floyd is heard in the video saying that he could not breathe, drawing comparisons to the 2014 death of Eric Garner, who was placed in choke hold by a New York Police officer during an arrest. Garner said that he couldnt breathe 11 times before losing consciousness.

Taylor was killed March 13 after officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department raided her home. After waking up her and her boyfriend, there was an exchange of gunfire between Taylors boyfriend and three officers. Taylor was shot eight times and later died from her wounds.
Welcome to todays 7 Things technology newsletter.

.......

1. Which laptop and headphones?

My Ask Adrian column advised two different readers on what laptops they should buy, while another reader asked which noise-cancelling headphones are best. I also advised on how to transfer old camcorder mini tapes to a DVD.

2. Zooms Irish CIO spoke exclusively to us about upsetting headlines

Next week, Zoom will reveal its latest quarterly numbers. Ahead of that, I got an exclusive interview with its chief information officer, Rathfarnham-raised Harry Moseley. He told me about the upsetting moments over security reports in recent weeks and growing up as a Jewish kid in Dublin.

3. Trump vs Twitter

Theres been a serious rupture between Donald Trump and Twitter, with Facebook getting involved in the middle. Twitter enraged the US president by sticking a fact check warning on one of Trumps non-factual tweets. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg then unhelpfully said that Twitter shouldnt have done it and that social platforms shouldnt be arbiters of truth. Now Trump says hes going to take action against all of them, reclassifying them as publishers. Its a bizarre threat, and almost certainly one that Trump wont want to see through: as Bob Woodwards detailed fly-on-the-wall book of Trumps first year in office shows, the US president relies on Twitter to publish his verbal tirades more than any other medium. Legal experts almost universally say that Trump hasnt a hope of reclassifying the social networks in the US. But it will raise again the general issue about whether social media should be held to the same legal restrictions as newspapers and broadcasters. That will bring with it bitter op-eds from politicians and publishers, still pining for the good old days of ruling public opinion and global advertising budgets through a much narrower funnel.

4. Rural broadband sooner than planned?

Communications Minister Richard Bruton says his department is now in discussions with the National Boradband Plan firm (NBI) to shorten the rollout timetable from seven to five years. I dont see it happening.

5. Ireland has an anti-intellectualism problem

My podcast was with MIT lecturer (and Sligoman) Jon Ruane. We went way off topic on the tech stuff we meant to talk about  instead, we ended wondering why Irish people are so ambivalent about high-end learning. We also looked at whether Irish start-ups really deserve more state funding: arent they supposed to be textbook bootstrappers?

6. Google and Apples Irish phone-tracking shows were all driving again

It isnt your imagination: Apple and Google tracking data confirms that traffic has surged in Ireland in the last few weeks,

7. Tech review: a great value fitness smartwatch

I found Huaweis new fitness smartwatch, the Watch GT2e, to be a bit of a bargain.

.......

OTHER THINGS

Na habair e: Microsoft has cut Irish as a supported language for Office in iOS

Sick of your laptops crap webcam in Zoom and Teams meetings? Canons latest update allows you to plug in dozens of Canon models to your Windows or Mac laptop to use as a webcam.

I wrote a column about why the Irish DPC may not deserve all the hassle she gets from European critics.

Speaking of Helen Dixon, her office moved against some of the big tech platforms at the weekend. But a single case  involving Austrian campaigner Max Schrems  has cost the Irish DPC 2.9m in legal costs.

Stripe has expanded again, adding another five European countries. It now services 39 countries, 29 of which are in Europe.

Sony says that its new idiot proof camera is for beauty bloggers and YouTubers.

Try this if you have an iPhone: text the words 'pew pew' to another iPhone and see what happens. You're welcome.
As the heatwave is set to continue over the weekend visitors flock to the coast at Portstewart in Co-Derry, Northern Ireland. Picture Margaret McLaughlin 29-5-2020

The PSNI is upping patrols at beauty spots this weekend to prevent large crowds from gathering in the sun and flouting lockdown restrictions.

After expressing shock this week at how some people had flouted restrictions over the bank holiday weekend, Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd called for the public to act responsibly.

Police patrols will now be stepped up around beauty spots, resorts and transport hubs.

Read More

I understand that as time goes on, and with the current spell of good weather, some people may be tempted to get out and about and make the most of the sunshine, he said.

"However, as a police service, our key role is to support our public health colleagues and the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure we all play our part in stopping the spread of the virus and help save lives.

Each and every one of us has a personal responsibility to follow the NI Executive regulations. ACC Alan Todd

ACC Todd noted that the latest data showed the R-number rating, used to measure the rate of infection, had actually increased since the first lockdown restrictions were lifted.

This means that every one of us needs to make informed and sensible decisions about our conduct over the coming days to ensure that we are protecting our own health and the health of others, he said.

Officers will be focused this weekend on the issues of crowds gathering, alcohol consumption in public places and road safety - especially speeding and drink driving.

We will continue to engage, explain and encourage people to make the right choices and we will enforce when necessary, he said.

He also urged the public not to drive to beauty spots for exercise this weekend.

Each and every one of us has a personal responsibility to follow the NI Executive regulations and do everything we can to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Read More

Sinn Feins West Belfast MP Paul Maskey added to the calls for restraint, warning young people that gathering in crowds this weekend could kill.

I am appealing directly to those young people involved to act responsibly. Your actions can potentially have serious ramifications for your personal health, that of your family and also our community, he said.

By gathering in large crowds the spread of this virus will be accelerated. Increased infection will place our health workers under extreme pressure and will kill people in our community - that is both the brutal and sad reality.

Mr Maskey said that both young and old had a responsibility to protect the vulnerable in their communities.

As we approach this weekend, I am appealing directly to young people to please be part of the community Covid-19 response and to follow the guidelines.

You can enjoy the good weather and meet up with up to six friends outdoors while adhering to social distancing but large crowds are not permitted for the benefit of your health and our community.

The MP also called on parents and guardians to keep in touch with their children and know their whereabouts.

Only by working together will we overcome this," he said.

Meanwhile, the RNLI have advised caution to those planning to attend beaches this weekend as no lifeguards will be on duty until later in June.

As we move to a gradual relaxing of restrictions as advised by the Northern Ireland Executive and we experience the good weather, we expect many people to be eager to visit the coast. said Karl ONeill, RNLI Lead Lifeguard Supervisor.

We ask those who are visiting beaches to continue to be aware of the inherent dangers and to avoid taking risks. The RNLIs water safety campaign is advising people to keep their family safe when they are at the coast, avoid using inflatables and if they see anyone in trouble, dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.
Kuwaits national carrier, Kuwait Airways is planning to cut 1,500 jobs occupied by expats amid fallout of the covid-19 pandemic, a source told Bloomberg.

The source who asked to be named because not allow to speak on the matter indicated that the airline is the working on the plan the process should take about two weeks to complete.

The cut according to the source will occur across all departments. Expats makes largest chunk of workers of the airline which employs 7,800 among whom 1,350 Kuwaiti nationals.

Another source, local newspaper al-Qabas notes, Kuwaitis, employees married to Kuwaitis and those who hold citizenship of other Gulf Cooperation Council countries will not be affected by the job cuts.

The planned cut comes amid the covid-19 pandemic which has gripped the entire world and hit hard the aviation industry.

Nearly all global allies have suspended their operations as part of ways to curb the spread of disease. The International Air Transport Association, IATA, last month said warned about job losses in the Middle East and North African region. The trade organization projected $19 billion loss in revenue this year.
T witter has hidden a tweet from Donald Trump in which he threatened that looters would be shot amid ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets as part of growing unrest sparked by a distressing video showing Mr Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, being pinned to the ground by his neck by officers despite saying he could not breathe.

The US President described the protesters as "thugs", claiming the situation was "dishonouring the memory" of Mr Floyd, who died in police custody after he was restrained by four officers.

Mr Trump posted on Twitter: "These THUGS are dishonouring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way.

"Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

Shortly after, Twitter added the message: "This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible."

Twitter removes Donald Trump's tweet over George Floyd protests / Twitter

Minnesota governor Tim Waltz earlier on Thursday requested the National Guard on behalf of the Minneapolis mayor, but it was not immediately clear when and where the reserve force was being deployed and troops were not seen at protests in the city or nearby St Paul.

Another tweet, which Mr Trump wrote shortly before, remained on his thread.

It said: "I cant stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right...."

The protests began hours after Mayor Jacob Frey urged prosecutors to file criminal charges against the policeman shown holding Mr Floyd to the ground.

George Floyd Protests - In pictures 1 /150 George Floyd Protests - In pictures Quincy Mason Floyd (c), son of George Floyd, and attorney Ben Crump (left) kneel at the site where Floyd was killed on June 3, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Crump and Floyd spoke at a press conference after, calling for the arrest and prosecution of all four officers involved in George Floyd's death Getty Images Hundreds of surfers gather in support of Black Lives Matter, following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, as they spell "UNITY" with their boards before participating in a paddle out for unity at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California via Reuters A demonstrator protests as police forces hold a line near Lafayette Park and the White House Getty Images People visit a memorial at the site where George Floyd was killed Getty Images Demonstrators lay down on Pennsylvania Avenue during a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd Getty Images Twenty-nine-year old DC resident, George (letf), slaps hands with three-year-old Mikaela (right) in front of a police barricade on a street leading to the front of the White House during protests over the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images Protesters cross Morrison Bridge while rallying against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Portland, Oregon Reuters An aerial view shows people gathering to pay tribute at a makeshift memorial in honour of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images People visit a memorial at the site where George Floyd was killed Getty Images John Boyega speaks at Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter protest PA People wearing face masks hold banners in Hyde Park during a Black Lives Matter Reuters Protesters wearing face masks hold up signs during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images Atlanta police clash with a demonstrator during a protest, AP Marchers lay down on the Burnside Bridge for nine minutes symbolising the amount of time a Minneapolis police officer knelt on George Floyd's neck AP Protesters wearing face masks hold up signs during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park Getty Images A woman with a message painted on her face, "I Can't Breathe" is seen in Hyde Park during a "Black Lives Matter" protest REUTERS Law enforcement officers stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as demonstrators protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd Getty Images Protesters burn trash bins, shared scooters and bicycles AFP via Getty Images People raise their hands and kneel down as they protest at the makeshift memorial in honour of George Floyd in Minneapolis AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators embrace during a march in response to George Floyd's death in Los Angeles Getty Images Law enforcement officials and Georgia Army National Guard soldiers fire tear gas and advance on protesters on Centennial Olympic Park Drive outside the CNN Center in Atlanta AP A protester throws a smoke device at police AP Protesters march west on Broad Street as protests continue following the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd in Columbus, Ohio AP People marching to protest the death of George Floyd get arrested on Gratiot near Outer Drive in Detroit AP Protesters throw a burning object at advancing law enforcement officials on Centennial Olympic Park Drive at Olympic Park in Atlanta AP Los Angeles Commander Cory Palka, right reaches out and offers a handshake to a "Black Lives Matter" protester outside Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti's house in Los Angeles AP Police officers hold a perimeter near the White House AFP via Getty Images Orlando police deploy tear gas during a demonstration outside Orlando City Hall AP Women ride atop a car and carry a sign in support of a "Black Lives Matter" protest outside Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti's house in Los Angeles AP People kneel in front of a line of California Highway Patrol officers in Redwood City AP Demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd in Washington AP A protester hugs a member of the Army National Guard during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Los Angeles AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators march along Hollywood Boulevard AP Protesters head through downtown into midtown during demonstrations in Atlanta AP A protester holds up a skateboard during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Hollywood, California AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators greet members of the National Guard as they march along Hollywood Boulevard AP Demonstrators pause to kneel as they march to protest the death of George Floyd in Washington AP A demonstrator faces law enforcement officers during a rally near the White House against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd Reuters Roxie Washington, the mother of George Floyd's 6-year-old daughter Gianna Floyd (left), cries after addressing the press, alongside their lawyers at Minneapolis City Hall Reuters People march from Discovery Green to City Hall in downtown Houston AP Protesters rally on the Las Vegas Strip Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Las Vegas, over the death of George Floyd AP Demonstrators kneel in front of a line of police officers near the White House in Washington during a protest for the death of George Floyd AP US President Donald Trump holds up a Bible outside of St John's Episcopal church across Lafayette Park in Washington, DC AFP via Getty Images Fireworks go off in front of police, who with protesters in front of police headquarters in St. Louis AP Protestors are tear gassed as the police disperse them near the White House AFP via Getty Images Children show placard during a protest outside the residence of governor of Minnesota Tim Walz, over the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images A demonstrator try to pass between a police line wearing riot gear as they push back demonstrators outside of the White House AFP via Getty Images Protesters throw a tear gas canister back toward Stafford County deputies on the Falmouth Bridge in Fredericksburg, Va AP Chief of Department of the New York City Police, Terence Monahan, hugs an activist as protesters paused while walking in New York AP Armed National Guard soldiers patrol on Hollywood Blvd AFP via Getty Images In a show of peace and solidarity, law enforcement officials with riot shields kneel in front of protesters during a fourth day of protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis AP Protesters rally at the White House Reuters A protester carries the carries a U.S. flag upside, a sign of distress, next to a burning building AP Protestors are tear gassed as the police disperse them near the White House AFP via Getty Images Police officers clash with protestors near the White House AFP via Getty Images In a show of peace and solidarity, law enforcement officials with riot shields kneel in front of protesters during a fourth day of protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis AP Police begin to clear demonstrators in Washington AP Demonstrators vandalize a car near the White House in Washington as they protest the death of George Floyd AP A single officer takes a knee in solidarity with protesters during nationwide unrest following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, outside the Oklahoma City Police Department Reuters Protesters throw a US flag into a fire during a demonstration outside the White House AFP via Getty Images Police form a line on Fifth Avenue outside Trump Towe AP Protesters are detained by police officers during a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd Reuters Protesters hold up a sign in Long Beach, California as they demonstrate during nationwide unrest following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd REUTERS People rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, REUTERS Protesters lie on the ground during a Black Lives Matter rally AP A young boy raises his fist for a photo by a family friend during a demonstration in Atlanta, Georgia Getty Images Police officers try to disperse people during a protest downtown Lansing, Michigan AP A protester has milk poured on his face after being exposed to tear gas AP Demonstrators block Interstate 244 in Tulsa AP Authorities stand guard in the area around the Georgia state Capitol as protests continued for a third day in Atlanta AP A demonstrator is arressted during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota Getty Images People demonstrate in Atlanta, Georgia Getty Images Tear gas rises above as protesters face off with police during a demonstration outside the White House over the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images Sheriff's deputies arrest people in Minneapolis, Minnesota AFP via Getty Images Police officers advance after firing tear gas during a demonstration in Atlanta, Georgia Getty Images A protester becomes emotional while taking part in a conversation with a police officer during a demonstration in Atlanta, Georgia Getty Images A man vandalizes a vehicle as another car is set on fire during a protest near the White House Getty Images Protesters march down a street during a solidarity rally for George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York AP PA Protesters gather around after setting fire to the entrance of a police station as demonstrations continue Reuters Protesters gather in front of the burning 3rd Precinct building of the Minneapolis Police Department AP A protester moves around the 3rd Precinct building of the Minneapolis Police Department AP Protesters are seen from the roof of the Minneapolis police 3rd Precinct building AP Protesters stand in front of the 3rd precinct police building as it burns during a protest Getty Images People stand outside the Minneapolis police 3rd Precinct building after fires were set at the building AP A man walks past a liquor store in flames near the 3rd Police Precinct AFP via Getty Images A woman holds a sign as protestors gather outside the St. Louis Police Department Headquarters Getty Images A car burns in a Target parking lot AP Tony L. Clark holds a photo of George Floyd AP Denver Police Department officers clear a man who fell to the street after they used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse a protest outside the State Capitol over the death of George Floyd AP Denver police officers fire canisters to disperse a protest outside the State Capitol AP Protesters throw objects onto a burning car outside a Target store near the 3rd Police Precinct AFP via Getty Images Firefighters battle flames at a business along University Avenue as riot officers police the street AP Police spray mace at protestors to break up a gathering near the Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct Reuters Protesters react after the entrance of a police station is set on fire during the demonstrations Reuters A man wearing a face mask holds a sign near a burning vehicle at the parking lot of a Target store during protests Reuters A protester vandalizes an O'Reilly's near the Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct Reuters Police spray protesters with pepper spray during a demonstration over the killing of George Floyd by a policeman outside the 3rd Police Precinct AFP via Getty Images A man poses for photos in front of a fire at an AutoZone store, while protesters hold a rally for George Floyd in Minneapolis AP Police remove barricades set by protesters during a demonstration over the killing of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images Shawanda Hill (right), the girlfriend of George Floyd reacts near the spot where he died while in custody of the Minneapolis Police AFP via Getty Images Protesters gather under the rain near the spot where George Floyd died while in custody of the Minneapolis Police, AFP via Getty Images An injured woman is carried by other protesters during clashes with police at a demonstration over the killing of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images Protesters clash with police during a demonstration over the killing of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images This aerial image provided by KABC-TV shows protesters attacking a California Highway Patrol cruiser during a Black Lives Matter protest on a freeway in downtown Los Angeles AP Protesters clash with police during a demonstration over the killing of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images A man throws a rock at the Minneapolis police 3rd Precinct during a protest AP Dajanae McKinney holds a painting of George Floyd during a protest AP People face police as protests continue calling for justice for George Floyd AP Protesters and police face each other during a rally for George Floyd AP People hold up their fists after protesting near the spot where George Floyd died while in custody of the Minneapolis Police AFP via Getty Images Protesters gather calling for justice for George Floyd AP A memorial left for George Floyd AFP via Getty Images

Four officers who participated in Mr Floyds arrest were dismissed from the police department on Tuesday as the FBI opened an investigation into the incident.

Hundreds of protesters, many with faces covered, thronged streets around the Third Precinct police station late on Wednesday, about half a mile from where Mr Floyd had been arrested, chanting, No justice, no peace and I cant breathe.

Mr Trump's tweets comes amid a row between the US President and social networking site after Twitter started fact-checking Mr Trump's tweets.

The social media giant added the warning phrase to a post from US President calling mail-in ballots "fraudulent" and predicted that "mail boxes will be robbed.

The warning label was shared under Twitters new policy on misleading information.

Mr Trump then signed an executive order aimed at curbing protections for social media giants.

It directs executive branch agencies to ask independent rule-making agencies to study whether they can place new regulations on the companies.

"They've had unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide, alter virtually any form of communication between private citizens or large public audiences," President Trump said of social media companies as he prepared to sign the order.

Late on Wednesday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted: "We'll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally."

Mr Dorsey added: "This does not make us an 'arbiter of truth.' Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves."
Congratulations, dubai-moves.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

Dubai-moves.com scored 97 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 5/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 25 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

dubai-moves.com is very popular in Twitter and Facebook. It has 786 twitter followers. Furthermore its facebook page has 642 likes.

Add a widget like this on your site: click here

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the dubai-moves homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if dubai-moves has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the dubai-moves homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the dubai-moves homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the dubai-moves homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the dubai-moves homepage on Twitter + the total number of dubai-moves followers (if dubai-moves has a Twitter account).

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Dubai Movers - Packers and Movers in Dubai - Moving and Packing Company in Dubai DESCRIPTION Dubai moves is a trained packers and movers company based in Dubai, UAE. As a leading called movers in Dubai we provide packing and moving services with complete satisfaction. KEYWORDS dubai moves, dubai movers, movers in dubai, dubai moving company, movers and packers dubai, movers, moving in dubai, relocation companies dubai, international movers in dubai, moving company in dubai, dubai packers and movers, packers and movers in dubai OTHER KEYWORDS dubai, moves, moving, dubai moves, packing, movers, in dubai



The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English (United States) UTF-8English (United States) DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of dubai-moves.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for dubai-moves.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/DubaiMoves DESCRIPTION Dubai Moves is the leading House shifting LIKES 642 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 0 PAGE TYPE Transport/freight TIMELINE PAGE TIMELINE

The URL of the found Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK FOUND TWITTER PAGE twitter.com/#!/dubaimovers DESCRIPTION ACCOUNT CREATED ON 02 Oct 2012 LOCATION null TWEETS 36 FOLLOWERS 786 LISTED 0
Children older than six will be asked to keep a distance between each other in play-pods under plans issued to providers for the reopening of childcare facilities.

Documents sent last night to providers by Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone, seen by the Irish Examiner, are set to be discussed at Cabinet tomorrow for a plan to restart services - for essential workers - on June 29.

The plans publication comes as the Cabinet was told by Dr Tony Holohan, the chief medical officer, that he is not ready to recommend a reduction in the social distancing rules from 2m to 1m.

Under Ms Zappones plan, staff in pods should maintain social distance.

Protection equipment, such as masks, however, will not be required by carers under the agreed plans for early learning and school-age childcare services.

Children in play pods  where maximum numbers have yet to be decided  must also remain apart from other pods in shared spaces, including outdoors, and during drop off and collection.

Ms Zappone, in a letter, said the central principles for reopening childcare facilities during the Covid-19 pandemic was subject to review by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) and the HSE.

It is understood a sustained extension of the wage subsidy scheme specifically for childcare providers is being discussed by government formation teams, which could be key to gaining the backing of services.

A note for providers says: The current evidence suggests that children seem generally less likely to catch the infection and are not more likely than adults to spread infection to other people.

"Children have rarely been the person who brought Covid-19 into a household when household spread has happened.

However, it also says it is important for parents and childcare staff to accept that no interpersonal activity is without risk of transmission of infection.

Other guidelines include:

A large room may contain more than one play pod provided there are partitions that prevent physical contact between the play pods;

Staff from different pods should maintain social distancing. Where two staff are part of one pod, they should social distance. Children from different pods should not play together.

As far as possible, staff and parents should maintain social distancing.

Staggered start and finish times and exits, may impact a facilitys capacity.

Meanwhile, Dr Holohan told ministers at a meeting of Cabinet earlier yesterday there would be no change to the 2m physical distancing rule.

This is despite calls for it to be relaxed to 1m to allow more public and business activity based on a World Health Organisation (WHO) opinion that 1m sufficiently protects against the virus.

It is a reasonable interpretation of the evidence, and a precautionary approach to its application, and we think its the right measure for now, he said.

However, a sitting minister said he is baffled as to why the Government has not moved to change the rule.

John Halligan, Minister of State for training and skills, made his concerns known to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar about the hardline stance taken on the issue at the insistence of medical officials.

Its time for politicians to be brave and to accelerate the lifting of lockdown restrictions, he told the Irish Examiner.

I am baffled as to why we should be going against the WHO on this, considering that the Irish NPHET have found a lack of evidence in differentiating between the benefit of a one versus two metre distance, he said.

Elsewhere, Health Minister Simon Harris is to seek government approval to extend the 115m-a-month deal with the countrys 19 private nursing homes by another 30 days.

Mr Harris will formally get approval ahead of Sunday, the point where the HSE must contact the private hospitals to exercise the extension option in order to ensure adequate capacity in the system.
South Florida can often see some major flooding.

Perhaps your roof is leaking. Or your floors are soaked from the lake on your street. Or maybe your cars interior or engine got wet.

Here are some tips to deal with the damage:

Two men push a stranded car through a flooded road after heavy rains at North Bay Road and 180th Drive in Sunny Isles Beach on Monday, May 25, 2020.

Help, th eres water in my car. Can I drive it?

No, dont start the car if its been sitting in running water. If the water level is high, push it out or get it towed. Turning on the car could damage the engine and cause further problems, according to an AutoZone guide.

Disconnect the battery to protect yourself from electric shock while checking the rest of the car. The oil, fuel, air and electrical systems may need work if water entered them. Most comprehensive auto insurance plans provide coverage for flood damage.

My roof leaked and water entered through the floors. What insurance do I call?

Before making repairs, take photos of the damage. Protection may be necessary because floodwater can contain toxic substances.

Most homeowner insurance plans cover damage from a roof leak, but flood insurance is needed to help with damage from water entering from the doors, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Investing in flood insurance can protect homeowners from financial strain down the line.

Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States, affecting every region and state, according to FEMA. Floods can cause physical and emotional anguish, as well as financial devastation.

An example of what could happen: The American Red Cross said it coordinated emergency aid for more than 60 families impacted by this weeks flooding, 39 of whom were in a Miami mobile home community.

Most apartment renters insurance policies require separate insurance for damage caused by natural disaster.

The street is flooded. Can my kids play in it?

Walking through floodwater is not advisable because debris, sharp objects and electrical wires can hide underneath. The water may be deeper than it looks, posing danger to pedestrians and drivers.

It is never a good idea to walk or drive into flooded areas, said Erika Benitez, a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokeswoman.
Its often said the show must go on, but lets face it, sometimes it just cant.

That doesnt mean all the talent and energy that has gone into a derailed stage production has to be ignored.

Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn will host Rising Star Honors online 7 p.m. Monday, June 1, to recognize New Jersey high school theater participants, most of whom were unable to perform in their school musicals because of the COVID-19 health crisis.

The program replaces the playhouses canceled "2020 Rising Stars Awards, what would have been its 25th annual Tony Awards-like ceremony to celebrate high school theater.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

The Rising Star Honors presentation is a placeholder for the school community while theater operation is on hiatus, said Paper Mill director of education Lisa Cooney. During this difficult moment, we want to give the students an outlet to shine.

Presented by the Investors Foundation, the program to be streamed on Paper Mills Facebook page will be built around a montage of school video submissions of the shows that happened, were in process or had to be canceled entirely. Schools will share highlights of their performances, rehearsals or create new performances by company members.

The evening will be hosted by actor Jared Gertner, who was a Rising Star award winner when he was a student actor at Toms River High School before going on to Broadway, where he was nominated for an Olivier Award nominee for his role in The Book of Mormon.

Other Rising Star alumni who have forged Broadway careers also are scheduled to take part in Rising Star Honors, including Tony Award winners Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon, Les Miserables) and Laura Benanti (Gypsy, She Loves Me), Tony nominee Rob McClure (Chaplin and Mrs. Doubtfire) and numerous others.

The program will be capped with a performance by students from Paper Mill Playhouses Summer Musical Theater Conservatory competitive musical theater professional training program.

Normally, Rising Star Awards judges would have spent January through mid-April attending and evaluating high school theater productions throughout the state, then developing a list of nominees for awards in 17 performance and production categories. Each participating school would be given a critique identifying high points as well as areas for improvement.

Because of the coronavirus closing of schools, more than two-thirds of the 94 schools on the Rising Star roster had to abandon their productions.

We want the students of New Jersey to know our hearts are with them and we understand and acknowledge the deep disappointment they feel, especially ... seniors, said Paper Mill producing artistic director Mark S. Hoebee. In the theater arts, the cast and crew of the musical are a family, and the time they spend together in rehearsals are a safe harbor for many kids, so we understand how they may feel incomplete right now.

"Each year for the past 25 years, the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards have raised the bar and created opportunities for student performers, musicians and theater technicians to be recognized for their achievements. We cant wait to return next year, he added.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share.

If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Email Patrick OShea at poshea@njadvancemedia.com
Southeast Asia is appreciated among international travelers for its exotic culture, spectacular beaches and low prices for everything from tasty local delicacies to luxury spa treatments. And unlike most of its Southeast Asian counterparts, the Philippines makes an effort to attract expat retirees, offering an easy, perk-filled path to permanent residency. The standard of living in the Philippines is high and the opportunity for adventure is great, while the cost of living is one of the world's greatest bargains. Here's how to tell if the Philippines could be the place for you to retire overseas.

Visit During the Rainy Season

As when planning an international move anywhere, you need to try the Philippines on for size before committing. Ideally, you should plan your trip during the rainy season. It's one thing to be in this country during the dry season, when skies are bright and the weather is idyllic. It's another experience altogether when the rain is falling so fast and hard you quickly find yourself wading in ankle-deep runoff while walking down the street. If you're OK with life in the Philippines during monsoon season, you'll love it when the sun is shining.

[See: The 10 Best Places to Retire in Asia.]

Take Advantage of Convenient Residency Options

The Philippines offers several competitive retirement programs through its Philippine Retirement Authority. Most expat retirees opt for the Special Resident Retiree's Visa. You qualify if you're at least 50 years old and receive a pension worth at least $800 per month for an individual or $1,000 per month for a couple. In addition, you'll be required to deposit $10,000 into a Philippine bank. You can also qualify without a monthly pension by depositing $20,000 in a local bank. This amount can be put toward a long-term lease or the purchase of a condo or townhouse valued at more than $50,000.

In addition to granting you the ability to stay in the Philippines long term, a Special Resident Retiree's Visa also entitles you to PhilHealth, the government health care program, exemption from certain taxes and access to special Philippine Retirement Authority benefits, including its "Greet and Assist Program," where you're met on arrival at the airport.

Story continues

English Is Widely Spoken

The Philippines is a linguistically diverse place. More than 100 local languages are spoken. English is an official language alongside Filipino. You could enjoy a full life here without having to learn much Filipino.

[See: The Best Places to Retire Overseas in 2020.]

The Low Cost of Living in the Philippines

Depending on your lifestyle and where in the Philippines you choose to settle, your cost of living could be as low as $800 a month for a couple. The tax situation in the Philippines is friendly to expat retirees. The country taxes income earned in the country, but not foreign pensions, Social Security and annuity income for foreign residents.

Choose From Beach, Mountain and City Lifestyle Options

With more than 7,600 islands and some of the most spectacular ocean scenery in the world, the Philippines understandably appeals to beach lovers.

Dumaguete, a city on the island of Negros that's home to a large and established expat community, including a good number of U.S. veterans, is a top seaside lifestyle choice. Expats spend lazy afternoons enjoying al-fresco dining and people-watching on Dumaguete's main avenue, "The Boulevard." If you're looking for a more active beach lifestyle, consider Apo Island, with its world-class diving.

Northeast of Dumaguete is Olango Island, a tiny island just off Cebu that offers all the makings of a dream tropical lifestyle, including sandy beaches, rocky shorelines, sea grass beds, mangrove forests and coral reefs. While the living is small-town, simple and beachy, Olango is near Cebu City, a major urban zone where you can access shopping and other modern amenities.

Tagaytay is a great choice for non-beach living. This cool mountain retreat is about an hour from Manila. Despite its proximity to the capital, this is not an urban option. Tagaytay sits on a ridge 2,100 feet above sea level, meaning the air is cleaner, the climate milder and the scenery more pastoral than in the nearby capital. Tagaytay is a region of mountains, lakes and lagoons.

Manila is a quintessential Asian metropolis. The landscape is punctuated by skyscrapers, the horizons are hazy and the traffic is heavy. This chaotic city can be a good choice if you're interested in starting a business as part of your retire overseas adventure.

Foreign Property Ownership Is Restricted

Buying a home in the Philippines is more complicated than it can be in other parts of the world due to restrictions on property ownership. Foreigners are permitted to purchase condominiums and townhouses only. Land ownership is limited to Filipino citizens.

Rental options range from budget to luxury, but even luxury rentals are a bargain. You'll find rental services in every city with an expat community. However, the best ways to find a property to rent are word of mouth, walking around the neighborhoods where you're interested in settling and looking for "for rent" signs. You're more likely to be able to negotiate the terms of the lease by dealing directly with the owner than by working through an agency.

[Read: How to Retire in Thailand.]

Access International-Standard Health Care

Manila, home to three Joint Commission International-accredited hospitals, is where you'll find the country's best health care options. This city has developed a reputation as one of the world's best medical tourism destinations. You will also find a high standard of care in the cities the government has targeted as retirement hubs, including Dumaguete and Cebu. Health care in the Philippines is far less expensive than in the U.S., even when paying out of pocket. General consultations cost the equivalent of about $6, and consultations with specialists cost about $10.

Understand When Safety Can Be a Concern

Like everywhere in the world, the Philippines has its downsides. In some areas of the Philippines, the infrastructure isn't dependable, and power outages are a part of everyday life. Political volatility and civil unrest have made safety a concern in some spots, including the Sulu Archipelago and Marawi City. Being aware of these challenges and the fact that a big percentage of the Philippines' population lives in poverty is the first step to avoiding problems. Retirement communities are often far removed from the dangerous areas. The government is committed to the tourism industry, and keeping popular areas safe is a priority.





More From US News & World Report


Inching back toward its former position of glory, video-sharing app TikTok has managed to improve its ratings on Google Play Store and is now rated 4.4. The spike comes after last week's fall from grace when the app's rating went down to 1.2 after outrage against misogynistic and violent content on the platform.

Days after the app's ratings were reduced to 1.2, the video-sharing app seems to be gaining back its reputation on the app store, thanks to Google which has been cleaning out bad reviews from the store. In the past week, Google has taken down nearly 80 lakh one star ratings against TikTok from the store.

Owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok ran into trouble after a video by an influencer called Faizal Siddiqui on the platform in which he pretended to throw acid a woman's face after she rejected his advances went viral. Indians from all parts of the country including activists such as Laxmi Agarwal who inspired the Bollywood film Chhapaak as well as the National Commission for Women spoke out against the platform.

Following the outrage, several TikTok users deleted the app and users, as well as other influencers, started downvoting the app on Google Play Store. Even as calls for banning TikTok floated on social media, the video-sharing app's ratings went through the mud with thousands of 1-star ratings.

The video put the spotlight on hundreds of such videos that promoted violence against women, sexual harassment, and abuse and raised questions about TikTok's editorial policies with regard to content being shared on it.

Why is Google removing one-star reviews?

Google's move to help revive the app's ratings are in line with its policies concerning user reviews. The company does not allow users to post the same review from different accounts in order to spam the review section on app store or with the intention to manipulate an app's ratings.

It also does not allow political commentary to be used to justify ratings or give reviews. With the coronavirus outbreak which originated from Wuhan in China, several users have been citing its Chinese origins as the reason why they are downvoting the app, and others should too.

Many on social media, however, have raised concerns and outrage against Google's shadow cleaning of nearly 8 million reviews.

INDIA: Google has deleted nearly 8 million negative TikTok reviews over the last days, thus the rating rose from 1.2 to 4.4 stars. pic.twitter.com/NZ3DrFA2Sk  Norbert Elekes (@NorbertElekes) May 28, 2020

I thought google play store as a independent body. But it's totally biased for #TikTok . The hard work done by the indian were nearly about 7M negative reviews were deleted by play store. We should not stop the reviewing go, again review it as 1. Lets see play store or man power pic.twitter.com/5w2uW0XTWz  abhishek mishra (@Abhishek_0513) May 28, 2020

@Google @GooglePlay is this also in a way against the democracy and freedom of expression?  Puneet Sehgal (@puneet_se) May 29, 2020

Correct!!! Even my review was deleted. I reviewed negative again. Google also is playing games it seems.  Abhay Erulkar (@AbhayErulkar) May 28, 2020

And google removes all the negative reviews after the controversy. What a dramatic end to all the commotion. @TikTok_IN @tiktok_us @tiktok_uk pic.twitter.com/xozx4tLN6c  Abhijith Neil Abraham (@abhijithneil) May 29, 2020

Google Play Store: deleted negative reviews on tiktok Meanwhile me* pic.twitter.com/2xyWmxrdF5  Sarcastic._.londiya (@MisssMemer) May 22, 2020

TikTok to Google Play Store (for deleting over a milion bad reviews): pic.twitter.com/iaIVTKj7jC  memes.in (@memerboiie) May 22, 2020
New Delhi, May 29 : Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of Defence Mark T Esper on Friday discussed the emerging security challenges posed by China in the last one month in Asia, sources said.

The sources stated that both the leaders discussed how China is making transgression attempts in India and also building military infrastructure at the peaceful Line of Actual Control in the Ladakh region.

Singh however clarified to Esper that the matter would be resolved bilaterally, sources said.

The Ministry of Defence in a statement did not say that the leaders discussed Chinese aggression but stated that both the leaders discussed 'regional developments of shared security interest'.

The ministry said that Singh had a telephonic conversation with Esper on Friday evening at the latter's request.

The two briefed each other on the respective experience of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and vowed to continue the excellent bilateral cooperation in this regard.

They reviewed progress on various bilateral defence cooperation arrangements and expressed their commitment to further promote defence partnership.

To this end, Singh invited Esper to visit India at the earliest, which the latter accepted.

"Defence Minister Rajnath Singh appreciated Secretary Esper's condolence over lives lost in Eastern India during Cyclone Amphan recently, and briefed him on our relief efforts," the ministry said.
STORY LINK Pound New Zealand Dollar (GBP/NZD) Exchange Rate Rallies as US-China Tensions Fuel Risk

Modest Improvement in Consumer Confidence Fails to Dent Pound New Zealand Dollar (GBP/NZD) Exchange Rate

UK-China Political Tensions Put a Lid on GBP/NZD Exchange Rate as Trade Worries Escalate

Softer Terms of Trade Index Forecast to Weigh on NZD Exchange Rates

Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues:

A modest uptick in the ANZ consumer confidence index was not enough to prevent the Pound New Zealand Dollar (GBP/NZD) exchange rate from rallying ahead of the weekend.As geopolitical tensions surrounding Hong Kong continued to mount the mood towards the risk-sensitive New Zealand Dollar generally soured.With the US and China looking at increasing risk of entering a fresh trade dispute over the imposition of a new controversial security law on Hong Kong investors were encouraged to adopt a more cautious outlook.If fresh trade sanctions result from the spat this could disrupt the potential for the global economy to bounce back from the Covid-19 crisis in the second half of the year.The threat of global trade conditions weakening further in the weeks ahead left investors with little incentive to buy into the New Zealand Dollar on Friday.Support for the Pound weakened, meanwhile, as political tensions between the UK and China showed signs of picking up.Growing unrest over the situation in Hong Kong and Beijings decision to impose a controversial new security law fuelled anxiety over the risk of a souring in trade relations.With the UK already looking to face significant trade disruption as the end of the Brexit transition period draws nearer this limited the appeal of the Pound.Even so, in the face of the wider deterioration in risk appetite GBP exchange rates were able to find some traction as investors saw limited potential for further selling.As long as Mays UK manufacturing PMI remains firmly in contraction territory on Monday, though, the chances of further GBP/NZD exchange rate gains look limited.Until markets see evidence that the UK economy could bounce back from the negative impact of the Covid-19 crisis the strength of the Pound may prove muted.Further volatility could be in store for the New Zealand Dollar, meanwhile, if the first quarter New Zealand trade data fails to impress.As forecasts point towards a quarterly contraction in the export price index, driven by the disruption caused by the current pandemic, NZD exchange rates look vulnerable to selling pressure.A weaker terms of trade index would limit confidence in the outlook of the New Zealand economy, giving the GBP/NZD exchange rate an opportunity to rally.While New Zealand has made early progress towards reopening its economy in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown this may not be enough to offset an underwhelming set of trade figures.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

TAGS: Pound New Zealand Dollar Forecasts
The pandemic is set to become even more challenging, with migrant workers returning home, relaxations in lockdown rules, and the approaching monsoon.

However, states are looking at community participation to ramp up testing and home treatment of patients.

IMAGE: A migrant carrying his daughter waits for registration to board a bus to reach his native place after arriving from Mumbai via special train at Praygraj railway station, during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, in Uttar Pradesh. Photograph: PTI Photo

Indias response to the public health emergency created by the coronavirus pandemic is set to become even more challenging, with migrant workers returning home, relaxations in lockdown rules, and the approaching monsoon.

However, government sources and health experts indicate that now the focus could shift to developing a strategy to understand the spread of the virus among the population and target the testing accordingly.

As of mid-May, India had conducting 1.41 tests per 1,000 people. This is similar to Ugandas response (1.45 tests per thousand), but is way behind the United Kingdom, with 23.48 tests per 1,000, or Italy, with 46.43 tests per 1,000.

While ramping up testing is important, public health experts feel that the community should be involved in screening people for symptoms. They also feel that if the symptoms are not serious, patients can be treated at home. In fact, most state governments seem to be acting on that advice now.

The idea is to have people from the community -- gurudwaras, or aanganwadi workers -- visit neighbourhood homes to screen people for symptoms. Also, the government needs to assure people that if the symptoms are not severe, they can remain at home. This way people would be more forthcoming about sharing their cold and flu symptoms, says K Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India, who is advising several states on strategies to mitigate Covid-19.

Agrees Angela Chaudhuri, member of an initiative called Covid Action Collab: Stigma against people with Covid or suspected Covid is a huge issue that will prevent people from seeking care. This has

to be countered immediately and aggressively not just at the community level, but at the level of the policemen outside the containment zone, the health care level, the political messaging level and at the policy level.

An official in Delhi, too, feels that since most patients are asymptomatic, they can be treated at home. We have to learn to live with this virus and awareness campaigns are being planned to do away with the stigma.

While Maharashtra, which is one of the worst affected states, is scrambling to create infrastructure to house patients, the ones with mild symptoms are being kept in home isolation. In Gujarat, too, several positive cases are now recovering at home. The state has also roped in NGOs to help ease the pressure on government infrastructure for screening people.

IMAGE: Thane Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde (in blue safety gear) interacts with the kin of COVID-19 patients during his visit to Civil hospital, in Thane. Photograph: PTI Photo

The issue of migrant workers returning to their home states poses a challenge. And here different states are using different strategies to tackle the problem. For example, Uttar Pradesh has deployed rural Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers for surveying the migrants. So far, 262,000 labourers have been surveyed by them, of which 305 were found to be symptomatic and their samples taken for testing.

States like Karnataka, on the other hand, are insisting that all returnees undergo on institutional quarantine for 14 days. In fact, several passengers in a Bengaluru-bound train chose to return to Delhi last week after they refused to be quarantined in government isolation wards.

When it comes to testing, the strategies adopted by states have varied widely. While Kerala adopted an aggressive contact tracing policy right from the outset and achieved success, Tamil Nadu was following a more judicious testing strategy in the early days.

Some states have not ramped up testing even now. A week ago, Telangana was testing only 100 samples on a given day. In contrast, neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has been conducting about 10,000 tests per

day. Telangana has stopped divulging number of tests being done in its daily health department bulletin. Health Minister Etela Rajender recently criticised those who were pitching for more tests. In fact, even front-line health workers in Telangana are not being subjected to randomised tests.

Others are aggressively ramping up testing, especially in view of the returning workers. Uttar Pradesh is trying to double its daily testing to 10,000, including both targeted and random sample collection, in the coming days. The state is expected to see the return of an estimated 1.5 million people.

Besides, more than 70,000 health department surveillance teams in Uttar Pradesh have surveyed over 30 million people, or about 15 per cent of the states population. King Georges Medical University vice-chancellor MLB Bhatt says that almost 80 per cent of the Covid-19 cases in the state are asymptomatic and do not need hospitalisation.

IMAGE: An artist gives finishing touches to a mural on awareness about the importance of wearing a face mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus, during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, in Vijayawada. Photograph: PTI Photo

Odisha, too, has scaled up testing from 2,000 samples per day to 5,000 per day. A huge number of migrant workers have returned to the state in the last few days.

Ideally, we would like to test every migrant worker who returns to Odisha. But we dont have ample testing facilities and, hence, our priority is to test symptomatic cases. We have scaled up sampling and by the middle of June, we expect to touch 15,000 test samples per day, says Nikunja Bihari Dhal, outgoing principal secretary (health and family welfare), Odisha.

West Bengal, widely lambasted for not testing enough initially, has increased its testing rate by nearly 80 per cent in the last few days. From testing 2,793 samples on April 13, it has gone to testing 5,010 samples on May 13.

The Union health ministry has also come out with guidelines on pool-testing, wherein a cohort of 25 people are identified and tested by the RT-PCR method. Individual tests will be done only if the pool tests positive. Reddy says that the cohort size may need to be fine-tuned, depending on the risk exposure of the group that is being tested.

Karnataka is one state that is already doing pool-testing to screen a higher number of people in a shorter time. The states expert committee will soon decide on whether to use this method of testing for the returnees.

This method of cluster testing will help cover a large number of people rapidly, says Dr Satyanarayana Mysore, head of department at interventional pulmonology and sleep medicine at Manipal Hospitals in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, the central government is also carrying out some random surveillance testing. This includes the population-based sero-survey planned at the district level by the health ministry to monitor the trend in infection spread. Furthermore, states are gearing up for sentinel surveillance to detect community transmission of Covid-19.

In this method, the population is divided into seven groups based on potential risk exposure and samples are tested accordingly. For example, a 39-year-old bakery owner in Kerala has been detected as Covid- positive through sentinel surveillance.

According to a senior official at the National Institute of Virology, Alappuzha, Kerala relies on the RT-PCR tests, since alternative testing technologies are still at an experimental stage. The state has a low infection rate -- around 2 per cent compared to the national average of 4 per cent.

West Bengal, too, has opted for Sentinel Survey. Every week 200 samples will be collected from each district and people will be divided into high-risk and low-risk groups.

Experts point out India has allowed more testing methods for antibody testing (ELISA, chemiluminescence), apart from CSIR-Tata Feluda tests (which will use paper strip chemistry to detect the viral signal). According to some estimates, if we touch 2.2 million positive patients by June-end, India will need about 5.5 million test kits. Local manufacturing is being ramped up to meet this demand. Hasmukh Rawal of Punes MyLab, which came up with the indigenous RT-PCR kit, says that they have ramped up capacity to make 200,000 RT-PCR kits daily.

Reddy feels that anti-body tests, even with a fair amount of false negatives, cannot be ruled out as part of Indias testing strategy. These tests would give a comparative idea about how different districts are placed, and where testing needs to be focussed.

There is also a move to let municipal bodies allow teams of molecular biologists to collect sewage and test for the presence of the Covid-19 RNA. Sewage testing has been a viable early detection system for polio, and for Covid as well in many other countries. In crowded urban areas, sewage testing could be an alternative to testing individuals, says Chaudhuri of Covid Action Collab.

-- With inputs from Jayajit Dash, Vinay Umarji, Virendra Singh Rawat, Samreen Ahmad, Gireesh Babu, Dasarath Reddy, Avishek Rakshit and Sohini Das
Description

"Guild Hall invites you into the studios of our closest artist friends and supporters for a weekly art break. Utilizing simple materials found at home, learners of all ages will explore new ways of bringing creativity into their everyday by virtually visiting and creating with an East End artist.

In this episode, join artist Laurie Lambrecht in her living-room studio to create paper weaves from photographs, printed images, and written text.

Needed Materials:

Standard Copy Paper: 8.5 x 11

Song Lyrics, Poem, Journal Entry, etc.

A printed photograph, photograph from magazine, newspaper, etc.

Tape

Scissors

New episodes, led by a different artist, will be posted on our website and Instagram each Friday afternoon at 1pm. If you post your art to social media, be sure to hashtag it with #GHARTBREAK"



Guild Hall
MOMENT OF BLISS ADDED TO TONIGHT'S SMACKDOWN, STING SPECIAL ON WWE NETWORK SUNDAY, BELLAS, FOLEY AND MORE

WWE has announced a "Moment of Bliss" segment with The New Day appearing has been added to tonight's edition of Friday Night Smackdown on FOX.

Mick Foley announced he is taking a break from Twitter and has deactivated his account.

Set for next Thursday's edition of Total Bellas - "Nicole, Brie, and the Bella family head to France where Artem has a major surprise in store for Nicole's birthday. The Bella family meets Artem's family for the first time. Brie and Bryan learn some shocking news about their future."

Elias did an interview with the ABC affiliate in Columbus, Ohio about his character and facing AJ Styles on tonight's Smackdown. "I feel like Elias thrives in these situations when I get with these guys who are really great wrestlers, " said Elias. On returning to touring and live events, he commented, "I imagine as soon as it's a possibility and as soon as we can."

Xavier Woods did an interview with the BBC discussing how WWE could make eSports bigger

Sting: The Lost Tape premieres this Sunday on WWE Network



Jessie returns home to Arizona

AJ Styles advice to WWEs newer Superstars: WWE After the Bell, May 28, 2020

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Interior Ministry figures show that around 100 Cambodian migrant workers were found attempting to return to Thailand despite the border being closed on account of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.



Statistics from the National Committee for Counter Trafficking showed that around 90,000 workers had returned from overseas because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, most of these migrant workers returned from Thailand. Chou Bun Eng, the vice chairperson for the committee, said that 106 workers had been sent back from Thailand for illegally crossing the border.

They were returned from Thailand after the [Thai police] found them when they crossed the border, she said.



Chou Bun Eng said brokers were helping workers sneak into Thailand for around $100, and that all migrant workers would likely have to stay in Cambodia for up to a year before they can return to work overseas.



Migrant workers who have returned from countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, have been facing a tough economic situation because the domestic economy, especially the critical garment and tourism sectors, have been severely hit by the global pandemic.



Interior Minister Sar Kheng last month raised concerns over the livelihood prospects of these migrant workers, suggesting they could slip back into poverty.



Chou Bun Eng said the ministry was preparing social support for migrant workers, including giving them ID poor cards enabling them to access some state services for free. The government is planning to make monetary transfers to ID poor residents, though Chou Bun Eng refused to elaborate on these plans but said that it would be a small amount.



Not all of those who came back are poor. They have different situations, she said. That is why the government has now put in place measures to survey, to identify the real number of people who are ID poor and to include them on the list for this support.



Dy Thehoya, a program officer at the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (Central), said returning migrant workers were faced with mounting loan repayments and few job prospects in the country.



"The state should consider delaying loan repayments so that they so not face property confiscation, he said. So, if there is a measure to delay the payment of debt for them that would a contribution to reduce their problems.



Central statistics show that there are around 2.2 million Cambodians working overseas, both legally and undocumented, of which 2 million were in Thailand.



Sun Chen, a migrant worker from Thailand who worked in the footwear sector, had returned in March and was now working as a construction worker. He was reluctant to reveal his remuneration but said that he was not making enough income to sustain a basic lifestyle.

I am not sure [when I can go back]. I will go back when the border open, he said.
The former Minneapolis police officer who was caught on video kneeling on George Floyds neck for several minutes has been charged with murder in the unarmed mans death, prosecutors announced Friday afternoon.

Derek Chauvin, who is white, can be seen in a video captured by a bystanders phone holding his knee down on Floyd, who is black, for roughly eight minutes until he eventually passes out. Floyd can be heard pleading that he is unable to breathe several times during the video. Floyd later died.

His death sparked accusations of racism, nationwide fury and demonstrations across the country. Violent protests have plagued Minneapolis multiple nights in a row this week.

Chauvin - who has worked in the Minneapolis Police Department for 19 years, according to CBSN Minnesota - has since been fired from his position and was taken into custody Friday, authorities said.

He had been charged with third degree murder. We are in process of continuing to review the evidence. There may be subsequent charges later," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said at a press conference Friday.

The prosecutor noted that authorities sought to focus on the most dangerous perpetrator" in the charges against Chauvin.

CNN reported that prior to Floyds death on May 25, Chauvin had more than a dozen complaints lodged against him in the department.

The charges against Chauvin were filed in a speedy manner, Freeman claimed. The criminal action took place on Memorial Day, the prosecutor said, and less than four days later, the former policeman was arrested.

We have never charged a case in that kind of timeframe," Freeman said, "and we can only charge a case when we have sufficient, admissible evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

As of right now, we have that.

Others have been more critical of authorities timeline in arresting Chauvin, though.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Wednesday called on Freeman to charge Chauvin, tweeting, If most people, particularly people of color, had done what a police officer did late Monday, theyd already be behind bars.

When asked about the criticism by a reporter, Freeman answered that his office put forth the charges as quickly as it could, he said.

As late as Thursday afternoon, Freemans office was working to put together enough evidence to file charges against the police officer, though the prosecutor told reporters he would not talk about the specific pieces of evidence.

I can only talk about whats in the complaint," he said.

Freeman noted, though, he had the bystanders footage of the violent incident, body camera video from the officer, statements from some witnesses, a preliminary report from a medical examiner and discussions with an expert.

All of that has come together, so we felt, in our professional judgement, it was time to charge, Freeman said.

Other officers who were seen in the video of the Memorial Day incident are under investigation, and Freeman expects charges to be filed against them, he said.

The prosecutor noted that a detailed complaint will be shared in the afternoon.

County Attorney Mike Freeman to announce new developments in Floyd death. Posted by Hennepin County Attorney's Office on Friday, May 29, 2020

Related Content:
By passing the resolution to develop legislation to safeguard national security in Hong Kong in its rubber stamp parliament, Beijing initiated political mutual destruction for itself and Hong Kong. Beijings plan to rein in Hong Kongdefying a worldwide outcryis revenge on the democratic movement in Hong Kong which has been protesting since March 2019. It is also retaliation against the U.S. for passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act 2019.

On 27 May, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement certifying that Hong Kong no longer warrants differential treatment under U.S. law. At the same time declaring, No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground. He also filed a report to the Congress, in accordance with the Act, grounding from the fact that Beijing assert its right to interpret all laws in Hong Kong in November 2019; the Liaison Offices claims that it was exempted from Article 22 of the Basic Law in April 2020; and the national security law announced last week. He further added that the deployment of tear gas and the mass arrests and the dispatching of the Peoples Armed Police into Hong Kong, all constituted a violation of the Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. President Donald Trump will later have to invoke the U.S.-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 to respond with appropriate measures, possible approaches range from economic relations, to restrictions on immigration to cultural and educational exchanges.

The U.S. response to the events over the last year signifies that it has shifted from an appeasing change for trade to an unyielding foreign policy towards China. From the 1980s, the free world had been hoping China would liberalize and democratize itself as trade rapidly grew between it and the world. It was a false belief that opening up the Chinese market would lead to opening up of the Chinese mindset. However, such optimism has proved to be in vain.

Story continues

The special arrangement under which the U.S. treats Hong Kong differently from China on politics, trade, commerce, and other areas, stems from Hong Kong maintaining sufficient autonomy. As a holdover from its time as a British Colony, Hong Kong has a different legal and economic system. Now as Beijing tightens its grip over the city, depriving Hong Kong of its last little bit of freedom and autonomy, the basis of that special agreement is compromised. Therefore the U.S. has every right to change its policy towards Hong Kong, regardless of Beijings snarling about foreign intervention and its attempts to use Hong Kong as a bargaining chip.

Beijing has long taken advantage of Hong Kong to gain access to foreign capital and other state-of-the-art technology products. Hong Kong, enjoying special legal treatments, is the favourite channel for mainland Chinese to ship funds offshore in defiance of Beijings control on cross-border capital flows, taxation and corruption inspections. Distrusting their own currency, many Chinese find the Hong Kong Dollar, which is linked to the U.S. Dollar, to be more reliable. Chinese companies have swarmed into Hong Kong, pretending to be Hong Kong companies, amid the Sino-American trade war. Leaders in Beijing continue to reap the benefits of this arrangement while the freedoms of Hong Kongers deteriorate.

A couple across from illuminated skyscrapers on Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong on May 28, 2020. | Roy LiuBloomberg/Getty Images.

Hong Kong has long proven its strategic role in the China-U.S. dynamics. The city can be used as a loophole against the free world if the special status remains unchanged while the city is totally subject to authoritative China. The act of inserting this new national security law in a top-down manner now risks all the benefits Beijing could and did exploit, but it is all of Beijings own doing. Beijing is dragging Hong Kong into a political mutual destruction that will costs us a high price, yet the hit is necessary.

As Hong Kong loses its special status, Beijing will lose its trump card against the free world. In response to American pressure, Beijings short-term reaction will be more forceful. It will further crack down on the political protest movement targeting activists, electoral candidates and legislators who have participated in international advocacy. Yet, Chinas economy will be hindered in the long run, even though China will surely pretend that it is business as usual. It remains to be seen how severe Washingtons measure regarding Hong Kong will be, but the global repercussions facing China in the aftermaths of the pandemic will also have a serious impact on its economy.

The U.S. termination of the citys special status is aimed at stopped Beijings rogue behaviour and encouraging it to reverse course on Hong Kong. The prosperity of Hong Kong is based on its autonomy, not Beijings dictatorship. Beijings decision will drive our city into dire straits in all aspectsthe stock market may plunge, unemployment numbers may rise and foreign businesses may flee. But at the same time we must acknowledge there is no room for a prosperous Hong Kong without adequate amount of freedom and human rights protection.
Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson condemned the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd as a 'lynching in broad daylight'.

Mr Jackson, 78, yesterday travelled to Minneapolis to speak about the death of Floyd, 46, ahead of the third consecutive night of protests.

White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died earlier this week.

His death sparked outrage and protests across various states, including in Minnesota where Floyd died.

Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson (pictured yesterday condemned the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd a 'lynching in broad daylight'

Mr Jackson, 78, yesterday travelled to Minneapolis to speak about the death of Floyd, 46, ahead of the third consecutive night of protests. Pictured: Mr Jackson at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church yesterday

Baptist minister and activist Mr Jackson told CBS ahead of his speech that Minneapolis Police department need to 'cleanse itself, inside and out.'

Speaking at the Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church yesterday, Mr Jackson said: 'We told the governor you must call murder a murder.'

Last night, rioters broke into Minneapolis Third Police Precinct and torched it.

White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died earlier this week. Pictured: Floyd

Shocking footage showed flames billowing out of the precinct just hours after prosecutors warned there is 'evidence that does not support criminal charges' in the case of the four cops accused of killing Floyd, sparking fears that they will continue to walk free.

Break-off protests over Floyd's death are building across several states, with disturbing footage showing the driver of a black SUV appear to deliberately mow down a Black Lives Matter protester in Denver - where panic also erupted when shots were fired during a march on the Colorado State Capitol.

In New York City, NYPD officers were seen brawling on the ground with protesters as at least 70 people were arrested in the Big Apple.

Protesters in Ohio smashed the windows of the statehouse in downtown Columbus and raided the building and demonstrators damaged a police cruiser in downtown Los Angeles.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Flames billowed out of the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct Thursday night after rioters stormed it

Minneapolis, Minnesota: The police building is engulfed in flames as rioters took over the building and set it alight

A viral video captured the moment Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck while the handcuffed suspect repeatedly cried out that he couldn't breathe and ultimately suffocated

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A mob descended upon Minneapolis Third Precinct, smashing windows before setting the building on fire during the second night of violent protests

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A crowd of protesters stand near the Third Police Precinct late last night as authorities warned the building could explode

White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died earlier this week. Pictured: Protests in Minneapolis yesterday

His death sparked outrage and protests across various states, including in Minnesota where Floyd died (pictured yesterday)

Over in Kentucky, seven people were shot in downtown Louisville during a protest demanding justice for black woman Breonna Taylor who was shot dead by cops back in March, as the Floyd case reignited tensions between cops and the African-American community.

President Trump waded in on the escalating violence in Minneapolis in the early hours of Friday as he warned he would step in and take over if officials fail to bring the rioting under control.

He blasted the 'Radical Left Mayor' Frey saying he needs to 'get his act together' while slamming protesters for 'dishonoring the memory' of Floyd and warning 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts'.

'I can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.....,' the president tweeted.

A group of protesters gathered outside the home of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman yesterday as part of protests against the death of George Floyd

Protesters also took to the streets to march in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota yesterday

'These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!'

Speaking in the early hours of this morning, Mayor Frey fired back at the president and said: 'Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis.'

'Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions. Weakness is pointing your finger at someone else during a time of crisis,' he said.

'Is this a difficult time period? Yes, but you'd better be damn sure that we're going to get through this.'

Frey said he understood the 'pain and anger right now in our city', but added that 'what we have seen over the last several hours and the past couple of nights in terms of looting is unacceptable'.

The mayor revealed it was him who had decided to evacuate the Third Precinct after determining that there were 'imminent threats to both officers and public'.

'The symbolism of a building cannot outweigh the importance of life, of our officers or the public. We could not risk serious injury to anyone,' he said. 'Brick and mortar is not as important as life.'
By Kate Abnett

(Reuters) - Belgium will allow cross-border travel to visit family members in neighbouring countries from Saturday, in a slight easing of travel restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus, the interior minister said on Friday.

Belgian Interior Minister Pieter De Crem said on Facebook that a ministerial decree will be published on Saturday.

"From tomorrow it will again be possible to visit family members in our neighbouring countries," he said.

De Crem said travellers must comply with coronavirus precautions in bordering countries - France, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands.

Non-essential travel to and from Belgium has been restricted since mid-March.

The European Union's (EU) executive Commission pushed this month to reopen the bloc's internal borders, but recommended that external borders remain closed for most travel until 15 June.

The Belgian government has also drawn up rules that cafes and restaurants must follow when they reopen, although a date for this has not been fixed, economy and consumer affairs minister Nathalie Muylle told the VRT public broadcaster.

Restaurants and cafes must keep tables 1.5 metres apart, close at midnight, and take orders at a customer's table, not at the counter. Reservations will be required at restaurants, while in cafes one customer per table must leave their contact details to enable contact tracing in the event of an outbreak.

Belgium has been among the worst-affected countries in Europe with 58,061 COVID-19 cases and 9,430 deaths, although the number of cases, hospital admissions and fatalities has declined since peaking in early April.

(Reporting by Kate Abnett; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Hours after US President Donald Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not in a "good mood" regarding the India-China standoff in Ladakh, government sources have said the two leaders did not have any conversation on the issue. The last conversation between the two leaders took place on April 4.

According to a report in news agency PTI, government sources on Friday said there has been no recent contact between Modi and Trump. The last conversation that took place on April 4 revolved around hydroxychloroquine, the sources said.

Also read: India-China issue: Prime Minister Modi not in 'good mood', says Donald Trump

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday had said India is directly in touch with the Chinese government over escalating tensions between the two countries. Trump had also, meanwhile, offered to mediate to resolve the border issue.

The US President had said he spoke with Modi about the conflict and said that PM Modi was not in a "good mood". Trump was speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Thursday. "I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman. Have a big conflict... India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people. Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," he said. "I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump added.

Also read: India deploys more troops as tensions with China escalate in Ladakh's Galwan Valley region

The US President had offered to mediate a day earlier. When asked about the same he said, "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help," he said.

However, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had already said on Wednesday that India and China were engaged to peacefully resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, China's state-run Global Times said that India and China did not need the US President to mediate. "The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order," it said.

Also read: India-China standoff: US backs New Delhi, says Beijing's behaviour aggressive
New Delhi :

Taking serious note of the death of a 12-year-old boy due to alleged negligence of doctors, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has suspended the Chief Medical Superintendent of the Kanpur Medical College.

The CM has suspended CMS of Kanpur Medical College RC Gupta with immediate effect, he said in a statement issued late on Tuesday night.

Yadav said the state government is committed to provide better medical facilities to the people and insensitive doctors will not be tolerated.

The UP State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (UPSCPCR) had also ordered a probe into the Kanpur incident where a man alleged that his 12-year-old son died due to negligence of the doctors at JSVM Medical College.

We have issued a notice to the district magistrate, who had submitted his reply that a two-member committee has been constituted to probe into the incident, UPSCPCR Chairperson Juhie Singh had said.

She said the commission had asked the district magistrate to get the matter probed and submit his report within a week.

We have asked that in case he was not authorised to take action, then he should identify the people who committed laxity and send his report, she said.

Also read: 12-year-old boy dies on father's shoulder as timely medical help denied in Kanpur

Sunil Kumar brought his son Anshu, who was suffering from fever, to the emergency ward of Hallet hospital of JSVM Medical College in Kanpur on August 28 and alleged that doctors asked him to go from one department to another which he did while carrying his son on his shoulders and the boy died later, a charge which the hospital authorities have refuted.

JVSM Medical College Principal Navneet Kumar said the child was already brought dead to the hospital and an inquiry has been ordered into the matter.

A committee led by three doctors has been asked to submit a report on the matter within three days, Kumar said.

Kanpur District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma has also ordered an inquiry into the matter and has formed a two-member committee, comprising Additional City Magistrate and Additional Chief Medical Officer.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
With foreign experts unable to enter Vietnam over Covid-19 restrictions, major electricity and transport projects face damaging delays, industry insiders say.

The National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT) says it is facing challenges in bringing in experts from China, India and Indonesia, which could lead to delays in many of its construction and maintenance plans this year.

A senior EVNNPT official who did not want to be named told local media that domestic experts were being hired for these projects as short-term solutions, but in the long run foreign experts were a must as contracts demand that they be hired to maintain and operate key equipments.

Hanois first metro route, Cat Linh - Ha Dong, has seen it test run postponed from a February 1 deadline because more than 100 Chinese experts were unable to return to Vietnam after the Lunar New Year holiday due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Vietnamese conductors and staff have completed their training and the trial run was meant for the Chinese contractor to evaluate their capability to operate the metro and deal with emergencies.

The Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board (MRB) has not announced a new test run date, although many of the Chinese experts have returned to work now.

As of March end, 25,000 foreign workers had not returned to Vietnam, almost a third of the 70,000 registered foreign workers in the country, according to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Among these almost 8,500 were foreign experts. They were needed for transport and electricity projects and for FDI companies like Samsung and LG, it said.

Companies have also reported their business resumption plans being delayed due to administrative roadblocks in bringing foreign experts into the country.

Nguyen Minh Ke, chairman of the Vietnam Aluminum Association (VAA), said that an aluminum producer earlier in May proposed to provincial authorities that some experts are allowed to enter Vietnam, but had to wait for 20 days as the latter wanted to wait for similar proposals from other companies before approving the proposal.

This companys quarantine plans for the experts were rejected twice by the local health department, which said the plans did not meet standards. After a plan was finally approved, the province decided to move all experts to a quarantine camp, rendering the plans useless.

"All this happened while the business had closed most activities for months and needed experts badly to resume production," Ke said.

An official of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, who wished to remain anonymous, also saw similar troubles in the immigration of experts.

He said that although the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee has given its directives to the citys labor department on Monday, it wasnt until Thursday that the information was released to companies, who have been longing for the news.

He told local media that even though some companies are willing to organize private jets to bring the experts to the country, authorities have said that they will have to wait for another two weeks.

The Korean Chamber of Commerce has recently said in a report that the Ho Chi Minh Citys labor department has suspended the issuance of new work permits for foreign workers, creating major difficulties for production in FDI companies in the city.

Labor officials, on the other hand, said work permit was not a major issue in preventing foreign experts coming in. Nguyen Thi Quyen, deputy director of the department of employment under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that experts who work for less than 90 days in the country do not need work permits.

What is making things difficult, she said, could be immigration hassles involving the Ministry of Public Security, and the verification of health status and quarantine process, concerning the Ministry of Health.

Pham Thi Ngoc Thuy, Deputy Standing Director of the Private Sector Development Committee, said that although Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved the entry of foreign experts to resume business operations, administrative hassles were creating difficulties for businesses.

The immigration department under the Ministry of Public Security should provide clear guidelines on what businesses need to do so as to reduce costs and time, she said.

Clear guidelines will attract more foreign investors to Vietnam amid the shifting of supply chains that is happening in the wake of the pandemic, she added.
By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. military believes a Russian introduction of warplanes into Libya may not tip the balance in its stalemated civil war but could further help Moscow eventually secure a geostrategic stronghold in North Africa, a U.S. general said on Friday.

Russian military personnel have delivered 14 MiG 29 and Su-24 fighter jets to the Libyan National Army's Jufra air base, the U.S. military says, despite denials from the LNA and a Russian member of parliament.

U.S. Brigadier General Gregory Hadfield, deputy director of U.S. Africa Command's Intelligence Directorate, told a small group of reporters the Russian aircrafts' flight path originated in Russia and passed through Iran and Syria before reaching Libya.

Hadfield said the aircraft had not been used yet but could add new capability for Eastern commander Khalifa Haftar's LNA, which has so far failed in its year-long effort to capture Tripoli, the seat of the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).

The GNA, in turn, has been receiving critical support from Turkey, including drone strikes.

But Hadfield cautioned that Moscow may not require an outright victory for Haftar to advance Russian interests.

"Backing the LNA and backing Field Marshal Haftar, it really isn't about winning the war, it's about developing strongholds," Hadfield said.

A big U.S. concern would be if Moscow used such a location to stage missiles.

"If Russia secures a permanent position in Libya and, worse, deploys long-range missile systems, it will be a game changer for Europe, NATO and many Western nations," he said.

Libya is once more on the brink after years of chaos that followed the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. With more arms and fighters flowing in, Libyans fear an unending conflict fueled by outside powers.

One Western diplomat warned of a "stagnating conflict in which escalation is met with escalation." (Reporting by Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Angus McDowall in Tunis, Orhan Coskun in Ankara, Ulf Laessing in Cairo; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
Tempo - Music Video Editor with Effects

SlidePlus - Photo Slideshow Maker

VivaCut - Pro Video Editor APP

VidStatus - Status Videos & Status Downloader

VivaVideo PRO Video Editor HD

VivaVideo

Even though the world is moving towards the digital platforms in all aspects but the growth of digitalization also brings the risk of data breach and violations. Theres nothing scares more than your personal information being used without your consent and its not the first time Android app developers abused the permission granted by users.Recent discovery by VPNpro reveals a new spyware app with over 100 million downloads on Google Play Store and the developer of this spyware app has some other shady apps with more than 50 million installs in the Play store.According to the report by VPNpro, the developer of these apps masked the origins and technical abuses behind so many apps on Play Store.Google has a history of pulling out the networks of apps that abuse the user permissions once installed. However, evaluating the right permission types for a developer or app is still a tricky job. And this is where some app creators try to play their dirty games by taking advantage of Android data permissions.Even though Google always encourages developers to follow its guidelines but the abuse of user permissions should never be taken for granted as it puts millions of users at risk.The developer blamed of spyware is Hangzhou-based QuVideoInc with its very popular app named VivaVideo. This free video editing app has more than 100 million installs on Play Store.According to the reports by VPNpro, QuVideo has its three apps available on the Play Store and also on the Apple's App Store but the violations of permission on iOS devices cant happen so easily.To operate, Viva Video asks a variety of permissions which include the ability of the app to write/read to external drives and users specific GPS location. This permission of GPS enables the app to send the location data of users up to 14,000 times in a day even if the app is not being used.According to VPNpro, these types of apps have Trojans hidden inside the apps which can steal bank information of users without them even knowing it at all.The report by VPNpro mapped out more than six apps by the same developer that needs to be used with caution and after analyzing these apps have more than 157 million installs on Google Play Store and the numbers of these apps are huge.The following are the six apps by the same developer:Until Google takes strict action against permission abuse, the users should stop using such apps to secure themselves from being a victim of such abuse but it is completely up to the users to decide if they want these malicious apps installed on their phones or not.The only way to be secure from being a victim is by paying attention to the permissions youre allowing to these apps and if any permission seems out of ordinary the best solution is to uninstall the app from your phone.Read next: Google Play Store Removed Over 1K Creeperware Apps Back In 2019, And Now Some Are Making A Comeback
Fans cheer on the infield on opening day for Del Mar last July. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)

On the second day of Del Mars summer season last year, the morning quiet was shattered by the sound of two horses crashing into each other, killing both instantly. That kind of freak accident is extremely rare, but when it happens in the midst of unprecedented attention on horse fatalities in Southern California, it is a crisis.

Del Mar decided to be pro-active and within hours called a news conference.

Joe Harper, chief executive of Del Mar, compared the track mishap to a wrong-way driver on a freeway. Dr. Rick Arthur, equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board, promised necropsies, as is mandated by CHRB rules.

It was then that a bad situation got worse.

Instead of being transported to a UC Davis Animal Health and Safety Laboratory in San Bernardino, Charge A Bunch and Carson Valley were taken to a rendering plant near the El Sobrante Landfill in Corona, processed into animal by-products such as fertilizer and bone meal, and the remains sent to the landfill.

I got a call first thing in the morning after the accident saying the horses never arrived, Arthur said. Del Mar got a call from the CHRB, because, by statute, it is the tracks responsibility to get the bodies to the testing laboratory.

It took no time to discover that Stiles Animal Removal had made a mistake. According to a CHRB investigators report, The owner of Stiles admitted that he forgot to inform the new driver of this requirement [to take to the state lab].

Del Mar, which was credited for its fast action and transparency after the July 18 accident, has made no public comment about the deaths of the two horses since the day of the news conference.

According to Mike Marten, spokesman for the CHRB, he contacted Mac McBride, Del Mar media director, one day after the mistake was discovered and they spoke the day after that.

Mac said that Del Mar would make an announcement as soon as a CHRB investigation was complete, Marten said.

Marten relayed that information by email to Rick Baedeker, then executive director of the CHRB, Chuck Winner, then chairman of the CHRB, Arthur and others. In it he quoted McBride saying that Del Mar would make an announcement after the CHRB investigation and if there were media questions before then the matter should be referred to Del Mar.

Story continues

That email might have been one of 19 excluded from a public records request by The Times, which was attempting to reconstruct what happened and why information was never made public. Baedeker and Winner acknowledged the contents of Martens email and both believed Del Mar would make the announcement.

Del Mar did not respond to questions as to why information pertaining to the mistake was kept secret but issued a one-paragraph statement last week.

As soon as the CHRB made us aware of the error by the contractor responsible for transport to the necropsy facility, Del Mar responded immediately and appropriately, including terminating that vendor, said the statement released by Josh Rubinstein, chief operating officer of Del Mar. Although the error was made by a vendor and not Del Mar personnel, it is our responsibility to see that the proper protocols are followed. We regret the error and have made changes to ensure that it doesnt happen again.

The CHRB had issued a warning letter to Del Mar about the incident on Aug. 26. It was signed by Rubinstein and returned on the 27th. The issuing of a warning to a racing association is unusual. In fact, Baedeker, who retired March 31, can remember no other warnings to a race track in the six years he was executive director.

The warning was obtained by The Times through a public records request.

The boilerplate language has this wording: This warning letter will not be considered an Official Ruling, will not otherwise be published by the CHRB and will not be forwarded to any national database.

When jockeys and trainers are given warnings by race track stewards, it is published in the stewards minutes.

Were a regulator, not a race track with a PR department, Baedeker said. We didnt feel it was our responsibility to put out the information.

Baedeker went on to explain why the warning was given.

We could have sanctioned Del Mar but after the investigation, it was clearly an error by the vendor, Baedeker said. Given that this was the first time its ever gone wrong, the feeling was the problem was taken care of, which is why we went the warning route.

Both Baedeker and Winner said the matter was never addressed at a board meeting in either public or closed-door sessions.

It doesnt happen often. Arthur, who has been equine medical director since 2006, can recall a horse being taken to the wrong place only one other time.

We had an instance years and years ago with a San Luis Rey Downs [training center] horse, Arthur said. They didnt think it had to be sent for necropsy. It was a new guy.

They were able to find the horse at the landfill and recovered enough to do a necropsy. In the case of Charge A Bunch and Carson Valley, it wasnt possible.

According to my understanding there was nothing left that we could recover, Arthur said.

If these horses did not die on the track but were instead euthanized, they would not have been eligible for rendering. Because euthanasia involves the injection of a barbiturate, federal rules do not allow the body to be processed and made into by-products. Rendering is a procedure where heat and steam are used to kill pathogens and separate fat, bone and protein.

The old expression about horses being sent to the glue factory does not exist today. While at one time, horse hooves were used to make a kind of glue, now most glue is made only of chemicals.

Last summer, both Del Mar and Santa Anita established a policy that horses that die at the track must be cremated and their remains not sent directly to landfills.
An Irish coast guard helicopter pilot has described the five year old rescued from the Shannon estuary yesterday as a very lucky little girl.

Captain Sean Murphy explained to RTE radios News at One that coastguard helicopter Rescue 115 had been on a training mission off the Kerry coast when they got a call from Valentia coast guard radio telling them of a child in difficulty drifting out to sea on an inflatable toy.

The coast guard also alerted the Kilrush RNLI boat to respond to the call, he said.

As we were pretty close, it took us 10 minutes to arrive at the scene which was at Ballpoint just around the corner from Ballybunion. We quickly located a little girl drifting out to sea into choppier waters, she was drifting off the shoreline, she seemed to be sitting on an inflatable toy, the lads described it as a blow up jet ski. She was wearing a swimming togs.

We had to do a quick assessment of the situation and decided the best thing to do was to get our winchman down to her. As we were approaching to put the winchman down to her, she came off the actual toy, fell into the water.

At that stage we were about 10-20 yards away, Jim O'Neill our winchman made an instant decision to come off the cable and swim to her, when he did he secured her, at that stage we waited the RNLI lifeboat coming from Kilrush, which was about 5-10 minutes away, to pick them up rather than the riskier recovery to the aircraft.

We remained on scene until the lifeboat had them both safely on board, we landed on the shore, we waited for them to come to us and then we took the child and her mother to Kerry university hospital to be checked over, on landing in Kerry she was smiling and chatting and she was thanking Jim for saving her. All went well.

I think the stars really aligned for her, she was a fortunate little girl - being there in 10 minutes was a pretty quick response.

Capt Murphy said that while conditions were very good yesterday there was a fairly strong current pushing her offshore and out the estuary. There was about 20-30 knots of wind as well, she was sitting up on this little inflatable toy, so she was moving quite quickly away from the shoreline.

It wouldn't have taken her too long to get out to the mouth of the Shannon estuary. We were all very lucky on this one. We think it was as a result of the choppier waters that she was going into that caused her to come off of the actual toy itself. She was very, very lucky.

Capt Murphy warned that sea temperatures at this time of year are still very cold and that winds can change quickly. He warned that inflatables are particularly difficult and can be whipped off shore very quickly. In this case it had been fortunate that the alarm was raised very quickly and Rescue 115 happened to be in the area.
Police warned parents to know where their children are during the hot weather as crowds of youngsters gathered on the Co Down coast.

There was yet another day of glorious sunshine with very little breeze across the country yesterday, with the mercury peaking at around 24C.

In Warrenpoint, the PSNI posted a picture of the pier on social media that was "crowded with young people with no ability to socially distance".

Appealing for common sense, the PSNI posted on Facebook: "Parents please ensure you know where your kids are and that they are behaving responsibly."

Later, the officer said the young people "generally listened to advice and dispersed into smaller groups and distanced".

"The majority were polite and receptive," they said. "Unfortunately some left a mess behind them."

The fine and dry weather conditions in Northern Ireland are to continue until at least next week, the Met Office has said.

Spokesperson Oli Claydon said similar temperatures are expected through the weekend, with a slight dip in conditions not expected until Monday.

"Generally speaking, the weather is staying fine and dry for the foreseeable. From Monday evening into Tuesday, we could see the odd drizzly shower.

"So it's pretty much the same picture for the whole of the UK, we're looking at bright, sunny and settled conditions until the beginning of next week."

Expand Close Officers at Portstewart strand / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Officers at Portstewart strand

Friday through to Sunday in Northern Ireland will see temperatures remain at around 22-23C, with Monday potentially reaching 24C during the day.

"Tuesday is set to be a touch cooler at 21C as we start to see clouds moving in," Mr Claydon added.

Northern Ireland is also set to be unaffected by a cooler breeze from the North Sea felt along the east coast of England.

"There is an indication by the end of next week we will see a little bit more wind speed mobility in Northern Ireland, but nothing significant."

Expand Close Portstewart beach / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Portstewart beach

The latest forecast follows a balmy bank holiday weekend in which thousands across Northern Ireland flocked to beauty spots.

Yesterday, the PSNI's Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said he was shocked by the amount of people that visited the north coast to enjoy the sunshine. This saw police turning some cars away from Portstewart as it was "full to the brim".

The current lockdown restrictions mean up to six people from different households are allowed to meet up outside while staying two metres apart.

The Chief Constable Simon Byrne said last week that he wants to move away from fighting the virus to fighting crime, but officers still had the power to disperse large gatherings.

Yesterday, the First Minister Arlene Foster welcomed the continuing warm spell as lockdown restrictions remain against households meeting together indoors.

Read More

Other outdoor activities to be permitted from June 8, provided the rate of infection does not rise again, will be small weddings and civil partnerships attended by no more than 10 people.

People will also be able to attend to the needs of non-farm animals, allowing for horse training, as well as opening up trade for outdoor sales for items like cars and farm machinery.

She added: "If people act in line with the restrictions, the more likely it is that the R rate will improve, resulting in more relaxations. If they don't, we will not be able to do more."
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.Hustler Hollywood has been reopening its boutiques across the country in places that have allowed retail outlets to open. However, Chicago, which still has plenty of COVID-19 cases, is not one of thembut the company has announced that curbside pick-up service will be available daily from Noon to 8 p.m. at its Chicago boutique, located at 1615 N. Clybourn Avenue, starting today.

The Chicago store is one of the last of the retailers thirty-five nationwide stores to partially open since the start of the lockdowns, with the New York City store being the only location not operating in any capacity at this time. Customers can phone the Chicago store directly at 312-846-6520, place an order, and have it delivered to them curbside without having to leave their car or enter the store. For those not sure as to what they might want to purchase, they can visit the companys website HustlerHollywood.com for products.

We have been rolling out curbside pick-up at all of our stores throughout the country for the last several weeks and providing our customers with a safe way to obtain our products immediately during the lockdowns. Hustler Hollywood has been helping people with intimacy and relationships for years, and we are happy that we can continue to do so by bringing this service to our customers in Chicago, said Philip Del Rio, vice president of retail.

The first Hustler Hollywood opened in 1998 on the famed Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, making this the companys 21st year in business.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 18:24:44|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ZHENGZHOU, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A regular fresh food cargo air route was launched Thursday to link the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou with foreign cities including Miami, Los Angeles and Mexico City.

At around 8 p.m. Thursday, the cargo flight carrying fresh cherries from Los Angeles in the United States arrived in the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in the capital of Henan Province.

Using a Boeing 747 aircraft, the service is scheduled three times a week. It mainly imports cold chain fresh products including seafood, fruits and beef from countries such as the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport is among the country's five cargo-oriented airports and features the function in airmail collection and distribution.

It was listed in the country's first batch of national logistics hub projects in 2019. Last year, the airport handled an annual throughput of 522,000 tonnes of cargo and mail, according to Henan Province Airport Group. Enditem
A Texas bar is pushing back on health guidance about face masks  going as far as prohibiting people from wearing face masks there.

The Liberty Tree Tavern in Elgin, near Austin, is defying county, state and federal guidance, the Bastrop Advertiser news outlet reported.
MONTREAL  Former Parti Quebecois leader Andre Boisclair is facing charges that he used a weapon to commit a sexual assault six years ago.

An arrest warrant signed by a Quebec court judge and dated May 27 says the alleged assault took place in Montreal on Jan. 8, 2014, and that a second person participated.

Under the terms of the warrant, Boisclair needs to present himself at a police station before appearing in court to be formally charged.

The 54-year-old is facing two charges related to a single, unidentified victim. If convicted, the charges carry a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

Boisclair served as the leader of the PQ from November 2005 until his resignation in May 2007.

He served as Quebecs delegate general in New York from 2012 to 2013, and since June 2016, he has been president of the Urban Development Institute of Quebec. The institute confirmed Thursday that he has submitted his resignation.

Boisclair was elected for the first time in the Montreal riding of Gouin in 1989, when we was just 23.

Read more about:
A voter walks with their ballot to a ballot drop box at the south portal of City Hall on Thursday, May 28, 2020. Read more

Tuesdays June 2 primary election is a first run of a new election infrastructure in Pennsylvania -- at both the best and worst time for it. Last year, Pennsylvania passed a law allowing anyone to request a mailed ballot. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, county election officials expressed concerns that they didnt have the capacity to process a large increase in mail-in ballots and that election results could take days, or weeks, after election day to confirm.

Whatever increase in mailed ballots election officials feared theyd have to process, its unlikely that it came close to the actual surge in mail voting that the coronavirus induced. More voters in Philadelphia requested a mail-in ballot this year than did voters in all of Pennsylvania in 2016. Glitches are already surfacing throughout the state, from ballots with wrong instructions to ballots that will arrive at voters homes too late to be mailed in on time to be counted.

A surge in vote-by-mail is only one side of the headache that election officials have this year. They also had to coordinate distribution of personal protective equipment to polling stations, and come up with protocols to ensure safe voting amid the coronavirus.

And this is all just the prologue to the general election, when the presidency is on the ballot.

 READ MORE: Voting is different in Philly this year. Heres what you need to know for Tuesdays coronavirus primary.

To help facilitate vote-by-mail in a high-turnout election, Mayor Jim Kenneys proposed budget before the coronavirus struck included an 84% increase in funding to the Office of City Commissioners. That disappeared in the mayors revised budget, which attempts to close the funding hole the pandemic created. The commissioners warned during their budget hearing in City Council that they wont be able to manage the November election without an increase.

This pandemic has brought back focus on fundamentals: public health, livelihood, and democracy. Voting is essential. The city commissioners, unfortunately, have suffered credibility hits, with ethical concerns raised around the procurement of new -- and expensive -- voting machines. Investing in our democracy is critical, but Philadelphians also deserve their tax dollars to be handled responsibly. Transparency in spending ahead of November will be key. That starts with a rapid effort to evaluate what needs to be debugged after the primary. We get only one run before Novembers critically important election.

Participating in democracy safely

The safest way to vote during the COVID-19 pandemic is by mail. While everyone can vote by mail in Pennsylvania, it requires adhering to deadlines. The first deadline, to request a ballot, passed last week. Voters must make sure the filled ballot arrives at the countys election office by 8 p.m. on election day. A postmark doesnt count. For Philadelphians, the safest way to make sure that your mail-in ballot is counted is by taking it to the drop-off box outside City Hall or to one of the 10 mobile boxes that will be set up throughout the city on election day. Find their location via https://www.philadelphiavotes.com.

Philadelphia will have 77% fewer polling stations this year due to the coronavirus. Those intending to vote in person should check where their new polling station is before going out to vote. The city will hand out masks to voters without them, but it is also on voters to adhere to social distancing rules and poll workers instructions to keep everyone safe. Find your new polling location via PollingPlaces.PhiladelphiaVotes.com.

 READ MORE: Philly will have mail ballot drop boxes for voters this weekend and on election day. Find yours here.

The boards recommendations

The coronavirus pandemic influenced every aspect of life, including the editorial boards capacity to endorse. We targeted two competitive state Senate race in which incumbents face their first challenger.

In the 1st State Senate District, which stretches from the airport to Port Richmond between the Schuylkill and the Delaware, we endorse Larry Farnese for another term. He has been a progressive voice and is taking a leading role in the response to COVID-19. His opponent, Nikil Saval, is a smart and exciting newcomer to politics with a promising future.

 READ MORE: Larry Farneses experience matters as Pennsylvania and the nation are in crisis | Endorsement

In the 17th District, which covers parts of Delaware and Montgomery Counties, we endorse Amanda Cappelletti -- a young lawyer with credentials in public health who is running on a progressive platform. She can renew trust and mend relationships that were compromised during the tenure of the incumbent.

 READ MORE: Amanda Cappelletti is a fresh opportunity for a troubled Pa. Senate seat | Endorsement

The editorial board also reviewed the charter amendments that will appear on Philadelphia ballots. The board recommends that voters vote yes both on forming a permanent Department of Labor and on allowing city employees to volunteer on state and federal campaigns in their free time.

 READ MORE: Vote yes on Phillys two ballot questions in 2020 primary | Endorsement
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 28)  President Rodrigo Duterte denied that COVID-19 testing supplies are overpriced in another move to defend Health Secretary Francisco Duque III from some lawmakers who believe that testing for the viral disease could be cheaper.

Yung mga test, test na sinasabi nila, na they unfairly drag the name of Secretary Duque, hindi ho totoo yun. Ang nagbili noon, ang budget pati, yung Office of the President mismo, Duterte said in an address to the nation aired Thursday night.

[Translation: The tests that they are saying, where they are unfairly dragging the name of Secretary Duque, thats not true. The Office of the President bought that, including the budget for it.]

Duterte said other suppliers who offered lower prices never participated in the bidding. He said, in fact, they offered much higher prices when they were first approached to bid.

Ganoon ang nangyari," Duterte said. "We will have a report coming your way, and that is the stand of the Office of the President. Kami ho ang nag-utos niyan na dito na sa budget para pag-relase sa pera, madali, diretso na.

[Translation: Thats what happened. We will have a report coming your way, and that is the stand of the Office of the President. We ordered that from the budget so that the money would be released easily.]

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon questioned the cost shouldered by PhilHealth for coronavirus tests, saying these are overpriced.

PhilHealths coverage for COVID-19 tests ranges from 2,710 to 8,150. The fee is cheaper if the test kit is donated to the accredited facility.

Drilon noted that the COVID-19 testing services offered by the Philippine Red Cross is cheaper by half.

He warned that the government may stand to lose over 8 billion over the supposedly overpriced testing fees being charged by PhilHealth.

CNN Philippines Xave Gregorio contributed to this report.
The case against two men prosecuted under for an alleged breach of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act came before Naas District Court on May 27.

Benedict Nkanga, 22 , whose address was given as 19 Cushlawn Close, Killinarden, Tallaght and Patrick Obijuru, 22 , whose address was given as 22 Deerhaven Close, Clonee, were prosecuted for allegedly engaging in any act in relation to property that is the proceeds of criminal conduct on February 7, 2017 at addresses in Naas and Dublin.

Read more County Kildare news

Sgt Jim Kelly said the case arose when the injured party was building a house and hired a construction company.

He said the amount of money involved is allegedly 37,000

He said the injured party thought money was being transferred to an account but an email was allegedly intercepted and altered.

He added that the money was allegedly sent to a different account.

Sgt Kelly also said there may be further instructions relating to the case and he did not have directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Judge Desmond Zaidan indicated that if the DPPs office indicated that the case should be tried in the District Court he would decline to hear it, meaning it will be heard in the Circuit Court.

He also questioned why it has taken so long to bring the case.

Sgt Kelly said the case was complicated and involved a number of warrants and some accounts.

The case was adjourned until June 24.
DETROIT -- At least a thousand people gathered and marched outside the Detroit Public Safety Headquarters on Friday afternoon to protest against police brutality as the United States grapples with several deadly encounters with police documented on social media recently, including the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd.

Chanting No justice, no peace and Black lives matter, protesters called for action and justice between police and people of color. The Detroit gathering mirrors similar protests across the nation, where residents say they are demanding justice. They carried signs that echoing their chants, including tired of dying," and memorialized the names of Black residents across the country who died in police custody.

Many wore face masks -- some reading I cant breathe," in reference Floyd saying the same thing while being apprehended -- and protesters were reminded to keep six feet apart to avoid any potential spread of COVID-19.

The crowd began at the parking lot of the police department on Third Street in Detroit before marching through Detroit, onto Woodward Avenue before coming back to the police headquarters.

The way in which this country values Black lives is unacceptable," Detroit City Council President Pro Tem Mary Sheffield said to the crowd Friday. "And to be honest with you, Im tired. Im tired of rallying, Im tired of marching, Im tired of asking, Im tired. So we must come to a point where we are demanding now. We are demanding -- we are not asking kindly. We are demanding justice.

The protest was largely peaceful while the crowd marched around Downtown Detroit, but a Detroit police car drove down the middle of a street where protesters were marching. Protesters then apparently attacked and damaged the patrol car.

Protesters also attacked this police car in Detroit. pic.twitter.com/HIuj1BHVnM  Motor City Muckraker (@MCmuckraker) May 29, 2020

The protest came just an hour after ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter for Floyds death on Monday. Floyd, 46, pleaded I cant breathe while Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyds neck in an encounter that was videotaped and shared widely on social media.

Three other officers on the scene were fired but have not yet been charged with any crimes.

Protesters in Detroit also demanded justice for ShaTeina and Dan Grady El, a couple who faced violence from Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office deputies early Tuesday in Ypsilanti Township. A video shared online showed a deputy repeatedly punching ShaTeina Grady El when apprehending her for crossing over a police perimeter of a suspected shooting. Dan Grady El was tased by another officer when trying to get to ShaTeina Grady El.

Ypsilanti woman shown being punched by deputy released from jail, will speak at Friday protest

Grady El was released from the Wayne County Jail just before noon on Friday, May 29, with charges pending for resisting arrest and injuring an officer, according to her lawyer William Amadeo. She was transferred there from Washtenaw County because of a separate resisting arrest charge in Taylor.

MORE FROM MLIVE:

Police brutality protesters block streets, brewery leaving downtown: Top headlines Ann Arbor May 23-28

Gov. Whitmers plan to reopen Michigan keeps residents in the dark with murky targets and limited transparency

Friday, May 29: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
Former Irish Independent journalist and author Jim Farrelly has passed after a battle with cancer.

A native of Oldcastle, County Meath he held a number of key roles with Independent Newspapers, including Managing Director of INM Provincial Newspapers from 1996 to 2000.

Aged 77, he is survived by his wife Joan, daughter Gemma, son Justin, daughter in law Megan and grandchildren Jamie, Pai-Lily and Daisy Belle.

He is predeceased by his son Jamie. He is also survived by his sisters Elizabeth, Freda and brothers Michael and Gerard.

Mr Farrelly, who lived in Glenageary, Co Dublin at the time of his death, was Managing Director and Editor in Chief of the Sunday Tribune before his retirement in 2004.

Prior to the Sunday Tribune Jim was Managing Director of the Drogheda Independent 1990-96, Managing Director of the Kerryman 1996-2000, and Managing Director of INM Provincial Newspapers 1996-2000.

He joined Independent Newspapers in 1968 where he was a reporter and columnist until 1979 when he joined the First Sunday Tribune as News Editor and Deputy Editor.

In 1981 he was Editor of the short lived Daily News and in 1984 he re-joined Independent Newspapers where he was Features Editor 1986-2000.

He was educated at Gilson Endowed School Oldcastle, St. Finians College Mullingar, UCD, The Milltown Institute of Philosophy, and Kings Inns and was called to the Bar in 1977. He is author of Whos Who in Irish Politics  the Top 500.

Jim will repose in Quinns Funeral Home, Glasthule on Bank Holiday Monday, June 1 from 12-4pm.

In accordance with current Government guidelines and in the hope of keeping our friends and family safe, Jims Funeral will take place privately in St. Josephs Church, Glasthule on Tuesday, June 2. The family hope to have a celebration of his life at a later date.
The creative activities at the museum attract the attention of children (Photo courtesy of the museum)

With various activities like games, toy-making and cultural experiences, participants will understand more about the culture and tradition of Southeast Asian countries.

Accordingly, children will learn about the traditional costumes, cultural artefacts, national flags and currencies. Disabled children will enjoy free tickets to visit the museum, which is located at 1 Nguyen Van Huyen street, Hanoi.
The CEO of a technology company that has been entrusted with state contact tracing efforts for Texans exposed to the coronavirus has claimed a doctorate he never got, according to a Houston-based podcast.

Das Nobel, CEO of MTX Group Inc., says in an online profile on LinkedIn that he has a Doctorate of Management, Organizational Development and Leadership from Colorado Technical University, and that he attended the school from 2008-2012.

MTX was awarded a controversial $295 million contract to help the state track down people exposed to the coronavirus.

The Jess Fields Show podcast recorded audio of an exchange with the registrars office at Colorado Technical University. The woman who answered the phone can be heard telling Fields that Nobel did not get a doctorate degree from the school and that there was no record of attendance past June of 2010.

"This person didn't graduate for that part," the woman says, according to the recording. "His last date of attendance was 2010."

"If this person claims he has a doctorate of management from Colorado Technical University, that would be incorrect? Fields asks later.

"Correct," she said.

Nobel did not immediately return email and text messages Friday afternoon. A spokeswoman for his company said Nobel "did attend this program and stopped short of completing his dissertation to be formally awarded his PhD, which is why he has never claimed to have one. LinkedIn often encouraged users to list their educational experiences, and in this instance, that is what Das has done."

The university declined to confirm or deny Friday whether Nobel obtained the degree he claims when contacted by a Houston Chronicle reporter.

After the little known MTX Group Inc. was awarded its multi million contract in mid-May, Democrats and Republicans alike have criticized the state for a hasty process and a lack of transparency. Republicans have also expressed concerns about potential privacy violations of people subjected to contact tracing by the company.
Ever heard of a pie too pretty to eat? Me neither, but then I discovered pastry designer Karin Pfeiff-Boschek and her intricately decorated creations, and I started to have a whole new appreciation for pies as works of art.

Anyone would be lucky to call Karin Pfeiff-Boschek their friend. Thats because the German-born pie master bakes at least three pies a week and gives most of them to her friends after taking some photographs of them and sharing them with her Instagram fans. But looking at how beautifully decorated her works are, you can understand why she cares more about the photos than the pies themselves. Some of her creations look so incredible that it would be a crime not to keep any evidence of their existence. Luckily, Instagram lets artists like Pfeiff-Boschek do just that and make a living off of it.

Photo: Karin Pfeiff-Boschek/Instagram

Karin Pfeiff-Boschek learned to bake from her mother and grandmothers as a girl growing up in central Germany, and settled on pies simply because there were many talented cake decorators in her country, while pie decoration was virtually unheard of. Her passion for pies was only fueled by her husband. Bruce, an Indiana-native who moved to Germany in the 1960s to study for his PhD. His mother was an award-wining baker, and he used her secrets to wow Karin with the most amazing pies.

I always liked his apple, rhubarb, pumpkin or blueberry pies, Pfeiff-Boschek told The Washington Post back in 2018. At some point, I thought the top crust would offer a good canvas for artistic creation.

By modifying her mother-in-laws recipes only slightly and developing her own techniques she took on the challenge of trying to decorate pies in a manner similar to how cake artists decorate their edible creations. It took a while for her to develop the necessary skills to ensure that her pies looked as stunning both before and after being baked, but I think youll agree that the time she spent honing her skills was well spent.

I found that by cooling the dough while creating decorations, using a very thin, sharp knife such as a scalpel and working very precisely it was possible to create ornate decorations that held their shape during baking, Karin Pfeiff-Boschek said. I make it a priority to also show the baked pie because regardless of how beautiful a pie may look before baking, it never will be served in that state and must look good after it comes out of the oven.

Karin uses many things as inspiration, from nature themes to geometrical patterns and Persian, Moorish motifs. The possibilities are endless, and she always finds ways to spice things up and keep her fans guessing what she will come up with next. While the pies where she uses expertly sculpted bits of dough to create the top decorations look the most impressive, she sometimes uses the filling as the decor, or dyes the dough different colors using natural ingredients like powders made from freeze-dried berries, spinach, and beetroot.

The German artist has been decorating and baking pies for many years. Now in her 60s, she says she and her husband have eaten enough pies, so they dont indulge very often. When they do decide to sample one of her artworks, its usually a chocolate pie, although she say they are not her favorite to decorate.

You can check out more of Karin Pfeiff-Boscheks amazing pies on her Instagram, where she regularly posts new designs, but if you want something more personal, you can also buy her book, Elegant Pie, which contains 25 stunning pies and step-by-step guides on how to make them yourself.

Interestingly, Karin Pfeiff-Boschek isnt the only pie artist weve ever featured on OC. A couple of years back we posted the amazing pies of Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin. You should definitely chedk them out if youre into intricate food art.
Chattanooga mayor Andy Berke, in his Thursday evening Facebook Live, highlighted the importance of wearing a mask in public, and tried to dispel the notion wearing a mask is a political move.

He said, Its not talking about your party or about who youre going to vote for president. Its none of those things. Its protecting other people, showing them respect, and that you want people in our community to be safe. Not everything is about politics or what side youre on. Some things are just about keeping people safe.

The mayor said, COVID19 is incredibly dangerous to our community and physical health and economic ability. We need to be healthy so our economy can be unleashed.

Our cases are too high. Theyre going up too fast, and we need to change it. Its easy to say its a virus and we have to let it spread because we cant control it. I wont accept that and I dont accept that. We can change our behavior and we can be a community that keeps each other safe. And we did that for several weeks where our numbers were extremely low.



Early on in the livestream, Mayor Berke mentioned a study by the New York Times, which shows Chattanooga as one of the new hot spots for the virus.

 As I was reading the article in the NYT, I was upset about it, said the mayor. We dont want to be known as the community where the numbers are going up. But I also see the faces behind the numbers. Each of them is a real person, and theyre often going to work and this is affecting their financial well-being.

So as he often does, the mayor asked the community to follow the now-familiar COVID-19 guidelines. These include social distancing and avoiding large gatherings, among other things.

Im asking everybody in our community, no matter what your role is, you have a chance to make our community safer, said the mayor. So stay six feet away from others, dont gather in large groups. Make sure you wash your hands frequently.



He said helping the Latino community during the pandemic is a focus of his administration, with around half of the cases coming from predominantly Latino areas of Chattanooga. In addition to this, he said that anyone who wants a test can get one for free at a variety of locations around Hamilton County.



Even if the government is opening up these businesses, even if you have the opportunity to do all of these things, that doesnt mean that you should, said the mayor, or that its safe, or you can do them without precautions.


CANBERRA, Australia - Australias highest court ruled on Friday to make public letters between Queen Elizabeth II and her representative that would reveal what knowledge she had, if any, of the dismissal of an Australian government in 1975.

The High Courts 6-1 majority decision in historian Jenny Hockings appeal overturned lower court rulings that more than 200 letters between the now 94-year-old monarch of Britain and Australia and Governor-General Sir John Kerr before he dismissed Prime Minister Gough Whitlams government were personal and might never be made public.

The only dismissal of an elected Australian government on the authority of a British monarch triggered a political crisis that spurred many to call for Australia to sever its constitutional ties with Britain and create a republic with an Australian president. Suspicions of a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency conspiracy persist.

Hocking, a Monash University academic and Whitlam biographer, said she expected to read the 211 letters at the National Archives of Australia in Canberra next week when a coronavirus lockdown is lifted.

She described as absurd that communications between such key officials in the Australian system of government could be regarded as personal and confidential.

That they could be seen as personal is quite frankly an insult to all our intelligence collectively  theyre not talking about the racing and the corgis, Hocking told The Associated Press, referring to the queens interest in horse racing and the dog breed.

It was not only the fact that they were described quite bizarrely as personal, but also that they were under an embargo set at the whim of the queen, she added.

Archives director David Fricker later said staff had begun assessing whether there was any information in the letters that should still be withheld. The archives have 90 business days  or more than four months  to do so.

Kerr dismissed Whitlams reforming government and replaced him with opposition leader Malcolm Fraser as prime minister to resolve a month-old deadlock in Parliament. Frasers conservative coalition won an election weeks later.

The archives has held the correspondence, known as the Palace Letters, since 1978. As state records, they should have been made public 31 years after they were created.

Under an agreement struck between Buckingham Palace and Government House, the governor-generals official residence, months before Kerr resigned in 1978, the letters covering three tumultuous years of Australian politics were to remain secret until 2027. The private secretaries of both the sovereign and the governor-general in 2027 still could veto their release indefinitely under that agreement.

A Federal Court judge accepted the archives argument that the letters were personal and confidential. An appeals court upheld that ruling in a 2-1 decision.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement that the High Court decision was a legal matter in the Australian courts and we would not comment.

Dickie Arbiter, the queens spokesman for 12 years until 2000, said the letters should not be made public in her lifetime.

I would have thought that the right time for the release of these documents is on the demise of the crown, Arbiter told Nine Network television.

Hocking has been fighting since 2016 to access the letters written by Kerr to the queen through her then private secretary, Martin Charteris.

The British royal family is renowned for being protective of its privacy and keeping conversations confidential.

The family went to considerable lengths to conceal letters written by the queens son and heir, Prince Charles, in a comparable case in Britain that was fought through the courts for five years.

Britains Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that 27 memos written by Charles to British government ministers could be made public despite objections that their publication might damage public perceptions of the future kings political neutrality.

Years of dogged research by journalists and historians have pieced together answers to many of the questions surrounding how and why Whitlams government was dismissed and who was behind it.

Kerr, who died in 1991, rejected in his memoirs media speculation that the CIA ordered Whitlams dismissal over fears that his government would close the top secret U.S. intelligence facility that still exists at Pine Gap in the Australian Outback.

In the 1985 Hollywood spy drama The Falcon and the Snowman, a CIA plot to oust Whitlam motivated a disillusioned civilian defence contractor played by Sean Penn to sell U.S. security secrets to the Soviet Union.

Australian rock band Midnight Oil also blamed Uncle Sam for Whitlams downfall in the lyrics of its protest song Power and the Passion.

The Australian Republic Movement, which campaigns for an Australian president to replace the British monarch as head of state, welcomed the ruling as a win for Australian sovereignty.

These letters provide a crucial historical context around one of the most destabilizing and controversial chapters in Australian political history, the movements Chair Peter FitzSimons said.

Philip Benwell, national chairman of the Australian Monarchist League and a vocal advocate of the British monarch remaining Australias head of state, had warned before the High Court decision that releasing the letters would create a constitutional crisis if the queens personal opinions became known.

He said after the ruling that the letters exposure will strengthen Australias ties to the monarchy.

It will show that the queen had done everything that she could to protect the peoples interests, Benwell said.
Nepal has delayed a discussion in Parliament to amend the Constitution for updating the country's map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura under its territory as Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has decided to seek national consensus on the issue amidst a border dispute with India, parliamentary sources said on Wednesday.

The Constitution amendment proposal was to be tabled in Parliament on Tuesday but it could not be done after Oli said that he wanted to hold an all-party meeting to discuss the matter.

Amidst rising tensions, Oli is seeking other parties' views on the issue and called the all-party meeting to forge national consensus before moving the Constitution amendment proposal forward, the sources said.

The government had registered the amendment proposal in Parliament on May 22 after releasing the new political map of Nepal depicting Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limipiyadhura as its territories on May 18.

Reacting to Nepal's move, India on Wednesday bluntly asked it not to resort to any "artificial enlargement" of its territorial claim after the neighbouring country came up with a new political map showing Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani as its territory.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the revised map of Nepal included parts of the Indian territory and asked Kathmandu to refrain from such "unjustified cartographic assertion".

India's angry reaction came hours after the Nepal government released the revised political and administrative map, laying claim over the strategically key areas along the border between the two countries.

According to Nepal's law, a constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote.

As per the business schedule made public on Tuesday, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shivamaya Tumbahangphe was supposed to table the bill for discussion at Parliament on Wednesday but at the request of the Oli-led government, the discussion was removed from the business schedule at the last minute, the sources said.

The ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) commands a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, but it needs support from other parties to get the Constitution amendment proposal through the Lower House, as it falls short of around 10 seats.

Ganesh Shah, the ruling NCP's standing committee member, said that the government has decided to hold the discussion on Constitution amendment for the time being as per the request of the main Opposition Nepali Congress (NC) and Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP), a key Madhesi party.

The NC sought some time as the matter should be discussed in its Central Committee Meeting, before being brought to Parliament for discussion.

The SJP has demanded that their long-standing issues relating to the re-demarcation of the provinces and citizenship should also be incorporated while amending the Constitution amendment.

During the all-party meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Oli sought support from the top leaders on the Constitution amendment bill that recognises Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura as the Nepali territory.

Ruling party chairs Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal urged the leaders not to mix the agenda of national territory with their political demands, The Kathmandu Post reported.

The ties between the two countries came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-KM-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.

Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through the Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.

Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali earlier this month summoned Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra and handed over a diplomatic note to protest against India inaugurating the key road.

The Lipulekh pass is a far western point near Kalapani, a disputed border area between Nepal and India. Both India and Nepal claim Kalapani as an integral part of their territory -- India as part of Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district and Nepal as part of Dharchula district.
By ANI

RANCHI: The Jharkhand government will airlift 60 stranded migrant workers from Batalik in Leh on Friday, officials from the Chief Minister's office said. These migrant labourers were working on a Border Road Organisation (BRO) project in the area.

According to the officials, the workers will be airlifted by a SpiceJet flight departing at noon today from Leh.

The migrant workers will arrive in Delhi at around 2 pm and will be flown out by an Indigo flight departing Delhi at 6 pm and reaching Ranchi 8 pm, the officials said. Upon arrival in Ranchi, the workers are most likely to be received by Chief Minister Hemant Soren at the airport.

Concerned officials of Ladakh administration and the BRO are actively supporting the effort and all 60 migrant workers have been checked, thermal screened and transported by BRO to Leh and are in a transit camp.

The Jharkhand Chief Secretary had, on May 12, written a letter to the Union Home Secretary seeking permission to allow the State government to airlift stranded workers of Jharkhand from Andamans, Ladakh and the North-eastern states at its own expense.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren had also personally written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the issue. However, officials said that no response was received from the Central government.

Soren has said that two flights are being operationalised to get back around 320 workers from Andamans soon as well.

Migrant workers had May 10 reached out to the Chief Minister on Twitter seeking assistance for their return, following which Soren had urged Ladakh administration to provide assistance.

After the resumption of commercial air operations, Soren on May 26 personally entrusted a small team to work out all operational possibilities to ensure the safe return of 60 migrants from Dumka district stuck in Gorgodoh Village, Batalik in Kargil district, Leh.

Officials said that around 3.5 to 4 lakh of the approximate 7.5 lakh registered migrant workers have already returned to the state and further efforts are being made to ensure that no one is left behind.
It was a volatile Friday on D-Street, as both the benchmark indices bounced back from their intraday lows in the second half of the trading session to end the week on a positive note.

The S&P BSE Sensex rose 223 points to 32,424 while the Nifty50 rose 90 points to close at 9,580.

Despite muted trend seen in global peers, Indian markets bucked the trend to close in the green for the third straight day ahead of the March quarter GDP data.

The median forecast from a Reuters poll of economists put annual economic growth at 2.1 percent in the March quarter, around half of the 4.7 percent clocked in the previous quarter.

"Markets have closed on a positive note, after a volatile day of trade, in anticipation of GDP data due out later today. Global cues also were negative, following heightened US-China diplomatic issues, which offset stimulus news and economies opening up," Vinod Nair- Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services said.

"GDP is expected to slow down rapidly in the March quarter and markets will be looking at the associated commentary to understand the course of recovery."

The Nifty rose 6 percent while the Sensex gained 5.7 percent to post their biggest weekly gains since April 6.

Sectorally, the action was seen in realty, oil & gas, FMCG, public sector, and capital goods while selling pressure was visible in IT, telecom, consumer, and power indices.

The broader markets outperformed the benchmarks indices. The S&P BSE Midcap index was up more than 2 percent while the S&P BSE Smallcap index rose more than 1 percent.

Top Nifty gainers included BPCL, Coal India, ONGC, Wipro, and IOC.

Top Nifty losers included Bharti Airtel, Infosys, and Adani Ports which fell more than 2 percent each.

Sectorally, the S&P BSE Realty index gained 4.5 percent, followed by the S&P BSE Oil & Gas index rose 3.4 percent, and the S&P BSE FMCG index gained 2.8 percent.

Selling pressure was seen in IT, which fell 1 percent, followed by the S&P BSE Telecom index fell 0.7 percent, and the S&P BSE Consumer Durables index was down 0.4 percent.

Volume spike was seen in stocks like Wipro, Torrent Pharma, Tata Consumer, Idea Cellular and SBI life.

Long Buildup was seen in stocks like IGL, SBI Life, M&M Financials and JustDial.

Short Buildup was seen in stocks like Tata Consumer, Torrent Pharma, Ashok Leyland and MindTree.

Stocks in news

Vodafone Idea | The share declined 20 percent from the day's high after the company clarified there was no proposal to sell a stake to Google, as was being reported in media.

Wipro | The share price jumped 6 percent after the company appointed Thierry Delaporte as CEO & Managing Director of the company effective July 6, 2020.

Sun Pharma | Sun Pharmaceutical Industries rose almost 4 percent after receiving getting the go-ahead from the Indian drug regulator for clinical trial of a possible COVID-19 drug.

Rain Industries | The share price was up over 3 percent after the company reported a 54.8 percent rise in net profit at Rs 106.52 crore in the quarter ended March 2020 as against Rs 68.81 crore in the same period the previous year.

IDFC First Bank | The stock soared 9 percent after Brickwork Ratings reaffirmed a BWR AA+ rating with a stable outlook for the bank's long-term bank facilities and non-convertible debentures.

Technical View

The Nifty50 records a bullish candle on the weekly charts.

It closed decisively closed above its near term hurdle of 55-Day EMA placed at 9,518. The daily MACD generated a fresh buy signal following the price action on May 29.

If the Nifty50 trades above 9,400, the momentum could well continue till 9,889, say experts.

But, considering the 600-point gain in the last three sessions, some profit booking cant be ruled out in the next session, said Mazhar Mohammad, Chief Strategist  Technical Research & Trading Advisory, Chartviewindia.in.

On the downsides, the initial support can be expected close to 9,376 levels and breach of this can lead to further corrective and consolidation phase in the 9,3009,100 zone, he said.

Traders should go for fresh buying on a dip close to the 9,400 level, with a stop below 9,370 on the closing basis, he said.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault speaks during a news conference at the legislature in Quebec City on May 28, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)

Quebec Hopes Military Can Stay Longer as Province Plans to Recruit More Long-Term Care Orderlies From Abroad

Quebec is asking for the military to remain stationed in the provinces long-term care facilities until September to help battle the COVID-19 pandemic while the government launches a recruitment campaign for more orderlies from abroad.

The situation remains fragile in senior homes; we need a lot more trained workers, said Premier Francois Legault during the daily press briefing on May 28.

To support the provinces struggling health-care system, Legault is asking roughly 1,000 members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) deployed to Quebec to remain helping out in the provinces long-term care centres until Sept. 15.

On May 26, the CAF released a report on the conditions of long-term care centres in Quebec. The 60-page report offers a detailed observation of 25 care centres and revealed three critical problems in combating the coronavirus: staffing shortages, the improper usage of personal protective equipment, and the establishing and management of cold and hot zones.

Legault has proposed launching a large-scale recruitment campaign to have 10,000 more workers to be trained as orderlies. The new recruits would begin training as early as mid-June.

Quebecs Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette also announced on Thursday that the province will first hire 550 orderlies from abroad as a pilot project. Jolin-Barrette said detailed information about the pilot program will be released in the coming weeks.

Nurses and other health-care workers held demonstrations across Quebec on May 27 to protest against the overwhelming working conditions and the lack of vacations. Quebec Nurses Federation president Nancy Bedard expressed concerns that health-care workers will not be rested enough to handle a potential second wave of the virus outbreak next fall.

Meanwhile, Ontario is having its own set of problems related to seniors homes. The CAFs report came on the heels of a report revealing the gut-wrenching situation of the long-term care homes in Ontario. Released on May 26, the report described the mistreatment of senior residents in five facilities where CAF members were dispatched.

As part of lifting restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 in Quebec, Minister for Justice Sonia LeBel announced at the Thursday briefing that courthouses will reopen as early as June 1. She said the health crisis created good opportunities for the digital transformation of the justice system, including the creation of 36 fully functioning virtual hearings rooms.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Mardika Parama, Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman and Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29 2020

The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has proposed a Rp 1.02 trillion (US$69 million) stimulus package to aid small-scale fishermen and aquaculture farmers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister Edhy Prabowo has said the stimulus will include social aid for fishermen, fish farmers and salt farmers as well as funds to strengthen surveillance efforts against poaching.

We will optimize the budget to help enable fishermen to continue fishing while also providing the farmers with seeds, broodstock and infrastructure, the minister said in an online press conference after attending a limited Cabinet meeting with President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Thursday.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Lockdown 4.0 is nearing its end on May 31. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country has reached 1,65,799 and death toll is now at 4706.

As lockdown 4.0 nears its completion on May 31, the chief minister of different states are in talks with Centre on the way forward. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday has urged the government of India to extend the lockdown for 15 more days. He said that the graph of COVID-19 is increasing and extending the lockdown for 15 more days is necessary. But, he also weighed in favour of giving some relaxations, including the re-opening of restaurants with 50 percent capacity. Some people have also requested for the resumption of gyms, he added.

Pramod Sawant stated that they are waiting for revised guidelines by Ministry of Home Affairs and if the state gets relaxations, it will be implemented in Goa accordingly.

Earlier on Friday, Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel revealed that he has requested the Centre to not open state borders for now. He stated that states should be consulted on the resumption of railways and air services amid coronavirus lockdown. Moreover, the centre should ease the borrowing limit of states from 3 percent to GSDP to 3 percent under Rs 20 lakh crore economic package, announced by PM Modi.

Also Read: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urges Centre to clarify India-China border situation, says silence is fueling massive speculation amid crisis

Also Read: US President Donald Trump says he is liked more in India than his own country

Lockdown must be extended for 15 more days, it is needed, as the graph of #COVID19 is rising: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant https://t.co/b2hmy2Zn0t  ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2020

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel reiterated in talks held with HM Amit Shah where he sought views from CMs on lockdown,that borders of state shouldn't be opened,requested to consider views of CMs on train/flight service&ease borrowing condition for states under economic package:CMO pic.twitter.com/axHDZJNawS  ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2020

The suggestions have come in after Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the chief ministers of different states to send in their recommendations on lockdown extension. India recorded the highest ever spike of 7,466 cases and 175 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 1,65,799 cases, including 89,987 active cases, 71,105 cured/discharged/migrated and 4706 deaths.

Also Read: K Chandrashekhar Raos govt taking all measures to stop locust fear in Telangana

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
U.S. Ending Sanctions Waivers On Iran's Civilian Nuclear Program

By RFE/RL May 28, 2020

The United States has announced it will end sanctions waivers that allow Russian, Chinese, and European firms to carry out civilian nuclear cooperation with Iran, effectively scrapping the last remnants of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, a move dismissed by Tehran as "desperate."

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on May 27 that Iran's continued "nuclear brinkmanship" by breaching some of its nuclear commitments did not justify renewing the waivers.

"The regime's nuclear extortion will lead to increased pressure on Iran and further isolate the regime from the international community," he said.

Nonproliferation experts say that the waivers give international experts a valuable eye into Tehran's nuclear activities and that its scientific research is for legitimate civilian purposes, such as medicine.

In response, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said on May 28 that the United States had made the move in a bid "to distract public opinion from its continued defeats at the hands of Iran."

The U.S. move may also further ratchet up tensions with other signatories to the Iran nuclear deal who have tried to salvage it -- Russia, China, France, Germany, and Britain -- at a time when Washington is seeking their cooperation to extend a UN arms embargo on Iran.

"Ending waivers for nuclear cooperation with Iran...has effectively no impact on Iran's continued work" on what the Islamic republic insists is a purely civilian nuclear energy program, the spokesman of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Behruz Kamalvandi, added in a statement published on the agency's website.

U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. In response, Iran has breached several provisions of the JCPOA at the fringes, saying that it can reverse them if other parties to the deal come back into compliance.

"Ending the waivers puts the remaining parties to the deal in a tough spot -- proceeding with the projects risks U.S. sanctions, but halting work puts them in violation of their obligations under the nuclear deal and gives Iran further justification to violate the accord or withdraw from it all together," Kelsey Davenport, the director for nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association, told RFE/RL.

The end of the "civilian-nuclear cooperation" waivers applies to international work at Iran's Arak heavy-water research reactor, the provision of enriched uranium for the Tehran Research Reactor, and the transfer abroad of spent and scrap reactor fuel. Companies involved at these facilities now have a 60-day wind-down period to cease operations or face sanctions.

However, Kamalvandi said ending the waivers would not impact Iran's continued work on the Arak reactor and "other equipment" by Iranian experts.

The Trump administration also provided a 90-day extension for the waiver covering international activity at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant to ensure safety of operations.

The international civilian cooperation parts of the JCPOA were designed to make Iran's nuclear program more transparent and less capable of producing weapons.

Iran hawks in Congress and the Trump administration say the civilian nuclear waivers allow Iran access to technology that could be used for nuclear weapons. But in extending the waivers in the past, the Trump administration implicitly recognized the nonproliferation benefits of the civilian projects.

Brian Hook, the U.S. special representative for Iran, told reporters the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" policy has constrained Iran.

"Iran's leaders are facing a decision: either negotiate with us or manage economic collapse," he said.

But critics of the Trump administration say that its policy of "maximum pressure" has failed to convince Iran to negotiate a "better deal." Instead, the strategy is to completely eliminate the nuclear accord, making it harder for other signatories or a future president to save the JCPOA.

"It is clear that this is a political decision by an administration bent on killing the nuclear deal, irrespective of the consequences," Davenport said. "Trump's action shows a blatant disregard for the security concerns of U.S. allies and partners and further undermines U.S. credibility."

With reporting by AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/ a/iran-nuclear-us-pompeo- sanctions/30638361.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






A CNN reporting team was arrested live on television early Friday while covering the protests in Minneapolis, an extraordinary interference with freedom of the press that drew outrage from First Amendment advocates and a public apology from Minnesotas governor.

The CNN crew, led by the correspondent Omar Jimenez, was released by the police in Minneapolis after spending about an hour in custody. In the moments before the 5 a.m. arrest, Mr. Jimenez could be heard calmly identifying himself as a reporter and offering to move to wherever he and his team were directed.

Put us back where you want us, we are getting out of your way, just let us know, Mr. Jimenez told the police officers, who were outfitted in riot gear, as the network broadcast the exchange in real-time. Wherever youd want us, we will go.

Instead, he and his team  Bill Kirkos, a producer, and Leonel Mendez, a camera operator  had their hands bound behind their backs. Their camera was placed on the ground, still rolling; CNN anchors watching from New York sounded stunned as they reported on their colleagues arrests.
Even amid a global pandemic, the people behind JDE Peets, managed to raise $2.5 billion and take the company public on the Euronext Amsterdamall in just 10 days. It was Europes largest IPO since 2018.

Shares of JDE Peets surged 14% in their debut on Friday in Europe. The company, resulting from the merger of Jacobs Douwe Egberts and Peets last December, is the worlds No. 2 coffee player, with a portfolio that includes Jacobs Coffee, Douwe Egberts, Peets, LOR, Senseo, Tassimo, Pickwick and more.

Fabien Simon of the coffee company JDE Peet's beats the gong of Euronext in Amsterdam on May 29, 2020, as the parent company of Douwe Egberts, among others, goes public on the Amsterdam stock exchange. (Photo by Jeroen JUMELET / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT / Amsterdam,ANP JEROEN JUMELET,eco,NL,Fabien Simon of coffee company JDE Peet's beats the gong of Euronext Amsterdam on Friday 29 May. The parent company of Douwe Egberts, among others, is going public on the Amsterdam stock exchange. ANP JEROEN JUMELET,Parent company Douwe Egberts to Amsterdam stock exchange netherlands out - belgium out (Photo by JEROEN JUMELET/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

But most consumers still know very little about JAB Holding, the investment firm that pulled off the Peets IPO, or the family behind it: the Reimanns of Germany. Many coffee lovers are likely not even aware that one company is the owner or majority owner of Peets, Panera, Krispy Kreme, Dr. Pepper Snapple, Keurig Green Mountain, Caribou Coffee, Mighty Leaf, Stumptown, Intelligentsia, Espresso House, Baresso, Au Bon Pain, Brueggers Bagels, and Einstein Bros. Bagels.

JAB has spent more than $50 billion since 2014 to gobble up coffee, breakfast, and cosmetics names, and has quietly made itself the largest competitor to Starbucks.

JAB is family owned, privately held, and has roots dating back more than 100 years. The four primary owners of JAB are descendants of German chemist Ludwig Reimann, who in the 1800s married the daughter of his business partner, Johann Adam Benckiser. JAB, formed in 2011, gets its name from Benckisers initials.

The family is extremely private and does not do press, though one year ago the company did have to publicly comment on a Bild report about the Reimann familys ties to the Third Reich. The family acknowledged the facts of the Bild report, and a spokesperson said last year: Its all correct. The family was absolutely ashamed. After the report, the Reimann family said it would donate 10 million euros to a charity and hire a historian to investigate their ancestry in detail for a public report.

JAB will remain the majority shareholder in now-public JDE Peets, and is the majority shareholder in publicly traded Keurig Dr Pepper.

Story continues

In many ways, JAB bears similarities to Anheuser-Busch InBev: a massive conglomerate formed through a long series of voracious M&A.

In 2004, Belgian brewer Interbrew (a combination of Belgian and Canadian brewers, formed in 1988) merged with Brazilian brewer AmBev (a combination of Brazilian and Argentinian brewers, formed in 1999) to form InBev. In 2008, Belgian brewer InBev bought St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch to form Anheuser-Busch InBev. In 2012, AB InBev acquired Grupo Modelo, and in 2016, AB InBev bought SABMiller.

JABin a much shorter timehas gone on a similar spending run: It bought Peets in 2012 for $975 million (and got Stumptown and Intelligentsia along with it), Einstein in 2014 for $375 million, Keurig Green Mountain for $14 billion and Krispy Kreme for $1.35 billion in 2016, Panera for $7.5 billion in 2017, and bought Dr. Pepper Snapple through Keurig Green Mountain in 2018.

And JAB isnt done: now its pushing into pet care (but not pet food), beginning with buying Compassion First Pet Hospitals for $1.2 billion last year.



Daniel Roberts is an editor-at-large at Yahoo Finance and often covers the beverage business. Follow him on Twitter at @readDanwrite.

Bud Light wins appeal, can once again advertise that Miller Lite brews with corn syrup

Non-alcoholic beer is having a moment

Dunkin exec: We are not Starbucks, we are not political

The German family that owns Krispy Kreme and Panera is reckoning with its Nazi past
Harrowing footage shows sick people collapsing in streets across Iran, amid allegations that the country's coronavirus pandemic started in the Chinese embassy in Tehran three weeks before its first official case was announced.

In one of the clips, a man slumps on the kerb in Zahedan, southeast Iran, coughing and clearly in severe pain. In another, a woman lies face-down on the floor of a Metro station while bystanders give her a wide berth.

It comes as distrust grows over the Iranian government's alleged cover-up of the pandemic, with fears that the death toll may be five times as high as reported.

Ambulance records handed to MailOnline show that three Iranian employees of the Chinese embassy in Tehran were hospitalised with suspected covid-19 symptoms on January 28.

It wasn't until three weeks later, on February 19, that Iran's first covid patient, a merchant, was officially identified in Qom, about 100 miles south of Tehran.

Activists accused the Iranian leadership of hushing up the earlier cases, in order not to embarrass the Chinese. Tehran relies heavily on Chinese support as US sanctions continue to bite, they said.

But an Iranian government spokesman hit back, claiming that the embassy workers, who had high fevers and severe coughs, did not have coronavirus. They have since been discharged from hospital.

One of the ambulance service documents showing that an employee of the Chinese embassy in Tehran was taken to hospital with covid-19 on January 28

An unconscious man slumps by the side of the road in Khorasan Square, Tehran

A woman collapses on the floor of Shahid Mahallati Metro station in Tehran, left, while a man lies unconscious in the middle of the street in Tehran

A woman lies unconscious under a tree in Tabriz, northwestern Iran, with suspected covid-19

The leaked ambulance records were handed to MailOnline by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a network of anti-regime activists.

The controversial group made headlines in 2002 when it revealed key details of Tehrans nuclear programme. It has gone on to leak intelligence regularly, though this has not always been reliable.

The NCRI estimates that deaths from the virus in Iran exceed 43,800 across 320 towns. By contrast, the Iranian government claims that only 7,417 citizens have died from the virus so far.

According to the ambulance service records, or 115 forms, three Iranian employees of the Chinese embassy in Tehran were taken to hospital on January 28 with symptoms of covid-19.

The patients included a 37-year-old woman and two 33-year-old men, one of whom had recently visited China.

One of the first responders reports said: [The patient is] 33-years-old, with severe coughing, symptoms of cold.

He says he was in China for the past 12 days, and in the first three days after arriving in Tehran, he had high fever, diarrhoea, and severe coughing.

He says he works at the Chinese Embassy (in Tehran), and his colleagues have had symptoms of coronavirus. He is hospitalised.

Cemeteries in Qom and Arak which have been set aside for the burial of coronavirus victims

A suspected coronavirus victim lies on the floor in Tehran station after collapsing unwell

A man lies unconscious on the pavement while passers-by look on in Bushehr, Iran

A man collapses coughing in the street in Zahedan, Iran, amid suspicions he has covid-19

Other ambulance records show that a 33-year-old woman was rushed to hospital with symptoms of covid-19 on January 31, after leading a tour of Chinese nationals. She had fallen ill at Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran.

A spokesman for the Iranian government said: 'The patients seem to have left the hospital later, as it was proved that the cases were not coronavirus. There are no other records. Statements by patients at the admission stage, before tests, may not be used as proof for any disease.'

Iran has been at the centre of the coronavirus pandemic in the region. In reacting slowly to the threat, and failing to clamp down on air links with China, the leadership has been accused of prioritising its partnership with China over public health.

Disturbing videos show vast coronavirus cemeteries in Tehran, Qom and the western city of Arak, as well as footage of a covid-19 victim being hurriedly buried by uniformed men under cover of darkness.

Experts have accused Iran of a huge cover-up of the scale of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

David Patrikarakos, non-resident Fellow at the School of Iranian Studies at the University of St Andrews, told MailOnline:

Iran is incredibly reliant on China, especially since the re-imposition of US sanctions. So the regime would not do anything to embarrass the Chinese government.

Admitting that there was coronavirus within the Chinese embassy in January would have done just that, so it would be no surprise if Iran covered it up.

He added: Since the beginning of this crisis, Iran has been very reluctant to tell truth to its own citizens. That is because the regime has some culpability because it was so slow to respond.'

A man lies on the pavement in Sari, northern Iran, with a case of suspected covid-19

Several universities have modelled the true scale of the coronavirus pandemic in Iran. Experts at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) said that covid-19 deaths had reached 15,485 by the end of March, and would hit 58,000 in June.

Shahin Gobadi, an NCRI spokesman, said: The Iranian regime is engaged in a massive cover-up regarding the spread of the coronavirus.

They have been extremely under-reporting the death toll, because the staggering figures would demonstrate their incompetence, ineptitude, mismanagement, and negligence both in terms of disseminating the relevant information in a timely manner and in providing medical care and treatment to those in need of help.

The NCRI is connected to a group called the People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran, or the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK). It has a radical Marxist-Islamist background and its critics have called it 'cult-like'.

The group was placed on a terror list by Britain and the United States until the last decade, when it reformed its approach to appeal to European hearts and minds.

The Iranian leadership rejected all criticism from the dissidents, insisting that its handling of the crisis was transparent and responsible.

A spokesman said: 'There are lot of conspiracy theories around the source of covid-19, including some in Britain about 5G. It is unfortunate that some have engaged in blame game to advance certain political aims, when nations should work together to combat and eradicate such a vicious virus.

'Iran, as the hub of medical tourism in West Asia, benefits from the best health service in the region. Official figures by this service continue to be the most credible source for information about covid-19 in Iran.

'Iran and China have helped each other in the fight against the disease, despite the inhuman US sanctions on drugs and medicine. These continue despite global requests for its removal to help Iran's health service combat the virus more efficiently.'
WASHINGTON  President Trump vetoed a bipartisan resolution on Friday to overturn new regulations that significantly tighten access to federal student loan forgiveness, siding with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos over veterans organizations that say her rules will harm veterans bilked by unscrupulous for-profit colleges.

The veto will allow stringent rules for students seeking loan forgiveness to take effect on July 1. The rules toughen standards established under the Obama administration for student borrowers seeking to prove their colleges defrauded them and to have their federal loans erased. Even if some borrowers can show they were victims of unscrupulous universities, they could be denied relief unless they can prove their earnings have been adversely affected.

The resolution sought to reimpose an Obama-era regulation that defined educational fraud so broadly that it threatened to paralyze the nations system of higher education, Mr. Trump said in his veto statement. The Department of Educations rule strikes a better balance, protecting students rights to recover from schools that defraud them while foreclosing frivolous lawsuits. It was the presidents eighth veto.

The resolution put Mr. Trump in a difficult political position. The veto saves Ms. DeVos from an embarrassing rebuke by her boss, but it places the president at odds with dozens of veterans groups that helped persuade 10 Republican senators to vote to overturn a major domestic policy of the Trump administration. Veterans groups said the rule failed to protect military service members who have long been the targets of predatory tactics by colleges because of their lucrative G.I. benefits.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil futures rose about 2% on Thursday as a steady improvement in U.S. refining activity offset a surprise build in crude and diesel inventories and on worries that Chinas new Hong Kong security law could result in trade sanctions.

Brent for July rose 55 cents, or 1.6%, to settle at $35.29 a barrel on its second to last day as the front-month. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 90 cents, or 2.7%, to settle at $33.71.

That move in U.S. crude narrowed Brents premium over WTI to its lowest since mid-April.

U.S. crude inventories rose 7.9 million barrels last week, exceeding expectations, due to a big increase in imports from Saudi Arabia, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said.

The EIAs report, however, also showed refiners boosted output and gasoline stockpiles fell unexpectedly, while crude inventories at the U.S. Cushing storage hub in Oklahoma fell 3.4 million barrels. [EIA/S]

The market initially fell due to the big increase in crude stocks, but switched into positive territory when it saw the drawdown at the Cushing delivery point for WTI, said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York.

Oil prices have rebounded in recent weeks on anticipation of improved demand after the coronavirus pandemic sapped worldwide consumption by roughly 30%. Overall investment is dropping and U.S. production cuts are balancing out the supply glut, but demand still has not bounced back entirely.

Markets are also concerned Washington could slap trade sanctions on China due to Beijings move to impose a new security law on Hong Kong.

Uncertainty about Russias commitment to continuing deep output cuts kept the rally in check. Saudi Arabia and other OPEC producers are considering an extension of record output cuts until the end of 2020 but have yet to win support from Russia, according to OPEC+ and Russian industry sources.
Police murders of Black Americans, and the resulting protests, are once more at the forefront of the news cycle. The focus constitutes an important opportunity, but journalists who dont have a nuanced understanding of our countrys systemic, state-sponsored violence against Black people wrongly report the latest police crimes as a symptom of the Trump regime.

On this weeks Kicker, Danielle Belton, editor in chief of The Root, and Alexandria Neason, staff writer at CJR, speak with Kyle Pope, our editor and publisher, about the history of protest in America, how coverage of the latest murders ties in to the covid-19 pandemic, and why this is not just a story about Trumps attempts to incite violence.

SHOW NOTES

Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and covering Black deaths, Alexandria Neason, CJR

Injustice, Virality, and Mourning in Minneapolis: How the press is covering the death of George Floyd, Jon Allsop, CJR

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Amanda Darrach is a contributor to CJR and a visiting scholar at the University of St Andrews School of International Relations. Follow her on Twitter @thedarrach.
Sarah Cahill from Orlando, Florida, knows firsthand how music can heal people's souls. Sarah's mother Barbara has dementia and lives in an assisted living facility that has been on lockdown since the pandemic hit. One day, while visiting her mother outside the facility's front gates, she overheard the beautiful voice of a utility worker named Albert singing nearby. She asked him if he would sing for her mom, and he happily obliged and performed the gospel hymn "His Eye is on the Sparrow." Video of the performance has gone viral and Albert even returned a few days later to sing "Happy Birthday" for Barbara's 94th birthday.
President Donald Trump unleashed an executive order targeting social media companies like Twitter Inc. that have drawn his wrath of late -- a move that raised immediate doubts about its constitutionality and whether it would actually deliver its intended punch.

Yet, the order Thursday succeeded on another level for Trump. It shifted attention from his struggles responding to the coronavirus pandemic and a cratering U.S. economy. It also delivered a stark warning to the internet giants he has tussled with since taking office, while sending an encouraging message to his political base.

The move showed Trump using the power of his office to squeeze an industry over a political grievance, in this case his complaint that Twitter fact-checked his tweets about mail-in ballots. The order -- which could expose Twitter, Facebook Inc. and other technology giants to a flurry of lawsuits -- sparked broad condemnation from liberals and even some conservatives who accused the president of launching an unconstitutional assault on free speech.

Trump, who uses Twitter to bypass the mainstream media and communicate directly with his base, is stoking the fight just as his re-election in November is increasingly at risk over his handling of the pandemic, which has killed more than 100,000 people and forced millions out of work.

Fordham University law professor Olivier Sylvain called the order little more than bluster to please Trumps base, which is receptive to his claims that the social-media platforms censor right-wing viewpoints. Sylvain and other scholars said the measure is toothless, disjointed and unlikely to survive a court challenge.

These are editorial decisions that are in the heartland of what we think is protected speech, Sylvain said. Even threatening it from the White House, that should be deeply troubling to anybody.

The order, which is the result of a multi-year effort by Trump to rein in the internet platforms over his claims of anti-conservative bias, seeks to narrow liability protections that social media companies enjoy for posts by third parties. It specifically names Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Alphabet Inc.s YouTube for their power to shape public perceptions and raises the specter that the government is trying to punish decisions about content by the platforms that it disagrees with, which is banned by the free-speech protections in the First Amendment.

It also revives Trumps anti-Obama rhetoric, and he complained that: As recently as last week, Representative Adam Schiff was continuing to mislead his followers by peddling the long-disproved Russian Collusion Hoax, and Twitter did not flag those tweets.

Twitter shares fell 4.5% in New York trading, the most since April 30, while Facebook shares slipped 1.6%.

Liability protections for internet platforms are spelled out under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which allows the companies to display content thats controversial, offensive and libelous without fear of lawsuits. The law also protects companies from legal repercussions if they take down posts in good faith -- a term it leaves undefined -- because lawmakers wanted to limit objectionable content, including pornography.

The Little Law That Made the Internet a Free for All: QuickTake

The executive order takes aim at this second protection by pushing the Federal Communications Commission to issue rules defining bad faith. That could open the door for lawsuits if the decisions to take down content were inconsistent with companies terms of service, didnt provide enough notice or meet other criteria laid out by the FCC.

The order also pushes the FCC to examine whether companies should still enjoy a legal shield when they leave users controversial content on display.

Trump, who routinely courts and promotes conservative provocateurs online, has repeatedly charged that the social media platforms silence right-wing ideas and has suggested that the federal government should intervene to protect free speech.

In a country that has long cherished the freedom of expression, we cannot allow a limited number of online platforms to hand-pick the speech that Americans may access and convey on the Internet, the order stated.

This will be a Big Day for social media and FAIRNESS! Trump said in a tweet Thursday morning that has garnered more than 270,000 likes.

Trade groups representing technology platforms, civil liberties organizations and legal scholars slammed initial reports of the executive order, saying that it was unlikely to survive a court challenge and that punishing ideas that the administration dislikes is incompatible with the orders claims of protecting free speech.

The order would be a blatant and unconstitutional threat to punish social media companies that displease the president, said Kate Ruane, senior legislative counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is a frequent Trump critic. She said it was ironic that the president, a prolific Tweeter, would attempt to weaken the companys protections against the kind of controversial content he often spreads.

The president is trampling the first amendment by threatening the fundamental free-speech rights of social-media platforms, said Steve DelBianco, president of NetChoice, a conservative-allied trade association that counts Twitter and Facebook as members.

Denunciations by Democrats

The order sparked a chorus of criticisms from Democrats, including former Vice President Joe Biden, Trumps presumptive Democratic challenger, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, who helped write Section 230 when he served in the House in the 1990s.

Donald Trumps misinformation campaigns have left death and destruction in their wake, Wyden said in a statement. Hes clearly targeting Section 230 because it protects private businesses right not to have to play host to his lies.

Twitter and other social-media companies have apologized for occasional mistakes around taking down harmful or misleading content, but deny that they deliberately silence any political viewpoints. The platforms say they are focused on users who are threatening or spread harmful misinformation on issues such as voting or the coronavirus.

Yet some conservatives celebrated the executive order, saying the power of the internet giants must be reined in. Given the political and cultural influence that these multinational corporations wield, it is of utmost importance to defend free speech values, said Jon Schweppe, director of policy and government affairs of the Trump-allied American Principles Project, although he expressed some reservations about the orders deference to federal agencies.

The order directs the Commerce Department to ask the FCC for the rulemaking within 60 days. If the agency decides to take up the issue, it could still be months before it issues a final regulation. The FCC could decline to act because it isnt controlled by the Commerce Department. Any rules could also spark lawsuits from the companies, which they would likely win, according to Gautam Hans, a law professor at Vanderbilt University.

Andrew Jay Schwartzman, senior counselor at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, said the FCC has no authority to enforce Section 230 and called the directive preposterous, but at the same time, horrifying.

The FCC, which is independent from the White House and is overseen by Congress, regulates airwaves uses and telephone providers, and doesnt oversee internet companies. The order attempts to give the agency a role by having the Commerce Department request action.

This is about working the ref and intimidating Twitter, said Gigi Sohn, who served as counselor to former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, a Democrat.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai -- a Republican and Trump appointee -- has criticized Twitter for what he called a politically motivated approach to content.

This debate is an important one, Pai said in a statement Thursday, adding that his agency will carefully review any petition for rulemaking filed by the Department of Commerce.

FCC Commissioner Michael ORielly, a Republican, slammed the platforms in a tweet and said that he wasnt troubled by the White Houses seeking a review of the statutes application. But he added that the First Amendment governs much here.

Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement that an executive order that would turn the agency into the presidents speech police is not the answer to frustrations with social media. Its time for those in Washington to speak up for the First Amendment, she said.

The order also calls on the Federal Trade Commission, which has a consumer protection mandate, to take a closer look at whether companies misrepresent how they moderate content. It also convenes a working group of state attorneys general to look into similar practices, working with the Justice Department.

The FTC said in a statement that its committed to laws consistent with our jurisdictional authority and constitutional limitations.

The order would also initiate a review of all ad spending on the platforms by executive branch agencies with reports to the governments budget office and have the Justice Department determine if the platforms are problematic vehicles for government speech. The department should also propose legislation to change the law, under the order.
Vampire Diaries and Dare Me star Zach Roerig had a run in with police over Memorial Day Weekend that resulted in the actor being arrested and spending a messy night in jail.

According to TMZ, Roerig, 35, was pulled over on Sunday at around 2:30 AM in his hometown of Montpelier, Ohio, for not having a front license plate.

But when police approached the vehicle for questioning, they allegedly encountered a driver  Zach  with slurred speech and bloodshot eyes, and say he smelled strongly of liquor.

Donovan's misstep: Vampire Diaries star Zach Roerig had a run in with police over Memorial Day Weekend that resulted in the actor being arrested and spending a messy night in jail

TMZ's sources even go so far as to claim that when officers conducted a series field sobriety tests, Zach allegedly said, 'This is very hard, I can't do this when I'm f***ing... When I can't have a beer.'

The Rings actor was consequently arrested for misdemeanor DUI, and placed in a holding cell overnight.

Later, Roerig was released from custody on his own recognizance.

According to reports: Roerig was pulled over in Montpelier, Ohio, for not having a front license plate, but was then suspected of being under the influence; seen on Instagram

As of Friday, his arraignment is scheduled for next week, on June 4th.

And on Wednesday, just three days after his arrest, Roerig took to his Twitter for the first time in almost three years to announce a virtual Vampire Diaries reunion with some of his male cast mates, including Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley.

More recently than VD, Roerig appeared on the just-canceled USA teen cheerleading drama Dare Me.

Producers on that show, which is co-produced by Netflix, are reportedly shopping the it to other networks in an effort to give it a second life.

As of Friday: Zach's arraignment is scheduled for next week, on June 4th; seen here in Los Angeles in 2017

On the other side of the law: Just 3 days after his arrest, Roerig took to his Twitter for the first time in almost 3 years to announce a virtual Vampire Diaries reunion with some cast mates

For Roerig, meanwhile, this weekend's fumble is not his first time involved with the law.

In 2013, the father-of-one was awarded custody of his then two-year-old love child from her jailed mother Alanna Turner, who was serving time in federal prison after pleading guilty to 'various crimes,' according to TMZ.

The existence of his secret daughter emerged in July of that year, when the actor sued for child support  a claim he since dropped.

Seen in an episode of the recently canceled Dare Me: For Roerig, meanwhile, this weekend's fumble is not his first time involved with the law
Key oncology clinical studies with derazantinib and lisavanbulin remain on track

FDA approves protocol amendment for the phase 3 ERADICATE bacteremia study with ceftobiprole to include a broader spectrum of severely ill patients

No negative COVID-19 impact expected on global prescriptions of Cresemba  and Zevtera 

Early R&D portfolio prioritization

Basel, Switzerland, May 28, 2020

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. (SIX: BSLN) provided a general corporate update today. The company does not expect a material impact on the timelines of ongoing or planned oncology studies with the FGFR kinase inhibitor derazantinib and the planned phase 2a biomarker driven study with its tumor checkpoint controller, lisavanbulin, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The impact on the ongoing ceftobiprole phase 3 study remains limited, with patient enrolment timelines potentially extended by up to a quarter.

David Veitch, Chief Executive Officer of Basilea, said: We have assessed the potential impact of the coronavirus pandemic on our business based on the information available to date. We are pleased to report that we do not currently anticipate an impact on our key oncology clinical studies with our most advanced compounds derazantinib and lisavanbulin. As the global healthcare community is prioritizing measures against coronavirus infections, we expect a limited impact of up to a quarter on the timelines for our ceftobiprole phase 3 study. As previously reported, we have no indication from our commercial partners of any negative impact on global prescriptions for both Cresemba and Zevtera, our two marketed brands. The continued strong market demand is also reflected in the 30 percent year-on-year growth in U.S. Cresemba sales as reported by our license partner Astellas, mid-May, with sales of 155 million U.S. dollars for the period April 2019 to March 2020.

For Basileas antibiotic ceftobiprole, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved a protocol amendment for the phase 3 study ERADICATE, to progress the study to the pre-planned second cohort and extend the maximum treatment duration from four to up to six weeks. ERADICATE explores intravenous ceftobiprole for the treatment of patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB), a type of bacterial bloodstream infection, in comparison to intravenous daptomycin, with or without intravenous aztreonam.1, 2 The overall target patient enrolment number in the study remains unchanged.

Story continues

Dr. Marc Engelhardt, Chief Medical Officer of Basilea, said: We are very satisfied that the study progresses as planned to its next stage. The possibility for an extended treatment duration is important as it enables us now to expand enrolment to patients with more difficult-to-treat infections, including those with complications such as osteomyelitis and epidural or cerebral abscess.

In its continued effort to optimize resource allocation across its portfolio, Basilea has taken several decisions with respect to its earlier stage R&D portfolio. Basilea has prioritized two potential first-in-class oncology programs, these are expected to potentially enter pre-clinical, IND-enabling studies in the next 12 months. At the same time, it will discontinue the development of the panRAF/SRC kinase inhibitor BAL3833, which was developed by scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London, funded by Cancer Research UK and the Wellcome Trust, and in-licensed by Basilea in 2015. In 2018, a first-in-human phase 1 dose-escalation study of BAL3833 was completed by the ICR in conjunction with The Christie and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trusts and The Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute at The University of Manchester. Basilea had been conducting pre-clinical activities to explore alternative formulations of BAL3833. In addition, it has decided to discontinue one other, externally sourced, pre-clinical oncology project.

About derazantinib

Derazantinib is an investigational orally administered small-molecule FGFR kinase inhibitor with strong activity against FGFR1, 2, and 3.3 FGFR kinases are key drivers of cell proliferation, differentiation and migration. FGFR genetic aberrations, e.g. gene fusions, mutations or amplifications, have been identified as potentially important therapeutic targets for various cancers, including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), urothelial, breast, gastric and lung cancers.4 In these cancers, FGFR genetic aberrations are found in a range of 5% to 30%.5

Derazantinib also inhibits the colony-stimulating-factor-1-receptor kinase (CSF1R).3, 6 CSF1R-mediated signaling is important for the maintenance of tumor-promoting macrophages and therefore has been identified as a potential target for anti-cancer drugs.7 Pre-clinical data has shown that tumor macrophage depletion through CSF1R blockade renders tumors more responsive to T-cell checkpoint immunotherapy, including approaches targeting PD-L1/PD-1.8, 9

Derazantinib has demonstrated antitumor activity and a manageable safety profile in previous clinical studies, including a biomarker-driven phase 1/2 study in iCCA patients,10 and has received U.S. and EU orphan drug designation for iCCA. Basilea is currently conducting two clinical studies with derazantinib. The first study, FIDES-01, is a registrational phase 2 study in patients with inoperable or advanced iCCA. It comprises one cohort of patients with FGFR2 gene fusions and another cohort of patients with mutations or amplifications.11 The second study, FIDES-02, is a phase 1/2 study evaluating derazantinib alone and in combination with Roche's PD-L1-blocking immune-checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in patients with advanced urothelial cancer, including metastatic, or recurrent surgically unresectable disease, expressing FGFR genetic aberrations.12 Basilea in-licensed derazantinib from ArQule Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A.

About lisavanbulin (BAL101553)

Basilea's oncology drug candidate lisavanbulin,BAL101553, (the prodrug of BAL27862)13 is being developed as a potential therapy for diverse cancers.14, 15, 16 In pre-clinical studies, lisavanbulin demonstrated in-vitro and in-vivo activity against diverse treatment-resistant cancer models, including tumors refractory to conventional approved therapeutics and radiotherapy.17, 18, 19 Lisavanbulin efficiently distributes to the brain, with anticancer activity in glioblastoma models.20, 21, 22 In pre-clinical studies, end-binding protein 1 (EB1) was identified as a potential response-predictive biomarker in glioblastoma models.22 The active moiety BAL27862 binds to the colchicine site of tubulin, with distinct effects on microtubule organization,23 resulting in the activation of the "spindle assembly checkpoint" which promotes tumor cell death.24

About Basilea

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, focused on the development of products that address the medical challenges in the therapeutic areas of oncology and infectious diseases. With two commercialized drugs, the company is committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative pharmaceutical products to meet the medical needs of patients with serious and life-threatening conditions. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Additional information can be found at Basilea's website www.basilea.com.

Disclaimer

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements, such as "believe", "assume", "expect", "forecast", "project", "may", "could", "might", "will" or similar expressions concerning Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. and its business, including with respect to the progress, timing and completion of research, development and clinical studies for product candidates. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For further information, please contact:

Peer Nils Schroder, PhD



Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Phone +41 61 606 1102 E-mail media_relations@basilea.com

investor_relations@basilea.com

This press release can be downloaded from www.basilea.com.

References

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03138733. The ceftobiprole phase 3 program is funded in part (up to USD 128 million, which is approximately 70% of the total estimated program costs) with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under Contract No. HHSO100201600002C. K. Hamed, M. Engelhardt, M. E. Jones et al. Ceftobiprole versus daptomycin in Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: a novel protocol for a double-blind, Phase III trial. Future Microbiology 2020 (15), 35-48 T. G. Hall, Y. Yu, S. Eathiraj et al. Preclinical activity of ARQ 087, a novel inhibitor targeting FGFR dysregulation. PLoS ONE 2016, 11 (9), e0162594 R. Porta, R. Borea, A. Coelho et al. FGFR a promising druggable target in cancer: Molecular biology and new drugs. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology 2017 (113), 256-267 T. Helsten, S. Elkin, E. Arthur et al. The FGFR landscape in cancer: Analysis of 4,853 tumors by next-generation sequencing. Clinical Cancer Research 2016 (22), 259-267 P. McSheehy, F. Bachmann, N. Forster-Gross et al. Derazantinib (DZB): A dual FGFR/CSF1R-inhibitor active in PDX-models of urothelial cancer. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 2019 (18), 12 supplement, pp. LB-C12 M. A. Cannarile, M. Weisser, W. Jacob et al. Colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitors in cancer therapy. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 2017, 5:53 Y. Zhu, B. L. Knolhoff, M. A. Meyer et al. CSF1/CSF1R Blockade reprograms tumor-infiltrating macrophages and improves response to T cell checkpoint immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer models. Cancer Research 2014 (74), 5057-5069 E. Peranzoni, J. Lemoine, L. Vimeux et al. Macrophages impede CD8 T cells from reaching tumor cells and limit the efficacy of antiPD-1 treatment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America 2018 (115), E4041-E4050 V. Mazzaferro, B. F. El-Rayes, M. Droz dit Busset et al. Derazantinib (ARQ 087) in advanced or inoperable FGFR2 gene fusion-positive intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. British Journal of Cancer 2019 (120), 165-171. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01752920 ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03230318 ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04045613. Tecentriq is a registered trademark of Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. J. Pohlmann, F. Bachmann, A. Schmitt-Hoffmann et al. BAL101553: An optimized prodrug of the microtubule destabilizer BAL27862 with superior antitumor activity. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting 2011, abstract 1347; Cancer Research 2011, 71 (8 supplement) ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02490800 ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03250299 ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02895360 A. Sharmq, A. Broggini-Tenzer, V. Vuong et al. The novel microtubule targeting agent BAL101553 in combination with radiotherapy in treatment-refractory tumor models. Radiotherapy Oncology 2017 (124), 433-438 G. E. Duran, H. Lane, F. Bachmann et al. In vitro activity of the novel tubulin active agent BAL27862 in MDR1(+) and MDR1(-) human breast and ovarian cancer variants selected for resistance to taxanes. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting 2010, abstract 4412; Cancer Research 2010, 70 (8 supplement) F. Bachmann, K. Burger, G. E. Duran et al. BAL101553 (prodrug of BAL27862): A unique microtubule destabilizer active against drug refractory breast cancers alone and in combination with trastuzumab. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting 2014, abstract 831; Cancer Research 2014, 74 (19 supplement) A. Schmitt-Hoffmann, D. Klauer, K. Gebhardt et al. BAL27862: a unique microtubule-targeted agent with a potential for the treatment of human brain tumors. AACR-NCI-EORTC conference 2009, abstract C233; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 2009, 8 (12 supplement) A. C. Mladek, J. L. Pokorny, H. Lane et al. The novel tubulin-binding 'tumor checkpoint controller' BAL101553 has anti-cancer activity alone and in combination treatments across a panel of GBM patient-derived xenografts. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting 2016, abstract 4781; Cancer Research 2016, 76 (14 supplement) R. Berges, A. Tchoghandjian, S. Honore et al. The novel tubulin-binding checkpoint activator BAL101553 inhibits EB1-dependent migration and invasion and promotes differentiation of glioblastoma stem-like cells. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 2016 (15), 2740-2749 A. E. Prota, F. Danel, F. Bachmann et al. The novel microtubule-destabilizing drug BAL27862 binds to the colchicine site of tubulin with distinct effects on microtubule organization. Journal of Molecular Biology 2014 (426), 1848-1860 F. Bachmann, K. Burger, H. Lane. BAL101553 (prodrug of BAL27862): the spindle assembly checkpoint is required for anticancer activity. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting 2015, abstract 3789; Cancer Research 2015, 75 (15 supplement)

Attachments




Your Monday just got a little cuter.

The Toronto Zoo and the Toronto Star are celebrating the birth of #BabyLongLegs, the new Masai giraffe calf, with a livestream on thestar.com.

Born May 12 as part of the AZA Masai giraffe Species Survival Plan, a cooperative breeding program among accredited zoos, the Toronto Zoo says her birth is an important contribution to the genetically healthy Masai giraffe population.

Named Baby Long Legs and notably curious, the calf has spent her first three weeks learning to use her legs and getting her bearings in her new surroundings.

With the Toronto Star live cam, you can get an exclusive look inside her indoor habitat. Giraffe lovers can watch the calf as she explores her habitat, learns new things and spends quality time with her mom, Mstari.

The livestream starts Monday, June 1 and continues all week. Bookmark this page so you dont miss out.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw on Thursday night issued her first public statement on the death of a handcuffed black man in Minneapolis police custody and how it has impacted her personally as the first African American woman to lead the Philadelphia Police Department.

Likening the death of 46-year-old George Floyd to an inhumane act and an atrocity, Outlaw said that those who work in law enforcement "earnestly to serve all communities with fairness and sincerity" have grown weary of their efforts being "stained" by such episodes.

As a mother, I cannot relay enough the helplessness and sadness I feel when my sons, having been children of police officers their entire lives, relay to me that they fear for their lives because of the unjustified fear others have of them; solely due to their existence, said Outlaw, who took command of department in January and previously served as the head of police in Portland, Ore.

Throughout the nation, communities of color are tired of reliving atrocities such as this over and over again. They are sick and tired of being sick and tired, Outlaw said.

Floyd died Monday while being apprehended outside a Minneapolis convenience store after a report of a counterfeit bill being passed. A video of the arrest shows a white male officer kneeling on him with a knee on his neck while George pleads that he cant breathe. Four officers involved in the arrest were fired soon after the video went viral and sparked another national firestorm over racism and police misconduct.

Outlaw said she applauds the swift and certain response to this tragedy by Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arrandondo.

He has sent a clear message that this type of conduct, including by those who turn a blind eye, will not be tolerated in his ranks. I share Chief Arradondos sentiments, and will continue to work with all of our partner stakeholders to ensure that we are policing with fairness, transparency, and dignity for all communities, Outlaw said.
A sustainable shopping service that donates a proportion of sales to community projects has switched to home deliveries during lockdown.

The Society Company allows subscribers to buy sustainably sourced and packaged goods online while making a contribution to their local community.

Members pay a monthly fee for a delivery every four weeks of goods such as cupboard staples  including coffee, pasta and dried fruit  toiletries and cleaning products.

Subscriptions start at 25 for 14 items of your choice and drop to 20 if you pay for a year in advance.

To help reduce emissions, orders are usually delivered for collection from a community organisation  such as a school, a charity shop or a library  which customers would already be visiting.

Fifteen per cent of the cost of the order is then donated to that organisation.

The scheme was piloted in two London primary schools, Rokesly in Crouch End and St Stephens in Shepherds Bush, with hundreds of pounds raised within weeks.

Having proved the concept, founders Seb Ross and Rich Woods secured six-figure investment from various sources.

The company was in the process of expanding to other areas and organisations before the pandemic hit.

As lockdown measures closed most community venues, the pair decided to roll out the scheme for home delivery.

Now subscriptions with The Society Company can be delivered to any household in the W12, N8 and N10 postcodes.

Previously, only people associated with the two pilot schools, such as parents or staff, could use the scheme.

Money raised through customers who are not associated with either of the pilot schools will be put into a fund and given to community projects that join the scheme following lockdown.

Having outgrown the shared workspace in London Fields where they started the company, they moved into a big new space in Tottenham during the pandemic.

They are now ready to extend the service  to the first 50 community organisations in London which get 50 people to sign up on The Society Companys website.

Mr Woods said they wanted to expand so that people who were committed to living sustainably and to giving to their community could do so despite the pandemic.

Mr Ross added: We think this is a really smart way for communities to raise funds with minimal effort while their usual fundraising activities are either impossible or severely affected by the outbreak.

For more details, visit weareso.co
United States President Donald Trump on Friday announced he was terminating the countrys ties with the World Health Organization (WHO) for its failure to carry out reforms and said the annual contribution of $450 million will be diverted to other bodies around the world.

The President also said that United States will end special status for Hong Kong and treat it on par with Mainland China and prevent certain students from China from enrolling in US universities and colleges. This statement of the Trump comes after China imposed a controversial national security law on Hong Kong that many critics have said will pose restrictions on Hong Kongs freedom.

Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and will be redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent public health needs, Trump said at news briefing.

Trump had sent a list of reforms that United States wanted the world body to carry out with the three of permanently freezing its contribution and terminating its membership, chiefly, end its dependence on China.

The only way forward for the organization is if it can actually demonstrate independence from China . he had written in a four-page letter to WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus last week. He had given the world body 30 days to respond.

The United States has exited a number of world bodies and multilateral pacts on President Trumps watch, starting with the Trans-Pacific Partnership in January 2017, the month when he took office. This was followed by departures from the Paris Accord on climate change (2017), UNESCO (2017), Iran deal (2018) and UNHCR (2018). And the president has grumbled about US contributions to NATO and the United Nations and now with the World Health Organization.
President Trump has long boasted of his friendship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Above, they walk together after meetings at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

Under political pressure to take a hard line against China for its crackdown on Hong Kong, President Trump instead is planning to impose relatively mild new sanctions on visas and Chinese access to the global financial system.

The president wants to cool the growing confrontation between the worlds two most economically powerful nations, in part to salvage their trade deal and his personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to some supporters, including Stephen K. Bannon, the former senior White House strategist. But to a large extent, the moderate response reflects just how little leverage the United States has over China.

Beijing holds all of the cards in this dispute and has made it quite clear that it is willing to take actions that will harm the well-being of Hong Kong in order to protect national security as the Chinese Communist Party defines it, said Robert Daly, a China-U.S. relations expert at the Wilson Center.

That is the fundamental decision that has already been taken. And because Hong Kong is fully a part of the PRC, theres not much the United States can do to change its mind, he said, using the abbreviation for the People's Republic of China.

This week, Trump vowed to respond very powerfully to what's widely regarded as Beijing's significant abridgment of Hong Kong's autonomy and personal freedom, which is greater than what exists on the mainland. But such action would also probably cause considerable financial harm to the Hong Kong economy and its people.

"The U.S. will do what we can and thread that needle as best we can," said David Stilwell, assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific affairs.

Trump could have chosen to strike a more powerful blow, as some of his more nationalistic supporters urged: curtailing the special financial and trade privileges that Hong Kong enjoys in the global marketplace, with support from the United States. Those privileges have been extremely valuable to Beijing, providing it with financial benefits that China would not enjoy as a more closed and less-transparent economy.

Story continues

Trump's decision to avoid tougher action was seen as shaped in part by election-year politics. Even as the president's campaign is depicting his Democratic rival Joe Biden as soft on China, Trump is eager to protect the new trade deal in which China has promised to buy huge quantities of U.S. products, especially from struggling American farmers who have been among his strongest supporters.

A harsher U.S. response would probably lead Beijing to cancel the deal. Even before this showdown, many analysts considered that China was unlikely to live up to its trade commitments.

As expected, Chinas rubber-stamp parliament on Thursday approved legislation expanding the central governments power to crack down on protests and other activities in Hong Kong.

A day earlier, anticipating the Chinese parliaments action, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo told Congress that Hong Kong was no longer sufficiently autonomous from China  a statement seen as a precursor to U.S. sanctions.

No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground, Pompeo said.

This decision gives me no pleasure, he added. But sound policymaking requires a recognition of reality. While the United States once hoped that free and prosperous Hong Kong would provide a model for authoritarian China, it is now clear that China is modeling Hong Kong after itself.

That signaled a major shift in U.S. policy and cleared the way for Trump to end some or all of the economic and trade preferences accorded Hong Kong after Britains handover of the territory to China in 1997.

In the agreement under which Britain surrendered its colonial control over Hong Kong, Beijing agreed to permit an independent judiciary, press freedoms and other civil liberties for 50 years. Until the colonial era, Hong Kong had always been considered a part of China.

The presidents trying to do a graduated response, said Bannon, who has been a sharp critic of the Chinese Communist Party leadership.

I dont think thats correct, but hes getting pressure from a lot of different parties. And he believes strongly hes got a relationship with Xi, Bannon said, referring to Trumps claims of friendship with Chinas authoritarian leader.

Protests over its encroachment on Hong Kong's special freedoms have apparently stiffened Beijing's determination to end the Chinese territory's semiautonomous status, no matter what the reaction is in Washington or other world capitals.

Faced with that, Trump administration officials were noticeably torn about what to do. While they wanted to go well beyond mere condemnation or symbolic actions that Beijing could easily ignore, taking strong measures to curtail Hong Kongs role as a financial hub would hurt the territory and its population of 7.5 million, as well as the nearly 2,000 American firms operating there.

"Our approach is to mitigate the impact globally on the Hong Kong people while at the same time helping Beijing understand our concerns," said Stilwell, the assistant secretary of State.

"But as we talk about this, we need to talk about the actor in this case, and thats the PRC who is changing the status quo," he said.

Revoking Hong Kongs special economic and trading status with the United States, which Congress guaranteed would continue after Britain's handover if Hong Kong remained autonomous, was considered the nuclear option. An autonomous Hong Kong has been a base for China's top companies and political elite to get access to international capital, export goods more advantageously and make investments.

The U.S. treats Hong Kong as a separate customs district, and goods shipped from there are not subject to U.S. tariffs on exports from mainland China. Nor does Hong Kong face the export controls on sensitive technologies that apply to the mainland.

At the same time, the territorys relative importance to Chinas economy has diminished over the years. And international businesses could flee to other parts of Asia and even back into the mainland.

Itd be a Pyrrhic victory, said Jude Blanchette, a China scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, as the brunt of the pain from much tougher U.S. actions would be felt by the Hong Kong people.

Britain, which joined the United States, Canada and Australia in expressing deep concern over Beijings move on Hong Kong, said it would offer Hong Kong residents with British passports greater visa rights and a pathway to British citizenship if China imposes the new security law.

Trumps response is expected to leave intact the U.S.-China trade deal that he agreed to in January, at least for now. Under the so-called Phase 1 deal, China committed to buying $200 billion more goods from the United States over the next two years, a top political priority for Trump.

This week, Chinas Foreign Ministry warned the United States against interfering in Chinese internal affairs and vowed to retaliate if U.S. took action over Hong Kong. American business interests operating in the mainland remain worried that the rapidly deteriorating bilateral relationship could lead to retaliation against them.

This is another significant escalation in relations, Blanchette said of the dispute, which comes against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic that has prompted both sides to blame each other for the ensuing health and economic crisis.

The pandemic had quieted the frequent, large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations that seized Hong Kong last year. But with Beijings move this week, protests stirred again and could persist as Chinese officials finalize the national security legislation, expected by the end of summer.

How Beijing reacts to any renewed protest could exacerbate tensions not only in Hong Kong but also in U.S.-China relations, which already appear to get heated as the U.S. draws closer to the November elections.

Bannon said he and other members of the conservative Committee on the Present Danger, a Cold War-era group reincarnated to oppose China's communist government, had recommended a range of strong sanctions, including an end to Hong Kongs favorable trade status and a delisting of Chinese companies on U.S. stock exchanges.

We believe strongly that the president is going to come around to our way of thinking for a much deeper, much broader and much harder response to the Chinese government, Bannon said.

While most analysts see grim days ahead for U.S.-China relations, some are more optimistic about Hong Kongs ability to endure as a vibrant international financial center.

Youd be shooting yourself in the foot if the administration cut off Hong Kong on trade and other economic relations, said Nicholas Lardy, a specialist on China's economy at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Lardy argued that the best response from the U.S. would be to coordinate with other countries to spotlight China's behavior, which in the past has sometimes been effective.

But it may already be too late to take that approach, and the Trump administration has largely pursued a go-it-alone strategy on China.

An effort Wednesday by the United States to convene an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Hong Kong was blocked  by member state China.

I dont think we have any good options, quite frankly, said Lardy.
New Delhi: Ajit Jogi, the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh, died on Friday (May 29). 74-year-old Jogi, who suffering from Hypoxia, was undergoing treatment at Shree Narayan hospital in Raipur since suffering a cardiac arrest at his home on May 9. Jogi has left behind his spouse, Renu Jogi and his 42-year old son, Amit Jogi.

Ajit Jogi had served as the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh from November 2000 to November 2003 in the then Congress government after the state came into existence. The bureaucrat-turned politician, however, parted ways with the Congress in 2016 after he along with his son got embroiled in a controversy over a by-election.

After quitting the Congress party, Jogi formed Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) and played a crucial role in state politics.

Born on April 29, 1946, in Bilaspur, Ajit Jogi started his political career with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in 1986 and became the member for the welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

Jogi's political career grew in the late '80s and served as the Rajya Sabha member from 1986 to 1998. He was also a member of committees on public undertakings, industries, and railways.

In 1989 and 1995, Jogi was Congress' central observer for the Lok Sabha elections in Manipur and Sikkim Assembly elections, respectively.

Jogi's role in Congress rose further in 1996 after he was appointed as a member of the core group of AICC's Lok Sabha elections. He was then elected as the Lok Sabha MP from Raigarh (Chhattisgarh) in 1998.

In 2000, when the Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh, Ajit Jogi became its first Chief Minister. Jogi was succeeded by BJP's Raman Singh who served as the CM for 15 years from December 2003 to December 2018.

From 2004-08, Ajit Jogi remained the Lok Sabha MP from Mahasamund. During the campaign for the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Jogi was injured in a car accident which left him partially paralysed but won the seat by nearly 1.2 lakh votes.

In 2008, he got elected from the Marwahi Assembly constituency to extend his role in Chhattisgarh politics.

Ajit Jogi's political innings were also marred with controversies. He along with Amit Jogi was arrested in 2007 in connection with the murder of NCP treasurer Ram Avtar Jaggi, who was found dead in 2003. After five years of investigation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) stated that Jogi could not be prosecuted under any law.

In August 2019, a high-level judicial committee had dismissed Jogi's claim of belonging to a Scheduled Tribe (ST) and canceled his caste certificates. He was booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record).

As a bureaucrat, he had served in the Indian Police Service and the Indian Administrative Service. Jogi was convinced by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to quit the services and join the Congress. Jogi had a long association with the Nehru-Gandhi family, but he is understood to have never enjoyed better relations with Rahul Gandhi.
SRINAGAR: In a major breakthrough in the recently foiled Pulwama-style car bombing case, the J&K Police has identified the owner of the explosives-laden car which was intercepted by the security forces in Pulwama thus averting a major attack.

He has been identified as Hidayatullah Malik. According to the J&K Police, Malik is a resident of Shopian and had joined the Pakistan-backed terror group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in July 2019. He is being interrogated for more leads.

It may be recalled that on May 28, an improvised explosive device (IED) was recovered from a Santro car in Ayengund area of Rajpora in south Kashmirs Pulwama district. The IED was defused successfully by the bomb disposal squad and a major attack was averted.

Talking to Zee News, a Jammu and Kashmir Police officer later said that a joint team of forces including 44 Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF and Pulwama Police recovered the IED after searching the vehicle. He added that security forces had received inputs about movement of the vehicle carrying IED 4-5 days ago. He said the bomb disposal squad was called to the spot as soon as the IED-laden car was spotted.

IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said, A major incident of a vehicle-borne IED blast is averted by the timely input and action by Pulwama Police, CRPF and Army. Sources said that there was a terrorist present inside the car but he escaped from the spot after the security forces intercepted the vehicle.

Pulwama Police had received credible information on Wednesday that a terrorist was moving with an explosive-laden car ready to attack at some location.

The security forces swung into action and various teams were formed to cover all possible routes. The terrorists got alarmed by the beefed-up security and escaped after abandoning the car. After investigation, it was found that the vehicle was carrying heavy explosives in a drum on the rear seat.

The security forces kept the car under watch for the night and evacuated the people in nearby houses before calling in the Bomb Disposal Squad to defuse the bomb.

This came after a joint team of the Central Reserve Police Force and Jammu and Kashmir Police was attacked by terrorists in Pulwama last week. Two jawans were injured in the attack. The terrorists had opened fire when the security forces were patrolling the area.
Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size

Article body

The Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center may be temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but lovers of the performing arts in Alabama and across the nation can still enjoy live music by some of the states finest artists thanks to an innovative partnership with The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on June 1.

The Gogue Center will present Music of Alabama: RyNea Soul, The Pine Hill Haints and Larry Mitchell as part of The Kennedy Centers new Couch Concert series at 3 p.m. CDT. The concert can be viewed for free on The Kennedy Centers Facebook page and YouTube channel and on the Gogue Centers Facebook page.

Community partners, which include Seasick Records in Birmingham; Single Lock Records in Muscle Shoals; and Standard Deluxe in Waverly, also will livestream the performance on their Facebook pages.

The online series began streaming in April and is broadcast digitally from locations throughout the U.S. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Each day offers a unique spotlight performance, with Monday National Spotlight concerts featuring artists selected by performing arts institutions across the country.

The June 1 livestream will be the first in the series to focus exclusively on Alabama-based artists and will include performances by Soul, The Pine Hill Haints and Mitchell.

The Kennedy Centers Couch Concert series reflects the vast spectrum of the American cultural landscape in these performances, said Amy Miller, Gogue Center director of programming and education. The series showcases incredible artistic diversity, highlighting artists from large urban areas and entire states from coast to coast.

Miller, who curated Music of Alabama for the Couch Concert National Spotlight, believes the featured artists represent three of the states distinct geographic regions and musical styles.

We wanted to present the breadth and variety of extraordinary talent that exists throughout Alabama, Miller said. When it comes to music, there are some tremendously cool things happening here. The Gogue Center is committed to celebrating the arts and artists of Alabama, and I hope this Couch Concert National Spotlight will help to raise awareness of our state as a nexus of culture and creativity.

Launched by The Kennedy Center in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Couch Concert series features artists performing from their homes and remote studios. As with previous concerts, each of the musicians showcased on June 1 will be practicing social distancing. Soul, The Pine Hill Haints and Mitchell will all participate from their homes in Birmingham, Muscle Shoals and Opelika, respectively.

LaShondra R. Hemphill, also known as RyNea Soul, is a DJ, producer and educator. A singular creative force in the beat and electronic scene in Birmingham, she ingeniously crafts sound art with dusty drums, soulful samples and spacey synths.

Hemphill is the founder and executive director of The Initiative for Creative Arts Inc., an organization that exposes youth to hip-hop culture, music production and technology, as well as SheShock Hip Hop Academy, an interactive, creative and educational music technology program designed to empower, encourage and inspire women and to engage with music technology.

The Pine Hill Haints, who originally formed in Auburn, have over two decades become integral to the fabric of the Muscle Shoals and Alabama music scenes. They play a traditional bluegrass/folk/honkytonk style self-described as Alabama Ghost Music.

The Pine Hill Haints have toured the world, recorded a dozen albums and garnered a massive following throughout America. They recently signed to Single Lock Records in Muscle Shoals to release their 12th studio album.

Based in Opelika, Alabama, Mitchell is a Grammy Award-winning producer, engineer and performer who has shared the stage with artists like Tracy Chapman, Billy Squier, Ric Ocasek and Miguel Bose. In his original compositions, Mitchell skillfully weaves guitar textures that showcase his virtuosity as a solo artist and ensemble player. He continues to tour and is currently promoting his ninth solo release, Deja Vu.
Lindsey Dreiling appointed to US Department of Transportation's Women in Aviation Advisory Board

Friday, May 29, 2020

SALINA  Lindsey Dreiling, executive director of aviation strategy at Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus, has been selected to serve on a new federal board aimed at strengthening the presence of women and girls in aviation.

Appointed by U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Dreiling will serve on the Department of Transportation's Women in Aviation Advisory Board. She was chosen from nearly 200 applicants and joins 29 other women leaders from across various aviation backgrounds and careers, including major airlines and aerospace companies, nonprofit organizations, business associations, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, and institutions of higher education. Dreiling's term on the board is for an anticipated two years and members will meet up to two times each year to perform their duties.



The Women in Aviation Advisory Board's objective is to put forth ideas, create strategies and provide independent recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration administrator on encouraging and inspiring women and girls to be a part of the aviation industry. Board members will examine aviation education, training, mentorship, outreach and recruitment for women and explore ways to enhance and promote those opportunities.



"I am sincerely honored to serve on the board with such accomplished industry leaders to develop strategies for engaging our communities and building teams to inspire positive change," Dreiling said. "Women have been involved with aviation throughout history; however, they are significantly underrepresented in the aviation industry. Throughout my professional career and my current roles with Kansas State Polytechnic and as president of the Kansas Commission on Aerospace Education board of directors, I am continually focused on broadening access to aviation for all who want to enter this remarkable profession."



As executive director of aviation strategy, Dreiling is spearheading the school's Global Aeronautics Initiative. She also is responsible for fostering and growing partnerships between Kansas State Polytechnic and the aviation industry, as well as expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups in aviation. Before joining K-State, Dreiling served as deputy director of aviation and unmanned aircraft systems for the Kansas Department of Transportation.



An alumna of Kansas State Polytechnic, Dreiling earned dual bachelor's degrees in professional pilot and technology management in 2007. She also earned a master's degree in student development from K-State and is currently pursuing a doctorate in leadership communication from K-State. An experienced commercial fixed-wing pilot, certified flight instructor-instrument and a multiengine flight instructor, Dreiling also holds a small unmanned aircraft systems pilot certificate.



Along with Dreiling, 2009 Kansas State Polytechnic alumna Kate Fraser has been appointed to the Women in Aviation Advisory Board. She is representing Joby Aviation where she serves as the head of safety. A PDF list of board members is available at bit.ly/2yFEufr.






The Ministry of Transport (MOT) said that it has been difficult to mobilize credit capital for the huge eastern North-South Expressway project.

In a report to the National Assemblys Economics Committee, MOT Deputy Minister Nguyen Ngoc Dong said the ministry is following procedures related to the national key project, but has been meeting many problems, including credit capital arrangement.





In 2017, when reporting the project to the National Assembly for consideration, the government anticipated difficulties in seeking capital from Vietnamese credit institutions.



In a report to the National Assembly in late 2019, MOT Deputy Minister Nguyen Van The stressed that the domestic credit capital arrangement relied on Vietnamese credit institutions.



The problem was that institutions all had long-term outstanding loans at high levels and mostly used short-term mobilized capital for long-term lending.



Meanwhile, under the State Bank of Vietnams (SBV) regulations, the proportion of short-term capital banks that can be used for long-term lending began decreasing to 40 percent on January 1, 2018 and will decrease further in the next years.

Commercial banks have been following a roadmap step by step reducing the proportion of short-term capital used for long term lending in order to ensure the stability of the monetary policy and the laws on credit.

At that time, MOT Minister said that in an effort to create favorable conditions to seek credit capital for the project, the government instructed SBV to join forces with relevant ministries and branches to evaluate the impact and suggest reasonable solutions to ensure sufficient capital needed for project implementation.



In the latest report, Dong cited an SBV report released in mid-February 2020 as stating that BOT and BT projects in the transport sector have large scale, require huge investments and long-term capital, while commercial banks mostly have short-term capital. This leads to difficulties in capital arrangement.



Commercial banks have been following a roadmap step by step reducing the proportion of short-term capital used for long term lending in order to ensure the stability of the monetary policy and the laws on credit.



The problems also lie in the fact that the problems related to BOT and BT projects have not been settled, while state-owned banks have not fulfilled the process of increasing charter capital and credit institutions have found it difficult to consider funding new projects.



The implementation of some transport BOT projects recently shows that when a risk sharing mechanism has not been applied, it is very difficult to mobilize capital. The difficulty can also be seen in financially feasible projects including the Trung Luong  My Thuan Highway.



The enterprises shortlisted for the North-South Expressway project are mostly contractors who have good execution capability but dont have strong financial capability. Therefore, seeking capital to implement the project is a difficult task.

Chi Mai

Dong Nai to widen HCM City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway The Peoples Committee of the southeastern province of Dong Nai has petitioned Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to approve the widening of the HCM City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway to 10-12 lanes from four lanes.
For about three more years, the Indian Navy will have to make do with its lone carrier -- the Russia-built INS Vikramaditya.

Ajai Shukla reports.

Photograph: Prasanna D Zore/ Rediff.com IMAGE: The INS Vikramaditya, currently India's only aircraft carrier.

The long wait for India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, is set to be even longer.

Senior naval sources say the COVID-19 pandemic has set back the start of trials by at least six months -- perhaps more if the lockdown and travel restrictions continue.

The first phase of the warship's trials -- termed basin trials -- was initially scheduled to begin on March 12 at the Cochin Shipyard, where INS Vikrant has been constructed.

However, construction delays caused that to be moved back to April.

Then, with the COVID-19 pandemic locking down facilities and travel, the navy says trials are unlikely to begin before September/October.

An example of the delay is the difficulty faced by marine engine specialists from Hindustan Aeronautics in travelling to Kochi for the trials.

These HAL representatives are essential for the trials because the General Electric gas turbines that power INS Vikrant have been built and supplied by HAL's collaborative venture with GE in Bengaluru.

However, HAL representatives are reluctant to travel to Kochi, where they would face 14 days of quarantine on arrival in Kerala and another 14 days quarantine on return to Bengaluru.

Similarly, there are about 40 to 50 vendor representatives, including 10 from abroad, who cannot come to Kochi for basin trials without facing the deterring prospect of mandatory quarantine.

"The navy has even offered to organise the vendors' quarantine and to pay the expenses that are incurred. Given how much this delay in trials is escalating the cost of INS Vikrant, we would pay less for the quarantine and related expenditure. But the Kerala government is not agreeing to this," says an admiral.

"We were optimistic about finding a solution because Kochi and Ernakulam are green zones. But when we request the Kerala government, they say: 'Yes, we are in a green zone, but we don't want to convert it back to a red zone'," the admiral said.

At his Navy Day media meeting last December, Admiral Karambir Singh, chief of the naval staff, had said the navy would have a fully operational INS Vikrant before the end of 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic has already pushed that back to 2023 and further delays are possible.

Admiral Singh stated it was operationally essential for the navy to operate three aircraft carriers.

It now appears that, for about three more years, it will have to make do with its lone carrier -- the Russia-built INS Vikramaditya.
PHILADELPHIA, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kehoe Law Firm, P.C. is investigating potential securities law violations on behalf of investors of the United States Oil Fund, LP ("USO" or the "Company") (NYSE: USO) to determine whether USO may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. USO has lost approximately 75% of its value in the two months ended April 30, 2020. Reportedly, the SEC and CFTC have begun investigations around whether USO's risks were properly disclosed to investors.

USO investors who purchased, or otherwise acquired, USO shares and suffered losses greater than $100K are encouraged to contact Kehoe Law Firm, P.C., Kevin Cauley, Director, Business Development, (215) 792-6676, Ext. 802, [email protected], [email protected], to discuss the securities investigation or potential legal claims.

Kehoe Law Firm, P.C., with offices in New York and Philadelphia, is a multidisciplinary, plaintiffside law firm dedicated to protecting investors from securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duties, and corporate misconduct. Combined, the partners at Kehoe Law Firm have served as Lead Counsel or Co-Lead Counsel in cases that have recovered more than $10 billion on behalf of institutional and individual investors.

This press release may constitute attorney advertising.

SOURCE Kehoe Law Firm, P.C.

Related Links

kehoelawfirm.com


Politicians often need an economic thumping to jolt them into action on problems that have festered for years. So it is with Scott Morrison's new talk about striking a deal on skills and training.

History shows it can take a recession before Australia's political leaders set aside their differences and remake a system that is fundamental to the country's fortunes.

The recession could lead to the loss of up to 35,000 new apprenticeship jobs. Credit:Glenn Hunt

That is what happened in the recession nobody under the age of 30 can remember, when the Keating government created the National Training Authority to inject funds into vocational education and training, or VET, and unify policies across the states.

The coronavirus crisis forces a new appraisal of a system that has been neglected too long after that big, energetic construction project in the early 1990s. Morrison promises a path out of this decline but is yet to prove he has the map  and the money  to achieve real change.
The United Nations on Friday honoured three Nigerians and 80 other military, police and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2019.

The fallen heroes were posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Medal during a virtual award ceremony to mark the 2020 International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.

Two of them, Henry Ukomadu, a police sergeant, and Moshood Lasisi, an Army warrant officer, died while serving with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

The third fallen Nigerian peacekeeper, Gabriel Shogaolu, died while serving also with MINUSMA but in civilian capacity in 2017.

During the ceremony, streamed live on the UN website, the recipients names were announced and displayed on the screen alongside condolence messages from their countries Permanent Representatives to the UN.

In his message, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Nigeria at the UN, Samson Itegboje, extended the deep condolences and heartfelt sympathies of the federal government to the families and countries of the deceased.

Mr Itegboje, who participated in the ceremony, currently serves as Chairman of the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations on behalf of Nigeria.

Nigeria, one of the worlds largest troop contributors to the UN peacekeeping operations, was re-elected chair of the committee also known as C-34 for the 48th time in March.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who presided at the award ceremony, expressed gratitude to the 95,000 UN peacekeepers currently deployed around the world.

Mr Guterres said they are facing one of the greatest challenges ever: delivering on their peace and security mandates while helping countries to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

He announced the death of two military UN peacekeepers (one from Cambodia and the other from El Salvador) killed by COVID-19 on Thursday and Friday.

I now ask all of you, wherever you are, to feel strongly the solidarity with those families that are also permanently in our memory, in our attention.

This is because they were the ones who suffered more to get less with those fallen in the line of duty, the secretary-general said.

On the theme of this years event, Women in Peacekeeping that highlights their central role in UN operations, Guterres stated that women peacekeepers play an essential role for the success of our peace operations.

Day by day, women peacekeepers help improve all aspects of our operations and performance; they ensure better access to local communities.

They prevent and reduce conflict and confrontation, and they serve as role models for their peers and others.

As we commemorate the 20th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, we must do more to achieve womens equal representation in all areas of peace and security, he asserted.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ceremony also featured a presentation of the UN Military Gender Advocate Award to two female peacekeepers.

The recipients are Commander Carla Araujo of the Brazilian Navy, deployed with the UN Mission in the Central African Republic, and Suman Gawani, a major in the Indian Army, a Military Observer formerly with the UN Mission in South Sudan.

(NAN)
A man was killed on Thursday when his vehicle hit the back of a garbage truck in Limestone County, the authorities said.

Antonio Jamar Fuqua, a 31-year-old from the Lauderdale County town of Rogersville, was declared dead at the scene, according to state troopers. Fuqua, who wasnt wearing a seat belt, was driving a car that hit a garbage truck, said Senior Trooper Chuck Daniel.

A worker who was riding on the back of the garbage truck was taken to a hospital for treatment, Daniel said in a news release. The workers condition wasnt released.

The crash happened just before 11 a.m. on U.S. 72, about seven miles west of Athens.

The driver of the garbage truck was uninjured, troopers said.

Troopers are investigating.
A few days ago we saw one of Donald Trumps baseless tweets flagged for false claims by Twitter. This wasnt received well by the president of the United States of America, which was evident from his threats later too.

And now, he has gone ahead and signed an executive order that would limit protections for social media companies.

Reuters/Pexels

Trump's executive order on social media

Today, social media companies in the US are shielded by Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. This act basically states that these companies arent really liable for what content their users post. Its sort of like their safety net.

This executive order argues that tech companies should lose Section 230 protections if they discriminate against people on their platform or limit access without really offering a fair chance of explanation or something that their terms of service dont clearly reveal.

This order would allow the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) to take action against social media platforms when companies limit freedom of speech of users in ways that are not included in their terms of service.

The order basically tasks regulators at the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to form new rules that could release some of those protections, resulting to a series of lawsuits for libel, defamation etc.

Reuters

How will this impact our freedom online

This basically means that social media platforms or internet, in general, could land in deep trouble. The limiting of freedom of speech on social media would result in censorship online and the internet would experience a massive paradigm shift, making the internet not as usable as we find it today.

Platforms would be forced to put a ton of barriers not letting you speak or express what you want, to avoid legal clashes. Thats a big loss for all of us.

Chances are it might not be enforceable

Even though POTUS seems adamant to curtail the easements provided by Section 230, chances of it being enforced by law dont seem too strong. Experts say that the order is toothless and will be challenged in the court.

ACLU Senior Legislative Counsel Kate Ruane said in a statement, "The president also has no authority to rewrite a congressional statute with an executive order imposing a flawed interpretation of Section 230. Section 230 incentivizes platforms to host all sorts of content without fear of being held liable for it. It enables speech, not censorship.



Reuters

Moreover, as Shirin Ghaffary of Recode puts it, the order violates the First Amendment which actually limits the government -- not Facebook, Twitter or Google -- to not infringe on peoples freedom of speech.

Sure, a companys specific policies could ban you from the platform, but you wont go to jail for it. Its actually Trump whos being unconstitutional, not Twitter. And this would only go against him to enforce something against the most fundamental rights of a democracy.
A Development Planner has challenged political parties contesting this years elections to develop home-grown development planning framework to help address economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.



Mr Nyaaba Aweebo Azongo says political parties should change gear from the ritual of political manifestoes to develop a local economic development model to decisively address Ghanas economic challenges in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.



In a statement issued in Kumasi to highlight some of the economic development challenges, which should occupy the attention of political parties in their campaigns ahead of the 2020 general election, Mr Azongo said well-tailored country specific economic development model should be the focus of political parties.



He pointed out that the Covid-19 pandemic, which had been felt across board, had pervasively exposed the current one-size-fit-all growth concentrated economic order and rendered it obsolete in Africa, going forward.



We are at a development crossroad and with almost three decades in our democratic experiment, the stakes are too high and compelling for a need to be served a different and more challenging cocktail in our quest for development beyond the customary passion of political manifestoes, he said.



He said the development of Ghana could be achieved on a country specific well-tailored home-grown economic development model to build a case for the rest of Africa.



Mr Azongo stressed the need for Ghana, which led the political liberation of Africa, to incubate and pioneer an African home-grown economic model to consolidate its pioneering political leadership, especially at a time that economic freedom movements were emerging on the Africa political landscape.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed a political crisis inside Russia, as the Kremlin struggles to bring the outbreak under control and address its economic fallout. With the situation exacerbated by a simultaneous steep drop in global oil prices, the Ministry of Economic Development revealed yesterday that it anticipates a decline in gross domestic product by as much as 7.5 percent this year.

President Vladimir Putins poll numbers have fallen to historically low levels, as social anger mounts over the conditions facing the countrys health care workers, official efforts to cover up the scale of the death toll, and the governments failure to take any meaningful action to shield the population from the impact of mass layoffs and falling real incomes. Following the approach taken in every major country, the Kremlin reopened the economy more than a week ago in a reckless effort to force people back to work, even as the countrys coronavirus cases approach 380,000, the third-most diagnosed cases on the planet.

The Kremlin announced earlier this week that it will hold postponed Victory Day celebrations, which were to take place May 9 in Moscow, on June 24. The parade, which at the very least will bring thousands of soldiers to the capital citythe center of Russias COVID-19 outbreakthreatens a new surge in the pandemic. The government is willing to risk this, as well as the possibility of another postponement, because it needs the display of state authority, nationalist hoopla, and feeling of shared sacrifice that the commemoration of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II generates, as a counter to the political tensions developing because of the pandemic.

Alexei Navalny

As Russias government tries to shore up its position, Alexei Navalny, the leading spokesperson of the liberal opposition and a self-styled anticorruption politician, is working to capitalize on mass discontent and steer it in a right-wing direction. Through his social media accounts and the Navalny Live programa YouTube forum where he discusses political issueshe works to present himself as a platform through which health care workers can air their grievances and specialists can challenge official data on the pandemic.

According to a late April poll by the Levada Center, Navalnys popularity, while still low, is rising. In Moscow, he has more support than Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and the far-right head of the Liberal Democratic Party, Vladimir Zhirinovsky. In the country as a whole, he has a higher rating than Moscows mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, who has been promoted in the media as the citys champion in the battle against COVID-19.

The material Navalny rebroadcasts on his Twitter, Facebook, and Telegram from medical workers sometimes strikes a nerve. A nurse in Saransk describes a bureaucratic nightmare of ineptitude and indifference; she and her family all came down with COVID-19 and received no help from the authorities. She was made to work despite being severely ill, and then threatened with fines for allegedly violating her quarantine when she was finally sent off to self-isolate. The nurses mother succumbed to the illness, a death unrecorded in COVID-19 mortality data because she also suffered from diabetes, which will be registered as the official cause of death.

Medics in Simferopol, exhausted and angry, read out a statement denouncing the governments failure to pay them promised bonuses. Doctors seeking to expose the conditions under which they work reveal they are muzzled, fired or threatened with firing. Physicians publications of the names of their dead colleagues show an extremely high mortality rate for medical workers. Special place is given to videos by Leonid Volkov, a Yale-trained, right-wing ally of Navalnys, to raise questions about the governments questionable virus counts. The Doctors Alliancea supposedly independent trade union founded in 2018 to tap into protests over the disastrous state of Russias health care systemis put forward as a force for change.

All of this is interspersed with, as is typical for Navalny, corruption revelations of different sorts. The children of top bureaucrats are receiving various government awards; former Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev has a fancy yacht; the speaker of the Russian parliament is hiding his wealth.

As Navalny noted in a May 20 interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the US government-funded news outlet, right now the degree of protest activity among citizens is probably one of the highest in recent times. Just a few days earlier, he insisted that the opposition is fit to rule because it needs the support of the people and the growth of that support. Navalny is calling for a boycott or a no vote on proposed changes to the constitution, which Putin views as key to further consolidating power at the federal level. They are expected to be put to a popular referendum at some point in the coming months.

Despite Navalnys efforts to present himself as an advocate for the people, his limp populism is a weak cover for a right-wing program. His Five steps to support the citizens of Russia and its economywhich is supposed to be an answer to the governments miserable measuresconsists of a few paltry payouts to individuals and their children, a short-term suspension of utility payments, and significant tax breaks and bailouts for small and medium-sized business. There is no indication that the business interests Navalny criticizes for their corruption would be asked to give up the tiniest fraction of their wealth. Notably absent from Navalnys media presence is any mention of the mass COVID-19 outbreaks among oil field workers and gold miners, employed by two of Russias largest corporations: Gazprom and Polyus.

What stands behind the populist feint that Navalny is attempting in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic is a standard-fare, right-wing program of free markets, economic austerity, cutting taxes and red tape for corporations, the privatization of semi-state-owned enterprises, and the deepening of Russias bonds with global finance capital. Navalny and his entourage have extensive ties to the American state, media, and foreign policy establishment, with an examination of his political allies and advisers showing a revolving door of individuals moving from opposition politics in Russia to think tanks and media outlets in the US. Navalny has a long history of close involvement with far-right politics, including marching alongside Russias fascists and spitting vitriol about immigrants.

As evidenced by his regular promotion in the American press as a democrat doing battle against Putins despotism, Navalny has a significant level of support among forces in the United States that are at the center of the anti-Russian campaign that threatens to provoke a world war. As the Kremlin is further destabilized by the coronavirus pandemic and the spreading global economic crisis, Navalny may be increasingly pushed forward by those who view the Putin governments control of Russias wealth as an intolerable limit to their own desires to exploit the Eurasian landmass and its people.
Jazz saxophone player Archie Shepp seated surrounded by the band with whom he recorded 'Ocean Bridges,' credited to Shepp, his nephew Raw Poetic, and Damu the Fudgemunk. Read more

When Jason Moore went to see his uncle Archie Shepp perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, last year, the rapper  stage name, Raw Poetic  was hopeful that the Philadelphia-raised jazz sax legend would be game to work together. Moore had proposed recording before, and they had actually cut a demo 20 years ago.

And this time, after hearing the music that Moore had been working on with his partner Earl Damu the Fudgemunk Davis, Shepp gave his nephew the approval he was seeking with a two-word answer: Youre ready.

When I heard their poems," Shepp says, "I realized that they expressed their own experience. They had matured. Thats what I meant when I said Youre ready.' 

The resulting collaboration is Ocean Bridges (Redefinition *** 1/2), a robust, completely improvised session credited to all three principals. It was recorded with a live band one day in northern Virginia, where the 41-year-old Moore, a Philly native, works as an elementary schoolteacher.

The album, which was released two days before Shepps 83rd birthday this month, links generations by telling a story that reaffirms family ties while blending genres, and featuring a whole lot of inspired Archie Shepp sax solos.

Stitched together with interludes labeled Professor Shepps Agenda, Ocean Bridges ignores boundaries as Shepp always has, stretching back to his Fire Music in 1965 and the landmark Attica Blues in 1972.

I was part of that rap generation before they called it rap, he said, speaking from the western Massachusetts home where he lives with his wife, Monette Berthomier. Mine were poems, not necessarily dictated by rhythm or rhyme, but by ideas.

Im one of the authors of that generation, says Shepp, who had several plays produced in the 1960s and whose musical collaborators have included Sun Ra, drummer Philly Joe Jones, and Chuck D.

 READ MORE: Are you sure its Sun Ra?: Rare recording by the Philly jazz giant at Haverford College finally sees the light of day

Shepp, who taught for decades at the State University of New York and University of Massachusetts, speaks of African American music rather than jazz.

He just looks at music as a fluid way of expression, says Davis, a producer and multi-instrumentalist who co-owns the Redefinition label. A second, more beat-driven release with Shepp, Right Side of the Black Hole, is due later this year.

There was no conversation about I come from the jazz world, you come from the hip-hip world. It was, Lets just have this conversation. Everything will work itself out. And it did.

A jazz greats Brickyard roots

Shepps open-minded, interdisciplinary career began in Philadelphia. Thats my hometown, he says with enthusiasm.

He grew up in the Brickyard neighborhood in East Germantown, where his family had moved from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., after World War II. There was a factory that made bricks nearby, and it did carry that as a metaphor," he says. "A really tough neighborhood.

But hardship, Shepp says, can produce great art. Tough times, and you had to learn to be tough. And theres a certain beauty in that brutality. If you outlive it, you can express it.

When he was 4, Shepp pestered his father, a Duke Ellington and Count Basie fan who worked at the Navy Yard, to teach him to play James P. Johnsons Charleston on banjo. He sounds out the songs rhythm, savoring the memory.

Soon, he moved on to piano, clarinet, and saxophone. When he was 12, a neighbor took him and jazz bassist-to-be Reggie Workman to see Charlie Parker at the Metropolitan Opera House on Broad Street.

Parker commanded a 39-piece orchestra, but Shepp most vividly recalls seeing Parker on the street.

He was with a little blonde lady, something that one would never see in Philadelphia at that time. Even the bravest black man wouldnt dare to be on the street with a white woman. ... He seemed to have no fear. I didnt see his face. But I knew from his attitude: Charlie Parkers in town.

At Germantown High School, Shepp focused on literature. Trumpeter Lee Morgan mentored him musically. And he began hearing of a lightning-fast player named John Coltrane.

He was a legend to me before I ever met him, Shepp recalls. I set out to find him in Philadelphia, but I never did.

After graduating from Goddard College in Vermont, he found Coltrane in New York. He went to the jazz giants home for advice and remembers Coltrane reaching for his horn immediately upon waking, like he was eating breakfast. He played all the time, even playing himself to sleep.

Coltrane produced Shepps first album on Impulse in 1964, Four for Trane. Shepp was a soloist on Coltranes groundbreaking 1966 Ascension.

Moores mother, Anita, is Shepps younger sister. She sang on his 1971 album Things Have Got To Change, on the song Money Blues.

Ive always had a sense of my family being endemic to my expression, and my feeling about being black, Shepp says. [Ocean Bridges] connects me to my roots, and my family, and across generations. It was important for me to make that connection.

Inspired by his famous uncle

Moore also grew up in Northwest Philadelphia, four decades after Shepp. He lived in Mount Airy until he was 9 and received an Afrocentric elementary school education at Lotus Academy in Germantown. Public Enemy albums that his mother gave him were his window into the Black Power movement in which his famous uncle had been involved.

Public Enemy led to 1990s Native Tongues rap acts like A Tribe Called Quest that incorporated jazz into their music. I would buy my uncles CDs and also Miles Davis and John Coltrane," he says. "I wanted to rap over the original stuff.

Moore honed his craft while working as an educator  hes teaching 3rd and 5th graders remotely during the pandemic  playing in the Virginia-D.C. area with his band RPM (Restoring Poetry in Music).

In Learning To Breathe on Ocean Bridges, Moore rhymes about his musical lineage. I rap and sing me a poem, put legacy in my tone / Blood in the banjo in my bones, my voice the new saxophone / This Philly [stuff] cant be cloned.

Jason has definitely grown as a lyricist and a writer, says Davis, 35. My roots are in sampling and programming, but Ive embraced more live instrumentation and being spontaneous. I think thats what Mr. Shepp needed to hear.

Moore said it was a little intimidating to play with Shepp on a record he had wanted to make for about 25 years now.

Shepp walked into the studio with a cane, sharply dressed in a suit and tie. You might think, hes old, his nephew says. But he plays like a young man. ... He makes a sound with a saxophone Ive never heard before.

Davis remembers looking across the room thinking: "Thats Mr. Shepp!

But theres no difference between me and them," Shepp says now, with humility. Were just people trying to express themselves.
The situation on the India-China border is stable and controllable, the Chinese defence ministry has said in its first comments on the ongoing standoff between border troops of the two countries in eastern Ladakh and Sikkim.

The ministry said both countries have the wherewithal to resolve the situation through established communication mechanisms without directly commenting on US President Donald Trumps offer to mediate between Beijing and New Delhi on the boundary problem.

The ministrys first statement comes in the backdrop of the standoff in eastern Ladakh between the militaries of India and China this month.

Also Watch | Chinas muscle flexing explained and how India can tame the dragon l In Focus

Chinas position on the China-India border is clear. The Chinese border troops are committed to maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas, defence ministry spokesperson, Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang said at the monthly ministry briefing on Thursday.

Also Read: PM Modi had no conversation with Trump over border stand-off with China: Officials

At present, the situation in the China-India border areas is stable and controllable on the whole, Ren said at the briefing, which was held online in Mandarin.

The two sides have the ability to communicate and solve relevant issues through the established border-related mechanisms and diplomatic channels, Ren added.

The defence ministrys response to a question on the India-China border situation on Thursday was almost word-to-word the same as the Chinese foreign ministrys statement on Wednesday  stable and controllable being one of the specific phrases that was repeated.

Also Read: No end to tense Ladakh standoff in sight as India, China hold ground

It is possibly a sign that the Chinese government is not willing to allow the situation to worsen through a war of words with New Delhi.

To be sure, India has rejected Chinas assertion that its troops had carried out illegal constructions across the LAC.

India is committed to the objective of maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas with China and our armed forces scrupulously follow the consensus reached by our leaders and the guidance provided. At the same time, we remain firm in our resolve to ensure Indias sovereignty and national security, Anurag Srivastav, external affairs ministry spokesperson said earlier this week.

While the Chinese government is yet to officially comment on Trumps offer to mediate, state-controlled media here has dismissed the US Presidents proposal, which he had tweeted.

The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardize regional peace and order, the nationalistic tabloid Global Times said in a comment piece.

Titled China, India dont need US help on their frictions, it said: It seems Trump finally knows that China and India, the two largest Asian powers, share borders. Early this year, A Very Stable Genius, a book written by two Washington Post journalists, revealed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shocked and concerned when Trump told him India and China did not share a border.

Last year, India turned down Trumps offer to help and mediate between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, an issue India stressed can only be discussed bilaterally. India perhaps has been aware of the US bad history of mediation in which the US made troubles rather than solved problems, and which turned bilateral disputes into multilateral ones, it said.

New Delhi has subtly rejected Trumps offer.

As Ive told you, we are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve this issue, Srivastava said when asked about Trumps tweet on Thursday.
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 29 (ANI): Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Friday shared a behind-the-scenes picture from his upcoming comedy-drama Gulabo Sitabo.

The 77-year-old star put out a picture on Instagram in which he is seen getting the touch up before the shoot. In the photo, Big B is seen getting eyebrows adjusted, on the sets of his upcoming flick. The veteran actor has gone through a transformation to get into the skin of his character, an old landlordMirza.

Along with the picture, the Don star wrote, The space between the eyebrows is called what? Did you know ..? Its called GLABELLA !! thats Gibo Sibo touch up before shot.

T 3544  Srinagar , Kashmir .. film KABHI KABHIE .. and in the shot writing the song 'kabhi kabhi mere dil mein khayal aata hai .. '

AND .. Lucknow , May .. 44 years later ( 1976 to 2020 ) .. GULABO SITABO .. and ruminating song ..

'banke madaari ka bandar .."

   pic.twitter.com/9pUA9FSYUl  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) May 27, 2020

Celebrity followers including Kapil Sharma liked the post that received more than 1.7 lakh likes on the photo-sharing platform. The quirky comedy was slated to hit the screens on April 17 but could not see the light of day due to the shuttering of cinema theatres over coronavirus concerns. The movie will see Big B and the Andhadhun actor sharing screen space together for the first time. (ANI)

T 3545  The space between the eye brows is called what .. ?

Did you know .. well here it is ..

Its called 'GLABELLA' ..

touching up at the shoot of GiBoSiBo .. ( thats GulaboSitabo ) pic.twitter.com/fes5G1tEAd  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) May 28, 2020

For all the latest Entertainment News, download NewsX App
Thats why, as part of our communitywide initiative, Chicago Forward: Young Lives in the Balance, weve called on Chicagos business community to step up, even more than many already have, at this crucial point. We are urging local companies  the manufacturers, financial institutions and service industries that make up the engine of our city  to make a Chicago Forward Pledge to hire more of the young people from our most vulnerable communities, as interns, seasonal workers or full-time staff. We are asking Chicagos generous business owners and CEOs to send us a pledge (email it to letters@chicagotribune.com with PLEDGE in the subject line), so that we can show how committed this city is to being that link.
RYE BROOK, NY  While at the Village of Rye Brook village hall, Westchester County Executive George Latimer offered some clarification about what happens in the Hudson Valley region after a successful Phase One reopening during the new coronavirus crisis. He said the same benchmarks had to be met as a region to reopen the second phase as the first.

The benchmarks are for total hospitalizations, decline in deaths, new hospitalizations, hospital bed capacity, ICU bed capacity, diagnostic testing capacity and contact tracing capacity.

Follow all the coronavirus updates in New York. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

Businesses allowed to reopen Tuesday under the first phase included construction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting and retail, which is limited to curbside or in-store pickup or drop off.

Under Phase Two, which could come as early as June 9, Latimer said that professional services, administrative support, real estate rental and leasing and expanded retail, though some restrictions will still exist.

"When those offices open up, and join with the blue collar work force, we start to have people back out in society," Latimer said.

Restaurants will not be opening up until Phase Three, he said.

Regarding the latest numbers, Latimer said, as of Thursday, there were 33,293 confirmed positive cases of the new coronavirus. There are 1,501 active case.

The total number of residents tested for infection in the county is 148,651. Latimer said he expects the number to grow soon to 150,000, which would be 15 percent of the county's population.

Latimer said there were five additional fatalities since Wednesday, bringing the total for the county to 1,357.

Here is the map showing the active and confirmed cases by community.

Like Hudson Valley Patches' Facebook Pages.

Fill out this anonymous form to share your coronavirus stories. All messages are confidential.

This article originally appeared on the Rye Patch
Women and men left out of the temporary wage subsidy scheme due to maternity or paternity leave will have their payments backdated to March.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe confirmed on Friday that the Cabinet had signed off on changes to the scheme to accommodate those returning from maternity or adoptive leave.

The Government introduced the scheme at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in order to save jobs as lockdown restrictions shuttered businesses, by subsidising up to 70% of an employee's salary.

Shortly after the scheme was launched, an anomaly appeared that certain employees, returning from maternal or paternal leave, weren't able to go back on the payroll via the wage subsidy scheme, and therefore were only eligible for the 350-a-week Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

"My own department, together with the Revenue Commissioner, have been looking at a number of ways to address this issue in a way that ensures consistent treatment with other employees that were on the payroll in January and February," said Mr Donohoe.

"As a result of this work, the Cabinet agreed an important change to the scheme to ensure that workers are not denied access.

I'm pleased to confirm that a change to the scene has now been made to accommodate the salaries of those who have returned to work after a period of adoptive or maternity leave, and therefore were not on the payroll.

"The amendments will be legislated for later in the year, as part of the usual finance bill process, but in the interim, the Revenue Commissioner has confirmed that this provision will be implemented with effect from the date of the commencement of the wage subsidy scheme, March 26.

"The Government is making this important change because we want to ensure that citizens are not denied access to this scheme because of their personal circumstances.

"I want to highlight to employers that a manual process will be adopted. It will require employers to contact the Revenue Commissioner, as soon as possible."

Employers are encouraged to contact Revenue when the update is launched so that the process of including these employees salaries can begin.

The system updates should be operational from June 12.

The National Womens Council of Ireland (NWCI), which took the matter to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, welcomed the proposal but criticised the initial refusal to deal with the issue and the length of time it took to reach a resolution.

Director Orla OConnor said the news was long overdue. "It will come as a relief to the many women for whom this has been causing considerable distress," she said.

We regret that women returning from maternity leave were excluded from the Scheme and in addition the Minister could not rectify the issue when it was first raised with him over a month ago. Women returning to work from maternity leave are a distinct category of workers with special protections, and should have been respected and rectified by the minister as soon as this anomaly was pointed out.
Superintendent Nick Lyall was suspended earlier this month over the alleged fling

The police officer who heads Britains bird protection unit has been suspended after being accused of having an affair with a colleague.

Superintendent Nick Lyall, 41, who leads the Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group which battles the illegal persecution of birds of prey in England & Wales, was suspended earlier this month over the alleged fling.

MailOnline understands married Mr Lyall strongly denies any wrongdoing and told Bedfordshire police, where he is based, that he will appeal against his suspension and deny the misconduct charge.

Mr Lyall, who is suspended on full pay, is the most prominent face in Britains battle with the illicit slaying of birds of prey and has been a police officer for nearly 20 years and was formerly with Northamptonshire Police.

He liaises with wildlife groups around Britain and regional police forces to help prevent birds of prey being slaughtered.

He took over his role in September 2018 as head of the Raptor Group which is one of six UK Wildlife Conservation Priorities.

He liaises with wildlife groups around Britain and regional police forces to help prevent birds of prey being slaughtered

Days before his suspension he said the lockdown had provided a green light for those involved in raptor persecution to continue their killing.

He stated he was particularly concerned the shooting, poisoning and trapping of birds such as red kites and buzzards and that there were several investigations underway to net the culprits.

He had also campaigned for the safety of sea and golden eagles and hen harriers and warned that successful prosecutions should remind those that kill our amazing birds that their time getting away with it is coming to an end.

Days before his suspension he said the lockdown had provided a green light for those involved in raptor persecution to continue their killing

Mr Lyall said he had been sickened by the increase in crimes against birds of prey during the Covid-19 lockdown.

It is clear that lockdown has been seen as a green light by those involved in raptor persecution offences to continue committing crimes, presumably in the belief that there are fewer people around to catch them doing so.

Bedfordshire police said: Supt Lyall has been suspended following an internal investigation.

He has appealed that suspension and a decision will be made in due course. He will face a hearing at a date to be decided. He is not facing any criminal charges.

Mail Online has approached the Police Superintendents Association for comment.

Victor Marshall, the Police Superintendents Association Professional Standards Coordinator said: Our member has cooperated fully with this investigation and the Police Superintendents Association will be supporting him throughout.
The Delhi Police's Special Cell on Friday arrested 'Pinjra Tod' activist Natasha Narwal and booked her under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for alleged conspiracy in the northeast Delhi riots in February, police said.

Narwal, along with another JNU student Devangana Kalita have already been arrested in another case, being investigated by the Crime branch, related to communal violence in northeast Delhi and are in judicial custody till June 11.

The two women are associated with 'Pinjra Tod' group, a collective of women students and alumni of colleges from across Delhi and are currently lodged in Mandoli jail here.

"We had enough evidence against Natasha Narwal in connection with a conspiracy case associated with the northeast Delhi riots that is being investigated by the special cell. So, we have formally arrested her with the permission from the court," said a senior police officer who did not wish to be identified.

The two women were arrested on May 23 in connection with a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Jaffrabad area in February. A day later, they were granted bail by the court in the case.

Moments after the judge passed the order, the Crime Branch of the Delhi police had arrested them in a separate case related to the violence and were sent to judicial custory on Thursday.

Jamia Millia Islamia students Asif Iqbal Tanha and Gulfisha Khatoon, Jamia Coordination Committee members Safoora Zargar and Meeran Haider, President of Jamia Alumni Association Shifa-Ur-Rehman, suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain, former Congress municipal councillor Ishrat Jahan and former student leader Umar Khalid have also been booked under the anti-terror law in the case being investigated by the Special Cell of the Delhi police.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.
Pakistans efforts to target India at OIC foiled by Maldives, UAE

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 29: An attempt by Pakistan to create an informal group of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Islamophobia has been thwarted by Maldives and UAE.

This comes in the wake of Male telling the OIC that singling out India on Islamophobia would be factually incorrect and also detrimental to religious harmony.Male told the OIC in an address this week that singling out India for Islamophobia would not be factually incorrect. It would also be detrimental to religious harmony in South Asia, Male had also said.

This is a welcome sign for India especially at a time when the OIC has stepped up attacks on India on alleged discrimination against Muslims and also on developments at Jammu and Kashmir.

Cannot single out India for Islamophobia, Maldives tells OIC

Male also made it clear to the OIC that it would not support any action which singles out India. Thilmeeza Hussain, Permanent Representative of Maldives in New York said that her country firmly stood against Islamophobia and Xenophobia or any form of violence to promote political or any other agenda. However we also believe that targeting a specific country would be like side-stepping the issue. Therefore, Maldives cannot support any action within the OIC that singles out or targets India, she also said.

Isolated statements by motivated people and disinformation campaigns on social media should be construed as representative feelings of 1.3 bullion people. She also said that the world had seen an alarming rise in the culture of hatred, prejudice and that violence had been exploited as a tool to promote political and other ideologies and agenda.

LAC tension: Rahul wants govt to come clean on what is happening at border | Oneindia News

The OIC in a recent statement had asked the international community to gear up efforts to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir issue in accordance with the resolutions of the UNSC.

It also said that this should be done as per the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.

The OIC's human rights commission had rejected as illegal India's decision to change the domicile certificate rules in Jammu and Kashmir.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, May 29, 2020, 16:43 [IST]
A migrant farm worker in Haldimand-Norfolk has tested positive for COVID-19.

The health unit issued a press release Friday afternoon saying three farm workers have been admitted to Norfolk General Hospital with symptoms of the disease, and one tested positive.

Paramedics were dispatched to the farm, which was not identified, in order to test other workers for the virus.

The Health Unit is working closely with the farm operator to formulate a public health management plan, said the release.

The outbreak comes as an appeal brought by Norfolk farmer Brett Schuyler against the health units Section 22 order, which limits bunkhouse occupancy to three during migrant workers mandatory quarantine period, remains before the Ontario Health Services Appeal and Review Board.

During his testimony on Friday, Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, Haldimand-Norfolks chief medical officer of health, confirmed the outbreak but did not confirm which farm operation was affected.

The hearing began on Monday and was set to conclude Friday, but the proceedings will continue next week with testimony from three more health unit witnesses.

Nesathurai spent most of the day on Thursday being led through his testimony by lawyer Jill Dougherty, as he defended his decision to impose stricter rules on farms in Haldimand-Norfolk than those set out by the federal and provincial governments.

The bulk of Friday was occupied by cross-examination of Nesathurai by Andrea Plumb of Lerners Lawyers, the firm representing Schuyler Farms Ltd., an apple and sour cherry operation that normally employs more than 100 migrant workers.

Plumb has argued that conditions set out in the Section 22 order are excessive and put Haldimand-Norfolk farmers at a competitive disadvantage.

Adjudicator Thomas Kelly said the need to extend the hearing into a second week was unfortunate and distressing.

It would be wonderful for everybodys sake to complete this, he said.

Kelly told participants that should the hearing conclude on Monday as expected, he would then give Dougherty and Plumb two more days to prepare written closing statements.

Weve got to get this done, Kelly said.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Chinese students "shouldn't be here in our schools spying."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks the press at the State Department in Washington. (AFP)

Washington: The United States will take action to prevent alleged espionage by Chinese students, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday, ahead of an expected announcement by President Donald Trump.

Trump earlier said that he will hold a press conference Friday about China amid soaring tensions between the two powers, including over the status of Hong Kong and the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Asked about a report in The New York Times that Trump was considering throwing out thousands of graduate students, Pompeo said that Chinese students "shouldn't be here in our schools spying."

"We know we have this challenge. President Trump, I am confident, is going to take that on," Pompeo told Fox News, while declining to say if an action would be announced on Friday.

"We have an obligation -- a duty -- to make sure that students that are coming here to study... aren't acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party," Pompeo said.

The New York Times said that the Trump administration was considering annulling visas for thousands of graduate students linked to China's military.

The move would be certain to draw criticism from universities, which rely increasingly on tuition from foreign students -- of which China and India are the largest sources -- and have already been hit hard by the COVID-19 shutdown.

Asian American activists have long voiced concern that the targeting of Chinese students impacts their own community, with US citizens of Asian ancestry coming under unjustified suspicion.

"This isn't a red scare, this isn't racist. Chinese people are a great people," Pompeo said when asked about the concerns.

"This is like the days of the Soviet Union. This is a communist, tyrannical regime that poses real risk to the United States," he said.

Trump, in remarks to reporters, declined to preview the press conference on Friday but said, "We're not happy with China."

The press conference will come two days after Pompeo certified to Congress that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China, as promised by Beijing before Britain handed over its colony in 1997.

China has been pressing forward the drafting of a security law that Hong Kong activists say will end freedoms enjoyed in the financial capital, which was rocked by months of pro-democracy protests last year.

Washington and Beijing are already clashing over responsibility for the extent of the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China but has spread worldwide and caused devastation in the United States.

Domestic critics accuse Trump of mismanagement and say that the 100,000 US deaths and massive unemployment were the result of a slow, patchy federal response to the virus' spread across the world's biggest economy.

But Trump blames the crisis on China and for a long time insisted on calling the COVID-19 sickness the "Chinese virus." He has threatened to cut off US funding for the World Health Organization, accusing the UN body of bias toward Beijing and assisting in a cover-up.
The rift between the US and China has affected another aspect which is education, as many US visas will be denied particularly those of Chinese graduate students.

Reuters reports that the worsening relationship of Washington and Beijing will branch out to another area of conflict, this time education.

CCP to infiltrate US through universities?

According to President Donald Trump, education is another gateway that the CCP exploits to gain information about the United States, with links to the People's Liberation Army, citing two sources with information about it last Thursday.

This is why the US government is restricting the entry of many Chinese students, which is important with the expansionism of China and utilizing all avenues to infiltrate the US.

Confirmed by the New York Times, based on the news report that noted it will affect as many as 3,000 to 5,000 students which will be announced in the week. One of them is a US Official that choose to be anonymous, with another one who knew about it because of connections to internal affairs.

The apparent cause of this drastic development that is driving the two countries into butting heads is the decision of Beijing to forge on with the national security legislation for Hong Kong. This move is feared by the US and the West since it will give the CCP a stranglehold that will choke out the freedom of the former British colony, destroy its reputation as a financial center in Asia.

Also read: Loss of Hong Kong's Autonomy Under China's Rule Might Mean Sanctions From US

By seizing control of the Island, China will annex this as another mini-China that will have dire consequences to many, not just mainland China. It is left to be seen how the drama in Hong Kong plays out and how it affects US relations and the world.

With Beijing's seizure of Hong Kong, US is considering revocation of the special status accord by the US government.

As the plan goes, all Chinese students in US institutions will be kicked out, including their expulsion from the universities and colleges. Based on info from the source, those who are scheduled to go back are not even allowed to return to the United States.

The main objective of US behind this decision

This action is geared to protect the United States and its institutions from the threats from CCP, which is speculated be involved in shady activities.

Beijing is notorious in purloining intellectual property and spying using educational centres. Chinese infiltrators use these tactics to enter without any suspicious intent. According to discussions in deep circles, the Trump administration will be facing opposition from these education centres because of the financial impact of losing Chinese students, as reported by the Victor Harbor Times.

Many US schools earn a lot from Chinese students, about $14 billion from fees and other expenses paid by them.

Denying visas will be a contention point of the US and China, as the two economies that are hammering it out about trade and the pandemic. Visas will not be revoked immediately, but will be under deliberation for several months, reported the source. It is only one of the flashpoints in US-China relations, that has gotten worse.

Revoking Chinese visas are just the tip of the iceberg as the US-China relations take a downturn.

Related article: Japanese Navy Has Less Warships Than Chinese Fleet, But Numbers are Not Everything

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The number of COVID-19 cases in India climbed to 1,65,799 while toll reached 4,706 with the country registering over 7,000 new cases on Friday

The number of COVID-19 cases in India climbed to 1,65,799 while toll reached 4,706 with the country registering over 7,000 new cases. According to the health ministry, India registered 175 deaths and a record 7,466 fresh coronavirus infection cases in the last 24 hours till Friday 8 am.

The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 89,987, while 71,105 people have recovered so far and one patient has migrated, data from the ministry showed.

"Thus, around 42.89 percent patients have recovered so far," a senior Health Ministry official said.

However, a PTI tally of figures announced by states and Union Territories, as of 9.40 pm showed a higher number of 1,68,386 confirmed cases and the nationwide death toll of 4,784. It also showed at least 81,702 recoveries, leaving nearly 82,000 active cases across the country.

Though the increase in recoveries is a positive news for the country fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, official data showed India's GDP growth tumbling to 3.1 percent in the March quarter  the slowest pace since the global financial crisis more than a decade back.

But expert warned that the worst is yet to come as the full impact of the lockdown will get accounted for only in the numbers for the ongoing April-June quarter. As another key data, the combined output of eight core infrastructure sectors, showed a decline by a record 38.1 percent in April.

"In view of nationwide lockdown during April 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, various industries - coal, cement, steel, natural gas, refinery, crude oil, etc, experienced substantial loss of production," the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a senior government official told PTI that states may have more say in the fifth phase of lockdown (startingfrom 1 June) on imposing restrictions or giving relaxations, including on decisions to open schools, resume public transport, as well as open religious places, which have been shut since 25 March.

The central government may, however, advise state authorities to continue with strict curbs in COVID-19 containment zones in the worst-affected 30 municipal areas that account for 80 per cent of the positive cases in the country.

These 30 municipal areas are from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Odisha.

The central government may also continue with the suspension on operation of international flights and political gatherings as well as closure of malls and cinema halls, besides ordering mandatory wearing of face mask by people in public places and maintenance of social distancing norms everywhere, according to PTI.

Cases from states

According to the health ministry data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 59,546 followed by Tamil Nadu at 19,372, Delhi at 16,281, Gujarat at 15,562, Rajasthan at 8,067, Madhya Pradesh at 7,453 and Uttar Pradesh at 7,170.

Of the total deaths, Maharashtra tops the tally with 1,982 deaths followed by Gujarat with 960 deaths, Madhya Pradesh with 321, Delhi with 316, West Bengal with 295, Uttar Pradesh with 197, Rajasthan with 180, Tamil Nadu with 145, Telangana with 67 and Andhra Pradesh with 59 deaths.

However, these figures do not reflect the cases confirmed by states on Friday.

Delhi reported 1,106 new cases to take its tally to over 17,000, while its toll rose to 398, though the Arvind Kejriwal government in the National Capital appealed to the people not to panic.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted on Friday, "My Delhiites do not worry if you contract corona. Most of you can be treated in home quarantine itself. Still, if you need to be admitted to hospital, we have full preparations for it. I pray to the god for your good health and happiness."

"Corona patients who have no or mild symptoms can recover at their home. They need not get admitted to hospital," he said.

As many as 11 healthcare workers, including two resident doctors, also tested positive at the country's premier medical institution AIIMS in the national capital, taking the total number of hospital staff infected so far to 206. However, more than 150 healthcare personnel have recovered and have joined back duties.

In the national capital, a Rajya Sabha Secretariat official also tested positive, making it the fourth such case reported from the Parliament complex. Two floors of the Parliament Annexe building have been sealed, officials said.

Doordarshan News has also shifted its operations from Mandi House to its studio in Khelgaon after samples of a 53-year-old video journalist, who had passed away, came positive after his death.

In Kerala, 62 new cases were reported and the toll rose to eight after a 65-year-old who had returned from West Asia succumbed to the virus. Those testing positive included a health worker, two cabin crew of Air India and two prisoners also, taking the infection count in the state to 1,150.

Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, recorded 2,682 new cases and 116 deaths on Friday, it also saw 8,381 COVID-19 patients getting discharged from hospitals across the state.

In Gujarat, the number of confirmed cases grew to 15,944 after 372 new cases were detected in the last 24 hours, while 20 patients succumbed to the infection to take the state's death toll to 980,

In Tamil Nadu, nine more people succumbed to COVID-19, while its tally of confirmed cases saw a spike of 874 cases.

Odisha reported 63 new cases, of which 61 had recently returned to the state from various parts of the country and were in different quarantine centres. Two persons were detected with the infection following contact-tracing exercises.

A minister in West Bengal has also tested positive for COVID-19, a source in the state government said.

In Kolkata, a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel posted at a warship manufacturing facility succumbed to the novel coronavirus. This was the fourth COVID-19 death in the force and the second from the unit posted at this Kolkata-based PSU.

While 41 CISF personnel from this unit have tested positive so far, 38 of them have been discharged and only one is under treatment at present, sources said.

In Kolkata, at least four healthcare workers at a hospital and 10 police personnel also tested positive.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, in the meantime, announced a slew of relaxations from the lockdown from 1 June, including for restarting of private and public sector offices with full attendance and reopening of religious places.

Government offices in Uttarakhand, including the state secretariat and the Vidhan Sabha, will also revert to normal working hours from 1 June, a state government order said.

Uttarakhand reported a record number of 216 new cases, while West Bengal recorded 277 fresh cases and seven more deaths.

Elsewhere, New Zealand has all but eradicated the coronavirus with just one person in the nation of 5 million known to be infected, said The Associated Press. But developments were grim in Pakistan and Russia, which registered a record number of deaths.

In the first major increase since it started gradually reopening on 11 May, France reported more than 3,000 new daily virus infections. It was not immediately clear if the spike was due to a greater availability of testing.

Authorities in Singapore said Friday that city-state is planning to establish "travel bubbles" with countries where coronavirus is under control, even as it reported 611 new COVID-19 cases, a majority of them foreign workers living in dormitories.

Singapore's tally of infections now stands at 33,860 and majority of them are foreign workers holding work permit and residing in the dormitories, the Health Ministry said.

Meanwhile, South Africa said that it has a backlog of nearly 100,000 unprocessed tests for the coronavirus, a striking example of the painful shortage of testing kits and reagents across Africa as cases steadily rise.

Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 58 lakh people and killed about 3.6 lakh, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

With inputs from agencies
In the beginning, The Sopranos was just like any other show. It started with a pilot, and no one knew if HBO would order the first season. Some had an idea, of course. Michael Rispoli (Jackie Aprile), who competed with James Gandolfini for the Tony Soprano role, knew the show would be a winner.

The other actors who got onto the pilot could only hope Rispoli was right. Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti, counted among them. Imperioli had always wanted to do a Woody Allen movie, but to shoot the Sopranos pilot he had to pass on Allens Celebrity.

But once the show got going it became a sensation. When the actors started making cast appearances in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, they found massive lines of fans awaiting them. And Steve Schirripa (Bobby Baccala) began noticing a trend.

More than a few enthusiastic Sopranos fans thought they should be on the show. And as Schirripa and Imperioli discussed on the May 18 edition of the Talking Sopranos podcast, many were Italian-American.

Sopranos stars constantly had people asking to get on the show

The Sopranos cast gathers for a photo shoot. | Tom Briglia/FilmMagic

RELATED: The Sopranos: How James Gandolfini Stood Behind Jamie-Lynn Sigler During a Rough Stretch of Her Life

When Imperioli and Schirripa sat down for episode 7 of Talking Sopranos, the pair took a moment to reminisce about doing an event in Nevada back in the HBO shows heyday. As Schirripa recalled it, an overbearing fan really got under Imperiolis skin during a card game.

I remember you got mad at a guy, you were playing blackjack Schirripa began. In brief, the man was pestering Imperioli at the card table. The guy was going, Hey Chrissy, hey Chrissy! Cmon, put me on the show. Put me on the show!' Eventually, Imperioli snapped.

You f*cking got pissed, Schirripa reminded Imperioli. And you went, Ive been working [in the business] 20 years! You think this is a f*ckin joke? You just teed off on the guy [who] was in your face and being an a**hole.

While Imperioli didnt seem to recall the incident in question, Schirripa connected that to his own experience  and that of so many other Sopranos actors.

Steve Schirripa said every fat, sweaty Italian guy considered himself Sopranos material

Vincent Pastore and Steve Schirripa at Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas | Denise Truscello/WireImage

After running into a number of over-the-top fans in his Sopranos days, Schirripa said he noticed something many had in common. Every f*ckin guy with a vowel at the end of his name thought he should be on the show, Schirripa said (as Imperioli broke out laughing).

But Schirripa wasnt finished. Something about The Sopranos actors made people think they could do it, too. Every fat, sweaty Italian guy thought that they could be an actor, he added. For real. After Imperioli pondered that thought for a second, he came to a reasonable conclusion.

Well, some of them did, he quipped. After enjoying Imperiolis line, Schirripa had a quick comeback of his own. Yes they did, he replied. Myself included.

RELATED: Sopranos Star Tony Sirico Used to Mess With Jimi Hendrix in True Paulie Walnuts Style
Phu Bai International Airport in Hue City. (Photo: VNA)

The airport was built in 1940 and only has one 2.7km long runway.

Since 2015, passenger rate has grown between 12 and 18 percent each year.

In 2019, the number of passengers using the airport reached nearly two million, 500,000 more than its designed capacity.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam is proposing to invest 1.67 trillion VND (71.5 million USD) to extend the runway and upgrade taxiways over the next five years.

The aviation authority said the investment does not include the fund for land clearance which would be divided into a sub-project implemented by the locality where the airport based.

The airport is located on National Highway 1A in the province's Huong Thuy town. It plays an important role in the economic, cultural, social and defence strategy of Thua Thien-Hue and the northern-central region and is crucial to promoting tourism in Hue city and the entire central region.
Vietnam is among the first countries likely to restart international tourism following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to WeSwap, the UKs largest travel money provider.

Ha Long Bay, one of the most favourite tourism destinations in Vietnam.

Vietnam is one of the countries that has the lowest number of COVID-19 cases and lowest death rates (zero deaths) caused by COVID-19 in the world, despite being just next door to China.

With a population of 94 million, Vietnam has gone 43 days without any COVID-19 cases caused by community transmission, as of Thursday May 29. The national COVID-19 count stands at 327. Of these, only 49 are active cases, and 278 have recovered after treatment.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is preparing plans to welcome visitors from countries and territories in anticipation of recovery and disease control in key markets like Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia.

Besides Vietnam, WeSwap also included Fiji, Sri Lanka and Seychelles in the list of economies that could reopen their travel industry before others. VNS
Hyderabad, May 29 : In the biggest ever single day spike in Covid-19 cases in Telangana, 169 people tested positive while four more died due to the dreaded virus on Friday.

Four fatalities took the death toll to 71. Those who died during the last 24 hours include a 59-year-old who was suffering from multiple myeloma. He was admitted and treated in hospital for the past three days.

The other three included a woman. The deceased were aged between 53 and 62 years.

The number of Covid cases continued to soar in the state with 169 new cases from Thursday 5 p.m. to Friday 5 p.m. The biggest single-day jump pushed the state's tally to 2,425. Officials said the number of active cases stands at 973.

The new cases include 100 local cases, 82 of them reported in Greater Hyderabad.

As many as 64 deportees from Saudi Arabia and 5 migrants also tested positive during the last 24 hours.

This is the third consecutive day that deportees were tested positive. The number of deportees found infected rose to 207.

According to officials, the Central government had airlifted 458 deportees and they were quarantined in government-run centres in the state.

During the last three days, the state has reported 434 cases including 207 among deportees. The increasing number of cases in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits continued to be a worry for the health authorities.

"In the past few days, there has been a surge of new cases in GHMC area. It is once again reiterated that all the non-pharmacological preventive measures have to be implemented strictly. Vigorous contact tracing, strict quarantine measures (home and government), risk assessment, judiciously assessing the area of containment, strict perimeter control have to be taken up. At this juncture, risk communication plays a major role in behavior change thereby mitigating further spread of infection," the medical bulletin said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.

UPDATE, May 29, 3:00 p.m.: After it was reported Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick changed his stance and will continue to enforce the county's stay-at-home order, the sheriff's office posted the following message to Facebook: "Contrary to other reports the Sheriff is not reversing his position."

No additional comment was provided.

UPDATE, May 29, 1:00 p.m.: Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick will continue to enforce the county's stay-at-home order, a reversal from a statement he made Thursday saying he "can no longer in good conscience continue to enforce Sonoma County Public Health Orders."

Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Susan Gorin said she received a commitment from the Sheriffs Office to enforce the public health order Friday, according to The Press Democrat.

Essick is expected to make a statement soon.

ORIGINAL STORY BELOW

Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick had released a lengthy statement Thursday explaining his position.

"As your elected Sheriff, I can no longer in good conscience continue to enforce Sonoma County Public Health Orders, without explanation, that criminalize otherwise lawful business and personal behavior," Essick wrote. "Effective June 1, 2020 I am directing all Sheriffs Office staff to discontinue the enforcement of the Sonoma County Public Health Orders issued by the Sonoma County Public Health Department and the Public Health Officer. Reports of violations, when brought to our attention, will be evaluated against the California State guidelines on a case-by-case basis."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is reopening California with a four-stage plan that's implemented through a statewide stay-at-home order. Counties that meet certain benchmarks for infection rates can move more swiftly through the plan and make additional modifications to their orders with state approval For example, the governor recently gave hair salons statewide permission to open in counties with regional variances.

Newsom has said counties don't have to come into compliance with the state order and can keep their more strict guidelines. While Sonoma has proven it meets requirements for a regional variance, it is among the several Bay Area counties that have chosen to move at slower pace and has refrained from opening hair salons and barbershops.

Essick expressed it's time for the county to catch up with the state.

"I have heard from many people expressing concern with the perceived overreach of the Sonoma County Public Health Orders and their inconsistencies with our neighboring counties and Governor Newsoms Public Health orders," Essick wrote. "I have consistently heard the message that Sonoma Countys Public Health Orders are far more restrictive than the Governors Orders despite the fact that our COVID-19 infection rate is low compared to other counties. With over 23,000 tests conducted, Sonoma County has seen a declining rate of positive tests, from 3% three weeks ago to 2.2% today. As a community we have experienced 4 deaths; I do not want to minimize this fact as any loss of life is tragic and sad."

In response, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors released a statement late Thursday expressing "disappointment" over the sheriff's decision to not enforce the local order.

"While we acknowledge the communitys frustration with the situation and a desire to return to some normalcy, the Sheriffs message has had the unfortunate effect of creating confusion in our community," the statement read. "Over the past 10 weeks, the County has taken unprecedented measures to protect the health and well-being of every community member against COVID19. We know that all of our efforts have successfully minimized the spread of COVID19 and saved lives. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors stands behind the decisions of our Health Officer and thanks all members of our community who have and will continue to follow the health orders to keep our community safe."

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

Amy Graff is a digital editor with SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Prison officials said they are preparing to transfer inmates out of the sole federal prison in Ohio to comply with a judges order, who said it was the only way to protect the vulnerable from the coronavirus.

At the same time, the officials are again asking a higher court to review the judges order to clear out the prison in Ohio, where nine inmates have died of the virus since April.

Attorneys for the Federal Bureau of Prisons wrote in filings Friday that staff at Federal Correctional Institution Elkton had placed 128 medically vulnerable inmates into quarantine on May 22 in anticipation of transferring them out of prison. The first group is scheduled to leave June 5. Transfers will continue and are scheduled to be completed by late August, according to court records.

Officials are also reviewing files for dozens of inmates to see if they could go on home confinement, the lawyers wrote. Seventeen have so far been approved for home confinement, wrote the attorneys.

Finally, the staff at the prison in Columbiana County also expected to complete collecting samples from all inmates to mass test for coronavirus by Friday, the filings state.

The status of the prisons bureaus efforts was disclosed in motions filed in front of both U.S. District Judge James Gwin of Cleveland  who ordered officials to either release or transfer more than 800 medically vulnerable inmates to protect them from the virus  and the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.

It asked both courts to halt Gwins May 19 order that said prison staff had not done enough to comply with a previous directive and to relax requirements of who is eligible for release. The judge and the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, which sued over conditions at the prison, have said officials did not do nearly enough in the month after the first order was issued to protect vulnerable inmates.

The prison bureau again said Friday that Gwin overstepped his legal authority when he ordered prison officials to transfer out hundreds of inmates. Only the bureau can determine the best way to house an inmate.

Inmates, too, may be harmed, government lawyers wrote in their appellate brief. Transfers could inadvertently spread COVID-19 to new facilities, despite BOPs best efforts.

They also said they believed the efforts they already made at the prison  which includes cleaning common areas, reducing inmate contact and giving face masks to inmates and staff  have made a difference. On April 8, 46 inmates were hospitalized due to the virus. However, no inmates have been in the hospital for the virus for most of May, though an inmate was hospitalized Friday, prison officials wrote.

The ACLU is expected to oppose both requests, and Gwin gave the organization until noon Monday. The 6th Circuit gave the ACLU until 5 p.m. Saturday.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that it would not halt Gwins April order but noted that the prison bureau had not yet asked the justices to weigh in on the May 19 order.

The prison bureau requested that both courts rule by 3 p.m. Monday and that it would again go to the Supreme Court if it didnt get a favorable ruling. It is seeking a ruling in its favor by June 5, when the first inmates are set to be transferred out.

The low-security prison, which houses about 2,300 male inmates and is located approximately 100 miles southeast of Cleveland, has been a prime example of how quickly the coronavirus can spread in lockups, where inmates often have no choice but to live in close quarters and may not have access to adequate health care.

Nine inmates have died since April, while 332 inmates and seven staff members had tested positive for the virus as of Friday. Among those who tested positive were former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, who is serving a 28-year sentence for corruption, his lawyers said.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry on Thursday said its first shipment of medicine worth $500,000 will be sent to Iran on Friday.

The shipment of medicine to treat Gaucher's disease will be sent by air, the Ministry said and added that another shipment of medicine and medical supplies worth $2 million is to be delivered to Iran next month.

The shipments of medicine from South Korea come after the United States in April gave the green light for humanitarian exports to Iran without being caught up in complications arising from U.S. sanctions.

In its press release on Thursday, the Korean Foreign Ministry has said that Seoul will continue consultations with Washington and Tehran to find ways to expand trade to medicine, good and agricultural products to Iran.

Last month, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Korea had rejected a SWIFT payment for coronavirus test kits due to U.S. sanctions.

"Apart from the license program, South Korea is also pushing for the Korean Humanitarian Trade Arrangement, which uses an Iranian bank free from U.S. sanctions  such as the Middle East Bank  to facilitate humanitarian transactions with the Islamic republic," Korea Times said on Friday.

In recent days the Iranian media have criticized Korea for refusing to free the money owed to Iran for oil exports that has been frozen in Korean banks for nearly two years.

There are no official figures on the amount of money frozen by Korean banks but according to Etemad daily it may be as high as $7 billion.

In December Iran summoned the Korean ambassador to protest to the delay in payment of the money owed to Iran for oil and condensates exported to the country, presumably for fear of breaching the U.S. sanctions.
Looking to defuse anger after gunfire wounded at least seven people at a protest, the mother of a black woman killed by police urged protesters Friday to continue demanding justice but do so without hurting each other."

Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by Louisville Metro Police in March while officers were conducting a raid at her apartment. The FBI has opened an investigation into the shooting death.

Hundreds flocked downtown Thursday night, and on Friday, it happened again  people demanding justice in the death of Taylor, as well as two minority men recently killed.

Details of the case remained quiet for several weeks, but gained national attention after video of the Ahmaud Arbery shooting death in Georgia was made public. Activists across the country began speaking out about the deaths of unarmed black citizens at the hands of police and/or racist white people.



In March, Taylor was shot at least eight times when three officers forcibly entered her apartment to serve a search warrant in a narcotics investigation. The department said the men announced themselves and returned gunfire when Taylor's boyfriend fired at them.

But in a wrongful death lawsuit, Taylor's mother says the officers didn't knock at all and should've called off their search because the suspect they sought had already been arrested.

Officers didn't find drugs in her apartment when they entered, Taylor's mother said in the lawsuit.

In the weeks leading up to Thursdays violent protest, Taylors family called for the LMPD officers involved in the case to be relieved of their duties and charged. Activists held a candlelight vigil, a parade and a wreath-laying ceremony to bring attention to the case. The events were all held peacefully, and Taylor's mother said she would like it to remain that way.

Police presence intensified around 9:45 p.m. Friday, as officers in riot gear stood shoulder-to-shoulder moving people down a key street near City Hall, the Courier Journal reported.

A police officer was seen on camera during a WAVE-TV broadcast firing what appeared to be pepper bullets directly at the camera crew.

I'm getting shot! I'm getting shot! WAVE-TV reporter Kaitlin Rust is heard yelling off-camera. She told the indignant anchors int he studio that the crew was behind the line, but police wanted them to move further away.

Seven people were shot during Thursdays rally. Two people wounded in the gunfire underwent surgery, while five were in good condition, Mayor Greg Fischer said.



CNN contributed to this report.
Zombie fires are erupting in Alaska and likely Siberia, signaling severe Arctic fire season may lie ahead WaPo (Re Silc).

Rolls-Royce downgraded to junk by S&P FT

U.S. Corporate Bond Sales Smash Record, Soaring Over $1 Trillion Bloomberg

Check your junk mail  4 million Americans are getting their stimulus payments as prepaid debit cards, not checks MarketWatch

#COVID19

Vietnamese cops bust US$2.6 billion online gambling ring Channel News Asia. Wildly popular in Vietnam. So you can imagine the scale in China.

China?

Coronavirus misinformation fuels panic in Asia Channel News Asia

50 days of Indonesias partial lockdown. Is it enough for the new normal? Jakarta Post

India

UK/EU

Black Injustice Tipping Point

Ecuador Grapples with Food Sovereignty NACLA

New Cold War

Restrictions to stay in Moscow until COVID-19 vaccine is ready  mayor TASS. Health Minister Mikhail Murashko predicted that the first results of clinical tests of COVID-19 vaccines will be there by late July, and that a vaccine should become available for mass administration at about the same time. Hmm.

Trump Transition

Graham urges senior judges to step aside so Trump, GOP can replace them The Hill

2020

Our Famously Free Press

Class Warfare

Yes, Millennials Really Are That Screwed New York Magazine. Re Silc comments: F*ck them. People working in afghani rug factories are screwed. People picking coffee in Guatemala are screwed. People breaking ships in Bangladesh are screwed. People selling cigs by the piece in Lagos are screwed. Americans make me sick. Amazon wont say how many workers have gotten COVID-19. So workers are tracking cases themselves Los Angeles Times

Why We Have So Many Problems with Our Teeth Scientific American

What Kind of Country Do We Want? NYRB

Translation From VC-Backed PR Jargon to English of Magic Leap CEO Rony Abovitzs Statement That Hes Stepping Down Daring Fireball.

Antidote du jour (via):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 10:33:28|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

CHANGSHA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A regular e-commerce cargo air route was launched on Thursday to link the central Chinese city of Changsha with Moscow, Russia.

At 12:24 a.m., the cargo flight operated by Cainiao Network, the delivery arm of Chinese e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba, took off from Changsha Huanghua International Airport, carrying 20 tonnes of goods in nearly 40,000 parcels including clothes and household items.

The service will include three flights per week, Cainiao Network said, adding that after the launch of the new air route, goods manufactured in Hunan will be delivered to Russian consumers in about 10 days, down from the previous 20-30 days.

Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, opened a temporary e-commerce air freight route to Los Angeles earlier this year to meet the surging international logistics demands amid the pandemic.

Cross-border e-commerce is the most dynamic business model and an important stabilizer in international trade, said Yang Li, head of the logistics and port affairs office of the Changsha government.

Since the start of 2020, cross-border e-commerce applications in Changsha have increased nearly 50-fold year on year, she added. Enditem
Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said on Thursday that the Alabama Department of Public Health has been combining coronavirus antibody tests and diagnostic tests on its COVID-19 dashboard, but a representative of the Department said they aim to have the issue fixed within the next few days.

Dr. Karen Landers, Assistant State Health Officer for ADPH, said on Friday that the number of antibody tests included in the total tested number on the dashboard is very small, probably less than 4 percent," and that they are working to get them removed from the testing figure by early next week.

As of Friday morning, the dashboard showed 206,757 in the total tested field. If four percent are antibody tests, that would be less than 8,300.

Landers also emphasized that the antibody tests arent included in ADPHs positive case counts, and the revision in test numbers wont change the number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Alabama.

There are more than 16,500 confirmed cases of the virus in Alabama as of Friday morning, with more than 600 deaths and 9,300 presumed to have recovered.

Landers said the antibody tests were included by accident when testing figures were transmitted electronically from some of the states private labs to the health department. She said the antibody tests are not currently used by ADPH, but that that could change if they are improved. There have been questions about how effective current antibody tests are.

The main difference between these antibody tests and the diagnostic tests that make up the majority of Alabamas testing numbers is that the diagnostic tests show whether a person is currently carrying the virus, while the antibody test is meant to show if the person carries the antibodies that would form after the virus has run its course.

Problems with accuracy aside, the two tests are different, and combining them could change how people view data such as the percent of positive test results. Harris said on Thursday that the percent of positive tests included on the ADPH dashboard does not have anything to do with the antibody tests.

Alabama isnt the first state to make this mistake. Texas admitted that 6 percent of its reported tests were for antibodies, and earlier this month Virginia said it would no longer include antibody tests in total testing numbers.

Landers indicated ADPHs desire to get accurate information on the coronavirus to the public.

All data is preliminary, she said. And this is just another refinement... Were trying to both continue to combat this virus and get this information to the public.

Do you have an idea for a data story about Alabama? Email Ramsey Archibald at rarchibald@al.com, and follow him on Twitter @RamseyArchibald. Read more Alabama data stories here.


Achilles Therapeutics doses first patient in Phase I/II Study in recurrent or metastatic malignant melanoma with first TIL therapy to specifically target clonal neoantigens

Stevenage, UK 29 May 2020 - Achilles Therapeutics ("Achilles"), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing personalised cancer immunotherapies, today announced that it has dosed the first patient in a Phase I/II study of a clonal neoantigen T cell (cNeT) therapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic malignant melanoma. This is the first tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy to enter clinical trials where the TILs have been specifically selected to target clonal neoantigens - antigens which are believed to be present on all tumour cells.

The THETIS study is an open-label, multi-centre Phase I/II trial evaluating the safety, tolerability and clinical efficacy of cNeT therapy as a single dose in patients with recurrent or metastatic malignant melanoma. The trial is expected to recruit approximately 20 patients and report initial data in the first half of 2021. Recruitment is ongoing across sites in the UK, with additional sites to open in the US and Europe. Link to Study .

"The dosing of our first melanoma patient with a cell therapy to specifically target all cancer cells, marks a significant milestone in delivering the first precision TIL therapy. We have used a unique and proprietary data set derived from cancer patients over a period of many years (TRACERx) to generate a powerful predictive tool which, together with the DNA of a patient's own tumour, can be used to create an entirely personalised cell therapy designed to be exquisitely specific and effective," said Dr Iraj Ali, CEO of Achilles Therapeutics. "As we continue to navigate the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, we are incredibly grateful to patients and their families, investigators and their colleagues at clinical study sites, and our employees for working to advance this important study that has the potential to treat a very challenging and life-threatening cancer."

"Patients with metastatic melanoma have very limited treatment options after immune checkpoint inhibitors have failed," said Professor Ruth Plummer, Clinical Professor of Experimental Cancer Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University and The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation. "This is the first patient in the UK to receive a personalised clonal neoantigen reactive T cell product and we are very excited that this has been achieved in Newcastle in the midst of such unprecedented times, and is testament to the great collaboration between us and Achilles."

Achilles is developing personalised T cell therapies for solid tumours targeting clonal neoantigens: protein markers unique to each patient that are present on the surface of all cancer cells. Using its PELEUS bioinformatics platform, Achilles can identify clonal neoantigens from each patient's unique tumour profile which are present on every cancer cell. Achilles uses its proprietary process to manufacture T cells (cNeT) which exquisitely target a specific set of clonal neoantigens in each patient. Targeting multiple clonal neoantigens that are present on all cancer cells, but not on healthy cells, reduces the risk that new mutations can induce immune evasion and therapeutic resistance, and allows individualised treatments to target and destroy tumours without harming healthy tissue.

- Ends -

Notes for Editors:

About Achilles Therapeutics

Achilles Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company developing personalised T cell therapies targeting clonal neoantigens: protein markers unique to the individual that are expressed on the surface of every cancer cell. Achilles uses DNA sequencing data from each patient, together with the proprietary PELEUS bioinformatics platform, to identify clonal neoantigens specific to that patient, and then develop personalised T cell-based therapies specifically targeting those clonal neoantigens.

Achilles was founded in 2016 by lead investor Syncona Ltd and in September 2019 the Company raised 100M in an oversubscribed Series B financing led by RA Capital, cornerstoned by Syncona and joined by new investors including Forbion, Invus, Perceptive Advisors and Redmile Group. For further information please visit the Company's website at: www.achillestx.com

About Melanoma

Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is characterised by the uncontrolled growth of pigment-producing cells. It can be more serious than the other forms of skin cancerbecause of a tendency to metastasize to other parts of the body. The primary cause of melanoma is ultraviolet lightmelanin. Those with many moles, a history of affected family members and poor immune functionare at greater risk. The number of people developing melanoma is rising. In 2020, over 196,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma. It is also now the 5th most common cancer in the UK with approximately 16,000 newly diagnosed cases each year.

About TRACERx

The TRACERx (TRAcking Cancer Evolution through therapy (Rx)) is a translational research study, led by Achilles founder, Professor Charles Swanton, aimed at transforming our understanding of cancer evolution and take a practical step towards an era of precision medicine.

Despite major advances in the understanding of cancer biology and the translation of these findings into novel therapeutics, the majority of patients with advanced melanoma fail to derive durable clinical benefit from existing standard-of-care therapies. Through integrative analysis of genomic and immunological landscapes, the TRACERx study seeks to address this. Tumour specimens and peripheral blood are studied in highly relevant contexts at multiple stages of a patient's treatment journey, from potentially curative resections of locally-advanced disease, through to biopsies of lesions responding or refractory to systemic therapies in the setting of advanced disease.

Wherever possible, analyses will be performed in a longitudinal manner, allowing serial assessment of anti-tumour immunity, tumour-specific genomics and their interaction. Key objectives of the study include determination of spatial and temporal changes in immunological, genomic and transcriptomic landscapes, identification of novel molecular drivers, immunotherapeutic targets and assessment of the impact of cytotoxic, immune-modulatory and targeted therapies on both the tumour microenvironment and peripheral blood.

Further information:

Achilles Therapeutics

Dr Iraj Ali - Chief Executive Officer

+44 (0)1438 906 906

media@achillestx.com

Julia Wilson - Head of Communications

+44 (0)7818 430877

j.wilson@achillestx.com

Consilium Strategic Communications

Mary-Jane Elliott, Sukaina Virji, Melissa Gardiner

Tel: +44 (0) 203 709 5000

achillestx@consilium-comms.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 19:12:49|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Members of a Chinese medical team pose for a photo upon their arrival at the airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, April 16, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Shoubao)

The cooperation between Ethiopia and China to fight the spread of COVID-19 is helping to save lives and livelihoods across the African continent. The Ethiopian Airlines has recently distributed several batches of Chinese donated COVID-19 medical supplies to more than 50 African countries.

ADDIS ABABA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The cooperation between Ethiopia and China to fight the spread of COVID-19 in the African continent is bearing positive results, an Ethiopian official said on Thursday.

Speaking to Xinhua, the CEO of Ethiopia's flag carrier, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Tewolde Gebremariam, said the airlines has recently distributed several batches of Chinese donated COVID-19 medical supplies to more than 50 African countries.

"ET has fulfilled the need for speedy transportation of COVID-19 medical supplies across the African continent, distributing COVID-19 Personal Protection Equipments (PPEs) donated by the Jack Ma foundation to 51 countries in a span of just five days,".

"The investment we made in the Ethiopian Airlines cargo facility in Addis Ababa and aircraft fleet is helping not only Ethiopia but the entire continent of Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Gebremariam.

Gebremariam said the assistance from the Chinese government and Chinese private enterprises extends to helping the airlines transport COVID-19 medical supplies from their Chinese source to the African continent.

"The Chinese government and Chinese private enterprise are supporting us very well. We're delivering much needed medical supplies to African countries from China," he said.

"We're currently transporting COVID-19 medical supplies from Chinese destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing to their final destinations in the African continent," Gebremariam told Xinhua.

Speaking to Xinhua, Ahmed Shide, Ethiopia Minister of Finance, said the anti-COVID-19 cooperation is helping to save lives and livelihoods across the African continent.

Airport workers transfer consignments of medical supplies at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, April 27, 2020. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

"Ethiopia is taking leadership not only to fight COVID-19 internally, but also to facilitate continent wide anti-COVID-19 efforts to get proper support internationally".

"That partnership championed by PM Abiy Ahmed has got a positive response from the likes of Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation and is delivering positive results," Shide told Xinhua.

Shide also applauded Chinese firms based in Ethiopia's Hawassa Industrial Park for starting to produce COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs).

The Hawassa Industrial Park, which the Ethiopian government considers as its flagship industrial park in its ambition to transform the country as the manufacturing hub of the African continent by the year 2025, was built by the Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and completed back in 2016 in just nine months of construction period.

Ethiopia has recorded 831 COVID-19 cases as of Thursday afternoon of which six have ended in deaths so far.

Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation with about 107 million people, confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 13.

The Ethiopian government has instituted a wide range of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

In April, the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives announced a five-month state of emergency to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country. 
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 15:19:18|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TASHKENT, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan will resume domestic tourism in the country's regions less affected by the COVID-19 pandemic from June 1, the Uzbek justice ministry said Friday, citing a presidential decree.

The country will also gradually reopen its borders for tourists from coronavirus-free countries.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's decree, signed on May 28, aims to take urgent measures to support the tourism industry, in an effort to mitigate the adverse impact of the pandemic, the ministry said.

Earlier this month, Uzbekistan designated three levels of quarantine severity -- red, yellow and green -- depending on the epidemiological situation of districts, towns and cities.

In the regions defined as green and yellow by the country's Special Republican Commission to Combat Coronavirus, tour operators, travel agencies, hotels and cultural sites will be allowed to resume operation in strict compliance with sanitary rules, according to the decree.

Inbound tourism will be gradually restored to countries whose citizens are allowed to enter Uzbekistan, said the ministry, adding the decree also grants tax relief and other privileges for tour operators, travel agencies and hotels till the end of year.

Uzbekistan has registered 3,444 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 14 deaths and 2,694 recoveries so far. Enditem
An employee at one of Walmart's Burlington locations tested positive for coronavirus and hasn't returned to work for more than two months.

On Thursday, Walmart Canada's director of corporate affairs, Adam Grachnik, said that employee recently tested positive and last worked at the store at 4515 Dundas Street in Burlington on March 12 and has yet to return to work.

On April 22, Walmart confirmed an employee at its Fairview Street store in Burlington had COVID-19.

Grachnik added there are "no confirmed cases" this month in Walmart's Halton locations in Burlington, Oakville and Milton.

The news comes after five Walmart employees in the York region area tested positive for COVID-19.

He added the retail giant has implemented measures to ensure stores, services and distribution centres are as safe as possible for employees and customers, including:

 Introducing temperature and wellness checks for associates;

 Increasing cleaning throughout stores;

 Encouraging regular handwashing, offering associates gloves, masks, and regularly cleaning work areas, especially checkouts;

 Installing plexi-glass dividers at registers, customer service desks and in our pharmacies

 Introducing floor markings and one-way aisles to create physical distancing.

"Rest assured, we will continue to take measures necessary to ensure the well-being of our customers and associates," Grachnik said.

Walmart stores in Halton are now open until 11 p.m. daily.

Read more about:
An SUV ploughed into a group of Black Lives Matter protesters before ramming into a man on the third night of unrest after the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd.

White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died earlier this week.

His death sparked outrage and protests in various states, including Colorado.

Shocking footage shows Black Lives Matter protesters in Denver get out of the way of a black Jeep Grand Cherokee as it careens through the group.

A driver appeared to swerve to hit a protester in Denver on the third night of unrest after the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd

Shocking footage shows Black Lives Matter protesters get out of the way of a black Jeep Grand Cherokee as it careens through the group

One man can be seen on top of the hood of the car before jumping down and running away.

The car starts to drive off before it appears to suddenly swerve.

It charges into the man as a horrified onlooker yells: 'Watch out!'

The protester is thrown to the floor but quickly jumps up and - joined by others - starts chasing the SUV as it drives away.

One man can be seen on top of the hood (pictured) of the car before jumping off and running away

The protester is thrown to the floor but quickly jumps up and - joined by others - starts chasing the SUV as it drives away

A viral video captured the moment Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck while the handcuffed suspect repeatedly cried out that he couldn't breathe and ultimately suffocated

The clip was shared to Twitter by Joshua Potash with the caption: 'Warning: this is horrifying.

'Tonight at a Black Lives Matter protest in Denver a car pushed through the protesters blocking the street.

'Then intentionally turned to try to run a man over.'

Panic also erupted in Denver when shots were fired during a march on the Colorado State Capitol. No injuries were reported.

Viewers quickly likened the video to the murder of Heather Heyer in 2017 who died after James Alex Fields Jr. mowed her down with his car at a protest in Charlottesville.

It came the same night that rioters broke into a police station in Minneapolis - the city where Floyd was killed - and torched it.

It came the same night that rioters broke into a police station in Minneapolis - the city where Floyd was killed - and torched it

Minneapolis, Minnesota: The police building is engulfed in flames as rioters took over the building and set it alight

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A mob descended upon Minneapolis Third Precinct, smashing windows before setting the building on fire during the second night of violent protests

Shocking footage showed flames billowing out of the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct just hours after prosecutors warned there is 'evidence that does not support criminal charges' in the case of the four cops accused of killing Floyd, sparking fears that they will continue to walk free.

In New York City, NYPD officers were seen brawling on the ground with protesters as at least 70 people were arrested in the Big Apple.

Protesters in Ohio smashed the windows of the statehouse in downtown Columbus and raided the building and demonstrators damaged a police cruiser in downtown Los Angeles.

Over in Kentucky, seven people were shot in downtown Louisville during a protest demanding justice for black woman Breonna Taylor who was shot dead by cops back in March, as the Floyd case reignited tensions between cops and the African-American community.
Max India has received certified copy of the order issued by the Hon'ble National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai in respect of sanctioning of the Composite Scheme of Amalgamation and Arrangement amongst Max India, Max Healthcare Institute, Radiant Life Care and Advaita Allied Health Services and their respective shareholders and Creditors (Scheme).

The Board of Directors of the company will meet on 01 June 2020 to take on record the sanction of the said Scheme by Hon'ble NCLT Mumbai Bench and to declare the scheme effective from 01 June 2020.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Industrys most scalable and affordable cyberskills platform unites realistic, hands-on training and cyberange, optimized for distributors network of resellers and customers

MANASSAS, Va. and DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RangeForce will expand its operations in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) under a distribution agreement with First Step MEA , the two companies have announced. With more than 20 years experience in the region, First Step MEA will provide the RangeForce Cyberskills Platform through its network of resellers and customers and deliver business growth expertise aimed at upskilling cyber processionals and creating more agile, effective and responsive cybersecurity and IT teams.



The RangeForce platform uniquely integrates a real-world cyber range and continuous, hands-on learning with the performance-based analytics that are essential for enterprises to understand and continually improve their cybersecurity and IT teams capabilities. The MEA region has been heavily focused on cybersecurity tools and technologies due to increased private and public sector investments in improving security posture against increasingly sophisticated attacks. In the new era of remote working, budgets for cybersecurity technology are expected to be reduced in 2020, yet security risks have increased. Adaptive organizations are boosting their investments in the people side of enabling secure remote work and in building the operational skills needed to protect infrastructure and data as enterprises maintain and expand their operations.

Mastering defensive cybersecurity and closing the skills gap challenge are more critical in the region now than ever, said Geoff Brooks, First Step MEA Regional Director. The RangeForce platform is the most effective way to level up and continually assess the skills of security teams, as well as develop the skills needed to deliver more secure software and safer systems. Were excited to be bringing RangeForces highly engaging, very affordable SaaS training environment to our partners and customers.

Story continues

Said RangeForces President and CRO Gordon Lawson, In response to requests from customers, particularly in the Middle East, we're strengthening our channel base in the region, where malicious attacks and cybercrime are all too common. First Step MEA is the go-to channel partner due to its well-established relationships and strong technical background.

Were pleased to be working with Geoff and his team to help us deliver more effective cloud-based on-demand training to enterprises that want to strengthen their approach to cybersecurity.

Request a demo of the RangeForce CyberSkills Platform.

Learn more about cloud-based cybersecurity training for remote teams.

About First Step MEA

First Step MEA has more than 20 years in cyber security sales and business development in the Middle East and Africa. By connecting technology providers with its growing network of resellers and customers, including more than 1,000 CIOs, CISOs and security professionals in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, energy and more, First Step MEA helps businesses leverage MEA market opportunities and deliver competitive advantage for customers. To learn more, visit https://firststepmea.com/ .

About RangeForce

RangeForce delivers the industry's only integrated cybersecurity simulation and skills analysis platform that combines a virtual cyber range with hands-on advanced cybersecurity training. Cyber and IT professionals from all industry verticals use RangeForce to qualify their new-hires, train up DevOps, IT, and Security Staff, and run CyberSiege simulations to evaluate team skills. Only RangeForce can accurately show users where expertise gaps exist, fill those gaps with highly-effective simulation-based training, and accurately report on the entire process. To learn more about RangeForce, visit www.rangeforce.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e28bf455-2b06-491d-ac52-c5d9b45ac1b6

Contact:

Betsy Kosheff

betsykosheff@rangeforce.com

413-717-1410
Since late March, the city has been all but paralyzed under the devastating weight of the outbreak.

Nonessential businesses were shuttered and restaurants were open only for takeout and delivery. Nearly 900,000 jobs vanished almost overnight, over 20,000 people died and more than 200,000 were infected as ambulances howled through empty streets.

In mid-May, other parts of the state began to reopen after meeting seven public-health benchmarks set by the governor.

New York City is the only region that has not met those criteria. As of Thursday, the last time the state updated its public dashboard, the city did not have enough hospital beds available or contact tracers in place.

But Mr. Cuomo said on Friday that he expected the city to meet the benchmarks by June 8. In Phase 1 of reopening, retail stores can open for curbside or in-store pickup and nonessential construction and manufacturing can resume.
- Neymar's mum gets back with his boy lover Tiago

- The 52-year-old dropped the hint on social media

- The couple had separated few weeks back after Nadine Goncalves found out the young boy had dated men before

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Neymar's mum Nadine Goncalves appears to have reunited with his 23-year-old boy lover Tiago Ramos according to reports in Brazil.

The 52-year-old mother of the Paris Saint Germain superstar dumped her younger lover following claims that he has been involved in a few men before her. SunSport reports that Nadine had been a victim of domestic violence from a former flame of Tiago.

Sometime this month, a 44-year-old woman named Rita Cumplido disclosed that the 23-year-old had left her with an "enormous bruise" after striking her.

READ ALSO: President Donald Trump shares meme of Ghanaian funeral pallbearers online

The assistant shot attendant granted an interview saying that Tiago "beat her out of jealousy and transformed when he was drunk."

Cumplido added: He hit me so hard he left me with a black eye and an enormous bruise on my head."

Following her bitter experience, she took the matter to the police and they issued a restraining order against Tiago.

Meanwhile, Neymar seems indifferent about the relationship between his mum and a boy he is older than with about five years.

In addition, Nadine is said to have paid for a luxurious apartment for him to facilitate their closeness in Sao Paolo.

Tiago had been linked with a romantic affair with Neymar's personal chef Mauro before graduating to dating the player's mum.

The former Barcelona winger was said to have thrown his weight behind the couple after his mother flaunted their love on pages of social media.

READ ALSO: Meet the young Ghanaian lady who produces exact saxophone sound with bare hand & lips

Nadine posted a picture of herself cuddling up to Tiago alongside the caption: "The inexplicable cannot be explained, you live it..."

And the PSG attacker commented: "Be happy mom - Love you".

In another report, Sam and Steve Nico Williams, a 38-year-old set of twins, have dropped their gang lifestyle and focused on building their own business which has been successful and made them millionaires.

A report by Metro.co.uk indicates that the brothers launched the cryptocurrency Populous (PPT) which has become the 52nd most valuable cryptocurrency token in the world.

Aside that, Sam and Steve also have other investments including a stake in the Michelin-starred Restaurant Story in London Bridge as well as a London-based estate agency chain.

Enjoy reading our stories? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

Ghanaian female accounting graduate and mushroom farmer recounts her experience | #Yencomgh

Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto have discussed Kyiv-Budapest bilateral ties at a time Hungary is blocking NATO initiatives because of a restrictive language law in Ukraine.

The May 29 trip to Budapest is Kuleba's first non-virtual visit as foreign minister since the introduction of restrictive measures to slow down the coronavirus pandemic. He assumed the post of foreign minister in early March.

The two ministers discussed investment and trade cooperation, joint efforts to implement infrastructure projects in Ukraine's western region of Zakarpattya where there is a sizeable Hungarian minority, and ways to further coordinate against the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At a press conference after the talks, Kuleba said that "the time has come to open a new chapter in bilateral relations, find mutually beneficial solutions, double our efforts for the benefit of our people, countries, and the continent in general."

Szijjarto said that his country is also looking forward to developing closer ties with Ukraine, expressing hope that the issue of Ukraine's laws on education and languages will be resolved, paving the way for better understanding.

Hungary has been blocking NATO initiatives aimed at building closer ties with Ukraine since September 2017 in response to a new language law that overturned legislation allowing minorities in Ukraine to introduce their languages in regions where they represent more than 10 percent of the population.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) criticized the new law, saying it "does not appear to strike an appropriate balance between the official language and the languages of national minorities."

"We do not want to keep blocking [NATO initiatives], our goal is to reach agreements. We want to close all discussions related to [Ukraine's] law on education and language, and we want to reach a solution that will be acceptable for Hungarians [in Ukraine's western Zakarpattya region]," Szijjarto said.

Kuleba also passed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's invitation to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to visit Ukraine.

With reporting by Ukrinform, Hungary Today, and Ukrayinska Pravda
MARCY  In an unusual move, a former New York Power Authority employee who had earlier lost a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination has gone back to court to renew his claims of unfair treatment.

Mark Karam in 2016 sued NYPA alleging he was the victim of undue harassment and discrimination due to his Lebanese and Hispanic ethnicity. However, a jury in 2018 ruled in favor of NYPA and the case was dismissed.

Now, Karam is back in federal court alleging the Power Authority violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to accommodate him for alleged post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues he said were brought on by being bullied by employees at the agencys Marcy office where he worked.

Mark Karam suffers from anxiety disorder, depression, insomnia, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

NYPA is based in White Plains but has an office in Marcy, Oneida County. The quasi-public agency produces low-cost electricity, primarily from large hydroelectric facilities in western and northern New York. Much of the electricity goes to industrial users and NYPA is the largest state public power company in the nation, according to the complaint.

Karam 2019 Complaint by rkarlin on Scribd

The court papers outline a lengthy stream of complaints that Karam, who was hired as an economist in 2003, had allegedly endured, including harassment, a demotion and being assigned to a basement office by his supervisors.

Some of the allegations echo the earlier case, but in this instance, he contends that NYPA blocked or denied numerous requests to work at home or to make accommodations for the mental anguish he said was brought on by co-workers.

He also applied for a number of positions that would have separated him from the people he said were harassing him, but he failed to get the new jobs.

Karam, in court papers, said he had several doctors including a psychiatrist attest to his condition, but that NYPA didnt accommodate him.

He also sought and received number of leaves of absences due to his condition and work-related stress, according to court papers.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

During one leave, a doctor said Karam could return to work, but only with certain accommodations, which NYPA said they couldnt meet. He was terminated in June 2019 and took retirement, according to the complaint. The complaint also mentions Karams rapid decline in his mental health.

Karam is represented by J. Christopher Albanese, a New York City attorney.

NYPA declined comment on the case.

rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU
Cadet Maxwell W. Coleman of Midland, a graduate of University of Richmond, received a Distinguished Military Graduate Award, the highest award presented to graduating military science seniors. The award honors Army ROTC graduates who rank in the top 20% nationwide.

Coleman ranked in the top 10% and was also the recipient of this year's Top Army Cadet Award from University of Richmond's ROTC department. He graduated with a bachelor of arts, double-majoring in Arabic and global studies. He will begin the Infantry Basic Officer Leadership Course in the Military Intelligence Branch at Fort Benning, Georgia.
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has announced a new initiative to bolster the economy, the COVID-19 Alleviation and Revitalization of Enterprise Support Programme.

This three-year plan is also known as the Ghana Cares programme.

According to the Finance Minister, it will take about three years for the Ghanaian economy to fully recover from the impact of COVID-19.

Speaking on the Floor of Parliament on Thursday, May 28, 2020, the Finance Minister indicated that the programme will ensure the sustained growth of the economy.

The Ministry of Finance is developing a three-year COVID-19 alleviation and revitalization of enterprise support programme the Ghana Cares programmeto help revitalize the economy.

We are confident that this programme will help us stabilize and revitalize the economy, said Mr. Ofori-Atta.

The pandemic has brought three years of economic growth of at least 6 percent to a sudden halt.

The government anticipates that growth could slow to 1.5 percent, the least in 37 years. Other interventions

In a bid to cushion Ghana's economy for the impact of coronavirus, the government has, among others launched a GHs1 billion Coronavirus Alleviation Programme Business Support Scheme .

This is being provided by the government and selected participating banks to micro, small and medium-scale businesses around the country.

The government has indicated that the cumulative effect of the pandemic will cost Ghana GHS9.505 billion.

Out of the GHS1.2 billion earmarked for Coronavirus Alleviation Programme Business Support Scheme, GHS600 million will be disbursed as soft loans to micro, small and medium scale businesses with a two-year repayment plan.

The government is also leaning on an IMF Rapid Credit Facility of US$1 billion, World Bank Development Policy Operation (DPO) of US$350 million and the Stabilisation Fund of $ 219 million.

GHs5.5 billion from BoG

The Finance Minister also noted that the Bank of Ghana has already advanced GHs 5.5 billion to government in May 2020 to meet its financial obligations as part of moves to secure GHs 10 billion from the central bank.

The GHs 5.5 billion first instalment of the bond was released on May 15, 2020.

By this, the Bank of Ghana has set aside a Memorandum of Understanding with the IMF which bars it from financing the government's budget which had been the case in previous years.

The additional GHs 4.5 billion cedis will be provided through the purchase of government assets.

---citinewsroom
File Photo

Chandigarh: More than 4.84 lakh migrant labourers have already been repatriated to their ancestral state by 375 special trains, making Punjab the first state with the best performance. Now 9 more trains from different parts of the state will run from tomorrow.

Nodal Officer Vikas Pratap, Principal Secretary, PWD said that the Chief Minister has already directed the state government to ensure all possible assistance to any migrant worker in Punjab to return to their ancestral states without any difficulty.

Advertisement

Train services affected in flood hit Tripura He further said that the assessment of running the trains as required should be continued to ensure that the migrant workers wishing to return to their ancestral states be reunited with their families as soon as possible without any hassle. He further said that more trains would be run by the state government as per the requirement.

Vikas Pratap further said that about 375 special labour trains have been run in the state since May 5. This assessment has been done to review the efforts made so far and to get accurate information about the required trains in the coming days.

Out of a total of 375 trains, 226 went to Uttar Pradesh, followed by Bihar with 123 trains carrying migrant labourers. Similarly, 9 trains have been diverted to Jharkhand, 7 to Madhya Pradesh, 3 to Chhattisgarh and 2 to West Bengal.

Advertisement

Punjab government

In addition, one train each left for Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand carrying migrant workers.

It may be recalled that due to the provision of food and accommodation by the state, lakhs of migrants voluntarily decided to stay in Punjab even during the lockdown.

Advertisement

The state government has already spent Rs 26 crore for the operation of these trains which are being run by the Deputy Commissioners in collaboration with the railway authorities of Ferozepur and Ambala divisions.

TrainsLudhiana topped the list with 188 trains, followed by Jalandhar (76), Amritsar (29), Patiala (24), Mohali (23), Ferozepur (15), Doraha (7), Sirhind (6), Bathinda (3), Gurdaspur (2) and one train each from Hoshiarpur and Pathankot.

The state is also providing all possible assistance to alleviate the hardships of the migrant labourers by providing food, water and other necessities to all the returnees.

Advertisement

In addition, nodal officers have been appointed for all these states that are actively in touch with their counterparts in other states to facilitate safe return of migrants to their home states.
Actor Viineet Kumar Singh, who plays the lead role in zombie horror show Betaal, has said he was experimenting with the new Red Chillies web series and added that he will not choose project in fear of what people will say. The show received largely negative reviews after its release on Netflix last week.

When I took up Bard of Blood, I had not explored that kind of content or a role. Working with Red Chillies and Shah Rukh Khan were added benefits for the project. When I was shooting Betaal, Shah Rukh Khan came and told me he really liked my work in Bard of Blood. That was a beautiful moment for me. I have been Shah Rukhs fan, he is very big but also very grounded. To bag a project (Betaal) at his Red Chillies again, was huge for me. People used to ask me why I only worked for Anurag Kashyap, and I answered that is because he is the one offering me work. Also because I love working him and get to learn, Viineet told Hindustan Times in an interview.

Asked about the critical response to both the web series, Viineet said, I have been experimenting and I will continue doing so. While I was trying to pitch Mukkabaaz to producers, I realised that I need to create a portfolio where I have done a variety of work. I cannot be playing the same role over and over again just to avoid the risk of being criticised. When I challenge myself as an actor, I get to add things to my skill set.

Normally you do not have much scope in horror, but Sirohi had a variety of emotions that I needed to portray. It was challenging for me and I thi

nk taught me a lot. I cannot be picking my projects in the fear of what people will think. If people can see Wasseypur in Sirohis character or Mukkabaaz in his demeanour, it is my failure as an actor and artist, he said.

Also read: Raktanchal review: Nikiten Dheers crime drama is a nod to 80s Bollywood

He further said, Betaal as a project looked very different from the kind of content being made in out country. My character, Sirohi, is quite a departure from the usual army officer we have seen onscreen. As a qualified doctor, I know what a PTSD patient goes through. My pointers for Sirohis character were that he is confused, he does not know what he wants, he is not someone who is too confident, he is weak. Such projects are risky, it will be easier for me if I do 4-5 films like Mukkabaaz but I will be exhausted as an actor.

He also revealed how he is spending time in the ongoing lockdown, Been writing with my sister, again. She had been writing but I was busy on shoots. I was actually planning for a break and sit with her to write. Lockdown has given us that time. I have also tried to catch up with films and shows that I could not watch because of a lack of time.

I studied medicine so I have several friends working on the frontline in this fight against Covid-19. I also spend time inquiring after their health, well-being and safety. Everyone is doing it, so am I. My friends are distributing ration and I help them as much as I can. I also receive messages from people stuck in various areas of the city. If I have someone in the area, I try my best to get them help, he added.

However, he lamented that the lockdown robbed him of a selfie with Hollywood star Robert De Niro. I was supposed to attend the Tribeca Film Festival in the US this April and would have met my screen idol, Robert De Niro. This lockdown robbed me of a selfie with him. Coronavirus took away that golden opportunity from me.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Frances Seymour, Nirarta Samadhi and Hanny Chrysolite (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020

One of President Joko Jokowi Widodos priorities for his second term in office is still on boosting investment in infrastructure across the archipelago: more toll roads, seaports, and airports to support expansion of industry and economic growth.

Investing wisely is now an even greater imperative in light of the fiscal demands of the COVID-19 crisis. Thinking long term in the context of growing economy and improving livelihood in a changing climate means building forests into those plans.

A new working paper by the World Resources Institute (WRI) analyzes the implications for Indonesia of designing a long-term climate strategy that lasts beyond the usual 5 to 10-year timeframe.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday inaugurated the Konda Pochamma Sagar reservoir in Siddipet district, part of the state government's flagship Kaleswaram project across the Godavari river

Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday inaugurated the Konda Pochamma Sagar reservoir in Siddipet district, part of the state government's flagship Kaleswaram project across the Godavari river.

He inaugurated the 15 TMC reservoir in the presence of spiritual guru Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Chinna Jeeyar Swamy.

Water would be supplied from the Konda Pochamma Sagar reservoir through gravity to the hitherto arid lands in the region which had no irrigation facility till date, official sources said.

They further said it was unique that water from Godavari river, lifted from various stages from the barrage at Medigadda, is pumped into the Konda Pochamma reservoir which is at a height of 618 metres.

State Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao said the Konda Pochamma Sagar reservoir along with the upcoming Keshavapuram reservoir would also cater to the drinking water needs of Hyderabad, besides providing irrigation facility.

"Besides water to irrigate 2.85 Lakh acres, #KondaPochammaSagar reservoir along with soon be started #Keshavapuram reservoir will also ensure permanent solution for drinking water needs of #Hyderabad All thanks to Hon'ble CM KCR's vision to build infrastructure for long term," he tweeted.

Talking to reporters after the inauguration, Chandrasekhar Rao said Telangana would cultivate crops worth Rs one lakh crore with the completion of various irrigation schemes.

"I feel proud today. Because, we held a meeting in Hyderabad yesterday. We took decisions on what will be the (crops) harvest in Telangana, how the produce should go to markets, how the farmers can get excellent prices and what should be our strategy in the future.

"It came out in the calculations that Telangana farming community would cultivate crops worth Rs one lakh crore per year," he said.

The chief minister referred to a recent statement by a top official of Food Corporation of India that Telangana contributed 53 lakh tonnes of paddy out of 83 lakh tonnes of paddy procured in the country.

He also said the state has acquired 165 TMC new capacity with new projects being built.

Chandrasekhar Rao said he would soon announce good news for the farming community in the state which would be an unprecedented measure in the country for farmers, adding the financial details had been worked out.

"All have to wait. Let's have some suspense," he added.

He thanked those who sacrificed their lands for the sake of the project and the migrant workers from states like West Bengal and Bihar who worked in the construction of the project.

Earlier, Chandrasekhar Rao participated in 'Chandi Yagam' performed at the Konda Pochamma temple situated in the region.

The project is named after the deity.

He also took part in 'Sudarshana Yagam' at the pump house of the reservoir at Markuk village.

Described as a boon to the southern state, the Kaleswaram lift irrigation project was inaugurated last year.

Official sources had then said the project would provide irrigation facility for two crops in a year to 45 lakh acres, besides catering to drinking water, industrial and power generation needs.
Burundi's first lady was in hospital in Nairobi on Friday, after being flown in on a late-night medical flight, according to sources at the airport and in the presidency.

First lady Denise Bucumi was flown out of Burundi on a Pilatus plane by the AMREF air ambulance service, according to a source at the Melchior Airport in Bujumbura.

A high-ranking government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Bucumi had gone to Nairobi "for treatment as she caught the coronavirus".

This was confirmed by a source in the presidency, also asking not to be named.

However a separate source in the presidency denied it and said she was going for an "endoscopic ulcer exam".

In Kenya, a source at the health ministry, requesting not to be named, said Bucumi had been admitted to hospital and was being treated with "complications of difficulty in breathing".

The source said a test had been done for COVID-19.

There has been no official comment on the health of the first lady.

Kenya's chief administrative secretary for the health ministry Mercy Mwangangi said she could not "confirm yes or no" if Bucumi was in the country receiving treatment for the coronavirus.

President Pierre Nkurunziza, a devout evangelical Christian, and his wife Denise, who is a pastor, have regularly played down the seriousness of the pandemic in their speeches and sermons.

Burundi is one of few countries in the region not to take action against the virus, and recently held general elections, with heaving crowds attending campaign rallies. Voting took place with scant attention paid to the outbreak.

Two weeks ago Burundi expelled the World Health Organisations (WHO) expert team backing the coronavirus response in the country.

On Thursday, during national prayers to thank God for the ruling party's victory in the election, Nkurunziza repeated claims that Burundi was saved from the virus due to "the hand of God".

"If all over the world we talk about the coronavirus pandemic, but we were able to gather without any problem, hold an electoral campaign without any problem, send our children to school and go to the market without worries .... it is the hand of God which shows he has placed a special sign above our Burundi," he said.

"Look here, is anyone wearing a mask?" he asked the packed crowd.

Nkurunziza will be leaving office after 15 years and his handpicked heir Evariste Ndayishimiye was declared the winner of the election.

Burundi has officially reported 42 cases and one death, in statistics not updated since May 17.

However doctors in Bujumbura speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity say many cases and deaths are going unreported.
American technology companies are looking ahead to the future of office work after the coronavirus crisis. Some are considering whether to permit employees to keep working from home, as most have been required to do for the past few months.

Companies including Facebook, Microsoft, Apple and Twitter were among the first to send their employees home as the coronavirus spread to the United States. Now, some of their employees might never go back.

The companies are studying ways to give their highly valued employees what they want. They are seeking to use their own technology to make remote work easier. They are also looking to hire new workers who live outside of big cities.

Silicon Valley has long operated by establishing large work centers in major cities to appeal to high-quality workers. But the lasting effects of the pandemic could change that.

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently discussed the issue of full-time remote work in a company meeting broadcast live on his Facebook page. He said a company survey had found that about 20 percent of workers were extremely or very interested in moving to full-time remote work after virus-related restrictions are lifted.

Another 20 percent said they were somewhat interested in the possibility. The largest group favored a work situation including both remote and in-office work. In the future, Zuckerberg said, up to half of Facebooks workers could be working remotely.

But he noted that the changes are likely years away. We want to make sure we move forward in a measured way, Zuckerberg said at the meeting.

For now, employees at Facebook, Google, Twitter and others have been given permission to work remotely through the rest of the year. Microsoft has told its employees they can work from home until October.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey recently announced the company plans to permit some employees to work from home permanently. Some of the companys new U.S.-based job listings give the choice for workers to either be based in one of several major cities or work remotely full-time from anywhere.

Andy Challenger is a vice president at the private employment company Challenger, Gray & Christmas. He told The Associated Press that companies have gotten the chance to see the benefits of having employees work from home. Many companies are learning that their workers are just as or even more productive working from home, he said.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also spoke about the issue at a recent developer conference. Every organization will increasingly need the ability at a moments notice to remote everything from manufacturing to sales, to customer support, he said.

Microsofts chief technology officer, Kevin Scott, had already been working a lot from home before the virus hit. He is based in Silicon Valley, while the rest of the leadership team is mostly based in Redmond, Washington.

Scott said the experience of the last few months had sped up the process of employees trying to find the best methods and technology to successfully work from home. He added that the process requires learning the culture of keeping in touch with co-workers remotely.

That is getting so much better so quickly, he said. I dont think Im going to be commuting nearly as frequently as I was before.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

remote  adj. far away in distance

pandemic  n. a contagious illness that spreads from one country to another

survey  n. an examination of opinions created by asking people questions

benefit  n. to be useful or profitable to

at a moment's notice  phr. with little warning for time for preparation

customer  n. a person who buys goods or services from a business or shop

commute  v. regularly travel between home and work

frequently  adj. often; on a regular basis
Westman Conservative members of Parliament are calling for Riding Mountain National Parks reopening to align more closely with Manitobas provincial park reopening.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

Brandonites Heidi Mayr, Neal Melvin and their two-and-a-half-year-old son Foster enjoy a picnic along Provincial Trunk Highway 19 in Riding Mountain National Park while out for a drive on a warm day last month. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Westman Conservative members of Parliament are calling for Riding Mountain National Parks reopening to align more closely with Manitobas provincial park reopening.

In a press release, both Dauphin Swan-River Neepawa MP Dan Mazier and Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire said they are asking the federal government to co-operate with the provincial level on the national parks reopening.

While provincial parks are open to visitors and campers, national parks are entirely shut until Monday. Canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding is prohibited until June 12 and camping wont open until June 21.

"It would only seem reasonable that if Manitoba Parks can safely welcome visitors to dozens of parks across the province for camping and boating, then Riding Mountain National Park can do the same," Maguire said.

Maguire and Mazier are also both calling on Parks Canada to help support businesses located in Wasagaming, which is in Riding Mountain National Park. Businesses in the town are subject to both provincial and federal regulations.

"I believe the government can implement common-sense measures with the proper planning, safeguards, and advice from public health officials to reopen Riding Mountain National Park," Maguire said.

During a Thursday press conference, Premier Brian Pallister said the province will look into any confusion businesses in the town have and "address it immediately."

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 00:54:02|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

CHONGQING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The adoption of China's first Civil Code stirs emotions of pride and excitement for Jin Ping, who has spent his most passionate years in preparing for the long-expected law.

The 98-year-old law professor at Southwest University of Political Science and Law in Chongqing worked on the expert groups who attempted to draft the civil codes several times over the past 60 years.

"The civil code has been the obsession of my whole lifetime," said Jin.

On May 22, Chinese lawmakers started deliberating the draft of the Civil Code at the annual session of the 13th National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

Jin has studied civil law his whole life. Though he did not participate in preparing this draft, many of his students did.

The Civil Code has six parts on real rights, contracts, personality rights, marriage and family, inheritance, and tort liabilities, in addition to general and supplementary provisions.

As lawmakers deliberated the code in Beijing, Jin pored over the pages of the draft in his home in Chongqing.

"Many of my students are continuing the job that I didn't finish. This is specially comforting to me. I feel like I am still working for its adoption," he said.

The legislation is expected to further refine China's basic legal system and rules of conduct in the civil and commercial fields. A major innovation of China's Civil Code, jurists say, is embodied in the personality rights part, which includes provisions on a civil subject's rights to life, body, health, name, portrait, reputation and privacy, among others.

China's earlier four attempts to draft a civil code since the 1950s did not succeed due to various reasons. Jin is the last surviving expert who participated in the first three attempts to draft the code.

"It was a blessing for me to be able to see the deliberation of the civil code and its adoption. This has been the pursuit of generations of civil lawmakers," he said.

Born in 1922 in east China's Anhui Province, Jin lived through the revolutionary times. In 1945, as schools reopened after China won the war against Japanese aggression, Jin took law as his major at university.

Nine years later he became a law teacher. During that same year, the first session of the 1st National People's Congress was convened and the country's first Constitution was enacted. Jin was chosen to be one of the law experts working on drafting the civil code.

"I didn't know why a young teacher like me was chosen. But over the years I've come to realize that the Chinese leaders were aware that law-making was not easy. They were making plans and preparations in advance to train talents for future legislative needs," he said.

"Teachers from law schools, judges, and researchers joined the draft work. We did a lot of field work. For example, we went to many cities to conduct surveys for drafting the inheritance law," he said.

The newly-adopted Civil Code has systematically integrated existing civil laws and regulations, modifying them to adapt to new realities.

It has also responded to new problems such as an emergency situation like epidemic prevention and control.

"When my students called me, telling me that the draft civil code would be deliberated, I was overjoyed. But I also told them that they still have a bigger mission," he said. "The deliberation marks a good beginning but laws need to be improved and updated and the civil code should be able to better serve the people."

"It's no easy task to formulate a good law, and it's even more important to make it understood by the public and be enforced effectively," he said. "The practice of the rule of law shall never stop." Enditem
India says new road to Lipulekh falls within Indian territory, but Nepal claims at least 17km of it lies on its land.

Kathmandu, Nepal  For several weeks, Indian soldiers have been engaged in a standoff with their Chinese counterparts along their disputed border, even as New Delhi is busy planning a strategy to resolve a land dispute with another neighbour, Nepal.

Indias latest diplomatic row with Nepal erupted on May 8 when New Delhi announced the inauguration of a Himalayan road link that passes through the disputed area of Kalapani.

Under pressure from the opposition, civil society and a vociferous Nepali press, the government of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli issued a new political map of the country, showing Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura within its borders.

India objected, saying the new Nepal map included parts of the Indian territory.

The disputes origins lay in the November 2019 release of Indias new political map, which showed Kalapani within India.

The announcement saw Nepals capital Kathmandu rocked by protests, while Olis government requested a high-level meeting to resolve the dispute. But India was not forthcoming.

The two neighbours entered a new paradigm of cartographic war as anger grew on both sides.

An activist affiliated with Human Rights and Peace Society Nepal holds a sign during an anti-Indian-government protest at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu [File: Narendra Shrestha/EPA]

Acrimonious exchanges

It began with an ill-placed remark by the Indian army chief, General Manoj Mukund Naravane, that suggested Kathmandu had acted at the behest of China.

Nepals Defence Minister Ishwor Pokhrel dubbed General Naravanes comments an insult to the Nepali soldiers working in the Indian Army. Nearly 40,000 Nepali Gurkha soldiers are part of 40 battalions.

Not to be outdone, Prime Minister Oli questioned Indias commitment to its national motto of Satyamev Jayate (truth prevails) by suggesting New Delhi subscribed to Singhamev Jayate (the lion prevails).

His remarks about the Indian virus spreading the coronavirus pandemic into Nepal added fuel to the fire.

Olis nationalist position seemed to be directed at his domestic audience as he used the issue to deflect criticism from his governments handling of the pandemic, as well as consolidate his beleaguered position within his party.

But experts believe New Delhi risks damaging the relationship further through its hawkish commentators and nationalist media.

Olis response did not precede but followed the public uproar, said Akhilesh Upadhyay, former editor of The Kathmandu Post and a senior fellow at the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS), a Kathmandu-based think-tank.

He pointed at Nepali objections to the 2015 bilateral agreement between India and China that opened up Lipulekh for trade, to say Nepals position has remained consistent despite multiple governments.

India has argued that the road is completely in its territory but Nepal says at least 17km of the new road passes through Nepali territory, arguing that the road crosses over to the east bank of the Mahakali River.

Nepal considers east of the river to be its territory based on the 1816 Sugauli Treaty signed with British colonial rulers.

In a series of articles, Kantipur, Nepals biggest-selling newspaper, presented the historical evidence: Five British-Indian maps issued between 1819 and 1894 that show Limpiyadhura as the headwaters of the Mahakali; a 1904 letter written by then Prime Minister Rana Chandra Shamsher to village chiefs of the triangle; and evidence of a 1958 voter list and the 1961 census by Nepali authorities in the region.

Nepal also possesses land registration records and tax receipts from the disputed territory.

A Human Rights and Peace Society Nepal activist is detained by police during an anti-Indian-government protest at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu [File: Narendra Shrestha/EPA]

The heart of the dispute, Upadhyay said, lies in differing cartographic interpretations about the headwaters of the Mahakali river. Nepal argues Limpiyadhura is the location of the headwaters; India regards a smaller stream flowing down from Lipulekh as the rivers headwaters.

The dispute is further muddied by the presence of Indian troops in Kalapani since before the 1962 war with China.

The Sugauli Treaty remains, for Nepal, the mother of all documents, Upadhyay said, according to which the Mahakali is the boundary river between the two countries, and any future demarcations will be based on the treaty.

What is the way forward?

The row appears to have reached an impasse.

The Nepal prime ministers earlier remarks on a solution, with possible road leasing to India, was a welcome step towards de-escalation, but since then, we have only seen repeated moves from both sides that have raised the temperature, further politicised the issue and thus made dialogue more difficult, said Constantino Xavier, a fellow at Brookings India.

Similarly, Sudheer Sharma, editor of Kantipur daily, said, The dispute has become more complicated after a hardening of stances on both sides. Nepals earlier demands were focused on the withdrawal of troops from Kalapani; its recent position now includes the insistence of Limpiyadhura as the headwaters. The dispute looks like it is heading towards a point of no return.

The presence of the Indian army in the trijunction that connects India, China and Nepal complicates the issue.

Analysts say it is difficult to foresee a withdrawal of troops, as the official Nepali position demands.

Sharma said: There had been proposals in the past where India would withdraw its troops while Nepal would guarantee Indian security interests in the region. But this looks difficult now.

The situation acquires a further hurdle against the background of a simmering India-China border dispute along their de facto border  the Line of Actual Control (LAC)  a border that remains undemarcated.

Furthermore, Nepals ruling Communist Party government has reached out to China for investment and better connectivity in recent years, which has troubled India.

But Beijings ambiguous position that Kalapani is a bilateral issue between India and Nepal has been keenly watched by Nepali analysts since the current road is a result of its 2015 agreement with New Delhi.

Despite the tensions  the second over Kalapani in six months and the most serious bilateral dispute since the 2015 unofficial blockade  analysts on both sides have begun to call for a political solution to Kalapani.

India may continue to defuse the crisis through back channels, said Xavier from Brookings, but this is no longer sustainable, as the dispute had become a permanent irritant in bilateral relations.

Similarly, Upadhyay said because both sides have an irreconcilable position, the dispute will not end based on cartography.

Broader engagement from both sides is essential towards finding a solution that satisfies both sides, said Xavier.

There are many possible modalities. Maybe it could include joint military deployment, special access rights for Nepali citizens or even a free-trade zone with China, he said.

Many have also pointed to Indias resolution of the border with Bangladesh in 2015  far more intractable, according to Jayant Prasad, ex-ambassador to Nepal  as a possible way out.

Most of the 1,751km-long Nepal-India border has been demarcated through a joint boundary committee except for Kalapani and Susta, which lies in southern Nepal.

[The] India-Nepal border issues appear more easily solvable, so long as there is political goodwill and statecraft exercised on both sides. The way to move forward is to formally approve the strip maps, resolve the two remaining disputes, demarcate the entire India-Nepal boundary, and speedily execute the work of boundary maintenance, Prasad wrote in The Hindu.

However, Sharma of the Kantipur daily cautioned that dialogue looks unlikely soon.

There are new complications because positions have hardened on both sides. Further, more than India, it may not be as easy for the Nepali side to come to a political solution because of the domestic backlash any leadership that negotiates on Kalapani will face.

Although the Nepali position has hardened over perceptions that New Delhi has not been forthcoming in Kathmandus efforts to resolve the dispute, India sought to defuse the crisis on Friday by calling for constructive and positive efforts, and said that it had taken the disputes seriousness into account.
Gemma Ward announced she was having a baby girl with partner David Letts in January.

The Australian supermodel, 32, revealed on Friday she was almost ready to welcome her new daughter, as she hit the 38-week mark of her third pregnancy.

In a photo posted to Instagram, the blonde beauty shared a rare glimpse of her burgeoning bump in a pale green ribbed dress.

'Almost there!' Pregnant supermodel Gemma Ward (pictured) shared a rare glimpse of her third trimester baby bump on Friday, in a photo shared to Instagram

The stunning mother-of-two went completely makeup free for the laid back mirror selfie, showing off her natural beauty.

'Almost there, at 38 weeks,' Gemma captioned the post.

It comes after Gemma announced her pregnancy in January by sharing a picture of a blossoming bump shot, while on holidays in tourist mecca Byron Bay.

'Expecting a baby girl this year to round out our little gang,' she captioned the snap.

It's a girl! The 32-year-old Australian model announced she is having another daughter back in January, sharing a photo of herself showing off her baby bump at the beach

Gemma posed side-on in a coral-toned bikini top and matching high-waisted mini-shorts, against the backdrop of an empty beach.

Her burgeoning baby bump was on full display as she placed her hands behind her hips.

Gemma and David are already parents to a six-year-old daughter, Naia, and a three-year-old son, Jet.

Meanwhile, Gemma and David were flooded with congratulatory messages on Instagram from their famous friends.

Family of five: Gemma and partner David Letts are already parents to a six-year-old daughter, Naia (pictured), and a three-year-old son, Jet

Bonding time: Gemma is pictured with her son, Jet

The likes of Nicole Trunfio, Lara Bingle, Jessica Gomes, Megan Gale and Georgia Fowler all sent their well-wishes.

In an interview with Vogue Australia in July, Gemma spoke about balancing her modelling career with motherhood.

'I think it's all about teamwork. You have to make sure everyone is on board and obviously the kids come first, but work is pretty important too when you have an obligation to provide for them,' she said.
Grand River Raceway has released its standard operating protocols as horses return to the track beginning June 3, 2020.

In light of the announcement that spectator-free racing will commence on June 5, 2020 Grand River Raceway confirms that the first qualifier will take place on Wednesday, June 3 at 5:00 p.m.

Paddock access will begin at 3:30 p.m. with a limit of 50 horses at any time. Those wishing to train or school must come during these sessions, and all horses wishing to qualify, school, or train will need to enter at the Clinton Race Office. Preference will be given to the horses entered to qualify.

At this time access to the Grand River Raceway stable area and paddock is limited to essential staff, AGCO licensed drivers, trainers, and grooms that have horses in-to-go on that day. No owners, media, or individuals under the age of 16 will be permitted.

Horses, trainers and grooms are required to be on site one (1) hour before scheduled post time for the race and should not access the paddock more than 1-1/2 hours before scheduled post time for the race.

Anyone permitted to be onsite is subject to the new protocols without exception.

Grand River Raceway asks that everyone review the standard operating procedures, documented in detail and available on the Grand River Raceway Website, prior to attending.

Some of the new health and safety measures include:

 Face masks must be worn, entry through the stable gate will not be permitted without a face mask.

 Screening including temperature checks will occur before entering the stable gate.

 Grand River Raceway will have several hand sanitizing stations through the paddock.

 Physical distancing should always be maintained.

 The test barn will have specific protocols, and Grand River Raceway will supervise all access to the test area.

 Food and beverage will not be available, please bring your own.

 Drivers' rooms will be closed.

 The EIPH program is suspended while restrictions are in place.

 Initially, claiming races will not be conducted. Separate protocols for those wishing to claim will be issued separately.

 Horses, trainers, and grooms should leave quickly and efficiently after racing.

 Those failing to comply with the new safety protocols will be asked to leave the site.

Future qualifiers, schooling and training are scheduled for Thursdays at 5:00 p.m., beginning June 11th, 2020. Noting that this schedule is subject to change based on demand and the completion of onsite construction. Those wishing to participate are encouraged to check grandriverraceway.com for the most up-to-date information. These sessions are also subject to all operating protocols noted above.

Live racing will begin Friday, June 5, and continuing Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:30 p.m.

(Grand River)
Later Thursday, the State Patrol received information that Johnson could be in the area south of Interstate 80 at the Henderson exit at mile marker 342. Troopers went to that location, found Johnson in a ditch about a mile south of I-80 and arrested him around 6:45 p.m.

Police said the shooting was believed to be drug-related.

Collamore said the driver of the Trailblazer had driven Zierke and Johnson from Lincoln to Grand Island for a suspected drug deal at a home on Kimball Avenue. While there, Johnson allegedly ran over to Zierke and shot him once, then ran back to the SUV, according to the affidavit for Johnson's arrest.

Johnson has been taken to the Hall County Jail.

Johnson lives on New Hampshire Street in the North Bottoms, according to recent court records.

Lincoln police said Johnson was in downtown Lincoln early March 15 when Timothy Montgomery was shot and killed in a disturbance outside the Main Street Bar.

He was charged with failure to comply for refusing to give his name and date of birth after he was seen running from the area right after the shooting.
The latest:

The coronavirus crisis threw at least 2.1 million Americans out of work last week despite the gradual reopening of businesses around the country, stoking fears Thursday that the scourge is doing deep and potentially long-lasting damage to the U.S. economy.

Despite a few glimmers of hope, most of the latest economic news from around the globe was likewise grim, as some of the world's most populous countries reported rising infections and deaths. The confirmed U.S. death toll has surpassed 100,000, the highest in the world.

The latest job-loss figures from the U.S. Labor Department bring to 41 million the running total of Americans who have filed for unemployment benefits since the coronavirus shutdowns took hold in mid-March.

There were some encouraging signs: The overall number of Americans currently drawing jobless benefits dropped for the first time since the crisis began, from 25 million to 21 million. And first-time applications for unemployment benefits have fallen for eight straight weeks, as states gradually let stores, restaurants and other businesses reopen and the auto industry starts up factories again.

But the number of U.S. workers filing for unemployment benefits is still extraordinarily high by historical standards, and that suggests businesses are failing or permanently downsizing, not just laying off people until the crisis can pass, economists warn.

That is the kind of economic destruction you cannot quickly put back in the bottle, said Adam Ozimek, chief economist at Upwork.

The U.S. unemployment rate was 14.7% in April, a level not seen since the Depression, and many economists expect it will be near 20% in May.

On Wall Street, stocks that climbed for much of the day fell by the end of trading over concerns about rising U.S.-China tensions. After a plunge in February and much of March, the market has been recovering, most recently as investors move into stocks that would benefit most from a reopening economy.



RNC sends NC governor a letter outlining groundwork for a safe convention

The Republican National Committee and the organizers of its national convention sent North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper a letter on Thursday that outlined its proposals to safely conduct the planned August gathering.

The letter laid out a set of protocols the RNC is willing to implement in order to hold its convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. It comes just days after President Donald Trump turned up the heat on Cooper, a Democrat, for not moving his state into a more advanced reopening in order to allow the convention to happen, with the president threatening to move it elsewhere if it couldn't be held in Charlotte.

The letter to Cooper outlines eight safety protocols the convention organizers plan to implement, including access to antibacterial gel, pre-travel health surveys and health screenings at the event. It does not mention other protocols recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, like the wearing of masks or implementation of social distancing practices.

But the RNC made it clear in the letter that time is of the essence and it needs a definitive answer from Cooper as soon as possible. The letter alluded to Trump's threats to move the convention elsewhere if the state is not sufficiently reopened for the event to take place.

Mitch McConnell stresses need to wear face masks in public



Wading into a politically charged issue, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday preached the importance of wearing masks in public as the nation's economy reopens from the cataclysmic" damage inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic.

During a tour of hospitals this week in his home state of Kentucky, the Republican leader has stressed wearing masks in public and following social distancing guidelines.

There should be no stigma attached to wearing a mask," McConnell said during an appearance in Owensboro. And even among age groups that are least likely to either contract this disease or die from it, you could be a carrier. So I think what we all need to do is say, OK, Im going to take responsibility not only for myself but for others.

McConnell, who is in his late 70s and is in the midst of his own reelection campaign, has worn masks at his appearances. On Thursday, he stuffed the face covering into his coat jacket to speak. He donned it again afterward.



UN chief warns leaders pandemic may cause historic famine

The U.N. chief on Thursday warned the largest gathering of world leaders since the coronavirus pandemic began that it will cause unimaginable devastation and suffering around the world, with historic levels of hunger and famine and up to 1.6 billion people unable to earn a living unless action is taken now.



Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also told the high-level meeting on measures to help low- and middle-income countries that fallout from the crisis could lead to a loss of $8.5 trillion in global output  the sharpest contraction since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

He called for immediate collective action in six critical areas: enhancing global financial liquidity; providing debt relief; engaging private creditors; promoting external finance; plugging leaks in tax evasion, money laundering and corruption; and adopting a recovery that tackles inequalities, injustices and climate change.



President Trump taking COVID-19 death toll very seriously

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said President Donald Trump takes the number of U.S. deaths from COVID-19 very seriously."

"The President recognized that landmark before we even hit it, McEnany said during a press briefing Thursday. After all, it was the impetus behind him lowering the flags to half-staff. He did that for several days.

McEnany said the president has called it the hardest part of his presidency, and something no one wanted to see happen.

Virus has killed more than 100,000 in the US in less than 4 months

In less than four months, coronavirus has killed more than 100,000 people in the United States.



That's as many people as died in the flu pandemic nationwide in 1968, and getting closer to the number of deaths in yet another flu outbreak a decade prior.

It's as if every person died in Boca Raton, Florida. Or almost everyone in South Bend, Indiana.

When the first coronavirus-related death was reported in February, no one could have fathomed the numbing stream of grim news that followed. Since then, an average of nearly 900 people have perished every day from COVID-19.

With social distancing rules keeping families apart, many of the sick died alone in hospital rooms as loved ones were forced to say goodbye through phone screens.

Others died at home, too sick or too scared to go to the hospital for coronavirus tests. Their stories never made it to the roster of deaths, which means the tolls could be much higher.

Families have lost fathers, mothers, siblings, grandparents and even children. America has lost the best of humanity, with victims including an ER doctor who risked his life trying to save others, a 36-year-old principal who helped grow produce for the needy and a Holocaust survivor who saved families from genocide.




Beijing: The United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada on Friday (May 29) gave a joint statement in response to Chinas proposed new security law for Hong Kong. The countries said that imposing a new security law on Hong Kong would threaten freedom and breach a 1984 Sino-British agreement on the autonomy of the former colony.

The joint statement from UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo issued a deep concern regarding Beijing's decision to impose a national security law in Hong Kong.

"Signatories to this statement reiterate our deep concern regarding Beijings decision to impose a national security law in Hong Kong," the UK, US, Australia and Canada said.

"Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of freedom. The international community has a significant and long-standing stake in Hong Kongs prosperity and stability. Direct imposition of national security legislation on Hong Kong by the Beijing authorities, rather than through Hong Kongs own institutions as provided for under Article 23 of the Basic Law, would curtail the

Hong Kong peoples liberties, and in doing so, dramatically erode Hong Kongs autonomy and the system that made it so prosperous.

Chinas decision to impose the new national security law on Hong Kong lies in direct conflict with its international obligations under the principles of the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration. The proposed law would undermine the One Country, Two Systems framework. It also raises the prospect of prosecution in Hong Kong for political crimes, and undermines existing commitments to protect the rights of Hong Kong people  including those set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

We are also extremely concerned that this action will exacerbate the existing deep divisions in Hong Kong society; the law does nothing to build mutual understanding and foster reconciliation within Hong Kong.

Rebuilding trust across Hong Kong society by allowing the people of Hong Kong to enjoy the rights and freedoms they were promised can be the only way back from the tensions and unrest that the territory has seen over the last year.

The worlds focus on a global pandemic requires enhanced trust in governments and international cooperation. Beijings unprecedented move risks having the opposite effect.

As Hong Kongs stability and prosperity are jeopardised by the new imposition, we call on the Government of China to work with the Hong Kong SAR Government and the people of Hong Kong to find a mutually acceptable accommodation that will honour Chinas international obligations under the UN-filed Sino-British Joint Declaration."

Meanwhile, reacting to the statement, China lodged diplomatic protests with the US, the UK, Canada and Australia for interfering in its internal matters and warned America of countermeasures if it did not stop the frivolous political manipulation over the issue.

China's parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a new controversial security law for Hong Kong, a move that critics say threatens the fundamental political freedoms and civil liberties in the semi-autonomous territory, also a major global trading hub.


Bejan Daruwalla, a celebrated astrologer, breathed his last at Apollo Hospital in Ahmedabad on Friday. He was 90 yeears old. Daruwalla is survived by two sons, Nastur and Fardun, and a daughter, Nazreen.

Reports suggest that Daruwalla was rushed to hospital a week ago after he complained of pneumonia-like symptoms. He was put on ventilator support after his condition deteriorated. His COVID-19 test, however, had come negative. The reason for death was pneumonia and lack of oxygen supply to the brain, Daruwalla's son Nastur informed.

Born in July 11, 1931 in a Parsi family, Bejan Daruwalla was acknowledged as one of the 100 great astrologers in the last 1,000 years in The Millennium Book of Prophecy, published by Harper Collins, USA. He had predicted several Prime Ministerial victories including that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Morarji Desai and more recently, Narendra Modi. He had also predicted the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi's accident and the Bhopal gas tragedy, amongst others. He was known for his closeness to several political figures, including PM Narendra Modi.

Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani took to Twitter to express his grief over the sad news. Saddened by the demise of renowned Astrologer Shri Bejan Daruwalla. I pray for the departed soul. My condolences. Om Shanti..." he tweeted.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 08:16 602 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdacf009 2 National PSBB,large-scale-social-restrictions,partial-lockdown,Jakarta-COVID-19,COVID-19,West-Java,East-Java,health-ministry,new-normal,#PostScript Free

On April 3, Indonesia released two regulations, a government regulation and a Health Ministry regulation, to pave the way for large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), the countrys equivalent to partial lockdown.

A week later, Jakarta became the first region to implement the partial lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has extended the PSBB twice, with the latest slated to end on June 4.

After Jakarta, other regions followed. Three other regions implementing the PSBB at provincial level are West Java, Gorontalo and West Sumatra. Aside from 58 regencies and municipalities within the four provinces, only 27 other regencies and municipalities have applied the partial lockdown even though as of Tuesday, the virus had spread to 406 regencies and municipalities in all 34 provinces.

As of May 28, four out of 27 regencies and municipalities had decided not to continue the PSBB: Gowa and Makassar in South Sulawesi; Tegal, Central Java; and Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan.

(JP/Swi Handono)

The partial lockdown requires offices, schools, places of worship and public spaces to close. Local administrations imposing the PSBB can limit transportation capacity within a region but are not given authority to close inter-regional transportation services.

Approaching Ramadan and Idul Fitri, inter-regional travel was restricted under a nationwide mudik (exodus) ban and a Transportation Ministry regulation, with exceptions for travelers on essential business. Anies has also recently required travelers entering or leaving Greater Jakarta to obtain permits.

Security personnel patrol the streets, but lax enforcement and policy inconsistencies have created rampant violations, from mass gatherings and accidental buildups of passengers at transportation nodes to operating nonessential businesses and widespread mudik participation, with most getting away with light punishments.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo repeatedly instructed citizens to be disciplined but his administration, weighed under the burden of sluggish economic growth, layoffs and rising levels of poverty, has issued regulations that could defeat the purpose of strict social distancing, starting with easing transportation restrictions early this month.

This week, while the majority of affected regions had not applied the PSBB and some of those that have implemented the restrictions deciding not to extend them, President Jokowi jumped to adapting the protocols of a so-called new normal.

Do the PSBB work?

Despite the consistently low testing rates, the number of new confirmed cases has continued to grow, reaching a total of 24,538 cases, 1,496 deaths and 6,240 recoveries as of Thursday, when 687 new cases were recorded.

The Health Ministry has confirmed fluctuating numbers of new cases daily, with several record highs of new cases and jumps recorded in the past two weeks, despite the governments occasional claim that the curve has flattened.

After Jakarta enacted the PSBB in the first period, the rolling seven-day average of new cases, which is the daily average of the last seven days and is considered more accurate by scientists than daily cases, still continued to rise and reached its peak on April 17. During that time, mobility was high because many residents went on mudik trips.

<

As the PSBB were extended on April 22 and the government started to ban the mudik two days later, the capital did see a decrease in the average number of new cases. Conversely, when the government reopened passenger travel on May 6, the numbers went up.

Although the relation between the intensity of restrictions applied and the new cases growing seemed to make sense to a degree in Jakarta, this was not the case in West Java and East Java where the link between the two seemed highly irregular.

After Jakartas neighboring cities of Bogor, Depok and Bekasi in West Java imposed the PSBB on April 15 and Greater Bandung on April 22, the rolling seven-day average of new cases remained stable. A week after the mudik ban, however, the trend changed, with frequent ups and downs recorded.

In East Java, a province that has not applied province-wide PSBB, the figure continued to rise despite the mudik ban and the PSBB in place in Greater Surabaya and Greater Malang beginning on April 28. On May 21, while the country confirmed a dramatic increase of 973 cases, East Java bore about a half of these and became the countrys new epicenter of the coronavirus.

Most confirmed cases in East Java were reported in the capital Surabaya where poor compliance with social distancing has been noticed. The East Java administration admitted there was a testing backlog as a result of a lack of testing capacity.

Padjadjaran University epidemiologist Panji Fortuna Hadisoemarto said that it was not easy to answer whether the PSBB worked or not using limited case data. He believed, however, that restrictions had become ineffective since Ramadan and Idul Fitri when data showed greater peoples mobility.

He said irregular epidemiological patterns as shown during the PSBB were caused by factors such as gaps in incubation period, lack of testing capacity and case-reporting delays, which meant they could not be relied upon as consideration for policy making.

We could have actually interpreted the unconfirmed data, mortality data of PDP [patients under surveillance] and ODP [people under monitoring], routine surveys of influenza-like diseases and pneumonia as sources of information for making decisions as well, Panji told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The number of people undertaking COVID-19 tests has remained very low, at 188,302 as of Tuesday. Jokowi targeted 10,000 coronavirus tests per day in April, but government data show that the highest number of people being tested was 8,595 on May 22. An average of 4,800 people have been tested daily in the past few weeks.

Many suspected cases have died either before having been tested or before receiving their medical results, and were buried under COVID-19 protocols. Funeral statistics in Jakarta have increased significantly, to an extent that Anies described as extremely disturbing.

As of May 27, COVID-19 watchdogs have recorded more than 4,600 fatalities among suspected COVID-19 cases in only 19 provinces, based on information collected from provinces, regencies and municipalities. The Health Ministry has refused to include deaths of probable cases in the cumulative COVID-19 death toll as suggested.

New normal may be too soon

Despite the governments repeated claims that it has not agreed to any relaxation of the PSBB and will not start doing so anytime soon, it has rushed to the scenario of a new normal, calling on citizens to coexist with the virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that countries taking steps to ease restrictions and transition toward a new normal must make sure COVID-19 transmission is controlled and that communities have a voice and are engaged in the transition.

A Health Ministry decree on new normal guidelines issued over the weekend regulates new heath protocols both during the PSBB and after the PSBB. The government also introduced a new term: reproduction rate, which is an indication of the rate of the virus spread. If the number is below 1.0, it means restrictions can be lifted, scientists have agreed. The Indonesian government claims that Jakarta is among the regions that already have a reproduction rate below 1.0.

Concerns have mounted against the measures, with many insisting that the government should base its policymaking on field implementation and data rather than economic interests to make sure that everyone is ready and safe.

Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) chairwoman Asfinawati regretted that while the government had never imposed a total lockdown, it now considered easing the partial restrictions that had not been implemented optimally.

The new normal has been brought to Indonesia without a proper context. The country is determined in the narrative of following other countries but it has never implemented the same [restrictions] as others in the first place, Asfinawati told the Post on Tuesday.

She said that the new normal might aggravate Indonesias efforts to combat COVID-19 because on the one hand it must tighten its guard to cover a wider breach of violations, while on the other hand it must carry out more tests and tracking given the chances of wider public contact.

An epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, Pandu Riono, said with the low testing capacity, the data set as indicators to determine the new normal could also be irrelevant, especially for small regions.

The data on daily cases are not enough and they are not perfect. The data collection, for example, is late and the reports of lab results come out after five to seven days for cases that might have occurred two weeks previously, Pandu said.

After the new normal announcement on Tuesday, Jokowi assigned the COVID-19 task force and relevant ministers to focus on assisting provinces with rising numbers of cases like East Java and conducting rigorous tracking and testing of samples.
As Minneapolis erupted in pain this week following the death, captured on video, of George Floyd at the hands of local police, one image that quickly spread across social media and news reports was the looting of a Target store in the Lake Street neighborhood on Wednesday. Though the demonstrations in the city have been largely nonviolent, the shattered windows and upturned shopping carts were a prelude to more extensive looting and property damage that would occur in the city on Thursday.

Advertisement

Theres no evidence the Lake Street Target was singled out by looters for any particular reasonother than, perhaps, its location next to the Minneapolis Police Departments third precinctbut the company has long been associated with police surveillance and MPDs treatment of black and low-income residents of the city. As the Daily Dot reported, social media users were quick to point out these connections after the looting became national news. In 2004, the company made a $300,000 donation to the city to install CCTV throughout the downtown area. Target also established the SafeZone program that same year to help the police department with surveillance logistics. (Target did not respond to a request for comment on its SafeZone program or surveillance efforts.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Target has a number of similar law enforcement programs in more than 20 cities in the U.S., though its first police partnership was in Minneapolis, where the retailers headquarters are located. According to a 2014 joint report from the Department of Justice, the Police Executive Research Forum think tank, and Target, the companys former CEO Bob Ulrich first decided to make supporting law enforcement a priority during a crime spike in Minneapolis in the mid-1990s. The report states that Ulrich had read an article about a repeat offender whom police accidentally released from custody after allegedly raping a woman due to an information-sharing failure.

Although Targets initial interest in policing may have been sparked by a particularly violent crime, it seems that its foray into law enforcement in Minneapolis had more to do with monitoring low-level offenses. The genesis of the [SafeZone] program was a widespread feeling some years ago in the city of Minneapolis that the downtown business district was not a pleasant place to work or visit, reads another report produced by PERF and Target in 2010. Panhandlers, people drinking alcohol on the street, and other lifestyle offenders roamed the streets. Even though there was relatively little violent crime in the downtown area, people tended not to feel safe or comfortable there. The report also notes that Targets program borrows lessons from broken windows theory, which posits that smalls signs of disorder or very minor offenses create an environment in which more serious crimes are more likely to occur. There is, however, little solid evidence that the theory is true, and its been associated with draconian police crackdowns on low-income and minority communities. Obviously, besides discouraging serious crimes, Target was also interested in encouraging more people to visit downtown and patronize its businesses.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In an interview for the report, the Minneapolis Police Departments thenDeputy Chief Rob Allen recounts that in 2001 he began looking into ways to make the downtown area less ickyreferring to the presence of panhandling, loitering, swearing, and public urination. A Target executive recommended that he should try to emulate the CCTV program that police in Northampton, England, had recently established. In addition to using government-run CCTV, the program also relied on local businesses to turn over camera footage and other information in policing minor crimes. Target was so impressed by the Northampton program that it flew in officials from the town to talk to Minneapolis police.

Target and the Minneapolis police soon set out to install an extensive network of cameras in the downtown area, and to hand out radios to local businesses so they could share information about nuisances. The City Council deliberated on whether Minneapolis should accept Targets donation for CCTV cameras, approving the arrangement by an 8-to-5 vote, even though council members were worried about privacy issues. (A report by the Urban Institute also found that Target abandoned a similar program in Tucson, Arizona, partly because local media had depicted it as a big brother initiative.)*

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Since launching, SafeZone has become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, independent from Target. Its also expanded to include other initiatives over the years like interactive crime mapping, text tipping, and a program in which members go to court proceedings to tell the judge how seriously the community is worried about crime. Five years after SafeZone was founded, Allen reflected, We absolutely own the streets. Lifestyle offenders now know that if they commit a crime downtown, they will be prosecuted successfully, because were going to have the video to back it up. Video gave MPD eyes everywhere in downtown Minneapolis. Now video has put everyones eyes on MPD.

For more of Slates news coverage, listen to What Next: TBD.
Salesforce and Costco both presented investors an opportunity to buy after both stocks pulled back on suboptimal reports, CNBC's Jim Cramer said Friday.

Shares of Costco slipped 0.35% and Salesforce backtracked 3.5% after a mixed quarter report from the former and soft guidance offered by the latter.

"I love a nice, clean story as much as the next guy, but confusing situations like Salesforce and Costco they often make for the best long-term opportunities," the "Mad Money" host said. "And in both cases, history tells me that you've gotta buy them when they're weak."

Salesforce, a cloud software giant, posted a modest beat in its Thursday earnings report, but some investors lost interest in the stock after management cut its annual profit and revenue outlook. Cramer pointed back to the last financial crisis to make a case for buying equity in the company when the customer relationship management platform reduced its forecast in 2008 in efforts to take market share.

"The country's in crisis, there are all sorts of companies trying to find their way through this difficult period, so when that happens he stops thinking near-term and starts going big game hunting" as he did during the last recession, Cramer said of CEO Marc Benioff. "I think today's pullback represents a terrific buying opportunity and if the stock goes even lower, buy more."

As for Costco, the grocery chain reported quarterly profit of $1.89 per share on $37.27 billion of revenue. The company topped revenue expectations, but missed earnings estimates by some pennies.

The profit came up short after Costco spent $239 million on Covid-19 related expenses to increase wages and provide health safety, Cramer explained.

"Costco wants to be the company that comes out of this pandemic with a reputation for being the safest, most welcoming store on earth," he said. "This is a tremendous investment" and "I think it's become the place to take share worldwide."

Disclosure: Cramer's charitable trust owns shares of Salesforce and Costco.

Disclaimer


BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Switzerland stock market ended notably lower on Friday as an escalation in U.S.-China tensions rendered the mood negative, prompting investors to press sales at several counters.



A sharp fall in the reading of Switzerland's leading economic indicator hurt as well.



According to the data released today, Switzerland's leading KOF economic barometer came with a reading of 53.2 in May of 2020 from a downwardly revised 59.7 in the previous month. It was well below market forecasts of a score of 70, and is the lowest reading on record.



The benchmark SMI ended down 94.54 points, or 0.95%, at 9,831.49, slightly off the day's low of 9,823.73.



Bank stocks drifted lower after a U.S. judge gave a verdict that institutional investors can pursue much of their lawsuit accusing 15 major banks of rigging prices in the $6.6 trillion-a-day forex market. UBS and Credit Suisse are among the banks alleged to have been involved in price rigging.



Credit Suisse tumbled nearly 4%. Swiss Life Holding, Swiss Re and Swatch Group lost 2 to 2.4%, while Adecco and Sika ended lower by nearly 2%.



Richemont, ABB, UBS Group and Roche Holding shed 1.5 to 1.8%, while Novartis declined 0.74%.



Alcon and Swisscom moved up 1.4% and 1.2%, respectively.



In the midcap space, AMS lost about 4.8% and Dufry declined 4.4%. Clariant ended 3% down, while Helvetia, Kuehne & Nagel, Vifor Pharma, Swiss Prime Site and Bucher Industries lost 2.4 to 2.6%.



BB Biotech, Straumann Holding, OC Oerlikon Corp and Julius Baer also declined sharply.



Among the other major markets in Europe, Germany, France and the U.K. ended sharply lower. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 declined 2.29%, Germany's DAX slid 1.65% and France's CAC 40 shed 1.59%. The pan European Stoxx 600 ended down 1.44%.



The mood was bearish right through the session, with markets awaiting U.S. President Donald Trump's press conference, due later in the day.



It is feared that Trump may impose sanctions on China, condemning Beijing's approval of a controversial security law on Hong Kong that could dramatically erode the special administrative region's autonomy.



Trump has also been blaming China for the coronavirus pandemic, leading to tensions between the worlds two largest economies.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Ontario isnt doing well in the daily reality show where chief medical officers of the provinces perform. Scoring from left to right (geographically) you get B.C.s Bonnie Henry and Albertas Deena Hinshaw followed in various orders by the next seven and, as Ignazio Silone wrote in his immortal novel, Fontamara, about the place of Italian peasants in the cosmic social order that starts with God: Then nothing. Then nothing. Then nothing. Then [I paraphrase] Dr. David Williams in Ontario.

The Ford government clearly knew they had a problem when they brought in a troubleshooter from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health in early April. But he didnt directly confront the trouble, which was, at least partly, Williams and his deputy. They never seemed to grasp, or at least explain, what testing was about and actually looked proud when they were able to keep the numbers down versus goosing them upward, where success elsewhere has lain.

The use of tests to get early warning of outbreaks or predict whats about to happen, to get ahead of this thing as others say, didnt seem on their radar. I couldnt bear too much of Williams briefings but did hear him repeat phrases about how the guidelines wouldnt indicate a test is necessary if there are no overt symptoms. They tried him on prime time briefings with DOFO and the ministers but that lasted one session by my count, though I admittedly tend to bug out when he starts up. He returned to his own sleepy mid-afternoon slot.

Last week, Williams declared he had to up his game on public messaging, a truly scary thing to picture. He gives briefings behind a desk looking like hes trying to meld his chest and chin into the desktop by way of paper scattered on it while muttering phrases as he shuffles the piles hes nosediving into. Hes been personally responsible for reviving a fine phrase: shovelling fog.

If you think thats unfair, consider this, about one of Fords bursts of frustration: I didnt see it as taking (us) to the woodshed, myself. We were working on it and when the premier joined our command thing to make some comments and ask some questions, it was right along the line of what we were doing. Its nice when youre exactly on the same direction as the premier.

Ford has dug himself into defending Williams since hes so often claimed hes taking his advice though he depersonalizes it by saying, the chief medical officer. That would make firing him tough. No one wants to risk losing trust in public officials right now. But the government continues to mortgage its cred to the phrase.

It was presumably a brilliant strategy to give them cover and distance, but it mayve handed Williams a power he didnt seek since if Ford dumps him, what gives with all those advices he took? Hes made himself hostage to probably the least Machiavellian figure at Queens Park.

Better to treat these experts with a certain bemusement and sometimes contempt: Fords predecessor, Bill Davis, said he could always find an expert to say what he wanted to hear. This sounds contemptuous of expertise but OTOH makes clear that real decisions always remain in the hands of elected leaders.

DOFOS strength isnt close analysis. Its a bent toward passion and concern. He seems able to yoke that to a sense that the rules dont apply to him but, well, nobodys perfect. Davis knew you could hire people for the complicated stuff and was canny at doing it. Fords more like leave them in place, parachute in a troubleshooter and hope for the best.

I know this sounds close to not trusting the science, which has become a somewhat sacred phrase. Or even believe in science, as a U.S. doctor said this week  as in, Trump doesnt. But I dont think science is a creed, like religion. And devoutly accepting someones version of it would mean, Im afraid, trusting scientists who, especially at more bureaucratic levels, can be prone to petty careerism like anyone else. Better to, as Ronald Reagan said in a basically self-negating slogan, trust but verify  a phrase beloved of Doug Ford.
A Lancaster County auction house has sold a circa 1765-1770 Revolutionary War presentation pipe tomahawk for a world-record price.

Morphy Auctions said the tomahawk was made by future army general Richard Butler and inscribed to Lieutenant John McClellan of the Pennsylvania Riflemen.

It sold on May 27 for $664,200, a world-record auction price for any tomahawk, according to Morphy Auctions.

Because of its historical importance and incomparable line of previous ownership, there was great interest in the tomahawk in the days leading up to the auction. We knew ahead of time that a couple of serious players would be competing for it, said Morphy Auctions founder and president Dan Morphy. There were six phone lines in use when the bidding opened at $240,000. It quickly escalated and was sold to an American buyer.

"Arguably the most important and best-known American tomahawk in existence, it was featured in the 2005 Clash of Empires: The British, French & Indian War, 1754-1763 an exhibition of French and Indian War items commemorating the 250th anniversary of the conflict. Exhibition stops included the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, the Canadian War Museum/Museum of Civilization in Ottawa, and The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

This circa 1765-1770 Revolutionary War presentation pipe tomahawk made by future army general Richard Butler and inscribed to Lieutenant John McClellan of the Pennsylvania Riflemen was sold May 27, 2020, by Morphy Auctions in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for $664,200, inclusive of buyers premium. It is a world-record auction price for any tomahawk. (Provided by Morphy Auctions)

Displaying extremely fine workmanship, the silver-mounted and inlaid tomahawk was hand-forged and signed by Richard Butler, a respected armorer at Fort Pitt from 1765 to 1770. Butlers daybook, which is held in Carnegie Library, gives a record of his time at Fort Pitt and lists the many pipe tomahawks he made."

According to Morphy Auctions, Butler, born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1743, moved to Lancaster when he was 5 years old.

"Around 1760, the Butlers relocated to the nearby developing settlement of Carlisle, where his father worked as a gunsmith. The younger Butler apprenticed under his father at the gun shop, which still stands near the citys Court Square.

In 1772, following his time at Fort Pitt, Butler was commissioned a captain in the Pennsylvania Militia. Over time, he gained the trust of Native Americans in the region and, in partnership with his brother, conducted fur trading with the tribes and also provided gunsmithing services.

In 1775, Butler left the Pennsylvania Militia and became an agent of Indian Affairs for the region. He strengthened relations with the Shawnee and Delaware Indians, signing a Treaty of Neutrality with them.

In 1776 he was commissioned a major in the Continental Armys 8th Pennsylvania Regiment. He fought with the riflemen at Saratoga and commanded the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment at Stony Point. Subsequently, he served as colonel of the 5th Pennsylvania regiment at Yorktown, and afterward remained in the Continental Army. In 1783 he was given an honorary promotion to brigadier general. He was one of five brothers who all served in the military and were known collectively as the fighting Butlers. Richard Butler was killed in 1791 at the Battle on the Miami River in Ohio."

Lt. John McClellan, the original owner of the tomahawk, was from the Carlisle area.

"He served with Company D of Thompsons Battalion, Pennsylvania Riflemen, and carried the tomahawk with him to war. Riflemen were required to carry tomahawks as secondary weapons, as their long rifles were not equipped for bayonets, Dan Morphy said.

READ MORE

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
New York (USA), May 28, 2020 (SPS) - The South African permanent representative to the United Nations, Jerry Matjila, has warned the members of the Security Council about the serious situation of the Sahrawi civilian population in the occupied areas by the Moroccan regime, and insisting that it is not receiving the necessary and adequate attention.

During the virtual conference of the members of the UN Security Council to address the situation of the civilian population in armed conflicts, the South African representative regretted the lack of international attention in the face of the difficult situation suffered by people from prolonged conflicts such as the decolonization process of Western Sahara or Palestine.

Jerry Matjila recalled during the meeting that international humanitarian law obliges all parties to armed conflict, state and non-state actors, to assume their obligations and take the necessary measures to protect the civilian population.

In line, he has stressed to his counterparts that United Nations peacekeeping operations are one of the indicated mechanisms to protect civilians. It has also insisted on the need to take into account the current circumstances and equip the contingents deployed around the world with resources.

the South African ambassador has called for greater cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union to articulate action plans to ensure protection and support for civilians. It has also highlighted the potential of the African organization and its experience on the ground to create peaceful environments and organize return plans to volunteer for refugees and internally displaced persons.

South Africa currently chairs the African Union and is a non-permanent member of the UN security council.SPS

125/090/TRA
Former San Francisco Supervisor Vallie Brown, who narrowly lost her District Five seat to Dean Preston last year, will try to win back the position in November.

Brown, who was appointed by Mayor London Breed in 2018, lost the November 2019 election by less than 200 votes  one of the closest races in recent City Hall history. In an interview with The Chronicle, the former supervisor said she wanted to run again so she could help steer San Francisco through the devastating economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

I felt strongly that I needed to run, and that I just cant sit back when the city is in times of economic crisis, said Brown, who officially filed to run Friday.

Browns campaign announcement comes as Preston faces criticism over his support for a sanctioned tent encampment in the Haight-Ashbury. The 40-tent site, which opened Friday, may become an early flash point in the campaign.

Preston has been working with several city departments for the past few months to open a safe sleeping site in the district, which has seen an increase in tents during the pandemic. Critics of the plan at 730 Stanyan St., a former McDonalds site, are upset at the supervisor for supporting an encampment in such a dense, high-traffic area. A neighborhood group, Concerned Citizens of the Haight, filed a lawsuit on the matter Wednesday.

Amy Osborne / Special to The Chronicle 2019

Brown said she had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment on it directly. But, she said, she would have taken more time to weigh the different opinions of the neighborhood on the location. She also criticized Preston for supporting the handing out of more than 1,000 tents to those living on the streets before having a place that they could also shower, use the restroom and access services.

I think that was reckless, she said.

Preston has been unapologetic about handing out tents and his support for a safe sleeping site in the area. He said there was little time to wait, as people are most vulnerable to the virus when they are in proximity to others and dont have access to soap and water or hand sanitizer.

We have a long list of pressing issues, he said. This is helping to address one of the most common complaints in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood.

District Five is a diverse collection of neighborhoods that includes the Haight-Ashbury, Fillmore, Western Addition, Inner Sunset and Hayes Valley. Like every area of San Francisco, the district faces a daunting recovery from the pandemic as many businesses, restaurants and bars remain closed because of the citys shelter-in-place order.

Supervisors terms are typically four years. But there is another election for District Five in November 2020 because Preston is just filling out the rest of the term for Breed, who stepped away from the seat when she assumed the mayors office.

Meanwhile, Stevon Cook, a member of the San Francisco Board of Education, said he ended his campaign for the District Five seat Friday because of challenges from the pandemic.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

When she was in office, Brown helped write legislation to open the citys first safe RV parking lot and also crafted a plan to streamline lengthy permitting processes for small businesses. But she was only supervisor for a little over a year when she lost in the contentious race that pitted her, a close ally of the mayor, against Preston, who pledged to be more critical of the administration.

Since joining the board in January, Preston, a former tenants rights activist, has not been shy about speaking out against the mayor. He and the majority of his colleagues on the board have been particularly vocal about what they view as a sluggish response to moving the citys huge homeless population into vacant hotel rooms.

Other issues Preston is working on include: legislation that prohibits evicting a tenant who cannot pay rent because of issues related to the coronavirus; a proposed ballot measure to nearly double the citys transfer tax on commercial real estate deals of $10 million or more to generate funds for rent relief and affordable housing; and creating more bike lanes and slow streets in the district.

As he also keeps a laser-like focus on the citys pandemic response, Preston said the November election is one of the last things on his mind.

Political campaigning is secondary to getting that job done, he said.

Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani
The Sew Change, a campaign established to unite people with sewing skills with the supplies they require, has issued a call out for volunteers in the older community who can offer their sewing skills to make masks for vulnerable communities.

Across Ireland, community groups and citizens are coming together to support each other and the most vulnerable people in their local communities. The Sew Change has been established to assist people who own a sewing machine to produce masks for the most vulnerable in their communities. The project is actively including older people, through its partnership with Age Action, Alone, Third Age and Age and Opportunity.

Although many people have sewing skills, they have found it difficult to access high quality materials and an understanding of which style of mask is best for the current crisis. Another challenge individuals face is knowing how to get masks to the people who need them most. This project, funded through the Community Call Fund on ChangeX, supported by Web Summit, solves all these challenges.

To take part in this community response, people need to simply register by sending their name address to sewchange@qualitymatters.ie or by registering on ChangeX (http://www.changex.org/ie/sew-change).

Everyone who signs up will be sent a mask making pack, with directions, pre-cut cotton fabric, elastic and nose pins, alongside a stamped return envelope. There is enough material to sew 10 masks, makers can then keep three to four masks for themselves, their family and people in need in their local community.

The remaining 6 or 7 are sent in the self-addressed envelope, which we will disseminate to families and people in need. Masks are then disseminated by the Irish Refugee Council. This project is working along We Make Goods buy-one / gift-one campaign to ensure that everyone in Direct Provision has two high quality reusable masks.

As Niamh McKenna, Cofounder of Change X says: The focus of this project over the coming months is to support older people to help others, by taking away all the challenges involved in making masks. We have heard from organisations working with older people that there is an enormous amount of goodwill and energy out there and this project aims to support that.

Joan Ellison, Cofounder of We Make Good, who are making the packs says Our first target group is people in Direct Provision who due to their living situations cannot always social distance. Ideally people have access to 2  3 masks to allow for washing them between wears. This translates to 15,000 masks needed over the next few months. Sales for our buy-one / gift one campaign have been amazing. This project reaches out to other people who have a sewing machine in their backroom.

Ciaran McKinney from Age & Opportunity said: Older people have a vast array of skills and are delighted to be part of this project and put their sewing skills to good use. Its also an excellent way for our older community to extend their welcome to refugees. Projects like this can literally stitch together communities.

Liam Carey from Third Age Ireland says, Many of our members are creating and making, and there is huge interest in using these skills to reach out to support people in Direct Provision and say welcome, and take care, we are here for you. We are delighted to be involved in this project to enable our members to use their skills for such a worthwhile social cause.

As is becoming increasingly clear from research, masks can be effective in protecting people and communities.

The common thread of this project connecting both the masks and the ways these are made is about helping people to help others in their community. I think for years to come we will remember that when things got difficult, the instinct of people was to pull together. This project shows that sense of community includes people seeking asylum, people are clearly saying you are also an important part of our community, says Caroline, Co-founder of We Make Good.

The project will be running for a number of months and aims to produce 4,500 masks for older people and people in direct provision. These will supplement the masks that the public have funded through the popular We Make Good buy one - gift one mask campaign.
Register with JOC.com and receive 5 free pieces of content for the first thirty days. After thirty days, you will receive 3 pieces of content and after sixty days you will receive 1 piece of content. To receive full access, Subscribe Today . You can also subscribe to our daily newsletter.

Register
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE: EXK) (TSX: EDR) announces that it has restarted mining operations at its three high-grade, underground silver-gold mines in Mexico. The Company filed its mine operating and health plans with, and received approvals from, the Secretariat of Health in Mexico to recommence mining operations.

Management developed its mine restart plan utilizing the rigorous virus monitoring, prevention and response measures already in place at our three mines that comply with government mandated practices to ensure a safe working environment for all employees.

At each site, Endeavours actions to protect its people, communities and business include:

All employees and contractors reporting for duty undergo medical screening to verify that no one with COVID-19 symptoms or contact with anyone exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms gets on site.

The Company has COVID-19 test kits available if our doctors recommend testing of employees, contractors or people in the local communities

Social distancing and sanitation measures throughout each workplace and transport vehicles

Education campaigns at the mines and within the communities to increase awareness

Ongoing support to local communities with sanitation supplies and medical care

Active management of the supply chain to reduce risk and increase inventory levels

The mines and plants are currently ramping up activities to achieve normal operations and exploration crews will restart mapping, sampling and drilling programs in June. At each mine, the plants have started processing ore stockpiles in order to quickly ramp up to their capacities while the mines catch up on stope development and ore extraction.

At Guanacevi, plant personnel installed two rebuilt cone crushers during the suspension period to allow the plant to return to its 1,200 tonne per day (tpd) capacity in June.

At Bolanitos, mine personnel are completing development of the San Miguel orebody over the next two months so that the plant can reach 1,100 tpd before the end of Q2, 2020.

At El Compas, the plant has commenced processing of the low-grade stockpile while the mine ramps up ore extraction to 250 tpd over the next month.

Bradford Cooke, Endeavour Director and CEO, commented, Following the recent government decree that mining is now an essential activity, we are efficiently ramping up our mining operations in a safe and timely manner. Everyone is happy to be returning to work where our strict health and safety measures take care of our people and their communities.

About Endeavour Silver  Endeavour Silver Corp. is a mid-tier precious metals mining company that owns and operates three high-grade, underground, silver-gold mines in Mexico. Endeavour is currently advancing the Terronera Mine project towards a development decision and exploring its portfolio of exploration and development projects in Mexico and Chile to facilitate its goal to become a premier senior silver producer. Our philosophy of corporate social integrity creates value for all stakeholders.

SOURCE Endeavour Silver Corp.

Contact Information:

Galina Meleger, Director, Investor Relations

Toll free: (877) 685-9775

Tel: (604) 640-4804

Email: gmeleger@edrsilver.com

Website: www.edrsilver.com

Follow Endeavour Silver on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and LinkedIn

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States private securities litigation reform act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forwardlooking statements and information herein include but are not limited to statements regarding Endeavours anticipated performance in 2020 including changes in mining operations and production levels, the timing and results of various activities and the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on operations. The Company does not intend to and does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, production levels, performance or achievements of Endeavour and its operations to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include but are not limited to the ultimate impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on operations and results, changes in production and costs guidance, national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and Mexico; financial risks due to precious metals prices, operating or technical difficulties in mineral exploration, development and mining activities; risks and hazards of mineral exploration, development and mining; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and challenges to the Companys title to properties; as well as those factors described in the section risk factors contained in the Companys most recent form 40F/Annual Information Form filed with the S.E.C. and Canadian securities regulatory authorities.

Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to: the continued operation of the Companys mining operations, no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, mining operations will operate and the mining products will be completed in accordance with managements expectations and achieve their stated production outcomes, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.
A drunk 70-year-old priest decapitated a man as a sacrifice to end the coronavirus pandemic after smoking marijuana in India.

Sansari Ojha from the Brahmani Devi Temple under Narasinghpur police station in Cuttack cut off 52-year-old Saroj Kumar Pradhan's head.

The Hindu priest from the Bandhahuda area in Odisha killed the man to appease a goddess, he claimed.

He beheaded Pradhan with an axe at 1am in the morning in the temple's shrine after an argument.

Priest Sansari Ojha (pictured), 70, of Brahmani Dei Temple in Bhubaneswar cut off 52-year-old Saroj Kumar Pradhan's head on Wednesday as a 'sacrifice' to end coronavirus

Detective Ashish Kumar Singh said Ojha was heavily drunk at the time and surrendered to police the same day after coming to his senses.

He said Ojha claimed he was ordered by a goddess in his dream to sacrifice a human in order to bring an end to the pandemic.

Alok Ranjan Ray, Athagarh sub-divisional police officer, said: 'The priest claimed that he saw a goddess in his dream and was asked to sacrifice a human's life to bring an end to coronavirus.

'Hence, to appease the goddess, he decapitated the man,' he told Gulf News.

Police say they have began an investigation and both men were known to be smoking marijuana before the attack.

Mr Pradhan's body has been sent for an autopsy and the murder weapon has been seized from the shrine.

Social activist Satya Prakash Pati told India Today: 'Its unbelievable in 21st century that people still behave in such barbaric ways.

'We demand strong action against the guilty.'

Passengers are checked for Covid-19 by health workers upon their arrival from New Delhi at New Jalpaiguri railway station today

The priest was known to have a long-standing dispute with Mr Pradhan over a mango orchard in Bandhahuda village.

Mr Pradhan tended the trees at the Brahmani Devi temple, which has had its access restricted due to coronavirus, and the pair shared a room together.

India recorded 4,797 coronavirus deaths yesterday as the country's number of infections increased to 167,442, following exponential growth through May.

There are fears that the country is becoming a new epicentre for the disease in Asia, following a surprisingly low infection rate earlier on in the pandemic.

India made up nearly a quarter of Asia's new infections last Friday, with the continent as a whole accounting for 23 per cent of the world's daily tally - up from a figure as low as eight per cent in March and April.
College grads face staggering unemployment as they search for jobs KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- College graduates are facing staggering unemployment numbers as they search for jobs. National unemployment is at 14.7%, but when you look at the 20-25 age group that number jumps to 25.7%. University of Arkansas graduate Tommye Koontz says she's looking for a marketing data analytics job but hasn't gotten any offers.

Reality check regarding the "new normal" wherein career opportunities aren't as easy to acquire as student loans or the plague . . . Same difference.Read more:
"We were the first ones on the cafe terraces when they opened and now we are going to be the first to visit the museum". Despite the white mask she is wearing, you can see from her eyes that Carmen Valor is smiling. On Monday, she and Amparo Quero were waiting outside the doors of the Carmen Thyssen museum as, like others in the city, it reopened after nearly two and a half months. This first week, entry is free.

"We love this museum. We often come to see the new exhibitions," says Amparo. "During the lockdown I watched some video conferences given by the director, and she's fantastic," adds Carmen.

That same artistic director of the Carmen Thyssen museum, Lourdes Moreno, and managing director Javier Ferrer, are waiting inside to welcome the first visitors. "We are feeling very emotional. Every visitor is a cause for celebration for us," says Moreno.

Inside, there are signs on the floor to mark a one-way route through the rooms, and others on the seats to indicate the minimum distance required. There are transparent screens in front of the ticket offices and the cashdesk in the shop. Carmen and Amparo take a quick tour of the collection before heading for the 'Toulouse-Lautrec and the circus' exhibition. "We wanted to see the temporary exhibition," says Carmen, "and then, if we have time, we're going on to the Picasso Museum."

Which is where we went next, and found Carolina Segura waiting with her parents, Sebastian and Maria Jesus. "It's very nice today. Everything is very quiet and we are lucky enough to have a fantastic guide," says Sebastian, referring to his daughter. "I'm an art historian," she explains.

With Carolina and her partner, Francisco Ruiz, they spent some time examining the designer furniture and decorative items created by Le Corbusier, Fernand Leger and Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, part of the 'Art genealogies' exhibition which ends on Sunday (31May).

Recovering the cultural pulse

From a corner of the ground floor of the museum, its artistic director, Jose Lebrero, watches the first few visitors who are coming somewhat tentatively to the city's museums and galleries. Under the new regulations, the number of visitors has to be restricted to 30 per cent of capacity and there are none of the usual educational and cultural activities.

"With these restrictions, every visitor is an event in themselves because they are not part of a crowd. What we need to do now is actively promote the fact that Malaga is a city with quality culture, to get the cultural pulse beating again," he says.

On the far side of the Plaza de la Merced, Picasso is also waiting with 'Trozo de piel', the exhibition which reflects his friendship with Camilo Jose Cela. "We hadn't seen it and decided to make the most of this nice morning to have a look and do a bit of shopping in this district," explains Amparo Diaz, who is there with a friend.

At the Russian Museum, two new exhibitions are about to open, one about filmmaker Andrei Tarkovski, and an expansive display about Russian silent film. "This museum is wonderful, absolutely wonderful," says Fernando Rueda, standing by a selection of posters for silent movies. "At first you think it might be uncomfortable, because of the mask and everything, but in fact you can see an exhibition much better this way". He had taken a quiet stroll along the seafront to the museum in the old Tabacalera factory, and doesn't leave until after midday. What was he planning to do next? "Oh, I think a beer and a tapa are called for, don't you?" he says.

The challenge for MIMMA

Visitors to the CAC Malaga also found new exhibitions, 'Opus nigrum', by Girbente, which opened online last Friday, and 'The Walking Ceiling', a video performance of Alicia Framis in Area 5. Here we found Andrea Fernandez and Nahuel Alvarez. "This is the first time we have been out, but we decided to take advantage of the museums opening to start easing our own lockdown," said Andrea,

Visitors have to enter the contemporary art museum through the side door of the old market building, because some of the rooms are closed while a new exhibition is being prepared: 150 works by Juan F. Lacomba, a major retrospective covering the evolution of this artist's work over three decades.

Viewing the permanent collection, 'Passion II', were Mima Agustin, from Slovenia, and her friend Beatriz Aparicio who was explaining the works to her in English. "I'm a painter and I have wanted to come here for ages," said Mima.

The Interactive Music Museum(MIMMA) also welcomed its first visitors this week. "We are happy to be open again but it has been a challenge for us, because we are normally interactive. People can usually touch the instruments but that is prohibited now, so we have had to adapt," says director Miguel Angel Piedrola.

Staff at the Pompidou Centre on Muelle Uno were also pleased to be able to welcome visitors again, but there was a slight sense of nervousness as they opened at 9.30am and waited to see if anybody came. It seemed a long half-hour before Eduardo Texeira came through the glass entrance doors and was the first person to pass the camera which automatically measures body temperature without them having to stop and be manually checked.

"I read in the paper that the museums were going to open again today and came straight here because I have been wanting to see the temporary exhibition for some time", said Eduardo. "I like all types of art but painting in particular," he added, sounding a little abrupt because he was surprised to find the media waiting at the museum.

Neither audioguides nor leaflets are allowed at the moment, so a mobile phone is the tool to obtain information about the works as you tour the collection at the Pompidou, something that Eduardo did alone until a few other people arrived. One of them was Coloma Fuster, who told us she had gone out for a walk and couldn't resist coming in when she saw the doors were open.

As Eduardo left, he said this was a good time to enjoy some extra culture. "This week, I am going to visit one museum every day," he told us, and he has the right idea. What better way could there be to renew an acquaintance with art and, at the same time, take advantage of the fact that entry will be free until Sunday (31 May).
For Quilty, the pandemic came after an intense summer contending with the bushfires threatening his home in the Southern Highlands on every side.

As art galleries start to reopen, these artists opened the doors on their creative processes in these extraordinary times.

Other artists have seen the influence of COVID-19 in their work, from Wendy Sharpe, who has been moved to produce tiny works exploring quarantine dreams, to Ben Quilty, who has been trying to make "stiller" pieces about human frailty, to Reg Mombassa, who painted "four alarming, melodramatic self-portraits" reflecting the general alarm and anxiety across the world.

Esteemed painter John Olsen agrees, saying, "As far as isolation is concerned it's the natural state of being an artist."

As Spectrum's art critic John McDonald wrote recently: "With most works of visual art, there are moments of inspiration and periods of repetitive labour. It's the ideas behind a work of art and the unexpected transformations that occur in the process of creation that seem to require solitude."

For many visual artists, solitude is a natural state. Indeed, it has long been considered that being secluded in a studio, confronting alone the challenges of their chosen medium is key to the creative process.

Among his subjects has been a waratah he grew himself. I grew up near the Hawkesbury and after reading Kate Grenvilles The Secret River, I became painfully aware of the silence of the bush. The sounds of singing, laughter, and thousands of years of human habitation had disappeared in the blink of an eye. Waratahs grow down there along the river. I harvested seeds, burnt the soil for the seedlings, grew over 100. Only one survived. It grows at my home and is like a sentinel to the memory of the silent bush. The native variety only grow a few flowers a year. This is one of them.

Quilty has found artistic inspiration in items as diverse as a bottle of multivitamins and a can of the disinfectant Glen 20. "They were things I picked up in the kitchen that definitely weren't there three months ago."

"I made works that in a sense referenced something of being on your own, examining something, sitting with yourself quietly."

One artist he looked to was the Italian painter and printmaker Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964), whose work is known for the simplicity of the subjects, such as ceramic bowls and vases.

"My work has really echoed that. I've tried to calm myself and I've started trying to make much stiller works. Works about frailty, the notion of human frailty, as well as still lifes."

Shutdown for him and his wife, Kylie, has focused on helping their two children navigate life emotionally after a traumatic six months.

It depicts "a single figure lying on a table, a self-portrait about the way I feel, the way world politics is derailing a healthy future".

Also under way in Quilty's studio is a massive painting entitled 2020 , "which is about the end of humanity as we know it and that is screaming off the wall". He had started it before coronavirus hit, "but it definitely gained meaning in recent months".

As a sideline, he and some mates have raised $6 million to establish the Southern Highlands Regional Gallery, called Ngunungulla, at Retford Park, in Bowral, set to open next year. Two nights before the shutdown, they held a fundraiser and raised almost $400,000. We have the money in the bank and it just feels like the art gods have been looking over us.

Contemplating simple objects can inspire consideration of the bigger issues of the world, the hope for the future, the celebration that will happen around the world when a vaccine is discovered, the loneliness that we feel now, the loneliness that some people felt before. Loneliness is such a part of the contemporary world and maybe now well really consider why is that.

"It's almost so alarming it's ridiculous. It's not like I've suffered that much but it's just reflecting on the general alarm and anxiety going on worldwide."

"I've done four alarming, melodramatic self-portraits with bandaged bleeding mouth and blackened stumps growing out of my head.

Mombassa says staying home has suited him. "My whole life I've always been fairly solitary and not that gregarious so that part of it hasn't worried me," he says.

Quilty says coronavirus has been easier for his children to manage than the fires. "We live in a tiny town with a strong community and there's a sense of safety in that. [The kids] are aware that the world is taking a deep breath while all of the crazy humans stop for a while." KO

"I think they call them quarantine dreams: dreams about being trapped or confined in some way, or not being able to achieve something  trying to chase someone and you can't catch them, somehow you're being stopped and it's about lack of agency."

She has been working on a "corona diary", in the form of a folding book. As the impact of the virus unfolded, she was fascinated by the dreams everyone was experiencing.

Part of Sharpe's year is usually spent in Paris, a plan obviously curtailed. Magic , her major show this year, scheduled for King Street Gallery in June, has been postponed for now.

"There's nothing better than playing live if you know what you're doing and you've got a good band and an audience that appreciates it. There's something really special about that." NG

He's also been using the lockdown time to rehearse with his brother Pete O'Doherty (also an artist and musician). Together they form the nucleus of the band Dog Trumpet and were due to tour to promote a new album; Mombassa is looking forward to their return to the stage.

A detail from Wendy Sharpe's coronavirus diary. Sharpe says tension and anxiety emerges in our sleep. Credit:Wendy Sharpe

Rather than illustrating the dreams, she wanted to capture how they felt. "Everything upside down, feeling trapped, asking for something and being refused - as well as drawings of people trying to avoid each other on the street."

While she has remained productive and has the advantage of a studio separate to her house, Sharpe is working more slowly and in a micro fashion.

"I've got a painting on my easel which is a couple of metres in size, which I will get back to, but I want to make tiny things. It's unusual for me to work consistently on such tiny little things, as big as your hand or even smaller.

"Again they're on this magic theme. I'm also painting on old tins and old lamps, I've become more obsessed with doing that. I'm painting pictures on them. I feel like they symbolise things about dreams, little domestic worlds, psychological things in the background," she says.

"Even though you're managing on the surface, all of this tension and anxiety is going on and it comes out during your sleep."

Sharp is conscious the virus has manifested in different ways and that many people are in a worse position than others. "But we are all affected  It is a chance just to constantly work; there's nothing else." KO

Bill Henson: Preparation and resolution

For Henson, shutdown has meant the chance to get more organised in his warehouse studio, building new storage racks for equipment and books. "I like to do things with my hands, I think it's very good for you," he says.

Surprisingly, the acclaimed photographer reveals that he picks up a camera "very infrequently, I've never had a camera hanging around my neck," he says. "Maybe three or four times a year."

Bill Henson: a previously unpublished image from Italy pulled out of the archive. Credit:Bill Henson

Bill Henson in his Melbourne garden. Credit:Josh Robenstone

One week into COVID-19, his reorganisation led him to post a series of previously unpublished images on Instagram.

"A lot of them have been sitting in one place gathering dust. [Shutdown] pushed me to resolve some of those things. I certainly haven't made any pictures in response to this particular situation but all the pictures that I find interesting, in history or out there in the world, they all speak to the same fundamentals of life and they all appeal to our feelings about vulnerability and longing and love and anger and lust and fear and blah blah, the whole thing. It's the same whether you're looking at a Rothko or a Rembrandt. The fundamental things don't change."

On the question of work, he argues there are different ways of looking at what work is, saying that preparing is a big part of the process. One friend spends time ironing everything including the curtains while gearing up to write, "vacuuming is very common I have to tell you, a lot of people do that".

Untitled 2010-20 by Bill Henson. Credit:Bill Henson

"But then other people follow the Francis Bacon thing that chaos breeds ideas, the more disorganised or chaotic or the less OCD someone is, the more productive.

"I spend 90 per cent of my time sitting in a chair, staring at pictures and listening to music. It builds up and builds up. It has to arrive at a point where you think you know what it is you need  a tree or a mountain or a person or a storm. Then you pick up a camera and go and try to find it." KO

Louise Zhang: Joy in a new medium

Zhang has been working with emerging technology studio Tactical Space Lab, recently launching an experimental virtual reality work featuring an imagined universe of Chinese pavilions set among glistening mountains, where her candy-coloured paintings flutter as banners, and 3D renderings of her slimy, blobby sculptures hover and pulsate.

A digital image from Louise Zhang & Josh Harle's work with Tactical Space Lab

Zhang's studio outcomes were designed for viewing online without the need for a VR headset, adapting to the new (virtual) realities.

"I discovered I really enjoy using graphic and 3D programs, so I foresee my practice expanding into those realms more alongside my current choice of mediums [of painting, sculpture and installation]," she says.

While screen-based projects can continue, Zhang has lost income through having to postpone, redevelop and renegotiate work, and has been no stranger to anxiety.

Artist Louise Zhang. Credit:Zan Wimberley

"It has really taken a toll on my mental health not being able to access my studio which is my place of safety and motivation  As things are easing up, I am able to access [it] again, which provides a sense of stability and routine."

Beyond the studio, Zhang is working with a university on an online program to "give voice and connection to international and POC [people of colour] students who are isolated, alone, unsupported, being discriminated [against] or stuck offshore unable to complete their studies. We are still developing it but it is important for us [to] support these studentsduring these times. They are not forgotten."

She also notes the emergence of online groups where artists support each other to understand changing laws, industry impacts, and ways to secure work and funding. "One thing I do thinkartists have in common during times like this is speaking up and becoming a community." CW

Tracey Moffatt: Books and Bunnings

In early March, Tracey Moffatt was celebrating the Sydney Biennale with artists from around the world, little realising that the event - and life as we knew it - would soon be all but cancelled.

A planned trip to Mexico was a casualty of the showdown although her work has been showing online at Melbourne's Centre for Contemporary Photography and the Bass Museum in Miami.

Tracey Moffatt in her studio/apartment before the lockdown started. Credit:Claudia Fitzpatrick

While self-isolating, she has been "as busy as anything" - not that she can reveal details of her current focus, a major public art project for Sydney. She is not allowed to discuss the work publicly at this stage but, in any event, she's superstitious. "I don't like to talk about what I'm up to too much  it loses energy."

However, she concedes that she has been making large photo test prints and sticking them up around her apartment-cum-studio in McMahons Point. "The light coming off Berrys Bay outside is so perfect."

For mental health as well as fitness, she's enjoyed socially distanced walks with friends, after which she often detours to Bunnings. "Artists are always at Bunnings, we always need stuff."

Moffatt has also been devouring biographies of other creative folk, including abstract painter Agnes Martin, op art's Bridget Riley and writers Susan Sontag and Paul Bowles.

Tracey Moffatt (with hand raised) at a party with Biennale artists in March before the shutdown.

She remarks that, when living in New York, she asked composer Philip Glass about his work practices. His answer? "I work all the time."

"It's always stuck with me," she says, "I work all the time. While you're reading something, secretly watching TV series  it's so true, if you're not doing it, you're thinking about it, trying to make it happen." KO

John Olsen: Puddling around

Locked down at his home in the Southern Highlands, 92-year-old Olsen insists brightly he's "never been better".

"We've got lots of bottles of wine and we're cooking," he says. "It's brought the family together. My son [Tim] is here with me and my daughter Louise has been with me and I'm just about to go into the studio and puddle about."

John Olsen continues working daily in his Southern Highlands studio. Here he is with some of his Sydney Harbour inspired work. Credit:Tim Olsen

He agrees that lockdown suits the artistic temperament perfectly.

"As far as isolation is concerned, it's the natural state of being an artist," he says. "Just think of Cezanne and Renoir who decided to leave the hurly burly of Paris and go and live in Provence, which at the time was artistically like no man's land. They went there for isolation. It's just the state of being an artist, I think - and just shows you how potentially sick we are."

"Isolation ... its just the state of being an artist, I think - and just shows you how potentially sick we are. John Olsen

Olsen is working on a major painting of Sydney Harbour.

"I'm here near Bowral and thinking of Sydney Harbour," he says. "Life is very curious. I'm still mindful, but from the sanctuary of the studio it is hard to believe the devastation the world is going through. I go into the studio every day and [as artist Paul Klee said] take the line for a walk." NG

Yasmin Smith: Confronting uncertainty

Smith incorporates materials gathered from particular locations into the glazes and forms of her ceramics, and lockdown has presented a chance to work on an online archive documenting the detailed cultural and scientific investigation underpinning these projects.

Site-specific research is an important component of Smith's practice but applying for international travel grants to do this has been disrupted.

Yasmin Smith and some of her work in her studio at Parramatta Artists' Studios Rydalmere, 2020; Smith's Central Leader 1 and Widow Maker 1 in group show The Humanity. Credit:Jacquie Manning, The Commercial

"I've  adapted my approach [into] putting together a research archive of my projects from 2014 until now, so that if I can't travel overseas I could still participate remotely at symposiums and things like that."

Smith and her partner are living with family in western Sydney, where they have been staying between research trips. After returning in December from a residency in Paris where Smith exhibited at the Pompidou Centre, they were holidaying in the south coast town of Narooma when they were evacuated along with thousands of others during the New Year's Eve bushfires. After that experience, she has felt relatively little anxiety during lockdown.

A number of shows are postponed, but two new works are on view in group show The Humanity at The Commercial in Marrickville. The exhibition has been able to be viewed by appointment and is open to the public today, the final day of the exhibition.

"It was looking like a very busy year for me, and then, suddenly  the foot's taken off the accelerator."

Smith works at Parramatta Artists' Studios Rydalmere where artists have been able to access their studios (with precautions in place).

"Of course there's beenuncertainty around if or when things would be rescheduled, but I've just kept working, with the mindset that  when things come back on, I'll have a bunch of work [ready], which is good. CW

Fiona Foley: Hoods on the kitchen table

For Foley, life in shutdown has been busy: she is juggling the final stages of her forthcoming book, based on her PhD about the history of opium in Queensland, which will be out in October, a new series of works and writing an article for an international journal.

Part of Fiona Foley's series Hunted II, 2020. Credit:Mick Richards

Her studio envelops her house but the kitchen table is her preferred position. The latest creations extend a theme for which Foley is well-known, using hoods. Rather than mirroring those favoured by the KKK as in her Hedonistic Honky Haters series, the latest are inspired by capital punishment.

"These are historically based on an existing hood that was used in the last hanging of an Australian."

Foley says the work is exploring the kidnapping of Aboriginal men, women and children in the 1880s, "putting them on these vessels and working them to death, plus other atrocities on the boats".

They were basically slaves, forced to work. The pearl shells were later used to make buttons, which the women sewed on garments."These are all hidden histories that I put in the public arena."

Her book looks at a particular piece of legislation, The Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act 1897.

Artist Fiona Foley. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

The dust from opium smoked by Westerners and Chinese was deemed an appropriate wage for Aboriginal workers. Part of Fraser Island, where Foley's family are from, was used to quarantine and remove Aboriginal people who became addicted.

"It was to try to stop them using and detox through isolation. It was a catchall for corralling Aboriginal people and starting to control their lives on a day-to-day basis." KO

Yhonnie Scarce: Explosive research and scientific inquiry

One week into a six week residency in Birmingham when the virus hit, Yhonnie Scarce returned to Melbourne and quarantined herself at home for 14 days. She was in the UK to investigate scientists who in the 1930s were researching nuclear energy, which ultimately led to the atomic bomb and testing where she was born in Woomera, South Australia. Some of her research-intensive work has been possible during the shutdown but she looks forward to resuming the residency when possible.

Lockdown has been a blessing and a curse for Yhonnie Scarce. Credit:Simon Schluter

Her latest works are smaller than those she has created in recent years, including the massive Absence at the NGV currently. Its an interesting process for me, taking my time, because Im not a scientist, trying to figure out to do it perfectly visually is an important part of this process.

One work shes devising  using her trademark glass - will reflect the impact of the testing on bush food, showing craters within a bush banana or a yam or a bush plum.

It will represent the decimation of that country and the impact on Aboriginal people, she says, and she wants to mimic the nuclear explosion inside one of them.

For her the lockdown has been a blessing and a curse. When Im working out this process I tend to leave Melbourne I dont always have four walls around me. It has frustrated me a little bit - Ive had to retrain my brain.

Scarce says lockdown has proven to be both a blessing and a curse.

She often works at the studio at Adelaides Jam Factory, where her glass works are hand-blown, or out bush. I hope it changes [the way I work] but I will remain a traveller, it is who I am and what my practice needs. Once everything calms down I will rethink how I travel and maybe that will change.

Ive loved seeing how the air has changed and the city is not so hazy with smog, the rain seems cleaner. That has been beautiful to watch. KO

Writer Chloe Wolifson is supported by the Copyright Agencys Cultural Fund and the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.
"Glace Bay, Nova Scotia Canada - August 2, 2011: A line up of vehicles waiting to be served at a local Tim Hortons coffee shop in Glaced Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada"

Tim Hortons has reopened about 500 dining rooms in Canada, a company executive said Friday, as lockdown restrictions ease in some areas of the country.

The coffee and doughnut chain has also seen comparable sales slightly recover from declines of more than 40 per cent in March to a drop of approximately mid-20 per cent as of May 22, thanks to growing drive-thru and delivery demand.

Duncan Fulton, the chief corporate officer at Tims parent company Restaurant Brands International (QSR), said in an interview Friday that the company has reopened approximately 500 sit-down dining rooms in British Columbia, Alberta and New Brunswick over the last week.

The reopenings mark the first incremental step towards a new normal at Tim Hortons dining rooms, which accounted for approximately 40 per cent of the coffee chains sales during pre-pandemic times.

Fulton said RBI, which also operates the Burger King and Popeyes chains, has been able to take lessons learned from previous re-openings that have already taken place in China. Physical distancing rules are being enforced for lineups as well as seating, with a reduced number of tabletops open for guests. Tables and chairs are being sanitized after each use. All staff members have temperatures checked before the start of every shift.

Its a new routine for customers and its going well, Fulton said.

Everyone is very understanding of the situation. We want to make sure that our dining rooms are open and welcoming, and that people people safe to be able to sit down and have coffee and breakfast with a friend.

As some reopenings begin, Tim Hortons is also seeing improvement in sales, although its recovery still lags behind the boosts seen at Burger King and Popeyes.

Speaking to the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on Thursday, RBIs chief executive Jose Cil said the recovery at Tim Hortons was in part due to rapid growth of delivery demand. Before the pandemic, Tim Hortons had approximately 250 restaurants signed up for delivery with Skip the Dishes. Today, more than 1,100 locations across the country offer delivery through Skip the Dishes and Uber Eats.

Story continues

Its a really strong move and gives us penetration and coverage for delivery in Canada at numbers greater than almost any other delivery business in the country, Cil said.

We're well positioned at Tim's in Canada to be able to not just get back to where we were, but to be able to capture share in the market because of our ubiquity in the market from a penetration standpoint, the different formats that we have available and the different service modes that we have available.

Fulton said he expects that a very large majority of Tim Hortons restaurants will continue offering delivery after dining rooms open.

I think most owners have recognized that this is entirely incremental. Even with higher fees, they would rather have the order than not, he said.

Sales at Tim Hortons have been a weak spot amid otherwise stellar results for RBI over the past year. In February, the company had announced a back to basics plan that refocused on its coffee, baked goods and breakfast business after a year that saw dozens of promotions and product launches contribute to lagging sales.

According to company disclosures released on Thursday, Burger Kings comparable sales were down in the mid-single digits as of the third full week of May, an improvement from the low-thirties seen in the last two weeks of March. Popeyes, meanwhile, is thriving, with sales up in the low forties in May compared to flat in March.

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android and sign up for the Yahoo Finance Canada Weekly Brief.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday has urged Government of India to come clean and tell exactly what's happening at the India China border.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday urged the Central government to clarify the border situation between India and China, stating that the governments silence over the matter with the neighbouring country is fueling massive speculation and uncertainty at a time of crisis.

The Governments silence about the border situation with China is fueling massive speculation and uncertainty at a time of crisis. GOI must come clean and tell India exactly whats happening. China India Faceoff, Gandhi tweeted. After US President Donald Trump offered mediation in the raging border dispute between New Delhi and Beijing, India said that it is engaged with the Chinese side to resolve the border issue peacefully. Trump on Wednesday tweeted that he is ready, willing and able to mediate between India and China.

When asked over ties between India and China at the White House press briefing on Thursday, the US President said, They have a big conflict going with India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people. Two countries with very powerful militaries. And India is not happy, and probably China is not happy.

The Governments silence about the border situation with China is fueling massive speculation and uncertainty at a time of crisis. GOI must come clean and tell India exactly whats happening. #ChinaIndiaFaceoff  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 29, 2020

Reiterating his offer to mediate between India and China on the border issue, Trump said that he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is not in good mood about the ongoing situation with Beijing. India reiterated that they will resolve the issue bilaterally. There have been no recent talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump over the Ladakh and China issue.

However, informed sources from the Ministry of External Affairs told ANI on Friday that there has been no recent contact between Prime Minister Modi and the US President. The last conversation between them took place on April 4, 2020, on the subject of hydroxychloroquine.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava also said that India remains committed to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and also remains firm in its resolve to ensure sovereignty and national security.

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
A Chinese health worker carries out a nucleic acid test on a journalist covering events around the National People's Congress in Beijing, China on May 28, 2020. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

CCP Virus Outbreak Hits Chinas Mudanjiang Again, Third Time Schools Locked Down

A northeastern Chinese city has been placed under partial lockdown again following local authorities announcement of more CCP virus infections.

Residents who spoke with the Chinese-language Epoch Times revealed information about residential compounds that were fully sealed off to prevent the virus from spreading.

Mudanjiang city, located in Heilongjiang Province, announced 11 asymptomatic carriers in the past three days, after a period of several weeks in which no asymptomatic or confirmed cases were officially announced (asymptomatic cases are reported as a separate category in China).

The local train station, bus stops, and airport have suspended services, while students who returned to school were asked to go back home after spending just a few hours in class.

The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus, first broke out in central Chinas Wuhan city in late 2019, and spread across China and the world.

A staff member screens the body temperature of a passenger at the entrance of the Wuhan Railway Station in Wuhan, China, on May 28, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Mudanjiang, like much of the country, launched travel restrictions at the end of January to prevent the virus from spreading. Only one person from each household could go out every day with an entry permit. Schools were shut down and classes were held online.

On April 7, after a brief period in which most regions of China reported little to no new infections, high schools in Mudanjiang reopened for senior students. Other grades didnt reopen.

Soon after, a second-wave outbreak occurred in the city. All high schools were forced to close down again on April 20.

On May 25, senior students went back to high school again. However, at 10 a.m., two hours after reopening, schools announced closures again. All students packed up their belongings, lined up to take a nucleic acid test, and then went back home.

Asymptomatic Carriers

The Heilongjiang provincial health commission announced on May 26 that two people were found to be asymptomatic carriers in Mudanjiang when they took nucleic acid tests recently. The commission didnt explain why they took tests despite feeling no symptoms.

On May 27, the Mudanjiang Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the two are a married couple, surnamed Zhang and Yu. They operate a store selling home construction and decoration materials.

By the end of the day, the Heilongjiang commission announced five more asymptomatic carriers in Mudanjiang. The Mudanjiang CDC then announced that all five carriers were close contacts of Zhang.

The Mudanjiang river flows through the city of Mudanjiang, China, on July 6, 2006. (GOH CHAI HIN/AFP via Getty Images)

On May 28, the commission announced four more carriers, with the Mudanjiang CDC announcing that theyre family members of asymptomatic carriers identified on May 26 and 27.

According to the announcements, the infections happened around a store reconstruction project. Zhang and Yus store supplied the materials, while the other people infected were the refurbished store owner, construction workers, and their family members.

Authorities have not yet announced who patient zero is in the outbreak.

Local Residents

Li (pseudonym) is a postal worker in Dongan district in Mudanjiang. He told the Chinese-language Epoch Times on May 28 that he heard from his colleagues that a high school student tested positive during a nucleic acid test that was required for all students before returning to school. The test result came out on May 25, which caused all high schools to close that dayone day before local authorities announced the first two asymptomatic carriers.

Li also said that the owner of a restaurant close to the post office that he works for was also diagnosed with the CCP virus. All people [who work or live] on this street were asked to take nucleic acid tests, Li said.

The Epoch Times could not independently verify the information Li provided.

Ms. Huang is a taxi driver in Mudanjiang. She told the Chinese-language Epoch Times on May 28 that residential compounds where the asymptomatic carriers live have been fully locked down.

Shuguang Xincheng has 107 residential buildings and is one of the largest residential compounds in Heilongjiang Province, Huang said. The whole compound was locked down on the evening of May 25.

Huang said the compound still allows one member of each family to leave or enter once a day for shopping. But in the residential building where the asymptomatic carrier lives, no residents are allowed to leave the building.

Locals also shared a video on social media on May 25 in which workers were installing an iron bar to seal off a residential building at the Shuguang Xincheng residential compound.

Huang said the Lishui Lantian residential compound, where one of her colleagues lives, was also locked down.

Huang also shared a text message she received from a local residents messaging group, which notified people to avoid going to nine residential compounds and one neighborhood.

Comparing the notification and government official announcements, seven of the residential compounds are places that the announced asymptomatic carriers visited in the past 14 days. The other two residential compoundsQingfu Sanqi and Steel Factorywere not mentioned in the official announcements.

The neighborhood of Rizhao street was not mentioned in government announcements, but matched with the area Li described, where a restaurant owner was infected.

Authorities havent been forthcoming about the outbreak in Mudanjiang; The Epoch Times previously obtained leaked documents indicating that patients were becoming infected at local hospitals.

Chinese state-run media reported that intercity bus stations and the train station in Mudanjiang city were closed on May 27. Authorities didnt publicly announce these suspensions.

Local residents also reported that all flights to and from Mudanjiang were canceled on May 28. The Epoch Times searched Chinese travel agency websites and couldnt find any available flights or trains that go to Mudanjiang in the coming days.
Lessons of the Heart: a heartrending story of a woman who is lost and hurt in an unfamiliar land that prompts a man to redeem her back to her heritage and the loving grace of God. Lessons of the Heart is the creation of published author LizAnn Baker, a prolific writer and a retired teacher who lives in the southeastern hills of Ohio.

Baker shares, Lessons of the Heart follows Arabella Lacy Keye Rogers as she pursues her dream of living in high society and the culture found in Boston. She attends a select school in St. Louis to learn the ways of ladies of society. Impulsively, she follows her heart and the man she loves to Boston, taking a risk that results in deceit, lies, and disobedience. Ignoring the signs of warning, she plunges into society headlong and finds herself heartbroken, ashamed, and desolate. She hides away in a Boston tenement with no hope.

Kentucky, who is the foreman of the ranch Lacy is to inherit at twenty-five, is sent by Sara and Bart Rogers to find their daughter and bring her home. In the course of finding the woman he loves, he discovers she does not love him, refuses to go home, and is in despair of her life. Kentucky has only one solution for her through a Power higher than himself.

Lessons of the Heart is a poignant story of the heart and the lessons God teaches in the lives of the ones who become His children.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, LizAnn Bakers new book is a riveting testament to the unbound power of the Lord that blesses the pain-stricken and lost with healing and salvation.

This book exudes with powerful dramatic and spiritual moments that define the encompassing and unconditional love of God for His wayward children.

View the synopsis of Lessons of the Heart on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Lessons of the Heart at traditional brick-and-mortar bookstores or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Lessons of the Heart, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered an investigation to determine what caused two dams in central Michigan to fail, leading to devastating floods in several communities and forcing about 11,000 people to evacuate their homes.

Whitmer ordered the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to look into the May 19 failures of the Edenville and Sanford dams, operated by Boyce Hydro.

Im committed to doing everything I can to hold those responsible for the dams safety accountable, she told reporters in Midland, one of the communities that was submerged. I also asked EGLE to review the issue of dam safety in Michigan and provide recommendations on policy, legislative and enforcement reforms that can prevent these harms from being repeated elsewhere.

Boyce Hydro has not responded to an email seeking comment.

Heavy rain preceded the dam troubles along the Tittabawassee River and connected lakes in Midland County. The National Weather Service had urged all who lived near the river to seek higher ground. Scores of homes and businesses were destroyed or damaged by the rising river water.

Experts are saying that this is a 500-year event, Whitmer said. Its going to have a major impact on Midland County and beyond for the time to come.

Some residents have filed civil lawsuits against Boyce Hydro seeking damages. EGLE and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources also have been named as a defendants in a civil suit.

Boyce Hydros license for the nearly century-old Edenville Dam at Wixom Lake was revoked in 2018 by federal regulations over safety violations. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said it repeatedly raised concerns about the dams ability to prevent flooding during extreme conditions because of its inadequate spillway capacity.

The company twice lowered Wixom Lakes level without permission after the federal license was revoked, according to EGLE, which has overseen the Edenville barrier since the federal license was withdrawn.

A lawsuit filed April 30 says the lengthy drawdowns in 2018 and 2019 killed thousands, if not millions of freshwater mussels, many listed as endangered species.

Boyce Hydro said in a statement last week that the sale of electricity generated by the dams was not enough to make probable maximum flood improvements required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The company also said had it been allowed to maintain the Edenville Dam at run of river levels the dam would have been able to handle and safely pass the volume of water generated by this storm.

There are a lot of problems that come with the owner of this particular dam, Whitmer said. There is a lot of information out there that is not exactly accurate, one of which is the assumption that it was the state that said to raise the levels.

Now, of course they have all sorts of ecological concerns, but it also was because of a court order is my understanding, she continued. Thats precisely why its important that we get the facts, we share the results of the investigation so that people can understand all of the different actions or non-actions that contributed to the failing of these two dams.

Michigan Republican Party Chair Laura Cox recently said in a release that Attorney General Dana Nessel should recuse her office from investigating the Edenville Dam failure and transfer her inquiry to federal authorities.

When asked if a third party should be brought in to investigate, Whitmer said she was following procedure in having EGLE conduct the probe.

We have to go to the agency that has the expertise, she said. There are very few that have the kind of expertise that is really needed to be able to properly do this investigation.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation Michigan
BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature Thursday voted to adopt the country's long-expected Civil Code, a milestone legislation that will better protect people's rights and offer strong legal support for the country's development.

The Civil Code passed at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) will take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

The compilation of the Civil Code is an important component of the plans of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core for developing the rule of law, Wang Chen, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, told the session.

In addition to general and supplementary provisions, the Civil Code, the world's latest modern-day civil law, includes six parts on real rights, contracts, personality rights, marriage and family, inheritance, and tort liabilities.

The personal rights, property rights and other lawful rights and interests of the parties to civil legal relations shall be protected by law and shall not be infringed upon by any organization or individual, reads the Civil Code in its opening chapter.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Chinese have long yearned for a civil code of their own, said Wang.

China's earlier four attempts to draft a civil code since the 1950s did not succeed due to various reasons.

The legislative process started in June 2016 after the decision to draft the Civil Code was announced at a plenary session of the CPC Central Committee in October 2014. The General Provisions of the Civil Law was adopted in 2017. Beginning August 2018, the six individual draft parts were reviewed in different NPC Standing Committee sessions. In December 2019, a complete draft civil code was unveiled.

"Looking back in history, you'll find that a civil code was usually born at a time of social stability and economic prosperity, and a civil code always ushered in a time of rapid economic and social development," said Professor Yu Fei of China University of Political Science and Law. "We also have such expectations from China's Civil Code."

PROTECTING PEOPLE'S DIGNITY

Dubbed an "encyclopedia on social life," the Civil Code will protect Chinese citizens' rights from cradle to grave, experts say. According to the code, even unborn children have the rights to inheritance and gifts.

A major innovation of China's Civil Code, jurists say, is embodied in the part on personality rights. While some countries have personality rights legal provisions, few have a specific law book in civil code dedicated to protecting personality rights.

The part on personality rights includes provisions on a civil subject's rights to life, body, health, name, portrait, reputation and privacy, among others.

The part features stipulations on regulating studies related to human genes or embryos, strengthening privacy protection, banning sexual harassment, and other prominent issues of public concern.

The personality rights book shows that China has reached new heights in protecting people's dignity, said Chen Jingying, a national lawmaker and vice president of East China University of Political Science and Law.

ADAPTING TO NEW REALITIES

While preparing the draft, the legislature sought public opinions on 10 occasions, receiving over 1 million online comments and suggestions.

Lawmakers say drafting the code is not about formulating a new civil law but rather systematically incorporating existing civil laws and regulations, modifying and improving them to adapt to new situations while maintaining their consistency.

Data and online virtual assets are also legally protected, according to the Civil Code.

It has clearly defined people's privacy. Protected information has been expanded to include email addresses and location data.

The Civil Code has also fine-tuned several provisions to better protect people's rights in case of emergencies such as the COVID-19 epidemic.

For example, if the guardian of a child is unable to perform his or her duties due to emergencies like being put under medical isolation, primary-level Party committees or civil affairs authorities must take over the guardianship, according to the code.

The Civil Code is a milestone in developing the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, and will boost the modernization of China's system and capacity for governance, said Wang Yi, dean of the law school at Renmin University of China.
By Adam Borowski





The world is divided into three groups of people: those who believe in eternal salvation or damnation after death, those who see infinite possibility after death, and those who categorically reject any afterlife. When I was working in China a few years ago, I grew to appreciate the diversity of thought in the country. I know it sounds strange if you have never been to China; while it is true atheism is the prevalent belief system and proselytism is banned, there are all sorts of beliefs existing alongside each other.



Going to China was a relatively easy process. The most important part was getting my university degrees authenticated by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese consulate in Warsaw.



I flew to Beijing, and then to Chengdu. When I arrived at the hotel in Chengdu, I walked around the area surrounding the hotel. The first thing that struck me was the number of scooters; they were everywhere.



In the morning, I had a blood test. There were mostly foreigners at the hospital, some of us were joking about the test. You know, what our blood could be used for. Then, there was WeChat. I call it "the almighty WeChat.'' If you have never been to China, you are not going to understand the power of WeChat.



"WeChat? What's that? I don't need it,'' were my thoughts before coming to China.



When I started working in China, I quickly learned there was no way to survive without WeChat. Facebook? Forget Facebook. You don't exist in China without WeChat.



I was tempted to ask Chinese people in their 20s about the Tiananmen Square protests. I was curious to hear their perspective.



"It's not a good idea,'' my inner voice said. "Don't do it.''

I listened to the inner voice. Besides, I knew what they were going to say.



A Chinese woman who was helping me was surprised I could understand the Sichuan Dialect. She even called me a "smart man.'' In fact I did not understand a single word; I simply guessed what the conversation was about.



"British? American?'' I was often asked. I didn't bother to explain.

When I signed an employment contract, the Chinese version was legally binding. While I understood the English version, I could not read the Chinese version. Was it a risk? Probably. No risk, no gain.



When a three-wheeler was suspiciously following me in a dark alley not far from my apartment, I knew I had to exercise extra vigilance. Strengthening your situational awareness can save your life, just as English helped me when I had to find out why there was suddenly no electricity in my apartment.



How could I forget about the Chengdu Zoo? I definitely wanted to see the giant pandas. Strangely enough, judging by the number of glances, I attracted more attention than the pandas and screaming peacocks.



I am glad I had a chance to work in China. It is a complex country which is never going to be the same after the coronavirus. South Korea  in a delicate dance between China and the U.S.  is the next country on my list to explore.





Adam Borowski (adam.borowski1985@gmail.com) is a technical Polish-English translator and an international relations aficionado.


Caravan sites, hotels and B&Bs have been shut since the lockdown began

Economy Minister Diane Dodds would not reveal if hotels, caravan sites and B&Bs will be given a definitive date to reopen when the Executive announces an update next week.

Speaking at Friday afternoons Covid-19 daily briefing, the DUP MLA, who was speaking alongside the Chief Executive of Invest NI Kevin Holland, also said it is always regrettable when jobs are lost.

This came after Belfast International Airport announced that it will lay off up to 45 staff due to fears that the airline industry will not bounce back quickly enough from the coronavirus crisis.

It was announced on Thursday that hotels can take advance bookings early next month if the infection rate remains low but no date for their reopening has been set.

Read More

Elsewhere, caravan sites and B&Bs also remain shut.

Mrs Dodds explained that she has raised her concerns to the Executive and her fellow ministers agreed to provide an update on the matter early next week.

I have raised my concerns that our hotels are at a disadvantage compared to the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain who have already started to take bookings, she stated.

Ministers have agreed to give this matter further consideration and provide an update early next week.

This, along with the position of caravan sites, bed and breakfasts and hospitality in general, are of the upmost concern.

Read More

The Upper Bann MLA added that a timetable for reopening would be useful for the hotel sector.

She continued: Its no secret that I have had extensive contacts with the hotel, hospitality and tourism sectors.

Many of our hotels feel that they have been disadvantage by not having an indicative timetable to start taking bookings again, particularly when we compare that to the situation in the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.

I have brought this to the Executive and we had a very good discussion on this on Thursday and I will be bringing further papers to the Executive at the start of the week where I hope that further progress can be made.

It isn't just for the hotel industry, there are many people with touring caravan sites and bed and breakfast accommodation who are in exactly the same situation.
Is the beginning of Jack Dorsey's end in President Trump's executive order on social-media bias?

In an adjective: unlikely. Should Trump get his druthers, social media companies will be liable for the content published on their platforms. In other words, Cousin Merle's inane Facebook ramblings will now be Mark Zuckerberg's problem, along with the darkly meandering thoughts of billions of other souls.

Twitter set this gamesmanship in train by attempting to fact-check a claim by the president that mail-in ballots are ripe with fraud. The check itself was factitious: a West Virginia postman was charged with election fraud involving mail-in ballots the same day as Trump's flagged tweet. Just the same, the corrective disclaimer Twitter used erroneously conflated mandated postal voting with absentee ballots.

It also wasn't a comfort to Twitter's image that Yoel Roth, the tweety company's "head of integrity," is a leftist partisan who compared the Trump administration to the Third Reich. Yoel was the progenitor of the platform's fact-checking operation. The confluence made for a spark to light Trump's combustible ire.

Social media concerns have thus far been immune to legal recourse for content published on their domains thanks to a twenty-six-word catena of legalese tucked into 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. This single sentence is credited with giving rise not just to social media, but to the entirety of the internet: "No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider."

Not no more, says the president. The pith of Trump's order is to treat social media channels like news publishers, thus making them legally answerable for what appears on their public-facing feed. It would also strip the veneer of impartiality these digital giants use to distinguish themselves from traditional paper-and-ink publishers. Then, presumably, anti-conservative bias in the form of subtle suppression of right-wing opinion could be tackled.

There is some dispute over whether or not such a publisher-platform dichotomy exists de jure. And abrogating the neutral status of social media hosts isn't an exclusive rightist idea: Joe Biden propounded the same policy back in January. There is the conservative's reflexive ideological refusal to accept the government inserting itself into the affairs of private companies  which is an odd pushback, given that social media operate in a legally defined lacuna already.

Genial right-of-center lawyer David French argues that "Trump can't lawfully repeal Section 230 by [E.O.]" The order, like most unilateral declarations of Trump's presidency, will likely get challenged in court. We won't know the true extent of its effect until it winds its way through the judicial system. The process could take years.

But the eventual result isn't the point. This is a warning: unless Facebook, Twitter, et al. shape up and quit disproportionately squelching conservatives, the statutory screws will be twisted harder.

The threat isn't sitting well with some conservatives, who would rather social media companies be left to their own devices. That position is consistent with free-market tenets, to be sure. But it's also naively parochial. Social media aren't a harmless enterprise of happy-go-lucky users sharing feline photos and putting up giveaway notices of baby clothes. It's a maudit system of attention exploitation that immiserates far more than it fulfils.

Our collective palm-screen addiction is heightening the atomizing effects of the cyber-paced 21st century. Our attention spans are lower. An uptick in teenage depression correlates with the advent and increased usage of smartphones. Any random perusing of a Facebook comment section reveals a depressing querulousness full of bad-faith readings.

Online shaming culture is empowered by social media's rewarding of hair-trigger reaction. Earlier this week, a woman lost her livelihood for a moment of weakness when she called the police on a man haranguing her over leashing her dog in Central Park. The video rushed through social media channels, bringing what would have been a sad, private episode to national attention. The result was common to the point of perfunctory: threats, racist accusations, doxxing, outrageous headlines.

The man on whom cops were summoned told a reporter the offending female didn't need "her life torn apart." It didn't matter. There's an ineluctability to cyber-rage. Social media act as a bellows to it.

Trump's executive fiat addresses none of this. Treating social media behemoths as the liberal nodes of opinion they are is a welcome development. But far better if the president scotched the entirety of the social media business model. Our warped minds, addicted eyes, and innervated tempers would be better off.
Launching an airline in Africa is a notorious challenge in a continent and sector where opportunities are often crimped by regulations and national champions are dominant.

Now, for plucky entrants, coronavirus has added to the checklist of problems, as a small Senegalese airline can attest.

Transair, an ambitious company founded 10 years ago, has no passengers because of the pandemic -- but it still has to fly its planes.

Once a week, one of its planes makes a sortie out of Dakar's Blaise Diagne International Airport, even though not one of its passenger seats is filled.

The reason: The company has to ensure its planes meet standards of airworthiness and pilots carry out at least three takeoffs and three landings every three months -- requirements for retaining their commercial flying licences.

Pilot Laurent Klinka said he had mixed feelings as he prepared a 50-seat twin-jet Embraer ERJ 145 for a 30-minute trip up Senegal's coast, reaching the northern town of Saint-Louis before turning round and heading for home.

"It's a pleasure to get back in an aircraft, even if it's just for an hour," the French national said.

"But everyone is afraid of what could happen with this crisis."

- Business blow -

All international flights to and from Senegal have been suspended since March 20 -- the exceptions being for a handful of medical evacuations and repatriation flights, as well as for maintenance flights.

Late on Thursday, the government announced that the suspension of all flights in and out of the country would be extended until June 30.

For Transair, the one-hour validation flights for its four Embraers and two Boeings costs more than a thousand euros ($1,100) in fuel alone.

Transair's ground crew prepare a twin-jet Embraer for a one-hour technical flight, one of the few exceptions allowed under Senegal's anti-coronavirus restrictions /  AFP

The pandemic has dealt a crippling blow to firms that have staked much on shuttling European vacationers to Senegal's beaches and forests.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates the crisis will inflict a hit of $314 billion (286 billion euros) on airlines' turnover this year, equivalent to a fall of 55 percent over 2019.

The sector is unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels before 2023, IATA says.

Such talk is grim news for Senegal's three airlines, the biggest of which is the national flag carrier Air Senegal, founded in 2016, which specialises in scheduled flights between West Africa and Europe.

The smallest is Arc-en-ciel Aviation, which caters to charter flights.

In the middle is Transair, which pitches to both markets -- scheduled and charter -- with a special eye on tourism.

In normal times, its fleet carries out around 60 flights a week.

Forty of them are on domestic routes, while the remainder are around the West African region, to destinations such as Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

The company says that last year it flew 90,000 people as it carved out new routes, including to Liberia, and recorded a slight deficit on its turnover. It declined to give figures.

- 'No idea' -

"Before (the pandemic), we were expanding, we were even thinking about starting inter-continental flights in a few years," Transair's boss and founder, Alioune Fall, told AFP.

The small airline carries out once-a-week flights to ensure its planes remain airworthy and its pilots have sufficient flying time. The one-hour circuit costs $1,100 in fuel costs alone /  AFP

"Now everything's come to a halt. When you have been doing three or four flights a day and then it all suddenly stops, you have no idea what lies ahead."

Seeking to dampen the impact of the crisis, the government has earmarked 77 billion CFA francs ($120 million, 110 million euros) in support for the tourism and aviation sector.

Of this, 45 billion francs is likely to go to Air Senegal, while Transair, as a private company, is likely to be offered low-interest loans and a delay in value-added tax (VAT) payments.

So far, Fall has retained his 104 employees throughout the lockdown, but admits to wondering whether he will be able to meet the wage bill for May.

The arrivals gate at Dakar international airport. Global airline traffic will take two years to return to pre-pandemic levels, says IATA /  AFP

There is a "risk of bankruptcy" in the direst scenarios, he said, but insisted that he remained hopeful.

"This is why the planes are still flying," he said. "Activity will pick up, starting within a minimal service."

Ibra Wane, a Senegalese who is a consultant for IATA and owner of Arc-en-Ciel (Rainbow), warned that "bloody" days lay ahead.

"Budgets for business travel are going to be reduced, and tourism will shrink terribly. If (airline) companies do not scale back their operations and cut costs, they could disappear."
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an extension to the self-employment income scheme and shakeup of the coronavirus furlough scheme. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

The UK chancellor has extended a financial lifeline for millions of self-employed workers, but ordered firms to start paying more of furloughed workers wages.

Rishi Sunak used the governments daily coronavirus briefing on Friday to announce a shakeup of two coronavirus crisis schemes currently supporting millions of self-employed and employed workers.

Millions of freelance workers whose incomes have been hit by the pandemic and lockdown will be able to claim a second payment of up to 6,570 ($8,083) from HMRC. A previous grant has been claimed by 2.3 million people but was only due to last until the end of May, sparking heavy pressure for an extension.

A Treasury press release said the grant will be based on 70% of workers average monthly profits in recent years, and is intended to cover another three months earnings. The previous payment was worth 80% of incomes, capped at 2,500 a month. Sunak made clear there would not be another grant.

READ MORE: Firms warn of closures and job cuts if furlough aid slashed

The chancellor also unveiled a shakeup of the furlough scheme, a parallel scheme currently subsidising 8.4 million workers wages to protect jobs at struggling firms. He stressed it would close in October, warning it cannot continue indefinitely.

Firms will be able to bring furloughed workers back part-time for whatever hours they wish from 1 July. They will have to pay workers wages for hours they are in work, according to the Treasury.

Millions of furloughed employees will continue to receive 80% of their average wages up to a 2,500 cap, but firms will have to cover more of the costs.

I have decided to ask employers to pay only a modest contribution, said Sunak at the briefing. He announced employers will have to pay national insurance and pension contributions from August, 10% of wages from September and 20% of wages from October

He also promised new measures in future to support recovery, but gave no further details.

Story continues

READ MORE: UK government warned self-employed face total income cliff-edge

Business and union leaders broadly welcomed the changes. Carolyn Fairbairn, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said allowing part-time furloughing will help employees to return to work gradually and safely.

Fairbairn said firms accepted they needed to contribute, but warned firms unable to open until later, as in hospitality, leisure and creative industries, may need more assistance.

Our five million-strong self-employed community will be greatly relieved to know that the income cliff-edge they were facing in two days time has now been removed, added Mike Cherry, national chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

But he called for grants for firms to help them make workplaces safe, and support to be extended to the newly self-employed and many company directors who are currently excluded.
COVID-19: Counselling for trafficking victims goes online in Colombia

Photo:  iStockphoto / xijan

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a major impact on the support provided to victims of human trafficking as services are reduced, postponed and in some cases halted.

But an organization in Medellin, Colombia is continuing to provide essential care to survivors by operating online through a project financed by the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking.

After the government imposed restrictions of movement last March, our entire team couldnt visit the victims they usually attend to in person, says Betty Pedraza Lozano, the founder and director of Espacios de Mujer. So now our social workers and psychologists operate online using tools like Skype and WhatsApp.

Espacios de Mujer is assisting 20 women and one man aged between 18 and 30 who were rescued from forced prostitution and labour in Colombia and from countries in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

Before the mandatory quarantine, all had been able to earn a living but now their work and sources of income have been interrupted. In these times of economic downturn and uncertainty, it is especially important to maintain support networks for vulnerable groups of people, explains Ms Lozano.

Loss of work is causing personal and family conflicts. Staying at home without specific tasks can lead victims to dwell on past events. This can lead to a state of sadness and anguish, strengthened by concerns about the future.

According to Espacios de Mujer, the people they now support virtually are responding well to the new methods of communicating.

"We do see benefits from online counselling, says social worker Katherine Sarrazola. Our psychosocial team is actually dedicating more attention and time than before to the victims.

Financial needs are also being addressed remotely. Vouchers for food and hygiene products that can be used in supermarkets are provided via mobile phones by Espacios de Mujer.

The pandemic has reinforced the importance of good communication between rescued victims of human trafficking and the teams who help them to rebuild their lives.

Even before the pandemic, we made efforts to ensure the people we support have access to a smartphone and internet connection, says Betty Pedraza Lozano. Such steps are seen as an important part of the process to reintegrate them into society.

Although the restrictions on movement have limited the scope of human traffickers in Colombia to pursue their illicit trade, Ms Lozano fears they will find new opportunities.

We see that the virtual sex industry is expanding significantly. The demand for webcam services has increased by 30 percent, she says.

During the lockdown period, many women who would not usually work in the online sex industry are using online platforms as a source of income for themselves and their families.

For up to nine hours a day, female sex workers, fashion models and vulnerable women are performing sexual and erotic services in front of the camera for internet users. We believe that traffickers could try to recruit new victims through these channels, says Betty Pedraza Lozano.

The UNODC-managed Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking is an integral part of the global initiative to address trafficking in persons and provides humanitarian, legal and financial aid to victims of trafficking through non-governmental organizations.

Further information

UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking

Espacios de Mujer
Education

Bullocks goal is to keep novel coronavirus infections in Montana low, even as out-of-state visitors travel to the two national parks and surrounding communities this summer.

As we move into phase two starting this coming Monday, June 1, we are asking the same of our visitors as we do of Montanans, he said. If youre going to come to our state, heed state and local restrictions as well as the guidelines set up by businesses.

Phase two also means gathering in groups of 50 people will be allowed, the states 15-day quarantine order for out-of-state travelers will be dropped, and restaurants and bars can increase to 75% capacity. Gyms and pools can also operate at 75% capacity as long as sanitation protocols are followed.

To educate nonresidents before they arrive and when they are here the state is launching an informational campaign for responsible travel funded by $15 million in CARES Act money, Bullock said.
Tagrisso demonstrated unprecedented disease-free survival in the adjuvant treatment of Stage IB-IIIA patients with EGFR-mutated lung cancer

Details Category: Small Molecules Published on Friday, 29 May 2020 09:37 Hits: 1176

Phase III ADAURA trial showed treatment with Tagrisso after surgery with curative intent reduced the risk of disease recurrence or death by c. 80%

LONDON, UK I May 28, 2020 I Detailed results from the Phase III ADAURA trial showed AstraZenecas Tagrisso (osimertinib) demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in disease-free survival (DFS) in the adjuvant treatment of patients with early-stage (IB, II and IIIA) epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after complete tumour resection with curative intent.

Results will be presented during the plenary session of the American Society of Clinical Oncology ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program on 31 May (abstract #LBA5).

In the primary endpoint of DFS in patients with Stage II and IIIA disease, adjuvant treatment (after surgery) with Tagrisso reduced the risk of disease recurrence or death by 83% (based on a hazard ratio [HR] of 0.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12, 0.23; p<0.0001). DFS results in the overall trial population, Stage IB through IIIA, a key secondary endpoint, demonstrated a reduction in the risk of disease recurrence or death of 79% (based on a HR of 0.21; 95% CI 0.16, 0.28; p<0.0001).

At two years, 89% of patients in the trial treated with Tagrisso remained alive and disease free versus 53% on placebo. Consistent DFS results were seen across all subgroups, including patients who were treated with surgery followed by chemotherapy and those who received surgery only, as well as in Asian and non-Asian patients.

Roy S. Herbst, MD, Ph.D., chief of Medical Oncology at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital, New Haven, CT and principal investigator in the Phase III ADAURA trial, said: These data are transformative for patients with early-stage EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer who face high rates of recurrence even after successful surgery and subsequent treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy. Tagrisso will provide a much-needed new treatment option that has the potential to change the practice of medicine and improve outcomes for patients in this setting.

Jose Baselga, Executive Vice President, Oncology R&D, said: The momentous results of the Phase III ADAURA trial for Tagrisso demonstrate for the first time in a global trial that an EGFR inhibitor can change the course of early-stage EGFR-mutated lung cancer and provide hope for a cure. We are discussing these outstanding data with regulatory authorities and look forward to bringing the benefits of Tagrisso to patients with early-stage disease.

In April 2020, an Independent Data Monitoring Committee recommended for the Phase III ADAURA trial to be unblinded two years early based on its determination of overwhelming efficacy. At the time of data cut-off, overall survival (OS) data favoured Tagrisso, but were not mature. The trial will continue to assess OS as a secondary endpoint.



Summary of ADAURA results

i The data cut-off date for DFS was 17 January 2020.



The safety and tolerability of Tagrisso in this trial was consistent with previous trials in the metastatic setting. Adverse events at Grade 3 or higher from all causes occurred in 10% of patients in the Tagrisso arm versus 3% in the placebo arm as assessed by the investigator.

Tagrisso is approved for the 1st-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFRm NSCLC in the US, Japan, China, the EU and many other countries around the world.

Several presentations featured during the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program will showcase AstraZenecas leadership in lung cancer across early and late-stage disease and reinforce the Companys biomarker-driven approach.

Lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women, accounting for about one-fifth of all cancer deaths.1 Lung cancer is broadly split into NSCLC and small cell lung cancer, with 80-85% classified as NSCLC.2 A significant portion of patients with resectable NSCLC eventually develop recurrence despite surgery (complete resection).3,4 Approximately 10-15% of NSCLC patients in the US and Europe, and 30-40% of patients in Asia have EGFRm NSCLC.5-7 These patients are particularly sensitive to treatment with EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) which block the cell-signalling pathways that drive the growth of tumour cells.8 Approximately 25-30% of patients with NSCLC present with resectable disease at diagnosis.9-11

ADAURA

ADAURA is a randomised, double-blinded, global, placebo-controlled Phase III trial in the adjuvant treatment of 682 patients with Stage IB, II, IIIA EGFRm NSCLC with complete tumour resection and adjuvant chemotherapy as indicated. In the experimental arm, patients were treated with Tagrisso 80mg once-daily oral tablets for three years or until disease recurrence. The trial enrolled in more than 200 centres across more than 20 countries, including the US, in Europe, South America, Asia and the Middle East. The primary endpoint is DFS in Stage II and IIIA patients and a key secondary endpoint is DFS in Stage IB, II and IIIA patients. The data readout was originally anticipated in 2022. The trial will continue to assess OS as a secondary endpoint.

Tagrisso

Tagrisso (osimertinib) is a third-generation, irreversible EGFR-TKI with clinical activity against CNS metastases. Tagrisso 40mg and 80mg once-daily oral tablets have received approval in the US, Japan, China, the EU and many countries around the world for 1st-line EGFRm advanced NSCLC. Tagrisso is also being developed in the Stage III, unresectable setting (LAURA), in combination with chemotherapy (FLAURA2) and in combination with potential new medicines to address resistance to EGFR-TKIs (SAVANNAH, ORCHARD).

AstraZeneca in lung cancer

AstraZeneca has a comprehensive portfolio of approved and potential new medicines in late-stage development for the treatment of different forms of lung cancer spanning different histologies, several stages of disease, lines of therapy and modes of action. AstraZeneca aims to address the unmet needs of patients with EGFRm tumours as a genetic driver of disease, which occur in 10-15% of NSCLC patients in the US and EU and 30-40% of NSCLC patients in Asia, with the approved medicines Iressa (gefitinib) and Tagrisso, and its ongoing Phase III trials LAURA, and FLAURA2.5-7

AstraZeneca is committed to addressing tumour mechanisms of resistance through the ongoing Phase II trials SAVANNAH and ORCHARD which test Tagrisso in combination with savolitinib, a selective inhibitor of c-MET receptor tyrosine kinase, along with other potential new medicines. Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan), a HER2-directed antibody drug conjugate is in development for metastatic non-squamous HER2-overexpressing or HER2-mutated NSCLC including trials in combination with other anticancer treatments.

An extensive late-stage Immuno-Oncology programme focuses on lung cancer patients without a targetable genetic mutation which represents up to three-quarters of all patients with lung cancer.12 Imfinzi, an anti-PDL1 antibody, is in development for patients with advanced disease (Phase III trials POSEIDON and PEARL) and for patients in earlier stages of disease including potentially curative settings (Phase III trials MERMAID-1, AEGEAN, ADJUVANT BR.31, PACIFIC-2, PACIFIC-4, PACIFIC-5, and ADRIATIC) both as monotherapy and in combination with tremelimumab and/or chemotherapy. Imfinzi is also in development in the Phase II trials NeoCOAST, COAST and HUDSON in combination with potential new medicines from the early-stage pipeline including Enhertu.

AstraZeneca in Oncology

AstraZeneca has a deep-rooted heritage in oncology and offers a quickly growing portfolio of new medicines that has the potential to transform patients' lives and the Company's future. With six new medicines launched between 2014 and 2020, and a broad pipeline of small molecules and biologics in development, the Company is committed to advance oncology as a key growth driver for AstraZeneca focused on lung, ovarian, breast and blood cancers. In addition to AstraZeneca's main capabilities, the Company is actively pursuing innovative partnerships and investments that accelerate the delivery of our strategy, as illustrated by the investment in Acerta Pharma in haematology.

By harnessing the power of four scientific platforms - Immuno-Oncology, Tumour Drivers and Resistance, DNA Damage Response and Antibody Drug Conjugates - and by championing the development of personalised combinations, AstraZeneca has the vision to redefine cancer treatment and one day eliminate cancer as a cause of death.

AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/NYSE: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas - Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit astrazeneca.com and follow the Company on Twitter @AstraZeneca.

Contacts

For details on how to contact the Investor Relations Team, please click here. For Media contacts, click here.

References

1. World Health Organization. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Globocan Worldwide Fact Sheet 2018. Available at http://globocan.iarc.fr/Pages/fact_sheets_population.aspx Accessed: May 2020.

2. LUNGevity Foundation. Types of Lung Cancer. Available at https://www.lungevity.org/about-lung-cancer/lung-cancer-101/types-of-lung-cancer Accessed: May 2020.

3. Sasaki H, et al. Prognosis of recurrent nonsmall cell lung cancer following complete resection. Onc Letters. 2014:7;1300-1304.

4. Fink-Neuboeck N, et al. Hazards of Recurrence, Second Primary, or Other Tumor at Ten Years After Surgery for NonSmall-Cell Lung Cancer. Clinical Lung Cancer. February 25 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cllc.2020.02.011.

5. Szumera-Cieckiewicz A, et al. EGFR Mutation Testing on Cytological and Histological Samples in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: a Polish, Single Institution Study and Systematic Review of European Incidence. Int J Clin Exp Pathol. 2013:6;2800-12.

6. Keedy VL, et al. American Society of Clinical Oncology Provisional Clinical Opinion: Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Mutation Testing for Patients with Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Considering First-Line EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy. J Clin Oncol. 2011:29;2121-27.

7. Ellison G, et al. EGFR Mutation Testing in Lung Cancer: a Review of Available Methods and Their Use for Analysis of Tumour Tissue and Cytology Samples. J Clin Pathol. 2013:66;79-89.

8. Cross DA, et al. AZD9291, an Irreversible EGFR TKI, Overcomes T790M-Mediated Resistance to EGFR Inhibitors in Lung Cancer. Cancer Discov. 2014;4(9):1046-1061.

9. Cagle P, et al. Lung Cancer Biomarkers: Present Status and Future Developments. Archives Pathology Lab Med. 2013;137:11911198.

10. Datta D, et al. Preoperative Evaluation of Patients Undergoing Lung Resection Surgery. Chest. 2003;123: 20962103.

11. Le Chevalier T. Adjuvant chemotherapy for resectable non-small-cell lung cancer: where is it going? Ann Oncol. 2010;21:1968.

12. Pakkala, S, et al. Personalized Therapy for Lung Cancer: Striking a Moving Target. JCI Insight. 2018;3(15):e120858.

SOURCE: AstraZeneca
After News18 Urdu reported about a man being denied burial in Muslim graveyards over Covid-19 fears and his last rites being performed in a Hindu resting place in Hyderabad, Telangana State Waqf Board has taken cognisance of the incident and said it will issue notices to the caretakers of the graveyards.

Boards chairman Mohammed Saleem has warned of strict action against the caretakers, i.e., mutavallis of graveyards committees if they deny any body a respectful burial as per the norms. The graveyard is not anyones personal property," he said. "We will not tolerate if anyone turns away the family members of the deceased when they come to seek land for burial.

Saleem said that across the state, except for a nominal fee, graveyard committees cant collect any substantial amount from the family members of the deceased on the pretext of allocating land.

Based on the News18 Urdu report, the organisation Tehreek Muslim Shabban has lodged a complaint with the Telangana State Waqf Board against management committees of five graveyards for allegedly denying land for burial to a Muslim man. President of the organisation, Mohd Mustaq Malik, also demanded framing of guidelines for the management committees of graveyards and permission to bury in any of them.

While the Majlis Bachao Tahreek also took interest in this matter, Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) is asking people not to behave in such an inhumane manner, while spreading awarenessabout precautionary measures to tackle the coronavirus threat.

Four days ago, a man from Hydershah Kot area, Mohammad Khwaja Miyan, had died of cardiac arrest and his family could not get any land for burial at five graveyards in the city. "We could not take the body to our native place as it's over 200 km away. What were we supposed to do in such a situation?" asked a relative.

Local Hindus offered their land and the family had to bury the deceased there. Following the incident, Muslim community leaders across Hyderabad and other parts of the state demanded that strict action be taken against graveyard management committees for turning away the family.
More than 38,000 doctors, including those retired from the Armed Forces Medical Services, have volunteered to help the government in its fight against COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official said on Friday.

On March 25, the government had made an appeal to doctors, including the retired ones, to come forward and join the efforts to fight the pandemic.

"38,162 volunteer doctors, including retired government, Armed Forces Medical Services, public sector undertaking or private doctors have signed up with the government to battle COVID-19 pandemic," the official told PTI.

The official further said Niti Aayog has sent a list of names of these doctors to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

In a statement posted on Niti Aayog's website on March 25, the government had said those who wish to contribute to this noble mission may register themselves through a link provided on the Aayog's website.

"The Government of India requests for volunteer doctors who are fit and willing to be available for providing their services in the public health facilities and the training hospitals in the near future.

"We appeal to such doctors to come forward at this hour of need. You could also be a retired government, Armed Forces Medical Services, public sector undertaking or a private doctor," the statement had said.

It had noted that in case the outbreak leads to a high number of infected individuals, India's public health facilities will face tremendous load to take care of a large number of patients.

Many countries, including the US, Italy, the UK and Vietnam, had also urged retired health workers to come back to work amid the pandemic.

The number of COVID-19 cases in India has climbed to 1,65,799, making it the world's ninth worst-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Health Ministry on Friday said the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 4,706 in the country.
[May 29, 2020] Tempus' TIME Trial Program Reaches Critical Scale and Operational Milestones

CHICAGO, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tempus, a technology company advancing precision medicine through the practical application of artificial intelligence in healthcare, has reached a milestone in fully enrolling 2,500 oncologists into its Tempus Integrated Molecular Evaluation (TIME) Trial Program that seeks to rapidly match patients largely in the community setting to targeted clinical trials. To date, Tempus has signed up over 50 provider networks, over 30 unique biomarker trials, and has rapidly opened sites onto trials in an average of 10 days. Through the TIME Trial Program, Tempus is bringing the very best clinical trials to communities across the country, giving thousands of patients access to novel therapeutics.

We have experience with clinical trial rapid deployment models, however Tempus provides an unparalleled level of commitment and support in aligning all involved parties and streamlining the process, especially given the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Dr. Julio Peguero, Director of Research of Oncology Consultants. "We ultimately met our target goal of activating this trial in just two weeks, and hope to do the same for future patients." Last spring, Tempus launched the TIME Trial Program in an effort to increase clinical trial participation by using real-time clinical and molecular data to match patients to trials, and then rapidly open pre-qualified sites once a patient has been identified. Since then, Tempus has built its TIME Trial Network, inclusive of some of the countrys top community hospitals and academic medical centers, totaling over 50 research sites and 2,500 oncologists. As of toay, the program has 30 pharma-sponsored clinical trials, covering dozens of unique, actionable biomarkers across both solid and hematological malignancies. Every week, Tempus screens thousands of new patients against the criteria of the ultra-rare trials in the TIME Trial Network. Thus far, Tempus has matched nearly 1,000 patients to the trials in its portfolio and averaged just under 10 days from patient screened to site activated.



Cutting-edge cancer therapies increasingly target narrower populations of patients, and the clinical trials that study these therapies require equally specific patient populations, said Amy Franzen, Vice President of Operations and Program Lead. Tempus is able to use its advanced technology, access to real-time data, and strong operations to get the right patients access to the right therapies, closer to home. Tempus screens patients from sites in the TIME Trial Network against applicable inclusion/exclusion criteria utilizing genomic sequencing data, matched with the patients clinical data. Then, Tempus applies its computational algorithm to provide rapid, comprehensive matches to applicable trials that can be brought to the patient. Once a patient has been screened and matched, Tempus provides the patients physician with a report that ranks relevant trials. If the physician expresses interest in enrolling his or her patient in a trial, the Site and Sponsor leverage a standard contract, standard rate card, and a central IRB to rapidly open the clinical trial and enroll the patient into the study in under two weeks.

For the same reason that precision medicine is now possible due to technological advances such as cost effective genomic sequencing at scale, the maturing of artificial intelligence, and the evolution of cloud technology, it is now possible to run clinical trials more efficiently and based on real-time data. Tempus is increasing the speed of clinical trials and reaching into community settings, where the majority of cancer patients are treated today. About Tempus

Tempus is a technology company advancing precision medicine through the practical application of artificial intelligence in healthcare. With one of the worlds largest libraries of clinical and molecular data, and an operating system to make that data accessible and useful, Tempus enables physicians to make real-time, data-driven decisions to deliver personalized patient care and in parallel facilitates discovery, development and delivery of optimal therapeutics. The goal is for each patient to benefit from the treatment of others who came before by providing physicians with tools that learn as the company gathers more data. For more information, visit tempus.com.

Erin Carron

[email protected]

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
By Online Desk

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the US was cutting ties with the World Health Organization which he says, did not respond adequately to combat the initial spread of COVID-19.

Stating that the funding of the WHO would now be diverted to other global public health organisations, Trump announced a series of decisions against China including issuing a proclamation to deny entry to certain Chinese nationals and tightening of regulations against Chinese investments in America.

Trump also announced that the US will end the special treatment of Hong Kong in response to the Chinese imposition of new controls.

He said that the US will revise its travel advisory to warn of surveillance in Hong Kong.

"The world needs answers from China," Trump said in his aggressive speech on a bright sunny day from the Rose Garden of the White House.

The president, however, did not take any questions.

For decades it has ripped off the US as no one has ever done before, he said, reiterating his charges against China.

China not only stole intellectual property, took away billions of dollars from the US and offshored the jobs but also violated its commitment under the World Trade Organization, he said, adding that it was able to get away with the theft, like no one before because of past politicians and past presidents.

On May 19, Trump had threatened to "permanently" halt funding for the WHO "if it did not commit to improvements within 30 days, and to reconsider the membership of the United States in the global health body."

This is the letter sent to Dr. Tedros of the World Health Organization. It is self-explanatory! pic.twitter.com/pF2kzPUpDv  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, Trump accused the UN agency of being a "puppet" of China and had already suspended funding in mid-April, AFP reported.

"Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization," Trump told reporters about the recent decision in Washington.

He reasoned that "China has total control over WHO despite only paying USD 40 million a year compared to what US has been paying which is approximately USD 450 million a year."

Meanwhile, Trump said they would be "redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs."

China, he alleged, has unlawfully claimed territories in the Indo-Pacific ocean, threatening freedom of navigation and international trade and broke its word to the world on ensuring the autonomy of Hong Kong.

"The United States wants an open and constructive relationship with China, but achieving this relationship requires us to vigorously defend our national interest," he said.

Trump alleged that the Chinese government has continually violated its promises to the US and many other nations.

"These plain facts cannot be overlooked or swept aside," he said.

Observing that the world is now suffering as a result of the malfeasance of the Chinese government, Trump reiterated that China's cover-up of the Wuhan virus allowed the disease to spread all over the world, instigating a global pandemic that has cost more than 100,000 American lives and over one million lives worldwide.

"Chinese officials ignored their reporting obligations to the World Health Organization and pressured the World Health Organization to mislead the world when the virus was first discovered by Chinese authorities. Countless lives have been taken, and profound economic hardship has been inflicted all around the globe," he said.

China, he said, has total control over the WHO despite only paying USD 40 million per year compared to what the US has been paying which is approximately USD 450 million a year.

"We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engage with them directly, but they have refused to act."

"Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs," Trump said.

The world needs answers from China on the virus, he said.

"We must have transparency. Why is it that China shut off infected people from Wuhan to all other parts of China? It went nowhere else; it didn't go to Beijing, it went nowhere else, but they allowed them to freely travel throughout the world, including Europe and the United States. The death and destruction caused by this is incalculable," he said.

"We must have answers not only for us but for the rest of the world. This pandemic has underscored the crucial importance of building up America's economic independence, reshoring our critical supply chains, and protecting America's scientific and technological advances. For years, the government of China has conducted illicit espionage to steal our industrial secrets of which there are many," Trump said.

Trump said that later in the day, he will issue a proclamation to better secure America's vital university research and "to suspend the entry of certain foreign nationals from China who have been identified as potential security risks".

Asserting that he is also taking action to protect the integrity of America's financial system, Trump said he is instructing his presidential working group on financial markets to study the differing practices of Chinese companies listed on the US financial markets with a goal of protecting American investors.

"Investment firms should not be subjecting their clients to the hidden and undue risks associated with financing Chinese companies that do not play by the same rules. Americans are entitled to fairness and transparency," he said.

Referring to the unilateral Chinese action control over Hong Kong security, Trump said that this was a plain violation of Beijing's treaty obligations with the UK in the declaration of 1984 and explicit provisions of Hong Kong's basic law which has 27 years to go.

"China's latest incursion, along with other recent developments that degraded the territory's freedoms, makes clear that Hong Kong is no longer sufficiently autonomous to warrant the special treatment that we have afforded the territory since the handover," he said.

"China has replaced its promised formula of one country, two systems with one country, one system; therefore, I am directing my administration to begin the process of eliminating policy exemptions that give Hong Kong different and special treatment," Trump added.

In mid-May, right after Trump's threat to WHO, the European Union backed the agency in its multilateral efforts to fight the pandemic.

European foreign affairs spokeswoman Virginie Battu-Henriksson said, "this is the time for solidarity, not the time for finger-pointing or for undermining multilateral cooperation."

(With inputs from agencies)
LOS ANGELES - Murder. Brutality. Reprehensible. Indefensible. Police nationwide, in unequivocal and unprecedented language, have condemned the actions of Minneapolis police in the custody death of a handcuffed black man who cried for help as an officer knelt on his neck, pinning him to the pavement for at least eight minutes.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LOS ANGELES - Murder. Brutality. Reprehensible. Indefensible. Police nationwide, in unequivocal and unprecedented language, have condemned the actions of Minneapolis police in the custody death of a handcuffed black man who cried for help as an officer knelt on his neck, pinning him to the pavement for at least eight minutes.

But some civil rights advocates say their denunciations are empty words without meaningful reform behind them.

This tweet posted by Sheriff Johnny Moats of the Polk County, Georgia, Sheriff's Office is seen Thursday, May 28, 2020. Law enforcement officials nationwide have rushed to condemn the actions of Minneapolis officers in the death of a black man in custody, a wave of harsh criticism experts say is unprecedented. (Polk County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Authorities say George Floyd was detained Monday because he matched the description of someone who tried to pay with a counterfeit bill at a convenience store, and the 46-year-old resisted arrest. A bystander's disturbing video shows Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on Floyd's neck, even as Floyd begs for air and slowly stops talking and moving.

"There is no need to see more video," Chattanooga, Tennessee, Police Chief David Roddy tweeted Wednesday. "There no need to wait to see how it plays out. There is no need to put a knee on someones neck for NINE minutes. There IS a need to DO something. If you wear a badge and you dont have an issue with this ... turn it in."

The reaction from some law enforcement stands in stark contrast to their muted response or support for police after other in-custody fatalities. Sheriffs and police chiefs have strongly criticized the Minneapolis officer on social media and praised the citys police chief for his quick dismissal of four officers at the scene. Some even called for them to be criminally charged.

"I am deeply disturbed by the video of Mr. Floyd being murdered in the street with other officers there letting it go on," Polk County, Georgia, Sheriff Johnny Moats wrote on Facebook. "I can assure everyone, me or any of my deputies will never treat anyone like that as long as Im Sheriff. This kind of brutality is terrible and it needs to stop. All Officers involved need to be arrested and charged immediately. Praying for the family."

Typically, police call for patience and calm in the wake of a use of force. They are reluctant to weigh in on episodes involving another agency, often citing ongoing investigations or due process.

"Not going hide behind not being there," tweeted San Jose Police, California, Chief Eddie Garcia. "Id be one of the first to condemn anyone had I seen similar happen to one of my brother/ sister officers. What I saw happen to George Floyd disturbed me and is not consistent with the goal of our mission. The act of one, impacts us all."

But Gloria Browne-Marshall, a civil rights attorney and professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said she wouldn't be a "cheerleader" for a "handful" of chiefs who harshly decried the officers' behaviour.

FILE - In this Aug. 4, 2017 file photo, then Chattanooga's acting Police Chief David Roddy speaks after being announced as Mayor Andy Berke's choice for new police chief during a news conference at the Police Services Center, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The reaction from some law enforcement on the death of a handcuffed black man by a white Minneapolis officer stands in stark contrast to their responses to other in-custody fatalities. There is no need to see more video, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Police Chief David Roddy tweeted Wednesday. There no need to wait to see how it plays out. There is no need to put a knee on someones neck for NINE minutes. There IS a need to DO something. If you wear a badge and you dont have an issue with this ... turn it in. (Doug Strickland/Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP)/Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP)

"Any minute progress is seen as miraculous because so little has been done for so long," she said. "Its nothing close to progress or what outrage would be taking place if it was a white man as the victim of this assault."

Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles, said she wasn't "particularly moved" by the relatively few police who voiced outrage.

Abdullah said the three other officers who witnessed Chauvin's actions and did not intervene contributed to a long-standing system of police racism and oppression against people of colour.

"Weve got to remember that it was not just Officer Chauvin who was sitting on George Floyds neck," she said.

Abdullah and hundreds of others protested what she called Floyd's lynching on Wednesday night. Some blocked lanes of a freeway and shattered windows of California Highway Patrol cruisers.

Police Officers watch over protesters during a rally over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was in police custody in Minneapolis Thursday, May 28, 2020, in New York. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Minneapolis is bracing for more violence after days of civil unrest, with burned buildings, looted stores and angry graffiti demanding justice. The governor on Thursday called in the National Guard. On Thursday night, protesters torched a Minneapolis police station that the department was forced to abandon.

The heads of the Los Angeles and Chicago departments  both of which have been rocked before by police brutality scandals  addressed Floyd's death and its potential effect on race relations between law enforcement and communities of colour.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Even the New York Police Department weighed in. Eric Garner died in the city in 2014 after he was placed in a chokehold by police and uttered the same words Floyd did: "I can't breathe."

It took city officials five years to fire the officer, and no criminal or federal charges were brought.

"What we saw in Minnesota was deeply disturbing. It was wrong," NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea wrote Thursday. "We must take a stand and address it. We must come together, condemn these actions and reinforce who we are as members of the NYPD. This is not acceptable ANYWHERE."

Before he was commissioner, Shea spearheaded the NYPDs shift to community policing that moved away from a more confrontational style favoured by other commissioners after Garner's death.

Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, who also spoke out online, told The Associated Press that law enforcement agencies keep promising reforms in the wake of fatalities, but they are "not delivering it on a consistent basis."

"When bad things happen in our profession, we need to be able to call it like it is," he said. "We keep thinking that the last one will be the last one, and then another one surfaces."
Business and politics move fast, but during this COVID-19 pandemic it feels like everything happens even faster. Like, the oil and gas industry just experienced 25 years worth of news in the last two months.

Meanwhile, 98 percent of us have simply adjusted our face masks, shrugged and continued our mission of becoming amateur epidemiologists, constantly refreshing our browsers for the latest COVID-19 mortality counts.

Despite our monomaniacal COVID-19 focus, weve probably noticed low gas prices at the pump. Not that we drive anywhere, so we cant actually benefit from it. The price of regular gas hasnt been this low in 20 years. That in itself would be a major weird story in ordinary times. Which these are not.

Then there was April 20, when the price of deliverable barrels of oil spiked downward to negative prices on the final settlement day of May futures.

A few unlucky holders of oil futures who could not take delivery of barrels of oil in Cushing, Okla., had to pay to unload their positions  some for as low as negative $40 per barrel. There was a probably temporary and probably COVID-induced scarcity of storage on the May futures delivery day, so we saw something nobody had ever seen in the history of oil futures: negative prices.

We probably are not headed into a future in which clever entrepreneurs regularly get paid once a month to fill their bathtubs with all the flammable barrels they can carry out of Cushing. But it was pretty weird.

A month later, at the June futures expiration date of May 19, the price of the benchmark barrel  known as West Texas Intermediate  rose to a low but at least normalish price of $32.50. This is not a healthy price for U.S. producers. But at least it wasnt a we-have-never-seen-this-before-in-our-lifetime price.

But you know what was a we-have-never-seen-this-before-in-our-lifetime event? U.S. federal petro policy. At least as briefly proposed by a series of tweets by President Donald Trump in early April.

Trump, at least according to his tweets, appeared to orchestrate a production-cut agreement between global oil producers, specifically citing Saudi Arabia and Russia, and pledging U.S. cuts as well.

In any other (normal) time, the U.S. engaging in coordinated production cuts with its OPEC rivals would constitute a stunning revolution in national oil and gas policy.

Since the 1970s, the way things work  with some exceptions  is that state-run oil companies cooperate with each other in a cartel to restrict supply through production quotas, with Saudi Arabia as the biggest producer and de facto leader of that group. Thats the whole point of OPEC, and now OPEC+, which in recent years added Russia and nine other countries.

In contrast, the U.S. oil and gas industry, run by private companies and increasingly by independent shale producers in places such as West Texas and North Dakota, has driven a boom in production that has undermined OPECs ability to effectively restrict global supply. For the past 50 years, OPEC has been a rival, not a partner, of the U.S.

Over the past decade, as the U.S. has become the worlds largest oil producer because of shale, our private sector has benefited from OPECs cuts. Whenever its members cut, U.S. companies take market share.

A huge structural difference between Saudi Arabia, Russia and the United States is that the governments of the first two countries rely on oil revenues to make up most of their government budgets, 90 percent and 60 percent respectively. Not the case for the U.S. That difference traditionally has made our policies much more market-driven and much less driven by a need to maintain basic national social services for our citizens.

All that is background to the surprising announcement by Trump in April that he brokered a production-cut agreement between the Saudis, the Russians and the U.S. That is not the role the U.S. ever plays. Because we had a lot going on at the time  COVID-19, economic shutdown, panic  the news media hardly noticed that wed overturned 50 years of U.S. petro politics.

But then, since the federal government does not actually set quotas for U.S. production, we kind of know now that Trumps tweets about future U.S. cuts amount to a tale  full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

The Texas Railroad Commission, one of the few government entities that has the power to enact something like the production cuts Trump promised, briefly seemed to play along in April. But by early May, Wayne Christian, chairman of the commission, said he would not uproot nearly 50 years of petro policy to pursue production cuts among Texas producers.

Finally, about investing.

My barber texted me in April asking if I thought he should invest in oil stocks. Hed seen headlines about oil futures prices going negative. Ugh. Never a good sign.

The last thing I want to do with my life is give stock-picking advice. In fact, the balance of evidence says you should never invest based on my ideas. But it seems pertinent to the weirdness of the oil and gas industry that, as of this writing, Exxon stock offers a dividend yield of 7.8 percent.

A 7.8 percent annual dividend to own one of the biggest companies in the world?

I just  I mean, wow.

On the one hand, this kind of dividend indicates extremely negative views of market participants on the future prospects for the oil and gas industry. Of course, dividends for Exxon or any other oil giant could get cut in the future. As a rule, markets do not generally offer a way to passively earn 7.8 percent dividends on a world-beating company for very long.

Either the stock is on its way sharply down or its on its way sharply up. The problem is  and here Im getting to the heart of why you should not pay any attention to me when it comes to stock-picking  I have no idea which way it's going.

(Note: I own no individual stocks. Instead, I only invest in index funds. And so should you!)

Michael Taylor is a columnist for the San Antonio Express-News and author of The Financial Rules for New College Graduates.

michael@michaelthesmartmoney.com | twitter.com/michael_taylor
The UK will be ending the month with temperatures as high as 28C for some, as some regions are on track for the driest May on record.

It has also been the sunniest spring on record, according to provisional figures from the Met Office.

A south-easterly wind is pushing warm air towards the northwest of Scotland, which is likely to see the highest temperatures today and Saturday  around 12 to 13C higher than the average for this time of year.

Very high UV levels across the country is boosting pollen levels, especially as the country comes into grass pollen season. Most people who suffer from hay fever are allergic to grass pollen.

Tonight will be dry and clear for many, with some low cloud and for patches forming in eastern areas by dawn.

Temperatures in the south and south east will nudge up on Saturday, reaching 25C on Saturday and 23C on Sunday in London.

Sunday will also bring another warm day with plenty of sunny spells  however, northern Scotland may see thicker cloud and outbreaks of rain as it heads into next week after the unseasonably warm weather.

The extraordinarily dry spring has raised concerns about a drought, but the Environment Agency said most water companies have appropriate reserves.

However, the forecast for June looks very different, with much more rain and wetter periods expected and temperatures may begin to return to normal towards the middle of the month,

Towards the end of the period there may be a shift to more changeable conditions, with an increased chance of showers or longer spells of rain across all parts, said the Met Office.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-29 08:00:24

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 827 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / World High Life Plc (AQSE:LIFE)(OTCQB:WRHLF) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Love Hemp Ltd ("Love Hemp"), has appointed Brand & Creative Consultancy, Propaganda, as its marketing agency of record.Love Hemp was established in 2015 after two London entrepreneurs, Tony Calamita and Thomas Rowland, spotted a gap in the market for a high quality and innovative CBD brand. It has now grown to provide over 40 products and 1,200 listings.As part of the scope of work previously referenced, Propaganda is supporting Love Hemp in developing a brand strategy to position the business for sustainable growth, in what the Board believes is a rapidly expanding and increasingly cluttered market. Propaganda has conducted a review of the brand and market needs through its rigorous Brand DiscoveryTM process and defined a specific brand proposition that will shape the future of Love Hemp.The Board believes that this partnership is incredibly important given that, in the weeks since the World Health Organisation declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic, the retail space has completely evolved. Both brands and retailers have had to adapt to government restrictions which has resulted in a significant shift in consumer shopping behaviours. Overall, Propaganda has worked with Love Hemp to develop a twofold plan encompassing growing Love Hemp's digital estate while government restrictions are in place, to support the growth that has already occurred, along with a long term growth plan to be implemented when the retail climate is right.Tony Calamita, CEO, Love Hemp says: "The CBD sector is developing at a tremendous pace. Right from the start our goal was to be a disrupter in the industry and create a leading range of trusted CBD products. We believe that Propaganda, and their ability to challenge, will support us in driving our brand to the next level." Julian Horberry, Planning Director at Propaganda adds: "We're excited to be working with Love Hemp to create a leading brand of distinction. Given the challenging business circumstances, Love Hemp's shift to the expansion of their e-commerce offering has enabled them to continue to engage with their customers whilst continuing to innovate and respond to evolving consumer demands. We intend to fully harness the incredible ambition and backing of this client to disrupt the market and capitalise on the opportunity for growth." For further information please contact:David StadnykFounder & CEOWorld High Life PLCNorth America toll-free, 1 (888) 616-WRHLF (9745)+44 (0) 7926 397 675info@ worldhighlife.uk AQSE Corporate AdviserMark Anwyl/Allie FeuerleinPeterhouse Capital Limited+44 (0) 20 7469 0930ma@ peterhousecap.com af@ peterhousecap.com Financial PRCamilla Horsfall/Megan RayBlytheweigh+44 (0) 20 7138 3224For more information on World High Life please visit: www.worldhighlife.uk Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) DisclosureThe information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking InformationWe seek safe harbour. Some statements contained in this news release are "forward looking information" within the meaning of securities laws. Forward looking information include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the use of proceeds of the non-brokered private placement and payment of the debt settlements. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases (including negative or grammatical variations) or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and involves risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by management. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes management's current estimates, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered thereby. We expect that these estimates will change as new information is received. We do not undertake to update any estimate at any particular time or in response to any particular event, except as required by law.This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@ lseg.com or visit www.rns.com SOURCE: World High Life PLC
Canadas annual immigration intake is expected to decline in 2020 by half from last years levels as a result of the global pandemic, raising concerns over the impact on the countrys newcomer-fuelled economy.

Canada welcomed 341,000 permanent residents in 2019 and was set to usher in another 370,000 this year, but that number is forecast to be down by as many as 170,000, according to a RBC report released Friday.

First-quarter immigration data on arrivals all indicated drastic decreases in the number of permanent residents, migrant workers and international students.

The disruption will reverberate across the economy, given our reliance on immigration for labour-force growth and to offset Canadas aging demographic, warned the analysis by RBC senior economist Andrew Agopsowicz.

Among the potential casualties: industries with labour shortages, urban rental and housing markets, and university budgets. Canada will need a younger and growing population to maintain growth and support the unprecedented expansion of the fiscal deficit that came in response to the crisis.

In March, Ottawa had set a target to bring in 370,000 new permanent residents this year, up from 341,000 in 2019. Just days after the announcement, concerns about the spread of COVID-19 prompted the federal government to impose travel restrictions.

Although these health and safety measures only started in Canada in mid-March, the impacts of the pandemic on immigration had already been felt in other parts of the world, resulting in the disruption of visa services and travels.

These early immigration numbers may be an indication of what is to come as the global pandemic is expected to last through at least this fall, if not longer:

Permanent resident entries were down 30 per cent in March versus a year earlier.

Temporary foreign worker admission in the agricultural sector fell 45 per cent in March from a year earlier.

The number of students entering on study visas fell 45 per cent in March from a year earlier.

If these restrictions last all summer, we expect to see 170,000 fewer permanent residents entering the country in 2020 than planned  all in a year in which Canada was supposed to welcome a record number of newcomers, said the report.

While temporary foreign workers are exempt from entry restrictions, fewer are coming. The overall number of TFWs entering Canada in March was down 35 per cent versus the same month last year. In the agriculture sector  where they represent a key source of labour  the drop was an even sharper 45 per cent.

Agopsowicz cautioned that Canadas international education sector is also taking a huge hit, with fall enrolments expected to be down sharply amid travel restrictions and a broad, possibly permanent shift to remote learning.

In 2018 alone, international students pumped $21.6 billion into schools, communities and the broader Canadian economy.

At University of Toronto, for instance, international enrolments has doubled since 2010 to 25 per cent of the student body. If just one-fifth of its foreign students opt not to study in Canada this year, said the report, it could mean a shortfall of around $200 million on a $3 billion budget.

That reduction could also hurt the small businesses and landlords who depend on these students for revenue, it said. A decline in foreign students could also affect whats been an important source of new permanent residents.

Canadas immigration selection system has increasingly favoured international students, with their Canadian academic credentials and work experience. In 2019, some 11,000 new permanent residents had previously studied in Canada.

Last year, Canadas population grew by 1.6 per cent or 580,000 people, with immigrants accounting for more than 80 per cent of the growth, said the report. While 30 per cent of the overall population is at least 55, only 8 per cent of immigrants are.

Even before the pandemic, Canada relied on immigration to offset the fiscal challenge posed by an aging population, the report noted. With the tab of fighting COVID-19 already nearing $160 billion, Canada needs a growing labour force more than ever.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Reuters) Paris, France  Fri, May 29, 2020 21:04 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb01d4c 2 Food champagne,beverage,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic Free

Global champagne sales are forecast to slump by a third, or 100 million bottles, this year as the coronavirus crisis shuts bars and restaurants worldwide and hammers economies.

The collapse is akin to a wartime depression, the champagne producers' group CIVC told Reuters on Thursday. Lost sales could total over 1.7 billion euros ($1.9 billion) in 2020, and the downturn could last for many years, it said.

"When someone loses a job or someone dies in his family, they don't want to celebrate, so we'll certainly see that risk hitting us for several years," said co-chairman Maxime Toubart.

The sales estimates are based on a 75 percent fall in April and May, and Toubart's CIVC co-chairman Jean-Marie Barillere predicted they would remain below-average until the end of the year, including the festive holidays.

"We hope it will improve when hotel, cafes and restaurants reopen and people return to a more normal and more optimistic life, but it is hard to say how fast that happens," he said.

"We are preparing to difficult times ahead."

Read also: Virus cake anyone? Italians fight fear with sillyness

Last year champagne producers sold nearly 300 million bottles for a record 5 billion euros.

A rebound in sales to key export markets will not be instant, including the United States where a sharp rise in unemployment may change consumption patterns, Toubart said.

The price of some champagne could fall later this year if producers seek to sell their surplus in bargain sales.

In a bid to cut stocks, CIVC decided on Thursday that some of this year's grape harvest will not be allowed to be bottled until 2022.

Spain's cava producers also expect to be severely hit by the crisis but Italian prosecco makers have seen sales edge higher.
Renault has announced plans to cut 15,000 jobs globally as it slashes production targets in response to a major crisis in the car industry.

The car maker said on Friday that 4,600 jobs would go in France with the rest elsewhere, without giving further details.

Renault, which employs 180,000 people, also suspended plans to increase production capacity in in Morocco and Romania.

It comes a day after Nissan, which is in an alliance with Renault and Mitsubishi, announced thousands of job cuts.

Renault said in a statement: The difficulties encountered by the group, the major crisis facing the automotive industry and the urgency of the ecological transition are all imperatives that are driving the company to accelerate its transformation.

Recommended Nissan closes Barcelona plant but spares UK factory from job cuts

The French company will cut production capacity from 4 million to 3.3 million vehicles by 2024. Sales plunged 25 per cent in the first quarter of the year amid a host of problems facing the industry, including falling demand in China, a transition to electric vehicles and the coronavirus pandemic.

Renault, which is partly state-owned, is in talks with the French government over a 5bn (4.5bn) loan guarantee.

The group is also considering adaptation of its production capacities in Russia and announced the halt of Renault-branded oil-powered car activities in China.

Renaults chairman, Jean-Dominique Senard, said that the planned changes are fundamental to ensure the sustainability of the company and its development over the long term.

While almost all car manufacturers have been struggling, Renault has faced particular difficulty since the arrest of its former chief executive Carlos Ghosn in November 2018, which frayed the companys alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi.

Job cuts will be spread over three years and will initially be focused on voluntary redundancies with no immediate dismissals envisaged.

Renault anticipates the plan will save 2bn and allow it to shift focus towards electric vehicles.

"We want to generate economies of scale to restore our overall profitability and ensure our development in France and internationally," chief executive Coltilde Delbos said.

Car manufacturers have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic which has caused a sharp drop in demand and forced production lines to close.

Figures released on Friday showed that just 197 cars were produced in the UK last month, down from 71,000 in April 2019.

Renault's alliance partner Nissan announced on Thursday that it would close a factory on Barcelona with the loss of 2,800 jobs. The Japanese car manufacturer spared its Sunderland plant from cuts.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 17:10 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdafad70 1 Business fuel-sales,fuel-consumption,pertamina,BPH-Migas,Idul-Fitri,LPG,electricity-consumption,PLN Free

Nationwide fuel consumption during this years Idul Fitri period was 31.2 percent below the normal level as the government had banned the traditional mudik (exodus) to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

Fuel consumption averaged 106.933 kiloliters per day in the Idul Fitri week, down from 155,377 kl per day in January and February, the months before Indonesia confirmed its first COVID-19 cases, which later prompted large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) that shut offices, factories and schools and limited peoples movements, according to an official report obtained by The Jakarta Post.

Aviation fuel consumption saw the sharpest drop, falling 86 percent below the normal volume, while diesel decreased 29 percent and gasoline and kerosene use dropped 21 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

This is the first time we have seen such sharp drops. Normally, fuel consumption tends to rise [during Idul Fitri], energy economist Fahmy Radhi of Gadjah Mada University told the Post on Thursday.

Read also: Explainer: What does the oil price crash mean for Indonesia?

This is the first time it went down due to the mobility restrictions, said Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas) oil director Alfon Simanjuntak, also on Thursday.

Indonesias fuel consumption normally spikes in the week leading up to Idul Fitri as millions of city dwellers, especially from Jakarta, flock to their hometowns and home villages for the traditional exodus, the largest mass movement each year.

This year, however, the government banned the mudik to contain the coronavirus, albeit with exemptions subject to certain conditions.

Data from the Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA) show that passenger traffic dropped 8.23 percent year-on-year (yoy) in the first quarter to 25.5 million people, and the figures for April and May are expected to show an even steeper decline.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said earlier in May that only 70 flights were still operating at the time of a total of around 79,000 before the virus outbreak. She added that 12,703 domestic and international flights in the country had been canceled in the January-February period.

Read also: Pertamina, South Korean consortium to develop Dumai refinery

The pandemic, as of Thursday afternoon, has infected more than 24,500 people, almost 30 percent of whom live in Jakarta, official data show. As many as four provinces and 26 regencies/cities nationwide, including Greater Jakarta, Bandung in West Java and Surabaya in East Java, have imposed the partial lockdown as the number of positive cases continues to rise.

Meanwhile, cooking gas consumption remains high during the holiday period as people stay at home.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LGP) consumption was 14,404 metric tons per day this holiday, up 7 percent from normal days, according to a statement issued by state-owned oil and gas giant Pertamina on Wednesday. The spike is even sharper than its pre-holiday projection of a 5 percent increase.

Pertamina noted a rising trend in cooking gas consumption since March, when office workers and children, particularly those in large cities, began staying at home, as recommended by the government.

We upped the distribution of 3-kilogram LPG canisters from seven days before Idul Fitri until one day before, Pertamina spokeswoman Fajriyah Usman said on Wednesday.

Layoffs and working hour cuts have also driven many Indonesians to set up household bakeries and caterers to generate extra income.

Read also: Virus sparks record drop in energy investment: IEA

However, domestic electricity consumption declined by 15.6 percent this holiday compared to normal days, according to data from the Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Ministry.

Consumption peaked at 22,502 megawatts during the Idul Fitri holiday, said ministry spokesman Agung Pribadi. By comparison, average consumption was 26,650 MW, said the ministrys electrification secretary, Munir Ahmad.

We continue to ensure optimal access to electricity that is safe and secure, Agung said on Wednesday.

He noted that, in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, electricity consumption was affected by severe flooding that forced PLN to shut down several substations. The floods ravaged from Saturday to Monday, which was Idul Fitri.

Sole electricity distributor PLN, a state-owned company, previously projected that consumption over the Idul Fitri period would not change much from normal levels, as many businesses and factories were already closed since March.

A PLN spokesperson did not reply to queries about the lower electricity consumption.
Tuscola and Huron counties are offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing to residents in rural areas.

Until further notice, COVID-19 testing will be available at the parking lot of the Tuscola County Health Department, 1309 Cleaver Rd, from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursdays starting June 4, according to a joint news release from the Huron and Tuscola County Health Department.

We have tried the evening and we tried the afternoons, but very few people came through the clinic," the release reads. "If there becomes a resurgence of the virus we can once again consider additional times.

In Huron County, testing will be available at the parking lot of the Great Lakes Bay Health Center-Thumb Area, 876 N Van Dyke Rd, in Bad Axe from 10 a.m. to noon Mondays and Fridays and 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays starting June 3.

Testing is open to anyone who lives in a rural area with or without symptoms.

Gov. Whitmers plan to reopen Michigan keeps residents in the dark with murky targets and limited transparency

Those looking to get tested in either county will need to have the following information written clearly on a piece of paper: Full Name, Date of Birth, Address, Telephone number, insurance information and numbers.

Weather permitting, sprinkling is OK, but bigger rain drops will affect the swabs, this includes the heat index," the release reads. "We have not run out of test kits yet, so please come out and get tested.

Tuscola County is reporting a total of 186 positive cases with a total of 23 deaths as of Friday, May 28. Huron County has 44 cases and 1 death.

I think we are flattening out, looking much better than a few weeks ago," the release reads. "Keep up the social distancing, wearing of the masks, and wash your hands like it will save your life, and we might just stay ahead of this.

The counties have developed a resource website for businesses to access information necessary for reopening. Information links are added as more information is received.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read more:

Alcohol home delivery possible in proposed legislation to help Michigan bars and restaurants hurt by coronavirus

Michigan doctors and dentists sidelined by coronavirus crisis are back in business, with a new normal

Whitmer administration calls for federal funding to help fill Michigans multibillion-dollar budget hole
Fourth Iranian oil tanker enters Venezuelan special economic zone

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, May 28, IRNA -- The fourth Iranian tanker carrying fuel for Venezuela has entered the country's special economic zone, according to a report by MarineTraffic.

MarineTraffic, which monitors the traffic of tankers on the international water, reported that Faxon tanker entered Venezuela's special economic zone on Thursday morning.

Despite the US warnings, Iran has sent five tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela.

Two of the Iranian tankers have already docked at the Venezuelan ports and are unloading their cargo and the third tanker is nearing the El Palito Port in the Latin American country.

The US can no longer dictate other countries what to do, Iranian ambassador to Caracas Hojjatollah Soltani told Al Mayadeen TV channel on Wednesday, adding that Washington was forced to honor international agreements.

The presence of the Iranian oil tankers in Venezuela is not only an achievement for Iran and Venezuela but an achievement for the entire world, he said.

9341**2050

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






It was a chilly and windy February day when the LNG tanker Diamond Gas Rose was being towed by tugboats along the Surfside Beach jetties.

The liquefied natural gas tanker left Shanghai on Jan. 4 and had arrived at its destination at Freeport LNG after more than a month at sea.

Cold waves smashed against the jetties. A couple surfers in wet suits toughed it out in the chilly waters. Families strolled along the ship channel.

A couple of people, including myself, snapped photos of the passing LNG tanker but nobody could have guessed how much their lives would change over the next few weeks.

The coronavirus then was mainly confined to China but it quickly spread across the globe resulting in stay-at-home orders and shutdowns that closed beaches, parks and other public spaces in the Houston area.

As I have learned over the past few weeks, the U.S. Coast Guard and local port officials did a lot of behind-the-scenes work to keep the deadly virus off the docks. Procedures they developed during the Ebola crisis of 2014 and other pandemics such as SARS, MERS, Swine flu and Zika appear to be paying off.

Reporters Notebook: LNG tanker gets divine intervention

Whenever a cruise ship or tanker is 96 hours away from entering a U.S. port, the ship must file a notice of arrival with the Coast Guard stating their destination and declaring if any crew members or passengers are sick. Theres even a form from the Centers for Disease Control to report an illness or death.

Ultimately, it is the Coast Guard that determines if a vessel is safe to enter the channel. As with previous pandemics, the Coast Guard has been monitoring the coronavirus carefully.

The agency issued a Jan. 24 alert warning about the coronavirus, stating that it was largely confined to China but that two U.S citizens who visited the center of the outbreak in Hubei Province had already come down with the deadly respiratory disease. That was just the beginning.

In a Feb. 2 alert, the Coast Guard said commercial vessels that had been to China with no sick crew members would still be allowed to enter the United States but with restrictions  that the crew remain aboard the vessel except for cargo work at the dock and while stocking up on supplies.

Several weeks later, a March 16 alert extended those same restrictions to ships from a growing number of nations dealing with the outbreak of the virus.

Fuel Fix: Get energy news sent directly to your inbox

Bill Diehl, a retired Coast Guard captain who leads the Greater Houston Port Bureau, said the procedures have been working. There have been very few cases of COVID-19 at facilities along the Houston Ship Channel, and those have been linked to local workers who contracted it in nearby communities, he said.

For the most part, ship crews  even those from nations without travel restrictions  are self-quarantining for their own safety.

Meanwhile, the International Seafarers Center and other port facilities that physically receive crew members from visiting ships are taking precautions such as keeping crews separate from each other.

Everyones holding each other to a higher standard, Diehl said.

Outbreak: Several BP offshore workers test positive for coronavirus

Traffic along the Houston Ship Channel  ships moving in and out of the channel or transfering from one facility to another  averages about 50 vessels a day.

Although those numbers took a dip in mid- April, Diehl said they have returned to normal levels of traffic.

But with limited foreign flights in and out of the United States, Diehl said crew changes have become a little bit more complicated.

They could still do a crew change in other ports such as Panama, Diehl said.

sergio.chapa@chron.com

http://twitter.com/SergioChapa
A troop of monkeys broke into a medical college in India and stole coronavirus test samples after attacking a lab technician today.

The monkeys took three test samples from Meerut Medical College in Uttar Pradesh this morning.

A technician was carrying the samples before one of the monkeys snatched them from him and was filmed sitting in a tree chewing on them.

Those living nearby fear the virus will spread as the monkeys carry the samples around residential areas.

A troop of monkeys broke into Meerut Medical College in Uttar Pradesh, India, and stole coronavirus test samples after attacking a lab technician this morning

Amir Haque, Lucknow Bureau Chief, said the monkeys had been reported causing a nuisance around the college before but this was something new.

The police chief said there was a risk of the monkeys spreading the infection to nearby towns.

He said: 'While animals cannot be responsible for carrying this disease, if they are carrying these sample tests and they move away from the medical college to residential areas then definitely if there are contaminated kits there, then they (the monkeys) can spread the infection further.

'Therefore it's a very serious alarm for health authorities as well as the local administration involved,' he told The Times of India.

The sample boxes were later recovered and had not been damaged, Meerut Medical college superintendent Dheeraj Raj said.

Mr Raj said: 'They were still intact and we don't think there is any risk of contamination or spread.'

A technician was carrying the samples before one of the monkeys snatched them from him and was filmed sitting in a tree chewing on them

He added that the three people whose samples were stolen were retested for the virus.

India recorded 4,797 coronavirus deaths yesterday as the country's number of infections increased to 167,442, following exponential growth through May.

There are fears that the country is becoming a new epicentre for the disease in Asia, following a surprisingly low infection rate earlier on in the pandemic.

India made up nearly a quarter of Asia's new infections last Friday, with the continent as a whole accounting for 23 per cent of the world's daily tally - up from a figure as low as eight per cent in March and April.
Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis.

- Trump splits with WHO -

US President Donald Trump says he is breaking off ties with the World Health Organization, which he says failed to do enough to combat the initial spread of the novel coronavirus.

Trump had already suspended funding to the UN agency, accusing it of being a "puppet" of China as the global health crisis erupted.

- New York plans partial reopening -

New York, the US city worst-hit by the coronavirus, is "on track" to start reopening the week of June 8, after a more than two month lockdown, Governor Andrew Cuomo says.

- Record daily toll in Russia -

Russia reports a record daily increase of 232 coronavirus deaths as Moscow authorities release mortality figures for the capital to dispel allegations they were being manipulated.

- Chloroquine debate deepens -

Dozens of scientists raise concerns in an open letter over a large-scale study of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine published in the Lancet that led to the WHO suspending clinical trials of the anti-viral drugs as a potential treatment for COVID-19.

- More than 362,000 deaths -

The pandemic has killed at least 362,028 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year, according to an AFP tally at 1900 GMT on Friday, based on official sources.

The United States has recorded the most deaths of any country, with 102,201. It is followed by Britain with 38,161, Italy with 33,229, France with 28,714 and Spain with 27,121.

- Infant dies in Switzerland -

An infant dies from COVID-19 in Switzerland, the first child to perish from coronavirus in the country, but infected abroad.

- Economic pain -

Canada's economy shrank at an annualised rate of 8.2 percent in the first quarter.

Britain announces companies must start paying towards the wages of staff furloughed during the pandemic from August.

- Minimum income in Spain -

Spain's leftwing government approves a minimum basic income scheme to tackle a spike in poverty stemming from the crisis.

- Opening borders -

Greece says it will reopen its airports in Athens and Thessaloniki to arrivals from 29 countries from June 15, the start of the tourist season. Countries hardest hit by the pandemic are not on the list.

Denmark announces it will reopen its border to visitors from Germany, Norway and Iceland from June 15, but says the UK and the rest of the European Union will have to wait a few more months.

- Sotheby's to auction remotely -

The auction house Sotheby's says its big spring auctions, which generate billions of dollars in sales, will be held remotely and without an audience this year because of the coronavirus.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


by Bernardo Cervellera

The green light for the national security law, has saddened a large part of the Territory's population while the social networks on the mainland celebrate. The "war" between China and the USA, regardless of the rights of the local population. The law will stifle the catalytic function of Hong Kong towards China. Dreams of political and social reforms stopped by Xi Jinping. Doubts about the "China model": is freedom of trade possible without civil liberties?

Rome (AsiaNews) - The national security law for Hong Kong, approved yesterday at the National People's Congress in Beijing, is already generating very different effects.

In Hong Kong, where for years there has been a struggle to remove it, and until the end there has been fear of its dictatorial imposition, people have been invaded by sadness. A Democratic parliamentarian said that from now on in Hong Kong "there will be no air", given that China is trying to "suffocate" the freedom of the local population.

Instead, in Beijing and other parts of China, people celebrate. Above all on social media there is an air of victory for the submission of those young people who for almost a year, in the name of democracy ("a value that is not at all Chinese"), have disturbed public order with their vandalism and "terrorism".

In the official version, in Hong Kong there are not peaceful demonstrations of millions of people who demand answers from the government. Just yesterday state media referred to those few dozen radical demonstrators who throw stones, Molotov cocktails, unhinge doors and signs as those very "terrorists" whom the new law will silence.

The enthusiasm expressed by the Chinese of the continent mirrors that shown during the handover days, in 1997, when the return of Hong Kong to the motherland was celebrated. Then the reason was clear: finally, the shame of the unequal Treaties, which China had been forced to sign under the pressure of the western gunboats, was cleansed. But this time the law is primarily against the population of Hong Kong itself, other Chinese people who have had the fate of living in a liberal society.

Indeed no: the other pillar of information on Hong Kong is that all the demonstrations, even those with two million people, are organized by the "black hand" of the United States. And therefore the law that blocks the freedoms of the people of Hong Kong is seen as a victory over the American "western power", Chinas enemy. With super-nationalistic emphasis, a few hours after voting for the law, the magazine of the "People's Daily", the "Global Times", said: "No matter how hard the US tries to pressure China by playing the Hong Kong card, Washington would be too naive to think that it can deter the decisive collective will of the Chinese government and people to safeguard the countrys sovereignty."

And in an editorial yesterday morning, the same newspaper listed all of Beijing's military power (intercontinental missiles, nuclear bomb, artificial satellites, ...) as a proud challenge to the other superpower.

There is a problem: that neither the nationalist enthusiasm nor the accusation against "foreign powers" justifies the Hong Kong issue, which is a problem that should involve the population of the territory first and foremost.

Already the British have never listened - or listened very little - to their wishes. Now Beijing is in the wake of that colonial power, is weaving and unweaving the social fabric of Hong Kong as it likes. Of course, from the economic point of view we can list the help of Great Britain, the help of the West, the help of China, but the life of Hong Kong is the result of the diligence, inventiveness, tenacity, imagination of the people of Hong Kong. And not listening to it risks not only mortifying its creativity, but murdering it.

And in fact, the other problem that now arises is this: under the full domination of Beijing, crossed by spies, controlled by the army and police, will Hong Kong be able to survive and remain fruitful from an economic point of view?

Although not with the same vitality as the past, Hong Kong still remains a point of reference for finance and trade with China. At least 60% of foreign investment in the continent passes through the territory with special administration. What if Hong Kong becomes like any popular Chinese city? Judging from the speech that Premier Li Keqiang made yesterday announcing the new law, it would seem that he too is worried about this. And in fact he continued to underline that with the new law nothing changes for business, but rather there will be "stability and prosperity" as never before; that "the high degree of autonomy" will be maintained and that the "one country, two systems" principle is still valid.

Can there be economic freedom without civil liberties? Many, looking at China say yes: the "Chinese model", with social control and centralized economy, has produced the current wealth of China. But it is also true that in Chinese society there is a push for that (little) economic freedom to be equally matched by space for civil liberties. The demands for Party reforms and political reforms in society are multiplying, although Xi Jinping has done everything to stifle them. And perhaps this is why he is willing to "sacrifice" Hong Kong: so that its freedom to breath does not encourage civil society on the mainland.

The point is that in the world there are many countries and global economic powers that are faced with the crisis of liberalist capitalism, resulting in their yearning towards an authoritarian model similar to China to save their power and business. Yet in doing so they simply postpone the crucial question until tomorrow: is economic freedom possible without civil liberties? Without dignity for man and family? Without freedom to create, to speak, to invent and even to pray? We believe it is not.
Arizona Schools To Reopen In Fall, Gov. Ducey Says

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced on Thursday that the states schools would resume in-person instruction in the fall.

Were planning ahead to get kids and teachers safely back in the classroom for the start of the fall school year, Ducey said in a statement, adding that the reopening of Arizona was moving forward with a calm and steady approach that includes following public health guidance and tracking COVID-19 infection data.

The number of new daily cases of COVID-19 in the state has declined since hitting a May 15 peak of 565, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. To date, Arizona has seen a total of 885 COVID-19 deaths, with the number of daily fatalities peaking at 26 on April 30, before gradually declining.

Speaking at a press conference Thursday, Ducey said that youth summer leagues, summer schools, and day camps can also reopen, with some resuming operations as soon as next week.

State Superintendent Kathy Hoffman is expected to provide detailed information on how students, teachers, and parents can protect themselves as schools reopen, Ducey said at the presser.

To assist educators and school leaders in finding the best solutions for their community, @azedschools will release guidance on June 1st for reopening that provides a roadmap for schools to plan for a wide variety of scenarios and ensure the health and learning of their students, Hoffman said in a tweet.

Changes students can expect as they return to classrooms include precautions like arrangements to allow for physical distancing, Ducey said.

It will look different. It will feel different, the governor said. But the idea is that kids will have a more traditional, routine school day where possible and safe.

He said an upcoming executive order would allow for greater child care capacity in school-based programs and that distance learning would remain an option where needed.

Dr. Cara Christ, state health director, said at the conference that school superintendents had flexible learning arrangements in place to ensure safety.

There are multiple plans that they are putting into place so that children or teachers that are at risk can do distance or virtual learning, that there are opportunities to reduce class size, that there are disinfecting protocols and a lot of safety things put into place, she said, adding that this would be very flexible for both the families and the employees of the school district.

Students will be encouraged to wash hands frequently and may remain in the classroom for lunch instead of going to the cafeteria.

Schools supply so much more than education, Christ said, adding, and so its important to get these children back into school, back into a normal routine.

Of course, its going to be a new normal, she said, adding, washing hands, hand sanitizer, physical distancing, not mixing at lunch, not doing big assemblies.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 23:07:30|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Russia will supply 1 million COVID-19 test kits in the near future to its foreign partners, most of whom are from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Friday.

"Our countries do not only have common borders but also a single epidemiological space," Mishustin said at an online meeting of heads of government of the CIS members.

He said that the CIS countries have cooperated with each other and collectively taken measures to fight the pandemic and monitor the situation.

The CIS countries have exchanged methods of combating the outbreak and provided necessary assistance, including test kits and other supplies, Mishustin said.

He said that Russia has already sent hundreds of thousands of test kits to its CIS partners.

Founded in 1991 as a regional organization for former Soviet republics, the CIS comprises Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Ukraine and Turkmenistan are associate members. Enditem
The Maryland State Department of Educations recovery plan in response to the coronavirus substantiates the need for the Blueprint legislation. The departments plan says that classrooms will have to be reorganized to ensure social distancing. Children might be asked to alternate the days they are in brick-and-mortar schools. English and math teachers might be asked to teach the same class periods multiple times a week to accommodate smaller classes. School days might be lengthened to make up for learning and class time lost in the pandemic. Additional supports for students emotional and mental health are encouraged. The newly released first-in-the-nation plan will cost local school systems more to implement, and Hogan just denied them the additional resources with his veto.
By Online Desk

NEW DELHI: There has been no recent contact between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, government sources said on Friday.

The clarification came after Trump said in Washington that he spoke to Modi over India's ongoing border row with China in Eastern Ladakh.

On Tuesday, Trump offered to mediate between India and China to resolve the border dispute.

"The last conversation between Modi and Trump was on April 4 on the subject of hydroxychloroquine," a source said.

On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs made it clear that India is directly in touch with the Chinese side through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts to resolve the row.

Trump again on Friday said that he spoke with Narendra Modi about the "big conflict" and asserted that the Indian Prime Minister is not in a "good mood" over the latest flare-ups between the two countries.

Speaking with the reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump said a "big conflict" was going on between India and China.

"I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," the president said.

ALSO READ | Amid border row with New Delhi, China bans pork imports from India

"Have a big conflict 'India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," he said when asked if he was worried about the border situation between India and China.

"I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump said.

A day earlier, the president offered to mediate between India and China.

Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.

Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump reiterated his offer, saying if called for help, "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help" about "mediate or arbitrate, I would do that," he said.

"I like Modi. I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman. (He is doing a) great job," Trump told White House reporters in an Oval Office exchange on Thursday.

For the second time in less than a fortnight, he confirmed of having spoken to Modi.

Neither the White House nor the Prime Minister's Office has issued readouts of the two telephonic conversations, but from Trump's public remarks, it appears that he and Modi talk to each other regularly.

Responding to a question, Trump acknowledged that he knew he was popular in India.

"I know (I am popular in India). They (people) like me in India. I think they like me in India certainly more than the media likes me in this country," he said.

From the very start of his presidency, Trump has gone out of his way to show his love and affection for Modi and India.

ALSO READ | India, China don't need US help to resolve border frictions: Chinese official media hits back at Trump

After the historic "Howdy Modi" event in Houston last September and "Namaste Trump" rally in Ahmedabad this February, Trump has not let any opportunity go without praising Modi.

"I just got back from India, right? I just beat COVID," he said.

The two leaders like each other a lot, given their frequent conversations and twitter exchanges.

Same is the case with other members of the president's family, who are genuinely in love with India and the Indian-Americans.

Be it First Lady Melania Trump; the president's daughter and senior presidential advisor Ivanka Trump; son-in-law Jarred Kushner, also a presidential advisor, they all frequently tweet on India and Indian-Americans.

The president's son Donald Trump Jr, along with Kimberly Guilfoyle, advisor to Donald J Trump for President, Inc.

and National Chair of the Trump Victory Finance Committees, also echos Trump's love for India and Indian-Americans.

"So much so, Prime Minister Modi praised Jared Kushner, saying that everything Jared does is positive, while addressing a crowd of 110,000 people at a rally for Trump in India," said Al Mason co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian American Finance Committee.

India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump's offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing.

While the Chinese Foreign Ministry is yet to react to Trump's tweet which appears to have caught Beijing by surprise, an op-ed in the state-run Global Times said both countries did not need such a help from the US President.

"The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order," it said.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.

Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal which was rejected by New Delhi.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders.

Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.

(With PTI Inputs)
The anger exploding on the streets runs much deeper than the obvious hypocrisies in the disparate treatment of white, conservative protesters and a multiracial crowd of people objecting to police brutality. Over the last several weeks, there has been the taped murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, the vicious shooting of Breonna Taylor by the Louisville police and the killing of Tony McDade, a black trans man, by police officers in Tallahassee. These cases were ignored until public outcry forced the nation to pay attention, even as the public has been riveted to the news because of stay-at-home orders. Meanwhile, there is the highly publicized case of a white woman in Central Park calling the police on a black man when he asked her to put her dog on a leash. The potential consequences of that call were made clear by the killing of George Floyd.

But what is also unmistakable in the bitter protests in Minneapolis and around the country is the sense that the state is either complicit or incapable of effecting substantive change.

As the Democrats presumptive presidential nominee jokes that African-Americans who dont vote for him are not black, the crisis in black communities seems most acute and overlaps with almost daily incidents of police violence or some other oppressive expression of state power. It was a joke that Joe Biden thought would show his insider status with black voters. Instead, it made him look arrogant in assuming he has standing among young or working-class African-Americans. He sounded like any other well-heeled politician who has failed to grasp the enormity of the challenges.

This simultaneous collapse of politics and governance has forced people to take to the streets  to the detriment of their health and the health of others  to demand the most basic necessities of life, including the right to be free of police harassment or murder.

What are the alternatives to protest when the state cannot perform its basic tasks and when lawless police officers rarely get even a slap on the wrist for crimes that would result in years of prison for regular citizens? If you cannot attain justice by engaging the system, then you must seek other means of changing it. Thats not a wish; its a premonition.

The convergence of these tragic events  a pandemic disproportionately killing black people, the failure of the state to protect black people and the preying on black people by the police  has confirmed what most of us already know: If we and those who stand with us do not mobilize in our own defense, then no official entity ever will. Young black people must endure the contusions caused by rubber bullets or the acrid burn of tear gas because government has abandoned us. Black Lives Matter only because we will make it so.

This is not new in our history. After World War II, city-dwelling African-Americans saw the contradictions in a society that put a man on the moon, while allowing rats to maul black children in their cribs at night. The federal government underwrote the substandard housing that African-Americans were consigned to because of residential segregation. Everywhere African-Americans looked, the state was not only impervious to their suffering but an accessory to the crime.
BEIJING, May 29 -- The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) will make strenuous efforts both in combat and war readiness and the battle of poverty eradication to live up to the peoples expectations, said Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Friday when answering questions regarding to the battle against poverty at the regular press conference.

President Xi Jinping pointed out on May 26 when attending a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and People's Armed Police Force at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, that the PLA shall assist localities in economic and social development while performing its military mandates, so as to help win the battle of poverty eradication and maintain overall social stability.

Adhering to its fundamental tenet of serving the people whole-heartedly, the PLA has provided targeted assistance to 924,000 impoverished people of 293,000 households in 4,100 poor villages, supported 8,351 industrial projects ranging from planting, aquaculture and animal husbandry, rural tourism to processing agricultural produces to help farmers increase their incomes, Senior Colonel Ren said.

Officers from the Armed Police Qujing Detachment under the Armed Police Yunnan Contingent of the Chinese Peoples Armed Police Force bring donations to primary school students living in Ge He Mi village, a deep poverty area in Huize County of Qujing City, Southwest Chinas Yunnan Province.(chinamil.com.cn)

The PLA has helped build 156 Bayi Aimin Schools along the route of the Long March as well as 1,544 primary schools and kindergartens in designated villages, said Senior Colonel Ren.

Meanwhile, It has also provided medical assistance by helping build 1,458 clinics in impoverished villages and 113 hospitals at or above level-2 in poor counties.

Besides, officers and soldiers participate in afforestation every year to help eliminate poverty through ecological progress, Ren added.
HOUSTON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend to stockholders of $0.05 per share. The dividend is payable July 15, 2020, to stockholders of record on July 1, 2020.

About Quanta Services

Quanta Services is a leading specialized contracting services company, delivering comprehensive infrastructure solutions for the utility, pipeline, energy and communications industries. Quanta's comprehensive services include designing, installing, repairing and maintaining energy and communications infrastructure. With operations throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and select other international markets, Quanta has the manpower, resources and expertise to safely complete projects that are local, regional, national or international in scope. For more information, visit www.quantaservices.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release (and any oral statements regarding the subject matter of this press release) contains forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the "safe harbor" from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to expectations regarding the declaration, amount or timing of any future dividends; expectations regarding Quanta's business or financial outlook, plans and strategies; growth, trends or opportunities; and the ability to deliver increased value or return capital to stockholders; as well as statements reflecting expectations, intentions, assumptions or beliefs about future events and other statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Although Quanta's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions and by a variety of risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict or beyond our control, including, among others, market conditions; the effects of industry, economic, financial or political conditions outside of the control of Quanta, including weakness in capital markets or the ongoing and potential impact to financial markets and worldwide economic activity resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and related governmental actions; quarterly variations in operating results, liquidity, financial condition, cash flows, capital requirements, reinvestment opportunities or other financial results, including the ongoing and potential impact to Quanta's business, operations and supply chain of the COVID-19 pandemic and related governmental actions; the severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, including impacts of the pandemic and of business and governmental responses to the pandemic on Quanta's operations, personnel and supply chain and on commercial activity and demand across Quanta's and Quanta's customers' businesses; Quanta's inability to predict the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic and related impacts will adversely impact its business, financial performance, results of operations, financial position, the prices of its securities and the achievement of its strategic objectives; delays, reductions in scope or cancellations of anticipated, pending or existing projects; the successful negotiation, execution, performance and completion of anticipated, pending and existing contracts, including the ability to obtain future project awards; cancellation provisions within contracts and the risk that contracts expire and are not renewed or are replaced on less favorable terms; loss of customers with whom Quanta has long-standing or significant relationships; requirements relating to dividends under Delaware law and the credit agreement for Quanta's senior secured credit facility; the impact of income tax laws;; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in Quanta's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2019, Quanta's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended Mar. 31, 2020 and any other documents that Quanta files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For a discussion of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, investors are urged to refer to Quanta's documents filed with the SEC that are available through the company's website at www.quantaservices.com or through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering and Analysis Retrieval System (EDGAR) at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of this date. Quanta does not undertake and expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Quanta further expressly disclaims any written or oral statements made by any third party regarding the subject matter of this press release.

Investors - Kip Rupp, CFA Media  Lynn Hancock Quanta Services, Inc. Ward (713) 341-7260 (713) 869-0707

SOURCE Quanta Services, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.quantaservices.com


Lucknow, May 29 : The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) roadmap prepared by the Uttar Pradesh government will likely pose a challenge to Chinese consumer products in the future, as the state has planned to generate 90 lakh new jobs in existing MSME units, attracting investors from across the world.

The state government has completed all the preparations under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. So far, the state was facing an unprecedented decline in capital due to the COVID-19 crisis, but recently the government gave a major boost to the MSME sector by distributing loans worth Rs 2002 crore to around 57,000 entrepreneurs in one go through a loan fair.

Navneet Sehgal, Principal Secretary, MSME Department, said: " A similar online mega loan distribution fair will be organized in the first week of June, July and August. Prior to this, loans to entrepreneurs through Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Mukhyamantri Yuva Swarojgar Yojana, One District One Product (ODOP), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Stand-Up-India Scheme and Startup Scheme have been given in the last financial year. The loans worth Rs 67,000 crore were disbursed to MSME units through these schemes." Recently, the Chief Minister made a 'Swadeshi' pitch for industrial growth and creation of jobs for the migrants.

He said, "Keeping the theme of 'Swadeshi' in mind, we have to promote the MSME sector, which manufactures affordable products and has the potential to create jobs on a mass scale for our migrant workers." Uttar Pradesh is second in the country in terms of the number of MSME units. About 14 per cent of the total such units in the country are in this state. During these five years, 39.25 lakh people have got employment from these units. MSME contributed about 80 per cent (Rs 114057 crore) to the exports from the state in the year 2018-19.

Ever since Yogi Adityanath became the Chief Minister, several steps have been taken to improve the quality of their products through better technology and to make them competitive in the market.

Sehgal said, "UP has a very rich tradition of cottage industries. This is the reason why products from here are recognized in many places. This is the planning of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Every effort is being made for the betterment of this area." (Vivek Tripathi can be contacted at vivek.t@ians.in)
The National Park Service is rolling back Obama-era regulations that banned hunters in Alaska's national preserves from using food to lure black and brown bears out of their dens.

The new rules will also let hunters use artificial light to attract black bears and their cubs, shoot caribou from motorboats, and hunt wolves and coyotes during the denning season, the Anchorage Daily News reports. The Obama administration enacted the regulations in order to prevent the destabilization of Alaska's ecosystems.

This change is "amazingly cruel," Jesse Prentice-Dunn, policy director for the Center for Western Priorities, told The Guardian, and is "just the latest in a string of efforts to reduce protections for America's wildlife at the behest of oil companies and trophy hunters."

Several Native American tribes criticized the original rule, opposing it due to rural Alaskans needing wild food sources. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) cheered the reversal, saying it was necessary "not only as a matter of principle, but as a matter of states' rights."

More stories from theweek.com

Amy Klobuchar didn't prosecute officer at center of George Floyd's death

Minnesota governor says Trump's Minneapolis tweets are 'just not helpful'

'A riot is the language of the unheard,' Martin Luther King Jr. explained 53 years ago


For the first three and a half years, I was actually working part-time in the mortgage industry and it took a leap of faith to quit my full-time job and go 100% into mortgages, Stillman said. Giving up the safety net of a full- time salary was extremely challenging  it took a lot of risk and faith but obviously it was the best decision I could have possibly made.

In order to work my way through this period, I became the in-house broker for Forest Hill and focused on building my network by focusing on referral partners which are still paying dividends to this day.

Another indispensable component to long-term success is a focus on the exact needs of ones customers.

I try to treat every client like they are my only client, Stillman said. I believe that if you treat people right, that is the best advertising you can do, and that has been the key to my success.

Giving attention to the other side and building a strong relationship with lenders is equally important.
[May 29, 2020] INVESTOR ALERT: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces Investigation of United States Oil Fund, LP (USO) on Behalf of Investors

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces an investigation on behalf of United States Oil Fund, LP ("USO" or the "Company") (NYSE: USO) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. On May 29, 2020, Bloomberg (News - Alert) reported that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission had opened probes into the United States Oil Fund, LP. According to the article, the probes concerned issues including "whether shareholders were adequately informed that theETF's value wouldn't necessarily move in tandem with the spot price of oil and the fund's recent decision to purchase crude contracts that expire further out in the future."



The Company's stock has lost 75% of its value in the two months ended April 30. If you purchased USO securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005594/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Ukraine's largest air carrier UIA presents business recovery strategy

11:20, 29.05.20 2966

Long-haul operations may be resumed after critical feeding flights are re-introduced to the schedule  in or about April 2021.
The devastation wrought by rioters and looters in Minneapolis and St. Paul has been immense. I am not sure that news stories have fully captured the damage that these criminals (not protesters) have done. Bring Me the News is compiling a list of buildings and businesses that have been damaged or destroyed. These are in Minneapolis:

 Wells Fargo Lake Street: Fire and property damage.

 J-Klips Lake Street: Property damage.

 Hennepin County Human Service Center: Property damage.

 ICC Wireless Lake Street: Property damage.

 Jackson Hewitt Tax Service: Property damage.

 Little Caesars Lake Street: Fire and property damage.

 Teppanyaki Grill Lake Street: Fire and property damage.

 Home Choice Lake Street: Fire and property damage.

 Dollar General Lake Street: Extensive fire damage.

 Twin Lake Dental: Fire and property damage.

 HD Laundry Lake Street: Fire and property damage.

 Citi Trends Lake Street: Fire and property damage.

 Total Wireless Lake Street: Fire and property damage.

 Pineda Tacos Lake Street: Property damage.

 Subway Lake Street: Property damage.

 7 Mile Fashion Express East Lake Street: Destroyed by fire

 The Fremont Bar Uptown: Property damage, looting.

 OReilly Auto Parts West Broadway: Extensive fire damage.

 Broadway Liquor Outlet West Broadway: Property damage, looting.

 Quality Tobacco Lake and 1st: Extensive fire damage.

 Skol Liquor Store 27th Avenue: Property damage, looting.

 Max-It Pawn Shop Cedar Avenue: Extensive fire damage.

 Minnehaha Liquor Lake Street: Property damage, looting, extensive fire damage.

 Hexagon Bar at E 26th and 27th: Extensive fire damage.

 Target Lake Street: Looting, graffiti, property damage, fire damage.

 Wendys Lake Street: Fire, destroyed.

 Autozone Lake Street: Fire, destroyed.

 Cub Foods Lake Street: Looting, property damage, fire damage.

This is what the inside of that Cub Foods store looks like:

The owners of this Cub gave me permission to show the damage inside pic.twitter.com/Y1j0Zs1byz  Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) May 28, 2020



 Under construction affordable housing development at 26th and 29th: Fire, destroyed.

 7-Sigma building, 26th and 29th: Fire, extensive damage.

 Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct: Property damage, graffiti.

 Dollar Tree off Lake Street: Property damage, looting.

 Metro by T-Mobile Lake Street: Fire, extensive damage.

 Hi Lake Liquor: Property damage, looting.

 Speedway East Lake Street: Property damage.

 East Lake Library: Windows smashed, graffiti.

 Precision Tune Auto Care Lake Street: Property damage.

 U.S. Bank Lake Street: Property damage, graffiti.

 Dairy Queen East Lake Street: Property damage.

 Papa Murphys Pizza East Lake Street: Property damage.

 Planet Fitness on Lake: Property damage.

 Dominos Pizza 26th and 28th: Property damage.

 Urban Forage Winery and Cider House, Lake and 29th: Property damage, looting.

 Gandhi Mahal Restaurant, 27th and Lake: Window smashed.

 Car-X Tire & Auto East Lake Street: Property damage, vehicle smashed through windows.

 Frattelones Ace Hardware East Lake Street: Property damage.

 MN Transitions Charter School: Property damage.

 Laundro Max East Lake Street: Window smashed.

 Soderbergs Floral & Gift East Lake Street: Window smashed.

 East Lake Clinic: Property damage.

 Seward Pharmacy: Window smashed, graffiti.

 Electra Tune Auto Care on Lake St: Property damage, vehicle stolen.

 Walgreens at 43rd and Chicago: Property damage, looting.

 Elevated Beer Wine & Spirits, Hiawatha Ave: Property damage, looting.

 Schooners Tavern, barbershop next door: Fire, property damage.

 Seward Co-op, 28th and Franklin: Window smashed, attempted theft of ATM.

 Midtown Global Market: Property damage, looting.

 Briva Health Lake Street: Window smashed.

 Foot Locker East Lake Street: Property damage, looting.

 BMO Harris East Lake Street: Property damage.

 TCF Bank at 38th and Minnehaha: Property damage.

 Studiiyo23 Hennepin Avenue, Uptown: Property damage, looting.

 DTLR, Broadway, North Minneapolis: Property damage, looting.

 Uptown Pawn: Property damage, looting.

 La Familia Skate Shop: Property damage.

 Target Uptown: Property damage, looting.

 Chicago & Lake Liquor: Property damage, looting.

 East Lake Liquor: Property damage, looting.

 Ingebretsens on Lake: Property damage, windows smashed.

 Freewheel Bike: Property damage, windows smashed.

 Hamdi Restaurant, Midtown: Property damage, graffiti.

 Hudsons Hardware, East 42nd Street: Property damage and looting.

 Birchwood Cafe, East 25th Street: Property damage.

 CVS Uptown: Property damage, looting.

 Timberland Uptown: Property damage, looting.

 Sunnys Wigs 29th and Lyndale: Property damage.

 Thurston Jewelers West Lake Street: Property damage.

 Banadir Pharmacy West Lake Street: Property damage and looting

 Sephora Uptown: Property damage.

 Gamestop Uptown: Property damage, looting.

 Indulge and Bloom, Uptown: Property damage.

 H&M Uptown: Windows smashed.

 Apple Store Uptown: Windows smashed.

 Urban Outfitters Uptown: Door window smashed.

 Smokeless Northeast: Vandalized, closed till further notice.

 AutoZone at 501 West Broadway, North Minneapolis: Unconfirmed report of looting, property damage.

 Buzzmart, downtown Minneapolis: Property damage.

 Town Talk Diner, Lake Street: Extensive property damage.

This is the inside of that diner:

Charles Stotts took me inside Town Talk Diner, which he has owned on Lake Street for four years. It's destroyed. #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/COcPHw4IwL  Miguel Otarola (@motarola123) May 28, 2020



The St. Paul police had nothing to do with George Floyds death, but looters are not much interested in geographical boundaries. These St. Paul businesses have been damaged:

 Lloyds Pharmacy Snelling and Minnehaha: Destroyed by fire.

 Target Midway: Property damage, looting.

 CVS University Avenue: Property damage, looting.

 Max It Pawn Shop University Avenue: Property damage, looting.

 Verizon Store Hamline Avenue: Property damage.

 Noodles & Co Hamline Avenue: Property damage.

 Vitamine Shoppe Hamline Avenue: Property damage.

 Big Top Liquors Midway: Property damage.

 TJ Maxx Midway: Property damage, small fire.

 Sprint store Midway: Property damage, looting.

 Midway Tobacco Outlet Plus: Property damage

 NAPA Auto Parts University Avenue: Property damage, fire.

 T-Mobile on Arcade and York: Property damage, looting.

 LeeAnn Chinn Midway: Property damage, graffiti.

 Americas Best Contacts & Eyeglasses Midway: Property damage, graffiti.

 Furniture Barn Midway: Property damage, graffiti, fire.

 BP on University Avenue: Property damage.

 Walgreens on Randolph and Snelling: Property damage, looting.

 Discount Tire Co. Midway: Property damage.

 OReilly Auto Parts Lexington: Property damage, fire.

 TCF Bank Lexington and University: Property damage.

 Lululemon Grand Avenue: Property damage, looting.

 Speedway University Ave: Property damage, fire.

 Ananya Dance Theater University Ave: Property damage.

 Springboard for the Arts University Ave: Property damage, fire.

 7-Mile Sportwear University Ave: Property damage, looting.

 Fire n Ice Chicken: Property damage.

 Liquor Barrel on West 7th: Property damage, looting.

 Moellers Jewelry, Highland: Property damage.

 The Fixery, Highland: Property damage.

 Bole Ethiopian Restaurant: Fire.

 Enterprise University Avenue: Fire.

You can check back at the link for more as the rioters continue their destruction.

Amid the carnage, there have been moments of comedy. Minnesota State Police officers arrested a CNN reporter while he was on the air, live, covering the riots. For no apparent reason:

found the clip of the event, wtf pic.twitter.com/cUNWB5wpGx  Fredrik (@Fredrik_with_k) May 29, 2020



Have looters and arsonists been getting arrested? Not that Ive seen. You cant make this stuff up.

We have witnessed a massive failure of leadership in the City of Minneapolis and the State of Minnesota. Boy Mayor Jacob Frey has been exposed as a childish nonentity. Meanwhile, what about the Minneapolis City Council, which is responsible for the citys Police Department? It is one of the most far-left political bodies in the U.S., and so far it has not been heard from, as far as I have seen. Governor Tim Walz, too, has been AWOL, although I do have to give him a little credit for his State Police cracking down on CNN. Amid the general incompetence, President Trump is threatening to step into the breach:

At this point, I suspect that there are a good number of Democrats in the Twin Cities who wouldnt mind seeing the president make good on his promise.
Demonstrators protest in Centennial Olympic Park, Friday, May 29, 2020 in Atlanta. Protests were organized in cities around the United States following the death of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis. Read more

 UPDATE: Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyds neck charged with murder

ATLANTA  Demonstrators marched, stopped traffic and in some cases lashed out violently at police as protests erupted Friday in dozens of U.S. cities following the killing of George Floyd after a white officer pressed a knee into his neck while taking him into custody in Minnesota. In Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and beyond, thousands of protesters carried signs that said: He said I cant breathe. Justice for George. They chanted No justice, no peace and Say his name. George Floyd.

After hours of peaceful protest in downtown Atlanta, some demonstrators suddenly turned violent, smashing police cars, setting one on fire, spray-painting the iconic logo sign at CNN headquarters, and breaking into a restaurant. The crowd pelted officers with bottles, chanting Quit your jobs.

At least three officers were hurt and there were multiple arrests, Atlanta police spokesman Carlos Campos said in an emailed statement. Campos said protesters shot BB guns at officers and threw bricks, bottles and knives at them. People watched the scene from rooftops, some laughing as skirmishes broke out.

Demonstrators ignored police demands to disperse. Some protesters moved to the citys major interstate thoroughfare to try to block traffic.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms passionately addressed the protesters at a news conference: This is not a protest. This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.

You are disgracing our city, she told protesters. You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country. We are better than this. We are better than this as a city. We are better than this as a country. Go home, go home.

Bottoms was flanked by rappers T.I. and Killer Mike, as well as Kings daughter, Bernice King.

Killer Mike cried as he spoke.

We have to be better than this moment. We have to be better than burning down our own homes. Because if we lose Atlanta what have we got? he said.

After Mayor Bottoms appealed for calm, the violence continued. More cars were set on fire, a Starbucks was smashed up, the windows of the College Football Hall of Fame were broken, and the iconic Omni Hotel was vandalized.

In Brooklyn, crowds of demonstrators chanted at police officers lined up outside the Barclays Center. There were several moments of struggle, as some in the crowd pushed against metal barricades and police pushed back.

Scores of water bottles flew from the crowd toward the officers, and in return police sprayed an eye-irritating chemical at the group twice.

The names of black people killed by police, including Floyd and Eric Garner, who died on Staten Island in 2014, were on signs carried by those in the crowd, and in their chants.

Its my duty to be out here, said Brianna Petrisko, among those at Foley Square in lower Manhattan, where most were wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. Our country has a sickness. We have to be out here. This is the only way were going to be heard.

In Houston, where George Floyd grew up, several thousand people rallied in front of City Hall. Police had apparently taken into custody a woman who had a rifle and had tried to use it to incite the crowd.

Jimmy Ohaz, 19, came from the nearby city of Richmond, Texas.

My question is how many more, how many more? I just want to live in a future where we all live in harmony and were not oppressed.
Islamabad, May 29 : In a massive reverse for Pakistans Machiavellian manoeuvres, the UAE and Maldives slammed the door on a Pakistani attempt to set up an informal group of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) envoys at the United Nations on Islamophobia.

Pakistan's permanent representative at the United Nations, Munir Akram, tried as usual to raise the issue of Islamophobia at a recent virtual meeting of the envoys of OIC member countries at the UN.

A routine meeting of the envoys of OIC nations was hijacked by the Pakistan envoy who raised the issue of the "plight of Muslims in India and the people of occupied Kashmir, who are suffering at the hands of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party".

In what was typical Pakistan grandstanding and filibustering, he argued that Islamophobia in India had become more pronounced during the Covid-19 pandemic and recalled the actions taken by the Narendra Modi-led government to change the demography of occupied Kashmir by allowing non-Kashmiris to take up permanent residence in the Valley.

It all came to naught when Maldivian envoy Thilmeeza Hussain, according to Maldivian media, rejected the "singling out of India" and said that accusing Delhi of Islamophobia would be factually incorrect and detrimental to the religious harmony in South Asia.

The top diplomat, who is also the Maldives' ambassador to the US, had further said that "isolated statements by motivated people and disinformation campaigns" on social media should not be construed as representative of the feelings of 1.3 billion people.

Adding his weight behind Maldives, the UAE envoy, who was chairing the meeting, outrightly rejected the Pakistani request for an informal group on Islamophobia, saying it was the mandate of the OIC foreign ministers to constitute such groups.

In what can be described as a huge downer for the Pakistan chicanery, it is interesting to note that normally Maldives works closely with Pakistani diplomats at international fora.

Earlier this week, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had tweeted: "Pakistan has consistently appealed to @UN & @OIC_OCI to condemn Modi's Hindutva supremacist ideology with relentless Islamophobia & violence/regional instability perpetuated."
Brantford police have identified a 19-year-old man accused of murder in the death of his father.

Malcom Donald MacNeil of Brantford is charged with first-degree murder and failing to comply with bail conditions.

The victim has been identified as 54-year-old Donald John MacNeil.

The 19-year-old was stopped by Perth County OPP around midnight on May 26 after a traffic complaint.

OPP then contacted Brantford police, who attended a residence on Wayne Drive, near Fairview Drive, where they found the 54-year-old. Police said he had suffered multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Its unclear why the traffic stop led OPP to contact Brantford police.

Police initially did not release the names of the accused or victim, noting that because it involved people from within a family there was no public safety concerns.

On Thursday, Brantford police released both names.

The family asks that the public respect their privacy during this difficult time, police said.

The Brantford police major crime unit continues to investigate the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call 519-756-7050.

To remain anonymous contact Brantford-Brant Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or tipsubmit.com.
Face mask paintings depict Shahnameh character fighting coronavirus monster

05/29/20

By Manijeh Rezapoor, Tehran Times

TEHRAN - Ferdowsi's masterpiece Shahnameh and its seven adventures have been the source of inspiration for Iranian graphic designer Yazdan Saadi's new collection of paintings on face masks, which depict the mythical Iranian hero Rustam fighting coronavirus monsters.



A painting on a face mask by Iranian graphic designer Yazdan Saadi

"I have actually been inspired by the Shahnameh. The reason is that book is one of the oldest and biggest sources of epic Persian stories in the world, and for Iranians it is the best source filled with stories and wisdom for living," Saadi told the Tehran Times in an interview on Tuesday.

"The idea is derived from the Shahnameh but it is not the story of Rustam and Sohrab or Rustam and Esfandiar. All the masks show different stories inspired by the last story of 'The Seven Adventures of Rustam'. They tell stories of the fight of Rustam with the white monster, however, the white monster is the coronavirus this time which appears in different shapes in each painting," he explained.

"I have assumed that the dragon is the symbol of the new virus, which is coming from China into our country Iran, and that Rustam is fighting with it once with his bludgeon, once with a spear and once with a sword, and in all the battles, Rustam conquers it and is the winner," he said.

"Actually in most stories, Rustam conquers the corona monsters. And even where he is fighting the female evil he is still the winner," he remarked.

Saadi further noted that the works are all in small sizes and that he could not make long stories but he has tried to add different elements like shapes of buildings or trees in the background with different day and night times to make slight changes.

"Each work has its own story. For example, Zahhak is sitting instead of the coronavirus, and when Rustam is holding the snakes on the shoulders of Zahhak in his hands, two more snakes are coming out of Zahhak's mouth, and it means whatever we try to conquer this new virus, it still comes out in other forms," he added.

In Persian legend, Zahhak is the name of an Arab king who conquered and ruled over ancient Iran. The story is recounted in the Shahnameh. Kaveh is the hero in this particular story, who rescues his Kurdish people in Iran from Zahhak's control.

"All these concepts and paintings are made based on the news I receive and hear every day," Saadi said.

The other one is the fight of Rustam with a woman who is evil.

"In this story, we don't see a battle in its real meaning; it is as if they both have the same power, also mentioning that overcoming the new virus is hard," he said.

He explained that in simple words he has tried to say the new virus will not fade away in a short time and it needs more time and people still have to fight with it.

He also explained why he chose face masks for his new collection.

"In the process of my artistic career, this was not something unusual. I always pay great attention to the materials I use in my works. The idea was not strange for me. We didn't have the habit to live with face masks and only doctors and craftsmen used them in their jobs, and this was a new thing added to our life, something to wear outdoors which was annoying at first," he explained.

"Although I was in quarantine, I used to wear a face mask for shopping and it was something extra which we were not used to and of course, still not used to. Perhaps it is one way to tell the story of an additional outdoor wear we must wear in addition to our previous clothes," he added.

"Although the new virus has captured and influenced our lifestyle, I decided to conquer the idea of wearing a face mask as I thought this must be a concept of battle and fighting," he said.

"In our culture, we still do not have the habit of wearing a mask and not many are using face masks. Perhaps masks can protect us from the new virus, and these two ideas were combined in this new collection," he said.

"I have displayed my works on my Instagram. The collection was seen on my Instagram and many liked the idea, and even some from other countries liked my paintings and shared them," he remarked.

"A friend asked me to display my works at the Los Angeles branch of Seyhun Gallery, however, I would prefer to display my works in a gallery in Iran too, when there will be a chance," he said.



Iranian graphic designer Yazdan Saadi wears one of his face mask painting.

Saadi further added that it has been over 4 months that he is in quarantine.

"I am the person who used to go to the coffee shops every day. I liked the idea sitting in the coffee shops and watch people and the quarantine was hard for me at first, but I produced three collections. And I still would like to continue the quarantine because I obtained good results and I could concentrate on large works," he mentioned.

Asked about his suggestions to the youth during the pandemic, he said, "I also propose and suggest the youth to do what I have done myself. I am a positive person, though coronavirus has crippled our lives. I have not even had the chance to visit my family but I am looking at its other positive side, of course. Our type of living has changed and we will never get back to the past form of living."

"We found out that we used to enjoy our life. We had a simple and easy life compared to the present time. But even after years that the new virus is controlled, we still cannot repeat our previous life and will have to experience a new type of living," he noted.

"But, I think this is good. We should have done it before and this has been part of our present lives, to wash whatever we buy in the shops. This will remain in our lives. We are not the same persons and will not be the persons we were five months ago.

"The other thing is that we can help the environment with little changes. Mother Earth is breathing and there has been a big awareness. Man has entered a new era with coronavirus. He has become aware that he should think of many things. He should not think that everything will be the same but should anticipate and stop many things before he begins to do something."

Asked about the artist's duty during the pandemic, he said that he believes artists have no duty under any circumstances, however, some show reactions and some show no reaction, or show a delayed reaction.

"People found out that without art they cannot live and began to pay more attention to music and books, and musicians began to give online concerts for free.

"This helped us tolerate those hard days. I think one of the lessons for the public was that without art life is not possible and that artists, musicians and filmmakers helped us go through those days with less anxiety and less depression. Their imaginations flew away and we listened to good music and read good texts and spent those days in much better and easier ways," he concluded.
Yves here. I am featuring this post on Mauritius in part due to Colonel Smithers, but also because the way Mauritius responded to Covid-19 really puts the US to shame. On the one hand, they did have the ability to cordon themselves, even though that came at the high cost to their substantial tourist industry. On the other hand, they also quickly organized a number of relief programs, including food distribution to the poor and housebound.

By Jaime de Melo, Senior Fellow, FERDI; Emeritus professor, University of Geneva; Verena Tandrayen-Ragoobur, Associate Professor in Economics, University of Mauritius; and Boopen Seetanah, Professor, University of Mauritius. Originally published at VoxEU

When they are strict and prolonged, the public health and social measures to contain Covid-19 have proven difficult to respect. This column gives evidence of the different outcomes, as of 23 May, across a sample of 20 tourist-dependent island states with populations of between 100,000 and 10 million. If tourist-dependent islands have been hit hard by the shock, most have fared well, particularly those  like Mauritius  that acted early and imposed a strict lockdown.

The pandemic brings new information every day. Factors contributing to the large differences in trajectories are the subject of intense investigation (e.g. Helsinki Graduate School of Economics Situation Room 2020). This column summarises findings from our study of island states that have received relatively little attention (Melo et al. 2020). We cover the Mauritian case is covered in some detail, and compare it with 19 other island states from Our World in Data (OWD) with populations in the range of 100,000 to 10 million. The sharing of common characteristics across islands, limiting the sample to islands not exceeding 10 million people, is a first-pass crude attempt at apples versus apples comparisons. Since some islands still have active cases, this is a progress report. We start with Mauritius, which closed all cases within 40 days (but see concluding paragraph), and then show that other islands that acted early, taking tough lockdowns with relatively long containment periods, have exited recently.

The Mauritian Case

Mauritius followed the Act fast. Act now. Keep the lights on approach rather than the act slow, immunisation strategy followed by Sweden and, to a lesser extent, the UK. The health authorities followed the contact-tracing route. Figure 1 shows no active cases as of 17 May, with the last reported case on 25 April. Tests have been carried out on approximately 8% of the population, placing Mauritius in the top 7% in the OWD database and first in Africa with respect to COVID testing. With 10 deaths, the countrys naive case fatality rate (CFR), a standard estimate of the lethality of a pandemic, is 3%. Notably, the low death rate during the first quarter was helped by the lower death toll from road accidents.1

Figure 1 Timeline of confinement measures

Source: Authors compilation from BeSafeMoris and press announcements, 2020

Notes: (1) WAP: Work Access Permit; (2) WFH: Work From Home; (3) WAS: Wage Assistance Scheme. The scheme targets businesses in the private sector and their employees drawing a monthly basic wage of up to Rs 50,000; (4) SEAS: Self Employed Assistance Scheme. The aim of the scheme is to assist self-employed persons who have suffered a loss in revenue as a consequence of the lockdown.; (5) *Customers are allowed to enter supermarkets as per alphabetical order on specific days. They must have their national identity cards and wear masks. Basic essential products are also limited to three units per person.

Baldwin (2020) views containment policies as balancing infections and tolerability. Public health and social measures must stay in a corridor where they are stringent enough to avoid overwhelming hospitals, but lax enough to avoid exceeding citizens tolerance levels.

Health-Related Measures

Figure 1 shows the timeline of the containment measures in Mauritius. The combination of preventing foreign travellers early on and the stay-at-home measures have prevented overload of the healthcare system  by reducing what Pueyo (2020) calls seeding and spreading. Screening started on 22 January, with suspected tourists quarantined. These precautionary measures must have contributed to a relatively small pool of suspected when the first three cases were announced on 18 March. Two days later, a strict lockdown (only health and essential workers could leave their residences) was put in place for seven days.2 A reopening of supermarkets was allowed under strict conditions from 30 March. The lockdown was extended twice until 1 June, with the re-opening of the economy taking place in phases, starting with government services and other essential services on 15 May. Cabinet and health officials aired daily progress reports every evening in the three languages (creole, French and Hindi). People were warned of severe penalties for breaking the confinement measures and for issuing false news.

Wealth-Related Measures

Daily press communiques by the COVID National Communication Committee helped calm the population. At the start of the lockdown, the government announced the immediate distribution of 35,000 food packs to families in poverty (as per the Social Register of Mauritius), to the disabled and to at-home residents. All labour contracts set to expire this year were extended through to December 2020. Wage and income support measures to employers were introduced, ranging from US$125 to $315 for workers with salaries below $625 (15 days salary basis) per month to $315 for those in the $625-1,300 range (through the Government Wage Assistance Scheme). Workers earning over $1,300 received no support. Self-employed individuals as well as trade persons in both the formal and the informal sector received financial support of U$130 (equivalent to half of the monthly national minimum wage) through the Self-Employed Assistance Scheme (SEAC). These measures were extended until 31 May. The government also announced about 1.6% of GDP increase in spending along with extra tax deductions for SMEs.

Mauritius does not have unemployment insurance, but free health coverage is universal and all citizens over 60 receive a pension of around $300 per month. These social support measures compare favourably with those provided in higher-income countries.

Hit hard by the fall in tourism receipts, estimated to result in a reduction in GDP above 10% for 2020, Mauritius was successful in eliminating the spread of Covid-19 in 40 days. The government acted early and decisively at the outset. Stringent policies aided by geographical factors contributed to meeting the health constraint. Substantial income support contributed to meeting the wealth constraint, keeping the country in the narrow stringency corridor.

How Unique Is Mauritius? Comparisons With Other Islands

Figures 2-5 compare episodes across 20 islands, from the start of the first declared case in each country up until 23 May. Data are spotty. Figure 2 reports data on country characteristics (population and per capita GDP), estimates of total tests per 10,000 where available, total cases per 10,000, and the value of the composite ordinal Stringency Index (SI) on containment and closure measures (the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, OXCGRT) at the end of the first week of reported cases. Figure 3 compares the SI index against the measure of mobility reported in the Google mobility tracker at the end of week 1 and week 4. Figure 4 reports a crude estimate of lethality  namely, the case fatality rate (CFR). Figure 5 reports the evolution of closed cases (recovered plus deaths over total cases) on a weekly basis. At best, available data allow for caveat-ridden comparisons.

As an example of diversity across islands, Ireland and New Zealand, with similar populations, had their first cases one day apart. Neither tested extensively, but New Zealand started with more restrictive policies, ramping up with yet more restrictive policies as reflected in a greater reduction in mobility (Figure 3). Figure 4 shows that Ireland has the highest number of cases and is among those with a high CFR. By contrast, New Zealand has both few cases and a low CFR. Contrast also Puerto Rico (2.8 million) with Bahrain (1.7 million). Puerto Rico has fewer cases but a higher CFR than Bahrain, the lowest in the sample.

Next, compare successful countries. Fiji reported 18 cases, no fatalities and has only 3 active cases (Figure 5). With a CFR of 0.5% (Figure 3), Iceland, an early reporter, is among the most successful. It succeeded with the combination of the highest testing rate and relatively loose containment measures (the lowest SI score after 2 months, possible because randomised testing allowed the infected to be isolated).

In sum, no patterns appear across the islands beyond the observation that low testing rates are generally associated with a low case rate. With the exception of Mauritius, containment measures tightened over the weeks. Figure 2 reveals no correlation between current case rates and population. Neither is there a correlation between case rates and per capita GDP, or between the case rate and the number of days date since the date of the first reported case. However, the correlation between the case rate and population density (not reported here) is 0.6.

Figure 2 Anatomy of Covid-19 in island nations (populations between 10,000 and 10 million)

Source: Authors Compilation of data for 21 Islands from Our Word in Data (OWD), Worldometer and Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, 2020.

Notes: (1) Left-hand axis: Number of confirmed Covid-19 cases per million as of 23 May. (2) Left-hand axis: Total Cumulative tests per 10,000 as of latest date available. The data is not strictly comparable because of different reporting and multiple tests per person. Different data sources- Wikipedia, Our Word in Data (OWD) and Worldometer, 2020. Data on the number of Covid-19 tests effected is not available for Comoros. The cumulative Covid-19 tests per 10,000 are on the very low side for Suriname, Sao Tome and Principe, Guinea Bissau and Haiti. (3) Right-hand axis: Stringency Index (range: 0-100: higher values indicate stricter confinement measures). Data taken one week after first reported Covid-19 case in OWD. (4) Data on Stringency Index (SI) is not available for Bahamas, Fiji, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Maldives, Malta and Sao Tome and Principe. (5) First Covid-19 Case for each country is included at the top of each bar chart. (6) Horizontal axis: Population in thousand, Country Code, GDP per capita in thousand USD. Figures rounded to nearest thousand for population and GDP per capita. (7) Country Codes and Names: BHS- Bahamas; BHR- Bahrain; BRB  Barbados; CPV- Cape Verde; COM- Comoros; CYP- Cyprus (excluding North); DOM- Dominican Republic; FJI  Fiji; GNB- Guinea Bissau; HTI- Haiti; ICE- Iceland; IRE- Ireland; JAM- Jamaica; MDV- Maldives; MLT  Malta; MUS- Mauritius; NZL- New Zealand; PRI- Puerto Rico; STP- Sao Tome and Principe; SGP- Singapore; SUR- Suriname; TTO- Trinidad and Tobago.

Figure 3 plots the value of the SI index against the average reduction in weekly mobility relative to the average during the month of January for two dates: week 1 and week 4. This is a first check of the effectiveness of measures to prevent spreading. The association is strong for both periods (0.91 and 0.93), confirming that the SI value is a useful proxy of the strictness of containment measures as captured by aggregate mobility.

Figure 3 Stringency Index and average mobility reduction one week and one month after first reported Covid case

Source: Authors Calculation from Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, 2020 and Google Mobility Report 2020.

Notes: (1) Data on mobility is the average reduction in mobility relative to the reference period (average over Jan 3 to Feb 3). SI index ranges from 0 and 100. Higher values indicate stronger confinement measures. (2) Data on Mobility for Singapore is taken for the 6 weeks after the first Covid case. (3) No SI data for Bahamas, Guinea Bissau, Fiji, Haiti, Maldives, Malta, and Sao Tome and Principe. (4) No data on Mobility for Bahamas, Iceland, Maldives, Cuba, Cyprus and Suriname

The SI was low for all countries in week 1 except for Puerto Rico and Mauritius. However, for Puerto Rico, a pronounced reduction in mobility was only registered in week 4.3 Second, except for Mauritius, all countries ramped up restrictions between week 1 and week 4. This was accompanied by a decrease in mobility from 10-20% to 70-90%. Stay-at-home was greater than in the US, which registered a 30% decline in mobility over the same period. Third, Mauritius is the only country that put the brakes on immediately, relaxing restrictions marginally by week 4.

Figure 4 gives an estimate of the lethality by reporting the CFR based on total confirmed deaths. This is a crude estimate of deaths because cases will have gone undetected (not tested or tested but returning a false negative) and deaths are recorded differently across countries. Still, the cluster of countries with 10-20 reported deaths suggests that these late comers in the pandemic have managed to contain the spread relatively well. The figure also shows a large range in CFR estimates. Assuming that Iceland, Cyprus, Malta, New Zealand, Mauritius and Singapore have the more reliable estimates cases because of more extensive testing, even if was not random (except for Iceland), still leaves a very wide range (0.25% to 3%) of CFR estimates.

Figure 4 Total confirmed Covid-19 deaths versus cases, 23 May 2020

Source: Our World in Data, 2020

Note: Due to no reported deaths, Fiji is not in the figure.

Figure 5 shows the evolution of closed cases (recovered plus deaths over total cases) on a weekly basis. On the top, starting from the left, a group with a smooth weekly progression path features Iceland, Mauritius, Trinidad and Tobago and New Zealand and Fiji. Indicators suggest these countries have controlled the spread and exited. Ireland and Malta still have many cases but appear to be on the path of closing cases, though with a high CFR for Ireland. Malta (CFR of 1%) and Cyprus (CFR of 2%) have managed relatively well. Maldives shows new cases, probably a result of increased testing. Singapore, well-covered in the press, is an example of spreading through close group contacts in a high-density environment. The others are still active.

Figure 5 Share of closed cases (weekly averages since first reported case)

Source: Authors calculations from Worldometer

Notes: Weekly averages since week of first reported case. Number of active cases as of 23 May in parenthesis

In sum, in spite of common characteristics, the group of islands covered here followed different containment strategies and mostly avoided a run on their healthcare systems. Among the more successful, Fiji, Mauritius, and New Zealand followed a strict path of contact tracing. Mauritius also followed a strict 40-day long confinement strategy early on, accompanied by substantial income support. This combination kept the country in the stringency corridor. New Zealand achieved the same. Fiji, Iceland, New Zealand and Trinidad and Tobago have also succeeded following a more progressive containment path. Others tended to follow less-aggressive containment strategies.

As a reminder that this is a work in progress, as we were finalising this column on the evening of 24 May we learnt that two passengers on a return flight from India to Mauritius on 10 May tested positive in quarantine on 23 May. These passengers had tested negative before leaving on 9 May and again during quarantine. It was only on the second and last test before exiting quarantine that they tested positive. This news has not been well received by Mauritians, who were already pleading with the government that, with no new cases since 25 April, the containment measures should not be continued until 1 June. Navigating the health and wealth constraints is also proving difficult on islands!

Editors note: This version of the column, written on 24 May, replaces the original version written on 17 May. A shorter, wider-audience version appeared in Le Defi Media Group on 20 May.

See original post for references
Ontarios civilian police watchdog said Friday it is still too early to confirm or deny allegations Toronto police officers played a role in the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a woman who plummeted 24 storeys to her death from a High Park highrise while police were present Wednesday.

A great deal of information has made its way into the public domain, but it is too soon for the SIU to confirm or deny the validity of what is being said, Monica Hudon, a spokesperson for the Special Investigations Unit, said in a statement Friday that urged all parties to avoid rushing to any conclusions.

In the wake of mounting controversy over the 29-year-old womans death  and a day before a peaceful protest is scheduled to take place in downtown Toronto  police chief Mark Saunders told reporters he was fast-tracking his forces intention to equip all front-line police officers with body-worn cameras.

Korchinski-Paquets death is a textbook case for why the devices are necessary, Saunders said, though he didnt provide any details about how and when the equipment will be rolled out.

Korchinski-Paquets grieving family has called for answers and justice after the death of a well-loved daughter, sister and friend. Knia Singh, a Toronto human rights lawyer who is the family spokesperson, said Korchinski-Paquets mother called police on Wednesday night because her daughter was in distress over a family conflict and needed to be taken to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Saunders would not comment Friday on whether mental health was directly mentioned in three 911 calls made to police by three separate callers, which summoned police to the scene. According to Saunders, at least two of the three calls to police mentioned knives, and the incident was treated as a priority one call meaning officers were dispatched within seconds and on scene within four minutes.

Asked why the Toronto polices mobile crisis intervention team (MCIT)  a team that includes a mental-health nurse to help de-escalate tense situations  didnt respond to the call, Saunders said situations where there are knives and a high probability of violence present too much of a danger  there is no way that I would put a nurse in a knife fight, he said.

The SIU has revealed little about what transpired in the moments immediately before Korchinski-Paquets death, saying only that officers were inside an apartment unit on the 24th floor when they observed a woman on the balcony and a short time later, the woman fell from the balcony to the ground below.

According to Korchinski-Paquets family, she was alone with a group of officers in the familys apartment immediately before her death. Police stopped her brother, who was outside in the hall with his mother, from going into the unit; moments later, he and his mother heard her call out for help.

Singh, the family spokesperson, said the family believes the situation may have turned out differently if the officers hadnt followed Korchinski-Paquet into the unit after initially meeting her in the hallway. They also dont think they should have been prevented from entering the apartment.

Korchinski-Paquets family wants to understand how a call for assistance turned into a loss of life, he said.

The SIU said Friday that six Toronto police officers are involved in the incident, which occurred just after 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Five of those officers have been designated as witness officers while one is the subject officer, meaning his actions are at the centre of the civilian watchdogs investigation. That officer was expected to be interviewed by SIU investigators Friday.

Four of the five witness officers have already been interviewed, Hudon said.

The SIU has also examined the scene and done a canvass of the area to find witnesses and video footage, and investigators have spoken to several civilians who were able to shed some light on what transpired, Hudon said.

The people of Ontario can be assured that the SIU  a civilian agency separate from the police  will conduct an independent and thorough investigation of this matter. The findings of that investigation will be released as soon as it is concluded, she said.

In a statement to the media Friday, the union representing Toronto police officers decried allegations circulating online that officers pushed a woman to her death, saying it perpetuates a false narrative.

Due process to determine what transpired is of utmost importance, said the statement, signed by Toronto Police Association president Mike McCormack and the unions board of directors.

Saunders has said he legally cannot provide information about his officers conduct while the SIU investigation is ongoing, though on Friday he said theres a whole lot I want to say, saying that an information vacuum can be filled with misinformation and a lot of it is lies.

The civilian Toronto Police Service Board requesting that the SIU work as expeditiously as possible, and that it provide regular public updates regarding the investigations status.

Everyone wants, and deserves, answers in this case, reads a statement from the Toronto police board.

Korchinski-Paquets death has garnered significant attention online. Within a few hours of her death, #JusticeForRegis was trending on Twitter across Canada and a peaceful protest from Christie Pits to Queens Park had been organized for Saturday afternoon.

Wendy Gillis is a Toronto-based reporter covering crime and policing for the Star. Reach her by email at wgillis@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @wendygillis
BRUSSELS - The EU competition chief said Friday that she is not creating extra hurdles for Lufthansa after the airline balked at accepting a 9 billion-euro German government rescue package because of what it said were tough EU conditions.

Margrethe Vestager said that EU rules require bailouts to include measures that would maintain a level playing field. She said they are the same for every company getting more than 250 million euros ($275 million) in rescue capital.

Its to be able to balance the situation and to make sure the single market is still working, Vestager told a news conference. And there is very broad consensus about this.

During the pandemic, the EU has relaxed some of its rules that seek to keep countries from rescuing homegrown companies and providing them with a competitive advantage against foreign ones. Relaxing those rules was meant to help the 27 member countries weather the economic shock triggered by the health crisis.

But Vestager noted that they could not be completely disregarded either, particularly since Lufthansa has a lot of market power in Europe.

There is a high risk that if you hold market power, that if you are a big impressive company, and that you get a lot of aid, that competition will be disturbed, she said.

Earlier this week, Lufthansa had said that the EU conditions attached to the bailout would lead to a weakening of the hub function at Lufthansas home airports, amid reports that the EU executive was trying to force the company to give up its prized landing slots at Munich and Frankfurt airports.

We very often have a discussion about slots when it comes to airlines and competition, Vestager said. That does not exclude other remedies.

Vestager said the EU wants to find a solution in the Lufthansa case and that the EU Commission remained in close contact with German authorities.

Germanys Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said the aid package is a sustainable and reasonable solution to keep the company going. Conditions include the airline not paying a dividend and restrictions on management pay. The package conditions would also let the government block the possibility of an unwanted takeover.

Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr told employees April 24 that the company was losing cash at the rate of a million euros ($1.1 million) per hour and that passenger numbers had fallen to 1% of previous levels.
Twenty Asian American and Pacific Islanders who served in the Obama administration announced their endorsement Friday of former Vice President Joe Biden, the apparent Democratic presidential nominee.

Among those declaring their support in a joint statement shared first with NBC Asian America were former Deputy Secretary of Labor Chris Lu; the former executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Kiran Ahuja; and Dr. Tung Nguyen, chair of the Presidents Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The group cited, in part, Bidens work on the Affordable Care Act and his leadership during the Great Recession as reasons for the endorsement.

All of us saw Joe Bidens empathy, his decency, and his commitment to expanding opportunity for all Americans, the group wrote. He has a deep appreciation for the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and a keen understanding of the challenges still facing the AAPI community. Now more than ever, we need a president who values our nations diversity and will fight to create a more fair and just country.

They added: We are proud to endorse him for president and support him in this fight to restore the soul of our nation.

Another powerful group of Asian Americans, ASPIRE, the political arm of Asian American and Pacific Islander Members of Congress, also announced their support for Biden on Friday. Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., chair of the political action committee, wrote in a statement that Bidens allyship with the AAPI community

We need a president that will unite Americans, instead of taking every opportunity to divide us from one another. Joe Biden will lead us through this unprecedented crisis with science, integrity, and compassion, Meng said in the statement. He has been a strong ally of AAPIs throughout his service in the Senate and Obama administration, and he understands that diversity makes our country great. As president, he will stand with AAPIs and ensure that Americans from all communities are treated with dignity and respect.

Story continues

Christine Chen, executive director of APIAVote, said that these endorsements could prove effective for the Biden campaign, since "having endorsements from trusted AAPI leaders shows folks that this is also another level of civic engagement participation.

The Asian American electorate is becoming an increasingly powerful demographic group. Pew Research revealed in a recent report that the number of Asian American eligible voters ballooned by 139 percent in the past 20 years, making them the fastest growing demographic group of eligible voters compared to all other major races and ethnicities. Theyre also the only group composed of a majority of naturalized immigrants. Chen has noted that the group has amassed enough influence to have a profound impact in some races. In some cases, they could potentially swing districts.

Chen acknowledged that the Biden campaign, as well as others, has hired AAPI outreach directors this election cycle, even though more efforts to connect should be made.

Biden has addressed AAPI issues a handful of times in the campaign. He recently co-wrote a piece with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., for NBC Think, condemning the racism and discrimination directed toward the Asian American community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also slammed President Donald Trumps use of phrases like the Chinese virus, writing that the language stokes xenophobia.

However, Biden has also gotten heat for a campaign ad that claimed Trump rolled over for the Chinese and failed to hold the nation accountable for their handling of the pandemic. The ad prompted criticisms from many Asian Americans who said such messages could put those in the community in harms way.

There are the Asian American and Pacific Islanders who served in the Obama administration and have endorsed Biden:

Kiran Ahuja, Executive Director, White House Initiative on Asian Americans and PacificIslanders

Gaurab Bansal, Deputy White House Cabinet Secretary

Nisha Desai Biswal, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs

Aneesh Chopra, U.S. Chief Technology Officer

Steve Chu, Secretary of Energy

Nani Coloretti, Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Nancy-Ann DeParle, White House Deputy Chief of Staff

Chris Kang, Deputy Counsel to the President

Esther Kiaaina, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas

Harold Hongju Koh, Legal Adviser, Department of State

Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health

Gary Locke, Secretary of Commerce; U.S. Ambassador to China

Chris Lu, Deputy Secretary of Labor

Seema Nanda, Chief of Staff, Department of Labor

Dr. Tung Nguyen, Chair, Presidents Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Sonal Shah, Director, White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation

Rhea Suh, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, Management and Budget

Doua Thor, Executive Director, White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific

Islanders

Rich Verma, U.S. Ambassador to India

Jenny Yang, Chair, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The 17 state colleges and universities under the Board of Regents for Higher Education plan to start the fall 2020 semester with in-person classes but end with distance learning to beat a likely second wave from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement released Friday, the system  which includes four state regional universities and a dozen community colleges  will start its fall semester on Aug. 24 in person, as was originally planned.

Classes will follow the common calendar through Thanksgiving, with the end of the semester and exams online. Arrangements for residential students to move in are still to be determined.

Like all other institutions of higher education across the country, we are navigating uncertain times and preparing for an upcoming academic year like no other, said Mark Ojakian, the system president, in a written announcement.

Ojakian said campus teams and CSCU steering committees put together recommendations for academic affairs, enrollment management, student life, student support services, logistics, technology, operations, and facilities based on public health guidance and in accordance with Gov. Ned Lamonts Reopen Connecticut Advisory Committee plan.

The 12 community colleges  among them Norwalk, Housatonic in Bridgeport, and Gateway in New Haven  will be permitted to offer in-person courses beginning June 1 for those who need to complete spring programs or enroll in workforce development programs.

Classes at the colleges and universities this fall will be delivered in a variety of in-person, online, remote, hybrid and flexible course design models.

The community colleges and universities will be prepared to pivot to offer fully remote courses and services if public health conditions warrant.

Before campuses are opened, each must have a written plan in place that speaks to the monitoring health and steps to be taken if a flareup of the COVID-19 pandemic should occur.

We have many questions to answer and arrangements to make before we reopen, Ojakian said. We will share additional details in the coming weeks as we prepare for the fall.

At Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, Spokesman Paul Steinmetz said while all the universities will follow the directives, there will be minor modifications at each campus.

The steps being taken by the CSCU system mirror plans being made by a number of colleges in Connecticut and around the country intend to follow.

Sacred Heart University and Quinnipiac University in Hamden both announced last week intentions to condense the fall semester so that students do not have to return to campus after Thanksgiving. There, too, the last two weeks of the semester and finals will be held online.

Fairfield University said Friday they were still finalizing their plans but do plan to return to on-campus teaching and instruction in the fall.

(Fairfield University)is considering various scenarios to insure academic continuity and community vibrancy, said spokeswoman Jennifer Anderson.

Staff writer Julia Perkins contributed to this report.

lclambeck@ctpost.com:twitter/lclambeck
Kabul [Afghanistan], May 30 (Sputnik/ANI): Two children died after a bomb exploded on a motorcycle in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Friday, Jamal Nasir, the spokesman for the local police, told Sputnik, adding that the blast also injured five civilians.



"Two children were killed and 5 other people were injured in the explosion," Nasir said, adding that the bomb exploded in the evening hours.

According to the spokesman, the incident happened in the fifth district of the city.

No group has taken responsibility for the attack yet. (Sputnik/ANI)


(Bloomberg) -- Tensions between Twitter Inc. and Donald Trump soared after the social-media platform warned users that the president broke its rules against violent speech, prompting critics to accuse the company of unfairly censoring one of its most prominent users.

On Friday Twitter slapped a rule-violation notice on a Trump tweet warning protesters in Minnesota that when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Earlier this week Twitter added a fact-check label to two Trump posts that made unsubstantiated claims about mail-in voting. Infuriated, Trump responded with an executive order Thursday that aims to curb some of the legal protections social media sites have regarding content on their sites.

Twitter has long faced calls to both clean up the toxic culture on its site and to remove Trump, who has tweeted falsehoods and misleading information to his 80 million followers. After years of largely staying on the sidelines, the company has recently become more active in policing commentary from public officials.

The shift has inevitably outraged many of Trumps supporters, who claim the site is biased against conservative voices. Twitters crackdown also opens it up to charges that its fact-checking is inconsistent. On Friday, just hours after Trumps Minnesota tweet was flagged, the chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission challenged Twitter over a bellicose posting from Irans top leader asking if it also violated the companys rules.

Serious question for @Twitter: Do these tweets from Supreme Leader of Iran@khamenei_ir violate Twitter Rules about glorifying violence? Ajit Pai said in a tweet. He attached screen shots of May 22 tweets from Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei predicting the eventual elimination of Israel.

Some of Twitters initial flags on officials posts were related to misinformation about Covid-19 that the company deemed potentially harmful. Racial violence is another area open to abuse on the site and a topic Twitter Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey has taken personally. In 2014 he marched in protests and documented rising tensions in Ferguson, Missouri, after the police shooting of an unarmed black man.

Story continues

Trumps tweet early Friday referred to increasingly violent protests in Minneapolis over the killing in police custody of George Floyd, who was black. The authorities on Friday charged police officer Derek Chauvin with Floyds murder, according to the Associated Press.

The president used Twitter to assail Minneapoliss mayor, Jacob Frey, as weak and said he had told Minnesota Governor Tim Walz that the military is with him all the way,  and that if there was any difficulty, we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

Twitter obscured the offending message on Trumps profile with the following warning: This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.

The official White House Twitter account later retweeted Trumps post about looting and shooting. It also was marked with a warning.

Weve taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts, Twitter said in a statement on its @TwitterComms account. It said the company had kept Trumps tweet live because it is important that the public still be able to see the Tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance.

The presidents tweets about the situation in Minneapolis prompted a strong response from other Twitter users, but those replies have since been hidden or removed by the company. The options to reply and like the tweet have also been disabled, while the retweet and quote-tweet functions have been left active.

VIOLENCE SPREADS

The Telegraph newspaper in the U.K. called Twitters move perhaps the bravest and riskiest thing that any tech giant has ever done.

Following up from his executive order, Trump on Friday morning called on lawmakers on Capitol Hill to revoke Twitters liability shield under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which allows companies like Twitter and Facebook Inc. to display content thats controversial, offensive and libelous without fear of lawsuits.

Dorsey this year survived a skirmish with activist investor Elliott Management Corp., partly with an agreement to appoint Elliott representative Jesse Cohn and Egon Durban of the private equity firm Silver Lake to its board. He also agreed to meet certain performance-improvement metrics. Paul Singer, who founded Elliott in 1977, is often described as a megadonor to the Republican party.

As part of the agreement, Cohn and Durban said they would recuse themselves of any direct or indirect influence on the content of the Twitter platform, including its policies, rules or enforcement decisions. The company said in a statement at the time that both Elliott and Silver Lake said they were doing so to emphasize the importance of maintaining the independence and impartiality of the Twitter platform and its rules and enforcement.

Protests have been gathering force across the country following the death of Floyd, who died when a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck in an encounter that was captured on video. The event set off scattered looting and demonstrations in Minneapolis, culminating in the burning of a police station on Friday. Demonstrators have gathered in cities from New York to Los Angeles, to Memphis, Tennessee and Louisville, Kentucky, to call attention to the killings of black men and women at the hands of police. Some of the gatherings were peaceful, but others were marked by violence, including in Columbus, Ohio, where crowds surged up the steps of the State Capitol and broke windows, according to the New York Times.

Trumps shooting and looting tweet echoed remarks in the late 1960s by the controversial and tough-talking Miami Police Chief Walter Headley. We havent had any serious problems with civil uprising and looting because Ive let the word filter down that when the looting starts, the shooting starts, Headley said in 1967.

Trump later attempted to explain the earlier tweet, saying on Twitter, looting leads to shooting, and thats why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night. He continued in another tweet, It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement. Its very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media.

The spreading violence was another sign of simmering tensions in the U.S., where much of the country has been on lockdown for more than two months and unemployment has reached historic highs. Some see Trumps reaction to Twitter as a tactic to deflect attention from the countrys woes in the months leading up to the presidential election this fall.

This is a fight he wants. Not only on Twitter, but on mail-in ballots, said Californias Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, speaking on The View Friday morning. Its a deflecting tool, but its also a mobilizing tool for his base. We have to walk through this next process of how we respond with those eyes wide open and that in mind.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
The city's death rate has been staggering: higher than those of almost every U.S. state, higher than in greater Chicago, Los Angeles or Toronto.

The place is Montreal, the business and cultural center of Quebec, where the coronavirus pandemic has struck the elderly with unusual savagery. The struggle to contain the outbreak has forced the provincial government to resort to desperate measures.

Montreal's virus toll -- the city accounts for more than half of Canada's deaths from covid-19 -- is a story of lack of preparation, early mistakes and a bit of bad luck. It has also exposed gaps in how Canada cares for its older citizens, despite a government-funded health care system that is sometimes praised by U.S. progressives as a model.

The city's elder-care homes are so short of workers that Premier Francois Legault brought in Canadian troops and pleaded for volunteers to assist. That has left it up to people like Nicolas St-Onge to help quell an outbreak that has killed more than 3,800 people in greater Montreal, with dozens more still dying every day.

St-Onge, 25, usually works as a pharmacist. Lately he's been spending his days feeding, washing and grooming residents of facilities in the suburbs. He isn't trained for it. His first day involved changing a patient wearing seven layers of diapers.

"It's a 100% exit out of my comfort zone," he said in an interview. "But it's the most gratifying thing I've done in my life -- we can see our impact on the ground immediately."

Thursday was typical. The province announced 74 new covid-19 deaths in the previous day; 70 lived in homes for seniors. Since the pandemic started, four in five fatalities have been residents of retirement and long-term care homes.

Some 90% of Quebec's virus deaths have occurred in the Montreal region, where almost half of the province's population lives. Montreal has recorded 762 deaths per million people, nearly three times the rate of Toronto and 50% higher than the greater Chicago area, according to the Montreal Metropolitan Community.

One factor in Quebec's plight was an ill-timed school break in the first week of March, when international borders were still open. By the middle of March, when many Canadian provinces and U.S. states began lockdown measures, infected travelers returning from the U.S., France or the Caribbean had already been back in Quebec for days.

That may have been enough to boost the so-called "force of infection" and increase the chances of getting sick, according to Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto.

"It doesn't take that much more, because it's an exponential spread," Furness said. "One week and a few dozen cases can make a huge difference."

Asymptomatic virus carriers probably introduced it in long-term care facilities. Among them were staff members, who spread the infection long after family visits were banned. Other virus hot spots have had similar problems with long-term care facilities. In the U.S., more than one-third of covid-19 deaths have been linked to them, a New York Times analysis found.

In Quebec, care staff were allowed to continue to work at multiple locations. That was a critical error. The practice was banned early on in the pandemic by the province of British Columbia, which is one reason it boasts one of the lowest covid-19 death rates of any jurisdiction in North America with more than 5 million people.

On the island of Montreal, which excludes some suburbs, one in five infected people are health workers. The government ramped up testing in the hardest hit neighborhoods, which are densely populated and among the city's poorest.

Legault said Wednesday his government aims to recruit and train 10,000 workers for long-term care homes by mid-September. But he and other Canadian politicians have been forced to concede the elder-care system is broken.

Care homes, low on personal protective equipment supplies and already short-staffed before the crisis, proved to be the provincial government's blind spot, said Maude Laberge, an assistant professor at Quebec City-based Laval University. Early efforts focused on getting hospitals ready for a surge in cases, at times sending patients back to nursing homes to free up beds. That was a mistake.

"Long-term care facilities weren't prepared at all," said Laberge, a health services expert in the department of operations and decisions systems. "What's getting exposed today are all the problems that existed and got bigger with covid-19."

Local media reports of dehydrated patients left in their excrement, deserted by sick or scared staff, sent shock waves throughout the province and beyond. A shaken Legault made a public apology for failing to solve staffing issues known for years.

A key hurdle he's now trying to address is the unattractive pay of orderlies, who receive as little as CA$13 an hour ($9.40) for difficult work in some private facilities.

A similar tragedy unfolded in neighboring Ontario, the largest province. A report by the Canadian military, which Premier Doug Ford described Tuesday as "gut-wrenching," found evidence of underfed or neglected patients at five long-term care homes.

The worker shortage is a particular problem in Quebec: 19% of those 75 or older in the province live in a nursing home or seniors' residence, Statistics Canada data show. That compares to 12% in Ontario.

From where he sits, St-Onge, the pharmacist, doesn't see the end of the crisis yet. After two weeks at a long-term care facility, he was reassigned to a retirement home with six virus cases.

There, residents shared bathrooms and sick patients weren't isolated, said St-Onge, who spent part of the Sunday setting up disinfection and safety protocols but expects to see more cases. Watching people gather in parks during a sunny weekend was a sharp reminder of parallel realities as the economy reopens.

"I see the clash between the two," he said. "I'm concerned that our priority is to open stores before saving our seniors."
China BlueChemical Ltd. (HKG:3983) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 4 days. Investors can purchase shares before the 2nd of June in order to be eligible for this dividend, which will be paid on the 30th of June.

China BlueChemical's next dividend payment will be HK$0.076 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of HK$0.076 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, China BlueChemical has a trailing yield of 6.9% on the current stock price of HK$1.19. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

See our latest analysis for China BlueChemical

Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. China BlueChemical paid out a comfortable 50% of its profit last year. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. Over the last year, it paid out more than three-quarters (89%) of its free cash flow generated, which is fairly high and may be starting to limit reinvestment in the business.

It's positive to see that China BlueChemical's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

SEHK:3983 Historical Dividend Yield May 28th 2020

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Businesses with strong growth prospects usually make the best dividend payers, because it's easier to grow dividends when earnings per share are improving. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. That's why it's comforting to see China BlueChemical's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 46% per annum for the past five years.

Story continues

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Since the start of our data, ten years ago, China BlueChemical has lifted its dividend by approximately 0.8% a year on average. It's good to see both earnings and the dividend have improved - although the former has been rising much quicker than the latter, possibly due to the company reinvesting more of its profits in growth.

To Sum It Up

Should investors buy China BlueChemical for the upcoming dividend? Earnings per share have grown at a nice rate in recent times and over the last year, China BlueChemical paid out less than half its earnings and a bit over half its free cash flow. China BlueChemical looks solid on this analysis overall, and we'd definitely consider investigating it more closely.

In light of that, while China BlueChemical has an appealing dividend, it's worth knowing the risks involved with this stock. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for China BlueChemical you should be aware of.

A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Walt Disney World received approval from the state of Florida to reopen its four Orlando-based theme parks starting July 11.

Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom will open first, on July 11. Then, Epcot and Hollywood Studios will follow on July 15.

Disney submitted its reopening plans on Wednesday to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force and received an endorsement from Orange County Mayor Jerry Dennings shortly after the meeting.

Visitors and employees will need to wear face masks and undergo temperature checks prior to entering the park. The parks will also require visitors to purchase their tickets in advance of arriving at the parks.

Additional hand-washing stations will be added around the park and social distancing measures will be put in place at restaurants and in the lines for rides.

Even with these safety measures, the risk of contracting Covid-19 remains. That's why Disney has issued statements to tell patrons that there is an inherent risk of exposure to coronavirus in a public place.

The company is suspending parades and other events that would cause crowds to gather. Contactless payments via Apple Pay, Google Pay and Disney Magic Bands will be encouraged.

All existing dining reservations, including Disney dining plans, have been canceled through the end of 2020. New ones can be purchased closer to when parks reopen, and the booking window will shift from 180 days to 60 days.

All FastPass reservations for rides, shows and other experiences at the park and Extra Magic Hours, which allow hotel guests to enter the park early, have also been suspended.

Temporarily, Disney has stopped selling new tickets and hotel reservations so that existing ticket holders, who may have purchased tickets for the park before an opening date was set, and Disney World's annual passholders can make new reservations.
Several state senators who urged Gov. Ned Lamont to delay reopening the state now support the tribal casinos decision to open their doors June 1 in defiance of the governor.

The senators say the tribes situation is different in part because they are sovereign nations and in part because the state is seeing very few infections in New London County, where they are located.

Lamont has urged the casinos  in strong language with threats to appeal directly to their customers  to wait at least until June 20, when he expects the state will begin to allow indoor dining at restaurants.

Nine Senate Democrats signed a letter on May 14 urging Lamont to delay the planned May 20 Phase 1 reopening of the state. At least two of those now say they support the tribes decision to reopen and none has spoken publicly in support of Lamonts position.

I understand where the governor is coming from, but I also understand the economic impact that entire area has had so that I think we need to look at the data, said state Sen. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, a pulmonologist and an author of the May 14 letter.

The tribes are independent and sovereign nations so we do not have jurisdiction over them, Anwar said. I know that this particular region is thankfully one of the least impacted by the virus and this region has one of the highest economic impacts. So I am actually very interested in hearing their plan. I know they have been very much interested in protection.

Anwars district includes East Windsor, where the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes, operating jointly, received a state license to open a casino in 2017. That plan has been mired in legal squabbles for years.

Anwar said Thursday hed prefer to see the state open on a fractured basis, as opposed to statewide, but in the letter he helped author urging the delayed opening, the Democratic senators pointed out that some areas of the state outside Fairfield County are still seeing increases.

Moreover, Connecticut has still not implemented widescale testing of essential workers, let alone of the population as a whole, nor do we have a statewide track and trace system in place or universal testing of our most vulnerable populations in congregate settings, the senators wrote.

Anwars support of the casinos highlights complex political loyalties among Connecticuts legislators, as the state attempts to balance reopening the economy with public health concerns. The casinos have been in a battle for more than five years to maintain a duopoly in the state, and senators from both parties have lined up behind them.

It appears no state Senator has publicly come out in support of Lamonts opposition to the tribes reopening casinos.

Lamont spokesman Max Reiss, paraphrasing comments made earlier by Lamont, said, Some in the General Assembly said our reopening phases were too aggressive, while others said they were too slow. But then, on the question of whether our casinos should open, there was silence.

Rep. Vin Candelora R-North Branford, said he too understands the casinos plight because he owns a business, Connecticut Sportsplex, that remains closed, with employees furloughed.

As you sit here and you watch businesses open, Candelora said, I think its imperative that we put the guidelines forward and allow these businesses to open and follow the guidelines . Were picking winners and losers based on a lot of data that were not even sure about.

As for the casinos, he said, We have to recognize that fact that they have that sovereignty and No. 2 its a huge economic driver for the state of Connecticut.

But when it comes to the senators who asked Lamont to slow down the reopening, only to support the casinos reopening, Candelora was critical.

I dont know what their motives are but to me its hypocritical on its face, said Candelora, the deputy House minority leader and likely caucus leader in 2021. To me it appears disingenuous and it appears that they are pandering to political pressure.

State Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, who also signed the letter to Lamont, said he understands the plight of the casinos and the economic impact their closure has had on southeastern Connecticut, though he still has some concerns about the safety of reopening.

I know according to the Department of Labor there are some towns that have unemployment near 40 percent because of the impact of the closures, Lesser said. I take that pretty seriously. Its very tough in my part of the state and other parts, so I cant imagine how devastating that must be in that part of the state where the workforce has one major employer.

But Lesser hedged on whether or not the casinos should reopen.

I reject the idea that the public health measures and the economy are in competition with each other, Lesser said. The way we save the economy is by protecting public health. A workplace that becomes a hub of the virus is going to ultimately be worse off in the long run. People are going to want to stay away. Its a really tough position. I have a lot of sympathy for the tribal leaders and know this must be a very difficult decision.

State Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, on the other hand, blasted the tribes decision to reopen casinos, and urged the states Department of Consumer Protection to suspend the state regulated liquor licenses from the casinos.

For him, its about public health, but its also about fairness. He said he appreciates the lengths the casinos are reaching to in order to preserve social distancing, but called the casinos ability to serve food and alcohol indoors a double standard.

The bigger issue is just the fundamental fairness issue, said Stafstrom, who opposed the casinos efforts to keep other casino bidders, including MGM, out of Connectcut. The tribes should not be allowed to use the state liquor permit to serve food and alcohol indoors when other places cannot. If thats the only place open then it makes it that much more likely that people would seek that out instead of staying in their local communities, especially as were just trying to reopen and hope that people are not. They should not be allowed to serve alcohol when mom and pop businesses cant.

Dan Haar contributed to this story.

kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt
PHILIPSBURG:--- Recently, the Nature Foundation has received an increase in reports about illegal fishing from shores where there has been an increase in illegal speargun use, immature lobsters are targeted and protected species are caught, such as sharks and rays. The Foundation would like to remind residents and visitors to adhere to the fishing regulations, which, are implemented in order to ensure vital species will survive in our waters. Fishing regulations are internationally applied and extensively researched, all to prevent overfishing and the extinction of species. Without fish, lobster, and sharks our coral reefs cannot thrive and coral reef destruction will lead to a serious decline in tourism, our health, storm protection, and clear beaches and waters.



Fishing regulations are not implemented to annoy fishermen or to make their lives difficult, fishing regulations are crucial for the survival of our fish stock and the survival of key marine species in order to prevent extinction and to prevent a collapse of our marine ecosystem and coral reefs. If you catch immature fish and lobster, you are the cause that we will not have these species in the following years, as the immature individuals you caught had no chance to reproduce and no baby fish and lobster will be born to be eaten in the future. Therefore, please adhere to the regulations in order to protect our marine life and safeguard their survival in our waters, providing fish for the future explained the Nature Foundation Manager Melanie Meijer zu Schlochtern.



This week the Nature Foundation met with the Coast Guard to discuss the current concerns regarding illegal fishing with spearguns, the fishing on protected species, and the catching of immature lobsters. The Coast Guard will pay additional attention to the fishing regulations and the Foundation will increase their patrols, especially from shore, in order to examine any violators and also to educate the community about the importance of these rules for the survival of the species, tourism, as a food source and for our ecosystem.



On St. Maarten spearguns are listened as weapons and therefore to be in the possession of a speargun a yearly renewed license is needed, otherwise, it is considered illegal. In general, the fishing regulations describe the prohibition of catching, killing, and/or landing of all shark and ray species, all marine mammals and all sea turtle species in the territorial sea and land of St. Maarten. To fish with gill nets (killer nets) and/or trawling nets is prohibited in all St. Maarten waters, also the use of fish traps with a mesh size of less than 1.5 inches or 38 mm is prohibited. Fishing with chemicals, explosive substances, and bait consisting of meat from marine mammals is considered illegal.



There are also some regulations regarding the fishing on lobster (species Panulirus argus), which describe the prohibition of catching lobsters smaller than 25 cm in length, have a carapace length of less than 9.5cm and/or a total weight of less than 680g or a tall weight less than 200gram. It is prohibited to retain lobsters if they are at the molting stage or carry eggs, it is also forbidden to remove eggs from egg-bearing lobsters.

It is forbidden to catch, kill, hold, dead or alive for sale or delivery, to offer for sale, to sell, to buy, to trade, to give as a gift, to deliver, transport, import or export, lobsters which are below the minimum size mentioned. It is forbidden to buy lobsters for the purpose of selling, trading, delivering, transporting, importing or exporting, without having a license, the model of which is determined by the minister.



Any type of fishing, including trolling/towing and hand lines, is prohibited in the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area, the Marine Park Area is indicated as a square on the attached map. For more information on fishing regulations or the Man of War, the Shoal Marine Protected area contact the Nature Foundation at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
San Antonio officials rolled out a $191 million plan Thursday to keep residents in their homes, expand internet access to the citys less wired and help small businesses stay afloat in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

For weeks, officials have grappled with how to spend $270 million in federal stimulus money intended to help residents who suffered as the virus wrecked much of the citys economy.

The plan laid out at Thursdays City Council meeting calls for plugging millions of those dollars  and millions more in city funds, too  into workforce development, housing assistance, aid to small businesses and making sure the citys poorest households can access the internet.

Now Playing: The mayor met with the Express-News Editorial Board to discuss the reopening of San Antonio after Governor Abbott announced reopening Texas. You can watch the full video of the 1-hour session on https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/ Video: mySA

Theyre teetering on the edge, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said of residents whose livelihoods have been jeopardized by the virus. They want action. They need relief.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

The proposal calls for $80 million to be put into workforce development, aimed at getting those who lost their jobs since the start of the pandemic back on their feet.

In Bexar County, that number is high. Between mid-March and mid-May, about 122,000 workers here sought unemployment benefits as the virus spread and restrictions on business to slow its spread came down.

About 10,000 people would get some kind of workforce training at a cost of $70 million. Of that dollar amount, $48 million would help cover household costs like rent and groceries for those seeking job training or going back to school, Assistant City Manager Colleen Bridger said.

A separate $10 million pot would pay for three months of temporary child care assistance for parents training in new jobs or going back to school. That amount would cover about 5,000 children.

The city also would shore up efforts aimed at keeping people in their homes, using $50.5 million on that front.

The plan calls for pumping $25 million into the citys primary emergency housing assistance program  geared toward helping residents with rent and mortgage payments as well as household costs like fuel, groceries and internet access  bringing the total amount in that fund to $50 million.

On ExpressNews.com: As coronavirus recovery begins, questions and fault lines emerge about what post-COVID-19 San Antonio should look like

That program has seen a surge in demand, with more than 8,900 households applying for funds as of last week, Assistant City Manager Lori Houston said. Of the original $25 million, $10 million is left.

It also would put aside $9.2 million for expanded housing options for San Antonios homeless. The city plans to house up to 500 homeless residents in a hotel to make room at the Haven for Hope shelter for a wave of newly homeless, Bridger said.

San Antonios small businesses stand to get up to $33.1 million in relief out of the plan, including $27 million in direct grants to firms with no more than 20 employees.

On ExpressNews.com: Council considers how to spend federal funds earmarked for pandemic

District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry worried that amounts not enough.

This is a one-shot deal, Perry said. If we dont spend this money wisely and get this economy going again, its like throwing that money away.

The proposal also calls for $27.3 million to help close the citys gaping digital divide  most of which is aimed at expanding broadband access in 50 neighborhoods by building out municipal broadband infrastructure and fiber connections, starting with neighborhoods in San Antonio ISD and Edgewood ISD.

About $96 million of the funds to pay for the plan comes out of federal dollars  including the $270 million in federal stimulus money the city received out of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act.

The rest of the CARES Act fund would go toward payroll expenses stemming from the COVID-19 response, paying for personal protective equipment such as face coverings and hand sanitizer and a plan to expand coronavirus testing and contact tracing investigations.

The remaining $94.6 million for the $191 million plan comes out of San Antonios general fund. That money will fund the efforts to boost internet access as well as most of the plans workforce development aspects.

The stimulus money covered payroll expenses for many city employees  including firefighters, Metro Health workers and police officers  whose jobs were consumed with responding to the virus, Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez said, freeing up the $94.6 million to fund parts of the proposed recovery plan.

Still, San Antonio faces a $198.6 million budget shortfall prompted by the economic crisis. Plummeting retail and restaurant sales and empty hotels have wiped out a huge chunk of the revenue that had been expected from sales taxes and hotel occupancy taxes to fund the citys $2.9 billion spending plan.

Its possible San Antonio could lose more money if the economy takes a while to pick up.

We still have a tremendous amount of uncertainty, Villagomez said.

On ExpressNews.com: City cuts budget by $82 million, but no layoffs

The reality of the budget shortfall prompted officials to take steps early on to try to blunt the blow. In early April, City Manager Erik Walsh cut $82 million in spending, furloughed 270 employees and stopped funding all contracts for arts programs.

Officials cant use any of the CARES Act funds to cover the budget shortfall because of federal regulations. They also cant use any of that money to bring back employees furloughed earlier this year, Walsh said.

Its likely the budget crunch will extend into next year. Council members and city budgeters will begin to shape next years spending plan over the summer.

I think were all going to have to tighten our belt a little bit, Walsh said.

Council members will vote on the plan for the stimulus dollars next week.

Joshua Fechter is a staff writer covering San Antonio government and politics. To read more from Joshua, become a subscriber. jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports
A federal judge in Camden has rejected a lawsuit seeking the release of potentially dozens of medically vulnerable inmates from the Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution due to concerns over the prisons ability to protect them from the coronavirus.

The ACLU of New Jersey sued the prisons administrators in May, saying that without significant changes, the prison was headed toward catastrophe.

But in her ruling Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Renee Bumb argued the portrait inmates lawyers painted of Fort Dix as a coronavirus deathtrap was not really a fair one and not supported by the evidence.

While acknowledging prisons  with their cramped quarters and limited ability, limited hygiene, and difficulties implementing social distancing guidelines  pose a challenge for officials seeking to curb transmission of the virus behind bars, Bumb concluded the U.S. Bureau of Prisons efforts to limit contact between inmates and tighten cleaning regiments had been adequate to protect inmates, if not entirely foolproof.
Nokia is gearing up to launch another smart TV in India. HMD Global claims to be preparing to unveil a 43-inch TV on June 4. The TV will go on sale exclusively on Flipkart.

In a recent Gadget 360 report, Nokia confirmed the arrival of a second TV. Nokia has been teasing the arrival of a 43-inch TV since March, but the ongoing coronavirus crisis has led to a delay in the official launch. However, the company is now finally ready to unveil a 43-inch Nokia smart TV.

The report suggests the TV will be priced between Rs 31,000 and Rs 34,000. For comparison, the current 55-inch Nokia TV is priced at Rs 41,999. We expect Nokia to provide more details about its upcoming TV closer to the launch, but key features like a 4K UHD panel, JBL Audio, Dobly Vision support, and Play Store access should remain unchanged.

Nokias upcoming 4K TV is expected to pack similar specs as the 55-inch model, including the same quad-core processor, Mali-450 MP GPU, 2.25 GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The 43-inch Nokia TV will also have access to the Play Store, including support for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and YouTube. The television will run on the TV version of Android 9 Pie.

The new Nokia TV is also expected to have built-in Chromecast and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. The TV is also expected to have the same minimalist design as Nokias 55-inch smart TV. Adding a second smart TV to its ranks should help Nokia reach new consumers in an already crowded Indian TV market.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Washington, United States  Fri, May 29, 2020 09:10 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdad8ba9 2 World US,North-Korea,sanction,state-banks Free

The US Justice Department accused North Korea's state-owned bank of evading US sanctions laws and charged 28 North Korean and five Chinese citizens in its largest crackdown on North Korea sanctions violations.

In a grand jury indictment made public on Thursday, US prosecutors accused North Korea's Foreign Trade Bank (FTB) of conspiring with the employees charged to cause other banks "to process at least $2.5 billion in illegal payments via over 250 front companies."

The United States blacklisted the FTB in 2013; the UN Security Council did so in 2017.

The indictment adds to mounting friction between Washington and Pyongyang after denuclearization talks launched by US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stalled.

The indictment is the largest of any North Korea sanctions violations case, a US law enforcement official said. The alleged crimes include money laundering and bank fraud.

Washington "has signified its commitment to hampering North Korea's ability to illegally access the US financial system and limit its ability to use proceeds from illicit actions to enhance its illegal WMD and ballistic missile programs," Acting United States Attorney Michael Sherwin said in a statement.

Some of the $2.5 billion was directed to North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program, a US official said.

The transactions took place in China, Russia, Libya and Thailand, and many of those charged were bank employees, including two former presidents of the FTB and two former co-vice presidents.

North Korea has been subject to UN sanctions since 2006 that have been strengthened by the Security Council over the years in a bid to cut off funding for Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

North Korea continued to enhance those programs last year in breach of UN sanctions, according to a report this year to the UN Security Council.
Three men, including a father and son, have appeared in court after gardai seized nearly 900,000 of suspected crime proceeds and a large quantity of cocaine.

Patrick (53) and Ian Lawlor (22) and Ross Hanway (29) were arrested following a cash and drugs haul in north Dublin earlier this week.

All three appeared before Dublin District Court yesterday.

Patrick Lawlor, of Collins Avenue, Dublin 9, was remanded in custody for a week after his lawyer reserved his position on whether to apply for bail.

Ian Lawlor, of the same address, was bailed, and Mr Hanway, of The Beeches, Ashbourne, Co Meath, was remanded in custody until next Wednesday with consent to bail.

Patrick Lawlor and Mr Hanway are charged over the seiz-ure of 412,000, believed to be the proceeds of crime, from a car at Collins Avenue.

Mr Lawlor is also charged with a second count of the same offence, relating to 477,000 in his home. The total seized by gardai was 889,000.

Ian Lawlor is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to sell or supply. The offences are all alleged to have happened on Tuesday.

Detective Garda Ronan Doolan, of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, said Patrick Lawlor made no reply to the charges after caution.

He was remanded in custody until June 3.

Passport

Det Gda Gavin Curran said Ian Lawlor also made no reply when the charges were put to him.

The judge remanded him on bail to September 24 in his own bond of 1,000 on condition he signs on three times a week at Ballymun Garda Station, provides a mobile phone number and surrenders his passport.

Det Gda Declan O'Reilly said Mr Hanway also made no reply after caution.

The judge set bail in Mr Hanway's own bond of 5,000, with an independent surety of 10,000, with this sum to be frozen in his grandmother's bank account.

He must sign on daily at Ashbourne Garda Station and must also not asso- ciate with either of the two co-accused.

None of the accused have entered pleas to the charges yet.
Just a few days ago, Tiki and Sendo struck a hundred-million dollar deal that could redraw the landscape of the entire e-commerce industry,

highlighting that the mergers and acquisitions market remains vibrant  which the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry would temper through a new proposal to delay for a while.

Proposal to halt M&A a question of fine balance, illustration photo

Two local e-commerce platforms Tiki and Sendo finally reached the merger deal they have been negotiating for nearly a year, according to newswire DealStreetAsia.

The move comes in the context of powerhouses being born in e-commerce, with Lazada backed by Alibaba and Shopee by Singaporean tech giant SEA Group.

A VIR source revealed that the merger talks have been going since August, but only the leaders of the two companies knew of the details. As a result, the news took most shareholders by surprise.

Tiki and Sendo have yet to issue a public comment about the issue, with Sendo previously even denying the partnership and dismissing it as rumour. We do not wish to comment on rumours going around in the market, a company representative said.

Last week, Vietnam saw two deals of undisclosed value, reflecting the continued interest of foreign buyers.

One of the deals was Japanese real estate group Haseko Corporation reaching an agreement to acquire a 36 per cent stake in Vietnam-based construction firm Ecoba. The two sides both hold strong positions in their respective markets and this partnership offers great mutual benefits. Haseko is one of the leading condominium contractors and development corporations in Japan with total assets of up to $6.8 billion, holding 10 per cent of existing apartments in Japan, while Ecoba holds several large projects across Vietnam.

The other deal was announced by Auxesias Vietnamese team (the exclusive financial advisor) which successfully closed an M&A deal in the paper sector.

This momentum would be arrested by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industrys (VCCI) proposal to halt M&A deals involving foreign buyers for the duration of the health crisis.

Pham Duy Khuong, director at SB Law and ASL Law, told VIR, There is no legal instrument that allows the state to order private enterprises to stop implementing M&A deals.

A recommendation that is not based on specific legislation can easily lead to unnecessary complications if the seller is desperate to sell a project and the buyer is just waiting for an opportunity to take over the project, he added.

The VCCI proposal was made at the recent meeting between the prime minister and the business community. It is aimed to protect domestic companies and aims to increase scrutiny of foreign investments during the crisis as in the first four months of the year 2020, the number of capital contribution deals and share purchases by foreign investors increased by 33 per cent on-year, reaching more than 3,210 instances.

Although a final decision has yet to be passed, it caused concerns among both buyers and sellers over the fate of deals currently being negotiated. In the year so far, the Vietnamese M&A market witnessed steady growth, with foreign investors surging to grab a slice of this market of 96 million.

Samuel Son Tung Vu, lawyer at consultancy firm Bae, Kim & Lee Vietnam, recalled that in the last decade, M&A in Vietnam has been on an upward trend. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were record-breaking deals bringing tremendous foreign capital into the Vietnamese economy, such as KEB Hana Banks $880 million investment in BIDV.

Vu is of the opinion that the VCCIs proposal may not be suitable with Vietnams long-term goal of attracting foreign investment. The legal framework already provides mechanisms for the Vietnamese government to control, approve, and supervise the flow of foreign investment. Such authority and power to review foreign investors have been mandated to specialised ministries and provincial-level departments, he said

According to Tran Quoc Phuong, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, the ministry has cautioned about recent signs of foreign investors buying up well-positioned Vietnamese businesses at the cheap, especially those struggling financially during the crisis. He said that it is difficult to make policy changes to completely block foreign takeovers, which might be against market and business rules as well as Vietnams current international commitments.

Vo Ha Duyen - Chairwoman, VILAF More pressure on the M&A market is more likely to hurt than benefit the economy. The question is what would be better for business and the economy: allowing troubled businesses to accept capital from larger investors or restricting capital flows and letting them go insolvent. Three major trading blocs  China, the European Union, and the United States  have recently reacted with protectionist measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But this protectionist trend has been apparent for quite some time  the pandemic only pushed that trend up a notch. Unlike the EU and the US, and similar to other emerging Asian countries, Vietnam relies heavily on exports, technology transfer, and inbound investment. Adopting a protectionist stance goes straight against the trend of international economic integration through the trade agreements which is has adopted or is negotiating. That being said, there may be benefits to protecting assets which are critical or sensitive from a national security perspective, such as telecommunications systems developed by state-owned enterprises and certain border land and sea areas. Warrick Cleine - Chairman and CEO, KPMG Vietnam and Cambodia Vietnam has been on the path of opening up its economy for a long time now. This includes encouraging foreign investment into Vietnam and encouraging Vietnamese companies to invest internationally. Vietnam has also made some commitments in its trade and investment agreements to support these goals. These policies have contributed to Vietnams growth, created jobs for Vietnamese people, and generated tax revenues, and so on. We need to make sure any changes made now do not conflict this progress. Sellers of companies should have the right to sell to the investor that can offer the right price, protect jobs, and ensure the future of the company. This outcome is best for the country. If we restrict the options available to sellers, then we might actually get a worse outcome than we desire. VIR

Van Thu

Will Vietnamese e-commerce platforms Tiki and Sendo soon merge? Following the hottest M&A retail deal of Vingroup and Masan in early 2020, the merger of Tiki and Sendo is expected to make the competition in e-commerce industry fiercer.
Union food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, on Friday, urged Union agriculture and farmer welfare minister Narendra Singh Tomar to depute a central team to conduct an impartial probe into the alleged seed scam in Punjab.

In a written communique, Harsimrat has sought action against the accused who sold spurious breeder seeds of paddy to farmers at triple cost. She also urged that the case be forwarded to CBI for a thorough probe.

She said a massive seed scam was detected in Punjab which may affecting livelihood of farmers in the neighbouring states and pan-India.

She said unscrupulous elements playing with lives of farmers should be stopped immediately and advocated the need to safeguard interests of farmers who are the backbone of the countrys economy and are working to ensure food security even in times of the coronavirus pandemic.

She said the scam involves sale of spurious PR-128 and PR-129 paddy seed varieties of PAU Ludhiana, which were yet to be approved for commercial sale by private players. She said PAU had supplied a small quantity of seeds to farmers in May 2020 at the rate of Rs 70 per kg but the accused multiplied it illegally in October 2019 and sold truckloads of the spurious seed to unsuspecting farmers at the rate of Rs 200 per kg.

The Union minster said that despite registration of an FIR by the state agriculture department and seizure of spurious seeds of both paddy varieties from Brar Seed Store in Ludhiana on May 11, no follow up action has been taken.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth $50.90 million (about Rs 385.44 crore), including a villa in Dubais Palm Jumeirah and five Swiss bank accounts, linked to AgustaWestland case suspect Rajiv Saxena.

The villa is worth 20 million dirhams and the money attached in five accounts is worth $45.5 million, the agency, which probes financial crimes, said in a press statement on Friday.

An accused-turned-approver in the 3,600-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, Saxena was deported to India from the UAE on January 31, 2019, and arrested under money laundering act. ED has claimed that Saxena, a Dubai-based businessman, is a hawala operator.

ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are probing allegations of corruption and money laundering in the 2007 contract for the purchase of 12 luxury VVIP helicopters for use by top leaders, including the President, Prime Minister and former PMs. The deal was cancelled on January 1, 2014 over the allegations of wrongdoing.

ED has tried to get Saxenas approver status revoked, claiming that he misled investigators and withheld crucial information. However, a Delhi court has refused to do so  a decision has been challenged by the agency in the high court.

Rajiv Saxena manages the proceeds of crime and tainted funds of many high profile and High Net worth Individuals (HNIs). He has admitted to laundering the proceeds of crime not only of AgustaWestland deal but also various other defence deals. The proceeds of crime have also been transferred to the personal accounts of Rajiv Saxena and his wife Shivani Saxena (also an accused in AgustaWestland case), the ED press release said.

Saxenas lawyer, RK Handoo, said, Whats happening is very wrong and is harassment of Rajiv Saxena by the agency. He was made an approver and then now agency is making these claims.

ED said Saxena is a hawala operator who runs accommodation entry business in Dubai through numerous companies, known as Matrix group companies, and has laundered proceeds of crime in the cases of AgustaWestland chopper scam and Moser Baer bank fraud case.

The Moser Baer case is linked to businessman Ratul Puri, the nephew of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, and his father Deepak Puri. Ratul Puri, who denies any wrongdoing, was arrested in this case. He is out on bail. His lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, refused to comment.
A number of petitions will be closed for signatures next week. Some of them have received at least 4,500 signatures, which means that they will have to be discussed by MPs in the Chamber of Deputies.

The Minister of Education has already met with the petitioner who demanded that schools remain closed until September. The petition demanding to ban 5G networks in Luxembourg has similarly received more than 4,500 signatures.

Thousands have also signed the petition in favour of introducing a law allowing remote or tele-working in Luxembourg.

These petitions will be closed next weeks but there are still 27 others that remain open to signatures. They can be found on the website of the Chamber of Deputies.
Environment Minister Carole Dieschbourg and Energy Minister Claude Turmes presented new plans for a greener Luxembourg.

Since the adoption of the draft Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (Plan national integre en matiere denergie et de climat - PNEC) at the end of 2019, the world has had to deal with the crisis linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following the government meeting on 20 May 2020, the strategic framework for many of the measures of the economic recovery package "Neistart Latzebuerg" were finalized. These green stimulus elements allow both direct support for citizens and crafts, and to address the ever-present threat of climate change.

At today's press conference, Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development Minister Carole Dieschbourg and Energy Minister Claude Turmes will present the green recovery plan and provide more detail on the changes to financial aid for energy renovation and the promotion of heating systems based on renewable energy.

We will post up a summary soon after the conference concludes.
Florida Dept. of Law EnforcementBy JAMES HILL, ABC News



(NEW YORK) -- Four months after filing a lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, the former companion of deceased sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein, lawyers for an alleged child sexual assault victim say they have been unable to locate Maxwell to serve her with the complaint, despite exhaustive attempts to track her down, according to court records.



The anonymous accuser, Jane Doe, is the earliest known alleged victim of Epstein's years-long pattern of sexual abuse of girls and young women. And she's the third woman suing Maxwell to seek court intervention as a last resort, following months of futile efforts to find the 58-year-old British socialite -- who has been accused of aiding Epstein's alleged crimes.



"[The plaintiff] has demonstrated that personally serving Maxwell is impracticable by making numerous diligent attempts to effectuate service -- to no avail," Doe's attorney Robert Glassman wrote in a filing in federal court.



Doe's legal team dispatched process servers to five addresses previously connected to Maxwell, including a multi-million dollar brownstone on Manhattan's Upper East Side, an apartment building in Miami Beach and Epstein's mansion on Palm Beach Island, according to court documents. They also sent copies of the complaint to eight different email addresses potentially connected to Maxwell, but received no replies.



Since Epstein's arrest last July and his death in jail a month later, Maxwell's whereabouts have been the subject of rumors and intense speculation. She has not been seen in public for months. She sold her former home in New York and shuttered her nonprofit ocean conservation foundation.



The Oxford-educated daughter of Robert Maxwell, the larger-than-life publishing titan, Ghislaine Maxwell lived an extravagant life among the British elite until her father's empire collapsed in the wake of his death in 1991. She relocated to New York for a fresh start and was soon spotted frequently in the company of the enigmatic multi-millionaire Epstein.



Sources tell ABC News that Maxwell remains under criminal investigation by federal authorities in New York, who have vowed to hold responsible any alleged co-conspirators in Epstein's sex trafficking conspiracy.



Doe is one of three women to name Maxwell as a co-defendant in lawsuits against Epstein's estate, which is valued at $634 million, according to court filings in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Epstein kept his primary residence on a private Caribbean island off the coast of St. Thomas.



Doe, 39, filed the complaint in January, alleging that she was recruited by Epstein and Maxwell at the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan in 1994, when she was a 13-year-old music student. She contends that she was sexually abused by Epstein on multiple occasions over the next four years, and that Maxwell "regularly facilitated Epstein's abuse" and was "frequently present when it occurred."



Epstein attended a music camp at Interlochen as a young teen in 1967, according to a statement released last year by the Interlochen Center for the Arts. He was a donor to the center from 1990 until 2003 and funded construction of a cabin on the campus, which was called "The Epstein Lodge," until his arrest in 2006. The statement said the center had no record of any complaints about Epstein.



Doe's court filing contends Maxwell is "purposely evading service," while lawyers from a Colorado firm representing her are simultaneously contesting other actions before judges in the same federal court. Laura Menninger, a lawyer from that firm, told Glassman that she was "not authorized to accept service of any complaint on behalf of Ghislaine Maxwell," according to a letter included in the court filing.



Menninger's firm is currently representing Maxwell in a dispute surrounding the disclosure of previously sealed documents in a now-settled defamation lawsuit brought against Maxwell by Virginia Giuffre, who alleges that Epstein and Maxwell sexually abused her as a teenager and directed her to have sex with other powerful men, including Britain's Prince Andrew.



And as recently as last week, Menninger appeared as counsel for Maxwell during a hearing in a lawsuit filed by Annie Farmer, who alleges that Maxwell sexually assaulted her in 1996, when Farmer was 16. Menninger successfully argued in that hearing that Maxwell should not be required to respond to questions in the lawsuit -- at least temporarily -- while the criminal investigation is still underway.



Menninger did not respond to an email from ABC News requesting comment. Maxwell has previously denied allegations that she facilitated or participated in Epstein's alleged crimes. Prince Andrew has also denied allegations that he had sex with Giuffre, as she contends, on three occasions in 2001.



Lawyers for Farmer and another alleged victim, Jennifer Araoz, have run into similar issues trying to serve Maxwell with notice of their lawsuits.



Farmer's lawyers successfully convinced a court in February that they had done all they could reasonably do to locate Maxwell. U.S. Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman ordered Maxwell to respond and three weeks later, Menninger filed an appearance in the case as counsel for Maxwell. Freeman is also overseeing Doe's case.



Araoz's attorneys have a motion pending before a New York state court judge seeking approval for alternate means of service. In a court filing, they contend they have made "repeated efforts to locate Ms. Maxwell, including retaining private investigators to conduct surveillance of locations media reports indicated Ms. Maxwell may be located."



Araoz, 32, claims she was recruited in New York as a 14-year student into Epstein's "scheme of exploitation and abuse," and she is seeking to hold Maxwell responsible for her alleged role as the "second in command of Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking enterprise," according to her complaint filed last August.



Dan Kaiser, an attorney for Araoz, told ABC News that they filed the motion after a variety of unsuccessful efforts to locate her for service. Maxwell "proved impossible to locate," he said.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved
Syracuse, N.Y.  New York state released its rules and guidelines for phase two businesses to reopen overnight.

The guidance came as local leaders across Upstate New York were lambasting Gov. Andrew Cuomo for allegedly moving the goal posts on reopening.

The state posted guidance for:

in-store retail

real estate

offices

vehicle sales, leases and rentals

retail rental, repair and cleaning

commercial building management

In order to reopen, businesses must read the guidelines and sign an online form saying they will abide them. Theres a link to that online form in the new guidance, but the form doesnt yet include phase two businesses.

Business owners have spent most of this week waiting for more guidance from the state on how and when they can reopen.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said yesterday that businesses could reopen Friday. But state officials told him and other local leaders in a late evening phone call that no region would be immediately cleared to start phase two.

Justin Sayles, a spokesman for McMahon, said Thursday night the county looked forward to hearing more from Cuomo about his phase two restart plan at todays press briefing.

Meanwhile, other upstate county executives are telling business owners to ignore the governor and open anyways.

Read the states phase two guidelines here.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

After a week of hype, phase two of NYs restart wont begin tomorrow

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Syracuse AD John Wildhack anticipating reduced Carrier Dome capacity during football season

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com
By Marius Zaharia

HONG KONG, May 29 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's government warned Washington that withdrawing its special U.S. status, which has underpinned the city as a global financial hub, could be a "double-edged sword" and urged the United States to stop interfering in internal affairs.

The statement came as U.S. President Donald Trump is due to announce later on Friday his response to the Chinese parliament's advancement of national security legislation for Hong Kong, which democracy activists and Western countries fear could erode the city's freedoms.

The former British colony enjoys a high degree of autonomy under a "one country, two systems" formula since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

"Any sanctions are a double-edged sword that will not only harm the interests of Hong Kong but also significantly those of the U.S.," the city's government said late on Thursday.

It added that from 2009 to 2018, the U.S. trade surplus with Hong Kong was the biggest among all its trading partners, totalling $297 billion of merchandise and 1,300 U.S. firms are based in the city.

Beijing says the new legislation will tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in the city. It could see Chinese intelligence agencies set up bases there.

The plan has ignited the first big protests in Hong Kong for months, as thousands of people took to the streets this week, prompting police to fire pepper pellets in the heart of the city's financial district to disperse crowds.

The U.S. Department of State said in a report on Thursday it could "no longer certify that Hong Kong continues to warrant (differential) treatment" from Beijing.

Trump's top economic adviser Larry Kudlow warned that Hong Kong, which has enjoyed special privileges under U.S. law based on its high degree of autonomy from Beijing, may now need to be treated like China on trade and other financial matters.

In a separate statement on Friday, published in several local newspapers, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam urged "fellow citizens" to "join hands to pursue our dreams while putting aside our differences".

Story continues

She said the legislation was needed because of a "terrorist threat" and because organisations advocating "independence and self-determination" have challenged the authority of Beijing and local governments and pleaded for foreign interference.

The five demands of last-year's pro-democracy protest movement included universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into police handling of the protests, but not independence. A minority of protesters waved "Hong Kong independence" flags.

Independence is anathema for Beijing.

The security legislation, along with a bill to criminalise disrespect for China's national anthem, are seen by protesters as the latest attempt by Beijing to tighten its control on the city.

The security legislation, expected to be enacted before September, was condemned also by Britain, Australia, Canada and others. Britain said it will give greater visa rights to British national overseas passport holders from Hong Kong unless China suspends its plans.

(Writing by Marius Zaharia; Editing by Michael Perry)
Project 23900, set to be developed in the occupied Crimea, is a "clone" of the French Mistral design.

When you can't buy it, steal it. That's Russia's approach to acquiring new amphibious assault ships, six years after France canceled a sale of the versatile vessels.

On May 22, Russian news agency TASS reported that the Kremlin had inked a $1.4-billion deal with the Kerch shipyard in the occupied Crimea to build two Project 23900 assault ships, Forbes wrote.

Similar in appearance to small aircraft carriers, the assault ships each will displace 25,000 tons of water and carry up to 20 large helicopters, landing craft and 900 marines.

The Project 23900 is a "clone" of the French Mistral design, according to one LiveJournal user.

In 2010 Russian cut a deal with France to buy at least two Mistrals. The arrangement angered some U.S. politicians, who warned against helping Russia to arm itself for possible war against the United States or its allies.

Read also"Unprecedented move": Russia envoy to OSCE trying to interrupt Ukrainian speech on Crimea

Four years later Russia invaded Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. The amphibious flotilla of the Russian Black Sea Fleet supported the invasion with aging landing ships of the Project 775 Ropucha and Project 1171 Alligator classes, both displacing around 4,000 tons.

In the aftermath of Crimea, Paris swiftly canceled the Mistral deal. For subsequent operations, such as supply runs between Russian territory and the country's base in Syria, Moscow's fleet continued relying on its 15 Ropuchas and four Alligators.

But the need for a modern assault ship  with its greater capacity, aviation facilities and command capabilities  was obvious. As was the path forward for the Kremlin.

"If such vessels are to be built, their construction will doubtless benefit from the short experience that the Russians acquired with the French in the framework of the Mistral contract before its cancellation," the Virginia-based Center for Naval Analyses noted in 2019.

That proved to be true. Of course, just because Russia plans to copy the Mistral design doesn't mean it will succeed in doing so. The Russian shipbuilding industry in recent years has struggled to build any vessel larger than a frigate.
The Canadian government on Friday extended by three months a ban on cruise ships entering Canadian waters because of the coronavirus pandemic. The ban, which began in April and will now run to October, has been tightened to include passenger boats and other vessels with more than 100 passengers and crew, the ministry of transport said in a statement. The original ban was on vessels with a capacity of 500 or more people. The move will deal a blow to several Canadian cities such as Vancouver, Quebec and Montreal, where the cruise industry makes an important economic contribution. In 2019, Canada was visited by 140 cruise ships from a dozen countries with some two million tourists on board, according to the ministry. Small boats for short excursions, such as whale watching, will however be allowed to resume their activities starting on July 1, in line with permission by provincial and local authorities. Nevertheless, the movement of vessels with a capacity of more than 12 people will be banned from Arctic coastal water until October 31. These rules do not apply to small craft used by local communities for transport or fishing. Ferries, deemed essential services, will be allowed to continue operating but will have to implement safety measures to curb the spread of the disease. Anyone caught violating the ban faces a fine of Can$5,000 ($3,600) per day for individuals and Can$25,000 for businesses. The 'Caribbean Princess' cruise ship in Colon, Panama, on May 28, 2020: such vessels will be banned from Canadian waters until October because of the coronavirus pandemic
Pro-democracy protests have restarted in Hong Kong after Beijing passes a law that will 'threaten human rights' in the city - Anadolu Agency/Anadolu

The British government has led international condemnation of Chinas imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong and said the UK will make it easier for people in the region to flee to Britain.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the new law undermines the principles of two countries one system and threatens human rights - and pledged that unless China backs down the Government will change the status of British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders in Hong Kong to make it easier for them to work in the UK and become British citizens.

He said: In relation to BNO passport holders, currently they only have the right to come to the UK for six months. If China continues down this path and implements this national security legislation, we will change that status.

"And we will remove that six-month limit and allow those BNO passport holders to come to the UK and to apply to work and study for extendable periods of 12 months and that will itself provide a pathway to future citizenship.

Mr Raab joined his Australian, Canadian and US counterparts in issuing a joint statement on Thursday strongly criticising Beijings decision to impose the new security law.

But the statement stopped short of calling for any concrete measures to be taken against China by the international community.

It came after Chinas parliament approved the new security law, making it a crime to undermine Beijings authority in the territory.

Hong Kong activists fear it will end the citys special autonomy and freedoms, paving the way for officials to suppress dissent under the guise of national security.

Chris Patten, Britains last governor in Hong Kong, told the Telegraph that the UK needs to get real about aggressive, bullying, wicked China and review every aspect of its political, economic and cultural relations with the Communist state.

Story continues

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has signed a joint statement urging China to work with Hong Kong to find a solution to the crisis - Stefan Rousseau/PA

He said: In my judgement I hope that the British Government - Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab - press for the outrageous assault on Hong Kongs freedom and breach of Chinese obligations are put on the agenda when the G7 meets in June.

And I hope that they will associate themselves with attempts by the US to get the issue of Hong Kongs treatment raised in the security council. The Chinese state wants to destroy liberal democracy. President Xi Jinping has been clear from the beginning that he wants to make Chinese communism dominant around the world.

In their joint statement Mr Raab, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, and United States Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, said the new legislation would curtail the Hong Kong peoples liberties and dramatically erode Hong Kongs autonomy and the system that made it so prosperous.

The statement added: Chinas decision . . . lies in direct conflict with its international obligations under the principles of the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration. The proposed law would undermine the One Country, Two Systems framework. It also raises the prospect of prosecution in Hong Kong for political crimes, and undermines existing commitments to protect the rights of Hong Kong people.

Asked what action the British government might take Mr Raab later added: We want to wait and see the details of the legislation. In the meantime we urge China to step back from the brink and live up to its responsibilities as a leading member of the international community. And well obviously be in close contact with all of our international partners around the world about what steps to take next.

He also said Britain would give British passport holders in Hong Kong more rights to live and work in the UK, in case they had to flee.

If China continues down this path and implements this national security legislation we will . . . allow those BNO passport holders to come to the UK and to apply to work and study for extendable periods of 12 months and that would itself provide a pathway to future citizenship, he said.

Britain, Australia, Canada and the US also accused Chinas actions of threatening to undermine the international efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic by opening up rifts within the international community.

The four governments called on China to work with the government and people of Hong Kong to find a mutually acceptable accommodation that will honour Chinas international obligations.

The approval of the national security law sparked a new wave of anti-mainland protests in Hong Kong this week, with police firing pepper ball rounds, using water cannons and arresting hundreds of demonstrators.

It is quite clear that Hong Kongs autonomy and freedom is dead and gone, said Ted Hui Chi-fung, a pro-democracy politician in Hong Kong. I personally expect more arbitrary arrest of dissidents, longer detention of protesters before trial, criminalisation of any foreign contact from Hong Kong democrats and activists.

The joint statement came a day after Mr Pompeo announced that Hong Kong would no longer be treated as autonomous from mainland China under US law, a provision that has given it a special trade relationship allowing it to flourish into a global financial centre.

Beijing's move has led to growing calls in the UK for the government to take a much tougher approach on China.

The West needs to wake up and realise Hong Kong is just a stepping stone in a much more aggressive foreign policy for China, whether its through Chinas alliances or its high tech infrastructure investment around the world, said former defence minister Tobias Ellwood MP.

This is just a prelude to more to come, with a dominant China flouting international law.
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center is part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which expects to have an operating loss of $317 million in the quarter ended June 30, before adding in $190 million of federal aid. Read more

Large nonprofit health systems in the Philadelphia region saw sharp negative swings in operating profitability in the three months ended March 31, as the coronavirus pandemic started unleashing an unprecedented disruption in health care.

It is too soon to know the full impact of the pandemic, but there are signs that the massive amount of federal aid steered to hospitals starting last month is sparing them from the worst.

Temple University Health System, which at the peak of the pandemic in April was caring for 29% of the hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Philadelphia, said Thursday that it rebounded from a $12.4 million operating loss in March to post an operating profit of $18.7 million in April  thanks to $35.5 million of federal stimulus money.

On a conference call Thursday with municipal bond investors, Temple, which has since received an additional $55 million in aid, did not estimate the overall financial impact of the coronavirus. But it said elective procedures are ramping up and that transplants had restarted, positive signs for the systems finances.

 READ MORE: Jefferson, Penn receive fraction of federal coronavirus stimulus cash to Pa. despite outsize impact

Today, we are at six-sevenths of normal volume, chief executive Mike Young said, referring to elective surgeries, which are the most profitable part of operations for most hospitals. Temple backed off an earlier estimate of $40 million in monthly losses from COVID-19, but still expects to lose money even after federal aid.

Temple has been at the heart of the regions fight against the coronavirus, but even wealthy systems that had a light load of inpatients took a financial hit because they deferred all non-essential procedures. Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, which received $42.9 million in federal aid, saw its operating margin fall to 0.5%, from 5.9% last year.

CHOP continues to experience a significant drop in patient volume and revenue that now has us carefully evaluating future plans  including building and construction projects, a spokesperson said Thursday. CHOP recently described plans to spend $3.4 billion on expansion projects, including $1.9 billion on a new inpatient tower slated to open in 2027.

 READ MORE: How much Philadelphia-area hospitals are getting in federal money for treating coronavirus patients

CHOP said that it is confident it will continue building its $289 million, 52-bed hospital in King of Prussia, but that most other projects are being evaluated. An increase in philanthropic support for these projects would also help, CHOP said.

The six-hospital University of Pennsylvania Health System also remained profitable on an operating basis during the first three months of the year, but expects an operating loss of $317 million in the quarter ending June 30  not counting $190 million in federal aid from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In April, Penn saw a 72% decline in surgical cases, Keith Kasper, the health systems chief financial officer, told the University of Pennsylvania board this month. In the last week, surgery volumes have risen to 65% of normal volume, a health system spokesperson said. Outpatient visits and overall hospital admissions are also coming back.

Tower Health, which has expanded dramatically in the the last three years, most recently through the purchase of St. Christophers Hospital for Children, had the steepest operating loss in the region, at 16.5%, or $91.6 million.

The system, based in West Reading, where it is anchored by Reading Hospital, has received $66 million in coronavirus stimulus grants and has taken other steps to raise cash, but declined to comment on its current cash position. It also furloughed at least 1,000 employees last month.

Einstein Healthcare Network took a similar route to save money. About 1,600 people were furloughed or took pay reductions, a spokesperson said. Einstein, which is fighting the Federal Trade Commission to save its planned acquisition by Thomas Jefferson University, said it is still on track to lose $70 million from March through June, before accounting for the $48 million in federal aid it has received.

Jefferson, which on May 5 canceled its planned acquisition of the Fox Chase Cancer Center from Temple University because of the financial impact of COVID-19, had an operating loss of $95 million, for a negative margin of 7.3%. The nonprofit, which is based in Center City, cared for large numbers of COVID-19 patients at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and at Abington Hospital.

 READ MORE: Pa. finally released data on coronavirus in long-term-care facilities. But its full of errors.

Temple, meanwhile, has moved on to Plan B for Fox Chase. That means a fuller integration of the specialty hospital into the Temple system, said Stuart McLean, who is ending his tenure as the health systems chief restructuring officer Friday.

Jeffersons agreement to buy Temples share of the nonprofit Medicaid insurer Health Partners Plans remains in place, but timing of a close remains uncertain, McLean said.
Trump, who had already frozen WHO funding in April, says money will be redirected to other groups.

US President Donald Trump has said the US is terminating its relationship with the WHO, saying group hasnt made coronavirus reforms.

The WHO and 37 countries have launched the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool, an alliance aimed at making coronavirus vaccines, tests, treatments and other technologies available to all countries.

Russia has announced that 232 more people have died from the coronavirus in the last 24 hours in a record one-day increase in the country.

Indias coronavirus death and case tolls have passed Chinas, after the country recorded 175 new deaths and 7,466 new cases.

The English Premier League and Italys Serie A are set to resume in June after a near-three month suspension over coronavirus fears.

China again reported no new cases as US President Donald Trump renewed attacks on Beijing over the coronavirus pandemic. He called the virus a very bad gift from China.

More than 5.8 million cases of coronavirus have been confirmed around the world, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Some 359,000 people have died, while more than 2.4 million have recovered.

Here are the latest updates:

Friday, May 29

20:45 GMT  Are African countries staying ahead of the coronavirus?

When coronavirus started to spread around the world, aid workers warned of disaster for Africa.

Health systems are weak and poorly funded in many places, and crowded cities make physical distancing impossible.But the African countries appear to be managing.

Senegal and Ghana are among the countries praised for their approach to tackling the disease.

The number of infections and deaths in Africa is much lower than the United States, Europe and Latin America.

But scientists say the figures are misleading because of low testing rates. Al Jazeeras Inside Story explores if we are getting a full picture of the situation?





20:30 GMT  Egypt confirms new daily record of 1,289 cases

Egypt registered 1,289 new coronavirus cases and 34 deaths, the health ministry has said, marking another record of daily increases on both counts despite stricter curfew rules.

That brought the total number of fatalities to 879 and confirmed cases to 22,082, of which 5,511 people have recovered.

Infections rose this week during Eid al-Fitr celebrations, at the end of the Ramadan fasting month, despite the government bringing forward a coronavirus curfew by four hours to 5 PM and banning public transport for six days since Sunday.

20:15 GMT  Border bottlenecks slow food deliveries in East Africa

Bottlenecks at borders as government screen lorry drivers to contain the new coronavirus are putting the delivery of vital food supplies in East Africa at risk, the UNs World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.

We could have problems feeding our beneficiaries  if the situation doesnt improve, Julie MacDonald, WFPs deputy director in Uganda told Reuters news agency. She said they only had enough food left for June.

The agency is shipping in 2,000 tonnes of beans and cooking oil to feed some of Ugandas 1.4 million refugees. Some of it is stuck at Kenyas Mombasa port and some is stuck at the Ugandan border, she said.

The line of lorries at the border town of Malaba between Kenya and Uganda stretched 60 km (37 miles) this week, said Mercy Ireri, an official from the Kenya Transport Association. Uganda requires truck drivers from neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania to take coronavirus tests before they are allowed to enter.

Truck drivers await test results at the Namanga one stop border crossing point between Kenya and Tanzania in Namanga, Kenya [Thomas Mukoya/Reuters]

19:45 GMT  Costa Rica to extend border closure until June 30

Costa Rica will extend the closure of its borders until June 30, Health Minister Daniel Salas has said, prolonging a key element of the countrys effort to contain the coronavirus.

The border closure was due to expire June 15.





19:30 GMT  Florida officials approve Walt Disney World re-opening plans

Florida officials have approved plans for a phased reopening of Walt Disney World in Orlando starting on July 11, according to a memo from a state agency.

The state also cleared Sea World Entertainment Inc to reopen on June 10, said Halsey Beshears, secretary of Floridas Department of Business and Professional Regulation, in a memo sent to officials in Orange County, Florida.

19:00 GMT  Trump says US terminating relationship with WHO

US President Donald Trump has said the US is terminating its relationship with the WHO, saying group has not made coronavirus reforms because China has total control over the global organisation.

Trump said Chinese officials ignored their reporting obligations to the WHO and pressured the WHO to mislead the world when the virus was first discovered. He noted that the US contributes about $450 million to the world body while China provides about $40 million.

Trump has been a vocal critic of the WHOs handling of the pandemic, officially freezing US funding in April. He said the funding would diverted to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs, without providing specifics.

Read more here.

US President Donald Trump froze funding to the WHO in April [Leah Millis/Reuters]

18:45  Polish football supporters to return to stadiums from June 19

Polish football supporters will be able to attend matches from June 19, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday, but only 25 percent of the capacity of stadiums will be used in order to prevent the novel coronavirus from spreading.

Although several European leagues are restarting after the coronavirus outbreak, matches are being played behind closed doors and the Polish league will be one of the first to allow spectators back into stadiums.

The Polish Football Association and the Premier League have chosen the 19th, so it will be possible to prepare everything according to the correct procedures, Morawiecki said.

The league said in a statement that the exact number of spectators would depend on the stadiums but the maximum would be one quarter of capacity.

18:30 GMT  Indias Foreign Ministry asks some officials to quarantine after two positive

At least two people working at Indias Foreign Affairs Ministry have tested positive for COVID-19, and the government has asked several officials to self quarantine as a precaution, according to a source and internal e-mails seen by Reuters news agency.

One person who tested positive worked as a consultant in the ministrys Central Europe division in New Delhi, while the other worked as a legal officer in the law division, the e-mails stated.

As per protocol, all members of the CE Division have been asked to go for self quarantine for 14 days and work from home, the ministry advised in an internal e-mail on May 27, which was reviewed by Reuters.

In a separate email on Friday, all officials who came into direct contact with the legal officer, who tested positive for the new coronavirus, were also asked to self-quarantine.





18:15 GMT  France deaths again up less than a 100

Frances coronavirus death toll rose by less than a 100 for the ninth day running on Friday, as the country is gearing up for a new easing of lockdown measures.

The French health ministry said that the number of fatalities had risen by 52, or 0.2 percent, to 28,714, the fourth-highest tally in the world.

18:00 GMT  NYC on track to reopen on June 8: Cuomo

New York City is on track to enter phase one of reopening on June 8, New York Governor Cuomo has said as he announced that five upstate regions will now transition to phase two which includes businesses like barber shops and hair salons.

The most populous US city, which has become the epicenter of the countrys coronavirus pandemic, was on track to meet all the metrics the state has set for a safe phased reopening, Cuomo said.

We are on track to open on June 8, Cuomo told a daily briefing but warned that reopening does not mean were going back to the way things were.





17:45 GMT  Report: Drug maker Sanofi stops enrolling COVID-19 patients in hydroxychloroquine trials

Drug-maker Sanofi has temporarily stopped recruiting new COVID-19 patients for two clinical trials on hydroxychloroquine and will no longer supply the anti-malaria drug to treat COVID-19 until concerns about safety are cleared up, Reuters news agency reported.

The moves come after the WHO paused its large trial of hydroxychloroquine, prompting several European governments to ban the use of the drug, also used in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

That dealt a major blow to hopes for a treatment, touted by US President Donald Trump, as drugmakers and governments race to find ways to treat patients and control the novel coronavirus. Sanofi has been conducting two randomised, controlled clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19.

US President Donald Trump announced on May 18 he had been taking hydroxychloroquine for almost two weeks as a preventive measure against COVID-19 [George Frey/AFP]

17:30 GMT  Petition calling for UK PMs aide to be sacked passes 1 million signatures

A petition calling for British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons closest aide to be sacked after he took a long-distance journey during the countrys coronavirus lockdown has been signed by more than one million people.

Dominic Cummings travelled 400 km (250 miles) from London to the northern English city of Durham in March with his four-year-old son and his wife, who was sick with suspected COVID-19 at the time, to be close to relatives.

He has refused to apologise for that journey, or another to a local castle that he said he took to test his eyes and driving ability after falling ill, and which British police said may have breached lockdown rules.

The petition on the Change.org site, entitled Dominic Cummings must be sacked has so far been signed by more than 1,001,260 people. A separate petition on the site, in support of Cummings, has been signed by 37,000 people.





17:15 GMT  One-year delay to Expo 2020 Dubai approved

The World Expo awarding body has said its general assembly has approved a one-year postponement of Expo 2020 Dubai due to difficulties posed by the coronavirus pandemic, and the event would now start in October 2021.

Earlier this month the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) said that the required consent of two-thirds of its 170 member states to delay the Expo had been surpassed. The event is a business and cultural gathering that lasts nearly six months and is held every five years.

While this situation is unprecedented, the response by the Government of the UAE and by our Member States demonstrates the strong bonds that tie us and the shared commitment we have to delivering a truly inclusive World Expo, BIE Secretary General Dimitri S. Kerkentzes said in a statement.





17:00 GMT  COVID-19 robot patrol rolled out in Belgian hospitals

Robots that speak more than 53 languages, detect fever and determine if people are wearing face masks properly have been rolled out in Belgium as a first line of control in hospitals and shops.

People arriving at the University Hospital Antwerp from Tuesday will answer questions online or at an interactive kiosk. The robot will scan a QR code, review their answers, check their temperature and determine if they are wearing a mask correctly.

Fabrice Goffin, chief executive of Belgium-based Zorabots, said his robots had been in hospitals, care homes and hotels since 2013, but had now found a new role. His robots will not test for COVID-19, but could provide useful signs.

The big advantage of this robot relative to a fixed terminal is that the robot can move, can go towards people, can speak to people and speak in their native tongue. It speaks more than 53 languages, he told Reuters news agency.

A visitor at University Hospital Antwerp interacts with a robot called CRUZR deployed to help support coronavirus safety measures [Yves Herman/Reuters]

16:45 GMT  WHO, 37 countries launch alliance to share tools to battle COVID-19

Thirty-seven countries and the WHO have appealed for common ownership of vaccines, medicines and diagnostic tools to tackle the global coronavirus pandemic, taking aim at patent laws they fear could become a barrier to sharing crucial supplies.

While the push by mostly developing nations, called the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool, won praise from groups including Doctors Without Borders, a drug industry alliance questioned if the effort to pool intellectual property would really broaden access to medicines.

Developing and some small nations fear rich countries pumping resources into finding vaccines  more than 100 are in development  will muscle their way to the front of the queue, once a candidate succeeds

Vaccines, tests, diagnostics, treatments and other key tools in the coronavirus response must be made universally available as global public goods, said Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado, who first proposed the alliance.

16:30 GMT  South Africa has backlog of over 96,000 test specimens

South Africa has a backlog of more than 96,000 unprocessed specimens awaiting coronavirus tests, the health ministry has said, reflecting what it called a global shortage of test kits.

The country has taken some of the most decisive measures on the African continent to tackle the spread of the virus, conducting the most tests and imposing one of its strictest lockdowns.

But it is finding it hard to ramp up testing as much as it would like because some global suppliers are unable to meet its demand for laboratory kits, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in parliament this week.

South Africa had recorded 27,403 confirmed coronavirus cases and 577 deaths as of Thursday, out of some 655,000 people tested.





16:15 GMT  Italy records 87 new deaths, 516 new cases

Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 87 on Friday, against 70 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency has said, while the daily tally of new cases fell to 516 from 593 on Thursday.

The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21 now stands at 33,229 the agency said, the third highest in the world after those of the United States and Britain.

The number of confirmed cases amounts to 232,248, the sixth highest global tally behind those of the United States, Russia, Spain, Britain and Brazil.

Tourists wearing protective masks are pictured at St. Marks Square following the outbreak of the coronavirus in Venice, Italy [Manuel Silvestri/Reuters]

16:00 GMT  La Liga season to restart on June 11

Spanish soccers top-flight will resume on June 11 after a three-month pause due to the coronavirus pandemic with the local derby between Sevilla and Real Betis, the governments department for sport (CSD) has said.

At a meeting of the contact group they form alongside the CSD, the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) and La Liga have agreed to the format of the final 11 rounds of fixtures of La Liga and the second division, the government said in a statement.

15:45 GMT  Top Bosnian politician detained over respirators deal

The prime minister of one of Bosnias two regions has been detained as part of a probe into the purchase of 100 respirators from China for coronavirus patients, his party has said.

Fadil Novalic, 61, who leads Bosnias Muslim-Croat federation, was taken in for questioning by federal police on Thursday, according to local media.

The chairman of his SDA party, the main Bosnian Muslim party, confirmed Novalic was in custody and asked the prosecutors office to urgently present the evidence against the politician.

The $6 million deal done in April first raised suspicions after it emerged that authorities had hired a local fruit and vegetable company  with no connection to the medical field  to procure the equipment. Experts have said the respirators were not the right model for intensive care units where they are needed.





15:30 GMT  Spain reports two new deaths, bringing overall toll to 27,121

Spains Health Ministry has said recorded deaths from the coronavirus outbreak reached 27,121, increasing by two in the last 24 hours.

A total of 39 deaths were reported over the last seven days, while there have been 238,564 diagnosed cases since the beginning of the outbreak, the ministrys figures showed.

The government has warned the data may fluctuate in coming days as it adjusts to a new methodology of logging cases.

15:15 GMT  Frances Louvre museum preparing to re-open on July 6

The Louvre museum in Paris has it is planning to re-open its doors on July 6 following new steps announced Thursday by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe to ease the countrys coronavirus lockdown.

In a statement, the Frances most visited museum says a booking system and a new signage will allow to offer visitors, asked to wear a mask and keep social distancing, maximal security conditions when coming to the premises.

The Louvre museum in Paris was closed as France imposed a lockdown in March [Benoit Tessier/Reuters]

15:00 GMT  Singapore-China to open essential travel corridor in early June

Singapore and China plan to reopen essential travel for business and official purposes between the two countries early next month, the two countries have said in a joint statement.

The so-called Fast Lane arrangement will be first applied between the Southeast Asian city-state and six Chinese provinces and municipalities  Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang  before being gradually expanded.

Both sides agreed to explore the increase of air links between the two countries for the Fast Lane, the statement said, adding that COVID-19 prevention and control measures would be in place.

14:45 GMT  Azerbaijan extends restrictions until June 15

Azerbaijans government said on Friday it had extended its coronavirus restrictions and border closure until June 15.

The quarantine regime had been introduced on March 24 and extended twice until May 4 and then June 1.

Despite the extension, shopping centres, cinemas, restaurants and cafes will reopen starting from May 31. Sport competitions will be held at open air and without audience. The wearing of masks and social distancing will be mandatory in public spaces.

The South Caucasus country of about 10 million people has registered 4,759 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus and 56 deaths as of Friday.





14:30 GMT  Philippines records 21 new deaths, 1,046 more infections

The Philippines has reported 21 more novel coronavirus deaths and 1,046 additional infections.

In a bulletin, the health ministry said total deaths rose to 942 while confirmed cases reached 16,634. It said 122 more patients have recovered, bringing total recoveries to 3,720.

It marked the countrys highest single-day rise in confirmed infections since its first case in January. The ministry said confirmed cases jumped due to timely and complete submission of laboratory results, and the deployment of a better information system.

The government will relax strict quarantine measures in the capital in June to partially restart the economy despite backlogs in testing and validation of coronavirus cases.





14:15 GMT  UAE to shorten curfew by two hours

The UAE will shorten from Saturday by two hours a nightly curfew meant to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the countrys state news agency said on Friday.

The curfew, officially called the national sanitisation program, will run from 10 PM to 6 AM as of Saturday. It currently starts at 8 PM and ends at 6 AM.

The country has reported a total of 33,170 cases and 260 deaths from the disease.

People wearing protective face masks and gloves shop at a Dubai mall [Rula Rouhana/Reuters]

14:00 GMT  EU watchdog reiterates caution on hydroxychloroquine

Healthcare professionals should closely monitor COVID-19 patients who are receiving malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, given the serious side effects associated with the medicine, the European health regulator has said.

Several EU countries have paused trials of the drug in patients infected by the new coronavirus over safety concerns, the European Medicines Agency said, adding the drugs benefits have not been established for the illness.

The WHO also suspended testing the drug, which has been controversially touted by US President Donald Trump, in COVID-19 patients last week.





13:45 GMT  French mortality rate in May below previous years despite pandemic

French mortality rates between May 1 and 18 were six percent lower than for the same period last year and one percent below the rate seen over that period in 2018, despite the coronavirus epidemic, statistics agency INSEE has said.

During the peak of the epidemic between March 1 and April 30, French mortality rates were 26 percent higher than the year-earlier period and 16 percent higher than the corresponding period in 2018, provisional data showed.

Since May 1 we no longer excess mortality compared to the two previous years the agency said in a statement.

13:30 GMT  Indian monkeys snatch coronavirus samples

Monkeys mobbed an Indian health worker and made off with coronavirus test blood samples, spreading fears that the stealing simians could spread the pandemic in the local area.

After making off with the three samples earlier this week in Meerut, near the capital New Delhi, the monkeys scampered up nearby trees and one then tried to chew its plunder. Indian authorities often have to grapple with primates snatching food and even mobile phones.

The sample boxes were later recovered and had not been damaged, Meerut Medical college superintendent Dheeraj Raj told the

They were still intact and we dont think there is any risk of contamination or spread, Raj said, adding that the three people whose samples were stolen were retested for the virus.

A monkey crosses the road near Indias Presidential Palace in New Delhi, India [File: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters]

13:15 GMT  Infant dies in Switzerland from COVID-19

An infant has died from COVID-19 in Switzerland, the first child to perish from coronavirus in the country, authorities have said.

Switzerland registered two new deaths from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, including the child, the new head of the countrys coronavirus crisis response, Stefan Kuster, told reporters.

The wealthy Alpine nation has now registered more than 30,700 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 1,656 deaths.

Hello, this is Joseph Stepansky in Doha taking over from my colleague Umut Uras.

I will be handing over this blog shortly to another colleague in Doha.

Here is a quick summary of the latest developments:

Russia recorded 232 deaths from the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, the highest daily increase

India registered a new record daily increase in cases with 7,466 reported infections

Pakistani authorities announced that the country will resume international flight operations

12:55 GMT  Pakistan to resume international flight operations

Pakistan will allow international flights to resume, an aviation official said, after largely closing its airspace to commercial flights since March to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Both national and foreign airlines shall be allowed to operate from all international airports of Pakistan with exception of Gwadar and Turbat, said Abdul Sattar Khokhar, Senior Joint Secretary at the Civil Aviation Authority in a statement, adding that flights would be allowed from Saturday.

Pakistan has largely rolled back its lockdown measures and resumed domestic flights this month despite a rise in the rate of coronavirus infections. Some airlines received exemptions during the closure to enable international repatriation flights in and out of Pakistan.

12:40 GMT  Greece to open to tourists from 29 countries from June 15

The countries are: Germany, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Israel, Switzerland, Japan, Malta, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Australia, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Albania, Estonia, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Hungary, South Korea, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Finland.

Visitors will be randomly tested, the tourism ministry said, and the government would monitor and evaluate developments related to the coronavirus. The list will be updated before July 1, the tourism ministry said.

The Mediterranean nation, which emerged from a decade-long debt crisis in late 2018, relies heavily on tourism  about 20 percent of its output  for an economic recovery.

Greece relies heavily on tourism  approximately 20 percent of its output [Thanassis Stavrakis/AP]

12:20 GMT  Spain government to mull state of emergency extension with parties

The Spanish government will discuss with various political parties whether to seek another extension to a state of emergency over the coronavirus beyond June 7, government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero said.

She added that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez would disclose during the weekend the governments decision on such an extension, which has to be approved by parliament. The state of emergency was first established in mid-March, imposing some of the toughest restrictions in Europe.

12:00 GMT  Denmark and Norway create travel bubble, excluding Sweden: reports

Norway and Denmark will resume free travel between the two countries, three Norwegian media outlets reported, creating a travel bubble that excludes Scandinavian neighbour Sweden, where the number of COVID-19 infections is higher.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg are due to hold news conferences about travel restrictions at 12:00 GMT.

11:35 GMT  Qatar reports 1,993 new cases, three deaths

Qatar recorded 1,993 new confirmed coronavirus cases and three deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the ministry of public health.

The new data brings the total active cases in the country to 32,267 and coronavirus-related deaths to 36.

The ministry said that 5,205 people recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recovered people in Qatar to 20,604.

     

Latest update on Coronavirus in Qatar#__ #YourSafetyIsMySafety pic.twitter.com/htdMBH0UJk     (@MOPHQatar) May 29, 2020

11:15 GMT  Pakistan firm to import potential COVID-19 treatment from Bangladesh

A pharmaceutical company in Pakistan plans to import the antiviral drug remdesivir, which has shown promise in treating coronavirus patients, from neighbouring Bangladesh, it said in a stock exchange filing.

The announcement by Searle Company Limited came a day after 56 virus deaths recorded by the south Asian nation, its highest toll in a single day.

The firm said it had entered into an exclusive licensing and marketing agreement with Bangladeshs Beximco Pharmaceuticals, the first company in the world to introduce the generic variant of the drug.

10:50 GMT  World Bank lends Philippines $500m to counter virus impact

The World Bank Group approved a $500m loan for the Philippines to help it cope with the economic impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Bank said on Friday.

The Philippine government will begin easing from June 1 one of the worlds toughest and longest lockdowns for residents in the capital and other key cities, restoring much-needed activity to an economy facing its deepest contraction in nearly three decades.

The loan will support efforts to provide immediate relief to poor Filipinos and small business workers who have lost their jobs during the lockdown since mid-March, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said in a statement.

The World Bank last month approved two sets of loans totalling $600m to support the Philippines emergency response [Reuters]

10:30 GMT  Polish football fans to return to stadiums from June 19: PM

Polish football supporters will be able to attend matches from June 19, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said, but only 25 percent of the capacity of stadiums will be used in order to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

The Polish Football Association and the Premier League have chosen the 19th, so it will be possible to prepare everything according to the correct procedures, Morawiecki said.

10:10 GMT  Portugals tourism collapses in April due to coronavirus

The number of overnight stays by tourists in Portugal dropped 98.3 percent to nearly 71,000 last month from the previous year, showing the sectors collapse as lockdowns to contain the spread of the coronavirus grounded flights and kept visitors away.

The National Statistics Institute said in its flash estimate overnight stays by Britons, the main source of tourism for Portugal, fell 99.3 percent in April compared to the same period in 2019.

09:25 GMT  Indonesia reports 678 new coronavirus cases, 24 deaths

Indonesia has reported 678 new coronavirus infections, taking the total number of cases in the Southeast Asian country to 25,216, according to the health ministry official, Achmad Yurianto.

Yurianto reported 24 new deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the total to 1,520, while 6,492 people have recovered.

Indonesia reports 24 new deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the total to 1,520 [EPA]

08:50 GMT  Russia reports record one-day rise in coronavirus deaths

Russia has reported 232 deaths from the new coronavirus in the last 24 hours, a record one-day amount that pushed the nationwide death toll to 4,374.

Officials said 8,572 new infections had been confirmed, bringing the national tally to 387,623, the third-highest reported total in the world after the United States and Brazil.

Officials say 8,572 new infections were confirmed in Russia, bringing the national tally to 387,623 [Anadolu]

08:30 GMT  Bulgaria to end quarantine on travel from most of EU

Bulgaria plans to lift an obligatory 14-day quarantine from June 1 for travellers from some European Union countries, but not those states with the biggest coronavirus outbreaks, a senior health official said.

The quarantine will remain obligatory for travellers from Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Malta, the countrys chief health inspector said, as well as the UK, which is in a transition period after leaving the EU.

The health minister still needs to approve the move. A ban on the entry of visitors from outside the EU will remain in place.

08:15 GMT  Which countries have not reported any coronavirus cases?

The new coronavirus has been labelled a pandemic and has been reported in at least 188 countries, according to Johns Hopkins Universitys data.

However, a handful of countries have not yet reported any cases of the virus.

Find out those countries here.

07:50  Thailand to ease restrictions, shorten curfew hours

Thailand will next week shorten curfew hours and ease restrictions on more businesses, the government has said, in response to its low numbers of locally transmitted cases of the novel coronavirus.

Starting from June 1, cinemas and theatres can reopen, but with no more than 200 people at a time and with strict social distancing measures, said Somsak Roongsita, secretary-general of the National Security Council.

A curfew will be shortened by one hour to last from 11pm to 3am local time and shopping malls, which reopened earlier this month, will also be allowed to extend their operating hours, he added.

Shopping malls in Thailand, which reopened earlier this month, will be allowed to extend their operating hour [Reuters]

07:30  UK needs to start tapering its COVID furlough scheme: minister

The UK cannot run its COVID-19 jobs protection scheme indefinitely and needs to start tapering it down as people slowly return to work, environment minister George Eustice said.

The furlough scheme has been incredibly important in terms of keeping people on standby and ready to return to work, he told Sky News. Clearly as we start to emerge from the lockdown and start to get our economy back to work, we cant keep people on that furlough scheme indefinitely.

We need to start identifying ways of moving them off the furlough scheme and back into work  We need a furlough scheme that can be tapered down as people return to work.

07:10 GMT  Singapore health ministry confirms 611 new cases

Singapores health ministry said it has confirmed 611 new coronavirus cases, taking the city states tally for infections to 33,860.

The country reported 23 deaths in total.

Residents collect free protective face masks from vending machines in Singapore [Edgar Su/Reuters]

06:50 GMT  China to extend curbs on international flights until June 30: US embassy

Chinese civil aviation authorities plan to extend until June 30 their curbs on international flights imposed to restrain the spread of the coronavirus, the United States embassy in Beijing said in a travel advisory.

China drastically cut such flights since March to allay concerns over infections brought by arriving passengers. A so-called Five One policy allows mainland carriers to fly just one flight a week on one route to any country and foreign airlines to operate just one flight a week to China.

06:25 GMT  Germanys confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 741: RKI

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany has increased by 741 to 180,458, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed.

The reported death toll rose by 39 to 8,450, the tally showed.

The reported death toll in Germany increased to 8,450 [Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images]

06:00 GMT  Thailand reports 11 new coronavirus cases

Thailand has confirmed 11 new coronavirus cases and no new deaths, taking the number of infections to 3,076.

The new cases were all patients who had arrived from Kuwait and were in quarantine, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the governments Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration.

The novel coronavirus has killed 57 people in Thailand since it was first detected in January.

Hello, this is Umut Uras in Doha taking over this blog from my colleague Zaheena Rasheed.

05:41 GMT  South Korea plans to limit number of students returning to class

South Koreas education ministry has announced plans to limit the number of students attending classes in schools in the Seoul metropolitan area amid a spike in new coronavirus infections.

The move comes just days after in-person classes resumed as part of a phased reopening of schools.

The Yonhap news agency quoted Park Baeg-beom, the vice education minister, as saying elementary and middle schools can only allow one-third of students to return to class while high schools can only take in two-thirds of their students.

Students sit behind protective screens as a preventative measure against the COVID-19 novel coronavirus as they eat lunch at a high school in Daejeon, South Korea, on May 20, 2020 [Yonhap / AFP]

05:05 GMT  Surge in cases as India prepares to lift lockdown

India has registered another record daily increase with 7,466 new coronavirus cases.

The Health Ministrys new figures on Friday show India now has 165,799 cases with 4,706 deaths, which both now exceed China.

Indias two-month lockdown is set to end on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modis government is expected to issue new guidelines this weekend, possibly extending the lockdown in worst-hit areas as it promotes economic activity.

04:49 GMT  Brazil reports record cases, 1,000 deaths in 24 hours

Brazil registered a new record in COVID-19 cases and more than 1,000 deaths in a 24-hour period, according to official figures out Thursday.

The South American country has the worlds second-highest number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases  438,238  after the US. According to Health Ministry data, 26,417 new cases were confirmed in a 24 hour-period ending late on Thursday.

In that same period, Brazil experienced its third-highest number of virus deaths since the start of the pandemic: 1,156. That brought the total death toll to 26,754, the sixth highest in the world.





04:23 GMT  Colombia extends national quarantine until July

Colombia has extended a nationwide quarantine to contain the spread of the coronavirus until July 1, while allowing more freedom of movement in some parts of the country.

Thousands of businesses have begun to reopen in the Andean country, with new safety protocols and reduced staff, as a lockdown in place since late March was due to lift at the end of May.

Under the government-mandated extension that business restart will continue. Hairdressers and barbers are among the businesses allowed to reopen, along with museums and libraries, at the discretion of local mayors.

However, other broad restrictions will remain in place. Public transit between municipalities and domestic flights will remain barred and in many areas people are required to stay indoors.

04:13 GMT  WHO to reconsider role of China-based ambassador

The World Health Organization is reviewing the position of its goodwill ambassador, James Chau, who was involved in the airing of an alleged forced confession on Chinese state television, according to the Financial Times.

Chau, a television anchor with Chinas state broadcaster, presented a programme that in 2013 aired a confession by British businessman Peter Humphrey, who claims he was filmed under duress.

The matter is taken seriously, as any such complaint would be. It is currently under internal review, and therefore cannot be commented on, the WHO said in a statement to The Financial Times.





03:38 GMT  Algeria extends partial lockdown until June 13

Abdelaziz Djerad, the prime minister of Algeria, has extended a partial lockdown in the majority of the countrys provinces for another 15 days.

Djerad lifted quarantine measures only in four provinces  Saida, Tindouf, Illizi and Tamanrasset  following the favourable results recorded there, according to Algeria Presse Service.

03:21 GMT  AIIB approves $750m loan for Philippines virus response

China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has said it had approved a $750m loan to the Philippines to help the country cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

The project, which will be co-financed by the Asian Development Bank, is intended to increase testing capacity, support vulnerable sectors like agriculture, and provide emergency assistance to poor households, according to a statement.





02:07 GMT  South Korea reports 58 cases

South Korea reported 58 new cases of the coronavirus for May 28, all in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, as officials scrambled to stem transmissions linked to a massive e-commerce warehouse near the capital.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun called for officials to examine working conditions at warehouses of online shopping companies, which have seen orders surge during the pandemic, and other congested workplaces where infection risks may be high.

South Korea has reported 177 new COVID-19 cases over the past three days, a resurgence that threatens to erase some of its hard-won gains against the virus and worsen a massive shock to the countrys trade-dependent economy.

01:55 GMT  India: Under Lockdown

Social distancing and good hygiene are essential weapons in the fight against COVID-19.

But how can you maintain social distancing in one of the worlds largest slums? How can you wash your hands regularly when there is no running water? And what happens when millions of people who survive on meagre wages are suddenly without work and struggling to feed themselves?

Check out this investigation from 101 East on how Indias poor fared under the worlds biggest lockdown.





01:40 GMT  Cricket-Twenty20 World Cup schedule under very high risk

Cricket Australia boss Kevin Roberts has downplayed the prospect of the Twenty20 World Cup going ahead in 2020, saying the October-November schedule was under very high risk due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Obviously, weve been hopeful all along that it could be staged in October-November but you would have to say there is a very high risk about the prospect of that happening, Roberts told reporters in a video call.

In the event that doesnt happen, there are potential windows in the February-March period, October-November the following year.

00:46 GMT  China reports no new coronavirus cases

Health authorities in China have reported no new confirmed coronavirus cases in the mainland as of the end of May 28.

The National Health Commission, however, did confirm five new asymptomatic coronavirus cases on May 28, down from 23 a day earlier.





00:28 GMT  Australias New South Wales state warns of COVID-19 budget toll

The Australian state of New South Wales has said the coronavirus pandemic could cost it as much 20 billion Australian dollars ($13.3bn) in lost revenues over the next four years, underscoring the urgency to revive the countrys stuttering economy.

Releasing its first estimate of the economic effect of coronavirus, NSW said budget deficits totalling 10-20 billion Australian dollars are expected over the next four years, a far cry from its previous estimate in December 2019 of an average budget surplus of 1.9 billion Australian dollars ($1.3bn) over four years.

We are facing the type of economic challenge not seen in generations, perhaps not since people were hammering the last rivet into the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the 1930s, said NSW state Treasurer Dominic Perrottet.

00:16 GMT  14 million additional people could go hungry in Latin America

The World Food Programme has said some 14 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean could experience severe food insecurity this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is vital and urgent that we provide food assistance to the growing number of vulnerable people in the region, as well as those who depend on informal work, said Miguel Barreto, WFP regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

We still have time to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from becoming a hunger pandemic.

Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Im Zaheena Rasheed in Male, Maldives.

You can find all the updates from yesterday, May 28 here.
By Saturday, he'll be Inmate No. 19579-104.

But Roger Stone, a longtime confidant of President Donald Trump, will start his prison sentence without needing to comply with a Bureau of Prisons directive that newly sentenced inmates be sent to a federal quarantine site.

Just last week, the agency said it would 'process all newly-sentenced Bureau inmates through one of three quarantine sites' or at a federal detention facility. But that wont be the case for Stone, 67.

Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Sue Allison told The Associated Press that Stone is supposed to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons by Saturday and will not be required to go to a quarantine facility.

That's because he's voluntarily surrendering, she said.

Confidante: Roger Stone's long relationship with Donald Trump - who posed with the dirty trickster and his wife Nydia before his election - will enter a new phase when the 67-year-old becomes an inmate of one of the federal government's prisons

Disgraced dandy: Stone - who was sentenced in Washington D.C. on February 20 and left the court with a jaunty wave of his fedora - will be in prison uniform for as much as the next three years

The agency has an exemption for those who are voluntarily surrendering, absolving them of the requirement to be sent to a quarantine site, a policy designed to stop the spread of coronavirus that has exploded in the federal prison system. The exception was not laid out in the policy the agency made public last week.

Advocates have raised alarms for years about racial disparities of so-called 'voluntary surrenders' which typically happen in cases with special circumstances or involve affluent or high-profile defendants.

Stone will need to quarantine for 14 days at the prison where he surrenders, Allison said. The agency will not say where he'll serve his prison sentence.

As of Thursday, 4,979 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 since late March; the Bureau of Prisons has said 3,232 had recovered. At least 60 inmates have died.

The response from the federal Bureau of Prisons coronavirus has raised alarm among advocates and lawmakers about whether the agency is doing enough to ensure the safety of the about 137,000 inmates serving time in federal facilities.

And even though officials have stressed infection and death rates inside prisons are lower compared with outside, a high number of inmates tested come back positive - signs that COVID-19 cases are left uncovered.

Stones ability to skirt the quarantine-site rule is likely to ignite inquiries from Democratic lawmakers and prison advocates who have raised concerns about the appearance that the Bureau of Prisons has been loosening its rules to help allies of the president and high-profile inmates.

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was released from prison on home confinement earlier this month to serve the rest of his prison sentence at home, despite not meeting the bureaus criteria to be considered a priority for home confinement.

And Trump's longtime personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen was also released from a federal prison last week on furlough and is expected to transition to home confinement for the rest of his sentence on charges of campaign finance fraud and lying to Congress.

Freedom: Michael Cohen was seen arriving at his Manhattan apartment immediately after his release from federal prison just before the Memorial Day weekend

Free already: Michael Cohen spent longer behind bars than Paul Manafort despite having a shorter sentence. Now Roger Stone will become the only former Trump aide behind bars

The Bureau of Prisons has disputed that it is giving any preferential treatment to high-profile inmates and has said more than 2,400 inmates have been moved to home confinement since March 26, when Attorney General William Barr first issued a memo ordering an increase in the use of home confinement.

More than 1,200 others have been approved and are in the pipeline to be released, the agency said.

Stone was convicted in November on all seven counts of an indictment that accused him of lying to Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to tip the 2016 election.

He was the sixth Trump aide or adviser to be convicted on charges brought as part of Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Before his Feb. 20 sentencing, the Justice Department leadership backed away from its initial recommendation just hours after Trump tweeted his displeasure at the recommendation of up to nine years in prison, saying it had been too harsh. The move led to a brief flare-up between Attorney General Willam Barr and Trump.

Stone was sentenced to serve more than three years in prison plus two years' probation and a $20,000 fine.
The class action firm that pursued the Morrison government over the "robo-debt" scandal says the decision to repay $721 million of unlawful debts recouped from low income Australians was not the end of the saga and it would push for damages for its clients' distress.

Minister for Government Services Stuart Robert announced on the eve of mediation on the class action that the government would repay 373,000 Australians who had been hit with debt notices about alleged welfare overpayments based on flawed calculations.

Part of the scheme that became "robo-debt" was announced ahead of the 2016 election by then-treasurer Scott Morrison and finance minister Mathias Cormann as a component of a welfare crackdown forecast to raise billions and help pay for the government's spending.

The government is still facing a class action over the scheme, which Labor said was the trigger for the repayments. Services Australia, which administered "robo-debt", had already been forced to send letters to thousands of the schemes victims telling them they could join the class action.
NASA and Elon Musk's spacex will once again attempt to make history Saturday by launching astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley from US soil to the International Space Station.

Spectators from around the world were disappointed Wednesday when the initial launch was scrubbed with just minutes on the countdown due to poor weather conditions.

'Launch America' is set to takeoff at 3:22pm Saturday, but bad weather is still on the minds of the team, as there is currently a 50 percent probability Falcon 9 will head to space.

NASA was originally set to conduct a weather briefing this afternoon, but pushed it until tomorrow morning and will then make a decision if the launch should instead be moved to Sunday, May 31 at 3pm ET - which currently has a 60 percent chance for takeoff.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a live press conference Wednesday morning: 'One of the things we are going to do this afternoon is get another weather brief and we might make the decision that Sunday is the day and not Saturday.'

'It will depend on the probabilities, it will be arranged by what the probabilities are on Saturday and what the probabilities are on Sunday.'

'If it is a high enough probability on Saturday, we target that day.'

'The question is, if we have a 50 percent probability and the next opportunity is on Sunday, we could put ourselves in back-to-back wet dress rehearsals Saturday and Sunday.'

Scroll down for video

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (pictured) said in a live press conference : 'One of the things we are going to do this afternoon is get another weather brief and we might make the decision that Sunday is the day and not Saturday'

'The thing we have to start considering is the human factors of that,' he continued.

'The human factors are we are wearing everyone out, including our astronauts, although they never complain.'

'So we are looking at all of these different options that we have to consider.'

With just 16 minutes and 54 seconds left on the Launch America countdown clock when a SpaceX official said 'launch scrubbed' during the live stream Wednesday.

NASA and Elon Musk's SpaceX will once again attempt to make history Saturday by launching astronauts Robert Behnken (left) and Douglas Hurley (right) from US soil to the International Space Station

'Launch America' is set to takeoff at 3:22pm tomorrow, but bad weather is still on the minds of the team, as there is currently a 50 percent probability Falcon 9 will head to space

The ground crew needed to pass three weather criteria in order to launch at the 4:33pm liftoff time, but officials had to stop the countdown - even though the weather would have cleared 10 minutes afterwards.

But the launch could not wait, because the fast-changing position of the International Space Station (ISS) meant the rocket would have missed the target even leaving just seconds after the schedule liftoff time.

The space station orbits some 250 miles above Earth and travels more than 17,000 miles per hour.

This means NASA needs to stay with a precise launch schedule in order for the Crew Dragon to successfully dock on the ISS.

The current forecast for Saturday calls for precipitation, anvil clouds and cumulus clouds  three key factors that could keep Launch America grounded.

According to the reports, Sunday holds just a 40 percent chance of bad weather for liftoff - making it a 60 percent chance the mission will be a go.

The bad weather looming over Florida is related to Tropical Storm Bertha, which made landfall in South Carolina Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Center said the storm's center was near the Great Lakes by the end of the day on Thursday, and is expected to dissipate in the next two days.

Another issue NASA is enduring is controlling the influx of people attending the launch during the coronavirus pandemic and are urging spectators to follow the guidelines from the CDC. Pictured are reporters wearing protective masks during Friday's press conference

However, it is the dark storm clouds that could prevent the Falcon 9 from launching Saturday.

'It is not a window at all, if you don't meet it you don't go,' said Bridenstine.

'If the weather is good, you go. 'If the weather is not good, you don't go.'

'We cannot forget that this is a test flight. We are not in normal operations, because we are learning right now.'

'Bob and Doug are our highest priorities and we will go when everything is as safe as we can make it.' Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A has 12 different criteria that must be met in order for a launch to proceed.

The list includes winds must be 30 mph or lower, no anvil thunderstorm clouds within 10 nautical miles and other restrictions regarding clouds.

When SpaceX and NASA began Wednesday's journey there was a 50 percent chance of 'violating weather constraints' at the time of launch.

'Not quite going to make it for this,' a weather officer said on NASA's live feed of the launch.

He explained that if they could wait an extra 10 minutes, the requirements would have been met.

When asked about a how much money was lost due to the aborted Wednesday mission, Bridenstein said: 'There is cost associated with the delay, make no mistake there is cost.'

'We load the rocket with liquid oxygen, we unload the rocket of liquid oxygen and weve got all of these people here at the cape that are focused on getting the mission accomplished.'

'There are absolutely costs associated.'

With just 16 minutes and 54 seconds left on the Launch America countdown clock when a SpaceX official said 'launch scrubbed' during the live stream Wednesday. The ground crew needed to pass three weather criteria in order to launch at the 4:33pm liftoff time

Although NASA has discouraged people from attending due to the coronavirus, hundreds of spectators lined the Florida coast to catch a glimpse of the launch. NASA said on Friday that they urge those attending Saturday's launch to abide by the recommendations set by the governor of Florida and the CDC

'Compared to the total investment that took us to get to this point, the costs are really, really minimal.'

'And compared to the lives of Bob and Doug, we are not worried about that.'

Another issue NASA is enduring is controlling the influx of people attending the launch during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex officially opened on Thursday to the public, which was specifically done a day after the launch to prevent a massive crowd from attending.

However, the center's website notes that NASA is limited the number of people who can attend the launch  tickets for Saturday's even have sold out.

'What we expect when people come here that they follow the guidance of the governor of the state of Florida,' said Bridenstine.

'That they follow the guidance for social distancing and wear personal protective equipment if you are not going to maintain that distanced.

'Remember if we have an outbreak, all of the contact tracing begins and then all of these mission essential people could end up being sidelined.

'We will make sure that the people involved in mission essential functions for this country, launching American astronauts on American rockets from American soil launching and our next rover to Mars will not be placed in jeopardy.'
In a first in the history of couture, Paris will take its Couture Fashion Week online from July 6 to 8.

The Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode has said it will release videos and imagery from the official couture houses to a dedicated online platform on a timed schedule, emulating that of a more traditional fashion week.

Each house will be represented in the form of a creative film/video. Additional content will be included in an editorialized section of the platform. All of this will be widely shared on the main international media networks, said coutures governing body in a statement. It is understood the federation plans to involve several tech and other partners, to be revealed at a later date.

All 41 fashion houses granted the official haute couture designation have been invited to participate, however a few have already opted out. Jean Paul Gaultier, who handed over the reins of his couture business to Sacais Chitose Abe as the first in a series of rotating guest designers, announced the couture show would be postponed until January, while Giorgio Armani did the same for his Armani Prive collection. Balenciaga, which was set to debut its first couture collection in over 50 years, has also postponed.

The news is the latest in a series of amendments to the traditional fashion week format. London is preparing to host its first ever digital, genderless fashion week in June, while Pariss Digital Couture Week will precede Paris Mens Spring/Summer 2021 digital fashion week which is slated for 9-13 July, and Milan Digital Fashion Week which will follow on 14-17 July.
Renowned astrologer Bejan Daruwalla passed away on Friday evening at a private hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He was 89.

Renowned astrologer Bejan Daruwalla passed away on Friday evening at a private hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He was 89.

According to a report by Economic Times, the astrologer was put at a ventilator after he complained of breathing difficulties.

Daruwalla was undergoing treatment for pneumonia and brain hypoxia for the past few days.

A report by The Times of India quoted the astrologer's son Nastur Daruwalla as saying, He was a fighter and he fought bravely till his last breath. He predicted that coronavirus will soon go away. India, despite its poverty and joblessness, will rise like a phoenix. Next year will be the best year for India and the country will soon emerge as a superpower.

Nastur also denied social media rumours that his father had contracted coronavirus. He was suffering from only pneumonia, Nastur said.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani tweeted that he is saddened by the death of the renowned astrologer.

Saddened by the demise of renowned Astrologer Shri Bejan Daruwalla. I pray for the departed soul. My condolences. Om Shanti...  Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) May 29, 2020

President of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee Amit Chavda tweeted about Daruwalla's demise and wrote, May God give peace to the departed soul and give strength to his family to face this difficult situation."

Former Gujarat Congress chief Arun Modhawadia too expressed his grief over the astrologer's demise. Unfathomable loss to the world of Indian astrology, he tweeted.

Saddened to hear demise of renowned astrologer Wizard Shri Bejan Daruwalla ji @Bejan_Daruwalla due to Covid19. Unfathomable loss to the world of Indian Astrology. My condolences to his family & friends. May his divine soul find peace in Almighty's Heaven. pic.twitter.com/Gse9k67V29  Arjun Modhwadia (@arjunmodhwadia) May 29, 2020

Daruwalla was a well-known astrologer who combined various methods of predictions like Vedic astrologym Numerology, Palmistry, Tarot, reported Economic Times. Born in July 1931, he was known to offer advice to Prince Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar of City Palace Udaipur and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. Bejan Daruwalla was a practising Zoroastrian.

According to Bejan Daruwalla website, he is acknowledged as one of the 100 great astrologers in the last 1000 years in The Millennium Book of Prophecy, published by Harper Collins, USA. A Ph.D holder in English, his real name was Bejan Jehangir.
You are here: World

 Flash

The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States topped 1.7 million on Thursday, reaching 1,700,350 as of 9:32 a.m. (1332 GMT), according to a tally kept by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

Meanwhile, the total deaths nationwide, which passed 100,000 on Wednesday, reached 100,467, according to the tally.

New York remains the hardest-hit state with 364,965 cases and 29,484 fatalities. Other states with over 100,000 cases include New Jersey, Illinois, and California, the CSSE data showed.
Vladimir Putin has steadily expanded the Russian state's involvement in an economy that's increasingly dominated by large companies. The coronavirus crisis, with its lopsided financial assistance that benefits big employers more than entrepreneurs, looks set to continue this process. In the short term, this will strengthen the hand of a vulnerable president. Over the longer term, it spells stagnation.

Governments almost everywhere have had to intervene in their industries over the past few months as they scramble to contain the fallout from COVID-19, bailing out airlines, carmakers and more. Moscow, though, has been slowly broadening its own economic presence since the early 2000s, constructing a corporate landscape that now leans on fewer sectors, with fewer competitors - a phenomenon heightened by international sanctions and a policy of self-reliance.

Exactly how much of the the Russian economy the Putin government controls remains unclear. Credit:AP

Russia's fiscal remedies for the coronavirus and oil price crises will suit the bigger, state-influenced companies. Smaller, private employers, already struggling in an inhospitable business environment, will get more limited backing. Only 13 per cent of small and medium-sized companies say they will definitely survive, according to figures cited this week by a former finance minister, Alexei Kudrin.

Recent announcements on further assistance for the economy are encouraging, but they come late, and they will be paid for out of a broader pandemic response budget that is currently estimated at just 3.5 per cent of last year's gross domestic product, according to Bloomberg Economics. Only part of this - between 0.8 per cent and 1.7 per cent of GDP - is expected to be the kind of new discretionary spending that would really support smaller business owners. Help in the form of tax deferrals and similar measures, which are part of the same financial package, will benefit larger companies and state entities more than those who simply need cash to keep paying wages and suppliers.
A police officer who sent racist pictures of people dressed in Klu Klux Klan-like masks to an email about department-issued coronavirus masks will keep his job.

Officer Jacob McDonough of the Norman police department in Oklahoma sent pictures of people with white bags over their faces carrying torches on May 5.

McDonough continued to work as he was investigated internally by the department for the email to around 250 colleagues of a scene from the movie Django Unchained.

It showed KKK men complaining about the fit of their masks and McDonough was referencing how the departments new masks did not fit properly.

The photos included the captions I think we all think the bag was a nice idea and but not pointin any fingers, they coulda been done better

The email chain was stopped within 15 minutes by Lieutenant Lee McWhorter and Police Chief Foster said he reported it to internal affairs within 40 minutes

Norman Police Chief Kevin Foster said: I was very offended and couldnt believe that an officer had sent that out.

Regardless of what he was thinking, the inappropriateness of it and how it offends people is still there.

We are looking at another programme now for sensitivity training. I believe our in-services and our prior training are working and that is apparent by him being called so quickly on it.

Norman Police officer Jacob McDonough will keep his job despite sending racist pictures showing Klu Klux Klan men to colleagues, the Oklahama force said Tuesday. Police Chief Kevin Foster (pictured) said he 'couldn't believe that an officer had sent that out'

McDonough, who has been with the department since February 2018, sent a picture from the 2012 Quentin Tarantino movies lynching scene.

In the scene, Klan-esque members seek to kill Cristoph Waltza character Dr King Schultz for helping Django Freeman, played by Jamie Foxx, but find difficulty with their masks.

The photos included the captions I think we all think the bag was a nice idea and but not pointin any fingers, they coulda been done better.

The email chain was stopped within 15 minutes by Lieutenant Lee McWhorter and Police Chief Foster said he reported it to internal affairs within 40 minutes.

McWhorter wrote: McDonough, I really hope you didnt mean that the way it looks because thats MORE than inappropriate. Id say this is a fantastic time to stop this email thread.'

Sir, I would like to apologize, McDonough wrote in response, saying he was using satire from the movie.

Norman Police said Tuesday it would not reveal the extent of McDonoughs discipline, in line with a state statute allowing a public body to keep personnel records confidential

The statute allows confidentiality unless final disciplinary action results in loss of pay, suspension, demotion of position or termination.

Spokeswoman Sarah Jensen said: The discipline was determined following consideration of the facts of the incident discovered during the investigation and feedback from the Norman Citizens Advisory Board (NCAB).

A street in Norman named after a former Grand Wizard of the KKK, Edwin Debarr, was changed in December 2017 after 30 years of lobbying. Pictured: Klu Klux Klan Imperial Wizard Don Black (center) of Alabama is flanked by armed guards at the cross burning climaxing a Klan recruitment rally outside Winnsboro

In accordance with Oklahoma State Law, details regarding the nature of the discipline will not be available for public release.

A phone call to a number listed for McDonough was answered by a man who said it was a wrong number. A second number listed for McDonough disconnected after ringing twice.

More than 360 people have signed a petition on MoveOn created by Deon Osborne to have McDonough fired.

A street in Norman named after a former Grand Wizard of the KKK, Edwin Debarr, was changed in December 2017 after 30 years of lobbying.
Canberra, May 29 : Australians in the state of Victoria could face fines if they return to their workplaces from June 1 under the new COVID-19 rules announced on Friday.

State Premier Daniel Andrews explained that the working from home advisory had been upgraded, meaning that both employee and employer could be fined for breaching the rules, reports Xinhua news agency.

"If you're currently working from home -- you must keep working from home," Andrews said.

"For employees, that means an obligation to keep working from home. And for employers, an obligation to support them in doing so." Several industries will be exempt from the order which involve essential employees who are unable to work from home, including supermarkets, public transport and frontline services.

The new order will remain in place for the foreseeable future as the COVID-19 challenge facing Victoria is far from over, Andrews warned.

"We're also being upfront: we don't yet have a timeline on when this might change, or how we might be able to get back to work as normal," he said.

The new order came after seven new COVID-19 cases were uncovered in the state overnight, including a student who tested positive after attending classes at a school in the northwest of state capital, Melbourne.

A teacher at the school had also previously tested positive for COVID-19, but the two cases were not believed to be connected.

The state's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the two cases might suggest low levels of community transmission in the area and urged all people nearby with symptoms to get tested.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The Ministry of Infrastructure Development has announced the opening of Etihad Road Bridge Project in Ajman, located at the intersection of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque.

The project, whose first phase is valued at Dh52 million ($14.1 million) is part of the ministrys development efforts to fulfill the needs of local people and achieve the happiness and prosperity of road users.

Engineer Abdulrahman Al Mahmoud, Deputy Director of the Southern Region at the Ministry, said that the project will help reduce traffic jams by 75 per cent.

The Phase One of the project will increase the length of the Etihad Road from the intersection of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and Al Jamaa Road up to the Al Zawra Roundabout by approximately 2.5 km, constituting three traffic lanes in each direction, stated Al Mahmoud.

The project, he stated, will serve vehicles coming from Ajman and heading to Ras Al Khaimah.

The launch of a series of projects by the ministry reflects the keenness of the UAEs leadership to achieve prosperity and provide decent lives for Emirati citizens, by constructing vital roads around the country that will solve traffic problems and prevent traffic jams, said the minister.

Al Mahmoud pointed out that the ministry was using quality construction materials and creating green roads systems to achieve sustainable development and protect the environment.

This comes as part of its startegy to reduce emissions by 30 per cent, levelling operations by 45 per cent, electricity consumption by 50 per cent, wasteful building materials by 70 per cent, and construction times by 10 per cent, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Trump has been silent on a number of high-profile police-involved killings. He never addressed the 2014 death of Eric Garner, who was placed in a chokehold by police trying to arrest him for selling loose cigarettes. Video of the encounter was viewed millions of times online, and Garners dying words, I cant breathe, became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement. Trump has, however, invoked those words on several occasions to mock political rivals, even bringing his hands to his neck for dramatic effect.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Consumer durables firm Voltas has said re-mobilisation of workforce at project sites remains a challenging task amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.

In its March quarter (Q4) results, the company posted a 12.7 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth in net profits at Rs 160 crore. Revenue growth was flat at Rs 2,150 crore in Q4 compared to Rs 2,120 crore in the year-ago period.

Voltas in its updates on the COVID-19 pandemic said that on the domestic front, post lifting of the lockdown, remobilisation of work force at project sites is challenging and could result into delay in project completion.

COVID-19 led to a nationwide lockdown from March 25 and factories across the country were temporarily shut down. With no source of livelihood in urban areas, workers went back to their home locations once special trains were arranged by the Indian railways from May 1 onwards. Several others either went by foot, buses or by private transport.

In its business updates due to COVID-19, Voltas said that inventory assessments have been carried out and suppliers have been informed to defer/short close orders to align with future revenues without affecting long-term relationship.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

The company said that representations have been made to the concerned ministries for waiver of detention and ground rent charges due to influx of the containers at port and restriction on movement of non-essential items.

What about the outlook?

Voltas said that Cooling Product sales in March to May (peak summer season) contributes around 35-40 percent of the total volume of annual sales. The company said that this was lost this year due to COVID-19.

"The inventory with channel partners, shorter season period, and aggressive pricing may pose challenges in covering up the lost season sales in the coming months. The demand pattern and behaviour of the Consumers might undergo a change, and spend towards discretionary products may be withheld, temporarily affecting the growth of the industry in 2020-21," the company said in a statement.

Voltas holds the top position in the air conditioning category in India. The company said that the manufacturing operations have been resumed in the factories and demand for the product has started flowing from the unaffected areas.

"The company is cautiously optimistic for the rest of the year, considering prediction of hot weather and demand recovery in the subsequent months," said Voltas.

On the international projects, Voltas said that sharp decline of oil prices and stressed liquidity may affect the spend on the infrastructure, and some of the mega events like Dubai Expo are being rescheduled.

In the midst of lockdown, it added that the pace of execution at project sites, job closures and work certification may be adversely impacted, thereby affecting the liquidity and working capital.

However, it said that a recent announcement by the government allowing extension of time of six months due to COVID-19 pandemic impact would be helpful given that majority of the projects under execution by Voltas are either government projects or are sponsored by them.

"At the same time, given the subdued demand, material prices have come down and savings are expected to accrue on the future project material sourcing. In addition, the careful selection of projects and protected contractual terms would help in mitigating the liquidity risk and margin erosion," said Voltas.

What about liquidity?

Voltas said that while it has a strong balance sheet and cash position, proactively managing day-to-day cash becomes critical during these difficult times.

It said that containing discretionary spend given the prevailing circumstances continues to be a focus area. Capital investment is also being limited towards protecting long-term strategic objectives, it added.

Employee safety and well-being

Voltas said that all government notifications and advisories have been implemented across all their establishments.

Further, the company said that payment to the labour contractors have been made to the extent feasible to ensure that no hardship is caused to them during such testing times and to enable them in turn, pay salaries and wages to their employees.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
NEWS FLASH

Austrian Airlines will resume operations on June 15 after almost ninety days. The carrier has outlined its planned schedule for June, which will see it resume flights to Dubrovnik, Pristina, Sarajevo and Skopje between June 15 and June 21, as well as to Belgrade and Split between June 22 and June 28. Flights to Zagreb and Podgorica are currently not planned for next month. Austrian Airlines will take off to 37 destinations in the first two weeks of resuming flight operations, subject to new official restrictions, and offer an average of 5% capacity compared to the previous year. In the initial phase, the airline will primarily deploy smaller aircraft such as the Embraer 195 and Dash 8. Other destinations will be added in subsequent weeks. The airline is currently developing a flight schedule for July and will provide the relevant information in the near future. Passengers are required to wear a mouth-nose covering on board Austrian Airlines aircraft as well as at Vienna Airport.
On February 4, official Whitlam biographer Professor Jenny Hocking strode up the brutalist slope of the High Court entryway, towards its foreboding glass wall entrance. I struggled to keep up with her, which  given her slight stature  speaks to the steely focus and determination she has shown in her long and risky fight to uncover the truth and to document and share our political history.

Yesterday, Professor Hocking made history herself. If it wasnt for her dogged pursuit, the correspondence between Sir John Kerr and Buckingham Palace regarding Gough Whitlams dismissal would have had no chance of being unearthed from the vaults of the National Archives.

Gough Whitlam on the steps of Parliament after his dismissal in 1975. Credit:Herald Archive

In a historic judgment, the High Court decided 6-1 in Professor Hockings favour.

Professor Hocking has achieved two important victories. She has paved the way for secret letters, embargoed by the Queen, to be released. These letters could reveal what happened in the lead up to the Whitlam dismissal, a subject that is still shrouded in secrecy and intrigue 45 years later. But more than this, Professor Hocking has also achieved an outcome with potentially wide-ranging implications that should put all Commonwealth officials on notice about their responsibility to be transparent about Australian political and democratic history.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Central New York doesnt have the governors OK to reopen a huge chunk of its economy today, as previously expected.

But for thousands of workers and business owners tired of the shutdown, it probably wont matter what Gov. Andrew Cuomo says. Theyre opening anyway.

A massive breakdown in communication from the state and county governments led to conflicting directives on whether businesses like offices, retail shops, barbers, stylists and even dog groomers can reopen today. Destiny USA was among the largest local places expected to reopen Friday in phase two of the state restart.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon spent the week telling those businesses they can reopen. Late Thursday afternoon, Cuomo suggested that wasnt the case. Local leaders spent the rest of the night Thursday haggling with the state over the details.

By the end of the night, they still hadnt shared a clear decision with the public. A spokesman for McMahon said they were looking for more guidance. In other regions, leaders blasted Cuomo for moving the goalposts on phase two.

By the time a clear decision is reached and shared, its likely many shuttered businesses and frustrated workers will already be open. The state has likely lost some of its grip on managing which businesses open and when.

Retailers, hair stylists, professionals and other businesses spent time and money making their shops safer. They stocked up on masks and new protective equipment. They spent money erecting new barriers to manage the flow of people  all with the expectation they would open Friday.

Its unlikely McMahon and others will want to re-close those businesses he spent the week promising a restart.

Already some businesses and officials across the state are talking about ignoring the governor, setting up the possibility of a widespread civil disobedience Friday and beyond.

Anthony Picente, the Oneida County executive whos worked closely with McMahon, said in a news conference he wouldnt ask his law enforcement agencies to take any action against businesses that open without the states approval.

State Sen. Fred Ashkar from the Southern Tier tweeted his support for officials who disobey Cuomo.

I fully support our local leaders decision to move forward with the planned Phase 2 tomorrow since the Governor seems unable or unwilling to keep his word on providing any direction or even simple communication with our Upstate communities, he wrote.

Paul Roe, a tattoo artist who owns James Street Parlour in Syracuse, said he already has appointments booked for next week. He plans to keep them.

We are smart, educated and capable of doing this safely, he said.

McMahon has been on daily calls with the regional control room  a group appointed by Cuomo to guide regional decisions. At least one state official sits in on those meetings, which have been closed to the public. At no point, McMahon said, did any state official say the region wasnt cleared to start phase two on Friday.

But Cuomo never explicitly said this week that any region would be able to start phase two.

When it was time to enter phase one, Cuomo went region-to-region delivering the good news. His office offered guidance for each affected industry and posted information on its website.

None of that has happened this week, leading to questions about whether Central New York was actually headed toward a reopen. Despite that, McMahon insisted this area was clear to go.

McMahon hasnt yet commented on the decision from Cuomo. He told syracuse.com Thursday afternoon he would wait to get more clarity before discussing it. That clarity hadnt come by the end of the night Thursday.

But he was clearly taken by surprise to learn that Friday might not be the beginning of phase two. And, so far, no CNY leaders have told businesses not to open.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

After a week of hype, phase two of NYs restart wont begin tomorrow

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Syracuse AD John Wildhack anticipating reduced Carrier Dome capacity during football season

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com
adamkaz/iStockBy the GMA Team, ABC News



(KEY WEST, Fla.) -- A group of Florida high school seniors held their graduation ceremony in a classic Floridian way, on jet skis.



The pomp and circumstance for the graduating seniors of Somerset Island Prep in Key West included water and the sound of the jet skis' motors.



The nearly one dozen now-graduates of the public charter school each drove a jet ski to an anchored boat, where the school's principal handed them their diploma. The principal handed the students their diplomas with a grabber though in order to ensure social distancing protocols due to the coronavirus pandemic were followed.



The unique graduation took place on May 26. The seniors wore their graduation caps and gowns over life jackets and face masks.

The idea to have a Jet Ski graduation is a perfect example of the innovative mindset that permeates Somerset Island Prep," Todd German, Somerset Academys governing board chair, said in a statement, according to Storyful. "I could not be prouder of the students and staff during these trying times."

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Open source

U.S. Africa Command observed movement of Russian combat aircraft at Khmeymim Air Base in Syria. Last week, the intelligence spotted there a batch of unmarked MiG-29 Fulcrums, the fourth-generation fighter jets. It appears that the planes landed there before departing to Libya, where they could "support forces aligned with rogue Libyan general Khalifa Haftar, who has been fighting for years against the country's U.N.-recognized government". Warzone.com reported that, citing the social media.

"The pictures offer a clear look at one unmarked Fulcrum and the tail of a second one is also visible in the background. The areas of their tails where national insignia, such as the red star of the Russian Air Force, are typically painted on MiG-29s are clearly painted over. The jets also lack any other discernable markings", reads the story.

It remains uncertain when actually these aircraft reached Syria - perhaps by May 18; the outlet reports that the first documented appearance of MiG-29 in Libya dates back to May 19.
A type of grass, bamboo has a number of uses. The shoots of some species, for instance, can be eaten by humans, while panda bears are known for consuming huge amounts of the stuff for sustenance.

In the built environment, some types of bamboo have been utilized to produce everything from scaffolding and bridges to entire buildings.

From Asia to South America, its use in this kind of setting dates back centuries, with several factors making it a favorable material, including strength and the fact that it can grow very quickly.

One example of bamboo being used to build things is a place called Green Village. Located on the island of Bali, Indonesia, the houses and villas there were built by IBUKU, an architecture and design company.

"In the forest, for a bamboo pole to mature it takes three to four years," Elora Hardy, IBUKU's founder and creative director, told CNBC's "Sustainable Energy."

"And, on top of that, it's growing within a clump that's just sending up a new generation of shoots every year for decades, so there's no replanting," she added.

Referring to a house in the village, Hardy explained that, "the day that it was completed, it was made out of material none of which existed five or six years before."

According to its website, IBUKU uses a type of bamboo called Dendrocalamus asper, which can be found in Java and Bali. A chemical element called boron is used to treat the bamboo to ensure it can't be eaten by insects.

As concerns about the environment and sustainability grow, the use of more novel materials in the construction sector could become important in the years ahead.

A Scotland-based company called Kenoteq, for example, has developed an unfired brick produced from "90% recycled construction and demolition waste," while a house made from cork was placed on the shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2019.



Looking to the future, Cristina Gamboa, CEO of the World Green Building Council, told CNBC's "Sustainable Energy" that buildings were "going to produce more energy than what they need and we're going to be able to store it and share energy between buildings."

To give an example of how buildings are already producing their own power, some office blocks and houses are installing solar photovoltaic panels on their rooftops to generate electricity using the light of the sun.

When it comes to existing buildings and how to make them more efficient, Gamboa emphasized the importance of having information. "Most people do not know that if their buildings are not fit for purpose, they're losing money," she told CNBC.
With the North Korean government still not confirming a coronavirus outbreak and insisting that there has not been a single confirmed case, no foreigners are allowed in and no North Korean citizens are allowed to move within the country freely.

North Korea's border restriction only further strengthens the speculation of COVID-19 cases rising in the country.

"As the border restrictions continue in North Korea, the shortages of food have quadrupled prices [at the market]," shared a North Korean escapee who is now working for Open Doors.

DailyNK, a non-profit organization based in Seoul, South Korea that provides news about North Korea, reported that many individual shops are now closed or in the worst case, can't sell because there is simply nothing to sell.

Open Doors, a community of Christians supporting persecuted believers, report that market prices are unstable and often skyrocketing while most citizens cannot afford the rising prices. It is also reported that many citizens have already passed away due to malnutrition and starvation which has worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"...Many goods are smuggled from China and through North Korea before they end up on the black market. The official economy was already in a coma, but now the shadow economy has also taken a huge hit, putting the lives of millions of children and adults at risk."

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization reported on May 18 that North Korea has a shortage of 860,000 tons of grain. Yet the country continues to keep its doors closed from foreign entry.

With sources with information on North Korea's declining access to food, critics fear the next famine to hit North Korea. "Arduous March," the great famine of North Korea in the 1990s which killed 2 to 3 million people is a potential scenario that could be the outcome of the current situation in North Korea.

If the border restriction continues, the people of North Korea will struggle to find affordable food with its drastically rising prices and they will also struggle to gain access to help.

Open Doors currently cannot help the starving people in North Korea because North Korea is not allowing foreign entry.

An Open Doors spokesperson involved with the North Korea team shares, "Our teams are getting ready to distribute food secretly, but North Koreans need to be able to come to us. So, we really plead for the prayers and financial support of our donors. We need both and can't have one without the other."

Prayers go out to the persecuted believers in North Korea and especially to those who are struggling to survive in the closed-off country during this COVID-19 pandemic.
In the latest sign of tensions between the United States and Beijing over trade, the coronavirus pandemic, human rights and the status of Hong Kong, the Trump administration may soon expel thousands of Chinese graduate students enrolled at universities in the US and impose other sanctions against Chinese officials.

President Donald Trump said he would make an announcement about China on Friday, and administration officials said he is considering a months-old proposal to revoke the visas of students affiliated with educational institutions in China linked to the Peoples Liberation Army or Chinese intelligence.

Trump is also weighing targeted travel and financial sanctions against Chinese officials for actions in Hong Kong, US officials told the Associated Press news agency.

Well be announcing what were doing tomorrow with respect to China and we are not happy with China, Trump told reporters at an unrelated event on Thursday, referring mainly to COVID-19. We are not happy with whats happened. All over the world people are suffering, 186 countries. All over the world theyre suffering. Were not happy.

Although the student expulsions are not directly related to Hong Kong and Chinas move to assert full control over the former British territory, potential sanctions against officials involved in that effort would be a result of Secretary of State Mike Pompeos determination that Hong Kong can no longer be considered autonomous from mainland China.

Pompeo notified the US Congress on Wednesday that Hong Kong is no longer deserving of the preferential trade and commercial status it has enjoyed from the US since it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997. Under a joint Sino-British agreement on the handover, Hong Kong was to be governed differently than the mainland for 50 years under a one country, two systems policy.

Productive call with UK Foreign Secretary @DominicRaab on Hong Kong. Beijings efforts to undermine Hong Kongs autonomy cannot go unchallenged by the international community.  Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 27, 2020

Pompeos determination opened the door to possible sanctions and the loss of special perks Hong Kong has received from the US. But neither Pompeo nor other officials were able on Wednesday to describe what action the administration might take, an uncertainty related to the impact that such sanctions would have on US companies that operate in Hong Kong and the citys position as Asias major financial hub. Trumps comments sparked a drop in US financial markets.

Serious consideration of the visa revocation proposal has faced opposition from US universities and scientific organisations that depend on tuition fees paid by Chinese students to offset other costs. Those institutions also fear possible reciprocal action from Beijing that could limit their students and educators access to China.

In a nod to those concerns, the officials said any restrictions would be narrowly tailored to affect only students who present a significant risk of engaging in espionage or intellectual property theft. The officials could not say how many people could ultimately be expelled, although they said it would be only a fraction of the number of Chinese students in the country.





Still, the possibility that the proposal may be implemented has drawn concerns from educators.

Were very worried about how broadly this will be applied, and were concerned it could send a message that we no longer welcome talented students and scholars from around the globe, said Sarah Spreitzer, director of government relations at the American Council on Education.

We dont have a lot of details about how they are going to define ties to Chinese universities, what type of universities are they going to target, what would constitute a university having ties to the Chinese military, she said. If the situation were reversed and another nation imposed limits on students from US universities that receive Defense Department funding, she noted it would affect a wide range of schools.

The US hosted 133,396 graduate students from China in the 2018-19 academic year, and they made up 36.1 percent of all international graduate students, according to the Institute of International Education. Overall, there were 369,548 students from China, accounting for 33.7 percent of international students who contributed nearly $15bn to the US economy in 2018.
A big player in Great Lakes cruising has canceled its 2020 season.

Victory Cruise Lines offers four Great Lakes itineraries that include multiple stops in Michigan, from Detroit to Mackinac Island to Muskegon. The cancellation is one more blow to Michigans tourism industry amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The decision to cancel comes amid prolonged governmental restrictions related to the pandemic, including uncertainties of travel through Canadian waters, the company said in a news release. The company had planned to begin a delayed 2020 season in July. Sailing are now expected to resume in 2021.

The decision to suspend service for 2020 was a difficult and disappointing choice but necessary in response to uncertainties of Canadian travel in the coming months, said John Waggoner, founder and CEO of American Queen Steamboat Company, which owns Victory Cruise Lines. The health, safety and confidence of our guests, crew and partners is our number one priority, and we will return in 2021 stronger and better than ever.

The Canadian government last week extended a ban on non-essential travel between the United States and Canada until at least June 21 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Victory itineraries typically include stops at both Canadian and U.S. ports, including Cleveland, Chicago, Toronto, Niagara Falls and Sault Ste. Marie.

Earlier this year, Victory canceled all 2020 sailings of the Victory II, and delayed the launch of the Victory I until July 5. The twin ships typically spend the summer sailing through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. Michigan ports of call are Detroit, Holland, Houghton, Mackinac Island, Marquette, Muskegon and Sault Ste. Marie.

Its a very difficult time for tourism, hospitality and travel, in not only Muskegon but in America, said Bob Lukens, Muskegon Countys community development director. Its devastating.

Muskegon is already seeing a decline in hotel bookings, he said. Several of the countys events have also been canceled, including its motorcycle rally, Rebel Road, and the Miss Michigan Scholarship Competition as a precaution against the spread of the virus.

RELATED: Muskegon tourism hit by coronavirus uncertainty amid cruise ship cancellations

Victory has created cutting-edge health and safety protocols while working toward the July start date, Waggoner said. Now that the 2020 season is canceled, Victory will focus on planning for 2021, which will include new and refreshed itineraries on the Great Lakes and throughout the United States.

Early booking discounts of up to $1,400 per stateroom are now available for 2021 cruises.

The companys customer service team will reach out directly to those who are booked to sail in 2020. Guests will have the options to rebook their cruise, take a 125% cruise credit, or receive a full refund.

READ MORE:

Drive-In theatre in Dearborn closed again hours after opening during coronavirus pandemic

A week into summers unofficial start, Michigans largest amusement park remains indefinitely closed

Use this calculator to see how big your second stimulus payment could be
Venezuela has grown increasingly dependent on one little-known trading firm in Mexico to help sell its crude abroad as the country faces U.S. sanctions starving it of oil profits in a campaign to oust President Nicolas Maduro.

Late last year, traders with decades of experience in the tight-knit Latin American oil market had never heard of Libre Abordo SA de CV, a trading company based in Mexico City. Today, it is one of the few -- and one of the largest -- buyers of Venezuelan oil.

That has landed the firm at the center of a U.S. probe into how companies in Mexico and Malta are helping Maduros regime effectively skirt sanctions and sell oil, people with direct knowledge of the matter said. Agencies including the Treasury Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are looking into three companies: Libre Abordo, Schlager Business Group -- which Libre Abordo describes as a subsidiary -- and Jomadi Logistics & Cargo, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information isnt public.

REFINING: COVID-19 to hasten the demise of many oil refineries

Libre Abordo said its unaware of any investigation being carried out by the U.S. government. The firm isnt subject to primary or secondary sanctions because its supplying humanitarian aid to Venezuela in exchange for commodities, and the arrangement doesnt result in financial gain for the company or the Venezuelan government, Libre Abordo said. Jomadi didnt respond to requests for comment. Treasury Department and FBI spokespeople declined to comment.

Libre Abordos sole administrator -- similar to a director -- is a 23 year-old named Olga Maria Zepeda Esparza, according to corporate records seen by Bloomberg. She is also one of the companys two shareholders and no one other than them is authorized to represent the company, Libre Abordo said in a statement.

Public records from Mexicos education secretariat show that, at the age of 15, Zepeda completed her junior-high studies under an adult learning program run by the government. Little else is publicly known about Zepeda, and the company declined to comment on her age, or her professional and educational background.

According to copies of contracts seen by Bloomberg, Libre Abordo has received oil and copper from Venezuela in exchange for supplying corn and water-tank trucks. The company characterized the trades as being part of a humanitarian aid agreement and said it was advised by several law firms to ensure its compliance with sanctions.

Libre Abordo and Schlager have received almost 32 million barrels of Venezuelan crude since last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Even after prices were depressed by the outbreak of Covid-19, the oil is worth more than $300 million, more than enough to cover the total cost of the contract between Libre Abordo and Venezuelas state foreign trade corporation, known as Corpovex, of 195.5 million euros ($217 million). Over the course of the period, however, Corpovex agreed to cover unforeseen expenses, such as shipping costs and shipping delay fees, and still owes the company money, Libre Abordo said, without providing details.

Spokespeople for Venezuelas information ministry and state-run oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA didnt respond to telephone and emailed requests for comment. A message sent to Corpovexs email posted at its website was returned with an error message. A spokesman for the countrys Economy Vice Presidency, of which Corpovex is a unit, didnt respond to a message seeking comment.

LAYOFFS: Chevron cutting jobs; Exxon has no layoff plans

Enforcing Sanctions

The transactions come as the U.S. is working to strengthen sanctions to cut off Venezuelas oil trade. China National Petroleum Corp. and Rosneft Oil Co PJSC, once major buyers of Venezuelan crude, have halted purchases. But myriad small companies -- using circuitous routes, through which the nations oil changes hands several times and is sometimes re-branded before final delivery -- remain trading partners.

The FBI is involved because of the potential role of U.S. citizens in the dealings and because of the possibility that U.S. gasoline may have ended up in Caracas, people familiar with the investigation said. Reuters reported earlier this month that the FBI is investigating. The Treasury Department says on its website that American citizens are prohibited from dealings with Caracas unless exempt or authorized by the agency.

The amounts these small companies are exporting are a fraction of what PDVSA used to sell abroad, and the Maduro government is receiving goods and services instead of foreign currency from the trades. But the deals are so crucial to shore up political support that the country will continue to seek them out, said Raul Gallegos, a Bogota-based director at Control Risks, an international consulting firm.

Youll see more of that coming, Gallegos said.

Venezuela is already getting help from another country crushed by American sanctions: Iran has sent tankers full of gasoline to Venezuela in the past week. It has also flown technicians and equipment to help Venezuela repair its run-down refineries. The Latin American nation is suffering from gasoline shortages, and the U.S. sanctions have cut it off from most foreign suppliers.

In October, Libre Abordo loaded 2 million barrels of Venezuelan crude on the vessels Delta Kanaris and Delta Harmony, according to documents seen by Bloomberg. When the ships anchored off the coast of Malaysia, Libre offered the oil not as a Venezuelan grade, but as Lingyun Blend, a separate email between a broker and Libre Abordo shows.

After multiple ship-to-ship transfers, the oil was delivered to China, tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show. Chinas customs data show no imports from Venezuela since September, while imports from Malaysia tripled in the first quarter compared with the same period last year.

The company denies that Venezuelan oil is sold as a different kind. Oil titled to Libre Abordo or its subsidiary Schlager Business Group remains fully identified from its origin to its delivery to our final buyer, according to a statement.

Shipowner Delta Tankers didnt respond to telephone and emailed requests for comment.

U.S. agencies are also looking into the connection between the Mexican companies and a Maltese firm, Elemento Ltd., as part of their probe, according to the people with knowledge of the situation. The company, at one point, helped Libre Abordo arrange transportation for Venezuelan oil, documents obtained by Bloomberg show. Elemento said through a lawyer that it is unaware of an investigation involving the company.

Elementos attorney said the company does not provide shipping logistics to Libre Abordo and that, outside of three historic cargoes, it had no involvement with the Mexican company.

Elemento is wholly owned by CISA Holdings Limited, another Maltese company owned by Ricardo Jose Cisneros, of the wealthy Cisneros family in Venezuela, according to a U.K. court ruling involving a case brought against Elemento by shipping firm Tansy Shiptrade Inc. Mark Lopez, who identified himself in a telephone call as legal counsel for Cisneros Corp., a company owned by Ricardo Jose Cisneros, said he couldnt confirm whether CISA is beneficially owned by Cisneros and declined to direct a request for comment to him.

FUEL FIX: Quality energy news comes right to your inbox

Fully Compliant

Elemento said through an attorney that it has complied with legal advice to ensure its activities are fully compliant with sanctions, is no longer involved in oil cargoes of Venezuelan origin and doesnt intend to have any such dealings in the future.

Maltas most-recent business registry lists an American citizen, Richard Rothenberg, as the only director of Elemento. According to an emailed statement from Elementos lawyer, Rothenberg is a director for the company but had recused himself from all of the companys dealings in Venezuelan oil by the time U.S. sanctions came into force.

Rothenberg didnt return voicemails left on a phone number listed for him. In a separate statement, Libre Abordo said it does not have a current relationship with Elemento.

U.S. officials have warned the Mexican government in private to stop domestic firms from doing business with Venezuela, according to the people familiar with that messaging. A spokesman for Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador didnt respond to an emailed request for comment.

The Treasury Department is monitoring where the oil bought by Libre Abordo has been sold and where proceeds were deposited for potential enforcement actions, the people said.

Venezuela, a founding member of OPEC and the nation with the worlds largest proven oil reserves, was exporting 2 million barrels a day a decade ago. In April, it averaged 739,400 barrels a day. The volume slumped in large part due to sanctions.

Sanctions are being extremely successful in making Maduros life harder, but theyre not enough by itself to bring a regime change, Gallegos said.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
In response to MP's questions, the government said it was not considering reducing the VAT rate on protective products such as masks.

When asked about the possibility of lowering VAT from 17% to 3% for protective equipment, which represents a basic necessity according to CSV MP Jean-Marie Halsdorf, the government confirmed there were no plans to modify the tax rate for PPE such as masks.

Minister of Finance Pierre Gramegna explained both European and national legislation did not leave sufficient room for interpretation which would allow these items to benefit from a reduced rate.

As a consequence, protective items such as masks, gloves or antibacterial gel will not be subjected to less tax. Gramegna pointed out that reducing tax on these items would not necessarily benefit the end consumer, as businesses could absorb the drop in price and consequently increase their margins.

Despite this, Gramegna said the distribution of masks to residents and cross-border workers had been more effective than a drop in VAT on these products, particularly in achieving the aim of encouraging compliance with sanitary measures. He said an indirect incentive such as a VAT reduction would not necessarily have the same effect.
UPDATE (5/30): State over 71K cases as last counties in red prepare to go yellow

The first 18 counties entered Pennsylvanias green phase of reopening on Friday, and 16 more are expected to make the change next week.

Ten counties, including the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia regions, remain in the red phase, where Gov. Tom Wolfs stay-at-home order remains in effect until June 5.

(Cant see the map? Click here.)

Meanwhile, 693 new coronavirus cases and 91 more deaths were reported Friday by the health department, bringing Pennsylvanias total case count to 70,735, with 5,464 deaths from COVID-19.

These are your Pa. coronavirus updates for May 29, 2020.

Next green counties announced

The next counties to enter the green phase will be Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clinton, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Lycoming, Mercer, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland.

The Associated Press first reported the list, which Gov. Wolf and Health Secretary Rachel Levine confirmed in a Friday afternoon news conference, the administrations first in-person session with media in months.

(Cant see the map? Click here.)

Eighteen counties already entered the green phase as of 12:01 a.m. Friday. They were Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango and Warren.

At the same time, eight counties officially entered the yellow phase: Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lebanon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike and Schuylkill.

This chart shows Gov. Tom Wolf's plan for reopening Pennsylvania, with different regions moving through three phases.

Each phase lifts some of the restrictions from Wolfs stay-at-home order, which remains in place in red-phase counties.

The green phase is not a full reopening. But it does permit restaurants to reopen (with restrictions), sporting events (without spectators) and public gatherings of up to 250 people. The virus is still present and social distancing and masks will still be necessary.

The goal here is to make sure that every Pennsylvanian is comfortable, that theyre going to be safe moving from one phase to the next," Wolf said.

When will Lehigh Valley, Philly enter yellow phase?

The Lehigh Valley, Scrantons Lackawanna County and Philadelphia and its suburbs  the last 10 remaining red-phase counties in Pennsylvania  are still on track to enter the yellow phase June 5, state officials said Friday.

The Philly area, Lehigh Valley and parts of the Poconos have been among the hardest-hit areas of Pennsylvania during the pandemic, with some of the highest overall case densities.

(Cant see the map? Click here.)

One of the early measures used to determine which counties were ready for the yellow phase was the rate of new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people over two weeks. Initially, counties had to have a rate of 50 or below to advance.

Health officials say that the measure is less important now than others like hospital capacity and other metrics, which is, in part, why the Lehigh Valley and Philly areas will be able to progress next week.

All of the areas counties have improved their case rates since late April  some more than others.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

As of Thursday, the rate in Northampton County, where a mass testing site has been in place, was about 150 cases per 100,000 people over two weeks, on par with rates in Philadelphia and Montgomery County, Pennsylvanias coronavirus hotspots since the start of the outbreak.

Lehigh Countys rate, for comparison, is about 92 cases per 100,000 people over two weeks, a little above the statewide rate of 81.

Levine said that the incidence rate is less important with more accessible testing. Instead, the state now looks for higher rates of cases over seven days; changes in the percentage of positive cases over 14 days; and any outbreaks that cant be managed through contact-tracing, the practice of identifying and isolating people potentially infected by a patient.

Asked about Northampton County, health department spokesman Nate Wardle said increased testing capacity could be partly responsible for an increase in cases, but that the region as a whole is seeing the percentage of positive cases drop significantly.

Coronavirus in Pa.

Pennsylvania coronavirus cases increased by 693 on Friday, up slightly from the day before but still continuing the overall downward trend in new cases statewide, according to the latest state health department figures released Friday.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

Of Pennsylvanias 70,000-plus coronavirus cases, 5,280, or 7.5%, have been in health care workers.

Residents of nursing homes account for 15,335 cases  22% of the statewide total  and 3,517 deaths, 64% of all the states COVID-19 fatalities.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

Overall, the health department estimates that 65% of coronavirus patients have recovered, which the department defines as patients who are still OK after 30 days.

To date, 366,970 tests for the virus have come back negative.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

Coronavirus in the Lehigh Valley

Coronavirus cases in the Lehigh Valley now total 6,783 with at least 429 deaths, according to the states official data. That is up 42 cases and five deaths from the prior day.

The counts break down to 3,738 cases and 222 deaths in Lehigh County, and 3,045 cases and 207 deaths in Northampton County, per the state figures. The counties themselves have reported higher death tolls.

(Cant see the map? Click here.)

The state report also listed more deaths in nearby counties, among the hardest-hit in Pennsylvania:

(Cant see the table? Click here.)

Schools will reopen in fall, another shutdown not an option

During Fridays news conference, Wolf said the plan is for schools to reopen in the fall, and that his administration is proceeding under the assumption that another shutdown is off the table should the virus surge again.

Wolf and Levine said new and anticipated developments in testing and studies of the virus and its antibodies should yield sufficient information to keep residents safe without again resorting to draconian measures.

As for schools, the exact circumstances will vary by district. The governor said guidelines will likely be released early next week, but the goal is to have schools running again by August or September.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com.
The board of directors of Texas property insurer of last resort for wind and hail in the states coastal counties in February set a goal of $4.2 billion in catastrophe funding for 2020. At a meeting of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Associations board on May 12, TWIA Chief Financial Officer Jerry Fadden said the association would meet that goal via a combination of catastrophe bonds and traditional reinsurance, earnings, funds in TWIAs Catastrophe Reserve Trust Fund (CRTF), debt and member assessments.

Fadden said the CRTF was funded at the end of March 2020 at $176.152 million, an amount that includes approximately $60 million the association added to the fund on March 30. At the end of the first quarter of 2020, TWIA had cash and short-term investments of $554.4 million, which has since been reduced by the payment of $45 million that the board previously authorized to partially redeem the series 2014 bonds. The association used those bonds to pay claims from Hurricane Harvey, which hit the state in late August 2017.

He also told the board that, as it has done annually in advance of hurricane season, the association is working on securing a $500 million line of credit for the 2020. The line of credit begins June 1 and typically is terminated at the end of December. Fadden said at this point the cost of securing the credit is significantly higher than it has been in past years. The higher pricing condition seems to be prevalent in the market  not specific to TWIA, but we seem to bearing the cost of relatively challenging credit markets due to the COVID-19 crisis, he said. Basically, the cost is twice what the association paid last year, but Fadden anticipated that pricing for next year would likely decrease to a more reasonable level. Still, Fadden said, this facility is an important part of our funding structure and we are now in the process of documenting it with the intention to close by June 1st. The board approved a resolution to secure the line of credit.

For the 2020 hurricane season, $2.1 billion of the planned total $4.2 billion in funding TWIA would come from TWIAs earnings, money in the CRTF and alternating layers of debt and member assessments as provided by statute, Fadden said.

The association also will retain $600 million in catastrophe bonds that were issued in 2018 and 2019, and add another catastrophe bond with a target size of approximately $200 million, so we would have a total of $800 million catastrophe bonds in the 2020 program, he said. The remaining $1.2 billion required would come from the traditional reinsurance market.

In response to severely tightened market conditions, the Texas Legislature created TWIA in 1971 to provide wind and hail insurance for properties in coastal counties. Despite being established by the legislature, TWIA is not a state agency and does not receive funds from the state.

Most property insurers authorized to do business in Texas are required to be association members. TWIAs board in December voted to assess member insurance companies an additional $90 million for losses from Hurricane Harvey. Member insurers had previously been assessed $282 million for Harvey losses.

Prior to the December 2019 quarterly meeting, staff had recommended a 5% increase in rates for both residential and commercial properties. That recommendation received intense negative feedback from policyholders, coastal legislators, governmental boards and businesses along the Gulf Coast who said they have yet to fully recover from the considerable damage wrought by Harvey.

TWIAs 2019 Rate Adequacy Analysis indicated its rates were inadequate by as much as 42%. The board declined to vote on a rate increase in December and did not consider rates at its Feb. 18 meeting. TWIA has said it will defer consideration of rates until the next statutorily required rate filing in August 2020.

The average yearly cost of a TWIA residential policy is $1,600, according to information provided on the associations website.

Related:

Topics Mergers Carriers Catastrophe Natural Disasters Texas Windstorm Hurricane
In January this year, Wipro had said its CEO and Managing Director Abidali Z Neemuchwala decided to step down from the position.

New Delhi: Shares of Wipro on Friday closed nearly 7 per cent higher after the company announced the appointment of Capgemini Group veteran Thierry Delaporte as its chief executive officer and managing director, effective 6 July.

After a firm opening, scrip of the IT services major rose 7.75 percent to Rs 214.75 on the BSE during the day. Later, it closed at Rs 212.55, up 6.65 percent.

It advanced 6.29 percent to close at Rs 211.90 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

The company's market valuation rose by Rs 7,572.47 crore to Rs 1,21,439.47 crore.

In terms of traded volume, 24.80 lakh shares of the company were traded on the BSE and over 3 crore shares on the NSE during the day.

In January this year, the company had said its CEO and Managing Director Abidali Z Neemuchwala decided to step down from the position. Neemuchwala will relinquish his designation as CEO and MD on 1 June.

Rishad Premji will oversee the day-to-day operations of the company until 5 July, Wipro said in a statement.

"Until recently, Thierry Delaporte was the chief operating officer of Capgemini Group and a member of its group executive board. During his 25-year career with Capgemini, he held several leadership roles," it said.
Families are already wondering what college campuses will look like, post pandemic. They may also be reconsidering the price of a college education, after seeing the toll the virus-induced stock market turmoil took on their 529 college savings plans.

The impact of recent market gyrations on the accounts depended on the age of the student and the type of investment, according to a new report from the research firm Morningstar. Many families put their tax-favored 529 savings in preset investment portfolios that change as their child gets closer to college age, starting with investments heavily weighted in stocks to take advantage of potentially greater returns. The money shifts over time into less volatile holdings, like bonds and cash, as college approaches.

In the first three months of this year, those age-based and target-date portfolios tumbled along with the broader market, Morningstar found. Quarterly losses averaged as much as 19 percent for portfolios focused on children age 4 and under, while those for students 17 and 18, who will probably be heading to college this year and next, fell less than 5 percent, on average. (Morningstar compared the losses to a global stock index, the MSCI ACWI Index, which lost 21.4 percent in the first quarter.)

The report, which covered most state plans, didnt break down returns or cite specific plan fees, although it did find that fees overall had fallen.
Kate Middleton and Prince William are busy raising three kids and helping Queen Elizabeth run the monarchy. Of course, every now and again they decide to take some time off with just their family (most recently in the Isles of Scilly in Cornwall).

And while were already super familiar with the couples children, Prince George (8), Princess Charlotte (6) and Prince Louis (3), we're now taking a look at another piece of the Duchess of Cambridges inner circleher parents and siblings (oh, and one very special cousin). Youll probably recognize the Middletons by name, but theres a lot we previously didn't know about the royal-adjacent gang. For instance, were you aware that in 1987, Kates parents started Party Pieces, a party supply company, when their daughter-turned-duchess was just five years old? Or that they are actually related to Ellen DeGeneres?

Read on for everything you need to know about Kate Middletons family tree.

1. Michael Middleton (Dad)

Catherines father, aka Michael Francis Middleton, was born in Leeds, England to a wealthy Yorkshire family with ties to the British aristocracy. As a young adult, he attended Clifton College in Bristol before working as a flight dispatcher for British Airways, where he ended up meeting his wife (more on her later). Before his eldest daughter became the Duchess of Cambridge, the now 72-year-old was granted a coat of arms as the armigerous head of the family. Its also important to mention that he has a wonderful relationship with his son-in-law William, who, according to royal author Katie Nicholl, affectionately calls Kate's father Mike and on occasion Dad.

2. Carole Middleton (Mom)

Born to parents Dorothy Harrison and Ronald Goldsmith, Carole is the youngest of two children (her brother Gary is the successful founder of an IT recruitment firm). She grew up in London before meeting Michael while working as a flight attendant for British Airways. With some help from her hubby, Carole started the familys party supply company while she was a stay at home mom. Fun fact: The grandmother of five told The Telegraph shes a vegan or flexitarian, meaning shes mostly vegan, but not when its impolite to tell your host you cant eat whats on the menu. Smart.

Story continues

3. Pippa Middleton (Sister)

Philippa Charlotte (ah now we see where they got the name from) Middleton is the middle child to parents Carole and Michael. Known for her incredibly chic style, the 37-year-old graduated from the University of Edinburgh before embarking on a career in public relations and events management. Like her other siblings, Pippa even spent some time working for the family business. Add to that list, shes also a wife and a mother. Middleton tied the knot with James Matthews in 2017 and the couple welcomed their first child together, Arthur Michael William Matthews, in October 2018. Back in March, Arthur got a little sister, Grace Elizabeth James.

4. James Middleton (Brother)

And then theres Kate and Pippas little brother James. The 34-year-old is an entrepreneur with a love for animals, especially dogs. Not only does he own a custom marshmallow company (Boomf), but he also launched a dog food company called Ella & Co (named after one of his pooches). The animal lovers brand offers freeze-dried raw food with healthy, natural ingredients. As far as his personal life goes, Kates little bro is currently engaged to French financier Alizee Thevenet. The couple was due to say I do last year, however they had to call things off thanks to the pandemic. However, they still managed to purchase a new home together.

5. Ellen DeGeneres (Cousin)

We know what youre thinking, This cant be true. Well, according to DeGeneres (and a letter from the New England Historic Genealogical Society) it is. Yup, the 63-year-old comedian revealed on her show in 2011 that she's the duchesss 15th cousin. The two are related through a man by the name of Sir Thomas Fairfax and his wife, Agnes Gascoigne, who lived in the United Kingdom in the early 1500s.

Now thats an impressive family tree.

Stay up-to-date on every breaking Kate Middleton story by subscribing here.

RELATED: All 4 of Queen Elizabeths Children from Oldest to Youngest
The discussion with the American director is part of the Global Film Festival now taking place on YouTube

Steven Soderbergh is set to lead a discussion with Francis Ford Coppola and about the process of creating the Apocalypse Now Final Cut (2019) in a programme to be broadcast on YouTube on 3 June.

"Restored from the original negative for the first time ever, Apocalypse Now Final Cut is Coppola's most realized version of the film, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards, won three Golden Globes (Best Original Score, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture, 1980), and is one of AFI's top 100 films," reads the film's description.

While presenting both of the film's versions (2019 and 1979), Coppola will also speak about "why the time was right for [him] to do this now, forty years after the original version and eighteen years after Apocalypse Now Redux," reads the description under the scheduled video on YouTube.

Provided and curated by the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, the discussion will be made available during the Global Film Festival (29 May-7 June) on the festival's YouTube channel.

Titled We Are One: A Global Film Festival, the initiative brings together movie programmes curated by 20 major international festivals including the Tribeca Film Festival, Sundance, Berlinale, Cannes, Venice, Toronto, San Sebastian, Mumbai, Marrakech, and BFI London Film Festival.

Programme:

Wednesday 3 June, 12:15am

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Fri, May 29, 2020 13:45 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdaecc07 2 World US-China-trade-war,Racism,Chinese-students,Mike-Pompeo,secretary-of-state,US,US-China,US-China-tension-COVID-19 Free

The United States will take action to prevent alleged espionage by Chinese students, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday, ahead of an expected announcement by President Donald Trump.

Trump earlier said that he will hold a press conference Friday about China amid soaring tensions between the two powers, including over the status of Hong Kong and the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Asked about a report in The New York Times that Trump was considering throwing out thousands of graduate students, Pompeo said that Chinese students "shouldn't be here in our schools spying."

"We know we have this challenge. President Trump, I am confident, is going to take that on," Pompeo told Fox News, while declining to say if action would be announced on Friday.

"We have an obligation -- a duty -- to make sure that students that are coming here to study... aren't acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party," Pompeo said.

The New York Times said that the Trump administration was considering annulling visas for thousands of graduate students linked to China's military.

The move would be certain to draw criticism from universities, which rely increasingly on tuition from foreign students -- of which China and India are the largest sources -- and have already been hit hard by the COVID-19 shutdown.

Asian American activists have long voiced concern that the targeting of Chinese students impacts their own community, with US citizens of Asian ancestry coming under unjustified suspicion.

"This isn't a red scare, this isn't racist. Chinese people are a great people," Pompeo said when asked about the concerns.

"This is like the days of the Soviet Union. This is a communist, tyrannical regime that poses real risk to the United States," he said.

Trump, in remarks to reporters, declined to preview the press conference on Friday but said, "We're not happy with China."

The press conference will come two days after Pompeo certified to Congress that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China, as promised by Beijing before Britain handed over its colony in 1997.

China has been pressing forward the drafting of a security law that Hong Kong activists say will end freedoms enjoyed in the financial capital, which was rocked by months of pro-democracy protests last year.

Washington and Beijing are already clashing over responsibility for the extent of the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China but has spread worldwide and caused devastation in the United States.

Domestic critics accuse Trump of mismanagement and say that the 100,000 US deaths and massive unemployment were the result of a slow, patchy federal response to the virus' spread across the world's biggest economy.

But Trump blames the crisis on China and for a long time insisted on calling the COVID-19 sickness the "Chinese virus." He has threatened to cut off US funding for the World Health Organization, accusing the UN body of bias toward Beijing and assisting in a cover-up.
The Wuhan wet market was a victim of coronavirus rather than the cause, according to the Chinese Centre of Disease Control and Prevention.

Genetic evidence has confirmed that the virus originated in Chinese bats before it jumped to humans via an 'intermediary animal', but the exact location of the transition is unknown.

Chinese authorities previously said the first cases of the virus emerged at a local seafood market in Wuhan.

But a study of the animals being sold there rules this theory out, after all samples of the animals in the market tested negative for COVID-19, meaning they could not have infected shoppers.

'It now turns out that the market is one of the victims,' Gao Fu, the director of the Chinese CDC, told Chinese state media in a radio interview yesterday.

Colin Carlson, a zoologist at Georgetown University, said the outbreak of coronavirus being linked to the wet market was likely the site of a 'super-spreader' event, where one person spread the virus to many other people.

The revelation is likely to heighten speculation that the virus leaked from a Chinese research laboratory, including from US president Donald Trump, who said he'd seen evidence to prove it started in a virology lab.

However, both US and Chinese researchers say there is no evidence to support this theory.

The Wuhan wet market was not the origin of the coronavirus pandemic as previously thought, studies show, but may have been the site of a super-spreader event.

A majority of the original 41 cases of COVID-19 reported to the World Health Organisation in December were linked to the 116-acre market in Wuhan.

This led to the wet market being shut down on January 1 - the majority of its 3,600 shops had reopened by April 14, according to reports.

However, scientists at Harvard, MIT and the University of British Columbia examined four samples from the seafood market and found that traces of the virus were 99.9 per cent identical to those taken from a Wuhan patient.

This suggests the virus detected in the samples came from infected visitors or vendors, indicating Sars-CoV-2 had been imported into the market by humans.

The publicly available genetic data does not point to cross-species transmission of the virus at the market, said Alina Chan, a molecular biologist, and Shing Zhan, an evolutionary biologist, who were involved in the study.

Gao Fu appeared to contradict these findings - and the statement he has now made about the market not being responsible for the outbreak - in January in an interview for Chinese state television.

He said the virus had not just been found in people's bodies but on wild-meat stalls - prompting him to call for an end to the consumption of wild animals.

The study reinforces research published by a team of Chinese researchers in January, which showed the first person confirmed to have coronavirus was likely exposed as early as December 1 - showing symptoms on December 8.

The 'patient zero' - the first person to actually contract COVID-19 in Wuhan - has not been confirmed but authorities believe it may have been a 55-year-old man from Hubei province infected on November 17.

This suggests the virus was spreading undetected in the human population around Wuhan for weeks before the 'super spreader event' at the market.

'The novel coronavirus overturns much of what people have known and many of its patterns are beyond our cognition,' said George Gao Fu of the Chinese CDC.

Dr Carlson told Live Science that the idea of the wet market being the origin had become a 'useful narrative' but the evidence had never been conclusive.

The narrative came from the fact that wet markets sell exotic, endangered and trafficked animals that could be the link between bats and humans.

The discovery that none of the animals in the market that were sampled tested positive led to the super-spreader theory.

It may have been the first of many such events as the virus progressed and spread around the world, and a number of infected individuals caused clusters of infections.

Dr Carlson said it could be some time before we know exactly what animal caused the virus to spread from bats to humans or even when - as it's taken months to rule out one site.

'This is an animal-origin virus that made the leap, maybe from bats to humans, maybe through another animal, maybe through livestock. And we don't have the data yet to know where or how,' he said.

'That takes time. The study that really definitively showed the bats that SARS came from was published in 2017,' - 15 years after SARS first broke out.

'It took that long to go through caves, to go through samples, and build an evidence base where we could confidently say: "This was the sort of bat, in this cave, at this time,"' Carlson said.

Originally Chinese authorities said the first cases of the virus emerged at the local seafood market, but a new investigation of the animals being sold ruled that out

Concerns over the origins of the virus, stemming in part from a lack of or conflicting information, has led to claims of cover up and that it is 'man made'.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said earlier this month there was growing proof this is how the pandemic began.

Pompeo accused China of spreading disinformation in claims there is proof the virus did not originate in a lab. He has referred to COVID-19 as the 'Wuhan virus.'

'The mere fact that we don't know the answers - that China hasn't shared the answers - I think is very, very telling,' said Pompeo.

The idea it started in a Chinese laboratory even led to Donald Trump suggesting he could impose tariffs of $1 trillion in retribution for the pandemic.

The lab is located near a wet market that has been identified as the likely epicenter of the outbreak that took place late last year.

However, the president would not divulge what the evidence was that confirmed his suspicions, when asked by a reporter.

These suggestions have been disputed by researchers in and out of China.

Director of the Wuhan virus lab, Wang Yanyi, spoke to china Central Television about the claims, saying COVID-19 is genetically different from any live virus they ever studied in the institute.

Other studies compared the genome of COVID-19 with genetic information on other bat coronaviruses held at the lab - there was no match.
New Delhi: In a first by any state, the Jharkhand government will be bringing back 60 migrant labourers stuck in Leh on a chartered flight.

These workers will be brought in from Batalik in Leh to Ranchi and then Dumka. All arrangements to ferry the migrants from Ranchi to Dumka also have been made..

This comes a day after the Supreme Court ordered states to ensure migrants are not charged for their travel back home.

Here is how it happened.

Migrant workers stranded in Batalik-Kargil sector, working in a BRO project, had reached out to the Hemant Soren government. The state immediately touched base with Ladakh UT local admin to provide assistance. Jharkhand Control Room, meanwhile, also registered their details on state portal.

Soren also reached out to the Union government and wrote a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah to allow chartered flights to bring back migrants.

All the 60 workers were checked, thermal screened and transported by BRO to Leh (six hours road journey) in the afternoon of May 28, and were kept in transit camp.

The workers will be flying out by SpiceJet flight departing at 12 pm on 29th May from Leh, arriving in Delhi around 2 pm and further be flying to Ranchi by Indigo flight departing Delhi at 6 pm and reaching Ranchi 8 pm .

This cost of transportation of 60 workers costing approximate 8 lakhs is being borne by the state govt

Yesterday a law school Bangalore Alumni led Initiative helped around 174 workers to be back to Jharkhand by a chartered flight ..

Sources also say that the state government intends to work further on this initiative ..Two flights are being operationalised to get back around 320 workers from Andamans...

165 trains for Shramiks have so far brought back approximately 12 lakh workers home..the cost of which mostly is borne by the state.
After being led out of a police van and released, Jimenez said he was confused about what happened since he had been showing his credentials to authorities while covering the story all week. He said he was glad that his arrest was shown on the air.
Premier Li Keqiang answers questions at a news conference after the conclusion of the national legislative session in Beijing, on May 28, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

The central government's major principles and policies toward Taiwan have been consistent, adhering to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, and resolutely opposing "Taiwan independence", Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday.

On this political basis, the mainland is ready to engage in dialogue and consultation with any political party, group or individual in Taiwan on cross-Straits relations and the future of the nation, Li said.

"We are willing to promote peaceful development across the Straits and peaceful reunification of the motherland with the utmost sincerity," he said while answering a question about Taiwan during a news conference after the closing of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing.

The Taiwan question is China's internal affair, Li said, adding that "We have always opposed outside interference. The Chinese nation has the wisdom and ability to handle its own affairs well."

The premier said the mainland regards Taiwan compatriots as "brothers and sisters" and has always attached great importance to their well-being.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, no Taiwan compatriots have lost their lives on the mainland as a result of the novel coronavirus, he said.

In the Government Work Report presented at this year's two sessions, Li said the mainland will improve institutional arrangements, policies and measures to encourage exchanges and cooperation between the two sides, to further cross-Straits integrated development.

The mainland will also encourage Taiwan compatriots to join in opposing "Taiwan independence" and promoting China's reunification, according to the report.

Tsai Ing-wen, the leader of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party, refused to recognize the one-China principle as she started her second term as Taiwan leader last week.

Jiang Erxiong, vice-chairwoman of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots and a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, said the DPP authorities' refusal to recognize the one-China principle unilaterally undermines the political foundation for peaceful development across the Straits.

The DPP has been creating cross-Straits antagonism, obstructing exchanges and cooperation, and linking up with outside forces to seek "independence", she said."For political gain, they would not hesitate to harm the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots."

"'Taiwan independence' is against history and will lead to a dead end. We should unite compatriots on both sides and work together to realize the great cause of national reunification," said Jiang, whose hometown is in Taiwan.

Liao Haiying, another CPPCC National Committee member whose hometown is also in Taiwan, said cross-Straits exchanges are now at a relatively low ebb due to obstruction by the DPP administration.

But a greater number of younger Taiwan compatriots are coming to the mainland for study or work, which shows that they think it is a promising place, Jiang said, adding that many measures have been introduced to provide equal treatment for Taiwan compatriots living on the mainland.

Cai Peihui, a deputy from the Taiwan delegation to the NPC, said these measures are really beneficial to people and businesses from Taiwan on the mainland.

Compared with the stable environment and potential market of the mainland, political turmoil in Taiwan is very frequent, which has had adverse effects on the economy and people's livelihoods, he said.

Cai often gives advice to entrepreneurs from Taiwan who want to invest or start a business on the mainland. "I hope they can come to the mainland to see the development and changes here," he said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

Trend:

On the occasion of the celebration of Republic Day in Azerbaijan on May 28, the grandiose Mercati di Traiano monument complex located in the oldest historical center of Rome, has been illuminated with the colors of the Azerbaijani flag to the accompaniment of the country's national anthem, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry told Trend.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP)  SpaceX pressed ahead with its second attempt to launch astronauts for NASA  a historic first for a private company  but more stormy weather threatened more delays.

Elon Musks company came within 17 minutes Wednesday of launching a pair of NASA astronauts for the first time in nearly a decade from the U.S., before the threat of lightning forced a delay.

With more storms ahead, managers debated Friday whether to bump the next launch attempt from Saturday to Sunday to take advantage of slightly improved forecast at Kennedy Space Center.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted that no decision was made, and they would reassess the situation Saturday morning.

At an earlier outdoor news conference, Bridenstine stressed the need for safety for astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken  no matter how many times it takes to launch them in a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station.

We cannot forget this is a test flight. This  is  a  test  flight," he repeated. We will go when everything is as safe as we can possibly make it."

Forecasters put the odds of acceptable weather conditions Saturday at 50-50, with the outlook improving to 60% favorable on Sunday. Rain and clouds were the main concerns for both days.

Bridenstine said back-to-back tries would be tough on the launch team  and the astronauts  given that this is a test flight.

Hurley and Behnken, veterans of two space shuttle flights, have both faced launch delays before. In a tweet Friday, Hurley said his first shuttle flight was scrubbed five times for weather and technical issues.

Were ready for the next launch opportunity! Behnken tweeted.

While NASA had urged spectators to stay home Wednesday because of the pandemic, prime viewing spots at area parks and beaches were packed. A weekend launch could draw even bigger crowds. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex reopened Thursday, after a 2 1/2-month shutdown, and within a few hours, all 4,000 tickets were snapped up for Saturdays launch attempt.

Story continues

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were planning to return Saturday to watch from inside Kennedy. The number of employees, journalists and guests allowed at the space center remained extremely limited because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Whether an attempt is made Saturday or Sunday, There will be no pressure. We will launch when were ready, Bridenstine said.

Liftoff on Saturday would be 3:22 p.m. EDT.

The last time astronauts launched to orbit from the U.S. was in 2011 when Atlantis closed out the 30-year space shuttle program. Hurley was on that mission as well.

NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing in 2014 to get the ball rolling again  kicking off a commercial revolution for getting people to low-Earth orbit. In the meantime, NASA has spent billions of dollars to buy seats on Russian Soyuz capsules for U.S. astronauts, in order to keep the space station staffed.

Boeing's first astronaut flight, on the company's Starliner capsule, is not expected until next year.

Bridenstine offered high praise for Musk on Friday and all his personal touches: spiffy spacesuits, Tesla rides to the launch pad, a color-coordinated rocket and capsule  and more.

Musk has brought vision and inspiration to the American space program, Bridenstine said. While theres occasionally a little tension between NASA and SpaceX, he gives me a commitment and he delivers on that commitment. That has happened every single time.

The California-based SpaceX is also developing a rocket and spaceship designed to go to the moon and Mars.

On Friday, a prototype of its Starship exploded while undergoing a routine engine test at the companys Texas site. The ship vented large amount of gases and was engulfed in a tremendous fireball.

SpaceX did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

NASA, which has a contract with SpaceX to develop Starship for its lunar landing program, has no problems going ahead with this weekends unrelated launch of astronauts from Cape Canaveral, agency spokesman Bob Jacobs.

Thats a test program. Thats why they test," Jacobs said.

___

AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland, contributed to this report.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
An ex-paratrooper who targeted young girls for sex online has been spared jail after a judge said he had lost his 'status' when he was blown up in Afghanistan.

Lee Harvey, 32, from Bolton, was unmasked as a predator who used the profile 'HotSoldier4u' to talk to children as young as 13 in internet chatrooms and on Kik.

He was exposed after an undercover investigation by a paedophile hunters group North East Protectors.

Harvey sent them explicit messages and pictures of himself showing off his genitals and naked tattooed torso.

The former soldier also created a WhatsApp group called 'naughty little girls' which had up to 50 youngsters as members.

In one message he boasted of sleeping with an eight-year-old girl.

Lee Harvey (pictured), 32, from Bolton, was unmasked as a predator who used the profile 'HotSoldier4u' to talk to children as young as 13 in internet chatrooms and on Kik

Police arrested Harvey over his chat with one investigator posing as a 14-year-old girl and he was held again when he contacted another operative pretending to be 13.

Officers found suspicious images on his phone and he had used the device to search 'teen dating' and 'kid chatting' apps.

Harvey faced jail at Bolton Crown Court after he admitted trying to incite under age girls into sexual activity and attempting sexual communication with a child.

But he escaped with a 12-month sentence, suspended for a year, after a judge learnt of his fledgling military career.

His service ended in 2012 when he was seriously injured in a mortar attack two years earlier while on a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Harvey lost the back of his thigh in the explosion and 'died' on the operating table for five minutes but medics managed to save him and was medically discharged.

Harvey was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for ten years and will have to abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order at Bolton Crown Court (pictured)

He claimed the incident led him to suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and he abused drink and crack cocaine.

Sentencing Judge Timothy Stead said: 'His disabilities have been severe and his loss of status and damage to his self image has changed his life and his ability to deal with it.

'He then turned to intoxicant of more that one kind as a coping mechanism. He seems to be someone who has been de-stabilised by what has happened to him.'

He told Harvey: 'I am mindful that you have had more than your fair share of difficulties.

'You had been serving your country and very unhappily you suffered very badly for it. Unhappily drink and drugs has done even more harm to you. You have to stop that otherwise it's an even gloomier future for you.'

Harvey was ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for ten years and will have to abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order regulating his use of computers and contacting girls under 18.
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that in America, in our church  the First Pentecostal Church of Holly Springs, Mississippi  I would see armed police standing in our aisles, ordering us to shut down our worship services.

Even worse, I never thought that in America Id experience what it was like for those armed policemen to hand me an official government document, ordering our community of faithful to cease and desist worshiping on Easter Sunday and to depart the House of God.

Or that, in America, we would have to go to court to confirm our right to the free exercise of religion, to peacefully assemble and to raise our voices in the adoration of God  rights that are expressly guaranteed in our beloved Constitutions First Amendment and for which the brave men and women in our military services have fought and died.

Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Andy Biggs: Anthony Fauci wants America closed until there's nothing to reopen

On Easter Sunday, police officers with the city of Holly Springs interrupted our service and issued me a citation for violating an unconstitutional stay at home order. Ten days later, our peaceful Bible study was shut down although we were following all social distancing guidelines. But the nightmare wasnt over. Last Wednesday, someone burned down our church, leaving only a smoldering mass of debris and our dreams. They left graffiti, trying to shame us for worshiping together in our church.

Keeping worshipers safe

Who would do such a thing? Why would anyone want to destroy a sacred place where the faithful venerate God in their own way, in a way that does not intrude on others rights or disrupt their lives?

But critics tell us that we are selfish, and that by gathering we are endangering other people who might believe differently.

Contrary to the city's claims, we were following the rules about social distancing. Some rows of pews were left empty. People who were not members of the same family were seated at least 6 feet apart. We only came inside when the weather was too extreme to worship outside.

Story continues

RIGHT NOW: Officials investigating a fire at First Pentecostal Church in Holly Springs. Officials are investigating this as an arson. Ill have a live update at noon with what we know on @WMCActionNews5 pic.twitter.com/dL8r6286Ro  Arianna Poindexter (@AriannaWMC5) May 20, 2020

If we are such a danger to everyone, why does Holly Springs allow stores like the local Walmart to violate the same rules that we are accused of violating? After our Easter service, several congregants and I went there and found people without masks, people shopping and standing close together, and people acting as if the coronavirus pandemic was someone elses problem. How is it that these shoppers were not ordered to go back home and stay there? Does the Constitution guarantee shoppers greater rights to assemble than people of faith?

We are not part of any campaign to challenge the scientists and their dire warnings. They are as aware as everyone else, including us, that the models generating those portents have not always turned out to be correct. They are doing the best they can, and we will continue to rely on them to lead us out of this nightmare.

But they are not the elected civil authorities who are by oath  as the Constitutions preamble declares  required to promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

Our right to peaceful prayer

When we filed our lawsuit last month with the aid of the Thomas More Society, we simply expressed our wish to continue to engage in our peaceful activities without undue interference from the city and its stay-home order. Our plea is just one of a growing number of appeals from free people across America who are petitioning the government  also a right guaranteed by the Constitution  to be released from this form of government overreach and oppression.

Enough! With coronavirus, I was in the stay-home-until-it's-safe camp. But I just can't take it anymore.

Days after our church was destroyed, an appeals court granted our request to continue to worship in person. After that ruling was released, the city revised its stay-at-home order, to recommend, rather than require, churches like ours to suspend in-person services.

We recognize that not everyone shares our belief in the Word of God as revealed in the Bible. We are not offended that others dont share our firmly held belief that gathering together to worship and to study the Bible is an essential duty and necessary to the growth of the church and its members. And we will pray for the soul and peace of mind of someone who would harbor such hatred that he would take from us our cherished spiritual home.

The interior of The First Pentecostal Church of Holly Springs in Mississippi in 2020.

But we are a church in the classic sense that being together in such a place is at the heart of our assemblage. Here, together, we lift our voices in song in the presence of one another in praise of God. To suggest that such a gathering is not essential is to deny us the fundamental explanation for our existence.

We truly believe that liberty is a blessing from God. Just as the United States of America is a blessing from God. Those two blessings are meant to reinforce one another, and to deny the freedom to enjoy one of the blessings is to destroy the other.

Based on these premises, we will continue to worship together and to fight together for our and every Americans right to partake in the blessings of freedom.

Jerry Waldrop has been pastor of the First Pentecostal Church of Holly Springs for 31 years.

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Burned First Pentecostal Church pastor: We have the right to worship
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text TALK to 741741 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

When Mindi Hoggans daughter Chaylie Holmgren, 28, died by suicide on May 17, Hoggan knew she didnt want an obituary that said her daughter died suddenly. Instead, she wanted something that honored Holmgren and raised awareness about mental health.

If theres even one person that I can reach so that (their loved ones) dont have to feel how I feel, then Ive done my job, Hoggan of Logan, Utah, told TODAY. Mental health is nothing to be ashamed of. I don't want people who are suffering to feel ashamed to ask for help.

Chaylie Holmgren was very close to her brothers Braeden and Jaxton and even worked with her younger brother at a salon in Logan, Utah. (Courtesy the family of Chaylie Holmgren)

With the help of her cousin, Lisa B. McKinney, Hoggan wrote a moving and unvarnished tribute about her daughter and suicide.

This silent epidemic is catastrophic. If talking about it, exposing it, shouting it from the rooftops, will help even one person find a way to talk about their pain, a difference can and must be made, the obituary reads.

Show kindness, an openness to talk, and more importantly to listen, to see, to hear without judgement. If only to save one family from the pain and anguish of losing a loved one through bringing awareness to this tragic and senseless loss of life, then our beloved Chaylies death will not be in vain  we cannot afford to lose another light.

Related:

Mental health experts applauded Hoggans message.

This family should be saluted for their courageous approach to this epidemic, Dr. Ken Duckworth, chief medical officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness, told TODAY, adding that death by suicide has increased steadily every year since the 1990s.

It is a real positive to say the truth. The more light you let into the room, the less toxic it is likely to be. This is part of the human experience: despair, perfectionism, mental health, vulnerability.

Story continues

Mindi Hoggan (pictured on the right) wanted daughter Chaylie Holmgren's (left) obituary to talk candidly about mental health and her daughter's death by suicide. (Courtesy the family of Chaylie Holmgren)

Being open about mental illness helps normalize it, encouraging others to feel more comfortable speaking about it  and hopefully getting help, experts said.

It was a very powerful read," Dr. Jack Rozel, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, told TODAY. Acknowledging the illness that they died from and their manner of their death in a way that respects their life calls out the clinical issues and does so in a way that is compassionate and transparent as they did, takes some skill.

Holmgren had obsessive compulsive disorder and struggled with perfectionism. She went to counseling and took medication to manage her health. Few people knew what she was dealing with, seeing only the vivacious put-together young mother who made an impact on everyone she met, her family noted.

When Holmgren laughed, it was hard not to join her. She loved dancing and gymnastics and volunteered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Often, she traveled to conventions focused on womens empowerment. When someone moved to the neighborhood, she welcomed them immediately.

She was always the first person to make friends with someone, Hoggan said. She had the best personality and the funniest laugh and the most beautiful smile youve ever seen.

Chaylie Holmgren always looked happy and befriended everyone. The young mom of three appeared to be put together. Few understood that she struggled with her mental health. (Courtesy the family of Chaylie Holmgren)

She worked as a manager at a local salon, but she truly enjoyed being a mom to her three children, daughter Londyn, 10, and sons Braykin, 6, and Brixton, 2.

She was a young mother. She had her first child at 17, Hoggan said. She just really took to that. She was such a good mom and she had to grow up quickly.

Holmgren was determined, fearless and outgoing. While her mom knew that she sometimes struggled, Holmgren rarely asked for help. Often, people found themselves talking with her about their problems.

She was a very good confidant, Hoggan said. I didnt realize how many lives that she had touched until this happened.

The week before she died, the family enjoyed a fun Mothers Day, laughing and playing volleyball.

Shes my only daughter and we were very, very close, Hoggan said. We dont realize that the prettiest girl you know, that you might think has everything, that maybe that girl is suffering."

Chaylie Holmgren's father owns a cattle ranch and she loved visiting to help out with the cows. (Courtesy the family of Chaylie Holmgren)

Rozel said another important message shared in the obituary is how much the family adored all of Holmgren and felt no shame about her mental health.

The unequivocal statement of love and support for all people with  mental illness is an important statement. The reality is there is discrimination and stigma, he said. Part of breaking down the stigma is the transparency of people with lived experience with mental illnesses and suicidal behaviors or suicidal loss being out in the public.

Knowing how to talk with a loved one who has expressed suicidal thoughts or wanting to die can be tough, he said, but bringing up suicidal thoughts wont cause people to try it. For those wondering what to say #BeThe1To provides helpful tips.

Shame is one of the things that can make it really tough for people to talk about feeling suicidal or to ask other people about feeling suicidal. But it needs to be OK to ask and it needs to be OK to express that, Rozel said. Listening compassionately without judgement helps people express their emotions and helps people feel safe and cared for.

Chaylie Holmgren loved being a mother to her three children and was a natural at it, her family said. (Courtesy the family of Chaylie Holmgren)

Hoggan is stunned by the messages shes received from strangers sharing their own experiences about loved ones dying of suicide. She said that helps her.

Its actually comforting. I hate to hear that there are others, she said. Hearing from people actually makes me feel like what I tried to do is working.
Woody Allen has hit back at Hollywood stars who denounced him for alleged child abuse against Dylan Farrow.

The director, 84, said criticising him became 'the fashionable thing to do, like everybody suddenly eating kale.'

Stars including Mira Sorvino, Greta Gerwig, Colin Firth and Rebecca Hall have all since distanced themselves from the acclaimed filmmaker after working with him.

Fighting back: Woody Allen has responded to Hollywood actors who have denounced him, saying they are only doing so because it is 'fashionable'. Pictured with wife Soon-Yi Previn

They did so after the #MeToo movement brought a renewed focus on allegations that the Oscar-winning star sexually assaulted his adoptive daughter Dylan, which he vehemently denies.

Allen told the Guardian: 'It's silly. The actors have no idea of the facts and they latch on to some self-serving, public, safe position.

'I assume that for the rest of my life a large number of people will think I was a predator.'

Acrimonious: The director was in a relationship with Mia Farrow but it ended amid revelations of his affair with her adoptive daughter and allegations of abuse against Dylan Farrow

In 1992, it emerged that Allen, then aged 57, was having an affair with his partner Mia Farrow's adoptive daughter Soon-Yi Previn, then aged 21.

After the scandal broke, Farrow and Allen had an acrimonious and public break up, during which she accused the venerated director of sexually assaulting their adopted daughter, Dylan, seven.

Allen was investigated but never charged and he has vehemently maintained his innocence ever since.

In the spotlight: Allegations against Allen were brought back into the public eye by journalist Ronan Farrow, who has supported his mother and sister's claims

The allegations were brought again into the public eye with the #MeToo movement as Allen's son, the journalist Ronan Farrow, supported his sister Dylan's and mother Mia's abuse claims.

The director is promoting his new book Apropos of Nothing in which he outlines his innocence and his reaction to the public and Hollywood furore.

In it, he recounts how Timothee Chalamet denounced Allen to better his chances of winning an Oscar.

He directed the young star Chalamet in A Rainy Day In New York, which was filmed in the latter part of 2017 and before Chalamet's Academy Award nomination in January 2018 for the movie Call Me By Your Name.

Allegations: The controversy stems from claims that Allen abused his estranged adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow, when she was aged seven (pictured with Mia Farrow in 2016)

In his autobiography, Allen says: 'Timothee afterward publicly stated he regretted working with me and was giving the money to charity.

'But he swore to my sister he needed to do that as he was up for an Oscar for Call Me by Your Name, and he and his agent felt he had a better chance of winning if he denounced me, so he did.'

Chalomet has not commented on the claims.

Allen's memoir was released in April after a delay because the original publisher backed out of releasing the book following protests led by Ronan Farrow.
More than 20 government and international relations courses are among those on the chopping block at the University of Sydney, as it prepares to cut courses and casual staff in the faculty worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

About 8 per cent of courses across the university's arts and social sciences faculty will be cut according to early estimates, which is less than up to 30 per cent initially stipulated.

The University of Sydney's arts and social science faculty has been the worst-hit in the pandemic. Credit:Bloomberg

But that figure is an average across the six faculty schools. Staff estimate cuts to the school of social and political sciences could be closer to 30 per cent, while in the languages school it could be 4 or 5 per cent.

About 100 students and staff representatives protested against the cuts on Friday, pasting an open letter to Vice-Chancellor Michael Spence to the walls of the university's administration building.
Taiwan has many of the trappings of statehood: A constitution, an army and a democratically elected government. It has one of the world's top 10 tech companies, boasts a better credit rating than Israel or Spain and is the only place in Asia where same-sex marriage is legal.

But it's not a member of the United Nations and can't compete under its own name at the Olympics. The reason is China, which claims the island as its territory and resists any recognition of its de facto independence. As China's leaders grow increasingly assertive about issues of sovereignty, they have ratcheted up tensions in response to Taiwan's election of an independence-leaning government.

The Situation

President Tsai Ing-wen, first elected in a landslide in 2016, was easily reelected in early 2020 while her Democratic Progressive Party retained control of the legislature. The thumping victory over the China-friendly Kuomintang party was attributed in part to the mainland's hard line on Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement and its mounting political pressure on Taiwan. Chinese President Xi Jinping insists "China must and will be united" under the "one-country, two systems" model that operates in Hong Kong - a position the Chinese government reiterated after Tsai's reelection. Tsai says China's demands for Taiwan are not feasible, as "democracy and authoritarianism cannot coexist in one country," and has vowed to defend Taiwan's sovereignty. Taiwan and Hong Kong have become increasingly sensitive flash points in China's relationship with the U.S., with tensions heightened further in May when Beijing's legislature approved sweeping security laws for Hong Kong. Taiwan has welcomed thousands fleeing Hong Kong and Tsai's cabinet is drawing up plans to assist those seeking asylum. During Tsai's first term, China launched regular patrols around Taiwan, pressured global companies to acknowledge China's claims and barred its citizens from traveling to the island. The U.S.-China trade war has actually boosted Taiwanese businesses, as has Tsai's push to get local companies to spend more at home.

The Background

Victory by the Communists in the Chinese civil war in 1949 forced the nationalist Kuomintang government to flee the mainland and cross the 110-mile Taiwan Strait along with more than 1.5 million refugees. (Until the end of World War II, Taiwan had for decades been a Japanese colony; China had ceded its claims in the 19th century.) After four decades of martial law, Taiwan underwent a largely peaceful transition to democracy. Tensions erupted into Chinese military action in the 1950s and China conducted missile tests ahead of the 1996 elections. The U.S. passed a 1979 law committing to keep the peace in the Taiwan Strait and - much to China's chagrin - continues to sell arms to the island, while Donald Trump took an unprecedented call from Tsai while he was president-elect and later signed into law a resumption of high-level U.S. official visits to Taiwan. Even with only a handful of nations recognizing Taiwan (China has pressured many not to), its 23.6 million people have built their economy into a global technology and manufacturing powerhouse. Many of Apple's iPhones are made by Taiwanese companies, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. leads the world in making computer chips for other firms.

The Argument

China has more than 1,500 missiles capable of hitting Taiwan and no peace treaty has been signed in the seven decades since the governments split. While many China-watchers say there is too much at stake for military confrontation, especially given the prospect of U.S. involvement and possible economic fallout, Trump's election and China's assertiveness have added uncertainty to old assumptions. The island is often framed as being divided between the pro-independence camp and those wanting unification with China, yet polls consistently show that a majority supports Taiwan maintaining the peaceful ambiguity of the status quo.
Agartala, May 29 (IANS) New waterways between Tripura and Bangladesh would start within three months and it would boost trade and numerous economic activities, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said on Friday.

Deb said that a temporary jetty would be built at Sonamura in western Tripura within three months before starting the new waterways through Gomati river between Tripura and Bangladesh. "After operating the small vessels to carry various goods during the monsoon season, dredging for operating big vessels and ships would start in the Gomati river during the winter season," Deb told the media during his day-long visit to the bordering sub-division Sonamura.

An official of Tripura's Transport Department said that to operate vessels smoothly between Tripura and Bangladesh, 18 km waterways (15 km in Bangladesh territories and 3 km in Tripura territories) in the Gomati river would require dredging.

The Gomati river, one of the eight rivers of Tripura flows to Bangladesh, linked with Meghna, one of the major rivers in the neighbouring country. The Chief Minister's announcement came a week after India and Bangladesh have added five more "ports of call" on either side and increased the protocol (water) routes from 8 to 10.

The Second Addendum to the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade was signed in Dhaka on May 20 by Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das and Bangladesh Shipping Ministry Secretary Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury.

In the Second Addendum, Sonamura (Tripura)-Daudkhandi (Bangladesh) stretch (93 km) of the Gomti river was included as IBP route number 9 and 10 in the protocol and it would improve connectivity of Tripura and adjoining northeastern states of India with Bangladesh's economic centres and would help the hinterland of both the countries.

There are six "ports of call" each in India and Bangladesh. In the new agreement five more "ports of call" on the Indian side -- Dhulian, Maia, Kolaghat, Sonamura and Jogigopha and equal number on the Bangladesh side -- Rajshahi, Sultanganj, Chilmari, Daudkandi and Bahadurabad - have been included.

Two more extended 'ports of call' -- Tribeli (Bandel) and Badarpur in India and Ghorasal and Muktarpur in Bangladesh -- have been added.

An official release issued by the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh said that to boost trade, economic activity and connectivity, India and Bangladesh have extended the water connectivities and waterways between the two neighbours.

--IANS

sc/kr
Peter MacKay and Erin O'Toole, the two leading contenders to replace Andrew Scheer as leader of the Conservative Party, have released economic plans they say would jump-start an economy crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The plans include a mix of fiscal prudence  such as O'Toole's promise to wind down the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB)  and tax incentives to restore the economy to health.

But both candidates have shied away from the more aggressive cost-cutting approach recently advocated by former prime minister Stephen Harper in an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal.

Harper, who trained as an economist, said in the article that national balance sheets have become an "unholy mess" and warned some countries are likely to face sovereign debt crises in the months ahead.

"If they fail to practice mild austerity proactively, a brutal kind will be thrust on them," Harper wrote.

But instead of pushing for an early austerity drive, O'Toole and MacKay are talking about returning to balanced budgets and a more normal level of spending over time, as the country starts the slow climb out of pandemic-induced shutdowns.

The candidates have even suggested they'd extend some Liberal initiatives.

While critical of the current level of government spending, both promised to continue the Canada emergency business account (CEBA) program  which extends credit to businesses and includes a grant of up to $10,000  for another year to help smaller businesses get through this crisis.

'Big government failed': O'Toole

O'Toole said "big government" failed Canadians during the pandemic and the state needs to be "more effective and responsive" in the months ahead.

As part of his nine-point jobs plan, the Durham MP is promising that, if he becomes prime minister, he'll launch a royal commission on the pandemic within 100 days of taking office "to ensure that all lessons learned from this crisis are publicly aired."

Story continues

"After five years of Liberal mismanagement during the good times, Canada is now facing its most serious economic challenges since the Great Depression," O'Toole said in a statement.

"In a time when there is enormous strain on families from coast to coast, the Trudeau government is failing to provide clear and timely leadership."

MacKay has suggested business operators in two of the hardest hit sectors of the economy  restaurants and tourism  should be permitted to stop charging GST to make their services more affordable for consumers who have all but abandoned them over the last three months because of physical distancing measures.

Trudeau opened the 'financial floodgates': MacKay

MacKay also took aim at Trudeau as he announced his eight-point jobs plan, saying the prime minister's response to the crisis has been to "open the financial floodgates for individuals" while failing "to provide the supports and conditions that employers need to keep jobs alive."

The candidates' plans include some of same policies the party campaigned on in the last election  repealing Liberal environmental laws like Bill C-69 and C-48 in order to boost the natural resources sector, and eliminating the carbon tax.

Both candidates are promising a streamlined process to get more pipelines built to move Canada's oil and gas products to market. O'Toole is suggesting a government led by him would entirely eliminate oil imports from outside of North America.

MacKay said a government led by him would direct Canadian trade commissioners to promote natural resources products in countries where "they are under attack by environmental activists."

But both leadership candidates have offered some new ideas to bolster an economy on the ropes.

More home-grown manufacturing

MacKay and O'Toole are pitching plans to restore Canada's manufacturing base, with promises to build domestic capacity for making medical equipment so that Canada will be self-sufficient if it's hit with another pandemic.

Canada has relied on China and the U.S. throughout the pandemic for masks and ventilators.

O'Toole said Canada needs domestic supplies of these goods so we "no longer need to rely on supply chains stretching to China to supply critical life-saving needs in future emergencies."

The manufacturing sector in Ontario has lost some 200,000 jobs in the last 15 years, thanks to new technologies and operations moving offshore.

James MacDonald/Bloomberg

MacKay said a mix of tax cuts  such as a 100 per cent capital cost allowance write-off for equipment purchases  and programs to retrain workers for technologically advanced factories will help a manufacturing sector that was once the economic bedrock of the country's largest province.

MacKay, a former defence minister, is also promising to spend much more on the military  and get Canada to the 2 per cent of GDP spending goal set by NATO  something he said would benefit the aerospace, defence and technology industries.

O'Toole is proposing a "new hire incentive" which would reduce the employment insurance premiums that small- and medium-sized businesses pay if they add new workers.

O'Toole, a former veterans affairs ministers, said he wants Canada to become self-sufficient in food production as well. He's promising "a program to build clusters of greenhouses" across the country to grow crops year round.

The two men are also taking a hard line on China's involvement in the Canadian economy, with promises to strengthen foreign investment reviews to keep "state-owned entities from non-free countries" from buying Canadian companies and resources. (O'Toole said such investments could get a green light if "there is a compelling reason to approve.")

Both have said they will keep Huawei, the Chinese tech giant with close ties to the Communist regime in China, out of Canada's 5G network.

Both candidates also promise to tackle a deficit that has soared to well over $260 billion this year.

MacKay is promising to rein in the size of the federal government and put "Canada on a path to return to balanced budgets." O'Toole is vowing to bringing the budget to balance "on a prudent timeline" through an ordered "step down" of COVID-19 measures that have caused the deficit to balloon.

MacKay's plan criticized by ex-Harper strategist

MacKay's plan was criticized by Ken Boessenkool, a former campaign strategist for Stephen Harper, for offering little in the way of support for families who will be looking to rebuild their finances after the pandemic ends.

"Not a single word about childcare or helping families cope with the post-COVID recession? Nothing at all? Because without a family recovery plan, you don't have an economic recovery plan," he tweeted after MacKay released his plan.

The pandemic has triggered what some are describing as a "she-session"  a term coined by labour economist Armine Yalnizyan to describe the pandemic's disproportionate economic effects on women in the service sectors.

With schools and child care centres shuttered, returning to work is a lot harder for women with children than it is for most men.

O'Toole, who released his plan a day after MacKay did, mentions support for families with children. He is proposing a "family action plan" which would convert the existing child care expense deduction to a refundable tax credit.

Under his plan, families would get a refundable tax credit for up to $16,000 for child care expenses for children up to six years old, and $10,000 for children aged 7 to 17 (the current limits are $8,000 and $5,000, respectively).

The federal government hasn't yet proposed any new initiatives to jump-start the economy  its focus has been on managing a pandemic that is still very much alive  but it has asked the private sector to suggest "big ideas" to help the Canadian economy bounce back.

The government recently posted a $3.75 million contract on its procurement website asking firms to put together plans for "economic stabilization and resiliency."
Mitch McConnell addresses the media in Washington, DC: REUTERS

A campaign group formed by anti-Trump Republican operatives has launched a TV commercial against the partys leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, who is up for re-election this November.

Deriding him as Rich Mitch, the ad is being broadcast in the senators home state of Kentucky. It is the work of the Lincoln Project, an operation founded by veterans of various Republican campaigns united in their disgust for Donald Trump, as well as for their partys acquiescence to him and his agenda.

What will history say about Mitch McConnell? asks the ads voiceover. Well, hes spent most of his time making deals for himself. Not so much for Kentucky.

Mitch didnt have money when he went to Washington 35 years ago. Today, hes one of the richest guys up there. So what did Kentucky get in the bargain? Well, were 40th in job opportunity, 45th in education, 43rd in healthcare. Getting the picture?

Self-enrichment on the part of senators has become something of a running story lately. Republican senators Richard Burr of North Carolina and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia have both been met with public disgust after it emerged they had sold off millions of dollars of shares in industries vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic before the economic impact was clear  but after they had received confidential briefings forecasting it.

With stories like these in the air, the Lincoln Projects attack on Mr McConnell attempts to hit what could be a highly sensitive electoral nerve.

After 35 years, Kentuckians are still waiting for the kinds of opportunities Mitch worked so hard to give himself. With another six years of Mitch McConnell, from the hollow to the horse farm, well still be waiting. And Mitch? Hell just be richer.

So what will history say about Mitch McConnell? The same thing many Kentuckians say now: not a damn thing.

The Lincoln Project, whose express aim is to prevent the presidents re-election, has made a conventional TV ad buy for the McConnell spot, spending $250,000 to get it on the airwaves. However, the projects approach to advertising has also been highly targeted.

Story continues

Earlier this month, it paid a mere $5,000 to screen an anti-Trump ad titled Mourning in America during a Fox News show the president is known to watch devotedly. The result was a barrage of rageful tweets from the president, ensuring the ad received maximal attention and raising the group more than $1.4m.

Read more

Trump calls ad a disgrace to Lincoln after saying hes treated worse
A group of monkeys on Friday attacked a lab technician at Meerut Medical College while he was carrying test samples and swab kits taken from suspected patients.

In a video tweeted by a journalist, the monkeys snatched away the swab kits of three patients and escaped before the lab technician could do anything. The patients had to redo the test; as per reports, stating that the monkeys were later found chewing the samples on tops of trees.

Monkeys are apparently quite common within the college campus but with this incident, locals are afraid that this could spread the infection.

Watch the video here:

In a shocking incident, a monkey snatched blood samples of Covid-19 patients being taken to the LLRM lab. Inquiry set up & the lab technician has been asked to give written explanation about why did he continue to make a video instead of asking for help.#Meerut #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/N2bCeO2QA2 Ishita Bhatia (@IshitaBhatiaTOI) May 29, 2020

This is not the first time a monkey has attacked human beings in recent times. A few days ago, in another shocking incident, a monkey riding on a bike tried to kidnap a baby who was playing with her family members in a broad daylight. The video of the incident had also gone viral on social media.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday accused a top Democrat of hackery over his public questioning of whether the chief U.S. diplomat had violated regulations governing American officials political activity.

In a blistering written attack on Bob Menendez, Pompeo also revealed that hed been cleared by a federal watchdog of any rules violations.

It was the second time in recent days that Pompeo has blamed the New Jersey senator for unflattering attention hes been receiving following his push to fire the State Departments inspector general.

It underscores how poisonous Pompeos relationship with Democrats on the Hill has become since he took over as secretary of State two years ago.

It is no surprise that you and I hold differing visions for Americas foreign policy mission, Pompeo told Menendez in a letter dated Thursday. But, for you and your staff to continue to address these different views by conducting character assassination attempts against me and my team  is not honorable or worthy of the trust Americans have placed in you.

Pompeo effectively demanded that Menendez stop implying that the Office of Special Counsel, a federal watchdog unit, was still looking into whether a handful of trips Pompeo had taken to Kansas violated the Hatch Act.

The Hatch Act bars executive branch officials from conducting campaign work on the taxpayers dime. Pompeos disputed trips to Kansas were billed as official duties, even though he was known to be exploring a potential Senate run from the state. He has since ruled it out.

Menendez, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had written to the OSC in October and December requesting a review of Pompeos trips. In recent days, Menendez is reported to have said that he never received a response from the OSC.

Ranking Member Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., speaks during a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the future of U.S. policy towards Russia, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019 in Washington, on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The State Department on Thursday shared with reporters a letter to Pompeo from the OSC dated Jan. 21 in whichthe OSC tells Pompeo that it has no evidence to conclude that you violated the Hatch Act. Therefore, we are closing this matter without further action. The OSC letter noted that after the trips Pompeo had made it known that he would not run for the Senate.

Story continues

In his missive to Menendez, Pompeo complains that the senator, through omission and other acts, has failed to be honest about the fact that the OSC found no wrongdoing.

The OSC response to your hackery makes clear your continued effort to politicize legitimate and important diplomatic and national security activity was without merit, Pompeo wrote. The scurrilous allegations you put forward had the additional effect  one which you clearly intended when you publicized your letter to the OSC  of generating a continuing series of media articles and reports with rumors, innuendo and flat untruths about me and the U.S. Department of State.

In a statement, Menendez pledged to keep asking tough questions of Pompeo and his department.

High level temper tantrums will not stop the committee from conducting our oversight responsibilities, he said. I would love to engage Secretary Pompeo on the merits of the Trump administrations foreign policy, and invite him yet again to come before our committee for a hearing on any number of important national security issues.

Journalists who had reported on Menendezs letter and subsequent comments were copied on Pompeos letter to the senator.

Pompeo and Menendez have had a number of bruising public exchanges over the years.

Earlier this month, during a news conference in which he was pressed about his role in firing of the State Departments inspector general, Pompeo insisted hed acted appropriately and then vented over Menendez. In doing so, he alluded to the senators past legal troubles.

This is all coming through the office of Senator Menendez, Pompeo said. I dont get my ethics guidance from a man who was criminally prosecuted  case number 15-155 in New Jersey federal district court  a man for whom his Senate colleagues, bipartisan, said basically that he was taking bribes. Thats a  thats not someone who I look to for ethics guidance.

The Department of Justice dropped the New Jersey senators case in 2018 after a trial resulted in a hung jury. Menendez has always maintained his innocence.

Menendez is among Pompeos most vociferous critics on the Hill. And because he serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he has played a role in slowing down the confirmation process for some of President Donald Trumps nominees for the State Department.

Menendezs defenders, however, say Pompeo has been largely uncooperative when lawmakers have tried to probe potential wrongdoing at the State Department. During Trumps Ukraine-related impeachment trial, for instance, Pompeo ignored virtually all requests for documents and information from lawmakers.

Critics of the secretary also note that when Pompeo was in Congress, he rarely held back in attacking the Democrats who hold his current position. He was particularly intense in his criticism of Hillary Clinton over the 2012 Benghazi attacks.

At the end of his letter to Menendez, Pompeo stresses that the State Department has a domestic mission as well. He says hed be happy to arrange a briefing so that the senator and his staff can learn more about States many programs.

There is much important work to do, Bob, Pompeo writes. Lets stay focused on it.


A top former BBC executive has been appointed to review how the corporation maintains impartiality on social media, after several recent cases of journalists being accused of sharing their own opinions.

Richard Sambrook, currently director of journalism at Cardiff University and a former director of global news, will be tasked with assessing whether the BBC's social media accounts are going against its impartiality policy.

It comes after Newsnight host Emily Maitlis was censured by BBC bosses for her monologue criticising Dominic Cummings and Boris Johnson for the former's alleged breach of coronavirus lockdown.

Other BBC hosts, including Huw Edwards, Andrew Neil and Gary Lineker have come under fire for tweets in the past, as has political editor Laura Kuenssberg.

Richard Sambrook, a former director of global news, will be tasked with assessing whether the BBC's social media accounts are going against its impartiality policy

Professor Sambrook, who spent 30 years at BBC News, is now expected to analyse whether the BBC's use of social media applies to its impartiality promise.

He will also look at whether edited clips from BBC shows, including Question Time, are presented in a way that breaches the policy.

Some people at the BBC fear a need to create 'viral and shareable' content has led to the undermining of the corporation's reputation.

In the past, Fran Unsworth, the director of news, has repeatedly urged staff to restrain use of Twitter.

Ofcom yesterday revealed that Emily Maitlis' Newsnight monologue about Dominic Cummings and the 'blind loyalty' of his boss Boris Johnson sparked 247 complaints - but the BBC may have had thousands more.

The BBC is claimed to have had ten times as many complaints from viewers than the UK's broadcasting regulator but is refusing to release any figures for up to a fortnight.

The Guido Fawkes blog has claimed the corporation has received 18,158 complaints in 24 hours and the figure is 'still going up', although that number could also include complaints sent in by Ms Maitlis' supporters who have rushed to slam the bosses who censured her.

Ofcom yesterday revealed that Emily Maitlis' Newsnight monologue about Dominic Cummings and the 'blind loyalty' of his boss Boris Johnson sparked 247 complaints

Laura Kuenssberg has also previously come under fire for tweets that she has posted online

During last year's election campaign Laura Kuenssberg came under fire and was forced to apologise after tweeting that a Labour activist had assaulted a Conservative staffer, only for a video to reveal it was an accidental collision.

In 2018, Andrew Neil came under fire for saying that Carole Cadwalladr, a journalist on The Observer, was a 'mad cat woman'.

Professor Sambrook is now expected to take steps to change the BBC's approach to social media, which could mean that journalists are asked to spend less time on Twitter.
Minnesota Prosecutors Wont Rush to Press Charges in George Floyds Death: DA

Minnesota prosecutors said on May 28 that they wont rush to press charges against the four officers involved in the death of George Floyd, a man who died in police custody when he was handcuffed and had a knee placed on his neck.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said on Thursday night that he will not hastily press charges as justice cannot be rushed, pointing to the 2015 case of 25-year-old Freddie Grey from Baltimore who died a week after he was critically injured while in police custody.

I will just point to you the comparison to what happened in Baltimore and the Gray case, he told reporters. There was a rush to charge, it was a rush to justice, and all of those people were found not guilty.

I will not rush to justice. Im going to do this right, he said of Floyds case. And those folks who know me in the African [American] community know I will do my very level best. But I will not rush justice, because justice cannot be rushed.

Of the six Baltimore police officers involved in Grays arrest and death, three were acquitted of all charges, while three had all remaining charges dropped by Baltimore State Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

Freeman told reporters at a press briefing that prosecutors plan to investigate Floyds case as expeditiously, as thoroughly and completely as justice demands.

That video is graphic and horrific and terrible, and no person should do that, Freeman said, referring to video footage published of the incident, which has drawn both peaceful and violent protests in Minneapolis, and spread quickly on social media.

Video footage shows that police officer44-year-old Derek Chauvinkneeling on Floyds neck as Floyd complained that he couldnt breathe.

File frame from video provided by Darnella Frazier, a Minneapolis officer kneels on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed man who was pleading that he could not breathe, in Minneapolis, on May 25, 2020. (Darnella Frazier via AP, File)

Floyd, 46, a father-of-two, was pronounced dead Monday night after he was taken into custody by authorities in Minneapolis. According to a Minneapolis Fire Department report published on Twitter from KARE 11, Floyd was unresponsive and pulseless when being transported into an ambulance by paramedics from the site of his arrest to the hospital.

I cannot breathe! I cannot breathe! Floyd yelled as witnesses gathered. He added, Dont kill me!

My stomach hurts, my neck hurts, everything hurts  I cant breathe, Floyd said while under the officers restraint.

Hes talking, so hes breathing, an officer said, before Floyd gradually became motionless.

Minneapolis police said in a statement on Tuesday that officers were responding to a report of forgery when the man resisted. According to the statement, Floyd died after suffering medical distress.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who previously called for Chauvins arrest, declared a local emergency (pdf) in the city on Thursday night due to growing violent protests and unrest following Floyds death.

According to a declaration, Minneapolis has asked the state of Minnesota for assistance, including authorization of the Minnesota National Guard to aid local authorities in restoring safety and calm due to the civil disturbance.

In the third straight night of violent protests on Thursday, protestors angered by Floyds death gained access to a Minneapolis police precinct.

Protesters use a barricade to try and break the windows of the Third Police Precinct in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 28, 2020. (Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images)

Livestream video showed the protesters entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as blazes were set. Police appeared to have left the building that is in the neighborhood not far from where Floyd died Monday.

The emergency declaration allows the city to implement emergency regulations with immediate effect, and will remain in place for 72 hours.

Floyds girlfriend, meanwhile, has called for an end to the unrest, saying that the violent protests would devastate him.

Waking up this morning to see Minneapolis on fire would be something that would devastate Floyd. He loved the city, Courteney Ross told The Star Tribune. He came here [from Houston] and stayed here for the people and the opportunities.  Floyd was a gentle giant. He was about love and about peace.

I want people to protest in a peaceful way, she added.

According to police chief Medaria Arradondo, Wednesday night had also seen violent protests in parallel to peaceful protests. Arradondo said that the people responsible for looting and setting fires to businesses were not believed to be locals from Minneapolis.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
By PTI

MUMBAI: A special court here on Friday rejected the interim bail plea filed by activist Sudha Bharadwaj, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-alleged Maoist links case.

The activist had sought temporary bail on medical grounds in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed Bharadwaj's bail plea saying that she was not suffering from any life-threatening ailment.

Her condition is stable as per the medical reports, special public prosecutor Prakash Shetty said.

Bharadwaj and 10 other civil rights activists were booked under stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly having Maoist links and conspiring to overthrow the government.

They were booked initially by the Pune Police after the violence that erupted at Koregaon Bhima in the district.

According to police, the activists made inflammatory speeches and provocative statements at the Elgar Parishadmeet held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which triggered the violence the next day.

The police also said that these activists were active members of banned Maoist groups.

The case was later transferred to the NIA.
- With additional reporting from Paul Hosford and Juno McEnroe

Parents were thrown into further confusion yesterday after the Minister for Education said students would not be returning to school in September as normal.

It is very hard to see all students back in September, even with a one-metre rule, said Joe McHugh.

While blended learning, a mix of learning in a classroom and online at home, looks set to become a mainstay when school buildings reopen, the Department of Education doesnt know yet what classrooms will look like.

We are waiting to see what sort of blended education system we are going to have.

The Department of Education is in no rush and will not bring a report to Cabinet today on how to reopen schools, and is still in consultation with principals and other stakeholders on how to reopen safely.

We have to balance all the risks, Mr McHugh said. We cannot put the education of children on hold.

A roadmap for schools for how to plan their return will not be completed for another two weeks. The department is also looking at how other countries reopened their schools, including Germany, Denmark, and Greece.

The two-metre social distancing rule, cited as an issue for schools, is also set to be debated by ministers after the reduction of the limit was raised by a number of Cabinet insiders at last weeks meeting, and has been further bolstered by opposition TDs calling for the issue to be examined, alongside consistent pressure from industry bodies.

WHO guidelines state that one metre social distancing is safe; however, chief medical officer Tony Holohan has signalled no plans to advise a reduction here.

It comes as a further nine people with Covid-19 have died, bringing the total of coronavirus related deaths here to 1,639, while 46 new confirmed cases means 24,841 cases of Covid-19 in Ireland so far.

A mortality paper discussed by NPHET yesterday states that mortality in Ireland has been within the lower range compared with other health systems across Europe.

NPHET has agreed in principle to include in the case definition the sudden loss of smell and loss of taste, subject to updated guidance from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, which is expected to be published today.

The Cabinet is also set to sign off on a workaround to address the anomaly that excludes women returning to work after maternity leave from the temporary wage subsidy scheme. The irregularity sees women who are returning from unpaid maternity leave and were not on their companys payroll in January and February unable to access the subsidy.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe confirmed that a measure to clear up the anomaly would be brought to Cabinet today.

It was absolutely my intention to ensure that all were treated equally in front of the wage subsidy scheme, he said.

It comes as the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission wrote to the minister noting that the flaw is contrary to the States obligations under EU law.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed a private hospital in Limerick which the Minister for Health said is 30% full in fact has no inpatients whatsoever.

The Bon Secours Limerick, one of the 19 private hospitals taken over by the HSE at the end of March in order to extend the public health systems capacity in the face of Covid-19, has had no inpatients (overnight stays) since that deal was signed.

The hospital, which has a bed capacity of 50, had just one inpatient discharged between March 30 and May 25, the Department of Health said.

On Wednesday, Simon Harris told the Dail updated figures I have today show 30% of inpatient beds now being used in the Bon Secours Hospital Limerick.

However, no further inpatients have been received in the intervening days, according to sources at the hospital.
The Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network will host a mobile food pantry on Wednesday, June 24, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 3109 Swede Ave. in Midland. Registtration begins at 9:30 a.m. with distribution at 11 a.m. This event is sponsored by Blessed Sacrament with support from the Midland Area Catholic Community: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Grace and St. Brigid of Kildare churches.

No identification or proof of income is necessary. Recipients of food are encouraged to bring empty bags and/or boxes.
A closed Eurobank branch after the Greek government imposed capital controls at the country's banks in Athens

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's third-largest lender Eurobank <EURBr.AT> more than doubled its first-quarter net profit on the back of lower provisions for impaired loans and higher fee and commission income, it said on Friday.

Eurobank, which is 2.4% owned by the country's HFSF bank rescue fund, reported net earnings of 57 million euros, up from 22 million euros in last year's first quarter.

The coronavirus pandemic struck just as Greece's banks were making headway in their bid to sell, write off or restructure billions of euros of bad debt accumulated during the last financial crisis.

Eurobank said credit loss provisions dropped 23.4% year-on-year to 126 million euros, while non-performing exposures (NPEs) eased to 28.9% of its loan book from 29.2% at the end of December.

The bank is nearing completion of a deal to sell an 80% stake in its FPS loan collection subsidiary to Italy's top debt recovery firm doValue <DOVA.MI>.

"All outstanding matters have been concluded and we expect the formal closing in the first half of June," the bank's Chief Executive Fokion Karavias said. "As a result, Eurobank will have the lowest NPE ratio in Greece at 15.6%."

Greece's economy is seen contracting by 6% this year under the central bank's baseline scenario, hit by restrictive measures to slow the spread of the virus, the global recession and an expected sharp drop in tourism.

"After a period of turmoil, economic activity should start to normalize and our de-risked balance sheet post the Cairo transaction will be the base for above-par profitability for Eurobank," Karavias said.

(Reporting by George Georgiopoulos; Editing by Jan Harvey)
The Pentagon's leadership got an earful Thursday from troops, military spouses and Defense Department civilians at a virtual town hall meeting on everything from travel restrictions to the price of hamburger meat.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley heard from a soldier who said he has been stuck in Kuwait for 14 months with no date for return under stop-movement orders aimed at combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read next: Army Shoot-Off Will Pit Israel's Iron Dome Against Foreign Competitors

The soldier asked, "Why can't we PCS?"

Milley said he understands the stress and inconvenience resulting from limits on PCS travel but said they were for the safety of the force.

"I believe he'll probably be able to PCS here relatively shortly" as the military begins to ease the restrictions, he said.

A civilian Defense Department employee who has been teleworking during the pandemic wanted assurances that her workspace would be clean and safe when restrictions are lifted. She also asked whether she could continue to telework if she felt unsafe.

In response, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said, "We are not going to open up the Pentagon or other installations unless we are confident that it is a safe place to work.  We will take it on a case-by-case basis, but we're not going to ask anybody to come back to work in an unsafe environment."

The hamburger question from a sergeant at Fort Meade, Maryland, went to Senior Enlisted Adviser to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (SEAC) Ramon "CZ" Colon-Lopez.

The sergeant asked whether the basic allowance for subsistence might be boosted in high-cost areas to deal with the increase in prices during the crisis.

He said the commissary's price for "a pound of cheap ground beef has gone from $2.30 a pound to almost $6."

Colon-Lopez commiserated with the sergeant, but said he would have to wait on lawmakers to get relief, explaining that cost-of-living increases are negotiated each year with Congress.

"I am sure that the impacts of COVID and the pandemic will be reflected in future National Defense Authorization Acts," he said.

Colon-Lopez took another question about soldiers sent as a unit to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, for training who have not been allowed to go home to get their cars.

He said commanders must weigh difficult decisions about risk mitigation and maintaining readiness, while limiting possibilities for exposure to the virus.

"I can almost guarantee that those soldiers will be able to get back to their homes and get their vehicles," Colon-Lopez said. "We'll make sure soldiers get their property in due time."

Most of the questions centered on when and how the stop-movement orders will be lifted to allow for PCSing without asking for a waiver or exception, and to travel on personal leave.

Esper, Milley and Colon-Lopez said a plan is in place for the gradual lifting of restrictions in phases, based on local conditions. But they could give no definite time frame.

"We all want to get back to normal, or a new normal, as soon as possible," Esper said. "We've all been cooped up at home.  We're all anxious to get on with things as best we can."

"For some, it may seem like we're being too cautious. For other folks, it seems too risky," he said. "We're all very conscious of these challenges. We're not going to get back to a normal the way it was, but we will get there."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Related: Military Stop-Movement Orders to Be Lifted Immediately at Some Bases
The Rocketeer jets back to comics with new series and more

The Rocketeer is back to celebrate his 40th birthday
Covid-19 India update: The total number of coronavirus cases has reached 165799 with the toll at 4706. India has reported total 7,466 fresh cases with 175 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Covid-19 India update: The total number of coronavirus cases in India has reached 165799 with the toll at 4706. India has reported a total of 89,987 active cases with more than 71,000 people recovered and discharged from the hospitals. Moreover, India has also reported the highest spike of 7,466 fresh cases in the last 24 hours with 175 deaths as per the latest data shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

According to the state-wise data, Maharashtra has reported more than 2500 cases including 1,467 reported by Mumbai on Thursday taking the total tally to 59,546 with 1982 deaths. Tamil Nadu has reported 827 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally to 19,372 with the death toll at 145. Further, the national capital has reported more than 1000 cases for the very first time since the outbreak with 13 deaths on Thursday. The fourth phase of lockdown is scheduled to end on May 31 and there are reports that the Centre might extend the lockdown till June.

Not just this, India is now ranked at the ninth position in the list of worst-affected countries from coronavirus. According to the list, the United States tops the charts with 17 lakh cases, Brazil comes at number two position with 4 lakh COVID-19 cases and Russia at third position with 3.7 lakh cases. India is followed by Turkey which has till now reported a total of 1.6 lakh cases and Iran with a total of 1.3 lakh cases.

Also Read: Jammu & Kashmir police says Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen behind failed car bomb attack in Pulwama

Highest spike of 7,466 new #COVID19 cases in the last 24 hours in the country; 175 deaths reported. Total number of cases in the country now at 165799 including 89987 active cases, 71105 cured/discharged/migrated and 4706 deaths: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare pic.twitter.com/YbEb1HbDsl  ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2020

Reports suggest that India has reported double the number of coronavirus cases in China. Moreover, India has also surpassed China with 4,711 deaths on Thursday. Further, Haryana Government has also issued orders to seal all borders with Delhi except for the essential services, state Home Minister Anil Vij said. He added that the main reason behind the increasing number of cases is the entry of people from Delhi into areas of Haryana which share the borders.

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
New Delhi: A woman set herself on fire after a quarrel with her husband over buying a smart phone in Delhi's Maidangadi area. The incident had occurred on May 27, the woman succumbed to her injuries at the hospital on Thursday.

According to sources, the wife had been demanding a smart phone for her son who is taking online classes due to the nationwide coronavirus lockdown and a fight ensued between the husband and wife on the matter. The police is further investigating the case.

The deceased woman Jyoti Mishra, 29, and her husband Pramod Mishra had been married for over seven years and have two children, one is 6 and the other 4 years old.

Pramod had recently purchased a smart phone for his older sons' online classes but Jyoti demanded a second phone for the second child to attend online classes as well.

He said he would buy one after the lockdown but Jyoti in a fit of rage set herself ablaze. The family originally belongs to Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur.
I Love My USA Instant Win Game

Think someone else may like this? Share the love!

Facebook

Pinterest

Email

Print

Hello! Steamy Kitchen is having a special Instant Win Giveaway Game! I am very excited to announce the launch of my new company, I Love My USA this week! This Instant Win Game is very special in that it is in partnership with I Love My USA.

As you may know I have started to make face masks that are designed and produced right here in Nevada. What started out as making a few masks for family has grown to be able to provide masks to fellow Americans all over the country. I Love My USA will focus on selling products from small American business owners, makers, and artists! You can shop our store here .

Products

We are currently selling face masks that have been created with the help of our professional seamstress Mr.Saruni and our rhinestone professional Denise Luna!

There are 5 different logos or just all black and each mask comes with two free filters!

View all of our designs and shop here !

FREE SHIPPING

Free shipping orders over $29 (we only ship to USA)

100% COTTON + FILTERS

100% cotton with filter pocket + 2 free filters

MADE IN USA

Professionally sewn and shipped from our beautiful state of Nevada

All makes are designed, expertly sewn, decorated, and shipped from Las Vegas Nevada!

This way you can stay safe, support USA made products and represent your USA love!

I Love My USA Instant Win Game

Spin to win.
Brex, last valued at $2.6 billion, is restructuring its credit card for startups business and cut 62 staff members, the co-founders Pedro Franceschi and Henrique Dubugras said in a blog post.

"Today we're restructuring the company to better align our priorities with this new reality, while simultaneously accelerating our product vision. With that, I have some very sad news to share. 62 people will be leaving Brex today," the post reads.

The cuts come as Brex's customer base itself is struggling to stay afloat amid COVID-19: high-growth startups. The trickle-down to Brex's core business, which depends on its customers spending money, was thus expected.

Brex has already cut some customer credit limits to mitigate some of the exposure risk, The Information reported, and Dubugras confirmed. Customers say the credit limit cuts came without warning or notice.

Additionally, the company, launched in Brazil and graduated from Y Combinator, raised $150 million recently.

When TechCrunch talked to Dubugras about the latest fundraise, the co-founder said the capital was offensive, rather than defensive.

Im glad this round came together, but if it hadnt, we wouldve been fine, he said last week. The capital is so we can play offensive while everyone else plays defensive.

In the blog post, the co-founders wrote to former staffers.

"Please continue dreaming big and dont lose the ambition that attracted you to Brex. Dont let anything, not even a global pandemic, take that away from you. I wish we could give each one of you a hug, so instead Ill end this message like Id do it in Portuguese. Abracos, Pedro and Henrique."

Those laid off will be provided with eight weeks of severance, their computer and equipment, and Brex will dedicate a part of its recruiting team to help find new opportunities for ex-staffers. Additionally, Brex is making adjustments to the equity cliff and has extended healthcare benefits through the end of 2020.

Brex has amassed $465 million in venture capital funding to date.
Confusion and HBO Max practically go hand-in-hand. When AT&T's WarnerMedia announced the streaming service last year, it was hard to tell if it was going to be an additional charge for existing HBO Now and cable subscribers. It took a few more months for us to learn that it would basically be an evolution of HBO Now with the same $14.99-a-month price. Even I, a well-informed media follower, didn't realize Max would automatically replace HBO Now's app on my iPhone and Apple TV until the service launched this past Wednesday.

So it's no wonder the collective response to HBO Max on social media has simply been: "Huh?" Like many other news sites, Engadget put together a lengthy explainer to make sense of the service. But that shouldn't be necessary -- not for a marquee product coming from AT&T, one of the world's most successful corporations. It's clear that WarnerMedia, out of some combination of hubris and incompetence, simply failed to communicate. We only learned at the last minute that HBO Max wouldn't be coming to Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices at launch. And WarnerMedia didn't lock in a Comcast partnership until after HBO Max launched.

But here's the thing: These missteps won't matter in the long run. This isn't a Quibi situation, a fundamentally flawed service that has no place in the current media landscape. HBO Max is everything HBO already offered, plus exclusive shows and films from the Warner library. It's also the only place you can stream Friends, South Park and Studio Ghibli titles in the US. (Netflix nabbed Ghibli rights elsewhere, excluding Canada and Japan.) Even if you're not obsessed with HBO's shows, there's a wealth of content that makes a Max subscription worthwhile.

You can think of HBO Max as WarnerMedias $4 billion bet on the future. It's a unified streaming platform that does away with the confusing need for separate apps. (Previously, cable subscribers used HBO Go while digital-only customers used Now.) Instead of just competing with other premium networks like Showtime, HBO Max is taking aim at Disney+, Netflix and Hulu. And based on its existing content alone -- including cinephile-friendly Turner Classic Movies and geek-friendly Crunchyroll anime -- HBO Max is better poised than Apple TV+ to be a major streaming player.

That's a good thing for AT&T, as it needs to prove that its $85 billion Time Warner acquisition was actually a success. But there's still plenty of work ahead. For one, WarnerMedia needs to add Roku and Fire TV support as soon as possible. (Roku representatives wouldn't comment when asked about HBO Max.) It also needs 4K and HDR support, both of which are major quality advantages for Disney+ and Netflix. Lastly, HBO Max needs to be broadly available to every cable subscriber. Currently, it supports major providers like Charter, Verizon, Optimum and Cox.

In the long run, HBO Max needs to step up its original content even further to justify the high $14.99 monthly cost. (For reference, Disney+ starts at $7 a month, while Netflix's standard monthly plan costs $13.) Its launching with six originals, like the romantic comedy Love Life and an Elmo talk show, but none of it is exactly "must watch TV." The Friends reunion could have been a big draw at launch, but that was delayed because of the COVID-19 epidemic.

WarnerMedia had previously planned to launch 50 original shows during the first year, but it's unclear if that will actually happen. At this point, the service is banking heavily on HBO's already strong original lineup. But the network is still trying to find its next Game of Thrones, and its more limited selection of shows can't compete with the deluge of Netflix offerings.

To be clear, Im not excusing HBO Maxs messy launch. WarnerMedia deserves all of the criticism its getting, and it could have avoided plenty of headaches by securing partnerships ahead of time, and reaching out to its customers more. But the real story of HBO Max lies ahead, in a future where every media company will need a marquee service to stay relevant.
Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, Egypt has made a unique discovery - that of a cemetery which apparently dates back to the el-Sawi era, also known as the 26th Dynasty, as reported by Al-Monitor.

The Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziri, disclosed the the findings on May 17, after the discovery was made in the country's Bahnasa region, by the Egyptian-Spanish archaeological mission affiliated with the University of Barcelona.

Earlier known as the city of Oxyrhynchus, Bahnasa is one of the popular archaeological sites in Egypt.

Reuters

Upon the cemetery's discovery, Waziri said that the findings are of unique nature and such a style has never been seen before in Bahnasa. He revealed that the cemetery has one room which is built using polished limestone. He said, "Its entrance is from the north side, and its walls have curvature from the top at the beginning of the roof, which makes it flat and not vaulted, as is customary in the rest of the previously discovered tombs in the area."

The mission was led by Esther Ponce and she explained how eight tombs dating back to the Roman era with a domed and non-engraved roof have been discovered. "Several Roman tombstones, bronze coins, small crosses, and clay seals have also been found inside the tombs," she said.

Ministry of Antiquities, Egypt

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities had approved of 280 archaeological missions at different sites back in October 2019. However, due to the pandemic coronavirus, the operations witnessed an unexpected pause on all the foreign missions.



NPR (Representative image)

Presently, only 5 missions are actively taking place with reduced number of archaeologists and working hours.
Illinois is telling school districts they must set aside federal coronavirus relief money to account for all their local private school students, and to put a certain amount in escrow, due to an upcoming rule from U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

The decision by Illinois indicates that DeVos push to direct roughly $13 billion in coronavirus aid to private school students in general, through a provision of the relief law known as equitable services, is having an affect.

In CARES Act guidance released last month , DeVos said that equitable services, which are typically reserved for disadvantaged and at-risk students at private schools to provide things like tutoring and technology licenses, must be provided to to all private school students within district boundaries.

DeVos says her interpretation of how the $13 billion fund for districts must work matches the intent of the CARES Act to provide help for all students, irrespective of where they go to school, during the coronavirus pandemic. But state and local leaders, as well as Democrats in Congress , have argued this interpretation does not match the law and improperly takes money away from public schools struggling to deal with the fallout from COVD-19. (CARES stands for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security.)

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., the chairman of the Senate education committee, said he differs from DeVos on her interpretation of the CARES Act, but has not indicated hell push for Congress to nullify her guidance.

Earlier this week, DeVos announced that to resolve the issue, she would release a proposed rule on the subject and make it available for public comment. Turning the guidance into a rule would effectively force districts to comply, although the rule could be subject to a legal challenge.

In the 2017-18 school year, Illinois had roughly 1,350 private schools enrolling 216,000 students, according to federal data . Only five states had higher total enrollment in private schools.

Jaclyn Matthews, a spokesperson for the Illinois state school board, said in an email Friday that the board has directed public school districts to set aside the amount based on total enrollment in nonpublic schools within the district boundaries, pending further word from the Education Department. That dollar amount must first be determined by local school districts in consultation with private schools about what equitable services for all local private school students would cost.

Evidence of that consultation and the set aside amount will be included within each districts grant application, Matthews wrote, a reference to the fact that districts must apply for CARES money from the state, which is the initial recipient of the aid from the Education Department.

Matthews added that services will be provided initially based upon the lesser amount of low-income enrollment in nonpublic schools. Thats a reference to the amount that would be reserved for the lower number of students who typically qualify for equitable services under Title I of the Every Student Succeeds Act. The difference betwen that lesser dollar amount and the total dollar amount must be held in escrow.

Depending on what the Education Department does, she noted, the funds put in escrow could ultimately flow to all local private school students, or be incorporated back into public school budgets through an amendment.

In a letter to state schools chiefs earlier this week, DeVos recommended that districts put money in escrow to account for the upcoming rule about CARES and equitable services.

After DeVos released the CARES Act guidancewhich is nonbindingat least two states, Indiana and Maine, said they would not follow it, but Alexanders home state of Tennessee said that it would.

Photo: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos on Capitol Hill earlier this year. -- Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images

Follow us on Twitter @PoliticsK12 . And follow the Politics K-12 reporters @EvieBlad @Daarel and @AndrewUjifusa .
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Ethiopian security forces committed horrendous human rights violations including burning homes to the ground, extrajudicial executions and rape,in response to attacks by armed groups and inter-communal violence in Amhara and Oromia, a human rights body said on Friday
Defendant in ex-minister Abyzovs embezzlement case arrested in absentia

 RAPSI, Natalia Vaneyeva

16:02 29/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 29 (RAPSI)  Moscows Basmanny District Court on Friday issued an arrest warrant for Konstantin Tyan, a former chief of the Moscow office of ex-Minister for Open Government affairs Mikhail Abyzov, in a 4 billion-ruble (about $60 million at the current exchange rate) embezzlement case in absentia, the courts press office told RAPSI.

Additionally, Tyan is charged with participation in a criminal gang. The defendant is to be put in detention for 2 months when extradited or arrested.

Abyzov and other defendants were arrested in late March 2019 as part of the 4 billion-ruble embezzlement case.

Investigators believe that Abyzov acting as beneficiary owner of several offshore companies organized a criminal group to steal the money belonging to two energy companies supplying electricity to Siberia. Later, the embezzled funds were moved overseas.




Central New York was ready first thing Friday morning for phase two of our coronavirus restart, Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Why werent you?

For months, New Yorkers have mostly been with you as you took tough, painful measures to stop the spread of the virus: closing schools and businesses, banning gatherings, mandating face coverings, asking us to stay home. Our lives and livelihoods took a huge hit, but New Yorkers complied, mostly, to protect each other and to keep our hospitals and healthcare workers from being overwhelmed.

Over and over, you said: Obey the data. Meet the metrics. Take precautions. Be smart. Prepare.

We did. You didnt.

Your last-minute delay in moving into to the next phase  only to say at 1 p.m. Friday that it could begin, after all  turned New Yorks restart into an ideological fight. You will lose that fight, lose your allies in local government, lose credibility with the business community, lose the publics broad support and lose your grip on an orderly, safe reopening of the economy.

Two weeks ago, you loosened the valve a tiny bit, allowing low-contact, phase one businesses to reopen. Since then, the data has gotten better, not worse. Fewer infections. Fewer hospitalizations. More testing by many magnitudes. That all pointed to loosening the valve a bit more on Friday and allowing phase two businesses to reopen.

And then you slammed on the brakes, so that your panel of global experts could weigh in and you could make an announcement at your daily news conference. Were all for experts. Just tell us the plan, Governor. The information vacuum is insulting and counterproductive.

When asked Friday about the delay in starting phase two, your response, in so many words, was: What difference does a few hours make? Well, it made a lot of difference to the Syracuse-area barber who had to cancel 100 appointments. Multiply that by thousands of Upstate businesses, and you see the impact of your administrations poor communication.

The state withheld critical guidance until Friday morning, so any business that wanted to reopen had to scramble to understand and meet all of the requirements. They needed that guidance last week or last month, not on the day phase two began. Months into the pandemic, its an inexcusable failure. This has to be fixed before we move into the higher-stakes phases three and four.

Business owners watching their livelihoods circle the drain are not asking to throw a party. They dont want to flout the rules. They dont want to endanger themselves or their customers. They just want to get back to work, pay their bills and feed their families.

To do that, they need timely health guidance, and also more clarity about which businesses belong in which phases. Are dentists phase two or phase four? What about personal trainers? Dog groomers? When will we know about summer camps? People need this information to manage their lives. If you cant provide answers, then throw open the doors and get out of the way.

Your administration also fails to communicate with the people on the ground enforcing your executive orders, while also managing public safety and public expectations.

As late as Thursday afternoon, a day before phase two was supposed to begin, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon had no word from the state about it. McMahon interpreted that as a green light and encouraged businesses in phase two to plow ahead, with or without state guidance. That was a dangerous limb to climb out on  and then you sawed it off. If the county executive couldnt get an answer from Albany, he should have more forcefully demanded one or lowered our expectations of a Friday opening.

Governor, your daily news conferences are must-see TV, from locales around the state and even in Washington, D.C. We could use fewer flashy PowerPoints and more information and transparency.

As your national profile rises, the shine is dimming on your handling of the crisis in New York. Sticking a thumb into the Upstate business communitys eye is an unforced error. Stop being Americas governor. We need you to be ours.

Loading

About Syracuse.com editorials

Editorials represent the collective opinion of the Advance Media New York editorial board. Our opinions are independent of news coverage. Read our mission statement. Members of the editorial board are Tim Kennedy, Trish LaMonte, Jason Murray and Marie Morelli.

To respond to this editorial: Submit a comment through the Google form above, or submit a letter or commentary to letters@syracuse.com. Read our submission guidelines.

If you have questions about the Opinions & Editorials section, contact Marie Morelli, editorial/opinion leader, at mmorelli@syracuse.com
The first food boxes provided by a local event planner whose $39 million federal contract has raised numerous questions arrived at the San Antonio Food Bank on Thursday.

The shipment totaled 235 boxes out of the 750,000 that Gregorio Palomino and his CRE8AD8 company have been contracted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to deliver by June 30 to a seven-state region.

It comes two weeks after the scheduled contract start date for the USDAs new Farmers to Families Food Box program.

Members of Congress and industry experts have questioned the ability of Palomino and several other bid winners who have no experience in food distribution to fulfill the government contracts.

Palomino, who surprised the Food Bank with an unscheduled appearance to document the delivery, hailed it as a success even though one Food Bank staffer estimated that the boxes that arrived on five pallets filled just 20 percent of the truck that delivered them.

We are proving you guys all wrong, Palomino said, referring to the media.

Bob Owen / Staff photographer

Palomino said more food will be delivered next week to food banks in Texas, Arizona and Utah.

Weve got millions of pounds going (out) over the next week, he said. We are a small business, and we are here to feed America.

While CRE8AD8 has been slow out of the gate, the Food Bank has already received two truckloads of dairy products from Dallas-based Borden Dairy Co., one truckload of produce from Fort Worth-based DiMare Fresh and one truckload of produce from Go Fresh Produce, based in Tulsa, Okla.

The CRE8AD8 boxes delivered Thursday contained oranges, potatoes, carrots, onions, red apples and corn that came from Avila Produce on the West Side.

We could use an additional 20 truckloads a week from this program, said Eric Cooper, president and CEO of the Food Bank. CRE8AD8s contract can produce 469 truckloads of food, so there is a long way to go.

RELATED: USDA knocked for 'unfathomable' $39M contract awarded to San Antonio event planner

Palomino described Avila Produce as one of our co-packers. Jesus Avila, owner of Avila Produce, could not be reached for comment, but Avilas son, Jesus Arturo Avila, said in a text message that the produce was packed at our facility.

Palomino said he could not disclose the location of his own warehouse. Asked why not, he said, For the safety of our employees.

Asked how many people he has hired  previously, Palomino said he would need up to 125 workers  he said, A lot. Asked if he could be more specific, he said, Not right now.

A San Antonio Express-News investigation published Sunday detailed how Palomino touted professional credentials he does not possess and boasted of major corporate clients that say they have never done business with him.

In the wake of the story, two members of San Antonios congressional delegation  Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, and Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio  called on the USDA to investigate all the multimillion-dollar contracts for the Farmers to Families Food Box program granted to companies with no experience in food distribution. Doggett went further, saying Palominos contract should be canceled.

Asked for comment on what Doggett and Castro were requesting, USDA officials didnt answer directly but issued a statement saying that a robust audit program will ensure quality of product and execution of the proposal as submitted to the agency.

The USDA granted contracts to nearly 200 companies to distribute more than $1.2 billion worth of produce, dairy and protein to food banks and nonprofits across the country under the new food box program.

RELATED: San Antonio Food Bank chief criticizes USDA for awarding food contracts to inexperienced companies

The decision to go with several companies such as CRE8AD8 with no background in the industry rankled experienced distributors, including some whose bids were rejected. That list includes San Antonios River City Produce and Big State Produce.

The USDA is planning another round of contracts for the Farmers to Families Food Box program, one of the administrators of the program said during a Produce Marketing Association Virtual Town Hall, AgWeb.com reported.

Bruce Summers, administrator of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, said there have been lessons learned from the programs rollout. He also indicated that there will likely be another chance for the 400 companies that were not awarded contracts to bid in a new round of funding expected after July 1, AgWeb.com reported.

Tom Orsborn covers sports news in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Tom, become a subscriber. torsborn@express-news.net | Twitter: @tom_orsborn
The University of Utah did not reach a settlement after two of mediation with the parents of slain track star Lauren McCluskey who filed a $56 million lawsuit over her death in 2018.

The McCluskeys attorney Jim McConkie described the talks as frank but unsuccessful, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

We understand better now what the issues are, McConkie said, adding that Jill and Matt McCluskey are disappointed in the university but still willing to discuss and work through differences.

The McCluskeys first sued in June 2019 after their 21-year-old daughter Lauren McCluskey was shot outside her dorm in October 2018 by a 37-year-old registered sex offender on parole who she briefly dated. The man died by suicide hours after the shooting, authorities said.

The lawsuit alleges the university could have done more to protect McCluskey after claiming she contacted campus police multiple times prior to the shooting saying her ex-boyfriend was harassing her.

The university has maintained that it was not liable for her death because her attacker was not affiliated with campus.

The university said in a statement that it hoped to reach an agreement that established a legacy that honored Laurens memory and benefited our students through an enduring commitment to best practices in campus safety.

The lawsuit will next move forward again with an initial hearing before a judge.

The McCluskeys attorneys have said a separate lawsuit will be filed and handled concurrently. That lawsuit alleges the university violated the state Constitution and denied Lauren McCluskey equal protection under the law.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Education Universities
Caitlin Ashley DiLenas exposure to anything Swedish was once limited to trips to Ikea, the Swedish Chef muppet character, and the Swedish princess cake segment on The Great British Baking Show.

This was before she matched with Nicklas Alexander Ansman Giertz on Tinder in May 2018, and then met him a couple of weeks later at Lovelace, a gin bar in Manhattans Financial District, close to where he lived and she worked.

We kept talking and talking, said Mr. Ansman Giertz, 30, the technical lead in New York for Bontouch, a Stockholm-based digital software design agency that partners with various brands.

He had just gotten back from a two-week visit with his family in the Stockholm archipelago. (He is a paternal great-great-grandson of Lars Magnus Ericsson, the founder of Ericsson, the Swedish networking and telecommunications company). She had just spent a rainy weekend at a bachelorette party along the Jersey Shore.
DELTA, B.C.A hospice that has a long history of helping people near death but denies them medical assistance in dying is drawing criticism from the citys mayor in a clash of ideologies that has split its board and raised questions about its future.

The head of the society that operates the facility says she is trying to strengthen its position to only provide end-of-life palliative care.

Angelina Ireland, who heads the Delta Hospice Society, said politicians at the municipal, provincial and federal level who disagree with the Christian basis of its stance against medically assisted death should build another facility to provide the service.

Its a separate stream of end-of-life care and what we have is a government that wants to destroy palliative care for their own ideological reasons or economic reasons, Ireland said in an interview.

The British Columbia government has announced that its withdrawing $1.5 million in annual funding to the society starting next year.

Health Minister Adrian Dix gave the requisite one-year notice in February, saying the money covers 94 per cent of costs for the 10-bed hospice on land that is owned by the Fraser Health authority.

This decision to end this contract is final and will not change, Dix said in a statement Friday.

Ireland said the society will hold a special meeting by phone and mail-in-ballot on June 15 for members to vote on amendments to its constitution. They would say God is the giver and taker of life so getting help from a medical professional to hasten death should not be an option for patients at the Irene Thomas Hospice it operates in Delta.

The federal government introduced a law in 2016 to allow for medically assisted death if strict criteria are met, but Ireland said the society is a private organization aiming to affirm the heritage and identity of palliative care.

The history of palliative care is rooted in Christian moral teaching, she said. It is rooted in that we take care of each other, that we care for the dying, that we dont kill them, that we make their lives comfortable and peaceful.

She said three patients at the hospice have asked for medical help in dying but two of them went home to die and another had the procedure at a nearby hospital.

The upcoming meeting has created tension among residents, with some saying they want the opportunity to vote on the future of the hospice but their membership applications have been rejected without explanation.

Delta Mayor George Harvie said in a statement Thursday that he has discussed the need for an urgent meeting with local MP Carla Qualtrough as well as two provincial politicians.

The mass rejection of memberships from dedicated community members, including past and present hospice staff and volunteers, is simply wrong, he said.

As mayor, I cannot allow this board to create a division and anxiety in this community.

Ireland said the society has become huge, with 1,500 members. As a private organization she said it has the right to refuse membership to anyone, adding she doesnt know how many applications have been returned.

Harvie said he has support from politicians at the senior levels of government.

There is total agreement amongst us that we cannot let the intolerable actions of the current board go on, Harvie said.

The hospice was funded, built on public land, to provide an end-of-life facility in Delta.

Ireland said Harvie has not contacted her and anyone who wants a medically assisted death has the option of getting it at home, at a hospital adjacent to the hospice or anywhere else the service is offered. But she said the public shouldnt be snowed by the rhetoric of politicians at all levels of government.

Were talking about palliative care and were talking about (medical assistance in dying) and its disingenuous of the government to try and put those things together.

The previous board voted in favour of medically assisted death, but Ireland said four or five members who were in favour of providing that service were turfed out at an annual general meeting in November.

They didnt even have a quorum, but they went through and pushed this apparent motion to allow (medical assistance in death) at the facility, she said.

Randy Scott said he quit the board 10 days after being elected last December over a disagreement with the direction of Irelands views because he believes they differ with the needs of local residents.

It kind of makes my stomach turn the way things were handled, he said, adding Irelands predecessor also left the board and volunteers have turned away in disagreement.

The society says on its website that it signed a contract with the Fraser Health authority in 2010 for the hospices operating funds, making Delta Hospice accountable to Fraser Health and its accreditation standards.

It had already raised $5.5 million two years earlier for both the hospice and an adjoining centre, which provides counselling for clients and patients as well as volunteer support groups, the society says on the site.

Scott said while the society could potentially fund its services independently, residents of Delta would lose out on a valuable service at the end of their lives at a facility they have long supported.

His father and two friends lived out their last days at the hospice, he said, and he believes the majority of Delta residents are strongly in favour of medically assisted dying.

Its a fantastic facility and it has been over the years, Scott said.

Chris Pettypiece, who served as board member and then president between 2014 and 2018, said the society is attempting to keep people of a different belief away from services in a society that was built by and for and within this community.

Its a precious community resource that people feel theyre being shut out of because whats being proposed is a very exclusive and very specific agenda, he said.

At least 160 people who recently applied to become members of the society and paid a $10 fee have recently had their applications rejected without explanation, with their money returned to them, Pettypiece said.

In the eight years I spent on the board I dont recall ever rejecting a membership application or even contemplating doing so.

A spokesman for British Columbias Health Ministry said that as of March 31, nearly 3,500 residents had chosen to have a medically assisted death.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2020.

Read more about:
The recent lawsuits against China over COVID-19 filed in U.S. courts are not just untenable, but constitute a gross violation of international law and Chinas national sovereignty.

Since March, some senators, government officials, media outlets, think tanks and non-governmental organizations in the U.S. have hyped up absurd arguments against China, claiming that China should be held accountable and compensate other countries for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Such instigation has led to multiple legal actions against Chinese government over COVID-19 in the U.S., all demanding accountability and huge compensation from China.

According to the U.S. media, the Attorney General for the State of Missouri filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Missouri, demanding that the Chinese government take responsibility and make compensations for the global pandemic. This is an extreme rare case as it doesnt always happen that a regional government of a country tries to hold a sovereign state accountable through a domestic court.

At present, relevant scientific issues revolving around the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic are gradually turning into international political and public opinion topics requesting China to take responsibility and make compensations, becoming a weapon for international anti-China forces to manipulate public opinions.

The lawsuits against China over the COVID-19 pandemic can be regarded as a battle between municipal law of certain countries and the universally applicable international law.

The current lawsuits filed in the U.S. against the Chinese government are all based on municipal laws of the U.S.

As a matter of fact, those who attempt to sue a sovereign foreign state and handle affairs between countries through domestic court and abuse of municipal law in total disregard of universally recognized international law are actually using municipal law to confront international law, using domestic rule of law to compete with international rule of law, overturning international order with domestic order, and substituting unilateralism for multilateralism.

Such despicable and yet typical acts of the U.S. are the results of the countrys long-standing tradition to pursue power politics and hegemonism, which represent grave destruction of the international system with the United Nations (UN) at the core established after World War II.

The Peace of Westphalia, established at the Congress of Westphalia between 1643 and 1648, stipulated the principle of independence and equality of sovereign state. After World War II, the basic principle of international law was later reaffirmed in Article 2 of Chapter I of the UN Charter.

The Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members, said the UN Charter. Sovereign equality was stressed in the first of all the principles the organization and its members shall act in accordance with.

On the basis of the principle, a sovereign state handling matters according to its sovereignty shall not be compelled by the dictates of any other authority, and allows no external interference; any other state or authority has no right to exercise its own sovereignty in a sovereign state; the exertion of sovereignty rights of a sovereign state shall only be restricted on a voluntary basis.

In addition, a sovereign state shall not be forced into submitting international disputes concerning it to arbitration or judicature, and its acts and property are not subject to the jurisdiction of courts of a foreign country.

The integrity of a countrys national sovereignty is inviolable. No authority can weaken the national sovereignty of a sovereign state or deprive it of its national sovereignty.

It can be seen that the ludicrous lawsuits filed in U.S. courts against the Chinese government, especially the one filed by the Attorney General for the State of Missouri in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Missouri, in fact constitute serious violation of Chinas national sovereignty, run counter to the universally recognized principle regarding national sovereignty stated in the UN Charter, and represent completely unlawful act that goes against international law.

As the general principle of international law puts clearly, equals do not have authority over one another. On the theoretical basis of sovereign equality, the jurisdictional immunities of states and their property are generally accepted as a principle of international law.

In accordance with the principle, a state and its property enjoy immunity from jurisdiction and enforcement in foreign courts. In other words, courts of a country shall not accept and hear lawsuit in which a foreign country is the defendant or the property of a foreign country is the subject matter unless the foreign country concerned agrees.

Obviously, because China enjoys sovereign immunity, U.S. courts have no jurisdiction over China or its property. Hence they cannot accept and hear lawsuits filed by American companies or individuals against the Chinese government, including the civil lawsuit filed against China by Missouri Attorney General.

Although some countries in the world support restrictive immunity, which means the immunity of a foreign state in their courts does not extend to suits based on its commercial or private conduct, a considerable number of countries insist absolute immunity, so does China.

The efforts of Chinese government to fight against COVID-19 are sovereign acts or public acts rather than commercial conduct. In this case, the country still enjoys sovereign immunity and the U.S. courts have no jurisdiction over it.

(Huang Jin is president of the Chinese Society of International Law.)
A Message from President Schapiro Regarding the Tragic Events in Minneapolis

To the members of the Northwestern community:

I felt outrage and disgust watching video of the fatal mistreatment of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

And I was further sickened this morning when our recent graduate, CNNs Omar Jimenez, was arrested live on television for, as Medill Dean Charles Whitaker described it, the sin of doing journalism.

Our Northwestern community grieves for the many ways in which our society tolerates and facilitates injustices, demonstrated so vividly in these and other recent events.

Dean Whitaker poignantly expressed his personal pain as a father of African-American sons. Many of the rest of us can barely begin to imagine the personal toll that racism takes on marginalized communities every single day. But we can all increase our resolve to create a Northwestern community, and a world, where all people are accorded the dignity and the safety they deserve.

Our nation must do better, and I pledge that I, and our university, will work toward that end.
The dispute arose after Nissan said Tamil Nadu hadnt paid certain incentives under a 2008 agreement to set up a car plant in the southern state.

New Delhi/Chennai: Nissan Motor Co has agreed to settle a long-running dispute with Tamil Nadu after claiming it was owed 50 billion rupees ($660 million) in unpaid dues and damages, six sources told Reuters.

As part of the settlement, the Japanese automaker is expected to receive between 14 billion rupees ($185 million) and 18 billion rupees ($238 million), two sources aware of the matter said.

The dispute arose after Nissan said Tamil Nadu hadnt paid certain incentives under a 2008 agreement to set up a car plant in the southern state.

Nissan initiated an international arbitration against India in 2016, claiming 21 billion rupees in unpaid dues and 29 billion rupees in damages and other costs. Tamil Nadu has been trying to reach a settlement with Nissan for several years.

Tamil Nadu industries minister M C Sampath confirmed to Reuters that the state had resolved the issue with Nissan but declined to give the settlement amount, citing confidentiality.

Nissan has begun the process to withdraw the international arbitration, he said.

Nissan in India did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The full terms of the settlement were not immediately clear and Reuters could not independently verify them.

The settlement brings to an end a dispute that had raised concerns among investors over the sanctity of contracts.

It is one of a string of arbitration proceedings against India by investors including Vodafone Group, Cairn Energy and Deutsche Telekom over issues ranging from retrospective taxation to payment disputes.

Nissan and its partner Frances Renault SA invested 61 billion rupees to set up the car manufacturing plant which has an annual production capacity of 480,000 vehicles and has created more than 40,000 jobs.

The plant is on the outskirts of Chennai, a city often called Indias 'Detroit' because of the presence of several auto manufacturers including Ford Motor Co, Hyundai Motor and BMW.

Nissan, which sells its Kicks sport-utility vehicle in India, has less than 1 percent of the passenger vehicle market. It lags most major global automakers in India, including its partner Renault which has more than 3 percent of the market.

For Nissan, the settlement also comes at a time when the company is reeling from slumping sales and profits, made worse by the pandemic. It reported its first loss in 11 years on Thursday.

Nissans plan to withdraw its arbitration against India will be seen as a victory for the government considering the amount the company was seeking in damages, two sources said.

Such a settlement also helps reverse the reputational damage to the states and countrys image and boosts investor confidence, said one of the sources.

Tamil Nadus Sampath said the payout would not affect the states finances at a time when it is dealing with the coronavirus crisis. The payment will be made from a separate fund of 25 billion rupees which the state has allocated for auto sector incentives, he said.
Rajkumari Sharma Tankha By

Express News Service

Life is slowly limping back to normalcy. After the Delhi governments directive on May 18, local markets in green zones have opened albeit in 40-50 per cent of their strength, so that people dont crowd these spaces. All shop owners are consistently sanitising their stores. Staff members and customers entering the store are being told to wear masks, while those who enter without wearing one are given a mask upon entry. Social distancing is being maintained, even inside the store. At big showrooms, thermal screening is being done daily for both the staff and the visitors.

Beauty service aggregator Yes Madam that began its operations in green zones is strictly following 13 safety protocols. Before resuming services, the company trained its staff on safety paraphernalia like PPE kits, using their own conveyance, sanitising tools, and choosing only digital modes of payment. We told our staff to download the Aarogya Setu app as per the government directive. Our customers trust us with their health, and we want to stand by their faith, says Mayank Arya, Director, Yes Madam, lauding its registered beauticians, who are going an extra mile to circumvent the COVID-19 outbreak.

Atul Jain

Atul Jewellers has a rotation-based system in place for its staff  each member reports for 15 days a month, on alternate days. The showroom follows social distancing and other Covid guidelines. A staffer at the entrance does thermal screening for each customer and also provides a mask, if required. Further, we have allocated one person to each client from entry to exit to minimise the risk which intermingling with more people may cause, says owner Atul Jain. Once the client leaves, all the jewellery pieces that the client touched are sanitised with a special alcohol-based spray, and the countertops are cleaned using a disinfectant spray, he adds. To prevent overcrowding at the showroom, the company has requested its clients to visit only by prior appointment.

Garment store owners, too, are being vigilant about sanitisation. Post-trial, garments are re-steam ironed and isolated for 24 hours. The trial rooms are sanitised each time a customer uses it. We let customers in only by prior appointment, says Akhil Duggar Jain, Executive Director, Madame, adding that a few of their stores have implemented an omni-channel strategy to minimise human interaction. Further, we only accept digital payments to make shopping, hassle-free and hygienic, he says.

Real estate player MRG World has started its operations with 33 per cent of its staff strength. Those who depend on public transport have been told to work from home. At office, we are taking full care of sanitisation, hygiene and social distancing. Masks and gloves are must for all, says Vikas Garg, Deputy Managing Director, MRG World.

Even we will function with 33 per cent staff, the rest will work from home. For those in office, besides face masks and gloves, caps will also be compulsory. , says Ambika Saxena, Co-Founder, Cotech Management.

Organisations like Shinco which deal in electronic consumer goods like TV, mobiles, laptops etc are taking extra care with their technicians who visit homes for installations. This involves taking the technicians body temperature before they leave office to ensuring they are equipped with masks, cap and gloves.

At the customers premises too, guidelines like social distancing, sharing OTP instead of signature, calling customer on phone instead of pressing the doorbell, leaving all belongings outside the door, and sanitising hands before entering, are followed.
If Ottawa chooses to reopen the Canada-U.S. border, Premier Blaine Higgs said people from Maine can come into the province but only if they self-isolate for two weeks.

Higgs has been pushing back against the possibility of the Canada-U.S. border reopening for family and friends living in border communities.

"It isn't something [like] I'm coming across the border and spending a couple of days or a couple of hours  on the New Brunswick side," Higgs said of what might possibly be allowed.

"It's actually a visit that would be two weeks in an isolated setting, so our quarantine provisions could be readily followed."

Higgs raised his concerns on a call Thursday night with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, where he and other premiers learned the border might be reopened soon for people for families and friends living right next to it.

"This needs to be a collective decision and that was my emphasis last night," Higgs said Friday in an interview with Information Morning Fredericton.

At a news briefing later in the day, Higgs said he received a call from Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, which he said was reassuring.

They talked about how the protocol being developed for U.S. travellers coming into the province would require something like an application process.

Higgs told CBC News he was hoping the reopening of the border with Maine would be delayed, especially since New Brunswick is seven hours away from from Boston, and 10 hours away from New York, which both have thousands of COVID-19 cases.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the closing of the border at the end of March, which was later extended for 30 days on May 19.

CBC News

Higgs has been adamant about keeping New Brunswick closed to Maine and other provinces during the pandemic. He has also been encouraging New Brunswickers to explore their own province over the summer months to boost tourism and help local businesses.

He said his understanding after the call with the prime minister was that the reopening just for border friends and families could come in the next few weeks or even days.

Story continues

"It puts me in a very difficult position," he said.

Higgs said Trudeau assured him specific criteria would be outlined for people living along the border, but those those details were not provided.

"I just asked for a full understanding of the protocol."

Trudeau confirmed later Friday that the federal government is looking at allowing family members of Canadian citizens on either side of the border to reunite, but he told reporters it would be under "strict conditions."

He said he'll continue to discuss changes at the border with premiers.

"There are a number of premiers who feel that, for reasons of compassion, we should and could move forward with this measure. There are others that expressed a certain amount of concern about it," he said.

"We will continue to engage with them. We will continue to look into this matter and ensure that no matter what we do, we are keeping the safety and well-being of Canadians at the forefront of any decision."

2 new active cases of COVID-19

Public Health reported two new cases of COVID-19 in the Campbellton region, bringing the total number of active cases to eight.

One person is in their 30s and the other in their 60s, and one of them is an individual working in a long-term care facility.30s

The six earlier cases included two health-care workers, two individuals under 19 and two in their 90s.

Two of the active cases are under intensive care in the hospital.

The cluster of cases comes after a doctor who contracted the coronavirus outside the province didn't self-isolate when he returned.

Until last week, New Brunswick had no active cases of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus. All 120 people infected since the pandemic reached number in March had recovered.

Premier Blaine Higgs said Friday that the province will see more cases.

"The challenge we're going to have is can we contain it in this region?" he said.

The Campbellton region is back in the orange phase of economic recovery from the shutdown that formally began March 19 when a state of emergency was declared. The orange phase means non-regulated health professionals like acupuncturists cannot operate. Residents in the area can have a two-household bubble only.

Officials from WorkSafeNB and the Department of Public Safety are in the Campbellton region to ensure compliance.

"They will closely monitor and assess the situation in the days ahead," the province said in a news release.

To date, 24,169 tests have been conducted in New Brunswick.

Part 2 of yellow phase put on hold

The province has halted its yellow COVID-19 recovery phase, stopping gyms, pools, yoga studios and other businesses from reopening Friday and not allowing indoor church services or gatherings up to 50 as was planned.

The province was expected to move into part two of the yellow phase by the end of the week. But Premier Blaine Higgs announced Thursday that the COVID-19 committee was putting a pause on that because of a cluster of six new active cases of COVID-19 in the Campbellton region.

Higgs said Friday he's hopeful the province will be able to move into part two of its yellow recovery phase in the next week or two.

Activities that now won't be allowed until next Friday include:

Outdoor public gatherings of 50 people or fewer.

Indoor religious services, including weddings and funerals, of 50 people or fewer.

Low-contact team sports.

Swimming pools, saunas and waterparks

Yoga, gyms and dance studios

Rinks and indoor recreational facilities

Pool halls and bowling alleys

Some recycling depots to reopen next week

The Fundy Regional Service Commission said blue recycling depots will start to reopen from Monday to Saturday next week.

Residents are reminded to physically distance while using the dropoff sites for their paper, cardboard, metal and plastic containers, the commission said in a news release.

Recycling depots located around Saint John and in the rural regions closed in mid-March because of COVID 19, and recyclables were sent to the landfill. as the sorting facility at Crane Mountain Landfill was closed.

In Fredericton, the recycling depot at the landfill has also been reopened.

What to do if you have symptoms

People concerned they might have COVID-19 can take a self-assessment on the government website at gnb.ca.

Public Health says symptoms shown by people with COVID-19 have included: a fever above 38 C, a new cough or worsening chronic cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, new onset of fatigue, new onset of muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell, and difficulty breathing. In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes.

People with two of those symptoms are asked to:
Over 100 vessels in various classes join IRGC navy

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, May 28, IRNA -- More than 100 vessels in various classes joined The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) naval base in Bandar Abbas on Thursday in the presence of Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami and the IRGC Commander Hossein Salami.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Commander Admiral Alireza Tangsiri and other officials also attended the ceremony which was held in the IRGC's 1st Naval District.

At this stage, the recently joined vessels have been produced and optimized in various classes, including Ashura, Tariq, and Zulfiqar, which have been produced and optimized by local experts in the knowledge-based companies of the Ministry of Defense's Marine Industries Organization and the IRGC's specialized naval technical centers.

These vessels have a very good hydro-dynamic capability, high speed, suitable maneuverability, and very low radar cross-section while high offensive power has a great impact on improving the combat capability of the IRGC navy in the Persian Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz.

3266**2050

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The Irish Coast Guard will lead any search and rescue operation off the Irish coast this evening in the unlikely event that the crew of SpaceXs Demo-2 mission are forced to ditch in the Atlantic Ocean.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft are due to lift off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida tonight at 9.33pm Irish time in what will be the first launch from the United States of astronauts to the International Space Station since 2011.

SpaceX is a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company owned by Elon Musk.

This will be SpaceXs final flight test, which will validate all aspects of its crew transportation system, including its spacecraft (Crew Dragon), launch vehicle (Falcon 9), launch pad (LC-39A), and operations capabilities.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will be on board the next-generation spacecraft.

Once the spacecrafts hatch is closed, its launch escape system will be armed, which will prepare the spacecraft to separate from the launch vehicle in the unlikely event of anomaly on the pad or during ascent.

Weather conditions in the Florida were such this morning that NASA said there was a 60% chance the launch would go ahead as planned.

If today's launch does take place, the route will take the spacecraft along a corridor stretching thousands of miles across the North Atlantic in case the crew capsule has to break away from the Falcon 9 rocket in an emergency during its climb into orbit.

If this happens off the Irish coast, the Irish Coast Guard will be ready to respond and rescue the two-man crew.

The Coast Guards Shannon and Waterford based search and rescue helicopters will be the closest to respond in the event of an emergency ditching.

A spokesperson said today: "The Irish Coast Guard remain on standby to respond to any incident that may occur within its region of search and rescue."

In 2013, NASA made contact with authorities here ahead of the planned resumption of manned space missions.

NASA's Manager of Mission Planning and Integration Office for the Commercial Crew Program Mr Don J. Pearson visited the Irish Coast Guard's helicopter base at Shannon Airport.

Based at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas Mr Pearson later confirmed that NASA was looking at establishing a more formal relationship with the Coast Guard here.

Mr Pearson confirmed at the time that his visit to Shannon was personal in nature but said: "I was on vacation and wanted to drop by and see what it looks like and meet the people.

"We at NASA are interested in their capabilities and so we may establish more formal interfaces soon."

(PA Graphics/PA)

Irish Coast Guard Director Mr Chris Reynolds said at the time: "Mr Pearson had previously contacted the base by phone from NASA as he is interested in finding out general and contact information to determine 'rescue' options to further NASA's planning process."

Tonight's launch trajectory from Florida will follow a route North along the Eastern seaboard of the US, past Newfoundland, across the Atlantic passing by the South Coast of Ireland, the UK then on over Europe.

The rocket could be visible over the south of the country at around 9.53pm, twenty minutes after taking off from Florida.

Shannon Airport was previously a NASA selected emergency landing site during the Space Shuttle programme in case the orbiter got into difficulty on it's return to earth.
Prev 1 of 3 Next

Officers in riot gear fired what appeared to be tear gas as they retreated from a confrontation with protesters in a Southeast Albuquerque neighborhood overnight.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said there were no reported injuries to anyone involved in the incident.

The tensions had risen following an earlier Black Lives Matter demonstration at Central and Wyoming over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd, a black man, died in police custody on Monday after a white officer restrained him by digging his knee into his neck.

Floyd was handcuffed and could be heard telling the officer he could not breathe. Video of the incident, which was taken by a bystander, has gone viral, sparking protests across the country.

The Albuquerque demonstration went on for hours.

Gallegos said the situation boiled over late Thursday night after officers stopped and detained a group of people, who allegedly shot dozens of rounds, near the Black Lives Matter protest at Central and Wyoming.

Gallegos said several protesters surrounded them following the arrest and became confrontational. At least two police vehicles had their windows smashed out during the blow up.

That led to a confrontation on Mesilla, just north of Central, where dozens of protesters waved signs and yelled at officers clad in riot gear, wielding batons.

A woman told the Journal that the crowd had followed the police from Central and Wyoming after they saw officers pulling over a vehicle nearby and arresting some men without telling them why.

She said officers in riot gear showed up after the protesters began to surround the police.

Protesters yelled I cant breathe and (expletive) the police as they paced a few feet from the officers.

Dozens of people crowded the block of Mesilla, some recording from their phones at a distance as others blocked the end of the street with their vehicles.

The line of riot police began to load onto city buses as a helicopter shined its spotlight onto the gathering and told the crowd to disperse.

It was right then that at least three gas canisters were fired into the crowd. A woman was injured, but it was unclear by what. A man began throwing the canisters back at the officers as the crowd ran back toward Central.

Protesters gathered around the woman on the ground, and she appeared to be shaken but OK.

But it didnt end there, as Gallegos said after the crowd dispersed someone stole the vehicle that police had initially stopped the four shooting suspects in.

Officers followed the vehicle, alongside a couple car loads of protesters, to the University area where it was abandoned.

Police tried to arrest the driver when he got into another vehicle, but a group of protesters came to his defense. Officers let the man go to prevent another confrontation.

In Minneapolis, protesters set fire to a police station on Thursday. Protesters also clashed with police in New York City, while demonstrators blocked traffic in downtown Denver, according to The Associated Press.
New Delhi: US President Donald Trumps foot-in-the-mouth disease again manifested itself on Friday when he claimed that an unhappy Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to him on the border dispute with China.

The claim was swiftly denied by Indian government sources who said there had been no recent contact between the two leaders and that the last conversation between them was several weeks ago on April 4, on the subject of export of anti-malarial drug Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to the United States.

A day after India officially made it clear that the border issue with China was a bilateral one, Indian government sources reiterated the official position that New Delhi is in direct contact with Beijing to resolve the matter, in what is again being seen as a clear rejection by India of the US Presidents recent offer to mediate between the two Asian giants. India and China are currently involved in a military face-off in the Ladakh sector.

According to reports from Beijing, China too, in a statement on Friday, rejected any US mediation, saying, We do not need the intervention of the third party.

On Thursday night (Friday morning IST), US President Trump told reporters in Washington, They have a big conflict going with India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people. Two countries with very powerful militaries. And India is not happy, and probably China is not happy. But I can tell you, I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He's not -- he's not in a good mood about what's going on with China.

Refuting the presidential claim, Indian g overnment sources said, There has been no recent contact between PM Modi and President Trump. The last conversation between them was on 4 April 2020 on the subject of hydroxychloroquine. Yesterday, the MEA had also made it clear that we are directly in touch with the Chinese through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts.

On his offer two days ago to mediate between India and China, President Trump further said, I would do that. You know, I would do that. If they -- if they thought it would help if I were the mediator or the arbiter, I would do that. So, well see.

Praising PM Modi, the US President said, They like me in India. I think they like me in India certainly more than the media likes me in this country. And I like Modi. I like your prime minister a lot. Hes a great gentleman. A great gentleman.

In a move that had set the cat among the pigeons on Wednesday, President Trump had waded into the Sino-Indian border dispute, saying the United States has informed both China and India that it is ready, willing and able to mediate between them on their raging border dispute. It may be recalled that the US President had earlier offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue as well but that offer had been rejected by India. Also, China has been extremely wary of any move by the United States to interject in the resolution of disputes in both Asia and the larger maritime Indo-Pacific region.

In his tweet then, President Trump had said, We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute.

Asked about the offer of US President Donald Trump to mediate between India and China, New Delhi on Thursday had avoided a direct comment on the offer but had indicated that the border issue is bilateral between India and China. In response to a query, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said that India is engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve the issue.
New Delhi, May 30 : Security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir have found that Mohd Ismail Alvi, a member of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), had plotted the major attack Pulwama that was averted on Wednesday night. The investigators found that Ismail is allegedly a bomb maker and also a relative of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.

On Wednesday, night a major attack was averted when the police in Kashmir's Pulwama intercepted a vehicle moving about with 30 to 40 kg explosives in it.

The local police got tipped off last night about a terrorist moving around with an explosives laden car ready to blast at some location. It then sent out search parties in search of the vehicle, a Santro car. When traced a few rounds were fired and soon after the owners of the vehicle abandoned it and escaped.

The owner of car has been identified as Hidayatullah Malik, a resident of Shopian. His interrogation is on.

The explosive was kept in a blue drum inside the car. A bomb disposal squad reached the spot on Thursday morning. People were asked to move away from the vicinity. The bomb disposal squad then instead of diffusing the explosive, exploded the vehicle.

The probe had revealed that the Santro car had a number plate of a two- wheeler, which was registered in the name of a resident of Jammu's Kathua.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police said: "A major incident of a vehicle borne IED blast is averted by the timely input and action by Pulwama Police, CRPF and the Army." Sources said that Ismail name cropped up recently in the probe carried out by National Investigation Agency in February 14, 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
The Notah Begay III Foundation and a coalition of businesses and organizations are hosting the Helping Our Relatives drive-thru food distribution for Native American families in Albuquerque at 10 a.m. Friday, May 29, at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th St. NW.

This contactless distribution event is part of the NB3 Foundation COVID-19 Response Fund initiative designed to deliver critical resources to Native youth, elders and families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers said in a news release.

There are no financial eligibility requirements for Native families, and free distribution will be on a first-come, first-served basis in the north parking lot of the Cultural Center, according to the release. The event will end when supplies run out.

Participants are expected to remain in their vehicle and open their trunk when near the pickup spot.

Local Native-led businesses and organizations partnering for this event include: AMERIND, American Indian Chamber of Commerce of New Mexico, Americans for Indian Opportunity, Native Leadership Collective of Albuquerque, Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers, Roanhorse Consulting, Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, Native Health Initiative, Office of Native American Affairs and National Indian Youth Council Inc.

We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com.

Drive-thru food event for Native families in ABQ
BEIJING, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by Science and Technology Daily:

The 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) was held in a special period of time when the outbreak of COVID-19 put the world in a complex situation, and the virus is still raging worldwide. Therefore, mankind is facing the most serious global public health emergency since the end of World War II, the pandemic has become the core topic of discussion in the international community. In such an important historical moment, President Xi was invited to address a speech at the opening ceremony of WHA. He set forth the proposition of how China fight against pandemic profoundly and outlined a series of important initiatives from vision of building Community of Common Health for Mankind. These initiatives have important practical and far-reaching implications, for boosting global confidence, promoting international collaboration, and planning future global governance systems.

First, the world should further share experience in pandemic prevention and control. President Xi emphasized that the top priority in response to the pandemic is that countries must do everything they can for COVID-19 control and treatment. The world should insist on the idea of "putting the people first, for nothing in the world is more precious than people's lives", contain the spread of the epidemic around the world as soon as possible, and try our best to stop the cross-border disease transmission. We need to step up information sharing, exchange experience and best practice, and pursue international cooperation on testing methods, clinical treatment, and vaccine and medicine research and development. We also need to continue supporting global research by scientists on the source and transmission routes of the virus. While working on an ongoing basis to contain the virus, countries where conditions permit may reopen businesses and schools in an orderly fashion in observance of WHO's professional recommendations. In the meantime, international macroeconomic policy coordination should be stepped up and the global industrial and supply chains be kept stable and unclogged if we are to restore growth to the world economy. These suggestions not only summarized China's successful experience, but also provided a new way of thinking to coordinate epidemic prevention and control, and economic and social development in line with the current situation of countries in the fight against the epidemic.

Second, the world should unite more. President Xi emphasized that solidarity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons against the pandemic. It is of great importance to help developing countries, especially African countries, to build up the defence system in this battle against COVID-19. Xi also called on the international community to provide African countries with more support in terms of goods and materials, technology and personnel. The World Health Organization (WHO), as Xi stressed, should play a leading role, and by supporting the WHO people are in support of international cooperation against COVID-19 and saving lives. Xi also appealed to the international community to strengthen their support in the WHO both politically and financially. All that mentioned above manifest China's close attention to Africa and firm support of the United Nations and the WHO, which contributes to uniting the cooperated efforts of the international community and winning this battle against the pandemic by allocating global resources.

Third, it shows China's responsibility as a major country in the world. President Xi announced China's five major measures to further support global cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. This will be China's contribution to ensuring vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries. Also, China will work with the UN to set up a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China to ensure the operation of anti-epidemic supply chains and foster "green corridors" for fast-track transportation and customs clearance. Furthermore, China will establish a cooperation mechanism for its hospitals to pair up with 30 African hospitals and accelerate the building of the Africa CDC headquarters, which aims to increase the continent's capacity to prevent and control diseases. COVID-19 vaccine development and deployment in China, when available, will be made a global public good. This will be China's contribution to ensuring vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries. For those poorest countries, China will also work with other G20 members to implement the Debt Service Suspension Initiative. China is also ready to work with the international community to support for the hardest-hit countries to make sure that they get through the current difficulties. These concrete measures address the key and difficult points in the global fight against COVID-19 at present and in the years to come. They demonstrate China's commitment to building a community with a shared future for mankind. China takes it as its responsibility to ensure not just the life and health of its own citizens, but also global public health.

Fourth, it clearly pointed out the direction for cooperation. COVID-19 came with an unexpected bang, which had a profound influence on the human kind and brought much introspection. President Xi noted that we will eventually prevail over the coronavirus. Yet this may not be the last time a major health emergency comes knocking at our door. Based on the weaknesses and deficiencies exposed by COVID-19, we need to improve the governance system of public health and respond more quickly to public health emergencies. Xi also suggested the establishment of global and regional reserve centers of anti-epidemic supplies. China supports the idea of a comprehensive review of the global response to COVID-19 after it is brought under control to sum up experience and address deficiencies. This work should be based on science and professionalism, led by WHO and conducted in an objective and impartial manner. These suggestions are put forward from a long-term perspective, which also points out a direction for strengthening international cooperation in public health and improving global health administration system.

SOURCE Science and Technology Daily
I would like to take this opportunity to share the importance of the concrete industry and our investment in new infrastructure, commercial, and residential projects that utilize concrete as a prominent building material. The concrete industry contributes to the local economy and job creation, as well as supports infrastructure development in our community and across the province. Every construction project  houses, high-rises, schools, hospitals, highways, bridges and sidewalks  relies on the materials supplied by our industry. Concrete builds the communities where we live, work, and play.

By supporting local concrete businesses and using local suppliers, you are helping reduce transport costs and emissions, creating local jobs and attracting investment. I encourage you to recognize the critical role the concrete sector plays in supporting economic growth and job creation in our community, and across BC.

Recently, it seems that the Canadian Wood Council is taking a stance that alternative construction materials (including concrete) are not only sub-par to wood, but also bad for the economy and environment. This is not only unfair towards other industries; it is also unfounded. As a concrete ready-mix supplier, we dont look down upon the wood industry, rather, we recognize the important role wood plays in the success of the construction industry.

The intent of this letter is not to dispel the myths between different building products or take a stance against the wood industry, but rather to suggest that wood, concrete, steel, etc. all play important roles in the construction industry. We want to support our local suppliers and natural resources as well as celebrate economic vitality and stability in our province and country.

It is our hope that as a province we will recognize the importance of every aspect of the construction industry and the vital role it plays in strengthening our economy and growing our communities.

Dean Neufeld, Kelowna Ready Mix
The annual British Farming Awards will go ahead this year in a new virtual format as it seeks to celebrate agricultural businesses.

While many events have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the award ceremony will still take place on a digital platform.

The event, back for its eighth year, places emphasis on celebrating the individuals who make the farming industry and its community unique.

The first ever virtual British Farming Awards, organised by AgriBriefing and sponsored by Morrisons, will be celebrated on 21 October.

Sophie Throup, Morrisons head of agriculture, said the retailer would like to thank farmers this year 'more than ever' due to the coronavirus crisis.

As the pandemic has stimulated closure of the food service sector, we have been working hard to do our part to bring British food and farming to our customers' attention.

This has included thank you adverts around newspapers and the opening of our steak and seafood bars to help tempt customers back into buying prime cuts to help with carcass balance."

She added: The British Farming Awards are a fantastic way to help us share and celebrate the inspiring people and businesses which make our farming industry so great: we encourage you to get involved and apply.

Alongside farmings core sectors  dairy, beef, sheep  there is also recognition in other valued groups, such as family farms, students, new entrants, agri-technology and diversifications.

Editor of Farmers Guardian Ben Briggs said: We know the networking and chance of winning, especially for young businesses, gives the community a valuable opportunity to connect with leading figures in the industry and other like-minded farmers.

But this year we must stay as safe as we can and we hope the features and support our virtual event will help highlight and give some well-deserved recognition for many amazing farmers out there.

The closing date is 26 June to enter or nominate an individual who deserves recognition for their hard work and business approach.
Vindya V Rai and Dr Debanjan Banerjee By

With better understanding of psychiatric illnesses, we have found that they are no different from other diseases and can be treated with medicines in conjunction with social support. Unfortunately, the prevalent stigma and prejudice towards them have impaired public awareness, thereby adding to the societal burden and under-treatment of the thousands affected.

Schizophrenia is among the most disabling and economically burdening diseases, as it mostly affects young adults in the productive age group. One in hundred people experience schizophrenia and men are twice as likely to develop it. People with this condition have double the risk of committing suicide than the general population. Along with mental well-being, it also affects a persons social and occupational functioning. Most of the time,they are isolated or get thrown out of families due to caregiver frustration or poor understanding of the illness.

Many get branded as lunatics and end up on the streets or resort to addictions. Often, persons with schizophrenia are portrayed as dangerous or psychopathic by visual media. They are not more dangerous than anyone else;rather, they often fall victims to violence, abuse and fraud themselves. They are more likely to harm themselves and are aggressive only when provoked or ridiculed.

What is schizophrenia?: The term schizophrenia comes from Greek words schezein (to split) and phrenos (mind), which roughly translates to splitting of mind. It intends to describe the separation of daily function from the way a person thinks, speaks and perceives the world. It is a disorder of the processes of mind and thinking. People affected often have their own imagined world in which they live, detached from reality.

Symptoms of schizophrenia can be muttering to self (they may hear voices commanding or discussing with them) or having false unshakable beliefs that cannot be changed by evidence. These are termed hallucinations and delusions respectively. They may also suffer from suspicion (feeling like people are conspiring against them) and muddled or disrupted thoughts, which is expressed through incomprehensible speech or unusual behaviour. There can also be symptoms like poor emotional response, poor self-care/personal hygiene, withdrawn behaviour, and attention, concentration and memory issues. Sometimes, inappropriate social attitudes can occur as the sense of social context is lost. Research shows patients of schizophrenia are rarely violent.

What can be done to help?: Although schizophrenia is a serious disorder, it is highly treatable. Specific medicines are used effectively for treatment. This should be started early, along with psychosocial interventions to help the patient attain complete recovery. More than two-thirds can improve with proper treatment. Patients need to continue medication and treatment as per their doctors advice and stay in regular touch with healthcare. Contrary to popular belief, these medicines are not addictive drugs and do not damage the mind! They can help a person immensely, just like antibiotics for infections. However, unlike antibiotics, these psychiatric medicines take time to act (at least 2-4 weeks) and need to be continued for a longer time. The rate of recurrence of problems is higher if medicines are stopped suddenly.

Causes of schizophrenia: A lot of research is being done in this field, though the exact cause is yet elusive. Like any other mental disorder, it is caused by genetic as well as environmental influences. This does not mean it is hereditary. Rather, the risk genes might be carried over through some generations and might express themselves if certain other psychosocial factors (infection during pregnancy or infancy, stress, childhood abuse, cannabis or alcohol use, etc.) are present. However, for some individuals, none of these risks are present, which still baffles science.

Symptom resolution vs personal recovery: The struggle of a schizophrenic person does not stop at resolution of symptoms. Depression and anxiety are frequent accompaniments. Many patients experience isolation from society, unemployment and seclusion from loved ones even after recovery. They may have difficulty getting a new job, making friends or finding a partner due to the behavioural problems they had. This is much more difficult to treat than schizophrenia itself. When the community accepts them and gives them an opportunity to contribute like other citizens, only then can they enjoy true personal recovery.

The way forward: Awareness, identification and care are the three main pillars of managing any mental disorder. The number of affected people are increasing globally, more so in India as per the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) 2015-16. The cases we treat are only the tip of the iceberg. Community awareness about the early signs, along with sensitising family members and primary healthcare workers are extremely important. All stakeholders need to assume collective responsibility. Authentic Information-Education-Communication (IEC) material can be referred to for detailed information. Works like The Belgrano and Me by Stephen Sharp and Surviving Schizophrenia by Dr Fuller Torrey give fantastic descriptions of the challenges faced.

This World Schizophrenia Week, let us take a step back, abolish stigma, identify and understand schizophrenia as an illness and not as something mystic, paranormal or criminal. This will help us to bring care and recovery to a lot of affected people. Our success lies in not just in treating them, but also in socially integrating the majority who are treated.

Vindya V Rai Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Abhaya Hospital, Bengaluru

Dr Debanjan Banerjee Psychiatrist,NIMHANS, Bengaluru

(Email: dr.djan88@gmail.com)
At a time when most patients are facing increased medical expenses for hospital treatment due to increased cost of operation in the hospitals and increased transport cost, a small hospital in Kolkata is conducting dialysis for patients with kidney ailments at 50 only.

The hospital in central Kolkata, named Kolkata Swasthya Sankalp, has been a low-cost dialysis centre essentially for the poor and used to charge 350 per dialysis. This is nearly one third of the cost of dialysis at government-hospitals.

We had designed the hospital in a low-cost manner. There is no air-conditioning, no lift, no reception and no waiting area for patients families. Of the three doctors, only one resident doctor gets a stipend. Others, including myself, offer services for free. So, we managed to keep our usual rate at 350 per dialysis, Fuad Halim, who runs the hospital said.

The five-bedded hospital attached to Halims residence on Dr. Md Ishaque Road has nine dialysis machines. During the two months of the lockdown, the hospital also witnessed a change in the background of its patients.

According to Halim, only the poor used to visit the hospital before lockdown but since the lockdown even people belonging to the lower middle class have been visiting it. To handle this added pressure a new dialysis machine was installed.

After lockdown, we realized that patients had to cough up more money for transport. So, we decided to subsidise the cost from our corpus. At least 1,571 dialysis were conducted between March 26 and May 28 at 50 per dialysis, Halim said.

Halim is also a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. His father, Hasim Abdul Halim, was Bengals longest-serving Assembly speaker.

According to a patient who did not want to reveal his identity, I worked as a salesman at a prominent market. Previously, I used to visit a better hospital, which has recently increased its rates saying Covid-19 precautions have increased their medical costs. I could not afford it anymore, especially with no income for two months.

Mirza Hassan, a resident of Park Circus whose uncle underwent dialysis here, said, This hospital comes as a great hope despite the inconveniences. We were not in a position to take my uncle to any other nursing home because of the increased cost of transport and increased rates at the nursing home.

While the patients undergo dialysis, their family members wait nearby.Each dialysis takes about four hours.

Doctors in the city said private nursing homes usually charge between 1,200 and 1,500 per dialysis but increased them to over 2,000 since lockdown.

We had to increase the rate due to the increased costs on account of sanitization, PPE and masks, said the owner of a private nursing home in south Kolkata who did not want to speak on record.
ROME, May 29 (Reuters) - Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 87 on Friday, against 70 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the daily tally of new cases fell to 516 from 593 on Thursday.

The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21 now stands at 33,229 the agency said, the third highest in the world after those of the United States and Britain.

However, the Marche region said on Friday it had reduced its overall death tally by 11, saying these fatalities had not been caused by the coronavirus.

The number of confirmed cases amounts to 232,248, the sixth highest global tally behind those of the United States, Russia, Spain, Britain and Brazil.

People registered as currently carrying the illness fell to 46,175 from 47,986 the day before.

There were 475 people in intensive care on Friday, down from 489 on Thursday, maintaining a long-running decline. Of those originally infected, 152,844 were declared recovered against 150,604 a day earlier.

The agency said 2.369 million people had been tested for the virus against 2.330 million on Thursday, out of a population of around 60 million. (Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Crispian Balmer)
President Donald Trump said he will introduce legislation that may scrap or weaken a law that has protected internet companies, including Twitter and Facebook, in an extraordinary attempt to regulate social media platforms where he has been criticized.

The proposed legislation is part of an executive order Trump signed on Thursday afternoon. Trump had attacked Twitter for tagging his tweets about unsubstantiated claims of fraud about mail-in voting with a warning prompting readers to fact-check the posts.

Trump wants to remove or change a provision of a law known as Section 230 that shields social media companies from liability for content posted by their users.

Trump said U.S. Attorney General William Barr will begin drafting legislation immediately to regulate social media companies.

Whats in the law protecting internet companies  and can Trump change it? By Jonathan Weber and Elizabeth Culliford (Reuters)  U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to order a review of a federal law known as Section 230, which protects internet companies like Facebook, Twitter and Alphabets Google from being responsible for the material posted by users. WHAT IS SECTION 230? The core purpose of Section 230 is to protect the owners of any interactive computer service from liability for anything posted by third parties. The idea was that such protection was necessary to encourage the emergence of new types of communications and services at the dawn of the Internet era. Section 230 was enacted in 1996 as part of a law called the Communications Decency Act, which was primarily aimed at curbing online pornography. Most of that law was struck down by the courts as an unconstitutional infringement on free speech, but Section 230 remains. In practice, the law shields any website or service that hosts content  like news outlets comment sections, video services like YouTube and social media services like Facebook and Twitter  from lawsuits over content posted by users. When the law was written, site owners worried they could be sued if they exercised any control over what appeared on their sites, so the law includes a provision that says that, so long as sites act in good faith, they can remove content that is offensive or otherwise objectionable. The statute does not protect copyright violations, or certain types of criminal acts. Users who post illegal content can themselves still be held liable in court. The technology industry and others have long held that Section 230 is a crucial protection, though the statute has become increasingly controversial as the power of internet companies has grown. WHAT PROMPTED THE CREATION OF SECTION 230? In the early days of the Internet, there were several high-profile cases in which companies tried to suppress criticism by suing the owners of the platforms. One famous case involved a lawsuit by Stratton Oakmont, the brokerage firm depicted in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Wolf of Wall Street, against the early online service Prodigy. The court found that Prodigy was liable for allegedly defamatory comments by a user because it was a publisher that moderated the content on the service. The fledgling internet industry was worried that such liability would make a range of new services impossible. Congress ultimately agreed and included Section 230 in the Communications Decency Act. WHAT DOES SECTION 230 HAVE TO DO WITH POLITICAL BIAS? President Trump and others who have attacked Section 230 say it has given big internet companies too much legal protection and allowed them to escape responsibility for their actions. Some conservatives, including the president, have alleged that they are subject to online censorship on social media sites, a claim the companies have generally denied. Section 230, which is often misinterpreted, does not require sites to be neutral. Most legal experts believe any effort to require political neutrality by social media companies would be a violation of the First Amendments free speech protections. CAN PRESIDENT TRUMP ORDER CHANGES TO SECTION 230? No. Only Congress can change Section 230. In 2018, the law was modified to make it possible to prosecute platforms that were used by alleged sex traffickers. As the power of internet companies has grown, some in Congress have also advocated changes to hold companies responsible for the spread of content celebrating acts of terror, for example, or for some types of hate speech. A draft of Trumps May executive order, seen by Reuters, instead calls for the Federal Communications Commission to propose and clarify regulations under Section 230. The order suggests companies should lose their protection over actions that are deceptive, discriminatory, opaque or inconsistent with their terms of service. DO OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE AN EQUIVALENT TO SECTION 230? The legal protections provided by Section 230 are unique to U.S. law, although the European Union and many other countries have some version of what are referred to as safe harbor laws that protect online platforms from liability if they move promptly when notified of illegal content. The fact that the major internet companies are based in the United States also gives them protection. (Reporting by Jonathan Weber and Elizabeth Culliford; Editing by Greg Mitchell and Nick Zieminski)

On Wednesday, Reuters reported the White Houses plan to modify Section 230 based on a copy of a draft executive order that experts said was unlikely to survive legal scrutiny. The final version of the order released on Thursday had no major changes except for the proposal for a federal legislation.

What I think we can say is were going to regulate it, Trump said before the signing of the order.

Ive been called by Democrats that want to do this, so I think you could possibly have a bipartisan situation, said Republican Trump, who is running for re-election in November.

Twitter called the order a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law and said attempts to weaken Section 230 would threaten the future of online speech.

A Google spokeswoman said the order would harm Americas economy, while a Facebook spokesman said it would encourage platforms to censor anything that might offend anyone.

The order, as written, attempts to circumvent Congress and the courts in directing changes to long-established interpretations of Section 230. It represents his latest attempt to use the tools of the presidency to force private companies to change policies that he believes are not favorable to him.

In terms of presidential efforts to limit critical commentary about themselves, I think one would have to go back to the Sedition Act of 1798  which made it illegal to say false things about the president and certain other public officials  to find an attack supposedly rooted in law by a president on any entity which comments or prints comments about public issues and public people, said First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams.

Jack Balkin, a Yale University constitutional law professor, said the president is trying to frighten, coerce, scare, cajole social media companies to leave him alone and not do what Twitter has just done to him.

Twitters shares ended over 4 percent down on Thursday. Facebook ended down 1.6 percent and Google parent Alphabet Inc finished slightly up.

Trump, who uses Twitter virtually every day to promote his policies and insult his opponents, has long claimed without evidence that the site is biased in favor of Democrats. He and his supporters have leveled the same unsubstantiated charges against Facebook, which Trumps presidential campaign uses heavily as an advertising vehicle.

On Thursday, Trump said there is nothing he would rather do than get rid of his Twitter account but he had to keep it in order to circumvent the press and get his version of events to millions of followers.

He took to Twitter again Thursday night to cast doubt around voting by mail, tweeting the practice would lead to MASSIVE FRAUD AND ABUSE and THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY.

The protections of Section 230 have been under fire for different reasons from lawmakers including Big Tech critic Senator Josh Hawley. Critics argue that they give internet companies a free pass on things like hate speech and content that supports terror organizations.

Social media companies have been under pressure from many quarters, both in the United States and other countries, to better control misinformation and harmful content on their services.

Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey said on the companys website late Wednesday that the presidents tweets may mislead people into thinking they dont need to register to get a ballot. Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves.

After labeling Trumps tweets, Twitter continued to add fact-checking and manipulated media labels on hundreds of other tweets.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Trumps planned order outrageous and a distraction from the coronavirus crisis.

Under the order, the Commerce Department has 60 days to petition the FCC to adopt new rules and then the agency will review the petition. It could take anywhere from 12 to 24 months for the FCC to propose and adopt final rules.

Federal spending on online advertising will also be reviewed by U.S. government agencies to ensure there are no speech restrictions by a company.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose, David Shepardson, Alexandra Alper and Jeff Mason in Washington, Additional reporting by Elizabeth Culliford in Birmingham, England; Susan Cornwell and Susan Heavey in Washington; Karen Freifeld in New York; and Katie Paul in San Francisco; Edited by Nick Zieminski and Grant McCool)

Topics Legislation USA
Seven people were struck by gunfire at a protest in Louisville, Ky., on Thursday night as tensions there continued to escalate over the fatal shooting of a black woman by three white police officers in March.

Of those reported injured in the demonstration, two were taken for surgery and five were in good condition, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said early Friday morning. Mr. Fischer said no officers discharged their weapons and that the violence came from within the crowd.

Videos posted on social media appeared to show shots being fired while demonstrators surrounded a police vehicle. No officers were among those injured and it was too early to determine who was responsible, said the Louisville Metro Police Department.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Around the nation, cries and protests can be heard in the name of George Floyd, a black man who died during a police incident in Minneapolis on Monday.

On Thursday, a protest in Floyds name began in Union Square and made its way through Lower Manhattan.

According to a report by NBC New York, nearly 100 protestors gathered in Union Square. Around 4:15 p.m., several fights broke out between police and protestors, according to the article.

More than 40 people were arrested during the protest in Union Square, NBC reported.

A protestor is arrested on West Street in Manhattan's Financial District at the Justice for George Floyd demonstration. (Staten Island Advance/Steve Zaffarano)

The protest moved downtown throughout the evening, passing Foley Square, City Hall, through the Financial District, and toward the One World Trade Center, blocking West Street.

According to The Daily News, several police officers have been hospitalized with concussions in the aftermath of the protests.

Police line West Street in Manhattans Financial districts as the Justice for George Floyd protest heads north.The Justice for George Floyd protest protests started Thursday evening, with crowds of people gathering in Manhattan's Union Square chanting different refrains against police violence, including "I can't breathe"  the words Floyd said while he was pinned to the ground for almost 10 minutes, the officer's knee on the back of his neck. The protest later headed downtown blocking West Street. (Staten Island Advance/Steve Zaffarano)

Crowds could be heard chanting different phrases, including I cant breathe" -- the words Floyd said while he was pinned to the ground as the officers knee dug into the back of his neck.

The phrase rings a bell for Staten Islanders due to death of Eric Garner on Bay St. in 2014.

Garners last words, I cant breathe, have been a phrase used by many in the Black Lives Matters movement since his passing. His mother recently said that seeing the video of Floyds death was like reliving what happened to her son.

A protestor is arrested by NYPD officers in lower Manhattan during a protest in response to the death of George Floyd. (Staten Island Advance/Steve Zaffarano)

Similar protests in the name of the Black Lives Matter movement have been seen in Minneapolis, Denver, Louisville, Los Angeles, and other cities around the United States

Protestors rally Thursday, May 28, 2020, in New York, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was in police custody in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The protests took place in the midst of New Yorks stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In the city, gatherings are limited to 10 people, and when social distancing at 6 feet apart isnt possible masks are required.

Some protestors appeared to be wearing masks, but not all were. Due to the crowded nature of the protests, social distancing rules did not appear to be adhered to.

Police officers block a street to keep the protestors from going further. (Staten Island Advance/Steve Zaffarano)

New York Poice Officers arrest a protestor during a rally over the death of George Floyd in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The protest blocked West Street in downtown Manhattan. A man can be seen holding a "Black Lives Matter" sign. (Staten Island Advance/Steve Zaffarano)
More Nigerians are dying because they are not receiving hospital treatment for other diseases than are killed by the coronavirus itself, the head of the countrys Covid-19 task force says.



Boss Mustapha told a media briefing that it was sad and unacceptable that both private and government hospitals were rejecting patients because of fears of contracting Covid-19.



Statistics have shown that there is a drastic drop in the percentage of attention being paid to other ailments not related to Covid-19, he said.



Truth be told, we are having more deaths from non-attendance to other diseases than even Covid-19," he said.



Mr Mustapha did not give the number of those who have died because of non-attendance at medical facilities.



But some hospitals have completely shut down, saying they lack personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff.



The main doctors' association has told its members not to treat patients showing symptoms of Covid-19 without adequate PPE.



There have been reports of sick people who have been turned back at the gates of hospitals over fears that they had coronavirus.



Nigeria has nearly 9,000 confirmed cases of the virus although experts say very little testing has been done so the true figure is likely to be much higher.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong told the United States to keep out of the debate over national security legislation being imposed by China, and warned that withdrawal of the financial hubs special status under U.S. law could backfire on the U.S. economy.

President Donald Trump is due to announce later on Friday his response to the Chinese parliaments advancement this week of security legislation for Hong Kong, which many lawyers, diplomats and investors fear could erode the citys freedoms.

The former British colony has been racked by civil unrest amid fears Beijing is curbing the high degree of autonomy it has enjoyed under a one country, two systems formula adopted when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Any sanctions are a double-edged sword that will not only harm the interests of Hong Kong but also significantly those of the U.S., Hong Kongs pro-Beijing government said late on Thursday.

From 2009 to 2018, the U.S. trade surplus of $297 billion with Hong Kong was the biggest among all Washingtons trading partners, and 1,300 U.S. firms were based in the city, it said.

Beijing says the new legislation, likely to come into force before September, will tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in the city. It could also see Chinese intelligence agencies set up bases in Hong Kong.

Chinas Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said it would direct and support Hong Kong police to stop violence and restore order. Hong Kongs police have been independent from China and the MPS has no enforcement powers in the city.

Riot police fired pepper pellets this week to disperse thousands of protesters in the citys first major unrest since anti-government demonstrations paralysed it for months last year. There had been a lull in the agitation partly as a result of the coronavirus outbreak this year.

Chinese authorities and Hong Kongs government say the legislation poses no threat to the citys autonomy and the interests of foreign investors would be preserved.

Reacting to U.S. efforts to call a U.N. Security Council meeting over Hong Kong, Chinas foreign ministry reiterated on Friday that Hong Kong was an internal affair and no country had the right to interfere.

It said China had lodged solemn representations to countries condemning its plans and was determined to take countermeasures against any U.S. actions.

LIKE CHINA?

Trumps top economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, warned that Hong Kong, which has enjoyed special privileges under U.S. law on the basis of its high degree of autonomy from Beijing, may now need to be treated like China on trade and other financial matters.

The State Department said it could no longer certify that Hong Kong continues to warrant (differential) treatment from Beijing.

The Fitch ratings agency said it expected Hong Kongs economy to contract by 5% this year, in large part because of the coronavirus, and the outlook for the operating environment for its banks was negative.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index .HSI, which has lost about 3% after the news of the security legislation, was down 0.7% as worries over U.S.-China tensions unsettled markets globally.

Many Hong Kong residents feel their city is on the cusp of historic change.

No matter how it turns out, Ill always stand on the peoples side, said Samantha Tam, 27. The office worker said the uncertainty had made her put on hold plans to have a baby.

When Hong Kong really loses special status, China will see the consequences. I just want to burn together, she said, paraphrasing a protest slogan aimed at Beijing: If we burn, you burn with us.

JOIN HANDS

The office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said it feared the situation was becoming increasingly tense and polarised and it called on authorities to allow peaceful protesters to exercise their right to freedom of expression and to assemble safely.

In a statement published in newspapers, Hong Kongs Beijing-backed leader, Carrie Lam, urged citizens to join hands to pursue our dreams while putting aside our differences.

The legislation was needed because of a terrorist threat, she said, adding that organisations advocating independence and self-determination had challenged the authority of mainland and local governments and pleaded for foreign interference.

The five demands of last-years pro-democracy protest movement included universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into police handling of the protests, but not independence. A minority of protesters waved Hong Kong independence flags.

Independence is anathema for Beijing.

Protesters see the security legislation, along with a bill to criminalise disrespect for Chinas national anthem, as Beijings latest attempt to tighten its control of the city.

Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States are among the countries that have condemned the proposed security legislation. Japan said it was seriously concerned.
The police command in Zamfara has rescued 12 kidnap victims through the collaboration of repentant bandits in the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by Shehu Mohammed, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state and made available to newsmen in Gusau on Thursday.

Mr Mohammed said that the victims who were kidnapped from Farar Kasa and Sabon Birni villages, were rescued two weeks after with the assistance of the repentant bandits.

According to him, the repentant bandits assisted the police in trailing the abductors to their hideouts.

He said that the Commissioner of Police, Usman Nagogo, while handing over the victims to the Zamfara State Commissioner of Security and Home Affairs, Abubakar Dauran, commended the repentant bandits for keeping to their promise in supporting Governor Bello Matawalles peace and reconciliation initiative.

Mr Nagogo urged them to sustain the support, noting that the initiative had remained one of the best ways of achieving peace in the state.

He said, while receiving the victims on behalf of the state government, the Commissioner of Security and Home Affairs, gave assurances that the state government would continue to engage bandits in peace dialogue.

He, however, warned that recalcitrant bandits would be severely dealt with. (NAN)
[May 28, 2020] Fiverr Announces Pricing of Follow-On Offering

Fiverr International Ltd. (NYSE: FVRR) ("Fiverr") announced today the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 2,000,000 ordinary shares at a public offering price of $60.00 per share. The underwriters will have a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 300,000 ordinary shares at the public offering price, less underwriting commissions. The offering is expected to close on June 2, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is acting as lead book-running manager for the offering of ordinary shares. BofA Securities, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC are also acting as book-running managers for the offering. JMP Securities (News - Alert) LLC, Needham & Company, LLC and Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. are acting as co-managers for the offering. The offering of ordinary shares is being made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the final prospectus, when available, may be obtained from: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, via telephone: 1-866-803-9204 or via email [email protected] ;

; BofA Securities, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department or via email [email protected] ;

; Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, via telephone: 1-800-831-9146 or via email [email protected] ; or

; or UBS Securities LLC, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019, Attn: Prospectus Department, via telephone at 1-888-827-7275 or via email [email protected] . A registration statement relating to theoffering of ordinary shares has been filed with, and was declared effective by, the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.



About Fiverr Fiverr's mission is to change how the world works together. The Fiverr platform connects businesses of all sizes with skilled freelancers offering digital services in more than 300 categories, across 8 verticals including graphic design, digital marketing, programming, video and animation. In the twelve months ended March 31, 2020, 2.5 million customers bought a wide range of services from freelancers across more than 160 countries.

Forward Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to the closing of the offering. All statements contained in this release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements that include the words "expect," "intend," "plan," "believe," "project," "forecast," "estimate," "may," "should," "anticipate" and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC (News - Alert)") on March 31, 2020 as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the SEC, including the registration statement relating to the offering, which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. In addition, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements that we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release are inherently uncertain and may not occur, and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. In addition, the forward-looking statements made in this release relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this release. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200528005888/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Council members said the full scope of the revenue hit is not yet clear and will probably have an even greater impact on the budget for fiscal 2022. Some of the biggest sources of lost revenue will be from income taxes, real estate taxes and lost income from the MGM National Harbor casino, which closed in March because of the pandemic and has not announced a reopening date.
At war, the Jalashwa can carry and launch a full infantry battalion in a single wave.

At peace, the Jalashwa can evacuate 1,000 people in a single trip.

Ajai Shukla explains why the Indian Navy's new tender for more ships like the Jalashwa must be treated with special urgency.

IMAGE: The INS Jalashwa arrives at Kochi port with 588 evacuees from the Maldives. Photograph: ANI Photo

Five of the Indian Navy's biggest warships are deployed in bringing back Indian citizens stranded abroad; carrying foodgrains, medical teams and medicines to friendly countries in the littoral neighbourhood, thus boosting our image as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region.

There is one thing these five ships -- the INS Jalashwa, INS Kesari, INS Magar, INS Shardul and INS Airavat -- have in common: They are all amphibious assault vessels.

Given that this category of warships is designed and built specifically to land large numbers of troops, combat weaponry and stores on enemy shores, they are also ideal for evacuating personnel and carrying relief material -- or the tricky business of humanitarian aid and disaster relief that is increasingly occupying the Indian Navy.

For a regional power like India, which projects itself as the Indian Ocean's gatekeeper, it would be strategically and diplomatically rewarding to create a strong amphibious warfare fleet that not just safeguards our 7,500 kilometre coastline and island chains, but is also usable in peacetime for HADR operations that are frequent in our disaster-prone region.

This, however, is being unnecessarily stalled.

The prime minister's initiative of SAGAR, the acronym for 'security and growth for all in the region' is credibly underpinned by the navy's admirable HADR pedigree, dating back to the 2004 tsunami, when its prompt assistance to IOR countries led the United States navy to realise that here was a maritime partner worth having.

That realisation jump-started the Indo-US defence relationship, but that is another story.

In just the last year, India's small amphibious warship fleet has earned kudos across the IOR.

In March 2019, when Cyclone Idai struck Mozambique, the INS Shardul was quickly diverted to the ravaged Beira port. Meanwhile,

The INS Magar sailed from Kochi to Mumbai, loaded hundreds of tonnes of food, medicines and supplies and took those to Beira, hugely boosting relations with Mozambique.

In January, even as COVID-19 loomed, Cyclone Ada hit Madagascar. Fortunately, the INS Airavat was en route for the Seychelles, and its quick diversion to Madagascar earned thanks from its president.

The impact such assistance creates was especially evident in May 2017 when the INS Sumitra, then deployed in the Bay of Bengal, followed Cyclone Mora into Bangladesh.

After it rescued 33 Bangladeshi fishermen who had been swept away by the storm 100 nautical miles off Chittagong and given up for lost, a grateful Bangladeshi media played up that saga of survival with India in the role of the good samaritan.

Yet the navy, which has accumulated an enviable heritage of aircraft carrier operations and a rich submarine tradition, is still moving hesitantly in building up capabilities in the essential realm of amphibious warfare (and, therefore, HADR).

As one naval officer jokes: "We have never added oomph to our amph."

After 1934 when the Royal Indian Navy was raised, there was some appetite for amphibious capability, including some never-implemented plans for amphibious landings in the Arakans during the Burma campaign in World War II.

After Independence in 1947, India's Nehruvian policy of fraternal harmony linked amphibious warfare unfavourably with expeditionary aggression.

Besides, the new Indian Navy had little money for anything more than building a basic fleet and amphibious warfare was low in priority.

Not until the late 1960s did we buy our first amphibious ships -- built in Gdansk, Poland. In the 1971 War, an attempted amphibious landing near Chittagong turned out to be a fiasco that was obscured only by the overall victory.

Not until the mid-1980s did bigger amphibious craft enter service -- the so-called Landing Ship Tank (Medium), from Poland and bigger LST (Large) that were built in India.

These were flat-bottomed vessels that carried tanks and infantry close to enemy beaches, where they would dismount and wade ashore. These ships were successfully used in Operation Pawan (1987-1990), when the Indian Peacekeeping Force in Sri Lanka employed LST (M)s and LST (L)s extensively for transporting troops in hostile conditions.

But amphibious warfare and HADR remained a sideshow.

All this changed after 2004-2005, when the Indian Ocean tsunami gave the Indian Navy a sense of its capabilities and shortcomings in HADR.

Moreover, the new relationship with the US refocused strategic thinking onto the Indo-Pacific.

Crucially, Washington sold India the USS Trenton, one of its used amphibious warfare ships, the landing platform dock that was named INS Jalashwa in 2007.

It was a bargain basement deal for India, which paid just $50 million for the ship and another $50 million for the six helicopters that came with it. This was less than one-tenth the price of a new, fully functional LPD.

Even more important than the cost saving was the huge difference INS Jalashwa triggered in amphibious warfare doctrine.

Instead of 'beaching' in the face of enemy fire and debouching troops directly on to the beach like an LST(L), the Jalashwa brought in the US Marine Corps concept of 'Operational manoeuvre from the Sea'.

In this, the LPD stays 30 to 40 kilometres out at sea, from where the attack begins with 'aerial envelopment', in which the six helicopters on board carry 10 to 12 marine commandos each onto the objective.

Since the LPD does not have to enter the shallow waters close to the shore, nor expose itself to coastal fire, it can have a deeper draught and much more carrying capacity.

From its safe perch out at sea, the Jalashwa launches four 'landing craft mechanised', each carrying to the shore 150 fully kitted infantrymen, or 50 soldiers and an armoured vehicle.

That allows the Jalashwa to carry and launch a full infantry battalion in a single wave in what is doctrinally termed a 'ship to objective maneuver'.

When used for HADR operations, a 16,600-tonne LPD like the INS Jalashwa can evacuate 1,000 people in a single trip.

It is equipped with extensive medical facilities including four operation theatres, a 12-bed ward, a laboratory and a dental centre.

It can also be modified into a hospital ship for hundreds of casualties, when being deployed in an extreme HADR situation.

Given the dual-use capabilities of LPDs, the navy decided in 2008 to build four more LPDs that would be even larger than the Jalashwa. These are needed to embark the army's 3,500 man amphibious brigade, which is earmarked and trained for such operations.

The navy floated a tender that year, but, true to the defence ministry's procurement tradition, it remains stalled a dozen years later for fear that certain private shipbuilders with worrying records of non-delivery might win the contract as the lowest bidder -- and then once again fail to deliver.

The navy, therefore, is going back to the start line and issuing a fresh tender in which new procurement rules -- in accordance with the Capacity Assessment Guidelines of 2019 -- would rule out those shipyards.

If this new tender were not treated with special urgency, the three LPDs would only enter service by the end of the decade.

Typically, such a contract, starting from issuance of the request for proposal, technical evaluation of bids, commercial bid evaluation and cost negotiation typically takes three to four years.

Thereafter, it would take at least three years to build the first LPD and then another three years for the follow-on vessels.

It is, therefore, essential to progress this as a fast-track tender.

Simultaneously, with the INS Magar and INS Gharial approaching the ends of their service lives, there must be another fast-track tender for two new LST(L)s.
This challenging quiz is designed to see if you are an 'alpha geek' by testing your knowledge of Greek gods and goddesses.

The tricky set of 17 questions was put together by Terry Stein on the US-based trivia site Playbuzz and is sure to get you thinking.

Those with superior knowledge of Greek mythology will score extra points on questions relating to the Goddess of love and beauty and God of the sky.

And full marks go to those who can match each of the 17 descriptions to the name of the god or goddess.

If you think you have what it takes, then scroll down to take the test. The answers are at the bottom - no cheating!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.
T

he advent of smartwatches, changes in distribution, the many emerging Kickstarter players, and most recently Covid-19: bad news and new competition have been mounting for the traditional giants of the fashion watch segment, such as American groups Fossil, Movado and Timex.

They have reacted differently: Fossil has been pivoting ever more towards smartwatches (it sold a whole R&D division to Google) and Movado has acquired emerging fashion brands such as Olivia Burton and MVMT.

From smartwatches to Kickstarter brands, competition has been mounting for the traditional giants of the fashion watch segment.

What about the Timex Group? The American company is organised around several divisions, between non-Swiss made production, mainly its own Timex brand, and a licensed Swiss-made hub in Ticino. Paolo Marai is in charge of the latter. We interviewed him as a new watch brand joins the Timex portfolio, following Versace and Ferragamo among others: Missoni watches.

Paolo Marai, President & CEO Timex Group Luxury Division

Europa Star: Youve recently announced  in the middle of the pandemic!  that you will be partnering with Italian fashion brand Missoni to produce watches for them. How did this happen and what is the partnership about?

Paolo Marai: Were excited to introduce a new brand, even in the current circumstances. Missoni is an independent fashion house well known for its colourful knitwear designs, as well as its unmistakable zigzag motif. When a brand has such a strong identity, it makes it easier for us to translate this spirit into timepieces. Moreover, the Italian fashion scene is a small world  we knew key people at Missoni, as we already take care of the horological side of several fashion houses. Hence, with them, we are not in terra incognita, which makes the partnership and our discussions all the more fluid. We are based in Lugano and we have our own design centre in Milan. You need to be culturally and geographically close to translate their spirit into watches. The right conditions for this partnership were all in place.

When a brand has a strong design identity, it makes it easier for us to translate their spirit into timepieces.

What is your plan for the launch of Missoni timepieces?

We actually already presented prototypes of the new models last February, during a private event in Dubai. Retailers have already taken orders. Delivery of the timepieces to the markets is planned for August.

How do you inject the spirit of the brand into a watch design?

There is a mix of colourful designs and zigzag motives that are typical of Missoni, but we are also introducing more formal black and white timepieces. One differentiating element about the brand is that it was founded by an athlete: Ottavio Missoni was a professional hurdler who represented Italy at the 1948 Summer Olympics. We have also injected this heritage into the collection. The brand is at the crossroads of fashion and sport, which is a perfect match in the world of watches. Prices will start at 400 euros for Swiss made quartz timepieces.

One differentiating element about the brand is that it was founded by an athlete: Ottavio Missoni was a professional hurdler who represented Italy at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

What makes you so confident about going ahead with a new watch brand launch in the middle of a historical crisis?

Maybe retailers are not in the right mood right now for new brands, but times of crisis also bring new opportunities, so we are betting that many of them will be willing to overhaul their portfolios and showcase something different. And through our licensing activity, we have nurtured contacts with retailers for a long time now. We can rely on this existing network. The plan is to use a multi-channel approach: as with the other partners we represent, the core business is not to sell through their brand boutiques, but through multi-brand specialised watch stores, as well as pop-up stores, e-commerce and duty free. It is an Italian fashion brand and we can draw on our experience with other houses such as Versace or Ferragamo.

Why not put the focus on the brand boutiques?

Its not the same clientele. Through the multi-brand watch stores, we aim to attract watch aficionados. Moreover, the challenge with brand boutiques is to continuously train the staff, as there is a higher rotation in this environment. Timepieces are generally not the priority there, either for staff or for clients, compared to the core offer of the brands.

The challenge with brand boutiques is to continuously train the staff, as there is a higher rotation in this environment.

How has your existing portfolio of brands coped with the pandemic?

On the production side, we only had to shut down our facilities in Switzerland for one week. Hence we managed to fulfil the pre-existing demand. On the sales side, we had a pleasant surprise from e-commerce: this channel had already experienced growth in 2019 and continued to grow even after the pandemic struck the world. Otherwise, the situation really varies from country to country. The pandemic affects the markets in so many different ways. For instance, Turkey temporarily cut its astronomical import tax due to the coronavirus, so we recorded surprising growth in sales there. Meanwhile, in the Gulf States, the shopping culture is to buy in malls and not online, so the impact has been greater. The effects of the virus will not disappear until a viable treatment is found. Meanwhile, we have to live with this new reality.

The pandemic affects the markets in so many different ways. For instance, Turkey temporarily cut its astronomical import tax, so we recorded a surprising growth in sales.

Do you think that the perception of luxury is changing, due to this unprecedented episode in human history?

Again, the answer highly differentiated: I think each category of products will be affected in a different way. In terms of price points, I envision an even deeper polarisation between entry-level on one side, which caters to people who are losing purchasing power, and high-end on the other side. The mid-range segment may suffer proportionally more, as the middle class is hit by the crisis. Our company recorded 30% growth these last two years, so we have proven our value; however, the fashion watch segment is suffering. We need a sound general market to thrive, including healthy competition.

I envision an even deeper polarisation between entry-level and high-end. The mid-range segment may suffer proportionally more, as the middle class is hit by the crisis.
Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

When my husband told me he had ordered 150 pounds of flour and whole grains, I had no idea what it would look like, how we'd store it or why he thought this transaction was a good idea.

He's a longtime home baker, typically churning out a couple loaves a week, but #quarantinebaking had inspired him to ramp up his output. To continue feeding our two sons and my parents while contributing to his weekly bread-for-citrus barter and sharing his bounty with whoever else, he needed more whole wheat berries, which we mill at home, and exponentially more flour.

Things started making sense when he told me he had placed an order with the King's Roost, a Silver Lake store that specializes in do-it-yourself cooking supplies and hands-on workshops.

In late March, founder Roe Sie (his first name is pronounced "roo") noticed a surge of new customers. As supermarkets sold out of commercially available flours, people turned to King's Roost for its organic, artisan flour and other whole grains. Like many other companies, including King Arthur Flour, Sie scrambled to shift gears and keep up with demand. Working with one of his former employees, Taylor Erickson, he launched a bulk ordering program, supplying a growing customer base with whole grains from California-based heritage producers.

Taylor Erickson divvies up large bags of flour into smaller orders at Silver Lake store the King's Roost during the coronavirus pandemic. (May 2020) (Trish Sie for LAist)

"I think we'll have a lot of converts," Sie says. "The quality of California-grown grains and locally sourced flour is way fresher." He also thinks their flavor is more complex and nuanced. Even "whole wheat" commercial flour is heavily processed to make it shelf-stable.

"By the time we got our first pallet in, the following week was an avalanche of orders. It took about a month to get caught up," Sie says. The first portion of my husband's order, for instance, arrived in about 10 days while the remaining 50 pounds of Red Fife wheat berries came a week later.

Like my husband, thousands of bored, anxious Angelenos have been looking for quarantine projects. And what's more practical than making food? Sie understands those impulses.

The Los Feliz resident opened his DIY emporium in late 2014 to dive deeper into his interests  raising chickens, making soap, roasting coffee, aquaponics (a symbiotic method for growing fruits and vegetables that involves live fish and hydroponics) and, now, milling flour and cooking with whole grains.

Loaves of bread. (Fiona Smallwood/Unsplash)

A year later, the business moved from a small corner location on Fountain Avenue near Thomas Starr King Middle School to a larger space on Sunset Boulevard and Lucille Avenue, close to the Sunset Junction. Sie outfitted the shop with a kitchen where he could teach workshops and host guest instructors.

Although the physical space is shuttered, Sie's direct network of suppliers has remained intact. He is quick to express gratitude to the farmers and food workers who have made that possible but, he says, current circumstances are "a reminder of how fragile our whole system is."

Before coronavirus, King's Roost typically received one 2,500-pound pallet every three to four weeks. Sie had helped organize the standing bulk order  containing flour from Central Milling and whole grains from Fat Uncle Farms and Bergman Family Farms, among other growers  for the L.A. Bread Bakers group as well as other "semi-professional and intense amateur bakers who know what they want." In April, at the peak of grocery store shortages and the quarantine baking craze, Sie was receiving six pallets per week, a 24-fold increase.

Since then, orders have stabilized. His most recent delivery amounts to a little more than 6,000 pounds. Sie has also added a second pre-order pick-up site, in Long Beach.

"Sixty [thousand] to 70,000 pounds of grain have come through the store, and I'm not there for any of it," he says. While Erickson single-handedly handles those massive quantities, Sie oversees the business's administrative duties from home.

Roe Sie and Taylor Erickson sit inside the King's Roost, a Silver Lake store that has pivoted to sell more flour and grains during the coronavirus pandemic. (May 2020) (Trish Sie for LAist)

Within a week or so after placing and paying for an order online, customers receive an email with pickup info, including an alphabetically-assigned pickup window (people whose names start with A through F should arrive between 12 p.m. and 12:15 p.m., and so on). Sie makes exceptions for frontline workers who have less flexible schedules. The 48-hour distribution cycle encompasses the pallet delivery, divvying up of orders and customer pickup.

You don't have to buy grains in triple-digit amounts. You can opt for a five-pound bag of flour. My husband is a pragmatist who likes to reduce trips  and maybe a closet doomsday prepper. I'm just hoping bugs and rodents don't discover our stash while we wait for professional-size, plastic storage bins to arrive.

Then there's the educational component. "I'm getting a lot of inquiries," Sie says. "How do I introduce new people to these grains?"

Making fresh pasta. (Elle Hughes/Unsplash)

While baking with Central Milling ABC flour isn't much different than using most brands of commercial flour, working with other relatively obscure flours and home-milled grains requires trial and error.

Grains contain varying levels of protein and gluten, so some are better suited for sourdough breads while others are more useful for quick breads like banana or zucchini loaves. The learning curve is especially steep for those making maiden voyages and challenging themselves by using, say, natural starter instead of packaged dry yeast.

Sie has added half-a-dozen new tutorials to the King's Roost YouTube channel, and previous videos have suddenly gained traction. An under-the radar 2015 clip about making wild yeast starter racked up nearly 2 million views this spring. (It helps that his wife, Trish Sie, has directed some of the band OK Go's most viral videos.) Topics include how to make flour without a proper home mill and techniques for managing natural starter.

The coronavirus pandemic has also forced other baking and culinary enterprises in Southern California to evolve. Tehachapi Grain Project, a heritage grain-growing effort founded by Alex Weiser, could no longer focus on large orders for chefs and restaurants.

"Our situation changed dramatically overnight," says Tehachapi manager Sherry Mandell. "The upside is people now realize that flour is grown by a farmer, and there are local farmers that are filling the gaps and helping create this local infrastructure for real food."

Mandell's exchanges with chefs and restaurateurs have reshaped her perspective and inspired a more collaborative approach to her work. While "figuring out how to be the supply chain, the farmer and the teacher" as she makes her rounds to farmers' markets, professional kitchens and restaurants, Mandell has a front row seat to what's happening in L.A.'s food community.

She has given away grains to keep chefs busy and inspire their creativity  remember, grains are used for many foods besides baked goods  and has developed and renewed partnerships with markets and food makers, connecting the public to Tehachapi Grain Project.

"I see all the possibilities but I also see all the pain," she says. "How to try to intertwine them into a system that can come out on the other side is really tough. The only way I can do it is to pull people on board."

Roe Sie divvies up grains into smaller orders at Silver Lake store the King's Roost during the coronavirus pandemic. (May 2020) (Trish Sie for LAist)

For both newbie and avid L.A. home bakers, often buoyed by a shared purpose and passion, other resources are also available.

The California Grain Campaign, a consortium of growers, chefs, retailers, educators, environmentalists and food justice activists, has hosted educational Zoom sessions. It has also partnered with the nonprofit Community Services United to supply Village Market Place, a food hub in South L.A., with quality grains and products as part of the California-grown "bakers' pantry."

Pasadena's Grist & Toll, known for its small-batch milled flours, posts COVID-19 protocol updates and maintains an online store.

Alhambra artist Bob Dornberger using materials such as copper and mahogany, is crafting handmade bench scrapers, ideal for cutting dough and shaping bread loaves.

Assorted quickbread loaves. (Ananth Pai/Unsplash)

Meanwhile, Sie has remained at home, remotely overseeing operations at King's Roost and trying to get his hands on more countertop-sized home flour mills (because some customers who want to deepen their commitment to using whole grain flours). He is waiting for a shipment of Mockmills and expects they'll sell out. Bakers who are skeptical about buying another specialty baking item can refer to an instructional video about alternative tools.

Making these products and methods more accessible is part of Sie's flexible approach: "It doesn't have to be a binary choice between total reliance on supermarkets and off-the-grid prepping."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 14:41:48|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

HANGZHOU, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Actors, cameramen and lighting engineers are busy in film studios; Internet celebrities hold mobile phones to start livestreaming on the street; vendors set up their food stands when night falls.

After more than 100 days on pause, "Chinese Hollywood" Hengdian has restarted.

Located in the eastern Chinese city of Dongyang, Hengdian World Studios is one of China's biggest film and television program production centers and a barometer of the film industry.

Film shootings were restricted for months due to the COVID-19 epidemic. As the epidemic wanes, more than 40 film and teleplay crews have started operation in Hengdian as of May 22, while over 60 others are preparing to restart studio shootings.

In the fight against COVID-19, the Hengdian World Studios has implemented strict epidemic prevention and control measures, said Zhou Fenglai, head of the actors' guild of the studios.

"All extras should register their travel history and report body temperatures twice a day, and people who came from major areas with a high risk of infection were required to undergo concentrated quarantine," Zhou said.

Dongyang in Zhejiang Province has released a slew of supporting policies to boost the work resumption of Hengdian.

The city government has allocated 10 million yuan (around 1.4 million U.S. dollars) to subsidize the venue and equipment rents and accommodation and cut or exempt taxes and fees for epidemic-hit film and television production companies.

To help those stranded in Hengdian tide over the difficulty, Hengdian World Studios has offered living subsidies for extras. Some extras even became local factory workers or food deliverymen to keep their dreams alive.

"My father always hopes that I would return to my hometown and land a stable job, but I insist on staying here to chase my dream," said 27-year-old Li Haishan, an extra in Hengdian.

As a stand-in, Li often rode on horseback in films or TV series. This time, what he rides is a motorbike to pick up and deliver food for the online food delivery platform Eleme.

"At least I could keep working as a rider," he said.

As many actors and actresses are back, Li plans to look for roles that he can play while continuing his delivery job.

"I have stayed in Hengdian for months. The hardest times will be over soon," he said.

Hengdian is the shooting base for one-fourth of China's movies and one-third of its TV series, with more than 64,000 episodes shot.

When producer Huang Jinmei arrived in Hengdian in mid-April, the street was empty and quiet. Now the hustle and bustle seem to come back.

"In film industry, as long as you can control the budget and provide high-quality products, there must be a place for you to survive," Huang said.

Producer Bao Mengmeng is hopeful about the future of the film industry.

"Although we are encountering more challenges, we can spend more time polishing our scripts and keeping good connections with big platforms. In such a hard time for the whole industry, I believe that the fittest survive and quality prevails," she said. Enditem
New Delhi, May 29 : The Covid-19 pandemic has left the Indian private healthcare sector in acute financial distress, a new survey said on Friday adding that the healthcare facilities in the country have witnessed at least 80 per cent fall in average revenue.

Post the lockdown from March 24, Indian hospitals have seen a large impact, especially among small and medium-sized hospitals, which are now facing existential challenges.

The survey by healthcare industry body NATHEALTH was conducted in 251 healthcare facilities across nine states and 69 cities to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the domestic healthcare industry.

The findings showed that 90 per cent of the surveyed healthcare facilities are facing financial challenges with 21 per cent facilities facing an existential threat.

"There is a need for a stimulus package to revive the Indian healthcare industry which will be crucial to provide much-needed relief to the healthcare sector which is the frontline defence in this fight against COVID-19," said Dr Sudarshan Ballal, President NATHEALTH.

According to the survey, hospitals in tier 1 and tier 2 cities are experiencing a 78 per cent reduction in OPD footfalls, and a drop of 79 per cent in in-patient admissions.

The study found that 90 per cent of organisations require some form of financial assistance.

The findings indicated that even after the lockdown lift, the situation will remain difficult for the hospitals and nursing homes as patients will hesitate from visiting hospitals.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Haryana government has sealed the state border with Delhi yet again as the number of cases continue to increase in the national capital. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had written to the home secretary and stated that the number of cases in the state is increasing and a significant portion of this is due to the uncontrolled entry from Delhi.

Massive traffic jam blocked the roads connecting Delhi and Gurgaon (Gurugram) on Friday. Hundreds of people were stopped from going to the neighbouring state. The connecting roads were chock-a-block as cars and people seeking to enter Gurgaon (Gurugram) gathered.

Delhi: People in large numbers gather at Delhi-Gurugram border after Haryana Govt yesterday sealed borders with the national capital in wake of increasing number of #COVID19 cases. pic.twitter.com/7O2F1dx0Pm ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2020 According to a report in NDTV, following the gathering, only essential services and goods were allowed to enter Gurgaon (Gurugram). The sealing of the Delhi-Haryana border has come weeks after the Delhi High Court ordered Haryana to allow essential services to pass through and to remove special restrictions on the border. The Haryana government had given an undertaking ensuring that essential services and goods would be allowed into the state. Not only Gurgaon (Gurugram), news agency ANI reported that long traffic jams were formed at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border after the Uttar Pradesh government sealed the border. Traffic congestion at Delhi-Ghaziabad border near Ghazipur, after Ghaziabad sealed the border with Delhi, due to rise in #coronavirus cases. pic.twitter.com/Utl8kaGdvS ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2020

Delhi has reported 16,281 cases and 316 deaths so far. Meanwhile, Haryana has 1,504 cases with 19 deaths and Uttar Pradesh has 7,170 cases with 197 deaths.

Also read: Coronavirus in India: 7,466 cases in 24 hours, highest 1-day jump, death toll at 4,706; Maharashtra worst-hit

Also read: Indian Railways reinstates advance ticket reservation window to 120 days
The Railways defended itself on Friday in the face of severe criticism over delays by Shramik Specials in reaching their destinations, saying they were not regular trains and they can be extended or short-terminated, and their stoppages and routes can be changed for the benefit of migrant workers.

The Railways defended itself on Friday in the face of severe criticism over delays by Shramik Specials in reaching their destinations, saying they were not regular trains and they can be extended or short-terminated, and their stoppages and routes can be changed for the benefit of migrant workers.

Addressing a press conference, Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav clarified that no train can ever be "lost", as has been said about the delayed trains, and pointed out that of the 3,840 trains operated since 1 May, only four have taken over 72 hours to reach their destinations.

The clarifications came amid criticism over delays that the migrant trains were getting "lost" before reaching their destinations. Railways data shows that 36.5 percent of all Shramik trains have ended up in Bihar and 42.2 percent have terminated in Uttar Pradesh, leading to unequal pressure on these routes.

Repeatedly stating that these were "unusual times", Yadav also defended the Railways against the flak over lack of food and water on board the delayed trains, saying 85 lakh meals and 1.25 crore water bottles were supplied free of cost to passengers.

He said complaints from passengers aboard specific trains have been investigated and it was found that there were no discrepancies in supply of meals.

"Because of coronavirus, many contractors did not want to board the trains to distribute food. We would initially give the packets for them to take on their own. But now our employees are using masks and gloves to enter the trains and distribute food.

"So, out of the 3,840 trains, these incidents are maybe in 1 or 2 per cent of the trains. In 98-99 percent cases, this has gone smoothly," he asserted.

Yadav said the Railways was compiling a list of people who died on the Shramik Specials as he urged everyone with pre-existing health conditions, pregnant women and the aged to avoid unnecessary travel.

"Indian Railways has a control system; the train is immediately stopped if someone is found ill and doctors try to save their lives. Many passengers have been attended to by Railway doctors, 31 successful deliveries have been done.

In many cases they were sent to the nearest hospital base.

"I understand that they are travelling in desperate times. Each death is investigated. We are compiling the data on deaths and the reasons behind the dates from state governments. We will make it public when we have the numbers and I don't want to comment on this without correct numbers," he said responding to a question on the number of deaths on board these trains.

He also said 90 percent of these migrant trains ran with an average speed higher than regular mail express trains.

"There was some fake news that a train reached Siwan in nine days... We diverted only 1.8 per cent of trains. From 20-24 May, 71 trains were diverted because of high demand for trains to UP, Bihar, where 90 per cent trains were going from across the country," Yadav said.

He said in one case, a train which was to go to Allahabad was sent to Lucknow and was reported as "lost". It was diverted to the Uttar Pradesh capital when it was realised that there were fewer people destined for Allahabad and more on the Lucknow route.

"We spoke to the state government and we took a decision in Kanpur to take the train to Lucknow. These trains are not normal trains, Railways has maintained full flexibility in them. State governments have been given full flexibility to extend trains, change stoppages and change routes," he said.

Among the destination-states for which the trains were diverted were Bihar (51), Uttar Pradesh (16), Jharkhand (2), Assam and Manipur (1 each).

Among the originating-states for which trains were diverted included Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan.

Till 28 May, Yadav said, 3,840 Shramik Specials operated ferrying a total of 52 lakh passengers. He said 1,524

Shramik trains operated in last one week and over 20 lakh passengers were ferried.

"Railways has accommodated almost all requests received from the sending states and we are ready to meet all demand of Shramik movements. Requirement of states as on May 24 was 923 trains, as per requirement yesterday, the figure is now 449 trains," he said.

He said meals -- breakfast, lunch, dinner -- were served at enroute stations and the state governments provided food and water at starting stations. IRCTC and various railway divisions arranged free meals and water for migrants in trains enroute and over 85 lakh meals and 1.25 crore water bottles were supplied free.

"NGOs also supplemented efforts. Railway Divisions mobilized local halwais, bakeries at various stations to prepare snacks and foods for Shramiks," he said.
A total of 129 Indians, including 105 residents of Tripura, returned from Bangladesh on Thursday, May 28 through Akhaura-Agartala Integrated Check Post in Agartala. All of the returnees will undergo the coronavirus test and will be kept under institutional quarantine for seven days.

The administration has arranged facilities for the returnees in view of Centre's COVID-19 guidelines. On their arrival, social distancing was maintained and their luggage were sanitised. The returnees also underwent thermal screening.

READ | 23 New COVID-19 Cases In Tripura, Total Rises To 232

"129 people have returned to the country, including 105 people from Tripura. All the necessary arrangements were made for them. Now, everyone will undergo COVID-19 testing and 7-day institutional quarantine," an official said.

"I am a second-year medical student, pursuing my studies in Bangladesh. We had to return due to COVID-19 pandemic. With the help of the Indian High Commission, we have finally returned," a returnee said.

The citizens were escorted till the check post by High Commissioner of India Riva Ganguly Das and then they were received by Lok Sabha Member Pratima Bhowmik along with senior State government officials.

READ | Bangladesh Opts For Restricted Reopening; COVID-19 Tally Crosses 40,000-mark

200 citizens evacuated from Bangladesh

Earlier on Thursday, around 200 Indian citizens, mostly from the northeastern states, who were stranded in Bangladesh due to the coronavirus-linked restrictions left for home through three land border posts, the Indian High Commission said.

High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das visited the Indian nationals going to Tripura through the Akhaura-Agartala Integrated Check Post and interacted with them. The two other posts through which the Indians were returning home were Dawki-Tamabil crossing bordering Meghalaya and Sutarkandi-Sheola post bordering Assam.

Evacuation from Bangladesh started on May 8 with the first batch of 168 Indian students on board a special Air India flight landing in Srinagar from Dhaka. Subsequently, five more evacuation flights have operated from Dhaka to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Srinagar.

READ | 136 Indians Now Jailed In Kuwait To Return Soon: Tripura Minister

READ | India Evacuates Around 200 Citizens From Bangladesh Through Land Route

(With inputs from ANI)
Outspoken New Patriotic Party (NPP) stalwart, Paul Collins Appiah-Ofori, says the move by the Electoral Commission (EC) to compile a new voters register ahead of the 2020 elections is totally needless.



He questioned the timing and the register readiness to be used in the December 7, polls.



This compilation should have been done somewhere last year, it cannot be possible this year looking at the time frame to the election, he registered his disapproval in an interview with Neat FMs morning show Ghana Montie.



Upgrade your IT system and register



Mr. Appiah-Ofori suggested that the EC should open the electoral register for fresh voters to register, remove names of the dead and foreigners, and update the existing software to make it more efficient.



The register and the IT systems only need an upgrade and not to be discarded entirely, the former Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa constituency MP said.



He also encouraged the EC to replace faulty equipment and acquire new hardware to augment the existing stock and work with the existing systems.



EC to start compiling new register from June



The Electoral Commission has confirmed to the various political parties that it will commence its intended registration exercise next month despite opposition from some political parties who are seeking to have the exercise halted.



In an Inter-party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting at its headquarters on Wednesday, 27 May 2020, the EC said it intends using 30 days spanning from June to July this year to complete the exercise ahead of the December general elections.



The EC has also rolled out mechanisms to ensure strict adherence to various essential protocols in light of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of Ghanaians.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
PracticeWise President/co-founder and UCLA Professor, Bruce Chorpita, Ph.D., hosted a webinar for educators in the mental health field on how to adapt curricula due to the changes caused by COVID-19. The disruptions caused by COVID-19 are leading to an unprecedented mental health crisis. Unlike the current pandemic though, we have the tools available now to proactively support those that are on the frontlines of this upcoming mental health crisis."

PracticeWise, a behavioral health company that partners with organizations and agencies to help kids improve their mental health, has made a collection of free resources available to support frontline mental health providers, educators, and families helping children and adolescents overcome the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As schools, colleges, and mental health agencies shifted to online environments in response to the crisis, PracticeWise intensified their efforts to disseminate decades of evidence-based mental health research and resources to frontline workers, educators, and families. These free resources include on-demand courses and videos, webinars, and roundtable discussions.

We have what we like to think of as a national stockpile of evidence-based ideas and resources focused on children's behavioral health distilled from over 50 years of worldwide research, explained PracticeWise President/co-founder and UCLA Professor, Bruce Chorpita, Ph.D. We have been building and preparing for this moment for more than 20 years as collaborators and for more than 15 years as a company.

The stockpile of resources includes a distance learning library, which contains free courses covering tools that assist with evidence-informed clinical decision making; concepts or applications from evidence-based treatments and common practices; and supervision and training topics. These courses help both providers and educators better implement evidence-based resources in their teaching and practice.

PracticeWise recently held an invitation-only online roundtable discussion with educators to share ideas and learn about the most pressing challenges, needs, and opportunities they face. The event included attendees from 16 states, Canada and Puerto Rico from institutions like Palo Alto University, University of Southern California, University of California, Berkeley, American University, University of Delaware, University of Illinois, University of Nebraska, University of North Carolina, and Brigham Young University among others. The outcomes of this event helped PracticeWise focus on how best to serve and support educators in social work, psychology, and other areas of mental health as the field transitions from classroom-based to online or partial-online curricula.

During these stressful and often dark pandemic days, PracticeWise is shedding light and hope by offering free access to their curricula to behavioral health professionals, said Robert D. Friedberg, Ph.D., ABPP, Head, Child, and Family Emphasis Area, Professor, Palo Alto University. Their portable, state of the science guides and skills are accessible, powerful, and widely applicable to diverse populations and settings. Providing free access to these robust resources reflects the company's and its leaders' generous and heroic spirit.

Also, PracticeWise Trainers and Consultants have hosted free webinars to provide support to providers, educators, and caregivers. Topics have focused on evidence-based tools and resources, as well as a specific session zeroing in on how to help children adjust to learning at home and helping them thrive during the pandemic.

Dr. Chorpita was also recently invited to share his expertise and insights with the Division of Student Health and Human Services at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), which is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States.

Our team of psychiatric social workers, pupil services, school nurses, healthy start navigators, coordinators, teachers, pediatricians, child psychiatrists and various other school support personnel are so appreciative of Dr. Chorpita for joining us during our Connecting with Colleagues Series online. Dr. Chorpitas message about family engagement and best practices was inspiring during this COVID Pandemic, explained Pia V. Escudero, LCSW, Executive Director, Division of Student Health and Human Services, LAUSD. We are eager to learn more about his work and will be utilizing the resources [he discussed] as we are always eager to learn how to improve our services to better impact the quality of health and mental health care for our students. We extend our gratitude to Dr. Chorpita and the entire PracticeWise team.

Bryan J. Stewart, PracticeWise CEO, stated, The disruptions caused by COVID-19 are leading to an unprecedented mental health crisis, which has the potential to last far beyond any COVID-19 vaccine produced. Unlike the current pandemic though, which caught the world unprepared, we have the tools available now to proactively support those that are on the frontlines of this upcoming mental health crisis. We have a window of opportunity to prevent what could be a generation of pain with some of the best tools already in hand. Our stockpile of resources, custom analytics, and tools are built on decades of research, collaboration and development can help existing and emerging companies and organizations focused on mental health be more effective and efficient. I believe we are uniquely positioned to help others become Powered by PracticeWise in order to create enduring, thriving, socially constructive, and commercially successful enterprises. Our team stands ready to serve to help others do what they do better.

About PracticeWise

Founded in 2004, PracticeWise helps those who are in the business of helping others lead better lives. We prioritize and deliver the best available evidence to enable behavioral health providers and the systems they work in to be as efficient and effective as possible by helping them to know what to use when based on knowledge and context. PracticeWise provides training, tools, and resources that help individuals working with children and families to help kids get better faster. Find more information about how PracticeWise is serving and shaping the future of behavioral health at http://www.practicewise.com.
Lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party Yoon Mee-hyang, who led an advocacy group for victims of the Japanese military's sexual slavery during World War II, speaks during a news conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



By Bahk Eun-ji



Yoon Mee-hyang, an activist-turned-lawmaker, denied allegations of misappropriating funds during her years as head of a civic group purportedly advocating for Korean victims of Japan's wartime sex slavery, during a press conference, Friday.



Yoon's reaction came a week after prosecutors conducted search-and-seizure operations at facilities operated by the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (Korean Council) last week, securing accounting documents amid snowballing allegations of the misuse of funds donated by the public to support the elderly victims.



"Apart from deeply bearing Lee's criticism and opinion, it certainly is not true that the Korean Council has never delivered money raised from the public to the victims," Yoon said during the press conference at the National Assembly.






MOSCOW -- Police in Moscow have detained 32 people, including a State Duma member, several municipal lawmakers, and journalists who came out to protest against the jailing of prominent Russian journalist Ilya Azar, an independent political watchdog says.

OVD-Info said eight activists were also detained on May 29 in Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg.

Most were later released from police custody, OVD-Info said.

Azar, a 35-year-old local legislator and journalist for the independent Novaya gazeta newspaper, was sentenced to 15 days in jail the previous day for repeatedly violating Russia's strict protest laws.

He and his supporters were detained while or before holding single-person protests amid the lockdown imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Activists vowed to continue protesting in Azar's support, arguing such single pickets can't be classified as "mass public events" and should therefore be allowed.

In Moscow, many Azar supporters were detained near the Interior Ministry's main directorate before starting their single-person pickets.



Those detained included Moscow City Duma member Mikhail Timonov and seven municipal councilors, including Yulia Galyamina, Elena Rusakova, and Denis Petrov, according to OVD-Info and Interfax.

Two journalists for Ekho Moskvy radio station, Aleksandr Plyushchev and Tatyana Felgengauer, were also detained.

Meanwhile, the city police said in a statement that "holding any public events in Moscow is banned" due to the stay-at-home quarantine rules imposed over the coronavirus epidemic.

Azar was detained outside Moscows police headquarters on May 26 while protesting against the jailing on extortion charges of an activist who has worked to expose violations within Russia's law enforcement agencies.

His jailing triggered outrage among journalists and opposition activists. Thirteen of them were detained while picketing the police headquarters on May 28.

Amnesty International accused the authorities of "crushing activism and impinging on human rights to silence critics."

The Russian authorities should not use the coronavirus epidemic as "an excuse to restrict freedom of assembly any more than is strictly necessary to protect public health," according Human Rights Watch.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe representative on freedom of the media, Harlem Desir, said he was "alarmed" by the detention of the detained journalists and called for their immediate release.

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow tweeted that "the right to #freedomofexpression should not be a casualty of #COVID-19."

With reporting by Interfax
Hotel and guesthouse owners in Leitrim and across the country are calling on the Government to introduce measures that will tackle the catastrophic crisis facing many businesses due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Welcoming the positive trend in cases this week, Mr Michael Yates, Chair of the Leitrim, Sligo and Roscommon branch of the IHF, acknowledged the great progress being made by the Government, the Chief Medical Officer, health professionals and society in general in suppressing the disease. He said that it was now time to address the need for people to have livelihoods after the pandemic.

Mr Yates called on the Government to urgently seek assistance from the proposed EU Recovery Fund being set up to combat the economic slump caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which is forecast to be the worst in a century throughout Europe. He said a package of specific supports is required that recognises the unique challenges facing Irelands largest indigenous industry.

The June Bank Holiday traditionally marks the start of the holiday season, yet thousands of tourism businesses across the country remain closed due to the pandemic, including 90% of hotels, and the majority of the industrys 260,000 employees are laid off. 70 per cent of tourism jobs are based outside Dublin, which highlights its vital role in spreading employment opportunities and prosperity across the entire country. Here in Leitrim tourism supported 1,100 jobs and generated 36m in local revenues before this crisis. Further delays in providing support measures could have devastating implications, particularly for rural Ireland, that may take decades to recover he said.

While the various business and employment supports that have been introduced already are very welcome, they do not go far enough. Some industries, like tourism, have been far more severely affected and face a more challenging road to recovery and this is not being adequately recognised. Tourism proved itself to be a powerful engine for economic growth following the last recession, creating some 90,000 new jobs. With the right supports now, it can be again but time is of the essence.

Mr Yates added: The tourism and hospitality sector was asked to close down in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. That was the right decision and the health and safety of staff and guests will always be our main priority. However, there must be compensation for those businesses that have been devastated for the common good. When hotels reopen in July, they will be reliant on the domestic market for business. While every guest will be very welcome, the reality is that home grown tourism will not recoup the significant financial loss to the economy of overseas tourism, which last year accounted for over 7 billion in revenue compared to less than 2bn from the domestic market. When the time is right, the overseas market will reopen again for Ireland. In the meantime, specific supports are needed to safeguard an industry that can play a vital role in the countrys economic recovery and rural Ireland in particular.

Mr Yates warned against any delay in seeking funds from the EU, saying swift action by other countries will put Ireland at a competitive disadvantage. One of the lessons learnt from the financial crisis was the requirement to act extremely quickly so that large parts of the economy are not obliterated, with long-term consequences. Tourism is highly competitive. Many major markets with which Ireland competes for tourists, such as France have already announced substantial support packages for their tourism industries, with further supports likely through EU funding. These supports are giving Irelands competitors much needed certainty to plan their recovery.

Four Urgent Measures Immediately Required

The IHF is calling on the Government to implement the following measures as a matter of urgency:

1. Liquidity Measures tailored to the specific challenges facing tourism businesses to help them survive and restart: i) a direct business grant scheme; ii) 0% interest on Government guaranteed finance; iii) a Government supported scheme for deferral of capital and interest payments for a period of one year; iv) re-assessment of the SBCI loan system to ensure appropriate products are available for tourism and hospitality.

2. Reduction in tourism VAT on a permanent basis to assist recovery and secure a viable and sustainable future for tourism. International competitiveness is an urgent issue for Irish tourism with hotel VAT now higher than 28 European countries we compete with.

3. Continuation of the job subsidy scheme for tourism and hospitality during the crisis. Businesses will be operating at severely constrained levels of activity when they re-open. The Covid19 Wage Subsidy Scheme should be continued until the impact of physical distancing and mass gathering restrictions has abated.

4. Local Authority rates and charges  the three-month waiver period should be extended for tourism businesses to coincide with business interruption due to Covid-19 and for a minimum of 12 months. After that, payment of local authority rates should be based on reduced levels of activity due to the Covid-19 crisis.

All too often the economic and social contribution of tourism is overlooked. If the Government fails to take action now, the implications could be far reaching - from losses in tax revenue for the exchequer to the long-term impact of this pandemic on rural Ireland, he said.
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) has declared a second quarter dividend of $0.80 per share for each of Farmer Mac's three classes of common stock  Class A Voting Common Stock (NYSE: AGM.A), Class B Voting Common Stock (not listed on any exchange), and Class C Non-Voting Common Stock (NYSE: AGM). The quarterly dividend will be payable on June 30, 2020 to holders of record of common stock as of June 15, 2020.

Farmer Mac's board of directors has also declared a dividend on each of Farmer Mac's four classes of preferred stock. The quarterly dividend of $0.3672 per share of 5.875% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A (NYSE: AGM.PR.A), $0.375 per share of 6.000% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series C (NYSE: AGM.PR.C), and $0.35625 per share of 5.700% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series D (NYSE: AGM.PR.D), is for the period from but not including April 17, 2020 to and including July 17, 2020. The dividend of $0.2276 per share of 5.750% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E (NYSE: AGM.PR.E) is for the period from but not including May 20, 2020 (the issuance date) to and including July 17, 2020. The preferred stock dividends will be payable on July 17, 2020 to holders of record of preferred stock as of July 2, 2020.

About Farmer Mac

Farmer Mac is a vital part of the agricultural credit markets and was created to increase access to and reduce the cost of capital for the benefit of American agricultural and rural communities. As the nation's secondary market for agricultural credit, we provide financial solutions to a broad spectrum of the agricultural community, including agricultural lenders, agribusinesses, and other institutions that can benefit from access to flexible, low-cost financing and risk management tools. Farmer Mac's customers benefit from our low cost of funds, low overhead costs, and high operational efficiency. Additional information about Farmer Mac is available on Farmer Mac's website at www.farmermac.com.

SOURCE Farmer Mac

Related Links

http://www.farmermac.com


The Chancellor's proposals for winding down the Covid-19 furlough scheme are premature, according to business and political leaders here.

Speaking in London on Friday, Rishi Sunak said the wage support scheme would begin to taper off from August, with employers asked to meet a proportion of its costs, and the scheme closing in October this year.

There is also to be a second phase of the support scheme for the self-employed, which will open for applications in August.

And from August employers will have to pay National Insurance and pension contributions for furloughed workers, and then 10% of pay from September, rising to 20% in October when the support scheme will be terminated.

Also, workers will be allowed to return to work part-time from July, but with companies paying 100% of wages for time at work.

But Stormont Finance Minister Conor Murphy said the Chancellor's move had come too early and risked unacceptable job losses.

Expand Close Conor Murphy / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Conor Murphy

Mr Murphy said: "The economic priority during this public health crisis is to protect jobs and the effort that has gone into this to date has been commendable.

"The economic recovery is still in its infancy and it will be some time before businesses are back to their pre-pandemic trading level. While I welcome the extension of the self-employment scheme, the tapering of the job retention scheme from August is premature.

"I am concerned it could lead to redundancies, particularly in the hardest hit industries such as hospitality, retail and leisure.

"I will be raising these issues with Treasury and stressing the need to protect jobs and livelihoods."

Economy Minister Diane Dodds also voiced fears over forthcoming changes to the furlough scheme.

Expand Close Economy Minister Diane Dodds PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Economy Minister Diane Dodds

"This would be incredibly difficult for some employers, particularly those in hospitality and retail sectors which have been closed for three months. It is uncertain whether they will get back to full operations for a number of months yet to come," she said.

Ann McGregor, chief executive of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said closing application to the scheme in June was too early.

Expand Close Ann McGregor / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Ann McGregor

"The furlough scheme has helped companies here preserve thousands of jobs through lockdown... but many firms still face significant uncertainty ahead," she said.

"On that basis, closing the scheme to new applicants in June feels premature, and risks undermining some of the work already done to preserve businesses and jobs.

"Whilst today's announcement is welcome, the Chancellor must also be open to additional and new support for those sectors that will stay closed the longest over the coming months."

Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts also expressed concerns over the Chancellor's plans.

"It is clear that the furlough scheme is being gradually phased out with more costs for employers from August," he said.

"Whilst this is not unexpected, it does significantly raise challenges for retailers in Northern Ireland who still do not have a date to reopen. The NI Executive's recovery plan does not provide significant sections of our retail sector with reopening dates.

"Many of these businesses currently have no income and will be concerned that by August they may be liable for ER NIC (employer National Insurance Contributions) and pension contributions.

"Retail NI wants to see a reopening timetable in June based upon medical evidence for the retail sector as a whole to avoid this problem."

Director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium Aodhan Connolly said: "A tapered end to the furlough scheme means that there will not be another huge shock to an industry which has suffered so much over recent weeks."
HONG KONG, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Henry Litton, a former judge of the Court of Final Appeal of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), has highlighted the necessity of introducing national security legislation at the state level for the Hong Kong SAR.

In an article released on Wednesday, Litton stressed that the threat to national security in Hong Kong is real but the local legislature has appeared unable to enact relevant laws on its own.

"Internal security has worsened, with increasing evidence of terrorist activities aimed at bringing the Hong Kong police to its knees and overthrowing the government," Litton wrote, adding that a state of grave public danger has existed since October last year.

During the social unrest, bully tactics had been deployed, families of police officers threatened, some businesses vandalized and people had been cowed into silence, Litton added.

"A threat of this nature to Hong Kong, a region of China, clearly constitutes a national security threat," he wrote.

However, in the face of the serious challenges, the existing laws are "nowhere near adequate to deal with the complicated matters" and a dysfunctional Legislative Council due to obstruction of opposition lawmakers means "no law can be passed in Hong Kong," Litton noted.

The former judge wrote that unrest and street violence have been going on for nearly a year and very serious crimes have been committed but only a handful of persons arrested have been convicted.

When commenting on the legislative decision of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, Litton pointed out the legislation is the right thing to do, saying that "every nation on earth, unless a failed state, has laws protecting national security."

The decision to enact national security legislation provides protection for Hong Kong and the whole nation, he believed.

Establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for Hong Kong emphasizes the cardinal principles of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy, Litton wrote.

Litton noted that related laws, when passed, will be enforced by the Hong Kong courts exercising jurisdiction under the common law system, based on the presumption of innocence and proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Stressing that the common law is guaranteed by the "one country, two systems" principle, Litton appealed to young lawyers in Hong Kong to truly support the "one country, two systems" principle and work towards its success, and urged older lawyers, the leaders of their profession, to cultivate a climate conducive to their juniors' success.
In just a few weeks, the sun will make its longest daily journey across the sky, resulting in the single day of the year with the most daylight. And while that alone is cause for celebration among some sun seekers out there, the summer solstice also represents the first official day of the summer season, often coming a few weeks after the end of the traditional school year. One way people honor the day is by taking a trek to the mystical Stonehenge to observe the sun as it peeks through the entrance of the monuments Heel Stone.

The sun passes perfectly through Stonehenge's large Heel Stone every summer solstice.

Unfortunately for us all, this years solstice celebrations are going to be radically altered because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The English Heritage organization, which manages Stonehenge, is asking people not to visit the site, instead offering a virtual livestream of the event for those near and far to enjoy.

The annual summer solstice event at Stonehenge is typically attended by thousands of people  exactly the type of gathering thats been banned or discouraged around the world as the coronavirus has spread, sickened, and caused hundreds of thousands of deaths. In accordance with the UKs own governmental guidelines, the Stonehenge site has been closed to the public since March, and it looks like its going to stay that way for the time being.

Typical solstice celebrations at the Stonehenge site are jam-packed.

Nichola Tasker, the director of Stonehenge, explains that his team has consulted widely on whether we could have proceeded safely, and we would have dearly liked to host the event as per usual, but sadly in the end, we feel we have no choice but to cancel. We hope that our livestream offers an alternative opportunity for people near and far to connect with this spiritual place at such a special time of year, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back next year.

Stonehenge is a popular tourist destination on an average day, typically hosting around 800,000 people annually, but the summer solstice holds a special meaning for certain religions in addition to the ever-present spiritual pull. For example, in the 17th and 18th centuries, many believed Stonehenge was a Druid temple built by ancient Celtic pagans as a center for their own religious worship. Other groups celebrate the site with the belief that it has otherworldly origins. Alternatively, some flock to the area with the notion that the site was used to honor the dead through extravagant ceremonies.

Story continues

The iconic Stonehenge site in the rural United Kingdom.

Whatever the reason for your desire to be at Stonehenge in the early hours of June 21st (local time), it looks like youll just have to set your alarm to make sure youre in front of a computer screen instead. Hit up the English Heritages social media accounts to join in the experience.

If youre unable to catch the livestream, you can always hop over to the English Heritage Stonehenge page for a wealth of information about the destination and its history. Learn how the planets and seasons align with the individual stones and discover the engineering design used during its construction over 5,000 years ago. You can also take an interactive tour with a 360-degree view from inside the monument.

Happy Solstice!
Fitness company utilises professional video camera to keep business thriving

AVer Europe, a leading manufacturer of video conferencing solutions, is enabling small businesses to survive and thrive during lockdown. Surrey-based personal training company Marek's Fitness is utilising the premium quality and wide angle capability of AVer Europe's CAM 340+ camera to provide training and group classes, which has enabled the company to maintain and grow its client base internationally.

Marek's Fitness made all personal and group training classes virtual a few days before lockdown to ensure the health and wellbeing of clients. It quickly became apparent that a laptop camera or a typical USB web camera was inadequate, both for sound and vision.

Marek's Fitness purchased an AVer CAM340+ huddle room conference camera. Clients commented immediately that the picture and sound quality was greatly improved, with little background noise. The wide-angle camera enabled trainers to showcase a range of movements and activities on the camera without disruption.

Founder Marek Ocelka comments: "We loved the fact the AVer CAM340+ is plug and play. It is so easy and simple to set up. It has helped us transition to our virtual offering, almost seamlessly. We can now offer more personal training sessions and group training classes. Due to lockdown more people are aware that they need to keep moving and we are actually busier than before!

"We have a client retention rate of 99.5% which is incredible. We have even taken on more clients. Previously we were restricted by geographical location but now have clients from further afield, including Devon, Wales and Slovakia. There are talks of a group class in Dubai. I believe having such a great camera, the AVer CAM340+, has helped us achieve this."

Rene Buhay, AVer Europe Vice President of Sales Marketing, comments: "AVer Europe is delighted to support small businesses like Marek's Fitness adjust to the new reality of home working by enhancing their video conferencing experience. In addition to CAM340+, AVER offers multiple cameras for video conferencing solutions from sole business to enterprise."

About AVer Europe

AVer Europe provides intelligent technological solutions to harness the power of visual communications for business and education. http://www.avereurope.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005493/en/

Contacts:

Alison Scarrott

alison@brookscomm.com
Beijing

China officially has the broad power to quash unrest in Hong Kong, as the country's legislature on Thursday nearly unanimously approved a plan to suppress subversion, secession, terrorism and seemingly any acts that might threaten national security in the semiautonomous city.

As Beijing hashes out the specifics of the national security legislation in the coming weeks, the final rules will help determine the fate of Hong Kong, including how much of the city's autonomy will be preserved or how much Beijing will tighten its grip.

Early signals from Chinese authorities point to a crackdown once the law takes effect, which is expected by September.

Activist groups could be banned. Courts could impose long jail sentences for national security violations. China's feared security agencies could operate openly in the city.

Even Hong Kong's chief executive this week appeared to hint that certain civil liberties might not be an enduring feature of Hong Kong life.

"We are a very free society, so for the time being, people have the freedom to say whatever they want to say," said the chief executive, Carrie Lam, noting, "Rights and freedoms are not absolute."

The prospect of a national security law has prompted an immediate pushback in Hong Kong, where protesters are once again taking to the streets. The international community, too, has warned against infringing on the city's civil liberties.

The Trump administration signaled Wednesday that it was likely to end some or all of the U.S. government's special trade and economic relations with Hong Kong because of China's move. The State Department no longer considers Hong Kong to have significant autonomy, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, a condition for maintaining the trade status.

China's premier, Li Keqiang, tried to strike an optimistic note about the national security law, saying on Thursday that it would provide for the "steady implementation of the 'one country, two systems'" political framework that has enshrined Hong Kong's relative autonomy since the territory was reclaimed by China in 1997.

Li also refrained from accusing the United States of any interference in Hong Kong affairs. But just as he was talking, the Hong Kong office of China's foreign ministry warned of "strong countermeasures" against the United States should it proceed  echoing denunciations by prominent Chinese commentators.

Clues on the coming security law can be found in earlier templates: a 2003 bill in Hong Kong that was thwarted by protests, and a law in another semiautonomous Chinese city, Macao.

Both contained broadly worded bans on sedition, subversion, secession and treason, while also enhancing law enforcement powers.

The Hong Kong legislation would have allowed raids without warrants if the police believed national security would be jeopardized by waiting for a judge  the prospect of which drew vast crowds of peaceful protesters.
Desperate vineyard owners have flown Romanian fruit pickers in to Italy by private jet in a bid to save their grape harvests.

One of the fruit pickers who was flown to the northern Italian town of Termeno said it was the first time they had been on a plane.

Italy's vines have not stopped growing during the country's long coronavirus lockdown, but without their usual foreign grape-pickers, winemakers are now fearing for their harvests.

A desperate owner of a vineyard in Northern Italy flew a group of Romanian fruit pickers by private jet (pictured at the airport in Bolzano) into the country on May 28

Every year, thousands of fruit pickers travel to Italy from Eastern Europe to harvest fruit and vegetables. This year, however, the coronavirus has made this almost impossible

Every summer, tens of thousands of farm workers from Africa and Eastern Europe come to Italy to harvest fruit and vegetables.

The outbreak of coronavirus, which locked down Italy in early March, made it almost impossible for these vital foreign workers to come.

One South Tyrolean vintner in the northern province of Bolzano took matters into his own hands, renting a plane to fly in his team of long-time workers from Romania.

Owner Martin Hofstaetter, whose vines are located around the picturesque town of Termeno, has relied for more than ten years on a team of female Romanian pickers.

Pictured: Romanian seasonal worker Maria Codrea, wearing a face mask, works on the estate in Termeno, Northern Italy, on May 28. She said that working in Romania over the summer would have been hard, adding 'everything is closed, factories and everything'

An aerial picture taken on May 28 shows the top of the church of Saints Quirico and Giulitta in Termeno, Trentino Alto Adige, Northern Italy. As the country eases its coronavirus lockdown measures, questions over whether this year's grape harvest can be saved

Usually, they arrive in a small bus and stay for a few months. But this year, despite having the right to work in Italy, they were turned away at the Hungarian border.

Hofstaetter was quick to act, hiring a small plane to transport the women directly from Romania to Termeno at his own expense.

'We had never been on a plane before. It was a great experience for us,' Maria Codrea, from Calinesti in Romania, told AFPTV.

Codrea, 39, said she depended on the annual work in Italy.

Staying back in Romania 'would have been hard,' she said.

'Even where we are, everything is closed, factories and everything.'

One of the fruit pickers who arrived in Italy said that they rely on this work every year, and that a summer of staying in Romania 'would have been hard'

Pictured, left to right: Romanian fruit pickers, who were flown in a private plane to the vineyard, Ileana Ciuc, Ana Maria Beriade, Maria Cupcea and Maria Codrea. Codrea said 'we had never been on a plane before'

Pictured: Martin Hofstaetter in the vineyard's cellar on May 28. He grows wine at the vineyard near Termeno, Northern Italy. He flew the fruit pickers to his vineyard on a private jet in a bid to save this year's grape harvest

Codrea will stay until mid-July in Termeno with her team of seven other Romanian women before returning home. A second team of about 20 workers from Romania will arrive in Termeno at the end of August for the harvest.

Hofstaetter, whose wines include the famous white varieties of Italy's northeast, said he might have been able to find Italian workers, 'but now the Italians no longer want to work in the fields or vineyards.'

'The Italians disappear after a few days' of the back-breaking work, he added.

It was a shame that work in agriculture was not 'more highly valued', he said, but he was very happy with the skills and dedication of the Romanians, who had been picking for him for over 10 years.

Last week, the first group of about 100 foreign farm workers arrived in Italy from Morocco, their transport paid for by a farmers' association in the eastern region of Abruzzo.

For Codrea, it is not difficult work among Hofstaetter's family vines in the Adige Valley, with the sound of the birds, and views of the mountains and a nearby church steeple.

'We're used to the work. I like the work, I work with pleasure,' she said.

Pictured: Ana Maria Berinde, one of the Romanian seasonal workers to have been flown in by vineyard owner Hofstaetter, wears a protective face mask while tending to the vines

Hofstaetter said that 'the Italians disappear after a few days' of the back-breaking work, and that he is very happy with the skill and dedication of the Romanian workers he hires

Hofstaetter's (pictured right talking to one of his colleagues) wines include the famous white varieties of Italy's northeast

Italy was hit particularly hard by coronavirus, and was the European epicentre of the disease in its early stages. It has since reported 231,732 cases of Covid-19 and 33,142 related deaths.

The country has been steadily easing its lockdown in recent weeks.

Hotels in Italy are set to reopen next week with reduced capacity and a two-metre distance policy, with restaurants and bars having already reopened on May 18 with tables being spaced two metres apart.

Beaches are mostly open, with umbrellas set at five metres apart to ensure social distancing measures are followed.

Flights in and out of Italy are set to resume from June 3 when travel between regions will also be permitted. Quarantine is also set to be lifted on June 3.

However, the Italian government's website says that movements may still be restricted in specific regions depending on the individual risk of the virus spreading further.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: Weeks after Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel in the Russia investigation, Roger Stone, a confidant of President Donald Trump, reassured WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in a Twitter message that if prosecutors came after him, I will bring down the entire house of cards," according to FBI documents made public Tuesday.

The records reveal the extent of communications between Stone and Assange, whose anti-secrecy website published Democratic emails hacked by Russians during the 2016 presidential election, and underscore efforts by Trump allies to gain insight about the release of information they expected would embarrass Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

The documents  FBI affidavits submitted to obtain search warrants in the criminal investigation into Stone  were released following a court case brought by The Associated Press and other media organizations.

They were made public as Stone, convicted last year in Mueller's investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, awaits a date to surrender to a federal prison system that has grappled with outbreaks of the coronavirus.

In a June 2017 Twitter direct message cited in the records, Stone reassured Assange that the issue was still nonsense and said as a journalist it doesn't matter where you get information only that it is accurate and authentic."

He cited as an example the 1971 Supreme Court ruling that facilitated the publishing by newspapers of the Pentagon Papers, classified government documents about the Vietnam War.

If the US government moves on you I will bring down the entire house of cards," Stone wrote, according to a transcript of the message cited in the search warrant affidavit. With the trumped-up sexual assault charges dropped I don't know of any crime you need to be pardoned for  best regards. R."

Stone was likely referring to a sexual assault investigation dropped by Swedish authorities. Assange, who at the time was holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, was charged last year with a series of crimes by the U.S. Justice Department, including Espionage Act violations for allegedly directing former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in one of the largest compromises of classified information in U.S. history.

According to the documents, Assange, who is imprisoned in London and is fighting his extradition to the United States, responded to Stone's 2017 Twitter message by saying: Between CIA and DoJ they're doing quite a lot. On the DoJ side that's coming most strongly from those obsessed with taking down Trump trying to squeeze us into a deal."

Stone replied that he was doing everything possible to address the issues at the highest level of Government.

The records illustrate the Trump campaign's curiosity about what information WikiLeaks was going to make public. Former White House adviser Steve Bannon told Mueller's team under questioning that he had asked Stone about WikiLeaks because he had heard that Stone had a channel to Assange, and he was hoping for more releases of damaging information.

Muellers investigation identified significant contact during the 2016 campaign between Trump associates and Russians, but did not allege a criminal conspiracy to tip the outcome of the presidential election.

In a statement Tuesday, Stone acknowledged that the search warrant affidavits contain private communication, but insisted that they prove no crimes.

I have no trepidation about their release as they confirm there was no illegal activity and certainly no Russian collusion by me during the 2016 Election," Stone said. There is, to this day, no evidence that I had or knew about the source or content of the Wikileaks disclosures prior to their public release."

Stone was among six associates of Trump charged in Mueller's investigation. He was convicted last year of lying to House lawmakers, tampering with a witness and obstructing Congress' own Russia probe.

A judge in February sentenced Stone to 40 months in prison in a case that exposed fissures inside the Justice Department  the entire trial team quit the case amid a dispute over the recommended punishment  and between Trump and Attorney General William Barr, who said the president's tweets about ongoing cases made his job impossible."
Julio Cortez / Associated Press

The city of Oakland is preparing for an organized protest Friday night over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis police custody Tuesday after an officer knelt on his neck pinning him to the ground.

The protest is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza outside City Hall. In an email to community members, the city said the Oakland Police Department has increased staffing to facilitate freedom of speech, while also maintaining public safety.
Blog Archive June 2021 (1) May 2021 (77) April 2021 (77) March 2021 (82) February 2021 (68) January 2021 (64) December 2020 (67) November 2020 (66) October 2020 (66) September 2020 (67) August 2020 (74) July 2020 (83) June 2020 (92) May 2020 (86) April 2020 (104) March 2020 (105) February 2020 (74) January 2020 (75) December 2019 (75) November 2019 (70) October 2019 (89) September 2019 (69) August 2019 (81) July 2019 (77) June 2019 (73) May 2019 (110) April 2019 (110) March 2019 (102) February 2019 (85) January 2019 (123) December 2018 (116) November 2018 (112) October 2018 (121) September 2018 (107) August 2018 (150) July 2018 (163) June 2018 (190) May 2018 (145) April 2018 (112) March 2018 (124) February 2018 (113) January 2018 (164) December 2017 (150) November 2017 (144) October 2017 (169) September 2017 (171) August 2017 (135) July 2017 (131) June 2017 (147) May 2017 (160) April 2017 (138) March 2017 (156) February 2017 (143) January 2017 (203) December 2016 (208) November 2016 (185) October 2016 (173) September 2016 (194) August 2016 (232) July 2016 (225) June 2016 (238) May 2016 (231) April 2016 (215) March 2016 (246) February 2016 (226) January 2016 (252) December 2015 (230) November 2015 (250) October 2015 (234) September 2015 (222) August 2015 (253) July 2015 (275) June 2015 (279) May 2015 (223) April 2015 (226) March 2015 (243) February 2015 (258) January 2015 (281) December 2014 (292) November 2014 (296) October 2014 (413) September 2014 (472) August 2014 (506) July 2014 (483) June 2014 (488) May 2014 (512) April 2014 (497) March 2014 (531) February 2014 (482) January 2014 (535) December 2013 (482) November 2013 (441) October 2013 (416) September 2013 (491) August 2013 (521) July 2013 (491) June 2013 (470) May 2013 (457) April 2013 (426) March 2013 (420) February 2013 (414) January 2013 (489) December 2012 (433) November 2012 (504) October 2012 (469) September 2012 (430) August 2012 (427) July 2012 (360) June 2012 (336) May 2012 (362) April 2012 (322) March 2012 (263) February 2012 (224) January 2012 (291) December 2011 (295) November 2011 (325) October 2011 (330) September 2011 (319) August 2011 (333) July 2011 (318) June 2011 (387) May 2011 (373) April 2011 (389) March 2011 (375) February 2011 (335) January 2011 (400) December 2010 (445) November 2010 (395) October 2010 (312) September 2010 (262) August 2010 (277) July 2010 (323) June 2010 (386) May 2010 (360) April 2010 (333) March 2010 (351) February 2010 (336) January 2010 (384) December 2009 (353) November 2009 (300) October 2009 (308) September 2009 (350) August 2009 (298) July 2009 (255) June 2009 (203) May 2009 (193) April 2009 (186) March 2009 (197) February 2009 (173) January 2009 (148) December 2008 (181) November 2008 (197) October 2008 (236) September 2008 (304) August 2008 (314) July 2008 (273) June 2008 (27) May 2008 (1) April 2008 (6) October 2007 (1) May 2007 (1) April 2007 (6) March 2007 (2) February 2007 (1) October 2006 (1) September 2006 (1) August 2006 (4) July 2006 (4) June 2006 (1) July 2005 (1) May 2005 (2) March 2005 (1) June 2004 (2) May 2004 (1) April 2004 (4) March 2004 (2) February 2004 (2) July 2003 (2) June 2003 (5)
Rami Makhlouf has announced that he will move his stocks in Syrian banks to the Ramak Development and Humanitarian Projects, so that they might help the people reports Smart News.

The Syrian businessman, Rami Makhlouf, maternal cousin of Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, said that he started transferring his stock ownership in Syrian banks to his association, Ramak Development and Humanitarian Projects.

On Thursday, and on his official Facebook account, Makhlouf added that he will present all documents about the transference of his stocks to Ramak, saying that these stocks will become an inalienable charitable endowment under Islamic law.

Makhlouf said that by this process he returned money to the people, as every sale or profit from these stocks will return to good deeds.

On May 20, 2020, the Clearing and Central depository center decided to fix provisional stock-seizure on all shares deposited with the center in accordance with the decision issued by the Syrian governments Ministry of Finance.

On May 19, 2020, the Syrian government seized the assets of Makhlouf, his wife, and children.

On Monday, the Syrian governments Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (SYTRA) accused Rami Makhlouf of failing to pay outstanding amounts when renewing his license as the head of the Syriatel Mobile Network Provider Companys board.

Makhlouf responded to the authority on his Facebook account, denying that he refused to pay the funds. Makhlouf said that Syriatel submitted a note to the authority, that is registered in its Diwan, Number 4,777 on May 10, 2020. The note explained that Syriatel is ready to pay the due funds, asking the authority to specify the sum of the first payment, other payments, and the interest payments.

Makhlouf published a video on his Facebook account saying that certain parties from the Syrian government security forces are threatening him with imprisonment if he did not relinquish his company, adding that he was asked to pay 50 percent of the companys capital (about 120 percent of the profit) or the companys assets will be seized.

SYTRA issued a statement on May 2, 2020, in which it responded to the accusations of Makhlouf. The statement said that it set a deadline of May 5, 2020, as the companies agreed to negotiate a mechanism to pay an amount of 233.8 billion Syrian pounds for the fees of initial licensing allowance, confirming that the sums to be paid by the company are sums due to the government.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Screenshot from the twitter account of Chinese Embassy in Pakistan [Image provided to China.org.cn]

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on globally, children from 17 primary and junior high schools in Beijing have written a total of 85 encouraging letters to their peers in coronavirus-stricken countries including Japan, South Korea, Iran, Pakistan, Hungary, Greece, Italy and France.

Incorporated into short videos with sand painting images, these letters are being transmitted by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF) and spread on the social media via the accounts of the related embassies to show the care and concern of Chinese youth for their peers affected by the pandemic and extend good wishes for a return to normality.

"I was deeply moved when I read about the news of Pakistan's sincere assistance to China. After the pandemic hit Pakistan, we sent a team of medical staff and supplies to your country. I feel pride that we can help our friend," a pupil from Beijing Huiwen No.1 primary school wrote to Pakistani counterparts. "I was wondering how's it going with primary school students in Pakistan? I hope you can protect yourselves."

Currently, these video letters, each garnering tens of thousands of views and comments on twitter, have received positive responses from teenagers, netizens or the embassies of many countries.

Pakistani netizens, commenting on the letter, responded that, "we are grateful for your support and care", "a letter filled with love" and "children are our future and we hope the friendship will be passed on forever through them."

"My mum read the message you sent to me, thank you very much," Japanese girl Yoshie Yoshinaga said in a video recorded in response to the letter sent by pupils of Beijing's Chuiyangliu central primary school. "I became a first-grade student this April, but I have only been to school once so far. I hope that COVID-19 pandemic will be over soon, so I can go back to school."

Mate Imre Pesti, Hungary's ambassador to China, wrote letters in reply to Beijing Xinghuo primary school students and the CSCLF, expressing his gratitude for the helpful and caring attitude of Chinese pupils. He hoped that Hungarian children can learn to care for those in need and the spirit of cooperation through the video.

This event is part of a series of activities, co-sponsored by the CSCLF and China Public Diplomacy Association, and organized by the CSCLF Science and Culture Center for Young People, to encourage exchanges among young people around the world and the joint efforts to control COVID-19.
JEFFERSON CITY  A tight state budget and the ongoing global pandemic have put the future of passenger rail service in Missouri in limbo.

On March 29, Amtrak temporarily eliminated one of the two daily trains on the Missouri River Runner route to reflect a drop in ridership due to the coronavirus.

Amtrak has not made a decision on how long the reduced service will last.

We do not have a timeline yet for the restoration of a second Missouri River Runner round trip. We are monitoring current customer demand, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said.

Even if the nations passenger rail company wants to add back the second train, the state may not be able to afford it.

Earlier this month, the Republican-led Legislature approved a budget containing $8 million in funding to pay for the route.

That was down from the $9.1 million thats been earmarked for the trains since 2017.

And, it is far short of the $11.6 million Amtrak charges for twice daily service on the 283-mile-long route.

The state owes Amtrak at least $6.5 million in unpaid bills and Amtrak is charging 12% interest on the past due amount.

In March, Missouri Department of Transportation Director Patrick McKenna warned that Amtrak could reduce its service in Missouri if the state doesnt start paying its bills.

You generally dont continue to get services you dont pay for, he told lawmakers during a budget hearing.

McKenna also warned that the state could end up owing an additional $36 million if it stops funding the line because of an agreement it made in 2014 to accept $50 million in federal funding for station improvements.

In exchange for that funding, the state agreed to keep the line operating for 20 years.

A spokesman for MoDOT said officials are declining to comment on what might come next because Parson hasnt taken action on the spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

Magliari also said Amtrak is awaiting Parsons decision.

The governor, a Republican, has already said he plans to cut money from the budget to reflect a downturn in the economy that has ravaged state tax revenue.

Amtraks woes in Missouri are not isolated.

The company has requested $1.5 billion in additional funding from Congress to maintain minimum service levels during the pandemic.

The company also is laying off about 3,700 workers, representing about 20% of its staff.

Amtrak also has reduced service between St. Louis and Chicago. Rather than five trains each day, there are three.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
ConsumerAffairs is not a government agency. Companies displayed may pay us to be Authorized or when you click a link, call a number or fill a form on our site. Our content is intended to be used for general information purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment based on your own personal circumstances and consult with your own investment, financial, tax and legal advisers.

Company NMLS Identifier #2110672

Copyright  2021 Consumers Unified LLC. All Rights Reserved. The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 16:56:41|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Russia confirmed 8,572 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, raising its total number of infections to 387,623, its coronavirus response center said in a statement Friday.

The death toll increased by a daily record of 232 to 4,374, while 159,257 people have recovered, including 8,264 over the last 24 hours, according to the statement.

Moscow, the country's worst-hit region, confirmed 2,332 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking its total to 175,829.

As of Thursday, 305,061 people were under medical observation, Russia's consumer rights and human well-being watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said in a statement Friday.

More than 10 million lab tests for COVID-19 have been conducted across the country so far, it added.

Experts believe that Russia has passed the peak of the pandemic, with some regions easing self-isolation regulations.

The Moscow Region no longer requires the use of electronic passes for travel around the region, though the city of Moscow itself will keep them until at least June 14.

On Thursday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said temporary hospitals created in the city for coronavirus patients will be mothballed in case infections rebound. Enditem
HELSINKI (dpa-AFX) - Finland's trade deficit widened more than initially estimated in March, final figures from the Finnish Customs showed on Friday. The trade deficit increased to EUR 336 million in March from EUR 119 million in the same month last year. According to the initial estimate trade deficit was EUR 270 million. Exports dropped 8.8 percent year-on-year in March, as estimated. Imports fell 4.8 percent annually in March. In the initial estimate, imports declined 6.1 percent. Exports to the EU countries decreased 5.8 percent in March. According to the initial estimate exports fell 6.0 percent. Imports from EU countries fell 0.1 percent in March. In the initial estimate, imports declined 2.0 percent. Shipments to countries outside the EU decreased 12.5 percent and imports from them declined 11.3 percent in March. For the January-March period, the trade deficit was EUR 1.4 billion versus a surplus of EUR 273 million from a year ago. In the initial estimate, the trade deficit was EUR 1.3 billion. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Even as the coronavirus wreaks havoc on the U.S. economy, we are not alone in feeling the ripple effects of a pandemic. Countries around the world are witnessing economic contractionsand China is chief among them.

Simply put, the Chinese economy is reeling. For the first time in decades, the Chinese government has not set a growth target for its economy. At the same time, Chinas communist government recently pledged $500 billion in extra stimulus measures, in hope of creating nine million new jobs. That reeks of desperation.

On the surface, Chinas struggles may seem inseparable from the COVID-19 pandemic. But, dig even deeper, and the Chinese economy had been reeling long before the coronavirus emerged in Wuhan. Last year, Chinas economy grew at its slowest pace in nearly 30 years, with industrial output and retail sales losing their luster.

Its also impossible to discount President Trumps trade agenda, which aims to rejuvenate American manufacturing output and restore millions of lost jobs. While previous U.S. administrations were bowing to Chinese demands, President Trump was warning us about the risks to our national security of having China be the worlds leading manufacturer. Since he announced his presidential campaign in 2015, President Trump has criticized the Chinese government for its unfair trade practices, claiming that U.S. officials are playing checkers while the Chinese play chess.

And, while in office, President Trump has turned rhetoric into action, negotiating a new U.S.-China trade deal that actually benefits American manufacturers. Earlier this year, the White House reached a phase one trade agreement with China, with the Chinese vowing to buy an additional $200 billion worth of U.S. goods and services in 2020 and 2021. Even more recently, the Chinese government announced new tariff waivers for nearly 80 U.S. products, aiding those American companies (read: those American workers) that make them.

But, at the same time, President Trump continues to play hardball with the Chinese government. Rather than catering to Chinese interests like the Obama administration did, the Trump administration remains open to killing the U.S.-China trade deal if the Chinese government doesnt abide by the rules.

Similarly, President Trump is just as open to imposing new tariffs on Chinese exports because of the countrys mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic in its early stages. In his words: They could have easily stopped the plague, but they didnt.

Trumpian hardball is rattling Chinas Communist Party. Last year, Chinese shipments to the United States dropped by more than 20 percent, opening the door for U.S. companies to fill the void. Moreover, President Trumps adversarial tone is also forcing the Chinese government to rethink its entire economic system: Chinas latest five-year plan is weighing the risk of decoupling from the United States, hinting at an economic model that is less export-based. By undermining Chinese exporters, the Trump administration is urging American manufacturers to innovate, empowering the Made in the USA renaissance, and shifting trade in Americas favor.

Just this week, the Trump administration pledged to welcome back any U.S. company on the Chinese mainland or in Hong Kong by paying the full cost of moving home. When the supply chain comes back to America, its our national security and the American worker who benefitsand President Trump knows it.

What President Trump has shown is that he listens to the electorate. He is addressing the concerns of everyday Americans, who understand the threat that China posesin terms of public health and economic activity. Throughout his leadership, President Trump is acting on his mandate. It is the same mandate that got him elected, and will re-elect him again.

But, most importantly, President Trumps America First policies are working. China has seen better days, while America's best days are ahead.
According to the agency, the hacking activity is tied directly to a specific unit within Russias Main Intelligence Directorate

Russia conducts another hacking campaign Open source

The U.S. National Security Agency warned government partners and private companies about an ongoing Russian hacking campaign that targets the operating systems often used by industrial firms to manage computer infrastructure, Reuters reports.

This is a vulnerability that is being actively exploited, thats why were bringing this notification out. We really want the broader cybersecurity community to take this seriously, Doug Cress, chief of the cybersecurity collaboration center and directorate at NSA, stated.

The agency said the hacking activity was tied directly to a specific unit within Russias Main Intelligence Directorate. That unit was called out by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for conducting a cyberattack against Georgia.

As we reported earlier, Ukraine expressed its solidarity with Georgia in condemning Russia's cyber attacks.

"Russia has once again demonstrated its disregard for the rules and principles of international law. Ukraine remains unfaltering in supporting Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders," the message reads.
Center for Ethical Governance and Administration (CEGA) has called on President Akufo-Addo not to ease restriction as the number of Coronavirus cases has surged to over 7000.



According to CEGA, government should rather lockdown the entire country completely and comprehensively for 10 days and use the period to conduct mass or random testing in order to substantially contain the disease before any consideration.



In a press statement, CEGA stated that In this regard, we urge the President and all state institutions including the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the National Identification Authority not to be motivated by any non-health considerations to undertake any mass gathering activities to recklessly jeopardize the lives of Ghanaians.



We call on His Excellency the President to rather lock down the entire country completely and comprehensively for 10 days and use the period to conduct mass or random testing in order to substantially contain the disease before any consideration can be given to ease the restrictions on social or physical distancing and other hygienic protocols meant to protect the lives of Ghanaians.



Below is the full statement



CENTER FOR ETHICAL GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION (CEGA)



WORDS OF CAUTION TO PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO ON COVID-19

FROM CEGA



In a few days time, the President of the Republic and Commander In Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, President Akufo-Addo will address the nation on his policy direction on Covid-19 situation in Ghana.



So far there are mixed apprehensions among sections of the Ghanaian society on whether or not the President should take the unchartered course of easing the restrictions imposed under Executive Instruments including easing the ban on social and political gatherings.



Undoubtedly, these measures were suprisingly implemented without serious official commitment to enforcement. And the measures appear not to have been able to contain and or prevent the vertical spread of the pandemic in Ghana.



Strangely enough, and in the midst of rising number of cases of the pandemic, various interest groups such as Religious organisations, Educational institutions and business communities were mounting pressure on His Excellency the President to ease the restrictions.



These parochial interest groups have adduced one reason or the other as to why the President should look towards the direction of easing the social and political restrictions currently in force.



On one extreme and worrisome end is the immense political pressure being mounted by the President's own political party, the NPP to ease the restrictions in order to afford them the opportunity to conduct their primaries to elect their parliamentary candidates, and go to Congress to confirm the President and his Vice President for the Party's 2020 ticket.



In the midst of all these contending and confusing interests is the vexed question of the restrictions being eased to enable the National Identification Authority (NIA) to proceed to the Eastern Region to continue with the registration of people for the issuance of ECOWAS Identity Card.



As these apparent parochial interests play up, there has not been any due cognisance of the rising numbers of positive cases in the fast spreading Covid-19 epidemic in the country.



At the time of going to Press on 29th May, 2020, Ghana has recorded 7,616 Covid-19 infection cases.



Given the ferocious nature of the spread of this deadly pandemic, the CEGA strongly urges the Pressident to err on the side of caution and be mindful of the fact that the lives of over 30million Ghanaians depend on what decisions he takes and announces on his next address to the nation.



The President has often been quoted as saying "we can bring our economy back but we cannot bring back lost lives"



During the recent Heads of State Virtual Summit on the pandemic, His Excellency the President is on record to have profoundly advised his fellow heads of state not to be swayed to follow examples of other countries, but rather to take decisions based on their own country specific conditions and circumstances.



Given our soaring number of the epidemic, in addition to the position taken by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and other health professionals and experts against easing of restrictions, the CEGA is of the strongest view that easing the restrictions under the EI 64 will not be in the best interest of the people in the country.



In this regard, we urge the President and all state institutions including the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the National Identification Authority not to be motivated by any non-health considerations to undertake any mass gathering activities to recklessly jeopardize the lives of Ghanaians.



We call on His Excellency the President to rather lock down the entire country completely and comprehensively for 10 days and use the period to conduct mass or random testing in order to substantially contain the disease before any consideration can be given to ease the restrictions on social or physical distancing and other hygienic protocols meant to protect the lives of Ghanaians.



We advice this, because any other decision to the contrary will amount to reckless disregard for the lives of Ghanaians.



Ghanaian lives must matter more to the President and all than Ghanaian votes.



Signed:

Dr. Pius Essandoh

Director of Health

0246141460

Mike Aflu

0500349077

Mark Takyi-Banson

0556532767

Source: ghanaweb









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
HARRISBURG  A bitter partisan fight over a Pennsylvania lawmaker's decision to wait a week before disclosing his COVID-19 diagnosis spread to the House floor Thursday, and the state attorney general declined to investigate.

A day after Republican Rep. Andrew Lewis' announcement through a news release that he had self-isolated and recovered from the illness that has killed at least 100,000 people in the U.S., Democrats expressed anger and demanded changes that would require masks on the floor and in committee meetings.

The Legislature has continued to meet during the pandemic under rules that permit lawmakers to vote from home or from their Capitol offices, or to vote in person. Lewis, from a Harrisburg-area district, said he was tested two weeks ago, learned the results last week and stayed quiet out of respect for others in his circle.

Rep. Brian Sims, a Philadelphia Democrat who put an emotional video on social media after Lewis made his announcement, said in floor remarks Thursday that the decision to keep the positive test a secret put others at risk.

Sims discounted House Republicans' response, which has led at least two members to self-isolate because they sit near Lewis in the chamber.

To pretend that a member here coming to session only interacts with one, two, three people, thats ridiculous, we all know better, Sims said.

Sims said House Speaker Mike Turzai, a Republican from north of Pittsburgh, should resign.

Turzai said that he had been unaware of Lewis' diagnosis and that as for himself, he would disclose if he became infected.

We are not using this facility to make those kind of statements, Turzai said, scolding Sims for calling him by his first and last names only. My title is speaker.

Rep. Rob Matzie, a Democrat also from north of Pittsburgh, said lawmakers are held to higher standards than the general public and should all disclose if they test positive for the COVID-19 virus.

I have to believe that if Ben Franklin had COVID-19, he'd tell everyone, Matzie said, invoking the name of a Pennsylvania hero.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For older adults, people with existing health problems and some others, it can cause severe illness and death.

Lewis said he had a fever for a day and a brief cough but has fully recovered.

The majority-holding Republicans defeated a Democratic proposal to adjourn for more than a week to make time to change the policy on illness disclosures.

I recognize that theres a lot of concern, but I think that individuals are also confusing contact with a positive individual versus someone who has been put in quarantine because of their contact with an individual, Majority Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, said.

House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, a Pittsburgh-area Democrat, proposed requiring face masks on the floor and during committee meetings, and to require disclosure of a positive test to leaders of both parties. It was not immediately acted upon as Dermody had requested.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro declined requests by fellow Democrats to criminally investigate how Lewis' diagnosis was handled. Shapiro released a statement urging lawmakers to demonstrate common decency."

While I understand their frustration and concern, a criminal investigation is not warranted based on our initial review, Shapiro said. Capitol staff and state House members with concerns about COVID-19 contact tracing and exposure should contact the independent chief clerk of the state House and continue to follow the guidance of the secretary of health.

Lewis' news release said that other members and staff had also isolated. He has not responded to messages seeking comment.

Leaders and GOP administrators followed state and federal guidelines and respected individuals' health privacy rights, said Mike Straub, spokesperson for the Republican caucus.

After Lewis tested positive, there was an effort to determine whom he had been in close contact with on May 14, his most recent day in the Capitol. House Republican human resources officials notified people who had been within 6 feet of him for about 10 minutes, and all of them subsequently isolated themselves, Straub said.

Todays 14 days, and the folks that were aware of that have been self-quarantined have not shown any symptoms, Straub said.

Aides and other staff members have been told to wear masks in the Capitol's public spaces, but that requirement does not apply to elected representatives.

House Democrats are doing their own contact tracing, trying to determine who might have been near Lewis and others who have self-isolated, spokesperson Bill Patton said.

Two Republicans from Lebanon County, Reps. Russ Diamond and Frank Ryan, have said they were told of Lewis' positive test result.

From the moment I was notified I self-quarantined and was given a list of the symptoms to look for, and procedures to follow in event of illness, Ryan wrote on Facebook. He has not experienced symptoms, he said.

Diamond, who sits near Lewis and Ryan, said he has experienced no symptoms and has not been tested.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
President Donald Trump with Attorney General William Barr, make remarks before signing an executive order in the Oval Office that will punish Facebook, Google and Twitter for the way they police content online: Doug Mills/The New York Times

Twitter has added an unprecedented warning to a Trump tweet, warning users that the post "glorifies violence".

The message was added to a post in which Mr Trump seemed to threatened that people protesting against the death of an unarmed black man in custody could be shot.

"This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence," the message reads. "However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible."

The decision comes as Mr Trump signed a new executive order on social networks. Mr Trump's announcement that social media companies would be more strictly regulated came after Twitter placed a different warning on another of his posts, which fact-checked the claim that mail-in voting would lead to widespread fraud.

Adding the warning is likely to cause yet more animosity between Twitter and Mr Trump, who has ramped up his attacks on the social network since the fact-checking messages were displayed.

It is the first time that Twitter has applied such a warning to the president's tweets. Twitter has said in the past that other potentially violent tweets  such as posts appearing to threaten North Korea with nuclear war  would stay visible on the site becuase they are "newsworthy", despite the fact they would otherwise be judged to have broken the sites rules.

As well as showing a message above the tweet whenever it appears in a users' feed, the decision means that people will not be able to reply or retweet the post.

"We have placed a public interest notice on this Tweet from Donald Trump," Twitter said in a post on its official feed.

"This Tweet violates our policies regarding the glorification of violence based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today.

"We've taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts, but have kept the Tweet on Twitter because it is important that the public still be able to see the Tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance.

Story continues

"As is standard with this notice, engagements with the Tweet will be limited. People will be able to Retweet with Comment, but will not be able to Like, Reply or Retweet it."

Twitter's thread was retweeted by chief executive Jack Dorsey, who is reported to have been consulted on the plan to add the warning before it happened.

Mr Trump's original post had used the phrase "the shooting starts" and made repeated references to the military, appearing to suggest that protesters could be shot if they continued to protest.

"I cant stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right," he wrote.

"These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

Protests first erupted on Tuesday, a day after George Floyd's death in a confrontation with police which was captured on a widely seen video.

On the footage, Mr Floyd can be seen pleading as Officer Derek Chauvin presses his knee against him.

As minutes pass, Mr Floyd slowly stops talking and moving. The 3rd Precinct covers the portion of south Minneapolis where Mr Floyd was arrested.

Minnesota governor Tim Walz earlier activated the US National Guard at the Minneapolis mayor's request, but it was not immediately clear when and where the Guard was being deployed, and none could be seen during protests in Minneapolis or neighbouring St Paul.

The Guard tweeted minutes after the precinct burned that it had activated more than 500 soldiers across the metro area.

The National Guard said a "key objective" was to make sure fire departments could respond to calls, and said in a follow-up tweet it was "here with the Minneapolis Fire Department" to assist.

But no move was made to put out the 3rd Precinct fire. Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Tyner said fire crews could not safely respond to fires at the precinct station and some surrounding buildings.

Earlier on Thursday, dozens of businesses across the Twin Cities boarded up their windows and doors in an effort to prevent looting, with Minneapolis-based Target announcing it was temporarily closing two dozen nearby stores.

Additional reporting by agencies

Read more

Trump signs order for federal officials to target social media giants
As we prepare for the weekend and a new month, I want to take this opportunity to remind each and every one that the COVID-19 pandemic is real. We must continue to take responsibility for our individual and collective safety.



How do you stay safe? Avoid crowded places and wash your hands regularly, with soap and under running water. As infections continue to rise, there appears to be a relaxation among many people when it comes to keeping to the protocols, even in shopping centres, markets and other heavy human traffic locations. Lets continue to take the necessary precautions and stay safe.



Even when you are just two or three people seated, please ensure that there is enough physical distancing between you. Do not touch commonly used surfaces and when you do, sanitize your hands or wash them. But more importantly is the wearing of face masks anytime you decide to step out.



Ensure that the next person sitting away from you, or talking to you is wearing a mask too. For those who have re-usable masks, remember to soak and wash them in soapy water and press with a hot iron every day.



As of this morning, 29th May, 2020, the number of confirmed positive cases stands at 7,362, with 32 deaths. While the 2,412 total recoveries is welcome news, it is also evident from the latest data that the virus is still spreading, and across the country.



Reports that the virus has spread to the Chamber and offices of Parliament is very disturbing. It adds to the urgency of the situation we face as a country, and while it is important to give hope to citizens it is absolutely necessary to be transparent and communicate the full picture of the extent of the disease.



Government has unfortunately not managed public education on coronavirus efficiently, while the latest communication creates the false impression that all is well with the management and spread of the disease. The advice from the President and other government officials that we should begin to learn to live with the disease suggests that you and I must take our destiny into our own hands as far as COVID-19 is concerned.



This is coming at a time that public education on the disease has dwindled to the extent that observance of hygiene and distancing protocols, as I indicated earlier, appear to be waning.



The benefit of wearing face masks at this time is obvious, and I reiterate my call on government to utilize some of the funds from the Stabilization Fund and the IMF to enhance local production and free distribution of re-usable face masks to especially vulnerable communities and groups.



These funds voted by parliament are meant primarily to be used to contain the spread of the virus and the free distribution of masks is essential at this time.



The absence of an effective mass education programme has contributed to the avoidable stigmatization of our brothers and sisters who have recovered from the infection. I invite all of you fellow citizens to join me in celebrating all who have recovered from the disease and I urge our traditional, community and faith leaders to assist the authorities in reintegrating them with their families.



Government's refusal to involve traditional rulers and Assembly members in the education and management of the disease has been a big gap in our National Response Plan.



Government must set aside some funds to assist those who have lost their means of livelihood and places of abode as a result of stigmatization.



Meanwhile, in the face of the imminent easing of restrictions, let me repeat the call on government to consider conducting mass testing, at least, at the point of need. What it means is that for instance all students, teachers, and ancillary staff returning to school or church attendants, following the easing of restrictions, should undergo a mandatory COVID-19 test as a safety precaution.



Government has accumulated enough resources in the name of COVID-19 to be able to fund a mass testing, even if it has to rely on private laboratories; for the sake of the life and health of Ghanaians.



I must indicate here my support for the position of the various teacher unions and parents who have spoken and cautioned against the hasty reopening of schools. Government must pay close attention and take into consideration, the concerns of the various unions and parents.



Finally, as I have always said, any decision taken by government to ease restrictions must be based on the utmost respect for human life and the science of the disease we are dealing with.



Decisions based on false premises will have grave consequences for us all, Ghanaians.



My party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), congratulates once again, all our health workers, still at the frontline of the fight against the coronavirus. Ghanaians truly appreciate your sacrifices, and you can be assured that your commitment and sacrifice will never be forgotten.



Enjoy the weekend and God bless our homeland Ghana.



John Dramani Mahama

Cantonments- Accra

Friday, May 29, 2020.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The White House slammed Twitter for letting "terrorists" and "dictators" abuse the social media platform after the company put a notice on US President Donald Trumps tweet for glorifying violence. The White House, through its official Twitter handle, shared a tweet by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in which he had said that person killed in jihad will receive one of the two excellent things. The White House said that the tweet violated the rules against the glorification of violence but Twitter didnt flag it.

This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, @Twitter has determined that it will allow terrorists, dictators, and foreign propagandists to abuse its platform. pic.twitter.com/5Qi0m66Vnh  The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 29, 2020

'Shooting starts'

Earlier, Trump had tweeted on the ongoing protests in Minneapolis related to the death of a black man, George Floyd, who died after a white police officer kept pressing his knee against the victim's neck. The US President said that he has talked to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and military will take control in case of any difficulty, threatening that shooting will start if anyone tries to loot public property.

....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

Twitter immediately flagged the tweet for violating the rules of the micro-blogging platform about glorifying violence and said that it has taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts. However, it decided not to remove the tweet saying it is important that the public still be able to see the Tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance.

The US President has accused Twitter, which has already banned political ads, of meddling in the presidential polls and said that the micro-blogging site is doing everything in power to censor the elections in advance. Trump also signed an executive order targeting social media companies after the fact-check controversy.

Read: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Takes A Dig At Trump And Zuckerberg Over Twitter Fact-check Row
A traffic officer in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa stands accused of organizing a drug related party, alongside six other culprits.

Thanh Hoa police announced the probe and detainment of the suspects for four months based on the accusation they facilitated illegal use of narcotic substances Thursday.

Hoang Van Dong, 37, was identified as the kingpin; his accomplices being 34-year-old former traffic lieutenant Nguyen Tat Thang and five others.

On May 21, police raided a villa in Sam Son Town and found 16 people under the influence of drugs. Thang and 13 others subsequently tested positive for heroin.

Dong said on May 20, he bought eight ecstasy pills and invited his friends to the villa to bid him farewell before embarking on a sentence for a crime he committed prior to the party.

Each year around 1,600 people die of drug overdoses in Vietnam. Around $93.7 million is spent on buying drugs and $44.6 million on running rehab facilities.
New Delhi, May 29 : Locust Control Offices (LCOs) on Friday conducted control operations at 15 locations in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the Union Agriculture Ministry said, adding that no crop loss was reported.

Locust control operations were conducted at 10 locations in districts of Jaipur, Dausa, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Barmer, Chittorgarh, Sri Ganganagar (Rajasthan) and Niwari and Shivpuri (Madhya Pradesh).

Besides, the Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Department also undertook control operations at 5 locations, one each in the Satna, Balaghat, Niwari, Raisen and Shivpuri districts.

As on May 28, a total of 377 spots covering 53,997 hectares have been covered since locust control operations started from April 11, the Ministry said in a statement.

Locust operations have been conducted in 11 districts of Rajasthan, 24 of Madhya Pradesh, three in Maharashtra, two each in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh and one in Punjab.

Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare Secretary, Sanjay Agarwal on Friday organised a meeting, via video conference, with the Principal Secretary, Agriculture, of all the states and UTs, said the statement.

All the states and UTs were informed about the latest status and control of locust attack and an an advisory was issued in respect of locusts to all the states/UTs.

A letter was issued on Wednesday by the Union Home Secretary to the Chief Secretaries of all the states/UTs giving necessary instructions to streamline the inter-state movement facility for the personnel engaged in locust control works.

The MHA has included hiring of vehicles/tractors with spray equipment for spraying of plant protection chemicals for pest control, hiring of water tankers, and purchase of plant protection chemicals for locust control in this and the norms related to the quantum of assistance will be limited to the actual expenditure incurred on these items. However, expenditure should not exceed 25 per cent of SDRF allocation for the year, said the statement.

As per FAOs Locust Status Bulletin of May 27, several successive waves of invasions can be expected until July in Rajasthan with eastward surges across northern India as far as Bihar and Odisha, followed by westward movements and a return to Rajasthan on the changing winds associated with the monsoon. These movements will cease as swarms begin to breed and become less mobile. Swarms are less likely to reach south India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that takes away legal protections enjoyed by social media platforms. Trump's move comes a day after he threatened to close down social media platforms after Twitter alerted users to fact-check his 'false claim' that Mail-In Ballots will lead to massive corruption and fraud. A statement issued by the White House Thursday said the President is taking 'New Action To Protect Americans' Rights To Free Speech On Social Media.' The order calls for the start of a regulatory process to clarify the scope of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to ensure social media companies that engage in deceptive or pretextual censorship will not receive liability protections 'when they act as editors of content on their platform or take down lawful speech based on politics'. The executive order instructs the Federal Trade Commission to prohibit social media companies from engaging in any deceptive acts or practices affecting commerce. Without naming Twitter, the anti-media President said the social media giants, based in the United States, had 'unchecked power' to censure and edit the views of users. Trump said that in a country that has long valued freedom of expression, it is not acceptable for a limited number of online platforms to hand-pick speech that Americans may access and convey. 'The idea that large, powerful social media companies have the ability to censor opinions with which they disagree is fundamentally un-American and anti-democratic,' according to him. Trump unfurled a long list of accusations targeting social media giants by naming them. Google, Facebook, and Twitter have all profited off the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to subjugate their people and spread misinformation around the world, he said. He accused online platforms of 'denigrating national discourse by disfavoring certain viewpoints', and 'simultaneously profiting from disinformation spread by foreign governments'. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Footage of the robbery from the surveillance footage: (The Daily Mail)

A paralysed, deaf and mute teenager in Brazil, allegedly attempted to rob a jewellery store, using a fake gun he aimed with his feet.

The incident took place on Monday afternoon, in Canela, Rio Grande Sul, according to the Daily Mail.

The 19-year-old initially placed a threatening note on the shops counter, using his feet, before he aimed a plastic gun at the stores owner.

The note from the suspect said that he has cerebral palsy and is unable to move his hands, and read: Hand over everything. Dont raise attention.

The incident was caught on CCTV and was shared to the public by the store owners.

The jewellery shop employee, seen in the video, said he had noticed the suspect had been in the store for around 10 minutes, before he handed over the note and brought out the fake gun.

He said a customer gave him money because he thought he was begging, then he pulled the gun out with his feet. That pistol looked real, he told Brazilian news outlet Metropoles.

The police then arrived and arrested the suspect, who was found in possession of a knife.

City delegate Vladimir Medeiros revealed that the suspect has been questioned and released from custody, but that the investigation was still ongoing.

Read more

20-year-old rapper Pop Smoke shot dead in home robbery
GREEN BAY, Wis., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ISG, a professional design and engineering firm that serves both diverse markets and vast geographies, recently expounded upon its progressive strength and business unit diversification by welcoming long-time telecommunications leader Dan Nelson, PE. Based out of the Green Bay office, Dan and his team will continue to advance connectivity and further support clients on a national level.

"Since ISG's geographical footprint expanded to Green Bay in 2016, there has been tremendous progression and development of staff and services the firm offers," states Mark Chambers, Principal, Senior Architect, and Green Bay Office Leader for ISG. "With the addition of Dan as the new telecommunications business unit leader, we are thrilled to see the growth and opportunity for our clients broaden upon the solid foundation of engineers and designers already established at ISG."

Dan and his team bring over 40 years of combined expertise to ISG in telecommunications, utility joint use, wireless, and professional engineering services. Their experience ranges from capital projects to maintenance work for clients across the upper Midwest, understanding the nuances and complexities of the process from assessment of the existing facilities to the permitting and installation of new infrastructure. Combining their telecommunications expertise with ISG's in-house resources strengthens the firm's ability to deliver connectivity to clients, communities, and each other.

"The current remote work environment and online education delivery highlights the need and anticipated continued investment in telecommunications, especially in rural areas," states Derek Johnson, Executive Vice President for ISG. "We are excited about the expanded service offerings for ISG's current client base and potential new clients that will bolster our firm's portfolio."

In addition to bringing value to ISG's current clients, the expertise in telecommunications allows the firm to provide additional services to its transportation and energy groups, further amplifying ISG's capacity to bring new service offerings to multiple business units and service areas. Dan has a passion for enhancing the unique attributes of each organization along with the constant evolution of the industry. This dedication provides him the opportunity to continually grow his own working knowledge and team, further adding value to the clients ISG serves.

Stay connected to other firm events and news by visiting ISG's newsroom .

About ISG

ISG, a 100 percent ESOP firm, has a rich history, which extends over 47 years, of building trusting relationships with clients, stakeholders, and the community. As a full-service architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning firm with nearly 300 professionals in offices throughout Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota, ISG provides exceptional services, strategies, and guidance to a wide range of markets nationwide. ISG fosters strong collaboration between all firm disciplines, providing clients a diverse knowledge base, high level of creativity, and broad perspective. ISG was named among the 100 fastest growing firms, best places to work for, and market excellence leader in the United States by Zweig Group , recognized as a Top 500 Design Firm by Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine, and has earned spots on numerous Top Workplace and project recognition lists. To learn more about ISG, visit ISGInc.com .

Contacts

Tanya Pierce, Director of Marketing, ISG

[email protected], 952.426.0699

SOURCE ISG

Related Links

https://www.isginc.com


Here is a selection of people starting new roles with companies and organisations with operations in Ireland, including Cornmarket, AMX, Oaklee Housing, Mondi, ESRI and Neuromod Devices.

Patrick Ryan has been appointed as group managing director with Cornmarket, one of Irelands largest insurance brokers specialising in financial services for public sector employees. He spent the past five years as director of Cornmarkets Life and Pensions division, and has a track record of delivering growth and business change. He takes up the MD role following the retirement of Roddy Murphy, who continues as company chair. Patrick brings 17 years of industry experience. He will lead the Cornmarket Group in Ireland and the UK as it continues to provide tailored financial support for public sector employees and affinity groups.

Tammy Yong has been appointed as head of legal with The Asset Management Exchange (AMX), an institutional platform for investors and asset managers, headquartered in London. She joins AMX from Aon, where she worked since 2013, most recently as chief counsel, for retirement and investment, EMEA. Tammy qualified as a solicitor in 2003 and has gained a breadth and depth of experience in a variety of roles in both private practice and in-house, including at the Bank of Ireland, Euroclear, Capita and IHS Markit. With AMX, she will report to Jonathan Greenwold, the firms head of legal, compliance and risk, and she will be based in London.

Kevin Alfred has been appointed as head of development with Oaklee Housing, an approved housing body established in 2000 to deliver high quality modern houses for older people, families, mature single people and people with complex needs. He joins the team from the National Asset Management Agency where he was a portfolio manager and senior property advisor with responsibility for a number of significant development land sales, joint venture and licence agreements as well as high-value shopping centre portfolio investment sales with a value of over 800m. He has more than 30 years of property experience to the role, primarily in Ireland and the UK.

Mike Powell has been named as incoming group chief financial officer with packaging and paper Mondi, the UK-based group which also has operations in Co Tipperary. He succeeds Andrew King, who was appointed as Mondis group CEO in April. He joins Mondi from Ferguson plc. He started his career in key roles with Pilkington, became chief financial officer at Nippon Sheet Glass and then AZ Electronic Materials, and group finance director at BBA Aviation. He has been on the board of Low & Bonar. He has a degree in Computer Science & Accounting from the University of Manchester. Mondis business includes forestry, pulp, paper and plastic films., to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions.

Sean ODriscoll, ex-chairman and CEO of Glen Dimplex Group and a former partner in KPMG, has been appointed to chair the council of the Economic and Social Research Institute, succeeding Padraig McManus, chair from 2016-20. The council is ESRIs overall governing body and acts as its board of directors. Mr ODriscoll joined the council of the ESRI in 2017. He is also a member of the Trilateral Commission and of the Ireland 2040 Delivery Board. He is a former director of AIB, former member of the National Competitiveness Council of Ireland and a former member of other government-appointed advisory groups.

Rosemarie Tully has been promoted to COO with Neuromod Devices, the Irish med-tech company which specialises in non-invasive neuromodulation technology. She was most recently its chief business officer. She now assumes responsibility for all operating activities, including manufacturing, supply chain, regulatory, quality and compliance functions. Her key short-term focus will be scaling up manufacturing capacity of the Lenire tinnitus treatment device to meet anticipated European demand; and implementing regulatory strategy required for market entry into the USA. She is a registered pharmacist, with 20+ years in senior roles at Sigmoid Pharma (now Sublimity Therapeutics), Elan (now Perrigo), as well as strategy consulting experience at McKinsey & Co. She holds a BSc (Pharm) from TCD and an MBA from INSEAD, France.
At 7 a.m. on April 30, Pietro Demita and Silvana Persano, the owners of Diamond Couture, which specializes in wedding gowns, were already busy in their atelier in Veglie, Italy.

The business partners had chosen nine gowns from their latest collection, hung them on a rack and dragged them in front of their warehouse. Scissors in hand, Mr. Demita and Ms. Persano, each wearing face masks, cut through corsages of white lace and skirts of tulle, thrusting the shreds into a large yellow and blue bin. Mr. Demita set the pile on fire with a lighter.

The burning was filmed by a friend and used to address people in power, he said, about the plight of the countrys wedding industry.

According to the Italian National Institute of Statistics, 190,000 to 195,000 weddings are registered every year in Italy. When these are celebrated with a party, they sustain an industry worth an estimated 40 billion euros ($44 billion) employing 83,000 companies. Additionally, 540 million euros ($593 million) are generated by about 10,000 wedding celebrations organized by foreigners in Italy, who often purchase their wedding dresses in the country.
A fired Samsung worker ended an aerial protest that lasted almost a year atop a 82-foot high tower in Seoul, after reaching a settlement with the South Korean conglomerate. Kim Yong-hee, 60, says he was fired by Samsung back in 1995 for trying to set up a labour union. After spending more than two decades demanding Samsung's apology and reinstatement, he last year climbed up the traffic camera tower in Seoul's affluent Gangnam district, near the office building of Samsung Electronics. He stayed there for 354 days, relying on supporters to bring him bento meals and supplies of clothes and phone batteries, which he hoisted up from the ground by rope. After reaching an undisclosed settlement with the firm on Thursday, Kim returned to the ground on Friday evening in presence of well-wishers, who gave him a bouquet of flowers as he landed. Kim told AFP that he lived on top of "such a small space that I could not even stretch my legs." "I suffered panic disorder and had to constantly fight the urge to jump off. ... I hope Samsung will now really guarantee all union activities of all employees," he added. Kim's decision to end his protest came weeks after Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, currently on trial over corruption charges, apologised for the firm's previous "no labour union" policy that lasted for decades until last year. Lee Sang-hoon, the former chairman of Samsung Electronics, was also jailed last year for sabotaging union activities. The firm apologised to Kim in a statement for "failing to promptly solve the issue". Kim's airborne picket was "a superhuman effort", Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korean Studies at the University of Oslo, told AFP. "Samsung kept him in the air for a year, thus demonstrating to any other would-be labour activists at its factories that, in case they might wish a fight, the fight is going to be cruel." Samsung is by far the biggest of the family-controlled conglomerates, or chaebols, that have propelled South Korea's rise to the world's 12th largest economy. The firm's overall turnover is equivalent to a fifth of the national gross domestic product and it is crucial to South Korea's economic health. Its Samsung Electronics subsidiary is also the world's largest smartphone maker.
Advertisement

Day 3 of protests outside the home of disgraced former Minnesota cop Derek Chauvin turned violent as cops in riot gear lined the streets keeping protesters at bay.

For most of the day there was a steady stream of about 150 protesters outside the former cop's home.

Chauvin hasn't been seen at the house since the story broke that he was the policeman who knelt on George Floyd's neck for eight minutes while arresting him, before the man died.

Cops stood guard putting out barricades outside the house as they watched over the crowd

After several minutes of shouting by protesters cops decided to call in reinforcements. About 75 cops arrived in riot and assault gear and guns

Protesters were in a tense stand off with police as protesters closed off traffic in front of the Chauvin residence

Protesters gathered at the Oakdale home believed to belong to Derek Chauvin

About 20 cops stood guard putting out barricades outside the house as they watched over the crowd but not before someone wrote on Chauvin's garage door in red paint 'Kill Pigs Cops.'

The protesters at first were for the most part civil, but very vocal shouting obscenities at the police and chanting F**K the police.

After several minutes of shouting by protesters cops decided to call in reinforcements. About 75 cops arrived in riot and assault gear and guns.

Around 100 gathered in Oakdale and they were met by a response of dozens of riot gear-clad officers who stood outside of Chauvin's home

It was was a tense standoff between police and protesters of the third straight day

Protesters sat in the street with their arms in the air

Officers with guns stood watch at the home where disgraced former police officer Derek Chauvin lives

The police formed a line to keep the agitated crowd back from Chauvin's house

The police formed a line to keep the agitated crowd back from Chauvin's house.

One protester walked too close to the police and a cop shot a rubber bullet at the man, hitting him square in the groin causing him to fall to the ground.

Minutes later another Michael Kjnaas, 25, approached the police barricade and another shot a paint ball, also hitting him in the groin.

He dropped to the ground in pain. Several other protesters helped him get up and away from the police.

Derek Chauvin, 44, the officer filmed kneeling Floyd's neck during his arrest, is a 19-year veteran of the force

George Floyd was filmed Monday begging the Minneapolis cop to stop and telling him he could not breathe before he lost consciousness and later died

One protester walked too close to the police and a cop shot a rubber bullet at the man, hitting him square in the groin

For most of the day there was a steady stream of about 150 protesters outside the former cop's home

Police brandished riot batons as they faced off against protesters outside the former cop's home

Conflict between demonstrators and police escalated across south Minneapolis on Thusday

On the third night of protests, participants gathered once again around Chauvin's home

Kjnaas exclusively told DailyMail.com, 'The cop hit me in the nuts. I was just stepping on the grass. I was 30 feet away from them.

'They shot me in the d**k. I didn't have anything in my hands. On a scale of one to 10 the pain is probably an 8. It was a good shot.'

Then about 10 minutes later a white man starting arguing with some protesters.

The man told the protesters he served in the war and he didn't like Muslims. He then pushed a women and another protester.

A protester is seen lying on the ground amid confrontations with police outside the disgraced former cop's home

Protesters had spray painted 'kill pig cops' on the officer's garage

Dozens of protesters met Thursday outside the suburban Minnesota home

The police announced over a loud speaker that they were declaring the protest an unlawful assembly

The protester Rashid Alhuribi, 27, told DailyMail.com, 'I have no idea why the guy pushed me, I was talking to him and I guess he just overloaded and exploded and pushed me for no reason.'

Police quickly took the guy away in plastic cuffs.

The police announced over a loud speaker that they were declaring the protest an unlawful assembly and told the crowd to leave, but they simply moved across the street.

By 7:30pm both sides appeared to have calmed down, protesters were on one side of the street with the police were on the other.

Protesters held up the sign that Floyd was heard to say during his arrest

A wall of police officers who set up security around Chauvin's home

People descended on the home Thursday as protests over Floyd's death entered the third day in Minneapolis

The four Minneapolis officers involved in the arrest of George Floyd were fired Tuesday. They were named as Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng.

Footage surfaced Monday showing white cop Derek Chauvin kneeling on the black man's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died.

Authorities had claimed Floyd resisted arrest but new footage Wednesday cast fresh doubt on those claims, showing two cops forcibly removing him from his car and him appearing to comply with officers.

Mayor Jacob Frey had announced the firings on Twitter, saying: 'This is the right call.'

Cops told the crowd to leave, but they simply moved across the street

White protesters also joined in solidarity with black protesters at the death of George Floyd

It has emerged that Chauvin has been involved in a series of other use-of-force incident

The morning after George Floyd protests erupted in violence and fires in Minneapolis, protesters began assembling at the residence of Derek Chauvin, the fired officer at the center of the Floyd death

Frey said he considers Floyd's killing to be murder and had publicly called for Chauvin to face arrest.

'I'm not a prosecutor, but let me be clear. The arresting officer killed someone,' he told CBS Thursday. 'He'd be alive today if he were white.'

'The facts that I've seen, which are minimal, certainly lead me down the path that race was involved.'

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz activated the National Guard to the city and state troopers have been called in as it braces for another night of violence.

It came as prosecutors warned Thursday there is evidence that does not support criminal charges in the case.
Two weeks before the World Health Organization classified covid-19 as a global pandemic in March, CompuGroup Medical decided to make its videoconferencing software available to physicians for free.

The timing proved prescient. Within about eight weeks, license registrations rose from a few hundred to more than 80,000, allowing more patients to engage in online consultations with their doctors from the safety of their homes.

The sudden surge in demand for a product that had generated little excitement for six years highlights how doctors and hospitals are clamoring for technology that lets them interact remotely with patients. In the age of social distancing , it's a vital tool to keep the health-care system running while reducing the risk of infection.

"Video consultations, and digitalization overall, have gained an entirely new status," CompuGroup Chief Executive Officer Frank Gotthardt told shareholders at the company's annual general meeting on May 13.

Gotthardt created CompuGroup 33 years ago to help his wife, a dentist, manage bills and patient data. The idea promised massive efficiency gains in a country that spent $430 billion (390.6 billion euros) on health care in 2018. The system praised as among the world's best, but faulted for being the most bureaucratic. Progress has been slow since then because data protection in Germany historically trumps technological progress. With the coronavirus changing the way people interact in almost every social and professional setting, doctors are increasingly taking note.

The company expanded its offering in January with the acquisition of Italian software maker H&S. The added tool allows hospitals to monitor vital signs of patients who do not require to be hospitalized, proving invaluable as the pandemic brought medical care in large parts of Italy to its knees.

It's been tough slog for CompuGroup to gain the recognition it now enjoys. Annual revenue hovered between 30 million euros and 90 million euros for at least a decade, the company moved headquarters three times, listing and de-listing its shares, only to become more widely traded again from 2007.

Investors who bought CompuGroup shares in late March for less than 50 euros apiece turned a 50% profit in less than two months. Gotthardt, 69, still holds about a third of the stock, making him a billionaire.

The company is now headed toward 1 billion euros in revenue in two to three years, Chief Financial Officer Michael Rauch said in an interview, supported by the pending 225 million-euro acquisition of hospital management software from Cerner Corp., its biggest deal ever.

"If we do two or three more such deals in the coming years, we will hit the 1 billion euro mark faster than expected," Rauch said. "I firmly expect that for 2023 at the latest. We have the ambition to grow fast. "The company has changed its legal form to make it easier to raise fresh money in preparation for more deals. Rauch aims for the operating margin to be close to 30% five years from now. The software license that CompuGroup made available for free a few months ago will remain so until June, though pricing after that has not yet been determined.

An even bigger prize could lie in patients making their medical data available to practices, hospitals, pharmacies and insurers, in turn allowing the recipients to share the information to avoid duplication, detect potentially harmful drug interactions and improve therapies. Field tests in Germany are currently underway.

CompuGroup argues that already now, infection hotspots and medical complications suffered by victims of covid-19 could probably have been identified faster had it been possible to analyze patient data anonymously. But implementing such systems can take years and runs up against Germans' desire for data protection. It's a challenge illustrated by the country's plan for an electronic patient record, a chip card announced about 20 years ago and finally being introduced early next year.

"Acceptance of telematic solutions has been disappointing in the past, but that could now change," said Baaderbank analyst Knut Woller.
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- New York City is set to become the first major city in the country to remove the terms alien, illegal immigrant and illegal migrant from local laws and materials replacing it with the word non-citizen thanks to a bill passed by the New York City Council Thursday.

Queens Councilman Francisco Moya, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, called the terms outdated and loaded words used to dehumanize the people they describe.

Words matter. The language we choose to use has power and consequences. Its time we as a city use our language to acknowledge people as people rather than to dehumanize them and divide us, Moya said.

The bill was passed nearly unanimously with the exceptions of Island Republican Councilmen Joe Borelli (South Shore) and Minority Leader Steven Matteo (Mid Island) and two others.

"Not all non-citizens are the same. Some are tourists, students, or temporary or permanent legal residents, while others have entered and/or remain in this country unlawfully. This legislation is an ill-conceived attempt to erase these important distinctions from all city government publications, Matteo said.

The City Council also passed a legislation that would put together a conditional release commission to oversee the early release of incarcerated individuals, including those who are vulnerable to the coronavirus, who have served a portion of their sentence.

Borelli and Matteo also voted against the bill and District Attorney Michael McMahon had previously voiced his opposition to the legislation.

As of May 13, the city has released more than 2,850 inmates from the citys jails during the coronavirus pandemic.

The city said it prioritizes the release of prisoners who are over 50-years-old with underlying health conditions including auto-immune, heart and lung diseases, diabetes, and cancer that put them at a greater risk to the virus.

McMahons office told the Advance last week it had received 145 applications for the release of prisoners from the citys jails over the course of the pandemic. Of those applications, 62 have been released while only 16 have received McMahons consent.

We dont need new political panels to overturn judges and release prisoners, and we certainly dont need to let the city become the word police, Borelli said of the bills he opposed following the vote.

Matteo said: "This dangerous legislation takes critical decisions about releasing inmates out of the hands of duly elected judges and criminal justice professionals and gives it to activists and partisans appointed by the Mayor.

The City Council also approved a resolution co-sponsored by Borelli that calls for parity in pay for frontline emergency medical services workers who helped the city during the coronavirus pandemic

Another bill was passed by the City Council Thursday that would require regular reporting on the citys contact tracing initiative to include the number of people hired to man the program, the number of people identified as having tested positive for coronavirus, the number of those individuals the program successfully contacted, disaggregated by zip code, race, ethnicity, gender, age range, COVID-19 symptoms present in the last 14 days, and whether people were referred to wraparound services.

Mayor Bill de Blasio supports all of the legislation, but signing the legislation is dependent on his schedule, City Hall said.

FOLLOW SYDNEY KASHIWAGI ON TWITTER.
The total number of detainees has already reached 16

Police officers have apprehended more participants of the shootout in Brovary Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

Police have detained five more participants of the shooting in Brovary, Kyiv region, in Zhytomyr region: the total number of detainees makes 16. The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reports.

"Patrolmen have apprehended five more participants of the criminal clashes in Brovary in Zhytomyr region. The total number of detainees has already reached 16," Anton Gerashchenko, Deputy Interior Minister, said.

He also added that the police continued identifying all those involved in the black redistribution of the transport market in Kyiv region.

The mayor of Brovary Ihor Sapozhko stated that all detainees were Vinnytsia residents.

"Two minibusses, one Toyota car have been detained. According to preliminary information from the police, all the detainees were from Vinnytsia," the mayor said in his comment to 112 Ukraine TV channel.

As we reported earlier, an armed showdown took place in Brovary, Kyiv region, earlier this morning. According to the preliminary line of inquiry, a conflict broke between the entrepreneurs who perform passenger services and illegal carriers.

As of 10 a.m., law enforcers reported no victims, although the shooting occurred near a driveway where vehicles were driving, and people were passing by.
A woman walks through the Kungstradgarden in Stockholm on May 8, 2020, amid the new coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Jonathan NACKSTRAND | AFP

The Swedish economy expanded at a far superior rate than many of its European counterparts over the first three months of the year, data published Friday showed, following the government's decision not to impose a full lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The Nordic country's statistics office reported gross domestic product (GDP), the broadest measure of economic health, grew at an annual rate of 0.4% in the first quarter. Sweden's GDP increased by 0.1% in the first quarter, when seasonally adjusted and compared to the final three months of 2019. The median forecasters in a Reuters poll of economists had expected to see a 0.6% contraction on a quarterly basis.

Confinement measures were brought in toward the end of the first quarter. As a result, economists expect countries to report an even sharper contraction over the next three months of the year. It comes at a time when Sweden has the highest coronavirus death rate in the world.

What is going on in Sweden?

The Swedish government has recommended its citizens should stay and work from home, if possible. It has also brought in social-distancing measures, but people remain free to visit bars and restaurants, and students under 16-years-old continue to go to school. The contrarian strategy is designed to allow some exposure to the virus to try to build immunity among the general population while protecting high-risk groups such as the elderly. Sweden's chief epidemiologist told CNBC last month that the capital Stockholm could be heading for so-called "herd immunity" within weeks, although there are doubts whether this has been achieved. To date, Sweden has reported 35,727 cases of the coronavirus, with 4,266 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. To be sure, Sweden has recorded more Covid-19 infections and fatalities than all its Nordic neighbors combined  Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland.

People sit on terrace tables at cafe in Stockholm, Sweden, on Thursday, March 26, 2020. Sweden is starting to look like a global outlier in its response to the coronavirus. Bloomberg

Data published by Our World in Data shows Sweden currently has the highest daily death rate per capita of any country across the globe. As of May 28, Sweden reported, on a rolling average over the last seven days, 5.5 deaths per million per day. Comparatively, Brazil has recorded 4.5 deaths per million per day on a rolling average over the last week, while the U.S. has reported 3 deaths per million per day since May 21. Speaking at a press briefing earlier this month, Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's health emergencies program, described the herd immunity strategy as a "really, really dangerous calculation." Ryan added it was wrong for countries to think that such an approach would "magically" make their populations immune.

'A year to forget'

Last month, Sweden's central bank said the pandemic had damaged the country's business and supply chains and warned many companies would be "hit hard," with lots of people likely to lose their jobs over the coming months. The National Institute of Economic Research, a respected think tank, said in a statement published April 29 that it believed Sweden's economy would shrink 7% this year, with unemployment anticipated to rise to 10.2%.
Chair of Russias government puts mass media on list of COVID-19 affected sectors

 kremlin.ru

16:26 29/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 29 (RAPSI)  Chairman of Russias government Mikhail Mishustin has signed a resolution putting mass media outlets on the list of the sectors of the economy most badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among those eligible for the measures of support envisaged by the state for representatives of affected industries are publishers of books, newspapers, magazines, periodicals, TV and radio broadcasters, online media outlets, news agencies. Besides, the resolution concerns activities related to the printing of newspapers.

Mishustin has reminded that Russian media continue their work in spite of the infection outbreak and restrictions introduced to combat COVID-19. He believes the role of mass media in the current situation is especially important as they provide actual and true information to the people.

The measures of support mass media are eligible for include a 6-month postponement of all taxes (excluding VAT), as well as rent payments for properties owned by the state, municipalities, or individuals; interest-free loans for immediate needs and payment of wages and salaries; cheap credits at 2% for any aims; moratoriums on bankruptcy, as well as planned and surprise inspections.

In addition, representatives of small and medium-sized businesses operating in the affected industries are eligible for postponement of insurance contributions, which may be cut by two on condition the wages and salaries of the employees exceed their minimal level; restructuring of payments accrued over the postponement period.

Direct financial aid in the form of subsidies (grants) provided to SME may be spent for salaries, repayment of debts related to utility services. The amount of this type of aid makes one minimum wage per employee. Companies having technical debts as to taxes and insurance contributions may seek subsidies if their respective indebtedness is at or below 3,000 rubles (about $42 at the current exchange rate), according to the press service of the government.
An aerial photo of Daewoo Engineering & Construction's Indonesia Tangguh LNG Train 3 plant currently under construction. / Courtesy of Daewoo Engineering & Construction



By Kim Hyun-bin



Daewoo Engineering & Construction is establishing a name for itself in the global construction market showing rapid growth in recent years. Recently, the company has procured large-scale construction deals including an LNG liquefaction plant project in Nigeria.



On May 13, the construction firm signed a deal to build LNG Train7, making it the first local construction company to be an original contractor to build an LNG liquefaction plant.



The project value is estimated at 5.18 trillion won in which Daewoo will take have a 40 percent or 2.669 trillion won, share in overseeing the main aspects of the project including devising a blueprint, construction, purchase and test runs of the plant.



The builder has been making significant strides in the global LNG liquefaction plant construction market. Last April, the company signed a deal with Indonesia to build a plant in the Tanggu region there, and is in the works to secure a deal with Mozambique to construct LNG Area1, while their efforts have been highly evaluated in the global arena.



The company has been striving in the civil engineering sector as well currently handling four overseas projects in Iraq, India, and Singapore. Starting this year it plans to secure additional deals both overseas as well as in the local construction market.



"We have established a foundation for continuous growth through new visions and successful key strategies, through which we will continue to make progress," a Daewoo official said. "Through positive results we will recover from the uncertainties from the COVID-19 pandemic along with our clients to become the leading construction firm in the country."


Dearborn School Supt. Glenn Maleyko will co-chair one of three work groups related to the Governors Return to Learn Task Force.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on May 15 that she would form a Return to Learn Task Force to develop details on how Michigan schools would reopen for next school year. In March, the Governor ordered all schools to close to slow the spread of novel coronavirus, later extending that closure through the rest of this school year.

The Return to Learn Task Force will include members of the Michigan Department of Education, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and health experts. The Governor is also taking applications for a Return to Learn Advisory Council that could provide suggestions to the task force.

To complement the Task Forces work, MDE and State Supt. Michael Rice will convene three work groups  suburban, urban and rural  to provide input and help shape the guidance that MDE will provide to local schools about reopening. Maleyko and Deputy State Superintendent Sue Carnell will chair the urban group. Dr. Carnell was formerly Superintendent of Westwood Schools.

To be clear, the Task Force will decide how schools will look when they reopen in the fall, Dr. Maleyko said. Our goal in the work group is to consider various options and then offer input from the schools perspectives in order to provide recommendations to the State Superintendent and the Governors Task Force. We will also help shape MDEs recommendations for how to implement those changes.

Dearborn Public Schools has also formed its own reopening committee to look at the particulars of how its schools will operate in the fall. That committee is chaired by Maysam Alie-Bazzi, executive director of staff and student services; Jane Mazza, president of the Dearborn Federation of Teachers union; and David Higgins, principal at William Ford Elementary and president of the Association of Dearborn School Administrators.

Dearborn Schools cannot release a plan for school reopening until it receives direction from the state, Maleyko said. For example, state law spells out that students need to attend class in person 180 days a year for districts to receive their state funding. While schools can get waivers for some students to attend online, it would take a change at the state level to permit students to attend school entirely online or even to develop a hybrid of half in-class and half online learning, Maleyko said.

The Return to Learn Task Force would be the ones to make such a recommendation. In announcing the creation of the task force, Gov. Whitmer said the group would develop recommendations on how to safely, equitably and efficiently return to school in the fall.

This panel will use a data-informed and science-based approach with input from epidemiologists to determine if, when and how students can return to school this fall and what that will look like, Whitmer said as she was announcing the Task Force on May 15.

Maleyko added, I am pleased to head this work group and to be able to offer our input on how to implement whatever plans the state determines are necessary for minimizing the health risk to our students and staff as we resume school next year.

Source: Dearborn Public Schools
(Natural News) The package was produced by Amazon spokesperson Todd Walker.

Amazon is taking proactive action ahead of Wednesdays annual shareholders meetingat which investors plan on demanding the company address worker safety issues after at least eight warehouse employees have died of COVID-19by pushing a package to local news outlets that promotes the corporations health and safety efforts.

(Article by Tim Burke republished from CourierNewsroom.com)

While most TV news professionals have scoffed at the idea of running Amazon-provided content as news, at least 9 stations across the country ran some form of the package on their news broadcasts. The packageyou can view the script Amazon provided to news stations herewas produced by Amazon spokesperson Todd Walker. Only one station, Toledo ABC affiliate WTVG, acknowledged that Walker was an Amazon employee, not a news reporter, and noted that Amazon had supplied the video. Other stations that ran the Amazon-provided content as a news package include:

WTVJ-NBC, Miami, FL

WKRN-ABC, Nashville, TN

WLEX-NBC, Lexington, KY (ran twice)

WVVA-NBC, Bluefield, WV

WTVM-ABC, Columbus, GA (ran twice)

KMIR-NBC, Palm Springs, CA (ran three times)

WBTW-CBS, Myrtle Beach, SC

WOAY-ABC, Bluefield, WV (ran twice)

In response to a request for comment on why the station ran the package, Wes Armstead, news director of the Bluefield NBC affiliate WVVA, told COURIER, I was not aware the package was provided by Amazon. Armstead said, Well make sure it doesnt happen again.

News directors of the other stationsand Amazondid not respond to requests for comment by publication time. Well update the story as soon as we get a reply.

UPDATE: According to an Amazon spokesperson, the video and script were published to Business Wire as are many other companies in-house produced content for media organizations.

Amazon also released this statement: We welcome reporters into our buildings and its misleading to suggest otherwise. This type of video was created to share an inside look into the health and safety measures weve rolled out in our buildings and was intended for reporters who for a variety of reasons werent able to come tour one of our sites themselves.

Correction: This report previously included WPLG in Miami and WGXA in Macon, Georgia, as having utilized the same Amazon package as the above stations; their coverage of Amazons claims came from a different source. We have updated this article and the headline to reflect these changes. We regret the errors.

Read more at: CourierNewsroom.com and Biased.news.
Director of Research at Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Agya Yaw Nsiah, has asked the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and other political parties campaigning against the decision of the Electoral Commission (EC) to compile a new voters register to allow the Commission to carry out its Constitutional mandate.

Yaw Nsiah indicated that the various political parties and stakeholders who feel aggrieved by the decision of the Commission should take out militancy in expressing their disapproval for a new voters register.

Not until we have amended the Constitution we should accept the independence and Authority of the Electoral Commission to do its work, Agya Yaw Nsiah told Okatakyire Obeng Mensah on Anopa Nkomo on Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7

He continued, "I stand with the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the legal framework which administers the powers, authority and functions of all persons, groups and institutions in the country.

Whichever way the debate may fall, one question stands tall amongst all the arguments: what does the Constitution say concerning electoral matters? The reference answer remains in Article 45 and 46.

Yaw Nsiah added, "Im making a passionate appeal to political parties and all actors in the political space to respect and uphold the decisions and independence of the Electoral Commission (EC).

The compilation of a new voter register will begin in the last week of June and end in the last week of July, the Electoral Commission (EC) has confirmed, ahead of the announcement of the precise dates.

However, the over 33,000 registration centres would be divided into clusters with strict adherence to COVID-19 hygienic protocols to ensure swift and safe exercise.
Education on Chinese history and national identity needs to be boosted in Hong Kong: experts

Global Times

By Liu Caiyu Source:Globaltimes.cn Published: 2020/5/28 3:22:55

As the Ministry of Education is in its annual process of selecting and dispatching teachers from the Chinese mainland to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, some experts and officials are calling for a boost to education on Chinese history and national identity among students and teachers.

The 2020-21 annual selection of teachers from the Chinese mainland for curriculums including Chinese language studies, history and math for kindergartens and schools of Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions organized by the Ministry of Education (MOE) is ongoing, several teachers and schools involved told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The teachers who will offer instruction and assistance to curriculum building and research at kindergartens and schools of Hong Kong and Macao, could set off in September after the current batch of teachers returns from the two regions.

A history teacher from Anshan, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, who declined to reveal his name told the Global Times they are waiting for further arrangements to be made as the list of teachers to be dispatched has yet to be finalized.

While teachers and officials hailed the annual communication project as having a positive role in enhancing the education quality of Hong Kong and Macao, some experts told the Global Times there is a necessity to increase education content on national identity to address Hong Kong's long-existing flaws in the national education system.

Young school students were found to be a major group who took part in street clashes in Hong Kong last year. The average age of those protesters appears younger than those who joined the 2014 Occupy Central movement.

Hong Kong education officials defended their decision to invalidate a controversial history exam question that asked students whether Japan's invasion of China did more good than harm, citing examination fairness and respect for history.

The question appeared on the history test paper of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination on May 14, drawing a flood of criticism from education workers and experts who said that it was like asking Western students whether they thought Hitler did more good than harm to Europe.

Seeing young Hong Kong people lacking an understanding of the country's history, culture and current affairs is common, and the central government should consider establishing special agencies to help them get a sense of national identity, Tam Yiu-chung, former chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and a Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) told the Global Times in a previous interview.

Tam brought the proposal to the two sessions which said some government agencies or non-profit organizations could be established to push forward Chinese history and culture education.

Enhancing national identity among young Hong Kong people will facilitate the integrity of the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong regarding emotional connections, Li Xiaobing, a Hong Kong studies expert at Nankai University in Tianjin, told the Global Times.

As a way of introducing more education on national identity, Kevin Choy, a young Hong Kong resident suggested the central government could arrange more communication events between teachers and students in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

"What you see with your eyes is more believable than what you hear in the news. You can only make a judgment about whether Hong Kong or the Chinese mainland is good or bad after seeing for yourself," Choy told the Global Times.

The selection of teachers from the mainland started in 2008, according to the MOE. Each year the ministry selects roughly 50 or 60 teachers from schools and kindergartens across the country, media reported.

In 2019, a total of 57 teachers were chosen from 16 provinces and regions on the Chinese mainland to go to Hong Kong and Macao.



NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






New Delhi, May 29 : Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan, said on Friday that several states and UTs have already distributed 100 per cent quota of food grains for May under the PMGKAY but Delhi and West Bengal were yet to start the distribution.

However, Delhi has distributed 96 per cent of its quota of food grains for April under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to the Public Distribution System (PDS) beneficiaries as against West Bengal's 93 per cent.

Paswan held a videoconference here to brief the media about the initiatives and reforms undertaken by his Ministry in the last one year.

In order to help the poor amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the central government brought about a scheme to distribute 5 kg foodgrain-rice or wheat to every beneficiary under the PDS and one kg dal to every ration card holder family under the PMGKAY.

Paswan said that his Ministry's main focus amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown is to provide food grains and pulses to all PDS and non-PDS card holders, migrant labourers and even those not covered under any food grain scheme of the central or the state governments.

He said that sufficient quantity of food grains is available in the country's buffer stock.

The Minister said that the distribution of food grains by states and Union Territories under the PMGKAY, Atmanirbhar Bharat Package, National Food Security Act and other schemes is satisfactory, barring a few states.

Under the PMGKAY, for the next 3 months, 104.4 LMT rice and 15.6 LMT wheat is required, of which 83.38 LMT rice and 12.42 LMT wheat have been lifted by various states/UTs. A total of 95.80 LMT has been lifted.

As regards pulses, the total requirement for the next three months is 5.87 LMT. So far, 4.62 LMT pulses have been dispatched while 3.64 LMT pulses have reached states/UTs and 71,738 MT delivered. As of May 20, 1.64 LMT pulses have been distributed by the states/UTs.

Paswan said that states/UTs have already lifted 2.06 LMT food grains under Atmanirbhar Bharat Package.The distribution has been started and will be completed on schedule.

He said that the identification of migrants/stranded migrants under Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme may be done by the states/UTs through their own mechanisms and Aadhaar Cards of persons, if available, may also be leveraged to ascertain that person is not covered under NFSA or state PDS schemes.

States/UTs may provide the benefit of this scheme to any poor/needy migrant/stranded migrant who does not have access to food and is not covered under NFSA/state PDS schemes, he added.

The Minister said that as of May 28, the Food Corporation of India has 272.29 LMT rice and 479.40 LMT wheat. Hence, a total of 751.69 LMT food grain stock is available (excluding ongoing purchase of wheat and paddy, which have not yet reached the godowns).

Paswan said that national portability of NFSA ration cards holders under 'One Nation One Ration Card' scheme had been introduced in 17 states/UTs. At present, seamless facility is available in a single national cluster of 17 states.

He said that the Ministry aims to achieve 100 per cent seeding of ration cards with Aadhaar under the 'One Nation One Ration Card' scheme by January 2021.
The family of a slain Libyan human trafficker attacked a group of migrants in a town that recently changed hands amid the fighting over the country's capital, killing 26 Bangladeshi and four African migrants, the Tripoli government has said.

There was scant information about the attack in the statement issued by the UN-supported government in Tripoli. But the UN migration agency said the migrants were shot and killed on Wednesday in a smuggling warehouse in the desert town of Mizdah, where a group of migrants were being held.

The slayings underscore the perils that migrants face in Libya, where violence and lawlessness have created a haven for smugglers to operate along the North African country's coastline.

The government statement said on Thursday that migrants had killed a local trafficker in Mizdah, near Tripoli, allegedly prompting his family to take revenge and kill the 30 migrants. Eleven migrants were wounded in the rampage, it added, and taken to a hospital in the western mountain town of Zintan.

Other migrants in critical condition were rushed to clinics in Tripoli, said the International Organization for Migration, adding that some appeared to be victims of abuse.

The Interior Ministry in Tripoli issued an arrest warrant for the suspected attackers, the government also said.

"This senseless crime is bleak reminder of the horrors migrants have to endure at the hands of smugglers and traffickers in Libya," said IOM's Libya Chief of Mission Federico Soda, urging Libyan authorities to launch an immediate investigation into the killings and hold the perpetrators accountable.

Migrants fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa and the Middle East typically pass through Libya on their way to Europe, departing Tripoli's rocky coast in inflatable dinghies.

The Libyan coast guard, trained by the EU to keep migrants from reaching European shores, intercepts boats at sea and returns them to Libya, where many migrants land in detention centers rife with torture and abuse.

On Thursday, the coast guard rescued 211 migrants, including women and children, in the Mediterranean Sea and brought them back to Libya's shore, said Safa Msehli, an IOM spokeswoman.

The number of those fleeing Libya's conflict has sharply risen in recent weeks, according to the UN migration agency, as the battle for control of the capital intensifies. In the past week alone, nearly 700 migrants were stopped and returned to detention facilities.

Militias loosely allied with the Tripoli government have been defending the country's capital from a year-long offensive by eastern-based forces trying to capture it.
- A Ghanaian young man by name Issa Madugu, has graduated from Cornell University, an Ivy League School in the United States

- Madugu graduated after studying B.S in Civil Engineering & Minor in Architecture, A.A.P

- He shared powerful photos on a short tour around the school and indicated that he has an interesting story that would be shared in a book

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Issa Madugu, a handsome gentleman from Ghana has graduated from Cornell University, one of the Ivy League Institutions in New York, in the United States of America.

The 'fresh boy' took a breathtaking photo tour around the school on his graduation day as seen in a post sighted by YEN.com.gh on his personal Facebook handle.

Magudu completed his B.S in Civil Engineering & Minor in Architecture, A.A.P from the school that is regarded one of the top eight in the United States along with Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University and others.

READ ALSO: Meet the self-educated black man who designed Washington D.C

Source: UGC

Source: UGC

By way of appreciation, Madugu, a Muslim, thanked Allah for not forgetting him in the middle of nowhere in Ithaca by himself, thanked himself for not giving up during times there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

Madugu goes a step further to appreciate his family and friends who supported him as well as his special advisors at Cornell University.

According to Issa Madugu, there is a remarkable story behind his degree that is a very interesting one and would actually feature in a book soon.

READ ALSO: Man marries 'lioness' who nursed him through darkest nights while ill

In another interesting report, a beautiful Ghanaian nurse by name Enam Honya Heikeens has had her beautiful black skin taken over by a skin condition called vitiligo which started when she was only seven.

In an interview with YEN.com.gh, Enam, who is also the director for Vitiligo Ghana Foundation, indicates that she now helps people to also fight against the stigma that people suffer due to their condition, mentioning that it has not been an easy journey at all.

Almost throughout her life, Enam has had to put up with people looking strangely at her and at worse, avoiding any form of contact with her as though she had a contagious disease like COVID-19.

Enjoy reading our stories? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

Ghanaian female accounting graduate and mushroom farmer recounts her experience | #Yencomgh

Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
Denouncing what he said was the power of social media to shape the interpretation of public events, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on Thursday directing federal regulators to crack down on companies like Twitter and to consider taking away the legal protections that shield them from liability for what gets posted on their platforms

Denouncing what he said was the power of social media to shape the interpretation of public events, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on Thursday directing federal regulators to crack down on companies like Twitter and to consider taking away the legal protections that shield them from liability for what gets posted on their platforms.

Trump and his allies have often accused Twitter as well as Facebook of bias against conservative voices, and the president has been urged for years to take a harder line against them. He had resisted until this week when Twitter fact-checked his own false statements in two posts.

That move by Twitter prompted an outcry from conservatives, who said that the platform should not be able to selectively choose whose statements it was fact-checking. But while the order sought to impose new regulatory pressure on social media companies, legal experts said it would be difficult to enforce.

Were here today to defend free speech from one of the greatest dangers it has faced in American history, Trump told reporters in signing the order in the Oval Office, with William Barr, the attorney-general, standing nearby.

Theyve had unchecked power to censure, restrict, edit, shape, hide, alter virtually any form of communication between private citizens or large public audiences, Trump said, adding that there was no precedent for it. We cannot allow that to happen, especially when they go about doing what theyre doing.

Twitter, the president said, was making editorial decisions.

In these moments, Twitter ceases to be a neutral public platform  they become an editor with a viewpoint, he said, saying that Facebook and Google are included in his critiques.

With its order, the administration sought to curtail the protections currently given to technology companies under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which limits the liability that companies face for content posted by their users.

The law has enabled technology companies to flourish, allowing them to mostly set their own rules for their platforms and to collect a vast amount of free content from users against which to sell ads. The Executive Order is aimed at removing that shield, Trump said.

The companies, along with many free speech advocates, have maintained that amending Section 230 would cripple online discussion and bury platforms under endless legal bills.

We have clear content policies and we enforce them without regard to political viewpoint, said Riva Sciuto, a Google spokeswoman. Our platforms have empowered a wide range of people and organisations from across the political spectrum, giving them a voice and new ways to reach their audiences. Undermining Section 230 in this way would hurt Americas economy and its global leadership on internet freedom.

Liz Bourgeois, a Facebook spokeswoman, said that by exposing companies to potential liability for everything that billions of people around the world say, this would penalise companies that choose to allow controversial speech and encourage platforms to censor anything that might offend anyone.

Conservative pundits have said the companies remove their posts more frequently than those of their liberal counterparts or ban them from social media services altogether.

But if protection from liability was ended, the order could end up backfiring on Trump, who has used Twitter to lob insults at rivals and to interact freely with his supporters. Without the liability shield that Section 230 provides, social media platforms could be forced to remove posts considered false or defamatory  and the president often pushes the boundaries with his commentary.

Moments after saying free speech was under attack from tech companies, Trump suggested he would shut down Twitter if it was legally possible, although he acknowledged there were substantial obstacles. But he suggested he was planning legislation dealing with social media platforms.

Administration officials initially said the Executive Order would be released Wednesday after the president said he would make an aggressive move related to social media companies. But with officials scrambling to fill in the details, the order was not released until after Trump answered questions from reporters Thursday afternoon.

Legal experts said that the enforcement actions suggested by the president were largely toothless and unlikely to withstand legal challenges.

Regardless of the circumstances that led up to this, this is not how public policy is made in the United States. An Executive Order cannot be properly used to change federal law, the US Chamber of Commerce said in an unusually pointed statement, one that echoed the concerns conservatives once voiced about President Barack Obamas use of Executive Orders.

Trumps order proposes three ways to crack down on the companies: Requiring the federal government to review its spending on social media advertisements; giving the Federal Communications Commission the authority to make new rules applying to social media platforms; and asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether social media companies have misled users about the kinds of content they can post online.

It also called on states to pursue their own enforcement actions and directed the attorney general to craft a proposal for legislation.

Of the three tactics laid out in the order, the review of federal spending is the most feasible, legal experts said.

The government does have broad authority to promote legitimate public policy goals through its spending power and it does this a lot, said Harold Feld, a senior vice-president at Public Knowledge, a public policy nonprofit.

But withholding advertising dollars may not sway the social media companies behaviour. Last year, Twitter swore off political advertising altogether, and many social media companies rely heavily on major brands for their advertising dollars.

Maggie Haberman and Kate Conger c.2020 The New York Times Company
The Portland NAACP on Friday convened a "Eulogy for Black America in downtown Portland, mourning the in-custody death of a black man in Minneapolis who died after police officers ignored his pleas that he could not breathe while restrained.

George Floyd, 46, was detained Monday because, according to authorities, he matched the description of someone who tried to pay with a counterfeit bill at a convenience store. Disturbing video footage shows a white officer kneeling on Floyd's neck, even as Floyd begs for air and slowly stops talking and moving.

Floyds death has spurred civil unrest in Minneapolis and numerous demonstrations across the country. Portlands first notable demonstrations occurred Thursday.

Hundreds turned out for Fridays demonstration, which began at 11:30 a.m. at Terry Schrunk Plaza and featured prayer, song, discussion of race in America and calls for justice.

Speakers included the Rev. E.D. Mondaine, president of Portlands NAACP chapter, Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty and others.

The reality of American racial justice has sparked rage that ripples, that cripples throughout the black community all over these United States of America, Mondaine told the crowd assembled in the plaza, which is near the Multnomah County Justice Center and Portland City Hall.

America will have to earn the trust of the black community, he later continued.

Watch his speech and others in the video below.

The Friday event came as police nationwide and in Oregon have denounced the actions of Minneapolis police.

Nine Portland-area law enforcement agencies  including Portland police and the Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas county sheriffs offices  released a joint statement Thursday condemning the tactics and actions demonstrated in Minneapolis.

The incident in Minneapolis does not reflect our value of the sanctity of life or the code of ethics we have sworn to uphold, the agencies said in the statement, which is signed by the agencies top officials. It is disheartening when the actions of so few tarnish the noble profession that we have dedicated our lives to. We are committed to maintaining and strengthening the trust of our communities who grant us the privilege to serve them.

Acting Portland Police Bureau Chief Chris Davis also said Thursday that Floyds death was a big step in the wrong direction.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who was out of town on a family trip during Fridays event, issued a statement referring to Floyds death as murder.

We have to do better," he said in the statement. "We have to be willing to stand alongside our black community and not just call out racism when we see it, but meaningfully take a stand against it. We have to be willing to interrogate our own biases and the ways in which we have been complicit in the structuring of a society that makes black death routine. We all need to be on the frontlines. As white people, as people of color, all of us together.

A vigil for Floyd is also scheduled for 6 p.m. at Peninsula Park in North Portland.

-- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

K. Rambo of The Oregonian/OregonLive and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Taliban fighters stormed an Afghan border post Friday, killing at least 14 security force members, the insurgents and officials said, the latest in a series of attacks since the end of a brief ceasefire.

Despite the clashes, Afghan authorities have vowed to press on with efforts to help reduce violence following the temporary pause in fighting.

Last night the mujahideen carried out attacks against the newly established posts of the enemy in Dande Patan district of Paktia province, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Twitter.

The enemy has been recently trying to expand its rule in mujahideen territories, he said, adding that two Taliban fighters were also killed.

Afghan officials confirmed the attack in the early hours of Friday had killed 14 Afghan security force members.

Dande Patan district governor Eid Mohammad Ahmadzai told AFP that 15 security force members and 20 Taliban fighters were killed in the fighting.

Officials had also accused the Taliban of carrying out two other raids on separate checkpoints on Thursday, killing 14 Afghan security force members, but the Taliban have not commented on those attacks.

A three-day truce offered by the militants officially ended late on Tuesday, with the overall lull in the countrys grinding violence largely holding, officials and experts have said.

The countrys National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal said that efforts to extend the ceasefire were continuing.

The detente that started during Eid ul-Fitr continues despite reports of scattered incidents to the contrary, he said on Twitter.

A ceasefire is a complex operational undertaking that requires significant and ongoing coordination to avoid incidents. Those efforts will continue.

Afghan authorities have responded to the formal ceasefire by pushing forward with an agreed prisoner exchange, releasing some 1,000 Taliban prisoners this week, with plans to release more in the coming days.

As part of the ongoing swap, the militants on Thursday released 80 Afghan policemen and soldiers they had been holding captive.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
OTTAWA  The federal government is still looking into why Transport Canada failed to monitor the Churchill railway ahead of a derailment that killed a conductor in northern Manitoba.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  The federal government is still looking into why Transport Canada failed to monitor the Churchill railway ahead of a derailment that killed a conductor in northern Manitoba.

A month ago, the Transportation Safety Board released its investigation into the September 2018 derailment south of Thompson on the Hudson Bay Railway.

The report found former owner Omnitrax had done minimal track maintenance after the spring 2017 washout, and reduced its beaver-control program, leaving the track vulnerable to a washout.

Yet the TSB also found Transport Canada had not reviewed the emergency-response plan in years, including a month before the derailment, when Ottawa transferred the railway into local hands.

The investigation pointed to this as a factor for the slow response to the derailment. The conductor, Kevin Anderson, 38, died from internal bleeding on the scene, 8.5 hours after the train left the track.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"We are currently assessing the TSB's report to know if there are specific measures that need to be taken by Transport Canada," Transport Minister Marc Garneau told the Free Press on Friday, in his first press conference since March 21.

He did not say whether anyone at Transport Canada had faced consequences.

"Obviously, that was a tragic accident with loss of life," Garneau said.

Transport Canada said that the railway updated its emergency-response plan by February 2019 to better deal with derailments. The department said it also inspected the line and train crews that year.

NDP MP Niki Ashton has called for a deeper investigation of how Ottawa regulates rail safety.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Taipei plans to offer humanitarian assistance to Hong Kong citizens. Japan and South Korea have expressed concern. The Chinese embassy in Seoul is the scene of protests. India and ASEAN members have not yet reacted.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews)  Taiwan is the only Asian country to strongly condemn Chinas Hong Kong security law.

Chinas National People's Congress yesterday approved a new security law for Hong Kong that punishes acts and activities that seriously endanger national security.

Under the new legislation, Hong Kong residents may be arrested for subversion, secession, terrorism and collaboration with foreign powers interfering in the Special Regions affairs.

In response, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen announced that her government would provide humanitarian assistance to Hong Kong citizens who might seek asylum in the island nation.

Japan and South Korea too expressed concern about developments in Hong Kong, but unlike Taiwan, they have not taken any concrete steps.

Japanese authorities said that they will monitor the situation, as it considers Hong Kong to be an "extremely important partner". For Japans Foreign Ministry, the territory must maintain its freedoms as established under the one country, two systems principle.

South Korea agrees with Japan. But a group of South Koreans staged a protest outside the Chinese embassy in Seoul, calling for an end to the threats to democracy, and for help for the resistance in Hong Kong.

China is the top trading partner of Japan and South Korea. For several observers, this explains the cautious attitude taken by the two countries, caught between China and the United States, their historical ally.

The United States is considering whether to cancel Hong Kongs favourable trading status. Given the extraterritorial implications of Chinas new security law, the Trump administration has called for a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, a demand that China has rejected.

The Association of Southeast Asian Countries has not reacted to the situation, nor has India despite the skirmishes of the past three weeks between Indian and Chinese forces along their Himalayan border.
The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has asked the federal government to bailout the aviation sector.

With the global aviation sector virtually grounded as a result of the lockdown of economies and freezing of travelling in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, the agency says the bailout would help save the sector from total collapse.

The AMCON proposal is coming just as the debt management agency says it injected about N500 billion into the aviation sector between 2012 and 2020 to stabilise airline operations in the country.

The Executive Director, Operations at AMCON, Aminu Ismail, disclosed this, on Wednesday, as one of the panelists at an aviation webinar organized by Aelex Group in collaboration with SY&T Communications Media Partners.

The webinar, which was themed Flying into Turbulent Skies, Safely Navigating COVID-19 Headwinds: Survival Strategies for Nigerian Aviation, also featured other industry experts, namely the CEO, Financial Derivatives, Bismarck Rewane; the CEO of Aero Contractors, Ado Sanusi; and the CEO, Belujane Konzult, Chris Aligbe.

Other were the CEO, Ropeways Transport Limited, Dapo Olamide; the CEO Ibom Air, George Uriesi, the Exco Member of Nigeria Stock Exchange and Divisional Head, Listings Business, Olumide Bolumole.

AMCONs interventions

Mr Ismail said AMCONs intervention resulted in the purchase of about $1 billion Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) from Nigerian banks owed by major Nigerian airlines, including Aero Contractors and Arik Air.

He said although the aviation sector accounts for about 8 per cent of AMCONs restructuring portfolio, AMCONs efforts to restructure the airline operators loans protected a critical sector of the countrys economy.

Given the critical nature of the essential services airlines render to the economy, the director said AMCONs intervention helped to stabilise their operations.

With the intervention the airlines were able to utilize the assets realized in the settlement of their outstanding debts. In the process, the huge cash flow needed to run the sector effectively and efficiently was further advanced to support growth of the airlines, fleet expansion, job retention and job creation, he said.

Regardless, Mr Ismail said when the airlines failed to repay the loans, AMCON was left with no choice than to appoint Receiver Managers to manage the airlines pending its divestment.

Industry challenges

He also highlighted the challenges faced by aviation in Nigeria given AMCONs experience since its intervention in the sector.

Historically, aviation industry in Nigeria has been fraught with many challenges, including poor capital structure, difficulty in accessing finance and cost-effective leases as well as high insurance costs.

Also, the challenges include difficulty in accessing foreign exchange for maintenance and spare parts, multiple taxation by government agencies, weak corporate governance structure, lack of airport infrastructure and very marginal share of the lucrative regional flights.

With the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Mr Ismail said the challenges have tripled.

Strategies for survival

For any of the airlines to stay afloat, he said its leadership must think differently and strategically to survive.

Despite the governments declining income as a result of the huge fall in crude oil prices, Mr Ismail said AMCON was in support of the federal government providing bailout packages to airlines.

Currently, he said COVID-19 crisis was forcing airlines to cut staff strength by as much as 60 per cent.

He, however, said the federal government must be guided and more strategic in packaging the bailout this time around given the experiences of previous bailouts to domestic airlines between 2009 and 2012.

The bailouts handled by the Bank of Industries (BOI) and the Power And Airline Intervention Fund (PAIF) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were allegedly mismanaged by the airlines.

Advertisements



Headquarters of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

He said they either failed to meet with the repayment obligations, just as some of them diverted the funds to other areas to the detriment of the aviation sector.

AMCON is in support of any bailout from the government that would ensure the continued survival of the airline industry in Nigeria, he said.

Bailout not jamboree

However, any intervention in the aviation industry this time around must be directed at the core areas of need and should not become a jamboree.

If the intervention comes in the form of grants, it must be to fund operational losses, which must be basically intended to save jobs and reimburse for operational losses induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It must be to promote local content  the intervention should focus on reducing dependence on foreign companies for pilot training and aircraft maintenance.

For us, development of Nigerian based simulator capacity and C-Check for various Boeing aircraft types should benefit from government support.

Should the government decide that their intervention will come by way of loans, it should be in the form of low interest loans (with FX support) granted to strengthen the airlines in equipment overhaul, lease and purchase, he proposed.

Insisting that liquidity would be key factor for airline to resume operational services after COVID-19, the director said AMCON would like to see the proposed federal government intervention in the sector as quickly as possible.

He said, any governmental intervention now must not be used to resuscitate airlines that had stopped operations before COVID 19 broke out.

Such government intervention, he said, must be for public good, directed at aviation companies with large labour force and who carry the most passengers in the country.

Besides, he said the government should not use its fund to support luxury consumption like charter firms that service the rich.

He said the intervention from government should not be merely for loan restructuring, but directed to the airlines, to grow the economy just as its disbursement must be controlled and strictly monitored by a regulator.
Politicians and the police had not expected the protests to grow for a fourth night on Friday, after a police officer was charged with third-degree murder and a curfew went into effect at 8 p.m. But grow they did, and law enforcement officers struggled to hold their ground, with National Guard troops retreating from angry protesters at one point.

Gunshots rang out near a different police precinct and flames streamed from businesses over several city blocks  a gas station, a post office, a bank, a restaurant  as residents asked where the police and firefighters had gone.

Theres simply more of them than us Mr. Walz said of the protesters.

The governor vowed that more Guard troops would be deployed and that the authorities would not let the destruction continue. Even so, state officials did not show much optimism that the demonstrations would stop, and Mr. Walz did not rule out the possibility of bringing in the U.S. military.

Commissioner John Harrington of the states Department of Public Safety said the police were preparing to be at the center of an international event on Saturday, pledging to restore order on the same Minneapolis block that was burning as he spoke. Mr. Harrington said he expected the largest crowds the state had ever seen.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, May 27th, the Minister of Justice Anna Richardson held an emergency meeting with the management team of the prison and her legal advisors concerning the recent incidents that took place at the prison. With regards to the narrative that is being pushed in the media as it relates to the prison facilities and the recent incidents, the Minister finds this to be very unbalanced.

The current state of the detention facilities on Sint Maarten has been a source of concern both locally and internationally for a number of years. Especially following the damage caused by the 2017 hurricane season. It is no secret that a structured, structural solution to bring the facilities up to par is needed. However, it is unfair to paint a picture that the Ministry of Justice and by extension, the Government is not actively working to improve the conditions, not only for inmates but for employees as well. Being incarcerated is never a pleasure, however, it is unwarranted to assume that Government is not doing its part to improve the circumstances surrounding incarceration.

Concerning the injunction that has been filed by some 37 inmates, the Minister is of the firm opinion that it is without merit. Particularly the demand for penalties of 1000 USD with a maximum of 10 million USD to be awarded if the government and the Ministery of Justice fail to comply with the verdict. The Minister considers this action, encouraged by the legal representatives of the inmates quite an outrageous demand.

Despite the Minister has met with the inmates and their attorneys in two online meetings just days after taking office, the inmates and their attorneys are pushing a narrative that they are not being heard and agreements are not being met. In the meetings that took place, the inmates brought a number of their concerns to the attention of the Minister such as, prison capacity, COVID-19, and inmates who are allegedly missing information about their sentencing. The Minister took a keen note of the concerns brought forward. As a result of the actions taken by the Minister after the meeting, amongst other things the necessary evaluations were performed to identify inmates who were eligible for conditional release. The evaluation resulted in a number of inmates qualifying for early release and/or ankle bracelet monitoring.

Whilst efforts are in process to reduce the number of inmates being housed in prison facilities, the reality is also that there were persons who committed crimes and that had to be incarcerated, which added to the prison population. Law enforcement officials must continue to execute their jobs in maintaining law and order in the country. The Minister would like to remind the public at large that if a person is found to have violated the law, depending on the crime the consequences can be as mild as receiving a fine or more severe as being incarcerated at a prison facility.

It is important to note that the environment in a prison is largely influenced by inmates and their behavior. Even with a state of the art prison, it is imperative that the inmate population contributes to building an environment that is cordial and peaceful. All actions counter to this objective, severely diminishes the Governments efforts and by extension that of prison management to maintain a safe and adequately secured facility.

At Pointe Blanche prison Inmates are offered the opportunity to engage in activities that will contribute to their rehabilitation. There is literature available in the library and GED classes are given. Inmates can also make use of a gym facility which helps to promote a healthy lifestyle. This is all financed by the government but is only truly effective when inmates make appropriate use of these opportunities and facilities. The government spends thousands of guilders per month to ensure inmates receive balanced meals daily. Inmates also have access to adequate medical care. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry took necessary precautions to ensure the safety of the inmates and personnel. For the inmates this included providing them with anti-bacterial soap, facilitating training on how to best guard against COVID-19, and setting up online access so communication with family members and legal representatives would not be interrupted.

Being one of the Ministers top priorities, diligent work is carried out daily by the Minister, her legal team, and the prison management, to take the necessary steps to remedy the conditions at the prison. In collaboration with the Ministry of VROMI, meetings and site visits have taken place to actively develop plans to construct a new facility. In connection with the aforementioned plan, the Minister of Justice has presented a proposal to the Council of Ministers for its approval which will subsequently be presented to the Parliament of St. Maarten to secure the necessary support. After having received this support the Minister will engage with all the relevant stakeholders to ensure their input and contributions and phase one of the action plans will be put into motion.
Donald Trump always enjoys a fight that will fire up his supporter base  and Twitter has just handed him one.

In response to protests in Minneapolis, Trump tweeted that he would send in the National Guard, and added, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts". Twitter hid the second tweet, claiming it "glorifies violence".

For almost the entirety of Trump's time in the White House there have been calls for social media companies to moderate the language used by the president. If another user had tweeted content similar to Trump, they would have likely faced the prospect of having their account suspended, at the very least.

The events in Minneapolis, which have seen consecutive nights of protests following the death of a black man called George Floyd in police custody, were always going to be something the president would pick up on, as his supporters generally favour a hardline stance on policing. The fact that those tragic events have now interweaved with what he sees as the silencing of right-wing voices by social media and Google will only help him with his "us against the establishment" act.

However, Trump is the establishment and is a man with incredible reach via his various platforms. Twitter is right to take a stand, in fact it should have done so years earlier. Some will want them to go further in reducing Trump's platform, but flagging content like they have will at least give the reader pause to think.

The president's supporters will think the same way they always have, but if Twitter's move can make someone deliberate about Trump's words and assess them critically, then that is better than what we had before.

Recommended Twitter adds unprecedented warning to Trump tweet

Twitter obviously has their motives, indeed taking a stand where their rival, Facebook, hasn't (so far) will help them. Trump's suggestions  and executive orders  will put pressure on the company and it has clearly decided now is the right time to take a stand, if a small one. Better late than never.

The warning states that "Twitter has determined that it may be in the public's interest for the Tweet to remain accessible".



The "historical context" of what they have removed is a reference to the looting and shooting phrase used by Miami Police Chief Walter Headley in the 1960s, in reference to his aggressive policing policies in black neighbourhoods. It's a consistent rhetoric from Trump and also a trap into which journalists are keen to see him fall.

This latest move kicks the hornets' nest over the issue of the free speech vs the harm from online comments. Exactly the type of battle Trump loves. He will place it in the political context as he knows it will help him consolidate his base ahead of the presidential election in November  and is a distraction from the pressure he is under over the handling of the coronavirus crisis in the US.

"Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party. They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States," the president tweeted on Friday morning.

He will relish this battle. But the fact is Trump needs to be taught a lesson about the power of his words.
Hes only seven years old, but Curtis Rodgers was not too young to plan a personal prom - sparing no details - for the nanny he describes as one of the best people Ive known.

When his babysitter couldn't attend her senior prom, 7-year-old Curtis decided to plan an extra special night for her, including making their favorite snacks and a playlist of her favorite songs. (via ABC 6) Posted by cleveland.com on Friday, May 29, 2020

According to a report by ABC11, the 7-year-old North Carolina boy is quickly becoming Raleighs biggest prom king.

Because of COVID-19, Curtis hadnt seen his nanny, Rachel Chapman, in two months, the report said. When Chapmans original prom plans were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Curtis was inspired to throw one for her.

I planned it out because Rachel probably wanted to see me a lot, Curtis said. She also is one of the best people Ive known, the report quoted.

According to the report, Curtis mother, Elissa, said her son spared no details.

He was very excited and wanted to make sure everything was just right and get his suit on and pick out his bowtie that matched her dress, she said. It was really cute. He was really excited for it to start and make sure he was ready to impress her, ABC11 quoted.

What had Curtis planned?

The report said Curtis had the whole night planned out: the pairs favorite after-school snack - peanut butter and apples - served as an appetizer; a pool noodle maintained a safe social distance; and Google served as the DJ, playing Rachels favorite songs.

What was Rachels reaction?

First he was waiting outside when we got there with the pool noodle and then he led me into the backyard, Rachel said. He had all my favorite foods and everything. I could tell he put a lot of thought into it, the report quoted.

Curtis mom spoke highly of Rachel., ABC11 reported.

Theyre awesome together, Elissa said. They have tons of fun. Shes really become a special part of our family. We love her. Shes awesome. Rachel is one of our favorite people and she also helps around the house a lot, Elissa said. So, Rachels like the best nanny ever, the report quoted.

It was a special day for a special nanny.

I was kind of like bummed putting my dress on because I was sad; I dont get to wear it to my senior prom, Chapman said. After leaving it and having that time with him because it was the first time I had seen him in two months, it was like, really fun, and Im really glad that he did that.

READ MORE:

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
TORONTO and LAS VEGAS, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - PinkCherry, a leading online store for sex toys, intimacy, and lingerie products, has seen a huge spike in sales; 248% in the US and 128% in Canada since the COVID-19 lockdown first began. With that Pink Cherry is pleased to help support food banks, technology for children and women's shelters across North America.

With all the doom and gloom in the news and stay-at-home policies in effect, couples and singles are apparently having fun with sex.

The demand and sale of sex toys by couples indicate that society's understanding and acceptance of sex has come a long way. Sexual health is no longer considered taboo in most parts of the world and, for the most part, the myths that surrounded it for hundreds of years have been put to rest. One of the most fundamental changes has been the interpretation of pleasure for women  from being seen as a blasphemy to being considered essential for a healthy sexual relationship.

Best Sellers for Couples Including Long Distance Relationships

There are some truly innovative toys out there for couples living apart. There are couples toys that sync to an app where the controller can remotely change the toy's settings and vibrations from anywhere in the world. Some of these toys may also react to music and the wearers movements. The best seller in this category is the We-Vibe Chorus Couples Vibrator .

Panty Vibes have always been quite popular as a foreplay toy. The wearer can have the toy on and their partner can control it via the remote from another room or floor in the house! The We-Vibe Moxie Wearable Clitoral Vibrator is a top seller in this category.

Under the bed restraints add that extra level of erotic play in the bedroom for couples. They easily fit and adjust to the mattress size and come with ankle and wrist restraints. Beneath the Sheets Premium Bed Restraints are popular for couples with all levels of bondage experience.

"This industry has continued to gain more mainstream acceptance and we are at the front of it by continually introducing new products. We carry more brands than any of our competitors, so we have something for everyone," says Sandy Grguric, Director of Marketing at PinkCherry.

About PinkCherry

PinkCherry.com and PinkCherry.ca is one of North America's largest online retailers of adult novelty products for sexual health and wellness, including sex toys and lingerie. PinkCherry is headquartered in Canada in Oakville, Ontario, and in Las Vegas, Nevada. PinkCherry carries over 7,000 products and hundreds of different lines at competitive prices, real-time inventory and fast shipping.

SOURCE PinkCherry

Related Links

www.pinkcherry.ca


A man convicted of a brutal 2009 murder will likely never see the outside of a prison based on a ruling by the Michigan Supreme Court released Friday.

Attorneys for Ihab Masalmani, 28, had sought to have their client resentenced in Macomb County Circuit Court based on a 2012 United States Supreme Court ruling that outlawed automatic life-without-parole terms for those under 18 convicted of first-degree murder because it was cruel and unusual punishment.

The ruling impacted more than 300 cases in Michigan, including about a dozen in Macomb County. Among them were that of Masalmani and Robert Taylor, now 27, who were convicted in 2010 of first-degree murder for the August 2009 shooting death of Matthew Landry, 21, of Chesterfield Township, after abducting him from outside an Eastpointe sandwich shop.

The court heard arguments in March but decided to drop the appeal of Ihab Masalmani with a two-sentence order. Chief Justice Bridget McCormack, joined by Richard Bernstein and Megan Cavanaugh, disagreed with the result. The majority included justices Stephen Markman, Brian Zahra, Elizabeth Clement and David Viviano.

In 2009, Landry was abducted from a fast-food parking lot in Eastpointe. His body was found days later in a burned-out Detroit house.

Masalmani, who was 17 at the time, has twice been sentenced in Macomb County to life in prison, the latest in 2015 after the U.S. Supreme Court said teenagers cant be given a no-parole term without a full airing of their childhood and other factors.

McCormack said Masalmanis crime was vicious. But she said he deserved to have another hearing where Judge Diane Druzinski could again weigh certain factors outlined by the U.S. Supreme Court that might give a young offender a chance at parole.

The trial courts sentencing decision must be a reasonable and principled outcome based on case-specific detailed factual circumstances. That did not occur here, McCormack said.

She was troubled by Druzinskis analysis of Masalmanis potential for rehabilitation in prison.

The trial court cited the states inability to provide Masalmani with rehabilitative treatment  a fact completely out of Masalmanis control  as a justification for his lifelong incarceration, McCormack said.

Erin Van Campen, who represented Masalmani, did not return a call from The Macomb Daily Friday morning.

At a previous hearing, Van Campen told the Michigan Supreme Court of the trial court: Theyre doing their best but theyre still not getting it right. Our system can have no confidence that these sentences are accurate if our trial courts dont have the guidance they desperately need.

When courts lack guidance about this critical issue, arbitrariness will result.

Macomb Daily staff contributed to this report.
Superintendent Stephen Tenkorang, the Bono Regional Commander of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) says the nation looks up to the media to uphold professional standards to ensure a peaceful Election 2020.

He emphasised the Police and other security services had the capacity and were determined to create a peaceful atmosphere for the smooth conduct of the Election 2020, devoid of intimidation and hooliganism.

But, he expressed the fear that unprofessional media work would have the potential to heighten tension, charged the atmosphere, and cause election violence.

Interacting with selected News Editors at a forum held at Abesim, near Sunyani, Supt. Tenkorang said election violence was unacceptable and the existing Police-media relationship ought to be strengthened to help easily identify and tackle once and for all factors that contributed to election-related violence.

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) organised the forum, as part of a 14-month project the Association is implementing with support from STAR-Ghana Foundation.

Titled No to political vigilantism and Electoral Violence in Ghana, the project aimed at contributing to national discourse in disbanding political vigilantism and eliminating electoral violence in Ghana.

It further seeks to enhance the capacity of media in conflict-sensitive reporting, given its crucial role as one of the key gatekeepers in election management and reportage in Ghana.

Supt. Tenkorang indicated that the Bono Region had no election hotspots, but few flashpoints had been identified, and the Police would require media collaboration to ensure that tensions were not heightened in those flashpoints at the heat of the electioneering.

He appealed to the leadership of the GJA to help flush out miscreants and unprofessional media practitioners who had invaded the media fraternity and soiling the image of the profession.

Dr. Roland Affail Monney, the President of the GJA indicated Journalists also had their political parties of choice but cautioned them not to allow their voting pattern to affect their professional work and standards.

He emphasised that journalism and politics drove development, and the media must ensure that they avoid tendencies that could scale-up tensions in the political landscape by ensuring that they sieve stories and design useful programmes that would build society.

We have professional, ethical, and godly responsibility to save Ghana from nation wreckers because political parties are like Suarez, and they want to score goals through fair or foul means, he said.

Our interest as journalists must not be who wins Election 2020, but our interest must be on how the general election would be free, fair, credible and peaceful, the GJA President stated.

Dr. John Ekow Otoo, the Deputy Director, Public Health at the Bono Regional Health Directorate commended the GJA and the local media for their collaboration with the GHS so far in helping to stem the spread of the COVID-19 in the region.

He said because COVID-19 was novel, signs, symptoms, and mode of transmission kept on changing and called on the media to intensify public education so that the frequent use of sanitizers, handwashing with soap under running water, and social distancing protocols would not relapse.

Dr. Otoo said the region had scale-up precautionary measures and heightened surveillance at the various borders to stem the spread of the virus disease.

GNA
Hundreds of people gathered outside the Springfields Police Headquarters on Friday calling on the police force to review their policies on choking measures and asking the Springfield Police to adopt police liability insurance.

If all police had to carry insurance, the worst offenders would quickly be identified, and they would be charged a higher rate, said Holly Richardson, community organizer of Out Now. If they continued down this path, eventually they would be priced out, or become un-insurable and thus unemployable.

The protests followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Monday. Video showed Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin with his knee on Floyds neck as Floyd gasps for breath on the ground with his face against the pavement. The officer does not move for at least eight minutes, even after Floyd stops speaking and moving. Floyd, 46, was arrested Monday after an employee at a grocery store called police to accuse him of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill.

During the protest, authorities arrested Chauvin, who according to CNN, had 18 complaints filed against him with the Minneapolis Police Department prior to Floyds death on May 25.

Protesters gather outside the Springfield Police Headquarters to show solidarity with George Floyd. He died in police custody in Minnesota. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

The incident has sparked Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to call for the arrest of Chauvin, who along with three other officers have been fired.

I'm not speaking to either confirm nor deny how many police officers engage in what I would characterize as brutality, said Alicia Fleming, an organizer with Jobs with Justice. Were not looking to necessarily place blame at this moment with this event, but rather to talk about steps towards the solution.

The Springfield police department told MassLive that they regularly put their officers through de-escalation training, minimizing the need to use force and focus on communications skills. The department also said that since the introduction of tasers in 2015, there has been a dramatic decrease in the times officers have to get physical with a suspect.

The training consists of teaching officers to recognize and feel comfortable intervening when they see fellow officers on the verge of or engaging in inappropriate behavior, a Springfield police spokesperson said.

In Boston on Thursday, dozens gathered in at Ashmont T stop in Dorchester and Peters Park in the South End. In Framingham, about 30 people made protested across the city.

Protesters gather outside the Springfield Polce Headquarters to show solidarity with George Floyd. He died in police custody in Minnesota. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

Hundreds of people responded to the Facebook post of the protest in Springfield. The Business Improvement District was called out in the morning to put up barriers along the road to the station.

What Id like people to understand is that police officers are frustrated too when incidents like this half way across the country happen, said Clapprood on Friday. " It takes away from the strides we have made in the community, but I want to assure our community that those type of tactics you saw in Minneapolis, its just not how we train our officers here, we emphasize on keeping body-weight off areas of the body such as the head, neck, throat and spine and we stress de-escalation minimizing the need to use force, focusing on communication skills.

Emotions were high with some of the people at the event saying that they have either been a victim of the police at one point in their lives or they know someone who has been.

I have people who have been having run-ins with the law, said Protester Malcolm Wilson. Like last year, one of my friends was almost murdered by one of the police had it not been for someone stepping in.

Malcolm said that he has family in the Springfield police force but is at the protest because he saw the video that was posted online and felt he had to do something.

Right now, we should be able to have the space to show that you know what has been happening in America and in different parts of the country isnt OK, said Ward 1 City Councilor Adam Gomez. " A space where people of the community come together and support the black community during this time."

Malcolm Wilson has family in the Springfield police and can see the police perspective but feels what was done to George Floyd was unacceptable. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

Got a news tip or want to contact MassLive about this story? Email newstips@masslive.com or message us on Facebook orTwitter. You can also call our news tips line at 413-776-1364.

Protest outside the Springfield Police Department over the Minnesota resident George Floyd who died in police custody. Posted by MassLive on Friday, May 29, 2020

Related Content:
The charm of a 10-year-old singing star has managed to grab the attention of music maestro AR Rahman. The Grammy Award winning music director and composer was thoroughly impressed with the skills of Souparnika Nair when the little girl performed on the stage of Britains Got Talent.

Rahman tweeted, Nice to wake up to this, followed by a blast emoji and posted the video to Souparnikas act.

Nice to wake up to this https://t.co/51EdsYY1iY A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) May 27, 2020

In the video, the girl can be seen singing Judy Garlands The Trolley Song at first. Then, she is asked by Simon Cowell, one of the long standing judges of the reality show, in the middle of her performance to sing some other song. He asks the 10-year-old to showcase a different part of her voice. Souparnika sings Never Enough from the musical The Greatest Showman and wins hearts all around.

Apart from acquiring a standing ovation from the audience and judges of the show, she has also managed to earn the respect of the celebrated Indian music director.

Twitterati agreed on Rahmans post and added that she was indeed a gifted soul.

One user wrote, What a beautiful voice, made my day....added bonus that she is an Indian on Britains Got Talent, another comment read, What a singing!

Souparnika too saw Rahmans tweet and extended her gratitude. She wrote, Thank you so much sir for watching my audition.
A Mexican national filed a lawsuit in a Houston federal court against a for-profit prison company, alleging that she was raped at a detention center contracted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The shocking incident purportedly took place on the eve of the woman's deportation to Mexico while she was detained at CoreCivic's Houston Processing Center, according to the court document that was filed Wednesday.

The woman, who is identified as Jane Doe, had been held for close to three months at the facility and on the afternoon of June 1, 2018 was removed from the general population and allegedly taken to a separate, dark holding cell with two other women.

Shortly before midnight, she said three men in street clothes reportedly entered the cell where they physically and sexually assaulted the three detainees. The lawsuit indicates that the women attempted to defend themselves from their attackers. Doe was allegedly slapped and punched in the face by one of the men, who then twisted her hands behind her back.

Doe, who has left with bruises on her face, said she tried to fight off the aggressor but stopped because he kept beating her.

The complaint states that a couple of hours after the alleged attack, guards forced the women to change to their clothes and they were not allowed to bathe before they were placed on a bus back to Mexico on June 2, 2018.

An immigrant woman who was deported from Houston to Mexico by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on June 2, 2018, filed a lawsuit in a Houston federal court Wednesday, alleging she was raped at CoreCivic's Houston Processing Center, a for-profit detention center that has held a contract with ICE since 2003. She gave birth to the child pictured above in 2019 as a result of being raped, the complaint contends

A lawsuit filed in a Houston federal court Wednesday alleges that three men beat and raped three female detainees from Mexico on June 1, 2018, before they were deported the following day on a bus. Only one of the women is represented in the lawsuit. The other two have yet to come forward

It was not until Doe got back to her rural home in Mexico that she discovered that she had been impregnated as a result of the sexual assault. She have birth to a girl in 2019.

'I became pregnant as a result of rape and am now the mother of a girl,' the woman said in a videotaped statement that was provided to DailyMail.com on Friday courtesy of Newsroom Public Relations. 'This nightmare has caused me a lot of damage and stress. I hope the United States government and the directors of these private jails prevent this violence from happening to others.'

The lawsuit states that CoreCivic, the first private for-profit penitentiary in the United States, has held a contract with ICE dating back to 2003 to operate the Houston facility.

'In 2018, when these serious allegations arose, ICE and local law enforcement conducted an immediate and joint investigation into the matter,' ICE spokesman Tim Oberle told DailyMail.com via an email.

'ICE takes all allegations of misconduct against any contracted detention facility seriously as the agency seeks to provide a safe and humane environment for individuals who are in detention. ICE will not comment further as the matter is pending litigation, but looks forward to providing information and evidence during the court proceedings.'

A 2017 report filed by CoreCivic with the federal government showed that detainees filed eight allegations of sexual assault against the Houston facility's staff in 2017. The Tennessee-based prison company found that one of the cases was determined to have occurred while the other seven produced insufficient evidence to determine whether they were true.

CoreCivic also found two substantiated cases at its other five prisons that have contracts with ICE.

'What I can tell you is we are committed to the safety and dignity of every detainee entrusted to our care. We have a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of sexual abuse and sexual harassment,' CoreCivic spokeswoman Amanda Gilchrist said to DailyMail.com in an emailed statement. 'To ensure we are in full compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), all staff receive pre-service and in-service education and training, and all detainees receive PREA education and training beginning at initial reception and continuing while they are with us.'

According to the deported woman's Dallas-based attorney, Michelle Simpson Tuegel, CoreCivic has not been served with the lawsuit and will have 21 days to respond once it is served.

'They can say they have a zero-tolerance policy but clearly that is not what the facts showed and we would like to get to the bottom of how and why this happened and what failures contributed to them ever having access to these women in the first place,' Simpson Tuegel told DailyMail.com in a phone interview Friday.

She said she hopes her client having gone public with the claim will push the other two women to step forward.
LOS ANGELES  The union representing workers at a meatpacking plant near Los Angeles where at least 153 employees have come down with COVID-19 called on Thursday for the plants immediate closure, saying measures to control the outbreak were not working.

The outbreak has hit over 10 percent of the workforce at the Smithfield-owned Farmer John plant, said John Grant, president of the local chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.

Its dangerous and the problem with this is that its invisible, insidious and deadly, Grant said. And so what you do is when a shark is in the water, you pull everyone out of the water and you make an assessment of what is going on. Thats what has to happen right now, a sharp honest assessment of what is going on.

The animal rights group PETA joined the protest, bringing its Pandemic Pig in a convertible for a drive-by protest.

Smithfield, owned by Chinas WH Group Ltd, said in a statement it has implemented aggressive measures to protect workers health and safety, including temperature scanning, free voluntary COVID-19 tests, more personal protective equipment and plexiglass barriers on the production floor.

Meatpacking plants have proved devastatingly effective vectors of the coronavirus across the United States. About 30 plants temporarily closed in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and several other Midwestern states last month, according to the UFCW.

Pork and beef slaughter capacity have dropped by 30% to 40%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To avoid a further decline in a major food supply, President Donald Trump at the end of April ordered meat plants stay open during the pandemic.

Los Angeles County Commissioner Hilda Solis said in a statement the county has asked the Smithfield plant to provide a report by next week detailing its COVID-19 mitigation plans and what it is doing to provide support for the plants workers, their families, and the surrounding Southeast Los Angeles communities.

Smithfield is the worlds biggest pork processor.
Blac Chyna has filed suit against a landlord who received a $72,000 judgment against her earlier this year in an ongoing dispute over a Los Angeles home she'd rented.

The 32-year-old, in her lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, told the court that landlord, Michael Kremerman, is actually in debt to her more than $20,000 from a security deposit he never repaid, per their contract, Page Six reported Thursday.

Kremerman last year sued Chyna, whose real name is Angela Renee White, for $48,000 and was subsequently awarded an additional $18,000 from the judge earlier this year after she never responded to the suit.

The latest: Blac Chyna has filed suit against a landlord who received a $72,000 judgment against her earlier this year in an ongoing dispute over a Los Angeles home she'd rented

The Washington D.C. native, in her new filing, said that she's suing Kremerman for $50,000, as its double the amount of the $25,000 deposit she claims he owes her.

Kremerman was attempting to collect 'unpaid rent at a time when he no longer even owned the rental property' in Studio City, California, Chyna's attorney, Lynne Ciani told the outlet Thursday.

Ciani said Kremerman made a 'fraudulent claim' that the salon owner was into him for huge sums at the time she left the six-bedroom, five-bathroom residence; and attempted to 'have his cake and eat it too' in attempting to collect monies after a Zillow report indicated he'd sold the home in March of 2019 for the sum of $4.55 million.

In his April 2019 suit, according to Page Six, Kremerman claimed that the reality star was in to him for $55,546 after leaving the home prematurely, and that he took off her $25,000 deposit.

The Washington D.C. native, in her new filing, said that she's suing the landlord for $50,000, as its double the amount of the $25,000 deposit she claims he owes her

Tough times: She's also in a legal situation with her ex Rob Kardashian, who's father to her three-year-old daughter Dream Kardashian

In regards to damage Kremerman claimed Chyna left when she moved, Chyna said he was only entitled to less than $4,700 - divvied among her November 2018 rent for $3,360; a sink with $1,100 in repairs due; and a $231.02 popcorn maker that needs to be replaced.

The Lashed businesswoman is slated to return to court in the case June 26.

She's also in a legal situation with her ex Rob Kardashian, who's father to her three-year-old daughter Dream Kardashian.
"This is excellent news for TU Dresden and supports the continued development of our university", says Prof. Hans Muller-Steinhagen, Rector of TU Dresden. "I would like to congratulate the three speakers and their teams from the bottom of my heart and wish them every success in their ambitious endeavours."

New nanomaterials: CRC 1415 "Chemistry of Synthetic Two-Dimensional Materials"

The economy of the 21st century is enabled and fuelled by advanced materials for electronics and technologies. In this respect, the arena of two-dimensional materials (2DMs) became popular over the last decade, because 2DMs offer great promise in applications ranging from electronic devices to catalysis, and from information technology to medicine. 2DMs represent a class of nanomaterials with single- to few-layers thickness (? 10 layers) and high structural definition at the atomic/molecular level.

The Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1415 "Chemistry of Synthetic Two-Dimensional Materials" will aim at the controlled bottom-up synthesis and the development of novel classes of synthetic 2DMs with high structural definition. Moreover, the development of in-situ and ex-situ spectroscopic, microscopic and diffraction characterization methods plays a key role. The third focal point of the research initiative is to theoretically tackle the chemical and physical phenomena of 2DMs using advanced theoretical methods and models, and to predict the 2DM's formation and their physical and chemical properties.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Xinliang Feng, Deputy spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Thomas Heine

Partners: TU Dresden, (cfaed, Chair of Molecular Functional Materials), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, Ulm University

Funding: ca 7.7 million EUR

Construction for the future: CRC/TR 280 Design strategies for carbon concrete structures using a minimal of material - Fundamentals for a new way of constructing.

Novel materials allow for new designs and new methods of construction. It sounds quite simple, but in reality there is often a long way to go. In architectural engineering, innovation processes take a particularly long time due to high demands on safety and durability as well as complex standardisation and approval procedures. This holds true even more so for high-performance building material combinations such as textile-reinforced concrete and carbon concrete, which will bring about a paradigm shift if not a revolution in building with concrete, the most important building material worldwide in terms of volume. Using carbon concrete can significantly reduce both the enormous consumption of resources and the CO2 emissions of the construction industry, at the same time giving access to additional functions. However, first construction projects have demonstrated that despite the novel possibilities, traditional construction principles based on reinforced concrete continue to be used, i.e. the conventional materials are simply being substituted. The full potential of the innovative carbon concrete composite material will only be realised in the future if it will be combined with intelligent design strategies.

Previous research projects investigated the fundamentals and the usability of the new carbon concrete material. The new Collaborative Research Centre/TRR with a total of 26 researchers will explore new construction strategies to be used with carbon concrete. The objective for the new carbon concrete composite is to not only replace the previous reinforced concrete material, but to find new ways of designing that are specifically tailored to the properties of carbon concrete in order to exploit its full performance potential.

Profound fundamental research as well as a holistic approach are the prerequisites for finding suitable methods for designing, modelling and projecting with novel construction materials. For carbon concrete composite, this implies lightweight construction principles adapted to the material. The key sources of inspiration for innovative components that transmit forces primarily through stress include botany as well as other disciplines far beyond construction, such as mathematics and art. The development of novel structures is closely linked to issues of manufacturability, taking into account both an accompanying product-related sustainability assessment and an adequate refinement of the composite itself. The construction strategies that will prove to be effective will allow for completely different shapes. The new design strategies and material combinations reduce resource and energy consumption due to previously unknown lightweight construction principles, while at the same time offering high suitability for use, structural safety and durability. Additionally, these new strategies and composites are reflected in ambitious aesthetics, which may develop into a new 'art of constructing'. The research alliance between TUD and RWTH has been cooperating for many years and combines the existing excellent competences. Conducting research into construction with a minimum of material using mineral composites, the alliance will be an internationally visible lighthouse.

Spokesperson: Prof. Manfred Curbach, TU Dresden

Partners: TU Dresden, RWTH Aachen University, IPF Dresden

Funding: ca 12 million EUR

Uncovering the mechanisms of volition: CRC 940 "Volition and Cognitive Control: Mechanisms, Modulators, Dysfunctions"

The team of more than 60 psychologists and neuroscientists from the TU Dresden, together with cooperation partners from the Charite Berlin, will continue their effort to elucidate the mechanisms underlying human volition and self-control for another four years.

In the past eight years, CRC researchers have already made substantial progress with respect to their overall goal to elucidate the cognitive and neural mechanisms, which underlie the ability to exert volitional control over one's actions and emotions and to understand determinants of impaired self-control. By combining psychological experiments with advanced functional neuroimaging methods, CRC researchers were able to identify regions of the prefrontal cortex, which mediate the maintenance of intentions and the ability to shield intentions against distracting stimuli or undesired impulsive responses. Moreover, major advances were made in uncovering the neuronal circuits underlying the control of voluntary goal-directed actions as opposed to automated habits. The newly gained insights about the mechanisms of human decision-making and action control have substantially contributed to a better understanding of why individuals often exhibit impaired self-control and make shortsighted decisions in their daily life, which are associated with adverse personal consequences and great societal costs. The spokesperson of the SFB, Prof. Thomas Goschke, attributes the success of the CRC to the fact that it "combines in innovative ways interdisciplinary basic research on neurocognitive mechanisms of volition and self-control with applied themes of high clinical and societal relevance".

In the third funding period, the researchers will investigate whether dysfunctions of neurocognitive processes underlying impaired self-control predict the long-term risk of addiction and other mental disorders, why self-control is specifically impaired under severe stress, and how such impairments affect social interactions. According to Goschke, the long-term vision is to lay foundations for improved prevention and therapy of disorders of self-control based on insights into the neurocognitive mechanisms of voluntary action control and thereby to provide new impulses for the social and philosophical discourse on freedom of will.

###

https://tu-dresden.de/sfb940

Spokesperson: Prof. Thomas Goschke, TU Dresden

Partners: TU Dresden, Charite Berlin

Funding: ca 10 million EUR

Media inquiries

CFC 1415: 2D Materials

Prof. Xinliang Feng (Spokesperson)

Tel.: +49 351 463-43251

E-Mail: xinliang.feng@tu-dresden.de

Prof. Thomas Heine (Deputy spokesperson)

Tel.: +49 351 463-37637

E-Mail: thomas.heine@tu-dresden.de,

CFC/TR 280: Carbon Concrete

Prof. Manfred Curbach

Tel.: +49 351 463- 37660

E-Mail: manfred.curbach@tu-dresden.de

SFB 940: Volition and Cognitive Control

Prof. Thomas Goschke,

Tel.: +49 351 463-34695 oder +49 172 3554785

E-Mail: thomas.goschke@tu-dresden.de
Internment without trial was introduced in the early 1970s (PA)

Nearly 50 republicans and loyalists interned without trial at the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland are to sue the British state, it emerged on Friday.

They are taking legal action for alleged false imprisonment after the Supreme Court quashed Gerry Adams' historic convictions for attempting to escape from jail.

Earlier this month justices ruled the former Sinn Fein President's detention at the Maze Prison in the 1970s had been unlawful.

Lawyers representing 30 ex-republican internees have now been instructed to issue proceedings against the Secretary of State, the Northern Ireland Office, PSNI and the Ministry of Defence.

The lawsuits allege false imprisonment, unlawful detention, assault, battery and trespass around Interim Custody Orders (ICO) served between 1972 and 1975.

One of the main cases involves Tony Sloan, who was held at the prison - then known as the Long Kesh Internment Camp - a record three times.

He was part of the first group of detainees in December 1971 through to June 1972, then again from April 1973 to April 1974, and was one of the last internees to be released in December 1975.

Solicitor Kevin Winters, of KRW Law, confirmed the action follows Mr Adams successful appeal against two convictions for attempting to escape from the camp in 1973 and 1974.

He had been interned with trial, a policy introduced at the time as violence raged in Northern Ireland.

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the ICO for Mr Adams was invalid because the Secretary of State at the time, Willie Whitelaw, had not personally considered it.

Expand Close Gerry Adams speaking in Belfast after his convictions were quashed by UK judges PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Gerry Adams speaking in Belfast after his convictions were quashed by UK judges

His detention and convictions for attempting to escape from lawful custody were therefore held to be unlawful.

Similar actions already initiated by 19 former loyalist internees are also being stepped up on the back of the Supreme Court decision.

The elderly Protestants are suing the Northern Ireland Office, PSNI, Ministry of Defence and Secretary of State, alleging they were imprisoned without trial in a bid to "even up the score".

Nearly 2,000 people were interned over a four-year period, most of them being Catholic.

The ex-loyalist internees allege British Government abused its power by locking them up because of their religion, and to demonstrate internment was not just focused on one side of the community.

Mr Winters said their case was due to be heard at the High Court in Belfast this month, but was put on hold because of the Covid-19 crisis.

"The adjournment could not have been more timely given the prospective significance of the Adams ruling on both sets of cases," the solicitor stressed.

"From initial assessment on some of the papers it seems the necessary protocol was not in place, including, crucially, an absence of the signature of the Secretary of State on the ICOs."

He added: "We have today filed a summons in the High court to amend the pleadings in the lead internment challenge to take into account the Supreme Court ruling.

"We expect the case to be heard later this year when the full impact of that ruling will be made known.

"That in turn will be of huge relevance to all internment cases collectively."
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) have significantly reduced ownership in Nifty50 companies, thanks to factors including disappointing Budget, global factors and coronavirus outbreak.

The trend may remain unabated in the coming quarters too if the current situation does not change even as there are some positives that are comforting, said experts.

A report from brokerage firm Motilal Oswal Financial Services said in Q4FY20, FIIs reduced ownership in 90 percent of Nifty50 companies quarter-on-quarter (QoQ).

FII holdings in the Nifty500 hit a 5-year low, declining 140 bps quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) and 80 bps year-on-year (YoY) to 21 percent in Q4FY20.

Data from NDSL shows FIIs invested Rs 957 crore and Rs 8,970 crore in the Indian market in the month of January and February, respectively, but took out a whopping Rs 1,18,203 crore in March.

Motilal Oswal highlighted that the Indian equity markets corrected significantly in Q4FY20 (down 29 percent in the quarter  the highest QoQ decline since June 1992), in tandem with global equity markets due to headwinds from the COVID-19 outbreak.

In the March quarter of FY20, DIIs inflows (at $10.1 billion) and FIIs outflows (at $6.6 billion) were at record highs, Motilal Oswal said.

A contrasting trend was observed among FIIs and DIIs for the March quarter. As per Motilal Oswal, DIIs increased stake in 61 percent of Nifty500 and 78 percent of Nifty50 companies QoQ.

The FII-DII ownership ratio in the Nifty500 is at a new low and has declined to 1.4 times from 2.2 times in the last five years.

In the last year, an increase in the FII-DII ratio was recorded in the Insurance sector. Telecom, Real Estate, Private Banks, Cement, Healthcare, Automobiles, Retail and Technology were the other key sectors to see a decline, Motilal Oswal said.

"Bharti Airtel and Zee Ent witnessed an increase in FII holding on a QoQ basis. Eicher, Axis Bank, Tata Steel, ICICI Bank and Grasim were the top stocks to see a decline in FII holding," Motilal Oswal said.

"Top increase in DII holdings in Nifty stocks on a QoQ basis was seen in Power Grid, Eicher Motors, NTPC, Coal India and ONGC," said the brokerage.

What was the reason behind FPI selling in Q4FY20?

Rusmik Oza, Executive Vice President and Head of Fundamental Research at Kotak Securities highlights two reasons behind the heavy selling by FPIs in the March quarter.

"One was the disappointment on the Budget and the second was the global sell-off on escalating fears of coronavirus outside china. Both of these triggers played out in Feb & March of this year," Oza said.

"Coronavirus spread in the developed markets in March led to panic selling across markets. In India, we witnessed one of the largest FII monthly outflows of nearly $9 billion in March. FII flows were positive in the two months of January and February," Oza said.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services pointed out that FIIs were on a risk-on mode since lockdown had a high impact on emerging economies like India than the developed market.

"FIIs selling was high on the segments where exposure or holding was high. It also had a high impact on sectors that were highly sensitive to the fall in GDP. For example, the banking sector was the worst hit due to high exposure of FIIs and fall in economy deteriorating their credit growth & quality of the asset," Nair said.

Aamar Deo Singh, Head Advisory, Angel Broking pointed out that the valuation of many Nifty stocks was higher and a selloff triggered by COVID-19 started a chain of selling.

"Valuations were anyways at higher levels pre COVID-19, but at the same time, the fear surrounding the uncertainty due to global lockdown, was the primary reason for this sharp selloff," Singh said.

"All negative news flowing in from all quarters about the economic giants such as USA, Germany and France moving into recession, and a contraction in almost all world economies, also led to a cautious approach by FPIs, who generally have exposure across many markets," Singh said.

Will the trend continue?

A lot will depend on how the COVID-19 situation progresses in the coming days. Also, the complete opening of economic activities will boost morale but the souring relationship between the Us and China may deal a heavy blow to the market sentiment.

Nair of Geojit Financial Services is hopeful that India will perform well in the short-term but he added that the country's performance in the medium-term will depend on the extent of the economy it will be able to reopen.

"India is attempting to catch-up with the rest of the world post huge underperformance. It has factored all the merit and demerit of the stimulus announced by the government. Now, it is anticipating a better economy in Q2, though it may be partially opened while a fully opened economy could happen by the second half of FY21," Nair said.

"India expects a ripple effect from the opened developed market, especially for export-oriented companies and sectors. At the same time, big equity deals announced by the banks with foreign investors have changed the outlook of the banking sector," Nair added.

Oza of Kotak Securities is of the view that as coronavirus cases are receding in Europe and gradually coming down in the US also, sentiment towards equities is changing.

However, he added that the number of COVID-19 cases is still on the rise in India which could deter FII flows in the country in the near future.

"Once the number of cases recedes in India and economic activity crawls back to normalcy we can expect positive FIIs flows to resume," Oza said.

Oza underscored that the large QE program led by Fed & ECB and massive stimulus announced by Japan would lead to surplus liquidity in the global system.

"After few months, we can expect this liquidity to flow into emerging markets, including India," he said.

While the Indian market witnessed sharp selling in March and Nifty fell near 7,500-mark, a bounce was observed towards the end of April.

From the March low of 7,500, Nifty is now near 9,500, a nearly 26 percent jump in two months.

"The pace of FPI sell-off has come-off since March, which is somewhat comforting. But going forward, the revival of the economy and the effects of the stimulus package, along with the banking sector mounting NPA issue, shall be the key drivers," Singh of Angel Broking said.

"Also, how India is able to manage its CAD, will also have a bearing. Going forward, prospects of reduced income levels and corporate profits, too, will play a crucial role in determining FPIs flows back into the country," Singh said.

The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Regardless of what's happening to government budgets , the process of procurement remains an essential and complicated one, and a new gov tech partnership is hoping that better data could make it faster and cheaper. ElectrifAi , a company that makes machine learning-powered products, has developed a tool to simplify procurement by making financial data more concise and intuitive, and it has partnered with the cloud software company CherryRoad Technologies to make the product more readily available to state procurement officers.ElectrifAis business intelligence tool is called ProcurementAi, the latest version of which was released in early April. The company announced in a news release this month that ProcurementAi is now available through a portal owned by the National Association of State Procurement Officials and hosted on the cloud by CherryRoad.Michael Fox, ElectrifAis head of product, said ProcurementAi, unlike most procurement software focused on workflow or contract management, is focused on data-generated insights. The software reads an agencys purchase orders, invoices, contracts, spreadsheets and other spending data from various sources, then categorizes and presents it in a more condensed, easier-to-read way. He said this includes automatic alerts, so procurement officers can see where their agency is paying more than once for the same service, what theyre paying for but not using, or whether their contracts fit other initiatives, such as prioritizing local sellers or minority-owned businesses.The idea is to help a procurement officer craft better RFPs and trim the budget with a clearer comparison of what the agency has and what it needs.Today, when states have substantial budget challenges, this allows you to look at, how do we reallocate? How do we renegotiate? Fox said. With those budgets, you can actually clean all that data automatically with machine learning, present a clean view of all the spending information, and all the contracts related to that spending information  it becomes very simple to understand the impact where, if I just redirect my RFP to local businesses only, as an example, I can change the course of my local economy and local small business. Its a huge boon to those groups that have that kind of intelligence.Its not only about cutting costs. The bigger picture, he said, is providing government with some agility.The area thats so exciting about this for us is that machine learning lets us do things you couldnt do before, he said. Theres so much hype, the challenge is actually helping leaders understand whats possible with the technology.
Hyderabad: The daughter-in-law of Andhra Pradesh BJP president Kanna Laxminarayana died under at a friends villa in Hyderabad on Thursday.

The victim, N. Suharika, 32, wife of Lakshminarayanas son Kanna Phanindhar, was a homemaker and resident of Hill Ridge Village in Gachibowli. On Thursday morning, she went to the Meenakshi Bamboo Villas under Raidurgam limits, where she partied along with four other friends in Villa No. 28 belonging to one Pavan Reddy.

At around 11.30 am, Suharika collapsed in the house and was taken to AIG Hospital in Gachibowli, where doctors declared her brought dead. The hospital authorities informed the police. Subsequently, on the complaint of Suharikas mother M. Sagarika, the Raidurgam police registered a case of unnatural death for the probe.

Raidurgam inspector S. Ravinder told the media, Suharika went to the villa belonging to Pavan Reddy, who is a common friend. While partying, she is said to have danced for over an hour, and later collapsed. Within 15 minutes, she was taken to the AIG Hospital, where she was declared brought dead.

He said that the statements of Suharikas husband and mother had been recorded, and also of the witnesses which cleared that it was not an incident of homicide or suicide. The exact reason for the death of Suharika can be ascertained only after the post-mortem examination report. As per the statements of her mother and husband, it is not a case of homicide or suicide, said inspector Ravinder.
Greece has banned Britons from going on holiday there when it reopens its borders on June 1.

While citizens of 29 other countries will be allowed to travel when Greece's airports reopen to tourists on June 15, the UK's number of coronavirus cases is still too high.

A list published today has revealed Greece will allow tourists to travel from countries including Australia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania and Lebanon.

But Britain's number of coronavirus cases and deaths are not low enough for the country to consider allowing Briton's in.

The UK currently has 269,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases, while 37,837 people have died from the deadly disease.

While citizens of 29 other countries will be allowed to travel when Greece's airports reopen to tourists on June 15, the UK's number of coronavirus cases is still too high. Pictured, Mykonos

The Greek Tourism Ministry said travellers from the permitted countries will be able to enter Greece on direct flights to Athens and to the northern city of Thessaloniki.

The list will be expanded on July 1 to include other countries, the ministry said.

Which countries will Greece allow in via direct flights from June 15? Albania Australia Austria North Macedonia Bulgaria Germany Denmark Switzerland Estonia Japan Israel China Croatia Cyprus Latvia Lebanon New Zealand Lithuania Malta Montenegro Norway South Korea Hungary Romania Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Czech Republic Finland Advertisement

The 29 announced Friday are: Albania, Australia, Austria, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Estonia, Japan, Israel, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lebanon, New Zealand, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, South Korea, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Finland.

Visitors arriving from those countries could be subject to sample coronavirus testing, the ministry said.

Greece imposed a lockdown early in its coronavirus outbreak, a move credited with limiting infections.

The country so far has a total of 175 deaths and just over 2,900 confirmed cases.

No cases have been detected on the vast majority of the Greek islands, which are popular vacation spots.

Tourism and related industries make up around 20 per cent of the Greek economy, and the government has been anxious to ensure the tourist season is not lost this year.

It comes after sunseekers flocked to Greek beaches and tourist spots when much of the country's lockdown restrictions were lifted earlier this week.

After months of stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus, Greece re-opened its famed museums and tourist destinations while relaxing restrictions on movement and shopping on the mainland.

Athenians were able to gather to watch the sun set on Areopagus Hill, with the Lycabettus Hill in the background on the evening of Saturday, May 23.

Athenians watch the sunset on Areopagus Hill, with the Acropolis in the background, on May 23,

People enjoy a day at Kavouri Beach on May 23 in Vouliagmeni, Greece. Greece reacted early to curb the spread of Covid-19 but the pandemic wreaked havoc for international travel, dealing a damaging blow to the country's tourism sector

Others flocked to nearby beaches to enjoy the May sunshine and swim in the sea.

People were seen enjoying a day out at Kavouri Beach, some 20km south of Athens, last weekend.

Greece reacted early to curb the spread of Covid-19 but the pandemic wreaked havoc for international travel, dealing a damaging blow to the country's tourism sector.

Greece - a destination favoured by British holidaymakers - was put on a six-week lockdown in March in a bid to slow the spread of deadly coronavirus.

Businesses were shut as soon as the country recorded its first Covid-19 death and travel to the islands, such as Mykonos and Santorini, was restricted.

Athenians watch the sunset on Areopagus Hill, with the Lycabettus Hill in the background, on Saturday evening, above and below

Athenians watch the sunset on Areopagus Hill, with the Lycabettus Hill in the background, on May 23

Cyprus will reopen its airports to commercial flights on June 9 but British tourists will be banned from entering the country

But organised beaches - those with ticketed entrances and organised sunbeds - reopened on May 16 following official advice.

Normally year-round hotels and restaurants are to resume operation in Greece on June 1 with strict distancing rules.

Cyprus will reopen its airports to commercial flights on June 9 but British tourists will be banned from entering the country.

Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said that airports would reopen to commercial flights after nearly three months of lockdown.

Britain and Russia are the island's two largest tourist markets but both are not on the initial lists amid concerns has not been sufficiently contained in those countries.

Meanwhile, Spain has told foreign tourists that the country 'will be waiting for them' from July.

Spain's decision to open the holiday mecca in just over a month's time comes a day after the UK government urged Britons not to book their holidays as they will be forced to quarantine for 14 days on their return.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has told foreign tourists that the country 'will be waiting for them' from July

The holiday mecca will open up its borders in just over a month's time giving hope to Britons wanting to spend the summer in the Costas. Pictured: A woman walks past a closed-off beach in Benidorm

Tourists and locals returned to bars and terraces in Benidorm after the government relaxed lockdown measures last week

Mr Sanchez told the nation earlier this week: 'Spain receives each year more than 80 million visitors.

'That's why I'm announcing to you that from the month of July the entry of international tourism to Spain will restart in safety.

'Foreign tourists can now start planning their holidays here.'

Whether Britons will choose to take advantage of Spain's easing of lockdown remains to be seen.

The government's strict quarantine regimen will come into force on June 8.

Home Secretary Priti Patel yesterday previously confirmed that all arrivals to the UK must self-isolate for 14 days on landing.
New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday held a virtual meeting with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, during which they discussed initiatives to promote post-corona economic recovery.



During the meeting, they also exchanged views on response to the coronavirus pandemic and preparations for the 15th EU-India Summit, which had been postponed in March due to the outbreak of the virus.

"High Representative/Vice-President Borrell and Minister Jaishankar confirmed the commitment of both the EU and India to work together to overcome the global pandemic and stressed the importance of an effective global socio-economic recovery," Jaishankar said in a tweet.

Borrell and Jaishankar confirmed the commitment of both the EU and India to work together to overcome the pandemic and stressed the importance of an effective global socio-economic recovery, according to a statement by European Union External Action.

The two leaders agreed that the current pandemic made the EU-India Strategic Partnership even more relevant. This was true in terms of joining efforts to strengthen the multilateral system, as well as in further developing the bilateral relationship, including trade and investment and security cooperation.

"High Representative Borrell and Minister Jaishankar discussed preparations for the EU-India Summit, which will be held as soon as possible. They looked forward to the Summit as an important opportunity to advance on all aspects of the EU-India relationship. They also discussed relevant foreign policy topics, including Afghanistan, China, and Iran," read the statement. (ANI)


It came in a tweet.

On Thursday evening, President Donald Trump announced that the federal government was providing $60.9 million to build the Purple Line bus rapid transit route from downtown Albany, along the Washington and Western avenue corridor, to the University at Albany, SUNY Polytechnic Institute and Crossgates Mall. It's the third of three bus rapid transit routes planned by CDTA.

Trump described it as "a BRAND NEW bus system for a very busy and popular transit corridor in the Albany, NY areamore help coming to the people of New York!"

CDTA already has one successful route in operation, the BusPlus Red Line that connects Albany and Schenectady along the Route 5 corridor, and another, the river corridor Blue Line that would connect Hudson River communities from Albany to Watervliet, Troy, Cohoes and Waterford, is in the works.

The third line is the Purple Line, and Thursday evening CDTA spokeswoman Jaime Watson said the transit authority was making calls to find out just what the money was for. "This is not the typical notification we get" for federal funding, she observed.

In a follow-up call, Watson said the $60.9 million represented the federal share of the $77.7 million Purple Line. The project cost includes buses, stations and other infrastructure, including a dedicated bus road through the UAlbany campus.

After years of work and relentless advocacy, the Rapid Transit Bus has arrived for Capital Region commuters and it is chock full of federal cash," said U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, in a statement Friday. "I have long championed the CDTAs innovative and impactful Bus Rapid Transit vision and am very pleased that, as promised, we are delivering the federal investment to further realize this vision, which will do so much to improve transit for Capital region commuters.

President Trump's CDTA announcement, meanwhile, was among several that he tweeted in quick succession Thursday, announcing grants to a number of transit authorities nationwide.

CDTA, like other transit operators, airlines and Amtrak, has been struggling with the loss of ridership in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has maintained critical services that deliver essential workers to hospitals and other health care facilities, as well as to supermarkets and pharmacies.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Schumer has landed several federal grants for the bus rapid transit projects, and last month helped obtain $42.7 million in CARES Act funding to support CDTA through the pandemic.

In recent weeks, the transit authority said it has seen ridership rebounding.

CDTA established a rear-door boarding process on buses to maintain social distancing for passengers and bus operators. It also has suspended fare collections. Operators wear masks, and passengers also are encouraged to do so.
By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 28, 2020 | 08:46 PM | MAYFIELD

A Mayfield man was arrested Thursday on theft and burglary charges.

The Mayfield Police Department says officers responded to David Taylor Chrysler on U.S. 45 North for a report of a stolen vehicle. When officers arrived, they said 24-year-old Devin Norsworthy of Mayfield was attempting to put the vehicle back on the property.

As officers approached Norworthy he began to flee on foot. Norsworthy was detained a few blocks away and taken into custody.



Video surveillance was reviewed, and showed Norsworthy unlawfully entering the building, and taking the vehicle.

Norsworthy was charged with third degree burglary and theft by unlawful taking (auto). He was lodged in the Graves County Jail.
(TNS)  WASHINGTON  Even before it was signed Thursday, President Donald Trump's executive order encouraging federal regulators to reconsider legal immunity for social media companies was pilloried by a diverse coalition of opponents who questioned the order's legality and Trump's motivations.The order, signed by Trump on the heels of a multiday online tirade aimed at Twitter after the company fact-checked a pair of the president's tweets about mail-in voting, would direct federal agencies to reexamine Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.Section 230, which prevents online publishers  including companies such as Twitter and Facebook  from being sued over third-party content posted on their websites, is a prized liability shield for Silicon Valley that experts have credited with playing a crucial role in fostering the growth of the internet as a bastion of free speech and expression.But Trump and his allies, who have accused Big Tech platforms of censoring conservative viewpoints on their sites, have long considered changes to Section 230 as a way of exerting pressure on the companies."A small handful of powerful social media monopolies controls a vast portion of all public and private communications in the United States," Trump said before signing the order. "They've had unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide, alter virtually any form of communication between private citizens and public audiences."Trump was joined in the Oval Office by Attorney General William Barr, who said Section 230 "has been stretched way beyond its original intent."Specifically, the executive order directs the Commerce Department to ask the Federal Communications Commission, an independent agency, to propose new regulations clarifying actions by online publishers that might violate Section 230. The order also directs the Federal Trade Commission to review thousands of complaints of online censorship submitted to the White House by the public.The order also asks federal agencies to enumerate and report to the White House Office of Management and Budget on how much they are spending on social media. And it tasks Barr to work with state authorities to see if social media platforms are engaging in any unfair and deceptive acts or practices that may violate state laws.Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz endorsed the president's actions. "For too long, social media platforms like Twitter have hid behind their opaque algorithms and Section 230 immunity to target speech with which they disagree and advance their own political agendas," Cruz said in a statement. "This doesn't just stifle Americans' free speech; it shapes what Americans see, hear, and ultimately think about the major issues facing our country, including how those issues should be addressed and who should be elected to address them."A draft of the executive order circulated throughout Washington and Silicon Valley this week drew swift condemnation from industry groups, free speech advocates and Democratic lawmakers."America's internet companies lead the world and it is incredible that our own political leaders would seek to censor them for political purposes," said Gary Shapiro, chief executive of the Consumer Technology Association, the country's largest trade group for technology companies. "These same politicians extensively advertise on them and just a few minutes online will reveal these platforms contain a multitude of political views."Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who helped write Section 230, called Trump's order "plainly illegal" and accused him of "desperately trying to steal for himself the power of the courts and Congress to rewrite decades of settled law around Section 230 all for the ability to spread unfiltered lies.""I have warned for years that this administration was threatening (Section 230) in order to chill speech and bully companies like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter into giving him favorable treatment," Wyden said in a statement. "Today Trump proved me right."Alexandra Givens, chief executive of the nonpartisan Center for Democracy and Technology, said Trump's order uses "the threat of regulation to try to coerce social media companies into moderating speech the way the president sees fit.""That runs directly counter to the First Amendment," said Givens in a statement. "Congress designed Section 230 so that intermediaries can moderate the content they host. President Trump may not like the results of that moderation, but he cannot change the law by fiat."Conservative organizations also slammed the order."This executive order misreads the law and mistakes the role of government," said Billy Easley II, a senior technology policy analyst at Americans for Prosperity. "Censorship comes from the government trying to police speech  not private companies. People, not the tools they use, are responsible for their words and actions online."Some Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have questioned whether changes to Section 230 are needed. The California Democrat criticized the executive order but said Trump should focus on pressuring online companies to curb the spread of disinformation on their sites."The (order) does nothing to address big internet companies' complete failure to fight the spread of disinformation," Pelosi said. "Instead, the president is encouraging Facebook and other social media giants to continue to exploit and profit off falsehoods with total impunity while at the same time directing the federal government to dismantle efforts to help users distinguish fact from fiction."
Lo Van Huynh, former head of the testing and quality assurance unit of Son La's education department, is sentenced to 21 years in jail for power abuse and accepting bribes at the Son La People's Court in Son La Province, May 29, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Du.

Nine people were sentenced to between 30 months and 21 years in prison Friday over the 2018 high school exam scandal.

The Peoples Court in the northern province of Son La also handed down suspended sentences to three other people involved in the case.

In the third trial held over the high school exam fraud that shocked the nation, the court sentenced Lo Van Huynh, former head of the testing and quality assurance unit of Son La's education department, the stiffest sentence of 21 years in jail for receiving bribes and abuse of power.

For the same charges, Nguyen Thi Hong Nga, former employee of the testing and quality assurance unit, got 19 years and six months, while Cam Thi Bun Son, former deputy head of the political ideology department under the department of education and training, got 10 years.

Tran Xuan Yen, former deputy director of the Department of Education and Training, got nine years for abuse of power and was forbidden from assuming his position for five years. He was also fined VND50 million ($2,150).

Also charged with abuse of power, Dang Huu Thuy, vice principal of the To Hieu High School, got eight years and was fined VND20 million, Do Khac Hung, former lieutenant colonel and official of the internal political security division under the provincial police department, got three years, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, former deputy head of the testing and quality assurance unit, got 30 months and was fined VND20 million.

Two other people were jailed for paying bribes for altering the exam scores.

Nguyen Minh Khoa, former colonel, deputy head of the internal political security division under the provincial police department, got eight years in jail. Tran Van Dien, former official of the continuing and occupational education center of Son La Town, got nine years and was also fined VND10 million.

Dinh Hai Son, former major and former deputy head of the education team of the internal political security division under the provincial police department, got a suspended sentence for power abuse.

Hoang Thi Thanh and Lo Thi Truong, two parents paying bribes to have their children's exam scores altered, got suspended sentences.

Thanh and Truong said they gave the bribes because they wanted their children to be able to go to university. Following the aftermath of the exam scandal, their children had to leave their institutions because their actual scores were insufficient.

Khoa and Dien said they were innocent. Khoa maintained his innocence through several trial sessions, saying accusations of him bribing Huynh with VND1 billion were "vague" and "baseless." He requested that the charges against him are dropped and he was set free.

Yen, who was accused of playing a main role in the case, also denied culpability. While the prosecution said his actions had allowed subordinates to carry out their illegal acts, he said their confessions and details of the accusations against him were "inaccurate." He denied having created opportunities for his subordinates to alter the exam scores.

Yen, Huynh, Thuy, Nga, Son and Nhan were found guilty of abusing their authority before and during the examination process to negotiate the fraudulent raising of exam scores for 44 students.

Huynh, Nga and Son had changed the points on the multiple-choice tests, prosecutors said. Nga played a major role in this process, altering the highest number of exam scores. She received VND1.04 billion ($44,700) from Dien to raise the scores for four students.

Meanwhile, Huynh received VND1 billion from Khoa to alter the scores for two students and VND300 million from Truong to raise the scores of his childpoints for Truongs child and Son accepted VND440 million from Thanh to raise the points for Thanhs child.

Last week, four people in Hoa Binh Province, including the former head of the provincial testing and quality assurance unit under the provincial Department of Education, were sentenced to between five and 10 years in prison.

Last November, a trial was also held in the northern province of Ha Giang saw five senior education officials in the province sentenced to between one and eight years in prison for abusing their power.

The exam scandal, which covered Hoa Binh, Ha Giang and Son La, saw over 200 students in the three provinces had their results altered. In Vietnam, the exam is one of the most important events in a students academic career, setting the stage for higher education and careers.

After the fraud was exposed, dozens of students dropped out from top universities and some were expelled after their scores were corrected.
Travel operator TUI has cancelled all foreign holidays for British tourists until July 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sending shares in the German group down 6% on Friday.

It appears that TUI could start operating with the German market earlier. "We want to resume flight traffic to Majorca from mid-to-end June. Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Bulgaria are also well-prepared, TUI CEO Fritz Joussen said.

The company, which had already axed departures until the middle of June, said holidays to destinations such as Spain and Greece departing on or before June 30 had been cancelled, while its lakes and mountains trips had been stopped until October 1.

It also halted sailings on its Marella Cruises line until July 31, with additional cancellations on some vessels stretching into 2021, and said river cruises would not restart until after 25 November.

The travel group earlier this month said it would cut 8,000 jobs and look to shed 30% of its costs as it geared up for a July restart to European tourism.
Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRCC) officials and residents of a village in Myanmar pose in this photo provided by the KRCC, Thursday. The KRCC has joined rural development projects there. / Courtesy of KRCC



By Baek Byung-yeul



The Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRCC) is stepping up its overseas farmland development and other agricultural businesses to meet the growing demand from developing countries that want to improve their productivity and infrastructure, the state-run company said Thursday.



"We have been doing business overseas for more than five decades. Though not many know what we have been doing in foreign countries, developing countries have been increasingly interested in the KRCC's agricultural technologies and farmland development capability after they witnessed how successfully we have accomplished our overseas businesses," a KRCC official said.



Due to legal restrictions, the scope of the KRCC's overseas business was limited to joining agricultural infrastructure development projects and exporting agricultural technologies.



However, the state-run company will be able to expand its business reach to broader sectors such as agriculture industrial complex development, rural water development and groundwater resources as lawmakers amended the Korea Rural Community Corporation and Farmland Management Fund Act in January to encourage the KRCC to join more overseas agricultural projects.



"We are making drafts for new overseas businesses. Items we have come up with so far include the development of fishing villages, solar-powered irrigation systems, improving the quality of rural water, and safety checks of agricultural facilities," the official added.



The company has exported agricultural technology to 36 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Among its consulting projects, KRCC has successfully adapted Korea's rural development model to Myanmar.



"For the project, we chose 110 villages in Myanmar and applied our skills in rural development, focusing on improving living conditions in each village and raising the income level of residents," the KRCC said.



The company also has been joining official development assistance (ODA) projects in many developing countries in an effort to improve agricultural infrastructure and living conditions as well as share its advanced agricultural technologies. As of 2019, KRCC has completed 26 ODA projects in 14 countries and will join four more new projects this year.



In addition, the KRCC also has been supporting local companies to advance into overseas markets in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It has financed local agriculture and food companies and supported them to make inroads into overseas countries' food processing, production, distribution and smart farm technology markets.



"From 2009 to 2019, we have loaned out 179.9 billion won to 41 companies to help them establish themselves in overseas markets, with those 41 countries doing business in 14 countries," the KRCC official said.



KRCC President Kim In-sik said, "The KRCC has been active overseas for 53 years and handed down its agricultural technologies to developing countries. As we will be able to expand the scope of our business in foreign countries after the amendment of the Korea Rural Community Corporation and Farmland Management Fund Act in January, we will work on advancing the agriculture industries of foreign countries."


Croatia: Italians can visit with hotel reservation Unconditional entry for 10 EU countries

(ANSAmed) - ZAGREB, MAY 29 - Although Italy is not among 10 EU countries to whom Croatia reopened its borders on Thursday, Italians will be allowed into the country for work or economic reasons, including tourism.



In fact, economic motivations granting access to the country to EU citizens starting Friday include tourism. Italians will be allowed to cross into Croatia if they can prove that they have a hotel reservation or that they will be staying at another facility. To accelerate entry, the Croatian foreign ministry advises travelers to report a trip to Croatia in advance by compiling a form that is available on the Croatian interior ministry's website.



Yesterday the government of Zagreb, in order to promote tourism which was badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic, reopened its borders without restrictions to the citizens of Austria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. According to the government, these countries have a positive epidemiological situation which can be compared to Croatia.



There are currently a reported 20,000 foreign tourists on the Croatian Adriatic coast. (ANSAmed)
The Kerala government has imposed a complete fishing ban on the state coast and the southeast Arabian Sea as it expects the arrival of monsoon. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that the southwest monsoon will arrive in state by the first week of June.

"India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that southwest monsoon will arrive in Kerala coast by the first week of June. The state will receive rainfall in the next five days. Fishing in Kerala coast and the southeast Arabian sea to be completely banned from midnight," Vijayan informed the media.

READ | Surge in COVID-19 cases in Kerala: 84 fresh cases, tally now 1,088

Monsoon conditions favourable in Kerala

The IMD on Thursday announced that conditions are favourable in Kerala for the onset of the southwest monsoon on June 1. It also stated that the southwest monsoon has further advanced into some parts of Maldives-Comorin region, some more parts of south Bay of Bengal, remaining parts of Andaman Sea and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands.

"A low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea from May 31 to June 4, 2020. In view of this, conditions are very likely to become favourable from June 1, 2020 for the onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala," the IMD said in its bulletin.

READ | Kerala HC seeks govt, KSEB views on high water levels in dams

COVID-19 cases surge in Kerala

In the biggest single-day spike, Kerala reported 84 COVID-19 cases on Thursday taking the infection tally to 1,088, while a man hailing from Telangana, who reached the state from Rajasthan and tested positive, succumbed to the virus.

The deceased had boarded the Jaipur-Thiruvananthapuram special train on May 22 and along with his family reached here without the requisite documents. The man, who was under observation and later admitted to the general hospital after he showed symptoms of the virus, died on Wednesday, a government press release said. His sample result was received on Thursday.

Chief Minister informed that "so far there has been no community spread in the state, but we cannot say it will never happen." Presently 526 people are undergoing treatment for the infection and 1.15 lakh are under observation, Pinarayi Vijayan added. Of the infected, 31 had come from abroad and 48 from other states, including 31 from Maharashtra, nine from Tamil Nadu and three from Karnataka, the Kerala CM said.

READ | Monsoon onset over Kerala on June 1: IMD

READ | How to download the BevQ app from Play Store to get e-token & buy liquor in Kerala?

(With agency inputs)
Two maintenance workers were forced to leap into a river when a boat erupted into flames, leaving a teenager with severe burns.

A fuel leak caused the 38-foot Mustang boat to ignite on the George's River in Blakehurst, south Sydney, on Friday morning.

The 19-year-old maintenance worker caught on fire and the two men jumped into the water around 10.20am, 9News reported.

Paramedics (pictured) were called to Blakehurst, in south Sydney, on Friday morning after a 38-foot Mustang boat burst into flames with two maintenance workers onboard

A NSW Ambulance spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia paramedics treated the man for severe burns to his face, chest, hands, legs and potential airway burns.

He was taken to Concord Hospital in a serious condition.

Paramedics also treated two men for smoke inhalation and one was transported to St George Hospital in a stable condition.

The owner of the boat, Ross McNamara, said it had been undergoing regular maintenance work.

Mr McNamara explained: 'Every 12 months we get the boats fixed up and unfortunately due to the process of moving some fuel around, by the looks of it, that caused a spark.'

'Unfortunately there's been an incident where someone's been injured,' he said.

The two men were forced to leap into the George's River after the boat (pictured) caught on fire due to a fuel leak

Fire fighters controlled the blaze within minutes but the boat was completely destroyed and began sinking from the damage.

Northbound lanes on the Princes Highway were closed while emergency crews attended to the burning boat.

Mr McNamara said he expected the damage bill to be 'well in excess of $100,000.'

The boat will be towed to land on Saturday for insurers to asses.
Protesters lined the streets chanting, holding signs and kneeled as one in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on May 28 over the the police-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis earlier that week.

Video shows protestors marching and chanting in central Albuquerque, as well as kneeling, or taking a knee.

The Albuquerque Journal later reported that police officers in riot gear fired tear gas as they retreated from a confrontation with protesters in a Southeast Albuquerque neighborhood overnight. Credit: Liam DeBonis, The Daily Lobo via Storyful
Julia Roberts made a political statement with her PPE.

The 52-year-old actress was snapped stepping out in her native Malibu, California on Thursday donning a face mask that was emblazoned with the image of President Barack Obama.

The Academy Award-winning actress, shopping at the Malibu Country Mart, donned a blue denim coat on the outing with black sweatpants and grey boots with plaid patterns.

Fashion statement: Julia Robetrs, 52, was snapped stepping out in her native Malibu, California on Thursday donning a face mask that was emblazoned with President Barack Obama's face

The Erin Brokovich star had her hair tied up in a knot on the outing, which came as California is slowly easing lockdown restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Smyrna, Georgia native, who shot to stardom playing Vivian Ward in 1990 rom-com Pretty Woman, has ties to the 44th president and his family.

She visited a high school in the Long An province of Vietnam last December with former first lady Michelle Obama and well as Jenna Bush Hager, the daughter of President George W. Bush.

They also appeared together at a speech in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian with one-time Miss Malaysia Deborah Henry at an event focused on enhancing education for women in the locale. President Obama and his wife appeared at a related event later in the evening.

Chore time: The Academy Award-winning actress was seen shopping at the Malibu Country Mart

Aww! The stunning actress and the former first lady Michelle Obama embraced at an Obama Foundation event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in December

The My Best Friend's Wedding actress, who supported Hillary Clinton in her 2016 campaign against eventual winner, President Donald Trump, was at a June 2012 Hollywood fundraiser for President Obama in his campaign against Mitt Romney, Politico reported.

Others at the event included Cher, Ellen DeGeneres, Jane Lynch and Darrin Criss.

The perennial A-lister was snapped as the virus and resultant shutdown has impacted Hollywood and its stars in a myriad of ways, forcing productions to fold up, theaters to close their doors and studios to shut down amid the efforts to quell the spread.

Stars including Julia's Larry Crowne and Charlie Wilson's War costar Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson are among those to test positive for the disease. As of Thursday, the death total in the U.S. for COVID-19 was at 101,617 deaths over 1,721,750 confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. On a global level, 360,389 people have died amid 5,813,919 positive diagnoses worldwide.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 15:49:09|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BISHKEK, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan on Friday registered 68 new COVID-19 cases, raising its total number to 1,662.

Nurbolot Usenbaev, the country's Deputy Health Minister, said at his daily online news briefing that most new cases are imported.

He noted that among the newly infected, 47 are Kyrgyz citizens evacuated from Russia: 26 cadets, 11 pregnant women and the rest students.

The deputy minister also said 22 people recovered in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of people discharged from hospital to 1,088.

Currently, 558 patients are in hospital, among which 6 are in intensive care, he said.

A total of 2,467 people in the country who have had contact with infected patients are under medical observation. And 7,222 people are in home quarantine under the supervision of doctors for the same reason.

Usenbaev said there were cases where confirmed patients cannot remember where they were and with whom they contacted.

Therefore, the deputy minister urged the citizens to keep social distance, avoid visiting places with large crowds and observe personal hygiene. Enditem
Seven people were struck by gunfire at a protest in Louisville, Kentucky, on Thursday night as tensions there continued to escalate over the fatal shooting of a black woman by three white police officers in March.

Of those reported injured in the demonstration, two were taken for surgery and five were in good condition, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said early Friday. Fischer said that no officers discharged their weapons and that the violence came from within the crowd.

Videos posted on social media appeared to show shots being fired while demonstrators surrounded a police vehicle. No officers were among those injured and it was too early to determine who was responsible, said the Louisville Metro Police Department.

Protesters had gathered in the streets to call for police accountability in the fatal shooting of the woman, Breonna Taylor, chanting no justice, no peace, prosecute police.

Hundreds of demonstrators made their way through the city throughout the evening. Jessie Halladay, a spokeswoman for the police department, said the gathering began peacefully but escalated to involve assaults on officers and property damage before the shooting.

I feel the communitys frustration, the anger, the fear, but tonights violence and destruction is not the way to solve it, Fischer said.

In a message posted on Facebook, Taylors sister, Juniyah Palmer, thanked demonstrators for demanding justice but asked them to keep things peaceful.

Do not succumb to the levels that we see out of the police, she wrote. Speak. Protest. But do not resort to violence.

The shooting came on a night when demonstrations in Minneapolis also escalated over the death of George Floyd.

Louisville police officers fatally shot Taylor, 26, an emergency medical technician, at her home during a narcotics investigation in March. Police have said officers knocked on the door, announced their presence, then forced their way into the home after midnight before being met by gunfire.

The officers have since been placed on administrative leave but have not been charged with a crime.

Taylors boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, told investigators he did not hear police announce themselves and was terrified when the door was knocked down. In a 911 call just after the shooting, Walker told the dispatcher that somebody kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend, according to a recording released Thursday.

Questions have continued to mount about the handling of the case. Authorities had initially charged Walker with attempted murder for shooting a police officer in the leg during the intrusion. Last week, prosecutors said they were dropping those charges, saying further investigation was needed.

In a lawsuit on behalf of Taylors mother, Tamika Palmer, lawyers said police already had the main suspect in the narcotics investigation in custody before going into the home. No drugs were found in the apartment.

The FBI said last week that it had opened an investigation into the shooting. Gov. Andy Beshear has called reports about Taylors death troubling.

Mayor Greg Fischer has said that in response to the shooting, no knock search warrants would require approval from the police chief or someone he designates before being sent to a judge for approval. Fischer said that other changes included the departure of Police Chief Steve Conrad, and that more changes would be coming.

Theres only one way forward, and thats working together  work for the truth, work for peace, work for justice, for Breonna, her family and for all of Louisville, Fischer said.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Two doctors from Kerala are travelling to Mumbai, to assist in Covid-19 efforts. They belong to a group of doctors and nurses who have come together to help the Maharashtrian capital in its fight against coronavirus.

By next week, about 50 doctors and 100 nurses are planning to go to Mumbai. While all of them are from different parts of the country, 80% of them are from Kerala.

Dr Santosh Kumar S S, Deputy Superintendent, Trivandrum Medical College and Dr Sajeesh Gopalan, Anesthetist and Intensivist will leave for Mumbai from Kochi this evening.

Dr Kumar had led the team from Trivandrum to Kasargod to set up a coronavirus hospital there. He is the only doctor from the goverment sector among the group of doctors, and has taken special permission to go to Mumbai. All others are working in the private sector.

The team is hoping to assist in setting up a 600-bed hospital with 125 ICU beds at the Race Course Road in Mumbai. BMC will also be providing remuneration to these doctors and nurses.

Dr Kumar, when asked on why he decided to travel to Mumbai, said - "Mumbai and Maharashtra are the worst affected by Covid-19 pandemic. The resources in Mumbai are overstretched due to the high number of cases and many also require intensive care. So we are trying to help."

He added that the city's healthcare system requires more doctors, particularly anesthetists, intensivists, physicians, pulmonologists and paediatricians.

He hopes to assist through his experience gained at Kasargod. "At present what we can do is focus on the treatment and provide whatever help we can."

"Only after that we can talk about surveillance and what can be done," said the doctor, who is also not taking any sort of remuneration for the service he will be rendering in Mumbai.
When the reality of the pandemic was starting to settle in March, I got a call from my mother, a skilled artist and quilter, who lives in Montreal. She was making face masks for health care workers, she told me. The reality of the pandemic hadnt hit me yet and I struggled to imagine a situation in which doctors would be wearing colourful masks made of quilters cotton.

Of course, just months later, now that the medical community believes the primary mode of transmission for COVID-19 is through respiratory droplets, and public health organizations are recommending we wear masks in public, the practice has become a vital issue for Canadians to wrap our heads around. Each time we talk or cough, we're sharing our droplets, and if we want to stop transmission, we need everyone to keep their droplets to themselves, says Dr. Susan J. Bartlett, who is a professor of medicine at McGill University. Social distancing is our most effective public health strategy, but in situations where you cant maintain that, like a grocery store, wearing a mask lets you keep your droplets to yourself.

Bartlett is also the forward-thinker who set up a network of quilters  including my mother  to begin making high-quality cotton masks for front-line health care workers to use as backup. In nine weeks, we made more than 8,000 masks  its given us all a sense of purpose and meaning.

Once it was clear that there was a soaring need for masks  Bartletts sister-in-law, who is a doctor in Ontario, asked for eight masks for her clinic staff in early March; two days later, she called back and asked for 250  Bartlett set about informing herself on fabrication. Being a scientist, I knew where to look for the literature on masks, and while there wasn't much available, there was a study done in the first week of April at Wake Forest University in North Carolina in which they tested different fabrics and concluded that the best material that you can use for cloth masks is quilters cotton, because its high quality and so has a tight weave. Though stores were closed in Quebec, the volunteer quilters ripped through their personal collections of fabric, and Bartlett managed to talk an elastic distributor in Montreals garment district into selling her elastic at cost  despite a worldwide elastic shortage.

Now that non-medical masks are being suggested in any situation in which you cant guarantee youll be able to keep a two-metre distance from others, like going into a store, walking on a sidewalk downtown, using public transit, the problem is less one of access because there are many available for purchase and its possible to get DIY tutorials and free patterns  and more one of attitude. Many Canadians either dont want to wear a mask  or simply dont know how to wear one correctly. It's really curious, isn't it? It's almost as if we have an aversion to wearing a mask in North America, says Barlett, who acknowledges that the practice is certainly a departure from our traditional customs. In the States, whether youre wearing a mask has now become almost a political identification, which is very unfortunate because it is actually an important public health strategy. More than 70 countries now legally require having a mask on every time you leave your house, and their rates of transmission are far, far lower.

I know wearing a mask feels weird at first  I certainly felt odd the first time I wore one to the store  but its critical to focus on the deeply Canadian impetus behind the new-to-us custom. When I wear a mask, I'm showing you respect; I'm showing my interest in protecting others. When you wear a mask, youre showing me respect. In that way, I think its a deeply Canadian request since we tend to look out for each other and think about the common good. And wearing a cloth mask, of course, shows that youre making sure medical-grade masks are available for those who need them most.

Knowing how to wear a mask correctly is equally important. Your nose and mouth must be covered completely, but a super tight seal is not important if youre not in, say, a health care setting, explains Bartlett. Rather, you want a comfortable-fitting mask that loops around your ears or ties securely without needed adjustment. Put the mask on before you leave your house  and then don't touch it and dont readjust it; it stays on your face until you get home, put it directly into a laundry hamper to wash it in soapy water or the washing machine, without bleach which might degrade the fabric. And then wash your hands. You dont want to be fiddling with your mask, pulling it up and down between stores, removing it to talk to someone who cant quite hear you, or any other reason you can dream up. If youre doing that, youre just increasing the risk of contaminating others and yourself. (Those who are back to work and wearing a mask all day, should stock up so that they can have three masks a day, suggests Bartlett since masks get damp and uncomfortable after a while.)

Though theres a lot of buzz about using homemade filters in your mask  Bartlett has heard of people using everything from HEPA vacuum filters to landscaping cloth  two layers of cotton is sufficient. Two layers of cotton is effective and allows the mask to be comfortable because if you feel claustrophobic you wont wear it. Also vacuum filters were never designed to be placed close to our nose and mouth and have not been tested for that  whereas we know cotton is safe, effective and comfortable.

So the situation is complicated and painful, but the recommendation is simple: Get a mask made of high-quality cotton (a $3 mask is likely an indication of a cheaper source material) that fits snugly so you dont have to fuss with it (a wire nose piece can help keep it in place and helps prevent your glasses from fogging) and then just wear it.

It's a new normal, but until we're able to develop a vaccine, this is what we need to do, says Bartlett. And if everyone wore a mask in public, we could bring this problem under control pretty quickly in Canada and all get back to our lives. Wouldn't that be lovely?

Send your pressing fashion and beauty questions to Kathryn at ask@thekit.ca

Shop the advice

These masks can help protect you and those around you

Andrea Wong face mask, $20, awbyandreawong.com

Tilley face masks, $30 for 2, tilley.com

Loop Lifestyle Ltd. face mask, $15, looplifestyle.ca

Roots face mask, $22, roots.com

Bien Aller face mask, $17, bienaller.com

This article contains affiliate links, which means The Kit may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by advertising. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set. More information.
A National Guardsman stands near the Lake St. Midtown metro station after a night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Minnesota Riots: Trump Vows Military Support as National Guard Deploys

President Donald Trump promised military support to Minnesota as rioters broke windows and destroyed property in its largest city, culminating with the burning of a police station after officers abandoned it.

Trump said in a statement that he cannot stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis.

Accusing Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey of failing to show leadership, Trump said officials must bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.

Told of Trumps tweet, Frey said early Friday: Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions. Weakness is pointing your finger at somebody else during a time of crisis.

Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis. We are strong as hell. Is this a difficult time period? Yes. But you better be damn sure that were going to get through this, he added.

The president in a second missive described rioters and protesters as THUGS, alleging they were dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen.

Trump spoke to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts, he added.

Around the same time, the Minnesota National Guard began sending more than 500 soldiers to Minneapolis, nearby St. Paul, and surrounding communities.

A National Guardsmen stand near the Lake St. Midtown metro station after a night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

A National Guardsman stands near the Lake St. Midtown metro station after a night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Our mission is to protect life, preserve property and the right to peacefully demonstrate. A key objective is to ensure fire departments are able to respond to calls, it said in a statement.

Members joined police officers Friday in facing off again protesters.

Walz, a Democrat, signed an executive order activating the guard at 4 p.m.

Our troops are trained to protect life, preserve property and ensure peoples right to peacefully demonstrate, Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen, Minnesota National Guard adjutant general, said in a statement.

Floyd died earlier this month while in police custody. A viral video showed a police officer, Derek Chauvin, with a knee on Floyds neck as the man complained he couldnt breathe.

Four officers involved in the situation were fired and are under investigation by local and federal officials. Frey is among those calling for the arrest of Chauvin, but prosecutors said Thursday night that the case will be done right.

Those folks who know me in the African community know I will do my very level best. But I will not rush justice, because justice cannot be rushed, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman told reporters.

Democratic Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told CNN Friday he expects charges against all four officers.

I hope theyre soon. But that is the prerogative of another prosecuting authority. They are trying to be careful. They are trying to make sure their case is strong and airtight, Ellison said.

Rioters turned to violence this week in the wake of Floyds death, smashing windows, confronting officers, and trashing and looting businesses, many of which are small and locally owned. Video footage showed groups of armed men protecting various businesses from the mayhem.

Protesters destroy the Lake Street bus stop outside the Minneapolis Police third precinct during the third day of demonstrations in response to the death of African-American man George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 28, 2020. (Nicholas Pfosi/Reuters)

A man steals from a liquor store in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 28, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

In a shocking video captured by reporters and others at the scene, Minneapolis police officers abandoned the 3rd Precinct station late Thursday. Rioters soon entered the building, setting fires and destroying equipment.

Just minutes later, the Minnesota National Guard said it was deploying soldiers.

Frey said in a statement that city officials were working with the Minneapolis Fire Department, which was blocked from responding to some fires, including the one at the precinct.

We all need to work together to ensure the safety of our friends, family, and Minneapolis residents. And right now working together means clearing the area, he said.

Walz said that Floyds death should lead to justice and systemic change, not more death and destruction.

As Governor, I will always defend the right to protest, he added. It is how we express pain, process tragedy, and create change. That is why I am answering our local leaders request for Minnesota National Guard assistance to protect peaceful demonstrators, neighbors, and small businesses in Minnesota.
But there are reasons for hope. The ReOpen DC recommendations, created with input from D.C. residents, suggest spurring economic activity by identifying select streets to close off to cars and convert to outdoor seating and retail space. D.C. Council members Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) and Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1) have pushed for more aggressive action to open streets and build protected bike lanes and safe pedestrian infrastructure, both now and before the pandemic. And, on Wednesday, the mayor said she is launching a process to look at opening streets. With strong and swift action from the mayor, the full council and residents, the city can build on its previous successes in moving to a healthier, safer, more sustainable future.
- 3D systems manufacturers keen on meeting range of demands for medical devices for healthcare industry; investment in services and software to support revenue growth

- Advances in 3D printing materials and devices to broaden prospects, players focus on deep research to expand product portfolio and for product differentiation

ALBANY, New York, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In the backdrop of growing benefits of 3D printing in spectrum of medical applications, clinical acceptance of 3D printed implants, dental restorations, surgical instruments, tissue fabrication, and prosthetics are increasing. Cost-efficiency and productivity gains for medical device manufacturers using 3D printing systems and materials will help the market reach new heights.

The current valuation of the 3D printing medical devices market stood at US$823.0 million in 2016 and is projected to expand at 17.7% CAGR from 2017 to 2025 (the forecast period). By the period end, the revenues will reach worth of US$3513.0.

Strategic investments by leading players will help unlock new prospects in the 3D printing medical devices market, note analysts at TMR.

Download PDF Brochure - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=29084

Key Takeaways in 3D Printing Medical Devices Market Study

Of the various regional markets, Asia Pacific is expected to show a remarkable promising growth during 2017 - 2025

is expected to show a remarkable promising growth during 2017 - 2025 North America held the leading share in 2016; marked presence of top players imparts the growth impetus

held the leading share in 2016; marked presence of top players imparts the growth impetus South East Asia to have notable contribution to market opportunities in Asia Pacific

to have notable contribution to market opportunities in Of the various components, software and services segment led the 3D printing medical devices market in 2016, and will continue to expand at promising pace

Material component is expected to exhibit prominent growth rate during assessment period

Explore 169 pages of top-notch research, incisive insights, and detailed country-level projections. Gain business intelligence on 3D Printing Medical Devices Market (Component - Printers, Materials, and Software and Services; Technology - Electron Beam Melting, Selective Laser Melting, Selective Laser Sintering, Photo polymerization, and Direct Metal Laser Sintering; Application - Orthopedic and Cranial Implant, Dental Restorations, Surgical Instruments, Tissue Fabrication, and External Prosthesis) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2017 - 2025 at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/3d-printing-medical-devices-market.html

3D Printing Medical Devices Market: Key Driving Factors and Promising Avenues

Emerging technology paradigms in healthcare sector and pharmaceutical and medical devices manufacturing have underpinned the 3D printing medical devices market to evolve.

Increasing trend of customization and personalization of range of medical products, and drugs is a key aspect fueling growth in the 3D printing medical devices market

Rapid advances made in additive manufacturing technologies have helped bring down the cost of 3D printers, thereby boosting the demand in medical equipment manufacturing

Advent of new materials that have become compatible for 3D printing has expanded the use cases in drug making and complex medical structures

Companies engaged in in commercial medical applications are increasing their investments to reap benefits of 3D printing medical devices in personalized healthcare, world over

Need for custom-made surgical tools and implants for improving surgical outcomes is bolstering demand in 3D printing medical devices market

Commercialization of 3D printers has created the need for installation services and maintenance works, thereby boosting revenue generation potential of 3D printing medical devices market

Request COVID19 Impact Detailed Analysis on 3D Printing Medical Devices Market at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=covid19&rep_id=29084

3D Printing Medical Devices Market: Regional Outlook

Among the various geographies in 3D printing medical devices market, North America attained the top spot in 2016. In the subsequent years, it continued with its dominant streak, backed by ceaseless investments in research and developments in exploring new medical applications of 3D printing. The U.S. and Canada have spearheaded several of these developments. Prospects in the regional market have seen a steep rise on the back of increasing collaboration among 3D printer manufacturers, medical devices manufacturers, and key proponents of healthcare across the economies of North America.

Analyze 3D printing medical devices market growth in 30+ countries including US, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Russia, Poland, Benelux, Nordic, China, Japan, India, and South Korea, Request a sample of the study.

Key Impediments to 3D Printing Medical Devices Market Players

Despite the large gains of 3D printing in creating personalized medical devices, the growth of has been hampered by regulatory challenges and constraints of high cost. Despite the fast expanding use cases of 3D printing in several industries, including medical and pharmaceutical, numerous countries lack regulations that will promote the clinical acceptance of such products. Many of these countries have stringent norms for the use of 3D printed products. Furthermore, there seems to a conspicuous lack of technical expertise to use 3D printed devices. Their high cost of these devices is also a demand dampener in cost sensitive markets. On the other hand, several prominent players are entering into collaborations with top players to consolidate their positions.

View Detailed Table of Contents at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/29084

Leading segments of the global 3D printing medical device market:

3D Printing Medical Device Market, by Component

Printers

Materials

Software & Services

3D Printing Medical Device Market, by Technology

Electron Beam Melting

Selective Laser Melting

Selective Laser Sintering

Photo polymerization

Direct Metal Laser Sintering

Others

3D Printing Medical Device Market, by Application

Orthopedics & Cranial Implants

Dental Restorations

Surgical Instruments

Others (Tissue Fabrication, External Prosthesis)

3D Printing Medical Device Market, by Region:

North America

The U.S.



Canada



Rest of North America

Europe

The U.K.



Germany



France



Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific (APAC)

(APAC) India



China



Japan



Australia



Rest of APAC

Middle East and Africa (MEA)

and (MEA) GCC Countries



South Africa



Rest of MEA

Latin America

Brazil



Rest of South America

Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the Global Electronics & Semiconductors Industry :

3D Printing in Eyewear Market - After gaining immense popularity in the healthcare industry, the adoption of 3D printing in eyewear market is growing at an impressive rate. Though the eyewear applications of 3D printing are still in a nascent stage, recent advancements in technology are putting an innovation spin to the market.

Mechanical Mine Clearance System Market - Robotic innovations are anticipated to create incremental opportunities for companies in the mechanical mine clearance system market. For instance, in October 2019, Students at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Massachusetts, revealed that they are innovating in an autonomous rover and payload-deploying drone that is capable of searching and detonating landmines. Thus, companies in the mechanical mine clearance system market should collaborate with such innovators to capitalize on value-grab opportunities.

Building Automation and Control System Market - Transparency Market Research delivers key insights on the global building automation and control system market. In terms of revenue, the global building automation and control system market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of ~9% during the forecast period, owing to numerous factors, regarding which TMR offers thorough insights and forecasts in its report on the global building automation and control system market.

GaN Semiconductor Devices Market - Transparency Market Research delivers key insights on the global GaN semiconductor devices market. In terms of revenue, the global GaN semiconductor devices market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 14.5% during the forecast period, owing to numerous factors, regarding which TMR offers thorough insights and forecasts in its report on the global GaN semiconductor devices market.

Gain access to Market Ngage , an AI-powered, real-time business intelligence that goes beyond the archaic research solutions to solve the complex strategy challenges that organizations face today. With over 15,000+ global and country-wise reports across 50,000+ application areas, Market Ngage is your tool for research on-the-go. From tracking new investment avenues to keeping a track of your competitor's moves, Market Ngage provides you with all the essential information to up your strategic game. Power your business with Market Ngage's actionable insights and remove the guesswork in making colossal decisions.

About Transparency Market Research

Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.



Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

Contact

Mr Rohit Bhisey

Transparency Market Research

State Tower,

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com

Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Blog: https://tmrblog.com/

LOGO: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1085206/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg
Calaveras County Public Works logo View Photo

San Andreas, CA  Residents of a local community who received incorrect notices are now receiving a public apology.

Calaveras County Department of Public Works officials now attempting to fix the snafu explain that an internal error was made, which changed what was supposed to be a courtesy communication about how to legally remove vegetation debris into a correction notice. The letter was sent to about 75 property owners in the Dorrington area.

Officials say the idea for the initial letter was sparked by several calls from residents and business owners in recent months inquiring about leaving vegetation debris from private property in the county right of way, which is illegal, even if the intent is to have county crews pick it up. The incorrect notices that went out informed the owners of the properties that they were illegally dumping debris.

Officials, acknowledging that many of those owners were not doing that, say that beginning today, they are issuing apology letters and updated courtesy notices to all those affected.

Public Works is additionally advising property owners looking for assistance in removing vegetation debris to contact private contractors or haul it to the county landfill or various transfer station locations. For more information on which transfer stations accept debris, call 209 754-6403. For any other Public Works related information, call 209 754-6402.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 17:31:58|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close





Li Zhanshu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, delivers a speech during a symposium held to mark the 15th anniversary of the implementation of the Anti-Secession Law at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee on Friday emphasized full recognition of the importance of the Anti-Secession Law, and called for strongly opposing "Taiwan independence" and firmly progressing toward China's reunification.

Li Zhanshu, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks while addressing a symposium at the Great Hall of the People to mark the 15th anniversary of the implementation of the Anti-Secession Law.

He called the law an important part of the systems and institutions meant to uphold the "one country, two systems" and promote China's peaceful reunification. Li said the law is an important rule backing efforts to fulfil the political responsibility and mission of opposing "Taiwan independence" and promoting reunification.

Since its implementation 15 years ago, the Anti-Secession Law has provided a solid legal guarantee for safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and promoting cross-Strait ties, Li added.

For some time, separatist forces advocating "Taiwan independence" have misjudged the situation and continued their provocation, Li said.

They have seriously endangered the vital interests of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, seriously undermined cross-Strait peace and stability, and seriously challenged the bottom line for protecting China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said, stressing determined steps to contain and combat such acts.

"The historical and legal fact that Taiwan is part of China can never be changed, no matter how they and foreign forces collude and present their show," Li said. "'Taiwan independence' is a path to nowhere," he added.

The senior leader urged people on both sides to join hands to oppose "Taiwan independence" and pursue China's reunification.

Always caring about the interests and wellbeing of Taiwan compatriots, the CPC and the state are working to create conditions for cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, Li said.

Rejecting foreign interference, Li said resolving the Taiwan question and achieving national reunification are part of China's internal affairs.

"The concept of 'peaceful reunification and one country, two systems' is the best approach to realizing national reunification," Li stressed, adding that sticking to the one-China principle is the foundation for achieving China's peaceful reunification.

"We are willing to create vast space for peaceful reunification, but we will definitely not leave any room for separatist activities aimed at 'Taiwan independence' in any form," he said. Enditem
Hanoi jails man who tricked two women into prostitution in China

A Vietnamese woman who was rescued in 2018 after being sold to China. Photo by AFP/Manan Vatsyayana.

A man was sentenced to 19 years in jail Wednesday for his involvement in trafficking two women to China in 2005.

Dinh Van Dong, 52, was charged with "human trafficking" and "trafficking of a person under 16," the Hanoi Peoples Court heard.

In 2005, Dong lent Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, 36, a certain amount of money to help her mother pay off a debt. In return, Ha had to coerce two women from Hanoi to sell commodities in China on Dongs behalf, local media reported.

Visiting Hanoi in May 2005, Ha met a woman named Hang who helped her persuade two anonymous sisters, one aged under 16, to travel to China.

However, both sisters were subsequently sold into prostitution, earning Dong VND3 million ($128), and Ha and Hang VND14 million ($599).

Police opened an investigation after the sisters' parents reported that they went missing.

They soon arrested Ha, who in February 2006 was sentenced to 17 years in jail on the charges of "human trafficking" and "trafficking of a person under 16."

Dong managed to stay on the run, until he was arrested in September last year.

Hang's whereabouts remain unknown. The sisters have not been rescued.

Vietnam is a human trafficking and illegal migration hotspot with annual profits worth tens of billions of dollars, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

The country has recorded over 3,400 victims of human trafficking since 2013, over 90 percent of them women, children and people from ethnic minority communities, Nguyen Xuan Lap, head of the ministry's Department of Social Issues Prevention, said at a conference in November last year.
Bengaluru: The number of COVID-19 positive cases hit double century mark for the second time in a week on Friday, with 248 samples testing positive.

While neighboring Maharashtra contributed over 90% of the positive cases, Bengaluru city is slowly showing dangerous trends of virus spreading into new areas.

On Friday, Bengaluru registered only 12 fresh cases, but sources of eight cases are not known. Worst is that all the new cases are coming from new areas and most of them without proper travel history. The containment zones in the city, which was around 17 and going down a fortnight ago, has suddenly gone up to 26.

On Friday, a vegetable whole sale vendor living between Malleswaram and Yeshwanthpur tested positive for COVID-19. He used to work in Singasandra wholesale vegetable and fruit market. Two days ago, he went to Rajajinagar ESI hospital, where he was tested positve for Coronavirus. He lives with his wife and child. The Health officials are still on the look out for his primary contacts, which seems to be herculean task.

However, when it comes to numbers, Maharastra returnees continue adding to the total tally of the state. Over 190 of 248, who tested positive on Friday have returned from Maharashtra. Worst hit from the menace are Raichur (62), Kalaburgi (61) and Yadgir (60) and all are returned from Maharashtra. While Bengaluru urban registered 12 fresh cases, Udipi has registered around 15 new cases.

Udipi district is facing precarious problem from the samples tested at government run Wenlock hospital in Mangaluru. Most of the samples from Udipi, which is tested positive at laboratory at Wenlock hospital, are testing negative later by other laboratories. Last week, at least two cases, including a pregnant woman sample were tested positive by Wenlock hopital, but later turned negative by other laboratories. Even today, one person from Udipi, whose sample had tested positive at Wenlock laboratory and admitted to hospital, turned negative later.
By Kerry Cavanaugh



California and 22 other states are taking the Trump administration to court  again  in an attempt to block President Donald Trump's foolishly destructive effort to weaken fuel economy standards.



Since he took office, Trump has been on a mission to roll back the Obama-era fuel efficiency regulation that was the nation's most important effort to cut automobile pollution, reduce oil consumption and fight climate change.



The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation finalized the so-called Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient Vehicles rule in March. California and other states, along with environmentalists and public health advocates, all vowed to sue to block the change.



But there might be some good news amid the bad intentions. The Trump administration's sloppiness, obfuscation and rush to adopt the rule may have made California Attorney General Xavier Becerra's job a lot easier.



According to recent news reports, the EPA and DOT ignored warnings from staff about the legal justification for the rollback and left errors in the analysis that could make the rule vulnerable to lawsuits.



EPA career staff raised concerns about flawed analysis and false statements in the final draft rule earlier this year, but those warnings went unheeded, the Washington Post reported. According to the Post, the top EPA official in charge of setting fuel economy standards warned that the final rule, written largely by the DOT, did not address more than 250 comments by EPA experts and that its inaccuracies would make the rule vulnerable to legal challenges.



Making matters worse, the Trump administration left documents outlining staff concerns out of the rule-making filings. That sure makes it look like EPA political appointees were trying to hide staff concerns about the legality of the rules, Sen. Thomas R. Carper of Delaware, the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, wrote in a letter to the EPA inspector general.



The Trump administration also may have violated federal rules that require all relevant materials be made part of public docket, Carper wrote.



And it wasn't just EPA staff raising concerns. Economists in the White House Office of Management and Budget warned the legal justification for the rollback was lacking an "actual justification," according to documents reviewed by E&E News. The OMB staff, who regularly vet draft rules, also raised doubts about the cost-benefit analysis underpinning the rollback.



The rule significantly weakens the standards adopted in 2012 as part of the federal government's bailout of the financially troubled auto industry. The original standards called for automakers to increase fuel economy across their fleets by about 5 percent per year, reaching an average of 54 mpg by 2025.



Automakers were expected to meet the target by developing more hybrid and electric models, gradually cutting smoggy tailpipe pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in the process.



The new Trump rule, however, would require automakers to increase fuel economy by only 1.5 percent a year, reaching an average of 40 miles per gallon by 2026.



EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler has claimed the new rule would improve fuel economy among cars and trucks, reduce air pollution and make new vehicles more affordable. But the administration's own analysis found that, compared to the previous rules, the rollback would increase the carbon emissions fueling global warming, increase oil consumption and potentially cost consumers more on gasoline over the life of their vehicles.



Congress has repeatedly passed transportation and environmental laws that require the U.S. to conserve energy, maximize fuel economy, clean the air and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Trump administration shouldn't get to rewrite the rules by ignoring the experts and conducting its own shoddy analysis.





Kerry Cavanaugh is an editorial writer for the Los Angeles Times. His article was distributed by Tribune Content Agency.






Essential trace mineral helps regulate our immune response in ways that affect COVID-19 outcomes

Despite our most valiant efforts to avoid catching COVID-19, this is neither the first nor last viral pandemic that will sweep the world. While pharmaceutical companies work to find a vaccine or effective treatment, a common and critical nutrient deficiency is undermining our immune response.

The role of zinc, an essential trace mineral, has been studied for decades. The consequences of zinc deficiency are seen in people with genetic disorders, immune dysfunctions, emotional disorders, thyroid and neurological issues, and many other illnesses.

Zinc deficiency is among the most common malnutrition problems worldwide. Zinc is a key ingredient in creating enzymes and proteins involved in many biochemical pathways.

It isnt surprising that zinc deficiency is so common. This mineral began disappearing from our soil with the advent of industrial agriculture, largely due to farming practices reliant on chemical fertilizers and pesticides that deplete the soils immune system, alter its pH balance, and harm healthy soil-borne microorganisms that help create trace minerals.

Anthony William, the best-selling author of a series titled Medical Medium, summarized much of the research around zinc deficiency, warning that not getting enough zinc will cause the immune system to overreact to virulent flu, or underreact to a low-level chronic viral infection such as herpes or Epstein-Barr virus.

When our immune system is well-stocked with zinc, it slows these viruses by repelling and weakening them, allowing the lymphatic system and liver to quickly kill off and remove the virus particles from the body.

An overreacting immune system, in the form of a cytokine storm, is a particular problem with COVID-19.

A cytokine storm occurs when the immune system overreacts to infectious or noninfectious diseases, and the inflammatory response spirals out of control, elevating inflammation to dangerous levels. This explains why otherwise completely healthy people can get so virulently sick with COVID-19.

A study in 2011 showed that zinc was able to suppress immune [hyper] response and regulate the inflammatory cytokines.

A compilation of studies done by the WHO in 2011 looked at children diagnosed with other respiratory infections and affirmed this aspect of zinc supplementation.

Zinc is thought to help decrease susceptibility to acute lower respiratory tract infections by regulating various immune functions, wrote the WHO researchers.

Halting the prolonged respiratory failure and death caused by cytokine storm is especially important due to the lack of other treatments. If zinc can do this, COVID-19 just might become a standard flu.

Another benefit of zinc was revealed in a 2010 study that showed that zinc blocks RNA replication for coronaviruses like COVID-19. Earlier studies showed zinc could do this for poliovirus and influenza virus as well. This action effectively stops the virus from reproducing itself inside host cells.

Without this trace mineral, our immune systems are unable to respond effectively to viral threats and our body becomes a prime hunting ground for viruses. With it, it is better able to hunt down invading pathogens.

Recently, Australia started a few clinical trials, one of which will examine the effects of a high-dose of zinc injected straight into the bloodstream of COVID-19 patients. The pharmaceutical industry already recognizes the effectiveness of zinc in fighting pathogens, as it is used in products such as dandruff shampoo, anti-fungal (ringworm) body washes and creams, diaper rash creams, and more. Further studies are being done including combining zinc with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin to fight COVID-19.

Zinc could affect COVID-19 outcomes in other ways as well.

The Independent reported that about one-quarter of COVID-19 deaths in England were people with diabetes. According to Cambridge University Press, zinc is important for insulin function, and a lack of zinc can contribute to diabetes and its complications, including impaired response to oxidant stress. Diabetes itself depletes zinc, which should always be monitored in diabetic patients.

High quality, alcohol-free liquid zinc sulfate products are available online and in health food stores for around $30. For healthy people, a few drops per day will do, but for someone who is becoming sick, or already sick, several full droppers are a more effective dose. Taking a full dropper every 34 hours when you are getting sick or already sick can often stop the virus in its tracks.

Far too much evidence has been compiled from thousands of studies to dismiss the importance of zinc in supporting a strong immune system. That means it is entirely rational to suggest that getting enough zinc can help maximize your chances of fighting off this new pathogen and being one of the people who are asymptomatic.

We do not know how long it takes to gain herd immunity to COVID-19. Shutting down the world economy to avoid widespread infection may flatten the curve, but if the curve is flattened too much, it may only prolong the duration of mass contagion.

Meanwhile, social distancing and self-quarantine requirements come with their own health impacts. Keeping us inside and sedentary is further weakening our immune systems.

It is important we look for ways to ensure our immune systems, the most powerful tool we have to deal with COVID-19, are in top shape. No drug, vaccine, or other treatment can more effectively deal with a pathogen than our own bodies. This basic fact of disease and our biology is overlooked to dangerous effect.

We all have a choice to make right now; to become weaker and more vulnerable, or stronger and more adaptable. Choose to strengthen yourself with this essential trace mineralwe all need it.

Joni Renee Zalk holds a masters degree in Chinese medicine from Middlesex University in London and enjoys living in sunny Boulder, Colo. She does volunteer acupuncture treatments for addiction centers and nonprofit organizations.
May 29 : Beverage giant PepsiCo is fast in changing its anthem for its flagship brand Pepsi in India. Adapting to the current situation amid the coronavirus pandemic, leading to social distancing, the company has been quick to change its promotional song.

While the company roped in Salman Khan last December as its brand ambassador, in February this year, the beverage maker celebrated singlehood with Salman ahead of Valentines Day. Now with social distancing, the normal new, the brand came out with a new anthem featuring Salman Khan.

The Dabangg star took to his Instagram handle and shared a video of the song, which he shot from his Panvel farmhouse, where he has been quarantined since lockdown 1.0 was announced. While Salman looked handsome in his quarantine look in beard, he wore a simple blue tee as he did salaam and namaste in swag. The song also sends out the message to maintain social distancing, yet say Swag se Solo.

While Swag Se Solo is relatable to the Tiger Zinda Hai star, and to the new generation as well, Pepsi was confident that this unique twist will go well with the normal new people.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 09:30:02|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ABUJA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday directed the military to enhance their operations to end frequent attacks by gunmen and criminal gangs in the country.

Buhari gave the order following attacks by gunmen in the northwestern Nigerian state of Sokoto on Wednesday, in which at least 70 people were killed, according to local media.

The government is determined to protect citizens against "remorseless psychopathic mass killers who have no regard for the sanctity of life," Buhari said.

"We are determined to bring these mass murderers to their knees and crush them totally," Buhari said while condoling with families of the victims in the latest attacks.

The Nigerian military has earlier launched a major operation code-named "Operation Accord" to rout out the criminal gangs rampant in the country's northwest and north-central regions.

"This operation will be a full-time and sustained military offensive that is intended to deny the bandits any breathing space to reorganize and regroup," Buhari said.

"As the world and Nigeria battle the coronavirus pandemic, it is tragic and unfortunate that bandits have remained active in parts of the country, killing innocent people and throwing families into despair," he added. Enditem
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29)  The Civil Service Commission is discouraging government agencies from requiring all their employees to report for work starting June 1.

"Wag niyo pong ipa-100% ang mga empleyado sa darating na June 1," Civil Service Commissioner Aileen Lizada advised government agencies in a Laging Handa virtual press briefing on Friday.

[Translation: Do not require 100% attendance from your employees this coming June 1.]

Metro Manila, along with Regions II, III, IV-A, Albay, Pangasinan, and Davao City, will be placed under general community quarantine from June 1 to 15. Government offices have been previously allowed to open in areas under GCQ.

The commissioner reiterated the five alternative working arrangements the commission has provided for state agencies, namely work-from-home, skeleton workforce, compressed workweek, staggered working hours, and other alternative arrangements.

"Ang ginagawa lang ho ng CSC is we are giving the heads of agencies a leeway, an elbow room so that kami, tayo na nasa gobyerno, we will still be able to serve without compromising ang health po ng mga kawani ng gobyerno," she explained.

[Translation: What the CSC is doing is we are giving the heads of agencies leeway, an elbow room so that we government workers will still be able to serve without compromising our health.]

Lizada also asked department heads to require senior citizens, pregnant women and those with comorbidities to work from home.

Heads of agencies must also ensure their workplaces, facilities and vehicles to be used as shuttles for employees are sanitized, she added.

The commissioner also reminded them to strictly implement the wearing of face masks, regular hand washing, provision of sanitation stations and personal protective equipment to their workers, and other health measures indicated in the joint memorandum circular of the CSC and Departments of Health (DOH) and Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has called for increased government support for the sector within weeks as forward order volumes plummet and factories close.

The majority of manufacturers have kept running through the pandemic and some in the medical area have flourished, but the sector overall is contracting at its worst rate since the global financial crisis.

A Pro-Pac facility in Melbourne. Another of the company's factories in Sydney is closing.

AMWU secretary Paul Bastian said the government needed to act in the next 10 weeks.

"Unless we start seeing something done, our concern is we're going to see employment further decline, you're going to see the manufacturing base erode further, and that doesn't augur well for rebuilding," Mr Bastian said. "When manufacturing goes, it goes."
Some of the measures are in keeping with what some employers are already planning, but other employers may simply decide its easier to keep employees working from home.

Companies, surprisingly, dont want to go back to work, said Russell Hancock, president and CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, a nonprofit think tank that studies the region. You will not see the drum beat and hue and cry and rush to get back to the office.

Citing extreme examples like Twitter, which has said it may never return to corporate office space, Mr. Hancock said that he has heard similar things from both Silicon Valley companies and those outside the region. Many are planning to stay safe by thinning who is required to come to work, along with making plans consistent with the C.D.C. guidelines.

Incessant disinfecting of surfaces, cleansing out your HVAC, he said, referring to the ventilation system, opening windows, ventilation, all of those things.

Tracy Wymer, vice president of workplace for Knoll, Inc., a large office-furniture company, who has been in discussions with numerous companies about the safest way to reopen, said he agreed with much of what the C.D.C. was advising but he added that a big part of successful reopening would involve employee compliance.

The biggest factor is on the work force and the personal responsibility they must take in making this reality work, he said.

The C.D.C. addressed that part too, reiterating what has become a kind of national mantra: regular hand washing of at least 20 seconds; no fist bumps or handshakes; no face touching.
Lockdown 5.0 might allow a few more relaxations than in phase four. As the current phase is nearing its end, speculations are rife that the government would order another round of restrictions as coronavirus cases in the country continue to rise. The government, reportedly, would focus on a few cities that have a high density of corona cases and account for the bulk of cases in the country.

Most of the cases in the country come from a handful of cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune and Ahmedabad. Thane, Jaipur, Indore, Chennai and Surat are also in focus.

Also read: Lockdown 5.0 guidelines: Select cities may have restrictions; is yours on the list?

Here are some of the key areas the government is likely to look at in lockdown 5.0:

The government might issue a negative list that would include all the prohibited activities in the country.

School, colleges, cinema halls and religious places might remain closed.

International flights might not resume anytime soon.

Shops are likely to operate in the same manner as the fourth phase before malls are allowed to open fully.

Also read: Lockdown 5.0 guidelines: What to expect, how will they be different from Lockdown 4.0?

The lockdown 5.0 measures would be reviewed periodically to tweak it according to the situation.

The central government is likely to allow the states to come up with their own set of guidelines, keeping in mind their situation and need. The Centre might release a limited set of measures that the states would have to incorporate in their own guidelines.

Many state governments have already stated that they would relax restrictions on many activities, including opening more markets and allowing more inter-state transportation. However, most of them have said that activity in containment zones must remain curbed. Karnataka is aiming to reopen all religious places but keep the ban on mass congregations and gatherings, while in Rajasthan all rules would boil down to curfew and non-curfew zones. Odisha, however, might not relax measures for new activities.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has urged the Centre to continue to lockdown restrictions beyond May 31. He also suggested that restaurants and gyms should be opened with social distancing norms. Maharashtra is also planning to ease some relaxations but have said that they would follow the Centre's recommendations.

Also read: Lockdown 5.0: Centre may let states decide on restrictions post-May 31
Niall Horan has been praised for a series of social media posts condemning racism in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.

Horans comments come after Donald Trump referred to protestors as thugs.

Trump tweeted today (29 May): These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

Twitter hid Trumps tweet behind a warning as it is in their view glorifying violence.

In a Tweet that has so far received nearly 70k likes, Horan responded: THUGS ?? these people are protesting against the fact that one of YOUR animalistic white policemen kneeled on Georges windpipe and forced him to stop breathing and killed him?? THUGS???? Are you listening to yourself?

He continued: Racism has been rampant for hundreds of years, its just that in this century people have camera phones to video it.

Its absolutely disgusting that you get mistreated because of the colour of your skin. You would think that those that are there to protect us, would protect.

Earlier this month, Horan slammed health secretary Matt Hancock over the UKs handling of coronavirus, writing that he thinks hes a lot more intelligent than he actually is.

The former One Direction star tweeted his distrust of the Conservative MP, while urging him to be open and transparent about the pandemic.

I get the idea that Health secretary Matt Hancock thinks hes a lot more intelligent than he actually is, Horan wrote. Always very smug and slippery.
Interacting with journalists in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump said a "big conflict" was going on between India and China.

New Delhi : Reiterating his offer to mediate on the border dispute between India and China, United States President Donald Trump has said that he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is not in a "good mood" over the "big conflict" between the two countries.

"They like me in India. I think they like me in India more than the media likes me in this country. And, I like Modi. I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," he said.

"They have a big conflict India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," the president said when asked if he was worried about the border situation between India and China.

"I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump said.

A day earlier, the president offered to mediate between India and China.

Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.

Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump reiterated his offer, saying if called for help, "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help" about "mediate or arbitrate, I would do that," he said.

India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump's offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing.

"The two sides have established mechanisms both at military and diplomatic levels to resolve situations which may arise in border areas peacefully through dialogue and continue to remain engaged through these channels," he said.

While the Chinese foreign ministry is yet to react to Trump's tweet which appears to have caught Beijing by surprise, an op-ed in the state-run Global Times said both countries did not need such help from the US president.

"The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order," it said.

Trump's unexpected offer came on a day when China took an apparently conciliatory tone by saying that the situation at the border with India is "overall stable and controllable."

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.

Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal that was rejected by New Delhi.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders.

Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in North Sikkim on May 9.

On May 5, the Indian and the Chinese army personnel clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting in the Pangong Tso lake area in which soldiers on both sides sustained injuries.

In a separate incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector on May 9. At least 10 soldiers from both sides sustained injuries.

The troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam tri-junction in 2017 which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.

Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas.


-- Premier Li Keqiang said Thursday China is expected to achieve positive economic growth this year if security in six key areas is ensured.

-- China reserves policy space on the fiscal, financial, social security and other fronts, and is in a strong position to quickly introduce new measures should the situation call for it without any hesitation.

-- Keeping China's economic fundamentals stable will contribute to the whole world, and the country will remain a positive force driving global economic recovery and growth.

BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Premier Li Keqiang said Thursday China is expected to achieve positive economic growth this year if security in six key areas is ensured.

The six areas refer to job security, basic living needs, operations of market entities, food and energy security, stable industrial and supply chains, and the normal functioning of primary-level governments.

Li highlighted efforts to maintain security in the first three areas when addressing a news conference after the conclusion of the annual national legislative session.

China has set no specific target for economic growth this year due to great uncertainties. Instead, it has made practical plans to ensure more than 9 million new urban jobs, give full play to over 100 million market entities, and improve people's livelihoods.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets the press after the closing of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. Li took questions from Chinese and foreign reporters via video link. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

VITALITY AND WELLBEING

Not setting a specific GDP growth target does not mean that economic development is not important, Li said. "Our decision is designed for the economic development to deliver more real gains to our people and we want to promote higher quality development."

The policies and measures are designed to provide vital relief to businesses and revitalize the markets, with a particular focus on keeping jobs and protecting people's livelihoods instead of undertaking large infrastructure construction projects, he said.

"This is because big change has taken place in China's economic structure where consumption is now the primary engine driving growth, and micro, small and medium-sized companies now provide over 90 percent of all jobs in China today," said the premier.

Li said money invested in the people will be able to generate new wealth, help protect and preserve tax sources, and make public finance more sustainable.

"We will do our utmost to keep China's economic growth stable, and at the same time we must ensure that all measures taken are well calibrated," he said.

Journalists attend a press conference given by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. Li took questions from Chinese and foreign reporters via video link during the press conference after the closing of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

OUTMANEUVERING DIFFICULTIES

COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on the global economy in a way rarely seen before, Li said. "As China's economy has become deeply integrated into the global economy, it is simply impossible for it to stay immune to the impact."

China will take targeted measures instead of massive stimulus to boost economic growth, Li said. "We have repeatedly said that we will not flush the Chinese economy with liquidity. We didn't do it and we will not do it now."

"Just as water is important to fish farming, sufficient liquidity is important to economic development," Li said. "But excessive liquidity will induce froth in the marketplace where some people may attempt to muddy the waters and fish for arbitrage."

The country reserves policy space on the fiscal, financial, social security and other fronts, and is in a strong position to quickly introduce new measures should the situation call for it without any hesitation, Li said.

China will be able to fulfill the tasks and goals for the whole year and complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, he said.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets the press after the closing of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. Li took questions from Chinese and foreign reporters via video link. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BIG OPEN MARKET

Keeping China's economic fundamentals stable will contribute to the whole world, and the country will remain a positive force driving global economic recovery and growth, Li said.

It is impossible for any country to achieve further development with its door closed and China will keep to its opening-up policy and will not waver in this commitment, he said.

China, a huge market for the world, is prepared to boost imports, Li said, noting that measures to provide relief and revitalize the market are expected to further spur consumption.

To facilitate foreign investment, China will further implement the foreign investment law, shorten the negative list for foreign investment, further open up the service sector, and improve the business environment.

"We hope that people will stay optimistic about coming to invest in this big market of China," he said.
- John Dramani Mahama has called on the government to undertake mass testing

-This he said should be done before easing restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19

- According to Mahama, this would help curtail the spread of the COVID-19

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama, has called on government to undertake mass testing before easing restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19.

According to him, all students, teachers and auxiliary staff who might be returning to school or church congregations, should undergo mandatory testing to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

He made this known while addressing Ghanaians in a Facebook live session on COVID-19 and the matters arising.

READ ALSO: Ghanas Covid-19 cases stand at 7,616 with 2,421 recoveries

in the face of the imminent easing of restrictions, government should consider conducting mass testing, at least...

All students, teachers, and ancillary staff returning to school or church attendants, following the easing of restrictions, should undergo a mandatory COVID-19 test as a safety precaution, he explained in an article.

President Akufo-Addo, in his second address to the nation on Sunday, March 15, 2020, announced a ban on any form of public gathering when the country had just six recorded COVID-19 cases.

This included conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, and even religious activities were affected.

READ ALSO: From uneducated hairdresser to parliament: MP for Akwatia in E/R narrates her story

In other news, Ghana has now recorded 7,616 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus according to the latest data from the Ghana Health Service on Friday, May 29, 2020.

The GHS indicated that 313 new cases have been confirmed with nine more people declared recovered bringing the number of patients who have recovered to 2,421 and 34 deaths.

The update also revealed that the Bono East region has become the 15th out of Ghanas 16 regions to record a COVID-19 case.

READ ALSO: Philipa Baafi: Top Ghanaian gospel artiste to soon graduate as Medical Doctor

Ghanaian female accounting graduate and mushroom farmer recounts her experience | #Yencomgh

Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
China warned US not to interfere with its relations with India

With no sign of disengagement along LAC by China, Delhi pins hopes on diplomacy

With no immediate solution in sight, India matches China in terms of man power, resources

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 29: Even as the Prime Minister's top men oversee the developments along the Line of Actual Control, there is still no change in the ground, with the standoff between India and China continuing.

Both sides continue to hold firm, even as the Chinese foreign ministry played down the standoff alone the LAC. The Chinese foreign ministry had said that the situation was stable and controllable. Both sides are in touch with each other at different levels, the ministry had also said.

India maintains aggressive posturing against Chinas moves at LAC

The Indian Army has deployed reinforcements at four standoff points. However, border work has not been halted, which includes the concrete Galwan bridge that is being build as part of the 255 kilometre road to access the Daulat Beg Oldie.

LAC tensions: India denies having discussed Chinese aggression with Trump | Oneindia News

An official familiar with the developments tells OneIndia that India is prepared for a long haul. In terms of manpower and resources we have matched China, while another set of soldiers are being prepared, the officer also said.

The Chinese had created similar problems during the Doklam issue and it was finally up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's crack team to sort out the issue. With talks failing, it would now be up to National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat to take things forward and diffuse tensions.

It was this same team that had sorted out the Doklam standoff that lasted up to 73 days.

The line would be clear. Sources say India wants no escalation. It wants the standoff to end mutually and through dialogue. We want peace, the source also said.

Officials say that the ongoing exercises by the Chinese are not engineered by the local commanders. It is a clear message from Beijing aimed at various issues, which also include diversionary tactics.

We are engaged with China to resolve border row: India on Trump's offer to mediate

Meanwhile, China's ambassador to India, Sun Weidong conveyed a conciliatory message and said that India and China did not pose a threat to each other. Both countries should never allow their differences to shadow bi-lateral cooperation, he also said.

Both countries are opportunities for each other and need to see each other's development.

Steps also should be taken to enhance strategic mutual trust. The statements come a day after the Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing described the overall situation at the border as stable and controllable. Both India and China are capable of resolving the issue through dialogue, the ministry had also said.

We should gradually seek understanding through communication and constantly resolve our differences. China and India should be good neighbours and commit to harmonious co-existence. We need to be good partners and move forward Weidong also said.

India and China should adhere to basic judgment that they are each other's opportunities.

Both countries pose no threat to each other. The realisation of the dragon and the elephant dancing together is the only right choice for India and China, Sun also said.

China and India should strengthen practical cooperation and expand the cake of common interests, Sun said at a webinar, in which students and some journalists took part.
GREENWICH  In one 12-hour period last week, Flynns Funeral Home was called to attend to four deaths  all overdoses from what manager Jason Eaton said was a lethal combination of fentanyl and cocaine.

The whole drug crisis, its just so bad, Eaton said. "We are in a small town. When something like this happens, the community comes together and supports each other. But its hard because right now we cant have services because of the coronavirus. We are fighting the coronavirus, but there is a drug problem right in front of our eyes.

The deaths on May 21 and 22 of three men and one woman happened on the same days as two overdose deaths in Rensselaer County. County Executive Steve McLaughlin, at a news conference, said the deaths were among 30 overdoses in the Capital Region, potentially from a lethal batch of cocaine laced with fentanyl.

"It's something that's unprecedented for all of us," McLaughlin said.

Previously: 30 overdose deaths rock Capital Region over 24 hours

Two days later, on May 24, another victim died of fentanyl tainted drugs in neighboring Easton, another southern Washington County town, State Police said.

At this point in the investigation, we cannot say definitively where the drugs came from, State Police spokeswoman Trooper Kerra Burns said. We are working to locate a source.

Samuel Hall, chair of the Washington County Board of Supervisors, said he that drugs are an issue throughout the county, but that the pandemic has made it worse. As a resident of Fort Ann, he laments that his town is a highway for drugs traffickers.

On Route 149, drugs go to and from Vermont, Hall said. The drug arrests are continual. It has a negative effect, obviously, on the community and a misfortune for young people getting addicted to drugs.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Dan Smith, who grew up in Greenwich, said he knew one of the victims, attending school with him from kindergarten to ninth grade. He said he had no idea that he used drugs and was saddened to learn that he was an intravenous drug user.

He wants to stave off any more deaths by handing out clean needles, fentanyl test kits and naloxone kits that he receives from Operation Safe Point, an Albany organization with a mission to prevent overdoses and safe needle exchanges. He posted on Facebook that he had these items to hand out and within hours, they were gone. He has now gone out to get more.

Its pretty crazy, Smith said. In a small town, you know all the families and people. Its inevitable that you will know someone. A lot of people criticize drug users, but I think its pretty cool to have the satisfaction of saving a life.
When COVID-19 brought the world to its knees those far from home found themselves trapped abroad.

Here in Vietnam many of those on holiday made a desperate scramble to catch that last flight home before the borders closed for the foreseeable future.

But while many managed to make the journey, one European couple decided to stay and their decision has proved to be a blessing in disguise.

Arijana Tkalcec and her boyfriend Matej Span at Hoa Trung Lake near Da Nang City. Photo courtesy of Arijana Tkalcec

Croatian Arijana Tkalcec and her Slovenian boyfriend Matej Span are thousands of miles from home with no immediate way of getting there.

But instead of regrets, the couple says they have no doubt they are in the best place to be right now.

We were never really scared when we were here because we knew that Vietnam knows what it is doing. Because when we came there were 16 cases that were all recovered so they already had some experience with this, said 24-year-old Tkalcec.

All those measures that were put in really fast helped with the situation. So we are lucky to be here.

Tkalcec and her boyfriend arrived in the country on February 26, the second leg of their planned seven-month trip around Southeast Asia. Their initial plan was to stay here for two months.

For the first two weeks, we explored Vietnam normally without any problems. Then we came to Da Lat in the middle of March and the situation became got worse day by day, Tkalcec told Viet Nam News via video call from Da Nang City where the couple is staying now.

March 6 marked the second wave of infection in Vietnam after a Vietnamese woman coming back to Hanoi from the UK tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Soon after, many more cases were detected, with many of the infected people returning from abroad.

As a European couple, Tkalcec and her boyfriend almost immediately found themselves in a strange new world.

Tkalcec said: There was one time when we were in Da Lat. We went to a restaurant and people refused our entry, so we left.

Sometimes people would put masks on when we passed by. Probably because we are Westerners so they thought we had the virus right away or something.

Arijana Tkalcec and her boyfriend Matej Span in the backyard of their rental house in Da Nang.

The couple managed to get to Da Nang from Da Lat on the last day before the social distancing took effect, and the first thing they encountered there was nowhere near what they had expected.

Tkalcec added: At the train station, I think it was 11pm, a lot of health workers in those blue suits were waiting for everyone. I have to say that is quite scary because we didnt know whats happening and what they will do to us.

But they were just checking everyone and measuring temperatures and taking information about us to make sure we are healthy and safe.

They were really kind and that was one of the really wonderful experiences here because they explained to us everything and helped us with any information we needed.

The following days made them more amazed by how Vietnam could put everything in place to leave no one behind in the fight against the virus.

We didnt have any difficult time during the social distancing period. Because we knew everything that we can and what we cant do. All the information was available right away.

We also have the health declaration application which is a very good thing because if we felt unwell we could just put symptoms there and health care workers can react very fast.

Here in our area in Da Nang, there were officials to make sure that everyone is following the rule. They are kind.

"For example, when we wanted to go for a walk on the beach, they explained to us why we cannot do that, instead we can go to the neighbouring street.

"I think it was really nice because they make sure that everyone follows the rules but they did not force people in a bad way.

Right now there are no immediate flights back to Europe, and no clear date of when they will begin again.

A photo of a boat operator on Nga Nam floating market in southern Soc Trang Province, taken by Arijana Tkalcec.

Despite the twists and turns in their journey, Tkalcec and Span have tried their best to enjoy the time here as best they can.

The couple just extended their visas for another three months and hope they can explore every corner of the country. After the south and central regions, they are now looking forward to discovering the north with its mountainous terrain.

Vietnam is really beautiful. Every place we have visited so far is beautiful and we are happy. But we are most excited for the north because of hiking. We love that.

Also we would like to explore more lesser-known places, not just the famous tourism places.

There may well be no place like home, but for these two European travellers, Vietnam is the next best thing right now. VNS

Vu Thu Ha

European tourists still flock to Vietnam despite covid-19 Vietnam has lost many Chinese travelers because of the Covid-19 epidemic, but the number of European travelers has remained stable.
President Donald Trump addresses a news conference on China in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on May 29, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Trump Issues Clarification After Saying Looting Leads to Shooting

President Donald Trump said his utterance of the phrase looting leads to shooting was meant in reference to people getting shot during riots this week.

Looting leads to shooting, and thats why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night  or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot, Trump said on Twitter Friday.

I dont want this to happen, and thats what the expression put out last night means.

Trump said the phrase was meant as a fact, not as a statement, adding: Its very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media. Honor the memory of George Floyd!

Floyd, an unarmed black man, died after a police officer in Minnesotas largest city knelt on his neck Monday. That officer was fired. He was charged with murder on Friday.

Twitter took the unprecedented step of hiding Trumps Thursday night missive containing the looting leads to shooting phrase. Users could click view to see the tweet, but they were warned the missive violated company rules about glorifying violence.

The tweet that Twitter censored, from U.S. President Donald Trump, on a phone in Finland, on May 29, 2020. (Olivier Morin/AFP via Getty Images)

In that post, Trump described people rioting in Minneapolis as thugs and said they were dishonoring Floyds memory.

According to an archived news article, Miami Police Chief Walter Headley used the looting leads to shooting phrase in 1967 while cracking down what he described as black hoodlums. Headleys actions were reminiscent of Birminghams Eugene Bull Connor, UPI reported. Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace, who campaigned for segregation, was also reported to have used the phrase during the 1968 campaign.

Twitters war with Trump sparked his signing this week of an executive order aimed at revoking the special privileges and protections social media platforms enjoy for allegedly not being publishers.

Its not clear what sparked Twitters foray into adjudicating phrases uttered by the commander-in-chief. Dozens of outlandish statements by leaders from oppressive regimes in Iran and China, by contrast, remained unchecked, as did all statements made by Trumps presumed rival for the presidency, former Vice President Joe Biden. News outlets like CNN and Democratic lawmakers have pushed for months for Twitter to remove some of Trumps tweets, with some even arguing the president should be banned from the platform.

Trump earlier Friday said Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party.

The new executive order, he said, is aimed at regulating Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which has largely exempted online platforms from liability for content posted by their users. He also called on Congress to revoke the special status bestowed by the section.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: The US would announce "certain decisions" on China on Friday, President Donald Trump has said as he emphasised that Beijing should have stopped the coronavirus at the source.

Led by the US, several countries in the world have blamed China for the spread of coronavirus and its failure to provide timely information about the disease, leading to the death of over three lakh people and causing an unprecedented economic crisis.

Trump has been pressing China to agree for an inquiry into the origin of the virus, including the allegation that it emerged from a bio-lab in the central Chinese city of Wuhan The disease has killed nearly 360,000 people globally, including 102,000 in America alone.

Over 5.8 million people have been infected by the COVID-19 worldwide with 1.7 million in the US alone.

ALSO READ | Hong Kong's business hub status imperiled by China's controversial national security law

"Tomorrow, we're going to be having a press conference on China. So, we'll be making certain decisions and we'll be discussing them tomorrow," Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday.

"It's a very sad situation. It should have never happened. China should have stopped it at the source, but they didn't do that," Trump said.

Trump in the last several weeks has been very critical of China's inability to control the spread of the novel coronavirus within its territory.

He has so far not given any indication of the steps that he is contemplating taking against China.

Trump had on May 14 threatened to "cut off the whole relationship" with China.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on May 16 had said that President Trump will decide on the future course of action on penalising China, a day after Trump said that he does not want to talk to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping right now.

However, China has rejected all US allegations of a cover up regarding the COVID-19 outbreak.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, several US senators sent a letter to the United Nations permanent representatives for Estonia and France, the current and incoming president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), in support of the US' call for an immediate UNSC meeting on recent actions taken by the Chinese government to undermine Hong Kong's autonomy.

"In your nations' capacities as the current and incoming president of the UNSC, we write to strongly support the USUN's call for an immediate UNSC meeting on recent actions taken by the Chinese government to undermine Hong Kong's autonomy and infringe on the rights and freedoms promised to the Hong Kong people," the senators wrote in the letter.

China last week introduced the draft of a controversial national security law in Hong Kong in its parliament to tighten Beijing's control over the former British colony, in what could be the biggest blow to the territory's autonomy and personal freedoms since 1997 when it came under Chinese rule.

Hong Kong, an economic powerhouse, is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.

It has observed a "one country, two systems" policy since Britain returned sovereignty to China on July 1, 1997, which has allowed it certain freedoms the rest of China does not have.

The US over the last few days has expressed concerns over the new Chinese law on Hong Kong and has indicated taking steps against it.

"The People's Republic of China's actions with regard to Hong Kong are a clear violation of its binding international commitments, including the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, and undermine the ability for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to remain in force in Hong Kong as guaranteed by Hong Kong's Basic Law," the members said.

"These actions warrant the immediate attention of the UNSC. We hope in your capacities as the current and incoming President of the UNSC, you will support this call for a virtual meeting at the UNSC without delay," they said in the letter.

In another statement, a bipartisan group of Congressmen applauded the House passage of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (S.3744).

This bipartisan bill is an important step in countering the totalitarian Chinese government's widespread and horrific human rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), including the mass internment of over one million Uyghurs and other predominantly ethnic Turkic Muslims, as well as Beijing's intimidation and threats against US citizens and legal permanent residents on American soil.

S.3744 now goes to President Trump for signature.

"The Chinese Communist Party's actions in Xinjiang are an affront to humanity and the CCP must pay a heavy price for these heinous crimes," said Senator Cory Gardner.

"The mass internment and forced labour of Uyghurs is one of the greatest ongoing tragedies of our time. With passage of this bill, the US Congress stated loud and clear that we will hold the CCP and its enablers responsible, pursuant to my Asia Reassurance Initiative Act and other relevant US laws," he said.
SIC Insurance Company Limited, the nations preferred largest non-life Insurance Company has donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) valued at GHS 50,000.00 to the COVID - 19 Trust Fund in support of Ghanas fight against the pandemic.



The PPEs which included: disposable nose masks, protective coveralls, goggles, gum boots, hand sanitizer gel, rubbing alcohol, hand gloves and disposable surgical caps. The Company said the donation is to aid the effort of the frontline service providers who are doing a heroic job at a great risk to stem the disease from spreading.



The Deputy Head of Corporate Affairs, SIC Insurance, Mrs. Shirley Kokui Agyeman who led the delegation to hand over the items further stated that the gesture formed part of the Companys Corporate Social Responsibility towards the Health Sector especially in the wake of the Corona Virus pandemic.



SIC Insurance, she said, has been motivated by the leadership of His Excellency, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his team in combating the pandemic and hoped the items will augment the efforts of the government.



Mrs. Agyeman on behalf of the Board and Management of SIC Insurance urged all citizens to follow and observe the protocols outlined by the Health Authorities by washing our hands regularly with soap under running water, using alcohol based hand sanitizers, wearing face masks and if possible staying home to stay safe.



Receiving the items, Chairperson of the Fund, Justice Rtd. Madam Sophia Akuffo, commended SIC Insurance for their kind gesture and assured the PPEs will be distributed immediately so that the frontline personnel and the vulnerable people can be given the adequate protection.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A national group devoted to campaign finance reform filed a complaint this week with the Senate Ethics Committee against U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, alleging the Republican improperly used footage from a Senate committee hearing in a campaign ad.

Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United, also charged that Gardner used government resources to tweet the ad's theme from his official Senate account the night before it began airing.

A Gardner campaign spokesman rejected both claims as groundless.

Last month, End Citizens United and its sister organization, Let America Vote, endorsed former Gov. John Hickenlooper, the front-runner in a June 30 primary with former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff to pick Gardner's Democratic challenger.

The ethics complaints are starting to pile up in what could be one of the most hotly contested Senate races in the country.

Hickenlooper is facing a complaint in Colorado, where a GOP-aligned group has charged that he accepted transportation on private airplanes when he was governor, in violation of state ethics law. On Thursday, Hickenlooper learned he could be subpoenaed to appear at a hearing of the state's Independent Ethics Commission after he refused earlier this week to participate in an online hearing set for June 5.

A Democratic state legislator last month filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee alleging Gardner violated a gift ban when he attended a lavish dinner party sponsored by the makers of expensive French champagne at a Palm Beach mansion, but a Gardner spokesman has said the senator reimbursed the company for the bash weeks before the complaint was filed.

The Gardner campaign ad targeted in this week's complaint, which began airing across Colorado on May 15, pitches the Republican's accomplishments securing protective equipment and tests during the coronavirus outbreak. It ends with Gardner saying, "We'll get through this together" in a clip from a newscast.

The Gardner campaign edited the ad last week after an executive with AAA Colorado asked that the motorists' organization's distinctive logo that appears in news footage used in the ad be removed, insisting that AAA doesn't get involved in anything political.

Muller's complaint points to a clip from a news program that flashes on screen for a fraction of a second, depicting Gardner chairing a 2015 hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committees Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.

It also cites a May 14 tweet from Gardner's Senate account that pictures a rainbow breaking through the clouds over a farm and says: "Reminders all around Colorado: We will get through this. Together."

They amount to violations of Senate rules that forbid using images of Senate proceedings and lawmakers' official internet accounts for political purposes, the complaint says.

Senator Gardner should spend less time being President Trumps yes man and more time reading up on ethics rules, Muller said in a statement.

Senator Gardner completely disregarded these ethics rules because hes facing the toughest election of his career and hes desperate. Were calling on Senator Gardner to immediately take down the ad, and the Senate Ethics Committee should investigate and hold him accountable for these violations.

Jerrod Dobkin, the Gardner campaign's communications director, told Colorado Politics in an email that the complaint misses the mark.

"The image is not an official photo or official footage subject to the regulation," he said, noting that the image appeared in a local news segment about Gardner's relationships with foreign leaders.

As for the tweet, Dobkin said, "The phrase 'we'll get through this together' is something Senator Gardner has been saying over and over for months. He said it in one of the news stories in the ad so that is why the ad is titled that."

A spokesman for End Citizens United scoffed at Dobkin's explanations.

"Gardner also said there was no personhood amendment," Bawadden Sayed, the PAC's deputy communications director, said in an email. "Wed rather have the ethics committee weigh in than take his word for it."

Muller offered a preemptory argument against one of the Gardner campaign's defenses in the complaint.

"Whether Senator Gardner obtained the footage directly from CSPAN or from another media outlets re-airing or reporting on the CSPAN coverage is irrelevant," she wrote. "The clip is a 'duplication of . . . television coverage of the proceedings of a Senate' and its use for political purposes is prohibited."

The tweet, she added, "does not appear to be connected to his official representational duties, which is the only permissible use of the account. Rather, the purpose of the tweet seems to be to reinforce Senator Gardners campaign messaging and bolster the soon- to-be-released ad."

Similar complaints in recent years have resulted in senators from both parties pulling videos that depicted them at work in the Senate.

In 2015, Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky removed a video from his nascent presidential campaign's YouTube page after the Republican-led Senate Rules Committee advised Paul it violated the rules.

"Use of any duplication of television coverage of the proceedings of the Senate for campaign purposes is strictly prohibited," Brian Hart, a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, the committee's chairman, R-Missouri, said.

The Paul campaign however, continued to use Senate footage in an earlier video because the segment from a Fox News report fell in a "gray area ethically," since the channel's logo and a news ticker were "clearly visible" in the clip, Politico reported. A Gardner campaign spokeswoman told Colorado Politics the footage Gardner used meets the same test, even though the news station's logo and a chyron are blurred beyond recognition in the ad.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin in 2017 removed a Twitter video of her speaking during a committee hearing after a local group raised the possibility it violated the rules.

UPDATED: This story has been updated to include reference to a 2015 Rand Paul ad that incorporated news footage of Senate proceedings, putting it in an "ethically gray area" that didn't run afoul of Senate rules.
New Delhi/London, May 29 : In an unprecedented move, the US, the UK, Australia and Canada on Friday jointly reprimanded China, stating that its decision to impose a new security law on Hong Kong was in direct violation of international obligations.

The UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo issued a joint statement which said, "China's decision to impose the new national security law on Hong Kong lies in direct conflict with its international obligations under the principles of the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration." The representatives of the four powerful nations of the world said that the proposed law would undermine the 'One Country, Two Systems framework'.

Censuring China, the group of four said that they were deeply concerned regarding Beijing's decision since the international community has a significant and long-standing stake in Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

"Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of freedom. Direct imposition of national security legislation on Hong Kong by the Beijing authorities, rather than through Hong Kong's own institutions as provided for under Article 23 of the Basic Law, would curtail Hong Kong people's liberties, and in doing so, dramatically erode Hong Kong's autonomy and the system that made it so prosperous," the statement said.

The new law "also raises the prospect of prosecution in Hong Kong for political crimes, and undermines existing commitments to protect the rights of Hong Kong people, including those set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights." The four representatives said that they were "also extremely concerned that this action will exacerbate the existing deep divisions in Hong Kong society." The law, they said, does nothing to build mutual understanding and foster reconciliation within Hong Kong.

Rebuilding trust across Hong Kong by allowing the people to enjoy the rights and freedoms they were promised can be the only way back from the tensions and unrest that the territory has seen over the last year, the statement said.

Arguing that the new imposition has "jeopardised Hong Kong's stability and prosperity", the four nations called the government of China to work with the Hong Kong's Special Administrative Region government and the people of Hong Kong to "find a mutually acceptable accommodation that will honour China's international obligations under the UN-filed Sino-British Joint Declaration." Censuring Chinese leadership over its irresponsible behaviour during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the four nations said, "The world's focus on a global pandemic requires enhanced trust in governments and international cooperation. Beijing's unprecedented move risks having the opposite effect."
This past November, I started a nursing job at Houston Methodist West Hospital. Id barely settled into my routine treating cardiovascular patients when COVID-19 upended our lives. Today, Im working 12-to 14-hour shifts on the newly-created COVID-19 floor, fighting to stabilize patients and keep them from transferring to the ICU to be intubated  because once that happens, their chance of survival decreases.

And yet, any day now, I could lose the right to do this essential work. Im a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which gives legal status to undocumented immigrants who came to this country as children. Any day now, the Supreme Court is expected to let President Donald Trump end DACA. That would make me and 660,000 other young people like me, eligible for deportation.

The consequences of this will be devastating. Id have to leave my U.S.-citizen wife and our new baby. My wife is also a nurse, and Im the only one who takes care of our child when shes at work. We built our house in Houston and we have a mortgage to pay, which would be difficult on her income alone. My daughter just started walking last week  to think Id be separated from her for any period of time is awful. Id also have to leave my patients, many of whom are at the hospital for the first time in their lives, sick with an unknown virus and feeling scared and alone. Im one of the few nurses on my floor who is fluent in Spanish, which is crucial, since nearly 45 percent of Houstons population is Hispanic. On a daily basis, Im called in to translate for other staff members and their patients.

Amid the stress and fear, Ive been lucky enough to witness dozens of recoveries on my floor. Weve started plasma transfusions, where we inject antibodies from those whove recovered into sick patients. One of my greatest joys is seeing a patient walk out of the hospital and knowing that I played a role in their recovery.

My parents came to the United States from San Luis Potosi, Mexico when I was 3 years old to escape poverty. We settled in Nashville, Tennessee, and my father found work laying bricks under the hot sun while my mom cleaned houses and sold food to construction workers from the back of her car. They soon had my three younger brothers. Today theyre successful entrepreneurs with three local businesses: a jewelry store, an event coordinating business and flower shop and a formal wear boutique.

Im the only one of my siblings without citizenship, and I didnt realize I was undocumented until high school when I couldnt get a drivers license or travel abroad with my church. I was confused, because I felt just as American as anyone else; I dont even remember Mexico. I decided to become a nurse when I learned about the need for bilingual nurses in the United States, a shortage that has tripled since 2014, according to research by New American Economy. But without DACA, I would have languished on the sidelines. Prior to the program, I was paying thousands of dollars in nursing school tuition, but I couldnt take the licensing exam or legally work without a Social Security number. Amazingly, right before the exam in 2012, DACA was announced. I cried as I watched the announcement. I could now achieve my dreams and do my part for the country I call home.

To have the Supreme Court let President Donald Trump rip it all away makes no sense. Nearly 62,000 health care workers have DACA. It takes weeks or months to properly train a new employee, so itd be impossible to replace tens of thousands of health care workers in the middle of a pandemic. As Texas begins to reopen, I worry well see a spike in infections and hospitalization rates. If myself and other DACA recipients in health care are no longer there to help, who will replace us? Congress has the power to give us a path to citizenship. With thousands of lives at stake, its time to let us stay home.

Quiroz Castro is a DACA recipient and registered nurse at Houston Methodist West Hospital in Houston.
New Rochelle, N.Y.  Businesses reopening early in defiance of New York coronavirus closure orders risk being shut down, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today.

Its not up to you when you open, he said during a press conference in New Rochelle. You have to follow the law or you will be closed.

Some local government leaders encouraged businesses to reopen without official permission amid massive confusion over whether phase two of New Yorks restart plan would begin today in some regions.

Cuomo ultimately gave approval for the start of phase two in Central New York and four other regions during his briefing today. He also addressed the uproar over the rollout of the new phase.

Waiting until this afternoon to approve the next step allowed time for experts to ensure the move was safe as the pandemic continues, Cuomo said. It was about being cautious.

He also noted he never discussed the exact timing of phase two with anyone.

They wanted it this morning instead of 1 oclock? I can understand that. But we want to make sure that data was reviewed by all the experts, Cuomo said. "A county executive may be very good at what they do, but theyre not an expert in viral transmission in a global pandemic.

"I may be competent as a governor, but I am not expert in global transmissions of a viral pandemic. So I wanted to make sure we had the best minds look at all the data before we stepped forward. Its stone to stone across the morass. If you take a step and youre not on a stone, but you step on a lily pad going across the morass, you will sink and thats bad.

So I wanted the best minds to review all the data to give us their opinion. Theyve all signed off on it. The difference between this morning and 1 ocock  I never talked to anyone about timing, morning or 1 oclock.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Central New York, 4 other regions can start phase 2 of reopening, Cuomo says

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Syracuse AD John Wildhack anticipating reduced Carrier Dome capacity during football season

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598
Had there been no pandemic, you would know by now how much I admire the omakase, or chefs choice, at Takumi in Falls Church. I was all set to sing the praises of chef-owner Jie (Jay) Yu in my monthly roundup of favorites when restaurants were reduced to offering no more than takeout. Even outside Yus slender dining room, however, his food continues to impress customers. Let me introduce you to his raw calamari, sliced into ribbons of pasta, set over some uni, dressed with a net of seaweed and finished with a quail egg that becomes a sauce when stirred into the noodles. The appetizers frame these days is a plastic cup, but the striking construction all but erases its mode of transportation.
An avid skier will lose eight of his fingers and three toes due to complications from the coronavirus. A 27-year-old who beat the virus is plagued by panic attacks and depression. A Florida survivor struggles with memory and vision loss.

Deaths by COVID-19, the disease brought on by the coronavirus, has garnered much of the nations attention, especially as U.S. fatalities surpassed 100,000 this week. But many of the more than 1.7 million Americans who've contracted the disease are confronting puzzling, lingering symptoms, including aches, anxiety attacks, night sweats, rapid heartbeats, breathing problems and loss of smell or taste. Many are living a life unrecognizable from the one they had before.

USA TODAY interviewed more than a dozen COVID-19 survivors to capture their thoughts on beating the virus that has infected more than 5.8 million people worldwide and learn how their lives have changed. Here are their stories.

At home with tubes in his nose

Angel Andujar, left, in a photo taken before he contracted the coronavirus and, right, after he returned home from the hospital. Andujar, 73, who is originally from Puerto Rico and lives in Clifton, N.J., spent 18 days in a hospital fighting the virus.

Lately, Angel Andujar, 73, cant walk from his bedroom to his living room without getting winded. Tubes in his nose feed oxygen to lungs recently ravaged by COVID-19.

Andujar spent 18 days in a Clifton, New Jersey, hospital, struggling to survive after catching the coronavirus. Initially, recovery at home was tough. He would sleep only a few hours a night before waking up, gasping for air. He stayed away from the MSNBC broadcasts he once watched regularly because too much COVID-19 coverage made him anxious.

Andujar, a retired respiratory therapist originally from Puerto Rico, is used to keeping busy: working on projects around the house, cutting the grass, visiting his grandchildren. All those have been put on hold.

He doesnt know if hell have long-term lung damage. For now, hes enjoying being surrounded by friends and family. Earlier this month, he watched through a bedroom window as his grandson Miguel celebrated his fourth birthday in his yard. A neighbor, a retired fireman, parked a fire truck on the street and ran the siren, to Miguels delight.

Story continues

As long as I have my daughter and grandkids, I dont need anything else, he says. Thats enough for me.

Her friends are dying from COVID-19 as she recovers

Ravi Turman, left, in a photo before catching the coronavirus and, right, while still recovering from the virus. Turman, 51, of Denver, Colo., spent 16 days in a Denver hospital after contracting the coronavirus.

Two months after she relocated to Denver, Ravi Turman thought her nagging cough was residual altitude sickness or a bad cold.

She checked into a hospital emergency room on March 22, where she collapsed into a coma and spent 10 days on a ventilator, wrecked with COVID-19.

After she returned home, Turman, 51, constantly asked herself why she had recovered when so many other African Americans are contracting and dying of the mysterious disease. Recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that black Americans are being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19 at disproportionately higher rates than whites.

Turmans Facebook site is filled with reports of friends and families across the U.S. dying from the disease. In one family she knew from Indianapolis, all seven members contracted COVID-19 and three of them died.

She still struggles with back pain but feels shell be back at 100% soon. She wants to show African Americans and other minority groups they can survive COVID-19, too.

It isnt necessarily a death sentence, she says. You can beat it. Dont give up hope.

She survived 9/11, now her heart races from coronavirus

Wendy Lanski, 49, of West Orange, New Jersey, left, before contracting the coronavirus and, right, while hospitalized for the virus. Lanski, who also survived the 9/11 terror attacks in New York City, spent 13 days in a hospital battling the coronavirus. She still has lingering symptoms, like fatigue, headaches and a rapid heart rate, and wears a heart monitor to monitor her rate.

At her darkest moment, when her lungs squeezed closed and she felt near death, Wendy Lanski latched on to one thought: Osama bin Laden didnt kill me. Im not dying from this virus.

Lanski, 49, a 9/11 survivor, spent 13 days in a New Jersey hospital battling the coronavirus. Her fever spiked to 103 degrees, she had bad chills and it felt like something was sitting on my chest, she says. Doctors debated putting her on a ventilator but decided to keep her on oxygen instead. She slowly recovered.

Now back home, Lanski worries if the rapid heartbeat and fatigue that followed her home are permanent.

It's not her first tragic event. She was sitting at her desk on the 29th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center when the first plane crashed into her building on Sept. 11, 2001. She scrambled down the stairs and into the street, just as the second plane hit.

The initial fog of confusion surrounding those attacks  Who did it? Where is it safe?  feels a lot like the uncertainty circling the coronavirus, Lanski says.

Sometimes I think Im destined to live through tragedies, she says.

For now, she wears a heart monitor to keep track of her rapid heartbeat. She often wakes up in the middle of the night in cold sweats.

The fear of the unknown, thats really the worst part," she says.

Her father gave her coronavirus; he died while she was sick

Tracey Alvino, at right, poses with her mother in a Snapchat photo shortly before contracting the coronavirus and, right, rests while recovering from the virus in her West Islip, N.Y., home. Alvino caught the virus from her dad, who contracted it while at a nursing home. He died in April and they interred him earlier this month.

Tracey Alvino thought things were looking up when she finally brought home her dad from a Long Island, New York, nursing home in March, where he was rehabbing from neck surgery. She didnt know Daniel Alvino, 76, was riddled with the coronavirus.

The virus spread through her home like a brushfire, infecting Tracey Alvino, as well as her mother, brother and boyfriend. Two days later, Daniel Alvino became so sick he had to be rushed to a hospital.

Tracey Alvino battled the virus from home. She got a high fever and lost her sense of taste and smell. Pain in a foot she fractured years ago suddenly flared up. Her armpit glands hurt, too.

The toughest part was when a doctor asked if she wanted to take her dad off his ventilator. The hospital staff said there was nothing more they could do for him. As she suffered from the same virus that was killing him, Tracey Alvino made the decision to let her father go. He died four days later.

It took 17 days to cremate Daniel Alvino and another month to inter him because of the backlog of bodies. Earlier this month a few limited family members gathered at St. Charles/Resurrection Cemeteries in Long Island to finally lay her fathers remains to rest.

'This has just crippled me with fear'

Jacki Palmer with her husband, Ethan Palmer, shown in a Snapchat photo on a cruise to Mexico shortly before she contracted the coronavirus and, right, after donating plasma. Palmer, 27, spent four days in a Houston hospital after catching the coronavirus. She still suffers from anxiety attacks and depression.

Jacki Palmer is no longer gasping for breath with chest pains. Instead, the 27-year-old Houston resident faces a new host of challenges: crying fits, insomnia and depression that some days makes it hard to get out of bed.

Palmer spent four days in a hospital in March after contracting the coronavirus while on a cruise to Mexico with family members. She remembers how nurses dressed head to toe in protective gear to bring her medication, how alien and terrified it made her feel.

After returning home, it took about 10 days for the back pain and fatigue to fade but TV reports of patients dying alone in hospital rooms sent her into depression and questions whirled through her head incessantly: Why did she survive? When will she start feeling normal again? What if the dark moods never go away?

Its a constant, anxious spiral in my head, Palmer says.

She started seeing a counselor online and joined a support group on Facebook. Donating plasma also helped brighten her mood, though she could only donate once a month due to her weakened condition.

Palmer's anxiety is never too far off. Recently, while at the supermarket, she saw a woman without a face mask picking out a potato. It sent her heart racing.

I was losing my mind, she says.

Palmer, an IT auditor, says people should realize the battle against COVID-19 doesnt end when survivors leave the hospital.

Im a very strong, independent young woman and this has just crippled me with fear, she says.

'Its like a dragon waiting to eat you alive'

Patricia Cruz Elostta, left, in a photo before she contracted the coronavirus and, right, in a photo with her mother , Maria Alvarado, 80, as they both recovered from the virus in their Astoria, N.Y., home. Cruz, 57, an occupational therapist, spent 11 days in a field hospital set up in New York Citys Central Park by Samaritans Purse battling the coronavirus.

For 11 days, Patricia Cruz Elostta laid in a bed at a field hospital set up in New York's Central Park to treat coronavirus patients. Cold air snuck into the tents spread across the field and thunderstorms shook the air around her. At times, she could hear other patients gasping for air and dying.

Shortness of breath, weakness, desperation, Cruz, 57, says, recalling her experience at the makeshift hospital. Your spirit was just broken down.

Her condition eventually improved enough to be transferred to a nursing home for rehab. There, she met up with her mom, Maria Alvarado, 80, who was also recovering from COVID-19. One day, as they sat together at a table, Cruz watched as Alvarado seized up and collapsed on the floor from a heart attack.

Alvarado survived and mother and daughter returned to their Astoria, New York, home to continue recovery. These days, Cruz, an occupational therapist originally from Colombia, is trying to get strong enough to return to work, while taking care of her mother, who mostly stays in her bedroom.

When she goes for walks outside, Cruz takes frequent breaks, stopping on benches to catch her breath. Shes starting to cook meals and clean her home, tasks she cherished pre-pandemic. But constant sharp pains in her back and right hand remind her the virus is not done with her yet.

Its like a dragon waiting to eat you alive, she says of the virus. It will take everything it can from you.

She came home from the hospital, then she had a pulmonary embolism

Lucretia Sette Morrone, at left, before contracting the coronavirus and, right, recovering the virus in a hospital. Morrone, of Oceanside, N.Y., still suffers from lingering symptoms, including body aches, blood clots and fatigue. Its never-ending, she said.

Lucretia Sette Morrone spent seven days in a Long Island, New York, hospital with chills and fever, battling the coronavirus. When doctors sent her home, she knew she wasnt well  just better than the crush of sicker patients streaming into the hospital.

At home, she had a fever for 30 straight days, quarantined to her bedroom as her husband left meals at her door and cared for their adult autistic son. She was starting to feel better when one day she suddenly had trouble catching her breath. She returned to the hospital, where doctors found a pulmonary embolism. Five more days in isolation.

"Its never-ending, she says.

Since returning home, her body and legs still ache. Last week, she took a walk with her husband and had to come straight home for a nap. She hopes the symptoms will one day vanish, but shes not sure they will.

It frustrates Morrone when people only talk about those who have died from COVID-19 or those who have fully recovered.

Theres a whole bunch of people in between who are suffering and fighting it still, she says.

His toes and fingers will likely have to be amputated

Gregg Garfield with his girlfriend, AJ Johnson, left, before he was infected by the coronavirus and, right, with Johnson and sister Stephanie Garfield Bruno, after returning home from a 64-day hospital stay with the virus. Garfield, 54, of Los Angeles, spent 31 of those days on a ventilator and given a 1% chance to live. His hands and feet lacked so much oxygen while on the ventilator that doctors will have to amputate eight of his fingers and three toes on his right foot.

Gregg Garfield uses a walker to steady his balance. The top halves of his fingers are black and gnarled and will soon be removed, a constant reminder of the 31 days spent on a ventilator fighting for his life against COVID-19.

Garfield, 54, was Patient Zero at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, outside Los Angeles. He caught the coronavirus while on a ski trip with friends in Italy in February and was admitted to the hospital on March 5, becoming its first COVID-19 patient.

During his 64-day hospital stay, Garfields lungs collapsed four times, his kidneys failed and infections flared throughout his body. Doctors gave him a 1% chance of survival. His hands and feet became so oxygen-starved while on the ventilator that doctors will soon amputate eight of his fingers and three toes on his right foot.

Despite the setbacks, Garfield, who owns a credit card processing company, says hes lucky to be alive and surrounded by supportive friends and family. His days now consist of early morning stretches followed by physical therapy  wall squats, exercise bike  three days a week. One of his top goals: get back on the ski slopes.

Today is really the only day you can count on. Tomorrow may not be here, he says.

Shots of morphine for the pain

Curtis Jefferson, left, pictured before he got COVID-19 and, right, after he recovered from it. He still isnt sure where, or how, he got coronavirus.

Curtis Jefferson thought he was recovering from coronavirus when he felt a sharp, severe pain in his left side.

This was a new symptom. He had endured a fever, dry cough, headache, no sense of taste. None of those had forced him to the emergency room, but this one did.

The diagnosis: along with contracting COVID-19, he now had pneumonia. Hed have to stay in the coronavirus ward for six days, getting shots of morphine for the pain and swallowing antibiotics to fight pneumonia.

I knew I wasnt dying, he says, but it was such an ordeal.

In the hospital, he saw only a few nurses, a couple doctors, and they were covered head to toe. They didnt come near me unless they had to.

Afterward, Jefferson quarantined in his basement, away from his wife and three teenage children, watching Law & Order reruns and westerns. He slept fitfully at night. Climbing the stairs to reach the bathroom left him gasping for breath for five minutes.

Now 99% recovered and back to work in Washington, D.C., as an electric construction mechanic, Jefferson, 58, still isnt sure how or where he got the virus.

I walk around my neighborhood and see people with no masks, talking in each others faces, he says. People are going back to beaches in certain states, and rates are going up. What are we doing? This is crazy to me.

Back to work at a nursing home after coronavirus

When he was sick with coronavirus, Cliff Roperez quarantined in a tent inside his bedroom, pictured left, keeping away from his wife and two children. After recovering, Roperez, right, returned to work at an elderly nursing facility and turned his personal protective equipment into costumes  here, an astronaut  to lift everyones spirits.

Cliff Roperez hugged his 7-year-old daughter for the first time in almost six weeks. She snuggled into him and started to cry.

Daddy, she said, now we can play again!

A few weeks earlier during her birthday party, Roperez couldnt celebrate with her or play hide-and-seek. After testing positive for coronavirus on March 30, Roperez and his wife agreed hed quarantine himself in their bedroom in a tent.

A nurse at an elderly care facility outside San Jose, California, Roperez, 47, was exposed early despite wearing an N95 mask as soon as the virus was confirmed in the U.S. At one point, he and his wife worried he would die. He reviewed his life insurance policy.

He recovered, he says, following Asian therapy: His wife made tinolang manok, a Filipino chicken soup, and ginger tea with honey. Three times a day, hed inhale steam from a basin of salted, boiling water.

After quarantining himself for 12 days, Roperez returned to work, where COVID-positive employees had their own entrance. His energy sapped, hed tire easily. But in a facility with 120-plus elderly patients terrified of the virus, hes trying to lift spirits. He makes his personal protective equipment into costumes  astronaut one day, superhero the next  and it gives light to everybody, he says.

He tested negative for coronavirus on May 11. Santa Clara County, where he lives, requires two negative tests before residents can declare themselves coronavirus-free. Hes waiting for results from his second test.

She's afraid of getting coronavirus again

Margaret Margie Waldrum, 68, left, in a photo before she contracted the coronavirus. At right, Waldrum recovered from the virus. She lost her appetite while in the hospital and lost 18 pounds.

Margaret Margie Waldrum had a panic attack at the grocery store. It was the first time she had to wear a mask and she didnt want to touch the cart. She was scared she might get the coronavirus again.

For nearly two months, Waldrum, 68, battled the virus, including a 10-day stay at Valley Hospital in New Jersey with double pneumonia.

But life after COVID-19 has also been hard. Shes 18 pounds lighter. Shes still winded, still fatigued. Her rheumatoid arthritis feels worse than ever so that she cant turn the cap on a water bottle, cant grip a steering wheel. A recent walk lasted about six minutes before she felt unbearable pain in her feet and knees.

Im 68 years old, but I wasnt like this before, she says.

Shes anxious about her future. Will the virus invade her body again? Should she get psychotherapy? Will she be able to return to work as a receptionist at the front desk of an assisted living facility?

In the days ahead, she has a chest X-Ray and a scan planned to check her lungs.

"It's going to take a little longer for me to jump back," she says. "You cant give up."

Someone 'really, really big was sitting on my chest'

Before catching the coronavirus, Mary Pflum Peterson, left, was an avid runner who sometimes competed in half marathons. After recovering from the virus in her home, Peterson, right, went to Mount Sinai Hospital to have her blood drawn and tested for antibodies.

Mary Pflum Petersons four children didnt like it when their mother was sick with coronavirus, cordoned off in her bedroom and unable to play with them. But now that she's recovering, they like it that mommy cant raise her voice to scold them because even the slightest exertion leaves her breathless.

You know I cant yell, but you know youre really in trouble! she says when they act up.

Pflum Peterson, a 47-year-old writer living in New York City, tested positive for coronavirus on March 21. Shes not sure how she contracted it or from whom. Even if youre young, healthy and in good shape, she says, the virus shows you whos boss.

She used to run 2 to 5 miles a day in Central Park. Now shes winded after walking up four flights of stairs to the front door of her Manhattan home. Long walks outside, she says, can cloak me in exhaustion.

The worst of her symptoms  complete loss of taste and smell, burning lungs and the sense that someone really, really big was sitting on my chest  have passed. But the weariness lingers. Shes traded daily runs for daily naps.

Her 13-year-old son is still sick with coronavirus, fighting off high fevers and crippling headaches. Hes the only other person in their family to test positive. She knows firsthand he wont be back to normal anytime soon.

A lot of us want to snap back, she says. And you have this realization that the virus is going to be here for a while.

'Nobody wants to be near you'

Susan Owens, left, in a photo before contracting the coronavirus and at right after recovery. Most of Owens' symptoms have passed, and shes tested positive for antibodies. But she keeps testing positive for the virus, too. Ive stumped em, she says. Before contracting the virus, she hosted her 4-year-old granddaughter, Adelie, for weekly sleepovers. Now, they settle for air hugs.

Susan Owens sat in a hospital waiting room enclosed by a see-through divider and reserved for those who had tested positive for coronavirus. The people on the other side of the wall stared and avoided her gaze. She felt branded. Overwhelmed, she started to cry.

I understand, I do, but its hard, she says. I guess its just because people are so scared.

Owens, a 55-year-old banker, lives in the small community of Moultrie, Georgia, about an hour north of Tallahassee, Florida. She tested positive on March 30, followed by three consecutive days of fevers of 101 degrees and shortness of breath so extreme it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and squeezing my windpipe.

Since then, she has tested positive for antibodies. But she keeps testing positive for the virus, too. And because her job requires a negative test before she can go back, she hasnt been to work since March 27.

At night, her legs burn like theyve been scorched by the sun. She quickly loses breath while planting flowers outside.

But the stigma stings the most.

Nobody wants to be near you, she says sadly.

Her fourth time in the hospital

Donna Talla, who moved last year from Florida to Virginia, enjoyed outdoor activities before she was hospitalized for COVID-19. Shes been to the hospital four times since contracting the disease in March.

In her hospital room in Fairfax, Virginia, Donna M. Talla keeps the television on CNN to track the death toll and learn more about hydroxychloroquine.

She suspects the medicine used to treat her COVID-19 weeks earlier may have saddled her with side effects, including a racing heart that landed her in the hospital on Monday for the fourth time since March.

Its been a hell of a ride, she says. Its the roller coaster you get on and you just want to get off it.

Talla tested positive twice for COVID-19. She suspects she picked up the virus while grocery shopping in March. She had a backache, then a rash, then headaches. Later came fevers and chills. After she struggled to climb the stairs, she went to the emergency room.

Later, news of blood clots on her lungs 'almost broke me...But I bounced back.

As her health improved, she returned to working from home as a director of sales for a media company.

She tested negative  twice. She posted on a Facebook page for survivors, borrowing quotes from "Rocky" and encouraging others to fight.

Then she was back in the hospital, this time with concerns about her heart.

There are people who are dying in this hospital, she says. Im one of the lucky ones and I dont take that for granted for a minute.

On Thursday, she went home from the hospital  again.

The Easter miracle

Kevin Rathel, at left, with his wife, Stacie, before contracting the coronavirus. Rathel, also pictured with James Crocker, who donated plasma that helped Rathel the disease, is still recovering in his Orlando, Florida, home. Crocker created Plasma For Lives, a website that helps people find locations to donate their own plasma and help COVID-19 patients.

His wife called it an Easter miracle. After eight days in a medically-induced coma, Kevin Rathel awoke in his hospital bed that Sunday, April 12, tears trickling down his face as he saw his wife and three children talking to him on an iPad.

Five days later, lines of doctors and nurses cheered him on as he left the Orlando Regional Medical Center in Florida, where he received the plasma injections he credits with beating COVID-19.

But for Rathel, 52, the agony was just starting.

Hes trying to regain the 25 pounds he lost. Before COVID, he routinely walked four miles a day. Now? A quarter-mile, maybe a half, because he tires so easily. He wakes up from night sweats and quietly covers his side of the bed with a towel so his wife can keep sleeping.

Poor girl, she spent a month trying to save my life, he says.

He cant see like he used to, cant retain information. When he grasps for a memory or a name, he screams: COVID brain!

During a recent group Bible reading, Rathel squinted to see the words on the page. He dragged his finger under each word. And, after memorizing the books of the Bible as a child, he now struggles to list the four gospels.

John, Luke, he says. I cant remember.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus survivors battle ongoing symptoms, might never be the same
A Belfast pub stopped from delivering Guinness during the lockdown appears set to resume the service after taking legal action against the police.



Hatfield House had been pulling pints on customers' doorsteps until it was forced to suspend the operation last month.

Staff then arrived at their homes in a specially fitted van, pouring drinks into plastic glasses while wearing protective gloves.

Beers were left on doorsteps to ensure a no-contact service.

But police intervened amid claims that the service breached licensing legislation.

The owners of the Ormeau Road-based bar launched a High Court challenge, with a hearing listed on Friday for interim relief.

The dispute centred on whether it violated licensing laws to pull pints by the side of the road when they were pre-ordered and paid for.

However, a judge was told a potential resolution has been reached following discussions between the publican and senior police.

If agreed steps are taken, including terms and conditions, the draught beer delivery service is expected to recommence imminently.

A final conclusion to the case is expected to be confirmed next week.

Mr Justice McAlinden urged lawyers to formalise a position "to ensure there's an element of legal certainty which can be relied upon by others who may wish to engage in a similar provision of service in the community while he present restrictions on pub opening remain in place".
Kogi state government has rejected the new data from the Nigeria Center for Disease Center NCDC that said that the state recorededtwo confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The NCDC in its data released for Wednesday, May 27, said two cases of Coronavirus have been recorded in the state that was free of Covid-19 up until Wednesday May 27th.

However, Saka Haruna Audu, the Kogi State Commissioner of Health in a statement released today said that, the state government has developed full testing capacity and conducted hundreds of tests which have come back negative. The government says they would not be party to any fictitious COVID-19 claims

Kogi State till this very moment is Covid-19 free. We have developed full testing capacity and have conducted hundreds of tests so far which have come back negative. We have also continued to insist that we will not be a party to any fictitious COVID-19 claims which is why we do not recognise any COVID-19 test conducted by any Kogite outside the boundaries of the State except those initiated by us. Any attempt to force us to announce a case of COVID-19 will be vehemently rejected. he said

The commissioner asked residents of the state to continue to take all necessary precautions to prevent a spread of the disease.
A Thursday evening tweet from President Donald Trump gave a $100 million vote of confidence to the South Shore Lines West Lake Corridor project  an unexpected move that officials said justified their confidence in the value of the commuter rail extension.

"Indiana is set to receive $100M in @USDOT transit funds for the @southshoreline to connect people to jobs around the State and the Chicago-area and help cut down on traffic," Trump announced among a series of messages on Twitter revealing funding for transit projects across the country. He cited Gov. Eric Holcomb for his support of the project: @GovHolcomb has worked very hard on this project!

South Shore Line President Michael Noland learned of the funding as a result of the president's tweet.

"It's not every day the president tweets about a project you're working on," Noland said. "We've been very confident about the progress of the West Lake project, but to get recognition from the FTA and the White House  that's an incredibly strong statement."

And a surprising one.

I probably had to read it about three times, and then I had to make a couple calls to make sure it was real, Noland said.
NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over the western North Atlantic Ocean as Tropical Storm Bertha was organizing off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina on May 26, 2020. Bertha became a tropical storm early on May 27 off the coast of South Carolina. CREDIT Credit: NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

The second tropical storm of the North Atlantic Ocean hurricane season has formed off the coast of South Carolina. NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite provided forecasters with a visible image of Tropical Storm Bertha as it was organizing.

On May 27, NOAA's National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued a Tropical Storm Warning in effect from Edisto Beach, SC to South Santee River, SC.

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard Suomi NPP provided a visible image of developing Tropical Storm Bertha late on May 26. The imagery showed strong thunderstorms were circling the center of circulation.

Satellite imagery on May 27 at 8:30 a.m. EDT showed the area of disturbed weather that NHC has been tracking over the past day or so quickly became better organized. The circulation had become better defined and the center had reformed beneath the area of deep convection. Those strongest storms were located just off the South Carolina coast.

At 8:30 a.m. EDT (1230 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Bertha was located near latitude 32.7 degrees north and longitude 79.4 degrees west. Bertha's center of circulation was just 30 miles (50 km) east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina.

Bertha is moving toward the northwest near 9 mph (15 kph) and this motion is expected to continue through tonight. Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph (75 kph) with higher gusts. Bertha is expected to weaken to a tropical depression after moving inland and become a remnant low tonight. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1009 millibars.

Bertha is expected to produce total rain accumulation of 2 to 4 inches with isolated totals of 8 inches across eastern and central South Carolina into west central to far southeastern North Carolina and southwest Virginia. This rainfall may produce life-threatening flash flooding.

NHC said, "The system will be moving inland very shortly and little, if any, additional strengthening is expected. Once inland, the small tropical cyclone should weaken rapidly and dissipate over central North Carolina on Thursday [May 28]."

Tropical cyclones/hurricanes are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA's expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden is seen at War Memorial Plaza during Memorial Day, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Castle, Delaware, U.S. May 25, 2020.

Former vice president Joe Biden on Friday said he is "furious" over President Donald Trump "calling for violence against American citizens" during the protests in Minneapolis over the death in police hands of a black man, George Floyd.

"Enough," wrote Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in a tweet thread responding to Twitter posts from Trump.

The president early Friday, after a police precinct in Minneapolis was torched by protestors, wrote on Twitter that he was willing to send the National Guard to deal with the chaos, adding: "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

At the time of Trump's tweet, the Minneapolis National Guard had already been activated by the state's governor, Tim Walz.

Biden said in remarks that were live-streamed on the Internet later Friday that he had spoken with Floyd's family.

He called Floyd's death "an act of brutality" that was just the latest in a series of injustices stemming from racism against black people, which Biden said was the "original sin" of the United States, which "still stains" the nation.

"An act of brutality so elemental, it did more than deny one more black man in America his civil rights and human rights. It denied him of his very humanity, it denied him of his life," Biden said of Floyd.

"This is national crisis, and we need real leadership right now," Biden said. "We need justice for George Floyd. We need real police reform."

Biden directly thanked Floyd's family for talking to him and said, "I promise you, I promise you, we'll do everything in our power to see that justice is had."
Berlin: Germany wants to impose a European travel ban and asset freeze on the head of Russia's military intelligence agency and several of its spies in response to a 2015 cyberattack on the German Parliament that was traced back to Moscow earlier this month.

The government will invoke a European Union sanctions mechanism, created last year, that allows member states to ask that restrictions be imposed on individuals involved in cyberattacks. The mechanism has not been used before.

From the left: Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, First Deputy Defence Minister Valery Gerasimov, and Deputy GRU chief, Vice Admiral Igor Kostyukov, who Germany wants to sanction. Credit:AP

The sanctions, which would also include a ban on business contacts inside the bloc, have to be agreed upon by the other 27 EU member states. The process, officials said, could take time.

A senior German diplomat, Miguel Berger, informed Russian Ambassador Sergey Yuryevitch Nechayev of the government's decision during a meeting at the German foreign ministry Wednesday.
By Leonardo Benassatto

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Stefany Carvallido, her 2-year-old daughter and about 200 other Colombians have been camping out inside Brazil's busiest international airport for days in a desperate attempt to get back to their home country.

More than two months after the coronavirus pandemic triggered worldwide lockdowns, much of the world is gradually reopening. But Latin America remains highly isolated by travel restrictions across the region.

Colombia has suspended all international flights until at least Aug. 31, preventing its own citizens from returning by air. It has also suspended river and land border crossings with neighbors including Brazil.

Carvallido said she and her daughter Maria Jose had spent nearly two weeks at Guarulhos International Airport, located on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, the city with the lion's share of Brazil's coronavirus cases so far. The same airport saw a surge in traffic last week, when travelers descended on it hoping to beat a new U.S. ban on foreigners coming from Brazil.

"In this situation, we want to be with our families and my daughter wants it too ... It is very, very difficult," said Carvallido, shedding tears.

Carvallido, 24, and others are eating from lunch boxes and donations and also take turns at an improvised kitchen set up outside the airport. They wash in the airport bathrooms using a small hose.

They are demanding humanitarian flights. But Colombia's foreign ministry said on Thursday no new flights from Brazil were scheduled until next week. Since late April there have been three such flights, taking a total of 346 people back to Colombia.

Though called humanitarian, Colombians must pay $350 for the flights, and that is money Carvallido and many others at the airport do not have. Their calls for a free flight home have led nowhere so far.

"Under current regulations, this request is not possible," the Colombian consulate in Sao Paulo said in a statement.

(Reporting by Leonardo Benassato and Gabriel Araujo in Sao Paulo; Additional reporting by Amanda Perobelli in Sao Paulo and Julia Symmes Cobb in Bogota; Editing by Tom Brown)
Upper Haight

The safe sleeping site, pictured looking northbound on Stanyan at Waller, is wrapped with privacy screens. | Photo: Camden Avery/Hoodline

Today, the Upper Haight's newly minted "safe sleeping site" will begin admitting residents from two encampments of homeless people in District 5.

Located on the site of the former McDonald's restaurant at Haight and Stanyan streets, the site will provide room for 40 unhoused people to camp at a social distance. Screened from public view by fencing, it will also offer showers, hand-washing stations and meals.

The safe sleeping site has become a neighborhood battleground, drawing vocal support from some neighbors and vocal opposition from others. Earlier this week, the owners of Amoeba Music and Escape From New York Pizza sued the city over the site, which adjoins their businesses.

Last night, over 150 local residents and merchants attended an online community meeting about the site, with city officials and homeless service providers attempting to quell anxieties about how it will be run.

The residents of 730 Stanyan will be drawn from two large tent encampments in District 5: one at Haight Street and Masonic Avenue, the other at the DMV parking lot at Fell and Broderick streets.

The decision to move to the safe sleeping site is up to each person. But Jeff Kositsky, the former director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing and a member of the city's emergency management team for homelessness, said he's confident both encampments will be "thinned out or eliminated" as residents move to the Stanyan Street site.

Haight-based nonprofit Homeless Youth Alliance (HYA), which is co-managing the site with Larkin Street Youth Services (LSYS), has already been doing outreach to neighborhood encampments to manage enrollment and move-ins.

"The majority of folks [at both encampments] are coming into camp, and are very excited about relocating," said Mary Howe, the HYA's executive director.

The encampment abutting the San Francisco DMV is one of two targeted for move-in priority this weekend. | Photo: Camden Avery/Hoodline

Some neighbors have expressed concerns about homeless people from other districts flocking to the Haight to gain entry to the site. But there's no evidence of that, Howe said at last night's meeting.

Story continues

"The folks moving in have been on a list of definite tents that have already been located and monitored in the neighborhood. Under no circumstances will someone outside the neighborhood not known to the group doing outreach to the tents be admitted."

HYA and LSYS will provide 24/7 staffing, as well as contracted private security inside the site. SFPD foot patrols currently dedicated to the ad-hoc District 5 encampments will be redirected to the area surrounding 730 Stanyan.

Safe sleeping site residents and their pets will be instructed to follow health and safety guidelines that meet and exceed CDC standards, Kositsky said.

They'll be given new tents if their current ones aren't safe enough, and receive regular checks for COVID-19 symptoms and other health issues. They'll also be allowed to leave as needed, for essential services and walks around the neighborhood.

"Folks will be able to leave for the same reasons that we might leave our houses," said LSYS executive director Sherilyn Adams, who noted that security teams will prevent any congregation around the site.

The Waller Street entrance to the lot is blocked off; entry and exit are primarily through Stanyan Street. | Photo: Camden Avery/Hoodline

The site will admit about 10 residents today, adding people steadily through the weekend until it hits capacity next Wednesday or Thursday.

Responding to neighbors' concerns that the site might drag on interminably after the COVID-19 health crisis abates, Kositsky and Adams both confirmed that the site's contract limits it to a 3-6 month horizon.

The site will cease admitting new clients 45 days before a scheduled end date is announced. For the duration of clients' stays, HYA will work to place them in more suitable long-term arrangements, like shelters or hotel rooms.

Kositsky emphasized that the city can't legally compel people to enter or remain at the site. "We can't promise with 100% certainty everything is going to go exactly as everybody would like."

But with oversight from HYA, LSYS and the city's Emergency Operations Center, Kositsky said he's confident that the site will promote safety for both unhoused and housed District 5 residents.

Asked to give his criteria for the site's success, he offered three: "Is the neighborhood happy with it, are the clients happy with it, and long-term, how many people successfully exit homelessness?"
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Airline SAS <SAS.ST> said on Thursday it was in talks with major shareholders to raise more money to help it ride out the pandemic-induced collapse in global air travel after reporting bigger losses in its second quarter.

Sweden and Denmark, part owners of SAS, have already stepped in to aid the airline, guaranteeing a 3.3 billion crown (280.59 million pounds) credit facility, but SAS Chief Executive Rickard Gustafson said more would be needed given the scope of the crisis.

"SAS is currently in active, intensive and constructive discussions with the company's major shareholders and selected stakeholders on a recapitalisation plan to ensure the future of SAS," Gustafson said in a statement.

The global airline industry is struggling to cope with fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak, with widespread lockdowns and travel restrictions forcing carriers to ground their fleets.

When asked for more details on the funding needs, Gustafson declined to give more information, but said it was clear the amount would be "significant".

Gustafson said the company aimed to present a plan to the market in June.

SAS shares were down 9% by 0806 GMT, taking year-to-date losses to 35%. The shares are up 15% on the week.

SAS said losses before tax in the February-April quarter rose to 3.72 billion Swedish crowns ($387.4 million) from 1.22 billion a year earlier.

SAS last reported a profit in its AugustOctober 2019 quarter.

The airline, facing tough competition from low-cost rivals, had already been restructuring and making cost savings before the coronavirus pandemic hit the airline industry.

Some airlines are now preparing to resume flights as some countries start to ease coronavirus restrictions. Earlier this week, SAS said it would resume flights to several destinations from June onwards.

"We expect that the recovery will start with increased domestic demand followed by European and then intercontinental destinations," SAS said.

"But, it will most likely take until 2022 before we see demand in line with what we experienced before the COVID-19 outbreak."

(Reporting by Johannes Hellstrom; writing by Niklas Pollard; Editing by Simon Johnson and Jane Merriman)
Nigeria Afrobeats superstar Yemi Alade has men on her mind as she makes a very welcome return to This Is Africa on BBC World Service radio this weekend.



She popped by - if we can say that when it is actually a matter of hooking up via the internet - to tell us about her new single Boyz.



It was recorded before the lockdown and a video was also in the can.



"We thank the Lord! Mama Africa the younger said.



Not surprisingly, Boyz is about boys.



Alade was often asked in interviews about the characteristics of her ideal man, so she decided to turn this list into a song, as well as adding a bit about what hopeful suitors should expect from her.



Guys, youll have to listen to the song to see if Alade would take a second look at you



When Alade was last a guest on This Is Africa she had so many plans, a lot of which have now had to be cancelled.



She was due to perform at New Yorks prestigious Carnegie Hall with Angelique Kidjo, and had already sold tickets for her European and US tour.



For Africa Day last Monday she performed an online concert but, as she told me, for her it was not at all the same as feeding off the energy of a live audience.



"You dont get the thrill, the infectious electrolytes we just share amongst ourselves.



"The lockdown has made me more hungry to be on stage, I even see myself doing a free concert, I dont know how or when, but Im so excited to get back to work when this finally happens."

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Texas Senator Ted Cruz is once again carrying water for the man who suggested his wife was ugly and intimated that his father might have been involved in the assassination of President John F Kennedy.

This time, Mr Cruz is defending President Donald Trump from reporters who were demanding a lucid explanation of "Obamagate."

On Wednesday as America ticked past the milestone for 100,000 dead due to coronavirus and Minneapolis was set ablaze during anti-police brutality protests, Mr Trump was tweeting about the conspiracy theory he hopes will help him win reelection in November.

Recount editor John Heilemann replied to the tweet asking for clarification.

"Could you explain again exactly what it is? We'll wait," he wrote.

Mr Trump's unwillingness - or inability - to actually construct and present an intelligible explanation for what "Obamagate" is actually asserting has been exemplified at some of the press conferences he's given since he first began tweeting about the mystery scandal.

After claiming it was the "biggest political crime in American history" a reporter asked him to explain. Mr Trump's cryptic reply was "you know what the crime is."

Rather than letting Mr Trump - who not only defeated him but also repeatedly insulted him and his family - to fend for himself, Mr Cruz decided to step in to defend the president, responding to Mr Heilemann by asking "I thought that was a reporter's job?"

This began a chain of responses lashing out at the Texas senator.

"Sorry, I'm still busy reporting out Trump's accusation that your father was involved in the killing of JFK," Mr Heilemann replied.

Gary Whitta, a screenwriter and author, called Mr Cruz "a joke."

"You think it's a reporter's job to chase down obvious (and deliberately vague) bats*** conspiracy theories propagated by a vicious and desperate lunatic? You really are a joke," he said.

David Weissman, a former Trump supporter turned critic, replied that a reporter's job was to "ask questions to get the answers."

"I thought you were smarter than this?" he asked.

Despite the troubling history Mr Cruz has with Mr Trump, he has been consistently defending "Obamagate" as a legitimate scandal.

On Monday, Mr Cruz was having another Twitter spat with Gabriel Sherman, a reporter from Vanity Fair, during which he elucidated on the alleged scandal, which revolves around Mr Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn.

"Serious questions for Trumpers: What is the scandal of unmasking an American official caught on an intercept discussing US sanctions policy with [the] Ambassador of a hostile foreign country that had just launched a massive cyber attack on our election?" Mr Sherman asked.

Mr Cruz replied with an actual description of the charges at the heart of the alleged scandal.

"Uhh, [Michael Flynn] was the incoming National Security Advisor & a 3-star general. He's SUPPOSED to discuss sanctions policy. That's his job. The unmasking was part of outgoing admin launching a massive sting operation to try to entrap him," Mr Cruz wrote. "Maybe this helps: imagine Bush doing [the] same to Obama."

Essentially, Mr Cruz is alleging that the Obama administration set Mr Flynn up to be caught in a perjury trap.

Flynn pleaded guilty twice to lying to the FBI. However, the Attorney General, William Barr, has sought to drop the case against him after the president tweeted that Flynn had been treated "very unfairly". The judge is reviewing the case before making a decision.

Flynn also lied to the vice president, Mike Pence, about his contacts with the then-Russian ambassador to the US, leading intelligence chiefs to fear he had made himself a potential target for blackmail by the Kremlin.
DUQUESNE, Pa. (AP)  Authorities in western Pennsylvania on Friday were trying to determine what sparked an early-morning house fire that claimed the lives of a man and a woman.

Firefighters found intense flames and heavy smoke when they arrived on the scene on Karl Avenue in Duquesne early Friday. Neighbors told them two people were trapped inside.

"Crews encountered heavy fire conditions and heavy fire load throughout," said Fire Chief Frank Cobb. "So crews had to back out and then immediately through a transitional attack to get the fire knocked out and make entry to the house."

BREAKING: two people killed in a house fire in Duquesne. Firefighters tried to save them but the flames were too intense.

I'm live with the latest details on @wpxi morning news. pic.twitter.com/XJrdJgdnr3  Liz Kilmer (@LizKilmerWPXI) May 29, 2020

Two dead in overnight house fire in Duquesne https://t.co/Nb7OD3OoZ8  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (@PittsburghPG) May 29, 2020

Most of the damage was on the second floor, Cobb said, and that was where firefighters found the victims. One was at the top of the stairs and the other was in a bedroom.

Their names have not been released.

The Allegheny County fire marshal was investigating the cause.

More:

Fire destroys historic Pa. church built in 1896

Man sues landlord after fiancee, 3 children die in Pa. apartment building fire

Dog rescued from Pa. house fire bites firefighter
(Bloomberg) -- U.S. President Donald Trump isnt the only politician to earn a Twitter Inc. rule-violation notice. Several other politicians and officials have had tweets blacklisted for violating the platforms terms of service on grounds such as spreading misinformation or, as in Trumps case, the glorification of violence.

Twitter put up a rule-violation notice on one of Trumps most recent posts that included the phrase when the looting starts, the shooting starts. While the presidents comments about violent protests in Minneapolis were against its rules, Twitter said it determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible. In order to read the tweet a user must click on a separate button to view it.

Heres a quick rundown of some of the other notable officials that Twitter has previously taken action against to combat breaches of its terms and rules.

Trumps Lawyer

Trumps personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, tweeted in March that the controversial drug hydroxychloroquine was found 100% effective in treating the coronavirus. Trump has said hes personally taken the medication and touted it as a possible coronavirus treatment despite warnings by doctors about its unproven efficacy.

Twitter removed Giulianis post and trying to access it now results in an error reading: Sorry, that page does not exist. Unofficial archives captured the post in time for it to be preserved.

U.S. Politicians

Both Republican state representative Briscoe Cain of Texas and the daughter of the U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, have had tweets removed for breaching Twitters violent language rules. Cain tweeted My AR is ready for you at Texas Democrat Beto ORourke, according to the Guardian, while Christine Pelosi posted, Rand Pauls neighbor was right after the Republican senators neighbor broke several of his ribs in an assault.

Venezuelas President

In March, Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro tweeted that a prominent Venezuelan scientist had given him permission to share three interesting articles about the coronavirus. One of them he linked to contained a recipe for a natural antibiotic that works against this virus.

Story continues

The tweet was removed for violating Twitter Rules according to archived screenshots of the post, but the same message and website links remains accessible and public on the politicians official Facebook page.

Brazilian Officials

In April, a message from Brazilian lawmaker Osmar Terra was flagged after he said quarantine measures risked increasing the spread of Covid-19. He included a chart to support his argument.

As was the case with Trumps tweet, Terras message remained accessible because it was in the public interest, but its content was hidden from view by default.

In March, Twitter confirmed to CNET that it also deleted two posts made from the account of Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro on misinformation grounds. The posts contained videos, now inaccessible, but seen by Buzzfeed and summarized as having contained promotions for the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19 and ending social distancing.

Chinese Spokesman

Deletion or hiding isnt always Twitters go-to policy for posts that make controversial claims. For instance, this week it applied a fact check tag to at least two posts made by China Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian, both of which advanced questions about whether the Covid-19 virus began in the U.S. rather than China.

The tags, at the base of the tweets originally posted in March, are marked with an exclamation point inside a circle and follow with text that reads Get the facts about Covid-19. Clicking the link takes a user to tweets about the virus origin, which emphasize that the virus appears to have originated in animals in China, rather than a virus laboratory in Wuhan, China.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
The 360 shows you diverse perspectives on the days top stories and debates.

Whats happening

Chinas legislature on Thursday approved a controversial national security law that gives the mainland government new powers to police subversion and foreign intervention in Hong Kong.

Critics of the new law say its a violation of the one country, two systems agreement that has granted Hong Kong certain levels of autonomy  like its own police force and judicial system  since the island became part of China in 1997 after more than a century of British rule.

The specifics of the law are unclear, but experts suggest it could give Chinese leader Xi Jinping broad authority to stamp out pro-democracy protests by arresting activists and banning speech critical of the regime. Similar laws have been pursued by pro-Beijing members of Hong Kongs legislature several times in recent years, but none were passed. Last year, a bill that would have allowed prisoners from Hong Kong to be extradited to the mainland sparked a massive and violent wave of protests that threw the city into chaos for months.

Chinas move to bypass Hong Kongs lawmakers and assert new authority over its citizens represents a death knell for the islands autonomy, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. Leaders from the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada released a joint statement condemning the law, which they said would curtail the Hong Kong peoples liberties.

Why theres debate

American lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have called for a significant response to curb Chinas efforts to impose new restrictions in Hong Kong. Many have called for China to face economic consequences, including tariffs, sanctions or changes to trade policy. On Wednesday, Pompeo declared that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China, which could open the door for revoking the islands special trade status that gives it certain freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland. President Trump announced on Friday that he was instructing his administration to begin the process of eliminating those exemptions and consider sanctions on Chinese officials.

Story continues

Others argue that Chinas action warrants a response from the international community to prevent what they see as Chinas increasingly aggressive authoritarian behavior. If Beijing is able to impose its will on Hong Kong without consequences, the government may feel emboldened to pursue similar actions with Taiwan, some experts fear.

There are doubts, however, that any condemnation or economic punishment can do much to temper Chinas behavior. Years of combative posturing between Beijing and the Trump administration  over trade, territory in the South China Sea and most recently the coronavirus  may have increased Chinas tolerance for international disapproval, some experts say.

Sanctions or tariffs may ultimately do more harm to the people of Hong Kong than to Beijings bottom line, economists argue. An aggressive move by Western nations may even backfire by providing evidence for Xis arguments against foreign interference in Chinas affairs. Some American businesses with offices in Hong Kong have warned that too strong a reaction could jeopardize Hong Kongs important role as a key hub for the global economy.

Whats next

Any changes to U.S. economic policy would likely have to come through an executive order from Trump or an act by Congress. Its possible American lawmakers may wait to see whether China actually exercises its new powers before any response is made. The new law will reportedly go into effect in September.

Perspectives

The U.S. should allow Hong Kong residents to immigrate to America

If the United States wants to help the people of Hong Kong, it needs to think beyond sanctions and consider the role it has played time and again for victims of political repression abroad  open Americas borders and offer a place of refuge, freedom, and prosperity.  Matthew Yglesias, Vox

Sanctions could hurt the people of Hong Kong

That is a powerful weapon, but the scope for miscalculation is vast, potentially harming Hong Kongers and driving out global firms and banks. It would be better, as the law also proposes, to impose sanctions on officials who abuse human rights in Hong Kong.  Economist

Theres much more than the future of Hong Kong at stake

What is now at stake is bigger than the future of Hong Kong, as important as that is. Other nations should ask themselves whether they want China to believe that it can trample on its pledges and renege on international treaties with impunity.  Editorial, Guardian

Sanctions wont change Chinas behavior

Sanctioning China may serve as punishment for its action, but theres no realistic chance that the United States is going to force China to change its mind on such a fundamental policy issue. That doesnt mean its a bad idea. But it means that whatever the merits, its not an idea thats going to deliver much help to the people of Hong Kong.  Matthew Yglesias, Vox

China has shown its willing to suffer economic pain to assert control over Hong Kong

The unspoken assumption is China would not dare hurt its prized conduit to global capital, the goose that lays the golden eggs. With the new Hong Kong national security law, China has called the United States bluff.  Wilfred Chan, The Nation

China must suffer significant consequences

If Beijing now appears set on crossing the Rubicon to decimate Hong Kongs autonomy, it must be made to pay a heavy price for doing so. The people of Hong Kong need strong moral, geopolitical, and material support from the United States and other established democracies.  Larry Diamond, American Interest

Criticism from the U.S. may push China into even more aggressive actions

On the defensive over their handling of the virus, President Trump and his aides have sought to blame China for the pandemics toll in the United States. The criticism, by all appearances, has done little to moderate Mr. Xis actions. It may even have emboldened them.  Steven Lee Myers, New York Times

China cant be allowed to take similar steps in Taiwan

Unfortunately, Hong Kong is lost. But China must now be made to feel serious consequences for its actions. Otherwise, emboldened by its success, it will attempt to annex the neighboring island of Taiwan.  Chinas ruling Communist Party is hell-bent on crushing Taiwan's successful democracy, fearing it could inspire a pro-democracy movement at home.  Alexander Gorlach, Deutsche Welle

Sanctions could set off a chain of events that craters the already weak world economy

All options come with costs. If Congress or President Trump do decide to take direct action against the CCP for its efforts to do away with the one country, two systems framework, it could prompt China to retaliate and push the global economy in a downward spiral at a time when Covid-19 is already threatening to send the world into a deep recession.  Samantha Vinograd, CNN

Hong Kong shouldnt be treated as another anti-China campaign issue

The assault on Hong Kong requires a robust U.S. reaction  but one that is carefully calculated and not driven by election-year demagoguery.  Editorial, Washington Post

Theres nothing other countries can do to save Hong Kong

Whats being done to Hong Kongers is an immense injustice. But Hong Kong cannot depend on outside intervention for assistance. Beyond some diplomatic pressure from the United States, little else is coming. No major power has the ability or will to protect Hong Kongs autonomy with military threats.  Editorial, National Review

Any response needs to be calculated to not ruin the U.S.-China trade deal

U.S. policy on China is always a balancing act. A slugfest in one area, like Hong Kong, could threaten cooperation in another, like trade. The trick for any foreign policy official or negotiator is trying to compartmentalize and insulate the positive from being swallowed by the negative.  Daniel DePetris, Washington Examiner

Is there a topic youd like to see covered in The 360? Send your suggestions to the360@yahoonews.com.

Read more 360s

Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Getty Images
Rating: Solid neighborhood option

Sitting at the corner of Broadway and Sunset Road, Braza Brava Pizza Napoletana is a full-blown Italian restaurant. But the lineup of 21 specialty pizzas is the undeniable star of the show, thanks to the wood-fired pizza oven that was built in Italy and transported to San Antonio.

Whether you like them with traditional red marinara or bianche (white) style, Braza Brava uses imported ingredients from Italy whenever it can. Instead of traditional Americanized toppings like pepperoni, hamburger and Canadian bacon, Braza Brava relies more on classic cuts like prosciutto, speck, calabrese soppressata and the house-made Italian sausage.

All of the pizzas are considered personal size, cut to about a 12-inch diameter with a crust that has reasonable char, but is puffy on the outside and fairly doughy on the inside. It can get a little droopy at the end points, so its a two-handed pizza eating experience for the first bite or two.

Braza Brava is sandwiched in between Capos Pizzeria and Florios Pizza on Broadway, two places that have already been given the top worth a drive status in this series, but it holds its own with plenty of pizza punch.

More Information Braza Brava Pizza Napoletana Locations: 7959 Broadway, 210-320-2100 Online:brazabravapizzeria.com Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays Takeout/delivery: Both, with delivery available through multiple third-party options (see online) See More Collapse

On ExpressNews.com: 52 Weeks of Pizza: Florios has San Antonios best New York-style pizza

Best pizza: Sliced meatballs are an under-appreciated pizza topping. Dont skip over them here, because the meatball marinara ($16) is proof that Braza Brava isnt the type of place to take shortcuts. The pizza had about three full meatballs sliced and diced as a topping with a velveteen texture that screamed they were made by hand.

They were so good paired with the house tomato sauce, I would be quick to order just the meatballs as a main dish with a glass of red wine.

Other pizzas: We havent seen a lot of seafood pizza toppings in this series so far, and that made the Pizza Salmon ($20) required sampling. It came with a generous amount of smoked salmon spread throughout the white pie, accompanied with tender sticks of asparagus. Braza Brava took a risk putting this outlier pizza on its menu, and eating it is the reward.

On ExpressNews.com: 52 Weeks of Pizza: Constantinos Pizza restaurant in Somerset pumps up the pepperoni

The Salsiccia Piccante ($16) features the house-made Italian sausage paired with calabrese chile peppers. The sausage shows up on a lot of the pizzas on the menu and has a fair amount of spice. On the Piccante pizza, sweet caramelized red onions provide a nice contrast to the meat, as dostrategically placed pools of ricotta cheese.

And if you want to go full vegan, Braza Brava has one on the menu named the Giardino Vegan Pizza ($16) that takes cheese out of the equation. I wasnt ready to do that, which made the Pizza Primavera ($16) as close as I was willing to get. Anchored with a layer of mozzarella, it was a farmers market bounty with roasted red peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, sliced cherry tomatoes and a layer of artichoke hearts that took flavor command of the pizza.

Chuck Blount is a food writer and columnist covering all things grilled and smoked in the San Antonio area. Find his Chuck's Food Shack columns on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.comTo read more from Chuck, become a subscriber. cblount@express-news.net | Twitter: @chuck_blount | Instagram: @bbqdiver
Twenty two Myanmar nationals, who were allegedly attended the Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Nizamuddin in New Delhi in March, were intercepted and detained by immigration authorities at Gayas international airport while trying to board a special flight to Yangon on Wednesday.

Gaya SSP Rajiv Mishra said that the Myanmar nationals were detained as there was a Delhi Police look out circular (LOC) pending against them. Mishra said that Delhi Police have been informed and it is for them to take the follow up action in the matter. They were booked while boarding Myanmar National Airlines relief flight for Yangon.

Sources in the immigration department informed that all the Myanmar national reached Gaya from Kolkata. Official said that a special flight from Gaya to Yangon was scheduled to leave with 104 passengers. Six hours before departure, details of all the passengers were shared with the immigration department. While scanning the list of the passengers, immigration officials found that LOCs had been issued against 22 passengers. The special flight took off with only 82 passengers, he added.

They intercepted 22 when they showed up around 1.30 pm and all were handed over to the CISF which, in turn, informed the Delhi Police. A team of Delhi Crime Branch, which is probing the case against the management committee of markaz (centre), will question all of them.

The Delhi Police, sources said, are trying to ascertain where had the 22 foreigners been all these days.

Sources in the Union home ministry said that the 22 Myanmar nationals were trying to leave on a special flight arranged by the Myanmar government. Ministry circular on this matter is clear that action against such foreigners who have violated visa rules and government directives on containment of Covid-19 must be taken under the Foreigners Act and Disaster Management Act, an MHA official said.
A retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel, who also serves as a Democratic congressman from Maryland, chastised President Trump on Friday, saying he is "unfit to be commander-in-chief."

The statement came after the president made an early morning tweet that appeared to encourage National Guard troops to fire on looters in the Minnesota riot.

Read Next: Guard Soldier Killed in Shootout While Assisting Fellow Law Enforcement Officers

Thirty-year Army veteran Rep. Anthony G. Brown, D-Maryland, vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, fired back at Trump on Friday.

"President Trump has debased and tarnished the office of the presidency many times over his term; his late-night threat to have National Guardsmen open fire on protesters in Minneapolis is an unconscionable new low," Brown wrote in a news release.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called in the National Guard on Thursday as rioting erupted in St. Paul over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in police custody.

Images and video of a fire at a Minneapolis police station Thursday night spread quickly across the web.

By early Friday morning, Trump sent out a frustrated tweet:

"These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

The social media site posted a response saying that Trump's tweet "violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public's interest for the Tweet to remain accessible."

So far, the Minnesota National Guard has activated approximately 500 soldiers and airmen to "support local authorities in protecting life, preserving property and ensuring the right of people to peacefully demonstrate in Minneapolis and St. Paul and the surrounding communities," Master Sgt. Blair Heusdens told Military.com.

National Guard troops in Minnesota will have their individual weapons for their own protection, spokesman Maj. Scott Hawks told Military.com.

"They are armed," said Hawks, adding that Guard members are not authorized to make arrests or detain people.

The riots in Minneapolis started after video footage of Floyd's Monday night arrest circulated, showing him gasping for breath as an officer kneeled on his neck for almost eight minutes. Floyd can be heard pleading that he couldn't breathe.

In his statement released Friday, Brown went on to accuse Trump of invoking "racist rhetoric as a dog-whistle to confront Americans grappling with oppression and injustice."

"When he calls on our service members to perpetrate violence against the people they are sworn to protect -- he shows his unfitness to lead," he wrote.

Brown attended the United States Military Academy at West Point and served in the active Army from 1984 to 1989. He then served in the Army Reserve from 1989 to 2014, according to his congressional biography.

"For 30 years, I served this country in uniform. I always knew what we were fighting for -- the right to speak out and to protest without retribution, to live in an open and free society and for a country where diversity and inclusion are our greatest strengths. Unlike the men and women who have honorably served in uniform, President Donald Trump does not understand what our country stands for or the common creed that ties us all together. President Trump is unfit to be commander-in-chief and is actively making us less safe every day," Brown wrote.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

Related: National Guard Called to Respond to Minneapolis Violence
The Dean of the University of Ghana School of Law (UGSL), Professor Raymond Atuguba is asking the Minister of Education to withdraw the Public Universities Bill which is currently before Parliament.

According to him, the Bill needs to be thrown out because it goes against the countrys laws and would only take numerous amendments to make it constitutionally wholesome.

Prof. Atuguba, who had earlier threatened to possibly resign and take legal action if the controversial Bill is passed is demanding that the Education Committee in Parliament asks the sector Minister to rework the Bill before relaying same before the House.

I expect the Committee on Education to reject it completely and equivocally. I have read this Bill and it will take hundreds of amendments to make it constitutionally wholesome and we know that the tradition in our Parliament since it started operating in 1993 is that, when a Bill is that problematic, they urge the Minster laying it on behalf of the President to withdraw the Bill, completely rework it and bring it back rather than come to the consideration stage and be subject to 300 disparate and confusing motions for amendment. So I expect the Education Committee to ask the Minister to withdraw the Bill, rework it completely before relaying it, he said to Umaru Sanda on Wednesdays Point Blank edition on Eyewitness News. Calls for withdrawal of the Bill

The draft Bill has so far attracted wide public criticisms from many people including former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Ivan Addae-Mensah.

The Minority in Parliament has kicked against it with the Ranking Member on the Education Committee of the House, Peter Nortsu saying the draft in its current form undermines the authority of universities.

A former Deputy Education Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in an article also said the Bill, if allowed to pass, could become a crude attack on the sacred principles of academic freedom.

In the most recent development, the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) has also rejected the government's proposed Public Universities Bill, claiming that the Bill accords the government and its agencies too much power to meddle in the affairs of public university administration and also serve as grounds for the sabotage of schools by the government.

The Public Universities Bill

According to framers of the Public Universities Bill, it seeks to harmonize the finances, administration and governance structure of public universities.

The Bill, when passed, will give the government power to appoint the majority of members of the University Council.

The Council then has the power to appoint and fire public university officials.

The Bill also gives the President the power to dissolve the university council which will now have the power to appoint a chancellor.

It also gives effect to the University Council to control the finances of the university and determine the allocation of funds.

In addition, there is a proposal to rename four public universities after various personalities.

 citinewsroom
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Murder. Brutality. Reprehensible. Indefensible. Police nationwide, in unequivocal and unprecedented language, have condemned the actions of Minneapolis police in the custody death of a handcuffed black man who cried for help as an officer knelt on his neck, pinning him to the pavement for at least eight minutes.

But some civil rights advocates say their denunciations are empty words without meaningful reform behind them.

Authorities say George Floyd was detained Monday because he matched the description of someone who tried to pay with a counterfeit bill at a convenience store, and the 46-year-old resisted arrest. A bystander's disturbing video shows Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on Floyd's neck, even as Floyd begs for air and slowly stops talking and moving.

"There is no need to see more video," Chattanooga, Tennessee, Police Chief David Roddy tweeted Wednesday. "There no need to wait to see how 'it plays out'. There is no need to put a knee on someone's neck for NINE minutes. There IS a need to DO something. If you wear a badge and you don't have an issue with this ... turn it in."

The reaction from some law enforcement stands in stark contrast to their muted response or support for police after other in-custody fatalities. Sheriffs and police chiefs have strongly criticized the Minneapolis officer on social media and praised the city's police chief for his quick dismissal of four officers at the scene. Some even called for them to be criminally charged.

"I am deeply disturbed by the video of Mr. Floyd being murdered in the street with other officers there letting it go on," Polk County, Georgia, Sheriff Johnny Moats wrote on Facebook. "I can assure everyone, me or any of my deputies will never treat anyone like that as long as I'm Sheriff. This kind of brutality is terrible and it needs to stop. All Officers involved need to be arrested and charged immediately. Praying for the family."

Typically, police call for patience and calm in the wake of a use of force. They are reluctant to weigh in on episodes involving another agency, often citing ongoing investigations or due process.

"Not going hide behind 'not being there,'" tweeted San Jose Police, California, Chief Eddie Garcia. "I'd be one of the first to condemn anyone had I seen similar happen to one of my brother/ sister officers. What I saw happen to George Floyd disturbed me and is not consistent with the goal of our mission. The act of one, impacts us all."

A protester holds a sign with an image of George Floyd during protests Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Minneapolis against the death of Floyd in Minneapolis police custody earlier in the week. (Christine T. Nguyen/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)AP

But Gloria Browne-Marshall, a civil rights attorney and professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said she wouldn't be a "cheerleader" for a "handful" of chiefs who harshly decried the officers' behavior.

"Any minute progress is seen as miraculous because so little has been done for so long," she said. "It's nothing close to progress or what outrage would be taking place if it was a white man as the victim of this assault."

Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles, said she wasn't "particularly moved" by the relatively few police who voiced outrage.

Abdullah said the three other officers who witnessed Chauvin's actions and did not intervene contributed to a long-standing system of police racism and oppression against people of color.

"We've got to remember that it was not just Officer Chauvin who was sitting on George Floyd's neck," she said.

Abdullah and hundreds of others protested what she called Floyd's lynching on Wednesday night. Some blocked lanes of a freeway and shattered windows of California Highway Patrol cruisers.

Minneapolis is bracing for more violence after days of civil unrest, with burned buildings, looted stores and angry graffiti demanding justice. The governor on Thursday called in the National Guard. On Thursday night, protesters torched a Minneapolis police station that the department was forced to abandon.

The heads of the Los Angeles and Chicago departments  both of which have been rocked before by police brutality scandals  addressed Floyd's death and its potential effect on race relations between law enforcement and communities of color.

Even the New York Police Department weighed in. Eric Garner died in the city in 2014 after he was placed in a chokehold by police and uttered the same words Floyd did: "I can't breathe."

It took city officials five years to fire the officer, and no criminal or federal charges were brought.

"What we saw in Minnesota was deeply disturbing. It was wrong," NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea wrote Thursday. "We must take a stand and address it. We must come together, condemn these actions and reinforce who we are as members of the NYPD. This is not acceptable ANYWHERE."

Before he was commissioner, Shea spearheaded the NYPD's shift to community policing that moved away from a more confrontational style favored by other commissioners after Garner's death.

Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, who also spoke out online, told The Associated Press that law enforcement agencies keep promising reforms in the wake of fatalities, but they are "not delivering it on a consistent basis."

When bad things happen in our profession, we need to be able to call it like it is, he said. We keep thinking that the last one will be the last one, and then another one surfaces.

By STEFANIE DAZIO, Associated Press
You can apply to any other non-binding colleges while your early decision is underway. Once you are offered the early decision, you have two to three weeks to decide if you want to accept the offer or not. Once you decide to accept the offer, you are required to withdraw all other college application, regardless state or private, there is no distinction. If you reject the offer and you are released the agreement, that is another story.

High school counselor is required to sign the agreement form.



We live in a big data era.




Houston protestors flooded downtown Friday afternoon in a show of support of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd, originally from Houston's Third Ward. Keep scrolling for a look at scenes from the protest...
Companys Pride in Service Corporate Citizenship Initiative Wins Gold Recognition for Employee Engagement

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CSXs Pride in Service initiative was recognized with Engage for Goods 2020 Gold Halo Award for Employee Engagement.

In 2018, CSX launched Pride in Service, a signature initiative to support and recognize military, veterans and first responder service members and their families. The initiative was quickly embraced by employees across the companys 23-state footprint who have shown their passion for those who serve and generously donated their time to volunteer with nonprofit partners: Blue Star Families, First Responders Childrens Foundation, Operation Gratitude, Operation Homefront and Wounded Warrior Project. From connecting with families to bridge the civilian-military divide, to raising funds and participating in events, to writing letters of gratitude and packing care pouches, CSX employees have contributed nearly 5,000 hours to the cause and reached 85,000 individuals in the first full year of this program.

CSX is honored to be recognized by Engage for Good with this prestigious gold halo award for our Pride in Service program, said Nathan Goldman, executive vice president and chief legal officer for CSX. At CSX, service is an integral part of our culture and we are so proud that approximately one in five of our employees have served our country and communities, either in the military or as a first responder.

The Halo Awards, presented by Engage for Good, are North Americas highest honors for corporate social initiatives and cause marketing. This marks the 18th year that Engage for Good will honor businesses and nonprofits with Halo Awards.

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, its the importance of companies leading with purpose. The companies that have been able to quickly pivot and make a meaningful impact are the ones that already had a strong corporate social impact foundation they could activate and further engage during this time of crisis, said Engage for Good President David Hessekiel.

Story continues

While the pandemic has postponed in-person service events in CSXs markets of operation, it has not stopped CSX from supporting the issue in creative ways. Employees have continued with virtual volunteerism by writing thank you letters, and CSX has donated transportation support for needed supplies and gifts of gratitude across the country and into the hands of front-line workers in hard-hit cities.

CSX has been recognized as one winner among a total of 28 category awards given out to programs judged the best social impact campaigns of 2019 at the first-ever Engage for Good Virtual Conference .

This years recipients provide tangible examples of effective and innovative purpose-driven efforts and demonstrate the many ways companies and causes can collaborate to create meaningful business and social returns, said Hessekiel.

A list of the Halo Award winners can be seen at http://www.engageforgood.com/halo-awards

About CSX

CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural and consumer products. For nearly 200 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nations economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nations population resides. It also links more than 230 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook ( http://facebook.com/OfficialCSX ) and follow us on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/CSX ).

About Engage for Good

Engage for Good, producer of the Engage for Good conference and Halo Awards, helps business and nonprofit executives succeed together by providing practical information and inspiration, opportunities to build valuable relationships and recognition for outstanding work engaging employees and consumers around social good and cause-related marketing efforts.

A wealth of information on cause marketing, corporate social impact programs and Engage for Goods offerings can be found at http://www.engageforgood.com.

Contact:

Bryan Tucker, Corporate Communications

855-955-6397




29.05.2020 LISTEN

Ghana accepted all the GHS751.33 million bids from investors via the issuance of the 3-year bond.

The yield, however, was 18.85%, 0.10% higher than the 2-year bond issued last month, according to auctioning results.

The government raised GHS668.76 million at 18.75% from the issuance of the 2-year bond last month.

Analysts had forecast a yield of less than 19%.

Because of the impact of the COVID-19 on the global economy, the amount raised from both domestic and foreign investors was good, some analysts told Class Business.

The chunk of the funds will be used to finance maturing debts.

The debt instrument, which is expected to mature in 2023, was opened to both resident and non-resident investors.

Absa, Databank, Fidelity, IC Securities, Stanbic were joint lead managers for the issuance of the debt instrument.

The government of Ghana accepted GHS1.07 billion of all bids submitted for the 3-year bond issued in March 2020 before the peak of COVID-19.

The coupon rate or yield was 20.75%, the same as the last 3-year bond issued in January 2020.

The country is targeting GHS67.07 billion in total revenue and grants for this year. But the coronavirus pandemic makes it practically impossible.

The government is expected to spend about GHS22 billion on interest payments this year.

Interest payments on Ghanas debt increased by 8.97% to 40.71% at the end of the third quarter of 2019.

On 30 September 2018, interest payments alone on loans contracted by the government of Ghana were estimated to have grown to about 31.73%.

---classfmonline
In this April 7 file photo, voters observe social distancing guidelines as they wait in line to cast ballots in the presidential primary election in Milwaukee. Read more

Just days before Pennsylvanias primary election, key ground rules are being challenged in four cases now pending before state courts.

In the last week alone, Montgomery and Bucks Counties have asked their local courts to extend mail ballot deadlines in their counties; a group of voters in Southeastern Pennsylvania asked the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to give voters statewide an extra week to return ballots; and Democrats appealed to the state Supreme Court for a one-week extension and to allow third parties such as friends, family, or political activists to collect and turn in mail ballots.

The legal challenges have so far been unsuccessful but remained live Friday afternoon. The courts could scramble the election rules just days before people are set to cast their votes on or by Tuesday.

State law requires that ballots be received by county elections officials by 8 p.m. on an election day; postmarks dont count. County officials warn that thousands of voters will receive their ballots too late to return them in time.

But Republicans opposing the lawsuits have said changes would invite voter fraud.

In one suit, funded by Democratic super PAC Priorities USA, Democrats argue the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic requires a relaxation of election laws to make mail voting easier.

They want the state to count ballots postmarked by primary day, provided they arrive within seven days. With some counties struggling to respond to ballot requests, extending the deadline would give voters more time to use mail ballots.

The Priorities USA suit also asks the court to order the state to permit third parties to collect ballots on behalf of voters, a technique Democrats say will help people who cant easily access postal services or polling places, many of which are slated to be closed. And they want the state to issue uniform standards for rejecting questionable ballots.

Commonwealth Court ruled this week that it did not have jurisdiction over the issue, but Democrats appealed that finding to the state Supreme Court.

While we are disappointed in the Commonwealth Courts decision, we remain confident that we will prevail in ensuring equal access to the ballot to the citizens of Pennsylvania, Priorities USA chairman Guy Cecil said in a statement.

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tweeted Thursday that Democrats are trying to destroy safeguards like signature verification, allow ballots to be counted AFTER Election Day, & legalize ballot harvesting.

Another case has been brought by a group of voters from Southeastern Pennsylvania, represented by the same lawyers who unsuccessfully sought to extend the mail-in deadline. When the Pennsylvania Supreme Court dismissed that earlier lawsuit, which was brought by a coalition of advocacy groups, it agreed with the Pennsylvania Department of State that the suits claims were too speculative.

The voters now argue that there are real signs of tangible harm as short-staffed election offices in some counties struggle to cope with a flood of mail-in ballot requests. The plaintiffs argue that voters could be disenfranchised by voting difficulties unless the court offers some relief.

The state Supreme Court on Friday sent that case to Commonwealth Court.

Locally, Montgomery County elections officials are appealing the county courts rejection of their request for a one-week extension, and Bucks County elections officials also asked their court for a mail ballot deadline extension.
Rajasthan recorded 91 fresh COVID-19 cases, and two deaths on Friday, taking its tally to 8,158, according to the state health department. Rajasthan is the fifth worst-hit state in India after Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Gujarat.

"One death each was reported from Jaipur and Jhunjhunu," Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Rohit Kumar Singh informed.

Of the 91 new cases, 42 have been reported from Jhalawar, 12 each from Jaipur and Nagaur, six from Churu, five each from Dholpur, and Udaipur, two cases each from Ajmer, Alwar, Bharatpur, Bikaner, and one from Kota.

INDIA CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: BusinessToday.In brings you a daily tracker as coronavirus cases continue to spread. Here is the state-wise data on total cases, fatalities and recoveries in one comprehensive graph.

Also read: Coronavirus in India: 7,466 cases in 24 hours, highest 1-day jump, death toll at 4,706; Maharashtra worst-hit

There are 3,121 active coronavirus cases in Rajasthan and 4,289 people have been discharged. Jaipur recorded a maximum of 86 deaths and 1,921 cases in the state, followed by 17 deaths and 1,375 cases in Jodhpur.

Of the total cases, 2,221 were migrants who had returned to Rajasthan from other states, the officials said.

Meanwhile, India's total COVID-19 cases topped 1.65 lakh on Friday, according to the Union Health Ministry. The tally includes 89,987 active cases, 71,105 recoveries, 1 migration, and 4,706 deaths so far.

Also Read: Rajasthan hikes excise duty on liquor as coronavirus lockdown hits revenues

According to the ministry, India's recovery rate has improved to 42.88% while the fatality rate is at 2.8%. The surge in the COVID-19 cases comes with only two days left for lockdown 4.0 to end on Sunday (May 31).

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-affected state in India with 59,546 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 18,616 recoveries and 1,982 deaths.

Tamil Nadu follows suit with 19,372 virus cases, along with 10,548 recoveries, and 145 deaths. Delhi is third on the list with 16,281 cases, comprising 7,495 recoveries, and 316 deaths.

Fourth on the list is Gujarat, which reported 15,562 cases, consisting 8,003 recoveries, and 960 deaths, as per the Health Ministry.
Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe addresses attendees, including top African leaders, of the seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development, held in August 2019.

29.05.2020 LISTEN

Under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan has taken a much more significant interest in African affairs. This has primarily focused on economic development, but also geopolitics, at times with a commitment to work with India to counterbalance Chinas Belt and Road Initiative.

The seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), held in August 2019, provided a window into Japans policies in Africa. The event was designed in part to help Japanese companies (and their government) to position themselves in Africa, where rival Chinas influence is well established. The Japanese welcomed some of Africas most prominent leaders, including South African president Cyril Ramaphosa and Rwandan president Paul Kagame.

Japan pledged to some US$30 billion in public and private investment over three years at the 2016 edition of TICAD. Yet, this has often been spent prudentlysuch as a US$94 million doled out to renovate a Kenyan geothermal plant.

The 2019 event ended with Japan promising some US$20 billion in private sector investment over three years.

If partner countries are deeply in debt, it interferes with everyones effort to enter the market, said Abe at the event. Elsewhere, his comments on sustainability of engagement in Africa offered veiled swipes at Chinas role in Africa.

Despite being the fourth-largest spender on development aid in Africa, Japanese trade with the African Union has been much slower to develop. Indeed, Japans trade with Africa in 2017 was worth US$17 billion, less than half of what it was in 2008. Meanwhile, China conducted some US$204 billion in trade with Africa in 2018 alone. However, other metrics tell a different tale there were some 800 Japanese competes in Africa in 2018 as compared to just 250 in 2010.

One possible reason Japan is treading cautiously in Africa is that it likes to avoid moving unilaterally and may be seeking to work more closely with partners in Africa.

Of potential partners for engagement with Africa for Japan, the most important may be that other large Asian democracy which is concerned about the rise of China  India.

Japan and India were the two main drivers behind the launch in 2017 of the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), which is often touted as an alternative to Beijings Belt and Road Initiative. Bangladesh, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, the Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Zambia, and Zimbabwe all became members of the project.

Yet, three years later, little has come of the effort, and a frustrated Japan may refocus on its vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, a vision announced in Kenya by Prime Minister Abe in 2016 at the TICAD VI summit.

Japans plan to help Madagascar build a port at the outer edge of the Indo-Pacific region suggests how seriously Japan is committed to the plan.

Japan envisions several economic corridors : a West African Growth ring to connect the Ivory Coast, Togo, Burkina Faso, and Ghana; an East African route to connect Kenyas Mombasa with Uganda (which is likely in keeping with IGADs infrastructure corridor plans); and the Nacala Corridor which will run through the Southern African countries of Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique (in order to export coal to Japan).

On the security front, Japan is well ahead of potential partner India in developing ties with the continent. India held its first defense exercise with seventeen African nations last year. Japan, conversely, has built its first overseas military base since World War II in Djibouti, and spent funds to help stabilize northern Nigeria.

These commitments have not come without risks. In 2017, Japan was forced to withdraw its 350-man peacekeeping contingent based in Juba, South Sudan , after its deployment caused controversy in Japan due to the ongoing South Sudanese Civil War. That same year, a Chinese official newspaper reported that a Japanese naval ship had sent scuba divers to approach a Chinese warship while both ships were docked in a Djibouti harbor.

Japan bears the responsibility of fostering the confluence of the Pacific and Indian Oceans and of Asia and Africa into a place that values freedom, the rule of law, and the market economy, free from force or coercion, and making it prosperous, said Prime Minister Abe at the opening session of TICAD VI.

Originating at newafricadaily.com
As an apartment locator, Tirey Counts is usually fielding calls and juggling multiple clients this time of year as an influx of students attending area universities and medical programs look to secure housing for the upcoming semester.

This year has been different. Instead of calls from students, hes hearing from Houstonians who are looking to move to cheaper apartments or need a two-bedroom unit because theyre getting a roommate.

People are much more budget conscious because theyre not sure where this is going or they feel their jobs are insecure, Counts said.

Houstons apartment market, which would normally be thriving this time of year, is in a pandemic-induced slump.

RETURNING TO THE OFFICE: Innovating the office in a pandemic

Apartment occupancy has dipped to about 89 percent, falling about a half percentage point in May, according to new estimates from Houston-based ApartmentData.com. The average rent this month is expected to be down around $13 from the end of March to $1,046.

We would normally see bumps in April, May and possibly June, and its just not there, Bruce McClenny, president of the apartment data firm, said. Were seeing this same situation in every market we cover.

In the Class-A apartment category, generally considered to be the newest properties with high-end amenities, the average rent has fallen 3 percent since the end of March to $1,497, the biggest decline among all classes of buildings.

A bumper crop of new units could exacerbate the slowdown.

Developers have completed construction on about 9,000 units so far this year and another 9,000 are expected to open by the end of 2020, McClenny said. Some of those projects could experience delays amid labor shortages or supply chain disruptions.

Seeking to avoid a flood of empty units, some landlords have waived late fees on rents and offered payment plans to their tenants.

The National Multifamily Housing Council found 90.8 percent of apartment households made a full or partial rent payment by May 20, according to its latest survey, which encompassed 11.4 million units across the country. Thats a decline of 2.2 percentage points from the same period a year earlier but up from 89.2 percent that had paid by April 20 of this year.

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN TURMOIL: Dire prospects for Houston's commercial real estate market as pressures mount

The council has pushed federal lawmakers to support renters with a national rental assistance fund and assist landlords with expanded mortgage forbearance.

A point of concern is what will happen after the $600 weekly additional unemployment benefit that has helped laid off workers pay their rent and other expenses expires at the end of July.

Even with the extra benefit, the need for assistance remains high. Earlier this month, the City of Houston exhausted $14.4 million in rental assistance funds within 90 minutes of it being offered. The funds were allocated from the $404 million in federal aid the city received through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The aid shortfall came as evictions remain a threat to the market.

On May 18, the Texas Supreme Court lifted its two-month stay on eviction proceedings. While landlords were able to file eviction cases during that time, data show an 85 percent decline on eviction filings compared with the same period last year, when more than 10,000 cases were filed in Harris County, according to Houston-based data firm January Advisors.

The big drop was likely due to a combination of factors, including the general slowdown of business activities, leniency from property owners and stimulus payments, January Advisors founder Jeff Reichman said in a blog post last week.

Dont let this 85 percent drop fool you: 1,465 eviction cases is quite a lot compared to the case volume of similar cities, he wrote. And if court volume goes back to normal  that is, the number of cases filed looks like it did in previous years  we will see thousands of new eviction cases filed next month.

Counts, the apartment locator, has been getting more calls from people asking for help finding properties with landlords who would work with tenants with evictions or who had broken their leases.

Generally, the sad, hard-luck stories seem to be more prevalent, Counts said.

nancy.sarnoff@chron.com

twitter.com/nsarnoff
Microsoft on Wednesday released the spring feature upgrade for Windows 10, dubbed Windows 10 May 2020 Update, a.k.a. version 2004, and likely the only real refresh of the year.

"We are starting to make the May 2020 Update available," said John Cable, director of program management in the Windows delivery and servicing team, in a May 27 post to a company blog.

Beginning Thursday, some customers with unmanaged PCs  those not maintained by an IT administrator or staff  could opt in by manually checking for updates and then clicking the "Download and install" link. (Windows 10 May 2020 won't immediately show for everyone because Microsoft is taking its usual gradual approach to rolling out the upgrade, offering 2004 in stages to an increasing number of users beginning with those whose devices Microsoft believes are the most likely to successfully install the refresh.)

The launch of Windows 10 2004 also kicked off the version's 18-month support lifecycle. All editions, including Enterprise and Education, will be supported on Windows 10 May 2020 until Dec. 14, 2021.

Seek and ye shall upgrade ... perchance

In a normal world, Windows 10 2004 might have been released a month or more ago. (Its four-digit label was altered from the usual yy03 format not because of its intended debut date but because Microsoft worried that the traditional marker (2003) might be confused with the obsolete Windows Server 2003.) After all, this upgrade had been finished, more or less, as long ago as December 2019. Although Microsoft said nothing about 2004's timing  it rarely acknowledges delays or their reasons  the COVID-19 pandemic may have convinced it to hold on to the refresh for a little longer.

Other than those who explicitly demand the upgrade  called "seekers" by many  and those whom Microsoft deems as owning the likeliest PCs to take the upgrade without issues, the other group that may see 2004 sooner rather than later are people now running Windows 10 1809.

That upgrade, released Nov. 13, 2018, was to exit support this month, on May 12 for owners of Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro. However, because of the chaos caused by the coronavirus pandemic, last month Microsoft extended the support deadline to Nov. 10. That makes it the next version to meet its maker, beating 1903 by less than a month (1903's end comes Dec. 8).

On Tuesday, Microsoft said that it would restart the forced upgrades of 1909 in June. (Remember: Last year when it ceded control to Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro users about when those devices would upgrade, Microsoft reserved the right to forcibly migrate machines which were nearing the end of their support.) "In June we will slowly restart initiating feature updates for devices running Windows 10, version 1809 (the October 2018 Update) Home and Pro editions, in advance of the delayed November 10, 2020, end of service date," Microsoft said here, "to provide adequate time for a closely monitored and smooth update process, to keep those devices supported."

It's unclear what Microsoft will use to upgrade those still running Windows 10 1809. Prior to the April decision to extend 1809's support and the accompanying pause in forced updates, the company was using Windows 10 1909 on the 1809 laggards. (Windows 10 1909's support for Home and Pro runs until May 11, 2021.) In June, though, Microsoft will have a choice: either 1909 or the new 2004.

Microsoft could restart the forced 1809 upgrades with 1909, of course, and then switch at some point to 2004. Or simply serve 2004 to the PCs that met the reliability and stability criteria it's already set for surfacing that version to systems when seekers look for it.

Microsoft's perfunctory green light for business

Commercial customers may immediately deploy Windows 10 2004 using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) or Windows Update for Business (WUfB), or from the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) with Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (a blend of System Center Configuration Manager and Intune) or another patch management platform. Microsoft, as is its habit, recommended that businesses and other organizations begin what it calls "targeted deployments," or small-scale roll-outs for testing.

But because Windows 10 2004 operates under a limited support span  fall upgrades, identified as yy09, for Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education come with 30 months of security and bug fixes  most larger organizations will do little more than test this version. Few will bother deploying it simply because of its shorter lifespan.

It was interesting that Cable  and Microsoft generally  continued to use the word "targeted" when talking to commercial customers about 2004. "Today's release ... marks the start of the 18-months servicing support lifecycle," Cable wrote. "If you're an IT administrator, we recommend that you begin targeted deployments to validate that the apps, devices and infrastructure used by your organization work as expected with the new release and features (emphasis added)."

In the first half of 2019, Microsoft retired the "Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted)" (SAC-T) name for the opening months of each feature upgrade. (IT admins had marked the shift from SAC-T to the shorter "Semi-Annual Channel" (SAC) as Microsoft's stamp that the upgrade had been thoroughly tested by millions of consumers and small businesses.) Continued use of the "targeted" label evokes that discarded moniker, reminding at least some customers of what Microsoft stopped providing.

After eliminating Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted)  it was too confusing, Microsoft contended  the Redmond, Wash. developer simply made an announcement in lieu of an explicit turn from SAC-T to SAC. It did so for Windows 10 1903 in late September 2019, almost exactly four months after the upgrade's debut.

Microsoft didn't replicate that timing for Windows 10 1909, the refresh released in November 2019 and as the year's only upgrade slated for 30 months of support, the obvious favorite of organizations. Instead, the company waited until Tuesday to mark 1909 as ready for business.

"We recommend commercial customers running earlier versions of Windows 10 nearing end of support begin broad deployments of Windows 10, version 1909 in their organizations," Microsoft stated in a May 27 message posted to a support document for the upgrade. Thus, the span between 1909's release and Microsoft's call for "broad deployment" was a record six-and-a-half months, two months more than the previous longest.

The timing of the announcement  concurrent with the release of a new version of the OS  made it seem an unenthusiastic nod to habit, as if the company had simply forgotten to give corporate customers the green light that they had once expected. Microsoft has been inconsistent in its messaging on this  implying in February 2019 that no cues would be given but a month later saying it would "continue to communicate for future releases the transition from targeted to broad deployment status."

Microsoft may have decided that most commercial customers no longer needed the hand-holding its notifications represented and so de-emphasized the milestone to the point of being meaningless by telling users to only trust the previous version once a successor arrives.

That's not guidance, that's simply a schedule.

Windows 10 2004 is also available from this page, which walks users through obtaining and using the media creation tool; from here, where disk images in .iso format can be downloaded; and from the Volume License Servicing Center (VLSC).
Another person with COVID-19 in the city has died as it remains unclear when residents of the Rosslyn Retirement Residence will be able to return.

Some may never go back.

On Thursday, Hamilton public health reported the citys 35th COVID death involves an 87-year-old woman who died in hospital Wednesday. She did not live at the Rosslyn Retirement Residence, as eight others who recently died in hospital did, but in the Hamilton community.

The Rosslyn, a privately owned retirement home located on King Street East near Gage Park, was evacuated May 15 amid a devastating COVID outbreak.

A total of 64 residents and 22 staff have tested positive for the virus. All but two of the homes 66 residents were sent to hospital.

Now, nearly two weeks since the evacuation, its unknown when the remaining 58 residents  eight have died  will be allowed back, or where theyll go if they cant or dont want to go back.

Prior to the evacuation, both public health and the regulatory authority that oversees retirement homes investigated the Rosslyn. They each flagged issues related to infection prevention and control and had concerns about residents safety.

Subsequent orders issued by both authorities must be complied with before residents are allowed back.

There is an outstanding order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (issued by public health May 14) and the Rosslyn has not yet complied, said public health spokesperson Kelly Anderson in an email on Thursday.

The Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA) said Thursday it is reviewing what steps the home has taken to comply with its May 15 order.

The registrar must be satisfied that the necessary policies, precautions and procedures are in place to protect residents from exposure to COVID-19 and provide them with the care they need, said RHRA spokesperson Phil Norris in an email. As these requirements are still outstanding, we cant confirm when residents will be able to return to the home.

As part of the RHRAs order, the home must hire a regulated health professional, such as a physician, to ensure the home is protecting residents from COVID.

Norris said the RHRAs review is taking place in collaboration with Hamilton public health, local hospitals and the health professional the home was ordered to hire.

The home did not respond to a request for comment Thursday, nor has it responded to media requests throughout the outbreak. The Rosslyn is run by the Martino family, which has a checkered past when it comes to running retirement homes.

Both Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Josephs Healthcare Hamilton, which are caring for residents, directed questions about their eventual return to the home to the Rosslyn, public health and the RHRA.

It seems some might never return.

St. Joes continues to care for 31 patients from the Rosslyn, said Maria Hayes, spokesperson with St. Joes. When they leave St. Joes, some of them will require a higher level of care than a retirement home, and we are helping them to find that care.

For those who are able to go to a retirement home, it will be their choice where they wish to go and we will help and support them with their choice.

There were a total of 657 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hamilton on Thursday, four more than the day before. There are also seven probable cases of COVID-19. A quarter of all cases involve community spread.

In the last 10 days, there were 39 new cases. Of those, 7 involve community spread, meaning public health doesnt know how the person caught the virus, 27 involved close/casual contact spread, meaning public health knows who the person got sick from, and five are still under investigation. None were travel-related.

NOTE: This story has been corrected. An earlier version said there were 29 new cases. There has been 39 new cases. The Spectator regrets the error.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL  Despite Gov. J.B. Pritzker's announcement Thursday that racetracks can reopen without spectators in Phase 3 of his Restore Illinois plan, horse racing at Arlington International Racecourse might be stuck in the starting gate.

During his daily press conference updating the latest developments regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in the state, Pritzker said the Illinois Department of Agriculture is working with the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois Racing Board to develop guidelines for opening the racetracks. As reported by BloodHorse, horse racing is set to return at two other Illinois racetracks  Hawthorne Race Course and Fairmount Park  but the timetable for Arlington starting its delayed meet is unclear at this time. Racing at Arlington had been scheduled to begin May 1.

Representatives from Arlington International Racecourse, including President Tony Petrillo, said at a May 22 Illinois Racing Board meeting the racetrack will not race without spectators due to "unique financial considerations," according to BloodHorse. The Illinois Horsemen's Association is claiming Arlington is more concerned with the profits having spectators will make for its parent company, Churchill Downs Inc., than supporting the sport in Illinois.

Patch has reached out to Arlington International Racecourse for comment.

Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes told Patch earlier this month not having live racing at Arlington this summer will hurt revenue with the municipality expecting to lose $8-9 million during the pandemic as is.



"It's such a big part of our community. There are a lot of complex issues involved in terms of health with a lot of people in close proximity. It's not just the spectators, but the horsemen, trainers and all of the people in the backstretch," Hayes said. "We are certainly supportive of the racetrack and want to see them open as soon as possible."

This article originally appeared on the Arlington Heights Patch
CONTACT - Media:



CONTACT - Investor Relations: Amsterdam +31.20.721.4133 Brussels +32.2.620.15.50 +33.1.70.48.24.17 Dublin

Oslo +353 1 617 4221

+47 22 34 17 40



Lisbon

Paris +351.210.600.614

+33.1.70.48.24.45





EURONEXT CEASES LONDON REGULATORY ACTIVITIES

London 28 May 2020  Euronext today announces that it intends to cease its Recognised Investment Exchange (RIE) activities in the UK by 30 June, 2020. Todays announcement follows an application to the FCA to revoke its licence for regulatory operations in the UK market. Euronext Londons RIE will remain regulated by the FCA until, subject to FCA approval, revocation becomes effective.

The Euronext London office will not be impacted by the closure of the market regulated by the current licence. Following the acquisitions of Euronext FX, Commcise and, more recently, Nord Pool, Euronext has recently increased its staff count from 30 to 55 in London. Euronext remains committed to its presence in the UK and in one of the worlds biggest financial centres, the City of London.

CONTACTS -

Media

Pauline Bucaille (Europe): +33 1 70 48 24 41; media@euronext.com

Michael Russell (Dublin/London): +353 1 617 4221; mrussell@euronext.com

Analysts & investors

Aurelie Cohen/Clement Kubiak +33 1 70 48 24 27; ir@euronext.com

About Euronext

Euronext is the leading pan-European exchange, covering Belgium, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the UK. With close to 1,500 listed issuers worth 3.3 trillion in market capitalisation as of end March 2020, Euronext has an unmatched blue chip franchise that includes 25 issuers in the Morningstar Eurozone 50 Index, and a strong diverse domestic and international client base. Euronext operates regulated and transparent equity and derivatives markets and is the largest centre for debt and funds listings in the world. Its total product offering includes Equities, FX, Exchange Traded Funds, Warrants & Certificates, Bonds, Derivatives, Commodities and Indices. In addition to its main regulated market, Euronext also operates Euronext GrowthTM and Euronext AccessTM, simplifying access to listing for SMEs. Euronext also leverages its expertise in running markets by providing technology and managed services to third parties. The Norwegian stock exchange and its custody & settlement subsidiary, together operating as Oslo Brs VPS, joined Euronext on 17 June 2019.

For the latest news, find us on Twitter (twitter.com/euronext) and LinkedIn (linkedin.com/euronext).

Story continues

Disclaimer

This press release is for information purposes only: it is not a recommendation to engage in investment activities and is provided as is, without representation or warranty of any kind. While all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the content, Euronext does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. Euronext will not be held liable for any loss or damages of any nature ensuing from using, trusting or acting on information provided. No information set out or referred to in this publication may be regarded as creating any right or obligation. The creation of rights and obligations in respect of financial products that are traded on the exchanges operated by Euronexts subsidiaries shall depend solely on the applicable rules of the market operator. All proprietary rights and interest in or connected with this publication shall vest in Euronext. This press release speaks only as of this date. Euronext refers to Euronext N.V. and its affiliates. Information regarding trademarks and intellectual property rights of Euronext is available at www.euronext.com/terms-use .

 2020, Euronext N.V. - All rights reserved.

The Euronext Group processes your personal data in order to provide you with information about Euronext (the "Purpose"). With regard to the processing of this personal data, Euronext will comply with its obligations under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and Council of 27 April 2016 (General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR), and any applicable national laws, rules and regulations implementing the GDPR, as provided in its privacy statement available at: https://www.euronext.com/en/privacy-policy .

In accordance with the applicable legislation you have rights with regard to the processing of your personal data:

 for more information on your rights, please refer to: https://www.euronext.com/data_subjects_rights_request_information ,

 to make a request regarding processing of your data or to unsubscribe to this press release service, please use our data subject request form at https://connect2.euronext.com/form/data-subjects-rights-request or email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@euronext.com .

Attachment




Independent MP Arman Babajanyan has announced the creation of a new political initiative called For the Republic and has posted the declaration of the political initiative on his Facebook page.

In the declaration, the independent MP states that the For the Republic political initiative incorporates all the values and principles that are earmarked as the pillars of the State in the Declaration of Independence of Armenia and that the goal of the political initiative is to maximally contribute to the radicalization of those values and principles.

The MP also states that the political initiative is also going to be aimed at implementing the cornerstone benchmarks for functioning of the Republic of Armenia, that is, a competitive political system, free market relations, competitive and innovative economic mechanisms, an independent judiciary, a strong army and a flexible foreign policy.

The declaration also states that the Republic of Armenia must become an internally and externally strong and protected state and must use its own resources and the potential of the Armenian Diaspora. According to the declaration, the Republic of Armenia must lead a flexible and comprehensive foreign policy that will provide the opportunity to achieve a peaceful and pro-Armenian settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and recognition of the self-determination of the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

In closing, the MP states that the velvet revolution that took place in 2018 has helped create a historic opportunity for Armenia to become a free, powerful and democratic republic and that his political team and supporters will exert all of their efforts and use their full potential to shape the homeland of Armenians dreams by staying true to the values declared during the revolution.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-28 22:58:31|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Photo taken on May 25, 2020 shows swarms of locusts in the residential areas of Jaipur, the capital city of India's western state of Rajasthan. India's federal Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has stepped up locust control operations as the swarm outbreak has spread to five states -- Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, officials said Thursday. (Str/Xinhua)

NEW DELHI, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The local government in India's capital Delhi on Thursday issued an advisory on preventive measures to control a possible locust attack in its territory.

The advisory calls for organizing awareness programs for the public and farmers to prevent the probable attack of swarms of locusts in the national capital territory (NCT) of Delhi.

It said that since the swarms usually fly during the day and rest at night, they should not be allowed to rest.

"As the swarm of locusts flies in daytime, and rests during the night, it should not be allowed to rest at night," reads the advisory issued by Development Commissioner of Delhi. "Concerned authorities may carry out spraying of insecticide, pesticide as per need during the night."

Swarms of locusts, which first attacked Rajasthan, have now spread to Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Meanwhile, a local minister Gopal Rai also convened a meeting at his residence to discuss preparations to meet the locust threat.

Reports said Delhi's forest department is considering covering the saplings in its nurseries with polythene to protect them against the locust attack. The federal government has stepped up measures to control the outbreak.

Locust is a short-horned grasshopper of migratory habit, which attacks crops or green vegetation, causing extensive damage due to its feeding behavior.

Officials said the locust swarms usually enter the scheduled desert area of India through Pakistan for summer breeding in the month of June and July with the advent of monsoon. But the incursions of locust hoppers and pink swarms have been reported much earlier this year.
Patty Jenkins had no interest in directing Justice League (Image by Warner Bros)

Wonder Woman 1984 director Patty Jenkins turned down the chance to direct Justice League, as there were too many characters and she wasnt interested in the connecting it to DCs cinematic universe.

Jenkins made this candid admission to Premiere Magazine, via ComicBook.com, remarking, Unlike other directors, I don't really care about shared universes, continuity, and that kind of detail.

Read More: Patty Jenkins reveals she has 'Wonder Woman 3' and Amazons spin-off all planned out

Ive been contacted to make a Justice League movie in the past, and it doesn't connect to me. Too many characters."

Before that point of the conversation, Jenkins had been talking about why she loves working with Warner Bros and DC so much.

PARK CITY, UT - JANUARY 26: Patty Jenkins of 'I Am The Night' attends The IMDb Studio at Acura Festival Village on location at The 2019 Sundance Film Festival - Day 2 on January 26, 2019 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb)

"I really like the people who work there, but they want full control over their movies. The director is under control. Yes, it can happen. Furthermore, It shows immediately if a director cannot impose his/her vision. When this is the case, I get the impression that these people are doing a different job than me.

As a result of this approach, Jenkins says that she got to do exactly what she wanted with Wonder Woman 1984, before then adding, And then, everything a superhero movie needs comes naturally to me: I love shooting great action scenes versus great sets. I really enjoy it."

Read More: Patty Jenkins said she quit 'Thor: The Dark World' over script she didn't 'believe in'

"I love comics, but I've come to superheroes through films. There is in me this desire to emulate compared to the movies I saw as a child. A certain spirit that reigned in those times. Is that relevant when I shoot? I don't know.

Wonder Woman 1984 is currently scheduled to hit cinemas on August 12, 2020, but that could be pushed back due to the Coronavirus.
Manulife Financial Corporation MFC is well-poised for growth on strong Asian business, expanding wealth and asset management business, and solid capital position.



The companys VGM Score of B is also encouraging. Here V stands for Value, G for Growth and M for Momentum, with the score being a weighted combination of all three factors.



Manulife has been growing its Asian business that continues to majorly contribute to its earnings. The company has been expanding its distribution network across the region, securing and deepening strategically important distribution agreements with key partners in Japan Indonesia and Cambodia. Recently, Manulife extended its exclusive strategic bancassurance arrangement with Bank Danamon Indonesia to 2036.



Manulifes expanding Wealth and Asset Management business should continue to fuel its core earnings growth. While the life insurer boasts a compelling presence in North America and Asia, Manulife Asset Management has identified Europe (and the wider EMEA market) as a significant growth area. The company is thus making strategic investment for long-term growth.



Manulifes strategic buyouts not only add scale to its core business but also mark prudent use of capital in high-growth, less capital-intensive, higher-return businesses. Manulife expects to lower costs, targeting an expense efficiency ratio of less than 50% or $1 billion in cost savings and avoidance by 2022.



The expected long-term earnings growth is pegged at 10%, better than the industry average of 8.4%.



This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company boasts a strong capital position with $31 billion of capital above the supervisory target while LICAT ratio improved 1500 bps to 155% at first quarter 2020 end. Its leverage was 23%, marking an improvement of 500 bps over the last two years and lower than the targeted 25%.



Given a solid capital position, the company has increased dividend by 12% this February. Dividend yield of the company is 7.4%, higher than the industry average of 3.8%, making it an attractive investment option for yield-seeking investors.



Shares of Manulife have lost 36.6% year to date compared with the industry's decrease of 31.2%.

Story continues





Stocks to Consider



Some better-ranked stocks from the insurance space are Brighthouse Financial BHF, American Equity Investment Life Holding Company AEL and Primerica Inc PRI, each carrying Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Brighthouse Financial provides annuity and life insurance products in the United States. The company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 45.22% in the last reported quarter.



American Equity Investment provides life insurance products and services in the United States. The company delivered 32.65% positive earnings surprise in the last reported quarter.



Primerica provides financial products to middle-income households in the United States and Canada. The company delivered a positive surprise of 3.54% in the last reported quarter.



Just Released: Zacks 7 Best Stocks for Today



Experts extracted 7 stocks from the list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys that has beaten the market more than 2X over with a stunning average gain of +24.1% per year.



These 7 were selected because of their superior potential for immediate breakout.



See these time-sensitive tickers now >>





Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Manulife Financial Corp (MFC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (AEL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Primerica, Inc. (PRI) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (BHF) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Reuters) Beijing, China  Fri, May 29, 2020 12:50 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdae87e1 2 World China,Taiwan,peace,reunification Free

China will use all means to prevent pro-independence forces separating Taiwan from China but non-peaceful action against the Chinese-claimed island is a last resort, the ruling Communist Party's third most senior leader said on Friday.

Li Zhanshu, who is also the head of China's parliament, said Beijing will never allow any force, in any way, to separate Taiwan from China.

Earlier on Friday, The head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office said on Friday that "one country, two systems" and "peaceful reunification" is the best way to bring China and Taiwan together.

Outside attempts by foreign forces to interfere in "reunification" will fail, Liu Jieyi told an event at the Great Hall of the People marking 15 years since China signed into law its Anti-Secession Law.

Beijing passed the law in 2005 which authorises the use of force against Taiwan if China judges it to have seceded.

Topics : China Taiwan peace reunification
With his hotel chain hemorrhaging money, Gordon Sondland has gone on the attack against his insurer.

After his remarkable star turn during the impeachment hearings last fall, Sondland is now just trying to save his hotel business from the coronavirus recession. Aspen Lodging Group, the parent company of Provenance Hotels, has sued its insurer claiming it wrongfully denied its claim to cover losses suffered after the government effectively shut down the hospitality industry.

How bad was it for Sondlands chain of boutique hotels? According to the new lawsuit, Provenance Hotels lost $7 million in just the first month of the coronavirus shutdown. His insurance company then added to his misery when it refused his claim.

On Friday, his company, Aspen Lodging Group filed a breach of contract suit against Affiliated FM Insurance Co., in King County Superior Court in Seattle.

Its really sad when insurers like Affiliated FM line their pockets with premium dollars for years then, in the middle of a pandemic, force their policyholders into court by refusing to pay plainly covered business interruption insurance claims, said Jim McDermott, Sondlands Portland lawyer.

Sondland joins a national chorus of business owners crying foul after their insurers denied similar claims. The slow lifting of the pandemic-related restrictions offers some hope to business owners. But theyve already suffered staggering losses. A national insurance industry trade group estimates the shutdown is costing small businesses $255 billion to $431 billion a month.

Prominent Portland restaurateur Naomi Pomeroy filed a similar complaint against her insurance company earlier this month on similar grounds. She closed her Northeast Portland restaurant, Beast, this spring. Like Sondland, she filed a business interruption claim, which her insurer promptly denied.

Naomi paid for this insurance, she paid premiums for many years, said Robert Nelson, a San Francisco lawyer representing her. Naomi is not asking for a handout; shes only asking what she paid for. From our view, its a pretty simple case.

Pomeroys lawsuit is a class-action. She hopes other restaurant owners whove also been denied by their insurer will join forces with her, Nelson said.

Lawmakers in some states have threatened the insurance industry with legislation that would require them to cover pandemic related claims. David Sampson, president of American Property Casualty Insurance Association, said the losses are so enormous, the industry has nowhere near the resources to pay those claims.

The association estimates that in Oregon alone, closure losses just for the small businesses with fewer than 500 employees could range from $900 million to $3.6 billion per month.

The economic hardship imposed on businesses calls out for legislative solutions, Sampson said. But state proposals to retroactively rewrite existing business interruption insurance policies to add new risks could have dramatic repercussions for all consumers and businesses.

Its been a remarkable 12 months for Sondland. He found himself in the middle of a historic impeachment battle in Washington D.C., after President Donald Trump appointed him the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union. Sondland offered explosive testimony that Trump did indeed know about efforts to convince Ukrainian officials to investigate the son of Trumps presidential rival Joe Biden.

Trump eventually fired Sondland and before he could even get comfortable back in the Northwest, the coronavirus grew into a pandemic that effectively shut down his hotel chain and much of the rest of the hospitality industry. Businesses turned to their insurers for help arguing that the pandemic-forced shutdown should be covered under their business interruption policies, which typically cover loss of income suffered after a disaster.

The insurance industry argues that its business interruption policies explicitly exclude coverage in the event of a pandemic. Washington Insurance Commission Mike Kreidler said in April that the industry is correct.

Theres no doubt that our business owners and their employees are suffering during this pandemic, Kreidler said. But the vast majority (of insurers) specifically exclude coverage for economic loss due to a viral pandemic.

But Kreidler's April statement contained a nugget of potentially good news for Sondland. In his informal survey of insurers active in Washington only two of them offer pandemic-related coverage as part of their regular policies. Both are affiliated with FM Global, which is the parent of Sondlands insurer.

Sondland declined a request for an interview.
The figures published for wine consumption during lockdown cannot all be correct. Many of them contradict each other, although there are some reliable facts that can be correlated and double-checked.

The drinks industry as a whole always accepts the Nielsen data: UK champagne sales had fallen 41 per cent by the third week of lockdown while beer sales jumped 70 per cent. Wine sales across the board are of course down all over Europe, as restaurants were closed and home consumption could not fill the gap. Distilled drink sales exploded, probably because it is more convenient to buy and store a few bottles of vodka than the equivalent amount of alcohol in wine, not to mention other effects.

So what about champagne? To the chagrin of the French, sales are not buoyant anywhere, and the reasons could hardly be simpler in spite of explanations that are offered on a semi-official level, ranging from French street protests to tax rises on sales of grapes. Disingenuously the big champagne houses have declared they are not bothered by the decline, as they do not have enough stock anyway.

The underlying reason is that champagne is a drink for sharing, celebrating, partying or whatever, and two people will rarely open a bottle if they have nothing to rejoice about, even less so a solitary drinker. Given the choice between selecting a first-rate Spanish wine from one of the great wine regions and drinking the equivalent value in a mediocre champagne, there can be no contest. Which really does prove that most champagne enthusiasts like to be seen drinking it, so quaffing it behind closed doors does not impress anyone.

Conclusion: champagne is for show, not for serious drinking, and there are few exceptions. Even those tiresome bigots who claim never to touch cava and will only drink the real thing are fooling nobody but themselves. I have attended enough blind tastings with trade experts to consider them wine snobs of the worst sort.

Only one taster in 20 can tell the difference between a good cava and champagne. Extend that to the casual drinker and the figure will be nearer one in 100.
Black people in England are 3.4 times more likely to test positive for Covid-19 than people from white British backgrounds, a new study shows.

Other minority ethnic groups are also at higher risk of catching the virus, with those from South Asian backgrounds 2.4 times more likely to test positive.

The findings are based on data from nearly 400,000 participants in the UK Biobank study, a long-term study investigating the contribution of genes and the environment to the development of disease.

This data - which includes information on ethnicity, socioeconomic position, health and behavioural risk factors - was correlated with Covid-19 test results from Public Health England, which holds a database of all test results in England.

The UK Biobank team gained permission from study participants to confidentially link their Covid-19 test results to their Biobank health records, which are stored anonymously.

The University of Glasgow researchers conclude that socioeconomic differences, such as finances and access to resources, are likely key to the findings, rather than just genetics.

They say that an immediate policy response is needed to ensure the health system is responsive to the needs of ethnic minority groups.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence that some ethnic minority groups are more vulnerable to the adverse consequences of Covid-19.

NHS data has previously revealed that Covid-19 fatalities are higher among Englands black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups than the general population.

Ethnic minority groups, especially black and South Asian people seem to be particularly vulnerable to the adverse consequences of Covid-19

Compared to people from white British backgrounds, the risks of testing positive were largest in in black and South Asian minority groups who were 3.4 and 2.4 times more likely to test positive, respectively, with people of Pakistani ethnicity at highest risk in the south Asian group (3.2 times more likely to test positive)

There is unlikely to be a single factor underlying these differences, Dr. S Vittal Katikireddi at the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow told MailOnline.

I think an important part of the picture is socioeconomic differences  some ethnic groups are worse off financially and have less access to resources.

'That doesn't seem to provide the whole picture, however.

We haven't been able to directly look at genetic differences so far, but based on what we know about ethnic differences in health more generally, genetics is unlikely to be an important contributor.'

Dr Katikireddi also said behaviour-related factors  like smoking and obesity  and pre-existing disease did not seem to be important contributors to the findings  although these are important risk factors for Covid-19 complications.

Previous pandemics, such as the 1918 flu pandemic, have disproportionately impacted ethnic minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.

While early evidence suggests the same is true for the current crisis, research into the subject remains limited, according to the researchers, who are from the University of Glasgow and Public Health Scotland.

The NHS's health and care workers, who often are from minority ethnic populations, have access to the necessary protective personal equipment (PPE), the authors say

To find out more, the researchers gained permission from study participants to confidentially link the results of Covid-19 tests conducted in England between March 16 and May 3 this year with UK Biobank data, according to Dr Katikireddi.

BAME nurses 'less protected' as PPE shortages persist Black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) nurses are more likely to have problems accessing protective equipment, according to a new poll. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) identified a stark and deeply worrying' contrast over PPE provision for staff from different backgrounds. The union said it is unacceptable that BAME nurses are less protected than other nursing staff. Data has emerged suggesting that people from BAME backgrounds are being disproportionately adversely affected by Covid-19. Advertisement

'We analysed both whether people had tested positive and also whether they tested positive while at hospital,' he said.

'The latter is more likely to reflect severe cases and less likely to be influenced by differences in testing practice.'

The test results were based on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, which look for DNA rather than antigens and have been widely used in the UK during the pandemic.

Out of the total participants, 348,735 were white British, 7,323 were South Asian and 6,395 were from black ethnic backgrounds.

2,658 participants had been tested for SARS-CoV-2, the strain of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, and 948 had at least one positive test.

Compared to people from white British backgrounds, the risk of testing positive was largest in black and South Asian minority groups.

Black people were 3.4 times more likely to test positive than white British groups, while South Asian people were 2.4 times more likely.

Within the South Asian sample, people with Pakistani ethnicity were at the highest risk  3.2 times more likely to test positive than the white British sample, according to the data.

Ethnic minorities were also more likely to receive their diagnosis in a hospital setting, which suggests they were more severely impacted by Covid-19.

One possibility that remains is that some ethnic and socioeconomic groups have a poorer prognosis and are therefore more likely to be admitted to hospital and therefore to be tested, the authors note.

Doctors and nurses from a black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) background have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus. Pictured are those that have died from the virus

Ethnic differences in infection risk did not appear to be fully explained by differences in pre-existing health, behavioural risk factors country of birth or socioeconomic differences.

Living in a disadvantaged area was also associated with a higher risk of testing positive  those who were most disadvantaged were 2.2 times more likely to test positive compared with the least disadvantaged people.

Meanwhile, having the lowest level of education made a person exactly two times more likely to test positive compared to those in the study with the highest level of education.

Health and care workers, who are often from minority ethnic populations, should have access to necessary protective personal equipment (PPE), Dr Katikireddi and his authors stress  especially as recent research reveals they are more likely to have trouble accessing it.

Guidelines in different languages of how to reduce the risk of being exposed to the virus should also be considered, they say.

The study authors admit that those who were more advantaged were more likely to participate in the Biobank study and ethnic minorities may be less represented.

Test result data was also only available for England, meaning a broader range of people from ethnic minority groups could suggest they have less of a risk than people from white backgrounds.

Further research is needed to investigate whether these findings are reflective of the broader UK population.

Our findings warrant replication in other datasets, ideally including representative samples and across different countries, the team write in BMC Medicine.

Other social groups, such as homeless people, prisoners and undocumented migrants, experience severe disadvantage and research is necessary to study these highly vulnerable populations too.
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration today announced the first online Veteran Entrepreneurial Training and Resource Network Streetwise MBA program to provide virtual training for veteran small business owners and their immediate families beginning in August 2020.

Thanks to the funding of $100,000 from President Donald Trump's donated salary, this will be the second cohort of the Veteran Owned Small Business Growth Training Pilot Program , following the successful completion of the first cohort in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in March 2020.

The award-winning VETRN Streetwise MBA program, powered by Interise, was created exclusively for veterans to provide them with the skills, resources, mentoring, and networking necessary to grow their own small business. The program is free and open to veterans and family members of established small businesses in all New England States, New York, and New Jersey. To date, 57 VETRN participants have graduated from the program.

"We're pleased to have the opportunity to continue offering such an impactful program to our veteran small business owners and their families throughout the Northeast," said Larry Stubblefield, Associate Administrator for SBA's Office of Veterans Business Development. "And now, more than ever, the SBA is dedicated to finding new and innovative ways to provide virtual support for our veteran-owned small businesses during these trying and unprecedented times."

The demand for the VETRN program has increased, and the upcoming training will be held virtually. The online program content is designed to help veteran entrepreneurs build operational capacity, increase revenues, manage cash flow, and create sustainable jobs. Addressing the Covid-19 economic impact, VETRN has added classes on crisis management, and training on how to work with lending institutions and other stakeholders when facing financial difficulties.

The VETRN program is open to veteran-owned businesses (or be a veteran immediate family member), located in New England, New York or New Jersey, have been in operation at least one year, and generate at least $75,000 in annual revenues. Exceptions may be considered on a case by case basis.

To learn more about the VETRN Streetwise MBA online program, see testimonials and videos, or to apply, visit www.vetrn.org . Applications may be completed on the VETRN website or by sending an email to either [email protected] or [email protected].

For more information about other SBA programs and resources for veterans, visit www.sba.gov/veterans .

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more visit www.sba.gov .

Contact: [email protected]

Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Blogs & Instagram

Release Number: 20-44

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

Related Links

http://www.sba.gov


Asia Attack on Taiwan an Option to Stop Independence, Top Chinese General Says

(PLA) Gen. Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department of China's People's Liberation Army, speaks during a meeting in Beijing. / REUTERS

BEIJINGChina will attack Taiwan if there is no other way of stopping it from becoming independent, one of the countrys most senior generals said on Friday, a rhetorical escalation between China and the democratically ruled island Beijing claims as its own.

Speaking at Beijings Great Hall of the People on the 15th anniversary of the Anti-Secession Law, Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department and member of the Central Military Commission, left the door open to using force.

The 2005 law gives the country the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to.

If the possibility for peaceful reunification is lost, the peoples armed forces will, with the whole nation, including the people of Taiwan, take all necessary steps to resolutely smash any separatist plots or actions, Li said.

We do not promise to abandon the use of force, and reserve the option to take all necessary measures, to stabilize and control the situation in the Taiwan Strait, he added.

Li is one of Chinas few senior officers with combat experience, having taken part in Chinas ill-fated invasion of Vietnam in 1979.

Taiwan is Chinas most sensitive territorial issue. Beijing says it is one of Chinas provinces and an inalienable part of one China.

The island has shown no interest in being run by autocratic China, and has denounced Chinas repeated military drills near the island and rejected Chinas offer of a one country, two systems model of a high degree of autonomy.

China is deeply suspicious of Taiwans president, Tsai Ing-wen, whom it accuses of being a separatist bent on declaring formal independence. Tsai says Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its official name.

Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party won presidential and parliamentary elections by a landslide in January, vowing to stand up to Beijing.

The mood in Taiwan towards China has further soured since Chinas parliament passed new national security legislation for Chinese-ruled Hong Kong on Thursday.

You may also like these stories:

Hong Kongs Leader Says New Security Laws Wont Affect Rights, Freedoms

India Has Low COVID-19 Death Rate But Concerns Rise About Migrants on the Move
Wine store employees catalog a new shipment of alcohol on May 28, 2020 in New York City. Government guidelines encourage wearing a mask in public with strong social distancing in effect as all 50 states in the USA have begun a gradual process to slowly reopen after weeks of stay-at-home measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images) Alexi Rosenfeld

A bill that passed yesterday in the House of Representatives has some sought-after changes to a forgivable loan program for small-business owners. The new legislation, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, addresses entrepreneurs' concerns around loan forgiveness, one of the main attractions of the Paycheck Protection Program. It passed the House on Thursday in a 417-1 vote. Some loan recipients, like the self-employed and others whose largest costs are non-labor expenses, stand to benefit more than others. The PPP, created by the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief law known as the CARES Act, began issuing forgivable loans to small businesses in early April. Loan funds must be used a certain way, otherwise business owners risk the loan not being fully forgiven and incurring at least some debt.

PPP loan forgiveness

The bill extends the length of time businesses have to use the loans, to 24 weeks from eight weeks, and pushes back a June 30 deadline to rehire workers. It also reduces the share of funding that must be directed toward payroll costs, to 60% from 75%. "The [legislation] grants small-business owners urgently needed flexibility by extending the loan forgiveness period and reducing the payroll limitation of the program," said Kevin Kuhlman, vice president of government relations at the National Federation of Independent Business, a trade group. More from Personal Finance:

This math shows why you'll regret taking money from your 401(k)

That pre-paid debit card could be your stimulus payment

Expanded unemployment benefits could bump people from welfare The bill's passage comes amid debate between lawmakers over the contours of a potential future round of financial relief. The coronavirus pandemic pushed broad swaths of the economy to shut down in mid-March and nearly 41 million Americans to file for unemployment. Business owners who received a PPP loan have expressed concern that they will be unable to use their funds in a manner consistent with current loan-forgiveness rules. Lawmakers meant the loans as bridge funding to help keep people employed and cover operational costs until the economy reopened and business activity resumed, said Paul Becht, CPA, a partner at accounting firm Margolin, Winer & Evens.

Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards

But the original eight-week time frame has proven to be too short for many businesses, since many are still idled. "People thought two months was probably going to be enough to get it done," Becht said. "It turned out, it's not." This is especially true for businesses in states and regions like the New York metropolitan area that have moved more cautiously to reopen their economies. Hospitality businesses like restaurants and recreational facilities such as gyms that may reopen in later phases  and likely won't see a quick return to their prior customer base, amid social-distancing concerns  also stand to benefit most from a time extension to use money and rehire workers. The current PPP terms also require 75% of funds to be used for payroll costs, in a bid to tamp down on already widespread layoffs. The remainder can be used for other expenses like rent, mortgage interest and utilities.

Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
Actors on the international stage try to assert their interests and resolve conflicts with military force or economic sanctions - in other words, with "hard power". But the breakthrough is often achieved with "soft power": China is courting sympathy with its panda diplomacy, the Fridays for Future movement has received a huge response, and joint action is needed in the coronavirus pandemic. In his doctoral thesis, the political scientist Dr. Hendrik W. Ohnesorge from the Center for Global Studies (CGS) at the University of Bonn examined how soft power is used as a strategic means to achieve own objectives in the global competition for power and influence.

Power is the ability to enforce one's own will against others. While "hard power" relies on military or economic sanctions or incentives, "soft power" is based on attraction and persuasion. "Exerting soft power is thus about drawing upon persuasion and one's own attractiveness to influence the behavior of other states in a way that ensures one's own goals can be achieved," says Dr. Hendrik Ohnesorge from the Center for Global Studies (CGS) at the University of Bonn, who wrote his doctoral thesis on this topic.

For instance, China is known for its "panda diplomacy". Particularly important strategic partners receive one of these adorable black and white bears as a gift from the rising power. "This is intended to help convey a positive image of China throughout the rest of the world," says the political scientist. Germany practices soft power with its foreign cultural and educational policy, for example through the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation or the Goethe Institute. Ohnesorge: "Germany wants to increase its attractiveness overseas in this way, for example in order to attract top talent." For the United States after the Second World War, Hollywood, McDonald's or Coca-Cola were important bearers of soft power that are still influential today.

Further development and refinement of the concept

In his doctoral thesis the scientist further developed and refined the concept of soft power, which was developed under the leadership of Harvard Professor Joseph S. Nye. Ohnesorge emphasizes the importance of the "personality" factor: "My observations indicate that it is political decision-makers in particular, but also people from society, the media and sports, who have a decisive influence on the image of a country."

This also works in the negative: The current president has caused the USA to suffer severe losses of soft power, Ohnesorge cites an example. For instance, Donald Trump recently threatened the World Health Organization (WHO) with a permanent suspension of funding in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic - because of an "alarming lack of independence" from China. "The US seems to be further isolating itself," says Ohnesorge. "In view of the complex global problems, persuasion and cooperation are needed instead of threats."

The political scientist is certain that the importance of soft power in international relations will continue to increase. "The hard power-based approach of coercion or incentives in a do-or-die manner alone is not enough," says Ohnesorge. "Rather, decision-makers in politics and diplomacy also have to resort to soft power." In view of the advancing globalization and interdependence of states, the hard power of even the most powerful states is constantly reaching its limits. "Solving some of the most pressing problems of international politics today, such as climate change, extremist terrorism or global pandemics, is beyond the reach of hard power instruments".

Soft power is on the rise in the 21st century

Impressive proof is the experience of the United States in combating terrorism with primarily military means. On the other hand, the example of Greta Thunberg shows that soft power can be far more potent. "In the world of the 21st century there is a growing need for soft power, based on the forces of persuasion and attraction of nation states as well as that of other actors, such as international organizations, non-governmental organizations or individuals," concludes Ohnesorge. A commitment to multilateralism and the primacy of diplomatic instruments over military force and economic sanctions could be seen as an expression of soft power, while at the same time increasing one's own credibility.

###

Publication: Hendrik W. Ohnesorge: Soft Power - The Forces of Attraction in International Relations, Springer International Publishing, 307 p., hardcover: Euro 90.94, eBook: Euro 71.68

Contact:

Dr. Hendrik W. Ohnesorge

Center for Global Studies (CGS)

University of Bonn

Tel. +49-(0)228-7360281

E-mail: ohnesorge@uni-bonn.de
The Delhi government has categorised containment zones in the city into red, orange and green so that regular follow-ups in terms of surveillance, house-to-house health checks and testing continue in a systematic way, said a senior government official.

On Thursday, Delhi had 58 containment zones marked red. These are the ones in which Covid cases are surfacing frequently. As many as 36 were marked orange -- areas in which no fresh Covid case has been reported for the last 14 days. And, 49 green zones which used to be containment zones but containment efforts were scaled down after no fresh case was recorded there for 21 days, said a report prepared by the Delhi government which HT has seen.

There were 94 containment zones in the city, as on Thursday.

Delhis chief secretary Vijay Dev said, Its a good sign that 85 containment zones in Delhi are today Covid-free or are approaching that stage (classified orange and green), compared to 58 zones that are still marked red. It shows that the strategy of containment zones has proved effective. Concerted action is being taken by the district administrations for ensuring that no more positive cases recur in orange and red zones so that they become green and orange within the prescribed timelines.

While the government had prepared a heatmap of containment zones with the help of Geospatial Delhi Limited (GSDL)  its own subsidiary which applies analytical tools for mapping and data crunching  it prepared its first colour-coded report, on a pilot basis, on Wednesday. It recorded 91 containment zones  51 Red and 40 Orange. The number of Green zones was 45.

Within the next 24 hours, containment efforts were scaled down in four areas but seven areas were notified as new containment zones. So, the total number increased by three, government records showed.

A senior government official said with Thursdays assessment of the zones being done, the district magistrates have been directed to further streamline their efforts from Friday under the SHIELD initiative to ensure the reds change into oranges and the oranges change into green at the earliest. The initiative has been immensely effective and the numbers show the results, the official added.

The SHIELD initiative of the Delhi government translates to the sealing of the area, home quarantine of all residents, isolation and tracing of contacts, essentials to be supplied at doorstep, local sanitisation and door-to-door health checks.

The issue of nomenclature

Initially, there was confusion regarding nomenclature. The central government had the sole authority to categorise red, orange and green zones across states. Under the central guidelines, all revenue districts in Delhi were marked red, leading to limited relaxations that could be implemented across the city-state in terms of business and commerce activities and public transport during the lockdown.

Within Delhi, however, the city government used the nomenclature red zone for all containment zones and there were no orange or green zones as such. With the onset of the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown on May 18, the union government allowed the state governments to determine red, orange and green zones on their own.

On May 20, following a meeting between Delhis lieutenant governor (L-G) Anil Baijal and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal the Delhi government had issued directions to the health department to come up with a plan on red, range and green zones.

Jugal Kishore, head of community medicines department in Safdarjung Hospital said, After such categorisation, the government must ensure that surveillance teams continue to be active for all three categories of containment zones and that there are medical teams to guide them. They can consider using trained volunteers from within communities to monitor the efficiency of the surveillance and testing mechanism. And rapid action teams should continue to be active in data collection of contact tracing and surveillance, their analysis and interpretation, and guide the government.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
A five member committee has been appointed in Telangana keep a tab on the movement of locusts and measures taken to prevent them from entering the state.

Telangana Chief Minister Sri K Chandrashekhar Rao declared that all the precautions are being taken in the State to avert entry of swarms of locust entering the state. He said all the district collectors, police officials on the borders with Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh States have been alerted, and fire engines, jetting machines, and pesticides are put in place. A five-member Committee has also been appointed to keep a tab on the movement of the group of locusts and to monitor measures prevent the locusts swarms entering the state.

The CM held a high-level review meeting at Pragathi Bhavan on Thursday on the measures to be taken if the locusts entered the State. Chief Secretary Sri Somesh Kumar, DGP Sri Mahender Reddy, Principal Secretaries Sri B Janardhan Reddy, Sri S Narsing Rao, Sri Jayesh Ranjan, PCCF Ms Shobha, Disaster management Secretary Sri Rahul Bojja, DG (Fire Services) Sri Sanjay Kumar Jain, Agriculture University Vice Chancellor Sri Praveen Rao, CIPM Plant protection officer Ms R Sunitha, Agriculture University principal Scientists Dr S J Rehman and others participated.

The CM reviewed on the entry of swarms of locusts in the country, their travel, impact and other related issues. He enquired on the possible direction these locusts groups would take in the days to come. The locusts group that entered the country from Rajasthan, as of date, are travelling to Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh from Maharashtra enroute Bhandara and Gondia.

The experts estimate that chances are more that they may travel from Madhya Pradesh to North India and then travel to the Punjab side. Since the swarms of locusts travel along with direction of the wind, if the winds blow towards the south, they may travel via Chhattisgarh to Telangana state. Though the chances are less that the locusts would enter the state, the CM, however, decided to take all the precautions.

To kill the swarms of locusts, in our neighbouring Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh states, major attempts are being put in Gondia area. The locusts were killed in crores there. But yet, some of the survived. Locusts groups may travel to Punjab via Madhya Pradesh. If the wind changes its direction, they may enter our state via Chhattisgarh. So, measures should be taken so that the locusts do not enter our state. Areas bordering Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh should be on high alert. If they enter, they should be killed on the borders by spraying pesticides, the CM said.

To estimate the travel method of the locusts from time to time and to monitor the measures to avert the entry of locusts, the government has appointed a five-member committee. CIPM Plant Protection Officer Ms R Sunitha, Agriculture University principal Scientist DR SJ Rehman, Warangal Conservator of Forests Sri Akbar, Ramagundam Police Commissioner Sri Satyanarayana, Mancherial Collector Ms Bharathi are members of the Committee. This committee will stay in Ramagundam for four days from Friday. They will monitor the situation from Adilabad to Bhadrachalam alongside river Godavari by Helicopters. They will also monitor killing of the locusts if they enter.

The district Collectors of Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mulugu, Jayashankar Bhoopalpally, Mancherial, Asifabad, Adilabad, Pedapalli, police officers concerned were alerted. They should monitor the locusts movement and implement the government orders.

Keep 15,000 Litres of pesticides like Malathion, Chloropyrifos, Lambda Cyhalothrin liquid ready on the Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh borders.

Keep ready 12 fire engines, 12 jetting machines.

Chief Secretary, DGP, Disaster management sesawmcretary, Principal Secretary to Agriculture, Agriculture University Vice Chancellor should monitor the situation from Hyderabad on regular basis. Have consultations with Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh state governments. Take action based on the consultations. Speak to the district officers concerned and work accordingly.

Minister Sri Puvvada Ajay, Whip Sri Balka Suman, MLAs Sri Laxma Reddy, Sri Marri Janardhan Reddy, Sri Manohar Reddy, Sri Sandra Venkata Veeraiah, Sri Jeevan Reddy, Hyderabad Mayor Sri Bonthu Rammohan, Corporation Chairmen Sri Mareddy Srinivas Reddy, Sri Bala Mallu and others participated in the meeting.

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
Libya: IOM condemns revenge murder of 30 migrants At smuggling depot near Gharyan

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MAY 29 - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has condemned the murder of 30 migrants who were shot dead on May 27 in a crime that involved a smuggler in Libya. The tragedy - IOM said in a statement - took place in a smuggling deposit in Mezda, near the city of Gharyan, south-west of Tripoli, where a group of migrants was located. Eleven migrants were injured and taken to the hospital. ''This crime is senseless and is a dark memory of the horrors that migrants must endure at the hands of traffickers in Libya'', said IOM mission chief in Libya Federico Soda. He added that ''these criminal groups are exploiting instability and the security situation to rob desperate people and exploit their vulnerability'' IOM asked Libyan authorities to investigate the crime. The UN agency's medical personnel sent some of the critically injured victims to clinics in the capital and is providing assistance.



Medics said some of the migrants had been beaten and abused.



(ANSAmed)
Protesters use a barricade to try and break the windows of the Third Police Precinct on May 28, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a protest over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes. KEREM YUCEL | AFP via Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS  A police precinct was burning in Minneapolis as protests over the death of George Floyd raged on for a third straight day. Protesters late Thursday focused their attention on the police department's 3rd Precinct, the base of four officers who were fired after Floyd's death in their custody Monday. A fire spread to the interior of the station, which police had evacuated. They cleared the building shortly after 10 p.m., when demonstrators forcibly entered and "ignited several fires," department spokesman John Elder said. Mayor Jacob Frey said in an early morning news conference Friday that he made the decision to pull police out of the precinct. "You know brick and mortar is not as important as life," he said. He called the vandalism and arson "unacceptable," but he vowed that officers would continue to patrol the community served by the 3rd Precinct. "We will continue to do our jobs in that area," Frey said.

Protestors stand, fists raised, in front of the burning Minneapolis 3rd police precinct on Thursday, May 28, 2020, during the third day of protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis on Monday night, after an officer held his knee into Floyd's neck for more than 5 minutes. Steel Brooks | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

Fires also burned on both sides of the police station as demonstrators pushed down temporary fencing and occupied property at the precinct. Officers fired tear gas from the ground and a rooftop. The city of Minneapolis on Twitter urged people to "retreat" from the area as a precaution. "We're hearing unconfirmed reports that gas lines to the Third Precinct have been cut and other explosive materials are in the building." Police said late Thursday that no serious injuries had been reported. More from NBC News:

Minneapolis mayor says anger over George Floyd death 'not only understandable, it's right'

Hong Kong: Hundreds arrested as proposed security law worsens tensions

U.K.'s Boris Johnson faces schools rebellion over plans to send kids back Multiple blazes also burned on nearby blocks. After midnight some demonstrators descended on the Minneapolis Police Department's 4th Precinct northwest of downtown, where officers stood guard outside. The Minnesota National Guard said on Twitter that 500 soldiers had been activated for duty in the Twin Cities. "Our mission is to protect life, preserve property and the right to peacefully demonstrate," it said. Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order Thursday activating the National Guard. A statement from the governor's office said the order was needed after "extensive damage to private property occurred and peaceful protests evolved into a dangerous situation for protesters and first responders." Businesses across the Twin Cities boarded up their windows and doors Thursday to prevent looting. Looters on Thursday broke into a Target on University Avenue in St. Paul before police arrived, sending the raiders scrambling.

Protesters throw a mattress onto a burning car outside a Target store near the Third Police Precinct on May 28, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Kerem Yucel | AFP | Getty Images

But as police circled the store and faced off with an angry crowd, looters broke into a T.J. Maxx close by and made off with whatever they could carry. That store was later reported to be on fire. "Officers continue to be hit with rocks and bottles thrown by people who are also breaking into buildings, looting and destroying property," St. Paul police said on Twitter. Target, headquartered in Minneapolis, later said it was temporarily closing 24 stores in Minnesota. An unoccupied St. Paul police cruiser in the area also appeared to have been vandalized. "Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest," St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said in a statement late Thursday afternoon. "Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement, and on preventing this from ever happening again. We can all be in that fight together." President Donald Trump late Thursday weighed in, blaming local leadership for the unrest and threatening to deploy National Guard troops that were already in position in the Twin Cities.

The twitter page of US President Donald Trump's is displayed on a mobile phone in Vaasa, Finland, on May 29, 2020. Twitter on May 29, 2020 flagged a post by US President Donald Trump on the unrest in Minneapolis as 'glorifying violence', saying the tweet violated its rules but would not be removed. Olivier Morin | AFP | Getty Images

"I can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis," the president said on Twitter. He called unruly demonstrators "thugs" and threatened that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." Frey responded early Friday, saying, "Weakness is pointing your finger at somebody else during a time of crisis. Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis." St. Paul police said that about 170 businesses had been damaged by vandalism, looting or fires. Tweet In South Minneapolis, protesters gathered near the police department's 3rd Precinct. Rocks were thrown at officers, who deployed tear gas as they moved through a crowd to get to a stabbing victim, said a witness, City Council candidate A.J. Awed. Police were later seen using a cart to roll a few civilians out of the area. Metro Transit, which operates light rail and buses in Minneapolis and St. Paul, shut down almost all services through Sunday. An airport shuttle and its Northstar commuter line were all that remained operational. "Out of concern for the safety of riders and employees, Metro Transit bus and light rail service will be suspended," the transit agency announced at about 2:30 p.m. Rosedale Center, a mall in nearby Roseville, said in Twitter it was asked by authorities to shut down. In announcing store closures, Target said in a statement, "We are heartbroken by the death of George Floyd and the pain it is causing our community. At this time, we have made the decision to close a number of our stores until further notice." Demonstrations also took place across the nation. In New York City, at least 40 people were arrested as protesters took to the streets near Union Square and in Lower Manhattan, police said.

A protester gestures at an NYPD officer during a "Black Lives Matter" demonstration on May 28, 2020 in New York City, in outrage over the death of a black man in Minnesota who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Johannes Eisele | AFP | Getty Images

One officer was hit by a garbage can hurled at him, and another was punched in the face, according to the New York Police Department. Suspects in those incidents were among those arrested, the department said. In Louisville, Kentucky, where Breonna Taylor was killed by police during a raid at her home, officers with batons and riot gear patrolled as a crowd chanted in protests. One officer was seen firing what appeared to be a paintball gun, and people in the crowd behaved as though there was an irritant in the air, video showed. Seven people were shot during that rally, but the circumstances surrounding the violence were not yet known. In Los Angeles, demonstrators gathered outside police headquarters downtown, a peaceful contrast to Wednesday's event, during which protesters blocked traffic on the 101 freeway and damaged California Highway Patrol vehicles. Fifty miles east, in Fontana, California, about 100 protesters blocked traffic as vandals broke the windows of City Hall, police said. "The protesters then began to damage property by throwing rocks at business windows as well as at passing vehicles," Fontana police said in a statement. Nine people were arrested on allegations related to the unrest, police said. In Denver, shots were fired near the Capitol, where a protest was taking place. Police spokesman Kurt Barnes said it wasn't immediately clear whether the gunfire was related. No injuries were reported, and no one was in custody, he said Colorado Gov. Jared Polis later expressed sadness over the state of the demonstrations. "I was absolutely shocked by video evidence of a motorist attempting to run over a protestor," he said in a statement. "I share the immense anguish we all feel about the unjust murder of George Floyd," he said. "But let me be clear, senseless violence will never be healed by more violence." In Oakland, California, about 20 protesters briefly occupied an intersection, according to NBC Bay Area. In, Minneapolis, leaders were calling for peace: Mayor Frey, City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo all pleaded for calm. "We must restore the peace so we can do this hard work together," Frey said. Jenkins said that protesters should be angry about Floyd's death in police custody but that they have no right to "perpetrate violence and harm on the very communities that you say you are standing up for." "We need peace and calm in our streets, and I am begging you for that calm," she added. National Fraternal Order of Police President Patrick Yoes said Thursday that authorities must ensure that justice is served in Floyd's death, "whatever the consequences."

People hold up their fists after protesting near the spot where George Floyd died while in custody of the Minneapolis Police, on May 26, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kerem Yucel | AFP | Getty Images
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FSE: TH8) ("TransCanna" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, in a mutual agreement with certain contractors and related parties, it will be returning 750,000 common shares to treasury.

"Today's news represents significant value for our shareholders. The cancellation of these shares improves our balance sheet, and as we continue to grow the business, the value of this news will become more significant. Our team remains focused on the execution of our business plan with several major milestones in sight. Please stay tuned for future developments." stated Stephanie Wesik, Company President.

The Company also wishes to provide an update with respect to the previously announced management cease trade order (the "MCTO") issued by the British Columbia Securities Commission on May 15, 2020. The MCTO as issued in connection with the delay by the Company in filing its annual financial statements, management's discussion and analysis and related officer certifications for the financial year ended November 30, 2019 (collectively, the "Required Filings") before the prescribed deadline of March 29, 2020.

The Company continues to work closely with its auditor and expects to file the Required Filings on or before June 15, 2020.

The Company is providing this status update in accordance with National Policy 12-203 Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203"). The Company intends to follow the provisions of the Alternative Information Guidelines set out in NP 12-203, including the issuance of bi-weekly default status reports in the form of news releases. The Company confirms as of the date of this news release that there has been no material change in the information contained in the announcement issued on May 15, 2020, and there is no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed.

About TransCanna Holdings Inc.

TransCanna Holdings Inc. is a California based, Canadian listed, Company building Cannabis-focused brands for the California lifestyle, through its wholly-owned California subsidiaries.

For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.transcanna.com or email the Company at info@transcanna.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Stephanie Wesik, President

604-349-3011

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO

U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE

AN OFFER OF ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56881
Bruni embraces the size of the Civic Opera House stage  as when the von Trapp kids take to their matching bicycles and have plenty of room to ride  and explicitly uses its scale both to evoke the natural environment of the valley and to intimidate the characters, most notably Maria. In the best moment of the entire show, Yeargan's breathtakingly imposing exterior of the von Trapp mansion rumbles forward from the rear, wrought-iron fence and all, just as Gambatese's terrified Maria arrives down front to meet her young charges, armed only with her guitar. Outside the gate, she gulps audibly at the overwhelming wealth and authoritarian implications of the house. It's a beautiful little moment that sets up a central conflict, and not one that would be possible with some conventional wing-and-drop tour. This is what people want when they are paying the big bucks.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Bonnie Robeson, a senior lecturer at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, knows what it's like to take part in an urgent race to find a vaccine or treatment for a lethal malady, such as the current effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. During the 1980s and '90s, Robeson served as principal investigator for a drug discovery and development contract with the National Cancer Institute. Robeson and her colleagues worked on identifying chemical compounds that could kill or slow the growth of cancer cells. As the AIDS epidemic spread, the team shifted its focus to developing a therapy for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

While involved in these projects, Robeson took an interest in the business aspects of science and entered the Johns Hopkins Master of Administrative Science program, the precursor to the current MBA program of the Carey Business School. She earned her MAS in 1988 and a year later joined the adjunct faculty of what was then JHU's School of Continuing Studies in Business and Education. She also holds an MS and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from West Virginia University. As a Carey faculty member, she provides expertise in operations management and the business side of the life sciences.

The Carey School reached out to Robeson for more insights into lessons learned from a career of developing treatments and therapies. Robeson discusses the best approach to combating COVID-19 and considers whether it's better to create a vaccine that can prevent the virus or a therapy that can treat itor a combination of the two. She also takes the costs into account, in terms of both time and money.

What are the differences between a vaccine and a therapeutic drug?

A vaccine protects a person who is inoculated early from acquiring the disease. All vaccines stimulate the immune system to develop antibodies against the disease. This is a biologic approach. Another is using antibodies processed from the serum of recovered patients. These are then injected into patients who have the disease to stimulate their production of antibodies against the virus.

A therapeutic is a drug administered after the patient has developed a conditionsuch as drugs that people take to control high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, etc. Therapeutics for COVID-19 that are being investigated include hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir. Most often, such drugs are small molecule chemicals, primarily synthesized in a lab or extracted from natural products. Now with the rise of biotechnology and biopharma, drugs classified as biologics can be manufactured from biological sources.

Should there be more of a focus on finding a therapeutic treatment for COVID-19 or a vaccine?

Both approaches for COVID-19 need to be pursued. It's significant to acknowledge that HIV is a virus, and after 20 years of research, there is still no vaccine for HIV. One challenge with vaccines is that for them to be effective in stimulating the immune response, the world population has to have access to inoculation. Therefore, billions of doses have to be manufactured and distributed. This process takes years to complete. Another challenge is that vaccines often require a cold supply chain. For the vaccine to maintain its potency, the product has to be stored, transported, and delivered within a refrigerated temperature range. Delivering vaccines to developing countries' rural areas where electricity is a luxury is difficult if not impossible. In the meantime, virus mutations may be making the vaccine ineffective.

Therapeutic drugs are often easier to manufacture and distribute. Once the virus's chemistry is understood, then methods to attack the virus replication can be identified and drugs developed to attack the virus using different mechanisms. An ideal therapeutic is one administered orally and stored and transported at ambient temperatures. Presently, remdesivir is administered only by IV drip in hospitals.

Hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug, is in pill form and easy to distribute and take. However, most recent clinical trials do not show efficiency for COVID-19, and the drug can have serious side effects for patients with heart problems.

What are some similarities and differences between the discovery of AIDS therapies years ago and the work today on possible COVID-19 therapies?

The first approach then and now is the same. The first step is to screen compounds that have been or are in development for other viruses (i.e., antivirals). Thousands of compounds with characteristics of having biological activity against viruses were tested in the 1980s. AZT, which failed as an antiviral therapy for other viruses, was the first compound identified to show activity against HIV. Eventually the compound was approved for use in the general population. Continuing to understand and identify ways to attack the virus led to development of many other therapeutics to include protease inhibitors, integrase inhibitors, etc. Now a multidrug regimen often referred to as a drug cocktail is prescribed for HIV-positive patients.

Remdesivir as a therapy for COVID-19 is following a similar path. It was already in development as an antiviral therapeutic for Ebola.

How long might the process last to develop an effective therapeutic treatment for COVID-19?

In general, it takes 10 years and over $1 billion to develop a therapeutic. However, when you can narrow down the candidates in the beginning, the timeline can be reduced, thanks to advanced scientific tools not available in the past. These include, among others, polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, and X-ray crystallography. PCR takes a small sample of DNA or RNA and amplifies it millions or billions of times. Being able to understand more details about the virus will enable the development of a number of points of attack. X-ray crystallography provides details about the physical structure proteins and a binding site.

The bottom line is today there are sophisticated scientific tools to understand the virus and identify compounds in a faster timeframe. But the process is very costly. The instrumentation discussed is expensive, the consumables used in the assaying process are costly, and then there are the salaries of the scientists, to name just a few costs in the discovery phase. This is not even considering scale-up, clinical trials, manufacturing, and distribution to patient.

As a rule, pharmaceutical companies do not make much of a profit from vaccines. Instead, they prefer to target diseases for which the high cost of development can be recovered with a sizable profit. Therefore, the companies have been targeting neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's, due to the increased population of aging patients. Also, developing drugs taken orally on a daily basis provides profits for shareholders.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
Iran tightening Persian Gulf security belt, defense minister says

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Bandar Abbas, May 28, IRNA -- Iran's Minister of Defense Brigadier-General Amir Hatami said on Thursday that with the production and delivery of the combat speedboats to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) navy forces, the security belt of the Persian Gulf region, the Strait of Hormuz in particular, will be more tightened.

Hatami made the remarks during a ceremony where new speedboats of Ashura, Zulfiqar, and Heidar classes were delivered to the IRGC navy forces.

During the ceremony, the minister also referred to the delivery of Damavand destroyer, Separ (shield) missile-launching warship, and different types of light and semi-heavy submarines to the armed forces and delivery of different types of vessels to the Iranian Police for patrolling, search and rescue and relief missions.

He said that the new speedboats have been designed and produced by experts of the Ministry of Defense and enjoy a high capability in sea combat.

Hatami noted that smartness, radar evasion, and high speed are among the capabilities of the new vessels, 80 percent of their equipment has been designed domestically.

9341**2050

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Locust swarm attacks may reportedly continue in India until July. The insects, which first entered Rajasthan and made their way through parts of Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Maharashtra, could also reach Odisha and Bihar with the monsoon winds.

A United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) official speculates that these crop-destroying insects are unlikely to reach South India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Much of these movements were associated with strong westerly winds from cyclone Amphan in the Bay of Bengal. Control operations are underway, Keith Cressman, Senior Locust Forecasting Officer at the FAO said as per a report by The Hindu BusinessLine.

Cressman further stated that the movement will slow down as swarms begin to breed and become less mobile.

Despite the earlier-than-usual arrival of these locust swarms, the destruction of crops has been minimal so far, barring some summer crops in Rajasthan and MP.

Experts blamed the poor control of spring breeding of locusts in the border areas of Pakistan for the early arrival of these swarms in India, owing mainly to the COVID-related lockdown.

As the current swarms contain mainly pink locusts (hyperactive juvenile locusts) controlling them using conventional chemical spraying is difficult. This is because unlike mature locusts, which rest on the ground at night, these juveniles settle on tall trees, said a locust control officer posted in the border areas in Rajasthan.

According to this official, some swarms were 7-8 km long and 3-4 km wide. It is estimated that one square km swarm can consist of 40-80 million locusts, which can eat up foodgrains that can feed up to 35,000 people per day.

Some farmers also stated that this is the worst locust attack in over two decades. Authorities are currently spraying chemicals wherever these swarms are being spotted.

However, it is unlikely that the government will be taking any massive control action until additional sprayers arrive from the United Kingdom by mid-June. According to a senior official at the Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage at Faridabad, the government could use drones to carry out spray operations.
A jilted lover reportedly set a 23-year-old woman on fire and later attempted suicide in Rajasthan's Sikar district, police said on Friday.

The incident took place at the Natha Ki Nangal village in Patan police station area of the district on Thursday, they said.

According to the woman's family, she was sleeping in the courtyard when the accused, Rakesh, entered their house.

He then sprinkled petrol on the woman and set her ablaze, they alleged.

The family extinguished the fire and rushed the woman to a government hospital where doctors referred her to Jaipur. The woman died on Friday morning during treatment, Patan Police Station, SHO, Narendra Bhadhana said.

The officer said Rakesh (24) later attempted suicide by consuming some poisonous substance, adding he is being treated at a hospital in Chomu town.

A case has been registered against the accused under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code, police added.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Mardika Parama (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 15:29 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdaf25e1 1 Business vaccine,COVID-19,coronavirus,antibody,kalbe-farma,South-Korea Free

Publicly listed pharmaceutical company Kalbe Farma has signed an agreement with South Korea-based biotechnology firm Genexine Inc. to start a clinical trial of a COVID-19 candidate vaccine in Indonesia.

Kalbe would also incorporate government agencies in the process to ensure public access to the vaccine once the trials showed positive results, the companys president director Sie Djohan said.

We hope research and development on the COVID-19 vaccine can yield positive results to ensure vaccine access for Indonesia can be secured, he said in a press statement on Thursday.

The DNA vaccine prototype is being developed by a consortium of biotech companies and research institutions, namely Genexine, Binex, the International Vaccine Institute, GenNBio, the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Pohang University of Science and Technology.

The candidate vaccine, called GX-19, has been tested to primates, resulting in an antibody on the test subjects that could neutralize the novel coronavirus.

Globally, there are 10 candidate vaccines that are in clinical evaluation and 115 candidate vaccines in preclinical evaluation, including GX-19 as of Wednesday, according to the World Health Organizations document.

Clinical trials on humans for vaccine candidates are divided in a three-phase process, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Small groups of people will receive the trial vaccine during the first phase. If the candidate vaccine shows positive results, the trial moves to phase two, where the clinical study is expanded and the vaccine is given to people who have characteristics similar to those for whom the new vaccine is intended.

In phase three, the vaccine is given to thousands of people and tested for efficacy and safety.
A Nine News reporter has been caught up in the chaos in Minneapolis following the death of a black man at the hands of a police officer.

Riots and protests have been continuing after the death of George Floyd, 46, as police arrested him outside a convenience store after a report of counterfeit money being passed on Monday.

Video which emerged after Mr Floyds arrest showed a police officer kneeling on the back of his neck for eight minutes despite pleas he couldnt breathe. Four police have been fired over Mr Floyds death.

Nine News reporter Tim Arvier was in the middle of the violent protests in Minneapolis. Source: Nine Network/ Today Show

Buildings have been burned down and residents have clashed with police in ugly scenes over the past 48 hours.

Nines Tim Arvier has been right in the thick of the chaos. He reported a man being stabbed just metres from him, as a crowd of more than 500 people swarmed the city on Thursday (local time), but paramedics and police were too nervous to render assistance.

Video from Arviers cross shows four police cars approaching to arrest a man for the alleged stabbing before protests erupt and turn violent.

Police begin to push the crowd back as they make an arrest.

Oh, geez. Thats a massive brick has been thrown at police, Arvier says.

Arvier then says stun guns are being drawn by officers.

A police officer yells at the crowd to get back as the situation worsens. Arvier and his camera operator run towards a carpark - and another camera man is seen running with them.

The reporter says while everyone is moving back its only firing crowds up more.

Police officers speak with protesters assisting an injured person. Source: AAP

Further down the street, police were seen blockaded in their station.

So you know, whether they come down or not, because there is a lot of outrage, people are actually chanting at the police now, but this is a grave situation, Arvier says.

He continues his cross from the carpark as officers draw weapons aimed at the crowd.

Its tear gas. A pellet explodes just metres from Arvier.

Hey, stay away. Stay away, Arvier tells a man getting near the camera.

Were getting a fair bit of aggro here.

Story continues

The situation exacerbates as police and protesters clash. Source: Nine Network/ Today Show

Police and a few bystanders are then seen carrying the stabbing victim into a police car.

Arvier reported police were outnumbered in the city and emergency services too nervous to help the man who had been stabbed before four police cars arrived on scene.

Stun grenades are then thrown into the crowd.

Arvier notes police are heavily outnumbered.

A car burns behind Arvier. Source: Twitter/ Tim Arvier

In a later cross, a protestor asks Arvier and his crew where hes from. He tells them: Nine News Australia.

It's better to say we are from Australia it is lessening the tension, Arvier says.

A mans also heard saying watch out for a sniper, which the reporter doubts is true.

National Guard called before night hits Minneapolis

The National Guard has been called in to support police as its expected protests will turn violent at nightfall.

Another protest was announced for Thursday evening near county offices downtown. Some stores in Minneapolis and the suburbs planned to close early, fearing more strife.

The city shut down its light-rail system and planned to stop all bus services out of concern for the safety of riders and employees, a statement said.

A Wendy's restaurant following riots. Source: Getty Images

Around midday Thursday, the violence spread to a Target store in the Midway neighbourhood of St Paul, where police said 50 to 60 people rushed the store and attempted to take merchandise. It was just behind where Arvier was reporting from.

St Paul police and state patrol squad cars later blocked the entrance, but looting then spread to shops along nearby University Avenue, one of St Pauls main commercial corridors, and other spots in the city.

St Paul spokesman Steve Linders said authorities have been dealing with unrest in roughly 20 different areas throughout the city.

Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement, and on preventing this from ever happening again. We can all be in that fight together, St Paul Mayor Melvin Carter tweeted.

Police shoot pepper spray at protesters. Source: Getty Images

By Thursday morning in Minneapolis, smoke rose from smoldering buildings in the Longfellow neighbourhood, scenes of the worst violence.

In a strip mall across the street from the polices 3rd Precinct station, the focus of the previous nights protests, the windows in nearly every business had been smashed, from the large Target department store at one end to the Planet Fitness gym at the other.

Only the 24-hour laundromat appeared to have escaped unscathed.

WHY US? demanded a large expanse of red graffiti scrawled on the wall of the Target. A Wendys restaurant across the street was charred almost beyond recognition.

Resident Deona Brown, 24, said were burning our own neighbourhood.

This is where we live, where we shop, and they destroyed it, she said.

What that cop did was wrong, but Im scared now.

Protesters burn down an auto parts store. Source: Getty Images

But others in the crowd saw something different in the wreckage.

Protesters destroyed property because the system is broken, said a young man who identified himself only by his nickname, Cash, and who said he had been in the streets during the violence.

He dismissed the idea that the destruction would hurt residents of the largely black neighbourhood.

Officer had dozens of complaints

The officer who was filmed kneeling on Mr Floyds neck has been named as Derek Chauvin, 44.

Mr Chauvin was a 19-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department before he was fired for the incident, NBC reported.

Three other police officers were also fired and the FBI is investigating their actions.

Mr Chauvin has been the subject of more than a dozen complaints in his career as a police officer. According to documents obtained by NBC, the 44-year-old was with officers who discharged firearms at a man in 2006.

Derek Chauvlin kneels on George Floyd. Source: Facebook

The officers were responding to a stabbing and shot suspect Wayne Reyes dead.

However, its unclear if Mr Chauvin was among those who used their gun.

Also in 2006, a Minnesota Correctional Facility inmate launched a federal lawsuit against Mr Chauvin and seven others. Its not clear what the lawsuit was for.

Two years later Mr Chauvin and another officer responded to a domestic disturbance and Ira Latrell Toles, 21, was found in a bathroom trying to escape.

Toles and Mr Chauvin had a brief struggle and he tried to grab the officers weapon. Thats when Mr Chauvin fired two shots into the 21-year-olds abdomen.

The 21-year-old survived though.

One of the other officers who was fired over the death of Mr Floyd also had complaints against him.

Tou Thao, an officer with a decade of experience, was sued by a man following a 2014 arrest, The Guardian reported.

The man alleged Mr Thao punched, kicked and kneed him. The officer, and two other police, had stopped him while he was walking with his pregnant girlfriend.

Mr Thao told the man there was a warrant for his arrest but this claim later proved to be false.

That lawsuit was settled outside of court.

with Associated Press

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
(Natural News) Online censorship of free speech has crescendoed to such a degree that the very integrity of the 2020 presidential election is now at stake.

This is the warning of Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, who is now calling on the election to be temporarily suspended until the First Amendment is once again restored to the internet.

In case you missed it, Twitter decided to fact-check one of President Donald Trumps tweets the other day, sparking immediate ire in the Commander-in-Chief who has issued an Executive Order calling for change. Facebook has likewise blacklisted all links to both Facebook and Brighteon, including in the Messenger app.

While Big Tech censorship has been going on for years, Trump is finally entering the ring to do something about it now that his account is being personally targeted. And unless something is actually done this time to reverse the current trend, there is no way to guarantee that the results of the upcoming election will even be accurate  and it appears as though Trump knows this!

Because of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), some politicians, mostly on the left, are demanding that mail-in ballots be used instead of normal ballots. This leaves the system wide open for fraud and manipulation, which, coupled with Big Tech censorship, is a recipe for an unfair Democratic win in November.

Fact-checking is just the excuse for tech giants like Twitter, Google, Wikipedia, YouTube or Facebook to interrupt the communications of conservative or pro-Trump users with radical left-wing propaganda messages, warns Adams.

The very idea that a tech company led by communists and radical left-wing socialists could claim a monopoly on facts is absurd.

Listen below to The Health Ranger Report as Adams dives into this subject even further:

Go get em, Trump!

In many ways, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have become part of the public domain. And under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), they are supposed to function as content providers, meaning intermediaries that merely deliver content created or shared by others.

But ever since Donald Trump won the election back in 2016, Silicon Valley has morphed into a collective of content publishers, meaning the tech giants are now picking and choosing which content to allow and which content to censor. This, of course, nullifies their immunity protections under Section 230 of the CDA entirely.

The latest stunt by Facebook and Twitter in setting up fact-checking modules that scan the two platforms for misinformation just further solidifies that Big Tech is now operating completely outside the bounds of the law, and needs to be held accountable.

Trump has indicated that he plans to finally do something about this escalating censorship, which undermines the First Amendment, one of the bedrocks of our Constitution. Besides stripping platforms like Facebook and Twitter of their Section 230 protections, this may also include federal prosecution for criminal racketeering and fraud, hopefully resulting in jail time for these companies bigwigs.

No one has a monopoly on facts, and the entire fact-checking fiasco of the Big Tech ecosystem has boiled down to politically targeted censorship run by radical left-wing propagandists who are truly mentally ill in the fact that they actually believe their delusions are an accurate map of reality, says Adams.

But its more than mere propaganda. Its election rigging. Its a violation of the civil rights of millions of Americans. And its almost certainly a type of criminal racketeering and fraud that should be aggressively prosecuted by the DOJ as well as Attorneys General across the 50 states.

For more related news about Big Tech censorship and the threat it poses to our constitutional republic, be sure to check out Censorship.news.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
Volkswagen pumps 2 billion euros into China electric vehicle bet A new logo of German carmaker Volkswagen is unveiled at the VW headquarters in Wolfsburg

By Yilei Sun and Julie Zhu

BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG <VOWG_p.DE> plans to boost its electric push in China, the world's biggest auto market, by pumping 2.1 billion euros in two Chinese electric vehicle players.

The deals come as global rivals such as General Motors, Toyota and Tesla Inc seek to expand electric sales in the Chinese car market.

Volkswagen said it will invest 1 billion euros to take a 50% stake in the state-owned parent of Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC Motors), also taking full management control of the its existing electric vehicle joint venture with JAC by raising its stake to 75% from 50%.

Volkswagen's China chief Stephan Woellenstein told reporters on Friday the venture planned to revamp one existing JAC plant and launch its first electric model based on its MEB platform, an architecture enabling efficient production of various EV models, in 2023.

The joint venture will launch five more electric models by 2025, when the German giant aims to sell 1.5 million new energy vehicles (NEV) - including battery electric cars as well as plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles - a year in China.

In a separate transaction, Volkswagen will pay 1.1 billion euros to acquire 26.5% of Guoxuan High-tech Co Ltd, a maker of electric vehicle batteries, becoming its biggest shareholder. Volkswagen said Guoxuan, based in Hefei like JAC, will supply batteries to its EV models in China.

Woellenstein said Anhui province, where Hefei is located, will be Volkswagen's EV manufacturing hub in China. The Wolfsburg-based automaker has not changed its EV strategy in China after the global gasoline market tumbled, he said.

He added China's overall auto sales in the second half of this year will be level with same period last year. Volkswagen China's full-year sales will be lower than last year due to the sales loss in the first months.

Reuters exclusively reported on Wednesday that VW was in final talks to invest in the two companies.

China has set a target of 25% of 2025 annual vehicle sales to be made up of NEVs. More than 25 million vehicles were sold in China last year.

Story continues

Friday's moves also make Volkswagen the latest foreign automaker to increase ownership of operations in China since the government started to relax rules in 2018, with German peer BMW AG quick to take control of its main local venture.

Tesla last year became the first foreign automaker to wholly own a car plant in China.

Volkswagen also has ventures with state-owned China FAW Group Corp Ltd [SASACJ.UL] and SAIC Motor Corp Ltd.

Shares in both JAC and Guoxuan climbed their maximum daily limit of 10% on Friday morning. Volkswagen's shares fell 3%.

(Reporting by Yilei Sun, Julie Zhu and Brenda Goh; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell and David Evans)
LONDON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federation of St Kitts and Nevis has met the six criteria set by the World Health Organisation guiding whether to ease lockdown restrictions. The Caribbean twin islands have no more active COVID-19 cases, with all 15 recovered, and no related deaths. However Prime Minister Timothy Harris is in no rush to open the country's borders, though restrictions are being relaxed gradually. Meanwhile, foreign investors are showing more interest in applying for Citizenship by Investment (CBI) from St Kitts and Nevis.

According to the initial regulations lasting until June 13, incoming regular commercial flights have stopped, however emergency flights may be permitted subject to pre-approval from Air Ports Authorities. Health experts advised the government to continue keeping the borders closed for the time being.

"We have started in a managed way to open up our country from two days of relaxed operations, to four days of shopping in town, to five days of shopping in town, [and now for all] seven days, the country is open," said PM Harris in an online event on Wednesday. A few days earlier, Foreign Minister and Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley echoed the government's prudent approach. He said that "the health and safety of our people remains an urgent priority."

The Prime Minister also announced plans for more modern healthcare facilities on the islands to complement existing ones. "We, as we are speaking, have already negotiated for [a] brand new cardiac centre to be established at the Joseph N. France Hospital to deal with all the complications of heart care in St Kitts and Nevis," said PM Harris.

The cautious approach and easing of lockdown measures appears to have triggered more interest from foreign investors seeking second citizenship from St Kitts and Nevis. Les Khan, the CEO of the Federation's Citizenship by Investment Unit, explained for Arab News last week that "citizenship acts as an insurance policy." He believes that safety and travel flexibility are some of the main reasons for this. Moreover, he says that "people are looking for alternative lifestyles," asking "where else would you want to be other than in the Caribbean, on one of the finest islands?"

The fastest and safest way to obtain second citizenship from St Kitts and Nevis is the fund option, starting at US$150,000.

[email protected]

www.csglobalpartners.com

SOURCE CS Global Partners
It is noted that gross deficiencies and miscalculations were the reasons for such management decisions

The Chief of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Vinnytsia region Vinnytsia National Police department

The leadership of the National Police of Ukraine has decided to remove Yurii Pedos, the Chief of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Vinnytsia region, from office. This was reported on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

"Gross deficiencies and miscalculations made in the official activities and in the organization of operational units were the reasons for such management decisions," the statement said.

His deputy, the chief of the criminal police and the head of the operative service, was also removed from his posts.

As we reported earlier, an armed showdown took place in Brovary, Kyiv region, earlier this morning. According to the preliminary line of inquiry, a conflict broke between the entrepreneurs who perform passenger services and illegal carriers.

As of 10 a.m., law enforcers reported no victims, although the shooting occurred near a driveway where vehicles were driving, and people were passing by.

The officers of the National Police have detained new participants of the shooting. All the measures are being carried out under the procedural guidance of the Kyiv prosecutor's office.
More than 6 million kids, their parents and their teachers are waiting for word on what it will take for schools to safely reopen in the fall.

They didnt get it Friday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom was expected to release safety and health guidelines this week, but delayed that, saying state officials were still revising the document.

So far, the state has given guidance for reducing the risk of the coronavirus spreading to car dealerships, hair salons, hotels, public transit, shopping centers and more, but not schools.

A summary of the draft guidelines, obtained by The Chronicle, indicated school districts would need to keep students and staff 6 feet apart at all times, install hand-washing stations, and assess students and staff for virus symptoms, including taking temperatures.

The checklist also recommended lunch in classrooms, daily disinfecting, and face masks for teachers and for students if social distancing isnt possible.

Districts across the state are in the planning stages to determine how to operate under probable safety guidelines. San Francisco hopes to have a clear plan for in-class and distance learning options by mid-July.

Its a very anxious time for families, said Celia Jaffe, president of the California PTA. They are worried about sending children back to a group environment.

Yet even without the final document, education officials across the state have urged Newsom to address how schools will pay for all that and more given an expected $6.5 billion cut to public schools.

Reopening schools is integral to the future well-being of our students as well as restarting the economy, said Los Angeles Superintendent Austin Beutner and San Diego Superintendent Cindy Marten in a joint statement Friday. However, opening our schools will not be as easy as separating desks or placing pieces of tape on the floor.

Between the two school districts, there are 825,000 students and 90,000 employees, they said, adding all those individuals need protective equipment like masks that will have to be reconfigured. It all costs money, the two superintendents said.

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond said on Thursday hes urging Congress to build another stimulus package around schools, to help them get through the crisis.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

If that doesnt come, the only other way to add revenue would be for the state Legislature or voters to raise taxes.

The governor and his team are in a really tough spot, Thurmond said. We have to do the planning for how (reopening) would look and simultaneously pursue the revenue.

Members of the California Education Coalition, which includes organizations representing labor unions, administrators, school boards and parents, said Thursday that its becoming increasingly possible that schools will have to continue with 100% distance learning because they cant afford to reopen schools with the safety guidelines in place.

Newsom said the school reopening draft was going back and forth and did not give an idea of when it would be released.

He also declined to address how schools would be able to adhere to the checklist.

This is simply without precedent, he said. These cuts of this magnitude are being felt across the country.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
<! Dickson Akoh, National Commandant Peace Corps of Nigeria >

By Our Reporter

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Army, Sen. Ali Ndume, said he expects President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) bill when presented to him, the second time around.

Ndume raised hopes in Abuja on Thursday at the Peace Corps of Nigeria Founders Day and 22nd anniversary of the corps.

The senator said he was shocked when Buhari declined assent to the bill when it was first presented to him.

He said that before the presidents decline, the bill had gone through various processes, including public hearing as well as a robust discussion by experts.

I am confident that this time around, once the legislative process is completed, President Buhari will definitely assent to the bill, Ndume said.

President Buhari rejected the bill because he felt it was a duplication of security outfits.

Also speaking, Amb. Dickson Akoh, National Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, said the founders day anniversary celebration was a significant event for the organisation

He said that in spite of the daunting institutional and foundational challenges, the PCN had recorded monumental achievements.

Akoh said the PCN had transformed from being a handful of passionate youth organization in 1998 to a body with a membership of over 187,000 youths.

The national commandant said the organisation currently had well-structured branches in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

However, the celebration was observed under strict social distancing in compliance with set rules on preventing COVID-19.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  With New Mexico set to take another step toward fully reopening its beleaguered economy, state officials said Thursday they will launch an aggressive testing campaign aimed at limiting coronavirus outbreaks at workplaces statewide.

In addition, Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel said the state will step up testing of vulnerable populations as a way to monitor and quickly respond to outbreaks.

The ramped-up workplace testing, set to begin Monday, will focus on employees in restaurants, child care centers, prisons and hospitals and other health care facilities.

If we see one case in a business, thats an outbreak to us, Kunkel said during a Thursday news conference at the state Capitol that was broadcast online.

We are going to be strategically sampling them every week as our supplies and resources allow, she later added.

When positive cases are identified, the Department of Health will move quickly to make sure workplaces are disinfected and the infected employees are isolated, Kunkel said.

There have already been some virus outbreaks at New Mexico job sites, including 57 confirmed COVID-19 cases at a meatpacking plant in Sunland Park earlier this month.

Overall, New Mexico had performed more than 183,000 coronavirus tests, as of Thursday, since the states first confirmed case on March 11, according to DOH data.

The aggressive testing has propelled New Mexico toward the top of all states when it comes to COVID-19 testing per capita, though the state has not been immune to problems.

Some residents have complained about delays in getting test results and Human Services Department Secretary David Scrase said a recent shortage of testing swabs caused the states testing capacity to dip below 5,000 tests per day  the goal established by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration as one of its criteria for reopening businesses.

The state was running about 4,600 tests per day as of this week, but Kunkel said Thursday she hopes that figure can be more than doubled to about 10,000 tests daily.

This is to get ahead of the virus, Kunkel said.

In addition to workplaces, she also said testing will be expanded among Native American communities, residents of long-term care facilities, people in homeless shelters and other targeted populations.

While the state has expanded testing criteria to allow those without COVID-19 symptoms to get tested, Kunkel said testing will still have to be prioritized.

We still want to test people who are symptomatic first  they are at the front of the line, Kunkel said.

Meanwhile, the governor said during Thursdays news conference the goal is to identify and box in the virus before it spreads more widely.

Im not going to be satisfied  until we can test everyone and do it routinely, Lujan Grisham said.
Some of Europe's biggest airlines have announced plans of how they plan to take off again after the coronavirus grounded their entire fleets in March.

The companies' finances have been hit by the crisis and giants such as Air France and Lufthansa have asked for support from their respective governments to be able to keep operating. Meanwhile Easyjet has announced plans this week to reduce its staff by 30 per cent.

The "new normal", when it arrives, is going to be very different to the pre-coronavirus situation, with experts from the aviation industry saying that levels of 2019 will not be recovered before 2023.

Most airlines will be returning to work this summer with reduced operations, which will be stepped up gradually.

The airline operating the most flights at Malaga Airport before he crisis was Ryanair, which already announced that it would start flying to the Costa del Sol from 1 July. Its operations would be around 40% fewer than originally planned, but the airline has opted to keep as many different routes open as possible and reduce frequency. This summer Ryanair has said it will be operated some 1,000 flights a day around Europe, where pre-crisis its daily figure was 2,400.

Vueling is currently finalising its plans which it hopes to release over the next few days. Vueling is one of the few airlines that has continued running some flights from Malaga during the crisis, mainly to Barcelona and Bilbao.

Jet2.com, the fifth most important airline in terms of volume of passengers in Malaga before the crisis, has announced that flights will be resuming operations between the Costa del Sol and nine British airports from July. These are Leeds-Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, London Stansted, East Midlands, Belfast, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Margarita del Cid, CEO of Turismo Costa del Sol said this week that the number of internet searches for flights to the Costa del Sol had increased in May compared to last year, especially from Germany and Russia, and to a lesser extent, the rest of Spain.

"Over the coming weeks we'll have to see whether these searches turn into bookings," she said.

Meanwhile Malaga Airport is preparing to reopen in the "new normal".

Screens have already been installed at check-in desks and markers are being stuck to the floor near boarding gates to ensure social distancing.
European High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, is seen during a video press conference at the end of International Donors' Conference in Brussels, Belgium, on May 26, 2020. (Olivier Hoslet/Reuters)

EU Seeks Tougher China Policy, Concerned by Hong Kong Law

BRUSSELSEuropean Union foreign ministers agreed to toughen their strategy on China on May 29 to counter Beijings increasingly assertive diplomacy against a backdrop of concern about Chinas new security law for Hong Kong.

Amid European criticism of Beijings handling of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus outbreak, EU foreign ministers met via video link for their first discussion before two EU-China summits this year, one expected at the end of June and another in September.

We need and are ready to have an open and honest dialogue with China, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told a news conference after the meeting, where ministers expressed grave concern over Chinas plans to curtail freedoms in Hong Kong.

A protest against Beijings proposed National Security Law on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong on May 24, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images)

Theres a lack of progress on negotiations (on market access for European companies in China), said Borrell, who said the bloc would now prepare a new EU strategy document on China.

The EU is trying to find a middle path between U.S.-Chinese rivalry, but the bloc is also divided internally over China, with some countries benefiting from its largesse.

Three senior diplomats said there was increasing frustration with what the EU says is Beijings failure to make good on an April 2019 agreement that China reciprocate the broad market access that Chinese companies enjoy in Europe.

Next month, the European Commission, the EU executive, is expected to come forward with guidelines on ways for EU governments to potentially limit Chinas access to public tenders in Europe, seen as a way to pressure Beijing.

This week, German ambassadors told their counterparts at two separate meetings that host Germany could delay the summit between European Union leaders and Chinas President Xi Jinping in September because of the impasse in investment negotiations.

However, another EU diplomat said Berlin is working on hosting a summit in the town of Leipzig on Sept. 14. A German government spokesman declined to comment. Borrell said the Leipzig summit was still on the agenda.

By Robin Emmott

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
Thomas Beier misses his friends.

Every day, the 22-year-old asks his mother, Cathy Beier, to drive to Las Trampas, the developmental care facility in Lafayette where Thomas spent most of his days before the coronavirus shut down the state.

Its part of their new daily routine. Sometimes she takes him there so he can say hello to the administrators still working.

Weve all seen our routines zapped by the coronavirus, but whats it been like for people whose routines matter more than most? The isolation and loneliness were experiencing is intensely different for adults with disabilities such as Down syndrome and autism. Mapping and keeping a routine is essential for the development of social and life skills.

Theres a million aspects of having a social life that we all take for granted because, if anything, we have too much of them, Cathy Beier said. But for Thomas, Las Trampas is what provided that.

There are more than 350,000 Californians with intellectual or developmental disabilities, according to the California Department of Developmental Services. About 22,000 live in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, according to the Regional Center of the East Bay, which works with agencies to plan and coordinate services in both counties.

Las Trampas serves almost 60 people in its adult development program, the Monday-Friday day program Thomas Beier attends. Las Trampas also runs adult residential facilities. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are having a difficult time understanding why they have to stay home, Daniel Hogue, Las Trampas executive director, told me.

This has been a huge disruption to their routine, he said. For people with developmental disabilities, especially autism, routine is so highly important.

That routine of getting up every morning, getting ready, getting dressed and getting on to the bus, coming to day program, visiting with your friends, learning and then going back home has been totally disrupted.

In 2018, 42% of Regional Center of the East Bays clients had autism, and 14% had a severe or profound intellectual disability. And 76% lived at home with a parent or guardian.

Cathy Beier began keeping Thomas home on March 12. She easily remembers the date because its her birthday. Shes been a full-time caregiver since Thomas was born. And last year her husband, Thaddeus Beier, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. Shes caring for two people now.

I feel very safe knowing exactly where they both are all day, Cathy Beier said. They are as protected as I can make them, and thats very important to me.

But Thomas wants to return to Las Trampas. So do many others.

They are now stuck in a situation they dont want to be in, and many of them without really being able to understand why, which I think is the hardest thing, said Greg Simons, director of adult day program services at Las Trampas.

Lisa Kleinbub, Regional Center of the East Bay executive director, said the center is following county guidelines on reopening. But for places like Las Trampas, reopening goes beyond numbers and space. Some clients who cant socially distance on their own are going to need more personal space. Transportation also has to be considered. A little more than half of Las Trampas clients take public transportation.

Theres also concern about how Californias estimated $54 billion budget shortfall will impact the Department of Developmental Services, which faces tens of millions in cuts.

We all know that were in an economically bad situation, but I think among regional centers, among other advocates and service providers, were really focused on the federal legislators now in order to push for additional funds to come into the state because many of the cuts the state has proposed would go away if federal funding came in, Kleinbub said.

Theres one positive thats emerged from the pandemic, she said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

A lot of people that we work with have learned how to use a lot of technology that may make their lives in the future better, Kleinbub said.

If it wasnt for the Las Trampas Zoom classes, Bellinda Bluntachs not sure shed be able to get her son, Brennon Bluntach, out of bed. He lost the structure of getting up at 6:30 a.m. for the day program, and hed started going to bed late and sleeping into the afternoon. But now he gets up and logs into Zoom for the 9 a.m. class.

It put back the normalcy in our lives with the routine, said Bellinda, a single mother who works as aide in a preschool classroom for students with autism. When youre a parent of a special needs child, this is what you hope for.

I feel really lucky to not only be able to work with the kids, but also to have Brennon be a wonderful example of what can be done with the right interventions.

As we talked, I could hear Brennon, 22, playing the piano in the background.

As Brennons song ended, Bellinda told me to hold on as she clapped. Its part of their routine.

Bravo. Nice job. That was beautiful, she told Brennon.

To me, she said, If I didnt come in and clap, he would find me and say, Mom why didnt you clap?

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays and Thursdays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr
Mr Alex Segbefia, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) COVID-19 Technical Team has said any decision to lift the ongoing restriction would be premature.

He asked government to "watch and monitor" COVID-19 cases for sufficient data before lifting restrictions to contain the pandemic.

It's premature to lift the restrictions on social gathering. We should watch it. The reoccurrence rate is pretty high and even countries that recorded cases way earlier are still struggling with having to deal with the virus. If one person can infect about 600 people at a sector, it means the virus is highly infectious and therefore if not watched and monitored, we'll have problems, the former Minister of Health said.

There are speculations that government may relax restrictions on measures it instituted including ban on public gathering, religious activities and closure of all schools in the country aimed at preventing and containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Segbefia who led the NDC COVID-19 team to donate 30 sets of complete Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), 30 boots, 2,000 hand gloves and 100 pieces of locally produced nose masks to the Ketu South Municipal Health Directorate on behalf of former President and Flagbearer of the party, Mr John Dramani Mahama, said it was premature to lift the restrictions.

He admitted the country's death rate was low with an encouraging recovery rate but warned that there must not be room for complacency as that could lead to a problem of false security, endangering the health of many.

Mr Segbefia alleges that currently, there is no mass testing and there's a drop in number of contact tracing so, we're unable to get a better idea of how infected we are adding, I don't believe that the data we have is sufficient to be making certain decisions because if you make those decisions without getting full data from mass testing process, then you could be in difficulties tomorrow.

Mr Joseph Kwami Degley, Municipal Director of Health Services for Ketu South was grateful for the donation and said it would help the Municipality with the highest recorded cases of COVID 19 in the Volta region, to fight the virus.

---GNA
The Special Investigations Unit has terminated an investigation of an incident from last August when a Peel officer fired his gun at a shooting suspect driving a stolen police cruiser.

On Aug. 13, 2019, police were called to a home on Apple Blossom Circle near Mavis Road and Eglinton Avenue at around 2:30 p.m. after reports of a shooting following an argument between a man and a woman.

In a news release Friday, the SIU said that an officer located the man and chased him through neighbouring streets and a nearby park. The officer got into a physical altercation with the suspect but wasnt able to apprehend him. The man then jumped into the officers cruiser which was still running.

Although the officer attempted to use a stun gun to stop the man, the probes missed their mark and the suspect fled in the stolen police cruiser. As the cruiser sped away, the officer fired his handgun five times at the cruiser, the SIU said.

The SIU is the arms-length provincial agency tasked with investigating police actions that lead to serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault. The agencys mandate was invoked after blood was found in the cruiser after it had been abandoned by the suspect, leading investigators to believe that the man was seriously injured.

Peel police arrested the man on Nov. 14, 2019.

After the SIU determined that none of the officers bullets hit the man, the agency discontinued its investigation.

The blood in the cruiser was the result of a cut to the mans arm inflicted in the domestic incident that had prompted the call to police that same day. Accordingly, as the SIUs jurisdiction is not engaged, the investigation is hereby discontinued, and the file is closed, said SIU director Joseph Martino in a news release.

Michael Cleghorn, of no fixed address, was charged with attempted murder, assault, two counts of theft of motor vehicle and multiple firearm-related offences.

TY Tom Yun is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @thetomyun

Read more about:
Yet another stake through the dark-patterned heart of consentless online tracking. Following a key cookie consent ruling by Europe's top court last year, Germany's Federal Court (BGH) has today handed down its own 'Planet49' decision -- overturning an earlier appeal ruling when judges in a district court had allowed a pre-checked box to stand for consent.

That clearly now won't wash even in Germany, where there had been confusion over the interpretation of a local law which had suggested an opt-in for non-functional cookies might be legally valid in some scenarios. Instead, the federal court ruling aligns with last October's CJEU decision (which we reported on in detail here).

The 'Planet49' legal challenge was originally lodged by vzbz, a German consumer rights organization, which had complained about a lottery website, Planet49, that -- back in 2013 -- had required users to consent to the storage of cookies in order to play a promotional game. (Whereas EU law generally requires consent to be freely given and purpose limited if it's to be legally valid.)

In a statement today following the BGH's decision, board member Klaus Muller said: "This is a good judgment for consumers and their privacy. Internet users are again given more decision-making authority and transparency. So far, it has been common practice in this country for website providers to track, analyze, and market the interests and behaviors of users until they actively contradict them. This is no longer possible. If a website operator wants to screen his users, he must at least ask for permission beforehand. This clarification was long overdue."

In case brought by our  member @vzbv, Court confirms companies which use #cookies to track consumers' behaviour need to ask for prior informed consent. Pre-ticked boxes are not valid. Pending #ePrivacy Regulation must at least maintain this level of protection. #planet49 https://t.co/20NqWlN5rh  The Consumer Voice (@beuc) May 28, 2020

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Story continues

There is one looming wrinkle, however, in the shape of Europe's ePrivacy reform -- a piece of legislation which deals with online tracking. In recent years, European institutions have failed to reach agreement on an update to this -- with negotiations ongoing and lobbyists seeking ways to dilute Europe's strict consent standard.

Should any future reform of ePrivacy weaken the rules on tracking consent that could undo hard won progress to secure European citizens' rights, under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which deals with personal data more broadly.

vzbz's statement warns about this possibility, with the consumer rights group urging the EU to "ensure that the currently negotiated European ePrivacy Regulation does not weaken these strict regulations".

"We reject the Croatian Presidency's proposal to allow user tracking in the future on the legal basis of a balance of interests," added Muller. "The end devices of the consumers allow a deep insight into complex emotional, political and social aspects of a person. Protecting this privacy is a great asset. We therefore require tight and clear rules for user tracking for advertising purposes. This may only be permitted with consent or under strict conditions defined in the law."

In the meanwhile, there will be legal pressure on data controllers in German to clean up any fuzzy cookie notices to ensure they are complying with consent requirements.

"As the implementation of these new requirements are easily visible (and technically identifiable) on the website, incompliance bears a high risk of cease-and-desist and supervisory procedures," warns law firm TaylorWessing in a blog post commenting on the BGH decision.

Separately today, another long running legal challenge brought by vzbz against the social networking giant Facebook -- for allegedly failing to gain proper consent to process user data related to games hosted on its app platform, back in 2012 -- is set to get even longer after the BGH sought a referral on a legal question to Europe's top court.

The German federal court is seeking clarification on whether consumer protection organizations can bring a lawsuit before the country's civil courts seeking redress for data protection breaches. "This question is controversial in the case law of the instance courts and the legal literature," the court notes in a press release.

Luca Tosoni, a research fellow at the University of Oslos Norwegian Research Center for Computers and Law, told us that the referral likely relates to the court wanting to confirm whether, after the entry into force of the GDPR, Member State law may still allow NGOs to bring legal actions (such as actions for injunctions) on their own initiative and in the general public interest, without needing to show that the rights of at least one data subject have been breached in concreto.

"The EU Court of Justice has already addressed similar issues in the past. In particular, in Fashion ID, the Court found that EU data protection law did not preclude Member States from allowing NGOs to bring legal proceedings against controllers on their own initiative. However, the Court provided its answer on the basis of its interpretation of the Data Protection Directive, which contrary to the GDPR did not establish specific rules on collective actions. Thus, it may not be excluded that in this case the Court will come to a different conclusion," he added.

We reached out to Facebook for any response to the CJEU referral but the company declined to comment.

This report was updated with additional comment
The move appears to be more about politics than substance, Trump critics warned.

United States President Donald Trump has escalated his war on social media companies, signing an executive order on Thursday challenging the liability protections in US law that serve as a bedrock for unfettered speech on the internet.

The move followed Twitters decision to apply fact checks to two of his tweets about voting.

Trump said the fact checks were editorial decisions by Twitter and amounted to political activism. He said it should cost those companies their protection from lawsuits for what is posted on their platforms.

Trump and his allies, who rely heavily on Twitter to attack their foes, have long accused the tech giants of targeting conservatives on social media by fact-checking them or removing their posts.

Were fed up with it, Trump said, claiming the order would uphold freedom of speech.

Companies like Twitter and Facebook are granted liability protection under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act because they are treated as platforms, rather than publishers, which can face lawsuits over content.

What I think we can say is that wee going to regulate it, Trump said before signing it/

Twitter called the order a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law and said attempts to weaken Section 230 would threaten the future of online speech.

The order directs executive branch agencies to ask independent rule-making agencies including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to study whether they can place new regulations on the companies.

Jack Balkin, a constitutional law professor at Yale University said Trump, who is seeking a second term in November, is seeking to frighten, coerce, scare, cajole social media companies to leave him alone and not do what Twitter has just done to him.

Experts are doubtful that much could be done without an act of Congress although Trump has said he would push for legislative action as well.

A similar executive order was previously considered by the administration, but shelved over concerns that it could not pass legal muster and that it violated conservative principles on deregulation and free speech.

Plainly illegal

On Wednesday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted, Well continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally.

Dorsey added: This does not make us an arbiter of truth. Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves.

On the other hand, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Fox News his platform had a different policy, I think, than Twitter on this.

I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldnt be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online, he said.

A reporter takes a smartphone photo of Trump during a news conference at the Hanahan City Hall in Hanahan, South Carolina, the US [File: Richard Ellis/EPA]

The presidents critics, meanwhile, criticised the platforms for allowing him to put forth false or misleading information that could confuse voters.

Donald Trumps order is plainly illegal, said Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat and advocate for internet freedoms. He is desperately trying to steal for himself the power of the courts and Congress  all for the ability to spread unfiltered lies.

Trumps proposal has multiple, serious legal problems and is unlikely to survive a challenge, according to Matt Schruers, president of the Computer and Communications Industry Association, a Washington, DC-based organisation that represents computer and internet companies.

It would also seem to be an assault on the same online freedom that enabled social media platforms to flourish in the first place  and made them such an effective microphone for Trump and other politicians.

The irony that is lost here is that if these protections were to go away, social media services would be far more aggressive in moderating content and terminating accounts, Schruers said.
In I Confess, the final essay in Moyra Daveys new collection of prose pieces, Index Cards (2020), she recalls losing, as a child at school, a pencil given to her by her mother. Thinking it was stolen, she began to sob. Her teacher asked her: Pourquoi as-tu tant de peine pour un crayon? (Why so much grief over a pencil?) That question has remained with Davey, the New York-based artist, for 50 years. The anecdote  the triviality of the pencil, the pinprick of a particular line  is emblematic of her art, in which tension comes from small traumas and everyday talismans. Moving between video, photography and prose, Daveys work is bound by idiosyncratic references and quasi-dreamed connections. An acute chronicler of quotidian life, she is both the narrator and protagonist of her work. She paces her apartment hallways in her videos; she photographs the dust under her bed; she reads and writes restlessly, hoping to find what Walter Benjamin called the tiny spark of accident that will set off stray thoughts and images. Index Cards, which she wrote between 2003 to 2019, reads like a serial novel and distills Daveys methodology: Her art is rooted in finding a way to practice and is a record of its own creation.

Daveys work, beloved especially by artists and writers for its conceptual rigor and literary slant, acquired greater exposure with her 2007 survey Long Life Cool White at Harvards Fogg Art Museum, which brought together for the first time the full spectrum of her intimate scenes of domestic interiors. Its catalog is perhaps the most enduring, though not easy to find, contribution to this success. (The book is one of my preferred eBay searches.) A suite of important exhibitions  at Kunsthalle Basel in Switzerland (2010), Mumok in Vienna (2014), Bergen Kunsthall in Norway (2016) and Portikus in Frankfurt (2018)  followed from there.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought the entire world to a screeching halt.

With lockdowns, shutdowns, curfews, and stay-at-home orders in almost 200 countries afflicted by the disease, COVID-19 has resulted in the most number of shutdowns/lockdowns around the globe at any point in history.

Despite seeing much of its operations worldwide affected, Japanese car brand Nissan still managed to make gargantuan efforts in ensuring the protection of its global Nissan family and quickly adapting to the new normal.

Likewise, the Japanese automaker also launched initiatives to help governments and healthcare workers fight off the disease, by supplying specialized resources in the areas of manufacturing, transportation and manpower.

Nissan Japan: 3D printers and packing sheets

Nissan used its manufacturing capabilities in its home base in Japan to produce various personal protective equipment (PPEs) including face shields, medical gowns, and masks, and deliver them to medical institutions and local governments all over the world.

Using 3D printing  a tool Nissan normally applies in development design and prototyping  the company produced protective face shields for health care workers at R&D facilities and factories in Japan, the U.S., the U.K., Spain, South Africa and Mexico.

photo from nissan

Nissan employees have also come up with novel approaches to meet the surging demand for medical gowns  using packing sheets to make the gowns and developing a special trim jig tool to boost operating efficiency. The gown design was developed through five prototypes, based on doctors advice and requests from the government in Kanagawa, Japan, where Nissans headquarters is located.

Working with partners: Nissan Latin America, China, and Philippines

At Nissans powertrain plant in Barcelona, Spain, the company has begun producing ventilators for treating COVID-19 patients. Meanwhile in Brazil, engineers at Nissans Resende Plant have helped public and private entities repair ventilators through a partnership with other carmakers.

Story continues

photo from nissan

In China, Nissan and its partner Dongfeng Motor set up a production line to build machines for face mask production.

In the Philippines, Nissan dealer partners around the country conducted relief efforts for frontliners in the fight against the pandemic. Nissan Clark employees prepared and distributed 270 food packs with messages of gratitude to various frontline health workers in Pampanga City's major hospitals, while also donating PPEs to the provincial government.

Likewise, Nissan Tacloban has been distributing food for soldiers and police officers assigned at the checkpoints of Ormoc City and Tacloban City. The dealership, owned by the Chan Group of companies, also gave out food packs for medical professionals and hospital staff of various hospitals in Tacloban City.

Bridging the mobility gap: Nissan UK, Thailand, SA, and Philippines

Nissan UK initiated the Keeping Heroes Moving campaign to provide health care workers with free vehicles and provide solutions to their transportation and mobility issues.

Nissan Thailand, in partnership with the Red Cross, Nissan launched a caravan project to transport medical supplies and food to local communities, with Nissan employees serving as chauffeurs.

photo from nissan

Nissan South Africa, collaborated with a local university to support the governments COVID-19 screening program, using Nissan vehicles to transport the projects medical team.

In the Philippines, local car rental company affiliates offered free self-drive Nissan vehicle rentals of units such as Nissan Sylphy, Almera, and Urvan so healthcare workers and medical personnel can drive themselves to their respective health facilities.

As the pandemic evolves, Nissan is continuing to work with authorities and partners and adjusting its approach based on local conditions and government directives, Nissan said in a statement. The company and its employees continue to be inspired by the dedication of everyone involved in the effort and will continue to devote its energy to the fight against COVID-19.

Photos from Nissan Philippines

Also read:

Nissan to Highlight Omotenashi, Future of Mobility at CES 2020

Tis the Season to Be Leafy: Nissan Makes Christmas Tree out of Leaf EV
A County Derry paramedic has channelled her experience working on the front line of the Covid-19 pandemic into a painting to raise money for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland (AANI).

Emma McClughan hopes to raise over 2,000 from selling prints of her painting, which has captured the imagination of her friends and colleagues.

Her image captures the worry felt by the crews in the ambulance and on the Air Ambulance in the form of a guardian angel and hope is represented in the form of a rainbow.

The Magherafelt woman initially posted her painting on social media and was overwhelmed by the response and positivity of the comments, with people offering to buy the painting outright.

Having worked closely with the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), Emma decided to donate any money raised from the sale of the prints to Air Ambulance NI.

Breige Mulholland of AANI welcomed the donation and reiterated the importance of fundraising activities for the charity.

We are so touched that Emma has used her talents in such a heartfelt and positive way in recognition of all that NIAS and AANI do 365 days of the year, she said.

As a charity, we need to raise 2m a year to keep the HEMS operational. Due to the virus all fundraising events in aid of AANI have been axed and our community are no longer able to support in the usual ways.

Yet trauma incidents continue to occur, and public support is crucial. We thank Emma for her creativity and generosity.

NIAS Chief Executive, Michael Bloomfield, also praised Emmas generosity.

He said: The fact that Emmas first thoughts were that this should be sold to raise money for the Charity Air Ambulance speaks to her as a person.

It reflects a generosity of spirit which is so common among our young people and which is getting a chance to shine, like a rainbow, in these dark days.

I am constantly in awe of NIAS staff. Every day they give their all for patients and many go over and above what is expected of them.

They are all being asked to give more at this time and I am so proud of the manner in which they have risen to the challenge.

But over the past couple of months, we have all been lucky to have been given an insight into some of their other talents  musical, dancing, poetry and now artistry.

This image is one that has touched the hearts of many in the way in which it shows that we are all in this together and that there will be brighter days for us all to enjoy again.

Prints of Emmas painting can be purchased from the Air Ambulance website  www.airambulanceni.org.
Stringr, a NYC-based creator of an international on-demand video news service, raised $5.75m in funding.

The round, which has secured more than $7.25m in financing to date, was led by Thomson Reuters Ventures, as well as returning venture investors G5 Capital and Advection Growth Capital.

The company intends to use the funds to develop additional tools and technologies and to grow its network of professional videographers.

Founded in 2014 by Lindsay Stewart and Brian McNeill, who met at The Wharton School, Stringr is a comprehensive video news and content provider built on a proprietary, international network of more than 100,000 responsive videographers. Leveraging this network and its marketplace platform, the company provides broadcast-quality video and custom news packages to every major US market and the United Kingdom. In addition to its work in the news world, the company also launched its brand-focused video content development arm, Embed Studios, which leverages the videographer network to create brand and studio content. To date, the studio has produced work for Corcoran, Zillow, HBO Max, Amazon, Lightworkers, TikTok, Mastercard, United Way, and MGM, among others.

FinSMEs

29/05/2020
Ariel Winter just wrapped up 11 seasons as Alex Dunphy on the hit sitcom Modern Family when the series finale aired on April 8.

Now, with more time on her hands following the end of the show and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 22-year-old actress was spotted outside her studio in Los Angeles on Thursday.

And she made her grand arrival with beau and actor Luke Benward, whom she's been dating for about six months.

Work ready: Ariel Winter was spotted arriving at her studio in Los Angeles on Thursday

The couple arrived with Winter eagerly hopping out of the passenger's seat of Benward's car.

The Los Angeles native showed off her figure in tight skinny blue jeans and a pink T-shirt.

She rounded out her ensemble with white sneakers and wore her dyed ginger tresses long, with a center part, as she carried a stylish white purse.

Curvy: The Los Angeles native showed off her figure in tight skinny blue jeans and a pink t-shirt

On the go: The couple arrived with Winter eagerly hopping out of the passenger's seat and Benward holding some camera gear

Benward, who's best known for his role as Bo in the Netflix film Dumplin', appeared ready for a photoshoot from the looks of the camera stand he was carrying.

He kept it casual in dark blue pants with a multi-colored, Hawaiian-style shirt and white sneakers.

He also wore dark sunglasses and had his long brown hair pulled back off his face.

Close quarters: Winter has been in lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic with her beau

The couple were first seen cozying up together in public in early December 2019. She had previously been with longtime boyfriend Levi Meaden for about three years.

They have been in lockdown together since the coronavirus outbreak reached a fever pitch.

Over the last couple of days, the actress has been eating up some of her time in sequester baking things like cookies and muffins, as seen by some her most recent posts on her Instagram Story.
Mumbai: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Friday (May 30) ordered underworld don and former MLA Arun Gawli to surrender before the Nagpur Central prison in the next five days after getting a travel permit from the police. Gawali, who was released on parole for about 45 days due to the illness of his wife.

He was granted parole on March 13 to attend to his ailing wife Asha and was supposed to surrender on April 27, but his parole leave was extended for a period of seven days due to COVID-19 induced nationwide lockdown.

Earlier, his parole was first extended till May 10 and then it was further extended till May 24. Gawli then approached the HC seeking further extension of it till May 31, but the court refused to grant him more time and directed him to surrender at Taloja Prison in Navi Mumbai.

He, however, appealed to the court to further extend his parole citing the ground that he had not violated parole norms during this period.

The Nagpur Bench refused to extend his parole and ordered Gawli to surrender while clarifying that it will not accept any application on the extension of the parole.

Now, Arun Gawli has been ordered to surrender in the Nagpur Central Jail in the next five days. He needs to get permission from Mumbai Police to travel Nagpur within 24 hours, as he has to surrender in the next three days.

Arun Gawli, who lives in Dagdi Chawl in the Byculla area of central Mumbai, got elected from Chinchpokli Assembly constituency on Akhil Bharatiya Sena ticket in 2004.
People work at the office of a tech startup in Hanoi. Photo by Reuters/Kham.

Vietnam has moved up 13 places from last year to 59th in ranking of 100 economies with the best startup ecosystems.

"The ecosystem is mostly thriving due to the substantial market size of the Vietnamese economy, making the creation of successful local startups profitable even if they do not expand out of Vietnam," according to a report released this week by StartupBlink, a global comprehensive startup ecosystem map and research center.

The report ranked 100 countries and territories around the world based on three basic aspects  quantity, quality and business environment.

In terms of quantity, the number of startups, co-working spaces and startup accelerator events in a country are counted; the quality score measures the impact of an ecosystems start-ups based on several factors, including customer base, authority, website visits and valuations; the business environment assesses how easy it is to do business in a given location, based on technological infrastructure, bureaucracy and red tape.

However, to become a true regional and global hub, Vietnam will have to generate innovations with global impact, the report added.

Vietnam plans to have at least 10 unicorns by 2030, according to its Ministry of Planning and Investment. Unicorn is defined as a privately-owned startup company worth at least $1 billion.

Total investment in Vietnamese tech startups last year reached $741 million, second in Southeast Asia after Singapore, according to Singapore-based venture capital firm Cento Ventures.

The Vietnamese government in recent years has encouraged entrepreneurship and said it wants the private sector to drive economic growth.

Despite Vietnams improved performance, it remained behind several Southeast Asian peers like Singapore (16), Malaysia (48), Thailand (50), the Philippines (53) and Indonesia (54).

The U.S. topped the list as the country with the best startup ecosystem, followed by the U.K. and Israel.

StartupBlink also ranked 1,000 cities around the world in terms of the strength of startups ecosystem. In Vietnam, the two largest cities, Hanoi and HCMC, figured in the ranking.

Hanoi jumped 33 places from last year to 196th position while HCMC made its debut at 225.
A gang of monkeys reportedly attacked a laboratory worker and ran off with coronavirus blood samples.

The animals are said to have targeted the technician as he walked through the campus of Meerut medical college in Meerut, in Uttar Pradesh state, on Friday.

The group managed to snatch the blood samples of four patients, who have tested positive for Covid-19, before fleeing.

Video footage shared on Twitter shows a monkey sitting in a tree with what appears to be one of the stolen kits.

The animal can be seeing dropping something, which looks to be a white disposable glove, to the ground before chewing on another.

Authorities have said it is not known whether the monkeys have spilled the blood samples. However, people living near the campus fear the virus could be spread to nearby residential areas.

Dr S K Garg, a top official at the college, said: Monkeys grabbed and fled with the blood samples of four Covid-19 patients who are undergoing treatment ... we had to take their blood samples again.

He added that it was unclear whether the monkeys could contract the novel coronavirus if they came into contact with infected blood.

No evidence has been found that monkeys can contract the infection, he said.

The virus is believed to have jumped from animals into people in a wildlife market in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

India has had 165,799 cases of the coronavirus and 4,706 deaths.

Monkeys have been increasingly straying into human settlements in India and causing disturbances, even attacking people.

Environmentalists say the destruction of natural habitat is the main reason the animals move into urban areas in search of food.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Advertisement

Like Cinderella, Emily Appleton dreamed of going to the ball and dancing with her Prince Charming. But the coronavirus spoiled everything.

Now, all the high school senior from South Shore, Massachusetts, can do is stare at the dark blue prom dress hanging in her bedroom since December, and commiserate by phone with schoolmates who are also facing an uncertain future during the pandemic.

An outdoor photo shoot by a Reuters photographer this month did at least give her and her friends a chance to dress up and pose for the camera.

Milestone moment: A group of teenagers in Massachusetts, including Lauren Copeland, Elizabeth Toomey, Camille Steiger and Ruby Roberts, gathered together in this month to pose for prom pictures after their high school dance was canceled

Getting ready: The teens, from Dana Hall School, wore face masks for the shoot, after getting dolled up in the ensembles they had planned to wear for their milestone dance

Coming together: Seniors from several different high schools, including Ursuline Academy and Boston Latin School, came together for the heartwarming photoshoot

'It's definitely bittersweet,' said Appleton, 17, a state swimming champion bound for college in the fall.

The high school prom - short for promenade dance - is an American rite of passage, usually held in April through June before graduation.

Plans for the event can be as elaborate as weddings, with dresses bought months in advance, stylists organized to fix hair and makeup, and limousines hired to take the partygoers to the party.

But prom plans were dashed for many of the seniors of 2020, including those in Massachusetts, where schools shut down in mid-March, leaving many students without the opportunity to celebrate their final few months together with friends.

As yet, state officials have not released a date for when schools might reopen, but Jeff Riley, the Massachusetts commissioner of elementary and secondary education, said on Tuesday: 'We are working to have schools up and running in the fall with appropriate safety protocols.'

For graduating seniors however, the opportunity to enjoy a last high school hurrah together was lost - which is why they felt it was so important to come together to mark the milestone moment as best they could.

Difficult: Emily Appleton (center) from Cohasset High School admitted that ending this phase of their lives in such a bizarre fashion was 'bittersweet', and the teens were grateful for the chance to mark the milestone

Dolled up! The girls all got ready together - as they would have done in anticipation for the dance

There they go! Many teenagers, including Caroline Afonso, MK Rusnock, and Maeve O'Toole, now face an uncertain future - with some not sure whether they should prepare to head to college in the fall

Protection: Mila Contreras-Godfrey, from Beaver Country Day School, donned a green strapless dress for her photoshoot, pairing it with a pink fabric fave mask and a gold arm bangle

Boston high schoolers and best friends Lucie Mareira and Shea Mikalauskis showed up to the photo shoot in long slinky dresses, their hair tied up. Instead of high heels, they wore practical flip flops to trek around Ponkapoag Pond in Canton.

'It was a relief to get it off our shoulders, and not feel the constant sadness of not having a prom, to know others felt the same way,' said Mareira.

'By doing the photo shoot we're helping other people by saying we're going through it too,' said Mikalauskis, an aspiring nurse.

The teenagers said they were getting through the dull hours of 24-7 lockdown by exercising, baking, journaling or chatting.

'Everyday feels like Sunday' was a common refrain.

Inventive: Although the high school seniors didn't get the chance to enjoy their dance, they made sure that their dresses did not go to waste

Coming together: Schools in Massachusetts shut down in mid-March, meaning that seniors didn't have the chance to enjoy their final few months as a group

Scenic: The teenagers chose several scenic locations near their homes in order to make sure that they would have memories to treasure forever

What lies ahead: Massachusetts officials are currently working on a plan to reopen schools in time for the start of the fall semester however as yet there is no specific date in place - and for these high school seniors it won't matter

Something special: Maeve O'Toole and Thomas Stone posed together for sweet snaps, but both wore face masks in order to ensure they stayed safe

'Surreal,' said Melina Bertsekas, from Lexington. 'I'm still kind of in denial.'

Caroline Afonso, however, admits that she was relieved when the milestone event was canceled.

'The drama around prom is so stupid. The actual prom is boring,' said the Dedham teen.

With little certainty about how or if colleges will reopen in the fall, teenagers are stuck with few options. Paying high tuition fees for online classes makes little sense - but neither does taking a gap year to stay at home.

But lessons from the lockdown are gems.

'You learn who your real friends are,' said 18-year-old Lauren Norton.

Artistic! Some of the seniors, including Mila (left) and Lauren Norton (right), got creative with their prom shoots

Dramatic: Gwyn McLear, a graduating senior from Beaver Country Day School, went for a natural look when it came to her personal portrait

Styling it out: Many of the teens, including Shea Mikalauskis (left) and Lucie Mareira (right), featured face masks in their photos in a nod to the shocking circumstances that clouded their final few months of high school

Sensible: Some of the teens wore heels, but many chose to go with flip flops and Crocs so they could better navigate their outdoor environment

Party! Despite the sad circumstances surrounding their final few weeks as high school seniors, the teenagers all say they are determined to remain positive

Strike a pose: Medway High School students Caroline Dickie, Aoife Bergeron, Olivia Dennehey, and Lauren Norton posed near a lake close to their homes

Sensible: Best friends Lucie Mareira and Shea Mikalauskis showed up to the photo shoot in long slinky dresses with their hair tied up. But instead of high heels, they wore practical flip flops to trek around Ponkapoag Pond in Canton

Water works: Each of the teenagers had the chance to pose for an individual portrait
Press Release

May 29, 2020 Pia bats for 'hospital loops': Let's prioritize bike lanes to protect frontliners Senator Pia S. Cayetano is supporting a proposal that would prioritize the establishment of pop-up bicycle lanes and emergency pathways in roads connecting to hospitals, which will serve as safety loops for healthcare workers and frontliners reporting for work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking conducted a hearing on Thursday (May 28) to discuss proposals seeking to promote sustainable modes of transportation in the country, including biking, walking, and non-motorized transportation or NMTs. Dr. Antonio Dans, a professor at the University of the Philippines' College of Medicine, made an appeal to government agencies to prioritize building a "loop" of bikeway systems that would link roads along several hospitals in Metro Manila. "My appeal is when we build these loops [of safe pathways], we think of our healthcare workers," Dr. Dans said, noting that healthcare workers are in a "special situation" since they need to practice more safety precautions and social distancing measures in the time of COVID-19. "Since we are [already] thinking about how to build these [bike lanes and walkways], maybe we can start in areas near hospitals to improve frontliners' access [to their places of work]," he added. The proposal seeks to benefit frontliners working in four hospitals in Manila: the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) along Taft Ave., the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center along Quirino Ave., and the Manila Doctors Hospital and Manila Medical Center, both along United Nations Ave. The six-kilometer loop shall serve as a "safe haven" to ensure frontliners' safety while going to work on their bikes. Dr. Dans said nearly a quarter of PGH's hospital staff have requested for bicycles as their access to work had been limited due to the cancellation of public transport. "We hope that our policymakers, the local government units (LGUs), and even officials at the executive branch, would give us this option to get to work safely during the COVID-19 crisis and after," he said. Cayetano, for her part, expressed her full support for the proposal, stressing that priority should really be given to initiatives that would ensure the safety of all frontliners who are leading our fight against the virus. "We need to protect the people that protect us. I want to help address this need to establish safe pathways for our frontline workers," she stated, adding that similar hospital loops can be allotted in areas with a big concentration of hospitals like Quezon City. It should be recalled that last month, Dr. Maria Teresa Dajao, a medical officer of the Manila city government, was killed after she was hit by a truck while biking home from frontline duty. Cayetano recently filed Senate Bill No. 1518 or the "Safe Pathways Act," which shall create a network of pop-up bike lanes and emergency pathways to connect people to essential destinations during the pandemic, all while ensuring that physical distancing is maintained. She earlier said that the bill's primary objective is to provide safe spaces and priority lanes for frontliners going to work through biking or walking. Some of these pathways may even directly lead to hospitals, Cayetano had earlier explained. "We want to be able to protect all of our frontliners; even the hospital staff exposed to admin work and cleaning services, the security personnel, the barangays workers, and so on. We need to keep finding ways to keep them all safe, which also means keeping our roads safe for them to travel on," the senator said. Apart from her legislative work, Cayetano had started the Pilipinas In Action initiative, which recently launched the "Buy A Bike" project where donors can pledge for bicycle sets to be donated to COVID-19 workers. The initiative was able to donate bikes to PGH staff, in coordination with Dr. Dans. Meanwhile, the senator also commended the PGH for its plan to construct its own bike parking lot for employees. "We really have to be able to promote these sustainable modes of transportation in the country with the right infrastructure. We should seize this moment brought about by the crisis to foster this change now," said Cayetano, who is also the principal author of the National Bicycle Act (SBN 285), and the Sustainable Transportation Act (SBN 66).
KOLKATA: In a major breakthrough, the Kolkata Polices Special Task Force arrested Bangladesh-based terror group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladeshs top commander Abdul Karim alias Boro Abdul Karim.

Karim was arrested from the Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

Karim, considered the second topmost leader in JMB in India after the organisations chief - Salauddin Salehin, was arrested by the STF along with local police from Murshidabad district of West Bengal. With his arrest, the top three JMB leadership in India has now been reduced to 2.

Wanted by Bangladeshi authorities, the National Investing Agency and the West Bengal Police, Karim will be produced before a local court on Friday during which the police will seek his custody for interrogation.

''This is to inform you that one Abdul Karim alias Boro Karim wanted in a W/A issued in c/w STF PS case no. 8/2017 dated 29.11.2017 has been arrested this morning from Suti PS area, Jangipur District Police with the assistance of local police,'' the STF said.

Abdul Karim was the main leader of the Dhuliyan module and would actively supply logistics and support, shelter to top leaders like Saleuddin. His name was also mentioned as the main operative by the JMB terrorists arrested in Bangladesh during their interrogation.

"In 2018, we have seized a substantial quantity of explosives and jihadi material from his house during a sudden raid but he escaped and we had been trying to arrest him since,'' the Kolkata STF said.

Terror outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) is allegedly involved in several terror-related incidents in the country including blasts in Bihar's Gaya and Burdwan in West Bengal.

The NIA had collected credible evidence suggesting that JMB was responsible for the 2104 Burdwan bomb blast in which two suspected terrorists were killed, and for series of bomb blasts in Gaya in 2013 in which several monks and visitors were injured.

A Home Ministry report had stated that it had received some inputs of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh using some madrassas in Burdwan and Murshidabad for radicalisation and recruitment activities.
Deborra-lee Furness has graced the cover of an Australian magazine, and she looks hardly recognisable.

The 64-year-old wife of Hugh Jackman fronts this weekend's Stellar magazine, which comes out on Sunday.

Some Twitter users have said the photo is too airbrushed, but others insist the actress and producer looks great.

What a difference! Deborra-lee Furness has graced the cover of an Australian magazine, and she looks hardly recognisable. Pictured left: on the cover of this weekend's Stellar magazine, and right: at the 2020 AAA Arts Awards in New York City in January

'She's a gorgeous woman el natural, why the ridiculous fuzzy photo manipulation?' one fan tweeted.

Several others praised her appearance on the cover, however, describing the image as 'lovely' and 'gorgeous'.

'What a lovely photo. So full of expectant emotions. A great example to all celebrities is Deborra-lee, she is so much more than her wonderful portrayals,' one supporter wrote.

Deborra-lee appears remarkably polished on the cover, which features a close-up photo of the Correlli star.

Opinions: Some Twitter users have said the photo is too airbrushed, but others insist the actress and producer looks great. Pictured: Deborra-lee in New York City in March 2019

'She's a gorgeous woman... why the ridiculous fuzzy photo manipulation?' one fan tweeted

Her skin looks smooth and softly focused, and the bright lighting illuminates her lips and green eyes.

The front page was posted to Stellar's Instagram page on Thursday ahead of the issue's release.

'SNEAK PEEK: Deborra-lee Furness stars on the cover of this Sunday's Stellar, inside The Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Herald Sun,' they captioned the photo.

Support: Several others praised her appearance on the cover, however, describing the image as 'lovely' and 'gorgeous'

Lucky lady! Deborra-lee is the wife of Australian actor and musical theatre star Hugh Jackman

During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last month, Hugh revealed his wife had once turned down an offer to party with Mick Jagger so she could spend time with him when they first started dating.

The X-Men star, 51, said it happened at the very start of their relationship. He had invited Deborra-lee to his home in Melbourne for a dinner party when a friend called and said she was outside in a limo with the Rolling Stones frontman.

Hugh said he was expecting Deborra-lee to leave and go to the party, but he was pleasantly surprised when she stayed.

They said 'I do' not long after, and are still happily married 24 years later.
Like many Bollywood actors, Shahid Kapoor isnt a stranger to the world of fast, luxurious and exclusive cars. The 39-year-old performer owns several European brands from Jaguar to Mercedes-Benz and Range Rover, although after a 10-year long tryst with his 2010 Vogue S, the car is finally on the market for grabs.

In this video by Fahad Munshi of Lucky Motors in Santacruz, Mumbai, were shown a thorough walkaround of the vehicle on sale, alongside a Hummer H3.

In 2009, Land Rover offered only two engine options in the Range Rover in India. This Vogue S variant came powered by the highly acclaimed LR-TDV8 diesel engine that generates a maximum power of 271 Bhp. The British SUV was, at its time, one of the most sought-after luxury 4x4 vehicles in the world.

 Range Rover

This was true, especially in India. Shahid Kapoor was the first person to get the delivery of the 2010 Land Rover Range Rover in the country, which is why he received the keys at a special event from none other than Ratan Tata, who acquired the brand (along with Jaguar) from Ford Motors in 2008.

 BCCL

The car also carries a 700 VIP registration number on the plate, and it seems like Shahid has customised the SUV with an all-black theme, rounded off with blacked-out headlamps.

 Youtube/Lucky Motors

While some may think that the asking price of Rs 40 lakh is unreasonable for a ten-year-old vehicle, Shahids Range Rover has just barely 37,000 kilometres on it, which is very reasonable for a car of this age.

 Cartoq

Add to that the VIP plates, impeccable condition and of course, bragging rights and youve got a pretty unique car on your hands.
An interception plan has been introduced in the Kyiv region due to a shootout that took place on the morning of May 29 in Brovary, the press service of Ukraine's Interior Ministry has said.

"Kyiv regional police are conducting a set of operational and investigative measures to identify and detain the participants in the incident. Now 11 people have been detained. Two people were injured. They were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds," the Facebook message said.

As reported, on Friday, May 29, at about 07.15, the police of the Kiev region received a report of a shooting of unknown persons. Some of the participants were detained by police at the scene.

"Persons who arrived from other regions of Ukraine were detained," police said.

According to the preliminary reports, there was a conflict between entrepreneurs who are engaged in illegal passenger and cargo transportation.

Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko said three participants in the shootout were wounded by traumatic weapons.
A climate change group linked to the youth organisations of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Left Party and the Greens, who govern together in the city-state of Berlin, are being spied on by the secret service. This is according to the report of the Berlin Office for the Protection of the Constitution, as the secret service is called, which was presented to the public by Interior Senator (police minister) Andreas Geisel (SPD) on May 19.

The report classifies the climate change movement Ende Gelande (End of the Road), which has organized several mass protests against opencast lignite mining, as left-wing extremist. This means that the movement, and thus indirectly also the Jusos (Young Socialists), Green Youth and Left Youth Solid, who work with it, are all being monitored by the secret service.

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution accuses Ende Gelande of using the methods of civil disobedience, of evaluating police measures against it as repression, of linking climate protection with the thematic fields of anti-capitalism and anti-fascism, of aggravating the climate crisis to a crisis of the political system and of attempting to monopolize and radicalize themostly youngclimate activists.

In other words, the Berlin state branch of the secret service (Verfassungsschutz) describes the movement as left-wing extremist because it combines climate protection with criticism of capitalism, state institutions and the prevailing politics and because it seeks to win young people to its aims. The secret service is thus not defending the constitution, which explicitly protects such political activities, but the interests of a privileged elite that sees every form of criticism and opposition as a threat to its rule.

By denouncing anti-capitalist and anti-fascist endeavours as left-wing extremist, the secret service is preparing a ban on socialist organisations in the tradition of Bismarck and Hitler.

The Union of Values, an association of right-wing Christian Democrat (CDU/CSU) members, has already called for a nationwide ban on Ende Gelande. Its most prominent spokesman, Hans-Georg Maassen, has explicitly welcomed the classification of Ende Gelande as left-wing extremist and demanded that the Green Youth be checked for anti-constitutional aspirations as well. He justified this with the argument, Anyone who shows solidarity with extremist groups should at least be listed as a suspect case.

Maassen was President of the Federal secret service from 2012 to 2018. He was sent into early retirement because he had supported a right-wing extremist demonstration in Chemnitz.

The federal executives of Green Youth, Left Youth Solid and Jusos have published a joint statement condemning the citing of Ende Gelande in the Berlin secret service report. They are proud to stand up for a planet worth living on together with Ende Gelande, they write.

They accuse the Verfassungsschutz of evaluating climate activists as extremist, while fascist networks are acting more and more self-confidently and almost undisturbed, conspiracy theories are gaining more and more support and right-wing terrorists are murdering people, as in Hanau and Halle. This is shameful and shows that the analyses of the Verfassungsschutz are fundamentally wrong. The latter once again confused anti-capitalism with antidemocracy and equated democracy and capitalism.

The youth organisations of the SPD, Greens and Left Party demand consequences  The Office for the Protection of the Constitution is not in a position to take up the necessary work in the fight against right-wing terrorist cells. It must be abolished.

This demand is correct, but the parties to which the three youth organizations are affiliated will never carry it out.

The SPD reacted to the statement by fully supporting the domestic intelligence agency. Andreas Geisel, Berlins Interior Senator, who oversees the matter, praised the secret service report for its carefully differentiated presentation. Member of the state parliament Tom Schreiber, who is responsible for secret service issues in the Berlin SPD state parliamentary group, ranted that the naive contributions to the debate on the abolition of the authority bordered more on political bullying and political carnival than on serious contributions to the discussion.

The Left Party and the Greens were somewhat more critical, but they too categorically reject the dissolution of the Verfassungsschutz. Even in Thuringia, where Left Party leader Bodo Ramelow is the state premier, the secret service has not been disbanded, even though it was directly involved in setting up the neo-Nazi National Socialist Underground (NSU) terrorist network and kept Ramelow himself under observation for years.

The reason for this is not difficult to understand. The Left Party, like the SPD and the Greens, defends the capitalist order and the property relations on which it is based. The more the opposition to capitalism growsa development that is being greatly accelerated by the coronavirus crisisthe more openly the establishment parties resort to censorship, state repression and right-wing extremism to intimidate and suppress this opposition.

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution plays an important role in this. It is a central component of the right-wing conspiracy. It actively participates in the development of right-wing extremist parties and organizations. For example, the leadership of the far-right German National Party (NPD) was so strongly penetrated with police Confidential Informants (CI) that the Federal Constitutional Court refused to ban the neo-Nazi party in 2003 because of a lack of distance from the state.

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution also had a narrow network of CIs around the terrorist network responsible for the NSU murders and the murder of Kassels district president Walter Lubcke, people who are still being covered up and protected today. As President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Hans-Georg Maassen had also met several times with high-ranking representatives of the extreme right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to advise them how to avoid being classified as right-wing extremists.

Two years ago, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classified the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) as left-wing extremist, justifying this exclusively because the SGP advocated a socialist programme and criticised capitalism. When the SGP filed a legal complaint against this, the Verfassungsschutz responded with an inflammatory diatribe against Marxism and every form of socialist, left-wing, and progressive thinking.

The legal response, written by a large law firm, did not accuse the SGP of illegal activities but justified its persecution based on its view of society, its Marxist stance on history, its political analyses and its socialist objectives. For example, the lawyers of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution declared that arguing for a democratic, egalitarian, socialist society ran contrary to the central values of the Basic Law (the German Constitution).

The SGP declared at the time, With its attack on the SGP, this criminal government agency wants to set a precedent for a new kind of legal prosecution of thought crimes that would provide the basis for the prosecution of anyone who criticises the current reactionary social and political situation. The SGP warned, If the right-wing conspiracy in the state apparatus is not stopped and the SGP is not defended, the dam will be broken for even more far-reaching measures. This has now been confirmed.

At that time, we appealed to all those who want to defend democratic rights and oppose the growth of the right: Protest against the attack of the Verfassungsschutz and defend the SGP. We demanded, the Verfassungsschutz cease the surveillance of the SGP and all other left-wing organizations and that this right-wing hotbed of anti-democratic conspiracies be dissolved.

The SGP reiterates its demand for the dissolution of the Verfassungsschutz and advocates that Ende Gelande be removed from the report of the Berlin secret service.
The chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee on Friday emphasized full recognition of the importance of the Anti-Secession Law, and called for strongly opposing "Taiwan independence" and firmly progressing toward China's reunification.

Li Zhanshu, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks while addressing a symposium at the Great Hall of the People to mark the 15th anniversary of the implementation of the Anti-Secession Law.

He called the law an important part of the systems and institutions meant to uphold the "one country, two systems" and promote China's peaceful reunification. Li said the law is an important rule backing efforts to fulfil the political responsibility and mission of opposing "Taiwan independence" and promoting reunification.

Since its implementation 15 years ago, the Anti-Secession Law has provided a solid legal guarantee for safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and promoting cross-Strait ties, Li added.

For some time, separatist forces advocating "Taiwan independence" have misjudged the situation and continued their provocation, Li said.

They have seriously endangered the vital interests of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, seriously undermined cross-Strait peace and stability, and seriously challenged the bottom line for protecting China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said, stressing determined steps to contain and combat such acts.

"The historical and legal fact that Taiwan is part of China can never be changed, no matter how they and foreign forces collude and present their show," Li said. "'Taiwan independence' is a path to nowhere," he added.

The senior leader urged people on both sides to join hands to oppose "Taiwan independence" and pursue China's reunification.

Always caring about the interests and wellbeing of Taiwan compatriots, the CPC and the state are working to create conditions for cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, Li said.

Rejecting foreign interference, Li said resolving the Taiwan question and achieving national reunification are part of China's internal affairs.

"The concept of 'peaceful reunification and one country, two systems' is the best approach to realizing national reunification," Li stressed, adding that sticking to the one-China principle is the foundation for achieving China's peaceful reunification.

"We are willing to create vast space for peaceful reunification, but we will definitely not leave any room for separatist activities aimed at 'Taiwan independence' in any form," he said.
Meier Tobler Group AG (VTX:MTG), which is in the machinery business, and is based in Switzerland, received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the SWX over the last few months, increasing to CHF17.10 at one point, and dropping to the lows of CHF9.70. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Meier Tobler Group's current trading price of CHF10.60 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Meier Tobler Groups outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

See our latest analysis for Meier Tobler Group

Is Meier Tobler Group still cheap?

Good news, investors! Meier Tobler Group is still a bargain right now. My valuation model shows that the intrinsic value for the stock is CHF14.55, but it is currently trading at CHF10.60 on the share market, meaning that there is still an opportunity to buy now. Whats more interesting is that, Meier Tobler Groups share price is theoretically quite stable, which could mean two things: firstly, it may take the share price a while to move to its intrinsic value, and secondly, there may be less chances to buy low in the future once it reaches that value. This is because the stock is less volatile than the wider market given its low beta.

What does the future of Meier Tobler Group look like?

SWX:MTG Past and Future Earnings May 29th 2020

Future outlook is an important aspect when youre looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Although value investors would argue that its the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. Meier Tobler Groups earnings over the next few years are expected to double, indicating a very optimistic future ahead. This should lead to stronger cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

Story continues

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? Since MTG is currently undervalued, it may be a great time to accumulate more of your holdings in the stock. With an optimistic outlook on the horizon, it seems like this growth has not yet been fully factored into the share price. However, there are also other factors such as financial health to consider, which could explain the current undervaluation.

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on MTG for a while, now might be the time to make a leap. Its prosperous future outlook isnt fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means its not too late to buy MTG. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to make a well-informed buy.

Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters  the fundamentals  before you make a decision on Meier Tobler Group. You can find everything you need to know about Meier Tobler Group in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Meier Tobler Group, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
The words from J.K. Rowlings magical world have magicked their way into our hearts and how! The 7-part Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowlings most famous work to date, has been touted to be a childrens books. However, it is wrong to assume that one of the most-loved authors in the world today, wrote only for children. A large part of the content in the Potter books is layered and dark - something you would probably understand through empathy, personal experiences or learnings from around you.

The books, followed by the movies, have marked a cultural phenomenon, and Potterheads whove pretty much grown up reading the books have a lot to owe to the material, from flights of fancy, giving wings to imagination, and also for enhancing our vocabulary in many ways.

Eddie Redmayne reads Chapter 3 from Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.

As part of the Harry Potter at Home initiative, popular names such as Daniel Radcliffe, Noma Dumezweni, Eddie Redmayne, Stephen Fry, Simon Callow, Bonnie Wright, Evanna Lynch, Jamie Parker and Oscar-winning actor Olivia Colman have been roped in to read the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, streaming on Spotify and Spotify Kids (exclusively available to Premium Family subscribers in select markets), for an audio-only experience for fans across ages. Each chapter is accompanied by a Chapter Challenge, where readers can earn house points as part of a secret quest. Videos of those recordings are solely being hosted on Wizarding World.

Surprise! We've got a treat for youFrom today, amazing friends of the Wizarding World are going to take turns reading Harry Potter book one.



And to start us off with Chapter 1, we think youll agree we have the perfect narrator... #HarryPotterAtHome

https://t.co/w9K77akbou pic.twitter.com/Q03PmjeD5d  Wizarding World (@wizardingworld) May 5, 2020

As a special addition to the virtual initiative, Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt is a part of the latest chapter (Chapter Eight) of this riddikulus-ly cool podcast. Joining Alia in the episode is a unique cameo by two rather special guests, Alec Baldwin and his daughter Carmen, also an avid Potterhead. This episode introduces listeners to Professor Snape, the Potions teacher who has his reasons for not liking Harry Potter at all, the heartbreaking truth being revealed at fag-end of the stories. All HP fans would agree how this revelation is always heart-wrenching.

Alia took to Instagram and shared a photograph where she is seen reading the Harry Potter adventure, which she captioned: Magic is all around us, we just have to feel it... or read it!! Coming VERY soon.

Alia also shared a video of herself reading a few lines from chapter eight of the book. The video was titled Harry Potter At Home. Chapter Eight With Alia Bhatt and Alec Baldwin.

The actor captioned the video: Two months ago Harry, Hogwarts, and the wizarding world walked into my life and almost immediately, in my heart. Somehow, when I was younger life always intervened and I never quite got around to befriending the books. But. Just like magic, two months ago, I did. And, just like magic, I was asked to be a part of Harry Potter at Home. 10 million points to Gryffindor! 

The much-loved author of the books, J.K. Rowling also made a surprise announcement for fans recently of a new book named The Ickabog, which she will be publishing for free on her website. The author has released upto chapter 10 today and has been interacting with her fans and followers on her official Twitter handle where shes also retweeting sketches of Ickabog sent to her.

According to bbc.com, The Ickabog is Rowlings first childrens story not associated with Harry Potter. She wrote it over a decade ago for her children and has now dusted it off. The author said its for children on lockdown, or even those back at school during these strange, unsettling times, the website added.

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
As of May 29, 2020, COVID-19 has killed over 104,000 people in the United States and 362,000 worldwide. It is primarily spread through close contact with infected people, and infected people do not always display symptoms, meaning anyone can easily spread the disease to people who will later die without ever showing symptoms themselves.

Most people realize now that the best way to mitigate the mortality rate is to stay home, but despite that, some will travel for personal or professional reasons. Dr. Kristina Angelo, an infectious disease specialist at the Center for Disease Control, offered the following bits of advice on that front.

Ask yourself these tough questions before traveling

To be absolutely clear, there is no such thing as safe travel during this pandemic. You are putting your life, and other people's lives, at risk, no matter what precautions you take. If you must, or choose, to take that calculated risk, the CDC has provided a rigorous checklist that anyone can use to help determine if that risk is worth taking.

Ask yourself: Is COVID-19 spreading where youre going? Is it spreading where you are? Remember, even if you dont have symptoms, you can bring it somewhere else, Dr. Angelo said. State and local governments may have their own requirements. The best way to check is by visiting the local health department website of the place you intend to visit, as well as your own local health department website.

The other questions, taken directly from the CDC website, are:

Will you or those you are traveling with be within 6 feet of others during or after your trip? Being within 6 feet of others increases your chances of getting infected and infecting others.

Are you or those you are traveling with more likely to get very ill from COVID-19? Older adults and people of any age who have a serious underlying medical condition are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Do you live with someone who is more likely to get very ill from COVID-19? If you get infected while traveling you can spread COVID-19 to loved ones when you return, even if you dont have symptoms.

Does the state or local government where you live or at your destination require you to stay home for 14 days after traveling? Some state and local governments may require people who have recently traveled to stay home for 14 days.

If you get sick with COVID-19, will you have to miss work or school? People with COVID-19 disease need to stay home until they are no longer considered infectious.

Masks arent about you, theyre about keeping others safe

One of the great misconceptions people have, probably ingrained from years of seeing healthcare workers wearing masks around infected people, is that the cloth masks the CDC recommends we wear is about our own protection. It isnt; the mask is about protecting others from the infection you might be carrying.

I think its not clear to most people: The cloth face cover is to protect other people in case youre sick, Dr. Angelo said. We also recommend that people dont wear masks for healthcare workers.

Avoid large groups of people

Though summer usually means festivals, concerts, and other large gatherings, those are also the most dangerous places to be during a Level 3 Global Pandemic.

Any events where theres going to be a concentrated group of people should be avoided, Dr. Angelo said. Cruises, as we know, have been a harbinger for the outbreak of COVID-19. At this point we recommend no cruising, or any concentrated situations where disease transmission would be easy.

Even if youre not sick, you might still be putting others in danger

Its worth repeating: You can spread COVID-19 even if you havent had so much as a runny nose since 2005.

This is the most incomprehensible piece of advice, the thing that people seem to have the hardest time understanding, Dr. Angelo said. You can spread COVID-19 even if you arent sick. If you make the decision to travel somewhere, you could still infect someone.

According to John Hopkins University, the observed fatality rate for COVID-19 is 5.9%.

Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.

Joshua Sargent is an editor for Hearst Newspapers. Email him at josh.sargent@hearst.com.
 Flash

In the wake of the death of George Floyd in police custody, protests have continued after turning violent on Wednesday night with fires burning and businesses looted in Minneapolis, the biggest city in the midwest state of Minnesota.

Demonstrations over his death also spread to some other U.S. cities including Los Angeles and Memphis, local media reported.

Floyd died on Monday evening shortly after a white police officer held him down with a knee on his neck though the black man in his 40s repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe." The police officer's way of handling the man is not approved by the local police department.

Protesters gathered for a second night Wednesday evening in Minneapolis. Videos on social media showed that some demonstrators grew violent, looting a Target and Cub Foods supermarket, setting fire to an Auto Zone, and smashing the windows of other nearby businesses.

"The situation near Lake Street and Hiawatha in Minneapolis has evolved into an extremely dangerous situation," Minnesota Governor Tim Walz tweeted last night. "For everyone's safety, please leave the area and allow firefighters and paramedics to get to the scene."

The Minneapolis Fire Department said in a statement Thursday that firefighters responded to approximately 30 fires overnight, including at least 16 structure fires. No civilians or firefighters were injured in the blazes.

Footage showed buildings on fire in Minneapolis in the early hours of Thursday. A report by The Wall Street Journal said residents took morning walks over broken glass and a McDonald's was recognizable only by its salvaged drive-through menu after the riot.

On the edge of the shopping plaza that included the looted Target, a resident told local media she had been sitting in her car since before sunset, just in case she needed to leave quickly. "We're afraid to go to bed," said the woman, who declined to give her name. "I've never seen this."

Amid the riot, the owner of a nearby pawn shop shot and killed a person suspected of looting his building. Police are investigating the shooting with one suspect in custody.

A video shared on Twitter by Minnesota Public Radio photojournalist Evan Frost showed people gathering again outside local police's Third Precinct by mid-morning. Officers stood with face shields around the building and on its roof.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for the city to remain calm in a plea to his residents overnight.

"Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy," he tweeted.

The mayor and Floyd's family on Wednesday called for the arrests of the officers involved in his death, and federal authorities on Thursday promised a "robust criminal investigation."

The four officers involved in the case were fired shortly after a video recording Floyd's death went viral on social media on Tuesday, sparking a national outcry for justice. Minneapolis police's statement about Floyd's arrest said that "he physically resisted officers" after getting out of the vehicle, but the video showed two officers grabbing Floyd and pulling him from a vehicle as they put handcuffs on him.

Some other cities also saw protests Wednesday night.

In Los Angeles, demonstrators marched on a major freeway and at least one protester was injured after falling off a moving police car, said the report of The Wall Street Journal.

In Memphis, a silent demonstration holding signs reading "Black Lives Matter" and "Stop killing black people" turned into separate verbal confrontations with Memphis police and two counter-protesters. Memphis police temporarily shut down a portion of road after the confrontation grew, local newspaper The Commercial Appeal reported.

"The death of Mr. Floyd is deeply disturbing and should be of concern to all Americans," the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which represents the heads of police departments in largest U.S. cities, said in a statement on Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Floyd's death "very sad and tragic," saying "justice will be served" in his case.

Floyd's death evoked the country's memory about the case of Eric Garner. In 2014, a cellphone recorded Garner, an unarmed black man, repeatedly saying "I can't breathe" when a New York officer held him in a chokehold before his death in police custody. Since then, the plea has become a rallying cry at demonstrations against police misconduct across the country.
A priest and his son were found dead in a village in Uttar Pradeshs Sambhal on Friday, the police said.

Prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide. The bodies are being sent for post-mortem. We are investigating the matter and further action will be taken, said Yamuna Prasad, Superintendent of Police (SP), Samhbal.

The incident comes a month after two sadhus were killed inside a temple in Uttar Pradeshs Bulandshahr.

Jagdish or Rangidas, 55, and his 46-year-old disciple Sher Singh were beaten to death in Pagona village. Murari alias Raju was later arrested for the murder who told the police that he had an altercation with the sadhus over stealing their chimta or tong.

The accused claimed during interrogation that it was the will of God meaning there was no personal enmity, a senior government official said while speaking to reporters.

When asked how did he kill them, he said he ate bhang and then came into the temple and attacked the sadhus with lathis (wooden rods) lying there, he said.

In April, two sadhus or priests and their driver were lynched by a huge mob outside Gadhchinchale village, 110 kilometre from Palghar in Maharashtra. They were attacked on the suspicion of being child-lifters.

The incident in Palghar took place on April 16.

It later emerged that the sadhus - 70-year-old Swami Kalpvriksha Giri and 35-year-old Sushil Giri - belonged to Varanasi-based Juna Akhara and were on their way to Gujarat to attend the last rite of their guru Mahant Shri Ram Giri.

So far, more than 160 accused have been arrested by the state CID which is probing the Palghar lynching case.

Last week, the body of a sadhu (seer) was found inside his ashram in Maharashtras Nanded. The police said that an investigation was launched.
A cab driver seriously injured after being hit while a Portland police officer chased a motorist the wrong way down Interstate 84 in 2018 will receive a $125,000 settlement from the city.

The Portland City Council voted Wednesday to pay Ethiopia Amdino to settle a claim brought by his attorney Phillip C. Gilbert. They were seeking more than $260,000 in reimbursement for medical expenses, lost income and other damages, city senior claims analyst Jessica Bird told the council.

Gilbert didnt immediately respond to a message from The Oregonian/OregonLive on Thursday.

According to police, the other driver, 59-year-old Christopher Cannard, hit another car near Northeast 99th Avenue and Northeast Glisan Street on April 19, 2018 and then drove away. Then-Portland officer Alfonso Valadez Jr. later spotted Cannards Toyota Celica and chased after him onto I-84.

Bird said Wednesday that Cannard and Valadez were heading west on the freeways eastbound lanes when Cannard crashed head-on with Amdino, now 32, about 30 seconds after the police pursuit began. Valadez violated police bureau policy by continuing the chase, Bird said.

The collision killed Cannard and left Amdino with head, neck, chest and back injuries that required 14 months of treatment. He also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Valadez quit as a Portland officer last September and state records show his police license is inactive. Police records show the bureaus police review board recommended in February 2019 that Valadez be fired and decertified by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.

A memo released by the police bureau in December with summaries and reports of cases reviewed by the board showed the five-member body unanimously found Valadez unnecessarily put the publics safety at risk, later lied when questioned about the incident to avoid taking responsibility or being disciplined and didnt appear to have an understanding of his job responsibilities as a Portland police officer.

(Valadez) did not show due regard for safety or (Valadezs) responsibilities as a bureau member, which includes maintaining competency and knowledge of directives, a February 2019 dated memo on the case said. Board members also said (Valadez) showed poor decision-making, should have asked for help or made different decisions, and failed to use critical analysis in weighing the risks of (Valadez) actions on public safety.

The City Auditors Independent Police Review office and then-Chief Danielle Outlaw were among those who agreed with the review boards recommendations, the memo said.

Decisions on city settlements are typically on the city councils consent agenda, which doesnt require public discussion before approval.

Dan Handelman, the head of police reform advocacy group Portland Copwatch, requested that the item be pulled from the councils consent agenda and said all settlement decisions involving police misconduct should be discussed publicly to promote transparency and to consider if policy changes are needed. He laid out the details of the case to the Council during public testimony and noted that Valadez had already been fired as a Portland officer in 2017 after being accused of sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman while off duty two years earlier.

An independent arbitrator later reversed Valadezs firing, saying that while he showed extremely poor judgment, there was no available evidence to justify then-Chief Mike Marshmans decision to fire him. The arbitrator did agree with the bureaus decision to suspend Valadez for 40 hours without pay.

State records show Valadez returned to the police bureau on March 28, 2018, three weeks before he was involved in the fatal crash.

Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty thanked Handelman for his testimony, said she agreed that there should be a public discussion on what changes are made when the city agrees to settlements and admitted that she didnt know much about an auto accident with someone going the wrong way.

The lesson Im taking away from this is that I will need to have deeper debriefings on these kind of settlements because I trust the information that I get, and when the information is incomplete it will lead me to make incomplete decisions, she said.

The council then voted unanimously to approve the settlement.

-- Everton Bailey Jr; ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 | @EvertonBailey

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
[May 29, 2020] Banggood Enables Smart Shopping with New Feature Added through Huawei Mobile Service (HMS) Ecosystem

GUANGZHOU, China, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Banggood, a leading online retailer that focuses on cross-border export e-Commerce, has made the online shopping process even more fluid with the launch of a one-take purchase feature on their App integrated the powerful, convenient image processing capabilities of Huawei's Machine Learning (ML) Kit. Banggood is one of the first platforms in the world to implement Huawei's ML Kit, which is one part of Huawei Mobile Services' new HMS Core 4.0 Ecosystem. Released at the recent Huawei Global Analysts Summit 2020, the HMS Core 4.0 Ecosystem harnesses the power of machine learning to enable brands to deliver smart omnichannel experiences for users. With its ntegration of the ML Kit for smart shopping, Banggood aims to improve the front-end user experience for its customers.



The new feature allows Banggood users to instantly search for products with newly taken or saved photos and make purchases. Via the Banggood app, users can take photos of a product using their phone camera, upload a photo saved on their device, or import pictures from websites and social media. The app will then run an image search through Banggood's product library, helping users find similar or related products that are available on the platform. For example, a user who sees an outfit they like on social media can simply upload the image to the Banggood app to search for the product, browse similar items, and make their purchase all on the same platform. "At Banggood, our users are at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to deliver a comprehensive online shopping platform with an unparalleled service level and user experience," said Aaron Chen, CEO of Banggood. "We have curated more than half a million products for users in our eCommerce platform. Now, we are providing them with a faster, more convenient and accurate way to find the products they are looking for. By harnessing innovative technology, we are delivering an unparalleled smart shopping experience for our customers around the world."

As a comprehensive shopping platform, Banggood has been a leader in the cross-border e-Commerce industry for over ten years and has an expansive global user base. The Banggood app currently boasts users in over 200 countries and receives over 10 million daily visitors, and the company is always searching for new ways to improve the shopping experience for its customers around the world. About Banggood Founded in 2006, Banggood is a leading e-commerce company running its website www.banggood.com and pages on other platforms to offer tens of millions of registered users more than 500,000 types of products, covering from consumer electronics to clothing. Banggood is headquartered in Guangzhou, China, the city of supply chain, with a global reach in North America, Europe, Asian Pacific, South America and Middle East. For more information, please visit: https://www.banggood.com/aboutBanggood.html Media Contact Zoeh Zheng

Phone: +86-134-5028-6595

Email: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/banggood-enables-smart-shopping-with-new-feature-added-through-huawei-mobile-service-hms-ecosystem-301067606.html SOURCE Banggood

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
President Donald Trump addresses a news conference on China in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, on May 29, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

US to Revoke Hong Kongs Special Status, Sanction Officials Who Erode Autonomy: Trump

President Donald Trump announced on May 29 that Hong Kongs preferential trading status will be stripped, lambasting the Chinese regime for smothering Hong Kongs freedom.

The move came a day after Beijing pressed ahead with enacting a national security law in Hong Kong, a move that critics said could endanger Hong Kongs status as a global financial hub.

The United States previously treated Hong Kong as a separate entity from mainland China in the areas of trade, investment, and immigration, and has meant that current U.S. tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods do not apply to Hong Kong.

At a White House press conference on China policies, Trump said that he will revoke Hong Kongs special status, and will update U.S. travel advisories, to reflect the increased danger of surveillance and punishment by the Chinese state security apparatus following the laws approval.

The administration will also take necessary steps to sanction Chinese and Hong Kong officials directly or indirectly involved in eroding Hong Kongs autonomy, he said. The announcement will also impact a range of U.S. agreements with Hong Kong, including export controls, an extradition treaty, and customs.

The former British colony reverted back to Chinese rule in 1997, whereby Beijing promised to retain its autonomy under the one country, two systems framework.

China has replaced its promised formula, one country, two systems, with one country, one system, Trump said, adding that Beijings latest law is diminishing the citys long-standing and very proud status.

This is a tragedy for the people of Hong Kong, the people of China, and indeed the people of the world, he said.

Two days ago, secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that Hong Kong was no longer sufficiently autonomous from mainland China to justify its special treatment under U.S. law, but formally revoking Hong Kongs special privileges requires an executive order by the president.

While much of the bills specifics will be rolled out in the coming months, the draft resolution aims to target any activities the regime deems as secession, subversion, infiltration, or sabotage. It would also enable central authorities to send security agencies to Hong Kong.

Demonstrators sit as they were detained during a lunch time protest as a second reading of a controversial national anthem law takes place in Hong Kong, on May 27, 2020. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

In the latest assertion of Beijings authority, Zhao Kezhi, head of Chinas Ministry of Public Security, vowed to fully direct and support Hong Kong police to maintain Hong Kongs safety and stability at a political conference on Friday.

Beijings Threats

Hong Kongs pro-Beijing government on Thursday night expressed strong opposition to the United States decision to strip Hong Kong of special economic benefits that distinguish the city from mainland China, warning that the sanctions could backfire.

Any sanctions are a double-edged sword that will not only harm the interests of Hong Kong but also significantly those of the U.S., a Hong Kong government spokesperson said in a press release.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian, in anticipation of Trumps press conference, threatened retaliation during a May 29 press conference.

Chinese governments resolve to oppose any foreign forces interfering with Hong Kong affairs will not be shaken, he said, adding that Beijing has fulfilled all rights and obligations under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a treaty signed in 1984 to lay out Hong Kongs future upon its return to Chinese sovereignty.

Global stocks fell on Friday as investors awaited the U.S. response to Beijings national security law.

People take cover as riot police use pepper spray projectile during a protest as a second reading of a controversial national anthem law takes place in Hong Kong, on May 27, 2020. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

Hongkongers Defiant

For two days in a row, long lines have formed at Hong Kong banks as locals rushed to convert their savings into U.S. dollars.

Meanwhile, the Beijing-backed Hong Kong government spent 2.54 million Hong Kong dollars (about $327,660) to run ads in local newspapers on Friday, appealing to citizens to support the new law.

Popular sentiment seemed to swing in the opposite direction. A poll by the protester-founded Citizens Press Conference found that among 370,000 respondents, 98.6 percent opposed the Chinese law, with a majority expressing fears that Chinese police could take over Hong Kong. Three quarters of those surveyed also agreed that the measure would not discourage pro-democracy protesters from returning to the streets.

Prominent Hong Kong democracy activist and founder of local newspaper Apple Daily Jimmy Laiwhom Beijing has hinted could be a target under the new lawhas vowed to fight on til the last day.

Theres no other way but to fight on, he told Reuters on Friday. If I can sacrifice for Hong Kong, I would do so. This is my home  It will be (an) honour if I become a sacrifice. It will be my honor.

Taiwan and the U.K. have pledged to help Hongkongers resettle if the Chinese regime continues to close in on Hong Kong. Some U.S. officials are also calling for Hong Kong citizens to be granted refugee status.

Lo Kin-hei, vice chairman of Hong Kongs Democratic Party, said citizens are ready to embrace the impending economic pain for the sake of defending their rights.

I think HKers believes [sic] that HK can only survive in the Phoenix waydie and reborn. What if we couldnt [be] reborn? Everyone dies, he wrote on Twitter a day prior.
Seven food and beverage servers at several unnamed establishments in Kenosha County have tested positive for COVID-19, the countys health officer said.

This is sort of the scenario that public health was afraid of, said Jen Freiheit. If you have one bartender that maybe came in touch with 300 people on a night shift, those are 300 people that we would like to contact trace.

It is very difficult, obviously, to be able to get a list of all 300 people that visited that particular establishment that night.

The news was shared by Freiheit during her weekly COVID-19 public address on Wednesday, during which she also announced:

The county is conducting several new facility outbreak investigations, required when there are two or more positive cases within a building or workplace.

A tour of Amazon showed the company is taking every precaution it can to stop the spread of the virus among employees.

Public health nurses are encountering resistance during contact tracing efforts.

Laboratories are overwhelmed by the increase in the number of tests, and results are now taking nearly a week to process.

Freiheit said the seven positive cases within the food and beverage industry were reported on Wednesday, when more than 60 new positive test results were received by the health department. It marked the single largest increase in cases over a 24-hour-period outside of an outbreak testing investigation.

The Kenosha News made a Freedom of Information Act request for the names of the establishments Thursday. The information has not yet been provided.

Positive cases reach 1,099

By 2 p.m. Thursday, the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Kenosha County reached 1,099, an increase of 38 over the 1,061 positive cases as of 2 p.m. Wednesday.

One new death, that of a 68-year-old woman, was reported in Kenosha County Thursday, bringing the total number of deaths to 26.

There are 23 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Kenosha County, three of whom are on ventilators.

Our numbers are not going down, she said. The virus is still out there, and its still growing and spreading throughout Kenosha County and southeast Wisconsin.

Statewide, the number of positive cases increased 512, bringing them to a total of 16,714 Thursday. The number of deaths increased by 11, bringing the total to 550.

According to the state Department of Health Services, 9,846 patients, or 60 percent, have recovered. The number of people hospitalized increased by 41 Thursday, with a total of 2,452.

There are several possible reasons for the increase, she said, including: the long holiday weekend may have delayed results; public testing has increased; labs are having trouble keeping up and are releasing large batches of results at once; and it has been two weeks since the Safer at Home order has been lifted.

Freiheit implores the public, and employees that come into contact with the public, to continue wearing masks in public. She said people should still social distance, and establishments welcoming the public back should promote social distancing.

This is not business as usual, Freiheit said. We still very much have a virus to contend with. We dont want to overwhelm our healthcare systems.

Gatherings of more than 10 people are not recommended.

That is where we see the biggest spread of COVID-19, Freiheit said.

Freheit said the majority of businesses are cooperating in Kenosha County, and have reached out to the health department to review their guidelines and visit their sites.

We need individuals to assist us

This week, the department has seen several new facility outbreaks, defined as having two or more positives within one building. They are monitoring those sites and helping contact employees.

Freiheit said the department took a thorough tour of the MKE1 facility at Amazon this week.

We were very pleased with the results that we saw, Freiheit said. They are doing all the right things.

She said masks are required of all employees and everyone was complying and wearing the masks properly, for example. She added they are working on a testing strategy.

As the number of tests and number of positive cases increases, Freiheit said contact tracing efforts have increased as well.

We need individuals to assist us, Freiheit said. Each one of the public health nurses that is on our disease investigation team is starting to meet some resistance. People are not sharing as much information.

She asked the public to cooperate if contacted by a public health nurse by sharing information about where they have been over the course of the last 10 days and who they have been with in close contact.

Freiheit said a close contact is someone with whom a person has been within six feet of for at least 10 minutes.

Passing by someone on a trail or passing by someone in a grocery store is not what we consider a close contact, Freiheit said.
A black man says that one of the Minneapolis police officers involved in the death of George Floyd punched and kicked him until his teeth were knocked out during an incident in 2014.

Lamar Ferguson received a settlement of $25,000 from the city when a lawsuit was settled out of court..

Ferguson told how he was attacked by officer Tou Thao, who was seen on video while his partner, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee onto the neck of Floyd until he passed out while they were arresting him on Monday evening.

Floyd died shortly after the arrest. Police claimed he was resisting arrest after they were called to the scene about a forgery in progress at a local deli in Minneapolis.

Video of Floyd, 46, pleading with Chauvin, saying I cant breathe, circulated online and sparked outrage nationwide.

Floyds death and his arrest has prompted scrutiny of the officers involved, including Thao.

Lamar Ferguson (left) says he was arrested and beaten by two police officers in 2014 - one of whom was Tou Thao (right), who was one of four cops involved in the arrest of George Floyd

Floyd, 44, died in police custody on Monday after he was arrested by officers for alleged forgery

Mayor Jacob Frey has called for the white officer who knelt on Floyd's neck to be criminally charged on Wednesday. Derek Chauvin (pictured) was seen pinning him down in video footage that was widely shared on Tuesday

Floyd was filmed Monday begging the Minneapolis cop to stop and telling him he could not breathe before he lost consciousness and later died

Ferguson told The Sun on Thursday that he was traumatized by an encounter with Thao and another officer, Robert Thunder, in October 2014.

He said he and his girlfriend, Brittany, who was eight months pregnant at the time, were leaving a hospital and walking through an alleyway just a few blocks from where Floyd was arrested.

Ferguson says he and his girlfriend were then stopped by the two officers.

He told The Sun the officers stopped him because they claimed he appeared suspicious.

When Thao and Thunder asked Ferguson to hand over his weapons, Ferguson told them he wasnt armed.

They had no reason to stop me, they started asking me a whole bunch of questions, where I was going, Ferguson said.

They didn't find no drugs or any weapons.

[Thao] was the most aggressive one, I was in handcuffs within the first few minutes of the incident. I was horrified.

I was still in the alleyway, they started swinging me around and slammed me on the ground.

Ferguson, 33, alleges that Thunder climbed on top of him while Thao started to punch and kick him.

Fergusons girlfriend stood helpless a few feet away, watching the incident unfold.

Thao claimed in his deposition that he and Thunder arrested Ferguson because of an outstanding warrant.

The officer said he began punching him after his hand slipped out of the handcuffs.

According to Fergusons lawsuit against the two officers, there was no outstanding warrant issued for Ferguson as his name did not appear when the cops ran it through the National Crime Information Center database.

Ferguson was taken to the hospital by the police. From there, he was hauled off to jail wearing only a t-shirt and underwear.

Ferguson filed a lawsuit against Thao and another officer, Robert Thunder (pictured above)

He had refused police requests to get dressed, according to the lawsuit.

Ferguson says the beating left him with several injuries, including busted teeth, damage to his face, back and shoulders, and psychological scars.

I was hospitalized for four days, he said.

I had a major sublux to my face, I got four stitches and had to wear a brace for two weeks.

I was terrified of being around police officers, I had to speak to a therapist, I didn't like the sound of handcuffs, or the sound of keys, I had night sweats for a long time.

Prosecutors charged Ferguson with assaulting the two police officers, but he was later cleared of the charges at trial.

In 2017, an attorney filed a lawsuit on Fergusons behalf.

The lawsuit obtained by DailMail.com states 'Defendant Thunder and Defendant Thaos use of unreasonable force on Plaintiff, in the form of punches, kicks, and knees to the face and body while Plaintiff was defenseless and handcuffed, was so extreme that it caused Plaintiff to suffer broken teeth as well as other bruising and trauma.'

The case was settled out of court for $25,000 after Thao said he had punched Ferguson after he 'actively resisted arrest'.

A fatal shooting and lawsuit for excessive force: What we know about the four officers fired for George Floyd's arrest Derek Chauvin Derek Chauvin The white police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck has already been investigated over three police shootings and a fatal car chase. In 2006 Derek Chauvin, 44, was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes. Reyes, 42 was killed by officers after allegedly pulling a shotgun on the six cops, which included Chauvin. Two years later Chauvin was investigated for his role in the 2008 shooting of Ira Latrell Toles during a domestic assault call. Toles was wounded after police said he went for an officers gun and Chauvin shot him. And in 2011 23-year-old Leroy Martinez was shot and injured during a chase given by officers including Chauvin. Tou Thao Tou Thao Tou Thao, was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017. A lawsuit obtained by the DailyMail.com shows Thao was sued for using excessive force in arrest where he was accused of punching and kicking a handcuffed suspect 'until his teeth broke'. The remaining two officers have been identified as Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng. Both were reportedly rookie cops who were still in their probationary periods, according to the StarTribune. Advertisement

He wrote: 'After  at this point hes actively resisting arrest. He  so I had no choice but to punch him. I punched him in the face.'

Thao had been the subject of six complaints, five of which resulted in no disciplinary action. One of the complaints remains open.

Thao, Chauvin, and two other officers involved in Floyds arrest - Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng  were fired by the Minneapolis Police Department.

Chauvin, 44, the white police officer who knelt on Floyd's neck, has already been investigated over three police shootings and a fatal car chase.

In 2006, he was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes.

Reyes, 42, was killed by officers after allegedly pulling a shotgun on the six cops, which included Chauvin.

The chief prosecutor of Hennepin County at the time, current Senator Amy Klobuchar, declined to prosecute Chauvin and the other officers.

The shooting took place while Klobuchar was in the midst of her campaign for the United States Senate.

Klobuchar, who recently ended her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president, is considered one of the leading contenders to be Joe Biden's vice presidential pick.

Two years later Chauvin was investigated for his role in the 2008 shooting of Ira Latrell Toles during a domestic assault call.

Toles was wounded after police said he went for an officers gun and Chauvin shot him.

In 2011, 23-year-old Leroy Martinez was shot and injured during a chase given by officers including Chauvin.

Ferguson, a property manager, told The Sun that he saw the video of Floyds arrest. He said seeing Thao again brought back unpleasant memories.

When I first saw the officer, it was an eerie feeling, I didn't like that, he said.

I hope he gets what he deserves, he was so aggressive [with me].

If that was a citizen, he'd be in jail already. They need to go where they would put us.

I'm sorry that it happened, and I hope everyone comes together as one.

There needs to be a new police policy and training policy...

At least people know this wasn't the first time this has happened, and it's not the first officer to have done this.

DailyMail.com has contacted Minneapolis police for comment and for the officers' full records with the department.

Chauvin is said to be represented by lawyer Tom Kelly.

He was Jeronimo Yavez' attorney after the Minnesota police officer fatally shot Philando Castile during a traffic stop in 2016.

Yavez was found not guilty on all three charges by a jury in 2017.

The remaining two officers, Lane and Kueng, were reportedly rookie cops who were still in their probationary periods, according to the StarTribune.

The FBI and state law enforcement authorities have launched an investigation into Floyd's death.

Minneapolis cops in riot gear last night fired rubber bullets and tear gas at thousands of defiant protesters who took to the streets to demand justice for Floyd and protesters began to gather Tuesday for a second day of demonstrations.

The victim's heartbroken family have called for the cops to be charged with murder.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announced on Tuesday that four officers are now 'former employees' of the force.

'We know there are inherent dangers in the profession of policing but the vast majority of the work we do never require the use of force,' Arradondo said.

Floyd's death has caused outrage across America with political figures and celebrities including Cardi B, P Diddy and Demi Lovato voicing their anger.

Floyd worked as a security guard at Conga Latin Bistro, a local bistro in Minneapolis.

The bar's owners have described him as a 'very calm, nice guy' who was not the type to be 'aggressive' or 'disrespectful'.

Ben Crump, the attorney for the victim's family has demanded officers face murder charges over the killing and said this is 'worse than Eric Garner' because the officers held Floyd down by the neck for eight minutes.

Crump pointed to the similarities in the case with the death of unarmed black man Garner who died in 2014 after he was placed in a chokehold by New York City police and pleaded for his life, saying he could not breathe.

Minneapolis mayor declares a state of emergency as rioting breaks out for the third night while NYPD cops brawl with protesters in the Big Apple and shots are fired in Denver

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has declared a state of emergency as rioting breaks out for the third night in the city while protests over Floyd's death spread across America.

Frey's office declared a local emergency Thursday night due to civil disturbances after the National Guard and state troopers were drafted in and fires broke out again in stores across the city.

The announcement came as prosecutors warned Thursday there is evidence that does not support criminal charges in the case of four cops accused of killing Floyd, sparking fears that the police officers will continue to walk free.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A car was torched in the third day of riots over Floyd's death

Minneapolis, Minnesota: There were scenes of destruction in the city Thursday night as Floyd's death sparked outrage

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A man throws a mannequin onto a burning car in the parking lot of a Target store

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A police officer stands in a cloud of tear gas during the protest

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fires broke out again in stores and cars across the city

Break-off protests over Floyd's death are building, with NYPD officers seen brawling on the ground with protesters as at least 40 people were arrested in the Big Apple.

In Denver, panic erupted when shots were fired at the Colorado State Capitol where hundreds had marched to demand justice over Floyd's death.

Floyd's death has sparked outrage, after footage surfaced Monday showing Chauvin kneeling on the black man's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died.

Authorities had claimed Floyd resisted arrest but new footage Wednesday cast fresh doubt on those claims, showing two cops forcibly removing him from his car and him appearing to comply with officers.

Protesters in Minneapolis started gathering in the streets for a third day Thursday.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz activated the National Guard to the city and state troopers have been called in as it braces for another night of violence.

Frey called for the declaration of emergency as the city requested assistance from the state in 'restoring safety and calm due to the civil disturbance'.

The emergency declaration will stay in place for 72 hours and allows officials to deploy emergency regulations with immediate effect.

Protesters came out for a third day Thursday in what has been escalating levels of violence and chaos across the city.

Footage showed the Target store being the location for much of the rioting for another day as rioters were seen hurling the retailer's shopping karts at a police cruiser in the store parking lot.

As night fell, a man was pictured throwing a mannequin onto a burning car in the parking lot as smoke filled the city.

Police in riot gear hit out at protesters again with tear gas sprayed into the crowds.

In the nearby St. Paul's region of Minnesota, rioters threw rocks and stones at a cop car and it was left smashed up with a tree branch ripping through the windows.

Protests ramped up across the nation Thursday as anger grows that four days on from Floyd's death no arrests have been made.

Things turned ugly in the Big Apple as protesters and NYPD officers clashed in Manhattan, New York City.

New York City, New York: A protester is detained by police during a rally against the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd

New York City, New York: Things turned ugly in Union Square in the Big Apple with scenes of NYPD officers and protesters clashing

New York City, New York: A woman is one of around 40 people arrested by police officers in Manhattan

New York City, New York: Officers pin a protester to the floor at the Black Lives matter protest Thursday

More than 40 people were arrested when the demonstration in Union Square descended into violence.

The NYPD said several cops had been attacked by demonstrators, according to Newsweek.

One officer was reportedly hit with a garbage can that was hurled at them by a demonstrator while several protesters allegedly spat on the cops.

Police said one of the protestors was arrested for brandishing a knife while another tried to take a police officer's gun from their holster.

'We have over 40 people that are arrested right now in regards to this ongoing demonstration,' an NYPD spokesperson told Newsweek.

'We have multiple officers that have been attacked. We have one officer that was hit with a garbage can and we have another officer who was punched in his face.'

Protesters also accused police of violence towards them, with the Gothamist reporting allegations that one officer but his knee on a protester's neck - the same restraint that ultimately led to Floyd's death Monday.

New York City, New York: NYPD officers wear masks at the protest in Manhattan

New York City, New York: NYPD officers were later seen brawling on the ground with protesters and at least 30 people were arrested in the Big Apple

Many demonstrators held aloft banners reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Stop Killing Black People' while they followed the state's coronavirus rules to wear face masks.

In Denver, what started as a peaceful march calling for justice over Floyd's death descended into chaos as shots were fired.

Cops rushed to the scene of the protest at the state Capitol Thursday evening after witnesses reported six or seven shots had been fired at about 5:30 p.m. local time.

Terrified demonstrators were pictured huddled down on the ground fearing there was an active shooter at the event as armed officers ran past.

Denver police said there were no reports of any injuries and no one had been taken into police custody.

Several hundred people had gathered at the state Capitol before marching down Lincoln Street and Broadway where they blocked traffic.

As chaos ensued across America over the black man's death in police custody, Floyd's family issued a plea for protests to be peaceful Thursday night.

New York City, New York: The NYPD said several cops had been attacked by demonstrators, according to Newsweek

New York City, New York: One officer was reportedly hit with a garbage can that was hurled at them by a demonstrator while several protesters allegedly spat on the cops

New York City, New York: A demonstrator is pinned to the floor by officers as things turned violent

New York City, New York: Police and a protester tackle each other in the streets of Manhattan

New York City, New York: People held aloft banners reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Stop Killing Black People' while they followed the state's coronavirus rules to wear face masks

New York City, New York: Cops said one of the protestors was arrested for brandishing a knife while another tried to take a police officer's gun from their holster

New York City, New York: Protesters also accused police of violence towards them, with reports that one officer but his knee on a protester's neck - the same restraint that ultimately led to Floyd's death Monday

New York City, New York: A sign reads 'No justice, no peace. All black lives matter'

'I don't want them to lash out like that, but I can't stop people right now because they have pain. They have the same pain that I feel,' George Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, told CNN Thursday.

'I want everything to be peaceful, but I can't make everybody be peaceful. I can't. It's hard.'

The family's lawyer Benjamin Crump issued a statement saying Floyd's family 'want peace' and urged people not to 'sink to the level of our oppressors'.

'I spoke with George Floyd's family this morning and they would like to thank all of the protesters for joining them in standing for JUSTICE. They know we're all hurting,' Crump said.

'They told me they want peace in Minneapolis, but they know that Black people want peace in their souls and that until we get #JusticeForFloyd there will be no peace.'

'We also cannot sink to the level of our oppressors and we cannot endanger each other as we respond to the necessary urge to raise our voices in unison and in outrage,' he added. 'Looting and violence distract from the strength of our collective voice.'

Denver, Colorado: What started as a peaceful march calling for justice over Floyd's death descended into chaos as shots were fired

Denver, Colorado: A motorist holds their fist out of the sunroof of their vehicle as cars were stopped by protesters

Denver, Colorado: Cops rushed to the scene of the protest at the state Capitol Thursday evening after witnesses reported six or seven shots had been fired at about 5:30 p.m. local time.

Denver, Colorado: Denver police said there were no reports of any injuries and no one had been taken into police custody

Denver, Colorado: Several hundred people had gathered at the state Capitol before marching down Lincoln Street and Broadway where they blocked traffic

Denver, Colorado: People carry placards as they march during a protest outside the State Capitol

Their cries for calm came after Wednesday's protest escalated into violence with riots breaking out across the city and one looter killed.

Cops and protesters clashed and stores including Target, AutoZone and Walmart were ransacked and set on fire by looters.

A suspected looter was shot dead outside the Cadillac Pawn shop and the suspected shooter had been taken into custody Wednesday night.

Prosecutors warn there is evidence that does not support criminal charge in case of four cops accused of killing George Floyd as they say police can use a certain amount of force - but not excessive

Prosecutors have warned there is evidence that does not support criminal charges in the case of four cops accused of killing George Floyd, as they say police can use a certain amount of force - but not excessive.

At a press conference Thursday, Mike Freeman, county attorney for Hennepin County, condemned the actions of white cop Derek Chauvin as 'horrific and terrible', but said prosecutors needed to determine if he used 'excessive' force when he knelt on the black man's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died.

'That video is graphic and horrific and terrible and no person should do that,' he said.

'But my job in the end is to prove he violated a criminal statute - but there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge.'

Mike Freeman, county attorney for Hennepin County, and US Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica MacDonald dashed hopes that an arrest had been made over the death of the 46-year-old father of two in a press conference Thursday

Freeman pleaded for patience from the Minneapolis community ravaged by Floyd's death as he warned that the investigation 'can't be rushed' for fear of a repeat of the Freddie Gray case in 2015 where all charges were dropped against cops involved in the black man's death.

Police officers are allowed to use reasonable force on citizens to restrain them during arrest but the force cannot be 'excessive'.

Prosecutors must now prove that this force was 'excessive' in order to bring criminal charges against Chauvin.

Outrage is building across the nation over how pinning Floyd down by his neck as he gasps for breathe and begs the cop to stop could ever be considered 'reasonable'.

Freeman did not provide any detail over what the 'other evidence' could be that provides a defense for Chauvin's actions but said his office now had to 'wade through' it before charges can be brought.

'My business is 'is it criminal?' and that's what we have to prove,' he said.

Freeman said he understood that people want swift action but assured the public that 'we just can't rush this'.

He compared the case to the death of 25-year-old Gray in Baltimore in 2015, where Gray fell into a coma and died of a spinal cord injury while in a police van.

Six Baltimore police officers were suspended with pay but all charges were dropped against them and no one was charged.

Officers guard the white cop's home. Floyd's death has sparked outrage in Minneapolis, with protesters taking to the streets for a third day Thursday

A protester clashes with police as protests mount across the city Thursday. State troopers have been forced to intervene after violent protests and riots broke out in the city and left one looter dead

'It was a rush to charge and a rush to justice and all those people were found not guilty,' he said.

Freeman warned that history could repeat itself with the Floyd case if the investigation is rushed.

'We have to do this right, we have to prove it in a court of law,' he said.

'We can't rush justice as justice cant be rushed.'

His comments came as authorities dashed hopes that an arrest had been made over the death of the 46-year-old father of two when they called a press conference to announce a development in the investigation Thursday only to leave attendees waiting two hours before finally announcing they had no new developments to share.

'We thought we would have another development to tell you about... but we don't,' admitted US Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica MacDonald.

She refused to confirm what the 'development' would have been but McDonald said 'it mattered' and 'I hope to tell you soon'.

'I wouldn't have wasted your time coming here,' she said.

MacDonald echoed Freeman's words saying that a 'police officer in the nature of the job has within their scope of duty the ability to use the right amount of force but not excessive force'.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said on Thursday he believes George Floyd would still be alive today if he had been a white ma

'That's what we're looking at - the issue of excessive force,' she said.

She sought to reassure Floyd's family that the investigation into his death is the 'top priority' and said that President Trump and US Attorney General Bill Barr are both 'actively monitoring the investigation'.

The four Minneapolis officers involved in the arrest of George Floyd were fired Tuesday. They were named as Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng.

Frey had announced the firings on Twitter, saying: 'This is the right call.'

Frey said he considers Floyd's killing to be murder and had publicly called for Chauvin to face arrest.

'I'm not a prosecutor, but let me be clear. The arresting officer killed someone,' he told CBS Thursday. 'He'd be alive today if he were white.'

'The facts that I've seen, which are minimal, certainly lead me down the path that race was involved.'
Its going to be an election like weve never had in a year well never forget.

Many Pennsylvanians have already voted by mail for the first time; others will be voting on new machines for the first time; and - importantly - no ones likely to have final results for several days after the polls close.

Dont take that as a fraud alert, either.

With this massive amount of mail-ins so far, we are anticipating potentially two or three days until the results are officially in, Dauphin County Commissioner Mike Pries said during a Facebook Live interview with PennLive Thursday. Well know the live vote count (from the machines) that night. But with this massive amount of mail-ins this could take several days until some of these close races are officially listed.

Fortunately, its also a primary election with a manageable number of races. So while the results will be very real for the candidates who are seeking these offices, in a way you might be able to look at next weeks vote as one giant, and badly needed, statewide dress rehearsal for the mother of all elections next fall.

We know that there are going to be issues on June 2nd, said Suzanne Almeida, interim executive director of Common Cause PA, citing instances in which county offices have sent out duplicate mail-in ballots, or even the wrong political partys primary ballot; the massive consolidation of polling places in places like Philadelphia; and the use of new machines in many places.

The way that were looking at this is really that we we will have a lot of clarity after June 2nd about what needs to be fixed for November," Almeida said. "And were hoping we can come up with some really clear, practical solutions... to make sure that no voter is disenfranchised in November.

Heres a look at some of the major questions that voters, candidates and their supporters are likely to have. First, for those old-schoolers who are determined to vote in person:

If my county is using new voting machines, will there be help to guide me through it?

In many counties across the state, including Cumberland and Dauphin, voters will be using new machines for the very first time. This usually brings its own set of challenges, though officials are somewhat hopeful because of both the user-friendly nature of the new machines and, in some cases, similarities to the systems that had replaced.

Each county has videos posted on their Web sites to give interested a voters a head start on what theyre facing. And voters in Cumberland will also receive instructional postcards to all voters who show up to help guide them through the process.

This following video shows how to use the voting system being used in Dauphin and Perry counties:

Whats being done to protect against coronavirus?

First of all, the Election Day was already postponed from April 28 to June 2, which has taken most counties into a period of significantly declining rates of transmission of COVID-19. But now that June 2 is approaching, elections officials are working hard to make sure that the voting experience itself is as safe as possible.

In Cumberland County, Director of Elections and Voter Registration Bethany Salzarulo said every voter will be provided a personal pen to sign in with the registrars - a free souvenir for doing your civic duty, if you will. They will then proceed to touch-screen voting machines that, in most cases, will have been wiped down with disinfectant after each use. Blue painters tape is being laid out to mark out appropriate social distancing inside the polling stations, though voters will need to self-monitor that outside.

Lancaster County voters will see signage and yellow tape to encourage them to social distance. In Dauphin County, Pries said poll workers will have the option of using face shields to protect themselves from possible virus exposure.

As with every public transaction in the yellow-phase of the pandemic reopening, voters are strongly encouraged to wear face masks, though no one will be turned away if they dont. Were hoping that they want to keep themselves and their neighbors healthy, Salzarulo said.

Pries seconded that thought Thursday.

Respect your fellow citizens when you come out to vote.... Practice social distancing, please wear a mask, and be respectful of others that are there doing the same thing.

What about finding out where I vote?

Some counties have consolidated polling places in some areas due to reduced numbers of poll workers because of the pandemic. The best way for you to make sure where you are to vote on Tuesday would be checking in at the www.pavoterservices.pa.gov Web site, where you can enter your residence and note the result.

Each county also has its own respective polling place locater on-line.

As for the pioneers testing out Pennsylvanias new, no-excuse vote-by-mail option:

I asked for a mail ballot application, but havent filled it out yet. What should I do?

All mail-in ballots must be received by 8 p.m. Tuesday, and that is not a postmark deadline. Therefore, we are now entering the period where you should consider dropping your mail-in ballot off in person. Most counties do have official drop boxes at their county voter registration offices. It kind of defeats the initial convenience factor, but it does ensure that youll get counted.

Dont take our word for it. The Pennsylvania Election Protection Coalition on Thursday issued their own release urging any voter who plans to vote by mail but has not yet sent the ballot back to mail it immediately or drop it off in person to be sure about meeting that deadline.

Drop boxes will be accessible through 8 p.m. on election day at the following locations.

Adams County: County Courthouse, 117 Baltimore St., Gettysburg

Dauphin County: County Administration Building, 2 S. Second St., Harrisburg.

Cumberland County: Elections and Voter Registration Office lobby, 1601 Ritner Highway, Carlisle.

Franklin County: Lobby of the Old Courthouse on the Square in Chambersburg.

Lancaster County: County Board of Elections office, 150 N. Queen St., Lancaster.

Lebanon County: Municipal Building, 400 S. 8th St., Lebanon.

Perry County: Veterans Memorial Building, New Bloomfield.

York County: York County Administrative Center, 28 E. Market St., right next to The Yorktowne Hotel.

If you didnt receive your mail-in ballot or never filled it out, you can and should still go to your polling place to cast a vote in person. That will likely need to be done through the provisional ballot process, but your vote should be counted once officials determine that you hadnt actually cast one by mail.

If youve already voted by mail, thats the vote that has to stand.

What about the results?

None of the counties we surveyed for this story - Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster and York - anticipated having final vote totals on Tuesday night.

Heres why. About 1.8 million voters have resorted to the mail-in ballot process this year, with the full encouragement of Gov. Tom Wolf. Far more than ever before.

Lancaster County sent out 63,893 mail-in or absentee ballots, and has 31,607 in hand so far. Randall Wenger, chief clerk of the countys board of elections, said that while he expects his staff to begin counting those ballots during the day next Tuesday, it will take multiple days to get through them all.

I fully expect this process will take many days, Wenger said, with running totals released at the close of business each day.

In other counties, however, those votes arent even going to be touched until Wednesday morning.

In Cumberland, for example, Salzarulo said she and the county commissioners decided that they wanted to keep their sole focus on the in-person vote with the new machines on Tuesday, and then apply the same focus to the mail-in count starting on Wednesday. Its received 37,307 applications, more than five times the previous high for absentee ballots, set in November 2016.

So in a lot of cases, youll see machine counts Tuesday night, which in some cases will likely be good indicators of how an election might turn out. But close races will take longer to decide, and likely take two or three days before final results are known.

It will be an adjustment.

Its all very convenient for people to have the ability to vote by mail," Salzarulo said. "But everyone needs to understand that because of that convenience your election results are going to come in later. So I dont know how thats going to come out in the wash, so to speak.

One more note. If you are not getting an answer to your specific questions from your local county voter registration office, Common Causes Almeida noted anyone with an issue can call the nonpartisan Election Protection Hotline where volunteers will be able to answer their questions.

English-speaking voters can call 866-OUR-VOTE for assistance now between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on June 2. Help is also available in Spanish (888-VE-Y-VOTA), Arabic (844-YALLA-US) and Asian languages (888-API-VOTE).
By Carlos Barria MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Minnesota's governor activated the National Guard on Thursday to help restore order following two days of violent protests in Minneapolis over the death of a black man seen in graphic video gasping for breath as a white officer knelt on his neck. Governor Tim Walz ordered Guard troops to assist police as local, state and federal law enforcement officials sought to ease racial tensions sparked by Monday night's fatal arrest of George Floyd, 46. Four city police officers involved in the incident, including the one shown pressing his knee into Floyd's neck as he lay on the ground, were fired from their jobs the next day

By Carlos Barria

MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Minnesota's governor activated the National Guard on Thursday to help restore order following two days of violent protests in Minneapolis over the death of a black man seen in graphic video gasping for breath as a white officer knelt on his neck.

Governor Tim Walz ordered Guard troops to assist police as local, state and federal law enforcement officials sought to ease racial tensions sparked by Monday night's fatal arrest of George Floyd, 46.

Four city police officers involved in the incident, including the one shown pressing his knee into Floyd's neck as he lay on the ground, were fired from their jobs the next day.

At a morning news briefing, Police Chief Medaria Arradondo apologized to Floyd's family, conceding his department had contributed to a "deficit of hope" in Minnesota's largest city even before Floyd's deadly encounter with police.

"I am absolutely sorry for the pain, devastation and the trauma that Mr. Floyd's death has left on his family, his loved ones and our community," he said.

Hours later, officials overseeing investigations from the U.S. Justice Department, FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and local prosecutors appealed for calm at a joint news conference, as they gathered evidence.

"Give us the time to do this right, and we will bring you justice, I promise you," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman told reporters. He acknowledged the policeman's conduct depicted in the video was "horrible," but said, "My job is to prove that he has violated a criminal statute."

Freeman said his office had also reached out to veteran civil rights activist Jesse Jackson for help in conveying the message that law enforcement takes the case seriously.

Minnesota's U.S. attorney, Erica McDonald, pledged a "robust and meticulous investigation into the circumstances surrounding" Floyd's arrest and death.

The investigation, which Attorney General William Barr had designated a "top priority," will focus on whether the arresting officers used the "color of law" to deprive Floyd of his civil rights, a federal crime, she said.

The announcement capped two days of unrest in which riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets clashed with rock-throwing protesters who filled the streets in an outpouring of rage over Floyd's death.

Floyd, a Houston native known affectionately to friends as "Big Floyd" and who had worked as a nightclub security staffer, was reportedly suspected of trying to pass counterfeit money when police took him into custody.

'I CAN'T BREATHE'

An onlooker's video of the arrest showed Floyd lying face down on the street, gasping for air and repeatedly groaning for help as he pleaded, "Please, I can't breathe." The officer pinned Floyd's neck to the ground for about eight minutes, until he grew still. He was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later.

A second night of disturbances on Wednesday, punctuated by looting, vandalism and arson, began hours after Mayor Jacob Frey urged local prosecutors to file criminal charges in the case.

Most protesters had been peaceful, while a core group engaged in unruly behavior, the police chief said.

The Floyd case was reminiscent of the 2014 killing of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man in New York City who died after being put in a banned police chokehold.

Garner's dying words, "I can't breathe," became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement calling attention to a wave of killings of African-Americans by police using unjustified lethal force.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet urged U.S. authorities on Thursday to deal with "entrenched and pervasive racial discrimination" in America's criminal justice system.

The city named the four officers involved in the encounter as Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng. Local news media have identified Chauvin as the officer seen kneeling on Floyd's neck.

Chauvin's attorney, Tom Kelly, declined comment in an email to Reuters.

Police department records posted online show 18 internal affairs complaints filed against Chauvin, 16 of which were closed without discipline.

(Reporting by Carlos Barria in Minneapolis; Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago, Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles, Nathan Lane in Wilton, Connecticut and Maria Caspani in New York; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles. Editing by Alistair Bell, Rosalba O'Brien and Cynthia Osterman)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
More than 250 tribals were booked by the Palghar police on Thursday for staging a sit-in protest in front of the tehsil offices, demanding ration cards as they were denied foodgrains by the state government.

The agitation entered its third day on Friday, though no arrest was made so far.

The government had stated that tribals who do not have ration cards will be issued the same after they apply before the tehsil offices, said Vivek Pandit, ex-MLA and president, Shramjeevi Sanghatana, a tribal welfare outfit which is organising the stir.

So far, around 19,000 applications are lying pending before the tehsil offices in Palghar, Raigad, Nashik and Thane districts since the past few weeks and till now only a small fraction of the applicants were issued new ration cards, said Pandit. No reason is being given for the delay in the new ration cards issuance, said Pandit.

The protestors are also demanding work under the employment guarantee scheme (EGS), said Pandit.

The tribals wore face masks and maintained social distance and a group of 50 protestors sat opposite the tehsil offices in batches, said Pandit. Without a ration card, the tribal cannot get rice, wheat, pulses, edible oil and other essential commodities, but the government is delaying in issuing the cards, he said.

Pandit had petitioned before the HC recently, where the court ordered the state government to issue ration cards to those tribals who do not possess such and with which essential commodities could be procured. Now it seems that the issuance of the ration cards will be a distant dream for the tribals he added.

The group alleged that the police were registering the offences in the night and not during day time when the agitation takes place and this itself reflects their intention.

A spokesperson of the Palghar police have confirmed that around 250 tribals have been booked under sections 188 (disobedience), 269 (spread of infection) of the IPC and relevant sections of the Epidemic Act and National Disaster Management Act, 2005, though no arrest was made.
Reiterating his offer to mediate on the border dispute between India and China, United States President Donald Trump has said that he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is not in a "good mood" over the "big conflict" between the two countries.

Interacting with journalists in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump said a "big conflict" was going on between India and China.

"They like me in India. I think they like me in India more than the media likes me in this country. And, I like Modi. I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," he said.

"They have a big conflict India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," the president said when asked if he was worried about the border situation between India and China.

"I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump said.

A day earlier, the president offered to mediate between India and China.

Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.

Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump reiterated his offer, saying if called for help, "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help" about "mediate or arbitrate, I would do that," he said.

India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump's offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing.

"The two sides have established mechanisms both at military and diplomatic levels to resolve situations which may arise in border areas peacefully through dialogue and continue to remain engaged through these channels," he said.

WATCH: Modi is not in good mood , says Trump

While the Chinese foreign ministry is yet to react to Trump's tweet which appears to have caught Beijing by surprise, an op-ed in the state-run Global Times said both countries did not need such help from the US president.

"The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order," it said.

Trump's unexpected offer came on a day when China took an apparently conciliatory tone by saying that the situation at the border with India is "overall stable and controllable."

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.

Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal that was rejected by New Delhi.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders.

Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in North Sikkim on May 9.

On May 5, the Indian and the Chinese army personnel clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting in the Pangong Tso lake area in which soldiers on both sides sustained injuries.

In a separate incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector on May 9. At least 10 soldiers from both sides sustained injuries.

The troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam tri-junction in 2017 which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.

Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas.
Black Men Run KC weighs in on Ahmaud Arbery case: 'I saw myself in his shoes' KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- Today, a court date was set for three civilians charged for their roles in the death of black man who was jogging through their Georgia neighborhood. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 4. Ahmaud Arbery's murder case is being followed closely by one a local runner's group.

One of many causes that inspires locals to speak out against injustice . . . Here's an ongoing effort that has garnered local support in response a deadly altercation. Checkit:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 08:23:57|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ISLAMABAD, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani government has decided to form the National Locust Control Cell against the rising attacks of the locust swarms across the country, which are posing a serious threat to the national food security, the information minister said Thursday.

Pakistan's Information Minister Shibli Faraz told media that the government has formed national strategy against the desert locust and the proposed cell is part of it.

The minister added that the government is well aware of the current situation being faced by farmers in different regions where the desert locust swarms are attacking different crops.

"We fear that there would be a great threat of locust swarms in July this year. The government is preparing for it," said the minister, adding that nine jets and helicopters are taking part in spraying missions against the locust, which would be increased to 15 in July.

The minister advised farmers to report about the arrival of locusts quickly to the helplines so that the authorities can spray pesticides in their region.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations released a report last month and warned the Pakistani government of a huge level of locust raid in Pakistan if it is not controlled efficiently because locust breeding is taking place at 38 percent of the country's total area. The report added that the locust could cause 817 billion rupees (about 5.08 billion U.S. dollars) loss to Pakistan's agriculture production this year. Enditem
The requested page is currently unavailable on this server.

Back to [RTHK News Homepage]
Announcement to The Toronto Stock Exchange and Australian Securities Exchange

SUBIACO, WESTERN AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / The Board of RTG Mining Inc. ("RTG", the "Company") (TSX Code: RTG, ASX Code: RTG) is pleased to announce that Mt. Labo Exploration and Development Corporation ("Mt. Labo"), which holds the high grade Mabilo Project in the Philippines, recently received written confirmation that the Mines and Geosciences Bureau ("MGB") has now approved the expansion of the current Mineral Production Sharing Agreement No. MLC-MRD-459 for the Nalesbitan Project to include the Mabilo Project, being the subject of an approved Declared Mine Feasibility Study and Environmental Clearance Certificate.

Mt. Labo has been working closely over an extended period with the MGB to secure this important milestone for the project and is deeply appreciative of the considerable effort and support provided by the MGB.

ABOUT RTG MINING INC

RTG Mining Inc. is a mining and exploration company listed on the main board of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Australian Securities Exchange. RTG is currently focused primarily on progressing the Mabilo Project to start-up with permitting well advanced, to move quickly and safely to a producing gold company.

RTG also has a number of exciting new opportunities but during these uncertain times primary focus is on the Mabilo Project.

RTG has an experienced management team which has to date developed seven mines in five different countries, including being responsible for the development of the Masbate Gold Mine in the Philippines through CGA Mining Limited. RTG has some of the most respected international investors as shareholders including Franklin Templeton, Equinox Partners and Sun Valley.

ENQUIRIES

Australian Contact

President & CEO - Justine Magee

Tel: +61 8 6489 2900

Fax: +61 8 6489 2920

Email: jmagee@rtgmining.com

US Contact

Investor Relations - Jaime Wells

Tel: +1 970 640 0611

Email: jwells@rtgmining.com

COMPLIANCE STATEMENT

Date: 29 May 2020

Authorised for release by: By the Board of Directors

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed nor does it accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.

This announcement includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation including, among others, statements made or implied relating to the interpretation of exploration results, accuracy of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates, parameters and assumptions used to estimate mineral reserves and mineral resources, realization of mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates, estimated economic results of the Mabilo Project, future operational and financial results, including estimated cashflow and the timing thereof, estimated expenditures, expansion, exploration and development activities and the timing thereof, including expectations regarding the DSO, plans for progressing Stage 2 development, completion of a debt funding package, the negotiation of contracts for start up works and offtake arrangements and the completion of merged documentation, RTG's objectives, strategies to achieve those objectives, RTG's beliefs, plans, estimates and intentions, and similar statements concerning anticipated future events, results, circumstances, performance or expectations. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, are forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements generally can be identified by words such as "objective", "may", "will", "expected", "likely", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "should", "plans", or similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or events. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties and are based on certain factors and assumptions. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from RTG's expectations include uncertainties related to fluctuations in gold and other commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, recovery rates, production estimates and estimated economic return; the need for cooperation of government agencies in the development of RTG's mineral projects; the need to obtain additional financing to develop RTG's mineral projects; the possibility of delay in development programs or in construction projects and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones for RTG's mineral projects and other risks and uncertainties as discussed in RTG's annual report for the year ended December 31, 2019 and detailed from time to time in our other filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities available at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements made in this announcement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. RTG will not release publicly any revisions or updates to these forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or unanticipated events occurring after the date of this announcement except as required by law or by any appropriate regulatory authority.

QUALIFIED PERSON AND COMPETENT PERSON STATEMENT

The information in this release that relates to exploration results at the Mabilo Project is based upon information prepared by or under the supervision of Robert Ayres BSc (Hons), who is a Qualified Person and a Competent Person. Mr Ayres is a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Mr Ayres has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken, to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the "Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves" and to qualify as a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Mr. Ayres has verified the data disclosed in this release, including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information contained in the release. Mr. Ayres consents to the inclusion in the release of the matters based on his information in the form and the context in which it appears.

The information in this release that relates to Mineral Resources is based on information prepared by or under the supervision of Mr Aaron Green, who is a Qualified Person and Competent Person. Mr Green is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and is employed by CSA Global Pty Ltd, an independent consulting company. Mr Green has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the "Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves" and to qualify as a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Mr. Green has verified the data disclosed in this release, including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information contained in the release. Mr Green consents to the inclusion in the release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

The information in this release that relates to Mineral Reserves and Mining is based on information prepared by or under the supervision of Mr Carel Moormann, who is a Qualified Person and Competent Person. Mr Moormann is a Fellow of the AusIMM and is employed by Orelogy Consulting, an independent consulting company. Mr Moormann has sufficient experience that is relevant to the type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the "Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves" and to qualify as a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Mr Moormann has verified the data disclosed in this release, including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information contained in the release. Mr Moormann consents to the inclusion in the release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

The information in this release that relates to Metallurgy and Processing is based on information prepared by or under the supervision of David Gordon, who is a Qualified Person and Competent Person. David Gordon is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and is employed by Lycopodium Minerals Pty Ltd, an independent consulting company. David Gordon has sufficient experience that is relevant to the type of process under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the "Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves" and to qualify as a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). David Gordon has verified the data disclosed in this release, including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information contained in the release. David Gordon consents to the inclusion in the release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

The information in this release that relates to areas outside of exploration results, Mineral Resources, Mineral Reserves and Metallurgy and Processing is based on information prepared by or under the supervision of Mark Turner, who is a Qualified Person and Competent Person. Mark Turner is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and is employed by RTG Mining Inc, the Company. Mark Turner has sufficient experience that is relevant to the information under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the "Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves" and to qualify as a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Mark Turner has verified the data disclosed in this release. Mark Turner consents to the inclusion in the release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

For the ASX Feasibility Study announcement including JORC tables please refer to the RTG Mining website (www.rtgmining.com) and on the ASX, under announcements (www.asx.com.au).

SOURCE: RTG Mining Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/591927/The-Mabilo-Project-in-the-Philippines-Granted-a-Mining-Licence
Right now, for example, states can decide a poor family is automatically eligible for food assistance if the family is enrolled in other means-tested safety-net programs. The Trump administration is trying to block states from doing this, and require more paperwork to prove eligibility. By the administrations own calculations, this would cause 1 million children to lose their automatic eligibility for free school lunches.
Jaipur: Veteran BJP leader and former state president Bhanwar Lal Sharma passed away on Friday (May 29), a party leader said.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, BJP state president Satish, Jaipur MP Ramcharan Bohra and other leaders have offered condolences. CM Gehlot prayed to the almighty to give strength to Sharma's family to bear the loss.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too expressed his grief and tweeted, "Anguished by the passing away of Shri Bhanwar Lal Sharma Ji. His role in strengthening the Party in Rajasthan was extremely valuable. Simplicity and selflessness came naturally to him. Condolences to his family and well-wishers. Om Shanti."

BJP state president Satish Poonia consoled Sharma's family members at his residence and termed the death as a personal loss for him and the party.

Poonia said Sharma had a major contribution in the development of the state and in strengthening the party. He believed in simplicity and never used a government bungalow or car while he was an MLA and minister, he said.
Doan Ngoc Minh Thuy, a 30-year-old woman from Vietnams Mekong Delta, hopes producing essential oils in her hometown will bring about a much-needed boost to the local economy.

While most young graduates from Vietnams rural areas are making permanent moves to the countrys major cities, Thuy believes her opportunity for success lies in her rural hometown in the heart of the Mekong Delta.

After two years of post-graduate research in bioengineering, as well as a keen understanding of Vietnams farming industry, Thuy sets her sights on reigniting Dong Thap Provinces economy by working with its farmers to produce essential oils.

Thuy first began researching and making her own essential oils during her second year in university, and it was not long before she realized how few players there were in the market.

People in my hometown were baffled when I told them I was studying essential oils. They had no idea what that was, she said.

I thought working with them to produce [oils] could help could boost the local economy.

A modest start

On a research trip to the Lai Vung mandarin orange plantation in Dong Thap Province, Thuy discovered that nearly half of the farms products were being wasted as workers sacrificed smaller oranges so larger ones could thrive.

While the practice made economical sense for the farmers, the woman saw an opportunity to purchase premature fruits and herbs, such as limes, mandarin oranges, lemongrass, and mint, at cheap prices.

The upside for famers is that it increases the productivity of their plantations and prevents any negative environmental impacts from constantly allowing old fruit to rot in the soil, she explained.

Thuy registered her essential oils company, Huong Dong Thap Ltd., in 2017 using her personal savings as primary funding and began extracting oils from local produce at her house in Dong Thap.

As her business began to expand, she gradually started sourcing ingredients from provinces throughout Vietnam, but paid special attention to purchasing the majority of her stock from the countrys southwest.

She currently produces essential oils from limes, mandarin oranges, pomelo peel, lemongrass, lotus, mint, turmeric, and rosemary leaves.

Extracting the oil varies between each plant, depending on its characteristics. Some, for example, must be ground, while others must be sliced, minced, or kept whole.

It takes about four months to refine each batch of oils.

Essential oil is tested in Doan Ngoc Minh Thuys lab. Photo: Dieu Qui / Tuoi Tre

Behind the scenes

Bottles of Huong Dong Thap essential oils sell for VND110,000 (US$4.72) to VND700,000 ($30) each, with lotus-based products being toward the top end of that spectrum.

According to Thuy, it takes one metric ton of premature limes and lemongrass to produce one liter of pure essential oil, or one hundred 10ml bottles.

Melaleuca, lemongrass, mandarin, and pomelo are Thuys most popular products, and raw materials to produce essential oils from these plants fetch from VND3,000 ($0.13) to VND10,000 ($0.43) per kilogram.

Though overall the business has been successful, Thuy says her revenues are a roller-coaster ride, with some months meeting her sales targets and others falling wildly short.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, sales were high due to the well-known benefits of essential oils to human health but, as production costs rose during that period, Huong Dong Thaps profit took a serious blow.

I frequently evaluate my customers needs and take a proactive role in leading my company, Thuy said.

I dont sit around and wait for opportunities. When a product sits too long on the shelf, I immediately try to find out how it can be improved.

Seeing opportunity in competition

Despite my initial hurdles, I was profoundly motivated by the help of my family and even local authorities. I also believe I chose the right time to begin my business project, Thuy said.

Though Thuy was faced with low sales at the beginning of her career, as well as problems with sourcing raw materials and marketing her products, she has not let that stop her from continuing to develop original products that can outshine the competition.

The competitive market will impact us, but I see that as an opportunity to differentiate my products. We might be a small business, but I am confident that we can stand firmly in the market, she said.

Her future plans include introducing new products, as well as expanding her factories and partnerships.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
S paceXs historic launch of Falcon 9, scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, at 9:33pm BST, was set to to make history, not simply for being the first time in almost a decade that American astronauts left American soil for orbit.

Nasa crewmen Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley have both been in space before, but they will be the first people ever put there by a private company.

When starting SpaceX in 2002, I really did not think this day would occur, said Mr. Musk - SpaceX's CEO and founder - during an appearance on Nasa Television. "I expected a 90 per cent chance we would fail to even get to a low-Earth orbit with a small rocket.

Yet over the past 18 years, SpaceX has come to dominate the commercial satellite market. It now hopes to enter the business of space travel too.

The Crew Dragon capsule is prepared for launch from the Kennedy Space Centre / AP

So two days after the scheduled takeoff, why are Mr Behnken and Mr Hurley still very much on the planet?

Why was the SpaceX launch postponed?

The rocket launch was aborted 17 minutes before takeoff due to poor weather conditions.

Spectators, including President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, faced disappointment when persistent clouds refused to part.

The US Air Force's 45th Weather Squadron, which monitors the weather for air and space operations, had estimated only a 40 per cent chance of suitable weather conditions. Nasa officials had unsuccessfully tried to discourage hopeful crowds from gathering along Floridas Space Coast.

Meanwhile, an estimated 1.7 million people from around the world were tuned in to live streams of the spectacle at The Kennedy Space Centre.

Animation of Nasa SpaceX mission ahead of launch

Animation of Nasa SpaceX mission

When has it been moved to?

The event - which is the final big test before SpaceX can qualify for commercial crew-certification from Nasa - has been pushed back to the weekend, with Saturday and Sunday identified as the next potential windows of opportunity.

The first launch attempt will be on Saturday May 30 at 3.22pm EDT - or 8.22pm UK time.

Can I watch it in the UK?

There are two ways of catching the Falcons flight from the British Isles: organically and digitally.

Views from SpaceX's in-flight abort test on January 19, 2020, also from Florida's Kennedy Space Center / NASA TV/AFP via Getty Images

On the advice of astronaut Tim Peake, Brits looking south-west at time of takeoff should see evidence of the launch.

But they can also watch in closer detail on YouTube. Find out more about how to watch the SpaceX launch online.
Widower Makes a Plea to Not Take Quarantine Time for Granted After Losing Wife to Cancer
Reuters / Jonathan Ernst

Twitter hid a tweet from President Trump early Friday that the social media site said broke its rules on glorifying violence, then concealed the same tweet again when it was later reposted from the official White House account.

The tweets in question directly threatened demonstrators after a chaotic third day of protests against the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Demonstrators are demanding action over the death of the 46-year-old unarmed black man after shocking video footage showed a white police officer kneeling on his neck.

Late Thursday, they took over the Minneapolis Police Department's third precinct and set the building ablaze.

Shortly after midnight, the president threatened to start shooting in an incendiary string of tweets. Trump wrote: These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

The shooting reference echoed an infamous quote by an aggressive Miami police chief in 1967 who declared war on criminals sowing unrest in black neighborhoods in Miami.

Now, instead of showing that tweet, the site displays a disclaimer that users have to click through to be able to see what the president wrote. It states: This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.

Predictably, when Trump woke up on Friday morning to find his tweet has been hidden overnight, he and his allies went ballistic. The text of the concealed tweet was posted by the official White House account early Friday, which was then slapped with the same warning.

After the White House tweet was hidden, the official account responded: This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it will allow terrorists, dictators, and foreign propagandists to abuse its platform. The tweet included a screenshot from the feed of Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, calling for a violent jihad in Palestine.

Story continues

Its the first time one of the presidents tweets has been concealed by Twitter, and comes after a week in which Trump has waged war on the site. The president raged earlier this week when Twitter added a fact-check to one of his tweets, casting doubt on his inaccurate assertion that mail ballots would lead to widespread voting fraud.

Then, on Thursday, Trump signed an executive order aimed at removing some legal protections given to social media platforms. It urged federal regulators to crack down on companies like Twitter and to consider removing legal protections that exempt them from liability for what gets posted on their platforms.

Reacting to the decision to hide his tweet, Trump frothed on Friday morning: Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party. They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States.

He then claimed later on Friday that he actually tweeted out of concern that looting could lead to further violence, which could harm protesters.

Looting leads to shooting, and thats why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night - or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot. I dont want this to happen, and thats what the expression put out last night means, he tweeted. It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement.

Brendan Carr, commissioner of supposedly independent government agency the Federal Communications Commission, wrote: Twitter has abandoned any attempt at a good faith application of its rules. No one should take comfort in that. Here it is punishing speakers based on whether it approves or disapproves of their politics.

White House Director of Social Media Dan Scavino added: Twitter is targeting the President of the United States 24/7, while turning their heads to protest organizers who are planning, plotting, and communicating their next moves daily on this very platform. Twitter is full of shitmore and more people are beginning to get it.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!

Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Some officials of Payboy Company Limited, a payment company that was recently appointed by Menzgold to negotiate a settlement with its unpaid customers have been arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).



According to EOCO, Payboy is an entity that purports to be into the marketing and promotion of financial technologies.



But EOCO says its initial investigations have revealed that the company was operating without the requisite licenses from either the Bank of Ghana (BoG) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).



ECOCO in a press statement signed and issued by its Head of Public Affairs, Jacqueline Avotri on Friday, May 29, 2020 advised the public to circumspect when dealing with companies or individuals if it involves financial commitments.



The statement said EOCO arrested the officials of Payboy on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 and that investigations are ongoing.



It would be recalled that Menzgold, the troubles gold dealership company recently announced the appointment of Payboy as a third-party entity to negotiate the settlement with its customers.



Many customers of Menzgold have had their investments locked up in the company for many months now.



Menzgold in a statement announcing the appointment of Payboy said the company was to negotiate and facilitate the payment of the investment of its customers whose investments are still locked up.





The Bank of Ghana (BoG) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) together with the security agencies helped to halt the gold dealership activities of Menzgold some two years ago over regulatory issues.

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
By ANI

WASHINGTON DC: Hollywood's movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who is currently serving a 23-year-long prison term on rape charges, was on Thursday hit with four additional rape cases.

According to Variety, one of the four women who alleged rape on Weinstein was just 17 years old at the time of the crime.

The sexual assaults allegedly occurred between 1984 and 2013.

According to the lawsuit reported by Variety, the accuser who was "approximately seventeen years old" in 1994 alleges that Film Producer "falsely imprisoned, sexually assaulted, sexually battered and raped her."

The most recent of the four allegations is of an incident that took place in 2013. According to the allegation, a Hungarian woman said that she met Weinstein during the Venice Film Festival.

She accused that the film producer forced her to indulge in sexual acts when she visited him at his hotel room after meeting him at his office for an audition.

Over 100 women have accused Weinstein of rape and sexual assault.
Federal and State governments are being urged to protect the mature workers who are especially vulnerable to job losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic shutdowns.

Suggestions are for the government to continue to pay a higher weekly benefit to mature workers or lower the aged pension age due to the increased competition now for jobs.

Gold Coast Community Issues lawyer, Bruce Simmonds, says hes had calls from mature age workers dumped from their jobs as firms shut down or retrench due to Covid-19 and this has led to more unemployed people competing for fewer jobs.

Mr Simmonds, a workplace compensation lawyer with Gold Coast firm Parker Simmonds Solicitors & Lawyers, says the coronavirus panics have highlighted the plight of mature age workers vulnerable to exploitation by hard-nosed employers who sack them if they complain.

An issue nobody wants to admit?

Mr Simmonds says hes highlighting an issue nobody wants to admit to but says every year he has multiple claims or inquiries from mature age workers dumped from their jobs.

Too often our mature workers are exploited and mistreated by employers and sadly the coronavirus upheavals have been used as an excuse by some employers to either dump staff or exploit them,.

Age discrimination in the workforce is as rampant and cruel as ever and he feels 2020 holds no apparent relief for mature age workers who feel they are treated like a slave class of worker.

I have had quite a number of clients all late 50s or in their 60s, made redundant from previous jobs and needing to stay in the workforce. There are agencies that score thousands of dollars in government incentives to place these people in new jobs but too often the new jobs are a nightmare for the worker, he says.

He knows of local companies hiring older workers but privately paying bare minimum wages and imposing unfair working conditions.

Older workers have the least rights

If the worker complains, they are sacked or threatened with the sack, knowing it can be hard for older workers to find a new job. Intimidation is used to silence them. Older workers are the people with the least rights in the workforce and generally the unions cant or wont do anything to help them.

Part of the problem is the mindset of younger bosses who cant relate to older workers or have little respect for them, he said.

Mr Simmonds says distressed clients say they are often treated with disrespect by younger bosses, or given menial tasks either to persuade them to resign or because the boss did not trust them with more responsibility.

Its tragic because mature age workers can be a golden asset for an employer. They have a long term work ethic, tremendous workplace experience and a professional attitude to their job. They could teach their bosses a thing or two about personnel management, he says.

Related:

This Covid 19 crisis and especially the unorthodox working from home arrangements hastily put in place for many businesses really illustrates how some younger bosses are really unqualified to administer older workers.

Mr Simmonds says there has been a noticeable increase in compensation claims from older workers claiming unfair dismissal.

The age group for such claims now is much older. In the past youd see them for 30-40 year olds, now its people in their late 50s and 60s.

Because of age and injury theyre the first to go in a shakeup. Also mature workers sometimes have injuries just starting to show because of age aggravation of pre-existing degenerative conditions. The older we are the less we bounce.

Unfortunately were seeing instances where employers just dump anyone perceived as a liability to the business. Rather than respect mature age workers and draw on their wide experience and knowledge base, they are too often just treated as a nuisance, to be dumped, he said.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
George Clooney is mega famous. He has an irresistible charm thats hard to describe and harder to find. Hes been smart about building his career, too. Even though he started on TV, he quit a sure thing on ER to take a risk on the big screen. It paid off, and George has an Oscar to prove it.

There may be a reason why George has been so smart about his career. He had a great role model. His father, Nick Clooney, is kind of famous in his own right, and he built an amazing career himself.

Nick Clooney had a career in broadcasting

George Clooney | HEIKKI SAUKKOMAA/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images

RELATED: George Clooneys Search for a Hangover-Less Tequila Has Made Him $239 Million and Counting

Although he is now retired, Nick had an impressive career in broadcast journalism. Providing viewers with new information seems to be a passion for Nick. He started his journalism career at just 16 years old.

Considering he grew up listening to journalists bring World War II stateside through the radio, it makes sense he has an appreciation for the power of broadcast news.

He took on multiple roles throughout his long career, including reporter, anchor, news director, and managing editor. He has worked in cities all over the country, and hes earned some impressive recognition for his work.

The most prestigious praise Nick has received comes in the form of two Emmys. Nick received one for historical narration, and another for commentary. Hes been nominated for many more awards.

His sons career may at times eclipse Nicks own work, but the two actually did one of their best projects as a team.

George and Nick Clooney have had some successful collaborations

George is a well-known humanitarian, but it turns out that its a passion he and his father share. In fact, Nick and George collaborated on Georges Darfur documentary.

The two smuggled cameras into a refugee camp in order to document the conditions.

The 2006 film revealed the tragic situation in Darfur, Sudan. It opened the eyes of the world to the plight of the Sudanese people, and Nick and George havent stopped advocating for the area since.

Nick even tangled with the law over his passion for Darfur. He was arrested during a protest in front of the Sudanese embassy.

Even though both Nick and George have done a lot for the Darfur region, George has said that he feels like his efforts have failed. Not much has improved in Sudan, and George wishes he could do more to get the world to pay attention.

Nick Clooney loves being a grandfather

RELATED: George Clooneys European Home Away From Home Is a Magical Travel Destination

Even though Nick and George may not feel like theyve succeeded in Sudan, Georges passion led him to meet Amal, his wife. Shes a human rights lawyer, so she can help George and Nick further their causes. Most importantly for Nick, Georges marriage meant more grandchildren.

George and Amal welcomed twins in 2017, and Nick was thrilled.

Nick and his wife Nina, Georges mom, arent new to the whole grandparent thing, says Fox. They have two other grandchildren, who are both in their 20s. When they were born, Nick joked that hes the worlds oldest grandfather, even though at the time he was 83 years young.

Apparently Nina thought that the babies looked like their father right off the bat. Nick said in an interview that Nina swears they have Georges nose. I dont know what that means.

It turns out, even at 83 years old, Nick was full of jokes after the birth of his grandchildren. He also commented on Amals pregnancy, saying: She was telling us last week that she is as big as a house. Of course, for her, thats a very small house.
New challenges have emerged before the Delhi government with the growing cases of novel coronavirus in the national capital. With spike in Covid-19 cases, a surge in the death toll is also being witnessed, resulting to the piling up of bodies at the crematoriums.

So far, Delhi has registered a total of 16,281 Covid-19 cases and 316 deaths.

Hence to ease the load, since Thursday, four crematoriums run by the Delhi civic bodies have started using wood to cremate bodies of coronavirus confirmed and suspected patients, officials confirmed. The move was necessitated because only two of the six CNG-run furnaces were operating and bodies of Covid patients were piling up with crematoriums returning them as they were unable to take the load, reported Hindustan Times.

Earlier, cremating bodies of Covid-19 patients using wood was restricted due to the fear of possible spread of the virus in the air.

Hindustan Times had reported on Thursday how with only two CNG furnaces working, bodies were piling at the mortuary of largest dedicated Covid-19 hospital, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) in the city. Inside the mortuary, there are 108 bodies. All 80 storage racks are full and there are 28 bodies on the floor, piled on top of each other.

A third furnace was made functional on Wednesday night, said officials. Meanwhile, staff at a crematorium at the Nigambodh Ghat said that it will take them at least two months to repair the other three furnaces.

On Wednesday, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, the nodal agency for managing cremations of Covid-19 patients, directed four crematoriums in Kardardooma, Nigambodh Ghat, Rani Jhansi Road and Punjabi Bagh to use wood for cremating bodies of Covid-19 victims.

The heads of the standing committees of Delhi's three municipal corporations -- NDMC, SDMC, EDMC -- in a joint statement had said, in view of the coronavirus pandemic, instructions have been issued to streamline arrangements at crematoria and burial sites. Officials have been told to look into the feasibility of having a separate block to conduct cremation with wood, the joint statement said.

Directions have been issued to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) kits to civic staff working at cremation ghats, it said.

Preference must be given to use of the CNG furnace, the order copy marked to the South and the East municipal bodies signed by the North civic bodys health officer, reads.

Rani Jhansi crematorium, which has started taking bodies of confirmed and suspected Covid-19 cases after the order was issued, cremated 15 bodies until Thursday using woods, following strict guidelines.

Sultan Singh, the in-charge of the crematorium, explained that only one member of the deceaseds family is being allowed to light the pyre and that one member has to wear masks and follow safety guidelines.

We have just started dealing with Covid-19 cases. We allow only one member of the family near the body to light the pyre. Even that one relative has to wear mask and take other precautions. The priests handling such bodies also wear masks and gloves. Nobody opens the body that is wrapped in a personal protective equipment suit. It is directly kept on top of a pile of wood and covered for the final rites. There is no contact with the body. It is a new thing for us. We are following the governments orders, Singh told Hindustan Times.

Speaking on the same, Suman Gupta from the Nigambodh Ghat Sanchalan Samiti, said that since the order was received, 15 bodies using wood and five in the CNG furnace were cremated. We are worried but what can we do if the government refuses to listen. There are rows of bodies cremated through the wood in the open. We are worried about the smoke. It could be dangerous. The lives of our 70 workers and 100 priests are at risk. The cremation in the CNG furnace was controlled and happened in an isolated section. Outsiders were not allowed inside. Now the Covid-19 bodies are being cremated in the open, sometimes side by side too. We are only doing it because of the governments orders.

Meanwhile, Dr Sudhir Gupta, professor and head of the department of forensic medicine and toxicology, AIIMS said that cremating bodies of coronavirus patients using wood is completely safe.

It is perfectly safe to dispose of the body through the wood-based method. The temperature maintained is the same as that of the CNG furnace. One must follow the guidelines that the government has issued such as not coming in contact with the body, wearing masks and gloves. The precautions that one adopts at the CNG furnace must be adopted in the wood-based system too, Hindustan Times quoted Dr Gupta as saying.

Avtar Singh, the mayor of the North Delhi civic body also said the process is safe and approved by the central government. Cremating bodies using wood is not harmful. It is being done to clear the backlog and expedite cremations. We adopted the process so that the families of those who died do not have to wait for days for the final rites, he said.

On Thursday, the Delhi High Court had expressed its dissatisfaction over the current state of affairs and took suo motu cognisance regarding the backlog in disposing bodies of Covid-19 victims owing to non-functioning of CNG furnaces at the crematoriums in Delhi's Nigambodh Ghat and Punjabi Bagh, and said that the same is "violative of the rights of the dead".

Expressing displeasure and anger while taking note of the situation, the court said, "We, as citizens of Delhi are pained at the aforesaid state of affairs and as judges find the situation as reported and if true, to be highly dissatisfactory and violative of the rights of the dead."
By Steve Holland and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday tried to walk back a Twitter threat to respond with deadly force to three days of violent protests in Minneapolis over the police killing of an unarmed black man.

After his online comment that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" drew a warning label from Twitter and widespread condemnation from Democrats, Trump said he understood why the killing had sparked nationwide protests about police violence against African Americans.

But he added that they should not be allowed to turn to "lawless anarchy."

"The looters should not be allowed to drown out the voices of so many peaceful protesters," he said at the White House. "I understand the hurt, I understand the pain."

Trump said he had expressed his sorrow to the family of George Floyd, a black man seen on video gasping for breath while a white police officer knelt on his neck. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Trump, a Republican who is running for re-election in November, has a history of inflaming racial tensions. He blamed "both sides" for violence between white supremacists and left-wing counter protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 and has called some immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border rapists.

His early Friday tweet suggested that security forces would open fire on looters to curtail unrest over Floyd's death.

Trump said in his tweet: "These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

Twitter added a notice that the message violated its rules for "glorifying violence," shortly after it appended a fact-check label to another of his tweets about mail-in ballots. It was the first time Twitter had challenged his posts.

Story continues

Trump said he was not aware of the history of the phrase, which dates back to U.S. police crackdowns on civil rights in the 1960s.

Democrats accused Trump of making the situation worse.

"This is no time for incendiary tweets. It's no time to encourage violence," former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said in remarks streamed online. "This is a national crisis and we need real leadership right now. Leadership that will bring everyone to the table so that we can take measures to root out systemic racism."

Black lawmakers said Trump was encouraging violence against African Americans. "It is a disgrace when the leader of the country responds to a national crisis by insulting the people that are being attacked," said Democratic Representative Karen Bass, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus.

Trump issued his tweet amid days of turmoil in Minneapolis, which was engulfed in a third night of arson, looting and vandalism as protesters vented their rage over Floyd's death.

The four police officers involved in Floyd's death were fired before Chauvin's arrest. Attorney General William Barr said on Friday the Department of Justice, including the FBI, would investigate.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, a Republican, said his panel would hold a hearing to examine police use of force.

Trump's re-election campaign has identified Minnesota as a state he could win in 2020 after narrowly losing it in 2016.

TWITTER FEUD

Trump relies heavily on Twitter to bring his message directly to his 80 million followers on the site, but also has repeatedly accused it and other social media sites of censoring conservatives.

Twitter's decision to attach a warning to Trump's tweet escalates a feud between Trump and tech companies.

Trump also posted his comment on Facebook, which did not add any editorial comment. "I disagree strongly with how the President spoke about this, but I believe people should be able to see this for themselves," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post.

Trump threatened new regulations and called on Congress to revoke a law that protects online platforms from lawsuits over content.

Floyd's death was one of several recent killings of black people in the United States that have provoked outrage.

Protests took place in other U.S. cities, including Louisville, Kentucky, where police said seven people were shot. Protesters there vented rage over the police killing of Breonna Taylor, a black woman shot in her apartment in March.

(In May 29 story, corrects wording of Trump tweet in second paragraph; changes headline)

(Reporting by Steve Holland, Jeff Mason, Daphne Psaledakis and Richard Cowan in Washington and Elizabeth Culliford in Birmingham, England; additional reporting by Fanny Potkin in Singapore, Shubham Kalia and Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru, Josephine Mason, and Andy Sullivan, David Morgan and Sarah Lynch in Washington; Writing by Andy Sullivan, Jeff Mason and Peter Graff; Editing by Grant McCool and Sandra Maler)
A news programme shows Chinese President Xi Jinping during the closing session of the National People's Congress, on a giant screen at an intersection in Beijing on May 28, 2020.

China's desire to display its sovereign might could be part of why it has approved a draft national security law for Hong Kong, one analyst told CNBC. "There's probably sort of a multi-layered cake of Chinese motivations," Christopher Johnson, Freeman Chair in China Studies at think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Thursday before China's parliament voted to approve the bill that some say infringes on the city's freedoms and autonomy. The proposed bill is highly contentious as it bypasses Hong Kong's legislature and could undermine the city's semi-autonomous status that went into effect when Britain handed Hong Kong over to China in 1997. One of the reasons China is ready to take a strong stance toward Hong Kong could be because Beijing is troubled by recent U.S. support for Taiwan, said Johnson, a former China analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency. Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province with no rights to state-to-state relations. The Chinese Communist Party has never governed Taiwan.

U.S.-Taiwan relations

"China has a lot of concerns about what's happening on Taiwan ... rather how the U.S. is approaching Taiwan," Johnson told CNBC. Taiwan has emerged as comparatively successful in managing to control the coronavirus outbreak, and posted just 442 cases and seven deaths in a population of nearly 24 million. That's despite its proximity to mainland China and their close business ties. Earlier this year, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo  alongside a clutch of world leaders  openly backed Taiwan's participation in a World Health Organization meeting. The move provoked Beijing which views Taiwan as a territory that cannot have its own diplomatic representation. China has reportedly told the U.S. that Taiwan is the most sensitive issue in their relationship. U.S. support of Taiwan "stimulates the desire on China's part to demonstrate the inviolability of Chinese territory integrity. They can't reach out and touch Taiwan, but they certainly can (for) Hong Kong," said Johnson.

'Sense of anxiety'
A Government plan to impose a 14-day quarantine on overseas travellers arriving in Ireland has been branded ineffective by Ryanair chief Michael OLeary (Brian Lawless/PA)

Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary has penned an open letter to Health Minister Simon Harris, calling for the scrapping of a completely ineffective 14 day self-isolation period for passengers arriving into Ireland.

In a letter sent this evening, Mr OLeary harshly criticises the Government advice to self isolate for two weeks after arriving into the country as it is unpoliceable and calls for medical masks to be made mandatory on public transport, including flights.

He also calls the passenger locator form, which all passengers have to fill out upon their arrival into the country with their contact details and address of where they will be self-isolating, idiotic.

It is ineffective because passengers are not being quarantined on their port of arrival (airports and ports) but are being released to use public transport (busses, [sic] taxis, trains, etc) to travel to their destination, the letter reads.

It is inaccurate since there is zero control over the accuracy of visitor forms, which can contain false addresses, and contact details. It is unpoliceable since neither An Garda Siochana nor any other State agency, have the resources to monitor or control these ineffective quarantines.

Read More

He says that it is deeply troubling that face masks have not been made mandatory to wear for passengers on public transport.

It is deeply troubling that Ireland and its medical experts has so far failed to make face masks mandatory in public transport.

Your department should follow this science and mandate face masks, as well as bring forward your overly conservative and unreasonably stringent lockdown restrictions to allow normal, every day life to resume safely without any unnecessary or ineffective delays, the letter adds.

Speaking on RTE Radio One Drivetime this evening, the CEO said that once Ryanair resumes its flights to and from Ireland on July 1, all passengers will have to wear a medical face mask on board - but face coverings will be accepted also.

However, masks will not be for sale on board flights.

They will have to be worn at the entry point to the airport terminal. Passengers will have to bring their own face masks. You wouldnt be allowed into the airport terminal without wearing the face mask.

Social distancing isnt possible in an airport, so you have to be wearing a face mask, said Mr OLeary.

Medical face masks are recommended, but well let them on with a face covering as well.

Cabin crew will also wear face masks and limited food and drink will be sold on board which will be pre wrapped, however, no tea and coffee will be available as they involve too much contact.

Passengers will be allowed to lower their masks to eat and drink but are asked to restore the mask once theyre finished eating and drinking.

It's a bit late to be selling the face mask on board, its a bit late to be introducing quarantine after everyone has left the airport and gone on public transport, he added.

We want the withdrawal of this completely useless and ineffective quarantine.
The BBC has accused Emily Maitlis of 'overstepping the mark' with her monologue about Dominic Cummings and the 'blind loyalty' of his boss Boris Johnson sparking a war with her Newsnight colleagues, it was revealed today.

The corporation has been 'flooded' with more than 20,000 complaints about the show's host - but this includes thousands of emails from her supporters who feel she has been thrown under the bus.

Despite censuring the broardcaster, 49, the BBC has insisted the case is now closed and Ms Maitlis will face no formal investigation - but Ofcom is being urged to probe the incident after receiving hundreds of complaints.

Tory MP Philip Davies told MailOnline: 'It seems that the BBC, Channel 4 and Sky News long ago ended any pretence of impartial reporting and now believe their role is to indoctrinate everyone with their left-wing London centric metropolitan views. Emily Maitlis on Newsnight was a prime example of that. Ofcom seem to be asleep at the wheel and if they are not going to take action to ensure the impartiality of broadcasters then they should either make way for people who will or scrap the rules around impartiality so that there is no longer any pretence.'

Tory MP Michael Fabricant also told MailOnline: 'The BBC fought long and hard to stop Ofcom having an overview of the BBC. Now it is time for Ofcom to prove their worth. There needs to be a full inquiry into whether the BBC is reporting the news or whether it is dictating the news agenda and editorialising too presenting personal views.'

Last night the BBC issued a second longer statement about Ms Maitlis' speech on Tuesday night, where she claimed the public had been made to 'feel like fools' in the row over No 10 aide Mr Cummings' lockdown trip to Durham with his family.

Her Newsnight colleagues are said to be in uproar but one senior BBC broadcaster said 'a bunch of BBC managers were very offended' by her words and last night released a new explanation, said to be signed off by the director of news Fran Unsworth and involved head of current affairs Joanna Carr.

It said: 'Our editorial guidelines allow us to make professional judgments, but not to express opinion. The dividing line can be fine, but we aim to say so if we think we have overstepped the mark.'

Emily Maitlis was out with her banker husband Mark Gwynne in West London yesterday as the storm raged over her Dominic Cummings monologue

The Newsnight host spoke out on Tuesday's show and claimed the public had been made to 'feel like fools'

One Newsnight insider said there was 'complete astonishment' and 'fury' amongst the team about the way BBC bosses had handled the situation. The 'speed' at which the corporation put out the statement was 'unprecedented' and there had been 'zero engagement' between news chiefs and the programme, they said. Bosses had acted 'partially' by the taking the Government's side, the source said.

Emily Maitlis' decade of BBC controversies April 2020 Ms Maitlis used Newsnight to hit out at claims that coronavirus is a 'great leveller' for society as she said the poorest Britons are less likely to survive the pandemic. She claimed on BBC Two that those most at risk of catching the infection are in low-paid jobs such as bus drivers, nurses and care home workers. Matt Kilcoyne of the Adam Smith Institute claimed her comments breached impartiality guidelines, but her speech received widespread praise online. September 2019 BBC bosses found against Emily Maitlis after an internal investigation when viewers complained she was 'sneering and bullying' towards journalist Rod Liddle during a Brexit debate. The executive complaints unit at the BBC determined that Ms Maitlis had been too 'persistent and personal' during the late night discussion on BBC2 on July 15. The incident, where she told Mr Liddle to 'get a grip' and said his columns contained 'casual racism' left her open to claims she had 'failed to be even-handed', their report said. Viewers claimed the presenter's attitude towards Liddle was systemic of the way the BBC has portrayed Leave voters. August 2019 Emily Maitlis said the BBC's move to uphold a complaint against Naga Munchetty for calling out Donald Trump over racism looked 'massively out of touch'. She gave her full support to Munchetty, who had condemned the President's call for four Democratic congresswomen to go back to their own countries. June 2019 The BBC criticised its own broadcaster Ms Maitlis about her performance in last week's Conservative leadership debate. A statement appeared on the BBC website saying that the Newsnight presenter was 'not to everyone's taste'. But the BBC quickly removed the comment, insisting it was a mistake. The errant comment was a response to complaints about Maitlis's performance in last week's Conservative leadership debate. Critics said the show turned into 'an hour of men shouting inanely over each other', while another said the BBC's bar-stool format made the Tory MPs look like 'a bunch of braying morons'. April 2019 The broadcaster is named as Newsnight's new lead presenter and said: 'I don't have to be liked' March 2019 She was caught on camera visibly losing her patience with Labour MP Barry Gardiner on Newsnight. The host is seen rolling her eyes and shuffling her papers as he spoke. July 2017 She urges male colleagues to join the gender pay gap fight  as women staff at the Corporation went into open revolt. January 2016 Ms Maitlis revealed she was once told by a boss at the Corporation she would have to appear on Strictly Come Dancing if she wanted to progress. She previously claimed it is harder for a woman to be taken seriously and be successful at the BBC August 2011 The newscaster was spotted wearing a charity wristband in support of the Forces charity Help for Heroes while presenting the news - despite there being a ban on presenters wearing such accessories. July 2011 Dr David Starkey called her a 'disgrace' after he claimed that Britain had undergone a cultural shift and 'the whites have become black' during an interview with Ms Maitlis. More than 700 people complained to the BBC and a further 103 contacted Ofcom claiming that the comments breached guidelines on racial offence. November 2009 Ms Maitlis is named among a host of the BBC's highest-paid presenters classing themselves as freelancers to avoid paying 50 per cent income tax. Advertisement

But other respected broadcasters at the BBC hit out, saying Newsnight needed to stick to the rules like everyone else. One well-known journalist said it was not the role of Newsnight to 'speak on behalf of the British people' - because there was not one unanimous view.

The source added: 'There are the rules and you just have to find a way of dealing with it'. Another respected broadcaster said 'a bunch of BBC managers were very offended' by the speech.

The statement also insisted that Ms Maitlis' speech 'risked giving the perception that the BBC was taking sides and expressing an opinion, rather than being impartial'.

Ms Maitlis is said to have been so upset by her treatment she asked for the night off on Wednesday, with reporter Katie Razzall standing in.

She also thanked those who had sent messages of support having already retweeted a number of positive comments about her opening speech - with one describing it as 'savage brilliance' and another saying she 'tells it how it is'.

Another she shared said: 'Emily Maitlis and Newsnight should be praised. There was no bias, just good reporting, investigation, challenging and holding to account. Well done BBC and not just Radio 4 this time. Good. More please.'

Anger flooded in from some incensed by the initial broadcast, which they believed showed bias, while others were furious about the corporation's rapid climb down, after it issued a statement saying Maitlis had broken the rules.

In an introduction to the current affairs programme, Miss Maitlis opened with a highly-critical speech claiming the public 'feel like fools' and accused Boris Johnson of showing 'blind loyalty' towards his adviser.

Mr Cummings has been at the centre of a row after it emerged that he had travelled to his parents house in Durham during lockdown - 260 miles from his home in London.

Mr Cummings had 'broken the rules' and 'the country can see that, and it's shocked the Government cannot', Miss Maitlis said. The 'public mood' is 'one of fury, contempt and anguish', she added.

Within 24 hours, the BBC released a statement saying the programme had not met 'standards of due impartiality' adding that staff had been 'reminded of the guidelines'.

The controversy has created huge divisions within the BBC between those who support Newsnight and Ms Maitlis and others who think she broke the rules.

Yesterday the presenter said she had been 'overwhelmed' by support from viewers.

Although she had been replaced on Wednesday night's programme by broadcaster Katie Razzall, she revealed it was her own decision not to appear

Wednesday's statement is understood to have been signed off by the BBC's director of news Fran Unsworth and involved the broadcaster's head of current affairs Joanna Carr.

Last night, some accused the BBC of sexism, noting that other male presenters who 'editorialise' had not been hauled over the coals in the same way.

One female BBC journalist said 'Amongst a lot of women in the BBC there is a feeling that there is a double standard in operation and that they are held up to a higher level of account and due impartiality than some of the men with a high profile'.

Former Newsnight economics editor Paul Mason meanwhile, yesterday said the decision made him 'sick'.

A petition entitled 'Reinstate Emily Maitlis', even though she has not been dropped from the show, also drew attention to sexism. It read: 'How can it be just and appropriate that a woman is removed for telling the truth, while an unelected man appears bulletproof even after lying and showing no contrition?'

Last night one Newsnight journalist said: 'There are a legion of unanswered questions...The speed at which they (the BBC) came to this decision, which was completely unprecedented, with zero engagement, almost zero engagement virtually with the editor let alone with the rest of the team.'

They said: 'There is complete astonishment and fury', adding: 'Acting this way delegitimises everything in the programme that night and the programme's coverage more generally.'

Emily Maitlis tweeted that she had asked for the night off last night and thanked people for their support as some viewers said she had been reprimanded by the BBC for telling the facts of the story

But other long-serving BBC journalists backed bosses.

One said: 'No-one likes to see any colleague hung out to dry like that. That was quite harsh. If you work for the BBC there are the rules and you just have to find a way of dealing with it.

'Speaking on behalf of the British people when some British people don't agree with what you are saying. It's not the whole British people. It wasn't really necessary.'

'We are at a time when we need real public support. I think it is a shame to divide people and make them angry with the BBC as an institution.'

Yesterday Miss Maitlis tweeted: 'Been overwhelmed by all the kindness, messages - and support on here - and I've probably missed much of it. A big thank you from us all at Newsnight.'

The BBC statement about the episode said the programme 'should have done more to make clear the introduction was a summary of the questions we would examine, with all the accompanying evidence, in the rest of the programme'.

It added: 'As it was, we believe the introduction we broadcast did not meet our standards of due impartiality.'

Last year, the BBC became embroiled in an impartiality row over on-air comments made by BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty about US President Donald Trump and racism.

Munchetty was initially judged to have breached BBC editorial guidelines but the ruling was later reversed.
Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye

29.05.2020 LISTEN

Tomorrow, May 29, 2020, is what used to be referred to in Nigeria as Democracy Day, but now it will only serve as the anniversary of President Muhammadu Buhari's regime and that of some state governors. It is usually a welcome excuse for great celebrations, chest-beating and wild claims about humongous achievements, many of which exist only in the imagination of the mostly failed leaders.

Even the term Democracy Day (which is now observed on June 12) is such an excruciating irony in a country where almost all the features that distinguish democratic societies have been brutally obliterated, leaving the populace continually trapped in destabilizing apprehension. Even the term Democracy Day (which is now observed on June 12) is such an excruciating irony in a country where almost all the features that distinguish democratic societies have been brutally obliterated, leaving the populace continually trapped in destabilizing apprehension.

There would, however, be no parties tomorrow. A hostile, dreaded visitor called Coronavirus is town! Lets hope, therefore, that the absence of bacchanals tomorrow will afford our leaders the conducive atmosphere for deep, sober reflections, to determine whether they have merely added to the suffering and pain of the people or helped, even in some little way, to reduce them.

If Nigeria is working, we will know! Those were the exact words of late Prof Chinua Achebe, Africas foremost writer and distinguished intellectual. In other words, the citizens do not need any bogus claims by governments megaphones to realise that there is an improvement in their countrys economy because it will automatically translate to an enhancement in their lives.

And as they enter the markets to procure their basic needs or engage service providers for some of those services they just cannot do without, they would certainly have direct encounters with the improvements their country is alleged to have witnessed. But sadly, what they are still seeing everywhere are benumbing evidences of further deterioration and the attendant pains  a direct result of very poor management of their country.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a report in March 2019 and announced that the Nigerian economy is recovering. The people who read the report must have echoed: which Nigeria? The one we live in or another?

Real GDP increased by 1.9 per cent in 2018, up from 0.8 per cent in 2017, on the back of improvements in manufacturing and servicesand strides to improve the business environment, the IMF crowed.

Now did you just hear that in this country, there is an improvement in manufacturing and services? When did the IMF become a body of fiction writers? Could, somebody, please, ask them to furnish us with specific examples of this milestone they claim that our country has achieved? Is this not the same country where companies are folding up or relocating to other places due to the high cost of doing business caused mainly by the seemingly intractable, epileptic electric power supply, rising insecurity and unstable policies?

Although, the IMF moderated its optimism and toned down its report at several sections, those brazen declarations of unverifiable recovery and improvement can only be seen as an advertisement of gross insensitivity to the fragile feelings of hapless Nigerians trapped in the throes of a battered economy being progressively compounded by the reckless experimentations of a noisy bunch of tyros.

One of the most dreaded phrases in Nigeria of the mid-eighties, specifically, during the Gen Ibrahim Babangida junta, was IMF conditionalities which our country was required to fulfill at that time to qualify for an IMF loan. Happily, Nigerians unanimously rejected the poisoned apple. Since then, I have been very suspicious of the motives of the IMF and whatever it says about any country, especially, in Africa. Its prescriptions are often killer-pills that plunge the citizenry into needless sufferings and ultimately set the country on the path of destablisation.

And so, when you see them praising any country, just watch out: that country may be naively or even unwittingly complying with its conditionalities.

IMF has always recommended massive devaluation of the Naira so we could have what they called, a realistic value of our currency; never mind that this will brutally weaken further the purchasing power of the already impoverished people.

Well, Nigeria through the howling incompetence of her groping leaders has already horribly devalued the Naira, probably, far beyond the expectation of the IMF. Have you tried recently to purchase even the weakest currency out there with your Naira? Thats how bad it has become!

Another conditionality at that time was the downsizing of the civil service. They called it the beautiful name, rightsizing. Already, many state governments are almost on that excruciating path as they threaten to drastically reduce the public service population if they must pay the meagre N30, 000 Minimum Wage. Many workers have already been frustrated out of the civil service by very poor working conditions and the tormenting experience of being laden with mountains of unpaid salaries. Some have even been retrenched by death due to inability to feed themselves and care for their health as their callous and profligate governors withhold their salaries.

The other conditionality, the introduction of school fees in the universities, is already operational at the state universities and partially at the federal institutions while the rationalisation of courses which has been on the cards is already being partially implemented. So, the IMF is already winning in Nigeria. The conditionalities they handed down to us in the eighties are already enjoying full implementation. It has always insisted that the implementation of these measures represent the fact that we are already on the path of progress. Does that make even the slightest sense to you?

The real, killer conditionality, however, is the total absence of subsidies which is gradually showing its egregious head, and may become fully manifest soon as the nations worst nightmare, especially, in the prices of petroleum products  even though there was a slight downward review of the pump price of petrol recently due to slump in the price of crude oil in the international market. Already, we are hearing about what they call over consumption of petrol by Nigerians which subsidy removal will effectively check. Sometimes, I wonder what would have been our fate if ours were not an oil-producing country.

Certainly, many Nigerians will soon park their cars at home because of inability to fuel them, and in a country with a chaotic transportation system. Given that most commercial outfits and service providers rely on petrol to remain in business due to the intimidating crisis in the electricity sector, Nigerians should, therefore, be ready for the worst times in a recovering economy because the price of goods and services would certainly ascend beyond the reach of many Nigerians.

By the way, why is this anti-subsidy pill always appearing like an Only-For-Africa solution? Why are they are not breathing down the necks of other countries that are heavily subsidising education, healthcare and several other services for their own citizens?

In Kuwait, for instance, government provides free medical care for its nationals. They are also trying to establish what they call expat-only hospitals and clinics which will serve the health needs of expatriates with health insurance coverage. And their hospitals are of very high standard.

In neighboring Saudia Arabia, the same completely free medical services are offered to Saudi nationals. Even near us here in Seychelles, government has put in place a system that ensures that sick citizens receive free medical treatment.

The same system is operational in Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Bhutan (which even moves serious cases to Indian hospitals for treatment at governments expense) and several other countries which Nigeria may even be far richer than. In Spain, government provides a public universal health care system for all citizens and, under certain conditions, also, non-citizens. Healthcare is free except for co-payments in some products and services; it is mostly paid from the Social Security budget.

Why are the IMF and World Bank so determined to keep stampeding governments in African nations into presenting themselves continually as enemies of their people?

What of education? Several countries in Europe offer free education, except for some minimal fees (charged in some countries), and in several cases, international students also benefit from this. In Norway, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Finland, for instance, you have world-class tuition-free universities (which international students also benefit from).

So what is all this fetish about the total absence of subsidies as the sole panacea for economic growth? Has the economies of these countries collapsed because they are offering subsidised essential services to their people (and even foreigners)?

Indeed, Nigerias problem very is far from the crazy speculations of the IMF and the World Bank. Nigerias problem is the crude mediocrity, incompetence and pervasive corruption which our leaders have instituted as an essential character of governance.

Removing subsidies (which will end up in private pockets, any way, if they really exist) and unleashing more crushing pain and suffering on Nigerians will not revive the economy. We tried it with the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) of the Babangida junta, where did it take Nigeria to? But our government will readily embrace that prescription because it will relieve it of its responsibility towards Nigerians. Is it not very sad that despite being widely regarded as the richest country in Africa, the Nigerian government seems to derive immense pleasure from flaunting the country as poor, helpless and beggarly? If her resources are not continuously mismanaged and looted by her leaders, shouldnt several African countries by now be looking up to Nigeria for help, especially, in desperate and trying times such as the one the world is in now?

But the sad situation is that even the most leanly-endowed African countries have since left Nigeria very far behind in the area of provision of basic amenities for their people. For instance, whereas other African country have since achieved reasonable stability in power supply, Nigeria is still very far behind, struggling with debilitating darkness and has remained the proud, pathetic dumping ground for mostly substandard power generating sets from China. The same goes for provision of potable water, another sector in which government has failed so woefully. If the Nigerian government is allowed, it would beg for alms from places like Somalia, Eritrea, Central African Republic and Liberia  countries that made the list of Africas ten poorest countries!

Look at what is happening in Nigeria because of the presence of Covid-19 in the country. Unable to respond to the all important need of feeding its people rendered incapable of earning a living by the recent lockdown, a problem that even countries Nigeria is supposed to be richer than had managed so amazingly, the Buhari regime hastened to ease the restrictions at a time the number of infected persons was rising alarmingly!

The Nigerian government should look for thoroughly educated Nigerians with sound understanding of the country's economy, who know how to navigate it out of the woods, and stop hiding its incompetence, confusion and failures behind reports, recommendations and suspicious commendations from a gaggle of confused foreign experts.

We can solve our problems if we sincerely wish to.

*Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye is a Nigerian journalist and writer ( [email protected] ). His articles are archived at www.ugowrite.blogspot.com . He is the author of the book, NIGERIA: Why Looting May Not Stop(Email: [email protected]; twitter: @ugowrite )
Michael Flynn asked Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak to respond to U.S. sanctions on Russia on a reciprocal basis, according to transcripts of conversations between the two men released on Friday.

The conversations between Kislyak and the incoming Trump national-security adviser in late 2016 were cited by the FBI in its investigation into alleged collusion between Russian operatives and Trump administration officials. At the time, the Obama administration had imposed sanctions on Russia over its attempted interference in the U.S. general election.

What I would ask Russia to do . . . because I know you have to make some sort of action [in response to the sanctions]  to only make it reciprocal, Flynn told Kislyak on December 29, 2016, adding that he didnt want the Russias response to escalate the situation into a tit for tat conflict.

I understand what youre saying, but you know, you might appreciate the sentiments that are raging in Moscow, Kislyak responded.

I know, I  believe me, I do appreciate it, I very much appreciate it, Flynn replied. But I really dont want us to get into a situation where were going, you know, where we do this and then you do something bigger, and then you know, everybodys got to go back and forth and everybodys got to be the tough guy here. You know?

After surveilling several conversations between Flynn and Kislyak, the FBI moved to drop its investigation into Flynn on January 4, 2017. The FBI had concluded that the conversations contained no derogatory information that would implicate Flynn in collusion. But that same day FBI agent Peter Strzok intervened to keep the case open.

Flynn later pleaded guilty to one count of lying to the FBI during the course of the investigation, before reversing his plea early this year. The Justice Department dropped the case on May 7.

More from National Review
The headlines make it clear. So do the statistics on who is most likely to be infected and then killed by the novel coronavirus: Residents of homes for seniors are most at risk, whether the facilities are nursing homes, skilled nursing or something else. Minorities are not far behind, especially when they live in nursing homes.

About half the 4,000-odd persons killed by the virus in California so far lived in such facilities during their declining months and years.

Simultaneously, the percentage of African American and Hispanic Californians in the COVID-19 infection and death statistics significantly exceeds their percentages of the overall populace. Of course, an outsized portion of those groups also suffers from pre-existing conditions including obesity, lung disease and diabetes.

There is almost certainly overlap between death statistics at senior homes and overall numbers for minority infections and deaths, as Gov. Gavin Newsom well knows while mulling an attempt by the senior housing industry to gain legal immunity for all its virus-related actions, even criminal behavior.

If theres statistical overlap, its probably because  as several studies since 2007 indicate  care is often inferior in nursing homes catering primarily to minorities compared to ones whose residents are mostly Caucasian. This is true in California and nationally. Figures published in mid-May revealed that people in homes with more than 25% minority residents are more than twice as likely to contract the virus than residents of homes catering mainly to whites.

Studies comparing quality of care come from accomplished outfits like the Center for Public Integrity (Nursing homes serving minorities offer less care than those serving whites) and the State University of New York at Stony Brook (Nursing homes in minority neighborhoods provide poorer quality care).

Their findings are partly because nursing homes serving minorities depend more on funding from Medi-Cal or Medicaid than those mostly dealing with whites. The same studies find that the greater a facilitys dependence on low-income public health funding programs, the more fiscal pressure on it.

How severe is that pressure? Medi-Cal payments for nursing home patients average about $217 per patient per day, state figures show. Thats far below the cost of hiring an in-home caregiver for 24-hour coverage, which patients should get in nursing homes.

This sad picture demonstrates a strong need for a thorough state investigation of senior home treatment of minorities  during the current crisis and before. This should be a major priority for Newsom, whose administration has been largely passive while nursing homes in locales as varied as Riverside and Tulare suffered clusters of coronavirus deaths.

Meanwhile, senior homes are active in a broad lobbying effort by the health care industry to convince Newsom he should shield such facilities, plus doctors and hospitals of all types, from lawsuits and prosecution, even if their conduct led to COVID-19 fatalities. With legal immunity, plaintiffs would have to prove willful misconduct to win a lawsuit. Even without immunity, California has a decades-old maximum of $250,000 in pain and suffering damages for medical malpractice.

States such as Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Iowa have already granted varying levels of immunity.

Thomas D. Elias: Shared theme for anti-vaxxers, coronavirus hoaxsters Some of the new anti-lockdown protests are at least partly organized by anti-vaxx groups like the Freedom Angels Foundation, columnist Tom Elias says.

But Newsom gets more pressure than most governors from nursing home reformists and families who have lost loved ones.

Said Michael Conners, an advocate with the watchdog group Californian Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (via email), Giving nursing homes license to commit elder abuse right now is a recipe for disaster. Whats more, the scope of immunity being sought is not limited to nursing homes that accept COVID-19 patients.

Added Oakland civil rights lawyer John Burris, (Immunity) incentivizes bad conduct.

Thomas D. Elias: Memo to split roll advocates: wait As the coronavirus pandemic drags on, California and the rest of America wallow ever deeper into the worst recession since the Great Depressio

Reformists say that rather than granting immunity (its uncertain that even emergency powers give Newsom that authority), the state should move to ensure uniformly thorough sanitation in all senior homes, better pay to help draw higher quality caregivers and adequate personal protection equipment for them to use.

So far, there are no signs of change or an investigation, despite the dramatic evidence of racial and economic differences, especially in nursing home care.

The bottom line: Its high time state government examines both the many senior home fatalities and their apparent racial and economic components.

Thomas D. Elias writes the syndicated California Focus column. He is author of the book, The Burzynski Breakthrough: The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Governments Campaign to Squelch It.
Flames ripped through a Minnesota police station and seven protesters were shot in Kentucky as unrest spread across the United States over the deaths of black people during police encounters. Officers abandoned the building in the city of Minneapolis late on Thursday before demonstrators barged through barriers, breaking windows and chanting slogans. A fire broke out, which soon became an inferno that engulfed the structure. The protests entered their fourth day on Friday and have spread beyond Minnesota, with protests breaking out in several states across the country, including Denver, Colorado and Phoenix. In Kentucky, seven people were hit by gunfire at a protest on Thursday over the death of Breonna Taylor -- a black woman who was shot after police entered her home in March, local media reported. One of those wounded was in a critical condition, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department. It is not yet clear who fired the shots. Police responded with a Twitter post asking the city to "please choose peace," alongside a video message from a family member of the woman killed. She asked those in the streets to "go home and be safe and be ready to keep fighting." - 'Thugs' - Thousands joined the protests in Minnesota, which were triggered by the Monday death of 46-year-old George Floyd after being arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit banknote. A video taken by a bystander shows an officer kneeling on his neck as he is pinned to the ground. At one point Floyd is heard saying he cannot breathe. As unrest spread, President Trump tweeted: "These THUGS are dishonouring the memory of George Floyd and I won't let that happen," in apparent reference to protesters in Minnesota, adding the state's governor has the backing of the military. "Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts." Twitter flagged the tweet for violating its rules on glorifying violence a few hours after it appeared. Minnesota's governor Tim Walz earlier called up 500 of the state's National Guard, but after Trump tweeted he defended his decision not to put them on the streets as fire gripped the police station. "Bricks and mortar are not as important as life," Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey said at a press conference, adding that officers had been deployed in the city to prevent looting. He added that the "anger and frustration" on the streets must be understood, but that the looting was unacceptable. "Our communities cannot and will not tolerate it. These are businesses, these are community institutions that we need," Frey said. The City of Minneapolis called for people in the third precinct -- where the police building is located -- to leave for their own safety, saying "explosive materials" could be inside and gas lines to the area had been cut. Outbreaks of violence have gripped the city as tensions rose since Floyd's killing. On Wednesday, demonstrators clashed with law enforcement, looted stores and set fire to shops and a construction site. They were met with police tear gas and rubber bullets. One person died of a gunshot wound, and police were reportedly investigating whether he was shot by a store owner. - 'I have not slept' - The Justice Department on Thursday promised to carry out a "robust" investigation into Floyd's death, saying they will make the case a top priority. Democrats have also called for a probe into the deaths of two other black people -- Ahmaud Arbery, who was shot by two white men in the city of Brunswick in Georgia, and Breonna Taylor. Floyd's family has demanded the officers present when he died face murder charges. All of them have been fired. "You know, I want an arrest for all four of those officers tonight. A murder conviction for all four of those officers. I want the death penalty," Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, told CNN. "I have not slept in four days, and those officers, they're at home sleeping," he said. Two African American leaders of national stature, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, arrived in Minneapolis Thursday and urged more protests. "We told the governor you must call murder a murder," Jackson told an audience at the Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church.
Three Iranian border guards have been killed in a clash with "armed insurgents" in the northwestern province of West Azerbaijan, Iranian media report.

Citing a police statement, news agencies said the clash broke out near the town of Sardasht on May 29.

The border guards were on patrol when they clashed with the armed insurgents, the reports said, adding that some of the insurgents were also killed in the fighting.

They did not name the group involved.

In recent years there have been multiple clashes in West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, and Kermanshah Provinces close to the Iraqi and Turkish borders between Iranian security forces and armed groups.

In most cases the groups are Kurdish insurgents with bases in Iraq. Some demand independence for Kurdish-populated regions of Iran, others say they are fighting for the Kurds rights.

With reporting by AFP and ISNA
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  New Mexicos death count from the COVID-19 outbreak continued to rise Friday, even as hospitalization numbers decreased and recoveries continued to climb.

State health officials announced nine additional deaths related to the coronavirus, bringing the states total death tally to 344.

Four of the nine individuals who died were women from McKinley County, which has a high Native American population and has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak.

The other deaths occurred in Bernalillo, San Juan, Valencia, Sandoval and Dona Ana counties. Most of the deceased had underlying health conditions, and at least two of them were residents of group-living facilities.

Meanwhile, health officials also announced 133 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

In all, there have now been 7,493 confirmed cases since the states first positive test result in March.

The new cases reported Friday included two inmates at the privately-run Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center near Grants, which previously had several corrections officers test positive. Four inmates held by federal agencies at the Otero County Prison Facility in Chaparral also tested positive for COVID-19, according to state health officials.

In addition, the Department of Health announced that there are 193 individuals currently hospitalized around New Mexico for COVID-19  a figure thats decreased from earlier this week.

A total of 2,728 coronavirus cases have now been designated by the agency as having recovered, or about 36.4% of all confirmed cases.

Online Online Coronavirus Hotline 1-855-600-3453

Non-health-related COVID-19 questions 1-833-551-0518

Coronavirus Hotline 1-855-600-3453

Non-health-related COVID-19 questions 1-833-551-0518
The Victorian opposition has promised to scrap the Victorian Government's controversial memorandum of understanding on China's Belt and Road deal if it is elected to government in 2022.

The Age has confirmed that state Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien is set to make the announcement on Saturday morning.

Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien says the Belt and Road deal is not in the interests of Victoria. Credit:Simon Schluter

Victorias interests must come first. A dud deal that compromises jobs, security and sovereignty is not a deal that I can support, Mr OBrien said.

We have assessed Daniel Andrews Belt and Road deal with China looking at sovereignty, security, the economy and jobs, he said.
Ukraine ready to discuss expansion of range of food export to Japan  Economy minister

Ukraine is ready to discuss the expansion of the range of food export to the Japanese market, Minister of Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture Ihor Petrashko has said during a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine Takashi Kurai.

"Ukraine is ready to further intensify a constructive dialogue on expanding the range of Ukrainian food products on the Japanese market," the press service said on the ministry's website, citing the minister as saying.

The parties discussed trade and economic cooperation and exchange of experience in the fight against COVID-19.

The minister also noted Ukraine's interest in attracting Japanese investment in promising sectors such as IT, infrastructure, agriculture, space, environmental protection, solid waste management, renewable energy and other sectors.

According to the results of January-March 2020, the volume of bilateral trade between Ukraine and Japan exceeded $273 million, which is 20% more compared to the same period in 2019.

At the end of 2019, the volume of Japanese investment in Ukraine amounted to $139.86 million.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced that eligible persons who turn up for the forthcoming voter registration scheduled to commence at the end of next month would receive their cards instantly.

The instant delivery of voter identification cards is a novelty many Ghanaians would relish, considering the avoidance of the stress of waiting for the document.

There is a catch to the instant presentation of the voter identification cards: challenges cases would be exempted until the issue is resolved or ironed out.

In previous times, it took a while for the cards to be ready, an experience associated with the Ghana Card being issued by the National Identification Authority (NIA).

The instant voter identification card delivery was announced last Wednesday by the EC during an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting under the aegis of the EC.

It was a critical engagement by the EC with its stakeholders taking place close to a month before the commencement of the registration exercise.

Hygiene Protocols

The meeting offered the EC an important opportunity to lay out details of the registration and for stakeholders to comment on matters arising.

Of particular significance was the hygiene protocol agreed upon between the EC and the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service details of which are intended to ensure the safety of both persons turning up to register and officials of the commission in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 33,367 polling stations across the country would serve as registration centres, the EC said, adding that the cluster system would be applied for the task.

To be held simultaneously in all the district/constituencies countrywide each cluster would be made up of five registration centres.

The EC explained that in all, there will be five phases during the registration period with each Registration Team working for a period of six days in each phase within the cluster.

There will, however, be a day set aside for the assembling and preparation of materials for the next phase, the EC added.

Movement

Stakeholders will be apprised of the movement plan of the registration teams, the EC said as it laid out once more the criteria for eligibility.

There shall be a mopping-up period at the end of the exercise according to the EC and this, it explained, would take three days during which eligible applicants who could not be captured during the main registration would do so.

Pilot Phase

Being a new Information Technology (IT)-propelled system, the EC intends rolling out a pilot exercise at different locations in all the 16 regions, including its headquarters in Accra.

The exercise is aimed at identifying possible problems associated with the new system and find ways of mitigating them. It will also help to study and ascertain the environmental impact on the VMS in respect to the weather (wet, dry, heat, and rust) conditions amongst others, the EC pointed out.

Party Agents

Continuing, the EC urged agents of political parties to refrain from physically preventing suspected unqualified applicants from registering but rather resort to the challenge mechanism.

Police

The EC said it had written to the Ghana Police Service for assistance to protect the registration materials and other properties of the commission before, during and after the exercise.

Milestone

The EC under a new management has reached a critical milestone with all set for the compilation of a new and necessary voters' role even in the face of crude threats from the opposition NDC.

Violent Signs

They have embarked upon demonstrations across the country, engaged willing think-tanks to campaign against the compilation of a new voters' register and even threatening civil war, all so far to no avail as the EC has stood its ground on the need for a replacement of the existing roll of voters equipment for which are already in town.

Ofosu-Ampofo's leaked audio said it all about how the NDC must go after the EC chairperson who has so far remained focused on her project to deliver free and fair elections.

NDC Boycott

The NDC was not represented at the IPAC meeting due to its opposition to the new register.

Seventeen parties were represented at the IPAC meeting; among them were the New Patriotic Party (NPP), People's National Convention (PNC), Convention People's Party (CPP), National Democratic Party (NDP), Ghana Union Movement (GUM), All People's Congress (APC) and the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP).

Also in attendance were representatives of a cross section of civil society Organizations and development partners.

---Daily Guide
New Delhi, May 29 : To ensure sufficient beds to deal with the increasing coronavirus cases, the Delhi government on Friday directed that five luxury hotels in the city be converted into extended Covid hospitals, attached with five hospitals.

In an order, Health and Family Welfare Secretary Padmini Singla attached Hotel Crown Plaza in Okhla with the Batra Hospital and Research Centre, the Hotel Surya in New Friends Colony with the Indraprastha Apollo hospital, Hotel Siddharth in Rajendra Place with Dr B.L. Kapur Memorial Hospital, Hotel Jivitesh in Pusa Road with the Sir Ganga Ram City Hospital, and Hotel Sheraton in Saket with Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital.

The order said the decision has been taken to augment Covid hospitals facility by 1,000 beds.

"The hotels be requisitioned by the District Magistrate and given to attached hospitals for converting them into extended Covid hospital wherein the medical services shall be provided by the attached identified Covid private hospital," the order said.

It said the attached private hospital should admit Covid-19 positive patients in their extended Covid Hospital as per the patient's medical condition and in case, such patients turn severe at any point of time during their stay in the hotel, "he/she shall be transferred/admitted in the attached private hospital at its scheduled rates." The attached private hospital is required to provide sufficient manpower (nurses and doctors) as per the norms.

"Further, the attached hospital is also required to provide oxygen supply, either in the form of oxygen concentrator or oxygen cylinder, in the extended Covid Hospital in case a patient requires oxygen support." The order said the attached hospital should provide all consumables like PPE kits, N-95 Mask, gloves, medicines and equipment like pulse-oximeter, thermometer, oxygen concentrator/cylinder, etc.

"They shall also make necessary arrangements to provide resuscitation services -- equipment, drugs and medical consumables -- in the extended Covid Hospital in case there is a rapid deterioration in the clinical condition of the patient.

"The linked private Hospitals are required to take over full Hotel indicated against their name as requisitioned by the concerned District Magistrate, Delhi Government under the DDMA. The hotel shall provide regular hotel services including rooms housekeeping disinfection and food for the patients etc at the price not greater than Rs 5,000 for five star hotel and Rs 4,000 for four and three star hotel per day per person," it added.

The linked hospital should be paid an amount, not greater than Rs 5,000 per patient per day for their medical services to Covid-19 patients, inclusive of all consumables, services of doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and nursing staff etc as per the norms.

"However, investigation charges, if any, shall be charged by the linked hospital as their scheduled rates and for oxygen support, the linked hospital is allowed to charge at the hotel at Rs 2,000 per bed per day basis." The medical services provided by the attached hospital at their facility will be charged at their respective scheduled rates, the order said.

All charges shall be collected by the linked hospital, which make payment to the hotel,it said.

Further, the linked hospital may accommodate their doctors and staff at the hotel at their own expense, if required, the order added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
When the pain got too much, Janet Cohen planned to travel to Switzerland with a small group of family members to end her life. Coronavirus has robbed her of that option.

Ms Cohen, who lives in NSW where euthanasia is illegal, is terminally ill with lung cancer. She was given six months to live last year.

Janet Cohen, 66, is terminally ill with lung cancer. Euthanasia remains illegal in her home state of NSW. Credit:Lindsay Moller

Knowing that I had that option had a very strong effect on me which allowed me to stop being worried, anxious and fearful about potentially dying a slow and agonising death and to get on with living, Ms Cohen said.

What coronavirus has done is taken away that option. Its robbed me of that comfort.
Google has released a new augmented reality (AR) feature that helps its users follow social distancing rules during the coronavirus pandemic.

The free Sodar' tool uses a phone's camera to superimpose an AR ring with a 6.5-foot (two metre) radius around the user.

As the ring is AR, it moves whenever the user moves their phone to keep a constant indicator of whether other people in public places are keeping their distance.

Two metres, or about 6.5 foot, is the UK government's recommended distance between two people out in public to help prevent the virus from spreading.

Google hopes Sodar  an abbreviation of social and radar  will provide a more accurate way for users to maintain distancing guidelines.

Scroll down for video

The new tool visualises a two metre radius around the user and their phone to help people comply with governments' social distancing guidelines

The new app, which is only available on Chrome for Googles Android operating system, uses WebXR  Googles software blueprint for immersive experiences.

The X in XR stands for anything in the spectrum of immersive experiences, according to tech giant, said Brandon Jones, developer at Google and WebXR specification editor.

WebXR is a web standard, developed in collaboration with Mozilla and Microsoft, among others.

Two metres, or around six foot, is the recommended distance between two people to help reduce the infection rate

It's also a fairly recent one, so some browsers have implemented it on various devices earlier than others.

Sodar isnt an app, meaning it cant be downloaded from the Google Play Store.

Instead, Android users have to visit the dedicated Sodar website in a browser and click the green launch button to start the AR experience.

Alternatively, Android users can start using the free tool by scanning a QR code on the desktop version of the Sodar site.

'With a supported device, scan the QR code with your phone camera to take you to the mobile site,' the site says.

Google is yet to confirm to MailOnline which versions of its Android software support the tool.

Some Android phones also won't have a QR code scanner built into their camera and will have to download one from the app store.

To launch Sodar, Android users need to visit the dedicated webpage - sodar.withgoogle.com - using Chrome web browser

One of Google's rivals in augmented reality is iPhone maker Apple, which is reportedly working on a pair of AR glasses, rumoured to be released next year.

The hardware, called 'Apple Glass', will allegedly support 5G networks, according to leaker and tech analyst Jon Prosser.

The AR glasses, simply called Apple Glasses, are not sunglasses but normal prescription glasses that display an interface on the inside of the lens.

Anyone facing an Apple Glasses-wearing user will not be able to see the AR display, which will overlay digital images over the users real-life surroundings.

According to Prosser, the glasses will also be released as a limited 'Steve Jobs' edition, featuring circular frames that resemble those worn by the late Apple co-founder.

Outside of immersive reality, Apple and Google have been working together on a new API to enable new coronavirus contact tracing apps.

The first app to use the API, SwissCovid for people in Switzerland, warns users who have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Apple and Google software follows a 'decentralised' approach, where the contact data collected stays on a user's device and can be analysed there.
Indias private sector has nearly exited the countrys foodgrain markets, pushed out by high levies and bonuses on wheat and rice, and resulted in a virtual monopoly of state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI), latest procurement figures of wheat show.

This leaves farmers with little incentive to grow crops other than rice and wheat in food bowl states like Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.

High taxes and extra bonuses in some states, offered as a top-up to federally determined minimum support prices (MSP), are the main reasons for the private sector being crowded out, leaving FCI as the only buyer in the grain bowls of Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, analysts say.

According to official figures as on May 24, procurement of wheat by government agencies has touched 34.1 million tonnes, which is slightly more than last years levels.

Experts say FCI, Indias main grain handling agency, is burdened with mountains of wheat and rice stocks, often beyond its capacity. For instance, total food stocks owned by FCI exceed its total capacity for protected and scientific storage, technically called covered and plinth, or CAP.

Take for instance this years rate of procurement, or the buying of wheat at statutory minimum support prices by the FCI. Punjab has procured 12.65 million tonnes of wheat against market arrivals of 12.7 million tonnes, which is 99.5% of total stocks offered by farmers for sale.

In Madhya Pradesh, government agencies have procured 11.33 million tonnes, which is nearly 99% of the total arrivals of 11.40 million tonnes. In Haryana, the states agencies have procured 7.06 million tonnes, nearly 95% of market arrivals.

Private buyers have almost completely withdrawn from Punjab. One reason is taxes and arhatiya commission of about 8.5% on the wheat purchase, said Siraj Hussain, a senior visiting fellow of the think-tank ICRIER. Hussain is the countrys former agriculture secretary.

According to Hussain, Punjab stores some of its wheat in an unscientific manner that is prone to damage due to rains.

FCIs general manager of procurement, KC Sahu, did not take calls. An email containing queries were sent to him.

The exit of the private sector from grain markets was highlighted by a high-level committee headed by former food minister Shanta Kumar. The Narendra Modi government formed the panel in 2015 to overhaul the 50-year-old FCI.

The HLC [high-level committee] also notes that private sector has been crowded out not only in states that give extra bonus but also those that charge very high statutory levies and commissions, which vary from 3.6 percent in Rajasthan to 14.5 percent in Punjab in case of wheat in 2012-13, the panel said in its report to Modi.

Crowding out refers to a situation where increased government involvement in a sector affects other players, including the private sector.

With the government procuring only wheat, what is the incentive for farmers to grow crops such as maize, channa or mustard? Farmers, who are able to sell wheat, paddy or sugarcane at prices fixed by the government, do not deserve Rs 6,000 a year as cash hand-out under PM-KISAN. Farmers, whose crops are not procured, should receive at least Rs 10,000 under PM-KISAN. The farmers in rain-fed areas should get even more, Hussain said.

The Shanta Kumar committee report had said bonuses distort the market, encouraging farmers to produce and sell more of wheat and rice to the government agencies, crowding out the private sector from that state. In some states, it said, the procurement by government agencies goes to 60-80 percent of marketed surplus. This is nothing short of a monopolistic situation in the market, with just one large buyer [the state agencies].

To get private companies back to grain markets, the committee recommended that state-level bonuses [some states declare bonus over and above the MSP declared by the central government] must be contained, taxes and statutory levies made uniform at 3% of MSP, levies on rice millers abolished and quality of grain be adhered to through mechanical and transparent processes.

The government never took up the report for implementation. Some of its proposals, such as restricting subsidised grains to 40% of the population were politically risky, a retired food ministry official said, requesting anonymity.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Leaders across the political spectrum on Friday condoled the demise of Chhattisgarh''s first chief minister Ajit Jogi, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing the IAS officer-turned-politician for striving to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor.

Jogi died on Friday at a Raipur hospital where he was being treated for the last 20 days, doctors said. Jogi (74), who had slipped into coma, suffered a cardiac arrest in the afternoon and could not be revived,they said.

"Sad to hear of the passing of first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Shri Ajit Jogi. A man of many parts, Shri Jogi was an able administrator known for promoting development of the State and its people. My condolences to his family, friends and followers," President Ram Nath Kovind said in a tweet.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also expressed sadness over the death of Jogi and offered condolences to the bereaved family.

Prime Minister Modi also expressed anguish at the former Chhattisgarh chief minister's demise, saying, "Shri Ajit Jogi Ji was passionate about public service. This passion made him work hard as a bureaucrat and as a political leader." Jogi strived to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor, especially tribal communities, Modi said.

"Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family. RIP (rest in peace)," the prime minister said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "Im sorry to hear about the passing of Shri Ajit Jogi, former Parliamentarian & Chhattisgarhs first CM. My condolences to his family, friends & followers in this time of grief. May he rest in peace."

Home Minister Amit Shah also condoled the passing away of Jogi, saying may god give the bereaved family strength to withstand this tragic loss. Chhattisgarh Governor Anusuiya Uikey and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over the death of Jogi.

In his condolence message, Baghel recalled Jogi's contribution in the development of the state.

"Jogi's death is an irreparable loss to the state. He laid a roadmap for the development of the state and delivered an important role as a skilled politician and administrator in its progress," Baghel said.

"After the creation of the state, I got the opportunity to work as a cabinet minister in the government headed by Jogi. He set the direction to work for the welfare of villages, poor and farmers in the state," he added.

Baghel declared a three-day mourning in the state as a mark of respect to the departed leader, whose last rites will take place on Saturday at his native place Gaurela.

Opposition BJP's Chhattisgarh unit chief Vikram Usendi hailed Jogi saying that he achieved every position he deserved on his own merit.

Jogi is survived by his wife Renu Jogi, the MLA from Kota constituency, and son Amit, a former MLA.

Jogi was admitted at Shree Narayana Hospital on May 9 after he suffered respiratory and cardiac arrests after a seed of sweet tamarind got stuck in his windpipe, Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Sunil Khemka said.

"Since then, he had slipped into a coma. At around 1:30 pm on Friday he suffered another cardiac arrest following which doctors made efforts to revive him, but failed. He breathed his last at around 3:30 pm," Dr Khemka said.

Jogi, a former Congress leader, was the incumbent MLA from his traditional Marwahi seat. Jogi, then in the Congress, had served as the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh, which came into existence in November 2000. He served in the post from November 2000 to November 2003.

He parted ways with the Congress on a bitter note in 2016 after he and his son got embroiled in a controversy over alleged fixing of the assembly by-election held for the Antagarh seat in Kanker district in 2014.

Jogi, who was wheelchair-bound since a road accident in 2004, subsequently formed his own outfit, the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) - which is now headed by his son Amit Jogi.

A mass leader, Jogi remained an influential but controversial figure in Chhattisgarh though his regional party had limited appeal in the tribal-dominated state which has a bipolar politics with the Congress and the BJP forming the two poles. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, expressed his heartfelt condolences on the passing away Jogi.

I am deeply saddened by the sad demise of Shri Ajit Jogi. He was an able administrator earlier as a bureaucrat and later as politician. He will always be remembered for his worthy contribution as a champion of poor, downtrodden and tribals," he said.

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot condoled the death of Ajit Jogi.
Health officials hope this weekend's drive-through clinic testing for coronavirus will give them a snapshot of the community's health, especially in light of the recent flooding.

Free testing is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Dow Diamond, 825 E. Main St. in Midland. The testing is available to everyone, whether symptomatic or not.

"We are actively looking for cases so we can put a lasso on it and mitigate," said Fred Yanoski, Midland County Public Health director/health officer.

He said his office wanted to be proactive and requested the state send its Michigan National Guard mobile test unit here to conduct testing, which it does efficiently. Yanoski said the request was granted quickly.

"We believe the recent flooding has raised some concerns regarding the threat of COVID-19 in our community," Yanoski said. "We want to rapidly and quickly identify any new cases."

With the community highly disrupted by flooding, it is understandable, he said, that some mitigation practices including social distancing and mask wearing haven't been followed.

"We understand," he said. "It just adds a potential for risk to our community."

He noted large groups of people were congregated in shelters and applauded organizers' efforts to practice mitigation. He also said this area has attracted many emergency response personnel and volunteers from near and far away who want to help.

"Certainly there is an increase in risk," Yanoski said.

So far, Midland County has been a low profile community of coronavirus cases compared to others, he said.

Within the last few weeks, any new cases have been tied to previous cases or are part of a previous cluster, he said.

"We have not seen much as in terms of unknown transmissions," Yanoski said.

As of Friday morning, Midland County stands at 81 cases and eight deaths; all deaths have been elderly people. The county health department also is reporting as of Friday afternoon 38 probable cases (individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19 but have not been tested; these are often household members of positive cases) and 68 recovered cases.

The Michigan National Guard, represented by three teams of three people each, will arrive Saturday morning with hundreds of testing supplies. They will administer the nasopharyngeal tests (deep nasal swabs).

As vehicles enter the site, via the main Dow Diamond entrance off Buttles Street, they will be guided to form three lines. While waiting in line, local health department teams will ask each participant for information, including how to be contacted to get test results as well as a few questions on the current state of their health. Anyone who shows up will be tested. There will be no residency requirements. People who don't have a vehicle and walk to the clinic will be accommodated, he said.

Once at a testing station, a nasopharyngeal test will be administered and done within minutes.

"The test is fast and easy," Yanoski said, "and most people may describe it as uncomfortable rather than painful."

The swab will be sent to a lab and processed within 48 to 72 hours, Yanoski said.

"If the individual tests positive, they will be contacted directly by us to begin contact tracing, isolating the individual and identifying others who have had contact with them."

Those who test negative also will be contacted as quickly as possibly, probably with a letter.

Yanoski encourages everyone to participate, especially those who have had higher risk practices during the flood response.

"It's an opportunity for anyone who wants a test to get tested," he said. "Up until this point, our testing resources were limited."

He also stressed it is a safe and easy way to be tested and that it's an important project for the health of the community.

"It is for the good of all of us and not just for the health of the individual," he said.

The state is absorbing the cost of the tests and staff, Yanoski said.

The clinic is held in conjunction with Midland County, the Midland County Department of Public Health, Michigan National Guard, Michigan State Police and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
OTTAWAIn the childrens street game of war, you stand in your corner of the world, declare what turf you want to occupy, hit its fleeing leader with a stick, and lean in to redraw your desired boundaries.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insists hes not playing that game. He says he respects provincial jurisdiction and the federal government will not tread on premiers toes.

Yet throughout the coronavirus crisis, Trudeau has called for or taken actions that step right across federal-provincial lines.

Think of Trudeaus determined pledges to bring in wage top-ups for front-line or essential workers, commercial rent subsidies, or 10 days of paid sick leave for all workers.

Sometimes he has overstepped in areas that require provinces to kick in money before hes brought them into the loop on what the plan is, or how much it will cost them.

Ottawa likes to announce ideas, not policies, said one provincial official who has been privy to the past three months of federal-provincial conversations. The policy then gets worked out (or not) after the press release.

It all makes a bigger mystery of why Trudeau is so reluctant to assert stronger federal leadership when it comes to the devastating scenes unfolding in long-term-care facilities.

What is clear is that as the urgency of the past three months eases, some premiers are increasingly rankled about the blurring lines.

In the Canadian federation, landlord-tenant relations, most workplace relations, health care delivery, the regulation of child care, and the regulation of long-term care services for seniors are all areas of provincial jurisdiction.

However, even as Trudeau claims daily that he respects the provinces jurisdiction, he and his officials have pushed the provinces  for example, on health care, to improve and sync their public-health measures.

He urges more testing, more contact tracing, and more data sharing.

His government is trying to lead a national strategy on COVID-19 immunity testing using serology antibody tests.

He is nudging provinces to co-operate on a digital contact tracing platform that will share data across borders, and he hopes to have a federal recommendation for an app early in June.

Trudeau has stressed that he believes a successful restart of the economy must take into account the needs of workers  and especially women  to have access to safe child care. So far there are lots of nice words, but few details of how his Liberal government is planning to ensure that happens.

Similarly, there were few details on the paid sick leave plan, which was a condition of the federal NDP for its support of the Liberals operating plans for a hybrid Parliament.

While paid sick leave was also on B.C. Premier John Horgans wish list, other premiers had expressed reservations about the additional costs to businesses.

That didnt stop Trudeau from embracing it fully on Monday, saying 10 days of paid sick leave should be available to all workers who face a return to unsafe workplaces or are too desperate for a job to stay home sick.

That caught premiers like Ontarios Doug Ford by surprise. Ford has introduced legislation that allows workers to take unpaid job-protected sick leave if they need to stay home for reasons related to COVID-19, but his real priority lies elsewhere. He wants Ottawa to provide more money for health-care services including long-term care, and to support municipalities which are ineligible for wage subsidies and have asked Ottawa for a $10-billion bailout.

The premier has been clear, said Fords communications director Ivana Yelich. We are asking the federal government for financial support to address these critical issues. Further, given the national scale and magnitude of the shortfalls facing Canadian municipalities, it is absolutely imperative that the federal government join us in developing a plan to help our municipalities recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

After business groups like the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, and provinces like Quebec and Saskatchewan publicly voiced concerns about the sick-leave proposal, Trudeau acknowledged Friday that there are a variety of perspectives among the provinces.

But he sweetened the deal with his first clear statement about who should pick up the tab.

I assured them that the federal government would be assuming the responsibility for most of that support, Trudeau told reporters at his daily briefing.

So why not take the same approach to the crisis in long-term care, and tie health-care funding to better standards? For decades, successive governments have failed to do so, despite warnings a crisis was building.

The Canadian military reported this week on abysmal levels of care during the pandemic that have left residents at several Ontario and Quebec facilities facing deplorable conditions, and left political leaders awkwardly grasping for words.

Trudeau stepped well away from calls for bold measures, saying only that the presence of Canadian Forces personnel is just a short-term fix, and that the federal government will provide money and resources to help provinces that are struggling.

But the NDP and seniors advocates are urging Trudeau to put enforceable standards for long-term care in the Canada Health Act. That federal law underpins federal transfers to the provinces for the uniform delivery of publicly funded services across Canada.

Until now, extended care for the elderly has been left to an array of public, non-profit, and private for-profit facilities, many of which are understaffed, practise poor infection control measures, and could not cope when the crisis hit. More than 80 per cent of all of Canadas COVID-19 deaths have occurred in the long-term care sector, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Now members of Trudeaus own caucus are pressing him to act.

Five Liberal MPs in ridings where some of the hardest-hit homes are located in the Greater Toronto Area wrote a letter to Trudeau and Health Minister Patty Hajdu. It calls on the government of Ontario to establish full public inquiry immediately. Ford has promised only a government review to come in September.

It also calls on the federal government to work in partnership with provincial governments across Canada and make the necessary legislative and regulatory changes to establish and implement enforceable national standards for long-term-care homes across Canada.

But thats where the pressure stops.

Liberal MP Gary Anandasangaree (Scarborough-Rouge Park), one of the signatories to the letter, said in an interview that Trudeau cannot impose national standards without provincial buy in.

Imposition wont give us the results we want, he said.

And yet, most Canadians would agree that neither will vague talk about jurisdiction and provincial responsibility.

Read more about:
Courtesy of Roxie Washington

San Antonio will join other cities in rallying for the arrest of the Minneapolis Police Department officers in connection to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while in police custody on Monday.

The Autonomous Brown Berets De San Anto are planning a "peaceful gathering" at Travis Park on at 5 p.m. Saturday. The group will hold a vigil for Floyd, whose arrest was captured in a widely shared video showing now-former police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck. Floyd can be heard multiple times in the video saying he was unable to breathe and later died.
Hong Kong, May 29 : Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Friday reiterated her support for the new security law approved by Beijing, while the government has expressed strong opposition to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying that the city could no longer be considered autonomous from mainland China.

The government published a letter by Lam in which she defended her support for the contentious security law which seeks to do away with any "foreign interference" in the region, approved by the Beijing a day earlier, and which lawyers as well as civil society experts believe could curtail the freedoms enjoyed by the semi-autonomous city, reports Efe news.

"There is both the need and the urgency for legislation, the constitutionality, lawfulness and reasonableness of which are beyond doubt," Lam said, adding its aim is to "enable Hong Kong society to find a way out of the impasse".

She added that "the opposition forces and organizations advocating 'Hong Kong independence' and 'self-determination'" disregarded the interests of the city, while "external forces" have "seriously jeopardize(d) our nation's sovereignty, security and development interests".

Lam believes that the law will "target an extremely small minority of illegal and criminal acts and activities" and will not affect the rights and liberties of the people of the territory.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong government on Thursday rebutted Pompeo's "unfounded allegations" that Hong Kong could no longer be considered autonomous from China, which could threaten the preferential trade status given by Washington to the former British colony.

"These remarks misrepresented the constitutional relationship between the HKSAR and the Central Authorities, smeared the implementation of 'One Country, Two Systems' in Hong Kong and interfered in the internal affairs of Hong Kong," a government spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson reiterated that "Hong Kong is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China".

"It is a local administrative region which shall enjoy a high degree of autonomy and come directly under the Central People's Government." Addressing possible US sanctions on Hong Kong, the spokesperson said that its special status of "separate customs territory" was enshrined in the constitution.

"We shall continue to pursue the policy of free trade. As a separate member of the World Trade Organization, we expect to be fairly treated by our trading partners," he added.

The spokesperson added that "the threat of sanctions to achieve the purpose of interfering with the policy of another place is a violation of international law and international practice. Practically, in Hong Kong-US relationship, any sanctions are a double-edged sword that will not only harm the interests of Hong Kong but also significantly those of the US".

The measure could prove to be a blow for the semi-autonomous city, which is an important trade and financial hub on a global level, and it could mean punishment for China, which uses the territory to do business with other countries.

Beijing has warned that, if the US goes ahead with the said measures, it would retaliate.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

The current situation where the world is grappling with outbreak of coronavirus, the economic impact of lockdown across economies is making a dent on global market performances.

Many experts say it is time to pick big and strong companies from the pack and add them to your portfolio.

"The COVID-19 hit has generated great opportunities for everyone to invest in quality business models at attractive valuations. This opportunity is being presented to investors after 12 long years and should not be missed. Investors should focus on investing in right economy, right Sector, right Business models & rightly compliant Companies," Amit Jain, Co-founder & CEO at Ashika Wealth Advisors told Moneycontrol.

The benchmark and broader indices are still in negative terrain with Nifty50 falling 23 percent and Nifty Midcap index 25 percent year-to-date.

Experts also feel once the lockdown opens in coming weeks, all industries will gradually back to normal levels in coming months which could be reflected in earnings and economies probably in second half of FY21, especially after the financial package of nearly Rs 21 lakh crore announced and expectations of one more package for demand revival by the government.

"Amidst this gloomy backdrop, gradual opening up of the economy provides a silver lining. Thus, we believe the interplay of health and economic crisis would hold the key to markets in the near term," Motilal Oswal said.

Hence, Aashish Somaiyaa, MD & CEO at Motilal Oswal Asset Management Company advised that one should avoid panic and remain invested.

"On the other hand, if you intend to take benefit of the current panic, do not jump in all at one go. Any top up in equity or a rebalance of your asset allocation from debt into equity should be done systematically step by step between now and September 2020," he said.

Here are top 21 stocks as listed by experts that can create wealth in the coming years:

R Venkataraman, MD, IIFL Securities

We expect SBI Life Insurance and ICICI Lombard to do very well in the medium term. Companies like Hindustan Unilever will establish their leadership even more strongly, as will Pidilite.

In the banking space, Kotak Mahindra Bank and ICICI Bank will do well.

Telecom will also continue to do well and Bharti Airtel should outperform even from here, despite being up nearly 55 percent in six months.

Pharma will continue delivering upside over the next two-three years. The US business profitability is set to improve over the next two years. We prefer Cadila Healthcare, Dr Reddy's Labs and Aurobindo Pharma, as they have the best product fit to take advantage of the circumstances. For these three companies, the valuations are also not too rich.

Hemang Jani, Head - Retail Equity Strategist, Motilal Oswal Financial Services

FMCG: The sector provides goods that are in constant demand, thus providing stable earnings regardless of the state of the economy. (HUL, Nestle, Dabur, Tata Consumer).

Healthcare: It is a defensive play. Though the sector has been under pressure for the last few years, this pandemic opens up a lot of opportunities for the sector. Diversified players (Dr Reddy's Labs). Some unique plays would be API manufacturers (Divis Labs, Ipca Labs, Alkem Labs), Diagnostic labs (Dr Lal PathLabs), medical insurance (ICICI Lombard).

Specialty Chemicals: Increasing trend of de-risking of procurement from China by global chemical leaders. Additionally, depreciation of rupee and sharp correction in crude prices should also benefit (PI Industries, SRF).

Telecom: One sector which has seen rise in usage and continued business operations. With the lockdowns and work from home, usage of phone and data has increased multifold. With consolidation phase over in telecom, we can expect improving tariffs which would support financials in the next 2-3 years (Bharti Airtel and Jio through Reliance Industries).

Select Private Banks: Many private sector banks are well-capitalized and could be looked at post the sharp correction. We believe this is a great buying opportunity from a longer-term horizon as they are quality compounders and would also gain from the consolidation in the market (HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank).

Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.

The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on Moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Cover Foundation Annual Report

Cover Foundation Annual Report

May 28, 2020

Support provided by the Philips Foundation helped 5 million more people to access one or more healthcare services in 2019

Almost 900,000 lives were improved as a result of the foundations 2018-2019 employee volunteering program to fight childhood pneumonia

Additional 38 projects launched in 2019 to explore new ways of providing access to healthcare for disadvantaged communities

Amsterdam, the Netherlands  Philips Foundation , with its mission to provide access to quality healthcare for disadvantaged communities through innovation, today announced publication of its 2019 Annual Report. The report outlines a year of substantial progress in providing access to quality healthcare for disadvantaged communities, capturing many of the activities that aim to achieve lasting change in local healthcare systems. With more than 200 projects running or successfully completed during the foundations five-year history, more than 5 million additional people gained access to one or more health services in 2019 thanks to its support.

In order to fulfil its mission in support of UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages), the Philips Foundation teams up with social entrepreneurs, societal bodies and humanitarian organizations such as Ashoka, UNICEF, Save the Children, Amref and many others. In total, 38 new projects across the world were approved in 2019, enhancing and supporting programs ranging from education on healthy living and disease prevention, to practical support for improved diagnoses, better treatments and healthcare workforce capacity building. The Philips Foundation supported projects with local NGOs across 22 countries, improving access to care for the vulnerable communities they serve.

In 2019, as in previous years, we put all our efforts into improving access to affordable quality healthcare for disadvantaged communities worldwide, says Margot Cooijmans, Director of the Philips Foundation. With the COVID-19 pandemics unprecedented impact on healthcare systems and patients globally, the mission of the Philips Foundation is more relevant than ever. We remain fully focused on disadvantaged communities around the world that lack sufficient access to quality healthcare, leveraging the expertise, innovation and skills of Philips and its employees to help create system change and deploy intelligent responses to the coronavirus outbreak and other sudden events that adversely affect disadvantaged communities access to care.

Story continues

Employee volunteering  positively impacting global access to care

Leveraging Philips expertise in respiratory care, the Philips Foundation developed, launched and coordinated a global volunteering program in 2019 solely focused on reducing childhood pneumonia. Despite being easily prevented, diagnosed and treated, childhood pneumonia still causes many casualties in children under the age of five worldwide. Due to the strong commitment of Philips employees, the program improved access to care for a combined total of more than 893,000 people in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Malawi and India.

In the coming years, the foundations employee volunteering program will focus on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes. Philips employees will also be able to help combat the COVID-19 outbreak within the possibilities and necessary safety measures.

Fighting health inequality now more relevant than ever

The year 2019 ended with the outbreak of COVID-19, an unprecedented public health crisis that will affect the livelihood of billions of people. In combatting todays COVID-19 pandemic, the Philips Foundation aims to intensify its global partnerships to ensure proper support for people living in countries with weaker healthcare systems. To see how the Philips Foundation is supporting the fight against COVID-19 in 2020, view this interactive map .

To read the full Philips Foundation 2019 Annual Report, click here .

For further information, please contact:

Yannick Eshuijs

Philips Foundation

Tel.: +31 6 1852 6633

E-mail: yannick.eshuijs@philips.com

About the Philips Foundation

The Philips Foundation is a registered charity that was established in July 2014  founded on the belief that innovation and collaboration can help solve some of the worlds toughest healthcare challenges for the underserved and make essential impact. Reflecting our commitment to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages) and 17 (Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development), the mission of the Foundation is to reduce healthcare inequality by providing access to quality healthcare for disadvantaged communities. The Philips Foundation fulfills its mission by deploying Philips expertise, innovative products and solutions, by collaborating with key partners around the world (including respected NGOs such as UNICEF, Amref and ICRC), and by providing financial support for the collaborative activities. More information on the Philips Foundation can be found at www.philips-foundation.com





Attachment




Ramy Youssef and Mahershala Ali in Season 2 of the Hulu series "Ramy." (Hulu)

Questions about faith and purpose abound when Hulus Muslim American millennial comedy Ramy returns Friday with a new season and Mahershala Ali as a spiritual guide.

The stakes are high for Season 2 of the series, which is written, cocreated and executive produced by star Ramy Youssef, a 29-year-old comedian who won a Golden Globe in January for his performance in the freshman season of his breakthrough comedy. It was TVs first Arab immigrant sitcom, tackling American life inside the Islamic Center and sex in cars with strangers with equal aplomb. Its success surprised just about everyone  including Youssef himself.

The new season, premiering Friday on Hulu, expands upon the comedic dexterity and unexpected depth of its predecessor, finding humor in places often used to inspire fear (the mosque) and tapping universal themes of hope and belonging in scenarios specific to Ramys small world. It is, miraculously, as good  if not better than  its predecessor.

As Season 2 begins, Ramy Hassan (Youssef) is mired in a deep depression. His Season 1 search for meaning was a bust. Now the New Jersey-based son of Egyptian immigrants is sleeping until midday, sustaining himself with junk food and porn and hasnt spoken to his friends since returning from the motherland, where he sought spiritual guidance but ended up sleeping with his cousin instead.

Hiam Abbass, left, Ramy Youssef and Amr Waked in "Ramy." (Craig Blankenhorn / Hulu)

Dude, get out of bed, advise his friends Ahmed (Dave Merheje), Mo (Mohammed Amer) and Stevie (Stephen Way). You look like [crap] . Youre somehow fatter and thinner at the same time. Theyre worried about him, and hes worried theyve been talking about him with his mom and his imam. Its enough to get him moving. His quest to be a better person guides him to a new Islamic Center, led by an inspiring Sufi imam: Hes so fuego, dude, says his white convert friend. The Sheikh is radical. Like cool radical. Not radical, radical.

Sheikh Ali is played by the eloquent and utterly convincing Ali, who adds gravity to the series while playing into the humor spun from Ramys various misadventures. Hes the discipline to Ramys impulse, the peace to Ramys conflict. They form an unlikely duo, playing off each other with brutally funny subtlety and undeniable warmth.

Story continues

When the two first meet for a council session, Ramy explains theres a hole inside him. I tried to fill it with God, but I dont know how, he says. I only ever think about me [and porn], and I hate it. ... I want you to be my teacher. I want to kill my ego.

How do I know Im not just another one of your desires? asks the Sheikh.

I dont want to have sex with you.

I did not think you did, answers Ali, somehow with a straight face.

There are so many small moments in the new episodes that have big meaning, and garner big laughs, while the show continues to push boundaries. Ramy expands its commentary on faith, assimilation and coming of age in an American landscape thats changing by the hour. Its fresh, entertaining perspective on religious radicalism, black Muslims, white converts and everything else once deemed a threat by Homeland is still a feat to behold. And it works on myriad levels: Season 2 is moving and profane. Stupid funny, then scary serious. Topical and evergreen. Hyperspecific with wide appeal.

Laith Nakli as Uncle Naseem, left, with star Ramy Youssef in "Ramy." (Hulu)

The returning cast include Ramys endearing, sometimes clueless mother, Maysa (Hiam Abbass), no-nonsense father, Farouk (Amr Waked), sarcastic sister Dena (May Calamawy) and his bigoted, diamond-merchant Uncle Naseem (Laith Nakli). The family again is a big part of the story. Theyre also given room and attention to grow and learn from Ramys mistakes as well as their own experiences.

The crass Uncle Naseem now wants to make Ramy a small little partner in his jewelry store since realizing how much the customers like his nephew. Its 2020, he explains. They dont want a man like me anymore. Trump [messed] it up too much. Hes too much a man, you know? The people are afraid. They want a man like you. A man who feels a little bit like a woman but is still officially a man. Maybe transsexual, you know?

And the familys exasperation with Ramys spiritual journey is evident at the dinner table. When he uncharacteristically suggests they pray before they eat, his immigrant father  who was likely raised to pray before all meals  holds back a laugh.

But when Ramy then suggests talking about stuff were thankful for, Dads had enough.

Stop, demands Farouk, then offers an additional unifying suggestion. Tomorrow will be a great episode of 'Sharks Tank.'  he says. Well watch it together.

Ramy

Where: Hulu

When: Any time

Rating: TV-MA (may be unsuitable for children under the age of 17)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-30 03:41:31|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

DAMASCUS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed on Friday by rebels' infighting in the rebel-held Afrin city in northern Syria, state news agency SANA reported.

The rebel-on-rebel battles continued to flare in several areas in Afrin, which is controlled by Turkish forces and Turkey-backed rebels.

Two children were among the slain people, said the report.

Since falling to the Turkey-backed rebels in March 2018, Afrin has seen several rebels' infightings and several waves of displacement among civilians, according to SANA. Enditem
Former chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia Yuri Khachaturov still has two days to come to the session of the parliamentary committee leading a probe into the circumstances behind the Four-Day Artsakh War, especially after the more than two-hour meeting with ex-foreign minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan. This is what deputy of the My Step faction of the National Assembly of Armenia, chair of the parliamentary committee Andranik Kocharyan told reporters today, touching upon the session held with Edward Nalbandyan via video call today.

The committee has questions that Yuri Khachaturov has to answer. They are so important that I am announcing that he has to come. The last day of the sessions is June 4, and were ready to hold the session in any format and ask our questions, he said.

When asked what will happen if Khachaturov doesnt show up, Kocharyan said the committee will submit the conclusions and let other authorities deal with the matter. Asked if the committee was satisfied with Nalbandyans answers, Kocharyan said Nalbandyan gave very diplomatic answers, but the important thing was the questions that the committee asked.

Andranik Kocharyan also touched upon the advisory opinion of the European Court of Human Rights on the case of second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and said, as far as he understood, the advisory opinion states that Kocharyan shouldnt have any expectations.
Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who allegedly suffocated George Floyd to death during an arrest, by pinning Floyds neck to the ground with his knee, was arrested Friday and charged with murder. The Minneapolis police department had already fired Chauvin on Tuesday, along with the three other officers who were at the scene of Floyds death  none of whom intervened while Floyd pleaded I cant breathe.

Floyds death  another black man who died while being arrested by a white police officer  has been condemned by civil rights activists, liberals and people of color across the country.

But when New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted his outrage at the incident calling for all the officers involved to be charged immediately, many New Yorkers saw the bandwagon-jumping as hypocrisy.

Ive seen the video. I am horrified. George Floyd was murdered in broad daylight and the man who killed him was a police officer  and that officer didn't seem to care at all that he was taking a man's life.



If George was white, he would be alive right now.  Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) May 28, 2020

As if we don't remember your lack of leadership with the death of Eric Garner, responded Brandon West, a City Council candidate in Brooklyn. Don't insult us.

You are an absolutely disgusting bootlicker & phony. #EricGarner was killed by an NYPD cop & you let that cop continue collecting a paycheck for years afterward, activist journalist Ashoka Jegroo tweeted. NYPD has killed numerous people since then & you didn't care at all. Disarm & defund the NYPD!

Sit this one out, pal, wrote journalist Harry Siegel.

In what has come to feel like typical de Blasio fashion, its been much easier for de Blasio to call for swift action in Minnesota than it has been for him to take swift action on police brutality in his own city. The video of Eric Garners death at the hands of the NYPD in 2014 seems to be seared into the nations memory. Like Floyd, Garner was a black man held on the ground, with pressure on his neck, during an arrest. And, just like Floyd, Garners death, as he gasped I cant breathe, was captured on film.

But the governments reaction in New York was nowhere near as quick or as decisive as that in Minneapolis this week. Then-Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan declined to charge Daniel Pantaleo, who put Garner in a chokehold, and instead brought the case to a grand jury. That grand jury, on cop-friendly Staten Island, didnt find cause to indict him, and the whole process lasted until December  nearly five months after Garners death. Pantaleo did eventually get fired for his role in Garners death, but it took more than five years, during which time Pantaleo was paid to do a desk job. None of the other officers at the scene were criminally charged or fired. A sergeant, Kizzy Adonis, lost 20 vacation days.

All the while, de Blasio never called for swift justice in the way he now has after Floyds death. He promised a full and thorough investigation of the circumstances of this tragic incident, the day after Garners death. Though de Blasio had the authority to suspend Pantaleo from the NYPD, he never did. And over those five years, the mayor never asked his NYPD commissioners to fire Pantaleo, claiming he wanted to avoid a lawsuit.

On the other hand, the mayors detractors are misremembering if they think de Blasio didnt in fact say anything about Garner. In fact, his comments about teaching his own black son to be careful with the police enraged many cops and the unions that represent them. They turned their backs on him after two officers were killed in an ambush attack in 2014, and he seems to have been trying to win back officers fleeting approval ever since.

De Blasios fear of being seen as unfair to the cops continues to this day  as long as the incident in question happens in New York, and not Minnesota. After an NYPD officer was caught on video making a violent arrest while enforcing social distancing, de Blasio tweeted on May 3rd that the officer involved has been placed on modified duty and an investigation has begun. While the incident may not have been as egregious as the Floyd arrest, and the man who was being arrested did not die, it was essentially the same response that de Blasio gave to Garners death, six years ago.

But some things may be changing. In an interview on The Brian Lehrer Show Friday, de Blasio conceded that he should have taken action more quickly after Garners death. And if it were to happen again, hed want to see charges acted on immediately.

Hours later, de Blasio announced that the officers involved in the social distancing arrest in Manhattan would face internal charges. The victim, Donni Wright, has further called for the Manhattan district attorney to bring criminal charges against Francisco Garcia, the officer who arrested him. De Blasio has not.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Over 45,000 stranded Indians were brought back home from abroad under the Vande Bharat mission and another 1,00,000 will be evacuated till June 13, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

The mega evacuation mission was launched on May 7.

MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the government is also assisting the return of stranded Indians from remote locations in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and parts of Europe.

"This is being done by taking advantage of foreign carriers flying to India primarily for the evacuation of their nationals," he said during an online media briefing.

He said a total of 45,216 Indians were brought back till Thursday afternoon and they include 8,069 migrant workers, 7,656 students and 5,107 professionals.

About 5,000 Indians have returned through land border from Nepal and Bangladesh.

In the first phase of the mission from May 7 to 15, the government evacuated around 15,000 people from 12 countries.

The second phase of the evacuation mission was scheduled from May 17 to 22.

However, the government has extended it till June 13.

Srivastava said a total of 3,08,200 people have registered their request with Indian missions abroad for repatriation to India on compelling grounds.

"During the phase two, a total of 429 Air India flights (311 international flights + 118 feeder flights) from 60 countries are scheduled to land in India. The Indian Navy will be making four more sorties to bring back returnees from Iran, Sri Lanka and the Maldives," Srivastava said.

The MEA spokesperson said the government is targeting to bring back 1,00,000 people from 60 countries by the end of phase two of the Vande Bharat mission.

"Preparations for third phase of Vande Bharat Mission are well underway," he said.

As per the government's policy for evacuation, Indians having "compelling reasons" to return like pregnant women, elderly people, students and those facing the prospect of deportation are being brought back home.
A memorial lies outside Cup Foods, where George Floyd was killed in police custody, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 28, 2020. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

George Floyds Girlfriend Speaks Out About His Death: He Would Give Grace

Courteney Ross, the girlfriend of the late George Floyd who was pronounced dead Monday after a Minneapolis police officer was filmed kneeling on his neck, told reporters that Floyd would have objected to the chaos that has erupted after his death and would seek to forgive.

You know, if he was here, he would say that hes a man of God. He would stand on that firmly, Ross told a reporter with local Minneapolis CBS news affiliate WCCO. He stood up for people, he was there for people when they were down, he loved people that were thrown away.

Protests erupted Tuesday, a day after Floyds death in a confrontation with police. In a citizen video widely shared on social media, Floyd can be seen pleading as Officer Derek Chauvin presses his knee against him. Several minutes later, Floyd stops talking and moving.

Ross said Floyd would have objected to the violence, saying that he instead would give grace.

He would, Ross insisted. I stand on that today he would still give grace to those people.

You cant fight fire with fire, Ross told the outlet. Everything just burns.

Flames from a nearby fire illuminate protesters standing on a barricade in front of the Third Police Precinct in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 28, 2020. (Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images)

Protesters torched a Minneapolis police station Thursday that the department was forced to abandon as three days of violent protests spread to nearby St. Paul and angry demonstrations flared across the U.S.

Ive seen it all day today. People hate. Theyre hating, Ross said, adding, theyre hating, theyre mad, and he would not want that.

A police spokesman confirmed late Thursday that staff had evacuated the 3rd Precinct station, the focus of many of the protests.

Protesters gather around after setting fire to the entrance of a police station as demonstrations continue in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 28, 2020. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Livestream video showed the protesters entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as blazes were set. The 3rd Precinct covers the portion of south Minneapolis where Floyd died while in police custody.

Among other casualties of the fires was a six-story building under construction that was to provide nearly 200 apartments of affordable housing.

A burning multi-story affordable housing complex under construction near the Third Precinct, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 27, 2020. (Mark Vancleave/Star Tribune via AP)

Were burning our own neighborhood, said a distraught Deona Brown, a 24-year-old woman standing with a friend outside the precinct station, where a small group of protesters were shouting at a dozen or so stone-faced police officers in riot gear. This is where we live, where we shop, and they destroyed it.

The protests that began Wednesday night and extended into Thursday were more violent than Tuesdays, which included skirmishes between offices and protesters but no widespread property damage.

Floyds death came after police responded to a 911 call by a store clerk alleging Floyd had used a counterfeit bill and that he was behaving erratically.

File frame from video provided by Darnella Frazier, a Minneapolis officer kneels on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed man who was pleading that he could not breathe, in Minneapolis, on May 25, 2020. (Darnella Frazier via AP, File)

In the ensuing confrontation, Chauvin used his knee on Floyds neck to pin himunarmed and handcuffedto the ground.

In a separate interview published by the Daily Mail, Ross described Floyd as a man of faith.

He is such a spiritual man, beyond just being prayerful and a man of God, he had a sense about him that just made you feel comforted, feel good, feel validated, just lift you up, lift your spirits up.

She said Floyd believed Minneapolis was a good place.

It seems like were ugly right now, it seems like an ugly city, our cops that did this, they made it ugly, but he found a lot of peace here, he found a lot of love here, she said.

Despite violent protests and looting in parts of Minneapolis, elsewhere in the city, thousands of peaceful demonstrators marched through the streets calling for justice.

Chauvin, the officer who kneeled on Floyds neck, was fired Tuesday along with three other officers involved in the arrest. The next day, the mayor called for Chauvin to be criminally charged.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Indiana is set to receive $100M in @USDOT transit funds for the @southshoreline to connect people to jobs around the State and the Chicago area and help cut down on traffic, the presidents message said. @GovHolcomb has worked very hard on this project!
Pakistans coronavirus cases on Friday reached 64,028 with 2,636 new patients in the last 24 hours (between Thursday and Friday), the countrys health ministry said. It also said that the death toll climbed to 1,317 after 57 people lost their lives in the last 24 hours, the countrys highest single-day increase since the outbreak began.

The Sindh province continues to lead the countrys tally with 25,309 Covid-19 cases, followed by 22,964 in Punjab, 8,842 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 3,928 in Balochistan, 2,100 in Islamabad, 658 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 227 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The ministry said that 22,305 patients have been recovered so far from the virus.

Addressing a high-level virtual event of the United Nations on Financing for Development in Era of Covid-19 and beyond, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that the coronavirus disease is a global problem and requires worldwide efforts to tackle it.

He also said that the world cannot recover from the coronavirus pandemic until all the nations come together to find a holistic solution to the deadly disease.

Appreciating the efforts made by G20 countries to provide debt relief to developing countries, Khan said that the developed world with 1.5 billion people has resources but the developing world with a population of six billion people is struggling.

Like many other countries, Pakistan had also imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus but it started easing it in phases earlier this month, which Khan had said is being done because the countrys cash-strapped economy cannot bear the burden anymore.

The Pakistan Prime Minister had said that out of countrys 220 million population, almost 150 million are counted among the most vulnerable section, including daily wagers, weekly wagers, whose families are dependent on them and worse hit by the pandemic.
The nationwide count of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 1.68 lakh on Friday with a record number of nearly 7,500 people testing positive for the dreaded virus infection across states and union territories. The death toll crossed 4,700, but recoveries also rose sharply to surpass 81,000.

Those contracting the virus included people from varied walks of life -- from police to prisoners, from cabin crew to healthcare workers and from migrants to a minister. Those losing their lives included a 58-year-old CISF personnel posted at a warship building in Kolkata and a 65-year-old Gulf returnee in Kerala.

On the positive side, several states and union territories also announced a large number of COVID-19 patients getting cured and discharged, taking the cumulative number of nationwide recoveries so far to more than 81,700 -- showing an increase of more than 11,000 since Thursday night.

The number of active cases declined by more than 5,000 to nearly 82,000- still the fifth highest globally after the US, Russia, Brazil and France.

The number of cases has been rising sharply over the past few days amid eased lockdown restrictions, resumption of domestic flights and continuing services of migrant trains between states and of special international flights for bringing back stranded Indians and expatriates from abroad.

While a nationwide lockdown has been in place since March 25, several relaxations have been given in the ongoing fourth phase that is scheduled to end on May 31. Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and informed him about the views of chief ministers on future course of action on the lockdown.

Officials said the Centre is likely to retain a limited role and allow states and union territories to take decisions on whether to tighten or give additional relaxations in their respective jurisdictions from June 1.

The central government may, however, advise states to continue with strict curbs in COVID-19 containment zones in the worst-affected 30 municipal areas, including in Mumbai and Delhi, that account for 80 per cent of the positive cases in the country.

In its morning update, the Union Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 4,706 in the country, while the number of cases climbed to 1,65,799, registering an increase of 175 deaths and a record jump of 7,466 cases in 24 hours since Thursday 8 AM.

It put the number of active cases stood at nearly 90,000 and recoveries at over 71,000, giving a recovery rate of 42.89 per cent.

However, a PTI tally of figures announced by states and UTs, as of 9.40 PM, showed a higher number of 1,68,386 confirmed cases and the nationwide death toll of 4,784. It also showed at least 81,702 recoveries, leaving nearly 82,000 active cases across the country.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown also appeared in a key economic data of the eight core infrastructure sectors, as their combined output declined by a record 38.1 per cent in April.

"In view of nationwide lockdown during April 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, various industries - coal, cement, steel, natural gas, refinery, crude oil etc experienced substantial loss of production," the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in a statement.

Another key data showed India''s GDP growth tumbling to 3.1 per cent in the March quarter -- the slowest pace since the global financial crisis more than a decade back -- but the worst is yet to come as the full impact of the lockdown will get accounted for only in the numbers for the ongoing April-June quarter.

The national capital reported a record number of 1,106 new cases to take its tally to over 17,000, while its death toll rose to 398, though the Delhi government appealed to the people not to panic.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted on Friday, "My Delhiites do not worry if you contract corona. Most of you can be treated in home quarantine itself. Still, if you need to be admitted to hospital, we have full preparations for it. I pray to the god for your good health and happiness."

"Corona patients who have no or mild symptoms can recover at their home. They need not get admitted to hospital," he said.

As many as 11 healthcare workers, including two resident doctors, also tested positive at the country''s premier medical institution AIIMS in the national capital, taking the total number of hospital staff infected so far to 206. However, more than 150 healthcare personnel have recovered and have joined back duties.

In the national capital, a Rajya Sabha Secretariat official also tested positive, making it the fourth such case reported from the Parliament complex. Two floors of the Parliament Annexe building have been sealed, officials said.

Doordarshan News has also shifted its operations from Mandi House to its studio in Khelgaon after a 53-year-old video journalist employed with it tested positive for coronavirus following his death, officials said.

In Kerala, 62 new cases were reported and the death toll rose to eight after a 65-year-old Gulf returnee succumbed to the virus. Those testing positive included a health worker, two cabin crew of Air India and two prisoners also, taking the infection count in the state to 1,150.

Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, recorded 2,682 new cases and 116 deaths on Friday, it also saw 8,381 COVID-19 patients - the highest for one day -- getting discharged from hospitals across the state.

In Gujarat, the number of confirmed cases grew to 15,944 after 372 new cases were detected in the last 24 hours, while 20 patients succumbed to the infection to take the state''s death toll to 980,

In Tamil Nadu, nine more people succumbed to COVID-19, while its tally of confirmed cases saw the biggest single-day spike of 874 cases.

Odisha reported 63 new cases, of which 61 had recently returned to the state from various parts of the country and were in different quarantine centres. Two persons were detected with the infection following contact-tracing exercises.

A minister in West Bengal has also tested positive for COVID-19, a source in the state government said.

In Kolkata, A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel posted at a warship manufacturing facility succumbed to the novel coronavirus. This was the fourth COVID-19 death in the force and the second from the unit posted at this Kolkata-based PSU.

While 41 CISF personnel from this unit have tested positive so far, 38 of them have been discharged and only one is under treatment at present, sources said.

In Kolkata, at least four healthcare workers at a hospital and 10 police personnel also tested positive.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in the meantime, announced a slew of relaxations from the lockdown from June 1, including for restarting of private and public sector offices with full attendance and reopening of shrines.

Government offices in Uttarakhand, including the state secretariat and the Vidhan Sabha, will also revert to normal working hours from June 1, a state government order said.

Uttarakhand reported a record number of 216 new cases, while West Bengal recorded 277 fresh cases and seven more deaths.
A second person has been arrested in the case of a Mobile County group home where authorities say six veterans were found in deplorable conditions this week.

Meanwhile a Mobile County Sheriffs Office spokeswoman said the MCSO was working with federal investigators on the case. Another sheriffs department official said that the six residents remained hospitalized and that authorities were working to establish whether other properties owned by the homes operators might also be used as group homes.

Jail records indicated that Tilena Kim Owens, 49, was booked into Mobile County Metro Jail shortly before noon on Thursday and remained there early Thursday afternoon. She was charged with one first-degree count of elder abuse and neglect and three second-degree counts.

She is the wife of Donny Boyd Owens, also 49, who was booked into the jail Wednesday morning. Jail records indicated that he also remained in jail Thursday afternoon. He faces one first-degree count of elder abuse and neglect and five second-degree counts.

An MCSO spokeswoman said investigators had determined that the Owens had received federal funding, though the exact amount had not been established.

Captain Paul Burch of the Mobile County Sheriffs office said Thursday that he believed Donny Owens had been through a bond hearing at which bond was set at $20,000 for the first-degree charge and $10,000 for each of the second-degree charges. Jail records did not reflect that hearing as of early Thursday afternoon.

Burch said the sheriffs office was aware of several other properties owned by the couple but had not yet established whether any of them were being operated as group homes.

As for the six men discovered in Grand Bay, Burch said they continued to receive treatment. They are all still in the hospital and as far as we know their conditions are not life threatening, he said.

Burch had said on Wednesday that the six residents of the home at 11050 Lakeview Lane Ext. in Grand Bay had not seen any caretaker at the house for several days, up to a week. Cabinets, pantries and the refrigerator were padlocked and the six residents required medical attention.

Details of their ages and medical needs have not been released.
As the school year comes to a close with the majority of K-12 students still learning from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic, local school districts and the state have the summer to determine how schools will return in the fall and what that might mean for students and families.

Rapid City Area Schools superintendent Lori Simon said a committee of education leaders across the state anticipate to have more guidance for schools by mid-June.

The group includes staff from the Dept. of Education, Dr. Wade Pogany from Associated School Boards of South Dakota, Rob Monson from SASD, Dan Swartos from the State Activities Association, several superintendents and school principals from around the state as well as several business directors and curriculum directors.

Our goal is to put together guidance for school leaders regarding the 2020-21 school year in a document that is useful for (them) as they think about reopening buildings for students and staff, Simon said. Our timeline is short, with the work anticipated to conclude mid-June.

Katy Urban, community relations manager for the district, said workgroups in the district are evaluating what social distancing would look like in classrooms, and the groups will have a better idea of that by August.

The state Department of Education is still in the process of developing more guidance for schools to consider as they plan for the school year. The process also involves the state Department of Health.

The guidelines will attempt to balance concerns about health with concerns about instruction and learning, said Ruth Raveling, information specialist for the education department. Ultimately, local school boards and administrators have the authority for their school districts.

Raveling said a guidance document is in the works right now, which will help districts make reasonable, informed decisions. Decisions may vary from district to district, Raveling said, depending on current conditions of the coronavirus and its spread in a community.

As fall inches closer, the state is still planning to have students back to school, but many districts are putting in contingency plans for remote learning, said Gov. Kristi Noem on Tuesday.

I think theyre being wise in preparing for any situation that could come along this fall, Noem said.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
In an exclusive interview with IANS, Choudhary said next time the locusts will be killed at the border areas of Rajasthan. The Centre has made strong arrangements for this.

The Barmer MP said, "The government of India has purchased 60 special spray machines from UK to to kill the locusts. Of these, 15 machines will reach India on June 11-12. More will arrive by June-end."

"We are also planning to spray chemicals through drones and helicopters", he said.

Choudhary said the Ministry had discussed with several companies how to control the locust menace. "We have enough stocks of the chemical required for spraying," he said.

The locust is the oldest and dangerous migratory pest, which flies from East Africa and enters India via Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The pest is also termed as plague of plants and flies in a herd of millions and covers around 150-200 km a day.

The locust attack in the country has increased since last year when the "invasion" was controlled to a large extent. But this year, locusts have swarmed in much before the arrival of monsoon and reached the central parts of the country -- Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Even Delhi is also under the threat of locust attack.

When asked why the locust attack was not blocked on the border at Rajasthan, the Minister said because the state government didn't cooperate. He said, "The Central government gave an amount of Rs 14 crore to the Rajasthan government and provided necessary resources, but it didn't use them on time."

"The Union government is responsible for spraying chemicals in desert areas while the state government has to spray the chemical in agricultural land, but the Rajasthan government didn't pay attention," he added.

"This time the locusts have entered the border, but next time these will be blocked and destroyed at the border itself. The government has already made plans for it," he added.

--IANS

hindi-rt/prs
Burma Myanmar Human Rights Commission Fails to Stop Abuses: NGOs

A civilian injured in fighting between government and Arakan Army troops is treated at Sittwe Hospital on March 25. / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy

Yangon  The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHCR) is failing to protect human rights and has been silent about abuses in conflict areas during COVID-19, according to activists.

Asia NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutes (ANNI) and the 21 Myanmar-based human rights organizations said in a joint statement that the MNHCRs commissioners, who were appointed in January, were unwilling to act on abuses.

The MNHCR was reformed by Myanmars government in January with new commissioners. But it has since faced criticism for lacking legislative authority, transparency and representatives from civil society organizations who have experience in rights issues.

All the new commissioners are retired senior civil servants from bodies like the Bureau of Special Investigation, Union Attorney Generals Office, Union General Office, General Administration Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and government medical officers.

The inaction of the MNHCR is a clear indication that it has neither the political will nor sufficient independence to adequately protect the rights of people in Myanmar, said the groups.

It has pointed out that while the country has to struggle with the COVID-19 crisis, human rights abuses have occurred continuously due to intensifying offensives by Myanmars military.

The deaths of civilians have increased and many communities have been denied access to health care in conflict areas.

U Aung Zaw Oo, director of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP), told The Irrawaddy that the main tasks of the MNHCR are to promote and protect human rights. However, there is no evidence of any action being taken since January.

The MNHCR is silent despite human rights violations continuing to occur. Neglecting rights violations encourages further abuse and protects the violators, said U Aung Zaw Oo.

He told The Irrawaddy the MNHCR should intervene over clashes, internet cut offs and COVID-19 plans.

The joint statement said the military burned down Karen National Union COVID-19 screening posts in April and attacked a COVID-19 awareness-raising and monitoring operation organized by the Restoration Council of Shan State.

A driver was killed and a passenger was injured in a World Health Organization (WHO) vehicle carrying COVID-19 test samples last month in Rakhine State.

Rights groups said that the ban on internet access in several townships in Rakhine and Chin states, where the Arakan Army is active, restricted access to health information.

U Aung Myo Min, executive director of Equality Myanmar, said the commission failed to prevent potential rights violations or investigate reports of abuse.

The rights commission is responsible to speak out bravely to prevent rights abuses instead of just solving the cases that are filed, said U Aung Myo Min.

The rights groups said the MHNCR had failed to speak up on behalf of at least 50 political prisoners and more than 137 rights activists who are being detained. Meanwhile, 24,896 prisoners, including just 26 political prisoners, were granted presidential pardons in April.

MNHCR should ask for the release of all political prisoners, the rights groups said.

The rights commission was first formed by presidential decree in September 2011 and reformed in September 2014 after the first MNHCR law was enacted.

The MNHRC was unavailable for comment, despite multiple attempts.

You may also like these stories:

How International Initiatives Can Support Peace and Justice in Myanmar

Myanmar Govt Faces Accusations of Whitewashing Army War Crimes
Samsung employees just in from South Korea have their temperatures taken in the northern city of Tianjin on May 10.

(The Straits Times)  More than 1,000 travelers from companies including Samsung and LG have benefited from a fast-track entry agreement between South Korea and China that exempts them from strict quarantine measures so they can conduct business amid the pandemic.

The deal took effect from May 1 and covers 10 parts of China where there are major business exchanges between the two countries: Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Liaoning, Shandong, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shanxi, Sichuan and Anhui.

This marked the first time both sides have allowed foreigners to enter without the usual restrictions, said South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

To qualify, a Korean businessman planning to visit China must first get the host company to apply for an official invitation issued by the local government. He can then apply for a visa allowing him to enter China if he follows the special disease control procedure agreed by both sides.

This requires him to monitor his own health for at least 14 days before the travel date and test for the virus at a designated hospital within 72 hours of departure.

Upon arriving in China, he will have to stay at a state-assigned facility for one or two days and undergo a blood test and a genetic test for the virus.

A Chinese businessman entering South Korea must submit a document certifying that he tested negative for Covid-19 within 72 hours before departure. He will undergo another test upon arrival.

The ministry said the agreement will contribute to minimizing economic and social impact of Covid-19 in South Korea and China. It added that the two sides will make efforts to improve the effectiveness of the procedure and hold discussions to expand the scope of its application.

A ministry spokesman told The Straits Times that more than 1,000 people from both countries have used fast-track entry and there are plans to add more Chinese regions to the agreement.

LG was the first to use the initiative, sending 252 technicians to Nanjing, Jiangsu province, on May 3.

Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong then visited the companys memory chip plant in Xian, Shanxi province, on May 18, before sending 300 engineers and workers there on May 22.

This story was first published in The Straits Times.
Photograph: Cristobal Herrera/EPA

When the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly jobs report earlier this month, the unemployment numbers were jaw-dropping: the unemployment rate rose from 4.4% in March to 14.7% in April  a decades worth of job gains wiped out in mere weeks.

The jobs report also unveiled the grim reality of which communities have been hit hardest from the economic impacts of Covid-19. Hispanic Americans saw the highest unemployment rate of any racial group at 18.9%, over 4% more than the national unemployment rate of 14.7%.

Related: Jobless America: the coronavirus unemployment crisis in figures

Clara Lopez of Miami, Florida, worked for 17 years as a room attendant at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel and was laid off at the end of March as things were starting to shut down. She has been trying to apply for unemployment insurance since 29 March, but has yet to have success. Florida, which has a 12.9% unemployment rate, continues to have a backlog of unemployment applications, meaning people like Lopez have been left with no unemployment insurance to pay essential bills.

I have my light bill, my water bill, my car bill, my electric bill. As of now, I dont even have one cent left to be able to pay for any of it, Lopez said. Even though Lopez is able to buy groceries with food stamps, prices in supermarkets have gone up, meaning she is barely able to buy the groceries she needs.

The mass job losses hitting the community are a devastating blow in light of the gains that Hispanic Americans had made before the pandemic hit. In September, the Hispanic unemployment rate hit a historic low at 3.9% and hovered about 4% through February. Median household income had risen to $51,450 in 2018, another record high. Hispanic Americans were buying homes at a rate higher than any other race and had the highest labor force participation rate of any race.

Just this past March, Donald Trump took credit for the supposed economic boom that Hispanic Americans were seeing. Under the booming Trump economy, Latinos are achieving record gains, the president said while giving remarks at the Latino Coalition Legislative Summit on 4 March.

Story continues

Yet even when measurements of wealth showed Hispanic Americans were doing better than ever before, they were still far behind white Americans. The median household income for white households in 2018 was $70,642, while the median household income for Hispanic households was $63,179.

Less income means that Hispanic American families struggle to build wealth. The average net worth of a Hispanic American household is $191,200, compared with the average net worth of a white household, which is $933,700. Hispanic American families are also more likely to be in poverty than white families, with 17% of Hispanic families in poverty in 2018 compared to 10% of white families.

Even though the economy, you could say, was good, when you look at the numbers, once you pull back what was really happening, you saw that Latinos were working harder but were still barely struggling to get by, said Orson Aguilar, director of economic policy for UnidosUS, an advocacy group for Hispanic Americans.

The disproportionate economic effect Hispanic Americans are seeing is reminiscent of the effect the Great Recession had on the group.

The wealth of many Hispanic families was concentrated in the value of the homes they owned, and many owned homes in states that were hit the hardest by the housing crisis, the Pew Research Center found in 2011. Thus, Hispanic families saw the largest decrease in household wealth of any racial group, dropping by 66%. In comparison, black families saw a 53% decrease in wealth while white families saw a 16% decrease.

While Covid-19 is causing a very different crisis that is hitting all groups, economists and policymakers have long said that job segregation has left Hispanic Americans overrepresented in the low-paying industries that have been hit hardest by Covid-19. Though they make up just over 17% of the American workforce, Hispanic Americans make up 49% of maids and housekeeping cleaners, 46% of construction workers and 38% of grounds and maintenance workers. Many of those industries were the ones that saw the most layoffs due to shutdowns.

Latinos support a lot of industries that were hardest hit, and now were seeing as a result Latinos being the hardest hit, Aguilar said.

Yaquelin, who asked that her last name be withheld for fear of repercussions from future employers, from Tamarac, Florida, was laid off once lockdowns in the state began by the three families that employed her as a nanny and cleaner. She is unsure of whether she will be able to work for the families again once the pandemic subsides or how that work will affect her health.

Our work is the type of work that is done privately inside homes, Yaquelin said in Spanish through a translator. Domestic workers dont have health insurance, we have no contract to outline our hours.

The National Domestic Workers Alliance estimates there are nearly 2.5 million domestic workers in the US. In a survey, the not-for-profit found 72% of their respondents reported having no jobs in early April.

While Congresss giant coronavirus stimulus package included $600 more in unemployment insurance for those who have been laid off, the checks can only go to people who have been able to successfully file in their state. Many states have antiquated online systems that are unable to handle the mass of people who have been laid off due to the pandemic, meaning millions could be left without unemployment insurance.

For Yaquelin, not having a job has also meant considerable stress over bills, especially as she has also not been able to successfully file for unemployment.

I have no appetite, I have insomnia, I wake up many times during the night, Yaquelin said. I feel like this is going to change my life completely, and I dont know how Im going to manage all my finances.
One in seven Britons have admitted to breaking lockdown restrictions, it has been revealed.

A survey carried out by the Sun indicated that 14% have flouted the rules at some stage, while 7% said that they had reported someone for rule breaches.

Feedback shows people have slipped out of quarantine to see parents, socialise with friends or even meet their lovers.

Another commonly reoccurring reason to sneak out of the house and violate guidelines was to have a much needed haircut, results have shown.

The survey also revealed that a third of people haven't followed the rules to the letter during the pandemic.

A survey has shown one in seven Brits have defied lockdown measures and gone about daily life, with 50 per cent of those asked saying they have been out to meet family and friends

Results show 26 per cent of people think they have adhered to restrictions 'fairly well' but with lapses in their weekly routine, while 67 per cent feel they have complied totally

Of those that did break the lockdown guidelines, just more than half said they had left home once a day.

A total of 50 per cent also confessed to going out to meet family and friends, despite the UK's warning level of coronavirus spread being high.

Some 26 per cent admitted to non-essential travel, while an 11 per cent portion even revealed they had attended a party during lockdown.

Smaller numbers went on record to admit they had left home while showing coronavirus symptoms, while nine per cent said they left the house to go about regular life despite a family member showing symptoms of the virus.

Reportedly one in ten people have fallen out with a friend or relative for not following the rules, causing tensions and disagreement.

Just two per cent of the 2,013 questioned by Onepoll confessed to meeting a lover when supposed to be remaining in self quarantine.

A large portion of people have interacted with neighbours, while 3 per cent admitted they have either visited or had a hairdresser come to visit them

Findings showed a small section of people have reported others to police for their flouting

Of the sample size almost five per cent surveyed say they have been reported to the police by somebody for breaking lockdown rules.

A further seven per cent admitted to taking action into their own hands and calling up police to report the flouting activity of others.

A university student, Michael, who studies at the Royal Agricultural University, told the Sun: 'We had friends round for a poker night... 15 of us drinking until 4am. The neighbours were suspicious but we said it was just us. It felt a bit wrong.

'But the news about [Dominic] Cummings makes me feel less guilty now. We'd been isolating, we didn't travel or have symptoms. Now I think what we did wasn't that bad.'

With the UK trying its best to get on board and flattening the curve, 86 per cent of people said they felt they had not broken any of the lockdown rules

Five per cent of those asked revealed they've been reported to police for their careless actions

Mr Cummings, senior adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has repeatedly dominated the headlines following his personal flouting of the lockdown restrictions he helped to put in place.

Mr Cummings made a 260-mile trip from London to County Durham amid the coronavirus lockdown in March.

He admitted to taking a drive to Barnard Castle on April 12 - to test his eye sight before a 260 drive back to London.

The emergence of the news led to 55 per cent of Conservative voters saying he should resign from his position, as the Prime Minister's own approval rating plummeted.

Another individual, named Kaleigh, told the Sun how she had been visiting her 50-year-old mother six miles away and would continue to do so.

'I went in to help with a leaky tap and after that thought it was a bit silly not staying for a cuppa if I went round,' said the 32-year-old. Helping her clean and providing regular contact outweighs the risks.'

Mum-of-three Kaleigh, who lives in Manchester, added: 'I refuse to let lockdown stop me caring for my mum. I applied good sense and I'm not ashamed.'
MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / May 28, 2020 / Kisses from Italy Inc. (KITL), today announced it has engaged HIR Holdings (Hayden IR Holdings), a highly recognized, national investor relations firm, to raise its visibility and strengthen its relationships with the investment community.

"Over the past year we have expanded our operations, gaining scale and brand recognition as we continue to position the company to drive future operating leverage in our business model and we want to ensure we capitalize on these important milestones, stated Kisses from Italy's co-founder, co-CEO and CIO, Claudio Ferri. We look forward to working with the team of professionals at HIR to help us target and expand our investor audience and ensure we are communicating effectively with Wall Street."

With offices in New York, Phoenix, South Carolina and San Diego, HIR provides a comprehensive range of investor relations services to a growing list of clients. For more than two decades, HIR has been a recognized leader in driving market recognition and creating sustainable competitive advantages for more than 150 micro- and small-cap companies. HIR delivers expertise and professionalism in such areas as investor management, relationship building, awareness campaigns, online presence and corporate identity.

About KISSES FROM ITALY Inc.

KISSES FROM ITALY is a U.S. based is a restaurant chain operator, Franchisor and product distributor with locations in North America and Europe. The Company offers a quick service menu and a unique take on traditional Italian delicacies with an All-American flair. Kisses from Italy offerings include sandwiches, salads, Italian roasted coffee, coffee related beverage and an array of other products. The company currently operates four corporate owned stores. It successfully commenced operations in May 2015 with the opening of its flagship location in Ft. Lauderdale at 3146 NE 9th St. This was followed by three additional sites across the greater Ft. Lauderdale/Pompano Beach area. The Company recently opened its inaugural European location in Ceglie del Campo, Bari, Italy in October of 2019. In September of 2019, Kisses from Italy Inc. was given the approval by FINRA to trade its common stock and was approved for up-listing by the OTC Markets Group to the OTCQB in mid-October 2019 under the ticker symbol KITL.

Story continues

For more information, please visit www.kissesfromitaly.com

Investor Contact Information:

HIR: Cameron Donahue

651-707-3532

cameron@haydenir.com

SOURCE: Kisses from Italy Inc.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/591795/Kisses-from-Italy-Engages-HIR-Holdings-to-Launch-Comprehensive-Investor-Relations-Program




A former McDonald's worker has revealed how she became a millionaire after setting up a subscription adult website.

Chelsea Ferguson, 31, from Hartlepool, was inspired to start a business after she was 'devastated' by her mother's death and started working as a stripper.

The sex worker, who drives a Lamborghini, went on to set up AdmireMe.VIP - a subscription-based social media platform which has turned over 12million in just under two years.

Chelsea has now made a 1 million in 20 months from her own profile on the site, which sees men pay to view pornographic videos and pictures of their chosen girls.

Former McDonald's worker Chelsea Ferguson, 31, from Hartlepool, started a pornographic website AdmireMe.VIP, which has turned over 12 million in two years

Chelsea first entered a strip club while studying performing arts at Sheffield Hallam University and instantly made the decision to start stripping.

She said: 'It sounds cheesy, but I really felt I'd found my calling in life. A job I loved doing, being paid more than I could ever imagine - and I was actually good at.'

Chelsea quickly began to make her mark in the sex industry and attracted more than 750,000 followers on Twitter.

In less than a year, her Snapchat profile - Sedgy Fergo - had four million followers.

Chelsea, who drives a Lamborghini, has earned 1 million from her own profile on the subscription site alone

But when the platform decided to suddenly remove pornographic accounts, Chelsea instead travelled the world being paid thousands for nightclub and personal appearances.

Around this time, her mum, Anne, was diagnosed with cancer and lost her battle with the disease just 18 months later.

Chelsea says it was a 'devastating and life-changing moment' but it paved the way for a different future for her.

Taking a step back from social media and appearances, Chelsea began working every night at a local strip club and says keeping busy was her way of coping with the loss of her beloved mum.

The sex worker became frustated with the way women in the industry are treated 'like a piece of meat' and launched her business to tackle the issue

The once sought after party lifestyle was replaced with thoughts and plans of a future business.

And as the popularity of pay per view porn grew, Chelsea was angered by other platforms' lack of acknowledgement of their content creators in the adult industry who instead pushed them away like they were the 'seedy underworld'.

After hearing the frustrations of several women, Chelsea set about planning her own business which she hoped would 'right all the wrongs' in the industry.

Angered by the way women in the industry were being treated like 'a piece of meat', the business developed from Chelsea's determination to tackle the issue herself.

The sex worker and entrepreneur now lives a glamorous lifestyle, driving supercars and wearing designer clothes

Around two years ago, Chelsea created AdmireMe.VIP which prides itself as a platform made by a sex worker for sex workers.

She added: 'We have an amazing sense of community with the models on our platform, all supporting each other through their journeys.'

The site turned over an eye-watering 8 million in its first year alone, as over 7000 women signed up to sell their sexy snaps and videos.

Chelsea, who regularly shares racy snaps on her Instagram page, has made 1 million on her profile on the site, where men subscribe to watch pornographic photos and videos of her

Chelsea now lives a glamorous lifestyle, which sees her drive supercars, wear designer clothes and splash on luxury holidays.

Despite her success, she's continued to support her community - donating thousands of pounds to many different causes and raising more than 10,000 for her home town's soup kitchen.

She told her Twitter followers: '1 year and 8 months. One million pounds. On my own personal page. I am so happy. All from showing me fanny to strangers.'
HASAKAH, Syria  Seven months after Turkish forces and their Sunni opposition allies crossed into northeastern Syria, upending a fragile balance that made the Kurdish-run territory the safest and most stable in the war-ravaged country, tens of thousands of displaced civilians are struggling to survive in the squalor of camps and classrooms they now call home. Some are trying to recover from injuries that rights groups allege in some cases amount to war crimes. A propaganda war waged by both sides is continuing full blast.

Mohammed Hamid Mohammed is among the victims of the Turkish assault launched Oct. 9 against Syrian Kurdish forces. Ankara charges that they are terrorists seeking to dismember Turkey. The US-backed group known as the Peoples Protection Units denies it harbors hostility toward Ankara.

The 12-year-old Mohammed became the symbol of Turkish impunity when graphic images of his body covered in oozing grayish ochre burns were plastered across global headlines. As the number of victims bearing similar burns grew, allegations that Turkish forces were using white phosphorus, a chemical agent deployed in military operations to produce smoke or provide illumination, against the civilian population began to circulate. Turkeys defense minister, Hulusi Akar, called the reports fake news" peddled by the foreign media. Turkey denies possessing any chemical weapons.

Mohammed said he had been playing outside his house in the now Turkish-occupied town of Ras al-Ain  known as Serekaniye in Kurdish  when he suddenly heard an explosion and saw fire. I didnt feel anything until I woke up in the hospital. My dad was next to me, Mohammed told Al-Monitor during an interview. I was screaming because I could feel the burns on my body. Journalists were taking pictures of me. The pain was bad.

As news of his plight grew, Massoud Barzani, the most influential leader of neighboring Iraqi Kurdistan, decided to act. With the help of the French government, Barzani arranged for Mohammed and his father, Hamid, to be flown in air ambulance to France, and Mohammed was treated for three months at a military hospital outside Paris.

Mohammed had to undergo seven surgeries. I was tired of the pain of lying on the bed. One time I tried to walk a little, but after a couple of steps I fell to the ground, Mohammed recalled on a recent afternoon.

Life at the ramshackle school in the city of Hasakah where he has sheltered with his parents, sister and four brothers since returning on March 10 is hard. The family relies on charity. The flow of water and electricity is erratic. Temperatures are rising and there is no air-conditioning, nothing unusual in the life of refugees. But exposure to heat can be a life and death matter for Mohammed, and Hasakah is subjected to extreme temperatures in the summer. His burned skin is also not supposed to be exposed to direct sunlight for the next five years.

A maze of leathery scars, some thick and lumpy, others spidery, crisscross his neck and body. They stretch his skin, impeding mobility and causing pain. He has to do special exercises and wear a full body vest. It gets hot here and pus comes out from under my armpits and my wounds itch. Its very painful, Mohammed said.

Mohammed Khamis Mohammed does his exercises at a school converted into an IDP camp in Hasakah, Syria. Video by Ivan Hassib/Al-Monitor.

A report detailing his condition issued by the Hopital DInstruction des Armees de Percy noted that Mohammed had been admitted for severe extensive burns reportedly sustained due to phosphorus exposure during air bombing on Oct. 10. But his clinical symptoms suggested that Mohammeds burns had been suffered earlier than reported and likely related to inflammation of clothes which may have been caused by phosphorus or not.

That hasnt stopped some media outlets such as the Saudi TV channel Al Arabiya from continuing to claim that the boy was burned by white phosphorus. Relations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia have steadily deteriorated since the October 2018 murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. This has led to hostile media coverage about the other on both sides.

Hamid denies that his son had been injured prior to the Turkish invasion. The assertion that the boy had suffered burns before Oct. 10 was first made by a Turkish academic in a report by Turkeys state-run news agency, Anadolu. "It is unclear where and when the wounded child's photo was taken, but it looks like the wounds are from an old burn," opined Levent Kenar, professor and chair of Department of Medical Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense at University of Health Sciences.

Hamid said he found the boy lying on the ground outside their home on the second day of the Turkish attack. Hamid acknowledged that he did not know what type of munition had struck his son.

Officials from the Kurdish-led autonomous administration in northeast Syria air frustration with the medias fixation on the child. Mohammeds story is undoubtedly tragic. But there are hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians and tens of thousands of children who are suffering as a result of the Turkish occupation, said Fawza Youssef, a top Kurdish official.

Mohammed Hamid Mohammed plays wth his 6-month-old cousin Roslin at a makeshift camp in Hasakah, May 25, 2020 (photo by Ivan Hassib/Al-Monitor)

Just recently in Afrin 12 children were hit by Turkish mortar attacks. Six were martyred, some lost their hands, some their legs, others their eyes and there was no attention drawn to their plight. This illustrates the hypocrisy of the world politics. Mohammeds plight is the plight of all our children. His plight is that of all Kurdistan, Youssef told Al-Monitor in a WhatsApp interview. Afrin, a mainly Kurdish enclave was occupied by Turkish forces and their Sunni opposition allies in January 2018. The UNs Human Rights Council said in a March 2 report on Syria, including areas under Turkish control, that Cases of detentions, killings, beatings and abductions, in addition to widespread looting and appropriation of civilian homes, by a variety of armed groups operating under the umbrella of the Syrian National Army have been documented, in a consistent, discernible pattern previously documented in Afrin.

The United Nations also noted the summary execution of the young woman politician Hevrin Khalaf and her driver on Oct. 12 by the Turkish-backed Ahrar al-Sharqiya brigade near Tell Tamar and the deaths of 11 civilians the same day as they were travelling to Ras al-Ain. At around 3.30 p.m., the convoy was hit by an air strike, targeting the first vehicle, in the centre of Ras al-Ain, near the Great Mosque, the report said. "The Turkish authorities have either denied involvement in or indicated that they have no record of these incidents. The Commission continues to investigate these incidents, and calls on the Turkish authorities to launch its own investigations and make the findings public." Turkey has not revealed any findings.

Mourners attend a funeral for Kurdish political leader Hevrin Khalaf and others including civilians and Kurdish fighters in the northeastern Syrian Kurdish town of Derik, known as al-Malikiyah in Arabic, on October 13, 2019 (photo by Delil Souleiman/AFP via Getty Images)

While the French findings cast doubt on Mohammeds possible exposure to white phosphorus, Dr. Abbas Mansouran, an Iranian Swedish epidemiologist, says there is no doubt that it was used on some burn patients he treated during the early days of the Turkish incursion at a hospital in Hasakah. Some 30 victims, mostly civilians, were admitted to Hasakahs main hospital with severe and unusual burns and smoke injuries to their faces, ears and other areas. These bore characteristics very different to those that I would expect to have been caused by anything other than chemical incendiary weapons like white phosphorus, Mansouran observed in a report. "My experiences go back to the first half of the Iran-Iraq war [in the 1980s], including working in the burns unit, he said. Both sides used chemical weapons in the eight year long war, including sarin and mustard gas.

The 69-year old, who traveled to Syria as a volunteer and is a research principal at Swedens PEAS institute for infectious diseases, told Al-Monitor that he had shared the report in a Jan. 21 meeting with Julie Tetard, a political affairs officer at the Geneva office of the UN special envoy for Syria. I never heard back from the UN, he told Al-Monitor.

The UN had also rebuffed the Kurdish Red Crescents appeals to investigate whether Turkish forces had used chemical agents against several Syrian Kurdish civilians and fighters who were transferred to Iraqi Kurdistan for treatment. Kurdish Red Crescent leader Dr. Sherwan Bery told Al-Monitor that the UN had said the request could only come from a government, not a nongovernmental organization. Bery said they still had taken hair, blood and urine samples from some 10 victims, all of them fighters, and that they were being stored in Sulaimaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan. "We cannot confirm that white phosphorus was used," he said, because local medical facilities lacked the means to do so. Bery added that his organization had shared its own findings with the Swedish, Italian and German governments.

A Western diplomat familiar with the UNs deliberations said, The UN special envoys offices are not involved in anything related to accountability. They wont say the word war crime even if it happens in front of them. It is too sensitive.

Allegations that civilians had been exposed to white phosphorus were, however, backed in at least in one case by Wessling AG, a Lyss, Switzerland-based laboratory. In a Dec. 4 report viewed by Al-Monitor, Wessling said of the skin tissue of one of the victims "that the type of wound (chemical burns) in combination with the significantly high amount of phosphor found in the sample demonstrates that phosphorus reagents (white phosphorus munitions) have been used.

Mansouran treated the patient whose sample was sent to Wessling. The doctor said the patient was a civilian from Ras al-Ain. The man was struck by an unmanned Turkish drone while traveling on a motorbike en route to his village on Oct. 17. He was very strong, he survived, said Mansouran.

Turkeys NATOs allies are typically reluctant to rebuke Ankara over rights abuses other than to pressure it for concessions on matters of strategic benefit to themselves.

In an Oct. 23 hearing held amid calls for an arms embargo on Turkey, the State Departments envoy for Syria, Jim Jeffrey, told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that that there was one report of the use of white phosphorus, and we are looking into that.

James Jeffrey, the US Special Representative for Syria Engagement, testifies before a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on US President Donald Trump's decision to remove US forces from Syria, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, October 23, 2019. (photo by Reuters/Yuri Gripas)

Jeffrey told US Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, White phosphorus is tricky because as you indicated it has military uses. You have to almost determine not what happened but what the intent was.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) told Al-Monitor in an email, When white phosphorus is used as smoke, illumination or as an incendiary weapon, its use does not fall under the purview of the Chemical Weapons Convention or the OPCW. In such instances the intended effects are due to the white phosphorus thermal properties, rather than its (chemical) toxic properties.

The organization noted, however, that its use as an incendiary weapon against civilian populations is banned under a 1980 UN convention. It added that that reports in the media that the organization had investigated Turkeys alleged used of chemical weapons during its Peace Spring offensive are incorrect.

Responding to Al-Monitor's request for comment, a State Department spokesperson said, "The Turkish Government has acknowledged the cases we have brought to their attention, providing background and in some cases directing us to the Syrian Interim Government (SIG) as the responsible authority. We are aware of one individual belonging to Ahrar al-Sharqiya prosecuted to date for killing unarmed civilians during the Peace Spring Operation, but we do not have sufficient details of the trial process as it has not been made public. We have requested and expect a firm Turkish commitment to continue its efforts to comply with its obligations under the law of armed conflict and mitigate harm to civilians, and to promote accountability for violations or abuses."

The spokesperson continued, "The Department of State continues to raise the issue of alleged human rights violations or abuses and violations of international humanitarian law with officials at high levels of the Government of Turkey, including as recently as March following the release of the most recent UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria report. We have reiterated our expectation that Turkey investigate alleged violations and abuses and promote accountability where appropriate."

On white phosphorus, the spokesperson added, "The State Department has raised this issue at very high levels with the Turkish authorities. They maintain any use of white phosphorus would have been to mask friendly forces through a smoke screen. We have no independent information related to Turkish forces using white phosphorus as a chemical weapon."

Eight days after launching the incursion, Turkey, an OPCW member, donated some $33,000 to the organization for the construction of a new chemical technology center. The new facility is required to meet the demands of OPCW States Parties for enhanced verification tools, improved detection capabilities and response measures, as well as increased capacity-building activities, the organization said in a press release.

Back in Hasakah, Mohammed and his family have some good news at last. A group of local volunteers collected enough money to put the family up in air-conditioned housing, and now the local government has agreed to provide for Mohammeds treatment and future housing costs. Berivan Khalidi, a senior Syrian Kurdish official told Al-Monitor, We have directed our relevant institutions to provide what Mohammed needs, in terms of monitoring his health, and even securing work opportunities for his relatives.

But what Mohammed wants above all is to go back to Ras al-Ain. I always dream of going back to Serekaniye, of going back to school. I was the best in my class. I want to become a surgeon.

Mohammed realizes those dreams arent likely to materialize anytime soon. I dont think Turkey will stop its attacks. There will always be victims, he said.

Additional reporting by Ivan Hassib in Hassakah and by Dan Wilkofsky in Washington.

Editor's note: This article has been updated since its initial publication to include comment from a Syrian Kurdish official.
HOLLAND, MI -- The 90-year-old Tulip Time Festival is trying to raise $1 million to stem losses from this years canceled event, with the possibility of forgoing next years festival if funding doesnt come through.

Festival organizers made the announcement Thursday, May 28 during a virtual press conference.

Tulip Time leaders have established a GoFundMe page to take public donations and also plan to seek out donors.

Festival director Gwen Auwerda, in a recording of the press conference posted to WHTC radios web site, said about $425,000 is needed to repay loans taken out because of COVID-19-related losses, as well as another $575,000 to keep the organization operating.

Auwerda is hopeful the money can be raised.

What I do know is that Tulip Time is a vital part of the community and we need to carry on with the tradition from the past 90 years, she said.

This really is a dire situation to be in and one we have not been in before, she said.

According to the GoFundMe page, the festival has raised about $16,000 through that format so far.

We are looking to engage everyone. We really desperately need everyones help, she said.

Auwerda said that, in the 10 months leading up to Tulip Time, festival organizers already had spent $770,000 in preparation -- for brochures, mailings, advertising, tickets, rent, utilities, salaries and more.

These are costs that could not be recouped," she said.

When they canceled the festival, there were $400,000 in ticket refunds being requested. Tulip Time only had $180,000 in available cash.

Tulip Time administrators began applying for grants and loans and were able to refund the tickets. But even with the help, the non-profit will run out of money in August without further financial help.

More from MLive

As tulips bloom, Holland asks visitors to stay away after coronavirus cancels Tulip Time

First coronavirus, then Tulip Time canceled: Hollands businesses are facing 1-2 financial punch
A 38-year-old Houston man was sentenced to 40 years in prison this week after pleading guilty to raping an intellectually disabled woman in her late 40s at her The Woodlands home. The man said he was a magazine salesman at her door.

Benjamen Bruce Gilbert pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a disabled person, a first-degree felony and was sentenced Tuesday in the 221st District Court by presiding Judge Lisa Michalk. Gilbert was facing a trial for the Jan. 6 incident at an apartment complex in the Panther Creek subdivision, according to the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office.

STAYING SAFE: Home cardiac deaths increase as Montgomery County residents wait to call 9-1-1

Gilberts plea agreement grants his victim a lifetime protective order from him. He will not be eligible for parole until 2040, the district attorneys office added.

This defendant selfishly and brutally took advantage of a woman who could not protect herself. The District Attorneys Office exists to see that justice is done, said Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon in a statement.

Gilbert, according to the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office, knocked on the womans door claiming to be selling magazines and after a brief exchange the two took a seat at her couch. Gilbert immediately realized the womans disability and took her to her bedroom where he sexually assaulted her then left her apartment, according to the DAs office.

Distraught, the woman immediately called her mother who dialed 911. Sheriffs deputies collected evidence and found women in the area had made complaints about Gilbert being aggressive and making them uncomfortable. Deputies located a doorbell camera with images of Gilbert that were shown to the victim who identified him as the assailant, according to the DAs office.

Within 48 hours, Gilbert was taken into custody where he confessed. Detectives later verified the rape allegation through DNA evidence from the crime scene, according to the DAs office.

NORMALCY: Woodlands to reopen 7 swimming pools next weekend

Four days prior to the rape, sheriffs deputies had identified Gilbert as an aggressive door-to-door magazine salesman in The Woodlands that a resident had called to complain about. The caller said he became agitated and she thought he tried entering her home. Since no criminal offense occurred, Gilbert was not taken into custody, the sheriffs office stated at the time.

For their work on the case, Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Rob Freyer lauded sheriffs deputies, and detectives and analysts with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

We all take great comfort in knowing that this defendant was brought to justice so quickly, and that he will be unable to terrorize anyone else in our community for an extremely long time, Freyer said in a statement.

jose.gonzalez@chron.com

twitter.com/jrgzztx
[May 29, 2020] Malwarebytes Recruits Dariusz Paczuski as Senior Vice President of Marketing

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MalwarebytesTM, a leading provider of advanced endpoint protection and remediation solutions, today announced that it has hired Dariusz Paczuski as senior vice president of marketing, to help scale the company's consumer and enterprise businesses. Paczuski joins Malwarebytes from Verizon Media where he served as vice president of consumer growth marketing, leading global brand, creative, product, and performance marketing for their $7.5B advertising, media, commerce, and subscription businesses  serving nearly 900 million people around the world. "Malwarebytes is at an exciting stage where marketing will help us serve customers better, reach new customers, and fully realize our exponential growth potential," said Marcin Kleczynski, co-founder & CEO of Malwarebytes. "As our new senior vice president of marketing, Dariusz brings his experience and expertise from leading marketing organizations at scale to accelerate our next stage of growth." In his role at Verizon Media, Paczuski led marketing across their portfolio of notable global brands including Yahoo, Huffpost, AOL, TechCrunch, and Engadget. Prior to his tenur at Verizon Media, Paczuski held leadership positions at technology innovators such as Yahoo, Telenav, Microsoft, Tellme, AOL, and Netscape, developing a reputation for driving growth through brand, product, and performance marketing.



"I was immediately drawn to Malwarebytes and its incredible potential, driven by a strong mission to give people and businesses peace of mind in a growing and evolving cyberthreat landscape," said Dariusz Paczuski. "I'm excited to take this brand to the next level, serving our customers even better, transforming a 'best kept secret' to a household name, and amplifying our brand and business growth." To read more about Malwarebytes visit our blog , follow us on Twitter , or check us out on LinkedIn .

About Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes is trusted to protect people and businesses against the latest dangerous cyberthreats including malware, ransomware and exploits that traditional antivirus solutions fail to catch. Malwarebytes offers comprehensive defense and recovery technologies to safeguard devices whether at home or in the office, enabling users to protect themselves anywhere, anytime. Malwarebytes' team of researchers and security experts protect more than 60,000 businesses and millions of people worldwide, combatting millions of threats daily using artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify behavior and catch new threats rapidly. Driven by a desire to protect everyone's right to a malware free existence, CEO Marcin Kleczynski founded Malwarebytes in 2008 and has grown the company to over 750 employees across the world today. The company is headquartered in California with offices in Europe and Asia. For more information, visit http://www.malwarebytes.com/ . CONTACT: Lisette Rauwendaal, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/malwarebytes-recruits-dariusz-paczuski-as-senior-vice-president-of-marketing-301067367.html SOURCE Malwarebytes

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
"You can take off your mask and kiss the bride," the priest said, as a septuagenarian US couple who spent the pandemic lockdown together after a single date married on Thursday. "In normal circumstances, we would still be dating," said Linda Delk, 72, her hand clutching that of her husband Ardell Hoveskeland, 78. But the novel coronavirus forced them to shift into high gear while their relationship was still in its infancy. The couple, both of whom were still grieving the loss of a spouse in 2019, met for the first time in late February at the Peace Lutheran Church in Alexandria, near Washington. "We met on pancake Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday) at the church," said Delk. "He greeted me, I liked him, we helped clean up together afterward." The next week, at another church event, "we were at the same table, we had a chance to talk some more," said Hoveskeland, a former urban transportation engineer. They agreed to meet for lunch. "We got out to a lunch one time. It's the single date we have had," said Hoveskeland. Two days later local authorities called for residents to stay at home to help stop the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. Given their age, the two lovebirds never imagined that they would be breaking the rules. "Both of us realized - 'I need a partner'" said Hoveskeland. Without thinking twice, she moved in with him. "It seems the most natural thing in the world," said Delk, a former program evaluator at Gallaudet University. It was a risky move, but "none of us wanted to be alone," said Hoveskeland. "On a lot of levels we felt we connected," he said. - 'Most foolish thing' - While at church during a religious service the couple was seized by the same rush of emotion. "I said: did you just asked me to marry you?" said Hoveskeland, without really remembering who took the first step. "We immediately went to a jewelry store to order rings -- we got them on the last day before the shop closed completely," he said. On Thursday, clad in their Sunday best, the couple exchanged rings with friends and relatives observing the ceremony online via Zoom. A friend in Australia even rose in the middle of the night to be virtually present for the event. "In the best Christian tradition ... you are doing the most foolish thing," joked Sarah Scherschligt, the priest who married the couple, wiping a tear away that rolled over her face mask. "In September I buried Ardell's wife," Pastor Scherschligt later told AFP, as a way of explaining her sudden burst of emotion. Back in February Scherschligt advised Ardell to talk to Linda. "All pastors play match-maker, we want our people to be happy," she said. But she did not imagine that they would join in matrimony so quickly. "They get to know each other faster but narrower," she said, noting that, for example, Linda never met Ardell's daughter. "They still have a lot to discover," she said.
The Supreme Court on Thursday finally intervened in the migrant crisis unfolding since a punishing lockdown was imposed over two months ago at four-hours' notice.

The Supreme Court of India, while hearing a suo motu case on the plight of migrant workers under the current lockdown, asked some searching questions from the Centre ranging from as to how long they will have to wait before going to their native places to who will pay for their travel and provide them food and shelter.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta kept mum on the topic of providing a timeline for arranging transport for all stranded workers. He instead, blamed critics of the government and those approaching the courts over the migrant tragedy saying they are not acknowledging efforts made by the government. "These prophets of doom dont even have the patriotism to acknowledge" Centre's efforts in managing the crisis.

In fact, Mehta sought that those appealing for relief for migrant workers from the courts, or questioning the government about the same, should be made to file affidavits proving there own contribution to help those languishing on roads.

SG says migrant workers walking home due to anxiety; blames 'armchair intellectuals' for 'negativity'

In his opening remark, Mehta thanked the court for hearing the issue but lamented the fact that few unfortunate events were played up by some people.

We are immensely grateful to SC for taking cognizance of the issue. Due to this, state and Centre has an August forum now to discuss the migrant crisis issue. Some unfortunate things have happened and it is being flashed again and again," Mehta told the court.

Mehta also questioned the motive of all those who have been petitioning the courts about easing the migrant workers' misery, and lashed out upon supposed "armchair intellectuals" for spreading negativity and "not appreciating nation's efforts"

"Centre is doing a lot to prevent COVID-19 but there are Prophets of Doom in our country who only spread negativity, negativity, negativity. These arm chair intellectuals do not recognize the nation's effort." "These prophets of doom dont even have the patriotism to acknowledge this," Mehta added.

Recalling Kevin Carter's Pulitzer-winning photograph of a vulture and a starving child in Sudan, "There was a vulture and a panic-stricken child. The vulture was waiting for the child to die. He photographed it and the photo was published in NYT and the photographer was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. He committed suicide after four months. He was not an activist. He was not running an NGO. He was a man with a conscience," Mehta said continuing his attack.

Mehta suggested that all those filing public interest litigation of writ petitions on the ongoing crisis, should be made to file affidavits "proving their credentials about what they have done (for easing the migrant crisis)"

"All these letters who which have been addressed to the court to persuade SC to take suo motu cognizance of this issue have been written by people who are earning in crores... All these intervenors have to file an affidavit whereby they should show their credentials about what have they done? Don't let anyone use this platform to become a political platform. Let the impleadment applicant file affidavit on what their contribution is?," Bar and Bench quoted Mehta as saying.

Mehta again brought up the issue when senior advocate and Congress leader Kapil Sibal started addressing the bench.

"Please do not make it a political platform. Before addressing please speak about your contribution," Mehta told Sibal just as he rose to speak.

"Don't make it personal," Sibal shot back.

As the lockdown continued, thousands of migrant workers poured out on the street, willing to walk hundreds of kilometres in absence of jobs to continue supporting their expenses of living in the cities. Scores of people died in accidents or due to hunger and exhaustion.

Mehta, however, said that the migrant workers were walking home due to anxiety.

"Migrant workers are walking because of anxiety or local level instigation where they are told 'walk now, trains won't run. Lockdown extended',"Mehta said.

SG Mehta relies on state govts for data on migrant workers

Solicitor Tushar Mehta reeled off several facts about the shramik trains being run to ferry migrant workers home, and the preparations made by the Centre to ease the crisis. "We have shifted over 1 crore migrant labourers... Over 92,000 meals have been served to the migrant workers as on 26 May. Industry and employers have also fed the workers."

Mehta, however, could not specify how much time the Centre will need to transport the migrant workers willing to go home.

"What is the estimation of time that is required to shift the migrants? What are the arrangements being made? What is the mechanism in place? Do the people know if theyll be shifted on 5th day, 7th day or 10th day?" the court asked. Mehta said, "I need to take feedback from the states. I am not shifting responsibility."

When asked to give details about the number of stranded workers who are still awaiting help, Mehta said, "We have worked over night to file this report. Will file comprehensive report soon. We can only give details of stranded migrants when the state government provides us the information."

He also said that either the receiving or the host states were to pay the fare for transporting migrant workers, admitting that earlier some states had made the labourers pay for the tickets.

"Initially decision was it cannot be at the central level. There was a need to decentralize it and states will look after it. Some states charged them initially and some have given free travel. Then it was decided that railways will recieve fare from either originating state or recieving state but migrants are not made to pay anymore."

The Centre had earlier claimed that it would bear 85 percent of the cost of sending the migrant workers home. There was no clarification on whether it is inclusive of the 47 percent subsidy applicable on all tickets.

Sibal questions lack of national policy; migrant bodies say crisis may continue for 6 months

"There is a Disaster Management act. Under this a national plan has to be prepared... All responsibility has been shifted to state governments. thats why people are walking. It has nothing to do with politics. In one month 91 lakhs have been transported then as per census they will take 3 months to complete the process. So what is the plan??" Sibal was quoted as saying by Bar and Bench.

Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves appearing for a migrant labour organisation made a similar submission. He said that given the current figures, it will take 6-8 months for all migrant workers to get back home. He said that food and shelter were immediate needs and the migrant workers cannot wait for online registrations, according to Live Law

Court offers interim relief

The Supreme Court issued an interim order stating that no migrant worker should be charged for travelling to their home towns and made it obligatory for states to provide food and shelter for those languishing on roads.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul and MR Shah asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, about the confusion over the payment of travel fare of stranded migrant workers and said that they should not made to pay for their journey back home.

"What is the normal time? If a migrant is identified, there must be some certainty that he will be shifted out within one week or ten days at most? What is that time? There had been instances where one state sends migrants but at the border another State says we are not accepting the migrants. We need a policy on this," the bench told Mehta.

The bench, questioning him over the travel-fare for the migrant workers, said: "In our country, the middlemen will always be there. But we don't want middlemen to interfere when it comes to payment of fares. There has to be a clear policy as to who will pay for their travel."

The court heard detailed responses from the Centre about the steps taken so far to manage the crisis and send stranded workers home. The matter has been rescheduled for 5 June.
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is providing some backup for President Trump's war on Twitter  writing Attorney General Bill Barr to seek an investigation into possible 'criminal violations' over allowing Iranian government accounts.

Cruz wrote Barr, as well as Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin as the president blasted Twitter online and the firm attacked warnings to his second set of tweets after the president tweeted about chaos in Minneapolis in a way Twitter said violated a policy on 'glorifying violence.'

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is seeking a probe of whether Twitter violated Iran sanctions law by allowing Iranian leaders to maintain accounts

Cruz wants the Trump administration to probe whether the site is violating tough U.S. sanctions on Iran by allowing Iranian political leaders to maintain Twitter accounts.

'I believe that the primary goal of (the International Emergency Economic Powers Act) and sanctions law should be to change the behavior of designated individuals and regimes, not American companies," Cruz wrote to the two cabinet secretaries.

"But when a company willfully and openly violates the law after receiving formal notice that it is unlawfully supporting designated individuals, the federal government should take action,' he added, in a letter reported by Axios.

Cruz referenced his own February letter to the company warning that 'Twitter and its principals face criminal liability and sanctions exposure for providing social media accounts to Iranian persons.'

President Donald Trump holds up a copy of the New York Post as speaks before signing an executive order aimed at curbing protections for social media giants, in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Washington. He clashed with Twitter again Friday after it slapped a warning label on his tweet for 'glorifying violence'

The Texas senator wrote AG Bill Barr and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin

Cruz also wrote President Trump

Shortly after complaining about Twitter putting a warning label over his tweet, the White House's official Twitter account reposted the message verbatim

Twitter today added its second warning to a Donald Trump tweet in four days by covering the president's message about the Minneapolis riots with a comment that it 'glorifies violence'

Trump's 1am tweet described the looters as 'thugs' and warned that the federal government would 'assume control' with 'shooting' if necessary after protesters set fire to a police precinct.

He cited sanctions law prohibiting contributions of goods or services to two top Iranian officials  Supreme leader Khamenei, who's Twitter handle is @khamenei_ir, and Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif, whose handle is @JZarif.

Cruz in his letter wrote that even as top officials maintain their own accounts, 'Iranian officials ban Iranian citizens from accessing Twitter. In early April, Khamenei and Zarif used their Twitter accounts to post anti-American disinformation and conspiracy theories, not authoritative health information. They use their accounts provided by Twitter to threaten and taunt their enemies real and imagined,' he wrote.

Twitter argues that allowing the top Iranian officials to maintain accounts is in the public interest and in keeping with 'fundamental values of openness, free expression, public accountability, and mutual understanding.'

On Thursday Trump threatened to 'shut down' Twitter, and signed a new executive order that could leave social media platforms subject to an avalanche of lawsuits.

'We're here today to defend free speech from one of the greatest dangers it has faced in American history, frankly, and you know what's going on as well as anybody. It's not good,' Trump said before inking the order, which came just days after Twitter for the first time provided what Trump's staff calls a fact-check on his own tweets.

Twitter flagged President Trump's tweet saying it was 'glorifying violence' for a second time after the official White House account reposted it Friday morning.

'These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!' the tweet read.
EasyJet has announced plans to resume some flights from 15th June, including the airline's daily services between Glasgow, London Gatwick and Belfast airports and resume flights across its European network in France from Nice, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes, Lyon and Lille, as well as from Geneva in Switzerland, Lisbon and Porto in Portugal and Barcelona in Spain.

Flying will principally be on domestic routes alongside a minimal number of international routes. The airline expects to increase flying as customer demand continues to build and restrictions are relaxed.







Image courtesy Glasgow Airport



During the lockdown period, the airlines fleet has been grounded and aircraft have been maintained in a flight-ready condition to enable easyjet to resume flights quickly at the right time.



A new range of additional measures will be in place to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of all customers and crew onboard. These include enhanced aircraft disinfection for easyJet aircraft; customers, cabin and ground crew will be required to wear masks; there will also initially be no food service onboard flights, all of which operate on a short-haul network.



The measures have been implemented in consultation with aviation authorities ICAO and EASA, and in line with relevant national authorities and medical advice through the airlines chief medical adviser.



Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet, commented: I am really pleased that we will be returning to some flying in the middle of June. These are small and carefully planned steps that we are taking to resume operations. We will continue to closely monitor the situation across Europe so that when more restrictions are lifted the schedule will continue to build over time to match demand while also ensuring we are operating efficiently and on routes that our customers want to fly.



The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew remains our highest priority which is why we are implementing a number of measures enhancing safety at each part of the journey from disinfecting the aircraft to requiring customers and crew to wear masks. These measures will remain in place for as long as is needed to ensure customers and crew are able to fly safely as the world continues to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.



We look forward to welcoming our customers back onboard in June.



A Glasgow Airport spokesman said: Todays announcement from easyJet to recommence flight operations next month and introduce enhanced measures to safeguard passenger and crew wellbeing is welcome news. We are continuing to work closely with all of airline partners on their plans to restart flight operations.




Film: Ponmagal Vandhal

Director: JJ Fredrick

Cast: Jyotika, Bhagyaraj, Prathap Pothen and Parthiban

Ponmagal Vandhal, which is directed by debutant JJ Fredrick and produced by actor Suriya, is not your quintessential, feel-good Jyotika starrer that talks about women empowerment. It is a dark film that throws the spotlight on the issue of child rape and holds a mirror up to our flawed legal system when it comes to the apathy with which it treats rape cases and victims. Thematically, Ponmagal Vandhal is close to Vidya Balans Kahaani 2, but is not as effective in terms of execution. However, it manages to make its point but with a solid impact.

Watch Ponmagal Vandhal trailer

The film is set in the beautiful Ooty, but the town has a dark past. The story is centered on Petition Pethuraj who reopens a case from 2004 that involved a serial killer Psycho Jyothi who was convicted for the kidnapping and murder of five children and two youngsters. Pethurajs daughter Venba (played by Jyotika), a young lawyer, decides to fight Jyothis case so that truth could be revealed. In the process, some shocking secrets come out and challenges are thrown at Venba, who goes out of her way to dig out new information about the case that proves Jyothi wasnt a serial killer.

In an ideal Jyotika world, we wouldve seen her play a character that is independent, hard-working and empowered. In Ponmagal Vandhal, a slightly exaggerated but relevant social drama, what still makes her character refreshing is the fact that she doesnt get to play a hero and the focus is more on the issue of child rape and our legal system.

For a legal drama, I wish Ponmagal Vandhal was more intense and engaging. The court-room scenes fail to keep us invested but thankfully the tragedy in the story makes it somewhat watchable. For a thriller about a cold-hearted serial killer who preyed on young girls, the film isnt chilling enough. Nevertheless, what still works in its favour is the fact that it strikes a strong emotional chord with its back-story.

Jyotikas films, unlike most women-centric Tamil films, arent run-of-the-mill and always serve a purpose. Ponmagal Vandhal, too, has a purpose and its a laudable attempt by first-time filmmaker JJ Fredrick, who gives us a legal drama that asks quite a few uncomfortable questions about the safety of young girls. One of the downsides of most films starring Jyotika is that theyre mostly preachy, but it isnt the case with Ponmagal Vandhal, and thats a big relief. The court-room scenes get slightly dramatic, but the message never gets preachy. Jyotika, playing a lawyer for the first time in her career, shines in whats definitely a bold role.

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop
UW School of Nursing Convocation Honors 21 Students During Virtual Presentation

Twenty-one graduates of the University of Wyoming Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing were honored during the schools first-ever virtual convocation. The convocation, presented in Zoom format, was Friday, May 15.

Students receiving awards, listed by hometowns, their majors and descriptions of the awards, are:

-- Buffalo: Nicole Thiele, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduate, is the recipient of the Beverly McDermott Award for demonstrating leadership and political activism. Thiele was active in leadership as treasurer in the Student Nurses Association (SNA).

-- Casper: Jayme Donaldson and Travis Williamson, of Rapid City, S.D., both Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)-Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) graduates, are co-recipients of the DNP Project Excellence Award for excellence in DNP scholarship. They worked with several primary care clinics associated with the Sheridan Veterans Administration Medical Center to improve clinicians knowledge about and ability to screen for opioid use disorder, as well as to refer patients with opioid use disorder for medication-assisted treatment.

-- Donaldson also is the recipient of the Susan McCabe Psychiatric/Mental Health Graduate Award for demonstrating academic excellence, passion for knowledge and superior clinical practice.

-- Casper: Bailey McCoy, a BSN graduate, is the recipient of the Dorothy Tupper Senior Memorial Award for demonstrating caring, compassion and interpersonal communication.

-- Cheyenne: Kelsey Kolkman, a BSN graduate, is the recipient of the School of Nursing Spirit Award for demonstrating exceptional spirit and enthusiasm.

-- Cheyenne: Jenna Nazminia, a DNP-Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) graduate, and Heather Judkins, a DNP-PMHNP graduate from Lander, are co-recipients of the Dr. Patsy Hesen Haslam Leadership Award for demonstrating leadership and grace.

-- Cheyenne: 2nd Lt. Nicholas Palczer, a 2019 BSN graduate, is the recipient of the Professional Nurse Award for demonstrating excellence in practice, community service and professional service.

-- Colorado Springs, Colo.: Jenna Kindt, a BSN graduate, is the recipient of the Carol Macnee Scholarship Award for demonstrating excellence in scholarship and/or research.

-- Driggs, Idaho: Stephen Dunn, a student in the Bachelors Reach for Accelerated Nursing Degree (BRAND) program, is the recipient of the Dorothy Tupper Senior Memorial Award for demonstrating caring, compassion and interpersonal communication.

-- Dubois: Daniel Petrus, a graduate of the BRAND program, is the recipient of the Rudolph Rudy and Louise Answelmi and Jeri Kirk Family Trust Nursing Scholarship for demonstrating leadership and responsibility.

-- Fair Oaks, Calif.: Elsa Blankenburg, a BSN graduate, is the recipient of the Amelia Leino Memorial Award for demonstrating academic excellence.

-- Gillette: Crystal Sullivan and Greta Skagen, of Cheyenne, both DNP-FNP graduates, are co-recipients of the DNP Project Excellence Award. The honor is given for demonstrating excellence in DNP scholarship. Recognizing the importance of annual adolescent wellness visits and how few teens take advantage of these visits, Skagen and Sullivan worked with two pediatric clinics at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center to increase the percentage of adolescents who obtained annual wellness visits.

-- Lander: Anne Peick, a graduate of the BRAND program, is the recipient of the Beverly McDermott Award for demonstrating leadership and political activism. She participated in a unique clinical opportunity and partnered with Colorado Coalition for the Homeless to address the needs of these patients.

-- Laramie: Juston Johnston, a DNP-FNP graduate, is the recipient of the Change Agent Award for demonstrating commitment to improving and changing health. While participating in his fall 2019 clinical in Denver at Apex Clinic, a primary care clinic that focuses on meeting the needs of the LGBTQ population, Johnston presented an open forum on transgender health care to other DNP students and members of the school of nursing community.

-- Laramie: Torey Skaar, a BSN graduate, is the recipient of the Gertrude Gould Memorial Award for demonstrating excellence in public health nursing. While at Albany County Public Health, Skaar administered vaccines to adults and children, helped screen for HIV and participated in disaster preparedness activities. Maternal/child home visits were her favorite activity.

-- North Pole, Alaska: Alexandra Smith, a BSN graduate, is the recipient of the Rudolph Rudy and Louise Anselmi and Jeri Kirk Family Trust Nursing Scholarship for demonstrating leadership and responsibility. During her time at the Cheyenne Veterans Administration Medical Center, Smith exhibited leadership in planning the care for patients with complex medical conditions and assisting the nurses in coordinating the multidisciplinary management of patients.

-- Parker, Colo.: Emily Dyson, a BSN graduate, is the recipient of the Lina Kennedy White Memorial Award for demonstrating interest in and aptitude for gerontology. During her time at PACE Clinic in Cheyenne, which is the program for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly, Dyson participated in interprofessional rounds each day and practiced a variety of skin care, dressing changes and treatments.

-- Platteville, Colo.: Emily Artzer, a BSN graduate, is the recipient of the Gertrude Gould Memorial Award for demonstrating excellence in public health nursing. She completed a change project that focused on homeless people in the Denver, Colo., area. Artzer provided bottled water and informational material directly to homeless people to help them learn about resources they have in their area.

-- Rawlins: Kimberly Gulbrandson, a graduate of the BRAND program, is the recipient of the Passion for Nursing Award for demonstrating passion in nursing.
More than 100 demonstrators gathered in Birminghams Kelly Ingram Park on Thursday night to protest the death of George Floyd, the unarmed black man who died earlier this week in Minnesota after a police officer pressed his knee into Floyds neck while handcuffed in an incident that was caught on video and sparked nationwide outrage.

Dubbed the Alabama Rally Against Injustice, protest organizers said Floyds death and those of other unarmed black men and women in police custody showed that more has to be done then just demonstrating after those incidents. Other than protesting, organizers called on participants to vote in elections and run for office themselves, contending that systemic racism is the issue.

Warning: This video contains profanity

Protesters hold an Alabama Rally Against Injustice, demonstrating against the death of George Floyd, the unarmed black man who died in Minnesota earlier this week after a police officer pressed his knee into him in an incident that was caught on video and sparked nationwide outrage. Posted by al.com on Thursday, May 28, 2020

We didnt come here to be nice tonight. We didnt come here to play around tonight. Hopefully we are here because we are tired of whats happening," said Carlos Chaverst, one of the organizers. "We should be fed up with seeing black men and women being killed in the street by police.

Police were called to a Minneapolis grocery store on Monday after a worker alleged that the 46-year-old Floyd tried to pay with counterfeit currency. Video surfaced showing one of the officers pressing his knee into a handcuffed Floyd as Floyd complained that he could not breathe. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Karan Vance, who is black and spoke at the Birmingham demonstration, said protesting Floyds death was insufficient. Referencing Albert Einsteins quote about the definition of insanity being doing the same thing over and over and expecting the same result, she said activists are going crazy by using the same tactics to voice anger over claims of police misconduct.

Now we have to infiltrate, she said, referring to running for office. We got to get in the inside because thats where the change is. The change is going to happen from the inside. Being on your keyboard is not enough.

Jordan Giddens, who spoke about Floyds death from the perspective of a white person, said white America cannot excuse racist behavior as being a product of its environment.

I could have been that cop with my knee on a black mans throat because thats how I was raised, thats how society and my community taught me how to live, the Cullman native said. But also, I looked at myself and I said, Is that truly who I want to be? Despite the fact that all my friends and family may be that way, when I look in the mirror at the end of the day, who am I looking at? Am I looking at me or am I looking at a reflection of that man with his knee on that mans neck?

Giddens said Floyds death was not about a single incident but a systemic problem.

"This is not an issue of one man with his knee on a neck. This is a societal and a cultural and a systematic issue that will not change until every single person in America takes a look at themselves in the mirror and says, Who the f--- am I?

Birmingham resident Majadi Baruti said he believed the culture in police departments cannot be reformed and suggested that departments be defunded.

That money could be used to build housing for folks. That money can be used to feed folks, he said, but instead were giving these [officers] money to kill us.

Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who was videotaped pressing his knee against Floyds neck, and three other officers involved in Floyds arrest were fired on Tuesday. The incident is being investigated by the FBI and Minnesota law-enforcement authorities. Riots and looting have erupted in several American cities in response to Floyds death, including multiple fires set overnight in south Minneapolis.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey speaks during a press event at CES 2019 at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. on Jan. 9, 2019. (David Becker/Getty Images)

Twitter as Prototype of the New High-Tech Totalitarianism

Commentary

My name is Roger and I am a Twitter addict.

I have tried to break my habit, but without success. Maybe I should join a 12-step program.

Still, since my addiction is similar to millions who have become, bluntly, social media junkies (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTokpick your poison) and because, rightly or wrongly, I fear my absence would adversely affect my litry career, and out of a certain kind of ennui, I soldier on.

Until today.

Now, I am more convinced than ever that Twitter is a harbinger of a high-tech totalitarian future that is already, mostly, here. Indeed, it is on the brink of being entirely here.

Twitter founder Jack Dorseys fact-checking and declaring as definitively false President Donald Trumps tweet on a topic as debatable as mail-in voting not only was a flagrant violation of freedom of speech (yes, I know his is a private company, but still ), it was, in character, straight out of a re-upped version of the NKVDor should I say Alinskyplaybook.

Target your enemy and take him out. He did that although Twitter is literally littered with uncensored tweets from every psychotic terrorist and paranoid crank imaginable.

When Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg waded in to say, even if the Bill of Rights didnt precisely pertain, that companies like his and Dorseys should not be arbiters of truth, @Jack doubled down and banged his shoe, Khrushchev-style.

It was @Jack, right or wrong. He knew the facts and the uninformed rest of usmeaning the ones who chose other studies and/or examples on the subject than the ones he referencedwere brainwashed idiots.

Where does Dorsey get off doing this? Well, he owns the place and therein lies the problem? We are in, have been for some time, an era when Big Tech companies with global constituencies can literally do what they want. Any antitrust restraints have vanished somewhere in the cloud, figuratively and literally.

The results of this, the thought-control implications, are staggering. Who needs the Chinese communists Orwellian social credit system? We already have our own, more than one, in fact. And in TikTok, we have a Chinese variety already invading our shores in the guise of cute kitty videos. (Watch out!)

Publishers cant do this. They are legally responsible for their contents. Not so Twitter, Facebook, and so forth, even though they clearly, like publishers, make editorial decisions.

The social media giants have been shielded from such liability by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, legislation enacted in the salad days of the internet, when few anticipated how these companies would evolve into global monopolies and concerns were different.

Now, if they wish, the social media behemoths can get away with ideological murder that, history shows us, can lead to the physical kind.

So are these companies really publishers in disguise? They publish all (or most) of us, usually for no remuneration. They function not only as the worlds biggest and, by far, most dominant publishers, but as a new form of extra-governmental organization, almost uber-governments in themselves.

How to solve this unanticipated predicament is tremendously difficult. Trump has stepped in with an executive order essentially attempting to rein in Section 230. Some Democrats, including Joe Biden, have wanted to do the same thingat least until Trump supported it. Now, well see.

Trump is obviously using his bully pulpit to convince Twitter to play fair, to be an unbiased open forum as the Communications Decency Act envisioned. If they dont, hes threatened to shut them down. Neither is likely to happen.

Ultimately, this is a job for Congress to address. They should, and with considerable alacrity.

Roger L. SimonThe Epoch Times senior political analystis an award-winning novelist, an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, and the co-founder of PJ Media. Several years ago, approximately 10,000 followers disappeared from his Twitter account @rogerlsimon. He was never able to figure out how that happened.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Kentucky congressman against mandates says he has COVID-19
Zappix Launches Visual IVR Customer Self-Service Solution For Another Retail Customer Were glad to help another customer deliver a self-service solution  solutions that are becoming especially needed these days. Zappix allows our customers to launch a new solution in days and keep their customers up to speed and engaged now, during the COVID-19 crisis, and in the future.

Zappix, the leading Visual IVR and Customer Self-Service vendor, has launched its flagship Visual IVR solution for another national retailer. Zappix has seen increased demand for its Visual IVR solution in recent months as businesses handle the significant impact of COVID-19 on contact centers.

Contact center managers have seen an increase in the volume of inbound customer service calls, while most contact centers could not operate at full capacity. As the company launches Visual IVR with this new customer, Zappix also plans to launch multiple customers in the next couple of weeks as well.

Zappix Visual IVR and on-demand customer service solutions automate tedious interactions that make up the vast majority of customer service calls and free up live agents to focus on complex interactions where their skills and empathy bring great value. Zappix customers leverage the solutions to handle common use cases like Order Tracking, Account Management, Claims Processing, Knowledge Bases & FAQs, and more.

Were glad to help another customer deliver a self-service solution  solutions that are becoming especially needed these days, said Yossi Abraham, Zappix president. Zappix allows our customers to launch a new solution in days and keep their customers up to speed and engaged now, during the COVID-19 crisis, and in the future.

Zappix cloud-based Digital Self-Service solutions leverage the speed of Visual IVR and the convenience of RPA (Robotic Process Automation) to provide customers the experiences they crave. Retailers using Zappix solutions benefit from:



Reduced calls to agents

Lower contact center costs

Improved customer experience (CX)

Targeted revenue growth opportunities

Automation of repetitive processes, freeing live agents to focus on high-value tasks

Shorter average handling times per call

Zappix automation seamlessly integrates with any CRM, Order Management System, and other back-end systems to connect customers directly to the retailer. Zappix Actionable Analytics tracks the customer journey and provides reports analyzing consumer behavior and trends. Together, each part of the Zappix portfolio gives retailers the power to improve customer service.

About Zappix

Zappix delivers On-Demand Customer Service Solutions: Visual IVR, On-Demand Apps, Outbound Engagement and Robotic Process Automation (RPA). The cloud-based solutions improve the customer journey during contact center interactions. The open platform enables workflow automation, rapid deployments, and seamless integration to back-end systems (CRMs, ERPs, etc.), and IVRs, and provides a comprehensive Analytics Suite.

The Zappix solution provides significant benefits and ROI: reducing costs by increasing containment rates for contact centers, improving customer experience and Net Promoter Score (NPS), creating new revenue opportunities using targeted promotional banners and automation of revenue-generating use-cases.

To learn more about Zappix, go to http://www.zappix.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - Red Light Holland Corp. (CSE: TRIP) ("Red Light Holland" or the "Company"), an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, is pleased to announce that on Monday June 1, 2020, Todd Shapiro, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, and Director, will launch and host the "High Times Psychedelic Podcast" (the "Podcast"), a weekly podcast powered by Red Light Holland and featured by High Times, the preeminent source for cannabis information since 1974. The Podcast is expected to cover a wide array of topics in the emerging psychedelics space, and is expected to feature, among other, pioneers and advocates in the psychedelics sector as well as major celebrities, in candid, fun filled interviews. Mr. Shapiro has over twenty years of experience as a top rated radio show host, most recently having been featured on SiriusXM.

"The opportunity to work with High Times is one that I am very grateful for. Their social reach is huge (with more than 5.7 million Facebook likes, and 2.6 million Instagram followers)! The Podcast presents a perfect opportunity to balance a beloved passion of mine -broadcasting- while at the same time focusing on the growth and development of the Psychedelic industry. I see it as an avenue to further promote connectivity and togetherness, as well as awareness of the psychedelics space at large -all with some lighthearted fun and laughs. I guess I also missed having a microphone in my face!," said Todd Shapiro, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Director of the Company.

Adam Levin, Executive Chairman of High Times, added, "I am extremely excited to have Todd join us on High Times. He's got a great following in Canada and am excited to hear what he has to say. He's genuine, and has an authentic style -which makes him a tremendous addition to High Times."

The Podcast will launch on Monday, June 1, 2020 and will be available weekly on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, and TalkShoe networks.

About Red Light Holland Corp.

The Company is an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale (through existing Smart Shops operators and an advanced e-commerce platform) of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, in accordance with the highest standards, in compliance with all applicable laws.

For additional information on the Company:

Todd Shapiro

Chairman and Chief Executive

Tel: 647-204-7129

Email: todd@redlighttruffles.com

Website: https://redlighttruffles.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expect", "potential", "believe", "intend" or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56830
The American government gave financial aid to millions of its citizens amid the coronavirus pandemic that resulted in the loss of jobs and closed businesses. The assistance provided the jobless with a source of stability, but it also begged the question of how long it would last.

The assistance issued $1,200 checks to most households, but by now, the amount is long gone, especially for those in desperate need. The potential extension of the aid looks to be improbable unless Congress decides otherwise.

Soon to end

July will see the end to the $600 additional unemployment benefit that supported tens of millions of jobless citizens in paying necessities, as reported by the New York Times.

On Thursday, the Labor Department revealed that several million more Americans filed for unemployment benefits in the past week alone.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits and that 30 million of them have received their aid.

The financial aid has mitigated the concerns of citizens suffering amid the increasing bills and shortage of necessities, although it has not entirely prevented the issue.

"The CARES Act was massive, but it was a very short-term offset to what is likely to be a long-term problem," said the chief financial economist for Jefferies, Aneta Markowska. The economy will more likely need even more support, she added.

The Labor Department has revealed that the national unemployment rate has risen to 14.7% due to the coronavirus pandemic closing off businesses and causing employers to layoff their workers.

According to BBC, the increased number of positive coronavirus cases have resulted in Trump signing an $8.3 billion emergency bill that seeks to provide enough assistance to the millions of Americans devastated by the effects of the pandemic.

Also Read: Japan Urges Public to Stay Alert as COVID-19 Emergency if Lifted

US President Donald Trump along with other Republicans has not admitted that there is a need to spend more in the fight against the coronavirus and the effects it has on the economy.

The president and his administration believe that the solution to the economic crisis is the reopening of businesses and easing restrictions to allow companies to get people to go back to work.

Pleas from economists across the nation, including that of Jerome H. Powell, the Federal Reserve chair have been shot down or will be severely limited.

Advantages of insurance

On Thursday, the House unanimously voted to allow businesses more time to utilize the borrowed money given by the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The program offered a chance for forgivable loans that small business can apply for.

Senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project, Michele Evermore said that she occasionally had emotional people calling her expressing their receipt of the payments, which helped them pay bills and buy necessities.

Research has found that unemployment insurance is one of the most practical parts of a safety net. It not only softens the impact of unemployment on families, but it also helps to lift the economy amid the crisis it is facing.

The program is "well-targeted" in economists' parlance, as it is distributed to those who need it and will use it fruitfully.

Related Article: Mail-in Voting May Turn Election Day into Election Week, Can It Also Cause a Rig in the Results?

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Infighting flares up among Turkish-backed militants over stolen objects in Syria's Hasakah province

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 28 May 2020 2:57 PM

Several Turkish-backed militants have been killed and injured during a fierce infighting between Turkish-backed rival groups in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah, a local media report says.

Syria's official news agency SANA, citing local sources, reported on Thursday that the clashes erupted between two rival groups in villages located on the countryside of R'as al-Ain city near the Turkish-Syrian border.

The infighting flared up after dispute over distribution of money and stolen objects, which the terrorists had looted from the area. They also had disagreements over the possession of weapons recently smuggled from neighboring Turkey.

Sources say both sides used light and heavy weapons, which caused a fire to burst out of control and spread to agricultural land at Ain al-Hussan and nearby villages in the area.

Last week, many farms in the same troubled province were brunt due to a series of mortar attacks by the Turkish-backed mercenaries.

On May 17, an American aircraft reportedly dropped thermal balloons over agricultural lands and farms in Hasakah, setting fire to wheat crops in the area. The targeted area was part of agricultural lands in the countryside of al-Shaddadi.

In recent months, there has also been a surge in abductions in the areas where the Turkish-backed militants are present, particularly in the key border town of Ra's al-Ain.

The Ankara-backed militants were deployed to northeastern Syria last October after Turkish military forces launched a long-threatened cross-border invasion in a declared attempt to push fighters of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) away from border areas.

Ankara views the US-backed YPG as a terrorist organization tied to the homegrown Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region in Turkey since 1984.

The Kurdish-led administration in northeastern Syria says the Turkish offensive has killed hundreds of civilians, including dozens of children since it started.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other senior officials have said the Damascus government will respond through all legitimate means available to the ongoing ground offensive by the Turkish forces and allied Takfiri militants in the northern part of the war-battered Arab country.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






A mother who is preparing to give birth alone during lockdown says she feels 'vulnerable and scared' - and is devastated that her partner will 'miss out' while he stays at home to look after their daughter.

More than one in 10 women who have babies during lockdown will do so without any loved ones present or minus one of their chosen birthing partners, a new study has revealed.

Lisa Compton, 30, from Oswestry, Shropshire, is due in the next few days, but her partner Keith Winqvist, 33, who works as an office manager, will stay at their home to look after their five-year-old daughter Marcy.

Pre-lockdown plans meant Marcy would have been cared for by Keith's mother.

Lisa Compton, 30, from Oswestry, Shropshire, is due in the next few days, but her partner Keith Winqvist, 33, who works as an office manager, will stay at their home to look after their five-year-old daughter Marcy

Lisa, a connectivity specialist in the finance sector, told FEMAIL: 'At the moment I flip between absolutely fine about it and having an "I can do this" attitude, to just feeling quite emotional about it.

'I am scared, but I also feel really sad for Keith as he isn't going to be able to see the birth of his child, and cut the cord, and do things like that. He is going to miss out, which is sad.'

Lisa told how she began to realise she'd be affected by the social distancing restrictions about a month ago.

'It was quite a weird experience because when we were first told pregnant ladies should isolate for 12 weeks, I thought, "That's weird, that will take me past my due date",' she explained.

Lisa, pictured with Keith and Marcy, says she feels 'vulnerable and scared' - and is devastated that her partner will 'miss out' while he stays at home to look after their daughter

'I started self-isolating as soon as that came out, then I was just holding on to the hope things were going to get better by then.

'It planted a seed, but I didn't really connect the dots until probably a few days later when I realised this is actually going to go on longer than we first thought. It was quite hard to come to terms with to be honest.'

Lisa's first birth was straightforward, but she remembers feeling 'vulnerable' like millions of other new mothers.

Tips for getting through pregnancy during the coronavirus pandemic It can be difficult to know how to keep calm during a pregnancy in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. But Siobhan Miller, founder and CEO of the Positive Birth Company, is on hand to offer some nuggets of wisdom, from learning about the virus in a positive way, to joining online groups. Siobhan says the most important thing is learning how to relax. Replace real antenatal classes with virtual ones When women feel anxious because classes or time spent with family and friends is cancelled, the main source of anxiety is the unknown. I encourage women to take back control by educating themselves. There are so many resources online. Get informed and compensate for what they've been missing out on. Watch positive birth videos on YouTube to replace what you'd get from hanging out with friends and hearing their stories. Make informed decision on what to learn about. There's a lot of free content out there. Make friends with other expectant mothers online Join online groups with other women who are due at the same time or who have just had their babies. There are bump clubs on Facebook which have been really popular. It can be reassuring to share worries and hear from others who are feeling the same way. Switch off the news Use social media to connect to others but disconnect from everything else going on. Listening to the news and hearing about the number of deaths will only heighten anxiety. Be selective about sources of news. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists publish up to sate information for pregnant women. It's really reassuring. They say there's no evidence of newborns with coronavirus suffering adversely. Pregnant women's place in the at-risk category is purely precautionary and there's no evidence they'll suffer worse symptoms if they get the virus. Pick a trusted source rather than watching the scary stuff on TV. Distract yourself with films, music and reading Netflix is an obvious one. Get into a series on Netflix. If you've been listening to scary things on the news just watch a box set as a distraction. Read books or magazines, go for a walk or speak to friends and family over video messenger. Create positive affirmation cards for yourself. Write down empowering statements, make them look pretty and put them around your home. Make an MP3 with your partner if you're worried they won't be at the birth. If they have other children a partner would usually be at the birth because someone can look after the children. This is not possible anymore. Make a recording with your birth partner reading out a guided meditation so you can hear their voice as if they're there for the labour. Get into a positive mindset. One positive from the virus is everyone has been forced to slow down. Whatever it is you wanted to do but never had time for, this is the perfect time to do them. Learn to knit, or do an online course. Follow through with your business idea. Use this time to do projects, work on things you always put off or never got round to. There are so many online courses, learn a new language. Photos. We never get photographs developed. Make photo books. All those little things people always put off but never have time for. Baking, especially if you're pregnant this gives you the time to batch cook meals that you can eat after the birth. Usually you'd rely on someone else bringing you food. Do a batch cook, put it in the freezer and have it postpartum. Use the time, treat it as bonus time. Prepare for the birth There is a lot of uncertainty but you can still prepare your birth preferences. Note preferences rather than a birth plan if you don't know what's happening. If hoping for a home birth outline preferences for at home, in hospital and cesarean. By giving all the possibilities some thought and outlining what you'd like you get more control. You can give the midwife your plan where you've outlined how you want things to go. It will make sure at least some of your preferences are met. Breathing techniques before bed Anxiety is worse at night. If you don't have enough sleep anxiety will be higher. Get into bed, do some breathing, maybe a guided meditation. Listen to an app or have the meditation read to you. Do some relaxation before bed to help you manage better the next day. Freya app is our virtual birth partner. It's 2.99 and every time a woman has a contraction you press the button and it goes to breathing. Press to say when ends and it goes through guided meditation. It lets you know when to call the midwife. Now it's such a good little app because apart from being a birth partner you can use it in pregnancy for practice. Use the coached breathing. So many women have found it helpful as a distraction. You can use the skills you learn when in labour. Advertisement

Lisa said: 'Because Marcy was born so late at night, Keith couldn't stay overnight with me, and although the midwives were absolutely lovely, by the time I got onto the labour ward, after they had measured her, weighed her and wrapped her up and all that kind of stuff, it was 3am so he had to leave straight away.

'I remember being on a ward with a newborn baby not really knowing what I was doing.

'I can remember how vulnerable I felt at the time. This has brought that all back. I will be just as vulnerable this time, but in a different way.'

First time mum Katie Morgan-Green, 33, pictured had to choose between husband Josh, 28, and her mother Jill, 62, being by her side for the birth of baby Lyla, who was born last week

Despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson easing lockdown rules, the unprecedented scale of COVID-19 social distancing measures means thousands of women have been asked to choose between having the father of their unborn child or their mother there to hold their hand  not both.

Others will endure the pain and emotional trauma of delivering a newborn on their own while grandparents, who often care for siblings while parents are in the birthing suite, are stuck in self-isolation amid the coronavirus health scare.

The alarming numbers emerged from a study carried out among 1,200 users of the Bounty Pregnancy & Baby app, which shows 13 per cent expect to deliver alone or with one person by their side.

Based on the monthly birth rate of 60,000 in the UK, the figures suggest around 600 women could face birthing alone, while close to 7,000 will only have one birthing partner.

The couple, from Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, were on holiday in the Costa del Sol with her family when the virus began to cause global panic

Based on the monthly birth rate of 60,000 in the UK, the figures suggest around 600 women could face birthing alone, while close to 7,000 will only have one birthing partner. Pictured: Katie and Josh

First time mum Katie Morgan-Green, 33, had to choose between husband Josh, 28, and her mother Jill, 62, being by her side for the birth of baby Lyla, who was born last week.

The couple, from Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, were on holiday in the Costa del Sol with her family when the virus began to cause global panic.

On landing back at Luton, Katie's boss advised her to work from home as she was so close to going on maternity leave.

Katie told FEMAIL: 'We were both a bit teary on the phone when I told my mum I could only have one birthing partner.

Katie says she and her mother (pictured) were 'both a bit teary on the phone' when she told her she could only have one birthing partner

'She has been robbed of it really. My brother has two girls, so she wasn't the birthing partner when they arrived. This was her chance, now it's gone. It's heartbreaking for her.

'She understood and knew it would be Josh, but she was upset she couldn't be there for me to hold my hand and experience it with us.'

Her parents met their new grandchild on the doorstep this week. Katie, a senior video producer, said: 'They're overjoyed and are so, so proud. We're all totally in love with her. All we wanted to do was cuddle but we'll have to make do with FaceTime for now.'
Frustration and anger over the death of Third Ward native George Floyd boiled over Friday night in downtown Houston, as hundreds of protesters blocked roads and hurled objects, injuring police officers and damaging patrol cars. Police, in turn, made 200 arrests as the protest stretched into the night.

Around 9 p.m., the city sent an emergency notification that it had closed all highway and street access into and out of downtown.

Protesters overtook a police cruiser near Capitol and Caroline Streets, smashing its windshield and windows. Smoky air filled the area, as officers in SWAT gear attempted to control the crowds. Police radio traffic reported looting in the Verizon store on Main Street.

Joe Gamaldi, president of the Houston Police Officers Association, said some officers were hospitalized after being attacked, though it wasnt immediately clear how many or how seriously they were hurt.

Now Playing: A fight erupted at a Black Lives Matter rally at downtown Houston on Friday, May 29, 2020. Video: Jay R Jordan

Our officers who were attacked are in the hospital, patrol cars ruined, businesses damaged, this is not who we are as a city and as a community, he said. We will protect your right to protest, but we will not allow our city to decay into chaos.

The uproar prompted Mayor Sylvester Turner to implore residents to act respectfully. He said most of the protesters demonstrated their views and their pain in such a manner.

This is our city. This is our home. Lets not harm one another, Turner said as the situation escalated Friday night. I want protesters to go home safely to their families and I want police officers to go home safely to theirs. There is a lot of pain throughout our country.

So protest? I got it. Demonstrate? March? I got it, you have that right. I only ask that you do it peacefully, he said.

Addressing news media around 6 p.m., Turner said he wasnt aware of any injuries at that time, and he said then that the number of arrests was few, though that was before the situation deteriorated. Some were detained for blocking roads, and others were at scenes where a police cruiser was destroyed. But as the night progressed, rocks and bottles were thrown at officers, skateboards were used to bash patrol car windows, and glass in downtown buildings was shattered.

The extent of the damage was unclear.

We are not going to allow looters and people who are intent on causing turmoil in our City. It is one thing to protest against the wrong/the death of #GeorgeFloyd. I join you. But some people are intentionally trying to incite confrontation/violence, Turner said. That hurts all of us.

The demonstrations, which remained peaceful for several hours in the afternoon, began with a march organized by Black Lives Matter around 2 p.m. from Discovery Green to City Hall. The throng of protesters, escorted by police down Walker Street, joined national outrage about Floyds death with chants of I cant breathe and No justice, no peace.

Floyd, 46, a Yates High School graduate, died in Minneapolis police custody Monday night after video showed an officer kneeling on his neck, pinning him to the ground while he pleaded for help. Just before the Houston rally began, officials in Minnesota arrested the officer, Derek Chauvin, and charged him with murder and manslaughter, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Chauvin and three other officers at the scene were fired earlier this week.

Ashton Woods, Black Lives Matter Houston founder, said the rally here was to ensure that people know that they have a place to come and express their anger and frustration.

While most of the early demonstration was peaceful, that anger and frustration was evident.

At one point, a white man with a facial covering, carrying a rifle, was escorted by police from the park outside City Hall. It wasnt clear if he was ultimately arrested. Turner said he didnt have an update on that man.

The crowd dispersed from City Hall around 4 p.m., and an organizer told them to leave peacefully, just as they had come in.

Your voices have been heard, but your assignment starts today, she said, encouraging them to develop strategies for change.

The demonstrations grew more disruptive from there, however, leading to several standoffs and clashes with police. On the other side of City Hall, one group had moved to the intersection of Walker and Bagby Streets, climbing on construction equipment and blocking limited traffic.

Around 5 p.m., a group of protesters blocked off the Memorial Parkway feeder road near Houston Avenue. That led to a confrontation with mounted police in which at least three people were taken into custody.

One of them was pinned to the ground, though it appeared officers stayed clear of his neck and head. Some of the protesters threw items at officers in that altercation, though it wasnt immediately clear what charges  if any  the people taken into custody would face.

Later, near Capitol and La Branch, protesters overtook the cruiser. Protesters spilled on to an Interstate 45 ramp and, later, onto U.S. 59. Hordes of police on horses, foot and in cars worked to close roads and secure the areas.

Many of the protesters expressed outrage about recent police shootings here in Houston. There have been a string of at least seven such shootings since April, and Chief Art Acevedo has asked the FBI to review one case of a man who appeared to be on his knees at the time he was shot.

But Acevedo and Turner have both said the officers in the other cases acted justifiably. They urged residents to review them individually.

What happens sometimes is everything becomes conflated, and viewed through the lens of things that are happening all over the country, Turner said.

Acevedo addressed an angry crowd Friday afternoon, telling them black lives matter to his force and yelling into a megaphone: We stand with the Floyd family. He emphasized that he had appeared on MSNBC, calling for charges to be filed against the officer in the Floyd case. Some in the crowd said they respected him for addressing the protesters, but others shouted that his remarks werent satisfactory.

Im happy that they are here today. People need to be heard, Acevedo said later. Id let them know: Dont let anyone hijack your movement. Because once you start burning a city, nobodys talking about George Floyd. The focus is on people who look like you and me are out of control.

Floyds death has sparked days of protest and riot in Minneapolis and across the country. Fridays protest here is the first in Houston. There was a prayer vigil Tuesday in Emancipation Park, attended by the mother of Floyds 6-year-old daughter.

Its cruel  they took him away from my daughter, Roxie Washington told Chronicle. Shell never see her father again.

This story is developing and will be continuously updated. Jay R. Jordan, Hannah Dellinger, Nicole Hensley, Elizabeth Conley and Karen Warren contributed to this report.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
MIDLAND, MI  Gov. Gretchen Whitmer earlier this week directed the state of Michigan to investigate what caused two Midland County dams to fail and to review dam safety throughout the state. Now, some legislators are calling for an independent investigation into the matter.

State Rep. Roger Hauck, a Republican from Union Township near Mount Pleasant, on Friday, May 29, joined some of his colleagues in calling on Whitmer to hire an independent investigator to look into the failed dams, rather than the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).

The dam failures led to severe flooding, which displaced thousands of residents and damaged or destroyed infrastructure and property in Midland County and surrounding areas.

In 2018, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) pulled the operators license for the Edenville Dam, owned by Boyce Hydro, after the company failed to comply with regulatory requests to upgrade the dams spillways and reduce the risk of failure," according to a news release issued Friday. Oversight of the dam was then turned over to the state, which approved its continued operation but sued the operator for threatening freshwater clams by lowering water levels behind the dam.

Hauck said there are others capable of investigating this matter, offering the Army Corps of Engineers, other federal agencies, energy regulatory bodies in other states, or a bipartisan or non-partisan panel of former energy and infrastructure regulators as alternatives.

For the water crisis in Flint, independent investigators were hired to examine the catastrophe, as we did not trust the state Department of Environmental Quality to investigate its own mismanagement of the crisis, Hauck said in a statement. The disaster involving the Edenville and Sanford dams warrants the same method  the people of Midland County and the surrounding area deserve a fair investigation.

Rep. Annette Glenn, R-Midland, and Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, have made similar appeals to the governor, the Midland Daily News reports.

Was protecting mollusks more important than protecting the people of Midland? Glenn asked in a news release. And snails more important than the people of Sanford? Thats a question only an independent investigator can be trusted to investigate and answer.

Hauck called last weeks events a tragedy for communities already suffering amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many of our family members, friends, and neighbors have had to evacuate their homes; the damage caused to households, apartment buildings, public parks, and businesses is almost unbearable to think about," his statement continued. "The families in our community deserve answers  and a private investigation is our best bet.

RELATED STORIES:

Feds warned years ago Edenville Dam couldnt handle a historic flood

After Edenville Dam failure, lawsuits pour in against owners, state regulators

How a spring rainstorm became a 500-year flood event in mid-Michigan

Beware of flood-restoration scams, Midland officials warn residents

Midland manager calls damage sobering, treat all trash as contaminated
Ethiopia's parliament on Friday approved a supplementary budget worth 48.56 billion birr ($1.43 billion) for the financial year ending July to help the economy weather the impact from the novel coronavirus.

Authorities have put in place several measures to curb the spread of the virus including banning public gatherings, closing schools and borders which have hurt economic activity.

"The economy is being highly impacted due to corona and the government have to assist," Finance Minister Ahmed Shide told lawmakers.

He said 30 million people in the country more than 110 million now needed humanitarian assistance as result of economic disruptions triggered by the coronavirus outbreak.

The Horn of Africa country has recorded 831 cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths.

Shide said the money in the supplementary budget will be used to provide humanitarian assistance and to buy medical supplies to help in the fight against COVID-19.

A document from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office presented to parliament showed Ethiopia's economy is now expected to grow by 5-6% in 2019/2020 which ends July 7 from a previous forecast of 9%.

The supplementary budget will be funded with a mix of external and domestic loans, Ahmed said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Thanks to the constant pressure of a knee on his neck, it took just minutes for George Floyd to stop breathing while in the custody of Minneapolis Police Department officers on Monday night.

In a viral video of his death shared on Facebook Live in the wee hours of Tuesday morning by 17-year-old witness Darnella Frazier, millions of us watched a handcuffed Floyd lying face down, begging to breathe. He cried for his mother and repeatedly screamed, I cant breathe. Officer Derek Chauvin kept kneeling into his neck with what appeared to be brutal force.

Chauvin kneeled into Floyds neck so hard he bled from his nose. He eventually became motionless and silent after about four minutes. Still, Chauvin kept pressing his knee into Floyds neck for at least three more minutes.

Frazier and other bystanders, including a trained off-duty first responder, begged Chauvin to stop even as they were threatened and prevented from helping Floyd. They begged the officers to check Floyds pulse but the officers did nothing to preserve Floyds life.

An ambulance would later arrive and paramedics would remove his body from the scene on a gurney. The Star Tribune reported that Floyd was pronounced dead about 90 minutes after this encounter but he looked already dead to witnesses on the scene.

This is so freaking crazy bro. They really killed somebody at Cup [Foods], Frazier would later recall in a follow-up video.

The police killed him bro right in front of everybody.  They killed this man bro. He was crying, telling them, I cant breathe and everything. They did not care bro. They killed this man. That was like my real first close-up death ever witnessing.  Im shaking cause its so crazy. I never witnessed something so close, she said.

I was shaking too. I felt like I could not breathe. My heart raced. I couldnt keep tears from rolling out of my eyes and I wasnt sure what to do.

Jemar Tisby, president of The Witness, described the exact feeling I was experiencing this way: I'm numb. The kind of numb that doesn't mean you can't feel anything but that you feel all the things at once and don't know how to name it or what to do about it.

This wasnt the first time Id seen a police killing on video. There were other recorded police killings like the death of Philando Castile in Minnesota in 2016 and Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York, in 2014 but Floyds killing felt different and I couldnt articulate just why yet.

Usually, when things trouble me deeply to the point that I get overwhelmed and nothing seems to help, I turn to God and I pray. I couldnt find any new words for God on this issue. The only thing I could do at this point was weep like Jeremiah.

"Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" Jeremiah lamented in the first verse of chapter nine.

Just a day earlier, another video much closer to home in New York City where I live had made me shudder. A white woman, Amy Cooper, now famously known as "Central Park Karen," called the police on black birdwatcher Christian Cooper because he asked her to leash her dog in a section of Central Park known as the Ramble. She pretended she was being attacked on the 911 call and manufactured feelings of distress while stressing her attacker was an African American man. I imagined what the outcome could have been for that black man if police officers were introduced into the mix believing what she said was true.

I tweeted about both videos and decided I wouldnt write anything about them because I wasnt hopeful. Evangelicals never really seem interested in many things concerning racial justice and it was all just really too painful. It was too much working to parse through the knots of pain I felt on the inside. But the videos, especially images of the killing of Floyd and his frantic cries for help, kept dogging my thoughts in little explosions.

And slowly, I began to come to terms with why Floyds death troubled me so. It was the way in which he cried out for his dead mother when his cries for help seemed to fall on deaf ears.

I remember more than a decade ago when I was still reporting on crime for the New York Post how I secretly cried for my own mother hours after I was arrested and briefly locked up by two NYPD officers. Its a memory I have tried and failed to bury into oblivion and that like a ghost refuses to go away.

The two officers had accused me of trying to steal my own car and kidnapped me from a dark sidewalk without so much as verifying that I was just three houses from where I was living at the time.

Like young Christian Botham Jean, who was mistakenly killed by off-duty officer Amber Guyger inside his Dallas apartment in 2018, I was seen as a criminal and treated like one.

Like Jean, I too was raised Christian in the Caribbean. I hadnt been fully baptized in the black American experience and I hadnt fully understood how racially divided the Kingdom was as well. I had just months earlier finished graduate school at Columbia University and I truly believed  like the typical unaffected white person  that as long as I followed the law and worked hard, everything would be fine and justice and fairness would prevail.

I quickly realized that night, however, that one false move and I could have been dead. Once the officers slapped handcuffs on me, I shut my mouth and sat in the back of the squad car. I felt Gods powerful presence keeping me calm despite multiple explosions going off in my head and the sirens blaring through the Bronx on a cold fall night.

For the first and only time in my life I would briefly find myself behind bars until I was forced to reveal that I was a reporter for the New York Post. I was quickly released and I walked home from the precinct in the cold for about two miles feeling nothing.

I also went to bed feeling nothing but the next morning, I woke up in tears crying for my mother. I imagine it was the same utter feeling of helplessness that Floyd must have felt as he begged the officers to let him breathe. How he desperately struggled to show his humanity to these officers that they refused to see.

The police gave me summonses for disorderly conduct and making unreasonable noise. Both charges were lies but I was forced to defend myself in court and a judge threw them out with the help of some pretty good lawyers.

I would go on to write about my experience and raise my voice in media interviews but there are many more people of color in America who have suffered through far worse. Some have lived to tell their stories and many others have not. For those that live, the trauma lives with us and we simply learn to cope while praying and pushing for a more perfect union in America.

There are many evangelicals who dont seem to understand how deadly racism is and I get it. Before I got arrested for trying to steal my own car, I didnt realize just how dangerous non-white skin is in a system where minorities are constantly devalued. But I was forced to learn because my life depended on it.

I believe in this moment that God is calling His people to repentance on the issue of racism in America and if we all listen closely, God has a path to powerfully constructive and redemptive change that can foster respect for our common humanity.

Evangelicals are pro-life people and I strongly believe if nothing else, standing against anything which threatens the life of our brothers and sisters in Christ must also be treated as a pro-life issue.

We have all been witnesses to a killing that leaves very little doubt about why it happened. Lets stand for justice in the name of Jesus.
Minneapolis remained on edge Friday after another chaotic night when a police station and other buildings were torched, and protesters there and in neighboring St. Paul hit the streets in demonstrations marred by violence, vandalism and looting.

But it wasn't only the Twin Cities where emotions have run high in reaction to George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man heard crying out "I can't breathe" during a police encounter on Monday and whose death has become the latest flash point in a string of fatalities involving African Americans.

While the arrest Friday of Derek Chauvin, one of the Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd's death, on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter may blunt some of the initial anger that has boiled over, tensions will remain fraught as long as there's a lag in charges for the three other officers in the case, black activists and community members say.

"This is a young rage, the same way young people took to the streets in the 1960s, 70s and 80s," Saje Mathieu, a history professor at the University of Minnesota who lives in suburban Minneapolis, said. "They're saying, 'We're already cut. We're already hurt. We're already bruised. There's no other way to communicate my pain and rage than to take to the streets.'"

That pain has resonated in major cities across the country, where protests were expected to unfold Friday night and over the weekend from Atlanta to Oakland, California, and Denver to Dallas.

Image: Protesters rally against George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police in New York City (Stephanie Keith / Getty Images)

On Thursday night, protesters in Los Angeles surrounded a California Highway Patrol vehicle, while others hurled water bottles and chanted, "We want justice."

In Louisville, Kentucky, seven people were shot as hundreds of people converged downtown to protest the death of Breonna Taylor, a black woman killed during a police raid at her home earlier this year.

New York City saw about 70 protesters arrested and two officers injured in a wave of demonstrations.

Story continues

Mike Freeman, the prosecutor of Hennepin County, Minnesota, who announced the charges against Chauvin, hinted that further charges may be forthcoming against the other officers and acknowledged the frustration felt by people who demanded more immediate action after the officers were fired Tuesday.

"I'm not insensitive to what's happening in the streets," Freeman told reporters. "My own home has been picketed regularly."

Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Floyd's family members, said they still want a first-degree murder charge against Chauvin and "fully expect to see the other officers who did nothing to protect the life of George Floyd to be arrested and charged soon."

But legal experts say Freeman had to walk a delicate line: determine what charges, if any, he believed could withstand the scrutiny of a grand jury and trial and also not wait potentially weeks or months to announce charges, which would only fan the flames of unrest.

Attorney Lee Merritt, who is representing the family of Taylor, said the cases involving her, Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, a black man in Georgia who was fatally shot during a struggle with an armed white man in February, are emblematic of the systemic racism and bias that have persisted in America despite the civil rights movement.

Like Floyd's, Arbery's death was captured on cellphone video. His family says he was out jogging when he was pursued by three white men  a father, who was a former police officer, his son and their neighbor  who were all arrested and charged with murder more than two months after the incident and following a national outcry. The men said they were executing a citizen's arrest when they chased Arbery in their cars and shot him during a struggle, according to police. The men told police they believed Arbery was a burglary suspect.

Image: Breonna Taylor (Courtesy of Family of Breonna Taylor / AFP - Getty Images)

In Taylor's case, she had been sleeping in the early hours of March 13 when Louisville police stormed her apartment on a no-knock drug warrant, according to a lawsuit filed by her family. The officers started "blindly firing" into the apartment after Taylor's boyfriend, a legal firearm owner, grabbed his gun amid the confusion, and Taylor was killed by police, the complaint said. The suit added that police had already apprehended the suspect they were looking for at a different home.

Louisville police have not commented amid the ongoing investigation, but the officers involved have been reassigned pending the outcome of the review.

Floyd's death occurred after Minneapolis police responded to a report of a forgery at a grocery store on Monday evening. After officers encountered Floyd at a nearby car, he was placed into handcuffs and then eventually put on the ground, where a bystander's video showed Chauvin with his knee on Floyd's neck for about eight minutes even as he appeared unresponsive. Floyd was declared dead at a local hospital, police said.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths of Taylor, Arbery and Floyd  all at the hands of police or people linked to law enforcement  were the catalyst for communities of color to unify through national protests, Merritt said, in ways not seen since the 2014 and 2015 police-involved deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Freddie Gray in Baltimore.

But Merrit said the unrest is amplified because nothing has changed since then regarding police brutality and accountability.

"The people in Minneapolis and St. Paul are going to hear a lot of people cautioning them to be peaceful, and of course we want you to be peaceful. We're going to have people caution them to be calm, and of course we want calm," Merritt said. "But not in the absence of justice."

Download the NBC News app for breaking news and alerts

He added that for officials and critics, "it's not to label [protesters] and threaten them with bullets, but to guarantee them justice and to fight like hell to make sure that each one of these families get justice."

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, has activated the National Guard and said Minneapolis will be under a curfew Friday night. He told reporters that it was unrealistic to expect people this week to stay at home because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the police weren't going to be able to stand in people's way.

"Watching what happened to George Floyd had people say, 'To hell with staying home,'" Walz said. "The idea that we would go in and break up those expressions of grief and rage was ridiculous."

Mathieu, the University of Minnesota professor, said that those emotions are a byproduct of the years spent by America's black population living under the heel of the white majority, relegated to impoverished housing conditions, civil rights abuses and health disparities. Today's pandemic and the racial implications also played out in 1919, when hundreds of black people were brutally killed or beaten by white mobs across the country in what was known as the "Red Summer," which coincided with the Spanish flu pandemic.

"One of the frustrating things for people watching all of this unfold is that the calls for justice haven't changed," Mathieu said. "The accounts of how black men, although not exclusively black men, navigate their own country differs tragically from how other citizens navigate it."

Alvin B. Tillery Jr., director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy at Northwestern University in Illinois, said the current protests are a sign of the times, compounded by the politically divisive rhetoric from Washington, a white nationalist movement that gave way to the deadly rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, and now a pandemic where millions of Americans are out of jobs and lacking financial means.

Big cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, and Newark, New Jersey, were once convulsed by rioting, or as Tillery prefers to call them, "uprisings," that left black and brown communities disadvantaged socially and economically to this day.

The millennials and Gen Z who are protesting now are "much less willing to take the law and order obfuscations that come from the white power structure," Tillery said.

This moment of demonstrations across the nation and the similar cries for justice that older generations never saw realized, he said, "were a conflagration waiting to happen."
MIDDLETOWN  While summer camp capacities and programming are being reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic, area camp directors promise families can expect them to be lively, exploratory and as full of character building as ever before.

Registration either has begun or will be offered over the next week for the Middlesex YMCA Summer Enrichment program and its Camp Ingersoll in Portland, as well as the citys recreation department.

Spaces are filling up quickly, however, due to maximum camper limits set by the state Office of Early Childhood.

Middletown Recreation and Community Services Director Cathy Lechowicz said measures are in place to allow children and staff to be screened daily for possible symptoms of COVID-19, as well as undergo temperature taking.

The big activities wont happen, but were committed to having it be fun and keep kids engaged throughout the day, she said. We believe in recreation for the sake of recreation, so kids can be with their peers so they can have fun and new experiences, Lechowicz said. This year will really be about care.

There are a lot of ifs this summer, including whether parents still will be working from home or return to the office, and the possibility of changes coming from the state.

Lechowicz is asking parents and caregivers to register for camp only if theyve exhausted other options, such as turning to family members or neighbors, to keep slots open for families who really need it.

Camp will run from from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 29 to Aug. 7, without bus transportation, field trips or swimming at Veterans Pool, which is closed for the summer. A few problems emerged, Lechowicz said, including difficulty spacing out swimmers in each lane, little space between the edge of the pool and the fence, and close quarters in the locker rooms.

Swimming at Crystal Lake will be allowed beginning at the end of June for slightly longer hours and with increased lifeguard patrols.

Bus transportation is still high-risk, with children in close proximity to one another, so none of the facilities is offering this service.

Programs will be held at Farm Hill, Snow and Moody elementary schools, with a capacity of 50 at each, and 30 for the Crystal Lake camp at Ron McCutcheon Park. Each location will separate children into groups of 10.

The ratio of campers to counselors this summer will be five to one, as opposed to the usual 10 to one, Lechowicz said.

Camp is heavily subsidized by the city to keep rates affordable: $80 for the school-based camps and $95 for Crystal Lake.

Portlands YMCA Camp Ingersoll Director Benjamin Silliman said staff are readying the grounds in anticipation of summer programs, which begin June 29 with strict social distancing and other health and safety measures.

Typically, Ingersoll has 650 slots for children. The agency obtained a waiver from the state Office of Early Childhood to handle as many as 550 campers, though Silliman said they will be limiting capacity to 400.

Were very aware that anything can happen. Were confident were going to run to our abilities, Silliman said.

Were looking at what we can do in the best way that we can and to ensure the safety of our families, staff and campers, said Silliman, who, along with YMCA staff and others camp leaders and state nationwide child provider agencies, has been taking part in biweekly sessions and round-table meetings to keep up on the latest developments during the pandemic.

Our quality camp program keeps kids safe and distanced between groups, while still providing core outdoor activities such as archery, a ropes course, games, challenges, team building, nature activities and more, he said.

The Ingersoll day usually includes visits from team-building groups, field trips and other visits, as well as picnics. We dont have that right now, so weve been focusing on what we can do to see how we can run this year in a safe and still beneficial way for everyone in our community, Silliman said.

Families are able to choose their fees on four levels: the full cost of camp, a partially subsidized rate for those who need it, a more heavily discounted plan, and financial assistance through the YMCA Open Doors program.

We know everybody has varying means and abilities so we want to do our part. Thats our effort to make it more accessible to families, so they pick the price thats suitable for them, he said.

Kids Arts/The Childrens Circus will not be holding its five-week summer enrichment camp this year.

YMCA Enrichment Camps will be held with limited enrollment, said Ceara Ladue, assistant director of school-age child care.The maximum capacity is 30 in total, broken out into three groups of 10. Normally, 60 a week are enrolled, she said.

There will be no trips for the program, which is enrichment-based and usually end the week with a culmination of what kids learned. Since thats not a possibility, we are looking to get some virtual tours of local museums and other facilities and businesses, Ladue said.

Shes already signed on Perkatory Coffee Roasters and has contacted the Wadsworth Mansion.

Registration opened Thursday. By morning, 10 families had secured spots, so Ladue is encouraging parents to do so as soon as they can. The department is allowing cancellations up to two weeks before each session for a full refund.

As much as we can, we are offering the camp experience. It may look a little different, but theyre going to still learn skills, make new friends, overcome challenges and obstacles in a fun environment outside with value, Silliman said.

For information, visit cityofmiddletown.com, campingersoll.org and midymca.org.
 Flash

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement on Thursday appealed for donations worth 3.1 billion Swiss francs (US$ 3.19 billion) to assist the world's most vulnerable people amid the pandemic and further help curb its rapid spread.

Building on the previous appeal launched on March 26, 2020, the move is aimed at increasing life-saving services and addressing both the immediate impacts of the pandemic and its long-lasting social and economic repercussions.

Jagan Chapagain, secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), noted that the COVID-19 pandemic is creating new vulnerabilities.

"We now face a crisis on top of a crisis with worsening poverty and food insecurity alongside crippling economic conditions and a lack of public health services, safe water, sanitation, and hygiene," warned Chapagain.

"Protecting and supporting these communities requires a sustained and coordinated scale-up of Red Cross and Red Crescent local action alongside ongoing global response efforts," said Chapagain.

In addition, Robert Mardini, director-general of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), also pointed out that "this pandemic is creating crisis-level needs that will endure long into the future, whether for mental health support, conflict zone medical aid or livelihood assistance."

"The ICRC is working hand in hand with the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, at the intersection of the pandemic, armed conflict, and violence to ensure that we assist both now and beyond the pandemic's immediate effects to help families in the long-run," noted Mardini.

Specifically, the IFRC is appealing for 1.9 billion Swiss francs (US$1.95 billion) to support National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in providing health care, water and sanitation, and mitigation against the socio-economic impacts for the most vulnerable people.

Meanwhile, the ICRC is seeking 1.2 billion Swiss francs to respond in conflict zones, to support medical facilities and places of detention, to curb the spread of COVID-19 among displaced people and detainees, and to support National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in their response.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement consists of three parts: the ICRC, the IFRC, and 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Movement has supported National Societies to increase their health care services, community engagement, and pandemic preparedness activities for vulnerable populations.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the world's largest humanitarian network. Its community-based volunteers and staff help the world's most vulnerable people, including those living in countries with under-resourced health and social welfare systems; people recovering from recent disasters; migrants and displaced people; those in conflict zones and who face ongoing violence; people in urban slums; detainees; and people suffering from the socio-economic impact of COVID-19.
Sarah Ferguson has tweeted in support of her daughter Princess Beatrice on what would have been her wedding day.

Beatrice, 31, had planned to marry her fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi today in a ceremony at The Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, but the wedding was postponed earlier this year following the national coronavirus lockdown.

"Love you my darling Beatrice" she tweeted above a picture of Beatrice as a child, "You have given me more joy than I could ever wish for. I am so excited to celebrate yours and Edos love when we all are out of lockdown."

Beatrice and Edoardo (known as Edo to his friends) got engaged in September and had planned to marry today in London, followed by a wedding breakfast in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, with special permission from the Queen.

Dave Benett/Getty Images

Ferguson has been living at her ex-husband Prince Andrew's residence, Royal Lodge in Windsor, during lockdown.

She also recently launched a YouTube series for children called 'Storytime with Fergie and Friends' which sees her read classic children's tales.

Getty Images

Princess Beatrice has not confirmed when her wedding will now take place, but the couple is expected to opt for the same venue at a later date.

Beatrice will become an Italian 'Contessa' (Countess) when she marries Mozzi, a property developer. The newlyweds are also expected to inherit Villa Mapelli Mozzi, the sprawling family seat in Ponte San Pietro, Italy.
Collective prayers in Turkey resumed on Friday, May 29, after being banned for more than two months as part of the COVID-19 measures. The day also marked the first Friday prayers since mosques shut down.

Two out of five daily prayers, including Friday prayers are now allowed in Turkey in 81 provinces, state news agency said. However, mosques remain open for individual prayers.

Worshippers are required to maintain social distancing, wear masks and bring their own prayer rugs.

The video shows scenes from before and after Friday prayers started at Etiler Camii mosque in Istanbul. Social distancing stickers can be seen on the floor 1.5 meters apart. Men wearing vests with Polis printed on them are seen at the entrance of the mosque telling worshippers to sanitize their hands before entering the mosque. Credit: @DiaaWirdian via Storyful
(Natural News) YouTube on Wednesday reinstated a video it has previously censored in which several medical doctors suggested that the drug hydroxychloroquine might be useful in treating coronavirus, with the company reportedly claiming at the time of censorship that the presentation was dangerous.

(Article by Daniel Payne republished from JustTheNews.com)

The video report, presented by Sharyl Attkisson at Full Measure News, examined the possible benefits of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 and the possible financial interest some parties have in downplaying the drug and promoting a separate treatment called remdesivir.

One of the doctors interviewed in the video, William ONeill, tells Attkisson, also a Just the News contributor, that there is some value to hydroxychloroquine and it has to be tested.

ONeill, a cardiologist in Detroit, has prescribed the drug to multiple patients and saw improvement in all of them, Attkisson reported.

At the Henry Ford Health System, where ONeill works, officials are working with hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir. The doctor said the media campaign against the drug, which began around the time President Trump first started touting it, has left patients scared to use the drug without any scientifically valid concern.

Weve talked with our colleagues at the University of Minnesota who are doing a similar study, and at the University of Washington, he said. Weve treated 400 patients and havent seen a single adverse event. And whats happening is because of this fake news and fake science, the true scientific efforts are being harmed because people now are so worried that they dont want to enroll in the trials.

Another physician, Dr. Jane Orient, the executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons as well as a clinical lecturer at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, urged viewers to look at the money when it comes to the two drugs.

Theres no big profits made in hydroxychloroquine, said Orient. Its very cheap, easy to manufacture, been around for 70 years. Its generic. Remdesivir is a new drug that could be very expensive and very lucrative if its ever approved. So I think we really do have to consider theres some financial interest involved here.

These are organized efforts

Sharyl Attkisson on Wednesday afternoon told Just the News that it wasnt immediately clear when the video was removed.

It was originally uploaded to YouTube two days ago. Attkisson said YouTube had removed the presentation with a note claiming that it was dangerous, without offering any explanation as to why.

She said Full Measure News appealed the removal, after which YouTube subsequently reinstated it.

Attkisson cited a critical report by Media Matters, published the same day as her report, as the likely cause of the removal.

These are organized efforts, she said, arguing that politically biased parties are behind efforts to remove or censor contrarian information on social media. They know they can use these systems to limit information. Its very frightening because I feel like if somethings not done, in five years, were going to be telling our kids, There was once a time we could get any information we wanted on the Internet. Thats changing. We cant anymore.

She noted recent efforts by Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, to pressure social media companies to censor and downgrade harmful coronavirus-related material and push users instead toward information from the World Health Organization.

I dont know why were allowing this, Attkisson said. Nobody appointed Adam Schiff to police our content on social media.

Full Measure News noted that it tried to contact White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci, the drug company Gilead (which manufactures remdesivir), and numerous doctors who have criticized or are skeptical of hydroxycholoroquine. None responded to the interview requests.

Read more at: JustTheNews.com
The leadership of the Electoral Commission (EC) led by Madam Jean Mensa and her Deputy Commissioners have been likened to a 'foolish' King who refuses to heed to sound counsel.



General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who spoke out strongly against the electoral body's pig-headedness to compile a new voters register, described all the measures put in place ahead of the 2020 general elections by the EC as nonsense likely to result in chaos.



Speaking on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, General Mosquito as affectionately called, revealed that the opposition party will initiate moves to alert Ghanaians of the danger to understand the need stand with the opposition to kick any move by the EC to endanger the country.



We think that all the measures that the EC is putting in place are nonsense. They are doing things as if they are ignorant about the electoral process and it will end the country in chaos and so we are also putting measures in place to show Ghanaians the danger in the decision of the Electoral Commission (EC).



The issues that we should have discussed at the IPAC meeting, they should have been sensible enough to have accepted our ideas to make the electoral process better but they are still adamant to adhere to our ideas. We are now putting things together to show Ghanaians and we know that every sensible Ghanaian will understand us and know that what the EC is doing will not help us, he slammed.



To him, the EC's conduct is more or less akin to that of an inane leader set in his ways but ends up embarrassing himself in public.



 . . if you are a King and you listen to advice at home before you speak in public, any time you speak the people will see you to be a good King, who is sensible and accord you all the accolades like King Solomon. But a King who will not listen to advice, any time he takes a decision, even if it is not good, he will say that he has the power, and will go and embarrass himself in public; that is exactly what the Electoral Commission is doing, he jabbed.



The NDC Chief Scribe hinted that the law upon which the EC will use to compile new register has not been passed by Parliament; asserting that the date scheduled by Electoral Commission (EC) to begin the compilation of new register may hit the rock if Parliament throws away the amendment which is before the House.



...the law has been taken to Parliament three times and it is all due to the fact that EC has decided not to discuss the law with any political party and so Parliament keeps finding faults in the law. This is the third amended law and even with this one, we dont know if Parliament will accept it or not, he claimed.



He was of the view that the law would have been passed a long time ago if the EC had sought the opinions of other political parties at IPAC meeting but their entrenched position not to discuss anything, makes Parliament to continue to punch holes in the law.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
New Delhi: Nepal is requesting talks with India at the foreign secretary-level regarding the Kalapani border dispute. At the same time, it is also engaged in the exercise of implementing the constitutional amendment to make his new disputed map valid. On this, India made it clear on Thursday that it is necessary to first build trust between the two countries and create an atmosphere of brotherhood.

The proposal for this constitutional amendment brought by the KP Oli government has not yet been tabled in Parliament. In fact, Nepal's main opposition party Nepali Congress is demanding more time for this. At the same time, Madheshis say that their concerns are also related to this proposed amendment. India says that it has been seen that the proposal is being considered very seriously in Nepal. Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Shrivastava has said that "India is always ready to talk with its neighbors in a trustworthy environment with mutual understanding and respect."

India believes that there has been no lack of any kind of dialogue between the two countries. In fact, Nepal had released a new map by adding it to their country, claiming the Indian territory of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura in Uttarakhand, to which the Indian Foreign Ministry had expressed a strong objection. Let us tell you that Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla has already met the Ambassador of Nepal Nilambar Acharya two times. Piyush Srivastava, joint secretary of the home ministry, is also constantly negotiating with Nepal to resolve the matter at the earliest.

Also Read:

Mayawati says this on PM Modi's relief package

Is lockdown going to extend again? Home minister asked for advice

Rioters set fire to third police precinct in Minneapolis

May 29 is important from Historical point of view
Patna, May 29 : The political bickering over the triple murder in Gopalganj, Bihar, has intensified. The district administration did not allow the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, to travel to Gopalganj on Friday as he demanded the arrest of JD-U MLA Amarendra Pandey alias Pappu Pandey, an accused in the case.

The situation was tense outside his mother and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi's residence.

Tejashwi left for Gopalganj on Friday in a convoy which included Rabri Devi, his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav and many RJD MLAs, but the police did not allow them to proceed further.

Tejashwi said, "The government has left the goons free, the accused has not been arrested. We are in the role of the Opposition, which we are performing." Meanwhile, social distancing norms were thrown to the winds outside Rabri Devi's residence as RJD leaders and activists shouted slogans in the presence of the police.

MLA Amarendra Kumar Pandey alias Pappu Pandey is allegedly involved in the murders of RJD leader J P Yadav's parents and brother.

Tejashwi Yadav had given an ultimatum for the Gopalganj march from Patna on Friday morning, accusing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of protecting the accused JD-U MLA.
Chinese lawmakers deliberate draft decision on Hong Kong national security legislation

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:44, May 28, 2020

BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers deliberating a draft decision on national security legislation for Hong Kong agreed that it is a major move that will help safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, as well as Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.

The draft decision of the National People's Congress (NPC) on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security is being deliberated at the third session of the 13th NPC.

Lawmakers pledged to demonstrate the Chinese people's resolve and determination through their deliberations and voting on the draft decision.

Meng Qinghai, deputy head of China Association for Science and Technology, said it is imperative and pressing to establish and improve such a system and enforcement mechanisms.

Long Zhuangwei, vice chairman of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee of the NPC, said the decision, to be followed by the legislation of the NPC Standing Committee, aims to plug Hong Kong's legal loopholes concerning national security.

Bai Chunli, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the legislative move is completely reasonable and legitimate as it conforms with China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR, and will help consolidate the legal, social and political foundations for "one country, two systems."

"It will certainly win the support of all Chinese people," Bai said.

Yu Xiaoming, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Shandong Provincial People's Congress, said the move safeguards the HKSAR's constitutional order set by China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR.

Jia Yu, procurator-general of the Zhejiang Provincial People's Procuratorate, said strengthened national security will provide a solid foundation for Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

Cally Kwong Mei-wan, an NPC deputy from Hong Kong, said after the adoption of the decision, Hong Kong still has to complete the national security legislation requirement stipulated by Article 23 of the Basic Law of the HKSAR at an early date.

She said after returning to Hong Kong, she will actively communicate the decision's legislative purpose to the Hong Kong public and spare no effort to safeguard national security and development interests.

Han Xiaowu, vice chairman of the Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Committee of the NPC, proposed fast-tracking the national security legislation after the adoption of the decision.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th May, 2020) Venezuela refugees and migrants face deteriorating conditions and growing risks to their health and survival as the novel coronavirus spreads across South America, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said on Friday.

"As Latin America emerges as the new epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, warns of worsening conditions for displaced Venezuelans in the southern region of the continent as winter approaches," Mantoo said.

Novel coronavirus-related lockdowns and confinement measures have already resulted in severe hardship for Venezuelan refugee and migrants.

Many have lost their livelihoods and are faced with poverty, destitution, eviction, widespread hunger and food insecurity, according to the UNHCR.

"As national capacities are stretched to breaking point, access to public health services and timely medical care is also a challenge, especially for those in an irregular situation," Mantoo said.

The UNHCR expressed concern that the refugees' plight could deteriorate further as winter approaches and temperatures fall in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, which together host more than 1.5 million Venezuelans.
Washington  U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer says Syracuse would be an ideal candidate to become a national technology hub fueled by a massive new federal investment in science and technology research.

Schumer this week unveiled a $100 billion bill  the Endless Frontier Act  aimed at boosting the nations economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic through new investments in research.

An additional $10 billion would be used to establish at least 10 technology hubs across the United States to fuel research for the economy of the future.

Syracuse is an ideal candidate to become a hub, Schumer said, because of its plan to invest more than $200 million in technology and become one of the nations first interconnected smart cities using 5G wireless technology.

Schumer said it helps that Syracuse and Onondaga County are moving forward with the development of a $75 million Syracuse STEAM high school, and that Central New York has been designated a national center for drone research and testing.

Along with partners in the private sector and world-class institutions like Syracuse University, Central New York is uniquely positioned to take advantage of any federal investment to establish regional technology hubs as the Endless Frontier Act aims to do, Schumer said.

Schumer, D-N.Y., the Senate Democratic leader, introduced the bill Thursday with bipartisan support in the Senate from Todd Young, R-Indiana. Democrats and Republicans introduced a companion bill in the House.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud are among those supporting the bill.

As we emerge from the economic challenges of Covid-19, cities need to focus on long-term economic resilience, not just short-term recovery, Walsh said. He said an increased federal investment in science and technology research would help the U.S. remain competitive globally.

Schumer said the pandemic underscored the need for the investment because the science and technology gap between the United States and the rest of the world is closing fast, and that threatens our long-term health, economic competitiveness and national security.

The Endless Frontier Act would fund the research with a cash infusion of $100 billion over five years to the National Science Foundation, dramatically boosting its $8 billion annual budget.

Schumers bill would change the name of the independent federal agency to the National Science and Technology Foundation.

A new office within the agency would be in charge of advancing technology in 10 focus areas, including artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, quantum computing and cybersecurity.

MORE POLITICS

Election 2020: Voters flood Onondaga County with mail-in ballot requests

Want to vote in the 2020 NY primary election? What you need to know

The virtual campaign for Congress: Balter, Conole innovate to reach CNY voters

Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Mark Weiner anytime by: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
This article is part of the Free Speech Project , a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech.

Although the First Amendment doesnt apply to private companies, Twitter was once known as the free speech arm of the free speech party. Besides clearly illegal content like child pornography, Twitter was originally loath to moderate tweets. That has changed gradually, as the platform has tightened policies around violent extremism, abuse, etc.

This year, in response to misinformation related to the 2020 election and the coronavirus pandemic, the company has started to flag and remove harmful content at unprecedented rates. A turning point seemed to come Tuesday, when Twitter finally slapped warning labels on two of President Donald Trumps tweets, which falsely claimed that mail-in voting would lead to widespread voter fraud. That move came after a few days of yet another Trump tweetstorm controversy. On Thursday, Trump retaliated by signing an executive order of questionable legality that could punish social media companies for regulating content.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its a windingand frankly exhaustingsaga, but indulgent Trump spectacles aside, one of the main tensions here is the question of what responsibilities Twitter has as a medium of discourse and whether it might be changing its core principles to adjust to the role its assumed in the public sphere.

In order to understand how a private company largely built on the idea of freedom of expression has found itself embroiled in a national free speech controversy, I spoke with Blaine Cook, Twitters former lead developer, who worked at the company from 2006, during its founding, through 2008. During the course of our conversation, which has been edited and condensed for clarity, we discussed Twitters founding principles, the importance of moderating online communities, and Cooks take on the companys latest move.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Chloe Hadavas: When Twitter was just getting off the ground, how did you guys think about speech on the platform? Was the idea of free speech central to Twitters founding?

Blaine Cook: Yeah, I mean, there were different communities within the company, even though it was obviously quite small. Evan [Williams], and to a lesser extent Jack [Dorsey], came from the tech blogger world and had that sort of background. I had done a bunch of activist work and had worked on tools like TxtMob in the years before. We really looked at Twitter and the tools that we were building as new media platforms that enabled voices of people that wouldnt have had representation up until that point. So the idea was that there was the established corporate media and that the internet presented the opportunity to have different venues that werent controlled by the establishment, as it were.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Were you always so optimistic about it? I mean, could you have foreseen the ways in which an open platform might eventually be weaponized?

Advertisement

Advertisement

I think its complicated because in many ways we were hoping that it would be weaponizednot by Trump, but by progressive forces. And I think we do see quite a lot of that. You know, its interesting watching the Minneapolis protests and the conversations that are happening around that in parallel with Trump having a hissy fit. The Minneapolis conversations wouldnt have been possible, either, without Twitter. So I think it has played out the way that we kind of expected.

What about the idea of the platform being the free speech wing of the free speech party, as Twitter executives called it in the early 2010s? Was that a part of Twitters identity in the mid-2000s?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Theres a lot of nuance there thats important. I think thats true to a point, but the framing of the free speech wing of the free speech party is something that came laterfrankly, after I left, during some of the early interactions around harassment and the content moderation questions that came up in 2008. Ariel Waldman was one of the very early people who experienced harassment on Twitter [in May 2008], and Twitter declined to get involved, which was after I left. And I think thats maybe where a lot of these libertarian-leaning free speech party ideas came from.

Advertisement

Advertisement

From my perspective, that framing isnt far off from what we were trying to do in terms of opening up communication spaces and whatnot. But I personally have always felt like moderation, community management, and having responsibility over culture is actually really important, and I think thats one of the reasons that I ended up leaving Twitter so earlyit was just a fundamental difference about the approach to those things. I think so much emphasis was placed on scaling and going after the celebrity crew and all that kind of stuff in the early days that they kind of lost sight of what it meant to run and have a community. In the really early days, there werent too many social networks around, and we definitely looked to communities like Flickr, which had a strong position on moderation and on community guidelines. For me, that was always really important.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Do you think that Twitters policies have changed drastically since you left over a decade ago? Especially this year, not even just with Trumps latest feud but also with coronavirus misinformation and the 2020 presidential campaign?

I think its stayed the same more than it should have. They should have been a lot more proactive, especially with the scale and the resources that they have. I would have loved to see a lot more effort placed into figuring out community questions. Theyve been doing experimentssome hopefulbut the recent reply feature [where a user can limit replies], they launched by trolling people, and that was just really disappointing. [Cook is referring to these tweets from the @Twitter and @Twittercomms accounts.] It feels like a lot of that stuff just isnt as fleshed out as it should be.

Advertisement

Advertisement

I think it comes down to that they basically dont have any competition. We need different communities with different editorial and community standards. So if Trump wants to go and have a conspiracy theory Twitter, like a separate MAGA-land, that would be fine.* The rest of us could largely ignore it, and itd basically wither and die. But because Trumps tweets are mixed in with all of this other important conversation, its hard to reconcile those things.

What was your immediate reaction to Twitters decision to slap those warning labels on Trumps tweets? Did you see that as a landmark move for the company, or did you think that perhaps its not as important as onlookers are making it out to be?

Advertisement

Its a good step, but it doesnt go far enough. Twitter is a private company and has every right to kill his account. That doesnt limit his free speech at all. Hes the president of the United Stateshes got whatever platform he wants. I would like to actually see quite a lot more strong action. With the Joe Scarborough conspiracy, if it was any other person than Trump making threats and creating a dangerous situation for a private person, their account would be disabled right away. So I guess Id like to see more of that, and more fact-checking in general, and moderation.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I really strongly believe that the culture of the community is set by its acceptable parameters. So if you have a community where abusive behavior is acceptable, then people will go there to abuse other people. And if you moderate and you actually have some community standards, then they wont. I think thats true in all parts of life, and because Twitter is such an important public space, it would be nice if we had stronger community standards that reflect the sort of society that we actually want to live innot just some sort of free-but-harmful-speech-protecting space.

For more on Twitters fact-checking of Trump, listen to What Next: TBD.

Correction, May 29, 2020: This article originally misquoted Blaine Cook as saying that an alternative platform to Twitter could be a mega-land. He said it could be a MAGA-land.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
India Locust Invasion

Desert locusts swarm over Ajmer, Rajasthan, India, May 10, 2020. Deepak Sharma/AP

New Delhi  India is scrambling drones, sending teams to spray insecticide and issuing alerts as swarms of locusts descend on its western states. The drones are helping track the voracious insects as they destroy crops, increasing fears over food security and economic malaise in a country already battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Swarms of desert locusts have attacked parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh states. Delhi, in central India, also issued alerts after suggestions the swarms could reach the Indian capital, too, given forecast wind directions.

As if the dual menaces of COVID-19 and crop-killing insects wasn't enough, a wide swathe of India was also suffering under record heat. As the locusts ravaged fields in Rajasthan, farmers already reeling from the effects of a national coronavirus lockdown were left to watch helplessly in 122-degree heat.

It's the worst locust infestation India has seen since 1993, according to the country's Locust Warning Organisation (LWO), but the swarms aren't new to the nation. Usually they arrive from Pakistan between July and October and remain focused in Rajasthan. This time, however, weather conditions have helped the swarms spread into neighboring states.

Locust swarms now invade India. This from Jaipur in Rajasthan yesterday pic.twitter.com/IzOtposTUu

 Channa Prakash (@AgBioWorld) May 26, 2020

Videos posted on social media show swarms not only in the farm fields but also in urban areas, including the popular tourist city of Jaipur, where they've never been seen before.

What is a locust?

Locusts are similar to grasshoppers, but can migrate over much large distances: A swarm can cover about 90 miles in a day. The desert locusts are known to form particularly dense, and highly mobile swarms, according to the United Nations's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) desert locust information center.

Story continues

INDIA-AGRICULTURE-ENVIRONMENT-LOCUSTS

Villagers hold locusts affected by insecticides in Banaskantha district, in India's Gujarat state, in a December 27, 2019, file photo. SAM PANTHAKY/AFP/Getty

They don't attack people or animals, but they're considered the most destructive migratory pest in the world, with a small swarm of about 40 million locusts capable of gobbling up enough food for 35,000 people.

Damage in India

A 1-kilometer swarm (covering just under half of a square mile) can have up to 80 million locusts, and at least 10 such swarms were chewing through crops in India as of Wednesday, according to the LWO.

Several Indian media outlets reported that about 123,500 acres of cropland had already been destroyed in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh states.

The crop damage comes as many farmers were already struggling with the impact of India's 2-month coronavirus lockdown, which left them largely without the workers to tend to their crops. The double crisis could pose a serious threat to India's food security in the coming months.

Experts have warned that more swarms, still devouring crops in Pakistan and the Horn of Africa, could migrate to India in June.

Warmer weather, more locusts

Scientists have said extreme weather is to blame for the unusually large and widespread swarms this year.

"The outbreak started after warm waters in the western Indian Ocean in late 2019 fueled heavy amounts of rains over east Africa and the Arabian Peninsula," explained Dr. Roxy Mathew Koll, a senior scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. "These warm waters were caused by the phenomenon called the Indian Ocean Dipole  with warmer than usual waters to its west, and cooler waters to its east. Rising temperatures due to global warming amplified the dipole and made the western Indian Ocean particularly warm."

"Heavy rain triggers the growth of vegetation in arid areas where desert locusts can then grow and breed," said Koll. "These locusts, which migrated to India early this year, might have found greener pastures as the pre-monsoon rains during MarchMay were in excess over north India."

Keith Cressman, the senior locust forecasting officer at the U.N.'s FAO, said there's been an undeniable and significant increase in the frequency of severe rain storms at both the beginning and the end of the summer and, "if this trend continues, whether it is specifically attributed to climate change or not, it's likely to lead to more Desert Locust outbreaks and upsurges in the Horn of Africa."

Black man dies after Minneapolis police officer pins him to the ground by his neck

White woman calls police after black man asks her to leash dog

CDC warns about "aggressive" rats as coronavirus shuts down restaurants
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 00:55:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- China's newly adopted Civil Code has once again demonstrated the country's strive for bettering people's life by rule of law.

As the first law defined as a "code" in the People's Republic of China, the Civil Code is a tangible legislation that offers concrete and effective responses to people's growing demands for a better life -- security, equality, dignity, and many others.

In addition to general and supplementary provisions, the Civil Code includes six parts on real rights, contracts, personality rights, marriage and family, inheritance, and tort liabilities.

Targeting the actual lives of the people, the Civil Code addresses modern fields that need regulation, including new problems emerging from urbanization, environment protection, the application of AI technologies and the development of the digital economy.

Further evidence of the Civil Code answering the people's call is its timely response to shortcomings identified during epidemic prevention and control. It offers support to comprehensively improving the effectiveness of law-based epidemic response and governance.

The drafting of the Civil Code also embodies a people-centered philosophy. While preparing the draft, the legislature sought public opinions on 10 occasions, receiving over 1 million online comments and suggestions.

The overwhelming approval of the Civil Code on Thursday at the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, has demonstrated the wide public support for the law.

Using the Civil Code to protect 1.4 billion people's rights in every aspect of life will help modernize China's governance system and capacity, as the country is completing building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

The legislation also contributes to the global drive to protect people's rights, as the Civil Code provides a legislative reference on how to promote fairness, justice, dignity and each and every person's rights to pursue happiness. Enditem
Cries for justice thundered off the Missoula County Courthouse on Friday morning where several hundred people gathered in the wake of the death of George Floyd, killed after a white officer knelt on his neck for nine grueling minutes captured on video.

As Minneapolis has suffered devastating destruction through protests that have spanned the days since Floyd's death, Missoulians and those who traveled here for the rally remained peaceful and, at times, even socially distanced.

Speakers on the courthouse steps, each of them minorities, carried a similar message throughout the rally to their predominantly white community: standing by during acts of racism is not enough.

"We are tired of dying, and we are here in the hopes that you are tired of watching us die," Chris Young-Greer, a 2018 University of Montana graduate and former Black Student Union member, told the crowd.

The UM Black Student Union organized the rally. President Nonso Maxwell Obieyisi, who introduced group leaders and speakers, said the several hundred who showed up in support was "bigger than anything I imagined."

This doesnt just affect the black community, it affects all of us, Maxwell Obieyisi said of Floyd's killing. Because we are the community. This country belongs to everyone.

Just as he was speaking with the Missoulian, a 15-year-old Native American girl stepped up to Maxwell Obieyisi. Ali Kelly, who is Blackfeet and Pend dOreille, goes to high school in Ronan. The majority of the school is white, she tells him, and she finds herself pitted against teachers and other students when she tries to confront what she perceives as racism in the education system.

Its really powerful to see other minorities, uplifted and strong, Kelly told Maxwell Obieyisi.

Kelly asked him how he got involved in activism, like asking for career advice but for challenging institutional oppression.

Going to all these events got me all hyped up. Like OK, this is good. For people who actually want to talk about this, especially in a place that is predominantly white. It was just so good, so I decided I want to be more involved. I dont want to be a member alone, I want to be active. I want to do something, Maxwell Obieyisi told her.

It doesn't matter if you stand alone, as long as you stand for what is right, Maxwell Obieyisi assured her. If youre speaking out on injustice, thats great. Thats what you need to do.

Signs raised Friday resembled those seen around the U.S. this week as rallies take place in communities of all sizes:

"I Can't Breathe."

"Black Lives Matter."

"End Police Brutality."

Joseph Grady, who mentors and advocates for students with the Black Student Union, said the group had reached out to the Missoula Police Department about the rally and received support.

"Not every cop is a racist," Grady told the crowd before providing a land acknowledgement for the event. "We immediately got (Missoula police department's) support, just like we're getting your support."

Grady reminded the crowd how the land was once home to Indigenous people who were herded north to a reservation.

"The political system has had their knee on the necks of Native American people going to back to Jamestown," he said through a megaphone. "We've been dealing with this for a long time."

After his speech, Grady said he believes meaningful change will come, not just when white counterparts begin actively confronting racism, but when minorities will be more visible in elected office. That said, Grady added no single political movement is culpable for the frustration borne out at Friday's rally.

"I like to remind people that this is not a political rally," he said. "This is a support of people who are being murdered in the city."

Alyssa Kelly, whose daughter approached Maxwell Obieyisi earlier at the rally, said the event did stir emotions about Jermain Charlo, a Dixon woman who will have been missing for two years next month. Charlo's case is one of many that has served as fuel for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement in Montana, which argues law enforcement has lacked a sense of urgency for missing persons cases from Indian Country.

"That's heartbreak that we have to live with. I can relate to that," Alyssa Kelly said. "Jermain Charlo holds a place in my heart, always, when I fight racial injustice. I have to teach them (her children) how to speak for themselves and their peers and all of us."

Speakers on the courthouse steps urged those who attended the rally to bring the message to the surrounding communities. The entire crowd joined in song for "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and "Lean on Me," and then re-energized over a collective "Black Lives Matter" chant. Later in the morning, as news spread that Derek Chauvin, the fired Minneapolis police officer, had been charged with Floyd's murder, many cheered. But then another chant began: "That is not enough."

Tony Edwards, a black man living in Missoula, formerly of Great Falls, said he felt happy to see so many white community members at Fridays rally. It's a long way from Minnesota, but they are connected by gathering for the same purpose, he said.

Its the circle of life. Were all connected, whether they know it or not," Edwards said. "The ones that hate, the ones that love. Were all connected as humans.

Video by Ben Allan Smith.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 11 Funny 5 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Most Americans consider their freedom of speech to be sacrosanct because it has been codified into law in the Bill of Rights, in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The famous exception everyone knows it that you cant yell Fire! in a crowded theatre -- in other words, you arent free to inspire panic within the general public. But what if the general public has already panicked, and the speech being suppressed is actually trying to calm people?

Recently a disturbing video of Dr. Ivette Lozano at an Open Texas! rally appeared, claiming that pharmacists have refused to fill prescriptions of hydroxychloroquine unless the physician violates the patients right to privacy and reveals the specific purpose of the medication. The demand is not only illegal, it is immoral -- these alleged medical professionals are refusing to dispense medicines for purely political reasons, if her claims are true.

A brief Internet search confirms that Dr. Lozano is a practicing physician in Dallas, Texas. According to WebMD, she has experience treating bronchitis, asthma, and other respiratory disorders, therefore the odds are that she knows what shes talking about and is telling the truth about pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions of hydroxychloroquine, presumably just because President Trump talked about it and revealed that he has been taking the medicine as prophylaxis against the Wuhan coronavirus. The best argument against prescribing the drug should be that it is unproven as a treatment for this specific illness, but frankly, thats not a very good argument because the anecdotal evidence and early studies suggested otherwise. The argument that the drug is potentially dangerous is rather ludicrous, considering that it has been safely and successfully used to treat malaria for longer than Ive been alive, and that covers sixty years. The drug has also been successfully used off label to treat other maladies such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, making the exaggerated concerns about the use for treatment of COVID-19 patients somewhat ridiculous. So why is Lozano's video available only on African YouTube?

On the internet, there are explosive and informative interviews with doctors and immunologists such as Dr. Dan Erickson and Dr. Dolores Cahill and short documentaries like Plandemic that provide an interesting alternative perspective to the conventional wisdom of how best to resolve the current COVID-19 crisis. The problem is knowing where to look for them.

According to the conventional wisdom of the powers-that-be, the unprecedented pain and suffering caused by shutting down most of the global economy has resulted in a flattened curve that saved millions of lives all over the world, so the benefit was worth the price weve paid. Is that true? It must be, because thats what all the experts have said! Only the experts youve been allowed to hear have said its true, but you wouldnt know otherwise because the information you are allowed to see on social media is being filtered.

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki declared that her company will censor any information that fails to conform with the message of the WHO by flatly admitting, Anything that would go against World Health Organization recommendations (on COVID-19) would be a violation of our policy. In other words, we are now supposed to trust and depend on the United Nations as our only source of information. Who believes WHO? Only fools and Susan Wojcicki.

YouTubes entire track record on censorship is lousy. Conservative voices such as Dennis Prager, Steven Crowder, Candace Owens, and many others have seen their content disappear and revenue streams disrupted because liberal social media companies have effectively blackballed them. The actor James Woods has had his Twitter account with 2.3 million fans suspended or blocked multiple times for violating Twitters politically correct restrictions on speech with factually true (but unpopular) information.

Whats even worse, parent company Google can and will frequently bury fair-and-balanced information several pages deep in the search results to create the impression that there is only one side to the story. Only the most persistent, willing to go as many as twenty or thirty pages deep in the search results to find dissenting opinions, but they do exist.

Not to be outdone, Facebook recently has begun fact-checking posts from conservative voices and censoring content -- remember the Ukrainian whistleblower, Eric Ciaramella, whom John Roberts refused to name during President Trumps impeachment trial? Everyone who wanted to know his name could find out because Adam Schiff had carelessly neglected to black out his name from hearing transcripts, but Facebook made a policy of deleting any posts naming Ciaramella under the pretense of protecting him from retribution. Angry Trump supporters soon figured out that the way to circumvent the censors was to create a post naming Ciaramella as the whistleblower and taking a screen shot of it, deleting the post, and then posting the screenshot. The robot censors can only read typed text, not text in photos.

Problem solved. Humans will always be able to outsmart computers programmed by humans; it is the nature of that inanimate beast. Unplug a computer from its power source and it quickly becomes as dumb as a brick, but not as useful.

The only authority figures whose opinions have been solicited and disseminated to the public during the current crisis have been Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci. We have no reason to doubt their credentials as experts, but do we have any reason to question their judgment?

At minimum, we have ample reason to wonder if the coronavirus shutdown was ever necessary. Dr. Lozano, Dr. Erickson, and Dr. Cahill would also appear to be equally qualified to offer medical opinions on COVID-19, but they arguably have something much better than theory and computer simulations to support their counterargument; they have actual data from their experiences with treating patients. It seems the more data we collect and the more we learn about the virus, the more it seems that the panic-driven shutdown engineered primarily by Fauci with support from Birx has actually done much more harm than good.

More cynical (and paranoid) conspiracy-minded conservatives will probably note that Dr. Birx is married to former to Bill Clinton advance man Paige Reffe, and Dr. Fauci wrote a couple of fawning love notes to Hillary Clinton, possibly calling their motives into question. In my opinion, they are merely human beings, capable of mistakes like the rest of us. Any motives that led to their mistakes dont have to be nefarious. Unless someone can produce ironclad proof that the shutdown was manufactured to deliberately harm President Trumps reelection chances, we should give everyone the benefit of the doubt and assume no malice was involved when bad decisions were made, but we must be allowed to question whether the decisions were right.

Sundance at the Conservative Treehouse just revealed that Twitter has begun fact-checking President Trump, starting with his recent tweets about mail-in ballots and the potential for voter fraud -- a small box with an exclamation point suggests that the reader Get the facts about mail-in ballots from them. As Sundance noted, By taking this position, Twitter has put themselves into the position of arbitrating the opinions of general speech.

Jack Dorsey (Twitter), Susan Wojcicki, and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) are free to think whatever they want, but they simply cannot be allowed to control and shape public opinion by censoring the Internet. By merely claiming readers will be getting facts by clicking on their link added to President Trumps tweet, they have implied that readers will not be getting facts simply be reading what the president typed.

John Leonard is a freelance writer and author of Always a Next One, an award-winning collection of short stories about fostering dogs and animal rescue. You may connect with him on Facebook (hes a friend of Corn Pop!) or contact him through his website at southernprose.com.
There is still a certain physical charm about Georgetown even as it has seen changes like any other rural community.

This Saturday, Georgetown will be the focus of an awareness-building exercise.





Andre Liverpool, a well-known cultural and social activist who has deep ancestral roots in Georgetown, will take to the site where once upon a time a branch of Barclays Bank was located, to mount what he calls STAGE - Stand Tall Again, Georgetown Environment.





It is, he said, an attempt to rekindle interest in the town, considered the second town in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and to highlight the need to protect its environment.





Liverpool thinks it is time that Georgetown be recognized not only for what it was  the home of the Sugar Industry etc. - but also for its other agricultural endeavours, its commerce, its diverse ethnicity, its culture, its services (Diagnostic Centre) and its unique environment.





Interestingly, to add even more significance to the occasion, STAGE is being mounted on the birthday, May 30, of this countrys foremost cultural/musical ambassador  the late Ellsworth McGranahan Shake Keane, who, irrefutably, left a huge indentation on the Vincentian cultural and literary landscape, and may still be far from being rightfully honoured in his homeland.





Shake was also principal of the now closed Bishops College Georgetown, after he was dismissed by the St. Vincent Labour Party Government as Head of the Cultural department.





This is just a small beginning, Liverpool said, which he hopes would morph into a wider involvement and effort.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-30 06:51:53|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Friday adopted resolutions to renew the mandates of peacekeeping or political missions in Somalia, Iraq and Sudan's Darfur, and to extend sanctions against South Sudan.

Resolution 2520 authorizes African Union member states to maintain, till Feb. 28, 2021, the current level of 19,626 uniformed personnel, including a minimum of 1,040 police personnel, for the African Union Mission in Somalia, to support security preparations for elections due at the end of 2020 or the beginning of 2021, and to conduct tasks in line with an updated Somali-led transition plan and the handover of security to Somali security forces.

Resolution 2521 decides to renew for a year, till May 31, 2021, an arms embargo on South Sudan, and a travel ban and asset freeze against individuals. The Security Council decides to carry out a midterm review of the measures no later than Dec. 15, 2020, and expresses its readiness to consider adjusting the measures to respond to the situation.

Resolution 2522 decides to extend the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq till May 31, 2021.

Resolution 2523 decides that the United Nations-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) shall maintain its current troop and police ceilings till June 3, 2020, and that during this period UNAMID shall maintain all team sites for mandate implementation.

The Security Council expresses its intention to decide by June 3, 2020, courses of action regarding the responsible drawdown and exit of UNAMID, and further expresses its intention to adopt a new resolution at the same time, establishing a follow-on presence to UNAMID. Enditem
Validation of Type II Variation will allow Takeda to commence launches in Europe later this year

The pre-filled syringe presentation is designed to enhance the treatment administration experience for HAE patients receiving TAKHZYRO

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) ("Takeda") today announced that the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion on a Type II Variation regulatory application and recommended the approval of a pre-filled syringe presentation of TAKHZYRO (lanadelumab). TAKHZYRO is a subcutaneous injectable prescription medication approved in Europe for routine prevention of recurrent attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in patients aged 12 years and older. HAE is a rare genetic disorder that results in recurrent attacks of oedema swelling in various parts of the body, including the abdomen, face, feet, genitals, hands and throat.1,2,3

"Our goal is to continuously innovate in all areas of HAE management," said Isabel Kalofonos, Global Product Strategy Lead, HAE, Takeda. "This positive opinion marks another important step forward as we aim to enhance the experience of treatment administration for people receiving TAKHZYRO. We look forward to bringing the pre-filled syringe innovation to the HAE community in Europe, starting later this year, and continue to progress plans to expand to other geographies in future months."

TAKHZYRO received European approval in November 2018 based on results of the Phase 3 HELP (Hereditary Angioedema Long-term Prophylaxis) Study, which measured the reduction in the number of mean monthly HAE attacks in patients receiving treatment with TAKHZYRO versus placebo.4 It is currently available as a 300 mg solution for injection, presented in a vial. The pre-filled syringe is a next generation fully assembled presentation that requires fewer preparation steps than the current TAKHZYRO vial injection, while also reducing supplies and waste.

The EMA's Type II Variation to the terms of the marketing authorisation is for medicines that have some type of change, such as administration method, but it does not involve a change to the medicine's active substance. The CHMP opinion states that the European Commission (EC) decision will be adopted within 12 months, and under the terms of this Type II Variation, Takeda can proceed to commence launches of the TAKHZYRO pre-filled syringe in Europe later this year.

Further regulatory submissions for the pre-filled syringe presentation are under review or planned in other countries during 2020 and beyond.

About Hereditary Angioedema

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder that results in recurrent attacks of oedema swelling in various parts of the body, including the abdomen, face, feet, genitals, hands and throat. The swelling can be debilitating and painful.1,2,3 Attacks that obstruct the airways can cause asphyxiation and are potentially life threatening.2,3 HAE affects an estimated 1 in 50,000 people worldwide. It is often under-recognized, under-diagnosed and under-treated.1,5

About TAKHZYRO (lanadelumab)

TAKHZYRO (lanadelumab) is a fully human monoclonal antibody that specifically binds and decreases plasma kallikrein activity. TAKHZYRO is produced in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells by recombinant DNA technology.6

TAKHZYRO is formulated for subcutaneous administration and has a half-life of approximately two weeks in patients with HAE. TAKHZYRO is intended for the self-administration or administration by a caregiver, only after training by a healthcare professional.6

TAKHZYRO Safety Information for Europe

Please consult the TAKHZYRO Summary Product Characteristics (SmPC) before prescribing. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/takhzyro-epar-product-information_en.pdf.

TAKHZYRO treatment should be initiated under the supervision of a physician experienced in the management of patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE). TAKHZYRO may be self-administered or administered by a caregiver only after training on SC injection technique by a healthcare professional.6

Contraindication

Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients.

Warnings and Precautions

Traceability: In order to improve the traceability of biological medicinal products, the name and the batch number of the administered product should be clearly recorded.

Hypersensitivity reactions have been observed. In case of a severe hypersensitivity reaction, administration of TAKHZYRO must be stopped immediately and appropriate treatment must be initiated.

General: TAKHZYRO is not intended for treatment of acute HAE attacks. In case of a breakthrough HAE attack, individualized treatment should be initiated with an approved rescue medication. There are no available clinical data on the use of lanadelumab in HAE patients with normal C1-INH activity.

Interference with coagulation test: Lanadelumab can increase activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) due to an interaction of lanadelumab with the aPTT assay. The reagents used in the aPTT laboratory test initiate intrinsic coagulation through the activation of plasma kallikrein in the contact system. Inhibition of plasma kallikrein by lanadelumab can increase aPTT in this assay. None of the increases in aPTT in patients treated with TAKHZYRO were associated with abnormal bleeding adverse events. There were no differences in international normalised ratio (INR) between treatment groups.

Sodium content: This medicinal product contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per vial, that is to say essentially 'sodium-free'.

Interactions

No dedicated drug-drug interaction studies have been conducted. Based on the characteristics of lanadelumab, no pharmacokinetic interactions with co-administered medicinal products is expected.

As expected, concomitant use of the rescue medication C1 esterase inhibitor results in an additive effect on lanadelumab-cHMWK response based on the mechanism of action (MOA) of lanadelumab and C1 esterase inhibitor.

Immunogenicity

Treatment with lanadelumab has been associated with development of treatment emergent anti-drug antibodies (ADA) in 11.9% (10/84) of subjects. All antibody titres were low. The ADA response was transient in 20% (2/10) of ADA positive subjects. 2.4% (2/84) of lanadelumab-treated subjects tested positive for neutralizing antibodies.

The development of ADA including neutralising antibodies against TAKHZYRO did not appear to adversely affect the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) profiles or clinical response.

Adverse Reactions

The most commonly observed adverse reaction (52.4%) associated with TAKHZYRO was injection site reactions (ISR) including injection site pain, injection site erythema and injection site bruising. Of these ISRs, 97% were of mild intensity, 90% resolved within 1 day after onset with a median duration of 6 minutes.

Hypersensitivity reaction (mild and moderate pruritus, discomfort and tingling of tongue) was observed (1.2%)

Very common (frequency =1/10): Injection site reactions* Common (=1/100 to <1/10): Hypersensitivity**, dizziness, rash maclo-papular, myalgia, alanine aminotransferase increased, aspartate aminotransferase increased.

*Injection site reactions include: pain, erythema, bruising, discomfort, haematoma, haemorrhage, pruritus, swelling, induration, paraesthesia, reaction, warmth, oedema and rash.

** Hypersensitivity includes: pruritus, discomfort and tingling of tongue.

For full U.S. Prescribing Information, including the approved indication and important safety information, please visit https://www.shirecontent.com/PI/PDFs/TAKHZYRO_USA_ENG.pdf.

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Diseases, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries.

For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com.

Important Notice

For the purposes of this notice, "press release" means this document, any oral presentation, any question and answer session and any written or oral material discussed or distributed by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda") regarding this release. This press release (including any oral briefing and any question-and-answer in connection with it) is not intended to, and does not constitute, represent or form part of any offer, invitation or solicitation of any offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, exchange, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction. No shares or other securities are being offered to the public by means of this press release. No offering of securities shall be made in the United States except pursuant to registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom. This press release is being given (together with any further information which may be provided to the recipient) on the condition that it is for use by the recipient for information purposes only (and not for the evaluation of any investment, acquisition, disposal or any other transaction). Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable securities laws.

The companies in which Takeda directly and indirectly owns investments are separate entities. In this press release, "Takeda" is sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Takeda and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and any materials distributed in connection with this press release may contain forward-looking statements, beliefs or opinions regarding Takeda's future business, future position and results of operations, including estimates, forecasts, targets and plans for Takeda. Without limitation, forward-looking statements often include words such as "targets", "plans", "believes", "hopes", "continues", "expects", "aims", "intends", "ensures", "will", "may", "should", "would", "could" "anticipates", "estimates", "projects" or similar expressions or the negative thereof. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements: the economic circumstances surrounding Takeda's global business, including general economic conditions in Japan and the United States; competitive pressures and developments; changes to applicable laws and regulations; the success of or failure of product development programs; decisions of regulatory authorities and the timing thereof; fluctuations in interest and currency exchange rates; claims or concerns regarding the safety or efficacy of marketed products or product candidates; the impact of health crises, like the novel coronavirus pandemic, on Takeda and its customers and suppliers, including foreign governments in countries in which Takeda operates, or on other facets of its business; the timing and impact of post-merger integration efforts with acquired companies; the ability to divest assets that are not core to Takeda's operations and the timing of any such divestment(s); and other factors identified in Takeda's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and Takeda's other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, available on Takeda's website at: https://www.takeda.com/investors/reports/sec-filings/ or at www.sec.gov. Takeda does not undertake to update any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or any other forward-looking statements it may make, except as required by law or stock exchange rule. Past performance is not an indicator of future results and the results or statements of Takeda in this press release may not be indicative of, and are not an estimate, forecast, guarantee or projection of Takeda's future results.

___________________________

1 Cicardi M, Bork K, Caballero T, et al; on behalf of HAWK (Hereditary Angioedema International Working Group). Evidence based recommendations for the therapeutic management of angioedema owing to hereditary C1 inhibitor deficiency: consensus report of an International Working Group. Allergy. 2012; 67(2):147-157.

2 Zuraw BL. Hereditary angioedema. N Engl J Med. 2008;359(10):1027-1036.

3 Banerji A. The burden of illness in patients with hereditary angioedema. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2013;111(5):329-336.

4 Banerji A, Riedl MA, Bernstein JA, et al; for the HELP Investigators. Effect of lanadelumab compared with placebo on prevention of hereditary angioedema attacks: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2018;320(20):2108-2121.

5 Longhurst HJ, Bork K. Hereditary angioedema: causes, manifestations, and treatment. Br J Hosp Med. 2006;67(12):654-657.

6 TAKHZYRO (lanadelumab) Summary of Product Characteristics.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005288/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Japanese Media

Kazumi Kobayashi

kazumi.kobayashi@takeda.com

+81 (0) 3-3278-2095

Media outside Japan

Emily Bunting

emily.bunting@takeda.com

+41 79 866 9703
Plague, pestilence, misfortune, epidemics, pandemics, and contagions of all kinds have been part of the human existence since Genesis 3 and they always will be, at least until Christ returns. Many people observe these and see signs indicating that the return of Christ is near. That is not true. Rather, these things are reminders of the sinful, fallen state of mankind. These things will simply continue as sober, deadly, loving reminders that eternity must be considered. Jeremiah 42-43 sheds light here.

Jerusalem lay in ruins. The Temple had been destroyed. Many of the Jews had been carried into Babylonian Captivity. Many of the Jews who were left in Judea wanted to flee to Egypt seeking safety and security. They believed that they could get away from the presence of God who was angry with them. Jeremiah, speaking the word of the Lord, warned them not to go but they would not listen. God warned them plainly, that sword, famine, and pestilence would follow them wherever they went. The Jews did not listen. They fled to Egypt and took Jeremiah with them.

Jeremiah 43 is an interesting and pertinent record of events. In Jeremiah 43:8-13, God makes declarations and predictions that give evidence of His sovereignty. Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, 9 "Take some large stones in your hands and hide them in the mortar in the brick terrace which is at the entrance of Pharaoh's palace in Tahpanhes, in the sight of some of the Jews; 10 and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, "Behold, I am going to send and get Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and I am going to set his throne right over these stones that I have hidden; and he will spread his canopy over them. 11 "He will also come and strike the land of Egypt; those who are meant for death will be given over to death, and those for captivity to captivity, and those for the sword to the sword. 12 "And I shall set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he will burn them and take them captive. So he will wrap himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself with his garment, and he will depart from there safely. 13 "He will also shatter the obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt; and the temples of the gods of Egypt he will burn with fire."'" (NASU)

In a stunning declaration of sovereignty, God had Jeremiah hide evidence of a prophecy that Nebuchadnezzar would invade, win victory, and erect his throne in an exact spot. In verse 10, God declares that He will use whatever instrument He desires and there is nothing man can do about it. Verse 11 shows Gods sovereignty through His declaration that fleeing from His decrees is futile. Whatever God intends will come to pass and He includes not only nations but right down to individuals. In verse 13, God gets right to the foundations. God declares openly and without equivocation that He will show His sovereignty over all idols by destroying their sacred obelisks and temples.

If you think Jeremiah 42-43 is an interesting history lesson only, you have missed the point. This is a lesson in current events, current theology, and current idolatry. We attempt to live according to our own desires, thinking that we will escape the discipline of God. We will not escape. We make idols of bad things and good things. We idolize good entertainment and evil entertainment. We idolize safety and thrill-seeking. We idolize freedom and security. Perhaps we should be careful.
A fisherman in the central province of Quang Ngai has been fined more than VND927.5 million (USD40,304) for fishing in Malaysian waters.

According to Phung Dinh Toan, deputy head of Quang Ngai Provinces Fisheries Board, Vo Minh Vuong, 43, is the fishing boat owner in Ly Son Island.

The fishing boat owned by Vo Minh Vuong



In February this year, the boat with 16 people on board left Ly Son for the Spratly Islands. Then the boat continued going to Kota Kinabalu Port in Malaysia to co-operate in fishing activities with a Malaysian person. Vuong was requested to pay USD15,000 per year for the partner to operate in Malaysian waters, so he and crew members on the boat left Malaysia to return to the Spratly Islands.



Vuong changed his boats registration number and turned off the positioning system to avoid being detected by authorities. However, during the contract negotiations Vuong suspected that he would be cheated and left the Malaysian area to return the Spratly Islands.



After that, the boats violation was discovered by the Quang Ngai border defence force.



As a result, Vuong had to pay the total fine of VND927.5 million for his violation. He also had his boat licence to be revoked for nine months. Tienphong/Dtinews

Fishing villages co-exist with development Stretching 90km along the coast over the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An, fishing villages and crowded fishery communities have been around for centuries.
Proposals for the re-opening of creches across the country on June 29 will be discussed by the Cabinet today.

Early Childhood Ireland says funding is badly needed to help providers get their businesses back operating.

Frances Byrne from Early Childhood Ireland outlines some of the industry's concerns including staffing levels and infection control.

She says measures around infection control will be important for the proposed childcare "pods" or groups of children attending creche together.

She says: "What will the requirements be for staffing and if there are to be reductions in staffing or increases in staffing in some rooms, some creches will be set up to absorb that but many will not."

Spokespeople from the childcare sector are also asking ministers to give clarity for how they can reopen and the practicalities of adjusting for business amid Covid-19.

Early Childhood Ireland says its members need to know how many children they can cater for and how many staff can be brought in for the industry's planned reopening on June 29.

There has been no childcare in the state for over two months, with a plan for healthcare workers' children scrapped days before it was due to launch due to a lack of providers who were on board.

Frances Byrne from Early Childhood Ireland says they need financial support to ensure people can get back to work.

She says: "Everybody knows, we have seen it first hand, how vital and important our sector is to the wider economy, in terms of supporting parents to go out and work so the rest of the economy can open."
My Favorite Quotes Recent Quotes

Portfolio Summary Your most recently viewed tickers will automatically show up here if you type a ticker in the Get Quotes box on the top of the page.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Metroparks police arrested two men after officers chased a stolen SUV that police connected to several violent crimes in Cleveland, according to police.

Metroparks police arrested two 18-year-old men on suspicion of leading police on a 14-mile winding chase on the citys West Side, possessing the stolen SUV and weapons possession. Formal charges have not yet been filed.

The incident started about 10 p.m. in the parking lot of Edgewater Beach. A Cleveland police sergeant pulled up next to a Metroparks officer and said he believed the SUV, stolen from Lakewood and used in several violent crimes, was in the parking lot.

The sergeant spotted the car and said it appeared they might try to speed away. The driver sped toward the exit, smashing into a parked car and almost struck the Metroparks officers SUV, according to Metroparks police reports.

The Metroparks officers chased the stolen SUV west on the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway. The SUV drove through several stop signs and red lights and popped its right front tire near West Boulevard near Baltic Avenue.

The chase hit speeds of more than 65 mph in residential neighbors on near Detroit Avenue and West 65th Streets, according to police. The chase went south on West 25th Street and onto Interstate 71 south.

The SUV exited at the Fulton Road ramp, went north on Fulton and to West 41st Street. They drove through a bank parking lot on West 43rd and Clark, stopped briefly but sped up again. They eventually drove the wrong way down a one-way street before getting back on West 25th Street.

Metroparks officers tried to surround the car and force it to stop, but the driver drove over a curb and through a grassy field on West 34th Street.

The driver made two quick turns and stopped on West 33rd Street near Dennison Avenue. The driver and passenger ran in different directions. Officers chased both and arrested them.

The passenger had two loaded handguns with him, according to police reports. One was reported stolen from Medina. A fired bullet casing was found inside the SUV.

Read more from cleveland.com:

Man shot to death in school parking lot in Clevelands Tremont neighborhood

Man shot in Clevelands West Boulevard neighborhood dies, police say

DNA links man to beating death of woman found stuffed in Cleveland church stairwell in 2018, court records say
Eric Larsen, president of Maverick Energy Solutions, wears a KN95 mask. The mask is part of the company's new line of PPE (personal protective equipment) products for contractors. LED lighting installers and electricians are interfacing with business owners, in warehouses and offices. With concern over what could be brought into their customers place of business, we knew our distributors needed quality PPE to take care of their customers.

Responding to the tremendous need for masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, Maverick Energy Solutions has launched a new line of PPE (personal protective equipment) products for contractors. With their unique connections and understanding of market challenges, Maverick was able to source two different types of masks in the hands of their customers in only three weeks.

Helping to keep both contractors and customers safe during the pandemic is a top priority for Eric Larsen, president of Maverick Energy Solutions. LED lighting installers and electricians are interfacing with business owners, in warehouses and offices," he said. "With concern over what could be brought into their customers place of business, we knew our distributors needed quality PPE to take care of their customers. That opportunity, to help people and minimize the spread of the virus, drove us to be ready to ship quickly.

The new PPE products include KN95 and a three-ply mask. The KN95 is a white, four-layer mask that filters 95 percent of airborne particles, including dust, smoke, gas, and air pollution. The nose-bridge design and skin-friendly fabric means it can be worn without irritation. The disposable, three-ply mask is soft, comfortable, skin-friendly, and breathable. Both masks are CE marked.

To get the products to the marketplace quickly, Larsen explained that "we leveraged a lot of what we've learned in sourcing LED lighting when it came to procuring the masks. What it takes to be successful in sourcing is having a team that is skilled at evaluating vendors and partners, who knows exactly what our expectations are for quality, how our products have been designed, and are used to making sure we get a product meets our specifications and the specification of our customers. They helped us pull together all the elements very quickly.

Maverick has been doing this for their lighting products for five years. To achieve their goals for the PPE products, they only needed to pivot. We've gotten very good at finding the right partners who understand our needs and can manufacture our products efficiently, who are price competitive, and have the highest quality, Larsen added.

We saw a need where people can't find and get PPE, so we made the decision to move quickly, and we were able to help them out in three weeks rather than the normal 60-90 days, Larsen noted. We supply them with a good product at a good price. At the same time, it helps to fulfill a real need so that people can get back to work. That's a big deal for people to get back to work and feel safe. It means even more to us, to be able to give back and make a difference in peoples lives.

To place an order for PPE, https://maverickled.com/pages/ppe, or call (214) 571-6374.

About Maverick Energy Solutions

Maverick Energy Solutions is based in Carol Stream, Illinois. Theyve carved a niche for themselves over the last five years and are committed to manufacture and distribute high-quality, sustainable, well-designed, and affordable LED lighting for commercial applications. With an elegant design and affordable products that are Install Easy for contractors and electricians, Maverick Energy Solutions has made energy savings their top priority for a greener and brighter future. For more information, visit https://maverickled.com/.
- The speed of clinical trials depends largely on efficient custom software development for database and application design as supported by Arcadia.

LONDON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Where development of vaccines usually takes years, the U.K. could roll out 30 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine as early as September, according to the British government, reports CNBC. Data science and artificial intelligence enables scientists such as the ones at Oxford Vaccine Group and Astra Zeneca to deliver life-changing medicines.

Arcadia works with Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies designing and building high-load web solutions for digitisation, analytics, big data, reporting and AI, integrated with core business software, emphasises data load time, the quality of data and automated data integration process as the benchmarks for a successful project as medical giants tackle increasingly large amounts of data.



Some of the challenges that pharmaceuticals face are in optimising machine learning pipeline to deliver very fast and highly scalable calculation pipeline that uses different machine learning algorithms to learn and predict chemical compound activity to reduce the number of real experiments. As well as big data capabilities, it is crucial to have it possible to handle large amounts of data provided in different types and formats that are common in the scientific community.



As an industry leader in global medical safety custom software, Business Development Director responsible for Healthcare practice at Arcadia, Maxim Draschinsky explains: "Often times the customer has multiple teams with hundreds of people in total, which are involved in pharmacovigilance (PV) process across the globe.



"Since each team is responsible for its own part of the process, historically most of the process data capture was done using a simple set of tools like Excel spreadsheets, Access databases, Word documents, each team having its own set of files. This toolset does not meet present requirements as it slows down employee performance and does not prevent human errors; besides, there is a lot of duplication due to a lack of data integration."



Arcadia's goal is to increase employee productivity and concentrate on real business process tasks instead of spending time on data quality issues.



Arcadia, a multi-million pound British Standards Institute (BSI) certified company that works extensively with Fortune 500 companies provides the full range of custom software development services across sectors from education to pharmaceuticals and from retail to airlines.

For more information about Arcadia, contact

Dmitri Adov, Technical Director

dmitri.adov@softwarecountry.com

+44-127-401-9741

www.softwarecountry.com
TANZANIA, Tanzania - The United States and United Kingdom clashed with China and Russia over Beijings new national security law for Hong Kong during closed Security Council discussions on Friday that reflected increasing U.S.-China tensions.

Diplomats said Chinas U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun accused the U.S. and UK of meddling in the countrys internal affairs and making baseless accusations that the law risks curtailing freedoms guaranteed in the December 1984 Sino-British agreement that led to the 1997 handover of the British colony to China. He called the U.S. the troublemaker of the world and told council members not to make China the enemy, they said.

Zhang also asked what the U.S. would do if China wanted the council to discuss the situation in Minneapolis where an unarmed black man, George Floyd, died after a white policeman knelt on his neck, the diplomat said.

U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft responded that every country has its difficulties and grievances but the difference is that the United Stated is a democracy with the rule of law where people can protest and have democratic rights, which isnt the case in China, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because discussions were closed.

While the Floyd case was not mentioned in Tweets and statements issued by both sides after the council discussion, the issues the U.S. and Chinese ambassadors raised were.

Chinas U.N. Mission tweeted: What deserves the worlds attention: US failure to honour its intl obligations & commitment, US failure to address its racial discrimination, US failure to protect its migrants & their children, US failure to protect its people against gun violence.

Ambassador Craft said in tweets that she urged council members to confront Chinas empty promise to the people of Hong Kong and the UK.

Beijings recent actions threaten Hong Kongs high degree of autonomy and implicate international peace & security, and contradict its obligations under the Sino-British agreement which is registered at the United Nations, she said.

The United States calls on the Security Council and all 193 U.N. member states to join in demanding that China reverse course and honour its obligation to this institution & Hong Kongs people, Craft tweeted.

China blocked the United States and United Kingdom from holding an open meeting on Hong Kong, so they raised the national security laws in the any other businesssession at the end of Fridays council meeting, a procedure which allows the 15 council members to raise other issues in closed discussions.

Chinas U.N. Mission tweeted that the U.S. and UK effort to formally discuss the Hong Kong issue failed because there was no agreement and strong opposition from members of the Security Council.

Russias deputy U.N. ambassador Dmitry Polyansky tweeted that Washington and Londons awkward move was not supported by clear majority of council members, adding that divisive, biased issues which have nothing to do with intl peace & security shouldnt be brought up in the council.

During closed consultations, diplomats said, Russias U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia also raised the Minneapolis incident and the Black Lives Matter movement, and alleged that the West has shipped neo-Nazi Ukrainian provocateurs to Hong Kong, saying Moscow has video evidence.

Britains acting U.N. ambassador, Jonathan Allen, said the U.K. raised Hong Kong because the national security legislation risks curtailing the freedoms that China has undertaken to uphold and if implemented will exacerbate the existing deep divisions in Hong Kong society.

We hope the Chinese government will pause and reflect on the serious and legitimate concerns this proposal has raised both within Hong Kong and around the world, he said.
D onald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at curbing protections for social media giants, amid an ongoing row with Twitter over the fact-checking of his posts.

The US President, as he prepared to sign the order, said the fact checks were "editorial decisions" by Twitter and amounted to political activism.

He and his allies, who rely heavily on Twitter to attack their enemies, have long accused the tech giants of targeting conservatives on social media by fact-checking them or removing their posts.

"We're fed up with it," President Trump said on Thursday, claiming the order would uphold freedom of speech.

It directs executive branch agencies to ask independent rule-making agencies to study whether they can place new regulations on the companies.

"They've had unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide, alter virtually any form of communication between private citizens or large public audiences," President Trump said of social media companies as he prepared to sign the order.

"There is no precedent in American history for so small a number of corporations to control so large a sphere of human interaction."

President Trump and his campaign reacted after Twitter added a warning phrase to two of his tweets that called mail-in ballots "fraudulent" and predicted "mail boxes will be robbed".

Under the tweets, there is now a link reading "Get the facts about mail-in ballots" that guides users to a page with fact checks and news stories about President Trump's unsubstantiated claims.

Mr Trump accused Twitter of interfering in the 2020 presidential election" and declared "as president, I will not allow this to happen".

His campaign manager, Brad Parscale, said Twitter's "clear political bias" had led the campaign to pull "all our advertising from Twitter months ago".

In fact, Twitter has banned political advertising since last November.

Late on Wednesday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted: "We'll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally."

Mr Dorsey added: "This does not make us an 'arbiter of truth.' Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves."

On the other hand, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Fox News his platform has "a different policy, I think, than Twitter on this".

"I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldn't be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online," he said.
PALO ALTO, California, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and European Distribution System Operators (E.DSO) convened more than 250 European, U.S., and other international electric grid company leaders in panel-led discussions of experiences related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and long-term recovery strategies during a joint webcast on May 27. Discussions focused on lessons learned and mitigations implemented, and potential system investments and research to enable a smarter, safer, and cleaner electric grid as a critical component of a more sustainable society.

Panel members were Joao Torres, CEO of EDP Distribuicao; Okko Ziegler, Head of Market Studies, Global Infrastructure and Networks, ENEL Group; Chris Kelly, COO of National Grid U.S. Electric; and Terry Donnelly, President and COO of Commonwealth Edison.

"The electric industry has reliably met customers' energy needs at a time of unprecedented global challenges, due in large part to its commitment to share best practices and to open collaboration," said EPRI Vice President of Integrated Grid and Energy Systems Daniel Brooks. "This webcast connected industry leaders across continents to learn about how others are addressing shared challenges during the pandemic, and together prepare for the future."

"The global storyline of DSO has changed during this emergency. They have proven, especially in Europe, to be highly reliable, with excellent common security and safety standards, granting everybody active sockets and burning lamps. Still, the system has to be kept that way and further improved  anyway," said Christian Buchel, E.DSO Chairman and Enedis Director Clients, Territories and Europe.

This panel discussion builds on a previous E.DSO webinar outlining approaches for dealing with COVID-19 and addressing opportunities in the green recovery.

For more information about EPRI's COVID-19 response and research, please visit its COVID-19 information page.

About E.DSO

E.DSO, the European Distribution System Operators' Association, is the key-interface between Europe's DSOs and the European institutions, and promotes the development and large-scale testing of smart grid technologies in real-life situations, new market designs and regulation. E.DSO gathers 41 leading electricity distribution system operators (DSOs) in 24 countries, including 2 national associations, cooperating to ensure the reliability of Europe's electricity supply for consumers and enabling their active participation in our energy system. How? By shaping smarter grids for your future.

About EPRI

The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization, that conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public, on a non-discriminatory basis. An independent organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and industry to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, health, safety and the environment. EPRI's members represent more than 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to nearly 40 countries. EPRI's principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Dublin, Ireland; and Lenox, Mass.

Contact info

Donald Cutler

EPRI

dcutler@epri.com

650.847.8077

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1138615/EPRI_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Electric Power Research Institute
Lately, to divert public attention on the incompetence of the US government in tackling the novel coronavirus outbreak, some US politicians and media organizations have fabricated a series of inconceivable lies such as Wuhan was the source of the novel coronavirus, in an attempt to shift blame to China as the situation worsens. In fact, it has been a consensus in the international medical community that the place first reporting the outbreak may not be the source of the virus. Through analyzing earlier cases, some European and American researchers found that infections had already existed before the outbreak in Wuhan. It remains a mystery where the novel coronavirus came from. Tracing the origin of a virus is a serious scientific question, which requires joint efforts of both scientists and medical experts through a science-based approach.

Some US politicians repeatedly scapegoat the Wuhan Institute of Virology, saying that the novel coronavirus was created by the institute. However, all existing pieces of evidence have proven that the coronavirus certainly originated from nature, rather than man-made. The P4 laboratory of the Wuhan Institute of Virology is a cooperative project between Chinese and French governments, and the institute hasnt the ability to design and produce the novel coronavirus. Also, there is no evidence that the institute underwent any pathogen leakages and human infections. In the past year, the institute received more than 70 foreign scholars from around the world. As one of the dozens of P4 laboratories across the world, the Wuhan Institute of Virology has always maintained a safe, stable operation.

Some US politicians have got accustomed to smearing China, but the international community already got tired of their groundless remarks. Recently, some international media outlets raised sharp questions: Why the US government failed to contain the outbreak of the virus? Why did it rush to shift blame to China and the World Health Organization (WHO)? Whether did the US hide facts about its domestic epidemic situation?

Not long ago, Les Echos, a French-language financial newspaper based in France, published an article, noting that the Trump administration received criticism for its failures in containing the epidemic, and given that there is only six months countdown to the US presidential election, Trump thus scapegoated China and the WHO to appease public discontent. Spains Publico newspaper pointed out that as the first country reporting the outbreak, China was not only wrongfully criticized for concealing facts but also attacked by conspiracy theorists, and it is evident that the US government stigmatizes and claims indemnity against China to conceal its own mistakes. Even the US-based CNN reported that the US failed to take prompt action and neglect the warnings that many other countries have clearly heard.

More and more international media outlets have realized that since the very beginning, the coronavirus crisis hasnt been merely a public health emergency. The pandemic resulted in countless Americans losing their jobs and huge economic losses. In this context, some US politicians need to shift blame to other countries, and China and the WHO thus became the targets of US scapegoating.

The attempt of some US politicians to stigmatize and scapegoat China will certainly fail. On the contrary, the international community is urging the US government to disclose the truth about its epidemic situation and respond to the following questions.

First, when was the novel coronavirus found in the US? Through anatomizing three bodies of dead infected patients in Santa Clara, California, it is found that the first death caused by the coronavirus in the US is nearly one month earlier than previously announced. Moreover, all of the three patients had never been to China. More suspiciously, an abnormal flu hit the US last autumn. Was it really an influenza epidemic or a coronavirus outbreak?

Second, what have US bio-bases hidden? Unlike the open, transparent operation of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the US has nearly 1,000 biological laboratories that have seen the frequent occurrence of accidents, but the US government has never uttered a single word about those accidents. The Fort Detrick biological laboratory is currently the focus of suspicion. Since 1943, the laboratory has been committed to biological and chemical weapon research and was once considered the largest biological and chemical weapon R&D center of the US military. Last July, it was shut down due to an accident, and its employees were required to practice quarantine. After the coronavirus outbreak, the US public asked the government to reveal the true reason behind the shutdown. However, the glib-tongued US politicians kept silent, not only making no response but also secretly removing relevant information from the internet. The international community wont recklessly conclude whether the novel coronavirus came from the Fort Detrick laboratory. For US politicians, the most imperative thing isnt to shift blame to others, but to discard their ingrained pride and prejudice, urge the US government to take proper action against the rampant outbreak, disclose facts about its domestic epidemic situation, and strengthen anti-epidemic cooperation with other countries including China. If the US government maintains its wrong practices, this will only worsen the situation it faces in both epidemic control and public opinion.
UK firm Primary Healthcare Properties is to invest 18m in the construction of a new primary care centre in Arklow, Co Wicklow.

Primary Healthcare, listed in London, said lease agreements for an initial 30-year term have been signed with the HSE and a local GP practice, which will relocate to the centre when it is complete.

The new building will extend over 5,333sqm.

The deal increases Primary Healthcare's total portfolio to 511 assets, of which 17 are in Ireland. The assets have a gross value of just under 2.5bn (2.78bn) and a contracted annual rent roll of 132m (147m).

Harry Hyman, managing director of Primary Healthcare Properties, said the Arklow building is due to be completed at the end of 2021. He said it will support the HSE's healthcare provision strategy in Ireland, and the company's strategy of delivering modern healthcare facilities on long lease terms with a secure covenant.

Modern

"We have a strong pipeline of opportunities in the UK and Ireland and are well positioned to continue to grow our portfolio and to support the healthcare systems in these markets through the provision of modern, primary care infrastructure," he said.

The company noted earlier this month that 97pc of rents due to it in Ireland by April 1 this year had been collected with less than 100,000 still outstanding.

Primary Healthcare was due to achieve practical completion on two projects in Ireland in April this year. One is a primary healthcare facility in Bray, Co Wicklow, which has been developed at a cost of 22.4m. Another, in Rialto, Dublin, has been developed at a cost of 13m.

Another of the company's developments in Ireland, at Banagher in Co Offaly, is slated for completion towards the end of this year, at a cost of 5.1m.

This month, Primary Healthcare paid 47.1m to buy 20 purpose-built medical centres in England and Wales.

The acquired properties are leased to GP practices and other NHS healthcare operators and pharmacies, with approximately 91pc of the rental income being government-backed.

Primary Healthcare said the Covid-19 crisis will highlight the important role primary healthcare will play in the future.
Facial recognition firm Clearview AI has been sued by the American Civil Liberties Union over accusations of 'an extraordinary and unprecedented violation' of privacy.

The ACLU filed the case in Illinois, with the backing of a consortium of Chicago-based rights groups.

Illinois was the first state in the U.S. to regulate the collection of biometric data, with the introduction in 2008 of the Biometric Privacy Act (BIPA).

BIPA requires companies that collect, capture, or obtain an Illinois resident's biometric identifier  such as a fingerprint, faceprint, or iris scan  to first notify that individual and obtain their written consent.

Clearview AI, founded in 2016 as a facial recognition firm, has been sued by the ACLU for breach of privacy. Clearview's attorney described the law suit as 'absurd'.

ACLU said that their lawsuit was 'the first to force any face recognition surveillance company to answer directly to groups representing survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, undocumented immigrants, and other vulnerable communities uniquely harmed by face recognition surveillance.'

In the court documents, filed in Cook County, Illinois, on Thursday, the ACLU team claim that the facial recognition technology provided by Clearview puts vulnerable people at risk.

What is BIPA? BIPA stands for the Biometric Privacy Act, a law that came into effect in Illinois in 2008.

BIPA regulates how 'private entities' collect, use, and share 'biometric information' and 'biometric identifiers' (collectively, 'biometric data'), and imposes certain security requirements.

BIPA prohibits private entities from obtaining biometric data without informed written consent.

It also prohibits private entities in possession of biometric data from selling, leasing, trading or otherwise profiting from biometric data.

Any person aggrieved is entitled to recover 'for each violation' compensation of $1,000 or actual damages (whichever is greater) for negligent violations; and up $5,000 or actual damages (whichever is greater) for intentional or reckless violations.

BIPA has been challenged several times in Illinois Supreme Court, but remains on the books.

Cases filed in State court have led to significant settlements, some well into the hundreds of thousands, the National Law Review reported.

Washington and Texas have since passed similar statutes, although Illinois's is still considered the most stringent. Source: National Law Review Advertisement

'Given the immutability of our biometric information and the difficulty of completely hiding our faces in public, face recognition poses severe risks to our security and privacy,' they claim.

'The capture and storage of faceprints leaves people vulnerable to data breaches and identity theft.

'It can also lead to unwanted tracking and invasive surveillance by making it possible to instantaneously identify everyone at a protest or political rally, a house of worship, a domestic violence shelter, an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, and more.

'And, because the common link is an individual's face, a faceprint can also be used to aggregate countless additional facts about them, gathered from social media and professional profiles, photos posted by others, and government IDs.'

Nathan Freed Wessler, senior staff attorney with the ACLU's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, described Clearview's technology as 'menacing'.

He said it could be used to track people at political rallies, protests, and religious gatherings, among other uses.

The coalition are asking a judge to order Clearview to delete the images, and inform in writing and obtain written consent from 'all persons' before capturing their biometric identifiers.

Tor Ekeland, an attorney for the company, described the law suit as 'absurd' and a violation of the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech, religion, assembly and protest.

'Clearview AI is a search engine that uses only publicly available images accessible on the internet,' he said.

'It is absurd that the ACLU wants to censor which search engines people can use to access public information on the internet. The First Amendment forbids this.'

Clearview AI has a database of three billion images scraped from social media

Clearview AI was founded in 2016 by Hoan Ton-That, a 31-year-old Australian tech entrepreneur and one-time model.

Ton-That co-founded the company with Richard Schwartz, an aide to Rudy Giuliani when he was mayor of New York.

It is backed financially by Peter Thiel, a venture capitalist who co-founded PayPal and was an early investor in Facebook.

Ton-That describes his company as 'creating the next generation of image search technology', and in January the New York Times reported that Clearview AI had assembled a database of three million images of Americans, culled from social media sites.

The paper published an expose of the company, in which Ton-That described how he had come up with a 'state-of-the-art neural net' to convert all the images into mathematical formulas, or vectors, based on facial geometry - taking measurements such as how far apart a person's eyes are.

Hoan Ton-That, a 31-year-old Australian tech entrepreneur, founded Clearview in 2016

Clearview created a directory of the images, so that when a user uploads a photo of a face into Clearview's system, it converts the face into a vector.

The app then shows all the scraped photos stored in that vector's 'neighborhood', along with the links to the sites from which those images came.

Amid the backlash from the January article, Clearview insisted that it had created a valuable policing tool, which they said was not available to the public.

'Clearview exists to help law enforcement agencies solve the toughest cases, and our technology comes with strict guidelines and safeguards to ensure investigators use it for its intended purpose only,' the company said.

Clearview insisted the app had 'built-in safeguards to ensure these trained professionals only use it for its intended purpose'.

However, in February BuzzFeed reported that Clearview's technology was being used by private companies including Macy's, Walmart, BestBuy and the NBA, and even a sovereign wealth fund in the United Arab Emirates.

The New Jersey attorney general has banned state law enforcement from using Clearview's system, and in March the Vermont attorney general sued.

A hearing has been set for the Illinois case for September.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes The Safe Haven Baby Boxes organization provides new resources for a completely anonymous surrender option to parents who may have fear or feel shame that is associated with a surrender.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes representatives announce the first newborn was legally surrendered in the state under Arkansass safe haven law in a Safe Haven Baby Box at Fire Station #3 in Benton. The Safe Haven Baby Box at this fire station was the first to be available in Arkansas last September and was the 15th Safe Haven Baby Box to be installed in the United States. This is the 7th newborn to be surrendered inside a Safe Haven Baby Box since November 2017.

The Safe Haven Baby Boxes organization provides new resources for a completely anonymous surrender option to parents who may have fear or feel shame that is associated with a surrender, says Founder and CEO, Monica Kelsey, who was also abandoned at birth. We continue to provide this necessary resource of anonymity with 25 active locations and more planned in the coming months. The Safe Haven Baby Box is for women who may be considering this as their only option for a safe surrender, says Kelsey.

The Arkansas Safe Haven law (A.C.A.  9-34-201) allows a parent to bring a child, 30 days old or younger to an employee at any hospital emergency room, manned fire station or law enforcement agency without facing prosecution for endangering or abandoning a child. A parent can also use a safety device (Baby Box) that is installed in the exterior wall of a fire station or hospital to ensure 100% anonymity for the parent. Once a baby is surrendered, the Arkansas Department of Human Services will facilitate an adoption for the baby to be placed in a permanent and loving home.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes mission is to raise awareness of Safe Haven laws, provide support and resources to mothers in crisis, and ultimately to end infant abandonment. The National Safe Haven Crisis hotline (1-866-99BABY1) provides counseling and resources to pregnant women who may be considering a surrender. Since 2016, the hotline has received over 5,000 calls nationwide and from Canada.

Representatives from Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Benton Fire Department, and the Mayor of Benton will be holding a Press Conference Friday morning at 10:30am at Benton Fire Station #3 located at 2717 Edison Ave, Benton AR 72015.

How Can You Help?

After recovering the first surrendered baby in Indiana, many communities rallied to make these life saving resources more accessible, reaching 21 boxes built across the state in just two years. We believe Arkansas should have the same accessibility. Help us install 20 more boxes in Arkansas today! Visit our website for how you can help: http://www.shbb.org/arkansas.

For more information visit our website at http://www.SHBB.org or call 1-888-742-2133.
Africas biggest fund manager, the Public Investment Corp., is willing to convert more than R90 billion ($5.2 billion) of Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. debt into equity.

The proposal has been submitted to South Africas National Treasury by the PIC and its main client, the Government Employees Pension Fund, Chairman Reuel Khoza said in an interview.

The PIC, which manages R2 trillion, worked on a similar proposal in 2018 and 2019, people familiar with the situation told Bloomberg in July last year. The GEPF has invested some extra cash into Eskom directly, Khoza said.

Eskom has about R450 billion in debt and its revenue doesnt match service costs. It supplies almost all of South Africas power.

Making Eskom work is a challenge for the nation, both public and private sector, and it should be all hands on deck, Khoza said. Were working hand-in-hand with the GEPF, because we didnt want to make offers we couldnt back up. Weve given a perspective of what can be done to resolve this conundrum.

The PICs initial plan for Eskom was delayed because of a commission of inquiry into the Pretoria-based fund manager, which in March found senior management flouted internal procedures and recommended sweeping changes to laws that govern the company.

The countrys focus on measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic also contributed to the slow progress, Khoza said.

The PIC previously wanted a say over how to fix Eskoms messy finances, including board representation, people with direct knowledge of those talks said last year. The company on Wednesday named Abel Sithole as its chief executive officer, filling a post vacated 18 months ago by Daniel Matjila.

ENCA, a broadcaster based in Johannesburg, reported the proposal earlier. Eskom and the Treasury declined to comment.
Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office chief has reportedly said that Beijing wants peaceful reunification of the self-governing island under one country, two systems saying it is the best way to bring China and Taiwan together. Speaking at an event at Great Hall of the People, located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square in Beijing, Liu Jieyi said that foreign interference in the reunification will fail, in an apparent reference to the US which has emerged as a strong ally of Taiwan.

Taiwan considers itself as sovereign while China claims the province as Beijings territory under its one-China policy and has been pushing to implement the Hong Kong system in the self-governing island. Hong Kong, a former British Colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997 but on condition of higher autonomy, and Beijing has been offering the same to Taiwan but all major Taiwanese party have rejected it.

'Undermines status-quo'

Taiwans democratically elected President Tsai Ing-wen had said that the self-governing republic wants dialogue with China but can not accept Beijings one country, two systems policy which undermines the cross-strait status quo. During her inaugural address on May 20, Ing-Wen highlighted the complex and changing cross-strait circumstances saying the government has made the greatest effort to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

We will not accept the Beijing authorities' use of one country, two systems to downgrade Taiwan and undermine the cross-strait status quo. We stand fast by this principle, she said.

Read: Taiwan Plans Harpoon Anti-ship Missiles' Purchase From US Amid China's Rising Threat

Taiwanese President said that the government is willing to engage in dialogue with China but will not accept Chinas "one country, two systems". She added that the administration will continue to handle cross-strait affairs according to the Constitution of Taiwan and the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.

Cross-strait relations have reached a historical turning point. Both sides have a duty to find a way to coexist over the long term and prevent the intensification of antagonism and differences, said Taiwanese President.

However, the comment was met with a strong response from Beijing as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said that China would resolutely oppose and deter any separatist activities seeking Taiwan independence. Presenting the work report at the start of the annual meeting of parliament, Li said that Beijing will encourage the people of Taiwan to promote Chinas reunification and oppose the voices that call for independence.

Read: China To Deploy 2 Aircraft Carriers Off Taiwan Coast As It Warns US Of 'cold War': Report

(Image: AP)
For the first time in my career, we have to worry about locals and their perception (of having) visitors in the community. They are a little concerned right now. We have to walk this fine line in the next few months of how do we get our hotels and restaurants back up and running and how do we assure the locals that were not going to flood the communities (with visitors), Batistatos said.
Boris Johnson agreed to to go the G7 summit in person if possible during a phone call with Donald Trump, when they also discussed a post-Brexit trade deal.

Both leaders said it was important for upcoming meeting of the leaders of the G7 group of major industrialised nations should be held in person if possible.

The gathering, which was due to take place in the US in coming weeks, is the annual meeting of prominent Western leaders.

Boris Johnson agreed to to go the G7 summit in person if possible during a phone call with Donald Trump. Pictured, Boris Johnson clapping his hands outside 10 Downing Street during the weekly 'Clap for our Carers' appreciation

This comes after Donald Trump on May 20 he could restore plans to hold the annual G7 summit in person at his Camp David retreat, after previously ordering the event to take place by videoconference.

Following a phone call between the Prime Minister and the US President on Friday, a Downing Street spokesperson said: 'They discussed the global response to coronavirus and the importance of ongoing international co-operation to develop a vaccine.

'On the upcoming G7 Summit, the Prime Minister and President discussed the importance of leaders meeting in the US in person if possible.'

The two world leaders discussed a comprehensive free trade agreement between the UK and the US.

Boris Johnson also invited Donald Trump to a Global Vaccine Summit, which the UK is hosting on 4 June.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: 'The leaders said that China's plan to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong goes against their obligations under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and would undermine Hong Kong's autonomy and the one country two systems framework.

'They spoke about a range of other issues, including the positive discussions between the UK and US on a comprehensive free trade agreement, and telecommunications security.

'The Prime Minister invited the President to take part in the Global Vaccine Summit that the UK is hosting on 4 June to raise vital funds to save the lives of millions of children around the world.'

During the phone call, Boris Johnson also invited Donald Trump to a Global Vaccine Summit, which the UK is hosting on 4 June

The two world leaders (pictured shaking hands during the annual NATO heads of government summit in December 2019) also discussed a comprehensive free trade agreement

The leaders also discussed the progress on reopening the countries' respectively amid the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

They agreed to cooperate in responding to any action in China that goes against the 'will of the people of Hong Kong', as China tightens its grip in planning to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong.

A White House spokesperson said: 'Today, President Donald J. Trump spoke with Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom. President Trump and Prime Minister Johnson discussed progress on reopening the United States and the United Kingdom.

'The two leaders agreed on the importance of convening the G7 in person in the near future. President Trump and Prime Minister Johnson also discussed global and bilateral issues.

'Regarding Hong Kong, the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and agreed to cooperate closely in responding to any action by China that undermines the Declaration or goes against the will of the people of Hong Kong.

'The two leaders also discussed progress on the United States-United Kingdom free trade agreement negotiations and telecommunications security.'
Trends show that food and recipe content is hotter than ever, with South Africans finding their flavour in Woolworths TASTE and Food24, says New Media.

A crowd-pleasing Woolworths Taste recipe

A delicious Food24 dessert

The data is in, and its safe to say that South Africans are in the kitchen and looking to cooking and food-related media for inspiration. South Africas leading content marketing agency, New Media, continues to earn big points in this category. Both, the brand they produce for Woolworths, and its own brandhave enjoyed increased engagement since lockdown began.This follows local and global trends, where isolation and social distancing have both necessitated far more home cooking and given people time to learn and experiment. Many South Africans are also seeking to recreate the magic of eating out at home. SimilarWeb shows that visits to the top 100 cooking and recipes websites worldwide have increased by 33% from February 2020 to April 2020. In terms of the South African audience, total visits for this category increased by a massive 86%, understandably, given the lack of food delivery options under Level 5 of lockdown.Woolworthsandhave matched and even surpassed these increases, with a huge 181% and 78% surge in website users respectively over the past three months. Both brands have experienced a massive increase in their overall audiences as a result., the food authority brand-extension that New Media produces for Woolworths, has been a particularly stellar performer.already had a loyal, engaged following, as one of the best-performing consumer titles over the past few years. Bucking the downward trend in the magazine industry, it routinely enjoys sell-through rates of more than 85%. The 'made at home' May 2020 issue was designed to support those looking for home-cooking inspiration and has inspired an extraordinary amount of letters from readers, sharing their lockdown cooking experiences withNew Media repurposes the print content and produces additional content for taste.co.za as well asand Woolworths social media channels, reaching a much bigger audience. The totaldigital footprint for April reached an unprecedented 952 938, which is up 64% on March and 97% year on year. The website attracted 586 861 unique browsers (up 145% on March and 252% year on year).For Woolworths,plays an instrumental role in positioning the retailer as a food authority and recognising the opportunity to make an impact and help consumers at this time, they increased media budget tos social content in April as well as their own. This resulted in an exponential rise ins Facebook numbers, with 34.7 million people reached and over two million video views.These numbers present advertisers with an incredible opportunity, not only to reach a much larger audience but also to position their own brands alongside one that is providing a real service to consumers at a historic moment in time, says Kelly Cloete, group account director ofat New Media.Kate Wilson, editor-in-chief of thebrand, adds: The engagement we are seeing with this audience is so authentic and that is hugely rewarding for us, as content creators. Sharing recipes and cooking tips from home has become a way for people to connect. This content can provide comfort and warmth despite our isolation. That is very powerful.New Medias own brandhas a searchable database of over 20,000 recipes, which is proving to be incredibly valuable to South Africans during the lockdown.Food24s April web traffic increased by 81.6% month on month, with a reach of 1,308,407  largely due to Easter. The brands total digital audience grew to 1,824,626, a year-on-year increase of 36.9% and a month-on-month increase of 48.5%. In fact, nearly all the key metrics were up in April due to a significant increase in mobile users. Organic search, which went up by 406,049 users, and direct traffic, which went up by 130,114 users, accounts for most of this growth.Together with tech partner Swipe iX, New Media is finalising a brand-new site for. This site will feature a host of new functionality, making it even more user-friendly, and introduce some innovative features.head of content Tessa Purdon says: Im thrilled about this new chapter ins journey. From its early beginnings as a magazine recipe subscription site to currently boasting the largest online food audience in Africa, it continues to serve up content that is relevant, inspiring and accessible. We are committed to making this experience even better and hope that our loyal community joins us as we take this next exciting step.
(Photo : NASA/Handout via REUTERS ) A NASA photo shows a SpaceX Dragon capsule as it is released from the International Space Station in this image released to social media on May 11, 2016. (Photo : Sharon McDougle/NASA) Tom Cruise visited NASA to ride in the Bldg 5 Motion Base.

Pictured l to r: Charlie Precourt, Bill Todd, McDougle, Tom Cruise, George Brittingham.

The director of the supposed first movie to be shot in space said the previously announced action-packed blockbuster might actually impossible to do. This spells bad news for Tom Cruise fans who have been yearning for the actor's next thrilling action film for several years now.

Early this month, NASA confirmed their partnership with SpaceX to film a movie in the International Space Station (ISS). The movie would feature the Mission Impossible star, although it would not be part of the Mission franchise, according to CNET.

Fans worldwide have been eagerly anticipating this movie which "Edge of Tomorrow" director Doug Liman was set to also direct. The film would have made a significant contribution to showing the actual conditions and behavior of physics in space.

However, it was announced that shooting a film beyond Earth would be impossible, this was according to the first-hand experience of the creator of the first movie that was entirely shot in outer space.

Tom Cruise's SpaceX blockbuster may not be an action film after all

In 2008, video game developer and space tourist Richard Garriott, who is also the son of NASA Skylab astronaut Owen Garriott, paid $30 million for a ticket on the Soyuz. Garriott spent two weeks on the ISS as a private citizen where he shot and edited the 5-minute short film "Apogee of Fear" while he was controlling the Soyuz' power systems and adjusting to life on the ISS.

After the experience, Garriott concluded that it is so much harder and slower to shoot in space. "If you think about a movie, the pre-production is critical," he told CNET via a Zoom call.

Garriott also said that the experience of having every shot while in space is far worse than when doing it on-site, even with a large crew. In space, every moment of the crew is more expensive, and "every shot is far harder to get."

Garriott prepared his storyboard and full shot list while on Earth. He also plotted out the astronauts he would need in the scene. He even included movements and dialogues with translations for the Russian cosmonauts aboard the ISS.

However, space continued to throw him hurdle after hurdle. The movement in space is hard to plot as props don't stay in place and sound management is terrible because the fans that circulate air on the ISS make for bad audio.

More importantly, Garriott, who was a first-time filmmaker, found it difficult to move around the ISS. He said that astronauts push their toes on the floor to reach something on another surface. However, if they push too hard by accident, they might end up smacking their "head hard on the other side."

After some adjustments, Garriott learned that space is not for fast movement. If that would be the case, how then can a Tom Cruise movie in space be possible?

Garriott advised the creative team to consider making "A Space Odyssey"-like film, instead of an Armageddon action movie. "The reality of filming in space may mean that either they will find that filming a lot of those action scenes will have been easier on Earth, where it's more controllable, or they will have to adjust what they mean by an action movie," he said.

Read also: Microsoft Unveils Xbox Family Settings: Playstation and Xbox Now Have Parental Controls To Limit Kids Console Usage

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
By contrast, Minneapoliss own police have done little to suggest they can earn the trust of the community they are sworn to serve. They have not released body-cam footage of Mr. Floyds arrest, nor apologized for the specious statement they published about the incident, which elided the fact that Mr. Chauvins knee choked Mr. Floyd. The head of the citys police union, Lt. Bob Kroll, said now is not the time to rush to judgment on Mr. Chauvin or the other officers at the scene, who did nothing to interfere as Mr. Floyd begged for his life.
Meghan King and Jim Edmonds are still battling it out amid their divorce.

The former couple have not been on amicable terms since their split in October 2019 and it's been revealed that Meghan is contesting the terms in the prenup she signed before they married in 2014.

In response, Jim's rep argued that the financial agreement is more than fair.

'Jims prenuptial agreement is valid, enforceable and generous, and we fully expect it to be upheld,' read their statement to Us Weekly.

Fight over money: Meghan King is reportedly disputing the prenup she signed before marrying estranged husband Jim Edmonds

'Meghan and her attorney reviewed the agreement several weeks before the wedding and agreed to the terms. Meghan herself has publicly explained the agreement was done at her urging because she didnt want Jims family to think she was trying to take his money.'

They continued, 'Jim is voluntarily paying Meghan more than three times the amount of child support required by court guidelines. He is letting her live in one of his homes in St. Louis and is paying the mortgage and all the bills for that house. He gives her money for a nanny and housekeeper.

'He pays for almost every single expense related to the children. And he pays half the rent on her Los Angeles beach house. Jim has been beyond generous to Meghan and provides full financial support for his children.'

'We fully expect it to be upheld': Jim's rep argued that the financial agreement is more than fair and listed off what he is reportedly paying for

Meghan responded to the statement asking for privacy.

'Im looking forward to putting this behind me amicably, and I dont wish to discuss the private details of my divorce at this time.' she told Us Weekly.

On a 2015 episode of Real Housewives of Orange County, Meghan explained why she agreed to sign a prenup with the former MLB player.

'Way before we ever got engaged, I suggested him getting a prenup to protect his feelings about our marriage, about where my heart is coming from,' she said.

'And honestly, a big part of the reason, totally aside from the whole marriage thing, why I wanted it is to protect the children because I never wanted the childrens mothers or the children to think that me as their stepmom or as this new person in their life was going to take things from them.'

'He pays for almost every single expense related to the children. And he pays half the rent on her Los Angeles beach house. Jim has been beyond generous to Meghan and provides full financial support for his children.' the rep says

'Jim is voluntarily paying Meghan more than three times the amount of child support required by court guidelines.' he is seen with Hart, one of the three kids he shares with Meghan

Jim has four children from previous marriages; two daughters with his first wife, Lee Ann Horton, and a son and a daughter with second wife Allison Jayne Raski.

Meghan, 35, for the most part, has been staying in LA at the property - which Jim claims he pays half the rent for - with their three children; twins Hayes and Hart and daughter Aspen.

Meanwhile Meghan shared her very first Instagram photo with new beau Christian Schauf on Wednesday.

Confirming the romance herself, the 35-year-old reality alum joked: 'Guess if its in [People Magazine], it must be true... Ill just say this: Im happy and looking forward to writing my next chapter.

It's official! Meghan made things Instagram official with her new boyfriend Christian Schauf on Wednesday

The cute couple shot showed a fresh-faced Meghan and new love wearing matching plaid ensembles while one of their dogs napped behind them.

Christian is Meghan's first relationship since the tumultuous end of her marriage to Jim.

And King said she was excited to see what the future has in store, telling People: 'Like any new relationship, we are looking forward to creating new experiences together and seeing where life takes us.'

The new couple just enjoyed a weekend together in Park City, Utah where Schauf lives.

Baby steps: King said she was excited to see what the future has in store, telling People : 'Like any new relationship, we are looking forward to creating new experiences together and seeing where life takes us.' Schauf is seen above

Breath of fresh air: Meghan got in touch with her outdoorsy side while spending time with Christian over the Memorial Day weekend

Home: They were spending time where he lives in Park City, Utah over the holiday

It seems like she is getting used to his outdoors-y lifestyle.

Sharing a nature-filled photo to mark the start of summer, Meghan joked: 'Memorial Day Weekend plans include: becoming a mountain woman ... brb.'

Though things are still in the early stages, insiders told People things are on the right track.

'Things are still pretty new, but it's going very well so far,' the source said.

Another person close to Meghan told the magazine that the pair had 'instant chemistry' and already have 'a lot in common.'

'She just got out of a long relationship and has a lot on her plate,' they explained. 'This has been a great break from that stress for her. It's nice to see her so happy and wish someone who appreciates her the way she should be.'

Not what it appears: Jim and Meghan's relationship began to disintegrate after explicit text messages between Edmonds and another woman came to light in June 2019

Jim and Meghan's relationship began to disintegrate after explicit text messages between Edmonds and another woman came to light in June 2019.

Though the pair - who parent twins Hayes and Hart and daughter Aspen - were able to move past the scandal, Edmonds filed for divorce by October.

There were rumors of that Jim had been unfaithful with the family nanny Carly Wilson, something both have denied.

Jim has also started dating again, now involved with Kortnie O'Connor, a woman he and Meghan shared a threesome with.
The executive director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Patrick Ky has said that he agrees with Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary that it is safe to fly.

Mr Ky told RTE radios Today with Sarah McInerney show that while prevention could not be 100% guaranteed, but people can go back flying, if specific measures were implemented.

We believe that it is safe to fly if these measures are implemented.

The measures that he suggested be implemented were that masks be worn at all times, a reduced food and drink service, no hot food, physical distancing measures where possible along with hand hygiene and air filtration.

Families travelling together should be able to sit together, he said, but that other passengers should be seated as far apart as possible.

However, he acknowledged that there will be full rows of strangers sitting next to each other, but they will not be sitting face-t-face, he said, there will be face masks and there will be cabin air exchange.

However, Mr Ky cautioned that if anyone suspected that they were ill they should not travel. We believe that it is safe to take flights, but if you have any suspicion of being sick, or if you have been in contact with someone who might have been sick, please dont travel.

If you are not sick, we can reasonably guarantee, but not 100 per cent, that you will not get the disease on board an aircraft or in an airport. But if you are sick, we would like to prevent you from flying.

Mr Ky said he was optimistic that in Europe or at least in the Schengen area people flying for their summer holidays will soon be possible.
Food delivery applications and online meeting software do not only make life more convenient during the epidemic, but also create new momentum for the world after COVID-19. These are only two examples of a series of changes experienced in just a few months. The COVID-19 situation shows that it will be difficult to predict the future, but there are still many opportunities and possibilities for breakthroughs.

A Vietnamese startup which provides clean food at home has successfully raised $100,000 by virtue of quickly adapting to changes. To ensure a solid position in an ever-changing world and take the initiative to move on, this young generation will need to be equipped with a completely new set of skills.

According to the world's leading educators, there are six golden skills to help your child succeed in the new-normal world:

1. Resilience

To put it simple, resilience is the ability to help children stand up and cope with inevitable challenges and problems, so that they can return to their previous lives and become stronger. This is not only necessary when we face great challenges but also helps us control and overcome challenges in daily life in order to reduce stress. To be resilient, children need to be physically and mentally prepared, to know how to develop positive thinking, and to be able to handle different situations. Children will begin to familiarise themselves with this skill by feeling free to express their emotions and to share without limitation.

2. Flexibility and adaptability

To ensure a solid position in an ever-changing world and take the initiative to move on, this young generation will need to be equipped with a completely new set of skills.

These skills allow children to make changes on their own to quickly adapt to a new environment or situation. The skills are not only important for survival but are among the key requirements for the children to work in the future. With global threats and risks about to happen any time, along with the impacts on work, life and habits, flexibility and adaptability will certainly help children to quickly overcome these issues. In addition, these skills help children excel in a globalised and culturally diverse world.

3. Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

This is a modern concept that was fully developed only 20 years ago. Emotional intelligence is the ability to track your feelings and emotions as well as those of others, distinguish them, and use this information to guide your thoughts and actions. EQ consists of five parts: the ability to understand ones self, the ability to control oneself, the motivation (the emotional tendencies that lead or assist in achieving goals), sympathy and understanding of others, and social skills. EQ both helps children to achieve high job performance in the future and creates competitive advantages in leadership, while additionally finding happiness in work and life.

Empathy and listening are two of effective skills to increase emotional intelligence for children

4. Continuous learning

In a fast-paced world, what you know today will change the next day. Without the continuous learning, children will find it difficult to keep track of life while the world keeps changing and they will become passive. Each child has a sense of curiosity and a desire to discover everything around, and it is the job of educators to nurture and develop this ability for a lifetime.

5. Entrepreneurial thinking

Developing an entrepreneurial mindset from an early age will help children to complete important skills throughout their life: goal determination, financial management, problem solving, social interaction, and ways to form an influence. Modern mathematics is one of the most effective subjects that support children form entrepreneurial thinking during the golden age of 3-10 years. Through a variety of lessons from real life such as finding the shortest route between two points and going to the supermarket with a predefined amount of money, children will be acquainted with the important skills of future leaders.

Modern mathematics helps children establish entrepreneurial thinking from an early age

6. Creativity and critical thinking

Social and technological progresses are evolving in minutes, not years. The most important thing to educate children is creativity because this encourages children to actively create and excel in all jobs and create a solid position in the future. In addition, children also need critical thinking to analyse and evaluate information to clarify and verify the accuracy of a problem. This is a crucial skill in a world full of news and information, which supports children to navigate the right direction and make appropriate decisions. Creativity and critical thinking can be formed through participation in diverse games.

ILA helps children develop healthy, well-rounded characters with the skills needed for success and happiness in todays ever-changing modern world.

For more information, dont hesitate to contact Hotline 1900 6965.
Spain will open gradually to tourism this summer, starting with European countries, and will ensure visitors only go to areas that have the coronavirus under control, Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said.

Spain usually welcomes more than 80 million visitors each year, making it one of the most visited countries in the world, with tourism a key part of its economy.

But it has been hard hit by the coronavirus crisis and wants to be cautious as it opens to visitors from July 1, Gonzalez Laya told Reuters.

"In this very atypical year of 2020, we will not be able to behave as usual," she said.

"It's health. It's making sure that we do not import cases as we are trying to control the cases we have in the country. It's very prudent management on our side to make sure we put COVID under control."

Much remains to be decided as to who will be able to travel where and on what criteria, with talks going on first with European countries on when a territory can be deemed safe, Gonzalez Laya said.

"We need to define what is safe. Is it to have 50 infections? Is it four? It's very important that this definition be made at European level, because this is ultimately the guarantee of non-discrimination," she said, calling for common rules on issues such as testing visitors.

Spain is considering opening its own territory gradually to foreign tourism as regions exit lockdown, Gonzalez Laya said.

"We have to consider territories ... that have finished (the lockdown) and reached what we call the new normality," she said. "Only then, we can imagine that these territories will be open for freedom of movement for foreigners."

Asked if this meant hardest hit areas like Barcelona or Madrid could be opened up to foreign visitors after other parts of Spain, she said: "That's what the European Commission has said, consider the possibility that you could do a gradual opening in an asymmetric manner."

Gonzalez Laya declined to say when the rules would be announced. But with the summer season fast approaching, she said she hoped it would be soon "so citizens can prepare".

"We will do the opening in a gradual manner, for us that means starting, obviously, with the European Union ... and even within this area we want to be sure we open to countries or territories that are safe from an epidemiological point of view."
Google brand-impersonation attacks accounted for 4% of all spear phishing attacks in the first four months of 2020, and Barracuda said it expects that number to climb as cyber criminals have success in stealing credentials.

Brand-impersonation spear phishing attacks have always been a popular and successful method of harvesting a users login credentials, and with more people than ever working from home, its no surprise that cyber criminals are taking the opportunity to flood peoples inboxes with these scams, said Steve Peake, UK systems engineer for Barracuda Networks. The sophistication of these attacks has accelerated in recent times; now, hackers can even create an online phishing form or page using the guise of legitimate services to trick unsuspecting users.

Peake recommended that users implement multi-factor authentication steps on all login pages so that hackers will require more than just a password to gain access to your data. He also recommended other methods of protection, including API-based inbox defense, which uses artificial intelligence to detect and thwart cyberattacks.
China claims the right to fish in the waters of some Indonesian islands. After the Philippines, Indonesia is the second country to back a 2016 ruling that rejected Chinas claims. For Jakarta, Beijings Nine-Dash line is contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Negotiations for a code of conduct for navigation in the area have dragged on since 2016.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  Indonesia rejects China's territorial claims in the South China Sea. In a recent letter to the United Nations, the Indonesian government expressed its support for by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which in 2016 ruled that Chinese claims to almost 90 per cent of the vast sea have no legal basis.

Until now, Indonesia has kept a low profile vis-a-vis the territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Only the northern section of the country looks out onto the South China Sea, most notably the Natuna islands.

China is not claiming this group of 272 islands, but believes it is entitled to fish in their waters, something that Indonesia rejects.

On several occasions, the Indonesian Navy had to intervene against Chinese fishing vessels escorted by Chinese Coast Guard and other ships. The latest incident of this kind was reported in early January.

This is the first time that a Southeast Asian country explicitly backs the decision of the Court of Arbitration, whose ruling follows a request by the Philippines.

The Philippines, together with Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, and with the active support of the United States, has challenged Chinas expansionism in the South China Sea. However, this has not stopped China from occupying and militarising some of the area's coral reefs.

For Indonesia, Chinas historic Nine-Dash demarcation line in the South China has no legal basis and violates the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

In a letter to the United Nations last December, Malaysia expressed the same view, urging the UN to define the limits of the Seas continental shelf from its northern coastline. However, Malaysias claims clash with Chinas.

For its part, the Association of Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN) is committed to negotiating a "code of conduct" with China to regulate navigation in the South China Sea.

Such code could help ease tensions, but negotiations have dragged on since 2016 with little results, above all because China refuses to accept the decision of the Court of Arbitration.
Providing undocumented immigrants with emergency loans is a risk, but it's one Point West Credit Union is willing to take, says Steve Pagenstecher, chief operations officer.

Some of the people who have been hit hardest by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are also those who have the least amount of resources and funds available to them.

Point West Credit Union in Portland, Ore., is doing its part to assist undocumented immigrants through an emergency loan program.

The $94 million asset credit union has teamed up with the Northwest Credit Union Foundation, $120 million asset Trailhead Credit Union and $252 million asset Consolidated Community Credit Union, both in Portland, Ore., to offer emergency loans for those affected by the pandemic, including undocumented immigrants in the community.

Undocumented immigrants dont have access to governmental support systemsstimulus checks, unemployment benefits, or Paycheck Protection Program fundsand often work in the hardest hit sectors of the economy such as home care, maintenance, hospitality, or food service.
The main thoroughfare that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the abdomen is known as the abdominal aorta. Strong and thick-walled, this main highway is built to withstand a lifetime of use. But just like expressways traveled by cars and trucks, too much force on its surfaces and exposure to certain environmental factors can cause the vessel to wear and weaken over time - weakening that can lead to abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), a bulge in the aorta wall that has a high risk of rupturing.

Risk of AAA is high in smokers, particularly men over age 50, and there is no cure. Long-term survival is poor, especially for patients with large aneurysms and for those who are not able to undergo surgery to prevent eventual rupture.

But now, new research by scientists at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) suggests that AAA can be prevented therapeutically. In work published online May 28 in the journal Cardiovascular Research, they show for the first time in animals that blocking a molecule known as dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) can stop AAA from developing.

While the molecular mechanism of AAA has been unknown, we suspected a connection with mitochondria, which supply cells with energy. We were interested especially in how processes called mitochondrial fission and fusion impact AAA." Satoru Eguchi, MD, Ph.D., FAHA, Professor of Physiology and Professor in the Cardiovascular Research Center, Sol Sherry Thrombosis Research Center, and Center for Metabolic Disease Research at LKSOM

Fission and fusion are normal processes by which mitochondria divide and recombine to maintain their function. But blood vessel inflammation, which can be caused by smoking, aging, and other factors, causes mitochondria to shift toward fission. This harmful fragmentation process, which is regulated by Drp1, severely compromises the integrity of the aortic thoroughfare - like the subsurface of an expressway crumbling.

Dr. Eguchi and colleagues, including Hannah A. Cooper, an MD, PhD student in Dr. Eguchi's laboratory at the Cardiovascular Research Center and lead author on the new paper, and collaborators at Okayama University in Japan, observed elevated Drp1 levels in the abdominal aortas of human patients with AAA. They also observed similar Drp1 increases in AAA tissues from mice engineered to develop the condition.

To investigate the significance of elevated Drp1, the researchers treated AAA mice with a compound called mdivi1, which acts as a Drp1 inhibitor. Mdivi1 turned out to attenuate AAA development, based on measurement of the diameter of the abdominal aorta and on molecular study of vascular smooth muscle cells. While treated mice still had high blood pressure associated with their condition, mdivi1 completely protected them against aortic rupture.

Drp1 inhibition was further associated with reduced stress responses in vascular cells. These responses included reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and decreased senescence, which is characterized by aging-related cellular deterioration.

Dr. Eguchi thinks senescence may be a driving factor behind AAA. Mitochondrial fragmentation accompanied by decreased mitochondrial function and accelerated vascular aging set the stage for increased premature senescence and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), an aging-related chronic inflammatory condition.

"Human patients and animals with AAA appear young on the outside, but their vascular systems typically show significant aging," Dr. Eguchi said. "Maintaining the mitochondrial fission-fusion balance appears to be fundamental to attenuating senescence and having healthy cardiovascular function. A Drp1 inhibitor may be the therapeutic answer to achieving this goal for persons at risk of AAA."

In future work, Dr. Eguchi and colleagues plan to more deeply explore the mechanisms involved in Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission and fusion and how they tie into AAA and other cardiovascular diseases.
Ukraine and Japan discussed issues of enhancing bilateral economic cooperation.

Ukrainian Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture Ihor Petrashko and Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine Takashi Kurai discussed these issues during a meeting on May 28, the Economy Ministrys press service reported.

The purpose of the event was to discuss trade and economic cooperation and exchange experience in the fight against COVID-19, the report says.

Over three months of 2020, the volume of bilateral trade exceeded USD 273 million, which is 20.7% more than in the same period of 2019. In particular, about USD 51 million worth of goods and services were exported to Japan.

Ukraine is ready to further intensify a constructive dialogue on expanding the range of Ukrainian food products on the Japanese market, Petrashko said.

Ukraines interest in attracting Japanese investment in promising sectors such as IT, infrastructure, agriculture, space industry, environmental protection, solid waste management, renewable energy sources and others was also noted.

As reported, as of December 31, 2019, the volume of Japanese investments in the Ukrainian economy amounted to USD 139.86 million.

ish
She calls it a miracle and he felt divine intervention was at work.

Young cancer-stricken mom Krissa Bissoon cried tears of joy when businessman Derek Chin, himself sick in Miami, offered her a ride home from the Bahamas.

The young mother from Arima, who touched local soil on Monday evening, said yesterday she may never find the right words to thank her sudden benefactor, who was able to stop in the Bahamas on the way from Miami and bring her home.
Ha Cong Tuan, Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, talks on the forestry sectors achievements.

Although the number of forest destruction cases has dropped considerably, illegal forest exploitation and deforestation still happens in some areas.

What are the achievements Vietnam has gained in the four years since implementing Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs decision to close natural forests?

Vietnam has achieved three remarkable achievements following PM Phucs decision to close the natural forests across the country since 2017.

In the period, no case of timber extraction from natural forests or forests which have been certified as international sustainable management forests has been reported.

The transfer of forest use purpose has been tightened and we're only considering the transfer of forest use for important projects serving national defence, security or socio-economic development.

In addition, the National Assembly has revised the Criminal Code and the Law on Handling Administrative Violations to give sanctions to anyone who violates law and order in forest management activities.

From 2016-19, on average, the number of violation cases dropped by some 35 per cent nationwide and the area of damaged forest reduced by 20 per cent. Forest coverage kept increasing with total forest area exceeding 14.6 million ha by late December 2019. Forest coverage is expected to reach 42 per cent by late 2020.

Illegal forest exploitation and deforestation has been reported in Vietnam. Why does this happen and what should authorities do to prevent such illegal activities?

Although the number of forest destruction cases has dropped considerably, illegal forest exploitation and deforestation still happens in some areas.

The key reason is that the exploitation of natural forests has been totally prohibited under law but demand for use of natural wood by some people remains and sources of imported natural wood are limited while illegal extraction of timber has become a very lucrative business.

The lack of management and responsibilities of authorities of areas where forest destruction happens is also to blame, while punishments for violators are not strict enough.

To solve this problem, local authorities should work closely together to ensure strict law enforcement in their localities.

For the time being, local authorities need to focus on the following four missions.

Firstly, the local administration needs to decentralise management over forest protection and development and have clear regulations on the responsibilities of forest owners in case of forest destruction and forest land encroachment.

Secondly, focusing on handling hotspots of forest destruction and taking back forest land encroached or having wrong usage purposes and strictly punishing violators.

Thirdly, local administrations need to pay more attention to raising local peoples awareness of protecting the forest while encouraging people to change their habits of using natural wood products.

And finally, local authorities should pay more attention to improving the livelihoods of people living near the forests.

The Government approved a plan on the protection, restoration and sustainable development of the Central Highlands region from 2016-30. How has the plan been implemented?

That plan was approved by the Prime Minister on March 18, 2019. The key objectives of the proposal are to prevent illegal forest extraction activities and then gradually restore and develop the lost forest. By 2030, the total forest area in the Central Highlands region is expected to reach 2.72 million hectares with forest coverage reaching 49.2 per cent.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued a decision in May 2019 on implementing the plan and giving instructions for authorities of Central Highlands localities to build detailed implementation plans. The localities have all developed specific objectives and detailed implementation plans to ensure their approved targets and objectives in forest protection and development are achieved.

They have also developed their provincial public investment plans for the next five years, from 2021-25, including projects to protect and restore forests. VNS

Central Highlands works toward sustainable forest development The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development held a conference on May 24 to deploy a freshly approved project on sustainable forest recovery and development in the Central Highlands for 2016-2030.

Vietnams forestry sector targets US$11 billion in export Vietnams export of timber and wood products is expected to reach US$11 billion this year, said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong.

Tuyen Quang faces large deforestation Thousands of square metres of protective forest in the northern province of Tuyen Quang's Lang Chua Village have been destroyed, but local authorities and forest rangers say nothing has been done about it.
President of Yemens Southern Transitional Council (STC) Aidarous al-Zubaidi arrived in Riyadh May 19 to address the latest apparent impasse with the government of exiled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

The STC initially said the trip was scheduled to last three days. On May 26, an STC official told Al-Monitor the talks had reached day eight.

The visit is the STCs first since last years Riyadh agreement broke down, with each side blaming the other. Earlier this month, government forces launched attacks against STC positions outside Zinjibar in Abyan province, just 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the de facto capital Aden.

The fighting came after the STC declared administrative autonomy in Yemens south in April, likely a grasp at domestic legitimacy rather than a stroke at genuine secession. But the move has only served to renew the conflict between the ostensible allies, further distracting from their shared fight against Yemens Houthi rebels in the north.

With war-weary Saudi Arabia eyeing a delicate exit to the war and the United Arab Emirates likely to remain deferential to Riyadh's coalition leadership, observers are left wondering how the Saudis will be able to patch up the broken coalition yet again.

The supposed partners have fought numerous times during the current civil war, which has now entered its sixth year and has been dubbed by the United Nations the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

The recent fighting underscores that the STCs deeper grievances will not soon be remedied by another quick fix in Riyadh. From the moment the Riyadh agreement was signed, it was clear that implementation of the deal was going to be problematic, said Hannah Porter, a Yemen analyst at DT Global, an international development firm based in Washington.

The details were vague. This allowed each side to come away from the agreement with two very different ideas of what implementation would look like, Porter told Al-Monitor.

The deal also stipulated security arrangements be carried out on an impossibly short timeline, and did not specify in what sequence certain obligations were to be implemented.

Both sides nominally agreed in November that the STC should give up its heavy weapons and integrate into the Yemeni governments forces. But the STC has refused to hand over its weapons until it reaches a political settlement for inclusion in the government. The government insists the STC give up its weapons first.

Though the November agreement affirmed the STCs place at the table in future UN-led peace talks, the Houthis apparent rejection of a coronavirus cease-fire in April has brought the wider war no closer to the finish line.

Experts say the situation has left the STC with two options if it wants to secure its future in Yemen: It can seize control of the countrys south  which it has so far failed to do  or continue to vie for a seat at UN-led peace talks through a political agreement with Hadi.

The STC is not just going to dissolve the Riyadh agreement, because they would lose their chance at participating in peace talks, said Elana DeLozier, a research fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Thats why they likely will not give up their weapons unless a deal to include them in the government is faithfully implemented with Hadi, DeLozier told Al-Monitor by phone. Although the Saudis can bring the Yemeni president to the table, there is no indication they can force him to compromise, she has argued.

At least publicly, Hadi remains defiant. The recent offensive in Abyan was aimed directly at the STCs already limited leverage in the south. And with an unclear role in Yemens future, observers say Hadis intentions are not always easy to discern.

For all the challenges, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appears to have few other options. Saudi Arabia cannot simply exit the war unilaterally without risking further Houthi consolidation, potentially leaving the Iran-linked Zaidi Shiite rebels in control of a state armed with ballistic missiles on Saudis southern border. Meanwhile, the Houthis stand to benefit from each subsequent day of coalition infighting.

Furthermore, if the STC is left out of future UN-led talks between the Hadi government and the Houthis, it could potentially act as a spoiler to a peace settlement, DeLozier said.

No matter how the current meetings in Riyadh turn out, some of the STCs grievances against Hadis government will almost certainly endure.

What is often described as Yemens war within a war has deep roots in South Yemens civil war in 1986. The bad blood between Hadi and the STC is personal, congealed when the southerner president  then North Yemens defense minister  led the war effort against the independent south in 1994. The STC accuses the government of neglect, corruption and mismanagement to this day.

On the one hand, you have a set of completely legitimate grievances on the part of southerners who want to reinstate their own independent country, Porter said. On the other hand, there is no realistic plan in place for South Yemen or South Arabia to be its own country. Regional and international players would need to buy into this idea of secession, and I don't see that happening.

Gerald Feierstein, former US ambassador to Yemen and fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said he believes southern Yemens deeper grievances cannot be adequately addressed until the broader war with the Houthis ends.

The first order of business is to stabilize the economy and get everyone back to the negotiating table, Feierstein told Al-Monitor by phone. Thats going to take some time. You need to settle the big war first.

"Until that happens," he said, there wont be any kind of economic stabilization or post-conflict reconstruction.

Yemeni history is replete with negotiations and agreements, none of which have ever actually been implemented because the parties never had the intention of following through on commitments, Feierstein concluded. Therefore, you are constantly reinventing the wheel.
The Spanish Cabinet on Friday approved a guaranteed minimum income scheme set to help 850,000 vulnerable families. It is not the first welfare program of its kind in Spain: there are already 17 different schemes in Spain run by each of the regional governments. But the distribution of this aid is very uneven and only reaches around 300,000 homes. The new scheme from the Social Security Ministry will nearly triple that figure. It will also be compatible with existing regional aid, according to Social Security Ministry Jose Luis Escriva.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Finance Minister Maria Jesus Montero called the guaranteed minimum income scheme a giant step in the fight against inequality in our country. The program aims to lift around 1.6 million people out of extreme poverty, a group that represents 12.4% of the population, compared with the EU average of 6.9%. And 26.1% of the population is at risk of poverty, meaning that they are living on less than 60% of the median income, or 8,871 a year.

Today is a historic day for our democracy, added Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias, who is the leader of the leftist Unidas Podemos, at the press conference. Today this government is showing that its political choice is social justice and that it takes the [Spanish] Constitution seriously.

The plan for a guaranteed minimum income dates back to December 2019, when the Socialist Party (PSOE) and Unidas Podemos struck a governing agreement after the inconclusive results of the November general election. In this deal, the parties agreed to create a general mechanism to guarantee earnings for families with no or low income.

The coronavirus crisis accelerated the plan and in April, the government released the first details of the minimum income scheme, which is set to cost the government 3 billion a year. Drafts of the welfare program have been seen by several ministries, regional governments, social organizations and even associations that work with potential recipients. These texts are not final, meaning some of the details may change when the royal decree is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE). This is what is known so far about the minimum income scheme and how it will work.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible, claimants will have to be of legal age and under 65, given that above that age there are non-contributory pensions that pay out a minimum of 462 a month. If the beneficiaries live alone, they must have been emancipated for at least three years and be at least 23 years old, according to a draft to which EL PAIS has had access. Other drafts set the age at 21. If the claimant has been a victim of abuse or human trafficking, this requirement is omitted.

In theory, the payment will be made out to a single individual, but destined to the entire household. To be eligible, families must be in a vulnerable financial situation. A family is defined as vulnerable when their monthly income is 10 or more below the minimum income for their situation.

Are migrants eligible?

Yes, migrants who have been living legally in Spain for at least a year can apply for the guaranteed minimum income.

How much is the minimum income?

There is not a set amount, as payment depends on a familys income and their overall situation. The lowest rate will be 462 a month for adults who live alone, and the highest 1,015. But the scheme will complete family income to those levels, rather than paying out that amount.

How is a familys income calculated?

A familys earnings are calculated based on their net income from the previous year. This does not include grants or rental assistance. Given that this method could leave out the economic victims of the coronavirus crisis, the latest draft of the scheme includes an additional provision which takes into account a claimants income from this year. This provision will be in place for all of 2020. The decree also considers setting conditions to assess an individuals loss of income in a year, so that they do not have to wait for the following year to claim the minimum income.

A familys assets, such as property and savings, is also calculated toward their income. But this does not include the family home.

Do claimants need to be looking for work?

Social Security Minister Escriva has said on many occasions that it is his intention to make the minimum income scheme compatible with paid work as a way of fighting against work poverty. Those who are not employed must be registered as job seekers in public employment offices. This requisite has been rejected by the Association of Social Services Managers, who argue that many of the main potential beneficiaries are unemployable due to their personal circumstances, such as drug addiction and mental health problems. The document opens the door to allowing some exceptions to this rule, but it must be done through a new regulation.

Who will manage the scheme?

The National Social Security Institute (INSS) will be in charge of managing the scheme in all regions of Spain except Navarre and the Basque Country, where the government has reached a deal with the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) to give the region control of the welfare program.

From next year onward, another 15 regional authorities could reach an agreement to also manage the scheme.

How will it be funded?

The figures provided by Escriva suggest that the program will cost around 3 billion a year, to be funded through government transfers to the Social Security system. In order to get local governments involved in managing the program, these will be allowed to add a 5% expense in personnel costs.

English version by Melissa Kitson.
The reclusive 78-year-old Mr Brockman made his fortune supplying software and services to the automotive industry. In 2006 he purchased rival company Reynolds and Reynolds for $US2.8 billion. That company  still privately owned by Mr Brockman  has its headquarters in Ohio with offices in Texas, where Mr Brockman lives. In 2013 Mr Brockman shot to prominence with the announcement that the A. Eugene Brockman Charitable Trust (started by his late father in 1981) was donating $250 million to a tiny liberal arts college in rural Kentucky. At the time Mr Tamine was quoted saying that the donation, one of the country's largest ever, was in recognition of Mr Brockman Snr's appreciation of "the tremendous impact" Centre College had on his son Bob whose "drive and ambition were empowered" by his two-year experience there. Embarrassingly for the college, two months later it had to announce that the donation was not going ahead as it had been contingent on a business deal that had not yet been completed.

"There were all sorts of things we didn't anticipate and couldn't address in time," said the trustee Mr Tamine. Mr Brockman has been a major donor to Republican and conservative causes. Three separate companies, all with the same post-office box in Ohio, each donated $333,333 to Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. Robert T. "Bob" Brockman, a reclusive Texan billionaire, is allegedly the target of a major US tax probe. Described as a tough, hard-nosed businessman who prefers to litigate than negotiate, Mr Brockman in 2014 launched an unsuccessful lawsuit in the Texas Supreme court to uncover the identity of "Trooper"  a blogger who had been posting critical comments about the billionaire.

According to court documents, the blogger said Mr Brockman was a "lunatic" and a "crook" and likened him to Bernie Madoff, who was jailed in 2009 for running the biggest Ponzi scheme in US history. The court rejected his efforts to unmask "Trooper". Of late Mr Brockman's legal team appears to be hitting some hurdles in Bermuda. On March 26 Chief Justice Narinder Hargun handed down two related judgments. The first related to the control of SJTC which the court heard was the corporate trustee administering "a very valuable trust, the A. Eugene Brockman Charitable Trust". The dispute centred on the appointment of two new directors. In an ex parte hearing in November, at which Mr Tamine was not present, lawyers for SJTC accused him of "stealing trust assets of the value of more than $US20 million". They feared the appointment of the two new directors was to "derail" any investigation into Mr Tamine's activities, the court heard. Mr Tamine's lawyers claimed the proceedings were designed to discourage him from assisting the US tax probe into Mr Brockman.

Queensland solicitor Glenn Ferguson has been appointed a director of trust company based in Bermuda. His US attorney Michael Padula filed an affidavit saying that, as a "co-operating witness", Mr Tamine was aware that the "tax and money laundering investigation" by the DOJ and the US Internal Revenue Service suggested the suspected tax evasion by Mr Brockman was "more than US$2 billion of unreported gains". The judge noted Mr Padula's belief that if the matter proceeds to trial "it will be one of the largest tax evasion cases by individuals in US history". Although Mr Tamine had resigned as a director of SJTC shortly after his house was raided, the trust is wholly owned by his company Cabarita  which late last year appointed two of his associates as directors of SJTC. One of the new directors is solicitor Glenn Ferguson, a past president of the Queensland Law Society, whose current business interests include Global Meth Solutions, a device for landlords to tell if their property is being used as a drug den.

The other is James Watlington, a barrister of 40-years' experience in Bermuda. SJTC's lawyers accused Mr Tamine of appointing the two directors to "hijack" the investigations into his activities or to glean SJTC's litigation strategy. The third director of SJTC, James Gilbert, filed an affidavit in which he expressed concern that if he was outvoted by the two new directors there was "extreme" danger they could have "access to the trust funds." In a judgment partially redacted because of an unspecified confidentiality order, Judge Hargun ruled in Mr Tamine's favour and found that Mr Ferguson and Mr Watlington had been validly appointed in October 2019, and that there was no suggestion they had colluded with Mr Tamine or had done anything dishonest or improper. He found that when SJTC took action to have their appointments overturned, it had done so without proper authority. Meanwhile in a separate judgment also delivered on March 26 and also in Mr Tamine's favour, Judge Hargun was critical of the attempts by lawyers for Mr Brockman's charitable trust to stop the Bermudan police from reviewing the seized documents. Given that it has been nearly two years since the DOJ request was received by the Bermuda authorities, the judge directed that the inspection of the seized material should be undertaken "expeditiously." Mr Tamine and Mr Brockman declined to comment. The Herald sought comment from Mr Ferguson.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 11:18:23|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

GENEVA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. authorities must take "serious action" to halt police killings of unarmed African Americans, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said Thursday, condemning the killing of an African American while in police custody in Minneapolis.

George Floyd died on Monday evening shortly after a white police officer held him down with a knee on his neck though the black man in his 40s repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe."

This is the latest in "a long line of killings of unarmed African Americans by U.S. police officers and members of the public," Bachelet said in a statement.

"Procedures must change, prevention systems must be put in place, and above all police officers who resort to excessive use of force, should be charged and convicted for the crimes committed," to ensure that justice is done when they do occur, she said.

Welcomed the government's decision to prioritize an investigation into the incident, Bachelet expressed concern that similar probes in the past had resulted in questionable justifications for killings.

"The role that entrenched and pervasive racial discrimination plays in such deaths must also be fully examined, properly recognized and dealt with", she said.

While empathizing with the anger unleashed by Floyd's killing, the high commissioner called on people in Minneapolis and elsewhere to protest peacefully.

"I urge protestors to express their demands for justice peacefully, and I urge the police to take utmost care not enflame the current situation even more with any further use of excessive force," she said. Enditem
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government has not taken a decision to go for a stricter lockdown mode to fight the coronavirus, a senior minister has said, even as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country topped 64,000 on Friday.

Information Minister Shibli Faraz said the government was also satisfied over the situation in the hospitals.

He said that though there were reports that certain hospitals were receiving an increased number of COVID-19 patients, the overall situation was 'satisfactory'.

The load on a few hospitals was more because of the general trend in the public to go to one or two main and famous hospitals, the minister told the Dawn newspaper.



CLICK HERE FOR COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES

Faraz said a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan was informed that presently there were 404 critical patients in the country out of which 161 were on ventilators which meant they still had a large number of ventilators available for serious patients.

He said there was no need to panic as 'we are comfortably placed and well-equipped'.

The minister said the number of COVID-19 patients was still less than what they had previously estimated.



ALSO READ: Coronavirus cases in Pakistan cross 64,000-mark, death toll soars to 1,317

Pakistan's coronavirus cases on Friday reached 64,028 with 2,636 new patients while the death toll climbed to 1,317 after 57 people lost their lives in the last 24 hours, the health ministry reported.

Responding to a question, he expressed his concern over reports of violations of SOPs (standard operating procedures) by the public but said there was no decision to impose a 'stricter lockdown' in the country.

He said the lockdown was not sustainable in a country with more than 150 million poor population.

'The situation is tricky. We are very closely monitoring facts and figures which will basically become our guide,' he said.

Faraz said there was no confusion among the government ranks or in the mind of the prime minister about the need for continuing economic activities in the country.
Russia's foreign ministry said on Friday the situation in Libya was continuing to deteriorate and that a ceasefire there was in tatters, the RIA news agency reported.

The ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said outside help to players in the conflict had altered the balance of power on the ground in Libya, the Interfax news agency reported.

Russia is in contact with all sides in the conflict and will insist the conflict is resolved through diplomatic means, she was cited as saying.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


This groundbreaking transdermal system and Circularitys new FDA-approved pharmaceutical-grade mini (14.5g) cartridges are expected to play a crucial role in the fight against COVID-19 for treating oxygen-starved, at-risk patients with underlying medical conditions.

An emerging biotech leader with operations in more than three dozen countries, Circularity Healthcare has announced its Series A fundraising campaign to raise growth capital as it prepares for its impending initial public offering. Poised to become a leader in proprietary circulatory health and noninvasive drug delivery technologies, the company has built a global infrastructure with impressive strategic partners in preparation for ramped-up manufacturing and marketing of its patented and patent-pending DOXYVA noninvasive rapid drug delivery devices, and DOXYVA-branded mini, single-use medical gas (gasotransmitter) cartridges.

This groundbreaking transdermal system (which in human studies has been shown to significantly improve oxygen-rich blood flow) and Circularitys new FDA-approved pharmaceutical-grade mini (14.5g) cartridges are expected to play a crucial role in the fight against COVID-19 for treating oxygen-starved, at-risk patients with underlying medical conditions. The DOXYVA-branded cartridges, the worlds first mini carbon dioxide cartridges approved by the U.S. FDA (and manufactured at the worlds largest specialty pharmaceutical gas producers FDA-audited factory in Pennsylvania), will be sold to doctors, clinics, and hospitals nationwide to treat a wide variety of conditions that can benefit from cellular and tissue oxygen therapy.

The fundraising campaign comes on the heels of Circularitys expanded multi-year, multi-country, multi-site, pivotal human clinical trials led by David G. Armstrong, professor of clinical surgery at the University of Southern Californias Keck School of Medicine, and newly launched COVID-19 clinical trials led by H. Geoffrey Watson, M.D., of Oakland, California. The COVID-19 trial will focus on treating the most at-risk COVID-19 patients, 90 percent of whom suffer from low blood oxygen levels resulting from underlying conditions like diabetes, hypertension, blood pressure, cardiovascular complications, sepsis, and septic shock.

A big part of the science behind DOXYVA are the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine-winning findings that showed how oxygen levels affect cellular metabolism and physiological function, paving the way for oxygen to be used as a promising new method to fight many diseases, including various types of cancer.

Circularity estimates that the total cost of the yearly treatments for the most critical and vulnerable millions of COVID-19 patients will amount to roughly $70 billion, and that more than 90 percent of deaths can be avoided. The company is also expected to capture a share of the COVID-19 vaccine market with its ability to deliver vaccines painlessly without needles (using its DOXYVA transdermal delivery system) and with likely much higher efficacy. This is especially ideal for patients who are averse to needles.

Circularity is also nearing updated FDA approval because of its expanded pivotal diabetic foot ulcer human clinical trial. The trial has already produced promising evidence to support the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of Circularitys patented DOXYVA device and pharmaceutical-grade carbon dioxide as an adjunctive treatment in speeding up the healing of diabetic foot ulcer wounds. The device uses medical-grade carbon dioxide delivered painlessly and gently through skin pores to significantly increase the oxygen-rich blood flow necessary for vital organs to function well.

We are well-positioned right now for exceptional, immediate, and long-term growth, says Circularity Healthcare president and CEO Norbert Kiss. We have strategic partnerships with a combined market capitalization of over $100 billion to support our massive growth trajectory.

Unlike many companies in our current challenging economic climate, we have minimal debt on our balance sheets, significantly improved asset valuation, a rapidly growing customer base, and an established, large supply chain virtually all inside the United States, propelled by massive demands for many years to come, with an estimated current inventory retail value of millions of dollars, says Norbert .

The growing demand for home healthcare and point-of-care options is expected to trigger a rise in demand for packaged medical-grade gases and equipment. The global medical gas market was valued at $7.5 billion in 2016 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 9 percent during the forecast period until the year 2024.

Due to growing concerns about aging, obesity, and diabetes, Research and Markets in December 2017 estimated that the global market for chronic wound care equipment would grow from $18 billion in 2017 to $22 billion by 2022. The United States accounts for 35-40 percent of the global market and is expected to grow at 7 percent CAGR. In contrast, DOXYVAs mass-market adoption will offset billions of unwanted healthcare expenditure, considering that a single diabetic foot ulcer standard of care in the United States annually costs about $30,000 in indirect and direct costs on average per person.

Eighty percent of cases still result in amputations, and 80 percent of amputees die within three years of amputation. This is the potential future for about 10 million people if DOXYVA treatment is not adopted. Circularitys pivotal human diabetic foot ulcer clinical trial centers on healing diabetic foot ulcers at one-tenth of the time and cost of competing modalities, while achieving zero reports of adverse side effects after eight years.

We can produce devices for 100 million households and cartridges in various sizes for over 300 million people within 18 months with our dedicated production lines, says Kiss. Furthermore, Circularity is exploring the opportunity to work with the U.S. government to make the initial millions of applications widely available and affordable to those who need it most. This could generate roughly $50 billion in sales revenue from devices and $70 billion in sales of our drugs.

The companys clinical trials are led by some of the most respected medical professionals at top universities in the country, including the University of Southern California, Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Drexel University College of Medicine. Additionally, Circularity is represented by the leading FDA team at K&L Gates LLP (Circularitys main global, corporate, regulatory, and IP law firm since its inception) and works closely with regulatory teams from the worlds largest specialty pharmaceutical gas producers.

DOXYVA is currently available for use in hospitals and at home (over the counter) through its Investigational Device Exemption status under FDA regulations. The company has seen impressive growth volumes over the past two months, with pending orders from some of the largest hospitals and healthcare networks around the world for its regulated DOXYVA-branded products, and an 86 percent repeat customer rate for orders of its over-the-counter products.

This is in line with our original scheduled launch of our comprehensive PR, sales, and marketing campaigns, combined with the anticipated release of our clinical evidence, says Joel Ellis, national VP of sales. We have been aggressively expanding sales operations by continually hiring new sales representatives in virtually all areas of our business.

Along with adding to its sales team, Circularity is launching half a dozen new clinics with leading doctors this week, with plans to multiply those new clinics to expand to hundreds of locations nationwide within the coming months.

The Series A fundraising is open to venture capitalists, private equity investors, qualified institutional buyers, angel investors, and angel investor groups. Potential investors can contact the company directly at (626) 817-6698. For more information on the clinical trials, please visit - https://doxyva.com/covid-19/.

Forward-Looking Information:

This press release may contain forward-looking information. This includes, or may be based upon, estimates, forecasts and statements as to managements expectations with respect to, among other things, the quality of the products of Circularity Healthcare, LLC, its resources, progress in development, demand, and market outlook for non-invasive transdermal delivery medical devices. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is given and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those initially projected. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the launch of a new medical device, innovation and market acceptance uncertainties, fluctuating components and other advanced material prices, new federal or state governmental regulations, the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future and other factors. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and Circularity Healthcare, LLC assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. Circularity Healthcare, LLC makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of this press release and shall have no liability for any representations (expressed or implied) for any statement made herein, or for any omission from this press release.

About Circularity Healthcare, LLC

Headquartered in Pasadena, California, Circularity Healthcare is an emerging biotech leader around the world in proprietary circulatory health and noninvasive skin delivery technologies. Since 2011, the company has been committed to radically changing the standard of care and improving lives by developing, manufacturing, and marketing affordable medical devices and pharmaceutical products to promote consumer health and wellness. For more information, please visit https://doxyva.com.

About Norbert Kiss

CEO and Co-Founder Norbert Kiss leads the Circularity Healthcare team, and spearheaded the development of the companys technology and business platforms. Norbert has nearly a quarter of a century of executive and entrepreneurial experience, both domestically and in more than 60 countries involving startups; think and do tanks; and large brands in technology, intellectual property, regulatory affairs, and sales and marketing. He has been involved in the transdermal and cardiovascular space for more than a decade.

Connect with DOXYVA on Social Media:

https://twitter.com/doxyvahealth

https://www.facebook.com/DOxyva

https://www.instagram.com/doxyva_health/

https://www.youtube.com/c/circularitydoxyvas

For media inquiries (including interview requests with leading medical experts), please contact:

Jennifer Boadila-Palaez

Jennifer.Boadilla@doxyva.com

(626) 244-8090
India now has the worlds ninth worst coronavirus disease (Covid-19) case count as the number of those infected in the country rose to 165,799 and its death toll crossed Chinas official count, data has shown.

At least 213 countries and territories across the globe have reported more than 5.8 million cases of Covid-19, which originated from Chinas Wuhan, and a death toll of 360,332.

The United States is the worst hit with more than 17 lakh cases followed by Brazil, Russia, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France and Germany. While Turkey is now ranked 10th, China is at 14th place and below Iran, Peru and Canada.

India has also become the most affected country by the coronavirus disease in Asia, according to websites that tracks the number of cases across the world.

According to data from the government and the US Johns Hopkins University dashboard, India has reported nearly double the number of Covid-19 cases in China at 84,106.

The US also has the highest number of deaths with more than 1 lakh fatalities, followed by the UK, Italy, France, Spain, Brazil, Belgium, Mexico, Germany and Iran in the top 10.

India is ranked 13th now after Canada and Netherlands at the 11th and 12th places, respectively, in terms of fatalities. India also surpassed China with as many as 4,706 deaths, compared to 4,638, the data showed.

India on Friday reported 7,467 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours in the highest single-day surge and 175 deaths, according to the Union health ministry.

This is the first time India has reported more than 7,000 cases in a single day and the surge in the Covid-19 numbers comes just days ahead of the fourth phase of the lockdown is scheduled to end on May 31.

According to the health ministrys dashboard in the morning, there are 89,987 active cases of the coronavirus disease.

The recovery rate has gone up to 42.88% as 71,105 people, up from 67,691 patients on Thursday, have warded off the respiratory disease, health ministry data showed on Friday.
Authorities in Nova Scotia were warned back in 2011 that a man who went on to shoot and kill 22 people last month, including an RCMP constable, had expressed his desire to kill a police officer and had a stash of guns, according to recently released records.

The redacted May 2011 report, earlier obtained by CBC News, says someone who knew Gabriel Wortman had informed police in Truro, N.S., that he was upset about how a break and enter at his home had been handled by police and that he wants to kill a cop.

It said he had a number of rifles and a handgun stored in his home and could be travelling with a handgun.

Source advised that (Wortman) is under a lot of stress lately and is starting to have some mental issues, reads the report. Source advised that they have seen the firearms and stated that (he) stores the handgun in his night stand beside his bed.

Truro Police Chief David MacNeil told the Star on Friday that a member of the public came forward with the information and it was taken seriously by the department, which sent it to the Criminal Intelligence Service of Nova Scotia (CISNS).

MacNeil said CISNS would have verified the quality of the information then sent out a bulletin to other departments. The matter would then be the responsibility of the authorities where the future gunman lived. At the time of the report, MacNeil said, Wortman had a cottage in Portapique but lived in Dartmouth, N.S.

The denturist fatally shot 22 people more during an April 18-19 rampage he undertook while dressed as an RCMP officer. The violence began at his home in Portapique before spreading across 100 kilometres of Nova Scotia. He was eventually shot to death by police at a gas station.

The Star has asked the RCMP and the Halifax police for comment on the report.

Meanwhile, two more names have been added to a proposed class-action lawsuit launched by victims and their relatives against the estate of the gunman.

Clinton Ellison and Ryan Farrington are relatives of three people killed.

Ellisons brother, Cory, was killed in the attack. Ellison is also suing for injuries he himself sustained while fleeing the gunman, said a statement from the law firm representing the plaintiffs.

Farrington is the son of Dawn and Frank Gulenchyn, who were killed.

Three companies owned by the gunman, Berkshire Broman, Atlantic Denture and Northumberland Investments, have also been added as defendants in the suit.

Patterson Law said 21 of the 22 families who lost loved ones in the attack and seven people who were injured have now joined the suit.

Read more about:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has received credentials from Ambassadors Toily Atayev of Turkmenistan, Hashem Hassan Dajani of Palestine, Antonio Machado of Portugal and Elmira Akhundova of Azerbaijan, according to a statement posted on the website of the President's Office.

At a meeting with the Turkmen ambassador, Zelensky congratulated Atayev on the beginning of his mission in Ukraine and expressed confidence that both sides would take effective steps to further develop mutually beneficial cooperation between Ukraine and Turkmenistan.

"The sides noted the interest of Ukraine and Turkmenistan in intensifying political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between the two countries. Special attention was paid to strengthening cooperation in the construction sector. The president of Ukraine expressed hope that the spread of COVID-19 would not obstruct plans to strengthen the bilateral dialogue and handed over an invitation to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to visit Ukraine," the statement reads.

At a meeting with the newly appointed Palestinian ambassador to Ukraine, the parties discussed the current state and prospects of bilateral relations, emphasizing the importance of further expanding trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

"Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine's readiness to remain a leading supplier of food and agricultural products to the Palestinian market. The parties noted with satisfaction the successful development of cooperation in education and Ukraine's significant contribution to training national personnel for Palestine," the President's Office said.

In a conversation with the Portuguese ambassador, Zelensky thanked for Portugal's consistent support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and the EU's sanctions policy against Russia.

The president said that Portugal was an important partner of Ukraine in cooperation with the EU and NATO and expressed hope for effective cooperation with the Portuguese presidency of the EU in the first half of 2021.

Zelensky stressed the potential for increasing bilateral cooperation, in particular in the trade and economic sphere. He expressed hope that the joint Ukrainian-Portuguese commission on economic cooperation would continue its work as soon as it is possible to do so.

According to the statement, the parties noted the important role played by the Ukrainian community in Portugal in building relations between the two countries. Zelensky praised cooperation with the Portuguese side in meeting the cultural needs of the Ukrainian community in Portugal. He also expressed hope for a full and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the death of Ukrainian citizen Ihor Homeniuk at the Lisbon airport and the prosecution of those responsible for the tragedy.

In addition, Zelensky congratulated Akhundova on the beginning of her work in Ukraine. The president noted the dynamics and practical content of the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani strategic partnership. He praised the friendly gesture of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the entire Azerbaijani people regarding the humanitarian aid provided to Ukraine on May 21, 2020 to overcome the coronavirus pandemic.

The head of state stressed the traditionally effective cooperation between Ukraine and Azerbaijan on the international stage and noted the need to provide additional impetus to cooperation between the two countries in the GUAM format.

During the meeting, the parties stressed the importance of further strengthening the trade, economic and investment components of bilateral cooperation, in particular through the practical implementation of investment projects in Ukraine with the participation of Azerbaijani businesses.

op
The owner of a Dublin-based restaurant, pub and hotel group has been ordered to pay 104,000 to an ex-girlfriend for her unfair dismissal from the business.

The two first met 31 years ago and were in a relationship for 10 years. After their relationship ended, the two remained best friends and the company boss is the godfather of the womans only daughter.

The unnamed woman started working at the business 26 years ago and the business has grown from a small bar to a large business today made up of bars, a hotel and spas, apartments and restaurants - one of the groups businesses includes a hotel and bar in Dublin.

For the first 10 years of the business, the two ran the business together and at the time of her unfair dismissal, the complainant was employed as Operations Director.

In her hard-hitting ruling, WRC Adjudication Officer, Niamh OCarroll Kelly found that the unnamed business owner took advantage of his personal relationship with the complainant in an attempt to force her out of the company so as to ensure minimal financial impact on the company.

Ms OCarroll Kelly stated that the company owner went so far as to use his relationship with the complainants daughter to force her to accept a wholly inadequate package to secure her exit from the company.

Ms OCarroll Kelly stated: I am satisfied, she was subjected to a prolonged campaign of verbal abuse, stonewalling, bullying, intimidation, and emotional manipulation all of which were at the very serious end of the spectrum.

She was shouted at, sworn at, emotionally blackmailed, emotionally manipulated, stonewalled by her colleagues on the instruction of her employer, intimidated by her employer on countless occasions, bullied into accepting inadequate settlement/ redundancy packages.

Ms OCarroll Kelly stated that she was fully satisfied that it will be some considerable time before the complainant will recover from the treatment she was subjected to at the hands of her former employer.

Ms OCarroll Kelly stated that she also accepted that having never worked anywhere else and never having done any courses when the complainant worked for the respondent, she will need to up-skill and work on her interview skills with a view to handling the inevitable question in relation to how her employment ended.

Ms OCarroll Kelly stated that the complainant was totally blameless in relation to her dismissal.

Ms OCarroll Kelly made the findings and ordered the company to pay the Operations Manager two years' salary after hearing uncontested evidence from the complainant concerning her treatment.

The woman recalled how she met in a pub at Monkstown last summer with the business owner where the man put forward an exit package.

The woman told the WRC that the man asked her how many best friends do you have?

She stated that he knew that her best friend, who had worked for him, died the previous year.

She stated that he then said: I am your best friend now and if you take the redundancy, it will remain that way and I will remain in your daughter's life.

She stated that he followed that by saying: I got advice on the matter. I am willing to, and capable of, taking the hit of two years of your salary. You dont have anything, lawyers are very expensive and I will drag this out for over a year."

She stated that he then offered her 60,000. When the complainant didn't respond he said what is it going to take to get you to leave? Come on; humour me...Name your price; everyone has a price.

She stated 150,000 and in reply, he said: That's my girl, now look, we're just talking about money.

She stated that he then said: Worst-case scenario for me is two years and I am willing to take the hit.

I am going to fire you tomorrow and you wont be working out your notice. Give me your phone and your car keys.

She asked how she would get home and she recalled he said: I don't care.

They met the following day where the owner gave her a termination letter and when she read the termination letter, it said that she had been terminated because she lacked capacity.

She stated that this horrified her. She told the WRC that she has been emotionally destroyed due to the treatment she has received at the hands of the company owner.

Prior to her unfair dismissal, the Operations Director was involved in the purchase, setting up and running of several premises acquired in well-off areas of the northside of Dublin for the business.

She was also the interior designer in relation to the apartments that had been purchased and she carried out the interior design of the company owners private home.

The problems in the business relationship between the two started in March 2018 arising from a new business on the northside that was facing public objections and had gone over-budget.

She stated that the company owner confronted her concerning the performance of the business and told her what are you f**king going to do about it. We have spent so much f**king money on this place, what are you going to f**king do about it?"

While in his car, she stated that she was exhausted and in response, he told her:

Well you can fucking go now, get the fuck out of here. Get the fuck out of my car now.

The Operations Director went on holiday and while on the break, she called a guest who had an upcoming event at one of the business's venues and he was surprised to hear from her as he heard that she had left the business.

No one at the business was taking her calls and when she met the company owner, he told her to concentrate on a different business in the northside where he wanted the revenue increased by 1m for the following year.

The woman stated that the company boss then went on to say that the complainant was past it and had lost her grip on everything and at your age you should be taking it easier.

She stated that because she had built a northside business from the ground up, she wanted to work an exit strategy.

In her evidence, the woman provided detail on other encounters with the company owner and related how after one, she was so distressed that when she pulled up into a petrol station, she put petrol and not diesel into her car as she couldn't think straight.

She stated that after her return from holiday last July, the company boss told her that they had a new general manager and that they would be making her position redundant. She stated that the first exit offer was 30,000 plus her car.

The company didnt contest the former Operations Directors claim for unfair dismissal but did claim that she failed to mitigate her loss and she was cross-examined on this by solicitors for the company owner at the WRC hearing.

However, Ms OCarroll Kelly stated that there was no action or omission on the part of the complainant that contributed to her financial loss.
According to the EOW, the accused colluded with the former promoters of Religare Enterprises, Malvinder Mohan Singh and Shivinder Mohan Singh. (Image: Reuters)

The Singapore Court of Appeals has rejected a plea by former Ranbaxy promoters Malvinder and Shivinder Singh that sought to set aside an arbitral award of Rs 3,500 crore against them, CNBC-TV18 reported.

In a decision that favours Japanese drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo, the court refused to set aside the arbitral award payable by the Singh brothers. The court upheld the damages decided by a Singapore arbitration tribunal in 2016.

This was the last possible legal recourse for Singh brothers, who now have to pay Rs 3,500 crore to Daiichi Sankyo.

"This judgment has brought finality to the appeal proceedings in this case. We can now proceed forward with focused enforcement of the Arbitral Award and to recover for our client, Daiichi Sankyo," Anand Pathank, who represented Daiichi Sankyo said, as quoted by CNBC-TV18.

The damages related to misrepresentation of data by Ranbaxy to expedite drug approvals.

In 2008, Daiichi Sankyo purchased a 34.82 percent stake in Ranbaxy from the Singh brothers for $2.4 billion.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 693 new cases Friday, raising the statewide total to 70,735.

Across Pennsylvania, there have now been 5,464 deaths tied to COVID-19, including 91 new fatalities reported Friday. About two-thirds of Pennsylvanias coronavirus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, including nursing homes.

The health department released new data Friday; the numbers reflect coronavirus cases and deaths reported as of midnight. There are 366,970 patients who have tested negative, the department said.

Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said this week the decline of new cases has been encouraging, especially as the state has ramped up it testing. This marks the 19th consecutive day the state has reported fewer than 1,000 new cases.

Fewer coronavirus patients are being treated in hospitals, according to the health department, and she said earlier this week more than 60 percent of those who are known to be infected have recovered.

Most of those infected with the coronavirus recover without hospital treatment and suffer relatively mild symptoms. But the virus can be serious for seniors and those with underlying health conditions.

As new cases have declined, Gov. Tom Wolf has been gradually reopening Pennsylvania in recent weeks. Wolfs reopening plan has three phases: red, yellow and green. Wolf is expected to announce more counties moving to the green phase later today.

Nursing homes

Statewide, 3,517 coronavirus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, according to the health department. The deaths in those facilities account for 64 percent of Pennsylvanias COVID-19 fatalities.

Lawmakers and advocacy groups have pressed the Wolf administration to do more to protect nursing home residents and staff. The state is ramping up testing in nursing homes and the Pennsylvania National Guard is offering assistance in some facilities.

There are 15,335 residents of long-term care facilities who have tested positive for COVID-19, along with 2,565 employees.

Cases have been found in 603 long-term care facilities in 44 counties, the health department said.

Across Pennsylvania, 5,280 health care workers have contracted the virus.

Reopening Pennsylvania

On Friday, Dauphin County and seven other counties entered the yellow phase, which allows more businesses to reopen, with some restrictions. These other counties moved to the yellow phase Friday: Franklin, Huntingdon, Lebanon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, and Schuylkill.

As of Friday, 57 of the states counties have been lifted from the states stay-at-home order.

Also Friday, the first counties have moved into the green phase, which is the least restrictive. These counties have gone green: Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, and Warren.

Wolf has said he anticipates the remaining 10 red counties will be lifted from the stay-at-home order by June 5. They include Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery; Berks; Lancaster; Lackawanna, Lehigh and Northampton.

More from PennLive

An Election Day like never before: Mail-in balloting, new voting machines, multi-day counts for Pa.'s primary

Coronavirus reopening in Pa.: What to expect if your county moves to the yellow or green phase on Friday

Delayed notice of Pa. lawmakers COVID-19 diagnosis spurs outrage, calls for investigation

Massive unemployment scam strikes up to 58,000 people in Pa., far more than previously known

A window of hope during the coronavirus pandemic: More portraits of how central Pennsylvania is coping, week 8

What will fall look like at central Pa. colleges? For now, plans are in limbo
New Delhi: Heavy rains lashed the national capital and neighbouring areas on Friday (May 29) evening, bringing respite to people reeling under intense heat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the current weather condition will sustain over the Delhi-NCR region till June 1.

"Delhi`s AQI is likely to improve further to the lower end of moderate to the satisfactory category in the next two days. The wind direction is not favourable for any significant dust transport to Delhi," IMD added.

According to the IMD, the Southwest Monsoon advanced into some parts of the southwest and the southeast Arabian Sea and some more parts of the Maldives-Comorin area. "Conditions are becoming favourable for further advance of Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of south Arabian Sea, Maldives-Comorin area, southwest and the southeast Bay of Bengal during next 48 hours," it said.

Meanwhile, under the influence of a Western disturbance and an east-west trough in lower tropospheric levels, rain/ thunderstorm accompanied with lightning, hail and squall at isolated places have occurred over the Western Himalaya region and adjoining plains during last 24 hours, said the IMD.

"As a result, maximum temperatures over plains of north India and central and west India have fallen by 3-4C during the past 24 hours. Maximum temperatures over Uttar Pradesh, north Haryana, and north Punjab have fallen by 5-7C during the past 24 hours," it said.

It further stated that scattered to fairly widespread rain/thunderstorm accompanied with lightning, hail, and squall at isolated places likely to continue over Western Himalaya Region and adjoining plains during the next 3 days and reduce significantly thereafter.

"Heatwave conditions abated from most parts of the country yesterday except Telangana and Vidarbha. No heatwave condition likely to develop over any parts of country from 30th May to 2nd June," it added.

It added that heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over parts of south peninsular India from 29th-31st May 2020 with isolated Heavy to very heavy rainfall over Kerala, Coastal Karnataka and south interior Karnataka during 29th-31st May and over Lakshadweep during 30th May- 01st June 2020.

According to the National Weather Forecasting Centre of the India Meteorological department:

Latest satellite imageries indicate that the well-marked Low-pressure area over the west-central Arabian Sea off south Oman and east Yemen coasts has concentrated into a depression over south coastal Oman and adjoining Yemen and lay centered at 1430 hrs IST of today, the 29th May 2020 near latitude 17.5N and longitude 54.0E, about 50 km north of Salalah (Oman) and 240 km northeast of Al Ghaydah (Yemen).

It is very likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 12 hours. It is very likely to move north-northwestwards during the next 24 hours and west-southwestwards thereafter.

The IMD also issued warnings:

Rainfall: No adverse weather is likely over the Indian land areas, with the first system, as it is located over south coastal Oman and is expected to move over Oman and Yemen during the next 48 hours and dissipate there.

Wind warning: Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph very likely to prevail over the west-central Arabian Sea along & off South Oman  Yemen coasts during the next 48 hours.

Sea condition: The sea condition is very likely to be rough to very rough over the west-central Arabian Sea along & off South Oman  Yemen coasts during the next 48 hours.

Fishermen warning: The fishermen are advised not to venture into over the west-central Arabian Sea along and off South OmanYemen coasts during the next 48 hours. In view of the likely development of the second low-pressure system over southeast & adjoining east-central the Arabian Sea, Fishermen are advised not to venture into southeast and adjoining the east-central the Arabian Sea from 31st May, until further advisories.
KAMPALA  State Minister of Foreign Affairs Oryem Okello has revealed that remittances from abroad are the highest foreign exchange earner for the country followed by gold and coffee.

Okello made the revelations while presenting the sectors performance in the NRM manifesto.

He said reports from the World Bank indicate that in 2018, the diaspora contributed USD 1.23bn to the economy compared to USD 1.16bn in 2017.

This makes remittances from abroad as the highest foreign exchange earner for the country followed by Gold at 1,069,110,000 and Coffee at USD 416,190,000 respectively, he said.

The minister who said the sectors performance is at 90% noted that the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project was launched at Hoima and Mutukula.

A commitment was secured from China on funding the Malaba  Kampala SGR Project subject to resolving issues with Kenya and China on extending the line to Malaba from Naivasha, he said.

He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs participates in meetings as a member of the Project Development Committee regarding the oil refinery.

In April 2018, Uganda signed a Project Framework Agreement (PFA) with the Albertine Graben Refinery Consortium. This Agreement has firmly put in place a framework for designing, developing, financing and operating the refinery in Hoima, he said.

Okello said that on the promotion of tourist sites to attract more tourists to Uganda, the Ministry through its Missions Abroad continues to participate in major exhibitions to showcase tourism products such as China International Tourism Industry Expo (CITIE), Annual World Travel Market in London UK, ITB Berlin and Indaba-South Africa among others.

Accordingly tourism revenues have grown from USD$1.37bn in 2016 to USD$1.453bn in 2017 and reached USD$ 1.6bn in 2018, he said.

The minister further revealed that Cross Border Movement has been enhanced with the use of national identity cards across the three states of Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda.

Free Movement of Labour and Free Movement of Services. Stop Border Posts along the Northern Corridor,

He added that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the East Africa Tourist Visa was signed.

According to Okello, Uganda owns 38 properties abroad.

During the period under review, the Ministry has among others

Completed the construction of a Chancery and two staff apartments in Kigali  Rwanda, completed the construction of a Chancery in Bujumbura

Completed the construction of a Consular and guardhouse in Dar es Salaam, completed the construction of 7 prefabricated accommodation units for staff in Mogadishu, Okello said.

He noted that the Ministry continues to play an important role on the implementation of the ratified Paris Agreement on Climate and US$ 24.1million was mobilized from the Green Climate Fund for building resilient communities, wetland ecosystems in eastern Uganda.

On the Skilling the youth and job creation through sourcing scholarships and apprenticeship opportunities for Ugandan youth, Okello said 832 Short and long term scholarships in various fields were awarded, an agreement was signed with the Government of Hungary for the construction of; vocational training centers in refugee camps of Kyenjojo district and three Vocational colleges in Kween, Kyankwanzi and Sironko district among others.

A memorandum of understanding on labour export was negotiated with the United Arab Emirates, 16 -17 February 2019, he said.

He said its possible Uganda can export labour in an organized manner so that Ugandans that get employment abroad are not exploited.

Currently Uganda has 41,480 externalized workers (of which 70% are females), he revealed.

In conjunction with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and multilateral frameworks, Okello said the Ministry secured a grant worth Japanese Yen 2.86 billion from Japan for the Northern Uganda Medical Facilities Improvement Project.

The Missions abroad through their activities have contributed over Shs. 50bn to the consolidated fund for the period under review,

He added that, About three import substitution industries have been opened in Uganda an Embassy was opened in Qatar in the FY 2018/19 to facilitate investments from Qatar in the areas of agriculture processing, energy, Oil and Gas and tourism.

The ministry engages in mobilisation and empowerment of the diaspora

Support for diaspora associations and linkage to national stakeholders for social-economic development.

For example contribution by Govt of USD 100,000 annually to UNAA through the Uganda Mission in Washington DC, Provision of National Identity Cards for Ugandans living abroad

Issuance of dual citizen certificates to Ugandans abroad,

Okello said the ministry came up with measures to combat the effects of COVID-19 as it engaged the Government of China on the situation of Ugandans in China adding that they have been able to obtain assistance to support the distressed Ugandans in that country.

MOFA has also participated on behalf of Government in high-level virtual meetings in sharing with regional and international community on Ugandas experience in handling COVID-19 pandemic. This has won Uganda admiration and support for its national efforts in combating the pandemic he said.

Related
A woman is accused of following a New Orleans couples car in Montrose before confronting them with a hammer and then yelling at them to get out of my country, you Mexicans, according to court records.

The woman, 61-year-old Constance Bono, was arrested around 4:30 p.m. Sunday and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. But prosecutors warn the felony charge could be upgraded if a grand jury finds evidence of bias.

Lia Franco, 28, and Arturo Cordovez, 37, said they were looking for an open restaurant along Westheimer when a car behind them honked and began following them for the next 10 minutes. The other driver, Bono, followed them to a gas station in the 2500 block of Shepherd Drive and got out of her car with the hammer in hand.

According to photos of the incident, Bono waved the hammer at the couple.

She then accused the couple of following her.

We dont need you, Bono shouted, Franco recalled. Go back to your country.

Police apprehended Bono during a traffic stop near the gas station. A mental evaluation request has since been filed for Bono, according to court records.

Franco said the two of them are from Ecuador but were visiting Houston from New Orleans, where she is doing a medical residency in neurology.

She has also been working with COVID-19 patients at University Medical Center in New Orleans, Franco said.

We had a wonderful time in Houston, but we dont want this to happen to anyone, she continued. Its wrong to be targeted, regardless of your nationality. In this case, wrong nationality.

Nathan Beedle, of the Harris County District Attorneys Office, said the confrontation appears to be a road rage incident where the driver in this case wielded a hammer.

If a grand jury finds evidence that Bono was biased during the confrontation, the charge would be elevated from a second-degree offense to a charge in the first-degree.
Victoria's police union has defended the use of lethal force in Thursday's shooting of a distressed man on the Monash Freeway, saying it is too risky for officers to aim to merely wound an armed assailant.

Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said officers involved in the fatal shooting of the knife-wielding Narre Warren man felt deeply for his family, and the circumstances of his death would be "life changing" for all involved.

Police at the scene of the Monash Freeway shooting. Credit:AAP

When police make the decision to use lethal force, they are doing that to stop the threat, Mr Gatt said. "It is a practical impossibility to ask police to use firearms to wound, impede or slow an active and moving threat without endangering themselves and the community around them.

Amid scrutiny of the police response, a community advocacy group has called for mental health professionals to be part of first response teams in critical incidents involving unstable people.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Export of grain and legumes from Turkey to Kazakhstan increased by 12.61 percent from January through April 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, having exceeded $9.9 million, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend.

In April 2020, Turkeys export of grain and legumes to Kazakhstan decreased by 19.79 percent compared to the same month of 2019, making up $1.1 million.

In the first four months of 2020, the export of grains and legumes from Turkey to international markets increased by 4.1 percent compared to the same period of 2019, exceeding $2.4 billion. Meanwhile, Turkeys export of grain and legumes made up 4.6 percent of the countrys total export.

In April 2020, Turkey exported $595.1 million worth of grains and legumes to world markets, which is 0.4 percent less compared to the same month of 2019. In the meantime, Turkey's export of grain and legumes amounted to 6.6 percent of the country's total export.

From April 2019 through April 2020, Turkey exported the grain and legumes in the amount of $6.8 billion.

Turkeys export of agricultural products to the international markets exceeded $7.7 billion in the first four months of 2020, which is 2.9 percent more compared to the same period of 2019.

In April 2020, Turkey exported the agricultural products worth $1.7 billion, which is 5.9 percent less compared to April 2019.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Intelligence reports say one invader was killed and another four were wounded in action.

Russia's hybrid military forces on May 28 mounted seven attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine.

"The Russian Federation's armed formations violated the ceasefire seven times in the past day," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in a Facebook update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on May 28, 2020.

Russia-led forces opened fire, employing proscribed 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and rifles.

Under attack came Ukrainian positions near the villages of Pavlipol, Shyrokyne, Starohnativka, Krymske, and Bohdanivka.

Read alsoPutin planned to launch large-scale offensive, split Ukraine "along the Dnipro River" by 2020, general claims

Joint Forces returned fire to each enemy shelling. According to intelligence data, one member of Russia-led forces was killed and another four were wounded on May 28. In addition, an enemy mortar was destroyed.

"Since Friday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions near Bohdanivka, using heavy machine guns and rifles," the update said.

No casualties were reported among Ukrainian troops over the period under review.
As many as 300 Indian nationals, stuck in Pakistan due to the coronavirus pandemic, are going to come back home. The Indian government has given permission for them to return, Hindustan Times Hindi language publication Hindustan reported.

According to reports in the Pakistan media, quoted by Hindustan, these people will cross into India through the Attari-Wagah border crossing on Saturday, media reports further said.

Among this group of people are 80 students from Jammu and Kashmir who have been studying in Lahore. The group also includes 10 Indian nationals in Islamabad and 12 in Nankana Sahib who went to meet their relatives and got stuck there due to global travel restrictions in the wake of Covid-19. About 200 Indian nationals are living in Karachi and other parts of Pakistans Sindh province, Hindustan reported.

They were asked to sign an affidavit after which they got the permission to return. Pakistan has made all the arrangements to take the group to Wagah border - they will be brought there by Friday night and handed over to Indian authorities on Saturday.

One hundred seventy six Pakistani nationals stuck in India due to the lockdown returned to Pakistan on Wednesday through the Attari-Wagah border crossing. They were stranded in India for the last two months. Most of these people came to India on pilgrimage.

The Pakistani Rangers received them from the Border Security Force (BSF).

Upon their arrival, the Pakistani citizens including women and children were screened and transferred to quarantine centres in Lahore where they will stay for 72 hours, Mohammad Younis of Edhi Foundation told news agency PTI.

They were stuck in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi due to the extended lockdown and the closure of the Attari-Wagah border following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So far, 400 Pakistani nationals have returned to their home country from India since March 20, 2020.
Hed never divulge these stories unbidden. Like a lot of mountain cattlemen, he was a man of few words. Wally was married to another high country legend, Freda Treasure, who ran her own cattle away across the mountains to the south on the Dargo High Plains. Both Wally and Freda are gone now, and Bill Hicks too, but together they - and those like them, from Omeo to the east and Mount Stirling and Howitt to the west - knew all there was to know about the high country. One still night in a hut on the plain - a log fire burning, horses stamping among the trees outside - I first heard of the mystery of the Wonnangatta Murders.

Mysteries of the highlands, I was to learn, have a lasting, brooding power, as otherworldly as the mountains that have given birth to them. I was reminded of this when reading last weekends Naked City column written by my colleague John Silvester. In it, he recounted numerous unexplained disappearances and misadventures in the mountains, and told of an intriguing character known as the Button Man who inhabits the high country. But the Wonnangatta Murders came long before the strange occurrences in the time of the Button Man. The Wonnangatta Valley, a wide open plain cradled by mountains, is about as remote as any place in Victoria. Its cold silences are punctuated these days by the motors of four-wheel-drive vehicles, their occupants drawn to the adventure of reaching such isolation.

Some time between the last days of 1917 and the first weeks of 1918, two men were shot dead in that lonely territory. The first body was found, parts of it scavenged by animals from a hastily-dug grave, near the Wonnangatta cattle station homestead. The Wonnangatta station homestead in 1935. Credit:State Library of Victoria It was assumed that Jim Barclay, manager of the station, had been shotgunned by John Bamford, the cook and station hand he had recently employed. A manhunt ensued but Bamford had vanished. Ten months later, Bamfords body was found almost covered by logs near Howitt Hut, about a 22-kilometre ride south-west of Wonnangatta Station. He had been murdered too, with a single shot to the head.

Despite diverse theories that have become the subject of books, campfire talk, sly hints and formal investigations, the murders have never been solved. There is a romantic tale that Barclay was a ladies man who'd earned the enmity of a husband in one of the mountain gold-mining settlements that are ghost towns now. Once the aggrieved husband's revenge had been served upon Barclay, this theory went, Bamford was tracked down and shot too, silencing him forever. April 1918: The Age reports on the manhunt for John Bamford, prime suspect in the murder of Jim Barclay. Credit:Age archive There are stories of a pair of brothers who allegedly made their fortune stealing cattle from Wonnangatta Station. Might they or their accomplices have escalated their cattle duffing to murder? There is a story passed down through an old grazing family that a rough bush poet was involved, both in cattle stealing and murder.

The most common speculation remains that a close friend of Barclay's, outraged by his killing, tracked Bamford across the mountains and shot him down in retribution. In such sparsely populated territory, just about everyone knew the names of those implicated by one story or another, and some of the descendants remain in the north-east. Perhaps unsurprisingly, nothing has been proved in a century. One night on the muster on the high plain, having heard the story, I inquired of some of the cattlemen what they believed. Their fathers, after all, would have been riding the mountains when Barclay and Bamford were murdered.

But they sucked their teeth and looked at each other. I was an outsider. The mountains and their inhabitants keep their own counsel. Now, the Wonnangatta Valley has served up a new bafflement. Nothing has been heard of Russell Hill, 74, and his companion Carol Clay, 73, in the 10 weeks since they set up camp in the Wonnangatta Valley, not far from where Barclay was murdered 102 years previously. Loading Bewilderingly, their campsite was found burned and Mr Hills four-wheel-drive was scorched, though still in perfect working order.
Jean Campbell Moore, 92, of Lansdowne, an educator, social-work administrator, and radio-show host, died Friday, April 24, of pneumonia at Bryn Mawr Hospital. She had lived at Sunrise of Haverford for the last three years.

Born and raised in Harlem, she was the daughter of Hugh and Theodora Campbell, immigrants from Jamaica.

At age 16, she graduated from New Yorks High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, a school for the gifted.

My parents made it understood that my brother and I would excel in school, she was quoted as saying in a 2012 online profile on WRTI.org. My mother registered us in what she considered the best school even though it was out of our school district in a predominantly white area, and we had to walk very far to get there.

And we both were sent to a community musical school where he excelled in violin, and I studied piano.

Dr. Moore majored in social work at Hunter College, an all-female tuition-free school in New York.

Even the books were free, she said. I would not have been able to attend college otherwise. In her senior year, she studied radio broadcasting, which would come in handy later. She also noted the colleges progressive stance on social justice issues.

While an NAACP student delegate riding by train to an annual meeting, she was told to sit in the segregated section. With that, her consciousness was raised.

I became involved in many proactive organizations that included interracial and interreligious dialogue, she said. I led a 700-person march of the Intercollegiate Unity Council on Albany to promote educational access for all races.

The only black professor at Hunter suggested that she enroll in Bryn Mawr Colleges Graduate School of Social Work. She did so, and with the help of a fellowship and a scholarship, earned a masters degree in social work.

In 1951, she met a Philadelphia-based medical photographer named Robert Moore Jr. They married and had two children. Later, she earned a doctoral degree in education from Temple University.

She began a 17-year career in social work and administration with the Childrens Services Inc., Veterans Administration, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, and then with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Moores lived in Philadelphia but longed for a house on a winding lane in the suburbs. In 1959, they bought a house in Lansdowne and became the first black family in the neighborhood.

It was hard to get a Realtor to show them listings, said the couples son, Robert. Once in place, the couple received hate mail. Several families didnt want their children to play with the Moore children. One family moved away.

With time, many positive neighborhood relationships were established, Robert Moore said. Today, the neighborhood is racially integrated.

In 1969, Dr. Moore was recruited by Temple University as an associate professor. She started a program, New Career Ladders, for nontraditional students who had an interest in social work. She also served as director of program development in Temples Office of Research and Development.

At the request of the Pennsylvania chancellor of higher education, Dr. Moore then became an assistant to the president of Cheyney University working to ensure the colleges accreditation in 1985.

After leaving Cheyney in 1991, she became vice president of institutional advancement at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a historically black college.

Starting at age 65, she was host and executive producer of her own radio show, University Forum, broadcast on WRTI-FM (90.1) Temple radio. It aired for 15 years on Saturdays. She interviewed experts on social issues, but her favorite subjects were the Tuskegee Airmen and Isaac Hayes, writer of the musical score for the 1971 film Shaft.

The show, which won wide acclaim, was broadcast across the United States and through Radio for Peace International. It received eight awards in 15 years from the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia.

I do a lot of research. Also, I am kind to my interviewees. Im not interested in sensationalism, she said in her online profile.

Dr. Moore admired her colleagues. She supported her family and was a mentor to many.

Her husband died in 2009. Besides her son, she is survived by a daughter, Doreen Moore Closson; three grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held once the pandemic has ebbed.
PARENTS returning to work from maternity or adoptive leave will be included in a government scheme to subsidise their wages during the Covid-19 crisis.

Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, said the scheme is set to be changed to address an anomaly that excluded them, following a cabinet meeting today.

Those who were not on the payroll on February 29 or were being paid during January and February this year because they were on unpaid leave were not eligible.

The amendment will be legislated for later in the year but the change should apply from June 12.

Employers can apply for backdated payments from March 26 to subsidise their workers pay.

However, if a worker has been receiving the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment in the meantime they will not be entitled to backdated payments.

Under the scheme, employers can apply to have up to 85pc of their workers wages subsidised by the state.

The change being made will allow for consistent treatment with other employees who were on the payroll on February 29, said the Department of Finance in a statement.

It noted that it is only because of the personal circumstances relating to maternity and adoptive leave that these employees were not on the payroll in the first instance.

I am satisfied that this change addresses the anomaly and ensures appropriate operation of the temporary wage subsidy scheme recognition of the unique circumstances applying to those returning to work after a period of maternity or adoptive leave, said Mr Donohoe.

Chambers Ireland welcomed the reform but said certainty on the duration of the wage subsidy scheme  which ends on June 9  is needed urgently.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has indicated that the next government will make a decision on its extension.

Businesses still lacks clarity on what will, or will not, be in place following the June deadline, said chief executive, Ian Talbot.

Without this certainty, businesses cannot plan for their reopening until they know what the government will do to support them.

Irish Congress of Trade Unions general secretary, Patricia King, said the changes to the scheme will end weeks of uncertainty for new mothers.

These women are bona fide employees often with a long employment history with the employer registered with Revenue for the temporary wage subsidy scheme, she said.

Excluding them from coverage was unacceptable to Ictu and in direct conflict with the spirit of the temporary wage subsidy scheme and the provisions in employment equality legislation.
NSW Public Servant Pay Freeze Plan to Save $3 Billion, Create Jobs

The New South Wales (NSW) government proposed to freeze pay rises for all public service workers as a way of confronting the spike in unemployment. The decision was rejected by crossbench Members of Parliament (MP) and drew criticism from opposition MPs and unions.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejilklian made the announcement last week, initially only targeting ministers. On May 27, the policy was extended to all public sector workers, including teachers, nurses, and police officers410,000 people in total.

Speaking in support of the decision NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the 12-month pay freeze would generate $3 billion and keep or create 20,000 jobs.

Pausing pay rises to save and create jobs is the right thing to do, and I think most people would agree on thatespecially the people whose pay has actually gone backward, or whose jobs are gone, Perrottet said in a press conference May 27.

Under the pay freeze, no public sector workers would face forced redundancies.

Perrottet and Berejiklian have looked to push the bill through the NSW Parliament but it has been met with strong opposition from the crossbench.

In making the decision, the premier said she had chosen the fairest way to confront the rising unemployment rate severely impacting Australia as a result of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus.

The premier defended the bill on the basis of its potential to help create jobs that are much-needed as the country emerges from the pandemic and begins to get the economy going again.

Job security is essential on our path to recovery, she added. The only way NSW will come out of this crisis in a strong position is if we all make sacrifices, and thats what were asking our own workforce to do because we are all in this together.

Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey was not happy with the decision, describing it an act of economic vandalism at a time when frontline workers like nurses were risking their lives.

An opposition Labor MP, Jodi McKay, has vowed to oppose the bill. Writing on Facebook, she questioned the NSW governments spending rationale.

The Premier has just confirmed a public sector wage cut  what a way to thank the heroes who risked their lives & served society during COVID-19. Why is she still spending $1.5 billion to move the Powerhouse? Why an $87,000 pay rise for the Police Commissioner at the same time? McKay wrote.

Speaking at the National Press Club Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that he and his cabinet would not consider taking a pay freeze to help the economy. However, his assistant MP Ben Morton and other Australian Public Service agencies will.

Read More PM Scott Morrison Unveils JobMaker Economic Recovery Plan

In South Australia, pay freezes have been applied to Members of Parliament, government department heads, and ministerial staff.

Unemployment In The Private Sector

Berijilians state has been severely affected by the CCP virus and the unemployment rate is very high with around 200,000 people out work.

Workers in the private sector have been hit harder than public sector workers. In NSW, about 90 percent of workers are in the private sector and many of them have experienced stand-downs, pay cuts, and other employment uncertainties.

Research conducted by the Institute of Public Affairs found private-sector workers suffered job losses 4.5 times more than public sector workers since the measures to mitigate the spread of the CCP virus began in March.

According to the IPA wages in the public sector have decreased by 2.6 percent over the past two months, compared to a 5.7 percent decrease in the private sector.

Looking forward, Berejiklian announced on May 28 that over 100,000 people had enrolled in the Training and Further Education program, a fee-free course that enables people to upskill to improve their career prospects.
New Rochelle, N.Y.  Central New York and four other regions of the state that began the restart of their economies two weeks ago can now move to the second phase of the states reopening plan, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today.

Cuomo spoke after a stretch of massive confusion over whether phase two could start today. The new phase starts immediately, Cuomo said.

In addition to CNY, the other regions cleared to start phase two are the Mohawk Valley, North Country, Southern Tier and Finger Lakes.

Many leaders in those regions, including Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, had been telling businesses all week that phase two would start today. McMahon said no one from the state had suggested otherwise.

But until today, Cuomo did not give formal clearance. The real trouble began in a radio interview Thursday afternoon.

Cuomo said then that international experts would review local data and sign off before phase two proceeded. The state later said in conference calls that regions would not start phase two today.

The muddled communication set off angry and confused reactions across Upstate. Some officials said phase two businesses would reopen regardless of Cuomos actions.

Cuomo said today the experts had completed their review and approved the next step.

I feel confident that we can rely on this data, Cuomo said during a press conference in New Rochelle. The five regions that have been in phase one can now move to phase two because their data has been reviewed and the experts say to us its safe to move forward because people have been smart and you havent seen the spike. So they go to phase two.

Nonessential businesses first closed in New York in March to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Phase two includes all office-based businesses, in-store shopping at retailers and limited service at barbers and hair salons. The state finally released guidance for phase two industries late last night.

Phase one of the restart included businesses in construction and manufacturing, among others.

The five regions Cuomo cleared for phase two began the first phase two weeks ago as of today. He had said previously that regions would pause for two weeks after the initial reopening to monitor how the virus responded to increased activity.

Assuming the situation remained under control, the idea was to move to phase two after that. He did say the process could speed up or slow down depending on whether the virus started to spread more rapidly, but he never mentioned approval from experts until Thursday.

The new wrinkle clearly blindsided leaders in the regions involved. Many assumed phase two was a done deal given Cuomos previous comments on the reopening timeline.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Syracuse AD John Wildhack anticipating reduced Carrier Dome capacity during football season

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598
Giuseppe Badalamenti thought he knew everything about selling pizza. Then a client of his food truck turned consultancy, Chicago Pizza Boss, showed him her March invoice from Grubhub.

Customers had paid $1,042.63 for 46 pizzas; the delivery company, which is based in Chicago, had taken $666.09 in commissions and fees. That left the pizzeria with barely enough to pay for San Marzano tomatoes and cheese. "I'm sitting there fuming looking at this receipt," says Badalamenti, who had never dealt with delivery apps while running his own pizza truck. "But it's like an open secret. Owners have been suffering in silence, because they're ashamed, and they think this is what you have to do because this is what everyone is doing."

He posted an image of the invoice on Facebook, touching off a rebellion among disgruntled delivery service users and workers. A DoorDash driver posted an image of the $4.75 fee the service had offered him to deliver an order 10 miles away. A pizzeria owner with his own fleet of delivery drivers posted a $41,230.47 invoice showing Grubhub taking a 27% cut - just for processing orders. And in the comments on another viral post about delivery apps, Collin Wallace, Grubhub's former head of innovation, wrote that the platforms are "not actually in the business of delivery. They are in the business of finance. In many ways, they are like payday lenders for restaurants and drivers. They give you the sensation of cash-flow, but at the expense of your long term future and financial stability."

Until recently, most restaurants didn't think too hard about Grubhub and DoorDash. The math was never appetizing: Profit margins for full-service restaurants are typically around 3% to 5%, and delivery app fees tend to hover around 30%, so the commission charges clearly weighed against the services. Chefs thought selling a few delivery orders was like offering a pre-theater menu or selling $1 oysters after 10 p.m.: It brought incremental revenue that didn't involve filling a seat at prime time.

But in the pandemic economy - where some dining rooms that aren't closed altogether are filling empty seats with mannequins to maintain social distance - takeout is survival. And chefs and owners have quickly been forced to confront the reality that the delivery apps could kill them. (I know firsthand; my chef husband's Italian restaurant decided to forgo the apps as soon as it learned about the fees.) Restaurant owners and some diners have started a backlash against the apps, in a struggle that could determine whether they make it out of the pandemic.

"These are, like, salt-of-the-earth people, and they're being taken advantage of," says Wallace, the former Grubhub engineer, who was also business school buddies with the DoorDash founders. "And there are no repercussions, because these companies spend more every year on legal fees than they will see in their entire life cycles."

Before the coronavirus era, restaurants were one of the few American industries that seemed to be getting better for everyone: Offerings in most towns became more ambitious, more consistent, more diverse in variety and ethnicity. A critical reason is that dining has been spared the concentration, consolidation and commodification of labor that are hallmarks of just about every other sector. Fully 68% of full-service restaurants are independently operated, and while chains do higher volume, the indies' sales have been growing faster. All those small players make restaurants extremely competitive - and by extension, not very profitable.

Delivery apps are the opposite. Four companies with billions in venture-capital backing - Grubhub, DoorDash, Uber Eats and Postmates - dominate the sector; if Uber consummates its reported deal to acquire Grubhub, it will be three. Grubhub itself is a roll-up of at least 12 separate companies that once competed with one another (including Wallace's old start-up, FanGo, acquired in 2011).

A class-action antitrust lawsuit filed last month in federal court in New York alleges that those four big players barely compete at all - keeping commissions high and courier wages low. The complaint accuses them of forcing restaurants to guarantee that their prices will be the same whether customers eat there or order over any of the apps, thus absolving the apps from having to compete on price. At the same time, the suit alleges, the companies refrain from infringing aggressively on one another's geographic turf - which is why Grubhub maintains a 53% share of the market in New York, DoorDash claims a 64% share in San Francisco, UberEats controls 60% of deliveries in Miami, and in most major metropolitan areas, a single delivery app dominates, according to the research group Second Measure.

None of the companies responded to my requests for comment. They've objected to attempts in some cities to cap their fees, insisting that their platforms provide needed services and that limiting fees would lower pay for delivery drivers. Grubhub CEO Matt Maloney told investors this month that his company is "bending over backward" trying to help restaurants during the pandemic, and that their profit on orders is only 1.5%, even with the 30% they charge restaurants. Restaurants would have to pay someone else to deliver their food if they didn't work with the apps, he said.

But the local fiefdoms the apps have set up keep pay for drivers down, too, because the apps don't have to offer higher wages to lure people to work for them. Of the $666 in fees Grubhub charged the Illinois pizza restaurant, only $94.99 was earmarked for delivery. By comparison, $206.51 was the generic "commission" charge, the baseline cost of doing business with the app. An additional $231 covered "promotions," which is basically the cost of not getting buried in the app's search rankings.

What did these apps do to command such a huge chunk of revenue? A lot of things that hurt restaurants.

For years, Grubhub accumulated tens of thousands of URLs related to specific restaurants, then used them to set up fake websites that it worked to the top of Google search results. An app called OrderAhead, later absorbed by DoorDash, did the same thing before Google shut the practice down. If a customer searching for a restaurant opened one of these faux websites, they'd be unwittingly directed to the apps. (Grubhub has pointed out that it had obtained permission for the sites in its contracts with restaurants and that it ended the practice of automatically creating alternate websites in 2018.) Grubhub also posted different, app-specific phone numbers for partner restaurants on its websites and Yelp, and used those numbers to charge restaurants commissions for phone calls - even if those calls didn't result in orders, as the owner of a small chain of Philadelphia Indian restaurants alleged when he sued the company in 2018. A judge ordered arbitration in that lawsuit in December, citing a clause in the restaurant's contract that mandated arbitration to resolve disputes; Maloney told investors last year that "we believe this is fair" and that restaurants can review phone orders in their accounts to make sure the charges are accurate.

The apps have also developed a reputation for poor performance in every realm a restaurant might consider useful - which is unfortunate now that restaurateurs are relying on them. They're plainly inefficient: One recent morning, my kids dragged me into a McDonald's, where no fewer than 15 delivery app drivers were standing around waiting for orders that could have been delivered almost as quickly by five. And for many restaurants, getting app orders is more labor-intensive than taking orders by phone, if the apps aren't directly integrated into their point-of-sale systems: First, someone must "translate" the order into the restaurant's computers, then a manager must void the transaction to reconcile the books because the revenue doesn't show up until later (and with the app's commission taken out) - and then the books must be reconciled again to account for the food inventory.

Virtually every restaurant person has a nightmare story about the apps botching their menus and hours of operation. Katy Gaertner, a Michigan bar owner who never had a delivery app account, told me that Grubhub posted her old happy hour menu for more than a year after she stopped serving food, despite multiple attempts to get it deleted. Denver restaurateur Carissa Sargent says DoorDash's restaurant hotline was so overwhelmed the first weekend after the shutdown that it stopped taking calls. She closed her account in frustration the next week - only to get an angry call this month from a customer complaining that she'd waited two hours for an order that had never arrived.

The scary truth is that it may not matter to the delivery apps whether individual independent restaurants survive; their Silicon Valley backers are raining cash on companies like Reef Kitchens, which has a fleet of food trucks in which anonymous cooks prepare meals for an array of fake restaurants exclusively available on the delivery apps. For a few weeks this year, one of those "ghost" kitchens was peddling food on the delivery apps under the name and address of a Michelin-starred Thai restaurant in San Francisco. (The mix-up was supposedly an accident, but it underscored the delivery cartel's disregard for the reputations of independent restaurants.)

More disturbingly, Wallace, the former Grubhub executive, says the apps are using the troves of information they collect on who eats what, when and where to build menus and scout locations for ghost kitchens - a variation on what Amazon's private-label division does with mom-and-pop suppliers and distributors that use its platform, as former employees told the Wall Street Journal. (Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.)

"Amazon is in hot water for this now, but DoorDash is doing the same thing with DoorDash Kitchens," Wallace says, citing the ghost kitchen the company opened in Redwood City, California, last fall. The company used data from orders to recruit restaurants that didn't have a presence in the area to move in and start operating out of a DoorDash-owned-and-operated shared space, selling menu items they believed customers wanted. Wallace supports, in theory, emergency laws recently passed in Washington and other cities to temporarily cap delivery commissions at 15%, but he worries that the laws will trigger a "land grab," wherein the apps - or their venture-capitalist backers - plow cash into shuttered restaurant spaces to open virtual kitchens and cut small operators out of the picture. "DoorDash lost nearly half a billion dollars last year, and [investors] are still throwing money at them," he says. "No restaurant can compete with that."

Some restaurant owners with a sudden surfeit of time are working on it. As eateries shuttered en masse in March, the owners of Chicago's legendary three-Michelin-star Alinea pulled all-nighters to add basic online ordering capabilities to their reservation system, Tock, which charges only 3% to process transactions. The owners of Washington restaurant Ivy and Coney are launching a nonprofit platform called DC To-GoGo with a lineup of 15 to 20 local restaurants, which will limit fees to 5% for processing and 15% for delivery. Co-owner Josh Saltzman says there are a number of ways restaurants can improve upon the delivery apps, namely hiring their own drivers or pooling one with a neighbor, and encouraging customers to order hours or even days ahead.

"We went into it thinking, we want to make sure drivers are making at least $18 an hour and that food is hot," he says, and when those are the goals, "you realize the system as it's set up doesn't work."

It hasn't been an easy pitch, though: Business has been too slow for too long, employees are still scared to return to work, "Amazon has tricked everyone into thinking delivery should be free," and the impossibility of it all has many of his fellow restaurant owners wondering if it makes more sense to just close up shop - at least until the fall. As he reviewed Washington's proposed three-stage plan for reopening, which would limit bars and nightclubs to admitting five people per 1,000 square feet of space, despair set in. "You kind of don't want to bother until it's over," he says.

I know how he feels: After trying and failing to make takeout work without the aid of the apps, my husband's restaurant is tentatively planning to reopen in September. Before then, I hope his customers don't find linguine they like more on the internet. If the delivery apps have their way, though, they just might.

- - -

Tkacik is a senior fellow at the American Economic Liberties Project.
National Weather Service

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for an area that includes Albany, Cohoes, Troy and several suburban towns in Rensselaer County.

The warning is in effect until 4:30 p.m. A warning means weather radar or storm spotters predict that thunderstorms packing powerful wind and hail could hit at any time.
Under extremely high pressures, nitrogen (red), like the heavier elements phosphorus, arsenic, antimony and bismuth (green), has a structure consisting of zigzag-shaped two-dimensional layers. Image: Dominique Laniel

Nitrogen  an exception in the periodic system?

When you arrange the chemical elements in ascending order according to their number of protons, and look at their properties, it soon becomes obvious that certain properties recur at large intervals (periods).

The periodic table of elements brings these repetitions into focus. Elements with similar properties are placed one below the other in the same column, and thus form a group of elements. At the top of a column is the element that has the fewest protons and the lowest weight compared to the other group members.

Nitrogen heads element group 15, but was previously considered the black sheep of the group. The reason: in earlier high-pressure experiments, nitrogen showed no structures similar to those the heavier elements of this group  especially phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony  exhibit under normal conditions.

Instead, exactly this kind of similarities could be observed at high pressures in the neighbouring groups headed by carbon and oxygen.

Black nitrogen  a high-pressure material with technologically attractive properties

In fact, nitrogen is no exception after all. Researchers at the Bavarian Research Institute of Experimental Geochemistry & Geophysics (BGI) and the Laboratory for Crystallography at the University of Bayreuth have now been able to prove this with the help of a measuring method they recently developed.

Under the leadership of Dr. Dominique Laniel, they have made an unusual discovery. At very high pressures and temperatures, nitrogen atoms form a crystalline structure that is characteristic of black phosphorus, which is a particular variant of phosphorus.

It also occurs in arsenic and antimony. This structure is composed of two-dimensional layers in which nitrogen atoms are cross-linked in a uniform zigzag pattern. In terms of their conductive properties, these 2D layers are similar to graphene, which shows great promise as a material for high-tech applications. Therefore, black phosphorus is currently being studied for its potential as a material for highly efficient transistors, semiconductors, and other electronic components in the future.

The Bayreuth researchers are proposing an analogous name for the allotrope of nitrogen they have discovered: black nitrogen. Some technologically attractive properties, in particular its directional dependence (anisotropy), are even more pronounced than in black phosphorus.

However, black nitrogen can only exist thanks to the exceptional pressure and temperature conditions under which it is produced in the laboratory. Under normal conditions it dissolves immediately.

Because of this instability, industrial applications are currently not feasible. Nevertheless, nitrogen remains a highly interesting element in materials research. Our study shows by way of example that high pressures and temperatures can produce material structures and properties that researchers previously did not know existed, says Laniel.

Determining structure with particle accelerators

It took truly extreme conditions to produce black nitrogen. The compression pressure was 1.4 million times the pressure of the Earth's atmosphere, and the temperature exceeded 4,000 degrees Celsius. To find out how atoms arrange themselves under these conditions, the Bayreuth scientists cooperated with the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY) in Hamburg and the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at the Argonne National Laboratory in the USA.

Here, X-rays generated by particle acceleration were fired at the compressed samples. We were surprised and intrigued by the measurement data suddenly providing us with a structure characteristic of black phosphorus. Further experiments and calculations have since confirmed this finding.

This means there is no doubt about it: nitrogen is, in fact, not an exceptional element, but follows the same golden rule of the periodic table as carbon and oxygen do, says Laniel, who came to the University of Bayreuth in 2019 as an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation research fellow.

International cooperation

In addition to the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY) in Hamburg and the Advanced Photon Source (APS) in Illinois/USA, both Goethe University Frankfurt, and the international software company BIOVIA participated in the new study as research partners of the University of Bayreuth.

Research funding

The research work at the University of Bayreuth was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Dr. Dominique Laniel

Laboratory of Crystallography

University of Bayreuth

Dominique.Laniel@uni-bayreuth.de

Prof. Dr. Leonid Dubrovinsky

Bavarian Research Institute of Experimental Geochemistry & Geophysics (BGI)

University of Bayreuth

Phone: +49 (0)92155 -3736 oder -3707

Leonid.Dubrovinsky@uni-bayreuth.de

Prof. Dr. Natalia Dubrovinskaia

Laboratory of Crystallography

University of Bayreuth

Phone: +49 (0)92155 -3880 oder -3881

Natalia.Dubrovinskaia@uni-bayreuth.de

Dominique Laniel et al.: High-pressure polymeric nitrogen allotrope with the black phosphorus structure. Physical Review Letters (2020), DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.216001
Washington: US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that could pave the way for federal regulators to punish tech companies for how they moderate content.

The draft order centres on Section 230, a law that is now more than 20 years old and that has helped define the way we all communicate on the internet. It has been the subject of off-and-on controversy and has again been brought to the forefront of lawmakers' attention by the Trump administration this year.

President Donald Trump was furious that Twitter fact-checked one of his tweets: Pictured: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Credit:The Age

Critics says Section 230 gives tech companies too much power over what is and is not allowed on their sites. Supporters - including a wide range of internet companies, free-speech advocates and open-internet proponents - say that without the law, online communication would be stifled and social media as we know it would cease to exist.

So what is this law, anyway?
Sun worshippers at the Wellington Monument in the Phoenix Park. Photo by Steve Humphreys 28th May 2020

A sun worshipper in Dublin soaking up the sun. Photo by Steve Humphreys

People who want to have picnics in parks or on beaches have been told to "go somewhere else" if their chosen location is crowded.

Senior government official Liz Canavan - who previously discouraged people from having picnics in public amenities - said the public should "use common sense" ahead of the bank holiday weekend.

Read More

It comes as temperatures are expected to stay in the mid-twenties in the coming days after soaring to 26C yesterday.

Ms Canavan urged people to follow the public health guidelines like social distancing when they're out in the expected good weather. She also asked motorists to consider road safety amid a rise in fatalities this year.

Last week, Ms Canavan discouraged picnics, saying to people visiting amenities: "Please do your exercise and then go home."

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was pictured eating with friends in the Phoenix Park days later. His spokesman insisted he "broke no laws, breached no regulations and observed public health guidance".

Ms Canavan was asked what the advice is for people who may want to have a picnic in the Phoenix Park this weekend.

She said people should "try to avoid spending too long in crowded places where social distancing is likely to become an issue". She said some places were more popular than others and if it was "really busy maybe go somewhere else".

She added: "What we're saying is use your common sense."
New Delhi, May 29 : Lakme Fashion Week has announced the launch of a 'Virtual Showroom' with an aim to support designers, artisans and the business of fashion.

The Virtual Showroom will be a free marketplace platform for designers and artisans to showcase their past and current collections to consumers, enabling B2C sales for inventories that have been stuck due to the pandemic.

It will also serve as a B2B platform for designers to showcase their future collections and directly get orders from buyers of multi-designer stores across the world. From a business perspective, the Virtual Showroom aims to simplify buyer interactions, order management and brand discovery digitally and at one place. Designers can upload their product catalogue and costing that will be easy to navigate. Buyers will get pre-approved access to browse through designer collections and have the option of placing orders directly with the designers. Outstation buyers can also book private viewing appointments with the designers during Lakme Fashion Week.

Ashwath Swaminathan, Head of Innovations at LakmA said: "Under the circumstances, designers will need new ways to reach their buyers and consumers. The Virtual Showroom is an initiative which can fulfill this need by leveraging technology. The Virtual Showroom offers many tools to make transacting more transparent and convenient." Jaspreet Chandok - Head of Lifestyle Businesses, IMG Reliance said: "With the Virtual Showroom, there's hope for the fashion world to continue as best as it can and adapt in new ways that may provide better solutions. We hope that innovations such as these in the changing times will provide the strength and support our industry is in the need of. We are also looking at partnering with a major E-commerce player to further strengthen the consumer connect part of the initiative." The Virtual Showroom will go hand in hand with the on ground Lakme Fashion Week event currently planned for the 3rd quarter of 2020.

(IANSlife Features can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
London, May 30 : US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson discussed the global response to coronavirus during a phone call a little earlier.

Downing Street said the two men spoke about the "ongoing international co-operation to develop a vaccine", the BBC reported.

Trials have begun on vaccines across the world, including in the US and UK.

A Number 10 spokesman said they also discussed the next G7 summit scheduled to be held in Washington next month and stressed the "importance of leaders meeting in the US in person if possible" .

Earlier this week, a White House spokeswoman said the US planned to hold the summit as planned "towards the end of June".

The White House added that the two men also discussed "progress on reopening" their respective countries amid continued lockdowns.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Editor's Note: With so much market volatility, stay on top of daily news! Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news and expert opinions. Sign up here!

(Kitco News) - South32 said that on Wednesday a contractor with Modi Mining was fatally injured while working at the Ifalethu Colliery in the Wolvekrans Middelburg Complex at South Africa Energy Coal.

Details regarding the accident weren't revealed.

All activities at the Ifalethu Colliery have been temporarily suspended and investigations are underway in conjunction with local authorities.

South32 is a diversified miner with operations in Australia, Southern Africa and South America.
Stores emptied of gloves, sanitizers, canned foods, toilet paper and water. Fights over the sale of limited supplies of face masks. Anger as attempts at getting provisions from the market or supermarket was met with inflated prices or dwindling stock. These pointed to the reality that indeed, my dear country Ghana, was going to experience a lockdown as other nations had already done.

This had become imminent because the COVID-19 virus had spread from Asia to Europe, North America and to Africa, and finally Ghana. The deadly virus reared its ugly head in Ghana on March 12, bringing with it a level of panic and angst to almost every part of our lives.

Somewhere in the month of March, the President of Ghana announced the first partial lockdown in two of the countrys most important regions after the cases of COVID-19 reached 137. The Presidents directive was also for all public gatherings to cease. Hence, there was no school or church, and most people had to work from home.

Staying home meant families were home together and individuals had to find and adjust to new ways of spending their days either alone or with families. Also because of the ban on public gathering, there was no church or party, so in effect we all had to learn how to deal with COVID-19 because it was here to stay.

In this piece, I will share some lessons to glean from COVID-19 for the individual, families and the church.

Lessons for the Individual

During the first two weeks of lockdown, the value of relationships was brought to the fore. COVID-19 offered individuals the opportunity to rediscover friendships and express their feelings. It was a time for checking on people. Even friends and acquaintances who were in some sort of exile in our lives may have made a cameo. During this period, some individuals were privileged to have their long-standing needs finally met. This was either through calls from their church or the provision of relief items during the lockdown. The bottom line here was love was being radiated. Hopefully, the care and concern shown wont end with our defeat of this pandemic.

The importance of family in this period cannot be overstated. In most cases, our families were the only physical contact we had. If anyone from this group decided to act thoughtlessly about health precautions on COVID-19, other lives would be at risk. Relationship challenges in the family were also brought to bear: a call to the prudent to bridge these gaps before they are farther widened. In some jurisdictions, there were reports of an increase in domestic violence during this period. This should open our eyes to the reality of how work and other concerns may have inadvertently caused us to gloss over serious issues in our critical relationships. When its all said and done, a good family could be a good support system. If you have the privilege or chance of belonging to one, albeit imperfect, treasure it and work at it.

During the lockdown, most people suddenly had a lot of time on their hands. A logical progression from this could be boredom, and a corresponding indulgence in unimportant things and vices. This same extra time could however be channelled towards self-improvement, and coming out more polished from the lockdown. While writing this piece, I had talked to a few individuals on how they were spending their time. Some had picked up exercising, learning new recipes, learning how to bake, learning to drive, picking up reading, crocheting and other fun activities. Its a good thing to venture out of your comfort zone every once in a while, and a practical way of doing this is to pick up a new skill. Every individual has a chance to come out of this a better person. In a sense, the world has sort of slowed down a bit for all of us. Lets make hay while the proverbial sun of this pandemic shines.

I believe COVID-19 also challenged individuals to believe and trust in God more, and make time for the things of God. After all, these unusual times have made many people across the world turn to God. In the words of motivational speaker and author, Paul Blake, COVID-19 could be Gods way of calling us back to being the people He created us to be. I daresay this should teach us not to overly rely on pastors too.

The pastoral ministry was surely ordained by God, but the individual is ultimately responsible and would face Gods standards alone. Everyone was locked up at home, including pastors. There was no gathering for some people to erroneously blend in and acquire communal righteousness. Let the reality of that sink in. Your pastor, if need be, should be able to guide you in addition to what you study from the Bible. He cannot live your life for you. By all means, make time for an in-depth study of the Bible and apply yourself to its teachings, for the buck stops with you on this one.

A glaring deficiency in our society has been the low standards of hygiene we accommodate. In a way, thanks to COVID-19, we have a shot at correcting these. Lets not kid ourselves, its a challenge in the society because most individuals dont pay much attention to personal hygiene. Respiratory etiquette may be new to some of us, but handwashing has been with us a long time. No need to sound a horn, but we should all endeavour to improve in places we fall short. The empathy and consideration that should form a basis in our fight against this pandemic, should permeate our hygiene as well.

Above all, I think this pandemic should teach us to learn to be resilient. Some of us have had to adjust to working from home. That in itself could be challenging due to new and profound distractions at home. In addition, others may have had to take pay cuts, or probably been dealt a job loss. I believe this should remind us of the need to build up our survival skills. Surely, this is tough on a lot of people, but beyond resilience and a superior attitude, what do you really have when youre cast down? No matter how hard it gets, lets remember the only way to go is up. We should now see the importance of cultivating the habit of saving some money, no matter how little. The sky isnt always blue, it gets cloudy sometimes. Better be prepared.

Lessons for the Family

For the family, the fundamental lesson is to stick together in the face of every adversity, even the COVID-19. It should be clear that no matter how independent we may be, our survival could still be interdependent in a whiff. In these unusual times, broken homes can be rebuilt, fences can be mended and conversations of healing can get underway.

The second lesson for families is to make time for each other. Parents especially need to carve out time from their busy schedules to bond with children. I think this is one good thing that most families gained from COVID-19. In my research during the lockdown, some few people who shared their experiences recounted how they watched movies with their families, interlaced with interesting conversations.

There were those who played indoor games like Oware, Ludo and Scrabble, and bonded over other fun activities as a family. Some parents also talked about how they read books to their children and ate together at the table. That, I must say was lovely. COVID-19 has also offered parents the opportunity to talk to children rather than talking at them, and for the children to learn to express themselves with beautiful words.

This pandemic also makes clear the role of parents in teaching their children. Before COVID-19, this was often delegated to teachers, nannies and other family members depending on the particular circumstances. Most parents surely would appreciate the efforts of these people some more, considering the profound impact of their absence in this period. That said, parents should endeavour not to shirk this critical responsibility much as it could be inconvenient and challenging to keep up right now. Some schools offer online engagement to provide the children with educational materials, helping to ease the burden on parents somewhat. The schools may provide some help, but parents have to do well to ensure a balanced growth of their children emotionally, spiritually and in other important areas.

Lastly, in this era, spouses can wake up to the sweet sound of each others voices because there is nowhere to go in a hurry, and in these times, they can deal with the pressure of financial constraints amidst raising a family and losing ones job or having a pay cut.

Lessons for the Church

To borrow the words of motivational speaker and author, Paul Blake, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is wreaking havoc in the world, and the church is not exempt from its far-reaching effects. Hence, I share with you some lessons the church can learn and capitalise on from COVID-19 by exercising resilience and emerging even stronger and more powerful.

The first lesson is for the church to realise that God has always been in control, and we dont have to stress about getting things done. In the eyes of God, it is all about making ourselves available and willing, leaving the ultimate results up to Him. Just take a cue from how businesses are operating and church doors are closed, but the message of the gospel is still being preached.

A second lesson to the church is to know that God is still at work even in the midst of the crisis. Perhaps to all (Christians and non-Christians), the period of this crisis is God giving humanity the ability to reset itself. By resetting ourselves, I mean the undertaking of an introspection and taking the time to make things right, or taking a break and correcting past errors in order to be on the right track. As Christians or believers, we also have a chance to see Gods blessings and mercies. For example, some believers may have been so involved in church ministry that they didnt make time for family, but have the opportunity to right that wrong and take that break because of the restrictions imposed by COVID-19.

For some of us, itd be hard to remember the last time we ate or slept properly because we thought we were too busy. Surely, the piper would have to be paid, so its better to have COVID-19 slow us down now rather than waiting for the inevitable. As bad as it may be, lets be grateful to God that we can get a bit of rest for the journey ahead.

Another COVID-19 blessing is the opportunity for Christians/believers to minister and make a difference to lost souls. The suffering and lack created by job losses and other cutbacks have opened the door for the church to show the love of Christ through their welfare ministries and care.

Covid- 19 offers a fine opportunity for the church to invest in channels that make it easier to give a good experience online in the face of restrictions. There should be improvements in video recordings and live-streaming capabilities for worst-case restrictions. In addition, the church needs to cultivate the habit of using every available digital platform to keep in touch with its members. Its a good time for churches to build up their media departments, as these would still be beneficial beyond the pandemic.

Another lesson is for the church to up its prayer game. To quote the Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, This is Italys darkest hours. I daresay this is the worlds darkest hour as we battle this pandemic. COVID-19 is definitely a signal to believers that it is time to stop whatever we are doing for a moment of united prayer. For such a time as this, unity is the key and as believers tasked in Matthew 18:19  20 with the power of corporate prayer, we need every believer to arise and seek God together for the world. In effect, as the salt and light of the world, the church needs to stand strong in the Lord so that others can see the hope and faith we profess.

Yet again, the church should take cognizance of the possibility that the order of service might change should the ban on public gatherings be lifted. Most churches are likely not to follow their traditions because stringent measures will be put in place. Traditions like fellowship time, offertory, sitting arrangements and communion are likely to be altered, in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. There are likely to be some changes the church must adhere to. Every church may need to keep an accurate record of people in church for every meeting, so it's easier to trace contacts in the event of a possible infection. In adhering to these altered traditions, there are likely to be divergent views from members and different leaders, hence there is the need for the pastors of the various churches to be resolute in altering these doctrinal church traditions. In the end what matters is for churches to convey safety to its members by way of implementing recommended health measures.

Churches should be aware of the effects of this pandemic on their finances. A good number of churches have transitioned to digital channels for offertory and other financial commitments, but some members would surely prefer to give in person. For churches that have not figured this out yet, they have some work to do, and there is the need for consistent communication to all church members that all offerings are to be given digitally. This is to serve as a preventive measure against the spread of the virus.

It is important that churches understand that budgets and calendars would have to be altered. This is mainly because there are bound to be extra purchases, should the ban on public gathering in Ghana be lifted. These extra purchases, I believe will be made towards observing the safety protocols in fighting the pandemic, hence the church budget might be scrapped and re-crafted. In the same vein, it is time for the church to learn to have a budget for contingencies such as the novel coronavirus. Many losses have been accumulated in various industries and the church has not been left out. Churches have to be strategic in order to accomplish this task.

Finally, Id say churches would need their leaders to have charisma. This is because when the ban on public gathering is lifted, all members of the church will want guidance and expect great leadership from their leaders, just as how the shepherd leads its flock intently. Of course there will be backlash from decisions that the leaders might take, but members have to learn to trust their leaders. As we say, COVID-19 has ushered in a new normal, hence leaders need to learn and guide their members to stay safe while people strive for some semblance of normalcy.

Pastors should also be mindful that when the ban is lifted, not all members or congregants will make it to church for fear of their safety. This is understandable especially when there are digital channels by which these members can tune in to the service. I dont think there should be any criticism of members not being loyal because they choose to stay at home. Surely, twisted application of scripture as some sort of blackmail should not be condoned. As always, members expect leaders to let their actions be inspired by faith and guided by sound theology as they continue to encourage the believer to trust in God, and not spread fear nor create panic.

In conclusion, COVID-19 is here with us and to stay. It will have lasting results for the individual, families and the church. Let us all learn to deal with the new normal till there is a vaccine. As individuals, heads of families and leaders of the church, we have the opportunity to create many of these results by the decisions we are making today. Our churches should be both different and better once COVID-19 is over.

As heads of churches or pastors, by this article I urge you all to think ahead and make strategic decisions today so you can lead your members with confidence should the ban on public gathering be lifted.

By this article, I also urge us all to utilise the opportunity that COVID-19 has given us to rediscover love and appreciation for one another because sometimes, pressing the reset button is necessary so we can recapture the things essential to life.

The writer is by name Eyra Doe, a freelance Journalist and a PR Consultant. She can we reached on these social media handles.

Facebook - @Priti Eyra Doe

Instagram - @pritieyra

Twitter - @eyradoe
"Foreign policy will be drafted on the basis of mutual benefits and respect, international commitment and responsibilities and justice," said Dr Khatiwada while presenting the annual budget for 2020-21 in parliament on Thursday."For the promotion of national interest, relations with neighbouring nations, development partners, labour hosting nations along with other friendly nations, for the security, decent employment opportunities and social security of Nepali working abroad, diplomatic missions would be given the charge," added Dr Khatiwada.Tension has been mounting between New Delhi and Kathmandu after the issuance of the political map by Nepal including the Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura, which India earlier had included in its map issued in November.Diplomatic ties between the nations were further adversely affected after the inauguration of road linking Kailash Mansarovar via Lipulekh on May 8 after which Nepal handed over the diplomatic note to India objecting the move.Prior to the handover of the diplomatic note, Nepal had also strongly objected to India's move to construct the road. Following a strong objection from Nepal, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said the road going through Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district "lies completely within the territory of India."Nepal said it has "consistently maintained" that as per the Sugauli Treaty (1816), "all the territories east of Kali (Mahakali) river, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh, belong to Nepal."The Indian Defence Ministry had said the Border Road Organisation (BRO) in Uttarakhand has connected Kailash Mansarovar route to Lipulekh pass, which will provide connectivity to border villages and security forces.After the issuance of a new map on May 18, Nepal on May 22 had registered an amendment proposal to formally include the map in the lately promulgated 'Constitution of Nepal 2077.'As the constitution amendment requires a two-thirds majority, the government this week took the decision off the schedule as Nepali Congress, main opposition asked for time to decide on it through its Central Committee meeting, which is scheduled for Saturday.The government put off the move on Wednesday, but the proposal of the amendment is intact. Though the ruling Nepal Communist Party withholds two-third majority in Upper House, it falls short of dominance in the Lower House compelling it to seek support from other parties.The House of Representatives or the Lower House of the Himalayan Nation has 275 seats out of which, the ruling NCP has 174 seats and runs short of 10 seats for a two-thirds majority. Main opposition Nepali Congress in the last parliamentary election won 63 seats and the Janata Samajbadi Party has 34 seats.After the delay in the amendment move, India on Thursday acknowledged that it is open for engagement with all its neighbours on the basis of mutual sensitivity and respect in an environment of trust and confidence.Speaking on the issue, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Thursday mentioned that India continues to monitor the situation in Nepal."On the recent developments on the boundary issue, we continue to monitor the situation in Nepal. We note that this matter is receiving careful consideration in Nepal, taking its seriousness into account. India is open to engaging with all its neighbours on the basis of mutual sensitivity and mutual respect, in an environment of trust and confidence. This is a continuous process and requires constructive and positive efforts," he said.Srivastava said that in recent years, the bilateral relations have been on an upward trajectory"India attaches great importance to the deep-rooted historical, cultural and friendly relations with Nepal. In recent years, our relations have been on an upward trajectory, which is evident from expanding and diversified bilateral cooperation and increased the Government of India's assistance for development and connectivity projects," he said."Even in these challenging times of COVID-19 pandemic, India has ensured unimpeded trade and supply of essentials including medicines to Nepal, besides providing assistance in terms of medical supplies and other facilitation," he added. (ANI)
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- China's top EV manufacturer NIO Co.Ltd. has got its shareholder changed to NIO (Anhui) Holding Co.,Ltd. from NIO NextEV Limited, and its registered type of business has also been modified to Limited liability company (solely invested by a foreign legal person) from Limited liability company (Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan legal person sole investment), according to the business data search platform Tianyancha.



Founded in November 2017 and located in Hefei, NIO (Anhui) Holding Co.,Ltd. involves a registered capital of 11 million yuan ($1,535,305) and has two shareholdersNIO User Enterprise Limited and NIO NextEV Limited. Its line of business includes the investment in the fields permitted for foreign investment by the state, the founding of scientific R&D centers and departments in China, the R&D of new products and high & new technologies as well as relevant technical services.

NIO signed on April 29 with a group of strategic investors the definitive agreements pursuant to which the latter will plow 7 billion yuan ($976,903,200) collectively into NIO China, the EV manufacturer announced via its WeChat account.

Under the agreements, the strategic investors, led by Hefei City Construction and Investment Holding (Group) Co., Ltd., CMG-SDIC Capital Co., Ltd., and Anhui Provincial Emerging Industry Investment Co., Ltd., will pump cash into NIO (Anhui) Holding Ltd., the legal entity of NIO China. NIO said it will imbue NIO China with its core businesses and assets in China, involving complete vehicle R&D, supply chain, sales & service, as well as NIO Power.

Moreover, NIO will also invest 4.26 billion yuan ($594,855,750) in NIO China. Upon completion of the above transactions, NIO China will be held as to 75.9% by NIO and 24.2% by the strategic investors.

On that day, NIO struck a deal with the local government of Hefei Economic and Technological Development Area (HETA) for the establishment of NIO China's headquarters. According to the agreement, the Hefei-based headquarters is designed to be a base that integrates functions of business operation, R&D, sales & services, supply chain and manufacturing. The construction of the second manufacturing base will kick off there at a proper moment.
(Photo : Greg Rakozy on Unsplash) Celestis And Aura Flights Will Give You A Chance To Send Your Loved Ones In A Space Funeral (Photo : Anton Darius on Unsplash) Celestis And Aura Flights Will Give You A Chance To Send Your Loved Ones In A Space Funeral

Space funeral services offered by Celestis and Aura Flights will give people a chance to send the remains of their loved once to the skies in an epic final journey. According to CNET's latest report, some people are already availing of the space funeral service. One of them was Steven Schnider, who would often take his wife outside just to look up at the stars a night.

According to the report, Steven was a space fan; always pointing out everything from comets, satellites, to planets. He would also track the heavenly bodies using an app called Heavens Above.

Also Read: SpaceX and NASA Postpone Crew Dragon Mission Due to Rough Weather

"He'd say, 'Do you see it?' It's right there. And it would be the faintest little piece of light going across the sky," recalled Christine.

"He was just so excited about it," she said in the report.

There was a consensus among the family members of Steven, when he was close to death in 2017, that a space burial would be the best way to send him off. They discovered Celestis, a company that offers space funeral services. A portion of Steven's ashes, along with the cremated remains from over 150 other clients of Celestis were sent to space last June. The ashes were flown into the planet's orbit aboard SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, which was launched from Kennedy Space Center located in Florida.

Celestis and Aura Flights will give you a chance to send your loved ones in a space funeral

Celestis is one of the companies that offer a range of experiences, Earth orbit, and deep space options, to Earth Rise service that will deploy someone's ashes into space and then bringing them back. The space funeral costs between $2,500 to $12,500; the average cost of a normal funeral in the United States is around $9,000. High-profile clients including astronaut Gordon Cooper and Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry were attracted to the space service. Aura Flights, Elysium Space, and other companies alike are offering the same services.

Charles Chafer, the co-founder and CEO of Celestis, stated that the growing cremation rates and a declining emphasis on religious and cultural traditions helped space memorials to become increasingly popular.

"The notion of, 'Bury me next to my grandfather in the family plot in a church' doesn't work in a mobile society. People look for alternatives," said Chafer.

The ashes sent to space by the Celestis Flights are considered as "secondary payload" since they are deployed to orbit, aboard a spacecraft from commercial providers headed into space for other missions. Celestis has had 16 deployments from locations including the Marshall Islands, the Canary Islands, and Cape Canaveral. There are also five more launches scheduled to take place after the next two years.

"The pace is accelerating as the trends are accelerating," Chafer said.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Life sciences companies in Australia want to return to office-based work during June, but almost 70% have yet to set a firm date by which they want their employees to come back into the office.

The results of a comprehensive Return to Office survey for life sciences in Australia, conducted by ON Q Recruitment in Sydney, could be quite instructive for Irish companies as they review how best to restore a normal working environment as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to pose a serious health risk.

Australia is said to be a month ahead of Ireland in its Covid-19 cycle.

Australian company ON Q Recruitment is a partner of CareerWise Recruitment, which has offices in Cork, Shannon, Galway, Mayo and Dublin.

Ken Murphy, director of Cork-based CareerWise Recruitment.

Our Australian partner ON Q Recruitment in Sydney completed an extensive survey of over 36 life sciences clients across all states representing over 15,000 employees to assess their readiness to return to office.

As Australia is about four weeks ahead of Ireland in the Covid return cycle, I felt this information could be useful to Irish companies as they start to prepare for return to office, states Ken Murphy, a director with CareerWise Recruitment.

Survey led by Corkwoman in Australia

ON Q Recruitment is owned by Corkwoman Catherine OMahony who hails from Ballinhassig and is a specialist recruitment agency for the life sciences sector in Australia.

In its broadest context, despite the Australian Federal Governments roadmap for recovery post Covid-19 being announced earlier this month, the results of our survey found the vast majority of companies within our sector still do not have a Return to Office (RTO) date for their workforce.

In fact, of the 36 life science companies who responded to the survey, only 30% had a timeline in place for their staff to RTO, with the balance admitting that no date has been set. Among those who reported having a line of sight on a date, most were only able to articulate that they expected staff to RTO in June.

It should not be surprising that this is the status of the sector given continuing uncertainty around the spread of Covid-19 and fear for both personal and professional liability. Given the importance of the sector to Australias overall economic performance however, there are clear advantages in wider industry awareness of the plans of peers to help guide individual organisations decisions.

For this reason, our ON Q Recruitment survey sought to identify areas of consistent, versus divergent, opinion across the sector on best practice and key areas of concerns.

High among the key areas of concern, the survey found over 70% of companies were planning to make special considerations for employees who travel to and from work on public transport reflecting the continued focus on staff safety and welfare. Mitigating ideas for this concern ranged from allowing people to continue to work from home, through to rotating access to car spaces, flexibility around start and finish times, and reimbursement for costs of taxis.

PPE to be provided by 80% of life sciences companies

Interestingly, nearly 80% of respondents also identified they intended to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to staff to enable a safe RTO. Whilst admirable, this finding begs a number of questions including how access to this equipment will be secured (given the large number of individuals involved and continued global pressure on the supply) and how staff will be advised and policed to ensure consistent and appropriate use.

Unexpectedly, the plans for RTO varied significantly based on whether the company was owned internationally or domestically with 65% of Australian owned companies planning to introduce Rotational Workforces, while 71% of international owned companies are planning a Phased Return to Office. This finding is particularly intriguing as it may indeed correlate in some way with the different approaches taken to market by market to the management of the Covid-19 pandemic. 72% of respondents were global multinational companies.

Three key principles

Irrespective of their size, location, industry sector, or ownership, over 75% of all companies reported they are planning a combination approach based on the following key principles:

1. Managing the number of days in the office for specific roles

2. Managing an overall percentage of staff and functions on-site at any one point in time; and

3. Prioritising RTO for specific roles.

In addition to the above, the survey also delved into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on salary loads and planning, the management of annual leave, the addition of new workplace safety practices, and specific medical protocols being adopted by each business.

In conclusion, there was one finding that was loudly consistent: no-one wants to face a widely publicised Covid-19 cluster in their workforce. As such many are still proceeding with caution, seeking to achieve a balance between business priorities, and workplace and community safety.

CareerWise Recruitment and ON Q Recruitment are part of a global network covering 59 countries of owner-managed recruitment specialists in the life sciences sector called INRALS.

Survey of Australian life sciences companies

The ON Q Recruitment 'LifeSciences Return to Office' survey was conducted from Friday, May 8, to Tuesday, May 1.

Some 36 companies responded, somewhere between 10,000 and 21,000 employees. Of the respondents, 67% of employees are office-based; 77% of the companies are internationally owned. The survey features replies from every Australian State.

Topline conclusions:

Return to Office set date: June 2020 is the preferred RTO month for 100% of employers in the 501 to 1,000 bracket, but 69% have not set a firm date.

Your Approach: Irrespective of size, location, industry sector or ownership, over 77% of companies are planning a combination approach in getting their workforce back to the office and it will be based on % of staff, prioritizing specific roles and numbers of days in the office.

Pain points for HR & Leaders: Getting to work is a big issue for those employees who commute using public transport.

Employees Deemed Vulnerable be prioritised?: 69% will consider this on a case by case by basis, which seems likely there will be extra work for HR and line managers.

Hot Desking: Not an issue for most respondents. Of the 7% of respondents who do hot desk, all are offering staff PPE and they also all do a deep clean of their offices daily.

Communal kitchens: Remaining open, but with restrictions.

Annual Leave: 86% wil continue with their current annual leave policy, i.e. always subject to usual approval.

PPE: Over 78% will provide their staff with PPE (this question did not address cost).

Salary increases: 36% of pay increases will proceed or likely to proceed in 2020; 34% have been frozen or likely to be frozen (31% N/A as next round of increases occur in 2021).

www.careerwise.ie

www.onqrecruitment.com.au

www.inrals.com
28 May 2020

Acron Group Sells Crown Potash Lease KL 279 in Canada

Acron's subsidiary, 101211205 Saskatchewan Ltd. (Canada), has closed a transaction to sell Crown potash lease KL 279 to Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc., a potash business unit within Nutrien Ltd. KL 279, or Stockholm Project, is an undeveloped 263.5 km property located in southeast Saskatchewan, Canada.

Acron believes that the transaction reflects fundamental value of the potash industry even amid the turbulent market environment.

Acron continues to own nine Crown potash leases and one exploration permit in Saskatchewan. Acrons potash dispositions with a total area of approximately 2,000 km are divided into two prospective blocks  Albany Project (six lots in the south of the province) and Foam Lake Project (four lots in the north of the potash exploration and mining area in the province).





Media Contacts

Sergey Dorofeev

Anastasiya Gromova

Tatiana Smirnova

Public Relations

Phone: +7 (495) 777-08-65 (ext. 5196)

Investor Contacts

Ilya Popov

Investor Relations

Phone: +7 (495) 745-77-45 (ext. 5252)

Background Information

Acron Group is a leading vertically integrated mineral fertiliser producer in Russia and globally, with chemical production facilities in Veliky Novgorod (Acron) and the Smolensk region (Dorogobuzh). The Group owns and operates a phosphate mine in Murmansk region (North-Western Phosphorous Company, NWPC) and is implementing a potash development project in Perm Krai (Verkhnekamsk Potash Company, VPC). It owns transportation and logistics infrastructure, including three Baltic port terminals and distribution networks in Russia and China. Acrons subsidiary, North Atlantic Potash Inc. (NAP), holds mining leases and an exploration permit for ten parcels of the potassium salt deposit at Prairie Evaporite, Saskatchewan, Canada. Acron also holds a minority stake (19.8%) in Polish Grupa Azoty, one of the largest chemical producers in Europe.

In 2019, the Group sold 7.6 million tonnes of various products to 78 countries, with Russia, Brazil, Europe and the United States as key markets.

Story continues

In 2019, the Group posted consolidated IFRS revenue of RUB 114,835 million (USD 1,774 million) and net profit of RUB 24,786 million (USD 383 million). Acrons shares are on the Level 1 quotation list of the Moscow Exchange and its global depositary receipts are traded at the London Stock Exchange (ticker AKRN). Acron employs over 11,000 people.

For more information about Acron Group, please visit www.acron.ru/en.
[May 29, 2020] LegalShield Saved its Members Over $20 Million in 2019 LegalShield, the world's leading provider of affordable legal and privacy protection plans, announced today that it saved nearly $22 million for plan members in 2019, including money from insurance claims, personal injury and medical malpractice awards, unemployment and worker's compensation claims, disputed inaccurate billings and debt collections. Over the last three years, LegalShield's provider law firms have recovered or received more than $75 million for plan members. The amounts are calculated annually by each of the 40 LegalShield provider law firms on actual amounts that its members (clients) receive or recoup as a result of the firms' legal services, whether from a letter, lawsuit or call made on behalf of members. "If you have ever said, 'I want to speak to your supervisor,' then you need LegalShield," said Jeff Bell, CEO of LegalShield. "In the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, consumers today have more legal needs than ever, and we solve the challenge of finding a quality, affordable and local lawyer. For 48 years, LegalShield has helped its members stand up against being bullied by neighbors, companies or even the government at a price they can afford, while saving and recovering for them millions. We could not be prouder." In 2019, there were 1,762,000 requests for legal services with LegalShield's network of dedicated law firms across the U.S. and Canada. Baby Boomers (38%) and Generation Xers (33%) led the way with requests for legal assistnce, followed by Millennials (19%). The biggest topic of legal concern was "consumer finance" - typically representing consumer debt issues - followed closely by estate planning, traffic violations, family law and landlord tenant disputes. The five states, in order, with the largest number of legal inquiries were California, Texas, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. As a LegalShield member, consumers and small businesses owners can speak with a local lawyer about any legal issue typically within 4 hours of inquiry. LegalShield's legal plans provide access to qualified law firms with lawyers averaging 22 years of experience, covering all 50 states and all provinces and territories in Canada. Additionally, through the LegalShield mobile app (available on iOS and Android (News - Alert)) there are several free services to help aid consumers and small businesses. About LegalShield and IDShield A trailblazer in the democratization of affordable access to legal protection, LegalShield is one of North America's largest providers of online legal subscription plans covering more than 4.4 million people. Its IDShield identity theft solution for individuals and families has more than one million members. LegalShield and IDShield serve more than 141,000 businesses. In addition, over 40,000 companies offer LegalShield and IDShield plans to their employees as a voluntary benefit. Both legal and identity theft plans start for less than $25 per month. For more information about LegalShield, visit: https://www.legalshield.com/ or for more information about IDShield, visit: https://www.idshield.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005012/en/

[ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\LTE's Homepage ]
This should be a big moment for virtual reality. A VR-only Half-Life game, powerful new consoles on the way and more people than ever stuck at home are creating an environment ripe for some VR exploring. The only problem? Valves excellent Index headset is expensive and limited in supply.

HP

That might change this fall when HPs Reverb G2 headset arrives. Its designed with help from Valve and Microsoft, and a $599 price puts it squarely between the Oculus Quest and Index. So stay tuned if a temporary escape from reality seems appealing to you.

-- Richard

Its been a busy day for social media companies and the President.

Twitter

So, first, Trumps tweets were flagged and fact-checked by Twitter. Then the president signed an executive order that claimed to attempt to limit Section 230 protections for companies like Facebook and Twitter, with the president stating that hed shut down Twitter if he could.

While theres no evidence either of those things are possible, it led to the companies CEOs verbally sparring over who might consider themselves an arbiter of truth. And then Trump responded to unrest in Minneapolis by tweeting about shooting, quoting a police chief from 1967. Twitter put up a screening message about the tweets content, but did not remove it.

Continue reading.

Oppo's Evangelion phone is surprisingly faithful to the anime

Delivered to you in an entry plug, direct from NERV headquarters.

Oppo

Following a weirdly adorable Tamagotchi crossover last month, theres now an Oppo Reno Ace 2 EVA Limited Edition up for grabs in China. But youll need to work hard to find one as production is limited to 10,000 units.

Continue reading.

This time around, there's a much simpler process to find out if you're eligible.

Engadget

The giveaway is back, again. If you still dont have a smart speaker somewhere in your house (or stored in a cupboard), Google is offering a free Nest Mini to its YouTube Premium subscribers, in the US at least. Youre eligible if you pay for individual and student YouTube Premium, YouTube Music Premium and Google Play Music. To find out if you're eligible to get for a free Nest Mini, check this site.

Continue reading.

Gogoros Eeyo 1 is a lightweight e-bike designed for the city

Range should reach 40 to 55 miles on a charge.

Gogoro

Gogoro says its designers have prioritized agility over utility with the Eeyo 1. This e-bike will lead its push into the European and US markets with a focus on enhancing the riding experience over maximizing range or transporting groceries.

Built on a carbon fiber frame, the bike weighs in at 27.5 pounds -- not the lightest e-bike around, but less than competitors like the VanMoof S3. Plus, all of its electric components fit in a rear SmartWheel hub instead of between the pedals. The standard model will go on sale for $3,899 next month.

Continue reading.

Xbox Series X can improve older titles with HDR and 120 fps support

Going back to the original Xbox.

Microsoft

Microsofts first summer preview for the Xbox Series X focused on upcoming third-party games, and now its looking back. A new blog post explains that on the new console, Backwards Compatibility can make Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One titles look better than ever with HDR, 4K resolution and higher frame rates.

With the new systems SSD, they should also have shorter load times, and they can even take advantage of its Quick Resume feature to keep multiple titles on standby at once. So thats a few thousand games players can experience at the systems launch, but were sure many of you are still waiting to hear about exclusives like Halo Infinite. Microsoft says you will, soon.

Continue reading.

At last, you can watch early Simpsons episodes as intended on Disney+

Hopefully this is the last time we have to deal with that problem.

Disney

When Disney shifted The Simpsons back catalog from FXX to Disney+, it unfortunately defaulted to a 16:9 widescreen presentation that awkwardly cropped many older episodes. Now all those old episodes are available for viewing as originally presented, but youll have to choose to see them that way with a toggle. At least its available?

Continue reading.

But wait, theres more...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk gets $700 million in first performance-based payout

Get ready for a sequel to 'Sonic the Hedgehog'

Your Canon camera can work as a webcam on macOS

Arctic communities are living in a future nobody wants

Now Google Chat has a standalone web app that only works with Chrome

Razer's pro Blade 15 Studio Edition now includes a 10th-gen Intel CPU

The Raspberry Pi 4 now comes with up to 8GB of RAM

Rony Abovitz confirms Magic Leap's new funding, will step down as CEO

'Outriders' video shows off its RPG shooter gameplay
Deaths of migrant workers on special trains meant to ferry them home sparks outrage in India.

The plight of migrants travelling on special trains is becoming starker with every passing day as at least 9 have died on account of heat, hunger and exhaustion in the past few days.

Migrant deaths on trains

However, a viral video of a toddler trying to wake up his dead mother at a railway station in northern Bihar on Monday caused widespread outrage, stirring the nation's conscience.

It shows the child walking unsteadily up to his mother's body, tugging at the blanket placed over her, and when failing to wake her up, covering his own head with it.

This mother died of hunger and thirst after being on a train for four days. Who is responsible for these deaths on trains? Sanjay Yadav, a political worker from Bihar told RFI.

The deaths of vulnerable workers, who have braved the heat and humidity has raised disturbing questions not only on the efficiency of India railways but also on whether the trains have addressed the crisis that has unfolded during the lockdown.

Railway authorities, however, played down the matter and insisted the deaths on the trains were coincidental and all the workers had histories of medical illnesses.

These workers were old and sick earlier and had actually gone to big cities for medical treatment and could come back only after the trains started," a railway spokesperson told RFI.

Reports of the predicament of migrants and the pressure by opposition political parties pushed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to run special worker trains to take migrants home.

But all has not been smooth so far. Migrants reportedly have to endure tedious paperwork, COVID-19 screening, and standing in long lines in the searing summer heat.

Last week, two women migrant workers gave birth while travelling to the eastern state of Odisha in separate trains.

This is absolute callousness. The government has abdicated its constitutional role and duty to these teeming millions of poor, hungry migrants, Manish Kumar, a lawyer told RFI.

The special trains were started on May Day and meant to be a gift to laborers to go home from the big cities after being cooped up in small cramped tenements or on the pavements, without any employment or livelihood.

But it has been far from a smooth run as the Railways is scrambling to explain inordinate delays in running the migrant trains, rerouting of several trains from their usual path and shortage of food and water on board.

An epic crisis

India' Supreme Court finally weighed in on the matter on Thursday after there was a national outrage and passed directions saying no fare for travel either by train or bus should be charged from migrant workers. It further ordered that food and water should be provided to passengers.

Experts maintain the Railways, which used to operate over 12,000 passenger trains a day, is struggling to run 250 specials a day. Till Wednesday, the national carrier had run over 3600 special trains ferrying nearly 4.8 million workers.

More than 100 million migrant workers, who work in the unorganized sector, have been rendered jobless due to the strict lockdown imposed on March 25 by Modi to check the spread of the virus.

Their crisis is evident even till date as thousands are still stranded on roads, at railway stations and state borders. Many migrants have opted to take the road, by illegal transport or by foot to reach home.
PALO ALTO, Calif., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian (NYSE: VAR) today announced that Dow Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, J. Michael Bruff, Chief Financial Officer, and Anshul Maheshwari, Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasurer will participate in a virtual fireside chat at the Goldman Sachs Global Virtual Healthcare Conference, scheduled for 11:20 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, June 9, 2020.

Information about the webcast of the company's presentation will be available through a link on the company website at www.varian.com/investors.

About Varian

At Varian, we envision a world without fear of cancer. For more than 70 years, we have developed, built and delivered innovative cancer care technologies and solutions for our clinical partners around the globe to help them treat millions of patients each year. With an Intelligent Cancer Care approach, we are harnessing advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics to enhance cancer treatment and expand access to care. Our 10,000 employees across 70 locations keep the patient and our clinical partners at the center of our thinking as we power new victories in cancer care. Because, for cancer patients everywhere, their fight is our fight. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com and follow @VarianMedSys on Twitter.

Investor Relations Contact

Anshul Maheshwari

Vice President, Treasury and Investor Relations

+1 (650) 424-5631

[email protected]

Press Contact

Rosemarie Smith-Wood

Sr. Director, Global Brand and Marketing

+1 (650) 424-5208

[email protected]

SOURCE Varian

Related Links

www.varian.com


BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

The modernization of the Uzbekistani industry and agriculture represents promising opportunities for Czech companies, Head of Press Department and Spokeswoman for Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Stepanka Filipova told Trend.

"Uzbekistan has changed a lot in the last few years. With the coming of President Mirziyoyev to power in 2016, major reform initiatives were launched in Uzbekistan. We welcome the ongoing process of economic and structural reforms and hope they will have a positive impact on our mutual trade and Investment projects," she said.

Czechia is ready to help further the development of trade cooperation with Uzbekistan through political support and pro-export financing via the Czech Export Bank and the Export Guarantee and Insurance Company, in the context of the ongoing transformation reforms in the country, Filipova added.

"Czechia welcomes the upgrade of the Uzbekistan's risk rating by Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) from point 6 to point 5. This shift reflects ongoing reform efforts," she stated.

Filipova stressed that high-level contacts between Czechia and Uzbekistan have been reestablished under the new president of Uzbekistan.

In November 2018, a delegation of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czechia led by Deputy-Speaker Vojtech Filip visited Uzbekistan. In April 2019, Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Marta Novakova visited the country. Both state officials were accompanied by numerous representatives of the Czech business.

"In the fall of the same year, we renewed the work of our intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation as a basic tool of our mutual economic dialog. A strong interest in more intensive relations with Uzbekistan, higher trade volumes and investment was declared during online meeting with Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Sardor Umurzakov on 5 May 2020," said the spokeswoman.

Filipova said that in September 2019, the work of the Czech-Uzbekistani intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation resumed after six years and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic supports its regular activities.

"After easing the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 disease, we are ready to send a delegation led by the Deputy Minister to Tashkent. We are also planning business missions focused on specific industrial sectors," she pointed out.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
On March 11th, 2020 the World Health Organization declared Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a pandemic. In a few weeks, the infection spread across the globe causing hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide.

Italy was the first European country to be hard-hit by the infection and among the countries with a higher mortality rate.

During the lockdown, Antonio Giordano, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and Director of the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, in collaboration with the University of Siena, Italy, reasoned about the possible causes of the heavy burden of infection in Italy and teamed up with researchers from different fields to investigate the possible causes.

In an Opinion article published today in Frontiers in Immunology, the authors describe the main features of the COVID-19 clinical course; the possible underlying mechanisms that contribute to exacerbating patient outcome; and the various strategies that can be adopted to tackle the disease and its complications.

In particular, the authors, anticipating their preliminary findings, put the spotlight on the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) gene system, which has a key role in shaping the antiviral - innate and acquired - immune response.

The authors, including Pierpaolo Correale and Rita Emilena Saladino, of the Grand Metropolitan Hospital of Reggio Calabria, Giovanni Baglio, of the Ministry of Health,

Francesca Pentimalli, of the National Cancer Institute 'Pascale," and Patrizia Maiorano, of the University of Siena, suggest that a specific immunogenetic asset constituted by particular variants of HLA genes could underlie susceptibility to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, or predict a worse disease outcome.

The identification of such immunogenetic determinants would be crucial to inform priorities in future vaccination campaigns, to decide clinical management strategies, and to isolate genetically at-risk individuals, including healthcare workers." Luciano Mutti MD, Oncologist and Adjunct Professor, Sbarro Health Research Organization

The study also raises another interesting possibility regarding the spreading of the infection in Italy, in which the northern region of the country, where the disease had been detected first, was most heavily hit.

Although a massive migration from the affected regions to the south was recorded before the national lockdown, the southern regions registered much lower infection rates.

However, it has been postulated that the virus was circulating long before the lockdown.

While some have proposed that milder climate conditions could help to prevent viral spreading, could a specific immunogenetic asset contribute to protecting southern Italian citizens? Further large-scale case-control studies will hopefully shed light on this possible aspect.
By Tom Westbrook and Melanie Burton

SINGAPORE/MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Barrick Gold Corp has offered an extra 15% stake in its Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea to local landowners, according to a letter from its CEO, in a bid to break an impasse with the national government over the mine's future.

Barrick, the world's second-largest gold miner, was last month refused an extension of its expired lease over the mine that has been troubled by social unrest and pollution concerns.

Any deal would be the first struck by a resources company under economic nationalist prime minister, James Marape, who came to power a year ago seeking to retain a bigger share of the country's resource riches. Talks between the government and Exxon Mobil over a gasfield broke down in February, leaving a proposed $13 billion gas project expansion in limbo, while Australia's Newcrest Mining Ltd is in talks on a major gold project.

The government's position on Barrick's offer is unclear. Marape's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment and he has previously expressed a desire for the state to operate the mine itself.

Barrick is challenging the rejection of its lease extension in court. However, negotiations have also proceeded via back-channels after Marape, appointed the district's local member, Tomait Kapili, as a go-between.

"In light of the Prime Minister's positive engagement through you, we would like to go further and improve the equity portion of the ... offer to 15% free equity, for a total of 20% equity to be held by the PNG side including the 5% currently owned," Barrick's chief executive officer Mark Bristow wrote to Kapili last week, in a letter reviewed by Reuters.

Kapili does not have the authority to accept or refuse the offer because Marape appointed him only to deal with matters relating to local landowners, a separate letter from Marape to Kapili and reviewed by Reuters showed.

Story continues

Kapili and Barrick did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday. A spokesperson for the joint venture, Barrick Niugini Ltd (BNL), declined to comment because the case was before court.

Barrick and China's Zijin Mining Group each own 47.5% of the Porgera mine high in mountainous Enga province, about 600 km (375 miles) north-west of the capital Port Moresby. The remaining 5% interest is held by landowners through Mineral Resources Enga.

Bristow's letter added that Barrick was willing to further increase the landowners' equity stake, but only if other terms such as corporate taxes were relaxed.

He said over the 20-year mine life, PNG would receive $4.7 billion in cash flow, compared with $3.5 billion for the joint venture, based on a long term gold price of $1,300 an ounce. Gold prices hit 7.5-year highs above $1,750 an once this month.

The mine contributed about 208 million kina ($60 million) to Papua New Guinea's government income in 2018, according to a report by extractive industry transparency group EITI - roughly 1.5% of government revenue in that year.

Bristow also said the decision to refuse the lease extension had "stunned" his company, forced it to halt production and "created significant liabilities and potentially material damages to Zijin and Barrick."

Operations at the mine have stopped and PNG's National Court is due to rule on Wednesday on whether Barrick's court challenge to the lease extension refusal can proceed.

(Reporting by Tom Westbrook in Singapore and Melanie Burton in Melbourne. Additional reporting by Tom Daly in Beijing; editing by Richard Pullin)
NAPCO, Ltd. (North American Polymer Company) Customers have always been able to call or email us with questions. Now we are taking it up a notch so we can be there with you on the job virtually!

NAPCO, Ltd. (North American Polymer Company) is excited to announce the launch of its newest service, free live virtual technical support. NAPCO wants its customers to have every opportunity to succeed and work with confidence. As a leading provider of small group refinishing training for both bathrooms and kitchens, the company now leads the industry as the premier provider of virtual technical help for refinishers. NAPCO is the first and only refinishing company in the United States to extend free virtual technical support to its refinishers. Now, more than ever, NAPCO is by its customers side on every job.

As virtual meeting tools like Zoom, GoToMeeting, and FaceTime become increasingly popular, we realized how valuable this tool could be for refinishers on the job that need a second set of eyes or a bit of technical advice, said NAPCOs Research and Development and Technical Manager, Steve Zamborsky. Customers have always been able to call or email us with questions. Now we are taking it up a notch so we can be there with you on the job virtually!

Technical help from NAPCO for its customers is only a click away. Simply reach out to Steve Zamborsky at NAPCO via email (szamborsky@napcoltd.com) or by phone at 800-888-1081, and he will schedule a time to meet virtually. Together, solve technical problems or ask him for advice, tips, or tricks. It is an exciting opportunity to work directly with the experts and solve problems on the job, no matter where you are.

As leaders in the bathroom and kitchen refinishing industry, NAPCO is continually pursuing ways to make our customers experience with our products and services even better. NAPCO is rising to the occasion by reinventing technical help for our industry. If a refinisher is on the job and discovers they need some advice on how to apply product or run into an issue that just too difficult to explain over the phone, NAPCO can help. Technical support is always available to customers, allowing them to finish the job smoothly and on time.

Going above and beyond for customers is something NAPCO strives to do regularly. Refinishers should have the benefit of expert advice at their fingertips. Offering this service for free to customers is one more way of making sure professional refinishers are successful in their bathtub and kitchen refinishing businesses.

###

About NAPCO

Since 1979, NAPCO, Ltd. (North American Polymer Company) has provided products, supplies, and training to professional bathroom and kitchen refinishers. NAPCO is headquartered just outside of Chicago, in Skokie, IL, and services all 50 states and five foreign countries. If you are interested in refinishing instead of replacing tubs, tiles, cabinets, or countertops, call 800-888-1081 or visit http://www.napcoltd.com today.
The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability-ASEPA has taken the fight against the Electoral Commission's (EC's) quest to compile a new voter register to the supplier of the Biometric Verification Devices BVDs and BVRs, Thales Gelmatos.

The Civil Society group is asking the Company to suspend any delivery of the Biometric Machines to the EC considering the heated political atmosphere in the country.

This comes after the EC announced that it will still go by the Ghana Card and Passport as the requirement for the compilation of the new register scheduled for June next month. The opposition ND including some pressure groups have gone wild with words vowing to resist the EC exercise at all cost.

One of them, ASEPA, is asking the Company to hold on to any payments made to them in effect of this Contract and may refund same at their own convenience due to this unexpected turn of events.

In a statement signed by the Executive Director, Mensah Thompson, their call is warranted following the stalemate between the Electoral Commission and the major Political Parties now at the court.

Read full statement below:

ASEPA Ghana

PMB Accra

[email protected]

28-05-2020

The Chairman/CEO

The Thales Group

Tour Cape Diem

31 Places des Corroles-CS 20001

92098 Paris La Defense

Cedex

Dear Sir,

SUSPEND DELIVERY OF BVDs and BVRs to GHANA's EC, DON'T BE AN ACCOMPLICE TO HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN GHANA

The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability-ASEPA is a registered Civil Society Organisation in Ghana with Registration Number CG030022020 incorporated under the laws of Ghana, with major focus on Human Rights Protection, Public Accountability, Research and Advocacy.

We write to your office relative of a contract signed between your company Thales Gelmatos and the Electoral Commission of Ghana to supply a certain quantity of BVDs and BVRs for the purposes of Electoral Registration and Elections.

For the avoidance of doubt, we want to officially notify you that as we speak, there is a stale mate between the Electoral Commission and the major Political Parties as to whether the decision to compile a new Voters Register by Commission is tenable or not.

Subsequent to that the Electoral Commission has presented a Constitutional Instrument to Parliament seeking to use only Passport and NIA Card as requirements for the upcoming Registration.

This decision we believe seeks to rob millions of Ghanaians of their fundamental rights to Vote under the laws of Ghana.

This has created heated Political tension in the country, with a number of people threatening to hit the street and protest if the Electoral Commission goes on this tangent.

Considering the heated Political tension in the Country currently, we believe that it would be a necessary intervention for your Company to suspend any delivery of these Biometric Machines to the Electoral Commission of Ghana which would then commence the planned Registration Exercise that can potentially degenerate into violent protests and Civil unrests that would undermine the Peace and Security of Ghana.

We are alerting you well in advance because we do not want to cite your reputable institution as an accomplice to the Electoral Commission of Ghana in the event of Violence or Civil unrest if so happens.

The People of Ghana are willing and ready to resist the Electoral Commission because they believe it is against their fundamental human rights for the Electoral Commission to do what it intends to do and also because the ECOWAS protocols on elections prevents the Electoral Commission from effecting any major changes to the Electoral Roll six months to an elections.

We want to assure Thales that they have the support of Ghanaians to hold on to any payments made to them in effect of this Contract and may refund same at their own convenience due to this unexpected turn of events.

We believe the people of Ghana are ready to loose a few millions if it is to protect the peace and stability of this Country.

We have also attached a copy of data analysis by our office that vividly examines how the Electoral Commission of Ghana intends to violate the fundamental human rights of millions of Ghanaians in the supposed Registration Exercise for your kind. perusal.

Kindly treat this letter with all the seriousness it deserves for your own International Corporate reputation.

Our office would be willing and ready to assist you with any further information on the subject.

Signed:

Mensah Thompson

Executive Director, ASEPA

(+233 0542120628)

[email protected]

Cc.

The French Embassy, Ghana

The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Ghana

All Media Houses.

French Version Below

ASEPA Ghana

PMB Accra

[email protected]

28-05-2020

Le president-directeur general

Le groupe Thales

Tour Cape Diem

31 Places des Corroles-CS 20001

92098 Paris La Defense

Cedex

Cher Monsieur,

* SUSPENDRE LA LIVRAISON DES BVD et BVR a la CE du GHANA, NE SEREZ PAS UN ACCOMPLICE DES VIOLATIONS DES DROITS DE L'HOMME AU GHANA *

L'Alliance pour l'equite sociale et la responsabilite publique-ASEPA est une organisation de la societe civile enregistree au Ghana avec le numero d'enregistrement * CG030022020 * constituee en vertu des lois du Ghana, avec un accent particulier sur la protection des droits de l'homme, la responsabilite publique, la recherche et le plaidoyer.

Nous ecrivons a votre bureau concernant un contrat signe entre votre entreprise Thales Gelmatos et la Commission electorale du Ghana pour fournir une certaine quantite de BVD et BVR aux fins de l'enregistrement electoral et des elections.

Pour eviter toute ambiguite, nous souhaitons vous informer officiellement qu'en ce moment meme, la Commission electorale et les principaux partis politiques ne savent pas si la decision d'etablir un nouveau registre des electeurs par commission est defendable ou non.

Par la suite, la Commission electorale a presente au Parlement un instrument constitutionnel visant a n'utiliser que le passeport et la carte NIA comme conditions pour le prochain enregistrement.

Cette decision, selon nous, vise a priver des millions de Ghaneens de leurs droits fondamentaux de voter en vertu des lois du Ghana.

Cela a cree une vive tension politique dans le pays, avec un certain nombre de personnes menacant de frapper la rue et de protester si la Commission electorale poursuit cette tangente.

Compte tenu de la tension politique exacerbee dans le pays actuellement, nous pensons qu'il serait une intervention necessaire pour votre entreprise de suspendre toute livraison de ces machines biometriques a la Commission electorale du Ghana qui commencerait alors l'exercice d'enregistrement prevu qui peut potentiellement degenerer en violence manifestations et troubles civils qui porteraient atteinte a la paix et a la securite du Ghana.

Nous vous alertons bien a l'avance car nous ne voulons pas citer votre institution reputee comme complice de la Commission electorale du Ghana en cas de violence ou de troubles civils si tel est le cas.

Le peuple du Ghana est dispose et pret a resister a la Commission electorale parce qu'il pense qu'il est contraire a ses droits humains fondamentaux que la Commission electorale fasse ce qu'il a l'intention de faire et aussi parce que les protocoles electoraux de la CEDEAO empechent la Commission electorale d'effectuer toute modifications du Tableau electoral de six mois en elections.

Nous voulons assurer Thales qu'ils ont le soutien des Ghaneens pour conserver tous les paiements qui leur sont effectues en vertu du present contrat et peuvent les rembourser a leur convenance en raison de cette tournure des evenements inattendue.

Nous pensons que le peuple du Ghana est pret a perdre quelques millions pour proteger la paix et la stabilite de ce pays.

Nous avons egalement joint une copie de l'analyse des donnees par notre bureau qui examine de maniere vivante comment la Commission electorale du Ghana entend violer les droits humains fondamentaux de millions de Ghaneens dans le pretendu exercice d'enregistrement pour votre espece. lecture.

Veuillez traiter cette lettre avec tout le serieux qu'elle merite pour votre propre reputation internationale.

Notre bureau serait dispose et pret a vous aider pour toute information complementaire sur le sujet.

Signe:

Mensah Thompson

Directeur executif, ASEPA

(+233 0542120628)

[email protected]

Cc.

Ambassade de France au Ghana

Le doyen du corps diplomatique, Ghana

Toutes les maisons des medias.
ankita.bhatkhande@htlive.com

With parents of students from several schools across the city complaining about fee hikes and pressure from schools to pay up in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis, the education department has now released a list of nodal officers to hear fee related complaints.

In a circular on Thursday, the department has released a list of 87 nodal officers across 37 districts in the state with their contact details. Parents who wish to complain regarding a school indiscriminately charging fees can contact the concerned officials with their complaint. The list would be available in the public domain across websites of the state education department.

On Thursday (May 29), HT had reported about Airoli based VIBGYOR high school imposing a 8-10% hike even as several parents requested the school to cancel the hike for the year 2020-21. Taking note of this, Yuva Sena, Shiv Senas student wing had written to the state education minister Varsha Gaikwad requesting the government to release a list of officials who parents can contact in such situations.

As per a Government Resolution released in the first week of May, schools cannot hike fees for the academic year 2020-21 and have to allow parents to pay fees in instalments. Despite the GR however, several schools are reportedly asking parents to pay hiked fees or the entire fee amounts.
Riot police detain a group of people during a protest in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong as the city's legislature debates over a law that bans insulting China's national anthem on May 27, 2020. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP via Getty Images)

UK to Plan Citizenship for Hong Kong Residents if Chinese Regime Pursues Security Bill

US, UK, Australia, and Canada also issued a joint statement reprimanding Beijings move

The British government said on Thursday it will grant greater visa rights to British national overseas (BNO) passport holders from Hong Kong unless the Chinese regime suspends its so-called national security legislation on Hong Kong.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, said Thursday that if the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) doesnt scrap the national security legislation which was passed by Chinas rubber-stamp legislature in the afternoon on May 28, BNO passport holders in Hong Kong would be allowed to stay in Britain for 12 months instead of the current six.

Britains Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab arrives in Downing street in central London, on May 28, 2020. (Niklas Hallen/AFP via Getty Images)

In relation to BNO passport holders, as you know currently they only have the right to come to the UK for six months, Raab said. If China continues down this path and implements this national security legislation, we will change that status.

Chinas proposed national security law for Hong Kong is in direct conflict with its obligations under the Joint Declaration. If enacted, this law would violate Hong Kongs autonomy and freedoms. UK and  are deeply concerned.

https://t.co/bbGgJgHklw pic.twitter.com/e7eQySFDFX  Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) May 28, 2020

Raab added that BNO passport holders will be able to extend their length of stay, and this will provide the possibility of UK citizenship.

And we will remove that six-month limit and allow those BNO passport holders to come to the UK and to apply to work and study for extendable periods of 12 months and that will provide a pathway to future citizenship, he said.

Raab said he was making the move after Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, the National People Congress (NPC), passed a draft resolution on the law which was designed to allow Beijing to bypass Hong Kongs own legislature.

The law bans acts of secession, subversion, and terrorism activities against the CCP, and has attracted condemnation both inside and outside Hong Kong.

Proclaiming Hong Kong a bastion of freedom, the United States and its major alliesthe UK, Australia, and Canadaissued a joint statement reprimanding Beijings move, warning that the law could jeopardize the citys status as an international hub known for its rule of law and civil liberties.

The countries said the proposal lies in direct conflict with its [Chinas] international obligations and risks exacerbating existing conflicts in the city, where protests recently reignited.

At a press conference in London, Raab said the UK is deeply troubled about this step and urged the Chinese regime to step back from the brink and live up to its responsibilities as a leading member of the international community.

Hong Kong protesters rally against Chinas national security law at Mongkok district in Hong Kong, on May 27, 2020. (Billy H.C. Kwok/Getty Images)

A protest against Beijings proposed National Security Law on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong on May 24, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

Many fear that the law would be used by Beijing to suppress and persecute dissenting voices. Local anti-CCP advocates, human rights advocates, pro-democracy advocates, and lawmakers note that the national security laws are frequently used to prosecute and jail dissidents in the mainland.

The law also opens up the possibility of Beijings security agencies setting up operations in Hong Kong.

Strongly welcome statement from @DominicRaab on Hong Kong. Given recent developments, we should extend leave to remain to all holders of BNO passports, providing a clear path to UK citizenship. (1/2)https://t.co/QzExEsAmkH  Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) May 28, 2020

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid said in a post on Twitter that he strongly welcomes Raabs statement on Hong Kong.

Given recent developments, we should extend leave to remain to all holders of BNO passports, providing a clear path to UK citizenship, he said. This is solely a matter for the UK and consistent with the Sino-British declaration. We should also cut the cost of applying for BNO passports and extend rights to direct dependents.

Conservative MP and former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid in Westminster, central London on March 2, 2020. (Daniel Leal Olivas/AFP via Getty Images)

We have a moral, not just legal, obligation to the people of Hong Kong.

According to the British Home Office, up to 314,000 Hongkongers could have such passports.

Eva Fu and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Pathologists at The Mount Sinai Hospital, at the epicenter of the COVID-19 global pandemic, have prepared one of the largest, most comprehensive analysis of autopsies of COVID-19 victims to date, revealing many complex new details about the disease. The analysis was released on the preprint server MedRxiv.

"An essential contribution of pathology is the understanding of the biology of the disease and the range of organ damage, and for this reason, we decided to uncompromisingly perform as many autopsies as possible," said Carlos Cordon-Cardo, MD, Ph.D., Irene Heinz Given and John LaPorte Given Professor and Chair of the Lillian and Henry M. Stratton-Hans Popper Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, and co-author of the study.

"Post-mortem examinations (autopsies) are the gold standard for the elucidation of the underlying pathophysiology of disease. Despite a rapidly growing body of literature focusing on the clinical impact and molecular microbiology of SARS-CoV-2, autopsy studies have comparatively been few and far between," said Mary Fowkes, MD, Ph.D., Director of the Autopsy Service, and senior author of the paper. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19.

To date, the team has performed more than 90 autopsies on deceased COVID-19 patients at The Mount Sinai Hospital. The published work analyzes the first 67. Gross anatomical findings were combined with the clinical history and laboratory data for all 67 patients. Microscopic examinations were carried out by the team, using special stains, immunochemistry, electron microscopy, and molecular pathology assays.

COVID-19 was initially conceptualized as a primarily respiratory illness, but the Mount Sinai analysis laid out in detail that it also causes damage to the thin layer of cells that line blood vessels (endothelium), which underlies the clotting abnormalities and hypoxia observed in severely ill patients who develop multi-organ failure that leads to death in some patients.

"The physical evidence we ascertained through our postmortem analyses helps elucidate the mechanisms behind some of the clinical symptoms observed by physicians treating COVID-19 patients, including thromboembolisms and neuropsychiatric disorders," says Clare Bryce, MBChB, Associate Professor of Pathology, Molecular and Cell Based Medicine, and, first author of the study.

The lungs in nearly all cases showed diffuse damage to the alveoli, the small sacs where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged with the blood. This damage is the typical microscopic evidence of clinical acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), with most cases showing fibrin (a fibrous, non-globular protein involved in the clotting of blood) and/or platelet thrombi, or clots, to varying extents. This same pathology is found in most cases of ARDS, including those related to other coronoaviruses. However, the totality of findings in the autopsy series as a whole, with blood clots in multiple other organ systemsmost notably the brain, kidney, and liverreflects endothelial damage as an underlying process, which would also correlate with the activation of the coagulation cascade and persistent elevation of blood markers of inflammation.

The examined brains showed a surprising scarcity of inflammation, with only a few cases showing small foci of chronic inflammation. However, a surprising number of cases showed microthrombi with small and patchy evidence of tissue death caused by blockage of blood vessels in both peripheral and deep parts of the brain. These small microinfarcts may explain some of the psychological changes seen in some COVID-19 positive patients.

This study brings new light into the pathophysiology of COVID-19, offering justification for novel treatment plans, including the anticoagulation strategies being put into effect by clinical leaders including Valentin Fuster, MD, Ph.D., Director of Mount Sinai Heart and Physician-in-Chief at The Mount Sinai Hospital.

Explore further First COVID-19 autopsy series reveals new cardiopulmonary findings

More information: Clare Bryce et al. Pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2: targeting of endothelial cells renders a complex disease with thrombotic microangiopathy and aberrant immune response. The Mount Sinai COVID-19 autopsy experience, (2020). Clare Bryce et al. Pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2: targeting of endothelial cells renders a complex disease with thrombotic microangiopathy and aberrant immune response. The Mount Sinai COVID-19 autopsy experience,(2020). DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.18.20099960
New Delhi, May 28 (IANS) The National Investigation agency (NIA) on Thursday said that it has filed a supplementary chargesheet against narco-terrorist Amit Gambhir a.k.a. Bobby in connection with its probe into the narcotics smuggled into India along with rock salt imported from Pakistan.

An NIA spokesperson said that the anti-terror agency filed the chargesheet against Gambhir, a resident of Punjab's Amritsar in a Special NIA court in Mohali under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Prevention Activities Act and the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

The case relates to the seizure of 532 kg of heroin and 52 kg of mixed narcotics from the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari international border last year in June.

The first chargesheet in the case was submitted by the NIA last year on December 27 in a special court at Mohali against 15 accused and business entities namely -- Tariq Ahmed Lone, Jasbir Singh, Nirbhail Singh, Sandeep Kaur, Ajay Gupta, Ranjeet Singh, Iqbal Singh, Farookh Lone, Sahil, Sohaib Noor, Amir Noor, Kanishk Enterprises Pvt Ltd, Gupta Fast Forwarders, Global Vision Impex and Aimex General Trading Company.

The official said that the investigation revealed the involvement of an international drug racket based in Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan.

The official further said that during investigation it was also found that generation of funds through sale of narcotics smuggled from across the international border was used for funding terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The chargesheet has been filed almost 20 days after the NIA busted a major terror-financing module of the banned terror group Hizbul Mujahideen after the prime accused Ranjit Singh was arrested from Haryana's Sirsa by the NIA.

According to official sources, on the basis of specific intelligence by NIA, Ranjit Singh (also known as Rana or Cheeta) was arrested along with his father Harbhajan Singh and brother Gagandeep Singh in a joint operation by NIA, Punjab Police and Haryana Police. Ranjit, according to official sources, was involved in the Hizbul terror-financing module run by Hilal Ahmad Wagay, a resident of Nowgam, Awantipora in south Kashmir. Wagay, who carried Rs 29 lakh reward for terror activities, was arrested in Amritsar on April 25.

During the subsequent investigation, Bikram Singh (alias Vicky) from Guru Amardas Avenue, Amritsar, was identified as the person who delivered the money to Hilal. Bikram was arrested along with his brother Maninder Singh (Mani) on May 5.

Another NIA official said that the investigation established that the seized consignment was part of five consignments of drugs, out of which four have been successfully smuggled into India.

"This was done through an elaborate network of importers, customs house agents, transporters and the operation is financed through illegal channels like hawala," the official said.

The involvement of Pakistan and Afghanistan based entities in this case gave an indication that the entire operation is to generate finance for terror networks operating in and out of Af-Pak region, he said.

--IANS

aks/skp/
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 02:53:49|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- In the wake of the death of George Floyd in police custody, protests have continued after turning violent on Wednesday night with fires burning and businesses looted in Minneapolis, the biggest city in the midwest state of Minnesota.

Demonstrations over his death also spread to some other U.S. cities including Los Angeles and Memphis, local media reported.

Floyd died on Monday evening shortly after a white police officer held him down with a knee on his neck though the black man in his 40s repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe." The police officer's way of handling the man is not approved by the local police department.

Protesters gathered for a second night Wednesday evening in Minneapolis. Videos on social media showed that some demonstrators grew violent, looting a Target and Cub Foods supermarket, setting fire to an Auto Zone, and smashing the windows of other nearby businesses.

"The situation near Lake Street and Hiawatha in Minneapolis has evolved into an extremely dangerous situation," Minnesota Governor Tim Walz tweeted last night. "For everyone's safety, please leave the area and allow firefighters and paramedics to get to the scene."

The Minneapolis Fire Department said in a statement Thursday that firefighters responded to approximately 30 fires overnight, including at least 16 structure fires. No civilians or firefighters were injured in the blazes.

Footage showed buildings on fire in Minneapolis in the early hours of Thursday. A report by The Wall Street Journal said residents took morning walks over broken glass and a McDonald's was recognizable only by its salvaged drive-through menu after the riot.

On the edge of the shopping plaza that included the looted Target, a resident told local media she had been sitting in her car since before sunset, just in case she needed to leave quickly. "We're afraid to go to bed," said the woman, who declined to give her name. "I've never seen this."

Amid the riot, the owner of a nearby pawn shop shot and killed a person suspected of looting his building. Police are investigating the shooting with one suspect in custody.

A video shared on Twitter by Minnesota Public Radio photojournalist Evan Frost showed people gathering again outside local police's Third Precinct by mid-morning. Officers stood with face shields around the building and on its roof.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for the city to remain calm in a plea to his residents overnight.

"Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy," he tweeted.

The mayor and Floyd's family on Wednesday called for the arrests of the officers involved in his death, and federal authorities on Thursday promised a "robust criminal investigation."

The four officers involved in the case were fired shortly after a video recording Floyd's death went viral on social media on Tuesday, sparking a national outcry for justice. Minneapolis police's statement about Floyd's arrest said that "he physically resisted officers" after getting out of the vehicle, but the video showed two officers grabbing Floyd and pulling him from a vehicle as they put handcuffs on him.

Some other cities also saw protests Wednesday night.

In Los Angeles, demonstrators marched on a major freeway and at least one protester was injured after falling off a moving police car, said the report of The Wall Street Journal.

In Memphis, a silent demonstration holding signs reading "Black Lives Matter" and "Stop killing black people" turned into separate verbal confrontations with Memphis police and two counter-protesters. Memphis police temporarily shut down a portion of road after the confrontation grew, local newspaper The Commercial Appeal reported.

"The death of Mr. Floyd is deeply disturbing and should be of concern to all Americans," the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which represents the heads of police departments in largest U.S. cities, said in a statement on Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Floyd's death "very sad and tragic," saying "justice will be served" in his case.

Floyd's death evoked the country's memory about the case of Eric Garner. In 2014, a cellphone recorded Garner, an unarmed black man, repeatedly saying "I can't breathe" when a New York officer held him in a chokehold before his death in police custody. Since then, the plea has become a rallying cry at demonstrations against police misconduct across the country.
John Hawkes, left, Logan Lerman and Shaw Jones in the movie "End of Sentence." (Panas Wiwatpanachat / Gravitas Ventures)

The reconciliation drama End of Sentence opens with a mother visiting her son in an Alabama correctional facility to say goodbye. Shes dying.

Later, when the son, Sean Fogle (Logan Lerman), is released, his estranged father, Frank (John Hawkes), has a last request from Seans mother: for father and son to travel together to her native Ireland to spread her ashes at a lake. Frank has to bribe a reluctant Sean with a plane ticket to Oakland, where a warehouse job supposedly awaits if he can get there in five days.

The Fogles are polar opposites and its hard to imagine they once shared the same home, let alone DNA. Frank is kind and gentle but something of a milquetoast. He likes to quote the aphorism, Sometimes youre the pigeon, sometimes youre the statue. Thats life.

Sean, meanwhile, brims with resentment toward his father, a seared-in rage that occasionally erupts into violence. The root of that bitterness and other family secrets are gradually revealed during the trip as the men butt heads over their very different approaches to life.

The densely plotted but vague script by Michael Armbruster leans heavily on devices and anecdotal explanations for the Fogles behaviors while glossing over details that might have given the story more heft and plausibility. Many of the twists and turns feel inorganic or dont fully pay off.

The draws here are the performances. Hawkes is terrific with a softer-edged character than were used to seeing from the actor ("Deadwood," "Winter's Bone"). Hes heartbreaking in scenes where disappointment and resignation play across his face. Lerman is a fine foil, energizing scenes with his edgy impatience and willingness to be unlikable for the majority of the film.

In his feature directing debut, Icelandic filmmaker Elfar Adalsteins demonstrates a steady hand with both his actors and the pacing. Sarah Bolger has an alluring turn as an enigmatic Dubliner who joins the two men for part of the journey.

The Irish landscapes provide a pleasant backdrop, but the bumpy ride detracts from any earned satisfaction in its moving ending.
They say on Wall Street that money never sleeps, which helps to explain why so many Wall Street traders report that they routinely work 90 or even 100-hour weeks. While the New York Stock Exchange has strict opening hours, the ebbs and flows of the global market that affect the bottom line of Wall Streets institutions never cease. Thats why when most Wall Street hotshots arent on the trading floor, youll find them glued to their smartphones.

If youre wondering what types of popular finance mobile apps you might typically find on the phones of Americas financial kingpins, read on to find out.

Advertisement

Financial News Apps

If you were to check the phone of your typically Wall Street worker, the first thing you might notice would be the seemingly excessive amount of financial news apps. No skilled trader relies on one resource for their market news, especially since financial papers are so fiercely competitive and pride themselves on publishing breaking news before anyone else. Wall Street staple publications such as Bloomberg, Financial Times, and Barrons are de rigueur, whilst more targeted niche apps such as SGX (the Singapore Stock Exchange app) and SeekingAlpha are also immensely popular.

Encrypted Messaging Apps

Many of the financial giants on Wall Street also happen to be deeply integrated into the engine of the global economy. This means that employees are expected to prioritize secure communications above all else, as leaked information could be bad for business, bad for the economy, and even bad for national security. Thats why any Wall Street trader that is using their phone to communicate with colleagues and business partners will stick to highly encrypted messaging services such as Wickr, Viber, Telegram, and LINE. If all it takes is a poorly protected message to get fired, you would probably use these apps too.

Automated Trading Apps

Its not uncommon for many Wall Street workers to trade independently on the markets outside of their 9 to 5. One way that traders stay on their hustle 24/7 is through the use of automated mobile software that tracks their investments for them and can execute trades remotely on their behalf. Popular mobile apps such as SXTM and Alpari are used by more than two million traders worldwide apiece, owing to the fact that they can track movements in the market 24/7 and keep traders in-the-know at all times. As financial industry automation continues to gather speed, expect these apps to become more widespread in the future.

Advertisement

Networking Apps

Both on and off the trading floor, the life of a Wall Street trader is an intensely social one. Traders are expected to be constantly on and always on the lookout for that next valuable connection. Thats why traders use a range of networking apps to help them expand their social circle and professional network. LinkedIn, GroupMe, and Shapr, the latter of which has been described as Tinder for business relationships, are all standard additions to any ambitious traders smartphone.

Wall Street Podcasts

Never ones to miss out on any juicy financial gossip, Wall Street traders tend to be avid listeners of a number of insider podcasts produced by their colleagues, rivals, and bosses. Wall Street Unplugged, which features daily insights from prominent figures on the Street, is one of the most popular. WSJs extensive library of podcasts, which includes podcasts specifically dedicated to tech market news, women on Wall Street, and the Federal Reserve, are all staples as well. Wall Street Breakfast, which essentially serves as a roundup of the upcoming days Wall Street Agenda, is also essential listening for the besuited traders riding the subway downtown on their morning commute.

Advertisement

These are the essential apps youll find on any experienced Wall Street traders phone in 2020. How does your device compare?
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO recently expressed contradiction against Twitter's recent move involving President Donald Trump's tweet. Specifically, he said that social media networks should not fact-check what political leaders are posting on their respective accounts. His remarks came after "Squawk Boss" co-host Andrew Ross Sorkin asked him for comments on the decision of Twitter to begin fact-checking President Donald Trump's tweets.

The move of Twitter took place early this week after President Trump posted on his Twitter account that mail-in ballots would be "substantially fraudulent." Specifically, on early Tuesday, the social media giant declined to sensor or caution users following Trump's tweets of reportedly baseless claims that Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC should be an investigation for his former staffer's death.

Meanwhile, Zuckerberg explained during an interview with Sorkin which was aired on Thursday morning, he does not think that Facebook or any internet platform as a whole, should be "arbiters of truth." He also added that speech is among the most delicate parts of equality and people need to see what political leaders are saying.





Facebook to Allow Politicians to Run Ads

Even though Facebook uses independent fact-checkers for the review of its content on its social networks Zuckerberg said, the point of having fact-checkers is to certainly capture "the worst of the worst stuff."

He also said that the program's main point is not just to analyze and describe words on something that can be true or false. When it comes to political speech, he added, he again, thinks he wants to give great respect to the political procedure, not to mention, political speech.

Incidentally, Facebook announced late last year, that it would be permitting politicians to run ads on the platform even if their promotional content would include misinformation. But despite this, the Zuckerberg elaborated that it had lines that no one, even political leaders, is allowed to cross. Meaning, no one is allowed to use the social media platform to harm themselves or cause violence.

No one is allowed either, the company CEO added, to post any fabrication that could result in voter suppression. Zuckerberg continued that there are clear lines mapping to particular harms and impairment that can be done where the content can be taken down.

Generally, though, he added, they try to be more on the side of providing people with a voice and freedom to express themselves.

The House Speaker's Stance

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday said Facebook is just pandering to the White House "for tax breaks."

Pelosi's comments came after Zuckerberg explained Facebook's decision not to add a label to the post of President Trump regarding the mail-in ballots that its equally famous competitor decided fact-check. The house speaker, during her weekly media conference, related the stance of the Facebook CEO on the issue of editorial behavior on social media, as a way for them to guarantee the social media firm is "making money, evading taxes and regulation."

Pelosi continued that the business model of Facebook, reportedly, is to falsify the facts, not to mention, be a platform to make that happen. More so, the House Speaker said he social media firm is also concealing freedom of speech, which, she pointed out, is undeniably a violation of all the things "freedom of speech" has stood for.

Zuckerberg for his part expressed how his company backs the freedom of speech through the platform while at the same time, fighting dangerously misleading information after he engaged in a controversy in late 2019 for changing its rulings in terms of allowing political leaders to run ads that have not been fact-checked independently.

Nevertheless, Pelosi argued that everything that Facebook cares about is a monetary benefit "at the expense of truth."

Check these out!
Mr. Pompeo has come under intense scrutiny for political and personal activities carried out using taxpayer funds because one of Mr. Linicks investigations focused on whether Mr. Pompeo had asked State Department employees to carry out personal tasks for him and his wife. That investigation centered on Ms. Porter, a friend of the Pompeos from Kansas who worked as a district director for Mr. Pompeo when he was a congressman and who also followed him to the C.I.A., where she was chief of protocol. At the State Department, she has the title of senior adviser, and she works with the Pompeos on planning their domestic trips, among other things.

After Mr. Linicks firing, news organizations reported on two dozen lavish dinners that the couple had hosted at the State Department  and that Ms. Porter helped plan  where guests mostly included prominent Republican donors, lawmakers and personalities in the news media. Reporters also documented secretive visits that Mr. Pompeo made with those same types of figures while on official State Department trips, including frequent ones last year to Kansas.

Ms. Kenna is a career diplomat who until recently served as the executive secretary to Mr. Pompeo. Her name surfaced during the House impeachment hearings last fall into whether Mr. Trump had pressured Ukraine for political gain, an effort that Mr. Pompeo enabled. On May 1, Mr. Trump nominated Ms. Kenna as ambassador to Peru.

A second investigation by Mr. Linick examined whether Mr. Pompeo and other top administration officials acted illegally in declaring an emergency last year to bypass a congressional freeze on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have carried out a devastating air war in Yemen. Raytheon is a main exporter of the weapons. That investigation was close to completion.

The four other officials whom lawmakers plan to interview are State Department officials involved in that initiative: R. Clarke Cooper, Marik String, Mark Miller and Charles Faulkner.

Democratic lawmakers and aides said this week that they were blocking another proposed package of arms sales to Saudi Arabia, but they fear Mr. Pompeo might try to push that through, as he did last year. The State Department gave Congress informal notification in January of the move, which includes granting Raytheon licenses to expand its manufacturing footprint in Saudi Arabia.

Mr. Pompeo had declined to be interviewed by Mr. Linicks investigators on the arms sales matter but had submitted written answers to questions, indicating he knew of the inquiry and its focus. And in early March, Mr. Linicks employees briefed senior department officials on the preliminary findings.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  In a rare example of public dissent with the leader of his party, Gov. Mike DeWine said Friday he disagrees with a controversial tweet from President Donald Trump that, referring to unrest in Minnesota and elsewhere this week, said when the looting begins, the shooting begins.

Asked about the tweet, DeWine, a Republican, said he doesnt agree with that last sentence at all. He also said he views his job as bringing people together in the diverse state he represents.

Look, I think its very important that leaders like myself be a source of peace and stability, and work to hear the divisions that we have in this country, DeWine said. That is, I believe, my obligation. I cant do it alone. I can do it with my fellow Ohioans.

DeWine addressed the presidents tweet during a Friday news conference he called in the aftermath of a large protest in Downtown Columbus the night before. Hundreds of demonstrators were angry about the death of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, Minnesota, who died Monday while in police custody. The incident spawned protests, some violent, in cities across the country.

In Columbus Thursday night, some protesters moved to the Statehouse grounds and vandalized the building, breaking windows and damaging doors and light fixtures along with other Downtown storefronts. Officials have not provided an estimated cost of the damage, but much of it was repaired Friday.

DeWine told reporters he regrets not commenting on Floyds death on Thursday afternoon when he had the chance during his regular public briefing on the coronavirus pandemic. So, he held a news conference to address the topic specifically.

The governor, a former county prosecutor, said he had seen the video numerous times, calling it disgusting. Standing with his wife, Fran, he said he understands why people, especially those in the African-American community, would be upset and hurt by what happened to Floyd.

All of us have an obligation to speak out against injustice and to speak against racism, he said. Speaking out against injustice and racism is even more important for a leader, for a governor. I missed that opportunity yesterday and I regret that. What happened to George Floyd is tragic.

DeWine praised the response by Columbus police to the increasingly chaotic demonstration, which he said resulted in no serious injuries. Reporters on the scene said police used pepper spray against protesters to try to move them out of a major intersection they were blocking. Some protesters threw objects at police, according to NBC4.

But while making little reference to the property damage to the Statehouse and other nearby buildings, DeWine called for any demonstrations around Ohio in future days to be peaceful.

I think its important that people have a right to demonstrate, he said. "And they should. In some cases, they have an obligation to demonstrate. But its important for them to be peaceful. We don't want to lose lives. We don't want to see people hurt."

Commenting on intensifying riots in Minnesota, Trump on Thursday tweeted: These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

Many interpreted Trumps tweet as threatening demonstrators. Twitter itself hid the tweet, saying it glorified violence.

But Trump attempted to clarify on Friday, saying in two follow-up tweets he actually was referring to the fact that people might get shot generally, not necessarily at the hands of the military or police. He pointed out seven had been shot during unrest in Louisville, Kentucky, where police said they had not used their firearms.

Its very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media, Trump said. Honor the memory of George Floyd!

Derek Chauvin, the officer seen in a video with his knee on Floyds neck, has been fired and was charged Friday with third-degree murder.

The same day DeWine held his press conference, the Ohio Black Legislative Caucus, which represents black Democratic state lawmakers, announced plans to introduce legislation declaring racism a public health crisis, following similar local resolutions by Cleveland and Franklin County.
Panasonic India launched its all-new flagship Digital Single Lens Mirrorless camera, the LUMIX G9. An outstanding combination of high-quality video/image outputs, functionality and mobility, makes LUMIX G9 the best-in-class hybrid camera available in the market today. The camera delivers the highest-ever image quality in photo shooting by elevating color reproduction with its 20.3-megapixel Digital Live MOS Sensor. It is available across Panasonic brand shops; and is priced at INR 98,990 for body only and INR 1,39,990 with 12-60 leica lens kit.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Sandeep Sehgal, Business Chief, Imaging Business Group, Panasonic India & SAARC, said, Our focus has always been to anticipate consumer needs and introduce products that are a blend of innovation, style, value and durability. Through this launch, we want to empower the new-age content creators, with not only the best in class features for still photography but also high quality videography. Today, content is king and we are here to provide photographers and videographers with a compact yet powerful companion to capture their creativity. Designed to disrupt the DSLM segment, we see a huge potential for Lumix G9 in India.

Equipped with The Body I.S.(Image Stabilizer), Lumix G9 uses a 6.5-stop slower shutter speed, that helps users to stable handheld photography and videography, even in a low-light environment. The camera delivers an outstanding video performance with its HDR video recording, V-Log L recording and Waveform Monitor (WFM) feature, and enhanced functions of 4K 30p/25p 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording that ensure 64 times more color information in the videos, high precision, and silky-smooth 4K 60p recording. The high-speed, high-precision AF with DFD technology in Lumix G9 achieves AF speed of 0.04, making it a perfect companion for street, wedding, travel, landscape photographers, and photojournalists. Additionally, the Animal Detect feature in AF mode utilizes advanced AI technology, which allows users to detect animals in addition to humans in a focused frame and continues to track the subject even when it turns its back to the camera; making it an ideal best for wildlife photographers. In addition, the G9 supports VFR (Variable Frame Rate) shooting (FHD 2-180 fps/4K 2-60 fps).

Talking about Lumix G9, Hardeep Singh Sarna, Product Head- Imaging Business Group, Panasonic India & SAARC, said, Photography has taken a new role in our lives today with the increase in social activities and digital content consumption. Designed for video bloggers, wedding videographers, and photographers, Lumix G9 offers class-leading image stabilization, 4K 60p recording and compact size for high mobility. Boasting features like integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, fastest-in-class 20 fps (AFC) / 60 fps (AFS) and high-performance shutter, Lumix G9 aims to provide unparalleled creative freedom to users.
Londons Trading Standards office, along with City of London police, are attempting to stop the sale of a device a company claims can protect people against the supposed dangers of 5G spectrum. Stephen Knight, operations director for London Trading Standards, told the BBC it considers the device, a 283 (approximately $349) USB stick called the 5GBioShield, "a scam." The agency, which is responsible for protecting consumers and businesses in London, is working with the city's police department to obtain a court order to take down the website of the company that sells the USB stick.

On its website (pictured below), BioShield Distribution claims the key "provides protection for your home and family, thanks to the wearable holographic nano-layer catalyzer..." It goes on to claim "through a process quantum oscillation, the 5GBioShield USB key re-harmonizes the disturbing frequencies arising from the electric fog induced by devices, such as laptops, cordless phones..."

BioShield website

After tearing down the device, Pen Test Partners, a company that takes apart consumer electronics to test them for security vulnerabilities, found there wasn't anything out of the ordinary about the USB key. It comes with a modest 128MB capacity, an inexpensive sticker and a 25-page PDF that repeats much of the material found on the company's website.

Sales of the 5GBioShield USB key started to pick up when one of the external members of Glastonbury's 5G Advisory Committee mentioned the device. "We use this device and find it helpful," they wrote and included a link to BioShield's website. The report's credibility came into question after the BBC published a story detailing its creation. It appears many of the people who worked on the report went into it with a biased opinion of 5G. Whats more, the committee admitted testimony from a variety of psuedo-scientific sources, including a professor who claims wireless signals will make human beings sterile.

"I joined the working group in good faith, expecting to take part in a sensible discussion about 5G," said Mark Swann, one of the people who volunteered to help compile the report. "Sadly the whole thing turned out to be a clueless pantomime driven by conspiracy theorists and skeptics."

Despite the best efforts of carriers like EE, 02 and Vodafone, as well as local authorities, anti-5G sentiment in the UK has grown recently. In April, arsonists torched cellular towers in several parts of the country in attacks authorities believe may be linked to conspiracy theories linking the proliferation of 5G masts to the spread of COVID-19. With this latest development in the story, you have a classic example of a company trying to profit from fear.
Kathmandu, May 29

Nepals Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Yogesh Bhattarai, has expressed his hope that the countrys tourism industry would revive soon after the global Covid-19 crisis.

Minister Bhattarai issued a statement on the occasion of the Everest Day, celebrated on May 29 every year commemorating the first ascent of Everest in 1953, and said the world mountaineers would also get their happiness back soon, along with the rejuvenation of Nepals tourism industry, presenting the highest peak of the world as a source of this happiness.

Nepals mountains would be abuzz with hundreds of mountaineers in the spring season in the past years. Consequently, the government would earn millions of rupees from them. However, owing to the Covid-19 crisis, the government has suspended all permits issued for this year. Likewise, international and domestic flights are also suspended.
Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST

Bazaar Corporate Radar

Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar.
" " A lion hunting in the middle of the wildebeest migration attempts to cross the Sand River in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, Africa. Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond Photography/Getty Images

Machu Picchu and the Great Pyramids may top many travelers' bucket lists, but for me  and countless fellow wildlife lovers  it's hard to beat a Serengeti safari. One day in the wildlife-rich Serengeti has more action than a typical month at home. With hundreds of species across its 12,000 square miles (31,079 square kilometers), you can start the morning watching lion cubs play, followed by a cheetah hunt, elephant dust bath and baby giraffe learning to walk  all before lunch. Every day is a new adventure, and no two Serengeti trips are alike. That's why I first visited in 2009, and it's what kept me going back.

While every wildlife encounter is thrilling, the cherry on top of any Serengeti safari is the chance to witness the Great Migration, which I did on my last visit in October 2018. With 1.5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles following the rains for lush pastures and water, this bucket-list sight is among the most miraculous on Earth. It's a rare spectacle that can only be seen in Africa's Serengeti.

Advertisement

What Is the Serengeti?

The Serengeti is a massive African ecosystem that spans 12,000 square miles (31,079 square kilometers) in northern Tanzania and into southwestern Kenya. Within this ecosystem, there's the popular 5,600-square-mile (14,503-square-kilometer) Serengeti National Park, as well as other game reserves and conservation areas like Tarangire National Park. The Serengeti is also home to the Maasai Mara main game reserve in Kenya, as well as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the world's largest inactive and unbroken volcanic caldera, which is filled with diverse wildlife. Animals can pass freely between the Kenya-Tanzania borders, but humans cannot.

As a vast, expansive ecosystem, it's not surprising the Serengeti's terrain varies wildly. According to Vivian Temba, co-founder of Tanzania safari outfitter Amani Afrika, the area's vastness is what makes it so special.

"The colors are different in every season, and there are new things to experience each time you visit," she says via email. "The Serengeti has many habitats, from open savannahs to riverine forests, acacia woodlands to swamp, and the granite kopjes are pretty impressive, too. The biodiversity is incomparable, really."

" " Giraffes and zebras are two of the wild animals you could see while on safari in Serengeti National Park. Roman Lukiw Photography/Getty Images

Advertisement

The Animals of the Serengeti

While the Serengeti boasts hundreds of mammal and bird species  800 to be exact  many travelers head here to see the "big five" in the wild: lion, rhino, leopard, elephant and Cape buffalo. Spotting these animals is exhilarating, particularly the elusive leopard and rhino, but these hardly scratch the surface of animals you'll see in the Serengeti.

Most Serengeti National Park safari days start before sunrise and, if you're willing, can continue right up to sunset. (Sunrise and sunset are when animals are most active.) The days can include hours upon hours of driving in an open-air vehicle; this is all on road, as off-roading is prohibited for conservation reasons. Instead of cars and buildings, you're spending the day driving past animals like zebra, wildebeest or warthog. Safari guides will stop for any animal you'd like to photograph, but the zebra, giraffe and wildebeest sightings become so common that, by day two, you'll probably be fine just slowing down and rolling by.

As you watch the spectacular wildlife outside your window, guides, who spend years training in the classroom and field, scan for tracks, poop, birds and plants to "form a mental map of what might have happened at a location and its surroundings," Temba says. "They make some educated guesses about what may happen next."

The guides use this intel to locate the big five and other favorites like cheetah or hyena. If you're lucky, the guides will get you to the scene of a hunt just before it happens  although be prepared: On one of my visits we spent two hours slowly following a cheetah hunting a gazelle. And we were only lucky enough to stumble upon it because our guide had a good hunch.

"Guides that go on safaris often, like week after week, can get to know the animals intimately," Temba says. "Often the experienced guide will go searching in familiar terrains to continue their storylines or find out what's happened to the animals since they last visited."

" " A huge African elephant is seen crossing the plains of the Serengeti against a lone Acacia tree. Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond/Getty Images

Advertisement

How to See the Great Migration

On a micro scale, safari guides search for the big five and their guests' favorite animals in action. But on a larger scale, the guides are following the Great Migration, because where wildebeest go, so go the predators.

According to Temba, the Great Migration is a year-round phenomenon. For the majority of the year, the massive wildebeest herds  think about 1.5 million of them  stay within Serengeti National Park.

Between January and March, about 500,000 wildebeest are born there. The herds stay in the central Serengeti in April and May, then slowly move north toward Kenya in search of fresh pasture. The wildebeest reach the Kenya border roughly around late July, which is when the most renowned part of the Great Migration truly begins: the Mara River crossings, where thousands of hungry crocodiles are waiting.

"From July to October, the wildebeest herds are expected to be seen in Northern Serengeti, the Mara River region," she says. "The herds often spill over to the Maasai Mara side [in Kenya], so the best time to be in the Maasai Mara is August and September. It's not black and white, though. The herds continually graze between Serengeti National Park and Maasai Mara. They can cross and re-cross the Mara River, which flows from Kenya into Tanzania, because 'the grass is always greener on the other side.'"

In terms of visiting, lodges, campsites and glamping sites are available all across the Serengeti. Guides typically take guests from one campsite to the next every few days while traversing the Serengeti. Temba and her husband hand-built their dream glamp sites, Aurari Camp in Northern Serengeti and Cherero Camp between Central and Western Serengeti, to provide optimal migration lodging throughout the year. Luxe, larger lodge options  including a Four Seasons with an infinity pool  are available as well.

" " The Maasai (a young Maasai girl is seen here) is one of the most famous tribes in the Serengeti; they live across northern Tanzania and southern Kenya. Peter Adams/Getty Images

Advertisement

Do People Live in the Serengeti?

Serengeti National Park itself does not have residents since it has national park status, but many tribes do call the greater Serengeti home. The Maasai is one of the most famous tribes in the area; they live across northern Tanzania and southern Kenya, including areas surrounding the Ngorongoro Crater. Many safari outfitters offer a stop at a Maasai village as part of their tour package, but Temba, whose husband was born and raised near the Serengeti, says these "cultural experiences" are a bit contrived.

"Unfortunately, the Maasai villages along the tourist path are quite commercial in nature," she says. "If one is interested in meeting 'real Maasai,' they need to go off the tourist path. For Ngorongoro, it's possible to take an extended trip to camp at certain Maasai villages for an actually authentic experience. You can take a guided trek and have Maasai donkeys help with moving from camp to camp for about six days of hiking."

Maasai aren't the only ones to call this 12,000-square-mile (31,079 square kilometers) ecosystem home. Other indigenous groups, including Sonjo, Kuria, Ikoma and Hadzabe  the bushmen tribes  live throughout the greater Serengeti.

" " A young cub playing with its father was photographed inside Masai Mara National Reserve. Chaithanya Krishnan/Getty Images

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING In the 1960s and 1970s, poachers hunted wildlife like the Serengeti black rhino to near extinction. Recent consolidated efforts to curb poaching  which include everything from aerial monitoring to rescue dogs trained to sniff out wildlife contraband  have helped threatened populations rebound slowly. In 2019, Tanzania announced elephant and rhino populations were finally on the mend.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 01:31:30|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

HEFEI, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Benefiting from agricultural equipment sharing platforms and demand management that creates a balance between supply and demand, Chinese farmers are introducing smarter and modern ideas to secure a harvest year despite COVID-19.

Facing challenges such as labor shortage as workers were advised to stay at home during the epidemic, agricultural drones are giving a helping hand to major grain growers like Jia Yunfei in central China's Henan Province, one of the country's major breadbaskets.

Jia said it used to take him nearly a week to spray his farmland of 2,000 mu (over 130 hectares) in Dancheng County with pesticides while four to five drones largely boost the efficiency by cutting the crop-dusting time to less than two days this year.

Equipped with high-definition cameras and soil sensors, workers in the Longkang Farm in Huaiyuan County, east China's Anhui Province, can closely monitor the growing of wheat and carry out more targeted soil testing and formulated fertilization plans.

Ma Zhenhui in charge of the land said the farm is expected to see a fair harvest this year as the yield of wheat per mu will exceed 530 kilograms, adding that "the cutting-edge technologies have brought a revolution to our industry."

Summer grain is the first season of China's annual grain production, which accounts for more than a fifth of the annual grain output.

According to the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, China is expected to see a bumper summer grain harvest this year, with the production of summer grain and edible oil to remain at relatively high levels.

FARM EQUIPMENT SHARING

Wang Lianjie runs a machinery cooperative in Henan Province and owns over 40 items of agricultural machinery. His business is to lend the machines to those in need during the harvest season.

This year, Wang said his machines will travel to grain-growing provinces and cities including Anhui, Shandong and Tianjin.

The idea of sharing agricultural machinery might be unfamiliar to many, but it is increasingly popular among grain growers across China, said Wang. He relies on a mobile application to advertise the vacancy to those in need.

Wang also uses big data by cooperating with his counterparts based in other regions to schedule the machines ahead of the harvest season to help more farmers.

Ma Chong, head of an agricultural company in Anhui Province, also promotes the idea of sharing agriculture in his business. With a few clicks on the phone, 16 crop-spraying drones of Ma's company have been booked by farmers in Inner Mongolia, according to Ma.

Ma said the sharing model has helped eager farmers find drivers of farm machinery more quickly.

BALANCE BETWEEN SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Seeing the golden waves of grain, Luo Yingli, a farmer in Anhui Province's Yingshang County is not worried about finding a buyer since his 80 hectares of wheat had already been booked by a flour enterprise six months ago.

"I have cooperated with local flour enterprises to grow their designated wheat varieties and they will haul the wheat during the harvest season," said Luo.

Based on the agreement, Luo only plants a single variety of high-quality wheat and his grain can be sold at a higher price.

"I can earn an additional 120,000 yuan (about 16,747 U.S. dollars) this year," he said.

The efforts of striking a balance between the supply and the demand have enhanced the quality of grain and led to increasing areas of high-quality crops in China.

In Anhui, the planting area of high-quality wheat accounts for 53.4 percent of the total acreage this year while that in Henan reached 900,000 hectares, and 86.4 percent of Henan's high-quality wheat has been booked.

According to the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, state purchasing of grain will generally remain stable with a slight increase, while the buying volume of wheat is expected at around 70 million tonnes and for early rice to reach 10 million tonnes. Enditem
On Monday, Derek Chauvin, a white police officer in Minneapolis, arrested a Black man named George Floyd. Chauvin pinned him to the ground, his knee pressing on Floyds neck. Afterward, Floyd died, at the age of forty-six. His deaththe latest in a long line of examples of racism and police brutality, also seen recently in Georgia, Kentucky, and New Yorksparked fury. Last night, protesters in Minneapolis set fire to a police precinct; officers fled. Cable news carried footage of the blaze. MSNBCs Ali Velshi, who was live on the scene, tried to explain the unfolding chaos to a colleague, Brian Williams, while wearing a medical mask to protect against the spread of covid-19. Williams cut in, and when he threw back to Velshi, Velshi could be heard saying, We got gas. Masks on. Masks on, guys. Williams waited as Velshi strapped a gas mask over his face covering. Trumps America is the cable correspondent having to change from his anti-pandemic mask to his anti-teargas mask on live TV, CNNs Amanda Katz tweeted.

Floyds death became national news hours after his arrest, when a distressing video, documenting his abuse, circulated on social media. Its a tragically common trajectory. Recently, CJRs Alexandria Neason reflected on the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was shot while out for a run in Brunswick, Georgia, and Breonna Taylor, an emergency medical technician in Louisville, Kentucky, who was killed by police officers who stormed into her home. Video (belatedly) emerged of Arberys death, but not of Taylors; Arbery got more play in the press. In virtually every instance of violence against Black Americans, Neason wrote, the stories that received the most attention were those that came with a sensational, horrible video. Writing for The New Yorker yesterday, in response to the death of Floyd, Jelani Cobb weighed the dilemma these videos pose. They are the macabre documentary of current events, he wrote, but the question remains about whether they do more to humanize or to objectify the unwilling figures at the center of their narratives.

ICYMI: The bad news quietly buried during the pandemic

Once the Floyd video went viral, protesters gatherednot only in Minneapolis, but also in Louisville, New York, Los Angeles, Denver, and elsewhere. Chauvin and three other officers were fired. Yesterday, law enforcement officials in Minnesota called a press conference to discuss the case, which was carried live on cable. Speculation mounted that charges would be brought against Chauvin, but they were not; Mike Freeman, the attorney for Hennepin County, of which Minneapolis is the seat, acknowledged that the video of Floyds arrest was graphic, and horrific, and terrible, but also said there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge. Freemans office later clarified that he had misspoken, and was merely saying that all possible evidence should be reviewed. But the damage was done. The presser left journalists incredulous. On CNN, Don Lemon slammed the officials for requesting that further witnesses come forward, especially any who might have footage of Floyds arrest. How much more video do they need? Lemon said. Is this some sort of a joke?

In the same monologue, Lemon mentioned that no one wants to hear from President Trump right now. Soon, however, Trump weighed in. Early Friday morning, he tweeted that he might send in the National Guard to restore order in Minneapolis, called the protesters THUGS, and suggested that he would have them shot. When the looting starts, the shooting starts, Trump wrote. Thank you! (Trump seemed to be quoting a Miami police chief from the 1960s.) In response, Twitter did something that it had just started trying out a few days earlier: acknowledge the harm of Trumps message. Citing a rule against glorifying violence, Twitter hid the shooting starts tweet behind a warning notification and limited users ability to like and share it. It was the second time this week that Twitter had taken action against Trump; on Tuesday the company appended fact checks to misleading tweets hed posted about mail-in voting. Trump lashed out, first threatening to shutter Twitter (he cant); yesterday, he signed an executive order intended to make social media platforms face greater legal liability for users posts. Some legal experts said Trumps order was likely unenforceable, but its an unresolved question. By hiding Trumps tweet about Minneapolis, Twitter raised the stakes.

In the meantime, extraordinary images continue to emerge from Minneapolis. The demonstrations persist, and reporters have become part of the picture, too. About two hours ago, Omar Jimenez, a CNN correspondent, who is Black, and two crew members who were with himBill Kirkos, a producer, and Leonel Mendez, a photojournalistwere arrested live on air. They appeared to be complying with police instructions and could be heard identifying themselves as journalists, but police officers proceeded to make the arrests anyway. Josh Campbell, another CNN correspondent, who is white, said that he was also approached by police, but was allowed to stay put. I was treated much differently than [Jimenez] was, Campbell said. Shortly before 8am, Jimenez, Kirkos, and Mendez were released. Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, reportedly spoke with Jeff Zucker, CNNs president, and deeply apologized for the arrests.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

With so much to parseincluding the safety of reporters, and Trump and Twitters ideasthe press must not lose its grip on the plot: systemic racism in America. Its a story of urgent importance, and not only when we have disturbing images to show non-Black people. All too often, Black peoples lives become pawns in a war of attention and scarce resources, as Neason wrote. The dominant storylines are the ones that shock people on social media; eventually, the general public moves on and the consequences of trauma inflicted on Black people retreats back to the corners where it has always been.

Below, more on Minneapolis, Trump, and violence:



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: The many coronavirus conspiracy theories

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
Tech companies Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE: DELL) and HP Inc (NYSE: HPQ) reported their earnings this week. At the very least, they hurdled Wall Street estimates. Despite more people working from home, HP stock dropped sharply upon the results as only earnings estimates were topped. On the other hand, Dell's results drove shares more than 7%. No financial targets for the full year were given due to uncertainty regarding the length of the pandemic and the consequent slow pace of the economic recovery.

HP's revenue was held back

In their most recent quarter ending on April 30, the personal computer and printer maker achieved total revenue of $12.5 billion. Sales fell 11.2% from the same quarter a year ago. Analysts expected $12.86 billion. The good news is that earnings per share of 51 cents topped estimates of 45 cents.

Compared to the prior year, sales at HP's personal systems and printing segments dropped 7% and 19%, respectively. But the big difference is in operating profits. In the personal systems segment, profit surged 43% from the prior year, but in the printing segment, it fell 35%. The Palo Alto, California based company ended the quarter with $4.1 billion in cash. On a year-over-year basis, revenue dropped 11% with earnings dipping 4%. But what made the stock plunged 5.5%, besides the sales miss, is that the company didn't provide a revenue target for the current quarter. It only gave an earnings expectation of 42 cents per share. By the looks of it, HP's diverse portfolio and go-to-market capabilities are what protected its earnings. Also, HP's financial position showed the company can weather the storm.

Dell's business blossomed from work-from-home trends

For the quarter that ended in April, Texas-based company achieved revenues of $21.90 billion. Quarterly earnings amounted to $182 million. Adjusted earnings were $1.34 per share whereas Zacks Consensus Estimate was 3.09% lower at $1.01 per share. But the actual result is lower when compared to $1.45 per share earned in the same quarter last year. On a brighter note, the quarterly report delivered an earnings surprise of 32.67% whereas, in the previous quarter, there was no surprise as the estimate equaled the actual result. Moreover, Dell achieved a good track record as it surpassed both consensus EPS and revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.

Story continues

Most importantly, the tech giant said the pandemic has boosted its business in certain sectors. For example, the revenue of Dell's Client Solutions Group rose 2% year over year to $11.1 billion. The segment saw demand for commercial laptop units surge in double-digits whereas mobile workstation saw high-single-digit revenue growth. This is due to orders from banking and financial services, government and health care providers expanding 15% to 20% as these businesses struggled to meet the immediate needs of their customers, communities and patients. Overall, despite flat sales and an earnings drop on a year-over-year basis, Dell portrayed a strong financial performance that was well beyond expectations so no wonder its shares went up.

Outlook

We know by now that the entire fiscal year will be filled with uncertainty so everyone will be eagerly waiting for estimates of the current and upcoming quarters. The good news is that customers need essential technology now more than ever before so they can restart their businesses in a COVID-19 remote working environment. One thing is certain: the current conditions will act as a strong catalyst for transformation that is upon both HP and Dell.

This article is not a press release and is contributed by Ivana Popovic who is a verified independent journalist for IAMNewswire. It should not be construed as investment advice at any time please read the full disclosure . Ivana Popovic does not hold any position in the mentioned companies. Press Releases  If you are looking for full Press release distribution contact: press@iamnewswire.com Contributors  IAM Newswire accepts pitches. If you're interested in becoming an IAM journalist contact: contributors@iamnewswire.com Questions about this release can be send to ivana@iamnewswire.com

The post HP and Dell At Least Managed to Top Estimates appeared first on IAM Newswire.

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Representative Image

India is using its public digital infrastructure, to take a leap into digital economy in a bid to achieve economic goals in the country and connect globally, India's High Commissioner to Singapore Jawed Ashraf has said.

The envoy further noted that building digital connectivity and partnerships with Singapore and ASEAN countries, is a priority for India and highlighted how technology has been used effectively to achieve public policy goals in the country during COVID-19 disruptions.

We are using our public digital infrastructure, rated as the largest in the world, to take a leap into digital economy to achieve our public policy and economic goals at home and connect globally," Ashraf told an online Fintech forum this week.

He highlighted India's several initiatives with Singapore such as interoperability of payment systems, with Singapore being the first country to see the launch of RuPAY in 2018 and BHIM QR at the Singapore Fintech Festival last year, and said that Singapore's NETS cards likely to be accepted in India soon.

The two sides are also working on connecting India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI) with Singapore's FAST (Fast And Secure Transfers) system, which will make remittances to India seamless and efficient, he told some 700 participants from 34 countries at the "SFF Green Shoots Series: Cross-border collaboration between the ASEAN region and India, UK, Denmark and Sweden" held from Singapore via zoom on Tuesday.

India is also collaborating with Singapore on building a digital hub, Business Sans Border, that will connect Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) companies in India online to global supply chain and markets, particularly in the ASEAN market.

Commenting on the role of technology and startups in the COVID-19 situation, he said that technology has been used effectively to achieve public policy goals.

Jawed Ashraf pointed out that USD 5 billion was transferred to 160 million beneficiaries into their accounts in the first three weeks of its launch earlier this month.

Aarogya Setu, a contact tracing app, has helped keep up with managing the spread of coronavirus across the country.

In home-based learning, as mandated in managing the COVID-19 spread, e-vidya and Diksha have drawn 640 million hits since its launch on March 24, 2020.

New initiatives like portability of e-ration cards for migrant workers will cover 640 million beneficiaries by August 2020 and the entire country by March 2021.

Elsewhere, e-trading for agriculture sector and e-market place for MSMEs are being planned.

Digital technology has been an important instrument in the past five years for economic transformation and for empowerment, access and inclusion, Ashraf said adding that it will play a key role in economic recovery after the pandemic.
The British government has approached the US with the prospect of creating a 5G club of 10 democracies, including India, amid growing security concerns related to Chinese telecom giant Huawei, according to a UK media report.

The British government has approached the US with the prospect of creating a 5G club of 10 democracies, including India, amid growing security concerns related to Chinese telecom giant Huawei, according to a UK media report.

A so-called 'D10' club of democratic partners, including G7 countries, UK, US, Italy, Germany, France, Japan and Canada, Australia, South Korea and India will aim to create alternative suppliers of 5G equipment and other technologies to avoid relying on China, The Times reported.

The move to speed up such a club comes as the UK launched an inquiry into Huawei's involvement in the country's mobile network upgrade in the wake of US sanctions against the company.

We need new entrants to the market. That was the reason we ended up having to go along with Huawei at the time, the newspaper quoted a UK government source as saying.

Nokia and Ericsson are the only European suppliers of 5G infrastructure and experts say that they cannot provide 5G kit as quickly or as cheaply as Huawei.

Britain has labelled Huawei a high-risk vendor and therefore its involvement in the UK's 5G upgrade comes with a 35 per cent market cap, including a ban on its participation in the sensitive core of the network.

The review into Huawei, launched last week by the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, followed the announcement of US sanctions to block the sale of American chips to the company.

UK security officials fear that the ban will prompt China to use cheaper, less secure technologies, instead of verified US versions.

Officials are, meanwhile, examining proposals to curb the installation of Huawei kit in the 5G network from 2023.

According to the newspaper, increasing the partnership of like-minded democracies forms part of the ongoing reappraisal of the Chinese firm's involvement in the UK.

The US in recent months has increased its action against Huawei, China's first global tech brand and a maker of network equipment and smartphones, preventing it from doing business in the US, as it believes the company known for its technological advancement in 5G is being used by the Chinese leadership to serve their interest.

The Trump administration says Huawei is a security risk, which the company denies, and is trying to persuade European and other allies to shun its technology for the next-generation telecom networks.

China has accused the US of raising phony security concerns to hurt a rising competitor to American tech companies.
Seozio.com scored 59 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 3/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 15 Mar 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the seozio homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the seozio homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the seozio homepage on Twitter + the total number of seozio followers (if seozio has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the seozio homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if seozio has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the seozio homepage on StumbleUpon.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Free Website SEO Analysis Report | SEOzio Tool Home DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS website, seozio, search, search engines, engines, links, analysis



CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English ISO-8859-1English DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache/2.2.16 (Debian) (PHP/5.3.3-7+squeeze15) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

The language of seozio.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services. Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for seozio.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The URL of the found Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Holding signs and chanting through masks residents in Boston and Framingham lined some of the citys sidewalks protesting the death of George Floyd.

In Boston, dozens gathered in at Ashmont T stop in Dorchester and Peters Park in the South End. In Framingham, about 30 people protested across the city, according to the Metro Daily News.

The protests following Floyds death on Monday, where video shows Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin with his knee on Floyds neck as Floyd gasps for breath on the ground with his face against the pavement. The officer does not move for at least eight minutes, even after Floyd stops speaking and moving.

The incident has sparked Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to call for the arrest of Chauvin, who along with three other officers have been fired. No charges have been filed yet.

Protests have resulted around the country, including Boston, Framingham and one scheduled Friday in Springfield.

The protests in Massachusetts on Thursday were conducted without incident.

In Dorchester, video shows people holding signs and waving a Black Lives Matter flag. The group then began to chant Black Lives Matter.

Later during the protest, the crowd can be heard chanting, Please, I cant breath."

Protesters in front of the Ashmont T-stop in Dorchester chanting please I cant breathe. Close to 75 people have gathered on 3 corners. #floydgeorge @boston25 pic.twitter.com/Bw2oWNJIPU  Malini Basu (@WFXTMalini) May 28, 2020

Boston Police Commissioner William Gross told NBC Boston, the officers involved in Floyds death should be held accountable.

There is nowhere in any of our training manuals that leaning on someones neck is a proper procedure to quell an arrestees behavior, said Gross.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said in a tweet he was deeply disturbed by the death of George Floyd and that "we must reflect on and learn from this tragedy and the history behind it.

Related Content:
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/28/2020 -- The Latest research study released by HTF MI "Global Water and Wastewater Management Market" with 100+ pages of analysis on business Strategy taken up by key and emerging industry players and delivers know how of the current market development, landscape, technologies, drivers, opportunities, market viewpoint and status. Understanding the segments helps in identifying the importance of different factors that aid the market growth. Some of the Major Companies covered in this Research are Veolia (France), SUEZ (France), Xylem (US), Dow Water & Process Solutions (US), Evoqua Water Technologies (US), Aquatech International (US), Ecolab (US), 3M (US) & Pentair (US) etc.



Click here for free sample + related graphs of the report @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1597256-global-water-and-wastewater-management-market-2



Browse market information, tables and figures extent in-depth TOC on "Water and Wastewater Management Market by Application (Municipal, Industrialization & Agriculture), by Product Type (, Chemicals, Treatment Technologies & Equipment & Services), Business scope, Manufacturing and Outlook  Estimate to 2025".



The global impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have significantly affecting the Infrastructure in overall market in 2020. The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought effects on many aspects, like flight cancellations; travel bans and quarantines; restaurants closed; all indoor events restricted; over forty countries state of emergency declared; massive slowing of the supply chain; stock market volatility; falling business confidence, growing panic among the population, and uncertainty about future. Know more with latest edition of Global Water and Wastewater Management Market Study; Early buyers will receive 20% customization free on report



for more information or any query mail at sales@htfmarketreport.com



At last, all parts of the Global Water and Wastewater Management Market are quantitatively also subjectively valued to think about the Global just as regional market equally. This market study presents basic data and true figures about the market giving a deep analysis of this market based on market trends, market drivers, constraints and its future prospects. The report supplies the worldwide monetary challenge with the help of Porter's Five Forces Analysis and SWOT Analysis.



If you have any Enquiry please click here @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1597256-global-water-and-wastewater-management-market-2



Customization of the Report: The report can be customized as per your needs for added data up to 3 businesses or countries or 40 analyst hours.



On the basis of report- titled segments and sub-segment of the market are highlighted below:

Global Water and Wastewater Management Market By Application/End-User (Value and Volume from 2019 to 2025) : Municipal, Industrialization & Agriculture



Market By Type (Value and Volume from 2019 to 2025) : , Chemicals, Treatment Technologies & Equipment & Services



Global Water and Wastewater Management Market by Key Players: Veolia (France), SUEZ (France), Xylem (US), Dow Water & Process Solutions (US), Evoqua Water Technologies (US), Aquatech International (US), Ecolab (US), 3M (US) & Pentair (US)



Geographically, this report is segmented into some key Regions, with manufacture, depletion, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Water and Wastewater Management in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering China, USA, Europe, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia & South America and its Share (%) and CAGR for the forecasted period 2019 to 2025.



Informational Takeaways from the Market Study: The report Water and Wastewater Management matches the completely examined and evaluated data of the noticeable companies and their situation in the market considering impact of Coronavirus. The measured tools including SWOT analysis, Porter's five powers analysis, and assumption return debt were utilized while separating the improvement of the key players performing in the market.



Key Development's in the Market: This segment of the Water and Wastewater Management report fuses the major developments of the market that contains confirmations, composed endeavors, R&D, new thing dispatch, joint endeavours, and relationship of driving members working in the market.



To get this report buy full copy @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1597256



Some of the important question for stakeholders and business professional for expanding their position in the Global Water and Wastewater Management Market :

Q 1. Which Region offers the most rewarding open doors for the market Ahead of 2020?

Q 2. What are the business threats and Impact of COVID scenario Over the market Growth and Estimation?

Q 3. What are probably the most encouraging, high-development scenarios for Water and Wastewater Management movement showcase by applications, types and regions?

Q 4.What segments grab most noteworthy attention in Water and Wastewater Management Market in 2019 and beyond?

Q 5. Who are the significant players confronting and developing in Water and Wastewater Management Market?



For More Information Read Table of Content @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1597256-global-water-and-wastewater-management-market-2



Key poles of the TOC:

Chapter 1 Global Water and Wastewater Management Market Business Overview

Chapter 2 Major Breakdown by Type [, Chemicals, Treatment Technologies & Equipment & Services]

Chapter 3 Major Application Wise Breakdown (Revenue & Volume)

Chapter 4 Manufacture Market Breakdown

Chapter 5 Sales & Estimates Market Study

Chapter 6 Key Manufacturers Production and Sales Market Comparison Breakdown

..

Chapter 8 Manufacturers, Deals and Closings Market Evaluation & Aggressiveness

Chapter 9 Key Companies Breakdown by Overall Market Size & Revenue by Type

..

Chapter 11 Business / Industry Chain (Value & Supply Chain Analysis)

Chapter 12 Conclusions & Appendix



Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.
The anti-graft agency, ICPC, says it has commenced investigations into alleged cases of corruption in the management of COVID-19 funds and palliatives.

The ICPC Director of Operations, Akeem Lawal, said this on Thursday during a virtual meeting of stakeholders.

Mr Lawal said there are allegations of fraud by some participating public institutions in the release and distribution of grains from strategic food reserve to financially exploit local governments.

He said, the cases include alleged infractions in the procurement of COVID-19 palliatives and logistics and community enlightenment activities.

He said there was also an allegation of diversion of COVID-19 logistics and contingency emergency fund into personal account.

In all cases of infraction, culprits will be investigated and prosecuted, the director said.

He added that the ICPC was also monitoring the distribution of money and food under the Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme and the Home School Feeding Programme.

Mr Lawal stated that the commissions intervention in the COVID-19 fund management was pursuant to its corruption prevention, enforcement and public sensitisation mandate.

He said the aim was to ensure transparency and accountability in the utilisation of the funds as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Special Adviser to the President on School Feeding Programme, Dotun Adebayo, during the web meeting, disclosed that the government was targeting 3,131,971 households in the Home School Feeding Programme.

He added that each household would get a food ration package worth N4,200 on the presumption of an average of three children per household.

According to him, a package contains five kilogrammes each of rice and beans; 500 milligrammes of vegetable oil, 750 milligrammes of palm oil, 500 gramme of salt, 15 eggs and 140 grammes of tomato paste.

We normally expend N1,400 per child per 20 days when schools are open

Fortunately, we had existing fund to cover 20-day circle in April for 35 states before schools were closed due to the COVId-19 lockdown, he said.

The presidential aide said the government was leveraging the existing structure of the programme to deliver the food items to the beneficiaries.

As a result of the economic fallout triggered by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had in March, announced a N50 billion intervention fund as a stimulus package to support households and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in order to help mitigate the effects of the pandemic.

Similarly, the Private sector coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID), led Aliko Dangote, in April set aside N23 billion out of the N27.16 billion total donation to purchase food items and reach out to 10 million vulnerable Nigerians.

According to the group, the distribution of the food items will be done over the next few days to reach at least 1.67 million households in all 774 local government areas in the country.

The ICPC chairman, Bolaji Owasanoye, in his address said that the commission also in March, issued an advisory on response management for COVID-19 fund.

We followed it up by setting a committee to monitor the use of contribution and funds during the emergency because such period could trigger higher level of corruption.

We appointed observers at a request of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 to focus on some key MDAs who will be involved in procurement and in response to COVID-19.

We followed it up by issuing some prevention guidelines which were not mandatory but took from financial regulations and laws to guide MDAs on what we will be doing.

The Accountant-General Office, followed by issuing very comprehensive frameworks for the management of COVID-19 fund under the treasury single account (TSA), he said.

Advertisements



The chairman, therefore, assured that the commission would monitor all donations made by the private sector to ensure transparency and accountability.
The Lagos state police command has confirmed the arrest of its officer who allegedly fired and killed a 16-year-old girl named Tina in Iyana Oworo area of the state.

Read Also: N30m Fraud: I Dont Deal With Small Money, Bobrisky Brags After Police Arrest

Bala Elkana, the state police spokesman confirmed his arrest via a statement on his official Twitter handle on Friday.

Statement below:

Advertisement

The killer cop is identified, arrested and detained at the Headquarters. He will face the full weight of the law. Justice will surely prevail. Members of the Public will be updated on the outcome of the investigation.
MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI  A murder suspect has parted ways with his third attorney, and, after some convincing by the judge, has agreed to not represent himself.

Rodney Amos Neal, accused of open murder in the shooting death of 18-year-old Derek Wade Rico Peterson II in Muskegon Heights, on Wednesday, May 27, was granted his motion to dismiss attorney Brian Wistrom.

His motion, granted by Muskegon County Circuit Judge William Marietti, noted ineffectiveness of counsel.

The hearing on Neals motion was conducted remotely via Zoom.

Wistrom told the judge he had worked hard on the case, including a recent Saturday spent on a brief filed on Monday that Neal told Marietti he wanted withdrawn.

I want Mr. Neal to be satisfied with his representation, Wistrom said, adding later, if he isnt happy with me, I dont want to remain on the case.

Neal, 31, initially was granted a public defender when he was charged in June 2019. He later hired attorney Joshua Eldenbrady, to represent him. That led to several delays in court proceedings.

But in October, Eldenbrady asked, and received court approval, to step down as Neals counsel. Eldenbrady cited a conflict with Neal, but did not elaborate.

Peterson was shot in the head the early afternoon of June 5, while sitting in the drivers seat of a car at the corner of Sixth Street and Broadway Avenue in Muskegon Heights.

Its alleged that Neal and co-defendant Darese Dukur Sanders, 25, shot at Peterson because they thought he had a cell phone related to a drug dealing business, according to earlier court testimony.

Sanders also is awaiting trial on an open murder charge.

Wistrom noted that Neal had sent him various legal cases to review in preparing his defense and seemed well read regarding the law.

Matt Roberts, chief trial attorney for the Muskegon County Prosecutors Office, told the judge Wistrom had worked very hard on this case.

Neal told Marietti he wanted to represent himself, which the judge eventually was able to talk him out of. Marietti likened a murder defendant  facing a potential life sentence in prison  representing themself to a person suffering a heart attack opting for self-treatment rather than the care of a doctor.

Thats like treating yourself for a heart attack, and thats not a very wise thing to do, Marietti said.

The judge agreed to appoint a public defender to represent Neal, noting that that likely will cause further delays in the case. However, he told Neal he could guarantee that he would have a very experienced attorney representing you.

Dezonique Hunter, 22, is facing two felonies related to Petersons shooting death. She has been charged with perjury for allegedly denying she was at the homicide scene. She also has been charged with witness retaliation for an alleged physical assault on a witness to the crime.

The prosecutors office has struggled with scared and hesitant witnesses whose apprehensions led to closures of court proceedings and a judges order to the media regarding coverage of the case.

Read more:

Attorney quits murder case, forcing judge to postpone court date for 6th time

Judge closes Muskegon courtroom during emotional murder hearing

Murder case weakened by witness intimidation, judge says
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 23:20:47|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ADEN, Yemen, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Health Ministry on Friday confirmed five new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 283 in the country's provinces controlled by the government.

According to a brief statement released by the country's supreme national emergency committee, the death toll from the deadly respiratory disease climbed to 65 after eight new deaths were recorded in the areas controlled by the Yemeni government.

The pro-government health authorities added that the number of recoveries remained at 11 since the outbreak of coronavirus on April 10.

The Yemeni government has taken several measures to contain the outbreak of COVID-19, including imposing a partial overnight curfew in Aden and other major cities under its control.

The government called on donors and relevant international humanitarian organizations to provide support to help contain the pandemic.

Elsewhere in the country, health authorities in the Houthi rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa on Friday announced the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in several provinces in northern Yemen.

"We confirm the disease is rife ... there are so many COVID-19 cases in several provinces including the capital Sanaa," the health authorities said in a statement.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa. Enditem
As paramedics loaded Alexis Saborit into an ambulance Monday night, the man accused of fleeing from a Harris County Sheriffs Office deputy and then crashing into a bicyclist and another driver, killing both, told authorities he had a parole warrant for his arrest.

The crash, however, was not Saborits first encounter with law enforcement since the warrant for his arrest was issued in December 2018, almost a year after he had been paroled on a fraud conviction. That encounter, when he was arrested as a suspected car burglar in July 2019, should have returned him to prison, but an oversight at the Harris County Jail allowed for his release.

The crashes in north Houston killed 63-year-old Jarvis Taylor and 57-year-old Roosevelt McClendon. Their deaths, said crime victims advocate Andy Kahan, were utterly preventable.

If he had been (held on the parole warrant in July 2019), one can easily speculate Mr. Taylor and Mr. McClendon would be alive today, said Kahan, who is with Houston Crime Stoppers. Our system let them down.

Saborit was speeding in his Mercedes-Benz along Veterans Memorial Drive near West Road around 9 p.m. Monday when a deputy tried to stop him, authorities said. The parolee instead fled, crossed over into wrong side of the road and then struck Taylor, who was on a bike, and then McClendon, who was driving a Buick LaCrosse.

Saborit, who suffered serious injuries in the crash with McClendon, was also hospitalized. As medics treated him, he admitted to investigators with the HCSO Vehicular Crimes Division that he had an active parole warrant for his arrest.

Records show Saborit received a six-year prison sentence in 2015 for participating in a massive identity theft ring in Harris County, having amassed more than 50 Social Security numbers, credit cards numbers and other forms of identification from unsuspecting victims.

He was granted parole in January 2018, but it was revoked in December 2018 when he caught a misdemeanor marijuana charge from police in Tarrant County, said Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesperson Jeremy Desel.

State authorities filed a parole warrant, often called a blue warrant, for his arrest that same month, Desel said. It was immediately entered into statewide and nationwide databases used by law enforcement, Desel said.

On July 26, 2019, police officers in Friendswood nabbed Saborit as a suspect in a car break-in, according to Friendswood Police Department officer Lisa Price. The parole warrant showed up when they ran his name through one of the databases, Price said.

The officers took him to the Harris County Jail to answer the parole warrant in lieu of filing a burglary of a motor vehicle charge for the break-in, Price said.

An oversight somewhere

In jail, his parole warrant was somehow lost in a paperwork shuffle, and Harris County Sheriffs Office authorities are investigating how that happened, agency spokesperson Jason Spencer said.

There was an oversight somewhere, Spencer said, but we dont know where it is.

When a person is booked into jail, their information passes through several hands, Spencer said. In Saborits case, paperwork on his parole warrant was misplaced before it got into the hands of staffers tasked with reviewing bond paperwork before releasing inmates.

Those staffers did find he had warrants for a December 2018 marijuana charge from Tarrant County, as well as an unrelated burglary of a motor vehicle charge from the same county. Jailers released him July 31 after he paid a total of $8,500 on two bonds for the North Texas charges.

That whole system still relies on humans, Spencer said. Sometimes, throughout that complicated process,  a box isnt checked or a piece of paper isnt stapled to the right form.

Deputies again had the chance  and failed  to capture Saborit in January when he walked into the jail lobby to a pay a bond, court records show. When Saborit handed over his drivers license, the parole warrant showed up for jail staff, according to court documents.

As deputies tried to arrest him in the lobby, Saborit managed to escape and run to the nearby parking lot where his car was parked, court records show. Deputies announced themselves and told him he was under arrest as he fled.

In the parking lot, a deputy had Saborit at gunpoint, but he sped away, narrowly hitting a few deputies as he left. Detectives filed felony evading charges against Saborit later that day.

Deputies made no effort to track down Saborit after the evading warrant was filed, Spencer said. Because evading in a motor vehicle is not classified as a violent offense, it was given a lower priority by the sheriffs office division that handles warrants, Spencer said.

Could get a life sentence

Saborit is now in jail on two felony murder charges. He is held with no bond, records show.

In Texas, anyone who is accused of committing certain felonies while doing something clearly dangerous to human life can be charged with felony murder if someone dies during the commission of the underlying crime, according to state law.

Sgt. Simon Cheng, who helped investigate the crash Monday, said the underlying crime was when Saborit allegedly fled from the deputy.

The big picture issue here is that this gentleman made it clear he was not going back to state prison willfully, Spencer said. On that night when one of our deputies tried to pull him over for speeding, he knew he had warrants. He made the decision to endanger other peoples lives and kill two innocent people. Hes ultimately responsible for that.

If convicted on either of the murder charges, Saborit is facing a sentence between five and 99 years in prison, or a possible life sentence.

jay.jordan@chron.com

twitter.com/jayrjordan
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Export of cement from Turkey to Iran decreased by 40.61 percent from January through April 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, amounting to $3.9 million, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend.

In April 2020, Turkeys export of cement to Iran dropped by 57.07 percent compared to April 2019, and amounted to $685,000.

Turkeys export of cement to international markets made up over $1.1 billion from January through April 2020, which equals the same period of 2019.

The cement export from Turkey amounted to 2.2 percent of the countrys total export over the reporting period.

Turkeys export of cement to international markets amounted to $231.7 million in April 2020, which is 25.5 percent less compared to the same month of 2019.

In April 2020, export of cement from Turkey to international markets amounted to 2.6 percent of the countrys total export.

From April 2019 through April 2020, Turkeys export of cement amounted to $3.5 billion.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
A Birmingham rapper was wounded in a barrage of gunfire in a Tarrant neighborhood Thursday night.

Daniel Lee Jelks, aka Two Gunz Vito, was shot in the stomach and the leg in what police said was a drive-by shooting. The gunfire erupted about 6:30 p.m. in the 1100 block of Birmingham Street where Jelks was standing on the front porch of the home of his girlfriends family.

Tarrant police Det. Cpl. James Butterbrodt said two suspects drove and opened fire on Jelks with pistols. Between 50 to 70 shots were fired.

Tarrant police investigators Det. Cpl. James Butterbrodt and Det. Sgt. Jay Jenkins examine the vehicle that was used to take Daniel Jelks to the hospital.

Jelks was struck at least three times. Family members took Jelks to UAB Hospital where he is undergoing treatment. He was conscious when he left the scene. Police said his injuries are considered serious but not life-threatening. Jelks later posted a Facebook Live video after being released from the hospital saying he was shot four times and on his way home after being treated.

Two houses also were hit by gunfire, including the home Jelks was visiting.

Jelks in 2019 was found not guilty in the shooting death of 17-year-old Ralph Woodfin III, the nephew of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. His first trial in Woodfins slaying ended in a hung jury.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is released.
Taliban militants have attacked an army checkpoint in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 14 soldiers in the latest in a series of incidents since a three-day cease-fire that was in effect during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr ended on May 26.



The Defense Ministry said on May 29 that the overnight attacked killed 14 soldiers in the Dande Patan district, while local Governor Eid Mohammad Ahmadzai put the number of the security forces killed at 15, adding that 20 Taliban fighters were also killed in the fighting.



The Taliban took responsibility for the attack in Paktia Province, calling it a defensive action."



"Last night, the mujahedin carried out attacks against the newly established posts of the enemy in Dande Patan district of Paktia Province," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Twitter.



Afghan officials accused the Taliban of carrying out two other raids on separate checkpoints on May 28 in Farah and Parwan provinces, killing another 14 Afghan security force members, but the Taliban has not commented on those attacks.







National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal said that despite sporadic clashes the cease-fire would continue.



The detente that started during Eid al-Fitr continues despite reports of scattered incidents to the contrary, Faisal said.



The latest Taliban attack came as a five-member Taliban "technical" delegation was in Kabul discussing the release of militants and Afghan government prisoners.



The prisoner exchange is part of a U.S.-Taliban agreement signed in February that called on the Afghan government to release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners and for the militants to free around 1,000 government captives as a confidence-building measure ahead of formal peace talks. The February 29 deal did not include the Afghan government.



A technical delegation of the Taliban is in Kabul to work with a technical team of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on the release of prisoners of both sides, Faisal tweeted on May 28.



Later on May 28, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen tweeted that the group had released 80 Afghan soldiers and government officials from their jails in northern Baghlan and Kunduz provinces. It brings to more than 300 the number of captives freed by the Taliban since April.







During the cease-fire, Afghan authorities released some 1,000 Taliban prisoners -- part of a pledge by the government to free up to 2,000 militants in response to the Taliban's cease-fire move.



Under a key point of the February deal, Washington agreed to reduce its military presence in Afghanistan from about 13,000 to 8,600 troops by mid-July in a first stage, before a complete withdrawal by May 2021.



U.S. President Donald Trump on May 26 said he has not set a target date for a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, amid speculation he may make ending Americas longest war a campaign issue ahead of Novembers presidential election.



Trump said there were around 7,000 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. But U.S. and NATO officials speaking on condition of anonymity clarified that U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan is down to nearly 8,600, well ahead of schedule, in part because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.



The U.S.-Taliban deal also calls for the Afghan government and the militants to start negotiations to decide the future of Afghanistan.



Expectations that those negotiations could finally begin were raised after President Ashraf Ghani and his rival in last year's presidential polls, Adullah Abdullah, reached an agreement after months of political feuding following contested presidential polls in September.

With reporting by AP and AFP
A section of the public on Friday expressed apprehension as the country awaits update on the measures to contain and or live with the COVID-19 by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday May 31.



Some residents at Madina and Adentan catchment areas were uneasy about the possible lifting of the restrictions stressing that June should be used as transitional period towards a general lifting in July whilst others were eager for the lifting especially on church activities.



In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Ms Lovia Agboli, a food vendor at Adenta said the first sunday after a possible lifting of restrictions would be used as an observation moment at her church.



If I noticed that, the leadership has put in place measures to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols then I will continue but if not, I will not, she said.



She said the issue of whether to go to church or not depends on the safety measures which would be put in place, we need to tread cautiously, we must be secured in the house of God, we have our human roles to play for safety but if we fail it would seriously affect our fight against the spread of COVID-19.



Nana Kofi Boateng, a graphic designer at Madina said because of his role as a youth president of his local assembly, he would act on the directions of the Church Board especially to help them in putting down effective measures to guarantee the safety of members.



He said the youth would cooperate with the leadership of the church on whatever measures, especially on the observance of the social distancing protocols and other preventive directives.



Ms Ekua Ninson, a petty trader said she would go to her chapel once restrictions were lifted because the market square was even more populous and largely without any safety protocols than what may pertain at church but markets are still operating.



She said: I do not believe that the Church premises can be a major place for the spread of the virus because when you walk through town, you see a lot of people not observing the safety protocols.



Ms Mavis Eshun, a fashion design student said she would not go to church immediately but wait to hear if the protocols would be observed and also because I am a type that would want to hug my friends.



I will like to wait for a while before going to church to be sure that all protocols are guaranteed.



Ms Eshun said I will go only if we observe social distancing and the use of veronica buckets with soap for handwashing under running water, and the provision of sanitizers to regularly sanitize our hands.



Ms Abigail Zatey, a guest house receptionist said she would go to church upon the announcement of the removal of restrictions but would be cautious to ensure that the measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 were appropriately in force.



Others interviewed called on the church leadership to assure the congregation that safety measures of COVID-19 would be observed to ensure that figures of infected persons were not increased upon the removal of the restrictions on social gathering.



As part of measures to control the spread of COVID-19 in the country President Akufo-Addo announced earlier in March the restriction on social gathering across the country.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
U.S. steel imports shot up in April on a monthly comparison basis, but were down year over year for the first four months of 2020  according to the latest American Iron and Steel Institute ("AISI") report.



The association of North American steel makers noted that total domestic steel imports rose 58.2% from the previous month in April to roughly 2.77 million net tons. Finished steel imports, however, dipped 13.5% to around 1.31 million net tons for the reported month. April saw a significant increase in finished steel imports from Brazil.



Total and finished domestic steel imports fell 20.3% and 28.2% year over year, respectively, year to date through the end of April 2020. The AISI noted that these figures are based on preliminary Census Bureau data.



The year-to-date decline in imports appears to reflect the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and 25% tariff on steel imports, which the Trump administration had levied in 2018 under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.



Meanwhile, finished steel import market share was estimated at 21% in April, up from 17% a month ago, per AISI. For the first four months of 2020, finished steel import market share was estimated at 18%.



For 2020, annualized total and finished steel imports are expected to be 27.6 million net tons (down 1.4% year over year) and 17.5 million net tons (down 17.1%), respectively, AISI noted.



According to AISI, biggest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore for April were South Korea with 161,000 net tons (down 22% from March), Brazil with 69,000 net tons (up 388%), Japan with 68,000 net tons (up 21%), Germany with 64,000 net tons (down 7%), and Turkey with 53,000 net tons (up 62%).



Finished steel products that showed a significant rise in imports on a monthly comparison basis in April are heavy structural shapes (up 57%), reinforcing bars (up 54%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 31%) and tin plate (up 14%).



Coronavirus Taking Toll on U.S. Steel Industry



The U.S. steel industry is bearing the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic. The deadly virus outbreak has dampened the fragile recovery in the U.S. steel industry, which reeled under the effects of a sharp decline in domestic steel prices and damaging impacts of the Sino-U.S. trade war last year.



The pandemic, which has so far infected more than 5.8 million people globally, has led to a downswing in U.S. steel prices amid ebbing demand across major markets such as automotive and construction. After gaining some ground in late 2019, domestic steel prices have come under pressure this year amid the virus crisis. The benchmark hot-rolled coil steel prices retreated to multi-year lows on concerns over the fast-growing pandemic in the United States and demand slowdown amid production shutdowns by automakers.



While U.S. steel prices have gained some traction over the past few weeks on the back of steel mills price hike actions and higher scrap prices, the current muted demand environment does not look supportive for a significant rebound in prices over the near term.



Moreover, the slowdown in the automotive industry amid the virus plight does not augur well for steel demand. Moreover, a slump in crude oil prices has hurt demand for steel in the energy space. Some of the major energy companies have slashed their capital spending in the wake of the oil price rout.



In response to the oil collapse, United States Steel Corp. X has decided to idle all or most of Lone Star Tubular Operations and Lorain Tubular Operations. A few other steel makers have also idled operations in the wake of falling demand across major end-markets.



Leading integrated producer of iron ore and steel, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. CLF, which completed the purchase of AK Steel earlier this year, is temporarily idling production at two of its iron ore mining operations due to weak market conditions. The company has decided to adjust the production of iron ore during the first half of the year.



Softening demand across major end markets spells problems for the U.S. steel industry. U.S. steel industry capacity utilization has plummeted to multi-year lows as the pandemic has decimated demand. The coronavirus-led demand destruction has forced domestic steel mills to idle operations and scale down production.



Capacity utilization rate  a major indicator of the health of the U.S. steel industry  slumped to 53.2% for the week ending May 23 from 80.8% a year ago, per AISI. Domestic raw steel production clocked 1,191,000 net tons for the week, reflecting a 36.6% drop from production of 1,880,000 net tons logged for the same period a year ago. The prospects of a recovery in end-market demand look slim amid the current difficult global environment.



Meanwhile, U.S. steel stocks, which gained some momentum toward the end of 2019 on the back of an uptick in domestic steel prices and the de-escalation in trade tensions, have gotten hammered this year amid the pandemic. Shares of major American steel makers such as United States Steel, Nucor Corporation NUE and Steel Dynamics, Inc. STLD have tanked roughly 28%, 24% and 21%, respectively, year to date.



While United States Steel and Nucor currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), Steel Dynamics has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).



You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



The Zacks Steel Producers industry has also lagged both the Zacks S&P 500 composite and the broader Zacks Basic Materials sector so far this year. The industry has declined 32% over this period compared with the S&P 500s decline of 5.7% and broader sectors fall of 11.9%.

Story continues









The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All



Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.



See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



United States Steel Corporation (X) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD) : Free Stock Analysis Report



ClevelandCliffs Inc. (CLF) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Nucor Corporation (NUE) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
There is no social distancing in a labor camp.

Living in cramped conditions, sometimes 10 to a room, migrant workers in the Gulf are widely considered among the international communities most vulnerable to the new coronavirus.

Seeking a share of the regions petrodollars as remittances for their poor families and communities back home, migrant laborers far outnumber the Middle Eastern regions citizen populationas high as 80 percent in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

And hailing primarily from Asian nations such as the Philippines, Indonesia, and India, they make up the great majority of the regions more than 200,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Yet from one of their languages emerges a homonym that may birth hope for the languishing workers.

It is not corona, but karuna, which means mercy in Telugu, said Prasad, a migrant worker from India, to the Bible Society in the Gulf (BSG).

God is giving us the opportunity to turn to Him.

There are 20 million Indian migrants worldwide, and 1.5 million are Telugu speakers working in the Gulf states. Many have lost their jobs or had their salaries reduced due to the economic shutdown.

The Bible society seized on Prasads observation to publish a new booklet in Telugu and English, appropriately titled Gods Karuna.

Image: Courtesy of Bible Society in the Gulf

Its content reflects the upside-down nature of the COVID-19 worldand of Gods kingdom. There are frequent references to humbled nations, greedy people, and exploitation of the poor.

Though reputable Gulf agencies exist to recruit and employ migrant labor, the BSG has been a frequent critic of the slave-like conditions suffered by many.

Even the strong are feeling weak now, said general secretary Hrayr Jebejian.

We want to show migrant workers there is a God who humbles everyone, but who can lift them up.

With the booklet peppered with Bible verses about the wages of sin and the promises of God, Jebejian is eager to provide perspective to the Gulfs rich and poor alike.

But unable to distribute the booklet due to coronavirus restrictionsits 14 regional bookshops are closedthe BSG is circulating a PDF version through the popular WhatsApp messaging service. There is also an audio version, given that 2 in 5 Telugu in the Gulf are unable to read.

Jebejian estimates their network has distributed up to 10,000 copies. The migrantsand their pastorsmust spread it further.

He can only hope that pre-coronavirus trainings are now paying dividends.

COVID-19 has not added work, it has added a weight of responsibility and anxiety, he said. We teach people they have to rely on God; now we have to rely on him ourselves.

In the first few months of 2019, the BSG visited 21 churches and taught Bible storytelling techniques to over 300 leaders.

Now under 22-hour daily lockdown in Kuwait, Jebejian supervises BSG facilitation of three, 100-strong WhatsApp discussion groups for pastors in English, Telugu, and Arabic.

I was feeling very lonely, unable to go to church and have fellowship, Afaf, a Greek Orthodox priest, told the BSG. I really need such encouraging messages in this very difficult time.

And Naveen, a migrant worker from India, told them her cousin is distributing earlier BSG literature in a Dubai hospital where she works as a nurse.

Its very draining working at the hospital with COVID-19 patients, she said, [but] sharing the gospel with patients and their families has worked miracles.

A different kind of miracle would be helpful for Kanad Hospital in the UAEs oasis city of Al Ain. But that this Christian medical mission exists at all is already due to both divineand royal familyfavor.

Founded in 1960, until December last year it was known as Oasis Hospital. But to close the UAEs Year of Tolerance, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, surprised the administration by decreeing a name change in honor of the original missionary founder.

Pat Kennedy, who died in 2000, served the then-undeveloped emirate until 1975. His wife Marian passed away last year. (Local Bedouins pronounced their surname as Kanad.) Bin Zayed was born under their care, in 1961.

The hospitals motto: Healing the Sick and Proclaiming the Kingdom of God.

We do what we do because Jesus loved us first, said Isaac Olatunde, and we want to show people this love.

But the Nigerian interim director of spiritual services, who came to the hospital in 2005, said COVID-19 is shaking their financial stability.

As around the world, people are avoiding hospitals unless absolutely necessary.

Though more than 70 percent of Kanads patients are Emirati citizens, all but two of the 600 staffincluding 80 doctorsare migrant workers. Sixty percent are Christian; save for a few Hindus, the rest are Muslim.

People are crying out to God as never before, said Olatunde, whose mandate includes serving staff of all religious backgrounds.

But it is a very uncertain time for our hospital.

A few staff members have contacted the coronavirus, sidelining others into quarantine. But beyond the temporary reduction in personnel, there has been a dramatic drop in revenue.

Unwilling to lay off their most vulnerable, top executive leadership accepted a steep cut in salary. And better off employees contribute to a Kindness Bank with food and monetary donations.

Meanwhile, Olatunde has made frequent use of his degree in counseling from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

As a Christian hospital, we suffer with our staff, he said.

By contrast, 197,000 Indians have registered for repatriation from the UAE. Not only have thousands in the Gulf lost their jobs, they are facing increasing social stigma.

Arent people supposed to leave during crises? said Hayat al-Fahad, a popular Kuwaiti actress.

I swear by God, put them in the desert. I am not against humane treatment, but we have gotten to a point where were fed up already.

Impacting migrants further is the possible cultural shift caused by the economic impact of the coronavirus. Oman has ordered the public sector to replace migrant labor with citizen employment. Saudi Arabian media is clamoring for the same.

After originally not cooperating with requests to facilitate the logistical nightmare of relocating 3.2 million migrants in the UAE, last week India began repatriation.

Bin Zayed has pushed back against any anti-foreigner sentiment.

The UAE offers free testing for all citizens who show symptoms or have been in contact with positive cases. Migrants laborers are included.

But the crown princes efforts include the spiritual, coordinated with the nations churches.

May God protect you, [and] protect the country youre in, he said, which you are loyal to like its own citizens.

Andy Thompson, senior Anglican chaplain at St. Andrews Church in Abu Dhabi, was tasked by the UAEs Department of Community Development to assemble an international chaplaincy team for COVID-19 care. Gathering supermarket vouchers for the poor, he has worked with the government to coordinate food delivery in the camps.

And on May 14, Thompson, who serves on the executive committee of the Gulf Christian Fellowship, was the unofficial UAE Christian representative in the online worldwide interfaith day for prayer to end the pandemic.

Called for by the UAE-hosted Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, the event continued cooperation from last years declaration, signed by Pope Francis and Ahmed el-Tayyib, Grand Imam of Egypts al-Azhar.

In this time of heightened spiritual awareness, God is calling us to look for the values which are important to him: compassion, mercy, and neighborliness, said Thompson.

I am heartened by the goodwill I see between communities.

Similarly, the Christian Council of Asia encouraged its churches to better support migrants in this time of need. The Roman Catholic community in the Gulf is extending humanitarian food deliveries to 7,000 people in the labor camps. And the 40 denominations that share the church facility at Kanad Hospital have launched Project Harvest, supporting those in Al Ain.

But back in Kuwait, as in the rest of the Gulf, the lockdown has shut the camps from all regular church ministry. Jebejian, like many, is fighting through the discouragement.

We are a community-oriented mission, we work face-to-face, he said.

We need Gods karuna in this pandemic.
The Washington Post is providing this news free to all readers as a public service.

Follow this story and more by signing up for national breaking news email alerts.
Cafes and restaurants in Laois towns may be able to offer outdoor dining due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Parking spaces could be used for open air trading in Portlaoise Main Street and other towns to help businesses hit by Covid-19, Laois County Council has suggested.

A new focus group is being formed to plan the countys recovery, and street trading with the usual fees waived, is one possible idea, Director of Services Simon Walton said.

Retail, hospitality, restaurants have been particularly hard hit, he said.

The focus group will include people from Laois Chamber, Laois County Council and Downtown Portlaoise and Laois Tourism who will convene to oversee the recovery of the local economy.

At the May meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, it was on the agenda to ask councillors for their ideas and input as to how they can support the recovery.

Cllr Mary Sweeney suggested the on-street trading.

We need to think differently in this new normal and reimagine how public spaces can be utilised to assist businesses. Foot fall is reduced so on-street businesses could be offered public spaces. They trialled this in Dublin, calling it a mobility plan. We could replicate that, maybe for cafes, she said.

Cllr Willie Aird said some businesses are a bit iffy around reopening at all.

Maybe we need a dedicated person to talk to people who might be a bit iffy about reopening. We wont be charging rates, we need every measure in place to help businesses, he said.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald agreed.

There are a lot of worried business people, moreso in the hospitality trade. Is there any way we can look at our streetscape shortly, its pressing for them. The longer it goes on the harder it will be, she said.

Mr Walton said the normal licence charged to businesses for tables and chairs will be waived.

In normal circumstances putting out tables and chairs is subject to application to the local authority, and the licence fee is 150 per table. Therell be no licence fee charged by Laois County Council, but there will still be some form of requirement to apply for permission, because there are other interest groups to consider, with mobility or vision problems, or the business next door may require a queue.

If you take the area from the courthouse to Shaws, thre is 3,000 square metres of public space available. Right now up to 80% is taken up by the car. There may be an opportunity, with agreement, in reallocating these on a temporary basis some of the space to accommodate businesses in the reality of the new normal. People need to feel safe and confident, he said.

Cllr Noel Tuohy said the social distancing rules will cut traders profits.

Its important that when this lifts that we support local businesses. The new rules make it twice as expensive, we must look after Laois businesses, he said.

The people need it as well. To sit and socialise, to have a coffee or lunch together, Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said.
By Julia Cheever

Bay City News

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

The California Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that government agencies can't charge the public for the cost of deleting confidential information from electronic records, such as videos and emails, sought under the state's Public Records Act.

The court said the law allows agencies to charge only for the cost of copying records and not for the cost of removing confidential material such as personal medical information and law enforcement strategies.

Justice Leondra Kruger wrote that otherwise, the cost of requesting electronic public records could be prohibitive and would be contrary to the California Constitution's guarantee of a right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people's business.

The state Constitution "favors an interpretation that avoids erecting such substantial financial barriers to access," Kruger said.

The panel ruled in a case in which the National Lawyers Guild's San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, citing the Public Records Act, obtained DVDs from the city of Hayward of body camera footage from police officers who aided Berkeley police during a demonstration in 2014.

The demonstration was held in Berkeley in December 2014 to protest police involvement in the deaths of Eric Garner in New York City and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.

The court said Hayward was entitled to charge $1 for each DVD but not $3,246 for staff time in deleting confidential information from about seven hours of videos of the footage.

The Public Records Act of 1968 provides that agencies can charge members of the public for the cost of duplicating paper records but not for redacting, or removing, information.

When the law was amended in 2000 to refer to electronic records, it said agencies could charge for the costs of needed "data compilation, extraction, or programming." Hayward contended that deleting the confidential information was a form of data extraction.

But the court said that phrase refers to retrieving data from a complex database and "does not cover the process of redacting exempt material from otherwise disclosable electronic records."

David Snyder, the executive director of the San Rafael-based First Amendment Coalition, said, "This decision is great news for government transparency and accountability.

"It will prevent government from erecting significant cost barriers to public access, thus ensuring the public gets the information they're entitled to under California law," Snyder said in a statement.

The state high court overturned a decision in which a state appeals court ruled in favor of Hayward in 2018.

Copyright  2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
You can listen to the latest episode of Today in Pa at this link, or on your favorite app including Alexa, Apple, Google, Spotify and Stitcher. Episodes are available every weekday on PennLive. Subscribe/follow and rate the podcast via your favorite app.

Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | May 29, 2020

More than 50,000 Pennsylvanians are impacted by an elaborate unemployment scam. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania announces plans to reopen the beaches in its state parks. Philadelphia isnt so sure about going into the yellow phase on June 5 and the largest fish in Pennsylvania history was caught this past weekend.

Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa, a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Julia Hatmaker. Today in Pa is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories in the state.

Todays episode refers to the following articles:

If you enjoy Today in Pa, consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, we like to know what you think of the program.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
City council could soon extend temporary cycling and walking routes until September, and explore adding more routes year-round.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

City council could soon extend temporary cycling and walking routes until September, and explore adding more routes year-round.

A new motion calls for nine routes  in which vehicular access is restricted to allow more room for cyclists and pedestrians  to continue until Sept. 7 instead of shutting down on July 6.

The routes were first promoted as an option for socially distanced exercise during the pandemic.

Mayor Brian Bowman said they are popular.

"Theres a desire to do what we can, especially during the pandemic, to make sure theres additional safe spaces for people to engage in recreation," said Bowman. "We want to at least look at a pilot that would go to Labour Day, so that we can see how it operates."

On Friday, council asked the public works committee to look into it.

Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry), who raised the motion, noted it also calls on the public service to report back in four months on "the feasibility of establishing permanent year-round active transportation routes."

"For little kids that have learned to ride (bikes) on them, for the public health workers who really need us to keep going on prevention, for so many reasons, this is a good motion," said Rollins.

The routes limit vehicular traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily on sections of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue, Assiniboine Avenue, Churchill Drive, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive and Kilkenny Drive.

Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface), councils public works chairman, had planned to raise a similar motion on Friday. However, Allard realized just before a council meeting that he attended by video feed that hed need to be physically present to sign a new motion, which led Rollins to step in.

Earlier this week, the city announced the current routes would close July 6, under the rationale that loosened pandemic restrictions allow more options for Winnipeggers to get outdoors without violating the public health directive to stay at least two metres apart.

The plan to shut down the routes quickly triggered backlash.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The Winnipeg Trails Association posted a petition to keep the routes open, enhance and expand them. More than 4,000 people have signed it.

Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said his organization will counting the number of users on the temporary routes until May 31.

Cohoe said that data will help determine where the city can best support active transportation. He said the option appears to have grown more popular as many Winnipeggers work from home, keeping them close to the neighbourhood pathways.

"We need to be looking at expanding ways to get people to and from work, so that there are options other than choosing a vehicle," said Cohoe. "Were seeing an unprecedented number of people getting out walking and biking."

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga
Melco International Development Limited (HKG:200) shareholders (or potential shareholders) will be happy to see that the Chairman & CEO, Yau Lung Ho, recently bought a whopping HK$32m worth of stock, at a price of HK$14.49. While that only increased their holding size by 0.4%, it is still a big swing by our standards.

Check out our latest analysis for Melco International Development

Melco International Development Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent purchase by Yau Lung Ho is the biggest insider purchase of Melco International Development shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at around the current price of HK$14.66. That means they have been optimistic about the company in the past, though they may have changed their mind. We do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. In this case we're pleased to report that the insider bought shares at close to current prices. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was Yau Lung Ho.

Yau Lung Ho purchased 12.76m shares over the year. The average price per share was HK$13.25. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

SEHK:200 Recent Insider Trading May 28th 2020

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Insider Ownership of Melco International Development

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Melco International Development insiders own about HK$8.1b worth of shares (which is 37% of the company). I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

Story continues

So What Does This Data Suggest About Melco International Development Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Melco International Development insiders are well aligned, and quite possibly think the share price is too low. One for the watchlist, at least! While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. Be aware that Melco International Development is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those is potentially serious...

Of course Melco International Development may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Two glamorous sisters who took turns slapping an ex-boyfriend on a drunken night out have avoided a conviction.

Irene Koukounaris, 25, and her sister Nansia Koukounaris, 23, faced court on Friday for their 'slap attack' on Michael Ensor during a birthday party at Bondi Beach Public Bar in Sydney's east last year.

Irene, an aspiring lawyer, had dated Mr Ensor for four years but their relationship had ended.

When they ran into each other at the bar, 'emotions overflowed', the court was told.

Nansia, a primary school teacher, was the 'initial aggressor' who 'took up her sister's plight' after the relationship 'eroded and broke down'.

She felt responsible as she was the one who had introduced Irene, an aspiring lawyer, to Mr Ensor.

Nansia Koukounaris (pictured) a primary school teacher, was the 'initial aggressor' who 'took up her sister's plight' after the relationship 'eroded and broke down'

Irene Koukounaris (pictured) and her sister Nansia took turns slapping Irene's ex-boyfriend in a drunken attack at a Bondi bar on December 21

The sisters from Randwick were the ones who approached Mr Ensor at the Bondi bar before getting into a 'heated argument' on December 21, the Southern Courier reported.

Mr Ensor, who had lived with the sisters in their parent's house at one point in the relationship, repeatedly asked the sisters to 'back off'.

Nansia then slapped the left side of his face when he moved away.

Irene then slapped the right side of her ex-boyfriend's face and threw a drink on him.

The arguing continued outside the bar and security were forced to intervene before police arrived at the scene.

'Yeah I slapped him,' Nansia told police upon arrival.

Nansia introduced Irene (left) to Michael Ensor (right) and the pair dated for four years

Mr Ensor reported Nansia and Irene the night after the public slapping on December 21 last year.

The two former St Spyridon College students pleaded guilty to common assault charges and faced Waverley Court multiple times over a five month period.

The court determined the sisters were acting 'out of character' and they were given a six-month Conditional Release Order.

Magistrate Ross Hudson said the assault was at the lower end of objective seriousness and gave the sisters a two-year apprehended violence order that required them to steer clear of Mr Ensor.

Magistrate Hudson backed their good character and reminded the pair of the importance of 'reputation'.

'Make sure you always remember wherever you are, whoever you're with, your respective professions require you to maintain integrity,' he said.

The two former St Spyridon College students pleaded guilty to common assault charges and faced Waverley Court multiple times over a five month period
Most of the districts in Kerala have been getting rains with thunderstorm and gusty winds for the last few days.

KOCHI: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has revised its forecast on southwest monsoon. As per the latest forecast, the annual June to September monsoon will hit Kerala on June 1. As per the earlier forecast, June 5 was the southwestSouth monsoons onset date in the southernmost state.

A low pressure area is likely to form over southeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea during May 31 to June 4. In view of this, conditions are very likely to become favourable from June 1 for onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala," the IMD said in its Twitter handle.

The SW monsoon has further advanced into some parts of Maldives-Comorin area, some more parts of south Bay of Bengal, remaining parts of Andaman Sea and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, it added.

In the wake of forecast for low pressure area over southeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea, the Kerala government has banned fishing activities along the Kerala coast from Thursday midnight.

Most of the districts in Kerala have been getting rains with thunderstorm and gusty winds for the last few days.

The IMD and several other weather agencies have predicted normal monsoon across the country. The SW monsoon is very crucial for the Indian agriculture and economy as it is the main source of irrigation for more than 50 per cent of agriculture lands.
A security man of the Ghana Education Service at the Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School (BOGISS) in the Bolgatanga Municipality in the Upper East Region has allegedly committed suicide.

The deceased, Raymond Atia, a native of Winkogo in the Talensi District was found hanged on a Neem tree few kilometres away from the school on Thursday.

In his possession was an adb Bank cheque booklet, a mobile phone and motor keys.

A team from the Bolgatanga Police Homicide Unit conveyed the body to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital mortuary.

Speaking to Citi News, Assembly Member for the Tanzui-Zorbisi-Sokabisi Electoral Area, Adongo Stephen, explained that, he got a distress call about the incident and reported the matter to the police for the necessary action to be taken.

I got a call from some residents about the incident and when I rushed to the scene it was true so I informed the headmistress of BOGISS where the deceased worked before I proceeded to the Bolga police station to inform the police. So, I came with the police to the crime scene, they saw what happened and removed the body from the tree and brought it to the mortuary. We have to tell his family for the necessary actions to be taken, Mr. Adongo added.

A brother to the deceased, Kojo Frafra expressed shock at the death of Raymond Atia as the family couldnt assign a possible reason for the action.

---citinewsroom
A 13-year-old Iranian girl died at the hands of her father who beheaded her, chopped her head from her shoulders using farming sicker, after she ran away with an older man.

The victim, Rumina Ashrafi stayed in Hovigh, Talash county. She left her home when her father got very mad. She intended to marry 34-year old Bahamn Khavafri, resulting in the grisly killing reported by the Daily Mail.

Her father was opposed to her decision but she still wanted to go ahead, despite his objections.

Rumina is only one of many women whose life was cut short by anti-women laws in Iran that has caused the deaths of many Iranian girls like her.

Thee beheaded Rumina was convinced by her intended fiancee to leave with him which lead to the girl's death at her father's hands.

Eloping was the first and last act of defiance, against her father's wishes.

Both lovers were caught and she got arrested by local magistrates. Soon the judge sent her back to her father.

When she was returned home, her father accepted her back, but he would chop off her head while sleeping.

Rumina and Khavafri went missing

When both of them were not to be found, families of the two immediately called the authorities who sought out the two, suspicting elopement after Rumina's desire to marry the older man.

For five days, a search for the runaway couple went on and ended with sending Rumina back home. The girl pleaded not to be sent back. But her life ended unexpectedly. The police came and took the murder weapon, which is a sickle, with the beheaded girl's blood. Her father surrendered himself for commiting the crime.

Also read: Suspect Who Dumped Bodies of Two Sisters With Bags on Their Head Arrested

According to the Daily Mail, the girl's getting sent back to her father is required by law. In Iran, a girl can get married at 13, but most women opt for it at 23-years old.

Iran International said the Sharia law says that only the 'immediate family members' are the ones to ask for a death sentence for the killer of a family member, but 'honor killings' like that of beheaded Rumina will not ask for her father's execution and go unpunished since families will not sentence family to death.

The father who beheaded her is the guardian and is exempt according to Islamic Law, that allows 'qisas' that is based on the retribution of justice which insulates guardians, according to Al Arabiya.

Fariba Sahraei, Iran International senior editor, stated that honor killing is common in Iran, committed by male relatives concealing murder as honor killings, wherein many Iranian women are subject to this condition. Rumina's Ashrafi's death is the exception amongst these killings.

Nothing is known about the exact number of honor killings done in Iran, a rep of the Tehran police mentioned that it accounts for 20% of murders in Iran.

A women's rights activist Shahindokht Molaverdi with connections to women and family affairs and the current secretary of Iran's Society for Protecting Women's Rights, said that Rumina is only one of the many victims and she will not be the last. Occurrences like this will not exist if there is something done to prevent it to spare women from this sad fate.

In 2019, the US State Department reported that Iranian law allows shorter sentences for perpetrators of honor killings. An average of a father killing his daughter is sentenced for three to ten years only.

Deaths of 13-year old Iranian girls many not be rare with fathers and relative guilty of honor killings.

Related article: Skeletal Remains of Girl Discovered in Feces-Filled Basement Along With Her Brother in Dismal Condition

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Premier Li Keqiang said Thursday that China is willing to consider joining the Asia-Pacifics largest free-trade pact, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), as Beijing sets its priorities for trade talks this year to drive an economic recovery amid Covid-19 pandemic.

When asked about Chinas plan to join the CPTPP, Li told reporters at a wide-ranging press conference on the final day of the national legislatures annual meeting in Beijing that China has a positive and open attitude toward joining the CPTPP.

Li also said China aims to sign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a mega trade deal involving 16 countries in East and Southeast Asia, within the year. Moreover, he said Beijing is working closely with Japan and South Korea to advance the three parties free trade talks this year.

The premiers comment appears to be the first time that a Chinese leader has publicly confirmed Chinas interest in joining the partnership, which consists of 11 Asia-Pacific countries, including Japan, Canada and Australia. Together, they account for more than 13% of the global economy.

Trade experts welcomed the positive signal from the premier regarding the further opening of Chinas market, but they were also wary of predicting that China would join the pact in the near term as the coronavirus pandemic takes a toll on global growth.

Kishore Mahbubani, a professor and founding dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, told Caixin in an interview that he is very encouraged by Lis strong and powerful signal about joining the partnership.

Mahbubani said that Chinas willingness to consider joining the CPTPP would make the region much more stable geopolitically.

The 11-country CPTPP originated from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade pact promoted by former American President Barack Obama to help the U.S. counter Chinas growing economic influence in Asia. China was excluded from the negotiations.

Obamas successor, President Donald Trump, withdrew from the TPP in 2017, deriding it as a bad deal for the country. Instead, Trump later engaged in a nearly two-year trade war with China, blaming Beijing for the U.S. massive trade deficit and accusing it of allowing rampant intellectual property theft.

The U.S. has decided to launch a geopolitical contest against China, unwisely, Mahbubani said. So the best way in which China can respond is not to close up its economy, but to open up its economy. Then China should strengthen its links with its neighbors and with the rest of the world.

Read More

Opinion: Why Joining CPTPP Trade Pact Could be Chinas Plan B If RCEP Further Stalls?

However, other than Lis statement, Beijing has not announced any feasibility research into joining the CPTPP. The government usually announces such research at the start of the process of negotiating a new trade pact.

Critics also say that it would be difficult for Beijing to accept some provisions in the CPTPP agreement, including allowing organized labor unions and limiting the role of state-owned enterprises in the market.

But Mahbubani believed that China qualifies to join the trade block. It would have been difficult for China to take part if another socialist country had not joined first, he said, referring to Vietnam, a CPTPP member and another socialist country.

Vietnam has been able to comply with the labor unions and SOE provisions. So in the same way, China can also qualify, Mahbubani said. Under the TPP, which went into effect in December 2018, trade between Vietnam and the other 10 members grew rapidly. Vietnam customs data showed that in the first seven months of 2019, the country had a trade surplus of $1.8 billion, over half of which came from trade with other CPTPP members.

Its important for China to talk to some of the key players, like Japan, like Vietnam, like Singapore, and to explore the possibilities of joining CPTPP, Mahbubani said.

Atsuyuki Oike, Japans former deputy TPP negotiator, told Caixin in an interview late last year that CPTPP members welcome everybody who is willing to take on the high standard of market access commitments and the high standard rules. I think thats the statement that we all agreed (to) among the eleven countries.

Asked about China joining the CPTPP, Oike, who is now the head of Japans delegation to UNESCO, doubted if China would agree to the high standard of rules in the CPTPP.

It is up to China, not CPTPP members, to decide whether China is willing to take on those CPTPP rules. We can always negotiate some exceptions. Thats no problem. But in terms of basic rules, we cannot change them, he said.

Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing, said he questions whether Vietnam could serve as a precedent for China. Vietnams exports are limited to a few industries. Its government can liberalize those industries without hurting the overall domestic political situation.

Contact reporter Lu Zhenhua (zhenhualu@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)
Gardai from the DMR West Divisional Drug Unit, investigating the sale and supply of controlled drugs in West Dublin and Kildare, carried out a search of a car in Portlaoise and a house in the Kill area of Co Kildare this morning, Thursday, May 28.

At approximately 8:25am, a car was stopped on the M7 near Portlaoise. 35,000 worth of cocaine (pending analysis) was discovered and seized.

The sole occupant of the car, a man aged in his late 40s, has been arrested and is currently detained at Birr Garda Station under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act 1996.

A follow on search was carried out a house in Kill, Co Kildare, where approximately 3.5kg of cocaine (pending analysis), valued at 245,000, was discovered in a cabin on the property. It is suspected that this cabin was being used as a location to mix and pack controlled drugs.

A press, scales and other drugs paraphernalia, as well as 3,500 in cash and two vehicles were also seized.



A man, aged in his 50s, was arrested at the scene. He was taken to Ronanstown Garda Station where he is currently detained under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act 1996. Investigations are ongoing.
CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and his US crew have been released from policy custody after their arrest live on air mid-broadcast from protests in Minneapolis.

The incident took place during the live filming of weekday morning show New Day.

Officers surrounded the crew as Jimenez reported live on air, before he was told that he was under arrest and placed in handcuffs, displaying them to the camera as he is walked away. After a moment, the crew are also placed into handcuffs.

Minnesota police arrest CNN reporter and camera crew as they report from protests in Minneapolis https://t.co/oZdqBti776 pic.twitter.com/3QbeTjD5ed  CNN (@CNN) May 29, 2020

That is an American television reporter being led away by police officers. He clearly identified himself as a reporter and was respectfully explaining to the police that the CNN team was there and moving away as they would request, and then for some reason he was taken into police custody live on television, said anchor John Berman off screen.

I have never seen anything like this, Berman added on several occasions. The camera continued to roll after the arrests, sitting on the floor at the feet of the officers.

Fellow CNN Josh Campell, who is white, was also in the area but was not arrested.

I identified myself they said, OK, youre permitted to be in the area What happened to Omar (Jimenez) was clearly a lot different I was treated much differently than he (Jimenez) was, he told the network.

CNN said in a statement, A CNN reporter and his production team were arrested this morning in Minneapolis for doing their jobs, despite identifying themselves  a clear violation of their First Amendment rights. The authorities in Minnesota, including the Governor, must release the three CNN employees immediately.

Fierce protests have been raging in Minneapolis since an unarmed black man, George Floyd, died in police custody on Monday.

Jimenez and his crew were later released from policy custody after CNN president Jeff Zucker called state Governor Tim Walz.

Everyone was pretty cordial after that [my arrest] happened, said Jimenez, who added that a police officer told him he was just following orders.

They werent violent with me, we were having conversation about how crazy this week has been for every single part of the city. A lot of these people are on edge, the reporter continued. The one thing that gave me a little bit of comfort was that it happened on live TV. When you talk within the community about, lets say what happened with George Floyd, theres discussion that, whats happening isnt new, its being filmed. That speaks to the power of having something that happens on camera. You can have people speak up for you without you saying anything.

Source: Deadline
She has recently hit back at a plastic surgeon's claims suggesting she had major work done on her face.

But Hailey Bieber seemed unbothered as she stepped out in West Hollywood to grab food from celebrity hotspot Joan's on Third.

The blonde beauty, 23, looked sporty in a large black tee, black leggings and chunky white sneakers with high white socks, on Friday.

Sporty chic: Hailey Bieber looked sporty in a large black tee, black leggings and chunky white sneakers with high white socks, on Friday, for a quick stop for food at Joan's on Third

Most of her famous face was covered as Hailey was sure to don a grey reusable face mask, as face coverings are required in public across the city, and teamed it with circular metal sunglasses.

Keeping her look easy and sporty she tied her short blonde hair back into a ponytail using a grey scrunchie.

Adding some glam to her easy look she paired it with a small pair of thick gold hoop earrings.

Hailey, who returned to Los Angeles on May 21 after spending most of COVID-19 lockdown in Canada with her husband Justin, waited outside of the restaurant for her to-go bag.

Patient: Hailey, who returned to Los Angeles on May 21 after spending most of COVID-19 lockdown in Canada with her husband Justin, waited outside of the restaurant for her to-go bag

Heading home: Keeping her look easy and sporty she tied her short blonde hair back into a ponytail using a grey scrunchie

Restrictions and shutdown due to the pandemic have currently limited use of dining rooms at restaurants, which have been given the green light to reopen this weekend, with limitations on capacity and spacing.

After Hailey's food run on Friday, Justin, 26, shared a photo from a high mountain top and seemed to weigh in on recent national outrage over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minnesota police office.

In his caption Justin wrote 'Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.' On Thursday he also wrote 'No lives matter until black lives matter.'

Protests have erupted around the country in response to Floyd's death including one earlier this week in Los Angeles that saw hundreds of protestors block traffic on the busy 101 freeway.

Lit path: After Hailey's food run on Friday, Justin, 26, shared a photo from a high mountain top and seemed to weigh in on recent national outrage over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minnesota police office

Justice: Hailey also took to social media to discuss the situation sharing a piece of artwork with drawing of Floyd and the words 'Justice for George.' In her lengthy caption she wrote 'Its heartbreaking that were honoring yet another life that was lost due to the violence and racism our country displays far too often'

Using their platform: Justin and Hailey both took to social media on Thursday and Friday to speak on the death of George Floyd, that has sparked protests around the nation

The office videotaped kneeling on Floyd's neck in the seconds leading up to his death, Derek Chauvin, was charged with third degree murder and manslaughter on Friday, The Washington Post reported.

Hailey also took to social media to discuss the situation sharing a piece of artwork with drawing of Floyd and the words 'Justice for George.'

In her lengthy caption she wrote 'Its heartbreaking that were honoring yet another life that was lost due to the violence and racism our country displays far too often.'

Adding: 'We live in a country that denies the same freedom and rights to someone based on the color of their skin...I am tired, Im angry, Im sad, and I will not stay quiet. Changes need to be made, and people need to be behind bars for their actions.. Rest In Peace George Floyd.'

BLM: On Thursday, Justin shared a photo from a scenic overlook and wrote 'No lives matter until black lives matter'

Change up: Hailey stepped back out during Friday afternoon and opted for latex black pants and a semi-sheer black top
Bengaluru: Kerala politician MP Veerendra Kumar died at a private hospital in Kozhikode in Kerala following cardiac arrest late on Thursday. He was 84.

Kumar was a Rajya Sabha member and Managing Director of leading Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi.

Veerandra Kumar was also a member of PTIs Board of Directors,

Several top leaders mourned the demise of the veteran Kerala politician and expressed their condolences for his bereaved family.

Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda mourned the demise of M P Veerendra Kumar, hailing him as a great journalist and writer.

"My deepest condolences on the demise of former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha member Shri M.P. Veerendra Kumar. He was a great journalist and writer. May God give strength to his family & his people to bear the loss," Gowda said in his condolence message.

Vice President M Venkaiyah Naidu also expressed his condolence over his death on Twitter.

                              ! pic.twitter.com/5hFYlAH2qK  Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) May 29, 2020

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar wrote on Twitter, ''MP Veerendrakumar was an erudite politician, socialist, writer& journalist. As a union labour minister, he stood for the welfare of the workers. As @mathrubhumi CMD, he ensured it becomes the voice of the people. His demise is a big loss to political & journalistic fraternity. Om Shanti.''

MP Veerendrakumar was an erudite politician, socialist,writer& journalist. As a union labour minister, he stood for a welfare of the workers. As @mathrubhumi CMD,he ensured it becomes voice of the people.His demise is a big loss to political & journalistic fraternity. Om Shanti pic.twitter.com/LmNPWEDNmd  Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) May 29, 2020

Mourning his demise, former Olympic Track & Field Athlete PT Usha tweeted, ''Heartfelt condolences to the family and well wishers of Shri. M. P Veerendra Kumar ji. He was a person beyond words. May his soul rest in peace.''



Heartfelt condolences to the family and well wishers of Shri. M. P Veerendra Kumar ji. He was a person beyond words.

May his soul rest in peace pic.twitter.com/9OhrMM6fZs  P.T. USHA (@PTUshaOfficial) May 29, 2020

Veerandra Kumar was rushed to a private hospital in Kozhikode in Kerala after he complained of breathing complications and chest pain where he died due to cardiac arrest.
One of Britain's largest cash machine providers is launching a campaign to convince people to continue using cash once coronavirus lockdown ends, saying it wants to dispel 'fake information' about banknotes and coins being unsafe.

Peter McNamara, founder and chief executive of NoteMachine, which runs 11,000 ATMs, told This is Money that the idea cash is a dirtier payment method than contactless, debit cards or mobile phones is 'the greatest piece of fake news floating around at the moment'.

In an internal email sent to employees of NoteMachine and seen by This is Money, Mr McNamara wrote: 'we will now embark on is a "Cash is Safest" campaign to retailers so that we can reflect the fake information to the contrary.

'In reality, cards, pin-pads and phones are far more contaminated than cash.'

Research has frequently revealed Britons are using less cash because they are worried about the possible health risks of it, something which could endure after the pandemic ends

Mr McNamara holds a degree in Bacteriology from the University of Birmingham.

Government guidelines recommend contactless payments, especially for restaurants serving takeaways, while there are concerns that businesses are set to abandon cash once lockdown ends.

The contactless limit was upped from 30 to 45 at the start of April.

A survey of 500 small businesses by our sister title Money Mail found 50 per cent had gone cashless or planned to do so, and just 21 per cent had no plans to abandon cash payments.

Cash machine usage has bounced back slightly since the start of the lockdown, but withdrawals in May are down 50 per cent annually, according to Link, which runs the UK's cash machine network.

The nationwide lockdown and fears that cash is a dirtier way of paying has led some to fear that the coronavirus could speed up the decline of cash in the UK, which was already forecast to account for just 9 per cent of transactions by 2028.

Consumers have been encouraged to pay by contactless during the coronavirus outbreak, with research suggesting many will turn to the payment method after the lockdown

Figures from Mastercard this week found two-thirds of all transactions using its cards were now contactless, with 83 per cent of 1,000 people surveyed saying they felt contactless was a cleaner way of paying.

The World Health Organisation was quoted as saying that it was a 'good idea to use contactless payments' when possible, but later said this did not amount to an official warning about using banknotes.

But Mr McNamara has hit back against what he considered 'fake information'.

Government guidance for food businesses from Defra - run by environment secretary George Eustice - said they should 'encourage the use of contactless payments where possible'

Mr McNamara said: 'The reality is cash from an ATM is completely sterile, it is quarantined for 3-4 days beforehand and cash is handled by one or two people in its lifetime, very unlike cards.'

NoteMachine pointed to four pieces of evidence which they said supported their view, including comments from the infectiologist Rene Gottschalk that there was little risk of the coronavirus being transmitted via banknotes.

NoteMachine chief executive Peter McNamara told employees it would campaign against 'fake information' about cash

But Mr McNamara said this information 'just doesn't get through, there's no public relations department for cash.'

His campaign was backed by the chief executive of Link.

John Howells told This is Money that although consumers should be free to use whatever payment method they felt comfortable with, 'it's important to highlight, as the WHO has made clear, handling coins and bank notes does not pose more of a risk than touching other surfaces.'

But he said the fears about banknotes and coins being a way of spreading the virus had appeared to cut through.

'Link figures and research shows that there has been a large fall in ATM use since lockdown with 28 per cent of people saying they prefer not to use cash since coronavirus.

'Further research suggests that even after the crisis, 54 per cent of consumers say they will use cards more, 38 per cent said they will do more shopping online and 33 per cent said they will use ATMs less.

'Link therefore does not expect all of this decline in cash use to be reversed and that is putting huge strain on the sustainability of the cash system.

'What's needed now is legislation to maintain cash for as long as is needed as the UK isn't ready yet to go cashless.'

'A 3.5bn injection into the UK economy'

While they are on the same side when it comes to safeguarding access to the cash from the threat of the virus, NoteMachine also threatened to reignite a spat with Link over the way Britain's cash machines are paid for.

It's important to highlight, as the WHO has made clear, handling coins and bank notes does not pose more of a risk than touching other surfaces John Howells, Link

In the letter to employees, Peter McNamara wrote: 'We do continue to be hit by an overall 20 per cent lower "free" ATM payment by Link.

'We have offered to revert surcharging ATMs to "free" if we get the regulators and Link to move on this.

'It is essential for the UK economy recovery to enable more "free" local cash availability.'

Mr McNamara told This is Money that reverting its 2,500 surcharging ATMs so they were free-to-use could inject as much 3.5billion into the UK economy by convincing consumers to take out cash and spend it locally, describing it as one of the easiest tricks to get the UK economy going again after the coronavirus lockdown.

But he said he wanted to see a reversal of the cut to interchange fees, which is what card issuers like banks pay ATM operators every time there is a cash withdrawal or ATM operation, saying NoteMachine were 'losing money massively on each withdrawal we do'.

NoteMachine operates more than 11,000 ATMs across the UK. It said it would convert 2,500 surcharging machines into free ones if cuts to the fees it received from banks were reversed

The fee is currently around 25p per withdrawal, with Mr McNamara saying it would need to be around 40p at the moment to make it viable due to the drop in ATM withdrawals.

He said: 'If these machines were converted back to free, it would push a lot more cash out to local communities and businesses, supporting the economic recovery on a local level.

'We have written to the Chancellor, asking him to urgently intervene to protect the UK's cash infrastructure, by reversing the cuts made to the interchange fee paid by banks to ATM providers for every cash withdrawal, at least for the duration of the current crisis.'

NoteMachine has previously threatened legal action against Link over the cuts to interchange fees, which saw banks pay less to busy ATMs and more to quieter ones in deprived and rural areas, hitting the income of NoteMachine and fellow cash machine operator Cardtronics.

Link has defended the January 2018 changes, insisting that high street banks, which were previously paying hundreds of millions of pounds in fees to ATM operators, were a vital part of protecting access to cash.
A local labor union said an outbreak of COVID-19 at a Tucson United Parcel Service distribution facility is more widespread than first thought.

As reported May 24 in the Arizona Daily Star, Teamster Local 104 said 36 employees at the south-side facility had tested positive for the coronavirus.

According to the new press release, dated Thursday, May 28, the number of employees who have tested positive has risen to 43 in the last three weeks, after an additional 85 employees were tested last Saturday.

This number does not include family members that have tested positive or members of the public that could have been exposed to COVID-19 through community spread originating from the UPS facility, the statement said.

The statement also cited CDC guidance in calling for the temporary closure of the facility, testing of every employee at the facility and an aggressive contact tracing program.

Potential outbreaks need to be investigated by a special team of experts and more stringent mitigation and investigation protocols need to be put in place, the release stated.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29)  Only around 1,000 Filipino healthcare workers were deployed abroad amid the controversial order banning medical workers from working in other countries, the Department of Labor and Employment said Friday.

These are exempted healthcare workers, who completed all their requirements before March 8, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said. Bello noted that from January to April this year, the Philippines sent some 200,000 medical workers abroad.

Around 99 percent ang nahinto. Less than 1 percent lang ang nakaalis, he explained in an online briefing.

[Translation: Deployment was down by 99 percent. Only less than 1 percent of the medical staff was able to leave.]

The DOLE chief said that they will share its database on temporarily banned workers to the Department of Health, which needs to tap more health workers as additional manpower to aid in the country's COVID-19 outbreak response.

The DOH has said it is eyeing to hire an additional 15,757 health personnel.

The department added that 2,536 had been hired, with 1,159 of them deployed in Metro Manila.

The overseas deployment ban, signed by the Labor secretary on April 2, covers physicians, nurses, medical technicians, and other medical staff.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration earlier said the reversal of the ban hinges on two conditions: When President Rodrigo Duterte lifts his declaration of a state of public health emergency, and when host countries reopen their borders to foreign workers.

Duterte is expected to certify as urgent the bill extending the validity of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. law until September 30, Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said on Friday.

The said law, which gives Duterte special powers to realign the 2020 budget for COVID-19 response, is set to expire on June 23.
New Delhi, May 29 : The Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA), a non-profit organization representing farmers and farm workers of commercial crops on Friday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Vocal for Local' campaign and appealed to the government to shun the legacy of tobacco control policies aping the Western world and adopt policies that are rooted in the reality of tobacco consumption pattern of India.

FAIFA has asked the government not to get influenced by the propaganda of the global tobacco control NGOs.

It has appeals not to take policy decisions in present pandemic that increases instability and adverse impact on the livelihood of Indian FCV tobacco farmers while promoting foreign smuggled tobacco brands.

Over 120 million kg of FCV tobacco worth around Rs 2000 crores remains unsold in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

It said that there has been more than Rs 5,000 crore loss to the FCV tobacco farming community in last 6 years.

It has asked the government to adopt policies that are rooted into the reality of tobacco consumption pattern of India.

The Federation also appealed to the government to be sensitive towards the financial distress faced by FCV tobacco farmer because of COVID pandemic and reduce cigarette taxes to pre-GST levels so the market share of smuggled foreign brands can reduce and Indian industry and farmer can benefit in line with the Vocal for Local vision of the Prime Minister.

India has a unique pattern of tobacco consumption and cigarettes are the smallest component of tobacco consumption in India and constitute only 9% of tobacco use.

However, it is facing the brunt of these most draconian and stringent regulations in the world. Also, the per capita annual consumption of cigarettes in India is just 96, amongst the lowest in the world.

Only 3 per cent of the adult population consumes cigarettes. While, smokeless tobacco product users and bidi smokers outnumber cigarette smokers by 6 times and 3 times respectively.

However, Cigarettes account for more than 80% of revenue from tobacco taxation, while the contribution to tax collections from the other two segments is insignificant. Majority of the tobacco industry (68%) is in the untaxed or unorganized sector, it said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The nation's domestic spy agency has warned the growing number of convicted terrorists due for release from Australian prisons over the next five years could use their profile to recruit more people to their cause.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation also raised the alarm about foreign fighters returning from Syria and Iraq in the coming years as it argued the case for expanded powers to forcibly question terrorists and foreign spies.

ASIO boss Mike Burgess. The agency says the number of terrorism offenders scheduled for release will increase over the next five years. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Without naming any specific country, ASIO warned foreign spies were operating "at a scale, breadth and ambition that has not previously been seen in Australia". China has previously been blamed by security agencies for large-scale hacking in Australia, while ASIO has investigated a suspected Chinese military intelligence operative in Melbourne who allegedly approached a Liberal Party member about running for parliament.

ASIO would have the power to compulsorily question foreign spies and children as young as 14 under laws introduced to Federal Parliament earlier this month. The agency would also be able to place tracking devices on cars with only internal approval, rather than a warrant, as part of a major overhaul of the agency's powers.
[May 29, 2020] The Art of Living and the International Association for Human Values are Helping Alleviate Mental Health Crisis in Times of COVID-19

BENGALURU, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As humanitarian organisations which have spearheaded service beyond borders for four decades, protecting diverse vulnerable communities across the world, advancing inner peace and social resilience, their response to the pandemic has been timely. The Founder of The Art of Living and global humanitarian leader, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said, "The pandemic has created a global crisis with far-reaching social, economic and spiritual repercussions. Our resilience during these challenging times will be tested not only by how we combat the spread of the virus but how we build a better society and emerge stronger." #iStandwithHumanity: 2.5 Million families reached

#iStandWithHumanity is a campaign launched to raise awareness and bring relief to daily wage workers and their families, who have been deeply impacted by the pandemic.

75,122,069 meals have been served to 2.5 million families as of 13 May 2020 , across India.

, across India. Dry rations and bulk supplies to community kitchens have also been served.

The film and television fraternity in Bollywood stood behind this campaign and offered financial support.

Care of frontline workers and the medical community: One million medical personnel benefitted. The organisation, while extending immense gratitude for their service, also provided avenues for medical workers to cope with stress in these trying times. The sessions organized for medical health workers helped them find peace of mind. PPE kits: Medical Equipment, defibrillators, infrared thermometers, N95 masks and sanitsers have been donated to multiple hospitals across the country.

Mental Health and well-being: 60 Million Impressions



Free breath and meditation workshops to those on the frontline.

Immunity building workshops across the country.

Anxiety help-line for those mentally affected by the pandemic.

Trauma Relief and COVID-19 care programmes in slums across the country. A seminar with UNICEF and WHO to create awareness about the social stigma and discrimination during the pandemic.

Gurudev addressed an 800,000 strong community of chemists and druggists and a conclave of senior doctors from the US and India where the mental health of the medical workers was discussed. Open discussions and sharing of concerns by members of the medical community about their fears, uncertainties and questions about managing patients and team morale that found deeply meaningful advice by Gurudev, were the highpoint of the online conclaves. Through Leadership: Reaching 2 Million in 144 countries each day. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been leading 2 million people through transformative meditation experiences every day since the worldwide lockdowns started, to help people find peace and joy within even as external situations remain uncertain. The meditations have reportedly helped people course over vulnerability, anxiety, fear, stress, feelings of loneliness, loss and grief in the wake of the pandemic. As more people look for peace of mind and a way out of anxiety and stress, a recent tweet from Google mentioned that 'Meditate with Sri Sri' has been one of the most searched keywords in last few days. Gurudev has reached out to a diverse cross-section of society in the time of this global pandemic giving them strength and rekindling hope. CEOs, leading business associations, Fortune 500 companies as well as SMEs and MSMEs, entrepreneurs, musicians, and artists have been connecting with Gurudev online, seeking moments of solace and meditative pauses amidst the spiralling economic situation and difficult business decisions. Concerns about the economy, disquiet in these uncertain times, tips and tricks to build immunity and go through the lockdown calmly have all been topics of these digital conversations. Gurudev also discussed the other social and environmental implications of the pandemic and related lockdown and reorientation of mindsets that societies will need to make, involving women leaders from around the world in a conversation on mitigating domestic violence, exploring developmental priorities, and re-writing leadership norms. "We thank everyone around the globe who are working and contributing towards this noble cause at this challenging time," Darshak Hathi, President IAHV, International said. About Art of Living The Art of Living Foundation is a volunteer-based, humanitarian and educational non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in 1981. It has centres in more than 156 countries. It offers several stress-elimination and self-development programs based on breathing techniques, meditation and yoga. It also runs several social projects worldwide.speakers of the century and Forbes ranked Sri Sri as the 5th most powerful person in India. For more information, please visit: https://www.artofliving.org/in-en Media Contact Details: Neelam Kochar Singh

[email protected]

+91-9342582375

Art of Living Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1174492/Art_of_Living_Relief_Material.jpg

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Protesters march and carry signs decrying the killing of George Floyd on May 26, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who is charged in the murder of George Floyd, had 18 complaints made against him since 2001.

Complaints against police are supposed to end up in front of the city's conduct review board.

A former member, though, told Insider the panel meets infrequently, doesn't meet with the complainant, and panelists aren't told whether their recommendation ends up making a difference.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

During the 20 years that preceded Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin's killing of George Floyd, 18 complaints of misconduct had already been filed against him.

Two of the complaints resulted in a "letter of reprimand," but the 16 others had no repercussions at all  and none of their contents have been released to the public.

The apparent lack of accountability and transparency in the handling of prior issues with Chauvin has raised a question: What is even the point of the city's' Police Conduct Review board?

Kenneth Rance, a North Minneapolis resident who served on the city's police conduct review board from 2016 until December, said that as it stands now, he's not sure it's effective at all.

Cities around the country have formed versions of the boards, which are intended to act as an outside oversight agency for incidents that arise within the police department.

In Minneapolis the board is made up of half officers and half citizens representing each of the city's wards.

When a complaint is made against an officer in the department, it is first reviewed internally, according to Rance.

If the complaining party is unhappy with the discipline, or lack thereof, he or she can appeal it to the review board, which is overseen by the city's Department of Civil Rights, he said.

But Rance said in the three years he served on the board, he was only called to review a case six or seven times, and several of them were internal officer-on-officer complaints.

Story continues

During each case, Rance was given a stack of materials, including the complaint, the police testimony and any available documentation of the incident. He never got the opportunity to meet with the complaining party in person.

After reviewing the case, Rance said he would make a recommendation to the police chief, who ultimately has the authority to discipline.

Not once, though, did Rance find out whether his reccomendation had been accepted.

"The lack of communication within that department is not very good, in the least," he said. "I have met the Civil Rights Director of a maximum of once, and that was at a community event. How is that possible?" Rance told Insider. "I would have liked to continue [on the panel], but there is so much dysfunction, and a lack of communication."

The Office of Police Conduct Review in Minneapolis is made up of citizens and police.

The Office of Police Conduct Review in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Police review committees are necessary, but often structured in a way that prohibits them from being effective

Gbenga Ajilore, senior economist at the Center for American Progress and expert on criminal justice, said the experience that Rance described can be the problem with these police conduct oversight boards.

The panels, he said, were birthed out of the Rodney King trial, when citizens were first confronted by the lack of repercussions for misbehaving police officers.

In 1991, King was violently beaten by LAPD officers during his arrest. The police responsible were acquitted of their crimes.

Following the King case, there was a "big push legislatively" to fix the system, Ajilore said, and one of the results was the formation of citizen police review committees that are called in to look at complaints made against officers.

"The problem is that its very difficult to actually get some sort of board that's going to have the teeth to make a difference," Ajilore explained.

Many of these boards, Ajilore said, tend to be made up of police, or retired police, who essentially perform "rubber stamping" when problematic reports arise.

"Then, on the other end of the spectrum, you have these fully independent, fully resourced board that actually can make reccomendation that the city council and mayor can act upon," Ajilore said. "But again, there really hasn't been any sort of evidence, that show that they're effective either."

That's because "there is a lot of pushback," he said. "And that goes to the issue of police unions and what they're able to do and how they're able to combat any sort of independent oversight."

Lorenzo M. Boyd, the director of The Center of Advanced Policing at the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, noted the same issues with the oversight groups.

The sociologist worked in the Boston Sheriff's Department for 15 years before transitioning to a career as an academic.

He described himself as a fan of citizen review boards, but realizes that, in a lot of cases, they fall short of achieving their goal.

"If you're just making recommendations to the chief, the chief can say no," he said. "If there is a lot of inaction, I'm OK with the police review board going to the media."

In Minneapolis, though, there's no way to know if there is action, Rance said. Whenever he made a recommendation on a case, he said, he was never informed of the outcome.

"I kind of liken it to working on an assembly line and making widgets. Once it goes around the corner, you don't know what happens," Rance said. "It was never really clearly communicated to me."

Boyd still sees the potential benefits of the boards, but noted the need for them to carry more weight.



"I absolutely see them as valuable," he said. "I think city governments need to give them a lot more autonomy and a little more strength."

When officers continue to get away with misconduct, there is nothing stopping their problematic behavior from escalating

Ajilore pointed to the history of complaints stacked up against Chauvin as an example of the lack of accountability in policing.

"That officer knew he was being videotaped, still killed the guy, and knew there was nothing that would happen," he said. "Think about it, if you go to a store and try to steal something and someone has a camera on you, you're going to stop right? You're afraid you're going to get caught. But if you don't think you're going to get caught, who cares if you're recorded? Who cares if someone's looking?"

"Then think about what would have to happen for you to have that mentality of being comfortable stealing from the store," he added.

While Rance said he never reviewed a complaint made against Chauvin himself, he noted that many of the officers whose issues ended up in front of him had a history of other accusations  some of them significant  made against them.

"When it comes to reform, it's an institutional issue," Ajilore said. "People keep saying, well that guy was a bad apple. But if it's a bad apple, and you don't take it out of the barrel, then the whole thing will rot."

Rance  who is black  strongly believes that a majority of the police officers in Minneapolis are hardworking and responsible. The problem that he sees is that there is a history of complacency around the small percentage of officers with a violent history.

"I liken it to if you were diagnosed with cancer and you didn't treat it," he said.

Rance said that the threat of falling victim to an overly aggressive police officer makes it difficult to live a healthy life in the city. He fears for the safety of his 11-year-old son, 14-year-old daughter, and wife.

He's even afraid for himself when he's out exercising in the city.

"Minneapolis has the top-rated park system in the country. I live four blocks from the Mississippi River. I ride along the river, and it is beautiful, but I'm not at peace," he said. "People are killing us."

The city police department's motto, Rance said, is "to protect with courage, to serve with compassion."

"It's ironic," he said. "From what we saw from that video, it was 'to attack with cowardliness, to harm with inhumanity.' That's the model of MPD when it comes to black men."

Read the original article on Insider
For a man who looked for the job of the president as if he has something revolutionary to do, five years after he sits on the throne of Aso Rock Villa there isnt anything revolutionary about the reign of Mr. Buhari. Nothing spectacular. He has been just an ordinary African President and what we know about ordinary African Presidents is disappointment.

Since 2003 Buhari had fought tooth and nail to become President. One would assume such a man had a master plan on how to fix things when he finally won in 2015. After he was sworn in on 29th May, 2015, it suddenly dawn on many Nigerians that the man doesnt have any plans, there was no blueprint on fixing the Nigeria he fought so hard and wept to lead.

For me it was when he delayed for months to choose his Ministers and ended up choosing the same disappointing and crooked politicians that we all know after six months in office without Ministers. The signs were written on the wall.

Buhari would come out to make excuses after the other, even claiming that he couldnt perform because it was a democratic elected government and he was better as a dictator. Talking on fighting corruption, which was one of the main thing he said he was coming address, Buhari said and I quote, During the military regime you are guilty until found innocent, but now you are innocent until found guilty.

He kept hiding under the propaganda that the previous government destroyed Nigeria so much that he couldnt perform. He shielded himself with that until his own very supporters got tired of it after three years and asked him to show them what he can do as nothing was practically going on.

Lets look at the areas Buhari promised to tackle when he took over in 2015. They are SECURITY, CORRUPTION and the ECONOMY. On security he failed. Till date Fulani bandits are still on rampage killing people in his own Katsina State. The criminal gangs have become very powerful

Since Buhari came to power. They are so emboldened they blocked the Kaduna-Abuja Highway for about a year kidnapping people at Will. They have murdered more than 5,000 Nigerians since 2015 in Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and environ. They have murdered about the same number under the excuse of fighting over grazing land in Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa and today these killings are going on in Niger State, extending to villages around the FCT.

Boko Haram have continued to plagued the Nigerian security apparatuses since 2015. They have killed hundreds of military men and women in their quest for Islamic Sharia State. Buhari couldnt stop anything. It was Chad military who recently came and dealt a deadly blow on Boko Haram, embarrassing the Nigerian military who looked unserious. Quickly General Buratai, to hide his shame, moved to Maiduguri claiming he wouldnt be coming back until Boko Haram is over. It is not the first time he has done that. Soon he would creep back quickly to Abuja. Nigerians have called for his sack severally, both members of the Presidents own party, but Mr. Buhari couldnt sack him even though most Nigerians simply see General Buratai as a failure.

On CORRUPTION, you all know whats going on. Buhari started with ignoring the corruption allegations against his SGF, Babachir Lawal. The man was involved in pocketing over N520million, monies he said were for contracts of grass cutting in the North East where people were starving. He abused his office by awarding contracts to companies his people registered. The president defended him until he had no choice. They wanted to sack the NIA Boss when they found that 30 million dollars in some apartment in Lagos and they couldnt do that without firing Babachir. It was clear that this corruption fight wasnt going to work. After five years where are we? Your guess is as good as mine. The EFCC has just been going round and round around without really tackling the problem of corruption. We saw Buhari defending Governor Ganduje during the campaign. A man caught on camera pocketing dollar bribe from contractors. Not much is being done at fighting corruption. We all know that. I just saw a report where NDDC MD said his predecessors awarded over 500 fake contracts. Why has the EFCC not quickly gone to clamp on them?

BUHARI made a lot of noise on diversifying the economy. I was shocked when I found out our foreign exchange is still about 88 to 90% dependence on oil. Where is the diversification of the economy? Nigerians have never been this poor. Billions of loans have been collected like no other time in the history of Nigeria but what on ground? In fact this government is still going for loan. There is simply no idea on how to govern a country than the usual we have known with this nation.

Five years has gone and most Nigerians have lost hope in Buhari. They are simply waiting for time to pass fast so that he can leave Aso Rock for some new guy. Thats the reality facing Nigeria today.

George Onmonya Daniel is the editor-in-charge of NewIssues Magazine
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Export of grain and legumes from Turkey to Uzbekistan increased by 15.01 percent from January through April 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, exceeding $4.5 million, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend.

In April 2020, Turkeys export of grain and legumes to Uzbekistan increased by 19.8 percent compared to the same month of 2019, reaching $753,000.

In the first four months of 2020, the export of grains and legumes from Turkey to international markets increased by 4.1 percent compared to the same period of 2019, exceeding $2.4 billion. Meanwhile, Turkeys export of grain and legumes made up 4.6 percent of the countrys total export.

In April 2020, Turkey exported $595.1 million worth of grains and legumes to world markets, which is 0.4 percent less compared to the same month of 2019. In the meantime, Turkey's export of grain and legumes amounted to 6.6 percent of the country's total export.

From April 2019 through April 2020, Turkey exported the grain and legumes in the amount of $6.8 billion.

Turkeys export of agricultural products to the international markets exceeded $7.7 billion in the first four months of 2020, which is 2.9 percent more compared to the same period of 2019.

In April 2020, Turkey exported the agricultural products worth $1.7 billion, which is 5.9 percent less compared to April 2019.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) speaks during a hearing with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo where he testified during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in Washington on July 25, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Lawmakers Continue to Press for Answers on Firing of IG Linick, Announce Expansion of Probe

Reps. Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.), Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform along with Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations announced Friday that their committees will widen a probe into the firing of State Department Inspector General Steve Linick.

The bicameral group said they plan to conduct interviews with key officials who may have knowledge about the IGs firing and how the State Department Office of Inspector Generals (OIG) ongoing investigations may have prompted Secretary Pompeos decision to have him fired.

In a statement, the ranking members said they want to be sure that Secretary of State, Mike Pompeos decision to fire the IG, was not prompted by Linicks investigation into the Secretarys work at the State Department.

Congress has demanded answers about the abrupt firing of the Inspector General, but Secretary Pompeo has failed to explain his actions. We call upon administration officials to comply and appear for interviews with the Committees, and for Secretary Pompeo to comply with the Committees investigation and not obstruct the American people from discovering the truth about his own actions, they said.

As these interviews take place, we plan to make public the transcripts of those proceedings as quickly as possible. The truth about Mr. Linicks firing will come out, they added.

Engel, Maloney, and Menendez are not the only lawmakers who have asked the Trump administration for justification of his decision to fire the IG.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has expressed dissatisfaction with a White House response to his concerns over the rationale for the Presidents firing of the inspector general.

In a May 26 statement, Grassley acknowledged Trumps constitutional and statutory authority in dismissing the inspectors general for the State Department and Intelligence Community but noted that White House Counsel Pat Cipollone failed to provide sufficient justification for the firing.

The White House Counsels response failed to address this requirement, which Congress clearly stated in statute and accompanying reports. I dont dispute the presidents authority under the Constitution, but without sufficient explanation, its fair to question the presidents rationale for removing an inspector general, Grassley said.

Grassley said that without providing a solid justification for the dismissals, the American people will be left speculating whether political or self-interests are to blame. Thats not good for the presidency or government accountability.

Cipollone responded in a letter on Tuesday (pdf), saying that President Trump appreciates and respects your longstanding support for the role that inspectors general play, but that when the President loses confidence in an inspector general, he will exercise his constitutional right and duty to remove that officeras did President Reagan when he removed inspectors general upon taking office and as did President Obama when he was in office.

Grassley, responding to Cipollones letter, stated that, Government Accountability isnt only a Republican issue or a Democrat issue. Inspectors general shouldnt be politically motivated or politically targeted. And those of us in Congress have a duty to promote accountability, regardless of who is in office.

Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
New Delhi, May 29 : Noida Police has arrested a man who allegedly thrashed a Chinese woman living in a condominium there for allegedly fostering a stray dog which bit his own pet dog.

"The named accused in the case of the Chinese resident of Greater Noida, who was assaulted by a fellow resident of her society over the feeding of stray dogs in the society, has been arrested," the police said.

IANS was the first to report about this incident. Greater Noida Commissioner of Police Rajesh Kumar Singh had told IANS then that the man named Amar Pratap Singh, a resident of ATS Paradiso, misbehaved with the woman after his pet dog was bitten by a stray dog which she used to feed every day.

Describing her plight in an open letter, victim Zou Hui hasd said "I am suffering severe pain in my body due to such inhuman beating and madness." She had also attached photos of her injuries which suggest the sheer brutality with which she was assaulted. "If anything unnatural happens to us in the future, the accused man Mr Amarpal Singh should be responsible for it," she said.

Singh, the arrested accused has been charged under section 354B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

According to the victim, a stray dog which was following her suddenly attacked another resident's dog. Following which the accused man "thrashed" her from behind "with a heavy thick stick more than 10 times." She added that her hands and hips were injured as a result of the assault. "I was shocked and wasn't aware why he was cruelly beating me," she said. Zou claims that society security guard Avneet Bhatti was witness to the alleged assault.

The incident occurred in Greater Noida on a day when China said that it will repatriate its citizens from India as Covid-19 cases rise. The relationship between the neighbouring countries has been strained with rising troop skirmishes over the border.
U.S. President Donald Trump could punish Beijing for eroding Hong Kong's autonomy and other human rights abuses  but his options won't be very damaging to China, said a leading Chinese economist on Friday.

Hong Kong has special privileges under American law, which treats the territory more favorably than the mainland, and has so far exempted the Asian financial hub from punishing tariffs that the U.S. has imposed on China. Observers say the U.S. can revoke that special status for Hong Kong and that would hurt China, which relies on Hong Kong as a bridge to the rest of the world.

But Li Daokui, an economics professor from Tsinghua University, told CNBC that any threats to revoke Hong Kong's special privileges from the U.S. won't be "very much credible" because American businesses would get hurt too.

China on Thursday approved a controversial national security law in the special administrative region of Hong Kong, a move that critics say will erode the freedoms of its people and allow Beijing greater control over the semi-autonomous region.

Trump is set to hold a news conference later Friday to discuss China. The president didn't provide details, but there is speculation he may announce his administration's response to several developments this week.

Earlier in the week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China, after Beijing unveiled plans to vote on the Hong Kong law during its parliamentary meeting.

The U.S. House of Representatives also passed legislation this week calling for sanctions against Chinese officials over the detention and torture of Uighurs, a Muslim minority group in China.
'For the moment in Eastern Ladakh, it is unlikely there will be any more escalation of this conflict,' observes Colonel S Dinny (retd) who served as Commanding Officer of an infantry battalion deployed in the Pangong Tso area.

IMAGE: Indian and Chinese troops conduct the first 'joint tactical exercise' in the Chushul-Moldo area of Ladakh in February 2016. Photograph: PTI Photo

The present border crisis between India and China in Ladakh has once again brought into limelight a peculiar situation generally not seen in modern-day military conflicts between two powerful, nuclear-armed armies.

In this era of real time, there is a complete void of information about the actual situation emanating from both sides of the Line of Actual Control. This information void can be seen in the political, diplomatic and military domain of both countries.

Apart from a statement each from the foreign ministries of both countries and a comment by General Manoj Mukund Naravane, the chief of army staff, there has been virtually no official information on this dispute so far.

Surprisingly, the Chinese media has also chosen to remain silent on this issue except for two articles in Global Times.

However, despite this clear information void, there is a narrative being built in India by some news agencies and 'China experts' that the Chinese are flexing their muscle with a grand strategy in mind.

Some of the perceived reasons attributed to this 'hypothesis' are that China, as in on all its other disputed issues, is asserting itself strongly; China is deflecting worldwide criticism for its role in COVID-19; it wants to reprimand India for closer India-US relations; and finally, this could be a ploy by General Secretary Xi Jinping to strengthen his now perceived vulnerable position within the Chinese Communist Party.

There is also an assumption that the conflict is probably due to Chinese actions to stall the Indian infrastructure development in Eastern Ladakh.

But the issue is that if indeed Chinese had a grand strategy, there are many questions which remain unanswered.

Is this the best timing for such action?

Would China flex its muscles by merely pitching tents on the disputed area?

Would it merely resort to hand to hand scuffles to send across a strategic message?

Do these actions actually have the desired strategic effect on India?

Even after such a 'grave situation', why are the Chinese and Indian governments silent?

The answer for the last question alone is that probably, both governments at the highest level know that there is no strategic intent in these developments.

It is rather a tactical level conflict due to a change of status quo and non-adherence to established procedures by one or both parties, in the disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control.

The fact that all the present conflicts in Eastern Ladakh are happening only to the north of Pangong Tso also indicate that it is a localised one.

Immediately after the 73-day stand-off between the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army, the highest leadership of both countries met in Wuhan on April 27, 2018, and discussed ways and means to avoid such conflicts along the Line of Actual Control in future.

One of the key issues highlighted was that both the militaries will be given 'trategic guidance', so as to ensure peace and tranquillity along the borders.

The fact that this 'strategic guidance for military' was mentioned by both leaders was a clear indication that the 'intent for lasting peace at the highest level despite the unresolved border issue' was occasionally 'not being understood by tactical level military commanders on both sides'.

Unfortunately, all indicators till now seem to suggest that this could be the trigger for the present conflict in Eastern Ladakh.

The first conflict in Eastern Ladakh started in the North Bank of Pangong Tso, on the night of May 5, 2020.

If indeed it is true, that itself is an indication that established procedures have been violated by both parties, as no night patrols are allowed in these areas according to laid-down protocols.

Also, physical contact between troops leading to scuffles is also a reflection on the military leadership at the tactical level.

During any faceoff, there is a minimum distance to be maintained between the two parties and conversations are only to be carried out by the senior-most officer in the patrol along with an interpreter.

All actions are videographed by both sides.

In case of perceived violations, there is a mechanism in place to lodge protests and hold flag meetings.

Even though there are occasional flare-ups, it is a testimony to the outstanding military leadership from both sides that there has been relative peace across the Line of Actual Control for the past so many years.

For the moment in Eastern Ladakh, it is now unlikely that there will be any more escalation of this conflict, as both parties have taken up semi-permanent positions on the ground.

The usual 'escalation for de-escalation' has already been achieved in this sector.

In all probability, the present conflict will be resolved through established mechanisms, away from the limelight and the media glare, by division-level commanders itself from both sides.

However, conflicts will continue in the future, unless there is an agreement on a 'no patrolling zone' in these disputed areas. Patrolling can be done in these areas by UAV or other aerial assets only by both the armies.

But most importantly, and despite all peace agreements and protocols between the two countries, for lasting peace along the disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control, some of the Indian officers should realise that they are not serving at the Line of Control against Pakistan, and some of the Chinese officers should remember that this is not 1962!

Colonel S Dinny (retd) took voluntary retirement from the Indian Army on October 1, 2019 after serving as an infantry officer for about 22 years in which time he was the Commanding Officer of an infantry battalion deployed in the area of Pangong Tso, apart from multiple tenures in the Kashmir Valley, the north east and along the Line of Actual Control.

He has also served as a military observer with the United Nations in Congo.
Advocacy organizations have filed complaints against Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities in Florida and California, claiming that migrants being held there are suffering severe side effects from disinfectant sprays being used to combat the coronavirus.

One of the complaints was sent by Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice and the advocacy group Freedom for Immigrants on May 21. That complaint, which focused on the Adelanto detention center in California, included testimonials from detainees who called in to a hotline run by Freedom for Immigrants.

The guards have started spraying this chemical everywhere, all over everything, all the time. It causes a terrible reaction on our skin, one of the detainees said, adding, When I blow my nose, blood comes out. They are treating us like animals. One person fainted and was taken out, I don't know what happened to them. There is no fresh air.

The Adelanto detention center in California. (Chris Carlson/AP Photo)

ICE denies it is using disinfectants in a manner that would be dangerous to detainees.

Some of the detainees who called the hotline identified the chemical being sprayed at Adelanto as a disinfectant called HDQ Neutral, based on labeled bottles they saw at the facility.

Safety guidelines for HDQ Neutral issued by its manufacturer, Spartan Chemical, warn that the disinfectant is harmful if inhaled and that it causes severe skin burns and serious eye damage. The guidelines specify that HDQ Neutral should be used only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area and protective gear should be worn while handling the chemical.

According to the complaint about Adelanto, which is one of the countrys largest ICE detention centers, staff there are spraying HDQ Neutral every 15-30 minutes on surfaces throughout the housing unit, which lacks ventilation. The complaint said at least nine detainees have experienced severe symptoms from the spray since May 11, including blisters, rashes, bleeding, fainting, breathing difficulties, headaches, stomach pain and nausea. Multiple detainees complained of receiving inadequate care for these symptoms.

Story continues

Many of us are very allergic to the substance that they have been spraying. It causes rashes and there is one man with blisters  They spray it on the phones, chairs, tables, every 15-20 minutes - all day & all night long, said one of the detainees quoted in the complaint.

There is no fresh air to breathe in the room. The guards have masks & gloves so don't seem bothered by it but many of us have very red eyes, sore throats, and headaches."

The detainees names were not included in the complaint due to concerns about potential retaliation.

The Adelanto detention center is operated by the GEO Group, a private prison company that has contracts with ICE to run multiple facilities. The complaint about chemical sprays at the facility was sent to the GEO Group, multiple ICE officials and the office of civil rights and civil liberties at the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE.

GEO Group spokesperson Christopher Ferreira referred questions about the use of chemical sprays at Adelanto to ICE. Alexx Pons, a spokesperson for ICE, said in a statement that the agency is committed to maintaining the highest facility standards of cleanliness and sanitation, safe work practices, and control of hazardous substances and equipment to ensure the environmental health and safety of detainees, staff, volunteers and contractors from injury and illness.

Disinfectant formulations used at Adelanto are compliant with detention standards, registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and used according to manufacturers instructions for routine cleaning and maintenance of the facility, Pons said. Any assertion or claim to the contrary is false.

The complaints about chemical spraying at Adelanto come on the heels of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California on behalf of six detainees at the facility. That suit alleged there was a humanitarian crisis at the facility due to the coronavirus, which was leading to a situation in which the deadly illness could explode among the detainees.

Last month, Freedom for Immigrants published complaints about unsanitary conditions at Adelanto that it received on the hotline. In the more recent complaint about the use of HDQ Neutral, the organization expressed concern that the use of the spray was a response to detainees voicing their concerns.

We are especially concerned that the misuse of and purposeful exposure to such harsh chemicals is retaliatory. In late April, we received and made public reports from people in detention in Adelanto that they were cleaning the facility just with water or shampoo and were not provided appropriate cleaning supplies to sanitize the facility, the complaint said.

Protesters outside ICE's Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, Fla., on May 1. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

According to ICE, the agency has released over 900 individuals from custody due to concerns about COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. As of May 23, ICE reported there were 25,911 detainees in custody, and 2,670 of them have been tested. In total, the agency said, those tests identified 1,392 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the detainee population. But immigrant groups have raised concerns about the agencys testing procedures, particularly given the high infection rate among the population that has been tested.

Advocates and multiple federal judges have pushed for more people to be released due to concerns about illness spreading in crowded detention facilities.

Along with the complaint about HDQ Neutral being used at Adelanto, there are similar complaints about detainees suffering severe side effects due to disinfectant sprays deployed at the ICE facility inside the Glades County Detention Center in Florida.

On May 23, an organization called Friends of Miami-Dade Detainees filed a complaint with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties about the use of a product at Glades called Mint Disinfectant. The complaint was written by the groups lead organizer, Wendy King.

Staff are spraying a chemical inside the housing units that is causing serious respiratory distress among people with asthma, bronchitis, and other medical conditions. They are reporting that after the spray is used, people with asthma must use their inhalers more frequently, and that some people are suffering from shortness of breath and/or headaches, King wrote.

Safety guidelines from the manufacturer of Mint Disinfectant warn that it can cause serious eye damage and eye irritation and specify that it should not be exposed to skin. The guidelines say the chemical should be used only in a well-ventilated area with the use of protective gear and that anyone who inhales the chemical should be allowed to breathe fresh air. Additionally, the product guidelines warn to avoid all unnecessary exposure.

Odalys K. Fernandez, Laurie Woodward Garcia and Yaquelin Lopez protest outside an ICE office in Miramar, Fla., on March 13. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

According to King, the complaint about Mint Disinfectant was based on reports from several people detained at Glades that her group began receiving on May 14. Some of these reports from detainees came through a messaging system they have access to while in custody.

The group provided Yahoo News with screenshots of complaints sent from five detainees after requesting anonymity for the complainants due to concerns about potential retaliation.

They are also still spraying chemical with us all in here, one of the detainees wrote. We cant really breath cause its too much.

They was some mint stuff, another detainee wrote. Everybody in here getting sick.

One of the detainees reported that the disinfectant was being sprayed by other inmates who have been appointed as trustees and who were not wearing protective gear. The detainee said the trustees carried the disinfectant in 20-gallon containers with a hand pump.

In a follow-up letter sent on May 24, King outlined other issues at the facility that she said amounted to a humanitarian crisis, including multiple detainees suffering from high fevers without receiving COVID-19 testing or medical care or being given enough space to stay separated from other inmates. King also alleged there are frequent power outages at the facility that have caused a lack of air-conditioning.

Despite a deputy at Glades County Jail testing positive for COVID-19, we are receiving reports that NO detained person has been tested for the virus, King wrote. This morning we received multiple reports about detained people passing out from high fevers. No one has reported being able to see a doctor.

ICEs facility at the Glades County Detention Center is operated by the Glades County Sheriffs Office. In a conversation with Yahoo News on Thursday evening, Glades County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Keith Henson, who supervises the jail, said Mint Disinfectant is being utilized in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations at the facility.

Its the same disinfectant thats used in hospitals and medical environments throughout our nation, Henson said, later adding, Its a cleaning collusion for surfaces ... its applied to the surfaces to disinfect and try to keep the environment as clear as we can.

Henson said he was aware the disinfectant could cause eye irritation.

If you spray it in your eye, yup, it will do that, he said.

He also denied the chemical was being pumped out of 20-gallon drums, which would weigh about 150 pounds when full.

I wish I had a staff member that could carry a 20-gallon drum, said Henson.

And Henson denied there have been problems with the air-conditioning at the detention center.

Were in Florida, he said. Can you imagine a detention facility with no windows not being a controlled-air environment?

Overall, Henson said, the staff, administration and community is doing everything in their power to safeguard staff, inmates, detainees and the public as we all  address the concerns that our nation is facing today during these extremely trying times.

However, he declined to answer a question about how many detainees at Glades have been tested for COVID-19 and referred the matter to ICE.

I cant speak on the medical side of things, Henson said.

Pons, the ICE spokesperson, pointed to the data the agency reported on May 23, which said there were two confirmed COVID-19 cases at Glades.

Detainees continue to be tested for COVID-19 in line with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, Pons said.

_____

Click here for the latest coronavirus news and updates. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please refer to the CDCs and WHOs resource guides.

Read more:
A woman whose partial remains were found on Long Island nearly a decade ago during a search for a missing sex worker was identified Thursday by authorities.

The woman, previously known as Jane Doe #6, was identified by Suffolk County Police as Valerie Mack, 24.

Macks dismembered body was one of 11 sets of remains found along Ocean Parkway, a road on a narrow barrier island in Suffolk and Nassau counties, in 2010 and 2011.

Image: Gilgo Beach Victim Valerie Mack (Suffolk County Police Dept)

The discovery was made while authorities searched for Shannan Gilbert, 24, an escort who vanished on May 1, 2010, after leaving a clients home at Oak Beach, a community on the island.

No suspect has publicly been identified in the killings and they remain unsolved. Authorities have said that Gilbert's killing doesn't appear to match the other deaths, though they've said it could be connected.

Mack disappeared in 2000 while working as an escort in Philadelphia, police said. Partial remains of Mack were found the same year in the community of Manorville, on Long Island, near the skeletal remains of a baby girl and an Asian man.

Manorville is roughly 50 miles east of Gilgo and Oak Beaches, where the other remains were found.

Remains believed to be the girls mother were later found along Ocean Parkway, police said. They have not been identified.

The rest of Macks body was found 11 years later at Gilgo Beach, police said. Mack was identified using genetic genealogy.

For two decades, Valerie Macks family and friends were left searching for answers and while this is not the outcome they wanted, we hope this brings some sense of peace and closure, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said in a statement.

The other women whose remains have been identified are Melissa Barthelemy, 24; Megan Waterman, 22; Amber Lynn Costello, 27; Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25; and Jessica Taylor, 20.

There was no familial relationship between Jessica Taylor and Valerie Mack, who was also known as Melissa Taylor, police said.

NBC New York has reported that several of the women were sex workers.

Earlier this year, police released evidence in the casea black leather belt embossed with the letters HM or WH  hoping it would yield new tips that could help solved the case.
Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar held a meeting yesterday to review the Locust Control Operations. Tomar said the Government is concerned about the issue and is dealing urgently with the situation.

The Centre is in close touch with the affected States and an Advisory has been issued. 15 sprayers will start arriving from Britain in the next 15 days. Besides, 45 more sprayers will be procured in a month or one-and-a-half months. Drones will be used to spray pesticides on tall trees and inaccessible places for effective control of locusts, while plans are afoot to deploy helicopters for aerial spray.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Jersey has now tested almost all juvenile offenders, providing the first comprehensive look at how the coronavirus has spread behind bars and leading some to push the state to release more from detention facilities.

Advocates asked New Jerseys Supreme Court Wednesday to free some prisoners whose sentences end within a year, which would include residents of the Juvenile Justice Commission.

Without a significant reduction in the JJC population, distancing will remain impossible and the threat of infection will continue unabated," Laura Cohen, a Rutgers University law professor and director of the Criminal and Youth Justice Clinic, told the seven justices.

At least 55 residents are set to be released within a year, the head of the commission told the court, but many had committed serious crimes, including robbery or endangering the welfare of a child. State officials also said social distancing was possible. Although many residents slept in dormitories, the entire system was less than half full, according to court documents filed by acting Executive Director Jennifer LeBaron.

New Jersey was the first state to start testing its entire juvenile population, and all but one of its approximately 260 residents have now been screened.

Twenty-eight people, or about 10%, were positive, according to public data. Thats similar to the current 9% infection rate within the adult system, although the corrections department hasnt finished testing.

In contrast, less than 2% of the general population has tested positive.

The system has to do better, said Quadnesha Selph, a woman whose 19-year-old son tested positive at the New Jersey Training School, the commissions largest facility and site of the most positive cases. "I might look good on the outside, but me not knowing whats really going on with my son, its tearing me up on the inside.

Selphs son has asthma and was put in isolation after he reported symptoms, she said, and a doctor now checked him twice a day. It had been difficult to get information from officials about his status, she said.

Lisa Coryell, an agency spokeswoman, wrote in an email that the commission had increased free phone calls and video chats. Anyone in medical isolation can make a free phone call at least every other day, she said, in addition to outreach to relatives by staff.

Officials at the JJC understand the importance of family connection, and are working hard to keep youth and families connected at this difficult time, Coryell wrote.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Other juvenile facilities have been less affected, and there are no positive cases at Bordentowns Female Secure Care and Intake Facility.

No residents or staff have died, according to court documents filed Thursday by the state attorney generals office, and no residents have required hospitalization.

Many changes the juvenile system made to stem the outbreak were commendable," but more releases were still needed, Cohen said at Wednesdays hearing. Some offenders had serious underlying health conditions" like heart problems and diabetes, she said, and one teenager was pregnant.

Those still inside are also not receiving the help the system normally provides, Cohen said, because all of the rehabilitative, educational and therapeutic programming that happens in the JJC has, by necessity, been curtailed."

In response, Coryell wrote that the commission was going to great lengths" to continue education, including installing Wi-Fi throughout the system to make it easier for residents to connect with teachers.

Educational staff continue to speak with students via telephone, review completed assignments, drop off new coursework to be completed, and otherwise remain available, she said. Social workers and other counselors have also continued to remotely meet residents, officials said.

The total juvenile population has dropped by almost a fifth since early March, according to the agencys public reports.

Thirty-six employees who sought out their own tests were also positive. The commission aims to begin testing its more than 600 employees around June 9, LeBaron wrote in a court document.

The justices did not give a timeline for when they would issue a decision.

About 490 residents and 580 staff within juvenile systems around the country had tested positive as of Tuesday, according to the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit the Sentencing Project. Maine has finished testing the handful of juveniles it oversees, and Marylands governor recently announced plans to test all that states juvenile offenders.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BCunninghamN.

Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.
Rural Uber and new bus laybys at country roadsides were agreed on by all three parties in Thursday's negotiations.

The talks, which concentrated on rural development for over two hours, saw Green TD and rural affairs spokesman Malcolm Noonan and councillor Roisin Garvey join the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael negotiators to discuss "how to make life easier for people in rural Ireland," according to one TD.

There was "broad agreement" on a number of topics including a ride-sharing initiative like Uber which would see residents offer and accept lifts from neighbours into local towns in a "hackney-like service", and a new system of allowing buses to pull into specially allocated laybys to drop people off nearer their homes, making public transport more accessible in especially isolated areas.

All parties were in agreement that more should be done to protect community post offices, with the Green Party suggesting their role be expanded to ensure their longevity, suggestions were a tourist information point or, space allowing, a community centre or local community hub.

Rural tourism was also discussed, and it was agreed that tourist hot spots should promote the local area, with issues like using only locally sourced produce in coffee and gift shops and performance indicators being implemented to ensure the destination is profitable to the local economy as well as it's own revenue generation. Sustainability in the tourism sector was discussed at length, with the three in agreement that in order for the businesses to be profitable long term, the local community would have to be involved and see tangible benefits.

Many of the suggestions appeared to be low cost, concentrating more on utilizing current funding to ensure maximum return for the local communities.

It's understood that there was enthusiasm for local innovation hubs, which would provide high-speed broadband for people to work from home, and would also tackle rural isolation as well as congestion.

There was a long discussion on the number of derelict buildings in rural towns and villages and all three parties agreed that an incentive programme would have to be launched in order to encourage people to buy and redevelop these properties for use.

The meeting which was "very positive", according to another source, and said "although nothing is set in stone" as they "didn't get into the nitty-gritty", due to lack of time, papers will now be drawn up and sent back to respective party reference groups for approval.

Its understood these policy papers will be presented to a range of regional independent TDs who are due to be brought into government formation talks next week, many of whom have advocated for balanced regional development concentrating on rural and farming areas.

The three negotiating parties have often been framed as natural enemies on the issue. Fine Gael and Fianna Fails traditional rural bases and their representing TDs have repeated that they will not stand for the destruction of rural Ireland, according to one TD yesterday on Thursday.

However, it's understood that all three parties came to the table with similar ideas, which two sources relayed as "common sense proposals from people who actually live in rural Ireland", however, did not have enough time to discuss pressing measures like rural isolation, Traveler rights or mental health, which they had planned to do.
Rajesh Gupta, an Indian-origin doctor working in the United Kingdom, was found dead in a hotel earlier this week where he was staying to protect his family from coronavirus.

Gupta had gained medical qualifications from Jammu University in 1997, moved to the UK in 2006 and was working as a specialist pain medicine and consultant anaesthetist .

Many medical staff have been living away from homes while working in hospitals as the National Health Service grapples with the pandemic. As of Thursday evening, there have been 37,837 deaths and 269,127 cases in the UK.

The Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust on Friday paid tributes to Gupta, who was working in its hospital near London.

Rajesh, who worked as a consultant at Wexham Park Hospital, was found dead on Monday afternoon in the hotel where he had been staying to protect his family while he worked with us during the coronavirus pandemic. At this stage the cause of his death is not known.

Rajesh was a popular and well-known figure across the trust, described by colleagues as an outstanding clinician with a passion for pain medicine. He had recently been appointed to a substantive post at Wexham after working for a period as a locum consultant at Frimley Park, the trust said.

Colleagues described Gupta as a gifted poet, painter, photographer and cook who was known for his enthusiasm and kindness. He wrote several books and contributed to a number of publications.

The trust added: He will be greatly missed. On behalf of the whole trust we would like to pass our deepest condolences to Rajeshs family and loved ones, including his wife and young son. This news has come as an enormous shock to Rajeshs immediate colleagues and we are supporting them at this difficult time.

Besides Gupta, the grim list of Indian heritage doctors and nurses dying during the pandemic include Jitendra Kumar Rathod, Manjeet Singh Riyat, Krishan Arora, Rajesh Kalraiya, Pooja Sharma, Jayesh Patel, Vivek Sharma, Kamlesh Kumar Masson, Amarante Dias, Sophie Fagan, Hamza Pacheeri and Amrik Bamotra.

EOM

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Amy Klobuchar's decision as a Minneapolis prosecutor in 2006 not to bring charges against the police officer filmed kneeling on the neck of George Floyd could cost her the role of vice president, critics have said.

With Joe Biden asking Ms Klobuchar to undergo official vetting to be his running mate in November, the death of Mr Floyd has renewed scrutiny of her record as a district attorney that reportedly brought zero charges against police involved in 40 deaths during her tenure.

One of those officers was Derek Chauvin. Mr Chauvin was one of six police officers who shot and killed Wayne Reyes, who stabbed two people and pulled a shotgun before a car chase in October 2006.

When asked in an interview with MSNBC on Friday if she should withdraw from consideration for the vice-presidential candidate, Ms Klobuchar defended her record and said Mr Biden would make the best decision for the community.

"Joe Biden will decide who he wants in this job. My focus right now has been on my city," Ms Klobuchar said.

"I have not been able to defend myself against attacks about cases that I think were unfair because my focus has been on fairness for George Floyd's memory, and for his family, and for our community to heal."

As Hennepin County Attorney from 1999 to 2007, Ms Klobuchar declined to bring charges against Mr Chauvin or appoint a special prosecutor to the case and instead sent it to a grand jury, which returned a "no-bill" after Ms Klobuchar had left the office and entered the Senate as the representative for Minnesota.

According to a statement from the current Hennepin County DA Mike Freeman, "all prosecutorial decisions were made under the direction of Mike Freeman."

At a press conference on Thursday, Mr Freeman said there was "other evidence that does not support a criminal charge" in the death of Mr Floyd.

Ms Klobuchar's aggressive prosecution and pursuit of excessive sentencing of small offences like vandalism, while declining to bring charges in more than 25 cases in which people were killed in encounters with police, has been the source of criticism from the African American community.

The involvement of Mr Chauvin in the death of Mr Floyd, which has lead to three days of riots in the Twin Cities, has been cited by commentators as the end of Ms Klobuchar's bid for vice president.

Sunny Hostin, co-host of "The View", said that Ms Klobuchar's record made her a non-starter for Mr Biden's vice-presidential pick.

"That is why the black community has said that Amy Klobuchar is a nonstarter for them, because in many respects from 1999 to 2007, she declined to prosecute over two dozen cases involving police killings of unarmed people," Ms Hostin said on Wednesday.

While sending police-involved killings to grand juries was a more common practise during that time, Ms Klobuchar has since said she supports recent decisions by several county attorneys in Minnesota that would lead to increased accountability for prosecutors.

During her presidential bid in 2019, Ms Klobuchar said she wished she had taken more "individual responsibility" in those cases as a way to address her record as a prosecutor to The Washington Post.

In response to Mr Floyd's death, Ms Klobuchar said the case cries out for "action, charges and justice".

Mr Chauvin had been involved in several incidents during his 19-years as a police officer, according to a database by Minneapolis' Communities United Against Police Brutality, reported by The Guardian.

After the 2006 shooting, Mr Chauvin in 2008 shot then 21-year-old Ira Toles after responding to a domestic assault call, according to the Pioneer Press.

In 2011, Mr Chauvin was one of five police officers placed on leave after the non-fatal shooting in which he did not fire a gun, according to reports from the Daily Beast.

Mr Biden has committed to choosing a woman as his vice president, with Ms Klobuchar having been a top contender alongside high-profile Democrats like Stacy Abrams.
Some Examples:

The cannabis industry is vulnerable to all the pressures that other business sectors have felt during the pandemic. On top of that, its still illegal under federal law and not fully legalized in most states. Efforts to change that are likely to take a back seat to other priorities for an indeterminate period of time. U.S. sales increased by over 30 percent between 2018 and 2019, and had been projected to reach $17 billion in 2020. Its been suggested that legalizing marijuana could play a significant role in economic recovery , just as ending prohibitions on alcohol helped the country out of the Great Depression.News reports regarding preliminary and unpublished research suggesting that cannabis strains with high levels of CBD might have value in treating COVID-19 attracted attention, boosted some stocks and led to talk about further studies. As these developments have played out, legislators have introduced more than 70 bills relating to cannabis cultivation and sales since March.observes that the cannabis industry is thriving and highlights the need to understand what will be needed to provide it with capable and competent workers. It calls for the establishment of a task force that can make recommendations regarding the projected workforce demands for Louisianas medical cannabis industry. Members would include representatives from universities, the Board of Pharmacy, the Board of Medical Examiners, the Workforce Commission and the Legislature.authorizes mobile distribution of medical cannabis to patients enrolled in the states registry program. This would include deliveries directly to patients as well as parking a mobile distribution unit at a predetermined time and place, with permission of the property owner. One of the two employees required to man a mobile distribution unit must be a pharmacist.eliminates misdemeanor penalties for possession of one ounce or less of cannabis. It establishes regulations for cultivator, processor and retail licenses and home grower permits. Those who hold one type of license are not eligible to have another type, though multiple retail licenses are allowed. Smoking cannabis in public places is prohibited by the bill, and violations would be cited as misdemeanors., theMedical Cannabis Act, aims to protect seriously ill people who have a medical need to use cannabis from arrest, noting that compassion dictates that the state should distinguish between medical and non-medical use. It protects users, caregivers and physicians from arrest, prosecutions and penalties related to medical use of cannabis. Patients and caregivers are required to have identification cards issued by the Department of Health and Human Services.amends previous legislation that established a medical marijuana program in the state and replaces the words marijuana and medical marijuana with cannabis throughout the original text. Among a number of other provisions regarding permits and fees for cultivation, processing and dispensaries, it allows medical cannabis growers and processors to contract with farms in Pennsylvania to use their land and buildings. It establishes a fund in which monies received from permits and taxes on sales are to be deposited for specified uses, including 40 percent for a student loan reimbursement program and 40 percent for a mixed income housing program., abill, creates a Cannabis Social Equity Loan Trust Fund that would make no-interest loans to cannabis entrepreneurs from communities that have been disproportionately impacted by previous marijuana prohibition and enforcement. Money for the fund will come from revenue generated by the states cannabis excise tax as well as private gifts, grants and donations.
New Delhi, May 29 : Amid reports of people dying onboard Srmaik Special trains, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday appealed to people suffering from serious ailments, pregnant women and people above 65 years of age to travel by train only when necessary.

In a tweet, Goyal said, "I appeal to people suffering from serious ailments, pregnant women and those above 65 years and below 10 years of age to travel only when necessary in Shramik Trains. Railway Parivaar is committed to ensuring safety of all passengers." His remarks came in the wake a video going viral on social media of a toddler trying to wake his dead mother at Bihar's Muzaffarpur railway station.

The Railway Ministry also issued a statement appealing people to travel only when necessary.

The national transporter said, "Indian Railways has been running Shramik Special trains on a daily basis throughout the country to ensure that migrants can travel back to their homes. It has been observed that some people, who are availing this service, have pre-existing medical conditions which aggravate the risk they face during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"A few unfortunate cases of deaths related to pre-existing medical conditions while travelling have occured." The Railways said that in order to protect vulnerable persons from Covid-19 in line with the Ministry of Home Affairs' order dated May 17, the Ministry of Railways is making an appeal that persons with comorbidities -- such as hypertension, diabetes, cardio-vascular diseases, cancer and immune deficiency conditions -- and pregnant women, children below the age of 10 years and persons above 65 years of age may avoid travel by rail, except when it is essential.

It further said that railways is working round the clock to ensure that rail services are provided to all the citizens of the country needing to undertake travel.

"But safety of our passengers is our biggest concern. So, we seek the cooperation of all the citizens in this matter," it said, adding that in case of any distress or emergency, people should not hesitate to reach out to the Railways on its helpline numbers -- 139 and 138.

The Railways had suspended passenger, mail and express train services from March 25 amid the nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of novel coronavirus.

The Railways started running Shramik Special trains from May 1 to transport stranded migrant workers, students, pilgrims and tourists.

Till date, it has operated more than 3,600 Shramik Special trains and ferried over 50 lakh people.

The Railways also started to run 30 Special Rajdhani Express trains from May 12 and plans to run 200 special mail and express trains from June onwards.
Story Highlights 50% or higher approval makes president safe bet for reelection

The two presidents with approval ratings below 40% lost

Approval ratings have not changed much between June and Election Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Donald Trump's prospects of winning a second term in office will be closely tied to the level of his job approval rating. Historically, all incumbents with an approval rating of 50% or higher have won reelection, and presidents with approval ratings much lower than 50% have lost.

Presidential Job Approval Ratings of Incumbents Seeking Reelection Year June of reelection year Final measure before election Won reelection % Approve % Approve Obama 2012 46 52 Yes G.W. Bush 2004 49 48 Yes Clinton 1996 55 54 Yes G.H.W. Bush 1992 37 34 No Reagan 1984 54 58 Yes Carter 1980 32 37 No Ford 1976 45 n/a No Nixon 1972 59 n/a Yes Johnson 1964 74 n/a Yes Eisenhower 1956 72 68 Yes Truman 1948 40 n/a Yes Note: Gallup did not take presidential approval ratings for Truman, Johnson, Nixon and Ford after June. The final ratings for other presidents are in late October or early November, except for Eisenhower (August) and Carter (September). June data are based on an average of polls conducted during the month. Gallup

George W. Bush is the only recent president who had an approval rating above 40% but lower than 50% at the time of the election -- the same range where Trump is now. Bush won a second term in 2004 when his approval rating was 48% in the final Gallup poll taken before the election. However, he did register multiple approval ratings of 50% or higher in the weeks leading up to the election, a level Trump has yet to reach in his presidency.

Historically, Gallup did not often measure presidential approval in the summer or fall of election years. There are no measures for Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford past June of their reelection years.

It is safe to assume that Johnson and Nixon maintained approval ratings above 50% through the fall of their reelection years, given their high approval ratings in June of their reelection years and their lopsided margins of victory in the 1964 and 1972 elections, respectively.

However, it is unclear what public support for Harry Truman in 1948 and Gerald Ford in 1976 was just before Election Day. Both incumbents had approval ratings in the 40s in Gallup's June measurements. Truman, who trailed in pre-election polls versus his opponent Thomas Dewey throughout the campaign, won a surprise victory. Ford lost a close election to Jimmy Carter.

Summer-to-Fall Approval Ratings Show Modest, if Any, Improvement

For the six post-World War II presidents whose approval ratings were measured after June of their election years, three saw their approval rating increase modestly as the election drew near, while the others did not.

The three presidents whose job approval ratings improved between June and election day were Barack Obama (up six percentage points), Carter (up five points) and Ronald Reagan (up four points). In the cases of Carter and Reagan, the higher approval ratings did not alter their electoral fate, as Carter's remained well below 50%, and Reagan's stayed comfortably above that level.

The improvement in Obama's approval rating was much more consequential, moving from 46% in June 2012, a level at which his reelection was in jeopardy, to 52% in early November where it was all but assured. The improvement in Obama's job approval rating mostly occurred in September and October, after his party's convention.

George W. Bush's job approval rating was essentially the same at the time of the election as in June, right around the 50% mark. George H.W. Bush (whose job approval rating was well below 50% for most of 1992) and Dwight Eisenhower (with ratings well above 50% in 1956) had slightly lower ratings later in the election year, but again, the changes were not significant enough to change their electoral prospects in a meaningful way.

Implications

Trump, like his two immediate predecessors, has approval ratings in the mid-to-upper 40% range, which indicates his reelection is uncertain. Thus, even a modest increase or decrease in his approval ratings significantly alter his odds of winning a second term.

Particularly if Trump's approval rating is right around 50%, his fate may lie in voter turnout. Like George W. Bush, Trump could benefit if his supporters vote at higher rates than his opponents. Indeed, in Gallup's final 2004 pre-election poll, Bush's job approval rating was 51% among likely voters, compared with the 48% reading among all national adults. At this point, voting turnout is highly uncertain. Attention to the election -- a good predictor of turnout levels -- has receded during the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic might also create an unprecedented voting environment; many states are contemplating expanding vote-by-mail opportunities so voters are not vulnerable to catching the virus while casting their ballot.

And, like in Trump's own 2016 victory when he won the presidency despite losing the popular vote, he would benefit if he maintains adequate support in the right mix of swing states. To that end, his job approval rating in key states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan may give additional insight into whether he can win a second term.

Explore President Trump's approval ratings and compare them with those of past presidents in the Gallup Presidential Job Approval Center.
Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

ED attaches assets worth 385 crore from AugustaWestland scam accused Rajiv Saxena

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has attached assets totalling 385 crore belonging to AugustaWestland chopper scam accused Rajiv Saxena under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Read more.

Five dead in Assam floods; over 3.81 lakh people affected in seven districts

With two more deaths reported on Friday, the death toll in the first spate of floods this year in Assam rose to five. Over 3.81 lakh people in seven districts of the state are affected. Read more.

71 Shramik Special trains diverted due to congestion: Railway Board chairman

Only 1.85% of the total Shramik Special trains being run were diverted between May 20 and May 24 due to route congestion, Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said on Friday adding that 71 trains had been diverted. Read more.

Maharashtra has few migrants left after 11.5 lakh return home, 8 Shramik trains cancelled

The Maharashtra government, as on Friday, has managed to send back nearly 11.5 lakh stranded migrant workers to their home states, mostly onboard around 800 Shramik Special trains that started operating on May 1, a senior IPS officer from the state police told HT. Read more.

Trump defends India-China mediation offer as effort to address PM Modis mood

US President Donald Trump has defended his offer to mediate the India-China border dispute saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been unhappy about the situation. Read more.

Bowlers shared jokes to overcome pain: Shahid Afridi recalls Virender Sehwag and Rahuld Dravids innings in Lahore Test against India

When India toured Pakistan in 2004 for a full series after a long gap due to the Kargil war, Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid were the top performers in Indias 2-1 win over their arch-rivals. Read more.

Live, love and laugh. Keep this as the motto of your life. You will always be happy: Bejan Daruwalla

Famous astrologer Bejan Daruwalla has passed away in Ahmedabad due to alleged Covid-19 complications aged 89. He was admitted in the hospital on ventilator support. Read more.

Who would have thought a video of two kids hugging will leave people this emotional. Heres the reason

A video of two cousins hugging each other for the first time after several days is the wholesome content that may fill you up with sheer warmth and evoke a joyous feeling in your heart. Read more.

Parents protest against Chandigarh schools for charging fees during lockdown

Parents of students in at least five Chandigarh schools are protesting against charging tuition fees during Covid-19 lockdown. Schools, however, insist on being paid to cover expenses including staff salaries. Parents say schools have no right to charge fee unless they are taking online classes. The UT education department refuses to mediate between the two, having recently modified its March 29 order that had deferred payment of fees. Watch here.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
India records biggest jump of 7,466 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, taking the total number to 1.65 lakh. With 175 deaths in one day, the death toll in the country now stands at 4,706. The active cases are 89,987, of which 71,105 have been cured or discharged. Meanwhile, fresh 1,106 coronavirus cases have been reported in Delhi, taking total tally in Delhi to over 17,000, says Heath Minister Satyendar Jain.

Check out all the latest updates on coronavirus pandemic in India on BusinessToday.In live blog

5.00 PM: Railway today clarified that only 4 trains out of 3840 trains have taken more than 72 hours. All these were North-East bound trains, which are long routes. One train, which was going to Assam got delayed because of landslide on the track, which took one day to clear. Just 71 trains which is 1.8% of total operation, were diverted between May 21 and 24 because of heavy congestion on UP-Bihar route. Media report that a train reached in nine days, is factually wrong.

4.30 PM: Chairman of Railway Board Vinod Kumar Yadav said that 279 Shramik Special trains with almost 3 lakh migrants have been operated till May 20. Most migrants, 42 per cent, have been ferried to UP, 37 per cent to Bihar. Food and water is being provided at starting stations and free meals and water have been arranged en route by IRCTC and Railways Division. Yadav said that the demand for special trains by states have gradually come down.

4.00 PM: PC Rao, President, Bangalore Hotelier's Association said that the hotel industry has been the worst-affected along with the tourism industry due to coronavirus lockdown. He said that the industry has lost its customer base and does not expect much from the six months ahead. Business is likely to be slow even after reopening, he added.

3.35 PM: India reported 7,466 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, its highest single-day spike as of date, taking India's total count of confirmed coronavirus cases to 1.65 lakh on Friday morning, according to the latest update by the Union Health Ministry.

Also read: Coronavirus in India: 7,466 cases in 24 hours, highest 1-day jump, death toll at 4,706; Maharashtra worst-hit

3.30 PM: Lockdown 5.0 might allow a few more relaxations than in phase four. As the current phase is nearing its end, speculations are rife that the government would order another round of restrictions as coronavirus cases in the country continue to rise. The government, reportedly, would focus on a few cities that have a high density of corona cases and account for the bulk of cases in the country.

Also read: Lockdown 5.0: List of activities likely to be permitted, prohibited after May 31

3.20 PM: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday that the ongoing lockdown scheduled to end on May 31 could be extended by another 15 days, a day after his telephonic conversation with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Interacting with media in Panaji on the sidelines of a Tourism Ministry event, Sawant informed that Goa will make a pitch for reopening of hotels, restaurants, malls, gyms, and hotels with the enforcement of social distancing rules.

Also read: Lockdown may be extended by another 15 days, says Goa CM after talking to Amit Shah

3.15 PM: Coronavirus cases in Andhra

The number of COVID-19 cases rises to 2,874 in Andhra Pradesh, with 33 fresh cases being recorded in the last 24 hours. Active cases and deaths stand at 777 and 60, respectively.

3.00 PM: Last conversation between Modi and Trump was on April 4 on issue of hydroxychloroquine. PTI

2.45 PM: Union Home Minister Amit Shah briefs Prime Minister Narendra Modi on views of chief ministers on extension of lockdown beyond May 31.

2.30 PM: Delhi govt believes that places where large gatherings take place, like cinema halls, should remain closed. Schools and colleges should also remain closed: Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain on consultations with Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the coronavirus lockdown.

Delhi govt believes that places where large gatherings take place, like cinema halls, should remain closed. Schools and colleges should also remain closed: Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain on consultations with Union Home Minister Amit Shah over #CoronavirusLockdownpic.twitter.com/gzVFk4MZyO  ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2020

2.09 PM: There is no need to panic, recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in Delhi is around 50 per cent, says Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. The COVID-19 death cases in Delhi have jumped to 398.

2.06 PM: Fresh 1,106 coronavirus cases have been reported in Delhi, taking total tally in Delhi to over 17,000, says Heath Minister Satyendar Jain.

1.45 PM: Migrants gather outside Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai to return to their native places. A woman says,"my child was born April 12, we don't have anything to eat now. I request govt to help us reach our homes in Bihar." - ANI

Maharashtra: Migrants gather outside Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai to return to their native places. A woman says,"my child was born April 12, we don't have anything to eat now. I request govt to help us reach our homes in Bihar." pic.twitter.com/44HWabLx4N  ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2020

1.30 PM: Nine more people have tested positive for coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh, taking the total number of cases in the state to 290. There are 204 active cases in the state and 77 people have been recovered/discharged so far.

1.00 PM: The Finance Ministry is engaging with Labour Ministry over job losses and salary cuts; has asked the Labour Ministry to collect data on job losses during COVID-19. -ANI

Also read: Rajasthan Covid-19 Tracker: 91 fresh coronavirus cases take state's tally past 8,000; Jaipur worst-hit

12.30 PM: BookMyShow has joined the list of companies shedding workforce due to unfavourable business environment amid the coronavirus pandemic in India. The movie ticket booking platform has reportedly laid off or furloughed 270 employees (around 18 per cent) across its offices in the country. Others have faced 10-50 per cent salary cut, depending upon their level in the company. Ashish Hemrajani, CEO of BookMyShow, in an email to the employees said this was "uncomfortable, unfortunate yet inevitable" situation, and that none of this was based on workers' quality of work.

12.00 PM: US investment bank Jefferies Group, in a recent report, has said India's lockdown has been the strictest in the world and that its impact on the economy would be deeper. The report says the economic compulsion has driven lockdown relaxation in the fourth phase, even though the COVID-19 spread is worsening due to multiple factors, including migrant movement and lack of medical infrastructure in big cities. "Around 4 million-migrant labour going back to villages recently has not only driven selective labour shortage but also raised COVID-19 risks," the Jefferies' report said.

Also read: Maharashtra Covid-19: 2,598 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, total count nears 60,000
<! Ize-Iyamu and Obaseki >

By Jethro Ibileke

With the adoption of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as consensus aspirant of the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-led faction of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ahead of the Edo State Governorship election primaries of the party slated for 22 June, the stage is now set for the clash of the titans, the final showdown between incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu, to clinch the ticket of the party in the election.

After a vigorous screening exercise that lasted the whole of last Tuesday, Ize-Iyamu emerged consensus aspirant of the faction, ahead of other aspirants in the faction, namely, Dr. Pius Odubu, Oshiomholes former Deputy, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, a former Minister of State for Works, retired General Charles Airhiavbere and others.

Another frontline aspirant, Dr. Solomon Edebiri, had earlier on Tuesday announced his withdrawal from the race.

Recall that the four aspirants, Odubu, Ize-Iyamu, Airhiavbere and Ogiemwonyi, had last year formed a formidable alliance to stop the re-election bid of incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki, with each of them promising to work with whoever emerged consensus aspirant.

Obaseki who was accused of allegedly abandoning leaders of the party, has however vowed to slug it out with loyalists of his benefactor till the end.

Members of the screening committee included Mr. Francis Alimikhena, the Senator representing Edo, Francis Alimikhena, Chief Lucky Imasuen (a former deputy governor), Peter Akpatason, a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Thomas Okosun, a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Samson Osagie, a former Minority Whip in the House of Representatives, Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe and Mr. Patrick Obahiagbon.

Sources close to the screening process disclosed to this medium that everything went smoothly according to the plans of those who wrote the script for the exercise. He added that six of the seven members of the screening are loyal supporters of Adams Oshiomhole, hence, it went like clock work.

The adoption of Ize-Iyamu as factional aspirant, might have finally put paid to the governorship ambitions of aspirants like Pius Odubu, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Charles Airhiavbere, unless they decide to either go ahead to obtain nomination forms of the APC, or move to other political parties entirely.

It is pertinent to state clearly here, that the Oshiomhole faction of the party might have succeeded in adopting a consensus aspirant, but, it is not yet Uhuru. The real battle has just begun.

The hand writing on the wall clearly shows that beyond Obaseki, Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu have more internal enemies within the rank and file of the faction from whom they need to watch their backs.

Speaking about the outcome of the screening process, a staunch supporter of one of the aspirant of the Oshiomholes faction who asked not to be named, said; My brother, we have adopted a sit-down-and-look attitude. We are just watching them. If that is how they want to do their party, well and good, we will leave it for them.

Another frontline member of the faction who did not want his name mentioned, alleged that the national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, in connivance with a strong external force, deliberately arranged everything to favour the emergence of Ize-Iyamu.

In his word, How could they give the party ticket to somebody who just returned to the party a few months ago, at the expense of other loyal members who have remained all these years?

Secondly, with the way Ishihara destroyed Ize-Iyamus moral reputation during the last election, selling him to the electorate will be a herculean task for the party. Mind you, the masses are no longer gullible, they heard everything Oshiomhole said about Ize-Iyamu before. Clearing him of those allegations is another kettle of fish.

Another side of the task ahead for Oshiomhole is the wranglings in the National Working Committee of his party. The Deputy National Chairman of the party (North), Sen. Lawal Shuaibu, last Wednesday accused Oshiomohole of not being transparent in the build-up to the two primary elections in Edo and Ondo States respectively.

Shuaibu in a statement, said: With regards to Ondo and Edo primary elections, there is already an absence of transparency. The regulations issued that will guide the processes are already in violation of Article 20 (v) on page 76 of the APC constitution as amended where only the National Executive Committee is the only organ that SHALL approve such guidelines and regulations which includes the mode of nominating our candidates. I am crying for APC inside me!

Oshiomhole and his kitchen cabinet had imposed the direct primaries on Edo State, as against the indirect primaries used to elect candidates of the party in Kogi and other states in the last general elections.

A direct primary election is one in which all card-carrying members of a party come together in their various constituencies to elect candidate for a particular election. The candidate who scored the highest number of votes across the state shall be announced as the party flag bearer.

Whereas an indirect primary is one in which party members gather together at ward level to elect delegates that will represent them at the local and the state congresses.

Should the national secretariat of the APC insists on picking its flag-bearer for the election using the direct primaries method, as against the indirect method clamoured by the Obaseki-led faction, there is no gain saying that the decision could result in litigations that may eventually end up the way of Zamfara and Rivers States for the party in the last general elections, where the party ended up without candidates for all the elective positions.

Some leaders of the party in the state recently cried to President Muhammadu Buhari to save Edo from Bayelsa tragedy. The party leaders under the aegis of Concerned Edo State APC Stakeholders made the plea in a letter to the President, which was made available to journalists in Benin City.

The letter was jointly signed by Hon. Etiosa Ugiagbe, Chief Enakhare Odaro, Mr. Chris Omoregie, Hon. Emmanuel Umweni, Mr. Akhere Odion, Engr. Jude Okojie, Chief Dr. Edionwele Ikpea, Mrs. Odial Abubakar, Mr. Greg Onimisi and Dr. Omoruyi Graig.

According to them, We and Edo people are surprised and disappointed that Comrade Oshiomhole who ought to understand your patriotic desire to end corruption in Nigeria and define governance at all levels from a more progressive dimension could go to the PDP to bring Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu who has no good reputation or capacity into APC with the main aim of using him to fight Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Last two weeks, the EPM group met in Benin City amidst the ban on public gathering due to the coronavirus to organise a mock primary to elect the consensus candidate that they will use in fighting the governor, and from information available to us, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole gave directive for them to deliver Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Unfortunately for him, the other aspirants protested that it will not happen due to the fact that he just joined APC about three months ago, as against all of them who have remained in the party and who have joined hands to build it when Ize-Iyamu left to PDP to contest the 2016 governorship election. This fight among them led to the disruption of the meeting by thugs loyal to the other aspirants.

The concerned stakeholders lamented that Ize-Iyamu is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over his involvement in a fraud case of N700 million.

What about if he is convicted before the election? That means APC wont have a candidate and the tragedy that happened in Bayelsa will also happen in Edo State because of the overbearing and careless action of one man. We think the time to stop it is now.

Mr. President, as the leader of our party who has always advised on the need to strengthen our party and follow the Constitution, we appeal that you use your good office to call the National Chairman of our party to order.

If Oshiomhole succeeds in forcing [Ize-Iyamu] on us with his influence as the National Chairman, I can assure you that it will be another disaster waiting to happen on our party after the Bayelsa electoral tragedy occasioned by the desire of some few individuals to force a deputy governorship candidate on the party even in the face of glaring legal encumbrance, the ground said.

In the meantime, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu on Wednesday obtained the nomination form of the APC in Abuja.

He was accompanied by other aspirants such as Prof. Ebegue Amadasun, Gen Charles Airhiavbere, Engr Chris Ogiemwonyi, Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma and Hon Saturday Uwuilekhue, among other leaders of the party in a show of solidarity and restatement of their commitment to work together irrespective of the outcome of the primary election scheduled for the 22nd of June.

The statement which was signed his Director of Communication and Media, Mr. John Mayaki described the step as another stride in the quest to move Edo State forward.

He added: By obtaining the form today, we have formally placed our name on the partys ballot for our internal primary next month. It is another great stride.

Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki has dismissed the adoption of Ize-Iyamu as consensus aspirant of Oshiomholes faction, noting that APC candidate for Edo gubernatorial election cannot emerge in Abuja.

Obaseki, who responded through his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the responsibility for selecting the gubernatorial candidate for the party resides with the Edo State chapter of the APC, while liaising with relevant national structure of the party, and as such a consensus candidate to fly the partys flag in the election cannot emerge in Abuja.

According to him, The Edo State chapter of the APC, which is responsible for deploying the inner workings of the party towards the emergence of a candidate of the APC in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, resides and operates in Edo State, not Abuja.

He said the charade in Abuja was not surprising as it was hatched and actuated by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and members of his Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), a dissident group of politicians in the state.

It is, therefore, hilarious to hear that a so-called consensus candidate for the party in Edo State governorship election was selected in Abuja. For us, this is a joke taken too far and clearly shows that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole once again has set the APC on a journey to perdition in Edo State as he did in Zamfara, Bayelsa, Rivers, Taraba and several other states.

Osagie noted that under Oshiomhole, APC did not lose elections due to unpopularity but as a result of the lawless conduct choreographed by Oshiomhole, which has placed the APC in dire straits one time too many.

The last time we checked, the timetable released by Oshiomholes National Working Committee (NWC) fixed Edo Primary election for 22nd of June,2020 and it is expected to hold in Edo State, but we now hear that they have conducted the primary election three weeks before the set date in a jurisdiction far away from Edo State, making a mockery of our great party, the APC, President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidency and all other institutions and esteemed individuals associated with our party.

Our conclusion on this matter is that like all other illegal actions taken by Oshiomhole, this too is a nullity and shall come to no-effect, he noted.

All fingers are crossed, as we await the imminent fallout of actions and reactions of both factions of the APC, as the election approaches.
Two police officers have been arrested in Lagos for killing Tina Ezekwe, a 16-year old girl, at Iyana-Oworo area of Lagos, the police have said.

Theophilus Otobo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police and Oguntoba Olamigoke, a police Inspector attached to Bariga Police Station, were arrested for the shooting which led to the death of the teenager and the injury of an adult.

Ms Ezekwe, a senior secondary 2 student, was hit by a police bullet on Tuesday night and was rushed to a nearby hospital. She died two days later.

Bala Elkana, the Lagos police spokesperson, said in a statement on Friday that the circumstances surrounding the shooting are yet to be determined but the officers involved are in custody.

Mr Elkana said two officers have been arrested in connection to the shooting and would be subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings. He added that another 35-year old man was injured as a result of the shooting and is presently at a hospital recovering.

The incident happened on 26th May, 2020 at about 2245 hours. The said Police Officers fired shots from their pin down point along Berger by third mainland bridge, in a circumstances yet to be determined. One Musa Yakubu m 35 years was injured at the point and a stray bullet hit Tina at Berger Yanaworu Bus stop, the police said in a statement.

The bullet pierced through the left upper side of her lap. She was rushed to hospital by a team of Policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer. The battle to safe her life lasted for two days, she died on 28th May, 2020 at about 2129 hours while on admission. The second person is in stable condition.

Mr Elkana added that if the arrested officers are found culpable, they would be charged to court.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Hakeem Odumosu, condoled with the family and friends of the deceased teenager and called for calm.

READ ALSO:

The Commissioner of Police calls for calm and assures the family that the perpetrators of this dastardly act will face the full weight of the law. He reiterated his stance on zero tolerance for impunity, the statement reads.

Mr Elkana said members of the public would be updated on the outcome of the investigation.

Outraged citizens

On Thursday, many Nigerians expressed outrage on social media over the shooting of the teenager, calling for justice for the deceased.

In a hashtag #JusticeforTina, many Twitter users called on the Nigerian Police Force to identify the Trigger happy police officer and ensure that justice is served.

On Friday, a group, the Oworo Youth Forum, called for the immediate prosecution of the police officers.

This death is one too many as the police have been responsible for the killings of countless innocent citizens and illegal extortion of young Nigerians, the group said in a statement signed by Towolawi Jamiu.

We want to make it categorically clear that this will not be one of those cases that will be swept under the carpet under the guise of orderly room trial and prosecution.

We will engage and resist with everything we have within the ambit of the law to make sure justice is not beheaded.
Continue Reading Below Advertisement

"Sure, you might think you know how you're dad would have felt, but I read about him in a 3rd-grade history class, so let me tell you, this is what he actually would have felt." I don't know how little self-awareness one has to have to explain protesting to a man actually raised by Martin Luther King Jr., but I imagine it isn't classifiable in psychiatric terms. If you tweet at Martin Luther King III telling him what his father would or would not condone, then you're sending those tweets naked, while shitting yourself, in the middle of a kiddie pool in Starbucks, because that's how little regard you have to the society around you. Yet, the tweets keep coming.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

What's really incredible though, is that while these people can be such astonishing scholars of history as to translate the exact intention of every one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s actions into the present day, they fail to divine any deeper meaning behind the President saying, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

This aftermath of George Floyd's death will continue to unfold in the coming weeks, but let us offer you some advice. If you're considering telling Dr. King's kids how their father would feel about it, consider shutting the hell up instead.

Support Dan on Twitter and he will talk about his life with you in lieu of getting a therapist. He also hosts The Bachelor Zone Podcast, where you can hear him give a sports-style breakdown of all things happening on The Bachelor.





Top Image: Dick DeMarsico, Twitter


Mumbai:

Reserve Bank and the government are exploring introduction of interest-free banking, also known as Islamic Banking, to financially include sections of the society that remains excluded due to religious reasons.

"Some sections of Indian society have remained financially excluded for religious reasons that preclude them from using banking products with an element of interest.Towards mainstreaming these excluded sections, it is proposed to explore the modalities of introducing interest- free banking products in the country in consultation with the government," RBI said in its annual report for 2015-16.

Also Read: RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan warns banks against unwarranted use of stressed asset schemes

Islamic or Sharia banking is a finance system based on the principles of not charging interest, which is prohibited under Islam. Earlier this year, Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) had announced it will open its first Indian branch in Ahmedabad.

India's Exim bank had signed an MoU with IDB for a USD 100 million line-of-credit to facilitate exports to IDBs 56 member countries.

This plan of Saudi Arabia-based bank was opposed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. In past as well, this concept has faced opposition from some political sections. Globally, Islamic banking has witnessed a significant increase, especially in the wake of the financial crisis.

It could be noted that in late 2008, a committee on Financial Sector Reforms, headed by Raghuram Rajan had opined the need for a closer look at the issue of interest-free banking in the country.

The committee had said, "Certain faiths prohibit the use of financial instruments that pay interest. The non- availability of interest-free banking products results in some Indians, including those in the economically disadvantaged strata of society, not being able to access banking products and services due to reasons of faith."

"This non-availability also denies the country access to substantial sources of savings from other countries in the region," the committee had said. Last December, a committee on 'Medium-term Path on Financial Inclusion', headed by RBI's executive director Deepak Mohanty had also recommended that commercial banks in the country may be enabled to open specialized interest-free windows with simple products like demand deposits, agency and participation securities on their liability side and to offer products based on cost-plus financing and deferred payment, deferred delivery contracts on the asset side.

For all the Latest Business News, Economy News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
An overwhelming majority of Hong Kong residents said they oppose a controversial new security legislation that China plans to impose on the city, a move that has generated criticism from western democracies amid concerns over basic freedoms in the financial hub.

Results released Friday showed that 96% of 9,477 pro-democracy supporters in the semi-autonomous city opposed the laws, according to a survey released by Hong Kong Public Opinion Program. Of 1,186 respondents identifying themselves as supporters of the government, only 29% rejected the legislation while 62% supported it, the survey said.

The results came the same day Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam issued a letter to the city's people asking them to support the legislation, which has sparked the biggest street protests since last year and fresh concerns about the city's future autonomy from China.

The law "will only target an extremely small minority of illegal and criminal acts and activities, while the life and property, basic rights and freedoms of the overwhelming majority of citizens will be protected," Lam wrote in an open letter posted to the Hong Kong government website Friday.

Her appeal came the day after China's legislature, the National People's Congress, approved a proposal for the sweeping new measures. In doing so, it defied a U.S. threat to respond strongly to a proposal democracy advocates say will curb essential freedoms in Hong Kong. China could now take months to sort out the details of laws banning subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign interference before they're given to Hong Kong's Beijing-backed administration to promulgate.

Lam, who previously defended the legislation even as calls for protests grew, asserted in her letter that Hong Kong's citizens would continue to enjoy freedoms of speech, the press, assembly and demonstration.

Protests against China's increasing grip rocked Hong Kong for months last year, but were effectively halted as the city grappled with the coronavirus pandemic. Demonstrators have gathered multiple times since China's announcement that it planned to enact the security legislation, defying virus-induced limits on public gatherings.

Some of them chanted for independence, a clear red line that Beijing used to justify passing the laws.

"Hong Kong has become a gaping hole in national security, and our city's prosperity and stability are at risk," Lam wrote, saying she saw outside influences at play.

"External forces have intensified their interference in Hong Kong's internal affairs, passed laws relating to Hong Kong and flagrantly glorified the illegal acts of radicals, all of which seriously jeopardize our nation's sovereignty, security and development interests," she said.
SOUTHWICK  Twenty candidates are vying for 19 positions in town government, and voters will decide who will fill those spaces when they head to the polls June 9.

The polling location has been moved from the Town Hall auditorium to the senior center, also located at Town Hall on the ground floor. Town Clerk Michelle L. Hill said the move will allow voters to enter and exit Town Hall on one level.

Residents can request to vote early by mail until June 5.

The only contested race is between incumbent Select Board Chairman Russell S. Fox, a Republican, and unenrolled candidate Charles Brett Colson II. The winner will take a three-year term.

Two three-year terms are open on the School Committee. Seeking those positions are incumbent Jeffrey T. Houle and Ryan W. Korobkov, both Republicans.

The town moderator position, currently held by James Putnam II, has two candidates seeking election to the three-year term. Former longtime town planner Marcus G. Phelps and Celeste A. St. Jacques are both vying for that role.

There are four open seats on the Community Preservation Committee. Seeking a pair of two-year terms are Democrat Deborah E. Herath and Republican Beth Lynn Thomas. Byran D. Walker, who is unenrolled, is seeking a one-year term; and John Henry Whalley III, also unenrolled, is unopposed for a three-year term.

Board of Health member Emily Susan Brzoska is running unopposed for another three-year term, and Republican Gene H. Theroux is running unopposed for the three-year term as Dickinson School Trustee, as well as a three-year term on the Cemetery Commission.

Also running unopposed are incumbents Allan L. Hoyt, seeking a three-year term as assessor; Karen F. Reed for a five-year stint with the Housing Authority; Democrats Maria G. Gallo and Michael J. McMahon for a pair of three-year library trustee positions; Whalley and Michael T. Sheil for three-year terms on the Park and Recreation Commission; and Luther F. Hosmer for the Water Commission.

Due to the coronavirus, Southwick and other surrounding communities changed some of their voting practices during a special state Senate election.

For the June 9 election, town officials are instructing voters to park in back of Town Hall, enter using the entrance near the garage door, enter the Senior Center through the double doors, proceed to the appropriate precinct marked on the doors and exit using the center ramp.

Hill also said there is an option for those wishing to vote early by mail.

Early voting by mail was added to this election under the Governors Executive Order, Hill said. Early voting will allow anyone who does not feel comfortable voting in person to use this option. The application has to be received no later than June 5th by 4:30pm in the Town Clerks office, or they can be dropped in the green mailbox.

Ballots must be returned to the town clerks office by 7:59 p.m. on June 9. Voters can drop the completed ballot, sealed and signed using the brown envelope provided, in the green mailbox outside Town Hall, or use U.S. mail.

Town Meeting will be June 16.
The government may unveil another stimulus package of fiscal, monetary and policy measures to boost demand in the economy after the nationwide lockdown imposed for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic is completely lifted, three officials familiar with the development said on Friday.

A thorough assessment of the Rs 20.97 lakh crore Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-Reliant India Mission) will precede the likely announcement, the officials said, requesting anonymity. Some critics have said the package of fiscal and monetary measures, which included past announcements, didnt go far enough to address the economic fallout of Covid-19 and the ensuing lockdown.

Also read| Covid-19: What you need to know today

The government has kept all its options open and will respond with appropriate measures to streamline supplies and boost demand to put the economy on a higher growth trajectory, one of the officials, who has direct knowledge of the matter, said.

The other two officials said the next package, which is expected at least after a month, will fill the gaps that could have been left by the series of measures already announced since March 26. The package would be prepared after discussions with all stakeholders in the economy, they said.

The government is concerned about slack in demand in the economy despite the series of fiscal and monetary measures announced in the last two months, the officials said. One sign of weak demand is the poor credit offtake despite banks reporting record loan sanctions.

Also read: FY20 growth stands at 11-year low of 4.2%

According to the finance ministry, public sector banks (PSBs) sanctioned loans worth Rs 6.45 lakh crore in just two-and-a-half months, between March 1 and May 15, to about 5.5 million accounts, but officials said the actual disbursal was minimal.

According to the finance ministry, loan disbursal will start after the lockdown is lifted. Phase four of the lockdown is set to end on May 31.

The industry does need money, particularly MSMEs. It is good that the money has been sanctioned, now disbursal should happen as soon as possible, HT quoted Niranjan Hiranandani, president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), as saying in a report published on May 8.

Experts say that borrowers are reluctant to avail of the sanctioned loans because they do not immediately see sufficient demand in the economy.

On May 22, the Reserve Bank of India slashed policy rates by 40 basis points (bps) and extended a moratorium on repayment of loans by another three months to provide relief to borrowers caught in the economic fallout of Covid-19. It was the third monetary intervention since March 27; The Atmanirbhar Bharat Package included RBI measures worth 8.01 lakh crore.

Commenting on the RBI decision, securities firm Nomura said: While the policy easing is welcome, the effectiveness of rate cuts and excess liquidity (on delivering the growth bang) is incrementally diminishing in a scenario of rising credit risk aversion (among lenders).

The first official mentioned above admitted that the disbursal and sanction mismatch was a matter of concern to the government, which is examining the matter.

The governments relief packages are meant to provide temporary support and help in kickstarting the economy, said DK Srivastava, chief policy advisor at EY India.

Growth calls for a straight-forward push to demand, particularly investment demand. To kickstart this, it is the governments capital expenditure that should play a pivotal role. By augmenting this, private investment would also increase through multiplier effects, he said.

According to officials, the cash-strapped government is not in favour of raising taxes on non-essential items as that could further depress demand.

Although dwindling Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue is a concern for both the Centre and states, the Union government is not in favour of raising taxes on non-essential items because that could be detrimental for demand generation, the first official said.

The government has not yet released the monthly GST collection data for April, which is expected to be one-third of the March collection (Rs 97,597 crore) because economic activity was negligible during the lockdown period. GST collections had exceeded Rs 1 lakh crore for four consecutive months since November 2019.

The GST Council is expected to meet in June to discuss a sharp decline in revenue collection and could also consider raising money from the market to compensate states for their revenue shortfall, the other two officials said.

They said the economy had been battered by a prolonged lockdown since March and its revival needs a series of booster doses.

The first round of announcements worth over 20 lakh crore was completed just on May 17. This is not all. There are more to come depending on how the economy respond to the stimulus already announced,one of the officials said.
Editor's note : Two expats who have worked in Vietnams tourist industry for the past several years have offered their perspectives on post-COVID-19 tourism in the country and how it can best set itself up for a strong recovery.

Vietnams tourism begins its comeback after the relaxation of the countrys social distancing measures meant to curb the virus spread.

In an effort to boost the countrys tourism recovery, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has announced a sixth-month campaign encouraging Vietnamese citizens to travel domestically to support local businesses, considering the domestic market the primary driver for the industrys recovery as the borders are still closed to international tourists.

Tuoi Tre News asked Australian Frank Bochmann, who has worked as general manager for Starwood/Marriott projects in Vietnam for years, and German Sven Albert Saebel, general manager of Sunrise Premium Resort & Spa Hoi An in the central city of Hoi An, for their thoughts on the potential of Vietnamese tourism to recover, as well as the steps the industry should take to prepare for the future.

Their following comments have been edited by Tuoi Tre News for clarity, consistency, and coherence.

From your observation, how has tourism in Vietnam been affected by COVID-19?

Bochmann: COVID-19 has completely halted tourism activities, not only in Vietnam but pretty much the whole world. I dont think that people outside the tourism industry completely understand how big the disruption is and how many people this affects. Its not just hospitality workers in hotels and travel/tour operators (which number in the thousands), but also the families that rely on them to fill their rice bowls at home. For every hotel worker, travel/tour operator, there are also about four merchants, suppliers, farmers, shop owners, and drivers that rely on tourists to come to Vietnam and holiday or conduct business meetings, conferences, and exhibitions.

To reboot the flow and growth that the tourism sector has enjoyed over the last six years will take at least three years.

There are many investors who have invested large sums in building big and beautiful hotels, resorts, and luxury facilities. These people will have a very difficult time until the flights can bring business back to Vietnam.

The entire aviation sector will need to make some serious adjustments before people can be comfortable about getting into an aluminum envelope and sharing an air conditioning system with hundreds of strangers, except when there is a vaccine for COVID-19.

Frank Bochmann is seen in a photo he provided Tuoi Tre News.

Saebel: Vietnams tourism sector has been tragically affected by the outbreak of COVID-19. Airlines, hotels, restaurants, laundry facilities, amusement parks, transport companies, tour operators, and homestay owners have all seen their business come to a standstill. The loss of revenue and livelihoods for Vietnamese employees and entrepreneurs alike in all spheres is devastating and the real effects will only be seen as savings and cash funds dry up.

Many local travel companies and accommodation sites are offering big discounts in the hope of attracting more tourists. What do you think about these measures?

Bochmann: In my opinion, it will likely encourage some cash flow in the short term. Dropping prices and giving discounts are not a long-term solution for the industry, otherwise operators would likely have to pay their staff and suppliers less. In the long run, this could reduce the standards and quality of Vietnams tourism sector and lessen its attractiveness as a holiday destination.

Saebel: Local tourism can certainly offer a certain supply of customers; however, with the massive hotel expansion which we have experienced over the last few years, it is impossible to fill rooms in a profitable way. We certainly see reluctance in F&B sectors, with once crowded restaurants currently sparsely occupied. During times of emergency, people tend to lean toward frugality and the luxury of a hotel stay becomes an unnecessary expense.

The wild discounting of accommodations is a trend were seeing particularly with Hoi An homestays and budget accommodations. This is helping local businesses bring in basic income. When it comes to 4- and 5-star resorts and hotels, the trend of discounting is also a good way to attract domestic travelers, though this could lead to a reduction in service quality as businesses work to keep costs under control.

Sven Albert Saebel is seen in a photo he provided Tuoi Tre News

In your opinion, what else should tourism businesses in Vietnam do to get more customers and boost revenues?

Bochmann: Ideally, now is the time to work with and train associates. Contemporary tourists are looking for a personalized experience  something they can talk about when they get back to their families, friends, and colleagues. Now is the time to ask what we can sell tourists, MICE organizers, and destination wedding specialists that they can only experience in Vietnam. It is experiences and interaction with the Vietnamese people, authentic Vietnamese food, and Vietnamese culture, as well as beautiful weather and scenery that we need to concentrate on.

Saebel: Providing confidence in airplane travel and a safe stay in Vietnam is extremely important. Vietnamese tourism should also have programs for domestic holidaymakers to support Vietnam and local businesses, similar to what Australia and Europe are doing this year to keep the industry open and alive.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
WASHINGTON  There is widespread agreement that the United States economy will soon begin to recover from coronavirus lockdowns. The big debate is whether that rebound will resemble a V, a W, an L or a Nike swoosh.

Increasingly, economists and analysts are penciling in another glyph: a question mark.

Forecasters often label their expectations for a post-recession rebound with letters  a V suggests a rapid recovery, a W a double dip and so on  but thats hard to do this time around. As all 50 states begin to open up and consumers trickle out of their homes, the path ahead is wildly uncertain, making prognostication dicey.

Second-wave virus outbreaks, changes in consumer behavior or a wave of unexpected business closures could reshape the future. That has left economists unsure how quick or smooth a rebound the U.S. economy will undergo, prompting many to offer a range of possibilities instead of declarative forecasts.

It isnt just Wall Street forecasters eschewing the alphabet in favor of a range of what-ifs. From the Federal Reserve to the White House, analysts have suggested that posing confident prognostications is probably more misleading than helpful. John C. Williams, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, said during an appearance last week that it was important for policymakers to prepare for every eventuality, rather than focus on one type of recovery.
TRENTON  Richard Kulak, a former Lawrence Township cop turned firearms dealer, was suspended from his part-time township side hustles and lawyered up after learning hes being investigated for allegedly wielding his legally registered piece at another man during a road-rage incident in the capital city over Memorial Day weekend, authorities said.

Kulak resigned from the Lawrence Township Police in the late 1990s under mysterious circumstances.

Township records filled out by Kulak show he worked as a patrolman for Lawrence Police from April 1993 until December 1999 at an annual salary of $70,000.

Sources provided a screenshot of an internal employee database kept by Lawrence Police that conflicts with those dates, suggesting Kulak was a cop from April 1994 to May 8, 1999.

The database says Kulak resigned to run a restaurant, but some township insiders claim a connection between Kulaks resignation and an incident in the 1990s, when Kulak was caught in a vehicle fraternizing with a beloved Lawrence restaurateur with a long-ago felony cocaine-dealing conviction.

Kulak referred questions to his attorney and hung up on The Trentonian.

Road Rage

Raymond Staub, Kulaks attorney, told The Trentonian that his clients resignation from the police force in 1999 was unrelated to the car stop that he said occurred three years before.

Staub said Kulak resigned to dedicate his time to running a pizzeria and another side business.

I know about the incident youre speaking with, but it had nothing to do with any incident with Mr. [Frank] Candela, the attorney said. It wasnt a resignation in lieu of forfeiture of job or in lieu of discipline, or anything like that.

The Trentonian was provided conflicting dates of when the car stop with Candela occurred, with some sources claiming it happened closer to when Kulak resigned from the police force.

The Trentonian was unable to corroborate the date of the alleged stop and has made a request for township police records to reconcile the dispute.

As for the road-rage incident, Trenton Police confirmed Kulak is a suspect in an alleged aggravated assault, but he hasnt been charged.

The incident happened May 24, on Route 129 near Hamilton Avenue, Trenton Police Lt. Jason Kmiec said.

The dispute started in Hamilton, Kmiec said, and carried over into Trenton.

Kulak was a passenger in a vehicle when a 27-year-old man allegedly confronted him as the vehicles exited South Broad Street, near the Taco Bell.

The victim told cops he drove next to Kulaks vehicle, asking him what was his problem. Kulak allegedly brandished a handgun during the spat, the victim told cops.

The victim followed Kulaks vehicle until loosing sight of him, Kmiec said.

Kulak also called Trenton Police to report the 27-year-old man for driving erratically and cutting off his wife. Kulak claimed the victim taunted and tail-gated their vehicle through south Trenton.

He told cops he pulled out his gun for safety because the victim was aggressive, Kmiec said.

Cops planned to interview both parties before deciding whether to charge anybody, Kmiec said.

Meanwhile, Staub insisted his client did nothing wrong in the road-rage incident, calling Kulak the real victim.

The attorney said the road-rage complainant no-showed interviews with Trenton Police detectives.

Detectives have not sat down with Kulak, who is willing to cooperate, his attorney said.

I told him he can participate in any interview in the world, but Ill be with him just to make sure its done the right way. Staub said. I dont know whether I expect a charge or not. Were just waiting.

Kulaks Past

Despite the circumstances of his departure in the 1990s, Kulak was re-hired by the township in 2017 as a civilian municipal court attendant at more than $22 an hour, records show.

Kulak is also a licensed firearms dealer. In November 2016, he applied for a variance to operate the internet-sales Kulak Arms out of his township home on Lawrenceville Road.

The variance was required in order for Kulak to obtain a federal firearms license.

Kulaks name appears in a database of federal firearms licenses kept by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Kulak said in a letter to the township that he wouldnt conduct retail sales out of his home and planned to move to another location once the business got off the ground.

He felt his request to operate the business was very reasonable.

Very little to no inventory will be stored at my residence since most products are drop-shipped directly from manufacture warehouse, he wrote in a letter.

Kulak also operates a longtime landscaping business and reported hauling in $68,000 a year from that hustle, according to township records.

Insiders suggested Kulaks return to the township payroll was a patronage hire because of his ties to township manager Kevin Nerwinski.

For years, Kulak cut Nerwinskis grass. Nerwinski acknowledged that Kulak has done his landscaping for years but insisted that he always compensated Kulak for the work.

The township manager rebuffed the insinuation of an underhanded agreement or that he exerted influence to get Kulak re-hired in Lawrence.

I have known Mr. Kulak for years, Nerwinski said. We do not regularly socialize, but he has cut my lawn for years, and I have paid him by check for his services and entered into no quid pro quo agreement with him. I have always been committed to abide by the law at all times for all things. I knew it was only a matter of time for these people to turn their sites [sic] on me.

Rich is a long time Lawrence Township resident, with a great work ethic and I trust him. His character (and mine) were attacked in a municipal political campaign last year and, it seems as though, these same people are at it again because they cant help themselves.

Nerwinski disputed ever being told about the decades-old car stop involving Kulak and Candela, pointing out the former cop passed a background check conducted by the police department before being re-hired.

These people that are contacting you are not good people, Nerwinski said. They have no ethical or moral filter. Their only purpose is to use any means possible for their personal gain and to hell with truth and destroying someones hard earned reputation.  Just know that Rick Kulak is a good man. And when you write your article, all that you will be doing is being the sword for some very ill-intentioned people.

Kulak remains suspended with pay from his township positions as brush code enforcement officer and a part-time civilian employee handling gun permits and administrative tasks for Lawrence Police, pending the outcome of TPDs investigation, township officials confirmed.

All these chickens are coming to roost as the Lawrence PBA Local 119 is mired in a lawsuit with the township over an illegal ticket-quota system allegedly pushed by Police Chief Brian Caloiaro, and following the filing of criminal charges against three township cops.

The lawsuit was filed in October, and then last week, the Mercer County Prosecutors Office announced it charged township cops Hector Nieves, 44, Liubove Bjorklund, 32, and Officer Timothy Wallace, 28 for allegedly being dishonest while on-duty during the pandemic.

Nieves is one of the lead plaintiffs in the whistleblower suit.

The cops attorneys quickly seized on the ready-made narrative that their clients were being retaliated against over the lawsuit.

Candela Connection

Now, Kulak finds himself playing a star role in the township soap opera that also ensnared Frank Candela, who is part of the dynamic brotherly duo that owned Candelas Pizzeria.

The Candela brothers fell on hard times. They shuttered their family business on Lawn Park Avenue after federal bankruptcy records showed Candelas owed more than $136,000 in taxes to the New Jersey Department of Treasury. They have since gotten back into the restaurant business and now run Chuckles Pizza on Lawrenceville-Pennington Road.

With Kulak under investigation in the road-rage incident, Frank Candela  short for Francesco  was forced to revisit a painful chapter in his past, a cocaine conviction from February 1995.

Police filed drug possession and manufacturing charges against Candela in February 1994, court records show.

Prosecutors hit Candela with a nine-count indictment in December of that year, alleging he was dealing cocaine and heroin.

The pizzeria owner copped out to a third-degree drug-dealing charge and was sentenced to four years of probation by then-Superior Court Judge Charles Delehey in May 1995, court records show.

The relevance? It depends who you talk to, but people with intimate knowledge of the matter tell The Trentonian that Candela and Kulak go way back.

They suggested something was possibly amiss when the two were caught in the 1990s, which has been roundly rejected by Kulaks attorney and Candela himself.

Candela disputed being a former drug dealer during an interview with The Trentonian.

I was not a drug dealer, he said. I made mistakes in my life, and I got clean and sober and have been clean and sober ever since.

Candela confirmed knowing Kulak, saying they grew up in the same neighborhood, but denied being involved in nefarious dealings with the ex-cop.

I would appreciate you keeping me out of anybody elses business, he said. Why are you gonna put my name back in the paper? It wasnt in the paper before. You trying to ruin somebody?

He lamented that his past was being dredged up because of his association to Kulak.

I havent talked to the kid in well over 10, 12 years, he said.

Nerwinski accused disgruntled cops of funneling false information to The Trentonian to continue with their character assassinations of good, hardworking, honorable and ethical people.

It would be wonderful if those individuals spent more time honoring the oath they swore as police officers to actually do the work of police officers instead of contacting The Trentonian, spreading lies, filing frivolous lawsuits, constant memorandums to superior officers challenging decisions made at every turn, filing OPRA requests with the Township, and basically destroying the morale of the entire LTPD, all because they want more money, benefits and special treatment, the township manager wrote.

The amount of wasted time and tax payer money on these people is incalculable and continues with no end in sight. Our community deserves better than this adolescent behavior.

Staub echoed the township managers point saying people want to make Rich and/or Lawrence PD look bad.
In the midst of huge job losses as a fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has signed 17 MoUs for an investment of Rs 15,100 crores that aim to provide 47,100 jobs.

But a clearer picture on where the projects stand will emerge only after the Covid-19 induced fear psychosis ends, to see if popular protests will derail them like they have done so many others in the state, says N Sathiya Moorthy.

At a time when the rest of the nation is still finding its feet to revive their sagging economy in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, Tamil Nadus AIADMK government of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) has signed 17 MoUs for Rs 15,100-crore investments, creating 47,100 jobs in the midst of huge job losses since before the pandemic-attack.

A clearer picture will have to await detailed discussions on investments and also the end of Covid psyche, as over the past years local people have protested against existing industries and proposed flagging environmental and livelihood concerns in a very big way.

Attracting industrial investments and creating jobs is a high-priority item for the state, as it requires to boost the sagging revenues caused also by the Covid-induced revenue fall. The governments decision to open liquor shops, against political and public protests, even while keeping educational institutions and places of worship closed owing to Covid-19, is a pointer to the pressure on the revenue front.

Long before it, and at the commencement of the lockdown, EPS became the first chief minister to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clear the GST dues and also permit state governments to hike their borrowing limits.

Though the Centre has since upped the borrowing limit of states, the attendant conditionalities, like withdrawing free power, are not acceptable to the government -- more so when assembly elections are due by May next.

Even while writing to the prime minister again on this score, EPS also led efforts for attracting more investments on a war footing. They are gaining traction, as was visible from Wednesdays MoU ceremony at the state secretariat, Chennai.

Even without it, EPS has appointed a high-powerex committee headed by Dr C Rangarajan, ex-RBI governor and chairman of the Economic Advisory Council of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, to chart out the future course for the state government.

Given the Covid era pressures on family incomes, job losses and threats of more, the state government may be able to overcome some of the recent trends in environmentalists and a section of the local population opposing new projects -- but it can go only thus far. Higher the job losses, greater could be the frustration, and other issues could gain traction with the affected people.

It all had begun with the much-forgotten Tata Titanium cancelling the Rs 12,000-crore minerals extraction plant in southern Tirunelveli district, by mutual consent with the government of then DMK chief minister M Karunanidhi in 2007. Perceptions of public protests locally also drew inspiration from the anti-Nano protests against the Tata mini-car project in distant West Bengal.

This was followed by the more visible and even more popular anti-Koodamkulam nuclear power project in the neighbourhood. Larger environmental concerns, including the possibility of reactor leaks like in Chernobyl (Russia, 1986) and Fukushima (Japan 2011), became the central theme of environmental protestors, almost from the beginning.

They added an even more immediate angle and enlisted popular support by arguing that waste-water release from the reactors could cause loss of fish-catch for the local community. There were also fears of deformed child births.

Though the Koodamkulam protests fizzled out after holding out for long, they have since been followed by others, where similar concerns have been flagged and popular support enlisted. This includes petroleum-extraction projects at Neduvasal in the Cauvery delta and the Salem-Chennai, eight-lane greenway, connecting the chief ministers native district to the state capital after the existing six-lane highway.

The two protests came not long after the successful Jallikattu protests of January 2017, and gained instant popular support for specific reasons of land and crop-loss in both -- and also the emotional quotient.

Since the Jallikattu protests, a section of the Tamil social media has begun identifying environmental and livelihood-linked protests too as a part of the Tamil identity. They propagate the projects as aimed at destroying the Tamil people.

In this context, investors will also be following the ongoing court cases relating to some of the existing or proposed projects and the speed with which they are settled, either way, for them to get the final picture of trends for the future. Among them, the Salem-Chennai expressway project is a Centre-state joint venture without a private entrepreneur.

Another of the high-profile case relates to the Sterlite copper factory of the Vedanta group in the southern port-town of Thoothukudi. At inception in the nineties, MDMK founder Vaiko, who hails from the neighbourhood, had moved up to the Supreme Court to have the project stalled, citing environmental concerns.

At present, the unit is shut down since mid-2018, following the death of 13 persons when the police opened fire on anti-Sterlite protestors, on May 22 that year. The state governments lock-down orders cited environmental issues, which the management contested before the Supreme Court, and later in the Madras high court. A division bench reserved the verdict in January, and the orders are still awaited since.

Industry sources expect the management to go on in appeal to the Supreme Court if the high court verdict went against them. They will also be watching for signals from the state government if the high court ruled in the managements favour. Either way, we need to wait for the high court order, and then make our own judgment about the general mood of the state government when it comes to addressing larger investor interests, they say.

Incidentally, the state-appointed Aruna Jagadeesan Commission of Inquiry, headed by a retired high court judge, is also yet to submit its report on the circumstances leading to the police-firing, and fixing official accountability in the matter. Families and friends of those held Covid-style memorial events on May 22 this year.

Addressing their immediate demands, even if not directly linked to the high court case, will also form a part of the confidence-building measures, for which the management too has to do its bit, more than already -- if the high court so desired.

In a tweet after Wednesdays MoU signing-ceremony, Chief Minister EPS said: We have the most skilled manpower with electricity and water in surplus, and most importantly one of the top states in maintaining good law and orderI welcome all the investors to Invest in TN. We are committed to help you through the investment process.

Pious and also proven words these, particularly on the power front, where the situation was bad in the previous decade but not anymore. Tamil Nadus skilled labour is globally acknowledged by overseas investors through the previous decades, so used to be worker-discipline and overall law and order situation.

In his tweet, the chief minister did not mention the environmental concerns of the local people, which while genuine in many cases, has also stalled projects. From an investor-perspective, that is not on.

Deployment of the police force, which may have become necessary in some cases, has also only led to stalling projects like the eight-lane highway and Sterlite, the latter an ongoing enterprise.

The government thus needs to look outside the box, both for non-perceived problems but also for their solutions and implement them at the grassroots-level.

N Sathiya Moorthy, veteran journalist and political analyst, is Head-Chennai Initiative, Observer Research Foundation.
In a telephone interview, the mayor expounded on her tweet, and offered praise to Magnus.

Theres a reason why we hired him, Romero said, referring to the decision the City Council came to in 2015 to bring Magnus on as police chief. I saw in him that he is one of the most progressive chiefs of police in the entire country.

Romero couldnt say how she would react if a similar instance were to happen in Tucson, but she offered high praise for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who has called for the prosecution of the officers involved.

It was very bold of him to do, she said. But it was the right thing for him to do, to say, If you and I had done something similar, we would have been arrested on the spot.

McSally has different World View than Kelly

The National Republican Senatorial Committee wants to let the air out of the Mark Kelly campaign with a new video attacking the Democratic challenger for his ties to a company that operates balloon flights to the stratosphere.
STUDENTS of the University of Limerick who left their accommodation on foot of the governments decision to close the university campus in March due to Covid-19 are to be refunded their rent, it has been confirmed.

The Board of University of Limerick subsidiary company Plassey Campus Centre Ltd (PCC), which manages ULs on-campus student residences, has approved the return of rental income to the students.

Each student will be refunded rent from the date they vacated their student residence to the end of their semester licence term. The full amount being refunded is 3.45 million.

UL students had previously been told they could claim their deposit back early but that rents paid to cover the rest of the semester would not be refunded. This was in stark contrast to other universities, including UCC which refunded students on a pro-rata basis once they left.

The move to refund the students follows a recommendation by the University of Limerick Governing Authority on Tuesday that Plassey Campus Centre Ltd (PCC) return rental income to the students.

Meanwhile, in compliance with Government public health directives, UL will facilitate online, remote, blended and face-to-face learning as well as other forms of interactive engagement for 2020-21.

Semester 1 of the academic year 20/21 will commence on September 28 for all students. At this point, UL intends to offer students blended delivery of their academic programmes with some on campus face-to-face teaching as well as online teaching and learning.

The feasibility of blended delivery of the education programmes is being explored, keeping in mind that the campus may have to close again at any time.

The details of ULs offer of student accommodation will be based both on the nature of the academic offering and the public health advice.
North Adams Board of Health Authorizes Police as Health Agents

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The city's police officers were deputized Thursday as health agents on to assist the health inspector during the pandemic.

"It's just something to address our current situation to expand, I guess, the capabilities of the Board of Health since the Health Department is one person," Health Director Michael Moore told the board on Thursday. "Hope for the best prepare for the worst."

But he and Police Chief Jason Wood wanted to make it clear that it wasn't about "shaking people down for not wearing masks or anything."

Wood said officers were initially guarded about the idea but consulted with their union local, Massachusetts Coalition of Police (MassCOP), and found it was not unusual.

"It's been a good thing in the communities because law enforcement tends to put out some some fires before things get out of control," the chief said.

This was bolstered by recommendations from John Sofis Scheft, an Arlington attorney who offers instruction, guides and training for police on legal procedures.

Scheft also wrote up a generic memorandum of appointment for boards to use.

Gov. Charlie Baker on May 6 issued an order requiring masks or face coverings when people cannot keep at least a 6-foot distance, largely for when people are inside buildings, transit vehicles or other close proximity. The order allows businesses to refuse entrance to those failing to abide by the rules and for communities to fine violators up to $300.

Warnings and fines must come from health agents, and it "will be unwieldy if police officers must notify and await the arrival of a BOH agent every time they want to notify, educate, warn, or ticket a violator," Scheft writes. In this case it makes sense, he writes, for boards of health to use their powers in an emergency to designate local police to be health agents.

"So with that being said, it looks like we're going for it," the chief said. "But I would certainly caution and say that I don't want to portray the perception that the law enforcement is like the strong arm tactic."

Wood said he wanted to approach the pandemic guidelines as more of an educational outreach than officers merely being an enforcement mechanism.

"If it becomes a criminal matter, well then, that's more in our wheelhouse and we can deal with it," he said.

The chief said this would be COVID-19 based as the state begins to loosen the emergency orders that have had Massachusetts in lockdown to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. He didn't want officers to be dealing with other health violations like "disgusting" houses.

"I wouldn't, I wouldn't do that you," joked Moore. Wood responded that he didn't think he would but "it makes me feel better to say it out loud."

But the chief cautioned that he saw the police role as supportive to the health director and that he would be looking to Moore for guidance before they took any actions.

"Legally, Mike, you can go places that we can't under normal circumstances, so I would be careful not to blur those lines and confuse people," he said.

Board Chairman John Meaney Jr. agreed that "close communication between the Department of Health and the police, I think that would be good."
Sweden has the highest coronavirus death rate per capita than any country in the world over the past seven days.

The country, which refused to impose a lockdown, has seen 5.59 deaths for every million people per day on a rolling seven-day average in the week to May 29.

That rate is an astonishing 11 times higher than the world average of 0.49 deaths for every million people over the same period.

Sweden's seven day rolling average is higher than any other country, followed by Brazil (4.51), San Marino (4.21), Peru (4.12) and the UK (3.78).

It is also greater than other countries that have been hugely affected by the virus, including the USA (2.98), Belgium (2.49), Italy (1.55), Russia (1.02), and France (0.98).

Despite the rolling average, Sweden does not have the highest coronavirus death rate per million people since the outbreak started.

Sweden's rolling 7-day average death rate is an astonishing 11 times higher than the world average of 0.49 deaths for every million people over the same period

The country's death toll rose to 4,266 on 28 May

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven gesticulates while speaking at a press conference about the situation of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, at the government headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden today

The latest figures for 29 May show that title goes to San Marino, which has seen 1,238.55 deaths for every million.

Behind is Belgium (810.04), Andora (660.07), the UK (557.36) and Italy (548.15).

France sits in sixth place, with 439.11 coronavirus deaths for every million people since the crisis started, and Sweden is behind with 422.41.

While figures for Spain have not yet been released for 29 May, data for the previous day shows the country has a death rate of 580.03 for every million people.

It is also worth noting that all of the countries listed - particularly with reference to the rolling seven day average - have experienced the peak of the virus at different stages.

Latest figures for the Sweden reveal a total of 35,727 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 4,266 deaths as of 28 May.

Sweden's strategy to battle coronavirus has been largely based on voluntary measures regarding social distancing and basic hygiene.

At the same time the Scandinavian country kept schools open for children under the age of 16, along with cafes, bars, restaurants and businesses.

Their approach has been both criticised by some as a dangerous experiment gambling with people's lives, but also pushed as a future model by the World Health Organization.

A recent study found that based on 1,100 tests carried out across the country, just 7.3 percent of Stockholm's population had developed antibodies by late April.

The number of confirmed cases climbed to 35,727 as of 28 May

The antibody study sought to look into the potential for herd immunity, a situation where enough people in a population have developed immunity to an infection to be able to effectively stop that disease from spreading.

'It is a little bit lower (than expected) but not remarkably lower, maybe one or a couple of percent,' Chief Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told a news conference. 'It squares pretty well with the models we have.'

But the WHO has warned against pinning hopes on herd immunity. It said in mid May the week global studies had found antibodies in only 1-10 per cent of the population, results in line with recent findings in Spain and France.

Local media have raised concerns that Swedes could be excluded from other countries as curbs on travel are relaxed, both in the Nordic region and elsewhere in Europe.

News that Cyprus will not permit direct flights from Sweden when it opens up on June 9, but will allow in flights from Norway, Denmark and Finland, was widely reported with public service broadcaster SVT running the headline 'Swedes barred when Cyprus opens up'.

Jakob Elleman-Jensen, the leader of the opposition Liberal Party, said this month, 'I certainly dont think that we should wait opening the border with Germany until we can justify opening the border with Sweden'.

And today the Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven revealed that on-site education for high schools will re-open from 15 June, having been closed since mid-March.
Gayathri Mani By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Delhi University has announced a tentative schedule for merit-based admission for undergraduate and postgraduate courses from June 8. Also, for the first time the university will completely go online with admission process from registrations to cut-off to verifications of documents.

According to senior DU officials, the tentative schedule will be finalised in the standing committee meeting scheduled on Friday. The registration portal for UG admissions are likely to open on June 8 at 10 am and will continue till 5 pm on June 30.

During the registration period, the students have to select courses details, certificates, marksheets if there results are announced. Further, large number of students study in schools affiliated to CBSE and due to lockdown and riots in northeast Delhi, Class XII boards exams were delayed and some were cancelled. So, keeping in mind the social distancing norms, the University has decided to make the admission process completely online, said an official.

Currently, only pre-admission processes such as form filling, selections of courses, fee submission among others were online, but after the announcement of cut-offs, students had to run from pillar to post to get admission within the given three-day period.

The process will provide relief to both students and teachers. Students come from various parts of the country and abroad. Thus, by making admissions online, the students will be able to easily apply and this will also help avoid crowding, said a DU official.

After the announcement of cut-offs, the students will need to select a college, preferred subject, submit their scanned documents and pay the fees online. Once the admission process is done with, the university may provide the students a month to visit the college and get the documents. However, the proposal has to be approced by the Academic council and standing committee.

The university also said, In case vacant seats are left, further cut-offs may be announced by the University to fill the vacant seats. The schedule will depend on the declaration of Class XII result by CBSE. This is a tentative schedule. The dates may be modified keeping in view the situation at the time of admission due to COVID  19, it added.

The registration date for the UG, PG, M phil and PhD entrance exam-based courses will be the same. The entrance tests for these courses will likely be conducted between July 27 to August 10.
VANCOUVERPeter Humphrey says he suffers lingering post-traumatic stress from the time he spent in Chinese custody and jail for a crime he denies: illegally obtaining personal information.

The corporate investigator and his wife, Yu Yingzeng, were arrested in 2013 while working on a case for a major pharmaceutical company in a legal battle with Chinas government. They say they were mistreated while in custody, which has led to lasting health problems.

While in custody, Humphrey said, he was forced to make a recorded confession that was eventually broadcast on the China Global Television Network (CGTN) internationally, including into Canada.

They said I had to if I wanted to get out, he told the Star.

In 2015, the couple were released and sent back to the United Kingdom.

Now Humphrey is asking why the World Health Organization (WHO) has allowed former CGTN news presenter James Chau, who introduced the forced confession story on the network, to hold a prestigious job as a goodwill ambassador. Humphrey has set about a campaign, including a written complaint, to ask the WHO to remove Chau.

His calls come amid increasing scrutiny toward Chinas influence on the WHO.

After five years and a complaint to British television authorities over the confession being broadcast in the U.K. on CGTN, Humphrey is still wrestling with many aspects of the ordeal.

But Chaus appointment as a goodwill ambassador, tasked with raising awareness about world health issues, after his role presenting the confession is one Humphrey hopes to have addressed.

Humphrey says he has come to believe, through conversations with another CGTN employee and his understanding of the production process, that Chau helped packaged and broadcast the story. The Star is not able to independently confirm the details of that allegation.

Humphrey believes he was forced to confess in order to counter international media coverage of his case, which had been favourable to him and Yu, and to prejudice them in the public eye before their trial. He says it was extracted from me under conditions tantamount to torture.

Chau did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Star.

The WHO said it has recieved the complaint and is taking the matter seriously. It said it cannot comment on the allegations specifically as they are under internal review, adding the COVID-19 pandemic is causing the process to be delayed.

Earlier this year, Humphrey lodged his complaint with the WHO headquarters in Geneva based on the organizations own ethics code and requested the removal of Chau as a goodwill ambassador, alleging his past actions breached the code.

The complaint was filed with the help of human rights group Safeguard Defenders, which has also filed complaints with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission over forced confessions allegedly being broadcast in Canada via CGTN. The organization accused Chau of partaking in several such broadcasts.

Humphreys cause was given a boost last week, when the executive director of another human rights organization, UN Watch, penned an op/ed for the magazine Newsweek, also demanding that the WHO drop Chau.

Hillel C. Neuer wrote that Chau has been using his appointment as a U.N. badge of legitimacy to whitewash Chinas record and legitimize the regime and its officials related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chinese Communist Party has been under intense scrutiny for its handling of the outbreak in its early days, including detaining doctors who initially sounded the alarm about the coronavirus.

In a February interview with CGTN in his role as goodwill ambassador, Chau backed comments from Bruce Aylward, a Canadian and senior adviser to the WHOs director general, praising Chinas response to the virus during a February news conference.

In another interview with CGTN on March 2, Chau cautioned people not to finger point or lay blame for the virus outbreak.

Goodwill ambassadors are appointed by the WHOs director-general for two-year appointments, according to the organizations website. The position is meant to raise awareness about health issues and solutions to them.

Chau was born in England and worked for Chinese state media as far back as 2004. He was appointed UNAIDS goodwill ambassador in 2009.

He currently hosts a podcast called The China Current, funded by the China-United States Exchange Foundation. He was appointed to the position in 2016 by Margaret Chan, then director-general of the WHO.

Chan was appointed in 2018 to Beijings top advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference.

Along with Chau, Chan also appointed Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping to a WHO goodwill ambassador role in 2011, a position she still holds. The WHO website does not mention she is the wife of Xi in its biography of Peng.

Back in the U.K., Humphrey contends that if Chau isnt removed, it will further underline Beijings influence at the WHO.

He said he has reached out to Chau a number of times, hoping to speak to him directly, but has not received a response.

I would have tried to meet him, Humphrey said. I would have said to him, Here are the clips, here is the estimation of what happened with me and the whole story of my case. Why did you do it? Do you think that was ethical? Do you think that was journalism? Do you think you deserve to hold a public post with an international organization? Is what I would say to him.

Read more about:
ROCKLAND, Mass., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EMD Serono, the biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in the US and Canada, today announced that updated data from the ongoing, single-arm Phase II VISION study evaluating tepotinib* as a single agent in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with MET exon 14 (METex14) skipping alterations were published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Results from the primary analysis of data from 99 patients with at least 9 months of follow-up demonstrate consistent response rate and durable anti-tumor activity across lines of treatment in patients assessed by both liquid biopsy (LBx) and tissue biopsy (TBx). Results from the VISION study were also presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program on May 29, including data from the primary analysis (Abstract #9556) and including patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (Abstract #9575). Tepotinib is designed to be a highly selective1 oral MET inhibitor that is administered once daily and is designed to inhibit the oncogenic MET receptor signaling caused by MET (gene) alterations.

"MET exon 14 skipping is a primary oncogenic driver, but until recently there have been no approved treatment options targeting this genetic alteration in NSCLC," said Paul K. Paik, M.D., primary study investigator, lead author and Clinical Director, Thoracic Oncology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "These new findings highlight the importance of routine next-generation sequencing to identify METex14 skipping alterations and demonstrate tepotinib's durable anti-tumor activity in patients who are typically elderly, and whose cancers are often harder to treat."

This new analysis of data from 99 patients in the fully enrolled Cohort A with at least 9 months of follow-up was published by The New England Journal of Medicine on May 29. Results demonstrate objective response rate (ORR) of 46% (95% CI, 3657) among patients with METex14 skipping alterations identified by either LBx or TBx as assessed by Independent Review Committee (IRC), and 56% (95% CI, 4566) as assessed by investigators. The median duration of response (DOR) was 11.1 months (95% CI, 7.2could not be estimated (NE)) among patients with METex14 skipping alterations identified by either LBx or TBx as assessed by IRC, and 14.0 months (95% CI, 9.718.3) as assessed by investigators. Results were consistent across different lines of treatment and in patients assessed by LBx or TBx. Additional endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Patients with brain metastases at baseline (n=11) benefitted similarly from treatment. In these patients, systemic ORR as assessed by independent review was 55% (95% CI, 2383), with a median DOR of 9.5 months (95% CI, 6.6NE) and a median PFS of 10.9 months (95% CI, 8.0NE).

Results also include the first patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes in patients with NSCLC with METex14 skipping alterations. Quality of life was maintained over time of treatment with tepotinib, with symptoms of dyspnea remaining stable and cough symptoms improving. The first longitudinal on-treatment biomarker data from LBx samples were also reported, showing high concordance between molecular circulating free DNA response (defined as METex14 depletion) and clinical response based on measurable disease per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST).

Out of 152 patients evaluable for safety, treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of all grades were reported in 135 patients (89%). Grade 3 TRAEs were reported in 38 patients (25%), and 3 patients (2%) experienced Grade 4 TRAEs. One death was considered by the investigator to be treatment-related and occurred in a 79-year-old patient with respiratory failure and dyspnea, secondary to interstitial lung disease. The most common Grade 3 TRAE was peripheral edema, which occurred in 11 patients (7%). Serious TRAEs were reported in 23 patients (15%). Permanent tepotinib discontinuations due to TRAEs were reported in 17 patients (11%), and 50 patients (33%) required a dose reduction due to TRAEs. Peripheral edema was the most common TRAE leading to a dose reduction (25 patients, 16%) or dose interruption (28 patients, 18%); permanent discontinuation was uncommon (7 patients, 5%).

"Designed to have a highly selective mechanism of action, tepotinib has the potential to make a difference in the treatment and lives of people living with non-small cell lung cancer harboring METex14 skipping alterations," said Luciano Rossetti, Global Head of Research & Development for EMD Serono. "Following on the recent approval of tepotinib in Japan as the first therapy for the treatment of advanced NSCLC harboring MET gene alterations, the publication of these data underscores our commitment to advancing scientific understanding and potential therapeutic options for this challenging cancer."

The ongoing Phase II VISION (NCT02864992) clinical trial is a single-arm, open-label, multi-cohort study investigating the safety and efficacy of tepotinib as a single agent in patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC with METex14 skipping alterations identified by LBx and/or TBx. The use of both LBx and TBx to identify patients for the VISION study is intended to support improved patient selection and is consistent with the company's focus on patient-centric drug development.

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide, with 2 million cases diagnosed annually.2 Alterations of the MET signaling pathway are found in various cancer types, including 3% to 5% of NSCLC cases, and correlate with aggressive tumor behavior and poor clinical prognosis.3-5 Patients with NSCLC harboring METex14 skipping tend to be older than those with NSCLC harboring other alterations.6 In the Phase II VISION study, the patient population is generally characterized as elderly, with a median age of 74.0 years, and as having poor clinical prognosis typical of NSCLC with METex14 skipping alterations.

In March 2020, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) approved tepotinib for the treatment of patients with unresectable, advanced or recurrent NSCLC with METex14 skipping alterations. In September 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for tepotinib in patients with metastatic NSCLC harboring METex14 skipping alterations who progressed following platinum-based cancer therapy. EMD Serono plans to file tepotinib for regulatory review with the FDA in 2020. Tepotinib is also being investigated in the INSIGHT 2 study (NCT03940703) in combination with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) osimertinib in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated, MET amplified, locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC that has acquired resistance to prior EGFR TKI.

Discovered in-house at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, tepotinib is an oral MET inhibitor that is designed to inhibit the oncogenic MET receptor signaling caused by MET (gene) alterations.

*Tepotinib is currently under clinical investigation and not yet approved in any markets outside of Japan.

Dr. Paik has provided compensated advisory services to EMD Serono.

About Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

With 2 million cases diagnosed annually, lung cancer (including trachea, bronchus and lung) is the most common type of cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related death, with 1.7 million mortality cases worldwide.2 Alterations of the MET signaling pathway, including MET exon 14 (METex14) skipping alterations and MET amplifications, occur in 3% to 5% of NSCLC cases.3-5

About Tepotinib

Tepotinib is an oral MET inhibitor that is designed to inhibit the oncogenic MET receptor signaling caused by MET (gene) alterations. Discovered in-house at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, it has been designed to have a highly selective mechanism of action, with the potential to improve outcomes in aggressive tumors that have a poor prognosis and harbor these specific alterations. Tepotinib is currently under clinical investigation in NSCLC and not yet approved in any markets outside of Japan. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is actively assessing the potential of investigating tepotinib in combination with novel therapies and in other tumor indications.

References

Bladt F, et al. Clin Cancer Res 2013;19:2941-2951. Bray F, et al. Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin 2018;68(6):394-424. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21492 PMID:30207593. Reungwetwattana T, et al. Lung Cancer 2017;103:27-37. Mo HN, et al. Chronic Dis Transl Med 2017;3(3):148-153. Lutterbach B, et al. Cancer Res 2007;67:2081-8. Schrock AB et al. J Thorac Oncol 2016;11(9):1493-1502.

All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the EMD Group Website. In case you are a resident of the USA or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register for your online subscription of this service as our geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.

About EMD Serono, Inc.

EMD Serono - the biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in the U.S. and Canada - is engaged in the discovery, research and development of medicines for patients with difficult to treat diseases. The business is committed to transforming lives by developing and delivering meaningful solutions that help address the therapeutic and support needs of individual patients. Building on a proven legacy and deep expertise in neurology, fertility and endocrinology, EMD Serono is developing potential new oncology and immuno-oncology medicines while continuing to explore potential therapeutic options for diseases such as psoriasis, lupus and MS. Today, the business has approximately 1,500 employees around the country with commercial, clinical and research operations based in the company's home state of Massachusetts. www.emdserono.com .

About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 57,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices  the company is everywhere. In 2019, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany generated sales of  16.2 billion in 66 countries.

The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Performance Materials. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company.

SOURCE EMD Serono
As the federal government and state governments decide how best to proceed with plans to reopen the economy, elderly Americans, particularly those in nursing homes, continue to die at alarming rates from COVID-19. Now more than ever, it is critical that the federal and state governments offer more protections to Americas seniors and nursing facilities.

As of May 26, 38.2% (over 37,600) of the 98,426 COVID-19 deaths in the US are from residents and staff at long-term care facilities. Per-capita COVID-19 deaths in US nursing homes are well over 100 times the average for the rest of the country (around 2.9% in nursing homes vs. 0.0186% for the USs non-nursing home population). The actual numbers may even be significantly higher because of incomplete reporting in some states.

In at least 18 states, nursing homes account for a majority of COVID-19 deaths. Harmful policies in some states that required nursing homes to admit COVID-19 patients, such as in New York, New Jersey, and Michigan, have contributed to the spread of the virus. Notably, as of May 20, New Jersey, one of the hardest hit states, had 19,646 COVID-19 cases and 5,410 confirmed deaths among long-term care residents. With an estimated 44,000 residents in New Jersey nursing homes, close to 45% of nursing home residents have contracted COVID-19 and about 12% of these residents have died of the disease (or 27.5% of those infected), and in New York close to 6% of residents have died of it.

As our nation proceeds to reopen, the federal government can lead the way by providing guidance and assistance to protect elderly and vulnerable Americans in nursing homes. Steps that can help significantly stem the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes are listed below:

Staff housed on-site: Federal and state governments should subsidize on-site housing for staff members at nursing homes to significantly reduce potential exposure to the coronavirus. The government should also subsidize significant temporary pay increases for staff members who agree to be housed on-site.

Avoid public exposure: Wherever on-site housing is not feasible, states, in conjunction with the federal government, should enact rules mandating that all employees at nursing homes restrict unnecessary contact with the public, including not entering grocery stores (these individuals and members of their household can get groceries by delivery or pick-up) and other public venues.

Report exposure to COVID-19: Employees should be required to report if anyone they were in contact with tested positive for, or has symptoms of, COVID-19 and be temporarily denied entry to the facility so long as this exposure continues, even if they test negative.

Ensure universal testing capacity at nursing homes: All nursing facilities, including ones not known to have cases, should be provided with enough testing capacity to test all staff and residents on a regular basis with reliable rapid tests. At least a dozen states already plan to do this.

Regular testing of staff and residents: It is crucial to mandate that each day, prior to entry, all staff and visitors test negative with rapid testing devices and that all residents be tested on a weekly basis. Real time results at facilities would enable the immediate removal of staff and residents who test positive to prevent any outbreaks. On May 11, President Trump declared it important to mandate nationwide testing at all long-term care facilities.

Use the Defense Production Act (DPA) to mass produce COVID-19 test kits: To better ensure adequate testing capacity available quickly for all nursing homes and for the general population, it is imperative that President Trump invoke the DPA to mass produce enough tests and testing devices to be able to test tens of millions of people in the coming weeks.

Employ only those rapid tests with high accuracy: The federal government should determine the reliability of various tests. Research conducted at the Cleveland Clinic found the CDC test and rapid tests made by Cepheid and Roche had high accuracy rates, but the Abbot rapid test had about 15% false negatives, or up to 48% false negatives according to an NYU study. The FDA warned that the Abbot test could return inaccurate and false data.

Decertify substandard nursing facilities: Review the nursing home COVID-19 policies of every US state and territory and compel the correction of harmful policies. The federal government has the power to decertify substandard facilities and must inform all long-term care facilities nationally that admission of any COVID-19 positive patients to their facility in a manner that may risk the health of other patients will result in immediate decertification.

Ventilation and air filtration: According to a study conducted in conjunction with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), the coronavirus has been shown to move outside of rooms that housed coronavirus patients. A study published in JAMA Insights showed that the coronavirus can remain airborne for hours. Facilities should therefore be directed how to properly mitigate possible airborne spread and also how to decontaminate the facility and frequently touched surfaces. All facilities must also ensure that they have proper ventilation to decrease the spread of COVID-19. Facilities must also install MERV filters rated 13 or higher which capture over 80% of airborne viral particles compared to typical building filtration that captures less than 20%.

Train nursing home staff on mitigating spread of COVID-19: Mandate participation in training sessions designed by health experts and the CDC that focus on measures to diminish the chance of introduction or spread of COVID-19 in their facility. The federal government should encourage other states to replicate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Rapid Emergency Support (RES) teams to quickly arrest the spread of the virus in nursing homes through widespread testing and decontamination.

Mass produce personal protective equipment (PPE): Federal and state governments must ensure that all long-term care facilities (including those not certified by Medicare and Medicaid) be provided with adequate supplies of PPE to last for an extended period of time. To do this, President Trump should invoke the DPA and order additional mass production of PPE for all nursing homes, hospitals, first-responders, and others. This would be a natural follow-up to President Trumps more limited DPA on N-95 face masks from April 2 and his plan to send a two-week supply of PPE to over 15,000 nursing homes.

Assign staff to specific residents: To limit viral spread, nursing home staff should be assigned to care for the same residents each day, and must only work at one facility.

Separate facilities for COVID-19 residents: All patients readmitted or admitted to nursing facilities must be denied entry until they test negative. The federal government should strongly encourage and support state governments to send every patient who tests positive to a separate facility designated solely for COVID-19 patients, similar to what has been done in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

While it is our obligation as a country to protect all life, it is particularly important to defend and protect those who are most vulnerable. Defending life must never be viewed as a tradeoff to protecting the economy. Rather, protecting life at this challenging time will help mitigate the spread of the virus and fuel a historic economic resurgence. In the long-term, this nation will come out better morally and economically because of it.
The longtime physical therapist and executive director of Midland Childrens Rehabilitation Center, Brooke Mueller, is retiring today after 26 years with the agency. She is the centers second executive director, a post she held for 19 years.

Mueller first came to Midland with her husband, William, and their three children in the 1980s.

They left Midland but returned in 2000, which is when Mueller came back as a full-time physical therapist. At that time, she started talking to Jim Crawford who had been executive director since MCRCs beginning,

Hed been considering retirement and was looking around to see if anyone was interested, she said. When I came in looking for a job, he suggested that I apply for it.

Mueller attended physical therapy school at the University of Missouri and has been a physical therapist since 1969.

I volunteered at a hospital when I was in high school, she said. They used to have a volunteer corps called Candy Stripers, and I joined one of our major hospitals in St. Louis. I volunteered in the physical therapy department and that was the beginning of the story.

When she applied for the executive director position, she told the board of directors she had never run a facility such as the MCRC. However, she told them she loved working there and understood the culture.

They decided I had the qualifications they were looking for, she said.

Before becoming the executive director, she had owned a business in Houston and had experience as a wife, homeowner and mother. She led committees in the community and at church, which helped her understand how to work with people, she said. However, she lacked fundraising experience.

The board of directors said, Thats all right; weve got lots of active board members who will take on that responsibility, and if youll take care of the other things, we will take care of the fundraising, she said.

Mueller knew she needed to understand the fundraising aspect of running the Midland Children's Rehabilitation Center. She said she immediately joined the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Midland AFP chapter has always been exceptional in providing pertinent training opportunities, seminars and networking opportunities, she said.

The heart of the center is the needs of the children and their families, Mueller said. Midlands community is exceptional and is truly unique. Midland responds differently than any other community I have ever lived in. That was something very exciting for me to discover.

Dr. Charles Younger, who is on the MCRC board of governors and was the medical director for 23 years, said Muellers hard work has been apparent during her tenure, when she wore multiple hats. He said Muellers love for children and the center has been evident throughout.

The one thing you cant measure would be her heart for these children, he said. She has a true heart for the kids and a true heart and love for the center.

Mary Lou Cassidy, who is on the board of governors, said Mueller made an easy transition at MCRC with respect to Crawfords work. She has continued to help the center grow.

She is a very effective leader and also takes care of patients and boards. Cassidy said. She can raise money for the center, and when you find an executive director who can do all those things you have found a gem. I think Brooke Mueller is truly a gem.

While MCRC has continued to expand over the years, its core values have stayed the same.

The core of who we are and how we operate has not changed in 64 years, Mueller said. What has changed is the size and the size of the need. How we do therapy and meet the needs of the children has changed due to new research and evidence about how you best help a child reach their greatest potential.

She said it is a Midland mindset to help people in need, especially within the community.

One reason I lost my heart to Midland was because of the way the members of the community respond to the needs of the children, she said.

During her time as executive director, the center started to look at the needs of children with differing abilities and different impairments and what was needed for them to become well-rounded citizens. The center started working with partners to look at how they can set children up for a fulfilling life as adults. In 2006, they started We Are the World Camp, which is a summer camp with MARC and Bynum School.

We were trying to come up with a summer activity program for the kids that would help them continue to develop their skills that theyd been working on in therapy but in a more social context, she said. This has been a fabulous collaboration in our community and has been very successful.

As the center continued to expand, Mueller said they found the need to bring on more staff. MCRC made it a priority in 2012 to grow the development department to help raise more money to serve more children and families.

That was a huge goal and was probably the turning point in taking MCRC from a nonprofit that was scrapping by and doing the best we could to becoming a leader in the fundraising world and the therapy world, she said. We are well-known throughout West Texas for both.

Muller said MCRC has totally changed her life.

I never in a million years would have seen this as something that I would not only seek but that I would also enjoy, she said. Therapy is what we are able to do because of the work that administration, leadership and development do to support that This was one of those moments that I said yes, which was a good thing.

MCRC physical therapist Kristall Kidd will take over as the executive director starting Monday.

Im so excited for Kristal to become executive, she said. She has been shadowing for the position and I know she will do a great job.

Mueller said she plans to continue to work with children as a physical therapist at MCRC. She said she would like to spend more time with her grandchildren and children in retirement. Midland is her home and she doesnt plan to leave. She said she will be looking for ways to continue to serve the community.
Its been years since I have reviewed an Android tablet that didnt come with a keyboard cover. The idea of a plain old tablet is nice, in a retro kind of way. Just because the Surfaces and iPad Pros of the world are being pitched as productivity powerhouses in tiny 2-in-1 bodies, that doesnt mean all tablets have to be beefy machines. People still want tablets. Samsungs latest Galaxy Tab, the S6 Lite, promises to be just that: a straightforward device offering good performance, a sumptuous display for Netflixing and, as has become essential lately, a decent webcam for Zooming. Plus, for $350, the Tab S6 Lite comes with an S Pen for intuitive note-taking and digital sketching. Pure Android tablets with modern specs are becoming a rare breed, so its nice to still see companies offer updated models.

Design

One of my favorite things about the S6 Lite is that, despite its relatively low cost, the device still looks modern and feels premium. Last years 10.2-inch iPad, which costs about the same at $329, still has thick bezels around its screen that make it look outdated. It even has a home button -- remember those?

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review

The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite looks pretty much the same as its pricier cousin, the Tab S6. It has thin bezels on all sides around its 10.4-inch screen and no home button on the front. Along the edges youll find volume control keys, a power button, a microSD card slot, a USB-C port and -- great news for wired audio hold-outs -- a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Despite offering so many connectivity options, the S6 Lite cuts a sleek 7mm (0.27-inch) profile and weighs just 460 grams, which is equivalent to just over a pound. Thats a little lighter than the iPad though the Lenovo Chromebook Duet we just reviewed weighs even less at 0.99 pounds

S Pen

A lightweight design is important for most devices, but all the more so for a tablet youre going to be holding for long periods to read or write on. With the included pen, I spent hours doodling random clouds and honing my Chinese calligraphy. My handwriting is still terrible, but thats not Samsungs fault. The S Pen the company includes with the Tab S6 Lite is a larger stylus than what youd get with a Note phone or Galaxy Book laptop. Its basically the same size as a real pencil and can magnetically snap onto the Tab S6 Lite so you dont have to worry about losing it.

Story continues

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review

I enjoyed creating dubious works of art on the S6 Lite, but it was the note-taking experience I found most useful here. Its similar to the Note 10 and Tab S6, where if you write something down in the Samsung Notes app, the software will automatically recognize your handwriting and index what youve written so you can easily search it later. I jotted down a quick shopping list, a bunch of to-dos and a selection of my go-to karaoke hits, then searched for the words review, karaoke and bread. Samsungs app returned the correct list every time, and even highlighted the search term when I opened up the corresponding note. Like I said, my chicken scratch is ... not the best, so I was impressed that the Tab S6 Lite could understand what I scrawled.

I already liked this feature on the Note 10, but its even easier to use on the larger canvas that the Tab S6 Lite provides. This time around, the S Pen doesnt support Bluetooth for motion controls like it did with the Tab S6, but thats OK since I didnt use those much anyway. My one gripe about Samsungs software here is I wish its palm rejection were better so I wasnt leaving stray dots and strokes all over my artwork. If Samsung could improve this, the company would have me fully convinced that the S Pens note-taking prowess is bar none.

In use

I didnt just use the Tab S6 Lite for drawing and taking notes, of course. I also had it propped up next to my laptop as a makeshift second screen for my minimal work-from-home office. Samsung provided a cover with my review unit, which let me prop it up at a couple of angles for easier hands-free Netflixing or YouTubing. It attaches magnetically to the Tab S6 Lite and offers a neat slot to tuck your S Pen away. This $70 case is the only one Samsung makes for this device; if you want one with a keyboard built in, youll need to look for third-party accessories. I dont mind this omission, by the way. Samsung did improve its keyboard case for the Tab S6, but the buttons were still too small for typing to be comfortable for prolonged periods of time. The Tab S6 Lite is a tablet first, which is perfectly fine.

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review

In fact, being a tablet is where the S6 Lite shines. I used it to watch The Weeknds music videos for The Hills and Blinding Lights and found the 2,000 x 1,200 display to be crisp and colorful. I was slightly disappointed Samsung used a TFT panel here instead of an AMOLED, but for the price I wont complain too much. Besides, it still offered respectable image quality: details like blood dripping from The Weeknds teeth and the texture of his face were easy to make out. Unfortunately, the screen was harder to see in direct sunlight, even at max brightness. I did appreciate that the speakers pumped out clear, rich audio. It was plenty loud, though I wish the bass were slightly stronger.

I also liked using the Kindle app on the Tab S6 Lite to read books while lying on my couch -- this is one of the main reasons I find a tablet so appealing. I can Netflix on my TV, play mobile games on my phone, but without pulling out an e-reader, the tablet is the best device for reading. Its also great for the current moment, with all these quarantine calls over Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, or what have you.

For those relentless video calls, the Tab S6 Lite offers a 2-megapixel front camera, which captured surprisingly detailed selfies. The device also has a 5-megapixel sensor on the back, which I didnt use much. (Im not a monster, after all.) But based on my testing, the rear camera is good enough for Instagram Stories or videos if you really must -- just dont expect the superior exposure and colors youd get from pretty much any other phone.

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review

Since it runs Android 10, the Tab S6 Lite has access to a wealth of mobile-friendly apps. Google still has work to do to make its OS more tablet-friendly -- Instagram just refuses to flip to landscape mode, for example -- but for the most part I didnt have major complaints about the software.

Since it doesnt have a fingerprint scanner, the Tab S6 Lite only offers face unlock as a PIN/password-free login option. This uses the front camera, which, if youre holding the tablet in portrait mode, is placed above the screen. When youre holding the Tab S6 Lite horizontally, the camera is on the left. Thankfully, face unlock worked pretty much the same in either orientation, although it was a little slow in recognizing me in both modes, often taking a second or two to let me in.

Performance and battery life

In almost every other way, the Tab S6 Lite was satisfyingly speedy, thanks to its octa-core Exynos 9611 CPU. I jumped back and forth between Instagram, Chrome, the Criminal Minds mobile game and recipe videos on YouTube without delay. The 4GB of RAM Samsung provides here is on par with Lenovos Chromebook Duet and 1GB more than what youll get on the 2019 iPad. If youre not pushing it too hard with intense multitasking and, say, playing Wheel of Fortune while on a Zoom date, youll find the Tab S6 Lite a speedy machine.

Its not just fast -- the S6 Lite is long-lasting, too. It clocked 10 and a half hours on our video rundown battery test, beating the Chromebook Duet and matching the iPad. In general, too, the S6 Lite hung around longer than a day before needing to be plugged in. Thats after fairly light tasks like playing a ton of Criminal Minds, drawing for a collaboration with my friend and reading a book on Kindle, though.

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review

Wrap-up

Ultimately, the Tab S6 Lite is good because its simple. It isnt striving to be a 2-in-1 that might require better hardware and multitasking software. Those looking for a well-designed, long-lasting and capable Android tablet will find the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite a satisfying option. Plus, the S Pen is a huge bonus for the price, especially for those who like drawing or note taking. Those looking to save a little more money should consider something from Amazons Fire series, though youll have to make do with a slightly less powerful device. With the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, Samsung is bringing back the basic tablet, and Im here for it.

Update (at 1:24pm ET on May 29th): Samsung clarified after publication that the Tab S6 Lites processor is an Exynos 9611 not Exynos 9610 like it previously told Engadget. We have updated this review with the right CPU model.
Ruth Thomas, 86, passed away on May 18, 2020. She was born March 22, 1934, in Fossil, Oregon, to Mary and WP Thomas, the last of ten siblings. She grew up on a farm south of Richmond, Oregon, attending a one-room school. She graduated valedictorian from Wheeler County High School. Ruth obtained a job with the railroad and the beginning of a life-long love of trains, opting to take a train over any other model. She arrived in Spokane in the worst recorded winter of 1951 and vowed to leave as soon as the snow melted. But then spring sprung and she fell in love with the city. She worked for a while at Sacred Hearts laundry while taking telegraph operator classes before getting married to Charles Marion. She followed him to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where she gave birth to her son, Tom. Upon return to Spokane she got a job at The Crescent (department store) in accounts receivable. She then quit that job to have her second child, Nancy. In the mid-60s she got a job with the City of Spokane as a clerk typist where she moved up to Taps and Meters when she retired in the late 80s. She was a life-long LA Dodgers fan, claiming Tommy Lasorda the greatest ever. Ruth took a part-time job with the Arc of Spokane before retiring. She was a life-long Baptist. She was an avid coupon clipper and had a generous heart in her own way. Ruth once told a panhandler outside a McDonalds that she didnt have much money, but she had a two-for-one on Big Macs and got him one. The world will be a little less without her. She is survived by her sister, Willa May Burns, Portland, Oregon; daughter, Nancy (Rick) Johnson, Panama City Beach, Florida; son, Tom Marion, Cheney; and numerous nieces and nephews throughout Oregon and the Spokane area. Cheney Funeral Chapel, Cheney, WA. Online guest book at cheneyfuneral.com.
Wayne Richard Glenn was convicted and sentenced to prison for something that isnt even a crime, a Pennsylvania appeals court panel ruled Friday.

So, calling the case absurd and unreasonable, the Superior Court judges voided Glenns drunken-driving conviction and made him a free man.

The ruling came six months after Mercer County Senior Judge John C. Reed convicted the 60-year-old Lawrence man of DUI while under the influence of a metabolite. A metabolite results when the body processes a medicine or other substance.

The metabolite in Glenns case was a byproduct of fentanyl. Glenn insisted it was present in his system because he was wearing a fentanyl patch prescribed for him to ease the pain from the back surgery he had undergone the day before his arrest, Judge Mary Murray noted in the state courts opinion.

State police said Glenn showed signs of intoxication when officers encountered him at his fathers home on Nov. 15, 2018. His blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit, they said.

Glenns car was sitting in his dads driveway at the time of his arrest. Murray cited Glenns claim that he wasnt intoxicated when he drove to his fathers house, but that he had several beers after arriving.

After convicting him of the metabolite DUI charge, Reed sentenced Glenn to 90 days to a year in the county prison.

On appeal, Glenn argued that he didnt commit any crime because the state Legislature has not made it illegal for someone to drive with the metabolites of medically prescribed substances in their bloodstreams.

We agree, Murray wrote.

After all, she noted, people using prescription medications are still legally allowed to drive in Pennsylvania.

We cannot conclude that the Legislature intended to permit an individual to lawfully operate a motor vehicle while a medically prescribed parentcontrolled substance is in their bloodstream, but simultaneously prohibit this same individual from lawfully operating a vehicle while a metabolite of the same substance is in their bloodstream, Murray wrote.

The county judge misread the law, she found.
Queensland senator Pauline Hanson has called for medical cannabis to be made affordable for families who are spending thousands of dollars a month on medicine.

Ms Hanson shared a clip from A Current Affair on Friday, using it as an example of Australians who are struggling to afford medical cannabis to treat their conditions.

In the video, parents Chad and Tamara Edwards give their young daughter Carlie CBD oil to treat her seizures caused by druvet syndrome.

The syndrome is a rare, drug-resistant epilepsy that begins in the first year of life in an otherwise healthy infant.

The parents spend $1,100 a month on CBD oil.

Mr and Mrs Edwards, who run a family business and have three daughters, are under huge financial pressure as the cost of the oil will increase as Carlie will require larger doses as she grows older.

Ms Hanson said the family's plight is a shining example of why 'medical cannabis should be more available and affordable'.

Queensland senator Pauline Hanson (pictured) shared a clip from A Current Affair on Friday, using it as an example of Australians who are struggling to afford medical cannabis to treat their conditions

'When it comes to making sure everyday Aussies can access and afford medical cannabis we have come a long way but there is still much work to be done,' Ms Hanson wrote on Facebook.

'As this segment from A Current Affair shows, for too many Aussies, medical cannabis is still needlessly expensive and difficult to access.

'Australians should not be suffering pain and dying because their government is failing to allow law-abiding citizens the right to medicine.

'This is why I will continue to fight to ensure that this medicine is made available to everyone that needs it.'

In Australia, medical cannabis is 20 to 40 per cent higher than other countries with medical programs such as Canada.

Epilepsy patients spend an average of $992 a month on treatment while those with chronic pain spend an $353 per month, according to Cannabis Access Clinics.

Medical products are also 25 per cent higher than illegal products.

But the growing number of local Australian suppliers is expected to drive prices of medical cannabis down in the future.

In the video, toddler Carlie Edwards (pictured) had intense seizures caused by druvet syndrome, a rare, drug-resistant epilepsy that begins in the first year of life in an otherwise healthy infant

Carlie's parents Chad and Tamara Edwards gave their daughter cannabidiol (CBD) oil to their daughter to treat her epilepsy. CBD is used to treat many medical conditions, while the other component of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), has psychoactive effects

Cannabis is made up of two main components, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

CBD in oil form is commonly used to treat epilepsy and muscle pain while THC is the psychoactive part of cannabis that is often recreationally used.

Earlier this month, Ms Hanson leveraged the Coalition to rush through Senate legislation that will make it easier to export medical cannabis and hemp products.

The Coalition needed Ms Hanson to vote against extending JobKeeper to universities, foreign-owned companies with local workers and restoring the one-week consultation period for pay cuts.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud introduced the Export Control Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 on May 13, seeking to rush it through the Senate.

The bill will allow for the export of certain narcotic goods, such as medicinal cannabis and low-THC hemp products.

Although Labor's leader of Opposition business Tony Burke and agriculture spokesperson Joel Fitzgibbon were suspicious of the Coalition's motives, they said the party would back the bill.

The bill is yet to reach the Senate floor but is expected to be passed when it does.

Ms Hanson eats a pizza. The senator believes medical cannabis should be both more widely available and affordable to 'everyday Australians'

Ms Hanson's One Nation party has supported medical cannabis since 2015.

'One Nation believes a trial of cannabis is deemed to be a reasonable option for people who are suffering, after all, other treatments are in some cases not effective enough,' the One Nation website reads.

'Due to Australias draconian laws on the use of medical cannabis many are going overseas to access the medicine. Australians found using it are facing criminal charges and prison sentences.

'Australian politicians should not stand in the way of Australians fighting to save their loved ones.'

At a federal level, medicinal cannabis has been legal since 2016 while its recreational use is not.

To use medicinal cannabis, a patient must apply to do so with the Therapeutic Goods Administration for approval to do so.

After being approved, people can buy medical cannabis products from licensed manufacturers.

The ACT is the only state in Australia to legalise the recreational use of cannabis, having passed a bill in September last year.

In Canberra, people can possess up to 50 grams of dried cannabis, 150 grams of fresh cannabis, grow two cannabis plants per person and use cannabis at home.
US President Donald Trump on Friday said he was severing ties with the World Health Organization, signalling the end of hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to the UN agency as the deadly coronavirus pandemic rages on. As Europe speeded along the path to reopening after months of crippling lockdowns, Trump's move is likely to spark dismay, especially in other parts of the world where the outbreak has yet to reach its peak. Russia recorded a record number of deaths on Friday and several nations in Latin America are bracing for difficult weeks ahead, especially Brazil, where the toll has soared. Last month, Trump suspended funding to the WHO, accusing it of not doing enough to curb the initial spread of the novel coronavirus and being too lenient with China, where the global outbreak began last year. On Friday, he made that decision permanent -- a dire one for the UN agency's finances as the United States is by far its biggest contributor, having given $400 million last year. "Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization," Trump told reporters. The Republican leader said the US would be redirecting funds previously allocated to the WHO "to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs." "The world needs answers from China on the virus. We must have transparency," Trump said. Beijing has furiously denied the US allegations that it played down the threat when the virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan, and insisted it has been forthcoming. So far, the pandemic has claimed more than 362,000 lives and hammered the global economy. Populations are learning to adjust to life with the long-term threat of infection as the virus continues its march around the globe -- with more than 5.8 million cases -- and a vaccine remains elusive. - Record new deaths in Russia - Russia reported a record increase of 232 coronavirus deaths on Friday, just four days before the capital Moscow is due to ease its lockdown. With 387,623 cases, it now has the third-highest number of infections in the world after the United States and Brazil. Moscow's lockdown is to be eased from Monday, with some non-food retail shops to reopen and outdoor exercise permitted. - 'Dark and meaningless' - Moscow will thus be following the lead of many other European and North American cities that are slowly emerging from strict stay-at-home orders as the summer holiday season approaches. Tourism-dependent Greece said it will reopen two main airports to arrivals from 29 countries from June 15. However hard-hit countries such as France, Spain, Britain and Italy -- were not on the list. In Austria, hotels were allowed to reopen for tourists on Friday under special guidelines, including the obligatory wearing of masks in key areas. "It's of course a lot more effort now. But the most important thing is that guests return," Gilbert Kratschmann, marketing manager at the Das Triest boutique hotel in Vienna, told AFP. In Italy, gondola makers in Venice are looking forward to June 3 when tourists will be allowed to return, albeit with mandatory face masks. "Venice without gondolas is dark and meaningless," said Roberto Dei Rossi, one of the few remaining traditional carpenters who build the long black boats. Turkey too moved ahead with easing restrictions as mosques opened for the first time in months, drawing hundreds of worshippers in protective masks for mass prayers in Istanbul. In the United States, outdoor dining resumed Friday in the US capital Washington -- with proper social distancing. And New York, once the epicenter of the US outbreak, is "on track" to begin reopening the week of June 8, state Governor Andrew Cuomo said. The sporting world is also trying to get back on the ball. England's FA Cup final is set to take place on August 1, football authorities announced Friday, and competition in Spain's La Liga will resume on June 11. - 'Everything has changed' - While Europe reopens, the urgency of tackling the disease elsewhere in the world was underlined by ballooning death tolls in South America -- most alarmingly in Brazil where more than 26,000 have died. Chile posted another record number of deaths in a 24-hour period. The overall total neared 1,000. More than 80 percent of the country's known cases are in the capital Santiago. Iran meanwhile announced its highest number of new coronavirus infections in nearly two months. The economic carnage also continued unabated, with India's economy growing at its slowest pace in two decades in the first quarter, and Canada and Brazil also saying their GDP figures had shrunk. Canada extended its ban on cruise ship travel in its territorial waters through the end of October -- a blow for companies offering autumn foliage viewing trips that included Canadian stops. And the toll on workers around the world was illustrated by the news that French car giant Renault plans to cut 15,000 jobs as part of a two-billion-euro ($2.2 billion) cost-cutting drive. burs-sst/ec
(Newser)  The governor of Minnesota on Thursday activated the National Guard, and 500 soldiers will respond to Minneapolis, which has seen protests every night since Tuesday over the Monday death of George Floyd. Also Thursday, the mayor of Minneapolis declared a state of emergency, KSTP reports. Looting, violence, smashed windows, and fires were widespread, and Fox 9 reports that after the Third Precinct police station started burning, the city warned that if gas lines had been cut the building could explode. CBS Minnesota reports protesters broke in and took over the building late Thursday.

story continues below

Meanwhile, in Washington, President Trumpwho earlier declared justice would be served in Floyd's deathon Thursday referred to the Minneapolis protesters as "thugs," the Raw Story reports. "I cant stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right," Trump tweeted, adding, "These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!" (Read more George Floyd stories.)
A laptop seized during a probe into MP entitlements may contain material showing 'overseas sexual exploitation of minors' which allegedly included videos of young Asian girls.

Western Australia Attorney-General John Quigley used parliamentary privilege on Thursday to claim the laptop may contain child exploitation material.

The Corruption and Crime Commission is trying to reseize the laptop, which is being held by the upper house amid a dispute between the two bodies.

A laptop seized during a probe into MP entitlements may contain material showing 'overseas sexual exploitation of minors' which allegedly included videos of young Asian girls

'A warrant was issued and a laptop taken and that led to a criminal investigation,' Mr Quigley said in parliament.

'I'm not saying there's a crime committed because it's very hard sometimes to tell the age of Asian girls, very hard.

'But there had to be an investigation as to what was on this computer and as to whether it involved overseas sexual exploitation of minors.

'That's still a current ongoing inquiry and a computer is locked away in this parliament somewhere with that evidence.'

Western Australia Attorney-General John Quigley (pictured) used parliamentary privilege on Thursday to claim the laptop may contain child exploitation material

Opposition leader Liza Harvey said Mr Quigley should provide any evidence he has to the police.

'The Attorney-General is well-known for making unsubstantiated claims under the cover of parliamentary privilege,' she said.

The Legislative Council took possession of the laptop after it argued the device was subject to parliamentary privilege, which meant the CCC had overstepped its powers.

The battle has now gone to the WA Supreme Court.

John McKechnie was leading the investigation into the expenses scandal, but his reappointment as the CCC commissioner was recently blocked.
LONDON, Ontario, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pearl River Holdings Limited (the Corporation or Pearl River) (TSXV: PRH) announces that, further to its April 28, 2020 news release in relation to the timing of the filing of its year-end financial statements, the Corporation now expects to file such documents on or prior to June 15, 2020.



The Corporation also announces that due to the continuing logistics and delays caused by the COVID-19 virus, it will also rely on the exemption provided in Ontario Instrument 51-502 - Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements of the Ontario Securities Commission, to postpone the filing of the following continuous disclosure documents (collectively, the Interim Documents):

the Corporations unaudited financial statements for the interim period ended March 31, 2020, as required by section 4.4 of National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations (NI 51-102); and

the Corporations Managements discussion and analysis for the interim period ended March 31, 2020, as required by section 5.1(2) of NI 51-102.

The Corporation expects to file the Interim Documents no later than July 14, 2020.

Until the Corporation has filed the required Interim Documents, members of the Corporations management and other insiders are subject to an insider trading black-out policy reflecting the principles contained in section 9 of National Policy 11-207  Failure to File Cease Trade Orders and Revocations in Multiple Jurisdictions.

Pearl River confirms that there have been no material business developments since both the filing on November 29, 2019 of the Corporations latest interim financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2019 and the issuance on April 28, 2020 of the Corporations news release regarding the postponement of the filing of its annual financials.

About Pearl River

Through its subsidiaries, Pearl River Holdings Limiteds principal business is the manufacturing and distribution of plastic products in China, Australia and the United States of America.

For further information please contact: George Lunick

CEO

T: (519) 645-0267

E: george@lunick.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information regarding: the filing of the year-end financial statements and the Interim Documents, including the timing for the filing of the year-end financial statements and the Interim Documents. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects Pearl Rivers current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Pearl River and on assumptions Pearl River believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: the ability of Pearl River to complete the year-end financial statements and the Interim Documents in the noted timeframe. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Pearl River to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; the actual results of future operations; competition; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting Pearl River; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals; and risks related to COVID-19 including various recommendations, orders and measures of governmental authorities to try to limit the pandemic, including travel restrictions, border closures, service disruptions, non-essential business closures, quarantines, self-isolations, shelters-in-place and social distancing, disruptions to markets, economic activity, financing, supply chains and sales channels, and a deterioration of general economic conditions including a possible national or global recession; the potential impact that the COVID-19 pandemic may have on Pearl River may include: a short-term delay in payments from customers, an increase in accounts receivable and an increase of losses on accounts receivable; and decreased demand for the products and services that Pearl River offers. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Pearl Rivers disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although Pearl River has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Pearl River as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. However, Pearl River expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.
STOCKHOLM, May 29 (Reuters) - Sweden's Autoliv , the world's largest maker of airbags and seatbelts, on Friday said it had seen a very challenging start to the second quarter with the North American and European markets grinding to a halt in April.

"With our largest markets Americas and Europe virtually standing still in April, the challenges we are managing in the second quarter are unprecedented," Autoliv CEO Mikael Bratt said in a statement.

In Europe, Autoliv's sales in April declined by 89% compared to a year earlier, while sales fell by 96% in the Americas region. (Reporting by Johannes Hellstrom, editing by Helena Soderpalm)
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

The global human growth hormone market size is expected to reach a value of USD 8.5 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 8.2% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Introduction of novel therapies, increasing R&D activities, and rising awareness for the diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone (GH) disorders are expected to drive the market over the forecast period.

Key players operating in the market are involved in extensive R&D activities for the development of novel GH therapies to strengthen their position in the market. For instance, in October 2019, VISEN Pharmaceuticals, a joint venture of Denmark-based Ascendis Pharma A/S, received approval from China National Drug Administration (NMPA) for its new drug (IND) application to start Phase III clinical study of TransCon hGH. Furthermore, two South Korean companies, Genexine Inc. and Handok Inc., are conducting a Phase II clinical trial study on GX-H9, a recombinant human GH for the treatment of adult and pediatric GH deficiency.

Furthermore, increase in the number of regulatory approvals and launch of novel hGH therapies are expected to fuel the market over the forecast period. For instance, in January 2018, Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company, received United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approval for its new recombinant hGH, Zomacton (somatropin) indicated for the treatment of adult patients with GH deficiency.

Various government and private organizations have been undertaking initiatives and programs to spread awareness about GH deficiency and facilitate timely diagnosis and treatment. Nonprofit organizations such as Human Growth Foundation are engaged in providing research support and spreading awareness about GH deficiency and its treatment. Such initiatives are expected to drive the demand for hGH treatment therapies.

Access Research Report of Human Growth Hormone Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/human-growth-hormone-drugs-market

Further key findings from the study suggest:

GH deficiency was the largest application segment in 2019 owing to increase in regulatory approvals and launch of novel therapies

Rising awareness about GH deficiency, coupled with increasing hospital visits for its treatment, is expected to drive the hospital distribution channel segment

North America dominated the human growth hormone market with the largest share in 2019. This is attributed to favorable reimbursement scenario, high awareness, and the presence of major players in the region

Asia Pacific is projected to witness a lucrative CAGR over the forecast period owing to increasing penetration of key players with their new growth hormone therapies

The key players include Novo Nordisk A/S; Pfizer Inc.; Eli Lilly and Company; Sandoz International GmbH (Novartis AG); Merck KGaA; Genentech, Inc. (Roche); Ferring Pharmaceuticals; Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd; and Ipsen.

Grand View Research has segmented the global human growth hormone market on the basis of application, distribution channel, and region:

Human Growth Hormone (hGH) Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

Growth Hormone (GH) Deficiency Adult GH Deficiency Pediatric GH Deficiency

Turner Syndrome

Idiopathic Short Stature

Prader-Willi Syndrome

Small for Gestational Age

Other

Human Growth Hormone (hGH) Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

Hospital Pharmacy

Retail Pharmacy

Online Pharmacy

Specialty Pharmacy

Human Growth Hormone (hGH) Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

North America US. Canada

Europe Germany UK. Spain France Italy Russia

Asia Pacific Japan China India South Korea Singapore Australia

Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina

MEA South Africa Saudi Arabia UAE



About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.
TikTok has enjoyed its place as one of the most popular video platforms in many parts of the world, including India. In fact, TikTok has over 100 million active users in India, making it super popular here. But lately, people have stopped using TikTok due to the whole "Indian vs Chinese" app debate.

We're not going to talk about the pointless debate here, instead, we'll be focusing on an app that's getting all the attention right now. It's called Mitron, a desi TikTok rival that's currently standing as one of the most popular apps on the Google Play Store in India.

One Of The Top Apps In India

 PlayStore

Mitron is not particularly a new app. It made a debut on Google Play Store about a month ago. But it wasn't until recently that it started blowing up.



The app currently has over 5 million downloads on the Google Store and it's currently sitting on top of the charts in the Google Play Store right next to popular apps like Aarogya Setu, TikTok, and more.

Developed By An IIT Student

There's a lot that we don't know about the developer of this app, but it looks like it was made by an IIT Roorkee student. He/She quietly released the app on the Play Store without much fanfare.

IIT Roorkee student has quietly released a Tiktok clone called Mitron TV a month back and it has not only achieved 5mn installs, it is now no.2 android app in India thus raking in half a million installs per day. Name of the app is the growth hack here IMO pic.twitter.com/z24YtNOwJr  deepakabbot (@deepakabbot) May 25, 2020

Why Is The App Blowing Up In Popularity?

There are a few reasons why this app is going viral now. First of all, we believe the app is seeing a surge in downloads because of the whole "Chinese vs Indian" debate. An increasing number of people have decided to ditch Chinese products and apps for their Indian counterparts. It's a rather unhealthy trend that we're seeing across multiple sectors.

 MensXP

Additionally, recent controversies have also convinced people to get rid of TikTok. So, Mitron just happened to be that alternative which people turned towards when there's literally nothing.



Some people also believe that the name "Mitron" is the growth hack for its popularity. We won't be surprised to see people downloading Mitron thinking it's some sort of a government app.

Is It Trustworthy?

There are a few things worth mentioning here. First of all, the recent review of the app on the Google Play Store has been concerning. People have started reporting issues like not being able to log in, or not being to record and upload videos. We believe this has more to do with the whole infrastructure of the app.

Perhaps the issues are due to a weak app infrastructure that wasn't designed to withstand heavy load and such a huge demand. In any case, it's not really a good sign for the app.

 MensXP/Karthik Iyer

Additionally, the folks over at News18 have pointed out that the app's privacy page is linked to the domain shopkiller.in, which offers no results at all and loads a blank page. An app without a privacy policy page in 2020 is raising all kinds of suspicion.



So, the short answer here is no, you should probably not trust this app just yet. We are living in a world where even the most popular and secure apps are susceptible to malware attacks, and we have more than one reason to worry about in Mitron's case.

If you're downloading the app just because of the 'Made in India' narrative, then you're probably putting yourself in danger. You should probably hold on at least until there's some form of communication from the devs.
In his first five months of life, Parker Terence Lachmore has already spent more than one week in the NICU, flown from Arizona to Florida with his adoptive parents and been formally adopted over Zoom during a global pandemic.

Parker was born on New Year's Eve in Arizona. Just a few hours after his birth, his soon-to-be dads, Anthony Lach and Chris More, thousands of miles away in Florida, got the call that a baby ready to be adopted had been born.

Lach, 31, and More, 29, dropped everything and flew from their home in Orlando to Arizona to meet Parker, who was in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

PHOTO: Christopher More and Anthony Lach adopted their son, Parker Terence Lachmore, over Zoom in May 2020. (Courtesy Christopher More and Anthony Lach)

"We found out he had a traumatic birth and had an inflamed lung, which was giving him respiratory issues so he was on CPAP [continuous positive airway pressure] and had a feeding tube," Lach told "Good Morning America." "We hadn't signed any [adoption] papers yet so [the nurses] weren't allowed to tell us anything that was going on with him."

"They just kept telling us that he was going to be in the NICU a while because he was very sick," he said. "It was scaring us but every time we looked at him we just knew that he was our child and we figured no matter what it could possibly be, that we'd stay with him and we'd get through it."

MORE:Family serenades grandma outside nursing home and other seniors joined from balconies

Lach and More signed the adoption papers for Parker and then spent the next week with Parker in the NICU. The newborn defied the odds and was kept in the NICU for only nine days total, instead of the weeks or months that nurses initially predicted.

PHOTO: Christopher More and Anthony Lach adopted their son, Parker Terence Lachmore, over Zoom in May 2020. (Courtesy Christopher More and Anthony Lach)

"The NICU nurses told us that once we started to hold and carry him and feed him, that he was getting himself better," said More. "He decided that he was ready to come home with us."

More, Lach and Parker flew home to Florida as a family of three on Jan. 13. Sitting next to them on the flight, by chance, was a NICU nurse, according to Lach.

Story continues

The couple had not expected to be called for a potential adoption for several months, or even longer, so their home was not prepared for a newborn. Friends organized a registry and when Lach and More arrived home in Orlando, their kitchen was full of gifts and every item they needed at the time for Parker.

MORE: 'Hug Time': Woman's clever invention allows family to give grandma safe hugs

"All these things kept falling together in place," said Lach. "It was overwhelming."

PHOTO: Christopher More and Anthony Lach adopted their son, Parker Terence Lachmore, over Zoom in May 2020. (Courtesy Christopher More and Anthony Lach)

The couple was preparing for Parker's official adoption on April 15th when the coronavirus pandemic struck and the courthouse temporarily stopped all adoptions.

"Chris's mom was going to fly in from England and my whole family was coming and we were all going to get together at the courthouse for this huge event in our lives," said Lach. "We were just thankful to be with Parker, but we really wanted to get it finalized."

In early May, Lach and More learned the court had begun holding adoptions virtually.

Parker Terence Lachmore was formally adopted on May 14 during a Zoom call with his dads and about 25 of their family members and closest friends.

PHOTO: Christopher More and Anthony Lach adopted their son, Parker Terence Lachmore, over Zoom in May 2020. (Courtesy Christopher More and Anthony Lach)

After the virtual ceremony, Parker's adoption was celebrated with a car parade featuring nearly four dozen cars.

"We live in such a dark time, but there was so much light on that day, it was just amazing," said Lach. "For me, being a dad is something I've dreamed of since I was very little. My mom raised me in a single-family household and I always vowed that I was going to be a dad and be the best dad possible."

"It was such an overwhelming emotion," added More. "There was something about it that was just right."

Parker's middle name is Terrence, the first name of More's father, who passed away in England just before Parker was born.

Parker is now a healthy and happy baby with none of the medical complications that plagued him as a newborn, according to his dads.

Shortly after bringing Parker home to Florida, More and Lach learned that Parker has a half-sister who was also adopted. The family who adopted the 3-year-old girl lives less than 30 miles from More and Lach.

"We've been in touch and it's as if we've known them forever," Lach said of the toddler's adopted family. "It's really great to know that Parker is able to grow up with his half-sibling."

Dads adopt 5-month-old over Zoom after meeting him in NICU originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
PRINCETON, N.J., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Thomas P. Gallagher, Chairman and CEO of The MIAX Exchange Group will speak at the Piper Sandler Global Exchange & Financial Technology virtual conference on June 4, 2020 at 9:30 a.m.

"We're honored to be chosen as a company bringing advanced technologies and practices to investors trading a wide variety of sophisticated securities in an extraordinarily volatile and demanding environment," Gallagher said. "We believe that this tragic pandemic has dramatically increased the need for innovative and reliable automation of processes, procedures, business intelligence platforms and monitoring technologies in every form of endeavor, including the investment community."

The recording will be made available at the Piper Sandler website shortly after the presentation.

Corporate Communications Contacts:

MIAX

Dominique Prunetti-Miller

(609) 897-1465

[email protected]

About MIH and the MIAX Exchange Group

Miami International Holdings, Inc. (MIH) is the parent holding company of Miami International Securities Exchange, LLC (MIAX), MIAX PEARL, LLC (MIAX PEARL) and MIAX Emerald, LLC (MIAX Emerald and together with MIAX and MIAX PEARL, the MIAX Exchange Group), three fully electronic options trading exchanges. MIH also owns a controlling interest in the Bermuda Stock Exchange.

MIAX, MIAX PEARL and MIAX Emerald leverage the MIAX Exchange Group's industry-leading technology and infrastructure to provide their member firms with traditional pricing and pro rata allocation (MIAX), maker-taker pricing and price-time allocation (MIAX PEARL) market structures, and a hybrid market structure with maker-taker pricing and pro rata allocation (MIAX Emerald).

MIAX Options serves as the exclusive exchange venue for cash-settled options on the SPIKES Volatility Index (Ticker: SPIKE), a measure of the expected 30-day volatility in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).

The MIAX Exchange Group's executive offices and National Operations Center are located in Princeton, NJ, with additional offices located in Miami, FL.

To learn more about MIH and the MIAX Exchange Group visit www.MIAXOptions.com.

Disclaimer and Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities of Miami International Holdings, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the Company), and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer; solicitation or sale would be unlawful. This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

All third-party trademarks (including logos and icons) referenced by the Company remain the property of their respective owners. Unless specifically identified as such, the Company's use of third-party trademarks does not indicate any relationship, sponsorship, or endorsement between the owners of these trademarks and the Company. Any references by the Company to third-party trademarks is to identify the corresponding third-party goods and/or services and shall be considered nominative fair use under the trademark law.

SOURCE Miami International Holdings, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.miaxoptions.com


The Michigan Ground Water Association is urging all private well owners to prepare their water wells for potential flooding and extreme weather conditions in the coming months.

Private well owners should visit the National Ground Water Association's website, wellowner.org, which provides crucial information to water well owners on best practices to protect their systems before and after flooding. Utilizing the knowledge of the industrys top professionals, the site offers step-by-step instructions on maintenance procedures and a database of certified MGWA contractors for testing and repairs.
Former police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter

America was on tenterhooks on Friday night as the violence spiralled across the country in the wake of protests over the death of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis, filmed gasping for breath as a white policeman pinned him to the ground.

The death of George Floyd, 46, on Monday night has sparked three days of mass protests in the midwestern city. On Thursday, they spread across Chicago, New York, Denver, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Florida, New Mexico, Texas and California.

Tension in the US remained high despite the decision to charge Derek Chauvin, the officer caught on video with his knee on Mr Floyds neck, with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

The arrest of Chauvin was welcomed by Mr Floyd's family, who described it as a welcome but overdue step on the road to justice."

In a separate move, US Attorney General Bill Barr announced that the Justice Department is to investigate Mr Floyds death.

It came with Police forces across the US on alert, fearing that the backlash would be felt even more widely.

An 8pm curfew was announced in Minneapolis, the night after protesters set a police station alight and much of the city was turned into a burning wasteland. Looting was rife.

The police station was also the focus of the first protests. It is close to where Mr Floyd was captured on a bystanders camera pleading "I can't breathe" as an officer held his knee into his neck until he became motionless.

Dozens of fires were also set in nearby St Paul, where nearly 200 businesses were damaged or looted. Many had put up handmade signs early on in the night, asking to be spared. This is a BLACK-OWNED BUSINESS, read one. This is COMMUNITY-OWNED BUSINESS, said another.

Donald Trump threatened action, saying: "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" in a tweet that prompted a warning from Twitter for "glorifying violence." His tweet echoed the words of a Miami police chief in 1967 when he sent in officers to quash black protestors.

Story continues

Mr Trump criticised Minneapolis' Democratic mayor, Jacob Frey, for a "total lack of leadership" and warned he would bring the situation "under control". Mr Frey defended the city's lack of engagement with looters, saying it had become too dangerous for officers.

"I want to express our Nation's deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathies to the family of George Floyd." pic.twitter.com/eGRIJCiHUa  The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 29, 2020

The president also tweeted "our Nation's deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathies to the family of George Floyd".

Mr Trump on Friday revealed that he had talked to family members of Mr Floyd, saying he expressed his sorrow and could see very much that they loved their relative.

The president said we all saw what we saw when speaking about the video footage of how police arrested Mr Floyd, saying that what happened was horrible.

He also offered some views on the case, saying that it looks to him like there was no excuse for Mr Floyds death while in police custody.

The president also offered some more nuanced comments on the protesters in Minneapolis, having described them as thugs in a tweet during Thursday night.

"I understand the hurt, I understand the pain. People have really been through a lot, Mr Trump said, saying that some of the protesters were good people. But he also said that others "did a great disservice to their state and to their city". At one point he noted: Law and order will prevail.

Joe Biden, who also spoke to Mr Floyds family, said the US is a country with an open wound.

None of us can be silent. None of us can any longer, can we hear the words 'I can't breathe' and do nothing," he said. The original sin of this country still stains our nation today, and sometimes we manage to overlook it, he added. We need justice for George Floyd. We need real police reform, police reform which holds bad cops to account.

Gunfire also broke out in several US cities, including Louisville, Kentucky, where police say seven people were injured in a shooting. Several hundred protesters had turned out to demonstrate against the death of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was shot dead by police in March while she slept in her home.

As smoke filled the Minneapolis skyline on Thursday, the state's governor Tim Walz deployed around 500 National Guard soldiers to restore peace. Armed with assault-style rifles, the soldiers blockaded the streets surrounding the most heavily damaged areas of the city as firefighters worked throughout the day to put out the blazes.

Further shocking scenes played out across America's TV screens on Friday morning, as officers in Minneapolis arrested a CNN television crew who were reporting on the unrest. While live on air, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez, who is black and Latino, was handcuffed and led away along with two other team members. CNN reported that another one of its journalists, Josh Campbell, who is white, said he was "treated much differently."

The Minnesota State Patrol said the journalists were among four people arrested as troopers were "clearing the streets and restoring order," and they were released after it was confirmed they were members of the media. CNN said the arrests constituted "a clear violation of their First Amendment rights."

The protests in Minneapolis first erupted on Tuesday, after distressing footage of Mr Floyd's death circulated online. It showed him lying face down and handcuffed, groaning for help and repeatedly saying, "please, I can't breathe," before becoming motionless as officer Derek Chauvin presses his knee against him.

Mr Chauvin was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Mr Floyd was unresponsive for nearly three minutes before Mr Chauvin removed his knee from his neck, the criminal complaint stated.

Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous, the complaint added. A pre-autopsy report found Mr Floyd had an underlying heart condition. This, combined with any potential intoxicants in his system and the restraining force used by Mr Chauvin, "likely contributed to his death", the complaint said. Prosecutors said they also expect to file charges against three other officers involved in the incident. All four officers were dismissed earlier this week.

The tension was heightened further when another video emerged apparently showing three officers kneeling on Mr Floyd.

The charges have done little to turn the public tide of anger building in America over the spate of recent instances of police brutality towards unarmed black men.

Last month, viral footage showing the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black jogger in Georgia, at the hands of a white former police officer also sparked public unrest. Protesters recalled the death of Mr Arbery and other African Americans, including Eric Garner and Michael Brown, as they took to the streets in their hundreds this week.

By Thursday night, hundreds of demonstrators returned to the Minneapolis neighbourhood at the centre of the violence. Others descended on government offices in downtown Minneapolis for a peaceful protest.

Will Robinson, a local music artist who has been organising peaceful protests in Minneapolis, said the charges against Mr Chauvin did not go far enough.

"He needs first-degree murder, and the other officers need to be arrested too," Mr Robinson told The Telegraph. "If it was anyone else you would get charged."

Mr Robinson said he began protesting on Tuesday after seeing a video of Mr Floyd's arrest. "I couldnt sit idly by and watch another injustice happen to one of our people, to a fellow human," he said. "I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure this wasnt going to be swept under the rug by the government."

Mr Robinson said he suspected that the violence the city has witnessed "had been triggered by a few individuals". "Everything was peaceful until a masked man came and smashed a window," he said, adding that the man later headed into the nearby police precinct.

Mr Robinson said he and his fellow organisers have attempted to keep the peace and plan to focus on the original reason for the protest as they return to the streets on Friday night.

Minnesota's governor, Mr Walz, pleaded with protesters as he insisted Mr Floyd's death would bring about change. "It is time to rebuild," he said. "Rebuild the city, rebuild our justice system and rebuild the relationship between law enforcement and those they're charged to protect".

The city - and the nation - braced for another night of violence.
A stolen ambulance driven by a naked man crashed into the side of a West End cultural centre Friday morning, forcing pedestrians to flee from its path.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A stolen ambulance driven by a naked man crashed into the side of a West End cultural centre Friday morning, forcing pedestrians to flee from its path.

Paramedics were checking on a man near Notre Dame Avenue and Furby Street around 8:30 a.m., when he became aggressive and violent, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Chief John Lane told reporters.

The suspect managed to get control of the ambulance, and then drove erratically before hitting the exterior of the Portuguese Cultural Centre at 659 Young St. Police took him into custody and he was transported to hospital.

"Were very grateful that nobody  none of our crews and none of the public, apart from the individual in question  suffered any physical injuries in this incident," Lane said.

A witness said the man was naked; another source told the Free Press the suspect appeared to be high on methamphetamine.

Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Rob Carver said he could not confirm those details.

Cortney Creasy said the suspect was moving erratically and couldnt control his body. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

"I saw a man in an ambulance driving the wrong way on Notre Dame, driving erratically. He (appeared) half-naked at that time, I didnt realize he was fully naked," said Cortney Creasy, who works at IBEW Training Centre on Notre Dame.

Creasy said she later spoke to police at the scene, who told her the man was in "psychosis." She said officers used a Taser on the suspect, but it had no effect.

"He was moving erratically. He couldnt control his body functions. It didnt look like he had any control over himself," she said.

Boretta Construction employee Shawn Flett said he was working on a nearby sidewalk when he saw an ambulance driving the wrong way on Notre Dame Avenue. He and a co-worker had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.

"No injuries to us, besides the fear that something couldve happened if he didnt have his siren on or anything. It couldve been a lot worse, but we dont like to think about that," Flett said.

Creasy added she was "in a lot of shock" over the incident, saying the street is often busy, and at least 100 people could have been seriously hurt on a different day.

"The scary part was when he got out (of the crashed vehicle) because he was completely naked and you could tell he wasnt in his right mind, he was talking crazy," she said.

Boretta Construction employees Shawn Flett (right) and Dean Jorgenson had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit by the ambulance. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

Lane would not confirm whether the person involved was under the influence of drugs or naked at the time of the incident, citing privacy laws.

"What I will say is that the behaviour and condition of the individual was such that it was obvious that that individual required some help," the fire chief said.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The most recent high-profile case of a stolen Winnipeg emergency vehicle occurred in November 2019, when a fire truck that had been left running and unattended on the 1600 block of Henderson Highway was hijacked.

The resulting 40-minute chase ended downtown and caused $110,000 in damages and injured one person.

Earlier this month, 36-year-old Bai Koroma was released on bail after being charged with theft of a motor vehicle and several other charges.

 with files from Ruth Bonneville

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: malakabas_
Kenya Moores lifelong dream of becoming a wife and mother was granted when she married Marc Daly and welcomed their daughter just a year later. But Moore shocked fans when she announced that she and Daly were headed for divorce.

Marc Daly, Brooklyn Daly, and Kenya Moore on The Tamron Hall Show 2019 | Jeff Neira/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

RHOA cameras followed as she and Daly argued during season 12 and sympathized with Moore as her marriage fell apart but things have since changed and Moore and Daly are working to reconcile. Now, Moore says the two are in talks of having a second baby.

Kenya Moore had a long and difficult road to motherhood

From the moment she stepped foot in front of RHOA cameras during season 5, Moore spoke of her desire to be a mother. She joined the cast when she was 40-years-old and was looking to settle down and start the family shed always dreamed of.

Source: YouTube

Moore was dating Walter Jackson during her inaugural season and was hopeful that shed finally found Mr. Right but Jackson fell short. They split after he failed to propose so that they could start a family and Moore refused to waste any more time.

By the next season, Moore considered having a baby as a single mother as she continued to have little luck in the love department. She consulted with fertility specialists who gave her several options and she visited a sperm bank to view profiles of potential donors but ultimately decided she wanted a husband and a baby at once.

Her wish came true when she met and married New York City restaurateur Marc Daly in 2017. They welcomed their daughter, Brooklyn Doris Daly the following year with help of IVF. Moore was 47-years-old at the time and has referred to Brooklyn as her miracle baby.

Kenya Moore says she and Marc Daly are considering having another baby

Moores happily ever after began to unravel in 2019. Season 12 of RHOA documented the demise of her picture-perfect home with Daly and chronicled their struggle to communicate effectively and Dalys often tense and frustrating attitude toward his wife. After a major blow-up around Dalys charity event, Moore announced that she and Daly were going their separate ways.

It was widely speculated that Daly hated being part of RHOA and resented Moore for returning to the show. The two communicated through Brooklyns nanny after Daly moved from Moores Atlanta home where he lived part-time back to New York. After seeing his behavior on the show, Moore said that Daly had a change of heart and wanted to work on their marriage. The two are currently in counseling.

Things must be going well as Moore says despite them living in separate states, they are in talks about expanding their family.

Its a conversation that were still trying to figure out, honestly. But I really feel, more and more, that I do [want to]. Time is ticking, and I want them to be close in age and its a sensitive subject, she said as reported by The Jasmine Brand.

Moore says Daly is hesitant to have another child as he has two other children from a previous marriage but its something Moore wants. Moreso, Moore explained that Daly is concerned that having another child will interrupt the work they are currently doing to get their marriage back on track and that he may not also share the same bond with another child as he does with Brooklyn.

Additionally, Moores pregnancy with Brooklyn was extremely high risk and she had several complications throughout and during birth. Still, Moore is hopeful they will expand their family soon.
European Union foreign ministers debated Friday ways to manage tense relations with China as it asserts more control over Hong Kong and amid concern about Beijings influence over EU officials.

The ministers, holding talks via videoconference, are weighing the need for firm policy against the damage that it might do to business ties between the Asian economic giant and the worlds biggest trading bloc.

The 27 EU nations are often divided in their approach to China, but Beijings imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong  a Chinese territory that is supposed to have a high degree of autonomy under a one-country, two systems framework  seems to have united them.

Hong Kongs high degree of autonomy cannot be undermined. We expect the freedoms and rights for the citizens to be protected through their basic law and the one country, two systems principle, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Friday.

Hong Kongs pro-democracy opposition sees the move as an assault on the territorys autonomy, and the United States has called on China to back off on the security law. But no talk of any EU action, never mind sanctions, is likely.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who is chairing the meeting, said Monday that the bloc needs a more robust strategy toward China amid signs that Asia is replacing the United States as the center of global power.

Borrell said that relations between Brussels and Beijing arent always based on trust, transparency and reciprocity, and that we only have a chance if we deal with China with collective discipline.

He noted that an EU-China summit this fall could be an opportunity to do so.

In recent weeks, Borrell has been forced twice to deny that the External Action Service  the EUs equivalent of a foreign office has bowed to Chinese pressure to water down a report on fake news linked to the coronavirus and a newspaper op-ed referencing the diseases origins in Wuhan.
India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist

India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent

India wants environment of trust before talks with Nepal

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 29: India wants Nepal to create an atmosphere of trust before it could go ahead with the foreign secretary level talks.

This is a continuous process and requires constructive and positive efforts, Anurag Srivastava, spokesperson, MEA said. India believes that there has been no lack of engagement between the two countries, he also said.

Foreign Secretary, Harsh Shringla has already met with Nepal Ambassador, Nilambar Acharya twice. Nepal has been seeking for talks on Kalapani, last year, after India released its new map following the re-organisation of Jammu and Kashmir.

Border row with India worsens as Nepal approves new map with Lipulekh

It may be recalled that Nepal's decision to alter its map had been put on hold earlier this week.

LAC tensions: India denies having discussed Chinese aggression with Trump | Oneindia News

Nepal PM, K P Oli had failed to build a consensus. May felt that this was an effort on Oli's part to whip up ultra-nationalistic sentiments against India.

Last week, after Nepal made public its new map, claiming territory under India's control, the government hit back saying that the revised official map was a unilateral act and not based on facts.

Anurag Srivastava, spokesperson Ministry of External Affairs said that what Nepal did was contrary to the bilateral understanding to resolve outstanding boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue. Such artificial enlargement of territorial claims will not be accepted by India, he also said.

India also urged Nepal to refrain from such unjustified cartographic assertion and respect India's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We hope that Nepalese leadership will create a positive atmosphere for diplomatic dialogue to resolve the outstanding boundary issues, the MEA spokesperson also said.

Indian virus looks more lethal than Chinese, Italian: Nepal PM

Last week Nepal's cabinet endorsed a new political map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura under its territory, amid a border dispute with India.

The move announced by foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali came weeks after he said that efforts were on to resolve the border issue with India through diplomatic initiatives.

Nepal's ruling Nepal Communist Party lawmakers have also tabled a special resolution in Parliament demanding return of Nepal's territory in Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh.

The Lipulekh pass is a far western point near Kalapani. Both India and Nepal claim Kalapani as an integral part of their territory - India as part of Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district and Nepal as part of Dharchula district.

Gyawali said that the official map of Nepal will soon be made public by the Ministry of Land Management.

Indian officials say that they are upset that Nepal did not wait for the foreign secretary level talks. The government had assured Kathmandu that the talks would take place once the threat from COVID-19 subsides. Nepal on the other hand claimed that a dialogue was sought in November last year itself.

It may be recalled that India had donated the antimalarial drug HCQ and 30,000 test kits to Nepal.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, May 29, 2020, 8:37 [IST]
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 20:56:43|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

KUNMING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and five others injured after a suspected explosion hit a hydropower plant in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Friday.

The emergency management department of Yunnan said the accident happened at 11:10 a.m. at the Sinanjiang Hydropower Station in Mojiang County. It happened as workers were dredging the dam's ventilation tunnel.

Authorities said the rescue operation had been completed and the injured were not in a life-threatening condition. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the accident. Enditem
Presumably referring to a recent honor killing, the Twitter account of Iran's Supreme Leader on family and women's issues (Reyhane) on Thursday called for "tough punishments" for those who use violence against women.

The tweet by Reyhane did not directly refer to the honor killing but quoted an old remark by Khamenei: "The society, both from the legal point of view and the ethical perspective, must adopt tough punishments against those who believe they are entitled to violate women's rights".

Khamenei made the remarks in a speech on October 22, 1997 to women at Tehran's Azadi Stadium where 100,000 were brought together to listen to the Supreme Leader's views on family and women. In his speech Khamenei criticized the "moral depravity" of the West but said women's rights, within the confines of the sharia, should be respected.

Reyhane also tweeted another quote from Khamenei on the same day on "Western views on women, human rights, freedom and democracy" and not giving in to such demands which are in contradiction to Islam.

Iranian media have interpreted the tweet as a response to the killing of Romina Ashrafi, a fourteen-year-old girl who was beheaded by her father in an act of honor killing a few days earlier.

Hamshahri Online quoted the tweet by @khameeneireyhane in a report and titled it "Reaction of Supreme Leader's Office To Bitter Story of Romina".

Police on May 26 arrested the young girl's father after widespread reaction to the tragedy across the country and on social media.

On May 26 President Hassan Rouhani issued an order to speed up the review of a bill titled "Protection, Dignity and Ensuring Security for Women Against Violence".

Masoumeh Ebtekar, President Rouhani's Family and Women's Affairs Deputy, has said that the killing was raised at a cabinet meeting. The bill on the punishment of violence against women would be placed on the agenda of the Parliament out of turn, she said.
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese government advisers proposed on Friday that the administration map out guidelines for how to achieve both the containment of the new coronavirus in the country and a return to economic activity.

Private-sector members of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, the government's top advisory panel, said the government should proceed with digitalizing more of its work, especially administrative functions, in the coming year.

Their proposals will be reflected in the government's mid-year policy guidelines, which will be unveiled around mid-July. The government usually approves the guidelines in June but the process has been delayed this year due to the pandemic.

(Reporting by Daniel Leussink and Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Ms Constance Baidoo, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Director for the Department of Social Welfare has bemoaned the alarming increasing cases of incest and defilement in peri-urban communities of the Metropolis.



Ms. Baidoo who made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency explained that victims of this incestuous act were mostly girls aged between 15-18 years who are often coerced into sex, not just once but on several occasions.



She indicated that many cases were from separated marriages and broken homes.



According to her, the trauma and the threats alone discouraged the victims from speaking about it and quite often people prejudge and call them names such as spoilt kids and others.



She disclosed that two of such cases were investigated by the department last year while many of them were referred to her outfit by the CHRAJ and other allied agencies.



Ms. Baido further explained when her outfit receives such reports, they usually remove the children from the threat of abuse before investigations commence. In such circumstances, custody is granted, preferably to a responsible relative, she added.



While expressing her dissatisfaction over the development, she expressed hope that her outfit would come up with practical steps to tackle the situation and also admonished parents and all stakeholders to join hands in educating young girls about the dangers of teenage pregnancy.



For her part, Madam Afua Yankson, Western Regional Deputy Chief Investigator of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) bemoaned the situation where some parents encouraged or forced their teenage daughters into marriages without recourse to their welfare and the pregnancy.



She called for the need for experts and educationists to gather feedback to develop a roadmap to check the rate at which young girls were forced out of school as a result of teenage pregnancy.



She called for a concerted effort to tackle the alarming rate of teenage pregnancies in Ghana as experts and government officials have been deliberating on ways to achieve the sustainable development goals through improved access to reproductive health and rights.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
By Samuel Shen, Yawen Chen and Clare Jim

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - China's plans to introduce real estate investment trusts (REITs) mark a crucial step to get private money to fund infrastructure such as toll roads and sewage systems, but authorities have their work cut out in creating a fully-fledged market.

In many countries REITs are used as a means for investors to own property via the stock market, enjoying the income from projects such as tenanted office blocks, while allowing developers to free up their balance sheets for new ventures.

The test, say experts, is whether Beijing is able to develop a more market-based means of financing future growth, which evolve only slowly but has the advantage of enlarging the pool of available capital and weaning off inefficient state players.

Half a dozen infrastructure experts, fund managers and lawyers told Reuters that setting up a REITs market in China could prove tricky, pointing to difficulties such as lack of sufficient returns, stakeholder reluctance as well as legal and tax issues.

Leo Zhang, an infrastructure expert in China and Chairman of Jumbo Consulting, an infrastructure-focused consultancy, expects it will take several years to develop the market.

"In the foreseeable future, for example, in the next 5 years or so, I don't think the scale will be too large. Just a dozen products nationwide initially," Zhang said.

Under the pilot unveiled last month by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the state planning agency, assets eligible for issuing REITs include data centres, toll highways and sewage systems among others. They must be operational for at least three years.

Though property is currently excluded for fear of stoking an asset bubble, the REITs could unlock funds for the next wave of job-creating infrastructure projects as China strives to revive economic growth amid its worst downturn in three decades.

$3 TRILLION MARKET?

A broader China REITs market that eventually covers property could reach over $3 trillion (2.4 trillion pounds), Goldman Sachs estimates - surpassing the United States as the world's largest.

Story continues

Yet, experts say developing a market even a tenth of that size would first need authorities to address some fundamental issues.

The biggest snag is finding projects for China's REITs that offer attractive returns since few, funded by cheap state loans, were designed with market-level returns in mind.

"Return in infrastructure is particularly low in China compared to in other markets," Jumbo Consulting's Zhang said.

Infrastructure funded through public-private partnerships (PPP), which have to date led China's efforts to attract private investors, usually yield at best between 5% and 6%, compared to between 12 and 15% for those in Western economies, according to Zhang.

The low-returns problem has stung Beijing before, when it stumbled in its 2016 push for PPP Asset-Backed Securities (ABS) as some seemingly promising projects suffered losses for consecutive years.

NDRC and the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), who jointly issued the circular in April, did not respond to requests for comment.

TAX, LEGAL UNCERTAINTIES

Even for higher yielding projects, questions remain over whether the current shareholders  local authorities and others - would have enough incentive to sell into REITs given they are now enjoying the returns on their initial investments.

Taxation is another issue.

The risk is that under current rules the asset owners - still likely to be the government vehicles, with REIT-holders owning the right to the income stream - are liable for high income tax and various value-added taxes.

There have been calls for tax breaks to help kickstart the new market, but these can be complex to set up on a project before the REIT containing it is successfully listed.

"In my view some tax policies can be given at the operational level of REITs. But how to give them on the project offloading level, it may not be that easy," said Deloitte partner Yu Na in Beijing.

Legal issues also loom large given China's lack of a well-established legal framework.

"If the purpose is only to explore new funding sources to relieve local government investment vehicles' debt burden temporarily, without optimising the legal, execution and information disclosures on the fundamental assets, it could be too flawed to attract long-term investors," said Kenny Wu, head of China Credit Research at Hong Kong-based asset manager BFAM Partners.

(Reporting by Samuel Shen in Shanghai, Yawen Chen in Beijing and Clare Jim in Hong Kong; Editing by Jennifer Hughes & Shri Navaratam)
Indias economic growth slipped to 3.1 per cent in the January-March quarter of 2019-20 showing impact of Covid-19 pandemic.

The gross domestic product (GDP) had expanded by 5.7 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2018-19, according to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Friday.

In 2019-20, the Indian economy grew by 4.2 per cent against 6.1 per cent expansion in 2018-19.The government imposed lockdown on March 25 to combat Covid-19.

However, slowing down of business activities across the world in January-March impacted the Indian economy.

The Reserve Bank had pegged the GDP growth for 2019-20 at 5 per cent as projected by the NSO in its first and second advance estimates released earlier this year in January and February respectively.

Chinas economy shrank by 6.8 per cent in January-March 2020 due to the impact of coronavirus infection.
Varanasi May 29 : The first consignment of 'Banarasi Langda', a variety of mango, has left for Dubai from Varanasi. It will reach Dubai in a week.

The consignment, which left for Lucknow enroute to Dubai on Thursday, had mangos plucked from an orchard of Bhikharipur village in Varanasi's Raja Talab area.

Divisional Commissioner Varanasi, Deepak Agrawal, said, "It was under the guidance of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, a farm producers' organisation named Jayapur Seeds Producers of Jayapur village (that was adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014) that the buyers were explored in Dubai." He said that the first consignment of three tonnes of the Banarasi Langda mango is being sent to the packing units of Lucknow. After getting packed there it will be transported to Delhi from where it will go to Dubai by air cargo.

The owner of the orchard Shardul Singh of Bhikharipur village said, "With 525 mango trees of different varieties in my 45 hectare orchard, it is an emotional moment for me to see the produce of my orchard going abroad." In the ongoing lockdown, this is the second occasion when agrarians and horticulturists are opening avenues in new global markets for their products.

A Ghazipur farmer has already sent four tonnes of green vegetables to London on April 22. The farmer Ram Kumar Rai had exported four tonnes of green vegetables, including chilli, cucumber and lauki (gourd) to London.

Dussehri was the first variety of mango from Uttar Pradesh to hit the export market, which was earlier dominated by Alphonso mango as an Indian brand.

According to mango expert Insram Ali, "Langda is the main variety cultivated in Varanasi, its surrounding regions and also parts of Bihar and West Bengal where it is known by other names like Malda and Dunka." "Among Langda, the Banarasi Langda is considered to be superior due to its flavour and other specialties like thin seed," he explained.
Based in Buckinghamshire, Natural Balance produces snack bars under the Nakd and Trek brands. It was founded in 2004 by brothers Jamie and Greg Combs and grew rapidly on the back of consumer interest in healthier snacking.

In 2015, Lotus acquired a 67.2% share of the business, with the brothers remaining in charge of day-to-day operations.

Natural Balance Foods has continued to grow in the UK and overseas, and Lotus said it and the founders had agreed it has reached a point to move into a next phase, prompting Lotus to increase its stake.

The Combs are to stop managing operations at the end of this year, with Gareth Dunne, currently operations director, appointed managing director and reporting into Isabelle Maes, executive president of Natural Balance Foods.

We have great respect for what has been realised by Natural Balance Foods founders and management team, not only in terms of growth but particularly by their vision of wholefood snacking, said Maes.

Lotus last year acquired 20% of the shares in UK sourdough crispbreads supplier Peters Yard, after establishing the FF2032 (Fast Forward 2032) fund to invest in promising US and European brands and companies offering innovative products, technologies or market approaches within the food sector.
Webinars:

Through the Chamber Exchange, Systems Support Group is offering a series of webinars, with topics including using Microsoft Teams, project management, storing in the cloud, team work and efficiency.

For more than 30 years Ed Davis, president and owner of Systems Support Group, Inc. (SSGI) has helped many companies address and solve their Information Technology needs by constantly demonstrating his leadership, knowledge, experience buy supporting a cost-effective results driven philosophy. He started the company in 1983 to provide full service for computer systems to small businesses in Connecticut. The systems ranged from designing, purchasing, installation, training, maintenance and programming, and were primarily multi-user oriented, but he also installed single-user systems.

Upcoming webinars:

June 5: Microsoft Planner - Simple Project Management

June 12: Microsoft OneDrive for Business - Powerful Personal File Storage in the Cloud

June 19: Microsoft Teams - The Hub for Teamwork

June 26: Microsoft To-Do List - Getting Things Done

To register, go to https://www.syssupgrp.com/online-seminars

Volunteers wanted

Small businesses in our community are facing enormous challenges. If you are a small business in need of help, SCORE Northwest Connecticut is here for you. Learn how we can help you through this crisis at www.score.org/coronavirus .

If you can give back, SCORE Northwest Connecticut needs your help. Our work depends on our amazing volunteers. We are proud to help small businesses in the area, and would love to have you as part of our team.

Veteran training, resource network

The U.S. Small Business Administration recently announced first online Veteran Entrepreneurial Training and Resource Network Streetwise MBA program to provide virtual training for veteran small business owners and their immediate families beginning in August.

This will be the second cohort of the Veteran Owned Small Business Growth Training Pilot Program, following the successful completion of the first cohort in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in March.

The award-winning VETRN Streetwise MBA program, powered by Interise, was created exclusively for veterans to provide them with the skills, resources, mentoring, and networking necessary to grow their own small business. The program is free and open to veterans and family members of established small businesses in all New England States, New York, and New Jersey. To date, 57 VETRN participants have graduated from the program.

To learn more about the VETRN Streetwise MBA online program, see testimonials and videos, or to apply, visit www.vetrn.org. Applications may be completed on the VETRN website or by sending an email to either info@vetrn.org or lelandg@vetrn.org.

For more information about other SBA programs and resources for veterans, visit www.sba.gov/veterans.
In a biggest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases in Uttarakhand till now, 216 cases were reported from the state on Friday, taking the tally of total cases to 716. All fresh cases of people who tested positive had returned to the state from Maharashtra, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, said health officials.

In the last one week, the state has reported over 570 cases. The sudden spike in Covid-19 positive cases in Uttarakhand had started last Saturday (May 23), when the state reported 91 positive cases in a single day, which was the highest single-day jump till then.

From May 23 onwards, positive cases started soaring with people increasingly returning to the state under the evacuation process started by the state government. On Thursday, with 31 Covid-19 positive cases, Uttarakhand had reached 500 mark.

According to the health bulletin released by the state health department on Friday afternoon, of the fresh 216 positive cases, the maximum cases have been reported from Dehradun district (72), followed by Almora (21), Bageshwar (8), Tehri (8), Haridwar (5), US Nagar (5), Pauri (5), Uttarkashi (4), Rudraprayag (2) and Pithoragarh (1).

So far Nainital district has now the overall highest positive cases (224) followed by 164 in Dehradun, 70 in Tehri Garhwal, 62 in US Nagar, 48 in Haridwar, 45 in Almora, 28 in Pauri, 21 in Pithoragarh, 16 in Bageshwar, 11 in Chamoli, 14 in Uttar Kashi, 8 in Champawat and 5 in Rudraprayag.

Overall 102 people have recovered in the state so far, including 13 on Friday.

The increasing number of cases has become a matter of concern for the health department in the state now. Given the sharp rise in cases, all chief medical officers in the state have been directed to ensure the installation of adequate number of ICU beds, ventilators, procurement of medicines and oxygen supply to tackle any extreme possible situation.

Authorities in Uttarakhand are worried over spike in cases with the return of the migrants. According to government officials, over 2.59 lakh registrations for return to Uttarakhand had been made on the state website. Of these, the state government under its evacuation process has so far brought back over 1.78 lakh people through trains and buses.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Women demonstrated in front of Argentina's Congress building on Thursday to demand the legalisation of abortion.

Activists waved green handkerchiefs - the symbol of the abortion rights movement - in a protest that defied the government's ban on mass gatherings.

Some of them wore their handkerchiefs as face masks.

Protesters said the coronavirus lockdown was having a disproportionate impact on women, causing increased gender violence and job insecurity.

Abortion is illegal in Argentina except if the woman is a rape victim or if continuing the pregnancy would endanger her health.

In March, President Alberto Fernandez promised to send a bill to Congress in support of abortion rights, but the issue was then shelved because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The woman who fell to her death from the 10th floor of a $500-a-night hotel last week has been identified as a mother-of-two.

Jodie Lovell, 45, from Kareela in Sydney's south, was on a night out with her boyfriend, 48, from Panania.

The couple returned to their five-star Hyatt Regency room in Darling Harbour, in Sydney's CBD, where she fell to her death from the 10th floor balcony at 8pm on May 22.

Harbour-view balcony suites at the Hyatt Regency Hotel cost at least $509 per night.

Jodie Lovell, a 45-year-old mother of two, from Kareela in Sydney's south, was on a night out with her boyfriend, 48, from Panania

The couple returned to their five-star Hyatt Regency room in Darling Harbour, Sydney (pictured), where she fell to her death from the 10th floor balcony at 8pm on May 22

Her boyfriend told police that he locked her outside after a heated argument over text messages on the woman's phone, The Daily Telegraph reported.

He claimed he went to check on Ms Lovell a short time later but she had disappeared.

After her boyfriend realised she had fallen, he told hotel staff who called triple-0.

Emergency workers found Ms Lovell's lifeless body on a first-floor rooftop of the Sussex Street hotel.

Police said Ms Lovell had a history of depression and other mental health issues and have not determined whether she jumped or fell.

Her boyfriend told police that he locked her outside after a heated argument over text messages on the woman's phone. He claimed he went to check on Ms Lovell a short time later but she had disappeared

After her boyfriend realised she had fallen, he told hotel staff who called triple-0. Ms Lovell's lifeless body on a first-floor rooftop of the Sussex Street hotel

Sydney City police boss Superintendent Gavin Wood urged anyone who can help with their investigation to please come forward.

'The appeal is made with sincerity, the young lady was at the prime of her life, the 45-year-old woman with two young daughters. It's tragic circumstances.

'We owe it to the daughters, we owe it to her family and friends and to the community to make sure we have exhausted every investigative line.'

The police returned to the hotel this week with a dummy to try and recreate the fall several times.

Another officer abseiled down the side of the hotel to determine where and how the dummy landed on the ground.

'We had forensic police again at the scene yesterday doing forensic examinations on the scene, which include a lot of CCTV coverage,' Supt Wood said.

Police told Daily Mail Australia that no charges have been laid and but said they are 'keeping an extremely open mind' while conducting their investigation.

The police returned to the hotel this week with a dummy to try and recreate the fall several times
The prime minister of Mauritius has announced the lifting of the strict coronavirus lockdown from Sunday.



Since 20 March the Indian Ocean island nation, a popular tourist destination, has only allowed people to leave their homes if they have a work permit.



Residents have also only been allowed out to supermarkets on certain days  dependent on first letter of their surname.



But Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said supermarkets and shops would be allowed to operate normally from 31 May.



Restaurants, cafes and markets will also be able to open if they follow certain conditions to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Places of worship may also reopen.



However, beaches, nightclubs and cinemas will remain closed as well as the countrys borders. Mauritius has recorded 335 cases of Covid-19, including 10 deaths.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
In case youre keeping score, its been more than two months since Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since then, the Virginia Department of Health has reported that more than 40,000 Virginians have contracted the disease, and there have been nearly 1,300 deaths.

Northam, on May 15, allowed restaurants and nonessential businesses in most parts of Virginia to reopen as long as they could adhere to strict guidelines outlined in the governors Phase 1 plan. However, just two weeks into this first phase, Northam issued an executive order that requires everyone age 10 and older wear a face covering while inside public buildings effective today. Previously, wearing a face mask was only a recommendation.

I am taking this step because science increasingly shows us the virus spreads less easily if everyone is wearing face coverings, he said during his regularly scheduled press briefing on Tuesday.

After Northam issued the order, supporters and opponents alike posted to the governors Facebook page.

Choosing to not wear a mask=choosing to drive drunk, one person wrote in support of the order.

Another person, who opposed to order, wrote, Requiring face masks 3 months into the Pandemic is like requiring condoms at the baby shower.

Its not known why Northam decided now, two weeks into Phase 1, to require face coverings or how the order will be enforced. The order is meant not to restrict personal freedoms, but to protect our own health and others around us.

Certainly there was a public outcry when Virginia joined 24 other states and the District of Columbia in March 1987 requiring drivers and front seat passengers to wear seat belts. There was also opposition when smoking was banned in bars and restaurants in Virginia in 2009.

But the bottom line is these rules can save lives, and its possible that wearing masks can, too.

Lets face it, though. Masks are hot, inconvenient and downright weird looking. Our culture and way of life is not built around wearing a mask. Were afraid were going to get strange looks from others.

As many of us were holed up at home with nowhere to go during the governors stay-at-home order, it didnt make sense to need to wear a mask then. Now, however, as we prepare to enter Phase 2 of our state reopening, more people are venturing into public places. Some who might be carrying the virus may not be experiencing any symptoms and could unknowingly pass it to others. We need additional protection, thus the mask directive.

Heres something else to consider: For those with underlying health issues or compromised immune systems, a layer of fabric might be all thats keeping them from getting this disease. What if that person was your sister, your mother, your grandchild or your husband? Would you then consider wearing one?

On May 24, The New York Times published the names of 1,000 people who have died from the coronavirus on its front page. That number represents roughly 1% of the nearly 100,000 people reported to have died from the disease.

If wearing a mask can help slow the spread of COVID-19, wouldnt you want to do your part?
The Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse had employees scheduled to work, 18 thrift stores scrubbed clean and summer inventory ready for reopening today.

Officials from the non-profit, which uses the proceeds from its thrift shops to operate a shelter and services for people without homes, posted to social media Thursday and announced they were ready to reopen, pointing to encouragement throughout the week by Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon.

Then chaos ensued.

The state would not allow any region in New York to move into phase two of reopening after coronavirus shutdowns. The governor broke the news to local officials during a radio interview.

By late last night, the Rescue Mission postponed its reopening, said Tori Shires, chief development officer.

Due to 11th-hour changes were still on pause, Shires said. We cannot wait to open for customers as soon as possible.

Shires said the Rescue Mission has reviewed newly released state guidelines for retail businesses. The organization had already put procedures in place that address the states requirements. She said the thrift stores will be ready to open as soon as they get a date.

The Rescue Mission has already been able to operate its warehouses under the states rules. So people have been dropping off donations and employees have been processing the clothing and houseware items to get them ready to sell.

But the 18 Thrifty Shoppers and 3fifteen stores in Central New York have not yet been open to customers who rely on the low-cost goods. Thrift stores are in-person shopping experiences, Shires notes, and dont translate well to curbside pick-up. Shires said the Rescue Mission has been able to do some curbside pick-up business with items such as furniture.

In-store shopping is how thrift store shopping is done, she said. You want to see what that shirt looks like. Its difficult to buy sight-unseen.

The Rescue Mission has protocols in place to keep employees and customers safe, Shires said. They will reduce hours to allow for cleaning and sanitizing the stores, and require employees and customers to wear masks. For now, fitting rooms will remain closed.

For now, they wait.

With the stores closed, the Rescue Mission, a 133-year-old organization, is missing out on its main source of revenue. The Mission has operated its thrift shops for 50 years, and all proceeds go toward its homeless shelters and other services for people in need.

Revenue from the stores makes up 60% of the Rescue Missions annual budget.

Really, this is how the Rescue Mission survives, Shires said. She said its been a difficult 24 hours with all of the confusion among public officials. Shires worries for employees and the budgeting. I think frustration is one of the bigger feelings coming out of this."

Shires is hopeful that retail stores and other phase two businesses will get the OK to open in the next few days. She is optimistic that state officials might even provide a date or more information today.

Were ready to go, she said. Were just waiting on the go-ahead.

Small business owners: Have a question or a story to share about how youre coping through the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent shutdown? We want to hear from you. Contact Back in Business reporter Julie McMahon: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992.

CNY BACK IN BUSINESS

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Unsure which phase your small business can reopen in? Make a pitch, expert says

A lot of home-cut repair: CNY barbers are eager to fix your quarantine hair disasters

These restaurants in Central New York have closed. How many more will there be?

Want to get back to the gym? Multiple gyms plan to open for personal training within a week

Coronavirus threatens to pull the plug on Syracuses small business networks

More from CNY Back in Business

Sign up for the Back In Business newsletter to get small business advice delivered to your email inbox
WATERLOO  The Guinea Pig Sanctuary of Kitchener is raising the alarm after more than a dozen guinea pigs were found in a Waterloo park.

The first of the pigs were discovered on Monday, turning up in Heasley Park. Since then, a total of 15 have been recovered.

Catherine Warren, the founder and director of the sanctuary, says shes concerned a nearby home may have been dumping animals in the park.

Its unknown how many pigs are moving in and around the park but Warren said they continue to be located.

People keep finding more and more everyday, she said, adding the pigs found seem to be in pretty good health, apart from tender feet and long nails.

Janice Maxwell, the licence and bylaw manager with the Kitchener Waterloo Humane Society, said theyve received calls regarding found guinea pigs but have directed people to the police  investigations into abandoned animals fall under police jurisdiction.

Regional police say as of Friday at noon no report has been filed.

Maxwell said from time to time the humane society is notified of rabits, cats or other small pets being released in the wild. People dont understand that domesticated animals wont survive outside of a home, she said.

If the temperature doesnt get them, the foxes or coyotes will.

Leanne Walton, whos also involved with the sanctuary group, said her kids were the first ones to find the guinea pigs. Two of the rodents were located on Monday and more than a dozen have been recovered since.

The search effort continued on Friday, with groups of volunteers combing Heasley Park for any other guinea pigs, she said. With the hot temperatures seen earlier this week and the expected cool weather overnight on the weekend, she said any remaining pigs need to be found soon.

This weathers going to kill them. They cant survive in this kind of heat, she said.

Were really hoping that people, if they have found others, theyre going to bring them forward.

Anyone looking to adopt a guinea pig can contact the Guinea Pig Sanctuary online.
TORONTO - Huawei Technologies Co.'s push to become a leading supplier of 5G technology in Canada appears to be in jeopardy after the Chinese tech giant's CFO suffered a legal setback in a B.C. court, prompting an angry response from Beijing.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/5/2020 (602 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A security guard looks on as Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei, leaves her home to go to B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

TORONTO - Huawei Technologies Co.'s push to become a leading supplier of 5G technology in Canada appears to be in jeopardy after the Chinese tech giant's CFO suffered a legal setback in a B.C. court, prompting an angry response from Beijing.

"The chance of them being a leading supplier is next to none. I think the chance of them being involved at all in the network is still up in the air," Jonathan Berkshire Miller, an expert in international security issues with the Macdonald Laurier Institute, said Thursday.

His comments came a day after a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled that the U.S. extradition case against Meng Wanzhou, a senior Huawei executive and daughter of the founder, can proceed to the next stage.

Miller said Canada has attempted to keep its decision about Huawei's role in 5G networks separate from the Meng case but said China has retaliated by arresting two Canadians  ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor  and blocking some Canadian exports to China, including canola.

China's behaviour in the Meng case adds to the perception that it can't be trusted to allow Huawei to be independent of Beijing and abide by the local laws where it does business, Miller said.

"I think there's going to be significant pressure (against Huawei) both domestically  from parts of the national security community  and also from our allies."

For Canada's telecom industry and the federal government in Ottawa, Huawei has long been known as an important equipment supplier  one that U.S. officials consider a significant threat to national security.

That's largely because Huawei is a major supplier of the equipment needed for wireless networks that could potentially be used to gather sensitive information for the Chinese government.

IDC Canada vice-president Lawrence Surtees agreed that the Meng case may have given the Trudeau government a way to defer its decisions on Huawei but noted that the main government agency involved with the decision, the Canadian Security Establishment, hasn't found a reason to block the company.

In addition, he said, excluding Huawei from Canada could be costly and complicated for some of the wireless networks building out their 5G networks, particularly the antennae and tower base stations that Huawei has installed in Canada for a decade.

Besides that, he said Huawei has a major research and development centre for 5G and 6G technology in Ottawa.

Fifth-generation technology  which the government and carriers expect to be a catalyst for future economic growth  will be introduced in stages over about a decade, although the exact timing of the stages is uncertain.

Bell and Telus have used Huawei extensively in their fourth-generation networks and would be more affected by a Huawei ban than their rival Rogers Communications, which has predominantly used network gear from Sweden's Ericsson, Surtees said.

He added that Telus has been a more outspoken supporter of Huawei than Bell, which announced in February that Nokia of Finland  another of Huawei's two long-standing rivals  would be its first 5G supplier.

Bell Canada said in its first-quarter results that it will continue investing in network and innovation, with no changes planned for its 2020 capital budget despite uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Bell works with multiple network equipment providers, including Nokia, Cisco, Huawei and others. All of our suppliers must abide by Bell's strict security and conduct requirements including all necessary federal oversight and regulation," Bell spokesman Marc Choma said in an email.

Miller said he's had conversations with senior officials at Telus and they're "deeply frustrated" by the process.

"I'm not in a position to say whether they're going to give up on Huawei, but I think this has become much, much more complicated than they ever imagined it would be," Miller said.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"The Meng Wanzhou case, the two Michaels and so many other elements in the international geopolitical realm vis-a-vis China has complicated this decision so much."

Founded in 1987 by a former officer of the People's Liberation Army, Huawei has seen explosive growth over the past 10 years and reported revenue of US$123 billion for 2019.

It has operated in Canada since 2008 and currently employs about 960 people in this country  about 600 in research and development.

Huawei's Canadian head office is in Markham, Ont. while its Canada Research Centre is based in Ottawa. The company also has research facilities in Markham, Waterloo, Ont., Montreal, Vancouver and Edmonton.

Huawei also makes smartphones for current wireless networks, sold in Canada by Bell, Rogers, Telus, and Videotron under their main brands as well as some secondary brands such as Virgin Mobile, Fido and Koodo.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2020.
The number of foreign investment projects in Ireland dipped slightly last year as France beat Britain to top the European league for the first time, according to a survey by consultants EY.

Despite the decline in number of projects here last year, EY's European Attractiveness Survey said the businesses had indicated investments into the State would continue to be robust despite growing trade tensions, concerns over supply chains in the post-Covid era and Brexit.

"While a reduction in the total number of projects may attract attention, it's important to note that Ireland's strategy has been to focus on the value and quality of the FDI it attracts rather than the volume," said Feargal De Freine, who heads EY Ireland's foreign direct investment arm.

"The new projects secured reflect an extension of the investor and project base, with 61pc representing new projects, rather than solely building on past successes."

The UK lost its FDI crown for the first time in the survey's history and was beaten into second place by France which became Europe's top destination for FDI in 2019, attracting 1,197 new projects, a 17pc annual increase.

Ireland saw 191 investment projects last year, a fall from 205 in 2018, although the State ranks first in Europe if you calculate FDI in per capita terms, according to EY.

The inflows are also relatively resilient, with EY saying that its analysis showed that 80pc of FDI projects in Ireland are likely be maintained in post-Covid world, compared with only 65pc of projects announced in 2019 being delivered on time, while a further 25pc of projects are expected to be delayed and 10pc to be cancelled.

Some of Ireland's past success in attracting investment has been attributed to aggressive tax planning by companies, a legacy of which is playing out in EU courts over what Brussels say was a 13bn sweetheart tax deal with Apple, and corporate inversions by US companies.

The US continues to be the most active investor country in Ireland, accounting for 61pc of 2019 projects.

Ireland is a big exporter of pharmaceuticals and chemicals to the United States and was recently bracketed along with China by President Donald Trump in a comment on pharmaceuticals exports that he wanted to re-shore in the US.

Expand Close Strategy: Feargal De Freine of EY says focus is on quality over volume / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Strategy: Feargal De Freine of EY says focus is on quality over volume

"Notwithstanding the current challenges, we believe we have an opportunity to build on Ireland's proven strengths to secure our long-term attractiveness to investors," said Mr De Freine.

"For example, 82pc of those surveyed expect technology adoption to accelerate in the next three years with Ireland well positioned to compete for investment in digitisation."

The State does however need to take major steps to fix its infrastructure to keep on winning investment and a survey published this week by the National Competitiveness Council highlighted some of the shortcomings.

It said that in 2019, 22pc of enterprises in Ireland with fixed internet access had access to high-speed internet, and 90pc had speeds of at least two megabytes per second, which was significantly below the top EU performers.
The President and Board Chairman of Ghana Rugby, Herbert Mensah is pleading with all Ghanaians to wear nose masks as a protective measure against the spread of COVID-19.



Play your party, stay safe



His appeal was made by means of a video and supported with an animation image of himself wearing a face mask with an inscription Play Your Party, Stay Safe messages on it.



Be responsible



According to him, if individuals cannot be responsible, the fight against the virus will be impossible despite government efforts.



The feeling is not, COVID-19 is not going to hit us or its not too serious. But the fact still remains that, how many people do you see wearing masks anymore? How many people do you see involved in best practices? You cannot blame the government for that. We have to look at ourselves. He opined



Government is doing well, but protect yourself



Mr. Mensah lauded governments approach in the fight against the virus but added that Its up to us, to protect ourselves.



The simple dynamics of corona [COVID-19} is that it started in the far East, then they went into immediate lockdown, from there, social distancing. We know that that is the only way we can actually manage the situation. It then went down to Europe, by the time the UK realized, they had over thirty to forty thousand people dead. America thought it was an ordinary flu, today nearly 100,000 people are dead.







Where next is the epicenter?



The epicenter for this coronavirus has moved from the far East, Europe, then to America. The question is, where next? Is it Africa? I dont know. What I do know, amidst all the leading misinformation, all the fear attacks, all the negativity, the only thing that is clear, is best practices, that is the only thing that can curb this [Coronavirus].



Wearing of facemasks in public, social distancing is a must, keep away from crowded areas and the use of sanitizers and washing of hands. These are proven to curb the situation. The business mogul said in his 4minutes 8seconds video.



Talk to your families



Herbert Mensah however called on individuals to talk to our families to wear the facemask always and see what is going to happen in the next 30 to 40 days.



Prayer



I pray the epicenter does not move to Africa. God has His own light on Africa. These are things we can pray for and hope for. But the reality is, we must start enforcing best practices at home, among friends, in our federations, in our institutions, at places at work, and in society in general. he counselled

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Riddhima And Neetu's Scrabble Game

Earlier today, she also shared that her mom is good at everything, the former actress amid lockdown has given her daughter a new hairstyle. The 39-year-old fashion designer can be seen with a new haircut in the picture. She captioned the post as, "When mum is a pro in hair cut #supermom."

Riddhima's New Hairstyle

At the time of Rishi Kapoor's passing, Riddhima was in Delhi. She was unable to reach in time for her father's last rites due to the lockdown. However, according to reports, she was able to see her father and attend the ceremony through a video call with Alia Bhatt, who had been by Neetu's side all the time. After being unable to catch a flight, Riddhima drove down to Mumbai from Delhi, to be with her family.

Riddhima With Rishi Kapoor, Neetu And Daughter Samara

The next day, she was spotted with her brother Ranbir, mother Neetu, Alia Bhatt and Ayan Mukerji at Mumbai's Banganga for the immersion of Rishi's ashes.
Ahona Mehdi was supposed to be getting ready for prom.

Instead, she spent Wednesday talking to The Spectator about online learning.

As Hamilton students adjust to their new normal amid the pandemic, two teens with unique perspectives, Mehdi and Cameron Prosic, both Grade 12 students and student trustees with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, share their opinions on virtual learning, their peers concerns about consistency and their own now-disrupted plans for the future.

Its going OK, said Mehdi when asked how at-home learning has been.

The Westmount Secondary School student says shes a self-directed learner, easily able to adapt and get her school work done independently. But she knows thats not the case for all.

A few of my friends  theyre having trouble focusing on doing work at home, she said. Some students are really enjoying it and thriving, but others are struggling.

Feedback shes hearing from students across the board: they want consistency.

Students tell her they want a reasonable workload from each of their various teachers and they want it to stay consistent week-to-week. They dont want to be swamped with math homework one week and feel like theyre breezing by the next.

They also want regular video conferencing and check-ins from their teachers.

Really, they want anything that feels like a return to normal, Mehdi said.

With everything thats going on, the days are a blur and its important to have that structure in our lives, Mehdi said. Routine not only helps students set and achieve goals, it helps them manage mental health, she said.

Prosic, a student trustee and Grade 12 student at Bernie Custis Secondary School, is hearing similar feedback.

Students want it more organized the across board, he said, referring mainly to the different online tools teachers are using. Some upload lessons on YouTube, others work via online portals.

It gets kind of chaotic, Prosic said. Its a lot to manage.

Both school boards, Catholic and public, want to know whats working and whats not. The boards are gathering feedback about online learning from students, parents and community members via the ThoughtExchange crowdsourcing tool.

Early feedback from parents in the public board shows they want consistency too.

Differences in how often teachers engage students and how much work they assign becomes a problem in households with multiple students or when students compare experiences with their friends, reads a feedback summary on the boards website. Structure in terms of weekly expectations laid out in advance, posted on the same day, would help families to plan ahead.

Mehdi said this feedback will help guide the board in its future distance learning decision-making.

Amid this abrupt shift in their high school lives, Grade 12s in particular are facing uncertain futures.

Mehdi was supposed to head to the University of Ottawa in the fall. Now, shell stay home and take the classes online. Prosic, accepted at McMaster, will also take classes online.

Grief is a common theme among them.

Both Prosic and Mehdi spoke of sadness at the loss their proms, graduation ceremonies and other events. Theyre all cancelled or on hold.

These are milestones in students lives, Prosic said.

He was most looking forward Bernie Custiss inaugural talent show in Gage Park. It was to become an annual tradition.

They and their peers are coming to terms with their losses, gaining perspective along the way.

Its a bit of a sad thing, Mehdi said. But its OK, considering that we are all safe and all healthy.
Father James Collins holds a service in the yard of St Paul's Anglican Church in Burwood with seating observant of social distancing on March 22, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

NSW Eases Limits on Church Gatherings

NSW will ease COVID-19 restrictions on religious services, weddings and funerals from June 1, when measures to increase pub and restaurant patronage come into effect.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on May 29 that from June 1, up to 20 people can attend weddings, 50 at funerals and 50 at places of worship.

However strict social distancing guidelines would continue to apply.

It is crucial that worshippers remember to follow health advice. This is particularly important for people with co-morbidities aged over 50 and people aged over 70, Berejiklian said.

The government had been wary about adjusting the restrictions on places of worship after observing COVID-19 outbreaks in churches and church choirs overseas.

But state religious leaders pushed for the relaxation after the government last week announced up to 50 people would be allowed to dine in restaurants, pubs and cafes from June 1.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant outlined the risks requiring management.

Places of worship will be asked to find alternatives to practices that might spread the virus, like singing, sharing books and even passing around the collection plate, Chant said on Friday.

Communal singing and chanting should not occur because of the high risk of transmission.

Anthony Fisher, the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, on Friday said in a statement the Catholic church would abide by all government health regulations.

The closure of our churches and indeed of all places of worship has been deeply distressing for many people of faith in our community, Archbishop Fisher said.

It added to the isolation and anxiety that so many were feeling.

The archbishop of the Anglican Archdiocese of Sydney says Anglican churches are well prepared to return to services with a maximum of 50 people.

Hand sanitisers will be available at each entrance, churches will be thoroughly cleaned between services and designated ushers will record the contact details of each attendee.

We realise that this is not the normality we enjoyed in 2019  We are grateful for the relief, joy and comfort that many parishioners will feel in meeting again in public Christian worship, Archbishop Glenn Davies said in a statement on Friday.

Meanwhile, the state government has a fight on its hands to get a 12-month public sector pay freeze through parliament, with upper house crossbench MPs vowing to block the measure.

Berejiklian on Thursday raised the possibility of job losses amid the COVID-19 pandemic unless the proposed freeze was endorsed on Macquarie Street.

The freeze is expected to save $3 billion which will be reinvested in public projects.

But NSW Labor, the Greens and the Shooters Party have this week flagged they will block the move in the Legislative Council, with one crossbencher arguing the coalition is engaging in economic blackmail during a health crisis.

Berejiklian last week sought a freeze on pay rises for MPs, which was extended on Wednesday to include the entire NSW public service comprising 410,000 workers.

Sydney
The NYPD is weighing whether to bring charges against the white investment banker who called police on a black man after he asked her to leash her dog in Central Park.

Video of Amy Cooper dialing 911 to report that an 'African-American man' was 'threatening her life' went viral after it was shared to the internet on Monday.

And while Cooper was swiftly terminated from her $170K-a-year job at Franklin Templeton, she may now be facing legal ramifications over her actions.

'Our detectives are working hand in hand right now with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. Obviously, we don't want to make an arrest if the DA isn't sure if they can prosecute that,' NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan told WPIX on Friday.

The NYPD is weighing whether to bring charges against Amy Cooper (left) who called police on Christian Cooper (right) when he asked her to leash her dog in Central Park

'If it's a false call and we can prove it, there's going to be an arrest If someone intentionally makes a false call and we can prove it, they will be arrested right away. There is no place for that in this city'.

In New York, making a false police report is a criminal offence that can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. It is punishable by up to a year in prison.

Birdwatcher Christian Cooper says he simply asked Amy Cooper (no relation) to leash her dog before she called the cops and hysterically accused him of threatening her life.

'We're taking a look at exactly what the calls were, speaking to Christian, speaking to Amy, speaking to everyone involved, looking through all the videos to see if it sustains a charge,' Officer Monahan stated.

'If its a false call and we can prove it, theres going to be an arrest If someone intentionally makes a false call and we can prove it, they will be arrested right away. There is no place for that in this city'.

Meanwhile, New York Assemblyman Felix Ortiz and Senator Brian Benjamin are now seeking to introduce legislation to criminalize similar false reporting incidents as 'hate crimes.

NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan has revealed that are cops are considering charging Amy Cooper over Monday's incident

'In the past year, we have seen many instances throughout both New York State and the country of people calling 911 on black people who are going about their everyday lives, only to be interrupted by someone calling the police for reasons that range from caution, to suspicious inkling to all out hated,' Ortiz wrote in the bill's justification Tuesday.

Benjamin, meanwhile, called the incident 'frightening' and voiced his shock at such an occurrence happening just blocks away from where 'many of my constituents live.

'This woman was so willing to fabricate a story despite being filmed,' he said, as reported by PIX11. 'I worry that if she had not been filmed, this woman may have been given the benefit of the doubt, and that this man could have faced serious, perhaps life-threatening consequences if the police had arrived.'

The New York City Commission on Human Rights has announced that it's launching its own investigation into Monday's clash between Cooper and Cooper in the park.

'At a time when the devastating impacts of racism in black communities have been made so painfully clearfrom racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes, to harassment of essential workers on the frontlinesit is appalling to see these types of ugly threats directed at one New Yorker by another,' Sapna Raj, deputy commissioner of the Law Enforcement Bureau at the Commission on Human Rights, told the NY Post.

'Efforts to intimidate black people by threatening to call law enforcement draw on a long, violent and painful history, and they are unacceptable. We encourage Ms. Cooper to cooperate with the Commission and meaningfully engage in a process to address the harm that she has caused, Raj added.

While the body cannot bring about criminal charges, it does have the authority to implement hefty fines for any perceived violations of human rights law, and can award compensatory damages to victims, including emotional distress damages.

Video of Amy Cooper dialing 911 to report that an 'African-American man' was 'threatening her life' went viral after it was shared to the internet on Monday

Christian Cooper had been bird watching in an area of the park known as The Ramble over the Memorial Day weekend when he saw Amy Cooper walking her unleashed dog that was 'tearing through the plantings'

Amy Cooper has apologized to Christian Cooper over the incident, saying she 'was the one who was acting inappropriately'.

'I hope that a few mortifying seconds in a lifetime of 40 years will not define me in his eyes,' she stated earlier this week.

On Thursday, Christian told the panel of The View that he has accepted Amy's apology, and has urged viewers to look at the bigger picture of racism that the encounter displayed.

'I do accept her apology,' Christian said. 'I think it's a first step. I think she's gotta do some reflection on what happened because up until the moment when she made that statement.

'It was just a conflict between a birder and a dog walker, and then she took it to a very dark place. I think she's gotta sort of examine why and how that happened.'

Christian said the reaction isn't necessarily about Cooper, or her snap-second judgement, but about the 'underlying current of racism and racial perceptions that's been going on for centuries and that permeates this city and this country that she tapped into.'

'That's what we really have to address; not the specifics of her, but why are we still plagued with that and how do we fix it.'

On Thursday, Christian told the panel of The View that he has accepted Amy's apology, and has urged viewers to look at the bigger picture of racism that the encounter displayed

Christian, a board member of the NYC Audubon Society, also doubled down on his previous urges asking the public to stop making death threats against Cooper.

'If you think that what she did was wrong, that she was trying to bring death by cop down on my head, then there is absolutely no way you can justify then turning around and putting a death threat on her head,' he said.

Cooper explained that he's also 'uncomfortable' with judging Cooper solely on a 'few secondsover very poor judgement.'

'[There's] no excusing that it was a racist act because it was a racist act,' he told the show. 'But [does] that define her entire life? Only she can tell us if that defines her entire life by what she does going forward.'
Advertisement

Spanish archaeologists believe they may have found the skeleton of the hero Irish chieftain 'Red' Hugh O'Donnell who fought fiercely against the English during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.

More than a dozen intact remains have been discovered this week in digging by the Hispano-Irish Association at La Capilla de las Maravillas (the Chapel of Wonders), where the Irish rebel was buried in the autumn of 1602 after seeking refuge with his Spanish allies.

Born in modern day County Donegal in 1572, Red Hugh led a rebellion against the English from 1593, commanding the Irish in the Nine Years' War until his defeat in 1602.

The chapel, which today lies between a bank branch and a clothes shop, is also where the body of explorer Christopher Columbus was originally buried before his coffin made several intercontinental journeys.

On Monday, the historians uncovered what they believe to be the walls of the old chapel and on Wednesday 12 intact skeletons were discovered, with at least one more discovered yesterday.

Sinn Fein TD for Donegal, Padraig Mac Lochlainn, has urged Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs to make contact with the Spanish Government and offer Irish assistance to identify the historic war hero, the Derry Journal reported.

A human skeleton found in an archaeological excavation on Thursday carried out by the Hispano-Irish Association in a ruined chapel in Valladolid, that expects to identify the remains of the Irish rebel 'Red' Hugh O'Donnell

An archaeologist brushes away dirt from a skeleton found in the ruined chapel in Valladolid on Thursday. The chapel, which today lies between a bank branch and a clothes shop, is also where the body of explorer Christopher Columbus was originally buried before his coffin made several intercontinental journeys.

The latest excavations have been taking place after a visit by Donegal man Brendan Rohan who persuaded the city authorities to undertake the dig. On Monday, they uncovered what they believe to be the walls of the old chapel and on Wednesday 12 intact skeletons were discovered, with at least one more discovered yesterday.

After defeat at the Siege of Kinsale in 1602, Red Hugh sailed to Corunna in Galicia, Spain, where he and many other Irish chieftains were well received and bestowed with great honours. Red Hugh later travelled to Valladolid to plot a return to his homeland with Philip III, who was still at war with England, and the king promised he would organise an invasion of Ireland.

The Irish nationalist told the Derry Journal: 'It must also be an objective of the Irish government to not just locate these remains but to return them to his beloved homeland of Donegal. The very thought of this achievement will be of great excitement and importance to so many Irish people, and of course, Donegal people.'

The Mayor of Valladolid, Oscar Puente, posted an image of the find online, writing: 'In the Chapel of Marvels, in the exact place where Red Hugh O'Donnell is believed to have been buried, as well as Christopher Columbus, some remains and two coffins have appeared.'

Red Hugh and his father-in-law Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, who was also led the Irish armies, were allied with King Philip II of Spain - and later Philip III - during the the Nine Years' War. The Spanish monarchs supplied men and supplies in an extension of the Anglo-Spanish War.

After defeat at the Siege of Kinsale in 1602, Red Hugh sailed to Corunna in Galicia, Spain, where he and many other Irish chieftains were well received and bestowed with great honours.

Red Hugh later travelled to Valladolid to plot a return to his homeland with Philip III, who was still at war with England, and the king promised he would organise an invasion of Ireland.

Months passed by without consequence and Red Hugh decided to venture back to Valladolid to meet with the king, but he fell ill and died, aged 29, a few miles away from the city.

The Spanish king honoured the Irish rebel with a royal funeral, an account of which is given in the Annals of the Four Masters, the chronicles of medieval Irish history.

'The Gaelic Chieftain', a 1999 sculpture commemorating O'Donnell's victory at the battle at Curlew Pass in 1599. The English were ambushed and routed by Red Hugh's men while marching through the pass in the Curlew Mountains, close to the town of Boyle, in the west of Ireland

An archaeologist works in an excavation carried out by the Hispano-Irish Association in a ruined chapel in Valladolid. Born in the modern day County Donegal in 1572, the ginger-haired Red Hugh led a rebellion against the English from 1593, commanding the Irish in the Nine Years' War until 1602.

A view shows human remains found in an archeological dig, during the search for Irish nobleman Hugh O'Donnell in Valladolid, Spain. Red Hugh and his father-in-law Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, who was also led the Irish armies, were allied with King Philip II of Spain - and later Philip III - during the conflict, who supplied men and supplies in an extension of the Anglo-Spanish War.

A man wearing a face mask works in an archeological dig, during the search for Irish nobleman Hugh O'Donnell. After defeat at the Siege of Kinsale in 1602, Red Hugh sailed to Corunna in Galicia, Spain, where he and many other Irish chieftains were well received and bestowed with great honours. Red Hugh later travelled to Valladolid to plot a return to his homeland with Philip III, who was still at war with England, and the king promised he would organise an invasion of Ireland.

Two skeletons are pictured on Friday. The Spanish king honoured the Irish rebel with a royal funeral, an account of which is given in the Annals of the Four Masters, the chronicles of medieval Irish history.

The text says: 'His body was conveyed to the king's palace at Valladolid in a four-wheeled hearse, surrounded by countless numbers of the king's state officers, council, and guards, with luminous torches and bright flambeaux of beautiful wax-light burning on each side of him.

'He was afterwards interred in the monastery of St Francis, in the chapter precisely, with veneration and honour, and in the most solemn manner that any of the Gaels had been ever interred in before.'

After Red Hugh's death Philip III abandoned plans to invade Ireland and in 1604 the Treaty of London was negotiated at Somerset House in Westminster, bringing an end to the Anglo-Irish War.

Red Hugh is remembered in the Irish annals as 'a mighty and bounteous lord, with the authority of a prince to enforce the law; a lion in strength and force, with determination and force of character in deed and word.'

A skull is seen during the search for Red Hugh. He was a venerated chieftain who decimated County Clare in a spiteful rage in 1599 after their compliance with the Crown, plundering the land with contempt and then venturing back to Ulster with his raiders. A year later he returned to visit the same vengeance upon County Clare

A pair of skeletons are seen during the dig. Red Hugh is remembered by historians for important early victories during the Nine Years' War, such as the Battle of Clontibret (1595) and the Battle of the Yellow Ford (1598), and the legend he established has been memorialised in countless poems and ballads.

An excavator removes dirt from a skull found at the site. James 'Spanish' Blake, an Anglo-Irish merchant and soldier, who acted as an agent for both the Irish, English, French and the Spanish during the Nine Years' War, is suspected by some of assassinating Red Hugh.

He was a venerated chieftain who decimated County Clare in a spiteful rage in 1599 after their compliance with the Crown, plundering the land with contempt and then venturing back to Ulster with his raiders. A year later he returned to visit the same vengeance upon County Clare.

It was recorded in the annals that such was the violence 'that no habitation or mansion worthy of note was left which he did not burn and totally destroy.

'All the country behind and around them was enveloped in smoke, so that the vastness of the dark cloud of vapour was enough to set them astray in their course.

'On the following day, they pursued their way through Corcair, and halted at night at Clarinbridge. Here they divided the spoils of the Thomanians, and finally marched northwards through Connaught.'

An archaeologist works in an excavation carried out by the Hispano-Irish Association in a ruined chapel in Valladolid, that expects to identify the remains of the Irish lord rebel "Red" Hugh O'Donnell, on May 28, 2020

Archaeologists work in an excavation carried out by the Hispano-Irish Association in a ruined chapel in Valladolid, that expects to identify the remains of the Irish lord rebel "Red" Hugh O'Donnell, on May 28, 2020

A human skeleton found in an archaeological excavation carried out by the Hispano-Irish Association in a ruined chapel in Valladolid, that expects to identify the remains of the Irish lord rebel "Red" Hugh O'Donnell, on May 28, 2020

He is remembered by historians for important early victories during the Nine Years' War, such as the Battle of Clontibret (1595) and the Battle of the Yellow Ford (1598), and the legend he established has been memorialised in countless poems and ballads.

Carlos Burgos, who is acting as a translator for the archaeologists, told The Irish Times on Sunday: 'We have found a wall of the chapel. There is a place like it inside of the chapel which we are quite sure is the place where Red Hugh was buried.

'Where we are going to start on Monday looks exactly like where investigators say was Red Hugh's burial place.'

In the annals it describes how Red Hugh was afflicted by a disease which consumed him after 17 days, but it has also been alleged that an English spy poisoned the Irishman.

James 'Spanish' Blake, an Anglo-Irish merchant and soldier, who acted as an agent for both the Irish, English, French and the Spanish during the Nine Years' War, is suspected by some of assassinating Red Hugh.

Human remains found in an archaeological dig, during the search for Irish nobleman Hugh O'Donnell in Valladolid, Spain May 29, 2020

Remains found in an archaeological dig, during the search for Irish nobleman Hugh O'Donnell

Human remains found in an archaeological dig, during the search for Irish nobleman Hugh O'Donnell in Valladolid, Spain

A wall of Chapel of Wonders and human remains found in archaeological dig searching for Irish nobleman Hugh O'Donnell are seen in Valladolid, Spain May 26

Spanish Blake is said to have been acting on the orders of Sir George Carew, the President of Munster who served under Elizabeth I during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.

In a May 1602 letter, Carew wrote to Lord Mountjoy, Lord Lieutenant over Ireland: 'One James Blake...took a solemn oath to do service...and is gone into Spain with a determination (bound with many oaths) to kill O'Donnell.'

In another letter dated in October of that year, Carew writes to Mountjoy: 'O'Donnell is dead... he is poisoned by James Blake, of whom your lordship hath been formerly acquainted.'

However, it should be noted that spies during this period often made outlandish claims to ingratiate themselves to their superiors for financial gain.
Winnipeg architect Brent Bellamy has designed buildings that soar high into the air, but ask him about what couldnt do without these days, he sticks close to terra firma.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/5/2020 (602 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg architect Brent Bellamy has designed buildings that soar high into the air, but ask him about what couldnt do without these days, he sticks close to terra firma.

Its his bicycle. Its called a Dutch bike, and its for relaxed city riding. Theyre old and heavy, and riders sit upright on them instead of hunched over the handlebars like mountain or racing bikes. Youll never see one anywhere near a Tour de France peloton.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS "Last summer I got a Dutch bike from the Plain Bicycle Project, a group of Winnipeggers who went to the Netherlands and brought back a shipping container full of used bikes," Brent Bellamy said.

"(Last year) I bought a fancy bike made out of carbon fibre at the beginning of the year, using my carbon-tax rebate," Bellamy says, adding it was partly to make a statement about the hotly debated federal levy.

He bought the Dutch bike shortly after for $350. Bellamy hasnt pedalled his sleek new bike since, he says.

"This is so comfortable to ride, its like sitting in a chair. Its totally made me a biking evangelist."

Bellamy is also an evangelist for Winnipegs urban charms, whether they are century-old buildings in the Exchange District or residential neighbourhoods in Winnipegs suburbs. He writes a column about these topics in the Free Press, but hes also active on Twitter, where he provides architectural context on all sorts of civic issues.

In 2018, he became one of the more prominent voices for Team Open during the 2018 plebiscite opening the Portage and Main intersection to pedestrians, but city voters chose to keep the barriers that keep pedestrians from crossing the streets 65 per cent to 35.

Here are five things that Bellamy would have trouble doing without:

1. My bike

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS "My beat-up old European bike looks like it was fished out of a canal, but it is my prized possession," Bellamy says.

"Last summer I got a Dutch bike from the Plain Bicycle Project, a group of Winnipeggers who went to the Netherlands and brought back a shipping container full of used bikes. My beat-up old European bike looks like it was fished out of a canal, but it is my prized possession. It has been my lifeline to sanity during the pandemic, allowing me to exercise, get some fresh air and clear my head from the stresses of the world," he says.

Most of his friends and colleagues say a big benefit to working from home is avoiding the frustration of Winnipeg traffic. On this issue, Bellamy may also be in the minority.

"One of the things I dont like about working from home is that I dont get to commute on my bike," he says.

2. My city

"Every night since the pandemic started I have taken a long bike ride through my city. Each ride in a different direction. I have always come across something interesting to explore that I had never seen before, or that I am seeing in a new light  an interesting house, an old church or little detail on the corner of a building.

"Winnipeg has so many hidden treasures that if you take the time to really explore it, by walking or biking, you will always find something unique and interesting. It has been an important way to regenerate my soul."

Theres a little known remnant of an important part of Winnipegs history still standing on Clare Avenue in the Riverview neighbourhood. This yellow house rising above its neighbours was once the superintendents building of River Park. The last standing piece of the park. 1/8 pic.twitter.com/ajQLn5ec3B  Brent Bellamy (@brent_bellamy) May 25, 2020

3. My job

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Bellamy in front of the Richardson Innovation Centre, which wrapped up construction at the corner of Westbrook Street and Lombard Avenue during the pandemic.

"I have been one of the lucky ones. I have two really provocative buildings in the design phase right now. The most fun part of any project. They both have amazing clients and will be great projects for my city. Even working in less than ideal conditions I am able to dream and be engaged in my work, allowing me an escape from the world outside," says Bellamy, the creative director at Number TEN Architectural Group.

"I also have two exciting projects under construction, and I often ride my bike to them to see the progress. There is no greater reward for an architect than seeing something that came from your imagination rise from the ground. These things have both kept my spirits high."

One of those projects is the Richardson Innovation Centre, which has wrapped up construction at the corner of Westbrook Street and Lombard Avenue during the pandemic.

"Richardson International is an amazing client, letting us do our thing."

4. Local restaurants

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Among Bellamy's favourite restaurants is Bodegoes at 211 Bannatyne Ave. in the Exchange District.

"I have tried to maintain my connection to the amazing restaurants in the Exchange District that have been struggling through the pandemic. When I get the chance, I try to order lunch and pick it up (and) chat with the owner, usually. It helps me feel like I am doing something to support them, while maintaining my connection to familiar things and people," he says.

Among those places are Exchange District favourites such as Bodegoes and King + Bannatyne, two established restaurants near Old Market Square. Bellamys found a new place, Donair Guys, which has taken over a ground-floor location at the McLaren Hotel on Main Street.

"Its run by two new Canadians and it is to-die-for," he says. "Their shawarmas and falafel are the best in the city."

Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

5. My phone

"I cant imagine going through this without the connectivity of my phone," he says. "We are isolated physically, but through those magic little contraptions, able to engage with the world. Debating (some say fighting) with people on Twitter or laughing with friends on WhatsApp has been an important way for me to feel connected to the world."

Some of Bellamys opinions on Winnipegs active transportation system and reliance on its car culture have ruffled some feathers on social media, but he doesnt shy away from a debate, he says.

"I have my following of people who want to argue with me. Lets have a discussion," Bellamy says. "Its fun to talk with people with opposing viewpoints."

alan.small@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter:@AlanDSmall
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-29 23:24:44

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 958 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. (OTCQB:IPCIF)(TSX:IPCI) ("Intellipharmaceutics" or the "Company"), a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and manufacture of novel and generic controlled-release and targeted-release oral solid dosage drugs, today reported the results of operations for the three months ended February 29, 2020. All dollar amounts referenced herein are in United States dollars unless otherwise noted.On April 9, 2020, we announced an update on timing of the release of our first quarter financial results for the three months ended February 29, 2020. The Canadian Securities Administrators had announced temporary relief from certain regulatory filings required to be made on or before June 1, 2020 by reporting issuers in Canada, in view of the recent COVID-19 developments and the impact on market participants.The blanket relief provided a 45-day extension for periodic filings, including financial statements and management's discussion and analysis. We are relying on this 45-day extension period provided under the blanket relief for the filing of our interim financial statements for the three months ended February 29, 2020 and this related MD&A.On February 5, 2020, we announced the resignation of Greg Powell, our Chief Financial Officer, for personal and family reasons Pending the hiring of a replacement for Mr. Powell, the functions of Chief Financial Officer for us are being carried out by our President and former Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Amina Odidi. Fazayill Shaideen, who has been our Controller for the past 8 years, will continue to handle accounting activities.On January 15, 2020, at a joint meeting of the Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee and Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee ("Advisory Committees") of the FDA to discuss our New Drug Application ("NDA") for Aximris XR, abuse-deterrent oxycodone hydrochloride extended-release tablets, the Advisory Committees voted 24 to 2 against the approval of our NDA for Aximris XR for the management of pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate. We expect the FDA to take action on our application, on completion of their review of the NDA.Results of OperationsThe Company recorded net loss for the three months ended February 29, 2020 of $1,747,373 or $0.08 per common share, compared with a net loss of $3,224,449 or $0.16 per common share for the three months ended February 28, 2019. In the three months ended February 29, 2020, the net loss is attributed to the increase in licensing revenues from commercial sales of generic Focalin XR, offset by a decrease in up-front fees recognized in revenue, combined with decreased administrative expenses related to professional and legal fees and R&D expenses related to the decrease in third party consulting fees, decrease in expenses related to biostudies and the reduction in R&D staff. In the three months ended February 28, 2019, the net loss was attributed to the lower licensing revenues from commercial sales of generic Focalin XR and to a lesser extent, sales of generic Seroquel XR shipped to Mallinckrodt, combined with increased administrative expense related to professional and legal fees.The Company recorded revenues of $377,554 for the three months ended February 29, 2020 versus $343,536 for the three months ended February 28, 2019. Such revenues consisted primarily of licensing revenues from commercial sales of the 15, 25, 30 and 35 mg strengths of our generic Focalin XR under the Par agreement. The increase in revenues in the three months ended February 29, 2020 compared to the three months ended February 28, 2019 is primarily due to higher profit share payments from sales of generic Focalin XR capsules in the U.S. Beginning in early 2018, we began to see a significant impact from aggressive pricing by competitors, resulting in a marked increase in gross-to-net deductions such as wholesaler rebates, chargebacks and pricing adjustments. While the gross-to-net deductions fluctuate on a quarter over quarter basis, profit share payments for the first quarter of 2020 have improved in comparison to the same period in 2019, offset partially by a decrease in up-front fees recognized after the termination of the Mallinckrodt agreement in August 2019.Expenditures for R&D for the three months ended February 29, 2020 were lower by $1,184,416 compared to the three months ended February 28, 2019. The decrease is primarily due to significantly reduced third party consulting fees, decrease in expenses related to biostudies and the reduction in R&D staff.Selling, general and administrative expenses were $523,231 for the three months ended February 29, 2020 in comparison to $1,207,243 for the three months ended February 28, 2019, resulting in a decrease of $684,012. The decrease is namely due to a decrease in administrative costs and a decrease in wages and marketing costs.The Company had cash of $6,052 as at February 29, 2020 compared to $2,821,669 as at February 28, 2019. The decrease in cash was mainly due to expenditures for R&D and selling, general, and administrative expenses which are partially offset by cash receipt from Par.As of February 29, 2020, our cash balance was $6,052. We currently expect to meet our short-term cash requirements from quarterly profit share payments from Par and by cost savings associated with managing operating expense levels. If we are able to supply products to our marketing and distribution partner, Tris Pharma, and it achieves sales of our generic Seroquel XR, generic Pristiq and generic Effexor XR at anticipated rates, then we may satisfy our cash needs with reduced staff and cost-saving measures. We will need to obtain additional funding to further product commercialization activities and the development of our product candidates. Potential sources of capital may include payments from licensing agreements, and/or debt financings and/or new strategic partnership agreements which the Company is actively exploring. The Company has funded its business activities principally through the issuance of securities, loans from related parties and funds from development agreements. There is no certainty that such funding will be available going forward. If conditions permit, we intend to utilize the equity markets and/or debt financing to bridge any funding
In the recent past, the national government has mobilised resources to limit the spread and reduce mortality from COVID-19. However, there is still more that needs to be done to reverse impact of the pandemic on health case.

Apart from the medical interventions, other measures taken include restriction of movement, wearing masks in public and reducing public transport and closure on non-essential businesses such as bars.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus update: Kenya records staggering 127 new cases

The pandemic has indirectly led to a reduction in the supply and use of conventional health services and an increase in mortality. Photo: UGC.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Visa 127 vipya, wote ni Wakenya

Some of these restrictions have played a great part in curbing more infections.

However, there has been some negative impacts on the economy and aspects of health care. Most affected are the informal sector employees estimated to be 70% of the countrys population.

Loss of income, rising prices and excessive burden on the social safety nets will further push the vulnerable groups into poverty and increasing the financial and other barriers to accessing medical services.

READ ALSO: Aden Duale meets Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of purge in National Assembly

From past experiences, the outbreak of infectious diseases indirectly led to a reduction in the supply and use of conventional health services and an increase in mortality.

It is worth noting that in 2014, the Ebola virus epidemic resulted in a 27.6% reduction in service use and a 44.3% reduction in hospital services in West Africa s high-incidence areas.

During the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic in 2003, outpatients in Taiwan decreased by 23.9% and inpatients by 35.2%.

United Nations Childrens Fund has already warned that an additional 6,000 children could die every day from preventable causes over the next six months as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to weaken health systems and disrupt routine services. The estimate is based on an analysis by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, published in The Lancet Global Health journal. These potential child deaths will be in addition to the 2.5 million children who already die before their 5th birthday every six months in the 118 countries included in the study, threatening to reverse nearly a decade of progress on ending preventable under-five mortality.

READ ALSO: George Magoha's 10-member team proposes schools be reopened in September 2020

In a typical hospital in Kenya, there are many babies but few nurses. Secondly, even when they have the personnel, they do not have adequate lifesaving equipment.

According to the 2014 Kenya Demographic Health Survey, neonatal mortality is at 22 deaths per 1,000 live births. For those who survive, they face a lifetime of disability, including learning disabilities and visual and hearing problems. Nairobis mortality is nearly double the national number at 39 neonates dying per 1,000 live births.

The pandemic has slowed down our economic growth and immediate upscaling our health facilities may take longer than we had projected.

Perhaps one of the interventions we could adopt is for babies are some cost-effective interventions. An example Pumani BubbleCPAP, which delivers a blended flow of oxygen and room air to infants in respiratory distress. The device has been tested in Malawi for the past ten years with remarkable success and is currently being used at the Nyeri County Referal hospital.

READ ALSO: Senators Mwaura, Omanga in the race to replace Kindiki as Senate deputy speaker

The governments response to the pandemic will have long-lasting consequences on the health system. In the context of these choices, there is the other need to consider how to mitigate the effect of health system disruptions and movement restrictions on maternal and child health.

We need immediate, medium- and long-term responses that not only address the challenges posed by the pandemic and its secondary impact on children but also outline a clear version of a better world when the crisis finally subsides.

Writer, Dr Steve Adudans, is the Executive Director Center for Public Health and Development.

The views expressed in this opinion piece are his and do not necessarily represent the position of TUKO Media Ltd in any way.

We welcome writers, bloggers, photographers and all sorts of noise makers to become a part of our Blog network. Send your opinion, story or both to news@tuko.co.ke.

Our locally made PPEs are of better quality than the imported ones - CS Mutahi Kagwe | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The coronavirus pandemic has forced the United Nations to postpone the climate summit to November 2021 which was earlier scheduled for November this year. Alok Sharma, President of the COP26, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), took to Twitter to announce that an agreement has been reached on the new dates.

Pleased to have agreed a new date for @COP26 with our Italian partners and the @UNFCCC.#COP26 will now take place between 1 and 12 November 2021.



The new date will also allow the UK and Italy to harness the #G7 and #G20 presidencies in driving climate ambition.  Alok Sharma (@AlokSharma_RDG) May 28, 2020

The crucial climate summit will start on November 1, 2021, in Glasgow, Britain, and conclude on November 12, 2021. The COP26 official Twitter handle posted that the COP Bureau of the UNFCCC, along with the UK and Italian partners, have agreed on new dates for the summit the UK will continue to work to increase climate action, build resilience and lower emissions.

Read: Britain Proposes Hosting UN Climate Summit In November 2021: Report

Launched COP26 in February

In February, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched the 2020 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP26, and the 2020 Year of Climate Action at the Science Museum. Johnson said during the launch event that there is no greater responsibility than protecting the planet, and no mission that a Global Britain is prouder to serve.

Johnson, in a statement released by PM office, had said that hosting COP26 is an important opportunity for the UK and nations across the globe to step up in the fight against climate change. He urged everyone to join in pledging net-zero emissions as the UK sets out plans to hit ambitious 2050 net-zero target.

There can be no greater responsibility than protecting our planet, and no mission that a Global Britain is prouder to serve. 2020 must be the year we turn the tide on global warming it will be the year when we choose a cleaner, greener future for all, the statement read.

As a host of the climate summit, the United Kingdom has also decided to bring forward the deadline for banning the sale of new petrol, diesel or hybrid cars by five years to 2035, from the earlier target of 2040.

Read: UN's COP 26 Climate Summit Postponed Over Coronavirus: UK Govt

Read: United Kingdom PM Boris Johnson Regrets 'pain And Confusion' Caused By Cummings Incident

(Image: AP)
(GETTY)

Whether its climate activist Greta Thunberg roasting Albertas energy minister on Twitter, or Norways US$1-trillion sovereign wealth fund blacklisting major oil and gas firms, Canadas energy patch is being hit with a fresh round of foreign jabs as weak oil prices batter the sector.

Joe Biden upped the stakes earlier this month when he vowed to cancel the permit allowing operation of the Keystone XL pipeline. The leading U.S. Democratic presidential candidate derided the planned 1,947 kilometre project as carrying tarsands we dont need under his promised transition to cleaner energy.

For Biden, the move, if elected, would establish clear continuity from his tenure as vice president. The Obama administration cancelled the much-delayed Keystone XL project in 2015 after being pressed by environmental groups, only to see the decision reversed by President Donald Trump in early 2017.

Canadian energy observers predict a return to the Obama-era ruling under a Biden presidency would invite billions of dollars in lawsuits against Washington. The projects owner, Calgary-based TC Energy (TRP.TO)(TRP), has thus-far ignored Bidens campaign trail comments.

The U.S. presidential permit for Keystone XL grants the White House sweeping powers over the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of the cross-border project.

It can be revoked at any time, and could even require TC Energy to remove the multi-billion dollar heavy oil line, that once completed would transport 830,000 barrels of crude from Alberta to Gulf Coast refineries.

The permittee shall have no claim for damages caused by any such possession, removal, or other action, the permit reads.

Much of the risk for Keystone XL depends on the outcome of the U.S. presidential election in November. Even then, it remains to be seen what actions a Biden administration would take against the project in anticipation of opposition from Ottawa and a protracted legal skirmish.

Story continues

Whats more clear is Canadas de facto export market for crude oil could suddenly become less friendly, risking the future of the cross-border pipelines essential to the industry.

Its increasingly looking like our number one consumer for well over 90 per cent of our crude increasingly doesnt want it, Rory Johnston, managing director at Price Street and a former commodities analyst at Scotiabank, told Yahoo Finance Canada. Thats far more concerning than any one pipeline.

Johnston has spent years analyzing the politically-sensitive Keystone XL project. For many, he said it has become a loaded environmental signal divorced from context and scale, a sort of yes/no vote on the ethical virtues of Canadas oil sands in an increasingly climate-sensitive North American political arena.

Johnston estimates Keystone XL will allow about 20 per cent more Canadian heavy crude to flow to refineries in the the United States, helping to relieve the persistent glut trapped in Western Canada due to a lack of egress options. He said opponents objecting on the basis of keep it in the ground are ignoring other transport options, such as crude-by-rail.

But given Canadas exposure to shifts in U.S. politics driven by those looking to win office by capitalizing on rising concerns about the environment, he worries the reputational baggage of high-emissions oil sands production will be an ongoing challenge.

It does seem in this regard that the Canadian industry is completely at the mercy of the White House, Johnston said of the rules governing cross-border pipelines. I dont think we can continue to rely on the U.S.-Canada border as a reliable, secure avenue for our oil. Its not just Keystone, its Line 3, and any time you need to repair or refurbish a mainline. I think these things are going to come to the fore.

Christopher Sands, director of the Canada Institute at the D.C.-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, also worries that Keystone XL has taken on a symbolic status for environmental advocates. The situation underscores the need for Canada to export oil internationally from refineries and terminals within its own borders, rather than through the U.S., he said.

Sands viewed the Obama administrations move to cancel Keystone XL as a consolation prize to environmentalists whose hopes were dashed after the United States failed to embrace resolutions from the Paris and Copenhagen climate summits.

The smart money in the U.S. is starting to think that there is not much hope of getting back on that Paris bandwagon, even under President Biden. Thats another worrisome signal, he told Yahoo Finance Canada, suggesting a revival of the Keystone XL consolation prize could be in the cards.

Keystone XL Goes Viral

Construction on Keystone XL started in late March, just as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in North America, following financial commitments by the Alberta government. The project has already crossed the Montana border on its way to its endpoint in Nebraska.

Sands is betting construction will continue unimpeded as a result of economic pain in the wake of the virus, which he believes will shift public attention away from the warming plant and towards job creation in a recession.

TC Energy said the project amounts to an US$8 billion investment in the North American economy.

COVID is going to have such a dramatic effect on the economy in the short term that we cant afford the luxury of saying no to an oil pipeline, Sands said. We've been seeing a lot of progress on our pipelines ,in part because nobody can get out to protest.

A similar comment by Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage on a podcast last week about now being a great time to be building a pipeline as social distancing rules hamper protests drew widely-publicized backlash from 17-year-old Swedish climate activist Thunberg.

Sands likens the expected shift in public focus amid a COVID-driven economic downturn to U.S. media fascination with shark attacks in the summer of 2001, weeks prior to the horrific terror attacks on the United States.

Suddenly we didnt care about sharks anymore, he said. Climate in general is at risk of being crowded out by the urgency of some of the other problems we are facing.

Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist.

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at stripping social media giants like Twitter and Facebook of legal immunity for the content posted by third-party users.

The order comes a day after Trump accused Twitter of election interference, after it added fact-check links to two of his tweets.

"Today I'm signing an executive order to protect and uphold the free speech and rights of the American people. Currently, social media giants, like Twitter, receive an unprecedented liability shield based on the theory that they're a neutral platform - which they're an editor with a viewpoint," Trump told reporters after he signed an executive order on Thursday.

The executive order calls for new regulations, under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, to make it that social media companies that engage in censoring or any political conduct will not be able to keep their liability shield. "That's a big deal. They have a shield; they can do what they want. They have a shield. They're not going to have that shield," Trump asserted.

Trump said that the executive order further instructs the Federal Trade Commission to prohibit social media companies from engaging in any deceptive acts or practices affecting commerce.

This authority resides in Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, he said.

Trump also said he was directing the Attorney General to work cooperatively with the States.

"He's going to be working very much and very closely in cooperation with the states to enforce their own laws against such deceptive business practices. The states have brought in powerful authority to regulate in this arena, and they'll be doing it also and we encourage them to do it - if they see exactly as we've been seeing," he noted.

The President said that a handful of powerful social media monopolies controlled a vast portion of all public and private communications in the United States.

"We know what they are; we don't have to name them," he said.

These social media outlets have had unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide, alter virtually any form of communication between private citizens and large public audiences, he said.

"There's no precedent in American history for so small a number of corporations to control so large a sphere of human interaction. And that includes individual people controlling vast amounts of territory," he said.

Asserting that his administration can't allow that to happen, especially when they go about doing what they are doing, because they are doing things incorrectly. "They have points of view. And if we go by that, it's actually amazing that there was a success in 2016. But we can't let this continue to happen. It's very, very unfair," he said.

The choices that Twitter makes when it chooses to suppress, edit, blacklist, shadow, ban are editorial decisions, pure and simple. They are editorial decisions. In those moments, Twitter ceases to be a neutral public platform, and they become an editor with a viewpoint, he asserted.

"I think we can say that about others also, whether you're looking at Google, whether you're looking at Facebook and perhaps others," Trump said.

"One egregious example is when they try to silence views that they disagree with by selectively applying a "fact check" - a fact check -- F-A-C-T. Fact check. What they choose to fact check and what they choose to ignore or even promote is nothing more than a political activism group or political activism. It is inappropriate," he said.

"This censorship and bias is a threat to freedom itself. Imagine if your phone company silenced or edited your conversation. Social media companies have vastly more power and more reach than any phone company in the United States. More reach, actually, than your newspapers, by far. More reach than a lot of your traditional forms of communication," Trump said.

He said he is directing his administration to develop policies and procedures to ensure taxpayer dollars are not going into any social media company that repress free speech.

"The government spends billions of dollars on giving them money. They're rich enough. So we're going to be doing none of it or a very little of it," he said.

"As President, I'll not allow the American people to be bullied by these giant corporations. Many people have wanted this to be done by presidents for a long time. Now we're doing it. I'm sure they'll be doing a lawsuit, and I'm also sure that we're going to be going for legislation, in addition to this. The legislation will start immediately," said the president.

Earlier in a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said that it was time to, quote, "get the facts" about Twitter and other social media platforms targeting their bias against President Trump and conservatives online.

"Twitter's head of site integrity has tweeted that there are, quote, 'actual Nazis' in the White House, and no fact-check label was ever applied to this absolutely outrageous, offensive, and false claim made against the White House and its employees," she said.

"While big tech is quick to censor the President, quick to censor some of his top employees, they are very reluctant, it seems, to label some of the actions by Chinese officials, some of the misinformation that has been spread by China," she said.
Ravindra Rao

The trend in gold has failed to garner much interest in the last few days as it follows a largely evident price direction. Since April, gold has made three attempts to test the pivotal $1,800 per troy ounce level only to be followed by a sharp correction. Even in the corrective phase, gold has managed to hold on to $1,680 and has recovered to retest the $1,700-level.

Gold has rallied sharply this year on safe-haven buying with the coronavirus outbreak causing a health and economic emergency. Monetary and fiscal easing measures to support the economies also boosted appeal for the metal. The metal has now entered a consolidation phase amid a lack of fresh triggers.

Virus outbreak remains out of control, as is evident from ever-rising infections that have now globally surpassed the 5.6-million mark. However, the situation is getting better in some major European economies and the US, which has helped them to ease restrictions and revive economic activity. Progress in vaccine development has also eased market nerves to some extent though it remains to be seen when a treatment will be found.

Downbeat growth forecasts reflect the negative impact of the viral outbreak. But some economic indicators show that the situation has improved from the slump of the early days of the outbreak.

Gold & Silver Rates Gold Rate in Mumbai 10g of 24K gold in Mumbai 

10g of 22K gold in Mumbai  View more Silver Rate in Mumbai 10g silver in Mumbai 

1kg silver in Mumbai  View more Show

Improved risk sentiment is evident from gains in the equity market.

DJIA index has recovered almost 40 percent from the lows of March. Easing of restriction and stimulus by central banks and governments are expected to reboot economic activity.

Considered a safe-haven asset, gold should have come under pressure with markets gaining traction but the metal continues to hold in a consolidation phase.

While the actual need for a safe haven has reduced, market players are holding on to the metal on perceived risks.

The situation is improving in some previous hotspots, however, fear of a second wave of infections is far from over.

Economic recovery is also expected to be laboured as governments take a cautious approach in reopening economies. This may cause governments to continue with stimulus measures.

Meanwhile, we have a new challenge in the form of US-China tensions. Increased tensions over Hong Kong have kept market players nervous about its impact on the partial trade deal struck in January this year. Tensions could persist ahead of another major event this year--the US presidential elections.

The wait-and-watch approach is also evident from higher ETF holdings. Investors have continued to push money into gold to cushion the effect of the outbreak. We will see a substantial correction in gold only when investors chose to exit the metal.

The author is VP-Head Commodity Research at Kotak Securities.

: The views and investment tips expressed by experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Pendragon PLC

("Pendragon or the "Company")

Sale and Leaseback by Pendragon of Property at Porsche Centre Stockport

Notification of Class 2 Transaction

The Company is pleased to announce that, in accordance with its plan for its motor vehicle dealership in Stockport (the "Property"), the Company has entered into a sale and leaseback agreement over the Property with Al Mana Property International Limited ("Al Mana"), a special purpose vehicle forming part of the Al Mana Group of Companies, for the purposes of property investment (the "Transaction").

Under the terms of the Transaction, Pendragon has received 10.5 million in cash, while retaining the use of the Property under a 15 year lease. The proceeds from the Transaction will be used for general corporate purposes.

Pendragon Sabre Limited, the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, has security of tenure as the tenant, with Pendragon acting as the lease guarantor under the terms of the Transaction. The Transaction is in line with the Company's ambition to focus its resources on generating returns through its motor businesses whilst ensuring the Property remains available to Pendragon. The lease carries a market rent of 665,000 per annum. As at the date of the Company's annual results for the year ended 31 December 2019, the Property carried a gross asset value of 9.8 million.
Oprah Winfrey posted a heartbroken Instagram tribute to George Floyd on Friday amid outcry and riots over his killing.

'Ive been trying to process what can be said or heard in this moment. I havent been able to get the image of the knee on his neck out of my head,' she wrote.

The talk show icon, 66, added: 'Its there every morning when I rise and when I go through the ordinary duties of the day.'

'A giant soul': Oprah Winfrey posted a heartbroken Instagram tribute to George Floyd on Friday amid outcry and riots over his killing

Winfrey shared: 'While pouring coffee, lacing my shoes, and taking a breath, I think: He doesnt get to do this.'

She continued: 'And now the video from the other angle of two other officers pinning him down. My heart sinks even deeper.

'His family and friends say he was a gentle giant. His death has now shown us he had a giant soul. If the largeness of a soul is determined by its sphere of influence, George Floyd is a Mighty soul,' wrote Winfrey.

'#GeorgeFloyd: We speak your name. But this time we will not let your name be just a hashtag. Your spirit is lifted by the cries of all of us who call for justice in your name!'

'We speak your name': 'If the largeness of a soul is determined by its sphere of influence, George Floyd is a Mighty soul,' wrote Winfrey

Her message came the day former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with manslaughter and third degree murder.

A viral video showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than seven minutes during a forgery arrest, after which Floyd was taken to a hospital and died Monday.

Three other police officers were fired with Chauvin over their role in the incident but so far only Chauvin has been arrested or charged.

'His family and friends say he was a gentle giant': Winfrey shared: 'While pouring coffee, lacing my shoes, and taking a breath, I think: He doesnt get to do this'

Unrest has mounted throughout the week with riots breaking out in Minneapolis and U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to 'send in the National Guard,' as well as tweeting that 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts.'

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has declared an 8pm curfew and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has confessed 'abject failure' in restraining the rioters.

Winfrey joins celebrities including Kylie Jenner, LeBron James, Cardi B, Gigi Hadid, Diddy and Ciara in expressing outrage on social media over Floyd's death.
When military spouse Lindsey Custer first learned about book nooks, or little lending libraries people put up in their own neighborhoods, she thought they sounded fun but didn't think they were something that would fit with her current living situation.

The Custers live on post at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and she was sure that such a thing would already have been done if it were possible.

But that wasn't the case. And after reading a new book over Christmas, the desire to do something about the idea was reignited.

"I thought maybe others would find this worthwhile and fun, so I set out to learn," Custer said.

She started by talking to people in the nearby town of Leesville who work with the Vernon Parish Book Nooks. They suggested using old newspaper stands instead of building something from scratch. They even went so far as to connect her with the Beauregard Daily News, which had about 10 newspaper receptacles sitting on its back dock.

Custer went home with one, painted it and put it out on her street. It was incredibly well received, first by the people on her street and, when word spread, by others in her neighborhood and all over the installation.

That was in late February, and now there are two fully functioning book nooks, with two more coming soon. The Fort Polk Book Nooks Facebook page shares photos of what's inside the nooks, encouraging people to stop by and "take a book, leave a book."

Other neighborhoods on Fort Polk have been asking about getting nooks. "There are three housing communities on post, and each will have their own," Custer said.

(Courtesy Photo)

She worked with Corvias, the housing company on Fort Polk, to get approval. "I went to them first, because I liked the idea of the book nooks being a neighborhood activity," she said.

Corvias had already been thinking of the idea, so officials were very encouraging. The book nooks give people a way to connect with their neighbors and a place to share books.

"I'm seeing people from all over post to get some books and drop them off," Custer said. "It makes me want to turn around even faster and get more out there."

Sharing books is a good way to build a sense of community, she said.

Custer would love to see book nooks and little libraries all over the place, and she encourages those interested to think outside the box to find a way to make it work.

"Sometimes, we feel so temporary that we don't feel like we can do it," she said.

But we can, and we should. Just like she did.

Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life

For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox.

--Rebecca Alwine can be reached at rebecca.alwine@monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebecca_alwine.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29)  President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to certify as urgent the bill extending the validity of the "Bayanihan" law until September 30, Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said on Friday.

Zubiri, who filed Senate Bill 1546 which revises Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, said he was given an "assurance" by the Palace.

"I was told they will issue a certification of the measure. They're just waiting for the committee report. They want to see the version we pass at the committee level. We have an assurance," he said during a joint virtual hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

He admitted the Senate may not be able to pass all stimulus measures next week due to limited time. He added they are prioritizing the bill extending the validity of the Bayanihan law as Congress only has until June 5 to pass the proposed law since they will adjourn sine die on that date.

In the House of Representatives, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez filed a similar bill on May 26.

Both bills seek to provide a three-month extension of the Bayanihan act, which was passed in March. It allows Duterte to continue to exercise power to realign "items in the national budget and provide emergency support for vulnerable groups and individuals, expand medical resources, and finance emergency initiatives to keep the economy afloat" during this public health crisis.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon seeks for the repeal of Section 6 of the Bayanihan Act, which penalizes crimes and disobedience linked to the COVID-19 crisis. He said law enforcer are using this provision to abuse their powers, citing the cases of killing of ex-soldier Winston Ragos who allegedly violated quarantine rules and the arrest of Cebu artist Bambi Beltran for writing a satirical Facebook post on COVID-19 cases in a sitio.

"The purpose of the law is to protect the health of the people, not per se, to punish a crime. We should not criminalize the Bayanihan Heal as One Law. The violators are driven by hunger and lack of jobs," he said.

He argued that the crimes cited in the specific section is already punishable under different laws.

Philippine National Police Chief Director General Archie Gamboa, who was a resource person in the hearing, said he "submits to the wisdom of the Senate" to remove the sanctions. He said, among the COVID-related cases filed against several violators, the PNP has not used the Bayanihan law as basis.

"I myself dissected this and true enough, we need the requirement of deputation of other government agencies for PNP to function," he said.

More than 15,000 people in the country have been infected by COVID-19 so far. Over 3,500 have recovered but 904 have died.
Li Zhanshu (R), chairman of National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, Xu Qiliang, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Li Zuocheng (C), chief of the Joint Staff Department, attend an event marking the 15th anniversary of the implementation of the Anti-Secession Law at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on May 29, 2020. (Yew Lun Tian/Reuters)

Top Chinese General Says Beijing Will Attack Taiwan to Stop Independence

BEIJINGChina will attack Taiwan if there is no other way of stopping it from becoming independent, one of the countrys most senior generals said on May 29, in a rhetorical escalation from China aimed at the democratic, self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own.

Speaking at Beijings Great Hall of the People on the 15th anniversary of the Anti-Secession Law, Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department and member of the Central Military Commission, left the door open to using force.

The 2005 law gives the country the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to, making the narrow Taiwan Strait a potential military flashpoint.

If the possibility for peaceful reunification is lost, the peoples armed forces will, with the whole nation, including the people of Taiwan, take all necessary steps to resolutely smash any separatist plots or actions, Li said.

We do not promise to abandon the use of force, and reserve the option to take all necessary measures, to stabilize and control the situation in the Taiwan Strait, he added.

Although China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, it is rare for a top, serving military officer to so explicitly make the threat in a public setting. The comments are especially striking amid international opprobrium over China passing new national security legislation for Chinese-run Hong Kong.

Taiwans government denounced the comments, saying that threats of war were a violation of international law and that Taiwan has never been a part of China.

Taiwans people will never choose dictatorship nor bow to violence, Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council said. Force and unilateral decisions are not the way to resolve problems.

Li is one of Chinas few senior officers with combat experience, having taken part in Chinas ill-fated invasion of Vietnam in 1979.

Taiwan is Chinas most sensitive territorial issue. Beijing says it is a Chinese province, and has denounced the Trump administrations support for the island.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (C) and her running mate William Lai (L) wave to supporters during a rally in Taoyuan, Taiwan, on Jan. 8, 2020. (Carl Court/Getty Images)

Li Zhanshu, the third-most-senior leader of Chinas ruling Communist Party and head of Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, told the same event that non-peaceful means were an option of last resort.

We warn Taiwans pro-independence and separatist forces sternly, the path of Taiwan independence leads to a dead end; any challenge to this law will be severely punished, Li said.

Taiwan has shown no interest in being run by autocratic China. It has denounced Chinas repeated military drills near the island and rejected Chinas offer to rule via the one country, two systems model currently adopted in Hong Kong.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and her Democratic Progressive Party won presidential and parliamentary elections by a landslide in January, vowing to stand up to Beijing.

China is deeply suspicious of Tsai, whom it accuses of being a separatist bent on declaring formal independence. Tsai says Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its official name.

The mood in Taiwan toward China has further soured since Chinas rubber-stamp legislature passed new national security legislation for Chinese-ruled Hong Kong on Thursday.

By Yew Lun Tian. Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
FILE PHOTO: The Citigroup Inc logo is seen at the SIBOS banking and financial conference in Toronto

(Reuters) - Citigroup Inc <C.N> looks to return a small number of staff to its New York headquarters in July or possibly August, with workers reentering its London offices possibly even earlier, Chief Executive Officer Michael Corbat told Bloomberg News in an interview https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-28/citi-s-corbat-maps-out-june-july-reopening-amid-commuting-fear.

Corbat said on Thursday the return will be "granular, site-by-site and within those sites, job-by-job", adding that sometime in July or possibly August is when the bank hopes to return about 5% of some 12,000 employees at Citigroup's main building in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood.

Staff returning to work will begin next month at the Canary Wharf complex in London, he added.

"The return of our colleagues to our sites will vary depending on local conditions and be driven by data, not dates," Citi spokeswoman Jennifer Lowney said in a statement.

"We anticipate a slow and measured reentry once local conditions permit, beginning with only a small number of colleagues who have a clear and compelling need to operate from a given location," the spokeswoman added.

Corbat told Bloomberg that he does not envision a "virtual bank", but he was considering less business travel.

Goldman Sachs <GS.N> President John Waldron said on Wednesday the bank plans to reopen its New York and London offices to a small, "core group" of global markets and strategy employees in the coming weeks.

(Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru and Elizabeth Dilts Marshall in New York; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Shailesh Kuber)
- A woman identified as Basant Shenouda has taken to social media to celebrate her success

- She says she moved to Germany for university education in 2015 with one suitcase and a one-way ticket

- After working and studying in Germany, she realised that she made the best decision of her life five years ago

- She encourages people to celebrate the small wins

Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana

A woman identified as Basant Shenouda has inspired the internet community with her success story and the decision she made in 2015.

Shenouda said she moved to Germany for university education in 2015 with one suitcase and a one-way ticket.

Sharing her success story on LinkedIn, she said that decision was the best decision of her life, adding that adversity has evolved her for the better.

Basant Shenouda. Photo credit: Basant Shenouda

Source: UGC

She said: "I struggled in gaining a visa for months and I was a month and a half late into my lectures.

"I couldn't seem to keep with the coursework I missed while trying to adjust to a new culture, language, and environment."

Shenouda said during her studies and job hunting, she was always so focused on the future and she never really lived in the present or celebrated through her struggles.

She added: "After looking at both these pictures of me in my high school and university graduation, it's safe to say how much adversity can evolve us for the better.

"My job was recently postponed until next year and it made me realize that it's not about the finish line, it's about living in the moment even when it's not a huge victory

"Yes, community.. Our time will come but remember to celebrate the small wins!"

In other news, identical twins, Lanisha and Ronnisha Richardson, who are both graduating seniors from Yazoo City, Mississippi, have graduated top of their class with 4.1 GPA.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has plagued the entire world, the class of high school graduates have been unable to hold any ceremony to mark the grand transition.

Lanisha and Ronnisha have been disappointed by the development as they wish to celebrate their success amidst cheering crowds but they are nonetheless glad to have attained the feat.

Ghanaian female accounting graduate and mushroom farmer recounts her experience | #Yencomgh

Have national and human interest issues to discuss?

Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition?

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
Lucknow: The politics of Uttar Prdaesh has always been unpredictable and once again speculations are rife of Yadav clan getting united ahead of 2022 state assembly polls. The Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, which had given plea to UP Assembly speaker for disqualifying Shivpal Yadav after he formed his own break-away group and a political outfit later on, has now taken back the plea.

Uttar Pradesh assembly Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit allowed SP to withdraw its plea for disqualification of Yadav after a letter was written to him by Leader of Opposition and senior Samajwadi Party leader Ram Govind Chaudhary.

Shivpal, who is still a Samajwadi Party MLA from Jaswantnagar seat, had formed a break-away group after differences with his nephew and SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav went public.

Shivpal Yadav had later on formed his own political outfit called Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia. Although PSPL couldnt win any seat in the 2017 Assembly elections and 2019 Lok Sabha Polls but it is estimated that he had dented prospects of Samajwadi Party on many seats.

After the letter of Ram Govind Chaudhary seeking withdrawal of plea went public, speculations became rife that something was cooking in one of the biggest political clans of the country. Answering questions from media if Shivpal was set to return to SP fold, Chaudhary fuelled the speculations more by saying, It is politics, anything is possible.

Earlier in 2019 also the Yadav clan showed signs of coming together as both Akhilesh Yadav and his estranged uncle Shivpal Yadav indicated at a possible truce.

Answering a question on the possibility of Shivpal Yadav's return to Samajwadi Party fold, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had said, Doors are always open for everyone, we will take everyone back without a second thought. There is democracy in our family all the members are free to follow the ideology they want to. Unless we grow our family how will we contest elections?

The reaction from Akhilesh came after a statement from Shivpal that hinted at the possibility of a truce. Speaking to media in Mainpuri on any chances left for return in the Yadav clan, Shivpal had said, From my side there are chances of return. The speculation of Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh coming together has been rife since the poor performance of Samajwadi Party in the recently concluded 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.

SP president Akhilesh has led the party to its worst defeats  in 2014 when he was chief minister, the SP ended up with just five Lok Sabha seats, in 2017 when he became party president it was reduced to 47 seats in the 403-member assembly and in 2019, despite allying with BSP, it could just hold on to its five seats.

Soon after the Lok Sabha results came in, Akhilesh had been turning to his father for advice and guidance  something he did not do in the past. The senior Yadav, to begin with, had reportedly asked Akhilesh to reconnect with non-Yadav leaders in the party and demolish the perception that SP is an all-Yadav party.

Mulayam Singh Yadav also wanted senior leaders in the party to be involved in decision making and had asked Akhilesh Yadav to ensure the return of those leaders who have left the party in the past two years. If informed sources are to be believed, Mulayam Singh Yadav had asked his son to build bridges with his estranged uncle Shivpal Yadav.
President Michael D Higgins has suggested that frontline workers are underpaid and said that we must think about how their dedication is repaid after the coronavirus crisis.

The President discussed inequality in housing, health and childcare during a pre-recorded interview with Ryan Tubridy on the Late Late show.

Sitting in front of Aras an Uachtarain's Starry Plough monument - which commemorates the 1913 Lockout of the Dublin workers - he spoke about how he feels the pandemic should be a time to reflect on how essential workers are treated.

Mr Higgins said: "To think for example that of all those infected 34pc are people who are delivering themselves into the shadow of the Covid every day, and not only that, but they have to leave home and leave their families and behind.

"These are the essential workers in society, without whom society couldn't function. We're paying tribute to them, and we're thanking them, but we wouldn't want to just leave it at that. I think we have to just ask ourselves a question. Have we underrated the contribution of these most important parts of our lives?

"So we need to really follow through and look in terms of both, how they are remunerated, the security that offered, the conditions that are asked to work and so on."

The president said that he hopes Ireland can use the coronavirus pandemic as a way to improve as a nation. He said that he has also enjoyed viewing things on an island of Ireland basis during the pandemic, that "there are no borders in the things we can do".

He continued to say: "The one thing you know that's going to come out of this, I hope, is that there's an opportunity to make a deep reflection.

"It is about reminding oneself maybe about that which hadn't been given sufficient attention about what is the nature of work what work could we not do without.

"We've just been talking about the kind of work that we need to survive, but it isn't only work to survive but work to flourish, because we have to really think about care.

"Is it not the case that care work for example, wasn't given the same status? It certainly wasn't remunerated enough.

"So, we should actually come out of the Covid having completely rethought out the importance of caring."
Gardai are appealing for witnesses to a shooting in Darndale in Dublin two weeks ago.

They discovered a motorbike on fire at Primrose Grove at around 9pm on May 14.
Reiterating his offer to mediate on the border dispute between India and China, US President Donald Trump has said that he spoke with Narendra Modi about the "big conflict" and asserted that the Indian Prime Minister is not in a "good mood" over the latest flare-ups between the two countries. Speaking with the reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump said a "big conflict" was going on between India and China. "I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," the president said.

"Have a big conflict India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," he said when asked if he was worried about the border situation between India and China. "I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump said. A day earlier, the president offered to mediate between India and China. Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.

Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump reiterated his offer, saying if called for help, "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help" about "mediate or arbitrate, I would do that," he said. India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump's offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

Also read: India-China standoff: Donald Trump offers to mediate 'raging dispute'

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing. While the Chinese Foreign Ministry is yet to react to Trump's tweet which appears to have caught Beijing by surprise, an op-ed in the state-run Global Times said both countries did not need such a help from the US President.

"The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order," it said. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.

Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal which was rejected by New Delhi. The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders. Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence. The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.

Also read: India steers clear of Trump's offer to mediate on China issue, says in talks with Beijing
State-run hospitals will no longer have an incentive to ask patients to use private health cover after the new national cabinet signed a health funding deal on the day it replaced the Council of Australian Governments.

Under the $131.4 billion funding deal, state-run hospitals will no longer be incentivised to ask patients to use their private insurance for treatment they are entitled to for free.

Scott Morrison said the national cabinet will continue to meet fortnightly during the pandemic and then monthly in the future. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Prime Minister Morrison announced the agreement after national cabinet met on Friday, saying it would deliver an extra $34.4 billion to public hospitals over five years.

Private Hospitals Association chief executive Michael Roff said the new deal should stop the "harvesting" of private patients, which had filled almost 14 per cent of public hospital beds with private patients.
New Delhi, May 29 : The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Friday approved transfers of four Additional Secretaries, 16 Joint Secretaries and two Directors.

1987 batch IAS officer Arun Singhal, currently working as Special Secretary in Department of Health & Family Welfare as Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, has been appointed a Secretary in the same department.

1991 batch IAS officer S. Gopalakrishnan, currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, on lateral shift basis, for the balance period of his central deputation tenure till October 27, 2022.

1992 batch IAS officer Rajendra Kumar has been appointed as Additional Secretary in Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

1989 batch IA&AS officer Subir Mallick has been appointed as Additional Financial Adviser and Joint Secretary in Ministry of Defence (Finance) at the level of additional Secretary by in situ upgradation of the post held by him for the balance period of his Central deputation tenure in partial modification of the earlier order dated May 12, 2020 appointing him as Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser, Agricultural Research and Education.

Among Joint Secretaries, 2001 batch IAS officer C. Sridhar, currently serving as Deputy Director in LBSNAA in Mussoorie, has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, on lateral shift basis, for an overall tenure of seven years.
Former Secretary of State Karen Bradley has said she is "not convinced" by the account given by Boris Johnson's adviser Dominic Cummings over his alleged lockdown breaches.

The Staffordshire Moorlands MP said: "I would like to thank the many, many people who have written to me about Mr Cummings and his actions and I want to assure you that I have every sympathy with you and your views.

Expand Close Dominic Cummings leaves his north London home (Victoria Jones/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Dominic Cummings leaves his north London home (Victoria Jones/PA)

"Over the last few weeks the British people have been asked to make the most enormous personal sacrifices. We have all done everything asked of us because we were told that doing so would save lives."

She said she wanted to give Mr Cummings a chance to make his case before passing judgment and not rush to comment until hearing his account.

"Having done so, I am afraid that I am not convinced by his explanation," she added. "I can well understand that any parent wants to protect their child and have enormous sympathy with acting to do that.

"But so much of the account goes beyond that simple human instinct and suggests that there were breaches of the rules to avoid some of the hardships that many have endured."

Ms Bradley replaced James Brokenshire as Secretary of State from January 2018 until July last year when Boris Johnson became Prime Minister. He praised her for her work here, although she was widely viewed as ineffective.

Dozens of Tory MPs have called for Mr Cummings to resign or be sacked. However, current Secretary of State Brandon Lewis has given the PM and his special adviser his support.

Ms Bradley said she shared her constituents' views on Mr Cummings at the "highest level", adding: "Mr Cummings is, in my view, causing significant damage to the work that the Government are doing to get us through the pandemic.

"I can reach no other conclusion than that for the sake of this country, Mr Cummings should do the right thing now and stop damaging the work that needs to be done."
The Aeon logo is seen on a store in Osaka

TOKYO (Reuters) - One of Japan's biggest shopping centres operated by retail giant Aeon Co Ltd <8267.T> reopened on Thursday after the government lifted its state of emergency earlier in the week, prompting stores to open with precautions to prevent coronavirus infections.

Aeon Mall in Chiba, east of Tokyo, shoppers had their temperatures checked at the entrance, while staff wore protective face shields and stood behind transparent plastic barriers. Visitor numbers were monitored to prevent overcrowding.

"We had been looking forward to this full reopening for a while and I am happy about this," Junichi Kobayashi, General Manager at Aeon Mall Makuhari Shintoshin, told reporters.

"On the other hand, we feel a great responsibility for how to provide a safe and secure (environment) for our customers."

Other major retailers such as casual clothing chain Uniqlo, owned by Fast Retailing <9983.T>, have already been gradually reopening stores. Department store operator Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings <3099.T> is due to resume business at its flagship stores on Saturday after closing them in early April.

The global death toll from the pandemic is now more than 300,000. Japan has confirmed around 800 deaths from 16,000 cases.

(Reporting by Jack Tarrant; Kim Coghill)
A Ludwig Cancer Research study has profiled, in a sweeping comparative analysis, the distinct immune landscapes of tumors that arise in the brain, or gliomas, and those that metastasize to the organ from the lungs, breast and skin. Led by Ludwig Lausanne Member Johanna Joyce and published in the current issue of Cell, the study captures in granular detail how the functions, locations and characteristics of various immune cells sculpt the tumor microenvironment (TME) to thwart immune attack, support cancer cell survival and drive tumor progression.

"Looking at these tumors side by side, we could very clearly see the differences not just between primary and metastatic brain cancers but also high-grade versus low-grade gliomas, and then among metastases originating from different primary sites," says Joyce. "Without juxtaposing those different disease entities, we wouldn't have been able to discover how profoundly different their immune landscapes are."

Cancers selectively harness a variety of immune cells and even manipulate their gene expression programs to get them to suppress anti-tumor immune responses, aid metastasis, establish a blood supply and provide other critical support. Targeting such turncoat immune cells, or "reeducating" them to attack their host tumors, is now a major focus of cancer immunology.

"Our findings underscore that we can't take a one-size-fits-all approach to targeting brain cancers," says Joyce.

In their study, Joyce and her colleagues surveyed the numbers and preferential locations of 14 subtypes of immune cells in 100 brain tumor samples obtained from patients. They also profiled the full spectrum of proteins in the samples and the global gene expression patterns of individual immune cells. They then integrated these richly detailed, large-scale analyses to comprehensively map the immune landscape of each tumor type and capture differences in the functional states of their resident immune cells.

This comparative analysis revealed that five types of immune cells predominantly sculpt the brain TME. These include monocyte-derived macrophages that enter the brain from elsewhere in the body; microglia, the brain's resident version of those cells; related myeloid cells called neutrophils; CD4+ T cells, which orchestrate and regulate immune responses; and the CD8+ (killer) T cells that destroy cancer cells and can be activated by checkpoint blockade immunotherapies. The specific composition of the immune landscapes and the functional states of their constituent cells are shaped by the interplay of the brain's unique biology and the innate characteristics of each type of tumor.

advertisement

"We have to think very differently about these brain malignancies," in targeting the TME, says Joyce. "We can't just bin them all together and hope that therapy X is going to work for all these disease entities."

The study shows, for example, that brain metastases of melanoma -- one of the few brain tumors that have responded to checkpoint blockade -- have an abundance of T cells. Gliomas, which are rich in macrophages and microglia, hardly have any. "You can imagine," says Joyce, "that for gliomas, you would want to develop therapies that increase the infiltration of T cells into the microenvironment." For melanoma brain metastases, on the other hand, the primary aim would be to activate the existing T cells in the TME to attack cancer cells.

Differences abound even within gliomas. The researchers show that microglia predominate in low-grade gliomas that are characterized by a mutation in an enzyme known as IDH. High-grade gliomas or glioblastomas (GBMs) associated with a normal IDH gene have a greater abundance of macrophages that migrate into the brain from the blood circulation.

"Therapies to block macrophage infiltration into the brain might be more beneficial for the treatment of high-grade gliomas than the depletion of microglia," says Joyce. In addition, therapies that "reeducate" macrophages to attack rather than nurture cancer cells could prove effective against gliomas in general -- a possibility the Joyce lab is exploring.

The findings also open exciting new areas for research. Brain metastases of breast cancer, for instance, were found to be teeming with neutrophils. The Joyce lab's previous studies found that these cells play an important role in establishing a niche in the lungs for breast cancer metastases. Joyce and her team are now exploring how neutrophils might influence their growth in the brain as well.

"I think, and I hope, that these data will be a very important resource not only for my lab, but for the whole brain tumor community to help advance the development of immune-targeted therapies," says Joyce.

In addition to her Ludwig position, Joyce is also a Professor in the Department of Oncology at the University of Lausanne.

This study was supported by Ludwig Cancer Research, the Swiss Cancer League, the Swiss Bridge Award, University of Lausanne, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Alhassan Andani

29.05.2020 LISTEN

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Stanbic Bank, Alhassan Andani says the challenges posed by Covid-19 should engineer a new policy that will reduce Ghana's reliance on imports, particularly from China.

According to him, Ghana can improve agriculture production and limit its export by looking at the opportunity to boost domestic production and consumption of some food commodities.

Ghana's imports from China have suffered a dip due to restrictions on global travel as a measure to control the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19).

Many companies are also struggling to procure goods and supplies from global suppliers.

Some goods are generally in short supply in Ghana or are being sold at higher prices due to a reduction in Chinese imports.

Speaking at a webinar organized by the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industries on strategies for business survival and growth, Mr. Andani said Ghana must speed up its industrialization efforts to cushion the country from external shocks when situations like Covid-19 emerged.

For example, most of our import trade that was coming from Asia, China, has had to suffer significant setbacks because of the disruption in global supply chains. So, what kind of alternatives will be available and this is the kind of conversation we will want to pick up with the National Chamber for Commerce and Industry and other industry players to see how we can diversify our economy away from a huge reliance on Asia and China generally, he said.

The webinar was on the theme, Covid-19, financing options to stimulate local production.

Already, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has stated that the fight against the novel coronavirus could cost Ghana about GH9.5 billion, pushing the country's budget deficit to about 6.5 per cent.

Ghana's main exports are gold, cocoa beans and timber products. Others include tuna, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds and horticulture.

Already, a lecturer with the Department of Economics at the University of Ghana, Dr. Priscilla Twumasi-Baffour, has appealed to government to reduce the continued dependence on commodity exports and seek diversification strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of price volatility on the international market post Covid-19.

According to her, it is time government comes up with strategic ways to develop domestic production and formulate government policies to safeguard the economy in unpredictable circumstances.

 Citibusiness
Official suggests ways to boost farmers' value share

By:Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-05-26 13:23

The coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult for Chinese farmers to sell their agricultural products, therefore causing many to adopt internet sales channels. Although live streaming by farmers themselves has in some way boosted the sales of agricultural products and promoted agricultural development, there are still some problems hindering its growth.

According to Jiang Zelin, a CPPCC National Committee member, as cellphones become a new farm tool and live streaming becomes a new farming job, e-commerce live broadcast is not only an innovation of marketing methods, but also a sign that farmers are transforming from simple agricultural producers to both producers and marketers.

Nevertheless, the current industrial chain lacks a scientific and reasonable interest negotiation mechanism between farmers and enterprises that purchase agricultural products from them and sell them on. There are not enough facilities and land availability for the primary processing of agricultural products in the place of origin. Whats worse, leading enterprises dont possess a satisfying strength to lead the local economy development.

Among the national top 500 enterprises, there are only 12 agricultural-related enterprises, and most cities, counties and districts lack leading enterprises in deep processing, said Jiang.

To this end, Jiang suggests that a win-win interest connection mechanism should be established to make farmers participants, builders and sharers of the industrial chain. Rural collective construction land such as abandoned land in rural schools and idle house sites could be made use of. Moreover, large-scale modern agricultural leading enterprises with international competitiveness should be cultivated to connect farmers and smooth the marketing channels.
Burma NLD Vows to Veto USDP and Militarys Bid to Impeach Speaker

Union Parliament Speaker U T Khun Myat. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy

Naypyitaw The National League for Democracy (NLD) said it will stand by Union Parliament Speaker U T Khun Myat, who faces calls for impeachment from military lawmakers and the militarys proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).

An urgent proposal calling for the speakers impeachment signed by 110 lawmakers from the USDP, the military bloc and some ethnic parties was submitted to the Lower House on Thursday. It accuses U T Khun Myat, an independent parliamentarian, of violating the Constitution and failing to fulfill his duties on several occasions.

A proposal to remove a speaker or deputy speaker requires the support of 110 lawmakers or a quarter of Parliament.

To pass it requires the support of two-thirds of lawmakers in a secret ballot. The USDP and military appointees together hold around 32 percent of the seats, meaning U T Khun Myat will be able to retain his post if he is backed up by the NLD, which has a majority in the national legislature.

NLD central executive committee member U Aung Kyi Nyunt said: We will stand by U T Khun Myat on this issue.

U T Khun Myat is doing his best as the speaker of the Union Parliament and Lower House, said U Aung Kyi Nyunt.

I think the move is just intended to damage the reputation of the speaker rather than really remove him. It is political manipulation, he said.

USDP lawmaker U Sai Tun Sein, who submitted the impeachment proposal, admitted the proposal would fail but wanted it recorded in history.

I dont expect the proposal will succeed, said the ethnic Shan lawmaker.

U Sai Tun Sein said U T Khun Myat violated the Constitution and parliamentary law by allowing the NLD to submit an urgent proposal to form the Constitutional Amendment Committee while blocking a full parliamentary debate on charter amendment proposals submitted jointly by his party and military lawmakers.

Lower House lawmaker U Sai Tun Aye of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy called the effort to impeach U T Khun Myat a smear.

It is difficult to say which side is right and which side is wrong. The proposal will fail when it is put to the vote. I think the proposal is dirty politics, he said, adding that U T Khun Myat had performed well as speaker.

Lower House lawmaker Daw Phyu Phyu Thin of the NLD said the USDPs argument was weak. Our party will stand on the right side, she said.

The parliament will debate the impeachment proposal next week.

U T Khun Myat, who was previously a peoples militia leader in Shan States Kutkai Township, contested the 2010 election for the USDP as an executive member in northern Shan State and secured a Lower House seat.

He retained his seat in the 2015 election and was elected deputy speaker. He resigned from the USDPs central executive committee in 2017 and became the parliamentary speaker the following year with the majority support of the NLD when U Win Myint resigned as speaker to become president.

He was also a member of the 2008 Constitution drafting board and a member of the 2008 Constitutional Referendum Commission.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko

You may also like these stories:

Taang Armed Group Attacks Myanmar Military Convoy in Shan State

COVID-19 Forces Ceremony for Depayin Massacre to Downsize
The Royal Air Force carried out four airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq during May after the militants stepped up attacks while authorities were busy managing the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Ministry of Defence.

The MOD increased their attacks on the Islamist group since April, when the RAF carried out two aerial bombardments over Iraq - the first in seven months.

The redeployment of Typhoons and drones to target the extremists came shortly after ISIS activity increased near their strongholds in north-eastern Iraq.

In one night at the start of May, the militants killed four tribal militia fighters and three soldiers across three provinces.

Local officials, armed forces and politicians have been focussed on preventing the spread of the virus, giving the extremists ample opportunity to carry out attacks, experts have argued.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the strikes, the first of which took place on 8 May, showed the UK was prepared to protect its allies.

File photo dated 03/12/15 of an RAF Eurofighter Typhoon at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus

Pictured: An aerial photograph shows the explosion after one of the air attacks hit its target in northern Iraq

An Iraqi fighter with the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces) inspects the site of the Islamic State (IS) group attack, a day earlier, on a unit of the paramilitary force in Mukaishefah, about 110 miles north of the capital, on May 3, 2020

Yesterday, ISIS called the pandemic divine punishment from God and said they were glad it had been inflicted on the West.

In an audio broadcast posted on one of the militants' websites, which could not be verified by Reuters, the person on the tape identified himself as IS spokesman Abu Hamzah al-Quraishi.

'God, by his will, sent a punishment to tyrants of this time and their followers ... which can't be seen by the naked eye,' he said, in an allusion to the COVID-19 disease.

'Today we are pleased for this punishment of God for you.'

It was the Sunni Muslim group's third such tape since appointing Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Quraishi as new leader following the killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by U.S. special forces in northwestern Syria late last year.

It was the Sunni Muslim group's third such tape since appointing Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Quraishi as new leader following the killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (pictured in 2019) by U.S. special forces in northwestern Syria late last year

Quraishi urged IS fighters 'everywhere to prepare whatever strength they could and be as hard as they could on the enemies of God and to raid their places,' according to the tape.

'Don't let a single day pass without making their lives awful.'

He gave no specific targets but mentioned countries where the group is active such as Syria and Iraq as well as western Africa.

IS has struggled to regroup and develop new strategy since the killing of Baghdadi. It lost its last significant piece of territory in Syria last year after already being defeated in Iraq.

The SITE Intelligence Group monitoring website said the tape looked authentic. 'IS spokesman echoes jihadi sentiment of COVID-19 being divine punishment,' it said.
President Hernandez and other members of his administration deny those accusations and say they are continuing to cooperate with the U.S. government to crack down on drug trafficking. The presidents brother was never a part of the administration or any government institution, Luis Suazo, the countrys vice minister of security, said in an interview. Suazo and other officials said they also had doubts about some of the information used in the case.
Dangote Cement sees sales slow in 1Q20

29 May 2020

This week Dangote Group reported its 1Q20 results, which saw group sales volumes decline by 0.6 per cent with the onset of the coronavirus in March. ICR now looks deeper at the regional breakdown of the companys results.



The domestic Nigerian market saw temporary restrictions imposed only in the last week of for the COVID-19 outbreak and therefore, cement volumes were not much affected in the 1Q20. However, sales volumes in April were trending lower. Still, Dangote estimates consumption was up five per cent in the 1Q20 compared to the 1Q19. Overall, the company's Nigerian operations sold more than 4Mt, up 0.7 per cent on the 1Q19. Revenues also increased by 5.6 per cent to NGN179.3bn (US$4.59bn), while EBITDA reached NGN103.4. Average prices were up by five per cent YoY.



Pan-African operations

The pan-African region saw volume growth in six of nine Dangote operations. March saw a countrywide lockdown in South Africa, Congo and Ghana, with a partial lockdown in Sierra Leone and Senegal. The region sold 2.28Mt of cement in 1Q20, down 2.9 per cent in the 2.35Mt in the 1Q19. EBITDA was a record high of NGN14.6bn, up 23.4 per cent YoY, supported by strong performances in Ethiopia, Senegal Cameroon, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Congo as well as higher pricing in Zambia.

Cameroon

Dangote Cement estimates Cameroons cement market was about 0.82Mt in the 1Q20, driven by individual construction projects, government housing estate projects and the continuation of the African Cup of Nations. The 1.5Mta grinding facility in Douala sold 0.31Mt of cement in the 1Q20, an increase of 4.3 per cent when compared with the 1Q19 and the company has a ~38 per cent market share in Cameroon.

Republic of Congo

The market size of the Republic of Congo was about 0.19Mt in the 1Q20 and the 1.5Mta Mfila cement plant sold just under 74,000t of cement in the period, up 25 per cent YoY. Growth was aided by a new depot in the north region and market share grew to 40 per cent. The lockdown was extended to 10 May in this country.



Ethiopia

The Ethiopian market was about 2Mt in the 1Q20 and sales at the 2.5Mta Mugher factory reached 0.56Mt, up six per cent YoY, with a market share of 28 per cent.



Ghana

Dangote Cement sold more than 124,000t of cement in Ghana in the 1Q20, a rise of six per cent compared to the 1Q19. The company has a domestic market share of seven per cent.



Senegal

Senegals market is a growth area where a larger middle class and decentralisation are aiding several cities and zones to be built. Sales from the Pout plant reached 0.4Mt in the 1Q20, up by 5.4 per cent YoY, while the companys market share grew to 21 per cent.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leones market has been bolstered by infrastructure spending and foreign aid enabling the resumption of building projects. The country consumed 0.18Mt of cement in the 1Q20 and Dangotes share rose to 37 per cent with volumes reaching 67,000t.



South Africa

South Africa has low spending in large infrastructure projects and depressed demand for residential construction. The government lockdown came into effect on 27 March to stop the spread of COVID-19 and was extended to 1 May when phased easing began. The companys sales volume fell by one per cent in the 1Q20.



Tanzania

In contract Tanzania is seeing robust growth in infrastructure and housing and major projects for road, rail and airports. The market is estimated at 1.4Mt in the 1Q20 and the Mtwara factory sold 0.2Mt of cement and 0.24Mt of clinker in the period. This was 13 per cent lower than in the 1Q19, and was due to production challenges that reduced daily volumes. The company has a 17 per cent share of the market. Dangote Cement also faced delays on the construction its new power plant during the 1Q20 due to the coronavirus.



Zambia

Zambias cement market fell by 25-30 per cent in the 1Q20 impacted by the depressed economic environment. The Ndola factory sold just over 0.13Mt of cement in the quarter, down 39 per cent YoY. A 44 per cent price increase in local currency improved profitability and the Ndola plant has about a 27 per cent share of the market.



Summary

In general, manufacturing costs rose in the period by 4.9 per cent to NGN104.3bn, mainly as a result of an increase in Nigerian manufacturing costs. Selling and distribution costs in Nigeria advanced to NGN31.8bn in the 1Q20. These costs were in part offset by the decrease in pan-African selling costs, as a result of reduced haulage costs in Tanzania and Zambia, due to the reduced volumes compared to the 1Q19.



Group revenue rose by 3.8 per cent for Dangote in the 1Q20, while group EBITDA increased by 2.2 per cent. Pan-African EBITDA increased by 23.4 per cent with a record high EBITDA margin of 20.9 per cent. Profit before tax rose 11.5 per cent YoY. Group volumes were flat at 6.3Mt.

Published under
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Despite improvements in their performance over the past decade, electronic health records (EHRs) commonly used in hospitals nationwide fail to detect up to one in three potentially harmful drug interactions and other medication errors, according to scientists at University of Utah Health, Harvard University, and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. In tests using simulated medical records, the researchers found that EHR systems consistently failed to detect errors that could injure or kill patients.

"EHRs are supposed to ensure safe use of medications in hospitals," says David C. Classen, M.D., the study's corresponding author and a professor of internal medicine at U of U Health. "But they're not doing that. In any other industry, this degree of software failure wouldn't be tolerated. You would never get on an airplane, for instance, if an airline could only promise it could get you to your destination safely two-thirds of the time."

The study appears in the May 29 issue of JAMA Network Open.

First deployed in the 1960s, EHRs replaced written medical records and manual filing systems. They became almost universally adopted in the early 21st century after an Institute of Medicine report found that medical errors accounted for 1 million inpatient injuries and 98,000 deaths annually. According to the report, medication safety problems were the most frequent cause of preventable harm.

Medical professionals hoped that widespread use of EHRs would reduce this problem. The computerized systems are designed to issue warnings to doctors if their orders for medication could result in allergic reactions, adverse drug interactions, excessive doses, or other potentially harmful effects. However, recent studies suggest that medication safety and overall safety problems in hospitals continue to occur at a high rate despite the almost ubiquitous use of EHRs by hospitals.

One snag is that hospitals must customize and adapt their EHR software to meet their own needs, Classen says. This is a complex process that makes it difficult to keep up with all changes in drug safety. So, for example, a serious drug interaction that would trigger EHR warnings at one hospital might not at another one.

"Although EHRs are now widely used, their safety performance continues to vary from hospital to hospital," says David W. Bates, M.D., a study co-author and chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "Hospitals decide what drug-related decision supports to turn on within their systems. They have a great deal of latitude around this."

However, Classen says federal regulators only inspect EHR systems with factory specifications, meaning that whatever alterations hospitals make after installation aren't accounted for.

To determine the effectiveness of EHRs in real-world settings, Classen, Bates, and colleagues studied the results of tests conducted by an EHR safety evaluation tool called Leapfrog CPOE EHR test, which simulated actual drug orders that have and could potentially harm patients. Almost all of the scenarios were based on actual adverse drug events that harmed or killed patients in the real world.

In one scenario, for instance, a 52-year-old woman is admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. Prior to hospitalization, she was taking warfarin, a blood-thinning medication, once a day to combat deep vein thrombosis. After admission, she receives warfarin three times a day. This excessive dosage goes undetected by the hospital's EHR system for five days. As a result, the patient has a large hemorrhage and dies of causes directly related to the overdose of warfarin.

Scenarios like this one were fed directly into EHR systems at 2,314 hospitals nationwide to see if their systems would perform better. All of the tests were conducted over a 10-year span, 2009 to 2018.

The researchers found that, in 2009, these systems correctly issued warnings or alerts about potential medication problems only 54% of the time. By 2018, EHRs detected about 66% of these errors.

"These systems meet the most basic safety standards less than 70% of the time," the researchers conclude. "These systems have only modestly increased their safety during a 10-year period, leaving critical deficiencies in these systems to detect and prevent critical safety issues."

In addition, Classen notes that the hospitals in this study used the EHR evaluation tool on a voluntary basis to improve patient safety and care. Many hospitals do not participate in such evaluations, suggesting that the true safety performance of U.S. hospitals could be worse than the study found.

Explore further Medication error reporting not indicative of patient safety

More information: "National Trends in the Safety Performance of Electronic Health Record Systems from 2009 to 2018," JAMA Network Open (2020). Journal information: JAMA Network Open "National Trends in the Safety Performance of Electronic Health Record Systems from 2009 to 2018,"(2020).
Fourteen members of the Afghan security forces were killed in two separate attacks Thursday in the first deadly assaults officials have blamed on the Taliban since the end of a three-day ceasefire. The short truce ended Tuesday but an overall lull in the country's grinding violence has largely held despite the latest attacks, raising hopes the militants and Kabul could soon start much-delayed peace talks. Taliban fighters attacked a checkpoint north of the capital in Parwan province early on Thursday, said Waheeda Shahkar, spokeswoman for the provincial governor. "The Taliban have also suffered casualties," Shahkar told AFP, saying seven members of the Afghan forces died. District police chief Hussain Shah said Taliban fighters set fire to the checkpoint, killing five security force personnel. Two more were shot dead. In the western city of Farah, Taliban gunmen mounted an attack on a police post, killing seven policemen, provincial police spokesman Mohibullah Mohib told AFP. "Eight Taliban fighters were also killed in the clash that lasted for half-an-hour," he said, adding four policemen survived the attack. The Taliban have so far not commented on the incident. Thursday's attacks are the first such assaults Afghan officials have blamed on the Taliban since the end of the surprise ceasefire offered by the militants over the Eid al-Fitr festival. Afghan security forces, however, carried out air strikes in the south on Wednesday that police said had killed 18 "militants". According to Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission, civilian casualties fell by 80 percent during the ceasefire. - 'Unofficial ceasefire' - Kabul-based political analyst Sayed Nasir Musawi said he expected the insurgents to reduce attacks, without officially extending the ceasefire. "Unofficially this ceasefire will continue and we will have a meaningful reduction in violence," Musawi said. He added that the truce offer from the Taliban was a signal to the Afghan government and the United States that they were ready to start peace talks. Afghan authorities have responded to the ceasefire by pushing forward with an agreed prisoner exchange, releasing some 1,000 Taliban prisoners this week, with plans to release more in the coming days. As part of the ongoing swap, the militants on Thursday released 80 Afghan policemen and soldiers they'd been holding captive, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said. A Taliban delegation was in Kabul on Thursday to further discuss the prisoner swap with government officials, National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal told AFP. The exchange is part of a US-Taliban deal signed in February, which excluded the Afghan government. Kabul had already freed about 1,000 Taliban inmates before the ceasefire, while the insurgents had previously released about 300 government captives. The Afghan government has repeatedly called for extending the truce and launching peace talks. The future of talks "depends on the Taliban's next move", Faisal told AFP this week. US President Donald Trump's administration has made it a priority to end America's longest war, and in a bid to pull out foreign forces US officials have been pushing the Taliban and government leaders to hold peace talks.
Christian Drosten, director of the Institute of Virology at Berlin's Charite hospital. (Michael Kappeler/AFP via Getty Images)

Germanys early response to the virus in terms of developing and deploying coronavirus tests at the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, and the governments quick response to scientists recommendations has prevented thousands of deaths in the country, according to a leading virologist.

In an interview with Der Spiegel magazine (link in German), Christian Drosten, director of the Virology Institute at Berlins Charite hospital, said that without his labs work developing a coronavirus diagnostic test in January, Germany would have been less well-prepared for the outbreak.

In mid-February we were able to routinely test for Sars-CoV-2 in Germany, Drosten said. If we hadn't been able to test so early, if we scientists hadn't informed politicians, I believe we would now have 50,000 to 100,000 more deaths in Germany.

Europes largest economy has the biggest population in Europe with 83 million people. This is compared to France (67 million), UK with (66 million), Italy (60 million), and Spain (46 million).

Germany imposed its business and social lockdowns on 16 March, with chancellor Angela Merkel making a rare TV address appealing to people to stay home to slow the spread of the virus. She described the coronavirus crisis as the biggest challenge to face the country since the Second World War.

Merkel, herself a trained scientist, said that a shutdown of this scale is not what we want to do, but what scientists say [we should do].

While Germany has recorded 182,450 confirmed cases of coronavirus, its COVID-19 death toll, at 8,472, is dramatically lower than the UK, France, Spain, and Italy.

Drosten has on several occasions attributed the low fatality numbers to testing early and testing a lot.

"We stopped a pandemic wave with comparatively mild measures, and we did it very efficiently, he told Der Spiegel.

Germanys federal health minister Jens Spahn said last week that the government may introduce new regulation to ensure everyone admitted to hospitals, nursing homes, and other care facilities will be tested for COVID-19, even if they have no symptoms.

Story continues

Spahn said that the countrys healthcare system can easily cope with testing everyone on arrival. Last week, 425,000 tests were carried out across Germany, he said. But the test capacity is more than twice as large.

By the end of April, Germanys labs had the capacity to carry out nearly 900,000 coronavirus tests a week.

Drosten, regarded as one of the global leaders in the field, has become a household name in Germany since the outbreak of the pandemic, with nearly 400,000 Twitter followers and a hugely popular podcast.

He told Spiegel that before the pandemic he had not tweeted anything for two years, but decided to assume a more public-facing role during the crisis.

As someone who works on coronaviruses, I simply saw myself as obliged to do so, Drosten said. So, in mid-January I decided to spend a large part of my time on public relations and to invest the strength of my work group into the introduction of the test.

Since lockdowns began easing in April, there have been demonstrations in cities across Germany with right-wingers, left-wingers, and conspiracy theorists protesting ongoing social distancing rules, and claiming, among other things, that the coronavirus pandemic was not real.

It is what is known as a prevention paradox. Prevention is paradoxical: nothing happened because we prevented it, Drosten said. I think one should say to the corona deniers: Look abroad. We have achieved something in Germany that no comparable country in the world has managed to do.

Drosten added that he believes it is a theoretical possibility that Germany could avoid a second wave of the outbreak.
Tampa Church Reopens with Worship Service on Pentecost

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Liberty Counsel

May 28, 2020



TAMPA, Fla., May 28, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ -- The River at Tampa Bay Church will hold an outdoor worship service on church property this Sunday, May 31, the day of Pentecost, beginning at 9:30 a.m. This will be the church's first in-person worship service since the pastor, Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne, was wrongfully arrested at his home on March 30 for holding a church service on Sunday, March 29. The politically motivated charges have since been dropped. Sunday morning's service will kick-off nightly revival services, Sunday through Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Attendees are asked to register for "The Stand."

The service will be outside in the church parking lot covered by AstroTurf and can accommodate anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 people. People are encouraged to bring their own chairs/seating, and any other items they may need (hats, umbrellas, etc.) for an outdoor event. Right of admission is reserved and registration is required for entry. Last week, the registration page opened and already has over 2,800 registered. Several babies also will be dedicated during the service.

Drs. Rodney and Adonica Howard-Browne founded the church in 1996. He also heads Revival Ministries International, which includes several ministries. He was born in South Africa and has resided in Tampa, Florida since the mid-1990s.

Liberty Counsel represents Pastor Howard-Browne and was hours away from filing a federal lawsuit against Hillsborough County when Gov. Ron DeSantis on April 1 amended his Executive Order to declare that attendance at churches, synagogues, and houses of worship is essential activity. His order then preempted every local government order respecting churches, including Hillsborough County. On May 15, the criminal misdemeanor charges against Howard-Browne were dropped. The arrest for holding a church service (that was previously approved by the Hillsborough County Sheriff) caught the attention of the world.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "The River at Tampa Bay Church is essential to the community and feeds 900 families each week. The church ministers to certain places of the inner city where law enforcement officers are cautious to go. This Sunday will be an incredible time of worship, celebration, and healing."

Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost.

SOURCE Liberty Counsel



CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org



Related Links



lc.org/


China says there was no need for a third party to mediate between China and India, when asked about US President Donald Trumps offer to mediate over the ongoing border dispute, reports news agency Reuters.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the comments a daily briefing Friday.

Indian govt too on Thursday had sidestepped President Trump's offers to mediate the country's border showdown with China, saying it was already engaged with Beijing to "resolve this issue".

Trump's offer on Wednesday came after Indian defence sources said hundreds of Chinese troops had moved into Indian territory along their 3,500 kilometre-long (2,200 mile) frontier.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve this issue," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava told reporters during a weekly media briefing when asked about Trump's tweet.

"Our troops have taken a very responsible approach towards border management," Srivastava added.

"India is committed to the objective of maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas with China... At the same time, we remain firm in our resolve to ensuring India's sovereignty and national security."

Last year Trump offered to mediate between India and Pakistan over their Kashmir dispute, but it was tersely rejected by India.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!!

Topics
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.

If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.
Kylie Jenner is not a billionaire, and fabricated financial documents to support the false claim that she was, according to a new report.

In a detailed report based on public financial disclosures, Forbes on Friday accused the family of creating a 'web of lies' and says Kylie, 22, has inflated the size of her business and success.

The publication accuses her of 'lying about company figures and forging tax returns' to be dubbed a billionaire.

Based on filings from beauty giant Coty, which acquired a 51 percent stake of Kylie's makeup company in January at a valuation of $1.2 billion, Kylie Cosmetics generated revenues and profits that were far lower that the figures touted for years by the Jenner-Kardashian clan.

Forbes now pegs Kylie's net worth at $900 million. In a statement on Twitter, she fired back, writing: 'what am i even waking up to. i thought this was a reputable site.. all i see are a number of inaccurate statements and unproven assumptions lol.'

Kylie Jenner is not a billionaire! Forbes claimed on Friday that the 'self-made' makeup mogul, 22, 'spun a web of lies about company figures and FORGED tax returns'

She continued: 'ive never asked for any title or tried to lie my way there EVER. period.'

Kylie bashed the most explosive claim in the report, that she and her publicists had shown journalists tax returns that were likely forged in order to support inflated claims of her net worth.

She tweeted: 'thats your proof? so you just THOUGHT they were forged? like actually what am i reading.'

Forbes explained that it had been shown 2016 tax returns indicating revenue far higher than the numbers revealed by Coty's filing, and that there were only two explanations: Kylie Cosmetics' sales had utterly collapsed in the two years before the acquisition, or the tax returns were fabricated.

Forbes itself put Kylie on the cover in March 2019, hailing her as the youngest ever self-made billionaire.

The move appeared to anger her brother-in-law Kanye West, whom Forbes did not declare a billionaire until April of this year.

The magazine reported that West 'reacted with hurt and venom' after he was not included in its billionaires list earlier this year.

'You know what you're doing,' he texted a Forbes reporter. 'You're toying with me and I'm not finna lye [sic] down and take it anymore in Jesus name.'

After he was finally added to the list, West disputed Forbes' evaluation of his net worth at $1.26 billion.

'It's not a billion,' West texted the magazine. 'It's $3.3 billion since no one at Forbes knows how to count.'

Forbes relies on a team of researchers as well as public and private financial documents to arrive at its estimates of net worth for the world's richest people, rather than taking their claims at face value.

Impressive: In 2019, Kylie was hailed as the 'youngest 'self-made' billionaire for the second year in a row (pictured on the 2018 cover)

'I can't believe it': Kylie shared a picture of the cover and wrote this post back in 2018

Kylie sold 51 per cent of her Kylie Cosmetics to beauty giant Coty in a deal valued at $1.2 billion in January.

And Forbes now think that Kylie, even after pocketing an estimated $340 million after tax from the sale, is not a billionaire.

Forbes claim that filings released by publicly traded Coty over the past six months reveal Kylie's business is significantly smaller than people have been led to believe.

They write: 'Revenues over a 12-month period preceding the deal: $177million according to the Coty presentation, far lower than the published estimates at the time.

'More problematic, Coty said that sales were up 40% from 2018, meaning the business only generated about $125 million that year, nowhere near the $360 million the Jenners had led Forbes to believe.

Defense: At the time, Forbes addressed the controversy that surrounds the title 'self-made' as people were up in arms that Kylie came from an already privileged background (pictured in February)

'Kylie's skincare line, which launched in May 2019, did $100 million in revenues in its first month and a half, Kylie's reps told us. The filings show the line was actually 'on track' to finish the year with just $25 million in sales.'

They add that there's no way the numbers the Jenners were offering in earlier years could be true.

'If Kylie Cosmetics did $125 million in sales in 2018, how could it have done $307 million in 2016 (as the companys supposed tax returns state) or $330 million in 2017?' the magazine asks.

Forbes claim that their new calculations put Kylie's personal fortune at just under $900million.

In 2019, the star unseated Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, then 35, as the youngest-ever self-made billionaire - he was 23 when he made his first billion 11 years ago in 2008.

Incredible: Jenner, the youngest sibling of the Kardashian family, started her make up line with lipstick kits in 2015. Kylie Cosmetics signed a deal with Ulta Beauty Inc to put her products in all of the retailer's 1,163 U.S. stores (above)

Forbes has addressed the controversy that surrounds the title 'self-made' as last year, people were up in arms that Kylie came from an already privileged background.

They penned: ' Yes, self-made (despite a lot of help from her famous family, she didn't inherit her businessshe built it). And yes, billionaire (she's worth $1 billion).'

The site also claimed that money from Kylie's Coty sale meant she was one of just 2,095 people in the world with a a fortune of ten digits.

All change: Coty, which has been struggling with falling sales, saw a share increase of 5 percent following the Jenner announcement last year

Kylie previously told Forbes: 'I didn't expect anything. I did not foresee the future. But [the recognition] feels really good. That's a nice pat on the back.'

Jenner, who is the youngest and richest of the entire Kardashian-Jenner family, started her make up line in 2015 by selling $29 lipstick kits.

The kits sold out within minutes of launching - an early sign of the power of her now 270 million-plus social media following.

Jenner's products were only sold online when it was first launched but in 2018, the brand struck a deal to sell its goods in 1,100 Ulta Beauty stores across the U.S.

She expanded her empire earlier this year with Kylie Skin - a line of moisturizers, under eye creams and facial scrubs.

Jenner brought in sales of an estimated $360 million in 2018.

Credit due: In April, the publication valued Kylie's brother-in-law Kanye West's assets at around $1.26 billion - the rapper had claimed that the figure was around $3 billion

In April, Forbes put Kylie's brother-in-law Kanye West on the cover of the publication, estimating that he is worth around $1.26billion.

However, the article noted that Kanye was left unhappy with their research and findings - stating that he believes his net worth to be around $3.3 billion.

Per the report, West's team provided statements that showed the rapper has $17 million in cash, $35 million in stocks, $81 million in 'buildings and improvements' and $21 million in land.

Adidas Yeezy, the fashion collaboration between the rapper and the German sportswear brand, has a revenue worth of around $1.3 billion - making West around $140 million from sales just last year.

Iconic: In 2016, Kim Kardashian appeared on the cover of Forbes and was listed at no. 42 on their ' 100 highest paid celebrities after netting $51 million the year before - she now has a net worth of $370million

The article suggests West has been eager to prove his financial status for some time, noting that he had previously claimed to be a billionaire during an appearance at the 2019 Fast Company Innovation Festival.

'When I did Forbes, I showed them a $890 million receipt and they still didn't say 'billionaire,'' dad-of-four Kanye told the audience.

In 2016, Kim Kardashian (Kylie's half-sister and Kanye's wife) appeared on the cover of Forbes and was listed at no. 42 on their ' 100 highest paid celebrities after netting $51 million the year before.

Kim couldn't contain her excitement as she shared the Forbes image on Instagram on Monday and wrote: 'Such a tremendous honor to be on the cover of @forbes!

'I never dreamed this would happen and know my Dad would be so proud. #NotBadForAGirlWithNoTalent'

Kim now has a net worth of $370million.
The Vodafone Idea stock gained as much as 35 per cent in intra-day trade on Friday, following reports that Google is in talks to pick up a 5 per cent stake. The stock ended with gains of 12.7 per cent, even as the management indicated there is no such proposal as reported by the media that is being considered by the Board.

Reports of an investment come amid a flurry of fundraising activity by peers Reliance Jio (Jio Platforms) and Bharti Airtel. Though the deal is yet to be finalised, the news comes as a huge respite, says Credit Suisse. Analysts highlight the ...
Footage shows a police station burning; a CNN crew was arrested and released; Twitter tagged one of President Trumps tweets about the situation as glorifying violence. Heres the latest as protests over the death of George Floyd intensify in Minneapolis. Photo: Craig Lassig/Shutterstock
NASA astronauts Doug Hurley (left) and Bob Behnken stand in front of the Tesla Model X that will carry them to the launchpad for the SpaceX Demo-2 launch.

Tesla said on Thursday that it temporarily assigned 20 of its employees to SpaceX, another Elon Musk-led venture, to work on unspecified technical projects.

The disclosure, part of a regulatory filing to announce the date and agenda of Tesla's shareholders meeting in July, landed just ahead of SpaceX's planned second attempt to launch two NASA astronauts into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-2 mission, which is the first spaceflight of NASA astronauts from U.S. soil in nine years and the first crewed flight for SpaceX, was pushed to the weekend after bad weather on Wednesday, the day of its originally scheduled launch.

Veteran NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley will ride to the launchpad this weekend (as they did on Wednesday) in a Tesla Model X, an electric SUV with distinct falcon wing doors.

Musk is CEO of Tesla, and the founder and CEO of SpaceX, but the companies are incorporated as independent entities. Tesla provided scant detail about what the 20 employees will be doing at SpaceX or for how long, saying only that it was a related party transaction and that "SpaceX will pay Tesla an estimated $0.1 million."
Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy and her supporters throw social distancing norms to the winds as she participates in the inauguration of the LB Nagar flyover in Hyderabad. (DC Photo: Deepak Deshpande)

Hyderabad: A total of 158 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Thursday, possibly the single biggest one-day spike, taking the total number of cases to 2,256. While the official bulletin listed only 117 new cases for the day, the Covid-19 website of the government showed that the number of cases rose by 158.

The website did not offer any explanation as to where the 41 additional cases came from in the state or when they were diagnosed.

The bulletin said four more persons died from Covid-19 between Wednesday and Thursday evening, taking the toll to 67. No further details of the dead were provided.

In a note that the health department released after the bulletin, it explained the break-up of the 117 new cases: 58 were were from the Greater Hyderabad area, five from Ranga Reddy district, two from Medchal and one from Siddipet district. Fifty one others were deportees from Saudi Arabia and returning guest workers who belong to the state.

Meanwhile, health minister Etala Rajendar, chairing a meeting of doctors from Gandhi Hospital, the primary Covid-19 care facility in the state, urged them to do everything they can to prevent deaths from the disease. It may be recalled that there has been a constant reporting of deaths over the past week or so in the state.

Rajendar said that with the lifting of lockdown restrictions, the number of cases was going up in the state and the daily deaths were a matter of concern. Every effort must be made to prevent deaths, he told the doctors, according to a release from his office.
After breakfast on Sunday before we watched church online, I had just enough time to wash the dishes. Unfortunately, as I ran water in the sink something happened. Or rather, stopped happening. The water slowed to a trickle and then stopped completely.

After listening to the church service, my husband, Melvin, and I ventured out to our well. Ive never looked down a well before. Its a long way down there. Dark, too. According to Mel, everything looked OK. He called the well guys. They came out later in the day.

What they discovered is that part of the electricity was out. Not the part that provides lights in the house. The part that runs the well pump. Part of the power line was burnt. It was in an odd place, too. Not close to the pole, but out in the middle of the yard.

Then we remembered. Mel saw lightning the night before. It struck the power line and fried that part. I guess that old saying is true. You never know when lightning will strike.

That reminds me of a time about 14 years ago. I was talking to a group of women at church. They were sewing quilts to send to Third World countries where theyd be used as floor coverings and in other useful ways. They asked me to join them for their coffee break. We had wonderful fellowship.

Out of the blue, I felt compelled to share a recent dream. My dad had been gone about two years. I was missing him terribly. It seemed like everything reminded me of him. In my dream Im in a space thats filled with beautiful light. I remember thinking, Ive never seen anything like this on earth. It was not only beautiful to behold, I also felt encompassed in love.

A ways down what seemed like a hallway, I saw someone emerge from a side door I didnt know was there. He stepped into the light. I kept thinking, I should know who that is. All I could see was a face. It was as if he was part of the light itself. He looked at me and smiled. Then I knew. It was my dad. Incredible peace washed over me. I was filled with joy and love.

Then I woke up. That feeling of peace, joy, and love stayed with me for a long time. And, odd as it may sound, I never missed my dad again. I believe that I saw a little glimpse of heaven in that dream. I know where he is and I know that someday Ill see him again.

The sewing ladies seemed to enjoy hearing about my dream. Later, when they were back working, one of the ladies pulled me aside. I always enjoyed talking with her. She had the sweetest spirit. But now there was an unfamiliar urgency in her voice. She shared that when she was young and first married she was struck by lightning.

Oh, my goodness! I said. What happened?

She said that she was actually gone for a little while. But she was brought back. But in that time that she was gone, she said that she saw the light I was talking about in my dream. I know what youre talking about, she said. I saw that very same light.

We talked a little longer about how the light made us feel. How incredibly beautiful it was. How we dont fear death any longer. We know where were going, to heaven with the Lord. Theres such great comfort in not only believing that, but knowing in our spirit that its really true.

She has long since transitioned to that place filled with the light of love, joy, and peace. The place where Jesus has prepared for each one of us who believes in Him and has surrendered our life to Him.

A dear friend recently reminded me of something very important. She said that whether she lives or she dies, its a win-win situation. She gets to serve the Lord here on earth and one day she gets to live with Him in heaven.

Thats exactly what Apostle Paul says. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).

Paul goes on to say that we need to work out (our) own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). People rightly fear COVID-19. Yet, the virus we should really fear is sin. Unrepented sin separates us from God, not only now, but unless we change, for eternity.

Paul gives great advice. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among who you shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:14-15).

Just as we never know when lightning will strike, we dont know when our time on this earth is over. May we spend our time as Light Bearers in this dark world pointing others to Jesus. May the light of Jesus strike the souls of the world and cure that age-old virus called sin.

Jesus said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12).

Kathy Yoder is a devotional writer. She may be reached at kathyyoder4@gmail.com.
Researchers off the coast of Java have set a new record for the deepest ever encounter recorded with a 'Dumbo' octopus.

The record-setting event happened in the Java Trench at a depth of around 23,000 feet as part of the Five Deeps Expedition, a mission to travel to the deepest point in each of the world's five major oceans.

The observation was made not by a human diver, but a submersible designed to slowly descend to the sea floor while recording everything that passes in front of it.

Researchers on the Five Deeps Expedition to explore the deepest points in the world's five major oceans observed a 'dumbo' octopus at 23,000 deep in the Java Trench, the deepest ever octopus sighting on record

According to Dr. Alan Jamieson, who helped organize the mission, the octopus sighting is testament to how resilient and adaptable the animals are, capable of surviving on 99% of the world's seafloor.

'This idea that only animals in a kind of Victorian freak show live at depth isn't right,' Jamieson said in an interview with the BBC.

Dumbo octopus are part of the grimpoteuthis family and got their name because of the distinctive elephant-ear-like flaps on either side of their head.

They're sometimes also called 'umbrella' octopuses because of the wide, wing-like skirting around their tentacles.

According to Jamieson, the octopus's adaptability comes from its unique cellular structure.

The researchers actually broke the record twice, with a second 'dumbo' octopus sighting at 19,000 feet while the submersible was still descending

'If you imagine a cell is like a balloon - it's going to want to collapse under pressure,' Jamieson said.

'So, it will need some smart biochemistry to make sure it retains that sphere.'

'All the adaptations you need to live at pressure are at the cellular level.'

The previous record for the deepest dumbo octopus sighting was set in 1950 near Barbados, around 16,500 feet below the surface.

Technically the Five Deeps Expedition submersible broke that record twice, not just once, as it also recorded a second dumbo octopus while it was still descending, at a depth of around 19,000 feet.

Other locations visited as part of the expedition include the Puerto Rico Trench, Mariana Trench, South Sandwich Trench, and the Titanic wreck in the Atlantic Ocean.
Latest News Westpac makes first fixed rate move of 2022 New year, same rate action as major lenders continue rate hikes

Inside the property market explosion in regional Australia Regional broker explains just how crazy the property market has been in one NSW town

Macquarie Bank has reduced a range of fixed rates across its mortgage products in line with broker feedback, effective for new loans from 28 May.

We know homebuyers are looking for more certainty when it comes to their home loan. Now, more than ever, they want to make sure their money is working hard for them and theyre looking for that extra peace of mind, said Ben Perham, Macquarie head of personal banking.

Thats why were pleased to be offering our lowest fixed rates ever. This also continues to reflect our prudent approach and ongoing focus on lower LVR lending.

The bank is now offering a 2.19% fixed rate for owner occupier P&I loans at 70% LVR for one-, two- and three-year terms.

For investor P&I loans at 70% LVR, Macquaries fixed rate now rests at 2.59% for one-, two- and three-year terms.

We hope these new rates, combined with our industry-leading processing times lead to more opportunities for brokers to discuss with their clients, said Perham.

Macquarie also reiterated that the fixed rate a client secures at approval is what theyll get at settlement if the loan settles within 90 days, with no lock rate fee required.

Just a few months ago, executives at two of the major banks extolled Macquaries success in recent years, partially attributing it to the groups strong digital offering and its bold backing of the broker channel through the royal commission and subsequent creation of a robust broker proposition.
In what amounted to a power-sharing deal, Nagorno-Karabakhs new President Ara Harutiunian on Friday appointed two rival political figures, who challenged him in the recent presidential and parliamentary elections, to key positions in his administration.

Harutiunian said Masis Mayilian, who finished second in the presidential election, will continue to serve as Karabakhs foreign minister while Samvel Babayan, the Armenian-populated territorys former military leader, will take over as secretary of his security council.

Mayilian won more than 26 percent of the vote in the first round of voting held on March 31 amid serious concerns about the spread of coronavirus in Karabakh. Citing those concerns, he did not campaign for the run-off ballot held on April 14 and urged supporters to boycott it. As a result, Harutiunian cruised to a landslide victory in the race.

We did not engage in political horse-trading, Harutiunian said when he announced Mayilians appointment. He said they simply agreed to jointly shoulder responsibility for our countrys future in view of serious challenges and dangers facing it.

Harutiunian offered a similar explanation for his deal with Babayan which appears to be even more significant. In a live Facebook broadcast, he argued that the latters United Homeland bloc won the second largest number of seats in the Karabakh parliament also elected on March 31.

Harutiunians Free Homeland bloc won 16 seats in the 33-member legislature, falling just short of a parliamentary majority. With Babayans bloc holding 9 seats, the power-sharing deal should allow the new president to push through key bills.

The two men signed a memorandum of cooperation between their political forces in Stepanakert on Monday. For our team the most important thing will be the implementation of our program so that there is public trust and we improve the socioeconomic situation and manage to achieve development in all spheres, Babayan said at the signing ceremony.

According to Harutiunian, they made a final decision on Babayans appointment at a meeting held in Yerevan on Thursday. The 46-year-old Karabakh leader also met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on the same day.

Babayan, 55, has held no government posts in Stepanakert for the last two decades. The once powerful general was the commander of Karabakhs Armenian-backed army during and after the 1991-1994 war with Azerbaijan. He was widely regarded as the regions most powerful man at that time.

Babayan was arrested in 2000 and subsequently sentenced to 14 years in prison for allegedly masterminding a botched attempt on the life of the then Karabakh president, Arkadi Ghukasian. He was set free in 2004.

Babayan lived in Russia for five years before returning to Armenia in 2016. He was arrested in Yerevan in 2017 on charges of illegal arms acquisition and money laundering which he strongly denied. The arrest came two weeks before Armenian parliamentary elections. Babayan unofficially coordinated the election campaign of an opposition alliance challenging then Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian.

A Yerevan court sentenced the Karabakh general to six years in prison in November 2017. Armenias Court of Cassation overturned the verdict in June 2018 two months after the Velvet Revolution that toppled Sarkisian and brought Pashinian to power.

After his release from jail, the former strongman hoped to run in the 2020 presidential election but was deemed ineligible because of not having lived in Karabakh for the past 10 years. He reportedly threatened to stage street protests last year after the authorities in Stepanakert refused to abolish this legal requirement for presidential candidates.

Babayan, who is known for favoring a hard line on the conflict with Azerbaijan, eventually agreed to participate only in the legislative elections. He unofficially supported Mayilian in the presidential race.

Azerbaijan has strongly condemned the Karabakh polls, saying that they run counter to Azerbaijani and international law. It says that that Karabakh, which had broken away from Azerbaijani rule in 1991, is governed by an illegal regime installed by Armenia.

By contrast, Armenia has defended the holding of the polls. It has cited a 1992 OSCE document saying that elected representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh should also participate in Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks.
W&M professor, undergrad co-author paper on deportation of immigrant military veterans

Summer research: Yosselin Turcios '20 with her presentation at the 2017 Charles Center Summer Research Showcase. Photo by Amna Baloul Photo - of - Hide Caption

Associate Professor of Sociology Deenesh Sohoni and Yosselin Turcios 20 researched the deportation of U.S. military veterans who are non-citizens throughout Turcios four years at William & Mary.

That work has culminated in the acceptance of their paper Discarded Loyalty: The Deportation of Immigrant Veterans for publication in Lewis and Clark Law Review next year. The paper examines non-citizen veterans who have been deported after committing criminal acts and the issues and complications surrounding their cases, according to Sohoni.

Writing this paper has been one of my greatest achievements, and I hope to inspire other first-generation students to pursue their research interests, said Turcios.

The paper compares the deportation of non-citizen veterans today with the failure of the U.S. government to grant citizenship to foreign-born Asian-American military veterans in the first half of the 20th century, using that as a means to explore the role of the legal system in adjudicating between two competing views regarding immigration, according to its abstract. It argues that despite the U.S.s professed belief in the importance of patriotism for national belonging, support for granting citizenship to foreign-born veterans has frequently given way to broader racialized and restrictive tendencies that manifest explicitly and implicitly within the legal system, the abstract says.

Since 1862, weve had a process of military naturalization where non-citizens can serve in the military, Sohoni said. And through serving in the military, they can expedite their naturalization process.

Today, approximately 5% of the U.S. military consists of immigrants, with most coming from Latin America and Asia, he added. Sohonis earlier research examined how foreign-born Asian Americans in the first half of the 20th century sought citizenship through their military service, but were denied by court rulings that the more general race-based immigration and naturalization laws took precedence over military naturalization laws. The current paper compares this historical period with the contemporary deportation of non-citizen U.S. military veterans who have committed crimes.

In examining the conflicting ideologies of immigrants as both people who can work and make the country better and as a threat to national identity, Sohoni honed in on how and why U.S. military veterans who were immigrants were being deported.

And the reason they were being deported is because they had engaged in criminal activity, Sohoni said. And so weve started to create what some of the legal scholars have called a crimmigration regime, where criminal law gets tied to immigration law. Today, what was happening is that more and more criminal kind of activities have become considered deportable offenses.

And so originally serious offenses were things like murder, rape and so forth. But now shoplifting or other types of things such as minor drug offenses have also become considered to be potentially a deportable offense.

For non-citizen veterans who fail to complete the naturalization process, these criminal offenses can become deportable offenses, according to Sohoni.

In addition, many types of criminal offenses such as drug abuse, or violence, can be traced to their military service, where rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide and other mental illness have been on the rise for both citizen and non-citizen service members and veterans, Sohoni said. Yet, while judges can give leeway to military veterans who are citizens, more recent legislation doesnt allow judges to look at mitigating circumstances for non-citizen veterans.

Thus, many non-citizen veterans are being deported for offenses that are often a direct result of the service they provided for their country. Thus, criminal status has come to takes precedence over military status, similar to how racial status took precedence over military service in the past.

Turcios took a class with Sohoni her freshman year and started working with him the following summer as part of the W&M Undergraduate Scholars Undergraduate Research Experience summer research grant.

One of my projects at that time was on the legal regime that was allowing the present day deportation of non-citizen military veterans if they had been charged/convicted of felonies, Sohoni said. Given her interest in public health issues, I had her work on the mental health issues that many citizen and non-citizen veterans faced when transitioning into civilian life. These two sections eventually became combined in what became the current article.

Turcios, who will start working on a Master of Public Health in community health and prevention at Drexel University in the fall, said that as a first-generation student she came to W&M unfamiliar with undergraduate research and looking for opportunities.

A double major in psychological sciences and public health, she ended up co-authoring a law paper with sociology faculty.

At first, writing a paper seemed daunting, Turcios said. But my experience taught me how I can use my interests to inform my research pursuits and how intricate writing an academic paper can be. Co-authoring a paper helped build my confidence in writing academic papers and taught me invaluable skills such as conducting literature reviews and data management.

Spending the summer after my freshman year working with Professor Sohoni has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my undergraduate career.

After initially presenting her research at the Charles Center Summer Research Showcase in 2017, Turcios found that many attendees were unaware of the issue and assumed that non-citizens automatically become citizens once they joined the U.S. armed forces.

This motivated me to study the bureaucratic barriers non-citizen veterans face when trying to become naturalized citizens and to discuss how difficult and complex naturalization is, she said. Through my research, I began to learn of the dissonance that exists in the military naturalization process since immigrant veterans joined the armed forces to prove their patriotism and to protect their adopted country, yet their service can go unrewarded.

Immigration is a contentious issue, and with this paper I hope that people learn of how interconnected immigration and criminal law have become over the past decades and the impact this has had on noncitizen veterans. Most importantly, I hope readers recognize the sacrifice and injustice immigrants face when trying to prove themselves worthy of citizenship.
Advertisement

Sir Peter Obi handed over the governorship of Anambra State to Sir Willie Obiano on March 17, 2014. Obiano was convienced of laudable projects built by Obi and affirmed his acknowledgement with the slogan of CONTINUE, COMPLETE, COMMISSION, COMMENCE (CCCC). This meant that he shall continue with on-going projects of Obi, complete them, commission them and then commence his own projects.

Obiano was faithful to his pledge. Security of life and property was vital, because, without security, there would be anarchy and chaos, and nobody could work to earn income and enjoy life. So, Obiano promptly embarked upon security and convened security conference so as to devise ways to operate in atmosphere of peace and tranquility. The security summit was made up of experts who produced useful advice. He was told that the Police need patrol vans, because, wear and tear had depreciated those supplied by his predecessor, and also that Police created new Stations. Obiano granted their request and like his predecessor, who came from Banking Sector, Obiano appealed to the Banks for help, and also to some business moguls to remember to perform their SOCIAL WELFARE RESPONSIBILITY OF BUSINESS with donation of vehicles for security. The response he received enabled him to conceive the idea of OPERATION KPOCHAPU, and assembled many vehicles which he gave to the Police. The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, came and took delivery of the vehicles at Ekwueme Square, Awka, in 2014. Obiano also continued with Obis Village Vigilante Group, and also law on capital punishment of criminality. He sent executive Bill to Legislature to enact law on the Administration of Village Vigilante Group, with the Traditional Ruler of each town, to be the Chief Security Officer of his town and the Chairman of the Vigilante Group, with the Town Union, led by the President General to be the work-force of the Vigilante Group.

As it is said that naturally, the new should surpass the old, Obiano applied pragmatism in the security architecture, with technological transfer from America, when he launched the OPERATION KPOCHAPU, in 2019, with numerous Patrol Vans, Smart Cars, Helicopters, Circuit Camera Television (CCTV), at a colourful ceremony held at Ekwueme Square, Awka, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, came and took delivery of the sophisticated equipment, in 2019.

Advertisement

With Obis security ingenuity initiated in 2007, continued by Obiano in 2019, other States and Federal Government have emulated Oni in 2020. Infuriated by horrible criminality of Fulani herdsmen in Southern Nigeria, in devastating farmlands and crops, killing, kidnapping, rapping, the South West States, who are Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Lagos, have combined to set up a security outfit which they call AMOTEKUN. In spite of initial opposition by Federal Government, South-West security architecture have come to stay, and ever since, the heinous criminality of the herdsmen have been controlled. The Federal Government has also seen the wisdom of Village Vigilante Group, and mandated the Police to help villagers to form it, as it is for self defence. The Police advised that various towns can form what they call SPECIAL CONSTABLE, with indigenes of 25-45 years as work-force. They shall be under the training, discipline, command and control of the Police, while the respective Towns shall shoulder the financial burden. They call it COMMUNITY POLICING. So, what Obi started in 2007, the Federal Government is understanding in 2020.

When Obi came to office in 2006, he met an empty Treasury. But as a prudent administrator, he applied his ingenuity as financial expert, and saved money to execute many capital intensive projects. He succeeded, that when he was handing over to his successor, it was not empty Treasury but over Seventy Billion Naira. When This-Day newspaper honoured Obi with GOVERNOR OF THE DECADE MERIT AWARD, the New Telegraph newspaper reported him as saying: thus:

I reduced my convoy to five vehicles and I used the N150 million for two bullet proof cars to buy almost 50 Peugeot cars at M3 million each, gave 17 to Judges and 18 to Permanent Secretaries. (New Telegraph news-paper, January 23, 2020, back page, by Ike Abonyi). Abonyi went on to say: Former Governor Peter Obi did not only hand over a clean note in this regard to his successor, but ensured that there were no salary arrear, whether of workers or pensioners. But instead, left an assets base in investments to the tune of about N75 billion. This is inspite of the huge infrastructural developments spread out in the State, plus record performance in education, health and human capital development.

In its report on the Merit Award, Fides newspaper reported thus: This Day newspaper said that Mr. Peter Obi was honoured as GOVERNOR OF THE DECADE (2010-2020), based on what it called his: Saliant and often overlooked epochal contributions to governance in Nigeria, which the Paper itemized as:

Introduction of civility in governance Investigation in the banks carried out by the paper which proved that the money Obi said he saved and bequeathed to his successor was real. Obis infrastructural development that is still the talk of the town in Anambra State. His singular earth-quaking rebuilding of Education Sector in Anambra State. The altering of the political calendar of Nigeria, through epochal Court Judgement.

Reacting to the criteria, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, while speaking during the presentation of the Award, spoke prophetically: We have watched you over the years. You will go higher, my son. (Fides newspaper, January 26 February 1, 2020, page 21, by Jude Atupulazi).

But Chief Ayo Adebanjo was not alone in watching Peter Obi with appreciation. Former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, also noticed Obi. When Obi won his second term election in 2010, Jonathan was mesmerized by his achievements in his first term, within four years in a State that was not an Oil Producing State, and who was wallowing in bankruptcy and riddled with crime and strife. Jonathan therefore appointed Obi as a member of the National Economic Council, so that the Federal Government could as well benefit from Obis financial prudence, frugality and expertise. Obi justified the confidence reposed in him, and with his advice, President Jonathan sent an Executive Bill, to the National Assembly, to enact law for the creation of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, (NSIA), to administer the newly created SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND (SWF).

The SWF was to take custody of Excess Crude Oil Export, for safe keeping, and under Obis watch, it came into operation in 2012, with initial deposit of One Billion Dollars ($ 1 billion). This Obis wise advice was one of the grudges of the then Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibike Amaechi nursed against President Jonathan. Amechi wanted the money to be shared out to them, especially, the Oil Producing States, for squander. The incumbent President Buhari, inherited the SWF in 2015, and was one of the treasureable assets he inherited from his predecessor, Jonathan, in 2015. Recently, reports show that in 2019, Buhari put $250 million (250 Million Dollars) into the SWF, and its size has risen to over 21 Billion US Dollars ($21 Billion Dollars) (Saturday Telegraph, February 29, 2020, page 4).

As Peter Obi is always anxious for economic solvency of Nigeria, recently, he raised alarm on borrowing of money by the Federal Government. He said that between 2018  March 2020, Nigria had borrowed over one-quarter of her Gross Domestic Products (GDP), and warned that at that rate of borrowing, Nigeria was mortgaging her future with such excessive and reckless borrowing. (New Telegraph Newspaper, March 12, 2020, page 7).

When Peter Obi arrived as Economic Adviser to President Jonathan, he noticed the menance of out-of-school children known as ALMAJIRI, in Northern Nigeria. As lover of education, he was worried that children were being negatively oriented at their impressionable tender age, with stark illiteracy. He had always said that the greatest currency that leaders of present generation, should bequeat to children, was education. He always warned that The children we abuse today, will take revenge on us tomorrow. To correct this ugly trend, he advised Jonathan to established free school, with free uniform, free books, free food, for the out-of-school children (ALMAJIRI), in Northern Nigeria. The schools functioned till Buhari took over in 2015. For reasons best known to him, Buhari sacked the almajiri schools, and the almajiri children returned to streets, begging for alms. Recently, some State Governments, such as Kano and Kaduna, have understood Obis innovation, pragmatism and magnanimity, and initiated measures to expand their schools and absorbed the almajiri children, with scholarships, to give the abandoned children positive socialization.

Obi remains consistent in his ideology that positive socialization of children today, through qualitative education, shall make them assets to society, tomorrow, not liabilities, as they constitute today, by becoming dangerous recruitment camps, for Boko Haram terrorists, and Fulani killer herdsmen. So, as he had been magnanimous in funding education while in office, Obi continues to be generous to them when out of office. He always visits many schools, including those in Northern Nigeria, owned by Missions of various Christian denominations, and gave them One Million Naira each school, in addition to Buses and Computers.

Ambassador (Lady) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the Anambra State-Born world reputed novelist, in her Public Lecture, to mark One Hundred Days In Office, of Governor Willie Obianos First Term, in 2014, praised the laudable beginnings of Obiano, and the great prospects that shall come. She reminiscensed on the ugly past, and lamented the repugnant and shameful conditions in which Anambra was plunged before (1999-2006). She regretted how Anambra was a metaphor for poor governance. When the political culture was about malevolent shrines, kidnapping and burnt buildings, schools closed and teachers were forced to resort to petty trading, and children were denied learning as if in Dark Ages. Chimamanda compared with the prevailing situation and heaved a sigh of relief and asserted: But Anambra rallied. And for me, that redemption, which is still an on-going process, is personified in our former Governor Peter Obi. I remember, the first time I met him years ago, how struck I was, how impressed, so simply and so noiselessly. How Government House here in Awka, was often empty of hangers-on, because he had a reputation for what our people call being stingy, which, in other parts of the world, would be called, prudently refusing to waste the peoples resources.

Former Governor Peter Obi, ekenekwo m gi ( I salute you). May the foundation you built stand firm and may our Governor Chief Willie Obiano build even more. (SUNRISE MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2016 PUBLICATION, Page 21-22). Obis lofty academic attainments, especially in economics, Entreprenuership, Business Administration, made him to be always invited by different groups for public lecture. On such occasions, he would reel out the history of economic developments of many Nations, from his fingertips, manifesting that if given the chance, he is the best President for Nigeria in 2023. Obis numerous emulatable legacies, in Anambra State in particular, and Nigeria in general, cannot be exhausted in an article like this, except in a book. But the prudent thing is that he should be allowed to go and continue the good legacies in the Presidency in 2023.

07037946858
The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) of the Netherlands has reported 15 new COVID-19-linked deaths since Tuesday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

RIVM said Wednesday that the total death toll rose to 5,871. The number of persons who tested positive grew by 190 to 45,768, while the number of those admitted to hospital increased by seven to 11,697.

Not all the reported hospital admissions or deaths occurred within the last 24 hours, because some patients are reported later. The RIVM also emphasized that the actual numbers in the Netherlands are higher than the numbers stated, since not all COVID-19 patients are tested.

"In the course of the coronavirus crisis, people in the Netherlands have become more concerned about their health and the health of their loved ones," the RIVM said on its website.

"The need for information of people has also changed in recent months. Confidence in the information provided by RIVM and the measures taken by the cabinet is high (78-85 percent). This is evident from the interim results of survey questionnaires conducted by Nivel, the Netherlands Institute for Healthcare Research, and RIVM," it said.
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood is leaving no stone unturned to help the needy people, who are most affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the outbreak. From sending the migrants home by arranging proper transportation to feeding thousands of people on streets, Sonu Sood has no doubt turned a saviour for many in this crucial time. For his efforts and doing all the things after taking permission from the government, recently, the Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari complimented the actor for his dedicated work.

Now recently, Sonu Sood is all set to help a new group of girls who are stuck in Ernakulam, Kerala since the time the nationwide lockdown began. Reports reveal that these girls used to do embroidery work and stitching in a local factory and since the time the lockdown was announced, the factory was closed and these 177 girls were stuck there. Sonu Sood came to know about these girls from a close friend in Bhubaneswar.

He has now decided to help these girls and will airlift all 177 girls from Kerala. Further, the actor has also taken permission from Kochi and Bhubaneswar government for opening the airports. The actor has arranged a special aircraft from Bangalore to airlift these 177 girls from Kochi and will be taken to Bhubaneshwar.

Also Read: Kabir Khan on Ranveer Singhs 83: I want audience to enjoy our film on big screen

Not just this, Sonu Sood has also collaborated with his friend Neeti Goel to win millions of hearts through their initiative Ghar Bhejo initiative. Not just this, he has also launched a toll-free number to help these migrant workers in case they need any help.

For all the latest Entertainment News, download NewsX App
The Centre is planning additional policy measures for non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), along with regulatory changes in financial markets.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on May 28 chaired a meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC).

At the meeting, the officials discussed volatility in the market and liquidity issues faced by NBFCs and housing finance companies (HFCs) amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Business Standard reported.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the story.

Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates on the novel coronavirus pandemic

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairman Ajay Tyagi were present at the FSDC meeting.

SEBI suggested measures to boost domestic investment in financial markets.

"Increasing participation of domestic investors increases the linkages between the domestic markets and foreign investors, which prevents excessive volatility," a source told the publication.

The RBI raised the issue of debt markets, since many companies have sought relief since they raised money through non-convertible debentures (NCDs) which are approaching maturity, the report said.

Follow our full coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic here
COLUMBUS, Ohio - An unidentified caller told state Rep. Emilia Sykes she must resign from office or her father, state Sen. Vernon Sykes, would be killed, according to an Akron Police Department report released Friday.

When ringing Emilia Sykes, the man was able to make the call look like it was coming from her fathers phone number, and she answered.

The suspect told Emilia he had her father and he would kill him, the report stated. He repeatedly told Emilia to step aside referring to her political stance, telling her to resign from office, or he would kill her father. The suspect told Emilia not to contact police."

It was untrue that the caller had Vernon Sykes, however, because Emilia Sykes, who is the Ohio House Democratic leader, disconnected the call and dialed her father. He answered, the report said.

Vernon Sykes reported receiving a call, which was disconnected, on that phone 17 minutes before the call to Emilia Sykes. The report doesnt say whether anything was communicated to Vernon Sykes.

And Emilia Sykes did call police, talking to them around 5 p.m. May 23.

The report indicates the caller had a southern male voice."

Emilia and Vernon Sykes did not comment Friday, but Dennis Willard, a spokesman for the family, said: The Sykes family continues to respect the wishes of investigators and not comment at this time. Theyre also taking some time together to deal with this as a family.

On Tuesday, Gov. Mike DeWine, as well as Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof and Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko, released statements condemning the threat of violence without getting into specifics of the crime.

Simply put: hatred has no place in Ohio, and violence will not be tolerated, DeWine said.

Obhof and Yuko noted its a felony to threaten public officials.

Emilia Sykes has been outspoken as House minority leader. Most recently, she criticized DeWines plans to stem the coronavirus spread in African American and other minority communities as too little too late.

She also has been vocal in her opposition of Republican House Speaker Larry Householder and his members combative approach toward DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton.

The House under Householder has been more critical of the economic shutdown and recently tried to limit Actons authority.

On May 13, Emilia Sykes announced she wrote a letter to Householder, criticizing a House floor seating plan that she said didnt keep at least 6 feet between the lawmakers. She also was uncomfortable with the small number of GOP lawmakers wearing masks during session.

Like other Ohioans, we trust that our employer is making the best decisions for our health and safety in the midst of this global pandemic, she said. But unfortunately, we are learning just as many other Ohioans are as they return to work, that not all employers are taking COVID-19 seriously and are purposely putting their employees at risk."

The Sykeses are a prominent Ohio political family.

Emilia Sykes is a lawyer with a masters degree in public health who became House minority leader last year.

Vernon Sykes previously served on Akron City Council. Outside the legislature, hes a political science professor at Kent State University and director of the schools Columbus Program in State Issues.

Barbara Sykes, Emilia Sykes mother and Vernon Sykes wife, also served on Akron City Council and in the Ohio House for three terms. She now is president and CEO of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus Foundation.

More coverage:

Gov. Mike DeWine, lawmakers condemn threat of violence against Rep. Emilia Sykes and father Sen. Vernon Sykes

Gov. Mike DeWine announces measures to fight coronavirus in racial minority communities

Ohio Senate rejects House plan to limit Dr. Amy Actons authority

Ohio House Republicans move to limit Health Director Amy Actons authority
- A rich young Nigerian with the name Drift Sensei has made the whole Nigerian Twitter go gaga with the way he showed off his father's wealth

- The post he made has turned into a trending topic called Arewa Twitter on the micro-messaging platform

- In the picture he posted, he could be seen with another person, possibly from the same family, posing with their father's exotic cars

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

There are many silent wealthy families and individuals in this country that do not always make headlines but could probably be richer than those who are always in our faces.

A Twitter user with the name Drift sensei got the whole of Twitter talking as he shared pictures of him posing with his fathers Royce Royce.

When Twitter User ChiefpresitofPh asked him in amazement if his father has two Rolls Royce, the young man replied and corrected him that they are actually three; two ghosts and 1 wraith.

Another Twitter user with the name Suhail H Saulawa was dumbstruck that he had to offer some prayer as he said: God bless you. ELITE!!.

A person with the name Duke of Africa said that whoever retweeted the tweet to his timeline really inspired him on the need to work hard.

Meanwhile, businessman and Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world.

He is the wealthiest man in modern history with a net worth of $149.4 billion, but not the wealthiest man of all time.

Mansa Musa, the 14th-century emperor of Mali, is believed to be the richest man ever with a net worth of $400 billion. It was gathered that the emperor, who made his fortune from gold and salt, ruled from 1312 to 1337.

Rudolph Butch Ware, associate professor of history at the University of California, said it is almost impossible to describe how wealthy and powerful the ruler truly was.

The emperor was able to grow his kingdom under his rule, annexing 24 cities, including Timbuktu.

However, after his death in 1337 at the age of 57, the empire which was taken over by his sons could not be held together, leading to its fall.

In other related news, the CEO and owner of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, may become the world's first trillionaire by 2026 and not any time soon as many media reports claim.

It should be noted that the only wealthy man close to Bezos mouth watery $143 billion (N54,070,800,000,000) net worth is Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, who is valued at about $102 billion (N39,394,440,000,000).

Read the best news on Ghana #1 news app. Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana

Bawumia fires Mahama - Stop embarrassing yourself; always check the data before you talk | #Yencomgh

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh? Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now!

Source: YEN.com.gh
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa says it has a backlog of nearly 100,000 unprocessed tests for the coronavirus, a striking example of the painful shortage of testing kits and reagents across Africa as cases steadily rise.

This challenge is caused by the limited availability of test kits globally, the health ministry said in a statement overnight, putting the backlog at 96,480 as of Monday. Priority is given to processing tests from patients admitted to hospitals and health workers, it said.

South Africa has conducted more tests for the virus than any other country in Africa  more than 655,000  and has the most confirmed cases with 27,403.

One of the latest to die of COVID-19 in South Africa was a National Health Laboratory Services employee. We understand this tragedy will certainly test you, the ministry said in a message to her colleagues, adding that the government is committed to providing proper protective gear.

That, too, faces shortages across Africa. More than 3,400 health workers on the continent had been infected as of a week ago, according to the World Health Organization.

The shortages, especially in testing materials, have jolted African authorities into facing uncomfortable truths: Richer countries are elbowing them out in the race to obtain crucial supplies, and the continent relies almost entirely on imports for drugs and other medical items.

We have to have Made in Africa products, the director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, told reporters Thursday. We cannot keep importing basic things.

He and others, including the WHOs Ethiopian director-general, have raised the cry for fair access, including for any vaccine or treatment that emerges.

Dozens of countries have imposed export controls on medical supplies and equipment, scores of South African and other health and activist groups said in an open letter to Group of 20 leaders last month.

Complicating matters are global powers like the United States and China promoting aid to African countries during the pandemic as part of efforts to win support on the continent. But that aid doesnt always show up.

President Donald Trump on May 21 said we just sent 1,000 ventilators to Nigeria, but the countrys information minister, Lai Mohammed, told reporters Thursday that to the best of my knowledge they have not arrived. When they do arrive, it will be made public.

But the testing shortages are especially frustrating for African health officials, who have been praised for swiftly expanding testing capability for the virus continent-wide, from just two countries in February.

Low levels of testing might be artificially lowering apparent infection rates, The Lancet said in a new editorial noting Africas quick response but also the challenges that lie ahead.

Across Africa slightly under 2 million tests for the virus have been conducted, Nkengasong said, far below the target of testing 13 million people  or 1% of the continents population of 1.3 billion.

Nigeria, Africas most populous country with some 200 million people, has one of the lowest coronavirus testing rates in the world with 286 tests per million people. More than 58,000 tests for the virus have been conducted, according to the countrys Center for Disease Control. Nearly 9,000 cases have been confirmed while worries grow about undetected spread of the virus in the north.

In Ethiopia, Africas second most populous country with some 110 million people, the health ministry says more than 96,000 tests have been conducted. More than 830 cases have been confirmed.

As of mid-May, Chad had carried out 105 tests per million people and Mali had tested just 173 per million, compared to some 38,000 tests per million in the United States, the International Rescue Committee said last week.

By the end of this week 2.5 million tests will have been distributed to Africas 54 countries, the Africa CDCs Nkengasong said.

Despite the shortages, Im optimistic that in the next two to three weeks it will be very different, he said, without giving details.

So far African nations have relied on tests donated by the Jack Ma Foundation, sourced via partners including the WHO and procured via a newly created platform that pools African countries purchasing efforts on the international market.

Meanwhile, efforts at domestic production of testing materials have begun in South Africa, Morocco, Senegal and Kenya, the Africa CDC has said, with plans to have those countries aid each other in evaluating the products.

Africa is a continent that needs its own internal capacity to produce diagnostic kits, South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told reporters on Thursday. We need several millions of these kits.

___

Sam Olukoya in Lagos, Nigeria and Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal contributed.

___

Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gold X Mining Corp. (TSX-V: GLDX, OTCQX: SSPXF) (Gold X or the Company) is pleased to provide an update on its ongoing licensing activities on the Toroparu Project in Guyana. This announcement is a follow on to the May 5th news release on the status of engineering studies at the Toroparu Project.



Highlights

The March 2020 option purchase of the Guyanese partners interest in the Toroparu Project by Gold Xs operating subsidiary, ETK Inc., paves the way for final approval of the Mining License to construct and operate the Toroparu Gold Mine.

The Licensing process for the Toroparu gold project in Guyana has now entered the final stage of regulatory review of all documentation under the updated Mining License Application submitted in October 2019.

The Mining License will authorize ETK to build and operate a mine over an initial term of 20 years with provisions for extension on the application of ETK.

Gold X will complete a feasibility in advance of a production decision for the project.

Permitting History

An infographic accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/57fce400-a7a7-4270-9faa-6d0733e69419

In November 2011, the Company and ETK Inc., its Guyana subsidiary, entered into the Toroparu Mineral Agreement (TMA) with the Government of Guyana (GoG), the first mineral development agreement completed in the gold sector in Guyana since the Omai Mine in 1991. Mineral development in Guyana is primarily regulated by the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). ETK has operated in accordance with the TMA since it was signed in 2011.

The Mineral Agreement provides for (i) the waiver of import duties and VAT (value added tax) for imported equipment and supplies required to develop the Project, (ii) a corporate tax rate of 27.5%, (iii) 20% straight-line depreciation of fixed assets, (iv) the deductibility of Guyana based exploration and development expenses and (v) the treatment of royalties as an expense in the calculation of taxable income. The TMA contains fiscal stability and most-favored-nation clauses in favor of the Company.

Story continues

The TMA also sets forth the agreement of the GoG to issue the Mining License under a specific set of conditions which include:

Receipt of an Environmental Authorization from the Guyana EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).

Demonstration to the GoG that the Toroparu project meets GoG Economic Standards .

Establishment of a Timeline for commencement of production.

Paul Matysek, Chairman and CEO stated The extensive historical permitting work and recent acquisition of our local partners interest in the Medium and Small Scale Mining Permits that was completed in March 2020 meets all necessary requirements for issuance of the Large Scale Mining License to Gold X. Subject to the continuing pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic we expect the final review of our Mining License application to move forward in due course.

Environmental Authorization: The Environmental Authorization for the Toroparu Project was issued by the Guyana EPA in 2012 and renewed by the EPA in August of 2019. The Mining License application was reactivated by ETK and GGMC in October 2019. Both the Environmental Authorization and Mining License applications are being amended to include the Sona Hill satellite deposit and Northern Access Route to Toroparu (Access Road).1

The Mining License Application includes eight Medium Scale Mining Permits, one Medium Scale Prospecting Permit and seven small scale licenses surrounding the Toroparu, SE Zone, and Sona Hill deposits covering 3,176 hectares (37.16 km2). In addition, authorization to build and operate the Tailings Management Facility (TMF), camp, and other infrastructure will be provided under the Mining License.

GoG Economic Standards: The demonstration that the Project met the GoG Economic Standards was originally acknowledged by GGMC after its review of the 2013 Prefeasibility Study2 (the 2013 PFS) in 2015. The License process was suspended by mutual agreement due to the prevailing bear market in gold and gold equity prices in late 2015.

The 2013 PFS was replaced by a Preliminary Economic Assessment in June 2019 (the 2019 PEA) in which Measured, Indicated, and Inferred Resources were used, replacing the Proven and Probable Reserves in the 2013 PEA3. The 2019 PEA defined a 5.02 M-oz Gold Resource and mine plan producing 188 thousand ounces of gold per year over a 24-year mine-life. The 2019 PEA has been delivered to the GoG and it is being reviewed as part of the Licensing process.

A PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will be realized.

The PEA documentation of mining production quantities replaces the 2013 Prefeasibility Study (the 2013 PFS) Statement of Mineral Reserves. The PEA is based on exploitation of measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources while the 2013 PFS is based on the exploitation of proven and probable mineral reserves. Inferred resources from the Mineral Resource Estimate comprise 5% of the resources used in the production schedule reported in the PEA. Mineral Resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The conclusions and results of the PEA replace the conclusions and results from the 2013 PFS.

Timeline for Construction: As discussed with the GoG, the timeline for commencement of production will be defined as final feasibility and project financing progresses.

To date the following documents have been submitted or received approval from Guyana regulatory bodies:

Environmental Authorization Guyana EPA (issued in 2012)

Mining License Application  pending GGMC (reactivated in Aug 2019)

Environmental Management Plan  GGMC (filed in 2014)

Cyanide Management Plan - GGMC (filed in 2014)

Explosives Management Plan - GGMC (filed in 2014)

Mineral Prospecting, Mining and Stone Quarrying Agreement  GRA (approved in 2011 and extended through present date)

Final regulatory review and approval of the Mining License steps include:

Technical review of 2019 Technical Report 4 & 2013 PFS reports - GGMC Mines & Geology Dept.

Property Ownership Assessment - GGMC Land Mgmt. Dept.

Review of 2015 Draft Mining License - GGMC Legal Dept.

GGMC Staff recommendations to Commissioner of GGMC

GGMC Commissioner & Board of Directors recommendation to Minister of Natural Resources

No Objection Letter issuance by Minister of Natural Resources

Resolution by Board of Directors of GGMC and License Issuance by Commissioner

Generally, the final permitting review phase can be expected to take six to nine months to complete. While Guyana regulatory agencies have indicated that the review process is progressing, given the reduced level of governmental activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these timelines could be extended.

COVID-19 Update: The Company has not experienced any cases of COVID-19 at any of its offices or field locations. We are continuing our social distancing practices in both our North American offices and in our locations in Guyana to the maximum extent possible. Our Guyana subsidiary, ETK, has made contributions to local groups in Guyana that are providing food and other supplies to small communities in the interior of the Company that have had their supply chain particularly hard hit due to their remote locations and we have also arranged for delivery of personal protection equipment to first responders.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Gold X Mining Corp.

Paul Matysek

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

About Gold X Mining Corp.

Gold X Mining Corp. is a Canadian junior mining company developing the Toroparu Gold Project in Guyana, South America. Gold X has spent more than US$150 million on the Project to date to both classify 7.35 million ounces of Measured and Indicated and 3.15 M-oz of Inferred Gold Resources5, develop engineering studies for use in a feasibility study, and define a number of exploration targets around Toroparu on its 53,844 hectare (538 km2) 100% owned Upper Puruni Concession. Gold X has 38 M issued and outstanding common shares with more than 40% of the shares closely held by Insiders and the companys executive management team.

Visit Gold Xs website at www.goldxmining.com .

Contact Gold X Mining Corp.

Telephone: +1 (604) 609-6132

Email: investors@goldxmining.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release includes certain forward-looking statements concerning future performance and operations of the Company, including the expected positive results from the Toroparu Project based on the estimates and findings contained in the PEA, as summarized herein, as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management at the time such statements are made. All forward-looking statements and information are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, uncertainties of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, uncertainties inherent in conducting operations in a foreign country, uncertainties related to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, the risk that the conclusion of pre-production studies may not be accurate, the Company's successful advancement of the Toroparu Project toward feasibility and obtaining positive results from ongoing evaluation and testing of multiple gold targets located in the Company's landholdings in Guyana and Colombia, among other risks as described in our public filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. Gold X Mining Resources Ltd. has an ongoing obligation to disclose material information, as it becomes available.

1 Feb 23, 2017 News Release: Sandspring announces maiden resource estimate for Sona Hill; Sep 18, 2017 News Release: Sandspring Provides Update on Toroparu Project; June 4, 2019 News Release: Sandspring announces Preliminary Economic Assessment

2 NI 43101 Technical Report, Prefeasibility Study, Toroparu Gold Project, Upper Puruni River Area, Guyana

dated May 24, 2013 by SRK Consulting (U.S.), Inc.

3 In the 2019 PEA, the database defines a 46.5 M-ton Measured Resource containing 1.48 M-oz of gold at an average grade of 0.99 g/t, a 206 M-ton Indicated Resource containing 5.873 M-oz of gold at an average grade of 0.89 g/t for a total 252.57 M-ton M&I (Measured & Indicated) resource containing 7.35 M-oz gold at an average grade of 0.91 g/t and 128.95 M-ton Inferred Resource containing 3.15 M-oz Gold at average grade of 0.76 g/t

4 Preliminary Economic Assessment Report of the Toroparu Gold Project, Upper Puruni River Area, Guyana, Effective Date: June 11,2019 (SRK Consulting (USA) Inc.) filed on www.sedar.com on July 18, 2019 and is available on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com ).

5 . See Note 4
MINNEAPOLIS  What was intended to be a show of support and community took a violent turn Wednesday.

Peaceful protesters and supporters have lined the streets surrounding Cup Foods in Minneapolis the past several days to protest and show support after George Floyd died hours after being restrained with a knee on his neck in police custody.

He had been detained by four police officers outside of the business. One of the officers pinned him down while Floyd said, I cant breathe.

During a gathering Thursday, attendee Eric Jordan said the protests are a good start, but they are just the beginning.

It says a lot that we have to have something horrible happen to one of our brothers for us to all come together like this, Jordan said. Stuff like this has been happening for decades and it needs to stop. This city needs to wake up and see us and see our struggle if things are ever going to change. George lost his life and we cant let that go to waste.

George Floyd memorial Speakers presented their testimonials in support of the fallen George Floyd outside of Cup Foods in Minneapolis Wednesday, the site of the inc

The four officers involved in the incident were fired earlier this week and the next question that arose after the firings is whether one or all of the officers will be charged with any crimes.

Emilee Richardson said the protests and demonstrations will not stop if justice goes unserved.

There needs to be charges, there needs to be indictments and it needs to happen now, Richardson said. If there isnt, we are going to bring these protests to the courthouse, to the streets, shut down the highways and whatever we need to do. Im sick and tired of things like this happening and it is going to stop whether they like it or not.

Hundreds gathered throughout the morning through the early afternoon Thursday on the outskirts of downtown Minneapolis, a crowd Jordan said was one of the smallest yet.

He said onlookers cannot just attend once if they want anything to change and need to continue to come back with friends if they want their presence to be felt.

I dont care if it rains or how hot it is, Im staying here, Jordan said. Ill sleep in my car on the side of the street if I have to. This is real and I wont rest until we do something about it. People need to make this their nine-to-five or five-to-nine job. Thats the only way this will work and anything will come of it.

Dozens of handmade signs with phrases such as we cant breathe, black lives matter, f*** the police and justice for George were placed throughout the site and many of the gatherers held their own as well.

Photos of Floyd were displayed in memorial sites on the surrounding blocks outside of Cup Foods, and both planned and unplanned speakers spoke about the power of community, love and support throughout the day.

While this rally was peaceful, the frustration and anger surrounding the situation turned violent on Wednesday.

Rioting, looting and one death in Minneapolis were among the results of protests late Wednesday, going against the calls for community and peace seen throughout the majority of demonstrations.

Chris Stevenson, who attended Wednesdays rally, said the hurtful actions of a few bad apples should not pollute the message thousands of Minnesotans and people around the United States are trying to convey.

Of course we dont condone violence, Stevenson said. Unfortunately some dont know how to process their frustrations effectively and last night is an example of that. We want everyone to be safe, just like we wanted George Floyd to be safe. We dont support any more violence and I hope people will instead come to an event like this and show their support that way.

Events and rallies will continue to be held outside of Cup Foods in Minneapolis and throughout the city for the foreseeable future as developments in the case transpire.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vehemently rejected what it termed as the arm-twisting of the judiciary and the court by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to unconstitutionally halt the conclusion of collation of already declared results in the Bauchi State governorship election.

The party made this known in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, and made available to PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Ologbondiyan described the order as akin to the infamous order that derailed the 1993 democratic process.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission not to go ahead with its plan to collate and announce the result of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area which would have given the PDP an almost unassailable lead in the Bauchi governorship election.

The judge, Inyang Ekwo, made the order based on an ex-parte application filed by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the incumbent governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar.

The restraining order is to last till the determination of the suit brought before the court by the two plaintiffs.

But the PDP while rejecting it described it as part of the plot by the APC and certain compromised elements in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to escalate crisis and derail our electoral process.

The power to collate, suspend collation and or to reverse such decision based on obvious circumstances as the case in Bauchi is clearly within the domain of INEC, he said.

He said until collation is completed and results declared no one can question the constitutional powers of INEC in that regard.

The PDP cautions that if this desperate underhand measure by the APC to halt electoral processes is not checked, our hard earned democracy will fail us and our nation thrown into anarchy.

Our party should not be constrained into a situation in which we will have no option than to allow our members to seek similar exparte orders to halt statutory processes including the swearing-in of APC candidates at various levels, particularly President Muhammadu Buhari.

It is clear that collation of result is part of the electoral process and that INEC cannot act on a purported exparte order to jettison its independence and halt the collation of results, which is a key component of its statutory electoral duty.

He added that Section 87 (10) of the Electoral Act is unambiguous in its prescription that nothing in this section shall empower the courts to stop the holding of primaries or general election or the processes thereof under this Act pending the determination of a suit.

The PDP further charges INEC to be properly guided by the law in this regard.

The PDP urges the institution of Judiciary not to allow the APC to entangle the court in its shenanigans to destroy our hard-earned democracy.

He said Nigerians in Bauchi state have elected the PDP and nothing can change the reality.

The APC and Bauchi governor had prayed for an order of interim injunction restraining INEC from resuming, concluding or announcing the result of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State in respect of the governorship election.

The election was initially declared inconclusive by INEC due to incidents in Tafawa Balewa local government.

INEC later announced it would go ahead with collation and complete the results sourced from backup result sheets, a move Mr Abubakar, who scored the second highest votes in results so far collated, rejected.

The governor wants supplementary polls to be conducted. On Monday, he met with President Muhammad Buhari and vowed to challenge INECs actions in court.
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday set aside the appointment of Justice (retd) Kanagaraju as the State Election Commissioner and ordered the restoration of his predecessor, N Ramesh Kumar, in the post.

This is a serious embarrassment to the YSRC government which removed Ramesh Kumar from the post under controversial circumstances after he stayed the elections to the state local bodies when the coronavirus pandemic was beginning in the state.

A division bench of the High Court comprising chief justice J K Maheshwari and Justice M Satyanaryana Murthy set aside various government orders (GOs) issued by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government replacing Ramesh Kumar with Justice Kanagaraju, a retired judge of the Madras High Court.

The judges observed that there was an oblique motive behind the state government promulgating an ordinance sacking Ramesh Kumar.

The High Court said Ramesh Kumar's reinstatement would be with immediate effect and continue till his term ends.

Advocate Yogesh Thandava, who first filed a public interest litigation challenging the state's decision to replace Ramesh Kumar, told Deccan Chronicle that the court also made it clear that no decision on the tenure of the state election commissioner should be taken to the disadvantage of the incumbent.
OAKLAND, Calif.  Google, facing an advertising slump caused by the pandemic, has rescinded offers to several thousand people who had agreed to work at the company as temporary and contract workers.

Were slowing our pace of hiring and investment, and are not bringing on as many new starters as we had planned at the beginning of the year, Google said in an email to contracting agencies last week that was seen by The New York Times. The company told the firms that it will not be moving forward to onboard the people that the agencies had recruited to work at Google.

The move affected more than 2,000 people globally who had signed offers with the agencies to be a contract or temp worker, according to three people familiar with the decision, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak publicly on the matter.

Google employs more than 130,000 contractors and temp workers, a shadow workforce that outnumbers its 123,000 full-time employees. Googles full-time staff are rewarded with high salaries and generous perks, but temps and contractors often receive less pay, fewer benefits and do not have the same protections, even though they work alongside full timers.

The coronavirus crisis has underscored that disparity. Google announced in April that it was extending its employee paid leave policy to 14 weeks from 8 weeks for caretakers, including parents looking after children whose schools are closed. For employees working from home, Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Googles parent company Alphabet, said Tuesday that they could spend $1,000 for equipment and furniture like standing desks and ergonomic chairs.

Many of the contract and temp candidates who had agreed to work at Google before the pandemic took hold in the United States were let go without any severance or financial compensation. This came after weeks of uncertainty as Google repeatedly postponed their start dates during which time they were not paid by Google or the staffing agencies.

Some of the would-be contractors left stable, full-time jobs once they received an employment offer at Google and are now searching for work in a difficult labor market. Some, who are Americans, said the rescinded offers have complicated and, in some cases, delayed their ability to receive unemployment benefits because they left their last jobs voluntarily, according to several of the workers facing this dilemma.

In mid-April, Pichai told employees in a memo that the company planned to significantly slow the pace of hiring this year, with the exception of several strategic areas. A company spokeswoman said at the time that Google intended to bring on the people who it had already hired but who had not started.

More for you Remote work may trigger a 'suburban boom' in real estate

But this did not seem to apply to contractors or temp workers for Google and Alphabet, which has a market capitalization of near $1 trillion. It made $6.8 billion in profit in the first three months of 2020, despite what it called a significant and sudden slowdown in advertising.

If these people were promised jobs at Alphabet, which is worth a trillion dollars, it seems like the company has a responsibility to take them on, said Ben Gwin, who works as a data analyst in a Google office for HCL America, a contracting agency. Its not like Google cant afford it.

Gwin led a unionization effort for contract technical workers at Googles offices in Pittsburgh last year.

As weve publicly indicated, were slowing our pace of hiring and investment, and as a result are not bringing on as many new people  full time and temporary  as wed planned at the beginning of the year, said Alex Krasov, a Google spokeswoman.

Ruth Porat, chief financial officer for Alphabet, told analysts last month that the company was cutting expenses by not hiring as many new employees as initially projected. She did not address contract or temp workers.

Google has taken some steps to help its temp and contract workers. In March, the company said it would extend the assignments of temp workers whose jobs were scheduled to end from March 20 to May 15 by 60 days.

The company also said it would continue to pay contract workers affected by office closures such as people who serve food in the companys cafeterias. And it established a fund to allow contingent workers to take paid sick leave if they exhibit coronavirus symptoms or cannot come to work because they are quarantined.

Like many technology companies, Google depends on a large number of temps, vendors and contractors to perform a wide variety of jobs, including cafeteria workers, maintenance workers, recruiters, content moderators and software testers. For the company, these workers cost less than full-time employees, and Google has no long-term obligation to them, making it easy to hire them or eliminate their positions.

Last year, 10 Democratic senators called on Google to convert its temporary and contract workers to full-time employees, saying the company should stop its anti-worker practices and treat all of its workers equally.

Google pays staffing companies to find the workers and provide them with salaries and benefits as their employer. But Google interviews prospective candidates and signs off on hiring, deciding where they work, what they do and when to fire them.

When Google pulled the offers to prospective workers, the company told the staffing companies, which included firms like Accenture, Cognizant and Adecco, that well look to you to have the conversations with the individuals who wont be onboarded. Google said it was hopeful that the agencies will be able to find other assignments for the candidates.

It was not immediately clear which countries were most affected in the decision, but some of the workers are in the United States, India and the Philippines. This was the second wave of rescinded job offers for temps and contract workers. Google had pulled offers for several dozen temp workers in April.

Joli Holland was one of the candidates whose job offers was rescinded in mid-April. She was working as a lead teller at Wells Fargo when Adecco contacted her about a recruiter position working at Google in Mountain View, California. After a few rounds of interviews, she was offered the position with a start date of March 23.

She was hopeful that she would get her foot in the door with a temporary job and land a full-time position at Google. Before she gave her two-week notice to Wells Fargo, she checked with Adecco about whether the job at Google was safe given the growing concerns about the coronavirus. Holland said she was assured that everything should be fine.

Another candidate whose offer was rescinded expressed similar concerns to another recruiter at Adecco. This person, who asked not to be identified because they still wanted to work at Google and were worried about being blacklisted for speaking out, said the recruiter said Google always does the right thing, so I wouldnt worry about it.

An Adecco spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment.

A few days before Holland was set to start, she was told that her start date at Google would be pushed back to April 6. Then it was postponed to April 13 and again to April 20, a Monday. On the Friday before she was set to begin her job, Holland said she was told that the company was rescinding all temp worker offers. She did not receive any money while she waited to start at Google, nor did she get any severance.

Im disappointed, because not a lot of people are hiring right now, she said. She had not filed for unemployment because she left her last job voluntarily. Still, Holland said she still hoped to work for Google because it would still be a great opportunity.

I am disappointed, but it hasnt completely soured me on the company, she said. Id still like to work there.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
The US has joined an international panel for setting ethical guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence. The Trump administration had earlier dismissed the idea.

White Houses chief technology officer, Michael Kratsios, told The Associated Press on Thursday it is important to establish shared democratic principles as a counter to Chinas record of twisting technology in ways that threaten civil liberties.

Chinese technology companies are attempting to shape international standards on facial recognition and surveillance at the United Nations, he said.

The Trump administration had been the lone holdout among leaders of the Group of Seven  the worlds wealthiest democracies  in setting up the Global Partnership on AI.

The partnership launched Thursday after a virtual meeting between national technology ministers. It was nearly two years after the leaders of Canada and France announced they were forming a group to guide the responsible adoption of AI based on shared principles of human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation and economic growth. The Trump administration objected to that approach, arguing that too much focus on regulation would hamper US innovation. But negotiations over the past year and changes to the groups scope led the US to join, Kratsios said.

We worked very hard to make it clear that it would not be a standard-setting or policy-making body, he said.

US involvement is important because of the large role that American tech firms play globally and its historic advocacy for human rights, said Kay Mathiesen, an associate professor focused on computer ethics at Northeastern University in Boston.

US tech companies such as Microsoft, Google and Apple are all concerned about what guidelines they should be following to use AI responsibly, she said. Given their global presence, the fact that the U.S. wasnt involved does not mean that they would not end up having to follow any regulations developed by the rest of the G7.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Jefferson County District Attorneys Danny Carr (Birmingham Division) and Lynneice Washington (Bessemer Cutoff), in a joint statement, called the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer on Monday reprehensible.

Consequences should be forthcoming, they added.

Floyd, who is African American, died after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt with a knee on Floyds neck for nine minutes. Floyd was handcuffed and suspected of forgery. He pleaded with the officer, saying I cant breathe, man; please let me stand before losing consciousness. The event was captured on video.

On Tuesday, the four officers involved in the incident were fired. On Thursday Minneapolis officials announce that Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, according to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.

The world watched as Mr. Floyd was tried, convicted and sentenced to death by police, though he was never placed into custody, Carr and Washington said. We watched as an officer of the law, with the assistance of other officers, placed his body weight on the neck of a handcuffed man, which foreseeably stopped the blood flow to his brain s , blocked oxygen to his lungs and resulted in death. Although the officers were fired, Mr. Floyd and his family deserve justice!

Its imperative right now in these times that public officials, people with an ability to make a difference, make statements denouncing any injustices, whether they come from police officers or anywhere else, Washington told AL.com. Time is out for sitting on our hands.

The murder of George Floyd, an unarmed, handcuffed African American male, has again highlighted the issue of police brutality in America, they said in the statement. These unacceptable, egregious actions must be called out and addressed if our society is to heal.

As prosecutors in Jefferson County we rely upon our relationships with law enforcement and citizens within our county to assist in efforts to promote safety and earn the communitys trust. We strive hard to work as a team to bring positive change."

Law Enforcement Officers are an important element within our community," the statement continues. "We must continue to support the good officers while holding the unethical, immoral officers accountable for their actions.

However, this tragedy in Minneapolis, Minnesota cannot be ignored, nor shall it be forgotten.

This is a cry for justice, Washington added. Its a movement, not a moment. Its imperative that we let our voices be known to reassure the people of Jefferson County that we are here for justice for all.

The full statement is below:
When New York police officers temporarily reduced their proactive policing efforts on low-level offenses, major-crime reports in the city actually fell, according to a study based on New York Police Department crime statistics.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, put a crack in the broken windows theory of policing that has become a mainstay of many urban police departments.

Order maintenance policing, a type of proactive policing, is informed by the broken windows theory  the idea that by fighting smaller crimes, its possible to create a lawful environment that helps deter the more serious crimes. Its an idea that was put to use in the 1990s by former New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton (who also served as Los Angeles police chief from 2002 to 2009).

The idea has taken hold in police departments around the U.S. But some researchers have worried that this kind of policing can have a detrimental effect in the communities it targets.

Advertisement

A serious concern is that proactive policing diverts finite resources and attention away from investigative units, including detectives working to track down serial offenders and break up criminal networks, the authors point out. Proactive policing also disrupts communal life, which can drain social control of group-level violence. Citizens are arrested, unauthorized markets are disrupted, and people lose their jobs, all of which create more localized stress on individuals already living on the edge. Such strains are imposed directly through proactive policing, and thus are independent from subsequent judgments of guilt or innocence.

Either way, these arguments are hard to test, because the cause-and-effect of policing and crime are difficult to tease apart.

Police officers target their efforts at areas where crime is anticipated and/or where they expect enforcement will be most effective, they wrote. Simultaneously, citizens decide to comply with the law or commit crime partly on the basis of police deployment and enforcement strategies. In other words, policing and crime are endogenous to unobservable strategic interaction, which frustrates causal analysis.

That changed over the course of several weeks in late 2014 and early 2015. After a jury declined to indict the officers involved in the fatal chokehold of Eric Garner in Staten Island, the NYPD held a work slowdown for about seven weeks as political conflict between protesters, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the citys police unions intensified.

Legally, police officers cant strike. But they can work-to-rule, doing only the most necessary duties. They responded to calls only in pairs, left their squad cars only if they felt compelled, and did not perform certain proactive policing tactics, such as getting out of their vehicles to issue summonses or arrest people for petty crimes and misdemeanors. The officers were ultimately ordered to return to work by Jan. 16, 2015.

This sudden slowdown provided researchers an opportunity to answer the question: Did crime rates go up when proactive policing went down?

This makes for a unique natural experiment to identify the causal effects of changing police practices, the authors wrote.

The scientists filed Freedom of Information Act requests for a large set of NYPD CompStat reports from 2013 to 2016. These reports describe the weekly activity for each NYPD precinct, including: Criminal summonses for penal law violations such as public alcohol consumption and disorderly conduct; Stop, question and frisks or SQFs; Non-major crime arrests, the vast majority of which are misdemeanors; and Major crime complaints, such as murder, rape, robbery and felony assault.

During the slowdown, the researchers found that police dramatically reduced the number of criminal summonses and SQFs  a confirmation that, indeed, the low-level proactive policing activities had gone down. Non-major crime arrests also took a dip. So did narcotics arrests.

So, with the drop in relatively low-level police activity, what happened to serious crime in the city? The scientists found that civilian complaints of major crimes dropped by about 3% to 6% during the slowdown.

The cessation of proactive policing corresponds roughly to the relative decline in crime that earlier research attributed to the effects of mass incarceration, the authors noted.

The researchers ran the analysis under a couple other models, and the results still held. They examined whether crime underreporting could have biased the findings, and the results still held.

While we cannot entirely rule out the effects of under-reporting, the authors wrote, our results show that crime complaints decreased, rather than increased, during a slowdown in proactive policing, contrary to deterrence theory.

Each week during the slowdown saw civilians report an estimated 43 fewer felony assaults, 40 fewer burglaries and 40 fewer acts of grand larceny. And this slight suppression of major crime rates actually continued for seven to 14 weeks after those drops in proactive policing  which led the researchers to estimate that overall, the slowdown resulted in about 2,100 fewer major-crimes complaints.

The broken windows theory posits that fighting smaller crimes helps to prevent the larger ones. But in this case, it seems that the opposite may have been true.

In their efforts to increase civilian compliance, certain policing tactics may inadvertently contribute to serious criminal activity, the researchers wrote. The implications for understanding policing in a democratic society should not be understated.

The findings show that experts may need to reconsider their assumptions about what is and isnt effective in law enforcement practices, the authors said.

Our results imply not only that these tactics fail at their stated objective of reducing major legal violations, but also that the initial deployment of proactive policing can inspire additional crimes that later provide justification for further increasing police stops, summonses and so on, the authors wrote.

The researchers also noted that proactive policing is often used disproportionately in communities with high poverty rates and large numbers of people of color.

The vicious feedback between proactive policing and major crime can exacerbate political and economic inequality across communities, they said. In the absence of reliable evidence of the effectiveness of proactive policing, it is time to consider how proactive policing reform might reduce crime and increase well-being in the most heavily policed communities.

In a commentary, David Weisburd of George Mason University pointed out that the studys conclusions should be limited to a specific subset of proactive policing tactics.

Certainly, this evidence should not be generalized across the broad array of proactive policing strategies, said Weisburd, who was not involved in the paper. It is limited to a very specific approach applied very broadly in a large urban area.

But at the same time, as the authors note, they have capitalized on an interesting natural experiment that allows them to overcome the causal limitations of previous non-experimental work, he added. This is well-done social science, and in this context the results have strong weight.

Still, he added, this isnt a randomized experiment, and so the results arent entirely clear. Not every potential unknown could be nailed down in a natural experiment such as this. For example, even during the slowdown, did the police continue their practice of identifying and focusing on crime hot spots?

My point is simply that we dont know what the shock actually tells us because we dont have a detailed understanding of what the police were doing, Weisburd wrote. This gap suggests that we need experimental evidence of the impacts of proactivity at the jurisdictional level. Non-experimental studies simply cannot overcome the myriad threats to the causal interpretation of the findings.

Setting up large-scale policing experiments is a difficult and expensive operation, he said  but its increasingly looking like a necessary step to understand which practices really makes cities safer.

The first law of treatment is do no harm, Weisburd wrote. [The authors] suggest that generalized enforcement of low-level offenses does just that. We have a moral imperative to carry out well-designed experimental studies that can give us unambiguous answers to this important policy question.

amina.khan@latimes.com

Follow @aminawrite on Twitter for more science news and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook.

MORE IN SCIENCE

Mosquitoes spread deadly diseases, and public health experts hope to fight back with this new emoji

Plant-eating dinosaurs may have dined on crustaceans on special occasions, study says

Pediatricians may view tattoos, piercings as red flags. They should discuss it instead, report says
One-punch killer Kieran Loveridge has had his earliest possible release from jail pushed back by a month after he was convicted of the prison assault of a bikie club president.

Loveridge, 26, was sentenced on Friday to a 12-month prison term over the February 2018 bashing of Penrith Rebels Motorcycle Club boss Matthew Rymer at Sydney's Silverwater jail.

Judge Robert Sutherland ordered most of Loveridge's sentence be served concurrently after finding he was in fear for his life.

Scroll down for video.

The vicious assault took place at Sydney's Silverwater prison (pictured) in February 2018

Kieran Loveridge (pictured) has copped more jail time for bashing the outlaw bikie

The judge was critical of Corrective Services NSW after Loveridge was wrongly placed in a pod which housed 14 members of the Rebels despite warnings and alerts on his file.

Parramatta District Court heard Loveridge had joined the Lone Wolf outlaw motorcycle gang - who have long been at war with the Rebels - and assaulted Rymer in order to secure a transfer into segregation.

Following his conviction, he will now be eligible for release in June 2023.

He was given a 25 per cent sentence reduction because of his early guilty plea.

Loveridge was jailed for the manslaughter of 18-year-old Thomas Kelly in an unprovoked one-punch attack at Sydney's Kings Cross in mid-2012.

He was originally sentenced to at least five years and two months in jail but that was increased to 10 years and two months after the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed against the inadequacy of the jail term.

The shocking incident resulted in a state-wide push to stamp out alcohol-fueled violence.

As a result, New South Premier Mike Baird introduced the controversial 'lockout laws' which forced venues in King Cross and other locations, to deny patrons entry into pubs and clubs after 1:30am.

Penrith Rebels outlaw bikie president Matthew Rymer (pictured) was attacked by Loveridge

The court heard Loveridge had also been involved in several violent incidents inside prison including he and a fellow inmate breaking another prisoner's jaw in March 2015.

Loveridge was sentenced to a 12-month prison term over that incident and had six months added onto his earliest possible release date.

The court heard his assault of Rymer happened when he was being transferred from Cessnock jail to Nowra prison and required a short stay at Silverwater.

Loveridge said he had on several occasions warned guards he couldn't be housed near members of the Rebels but was placed there anyway.

CCTV captured Loveridge walking through pod 14 at G block towards Rymer, who was seated and speaking to his wife on the phone, before letting loose with several punches.

After being separated as they wrestled on the ground, Rymer needed stitches for a cut above his eye while Loveridge suffered minor cuts and abrasions on his hand.

They had another confrontation a short while later in another part of the prison when Rymer ran at Loveridge, who had to be protected by guards.

Judge Sutherland said Loveridge's 'moral culpability' for the assault was reduced because he feared for his safety and the threat should have been foreseen.

Loveridge, left, has a track record of bad behaviour in New South Wales prisons

'The assault carried out was a means for his immediate removal from the pod,' Judge Sutherland said.

'He had genuine fear for his safety if he was placed in a cell overnight. The fear of violence towards the offender from the Rebels was the reason for the alerts throughout his corrective services records.'

Following the incident, Loveridge was recorded in telephone conversations with his mother claiming he was deliberately placed in the pod as retaliation for having an affair with a female prison guard.

The guard, Jody Marson, was dismissed following investigations of an 'improper relationship'.

He was recorded in a conversation with another person saying: "They stitched me up the dogs".

Judge Sutherland said it was unclear whether Loveridge was placed in the pod due to malice or error but said it was nevertheless a 'matter of considerable concern'.
Nandamuri Balakrishna has indeed become the current talk of the town. The senior actor has been at the receiving end since he expressed discontent for not being invited to the recently held meeting with the Telangana government demanding lockdown relaxation. A video has been doing the rounds, wherein Balakrishna is seen lashing out at a media person, who asked his response about the meeting. The apparently irked actor was heard using abusive and unparliamentary language in public while answering.

The Telugu Film Industry was evidently disappointed with the actor's mean comment. Among them, actor Naga Babu demanded Balakrishna to apologise to the Telangana government and representatives of the industry who attended the meeting. In the video, Naga Babu said, "How dare he say that those who are participating in talks with the government are trying to grab lands and distribute among themselves? It is not only an insult to the film personalities but also to the government. He should know to control his tongue. If we speak out, it will be more clear as to who grabbed the lands."

Of lately, producer C Kalyan revealed that he had been informing the actors about the things that happened during the meeting. Nevertheless, the netizens are too annoyed with the actor's shocking behaviour, with a few tweeting that this shouldn't be the manners coming out from a superhero who inspires many fans. As per reports, there are high chances of the Telugu film industry taking a decision and demanding an apology from the actor for disparaging the Telangana government.

For the uninitiated, the Telugu film industry recently held a meeting with the government, including the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for relaxing the lockdown so as to resume film shoots and production work. Responding to their request, the minister announced the phased revival of shooting and pre-production works of films. The meeting was attended by ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Niranjan Reddy, film personalities Chiranjeevi Konidela, Nagarjuna Akkineni, D Suresh Babu, SS Rajamouli, N Shankar, Allu Aravind, Dil Raju, Trivikram Srinivas, and others.

Tollywood Gets Back To Normal Amid Lockdown, Resumes Production

#SSMB27: Theme Of Mahesh Babu Starrer Leaked? Read Deets Inside!
Goa's Ports Minister Michael Lobo on Friday said that the state government should ban the entry of persons coming to Goa from Maharashtra for a minimum period of 15 days on account of the spike in COVID-19 cases.

Lobo said that he would be requesting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in writing, adding that nearly 90 per cent of the COVID-19 cases in Goa are related to persons with a travel history from Maharashtra.

"Goa was totally in the green zone and we are still in the green zone as far as the state is concerned. Only we are getting the maximum number of people from Maharashtra and a few from Delhi, who have the virus," the Minister told reporters here.

"Now my demand to the CM of Goa is and I will give it in writing also, that you ban the entry of people from Maharashtra. I am not against the people of Maharashtra, but the ban is necessary for a certain period, say 15 days," Lobo said.

"Entry to the people from Maharashtra to Goa should be banned by road, by rail and air travel. If you want to stop more COVID-19 patients coming in to Goa we have to ban their entry. This is the only solution, because there is transmission of the COVID-19 virus in Maharashtra in a big way," he added.

Earlier this week, Sawant had said that his government was actively considering a separate SOP for persons coming to Goa from Maharashtra, because 90 per cent of the state's COVID-19 patients had a travel history from the neighbouring state.

The move was later dropped, after Goa made testing of all persons entering the state mandatory.

Lobo however said that with the monsoon looming and the unpredictable nature of COVID-19, it was best to take early precautions, especially vis a vis persons entering Goa from Maharashtra.

"There is no transmission from Goa. But if these people (from Maharashtra) keep on coming (into Goa), there will be transmission. We do not know how the virus is going to react in the rains. Rains are likely scheduled in Goa from June 5, before that if we ban people coming from Maharashtra, we will get major relief," Lobo said.

Currently, the state has 31 active COVID-19 cases.
Afterward, the officers filed charges accusing Mr. Wright of assaulting a police officer, but a spokesman for the Manhattan district attorneys office said on Friday that prosecutors had dropped the case on May 18. The spokesman, Danny Frost, said prosecutors were still reviewing the officers conduct.

On Friday, Mr. Wright filed a notice of claim announcing his intention to file a $50 million lawsuit against the city. His lawyer, Sanford Rubenstein, also called on the district attorney to bring criminal charges.

The video, pictures of the truth, clearly call for a criminal investigation of this matter, Mr. Rubenstein said. The evidence is there.

The nationwide demonstrations recalled those that followed a grand jurys decision not to bring criminal charges against a New York officer who used a fatal chokehold on Eric Garner during an arrest on Staten Island in 2014. Mr. Floyd and Mr. Garner uttered the same last words: I cant breathe.

As protesters gathered near Foley Square in Manhattan, Mayor Bill de Blasio called for demonstrators to be peaceful.

The police officer in front of you is a working man and woman just trying to do their job, he said during a news conference with the police commissioner at City Hall. They did not create the policies. They did not create the pain.

On Thursday, the mayor had called for the Minneapolis officer who knelt on Mr. Floyd to be charged immediately, while New York Citys police commissioner, Dermot F. Shea, condemned what happened as unacceptable anywhere.


Chinas national legislature has officially passed a new national security law for Hong Kong. The move increased tensions with the United States and brought more protests in the territory.

In Beijing, the National Peoples Congress, or NPC, approved the measure that aims to change Hong Kongs Basic Law. This law gives Hong Kong limited self-rule. China agreed to the rules when it took over Hong Kong from Britain in 1997.

The new security law requires the territory to enforce measures that will be decided by a top committee of the NPC. The law also permits Chinese intelligence agencies to operate in the city. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang defended the law as being in line with mainland Chinas promises.

Hong Kongs pro-democracy activists protested the move at a shopping area Thursday. A day earlier, police had arrested 360 people as thousands demonstrated in anger over the national security bill proposed by China.

Three pro-democracy lawmakers, however, were removed from Hong Kongs legislature during a debate Thursday. The local legislature was considering a bill that would criminalize insulting or abusing the Chinese national anthem.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the United States would no longer treat Hong Kong as autonomous from the government in Beijing. A state department official said Hong Kong could face visa limits and economic measures similar to China.

The move could influence many companies to reconsider Hong Kong as a business center. More than 1,300 U.S. companies have offices in the city, providing about 100,000 jobs.

China has repeatedly said it would take necessary measures against any foreign interference in Hong Kong. On Thursday, Li called for China-U.S. cooperation to promote common interests in solving international issues and promoting trade, science and other fields. He said, Both countries stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation.

US Congress approves punishments for Chinese officials

The NPC vote comes shortly after the U.S. Congress passed a bill that would place restrictions on Chinese officials linked to the detention of ethnic Uighurs.



The bill had strong support from both the Democratic and Republican parties. All but one member voted for the measure. It now requires President Donald Trump to sign it to become law.

The president said he would very strongly consider signing the bill. He has said he is displeased with Chinas reaction to the spread of the coronavirus which started in Wuhan, China. The Hong Kong security law is also a point of tension.

The new U.S. bill targets Chinese officials, including the Communist Party official who oversees government policy in Xinjiang. It also requires the U.S. government to report to Congress violations of human rights in Xinjiang and Chinas use of technology for detentions and spying.

People held in the internment camps have described being subjected to forced political teachings, torture, beatings and other actions. They say they are not being permitted to observe their religion.

The Chinese government denies that people are being held against their will. It has said the camps are for re-education and job training. China has also refused independent international inspections of the holding centers.

Im Mario Ritter, Jr.

Mario Ritter Jr. adapted Associated Press and Reuters news reports for this VOA Learning English story. Hai Do was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

internment n. the act of putting someone in prison for political reasons or during war
A protest in Oakland Friday night over the police-custody death in Minneapolis of George Floyd devolved into chaos, with fires being set, windows smashed, police officers struck by thrown objects and tear gas and rubber bullets fired at protesters.

Thousands of people took to Oaklands streets in what began as a largely spirited but peaceful assembly four days after Floyd, a black man, died after a white police officer pinned him to the ground by kneeling on his neck and refusing to let up, even as the man yelled that he couldnt breathe.

Protesters spray painted buildings, stopped traffic on I-880, threw fireworks and set fires inside some buildings. At one point, Several people tore off the wooden boards at Walgreens near 14th Street and Broadway near Oakland City Hall and used the boards to break their way in. They ran out with baskets with merchandise. A fire was ignited inside the store.

At the corner of Eighth Street and Broadway, protesters shattered the windows and glass doors of a Starbucks. Protesters also smashed windows at City Hall and a Chase bank.

Now Playing: Protesters enraged by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police surround San Jose City Hall  a gathering that has escalated as police officials intervene. Video: Lauren Hernandez, Erika Carlos

The doors of a Target at 27th Street and Broadway were smashed and a fire burned in a dumpster across the street. Clothing, hangers and bedding were strewn outside the store. People formed an assembly line to loot. One person ran back and forth and handed off merchandise to people standing outside.

Smoke billowed out of a Mercedes Benz showroom near 29th Street and Broadway. The windows of a Honda dealership at 33th Street and Broadway were smashed.

A person spray-painted outside City Hall, We have nothing to lose but our chains. Another group of protesters tore a row of Lyft bikes out of the pavement nearby city hall and dragged it out into the middle of the street. The dock that held the bikes was set on fire. And a large trash bin was set ablaze.

Just before 11 p.m., police officers walked in a line up 14th Street toward Broadway, pushing protesters back from where a fire had been set in the middle of the road. Officers deployed smoke bombs to disperse the crowd. A large fire was also burning near the 19th Street BART station.

Earlier in the evening, at Seventh and Broadway, police declared an unlawful assembly and deployed tear gas after officers were struck by thrown objects.

Protesters poured milk or water in their eyes bending over on the sidewalks and in the street once they had retreated.

Officials estimated more than 5,000 people were protesting in Oakland. One officer was injured and several people were detained, said Johnna Watson, a spokeswoman for the Police Department.

Two security guards were shot near 12th and Clay streets. The shooting doesnt appear to be related to the demonstration, the police department said.

In San Jose, police officers fired rubber bullets and deployed tear gas on hundreds of protesters outside of San Joses City Hall Friday evening as people chanted F the police. People screamed, Gas, gas, gas as loud flash bangs could be heard and smoke filled the air near Fifth and Santa Clara streets.

At least one officer was injured during the protest and was taken to Valley Medical Center, said Mayor Sam Liccardo. The officers condition was unknown. Several arrests were made, Liccardo said.

Dozens of people keeled over, coughing, and poured water into their eyes. Some protesters weaved throughout the dense crowd, shouting, Water, who needs water?

Ben Margot / Associated Press

Kiara Topete, a 19-year-old from Milpitas, said she was standing in front of police when one shot her with a rubber bullet in the shin.

I didnt do anything, I didnt throw anything, I didnt pose a threat to them, they just shot me, she said. It burns. It really hurts, Ive never felt anything like this.

Several people picked up spent gas canisters and water bottles, hurling them toward the line of police blocking City Hall. Police responded by deploying more tear gas and firing rubber bullets.

Just before 9 p.m., most of the crowd had dissipated. A charred trash bin remained in the middle of the street near City Hall. A destroyed Toyota 4Runner sat at the corner of Third and Santa Clara streets. And police remained on guard.

At 9:06 p.m., Santa Clara County Sheriff deputies were involved in a shooting that occurred just blocks away at Sixth and Santa Clara streets, said Sgt. Enrique Garcia, a spokesman from the San Jose Police Department.

Garcia did not provide any additional information.

Now Playing: Hundreds of people hit the streets in Oakland on Friday to protest the police-custody death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, a black man who yelled that he couldnt breathe as a police officer pinned him to the ground by kneeling on his neck. Video: Matt Kawahara, Erika Betty Carlos

In Oakland, earlier in the evening outside City Hall, a couple hundred protesters were gathered, some spilling out onto 14th Street, near the intersection of Broadway, to block traffic. People chanted, Black lives matter and no justice, no peace.

Interim Police Chief Susan Manheimer tweeted a video from just outside the skirmish line and called for a peaceful protest.

OPD is here to ensure a safe environment for peaceful demonstration, she said. If youre out here, lets keep it safe, lets make Oakland strong.

Brianna Noble, 25, from Oakland, rode a horse down Broadway with a cardboard sign that read, Black Lives Matter.

Were just bringing some attention to the issue at hand in a positive, non-violent way, Noble said. Horses bring attention.

Some people held signs that read, Justice for George and I cant breathe.

Corey Murphy, 44, of San Jose, held a sign in Oakland that read, Hands Up Dont Shoot. He said its ridiculous that were still going through this.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle

Were just sick and tired of being sick and tired, he said. Weve been asking for help. Nobodys listening.

Police drew their batons and formed a barrier near the police headquarters at Seventh Street and Broadway. Why dont yall come stand with us? one person asked the officers.

The action came on the same day the now-fired Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the horrific death, which was caught on video. In the video, bystanders can be heard pleading with the officer to get off of Floyd to no avail.

Floyd became unresponsive and was later pronounced dead.

Chauvin, 44  the officer seen in the video kneeling on Floyds neck, was one of four officers at the scene who were fired. Minneapolis police said the officers were responding to a report of an alleged forgery, and that Floyd resisted arrest.

The case has incited riots in Minneapolis and civil unrest in cities across the United States.

In Minneapolis on Thursday night, demonstrators filled the streets and rallied for justice in Floyds death, the Minneapolis polices Third Precinct headquarters was set ablaze, and President Trump announced he was deploying the National Guard to respond to assist local law enforcement.

Ahead of Fridays protest in Oakland, the citys police department said it had increased staffing to facilitate freedom of speech, while also maintaining public safety.

Now Playing: A protest in Oakland Friday night over the police-custody death in Minneapolis of George Floyd devolved into chaos, with fires being set, windows smashed, police officers struck by thrown objects and tear gas and rubber bullets fired at protesters. Video: San Francisco Chronicle

Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriffs Office, told The Chronicle that officials are coordinating the law enforcement mutual aid response for Oakland and plan to  bring in substantial resources if the need arises.

We are closely monitoring the situation on a minute to minute basis as these situations can rapidly evolve, Kelly said. We are hopeful the protest will be peaceful and non-violent.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf described Floyds death a killing and a nauseating act of government violence against a Black man. Manheimer, said in a statement Thursday that she joins the community in denouncing this incident and all incidents of police brutality.

San Francisco police Chief Bill Scott and San Jose police Chief Eddie Garcia joined Oakland officials in condemning the officers conduct, each calling the incident disturbing and not consistent with the values law enforcement is taught to uphold.

Chronicle Staff Writer Rachel Swan contributed to this report.

Lauren Hernandez, Megan Cassidy, Matt Kawahara and Sarah Ravani are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com; megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com; mkawahara@sfchronicle.com; sravani@sfchronicle.com
Two of Canadas largest banks have set aside record amounts in provisions for bad loans after suffering huge drops in earnings in the second quarter of 2020.

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD Bank) announced that they have set aside $3.22 billion for sour loans  the largest reported provision among Canadas biggest lenders and five times the $633 million the bank earmarked for the second quarter of 2019  after experiencing a quarterly earnings drop of 52% to $1.5 billion compared to the same quarter last year.

Meanwhile, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) earmarked $1.41 billion for bad loans after experiencing a 71% drop in net income to $392 million compared to Q2 of 2019.
New Delhi: The Delhi University released its online admission schedule for various Uner Graduate (UG) courses, the online portal for registration will open on June 8 at 10 am.

The candidates who wish to enroll in Delhi University will have time till 5 pm on June 30 to apply which is the last date for submitting applications.

Cut off for admissions is:

* Admission in the first cut-off list will be from 10 am on August 11 till 4 pm on August 14.

* Admission for the second cut-off will be given from 10 am on August 18 till 4 pm on August 20.

* Admission to third cut-off will be given from 10 am on August 23 till 4 pm on August 25.
Officials in Missouri on Thursday extended the states current reopening phase, while officials in Illinois took a cautious step forward.

Gov. Mike Parson in Jefferson City announced a two-week extension of an executive order, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his state is advancing to its third of five reopening stages beginning Friday.

We are extending Phase 1 not because Missouri has taken a step back, but because we want to make sure we are fully prepared for Phase 2, Parson said during a press briefing.

Parsons order, in effect since the state began reopening May 4, was scheduled to expire Monday. It followed a stay-at-home order in effect for most of April.

The order urges people to continue practicing social distancing outside their homes, allows restaurants to offer dine-in service while adhering to spacing guidelines, and limits retailers and grocers with less than 10,000 square feet of space to 25% occupancy limits.

In Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday that the states four designated regions have met various health and medical benchmarks to move into the third of a five-stage reopening plan starting Friday. The third phase, which lasts four weeks, still places restrictions on businesses but allows the reopening of manufacturers, offices, retail, salons, day summer camps, state parks, youth sports, gyms and horse tracks with capacity limits and safety precautions. Gatherings of 10 or fewer people will also be allowed.

The exception is Chicago, whose mayor said Thursday that the city will wait until next Wednesday to begin its next phase allowing retail, restaurants, hotels and horse-racing tracks to reopen.

Pritzker and health officials are urging continued social distancing, face coverings and personal hygiene as the state moves into the next stage.

Our goal is and always has been to keep people safe from this coronavirus while we restore more of our normal activities, Pritzker said. Lets not move backward but instead lets move forward, together.

Meanwhile, mask distributions in the St. Louis area continue to accelerate as federal grant money flows to local governments.

A spokesman for St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said the county has distributed about 470,000 masks, at a cost of about $870,000, since the third week of March. The masks have gone to county and municipal police and fire departments, government employees, senior communities, funeral homes, school districts, clergy and nonprofits.

On Thursday, church representatives from across the region lined up to collect 125,000 face masks that theyll distribute to their congregants to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The 24:1 Clergy Coalition, along with the St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition and the Baptist Ministers Union, gave out the masks for hours at Mount Beulah Missionary Baptist Church in Pagedale. Clergy said representatives distributed and ran out of masks in St. Louis earlier this week and are planning to distribute more on Friday.

We encourage people to wear masks during services and maintain social distancing, said the Rev. E.G. Shields Jr., president of the 24:1 Clergy Coalition. The need is great. Its astronomical.

Federal stimulus money to St. Louis County paid for about 100,000 masks at Thursdays giveaway. County officials said grant money also paid for last weeks distribution of about 150,000 masks to nonprofits.

Coalition leaders said the masks are intended for church representatives but that people seeking masks for themselves wouldnt be turned away. Church leaders and volunteers picking up masks said theyre preparing to hold socially distanced religious services with caution.

Were not out of the woods, said Gregory Ingram, a deacon at Northside Seventh-day Adventist Church. Social distance and wearing a mask is still critical, but worship is still important and fellowship is desperately needed.

Meanwhile, new COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to mount in Missouri and Illinois.

Illinois announced 1,527 new cases and 104 additional deaths, bringing overall Illinois cases to 115,833 and the death toll to 5,186. Officials said about 4 in 10 of the states deaths were at long-term care facilities.

Missouri has reported at least 12,673 total cases and 707 deaths.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force on Thursday reported 398 people were hospitalized in the St. Louis region for the virus as of Tuesday, an increase of three people from the day before. The task force said the seven-day average of people hospitalized decreased to 408 from 415. And the total number of patients using ventilators decreased to 57 from 63.

In the St. Louis metro area, including the Illinois suburbs, at least 759 people with COVID-19 have died.

In both Missouri and Illinois, state counts of the virus have differed from totals provided by local health departments, sometimes lagging behind; the latest numbers released by counties in the metro area include:

St. Louis County: 4,876 cases, 395 deaths. The county reported seven additional COVID-19 deaths and 44 new cases Thursday.

St. Louis: 1,906 cases, 118 deaths.

St. Charles County: 758 cases, 55 deaths.

Jefferson County: 348 cases, 15 deaths.

Franklin County: 139 cases, 16 deaths. The county reported no new cases Thursday.

St. Clair County: 1,167 cases, 92 deaths. The county reported 33 new cases and four deaths Thursday.

Madison County: 558 cases, 58 deaths.

Monroe County: 93 cases, 11 deaths.

As of Thursday afternoon, more than 101,000 people with the virus have died in the United States, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. More than 1.7 million people across the country have tested positive.

Jack Suntrup and Rachel Rice of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
His response to the novel coronavirus is as steady as it has been remarkable.

His actions, early in this public health and economic crisis, have saved countless lives and allowed San Antonio to reopen as safely as possible at an uncertain moment.

His love for this city is evident in the exhaustion so clear in his face these days, but also in his careful choice of words. He is real, honest, direct and affirming. There is no virtue signaling here  as we have seen from so many others in politics, who play to their respective bases at the expense of the rest of us  only leadership and governance.

Im writing, of course, about Mayor Ron Nirenberg. This story is not over. We know neither the arc of his political journey, nor how San Antonio navigates, recovers and transforms from this prolonged crisis. This is merely a chapter in a larger story for all of us, but its a chapter that has been defined by Nirenbergs exemplary leadership.

He has been the right mayor at the right time. Its hard to believe this is the same mayor who was pushed to the brink just a year ago, eking out a narrow win in a runoff against then-City Councilman Greg Brockhouse, a challenger dogged by domestic violence allegations with deep ties to the public safety unions. These days, a close race against anyone seems implausible.

But enough of the political angles. They dont matter.

As former longtime Express-News City Hall reporter Josh Baugh observed on Twitter in April, Nirenbergs ascent is reminiscent of former Mayors Phil Hardberger and Julian Castro. Hardberger embraced Hurricane Katrina evacuees and reshaped city government for the better. Castro put San Antonio on the national map with his ideas, youthful promise and vision.

Nirenbergs legacy, though, will be shaped by his handling of the coronavirus, Baugh wrote. So far, its been masterful. His commitment to our community has been clear.

I see Nirenbergs leadership manifest in three ways.

First, hes been bold and decisive.

Nirenbergs early decision in March to limit social gatherings and suspend dine-in restaurant service was a difficult one. I dont think hes truly articulated on the record how much anguish that decision caused him or how much sleep he literally lost over it. But it was the right decision as it saved lives and has kept our hospital capacity open.

We dont know how many lives Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff saved with their stay-home orders. How do you show someone did not die? But Community Information Now, a data-crunching nonprofit in partnership with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health in San Antonio, produced a model suggesting 30 days of staying home potentially saved more than 5,600 lives.

If you want something more concrete, we know the doubling rate here for COVID-19 is 36 days and the positivity rate for COVID-19 tests is 3.6 percent. Nirenbergs stay-home order laid this foundation.

Second, he has found his voice, bringing an intense focus to our endemic poverty.

When Nirenberg speaks about poverty and economic hardship in San Antonio, he does so with unassailable conviction and urgency that, frankly, was missing in his first term.

When I asked, last month, what keeps him up at night during this crisis, he reflected on concerns about Texas reopening too soon, but I think the bigger mistake would be for us to be so focused on returning back to normal and getting back to the way things were that we forget this is the opportunity to make sure it doesnt have to be that way anymore, he said.

The Food Bank lines doubled to 120,000 people a week. That means on a normal day here in San Antonio there were 60,000 families who had to rely on the Food Bank for food when we werent in a crisis. Under no circumstances should that be an acceptable level of normal for San Antonio, and so what keeps me up at night is making sure that as we focus on rebuilding San Antonio, we are not content to go back to the way things were.

Third, he is applying this vision and rhetoric to reality with plans to spend more than $100 million on closing the digital divide and ushering 10,000 residents through workforce development and into a new economy.

His policies have saved lives and just might change lives. He has met this challenging moment while also looking beyond it to the next chapter in our story.

jbrodesky@express-news.net
How far off is Hunters Property Plc (LON:HUNT) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. This is done using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward.

We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model.

View our latest analysis for Hunters Property

Is Hunters Property fairly valued?

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Seeing as no analyst estimates of free cash flow are available to us, we have extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the company's last reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 Levered FCF (, Millions) UK1.11m UK1.26m UK1.39m UK1.49m UK1.58m UK1.65m UK1.70m UK1.75m UK1.79m UK1.82m Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ 19.6% Est @ 14.08% Est @ 10.22% Est @ 7.52% Est @ 5.63% Est @ 4.31% Est @ 3.38% Est @ 2.73% Est @ 2.28% Est @ 1.96% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 11% UK1.0 UK1.0 UK1.0 UK1.0 UK0.9 UK0.9 UK0.8 UK0.8 UK0.7 UK0.7

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = UK8.0m

Story continues

We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 10-year government bond rate (1.2%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 11%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2029  (1 + g)  (r  g) = UK1.8m (1 + 1.2%)  11% 1.2%) = UK19m

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= UK19m ( 1 + 11%)10= UK7.0m

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is UK15m. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of UK0.4, the company appears about fair value at a 2.7% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent.

AIM:HUNT Intrinsic value May 29th 2020

The assumptions

The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Hunters Property as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 11%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.375. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Next Steps:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldnt be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. For Hunters Property, We've compiled three fundamental aspects you should further examine:

Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with Hunters Property , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! Other Environmentally-Friendly Companies: Concerned about the environment and think consumers will buy eco-friendly products more and more? Browse through our interactive list of companies that are thinking about a greener future to discover some stocks you may not have thought of!

PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the AIM every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
ANN ARBOR, MI  Ann Arbor Public Schools is moving toward the end of its fiscal year in good financial shape, barring any cuts from the state, officials said.

The district provided a monthly update of its finances at the virtual Ann Arbor School Board meeting on Wednesday, May 27, breaking down its expenses for April, which included paying $3 million in bonuses to employees through its fund balance, which currently sits at $35.6 million.

Despite having a healthy fund balance with one month to go in the fiscal year that ends on June 30, AAPS Superintendent Jeanice Swift said there is still uncertainty about whether or not the state will cut school funding for either this year or next, given the shortfall in tax revenue created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The State Senate Fiscal Agencys economic outlook and budget review released on May 14 shows a $1.2-billion deficit in school aid funding for the 2019-20 school year, along with a $1.1-billion decrease in school aid anticipated for 2020-21.

We know about the cloud on the horizon, but whats uncertain is the cloud that might be right on top of us, Swift said.

Michigan is looking at deep cuts to critical services like public safety and education if the federal government doesnt provide more financial assistance to states, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the states budget director said Thursday, May 28.

Whitmer said shes hopeful deep cuts to K-12 schools are avoidable with help from the legislature, but reiterated several times that more federal funding and flexibility on how states can spend that money is necessary to weather massive budget shortfalls.

Despite going into its fund balance during April, Ann Arbor Public Schools Chief Financial Officer Marios Demetriou said the district has increased its fund balance by $14.6 million during the current fiscal year.

Demitriou said because of the nature of how funding payments come from the state, he expects to use between $10 million and $11 million from the districts fund balance to cover expenses for May.

Demitriou said the district plans to bring its best estimate on how it will close out the current fiscal year to the boards next meeting on June 17.

When asked by a board member about where he expects the district will be financially to close out the current year, Demitriou said he would expect to add at least $1 million to the fund balance, overall, and possibly more, with the caveat that state funding is not reduced.

Assuming we dont cut, we are projecting a little better than what the budget shows, Demitriou said. "The numbers look very decent. If we dont get cut from the state, we should have a pretty good year.

A projected $1.1-billion decrease in school aid anticipated for next year would equate to a cut of $650 per student, but Demetriou said he doesnt anticipate a cut that significant.

A cut of $500 per student, he said, would result in an approximate $17-million reduction in state aid for Ann Arbor Public Schools in 2020-21.

Without certainty of how much funding could be reduced next year, Swift said its critical for school districts and other government entities to continue to push for CARES Act funding to reduce damage next year.

Our children have already been impacted and we need to do more for them right now, not less, she said.

It is our hope and belief that the correct thing we can do is channel resources to our students and to keep schools whole at a time when they have to be a critical mission. The hill just got a lot steeper from being out for these 12 weeks.

READ MORE:

Ann Arbor teachers receive bonuses, step increases in tentative contract agreement

Federal funding only real hope for Kalamazoo, school board says in call for financial help

Whitmer administration calls for federal funding to help fill Michigans multibillion-dollar budget hole
EDWARDSVILLE  Madison County government never really closed, but officials are readying for a surge in activity under the next phase of the Restore Illinois plan.

On Thursday, at the Administration Building and Madison County Courthouse, workers were finishing up some changes such as removing and replacing furniture, social distancing markers, Plexiglas spit screens and seating.

Were doing the finishing touches over the next two days, Facilities Director Rob Schmidt said Thursday. But not everything is returning to normal, at least for now.

Water fountains are covered and face coverings will be required. Board and committee meetings are still expected to be via teleconference for the near future.

Even during the stay-at-home order, county offices such as the county clerks office never closed completely.

We have been open, Madison County Clerk Debra Ming-Mendoza said, adding that some of the offices functions must be done in person.

The county never closed the administration building, she said. Its been open to the public since the first furlough of employees on March 20.

She was unsure what impact Phase 3 will have on her office next week.

Well see, she said. I think the public may still have some apprehension about coming in. But were back to business on June 1. All the staff will return and well try to get as back to normal as COVID-19 protocols allow.

Ming-Mendoza said desks in her office were generally far enough apart and theyve measured the counterspace to determine they can deal with up to five customers at a time  but she initially plans to limit it to three.

There are also two Plexiglas shields providing more protection for customers and workers. Lines have been marked and people are instructed to wait until called. They also must wear a facial covering.

Going forward, Ming-Mendoza does not expect a lot of changes.

Election legislation is causing us to retool somewhat for the vote-by-mail onslaught that everybody knows will increase, she said. My big concern is if we go into a resurgence (of COVID-19) going into the fall, we may have to rethink the 225-precinct Election Day voting.

Some polling places are too small to allow social distancing and other protocols, she said. She may have to find other polling locations that comply with social distancing requirements and handicapped accessibility.

As it turns out, Plan B may have to be Plan A as we get closer to the election, she said.

Schmidt said his staff has takeb advantage of the lack of people in county buildings.

It was kind of nice for facilities, because we didnt have a whole lot of people to work around, and we didnt have a lot of requests for the daily routine, Schmidt said. We were able to concentrated on getting ready to reopen and deferred maintenance.

He said they also pared down outstanding work orders to between 30 and 40. At one time the list was up to about 400.

He expects the list will again grow once more people are back. In the meantime, he continues to clean and get ready.

Weve premade all the Plexiglas shielding and were hanging that, and were putting the social distancing stickers down on the floor, he said. Were removing a lot of the seats and benches that people normally sit at and marking off certain areas people should not be.

He said sanitation will be top priority.

He was also unsure how all this would change the countys physical operations.

Time will tell; this is uncharted territory, Schmidt said. If this is the new normal, then it will be the new normal.

Our plan needs to be fluid, he said. As more information comes out, we may have to do some additional things. We may be able to relax on some sanitation issues.
By PTI

GURGAON: Sheela Devi, who is waiting on a footpath trying to get some respite from the scorching heat with her two kids, rushes as soon as the traffic signal turns red and knocks on a car's window trying to sell dusters and window screens.

However, no one rolls down the window anymore, she says, as everyone is scared of coronavirus.

Dejected she moves back to the pavement, to check on her kids and waits for the signal to turn red again.

Sheela Devi, is among scores of traffic signal vendors who were happy to see vehicles back on roads after several restrictions of lockdown imposed due to COVID-19 were eased.

Struggling to make ends meet for two months and with unsold stocks lying with them, the vendors rushed to traffic signals to earn their livelihood.

But business at the crossroads, may not be same for quite some time.

"This is the way we have earned livelihood for the past seven years. My husband goes to a different signal, I go to a different one. I didn't stop it even when I was pregnant but had to when the lockdown was announced. Now the traffic is back as usual but its not the same. Even if I am covering my face, people simply refuse to even roll down their windows to have a look, forget buying something," she told PTI.

"I have to get my kids with me because my husband can't take care of them during day. He also has to do other chores like sourcing stocks to sell and other responsibilities," she added.

For years, the livelihood of these vendors has been directed by the changing of traffic lights from green to amber to red.

For them the red light means business, amber to quickly move away to the other side before it turns green.

These traffic signal vendors negotiate the busy crossings for business in a matter of seconds.

36-year-old Tribhuvan Kumar says business may not be the same for quite some time now.

"People will always be scared because of the virus now. The goods we sell vary seasonally, ranging from dusters, wipers, tissue papers, battery chargers, books, steering covers, window screens to flowers, magazines and toys. We have always done it successfully within a few minutes, perhaps seconds, to coax the commuters into buying their goods before the traffic light turns green. But it's not the same scenario anymore," he added.

Malti, whose kids go to different community kitchens to collect food by the time she is back from the signal, said, "Two months were still manageable somehow, but to go on there has to be some business.

Earlier, something or the other always worked.

Sometimes simply waving your goods was enough, sometimes a smile worked but we had to use our persuasive skills in a matter of seconds to influence commuters to buy our goods, but now there is limited chance".

"At times policemen stop us if we are not covering our face but mostly they allow us make attempts to sell," she added.

The nationwide lockdown was first imposed from March 25 with an aim to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus that claimed 4,706 lives and infected 1.65 lakh people in the country.

The lockdown was extended upto May 31 with several restrictions eased in non-containment zones.

India's economy has been severely hit by the lockdown with thousands of people losing their means of livelihood across the country.
Credit: Travis ShinnLamb of God has premiered a new song called "Routes," which will appear on the band's upcoming self-titled album.

The track, which you can download now via digital outlets, was inspired by frontman Randy Blythe's experience at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota during the NODAPL protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline. It features guest vocals from Testament frontman Chuck Billy, who is of Pomo Native American heritage.

"It was a great honor as a proud Pomo Native American to be asked by Lamb of God to do some guest vocals on this song," Billy says.

"The NODAPL movement by the indigenous people of this country was a historic event," he continues. "Being able to lend my voice to represent the Native American people, complementing Randy's storytelling and lyrics, is something really special to me. I'm glad this movement was put in a musical message, and I am extremely happy to have been a part of it."

Lamb of God the album, which also includes the previously released songs "Memento Mori," "Checkmate" and "New Colossal Hate," is due out June 19.

By Josh Johnson

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
New Delhi:

In an attempt to mollify trade unions that have threatened to go on a nation-wide strike on Friday, the Centre on Tuesday announced a hike in minimum wage for unskilled non-farm workers of the central government from Rs 246 a day to Rs 350.

Interacting with reporters in New Delhi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the bonus for 2014-15 and 2015-16 will be paid to central government employees based on revised norms. The Bonus Amendment Act will be implemented strictly.

He gave an assurance that the government will also take necessary steps to resolve the cases on payment of bonus pending in high courts and the Supreme Court. The likely financial implications of the bonus move translate into Rs 1,920 crore per annum.



In the last one and a half years, the inter-ministerial committee had meeting with central trade unions. Trade unions placed various demands. Some were labour related and some economic policy issues related. The government has taken some decisions with regard to those on the basis of their recommendations, added Jaitley.



Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and Labour and Employment Minister Bandaru Dattatreya were also present. Jaitley said it has been decided to fix the minimum wages at Rs 350 per day for unskilled non-agricultural workers for C category areas keeping in view the modalities of fixing minimum wages.



The decision was taken following deliberations at the meeting of the Minimum Wage Advisory Board under the chairmanship of the labour minister for revising the basic minimum wages in the central sphere.



The registration of the contract workers and their staffing agencies is mandatory and states will be advised to strictly implement the same, the finance minister said. Errant contractors will face appropriate action for any violation, he warned.



The issue of giving social security benefit to the unorganised sector (like Anganwadi, mid-day meal, Asha volunteers) will be examined by a committee which will give its report at the earliest. Asked about the strike call, Jaitley said: I think we have responsible trade unions.



On the opposition to the governments plans to merge associate banks of SBI with the parent bank, Jaitley said the merger is not subject of trade unions.



Their service conditions are not being hurt adversely or affected at all. There will be no impact of merger on service conditions of any employee. If government decides that we need strong banks, then unions would have to change their approach to the whole issue, he asserted.



Dattatreya has held meetings with central trade unions wherein detailed discussions were held with regard to their charter of demands. The issues have been taken up by inter-ministerial committee haded by the finance minister.



As many as 10 central trade unions have given a call for a one-day pan-India strike on September 2, 2016, to protest against the governments labour reforms and not paying heed to their demands.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Forget remasters. Gone are the days where developers could stretch new textures over old games and call it a day. These days its all about remakes, raiding the late 90s and early 00s for games that need more than just a new coat of paint.

Resident Evil 2 set the bar pretty damn high, allowing old fans to relive a beloved game the way they remembered it, while also creating a thoroughly modern horror game for newcomers. Its not on PC (yet), but by all accounts Squares Final Fantasy VII Remake does the same. Activision created slightly more faithful remakes with Spyro and Crash Bandicoot, and is doing the same with the upcoming Tony Hawk 1+2. The Black Mesa Project injected new life into Half-Life. 2Ks releasing a Mafia remake this summer.

Whos next? What other games should get the Resident Evil 2 treatment? Weve put together a listnot just games that deserve a remake, not just games that would benefit from a remake, but ones where a remake seems actually feasible. And yes, that means youll find few games the size of Final Fantasy VII on this list, because I think even Square underestimated the scope of that undertaking at the outset. That means that as much as Id love to see a Fallout 2 or Knights of the Old Republic or even a Longest Journey remakewell, Im not holding my breath.

Tomb Raider

Square Enix

Tomb Raider actually seems one of the most likely candidates for a remake. The reboot trilogy, begun in 2013, culminated in a post-credits sequence that strongly hinted at a remakes existenceat least originally.

Patched out at release, the original ending showed off Lara Crofts dual pistols and a letter from Jacqueline Natla, antagonist of the original Tomb Raider. These details were removed by the day one patch, perhaps to prevent speculation about this very remake. And yetwhat if? Itd certainly make sense, after three games spent becoming the Tomb Raider, if Crystal Dynamics or Eidos rolled straight into remaking Lara Crofts earliest adventures.

Of course, this would also be the second such remake, as Tomb Raider: Anniversary already served the same purpose back in 2007.

Devil May Cry

Capcom

Terrible cameras are the downfall of so many games from this era. Devil May Cry is one of them. After Devil May Cry 5 last year I tried for the third or fourth time to go back to the beginning of the series andI just cant. Fixed camera angles are a nightmare and Im glad weve left them behind.

But Id love to see Capcom take the same tack with Devil May Cry as it has with Resident Evil. Give me those early stories running in the RE Engine, with modern combos and modern voice acting and (most importantly) a modern camera, and Id be happy to give the series a second shot. I think I finally understand why people love the series, but even 2018s Devil May Cry HD Collection isnt enough to get me to suffer through that first game in its current incarnation.

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

Ubisoft

People have called for a Splinter Cell reboot for years now, but how do you reboot Splinter Cell in the modern era? People havent seemed happy with the past few entries. Maybe its time to cram Sam Fisher back into his form-fitting suit and remake the most popular entry in the series.

Chaos Theory was the peak of the original Splinter Cell formula, with a focus on getting through levels undetected, hiding in the shadows more than shooting. Starting with the 2006 sequel Double Agent, Splinter Cell moved more towards action and never really found its way back. Chaos Theorys plot is the usual Tom Clancy-inspired thriller nonsense, so you could theoretically get away with reviving the Chaos Theory style with none of the finer details. Many of Chaos Theorys levels are triumphs of stealth design though, including the bank and the bathhouse. Maybe a hybrid remake-reboot, like last years Call of Duty: Modern Warfare?

Silent Hill 2

Silent Hill 2 is lauded as one of horror gamings high-water marksmostly by people who played it circa 2001. Horror games age particularly poorly though, because their impact often relies on the player buying in, so to speak. Silent Hill 2s story is as layered and grim as ever, but its a bit hard to appreciate shackled to its original environs and stilted animations.

Resident Evil 2 is proof horror games of the era can be resurrected though, and Silent Hill started as little more than a Resident Evil clone. Go ahead Konami, borrow the idea of a remake. Or do literally anything with Silent Hill, please. It deserves the same love as its Capcom counterpart.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Ubisoft

Prince of Persia essentially died when Assassins Creed took off, but Sands of Time deserves love. Its still the high point of the series, with its ruined palace host to plenty of iconic moments that are ripe for reimagining. The storybook framing is still surprisingly unique as well, with the princes No, thats not how it happened admonition upon death lending the experience a Princess Bride vibe.

The challenge would be making climbing-around-an-environment interesting again. Novel during the Prince of Persia era, weve had more than enough of it between Assassins Creed and Uncharted and the Tomb Raider reboots. Prince of Persias climbing was always more puzzle-like, but still, its been done.

And uh, forget the sequels. The Sands of Time is great but the nu-metal inspired Warrior Within was bad at the time and worse now.

Assassins Creed

Ubisoft

Speaking of Assassins Creed, itd be interesting to see the start of the series remade. The proof of concept for a series thats now lasted over a decade, the original Assassins Creed is an anomaly now. Stealth-focused, with a surprising amount of time spent sitting on benches, its almost unrecognizable in the Origins and Odyssey era. Hell, Assassins Creed II was already markedly different (and better) than the original.

Given the series is ongoing though, and given the import the original game still has to the overarching story (if youre one of the people who care), itd be interesting to see a modern take. Jerusalem during the Third Crusade is a rich setting, and an Origins-sized remake of Altairs journey could be fascinating.

Okay, Im not saying this ones as likely as some others on the list. But hey, the first Assassins Creed is 13 years old now and still the foundation of one of todays biggest series. At some point Ubisoft needs to either revive the originals or just let all the modern-day trappings die. Otherwise, whos even going to remember Desmond Miles?

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver

Square Enix

These days Amy Hennig is probably best known for Uncharted, but before that was Legacy of Kain. Given that most games in the series end on cliffhangers, its hard to single any of them out for a remake. Soul Reaver remains the most popular though, and I imagine a full-fledged remake could probably work through the content of both Soul Reaver and its sequel in a single game nowadays.

Its probably not high on Squares priority list. Crystal Dynamics and Eidos are pretty damn busy these days, and Tomb Raider gets the lion share of attention. Soul Reaver remains a cult classic though, with a story that seems sophisticated even now, let alone by the standards of its day. Id love to see a modern take. Or hell, Id be happy with a remaster.

Max Payne

Remedy

Listen, Id rather Remedy keep making weird games. Let them work on Control and whatever the hell else they want to make. Dont saddle them with a remake.

That said, Max Payne is an incredible shooter with a surreal story that holds up surprisingly well, and someone should work on a remake. Who? I have no idea, but the series is owned by Take-Two, and the impending Mafia remake indicates that someone over there is at least aware of this trend, sogive it to someone. Stick Sam Lakes face onto a new body, pull the big Bullet Time lever, and itll be just in time for The Matrix to come back in style.

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault

Respawn

Respawn is reviving the Medal of Honor name with the VR-exclusive Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond later this year. Maybe itll be good.

But Id love to see a modern take on Medal of Honor: Allied Assault and its Spearhead expansion. While I admire that Battlefield V tried to focus on lesser-known stories of World War II, both in an effort to broaden peoples understanding of the conflict and to alleviate the Oh, another World War II shooter fatiguewell, Ive got a soft spot for my Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan remakes.

In Medal of Honor canon, that was Allied Assault and Spearhead. Give me that fake Tom Hanks leading me up Omaha Beach. Give me Normandy hedgerows and the chilly foxholes of Bastogne. And then give it to me with all the bells and whistles that EAs modern Frostbite engine can offer, because actual Allied Assault has not aged very well.

Riven

Cyan Worlds

Cyan has remade Myst three times, with realMyst, Myst: Masterpiece Edition, and realMyst: Masterpiece Edition. It has never remade Riven, despite Riven being the superior game.

And perhaps well never see a truly official Riven remake. I know in the past Cyan has said that Riven is simply too large to get the realMyst treatment in full 3D. Theres hope though. For years, a group of fans called the Starry Expanse Project has worked to convert Riven to Unreal 4 with Cyans blessing. Last year they finally got more than a blessing, with Cyan agreeing to support the project in a semi-official capacity. That doesnt mean its coming soon, but Riven seems like a definite checkmark for the remake columnsomeday.

Beyond Good & Evil

Beyond Good & Evil

So far, Beyond Good & Evil 2 seems to exist as nothing more than tech demos and dreams. Theoretically Ubisoft will one day publish the long-awaited sequel though, and when it does I hope Beyond Good & Evil arrives alongside. Its still so charming, one of the best examples of the point-and-click adventure style transposed into full 3D, with a focus on puzzles and exploration and photography instead of combat.

Beyond Good & Evil is still perfectly playable nowadays, but with plenty of early 3D era jank that detracts from the overall experience. You can also tell Michel Ancels ambitions were limited by the tech of the timea sentiment thats even clearer after watching the Beyond Good & Evil 2 teasers. Id love to play through Jades adventure as it was meant to be experienced.
DGAP-News: GK Software SE / Key word(s): Quarterly / Interim Statement/Quarter Results



The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The figures released today show that GK Software SE can report an extremely successful first quarter in 2020. Turnover reached 29.02 million Euros with a significant increase in sales volume of 18.2 percent (2019 = 24.56 million Euros). While earnings before taxes, interest and depreciation could be increased by Euro 3.90 million to Euro 3.26 million, the operating result amounted to 1.06 million Euros, 3.88 million Euros more than in the previous year. The Management Board believes that the company is on track to meet its medium-term forecast for 2020 in terms of both sales and operating results. However, sales growth, particularly in new business and especially in licensing agreements, could be lower than stated in the medium-term forecast for 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and the various contact and travel restrictions in place, although, based on the course of the financial year to date, the Management Board still expects an increase in sales and a further significant improvement in results. These statements are subject to the considerable reservation that it will be difficult to estimate the duration and depth of the crisis and its consequences for the various regional markets in which the Group operates, so actual developments could deviate significantly from this assessment. The report was published at https://investor.gk-software.com/de/veroeffentlichungen/financial-reports?task=downloadid=721. The annual report for the 2019 financial year will be published in the first week of June following approval by the Supervisory Board. About GK Software SE

GK Software SE is a globally operating developer and provider of standard software for the retail trade and counts 22 percent of the world's 50 largest retailers among its customers. According to a study published by RBR in 2019, the company is one of the leading international providers of POS software and the second fastest growing company in the industry worldwide in terms of installation figures. It offers a comprehensive range of solutions for medium-sized and large retailers and is a leader in the implementation of modern omni-channel concepts. Through its open cloud4retail platform, the company has established itself as a market leader in technology and innovation. Its product portfolio enables large chain-store retailers to optimize their business processes and achieve significant customer loyalty and cost-cutting potential to increase their competitiveness in the omni-channel environment. The open cloud platform is complemented by retail-oriented solutions based on artificial intelligence, mobile consumer-centric applications and payment solutions. For German-speaking Europe, the company offers a solution for small and medium-sized retailers under the name euroSUITE. The company employs 1,168 people at its headquarters in Schoneck and other locations in Germany, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, South Africa, Russia, Ukraine and the USA (as of 31 December 2019). GK Software serves many well-known German and foreign retail clients, including Parfumerie Douglas, Coop (Switzerland), EDEKA, Hornbach, Lidl, Migros, Netto Marken-Discount and Tchibo. Its software is used in almost 60 countries, with some 304,000 installations in over 56,400 stores in Germany and abroad. Since its IPO in 2008, the company has grown more than sevenfold and achieved sales of EUR 106.2 million in the 2018 financial year. Since launching the company in 1990, the two founders Rainer Gla (CEO) and Stephan Kronmuller (deputy board member), together with the experienced management team, have shaped GK Software into a profitable company exhibiting strong growth. Further information about the company: https://www.gk-software.com Contact Investor Relations

GK Software SE

Dr. Rene Schiller

Phone: +49 (0)37464-84-264

Fax: +49 (0)37464-84-15

E-mail: rschiller@gk-software.com

29.05.2020 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de


(Newser)  The white police officer who knelt on the neck of George Floyd has been arrested, reports the Star Tribune of Minneapolis. Officials said Friday that Derek Chauvin is in custody, and the AP reports he has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death. Chauvin was fired after video emerged of him kneeling on Floyd's neck during an arrest despite Floyd's pleas that he couldn't breathe. No word yet on whether three other officers fired will be arrested, too. The arrest follows three days of protests in the city, including the torching of a police station on Thursday night.

story continues below

Just before news of the arrest surfaced, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the state would assume control of the response to protests, reports the AP. "Minneapolis and St. Paul are on fire," said Walz, who called the response to date an "abject failure." He said "generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the worldand the world is watching. Earlier, President Trump faulted Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, though Trump's line about "shooting" drew a rebuke from Twitter. (Read more George Floyd stories.)
Emily was gifted a Starlight gown at the hospital, Laurie said. Those gowns literally feel like soft blankets. Theyre so comfortable, theyre so bright. Theyre amazing. I fell in love with those gowns three years ago after her second surgery. These were so soft, so comfy, it was like wrapping her up in a blanket. It made all the difference.
Heartbreaking footage of a young seal tangled in fishing net reveals the danger that discarded plastic waste poses to wildlife.

The seal, a juvenile called Galactica, sustained serious injuries after fishing rope wrapped around her fleshy neck, causing deep lacerations.

She was spotted in distress on a Norfolk beach and taken to the nearby RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre for specialist care.

Vets are currently trying to nurse her back to health, but injuries caused by fishing nets can be fatal for the animals.

Scroll down for video

A seal called Galactica (pictured) sustained serious injuries after fishing rope wrapped around her neck, causing deep lacerations.

Vets are currently trying to nurse Galactica (pictured) back to health, but injuries caused by fishing net can be fatal for the animals

Last week, an adult seal was taken to the same centre for urgent treatment but died not long after arriving.

Alison Charles, manager of the Norfolk centre, said: 'We admitted an adult seal last week who had been rescued by the Friends group from Horsey with fishing netting tangled tightly around his neck and head.

'His head was swollen and we later discovered it was full of pus.

'As we desperately tried to untangle the netting from him he died. It was heartbreaking to see this big, beautiful creature die as we battled to save him.

'Then, Galactica arrived just a few days later with the same injuries caused by the same culprit: fishing netting. Enough is enough.'

Norfolk is a hotbed for seals, with hundreds seen every year on the beaches of the county.

However, the wildlife is increasingly suffering at the hands of human waste.

Plastic pollution and discarded fishing equipment are a scourge which affects all marine life, from crustaceans to large mammals.

Galactica is now recovering at the centre but is not out of the woods yet.

She is being treated with a course of antibiotics and painkillers after the netting was cut off.

Treatment will then include daily salt baths to clean the wound and encourage healing. The RSPCA estimates it will take for several months before Galactica is able to return to the sea.

Vets had to cut the netting away as quickly as possible. Last week, an adult seal was taken to the same centre for urgent treatment after sustaining similar injuries but died not long after arriving

Norfolk is a hotbed for seals, with hundreds seen every year on the beaches of the county. However, the wildlife is increasingly suffering at the hands of human waste

Galactica is now recovering at the centre but is not out of the woods yet. She is being treated with a course of antibiotics and painkillers after the netting was cut off
Italy's vines have not stopped growing during the country's long coronavirus lockdown, but without their usual foreign grape-pickers, winemakers are now fearing for their harvests. But one South Tyrolean vintner in the northern province of Bolzano took matters into his own hands, renting a plane to fly in his team of long-time workers from Romania. Every summer, tens of thousands of farm workers from Africa and Eastern Europe come to Italy to harvest fruit and vegetables. The outbreak of coronavirus, which locked down Italy in early March, made it almost impossible for these vital foreign workers to come. Martin Hofstaetter, whose vines are located around the picturesque town of Termeno, has relied for more than ten years on a team of female Romanian pickers. Usually, they arrive in a small bus and stay for a few months. But this year, despite having the right to work in Italy, they were turned away at the Hungarian border. Hofstaetter was quick to act, hiring a small plane to transport the women directly from Romania to Termeno at his own expense. "We had never been on a plane before. It was a great experience for us," Maria Codrea, from Calinesti in Romania, told AFPTV. Codrea, 39, said she depended on the annual work in Italy. Staying back in Romania "would have been hard," she said. "Even where we are, everything is closed, factories and everything." - Italians hard to find - Codrea will stay until mid-July in Termeno with her team of seven other Romanian women before returning home. A second team of about 20 workers from Romania will arrive in Termeno at the end of August for the harvest. Hofstaetter, whose wines include the famous white varieties of Italy's northeast, said he might have been able to find Italian workers, "but now the Italians no longer want to work in the fields or vineyards." "The Italians disappear after a few days" of the back-breaking work, he added. It was a shame that work in agriculture was not "more highly valued", he said, but he was very happy with the skills and dedication of the Romanians, who had been picking for him for over 10 years. Last week, the first group of about 100 foreign farm workers arrived in Italy from Morocco, their transport paid for by a farmers' association in the eastern region of Abruzzo. For Codrea, it is not difficult work among Hofstaetter's family vines in the Adige Valley, with the sound of the birds, and views of the mountains and a nearby church steeple. "We're used to the work. I like the work, I work with pleasure," she said. Italy's coronavirus lockdown has prevented many foreign workers from coming to help harvest fruit and vegetables Italian winegrower Martin Foradori Hofstaetter hired a plane to bring in his harvest workers Hofstaetter's vineyard is situation in the picturesque town of Termeno
Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation and Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide all under the administration of Goodluck J...





Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation and Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide all under the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, have given their own summary of President Muhammadu Buharis five years in office.





According to them, the current administration is a total failure.





In separate tweets, Omokri and Fani-Kayode could see nothing more than sorrow, bloodshed, poverty, despair and diseases as products of President Buharis 5-year stay at the Presidential Villa.





Omokri pointed out that before Buhari claimed power in 2015, Nigeria was projected by CNN as the third fastest growing economy in the world but six months after he was sworn in, the country officially went into a recession.





The former Jonathans aide on New Media, tweeted, 5 years of General @MBuhari is summarized as sorrow, tears and blood: Sorrow, because Nigeria is now the world headquarters for extreme poverty.





Tears, because our currency is almost worthless [and] Blood, because life is very cheap in Buharis Nigeria. 5 years of Buhari equals failure.





Before General @MBuhari was elected in 2015, Nigeria was projected as the third fastest growing economy in the world. Six months after Buhari was sworn in. Nigeria officially went into a recession. The first in 25 years. Buhari is destroying Nigeria!





Fani-Kayode also tweeted, Hundreds of thousands of people are being butchered by terrorists all over the country as Buhari marks his 5 years in office whilst poverty, disease, despair, hunger, fear and COVID-19 ravages the land.





What type of a man says and does nothing whilst his people are being slaughtered?





The Presidency on Thursday released what it described as a fact sheet of President Muhammadu Buharis administration in the last five years.





Buharis Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said Nigeria had recorded significant improvement in the area of security under the current administration.





Adesina insisted that Buharis administration was close to eliminating completely terrorism and criminality from Nigeria.





He stressed that from May 29, 2015, till date, the Buhari administration has made much impact in every sector, thereby touching the lives of Nigerians.
The AngloGold Ashanti Malaria Control Programme (AGAMal) is to facilitate the establishment of a COVID-19 testing centre in the Upper West Region.



This will not only take away the burden of carrying samples to Tamale, Kumasi or Accra for testing but will also enhance the regions testing rate and speedy release of results of samples taken.



Mr Samuel Asiedu, Programme Director for AGAMal disclosed this while presenting COVID-19 Support items to the Upper West Regional Health Directorate in Wa.



He saidt the centre when established would be able to test for other infectious diseases such that it would continue to be relevant even after the COVID-19 pandemic.



Mr Asiedu said AGAMal would also equally embark on a massive education and sensitization of the general public for them to come to understand and appreciate what it takes to prevent COVID-19.



The AGAMal Programme Director disclosed that the company would soon be distributing thousands of free nose masks to the public to help protect them against the disease.



The items they presented included 100 pieces of tissue paper; 200 bottles of hand sanitizer (500ml); 26 boxes of surgical gloves; seven pieces each of beds, mattresses, T-Rolls, blankets, and pillows as well as two pieces/boxes each of BP Apparatus, infrared thermometers, patient screen, medicine tray, veronica buckets and carbolic soap.



The rest are one piece of autoclave, 12 mini gallons of bleach/chlorine, 30 pieces of visor/face shield, 14 pieces of bed-sheets, 30 bottles of Dettol antiseptic liquid and 10 boxes of bottled water.



This was followed by the disinfection of 13 high risk health facilities across the region including the Upper West and Wa Municipal Hospitals to make them user friendly for clients who visit these facilities to seek health care.



Mr Asiedu said the 300,000 dollar programme was being implemented in the Upper West, Upper East and Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.



Dr. Damien Punguyire, the Upper West Regional Director of Health Services in receiving the items thanked AGAMal for the kind gesture, noting that health facilities were places for healing but if not properly managed, they could rather become centres for spreading diseases.



He said with the donation, the Sissala East isolation center, which was not functional due to the lack of needed logistics would become fully operational in the next few days as all that was required had been provided.



On the COVID-19 update in the Region, Dr Punguyire said the region had 22 confirmed cases out of which 12 have fully recovered and had been integrated into their communities while the remaining cases were all asymptomatic and in stable condition.



He advised against stigmatizing those who survived the disease and rather urged the public to receive them well into their communities.



The Regional Director of Health Services also dispelled rumours that the region was having low number of confirmed cases due to low rate of testing, saying that as at last Thursday, the region had sent about 1,000 samples for testing.



He said 21 out of the 22 confirmed cases were identified through active surveillance and not that they were sick and reported to the hospital, pointing out that, had they not identified all these 21 people through surveillance, they would have continued living and spreading the disease in their communities.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
SPRINGFIELD  Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of The Diocese of Springfield has granted permission for public Masses to be celebrated in the diocese as soon as the weekend of June 6-7, with attendance limited to 25% of the capacity of the worship space, while also maintaining appropriate safe distancing.

Diocesan staff had been preparing a training and certification process to prepare parishes to open public Masses with proper precautions, including detailed cleaning protocols and communication plans to parishioners, and limited attendance.
Minneapolis: A police officer who pinned an unarmed black man with a knee pressed against his throat before the man died has been arrested and charged with murder following three nights of violent protests.

Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis officer who is seen in mobile phone footage kneeling on George Floyd's neck before he died on Monday, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, Hennepin County attorney Mike Freeman said on Friday afternoon (Saturday morning AEST).

"He is in custody and has been charged with murder," Freeman said of Chauvin, who is white. "We have evidence, we have the citizen's video, the horrible, horrific, terrible thing we've seen over and over again."

The mobile phone footage showed Floyd repeatedly moaning and gasping while he pleaded to Chauvin: "Please, I can't breathe." After several minutes, Floyd gradually grows quiet and ceases to move.
Lucknow, May 29 : Home is usually where the heart is but when the heart is broken, the home no longer matters.

Shashi, 30, with two children and husband Kewal, has no home and her heart no longer responds to emotions.

Since the past three days, Shashi and her family have been going from house to house in the Gomti Nagar area in Lucknow, asking for work and a place to stay.

On Friday, she was seen sitting at a roundabout, barely 200 metres from the chief minister's residence. Within minutes, the cops shooed her away from the spot.

Shashi and her family are among hundreds of those migrants who have been turned away by their families and villagers due to the stigma of coronavirus.

"My husband worked as a taxi driver in Mumbai and I worked as a house maid. My landlady took care of the children when we went to work. Work stopped in the lockdown and we decided to return home. As soon as we reached our village in Barabanki, the villagers stopped us and told us to stay away. Even my in-laws would not allow us in. We spent two nights on the outskirts of the village and then decided to turn back," she said.

Her husband Kewal said, "I will go back to Mumbai as soon as things return to normal and will never return to my village. For me, my family no longer exists." He said that he, his wife and children had already undergone medical screening and were found fit but the villagers would not accept them.

Shekhar, another migrant worker who returned to his village in Basti district of eastern UP last week, was beaten up by villagers when he moved out of the primary school where he had been quarantined, to relieve himself.

"They have been treating me as a pariah. I will never go back to that village again," he said.

Shekhar, who is Kewal's friend, telephoned the latter and has also reached Lucknow. Both will now return to Mumbai together.

Misconceptions, lack of information and also the caste system prevalent in villages seems to have made things worse for migrant workers.

"I was in quarantine and my own family threw food at me as if I was an untouchable. Even after I completed the quarantine period, they continue to treat me as an untouchable. I am made to sleep outside the house and food is given to me on piece of paper. I will go away soon because I cannot bear the humiliation," said Ravi Maurya, a migrant worker from Pratapgarh.

The plight of Asha, who lives in Ayodhya, is even worse. Her husband died in Delhi two weeks ago and when she managed to return to her village, she was sent to quarantine.

The 'quarantine' centre is actually a cot under a tree in an orchard outside the village. One of the trees has a poster 'Quarantine' pinned to it and Asha sits there with her two children - a daughter aged four and a son aged two.

The family depends on food as and when it is provided by the local administration.

She said that she had returned to her village looking for family support but she was upset with the manner her in-laws have behaved.

"Koi milne nahin aaya. Ab yahan rahen ya kahin aur, kya farak padta hai? (No one came to even meet me. It no longer matters if I stay here or elsewhere)," she said.

Asha does not know where she will go now but she does know that she will not return to her family. Her home in her village does not exist for her.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Friday urged broadcasters and producers of TV serials to clear payments of artistes. The ministrys request comes after two TV actors -- Manmeet Grewal and Preksha Mehta -- had allegedly committed suicide in the wake of the countrywide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Grewal was going through a major financial crisis, according to his friends. Mehta had returned to her hometown Indore from Mumbai before the lockdown and was said to be depressed.

The ministry, in its letter, said the pandemic of Covid-19 has led to financial downturn for a large number of sectors of the economy, including the broadcasting industry.

Prakash Javadekar, the minister of information and broadcasting, had an occasion to discuss the problems of the broadcasting sector with the major stakeholders, and the government is seized of their concerns, the letter said. The Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC) is working on a war footing for liquidating the pendency of advertisement bills of the media industry.

Also read | Viineet Kumar Singh on Betaal receiving mixed reviews: I have been experimenting and will continue doing so

However, equally important is the livelihoods of the employees (and their families) who are working in this sector, including a large number of modestly paid TV artists engaged for production of various TV serials. While services of such persons were taken, some of them may not have received their remuneration, it said.

While appreciating concerns of the broadcasting sector, the imminent need to give remuneration to them cannot be lost sight of, the letter said.

It is, therefore, urged that broadcasters and producers of TV serials may take a compassionate view and ensure that all payments due to such persons up to March, 2020 are cleared at the earliest. This will be of immense relief to them and their families, the letter said.

The letter was sent to News Broadcasters Association, Indian Broadcasting Foundation, Association of Regional TV Broadcasters of India and the Producers Guild of India.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
China is importing 3,000 tonnes of Aussie food via the government's freight assistance program despite slapping tariffs on barley and banning some beef after Australia called for a coronavirus inquiry.

The $110million scheme announced in April has arranged 1,048 flights to help Australian food companies ship their produce around the world at a time when commercial flights have decreased due to coronavirus.

Some 10,000 tonnes of produce have already been sent, with another 13,000 tonnes scheduled, reported The Australian.

China is importing 3,000 tonnes of Aussie food - including milk - via the government's freight assistance program

The huge amount of food that Australia is exporting also includes salmon

About 3,000 tonnes of produce are going to China, including salmon, rock lobster, pork and milk.

Other countries that will receive Australian products include Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Thailand and Germany.

It comes after Beijing became infuriated by Australia's calls for an independent inquiry into the origins of the virus, believing that it was a 'malicious' attempt to blame and 'stigmatize' China.

Mr Morrison was the first world leader to demand a ban on wildlife wet markets, where the virus may have originated, and said inspectors should be able to enter a country suffering from a pandemic without the government's consent.

China slapped an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley and suspended imports from four Australian beef suppliers in apparent revenge - and warned of further punishment.

About one third of Australia's total exports - including iron ore, gas, coal and food - go to China, bringing in around $135billion per year and providing thousands of jobs.

Last week fears of further retaliation were raised when China relaxed checks on iron-ore imports in a move that could favour Australia's competitors.

China slapped an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley and suspended imports from four Australian beef suppliers - but it's still taking Aussie lobster

Mr Morrison has called for a ban on wildlife wet markets. Pictured: Xihua Farmers' Market in Guangzhou

Australia is China's largest iron-ore supplied, shipping $63billion worth in 2019.

Last week the US said it would ban trade with 33 Chinese companies linked with spying or the Chinese military in a move that could signal the start of a 'new cold war', according to Chinese media.

State-controlled newspaper the Global Times threatened Australian with more economic sanctions if it backed the US in the matter.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said America 'stands with Australia'.

Mr Morrison has repeatedly insisted the two countries are 'great mates' and their alliance is strong.

Trade minister tells wine and cheese exporters not to give China an excuse to ban their products The federal trade minister has told wine and cheese exporters not to give Beijing any excuse to ban their products after beef suppliers were blacklisted over a technicality. The federal government has denied barley tariffs and beef bans are payback for Australia's demands for a coronavirus inquiry - but Trade Minister Simon Birmingham told Australian companies to make sure all their paper work is in order so that more industries cannot be targeted. During an interview on 13 May, the ABC's Patricia Karvelas asked him: 'Australian wine and dairy producers are worried they could be next. What reassurances do you have that that won't happen?' Senator Birmingham replied: 'Everyone at present should be, as they always should, dotting their Is and crossing their Ts and leaving no scope for any grievance to be raised.' He said he could see no reason why wine or cheese industries would fall short of quarantine, health or labelling standards they need to meet to export to China. Advertisement

China's new trade threat: Communist regime puts $16BILLION in natural gas exports on the line as it ramps up attacks on Australia over COVID inquiry

Chinese state media has warned that Beijing could buy less Australian natural gas if tensions between the countries escalate.

The communist superpower has imposed a tax on barley and banned some Aussie beef in apparent acts of retaliation after the Morrison government called for an inquiry into coronavirus.

On Tuesday night the state-controlled Global Times newspaper warned that Australian natural gas could be targeted next.

Chinese state media has warned that Beijing could stop buying Australian natural gas if tensions between the countries escalate. Pictured: Chinese President Xi Jinping

Australia is China's biggest source of natural gas, providing three times as much as second-placed Qatar in the first quarter of this year

One analyst told the newspaper that China could buy more from Qatar and the US instead.

'Australia's LNG market share in China is likely to fall in the coming years, ceding market share to the US and Qatar, should Canberra's tensions with China continue,' the analyst said.

In January Australia overtook Qatar to become the world's largest exporter of gas with exports totalling $49 billion in 2019. Some $16billion of that went to China.

The country has three major gas hubs in Karratha in Western Australia, Gladstone in central Queensland and Darwin in the Northern Territory.

Last week fears of further retaliation were raised when China relaxed checks on iron-ore imports in a move that could favour Australia's competitors

Australia is China's biggest source of natural gas, providing three times as much as second-placed Qatar in the first quarter of this year.

Most of Australia's gas exports to China are based long-term contracts - but many of these run out soon.

Chinese analysts have warned that Australian exporters have lost their low-cost advantage and will face stiff competition from US suppliers.

This may be exacerbated by the China-US trade deal signed in January in which China agreed to buy $79 billion of energy exports from America over two years.

Chinese state-owned energy firms have secured an exemption from tariffs on US gas imports.
The US State Department approved Kuwaits request for $1.425 billion in upgrades for the Gulf countrys Patriot missile defense systems.

Why it matters: Thursdays sale approval comes on the heels of a US Navy contract awarded to Boeing to build more than a thousand land-attack and anti-ship cruise missiles for Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In a statement, the US Defense Security Cooperation agency said the Patriot upgrade will help Kuwait defend its critical oil and natural gas infrastructure.

The United States has sought over the last decade to integrate the missile defenses of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries with limited success. Iran, which has perhaps the largest ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East, has continued to test and develop conventional ballistic missiles since the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, which does not explicitly forbid such activities.

The Donald Trump administrations 2018 withdrawal from the deal and wave of economic sanctions on Iran have brought the United States and Iran to the brink of military confrontation in the Middle East, culminating in the US military killing senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad.

Some experts have argued that Washingtons sale of advanced Patriot and THAAD missile defense systems to GCC countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE and Qatar has encouraged Iran to develop smaller, cheaper projectiles such as suicide drones and low-flying cruise missiles that cant readily be stopped by such systems.

The effectiveness of Irans smaller projectiles went on full display last year when a flurry of cruise missiles and drones smashed into Saudi Arabias Abqaiq and Khurays oil processing facilities, an attack the United States blamed on Iran.

Whats next: A top US general said in March that he believed killing Soleimani had sent a clear signal to Tehran to stop its strikes in the region. Washington then pulled two of its own Patriot systems out of Saudi Arabia earlier this month.

The behavior of Irans proxies is less predictable. Iran-linked militias in Iraq continued to launch rocket attacks on US facilities after Soleimanis death, and Houthi rebels in Yemen launched their latest ballistic missile attack into Saudi Arabia earlier this week.

Know more: Bryant Harris reports that an investigation into an $8 billion emergency arms sale to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates helped lead Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to push Trump to fire the State Departments inspector general, Steve Linick.
HealthyChildren.org, the official parenting website of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), celebrates dads everywhere with a 7-day Father's Day Sweepstakes event. Fourteen lucky winners will receive a $200 Amazon.com* gift card. The contest begins June 15 and ends on Father's Day, June 21, 2020. Registered users may enter once each day during the event. Winners will be drawn on or about June 22, 2020. Full rules and more information can be found here.

About HealthyChildren.org

The only parenting website backed by 67,000 AAP member pediatricians, HealthyChildren.org offers trustworthy, up-to-the-minute health advice and guidance for parents and caregivers, along with interactive tools and personalized content. Registered users enjoy a customized home page that features articles geared to the ages of their children. The site also offers a Find a Pediatrician service, an Ask the Pediatrician tool, the KidsDoc Symptom Checker, and more than 5,000 articles on childrens health and safety in English and Spanish. In response to the current pandemic, the site now includes many COVID-19 resources to help parents cope.

*Amazon.com gift cards are given away on behalf of HealthyChildren.org. Amazon is not a sponsor of this contest.
For the last eight years, the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) Consortium (and its predecessor, the Exome Aggregation Consortium, or ExAC), has been working with geneticists around the world to compile and study more than 125,000 exomes and 15,000 whole genomes from populations around the world.

Now, in seven papers published in Nature, Nature Communications, and Nature Medicine, gnomAD Consortium scientists describe their first set of discoveries from the database, showing the power of this vast collection of data. Together the studies:

1. present a more complete catalog and understanding of a class of rare genetic variation called loss-of-function (LoF) variants, which are thought to disrupt genes' encoded proteins;

2. introduce the largest comprehensive reference map of an understudied yet important class of genetic variation called structural variants;

3. show how tools that account for unique forms of variation and variants' biological context can help clinical geneticists when trying to diagnose patients with rare genetic disease; and

4. illustrate how population-scale datasets like gnomAD can help evaluate proposed drug targets.

Researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) served as co-first or co-senior authors on all of the studies, with scientists from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom, the direct-to-consumer genetics company 23andMe, and other institutions contributing to individual papers. More than 100 scientists and groups internationally have provided data and/or analytical effort to the consortium.

These studies represent the first significant wave of discovery to come out of the gnomAD Consortium. The power of this database comes from its sheer size and population diversity, which we were able to reach thanks to the generosity of the investigators who contributed data to it, and of the research participants in those contributing studies." Daniel MacArthur, scientific lead of the gnomAD project, a senior author on six of the studies, an institute member in the Program in Medical and Population Genetics at Broad Institute, and now director of Centre for Population Genomics at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Australia

"In a sense, gnomAD is the product of a consortium of consortia, in that the underlying data represents the work and contributions of many groups who have been collecting exome and genome sequences as a way of understanding human biology," said Konrad Karczewski, first author on the collection's flagship paper in Nature and a computational biologist at Broad and MGH's Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit. "Each of these papers represents someone bringing a new angle to the dataset, saying, 'I have an idea on how we can put all of this to work,' and creating a new resource for the genetics community. It was amazing to see it unfold."

gnomAD lookback

MacArthur and his colleagues at Broad and MGH built ExAC and then gnomAD to expand on the work of the 1000 Genomes Project, the first large-scale international effort to catalog human genetic variation, and other projects.

"In 2012, my lab was sequencing the genomes of patients with rare disease, and found that existing catalogs of normal variation weren't large or diverse enough to help us interpret the genetic changes we were seeing," MacArthur recalled. "At the same time, our colleagues around the world had sequenced tens of thousands of people for studies of common, complex disorders. So we set about bringing these datasets together to create a reference dataset for rare disease research."

The ExAC consortium released its first collection of whole exome data in October 2014. It then started gathering whole genome data, evolving into the gnomAD Consortium and releasing gnomAD v1.0 in February 2017.

Subsequent gnomAD releases focused on increasing the numbers of exomes and genomes, the volume of variants highlighted in the data, and the diversity of the dataset.

The new papers are based on the gnomAD v2.1.1 dataset, which includes genomes and exomes from more than 25,000 people of East and South Asian descent, nearly 18,000 of Latino descent, and 12,000 of African or African-American descent.

Comprehensive catalog

Two of the seven papers show how large genomic datasets can help researchers learn more about rare or understudied types of genetic variants.

The flagship study, led by Karczewski and MacArthur and published in Nature, describes gnomAD and maps loss-of-function (LoF) variants: genetic changes that are thought to completely disrupt the function of protein-coding genes. The authors identified more than 443,000 LoF variants in the gnomAD dataset, dramatically exceeding all previous catalogs. By comparing the number of these rare variants in each gene with the predictions of a new model of the human genome's mutation rate, the authors were also able to classify all protein-coding genes according to how tolerant they are to disruptive mutations -- that is, how likely genes are to cause significant disease when disrupted by genetic changes. This new classification scheme pinpoints genes that are more likely to be involved in severe diseases such as intellectual disability.

"The gnomAD catalog gives us our best look so far at the spectrum of genes' sensitivity to variation, and provides a resource to support gene discovery in common and rare disease," Karczewski explained.

While Karczewski and MacArthur's study focused on small variants (point mutations, small insertions or deletions, etc.), graduate student Ryan Collins, Broad associated scientist Harrison Brand, institute member Michael Talkowski, and colleagues used gnomAD to explore structural variants. This class of genomic variation includes duplications, deletions, inversions, and other changes involving larger DNA segments (generally greater than 50-100 bases long). Their study, also published in Nature, presents gnomAD-SV, a catalog of more than 433,000 structural variants identified within nearly 15,000 of the gnomAD genomes. The variants in gnomAD-SV represent most of the major known classes of structural variation and collectively form the largest map of structural variation to date.

"Structural variants are notoriously challenging to identify within whole genome data, and have not previously been surveyed at this scale," noted Talkowski, who is also a faculty member in the Center for Genomic Medicine at MGH. "But they alter more individual bases in the genome than any other form of variation, and are well established drivers of human evolution and disease."

Several surprising findings came out of their survey. For instance, the authors found that at least 25 percent of all rare LoF variants in the average individual genome are actually structural variants, and that many people carry what should be deleterious or harmful structural alterations, but without the phenotypes or clinical outcomes that would be expected.

They also noted that many genes were just as sensitive to duplication as to deletion; that is, from an evolutionary perspective, gaining one or more copies of a gene can be just as undesirable as losing one.

"We learned a great deal by building this catalog in gnomAD, but we've clearly only scratched the surface of understanding the influence of genome structure on biology and disease," Talkowski said.

Tools for better diagnosis

Three of the papers reveal how gnomAD's deep catalogs of different types of genetic variation and the cellular context in which variants arise can help clinical geneticists more accurately determine whether a given variant might be protective, neutral, or harmful in patients.

In a Nature paper, Beryl Cummings, a former Broad/MGH graduate student now at Maze Therapeutics, MacArthur, and colleagues found that tissue-based differences in how segments of a given gene are expressed can change the downstream effects of variants within those segments on biology and disease risk. The team combined data from gnomAD and the Genotype Tissue Expression (GTEx) project to develop a method that uses these differences to assess the clinical significance of variants.

In Nature Communications, MacArthur, graduate student Qingbo Wang, and collaborators surveyed multinucleotide variants -- ones consisting of two or more nearby base pair changes that are inherited together. Such variants can have complex effects, and this study represents the first attempt to systematically catalog these variants, examine their distribution throughout the genome, and predict their effects on gene structure and function.

And in a separate Nature Communications study, MacArthur, Nicola Whiffin and James Ware of Imperial College London, and colleagues explored the impact of DNA variants arising in the 5-prime untranslated regions of genes, which are located just ahead of where the cell's transcriptional machinery starts reading a gene's protein code. Variants in these regions can trick a cell to start reading a gene in the wrong place, but haven't previously been well-documented.

"Clinical laboratories use gnomAD every day," said Heidi Rehm, a clinical geneticist; an institute member in Broad's MPG and medical director of the Clinical Research Sequencing Platform at Broad; chief genomics officer in the MGH Department of Medicine; and co-chair with Broad institute member Mark Daly of the gnomAD steering committee. "The methods in these studies are already helping us better interpret a patient's genetic test results."

Guiding drug development

The remaining two gnomAD studies describe how diverse, population-scale genetic data can help researchers assess and pick the best drug targets.

In 2018, Broad associated scientist Eric Minikel mused on his research blog about whether genes with naturally-occuring predicted LoF variants could be used to assess the safety of targeting those genes with drugs. He wrote that if a gene that's naturally inactivated doesn't seem to have harmful effects, perhaps that gene could be safely inhibited with a drug. That blog post became the basis of a Nature paper in which Minikel, MacArthur, and colleagues applied the gnomAD dataset to probe this question. They suggest ways to incorporate insights about LoF variants into the drug development process.

Leveraging the expertise at Broad, The Michael J. Fox Foundation initiated a collaboration between Imperial College's Whiffin, MacArthur, Broad postdoctoral fellow Irina Armean, 23andMe's Aaron Kleinman and Paul Cannon, and others to use LoF variants cataloged in gnomAD, UK Biobank, and 23andMe to study the potential safety liabilities of reducing the expression of a gene called LRRK2, which is associated with risk of Parkinson's disease. In Nature Medicine, they use these data to predict that drugs that reduce LRRK2 protein levels or partially block the gene's activity are unlikely to have severe side effects.

"We've cataloged large amounts of gene-disrupting variation in gnomAD," MacArthur said. "And with these two studies we've shown how you can then leverage those variants to illuminate and assess potential drug targets."

Growing impact

Public sharing of all data has been a core principle of the gnomAD project from its inception. The data behind these seven papers were publicly released via the gnomAD browser without usage or publication restrictions in 2016.

"The wide-ranging impact this resource has already had on medical research and clinical practice is a testament to the incredible value of genomic data sharing and aggregation," MacArthur said. "More than 350 independent studies have already made use of gnomAD for research on cancer predisposition, cardiovascular disease, rare genetic disorders, and more since we made the data available.

"But we are very far from saturating discoveries or solving variant interpretation," he added. "The next steps for the consortium will be focused on increasing the size and population diversity of these resources, and linking the resulting massive-scale genetic data sets with clinical information."
San Antonio police are investigating after messages were spray painted on the Alamo Cenotaph early Friday.

San Antonio police were called to Alamo Plaza just after 1 a.m. to find graffiti in red spray paint near the bottom of the Cenotaph.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

The messages said "(down) white supremacy, (down) profit over people, (down) the Alamo." An arrow pointing downward was used instead of the word "down."

Police said they didn't find witnesses. Police arrested a man nearby in connection to a graffiti incident near the 300 block of Travis Street, but police are still trying to determine if he was responsible for vandalizing the Cenotaph.

SAPD is also investigating two other similar graffiti events in the area, though they could not say if it was related to the Alamo incident. Graffiti was found Friday at 301 Travis Street and 123 Losoya.

Built in 1936 and known as the Spirit of Sacrifice, the iconic landmark stands as a monument to the Defenders of the Alamo.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
(Reuters) - A fourth fuel tanker from Iran entered Venezuelan waters late on Wednesday as the first three prepared to discharge at the gasoline-starved South American country's ports, Refinitiv Eikon data showed.

(Reuters) - A fourth fuel tanker from Iran entered Venezuelan waters late on Wednesday as the first three prepared to discharge at the gasoline-starved South American country's ports, Refinitiv Eikon data showed.

Iran is providing up to 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and refining components to help Venezuela ease an acute shortage, the result of the near-complete breakdown in its refining network and U.S. sanctions on its oil industry. Washington has criticized the arrangement, as both OPEC nations are sanctioned.

The Eikon data showed that the Faxon, the fourth in the five-tanker Iranian flotilla, was passing north of eastern Venezuela's Sucre state as of 11:49 p.m. local time (0349 GMT) Wednesday night. It has not transmitted its location since then.

The Faxon had followed a similar path as the first three tankers, which began arriving last weekend. The Fortune was docked at a port at the El Palito refinery in central Venezuela, and the Petunia was anchored nearby. The Forest was docked at a port at the western Cardon refinery.

The tankers' unimpeded arrival in Venezuelan waters came despite warnings by U.S. officials that Washington was considering a response to the fuel shipment, prompting a complaint from Iran to the United Nations. A fifth tanker, the Clavel, was still crossing the Atlantic Ocean toward the Caribbean.

Venezuela's socialist government has celebrated the arrival as a sign of solidarity from a fellow U.S. ideological foe. But officials have also pledged to reform the gasoline distribution system, with President Nicolas Maduro stating citizens would have to start paying for fuel after decades of heavy subsidies.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York and Marianna Parraga in Mexico City; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
It could be last call soon for Lake Genevas new system of awarding liquor licenses to businesses.

A committee of the Lake Geneva City Council has recommended scrapping the system in which license applicants are scored on points competitively rather than just reviewed on a first come-first serve basis.

Implemented last year, the new arrangement gives preference to license applicants who live in Lake Geneva, who plan improvements to their building, and other categories.

Advocated by then-Mayor Tom Hartz, the system was intended to eliminate any appearance of favoritism or politics, while also giving small business owners a chance to compete against big names for a coveted Class B license to serve hard liquor.

But questions surfaced after the city applied the point system several times, and denied licenses to applicants who seemingly qualified by achieving the required 30 points or more.

The owners of Sabai Sabai Thai Restaurant, for example, were denied a license to add hard liquor to their successful restaurant at 306 Center St.

Sabai Sabai manager Sumalee Brewer said she and her colleagues were never given a satisfactory explanation for why they were rejected after scoring the 30 points needed to qualify for a license.

Brewer said although she does not know what sort of system the city might be considering now, she supports any new arrangement that would evaluate applicants fairly and make clear why some businesses are denied.

The citys action, she said, is costing Sabai Sabai business among customers who would like to sit any enjoy cocktails after dinner.

We dont understand why we didnt get a license, she said. If we get a license, it would be good for our business.

Other applicants similarly have been rejected after scoring well on the point system, including Flat Iron Tap at 150 Center St. and Barrique Bistro & Wine Bar at 835 Wrigley Drive.

Meanwhile, the city awarded a Class B license to Cuoco Pazzo Antipasto Bar, which is opening in the former Red Geranium location, 393 N. Edwards Blvd., despite that applicant scoring lower than other applicants.

Flat Iron Tap registered 46 points  higher than any other applicant at the time  but was denied a license.

Flat Iron Tap manager Sarah Siudak said officials at the downtown restaurant were frustrated that they scored so highly under the point system, but that city council members did not follow the system.

We are trying to expand and do really exciting things downtown, but the citys policies are so random, Siudak said. Its very difficult for businesses to make solid plans for the future.

Members of the city council finance, licensing and regulation committee voted May 19 to recommend dropping the point system and looking for a new process of awarding liquor licenses.

It obviously wasnt working, Alderwoman Cindy Flower said of the point system.

Hartz was defeated in the April 7 election to new Mayor Charlene Klein.

Klein was in attendance at the May 19 committee meeting, but she did not indicate what direction she favors on liquor license reviews.

City Clerk Lana Kropf, whose office issues liquor licenses, told aldermen she worked with Hartz on developing the point system. She noted that the city council approved the new system last September.

Kropf said it was intended as an improvement over the previous arrangement, which often left applicants unsure how they were being evaluated, she said, and sometimes left licenses in limbo without explanation.

Of the points system, she said, It would give people a set of guidelines of what the council was looking for.

Other ways of earning points included shopping locally for goods and services, supplies for businesses, operating an existing business, and employing more people.

Alderman Ken Howell acknowledged that the council supported Hartz in creating the point system.

But, Howell said, Its been awkward in execution.

The full city council was scheduled May 26 to consider the committees recommendation to scrap the point system.

Committee members did not talk about what sort of process might be implemented instead to evaluate liquor license applicants.

Were going to start something new, Howell said.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Touch has known benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing. (Getty Images)

The coronavirus lockdown means millions who live alone may not have experienced human touch for months.

From the moment we arrive in the world, skin-to-skin contact is important, with newborns being placed on their mothers chest.

Read more: A hug from a parent the best way to reassure children

This seemingly simple act helps regulate the babys heart beat, stimulates digestion and has even been linked to a shorter hospital stay in the neonatal unit.

Touch becomes no less important as we grow, with many isolating loved ones declaring, I cant wait to hug you again.

Newborns are placed on their mother's chest after birth. (Getty Images)

Human touch is known to boost us emotionally.

In psychological terms, attachment is the emotional bond we form with our primary caregivers as infants, Dr Meg Arroll, chartered psychologist for Healthspan, told Yahoo UK.

This bond, or lack therefore, has a profound effect on our psychological functioning throughout life.

Influential, if somewhat cruel, animal research demonstrated the importance of touch decades ago.

Studies in the 1950s and 1960s looked at the effects of maternal deprivation in rhesus monkeys and demonstrated that after separation from their real mothers, the infant monkeys spent more time with a wire mother covered in soft terry cloth, even though there was no food source on this surrogate, compared to a wire-only mother with a feed bottle, said Dr Arroll.

Read more: Cuddle curtain lets children hug their grandparents in lockdown

Touch is known to aid bonding through the release of the love hormone oxytocin.

Oxytocin helps us to bond with others, boosts mood, increases feelings of trust and reduces stress, said Dr Arroll.

Therefore, those who live alone and in isolation at the moment, and report how they haven't been touched in months, could indeed experience low mood and anxiety.

While it may sound farfetched, Dr Tara Swart told Get The Gloss when the nerve endings in our skin miss out on interaction it triggers a cascade of neural pathways akin to unrequited love.

Story continues

The benefits of touch may extend far beyond maintaining good mental health.

Psychical touch is associated with strengthening our immune systems [and] lowering blood pressure, psychologist Jennifer Ellen Smith told Yahoo UK.

Touch is said to simulate sensors beneath that skin that connect to the vagus nerve in the brain.

The vagus nerve regulates everything from the nervous system and heart rate to blood pressure and hormone production.

Speaking of hormones, oxytocin is not the only one influenced by touch.

Human contact is said to lower the stress-hormone cortisol, which in turn regulates the immune system.

Read more: Could hugs and handshakes die out?

While it is no substitute for human interaction, embracing ourselves may keep things ticking over until the real thing comes along.

Your brain cant distinguish between someone elses touch and your own touch, said Smith.

So if youve been in isolation and are feeling down or stressed you can release a host of feel-good hormones by hugging yourself for 20 seconds every day to give yourself a well needed boost.

Stroking pets and a barefoot stroll in the grass may have similar benefits.

Barefoot walking exposes the many nerve endings on the bottom of our feet to different textures which is mentally stimulating, said Dr Swart.
The US would announce certain decisions on China on Friday, President Donald Trump has said as he emphasised that Beijing should have stopped the coronavirus at the source.

Led by the US, several countries in the world have blamed China for the spread of coronavirus and its failure to provide timely information about the disease, leading to the death of over three lakh people and causing an unprecedented economic crisis.

Also read: The sharp dip in US-China ties

Trump has been pressing China to agree for an inquiry into the origin of the virus, including the allegation that it emerged from a bio-lab in the central Chinese city of Wuhan The disease has killed nearly 360,000 people globally, including 102,000 in America alone.

Over 5.8 million people have been infected by the Covid-19 worldwide with 1.7 million in the US alone.

Tomorrow, were going to be having a press conference on China. So, well be making certain decisions and well be discussing them tomorrow, Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday.

Its a very sad situation. It should have never happened. China should have stopped it at the source, but they didnt do that, Trump said.

Trump in the last several weeks has been very critical of Chinas inability to control the spread of the novel coronavirus within its territory. He has so far not given any indication of the steps that he is contemplating taking against China.

Trump had on May 14 threatened to cut off the whole relationship with China.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on May 16 had said that President Trump will decide on the future course of action on penalising China, a day after Trump said that he does not want to talk to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping right now.

However, China has rejected all US allegations of a cover up regarding the Covid-19 outbreak.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, several US senators sent a letter to the United Nations permanent representatives for Estonia and France, the current and incoming president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), in support of the US call for an immediate UNSC meeting on recent actions taken by the Chinese government to undermine Hong Kongs autonomy.

In your nations capacities as the current and incoming president of the UNSC, we write to strongly support the USUNs call for an immediate UNSC meeting on recent actions taken by the Chinese government to undermine Hong Kongs autonomy and infringe on the rights and freedoms promised to the Hong Kong people, the senators wrote in the letter.

China last week introduced the draft of a controversial national security law in Hong Kong in its parliament to tighten Beijings control over the former British colony, in what could be the biggest blow to the territorys autonomy and personal freedoms since 1997 when it came under Chinese rule.

Hong Kong, an economic powerhouse, is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China. It has observed a one country, two systems policy since Britain returned sovereignty to China on July 1, 1997, which has allowed it certain freedoms the rest of China does not have.

The US over the last few days has expressed concerns over the new Chinese law on Hong Kong and has indicated taking steps against it.

The Peoples Republic of Chinas actions with regard to Hong Kong are a clear violation of its binding international commitments, including the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, and undermine the ability for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to remain in force in Hong Kong as guaranteed by Hong Kongs Basic Law, the members said.

These actions warrant the immediate attention of the UNSC. We hope in your capacities as the current and incoming President of the UNSC, you will support this call for a virtual meeting at the UNSC without delay, they said in the letter.

In another statement, a bipartisan group of Congressmen applauded the House passage of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (S.3744).

This bipartisan bill is an important step in countering the totalitarian Chinese governments widespread and horrific human rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), including the mass internment of over one million Uyghurs and other predominantly ethnic Turkic Muslims, as well as Beijings intimidation and threats against US citizens and legal permanent residents on American soil. S. 3744 now goes to President Trump for signature.

The Chinese Communist Partys actions in Xinjiang are an affront to humanity and the CCP must pay a heavy price for these heinous crimes, said Senator Cory Gardner.

The mass internment and forced labour of Uyghurs is one of the greatest ongoing tragedies of our time. With passage of this bill, the US Congress stated loud and clear that we will hold the CCP and its enablers responsible, pursuant to my Asia Reassurance Initiative Act and other relevant US laws, he said.
An Aston Martin DB9 supercar worth 75,000 was destroyed after bursting into flames last night in a horror crash.

Police are investigating whether the car had already caught fire when it smashed into a wall at a property on Jevington Road in Polegate, East Sussex, around 6.30pm last night.

The driver suffered severe burns when the luxury sports car erupted into flames.

An Aston Martin DB9 V12, pictured, caught alight with the driver suffering severe burns and being taken to hospital in Polegate, East Sussex yesterday evening at around 6.30pm

Fire crew seen extinguishing the flames at the scene last night in East Sussex. The driver was taken to a hospital in the city before being transferred to the Queen Victoria Hospital

A 2005 Aston Martin DB9, pictured. No other vehicles were involved in the incident and police have appealed for witnesses (file photo)

His wife in the passenger seat suffered minor injuries and has been discharged from hospital.

The house is not connected to the married couple who had driven from their home in Brighton.

The 60-year-old driver was taken to hospital in the city before being transferred to the specialists burns unit at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead.

The Aston Martin DB9 v12 Volante was completely destroyed by the fire.

No other vehicles were involved in the incident and police have appealed for witnesses.

Pictures show crew dousing the flames with a fire engine and police vehicles at the scene.

Police vehicles and a fire engine pictured at the scene, with the burnt-out Aston Martin seen off the road, towards the left of the picture. The driver was travelling from home in Brighton

Police and emergency vehicles pictured at the scene last night. Sussex Police said 'investigations are ongoing' to determine if the fire started before or after the collision

Witnesses told Hailsham News the car could have been part of a convoy travelling to the hospital for the weekly Clap for Carers at 8pm.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: 'About 6.29pm on Thursday 28 May, police were alerted by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service to a car fire in Wannock Road, Polegate.

'An Aston Martin collided with the gate of a property and was destroyed by fire.

'Investigations are ongoing to determine whether the fire started before or after the collision.'

Anyone with information is asked to email collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting Operation Radius.
Brittany Murphy's death at the age of 32 is the subject of a new Investigation Discovery documentary.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office declared her death accidental and said 'multiple drug intoxication,' pneumonia and anemia were to blame.

However her late father Angelo Bertolotti gave his final interview for the new documentary, which raises questions about the circumstances of her death.

As seen in 2006: Brittany Murphy's death at the age of 32 is the subject of a new Investigation Discovery documentary

Brittany died in December 2009, and in May 2010 her widower Simon Monjack died of what the corner ruled anemia and pneumonia.

Simon and Brittany married in 2007 and lived in a Hollywood Hills home where she was found collapsed before being pronounced dead in the hospital.

After his wife's death Simon started a charitable foundation in Brittany's name with her mother Sharon Murphy and went on Larry King Live with her.

In the new doc Angelo, who died aged 92 last year, raises the question of whether foul play was involved, an allegation he has made in the past.

Departed: However her late father Angelo Bertolotti gave his final interview for the new documentary , which raises questions about the circumstances of her death

Tragedy: Brittany died in December 2009, and in May 2010 her widower Simon Monjack died of what the corner ruled anemia and pneumonia

Angelo, whose marriage to Sharon ended when their daughter was a toddler, had three felony convictions and spent 12 years in jail.

Sharon raised Brittany in New Jersey and the little girl became a child actress at 13 on the sitcom Drexell's Class.

However she achieved true stardom in 1995, the year she turned 18, when she starred with Alicia Silverstone and Stacey Dash in Clueless.

Five months after Brittany's death, Simon was discovered dead at their Hollywood Hills house in the bed they had shared as a couple.

Throwback: Simon and Brittany married in 2007 and lived in a Hollywood Hills home where she was found collapsed before being pronounced dead in the hospital; pictured in 2007

Close bond: Sharon raised Brittany in New Jersey and the little girl became a child actress at 13 on the sitcom Drexell's Class

In 2013 Angelo had a toxicology test performed on a hair sample from Brittany and theorized on the basis of the results that she had been poisoned with heavy metals.

Sharon then wrote a furious open letter to the Hollywood Reporter saying Angelo was an absent father and referring to his 'outrageous' allegations as 'madness.'

She slammed his attempts to claim closeness to Brittany saying 'he was never her family in reality' and only decided to 'out of the woodwork' and back into his daughter's life when she became a teen actress.

Sharon insisted his allegations about poisoning were 'a stunt' for 'publicity,' writing: 'Angelo has shown he only wants to trade on Brittany's life, career and good reputation - even at the cost of putting a cloud over her memory.'

Bereaved: Five months after Brittany's death, Simon was discovered dead at their Hollywood Hills house in the bed they had shared as a couple

She wrote: 'One cause we now know may have been toxic mold that was eventually discovered in that house - which may have been what really killed her.'

Four years ago Ed Winter, the assistant chief coroner who ran the investigation into her death, told E! News that the metals' presence in the toxicology results Angelo commissioned 'was due to Brittany coloring her hair.'

Ed, who was also in the documentary, told E! News: 'It was determined it was from color. She wasn't poisoned, and we stand by the cause of death. She died from over-the-counter medicines, pneumonia and anemia.'

He added: 'Brittany had an overdose of over-the-counter meds along with pneumonia and anemia, and Simon died of, again, pneumonia had he was anemic and his overdose was from prescription meds.'

Father and daughter: Brittany is pictured with Angelo

The past: Angelo, whose marriage to Sharon ended when their daughter was a toddler, had three felony convictions and spent 12 years in jail

Ed explained: 'I think it could have been preventable. The problem is Simon would doctor shop and got numerous medications with numerous names and had a problem with prescription meds.

'Brittany was sick and instead of getting her treatment, Simon and her mother didn't take her to the doctor and used an abundance of over-the-counter meds.'

According to CNN a press release about the doc says Simon died 'in the same bed he and Brittany once shared, only this time, allegedly with Brittany's mother sleeping beside him.'

The release continues: 'In an exclusive final interview, the late Angelo Bertolotti, Brittany's father, casts doubt on the conclusion that she died of natural causes and reveals bizarre allegations against other family members.'

Looking into it: In 2013 Angelo had a toxicology test performed on a hair sample from Brittany and theorized on the basis of the results that she had been poisoned with heavy metals
Photo: Contributed

UPDATE 11:35 a.m.

The Minneapolis police officer who was seen on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died in custody after pleading that he could not breathe, was arrested Friday and charged with murder.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, after the office gathered enough evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Freeman did not have immediate details, but said a criminal complaint would be made available later. The charges come after three days of protests, which had been escalating in violence.

ORIGINAL 11:05 a.m.

The police officer seen on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died in custody after pleading that he could not breathe, was arrested Friday after three days of often-violent protests that resulted in fires and looting across parts of Minneapolis.

Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said state investigators arrested Derek Chauvin, who was one of four officers fired this week, but he did not provide details. The state attorney who would oversee any prosecution on state charges, whose home was also the site of protests, was scheduled to provide an update later Friday.

News of the arrest came moments after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz acknowledged the abject failure of the response to this weeks protests and called for swift justice for officers involved. Walz said the state would take over the response to the protests and that its time to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering.

Minneapolis and St. Paul are on fire. The fire is still smouldering in our streets. The ashes are symbolic of decades and generations of pain, of anguish unheard, Walz said, adding. Now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world  and the world is watching.

The governor cited a call he received from a state senator who described her district on fire, no police, no firefighters, no social control, constituents locked in houses wondering what they were going to do. That is an abject failure that cannot happen.

His comments came the morning after protesters torched a police station that officers abandoned during a third night of violence. Livestream video showed protesters entering the building, where intentionally set fires activated smoke alarms and sprinklers. President Donald Trump threatened action, tweeting when the looting starts, the shooting starts, which prompted a warning from Twitter for glorifying violence.

The governor faced tough questions after National Guard leader Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen blamed a lack of clarity about the Guards mission for a slow response. Walz said the state was in a supporting role and that it was up to city leaders to run the situation. Walz said it became apparent as the 3rd Precinct was lost that the state had to step in, which happened at 12:05 a.m. Requests from the cities for resources never came, he said.

You will not see that tonight, there will be no lack of leadership, Walz said.

On Friday morning, nearly every building in the shopping district around the abandoned police station had been vandalized, burned or looted. National Guard members were in the area, with several of them lined up, keeping people away from the police station.

Dozens of volunteers swept up broken glass in the street, doing what they could to help.

Dean Hanson, 64, lives in a subsidized housing unit nearby, which is home to many older residents. He said his building lost electricity overnight, and residents were terrified as they watched mobs of people run around their neighbourhood, with no apparent intervention.

I cant believe this is happening here, he said.

Dozens of fires were also set in nearby St. Paul, where nearly 200 businesses were damaged or looted. Protests spread across the U.S., fueled by outrage over Floyds death, and years of violence against African Americans at the hands of police. Demonstrators clashed with officers in New York and blocked traffic in Columbus, Ohio, and Denver.
The mother of Breonna Taylor, who was killed by police in her own home earlier this year, has asked those protesting her death to be peaceful, after seven people were shot during protests in Louisville, Kentucky.

Ms Taylor, an emergency medical technician, was shot at least eight times by police after they broke down her door in a drug raid on 13 May, but no narcotics were found in the residence.

The police said that Ms Taylor was inadvertently shot in the crossfire during the raid, but their use of force has been questioned, as has the practice of raiding a residence without giving warning.

The protests have coincided with demonstrations across the US against police brutality against African-Americans, following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by police.

After seven protesters were shot in Louisville on Thursday, Ms Taylors mother, Tamika Palmer called for protesters to demonstrate peacefully, in a statement read by Kentucky governor Andy Beshear.

Recommended Seven people shot during protests over killing of Breonna Taylor

Ms Palmer said that the last thing her daughter would "want right now is any more violence.

Her statement read: Please keep saying her name. Please keep demanding justice and accountability, but lets do it the right way without hurting each other.

We can and we will make some real change here. Now is the time. Lets make it happen, but safely."

Mr Beshear said that the protests started peacefully, but that some people turned it into something that it should not have been, later in the day.

During these times, we can condemn violence while also trying to listen, to understand, to know that there is deep frustration, rightfully so, in our country, Mr Beshear said.

Recommended Black healthcare worker shot at least eight times by police

There has not been enough action on creating equality, of opportunity and in health care. And in a time of this Covid-19 pandemic, its laid bare all of that, the governor added.

Louisvilles mayor, Greg Fischer, also called for peaceful protests, but confirmed that no-knock warrants would be suspended by their police force, as part of changes to policy following Ms Taylors death.

Mr Fischer added: To the people who gathered downtown last night to protest, and to many more throughout our city and throughout our country who feel angry, hurt, afraid, frustrated, tired and sick of story after story of black lives ending at the hands of law enforcement, I hear you.
Savitri Devi, 22, of Lucknows Narsingh Khera village, delivered a baby boy at her house on the first day of lockdown . The lockdown prevented her from travelling to a government-run health care centre where she would have otherwise given birth.

Mother and son are fine but her story is the story of thousands of women who delivered children at home because they couldnt travel to the nearest community health centre or a hospital .

Data from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh shows that the number of institutional deliveries may have fallen by as much as 40% during the lockdown. Thats significant because institutional deliveries are believed to be behind the major strides India has made in reducing maternal and infant mortality in recent decades.

Institutional delivery improves survival chances for a newborn manifold, said Sayeeda Hamid, who was member in-charge of health in the Planning Commission for a decade till 2014. . It is sad that institutional deliveries have come down but, I think, it is a temporary phase because of the lockdown. State governments should ensure proper supplements for mothers and their kids through Asha workers, she said.

Infant mortality rate (IMR) has fallen from 129 per 1,000 live births in 1971 to 32 in 2018, according to Census Commissioner of Indias website. The biggest dip in IMR was between 2008 and 2018 with improvement in health infrastructure in rural areas. Similarly, the maternal mortality rate has fallen from 22 in 2008 to 12 per 1,000 live births in 2018, according to National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog.

According to National Family Health Survey, the proportion of institutional deliveries in India has increased from 38.7% in 2005-6 to 78.9% in 2015-16 due to improvement in rural health infrastructure and the presence of health workers in every village to monitor health of pregnant woman.

Bihar reported 90,000 institutional deliveries during the first 30 days of the lockdown (March 25 to April 25), as compared to an average of 1.50 lakh deliveries a month, a Bihar government health department official said on condition of anonymity. In Uttar Pradesh, the institutional deliveries in April was 98,515 compared to a monthly average of 1,12,681,said Mithilesh Chaturvedi, UPs director, family welfare, adding that instructions have been issued to ensure all expecting mothers are admitted and those symptomatic, tested for Covid.

Jharkhands health secretary Nitin Kulkarni said that institutional deliveries in May dropped to 35,000 as compared to monthly average of about 50,000 in the first four months of this calendar year. As compared to 80% institutional delivery rate in Jharkhand in 2019, the number during the lockdown period is around 55%, said Dr Shailesh Chourasia, managing director, national health mission.

In Chhattisgarh, only 20,013 institutional deliveries were recorded in the month of April, as compared to 30,629 in the previous month. The number has witnessed slight increase in May but it is still less than the monthly average of about 34,000 institutional deliveries, officials said.

People in villages are hesitant to come out thinking they would not be able to return to their villages. Moreover, non-Covid services were not available in most of the hospitals, explained Deepak Soni, the collector of Dantewada district , which has seen the highest proportion of home deliveries in the state.

According to health department officials in West Bengal, institutional deliveries have reduced by around 25-30% during lockdown. On an average around one lakh institutional deliveries take place every month. During the lock down it has gone down to around 70,000 to 75,000, said a health department official, who asked not to be named. Most rivate nursing homes in the state were closed in April.

Odishas director family welfare, L Mishra, said that there has been some decrease in the institutional deliveries , but not much, because Odisha was the first state to have exclusive Covid-19 hospital that did not hamper routine hospital work in other government hospitals. Close to 80% of the births took place in government run institutions during the lockdown period in April and May, 2020, he said.

Those women fortunate enough to get to a hospital or a health centre in time, did so after jumping through hoops.

Radha Kumari, delivered a baby girl, her first child, at the Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) on Friday morning, but after her husband Golu Kumar, 21, a tile mason, ran around -- from a private hospital to a government run medical centre to PMCH. .

They reached PMCH at 4am on Friday and had to wait for several hours to get a bed. Finally, Kumari delivered a baby girl around 11 am.

In Uttar Pradeshs Mathura district, Rajender Kumar hired a taxi for Rs 5,000 to take his wife Geeta, to the district hospital, 20 km away from their home. There was no response at the government helpline number. I called a taxi owner, who agreed after much persuasion. At the hospital, they (hospital administration) refused to admit her saying she did not have a Covid free certificate. They later allowed her entry when I signed an undertaking that hospital will not be responsible if she tests positive for Covid, he said.

In Narsingh Khera, Savitri Devis troules didnt end with the birth of the child. She and her husband are now struggling to ensure post-birth check-ups for her and also or the child.

(With inputs from HTC New Delhi, Kolkata and Agra)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 14:35:02|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

by Zhang Yuliang, Gretinah Machingura

HARARE, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe hopes to see a continuous deepening of cooperation between Africa and China within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), a cabinet minister said here Thursday.

China-Africa cooperation has reached an important milestone with a need for a continuous growth of this win-win relationship, Zimbabwean Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said in an interview with Chinese media.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the FOCAC, an important framework for common development in a rapidly globalized international system.

"There has been a lot of progress in terms of deepening cooperation between African countries and China," said Mutsvangwa, adding that both sides have benefitted from the FOCAC.

"We would like to continue to see the deepening of this cooperation," said the minister.

There are abundant opportunities for bilateral cooperation under the FOCAC, particularly in the mining sector, she said.

"There is a lot we can cooperate on. Africa has got natural resources and China has got the capital and expertise to help us exploit the minerals," she said.

Zimbabwe is rich in mineral resources and needs funding and expertise to "exploit these for the good of our people," Mutsvangwa said, noting that a growing number of Chinese companies are helping Zimbabwe tap the minerals resources, with some building smelters to seek export opportunities of value added minerals

China has stood behind African countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic, providing them with equipment, medical supplies and technical support in fighting the virus, the minister said.

"We have been able to contain the COVID-19 pandemic with the help from China," said Mutsvangwa, adding that without China's assistance, it would have been even harder for Zimbabwe to cope with the pandemic.

Western economic sanctions, which were imposed 20 years ago, have made it difficult for Zimbabwe to borrow from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, she added.

"We are very grateful to China" for its help in the pandemic, including providing personal protective equipment and sending medical experts, she said.

Zimbabwe has so far recorded 149 coronavirus cases with four deaths since the onset of the pandemic in March.

Mutsvangwa said that China's investment in other countries aims to "add value to those countries," rather than trying to divide a country or intervene in their internal affairs.

"China is our all-weather friend" and we will continue to move forward together, she said. Enditem
US president accuses WHO of failing to adequately respond to the coronavirus because China has total control.

US President Donald Trump has announced the United States will be terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization, saying it had failed to adequately respond to the coronavirus because China has total control over it.

He said the Chinese officials ignored their reporting obligations to the WHO and pressured the health organisation to mislead the world when the virus was first discovered.

Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization, Trump told reporters on Friday.

He said the US contributes about $450m to the WHO while China provides about $40m, adding that the US will be redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs.

Chinas cover-up of the Wuhan virus allowed the disease to spread all over the world, Trump said.

Reform demands

On May 18, the US president sent WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus a letter, listing what he said were examples of the WHOs shortcomings in managing the pandemic, including ignoring early reports of the emergence of the virus.

He accused the United Nations body of caving in to Chinese pressure by declining to declare coronavirus a global health emergency in the initial days of the outbreak.

Trump went on to criticise the WHO for praising Chinas transparency, despite reports that Beijing had punished several doctors in Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, for speaking out about the viral infection in late December.

The US leader also threatened to halt funding from the bodys top donor altogether if it does not commit to reforms within 30 days.

The WHO bowed to calls from most of its member states to launch an independent probe into how it managed the international response to the pandemic.

The probe is expected to shed light on the origins of the virus and Chinas early handling of the outbreak.

Global initiative

Earlier on Friday, the WHO and nearly three dozen countries led by Costa Rica launched a global initiative allowing for the sharing of data and scientific knowledge in the fight against COVID-19.

Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado outlined a worldwide technology repository for vaccines, medicines and diagnostics, seeking to boost solidarity and urging more countries to join the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool.

The collective effort offers a platform to share openly on a voluntary basis and in a collaborative way the data and the intellectual property that will be generated throughout the world in order to make this a public global good, he said.

While the push by mostly developing nations won praise from groups including Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF), a drug industry alliance questioned whether the effort to pool intellectual property would really broaden access to medicines.

WHO Foundation

On Wednesday, Tedros announced the creation of the WHO Foundation, which will enable WHO to tap new sources of funding, including the general public.

The foundation is being created as an independent grant-making entity that will support the organisations efforts to address the most pressing global health challenges by raising new funds from non-traditional sources.

Tedros said the UN bodys annual budget of about $2.3bn was very, very small for a global agency, close to that of a medium-sized hospital in the developed world.

The WHO chief said the creation of the WHO Foundation had nothing to do with the recent funding issues.
Key Highlights:

Thierry Delaporte is not new to the Indian market; he was instrumental in iGate acquisition

He has led a profitable, high margin financial services business unit for Capgemini

Bengaluru-based IT services firm Wipro, which was on the lookout for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the last couple of months, has announced the appointment of former Capgemini top executive Thierry Delaporte as its CEO & MD, with effect from July 6. The first non-Indian CEO of the company, Delaporte will be based out of Paris.

Delaporte has spent most of his career (nearly 25 years) at Capgemini rising through the ranks and having worked in various roles across different geographies. Industry observers say that Wipro has been 'sheer lucky' to get him onboard given the tepid performance of the company for over last three-four years. Ronesh Puri, Managing Director, Executive Access said, "Wipro has been quite an insular company in terms of its thought process and this is a reflection of changed times. Delaporte has been COO of Capgemini for some time and has the requisite experience."

Also Read: India's Q4 GDP growth falls to 3.1% - worst since 2009 global financial crisis

In the statement released by the company, Rishad Premji, Chairman, Wipro Limited said, "Thierry has an exceptional leadership track record, strong international exposure, deep strategic expertise, a unique ability to forge long-standing client relationships, and proven experience of driving transformation and managing technological disruption. We believe that Thierry is the right person to lead Wipro in its next phase of growth."

An industry veteran in the executive search industry who was aware of the search, but did not wish to be named said, "It is a bold move by Wipro to internationalise its outlook at this juncture and Delaporte is a great choice who has absorbed the Indian work culture and knows his business." According to him even though the company had approached and considered Omar Abbosh, former Accenture executive for the role in early January, after meeting with Premji, Thierry turned out to be a perfect fit given he was being considered as a strong candidate to fill in the shoes of Paul Hermelinas as the next CEO before Capgemini announced some structural changes in September 2019. The company last year separated the role of CEO and Chairman and Aiman Ezzat was announced to take over as the next CEO.

Also Read: Govt lowers GDP growth rates for Q1, Q2 and Q3 in revised data

According to industry sources, Delaporte is a savvy person with vast global experience who understands sales and has a great handle on the client side. Currently based in Europe, he has worked for nearly 15 years in Newyork including his stint as the CEO of Financial services business unit of Capgemini where he grew it into a profitable, high margin business. Nearly a quarter of Capgemini's revenue comes from financial services. A regular at Nasscom's annual leadership summit for the past few years, sources say that he visited India almost every quarter. Thierry was instrumental in one of Capgemini's biggest acquisitions and mergers -- $4 billion iGate deal of 2015 -- and also played a critical role in the earlier acquisition of Kanbay in 2007 which helped the company strengthen its footprint in India.

Also Read: Coronavirus impact: Output in eight core industries declines 38% in April
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN) has announced a scheme which will see unemployed youths in rural areas earning N20,000 per month.

He said N46.2 billion has been voted for the payment of the 774,000 people to be engaged under the special public works programme.

Also Read: Keyamo Slams Critics Of Madagascar Herbal Cure

He made this known while speaking at a press conference in Abuja.

Advertisement

According to the Minister, the youths will be engaged in the clearing of drainages, sweeping markets, road maintenance, traffic control, and cleaning of public infrastructures like health centres and schools.

Keyamo said the scheme targeted 1,000 youths each from the 774 local governments across the country.

The minister said the programme is one of the biggest social intervention schemes to be carried out within a short period of time by any government in the history of Nigeria.
The New York Times

Washington: President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on Thursday targeting legal protections that keep people from suing social media websites. The move follows his anger at Twitter over its decision this week to append fact-check labels to several of his tweets about mail-in voting, along with links to accurate information on the topic.

Much of the president's order consists of complaints about social media companies and their efforts to flag or remove content deemed inappropriate. Here is an explanation of the legal issues surrounding the components of the order that would  or might  do something.

What protects social media companies?

A 1996 law, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, essentially bars people from suing providers of an interactive computer service for libel if users post defamatory messages on their platforms.

It says intermediary website operators  a category ranging from social media giants like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to blogs that let readers post comments  will not be treated as the publisher or the speaker for making others posts available.

A related provision also protects the sites from lawsuits accusing them of wrongfully taking down content. It gives them immunity for good faith decisions to remove or restrict posts they deem obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing or otherwise objectionable, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected.

How does the Executive Order target this shield?

By putting forward a vision for an exception to websites legal immunity.

The order argues that if a site restricts access to others content in bad faith and goes beyond removing the types of objectionable content detailed in the law, it should be deemed a publisher rather than a neutral platform  thus losing its legal immunity from lawsuits.

If this vision was the law, it would mean that social media companies could be sued for defamatory content over what other people post on their platforms. For example, because Trump has used Twitter to falsely insinuate that MSNBC host Joe Scarborough murdered a congressional aide in 2001, Scarborough could in theory accuse Twitter of libel  if he could also make the case that Twitter met Trumps criteria for being an editor.

Even under the Executive Orders vision of the law, such lawsuits might fail: A court would first have to decide that the social media firm had sufficiently engaged in enough editorial conduct to lose its immunity. But the order could discourage such companies from taking an active role in curating the content on their platforms  and raise the risk and cost of doing business.

How does the order try to impose this understanding?

By setting in motion a request that the Federal Communications Commission issue a rule to clarify whether the immunity law implicitly contains the exception Trump wants.

Specifically, the order directs the Commerce Department to ask the FCC to develop regulations addressing whether social media firms lose Section 230 immunity if they restrict access to posted material in bad faith. That could include actions that are deceptive, pretextual or inconsistent with a providers terms of service, the order said.

The FCC is an independent agency outside Trumps control. Its five-member panel has three Republican and two Democratic appointees.

Would such a rule make any legal difference?

Probably not, legal experts said.

First, although the FCC oversees parts of communications law where Congress envisioned its regulation, like rules for telephone companies, the order does not explain why the agency would have any role in authoritatively interpreting Section 230. Courts, not the FCC, handle lawsuits.

Moreover, courts have been sceptical of claims that the FCC has implied authority to regulate ancillary matters not expressly granted by Congress, even when they are more closely related to its core responsibilities than this would be, said Ellen P Goodman, a Rutgers University law professor who specialises in digital communications and free speech issues.

This is just noise, she said, adding: Its not a hard question. Its not a tossup. Its obvious that the FCC doesnt have jurisdiction.

Finally, agency regulations cannot override a statute enacted by Congress. On its face, the law gives websites broad leeway to restrict or take down posts they consider bad, including a catch-all category of posts they consider otherwise objectionable.

Still, the order could kick-start a policy debate, and Congress can change the statute. The order also directs Attorney-General William Barr to develop draft legislation for Congress to consider that would promote the policy goal of curtailing the legal protections that Section 230 gives powerful technology companies.

What does Trump want to count as inappropriate editing?

The Executive Order does not spell this out in detail.

Given the orders timing and context, the most obvious notion is that Trump is trying to stop Twitter from flagging his tweets as inaccurate. The order complains that he was singled out, and Trump told reporters that Twitters fact-check labels were political activism.

But it was not clear how the details of the change envisioned by the Executive Order clearly map onto that complaint. Twitter has not removed or restricted Trumps messages.

But the administration has reportedly long toyed with the idea of targeting social media companies, and an earlier draft of the Executive Order, which did not contain some of the language about Twitters fact-checking labels, suggested a version had been drafted some time ago. Elements, including references to complaints that companies suppress content or users based on political views, suggested another target: So-called shadow banning.

Some conservatives have voiced a theory that Twitter suppresses their posts for political reasons by hiding them from other users, even though their writers can still see them  a purported practice that would more closely fit the notion of deceptively restricting access to posted content. The company has denied that it does so, but Trump endorsed the accusation in July 2018 and vowed to look into it.

What else would the Executive Order do?

It opened several reviews that could result in some kind of later action.

Trump required the head of each executive department and agency to produce a report on how much advertising money it spent on online platforms. The Department of Justice is then to review whether such platforms impose viewpoint-based speech restrictions to assess whether any are problematic places for government speech  an implicit threat to ban taxpayer-funded marketing on them.

The president also put in motion two reviews that contemplate eventual action to prohibit social media platforms from restricting access to user posts in ways the technology companies do not disclose. He asked the Federal Trade Commission to examine that issue, and he told the justice department to convene a working group with state attorneys-general on whether they could use state laws to address it.

Charlie Savage c.2020 The New York Times Company
[May 29, 2020] Adya Announces Changes to Board

Adya Inc. ("Adya" or the "Company"), (TSX-V: ADYA) today announces changes to the board of directors. The Company regretfully announces the resignation of Ms. Jasmin Ganie-Hobbs from the board of directors of the Company due to an unforeseen potential conflict of interest with an Adya operating subsidiary. Mr. Samer Bishay, CEO, commented "We were fortunate Ms. Jasmin Ganie-Hobbs was willing to join our board. Her resignation attests to her commitment to good corporate governance practice. We regret our mutual due diligence did not discern the subsidiary level potential conflict. More we regret losing the benefit of the contributions Ms. Ganie-Hobbs would have made to our board." ABOUT ADYA Adya is a publicly traded holding company, with offices located in Toronto, Canada, and currently a strategic shareholder in telecomunications and technology companies.



DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements herein may be "forward looking" statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Adya or the industry to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to vary significantly from the results discussed in the forward looking statements. These forward looking statements reflect current assumptions and expectations regarding future events and operating performance and are made as of the date hereof and Adya assumes no obligation, except as required by law, to update any forward looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005637/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 15:21:00|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ULAN BATOR, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia will send eight chartered flights to COVID-19-hit countries in June to evacuate its nationals, the country's foreign ministry said Friday.

About 2,000 nationals from countries include Kazakhstan, Japan, India, South Korea and Germany will be brought back, Lkhanaajav Munkhtushig, director general of the consular department at the ministry, told a press conference.

As of Friday, a total of 10,583 Mongolian citizens abroad have requested to return, said Munkhtushig.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Mongolia has evacuated about 10,000 nationals by chartered flights, buses or trains from COVID-19-hit countries, according to the country's State Emergency Commission.

So far, Mongolia has confirmed 179 COVID-19 infections, including from four foreign nationals.

All the confirmed cases were imported, mostly from Russia.

There have been no local transmissions or deaths reported in Mongolia so far. Enditem
Supplier News

29 May 2020

Data by SiteMinder, the global hotel industry's leading guest acquisition platform, today reveals that global hotel bookings in May were more than double April's YoY volume. The SiteMinder World Hotel Index shows bookings rose 137% over the four weeks from 29 April to 27 May, from 10.70% to 25.33% of 2019 levels.

Other key findings from the SiteMinder World Hotel Index include:

New Zealand was the top high riser over the last week of May, with bookings that have gone from strength-to-strength since its national lockdown began to lift earlier in the month. They now sit at over half (53.77%) of last year's booking levels and will likely accelerate further if plans proceed to allow Australian visitors from 1 July.

was the top high riser over the last week of May, with bookings that have gone from strength-to-strength since its national lockdown began to lift earlier in the month. They now sit at over half (53.77%) of last year's booking levels and will likely accelerate further if plans proceed to allow Australian visitors from 1 July. Iceland 's hotel bookings have doubled from 13.76% of 2019 levels to 27.43% over the last two weeks, and overtaken the global average. The rise follows new plans to reopen the country's borders to tourists by 15 June and cements Iceland's place beside Germany , Norway and the Netherlands as one of Europe's few markets outperforming the global average.

's hotel bookings have doubled from 13.76% of 2019 levels to 27.43% over the last two weeks, and overtaken the global average. The rise follows new plans to reopen the country's borders to tourists by 15 June and cements Iceland's place beside , and as one of Europe's few markets outperforming the global average. Portugal could be the first southern European country to re-emerge from the pandemic. Beachgoers took their first dip this past week, after the government announced a phased lifting of lockdown restrictions, and a jump in hotel bookings mirrors their excitement. In two weeks, they've surged from 8.01% of last year's levels to 22.27%.

To see how the hotel booking momentum has changed in other countriesincluding Spain, which has declared quarantine restrictions will lift this summer and urged international holidaymakers to returnaccess the live SiteMinder World Hotel Index or sign up for weekly snapshots at HomeForHotels.

About SiteMinder

In an age of rising choice and accessibility for curious travellers, SiteMinder exists to liberate hoteliers with technology that makes a world of difference. SiteMinder is the global hotel industry's leading guest acquisition platform, ranked among technology pioneers for its smart and simple solutions that put hotels everywhere their guests are, at every stage of their journey. It's this central role that has earned SiteMinder the trust of more than 35,000 hotels, across 160 countries, to generate in excess of 100 million reservations worth over US$35 billion in revenue for hotels each year. For more information, visit www.siteminder.com.
The news about the weakening of the magnetic field of the Earth losing its strength has been making headlines from quite some time now. It has been further reported that the weak spot of the magnetic field is expanding further and hence is making the magnetic field weaker. The studies that have been going on by European Space Agency has reportedly said that the Earths core has been found to determine what happens to its magnetic field.

Read Also | Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening Reveal ESA Scientists, Interfering With Satellites

The weak spot in Earth's magnetic field is further expanding

According to reports from the European Space Agency, from the past 200 years, the entire global magnetic field has lost around 9% of its strength. Moreover, since the year 1970, the South Atlantic Anomaly has weakened by 8%. Further studies are going on and ESA researchers used a set of three satellites which were collectively called Swarm.

For the unversed, the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is regarded as an area where the Earth's inner Van Allen radiation belt ( it is a zone of energetic charged particles) comes closest to the Earth's surface. The SAA area dips down to an altitude of 200 kilometres (120 mi). This further leads to an escalated flux of energetic particles in the region and exposes orbiting satellites to higher-than-usual levels of radiation.

When a weak spot in the magnetic field expands, it means that instead of repelling energetic particles, in that spot, the energetic particles are ushered. This, in turn, weakens the entire magnetic field.

An animated video has been doing the rounds on the internet which shows the anomaly from April 2014 to August 2019. The white dots on the maps are used to indicate instances in which the satellites that detect radiation. One can see their frequency increase over a period of time.

Read Also | Kennedy Space Center Weather Updates For The Historic NASA-SpaceX Astronaut Mission Launch

Although it has not been found out that what prompted the anomaly to cleave in two, Jurgen Matzka, from the German research centre for Geosciences, and his colleagues are unable to figure it out and their models cannot account for the bifurcation. Matzka told a media portal that the challenge now is to understand the processes in the core of the Earth that is driving these changes.

Credits: tto_quantum_gravity

As reported by a media portal, the Earths magnetic field exists in swirling liquid iron in the planets outer core. It exists around 1,800 miles beneath the surface of the Earth. The magnetic field is anchored by the north and the south poles, the field increases and decreases in strength undulating based on what is going on in the core of the planet. Periodic and random changes in the distribution of the turbulent liquid metal are likely to cause idiosyncrasies in the magnetic field.

Read Also | NASA-SpaceX's Historic Manned Launch To ISS Aborted Due To Bad Weather; Here's What's Next

It has been reported by ESA that in the last five decades, the South Atlantic Anomaly has moved at a rate of roughly 12 miles per year. It has also been reported by a media portal that a growing weak spot is bad news for satellites and spacecraft. The ESA reported to a media portal that the satellites flying through the region are more likely to experience technical malfunctions like a brief computer glitch that can disrupt communications.

Read Also | NASA-SpaceX 'Launch America' Mission LIVE: Bad Weather Forces Abort; Next Try In 3 Days

Image Credits: ESA
SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria will lift an obligatory 14-day quarantine from June 1 for travellers from most European Union countries, but not those states with the biggest coronavirus outbreaks, the government announced on Friday.

The quarantine will remain obligatory for travellers from Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Malta, as well as the UK, which is in a transition period after leaving the EU, according to an order issued by Health Minister Kiril Ananiev.

A ban on the entry of visitors from outside the EU will remain in place, although there will be exemptions for citizens of the Schengen zone countries, the United Kingdom, San Marino, Andorra, Monaco, Vatican City as well as Serbia and North Macedonia.

Bulgaria has eased most of the restrictive measures it imposed in March to combat the coronavirus spread, allowing restaurants, cafes, gyms and theatres to reopen and lifting a ban on travel between cities.

Last week it lifted a ban on the entry of citizens from EU countries, but imposed a 14-day quarantine. By allowing visitors from other parts of the EU it hopes to restore trade and boost summer tourism to its Black Sea resorts, hard hit by the lockdown.

The Balkan country of 7 million people registered eight new cases of the coronavirus on Friday, bringing the total registered cases to 2,475, including 136 deaths - a much lower rate than many other EU countries.

(Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova and Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Susan Fenton and Frances Kerry)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 00:43:34|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Members of the Chinese medical expert team pose for a group photo with Algerian government officials and members of the Chinese Embassy in Algeria at the Algiers International Airport in Algiers, Algeria, May 28, 2020. A team of Chinese medical experts on Thursday ended their mission to help tackle the COVID-19 epidemic in Algeria after two-week work. The Chinese medical expert team arrived in Algeria on May 14 to help fight the coronavirus, through sharing China's experiences in the spread of the contagious disease. (Xinhua)

ALGIERS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A team of Chinese medical experts on Thursday ended their mission to help tackle the COVID-19 epidemic in Algeria after two-week work.

Director of the Asia-Oceania Department of the Foreign Ministry of Algeria Boumediene Guennad expressed his country's gratitude to the Chinese medical team and spoke highly of their work.

He stressed that their work will help Algeria overcome the epidemic at an early date.

Chinese Ambassador to Algeria Li Lianhe said that the Algerian government and experts gave a high evaluation to the work of the Chinese experts during their two-week stay in the country, which will help the two sides strengthen communication and learn from each other during the fight against the COVID-19.

The Chinese medical expert team arrived in Algeria on May 14 to help fight the coronavirus, through sharing China's experiences in the spread of the contagious disease.

They carried out extensive and in-depth exchanges with their Algerian counterparts on the prevention and control measures of COVID-19, clinical treatment techniques and laboratory testing. Enditem
On Friday, May 15, I read on Facebook that at 2 p.m. the next day there was going to be an Open Napa rally at the courthouse on Third Street. Lots of people are out of work, lots of businesses are shut down, and people need haircuts. So I decided to see for myself what would be happening that day.

I arrived at the appointed time. Standing at a safe distance (across the street at the historic Courthouse) I observed a group of about 40 people waving signs reading Open Napa, My Body, My Choice, All Work is Essential, Quarantine the Sick, Not the Healthy, etc.

No Trump signs were seen, but several MAGA hats were present. Lots of American flags were present, I suppose to show patriotism. There was no social distancing between any of these folks, and only a couple of masks were being worn

There were also lots of handshakes, hugs, kisses and high fives. One man had the California flag waving on a pole, but it was upside down, the universal signal for distress. A gentle breeze wafted through the air, ensuring those microscopic droplets would be carried much farther than six feet.

As time went on, the crowd grew larger. Vehicles that drove by the rally were encouraged to honk to reopen Napa, and many did. As I watched all of this going on, a man walking his dog turned to me and said, Dont these people realize that keeping distance is one of the best ways to stop the virus?

He then went on to say, Ive just seen someone die from COVID, and it isnt pretty. In fact, its horrible.

When I left 45 minutes later, the crowd had grown to about 125.

I get it that people need to go back to work. They have bills to pay and mouths to feed. I get it that businesses need to reopen. People want to go back to services that have been taken for granted by all of us -- gyms, nail salons and barbershops. But here are a few thoughts of my own on the shutdown, and what its done for us.

California, with a population of about 40 million, was one of the first states to go into lockdown in mid-March. As of this writing, New York has had 362,155 confirmed cases, and 29,355 deaths, an 8% fatality rate. By contrast, California has had 81,833 confirmed cases, and 3,288 deaths, a 4% fatality rate. The difference? Social distancing with stay-at-home orders almost from the beginning.

Consider this idea: the shutdown is not the cause of the economic troubles. Just like banning travel from China did not stop COVID-19 from entering our country, not shutting down would not have saved the economy. Even if our economy had not been put on lockdown, it would still be way down; in fact, it could have been worse since it would have been very chaotic and harder to manage.

Had Gov. Newsom not ordered the shutdown, we would have likely seen many thousands more deaths. This would have created a level of panic. A huge portion of the states population would have self-quarantined, which on its own would have dealt a shock to the economy and caused it to go into a tailspin.

Shutting down, while dealing a hard blow to the economy, would have very likely been worse if that hadnt happened, and resulted in many more deaths. The shutdown literally saved lives.

As a society, its essential that in addition to ourselves, we take care of and watch out for one another. At his daily news briefings, Gov. Cuomo says it over and over again: I dont wear a mask for me, I wear a mask for you.

Its time to stop complaining. Its time to be responsible for one another. That means wearing your facemask in public, and keeping our distance from one another in public. I sincerely hope Im wrong, but I wouldnt be surprised if Napa County saw a spike in COVID-19 cases by the end of this month, given the virus has an incubation period of 14 days. Were better off making some hard sacrifices now, rather than suffering some hard losses in the future.

When a threat isnt fully understood, its better to overreact rather than underreact. The federal government has provided little guidance on how to proceed through this crisis. It underreacted for six weeks, allowing the virus to gain a foothold. Consequently, its up to us as responsible citizens to do all that we can to keep it contained.

Napa will reopen, but it should be in phases. Opening too quickly could result in a second shutdown, and no one wants that.

Jeff Hammond

Napa
The Department of Veterans Affairs has "ratcheted down" its use of hydroxychloroquine to treat veterans with COVID-19 as other options like the experimental drug remdesivir and convalescent plasma have become available.

VA Secretary Robert Wilkie told a House Appropriations subcommittee Thursday that VA providers used hydroxychloroquine just three times last week, down from a high of 404 patients the week of March 29.

Read More: Lawmakers Petition VA for More Data on Coronavirus Cases

Wilkie said the department's use of the medication, widely promoted as a treatment and used by President Donald Trump as a preventative -- despite no scientific evidence that the medication prevents coronavirus infections -- "peaked when it peaked in the rest of the country."

"People in sound mind asked to be given this experimental treatment. The other option was to do nothing. Everyone is learning this is in real time, and we followed FDA guidelines on this," Wilkie said.

Hydroxychloroquine, a medication used to prevent and treat malaria, as well as inflammatory diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, can have serious side effects that include disrupting normal heart rhythms.

Trump first mentioned the drug March 19 during a White House press briefing. Four days later on Twitter, he said it had a "real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine."

Earlier this month, the president said he has taken the drug as a prophylactic.

This week, the World Health Organization announced that it planned to put a temporary halt on a clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19, amid concerns that patients receiving it were dying at higher rates than those receiving standard treatments.

In justifying hydroxychloroquine's use for patients at the VA, Wilkie said "there has to be hope."

"This is a new disease. ... What I relied on was the vote of this Congress, the right to try that was endorsed by the president with his signature. This Congress was very clear, saying that if people [of] sound mind asked to be given experimental treatments -- because that may be the last thing that separates them from life and death -- that we do that," Wilkie said.

Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-New York, told Wilkie that she was disappointed the VA used the medication. "I would hope the VA would respond to the science that is clearly coming from Dr. [Anthony] Fauci, rather than some wishful thinking coming from the president."

According to a letter sent last week from Wilkie to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, the VA had given 1,300 veterans hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19.

A graph presented to the subcommittee by Wilkie showed that use of hydroxychloroquine on veteran COVID-19 patients dropped sharply after the third week of April, when the VA released the findings of a retrospective review of 368 patients, showing that 28% who received the drug died while just 11% of patients in the study who received standard care died. More than 22% of patients who received hydroxychloroquine and the antibiotic azithromycin also died.

Wilkie said the VA is increasing use of remdesivir, a medication developed by Gilead Sciences to treat Ebola, and convalescent plasma -- plasma drawn from the blood of those who survived a COVID-19 infection -- to treat the coronavirus.

Like hydroxychloroquine, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization for physicians to use remdesivir to treat COVID-19. Studies on its effectiveness remain ongoing: Last week, research published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that hospitalized patients who received it recovered four days earlier than those who received a placebo.

Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said it clearly has a "significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery."

More than 60 VA medical centers are also taking part in a study run by the Mayo Clinic on the use of convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19.

The hope is that transfusions of plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients contain antibodies that can fight the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in ill patients.

As of Thursday, at least 1,200 veterans in the VA health system had died of COVIDd-19. This does not include veterans who are not enrolled in VA health care or the 550 or more patients who have died in state-run veterans homes, according to Vietnam Veterans of America.

The VA currently is treating 1,218 active cases in its facilities.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: VA Has Spent Less Than One-Eighth of Its Emergency Pandemic Funding
By Marta Nogueira

RIO DE JANEIRO, May 29 (Reuters) - In late April, Evaldo Fidelis, a 35-year-old tractor operator at Vale SA's massive iron ore mine in northern Brazil, came down with a dry cough.

Soon, he said, six others in his crew of about 40 workers fell ill with classic symptoms of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus. Fidelis, a labor organizer who tested positive for the virus 10 days later, is far from alone.

An isolated area in Brazil's Para state centered around three Vale-owned iron ore mines - S11D, Serra Norte and Serra Leste - is home to a coronavirus outbreak that has claimed 64 lives in the nearby town of Parauapebas alone, municipal data show.

Analysts have been watching the situation at the mines, gaping pits at the edge of the Amazon rainforest that produce over 7% of the world's iron ore. Any production slowdown could affect prices for the key ingredient in steel, an indispensable part of every industry from automaking to shipbuilding.

Vale and local authorities are striking an unusual partnership to fight the outbreak. Starting on Saturday, Vale and the mayors' office said they will begin a joint program to test some 100,000 people in Parauapebas, perhaps the most widespread testing initiative undertaken by a major mining firm to date.

A city of almost 200,000 people, Parauapebas had 1,900 coronavirus cases as of Thursday, more than four times the average rate in Brazil, which has the highest caseload of any country outside the United States.

The tens of thousands of miners here have been deemed essential by the government and have been heading to work every day even as tens of million of Brazilians have been huddled inside for months due to quarantine orders.

"This is a microcosm of Brazil and the world," said Fidelis, the tractor operator. "The mining sector has really helped the pandemic spread in the region."

Vale declined to discuss the outbreak described by Fidelis or disclose the number of confirmed coronavirus cases at its mines, citing worker confidentiality.

But the company said it has taken numerous steps to help the region prepare for the virus and protect employees, including testing all workers entering its mines in Para starting April 27.

Story continues

Parauapebas officials recognized the city was in danger early on due to the movement of mining workers and specialists from outside the region, the mayor's office said in a statement. Among the measures taken, the mayor's office said, has been the closure of the local airport and a Vale-owned passenger train.

For now, Brazil's biggest miner said, the coronavirus has not materially impacted its production in the region, even after it reduced its workforce to a bare minimum needed to keep output flowing safely.

But every bed is in Parauapebas is now occupied and most new coronavirus patients are now transferred out of the city, the mayor's office told Reuters. (Reporting by Marta Nogueira; Additional reporting by Roberto Samora in Sao Paulo; Writing and additional reporting by Gram Slattery in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Christian Plumb and David Gregorio)
She has kept her newborn daughter Tullulah out of the public eye since giving birth three months ago.

But Jesinta Franklin stepped out for a leisurely stroll with her bundle of joy in Rose Bay, Sydney on Thursday.

The model, 28, was not joined by her AFL star husband Lance 'Buddy' Franklin and was instead accompanied by her parents, Valerie and Andrew Campbell.

Model mum! Jesinta Franklin stepped out for a leisurely stroll with her baby girl Tullulah and her parents, Valerie and Andrew Campbell, in Rose Bay, Sydney on Thursday

Baby Tullulah was tucked safely in her $1200 Bugaboo pram and bassinet as she was pushed around by her mother.

Jesinta took turns steering the pram down the footpath with her father Andrew.

The former Miss Universe Australia winner was dressed casually for the walk, wearing a pair of P.E Nation black leggings, a white T-shirt and a P.E Nation nylon windbreaker.

Casual stroll: Jesinta dressed casually for the walk, wearing a pair of P.E Nation black leggings, a white T-shirt and a P.E Nation nylon windbreaker

A natural: Baby Tullulah was tucked safely in her $1200 Bugaboo pram and bassinet as she was pushed around by her mother

The brunette beauty tied her short locks back into a low bun and showed off her glowing visage by going makeup free.

The outing comes after Jesinta revealed what her newborn baby really looks like.

Earlier in the day during an appearance on Channel Seven's The Morning Show, she described Tallulah's appearance in great detail - but stopped short at revealing an actual photo of the baby.

Family affair: She took turns steering the pram down the footpath with her father Andrew

'She's got a very thick crop of dark hair that sits naturally in a mohawk and from the day she was born I could put a bow in her hair if I wanted to, there's that much hair,' she gushed.

'She looks exactly like me when I was a baby, but now that she's getting a little bit older and she's starting to make more expression I see so much of Buddy in her,' she continued.

'And she's got her dad's beautiful skin, obviously with his indigenous background, which I'm so grateful for.

Baby makes three: Jesinta and her husband Lance 'Buddy' Franklin (not pictured) welcomed Tullulah in February

Self-isolation: Jesinta has kept her newborn daughter Tullulah out of the public eye since giving birth three months ago

'That was the one thing when I was pregnant. I was like, "I don't care what she looks like I just hope she has your beautiful brown skin!" So she's got his beautiful complexion.'

Host Larry Emdur then chimed in and said: 'So just confirming, she's beautiful and perfect and amazing?'

Jesinta laughed, before joking that her baby may not be as beautiful as she and Buddy thinks she is.

Proud grandparents! Jesinta's parents looked proud as punch as they took their granddaughter for a stroll on Thursday

'That's what Bud and I joke about all the time, we actually say, "she's probably really ugly and we just think she's gorgeous!"'

Jesinta and Buddy welcomed Tullulah in February.

The former Miss Universe Australia married Sydney Swans star Buddy in the Blue Mountains back in 2016.

TV appearance: The outing comes after Jesinta revealed what her newborn baby really looks like. Earlier in the day during an appearance on Channel Seven's The Morning Show, she described Tullulah's appearance in great detail - but stopped short at revealing an actual photo of the baby
For the past three days, Americans have been watching with shock, horror, and some bemusement the speed with which Minneapolis's Black Lives Matter protests about George Floyds death have morphed into a looting frenzy. Stealing things never sates a mob, though. Physical violence usually follows. So it is that one of the most disturbing images from the riots shows a howling mob brutally attacking Jennifer, a woman in a wheelchair, who took it upon herself to defend the entrance to a Target store.

Subsequent information, however, has emerged suggesting that theres more to the story than first meets the eye. Having said that, though, nothing justifies the brutal attack against Jennifer as she stationed herself outside a door of a Target that Minneapolis rioters were looting:

Video captured earlier of the elderly wheelchair-bound woman who was attacked at the Minneapolis Target during the BLM riot. In a later interview, she said she was trying to do her part in stopping the looting. She was beat on the head & sprayed in the face w/a fire extinguisher. pic.twitter.com/EpcAAF0HLY  Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) May 28, 2020

A person tries to steal items in the wheelchair womans purse. Someone then runs up from behind and hits her repeatedly on the head. #Minneapolis #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/c1nleTWhGj  Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) May 28, 2020

Now that youve watched the video, here are the caveats, none of which excuses the mob, but some of which suggest that Jennifer isnt quite the innocent she seems. First, there is footage showing that a woman who probably is Jennifer could walk:

This JENNIFER IS THAT ENOUGH lady grabbed a knife, hopped on an electric wheelchair, and drove prepared to lay her life down for her local target



The weirdest part is....she can walk just fine?!?







pic.twitter.com/PseZgIbBCB  Daniel Bostic (@debostic) May 28, 2020

Of course, being able to walk doesnt mean you dont need to rely heavily on a wheelchair. Weve all known people who can walk limited distances but who must still use a wheelchair for most of their mobility.

Second, Jennifers not old. In footage of her after the event, you can see that shes probably in her thirties or forties:

She was peacefully protesting against the looters by blocking the door. They beat and robbed her. pic.twitter.com/93pj65tuoz  Cassandra Fairbanks (@CassandraRules) May 28, 2020

Jennifers younger age doesnt excuse what happened to her. It just makes her an ever-so-slightly less sympathetic victim.

Third, it is true that Jennifer had a knife. The blade was about two inches long. You can see her wave it both in the footage showing her walking and in the footage where shes stationed outside the store. Apparently, she was stabbing people with the knife as they left Target with their stolen goods.

I dont know the law in Minnesota, but as a general rule, its illegal to use lethal force against a property crime when youre not personally at risk. Of course, both the looters and the surrounding mob could have protected themselves by leaving her (and the Target) alone. Instead, they attacked her with unparalleled ferocity.

Fourth, what Jennifer did was foolhardy. If youre in a wheelchair, you're asking for trouble if you put yourself between a large corporate enterprise and a looting mob, especially if you're armed with a small knife that inflames their passions rather than protesting you.

With those caveats in mind, whats fascinating, in an ugly way, is the self-righteousness of the people attacking Jennifer, as well as their Twitter supporters. The mobs members are looting a store  that is, engaged in criminal behavior  yet the response to Jennifers being attacked is high dudgeon that, despite being handicapped, she is trying to protect against a property crime (with the caveat that her conduct may be illegal). Additionally, many people saw Jennifer as a racial predator, not a victim of the mob:

Haha am surprised. In the middle of looting spree involved by all races, a white woman in a wheelchair decides to take some stabbing initiative SELECTIVELY targeting BLACKS ONLY.  Abdifatah Yussuf MB (@BeingAbdulfatah) May 28, 2020

that woman in the wheelchair had a knife and was attacking black people. she is not even handicapped nor elderly. she is in her 30s and had gotten out of her wheelchair to stab someone. dont paint this woman as a victim. https://t.co/lGfZ7D3mVM  aj  ACAB !! (@kousanoo) May 28, 2020

Gypsy Rose is 30, not elderly. She CAN walk, and she walked over to stab someone. She ALSO brought a fucking KNIFE to STAB MEMBERS OF BLM. She let white people walk by so she could specifically STAB black people. She used a wheelchair to appear helpless, then attacked. pic.twitter.com/cKY27KFm4J  Cory Nickname Thompson (@CoryThomps) May 28, 2020

The Gypsy Rose reference is to Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who murdered her Munchausen mother after the latter forced her into a wheelchair for years.

Its noteworthy that this dudgeon was missing eight months ago when a mob of black men outside a Target store brutally beat a white man whose cell phone they wished to steal:

Likewise, there were no riots when a black man threw a little white boy off a balcony at Minneapoliss Mall of America, almost killing the child. (Thankfully, the child seems to have recovered well.)

As always, pay attention to the fact that (with apologies to Tom Wolfe), the dark night of racism and income inequality is always descending in Americas conservative heartland and yet lands only in its Democrat-run cities. Leftist policies created this situation because Democrat-run cities have abandoned the rule of law and the free market in favor of policies that see the government try to force economic and racial outcomes.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- The long-running Libyan civil war appears to be staggering toward a finale. In recent days, the forces of General Khalifa Haftar, who controls the marginalized east and south of the country, have been forced to withdraw from their stalled offensive against the capital, Tripoli. It is a triumph for the internationally recognized Government of National Unity, led by the elected prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj.

But the fighting is not simply a domestic issue  Libyas civil war has become a proxy for regional and global power geopolitics. It is also a legacy of the way in which the West abandoned the country a decade ago.

The Tripoli government is supported strongly by Turkey, while Haftars coalition is backed by Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France and a smattering of other nations operating clandestinely. Haftars defeat may be an opening for a negotiated settlement, but it will require those outside nations to push the warring sides to the table. The U.S. and European Union also have a role to play.

Libya has Africas largest oil reserves, but production has cratered to almost nothing from over 1.6 million barrels daily before the fall of the dictator Moammar Al Qaddafi a decade ago. All of this could have been avoided. Libya also has gorgeous beaches and an educated, middle-class population; it could have become a kind of Dubai on the Mediterranean. But it all fell apart in 2011. As supreme allied commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, I oversaw a significant Western intervention following Qaddafis threats to destroy the eastern city of Benghazi and create a river of blood, as his son Saif put it. The United Nations Security Council passed resolutions calling on NATO to set up an arms embargo from the sea, a no-fly zone in the air, and to take all necessary combat measures to stop the dictator under the international legal doctrine of responsibility to protect.

The NATO coalition I led was joined by many Arab nations in close support, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the U.A.E. Our mission was not to overthrow Qaddafi per se. But his regime was weakened by NATO efforts, including a precise bombing campaign. The rebellious population eventually overthrew him, and he was brutally killed by a mob.

Story continues

At that moment, unfortunately, the resolve of the West was weak. NATO, its military mission complete, withdrew. I looked with disappointment at the EU and the rest of the global community refusing to remain and stabilize the situation. Libya descended into the chaos it still suffers today. The ancient animosities inside the country are largely tribal at heart, and rooted in resentments between the relatively wealthier west and the oil-poor east and south.

In the aftermath of the NATO intervention, I met with Haftar, a dual Libyan-U.S. citizen who lived near Washington for years. I was impressed with his energy and drive, and hoped he could be part of resolving the tensions in the country after the NATO mission departed.

But as the civil war has dragged on since 2014, Haftar has led a campaign to dominate the country militarily, leading nations from across the region to intervene either for or against him. Turkey has been particularly engaged, throwing its support behind the Tripoli government. Russia joined the Arab states supporting Haftar, sending in a comically inept mercenary force, the Wagner Group, to try and swing events in the generals favor. The mercenaries were ignominiously airlifted out this week, but Russian air power is reportedly being deployed in support of Haftars troops.

Nonetheless, the Tripoli government sounds increasingly confident in its ground game, and Turkish air power (including sophisticated drones) is having strong effect. The whole thing is an echo of the so-called Great Game the British and Russians waged in Central Asia in the 19th century, but now playing out in North Africa.

All of this occurs as the coronavirus spreads across the region and many global powers, including the U.S., are highly distracted. Yet there have been thousands of deaths and more than 200,000 people displaced from their homes in the last year alone. More fighting will also mean more illegal migration north to Europe over dangerous sea routes.

The U.S. hasnt been totally AWOL. In late January, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attended an international conference in Berlin that sought to push the warring sides toward negotiations. But Turkey and Russia, motivated by oil wealth and regional leverage, never reached a deal. Now, perhaps, the setbacks to Haftars forces will reopen a chance for peace.

For the U.S., the best course is to partner with the EU to restart talks somewhere in Western Europe. They should press Turkey, a NATO ally, to negotiate with Russia on each reducing military support; aim to get agreement from the Gulf Arabs (who no longer have teeming oil wealth allowing them to intervene abroad) and Egypt to let the Libyans sort it out internally; help build a cease-fire that could restart the oil production; and provide humanitarian assistance in containing the coronavirus.

Losing a brutal dictator only to fall into a decade of war has been a sad outcome for the 6 million Libyans. For the U.S. and Europe, helping them find a path to peace is not just a humanitarian imperative  it is a direct responsibility, given the dire way in which the 2011 NATO intervention turned out.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

James Stavridis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a retired U.S. Navy admiral and former supreme allied commander of NATO, and dean emeritus of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is also an operating executive consultant at the Carlyle Group and chairs the board of counselors at McLarty Associates.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Joy Powell (Agence France-Presse) Minneapolis, United States  Fri, May 29, 2020 11:15 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdadca0f 2 World US,Racism,racial-tension,racial-issues,racial-abuse Free

Authorities in Minneapolis and its sister city St. Paul got reinforcements from the National Guard on Thursday as they girded for fresh protests and violence over the shocking police killing of a handcuffed black man.

After stores were looted and burned overnight Wednesday in Minneapolis, officials in the so-called Twin Cities warned they would not tolerate violence while seeking to assure that investigations into George Floyd's death were underway.

Hundreds of people began marching in Minneapolis in the late afternoon, while in St. Paul, just to the east, police said there was ongoing looting.

"We know there's a lot of anger. We know there's a lot of hurt," said St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtel.

"But we can't tolerate people using this as an opportunity to commit crimes," he said.

"We are not going to tolerate our buildings being burned down."

At the request of both cities, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called up hundreds of National Guard troops and state police to help with security.

"George Floyd's death should lead to justice and systemic change, not more death and destruction," he said.

Outrage spreads

Three days after a policeman was filmed holding his knee to Floyd's neck for more than five minutes until he went limp, outrage continued to spread over the latest example of police mistreatment of African Americans.

Floyd's family demanded the officer and three others who were present, all since fired from their jobs, face murder charges.

"Justice is these guys need to be arrested, convicted of murder and given the death penalty," Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, told CNN.

"But people are torn and hurting because they are tired of seeing black men die, constantly, over and over again."

Two national African American leaders, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, arrived in Minneapolis and urged more protests.

Jackson called Floyd's death a "lynching in broad daylight."

Sharpton said videos, including police bodycam footage, were all the evidence needed to arrest the police officers involved.

"We are going to make sure that this prosecution goes down," said Sharpton.

Case is 'top priority'

The videos appeared to show that Floyd had not fought back when he was arrested Monday on a low-level charge of using a counterfeit banknote.

After his arrest, the police handcuffed him and held him to the ground, with a bystander video showing one officer pressing his knee on the neck of Floyd, who repeatedly cried that he couldn't breathe until he went silent and limp. He was later declared dead.

Local and federal investigators said they were working the explosive case as fast as they could.

"The Department of Justice has made the investigation in this case a top priority," said Erica MacDonald, the US federal attorney for Minnesota.

"To be clear, President [Donald] Trump, as well as Attorney General William Barr, are directly and actively monitoring the investigation in this case."

The White House said Trump was "very upset" upon seeing the "egregious, appalling" video footage and demanded his staff see that the investigation was given top priority.

"He wants justice to be served," Trump's press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters.

Tear gas and rubber bullets

Demonstrators clashed with law enforcement, looted stores and set fires to shops and a construction site overnight Wednesday in the busy Lake Street corridor of Minneapolis, and were met with police tear gas and rubber bullets.

One person died of a gunshot wound, and police were reportedly investigating whether he was shot by a store owner.

The case of Floyd, a 46-year-old restaurant security guard, was seen as the latest in a long series of unjustified police killings of black civilians.

It evoked memories of riots in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014 after a policeman shot dead an African American man suspected of robbery, and the case earlier the same year of New Yorker Eric Garner, who died after New York police put him in an illegal chokehold as they tried to detain him for selling cigarettes.

Sympathy protests erupted in other cities.

Several hundred people demonstrated in New York's Union Square on Thursday, leading to at least five arrests.

In Los Angeles, where there are longstanding tensions between law enforcement and black residents, protesters marched Wednesday on downtown and briefly blocked a major freeway.

Activists were planning a rally Friday in downtown Washington near the White House.

Ilhan Omar, a black Somalia native who represents Minneapolis in Congress, called for calm but said there was "extreme frustration" in the community over the incident.

"Anger really is boiling over because justice still seems out of reach," she said.
On Demand

We have a new story every day on the front page of thephuketnews.com. Also like us on our Facebook page (facebook.com/thephuketnews) and be the first to watch all the new stories. Finally you can watch any segment, any time by going to thephuketnews.com/tv where all the stories are listed for you to enjoy. All our programs can be enjoyed in High Definition when watching on the internet.

In-Room VDO
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 23:16:01|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A spokesperson of China's Ministry of National Defense on Friday criticized a report recently released by the White House on its strategic approach to China.

"We are strongly dissatisfied with the report and firmly oppose it," said Ren Guoqiang, the spokesperson of the ministry, at a press conference in response to a media question, noting that the report is full of wrong assumptions, judgments and conclusions.

The U.S. report ignored facts, deliberately distorted China's political system and strategic intention, hyped up the so-called "China threat" theory, and trumpeted an all-dimensional hardline policy against China, Ren said.

The report is dominated by the Cold War and hegemonic mentalities, he added.

Speaking of the situation in the South China Sea, Ren said the United States is the true promoter of the militarization of the South China Sea, noting that the U.S. side has dispatched military vessels and aircraft to this region for reconnaissance and military drills.

Ren urged the U.S. side to respect the hard efforts made by countries in the region to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. Enditem
What I loved about Mrs. America was how often it explored the nuances of hierarchy: how white women gained access to power via their access to white men, how that power is poisoned and poisonous. The word privilege is used a lot, but not how we think of it now. Phyllis Schlaflys anti-ERA movement has a slogan: Stop Taking Our Privileges. She means the privilege of being taken care of. Her members dont have to work. They dont have to be independent. It is white mens job to worry for them, to defend them, to create a society that benefits them.
Craft soda or micro manufacturers are traditional small batch manufactured soda products. Craft soda is flavored carbonated drinks widely categorized under soft drinks. The craft soda majorly comes under non-traditional soft drink flavoring to attract a lot of consumers looking for alternatives. The craft soda market has already seen a high growth is past few years with private labels and local players dominating the market over the globe. Over the forecast period, the craft soda market is expected to maintain such substantial growth rate. Craft soda market is expected to be driven by the rising youth population over the region with high youth population share and its placing over the market as an alternative to monotonous soft drinks offering globally.

The craft soda market is anticipated to be driven by the increasing demand for alternative offering in monotonous mature markets. The soft drink segment has not seen any significant new offering, been dominated by 2 major global players for decades. Also, clean labels and the organic source are anticipated to drive the craft soda market by the rising demand from ethical buyers over the globe.

The craft soda market is expected to get restraint by the competitive offering by the major food and beverage manufacturers to capture the untapped market over the forecast period.

Get More Information: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/9541

On the basis of source, the craft soda market is segmented into organic and conventional. The organic segment is expected to dominate the craft soda market over the forecast period owing to the global trend of organic food and beverage.

On the basis of packaging, the craft soda market is segmented into glass, P.E.T, pouches, and cans. Glass segment is expected to dominate over the forecast period resulted by the traditional packaging used by the major producer to bring an ancient accent to their offerings.

On the basis of flavor, the craft soda market is segmented into root beer, orange, passion fruit, berries, tropical fruits and others. Root beer an orange to hold a larger share over the forecast period.

On the basis of the distribution channel, the craft soda market is segmented into direct and indirect. The indirect segment is further sub-segmented into modern trade, specialty stores, convenience stores, e-commerce, and other store formats. The indirect segment is expected to dominate over the forecast period.

Craft Soda Market: Region-wise Outlook: North America is anticipated to capture a large share on the basis of value owing to its traditional market for crafts soda. Europe to follow North America in terms of value share for craft soda market. Asia-pacific to witness high growth rate in craft soda market due to the faster adoption of western market offerings into the region. Latin America and the Middle East and Africa to also witness significant growth over the forecast period in craft soda market.

Request For Table of Contents: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/requesttoc/9541

Tuxen Brewing Co., Justcraft Soda, Five Star Soda, Batch Craft Soda, Brooklyn Organics, Blue Sky, Dry Soda Co., Excel Bottling, and Bai brands.

The Craft Soda market has been segmented as follows:

Global Craft Soda Market, by Material Type

 Expanded polystyrene (EPS)

o Fabricated EPS

o Molded EPS

 Vacuum insulated panel (VIP) solutions

 Polyurethane (PUR)

 Others

Global Craft Soda Market, by Product Type

 Phase Change Materials (PCMs)

 Gel Packs & Bricks

 Insulated shipping containers

o Parcel Containers

o Pallet Containers

 Temperature Loggers

 Others

Global Craft Soda Market, by Application Type

 Pharmaceutical Packaging

 Health care & clinical trial distribution

 Medical device Packaging

 Others

Global Craft Soda Market, by Geography

 North America

o U.S.

o Canada

o Rest of North America

 Europe

o U.K.

o Germany

o France

o Rest of Europe

 Asia Pacific

o India

o China

o Japan

o Rest of Asia Pacific

 ROW

Make an Enquiry Before Buying @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/9541/Single
Two Democrats are competing in the June 2 primary election for the chance to run in November against Republican incumbent Tim Hennessey in the 26th House District.

Hennessey, the most senior Republican in the House of Representatives, announced in January his intention to seek a 14th term.

The two Democratic contenders are Paul Friel, 50, and Frank Gillen, 27.

Friel, who is a member of the Owen J. Roberts School Board, is the owner of Pace Environmental.

Gillen, who has never held elected office, is a senior financial analyst at BNY Mellon.

Gillen said he was inspired to run for office due to the current political climate in our country.

I believe too many of the current elected officials in both our national and state government are career politicians that are not doing right by their constituents. I am not a career politician, and I believe with my experience in the financial sector, I can make much more efficient and responsible changes to the states fiscal policy that would increase the benefits given back to the people of the 26th District, without increasing the tax burden on the taxpayers, Gillen wrote in response to a MediaNews Group candidate questionnaire.

Additionally, given our countrys current state, I believe that I have the ideal skill set to contribute to our state governments short and long-term plan for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, Gillen wrote.

Friel wrote this district and the surrounding area are changing, and we need to elect reasonable people who will represent our communities, not play party politics. As I ran for school board and understood the inequity of school funding and the burden Harrisburg places on local property tax to fund Public schools, I began to understand the impact this office could have.

Friel added, I thought about it seriously and committed only when I was convinced that I could make a difference.

Asked what he considers to be the most important issue facing the district, Gillen wrote, I believe the most important issue facing my district-borough-township is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Issues such as health care, unemployment, and financial stability have been some of the most impactful issues people are facing. If elected, I plan on addressing each issue diligently.

The pandemic has forced us all to become acclimated with a new normal. I believe that in addition to the safety standards currently in place, that we need to come up with industry specific standards that would give business the greatest chance to remain open while still maintaining a flattening of the curve approach, wrote Gillen.

When addressing health care, I believe that all people that reside in Pennsylvania should be provided a standard insurance that covers all life-threatening illnesses, accidents, or disabilities. This would include any necessary prescription coverage, Gillen wrote.

Regarding unemployment, I believe that the current unemployment system is failing the people of Pennsylvania. The time efficiency of the application process itself needs to be improved immediately, so that individuals who apply for it can be assisted as soon as possible. Additionally, there needs to be a greater effort in strengthening the programs that assist an someone who is unemployed in regaining new employment, wrote Gillen.

Friel wrote that the biggest challenge facing families, our state government and our nation will be the recovery from the Covid-19 virus and its economic aftermath. The economic impact will have a dramatic effect on the state economy, public education and especially hard hit will be hospitality, small business, agriculture, and employees who lost income or have become unemployed as a result of the crisis.

Friel wrote that the quick short-term relief programs put into place by federal and state governments will not be the full solution. Long term thoughtful and targeted strategies will need to be enacted to meet the demands of specific communities and industries and must help working families and businesses recover and emerge financially healthy.

Friel added, my experience as a businessperson informs my understanding of our local economy and its place as one of the most critical elements in the functioning of good government. A healthy local economy provides the means for businesses to hire, families to prosper and investments to be made in our communities. Two key priorities in addition to the economic recovery are Public education funding reform and access to affordable quality healthcare.

The 26th House District includes the Chester County townships of North Coventry, South Coventry, East Coventry, East Vincent, Warwick, East Nantmeal, West Nantmeal, Wallace, Honey Brook, West Caln and West Sadsbury; and the boroughs of Elverson, Honey Brook and part of Pottstown.

First elected in 1992, Hennessey, 72, has served as a representative in the House for 27 years.

In 2018, he easily fended off a challenge from Democrat Pam Hacker, a construction electrician from East Vincent  by 55 percent to 45 percent.
Last week authorities in India announced the capture of a suspicious pigeon believed to be a spy from neighboring Pakistan. Now the birds owner is demanding that his bird be set free

The alleged spy was captured on Sunday by villagers in the disputed region of Kashmir, between India and Pakistan. The pigeon caught the peoples attention right away, because of its unusual pink color and a ring with a strange code around one of its legs. They immediately called the regional police, who detained the bird on charges of spying while they tried to decipher the code on its ring. Now a Pakistani villager has come out to dispute the charges, saying that the pigeon was his and the ring around its leg isnt an elaborate code, but his phone number, in case something happened to the bird.

Photos: ANI

After Indias Border Security Force announced the capture of another Pakistani spy pigeon, Pakistani newspaper Dawn managed to track down the birds alleged owner, a man named Habib Ullah from the village of Bagga-Shakargarh, just 4 kilometres from the border with the disputed Kashmir region. To celebrate Eid, he painted the wings of some of his birds and released them as symbols of peace, love and tolerance. He never imagined that one of them would fly into India and be labeled a spy.

The pigeon had reportedly wound up in the house of a woman in the Indian-administered Kashmir region, who had caught it and handed it over to the Border Security Force. An investigation into an alleged spying operation by Pakistan was announced soon after, and the bird was taken into custody, and placed in a cage.

Photo: E-News Pakistan

Though birds have no boundaries and many fly across international borders during migration, a coded ring tagged to the captured pigeons body is a cause for concern as migratory birds dont have such rings, Indian police told the Times of India newspaper.

Meanwhile, Habib Ullah claims that the ring only bears his phone number, and is urging Indian prime-minister Narendra Modi to return the pigeon with full protocol and due respect. He and others in Bagga-Shakargarh have been protesting the pigeons arrest over the last few days, showing off his collection of pink-painted pigeons as proof that there was nothing special about the captured one.



Interestingly, this isnt the first time that India has captured a so-called spy pigeon from Pakistan. A similar case made news headlines in 2015, when a pigeon was captured in the village of Manwal, four kilometers from the India-Pakistan border.
Migrant workers in the country are in the thick of an acute crisis caused by the Covid-19 lockdown, but academics say that the worst is yet to come. Migration of workers from cities could result in the middle-classes shelling out more for local labour that is likely to replace the migrant labourers.

But more importantly, the dire circumstances of the poor combined with the demand for cheap labour could result in more children being forced to work in factories, argues Rahul Suresh Sapkal, assistant professor, Centre for Labour Studies, School of Management and Labour Studies, TISS, Mumbai, in this interview to News18.

Edited Excerpts:

Despite repeated pleas by the Prime Minister, stories of lay-offs have become a regular feature. Do you see this trend continue?

Several state governments themselves changed their labour laws which effectively make it easier to lay-off workers. Lay-offs are going to be a major trend in times to come, I fear. It is inevitable because many businesses will go bust unless they lay-off a portion of their workforce. Unless the state governments intervene or the Centre provides a fiscal stimulus, this trend is going to hold its own.

How big of a difference do you think the packages announced by the union finance minister have made to the migrant workers?

When we look into the second tranche of the Aatmanirbhar package we see only a grand scheme. Does it mean that cash will be transferred to the workers? That is not going to be the case. Announcing a scheme is one thing, for the workers to access the benefits of that scheme is a completely different thing.

To access the benefits of such a scheme, you need to prove that you are a worker, for that you need to show details of your employer. If your employer is not recognised, which is the case for a lot of workers, you're not going to get any benefits. Within Maharashtra alone, 3 lakh workers are out of the purview of such schemes for this very reason.

Secondly, the social security schemes in themselves haven't seen a substantial increase in fund allocations. And many existing schemes are already underutilised. One needs to see the fresh capital that's infused into these recently announced schemes. But the details of these schemes are still not available to us.

The mass migration of workers back to their homes is likely to put a huge strain on the already stressed resources of the rural economy and the shortage of manpower could affect economies in cities. How do you look at these issues?

When so many workers are going back to their villages, it will naturally stress the rural economy. Rural wages will fall. MGNREGA may also not be able to solve many problems because prior to March 31, payments of Rs 18,000 crore due to the workers are already pending.

There is also another problem with MGNREGA scheme as it is today.

In 2015, the current central government changed the provisions of MGNREGA in a way that 60% of its budget went into capital investment and only 40% went into paying wages. Even if the government is able to utilise maximum of that 40% budget, how many workers can it employ? It needs to make changes and allocate at least 80% of the budget to paying wages.

Now with regard to the crisis in the cities, with so many workers leaving, there will be a shortage of manpower, so the wages of those who replace the migrant workers there will increase. This will put the middle-class under greater stress since they will have to pay more to get their works done.

But my greatest worry is that a new trend will emerge soon. Earlier, we used to see inter-state migration of people. Now we will see intra-state migration and these workers will be in a desperate situation. My worry is that this situation will give rise to child labour. In order to sustain, the industries will demand cheap labour and this could give rise to young children being forced to work in factories and industries. Unless the state intervenes, this trend is likely to pick up soon.
U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald and Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman on Thursday asked for the public to remain calm as they investigate the death of George Floyd.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on Monday in Minneapolis after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes. The incident was recorded, and Floyd is heard saying, "I can't breathe." The four officers involved in the incident were fired on Tuesday, and Freeman told CNN all have invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

MacDonald and Freeman held a joint press conference, which started about two hours late. MacDonald said they "thought we would have another development I could tell you about. Unfortunately, we don't at this point." Both her office and the FBI are conducting a "robust and meticulous investigation," she said, adding that their "highest priority is that justice will be served."

Freeman said his job is to prove the officer who kneeled on Floyd "violated a criminal statute. And there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge. We need to wade through all of that evidence and come to a meaningful decision, and we are doing that to the best of our ability." He called the video showing the incident "graphic, horrific, and terrible," and asked the public to understand the need to remain calm as the investigation continues. "Sometimes that takes a little time, and we ask people to be patient," he said. "We have to get this right."

More stories from theweek.com

Amy Klobuchar didn't prosecute officer at center of George Floyd's death

Minnesota governor says Trump's Minneapolis tweets are 'just not helpful'

'A riot is the language of the unheard,' Martin Luther King Jr. explained 53 years ago


BRASILIA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has faced more criticisms after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a travel ban on non-U.S. citizens from the South American country, as the COVID-19 epidemic is getting worse in Brazil.

The U.S. move has provided Bolsonaro's foes with new arsenals to satirize the Brazilian leader.

"Even the US - whose president's boots he licks - has banned the entry of Brazilians." Valmir Assuncao, a congressman from the left-wing Workers party, tweeted.

"Is Bolsonaro going to keep marching around with the American flag now?" Alice Portugal, a Communist party lawmaker, tweeted.

The local newspaper Estado de Minas put the headline "The US to Brazil: Stay at your own home" on its front page, alongside an image of Bolsonaro's supporters holding a U.S. flag.

The United States announced the travel ban on Sunday as the number of recorded COVID-19 cases in Brazil rose to more than 363,000 and the death toll neared 23,000.

Bolsonaro used to tout his close relationship with Trump as a proof that he was leading Brazil in the right direction, and his supporters frequently wave the U.S. flag at rallies as well.
A firing squad in North Korea executed a married couple who were trying to escape the country along with their 14-year-old nephew.

The two victims were revealed to be from the Ryanggang province near Chinese territory tried to cross the border earlier this month amid the quarantine restrictions, according to a source of Radio Free Asia.

Shot to the back

The couple were believed to be in their 50s and tried to bring their nephew to his parents, who also defected to South Korea.

"The boy's father, who escaped to South Korea, had asked his sister to bring his son to him," said one resident of Ryanggang who asked for anonymity.

The New York Post reported that North Korean border security had been tightened due to the coronavirus pandemic, which made any attempts to cross the region extremely dangerous and risky.

The captors tortured the two prisoners into confessing their plans about their escape before having a firing squad execute them for their "crimes." They spared their nephew, however, due to his young age.

The North Korean supreme leader has ordered the punishment of any person who tries to escape the country during the emergency period aimed to stifle the coronavirus infection.

The couple had no way to avoid their fates because they attempted to flee to South Korea.

One other Ryanggang resident who wished to remain anonymous said that the story of the couple has been spreading around the region.

The rumours state that two residents were shot to death as they were trying to escape the border and most people were shaken by the fact that they were killed for merely attempting to flee.

Also Read: Is Kim Jong-un a Time Traveller? Leader's Claim of Bending Time and Space Debunked

Residents expressed their frustrations to government officials as they state that trying to flee the country is not wrong, and even more amid current situations the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in which made it difficult to make ends meet.

North Korean officials reassured that its borders are free of the coronavirus infection and that it has internally lectured its citizens to inform them that three parts of the country are affected by the virus which includes the capital Pyongyang.

According to Daily Mail, North Korea's Kim Jong-un is trying to hide the severity of the coronavirus within his country to act strong and prevent any threat to their regime.

Cover-up to show strength

The director of Korean studies at the Center for National Interest, Harry Kazianis said, "Considering how there are many porous sections of the North Korea-China border and how the Kim regime depends on illegal trade to survive, it is clear the virus has come to North Korea."

A few South Korean media outlets have reported that the North has multiple cases of the coronavirus and that there is a possibility of deaths as well.

Former project manager for the World Health Organization (WHO), Nagi Shafik, said that malnourishment of North Korean citizens could lead to vulnerabilities to the virus. North Korea lacks necessary medicinal supplies and is even more challenging to obtain in rural regions, he added.

Related Article: Kim Jong-Un Reappears: North Korea Wants New Policies for 'Nuclear War Deterrence'

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Barefoot CEO Christopher Hotchkiss, who left the helm of San Antonios CaptureRx last year amid allegations he threatened managers and employees, may be plotting a comeback.

A court filing this month alleges Hotchkiss, known for strolling around the office sans shoes, has been attempting to regain control of the health care technology company he co-founded in 2000.

A company board meeting that had been planned for Thursday to consider the addition of Hotchkiss relatives to the board  allegedly as a maneuver to orchestrate his reinstatement as CEO  was foiled by a judges ruling Tuesday.

Its the latest twist in a widening legal drama unfolding in state District Court in San Antonio. Long-time associates now are squaring off as foes in a battle slated to resume at a hearing Monday.

At stake is the leadership of CaptureRx, regarded as one of the largest technology employers located downtown.

On ExpressNews.com: Accused of making threats and creating a toxic workplace, San Antonio health care CEO resigns

Hotchkiss, 51, already may believe hes back in charge, based on a May 1 email he purportedly sent to Holly Russo, described in a court filing as CaptureRxs acting CEO.

I am CEO (because) I was asked repeatedly, Hotchkiss said. I did not want this.

The same day, Hotchkiss sent another email instructing a CaptureRx employee to grant him a security card for access to the companys building and a new email address.

Hotchkiss didnt immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday. A CaptureRx spokeswoman said in an email the company had no comment.

CaptureRx acts as an administrator for hospitals, clinics and health centers participating in the 340B program, a government initiative requiring pharmaceutical companies to sell drugs at a discount to health care providers caring for under-served populations.

Hotchkiss takes credit for spearheading CaptureRxs expansion to more than 180 employees and annual revenue topping $45 million. (In a court document in another case, Hotchkiss puts the figures at more than 100 employees and more than $18 million in annual revenue.)

Jesus and the Dalai Lama

A San Antonio Express-News profile of Hotchkiss a year ago portrayed him as a boss who dislikes shoes but treads a path of eccentric excellence. He peppered his conversations with references to Jesus and the Dalai Lama, both of whom he claims as role models. His left forearm bares a tattoo of the musical notes from Heaven, a tune by 1980s pop star Bryan Adams that Hotchkiss and his wife adore.

On ExpressNews.com: Like a resurrected hippie, this barefoot CEO takes on health care titans

Hotchkiss shared that he had planned to resign in 2018 to spend more time with family and for other personal reasons, but chose to stay with CaptureRx.

I wont abandon them, he vowed, referencing employees and clients.

Yet, about two months later, Hotchkiss abruptly quit as CEO. In a lawsuit last month against NEC Networks LLC, which does business as CaptureRx, he expressed growing frustration with certain executives and board members for his decision to leave in late July. He cited their acts to undermine and impede his ability to perform his duties.

The Express-News later reported that Hotchkisss departure came amid accusations that he had made threats against board members and the family of an employee. A worker called police to the companys office on East Houston. Management posted an armed guard at the entrance.

Hotchkiss denied he made any threats, though he admitted to punching through walls twice and screaming at employees.

I can get emotional when my employees make significant mistakes, he said.

In another lawsuit filed in October, Hotchkiss alleged Jose Padilla, who was CaptureRxs general counsel and Hotchkisss successor as co-CEO, falsely and maliciously accused Hotchkiss of threatening physical harm to Padillas family.

The suit adds, CaptureRx employees were frightened by Padillas conduct and Padillas characterizations of Hotchkisss alleged threats of violence.

Hotchkiss alleges in both lawsuits that CaptureRx and Padilla defamed him by publishing false statements about him. That has caused himfinancial injury and damage to his reputation in the pharmaceutical industry and San Antonio business community, the suits say.

Hotchkiss seeks more than $1 million in damages from each.

On ExpressNews.com: Ex-CEO sues San Antonios CaptureRx for slander

Padilla disputed the allegations and asked the court to award Hotchkiss nothing. Padillas tenure as co-CEO was short-lived  he departed in September. Hotchkiss alleges CaptureRx terminated Padilla following an employees anonymous complaint about the lawyers aggressive and threatening behavior.

Marc Tolliver, a Dallas attorney representing Padilla, said the allegations are without merit.

This suitagainst Mr. Padilla is just another example of Mr. Hotchkisss attempt to intimidate anyone he happens to disagree with, Tolliver said.

A $3 million loan

CaptureRx, meanwhile, has leveled its own charges against Hotchkiss. Hes accused in an April 23 countersuit of defaulting on a nearly $3 million loan. He skipped 15 biweekly payments of $37,500, a $550,000 payment that was due in March, and owes $12,000 in overdue interest, its says. The notes balance exceeds $1 million, according to a court filing.

In addition, CaptureRx called Hotchkisss complaint a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, also known as a SLAPP suit. Its intended to censor, intimidate and silence the company and employees, who lawfully made police reports complaining of and responding to (Hotchkisss) erratic, unprofessional, disturbed and threatening behaviorby attempting to burden them with the cost of a legal defense until they abandon their criticism, opposition or complaints.

Two minority shareholders  Billy Tauzin and Talmage J. Whitehead  joined the fray this month by filing their own lawsuit objecting to what they say is a self-serving coup hatched by Hotchkiss and his relatives. The suit was brought on behalf of themselves and the company.

Tauzin is a one-time chief lobbyist for the drug industry and former Louisiana congressman who famously helped doom President Bill Clintons health care reform.

Whitehead is the CFO of an Arkansas health care provider.

Tauzin was a Hotchkiss backer when interviewed last year. He likened Hotckiss to a resurrected hippie.

Ive never met a CEO like him, Tauzin said. Hes a strange mix, but hes delightful.

Texas Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox

According to the pairs lawsuit, CaptureRxs board is composed of three managers: Hotchkisss father Lyle and brother Richard, and Whitehead.

Richard Hotchkiss and Whitehead oppose Christopher Hotchkisss return, the suit says.

A plan to stack the board

To overcome the opposition votes, the suit alleges, Christopher Hotchkiss and his father have been attempting to appoint Lyles brother Lee and his son John Hotchkiss  Christophers uncle and cousin  to the board.

The Hotchkisses plan is to stack the board in their favor to have the votes to reinstate Christopher Hotchkiss as CEO or board manager. The suit alleges Lyle doesnt have the authority to take such action.

The Hotchkisses are attempting to change the composition of the Board, so Chris Hotchkiss can control a puppet Board, in order to dismiss the Counter-claim against him, forgive his substantial debt to the company, and ratify a new employment agreement, which, upon information and belief, provides grossly excessive compensation and benefits, Tauzin and Whiteheads suit alleges.

Even though Hotchkiss quit as CEO, he continued to serve as a company manager. Tauzin and Whitehead accuse Hotchkiss of charging more than $100,000 to a company credit card during a 10-day trip to Hawaii that had no credible business purpose related to the Company. They say he owes the company close to $2 million.

A vote to remove Hotchkiss

Six days after Hotchkiss sued CaptureRx on April 7, shareholders voted to remove him as a company manager.

Lyle Hotchkiss supported the termination, acknowledging that his sons involvement in the management was against the best interests of the Company, Tauzin and Whiteheads complaint says.

At a May 7 board meeting, the suit continues, Lyle Hotchkiss introduced his brother Lee and nephew John as new company managers. Its not clear what led to Lyle Hotchkiss apparent change of heart, if the lawsuit is to be believed.

Lyle Hotchkiss had no authority to appoint the pair, the suit adds. At the meeting, a majority of the board  presumably Whitehead and Richard Hotchkiss  adopted a resolution that objected to attempts to appoint new managers.

Neither Lee nor John Hotchkiss have any experience in CaptureRxs industry and neither is an investor in the company, the suit says.

Tauzin and Whitehead have sued to stop Christopher Hotckisss reinstatement. They also allege he and his father have breached their duties to the company.

Tauzin and Whitehead earlier this month obtained a temporary restraining order to prevent Hotchkisss return and the appointment of any new managers.

On Tuesday, state District Judge Antonia Arteaga extended the TRO until a Monday hearing on an injunction application. The ruling put on ice a meeting of shareholders that had been set for Thursday to consider the addition of Lee and John Hotchkiss to the board.

Tauzin and Whitehead are represented by the same Dallas law firm that filed CaptureRxs countersuit against Christopher Hotchkiss. Derick Rodgers, Hotchkisss lawyer, called the dual representation a conflict of interest. He wants the firm disqualified.

Rodgers also questioned the law firms authority to represent CaptureRx. He told the judge during Tuesdays hearing that he had been informed by Sawnie McEntire, an attorney with the firm, that it had been terminated by CaptureRxs president. McEntire added, however, that his firm had been engaged by CaptureRxs general counsel, according to Rodgers.

It is my understanding if (McEntire) is not authorized to act on behalf of the company, then any act that he takes, including that of seeking a TRO, would be invalidated and would be undone, Rodgers said.

McEntires firm is opposing Rodgers various motions, including the motion to disqualify and one challenging its authority to represent CaptureRx.

Rodgers didnt respond to a request for comment. McEntire declined to comment.

Staff writer Madison Iszler contributed to this report.

Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. To read more from Patrick, become a subscriber. pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD
Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine plans to allow foreigners to enter the country. This was stated by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Pravda reports.

Ukraine has recently resumed the work of border checkpoints. Kuleba stated that the entrance would not be uncontrolled.

The government plans to allow entry for foreigners, provided they comply with a 14-day quarantine. Thus, for this period in Ukraine will remove the requirement for a residence permit.

As we reported earlier, today, on May 29, Ukraine's State Border Guard resumed the work of six checkpoints on the border with Moldova. Two of these are railway road checkpoints.

Meanwhile, there are certain circumstances that complicate the passing procedure on Ukraine-Slovakia border.

On May 28, the sides were about to open four checkpoints in Zakarpattya region - Uzhgorod, Tysa, Dyakovo and Malyi Bereznyi. However, Ukrainian border guards claim that there is still no regulation of the passing procedure itself.
Kolkata, May 29 : The Special Task Force of Kolkata Police on Friday morning arrested Bangladesh-based terror outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh's (JMB) top operative Abdul Karim alias Boro Karim.

Abdul was arrested from Suti police station area in Jangipur of West Bengal's Murshidabad district.

"Top JMB commander Abdul Karim alias Boro Karim, wanted in a W/A issued in c/w STF PS case no. 8/2017 dated 29.11.2017, has been arrested this morning from Suti PS, Jangipur in Murshidabad district with the assistance of local police. He will be produced before the court today and we will seek PC," Kolkata Police STF's senior official told IANS.

The arrest was made with the assistance of local district police. The JMB commander will be produced before a local court today.

"The Kolkata Police STF will seek police custody of the JMB commander. With this arrest the number of top three wanted JMB terrorist in India is now reduced to two." Karim was the main leader of the dhuliyan module and would actively supply logistics and support, shelter to top leaders like Salahuddin Salehin. Karim was considered the second top most leader in JMB in India after their organisation's chief Salehin.

His name was mentioned as the main operative also by the JMB terrorists in Bangladesh during their interrogation.

The STF sources said, in 2018, they had seized substantial quantity of explosives and jehadi material from Borow Karim's house during a sudden raid. But he had managed to escape.

The police sleuths had been trying to arrest him since.

Chhoto Abdul Karim was arrested by the National Investigation Agency in 2008.
RTHK: EU govts express grave concern over HK security law

European Union governments expressed "grave concern" on Friday over China's security law for Hong Kong, the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell said following a video meeting of the bloc's 27 foreign ministers.

"We believe that this seriously risks undermining the one country, two systems principle," Borrell said, referring to Hong Kong's autonomy.

"Our relationship with China is based on mutual respect and trust but this decision calls this into question," he told a news conference.

China's parliament approved on Thursday a decision to go forward with legislation for Hong Kong that democracy activists, diplomats and some in the business world fear will jeopardise its semi-autonomous status and its role as a global financial hub.

"The autonomy of Hong Kong has really been weakened by this decision," Borrell said.

EU governments later released a statement that mirrored Borrell's comments, saying the decision also "further calls into question China's will to uphold its international commitments." (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2020-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
It was critical to keep a relationship between the employer and the worker. As for dealing with the unions, Combet's advice was dead simple. Call Sally McManus. So Porter did. "Let's start a dialogue," the minister said. "Let's try to talk every couple of days and try to figure out what's going on" amid the tremendous confusion of the time. Within days he and McManus were in daily discussions. Decades of distrust and entrenched ideologies were set aside. The grandson of a Liberal minister and the daughter of a railway worker, one a former Crown prosecutor and the other a committed gamer, found common cause in crisis. Illustration: Jim Pavlidis Credit: There were some preliminaries but the first crunch meeting was when Porter convened the unions and employers by Zoom on the morning of Friday, March 20. The spread and speed of the pandemic worldwide weighed on everyone as shocking infection figures were reported from Italy overnight  627 dead in a day, more cases than China.

Sally McManus told the meeting there were horrific numbers of workers stood down without warning. One of the key bosses' representatives, employment lawyer Tamsin Lawrence, of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said businesses were in a terrible crisis. Both looked to the federal government for some sort of intervention. The two women were together in a room in Melbourne. They looked to the screen to see the minister's reaction from Sydney. Porter's response was "no". He told the two sides to come together to agree on changing some key industrial awards to create flexibility for the whole system. The priority would be to salvage as many businesses as possible in order to save as many jobs as possible. "Are you interested?" Loading The two sides agreed. But McManus turned to the employer reps in the room and stressed that they must only ask for what they absolutely needed, not merely what they wanted. Once the meeting had broken up and the screens went dark, McManus approached Lawrence. She was insistent, even angry, in repeating her point: "Don't you dare ask for anything more than you need." "I totally get it," replied Lawrence, "but we are both in the same boat  I need to keep businesses alive and you need to save jobs."

They agreed that Lawrence would get her a shortlist of the priority industry awards  of the 122 awards in total  by the end of the day. As the participants made their various ways home, they found Christian Porter on the phone. "You need to make this work," he hammered home. "If you need help from the Commonwealth, you will have it." The two sides quickly agreed to concentrate on three awards; hospitality, restaurants and, biggest of all, the clerks award. They were the most stressed sectors. Collectively they covered some 10 million workers. So the emergency surgery on the awards system was already under way when the crisis hit home. It was three days later, on Monday, March 23, that the news was dominated by pictures of enormous queues, people lining up at Centrelink offices around the country to apply for the dole. "That day was the turning point, when we saw lines at Centrelink like scenes from the Great Depression," Porter has said. "It was clear to all of us that it was colossal what we were potentially facing." Innes Willox of the Australian Industry Group, the second of the major employer bodies, says: "It was essentially that Armageddon had hit."

It took a change of mindset from all sides to get beyond making ambit claims for 100 per cent when they'd be prepared to settle for 60. The president of the ACTU, Michele O'Neill, who led the detailed negotiating groups for the unions, says: "Some employers were ridiculously opportunistic and thought it was their opportunity to strip away long-fought-for worker protections." A red line for the unions was penalty rates. The union negotiators reported that ACCI and COSBOA  the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia  were being unrealistic. Loading Porter struck the same problem. He discovered that he needed to offer more counselling and cajoling to the business side rather than the unions. And he did. And the irreducible demands of the employer side? "Our members needed to be able to change workers' hours, to be able to direct workers to other duties, to allow employers to have more control over workers' rosters," says Willox. "We were putting forward proposals, the unions were reacting. We served, they returned."

The tin-tacks negotiators worked at breakneck speed, aided by many back-channel conversations. The two sides first struck agreement on the hospitality award. They lodged an application with the Fair Work Commission on March 24 to vary the award. The commission president, Iain Ross, approved it two days later. It had been four days since the first crunch meeting. The other awards followed swiftly. Porter later hailed the speed and goodwill of the two sides: "It probably is fair to say that there has been the type of change in three weeks inside the award system that you might otherwise wait 30 years to see." He's described McManus as his "new BFF"  best friend forever. Loading The head of ACCI, James Pearson, says "for so many businesses  and for jobs  this was existential". For the Industrial Relations Minister, there was a political bonus. The Labor Party had been shut out of the entire process. Porter mapped the terms of these arrangements onto the JobKeeper program that followed soon afterwards.

As the Morrison government looked to the recovery phase a few weeks ago, it aired ambitions for economic reform. Including workplace reform. Greg Combet asked Porter what the government meant. "If a conservative government goes that way, you will end up with a 'Your Rights at Work' campaign against you," a reference to the devastatingly effective ACTU campaign against the Howard government's WorkChoices plan. "You will get outside opposition, and you will get legislative uncertainty," with Labor opposing government legislation in the Parliament. You'll inevitably bugger it up, in other words. Combet advised dialogue with the unions. Again. Porter talked to Morrison about how to fix the many problems in the industrial relations system. "We can either go the normal way, or try and repeat a recently successful process," he later recounted to colleagues. "We are not inventing fire here  it's people sitting down and talking to each other." Normal now perhaps, but unthinkable three months ago. And so the Prime Minister told the National Press Club on Tuesday that he was launching a co-operative consultation to achieve a new wave of workplace reform: "The purpose is simple and honest, to explore, and hopefully find, a pathway to sensible, long-lasting reform with just one goal  make jobs."
The delayed summer roll-out for parks, beaches, campgrounds and mountain lakes is starting to get going. This weekend, Northern California will see the reopening of three state parks in the Bay Area as well as Lassen Volcanic National Park in the states far north.

Notably, South Lake Tahoe authorities moved to cease issuing $1,000 fines to out-of-towners caught visiting the region.

Many outdoor recreation sites around Northern California could reopen in June, including roughly 800 Forest Service campgrounds across the Sierra, Cascades and Shasta-Siskiyou ranges. Yet no reopening dates - or formal announcements about operational changes  have been announced for many of the states most popular parks, including Yosemite, Sequoia-Kings Canyon and Redwood national parks, Point Reyes National Seashore and campgrounds in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

For information on parks, beaches and hiking trails that have opened in the Bay Area, check out our interactive outdoors map, updated daily.

Some 20 park rangers, park officials and watershed districts provided the following updates for outdoor destinations in the Bay Area, central Sierra and north state:

Bay Area

In the Bay Area, three state parks reopened parking and trails for this weekend.

In Marin, China Camp State Park in San Rafael on the shore of San Pablo Bay opened with limited parking for access to trails and beaches. In Novato, Olompali reopened all parking and trails. On the south Peninsula, Castle Rock State Park on Skyline above Los Gatos reopened this week with about 50 percent parking capacity and one-way trails, including the great loop route past Goat Rock for views of Monterey Bay.

In San Francisco, Pier 39, the tourist destination where sea lions hang out, is scheduled to open Monday, June 1. The first whale watching trips with the Oceanic Society are booked to start June 6 out of Marina Green. At Fishermans Wharf, party boat fishing for salmon out the Golden Gate and for halibut and striped bass on San Francisco Bay already opened last weekend, with extensive requirements for social distancing and sanitizing shared surfaces.

In the Santa Clara County, Calero, Coyote and Stevens Creek reservoirs were reopened to boating, with a reservation required to launch and only human-powered boats permitted at Stevens Creek.

Major parks and open space with trail systems that are open include Marin County Open Space, East Bay Regional Parks, Midpeninsula Open Space, Santa Clara County Parks, and to some extent, San Mateo County Parks with 13 of 23 parks open.

Boat ramps at Berkeley Marina, Oyster Point, Richmond Marina, Loch Lomond Marin and Black Point on the lower Petaluma River are open for access to bay waters. At Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay and at Berkeley Marina, the boat ramp and party boat trips remain shut down at least through the weekend, with possible openings next week.

At the major parks, most notably those on the Bay Area coast, most are closed and few changes are yet scheduled. No parking or vehicle access is permitted at most state and national parks, including Point Reyes, Marin Headlands, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Presidio, San Francisco Headlands, Sweeney Ridge and Marin Watershed lands.

Major lake destinations remain closed to boating include at Los Vaqueros (all access), San Pablo, Lake Chabot and Lafayette reservoirs.

North state

On Friday, Lassen Volcanic National Park opened the 30-mile Lassen Park Highway for thru-access on Highway 89, as well as other roads to Butte Lake off of Highway 44 and to Warner Valley out of Chester. All trails in the park reopened, with some still snow-covered at higher elevations, except for the trail to Bumpass Hell.

The campgrounds at each end of the park, Manzanita Lake and Southwest Walk-in, are scheduled to open Monday. Rangers said they plan to open camping at Butte Lake on June 5, Warner Valley on June 6 and Summit and Juniper Lakes on June 26. Backcountry sites opened Friday.

At Shasta Lake, all boat ramps are open, plus the Forest Service opened roughly 10 campgrounds and five boat-in camps. In Shasta-Trinity National Forest, roads, lakes at campsites have opened in the Trinity-Divide. North of Weaverville, campgrounds opened this week at Lewiston and Trinity Lakes.

Tahoe, Yosemite, Redwoods

On Thursday, the famous $1,000 fine for non-essential travel and businesses was rescinded at least through June 9, when the South Lake Tahoe City Council will review conditions. In the Lake Tahoe Basin, eight of eight campgrounds are still closed with no dates when their respective openings will be phased in.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

At Yosemite National Park, where talk of entry by reservation with a quota of about half of past years visitors made national news, no details have since been provided of when that might occur. Many planned visits, with reservations for lodging, campsites, climbing Half Dome and trailhead dates for wilderness destinations, are being canceled and refunded until the park announces its phase-in plan.

In the Redwood Empire, a phased reopening is also planned. As with state parks, no campgrounds have opened yet and there are no dates when that might occur.

Central Sierra

Across the central Sierra, most boat ramps are open at mountain lakes and the speed of opening campgrounds varies by ranger district, and near the crest of the Sierra, snow conditions.

Tahoe National Forest, located generally north of I-80, opened eight campgrounds, including Dark Day at Bullards Bar Reservoir. This is the start of a phase-in of about 30 campgrounds over the next month in the Forest, rangers said; 10 others, most off the reservation grid, dates are still pending.

In Eldorado National Forest, located north of U.S. 50 out of Placerville, in the Crystal Basin, boat ramps for Ice House, Union Valley, and Loon lakes are open. Near Georgetown, the boat ramps at Stumpy Meadows Reservoir and Hell Hole have also opened.

Near Carson Pass off Highway 4, campgrounds and access to lakes in higher country, including Caples, Kirkwood and Woods Lake near Carson Pass are still closed by snow or muddy roads, with opening dates expected by mid-June.

In Plumas National Forest, campgrounds and boat ramps are open at Frenchman Lake and Davis Lake near Portola. In the Gold Lakes/Lakes Basin Recreation Area, Lakes Basin Campground is open, but camps are closed at Gold Lake, Goose Lake, Haven Lake and Sardine Lake, with phased-in openings likely by 4th of July.

In southern Plumas, Sly Creek Recreation Area at Jenkinson Lake is open. In north Plumas, campgrounds are still closed at Bucks Lake, Antelope Lake, and Snake Lake.

Tom Stienstra is The Chronicles outdoor writer. Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @StienstraTom.
This post is part of Outward, Slates home for coverage of LGBTQ life, thought, and culture. Read more here.

My war with Larry Kramer began in 2014, after a New York Times interview where he described people like myselfpeople who used the drug Truvada as PrEP to prevent HIV infectionas cowardly, with rocks in their heads.

On balance, this was pretty tame vocabulary for Larry. But for me, the comments were not only personally hurtful; they also represented a fundamental betrayal of our community. After watching one too many friends get newly diagnosed with HIV, in the fall of 2012 I had joined ACT UP NY, the infamous AIDS activist group that Larry helped found in 1987. HIV was spreading fast in New York City in the late 2000s and early 2010sone paper showed that 5 percent of gay men and trans women were becoming positive each year, with people of color being especially vulnerable. To ACT UP, PrEPwhich is more than 99 percent effective at preventing infection if taken dailywas one of our best hopes at turning around the epidemic. How could Larry of all people not understand, after two decades of the number of new infections going up year after year in queer people, that shaming people for protecting themselves with PrEP, rather than just condoms, was not only stupid but deadly?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In my then 24-year-old mind, Larry represented everything that was wrong with HIV preventiona field that, until recently, has been more successful in shaming young queer people about their sex lives than in actually preventing HIV infections. We expressed our mutual disdain privately at first, over barbed emails and a furious phone call. But in early 2015, something Larry said in the Advocate pushed me to go public: On the ACT UP NY alumni Facebook group, I remarked that here was a man who managed to pervert his own internalized homophobia into a narrative that would stifle HIV prevention for decades. My post was ironically Kramer-esqueprovocative, rude, and most importantly, true. Hundreds of people chimed in, including Larry himself, most slamming me for daring to disparage the holy saint of AIDS activism. I didnt hold back, and neither did he.

Advertisement

Advertisement

A couple of days later, Peter Staley, a mutual friend and ACT UP alumnus (who unlike Larry was an early and vocal supporter of PrEP), called me. He wanted us to sit down with Larry, break bread, and make our case. I demurredI was simply too angry and, in hindsight, too petty and immature, to try to make peace. But fortunately, Larry was not. A couple of months later he showed up at an ACT UP action that I, along with other ACT UPers, had organized to protest the shuttering of the Chelsea public health clinic in Manhattan, and vocally showed his support. The week after that, Peter (with the help of fellow ACT UP alumnus Jim Eigo and of my ex-boyfriend) convinced me that the time for fighting was over. Peter thought we could convince Larry to recant his PrEP denialism and officially support increasing access to itan endorsement that would hopefully help end the ridiculous debate about the morality of using one of the most effective methods of HIV prevention at our disposal.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

His infectious anger alone was not sufficient, but it was necessary.

Larry invited us to his apartment off Washington Square Park for a PrEP dinner summit in early December of that year. As an olive branch, I agreed to cook the meal. I broke out my well-worn copy of Julia Childs Mastering the Art of French Cooking and prepared boeuf bourguignon, puree de pommes de terre, mousse au chocolat, and even baked a baguette. I had printed out about 130 scientific papers on PrEP and HIV epidemiology, and as the beef stewed, I reviewed each paper, preparing rebuttals for what I was sure would be a screaming fight with Larry.

As I drove down, Peter and I worked by phone on a written statement that we were hoping to have Larry physically sign, not only endorsing PrEP but also calling out what we in the PrEP access movement view as pharmaceutical company Gileads price gouging on Truvada. Once I got there, and began reheating the food, we all sat down. Before I could get to citing the studies and correcting misapprehensions, Peter mentioned the statement. Within a minute of reading it, Larry agreed to sign. I was shocked. The final battle was all over before it began.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Larry did have one requirement, though: Before signing, I had to promise he could keep the leftovers.

I am still angry at Larry for his deadly multiyear opposition to PrEP. But I also understand that the tools of activism that I and so many other people use to protect our communities, and to fight to increase access to PrEP, wouldnt have existed without him. His stubbornness could be maddening, and his sudden shift on PrEP after so much resistance, though welcome, was exasperating. He was far from perfect, and yet he was a hero all the same.

Larrys genius was understanding how to ignite peoples rage at some of the fundamental injustices in our societyat homophobia, at the evil indifference our government exhibited toward communities devasted by a plagueand to get people to then transform that into actions that would save millions of lives. His infectious anger alone was not sufficient, but it was necessary. He died in the midst of, to paraphrase him, another fucking plagueand on the day that the COVID-19 death toll in the United States crossed 100,000 no less. Like HIV, the COVID-19 epidemic is a plague that was allowed to happen, by the malignant indifference and incompetence of a government that does not care if whole swaths of the population live or die. The question we all need to ask all ourselves now, I think, is that in a world without Larry, who will make sure we are angry enough? Who will make sure that we remake the system that allowed this mass murder to happen? Because once again, we find ourselves in a situation where, unless we act up and fight back, we are as good as dead.

Were Queer People Better Prepared for #QuarantineLife?

Bryan Lowder, Christina Cauterucci, and Rumaan Alam host this months episode of Outward, Slates LGBTQ podcast.
29.05.2020 LISTEN

Atik Mohammed was suspended indefinitely by NEC on the 22nd July 2017 of the peoples National Convention.

The attempt by some media houses to continue to engage him as the chief scribe of the party is ludicrous, worrying they ought to desist from perpetrating such illegality of the highest order.

Mr Jacob Amoako is the Acting General Secretary of the party and must be accorded the respect of his high office in the day to day administration or otherwise until NEC takes a decision to reinstate or an election is held to elect a new secretary for the position.

The PNC condemns Atiks call for the arrest of the national chairman of the party Mr Bernard A. Mornah for exercising his democratic right as enshrined in our constitution by virtue of freedom of speech.

The sudden defense of the EC by Atik Mohammed is a clear testament to the wide views of the people who say Atik is contracted to defy his conscience in consonance to issues that bother on national interest.

The fact that EC decided choosing attendees to IPAC for political parties, for that matter PNC and refused entry of the National Chairman is an indictment of the highest order and a breach of the political parties laws of Ghana. He Atik Mohammed was smuggled into the IPAC meeting instead the National Chairman. State Policemen as usual in heavy war like attitude and paraphernalia blocked the National Chairman from entry thru the orders of madam Jean Mensah and Mr Bossman according to the police .

Ghana is experiencing yet again, dark days of our republic. We are bedeviled with the worst form of authoritarian administration in its brazen form

The EC and the Akufo Addo government are bedfellows and are surreptitiously trying all means by foul to cling on to power against the backdrops of their clear show of incompetent management of the economy, corruption and unnecessary borrowing which they have nothing to show in the over three years of their poor and elephant size government.

Ghanaians shall rise against the wastage of our meagre resources on a frivolous new voters register to maintain a non performing president.

We call on the Christian council to call the arrogant and barefaced EC to other on their disrespectful posture. We call on the Christian Council, Traditional Authorities, Civil Society Organisations, The media, and Concern Citizens of Ghana to call Jean Mensah and Bossman Asare led EC to order.

The EC, if refuse to use common sense in the discharge of their duties, we the people of Ghana shall not accept their so-called sense.

The PNC will not be cowed into submission and we shall resist any attempt by the christen political police to gag our national Chairman.

Arise Youth of Ghana

We cant and shall not be muzzled by oppressors rule.

Signed

All Regional Chairmen

All Regional Secretaries
Most polls show that former vice president Joe Biden is leading President Trump in the 2020 election. Americans should be careful about whom they are voting for. Meghan McCain, Mark Cuban, and Clint Eastwood are just a few who are seriously thinking of not voting for President Trump. Why? Because they are putting personality over policy.

Many do not like President Trump's brash behavior and combative ways with the press and Democrats. They see former V.P. Biden currently hiding in his basement and appearing to Americans as a hologram figure with an even-keeled nature. Americans should think long and hard and consider the reasons below as to why Biden should not be president.

THE COVID-19 VIRUS RESPONSE

PRESIDENT TRUMP: On January 31, the president declared the coronavirus a U.S. public health emergency and issued the ban on travel between the U.S. and China. On February 4, the White House directed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to step up coronavirus diagnostic testing procedures. President Donald Trump says nobody in need of a ventilator has been denied one.

A few months ago, it seemed there was going to be a catastrophic shortage of ventilators, but that fear, expressed by many Democrats and those in the press, never came to fruition. Colin Milligan, director of media relations at the American Hospital Association, stated, "To the best of our knowledge, a ventilator has been available for every patient that needed one."

The Trump administration issued guidelines that were credited with reducing the number of deaths. The President used innovation to get private companies on board to help reduce all shortages.

FORMER V.P. BIDEN: It would have been disastrous if he had been president. He touts the "playbook" that the Obama administration left. Yet throughout the playbook, there is a complete reliance on the WHO. Taking a stroll down Memory Lane, the WHO declared on January 14 that there was no human-to-human transmission. The playbook also admits that there is no magical plan for containing pandemics and that policymakers would have to learn and adjust over time, and it downplays the use of travel bans. Biden criticized President Trump's China travel ban, saying during an Iowa campaign event, "This is no time for Donald Trump's record of hysteria and xenophobia," which would have raised the death toll in the U.S.

BLACK AMERICANS

PRESIDENT TRUMP: This administration is now the first U.S. administration to label a white supremacist group a terrorist organization. The group is called the Russian Imperialist Movement. President Trump, not Barack Obama, passed the most comprehensive criminal justice reform bill in decades. He signed an executive order to push funding in programs, passing HBCU legislation faster than any other president in American history. This included pushing to increase the annual budgets by 25% as well as supporting much needed work-study programs for historically black colleges and universities. Before the pandemic, black American unemployment has reached its lowest rate in modern history for both black men and women, and the Trump administration has seen nearly 5 million Americans come off food stamps.

FORMER V.P. BIDEN: His rhetoric alone is offensive. In the 2008 primary race for president, Biden made comments about the thenIllinois senator, "I mean, you got the first mainstream AfricanAmerican who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." He told the New York Observer, "I mean, that's a storybook, man." He has described black American felons as "predators" too sociopathic to rehabilitate  and white supremacist senators as his friends. Biden recently told a popular radio host and black American voters in an interview that "you ain't black" if they back President Donald Trump's re-election. In other words, don't think for yourself; just listen to what the Democrats say. Looking at his voting record, he helped pass the 1994 crime bill that caused a spike in black incarcerations.

The fact is that President Trump has done more to help black Americans than the Obama administration. As Vernon Jones, a black Georgian Democrat state representative, summarized, "[a] generation of African-American families have been devastated by draconian policies that Joe Biden supported and voted for when he served in the U.S. Senate. A change was needed and President Trump took action." Jones then brought up the case of Alice Marie Johnson, whose sentence was commuted by President Trump after being denied by President Obama several times. "What the media often failed to note," the lawmaker wrote, "was that her pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears when she approached the previous administration."

ISRAEL

PRESIDENT TRUMP: He kept his campaign promise to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, something no other president ever did. In March 2019, the United States recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. In November 2019, in a major reversal of prior U.S. policy, the Trump administration declared that Israelis' settlement activity on so called Palestinian land is not necessarily illegal. Trump unveiled a peace plan that would give Israel sovereignty over approximately 30% of the West Bank territory and the Jordan Valley.

FORMER V.P. BIDEN: During a Tuesday, May 19 virtual fundraiser with members of the U.S. Jewish community, Biden vowed to reverse President Trump's policies in the Israeli region. In April, he said the embassy should never have been moved without that decision being part of a wider Middle East peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. "But now that it's done, I would not move the embassy back to Tel Aviv."

DISASTROUS "TREATY" DEALS

PRESIDENT TRUMP: He pulled out of the Paris Agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the South Korean trade deal, NAFTA, the Iran nuclear deal, and the World Trade Organization, and he is considering pulling out of the WHO. He also had NATO nations pay their fair share for their own security. He renegotiated to get better deals that included the USMCA with Canada and Mexico and a revised South Korean trade deal and has countries who have historically been delinquent in meeting their NATO defense spending commitments now contributing between $130 billion and $400 billion over the next three years.

FORMER V.P. BIDEN: Regarding the Paris Agreement, the Obama administration ended up shipping $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to this fund without authorization from Congress. The accord was negotiated poorly by the Obama administration and signed out of desperation, which was also the case with the Iran nuclear deal. Giving Iran billions of dollars allowed the Iranians to spend the money on more terrorist activities, and after ten years, it appears they will have a nuclear weapon. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, the South Korean trade deal, NAFTA, and NATO all took advantage of America.

CHINA

PRESIDENT TRUMP: He has made the first move in a fairer trade deal that includes commitments from Beijing to halt intellectual property theft, refrain from currency manipulation, cooperate in financial services, and purchase an additional $200 billion of U.S. products. Regarding China's response to the pandemic, administration officials said it will be held accountable. Trump floated the idea of taxing companies that produce products outside the U.S., specifically in China. He said recently, "We should have supply chains in the United States." He was also criticized for calling the pandemic the Wuhan Virus and the Chinese Virus even though that is where it originated.

FORMER V.P. BIDEN: In an ad, the Biden campaign criticized Donald Trump as soft on China, ignoring the fact that the president started a multi-billion-dollar trade war and has sent warships to the South China Sea to confront Beijing over their military buildup. Biden is desperate to deflect and distract the voter from his own China problems. What did he do as V.P. when China was taking intellectual property and stealing jobs? Nothing. But let's not forget his close ties to China while V.P. In his book Peter Schweizer said, "The Vice President is negotiating a bunch of very sensitive issues with the Chinese. He is basically going soft on Beijing. Shortly after his return to the U.S., Hunter Biden's firm receives a $1 billion private equity deal from the Chinese government."

ENERGY

PRESIDENT TRUMP: He approved a right-of-way allowing the Keystone XL oil pipeline to be built across U.S. land. He has been good for coal families by halting restrictive regulations, and he abolished the Stream Protection Rule that would have eliminated 70,000-plus jobs. President Donald Trump ordered energy secretary Dan Brouillette and Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin to get funding to the struggling U.S. oil and gas industry. The Trump administration has also started giving energy companies temporary breaks on royalties and rent they pay to extract oil and gas from leases on public lands because of the coronavirus pandemic.

FORMER V.P. BIDEN: President Barack Obama's Environmental Protection Agency implemented a "war on coal" where thousands of lifelong coal-mining families lost their livelihoods in a matter of years through their over-regulation. During a Democratic debate, Biden said there would be no place for coal or fracking in his administration. He went on to say, "We would make sure it's eliminated and no more subsidies for either one of those  any fossil fuel." A few days ago, he also affirmed that if elected president, he would rescind President Trump's permit to allow the Keystone XL oil pipeline to cross the U.S. He has gone to the left of President Obama by promising to put a ban on all new oil and gas permits on federal lands and waters. He went so far as to say Mobil executives should be "held criminally liable" for not doing more to respond to climate change. Because of his stance on energy, many Americans would lose their jobs.

Late in April, Biden acknowledged that he is ready to embrace the Green New Deal aimed at making sweeping changes to America's energy spectrum. In May, he named Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the avatar of the Green New Deal, and John Kerry, the architect of the Paris climate accord, to lead his climate task force.

CONCLUSION

Just looking at these few issues, do Americans really want Joe Biden as the next president? While America is struggling to regain its economic footing, it is obvious that Biden is not up for the job. Unemployment will not be reduced, and the GDP will not fall to its all-time low as it did under President Trump before the pandemic. Americans should look long and hard before they mark the "D" for president because this country will be far worse off. Maybe some Americans do not want to sit and have a beer with President Trump, but they sure like how their 401(k) plans and the job market increased.

The author writes for American Thinker. She has done book reviews and author interviews and has written a number of national security, political, and foreign policy articles.

Image: Ninian Reid via Flickr.
- Clarke Energy Ltd and NEC Energy Solutions sign Memorandum of Understanding in relationship to the supply of NEC's GSS grid storage solutions

LIVERPOOL, England, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarke Energy, a KOHLER Company, has signed a memorandum of understanding with NEC Energy Solutions, Inc. (NEC) with respect to the supply of their GSS Grid Storage Solution products and warranty service offering.

Energy storage products are highly complementary to Clarke Energy's existing product offering which includes gas engines and biogas upgrading technology. Energy storage systems have a range of applications including peak shaving, frequency response, demand management, transmission and distribution support or as a replacement to a diesel back-up generator. Energy storage systems can also be combined with power generation technology such as gas engines as a hybrid, or as part of a microgrid.

Ben Wilson, Managing Director, Clarke Energy UK and Ireland commented: "We are excited to be cooperating with NEC Energy Solutions in the supply of their GSS Grid Storage Solution products. This technology is highly complementary to our existing product offering, building on our existing energy project delivery capability. We look forwards to continuing to provide the most appropriate technologies to our customers, from equipment supply only right through to full EPC project delivery."

"Clarke Energy have an excellent reputation for delivering quality, localized power generation systems backed by reliable aftersales support. We know they will be a great partner to supply and service our GSS grid storage solutions in the UK and Ireland," said Steve Fludder, CEO of NEC Energy Solutions. "This is an exciting international expansion of our channel partnership strategy."

About Clarke Energy

Clarke Energy, a KOHLER company, is a leader in the engineering, design, installation and long-term maintenance of gas engine-based power plants. Clarke Energy is a globally-localised company with operations spanning 27 countries. Clarke Energy employs over 1,200 staff and has sold or installed over 7.0 GW of power generation capacity globally.

www.clarke-energy.com

About NEC Energy Solutions

NEC Energy Solutions develops and manufactures advanced batteries for electric grid, backup power and lead-acid replacement applications. It is an industry leader in system integration, focusing on high performance, efficient, safe and reliable battery systems ranging from small industrial batteries to massive turnkey grid-scale energy storage systems.

https://www.neces.com/

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1174155/NEC_Project.jpg
The Russian military has successfully conducted a patrol that reached the border triangle between Syria, Turkey and Iraq reports Al-Masdar.

Russian military forces, backed by air cover, traveled from Qamishli International Airport in Hassakeh and along the Turkish border to the Tigris River to reach the Iraqi border for the first time.

The Russian forces toured several border villages, such as Qasr al-Deeb, Zuhairia and Ayn Dewar, which are located in northeastern Syria, to the northwestern of the triple border point, between Iraq, Syria and Turkey.

The Russian military was able to successfully reach this border triangle which was confirmed by footage that was later released by RT Arabic.

This move by the Russian military comes at a time when their forces and their Turkish counterparts are trying to reopen the vital highways inside Syria.

However, despite these efforts, there appears to be some issues along the M4 highway (Aleppo-Lattakia), especially in the areas under the control of the militant forces.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
President Trump's executive order aimed at punishing Twitter for fact-checking his tweets bypassed the normal policy process and set off a war among his top aides, with some complaining that he targeted a private company for political ends.

Politico's sister site Protocol reported a White House official saying that 'the direction from on high was: "do something,"' and so aides dusted off an executive order that had been pitched last year to deal with the perceived anti-conservative bias from social media companies.

'They picked this [order] off the shelf and essentially rammed it through,' the source said, with Trump signing it Thursday afternoon.

President Trump's executive order that he signed Thursday targeting social media companies was 'rammed' through the policy process, according to one White House official

The White House's social media director Dan Scavino (left) was reportedly for President Trump's executive order, while Vice President Mike Pence (right) voiced hesitations

Dan Scavino went after Twitter on Twitter Friday morning after the social media company flagged President Trump's tweet saying 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts'

Twitter said Trump's tweet violated the company's rules about 'glorifying violence' and made users have to click the 'learn more' to read what the president wrote

White House chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow was among the Trump aides who felt the president shouldn't use his powers to go after private companies for political reasons

What is Donald Trump's executive order targeting social media sites? Donald Trump signed an order on Thursday seeking to make social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook liable for the content posted by their users. If enforced, the order would overturn decades of precedent by treating the websites as 'publishers' which could be sued for user-generated content. It could open them up to a flood of lawsuits from anyone who claims to be harmed by content posted online. Currently, the sites are protected by a law known as Section 230 which shields them from liability. Section 230 also allows social platforms to moderate their services by removing posts that, for instance, are obscene or violate the services' own standards, so long as they are acting in 'good faith.' The author of a book about Section 230 said social media firms have 'based their business models on being large platforms for user content', saying they would not 'exist in their current forms' without the legislation. However, critics argue that Section 230 gives internet companies a free pass on things like hate speech and content that supports terror organizations. Republican senator Josh Hawley said the 'censorship' was relevant to Trump's proposal, because websites which 'editorialize and censor' as Twitter allegedly did should be 'treated like traditional publishers' in law. However, critics saw Trump's order as an act of political revenge against websites which he has long accused of political bias. The American Civil Liberties Union called Trump's order 'a blatant and unconstitutional threat to punish social media companies that displease the president.' One ACLU official said the measure could actually harm Trump by encouraging a more cautious Twitter to limit the president's tweets. Eric Goldman, director of the High-Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University, said the order is 'not legally enforceable'. Twitter said the order was a political move which attacked free speech, while Facebook said the measure would 'encourage platforms to censor anything that might offend anyone'. Advertisement

The order opens up sites like Twitter and Facebook to lawsuits by labeling them 'publishers' as opposed to platforms.

The top-tier of the administration wasn't fully on board.

Yahoo News reported that Vice President Mike Pence and National Economic Council Chairman Larry Kudlow, among others, didn't like the precedent it set, as it looked like Trump was using governmental powers to go after private companies for political reasons.

During the Obama years, conservatives had complained about President Obama's use of executive orders to bypass Republicans in Congress.

Democrats could now point to Trump openly complaining about his treatment by Twitter before using the same presidential power.

'There is pushback from a lot of people,' an administration official told Yahoo News, pointing specifically to White House discord, adding that there is 'a lot of frustration.'

Those in favor of the order, according to Yahoo, were White House counsel Pat Cipollone and social media director Dan Scavino.

On Friday morning, Scavino was among the Trump allies who were tweeting about Twitter's focus on flagging the president's tweets.

'Twitter is targeting the President of the United States 24/7, while turning their heads to protest organizers who are planning, plotting, and communicating their next moves daily on this very platform,' Scavino tweeted. 'Twitter is full of s*** - more and more people are beginning to get it.'

Scavino was reacting to Twitter's most recent move to rein in the president.

At 1 a.m. Friday, Trump had tweeted about the racial unrest in Minneapolis after the police killed George Floyd, a black man.

'These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen,' Trump wrote.

'Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!' Trump added.

Several hours later, Twitter slapped a warning on the tweet saying it went against the social media company's rules about 'glorifying violence.'

When the official White House account tweeted the president's words verbatim, Twitter slapped the same warning onto that tweet as well.

The president was initially angry at Twitter for flagging two tweets he had written about the dangers of mail-in voting - Trump contends that would lead to widespread fraud.

For the first time ever, Twitter fact-checked those tweets and accused the president of spreading misinformation.

This move came after the company refused to remove tweets Trump had written pushing a conspiracy theory that Joe Scarborough murdered a former aide who had died in 2001 in one of his satellite Congressional offices.

Her widower, Timothy Klausutis, had written to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey begging him to delete Trump's tweets - but he refused.

Reporters were first told of the social media-themed executive order as they traveled back from Florida with President Trump on board Air Force One Wednesday, one day after Twitter's initial fact-check.

Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany came back to the press area to inform journalists that the president would be signing an EO later that evening, but she was unable to provide any details about the wording of the order.

Later, Communications Director Alyssa Farah informed the group that Trump would sign the EO Thursday instead.

A draft of the order leaked to Protocol Wednesday night and looked largely the same as the one signed by Trump on Thursday with Attorney General Bill Barr by his side.

'It reads like a rough draft, and in a lot of was, it is,' commented Protocol's White House source.
Photo

Jalandhar: In Punjab, cases of corona virus have started gaining momentum once again. As many as 30 people were found positive in the state on Friday, including a seven-day-old baby girl, along with a woman and a RPF jawan.

So far, the number of corona positive people in the state have reached 2290 and 48 people have died due to the epidemic.

Advertisement

File Photo Meanwhile, Pawan Kumar, an RPF jawan from Karol Bagh, Jalandhar, died at the CMC Hospital in Ludhiana.

He was suffering from pneumonia. This is the first death in the RPF with Corona. So far 53 jawans have tested positive in Ludhiana and 47 of them have recovered. In Sangrur, 3 reports including a 7-day-old girl have come out positive. Meanwhile on May 25, eight passengers returning from a flight from Mumbai were found infected in Mohali airport.

CoronavirusOf these, 3 were from Mohali, 2 from Ludhiana, one each from Jalandhar, Patiala and Barnala. All were quarantined. In Hoshiarpur 4 persons from 1 family were found positive. Father and son in Pathankot, 2 returned from USA and Maharashtra in Tarn Taran, 1 NRI in Mohali, 7 in Amritsar and 2 each in Ludhiana and Moga were found infected.

Advertisement

The samples of people returning from abroad have been changed. Now after keeping them in isolation for 5 days, samples will be taken. Even if the report is negative, they will be quarantined for 14 days. Earlier, screening was also being conducted at the airport.
Migrant workers and families gather in front of a police station to get transferred to a railway station to board a special train to Bihar. (AFP)

Chenai: Tamil Nadu experienced the highest per-day spike in number of persons testing positive for Covid-19 in May so far at 827, taking the cumulative coronavirus positive patients to 19,372. The death of 12 more patients confirmed on Thursday took the state's death toll due to the virus further to 145. Chennai alone reported 559 positive cases today.

Of the 827 new cases reported today, returnees from other States both by train and domestic air travel, accounted for as high as 127 on a single day, including four passengers testing positive at the domestic airport here and the bulk of the train passengers testing positive for Covid-19 being from Maharashtra (74) followed by Karnataka (20) and Punjab (eight cases).

Health Minister, Dr C Vijayabaskar said 1,253 returnees from other Indian states alone in recent days have tested positive for the virus, and a further big push in this direction was expected as 24,562 persons have obtained ePasses to travel to Tamil Nadu from other States. They are all now in the travel process and their testing at check-posts will throw up more cases.

"Rising numbers should therefore not be a cause for alarm or fear among the people as the Government led by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is fighting a grim battle against the disease and has geared up the administration including the health infrastructure to be ready for any eventuality," Dr Vijayabaskar said.

Urging people yet again to cooperate with the government to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infection by following simple rules like wearing facial masks and observing social distancing norms, Dr Vijayabaskar also had an appeal to opposition parties like the DMK "not to indulge in politics of rising numbers." Tamil Nadu's patients recovery rate is among the highest in the country and its mortaliy rate still lowest at 0.70 per cent, he emphasised.

Stating that on Thursday alone 12,246 samples had been lifted for testing from suspected coronavirus patients across the State, Dr Vijayabaskar said with 4,55,216 tests done as on date, Tamil Nadu has done the maximum number of Covid-19 tests in the country.

All these data were being shared with the public daily and with bodies like the ICMR in a transparent way, but this was not the time for politics, he said dismissing DMK's charges that the State was hiding the numbers. Both in terms of surveillance of the virus spread, containment and treatment, Tamil Nadu's frontline staff including doctors were 'battling it out very hard' that everyone should stand in solidarity with them, he urged.

The minister said while 'plasma' treatment has helped seven patients to recover so far, the crux of the strategy depended on people's cooperation as there is no medicine yet to cure this disease.

In greater Chennai, there seems to be no let up in the number of active coronavirus cases in six zones as on date, namely, Royapuram (2,252), Kodambakkam (1,559), Thiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar (1,325), Teynampet (1,317), Tondairpet (1,262) and Anna Nagar (1,046) patients.
- The Ministry of Finance has confirmed receipt of GHC5.5 billion from the Bank of Ghana (BoG)

- The money forms part of a GHC10 billion package to help the government combat COVID-19

- Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, announced this in Parliament on Thursday, May 28, 2020

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has informed the House of Parliament that the government has received GHC5.5 billion from the Bank of Ghana (BoG).

The amount represents the first tranche of relief agreed with the Central Bank with regard to the fight against COVID-19.

Information available shows that it was released on Friday, May 15, 2020.

READ ALSO: We have increased growth, reduced unemployment and created jobs - Bawumia

In a memo to the House, dated Thursday, May 28, 2020, Ofori-Atta revealed that the fund is intended to provide emergency relief following the economic implications of COVID-19.

Per a report by myjoyonline.com, he explained that given the exceptional circumstances and the challenges, the Minister of Finance, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana and the Controller and Accountant General as required under Section 30 of the Bank of Ghana (Act 612) as amended have agreed to trigger the emergency financing provision under the law, which permits increasing the limit on the purchase of Government securities by Bank of Ghana in the event of any emergency, to help finance the residual expenditures.

Ofori-Atta went on to say that some of the financing measures identified by the government include the IMF Rapid Credit Facility of US$1 billion, World Bank Development Policy Operation (DPO) of US$350 million and the Stabilization Fund US$ 219 million.

He added that there is still a residual financing gap of about GH17.9 billion to be sourced from both domestic and external markets.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the BoG announced support for the government with GHC10 billion to help close Ghanas deficit gap.

The Central Bank halted support for the government after Ghana entered into an Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

It, however, resumed after the outbreak of the coronavirus led to a widening of the budget deficit from 4.7% to 7.8% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

READ ALSO: Bawumia predicts quick economic recovery for Ghana after COVID-19

Read the best news on Ghana #1 news app. Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana

Ghanaian Pastors are crying because of the lack of offerings and tithes - Woman explains | #Yencomgh

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh? Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now!

Source: YEN.com.gh
Dr. Daisy Ayim trained in cosmetic surgery with top cosmetic and plastic surgeons in Seattle/Bellevue and performed well over 575 cosmetic procedures which undoubtedly provided a unique perspective and exposure to aesthetic surgery.

The Haute Beauty Network, well known for its exclusivity, and luxurious lifestyle, is privileged to present Dr. Daisy Ayim as a leading Body expert representing the Houston market and the newest addition to the Haute Living partnership.

Haute Beauty offers a prominent collective of leading doctors nationwide. The invitation-only exclusive network maintains elite as ever, with only two doctors in every market. This partnership allows Haute Beauty to connect its affluent readers with industry-leading doctors.

Visit Dr. Ayim's website: http://www.drdaisyayim.com

About Dr. Daisy Ayim:

Dr. Daisy A. Ayim is a talented cosmetic surgeon with an aesthetic eye and has over ten years of experience in private practice with a keen perspective on beauty and health. Dr. Daisy A. Ayim is a fellowship-trained Cosmetic Surgeon by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Ayim has always been focused, academically sound, and driven to excel in her craft. She has garnered the love from her patients over the course of over a decade to provide superb care and enhanced their desire for aesthetic surgery.

The concept of beauty is a personal journey that begs the question: How do I feel? This simple yet complicated emotion is best achieved with a cosmetic surgeon who understands your need, is passionate about details, and realistic in deliverance.

Dr. Daisy Ayim trained in cosmetic surgery with top cosmetic and plastic surgeons in Seattle/Bellevue and performed well over 575 cosmetic procedures which undoubtedly provided a unique perspective and exposure to aesthetic surgery. Dr. Ayim loves being a cosmetic surgeon and it resonates in her art. Her goal is to restore beauty your way while using her medical knowledge and sound surgical expertise.

Body, Face and Vulva Contouring

The art of sculpting the appearance of skin and tissue of our body into pleasing results involves both surgical and non-surgical modalities. Dr. Daisy Ayim has in-depth experience with both options to contour your body. Whether using innovative technology like Bodytite or Facetite that is radiofrequency based energy to melt fat while increasing collagen production or Morpheus8 radiofrequency micro-needling to tighten the skin, Dr. Ayim incorporates these non-surgical modalities to diversify your option to achieve amazing results.

Dr. Daisy Ayim was the first physician in Houston to have Votiva, a radiofrequency technology, to restore the internal vaginal epithelium improving incontinence and lubrication and externally to tighten skin, lift sagging labia or vulva while restoring sensitivity to the clitoris. Votiva is a dynamic innovative technology unlike others for both medical and aesthetic indications for vaginal rejuvenation. As one of the first to have the Bodytite, Facetite, Morpheus8, Votiva platform in the Houston area, Dr Ayim is a leader in her field and integrates superior technology into her cosmetic practice.

Surgical body contouring involves the removal of fat, skin or transfer of fat to enhance volume. Liposuction is a high demand procedure in her practice and it is commonly performed while awake with local anesthesia. Tumescent anesthesia or local anesthesia offers minimal downtime, a painless, awake solution to body contouring unlike general anesthesia. Liposuction is commonly performed on the face, neck, body or vulva areas which may be combined with Facetite or Bodytite to improve skin tightening in any of those areas.

Dr. Daisy Ayim offers surgical body contouring procedure in her practice such as Lipoabdominoplasty, abdominoplasty or tummy tuck which are synonyms used to describe to removal of excessive fat and skin. Dr. Ayim also commonly performs aesthetic feminine procedures like breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast lift labiaplasty, hymenoplasty, clitoral hood reduction, mons pubic lift or liposuction, perineoplasty, vaginoplasty, and mommy makeover. These delicate feminine aesthetic procedures require precision in technique and finesse hands and her extensive experience is unique in Houston. Dr. Ayim has dealt with thousands of vulva and vagina anatomy that required her expertise to restore.

Dr. Daisy Ayim is sought after by clients for quality work and a thought leader in aesthetic feminine plastic surgery. Dr. Ayim has numerous distinguished awards and recognitions befitting of her robust career. She is well respected by her peers and a true artist in all sense.

Education:

BS, Biochemistry, Louisiana State University

MD, University of Texas Medical Branch

General Surgery Internship, The Methodist Hospital

Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency, Howard University Hospital

Cosmetic Surgery Fellowship, Anderson Sobel Cosmetic

Awards/Recognitions:

Top Doc 2018, Houstonia Magazine

Top Doc 2017, Houstonia Magazine

Super Doctor Texas 2017, Rising Stars by Texas Monthly Magazine

Houston Top Doctor, H Texas Magazine 2016

Featured as Dynamic Woman, Houstons Modern Luxury Magazine 2012

Administrative Chief Resident, Howard University Hospital

Wyeth Grant Recipient, 19th Annual Resident Reporter Program, American Society of Reproductive Medicine

Grant Recipient, NIH/NMA Fellows in Academic Careers

Huel D Perkins Leadership Award, Louisiana State University

Academics:

Past Clinical Instructor, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics

Clinical Assistant Professor, The University of Texas Health Science, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Steve Samples Hopefully, this verdict will force Oncor to change its utility pole inspection policy.

Texas Lawyer, a publication of ALM Media Properties, LLC, has released its annual survey of the largest verdicts in Texas. Samples Ames PLLC, a personal injury law firm in Dallas, TX, was recognized for receiving the largest jury verdict in Texas for a workplace injury case.

A Dallas County jury deliberated two days before finding that Oncor was negligent and that Oscar Rosales and Victor Quintanilla sustained significant damages. Rosales and Quintanilla received severe and permanent injuries while working on a road widening project on Loy Lake Road in Sherman, Texas on July 12, 2012.

The Plaintiffs allege that the Oncor utility pole did not have adequate safety insulation to prevent the guy wire from becoming electrified when it came in contact with the utility line. As a result of the guy wire becoming electrified during the road widening, Rosales and Quintanilla were electrocuted with 7200 volts of electricity. While both survived, they have burns, disfigurement, and permanent injuries that prevent them from restoration to their previous lives.

Although the guy wire itself is not electrified, it becomes electrified if it comes in contact with the high voltage line. The National Electrical Safety Code requires guy wires to be adequately insulated. The guy wire that severely injured Rosales and Quintanilla had only two feet of insulation and did not extend past the energized equipment.

While he was very pleased with the verdict for his clients, Plaintiffs Attorney Steve Samples has great concern that accidents of this nature may reoccur if Oncor procedures are not changed.

Oncor acknowledged under oath that there is no formal inspection plan to identify safety hazards on poles in neighborhoods, said Samples. Safety hazards are addressed when an Oncor employee randomly notices one while on duty or when someone is injured or killed. Hopefully, this verdict will force Oncor to change its utility pole inspection policy. We cant risk another electrocution like this.

The case is styled Cause No. DC-17-03500 Victor Quintanilla and Oscar Interiano Rosales v. Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC, 160th District Court, Dallas County, Texas.

The Plaintiffs were represented by Steve Samples of Samples Ames PLLC in Dallas, Texas, Wade A. Barrow of Barrow Law, PLLC in Fort Worth, Texas, , and Jose I. Sanchez of Jose Sanchez Law Firm, PC in Longview, Texas.

Further media inquiries can be directed to Linda Hallenbeck at Samples Ames PLLC, 469.466.2600.
Amir Khan has breached the Covid lockdown rules for a third time by hosting a family birthday party for his six-year-old daughter.

The boxer and wife Faryal Makhdoom held the surprise bash for Lamaisah at their home in Bolton and he could not resist posting a video of events to his 1.3 million Instagram followers.

It is the third time he has ignored social distancing rules after an emotional reunion with his parents at Eid last weekend and hosting a takeaway for five friends at his home in April.

In the 55 second clip of Lamaisah's birthday, at least nine relatives can be seen gathered and waiting to surprise the little girl with a cake.

Amir Khan has breached the Covid lockdown rules for a third time by hosting a family birthday party for his six-year-old daughter

The boxer and wife Faryal Makhdoom held the surprise bash for Lamaisah at their home and he could not resist posting a video of events to his 1.3 million Instagram followers

They all shout Surprise as she walks into the room wearing a unicorn headband and then sing Happy Birthday as they stand close together with Khan in the background.

Lamaisah can be seen blowing the candles out on her cake before opening presents with her relatives huddled close by.

Khan, 33, a former light-welterweight world champion, appeared to take the video down shortly afterwards, perhaps mindful of the grovelling promise he made in April to abide by the Lockdown rules.

That followed his posting of a video showing five friends at his Bolton home enjoying a takeaway curry at the height of the pandemic.

Back then he said, I was wrong and Im truly sorry to the British public. I should not have had this party for my friends and as soon as I posted the video, I realised that it was sending out the wrong message.

'I can understand why some people are calling me a hypocrite, but I want to promise them, I will not do something like this again.

He appeared to stay on the right side of the rules for just over a month before two flagrant breaches in the space of a week.

Over the Eid weekend, he and wife Faryal, 28, decided to end their long rift with his parents, Shah and Falak, for a tearful reunion at their house.

In the 55 second clip of Lamaisah's birthday, at least nine relatives can be seen gathered and waiting to surprise the little girl with a cake

They all shout Surprise as she walks into the room wearing a unicorn headband and then sing Happy Birthday as they stand close together with Khan in the background. Lamaisah can be seen blowing the candles out on her cake before opening presents with her relatives huddled close by

Khan, 33, a former light-welterweight world champion, appeared to take the video down shortly afterwards, perhaps mindful of the grovelling promise he made in April to abide by the Lockdown rules

The family had fallen out in spectacular style during 2016 and 2017 with his parents calling Faryal, an American model, evil and controlling while she responded with claims of bullying.

At one stage Khan announced he would be divorcing his wife, only for her to announce she was pregnant with the second of their three children, and for the marriage to survive.

The get-together at the weekend, which included his siblings and cousins, was the first time the couple had seen Khan's parents since December 2018.

It was all the more emotional as it was the first time his parents had met their grandson Muhammad Zaviyar, born three-months ago.

At the time Khan was reported to have said that the pandemic had made him realise the importance of family.

And a source close to the star had excused his behaviour by blaming PM advisor Dominic Cummings.

He appeared to stay on the right side of the rules for just over a month before two flagrant breaches in the space of a week. Over the Eid weekend, he and wife Faryal, 28, decided to end their long rift with his parents, Shah and Falak, for a tearful reunion at their house

The get-together at the weekend, which included his siblings and cousins, was the first time the couple had seen Khan's parents since December 2018. It was a ll the more emotional as it was the first time his parents had met their grandson Zaviyar, born three-months ago

Important people in the Government are breaching the lockdown so what is wrong with the Khans and other people doing it?, said the source.

He added: 'If people are going to criticise them, then I would ask why are you picking on them? Why not target those who are more influential, like Dominic Cummings?

There was no reply from Khan when asked for a comment on hosting a party for his daughters birthday.
Thirty-three-year-old Prison Officer Kenson King of Park Hill was arrested last Friday for what he said was a Facebook post that was "liable to cause fear and alarm to the public, and perhaps for having violated unspecified elements of the Cyber Crime Act of 2016.





He was released from police custody after 8 p.m. on Saturday with no formal charges filed against him.





On Wednesday, King told THE VINCENTIAN, "We have decided to go forward with litigation, yes. We are going to bring a case technically against the entire system, i.e. in which the State will be the defendant.

Jomo Thomas, Kings lawyer, confirmed that legal action was imminent.





"A notice of intent would be served on the police and the Attorney General, Thomas said, describing it as the next step in what he is confident would be another legal victory for human rights here.





He added, "The Court would decide. I will never encourage a client to sue if I dont think he has a relatively good chance of a favorable outcome.





Thomas is reported elsewhere as saying, "The police have a legal responsibility to tell the accused person why he is detained as soon as possible by 24 hours of the arrest. The law also requires the authorities to take the accused and charged person before a legal tribunal within 48 hours or as soon as is responsibly possible. Sadly, until now, the police mock the law and hold suspects for up to 48 hours and then release them with no charge. It must be remembered that someone can only be arrested on the basis of probable cause of having committed an offense. We know of no crime Kenson King has committed and he has not been charged.





Kings legal troubles sprouted after he took to Facebook to vent about an ongoing domestic dispute involving an uncle and the uncles siblings.





A May 15 post protested alleged interference in Police procedure as it applied to licensed gun holders. It read, "See when I speak about Ralph all yo does vex. Now, I have an uncle named Mohammed King. Some know him as Hanniffe. He has two licensed firearms. He keeps on terrorizing his brothers. I had to personally give him a warning in 2015.. .





"The police came and confiscated the guns. Now this morning, Haniffe can have the guns, firing shots in the air and bragging that he called Ralph and Ralph called the Colonaire Police Station and threatened them, asking them if they gave licence for guns to Hanniffe.





When asked whether or not the post was intended to name the Prime Minister, King responded, "I never admitted to making the post, but the post that is there obviously alleges that is Ralph Gonsalves the post is talking about, because who other Ralph would have the kind of clout to call the Station to tell the police to give back the guns to someone else.





On Wednesday King said that Haniffe "was still behaving with his nonsense, brandishing guns as of Saturday morning while King was being held at the Criminal Investigations Department.








COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Denmark's state prosecutor has dropped its investigation into whether accounting firm EY breached anti-money laundering laws in connection with its audit of Danske Bank <DANSKE.CO>, the Danish Business Authority said on Friday.

Some 200 billion euros in payments flowed through the non-resident portfolio of Danskes Estonian branch between 2007 and 2015 and a report commissioned by Danske concluded many of those payments were suspicious.

The Danish bank is under investigation in the United States, Denmark, Estonia, France and Britain over payments from Russia, ex-Soviet states and elsewhere.

The DBA, which reported EY to authorities last year, said it had been notified by the prosecutor that the investigation had been halted because there was "no reasonable suspicion that any criminal offence has been committed".

EY was external auditor for Danske Bank until Deloitte took over the job in 2015.

"We have been informed that the investigation is suspended and with a clear conclusion that no criminal offence has been found," Torben Bender, EY's chief executive in Denmark, said in a statement.

"As previously outpointed, we believe that we have performed the audit correctly and in accordance with the rules and regulations applicable in 2014," he said.

The DBA said last year that EY, in connection with the audit of Danske's financial statements for 2014, became aware of information "that should have prompted it (EY) to carry out further investigations and notified the Money Laundering Secretariat".

The DBA, which is part of Denmark's business ministry, said on Friday it had taken note of the decision from the State Prosecutor for Serious Economic and International Crime.

(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen; Editing by David Goodman and Jane Merriman)
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Friday he was ready for a meeting with Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd May, 2020) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Friday he was ready for a meeting with Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea.

"We have confirmed our readiness to this meeting face-to-face," Ryankov said and expressed hope that the coronavirus-liked restrictions would not last too long encroaching upon the time directly ahead of the termination date of the New START Treaty.

The Wall Street Journal reported recently that the meeting on New START was likely to take place in Vienna.
The plan of the national unity government to extend Israeli control to the Jordan Valley has elicited much more criticism from abroad than in Israel. The acerbic ideological debate over the future of the territories acquired in 1967 is over. The Sinai Peninsula was relinquished in 1979-82. The security significance of the Golan Heights always been an issue of consensus among Israelis, with over 70% supporting Israel maintaining control of the area. The civil war in Syria only solidified such popular positions, while US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019 put this issue to rest. Gaza is similarly no longer a bone of contention after the 2005 unilateral withdrawal.

Concerning Judea and Samaria, there is a majority in favor of partition and retaining the settlement blocs, Jerusalem (the Temple Mount in particular) and the Jordan Valley. A recent poll commissioned by the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security confirmed that over 60% of Israelis (and over 70% among the wider Jewish public) favor extending Israeli law to these areas. The current composition of the Knesset favors incorporation of the Jordan Valley into Israel.

The Oslo process with the Palestinians was fueled by a desire to part from densely-populated Arab areas. The establishment of a Palestinian Authority in 1994 was a de facto partition, albeit a messy one, and very few Israelis advocate reconquering the cities of the West Bank. Moreover, Israel built a security barrier in the West Bank in 2002 marking a potential future border, signaling a determination to disengage from Palestinian population centers.

According to a 2018 poll by the Peace Index, half of the Jewish Israeli public thinks that Palestinians deserve an independent state but believe that the two-state solution would be impossible to implement.

The current territorial debate revolves around the amount of land to be relinquished to Palestinian control. For the most part, it is not couched in ideological reasoning but in a pragmatic assessment of what is needed for Israels security. Israelis seem to understand that they are locked in a tragic conflict with the Palestinians and are largely reconciled with the idea that the Jewish state will have to live by its sword for the foreseeable future.

The Palestinian rejection of partition proposals (from Prime Minister Ehud Barak in 2000, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in 2007 and US President Barack Obama in 2014) strengthens the Israeli feeling of having no choice. So far, the criticism from the far left in Israel and abroad has hardly touched the Israeli consensus and solidarity. The parties associated with the failed Oslo peace process have paid dearly in electoral terms.

The bridging of many of Israels social rifts has created a stronger society able to withstand the inevitable tests of protracted conflict in the future.

Debates over Israel's optimal economic system have long disappeared. Nearly all Israelis agree that capitalism is the best way to create wealth. Government policies along such lines are widely supported. The Likud, and primarily Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have been advocating a market economy while in power for most of the last two decades. Most Israeli parties adhere to a free market ideology while Labor, which criticizes the countrys capitalist orientation, has done poorly in recent elections.

Another social rift, the Ashkenazi-Sephardi cleavage, has also become much less divisive. The number of intermarriages is on the rise (over 20%) and is more socially acceptable, obfuscating ethnic differences. The erosion of socialist practices and the privatization of a centralized economy in the post-1977 period contributed to the growth of a non-Ashkenazi middle class. The number of Sephardi politicians at the local and national levels has increased significantly alongside a similar growth in the senior ranks of the IDF.

Social mobility has also been enhanced by greater access to higher learning. The opening of numerous colleges in the last three decades brought a dramatic increase in the proportion of university students of Sephardi origin. The Israel Statistical Bureau has stopped counting them because young people below 40 are categorized not as Sephardi but of Israeli origin, as they were born in the country.

The predictable tensions between newcomers and established members of society in an immigrant-absorbing country such as Israel have not persisted. Most of the immigrants from the former Soviet Union, despite some difficulties, are highly integrated. Ethiopian Jews, from a very different background, have also faced difficulties but are gradually integrating, as seen by rising numbers among junior officers in combat units, university students, Knesset members and ministers in the new national unity government.

Arguably the only rift within Israeli society still of social, cultural and political importance is the religious-secular divide. Yet the conflict is not between two clearly defined camps between which a reasonable modus vivendi might be found. The proportion of Orthodox Jews within society is growing (about 32%), while secularism is losing ground (the number of self-defined secular Jews is about 40%). A large number of Israelis also identify as traditionalist, in the center of the Orthodox-secular continuum. Precisely because there are Jews of different degrees of observance and knowledge means there is room for mediation and understanding. A Van Leer study from 2019 suggests that the discourse on secular-religious polarization in Israel is shallow and does not reflect the complex reality.

Not everything is perfect in Israeli society or the country's economy. Nevertheless, the standard of living is increasing continuously. As the coronavirus crisis spread in Israel, the annual UN World Happiness Report for 2020 (published in March) reported that Israel ranked 14th in the world. The country slipped one spot from last years survey and three spots from its 11th-place finish in 2018. The Israeli Voice Index published in May 2019 showed that 82% of Israelis are proud of their countrys achievements.

Such data refutes the common image of a deeply torn Israeli society and indicates strong social cohesion able to withstand outside pressures against a popular decision.
A company producing essential oils is to set up its first manufacturing and bottling facility outside the US in Blarney in Cork with plans to create 100 jobs over the next three years.

DoTERRA, which produces a large range of wellness products, is to operate from a 95,000 sq ft facility in the Blarney Business Park. Its Irish operation will serve as doTERRAs European Manufacturing Headquarters making products for the European marketplace, as well as provide increased capacity to serve other international markets, including the Middle East and Africa.

The privately held company was founded in 2008 and employs over 3,500 people in the US and multiple offices around the world.

There are currently 10 employees based in Cork City, and the company will look to add a number of operations roles and warehouse staff in August as the facility ramps up to start production in September. The company will grow its staff in quality control, supply chain management, finance, legal and HR as production increases.

doTERRAs arrival in Ireland is the result of a capital investment made by the company of more than 10m. Construction of the facility began in October 2019, and to date, the project has supported more than 60 construction jobs.

David Stirling, doTERRA Founding Executive and CEO said: doTERRA sources so many of its essential oils from Europe, and we are thrilled that this facility allows us to greatly reduce our carbon footprint by ensuring that these oils intended for European customers never leave Europe.

IDA Ireland supported the company in its search for a European headquarters. Martin Shanahan, CEO of the IDA said Ireland beat off strong competition from several other locations.

doTERRAs investment is in line with IDA Irelands strategy to continue to win investment and jobs in regional locations. Ireland is the ideal gateway location to Europe, while Cork continues to be a world-class investment location for international companies."

"doTERRAs arrival in Cork shows the confidence business leaders have in a region that continues to assert its adaptability and agility despite some extraordinary challenges that have emerged as a result of the global pandemic.
The Duchess of Sussex has been secretly working with her patronage Mayhew as it 'desperately' struggles with funding amid the coronavirus crisis, the London animal charity has revealed.

Meghan Markle, 38, who is currently living in Tyler Perry's $18 million mansion in Beverly Hills having stepped back from royal duty, has been 'in touch' with her patronage the Mayhew throughout the crisis, according to the charity's media officer.

Sarah Hastelow told Newsweek she couldn't give details of the contact, but explained: 'She's been such a champion of animals and animal welfare. It's always been a passion of hers.'

The charity's website details that it 'desperately needs extra funds' to buy supplies to be able to continue it's work with animals.

Meghan Markle, 38, has secretly working with her patronage the Mayhew as it struggles to stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic

Sarah added that the royal had 'been in touch' during the period, but added that she 'couldn't say much more than that.'

Meanwhile a source from the Sussexes' team explained: 'The Duchess is in touch and working with Mayhew at this time.'

The went on to add that the organisation was 'more than a classic animal charity' and that it was 'supporting so many other people in the community' during the pandemic.

The charity's website makes the stakes clear with an 'urgent care package appeal' message on its homepage.

The Duchess of Sussex has 'been in touch' with her patronage throughout the pandemic as it battles to raise vital funds

It says: 'We desperately need extra funds to buy supplies of food, litter, flea and worm treatment as our suppliers are running low.'

It also details how it has been bombarded with calls from people in the local community who are 'desperately in need of help' due to 'isolation or vulnerability.'

The charity is also unusual in that it helps homeless and other vulnerable people keep pets in the community.

During the pandemic, it has had fundraising events cancelled, seeing a drop in donations, but requires 6,000 a day to keep running.

The Duchess is currently living in Tyler Perry's $18 million mansion in Beverly Hills, having stepped back from royal duty

Meghan, an advocate of adopting rescue dogs, chose animal welfare charity Mayhew as one of her first patronages.

She previously visited the shelter in January 2019, and was introduced to Maggie, a one-year-old Jack Russell who was up for adoption on the charity's website.

The duchess picked up Maggie when she saw her shivering, and clutched her to her chest as she chatted to Mayhew staff, who told her about the charity's projects in India and Afghanistan.

And in January, the royal made a surprise visit to the charity in one of her last official outings in the UK before she jetted back to Canada to be with Archie.

The Duchess last visited the London based charity in January, shortly before news emerged she and Prince Harry planned to stand-down from royal duty

Despite stepping back from royal duties alongside Prince Harry, 35, last month, Meghan has been permitted to maintain her patronages.

Mayhew was founded in 1886 and today sees itself as an animal welfare social worker, keeping cats and dogs, whether family pets or companions for the homeless, safe and well alongside their owners, and supporting communities.

It has a pet refuge service, provides vet services for vulnerable owners, and has a team of animal welfare officers who work with local residents helping local communities.
WASHINGTON  U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz wants the Justice Department to launch a criminal investigation into Twitter, accusing the social media company of violating American sanctions on Iran by providing social media accounts to Iranian leaders.

His call comes as conservatives led by President Donald Trump have turned up the heat on Twitter and other social media companies in recent days, accusing the platforms of silencing conservative voices.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at limiting legal protections for the companies for content posted on their sites. The order came after Twitter started flagging the presidents tweets about mail-in voting fraud as containing incorrect information.

Cruz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a longtime critic of Twitter, now wants the Justice Department to launch a criminal probe into the company, which the Texas Republican says is violating American sanctions by providing accounts to the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif.

The company has responded to Cruzs past demands that it kick the Iranian officials off the platform by saying Twitter is a communication tool and is broadly exempted from sanctions. The company also argued that the public conversation occurring on Twitter is critically important during this unprecedented public health emergency.

With a critical mass of expert organizations, official government accounts, health professionals, and epidemiologists on our service, our goal is to elevate and amplify authoritative health information as far as possible, the company wrote in a previous response to Cruz. We consider official government voices on Twitter an important element of the service.

GLORIFYING VIOLENCE? Trump calls Minneapolis protesters 'thugs,' vows action

Cruz, who served as Texas solicitor general for five years, called Twitters arguments untenable.

Iranian officials ban Iranian citizens from accessing Twitter, Cruz wrote in a letter sent on Friday to Attorney General Bill Barr and Treasury Secretary Stephen T. Mnuchin. In early April, Khamenei and Zarif used their Twitter accounts to post anti-American disinformation and conspiracy theories, not authoritative health information. They use their accounts provided by Twitter to threaten and taunt their enemies real and imagined.

ben.wermund@chron.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 21:32:22|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

KABUL, May 29 (Xinhua) -- At least 28 security personnel have been confirmed dead in the militancy-battered Afghanistan since Wednesday amid unofficial ceasefire and prisoners swap between government and the Taliban outfit, officials said Friday.

In the latest violent incidents, the Taliban insurgents stormed a border checkpoint in the eastern Paktia province, killing 14 troopers, the defense ministry said in a statement released Friday.

In the statement the defense ministry accused the Taliban group of violating the truce, saying, "Taliban violated the ceasefire last night and attacked a frontier checkpoint in Dand-e-Patan district, Paktia province, killing 14 security personnel and wounding three others."

According to the statement, the attacking Taliban militants fled away after suffering huge casualties.

Similarly, the Taliban attack on security checkpoints in Siagurd district of the relatively peaceful Parwan province late Wednesday night claimed the lives of seven security men, spokesperson for provincial government Wahida Shahkar confirmed.

She also asserted that the militants took away two more security personnel to unknown location.

Mohibullah Mohib, the spokesman for police in the western Farah province, has also accused the Taliban group of attacking a checkpoint outside Farah city, the capital of western Farah province and killing seven police on Wednesday night.

According to Mohib, the Taliban also captured three injured police and took to unknown location.

The Taliban group which observed a three-day ceasefire on account of Eid al-Fitr started on Sunday and ended on Tuesday to enable Afghans celebrate the end of the Muslim fasting month Ramadan has yet to make comment.

However, the militant group, in counter-accusation, has accused the government air force of targeting residential area in the southern Zabul province and killing civilians, a claim rejected by officials as baseless.

Welcoming the Taliban's three-day truce announced on account of Eid al-fitr, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani announced to set free 2,000 Taliban prisoners and since then has released 1,000 inmates over the past few days, bringing the number of released prisoners to more than 2,000 since late March, while Taliban has freed nearly 350 government men.

A Taliban five-member delegation, according to government sources, is currently in Kabul to discuss the release of more detainees.

Prisoners swap is part of the U.S.-Taliban peace deal inked in Doha on Feb. 29 to facilitate the intra-Afghan dialogue and pave the way for the pull out of the foreign forces from Afghanistan.

The Afghan government, according to local media, believes that the unofficial ceasefire remains intact following the end of the three-day official ceasefire ended Tuesday.

However, the Taliban outfit has yet to make any comment about the extension of the truce.

"It is ridiculous to say the ceasefire is intact while the enemy has been attacking the security checkpoints and killing security personnel," political analyst Nazari Pariani told Xinhua. Enditem
Washington: Even the most patriotic American, deep in their heart, would struggle to feel proud of their country and optimistic about its future after this week.

Consider the past few days. The country passed 100,000 deaths from the coronavirus, more than anywhere else in the world. Unemployment claims hit a staggering 40 million, meaning one in four Americans has been laid off over the past three months. And then there was the shocking death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer pressed his knee into the man's neck, refusing to ease up even as he pleaded: "I can't breathe."

A man jumps off a burning car in a Target car park in Minneapolis. Credit:AP

Eric Garner, a black man from New York, uttered the exact same words before he died after being held in a police chokehold in 2014.

Slavery was America's original sin and the divide between white and black Americans remains one of the country's most glaring failures. The pandemic has exacerbated the country's existing racial inequalities: black Americans have died in disproportionate numbers from COVID-19 and have been hardest hit by the economic collapse. And now Floyd's death is the latest apparent example of the police brutality that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement seven years ago.
PRESS RELEASE

Paris, 29 May 2020

Bogart Group (Euronext Paris - Compartment B - FR0012872141 - JBOG), which specializes in the creation, manufacture and sale of luxury fragrances and cosmetics, has published its turnover for the first quarter of 2020.

As announced in the press release of 19 March 2020, Bogart Group's business has been impacted during the first quarter by the extraordinary and unprecedented public health crisis, with this impact also set to be felt in the second quarter. After a positive start to the year, the Group was forced to close its SFFP fragrance manufacturing plant and halt deliveries in mid-March, which impacted the distribution of the Group's brands in the partner networks. Meanwhile, the Company gradually closed its own-brand boutiques from 16 March onwards in accordance with local government requirements.

The entire network reopened several weeks ago; the early signs are positive although it is still too soon to anticipate any trend. Bogart Group will retain close control over costs and will continue to leverage its solid financial structure to limit the impact of this crisis. The Company has elected to remain active in the area of product launches; its flexible vertical integration model enables it to support the visibility of its brands.

Revenues in  million (unaudited) 2019 2020 Change

% Q1 turnover 66.2 53.8 -18.7% Fragrance/Cosmetic brands 9.9 8.7 -12.1% Own-brand boutiques 56.3 45.1 -19.9%

Bogart Group posted turnover of 53.8 million for the first quarter of 2020, down 18.7% from 66.2 million in Q1 2019. At constant consolidation scope and exchange rates, sales fell 22.2%, while the recent acquisitions (Pascal and Milady fragrance boutiques) made a positive contribution of 1.8 million to Q1 turnover.

The Group has taken the necessary action to mitigate the financial impact of this business slowdown on its finances, including by implementing short time working and renegotiating rents. The Group has also received a 14.5 million state-guaranteed loan (PGE) to provide financing during this period.

2020 outlook

Bogart Group, with the agreement of the trade union organizations and in full compliance with health recommendations, was able to reopen the SFFP fragrance manufacturing plant on 11 May (the SFFC cosmetics plant having remained in very limited operation during the lockdown).

With regard to its Fragrance/Cosmetics brands operations, Bogart Group has received encouraging signals from sales in Europe and Asia yet remains cautious given the current poor visibility of the US market and the slowdown in Latin America.

The Group is nonetheless maintaining an active product launch policy and is planning several new releases in 2020 for most of its brands;

April: 80 new products in its Bathroom range were launched in May 2020 and are currently available through its network of 390 own-brand boutiques.

Carven: The Group plans to release two new fragrances, including the launch of feminine fragrance Dans ma Bulle de Fleurs for Mother's Day. It is scheduled for distribution in the own-brand boutique network and on a gradual basis in some forty countries in accordance with their lockdown easing measures.

Stendhal: a complete overhaul is planned for this brand, in particular from September onwards in Europe in the skincare and make-up lines.



With regard to its Boutiques business, the Group gradually reopened its European store network in May 2020 with all applicable social distancing measures in place, and has recorded a positive trend in the few weeks during which stores have been open, undoubtedly linked in part to a catch-up phenomenon.

In general terms, Bogart Group forecasts a fall in sales during the second quarter due to store closures (own-brand boutiques and partners) during the lockdown and a decline in annual turnover in view of the very gradual recovery expected on its different global markets. The Group nonetheless highlights the fact that the network is traditionally more profitable in the second half of the year.

The Company will take the measures required to limit the impact of this crisis (adapting the cost structure by renegotiating rents, in particular) and will retain strict control over cash flow. Lastly, thanks to the strength of its vertical integration model, the growth of its brands within its own-brand network should continue to support the business.

Reporting date and publication of annual financial report

The Group informs the market that the Board of Directors meeting called to approve the annual financial statements is being held today and the Group will shortly announce the release of its annual financial report via a press release.

Next publication

General Meeting of Shareholders, second half of July 2020

Bogart Group will publish its first half 2020 turnover on Monday, 3 August 2020

Group website

www.groupe-bogart.com

CONTACTS

BOGART GROUP ACTUS finance & communication contact@jbogart.com

Tel: +33 (0)1 53 77 55 55 Anne-Pauline Petureaux

Analyst/Investor Relations

Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 72

apetureaux@actus.fr Alexandra Prisa

Press Relations

Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 90

aprisa@actus.fr

------------------------

This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ".

- SECURITY MASTER Key:

lZlvYZ2XaZydxm+eZZqYZ5Zrm2yUm5bFbpaXmGKcZsibaJxjlGyUa5zGZm9km2xu

- Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com.

------------------------



 Copyright Actusnews Wire

Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free

Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-63678-pr_groupe-bogart_q12020_vedf_en.pdf
Gardai arrest one of the men at the scene in Offaly

The bungling Brazilian hit-team who were busted with a machine gun and sawn-off shotgun in Co Offaly this week travelled to the scene in their own private car from Dublin, the Herald can reveal.

The four men were still being questioned at Portlaoise and Tullamore Garda stations last night with senior sources saying it is "likely" they will be charged with firearms offences today.

The development comes as officers served GIM forms on at least three people who live in a house in the Tullamore area that officers think was to be targeted in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

A GIM form is a written warning given to a person who gardai believe is in imminent danger of being murdered.

Feud

Last night senior sources told the Herald that the arrest of the hit-team had increased tensions in a spiralling Traveller feud in the midlands town.

"This crowd was hired by one Traveller faction to target another Traveller faction so obviously the targets are aware of what has happened here and are expected to fight back," a senior source said.

"Investigations to date have established that this Brazilian crew are no criminal masterminds at all - it is not as if they were flown into the country or anything like that.

"These are fellas that previously worked in meat factories and as pizza delivery drivers in the State. Some of them have minor criminal convictions such as public order, driving and drugs offences.

"It has not yet been determined how they got involved in a Traveller feud in Co Offaly but the belief is they were hired for the job because of connections linked to their low level involvement in the drugs trade.

"Analysis of CCTV has shown that one of them even drove his own car all the way from Dublin to Clara before the arrest operation took place so they were always going to be caught," the source explained.

Detectives have not yet established how or where they obtained the sub-machine gun, sawn-off shotgun and ammunition or how much the Brazilians were due to be paid.

Sources say the weapons were loaded and ready for use and that gardai have given official security advice to at least three people who may have been targets.

Yesterday the Herald revealed that feud in the Co Offaly town that started over a 70 drugs debt has been spiralling out of control over the past month and has now escalated to the point where innocent children could be murdered.

It is understood that the arrested men are aged between their 20s and 40s and two have addresses in Dublin, another in Ballymahon, Co Longford, with the fourth man based in another midlands location.

Undercover

One of the suspects is understood to have arranged to fly out of Ireland this week.

Heavily armed officers from the Garda Emergency Response Unit (ERU) swooped on the four suspects in a car and van in Clara on Wednesday morning.

They had been followed by undercover officers from Dublin after local gardai enlisted the force's secretive Crime and Security branch who deployed the heavily armed Emergency Response Unit (ERU)

It is understood that the van was to be driven just over 10 kilometres to Tullamore for the attack on the Traveller's home.

The Brazilian hit-team were then due to return to Clara to escape back to Dublin in the car but gardai were watching their every movement.
In this photo provided by instagram account of @mckinley_moore, demonstrators gather in downtown Louisville to protest the killing of Breonna Taylor. Read more

LOUISVILLE, Ky.  Looking to defuse anger after gunfire wounded at least seven people at a protest in Louisville, the mother of a black woman killed by police urged protesters Friday to continue demanding justice but do so without hurting each other.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear read the statement from Breonna Taylor's mother hours after gunshots erupted during protests late Thursday outside City Hall. One person was in critical condition, Louisville Metro Police said Friday.

Mayor Greg Fischer said police officers fired no shots. Instead, they provided aid to the wounded, he said. TV video showed terrified protesters fleeing as gunfire erupted.

With more rallies planned, Taylor's mother joined the chorus of calls for protests to remain peaceful. In her statement, Tamika Palmer said her daughter  an emergency medical technician  devoted her life to others and the "last thing she'd want right now is any more violence."

"Please keep saying her name," her statement said. "Please keep demanding justice and accountability, but let's do it the right way without hurting each other. We can and we will make some real change here. Now is the time. Let's make it happen, but safely."

On Friday evening, about 100 people flooded a downtown street near City Hall, briefly blocking traffic and chanting "no justice, no peace." Protesters carried signs calling for justice for Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, the black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis. No police were visible at the time, and officials have said they will let protesters demonstrate as long as there is no violence.

Beshear, speaking on CNN, said Thursday's protest started peacefully but some people later "turned it into something that it should not have been."

The Democratic governor also called on President Donald Trump to retract a tweet in which he threatened to "assume control" in Minneapolis if necessary. The president, reacting to the torching of a Minneapolis police station by protesters outraged by the death of a black man in police custody, warned that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

"During these times, we can condemn violence while also trying to listen, to understand, to know that there is deep frustration, rightfully so, in our country," Beshear said. "That there has not been enough action on creating equality, of opportunity and in health care. And in a time of this COVID-19 pandemic, it's laid bare all of that."

Bracing for more protests, police said they wouldn't tolerate violence or property destruction.

"We value the right to free speech and understand this community has a lot to say right now," Louisville police Lt. Col. LaVita Chavous said. "We hear you."

But she added that police were prepared to "take whatever action we must to try to ensure no one else is injured during this time of unrest. We ask the community to please voice your opinions in a peaceful way."

Meanwhile, Louisville's mayor said the use of no-knock warrants by police was being suspended, the latest in a series of policy changes and others actions in response to Taylor's death.

"To the people who gathered downtown last night to protest, and to many more throughout our city and throughout our country who feel angry, hurt, afraid, frustrated, tired and sick of story after story of black lives ending at the hands of law enforcement, I hear you," Fischer said.

Fischer called for peace, saying the "fight for justice cannot be won with guns and vandalism."

Two people wounded in the gunfire underwent surgery, while five were in good condition, he said.

Local Councilwoman Keisha Dorsey termed the protest as "a revolt against a system in which people have felt oppressed," the Courier Journal reported. "What I'm seeing is people who are trying their best to do something with their hurt, their pain and their frustration."

Thursday nights demonstration came as protesters across the country, in cities including Los Angeles, Denver, New York and Memphis, turned out in alliance with demonstrators protesting Floyds death in Minneapolis.

 READ MORE: Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyds neck charged with murder

The Louisville protests followed the release of a 911 call Taylor's boyfriend made on March 13, moments after the 26-year-old EMT was shot eight times by narcotics detectives who knocked down her front door. No drugs were found in the home.

Hundreds of demonstrators marched through downtown Louisville, ending in the early hours of Friday as rain poured down. Windows were broken and several vehicles were damaged during the unrest, police said. Shots were fired into government buildings, including police headquarters, they said. Bricks were thrown into buildings and graffiti was splashed in several places, including a firefighter memorial, they said. The police description of the damage made no reference to any looting.

Jordan Basham said she was a few feet from where the people were shot. As people fled in terror, a man she didn't know pushed her to the ground, told her not to move and used his own body to shield her, she said Friday.

"I'll never be able to get that picture out of my mind," she said. "But I am still very glad that I was there. As long as they're out there protesting, I'll be back."

The 24-year-old, white bartender said she hopes future protests remain peaceful but added: "With what I saw last night and with the way people were acting, it really worries me."

Many protesters wore masks as Kentuckians are strongly urged to follow health guidelines to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Attention on Taylors death has intensified since her family sued the police department this month. The case has attracted national headlines alongside the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia in February and the recent death of Floyd, who pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck.
Kylie Jenner has slammed Forbes after it published a bombshell report on Friday accusing the Jenner family of inflating figures and 'forging' tax returns for the makeup mogul's cosmetics company.

It appears the 22-year-old reality star was taken by surprise at the article, which claims Kylie Cosmetics is not doing as well as the Jenners want people to think - and that the Lip Kit creator is not actually a billionaire.

Forbes named Kylie the world's youngest self-made billionaire in 2019 and again in 2020, and of her surprise over their latest article she wrote on Twitter: 'what am i even waking up to. i thought this was a reputable site..

Hitting back: Kylie Jenner has hit back at Forbes after it published a report on Friday claiming that the Jenners and their PR team inflated figures for Kylie Cosmetics

'all i see are a number of inaccurate statements and unproven assumptions lol. ive never asked for any title or tried to lie my way there EVER. period'

She followed up with a quote from the Forbes report that accused the Jenners and their accountant of producing false tax returns.

'even creating tax returns that were likely forged thats your proof? so you just THOUGHT they were forged? like actually what am i reading.' Kylie tweeted incredulously.

She followed up with another post focusing on the positive, 'but okay i am blessed beyond my years, i have a beautiful daughter, and a successful business and im doing perfectly fine.'

'Inaccurate statements': On Friday morning Kylie appeared shocked by the Forbes article that claimed her family created a 'web of lies' so she could be crowned the youngest billionaire

Report: Kylie is not a billionaire, Forbes claimed on Friday. They accused the 'self-made' makeup mogul, 22, of spinning 'a web of lies' about company figures and 'forging tax returns'

In a detailed report based on public financial disclosures, Forbes on Friday accused the family of creating a 'web of lies' and said Kylie had inflated the size of her business and success.

The publication accuses her of 'lying about company figures and forging tax returns' to be dubbed a billionaire.

Based on filings from beauty giant Coty, which acquired a 51 percent stake of Kylie's makeup company in January at a valuation of $1.2 billion, Kylie Cosmetics generated revenues and profits that were far lower that the figures touted for years by the Jenner-Kardashian clan.

These shock claims come after Forbes put Kylie on the cover and hailed her the youngest self-made billionaire ever two years running.

Forbes explained that it had been shown 2016 tax returns indicating revenue far higher than the numbers revealed by Coty's filing, and that there were only two explanations: Kylie Cosmetics' sales had utterly collapsed in the two years before the acquisition, or the tax returns were fabricated.

Not worried: Kylie reacted to a tweet that questioned why she cared about it with so much going on in the news

Reaction: Another fan asked her to use her platform to speak out about George Floyd, the man who was killed by a police officer in Minnesota this week

Forbes now think that Kylie, even after pocketing an estimated $340 million after tax from the sale, is not a billionaire.

The magazine claimed that filings released by publicly traded Coty over the past six months reveal Kylies business is significantly smaller than people have been led to believe.

They wrote: 'Revenues over a 12-month period preceding the deal: $177million according to the Coty presentation, far lower than the published estimates at the time.

'More problematic, Coty said that sales were up 40% from 2018, meaning the business only generated about $125 million that year, nowhere near the $360 million the Jenners had led Forbes to believe.

Mom time: Kylie proved she's too busy to care as she spent time with her daughter Stormi, two, on Friday

'Kylies skincare line, which launched in May 2019, did $100 million in revenues in its first month and a half, Kylies reps told us. The filings show the line was actually on track to finish the year with just $25 million in sales.'

They add that there was no way the numbers the Jenners were offering in earlier years could be true.

If Kylie Cosmetics did $125 million in sales in 2018, how could it have done $307 million in 2016 as their supposed tax returns state or $330 million in 2017?

Forbes claimed that their new calculations put Kylie's personal fortune at just under $900million.

MailOnline has contacted a spokesperson for Kylie Jenner for comment.

Impressive: In 2019, Kylie was hailed as the 'youngest 'self-made' billionaire for the second year in a row (pictured on the 2018 cover)

'I can't believe it': Kylie shared a picture of the cover and wrote this post back in 2018

Kylie's lawyer Michael Kump told TMZ: 'We have reviewed Forbes' article accusing Kylie of engaging in deceit and a 'web of lies' to inflate her net worth.

'The article is filled with outright lies. Forbes' accusation that Kylie and her accountants 'forged tax returns' is unequivocally false and we are demanding that Forbes immediately and publicly retract that and other statements.'

He added, 'It is sad that, of all things, Forbes has devoted 3 reporters to investigate the effect of the coronavirus crisis on Kylie's net worth. We would not expect that from a supermarket tabloid, much less from Forbes.'

In 2019, the star unseated Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, then 35, as the youngest-ever self-made billionaire - he was 23 when he made his first billion 11 years ago in 2008.

Forbes has addressed the controversy that surrounds the title 'self-made' as last year people were up in arms that Kylie came from an already privileged background.

They penned: ' Yes, self-made (despite a lot of help from her famous family, she didnt inherit her businessshe built it). And yes, billionaire (shes worth $1 billion).'

The site also claimed that money from Kylie's Coty sale meant she was one of just 2,095 people in the world with a fortune of ten digits.

Defense: At the time, Forbes addressed the controversy that surrounds the title 'self-made' as people were up in arms that Kylie came from an already privileged background (pictured in February)

Kylie previously told Forbes: 'I didnt expect anything. I did not foresee the future. But [the recognition] feels really good. Thats a nice pat on the back.'

Jenner, who is the youngest and richest of the entire Kardashian-Jenner family, started her make up line in 2015 by selling $29 lipstick kits.

The kits sold out within minutes of launching - an early sign of the power of her now 270 million-plus social media following.

Jenner's products were only sold online when it was first launched but in 2018, the brand struck a deal to sell its goods in 1,100 Ulta Beauty stores across the U.S.

She expanded her empire earlier this year with Kylie Skin - a line of moisturizers, under eye creams and facial scrubs.

Incredible: Jenner, the youngest sibling of the Kardashian family, started her make up line with lipstick kits in 2015. Kylie Cosmetics signed a deal with Ulta Beauty Inc to put her products in all of the retailer's 1,163 U.S. stores (above)

Jenner brought in sales of an estimated $360 million in 2018.

Forbes itself put Kylie on the cover in March 2019, hailing her as the youngest ever self-made billionaire.

The move appeared to anger her brother-in-law Kanye West, whom Forbes did not declare a billionaire until April of this year.

The magazine reported that West 'reacted with hurt and venom' after he was not included in its billionaires list earlier this year.

'You know what you're doing,' he texted a Forbes reporter. 'You're toying with me and I'm not finna lye [sic] down and take it anymore in Jesus name.'

After he was finally added to the list, West disputed Forbes' evaluation of his net worth at $1.26 billion.

All change: Coty, which has been struggling with falling sales, saw a share increase of 5 percent following the Jenner announcement last year

Credit due: In April, the publication valued Kylie's brother-in-law Kanye West's assets at around $1.26 billion - the rapper had claimed that the figure was around $3 billion

'It's not a billion,' West texted the magazine. 'It's $3.3 billion since no one at Forbes knows how to count.'

Forbes relies on a team of researchers as well as public and private financial documents to arrive at its estimates of net worth for the world's richest people, rather than taking their claims at face value.

Per the report, West's team provided statements that showed the rapper has $17 million in cash, $35 million in stocks, $81 million in 'buildings and improvements' and $21 million in land.

Adidas Yeezy, the fashion collaboration between the rapper and the German sportswear brand, has a revenue worth of around $1.3 billion - making West around $140 million from sales just last year.

Iconic: In 2016, Kim Kardashian appeared on the cover of Forbes and was listed at no. 42 on their '100 highest paid celebrities' after netting $51 million the year before - she now has a net worth of $370million

The article suggests West has been eager to prove his financial status for some time, noting that he had previously claimed to be a billionaire during an appearance at the 2019 Fast Company Innovation Festival.

'When I did Forbes, I showed them a $890 million receipt and they still didn't say 'billionaire,'' dad-of-four Kanye told the audience.

In 2016, Kim Kardashian (Kylie's half-sister and Kanye's wife) appeared on the cover of Forbes and was listed at no. 42 on their ' 100 highest paid celebrities after netting $51 million the year before.

Kim couldn't contain her excitement as she shared the Forbes image on Instagram on Monday and wrote: 'Such a tremendous honor to be on the cover of @forbes!

'I never dreamed this would happen and know my Dad would be so proud. #NotBadForAGirlWithNoTalent'

Kim now has a net worth of $370million.
New Delhi: Protests over the death of George Floyd at the hads of Minneapolis police has erupted across the US, and in some cases even turning violent.

Hundreds of protesters, thronged streets, with many of them covering their faces. Angry protestors took to the streets in the wake of death of 46-year-old Floyd. Places like New York city, Denver, Colorado, Los Angeles and Minnesota saw large groups of protesters turn out. Some protesters even resorted to violence, leading riot police firing tear gas.

A Reuters report said that as protests entered second day, some demonstrators even resorted to looting and vandalism in some places.

Television news images showed dozens of people looting a Target store, running out with clothing and shopping carts full of merchandise, Reuters said.

Meanwhile Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard to restore order after protests turned violent.

The Justice Department said on Thursday it will make the case a "top priority".

Four police officers in Minneapolis have been sacked for their involvement in the death of a black man who was held down with a knee by one of the fired cop as he protested that he was unable to breathe. The incident took place on Monday evening when the officers responded to a call about an alleged forgery and found the suspect sitting inside a car.

The man later identified as Floyd was spotted by two officers, who claimed that the suspect "physically resisted" them when they asked him to get out. According to police, officers handcuffed the man, who "appeared to be suffering medical distress." Police added that the man died at a hospital after few hours.
At least 14 Afghan militants killed in separate Taliban attacks: Officials

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 28 May 2020 1:34 PM

At least 14 members of Afghanistan's security forces have been killed in an attack blamed on the Taliban, officials say, the first deadly assaults since a three-day ceasefire between the government and the militants ended.

The incident occurred at a checkpoint in the east-central province of Parwan on Tuesday, said Waheeda Shahkar, a spokeswoman to the provincial governor, adding, "The Taliban have also suffered casualties."

According to District Police Chief Hossein Shah, Taliban militants set fire to the checkpoint, claiming the lives of five security forces. Two more were also shot dead, he added.

Additionally on Tuesday, Taliban militants launched an attack on a police post, killing seven policemen in the western city of Farah, said provincial police spokesman Mohibullah Mohib. "Eight Taliban fighters were also killed in the clash," he added.

The Taliban group, however, has no yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, which were the first deadly ones that Afghan officials have blamed on the militants since a bilateral three-day truce ended on Tuesday night.

Figures by Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission show civilian casualties fell by 80 percent during the temporary ceasefire, which was held over the Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

A day earlier, Afghan security forces carried out airstrikes on positions held by suspected "militants" in the south of the country, killing 18 of them, police said.

The unexpected ceasefire offer by the Taliban and a brief lull in violence had raised hopes that stalled peace talks between the militants and the Afghan government could begin soon.

Kabul responded to the ceasefire by releasing some 1,000 Taliban inmates this week, and plans to further free an equal number of prisoners in the coming days.

The militant group, for its part, has said that it plans to releases another group of government prisoners. The Taliban have so far freed around 300 Afghan security force personnel.

A peace deal inked between the United States and the Taliban on February 28 stipulated that the Taliban stop their attacks on foreign forces in return for the US military's phased withdrawal from Afghanistan and also a prisoner exchange between the group and the government in Kabul, which was excluded from the talks.

The prisoner swap is regarded as a confidence-building move ahead of long-awaited peace talks between Kabul and the militant group, which rejected a government offer of truce for the duration of Ramadan and continued its attacks.

Nearly 14,000 US troops and 17,000 troops from NATO allies and partner countries remain stationed in Afghanistan years after the invasion of the country that toppled a Taliban regime in 2001.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Vodafone Ukraine reports issues with voice services in number of cities

16:40, 29.05.20 2527

However, the company has not yet announced when technical problems would be fixed.
Crowds mill about in the smoke-filled streets of Minneapolis on the third night of protests over the death of George Floyd. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Police unions generally warn against quick judgments in cases of law enforcement violence, but in California, several representing rank-and-file police Thursday condemned the death of George Floyd and the actions of a Minnesota officer who knelt on his neck as he pleaded for air.

Floyd died at the scene and the officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday, prosecutors said. The death has sparked violence and rioting in Minneapolis, where the National Guard has been called in, and protests in other cities, including Los Angeles.

What we saw on that video was inconsistent and contrary to everything we have been taught, not just as an academy recruit or a police officer, but as human beings. Reverence for life in every incident a police officer encounters must be the floor and not the ceiling," the Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents nearly 10,000 L.A. sworn personnel, said in a statement late Thursday.

Police unions in San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland, as well as the statewide law enforcement lobbying group, the Peace Officers Research Assn. of California, put out similar statements, calling Chauvin's actions outside of police training and castigating three other officers at the scene for failing to intervene. All four officers involved in the death have been fired.

The condemnations come as police chiefs, politicians and others across the United States weigh in with similar censure. But the statements from the police unions are notable because the organizations, charged with defending their members in cases of misconduct, are usually circumspect when it comes to commenting on in-custody deaths.

This week's statements may reflect a shift in attitude for California law enforcement unions that have faced years of scrutiny as communities of color have accused police of unequal treatment, sometimes resulting in shootings that have regularly made national headlines.

"Its a recognition that not speaking out on incidents such as this was and is a mistake," Tom Saggau, spokesman for police unions in San Jose and San Francisco, said Friday.

Story continues

For years, rank-and-file organizations have largely taken the position that a rush to judgment in fatal police encounters is unfair and that video evidence can be incomplete or misleading.

Last year, unions and activists squared off at the state Capitol over legislation to update California's use-of-force law, fueled by video of the death of Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man shot by Sacramento police who mistook his cellphone for a gun.

Police in that incident were cleared of wrongdoing, but the resulting protests and anger from activists and legislators helped push law enforcement, a powerful lobbying force in the state, to compromise on a new standard for when officers can use deadly force, changing it from when it is "reasonable" to when it is "necessary."

Melina Abdullah, a leader of Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles and a professor of Pan-African studies at Cal State, said she believed the statements were "disingenuous," and questioned why the unions were commenting on an out-of-state incident.

She pointed out that Los Angeles has seen controversial deaths and police actions in recent months in which the officers union has defended officers, including a scandal involving LAPD Metro officers who may have been unfairly entering black men into a state gang tracking database.

"Its absolutely PR," she said of the union statements.

John Burris, an Oakland-based civil rights attorney who has represented dozens of families affected by police violence, said he thought the acknowledgement by everyday officers was positive.

"There is the code of silence, the brotherhood of blue, that is ritually entrenched in police history and tradition, so this is unusual," said Burris. "This is a good message for the county at large  to appreciate that police officers will in fact acknowledge misconduct when they see it."

Saggau said that he and some "seasoned veterans" of law enforcement had watched video of the Minneapolis incident filmed by a bystander, and they had expected some action on the part of Floyd or Chauvin that could provide context for the death.

Instead, he said, they were struck by "the look on that officer's face, the complete indifference," he said.

The union leadership was also troubled that three other officers at the scene did not stop Chauvin, he said.

Saggau recalled thinking that, "Certainly somebody is going to tap someone on the shoulder, someone is going to jump in," but "they did nothing."

Saggau said that despite the unprecedented nature of the statements, union leadership was in consensus about the desire to comment on Floyd's death.

There cant be reconciliation, their cant be healing unless each side recognizes the wrong, and it's been far too long that law enforcement has not recognized the wrong," he said.
Former White House National Security Advisor Michael Flynn leaves the Prettyman Federal Courthouse following a sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court December 18, 2018 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images

Transcripts of calls between former national security advisor Michael Flynn and Russia's then-ambassador to the United States weeks before President Donald Trump's inauguration were publicly released Friday. Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. at the time, Sergey Kislyak. Earlier this month, the Department of Justice moved to drop its case against Flynn. Trump's new director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, released the transcripts to Congress on Friday after lawmakers of both parties requested them. Flynn has repeatedly admitted in court that he had falsely told FBI agents in January 2017 that he did not ask Kislyak to refrain from escalating the Obama administration's sanctions against Russia. The transcript of a Dec. 29, 2016, call shows Flynn advising Kislyak that Russia should only respond in a proportional manner to any actions the Obama administration takes against the country before Trump is inaugurated.

The Obama administration announced sanctions against Russia that day in response to the country's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. "What I would ask Russia to do is to not -is - is -if anything - because I know you have to have some sort of action - to, to only make it reciprocal," Flynn had told Kislyak. "Make it reciprocal. Don't -don't make it-don't go any further than you have to. Because I don't want us to get into something that has to escalate, on a, you know, on a tit for tat." Flynn was asked to resign by Trump after less than a month on the job because he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about what was said in the conversation with the Russian ambassador. After nearly being sentenced in 2018, Flynn replaced his legal team and asked U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan to dismiss his charge. The Justice Department said this month that it, too, wants the case dropped, after finding that the FBI did not have grounds to conduct a counterintelligence investigation of Flynn at the time agents interviewed him. Sullivan has, for now, refused to grant the Justice Department's motion to dismiss its prosecution of Flynn. Instead, Sullivan has asked a retired federal judge, John Gleeson, to make legal arguments on why the case should not be dismissed, and to address whether Sullivan should hold Flynn in criminal contempt for pleading guilty to lying to FBI agents when he now argues he did not lie. Sullivan has also allowed third parties to file arguments on why he should, or should not, dismiss the case. Flynn's lawyers have asked a federal appeals court to bar Sullivan from allowing outside comments on the case in court filings, and to direct the judge to dismiss the case.
 Flash

France on Wednesday banned the use of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to treat patients suffering severe forms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

"Whether in town or in hospitals, this molecule should not be prescribed for COVID-19 patients," said the Health Ministry.

The decision came after the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday that it had suspended a global trial of the malaria drug on COVID-19 patients while the safety data is being reviewed.

Last week, a study published in British medical journal The Lancet said patients receiving the drug, used alone or with a macrolide, had a higher mortality rate.

On March 26, France allowed the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat specific situations of COVID-19 patients, in hospitals only.

According to the WHO, over 400 hospitals in 35 countries were recruiting patients and nearly 3,500 patients have been enrolled from 17 countries under the Solidarity Trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of four drugs and drug combinations against COVID-19, which include hydroxychloroquine.
A first-of-its-kind survey on the state of migrant workers who have returned to their homes in Bihar has revealed some worrying facts about their worsening situation. More than 50 per cent of those surveyed are only having one meal a day, the debt situation has worsened for around 70 per cent of the workers and less than 1 per cent of the workers feel that their savings are enough.

Also, none of the workers reported receiving any kind of cash assistance during the lockdown while they were stranded.

The survey, which was conducted on 177 workers who had returned from various parts of the country to 15 districts of Bihar, is by the NGO ActionAid India. The research done on the residents of Bihar who had gone out to other states for work, is part of a larger pan-India study that the organisation, which has been working with informal workers and on the issue of urban homelessness, has been carrying out for some time now. Migrant workers reported being stranded on an average for 18 days before they could even begin their journey back home.

To start, the workers were asked the reasons for vacating their homes in the cities where they had gone to work. Most of the respondents, nearly a third, said that they were evicted by their landlords. The next big reason for the migrant workers for vacating their homes was because 26 per cent of them did not have any jobs to survive on.

"Our rapid assessment from the state of Bihar shows us that around 82 per cent of respondents lost their jobs and returned to their home districts. More than 60 per cent of them returned home without receiving any wages from their last employer in their destination cities," the report states.

The loss of wages and the hardships endured by the workers since then have taken a toll on the amount of food and water that they have been consuming since.

"Due to the sudden and drastic loss of income and lack of access, the level of food considered to be sufficient steeply dropped from 72 per cent to 8 per cent as reported by the respondents. As compared to pre-lockdown, 71 per cent of respondents used to have access to sufficient water, but that too has declined to 38 per cent during the lockdown...If such situation persists for few more weeks, then this will further expose them to starvation and other forms of vulnerability," the study found.

The report quotes Rahul Suresh Sapkal, an academic, who is also part of the research team for this survey, saying that "close to 161 million workers are at high risk of job loss during the ensuing crisis".

Around 66 per cent of the migrants returned home with no wages, 14 per cent received full wages, and 21 per cent received partial wages after the lockdown was announced. The loss of wages have pushed the migrant workers deeper into debt.

"Prior to the lockdown, approximately 40 per cent of respondents reported to have an average debt of Rs 53,000 per person in our sample. However, in the lockdown period, the intensity of indebtedness has been exacerbated for two-thirds (68 per cent) of the respondents. The debt amount ranges from Rs 40,000 to Rs 2,80,000. The rise in indebtedness has been reported on account of household expenses, health emergencies and to meet expenses related to agriculture for the upcoming kharif season," the report further states.

In what may also be a telling comment on the hardships being faced by migrant workers who have been desperately trying to reach their homes, 85 per cent of the workers said that they did not receive any form of assistance (either for travel/food/housing) from the government and the remaining 15 per cent of workers reported to have at least food assistance in their destination states.

The Supreme Court on Thursday forbade the railways and state governments from charging train or bus fares from stranded migrant workers waiting to return home in the ongoing national lockdown. The court said that those found walking should be escorted to the nearest camps where they should be looked after. States should simplify and speed up the process of registration of migrant workers.

Nine workers have been reported to have died in Shramik trains, apart from hundreds of other workers who are reported to have died in road accidents, of exhaustion and of various illnesses, while trying to get to their homes, since the lockdown was first imposed.
A massive cargo plane carrying parts of a field hospital touched down in Ghana on Thursday in support of a UN mission to protect aid workers from the coronavirus in West Africa.



A video posted by David Beasley, director of the UNs World Food Programme, showed crucial supplies being offloaded from the C-17 Globemaster, which has been given to the pandemic relief effort by the UAE.



Mr Beasley said Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, had been supportive of his call for an "air bridge" of humanitarian assistance between WFP's regional hub and struggling African nations.



"I picked up the phone and called His Highness, saying, 'brother, we need help. People are suffering," Mr Beasley said. "This in-kind contribution will save many, many lives. He did not blink an eye, and immediately said we will help.



"People of the UAE and the leadership, Mohamed bin Zayed, my dear brother, thank you for the kindness of your heart to help people save lives!"



The UAE is working in partnership with WFP to establish an international air bridge operation that will provide a lifeline of essential health and humanitarian supplies to nations around the world grappling with the impact of Covid-19.



The UAE has dedicated a fleet of three aircraft to enable the movement of life-saving cargo and personnel until the end of the year. Dwarfed by the cavernous opening of the aircrafts cargo bay, Mr Beasley thanked the UAE government, donors and the Ghanaian government in Accra for their help in setting up a regional hospital to help fight the pandemic.



He said, special thanks were reserved for the UAE government for providing the aircraft.



This piece of equipment, this C-17, is a result of the kindness of the UAE, Mr Beasley said.



The WFP could begin its life-saving work in the region because of the generosity of our donors, he said.



This is going to be a regional hub, not just for the field hospital but also passengers and air cargo so that we can provide supplies all over western Africa, Mr Beasley said.



This month he warned up to 300,000 people could starve to death every day if the coronavirus crisis broke food supply chains.



Because of the pandemic, 2020 could be remembered as the deadliest year for humanity since the Second World War, Mr Beasley said.



The C-17, made by Boeing in the United States, is a transport aircraft used by militaries around the world, including the UAE Armed Forces, Britains Royal Air Force and the US Air Force.



In service since the mid-1990s, the four-engine aircraft can take off with more than 77 tonnes of cargo. In 2007, its cost was about $218 million.

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Lawmakers elect Ex-Tehran mayor Qalibaf as new Parliament speaker

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 28 May 2020 7:57 AM

Iranian lawmakers have overwhelmingly voted to elect ex-Tehran mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf as speaker of the country's newly-inaugurated Parliament (Majlis).

During an open parliamentary session on Thursday, Qalibaf garnered 230 votes from a total of 267 cast by his fellow legislators to take the helm of Iran's 11th Parliament (Majlis).

The other candidates vying for the post, Mostafa Mir-Salim and Fereydoon Abbasi, secured 12 and 17 votes, respectively.

Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi and Ali Nikzad were also elected as the first and second deputy parliament speakers with 208 and 196 votes each.

The new Parliament chief, 58, is replacing Ali Larijani, who served in the post from 2008 until May this year.

Qalibaf served as the Iranian capital's mayor from 2005 to 2017. Prior to assuming that post, he was the chief of Law Enforcement Force from 2000 to 2005 and commander of the Air Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) from 1997 to 2000.

Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf (L) is seen next to a fellow lawmakers holding a photo of martyred anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.

Qalibaf  a pilot and PH.D holder in political geography  first began his military carrier during the ex-Iraqi regime's 1980s war on Iran.

His predecessor was appointed as a member of Iran's Expediency Discernment Council and advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a decree issued by the Leader on Thursday.

The new lawmakers were sworn into office during an inauguration ceremony on Wednesday.

In a message to the new legislature, Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted culture and economy as the country's most pressing issues, which require the legislature's highest-level of attention.

Iran's parliamentary elections were held on February 21, 2020. Over 24 million people took part in the polls with the overall turnout of more than 42 percent.

The elections took 279 lawmakers into the 290-member legislature. A second round is also expected to be held in September for the remaining 11 elective seats.

This parliament's lawmakers include 223 MPs from the Principlist camp, 18 Reformists, and 38 independents.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






While the long-term ramifications of the Palestinian leaderships decision to break administrative and security ties with Israel are still unclear, it can only mean the strengthening of the Palestine Liberation Organization at the cost of weakening the local Palestinian government.

Senior Palestinian officials, such as Fatah Secretary General Jibril Rajoub, insist that the decision is strategic and sincere. Yet many are doubting the decision because it seems to come with little planning and almost no details are available. It is being argued that the decision by the Fatah-dominated PLO goes in line with Fatah's practice of making decisions and then making adjustments as they are implemented.

PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi agrees that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announcement on May 20 means a shift toward the PLO, but feels that the latter needs to be reformed and revitalized. Thats been the plan of the Palestine National Council and Palestine Central Council for some time. But this needs the reform and revitalization of the PLO and its institutions, including elections, and a readjustment of its relationship to the Palestinian Authority.

Ashrawi noted that a lot has to be done if the political and representative mandate of the PLO is to be fully exercised to lead to national liberation and sovereignty.

Ziad Abuzayyad, a former Palestinian minister, says that to enact the Palestinian president's new decision, efforts must include a strategy to empower the PLO. Our people are more militant than their leadership and any decision or act that addresses and goes along with the dignity and national aspirations of the people gains support and popularity. The demand to shift from the PA to the PLO and empower the PLO with appropriate representation of all the national and Islamic factions is now at the top of the people's agenda.

Riyad Mansour, the head of the Palestinian mission to the United Nations, noted in a phone interview with Al-Monitor that the PLO is well represented legally in every UN decision since it was recognized by the international organization in 1975. We make sure that every decision made at the UN references the PLO as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

Mansour said that when Palestine was made an observer state in 2012, We added a line that this will not change the role of the PLO. Mansour predicts that when a sovereign and independent state of Palestine comes into being, the PLO could become a sort of ruling party. For us, the model of our future is that of Algeria and South Africa, where their liberation movements  the National Liberation Front, and the African National Congress  became the ruling party once liberation happened.

Mansour added that a powerful global lobby is forming to stand up to the possibility of an Israeli annexation. This has been one of the easiest tasks we have undertaken because in the post-World War II era there is a worldwide consensus against the unilateral acquisition of land under the sole justification of power and might. Annexation would violate the UN Charter, international law and the Security Council [resolutions] including UNSC 2334.

Fadi Elsalameen, a senior fellow at the Washington-based American Security Project, told Al-Monitor that it is too early to make predictions. The PLO as a representative of the Palestinian people is more popular that the PA, but the question is whether President Abbas is willing to have others in the PLO share with him the decision-making process or not.

Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Al-Monitor that it is reasonable to expect the PA to become weaker, not only due to the severing of ties with Israel but also because of matters like the loss of funding in recent years, the ongoing split with Hamas and the PA's loss of its raison detre. What has allowed the PA to survive more than two decades beyond its expiration date was the expectation that it would someday transform into a fully sovereign state. Now that a sovereign Palestinian state is no longer in the cards, thanks to the [US Middle East peace] plan and the apparent triumph of Israeli annexationists, the case for maintaining the PA becomes much harder to make, Elgindy explained.

Noor Imam, a Amman-based lawyer and a member of the Palestine National Council, told Al-Monitor that regardless of what happens, the PLO will be the reference point. The PA was the result of the Oslo process, but the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people will be around until liberation takes place.

In an ironic twist, the elevation of the PLO could be a godsend for some prospective Palestinian leaders who are waiting to occupy the three major posts that Abbas occupies as president, head of Fatah and chairman of the PLO. The more revolutionary leaders will see new opportunities in the latter two posts, irrespective of what Arabs and the international community might want in the president of Palestine.

Some 13 million Palestinians are spread between five million living in the West Bank and Gaza and eight million in the diaspora. If the suspension of coordination with Israel continues and the Palestinian government weakens, the PLO must be revitalized and reformed so it can truly represent everyone. To that end, the priority must be given to unity, which means finding a way to include large factions like Hamas.

While a shift to the PLO is still being discussed, the regional ramifications of such an eventuality have not been widely discussed. Will the Palestinian leadership return to one of the Arab capitals? Will it work to improve its relations with this or that Arab country in return for having its headquarters there? What will this mean to the relationship between Palestine and the world outside? If the current process continues these questions will need to be answered.
New Zealand has just one active case of COVID-19 after strict measures were introduced to stamp out the deadly virus in March.

The nation of 4.8 million people has not recorded a single infection in the past seven days.

Kiwi residents are now being told they can enjoy a 'normal' holiday weekend for the Queen's birthday on June 1 as more businesses open their doors.

New Zealand has just one active case of COVID-19, after strict measures were introduced to stamp out the deadly virus. Pictured: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the National Museum in Wellington

The public holiday weekend coincides with the government's decision to ease restrictions on gatherings.

As of Friday up to 100 people can gather in public places including events at home, religious services, parties, weddings and funerals.

Prime Minister Jacinda Arden and her cabinet are set to meet on June 8 to discuss whether New Zealand is ready to relax restrictions further to level 1.

As part of today's new measures, anyone hosting a social gathering will be obliged by law to keep a record of whose in attendance for the purposes of contact-tracing.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in New Zealand currently stands at 1,154 including 22 deaths.

To date, 275,852 COVID-19 tests have been carried out, according to the Ministry of Health.

Things also appear to be improving on the economic front.

The nation of 4.8 million people has not recorded a single infection in the past seven days

An update from the Treasury department on Friday showed 'heavy traffic was now just five percent below normal levels, electricity use was above pre-Covid levels, and electronic card spending was now about equal to pre-Covid levels,' the New Zealand Herald reported.

But despite the positivity, Ms Ardern has told New Zealanders to prepare for difficult times ahead.

'Let me be clear, the coming months and years will be some of the most challenging our country has faced in a very, very long time,' she said in a pre-budget speech,' she said.

'The International Monetary Fund predicts the global economy will contract by 3 percent in 2020, much worse than during the global financial crisis.

'Around the world, unemployment will rise, significantly. Businesses will fail and close. Government revenue will decline and we will feel the pain here too.

'New Zealand is about to enter a very tough winter but every winter is followed by spring, and if we make the right choices we can get New Zealanders back to work and our economy moving again quickly.'

An intersection in Auckland, New Zealand, which is usually full of morning commuters is deserted on first day of the mandated coronavirus shutdown (pictured March 26, 2020)

Queen Street in Auckland, New Zealand, (pictured March 26, 2020) is completely empty on first day of nationwide lockdown
Bala Chauhan By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Karnataka is on the edge with locust swarms making their way into Maharashtra. They have defoliated precious citrus plants in Nagpur and are roosting in neem and acacia trees. According to official sources, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has cautioned Karnataka that the next 48 hours are critical watch period for the locust swarm to enter the state because of the wind direction.

Sensing the emergency and to take stock of the situation, Chief Secretary TM Vijaybhaskar held a meeting on Wednesday with Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner Vandita Sharma, Dr Shylesha, entomologist, and professors Dr N Srinivasa and Dr ARV Kumar from the University of Agricultural Sciences.

Till May 30 the wind direction will remain southwards because of which, the locusts could enter the state. After May 30, the wind direction will change to northwards making Telangana and Chhattisgarh vulnerable to locust wave, said Dr AN Shylesha, Principal Scientist, Entomology, National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR).

The wind direction may have changed due to the cyclonic disturbances caused by Amphan. Locusts attack states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, which are closer to Pakistan. Due to Amphan their normal route has changed, said Dr Shylesha. The state government has issued advisories to farmers in the Maharashtra-Karnataka border districts  Koppal, Vijayapura, Bidar and Yadgir -- to remain vigilant and ward off the locusts by beating drums and making other loud sounds to displace their movement and use neem-based pesticides like Azadirachtin 10000 ppm and Neem Aza to protect high value crops.

In case of entry and to protect the standing crops, the government has advised the farmers to spray stronger pesticides like chlorpyriphos. Dr Shylesha said that the NBAIR along with Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture & Technology, Udaipur, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and Anand Agricultural University, Gujarat, will be testing entomofungal pathogens for management of locusts at breeding places.

Karnataka unlikely to be hit: Minister

Bengaluru: Agriculture Minister B C Patil has said Karnataka is unlikely to be affected by desert locusts which are currently swarming north-western states. The minister who held a meeting with agriculture officials, entomologists and academicians from the University of Agriculture Sciences told reporters on Thursday that as winds blowing southwards since May 26 are likely to change the direction, there are little changes of the locusts reaching Karnataka.

The locusts are 450 km away from Bidar border, he said. Patil said the state is prepared to tackle the issue in case the wind direction does not change and officials at district and taluk levels are directed to take action if needed. A committee headed by deputy commissioner has been constituted in every district to tackle the situation, he said. Officials are also visiting Bidar, Koppal, Kalaburagi, Yadgir and other places, he added.
Donald Trump is taking an enormous gamble in his enthusiasm for making believe the coronavirus is either not all that dangerous or else under control. Hes betting he can urge Americans to return to life as normal without suffering dire consequences. His presidency really depends on whether he wins the bet.

Millions of Americans are on his side. People just find it hard to believe that a virus can kill or sicken tens of thousands of people when life superficially appears unchanged. Thats a message thats hard to convey, and Trump has his finger on the pulse of those who assume it just cant happen to them. While everyone else around him may be wearing a face mask, he has yet to be seen with one.

Whatever I may think of Trump, I would definitely not want him to suffer as did Boris Johnson, the British prime minister who learned his lesson the hard way, winding up in the intensive-care unit with the virus after having brushed off the danger. Thank goodness he now seems cured.

You can hardly blame the mass of Americans, though, for wanting to go on with life as it was pre-virus. They have to make a living. They have businesses, jobs, stuff to do. Unemployment benefits cover only so much. Stimulus checks are quickly spent. Kids have to get back to school. The millionaires, and the people with comfy jobs and nice pensions and investments and trust funds can survive just fine. They have no problem preaching the dangers of a second wave, of a relapse of the pandemic, of the need to wait for a vaccine for defense against the plague and a cure if you do get it.

Most Americans, like people everywhere, just dont have the luxury of looking down from their privileged positions and advising everyone, just wait. Most people have to get back to making money now, today, not tomorrow.

An incredible number of people dont have rainy-day funds, or if they do, theyre in danger of running through them. Nor can most plain, ordinary people, middle- and working-class folks, work from home, as I can do just by tapping away on a computer, as many others do via online webinars, wheeling and dealing, writing, editing, calculating and investing. Those are luxuries that average people from the United States to everywhere else on earth dont generally have.

But heres a story with two and more sides. Its not hard to appreciate the advice of people like Dr. Anthony Fauci, who may be Americas best-known doctor after appearing so often at Trumps side in his role as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Trump may not appreciate Faucis caution about getting back to normality prematurely, but he cant let him go. Faucis advice is too even-tempered and too respected. While Trump has dumped numerous others for disagreeing with him, Fauci is too valuable a person to lose. Trump would be in for an unbelievably adverse response if he were dropped in favor of a simple yes man.

The danger of a spike is just too obvious to ignore. Trump is betting that life will get much better by summer when the experts say the disease will be more difficult to transmit. If he wins the bet, hell take the credit for the right decision. If the pandemic worsens, hes a loser.

No one knows better than Trump that the next six months before the presidential election will be crucial for a lot of people. They have to worry not about the election but about staying well and feeding themselves and their families in a harsh economy divided between haves and have-nots.

Donald Kirk is the author of 10 books on Korea, Okinawa, the Philippines and the Vietnam War. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
Brian Hook To Iran: Negotiate Or Manage Economic Collapse

Maryam Sinaiee May 28, 2020

The U.S. Special Representative for Iran on Wednesday reiterated that maximum economic pressure on Iran would prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

"Because of our pressure, Iranian leaders have come to a decision: either negotiate with us or manage the economic collapse," Brian Hook, U.S. Special Representative for Iran, told reporters at a State Department special briefing.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier in the day announced his decision to end the sanctions waiver covering all remaining nuclear projects originating from the nuclear agreement with world powers.

"We are taking these actions now because the regime continues to use its nuclear program to extort the international community," Hook told reporters and added: "The Iranian regime's threats are designed to intimidate nations into accepting Iran's usual violent behavior for fear of something worse. We refuse to play by Iran's rules".

The three projects covered by the waiver that has been terminated included the Arak reactor conversion, the provision of enriched uranium for the Tehran research reactor, and the export of Iran-spent and scrap research reactor fuel. The decision will take effect after a 60-day wind-down.

A waiver for Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, however, has been extended for 90 days. "International assistance at Bushehr predates the Iran nuclear deal," Hook explained to reporters.

The United States is willing to allow fuel supply and fuel-back for the Bushehr reactor but not work on any additional units that might be constructed there, Assistant Secretary Christopher Ashley Ford who also attended the briefing said.

On Wednesday Secretary Pompeo also announced the designation of Amjad Sazgar and Majid Agha'i for supporting Iran's proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Brian Hook said Sazegar managed uranium centrifuge activities that have contributed to Iran exceeding its enriched uranium stockpile in excess of its nuclear deal commitments and Agha'i has also been centrally involved in uranium enrichment centrifuge operations.

"As a result of this action today, these two individuals have been added to Treasury's SDN list," he said.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/brian- hook-to-iran-negotiate-or-manage- economic-collapse-/30639161.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Qatar has branded incorrect and baseless rumors that it is planning to leave the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as the diplomatic feud with Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain will be three-year old next month.

Reports claiming that Qatar is considering leaving the GCC are wholly incorrect and baseless, Qatars assistant foreign minister Lolwah al-Khater told AFP.

Such rumors must have originated from peoples despair and disappointment with a fractured GCC, which used to be a source of hope and aspiration for the people of the six member countries, she said.

Rumors have had it that the gas-rich small country is planning to pull out from the regional bloc founded in 1981.

Reports come amid ongoing diplomatic row. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, members of the GCC, plus Egypt in June 2017 severed ties with the tiny country over alleged support for terrorism and improving ties with regional foe, Iran.

The Saudi-led league also cut air, sea and land link with Doha.

Qatar has denied any wrongdoing accusing the four countries of carrying out a smear campaign against it. Efforts by regional organization other members namely Kuwait and Oman to diffuse the crisis, have failed.
Prof. Gilad Perez, a theoretical physicist from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, is coming to Mainz with the support of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. He will continue his research alongside his academic host, Prof. Dmitry Budker from the PRISMA+ Cluster of Excellence at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the Helmholtz Institute Mainz (HIM). The collaboration between these two scientists is dedicated to one of the most fascinating challenges facing fundamental physics in the 21st century: the search for dark matter.

It has long been known that dark matter must exist as supported by a host of astrophysical and cosmological observations. Moreover, visible matter only accounts for around 20 percent of the total matter in the universe - meaning that more than 80 percent can only be dark matter. Nevertheless, we still do not know what makes up dark matter.

Gilad Perez has been tackling major questions in the fields of elementary particle physics, cosmology, and 'new physics' beyond the Standard Model for many years. He is working on resolving mysteries associated with the recently discovered Higgs boson. Furthermore, at present the primary focus of his work is on the topic of dark matter, with a particular emphasis on the concept known as the 'relaxion field'. Perez refined the original theory, overcoming some obstacles in the process, and his model now has an array of additional features. He is investigating the possibility that the dark matter density near astrophysical objects, such as the sun and the earth, can be greater than expected by conventional models, and, consequently, coupling effects with normal matter should thus be easier to observe and record in a laboratory using various types of detectors.

Gilad Perez has now been granted the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in tribute to his research to date. The award is endowed with EUR 45,000 and includes an invitation to undertake a research stay in Germany. As soon as the coronavirus situation makes this possible, Gilad Perez will be joining the Experimental Atomic Physics team headed up by Prof. Dmitry Budker.

"We have already enjoyed working very successfully with Gilad Perez in the past," states Budker. "He is also one of the leading minds in the fields of theoretical particle phenomenology and physics beyond the Standard Model. Although he is still a young researcher, he has already published many outstanding articles and is a sought-after speaker at international conferences. That's why I nominated Gilad for the research award and I'm delighted that he won it. We have already co-authored several articles dealing with the relaxion model that spotlight the search for ultra-light dark matter in the laboratory." This will also be the overriding focus of Gilad Perez' research stay - working towards finally identifying what dark matter is and finding ingenious ways to detect it in the laboratory. They also plan to continue with the experiment on which they have already reported. Dmitry Budker is convinced that the collaboration will be highly rewarding: "Our joint work will benefit tremendously from the research award and the research stay. I'm certain that the exchange will give rise to lots of new and exciting ideas."

###

The Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation honors internationally renowned scientists based outside Germany. The Humboldt Foundation grants some 20 Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Awards annually.
New Delhi, May 29 : Almost five months after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the probe into the drug smuggling case involving Pakistan-based Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) chief Harmeet Singh aka PHD, who is believed to be dead, the anti-terror probe agency on Friday said that it has filed chargesheet against 10 accused in the case including Harmeet Singh and Jasmeet Singh Hakimzada, a Dubai based international drugs smuggler and money launderer.

An NIA spokesperson in Delhi said the agency filed the charge sheet in a Special NIA Court in Mohali against Jajbir Singh Samra, Harpreet Singh, Varinder Singh Chahal, Nirmal Singh, Satpal Singh, Hiralal, Harjit Singh, Jasmeet Singh Hakimzada, slain KLF member Harmeet Singh aka PHD and Jasbir Singh under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, NDPS Act.

The Punjab Police has registered the FIR in Amritsar. NIA had taken over the probe on January 22 this year and booked the accused under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and NDPS Act. The NIA official said that during investigation, role of Harmeet Singh, Pakistan-based chief of KLF, a proscribed terrorist organisation, has emerged in running a cross-border narco-terror network through drug smugglers, militant elements and hawala operatives based in Punjab and other states in India.

Harmeet Singh is believed to have been killed in Pakistan last month. The case pertains to the arrest of three accused persons with 500 gms of heroin and Rs 1.2 lakh in drug money for which a case was registered in Amritsar. The Punjab Police had arrested three more accused persons in the month of December 2019.

The official said that role of Harmeet Singh and Hakimzada has prominently emerged in running the narco-terror network to further the terrorist activities of KLF. He said, the network included persons involved in smuggling or selling of heroin, militant elements and hawala operatives based in Punjab, Delhi and Dubai responsible for the entire chain from selling of heroin to channelizing the proceeds to Dubai or Pakistan at the behest of Harmeet Singh and Hakimzada.

The NIA has mentioned both of them as prime accused and have been charge sheeted as absconders and further proceedings are on against them as per the extant laws.
The whole idea of distressed regions in Canada has been shaken up by the pandemic  economic despair has headed downtown.

With COVID-19 rampaging through high-density areas of the country such as the GTA and Montreal, the federal governments attention to regional development has become a lot more urban in the past couple of months.

Melanie Joly, the minister in charge of economic development, says the pandemic has forced a big shift in the geographic focus of her department.

We have to go to downtowns and we have to support businesses in downtown Montreal, in downtown Ottawa, in downtown Toronto, Joly said in a conversation with me this week. Thats what we need to do because all the storefronts of all the main streets, the merchant types of streets are affected, and will continue to be affected. So, it's going to be a first for us  and Ive changed a bit the mission of the agencies to get there.

Back in January, I sat down with Joly to talk about her then-new job and what she intended to do with responsibility for economic development across the country. It was a big job  Joly had been handed oversight of the six different agencies that normally distribute around $1.2 billion in federal aid to prop up local business and industry.

She talked over breakfast in the Chateau Laurier about how this new responsibility was going to take her to remote pockets of the country, where many citizens were feeling neglected by the federal government.

If she did her job well, Joly said, she would show them that Ottawa could be a force for good in peoples lives; that it could actually use its economic clout to make life better. Her tour of regions in need was going to be called weve got your back.

Enter COVID-19 and a national pandemic  Jolys job and that slogan took on a whole new meaning, shared government-wide.

Remember the conversation we had? Joly said this week. Well now, she said, People know we've got their back. We're everywhere. We're everywhere in people's lives.

Joly, whos been grounded in Montreal throughout the pandemic, said that shes been having virtual conversations with economic-development and business groups all over the country.

One conversation that stands out for her was with the Alberta chambers of commerce. Hundreds of people were on the Zoom teleconference, their eyes trained on Joly. She was looking right back, and what she saw in many of those eyes, she said, was pure despair.

"They wanted to be able to make sense (of what was happening) to their own homes and their own businesses, she said. All the old partisan divides between Alberta and Ottawa also seemed to be set aside. It didn't matter I was a Liberal federal minister. They didn't care. I was there and I had information, and what people in times of crisis are looking at is certainty.

Jolys regional development budget has been doubled to roughly $2 billion, and shes intensely involved in discussions on where best to spend it. The priorities, including those urban ones, are getting clearer every day.

Like many politicians who are knee-deep in the crisis, she finds war analogies useful. In the early days of the national lockdown, she said, they were in the fog of war, just trying to find their way through the economic mayhem and chaos.

Lately, though, I feel the fog has lifted bit by bit and now we're seeing the battlefield . In some sectors, it is a carnage. In other places, it's OK. Were the Red Cross on the battlefield and trying to take care of the ill and seeing that there's lots of casualties.

As a Montreal MP, Joly is situated right in the middle of the carnage, in the city hardest hit by the virus. She only needs to walk through the streets of her city to see the devastation of COVID-19. Her own spouse, who owns a design business, had to lay off his employees.

By some fluke of luck, Joly and her spouse actually had to move house at the outset of the pandemic, to a part of the city she didnt know all that well.

Its been a strange way to meet the new neighbours. Until about three weeks ago, Joly didnt know anyone. But then an email circulated through the neighbourhood, floating the idea of a gathering outdoors, just to let people talk to one another and share a glass of wine at a safe distance. It is now a Saturday-afternoon tradition.

Thats the kind of year its been. Joly thought she would be travelling to remote, rural areas of Canada to see economic devastation close up, but shes found it right at home, right downtown.

Susan Delacourt is an Ottawa-based columnist covering national politics for the Star. Reach her via email: sdelacourt@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @susandelacourt

Read more about:
The Minneapolis mayor apologises for the arrest and the crew is later released, but questions remain.

Police in Minneapolis released a Black CNN reporter who was led off in handcuffs along with his film crew while reporting live on television early on Friday morning during violent protests in the city.

Officers gave no explanation as they escorted reporter Omar Jimenez away. He had just shown a protester being arrested when about half a dozen police officers in gas masks surrounded him. More than an hour later, the crew was released.

What gave me one bit of comfort was that it happened on live TV, Jimenez told viewers after he was released. You dont have to doubt my story  its not filtered in any way; you saw it with your own eyes.

Thursday marked a third night of demonstrations in the Minnesota city over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, seen on video gasping for breath while a white police officer knelt on his neck.

The protests have featured the burning of a police precinct and businesses.

The striking footage of Jimenezs arrest could add to racial tension in the city and across the country.

A CNN reporter and his production team were arrested this morning in Minneapolis for doing their jobs, despite identifying themselves  a clear violation of their First Amendment rights. The authorities in Minnesota, including the governor, must release the three CNN employees immediately, CNN wrote on Twitter before the crew were released.

CNN anchor John Berman told viewers about an hour after the arrest that CNN President Jeff Zucker had spoken with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who said he deeply apologises and was working to have the crew released immediately.

#NABJ condemns the arrest of Black reporter @OmarJimenez live, on air. It is unfathomable and upsetting to witness this structural racism in real time. We are closely monitoring this situation. | @NABJ https://t.co/Rj4LPMyZbh  Dorothy Tucker NABJ (@Dorothy4NABJ) May 29, 2020

The arrest was condemned by Dorothy Tucker, president of the National Association of Black Journalists. It is unfathomable and upsetting to witness this structural racism in real time. We are closely monitoring this situation, she said in a tweet.

Why am I under arrest, sir?

Jimenez said the crew had been standing on a street for about an hour and a half before police activity kicked up. They moved onto a corner to get out of the way, he said.

On air, Jimenez told the officers wearing gas masks and face shields that he wanted to know where to move to get out of their way and explained he was a member of the press.

This is among the state patrol unit that was advancing up the street, seeing and scattering the protesters at that point for people to clear the area. And so we walked away, Jimenez said, before being told he was under arrest and handcuffed by two officers. Why am I under arrest, sir?

Walz, expected to have a news conference later on Friday, has declared a state of emergency in Minnesota and ordered the National Guard activated.

President Donald Trump suggested in a tweet that looters would be shot. Twitter hid Trumps tweet with a warning for glorifying violence.

I cant stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

Protests also erupted in other major cities around the country, including Louisville, Kentucky, where police said seven people had been shot.

Floyds brother, Philonise, has urged protesters to be calm. I dont want them to lash out like that, but I cant stop people right now. Because they have pain. They have the same pain that I feel, he said in an interview with CNN.

I want everything to be peaceful, but I cant make everybody be peaceful. I cant. Its hard.
Vietnam will mark four years of natural forest closure this July, a measure to reverse severe deforestation.

Many ancient trees are chopped down in a deforestation case in Yok Don National Park, Dak Lak Province in late December, 2019.

A total 58 localities closed their natural forests from July 2016, following Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs order which aimed to halt wood exploitation by State agencies, including those certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and offer assistance mechanisms to switch to alternative materials.

The order banned entry to forests without permission and banned logging altogether.

More than 27,260 cases of deforestation were reported annually from 2011 to 2015 with some 2,640ha of forest destroyed each year. The number reduced by 35 per cent between 2016 and 2018 as the policy was adopted. Legal proceedings were launched in 363 cases in the same period.

Some 628,000ha of forest were planted, including 44,000ha of protection forest and 577,000ha of production forest. The countrys forest coverage rose to nearly 42 per cent by the end of 2018, according to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

The Central Highlands, for the first time in 45 years, witnessed an increase of forest area, standing at 2.5 million hectares in 2018.

As much as VND332 billion (US$14.2 million) was allocated in 2017 from the State budget to support localities and cover profit losses of forest owners due to the closure order as well as the expenses of management and protection.

The MARD is developing forest carbon sequestration payments, focusing on highly polluted industries, a measure set to be filed to the Government by the end of 2020.

Payments for ecosystem services have been accelerated in the central provinces of Nghe An, Quang Nam and Ha Tinh.

The Vietnam Forest Protection and Development Fund also works with the Vietnam Forest and Delta Program and Green Truong Son Program supported by USAID to implement payments in other localities including Thanh Hoa, Quang Ninh and Thua Thien-Hue.

More than VND2.9 trillion ($124.1 million) of service fees were collected in 2018, 71 per cent more than the previous year as 43 per cent of the countrys total forestry area enjoyed the payment in 2019.

The inspection team of Krong Bong Forestry Company checks a forest map while patrolling the sub-area 1219 in Krong Bong District, home of ancient fokienia trees.

Continued destruction

Despite incentives and measures taken to protect forests, deforestation, especially in the Central Highlands, continues.

Fokienia  an indigenous type of plant found at an altitude of 1,500m in Dak Lak Province  is among the most endangered.

Offering high economic values, fokienia forests have become ideal prey for illegal loggers, despite harsh terrain.

Sub-area 1219 in Krong Bong District, home of ancient fokienia trees, has suffered tree massacres for years. In the latest case, 19 fokienia trees were found chopped into pieces, pulled down to a nearby valley to be brought out of the forest this April. All of the trees belonged to the protection forest.

Although the destruction is clear as day, loggers seem to disappear into thin air and most cases are closed without culprits being punished.

Chu Minh Quang, deputy head of Krong Bong Forestry Companys Segment 2  who is in charge of the sub-area 1219, said to approach the area, it usually takes guarding forces two days of walking. Therefore, despite regular inspections, it is impossible to stop loggers from chopping down precious fokienia trees.

Only 13 people, divided into teams of three to four, manage more than 12,000ha of the forest, Quang said. Each shift lasts two to three days and the loggers take advantage of shift changes to fell trees.

Bui Quoc Tuan, the companys director, said under the impacts of climate change, local residents have lost livelihoods and become dependent on the forests natural resources. Many have established gangs of loggers, joining hands to demolish the natural habitat.

Until now, none of loggers have been arrested. The helplessness sets a huge challenge to stop the crime, said Tuan.

Le Van Long, head of Krong Bong District Peoples Committee, said to encourage people in Yang Mao, Cu ram and Cu Pui communes outside of the forest not to trespass and exploit wood, local authorities have implemented assistance programmes to help them start businesses and earn sustainable livelihoods.

The district Peoples Committee has investigated local civil servants and residents who gave loggers tip-offs to escape from law enforcement.

Dak Lak Province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development asked forest managers to strictly handle organisations and individuals involved in illegal logging, especially Krong Bong Forestry Company which was unable to protect 19 fokienia trees from being felled.

The lack of sanctions to monitor migration flows and stop forestry land from being illegally traded creates loopholes for deforestation. Meanwhile, benefit-sharing mechanisms are not attractive enough to call for private sector participation in protecting and planting forests, according to the MARD.

From 2021 to 2030, Vietnam hopes to sustainably manage forests, increase forestry coverage and ensure peoples livelihoods in the face of environmental damage caused by climate change, according to a plan signed by Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung in mid-April.

The plan focuses on accelerating civic engagement in forest protection and development which hands over forestry areas to local residents, especially ethnic minority groups, to manage and plant trees. The General Department of Land Administration will work as a monitoring body to instruct and inspect localities, organisations and businesses to tighten management over forests. VNS

Progress made in protecting nation's forests Ha Cong Tuan, Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, talks on the forestry sectors achievements.

Tuyen Quang faces large deforestation Thousands of square metres of protective forest in the northern province of Tuyen Quang's Lang Chua Village have been destroyed, but local authorities and forest rangers say nothing has been done about it.
Upstate New York leaders who had been expecting hundreds more businesses in their regions to open today as part of phase two of the states restart plan are savaging Gov. Andrew Cuomos last-minute delay.

Many leaders, including Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, had been telling businesses that a phase two restart today was all but a done deal. But Cuomo never gave formal clearance for the next phase and in a radio interview Thursday afternoon, he said international experts will review data and must sign off before phase two proceeds.

Thursday evening, the state confirmed that no regions would begin phase two today. Local officials were clearly blindsided.

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente described himself as outraged during a press conference after getting the news.

Its outrageous. Its an insult, he said. Its an insult to every business in this community that has been struggling. Its a lack of respect for the business community.

Picente also said he wont ask law enforcement to take any action against businesses that decide to return today.

A spokesman for McMahon said the county was looking forward to hearing more from Cuomo during his briefing today.

At least some businesses might open regardless of Cuomos decision. Late last night, the state finally released detailed restart guidance for phase two industries.

Nonessential businesses first closed in New York in March to help slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Montgomery County Executive Matt Ossenfort said he was shocked and frustrated by the delay on phase two, according to a tweet from David Lombardo, host of WCNYs Capitol Pressroom.

Statement on delay of phase two in central New York region from @MontgomeryCoNY Executive Matt Ossenfort.



I am shocked and frustrated, says @CoExecOssenfort. pic.twitter.com/35AoZfUFou  David Lombardo (@poozer87) May 29, 2020

Cuomos frequent Upstate critics weighed in quickly. Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, a reliable foe, called Cuomo a control freak and a disaster and described the situation as a farce in a series of tweets.

He was particularly critical of Cuomos plan to have experts review local data.

I can assure you that not only do I not care what some unnamed and probably non existent international group has to say about our data, I dont even care what Cuomo has to say at this point. This is some seriously disturbing behavior being exhibited by this Governor.  Steve McLaughlin (@SteveMcNY) May 29, 2020

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, who ran against Cuomo for governor in 2018, called the series of events irresponsible and dangerous.

How is it that no one receives any prior contact indication, no advance guidance to businesses struggling to survive & no two regions get the same information? Truly irresponsible and dangerous.  Marc Molinaro (@marcmolinaro) May 29, 2020

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, a North Country Republican and ally of President Donald Trump, said the situation was embarrassing and inexcusable.

This is an embarrassing and inexcusable failure by Governor Cuomo (one of many during this crisis) to listen to local leaders that NYS designated as the Regional Control Rooms.



How truly Leftist. Name groups control rooms only to wrest any local control away from them. https://t.co/aQRnO6alCt  Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) May 29, 2020

State Sen. Pattie Ritchie, another North Country Republican, called Cuomos decision indefensible and disrespectful to business owners.

These people have been through enough, she said in a statement. So many of the businesses they have worked hard to build are hanging on by a thread. Many of these business owners and their employees have yet to see a dime of unemployment benefits from the New York State Department of Labor. To say they are frustrated would be an understatement.

Even members of Cuomos own party were unhappy. Broome County Executive Jason Garnar, a Democrat, said he was frustrated.

This is absolutely frustrating. The people of Broome County did everything they were asked to do. Our local businesses cannot wait any longer. (2/2)  Jason Garnar (@jasongarnar) May 29, 2020

Central New York, the Mohawk Valley, the Finger Lakes, the Southern Tier and the North Country met reopening requirements set by the state and began a phased restart of their economies two weeks ago as of today. Cuomo previously said regions would pause for two weeks between phases to monitor how the virus responded to increased activity.

Assuming the pandemic remained under control, the idea was to move to phase two after that. He did say the process could speed up or slow down depending on whether the situation improved or got worse.

But he never said until Thursday that experts would have to review data and approve before phase two could start.

A tweet from Livingston County, outside Rochester, offered a hint that phase two could still begin as soon as Saturday.

From Gov FLX regional office Cuomo will be addressing NY Forward Phase 2 at his daily briefing tomorrow. Phase 2 will not start on Friday. Pending successful review of the health data from two full weeks of Phase 1, the next phase could potentially start Saturday.  Livingston County (@LivingstonCoNY) May 29, 2020

Whenever it starts, phase two will allow the reopening of all office-based businesses, in-store shopping at retailers, real estate services, vehicle sales and leasing, commercial building management and retail rental, repair and cleaning.

The first phase of the restart plan included businesses in construction and manufacturing, among others.

See more reaction to the phase two delay below:

Republican Claudia Tenney, who is running for her old 22nd Congressional District seat against Democratic U.S. Rep. Anthony Brindisi, called the decision from King Cuomo an utter betrayal of the people of Upstate New York. She said she was preparing to sue and criticized Brindisi for staying silent.

Local officials, business owners, and citizens have done everything asked of them to ensure the virus does not spread, she said in a statement. Cuomo gave no forewarning to his casual announcement to local officials or citizens. Cuomo has gone too far. Small businesses are hanging by a thread. They cannot survive Cuomos arbitrary and foolish decisions a day longer.

Brindisi later issued a joint statement with U.S. Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus. They called for more transparency from Cuomo and said they shared in the confusion of business owners.

Increased economic uncertainty has plagued our small businesses and local governments during this pandemic, Brindisi and Katko said. The governors new, late-breaking criteria has only added to that uncertainty.

With livelihoods at stake, we need clear and timely instructions on how to safely reopen our communities.

Hearing word that there will be no phase 2 tomorrow. This is extremely frustrating to North Country officials & businesses. We have met all the metrics & everything indicates that we should be able to enter phase 2. @NYGovCuomo this is unfair & frustrating.  NY Assemblyman Jones (@jonesnyassembly) May 29, 2020

Not in Chemung County!



"Look, the governor can make that comment to someone on the radio but we cant get a call from the governors office?" Moss told reporters in Elmira shortly after Cuomo's remark. "You know what, were opening tomorrow.https://t.co/bgALEPicAe https://t.co/yztlVqGVnS  Tom O'Mara (@SenatorOMara) May 28, 2020

Only hours away from a reopening their economies, upstate regions are now back in limbo.



Rules change. No information given. While livelihoods hang in the balance.



The days of New York's one-person rule need to end right now. https://t.co/8qoXw9o9PS  Will Barclay (@WillABarclay) May 29, 2020

The Governor moving the goalposts on a whim at the very last minute while offering no direction or communication to local governments is absurd, ridiculous and unacceptable. https://t.co/73Zl1e5wsv  Senator Fred Akshar (@fredakshar) May 29, 2020

We will be CLOSED today...Sorry for any confusion we are just as confused. We had to cancel over 100 appointments for... Posted by Hall Of Fame Barbershop on Friday, May 29, 2020

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

After a week of hype, phase two of NYs restart wont begin tomorrow

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Syracuse AD John Wildhack anticipating reduced Carrier Dome capacity during football season

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598
The police identify all people involved in the incident

In Kyiv region, police introduced amber alert due to the shooting in Brovary as the Interior Ministry of Ukraine reported on Telegram.

The police of Kyiv region hold the complex of search operations to identify and detain partakers of the event. 11 people are detained as of now, the message said.

The ministry noted that two people sustained injuries. They were hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

Besides, the ministry underlined that a special operation is introduced in Kyiv region on the search of the cars where the partakers of the armed conflict in Brovary might stay.

Currently, the police officers are searching for five cars with the help of which the partakers of the incident escaped from the site. All police units of Kyiv region and Brovary involved. Police ask the drivers to treat the police measures with understanding, the law enforcers noted.

As we reported, about 07:00 a.m., May 29, the mass shooting took place in Brovary, Kyiv region. The reason for the shooting is the conflict between the entrepreneurs who deal with the passenger service and illegal carriers.

Police detained armed partakers and opened the criminal proceeding due to hooliganism. The search operations take place to identify other partakers of the incident.
Of the total, the volume of exported goods was posted at over 57.2 million tonnes, up 15%, while the volume of imported goods reached nearly 67 million tonnes, up 7%, with the volume of domestic goods reported at nearly 92 million tonnes, equivalent to the same period in 2019.

The volume of container throughput reached over 6.7 million TEUs in the four-month period, a year-on-year increase of 11%. Of which, over 2.2 million TEUs of containers were shipped through seaports for export, up 9%, while 2.2 million TEUs of containers moved through seaports for import, up 6%, and nearly 2.3 million TEUs of containers were transported for domestic consumption, up 18% over the same period last year.

Several seaports saw a high volume of goods throughput, including Quang Ngai (up 56%) and Quang Tri (up 56%). Meanwhile, the Can Tho, Da Nang and My Tho ports posted an increase of 18-30% over the same period in 2019.

However, some seaports suffered sharp declines in the volume of cargo throughput, including seaports in Quang Nam (down 46%), Kien Giang (down 36%) and Ho Chi Minh City (down 3%).

Meanwhile, the total number of passengers through seaports was reported at over 2 million in the first four months of this year, a year-on-year decrease of 20%.

The Vietnam Maritime Administration estimated that the volume of cargo transported through seaports will reach over 54.6 million tonnes in May, including 14.3 million tonnes of exported goods, up 10%, and nearly 17 million of imported goods, down 4% over the same period last year.
A Florida woman accused of shooting dead a fellow gym member after a drunken night out is being released from jail on bond and will go to rehab.

Yvonne Serrano, 52, was jailed in November 2019 and is charged with manslaughter after she was arrested for the shooting death of 21-year-old Daniela Tabares.

She was scheduled to leave jail Friday and head to rehab for alcohol abuse after prosecutors portrayed the 52-year-old as a lying lush who has become drunkenly violent even with her own children.

Serrano was arrested and initially charged with Taberes murder after the younger woman was found dead in Serrano's driveway in Coral Springs, hanging out of a car by her foot with a gunshot to her head.

Prosecutors say Serrano shot Taberes in the head, but she says she blacked out and doesnt remember what happened.

Yvonne Serrano, 52 (left), is being released on bond to a rehab center more than six months after her arrest for the killing of fellow gym member Daniela Tabares, 21 (right)

Serranos charge was later reduced by the state to second-degree manslaughter, which is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Had Serrano been charged with and convicted of murder, she could have faced up to life in prison.

The sentence reduction paved the way for her to be released from jail on bond Friday.

She is also charged with tampering with physical evidence.

Her estranged husband Doug Serrano, who filed for divorce shortly after Taberes death, said he would be responsible for her accommodation should she be released before her trial.

According to The Sun Sentinel, a judge last week set Serranos bond at $20,000 and she was to remain in jail until Friday when she would leave to go to Gracious Care Recovery Solutions.

Serrano will have to wear a GPS ankle monitor and won't be allowed to leave the rehab facility.

The suspect has claimed she blacked out on the night out and has no recollection of how she got home before waking up in Taberes car and finding her body.

Prosecutors, however, have painted Serrano as a violent drunk, with her husband telling them that she has attacked her four children and mother while drinking.

Serrano and Tabares knew each other through their gym, Training for Warriors Coral Springs. Pictured: Tabares celebrating her 21st birthday at the gym in May 2019

Serrano called 911 the next morning saying she found a dead woman in her driveway. At first she claimed she did not know Tabares, but later she changed her story

Assistant State Attorney Lanie Bandell told a judge in March that Doug Serrano had provided sworn testimony that by his wifes fifth drink, there usually were episodes of physical assault.

Doug said he had witnessed an attack against one of their daughters.

He added that her blackouts were frequent.

Serrano has also been shown to have lied about how the body was found, initially telling police that she woke up inside her house before admitting she woke up in the car.

The Coral Spring home where Serrano allegedly committed the crime was put up for sale by her husband shortly after he filed for divorce a month following her arrest.

Family and friends of Tabares have spoken out against releasing Serrano on bond

Tabares' loved ones have also been vocal in their opposition to Serrano's release. In March, a group of 50 people staged a protest calling for keeping her in jail pending trial.

In interviews with the Sun Sentinel, fellow members at Serrano and Tabares' gym, Training For Warriors, also described the suspect, a military wife and mother of grown children, as 'intense' and a 'loner' who did not fit into the tight-knit and supportive community of fitness enthusiasts.

On the evening of November 22, 2019, a large group of people from the gym, including Serrano and Tabares, had gone to Silverspot Cinema to watch the drama 21 Bridges, before they all headed to the World of Beer pub, an affidavit obtained by DailyMail.com said.

The pair were 'conversing, laughing and drinking for several hours,' the court document said.

A friend of Tabares' told the Sun Sentinel she got a text from her at 1.25am saying: 'I'm taking Yvonne home.'

Serrano and Tabares were filmed by surveillance cameras leaving the pub together and further footage showed them pulling into Serrano's driveway at 2am.

At 5.55am on November 23, Tabares was found fatally on Serrano's property.

Serrano called police to say there was a dead woman in front of her Coral Springs home. She initially claimed she did not know Tabares, but later admitted she did.

After watching a movie as a group on November 22, 2019, gym members, among them Serrano and Tabares, headed to the World of Beer pub (pictured)

Tabares was found dead in Serrano's driveway in Coral Springs, Florida (pictured), hanging out of a car with a gunshot to her head on November 23

When detectives arrived later in the morning, Serrano told them she had left the house in the 1600 block of Northwest 100th Drive in Maplewood Isles to go to the gym but called the police 'immediately' upon finding the body.

She said she had 'blacked out' at World of Beer and had no idea how she got home when she woke up in her bed.

Serrano later reportedly changed her story, telling detectives that she woke up sitting in a passenger seat in Tabares' car.

Investigators found she had recently washed a blood-stained tank top and deleted Ring video footage filmed on a smart doorbell, which earned her the extra charges of tampering with physical evidence.

Serrano has a concealed carry permit and owns three handguns. Two 9mm pistols and a .45 caliber one.

She also told police said she had taken her Sig Sauer P365 to the pub. The gun, which was in Serrano's bedroom, fires 9mm rounds.

The shell casing outside Maya's Nissan came from a 9mm round.

Blood was found on the Sig Sauer and its holster, reported Local10.

On her release, Serrano is not to come into contact with any members of Tabares family or witnesses from the gym.

Her next court date is scheduled for June 23.

She has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.
The coronavirus pandemic could widen inequalities in the United States, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Friday, as government data showed consumer spending plunging by a record amount. The world's largest economy is in dire shape with more than 40 million layoffs since lockdowns were imposed in mid-March to stop the spread of COVID-19. And with low-wage services workers bearing the brunt of the job losses, Powell warned the pandemic could be "a great increaser of inequality." "The pandemic is falling on those least able to bear its burdens," he said in a videoconference. The Fed has rolled out trillions of dollars in liquidity to support industries walloped by the downturn, and Powell reiterated that supporting employment was the central bank's main goal. "Everything we do is focused on creating an environment in which those people will have their best chance to keep their job, or get a new job, or maybe go back to their old job if they've been furloughed," he said. The unemployment rate skyrocketed from near-historic lows just before the pandemic hit to 14.7 percent in April, and Commerce Department data released Friday showed personal consumption plunging by a record 13.6 percent in the first full month of nationwide lockdowns. Prices also dropped by 0.5 percent, the biggest drop in more than five years, according to the monthly personal income and outlays report, as the mass layoffs slowed consumption. - Rising pessimism - A separate survey showed consumers are becoming more pessimistic about the prospects for the post-pandemic recovery, yet another indicator of economic damage in addition to the more than 100,000 deaths from the coronavirus. "Household spending will likely continue to be impacted going forward by a more cautious attitude by consumers as job losses continue to mount," Rubeela Farooqi of High Frequency Economics said. "However, we think April likely marked the bottom and activity could be less weak in May and June." Fueling the $1.89 trillion drop in consumption were decreases in spending on food and accommodation as people stopped traveling and going out. And that drop sent the personal savings rate soaring by 33 percent with shoppers holding on to $6.15 trillion -- money that could perhaps be unleashed to aid the economy's recovery or stashed for hard times ahead. Income took an incongruent turn, shooting up by 10.5 percent in April, but that spike was caused by the government's massive $2.2 trillion CARES Act which boosted unemployment benefits and included direct payments to all Americans, including children. When those payments are excluded along with other government social benefits, income actually fell 6.3 percent, which Harvard University economist Jason Furman said would be the largest decline ever. And he warned on Twitter that if Congress fails to extend the expanded unemployment payments beyond their expiration in the coming weeks, "these numbers will turn ugly in August." The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index was practically flat in May, according to the survey released Friday, ticking up only half a point as consumers held back their buying. But the index measuring future conditions plunged six points to 65.9, according to the report. The CARES Act has "helped to stem economic hardship, but those programs have not acted to stimulate discretionary spending due to uncertainty about the future course of the pandemic," the survey's chief economist Richard Curtin said. Consumers were, however, expecting the economy to improve in the coming months, Curtin said. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank is focusing on supporting employment US shoppers stayed home in April, sending consumption plunging by a record amount
The Chief Health Officer will issue an order next week that Victorians must continue working from home amid fears that employees will flock back to office buildings, risking a second wave of coronavirus outbreaks.

Premier Daniel Andrews said workplaces would face penalties if they breached the public health orders but he said he expected employers to do the right thing.

Premier Daniel Andrews announcing workers will have to keep working from home where possible. Credit:James Ross

The Premier confirmed there would be spot checks but said employees should report unsafe practices if they were forced back to work.

I think it will be the same when we get to restaurants, cafes and the food parts of pubs. I think patrons will enforce these rules as much as anyone else, he said.
The young teenage girl who recorded George Floyd's death had a traumatizing experience due to the hate messages she is receiving online.

On May 25, 2020, Darnella Frazier's video that shows the arrest of the 46-year-old African-American citizen circulated online. It ignited online commotion as netizens called out the cop who pressed his knee onto the victim's neck which suffocated him until he died.

While her video could give justice to Floyd, a lot of netizens chose to send hate messages to the young girl that devastated her.

The 17-year-old bystander, whose Facebook account is now deactivated, opened up in a Facebook post and revealed that a lot of people blame her for not doing something more than shooting the incident (per TMZ).

According to the news outlet, netizens slammed Frazier and told her that she should have stepped in and intervened. That way, she could have saved the victim.

People added that she only posted the video for "clout or attention" and its possible payoff. However, she refuted that.

Although such comments may be understandable for others, for the young girl, stepping in the scene when she is just 17-year-old was scary.

Recording the scene was the best way for her to help Floyd, but his death also scarred her and affected her since more reporters kept on contacting her.

Meanwhile, Frazier's mother also defended her and told TMZ that her daughter was just doing a supply run when the incident happened. She added that Darnella should have never experienced the horrifying incident in the first place, as it only caused her daughter to suffer from social anxiety.

Floyd's Uncle Thanked Frazier

While everyone else has been slamming the young woman, George Floyd's uncle Selwyn Jones sent his gratitude for Frazier because, without her, none of what happened would have ever been known.

"I talked to her last night, and she said, 'I can't sleep.' I can't sleep, either. She said, 'That's all I can see. I can see your nephew begging, crying and dying at the same time. That's all I can see: his face,'" Jones said. "Without her, we wouldn't be having this conversation. She's an angel. She is my hero right now."

On Wednesday, the video also pushed Mayor Jacob Frey to call on prosecutors to file charges against the policeman who knelt on Floyd's neck. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office has been assigned to handle any prosecution of the police on state criminal charges.

"Doesn't it disgust you to see someone put their knee around another human being's neck, put their hand in their pocket and pose for the camera while he's murdering somebody in broad daylight for everyone in the world to see?" Jones went on.

Following the incident, Floyd's relatives demanded to have the officers be charged with murder.

"They treated him worse than they treat animals," Philonise Floyd, Geroge's brother, told CNN. "They took a life - they deserve life."

A lot of people and well-known personalities, including LeBron James and Stephen Curry, protested online and in person as they seek justice for Floyd.

READ MORE: DISGUSTING! LeBron James, Stephen Curry Speak Out After George Floyd's Death
By Express News Service

KOCHI: After what was a long wait, 147 female and 20 male migrant workers from Odisha who were working at a textile factory and a plywood factory in the district left for their homes on a chartered flight on Friday. The women were in dire straits since they had left their jobs hoping to return home in the backdrop of the lockdown.

They had been desperate since the special Shramik trains were not immediately available and their money had got all used up. 'Umeed Ki Udaan' initiative might be the first to fly out migrant workers in a chartered flight in the country. According to Anup Manjeshwar, Head, Sales & Distribution, AirAsia India, Bollywood actor Sonu Sood arranged the chartered flight for the women after coming to know about their plight.

Commenting on the initiative, Sonu Sood said, When I decided to come forward in support of these migrant workers who have been stranded, all I had in my mind was how I can help reunite them with their families and homes. I must thank AirAsia India for their immediate response and interest in supporting this endeavour. AirAsia India has been very appreciative that this 'Umeed Ki Udaan' may be the first flight for many of them. The Allstars of AirAsia who have been part of this journey are true COVID warriors and have done everything possible to make the guests on board comfortable.

"The flight from Kochi Airport took off with the migrants at 8 am and landed at Bhubaneshwar at 10:30 am," said Anup. "The expenses of the flight were borne by the actor," he added. "AirAsia is happy to be a part of Sonu Sood's initiative and help people in need to get back to their loved ones. His compassion and empathy have been inspiring. We have always taken pride in connecting people and destinations. So to safely get these guests to their homes is another feather in our cap," said Anup.

He said, in reaching out to us, Sood has reinforced that especially in times like this, air travel remains the quickest, safest, most efficient and effective means of transport. Sood has been actively working to help the stranded migrant workers and had even launched a website. He had also made news for giving up rooms in his hotel for health professionals to stay.

Meanwhile, all the passengers on board the flight were happy and relieved to be finally going back home. Prashanto, a migrant worker, said, "We would like to thank Sonu Sood from the bottom of our hearts for making these arrangements for us. Words aren't enough to express our gratitude. We haven't seen our families for so many months and now will be able to meet them. Our happiness has no bounds."

According to a district administration official, the workers were transported in buses to the airport from their camps. The women labourers who worked in the textile factory were all from Kendrapara in Odisha.
New Delhi [India], May 28 (ANI): Crime Branch of Delhi Police on Thursday filed 12 fresh charge-sheets at a Saket court against 541 foreign nationals, who had attended a congregation at Markaz Tablighi Jamaat in Nizamuddin area of the national capital.



The charge-sheets filed before the court of duty metropolitan magistrate Archana Beniwala have been listed for consideration on June 25.

According to the charge-sheet, 414 of the foreign nationals are from Indonesia, 85 from Kyrgyzstan, and 42 from Malaysia.

The accused persons are being charged under violation of visa rules and several relevant Sections of the Foreigners Act, 1946, the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Earlier, Delhi Police had filed 35 charge-sheets against 374 foreign nationals so far, in connection with the matter.

The foreign nationals had attended the Nizamuddin congregation, which had reportedly become an epicenter for the spread of coronavirus across the country. A case has also been registered against the Tablighi Jamaat chief and others over the event. (ANI)


Megan Marx has detailed her #MeToo story, revealing she was relentlessly pursued by a powerful figure in the Australian media who was intent on sleeping with her.

In a series of posts on Instagram Stories on Friday, the 31-year-old former Bachelor contestant revealed she was in a vulnerable place in her life when the incidents occurred.

Describing it as 'the most shameful and humiliating experience of my life', Megan said she was desperate to break into the media industry following her appearance on The Bachelor in 2016.

Speaking out: Megan Marx has detailed her #MeToo story, revealing she was relentlessly pursued by a powerful figure in the Australian media who was intent on sleeping with her

She said she was contacted by a PR agency back in 2017 for a job in Sydney, and she jumped at the opportunity because she was 'DIRT POOR' at the time.

'To start, the job wasn't what I had been told it was.

'It involved a level of nudity I wasn't comfortable with at the time, but I was told that I would be letting people down as they had paid for my flights and hotel if I declined or pulled out, and that I would be red-listed from the media,' she explained.

'It wasn't long after coming off The Bachelor, l had no idea how this world worked, had recently quit my job to chase a love that didn't work out, and felt I had no options.'

Taking advantage: In a series of posts on Instagram Stories on Friday, the 31-year-old former Bachelor contestant revealed she was in a vulnerable place in her life when the incidents occurred

Telling her story: In a series of posts on Instagram Stories, Megan went into graphic detail about her experience

She said she was 'sexually propositioned and offered work that was basically prostitution' at the job, and when she told the PR agency she felt 'uncomfortable', they simply told her she was 'overreacting'.

'Because I refused to strip naked on a certain show, I was told that 'I owed' a certain very rich, older man who allowed me (a boring reality TV star) onto his show without doing what he wanted me to,' she continued.

Megan said she later returned to her hotel, where she received a text message from the man in question.

Looking for work: Describing it as 'the most shameful and humiliating experience of my life', Megan said she was desperate to break into the media industry following her appearance on The Bachelor in 2016

'He said he was at my hotel, and could he come up to 'say hi'?' she recounted.

'Even though I was there in my room, alone, I said that I wasn't there - scared to aggravate someone so high up in the media world.

'To say I was surprised and shocked that someone would have the balls to message me like that would be an understatement.'

Feeling desperate: She said she was contacted by a PR agency back in 2017 for a job in Sydney, and she jumped at the opportunity because she was 'DIRT POOR' at the time

But Megan said the man wouldn't back down, telling her that she 'owed him' and that he found her 'very attractive'.

'He heard that I needed money, and he could help me in the industry if I slept with him. (The man was also in a long-term relationship),' she added.

Megan said she left Sydney and returned the Western Australia the following day, telling the PR agency she was upset they had given the man her phone number without her permission.

Issues: 'To start, the job wasn't what I had been told it was. It involved a level of nudity I wasn't comfortable with at the time...' she wrote

'When I expressed concern, I was told that sometimes you have to do things that make you succeed in the industry, and that I needed to lose weight and not be 'so bogan', and that I was lucky this man had taken an interest in me,' she said.

Surprisingly, Megan said she considered the man's offer, as she 'had no money or prospects, no self-esteem, and felt that I had already compromised my integrity by putting myself into a situation that put my poor mental health into suicide territory'.

She said she 'stayed in contact' with the man, and he continued to pursue her, even sending her explicit photos of himself.

Candid: 'Because I refused to strip naked on a certain show, I was told that 'I owed' a certain very rich, older man who allowed me (a boring reality TV star) onto his show without doing what he wanted me to,' she revealed

'He made me feel like I was lucky to have him in my corner, and he promised me all sorts of things if I sent him nude photos,' Megan claimed.

She added: 'I was so f***ing ashamed and shocked with myself.'

Megan said she was later contacted by the man's assistant, asking her to join him on a trip overseas.

Details: 'It wasn't long after coming off The Bachelor, l had no idea how this world worked, had recently quit my job to chase a love that didn't work out, and felt I had no options,' she wrote. Pictured on The Bachelor in 2016

'He would pay for everything. The man in question also contacted me, saying I could have whatever I wanted if I came over and all he wanted was me 'spreadeagled on a bed',' she revealed.

'That he would get me work and a high paid job. Basically now - I understand that the proposition was essentially sex trafficking.'

She said 'nothing physically sexual' ever happened between them, which she credited 'partly due to luck and my circumstances changing'.

X-rated: 'He made me feel like I was lucky to have him in my corner, and he promised me all sorts of things if I sent him nude photos,' Megan claimed

'But I have heard this man has had to pay out a couple of women for similar circumstances that went further,' she continued.

'I highly doubt this man even understands that he did anything wrong, or that he used his media power and financial power to make me, and other people feel like worthless pieces of s**t.'

Megan said she feels like sexual harassment is an issue Australia is yet to properly address, and she plans on eventually revealing the identity of the man.
Republican leaders have raised concerns that the state unemployment office isnt following new unemployment payment laws created last month, which could mean increased taxes for employers already struggling due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The latest issue adds to mounting criticism from state Republicans over how Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the Department of Workforce Development have responded to unprecedented unemployment claims across Wisconsin amid the pandemic. At the same time, Democrats argue GOP legislation over the last several years has only exacerbated the problem.

In a Thursday letter to Evers, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said DWD has not provided its plan to abide by a new law created in April requiring that unemployment claims specifically related to the COVID-19 outbreak not be charged to an employers unemployment insurance account for the remainder of the year.

The state Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund is filled through payroll taxes on employers and used to provide temporary benefits for qualifying workers who lose their job. The amount an employer pays in taxes is directly tied to how much that business draws upon the fund.

Vos and Fitzgerald said in the letter the provision was meant to mitigate large tax increases on employers most impacted by COVID-19. The new law also aims to prevent employers from having to pay higher taxes as a result of pandemic-related layoffs or furloughs.

The outrageous decision to break the law is made worse by the fact that in so doing, the department is making it even harder for the employers impacted by the health crisis to get their businesses open and bring their employees back to work, Vos and Fitzgerald said in the letter.

The Republican leaders asked that DWD immediately correct the issue. The new law calls for COVID-19-related unemployment claims to be charged to the balancing account, which is supplemented by interest on the trust fund and a solvency tax paid by employers.

Evers office and DWD did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

More pain?

Susan Quam, executive vice president of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association, said increased payroll taxes would only further harm an already struggling food and beverage industry.

Our operators are very concerned about that, Quam said. If they are going to see a tax increase ... its almost like, how much more salt can we pour in the wound?

Businesses across the state were forced to close down or limit services in March after Evers safer at home order. The order was struck down earlier this month by the state Supreme Court, but some local orders, including in Dane County, have continued to limit business activity.

Jobless wave

The states unemployment fund balance was sitting at nearly $2 billion earlier this year, up from less than $600 million in 2007, before the last recession hit.

However, skyrocketing unemployment claims have begun to drain the fund, which could be exhausted by October if the current rate of about 300,000 claims a week continues, according to DWD.

The fund, which sat at more than $1.8 billion earlier this month, would last until Jan. 3 if payable claims drop to 170,000 per week and, if weekly payable claims were reduced to 85,000, the fund would be depleted by Sept. 19, 2021.

The state can borrow from the federal government if the state trust fund is exhausted, as was done during the Great Recession, but Quam said the state coffers still must be refilled.

At some point this fund has to be replenished, so how is it going to be replenished? Quam said. We dont want to see tax increases on the very employers who are hurting the most.

Quam said the issue still could be rectified before June 30 tax calculations are made, but said she was not aware of any formal proposal as of Thursday.

Waiting for weeks

During a Wednesday Senate committee meeting, DWD Secretary Caleb Frostman came under fire from Republican lawmakers who said it is unacceptable that some Wisconsinites have had to wait weeks to receive their unemployment benefit payments.

Frostman said on Wednesday it could be as late as October before the state catches up with a backlog of unpaid unemployment claims. DWD officials say staffing needs and an antiquated unemployment program have provided major bottlenecks when it comes to processing the crush of claims arising from the COVID-19 shutdowns.

As of Monday, just over 728,000 of the approximately 2.4 million claims received between March 15 and May 23 remained unpaid. About 11% of those claims have been denied and unemployment claims can be filed weekly, so the total number of claims doesnt directly translate to how many people have filed for unemployment.

DWD last week reported Wisconsin lost 385,900 private-sector jobs from March to April, and the unemployment rate shot up from 3.1% to 14.1%. On Wednesday, DWD announced the unemployment rate in the Madison metropolitan area in April was 11.1%. Rates in cities around the state ranged from 9.9% in Fitchburg to 21.1% in Superior. In Iron and Menominee counties, the rate reached 26.2%.

However, Democratic lawmakers have said the Republican-led Legislature has failed to replace the decades-old unemployment insurance system that has been blamed in part for the delayed processing of claims. The GOP majority also has passed tighter unemployment eligibility rules over the years that adds to the adjudication process and creates delays, DWD officials have said.

Additionally, the states unemployment fund missed out on roughly $25 million in federal reimbursements last month due to the Legislatures delayed passage of a waiver of the one-week waiting period.

Our operators are very concerned ... If they are going to see a tax increase ... its almost like, how much more salt can we pour in the wound? Susan Quam, executive vice president, Wisconsin Restaurant Association

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
- The fear of catching the virus together with depression resulting from collapse of businesses, has led to an upsurge of mental illness in Kumasi

- The Psychiatry Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital has over the past weeks recorded cases in the aftermath of the lifting of the partial lockdown

- Dr Owusu-Antwi revealed that the daily reported cases has significantly shot up from between 12 and 15 to 20 and 25

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The head of the Psychiatry Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr. Ruth Owusu-Antwi has revealed that the fear of catching the COVID-19 disease has brought a surge in mental health cases at her unit.

The country's second-largest facility has over the past weeks recorded cases in the aftermath of the lifting of the partial lockdown, which was imposed to curtail the spread.

She made this known while speaking to journalists on the surge of cases reported to the facility.

Coronavirus disease Source: UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Okudzeto Ablakwa blasts parliament for lying about COVID-19 status of MPs

Dr Owusu-Antwi revealed that the daily reported cases has significantly shot up from between 12 and 15 to 20 and 25.

She added that other follow up cases had also increased from between 80-100 to about 120 from.

She, however, advised individuals to engage in activities that would keep them sane and worry less about the coronavirus pandemic.

READ ALSO: Pentecost, All Nations University receive presidential charters

In other news, data compiled by the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has revealed that Ghanas COVID-19 recoveries is the second-highest in West Africa.

The CDC noted that Nigeria has the most COVID-19 recoveries in the sub-region, followed by Ghana. So far, Ghana has seen 2,317 COVID-19 patients recover from the illness.

The West Africa nation has recorded 7,117 cases and 34 deaths, while Nigeria has 2,385 recoveries from 8,344 confirmed cases and 249 deaths.

Ghanaian female accounting graduate and mushroom farmer recounts her experience | #Yencomgh

Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
Monopoly in extraction: MP explains high coal cost in Ukraine

09:20, 29.05.20 4353

Coal is twice as expensive as in Europe, legislator notes.
Will Waldron/Times Union

Everyday constituents contact me who are frustrated with the Legislatures inability to impact in a more forceful way the states response to the coronavirus.

I voted against giving the governor dictatorial powers over both the response and the budgetary consequences. Despite the popularity of the governors press conferences, I am very proud of that vote. Health Committee Chair Dick Gottfried and I agreed that the state Department of Health already had sufficient powers to respond with all deliberate speed. Furthermore, the input of the Legislature could help formulate policies that took into account the needs of diverse parts of the state, and, simply put, multiple heads are better than one.
Most states have conducted very little coronavirus testing within prisons, but when they have, results have been shocking. Not far from Marion, the Pickaway Correctional Institution reported a rate of about 77 percent in April. At the Neuse Correctional Institution in North Carolina, 65 percent of the 700 prisoners tested positive.

This humanitarian crisis could have been prevented if officials had heeded warnings about the danger of contamination in overcrowded and unsanitary prisons. But this devastating reality also now allows scientists to better understand the effects of the coronavirus within a population that was overwhelmingly and recently exposed to it.

Researchers should therefore study  and treat medically  residents of the Marion Correctional Institution or a similar prison. This population is large enough to draw statistically significant conclusions, and their exposure was both recent and synchronous, which helps to overcome the problem of asymptomatic people not showing up in the testing data.

It seems a thorough study and analysis of incarcerated people could help to establish the proportions of these groups: 1) people who have not been infected (but still may be vulnerable, unless they are somehow immune or not susceptible); 2) people who are infected and asymptomatic (though likely carriers); 3) people with mild symptoms who have made or will make a full recovery; 4) people with severe symptoms that may result in lasting health damage; and 5) people who have died of Covid-19.

As of now, in society overall, there is no reliable way to estimate the percentage of people who would fall into these five categories, as most of the attention has focused on tracking the raw numbers in Categories 4 and 5. Yet Categories 1, 2, and 3  and especially a better understanding of the proportions across all five  represent the key to a national recovery.

One remarkable observation already emerging from the prison data shows how beneficial such a study could be: an analysis by Reuters revealed that 96 percent of those who tested positive in prisons in four states did not experience any symptoms. Of course, it is perhaps early in the infection cycle, and health problems may still emerge. But even if, say, 60 percent of prisoners were in Categories 1 and 2, while most of the others were in Category 3, this would seem to support an earlier reopening. If, however, the final proportions showed that only 30 percent were in Categories 1 and 2, another 30 percent in Category 3, but a full 40 percent in Categories 4 and 5, then the findings would justify much greater caution and a delayed reopening until a vaccine materializes.

True, the U.S. prison population is not fully representative. But since Covid-19 seems to have more harmful effects on men, African-Americans and people with chronic health problems, the findings from a prison study might slightly overestimate  and certainly wouldnt underestimate  Covid-19s negative health consequences.
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam signs a petition in support of the national security legislation as she visits a street stand in Hong Kong, south China, May 28, 2020. [Xinhua]

HONG KONG, May 28 [Xinhua]  More than 1.85 million Hong Kong residents, including Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam, have signed a petition in support of the national security legislation as of Thursday.

The petition was launched on Sunday by a newly established organization named United Front Supporting National Security Legislation and could be participated both online and through street stands across Hong Kong.

Lam visited one of the street stands and signed the petition on Thursday.

"Safeguarding national security is the responsibility of everyone and bears on our daily life," she said at the street stand, expressing hope that the national security legislation will help Hong Kong restore stability and then revitalize the economy.

Major officials of the HKSAR government have also signed the petition to show support for the legislation.

Deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) attending the closing meeting of its third annual session on Thursday voted overwhelmingly to approve the NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Safeguard National Security.

United Front Supporting National Security Legislation, jointly initiated by thousands of people and hundreds of groups representing various sectors in the Hong Kong community, welcomed the national legislature's decision.

National security legislation has become the consensus of the Hong Kong community and is highly anticipated by the public, the spokesperson of the organization said, calling on more Hong Kong residents to participate in the petition, which will continue until May 31.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam visits a street stand and signs a petition in support of the national security legislation in Hong Kong, south China, May 28, 2020. [Xinhua]

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam visits a street stand and signs a petition in support of the national security legislation in Hong Kong, south China, May 28, 2020. [Xinhua]

Photo taken on May 28, 2020 shows the signature of Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), on a petition in support of the national security legislation, at a street stand in Hong Kong, south China. [Xinhua]

(Source: Xinhua)
Former Bachelor star Nichole Wood has shared a pregnancy update with fans.

This week, the 26-year-old showed off her growing baby bump in a tight black dress while out at Burleigh Heads.

Posing with her hand cradling the small bump, she captioned the image: 'Sixteen weeks today!'

Baby on board! The Bachelor's Nichole Wood shared a photo of her growing baby bump to Instagram this week

In another image, Nichole posted a photo from her most recent ultrasound.

Captioning the ultrasound image, she wrote: 'You have the cutest button nose'.

She also said that her next ultrasound would be in four weeks, adding: 'I miss you, can't wait to see you soon.'

'You have the cutest button nose': In another image, Nichole posted a photo from her most recent ultrasound

Nichole announced she was expecting her first child with her boyfriend, Jake Yard, earlier this month.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia at the time, she said she'd never expected to fall pregnant naturally because she suffers from a hormonal condition that can affect menstrual cycles and fertility.

'I didn't find out until I was seven weeks, so it was pretty crazy and I wasn't expecting it,' she said.

Family: Nichole is currently expecting her first child with boyfriend Jake Yard. Pictured together with Jake's daughter from a previous relationship

'I have something called polycystic ovary syndrome which is a sort of infertility that can make it harder to get pregnant, so I was shocked that I fell pregnant naturally.'

The cafe manager said she'd learned she was pregnant after she started craving savoury foods out of nowhere, despite having a serious sweet tooth all her life.

'All of a sudden I was eating weird things at work like ham and cheese croissants with smashed avocado on them!' she said.

'I have something called polycystic ovary syndrome which is a sort of infertility that can make it harder to get pregnant, so I was shocked that I fell pregnant naturally,' she told Daily Mail Australia on Saturday

'I was very emotional as well and had a few tearys,' she added with a laugh.

Nichole, who is four months along, said her first trimester had left her feeling 'hungover 24/7, nauseous and always tired,' but she had recently started getting her energy back in her second trimester.

Despite things going well, the Gold Coast-based reality star admitted she had some fears about welcoming a child during the coronavirus pandemic.

Baby joy! She has already shared several photos from the pregnancy to social media, including some images of her ultrasound

'I was pretty nervous at first because I was working at Pacific Fair when I was in the early stages and it's a tourist hotspot there, so when I got made redundant I was kind of relieved to be able to hibernate while in the early stages,' she said.

She has already shared several photos from her pregnancy to social media, including some images of her ultrasound.

In one photo, the blonde barista shows off her tiny baby bump, which she jokingly compared to the size of an orange.

Flashback: Nichole made it to the tenth episode of The Bachelor last year and is best known for arriving on a motorcycle to meet Matt Agnew (left) on the first episode

Nichole was one of the standout contestants on Matt Agnew's season of The Bachelor last year.

She made it to the tenth episode of the series and is best known for arriving on a motorcycle to meet Matt during the first episode.

After leaving the show, she quickly found love with tradie and father-of-one Jake Yard, and the couple have been together ever since.
Maharashtras deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar, on Friday made it clear that at no cost would the government allow schools to start in June.

Pawar also clarified that the state government is considering July 1 as the restart date for schools, even if this means cutting short the Diwali and Christmas holidays.

This is all at the thinking level and no final decision has been taken, Pawar said in Pune, where he was present to inaugurate a flyover

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) member Ashwini Kadam raised the question about schools reopening during a public interaction, to which Pawar replied, The state government is firm schools will not reopen in the month of June.

Recently, Maharashtras Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad had made a statement suggesting schools could restart in June.

We are with the parents. It is natural that with the Covid-19 pandemic, parents cannot send their children to school, Pawar said, adding, The state government is thinking about schools restarting at a later date. To complete the curriculum, the government will cut the Diwali and Christmas vacations but its all at the thinking level.

In response to Kadam raising the issue of school principals also being worried about reopening, Pawar instructed Kadam to give a message to all principals: the government will not open schools in June.
Representative Image

Bankers and investors fear China's push to impose national security laws on Hong Kong threaten the city's future as an international financial centre. If it gets to that stage, Beijing's move will come at a cost for China's economy.

WHY DOES CHINA NEED HONG KONG AS IT IS?

China still has extensive capital controls and often intervenes in its financial markets and banking system. Hong Kong is one of the world's most open economies and one of the biggest channels for equity and debt financing.

The size of Hong Kong's economy may only be the equivalent of 2.7 percent of mainland China's, down from 18.4 percent in 1997 when it reverted to Chinese rule, but the territory punches above its weight due to world-class financial and legal systems.

As a gateway between China and the West, Hong Kong attracts global capital for China more efficiently than its other cities.

HOW IS THAT CHANGING?

Under the 'one country, two systems' formula agreed as part of Britain's handover of the territory to China, Hong Kong is guaranteed liberties unavailable on the mainland such as freedom of expression and an independent judiciary.

These freedoms give Hong Kong a special international status -- for instance, it does not have to pay the US tariffs currently hitting Chinese imports.

With the US State Department recommending the removal of that status as it no longer deems Hong Kong sufficiently autonomous from Beijing, measures hitting trade, finance and investments among other areas could follow.

Australia, Britain, Canada, the European Union and others also have expressed concerns over the legislation.

WHAT IS AT STAKE?

China uses Hong Kong's currency, equity and debt markets to attract foreign funds, while international companies use Hong Kong as a launchpad to expand into the mainland.

While China has reformed its markets over the years, over 60 percent of foreign direct investment (FDI) into and out of China continued to be channeled through Hong Kong as of 2018, according to Morgan Stanley.

Last year, Chinese companies raised $73.8 billion via initial public offerings (IPOs), $35 billion of which was bagged in Hong Kong, according to data from Dealogic.

Chinese businesses tapped Hong Kong's debt market for 25 percent of their $131.8 billion in offshore US dollar funding last year, Refinitiv data shows.

Schemes linking stock exchanges in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen provide the main gateway for foreigners to buy mainland stocks. A planned opening up of Chinese capital flows only increases the importance of these channels, and ultimately, Hong Kong, Fidelity said in a post this week.

Chinese banks hold more assets in Hong Kong -- $1.1 trillion in 2019 -- than lenders from any other region, according to Hong Kong Monetary Authority's data compiled by Natixis. Any squeeze on the massive financing channel risks destabilising the Chinese economy.

Among other deep linkages, Hong Kong's port continues to handle some of China's exports and imports, though it has been eclipsed by big Chinese ports in the last few decades.

Hong Kong has also been pivotal to China's ambition to turn the yuan into a widely-used international currency, competing with the US dollar and increasing its global influence.

HOW COULD IT ALL UNRAVEL?

The pandemic has prompted central banks around the world to flood markets with new liquidity. Money that would normally seek a home in Hong Kong may just choose other centres, such as Singapore, in time diminishing the city's significance.

Capital already in Hong Kong could also choose to move outside the scope of mainland legislation and escape disruptions from local social unrest and any international restrictions. Outflows so far have been limited, bankers said.
Earlier this month, the department moved to abandon its long-running prosecution of the retired three-star general, who admitted to lying to the FBI in 2017 about his contacts with Russias ambassador to the United States. The reversal came after Attorney General William P. Barr determined that the FBI had no valid basis to question Flynn, so any lies he told were irrelevant to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Barr acted at the recommendation of St. Louis U.S. attorney Jeff Jensen, who was brought in by Barr to review the Flynn case. The remaining member of former special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs team who was working on the case withdrew shortly before the dismissal motion was filed, and no other career prosecutors signed the motion.
China's public security ministry has said it will offer 'guidance and support' to Hong Kong's police force, in another sign that the city's status as a separate legal jurisdiction is likely at an end.



Public security minister Zhao Kezhi told a recent high-level meeting that his ministry would have a role in implementing a national security law for Hong Kong now in the pipeline, in spite of a legal ban on Chinese government departments' involvement in the city's internal affairs.



Zhao, cited in China's state-run Legal Daily newspaper, said his ministry would "provide full guidance and support to the Hong Kong Police Force to stop violence and restore order, and resolutely maintain Hong Kong's security and stability" in the wake of months of anti-government protests in the city.



His comments came after the National People's Congress ratified a plan to impose a draconian sedition law on Hong Kong without going through the city's own legislature; a dramatic departure from the promised "high degree of autonomy" promised to Hong Kong under the terms of the 1997 handover.



Barrister and veteran democracy campaigner Martin Lee, who founded Hong Kong's Democratic Party, told RFA that the promise that Hong Kong people would rule Hong Kong was now dead in the water.



"It's not the people of Hong Kong ruling Hong Kong, but the Chinese central government, the Chinese Communist Party," Lee said. "There is no more 'one country, two systems'; it's just under Beijing's control."



Lee cited earlier comments from Chinese officials dismissing references to the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, a U.N.-registered treaty setting out China's promises to Hong Kong after the handover on July 1, 1997.



"Back in the day, the British handed over Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories, but now they're saying the Joint Declaration serves no purpose and they're not going to pay any attention to it," he said.



Much like a character in Wong Kar-wai's 1992 movie Chungking Express, Lee said he once had his sights set on California as a destination.



"How could I face people if I left?" he said. Later, he learned that Beijing wanted him to leave Hong Kong.



Direct control a top priority



Hong Kong political commentator Liu Ruishao said the setting up by Beijing of a semi-official new Hong Kong and Macau leadership working group meant that the direct control of Hong Kong is now a top priority for President Xi Jinping's administration.



"[This working group] is a semi-official way of exerting a great deal of psychological pressure [on Hong Kong]," Liu said.



Bruce Lui, journalism lecturer at Hong Kong's Baptist University, said the group would act as a central command and control structure overseeing public order in Hong Kong.



"Xi Jinping is now trying to ensure that his allies are more powerful in the current system," Lui said.



"By upgrading what was previously just a coordinating group to a leadership group, he is letting the various departments know that this is a top priority for the central government."



"And it's not just about Hong Kong itself; the national security law is being placed into a context of a struggle between China and foreign [forces]," he said.



Beijing on Thursday ratified a plan to impose draconian sedition and subversion legislation on Hong Kong that would enable its feared state security police to operate in the city, which was promised the continuation of its traditional freedoms under the 1997 handover to China.



The rubber-stamp NPC passed the proposal by 2,878 "votes" to 1, with six abstentions, paving the way for the powerful NPC standing committee to draft the legislation and insert it into Hong Kong law without going through the city's own legislature.



In a move that likely signals the end of Hong Kong's promised autonomy and traditional freedoms of speech and association, the ruling Chinese Communist Party says the law is needed owing to "notable national security risks" following months of anti-government protests in Hong Kong.



'Prevent, stop, punish'



Introducing the proposal on May 21, NPC vice chairman Wang Chen said "forceful measures must be taken to prevent, stop, and punish such activities."



Under the terms of the handover, Hong Kong was expected to bring in legislation banning acts of "treason, secession, sedition [or] subversion," but city-wide protests and the likelihood of a pro-democracy landslide at Legislative Council (LegCo) elections in September have led Beijing to conclude that this might not occur for some time.



An earlier version of the law was shelved following mass popular protests in 2003.



The law is also intended "to prohibit foreign political organizations from conducting political activities in Hong Kong, and to prohibit political organizations from establishing ties with foreign political organizations," according to state media.



The decision will enable the authorities to "prevent, stop and punish" any activities deemed by Beijing to be subversive, or instigated by "foreign forces."



Such legislation has been used in mainland China to accuse journalists of spying, or to punish peaceful critics of the regime.



When needed, state security police from mainland China will set up shop in Hong Kong to fulfill their duties under the new law, according to a precis of the decision supplied by Xinhua.



Reported by Tseng Yat-yiu and Lu Xi for RFA's Cantonese and Mandarin Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
This includes drop-off and pick-up arrangements from schools or extra-curricular activities that are now shut down and transport over state borders, some of which are closed (NSW and Victoria were the only states to keep their borders open). Loading In all cases, children need to come first, says lawyer Annabel Murray from Australia Family Lawyers. Its a big challenge for children because theyre missing out on the connections with their peer groups and face-to-face time with their friends, she says. Murray adds that as well as missing out on time with one of their parents, theyre also losing contact with other members of that parents household, such as grandparents and step-siblings. She also warns parents to be very careful about withholding time with children from an ex-partner. When parents do reach a new arrangement it would certainly be prudent for them to do that in writing so that both of them are very clear about it.

'My ex respects my decision' Perth mum Miyuki Prentice chose to keep her children solely with her. Miyuki Prentice saw how grave conditions were becoming in mid-March and pulled her two boys, aged six and four, out of school and childcare a week before the government ordered lockdowns. Three days later she lost both her part-time job at Myer and a job offer of full-time work as a travel agent at Flight Centre. While that was a blow, it meant she could spend more time with her children. Its a lot trickier in our situation, I think because there isnt anyone to take care of me if I get sick, she says. Im kind of manic about it because its bad enough when you get sick with young kids around, let alone with something that might take you out for a couple of weeks. Miyuki and her former partner, who didnt want to be named for this article, have been separated for two years. She has told her ex, who works as a hotel manager and is therefore in an environment where hes more likely to be exposed, that their usual 80:20 split is unworkable during lockdown restrictions and that the boys are best placed staying with her.

Loading During this time Miyukis ex had regular contact with his sons online, but she ruled out physical contact. I was more worried about him, because they had some cruise ship people, flight attendants and returned Australians staying in the hotel, she says. I asked him to keep his distance from the children and he respected that. The children returned to weekend visits when WA schools re-opened recently, but Miyuki says the pandemic put a major strain on her relationship with her former partner. Wed established a good routine, she says, but coronavirus threw a real spanner in the works. 'Were spending more time together' Melbourne parents Kish Nilaweera and Lynette Christie considered moving back in together.

Coronavirus may have pushed some split families further apart, but Kish Nilaweera and Lynette Christie have worked hard to strengthen their relationship for the sake of their two sons, aged 10 and six. Weve got more communication now and were spending more time together with the boys, Kish says. The children are still moving between our two houses, but we have spent more time together as a family. The pair discussed cohabitation, but decided it would be best for Kish to stay over at Lenis now and again. Through this arrangement, the parents hoped their two boys would get the best from both parents while waiting to go back to school. We have two very different children and as a single parent its hard to entertain them both, Kish says. We initially spoke about it to minimise contact with the outside world, and to give the boys stability. Its down to the parents and their ability to work together. Any parent who says its too hard is putting themselves before their children. Kish Nilaweera

As a trial, we spent a weekend together as a family, which went very well. The arrangement has no impact on child-support obligations, which will remain as they are. Flexibility in catering to each others work commitments is key to their united approach. I think child-raising in general is down to the parents and their ability to work together, Kish says. Any parent who says its too hard is putting themselves before their children. Look for common ground, do not undercut each other, and make sure your children are put first. This is a very uncertain time and our primary concerns are our three monkeys, our dog included, and to make sure they are safe and happy. 'Were talking to each other more' Melbourne mum Bree Tollitt tried to keep custody arrangements as normal as possible.

Since they separated two-and-a-half years ago, Bree Tollitt has enjoyed an amicable relationship with her ex-partner. And despite the stress of coronavirus, the two have managed to maintain a stable routine for their eight-year-old son and six-year-old daughter. Loading It is more difficult to see eye to eye on arrangements, she says. Were both trying to get our heads around it while trying to do whats best for the kids, and that can lead to stress and heightened anxiety The children normally spend 30 to 40 per cent of their time with their dad, who didnt want to be named for this article. This has dropped slightly because he can no longer take them to weekend sport and after-school activities. However, his flexibility increased when his work as a plasterer ran out in early May. They are still going to their dads house every second weekend and for dinner one night a week as per our usual arrangement, says Bree.
Early in the coronavirus outbreak, the offer of millions of medical masks pulled in a motley cast of characters who had no experience selling masks and made its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom's office via his brother-in-law. In the end, the offer evaporated.

The pitch for millions of medical-grade masks came as California was scrambling to buy protective equipment to combat the coronavirus.

Over a hectic few days, the offer pulled in a motley cast of characters who had no experience selling masks.

An ex-convict turned investor in Arizona. A well-connected businessman in California. A powerful lobbyist in Sacramento. And eventually, the brother-in-law of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who brought the potential mask deal directly to the governor's office.

In the end, the promise of desperately needed masks for the state evaporated in confusion, leaving behind questions over whether there were really masks to sell in the first place.

Interviews with some of the deals participants and documents reviewed by The Times provide a unique window into how the coronavirus upended the masks trade, a once-mundane enterprise instantly transformed into a Wild West marketplace dominated by middlemen selling to middlemen in a chain of murky transactions that sometimes extended out of sight.

As state officials sorted through offers to weed the legitimate from the fraudulent, well-meaning entrepreneurs and profiteers alike also attempted to distinguish reality from illusion. One expert with a company that helps hospitals vet vendors said his firm reviewed more than 300 offers for personal protective equipment and concluded only four were "potentially viable."

Middlemen exploited any business connections they could to find masks  and any political connections to seal a deal.

A spokesman for Geoff Callan, Newsoms brother-in-law, said that Callan had no financial interest whatsoever in the deal and that he reached out to Newsom's assistant, not the governor himself, to pass along information about it. In a statement to The Times, Callan said the extent of his involvement was notifying the state about the offer.

"As a layperson, it looked to me like something that could potentially help save lives, so I passed it along to state government employees who could vet the information," he said.

Story continues

Gov. Gavin Newsom, then San Francisco mayor, with co-directors Mike Shaw and Geoff Callan, who is Newsom's brother-in-law, at a screening of their film "Pursuit of Equality" in 2005. (Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)

For people looking to make money, success in selling coronavirus equipment to the state could mean a government contract worth millions of dollars. But for others, as one of the middlemen put it, the frenzy felt as though they were chasing a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

In the offer to sell masks to California, the chain of middlemen extended at least as far back as Joshua Denne.

The Paradise Valley, Ariz.-based businessman said he jumped into the marketplace for coronavirus supplies in March after a friend in the importing business told him about having access to virus testing kits from China. But amid a whirlwind of calls, Denne said, he heard about a possible supply of masks.

Denne had no experience selling masks, but had invested in cannabis start-up companies, a poke restaurant and a members-only private jet charter service and had sold skin-care products sourced from the Dead Sea, according to his website and court records.

When he wasn't selling products, Denne was marketing himself.

Denne, the author of a motivational guide for aspiring entrepreneurs, portrays his life story on his website as a tale of redemption that includes a stint being homeless and two years in state prison. Back then, he was living in Orange County, and court records show the prison term came after he pleaded guilty to felony drug and gun charges in 1998.

"When I finally went to prison, that kind of woke me up in a big way," he said in a video interview posted on his website.

In 2011 he was convicted of insurance fraud when he was accused of falsely reporting he had been burglarized and claiming $140,000 in losses to his insurance company. He was sentenced to 120 days in jail, Orange County court records show.

Denne, 42, told The Times that the burglary was real, but that he got greedy and lied to the insurance company about a Rolex watch being stolen. He said he made "a really stupid decision" but has paid his debts to society and is now focused on his investment in a company that makes a fire retardant extinguisher and spray.

In late March, Denne was looking to sell the most sought-after supplies in the country. After a flurry of phone calls, Denne said, his search brought him to Evan Spencer, the owner of Thato International, a pharmaceutical and medical supplies company in Orange County.

Denne then introduced Spencer to Janoah King, an old associate from Denne's days in network marketing, a controversial sales strategy that often relies on recruiting other sellers who will buy the product and continue the chain by recruiting other sellers, who will do the same. King is a consultant and network marketer, having also sold face creams.

King in turn brought the offer to the attention of Ilan Frank, a Sacramento businessman who is president of a security company and regional developer for a chain of eyelash extension studios. Frank, who came to the U.S. in the late 1980s after attending college and military service in Israel, told The Times he and King knew each other through "mutual business circles."

King declined to be interviewed, but his attorney provided a statement saying that King was involved in the deal "early on" but that "the bigger players ran off without him."

Frank said he contacted Paul Bauer, a high-powered lobbyist and then a partner at the government relations and lobbying firm Mercury Public Affairs in Sacramento.

Bauer represented plastic bag makers in opposing the 2014 bill that banned the items. Hes credited with helping secure hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds for the states high-speed rail project and once lobbied on behalf of U2 guitarist the Edge in the musician's decades-long fight to build mansions on a scenic bluff above Malibu.

Frank said he tapped Bauer for help in selling the masks because he had connections, I dont. He said Bauer is a local person in town Ive done consulting with.

Bauer declined to be interviewed but said in a brief statement that he never got involved in the offer.

"Ilan Frank sought a business deal with me. I did not want to work with him and did not pursue it," Bauer said.

Bauers name nevertheless appeared on a March 23 sales commission contract that was drawn up on Thato International letterhead, according to an unsigned copy reviewed by The Times. It is unclear whether the document was ever signed.

The contract called for King, Frank and Bauer to find resellers and "government clients" for as many as 50 million N95 masks manufactured by 3M. The three brokers would share a commission of 25 cents per mask, an arrangement that could have yielded them millions of dollars.

The masks, Model 1860s, would be sold at $6.75 apiece, according to the contract. 3M's suggested list price is $1.27 a mask.

At the time, California was paying more than 300% above list prices as state officials navigated a marketplace rife with fraud and price gouging in search of millions of masks. While the state dealt with the worldwide mask shortage, there was no shortage of offers. Some sellers turned to lobbyists and the well-connected to help move their offers through the state's vetting process.

Frank said he got in touch with an old family friend: Callan, an actor and filmmaker who is married to Newsoms sister, Hilary.

In his statement to The Times, Callan said he decided to contact state officials after his friend sent him "information about the availability of protective masks.... I made the introduction and that was basically the extent of my involvement."

Callan shared the information with the governor's assistant and the offer was then forwarded to the Governors Office of Emergency Services, which has vetted most of the state's largest purchases during the pandemic.

Newsoms office referred questions to Brian Ferguson, spokesman for the emergency office, who said the information Callan passed along was that Frank's company, Crime Alert Security, could help secure masks.

"One of our folks reached out to" Frank's company, Ferguson said. The state has not purchased from this person. We reached out to request more information and didnt get a call back.

Frank told The Times he walked away after he heard reporters were asking questions about the deal.

It looks like there was something fishy," Frank said.

He said he didn't know much about the pricing of masks, or whether the cost of the masks being offered was fair. He said he had no "malicious intent."

The attempt to connect people, nothing wrong with that. To do good, and like Geoff said to help, theres nothing wrong with that, he said.

Spencer declined to comment.

Bauer resigned from Mercury after The Times reported this month that he was listed in state procurement records as the contact for an Alabama-based company, Bear Mountain Development Co., that had an $800-million mask contract with California that collapsed. He has since started his own lobbying firm.

Even though Denne wasn't included on the unsigned Thato commission contract, the Arizona businessman said he expected to receive a commission on any sale of masks by the group.

Denne said the original source of the masks was always a mystery even to him.

You never knew who or where the origination of it was, or whether it was 18 brokers in between, Denne said of the masks trade. In five weeks, I never saw one transaction take place. Not one.
Lockdown rules should be stricter for people at high risk of dying of Covid-19

Only half of people acutally self-isolate if they have symptoms, scientists said

Scientists have peppered the Government with warnings about lifting the coronavirus lockdown too soon, published secret advice papers have revealed.

A trove of around 50 scientific papers submitted to the Government were unveiled today laying bare the advice top researchers gave to ministers in April and May.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has been warned that social distancing must be kept in place until the virus is gone and that returning to offices, hairdressers and nail bars could push the outbreak out of control again.

Papers warned that easing the lockdown region-by-region could lead to violent protests and tensions within the UK, but that different groups of people may face varying rules based on their risk of dying if they catch the disease.

The release of the documents - which SAGE committed to do for better transparency - comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week announced the biggest lockdown changes so far.

Schools will start to reopen next week, along with some outdoor businesses, and people will be allowed to meet in groups of six outdoors.

But infection rates are still high in hospitals and care homes and SAGE papers suggest that up to 25 per cent of more patients are catching the virus inside hospitals.

Scientific advice put to the Government in SAGE papers revealed:

Only around 50 per cent of people will actually self-isolate for a week if they have coronavirus symptoms;

Regional lockdowns could increase tensions and risk violence, much of it directed at the police;

Face masks are beneficial and scientists told officials two weeks before the public was given the advice;

Test and trace will not be enough to stop the virus spreading - social distancing must carry on until the coronavirus can be eradicated;

Up to 25 per cent of hospital patients diagnosed with the coronavirus caught it while they were being cared for;

A policy of 'social bubbles' could have encouraged the spread of the virus by opening the door to 'excessive' social networking.

Lifting Britain's lockdown in April would have led to more than double the number of deaths of lifting restrictions at the start of May, scientists predicted in the midst of the outbreak

Papers presented to SAGE suggest that it is possible for thousands of deaths per week to continue into and beyond August if the coronavirus situation is not handled well. In the past seven days 2,119 deaths have been declared by the Department of Health, putting Britain close to the worst case scenario on this graph

Regional lockdowns could trigger violence

Imposing lockdowns on a region-by-region basis wouldn't work and could lead to a rise in attacks on the police, scientists warned.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed this week measures may be imposed on whole towns, if there are regional flare-ups of coronavirus cases.

But ministers were warned enforcing rules on certain regions 'would not be suitable' for the UK - despite its apparent success in China.

In one of the SAGE papers, two security experts said doing so may 'undermine the consensus that has been built on the need for restrictive measures'.

Professor Clifford Stott, a social psychologist at Keele University, and another author whose name was redacted said enforcing lockdowns on a region-by-region basis may 'lead to significant issue of disorder'.

Allowing sub-sets of the population to live normally 'undermines' the sense of 'we are all in this together' spirit, the pair said.

They added: 'Geographical division of a large urban area in the UK will inevitably intersect with ethnic and socio-economic boundaries.

'Those in lower socio-economic positions are more susceptible to the virus and therefore lockdown will be more likely in areas of poverty relative to wealth.

'Anger arising from communities who perceive they have been locked down unfairly would be directed at police in the majority of cases.

This is particularly problematic in areas... whose populations traditionally have more difficult historical relations with police and could easily lead to escalations.'

Restrictions imposed in the UK so far have yet to lead to any conflict because they have been perceived as fair, the experts said.

They added: 'Any sense of inequality... would likely lead to civil disorder and feed the propaganda of extremist groups and hostile states.

'Households may also fear retaliation if cases within a neighbourhood prevent release and may conceal cases as a result.'

'Not enough is being done' to protect the vulnerable

Scientists raised concerns last month that not enough was being done to protect people most at risk of dying of Covid-19 and called for separate tiers of protections.

In a SAGE paper dated April 27, one of its sub-groups, SPI-M, raised concerns that the most at-risk groups of people were not being protected well enough.

It suggested that lockdown rules should not be loosened in a blanket fashion but should be designed to 'de-couple' outbreaks in the community and vulnerable places like care homes.

Experts in the group said: 'SPI-M remains concerned that not enough is being done to protect those who are known to be at high risk of death if infected with COVID-19.'

The people at highest risk of dying if they catch Covid-19 are the very elderly and those with serious long-term health problems such as dementia, or people whose immune systems or lungs don't function properly, such as cancer or transplant patients.

Those people are still being urged to 'shield' themselves by the Government - to avoid leaving home or having visitors - even as lockdown releases around them.

SPI-M's paper suggested they may have to abide by social distancing rules for longer than other younger, lower risk sections of society, even if case numbers were low.

The statement added: 'A low incidence scenario would still require risk-based variation in social distancing measures and careful shielding of parts of the population, although this would not need be as aggressive or have as high adherence rates necessary for a high incidence scenario.'

Hairdressers and nail bars are high risk

Hairdressers and nail bars could be coronavirus hot-spots, ministers were warned at the start of May.

Scientists feeding into SAGE claimed personal care businesses 'could have levels of infection as high as those seen in social care'.

And the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling group warned it may lead to an increase in Covid-19 transmission in the community.

Mr Hancock yesterday said hairdressers will not reopen in the next fortnight, despite salons saying they are ready to open their doors in June.

The Health Secretary - who revealed his wife cuts his locks - would not commit to hairdressers being allowed to open their doors again on June 15.

In Europe salons are open already with everyone forced to wear masks, including customers, and dry cuts, magazines, hot drinks and even long chats banned.

Social distancing must stay until vaccine or cure is found

Social distancing cannot go away until the coronavirus can be wiped out, vaccinated against or cured, top scientists say.

Government advisers regularly remind the public social distancing is 'here to stay' but SAGE documents ram home how indispensable it is in the long term.

WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE FIRST SAGE MEETING? WHEN WAS IT HELD? January 22 in Westminster - Britain recorded its first confirmed cases of coronavirus nine days later. WHICH SCIENTISTS ATTENDED? Sir Patrick Vallance, Chief Scientific Adviser

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England

Charlotte Watts, Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for International Development

Professor Jonathan Van Tam, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England

Carole Mundell, Chief Scientific Adviser, Foreign and Commenwealth Office

Cathy Roth, Department for International Development

Phil Blythe, Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Transport

Pasi Penttinen, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Maria Zambon, Public Health England

Jim McMenamin, Health Protection Scotland

Christine Middlemiss, Chief Veterinary Office, DEFRA

Professor Neil Ferguson, Imperial

Professor Peter Horby, Oxford

Professor David Lalloo, LSHTM

Sir Jeremy Farrar, Wellcome Trust

Dr Ben Killingley, UCL

Professor John Edmunds, LSTHM

Dr James Rubin, King's College WHAT WAS THEIR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE VIRUS AT THE TIME? There is evidence of person-to-person transmission. The incubation period appears to be within five to 10 days. It is 'highly probable' the reproductive number is currently above one. The mortality rate for WN-CoV appears to be lower than for SARS. No evidence to prove individuals are infectious prior to showing symptoms. WHAT DID EXPERTS RECOMMEND AT THE TIME? NERVTAG did not advise port of entry screening, despite not knowing much about the virus. It also didn't advise the use of screening questionnaires or requiring proof of exit screening at Wuhan. SAGE said it would review its position on port screening only if a simple, specific and rapid test was available. Temperature screening was unlikely to be of value and have high false positive and false negative rates, it said. DID THEY DISCUSS GETTING A TEST READY? The UK currently has good centralised testing capacity for Covid-19, which had yet to be named at the time, the experts claimed at the meeting. And they claimed they were days away from having a specific test, which they said was scalable across the UK within weeks. They warned of 'conflicting reports' of the accuracy of test samples taken from the upper respiratory tract, such as the nose and mouth. SAGE agreed that only people who had symptoms and had returned from Wuhan in the past fortnight should be tested. Advertisement

Even a highly effective test and trace system which has 100 per cent compliance from the public would not be enough to keep the R below 1 on its own, SAGE was warned.

The SPI-M group said that people must make long-term reductions to the number of people they meet up with outside of work and change how they do so.

In papers submitted in April and May the group warned: 'Case isolation, household quarantine and app-based tracing, even with very high uptake levels, without some level of social distancing will not be sufficient to keep R below 1 on their own.'

It added: 'Even with contact tracing in place, there will need to be sustained, deep reductions in contacts outside work and schools to keep the reproduction number below 1.'

Keeping the R below 1 is crucial for preventing a second wave.

The group said trying to restrict social distancing only to specific groups, such as the over-45s, would require 'unrealistic' proportions of people to agree to it. Applying it to everyone would see benefits with a lower level of compliance.

Rules expected to continue in the long-term could include keeping distance from other people (currently 2m/6'6') and not having physical contact with people from outside your household.

The strictness of these would depend on the number of coronavirus cases being diagnosed in the population.

Herd immunity could develop in a year but thousands would die

One of the only ways to get rid of distancing measures without a vaccine or cure would be to try and develop herd immunity SAGE was told, but tens of thousands of people would die.

Herd immunity, in which so many people catch a virus that it struggles to spread any more, could work if it turns out people are unable to catch the illness twice.

For a brief period at the start of the outbreak the Government had considered trying to slow down the virus but let it keep going so that herd immunity would develop, but there was massive public backlash when it emerged thousands would die as a result.

In a paper submitted to SAGE in April, SPI-M said: 'Maintaining a high incidence scenario [large number of infections] could allow measures to be progressively relaxed as population immunity developed.

'It would, however, take around one year to allow all measures to be removed using such an approach, even if all infections resulted in an effective, long-lasting immune response.

'Such a policy would result in tens of thousands of direct deaths from COVID-19 and it is unlikely that significant levels of population immunity could be achieved by autumn without ICU [intensive care units] being overwhelmed.'

Up to 25% of Covid-19 hospital patients catch virus during treatment

Up to a quarter of Covid-19 who need medical treatment caught the virus in hospital, government advisers warned.

And SPI-M told ministers the figure - compiled from 'several sources' - suggested this figure was 'highly likely' to be an under-estimate.

Scientists revealed their estimate, submitted on April 20, did not include people who acquire infection in hospital, leave and are then readmitted.

They called for an 'urgent investigation' into the true burden of healthcare-acquired infections.

And the experts suggested using some hospitals solely to treat Covid-19 patients, to reduce the rate of healthcare-acquired infections.

Their estimate took into account data from provided to the Department of Health on a weekly basis, as well as Public Health England figures.

It comes amid claims 40 per cent of staff at a Weston-super-Mare hospital that shut to new patients over a spike in Covid-19 have tested positive for the infection.

Separate studies have suggested up to three per cent of NHS medics on coronavirus front-line unknowingly had the virus in April.

It raised the possibility that NHS workers were spreading the disease to vulnerable patients without knowing, treating them while infectious.

Opening pubs, restaurants and schools would speed up viral spread

Scientists cannot say how lifting lockdown will affect the speed at which the virus is spreading but fear reopening pubs, restaurants and schools would allow it to spiral.

SPI-M warned in a paper on April 1 that the more time people spend indoors with one another, the more likely it is that a second wave of coronavirus would emerge.

The Government, as it releases lockdown restrictions, is desperate to keep the virus's reproduction rate - the R - below 1, to make sure patients don't infect any more than one other person each.

Lockdown has pushed the R to somewhere between 0.7 and 0.9 but releasing the rules too soon will allow it to spiral again.

SPI-M said: 'Relaxing rules of the use of outdoor spaces, including working outdoors, is highly unlikely to make a significant direct difference to infection rates, as long as social distancing continues to be followed in this environment.

'There is limited evidence on the effect of closing of non-essential retail, libraries, bars, restaurants, etc., but it is likely that R would return to above 1 and a subsequent exponential growth in cases.'

They said that allowing people outdoor exercise and supermarket shopping were likely to have little effect on the R rate.

And large gatherings are also unlikely to boost an outbreak because they account for so few of people's personal contacts because they are attended infrequently.

But encouraging people to return to offices instead of working from home would likely have 'the largest effect' on the reproduction rate.

Fully reopening schools back to normal would also have a significant effect, the scientists said: 'Lifting any of the other measures in place, including school closures are almost certain to return R to above 1'.

However, SPI-M admitted that it was difficult to assess the true impact of different lockdown measures on the speed the virus spreads.

The group added: 'Measures have been introduced simultaneously or in quick succession, so their individual effects cannot be disentangled; self-imposed population behaviours may also complicate the picture.'

Terrorists could attack large gatherings while police short-staffed

Terrorists could carry out an attack on British soil while police forces are distracted by a lack of crime, experts warned.

In evidence submitted to ministers on May 4, behavioural scientists claimed it was 'an opportunity' for the UK to be rocked by an attack.

SPI-B claimed violent extremist organisations may launch an attack 'as a means of signalling to the public that a group or issue has not gone away'.

The group also warned that permitting protests - currently restricted because of the Covid-19 crisis - could also be exploited by terrorists.

They said: 'Lifting restrictions on assembly will permit protests against the economic effects of the lockdown, which will become more visible as time wears on.

'It is at points such as this that one could expect exploitation by violent extremist organisations and intersection with protests in other countries as a result of emulation/common purpose or trans-European activism.'

In a separate paper, government advisers said data showed 999 calls for the police have dropped up to 75 per cent in some areas.

Experts said the trend suggests the lockdown has led to major reductions in crime across Britain, perhaps due to a 'lack of opportunity'.

But they revealed there has been a spike in calls to the police for certain offences, such as domestic violence.

Social bubbles could lead to 'excessive networks' and risk spread

Allowing people to meet in bubbles could have enabled coronavirus to spread through the population, scientists suggested.

It was thought the roadmap to easing the lockdown contained the possibility one household could form a social 'bubble' with one other in a mutual group.

However as people are set to start meeting up outdoors in groups of up to six from Monday, there has been no mention of bubbles.

And Downing Street has warned the public that socially-distanced, six-people meet-ups remain prohibited in England until Monday.

Minutes from a SAGE meeting on May 7 disclosed what the experts had to say on the issue of bubbles.

They said that while the concepts of bubbles has potential benefits for wellbeing and mental health, there were also risks if they were to be introduced alongside other changes, or if there is poor adherence.

The minutes said: 'The effects of bubbles are complex. Introducing bubbles alongside other changes could reconstruct excessive networks, particularly when combined with any increase in contacts in other settings.

'These networks could enable transmission through the population. It will be difficult to assess the effects of individual policy changes on R if multiple changes are introduced together.'

SAGE added: 'A safe approach to bubbles would need to include isolation of all members of a bubble in the case of one member showing symptoms.

'This would lead to increased frequency of isolation for people, particularly in winter months.'

Face masks are protective when people can't social distance

Scientists concluded there was enough evidence to recommend the use of face coverings weeks before ministers issued the advice.

Experts said on April 21 that the public should be advised to wear coverings when social distancing is not possible, but ministers in England did not issue the advice until May 11.

The SAGE panel, including chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and chief medical officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, discussed masks on April 21.

'SAGE advises that, on balance, there is enough evidence to support recommendation of community use of cloth face masks, for short periods in enclosed spaces, where social distancing is not possible,' they concluded.

Despite Scotland and Northern Ireland issuing the advice to wear coverings, ministers in England did not give the guidance until publishing the 'plan to rebuild' nearly three weeks later.

'As more people return to work, there will be more movement outside people's immediate household,' they said.

'This increased mobility means the Government is now advising that people should aim to wear a face-covering in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible, and they come into contact with others that they do not normally meet, for example on public transport or in some shops.'

Only HALF of people with coronavirus symptoms self-isolate

Only about half of people with coronavirus symptoms self-isolate for an entire week, behavioural experts told SAGE.

The discovery raised concerns over whether future outbreaks can be prevented.

The disclosure of low compliance with a key rule in suppressing Covid-19 comes days before the lockdown is eased, with people being asked to isolate for 14 days even if they do not have symptoms.

Under the NHS test and trace programme, people in England will be told to quarantine themselves for two weeks if they come into contact with someone who has tested positive.

A document shows behavioural experts warning: 'We strongly recommend monitoring and rapid research into adherence rates to all key behaviours and how to improve them, noting that based on DHSC tracker only around 50 per cent of people are currently reporting self-isolating for at least seven days when symptomatic with cough or fever.'

Their warning came on April 29 and an updated figure was not immediately available, but now people across the UK are beginning to be allowed to meet up outside, at a distance, and shops are starting to reopen.

Masks could make people 'falsely reassured' and ignorant of rules

Wearing a face mask could give someone a false sense of security that encourages them to flout other social distancing rules, SAGE was warned.

The Government declined for weeks to advise that people wear face masks, saying they were best reserved for medical workers.

But it now encourages people to use coverings - not medical grade masks - if they are in indoor spaces where social distancing is difficult, such as in busy shops or on public transport.

A document from SPI-B presented in April said: 'There are a number of issues, risks and potentially harmful behaviours associated with recommending or mandating use of facemasks which could reduce their effectiveness.'

It said people might use them incorrectly or touch them, contaminating their hands, or make homemade masks that are 'ineffective.

The group also warned: 'People may feel falsely reassured by wearing facemasks and so pay less attention to other behaviours that reduce viral transmission e.g. wash their hands less, do not adhere to social distancing measures.'

90 per cent of care homes could experience outbreaks

Scientists said in April that 'current trends' suggested 90 per cent of all care homes could suffer from outbreaks of Covid-19.

The SPI-M group said in a statement on April 20: 'There is evidence in continued growth in the number of care homes which have experienced cases of COVID-19.

'Any estimates of the proportion of care homes which will eventually experience outbreaks is highly speculative at this stage, but a figure approaching 90 per cent cannot be ruled out if current trends are maintained.'

The statement came shortly the peak of the outbreak before a focus had really shifted on to care homes and testing was not widely available for staff or residents.

More than 11,000 people are now known to have died in care homes.

The proportion of homes that have had outbreaks is not clear, but bosses in the sector estimated it was around two thirds in April, while the Government's estimate was considerably lower.

Russia 'is watching and gathering intelligence'

SAGE was warned by SPI-B that Russia would be watching the attempts to set up a track and trace system and mobile app in a bid to find ways to gather data.

They said: 'From an external security perspective, Russia will scrutinise all Western responses to Covid-19 as a significant intelligence gathering opportunity.

'Responses to CV19 allow it to monitor different countries response measures, timings and effectiveness in a wartime-like scenario.

'In particular they will examine planning and capabilities in response to a civil contingency/peacetime threat.

'There will consequently be interest in how effectively the UK can mount a contact tracing campaign as well as attempts to exploit whatever deficiencies or public concerns there may be with it.'
The vape industry duo announced their partnership to produce over 5000 gallons of hand sanitizer for the US. "The hand sanitizers will be donated to the emergency and healthcare workers caring for patients on the frontlines of the current COVID-19 public health crisis," says Abe A., President, Chubby Gorilla. "As COVID-19 continues its spread across the country it is abundantly clear our country is going through unprecedented struggles and monumental uncertainty. Our aim is to provide hope during this challenging period."

"Our country's healthcare professionals and first responders need our help, and we in the vapor industry have the means and materials to help make a difference. Now is a time for solidarity amongst all American businesses and the government to pull together and contribute. We thank all healthcare professionals and first responders for their hard work, dedication, and courage." - Huy Nguyen, CEO, USA Vape Lab.

"Chubby Gorilla has been serving manufactures with small easily portable bottles for years.", says Eyad A., Vice President, Chubby Gorilla. "It just makes sense to use what we have to help those in these times of uncertainty and need. At the end of the day we are all in this fight together."

Bottles of hand sanitizer have been rolling out across the nation since 04/08. We're reaching out to all hospitals, municipalities, police departments, and fire departments today to ask what their needs are. For those government agencies in need of bottles please contact us at 844-365-5218. Please contact USA Vape Lab for questions regarding hand sanitizers at 714-373-3075

About Chubby Gorilla: Chubby Gorilla is a global specialty packaging manufacturer founded upon a principle idea: make products that people love using, we approach the existing and emerging markets with one mission "Engineered for a purpose, designed for a purpose". All of our products are designed and engineered in-house in Southern California where user experience drives every level of innovation we create. For more information visit us at www.chubbygorilla.com.

SOURCE Chubby Gorilla, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.chubbygorilla.com


Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick said Thursday that he will stop enforcing the countys shelter-in-place order on June 1 because he believes the past and current orders put significant restrictions on our freedoms.

In a Facebook post, Essick said the countys initial and subsequent health orders since the start of the coronavirus pandemic have been far more restrictive than guidelines in neighboring counties and in statewide orders.

He said the county  which has reported 531 coronavirus cases and 4 deaths as of Thursday  has dramatically increased its testing capacity which he said has shown the infection rate is under control and decreasing. County officials have conducted 23,362 coronavirus tests, according to county data.

Yet we continue to see successive Public Health Orders that contain inconsistent restrictions on business and personal activities without explanation, Essick wrote. I can no longer in good conscience continue to enforce Sonoma County Public Health Orders, without explanation, that criminalize otherwise lawful business and personal behavior.

The sheriff's announcement came the same week that Sonoma Countys public health officer said she will hold off on allowing the reopening of some businesses because of a recent rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.

County public health officer Dr. Sundari Mase said Wednesday that she will not allow in-store retail, salons and places of worship to reopen despite the county being permitted to do so because of a climb in new cases that were partially connected to workplace transmission.

County Supervisor Shirlee Zane told The Chronicle that she and her fellow supervisors were mystified at Essicks decision to halt enforcement, and said he gave the board of supervisors just minutes notice via email before sharing his plan in a Facebook post.

Its really upsetting to those of us who have been working so hard on this, Zane said. I really want to ask him what motivated him to do this and why he didnt talk to us. We need to talk about what is in the best interest of our community, bottom line. Elected officials, we have to compromise, we have to put our ego aside, and make decisions that are in the best interest of the people we represent.

Zane said when officials are faced with a pandemic, one that has killed 100,000 people in the United States, city and law enforcement officials must enforce public health orders and do everything we can to protect every single life.

Susan Gorin, chairwoman of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, told The Chronicle that she has been in contact with the county director of health services and Mase about the sheriffs announcement.

(Essick) has not been in contact with (Mase). He has not initiated contact with her requesting data or even asking for conversation, Gorin said. The board absolutely supports her orders and its disappointing that the sheriff is not supporting that order. I find that irresponsible.

Gorin said supervisors plan to ask Essick to attend the boards Tuesday meeting so they can have a, public discussion and hopefully come to some level of agreement on the necessity to remain united to protect our public health.

Starting on June 1, Essick said, he is directing all deputies to stop enforcing the countys public health order. As part of these new directives, Essick said that is also directing the Sheriff Offices Detention Division to refuse the booking arrest of people whose sole booking charge is for violating the county public health order.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Any violations that are reported to the Sheriffs Office will be evaluated against Californias guidelines on a case-by-case basis. Essick said that deputies will focus on educating residents to mitigate the risk and spread of the coronavirus when they interact with people in the community.

In the parting sentences of his Facebook post addressed to county residents, Essick said that his decision to stop enforcement of the county public health order does not impact how other law enforcement agencies in Sonoma County choose to operate.

In a Facebook post Thursday night, Santa Rosa police Chief Rainer Navarro said he will, continue to support the Health Officer, who is the subject matter expert, leading a safe, strategic and data driven process for reopening.

Navarro said police will continue to respond to health order violations in collaboration with the city attorney, district attorneys office and Mase in order to ensure we are doing our part to make our community as safe as possible.

Our process is to, first and foremost, educate and inform our community of the health order. If there are ongoing violations, we will provide verbal and written warnings, and as a last resort, when necessary, enforce the law, Navarro said. We ask our community to continue voluntary compliance with the order.

Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByLHernandez
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

By Nargiz Sadikhova  Trend:

Kazakhstan and Turkey are considering resuming flights between countries in the third decade of Jun. 2020, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Ministry of Industry and Infrastructural Development.

The topic was discussed during a phone call between Kazakhstans Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Beibut Atamkulov and Turkeys Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey Adil Karaismailoglu.

During the phone call the parties discussed results of 1Q2020 cooperation in the transport industry. Parties noted an increase in rail transportation by 10 percent, which is about 239,000 tons compared to the same period last year, road transport increased by 42 percent, amounting to 65,200 tons, transit traffic along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route increased by two times and amounted to 7,400 containers.

The ministers also considered the possibility of resuming flights in the third decade of June this year, in the event of a favorable epidemiological situation in both countries.

In order to prevent coronavirus spreading in Kazakhstan, the number of flights was reduced by 438 flights per week on international destinations on 97 routes, which makes up 99 percent of all international flights implemented.

Additionally, all domestic flights have been cancelled and no regular air services operated in the country over the period from Apr. till May 1, 2020.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
Photograph: Vladimir Smirnov/Tass

The Republican fetish for work has always been a sham. The prime beneficiaries of Republican policies are, after all, the investor class, who by definition make their money while not working. As our current economic crisis worsens, Republicans cling to ideas that become increasingly separated from reality, like fundamentalists rejecting modern medicine even as their family member is dying. All of you, go back to work, or die trying!

Most of the world has asked people to stop going to work  temporarily, in theory  for the sake of public health. In the wiser countries of the world, the government is covering the payrolls of businesses through the worst part of these shutdowns, which has the dual benefits of helping employers not go broke, and keeping workers paid and employed until things can start getting back to normal.

America, of course, did not do anything so rational. Instead, we just sweetened unemployment benefits, forcing nearly 40 million people to pile into broken and dysfunctional state unemployment systems, while millions more give up altogether. The US did an excellent job propping up the financial markets, a mediocre job giving lifelines to businesses, and a poor job saving working people. And now, as we stare down the worst unemployment crisis since the Great Depression, Republicans in Congress have a bright idea: cutting off the extra money weve been giving to unemployed people, and instead incentivizing work. As if workers needed more incentive than desperately trying to avoid starvation.

Rob Portman, the Republican senator from Ohio, is proposing a temporary new $450-a-week bonus for unemployed people who go back to work. Consider the wonderful benefits this would provide: the Republicans will do away with the $600-a-week benefit you are currently getting for the unemployment you were forced into, and instead offer you a lesser amount in order to return to your job that no longer exists. The governments failure to put in place a coherent response to this crisis from the beginning  a failure that will now force countless small businesses to close forever and will leave tens of millions of people persistently unemployed and tens of millions more newly stuck in part-time jobs without benefits  will now be compounded by a weird adherence to the idea that everyone is dying to cling to public benefits for the rest of their lives, unless we force them to do otherwise. Portmans plan is like pushing someone out of a plane and then offering them some string and a bed sheet on the way dow  incentivize them to make their own parachute, rather than lazily relying on a government handout. (Republicans are also pushing a capital gains tax holiday, so the investor class will be handed two parachutes each, just in case anything goes wrong with the first.)

Story continues

It is the lie at the heart of the Republican governing philosophy that causes all of these ludicrously insufficient responses to an existential crisis. The fundamental purpose of the Republican party is to cut taxes and otherwise serve the interests of the rich. Thats it. Everything else is in service of that goal. In order to hang on to enough electoral support to do this, they construct a morality tale about the sanctity of work and the evil of government handouts, a quasi-religious tale designed to ensure both the upper class and working class parts of the partys base that the existing social arrangement is honorable and right. Now that we find ourselves in a crisis for which the obvious solution is unprecedented government support of the economy, the Republican party finds itself in a quandary. Doing what should be done would lead a lot of people to begin asking uncomfortable questions. If government aid can save us from another Great Depression, might it not be able to do something about inequality too? Republicans simply cant have that in their own party.

Your $0 stock portfolio can sustain you over the next year after the restaurant where you worked goes out of business

What we will get instead are paltry tax credits and work incentives and much rhetoric about Strong Americans Rallying Around the Flag, while the stock market is backstopped and everyone without six months of expenses saved up is told that risking their lives to return to work is the patriotic thing to do. In one sense, the Republican leadership was prepared for their role at this moment. Fomenting the possibility of mass death in order to avoid any softening of the publics attitude towards socialism is something that they have been adept at for many years.

People need healthcare. People need jobs that pay a living wage. People need food, and the forgiveness of rent payments, and a social safety net that is up to the challenge of being strained like it never has before. These are things the Republicans do not offer. They have an alternate plan: support for capital markets, a little bonus if you can find yourself a new job, and a vow to wait and see how things go, after state and local governments are forced to slash public services. Doesnt that sound nice? Your $0 stock portfolio can sustain you over the next year after the restaurant where you worked goes out of business. The closer you slide to homelessness, the greater your incentive to participate in the economy will become.

The governments response to this crisis does not work for the majority of humans. But it does work for the Republican idea of work itself. Work comes above all. The more of your fellow Americans that die, the greater your chance of finding a new job. When you look at it like that, its a win-win situation.
Teachers can stay away when primary schools reopen next week if they believe it is not safe to return, Downing Street has indicated.

The majority of schools are expected to open their doors to reception, year 1 and year 6 pupils  but Boris Johnsons spokesperson said it was up to individual head teachers to arrange staffing.

Asked if teachers are obliged to go back on Monday, and if they will be in breach of their contracts if they refuse, he indicated there would be no punishment.

It is going to be a cautious and phased return, the spokesperson said, adding: Attendance will grow over time.

He said: Im sure head teachers will be having conversations with individual staff, with some schools likely to need more time to prepare.

Schools, nurseries and colleges closed almost 10 weeks ago to help stop the rapid spread of coronavirus  remaining open only to vulnerable pupils and children of key workers.

The prime minister confirmed the reopening from Monday, pointing to a sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rate in recent days and weeks.

However, some schools and local authorities have said they will remain closed, at least for now, amid an increasingly bitter row with Gavin Williamson, the education secretary.

Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), has described the instruction to go back as frightening and difficult.

Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Show all 23 1 /23 Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy holds hands with Nichollette and Ryan as she experiences contractions in a birthing tub Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy Pedroza, 27, who is pregnant, sits next to Ryan Morgan, 30, her partner and father to their unborn child, as they relax at Pedrozas parents house in Forth Worth, Texas, where they currently live, during the coronavirus outbreak Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy Pedroza attends an appointment with her licensed midwives Susan Taylor, 40, who checks her stomach, and Amanda Prouty, 39, in Taylors home office at her house Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy takes a brisk walk to try and speed up her contractions with Ryan and her midwives near Taylors home where Pedroza plans to give birth Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy receives support from Nichollette Jones, her doula Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy experiences contractions Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is supported by Ryan and Nichollette as she experiences contractions while labouring at the home of Pedrozas licensed midwife, Susan Taylor Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy lies on a bed in front of Ryan as he helps to pump her breastmilk to try and speed up her contractions Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy experiences contractions as Susan lies on a bed Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy embraces Ryan Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is supported by Ryan as she experiences contractions in a birthing tub Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy experiences contractions Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy in a birthing tub Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is placed onto an ambulance stretcher to be taken to hospital by paramedics, after her unborn childs heartbeat dropped from 130 beats per minute to 30 Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is carried on an ambulance stretcher to be taken to hospital by paramedics Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is carried into an ambulance on a stretcher Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy holds her one-day old newborn son, Kai Rohan Morgan Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy breastfeeds her newborn son at the house of her parents, where they are currently living Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Susan Taylor positions Kai for a photograph at his newborn screening Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Amanda Prouty and Susan Taylor conduct a newborn screening for Kai at Kais maternal grandparents house Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Susan takes two-day old Kais temperature while checking if he has tongue tie, an oral condition that can potentially cause issues with feeding Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy and Ryan clip the fingernails of their two-day old son Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Kai, who is two days old and is experiencing jaundice, is positioned in the sunlight by his mother Nancy Reuters

Time and again we have had to ask for the scientific thinking behind wider school opening, she protested. Time and again we have not had the answers.

Asked about potential conflict, Mr Johnsons spokesperson said: The education secretary has been working very closely with schools and unions for the last 10 weeks. He met with the unions again yesterday.

Our approach throughout this has been to work closely with schools, heads, and teachers representatives to ensure that we deliver a cautious and phased return in a safe way.

But Im sure head teachers will have been having discussions with individual teachers.

Classes will be restricted to 15 pupils, to allow full social distancing, with some school spaces cordoned off and canteens closed.

Pupils are likely to be directed with tape and signs to where they can sit and are likely to either be in school during the morning or afternoon, instead of for a full day  halving the numbers at any given time.

However, most staff in special schools say they will be unable to maintain social distancing, with 49 per cent worried about their personal safety, according to a poll by the NEU.

No fewer than 96 per cent fear a high risk of airborne transmission as a result of pupils spitting, dribbling, biting, coughing and sneezing.
More than 400 Malawian migrant workers who returned from South Africa have escaped from a coronavirus screening camp in the economic capital, Blantyre. Test results released Wednesday night were positive for 46 of the escapees while nearly 300 had yet to be tested.

The situation raised fears that the virus could quickly spread in Malawi, which has so far confirmed 101 infections and four deaths.

Social media videos showed tens of Malawians jumping over fences at the screening camp at Blantyres Kamuzu Stadium on Wednesday morning while police watched. Malawian police said the returnees complained of a lack of toilets and bathrooms in the stadium, then began forcing their way out on Tuesday.

No 'social amenities'

Police Service spokesperson James Kadadzera said by messaging application from the capital, Lilongwe, "We were told that most of the returnees wanted to go home due to lack of necessary social amenities. Some were actually seen forcing their way out. And, as the police, we did our part to make sure that we contained the situation.

Another 300 escapees from the screening camp have yet to be tested, raising fears the virus could spread further in Malawi, a country with one of the weakest health care systems in Africa.

Health officials sought to downplay those concerns. Gift Kawalazira, head of preventive health services at Blantyre District Health Office, said at a news conference Wednesday that authorities would easily trace the escapees because they had have their contact details.

"We must admit it was a system failure," Kawalazira said. "But people can take solace in the fact that what was happening was in open air. Kamuzu Stadium is an open-air [facility]. so the chances of air circulation and what have you, the chances of you contracting the disease, are quite minimal as compared to if you are sitting in a bus or if you are in an enclosed space.

Tighter security

Kawalazira said authorities have since beefed up security at other screening camps to prevent further escapes of those being screened for the virus. But questions are being raised about how seriously authorities are taking the pandemic after reports that some of those being held bribed police into letting them leave.

Police spokesman Kadadzera said they were investigating.

We got wind of the same," Kadadzera said. "So our officers are on ground investigating. But let me assure you that we, as police service, its our duty to make sure that we are taking a role in protecting further spread of this deadly disease.

Meanwhile, authorities announced Thursday that nearly 600 more Malawians were expected to return home from South Africa over the weekend. Two hundred of them are expected to arrive by military helicopters in Lilongwe, while the others will arrive by bus.
Ryan Stokes, an African-American man, was gunned down by a Kansas City Police Department officer in the Power & Light District in 2013. Now one of the officers at the scene who refuted the department's version of events has been pushed out.
- The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has hinted of a programme dubbed The Ghana Cares Programme to be rolled out by the government

- The 3-year-programme is designed the save the economy from the effects of COVID-19

- Ofori-Atta expressed optimism that it would lead to the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

YEN.com.gh has learned that plans are in place to roll out the The Ghana Cares Programme to save the economy from COVID-19.

The three-year programme was drawn to tally with the projected duration of the coronavirus in Ghana.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is reported to have earlier projected that Ghanas economy may take three years to recover from COVID-19.

READ ALSO: Seth Terkper: Former minister slams gov't's plan to use BoG's GHC10 billion for COVID-19

Per a report by the Ghanaian Times, Ofori-Atta indicated that his ministry has been directed by President Akufo-Addo to draw up a stabilization and revitalization plan for Ghana.

He added that the government is optimistic the programme would lead to the achievement of the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported of Ofori-Atta has informed the House of Parliament that the government has received GHC5.5 billion from the Bank of Ghana (BoG).

The amount represents the first tranche of relief agreed with the Central Bank with regard to the fight against COVID-19.

Information available shows that it was released on Friday, May 15, 2020.

READ ALSO: Energy think tank warns of possible increase in fuel prices; gives reasons

Read the best news on Ghana #1 news app. Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana

Bawumia fires Mahama - Stop embarrassing yourself; always check the data before you talk | #Yencomgh

Use the comments section below to share your views on this story. Do you have a story to share or you have information for us? Get featured on YEN.com.gh. Message us on Facebook or Instagram

Source: YEN.com.gh
Four years ago, a minor player in the Venezuelan leadership was arrested in Colombia and extradited to the United States to face drug charges. He proved to be an important catch.

The man, Yazenky Lamas, worked as a bodyguard for the person widely considered the power behind President Nicolas Maduros throne: First Lady Cilia Flores.

Now, with help from Lamass testimony, the US is preparing to charge Flores in coming months with crimes that could include drug trafficking and corruption, four people familiar with the investigation of the first lady told the Reuters news agency. If Washington goes ahead with an indictment, these people said, the charges are likely to stem, at least in part, from a thwarted cocaine transaction that has already landed two of Floress nephews in a Florida jail.

Nicole Navas, a spokeswoman for the US Department of Justice, declined to comment on any possible charges against Flores. Flores and her office at the National Assembly did not respond to questions for this article. Jorge Rodriguez, Venezuelas information minister, told Reuters in a text message that its questions about the possible US indictment of Flores were nauseating, slanderous and offensive. He did not elaborate.

In a series of interviews with Reuters, the first Lamas has given since his arrest, the former bodyguard said Flores was aware of the cocaine-trafficking racket for which her two nephews were convicted by a US court. Flores also used her privileged position, he said, to reward family members with prominent and well-paid positions in government, a claim of nepotism backed by others interviewed for this article.

Speaking behind reinforced glass at the prison in Washington, DC, where he is detained, Lamas told Reuters he is speaking out against Flores because he feels abandoned by the Maduro administration, still ensconced in power even though many of its central figures, including the president, have also been accused of crimes. I feel betrayed by them, he told Reuters.

In his first interview, I spoke with Yazenky Lamas, who worked to protect Flores over a decade. In 2016 he was arrested in Colombia on a US warrant for drug charges. He says he is speaking out because Flores betrayed him: I was loyal to them. But they werent loyal to me. 2/6 pic.twitter.com/1Fz8gJtARG  Angus Berwick (@AABerwick) May 27, 2020

In late March, US prosecutors indicted Maduro and more than a dozen current and former Venezuelan officials on charges of narco-terrorism and drug smuggling. Maduro, now in his eighth year as Venezuelas president, for years sought to flood the US with cocaine, prosecutors alleged, seeking to weaken American society and bolster his position and wealth.

Maduros office did not respond to requests for comment. In a televised speech after the indictments, he dismissed the charges against him and his colleagues as a politically motivated fabrication by the administration of US President Donald Trump. You are a miserable person, Donald Trump, he said.

The March indictments and the possible charges against Flores come amid a fresh campaign by Washington to increase pressure on Maduro. His enduring grip on power, some US officials say, is a source of frustration for Trump.

Starting in 2017, the US Treasury Department sanctioned the socialist leader along with his wife and other members of the Maduro inner circle. The swipe at Flores enraged Maduro. If you want to attack me, attack me, he said in a televised speech at the time. But dont mess with Cilia, dont mess with the family.

Leveraging the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis in Venezuela, the White House now hopes it can topple a leader who has weathered years of tightening economic sanctions, civil unrest and international isolation.





Flores is a longtime strategist and kingmaker in the ruling Socialist party. She first gained prominence as a politician and confidante of the late Hugo Chavez, Maduros predecessor and mentor. She does not hold an official role in Maduros cabinet. Still, the probe against her underscores the vast influence she wields, particularly in helping Maduro outmanoeuvre rivals inside and outside of Venezuela.

Flores has sought personal concessions in recent years in negotiations with the United States. According to five people familiar with the discussions, Flores instructed intermediaries to ask US envoys for liberty for her jailed nephews. In exchange, these intermediaries said Venezuela would release six imprisoned executives of Citgo Petroleum Corp, the US refining unit of Venezuelas state-run oil company. The executives, arrested by Venezuela in 2017 and charged with embezzlement, are widely considered by human rights activists and many in the business community to be political prisoners.

That overture, reported here for the first time, failed.

But Washington knows Floress clout. She is probably the most influential figure other than Maduro, Fernando Cutz, a senior White House adviser on Latin America during Trumps first year in office, told Reuters.
RENSSELAER  Assigned seating could soon come to more Amtrak trains. The feature, long standard on airplanes and already offered in first class on Acela and business class on Northeast Regional trains, is seen as one way to implement social distancing in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It also might enable contact tracing of people who might have been exposed should a passenger later be diagnosed with Covid 19.

"We are working on options to expand assigned seating and reserved travel," Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams said in response to a question from the Times Union. "In addition, we are limiting bookings, allowing customers to spread out for physical distancing."

Amtrak, like the airlines, has seen a significant drop in bookings as travelers have heeded advice to stay home. Travel industry observers have said that a major hurdle to getting passengers back will be convincing them that they'll be safe from the coronavirus on trains and planes.

Amtrak first offered seat selection on Acela in February 2018, expanding it to business class seats on Northeast Regional trains this past January. Both services operate along the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C.

Amtrak described the seat assignment feature as popular with passengers. On the busy Empire Corridor between Albany and New York City, passengers boarding in Hudson and Rhinecliff often are forced to sit apart from their traveling companions. Seat assignments would alleviate that, as well as the rush at Albany-Rensselaer to grab the prime seats with views of the Hudson River.

It could also alleviate the lengthy lines at Penn Station and in Montreal as passengers queue up to get the best seats. It's a joke among regular travelers that all you have to do to find the train to Albany is look for the longest line in the station. At least that was the case in pre-pandemic days.

Currently, Amtrak is booking no more than 50 percent of available seats to give passengers room to socially distance from others. Amtrak and most major airlines also require passengers to wear face masks.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Seat assignments would assure families or people traveling together of seats near each other, and could offer additional revenue opportunities for Amtrak if some seats become more desirable than others. Airlines have created sections of seating with additional legroom, as well as charging an additional fee for the convenience of aisle seats and the extra space around exit-row seats.

Amtrak's reservations computer apparently can already handle the extra load of tracking specific seats and whether they've been booked. It offers the ability to change a seat assignment right up to boarding, using its website or app.

Southwest, which has never assigned seats, said it would keep middle seats open through July 31 so that customers could have more personal space although customers traveling together could still sit together.

How quickly Amtrak might move to assigned seating throughout its system wasn't clear. Abrams, the spokesman, said he had no additional information to share.
We are not unmindful of our promises to the good people of Gombe State. This administration is determined to confront head-on all the issues bedevilling our state. We shall take advantage of all available opportunities in order to achieve the goals as outlined in our manifesto.

These were the candid words of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State at inauguration, with avowed commitment to renewal and hope for a new era of possibilities. Thus as he marks his first year in office, it is fit and proper to take a stock of some of the giant strides of the administration. Without question, it is gratifying that Governor Inuwa Yahaya has walked his talk as evident in his record of achievements. To discerning observers, his leadership is looking consequential because government is truly addressing key issues of development in all sectors and the people are better for it.

Leading the pack of achievements is education. It is recognized that for any society to be developed, it must accord education a priority, moreso, considering the parlous state of the critical sector inherited by the administration. This is why Governor Yahaya upon assuming office immediately declared a state of emergency in the sector and the outcome has been revealing.

Key achievements so far include the construction of 234 new classrooms across 80 schools in the state to enhance enrolment, renovated 190 classrooms across 47 schools to have good learning environment, complete renovation of various infrastructure across 15 schools  hostels, dining halls, staff quarters, laboratories, examination halls and provided classroom furniture to over 120 schools across the state. Others are the establishment of a Teacher Resource Centre in Kwami for continuous capacity of teachers, mopping up of about 350,000 out-of-school children and enrolling them into various learning centres established by the highly successful BESDA programme, procured and distributed various instructional materials to about 119 schools across the state and attracted the donation of N150m worth of books and a Science Laboratory complex for GSSS Kaltungo.

Infrastructure, with an impressive focus on road construction, has helped to open up the state, thereby adding value to economic development. The starting point was the launch of the Network 11-100 project, which targets construction of 100 kilomtres of roads in each of the 11 LGAs of the state. And then followed the widespread construction, signifying that Governor Inuwa Yahaya is in a hurry to develop the state.

Road projects executed/ being executed by the administration include the construction of 16km Malala  Zaune  Dukkuyel road in Dukku LGA, 15km Mararraba  Jabba  Sambo Daji  Pandi Kola  Gwarar  Garin Wada road in Akko LGA, 21km Degri  Bembelem  Reme  Dong  Talasse road in Balanga LGA, upgrading of 19km Gona  Garko  Gujuba  Kalshingi road with spur to Maidugu in Akko LGA and upgrading of 26km Billiri  Gujuba  Kamu  Awak road in Billiri LGA.

It is indeed forward looking that road projects inherited from the immediate past administration have also been continued and financed. Such road projects are those of the 11.25KM network in Jekadafari North in Gombe LGA, construction of 11.50km Malam Inna  Kurba  Titi road with spur to Kundulum in Gombe, Y/Deba, Akko and Kwami LGA, 23.53km Gombe Township roads phase VI in Gombe LGA including Dawaki, Madaki, Bolari-East etc,30km Ladongor  Kwiba  Amtawalam  Pobawure  Sabon Layi  Ayaba road in Billiri LGA,15km Bambam  Tula  Yiri in Kaltungo LGA and the 9.50km Boltongo  Nono road with spur to Garin Malami in Y/Deba.

Others are 11.50km road taking off from Gombe/Potiskum Federal Highway  Gerkwami  Daniya road in Kwami LGA, 27km Dukku  Kalam  Dokoro  road in Dukku LGA, 36km Dukku  Dokoro  Jamari road in Dukku, 9km Bajoga Township road in Funakaye LGA, 9.10km Bambam  Nwona  Kutare  Yola road in Balanga LGA, 1.59km road network in Rice/Vegetable oil Industrial Cluster at Nasarawo in Gombe LGA, 13km Kumo  Kalshingi road in Akko LGA, rehabilitation of 42km Ngaji Buahci  Baure  Zambuk  Lubo  Daban Fulnai road in Kwami and Y/Deba, 9.9km dualization of the section of Bauchi Gombe Federal Highway Phase II (Tumfure International Conference Centre  New City Gate in Gombe and Akko to ease means of transportation and economic activities. To complement the essence of the huge investment on roads, the government also procured 50 brand new 18-seater buses for the Gombe State Transport Service ( Gombe Line).

Yet, a major development issue which had subsisted till Governor Inuwa Yahaya came on board is water scarcity. Water was hardly available but which the governor promised the people during his campaign and has now delivered. I think we need to qualify this achievement because water is critical for socioeconomic development, healthy ecosystems and for human survival itself. Indeed, water sustains life. Governor Inuwa Yahaya was pragmatic upon assuming office by setting up a Task Force to immediately restore regular and constant water supply from the Dadin Kowa water treatment plant to the metropolis and the communities.

Notable achievements in the provision of water are the extension of water reticulation to Wuro Juli, Tabra, Nayinawa, GGS Doma, Bogo, Kanoyel, bye-pass and some parts of Federal Low Cost communities around Gombe metropolis,

rehabilitation of 120 handpump boreholes and 30 solar powered boreholes in rural communities in Akko, Balanga and Dukku LGAs, strengthened the activities of RUWASA and the Ministry for Rural Development to undertake aggressive rural water provision and rehabilitation of handpumps and boreholes.

Payment of outstanding liabilities and remobilization of Pindiga water augmentation project was important just as the collaboration with Discos to improve electricity supply in the state. The state government, leveraging on the 40MW hydro power plant at Dadin Kowa, has also concluded arrangements to set up a 1,000-hectare Industrial Park. The industrial park will utilize the available power supply by the Hydropower plant in order to attract a cluster of multiple industries that are agriculturally tied to propagate production, processing and marketing.

Now, health is wealth. Health is a crucial indicator of development. Since assumption of office, Governor Yahaya has invested hugely in the health sector which suffered years of neglect from the previous administration Key achievements: Upgrading of the Specialist Hospital Gombe to a modern tertiary health facility with state-of-the-art equipment, built and equipped a 12-bed capacity Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the State Specialist Hospital, revitalized one (1) PHC facility in all the 114 wards to provide 24-hour service to the people, completion of internship quarters at the specialist hospital which was abandoned for over 20 years and completed, renovation of Cottage hospitals at Mallam Sidi and Bojude and General Hospital, Nafada. The administration, partnering with a US based organization, Project Cure, is supplying several containers full of medical equipment and supplies, established the Hospitals Management Board for a more effective and efficient management of hospitals around the state.

The governor also established the State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency in a bid to improve access to health care for the people. He facilitated the states readiness for participation in the Basic Health Care Provision Fund programme, strengthened the activities of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency through the full implementation of the PHCUOR policy and mounted one of the best state response strategies in the country against the covid-19 pandemic.

Likewise, agriculture as the mainstay of the state economy enjoyed generous attention and funding by the Yahaya administration in the last one year. To watchers of the state, this is understandable because of the revelation about how the sector was treated by the previous administration to the effect that not a single bag of fertilizer was available in the state for the 2019 farming season. This was how fertilizer was immediately procured and distributed to all the 114 wards across the state for sale to farmers at a record subsidized rate of N5,000 per bag. 19,500 bags of improved seedlings were also distributed for the 2019 dry farming season,

Built 2 agricultural research centers in 2 LGAs with support from Global Environmental Facility, UNDP and FGN, established Farm Demonstration and Technology Adoption Plots to train farmers on modern farming techniques and allocated about 3,000 hectares of land for Irrigation farming near Dadin Kowa.

Closely related to the above is that for the first time in over 10 years, a state wide livestock vaccination campaign was conducted to improve the health of livestock and increase the yield of its products.

Among other achievements, government allocated the Wawa-Zange grazing reserve for the piloting of the National Livestock Transformation Programme (NLTP), increased budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector in the 2020 budget to allow for the introduction of an all-encompassing agricultural revolution programme in the state. Similarly, the irrigation component of the project would now be awarded by the end of December 2020. The pilot scheme of the irrigation project covers three thousand hectares which will be used for animal production and fisheries. The establishment of fisheries will also provide ample employment opportunities for the youth. Really, it is instructive that government is set to launch a comprehensive Agricultural Transformation Programme aimed at harnessing the agricultural and manufacturing potentials of the state across all segments of the agricultural value chain through the adoption of innovative and modern solutions and practices.

Rural Development and the environment have also had a fair share in the state governments revolution in good governance. On rural development, there have been a lot of activities including the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) which will construct 700km of rural roads that will open up rural agricultural communities and provide easy access to market for people and their products, drilling of 89 Hand pump boreholes in various rural communities, construction of 27 2-3 classroom blocks in various communities, 44 VIP toilets in various communities, 6 solar powered boreholes and 6 motorized boreholes as well as construction and equipping of 23 health centers.

The environment which is a challenging issue in Gombe is getting the right attention from Governor Inuwa Yahaya. This is critical because in the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself, forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to people. This pivotal quotation stresses the importance of protecting our environment.

It is for this reason that Governor Inuwa Yahaya initiated the Gombe Goes Green (3G) project that targets the planting of four million trees within his four-year tenure to protect the environment and to foster the socio-economic development of Gombe State.

Government also engaged and deployed 27,000 youths under the YESSO programme to nurture the trees being planted under the 3G programme and established nurseries in 5 LGAs and raised about 1.2m assorted seedlings ready for planting in the 2020 raining season. Government further established 100 hectares of woodlot plantations across 5 desert-prone LGAs to combat desertification and land degradation, paid counterpart fund of N500million to a World Bank assisted project, the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) for the control of 3 major gully erosions in the state.

With such remarkable achievements in just one year, expectations are high that the future of Gombe is quite bright and in safe hands as Governor Inuwa Yahaya continues to lead the way and inspire.

Ismaila Uba Misilli

Is the Senior Special Assistant ( Media and Publicity) to Gombe state Governor
A Conservative MP has confessed to travelling 225 miles home while showing symptoms of coronavirus infection.

Peter Gibson, the MP for Darlington, County Durham revealed on social media over the weekend that he travelled from London to self-isolate in the North East in March.

Mr Gibson said he first came down with a cough on 18 March, before lockdown had started, while working in parliament.

He told the Northern Echo: 'I was coughing for a period of about an hour.

Peter Gibson, Conservative MP for Darlington, who has admitted to travelling 225 miles from London to the North-East by train in March while displaying coronavirus symptoms

'I became concerned that I might have the virus so I contacted the MPs coronavirus helpline.

'I explained my symptoms and the advice given was I should isolate for a period of seven days.'

He said he told the helpline he had nowhere to stay in the capital. He said that he was advised to take the train somewhere he could self-isolate.

'I was advised if my normal mode of transport was the train I should use that but should isolate and keep myself to myself, which is what I did,' he said.

'I came home and self-isolated in my house, away from other members of the household, eating alone, using a separate bathroom. I did that for seven days.

'After that I re-integrated myself into the household. I didn't go anywhere other than walking the dog, alone, while isolating.'

The MP, who is currently staying in Thirsk, North Yorkshire while his home in Darlington is renovated, said that he only had a 'couple of changes of clothes' and questioned whether it was right to potentially infect the friend he was staying with in London.

Number 10 special advisor Dominic Cummings leaves his residence in north London today

'Some people will say I should have stayed in London but where was I supposed to stay?

'Was I meant to move into a hotel? Was I supposed to go back to the flat of another MP when I had nothing apart from a couple of changes of clothes?

'Did I run the risk of potentially infecting the friend whose flat it was?'

Mr Gibson initially called for an inquiry into Dominic Cummings' 260-mile trip to find childcare for his son in Durham, but said he believed the chief advisor had explained himself adequately in his statement on Monday.

Mr Gibson beat shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman in last year's general election and won the Darlington seat for the Tories for the first time in 27 years.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 11:48:33|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

SUVA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Fijian police are seeking further legal advice to charge the island nation's ninth COVID-19 patient who returned from India and infected several other persons.

Fijian police commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho confirmed on Friday that their investigators will be seeking further legal advice before the 54-year-old man from the village of Soasoa in Labasa, capital of Fiji's second largest island of Vanua Levu gets produced in the Labasa Magistrates Court.

The man was taken in by police for questioning on Thursday for allegedly not following quarantine restrictions when he came back from India late March this year.

The Fijian Ministry of Health had earlier confirmed that they were able to trace a total of 834 people who had come into contact with the man who remains in custody.

The Fijian police also said earlier that they have questioned the country's first COVID-19 patient over details he gave health officials.

Fiji has recorded a total of 18 COVID-19 cases since March 19, of which, 15 have recovered.

To further curb the spread of the deadly virus, Fiji still maintains the nationwide curfew from March 30 this year. Enditem
SAN ANTONIO -- May 28, 2020 -- Using Department of Defense supercomputers, Southwest Research Institute is virtually screening millions of drug compounds to search for and test possible treatment options for the novel coronavirus 2019. The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc. (HJF) has awarded SwRI a $1.9 million, one-year contract to support these efforts to identify potential COVID-19 treatments. HJF supports COVID-19 countermeasure development at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

SwRI is working with the DOD High Performance Computing Modernization Program to rapidly screen potential drug compounds using SwRI's 3D drug screening software tool, Rhodium. Using supercomputers speeds up the screening process allowing evaluation of possible therapeutic compounds to increase from 250,000 compounds a day to more than 40 million compounds in just one week.

"This grant will enable SwRI to collaborate to develop safe antiviral drug therapy treatment options for COVID in record time," said Dr. Joe McDonough, director of SwRI's Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering Department. "SwRI is using its Rhodium modeling technology to continue the search for an effective drug and has already screened more than 40 million compounds."

As a drug development tool, Rhodium helps scientists rapidly predict how protein structures in infectious diseases will bind with drug compounds to find viable candidates for development into therapies.

"Rhodium is helping us quickly identify highly probable compounds from databases with existing drug candidates to narrow down our focus," said Dr. Jonathan Bohmann, an SwRI principal scientist leading COVID-19 drug screening work. "As we identify potential candidates, we have moved them on to testing."

SwRI is also conducting laboratory screening of compounds, assessing toxicity to help filter potential treatment options. Once compounds are tested and meet the criteria set for safety and efficacy, SwRI will be involved in formulation development and production scale-up for the compounds. The Institute has previously used this process to develop drug treatment therapies for Ebola virus, malaria and other infectious diseases.

"This is definitely a priority project, and we understand the urgency," said Nadean Gutierrez, project manager and SwRI research scientist. "We are utilizing Rhodium and other screening tools to expeditiously screen existing compounds as well as identify novel drug candidates against COVID-19. Right now, we are working toward testing up to 500 compounds in laboratory toxicity testing. Once these compounds have been identified by Rhodium and then passed toxicity testing, they move to the Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) for the next steps in testing."

When news began to emerge about COVID-19, SwRI immediately began the search for a treatment, teaming with other scientists and tapping into SwRI internal research funding.

"SwRI began looking for a treatment to stop COVID-19 as soon as the virus' protein was published in February," McDonough said. "Working with existing collaborators at Texas Biomed, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), SwRI scientists identified 60 compounds from a library of more than 6 million compounds. These are already being tested at USAMRIID and Texas Biomed. SwRI continues to fund the development of a treatment internally along with collaborators."

This work may also help find future treatment options for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which show similar binding domains as the COVID-19 protein.

"Under this program, SwRI will identify drug candidates that will be tested at USAMRIID, WRAIR and TBRI with the goal of demonstrating efficacy as early as next year," McDonough said.

###

The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 820 Chandler Street, Fort Detrick, Maryland 21702-5014 is the awarding and administering acquisition office.

This work was supported by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, under Award No. W81XWH1820040. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity.

For more information, visit https://www.swri.org/industry/drug-discovery/structure-based-virtual-screening.

Release url: https://www.swri.org/press-release/dod-contract-covid-19-treatment-rhodium-virtually-screen-drug-compounds?utm_source=EurekAlert!&utm_medium=Distribution&utm_campaign=Covid-TX-PR

Client service link: https://www.swri.org/industry/drug-discovery/structure-based-virtual-screening?utm_source=EurekAlert!&utm_medium=SwRI&utm_campaign=Covid-TX-PR
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Silvia Aloisi (Reuters) Milan, Italy  Fri, May 29, 2020 09:07 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdad748e 2 Lifestyle Europe,luxury,luxury-brand,lifestyle,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,tourists Free

As European luxury shopping capitals from Paris to Milan slowly emerge from coronavirus lockdowns, stores are reopening to a trickle of customers, and virtually no tourists.

The absence of big-spending travelers, particularly from China, the Middle East and the United States, is a major drag on sales as, depending on the brand, they provide between 35 percent and 55 percent of revenues in Europe.

With a global recession looming, and fears of a second wave of infections, there seems little prospect of a big influx of tourists soon - or of local buyers making up the shortfall.

In Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the city's famed shopping arcade, masked sales clerks stood idly in empty Prada, Chanel and Louis Vuitton stores on Monday, a week after non-essential stores were allowed to reopen. Six of the eight restaurants lining the 19th century mall had opted to stay shut.

"It's quiet. I think it will be like this for weeks to come - hopefully not months," said a shop assistant at the Gucci stand in the upscale Rinascente department store.

Renato Borghi, head of fashion trade at Italian business lobby Confcommercio, said a straw poll of around 100 retailers in Milan showed an average 30 percent year-on-year drop in sales in the first week since shops there reopened on May 18.

But he added that for luxury stores in the city center things were likely to have been worse since they rely so much on tourists and also because many locals are still working from home.

A shop assistant at a high-end shoe store, which he asked not to identify because he is not allowed to disclose sales data, said that on Saturday he sold four pair of shoes compared to 10 in normal times. A store manager at a jeweller in Rome said first-week sales were down almost 70 percent on the year before.

Business appeared brisker in Paris, where stores have been open for just over two weeks. On Monday afternoon, 17 people queued outside the flagship Louis Vuitton store on the Champs Elysees, with white floor markings to keep them spaced out.

Louis Vuitton's owner LVMH did not reply to a request for comment on how sales had gone since the reopening.

Rival Kering, which owns Gucci, said initial signs in France were encouraging. "Traffic in stores has been higher than we expected and more customers are buying," it said.

Read also: Luxury stores test the water in a Paris devoid of tourists

Q2 carnage

The generally cautious mood in Europe is in contrast with the pent-up demand for luxury goods in China and South Korea, where stores began reopening in March. There, labels including Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Dior have reported double-digit sales growth, even amid price hikes by some brands.

Despite that, consultancy Bain expects global sales of high-end clothing, handbags, jewelry and cosmetics to fall between 50 percent and 60 percent in the second quarter.

Brands are adopting different strategies. Some, like Chanel and Louis Vuitton, have raised prices to protect margins.

Others, like Ferragamo and Burberry, have written down the value of stock they will no longer sell at full price.

Gucci's star designer Alessandro Michele, announcing this week he will move to just two, seasonless, fashion shows a year from five, said he wanted garments to stay in shops for longer.

Luca Solca, a luxury goods analyst at Bernstein, expects the "mother of all end-of-season's sales" to offload excess stock.

In a sign shoppers are becoming more cautious as economies falter, the European Commission forecasts savings will reach 19 percent of households' income in the euro area this year - the highest since the start of the monetary union - from 13 percent in 2019.

With stores in London, another major European shopping hub, not due to reopen until June 15, "40-50 percent of (luxury) sales have vanished in Europe and they won't come back for a while," said Jefferies analyst Flavio Cereda.

"Young people and the middle class - the engines of growth for the sector - have less money to spend. The core wealthy customers are coming back, but that's not enough."
Representational image

Over 45,000 stranded Indians were brought back home from abroad under the Vande Bharat mission and another 1,00,000 will be evacuated till June 13, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. The mega evacuation mission was launched on May 7.

MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the government is also assisting return of stranded Indians from remote locations in Latin America and Caribbean, Africa, and parts of Europe.

"This is being done by taking advantage of foreign carriers flying to India primarily for evacuation of their nationals," he said during an online media briefing.

He said a total of 45,216 Indians were brought back till Thursday afternoon and they include 8,069 migrant workers, 7,656 students and 5,107 professionals.

About 5,000 Indians have returned through land border from Nepal and Bangladesh.

In the first phase of the mission from May 7 to 15, the government evacuated around 15,000 people from 12 countries. The second phase of the evacuation mission was scheduled from May 17 to 22. However, the government has extended it till June 13.

Srivastava said a total of 3,08,200 people have registered their request with Indian missions abroad for repatriation to India on compelling grounds.

"During the phase two, a total of 429 Air India flights (311 international flights + 118 feeder flights) from 60 countries are scheduled to land in India. The Indian Navy will be making four more sorties to bring back returnees from Iran, Sri Lanka and the Maldives," Srivastava said.

The MEA spokesperson said the government is targeting to bring back 1,00,000 people from 60 countries by the end of phase two of the Vande Bharat mission.

"Preparations for third phase of Vande Bharat Mission are well underway," he said.

As per the government's policy for evacuation, Indians having "compelling reasons" to return like pregnant women, elderly people, students and those facing the prospect of deportation are being brought back home.
Kuwait - Patriot Program Sustainment and Technical Assistance Support

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 20-21

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2020 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Kuwait of Patriot program sustainment and technical assistance as follow-on support for an estimated cost of $425 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Kuwait has requested to buy Patriot program sustainment and technical assistance as follow-on support. Included are PAC-3 Field Surveillance Program (FSP) services, storage and aging, surveillance firing, stockpile reliability, shared and country unique Patriot PAC-3 Missile Support Center (P3MSC) support, parts library, technical support for the Kuwait Missile Assembly/Disassembly Facility (MADF), transportation, organizational equipment, spare and repair parts, support equipment, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, maintenance services, U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support. The total estimated program cost is $425 million.

The proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.

The proposed sale of these articles and services will improve Kuwait's capability to meet current and future threats and provide greater security for its critical oil and natural gas infrastructure. Kuwait will use the enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defense. Kuwait will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and support into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractors involved with this potential sale are Raytheon Company, Huntsville, AL; Lockheed Martin, Huntsville, AL; LEIDOS, Inc., Huntsville, AL; and KBR, Huntsville, AL. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the temporary assignment of five (5) U.S. Government and twenty seven (27) contractors to provide support for one (1) to two (2) years.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.

-30-

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






29 May 2020

EARLY EQUITY PLC

("Early Equity" or the "Company")

Interim Results

Executive Director's Statement

I am pleased to present the unaudited interim results for the Company for the six month period ended 29th February 2020.

Results and Review of Business

The loss for the period was GBP344,474 (2019: GBP68,045) representing a loss per share of 0.038p (2019: 0.01p). The losses are significantly higher than the previous year as they reflect the costs associated with the subsidiary business (Meihome (M) Sdn Bhd ('Meihome') and the general running costs of maintaining a public limited company. It is also reflective of our transition from an investment company to an operating company.

Although the Group generated a loss in the year it has a net asset position of 1,437,516 (2019 - 1,624,475)

During the period, the Company raised a total of 510,074 by way of subscription.

Post Balance Sheet Events

There have been no material events, transactions or developments within the post balance sheet period.

Outlook

Further to our audited figures up to 31stAugust 2019 which reported a downturn in sales by Yicom Global Sdn Bhd ('Yicom') which had a detrimental effect on the balance sheet of Yicom, coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic, sales have continued to decline.

On 1 September 2019, the Company entered into a relationship agreement with Yicom and the board are working actively with them to integrate new product lines and routes to market which we anticipate will re-energise sales.

On the 22ndFebruary 2019 the Company acquired a controlling interest in Meihome, an e-commerce platform. Early Equity has acquired 60% stake thus resulting in Meihome becoming a subsidiary of the Company. Meihome is an e-commerce marketplace that carries products and/or services of third-party merchants.

On 1 September 2019, the Company entered into a relationship agreement with Meihome and have been working with them to develop the e-commerce platform to support merchant upload of their own products (versus Meihome staff administering changes under its original format). For the purposes of valuing this subsidiary, the figure stated in our audited figures up to 31stAugust 2019 has been used. The launch of the new platform coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic spread across Asia (the region was affected as early as January 2020) and consequently the number of forecast merchants and sales have not materialised. The Company are working to implement a new range of products that will reinvigorate the business.

As detailed above, the current world-wide economic effect of Covid-19 has led to a downturn in the revenues and activities of the Group. Furthermore, the Company has experienced delays in gathering the required information for the application to the London Stock Exchange for a Standard Listing. This has created some uncertainty in the business, and the short to medium term outlook is difficult to assess. Consequently, the Company has decided to suspend the application to the London Stock Exchange Standard Listing until the financial outlook is clearer, and working conditions have returned to some normality. The Board will review this position when the economic conditions and visibility improve, and update the market accordingly.

On behalf of the Board, I would like to take this opportunity to thank shareholders and professional advisers for their continued support of the Company.

Chua Siew Lian

Executive Director

CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

FOR SIX MONTHS TO 29 FEBRUARY 2020

6 months to

29 February 2020 6 months to

28 February 2019 CONTINUING OPERATIONS GBP GBP TURNOVER/DIVIDEND INCOME 33,805 38,561 Less Cost of Sales: Opening Inventory 25,665 Purchases 22,144 Closing Inventory (26,634) Gross Profit 10,631 OTHER INCOME ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES (277,445) (110,836) OTHER OPERATING (EXPENSES) GAIN (88,534) (5,639) FINANCE COSTS (775) (1,409) (LOSS) BEFORE TAX (344,274) (68,045) INCOME TAX 200 - (LOSS) FOR THE YEAR / PERIOD (344,474) (68,045) LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO: Owners of the parent 324,604 - Non-controlling interest 19,870 TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE LOSS FOR THE YEAR / PERIOD (344,474) (68,045) BASIC AND DILUTED LOSS PER SHARE (0.038p) (0.01p)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 28 FEBRUARY 2019 6 months to

29 February 2020 6 months to

28 February 2019 GBP GBP NON-CURRENT ASSETS Goodwill 191,818 Fixed Assets 40,873 INVESTMENTS Available-for-sale financial assets 260,794 1,257,406 Investment in Yicom Global Sdn Bhd 416,237 909,722 CURRENT ASSETS Inventory 24,634 Deposit and prepayment 5,217 Trade and other receivables 600,134 47,460 Cash and cash equivalents 69,529 276,970 Other Receivables - 42,796 699,514 367,226 CURRENT LIABILITIES Trade and other payables 99,857 (24,717) Accrued Expenses 59,056 21,678 Deferred Tax Liabilities 3,175 3,756 Provision for Taxation 9,632 (560) 171,720 (157) NET CURRENT ASSETS / (LIABILITIES) 527,794 367,069 NET ASSETS 1,437,516 1,624,475 REPRESENTING:- Share capital 897,959 1,159,623 Share premium 2,090,191 1,496,090 2,988,150 2,655,713 Non-controlling interest 26,965 59,284 Loss for the year (344,474) Fair value reserve 334,790 142,983 Exchange reserve (95) Accumulated losses (1,567,820) (1,233,505) SHAREHOLDERS FUNDS 1,437,516 1,624,475

The interim financial information for the six months ended 29 February 2020 is neither audited nor reviewed, but has been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in the Company's annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2019.

The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the announcement.

--ENDS-

Enquiries:

Early Equity Plc

Tel: +44 (0)7830 182501

Greg Collier

AQSE GROWTH MARKET CORPORATE ADVISER:

Alexander David Securities Limited

David Scott - Corporate Finance

James Dewhurst - Corporate Broking

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7448 9820

http://www.ad-securities.com
As the Minneapolis Police Departments 3rd precinct building burned early Friday, President Donald Trump lashed out on Twitter, calling the citys mayor very weak and saying that thugs are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd.

In a tweet just before 1 a.m., Trump said he couldn't "stand back & watch this happen to a great American City."

A total lack of leadership, Trump tweeted. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.

Trump also singled out looters, who have damaged multiple businesses over the past few days. An AutoZone store was set on fire Wednesday night and Target announced it was closing more than 20 locations in the area "until further notice" after one store was ransacked.

"These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen, Trump tweeted, adding that he had spoken to Gov. Tim Walz and told him that "the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

Twitter later put a public interest notice on that tweet.

"This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible," the social media company posted.

A screen grab of a Twitter notice on a tweet by President Trump on Friday, May 29, 2020.

'No justice, no peace': Protesters breach Minneapolis police precinct in the wake of George Floyd's death

Story continues

At a news conference early Friday, Frey said he was unaware of Trump's tweets and asked a reporter to read them to him.

His response: "Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your actions. Weakness is pointing your finger at somebody else during a time of crisis," the mayor said, striking the lectern at one point. "Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis. We are strong as hell. Is this a difficult time period? Yes. But you better be damn sure that were gonna get through this."

Trump Friday afternoon appeared to walk back his tweets from overnight, in which he said "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." The phrase was first used by Miami Police Chief Walter Hedley in 1967, who threatened a crackdown on "hoodlums" he said were taking advantage of the civil rights movement.

"Looting leads to shooting, and that's why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night - or look what just happened in Louisville with 7 people show. I don't want this to happen, and that's what the expression put out last night means," he tweeted.

Looting leads to shooting, and thats why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night - or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot. I dont want this to happen, and thats what the expression put out last night means....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

"It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement. It's very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media. Honor the memory of George Floyd!"

Vice President Mike Pence took a different tone in his Friday afternoon tweets.

Our prayers are with the family of George Floyd and our prayers are also with the family of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, he wrote in a tweet, referencing the Minnesota case and the February shooting death of a black jogger in Georgia. We have no tolerance for racism in America. We have no tolerance for violence inspired by racism. And, as President Trump said, justice will be served.

Pence also said Americans have the right to peacefully protest and condemned violence against property or persons.

Protests against police brutality and racial discrimination have been ongoing in the wake of the death of Floyd, a black man who died in police custody after a white officer pinned him to the ground under his knee on Memorial Day.

Tensions escalated Thursday night into Friday morning, reaching a boiling point when protesters gained access to the precinct, forcing officers to evacuate and setting several fires, according to the MPD.

Protests and violence weren't just a problem in Minneapolis. Violence broke out in cities including New York, Denver and Louisville, Kentucky.

On Wednesday, Trump addressed the death of Floyd for the first time, telling reporters he planned to receive a "full report" on the incident that he described as a "very sad event."

On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order designed  in theory  to make it easier to sue social media companies such as Twitter, days after the site placed a fact check label on two of his tweets.

The order calls for changes in regulations that shield social media companies from legal liability, the Trump administration cannot do that on its own. Those changes can only be made by independent agencies and, ultimately, the courts.

Trump has threatened to somehow punish social media companies for years, claiming they are seeking to suppress conservative views and even trying to influence the 2020 elections.

Trump again slammed Twitter Friday after the website attached another label to one of his tweets.

"Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party. They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States. Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated!"

Rashad Robinson, the president of racial justice group Color Of Change, criticized the president in a statement to USA TODAY.

The presidents tweets convey the same ugliness and deep-seated racial hatred that lie at the underpinning of his entire administration," Robinson said. "From policing to the pandemic, President Trump has always treated black lives as disposable and as political props. What he fails to understand is that protesters in Minneapolis, Louisville, New York City, Atlanta and other cities across the U.S. are responding to this repeated message that our lives dont matter to those in power."

Make your voice heard.: Join our Facebook group: Across the Aisle, Across the Nation.

Contributing: Steve Kiggins, Courtney Subramanian, John Fritze, David Jackson and Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd: Donald Trump lashes out at Minneapolis mayor, 'thugs'
A small private plane made an emergency landing on U.S. 59, east of Laredo near Las Lomas area, due to a mechanical failure, state police said.

READ MORE: Laredo zip codes with the most, least coronavirus cases thus far

At about 11 a.m. Thursday, the Texas Department of Public Safety said they received a call from Laredo police about a small private plane doing an emergency landing on mile marker 812 of U.S. 59. Houston Air had reported it to LPD.

DPS, U.S. Border Patrol, Laredo Airport Police and the Webb County Sheriffs Office responded to the scene.

The pilot mentioned a mechanical failure but didnt specify what exactly, according to DPS. The small aircraft was coming from Conroe to Laredo. But due to mechanical failure, it made an emergency landing.

After the engine failed, they had more trouble controlling the plane and had to plan and conduct an emergency landing on Highway 59. We immediately secured the area, said Sheriff Martin Cuellar, who also responded to the scene.

DPS said the plane landed safely partially on the westbound traffic lane. The pilot and two other passengers were unharmed.

READ MORE: Webb County receives only $37K in coronavirus relief funds from state government

The plane was taken a mile east from the landing location and will be held until the National Transportation Safety Board arrives. The airplane will eventually be taken back to Laredo International Airport. The NTSB will investigate the incident.
Within weeks, the U.S. has seen two distinct mass protests break out. The first was organized in opposition to state government shutdown orders to limit the spread of COVID-19. The more recent protests are in opposition to police killings of black people, set off by images of George Floyd begging for his life as a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck until his body went limp.

These protests couldnt look more different. Many who attended the anti-lockdown protests across the country were armed with guns. In North Carolina, at least one protester was armed with a bazooka. They were all met by a line of disciplined police officers who were reserved and measured with the amount of force they used. In Michigan, for example, protesters were allowed to flood the Capitol where a session was underway. Police stood quietly as the anti-lockdown activists came within inches of their faces. At no point did any of the officers use force to push back or clear the space, even as armed men loomed above the legislators. Eventually, concerned about the death threats against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the lawmakers decided to close down the Capitol and end the legislative session rather than risk violence.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

A much different sort of protest policing happened this week in Minneapolis. Things began peacefully there on Tuesday night, with organizers handing out face masks and encouraging social distancing among those gathered to protest the police killing of Floyd. From the images Ive seen, those protesters did not appear to be armed, but eventually the night turned violent. Eyewitness accounts arent clear on exactly how things started to escalate, but protesters threw rocks and water bottles at police cars. Officers responded by spraying tear gas into the crowd and shooting rubber bullets at people, including one journalist. The protest devolved into a series of violent skirmishes as police used batons and stun grenades to try and disperse the crowds. Police climbed to high vantage points and fired projectiles. On Wednesday, as protests spread to other cities, the violence got worse: People started setting fires and breaking into big-box stores in Minneapolis. Five people were shot, and one was killed by a pawnshop owner. Police in full riot gear attempted to bring order with even more force.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Wednesday night looked more like a war zone than a protest. It also looked just like the aftermath of the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; Freddie Gray in Baltimore; and Eric Garner in New York City. I covered all of those protests as a journalist and recognize the atmosphere in the images this week. I remember the police wearing gas masks while throwing stun grenades, and I remember people running for cover from the rising plumes of tear gas, just like they did on Wednesday night.

This is the scene in Minneapolis; cops are in riot gear and using chemical agents against demonstrators, some becoming violent



pic.twitter.com/scDLvdRNLw  Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 27, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I have so many questions, and they are not new: Why do police react with restraint in one situation and extreme force in another? Why do they perceive some gatherings to be more dangerous than others? Why are groups armed with the same weapons used in countless mass shootings less threatening than protesters with bottles and camera phones? Why is stealing from a Target deserving of a more violent police response than a mock lynching of an elected official? Why is the defense of a shopping center more imperative than the defense of the Michigan State Capitol? Why are police launching tear gas into one crowd and not the other?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Taken on its own, the police response to the anti-lockdown protests is not disturbing. Those officers were doing the right thing by avoiding unnecessary escalation and respecting peoples right to express themselves. Thats a delicate and difficult balance to strike, especially when the protesters have guns. But the contrast is maddening. When faced with angry, predominantly white crowds, police agencies have proven that they are capable of discipline and a reasonable reaction to a perceived threat. Its not crazy to wonder, had the police shown up to the antipolice brutality protests with the same level of restraint, might the escalation have been avoided? Riots are an inevitable consequence of systematic instability, or, as Martin Luther King Jr. called them, the language of the unheard. Its not hard to see how meeting protesters who have come to stand against excessive use of force with an excessive use of force would lead to nowhere good.

Advertisement

Advertisement

In 2016, after Keith Lamont Scott was killed in a police shooting in Charlotte, a North Carolina cop acknowledged a general fear of black men among his ranks, and penned a call for his colleagues to meet and mingle with the communities they police. I think that African-American males are treated differently by law enforcement, and thats my honest opinion, he wrote. I think this fear of black men is real. Whether or not more police officers are willing to see it, the evidence is everywhere. That fear, which my former colleague Jamelle Bouie dissected and dismantled so well in the wake of the fatal shooting of Philando Castile, contributes to the police violence that sparked the protests this week, and to the show of force police use at the protests as well.

Advertisement

Advertisement

I cant know for sure, but I dont think the police officers at the anti-lockdown protests felt that same fear. Im not upset at how they responded. In fact, I find it encouraging that police are capable of de-escalating tension, rather than resorting to violence. Its how they should handle protests against police brutality as well. Perhaps the police showed restraint in Michigan because they were able to empathize with the armed white men. They saw their humanity. Nothing will change until they can see the same in black protesters too.

For more of Slates news coverage, listen to Political Gabfest.
This appeared in the May 24, 2020, edition of The Rock Island Argus and The (Moline) Dispatch:

Have you checked the mail?

Practically every day, Americans ask this question.

If theres anything thats a near daily occurrence in this country, its to check for mail.

Americans rely on the U.S. mail.

We depend on it for letters and bills. We endure its solicitations. We get our magazines and birthday cards through the mail. And a full 20% of Americans over 40 get their prescription drugs exclusively through the mail, according to one survey.

Increasingly, we are voting by mail.

In many parts of America, particularly rural areas, the post office is a community hub.

So it is distressing to hear the U.S. Postal Service say that without help it may run out of money by the end of September.

The financial challenges facing the postal service have been around for years, as competition has increased and mail volume has fallen. But the COVID-19 pandemic has hit especially hard. The service, which operates without the benefit of tax dollars, anticipates a $13 billion loss this fiscal year due to the pandemic, and $54 billion in losses over the next 10 years.

In response, the U.S. Postal Service has asked Congress for $25 billion in emergency cash, a $25 billion grant for capital improvements and $25 billion in borrowing authority.

Previous coronavirus legislation set aside a $10 billion loan for the service, but President Trump has threatened to block it until the post office enacts big rate increases on shippers like Amazon. Meanwhile, the Democrat-controlled House has included $25 billion in its latest stimulus bill, but the legislation clearly isnt going anywhere.

Our view is the post office is an essential service, especially in rural America. Like other businesses in this country, it needs and deserves bipartisan help. Its a view backed up by our readers; lately, we have seen a large amount of people write us urging that the postal service be saved.

As for its daily operations, wed rather see that determined by the postal service and its board of governors, not politicians. They know their business best.

This issue aside, it is clear that the post office has fiscal challenges that need to be dealt with. They existed even before the pandemic, and they are problems the postal service has acknowledged.

In that respect, the president and Congress can play a definite role.

One problem is the requirement that the postal service pre-fund retiree health benefits, something that was put in place by a 2006 law. The services inspector general says this mandate is a primary cause for its financial difficulties. Supporters of the postal service say this requirement isnt put upon other federal agencies.

There are other challenges, too. The postal service, which is required to provide universal service, has lagged in keeping its infrastructure up to date. Thus, the need for capital expenditures. It also is constrained by a statutory price cap.

Were not crazy about the price of mail going up, but the cap should be recognized as an impediment.

Congress and the White House must find a way to keep the postal service operating. Mail delivery is, and always has been, vital. But now, there is an even greater reason for keeping the postal service operating: its potential role in upcoming elections.

Americans are turning more than ever to voting from home, by casting a ballot and dropping it in the mail.

In Iowa, voters have, in unprecedented numbers, asked for absentee ballots for the June 2 primary. That happened in large part because Secretary of State Paul Pate, a Republican, decided to mail absentee requests to every registered Iowa voter.

Illinois also is moving toward expanding its vote by mail program.

This has been a bipartisan phenomenon.

In Wisconsin, 70% of primary voters cast absentee ballots last month.

Even if the dire predictions of the coronavirus spread this fall dont come to pass, we still believe Americans in large numbers will want to have the convenience and added security of voting from the comfort and safety of their homes.

For this and many other reasons, our leaders must find a way to keep this uniquely American institution operating.

Fix its problems, yes. But dont expect that to happen quickly or easily. The priority right now should be to ensure the postal service has the funds to withstand these unprecedented challenges.

For that, it will require Americas political leaders to deliver  and quickly.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
DANBURY  Three men were recently charged in connection with an assault earlier this year that left the victim with five significant slashing wounds, according to police.

Kyle W. Morrissey, 19, of Danbury, was charged with first degree robbery, first degree assault and conspiracy to commit second-degree robbery. He was held on a $350,000 bond.

Edmon L. Lasane Jr., 21, of Danbury, was charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree robbery. He was held on a $250,000 bond.

Miguel A. Acevedo, 19, of New Milford, was charged with first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit second-degree robbery. He was held on a $250,000 bond.

The charges stemmed from an incident on March 23, according to their arrest warrants.

Around 12:30 p.m. on March 23, member of the Connecticut state police and Woodbury resident troopers office responded to a Main Street North address on a report of a 16-year-old victim who had been stabbed, the affidavit said.

The victim told investigators he was assaulted by three unidentified men at the Shell gas station at 24 Main St. North. He was taken to Waterbury Hospital by ambulance to be treated for his injuries.

At 3:20 p.m., officers went to check on the victim in the hospital, finding him with five significant slashing wounds all of which required both internal and external sutures, the affidavit said. The victim had a wound on the back of his neck, his left shoulder blade, interior area of his right forearm, his right upper thigh quad area and the lower calf area of his right leg.

The victim said he was doing online schooling when he got a message over social media from someone claiming they wanted to buy an ounce of marijuana, according to the affidavit.

When the victim went to the gas station to meet up with the buyer, one of them told him to give them all his stuff and punch him, the victim told police. He told police he and the three suspects started scuffling and the next thing he knew, I felt (I) was getting stabbed in the neck.

Once the suspects left, the victim said he drove down the road a bit, pulled over and called the police.

Investigators reviewed video surveillance from the gas station and ultimately identified and tracked down three suspects in connection with the incident.
The murder case of a 19-year-old Janakpuri resident, who tested Covid-19 positive after his death, has been solved with the arrest of another teen.

The accused, Rajwinder Singh alias Raja, 19, of Manjit Nagar, said on May 13, he had intercepted the victim, Karan Chaudhary, with an intention to rob him. But Karan resisted following which the accused attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon, killing him on the spot.

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Gurcharanjit Singh, in-charge at bus stand police post, said that during investigation, they found that Raja had been seen near the crime spot a few minutes before the incident following which, they started zeroing-in on him. On Thursday night, they managed to nab him and also recovered the murder weapon from his possession.

The ASI added that as the victim was found positive for the virus posthumously, the accuseds samples were taken for testing right after his arrest. A case of murder had been registered, he added.
Jaipur, May 29 : Leopards are now looking for new habitats, places where they were never seen before, this search for new territory was highlighted by researchers from Udaipur and Jodhpur in their study.

Satish Sharma, a renowned environmental scientist and retired Assistant Conservator of Forests of Udaipur; Shravan Singh Rathore, Medical Officer of Machia Biological Park, Jodhpur; and Vijay Koli, Assistant Professor and Environmentalist of Mohanlal Sukhadia University, The National Academy of Sciences, in their research paper published in India, said that leopards (Panthera pardus, or tendua in Hindi) usually lives near evergreen forests and residential areas.

However, setting a new normal, these big cats have now started moving towards the Thar Desert over the last decade where it never had a presence earlier.

The paper, titled "Leopard expansion and movement towards the Thar Desert of Rajasthan", states that the leopard -- a large cat specie which is mainly found on the edges of deciduous, evergreen, shrubby forest and human habitation, but whose presence was still absent in the arid regions of Rajasthan (Thar desert) and Gujarat (Kutch region) and high Himalayan regions is changing.

According to Koli, "The presence of this species was recorded from five districts of Rajasthan which are found in the extension range of Thar Desert." He said that this species was found in different types of habitats in Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Churu, Barmer and Bikaner districts in places like university campuses, factory campuses, near fields, surrounded by wells, bush extension areas and human habitat areas. The most amazing fact that all the identified leopards were male, he said further.

Koli said that his research based on 14 incidents reported in the last 10 years in five districts, found the presence of these leopards in the area stretching from 55.4 km to 413.4 km from district borders in the Thar Desert.

Image Source: IANS News

In most of these cases, these male leopards were caught by the forest department and then released into their designated boundary area.

Environmental scientist Satish Sharma says that leopards generally maintain their territory. They do not allow the second panther to enter the territory. Therefore, it is difficult for all male panthers to live in a fixed boundary area due to increasing number of leopards in a fixed boundary area or simultaneously increasing number of male leopards.

Powerful males establish their limits, but weak or defeated males have to migrate and move to another place. So when the number of leopards increase in a particular region, the new males move to other areas in search of their independent territory. Such cases have also been seen in Ranthambore where Tigers moved to other areas as its numbers increased, he added.

According to Sharma, another reason is the increase in irrigation facilities, farming and plantation activities in the Thar Desert due to the presence of Indira Gandhi Canal.

All these actions have increased the amount of vegetation cover in Thar desert. Also, there is availability of water throughout the year. All these conditions provide a favourable environment for the leopard's presence.

The third reason is the increase in domesticated animals and wildlife in the Thar Desert, which leopards can feed on throughout the year, he added.

Researcher Shravan Singh Rathore, Medical Officer of Machia Biologic Park, Jodhpur, says that in the present research, it has been found that at present only male leopards are entering the Thar Desert. If female leopard also enters here in future, then these species can establish its presence in the Thar desert permanently. In addition, there is a possibility that in the future, cases of human-leopard conflict may increase in these areas.

-- Syndicated from IANS
Some 57 more petroleum workers at the Jubilee Field operated by Tullow Oil have tested positive for COVID-19.

There were two cases that were confirmed and we did some contact tracing and about 50 of them are positive and they are asymptomatic, the Western Regional Director of Health, Dr. Jacob Mahama, said to Citi News.

Dr. Mahama also said the infected persons, likely to be working on the KNK FPSO and MV Lancelot, are being isolated in Accra and Takoradi.

He was speaking after an emergency meeting with the Western Regional Minister.

Western Regional Director of Health, Dr. Jacob Mahama

Tulllow Oil Ghana on Tuesday, May 26th first confirmed to Citi News that two of its contract staff had contracted the virus.

The company then began general screening as a result.

Tullow earlier assured it had been following strict quarantine procedures for all personnel working offshore including two weeks of government-approved quarantine.

But it is yet to comment on the latest development.

The Western Region currently has 395 cases in total.

---citinewsroom
Singing songs of days gone by, Joe West and his uncle, Archie West, have quite the show for fans of old cowboy songs and 50s folk music.

The duo will perform a virtual concert at 7 p.m. Friday, May 29, as part of the Our Fair New Mexico  A Virtual Concert Series, presented by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with state museums, historic sites and cultural institutions.

I learned a lot of songs growing up with Archie, Joe West said. Hes my uncle, so we tried to stick to some cowboy folk songs, and he certainly knows many of them, but we strayed into some of the gambling stories and the more sort of the Weavers kind of style folk music that I grew up singing with him and that kind of 50s-era folk music.

Archie West was influenced by Burl Ives folk records and old cowboy songs, while Joe West came from more of a Bob Dylan and Tom Waits background. But regardless of the generation gap, there was always music at their family gatherings, with singing, harmonicas, guitars, sometimes a harpsichord, and a piano every now and then. A neighbor would also come over with his banjo.

Archie is not a professional (musician), so theres this really charming quality about it, Joe West said. Hes done it as a hobbyist his whole life, and hes just very passionate. Its something hes always done. And our family grew up singing a lot. That was something we did  sat around (and sang). We dont do it as much anymore. I certainly remember as kids it was something we did every get-together at some point. We would always have guitars out singing these old songs. It was a sweet thing.

Joe West credits his Uncle Archie as the one who got him involved in music.

Archie was always our guitar player, Joe West said. My father and my mother were never musicians, but Archie was always the musical one in the family, and hes probably how I sort of started and took it up at a certain age. I kind of went on to be into rock n roll and punk rock and all that, but he was certainly the musical influence in my life.

Unlike his uncle, who primarily is a rancher, Joe West is a full-time musician who dabbles in theatrical events.

I run the theater in Madrid, doing something called the Theater of Death in the fall, and we do a big film festival in July, Joe West said. Over the last 25 years, Ive been a full-time musician, but I studied a lot of theater and did a lot of that in my younger days, so I tend to do theater things. I was a musician. I went to New York out of college with a bachelors in fine arts and mostly theater. I went to New York to be an actor and ended up still continuing to do a lot of music.

Before returning to his home of Madrid, Joe West lived in Austin, Texas, for a few years.

Thats the fun thing about going off and seeing the world, is you can always come home and appreciate home a lot better and not feel guilty, he said. I think a lot of people who dont go away think I couldve gone to New York and been an artist. But once you do it, you just realize its not that big of a deal and you can always just come back and be just as productive. Maybe there was a day that you had to be an artist in a bigger community or city, but with the internet, now the world has gotten more well connected where you can connect with the world.

OUR FAIR NEW MEXICO  A VIRTUAL CONCERT SERIES

Presented by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with state museums, historic sites and cultural institutions

WHO: Joe and Archie West

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, May 29

WHERE: facebook.com/InternationalFolkArt and other DCA-affiliated Facebook pages
Saskatchewan announces first PNP draw results since March 26, invites immigration candidates with work experience in 44 in-demand occupations

Saskatchewan PNP draw invites 252 candidates Saskatchewan announces first PNP draw results since March 26, invites immigration candidates with work experience in 44 in-demand occupations

Saskatchewan PNP draw invites 252 candidates Saskatchewan announces first PNP draw results since March 26, invites immigration candidates with work experience in 44 in-demand occupations

Saskatchewan PNP draw invites 252 candidates Saskatchewan announces first PNP draw results since March 26, invites immigration candidates with work experience in 44 in-demand occupations Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

A

Saskatchewans latest draw on May 28 issued invitations for 252 immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence.

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) invited candidates from the International Skilled Worker category through two subcategories: Express Entry, and Occupations In-Demand.

This is the first Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw out of Saskatchewan since Canada closed its borders to non-essential travel. The previous draw on March 26 was only for Occupations In-Demand candidates.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

In order to be invited in this draw, candidates from both sub-categories needed to have submitted Expression of Interest (EOI) profiles with the SINP.

The SINP uses the EOI system to select the candidates that have the most potential to thrive in the prairie province. Candidates need to demonstrate their commitment to building a life in Saskatchewan by showcasing their work experience, education, language ability, age, and connections to the province.

The SINP uses these five factors to assess candidates and give them a score out of 100 on the International Skilled Worker Points Assessment Grid. The highest-scoring candidates are then issued an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination from Saskatchewan.

The minimum score required in the May 28 draws was 78 for both sub-categories.

Express Entry sub-category

In the latest invitation round, Saskatchewan issued 127 invitations to candidates who had profiles in the federal Express Entry pool.

The federal Express Entry system manages the pool of candidates for three of Canadas main economic-class immigration programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class.

If candidates in the federal Express Entry pool also filled out an EOI for Saskatchewan, and they scored 78 on the SINPs Points Assessment Grid they may have been invited in the latest draw.

Express Entry candidates who apply for and receive a provincial nomination from the province of Saskatchewan are awarded an additional 600 points toward their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. This award puts them in a good position to be invited to apply for permanent residence in a subsequent federal Express Entry draw.

Occupations In-Demand sub-category

The Occupations In-Demand sub-category is open to immigration candidates who do not have a federal Express Entry profile.

There were 125 Occupations In-Demand candidates invited to apply for a provincial nomination, and like the Express Entry sub-category, candidates needed a provincial score of 78 in order to be chosen.

To see the complete list of the 44 occupations included in this draw, go to the government webpage.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved
The International Criminal Court on Thursday said former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo can leave Belgium under certain conditions following his acquittal last year over post-electoral violence that killed 3,000 people.

Gbagbo and his deputy Charles Ble Goude were both cleared of crimes against humanity a year ago, eight years after the former West African strongmans arrest and transfer to the Hague-based court.

Belgium agreed to host Gbagbo, 73, after he was released in February under strict conditions including that he would return to court for a prosecution appeal against his acquittal.

An ICC spokesman said Gbagbo could travel provided if the country he was going to agreed to receive him.

Gbagbos lawyers had in February appealed for his unconditional release arguing the ICC could not limit the movements of an acquitted person.

The Hague-based court on Thursday rejected the demand, but revoked certain restrictions on them including banning travel beyond the territorial limits of the municipality of the receiving State without the explicit and prior authorisation of the Court.

It also revoked a condition obliging the two men to surrender their identity documents, especially passports, to the court and report weekly to law enforcement authorities in the country they resided in or to the court.
(TNS)  Sonoma County, Calif., Sheriff Mark Essick announced Thursday his department will no longer enforce the countys stay-at-home public health order restricting some business activity and civic life, taking a dramatic stand in opposition to local measures aimed to curb the coronavirus pandemic  measures that Essick said were out of step with state rules.Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase, he said, has not provided the data needed to defend her decision to keep restrictions on peoples civil liberties in place  ones that ask law enforcement officers to penalize what would otherwise be lawful behavior.Essicks decision triggered a staunch rebuke from county leaders  from county supervisors to the district attorney  even as it appeared to tap into widespread frustration over restrictions that have halted commerce, deepening what Gov. Gavin Newsom called a pandemic-induced recession. Nearly 4 million Californians filed jobless claims in March and April.Effective Monday, deputies will be ordered to weigh reports of violations against state guidelines and use public interactions as an opportunity to educate people on how to mitigate the risk and spread of the COVID-19 infection, he wrote. Jail staff will no longer book people arrested by any agency when the sole charge is a violation of the countys public health order.The curve has been flattened; hospitals were not overrun with patients; we have dramatically increased testing which verified the infection rate in Sonoma County is under control and decreasing, Essick said in a statement posted to social media Thursday afternoon. Yet we continue to see successive public health orders that contain inconsistent restrictions on business and personal activities without explanation.Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Susan Gorin assailed Essicks public announcement as tone deaf and criticized him for failing to address his concerns with the health department. Gorin noted the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus among Latino residents  who represent 27 percent of the county population and 70 percent of COVID-19 cases  should be a call for concern and caution.The sheriffs department is apparently not concerned about the public health of our community, Gorin said.Supervisor Lynda Hopkins said Essicks decision constitutes a dereliction of duty. She said that while the public health rules may not seem to move rapidly enough for some, the way to address those concerns is to engage in robust conversation about the rules.Instead, he is promoting lawlessness throughout the unincorporated communities I represent, Hopkins said.Gorin said she would call on Essick, a fellow elected official, to appear before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to explain his position and so she and her counterparts on the board can question him.Essicks announcement came one day after county supervisors roundly gave public support for Mases decision this week to pause the countys reopening for up to 14 days after reporting several alarming trends: a recent rise in local COVID-19 cases, increased person-to-person transmission of the contagion and a spike in hospitalizations, which she characterized as red flags.Newsom has issued a series of new guidelines in recent weeks allowing for more activities, from barber shops to church services, to resume in counties that meet certain criteria. But he has left it up to county health officers to set local rules and keep restrictions in place depending on regional factors like transmission rates and public health preparedness.Overall, the case rate in Sonoma County is low with only 2.3 percent of the 23,362 tests returning positive results for COVID-19 since testing began in March. But new cases have doubled over the last two weeks, and there have been recent outbreaks of illness at a manufacturing plant, among groups of farmworkers and at a local elderly residential care facility, according to Mase.No other law enforcement agency in Sonoma County has so far followed Essicks lead.Santa Rosa Police Chief Ray Navarro said the city will continue to support Mase, who is the subject matter expert, leading a safe, strategic, and data-driven process for reopening.While the governor has set statewide guidance and a phased approach to reopening, he also has made it abundantly clear that the local health officer is empowered to establish their own thresholds and requirements, Navarro said.Both Healdsburg and Petaluma police departments responded to the sheriffs announcement by reaffirming on social media their cities commitment to enforcing the public health order.In an interview, Essick said his decision was rooted in the realities his deputies are facing in the community. So far, the Sheriffs Office has responded to 29 reports of public health order violations, resulting in 13 citations and 19 warnings.He criticized the arbitrary nature of some of the public health rules. He described a situation where a couple from San Francisco had rented a house at the coast to shelter with their preschool-aged child. A neighbor complained and a deputy had to tell them to leave because of the public health order. Essick said he felt the rules unfairly penalized people for doing nothing more than make personal decisions for their families.Its OK to eat lunch on a patio, but its not OK to hold a church service outside? Essick said.He criticized Mase and the health department for withholding key information that might help the public understand the current status of the virus here, such as how many of the active cases represent seriously sick people, the number of current hospitalizations and patients requiring ventilators. The health department has repeatedly declined to reveal that data, citing patient privacy rules.I respect the hell out of (Mase), I think shes incredibly smart, I think she has the right education and is the right person for the job  but shes made some critical mistakes and I have to call those out, Essick said.District Attorney Jill Ravitch said she supports Mase, who is evaluating the data in our county, not simply looking at statewide trends.I want to be clear that I stand with science and I stand with keeping people safe, Ravitch said.The restrictions pose a challenge to all of us, but to tell those who are giving up so much to follow the rules that they wont be enforced against their neighbors who disregard them is not the message we need right now, Ravitch said in an email.Some health care professionals were horrified by the sheriffs decision because they say the county is not ready to reopen for a variety of reasons, and the testing data is only one benchmark out of many that must be considered.Jenny Fish, a family medicine doctor who helped found the local health care advocacy group called H-PEACE, or Health Professionals for Equality and Community Empowerment, and four other members of the groups leadership discussed the sheriffs decision on a late night Zoom call Thursday.Health care workers still dont have sufficient protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, testing results are often delayed and the countys public health contact tracing program meant to follow all people with COVID-19 to limit the viruss spread is still ramping up.Our community is not yet safe, so for the sheriff to make a public statement to undermine our public health officer, who is a professional with a solid background and has made really amazing decisions to protect our community is irresponsible, Fish said. Its because of her that we havent had a huge spike in cases.Supervisors David Rabbitt and James Gore could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.Supervisor Shirlee Zane called Essicks announcement very unfortunate. While she hasnt agreed with everything Mase has done, Zane said shes been deeply impressed with Mases work and has found her to be very transparent with the community.Some of the county orders may be ambiguous, but thats because these are difficult calls to make, Zane said.This is a really important time for us to be standing together in unity as elected officials, Zane said. Theres no clear pathway on this. Were doing the best we can.
Like all airlines, easyJet has been put in a critical position by coronavirus. This week, I had to announce that we may have to reduce our staff numbers by up to 30 per cent. I am sorry to have had to deliver such terrible news, but this crisis has left us with little choice.

My focus now is to ensure that easyJet survives and that we protect jobs for the long term.

We need to return to flying as soon as possible, but for this to happen, the Government must act fast. Many measures are needed, but quick action on quarantine will be an important part.

easyJet boss Johan Lundgren (pictured) said: 'It was frustrating that the Government chose not to consult our industry on the implementation of the quarantine measures'

The Mails Alex Brummer wrote yesterday in stark terms, criticising the decision to quarantine passengers arriving in Britain for two weeks irrespective of where they have come from, from June 8.

Our flights will recommence on June 15, and we want to be able to fly as many people as possible to wherever it is safe to do so.

It was frustrating that the Government chose not to consult our industry on the implementation of the quarantine measures.

Quarantine will severely restrict Britains connectivity. It will render many international routes unviable for travellers to the UK.

British holidaymakers and business travellers will think twice about going abroad if they have to quarantine for 14 days on their return.

Should the quarantine remain in place throughout the summer, it will have a huge and lasting impact on the recovery of the economy and on all our lives, just as many economists are predicting the most serious recession in a century.

Revenue from tourism is vital for many parts of the UK, from London to the Scottish Highlands, in cities and towns such as York and Stratford-upon-Avon. Many businesses reliant on this income will be permanently scarred by the impact of the proposed quarantine.

Business recovery will also be linked to the ability to travel. I acknowledge that this period has shown us the potential of using video calls for work. But it has also demonstrated what we miss through not having face-to-face meetings.

British exporters will soon be competing on a screen against other businesses that can travel in person.

An exemption for business travel alone will not solve these issues, as the vast majority of passengers travel for leisure. Without leisure travel, few routes on any airline would be viable.

easyJet boss Johan Lundgren said: 'Quarantine will severely restrict Britains connectivity. It will render many international routes unviable for travellers to the UK'

And, of course, there is the impact of any quarantine on our wellbeing. Travelling on holiday is something that families across the UK save up for and look forward to  not to mention all those vital visits to see loved ones abroad.

Quarantine will not only make all of this much harder  it runs against the trend we can see across the world and in Europe.

The main European tourist markets, such as Greece and Spain, anticipate reopening safely to visitors from July.

Germany is expected to lift its quarantine, and France is also expected to open up to European visitors.

Even Italy, which suffered so much from Covid, is looking to facilitate international travel.

So how can the UK safely reconnect to the rest of the world? Boris Johnson has outlined a sensible way forward: The implementation of air bridges. These would allow for travel between countries where Covid-19 is under control and where effective health measures are in place.

I support the Prime Ministers objective, and believe it is critical for these air bridges to be established quickly wherever it is safe to do so.

'Travelling on holiday is something that families across the UK save up for and look forward to  not to mention all those vital visits to see loved ones abroad,' said the easyJet boss

Speed is important. If the Government announces an air bridge for a new country from tomorrow, this does not mean we can start flying immediately.

Anyone hoping to go on their summer holiday in July needs to know what air bridges will be in place.

So we propose four key steps for the Government to take.

First, the quarantine should be scrapped. In its place, air bridges should be arranged between countries, such as Greece, where the number of new Covid-19 cases is close to zero.

Second, clear criteria for air bridges should be published so that new ones can be put in place as soon as possible. We see no need to wait for a periodic review.

Third, the number of air bridges should be maximised, where this is safe.

Finally, where the science allows, governments should look at the possibility of introducing Covid passports identifying passengers who have been infected and are therefore immune. Rapid testing prior to departure or on arrival may help to make this possible.

The first priority of any airline is to ensure that its passengers can fly safely. We encourage measures to support this, but a blanket quarantine is too blunt an instrument.
(Natural News) Are Americans losing essential freedoms in the midst of the coronavirus crisis?

In an interview with Charlene Bollinger from The Truth About Vaccines 2020, Richard Mack, political activist and former Arizona sheriff, spoke about the Constitution, liberty and freedom in light of coronavirus and connected the current situation to his victory in a lawsuit against the federal government over the Brady Handgun Prevention Act.

In fact, it was the take-home message from his life-changing Supreme Court case that he believes everyone needs to be reminded of right now. Mack was the Sheriff of Graham County, Arizona, where he grew up, when then-president Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill gun control act, which he said would make the U.S. so safe that police wouldnt need to carry guns. Although that statement was highly questionable, Mack said he didnt give the bill too much thought  until a 1994 Sheriffs Association meeting in Phoenix.

At the meeting of around a dozen sheriffs, three ATF agents issued a document outlining what the sheriffs must do to comply with Brady Bill. According to Mack, the sheriffs had to carry out background checks on gun owners and pay for them; failure to comply would see them arrested.

After the agents left, Mack told the other sheriffs he wasnt planning to comply; after all, they didnt even work for the federal government. As he drove home from the meeting, he decided to sue them.

The first lawyer he consulted thought the idea was crazy. Mack said that for him it wasnt really about guns  it was a question of freedom. However, his undersheriff was an NRA member and helped him get in touch with an NRA lawyer, who said the group had already been working on a suit over this very matter and were just hoping a sheriff would get in touch with them to take action. The NRA footed the bill for much of the case; seven sheriffs in total ended up filing suits over the issue.

The case ended up with the Supreme Court ruling in the sheriffs favor in a 5-4 split decision. Mack feels everyone should read this decision, especially now.

In particular, he points to the part of the decision that says that officers of states are not subject to federal direction. He said Justice Scalia quoted the founding fathers, Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Federalist papers.

Among his favorite quotes cited in the ruling are that The Constitution protects us from our own best intentions. It divides power among sovereigns and among branches of government precisely so that we may resist the temptation to concentrate power in one location as an expedient solution to the crisis of the day.

Mack believes following that philosophy would have prevented so many of the problems we see today. He says the purpose of all government is to protect our liberty, and hes particularly fond of the part of the Federalist Papers quoted by the Court that says that when all governments  federal, local and state  work together a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other.

Mack fears were losing our freedom

Mack also talked about Shelley Luther, a Texas salon owner who was jailed for opening up her salon in defiance of emergency orders. Mack called her a modern Rosa Parks, saying that opening her salon is her civil right and that should be honored.

Stay-at-home orders are suggestions and nothing more, he says, and even if the legislature had passed them, theyd be unconstitutional and shouldnt be enforced.

He also pointed to cases where people are forced by officers to take a blood test in a DUI situation, which he says is illegal, unconstitutional, and morally reprehensible, but perhaps more importantly, he says this type of situation is conditioning police and the population for what may happen with a forced coronavirus vaccine  a very scary thought indeed.

Law enforcement officers, he says, have been dumbed down into doing things theyre not supposed to be doing when they should be guards of liberty. And while he is worried about coronavirus, hes also very scared about those who use the situation to take away individual liberties.

Sources for this article include:

YouTube.com

CSPOA.org
President John F. Kennedy, assassinated less than three years after taking office, was born on May 29, 1917. Today would be his 103rd birthday.

Kennedy started his term as the 35th president of the United States in January 1961.

He died on Nov. 22, 1963, after being shot while in Dallas, Texas.

Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline, were riding in a motorcade from the airport headed to a luncheon where he was scheduled to speak. They were accompanied by Texas Governor John Connally and his wife, Nellie.

JFK and Connally were shot as the car passed the Texas School Book Depository.

The car sped off to Parkland Memorial Hospital where JFK was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. His body was taken to Air Force One where, before the plane took off, Lyndon B. Johnson was administered the oath of office at 2:38 p.m.

Connally was seriously injured and underwent surgery for wounds to his back, chest, wrist and thigh, according to history.com.

Kennedy and Connally were shot by Lee Harvey Oswald who was arrested for shooting Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit about 45 minutes after the shooting of Kennedy. Oswald was killed two days later by former Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby.

Kennedy had twice visited Harrisburg.

In 1960 he was in the area to campaign while running for president.

The Evening News reported on Sept. 16, 1960, that more than 9,000 people attended a dinner with Kennedy at Zembo Shrine Mosque and Scottish Rite Cathedral. Tents were set up on the lawn to accommodate the crowd.

On that visit, Kennedy made stops in Harrisburg, Lebanon, Reading, Lancaster, Columbia and York before heading to Baltimore.

The paper said he received a rousing reception.

His remarks in Market Square were brief  only 4 minutes. And, he was 65 minutes late. State employees had been released early so they could hear his speech.

Sen. John F. Kennedy at the Zembo Mosque and Scottish Rite Cathedral on Sept. 15, 1960, where the Democratic presidential nominee delivered a speech before 9,000 that was also televised, Kennedy visits supporters in tents in the Zembo Mosque parking lot in Harrisburg. (The Patriot-News archives)

The crowd in Reading was estimated at between 20,000 and 30,000 people.

"The reception in Reading was so enthusiastic the Massachusetts senator's shirt was ripped in the crowd that swarmed over his motorcade.

Kennedy stopped at a filling station outside Reading and went into the owner's cottage behind the station to change shirts.

In 1962, after being elected president, he campaigned here for others. Kennedy was greeted everywhere he went by enthusiastic crowds.

His 1962 visit included a speech at the Farm Show Arena for 10,000 people.

His speech there was interrupted 19 times, according to the newspaper report, by thunderous applause. At the end of his speech, which took less than 20 minutes, the tumultuous roar was greater than ever. Kennedy started the applause early with an introductory remark: I will introduce myself. I am Teddy Kennedys brother.

READ MORE

Sen. John F. Kennedy speaking near The Spot restaurant in Market Square, Harrisburg, Sept. 15, 1960. (Allied Pix archive at the Historical Society of Dauphin County)

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 05:24:05|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A key inter-agency panel on Thursday warned of the imminent closing of most UN aid programs in war-torn Yemen, the site of the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

In a joint statement, the principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the highest humanitarian forum of UN and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), expressed alarm about the situation in Yemen, as COVID-19 is spreading rapidly amid unabated conflict and lack of funding for humanitarian programs.

The principals indicated that more than 30 of the 41 major UN programs in Yemen will have to close in the next few weeks.

"Tragically, we do not have enough money to continue this work. Of 41 major UN programs in Yemen, more than 30 will close in the next few weeks if we cannot secure additional funds. This means many more people will die," said the statement.

The humanitarian community -- UN agencies, international and national NGOs and others -- are unanimous in its position that the world's largest aid operation cannot afford extended cuts during this unprecedented emergency, it said.

Aid agencies estimate that they will need up to 2.41 billion U.S. dollars to cover essential activities from June through December, including programs to counter COVID-19, said the statement.

The principals of the IASC called donors to pledge generously and pay pledges promptly.

The United Nations and Saudi Arabia will co-host a virtual pledging event on June 2. Donors have started to signal support, including a large pledge by Saudi Arabia and an announcement of life-line funding from the United States. But pledges remain far below what is required, and most still have not been paid. Pledges by themselves cannot save lives, said the statement.

More than five years of war have devastated Yemen's health infrastructure, subjected Yemenis to repeated disease outbreaks and malnutrition, and substantially increased vulnerabilities.

Official COVID-19 case figures as of Thursday stand at 253 cases and 50 deaths. Further testing and analysis are required to provide a true picture of the epidemic and the case fatality rate in Yemen. But as in many other countries, testing kits in Yemen are in short supply, and official reports are lagging far behind actual infections, said the statement.

The IASC is chaired by UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock. Enditem
Government has been urged to make provision of sanitary pads to girls a compulsory aspect of the country's free education system to encourage them to remain in school.

Madam Idrrisu Suraya Kpabiya, Director of Inspire To Act, a women inclined non-governmental organisation, who made the call, said this would also encourage out-of-school girls to go to school as it would be a motivation for them.

She made the call in an interview with the GNA when the Inspire To Act presented packs of sanitary pads to 24 girls at Kpanvo, a community in the Tamale Metropolis, to ensure hygiene during their menstrual periods.

The gesture formed part of activities undertaken by the Inspire To Act to celebrate this year's World Menstrual Hygiene Day, which is on the theme: "Periods in Pandemic".

The World Menstrual Hygiene Day is marked on May 28, every year, to raise awareness on the importance of good menstrual hygiene management.

It is the case that many young girls, especially from poor homes in rural communities are unable to acquire sanitary pads to better manage their menstrual periods.

This compels some of them to absent themselves from school during their menstrual periods to avoid embarrassment, a situation, which negatively impact their academic performance.

This informed the call on government to provide sanitary pads to the girls as part of the free education intervention.

Madam Kpabiya also encouraged parents to keep eyes on their young girls especially those from 10 years and above as some began menstruation from that stage such that they would offer them the necessary support.

She also encouraged young girls to practice personal hygiene and avoid getting too close to the opposite sex to prevent teenage pregnancy.

Some of the beneficiary girls expressed joy at receiving the sanitary pads saying, the gesture would reduce the financial burden on their parents as well as keep them safe during their menstrual periods.

---GNA
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SouthGobi Resources Ltd. (TSX: SGQ, HK: 1878) (SouthGobi or the Company) provides this bi-weekly default status report in relation to the management cease trade order dated May 15, 2020 (MCTO) granted by the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) pursuant to National Policy 12-203 - Cease Trade Orders for Continuous Disclosure Defaults ("NP 12-203").



As disclosed in its announcements dated May 12, 2020 and May 17, 2020, the Company was advised by its external auditors (the Auditors) that they were unable to render an unmodified opinion on the Companys annual consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019 (the 2019 Financial Statements) prior to the filing deadline of May 14, 2020, as they have not obtained sufficient evidence to support managements going concern assumptions due in part to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the Company was not able to file: (i) the 2019 Financial Statements, the accompanying Management Discussion & Analysis and its 2019 Annual Information Form (collectively, the 2019 Annual Filings) by the filing deadline of May 14, 2020; and (ii) its interim consolidated financial statements for the three month period ended March 31, 2020 and accompanying Management Discussion & Analysis (collectively, the 2020 Interim Filings) by the filing deadline of May 15, 2020.

The Company continues to have discussions with the Auditors and to attempt to obtain and provide them sufficient evidence to support managements going concern assumptions for the 2019 Financial Statements. The Company is also working to explore different alternatives in relation to the 2019 Financial Statements. However, the Company expects that it is unlikely that it will be able to file the 2019 Annual Filings and 2020 Interim Filings prior to the expiry of the MCTO (i.e. June 15, 2020).

If the 2019 Annual Filings and 2020 Interim Filings are not filed on or before June 15, 2020, it is anticipated that the BCSC will issue a general failure to file cease trade order (CTO) shortly after the expiry of the MCTO to prohibit the trading by any person of any securities of the Company, including trades in the Companys common shares made through the TSX. The CTO will remain in place until such time as the 2019 Annual Filings and 2020 Interim Filings are filed by the Company. While the CTO is in effect, the TSX may elect to place the Company under remedial delisting review. If the Company is placed on remedial delisting review, there can be no assurances that the Company will be able to successfully demonstrate compliance with TSX listing requirements and maintain its listing on the TSX. The CTO or a delisting from the TSX will have a significant adverse impact on the liquidity of the Companys common shares and shareholders of the Company may suffer a significant decline or total loss in value of its investment in the Companys common shares as a result.

Story continues

As previously disclosed in its announcement dated April 28, 2020, the Ceke Port of the Mongolian-Chinese border was reopened on March 28, 2020 for coal export on a trial basis, with a limit imposed on the total volume of coal that is permitted to be exported during the trial period. The Companys coal export from May 1 to May 28, 2020 amounted to approximately 0.17 million tonnes, an increase of approximately 70% from the same period in April 2020.

In order to preserve its working capital, the Company has suspended the coal mining operations from February 11, 2020, but in the meantime, the Company is continuing its coal blending operations. The Company anticipates that its existing coal inventories are sufficient to satisfy expected sales demand for a period of at least two months as of the date hereof. The Company has finalized a repayment agreement with one of its biggest suppliers in Mongolia and is discussing repayment agreements with other suppliers. The Company is also in the process of finalizing a one-year extension of an existing bank loan in Mongolia to May 2021.

The Company confirms that (i) there have been no material changes to the information set out in the announcement dated May 12, 2020 that has not been generally disclosed; (ii) there have been no failures by the Company in fulfilling its stated intentions with respect to satisfying the provisions of the alternative information guidelines under NP 12-203; (iii) there has been no other, or anticipated, specified default under NP 12-203 concerning the Company; and (iv) there is no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed. The Company will continue to comply with the provisions of the alternative information guidelines under NP 12-203 by filing bi-weekly default status reports in the form of news releases for so long as the MCTO remains in effect.

The Company will continue to take active steps to address the going concern issues raised by the Auditors and explore available options to attempt to obtain an unmodified opinion on the 2019 Financial Statements. The Company will make further announcements with respect to the status of the 2019 Annual Filings as and when appropriate.

SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY AND POTENTIAL INVESTORS ARE ADVISED TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN DEALING IN THE SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY.

If there is any inconsistency or discrepancy between the English version and the Chinese version, the English version shall prevail.

About SouthGobi

SouthGobi, listed on the Toronto and Hong Kong stock exchanges, owns and operates its flagship Ovoot Tolgoi coal mine in Mongolia. SouthGobi produces and sells coal to customers in China.

Contact:



Investor Relations



Kino Fu

Office: +852 2156 7030 (Hong Kong)

+1 604 762 6783 (Canada)

Email: kino.fu@southgobi.com

Website: www.southgobi.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Dozens of demonstrators on Friday gathered outside the Cuyahoga County Justice Center and called on the countys 34 Common Pleas Court judges to grant the early release of thousands of inmates housed in state prisons that have been devastated by outbreaks of the novel coronavirus.

Cuyahoga County Jail inmates banged on their cell windows as more than two dozen people pulled surgical face masks under their chin, grabbed a freshly wiped microphone and called on the judges to use whats called judicial release to clear the prisons of inmates who have already served portions of their sentences.

The speakers said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWines efforts that have identified less than one percent of the nearly 50,000 inmates housed at prisons across the country as candidates for early release, as outbreaks in the states crowded prison facilities have left 73 inmates and two staffers dead.

Since Gov. [Mike] DeWine is not going to act, we are calling on every judge in Cuyahoga County, Kevin Ballou, an organizer with the Ohio Organizing Collaborative and the group Stop the Inhumanity at the Cuyahoga County Jail, said. We appoint you. Start acting. Start letting our people come home.

The protest comes ahead of a scheduled demonstration on Saturday over Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvins killing of George Floyd last week. The killing of Floyd, a black man who was accused of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill at a store, by Chauvin, a white officer with a history of complaints, was captured on video. The video and his death sparked day of volatile demonstrations met with escalating police response. Authorities arrested Chauvin on Thursday and charged him with third degree murder.

Floyds name was peppered throughout the hour-long demonstration Friday as another example of how the institutions often fail people of color.

The focus on activists demand was the use of judicial release, where inmates serving time in prison formally ask the judge who imposed their sentence to allow them to be released and often placed on probation for the remainder of what would have been their sentence.

But Ballou, a 26-year-old student at Cleveland State University who served five years in prison for an armed robbery he committed when he was 18, said on Friday that the COVID-19 epidemic highlighted issues within the criminal justice system that groups like Stop the Inhumanity at the Cuyahoga County Jail have long advocated against.

If we had proper bail reform than we wouldnt have overcrowding, he said. "If prisons werent so overcrowded, than it wouldnt have spread at such a rapid rate.

Ballou, three others who have spent time either in the Cuyahoga County Jail or in prison and a handful of community activists spoke as dozens more demonstrators circled the block honking the horns of cars and SUVs decked out with messages like Free Them All and Running out of time, DeWine."

David Okpara, 32, was released from prison in March after serving seven years in prison on drug trafficking and weapons charges. He said he now works as a truck driver and serves as a minister for the Salvation Army, and wants the inmates currently imprisoned to have the same shot to turn around their lives as he got, and not have COVID-19 turn their sentence into a death sentence.

This is not just an inmate thing. This is a human rights thing, Okpara said. Were allowing this to happen.

Other former inmates, including Tyrone Harrison and Jacqueline Kovach, echoed Okparas comments.

Harrison, who served 8 1/2 years of a 12-year sentence on armed robbery charges before he was released from prison in 2016, said since his release he has volunteered for the homeless and taken service trip to Africa.

You cant deem the people inside [jails and prisons] less than human because they made a mistake," he said. "People change every day, and those men in there are changing the way I did.

Administrative Judge Brendan Sheehan said in an emailed statement Friday that the process of vetting inmates who apply for judicial release takes time. Prosecutors have 30 days to respond to an inmates request on behalf of the state and any victims, and the state prison system, the courts probation department and defense attorneys also conduct reviews before the case gets before a judge.

Our Judges have worked diligently to reduce the Cuyahoga County Jail population by close to 50 percent during the pandemic, and the Judges will continue to review judicial release requests as they arrive according to the process in place, Sheehan said.

Read more stories

Ohio prisons are again accepting new inmates even as coronavirus death toll rises

Inmates sue Gov. DeWine over deadly coronavirus outbreaks in Ohio prisons, seek release of thousands prisoners

Why has Ohios Marion prison become the number-one coronavirus hotspot in the United States?

Coronavirus outbreak in Marion prisons leaves residents scared for those who work behind bars

Cleveland police supervisor suspended 10 days for drunken-driving incident in Twinsburg that drew criticism
Meniga, the London-headquartered fintech that provides digital banking technology to some of the worlds largest banks, has closed 8.5 million in additional funding.

Described primarily as a "strategic investment," the round is led by Groupe BPCE, the second-largest banking group in France, alongside Portugals Grupo Credito Agricola and long-standing strategic partner UniCredit. All three are customers of Meniga .

The funding will be used for continued investment in Menigas R&D activities, as well as to strengthen the fintech's sales and service teams to meet what it says is growing demand. Other participants in the round include current institutional investors Velocity Capital, Industrifonden and Frumtak Ventures.

We are very pleased to welcome Groupe BPCE and Credito Agricola to our growing group of strategic investors," says Georg Ludviksson, CEO and co-founder of Meniga, in a statement. "Partnering closely with our customers is a key part of our strategy to be the preferred digital innovation partner to our clients. An equity relationship is an excellent way to strengthen such partnerships."

Menigas digital banking platform helps banks and fintechs use personal finance data to innovate in their online and mobile offerings. Its various products include a software layer that bridges the gap between a banks legacy tech infrastructure and a modern API, making it easier to build consumer-friendly digital banking experiences.

Menigas product suite spans data aggregation technologies, personal and business finance management solutions, cash-back rewards and transaction-based carbon insights.

The company's tech has also been designed to support and benefit from Open Banking, and helped by this, its products and services are already used by more than 90 million banking customers across 30 countries.

This saw it open new office locations in Barcelona and Singapore in 2019, adding to its existing presence in London, where the company is headquartered, and Reykjavi, where much of its R&D is located, alongside offices in Stockholm, Helsinki and Warsaw.

Meanwhile, lead investor Groupe BPCE first partnered with Meniga back in 2018. Cue statement from Groupe BPCE's Yves Tyrode, chief digital and data officer, and member of the management board of Groupe BPCE: Our partnership with Meniga has been extremely positive to date. Together, we have laid the groundwork for continued digital innovation at Groupe BPCE to better serve our customers in a very dynamic banking market. We look forward to continue transforming our digital customer experience and contribute to building the future of digital banking together with Meniga."
A single mother who is raising her son to be 'gender fluid' has been slammed by Britain's Best Parents viewers who accused her of forcing him to be a girl.

Joana, from Exeter, appeared on the Channel 4 programme last night, where she insisted her son WIllow, five, shouldn't be confined to traditional gender stereotypes.

But many viewers were critical of the parenting style, with some questioning if the over-excess of feminine clothing and toys meant Joana was trying to force her son become a girl.

One commented: 'This woman is claiming to raise her son as a gender neutral child, but all I'm seeing are clothes and toys associated with girls (e.g. tutus and nail polish). She said herself girls are better than boys. Sorry but this woman is desperate for a trans daughter. Sad.'

Single mother Joana, from Exeter, enraged viewers with her parenting style after appearing on Britain's Best Parent last night

Joana, who is raising her son as gender neutral, sparked concern from viewers and other parents on the programme that she was forcing her views upon the five-year-old

Another wrote: 'I think this is a bad example of being gender neutral because the mother is clearly pushing the girl stuff.'

Appearing on the programme, Joana explained: 'My parenting style is a feminist one. The key element of a feminist parenting style would be to promote gender fluidity in your children.

'A child raised through a gender fluid approach will be more confident in themselves, have more awareness of emotions, kinder, more creative, more free-spirited child for sure.'

Joana did not use male pronouns with her son but acknowledged that he is a boy, while Willow also called himself a boy.

Viewers were highly critical of Joana's parenting style, with some accusing her of trying to turn her son into a girl

But she admitted: 'I personally find many aspects of girls are way more positive than what is traditionally associated with boys and men.'

Willow's father lives nearby and co-parents with Joana, as she explained: 'I am trying to raise a child that is allowed to experiment with their identity.'

When the other children in the experiment come to experience her 'feminist' parenting style, Joana invites all the girls and boys to paint their nails.

The mother-of-one also asked the children if their fathers ever wore makeup.

Joana admitted that she finds 'many aspects of girls more positive' than what is traditionally associated with boys

In the studio, she explained: 'The gender fluid approach is since he was born, we don't gender stereotype with clothes, toys...we just want him to explore everything.'

But the other parents insisted that genders are not limiting and said they were concerned Joana was imposing her beliefs on Willow.

Eastern-influenced father Robin said: 'I don't think genders are evil. I think you can expose them to the range of possibilities within being a boy and girl.'

Lazy parent Kevin explained: 'As long as Willow wants to do it that's fine, for exposure. My concern is you're actually making more of an issue out of it than he is.

Joana insisted that Willow, who has long blonde hair and played with a tutu on the programme, would be 'more confident' because of her parenting style

'I saw lots of what we'd perceive to be girls toys but I didn't see any action men, any blue. My concern is Willow might have a habit imposed on him.'

What does gender-fluid mean? Gender-fluid is a nonbinary gender identity thats not fixed and is capable of changing over time. The term first appeared as gender-fluid in the 1980s, coming into use alongside somewhat adjacent terms: transgender evidenced in the 1970s, and genderqueer in the 1990s. The term spread with the understanding that gender was not binary (only and always male or female) and not necessarily tied to physical sex characteristics Advertisement

But Joana disagreed, saying: 'I didn't impose anything. I opened up the choices.'

But viewers were highly critical of Joana and her views, with one commenting: 'If Willow is being raised gender neutral then why is he always in girls clothes?'

One added: 'Joanna isn't interested in gender fluid parenting. She's just a feminist who is p***** she gave birth to a boy.'

Another tweeted: 'The woman clearly wanted a daughter and is now going all gender neutral so she has "a daughter". You're telling me that kid asked to become a girl?'

'That is going to be one seriously messed up kid all thanks to her/his mother.'

'She is NOT raising that child 'gender neutral' she is raising her son as her daughter,' another commented, 'I feel so sorry.'

Another wrote: 'Claims she's raising her child as gender fluid but to me she is just trying to turn her wee boy into a girl. F***** up.'

Another added: 'This idiot on Britain's Best Parent is not raising a gender fluid child. She is raising a boy dressed as a girl and encouraging him to be a girl. These people are allowed to exist and reproduce. F****** hell.'
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: In a man versus wild kind of a situation, a monkey snatched blood samples of suspected Covid-19 patients that were being taken to the Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College Meerut triggering panic in the area on Friday.

However, the medical college authorities have set up an inquiry into the issue and the lab technician has been asked to give an explanation as to why he was engrossed in making a video of the incident rather than informing the authorities.

As per the sources, a group of monkeys attacked a lab technician who was carrying swab samples and the kits, taken from suspected patients, in the Meerut Medical College premises.

The Medical College authorities claimed that a probe was set up under CMS Dr Dheeraj Balyan. However, the three-day-old incident surfaced only on Friday when its video started doing the rounds on social media.

Meerut Medical College and hospital is a nodal centre for the treatment of COVID patients of western UP and it also has a testing lab.

Details in video

In the video, the monkeys were seen with the swab kits of three patients and escaped before the lab technician could do anything.

The sources claimed that the monkeys were later found chewing the samples sitting on tops of trees.

The hospital authorities claimed that the samples were not throat swabs used to confirm COVID positivity in a person, but regular blood samples taken from already infected patients being treated in the medical college.

Doctors claimed that samples from the three patients were collected again.

Sources said that monkey menace was not new to Meerut medical college but the incident had given rise to the fear that monkeys could be a potential medium leading to the spread of deadly virus.

The Medical College authorities said there was no scientific study which showed the novel coronavirus could spread to monkeys from humans.

While the Medical College administration was yet to get the help from forest department in catching the simians.
You can leave your umbrella at home for today, but light rainfall is in the forecast for Berkeley starting on Saturday, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone. The greatest chance of rain is forecast on Saturday at 50%, with the possibility of light rainfall of 0.05 inches.

The coming week will also bring mild temperatures, expected to last through Thursday. Temperatures will reach a high of 68 degrees today, with a weekly high of 71 degrees expected on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Skies will be cloudy today, turning partly cloudy on Thursday. Winds are expected to reach a modest high of 18 mph today but will weaken on Sunday.

This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) announced today that on May 28, 2020 the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per common share for the second quarter of fiscal 2020.

The dividend will be paid on June 26, 2020, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 12, 2020.

About Big Lots, Inc.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) is a discount retailer operating 1,404 BIG LOTS stores in 47 states with product assortments in the merchandise categories of Furniture, Seasonal, Soft Home, Food, Consumables, Hard Home, and Electronics, Toys & Accessories. The company's mission is to help people Live BIG and Save Lots. The company strives to be the BIG difference for a better life by delivering unmatched value to customers through surprise and delight, being a "best places to work" culture for associates, rewarding shareholders with consistent growth and top tier returns, and doing good in communities as the company does well. For more information about the company, visit www.biglots.com.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and such statements are intended to qualify for the protection of the safe harbor provided by the Act. The words "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "objective," "goal," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will," "should," "may," "target," "forecast," "guidance," "outlook" and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. Similarly, descriptions of objectives, strategies, plans, goals or targets are also forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to the expectations of management as to future occurrences and trends, including statements expressing optimism or pessimism about future operating results or events and projected sales, earnings, capital expenditures and business strategy. Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of assumptions concerning future conditions that may ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Forward-looking statements are and will be based upon management's then-current views and assumptions regarding future events and operating performance and are applicable only as of the dates of such statements. Although the company believes the expectations expressed in forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of knowledge, forward-looking statements, by their nature, involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, any one or a combination of which could materially affect business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Forward-looking statements that the company makes herein and in other reports and releases are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, current economic and credit conditions, the cost of goods, the inability to successfully execute strategic initiatives, competitive pressures, economic pressures on customers and the company, the availability of brand name closeout merchandise, trade restrictions, freight costs, the risks discussed in the Risk Factors section of the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other factors discussed from time to time in other filings with the SEC, including Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. This release should be read in conjunction with such filings, and you should consider all of these risks, uncertainties and other factors carefully in evaluating forward-looking statements.

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date thereof. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised, however, to consult any further disclosures the company makes on related subjects in public announcements and SEC filings.

SOURCE Big Lots, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.biglots.com


Conservative MP Philip Hollobone said Government ministers need to get a grip on this situation

A record 8,497 foreign-born criminals who should have been deported are back on the streets.

Official data showed the number who the Home Office and courts agreed should be booted out after completing a jail term has doubled since 2014.

Among them were more than 2,400 offenders waiting 60 months or more to be deported for their crimes.

The findings will renew fears the Home Office is failing to tackle the problem.

Conservative MP Philip Hollobone said: Some officials in the Home Office are clearly not doing their job properly and Government ministers need to get a grip on this situation.

I can see very little excuse for why these people are not being deported in line with court judgments.

The sooner they are deported the better because Britain is less safe with them here. Once convicts have served a sentence, they can only continue to be held if there is a good chance of them being deported imminently.

But many slip off the radar while others fight deportation orders, often using controversial human rights or asylum laws to trigger a lengthy and costly legal battle.

In 2017 a report by David Bolt, chief inspector of borders and immigration, found 753 foreign criminals were missing after being freed from jail.

An asylum ruling by the Supreme Court just last month highlighted how offenders draw out asylum claims for years.

A Zimbabwe-born gun criminal, who can be identified only as AM, won the latest stage in a 14-year battle with the Home Office to avoid deportation on human rights grounds.

The findings will renew fears the Home Office is failing to tackle the problem.

His legal team initially argued sending him back to his home country would breach Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the right to family and private life.

When that argument failed, the 33-year-old switched to claiming under Article 3  which bans torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The criminal  who had convictions for battery and assault, and possessing a firearm, knife and heroin  was first handed a deportation order 14 years ago in 2006.

He will now get a chance to have his case re-heard in the immigration courts.

If successful, he could be allowed to remain in the UK.
It is a sweltering afternoon and Imran Khan has just started another episode of Corona Se Jang, Radio Mewat Ke Sang, a live programme, in his thick Mewati accent. You are listening to Radio Mewat 90.4MGz. With you is your friend Imran Khan. Namaste and aadaab to all of you. Today we have with us psychologist Satish Kaushik. We will talk to him about the mental stress caused by the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Imran is a reporter and presenter at Radio Mewat, a community radio station in Mewat, one of over a dozen such stations in and around Delhi that have been airing special Covid-19 community-oriented and community-produced programmes.

In fact, community radios such as Radio Mewat and Alfaz-e-Mewat, which together broadcast to over 300 villages in Mewat, bordering Gurugram, have served as important sources of information and a bridge between the community and the local administration during the coronavirus crisis. This is important in a region where literacy rates are among the worst in the country and owning a television is looked down upon for religious reasons. Last year, Mewat district (now officially called Nuh) was Haryanas only district to figure in the Niti Aayogs list of the 111 most backward districts of the country.

In the past two months, Imran, one of nine reporter-presenters, including two women, at Radio Mewat, has been shuttling almost every day between Mewats villages, government offices and hospitals, conducting interviews with local authorities, doctors and the village sarpanch. We have been at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19 in the Mewat region. Being a community radio, it is our duty to keep the community informed during the pandemic, and bring their concerns to the fore, says Imran, who hails from Gandhi Gram Ghasera, a village in Mewat named so because, after Partition, Mahatma Gandhi had visited Ghasera village in December 1947 to convince the local Muslim community to stay in India.

Senior district officials see us as partners in fighting Covid-19 in the region and often call us to record their messages. We were able to build trust between the locals, most belonging to the ethnic Meo-Muslim community and the administration, adds Imran, who often walked 7km from his village to reach the radios studio in Nuh town during the lockdown.

Sohrab Khan, 46, another reporter-presenter, says calls from the listeners at the stations landline phone have increased manifold, with callers asking all kinds of questions about Covid-19. We have tied up with several doctors and other experts who answer their questions during our live and recorded programmes, says Sohrab, who is currently hosting a programme on the problems the migrants who have returned to villages in Mewat are facing. I am taking their issues to elected representatives and the local administration, both personally and through my programmes.

Farheen, 21, one of the two women at Radio Mewat, who hosts Hinsa Ko No, featuring stories of domestic violence, says that a lot of women have been calling to complain of domestic violence during the lockdown. They say that their husbands are home all the time and beat them over small things like cooking, often threatening them with divorce. We try to counsel these women, and in many cases, personally visit them to resolve the issues. Besides, a lot of women call us with questions about pregnancy and delivery during the lockdown, says Farheen, who has studied up to Class 12. It feels great when women in villages recognise my voice and often compliment me. I am happy that my parents allowed me to work as a reporter, ignoring protests from my relatives, in a conservative region where women are not allowed to step out.

Archana Kapoor, founder, Radio Mewat, says the radios programmes during the Covid-19 crisis have been aimed at awareness, prevention and safety of local communities. Besides, we have also been fighting myths, misinformation and rumours that spread fast in this area, says Kapoor.

Alfaz-e-Mewat, the other community radio in the region too has been an important platform for villagers in Mewat to access information and public services in times of Covid-19. It has its studios in Ghaghas, a village tucked deep in the heart of Mewat, with the Aravalli range of mountains forming a beautiful backdrop. It has four reporters/radio jockeys, including a woman reporter, all of whom belong to nearby villages.

When the first lockdown began, the radio station started a special programme 21 Din 21 Baatein (21 Days, 21 Messages) followed by another programme 19 Din Aur Sambhalke (Be Careful for Another 19 Days) as the lockdown extended. Every day, the station broadcasts three hours of Covid-19related programmes such as Gaon Ki Chaupal and Aaj Ka Hero, the story of an individual adopting best Covid-19 preventive practices.

We have also aired several folk songs in local languages around themes of social distancing and isolation to educate people. In Gaon Ki Chaupal, we regularly provide information about various government schemes during Covid-19 such as the direct transfer of 500 to women who are Jandhan account holders under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PM-GKY), and the increased wages under MGNREGA, and how to get work under it. We are villagers friends and guides, and they trust us since we are from the community, says Shakir Hussain, 30, a reporter and RJ with Alfaz-e-Mewat. These days a lot of our listeners complain that my voice has changed for the worse. I explain to them it could because I speak with a mask on. I never imagined that a mask would come between an RJ and the mike, says Hussain. The radios other popular Covid-19 programmes include Saavdhan, which warns people against fake news about Covid-19 on social media.

The local administration is all praise for the community radios in the area. They have a great connection with people in the Mewat region, and they help us quickly put out updates and stop rumours. During the lockdown, whenever needed, I simply called the stations and recorded my messages, which were played immediately on the radio. Their programming is in local languages and for them, local issues are most relevant, says Pankaj (known by his first name only), the deputy commissioner of Nuh district.

Beyond Mewat too, there are several community radio stations such as the Noida-based Salaam Namaste and the Gurugram-based Gurgaon Ki Awaaz that have been running a range of Covid-19-related community-oriented programmes. Salaam Namaste, the first community radio station of Noida and Ghaziabad, has been airing programmes such as Doc on Radio, which offers free tele-consultations with doctors; Health From Home, a programme providing tips by pulmonologists on the prevention of Covid-19 and Corona Salaam, aimed at distance education for local underprivileged children. There has been a 40% increase in our listenership during the Covid-19 crisis. We host a mix of health and education programmes and worked closely with local communities as well as RWAs, says Barsha Chabaria, station head, Salaam Namaste.

There are around 300 community radio stations across the country. Last week, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar interacted with these community radio stations, praised their role during the pandemic, and promised to unveil a plan for the expansion of community radios in the country. We mostly depend on donations; what we need is financial support to stay alive, says Kapoor.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Zillow CEO Richard Barton told CNBC on Friday that the online real estate company has not observed a dramatic spike in people moving out of dense, urban areas due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We're all searching for our data to confirm our bias, or our theory, that people are moving out of the city into the suburbs," Barton said on "Squawk on the Street." "We get 100 million clicks a day in our apps and sites, so we can see all this shopping data, and we're not really seeing that yet."

To be sure, Barton said Zillow is seeing significant increases in people looking for homes on its platforms. Shopping traffic to for-sale homes is up 50% year over year, Barton said.

"What we're seeing is lots more activity and a lot of dissatisfaction with where people are living right now," he said. "But ... our economics team can't really point their finger at an overriding pattern" geographically.

Barton, a longtime Netflix board member who also started Expedia, said Zillow has seen a week-by-week recovery in transactions since the coronavirus pandemic put a damper on real estate activity in late March and early April. Purchases have not returned to normal levels, Barton said, but it is "almost an abnormal market" right now due to people's interest in moving.

"Our economists team sees a slow but steady return of transactions towards the end of the year, to what they estimate, is just over 90% of what normal would have been by December," Barton said.

The Covid-19 outbreak has caused widespread upheaval to daily life in the U.S. as millions of Americans began to work from home to slow the spread of the virus. Although the long-term effects of the crisis are unknown, some in the real estate industry say they have noticed a shift in the places people want to live.

Robert Reffkin, CEO of real estate brokerage Compass, told CNBC last week that the company saw a 40% increase in searches on its website for single-family homes while those for condominiums and co-ops had decreased.

"I think this is going to be a continuous shift until there's a vaccine" for Covid-19, said Reffkin, who added that more people were looking at less-dense areas.

Barton said Zillow also has noticed a shift in priorities of clients through surveys. He said that two-thirds of respondents who have been working from home because of the pandemic say they would like continue doing so, either on a permanent basis or only commuting to the office a few days each week.

"I think it's going to change the calculus for the traditional, high-rise, elevator-based, dense-packed city workplace, at least," he said. "I'm not quite sure about residence yet."

Shares of Zillow were lower Friday, down 0.5% at about $57 each. The stock notched a 52-week high of $66.68 on Feb. 20 before falling dramatically as the Covid-19 crisis intensified. It sank to $20.04 per share on March 18, rising more than 180% since.
Surveillance reform is an elusive goal. Since March, Congress has been considering the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020, which would renew three surveillance authorities and include a number of measures designed to increase safeguards for privacy and civil liberties. What number of measures, and how robust the reforms, have been the subject of intense debate, and the three provisions actually expired on March 15. As of Memorial Day weekend, it appeared that Congress was on track to enact a meaningful reform bill that would reauthorize the surveillance authorities as part of a package that had the support of privacy advocates. But just one week later, the seeming agreement had fallen apart.

Advertisement

The House and Senate have passed two competing versions of the bill that will now likely move to conference. As a result, one of the most important and potentially impactful reforms contained in the Senate version of the legislation is now in grave peril. But it is critical that conferees work to preserve the set of provisions contained in the Lee/Leahy amendment, which would expand and strengthen the role played by amici or friends of the court in the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, or FISA Court, and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

On March 11, the House passed H.R. 6172, the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act, which would extend the three now-expired surveillance provisions until December 2023, and includes some key civil liberties reforms. On May 14, the Senate passed the same bill with the addition of the Lee/Leahy amendmentthe only difference between the two bills. (Frustratingly, the Daines/Wyden amendment, which would have clarified that the government needs a probable cause showing in order to collect internet browsing and search history, fell short in the Senate by only one vote, and then was abandoned in the House.) Thereafter, House leadership canceled the vote on the bill as passed by the Senate, and the House voted instead to conference with the Senate on the two bills.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The legislation as passed by the Senate falls short of the goals of privacy advocates and fails to include the provision protecting web browsing and internet search history, but it does include several meaningful reforms that would help rein in overbroad surveillance and improve oversight. As an initial matter, both the House and Senate versions of the legislation would finally end bulk collection of Americans phone records by eliminating the authority for the Section 215 Call Detail Records program. This CDR program had replaced the earlier bulk phone records program revealed to the public by Edward Snowden in 2013 but still allowed the government to collect vast troves of Americans phone records. Ending this ineffective but privacy-invasive program is critical but a bare minimum for a reform bill.

Advertisement

Advertisement

But perhaps the most significant reforms contained in the Senate bill are a series of provisions that would substantially expand the role and authority of the amicus curiae (friend of the court) in advising the judges of the FISA Court and the FISCR. Although even this package could have been further improved, the new amicus role has the potential to change the inner workings of the FISA Court and the FISCR, bolstering surveillance oversight and providing much-needed accountability for the operation of these courts. But it is this very set of reforms, contained in the Lee/Leahy amendment, that is now at risk.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Congress originally created this role in an effort to reform the FISA Court and the FISCR when it enacted the USA FREEDOM Act in June 2015. That law requires that the presiding judges of the FISA Court and the FISCR appoint a panel of at least five independent experts with security clearances who possess expertise in privacy, civil liberties, intelligence collection, or communications technology. The judges must then select members of the panel to participate in cases involving a novel or significant interpretation of the law, and the amici are tasked with advising the judges on their areas of their expertise. But the novel or significant interpretation standard relates to the legal issues involved in the case, not the level of threat that proposed surveillance poses to privacy and civil liberties.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The FISA Court and the FISCR necessarily operate in secret in order to review the classified information that supports government requests to conduct foreign intelligence surveillance. From the time these courts were created in 1978 until the USA FREEDOM Act was passed, government attorneys would present their surveillance applications to the FISA Court without any other attorney participating to present an opposing view. During this time, few people had any familiarity with how the FISA Court or the FISCR operated. But the initial Snowden disclosures in June 2013 shined a spotlight on the secret courts and raised the question of whether the FISA Court was a rubber stamp for government surveillance requests.

The following month, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, where I served as executive director from September 2013 through January 2017, held a public workshop to examine the surveillance programs Snowden revealed to the public and consider how to reform the operation of the FISA Court. One of the panelists was Judge James Robertson, a federal judge who had previously served on the FISA Court, who argued that to avoid being a rubber stamp, the process needed an adversary  to challenge and take the other side of anything that is presented to the FISA Court. As he put it, [J]udges are learned in the law and all that, but anybody who has been a judge will tell you that a judge needs to hear both sides of a case before deciding. When the PCLOB issued its 2014 report on the bulk phone records program, it unanimously recommended that Congress create a special advocate role to present independent views to the FISA Court and to make legal arguments addressing privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties interests.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

So as part of the 2015 USA FREEDOM Act, Congress created an amicus curiae role. This was an important step toward improving the operation of these secret courts. FISA Court judges have relied upon the amicis positions, and even where the FISA Court judges have disagreed, they have analyzed and considered the amicis arguments. However, the amici role as enacted in 2015 was significantly watered down from earlier congressional proposals, and it was weaker than the special advocate position described by the PCLOB in three critical ways. First, the PCLOB recommended that the special advocates participate in more than just matters involving novel and significant issues. Second, the PCLOB urged that the special advocates should have full access to information related to the matters in which they participate. Third, the board recommended that the special advocates should be able to petition for an appeal from the FISA Court to the FISCR, and from the FISCR to the Supreme Court. None of these things happened.

Advertisement

In the months leading up to Congress recent consideration of the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act, the public gained further insight into just how broken the FISA process remains. In December, the Department of Justices Office of the Inspector General released a report examining the Crossfire Hurricane investigation, which included the highly controversial investigation of Carter Page, who was a foreign policy adviser to the Trump 2016 campaign for about six months. The inspector generals report described numerous deficiencies, including significant inaccuracies and omissions in the Page FISA application. Then, in March, the inspector general released a follow-up report, summarizing findings from a review of a random sample of applications from eight FBI field offices. That report found apparent errors or inadequately supported facts in all of the files reviewed.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Although the debate over the Carter Page investigation has been highly politicized, the inspector general reports clearly illustrate major failures in how the Justice Department and FBI have brought matters before the FISA Court. And without any attorneys to test the governments assertions and provide alternative views, it has been difficult if not impossible for the FISA Court judges to uncover these problems.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Senate version of the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act would meaningfully reform the FISA Court process in several ways, most notably by strengthening the role of the amici. First, the legislation would significantly expand the types of cases in which amici are authorized to participate. Now they would also be involved with:

 cases that present significant concerns regarding activities protected by the First Amendment;

Advertisement

 sensitive investigative matters, which are defined to include matters involving domestic public officials or candidates for office, news media, and religious or political organizations;

 matters involving a request for approval of a new program, a new technology, or a new use of existing technology; and

 requests for reauthorization of programmatic surveillance, which would include the annual renewals of authority to conduct surveillance under Section 702 of FISA.

The limited publicly available information about the FISA Courts operations shows that all of these new categories are important. In a 2013 FISA Court opinion (which contains significant redactions), the judge analyzed whether there were sufficient facts unrelated to First Amendment activity to support the requested surveillance. The unredacted language does not inspire confidence that First Amendment issues received due consideration; an amicus could play an important role in such cases. The new First Amendment category, as well as the new sensitive investigative matters authorization, would have covered the investigation of Carter Page. Further, both the PCLOBs 2014 report, and congressional testimony by the current PCLOB chair, have urged that an amicus should participate in the annual renewal of Section 702 programmatic surveillance.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Second, the legislation would expand the ability of the amici to access information relevant to the matters in which they appear. Under the 2015 USA FREEDOM Act, amici were only given permission to access materials that the court determines are relevant to their duties. The Senate bill provides that amici shall have access to the full record in a given matter, from the application through motions, including relevant legal precedent and unredacted copies of prior FISA Court opinions, to the same extent that such information is available to the government. Under the original 2015 rules, amici would not necessarily have known what information they lacked.

Advertisement

Third, the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act, in both the House and Senate versions of the bill, provides a procedure for the amici to seek appellate review of decisions. These provisions would authorize amici to file a petition in the FISA Court asking the judge to certify a question for appeal to the FISCR, and permits amici to petition the FISCR to certify a question of law for review in the Supreme Court. A July opinion of the FISCR shows why this ability to petition for appeal is so important. In that appeal of an October 2018 decision by the FISA Court, the FISCR only reviewed issues on which the government attorneys had lost, and did not consider any of the issues on which the FISA Court had ruled against the amicus.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The amici provisions in the Senate version of the bill have the potential to provide sorely needed oversight for the FISA process. Because the amici can participate behind the curtain that protects classified information, they can serve as the publics eyes and ears, pushing back against the governments arguments, and holding the government and the secret courts accountable. Now that Congress has come so close to enacting these meaningful reform provisions, it would be extremely unfortunate if they became a casualty to the highly politicized FISA reform debate. But if the conferees fight for these provisions, as they should, we will ultimately be able to assess the new and improved amicus role. Thanks to one additional reform in both versions of the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act, there will be a 180-day time limit for release of unclassified versions of court opinions. This deadline will allow the public to learn more quickly how effective these reforms are in practice, and the increased transparency should provide an additional tool to hold the government accountable.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
[May 29, 2020] Researchers Use Nano-Particles to Increase Power, Improve Eye Safety of Fiber Lasers

WASHINGTON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Scientists at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory have devised a new process for using nano-particles to build powerful lasers that are more efficient and safer for your eyes. They're doing it with what's called "rare-earth-ion-doped fiber." Put simply, it's laser light pumping a silica fiber that has been infused with rare earth ions of holmium. According to Jas S. Sanghera, who heads the Optical Materials and Devices Branch, they have achieved an 85 percent efficiency with their new process. "Doping just means we're putting rare earth ions into the core of the fiber, which is where all the action happens," Sanghera explained. "That's how we've produced this world record efficiency, and it's what we need for a high-energy, eye-safer laser." According to Colin Baker, research chemist with the Optical Materials and Devices Branch, the lasing process relies on a pump source--most often another laserwhich excites the rare earth ions, which then emit photons to produce a high quality light for lasing at the desired wavelength. "But this process has a penalty," Baker said. "It's never 100 percent efficient. What you're putting in is pump energy, not the high quality light at the wavelength you want. What's coming out is a much higher quality of light at the specific wavelength that you want, but the remaining energy that isn't converted into laser light is wasted and converted into heat." That loss of energy, Baker said, ultimately limits power scaling and the quality of the laser light, which makes efficiency especially important. With the aid of a nano-particle 'dopant,' they're able to achieve the 85 percent level of efficiency with a laser that operates at a 2 microns wavelength, which is considered an "eye-safer" wavelength, rather than the traditional 1 micron. Of course, Baker pointed out, no laser can be said to be safe when it comes to thehuman eye.



The danger arises from the potential of scattered light to be reflected into the eye during a laser's operation. Scattered light from the path of a 100-kilowatt laser operating at 1 micron can cause significant damage to the retina, leading to blindness. With an eye-safer laser, operated at wavelengths beyond 1.4 micron, however, the danger from scattered light is considerably lessened. According to Baker, the nano-particle doping also solves several other problems, such as that it shields the rare earth ions from the silica. At 2 microns, the silica's glassy structure can reduce the light output from the rare earth ions. The nanoparticle doping also separates the rare earth ions from each other, which is helpful since packing them closely together can also reduce the light output.

"Traditional lasers that operate at 1 micron, using an ytterbium dopant, aren't nearly as affected by these factors," Baker said. "The solution was some very clever chemistry that dissolved holmium in a nano-powder of lutetia or lanthanum oxide or lanthanum fluoride to create a suitable crystal environment [for the rare earth ions]," Sanghera said. "Using bucket chemistry to synthesize this nano-powder was key in keeping the cost down." The particles of the nano-particle powder, which Sanghera's team had originally synthesized for a previous project, are typically less than 20 nanometers, which is 5,000 times smaller than a human hair. "Additionally, we had to be able to successfully dope these nano-powders into the silica fiber in quantities that would be suitable to achieve lasing," he added. At the Optical Materials and Devices Branch, Sanghera's team of scientists are working with a room-sized, glass-working lathe, where the glass that will eventually become the fiber is cleaned with fluorine gases, molded with a blow torch and infused with the nano-particle mixture  what the scientists call a "nanoparticle slurry." The result is a rare-earth-ion-doped, one-inch diameter, glass rod, or "optical preform." Next door, scientists use a fiber pulling systema tower so massive that it takes up two large rooms and; the height of two floors of the buildingto soften the preform with a furnace and elongate it, in a process akin to pulling taffy, into an optical fiber about as thin as a human hair, which then spools onto a nearby large spindle. Sanghera's team has already submitted a patent application for the process. Among the potential applications they envision for the new specialty fiber laser are high powered lasers and amplifiers for defense, telecommunications and even welding and laser-cutting. "From a fundamental perspective, the whole process is commercially viable," Sanghera said. "It's a low-cost process to make the powder and incorporate it into the fiber. The process is very similar to making telecom fiber." The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory provides the advanced scientific capabilities required to bolster our country's position of global naval leadership. With more than 2,500 personnel scientists, engineers and support staff, it has served the U.S. Navy and the nation for nearly 100 years, advancing research further than you can imagine. For more information, visit the NRL website and join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. From U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Corporate Communications Media Contact:

J. Raynel Koch

[email protected]

(202) 424-9955 mobile View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/researchers-use-nano-particles-to-increase-power-improve-eye-safety-of-fiber-lasers-301067859.html SOURCE U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Years of drought in Australia's east has caused the national sheep flock to shrink to the lowest levels since records began more than a century ago, agricultural figures revealed Thursday. Farmers sold-off or disposed of Aus$21 billion (US$13.9 billion) worth of livestock in total last year, as the nation's sheep count fell to 66 million, its lowest level since at least 1905. "Worsening drought and lack of feed in the eastern states forced many sheep and cattle producers to destock" the Australian Bureau of Statistics said, pointing to a seven percent fall in numbers in the 2018-19 financial year. The worst drought in living memory a which continues to grip large parts of the country a also halved the value of the nation's cotton crop and sliced more than 80 percent from the value of its rice, the bureau's director of agriculture statistics Sarah Kiely said. Sheep -- and in particular wool -- was a mainstay of the Australian economy for much of the last 150 years. The latest figures do not include the period around devastating bushfires which burnt through swathes of bush and farmland in late 2019 and early 2020. Recent rains in some areas have given hope to farmers ahead of the antipodean winter, with many confident enough to begin planting crops for the first time in years. But trade disputes with China, including threats of a boycott of Australian exports and huge tariffs on barley, still loom over the sector. Last week China slapped Aussie barley with an 80 percent tariff over allegations of dumping into its market, a move set to cost at least Aus$500 million (US$327 million) a year, according to five of the nation's grain growers.
EDWARDSVILLE  Pride Restoration, a water, mold and fire restoration company owned and operated by Edwardsville residents Jim and Susan Seubert, is now turning its efforts to help businesses open up faster during the pandemic.

One key factor for businesses to begin opening is sanitization and Jim Seubert said his company is well equipped to help local business owners and first responders.

We use electrolyzed water to disinfect surfaces and help provide this product to our first responders, Seubert said.

After 33 years in the restoration and sanitization business, the Air Force veteran has implemented this better way of sanitizing.

It is called hydrolyze and Seubert claims it kills most germs in under two minutes where he says a normal sanitizer can take up to 10 minutes.

According to Seubert, hydrolyzing is safe around food products, has virtually no scent and works well around those easily susceptible to cleaning products.

My wife has asthma and cant be around most cleaning products because of the strength of smell, this she has no problem, he said.

Hydrolyze disinfectant spray is used by his company, Pride Restoration, and has been received so well that he has a second business that is centered around getting the spray into the hands of anyone who needs it. A Better Way Distributing is how he is able to complete that mission.

A Better Way has been working with area first responders to get prototypes into their hands in hopes of creating a business relationship. Seubert said the spray is being used to not only disinfect surfaces but that it can be used on face masks and shields.

Seubert is looking to use his spray and restoration company to help local restaurants and offices and shops have a better reopening plan by working with them to be clean and stay clean.

Anyone that is looking to get ahold of or learn more about the hydrolyze disinfectant spray, visit: abetterwaydistributing.com/product/hydrolyze/

For business owners or homeowners that need the services of Pride Restoration, call 314-664-8844 or visit: priderestoration.com/

Pride Restoration is located in St. Louis but will travel and operate in the Metro-East area.
TYLER, Texas, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A landmark agreement between the Texas Attorney General's office and a group of Texas counties and cities impacted by the country's opioid epidemic paves the way for future settlement money to be directed to rural communities battling the crisis, lawyers with Tyler-based Martin Walker said Friday.

"This agreement is historic in that combining efforts with the Texas Attorney General's office strengthens our position immensely and gives us one united and powerful voice," said Martin Walker attorney Reid Martin. "But it also allows us to learn the lessons of settlements past. After the Big Tobacco settlement in the 1990s, we saw that many of the funds never made it to those who needed it most. This agreement will prevent that from happening. We know that the money will go to fund opioid addiction treatment, help impacted communities and ultimately save lives."

The Martin Walker legal team represents 29 counties in opioid litigation in Texas, most in east and northeast Texas.

Under the agreement announced by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, state and county representatives will be included in all negotiations currently underway with opioid drug distributors and manufacturers. In the event of a settlement, the agreement creates an allocation structure that guarantees state and local governments will each receive a 15 percent share of the funds. The remaining 70 percent will be administered by the Texas Opioid Council to be dispersed to treatment programs operated by 20 regional health care partnerships across Texas.

"This agreement is the result of years of hard work, and we are proud to see that our own Smith County has held a leadership role in the negotiations," said Martin Walker attorney Jack Walker. "This agreement ensures that Tyler's medical facilities, which serve all of East Texas, will get the funds they need to help in the fight against opioid addiction."

Martin Walker PC is a Tyler-based law firm with significant trial expertise representing individuals and businesses in high-stakes litigation, including medical malpractice, catastrophic injuries involving 18-wheeler accidents, oilfield injuries, wrongful death, and product liability. For more information visit: http://www.martinwalkerlaw.com/

Media Contact:

April Arias

281-630-0129

[email protected]

SOURCE Martin Walker PC

Related Links

https://www.martinwalkerlaw.com


By Trend

Azerbaijan will restore its destroyed cemeteries, historical, cultural and religious monuments, Head of the Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, MP Tural Ganjaliyev told Trend on May 29.

He noted that after the liberation of Azerbaijani lands from Armenian occupation, the destroyed cities, districts, villages and towns of Nagorno-Karabakh and the adjacent territories will be restored using the most modern solutions.

After the April battles of 2016, we witnessed rapid restoration of the village of Jojug Marjanli in a short time. New houses, a school, a kindergarten, a palace of culture, a recreation park, a mosque were built, greening was carried out. The villagers returned to their homes after many years, freeing themselves from the status of an internally displaced persons, the head of the community said.

As exemplified by the Jojug Marjanli and Shikharkh villages, Azerbaijan has proved to the whole world that it is capable of quickly building cities, districts, villages and towns on the countrys territories liberated from Armenian occupation. At the meetings with internally displaced persons, we repeatedly spoke with them on this topic, said Ganjaliyev.

There are people who have designed the interiors of the houses that they will build after returning to their lands. These people are looking forward to the day of return in order to realize the dream that they have lived for many years," the MP said.

He noted that Azerbaijan aims to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

"Today, as part of negotiations on the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, there is a plan for a phased settlement. However, because of the hypocrisy of the Armenian government, the conflict remains unresolved for many years, added the MP.

The Armenian leadership is deceiving both itself and the organizations that carry out an intermediary mission between the parties to the conflict, and this can continue until a certain point, he said.

I think that both the population of Armenia and international organizations have already begun to realize this. The authorities of the aggressor country are perceived in the negotiation process as an unreliable party," Ganjaliyev added.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Challenging social distancing measures in place in Mexico City, some people gathered on Thursday to pray to St. Judas Tadeo and celebrated mass from outside the saint's church.

Although the official day of this saint is October 28, devotees go to the temple on the 28th of each month to ask or give thanks to him.

Crowds of parishioners devoted to St. Judas usually clog the main streets in downtown Mexico City, but this time a reduced attendance took the mass from outside a church with closed doors.

They held up their saint's statues and images outside, as priest Ernesto Mejia held mass in front of an empty church and a group of mariachis played music.

People kept attending to the temple during the day and prayed from the street.

Follower Maria de los Angeles Martinez came to give thanks to San Judas Tadeo as he "has worked miracles" for her.

Mexico confirmed more than 78,000 coronavirus cases and 8,597 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

(Representative Image)(Image Credit Pixabay)
(Reuters) - The top three U.S. airlines, hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, are rolling out fresh programs to induce tens of thousands of employees to accept voluntary leave or early retirement in the hope of avoiding widespread furloughs in the fall, company memos show.

Around 100,000 employees of American Airlines Group Inc (AAL.O), Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL.N) and United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL.O) have already accepted offers for temporary or permanent leaves, memos show.

But airlines must continue reducing their workforces to match their businesses to a sharp downfall in air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Delta, with around 91,000 employees, is to announce on Thursday details of an enhanced retirement package for long-term employees and a separate voluntary opt-out package. Both include cash severance, full healthcare coverage and travel benefits, a memo dated May 27 showed.

Every voluntary departure helps to protect the jobs of those who most need them, CEO Ed Bastian said in the memo to employees. He added: I cant emphasize enough how challenging the environment is, and will be for the foreseeable future.

U.S. airlines cannot force any job or pay rate cuts until Oct. 1 under the terms of the federal CARES Act, which provides billions of dollars to help cover their payroll expenses until Sept. 30.

After that date, airlines have warned of involuntary reductions if overall workforces are still larger than needed.

American Airlines, with more than 100,000 employees, told its management and support staff on Wednesday that it must cut about 30% of their ranks, the same size of reductions planned by United for its management and administrative employees.

Both American and United are also discussing voluntary options with unions representing frontline employees, including pilots and flight attendants.

Delta is also in talks with its pilots union on early retirement options.
The New York Association on Independent Living, the non-profit that promotes the independent living and rights of New Yorkers with disabilities, is looking for a firm to handle its 2020 media campaign.
BUFFALO, N.Y., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Matrix Systems, a portfolio company of Lakelet Capital, transitioned to its new brand: Apis Wise, a new look to match its future plans. Apis Wise, a Western New York-based company, is focused on delivering leading pallet labeling, printing & coding, inventory management, and track & trace solutions to a variety of manufacturing clients.

"We are thrilled to see the continued growth of Apis Wise and its revolutionary solutions," said Randy Bianchi, Managing Partner at Lakelet Capital.

The new Apis Wise brand is intended to represent the company's commitment to strengthening their customers supply chain through automation intelligence. "When the world's largest manufactures want to increase productivity and decrease risk, Apis Wise can be trusted to yield results," said Michael Cirocco, General Manager and Senior VP of Operations and Technology.

Apis Wise is the standard for centralized labeling and tracking solutions. The company gets machines and large business systems speaking the same language and working together, with built-in troubleshooting to optimize workforce output. The brand represents innovation, data access, and ultimate traceability.

Dan Hare, Senior Vice President of Business Development said, "We are excited about our new brand launch, as we look into future opportunities. Our new look is modern and crisp, and the positive feedback we have received from our customers has exceeded expectations."

About Apis Wise

Apis Wise is a Buffalo-based company that has been providing manufacturing solutions for nearly 30 years. Apis Wise provides a full suite of solutions including inventory control, track & trace, printing & coding, and pallet Labeling. Apis Wise tailors their solution to fit their customer's processes without custom software by taking time to understand their business processes and critical business data. Apis Wise LLC is a subsidiary of Matrix Enterprise Holdings LLC.

To learn more, visit: www.apiswise.com

About Lakelet Capital LLC

Lakelet Capital is a Buffalo-based private equity firm investing in lower middle-market companies. Lakelet Capital seeks to invest in companies with the following characteristics: Revenue: 5 -100 million, based in US or Canada, seeking equity for growth or transition. Lakelet takes a long-term investment approach helping companies go from legacy to longevity. To learn more, visit www.lakeletcapital.com

Contact: Michael Cirocco, Apis Wise LLC

Phone: 716-830-7914

Email: [email protected]

Contact: Randy Bianchi, Lakelet Capital

Phone: 716-863-9971

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Apis Wise

Related Links

https://apiswise.com


A new swarm of locusts entered Nagpur district on Friday forcing district officials to step up efforts to tackle the short-horned grasshoppers.

The swarm in Vidarbha districts since May 24 has affected 135 hectares of fruit orchards and vegetable farms, said officials from the divisional agricultural department. However, the state agriculture department said there had been no damage to productive crops so far.

We were informed by our field officers that a fresh swarm entered from Amravati district into Katol tehsil, Nagpur. An existing swarm in this region was reported from Mauda tehsil (around 30 km from Katol), said Ravindra Bhosale, divisional joint director, agriculture. We are moving teams to carry out pesticide spraying across both areas as soon as we get the exact location where the swarms settle for the night, he added.

Around 50 hectares of fruit orchards, mainly oranges, and 35 hectares of vegetable farms have been affected across Katol, Kalmeshwar and Parseoni tehsils in Nagpur district. There is minimal damage to vegetables, while locusts have been eating leaves of fruit trees, which would have otherwise fallen during flowering. Thus, farmers have not faced any economical losses so far, said Bhosale, adding that these were just preliminary assessments.

Subhash Nagare, divisional joint director agriculture (in-charge of Amravati) said close to 50 hectares were affected across Morshi and Warud talukas in Amravati district. These are mostly orange orchards where pesticide spraying has been carried out. However, the situation is under control, with less number of locusts on Friday.

Suhas Diwase, state agriculture commissioner, said, There is no crop damage anywhere in the sub-divison. Eating leaves across orchards does not amount to productive damage and loss of vegetables is minimal. Actual damage cannot be assessed in such circumstances. The entire machinery is busy with control measures. There are no instructions from the state so far to assess productive damage.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra forest department has alerted the Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) and buffer areas to inform authorities if they spot swarms. This was done after receiving reports of locust swarms present in Parseoni and Ramtek tehsils of Nagpur, which are close to forest patches, said Ravikiran Govekar, field director, PTR.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
WATERBURY  A fifth teen was recently charged in connection with a drive-by shooting that killed Isaiah Colon earlier this month, according to police.

Four teens have already been arrested and charged for their role in the shooting death of Colon on May 14 around 10 p.m. in the area of Willow Street and Woodlawn Terrace.
Right now, across Michigan and the entire country, communities are grappling with the enormous impacts of COVID-19. More than 38 million Americans have lost their jobs, businesses across the state have shut their doors, and there is little sense of when normal will return.

There is also an important story that is unfolding in communities across the state and country that is not getting the attention it deserves: K-12 students, especially special needs children, are in jeopardy because they are not getting the resources they need.

Even before the current pandemic hit, roughly 200,000 special needs children in Michigan were chronically underserved because of cuts to public education. For decades, Michigan has been feeling the consequences of harmful K-12 public school funding cuts. Since the 1990s, Michigan has gone from being among the top states in the country for K-12 public school funding to among the worst.

As Michigan saw its K-12 school funding drop for decades, funding for special needs students in many districts throughout the state also fell to inadequate levels. As a result, more special needs students were left with fewer teachers and resources. At the same time, policies supported by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos allowed for-profit, private schools to receive taxpayer funding, and they still receive hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars annually in Michigan. All of this comes at the expense of fewer resources going to public schools and special needs students.

Now, in the face of the mounting threat presented by COVID-19, public education experts, teachers, and administrators are warning that things are getting worse for our schools and special needs students. And once again, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is at the center of our K-12 public school funding woes.

According to recent reporting, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is using her power as the U.S. Secretary of Education to shift taxpayer dollars allocated to K-12 public schools in the CARES Act. She is funneling them to private, for-profit schools. This means that instead of public schools and special needs students getting more funding  more taxpayer dollars will line the pockets of private, for-profit schools.

Its important to point out that these private schools often discriminate against special needs students, denying them admission because they know these students require more funding to care for and educate. So, in essence, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is shifting tax dollars away from our public schools while burdening them with more significant challenges and limited resources.

But this is to say nothing of that fact that out of the $2.2 trillion allocated in the CARES Act passed by Congress  not even a single dollar was explicitly earmarked for special needs students. Only $13.5 billion from the CARES Act was allocated to K-12 public schools  not even half a percent of the total CARES Act. Big corporations received more than half a trillion dollars in bailout money. Yet, our public schools do not even have the resources to ensure all our students have access to the internet or laptops for distance learning. And Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has shown no interest in demanding more money from Congress for our public schools even though we are in the midst of the biggest challenge facing education in modern history.

This is nothing but a sad betrayal to Michigan families, students, and special needs children across the nation. Local school districts and Michigans leaders deserve a lot of praise for doing what they can to get resources to local teachers, administrators, and families that can better enable them to ensure students continue to learn during this time.

But at the end of the day, these students need more resources, and the answer to that is stronger federal leadership that is committed to ensuring students get what they need to learn.

Unfortunately, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos seems more concerned about protecting the profits of private schools than the education of our public school students and special needs children.

Ellen Offen is a former teacher and is vice president of Protect Our Public Schools.
Qatar denies GCC leaving reports as it prepares to mark three years of blockade by Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.

Qatar has denied reports that it plans to quit the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as it prepares to mark three years of a blockade imposed by its neighbours Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt.

However, the gas-rich state cautioned that the effort by three of the GCCs six members to isolate Qatar economically and politically meant people in the region were doubting and questioning the organisation.

Reports claiming that Qatar is considering leaving the GCC are wholly incorrect and baseless, Qatars assistant foreign minister Lolwah al-Khater told AFP news agency on Thursday.

Such rumours must have originated from peoples despair and disappointment with a fractured GCC, which used to be a source of hope and aspiration for the people of the six member countries, she said.

As we are reaching the third year of the illegal blockade on Qatar by Saudi, UAE and Bahrain, there is no wonder why the people of the GCC are doubting and questioning the GCC as an institution. Qatar hopes the GCC will once again be a platform of cooperation and coordination. An effective GCC is needed now more than ever, given the challenges facing our region.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, along with non-GCC member Egypt, cut diplomatic, economic and travel ties with Qatar in June 2017 over their insistence that Qatar was too close to Iran and backing hardline movements.

Qatar rejected the charge and refused to budge on the 13 demands made by the blockading nations. The demands included the closure of the Doha-based Al Jazeera Media Network, and shutting a Turkish base in Qatar.

The dispute will enter its third year on June 5.

Qataris are asking themselves what benefit a membership in the GCC still has, as the organisation has been usurped by Saudi Arabia and the UAE to coerce the smaller states into followership, while no initiative is being made to bring the Gulf crisis to an end, said Kings College assistant professor Andreas Krieg.

Oman and Kuwait are the other two members of the body, which oversees regional economic and military coordination, along with Qatar and its regional rivals.

Meanwhile, Qatar has reiterated to the United Nations Security Council the blockade affects security and stability of the region.

The meeting on Protection of civilians in armed conflict was held virtually on Thursday and was attended by Qatars permanent representative to the UN, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani.

The unjust blockade imposed against it threatens the security and stability of the region, violates international law and contradicts the orientations of the international community, Sheikha Alya said in a statement.
The Alberta government's new representative to the United States may have his work cut out for him.

Former Conservative MP James Rajotte was hired in April to lobby for Alberta's economic interests south of the border.

He told the Calgary Eyeopener on Thursday that those interests include energy, agriculture, agri-food and manufacturing.

"I think we'll measure success  in terms of how successful we are at getting our projects built in the U.S., how successful we are at attracting investment into Alberta, preserving that integral trade relationship," Rajotte said.

"Ensuring that Alberta's interests are always advocated for, and ensuring that American policymakers understand the beneficial nature of the integrated relationship."

U.S. presents obstacles for Alberta

Rajotte's new gig coincides with a slew of emerging challenges presented by the United States.

For example, borders are currently closed due to COVID-19.

A presumptive presidential nominee, Democrat Joe Biden, has made a campaign promise to cancel the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline  endangering the UCP government's $1.5-billion, taxpayer-funded investment.

And a unilateral "America First" approach to trade and foreign policy has surged under President Donald Trump, threatening Alberta industries such as agriculture.

But Rajotte  who was part of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group for 10 years and served as chair of Parliament's standing committee on finance  is still optimistic that he has the connections to get traction for Alberta.

"I have a lot of relationships existing with senators, with members of the House of Representatives. So, I'll certainly renew those and strengthen those and build on those to advocate for our interests," Rajotte said.

"It's a challenge, always, to get their attention. But I'm very confident I can do that, both at the national level and at the state level."

Story continues

Rajotte will try to sway Dems on Keystone

The issue of the border closures due to COVID-19, Rajotte said, is one that he hopes will be rectified in time with the adoption of responsible measures.

The Keystone XL pipeline debate, however, is ongoing and complex, and was a major issue in U.S. politics several years ago.

After years of delay, then-president Barack Obama cancelled a critical permit in 2015, a move Trump reversed in 2017.

On May 18, Biden announcement he would cancel the project if elected president  which prompted Alberta Premier Jason Kenney to wade into the U.S. political landscape.

"As we hopefully begin to emerge from this pandemic, the public both in the United States and Canada will be increasingly focused on jobs and the economy, and that is why this project needs to proceed," Kenney said.

Ensuring the project gets the green light, Rajotte said on the Eyeopener, will involve advocating for Alberta oil to both Democrats and Republicans.

"Obviously, we'll make our case to both political parties," Rajotte said.

"But especially, we'll make it to the Biden campaign. We'll make it to members of the House of Representatives, and Senate, and the Democratic Party  some of whom have, frankly, even toured the oilsands and have a firsthand knowledge of the Alberta economy."

Rajotte said he will have to work with labour organizations and businesses that supply materials along the pipeline's route.

He will also be discussing the project with as many policymakers as possible, so that they "understand the integrated nature of the North American energy market."

Ultimately, he said, those policymakers will be presented with a "stark choice" about sourcing oil.

"Do you want it from Canada, which is very safe  or do you want to get your heavy crude for the Gulf Coast from Venezuela or Saudi Arabia?" Rajotte said.

"That's ultimately the choice that U.S. policymakers have to make, and we have to do our part to advocate for Alberta's interests."

Threats to agriculture taken 'very seriously'

Rajotte said he'll take a similar approach when it comes to agriculture.

President Trump recently suggested that U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue consider terminating deals with countries that trade beef, saying there is "a lot of cattle" in the United States.

"We take any threat with respect to our agriculture [and] agri-food market very seriously, both at the national level and at the state level," Rajotte said.

As with the energy sector, he stressed working with politicians to ensure they understand how entwined the U.S. and Canadian economies are.

"We take  a Team Canada approach to that, and we ensure that we make that argument," Rajotte said.

"As I said, with respect to energy, agriculture, the manufacturing sector, it's across all sectors that it's that integrated."

Rajotte defends Savage's pipeline comments

Rajotte will not only have to navigate U.S. policy. He will also have to defend the Alberta government on an international stage.

Earlier this month, Energy Minister Sonya Savage said that the pandemic presents a "great opportunity" to build pipelines, as protests would be stymied by health regulations.

It made headlines worldwide, and drew the attention of Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg on Twitter.

Rajotte told the Eyeopener that Savage's comments were likely the reflection of "frustration that many Albertans feel" about the pipeline's stunted progress.

"It's important for us to remember that it's been deemed safe and in the public interest," Rajotte said.

"We've been exceptionally patient in terms of building the pipeline. Now it's moving forward, and I think what it's indicating is that  the pipeline needs to be built. Not only for our interests, but for American interests as well."
New Delhi, May 29 : Over three days, the Indian Army top leadership discussed upon various aspects related to existing and developing security challenges, including China's transgression attempts in Ladakh and Sikkim regions.

The deliberations were made during the Army Commanders' Conference, an apex biannual event which facilitates conceptual level deliberations culminating in important policy decisions.

The conference was scheduled for April 2020 and postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic and later it was decided to organise it in two phases. First phase of the conference was conducted at South Block, New Delhi from May 27 to 29. The meet conference planned much before the tension with China in eastern Ladakh region.

The meet started with Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane presiding over the conference on May 27.

In eastern Ladakh, there are standoffs at at least four places wherein India and China have differences on the perception of the Line of Actual Control. The tension erupted after skirmishes between the soldiers of both sides at the Pangong Lake region on May 5 and May 6. These issues were discussed during Army Commanders' Conference.

The Indian Army's apex leadership also deliberated upon human resource management issues, studies pertaining to ammunition management, merger of co-located training establishments and merger of military training directorate with HQ Army Training Command.

The Board of Governor meetings of the Army Welfare Housing Origination and Army Welfare Education Society were also organised during the event.

The second phase of the conference scheduled from June 24 to June 27 will include interactive sessions with Department of Military Affairs and Department of Defence, discussions on agenda sponsored by Command Headquarters and deliberations on ongoing studies of logistics and administrative issues.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat are also likely to address the conference during this phase.
Editor's Note: With so much market volatility, stay on top of daily news! Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news and expert opinions. Sign up here!

(Kitco News) - Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE: EXK; TSX: EDR) has restarted mining operations at its three silver-gold mines in Mexico, the company announced Thursday.

The Mexican government issued a decree this spring closing all businesses, including mines, not deemed essential in order to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Endeavour Silver said it filed mine operating and health plans with the Secretariat of Health and received approval to resume mining. At each mine, plants have started processing ore stockpiles to ramp up to capacity while the mines catch up on stope development and ore extraction, the company said.

Following the recent government decree that mining is now an essential activity, we are efficiently ramping up our mining operations in a safe and timely manner, said Bradford Cooke, director and chief executive officer.

The company listed several actions that it plans, including medical screening for all employees and contractors to verify no one has COVID-19 symptoms or contact with anyone who does. The plans also include social distancing, sanitation measures and educational efforts.

During the suspension, a number of improvements were made, the company said. For instance, at Guanacevi, two rebuilt cone crushers were installed to allow the plant to return to its capacity of 1,200 metric tons per day capacity in June. At Bolanitos, personnel are completing development of the San Miguel ore body over the next two months so that the plant can reach 1,100 tpd before the end of the second quarter, Endeavour added.
Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, lose muscle control as nerve cells or neurons in the brain and spinal cord degenerate and can no longer send signals to muscles. Previous studies have identified that problems at the synapse, the point where signals jump from one neuron to another neuron or to a muscle, could contribute to that disconnect. But it's unclear what causes these problems. New research from the Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center has identified a new mechanism by which the buildup of toxic proteins -- a common hallmark of ALS -- disrupts neuronal transmission. The findings provide a groundwork for understanding how to maintain the nerve-muscle connection in ALS, and could lead the search for new therapies. The study was published in EMBO Molecular Medicine on April 29th, 2020.

The culprit behind inherited cases of ALS is frequently an error in the C9orf72 gene, which incorrectly instructs the cell to over-produce a repetitive sequence of proteins, called dipeptide repeats (DPRs). One of the most abundant of these DPRs is the GA protein, which forms aggregates and gradually causes toxicity that can kill the neuron.

"Our collaborators in Germany had found in a previous mouse model where GA is over-produced that there are deficits in motor function," explains Davide Trotti, PhD, professor of neuroscience, Research Director of the Weinberg ALS Center and co-senior author of the study. "But we did not know what GA was doing in the neuron itself."

The researchers cultured motor neurons, the neurons that connect to muscle, from rats to take a closer look at the GA aggregates. They found that the GA aggregates are in fact mobile, traveling within the neuron and accumulating along dendrites and axons, where synapses are found. The researchers also found that the presence of GA aggregates led to an influx of calcium ions, disrupting the electrical balance of the neuron. This imbalance can impair the neuron's ability to detect and send signals.

Indeed, when the researchers examined the synaptic machinery responsible for sending signals from the neuron to muscle, they found a reduction in a key protein called synaptic vesicle-associated protein 2 (SV2) in motor neurons grown or cultured in a petri dish. SV2 regulates the release of neurotransmitters, which are the signaling molecules that neurons use to communicate with each other and muscles.

This decrease in SV2 results in diminished release of neurotransmitters, preventing the neuron from properly communicating with the muscle. Importantly, this reduction in SV2 was also found in vivo at the neuron-muscle connections in a mouse model of GA aggregation, as well as in motor neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of patients with the C9orf72 form of ALS.

"The results suggest that these impairments in neuronal transmission also occur in patients' cells," says Piera Pasinelli, PhD, professor of neuroscience, Director of the Weinberg ALS Center and co-senior author of the study.

"This helps us to understand the basis for symptoms ultimately observed in patients. Importantly, it helps identify targets and mechanisms in disease-relevant systems where GA is not artificially made or over-expressed."

Using genetic tools, the researchers then replenished the SV2 protein in the cultured motor neurons with GA aggregates, and found that synaptic function was restored to normal levels. Restoring SV2 also reduced toxicity normally caused by the GA aggregates, and even prevented cells from dying and prolonged their survival. Notably, the deficits in SV2 and synaptic transmission occur before toxicity and cell death, so intervening in that time window could be significantly beneficial in slowing disease progression.

"We've shown that even though the GA aggregates are still present, replenishing the SV2 protein can combat the most detrimental effects of this protein buildup," says Brigid Jensen, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the Weinberg Center and first author of the study. "This points to SV2 as a promising therapeutic target for this genetic form of ALS."

"We now have a better understanding of what contributes to the degradation of the nerve-muscle connectivity in this devastating disease" says Dr. Pasinelli.

"Future studies will help determine if SV2 can prolong muscle strength and slow disease progression in C9orf72ALS patients," adds Dr. Trotti.
The deadly attacks by bandits in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State in which dozens were killed were likely in retaliation for the killing of bandits by the police in the area, residents have said.

PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday reported how 50 persons were killed in separate attacks on Sunday and Wednesday. Residents said the death toll has reached 70.

The police spokesperson in Zone 10 Sokoto, Bashir Musa, told PREMIUM TIMES that the police were on top of the situation and were still assessing what happened, after which a definite statement would be released later.

He said the police have deployed more personnel in the affected communities to ascertain the exact number of casualties.

But locals said they believed they were targeted because of a previous incident.

Obviously, they came to take revenge for the killing of two bandits at Garki community by the police in Sabon Birni, LGA on May 22, said a resident who asked not to be named for security reasons.

We were aware of their coming, (and) through phone calls we notified the security agents, however, no action was taken.

The police had said in an earlier statement that their divisional patrol team on routine patrol along Sabon Birni  Garki village on May 22, sighted two motorcyclists suspected to be armed bandits.

(They) were pursued and on reaching Garki village their motorcycle hit the pavement of the road and fell down. Suddenly, subjects opened fire on Patrol Team.

The Police in conjunction with the vigilantes swiftly responded to the attack, as a result the two bandits lost their lives.

READ ALSO:

The following items were recovered from the bandits : One RPG with Breech No. M80 and one G3 Rifle with Breech No. 63660, corpses were evacuated to General Hospital Sabon Birni for autopsy. investigation has commenced in earnest, the statement said.

Invading communities

Locals said the Garki community where the bandits were killed was the prime target of Wednesdays attack. They said the bandits killed 25 people in that community and that all the other villages that were attacked are in the Garki ward.

The sources said aside from the 25 people the bandits killed in Garki, they also mowed down 13 at Dan-Aduwa, 25 at Kuzari, five at Masawa and six at Katuma.

The bandits came from afar away, said another source. On their way to Sabon Birni, they passed through several villages, we received multiple phones calls from the villages that have mobile network, informing residents of Sabon Birni that hundreds of bandits were heading our way to avenge the killing of their brothers.

We notified soldiers and the police about the development, however, nothing was done to prevent the attack on Wednesday.

Victims appeal for help

Victims of the attacks, who are taking refuge at Sabon Birni council headquarters, have appealed for help. They said most of them are elderly people and children and have been sleeping outside in the cold without food.

Were in trouble. They have killed our husbands and our children and we dont have any place to go, a woman who identified herself only as Uwani told PREMIUM TIMES. We are sleeping on the streets at Sabon Birni, none of us have eaten today as I speak to you now. We need help.

Ilaya Garki, from Garki, the community worst hit in the attacks, said We ran to Sabon Birni for safety, but since Wednesday we have been sleeping on the streets and under the trees. Nobody has come to our aid. We need help as most of us have no relatives in Sabon Birni town.

Group demands lasting solution to attacks

A group, Coalition of Concerned Sokoto Citizens, on Thursday at a press conference, called on the federal and Sokoto State governments to urgently act on the deteriorating security situation in the state.

The leader of the group, Nasiru Gatawa, said Sokoto was known for peace and hospitality but is falling into total anarchy as a result of the activities of bandits.

They said the attackers had been regularly and persistently terrorising the state, particularly the eastern zone which comprises eight local governments areas.

The group named the affected LGAs as Gada, Goronyo, Gwadabawa, Illela, Isa, Rabah, Sabon Birni and Wurno, saying each of this LGAs has parts under the control of bandits.

The activities of the bandits have crippled social and economic activities and has led to the loss of hundreds of lives and properties valued at billions of naira in the zone, Mr Gatawa said.

Advertisements



He said the most terrorised local government area in the zone is Sabon Birni, where he said the bandits operated freely in broad daylight for several hours with no check by the government.

Within the first quarter of 2020 alone, over 20 attacks were carried out by bandits in the local government area alone. In these attacks, villages were freely raided by bandits where they killed children and their fathers, raped their mothers, abducted their brothers and later demanded ransom from the family or community.

Each of the 11 wards in Sabon Birni Local Government has part(s) of it under the total control of bandits whose permission and consent the villagers need to conduct wedding or naming ceremonies or to even have a market day.

The situation is getting so serious that even Sokoto metropolis cannot boast of being safe from the attacks of bandits because the activities of these bandits are gradually expanding to villages a few kilometers from Sokoto city, the group said.

The group appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Aminu Tambuwal to urgently rise to the aid of the people of Sokoto state by mobilising the security apparatuses at their disposal.

We appeal to President Buhari and Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to listen to the cries of our orphans and widows and act with all seriousness in order to save the remaining lives in Sokoto eastern zone and state at large.

We also appeal to the Federal Government of Nigeria and Sokoto State Government to direct NEMA and SEMA respectively to immediately provide support to the victims of these attacks as they are in dire need of assistance, the group said at the press conference in Sokoto.
United States President, Donald Trump, has reiterated his insistence that coronavirus was from China. On Thursday, the president e...





United States President, Donald Trump, has reiterated his insistence that coronavirus was from China.





On Thursday, the president expressed dismay that the disease had affected every part of the world.





All over the World the coronavirus, a very bad gift from China, marches on. Not good! he tweeted.





Trump and his administrations officials have repeatedly stated that Beijing was culpable.

The president had suggested that China was wishing he would lose in the November election.





China strongly rejected the allegation that it created COVID-19.





On May 1, Trump reopened the U.S. economy despite criticisms.





The president has also directed the reopening of religious centres.





In a rare open remark, former President Barack Obama said coronavirus has exposed U.S. Government officials.





Obama made the comment in an address to 2020 college graduates.





He noted that the crisis has torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what theyre doing.





A lot of them arent even pretending to be in charge, Obama declared.





The U.S. is now the epicenter of the pandemic.





The death in the country has exceeded 100,000.





America has recorded 1,750,000 cases of coronavirus.




Though dining rooms across the US are reopening and some customers are returning, restaurants have expressed concern regarding sales losses because of capacity constraints imposed to contain the new coronavirus.

According to the Wall Street Journal, restaurants are trying to figure out how to run at a fraction of that capacity. "This business model is fundamentally altered," said John Cywinski, president of Applebee's, which was on the path to opening new stores for the first time in years before the crisis hit. Across the restaurant industry, he said, "There ...
The Shama District Assembly has temporarily closed two main markets in the district following the rise in COVID-19 cases in the Western Region.

The markets are Beposo and Abuesi which would be reopen after a week.

The Region, has been declared as the new hotspot in new cases for the COVID-19 pandemic with a record of 304 cases.

Mr. Joseph Amoah, the District Chief Executive for the Assembly, said the decision was necessitated by the closure of markets in the Sekondi -Takoradi Metropolis and Ahanta West Municipality.

The observation of social distancing protocols and other healthy measures in the markets have not been strictly followed over the period.

The authorities have also indicated that many of the contact tracing in the cases in the Western Region has close links to market centres.

Mr. Amoah said the closure would pave way for a shift system to be implemented when the market is eventually opened.

Meanwhile some traders the Ghana News Agency spoke with expressed displeasure at the short notice of the closure.

---GNA
The difference in price between California and Texas is $1.73

The price of oil is marching higher again, crossing $80 a barrel this week. Despite that, gasoline prices remain stable, though at an elevated level.

AAAs daily survey of gas prices shows the national average price of regular gas is $3.30 a gallon, the same as last Friday. Its three cents lower than a month ago. The average price of premium gas is $3.94 a gallon, a penny a gallon higher than last week. The price of diesel fuel is $3.59 a gallon, two cents more than a w...
Twitter took action for a second time against President Donald Trumps tweets early Friday morning, attaching a warning label over the top of a late night Trump tweet about the protests in Minneapolis over the killing of George Floyd by police. Several hours after the tweet was posted, the company placed a disclaimer over the second portion of the two-tweet statement by the president, saying its content violated the companys terms of service prohibiting the glorification of violence. Users can click past the warning label to view Trumps tweet in full, which calls protesters thugs, says Trump told the Minnesota governor that the military is with him all the way, and states when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

Advertisement

....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Twitter stated that its decision to attach the warning label was based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today. Trumps line about looting and shooting, the New York Times notes, echoes the sentiments of Walter E. Headley, the Miami police chief who attracted national attention in the late 1960s for using shotguns, dogs and a heavy-handed stop-and-frisk policy to fight crime in the citys black neighborhoods. We havent had any serious problems with civil uprising and looting, Headley said in a 1967 news conference, because Ive let the word filter down that when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

Advertisement

Advertisement

On Friday morning, Trump woke up and responded:

Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party. They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States. Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

The move to rein Trumps rhetoric on the platform comes shortly after Twitter, for the first time, added fact-check labels to two Trump tweets vilifying mail-in voting. In response, Trump issued an executive order Thursday that could remove social media companies liability protections for whats posted on their sites.

For more on Trumps war with Twitter, listen to What Next: TBD.
(Newser)  At least seven people were shot Thursday night in Louisville as protesters turned out to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, a black woman fatally shot by police in her home in March. Louisville Metro Police confirmed in a statement early Friday that there were at least seven shooting victims; at least one is in critical condition. The statement said arrests were made but police didn't provide a number. Police had initially confirmed reports of gunfire around 11:30pm. Police spokesman Sgt. Lamont Washington tells the AP that all seven were civilians. Around 500 to 600 demonstrators marched through the Kentucky city's downtown streets on Thursday night, the Louisville Courier Journal reports.

story continues below

"Understandably, emotions are high," Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer tweeted just before midnight, sharing a Facebook post asking for peace that he said was written on behalf of Taylor's mother. "As Breonnas mother says, lets be peaceful as we work toward truth and justice." Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical tech, was shot eight times on March 13 after Louisville narcotics detectives knocked down her front door. No drugs were found in the home. Thursday's demonstration came as protesters across the country have demonstrated against the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody.

(Read more Breonna Taylor stories.)
In this article ZM

Jim Scheinman, founding managing partner of Maven Ventures and an early investor in Zoom Video Communications, is still betting on the videoconferencing company's future and on the vision of its founder and CEO Eric Yuan. The company has been on a tear  stoked by the need for its essential services during the pandemic  but as competition nips at its heels from Microsoft, Facebook and Google, there is a need to keep innovating its product line. To achieve that goal, Zoom is teaming up with start-ups building the next big app on its open platform using Zoom APIs. Zoom has grown to 300 million daily participants from its launch in 2013, and its market cap has risen from $15.9 billion at the time of its IPO in April 2019 to near-$50 billion. Maven Ventures has reaped a 200 times return on investment during the start-up's meteoric rise. To spur the next wave of growth, Scheinman came up with the idea for an app marketplace contest online for start-ups to build new features and functions for Zoom. In a so-called Whale Watch competition held earlier this month with a virtual backdrop of whales swimming, leaders of 10 tech start-ups who were selected as finalists among 600 contestants presented business plans in Shark Tank-like pitches over Zoom to Scheinman and four other judges. They were Zoom's Platform and AI head Wei Li; Carl Eschenbach, a partner of Sequoia Capital; Santi Subotovsky, general partner of Emergence Capital; and Bart Swanson, advisor of Horizons Ventures who are Zoom investors that also serve on the company's board. Each start-up team pitched their made-for-Zoom apps, ranging from Pledgeling for pledging donations and iScribeHealth for virtual physician consultations to Bloom for specialized online classes for kids. Votes came in from an online audience poll while the judges went off-screen to decide and then announce the winner: Docket, a start-up in Indianapolis with an app to make meetings more efficient with collaborative agendas, note-taking tools, archives and task steps.



As the contest champion, Docket stands to receive up to $2 million in funding from the four participating venture firms once due diligence is done, said Darin Brown, co-founder and CEO of Docket, which launched in January 2019 with $1.5 million in VC backing and is one of several apps on Zoom. "For us it was a no-brainer to roll out our app on Zoom because of the number of users and the deep integration of Docket within the video platform," said Brown. He expects that Docket will reach 10,000 users by the end of May, up from 3,000 at the beginning of 2020. The growth and venture funding opportunity for other contestants with innovative apps that ride on Zoom could be huge. "Zoom will be the next big platform for start-ups to build billion-dollar businesses," Scheinman said. "Of the 10 companies we chose as finalists, every single one has a potential $1 billion business opportunity."

Zoom's growing pains

Not many start-ups have experienced a surge like Zoom  from 10 million average daily meeting participants in December 2019 to more than 300 million each day by late April 2020. "The way people communicate will be forever changed," noted Eric Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom Video Communications in San Jose, pointing to such benefits as increased productivity and collaboration, and ease of use. "In the long run, working from home and use of video communications will be more accepted as standard practice in day-to-day business," he pointed out in an email response. The once scrappy start-up must keep innovating to stay ahead of established tech titans that have ramped up their own video conferencing services integrated within full product suites.The rebranded Microsoft Teams, which replaces Skype for Business Online for voice calls and video conferencing and functions within the collaborative Microsoft Office 365 platform, added 31 million users in one month and reached 75 million active users by late April. Google's Hangouts, renamed Google Meet in early April and combined with its portfolio of business services such as Gmail, Docs and Drive, is adding about 3 million users every day and climbed to more than 100 million daily participants. In addition, Facebook has expanded its videoconferencing and chat features while Verizon Business entered the race in mid-April by agreeing to acquire Blue Jeans Network, a cloud-based video conferencing and event platform. The services have similar features such as screen sharing, gallery views and meeting recordings, and even live transcripts such as from Otter.ai, which has transcribed 25 million meetings. Pricing differs little, ranging from free, limited feature versions to monthly subscriptions of $5 for small teams and $15 and $20 for larger businesses and enterprises. "The services all do have similar features, but the differences come in how various features are de-emphasized in the mix," said Dan Rothman, president of software development consultancy Flatbridge Technology in New York. He pointed out that Google Meet is good for social grouping because it can be easy to access contacts, while Microsoft Teams is more business oriented, integrated with Office 365.

Beyond the usual start-up growing pains, Zoom also has contended with a needling perception that it's made in China and subject to foreign spies listening in. In early April, Yuan admitted that some meetings had been mistakenly routed through China, to handle surges in traffic. Zoom isn't made in China  rather in Silicon Valley. But Zoom has a large developer team in China to supplement higher-level R&D teams in the U.S. According to researchers at the University of Toronto who studied the potential security issues, some 700 Zoom engineers work in China. Zoom plans to expand in the U.S. with engineering centers in Phoenix and Pittsburgh, and hire 500 engineers in the U.S. over the next few years.

Not a Chinese app

An American citizen, founder Yuan grew up in Shandong province, China, and earned a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics from Shandong University of Science & Technology and a master's degree from China University of Mining and Technology and later, in 2006, an Executive MBA from Stanford University. Inspired by the dotcom boom, he moved to the U.S. in 1997, joined videoconferencing start-up Webex as a code developer, learned English, and worked his way up through cultural and language barriers to become a v.p. in engineering. He helped to build Webex over 14 years, including a $3.5 billion acquisition by Cisco Systems in 2007, and stayed on for a few years as corporate v.p. of engineering. With the dream of starting a new, user-friendly cloud-based video service, he left Cisco in 2011 after his idea was rejected and took with him 40 Cisco engineers to start his own company, Saasabee. The start-up was renamed Zoom after early investor Scheinman came up with the name from a children's book Zoom City he used to read to one of his kids. When Zoom went public in April 2019, Yuan became a billionaire and his venture investors hit pay day. But as Zoom ballooned in users this year when Covid-19 spread globally, security flaws surfaced. Built for the enterprise market, Zoom was suddenly was being used by consumers to work, study and socialize, explained founder Yuan. To deal with high-profile problems such as "Zoom bombers" suddenly interrupting online meetings, Zoom put a freeze on development of any new products and set up task forces led by executives on a 90-day, fix-it plan, beginning April 1. Among the fixes that were hastily made: introduced data routing controls so Zoom hosts can choose which data center regions (including China) their meetings use for real-time traffic; added an icon so users can easily access security features; acquired Keybase, a secure messaging and file-sharing service, to accelerate Zoom's plan to build end-to-end encryption; embedded meeting passwords by default, and named former Facebook and Yahoo chief security officer Alex Stamos as a security consultant.

Fighting Goliaths
To the Editor:

My emotions were stirred reading the Tuesday, May 26, edition of The Southern.

The front page articles showed a picture of a true patriot, Don Cooper, in the "Little Arlington" article. My pride in my country and the generations of veterans who fought for our freedom tugged at my heartstrings. Personally, the article matched my pride in my Dad, who fought in World War II.

Then below that was an article regarding the demonstration of a "gathering of patriots." Patriots? Hardly!

Mr. Moshe Ben Avi, excuse me, your statement that this was not a protest boggles the definition of protest. Your "freedom has been infringed upon," and you want to waste Gov. Pritzker's time calling for his removal. Please, you and the rest of your small crowd should read and study the "Little Arlington" article.

How not patriotic can you be? Our governor has saved many lives in Illinois by his prompt action calling for isolation and face covering in the war against the COVID-19 virus.

Illinois still needs more testing. Illinois still needs masks. But there are still persons who show no symptoms who carry the virus. Yes, everyone has been inconvenienced, personally and financially. Our ancestors were inconvenienced as well.

The fight against this enemy is still evolving. Your rights to freedom are limited by mine. As my Dad would say, your right to swing your fist ends with my nose.

So be brave, care about your neighbor, obey orders. That is the way patriotic citizens can support our leaders in this fight.

MAUA: Make America United Again.

Beth Connell

Herrin

Love 7 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
The Electoral Commission has estimated to register sixteen (16) million eligible Ghanaian electorates onto the new voters' register.



The Commission, during an IPAC meeting on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, announced the registration exercise will begin in June this year.



Persons in the age brackets of 18 years and above are expected to participate in the exercise.



Legal documents for the registration exercise are the Ghana card and passport but those without these two requirements can register the names by the help of guarantors.



The EC's decision to compile a new voters' register has however been met by opposition from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and members of the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Voter Register [IPRAN] who claim the Commission's is plotting to disenfranchise about 11 million eligible Ghanaians.



The NDC has also accused the EC saying it seeks to rig the December elections for the governing New Patriotic Party and the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.



But speaking in an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's flagship programme ''Kokrokoo'', a Deputy Chairman of the EC, Dr. Bossman Asare has debunked that the Commission wants to deprive some Ghanaians of their voting right.



According to him, the measures put in place by the EC will not exclude any eligible voter in the nation.



He echoed that the electorates without the Ghana card or passport have the option of someone guaranteeing for them to register their names and so no person will be left out of the registration exercise.



The EC Chairman also revealed that the Commission is approximating 16 million names to get into the new voters' register, contrary to the claims that 11 million people won't get the opportunity to register.



''We're looking at between fifteen to sixteen million. And when you take into account the machines we're using, we can register between six hundred to eight hundred thousand people''.



Dr. Bossman Asare further advised the attendees not to be entrapped by the notion that, due to the Coronavirus outbreak, they will be risking their lives going to the various registration centres.



''We have consulted with health experts, the national COVID team and the Ghana Health Service among others. The measures we are putting in place are scientific and we expect every person to abide by them. Make sure to wear face mask when going to the registration centres. We will also check your temperatures, provide water and soap for the washing of hands and hand sanitizers'', he stated.



He added ''the registration is not a one-day event. We are using six days'' and so should a person go to a centre and the numbers are almost crammed up, he or she can register on a different day.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 57-year-old man has been arrested for a burglary at a gas station in Meiers Corners, according to police.

Robert Patti, of North Irish Street in Greeneville, Tenn., was apprehended on May 23 and faces charges that include burglary, according to a spokeswoman for the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information and public records.

Police asked for the publics help to identify the suspect in the incident on April 29 at about 9:30 p.m. at a gas station in the vicinity of Victory Boulevard and Perry Avenue.

The NYPD is asking the public's assistance identifying the individual depicted in the attached surveillance photos in connection to a burglary that occurred within the confines of the 121 Precinct on 4/29/20 in the vicinity of Perry Avenue and Victory Blvd, (Gas Station) pic.twitter.com/6uf28n3gAP  NYPD 121st Precinct (@NYPD121Pct) May 7, 2020

The suspect allegedly broke through a secured window to gain entry to the business. Once inside, he allegedly removed a cash register and fled on foot. The stolen property had an estimated value of $600, according to a previous statement from police.

A 59-year old male employee returning to work discovered the property damage and called police.

Patti has been released on his own recognizance and is due back in Criminal Court on Aug. 4.

An attorney for the defendant did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rarely has a cast of more unlikable characters been assembled in one television series.

I was really looking forward to this show. My family settled in Canada in the 1600s, when this story takes place. As a result, Im into genealogy. So I read everything I can about the French, who first settled Canada, and Ive done extensive research on the province of Quebec.

OMG! I hope none of my forefathers were as nasty and unscrupulous as all the characters in Barkskins.

Nat Geo aired the first two episodes Monday night. Unfortunately, I ended up watching them twice because I found it so confusing the first time through.

I thought it was just that I had trouble understanding the accents.

They really dont explain who the characters are or why they were going to the new frontier they called New France, but, worst of all, the writers butchered the history.

There were several writers listed so I couldnt tell which writer wrote what episode. If the next six episodes are like the first two, I will watch a rerun of Murder She Wrote instead.

Supposedly, the Barkskins story is about two men, Rene Sel (Christian Cooke) and Charles Duquet (James Bloor), two convicts who are forced to come to New France (Canada) in the 1600s and their descendants.

The series spans the next 300 years.

The writers never explain that the women were the Filles du roi (Kings Daughters) and paid to come to Canada. They went there to marry soldiers to keep them in The Regiment and prevent them from forming liaisons with the Iroquois Indian women.

Also, the French king wanted the women to settle down with the soldiers and produce children, to populate the new land.

The women were not brought over to marry just anyone, but the writers never explain that.

Almost all the characters are cheats, murderers and disreputable men and women. That was not the case; most were soldiers, farmers and trappers.

Academy Award-winner, Marcia Gaye Harden, is one of the ensemble cast. Even she couldnt save this miserable excuse for a series.

David Thewlis plays Monsieur Claude Trepagny. James Bloor is the most unlikable Charles Duquet, who Trepagny predicts will be one of the villains of the series.

Christian Cooke is Rene Sel, who I think will become the hero, but it wasnt that clear. Thomas M. Wright plays Elisha Cooke.

Barkskins was poorly done. The scripts were based on the Barkskins, by Pulitzer Prize-winner Annie Proulx.

I sincerely hope the book is better than the series because Barkskins is a dog.

The costumes and sets were not true to the period. Cement did not exist in the 1600s, yet one of the log cabin homes had cement between the logs???

Canada is a beautiful country, but even the cinematography is at best mediocre. This could have been done so much better.

Movie critic Mary Cox lives in Wood River and studied film at the University of California, Los Angeles. She has worked in L.A. with various directors and industry professionals. Contact Mary at mary.cox@edwpub.net
Danish English

Company Announcement

29 May 2020

Announcement No. 16

NKT appoints Line Andrea Fandrup as CFO

The NKT Board of Directors has appointed Line Andrea Fandrup, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of NKT and NKT A/S. She joins NKT no later than 1 November 2020.

Line Andrea Fandrup joins NKT from Rockwool and a position as Group Finance Vice President with insights to Finance, Treasury and Investor Relations. Prior to that, Line Andrea Fandrup has held leading finance positions with large Danish headquartered companies such as COWI, Novozymes and Maersk Line.

Chairman of the NKT Board of Directors, Jens Due Olsen, says:

- With the appointment of Line Andrea Fandrup as CFO of NKT, we onboard a profile with a strong international business approach and coming from listed and privately held companies that have successfully completed finance transformation processes similar to NKTs. Together with CEO Alexander Kara, Line Andrea Fandrup will continue regaining a satisfactory and sustainable financial performance of NKT to position us for the market opportunities driven by the green transformation.

Line Andrea Fandrup says:

- I am very excited to join NKT to further improve the companys financial performance and thereby providing the basis for future growth and for maintaining market leading positions.

The NKT A/S Executive Management Team will then comprise President and CEO Alexander Kara and CFO Line Andrea Fandrup. Until her accession no later than 1 November 2020, Alexander Kara will drive the NKT activities towards its financial analysts and investors, supported by Michael Nass Nielsen, Head of Investor Relations.

Contact

Investor Relations: Michael Nass Nielsen, Head of Investor Relations, Tel.: +45 2494 1654

Press: Helle Gudiksen, Head of Group Communications, Tel.: +45 2349 9098

Attachment
An elderly man has died after plunging from a fifth-floor balcony in southern Sydney on Thursday evening.

Emergency services were called to a unit complex on Deeban Walk in Cronulla at about 10pm, where they found the 64-year-old's body.

Officers from the Sutherland Shire Police Area Command immediately established a crime scene and later arrested a 40-year-old man nearby, who was taken to Sutherland Police Station.

He was been charged with breaching a domestic apprehended violence order and will remain in custody after being refused bail.

The man is set to appear in court on Friday.

A 64-year-old man has died after plunging from a fifth-floor balcony in southern Sydney on Thursday evening

The incident is the third suspicious balcony death to rock Australia in just a week.

A 45-year-old woman died after falling from a tenth-floor balcony at a five-star hotel in the heart of Sydney on May 22.

Police arrested a 48-year-old man at the scene for questioning but he was later released without charge pending further investigations.

The couple were reportedly spending the night together at the Hyatt Regency hotel at Darling Harbour, and had been arguing prior to the tragic incident.

The man allegedly told police he had locked her outside on the balcony of the $509-a-night room following a heated argument over text messages on the woman's phone, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The 45-year-old woman fell from the balcony of Sydney's Hyatt Regency hotel (pictured) on May 22

Another tragic incident unfolded on May 23 when a teenager plunged to his death from a fourth-floor balcony on the Gold Coast.

Police allege Cian English, 19, was trying to escape a 'vicious assault' at the View Pacific resort in Surfers Paradise at about 3am.

Detectives say the Brisbane teen was running from three knife-wielding men, aged 18, 20 and 22, who allegedly stormed the unit he was partying in with friends.

Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith said both Mr English and another of his friends were brutally attacked and 'robbed at knifepoint' by the three men.

Cian English, 19, (pictured) fell to his death from a Surfers Paradise balcony after allegedly being brutally assaulted by three men

Three men have been charged with murdering the teenager after he fell from the fourth floor of the resort (pictured)

The trio were staying inside another unit in the apartment complex and had been communicating with Mr English's party throughout the evening, police said.

But relations allegedly soured as the night went on and both groups binged on drugs, with things eventually turning violent between the two parties.

The robbers allegedly demanded Mr English hand over his phone and also attempted to steal clothing from him and his friends.

All three men have been charged with Mr Englishs murder.
Democratic congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar have called for the police officer who knelt on George Floyds neck to be charged with murder, as the former claims politicians are scared of the political power of police.

On Monday, four police officers in Minneapolis were fired after footage emerged of one of them kneeling on the neck of Mr Floyd, a black man, who repeatedly shouted that he couldnt breathe.

Mr Floyd died later that day, after an ambulance was called, and protests erupted last night, with demonstrators calling for an end to police brutality against black people in the US.

The footage of the officer and Mr Floyd, who was clearly in distress, was criticised by many online, and celebrities including John Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Snoop Dogg condemned repeated police violence on black people.

On Wednesday night, Ms Omar tweeted: The police officer who killed George Floyd should be charged with murder, and Ms Ocasio-Cortez later retweeted it to her feed.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, separately tweeted: #GeorgeFloyd should be alive. Instead, he was killed as he begged police for his life.

The impunity of police violence is a systemic problem we must face to save lives. Police brutality is now a leading cause of death for young Black men in the US. The status quo is killing us.

The mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, also shared his thoughts, and called for the police officer who knelt on Mr Floyds neck, to be arrested.

Why is the man who killed George Floyd not in jail? he said on Wednesday. If you had done it, or I had done it, we would be behind bars right now. And I cannot come up with a good answer to that.

There has been greater scrutiny of threats and violence against black Americans in the last couple of months, and Mr Floyds death is the latest incident to spark outrage and disgust.

Earlier this week, a white woman, Amy Cooper, was fired from her job after footage was released online of her calling the police on a black man, Christian Cooper, who asked her to put her dog on a lead.

Protests were held in Georgia earlier this month, after footage was released of the shooting of black man, Ahmaud Arbery, by two white men, Gregory and Travis McMichael.

The footage was filmed two months earlier, and it took protests and nationwide criticism for the men to be arrested and charged with murder.

Recommended Trump refuses to take position on George Floyd death

There have been numerous incidents of police officers using excessive force on black Americans over the last few years, and Ms Ocasio-Cortez claimed on Twitter that US politicians are scared of the political power that they hold.

Ill just say it: a lot of politicians are scared of the political power of the police,and thats why changes to hold them accountable for flagrant killings dont happen. That in itself is a scary problem, she tweeted.

We shouldnt be intimidated out of holding people accountable for murder.
State officials on Friday reported the death toll from the coronavirus in New Jersey has risen to 11,531 with 158,844 confirmed cases.

Thursday brought 1,117 new cases and 131 new deaths as Gov. Phil Murphy, at his daily briefing in Trenton, announced that child care centers could reopen, organized sports could begin no-contact outdoor practices and day camps and other municipal recreation programs could start for the summer.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Businesses that are open | Homepage

Murphy said that child care centers could reopen in two weeks, starting June 15. Organized sports are permitted to begin practicing June 22 and day camps and recreation programs can start July 6.

We want you to have an active summer with your friends playing the sport you love, while protecting your health, Murphy said regarding organized sports.

Is the above map not displaying? Click here.

He also said that churches could soon hold larger indoor services and said that horse racing could also resume with no fans, but with online betting allowed.

Murphy said that the data continued to move in the right direction, saying he and other officials were confident in our overall direction.

These challenges are surmountable if we stick to it, he said.

Is the above chart not displaying? Click here.

The number of New Jerseyans hospitalized with confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases ticked down after two days of increasing. There were 2,707 patients in the states 71 hospitals as of Friday, a decrease of 90 from the previous day.

The overall total, though, is down 67% from its mid-April peak.

About 28% of global COVID-19 deaths have now occurred in the United States, and more than 362,000 people have died from the virus worldwide.

Is the above map not displaying? Click here.

ALSO: Latest town-by-town breakdowns of coronavirus cases and deaths across N.J.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Nick Devlin is a reporter on the data & investigations team. He can be reached at ndevlin@njadvancemedia.com.
The Railways defended itself on Friday in the face of severe criticism over delays by Shramik Specials in reaching their destinations, saying they were not regular trains and they can be extended or short-terminated, and their stoppages and routes can be changed for the benefit of migrant workers.

Addressing a press conference, Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav clarified that no train can ever be "lost", as has been said about the delayed trains, and pointed out that of the 3,840 trains operated since May 1, only four have taken over 72 hours to reach their destinations.

The clarifications came amid criticism over delays that the migrant trains were getting "lost" before reaching their destinations. Railways data shows that 36.5 per cent of all Shramik trains have ended up in Bihar and 42.2 per cent have terminated in Uttar Pradesh, leading to unequal pressure on these routes.

Repeatedly stating that these were "unusual times", Yadav also defended the Railways against the flak over lack of food and water on board the delayed trains, saying 85 lakh meals and 1.25 crore water bottles were supplied free of cost to passengers.

He said complaints from passengers aboard specific trains have been investigated and it was found that there were no discrepancies in supply of meals.

"Because of coronavirus, many contractors did not want to board the trains to distribute food. We would initially give the packets for them to take on their own. But now our employees are using masks and gloves to enter the trains and distribute food.

"So, out of the 3,840 trains, these incidents are maybe in 1 or 2 per cent of the trains. In 98-99 per cent cases, this has gone smoothly," he asserted.

Yadav said the Railways was compiling a list of people who died on the Shramik Specials as he urged everyone with pre-existing health conditions, pregnant women and the aged to avoid unnecessary travel.

"Indian Railways has a control system; the train is immediately stopped if someone is found ill and doctors try to save their lives. Many passengers have been attended to by Railway doctors, 31 successful deliveries have been done. In many cases they were sent to the nearest hospital base.

"I understand that they are travelling in desperate times. Each death is investigated. We are compiling the data on deaths and the reasons behind the dates from state governments. We will make it public when we have the numbers and I don't want to comment on this without correct numbers," he said responding to a question on the number of deaths on board these trains.

He also said 90 per cent of these migrant trains ran with an average speed higher than regular mail express trains.

"There was some fake news that a train reached Siwan in nine days... We diverted only 1.8 per cent of trains. From 20-24 May, 71 trains were diverted because of high demand for trains to UP, Bihar, where 90 per cent trains were going from across the country," Yadav said.

He said in one case, a train which was to go to Allahabad was sent to Lucknow and was reported as "lost". It was diverted to the Uttar Pradesh capital when it was realised that there were fewer people destined for Allahabad and more on the Lucknow route.

"We spoke to the state government and we took a decision in Kanpur to take the train to Lucknow. These trains are not normal trains, Railways has maintained full flexibility in them. State governments have been given full flexibility to extend trains, change stoppages and change routes," he said.

Among the destination-states for which the trains were diverted were Bihar (51), Uttar Pradesh (16), Jharkhand (2), Assam and Manipur (1 each).

Among the originating-states for which trains were diverted included Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan.

Till May 28, Yadav said, 3,840 Shramik Specials operated ferrying a total of 52 lakh passengers. He said 1,524 Shramik trains operated in last one week and over 20 lakh passengers were ferried.

"Railways has accommodated almost all requests received from the sending states and we are ready to meet all demand of Shramik movements. Requirement of states as on May 24 was 923 trains, as per requirement yesterday, the figure is now 449 trains," he said.

He said meals  breakfast, lunch, dinner  were served at enroute stations and the state governments provided food and water at starting stations. IRCTC and various railway divisions arranged free meals and water for migrants in trains enroute and over 85 lakh meals and 1.25 crore water bottles were supplied free.

"NGOs also supplemented efforts. Railway Divisions mobilized local halwais, bakeries at various stations to prepare snacks and foods for Shramiks," he said.
HEFEI, China, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sungrow, the global leading inverter solution supplier for renewables, today announced that it has joined RE100, a group of businesses committed to the use of renewable power, to switch its electricity used globally in its manufacturing and operations to 100% renewable energy by 2028.

RE100 is a fantastic lever to achieve 100% renewable

RE100 is led by The Climate Group, an intentional NPO focused on accelerating climate action, in partnership with CDP. The initiative works to increase corporate demand for - and in turn supply of - renewable energy. To join RE100, companies must set a public goal to source 100% of its global electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2050 and disclose electricity data annually, taking more responsibility for global low-carbon economy development and climate goals.

More than 200 of the world's largest companies have made commitments under the initiative, including Apple, Google, Microsoft and Facebook.

100% renewable is not a new concept but a reality for Sungrow

As part of its CSR efforts, Sungrow has committed to creating a "Green mission, better life" by exploring a variety of ways to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy use. In addition to energy-saving activities, the company promoted 100% utilization of renewable energy by using electric buses for staff transit and installing rooftop PV systems at its factories which was granted as the first batch of National Standard for Green Factories in China.

As one of the most compelling renewable energy players, sustainability is a commitment rooted in Sungrow's DNA. By the end of 2019, its accumulative inverters shipments reached 100GW that is equivalent to eliminating 103 million tons of carbon dioxide, demonstrating Sungrow's continued efforts to achieve sustainability and to lead the industry in minimizing carbon footprint.

Sungrow and RE100 join forces to tackle climate change

"We are pleased to welcome Sungrow to RE100. It's great to have them on board, demonstrating the rising demand for renewable electricity by leading corporations in China," said Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100 of the Climate Group.

"Sungrow's commitment to 100% renewable electricity has shown the world that renewable energy is the future," said Cao Renxian, Chairman of Sungrow.

"Sungrow will uphold its mission of clean power for all, adhere to corporate citizenship responsibilities, formulate practical action plans, and reduce and eliminate carbon dioxide emissions in production and operation activities. We will strive to achieve 100% renewable power consumption earlier than 2028 to make our professional contribution to the global climate goal," he added.

Sungow actions to boost renewable energy in response to Covid-19

To help navigate this challenging time, Sungrow has put together a list of external and internal resources accelerating progress to the renewable energy growth - including ingenuity, partnership and action towards events, programs, 'cloud' visit factory, plus online workshops and more.

Now as Intersolar Europe 2020 has been cancelled, Sungrow has decided to convert the event to a live show on June 15th - 19th. Join the first ever Smart Energy Virtual Show, and Sungrow will showcase the latest innovations from its product portfolio and bring the audience live-streamed content, interactive sessions and networking opportunities. Register with the link http://www.sungrowmarketing.com/.

About Sungrow

Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd ("Sungrow") is the world's most bankable inverter brand with over 100 GW installed worldwide as of December 2019. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters, with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial & industrial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions. With a strong 23-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power installations in over 60 countries, maintaining a worldwide market share of over 15%. Learn more about Sungrow by visiting www.sungrowpower.com.
New Mexicos congressional delegation is questioning Indian Health Services purchase of respiratory masks for Navajo area hospitals that do not meet FDA standards for health care workers.

The delegation joined four Arizona lawmakers on Wednesday to send a letter to IHS Director Rear Adm. Michael Weahkee about the purchase, first reported by ProPublica. Weahkee is visiting the reservation this week, and has toured IHS facilities in Shiprock and Crownpoint.

As Tribes in New Mexico and Arizona continue to battle this deadly virus now and into the future, it is critical that IHS follows all federal acquisition procedures to ensure the facilities that serve Tribes receive quality materials and supplies they need to keep patients and personnel safe, the lawmakers wrote.

ProPublica reported last week that Zach Fuentes LLC, operated by the former White House deputy chief of staff, had a $3 million contract to supply respiratory masks to IHS hospitals. The lawmakers questioned the procurement process, saying they were particularly interested to learn that the company that supplied the faulty masks was formed 11 days before securing the contract.

The Navajo Nation, meanwhile, will have another 57-hour weekend curfew starting Friday at 5 p.m. All businesses on the reservation will be required to close.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said the restrictions are necessary, even as New Mexico, Arizona and Utah begin to reopen.

We cannot let down, Nez said during a video update Thursday. This is not the time to say the worst is behind us.

The latest IHS surge plan shows that new COVID-19 hospitalizations, ICU admissions and ventilated patients in Navajo hospitals have steadily declined since April 26, ahead of previous projections.

The reservation has more than 4,900 COVID-19 cases and 159 deaths from the disease. Nez said the pandemic on the Navajo Nation and other tribal lands shows the need for fulfilment of federal treaty obligations.

Here is the time that we all can come together and make sure that Congress has a better and more positive relationship with tribes throughout the country, Nez said.

The reservation has tested more than 32,000 people, about 15.6% of the population, according to Navajo Department of Health data.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- By the end of the year, municipalities in Kent County say they expect to spend a combined $41.16 million responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 90 percent of that, or $37.27 million, is projected to come from Grand Rapids expenses.

Grand Rapids and other municipalities recently outlined their current and expected pandemic response related expenditures at the request of Kent County, which is navigating the distribution of $114 million in federal CARES Act dollars on government expenses and community investments.

A chunk of those federal dollars will go toward reimbursing the pandemic response costs of municipalities. How big that chunk is, though, is still being deliberated by county leaders and discussed with local leaders.

The unallocated dollar amount being discussed, which will likely change as discussions progress, is currently $17 million. Kent County modeled that stand-in number on what other counties were allocating to local governments with their CARES Act dollars.

CARES Act funds cant be used by the county or municipalities to fill revenue shortages caused by the pandemic and resulting partial economic shutdown. They can only reimburse response efforts and expenditures.

Related: Grand Rapids 2021 budget down $22M, includes hiring freezes, spending cuts

By far, Grand Rapids has the largest current and expected costs of the 16 municipalities that responded to the countys request.

But both city and county leaders say the citys estimated costs could change as they identify potential overlaps and duplication in their planned response efforts, such as funding for business relief and mitigation of homelessness.

The next highest after Grand Rapids was Wyoming, with current and expected costs at about $2.61 million, and then Algoma Township, with about $621,000, according to documents provided to the county.

The county itself is expecting to spend about $35 million on its response efforts through the end of the year.

The majority of Wyomings expenses are on hazard pay and personnel costs. The majority of Algoma Townships is personnel cost.

That Grand Rapids, with about 200,000 residents, is Kent Countys biggest city doesnt alone explain the cost gap between it and other municipalities.

The scope of expenditures does.

Some of the large expenditures preliminary expected between March and year end that are beyond the standard COVID-related expenses, such as overtime, hazard pay and supplies, include:

$4.3 million in homeless response expenditures;

$10 million for local business incentives and assistance to help with economic recovery and resiliency;

$5 million in rental assistance;

$633,000 in support to underfunded corridor and business districts; and

$6.7 million on a number of initiatives from the citys Office of Equity and Engagement, which include investments in women- and minority-owned businesses and a donation to the La Lucha Fund.

The La Lucha Fund was created in response to the pandemic and provides financial resources directly to undocumented and mixed status families in the county who arent eligible for government support, such as unemployment and CARES Act relief dollars, according to the funds website.

The fund is a collaboration between Movimiento Cosecha, the Grand Rapids Area Mutual Aid Network, The Hispanic Center of Western Michigan and LatinxGR and is held at the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.

Altogether, March through year end, the city expects to spend about $29.9 million on response efforts beyond COVID-related overtime, wages, hazard pay, personal protective equipment and other supplies.

The expected cost through year end on those standard items is about $7.3 million.

Businesses and individuals have been severely impacted by the closures required during this COVID-19 response. Failure to plan for supportive activities that help them recover would be inconsistent with the intent of the CARES Act and would result in significant longer-term recession of the local economy, Doug Matthews, assistant city manager of Grand Rapids, said in a statement.

As the economic, financial, tourism and commercial center of the region, we have a responsibility to plan thoughtfully and comprehensively for resiliency and recovery. Grand Rapids represents nearly one-third of the Kent County population, and our proposed CARES investments are reflective of our efforts to best support the needs of our residents and businesses."

The CARES Act federal funding for local governments only covers counties, cities, townships and other municipalities with populations of 500,000 people or more. The total dollars received are calculated based on the population size.

Matthews pointed out that the citys estimated expenditures through year end of about $37.27 million arent far off from what the city might have received, on a per-capita basis, if they qualified for the CARES Act.

He said that if the per-person average of dollars received by cities like Detroit and Milwaukee were applied to the population of Grand Rapids, the city wouldve received about $34.8 million to $35.5 million.

The city is not just relying on CARES Act dollars to reimburse its COVID-related efforts. City officials say they are actively pursuing other grant funding as well.

Read more:

Hundreds pray for Michigan families, elected officials on Capitol lawn during coronavirus pandemic

Kent County school leaders provide roadmap for reopening safely

Irish on Ionia 2020 street party canceled by the coronavirus
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope was used to conduct a three-year study of the crowded, massive and young star cluster Westerlund 2.

The research found that the material encircling stars near the cluster's centre is mysteriously devoid of the large, dense clouds of dust that would be expected to become planets in a few million years. Their absence is caused by the cluster's most massive and brightest stars that erode and disperse the discs of gas and dust of neighbouring stars. This is the first time that astronomers have analysed an extremely dense star cluster to study which environments are favourable to planet formation.

This time-domain study from 2016 to 2019 sought to investigate the properties of stars during their early evolutionary phases and to trace the evolution of their circumstellar environments [1]. Such studies had previously been confined to the nearest, low-density, star-forming regions. Astronomers have now used the Hubble Space Telescope to extend this research to the centre of one of the few young massive clusters in the Milky Way, Westerlund 2, for the first time.

Astronomers have now found that planets have a tough time forming in this central region of the cluster. The observations also reveal that stars on the cluster's periphery do have immense planet-forming dust clouds embedded in their discs. To explain why some stars in Westerlund 2 have a difficult time forming planets while others do not, researchers suggest this is largely due to location. The most massive and brightest stars in the cluster congregate in the core. Westerlund 2 contains at least 37 extremely massive stars, some weighing up to 100 solar masses. Their blistering ultraviolet radiation and hurricane-like stellar winds act like blowtorches and erode the discs around neighbouring stars, dispersing the giant dust clouds.

"Basically, if you have monster stars, their energy is going to alter the properties of the discs," explained lead researcher Elena Sabbi, of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, USA. "You may still have a disc, but the stars change the composition of the dust in the discs, so it's harder to create stable structures that will eventually lead to planets. We think the dust either evaporates away in 1 million years, or it changes in composition and size so dramatically that planets don't have the building blocks to form."

Westerlund 2 is a unique laboratory in which to study stellar evolutionary processes because it's relatively nearby, is quite young, and contains a rich stellar population. The cluster resides in a stellar breeding ground known as Gum 29, located roughly 14 000 light-years away in the constellation of Carina (The Ship's Keel). The stellar nursery is difficult to observe because it is surrounded by dust, but Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 can peer through the dusty veil in near-infrared light, giving astronomers a clear view of the cluster. Hubble's sharp vision was used to resolve and study the dense concentration of stars in the central cluster.

"With an age of less than about two million years, Westerlund 2 harbours some of the most massive, and hottest, young stars in the Milky Way," said team member Danny Lennon of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias and the Universidad de La Laguna. "The ambient environment of this cluster is therefore constantly bombarded by strong stellar winds and ultraviolet radiation from these giants that have masses of up to 100 times that of the Sun."

Sabbi and her team found that of the nearly 5000 stars in Westerlund 2 with masses between 0.1 and 5 times the Sun's mass, 1500 of them show dramatic fluctuations in their luminosity, which is commonly accepted as being due to the presence of large dusty structures and planetesimals. Orbiting material would temporarily block some of the starlight, causing fluctuations in brightness. However, Hubble only detected the signature of dust particles around stars outside the central region. They did not detect these dips in brightness in stars residing within four light-years of the centre.

"We think they are planetesimals or structures in formation," Sabbi explained. "These could be the seeds that eventually lead to planets in more evolved systems. These are the systems we don't see close to very massive stars. We see them only in systems outside the centre."

Thanks to Hubble, astronomers can now see how stars are accreting in environments that are like the early Universe, where clusters were dominated by monster stars. So far, the best known nearby stellar environment that contains massive stars is the starbirth region in the Orion Nebula. However, Westerlund 2 is a richer target because of its larger stellar population.

"Westerlund 2 gives us much better statistics on how mass affects the evolution of stars, how rapidly they evolve, and we see the evolution of stellar discs and the importance of stellar feedback in modifying the properties of these systems," said Sabbi. "We can use all of this information to inform models of planet formation and stellar evolution."

This cluster will also be an excellent target for follow-up observations with the upcoming NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, an infrared observatory. Hubble has helped astronomers identify the stars that have possible planetary structures. With the Webb telescope, researchers will be able to study which discs around stars are not accreting material and which discs still have material that could build up into planets. Webb will also study the chemistry of the discs in different evolutionary phases and watch how they change, to help astronomers determine what role the environment plays in their evolution.

"A major conclusion of this work is that the powerful ultraviolet radiation of massive stars alters the discs around neighbouring stars," said Lennon. "If this is confirmed with measurements by the James Webb Space Telescope, this result may also explain why planetary systems are rare in old massive globular clusters."

Notes

[1] These observations were made under Hubble observing programs #14087, #15362, and #15514.

More information

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.

The international team of astronomers in this study consists of E. Sabbi, M. Gennaro, J. Anderson, V. Bajaj, N. Bastian, J. S. Gallagher, III, M. Gieles, D. J. Lennon, A. Nota, K. C. Sahu, and P. Zeidler.

Image credit: NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), A. Nota (ESA/STScI), and the Westerlund 2 Science Team



Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
Canberra, May 29 : Australia remains "on track" in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday.

Following a meeting of the National Cabinet, Morrison told reporters that Australia is in a better position than he hoped for when the coronavirus pandemic hit the country in January, reports Xinhua news agency.

However, he warned that there was still a high risk of further outbreaks that could undo all of Australia's progress on preventing the spread of the virus.

"We would be foolish to think that we were immune or that we are immune," he said.

"As a result, the three-step plan, keeping the balance between the health management of the crisis and the economic management of the crisis in balance, continues to be the balance that the National Cabinet seeks to achieve." As of Friday, there have been over 7,100 confirmed cases in Australia with 103 deaths.

Appearing alongside Morrison, Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy revealed that authorities are aiming to keep the number of daily new cases below 20.

He said that 30,000 tests were being conducted every day, with approximately 0.05 per cent returning positive results, and announced that the number of coronavirus patients on ventilators in Australia has fallen to just two.

"We would still like to do more tests. We would like every person with an acute respiratory problem, cough, cold, to get tested. It is the way to track the virus.

"It is too early to draw definitive conclusions but we are on track. All the measures we thought should be stable and in good shape remain in good shape at the moment," he added.

Friday was the first National Cabinet meeting since May 15.

Morrison announced that the meetings will continue on a monthly basis in the wake of the pandemic, replacing the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) system.

He said that the new system would be driven by a singular agenda, and that is to create jobs.

"COAG is no more. It will be replaced by a completely new system and that new system is focused on the success that has been yielded by the operation of the National Cabinet," Morrison said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the meeting, and Li Zhanshu presided over the closing meeting and delivered a speech. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua)  The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, concluded its annual session on Thursday.

Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders including Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the closing meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Li Zhanshu, an executive chairperson of the presidium of the session, presided over the meeting attended by nearly 3,000 NPC deputies.

Lawmakers adopted the Civil Code, which is to take effect on January 1, 2021. Xi signed a presidential order to promulgate the Civil Code.

The meeting also adopted the NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Safeguard National Security, which became effective upon its release on Thursday.

Addressing the meeting, Li Zhanshu said that making major strategic achievements in fighting COVID-19 in about three months has demonstrated the great strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The Civil Code, the first law defined as a "code" of the People's Republic of China, is a milestone legislation for fully advancing China's law-based governance and improving the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics, he said.

As for the decision to make national security laws for the Hong Kong SAR, Li said that it serves the fundamental interests of all Chinese people including Hong Kong compatriots.

He also praised the Chinese people's spirit of innovation, struggle, cherishing unity and pursuing dreams, saying those have formed the fundamental force to drive the country forward in spite of all difficulties.

At the meeting, legislators approved the plan for the national economic and social development and the central budget for 2020.

They also approved resolutions on the government work report, and the work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Before the closing meeting, Li presided over the meetings of the presidium of the session and the presidium's executive chairpersons.

The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the meeting, and Li Zhanshu presided over the closing meeting and delivered a speech. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. [Xinhua/Wang Ye]

The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. Li Zhanshu presided over the closing meeting and delivered a speech. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. [Xinhua/Shen Hong]

The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. [Xinhua/Shen Hong]

The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. [Xinhua/Cai Yang]

(Source: Xinhua)
The COVID-19 pandemic response has likely changed the way state and local IT officials will conduct business for the foreseeable future, experts said during a recent webinar.

The success many government organizations have had with teleworking, videoconferencing and providing digital services to the public proves that technology and workers are ready, Wendy Wickens, director of IT for Loudoun County, Va., said during a May 14 webinar hosted by the Public Technology Institute (PTI).

We are ready for a renaissance in the way we deliver services in local government, Wickens said. What weve all learned from this is that local government can function just like any other Fortune 500 [or] 1,000 company out there and that we have found ways to ensure that we can deliver services -- and we can do it really, really well with our folks teleworking.

About 70% of the worlds internet traffic may pass through Loudoun County, but not all regions are connected. Wickens team extended Wi-Fi to libraries in Loudon's rural western region so students without home connections could do their homework from cars in the parking lot.

Additionally, the countys IT staff has had to adapt to changing demands of their customers  the teleworking county employees who have time-shifted their workdays to accommodate caring for and educating children at home. Were finding  a lot of our workers are flexing their hours, and this means we have to flex our hours, Wickens said. Weve got on-call teams that answer after-hours calls.

The VPN element of the countys network and data center infrastructure was completed two weeks before COVID-19 hit. Today, it supports 2,000 county teleworkers and provides infrastructure and bandwidth for the town of Leesburg, too.

Bandwidth has been an issue in Latah County, Idaho, too, according to Laurel Caldwell, Latah's director of technology. The lack of bandwidth was not a surprise to us, but it definitely was brought to the forefront, Caldwell said. That is something that our community and region is trying to solve, but obviously it isnt ready for this crisis right now.

To address it, some employees use their own cell phones to get internet at home. Others go to their offices in shifts to limit the number of people there, and others set up makeshift work spaces in other county buildings.

In Franklin County, Ohio, officials got creative to ensure that all its 6,000 employees had a device to use for teleworking. For instance, the Franklin County Data Center office rolled out laptops refreshed with Microsoft 365 at the end of 2019 and other laptops that were in stock. They also created PC in a box, meaning employees could take their work machines home.

One of the biggest challenges the county IT staff has faced has been in providing help-desk services from afar, said data center CIO Adam Frumkin. Weve [had to] figure out not only how we man a help desk for normal help-desk items but now the whole aspect of people calling in [from home] and saying, PCs not working. Why is it not working?  and being able to troubleshoot from that perspective, Frumkin said.

The agility with which local governments IT departments have adapted to the pandemic has put them in the limelight. None of this stuff was in any disaster recovery plan, said Alan Shark, webinar facilitator and executive director of PTI. We had to rewrite the book on this.

Tom Lamar, Latah County Commission chairman, praised the IT staffs efforts.

Within minutes, hours and days of this crisis happening, the IT department  was responding and bringing Latah County up to speed on multiple levels, Lamar said. Were not elected on our ability to run a laptop computer or connect that laptop computer to the internet or to whatever Zoom is, and so its been a strong learning curve with a lot of the [nine] elected officials within Latah County and with a lot of the department heads and then other employees.

With widespread city and county closures expected to last 18 to 24 months, the ad hoc setup might become the new normal -- and for many, thats not only OK, but welcome.

The whole aspect of working remote is something that as a county we are now looking at and starting to rewrite some of the policies, said Michael Stinziano, Franklin County auditor. He added that offering telework would be a competitive advantage for attracting millennials who dont want to sit in an government office to work.

I think theres a lot of reform and innovation that were going to be going through as a whole because of this, not just from a government perspective but in general from a business perspective, he said.

Editor's note: This article was changed June 5 to correct the location of Latah County.
The culling of brumbies in Victoria's alpine areas could begin by mid-June after Omeo cattleman Phil Maguire lost his court bid to prevent ground shooting, but Mr Maguire has indicated he plans to appeal the decision.

Wild horses sign on the Snowy Mountain highway. Credit:Joe Armao

Mr Maguire alleged that Parks Victoria was required by law to consult with the

community in relation to its decision to cull feral horses using ground shooting in the Alpine National Park, and that it failed to do so.

But on Friday, Justice Stephen Moore ruled Parks Victoria was not required to consult with the community in relation to culling brumbies, and ordered the plaintiff pay the court costs for Parks Victoria.

He said Mr Maguire did not have the standing to bring the proceeding and dismissed the case.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-30 01:33:38|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday honored the more than 3,900 peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948 while serving under the UN flag.

On the occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, which falls on May 29, Guterres laid a wreath at the Peacekeepers Memorial at the UN headquarters in New York before he chaired virtual ceremonies at which the Dag Hammarskjold Medal was awarded posthumously to peacekeepers who lost their lives in 2019, and the Military Gender Advocate Award was given to two female peacekeepers.

"The pandemic has required us to hold the ceremonies for the Military Gender Advocate Award and the Dag Hammarskjold Medal virtually. But what the virus has not changed is the service, sacrifice and selflessness of the more than 95,000 women and men serving in 13 peacekeeping operations around the world," Guterres told the ceremony.

"Every day, our peacekeepers continue to protect vulnerable local populations, support dialogue and implement their mandates while fighting COVID-19. They are doing everything they can to be an integral part of the solution to this crisis while keeping themselves -- and the communities they serve -- safe."

As always, they give the United Nations family many reasons to be proud, he said.

The Dag Hammarskjold Medal was awarded posthumously to 83 military, police and civilian personnel from 39 countries who lost their lives in 2019 serving in UN peace operations.

Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo of the Brazilian Navy, who is deployed with the UN Mission in the Central African Republic, and Major Suman Gawani of the Indian Army, a military observer formerly deployed with the UN Mission in South Sudan, jointly won the Gender Advocate Award. Enditem
Heading into March of this year, my investing allegiance was behind Suncor Inc. (TSX:SU)(NYSE:SU) when it came to the large oil stocks. After all, Warren Buffet himself invested in the company; its an integrated oil giant and had a great dividend that grew over time. Out of all the oil stocks in Canada, I felt the most comfortable with this one as a long-term hold.

Then Suncor did something that greatly saddened me. It slashed its dividend in half, destroying one part of that investment that I greatly appreciated. I understand why they did it, but I have to admit I expected the oil company to be able to weather the storm and maintain its payout if any of them could.

No cut to the dividend yet

Now, I decided to try another large dividend-paying oil producer, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (TSX:CNQ)(NYSE:CNQ). In contrast to Suncor, the dividend on this oil company remains intact. Currently, it has a yield of over 6%, an income that is very attractive while I wait for an oil sector recovery.

Will it be the last of the great oil dividend-payers left standing? Its too early to tell. For now, we have another quarter of clarity. CNQ managed to maintain its payout through the last collapse, and now it has maintained it through one of the most volatile quarters in history, giving me some confidence in the dividend going forward.

Value, value, value

Its a seemingly broken record, but there is value in the oil patch. Earlier, that value was the domain of the junior players. There were still people investing in the big ones at that point. Now, the entire oil patch is littered with cheap stocks.

Ive run out of bandages for trying to cover all the cuts Ive received from these falling knives over the past couple of years. Stocks like CNQ continue to get cheaper all the time. Right now, this oil giant is trading at 0.90 times book value, an extremely low valuation for such a great company.

I wont even bother to mention its price to earnings at the moment since earnings have dropped off a cliff due to the pandemic lockdown.

Story continues

Im not the only one seeing value in the name. Apparently, Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund has amassed a 2.6% stake in CNQ. They know oil, so they must see value in the company even if others do not. They will also most likely be a stable, long-term holder of the shares adding security to the position.

Balance sheet

The biggest threat to CNQs dividend is its debt load, which isnt surprising given the companys debt and weak balance sheet that is frequently the undoing of previously stable payouts. As of its Q1 2020 report, CNQ has almost $20 billion in long term debt. Fortunately, it also has about $1 billion in cash to offset immediate concerns.

It also has the ability to capitalize on an oil turnaround to a greater degree than western Canadian junior producers. The companys operations span the globe, allowing it to diversify away from a dependency on Western Canadian Select (WCS) pricing.

The bottom line

I stated two reasons to buy shares of CNQ, the dividend, and the value. As for the dividend, I would not depend on it as being entirely secure. Certainly, the fact that the dividend remains in place when others, including Suncor, have cut is encouraging. But as weve seen, even the mightiest dividends can fall, especially in the commodity space.

I think that CNQ is a great way to invest in the oil sector, and the dividend has held so far through two major oil collapses in the past decade. I would not buy this as an income stock, but rather as a way to invest in a great company at a reasonable price.

When oil demand returns, a company like CNQ will be ready to take advantage.

The post This Stock Has the Best 6% Yield in the Oil Sector appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

More reading

Fool contributor Kris Knutson owns shares of CDN NATURAL RES.

The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020
New data showed that U.S. economic activity in the first quarter contracted at an annual rate of 5 percent, a downward revision from the previous report. That figure, however, still does not fully capture COVID-19's economic damage, analysts say.

The 5-percent contraction in a second estimate, 0.2 percentage point lower than the advance estimate, marks the biggest quarterly decline since the 2008 financial crisis, the U.S. Commerce Department reported Thursday.

"This report, however, is only a taste of what to expect in Q2, when we forecast GDP to nosedive at an annualized rate of 25 percent," Jay H. Bryson, acting chief economist at Wells Fargo Securities, wrote in an analysis.

Bryson also noted that weak U.S. production and personal consumption weighed on corporate profitability in Q1, but as with GDP, the second quarter will be "much worse" for corporate profits.

The decrease in real GDP in the first quarter reflected negative contributions from personal consumption expenditures, private inventory investment, nonresidential fixed investment, and exports that were partly offset by positive contributions from residential fixed investment, federal government spending, and state and local government spending, according to the report released by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis.

With the second estimate, a downward revision to private inventory investment was partly offset by upward revisions to personal consumption expenditures and nonresidential fixed investment, the report showed.

"Stay-at-home" orders issued in March and other measures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak led to rapid changes in demand, as businesses and schools switched to remote work or canceled operations, and consumers canceled, restricted or redirected their spending, the bureau said.

Jeffrey Sachs, a renowned economics professor at Columbia University and senior United Nations advisor, told Xinhua earlier that the quarterly report "caught just the final days" of March after the U.S. lockdown.

Echoing Bryson's view, Sachs said the decline in the second quarter will be "much deeper."

The revised GDP data came on the same day as the U.S. Labor Department reported that another 2.1 million Americans filed for jobless claims last week, bringing the 10-week total to more than 40 million.

"The rate of decline in initial claims has slowed dramatically, and 2.1 million layoffs in a single week remains tragically and almost unbelievably high," Tim Quinlan, a senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities, wrote in an analysis.

The reopening of the country, and likely also the Paycheck Protection Program, which offers loans for small businesses, appear to be driving employers and workers back together again, Quinlan noted.

The U.S. Federal Reserve, however, said in its latest Beige Book released Wednesday that "contacts cited challenges in bringing employees back to work, including workers' health concerns, limited access to childcare, and generous unemployment insurance benefits."

Earlier this month, the Labor Department reported that U.S. employers cut a staggering 20.5 million jobs in April, which erased a decade of job gains since the global financial crisis and pushed unemployment rate to a record 14.7 percent.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell recently said the unemployment rate could peak around 20 percent or 25 percent, and the U.S. economy could shrink dramatically in the second quarter, at an annualized rate of more than 20 percent or 30 percent.

Amid mounting economic pressure, U.S. states -- many without seeing a significant downward trend in COVID-19 infections -- have started to fully or partially reopen their economies since late April. As of last week, all states had already been in some phase of reopening.

Many governors, with the support of the Trump administration, have been scrambling to rescue the devastated economy, but public health experts, as well as economists, have expressed their grave concern that a hasty reopening could trigger a second wave of infections.

"If we get a second wave, it will be a depression," Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics, told CNBC in a recent interview, defining the depression as 12 months or more of double digit unemployment.

"We may not shut down again, but certainly it will scare people and spook people and weigh on the economy," Zandi said.
635 Shares Share

I wake to a WhatsApp call. It is my aunt, who lives in India. We are all worried about you, she says. All of us here are praying for you. Make sure that you stay safe. Coincidentally, she is a nun, so Ill take her prayers whenever I can get them. I promise her that I will stay safe, and then I get ready to enter the ER. I don my armor: my N95 mask, my eye protection, my surgical cap. I prepare for war.

As I open the electronic medical record, I smile as I look at the comments. We often place these in the charts of particular patients to keep the entire team aware of the next steps and final disposition. In a sea of high-risk COVID, rule out COVID, and likely COVID, one of the comments reads: Yay! A non-COVID admission!

It will be the last of the day.

As an emergency medicine resident in New Yorks Westchester County, at the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, the last week has been exponential. Our emergency department has undergone extensive preparations, constructing outdoor tents to triage potential COVID-19 patients and sending home the ones that we can with instructions to self-quarantine. Initially, we had fewer total patients come to our emergency room. It was even, dare I say it, quiet. But we knew that the tsunami was coming.

And now it is here.

The night team has had a busy night, filled with patients who cannot breathe. They tell me that there is one patient we must keep an eye on. He is in his early 20s, Spanish speaking only, and in a sign that is quickly becoming classic for COVID-19, he is having increasing oxygen requirements. He is working harder and harder to breathe. It is becoming increasingly clear that this patient will require intubation and a ventilator. The sooner we do it, the better shot he will have to successfully make it through the procedure.

The patient is unaware of this reality, and it is our job to break the news, to answer all of his questions, and to gain his informed consent. In the department at this particular time, my high school AP Spanish is the best Spanish we have. It will have to do. I gown up, adjust my N95 mask, and pull my eye protection straight. Usted necesita una machina para ayudar con respiracion, Necesitamos a intubarlo. Sabe que es intubar?

The patient says that he understands. He asks how long he will need to be on the machine. I tell him that I do not know.

He confirms that he will call his mother and explain what is going on, but he asks me to explain to her as well. She asks me if everything is going to be OK. I tell her that I do not know.

We get anesthesia on board. No messing around with this young one, we are going to aggressively paralyze and sedate him with vecuronium, fentanyl, and midazolam to ensure that the machine completely takes over his breathing. The intubation takes less than 15 seconds. In that time, the patients oxygen levels drop from 91 percent to 72 percent. After some increasingly liberal use of additional paralyzing and sedating agents, the patient finally stabilizes.

Before another hour passes, another patient will be emergently intubated.

It feels increasingly futile to try and screen patients by the so-called classic symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, or fever. I have seen far too many patients who come in without a single respiratory complaint, only experiencing nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, or isolated abdominal pain, who we later find has the patchy lung findings that are a hallmark of this disease. In the past few days, we have gone from a handful of COVID-19 rule-outs to over 80 percent of our volume being presumed COVID-positive. We do not have time to wait for coronavirus testing in the emergency room, particularly when it typically takes days to result. At this point, we run an emergency room dedicated almost entirely to coronavirus patients. And increasingly, we are running an ICU.

The ICU attending drops by and tells us that the young patient who had been intubated earlier had worsened. His oxygen levels had dropped precipitously, despite the machine doing all the work for him. One of the things you can do for these critically ill patients is place them face down, or prone them, which helps improve oxygenation. The downside: This requires specialized equipment to perform effectively. Our facility does not have this equipment. So, he tells us, we stacked pillows. We built a makeshift ramp. And the oxygen saturation improved dramatically. As the ICU attending leaves, he casually remarks that he will go to HomeGoods on the way home and grab us more pillows.

We fight this war with whatever ammo we have. If we run out, we will forge more out of whatever we do have. We will make do, as best we can, for the sake of our patients.

At home, I ponder the latest information from podcasts such as EM:RAP and EMCrit, and I scrutinize the latest research. There is a five patient case series out of China, indicating that plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 may help critically ill patients. Mount Sinai is starting up a trial soon and needs volunteers to donate. My fellow residents and I are in agreement: If and when we find out that we have developed the appropriate antibodies, we will be the first in line. Right after our shifts. During our increasingly rare free time, we will do our part. And when we are home, away from the chaos of this war, we will fight our guilt at abandoning our brethren at this critical time, even if it is just for a precious few hours.

Some soldiers say that they miss the battlefield. I have never understood that sentiment more than I do right now.

Time to sleep. I work in the morning.

Nishad A. Rahman is an emergency medicine resident.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Health minister Robin Swann has been challenged over his assertion that officials acted swiftly to protect residents at a failing care home.

A safety campaigner has written to Mr Swann to outline a series of "horrendous" failures by Clifton Nursing Home, which has been at the centre of a deadly Covid-19 outbreak, dating back to 2014. Failings uncovered by officials include residents sharing underwear; residents with dirty hair, clothes and nails; and a shortage of PPE to enable staff to provide personal care.

Julieann McNally has urged Mr Swann to commission a review into the care provided at Clifton Nursing Home and all other homes owned by private care provider Runwood Homes.

It comes after health bosses said they were forced to step in last week after becoming concerned for the safety of residents at the north Belfast home, where at least nine residents are known to have died with Covid-19.

Concerns have been raised over the apparent delay to intervene; however, Mr Swann has said the Belfast Trust had been working with the home for a number of weeks and action was taken at the appropriate time.

Read More

On Tuesday, Mr Swann said he had first become aware of the seriousness of concerns around Clifton Nursing Home in north Belfast last week.

However, Ms McNally has said in a letter to the UUP MLA: "Care home campaigners and families have been speaking out about Runwood Homes care homes in Northern Ireland for many years.

"The most recent action at Clifton Nursing Home was inevitable. I would say it was a certainty to happen.

"Runwood Homes has 12 care homes in Northern Ireland and the RQIA have raised serious concerns and taken enforcement action at nine of those care homes. That is a disgrace and unacceptable."

Ms McNally also referred to the findings of an investigation into the care provided at Dunmurry Manor, now known as Oak Tree Manor. The probe by the Commissioner for Older People in Northern Ireland (COPNI) was published in 2018 and was highly critical of Runwood.

The firm's CEO, Gordon Sanders, subsequently criticised the report and described cases of neglect as "isolated".

However, in her letter to Mr Swann, Ms McNally also said that since the publication of the COPNI report, the RQIA has taken enforcement action against three Runwood Homes' facilities.

"You will also be aware that the RQIA closed Runwood's Ashbrooke facility in Enniskillen in 2017 but have since allowed them to reopen it under a different name," she added.

"Two weeks after the Dunmurry Manor report was published, Runwood Homes were in trouble again with the RQIA for Clifton Nursing Home. The RQIA required Runwood to attend a serious concerns meeting on July 4, 2018 about Clifton.

"The Belfast Trust wrote a damning letter to Clifton Nursing Home on June 27, 2018, highlighting 18 areas of concern. One of which was that the home had no washing powder.

"The Belfast Trust has continually raised concerns about Clifton Nursing Home to the RQIA. Whistleblowers have continually raised concerns about Clifton Nursing Home to the RQIA. Since 2014 there has not been one year where serious concerns were not raised about Clifton Nursing Home.

"I would like you to commission an investigation into the care provided at Runwood Homes care homes in Northern Ireland since 2014.

"This of course would look at the significant recent failings at Clifton. We must act to change the culture of care in Northern Ireland."

The Department of Health did not respond to a request for comment by time of going to press.
[May 29, 2020] Morgan Stanley Provides $10 Million Investment For New York Forward Loan Fund

Morgan Stanley today announced it will make an investment of $10 million to support the New York Forward Loan Fund, part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's initiative to reinvigorate New York's small businesses and critical non-profits. The New York Forward Loan Fund will provide sustainable capital to Community Development Financial Institution's (CDFI) to make low cost recovery loans in communities hard hit by the COVID-19 health and economic crisis. "Morgan Stanley is deeply committed to supporting our communities across New York State", said Thomas R. Nides, Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley. "Participating in Governor Cuomo's New York Forward Loan Fund is an essential means of aiding the State's small businesses and non-profits that are the backbone of local economies." "Governor Cuomo has made it clear that the economic recovery from COVID-19 will require innovative approaches to help businesses and organizations across New York survive," said RuthAnne Visnauskas, Commissioner, New York State Homes and Community Renewal. "By partnering with private lenders and philanthropy, we have helped create a loan product specifically tailored to address the immediate needs of small businesses, small property owners and non-profit organiations that are facing a significant financial hardship due to this pandemic. We are thankful to Morgan Stanley and all of our financial partners for their responsiveness to this crisis and for providing owners of small multi-family properties with the monetary support they need at a time when maintaining our housing stock takes on renewed importance."



"The National Development Council (NDC) is honored to be part of the powerful team that Governor Cuomo has put together for the NY Forward Loan Fund to bring critical capital to the state's small businesses and non-profit organizations, said Dan Marsh, President of NDC and one of the five CDFIs to make loans to targeted borrowers. "We are grateful to Morgan Stanley for their leadership in providing capital to support this program. For years, by supporting community lenders, they have led the way in bringing the resources of "Wall Street to Main Streets" across the country, and their support of NY Forward speaks loudly and clearly of their ongoing commitment to economic recovery for all communities across the state." This contribution follows Morgan Stanley's previously announced commitment of $25 million in grants to support the ongoing relief efforts to the global COVID-19 crisis. These grants have been given to organizations that are fighting hunger as well as organizations focused on disease control, caring for the sick and financial support for those most vulnerable in our communities who are struggling with the economic loss.

In addition, as part of the $25 million commitment, the Firm has launched the Morgan Stanley COVID-19 Hunger Relief Campaign, which incentivizes employees globally to contribute to local feeding programs. This initiative has facilitated employee contributions to critical feeding partners in all of the Firm's major global locations and the Firm has matched employee contributions dollar for dollar up to $5,000 per employee for designated feeding programs. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than 41 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005082/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
MatrixPoint Consulting The Verified Private Trustmark can improve consumer confidence and website conversions, while also protecting your company from significant fines that range from $2,500 to $7,500 per customer record.

MatrixPoint, a data-centric consulting firm specializing in marketing efficiency and data privacy compliance, today released its Verified Private Certification.

The certification allows companies that have implemented data privacy controls to display to their customers that they are compliant and that they have made an enterprise commitment to protect sensitive data and personally identifiable information within their organization.

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) requires companies that conduct business in the state of California to implement significant changes to their privacy programs and their data management practices and procedures. Many other states, in addition to California, are adopting similar requirements, and companies doing business in these states must comply with the changing regulations.

The penalties of non-compliance to the newly enacted CCPA laws are significant. However, the threat of private action and class action lawsuits are far more costly by a scale of magnitude.

The Verified Private Trustmark can improve consumer confidence and website conversions, while also protecting your company from significant fines that range from $2,500 to $7,500 per customer record.

Our team is extremely excited to offer this visible certification to companies who truly care about their customers data and privacy, said MatrixPoint Managing Partner, Brian Mahoney.

ABOUT MATRIXPOINT

MatrixPoint Consulting was created to help companies improve their business processes, their relationship with their customers, and ultimately, their bottom line. We are continuously evolving how we work and how we look at the ever-changing marketplace, so we can continue to deliver meaningful, sustainable results for our clients and their customers. For more information please visit http://www.thematrixpoint.com
The Pakistan Army on Friday claimed to have shot down an 'Indian quadcopter' allegedly intruding across the Line of Control (LoC).

Military spokesperson Major General Babar Iftikhar said that the copter intruded 700 meters from Kanzalwan sector.

"Pakistan Army troops shot down an Indian spying quadcopter which came from Kanzalwan Sector, intruded 700 Meters on Pakistan side of the LOC in Nekrun Sector," according to a tweet by the spokesman.

India has dismissed previous such claims by the Pakistan Army.

It was the second quadcopter which the Pakistani Army has claimed to have shot down in three days. On Wednesday, it said that it has downed an Indian "spying quadcopter" for allegedly violating the airspace along the LoC.

In April, the Pakistan Army claimed to have shot down an Indian drone.

The ties between the two nations strained following the Balakot strike when the Indian Air Force jets bombed a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Pakistan on February 26 last year to avenge the killing of 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in the Pulwama terror attack on February 14.

Pakistan retaliated on February 27 by attempting to target Indian military installations.

The ties further nose-dived after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir in August last year. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations with India and expelled the Indian High Commissioner.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 05:23:35|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

AMMAN, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Thursday reaffirmed its rejection of Israel's plan to annex part of the Palestinian territories in the West Bank.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi made the remarks during a call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during which the top Jordanian diplomat said that such step by Israel would only undermine peace opportunities.

Safadi emphasized that a just and comprehensive peace is an Arab strategic option that Jordan will always seek to realize, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Safadi said Jordan calls for joining efforts to launch serious and direct negotiations based on the two-state solution.

The two sides agreed to continue cooperating to develop bilateral ties and coordinating to address regional crises, the statement said. Enditem
The annual Amarnath Yatra, which was earlier curtailed because of the coronavirus pandemic, will be held only for 15 days this year, sources said on Friday.

The pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas will now be conducted from the shorter Baltal route only, they added.

The decision was taken during a meeting held by Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor GC Murmu on Thursday night. It was attended by chief secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, principal secretary to LG Bipul Pathak and director general of police Dilbagh Singh, according to sources.

The deputy commissioner of Ganderbal has been instructed to clear the track from Baltal, they said.

The government had decided in February this year to hold a 42-day long annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine.

The Amarnath Yatra was scheduled to begin from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on June 23. The pilgrimage was to end on August 3 on the day of Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan).

Last year, the Amarnath Yatra was cut short following intelligence inputs of terror threats ahead of the Centre scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and in 2018, the pilgrimage was held for 60 days.

However, the Amarnath Yatra was shelved in April only to be revived a short while later by the Jammu and Kashmir administration, saying the cancelling order stands withdrawn.

After the flip flop on the pilgrimage, Murmu said that appropriate decision on organising Amarnath Yatra and Budda Amarnath Yatra can only be taken after periodic reviews of the situation in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Thousands of pilgrims either trek the traditional and longer 45km-long Pahalgam route or the shorter 14km-long Baltal route to one of the Hinduisms holiest shrines every year.

The pilgrimage usually spans nearly a month and a half and takes place during July and August.
Assam on Friday opened a 236-bed super-speciality hospital in Guwahati and converted it into a facility to treat coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients, as the number of positive cases in the north-easts most populous state is rising towards 1,000.

The state has reported 911 Covid-19 positive cases till Friday noon.

The new centrally air-conditioned super-speciality hospital has been built at an estimated cost of 150 crore. It has 186 beds in various wards, and another 50 in intensive care units (ICUs). It is also equipped with 14 ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) units, which have been recently imported from Canada, to improve indoor air quality and bacteria management.

The opening of the hospital is a milestone in the states healthcare facility to provide the best possible care to Covid-19 patients. Its a one-of-a-kind hospital in the entire north-east region, state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told media persons on Friday after inaugurating the hospital.

Well exclusively use the super-speciality hospital to treat Covid-19 patients till the time the pandemic lasts. We expect the number of symptomatic Covid-19 patients, who need special care, to increase in the coming days. This hospital will cater to those patients, he added.

The state has recorded a spike in Covid-19 positive cases because of the easing of lockdown restrictions from May 4, which led to an influx of thousands of stranded people returning home from various parts of the country, including by air since Monday when domestic flight services resumed after two months.

Some experts have said that the centralised air conditioning system could lead to the spread of SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease. In a bid to get around the use of the centralised air conditioning system during this peak summer, we imported UVGI units from Canada, despite the lockdown restrictions. These units will neutralise the virus by emitting the ultra-violet (UV) rays and prevent its spread, Sarma said.

Therell be an exponential rise in Covid-19 positive cases if the viral outbreak reaches the third stage or community transmission. This hospital will cater to those patients in the event of a medical emergency such as community transmission, he added.

The super-speciality hospital has facilities to conduct surgeries on Covid-19 patients, who need surgical interventions for their other medical complications.

There is no need to panic, as the state has the capacity to treat 5,000 Covid-19 patients, he added.

As for lockdown 5:0, which is likely to be imposed in the country from Monday, the minister said that Assam would like to persist with the ongoing night curfew and is ready to comply with the central governments guidelines.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Rick Woldenberg, chief executive of the Vernon, Ill.,-based toy company Learning Resources, said the guidelines were kind of just a nice way of saying you cant go back to the office. His 300 employees moved into new headquarters March 3 and then to their homes a week later. The remodeling did not account for a global pandemic: There are few interior walls, and the windows dont open. Even if they could constantly ventilate and sanitize, he said, he thinks it would leave employees uncomfortable and on edge.
As South Korea seats a new parliament, President Moon Jae-in's progressive camp plans to spend the political capital it gained by swiftly tamping down covid-19 to reshape the country's virus-battered economy.

Moon's ruling party won a solid majority in elections in April, riding a wave of public support for its management of the public health crisis. The president and his left-leaning camp will now try for a new push on policies aimed at reducing income inequality and reforming chaebol conglomerates, after previous attempts have faltered.

The parliament sits for four years and will help define Moon's legacy. It will also become a testing ground for potential successors looking to run for South Korea's top office when his single term ends in two years. As the session starts Saturday, here are five items to watch:

1. Power Play

Moon's former prime minister, Lee Nak-yon, emerged from the April election as the person the public favors as South Korea's next president. Lee is looking to take over as leader of the ruling Democratic Party, and the local JoongAng Daily reported that he's planning to set up a policy think tank that could help him in a run for president in 2022. While the election landslide gave Moon a freer hand to push policy leftward, he will need the help of Lee -- considered more of a moderate -- to enact legislation that could help determine his legacy.

2. Moon's "New Deal"

One part of Moon's legacy will be how well he can implement what he's called a Korean version of the "New Deal" to create jobs on the back of investments in digital infrastructure. In a May speech, Moon made this a top priority -- and the size and scope of the plan could indicate whether it will be a driver of employment after his government ends.

3. North Korea

Moon has made rapprochement with North Korea a key policy objective, but he's had little to show for his plans to resume projects frozen by political rancor or shut down by international sanctions punishing Pyongyang for its nuclear provocations. The Democratic Party plans to push two bills that could help restore some contact between the two Koreas, Choi Ji-eun, a spokeswoman the Democratic Party said this week. One of the measures would simplify the reporting process for South Koreans wishing to contact North Koreans, and the other would designate border areas as special zones for inter-Korean reunification and to promote economic exchanges.

4. Chaebol and Real Estate Reform

Like many presidents before him, Moon has tried and failed to add greater transparency to the family conglomerates, known as chaebols, that hold enormous sway over the South Korean economy. While his party is looking to increase penalties for antitrust practices to punish conglomerates seeking to thwart competition, Moon needs to walk a fine line, as the firms supply the exports that keep the economy moving -- and would be key to implementing his "New Deal."

Moon's administration has also launched a raft of property-related measures since taking office in 2017, with little to show for its efforts. Moon has tried to cool speculation that has driven up housing prices in some areas by make it more expensive for people to own more than one residence.

5. Term Limits

Moon in April fell short of the necessary two-thirds majority in parliament needed to enact more significant changes requiring constitutional amendments -- such as allowing future presidents to serve more than one term. South Korea's single-term limit was installed as a safeguard after decades of authoritarian rule, but has been criticized for effectively turning the president into a lame duck soon after taking office. If he can find support, the new term limits would be applicable to the next person who becomes president.

Moon will need help from his conservative opposition to change the current single five-year term to a period of four years, with the possibility of reelection for another four.
Eroilda Perez Caban used to walk every day from her home in Guanica, Puerto Rico, to the grocery store.

The store shut down in January as earthquakes continued to rattle southern Puerto Rico. Weeks later, the novel coronavirus triggered some of the strictest shutdown measures in the United States, preventing Perez Caban from going out or getting a ride to a store seven miles away. Now Perez Caban, living alone in a nearly abandoned town without transportation and terrified of a microscopic pathogen, is going hungry.

"This is a plague," Perez Caban said, "in more ways than one."

The bandaged safety net that has buoyed Puerto Ricans imperfectly in times of crisis has slackened for many during the pandemic. It has given way to new levels of scarcity on an island archipelago pummeled in recent years by hurricanes, earthquakes, political upheaval and bankruptcy.

Gov. Wanda Vazquez Garced acted early and severely to stymie the spread of covid-19, closing most commercial business, limiting travel, mandating the use of masks. She also imposed a curfew and leveled steep fines against those violating it.

"My first instinct was to save lives," Vazquez Garced said in a written response to questions from The Washington Post. "We didn't base our response to the pandemic on fears of the economic consequences."

Garced's shelter-at-home policies curbed new infections without overwhelming Puerto Rico's compromised health system. But an economic disaster is looming.

So many U.S. citizens in the territory applied for unemployment insurance in the past several weeks that the system collapsed, and applications had to be processed by hand. The government received more than 120,000 new applications for food stamps; 30 percent of applicants are still waiting to receive benefits, according to government data. About 1 in 5 residents have received stimulus checks, the government said, and the rest will not receive them until at least June. Meanwhile, food and utility prices are rising, and what was left of the middle class has been decimated.

"The Puerto Rico government made a tough choice to save lives, but it came at a cost. They used a cannon to kill mosquitoes, taking a blanket approach, and shutting off the motors of the economy given their lack of capacity to carry out a more precise public health strategy," said Deepak Lamba-Nieves of the Center for a New Economy, a think tank. "Now it's an economic problem on top of a public health one that will primarily hurt the most vulnerable."

Natalie Jaresko, executive director of the federal oversight board managing Puerto Rico's finances, said the shock on the economy will be "severe." She projected the economy would shrink by 4 percent this fiscal year - losses similar to what the territory experienced after Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Puerto Rico is poorer than any state in the union, and years of recession and austerity politics have gutted the public agencies tasked with confronting an emergency. Early missteps and scandals also hobbled the response.The government aborted the purchase of thousands of coronavirus rapid test kits over a scandal involving a politically-connected company with little medical knowledge. Puerto Rico is on its third health secretary since March. The state epidemiologist resigned after her lack of credentials was revealed, and other health officials have also left their jobs. Critics say data collection has been abysmal, and Puerto Rico is not testing enough people for the virus.

More than 3,000 people have tested positive for the virus and 129 have died.

Health secretary Lorenzo Gonzalez publicly acknowledged missteps in some aspects of the response.

Vazquez Garced said delayed financial help will soon arrive for residents. Her government has had to create programs from scratch to distribute $2.2 billion in federal aid that complies with tough oversight rules from the U.S. Treasury Department. Aid is starting to flow to nurses, police and other groups as the governor gradually reopens the economy.

"No one was prepared for this. Not Puerto Rico and not any state in the union," she said.

Javier Nolla founded Sojourn Puerto Rico, an archaeological tour company that took visitors deep inside the island, in 2017. Before the pandemic, three months of his calendar were filled with reservations. The cancellations came violently.

Nolla said he grew up in a "bubble of privilege" in Puerto Rico's well-to-do communities, but he applied for government assistance in April. Savings sustained his family during the first month. He worked out a deal with his landlord to delay his rent payments. But as the lockdown dragged on and the funds did not arrive, Nolla's resources dried up. His family offered to help buy groceries.

"I never imagined having to do this at my age. I am a 45-year-old professional with a master's degree and I should not have to ask for money from anyone," Nolla said. "The last thing I want to do is depend on my family. I am blessed, but it's humiliating."

The need to distance socially has challenged the networks Puerto Ricans built in the wake of catastrophe. Mutual aid groups, nonprofits and community organizations knit their own parachute to catch the vulnerable among them. After Maria, the diaspora linked arms with islanders to form their own supply chains. Thousands of Puerto Ricans descended in caravans to the quake-ridden south to deliver tents and toiletries to the displaced. Mayors in isolated municipalities responded to needs with little resources and became local heroes.

Giovanni Roberto founded a social kitchen near the University of Puerto Rico to help feed struggling college students in Rio Piedras. The blows of the last three years have challenged his organization to expand its reach, but their work, he said, should not supplant the government's role in addressing deepening poverty and hunger.

"I have been doing this for seven years," said Roberto, who through protest urged the central government to open school cafeterias and provide much-needed meals to children across Puerto Rico. "This is much worse than Maria."

Zorey Muniz's teenage daughters are coming of age during Puerto Rico's worst. Her 17-year-old's graduating class dubbed themselves "Odyssey: the class of resilience" to describe the tumultuous last four years.

Muniz and her husband invested their life's savings into a food stand serving homemade artisan desserts to tourists and locals in the western surf town of Rincon. Her family was exposed to coronavirus after a close friend died of covid-19. Muniz paid $100 for a test - it was negative - as the prolonged lockdown squeezed their finances. The bills piled up.

The family can open their shop now but the governor's curfew cuts right into prime selling time. Her husband is talking about going to New Jersey for a landscaping job while Muniz continues to solicit government help.

"I'm afraid he will be exposed over there," said Muniz, who rations food in her own house but is part of a group distributing food to elderly neighbors. "But you know what? We are alive and we can still help those who have less than us."

In Guanica, Perez Caban springs to her front yard whenever Yeisimar Leon's black van appears around the corner. She knows the nights of drinking nothing but cold milk will be abated for a while with food to supplement what her children send by mail.

"Did you eat today?" Leon, 40, yells out as she hauls bags of canned green beans, box mashed potatoes, plantains and a giant pineapple to the front gate. The older woman chops and freezes the fruit. She fries the plantains into tostones and freezes those too.

"It's sad to say, but I depend on this angel and what she brings me," Perez Caban said.

Leon visits 45 homes just like this one every week and keeps track in a little turquoise notebook to estimate when each person will run out.

"Most of those we help are seniors who don't have a way to help themselves. Their families are gone or in the states," said Leon, a member of Team 821, a local nonprofit serving people in the quake zone, where more than 40 families in town still live in camps or sleep in tents outside their homes.

"If I go too, these people will suffer," she said.
Four years ago, an elderly Miami ranch owner named Manuel Coto-Martinez was charged after he illegally sold horse meat to an undercover police detective. He wound up serving one day in jail, three months of probation and was not allowed to have horses for that time.

Coto-Martinez, authorities say, is off probation and in trouble again  this time after 23 malnourished and neglected horses were found on his ranch in Okeechobee County.

Prosecutors in Okeechobee County this week charged the 74-year-old on 10 counts of animal cruelty, one of them a felony, the rest misdemeanors. He has pleaded not guilty.

Deputies raided his ranch in April, and arrested him early last month. The horses were seized and are now living at a ranch ran by Horses without Humans Rescue in Bell.

Coto-Martinez has been a longtime nemesis for a South Florida group called Animal Recovery Mission, which targets illegal slaughterhouses, cockfighting rings and ranches where animals are being maltreated. ARM was not involved directly in the Okeechobee case, but said it will work with prosecutors to ensure Coto-Martinez gets punished.

This is a bad dude, the groups founder, Richard Couto, said on Friday. Hes been shut down at least four or five times, and he re-opens after they leave. He just doesnt care about law enforcement because he knows his operations are still lucrative and hes just going to get to get a slap on the wrist.

ARM continues to send undercover operatives to investigate Coto-Martinez, he said.

Last year, ARM had approached Miami-Dade police and prosecutors about allegations that Coto-Martinez was illegally slaughtering pigs on one of his properties. The Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office, at the time, said it could not find any evidence of criminal wrongdoing in how the pigs were being treated.

Some law-enforcement agencies, including the Miami-Dade State Attorneys, have ripped the groups tactics. In 2018, prosecutor Michael Filteau cited serious ethical concerns about ARMs tactics in a cockfighting case, which included Couto refusing to work with cops, potentially tampering with evidence and even dragging cockfight attendees out of bushes by force.

Story continues

According to police, a confidential informant introduced Manuel Coto-Martinez to an undercover Miami-Dade detective posing as buyer of horse meat.

As for Coto-Martinez, he was first arrested locally in 2016 in case investigated by Miami-Dade police.

According to police, a confidential informant introduced Coto-Martinez to an undercover Miami-Dade detective, Jonathan Santana, who posed as a buyer of horse meat. Santana and another detective, Kristina Lageyre, posed as husband and wife, pretending they had a child suffering from anemia. The reason: in some cultures, iron-rich horse meat is believed to help symptoms of the illness.

An informant and the undercover detectives bought dozens of pounds of frozen horse meat at Coto-Martinezs rural Miami-Dade ranch in the rural C-9 basin, a sparsely developed agricultural area west of Hialeah and the Florida Turnpike Extension.

At the time, the case was believed to be the first time in South Florida that investigators documented the actual sale of horse meat in the highly secretive black market. In recent years, the carcasses of butchered horses, their meat likely bound for dinner tables, have been found across South Florida, particularly in rural swaths of western Miami-Dade County.
LONDON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

Dear members of the Board

As mentioned in our earlier letter (available here), the investment personnel at Staude Capital Limited act as the portfolio management team[1] for the Global Value Fund, an investment company that has been an investor in VPC Specialty Lending Investments Plc (VSL, 'the Company') since 2017.

We note the recent publication of the Company's annual report, which includes a unanimous recommendation by the Board that shareholders vote in favour of a continuation vote that must be held at this year's Annual General Meeting.

Given the poor market rating that the shares of the Company have attracted for some time - a situation that was entrenched well before the challenges that COVID-19 has brought - we find the arguments that the Board have provided for recommending continuation wholly unsatisfactory. The Board has failed to acknowledge the chief issue that the Company's shareholders currently face. Namely, a structural discount problem inherent at VSL which substantially impairs shareholders' total returns.

In arriving at its recommendation, the Board appears satisfied to rely on a series of pitifully unambitious 'active measures'. The Board claims these measures have been designed to achieve a 'marked reduction' in the Company's discount and to align the Company's NAV performance to future continuation votes.

In this letter we set out our analysis of each of these measures in turn, an analysis that we are confident the vast majority of the Company's independent shareholders will broadly agree with. But in summary, it appears that our Board believes an acceptable outcome for its shareholders includes NAV returns that are nearly half those promised at IPO. It also believes that the discount problem will have been solved if, in three years' time, the discount to NAV is anything less than 15%. This is a level that the shares were already trading at three months ago and a situation that the Board has described as disappointing in the last two annual reports.

Considering the dismal lack of ambition that our Board seems to hold for shareholders' capital, and the inherent weaknesses in the arguments that it has put forward, we have decided to publish this as a public letter to the directors of VSL. There are a number of reasonable questions that the Board's tepid set of proposals invite, and the Board should be willing to answer these publicly. Again, we are confident that a majority of the Company's independent shareholders will want to hear answers to these questions too.

We ask that the Board reassesses its current position and brings forward a new set of proposals for shareholders to vote on. Proposals that include reasonable return targets for the Company and which have a genuine prospect of solving the Company's longer-term structural discount problem.

If the Board fails to bring forward different proposals, we will have no alternative but to vote against continuation and will feel compelled to publicly advocate for this outcome. This will be despite us having a favourable view of the manager and its investment strategy.

We have continued to engage with a wide number of VSL's shareholders since the Board published these proposals. We have yet to speak to an investor who believes that the targets that Mr Ingram, Mr Peggam, Mr Katzenellenbogen and Ms Passey have set for shareholder capital are reasonable objectives. It is our belief that if the continuation vote is held based on the proposals the Board has announced to date, it will fail without the support of the shares controlled by the manager. It may well even fail while relying on this shareholding.

Needless to say, if the continuation vote were to be passed only with the support of shares controlled by the investment manager, no properly functioning UK investment trust Board should consider this an acceptable outcome. Moreover, in our view, such an outcome could hardly be a proud moment for the advisors that have been engaged to lead the Company through this process. Would such an outcome really be an acceptable practice to be promoting in the UK investment trust industry?

Our comments on the Board's 'active measures'

Measure 1: a continuation vote in 2021 if the one-year NAV return is below zero

It is deeply concerning that the Board finds it acceptable to only offer another continuation vote (not an exit) if the Company generates a negative return over the coming year. This target is not just underwhelming, it is entirely inconsistent with the arguments the Board set out in making its case for recommending continuation. Specifically, the Board stated:

"The Investment Manager believes that the market for new investment opportunities in its sector is the most promising since the Company launched in 2015

"The Investment Manager believes that the Company's pricing power on new deals has increased significantly since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis

"In reaching its recommendation for continuation, the Board considered  the prospect of the Investment Manager being able to continue to deliver good returns to shareholders in terms of both yield and NAV accretion in the next few years."

What concerns us most about this proposal is not the distressing lack of ambition that the Board has. Rather, that if the manager can succeed in simply not losing money in the most exciting investment environment it has enjoyed since IPO, shareholders will not be afforded another continuation vote until 2025, five years from now.

Measure 2: a 100% exit opportunity following the 2023 AGM if the three-year NAV return is less than 18%

We find it inconceivable that our Board believes a three-year 18% NAV return is an acceptable target to set for the manager. On an annualised basis this equates to only 5.6% per annum, a figure that is less than what has been achieved since inception and 44% below the return target that the Company set out at IPO, being 10% per annum.

How is this return hurdle consistent with what the manager is telling the Board about the current investment environment? The target the Board has set is also below the returns needed for the Company to cover its 8p per annum dividend target and, in our view, is not at all commensurate with the risks incurred from indirectly lending to sub-prime borrowers.

As a minimum, we believe the Board should explain to its shareholders the reasons why it believes such an underwhelming return objective is an acceptable benchmark.

Measure 3: a 25% exit opportunity following the 2023 AGM if the average discount is greater than 15% in a four-week period to 31 March 2023

This final objective is particularly unsatisfactory. We believe that it is the persistent, structural discount that most investors have been frustrated by, not recent returns. While 15% is an improvement from today's 27% discount and the 53% discount in April, in the last two annual reports the Board and manager have only referred to the observed mid-teen discounts on the share price as 'disappointing'. We note 15% is also wider than the 11.1% discount that the shares touched on 21 February 2020 - a level you were keen to highlight in AGM notice. Given the Board is setting a target that is three years into the future, why is anything less than a 15% discount level now an acceptable outcome for our Board?

To make matters worse, we believe the proposal is inherently flawed. How can a four-week measurement period be a plausible window over which to measure whether the Company has achieved a discount level target? What was preventing the Board from using a length of time that at least ensured there was some substance to the information being observed?

Finally, it is plainly underwhelming that our Board seems only to have the confidence to offer a 25% exit if such a tepid discount target has not been achieved. This means that should the wide discount persist, a shareholder who needs to realise part of their investment must sell the remaining 75% at the prevailing unacceptable discount level.

Issues not addressed in your circular

While you offered arguments for why shareholders should vote in favour of continuation, you failed to offer any legitimate reasons why shareholders should not be entitled to realise their own investment in the Company at NAV via an orderly run-off now. The nearest the AGM notice came to this was a poorly explained warning that the timing of a 'liquidation' in the current market could be 'unfavourable' and which highlighted the 32-month average maturity on the portfolio. To repeat the arguments from our first letter:

An orderly run-off requires no 'liquidation' of investments. Most of the portfolio is self-liquidating. It merely comes down to whether cash flows are reinvested, or whether they are returned to shareholders that opt for run-off.

Regarding timing, shareholders are clearly able to decide for themselves what is, or is not, in their best interests. Moreover, it is not clear to us why this situation would be different at any future continuation vote. In fact, the current environment makes a faster run-off more likely if platforms trigger credit performance tests that would allow VSL to retire facilities earlier - an event that seems highly likely in the current environment. Added to this, we are already seeing platforms choosing to pre-pay early, as evidenced by the $60m of proceeds VSL received from 1 March to 20 May 2020 .

We were also surprised to see no reference to how the Company might manage the inherent conflicts of interest that the manager's 18% voting stake represents, noting that this is the first meeting since that stake was acquired. This has been cited as a key concern by every shareholder we have spoken to so far. Given the Board has stated that it has now had an opportunity to speak with many of its shareholders (a situation that was not the case when we published our earlier letter), we would be surprised if you were not clearly aware of this. It is our view that any long-term solution to VSL's discount problem must also include a solution that appropriately manages this issue. Of course, as well as controlling the voting rights of the largest shareholder, the manager also has a voice in the boardroom (Richard Levy) and we note Mr. Levy is once again being put up for election as a non-independent director. We would question whether Mr. Levy's presence on the Board is now appropriate given SVS Opportunity Fund's 18% stake in the Company, especially when the manager can always be called to assist with Board meetings without the need for a vote too.

AGM arrangements

It has been disappointing to learn that the upcoming AGM will be a closed affair and shareholders will not be able to ask their Board questions in real time. We ask that the Board reconsiders this, noting the importance of this AGM given the continuation vote and the large discount to NAV. For a company providing capital to online lending platforms backed by some of San Francisco's leading venture capital firms, it is entirely unsatisfactory that VSL is unable to even offer a dial-in facility for this meeting, instead conducting its AGM in a service station off the M25. If it is true that 'it is not the Board's intention to exclude or discount the views of the Company's shareholders' then in the current day and age, this is very easily fixed. The Board will of course be aware that the Company's largest counterparty, Elevate Credit, hosted its AGM online on 1 May 2020 and shareholders had the opportunity to engage directly with their Board.

We look forward to hearing answers to our questions and would be happy to discuss any of the issues raised in this letter directly with the Board.

Finally, as this has been published as an open letter, we have been encouraged by how many shareholders have made the time to get in touch with us to discuss the challenges VSL is facing since we published our last public letter. We believe all shareholders should have a voice on these important matters and continue to encourage all shareholders, big or small, to reach out to us to discuss the issues we are all facing.

Yours sincerely,

Disclaimer



The views stated in this letter are those of Staude Capital Limited only. All data, estimates and Company statements referred to have been sourced by Staude Capital Limited and are accurate to the best of our knowledge.

[1] The investment personnel seconded from Staude Capital Limited act as portfolio manager of the Global Value Fund under the regulatory license of Mirabella Financial Services LLP, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA.

Contacts:

Miles Staude

Director, Staude Capital Limited

Miles.Staude@staudecapital.com

+44 (0)203-874-2241

Emma Davidson

Director, Staude Capital Limited

Emma.Davidson@staudecapital.com
Institute Developing Discovery Protocols

A nonprofit group that works to improve the efficiency of the legal system has launched a new project to create discovery protocols for COVID-19 insurance claims.

The Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) said an unprecedented number of time-consuming and costly cases are flooding U.S. courts because of the pandemic. Many involve business interruption property damage claims stemming from COVID-19 closure orders.

The Institute said it will create pattern protocols that will require both businesses and insurance companies to automatically disclose certain information and documents early in the case.

This will make the discovery processnormally one of the most expensive, contentious, and lengthy parts of litigationfar more efficient and targeted, IAALS said in a press release.

The protocols will provide judges with a new pretrial procedure to follow, which will make it easier and faster for the parties and their counsel to exchange information and documents, frame issues, and value claims for possible early resolution.

The Institute said it has worked with the courts to improve the discovery process and hasten the resolution of other types of court cases in the past, including for employment cases, fair labor standards act cases, and disaster cases.

Broadspire Teams With HomeCare Connect

Broadspire, a Crawford & Company subsidiary that provides third-party administration services for workers compensation and liability claims, has contracted with HomeCare Connect for post-acute care services.

Many injured workers cannot return directly to their homes after a hospital stay, HomeCare said in a press release. Some transfer to post-acute care facilities for additional treatment until they are able to return home.

HomeCare Connect, based in Winter Park, Florida, provides post-acute care services to help prevent gaps in clinical coordination during the transition.

The program can tap a network of 15,000 post-acute care facilities. Broadspires adjusters and nurse case managers work with HomeCares coordinators to select a facility specializing in the injured workers condition, such as spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries, physical rehabilitation, or wound care, the company said.

The team coordinates the hospital discharge and provides a detailed treatment plan to the post-acute care center, HomeCare said. They also monitor the type, quantity and quality of services delivered.

American National Offering Roost Smart Home Sensors

Roost, a Silicon Valley provider of smart home telematics products, has formed a partnership with American National Insurance Co. to offer select policyholders free sensors.

American National policyholders with specific risk characteristics will be offered the award-winning Roost Smart Water Leak and Freeze Detector. The package will include an American National-branded mobile app with severe weather alerts from IBM/The Weather Company.

American National is adding the telematics products to its offering as a means of increasing customer engagement, Roost said in a press release.

The Roost sensors detect water leaks as well as humidity and freezing temperatures. Each detector can be placed around the home in locations most prone to water leaks, such as under kitchen sinks, hot water heaters, toilets and various appliances. It then delivers smartphone alerts via the Roost app to help minimize water damage and loss.

Roost, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., provides smoke alarms, a water leak and freeze detector and a smart garage door sensor.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 20:45:30|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

HANOI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam reported no new cases of COVID-19 infection for the third consecutive day on Friday, with its total confirmed cases remaining at 327 and zero deaths so far, according to its Ministry of Health.

One more COVID-19 patient was declared clear of the disease Friday, bringing the total cured cases in the country to 279, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Vietnam has recorded no local transmission for 43 straight days while there are nearly 8,900 people being quarantined and monitored, according to the health ministry.

The most critical case in the country, a British pilot, has tested negative for COVID-19 for a couple of times, the news agency reported, adding that the patient's health had shown positive signs as of Friday. Enditem
Islamic rebels kill at least 57 in attacks on civilians in DRC

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

At least 57 people were killed this week in attacks carried out by an Islamic rebel group in the northeast Democratic Republic of Congo as escalating violence near the Ugandan border has displaced hundreds of thousands of people so far this year.

The Centre for the Promotion of Peace, Democracy and Human Rights said in a statement that Islamic rebels attacked Samboko, Bandavilemba and Walese-Vukutu villages in Ituri province on Tuesday, killing 40, according to The Associated Press.

Attacks on villages have been attributed to members of the Allied Democratic Forces and a group known as MTM, which claims to be affiliated with the Islamic State terror faction. According to the news agency, the two groups have begun carrying out attacks together.

The latest attacks follow a separate attack on Monday that was attributed to ADF, an Islamist rebel group that was driven out of Uganda in the late 1990s but has operated in eastern DRC and resurged in recent years. A military offensive was launched against the groups bases last year.

A source told Reuters that ADF launched an early morning attack on civilians in the village of Makutano in Ituri.

They fired several shots in the air. When the population was fleeing, they captured some people and cut them up with machetes, Gili Gotabo, a civil society leader in the Irumu territory, said of the Monday attack.

The Kivu Security Tracker, a research initiative that monitors violence in the region, reported that at least 17 were killed in Monday's attack. However, Gotabo told Reuters that there are likely to be more deaths.



ADF has been blamed for killing hundreds of people since the offensive began last year.

After a sharp decline of violent deaths in March, the Kivu Security Tracker shows an uptick in attacks in the region over the last two months.

The U.N.'s Children's Fund reported last week that over a quarter-million people, most of whom are children, have been forced to flee violence in Ituri since the beginning of the year.

The agency said that 22 health facilities have been destroyed and 160 schools have been damaged or looted.

UNICEF stressed in its May 20 report that 25,000 newly displaced people have gone into IDP camps and are struggling to access safe water and sanitation. The U.N. Refugee Agency estimates that over 5 million people were displaced in-country between October 2017 and September 2019, with over 900,000 refugees and asylum seekers in host countries.

According to UNICEF, the new displacements put further pressure on already stretched humanitarian services in one of the poorest, most insecure and disease-stricken parts of the country.

Even before the new influx, displaced people could only access five liters of water per day  far below the recommended daily minimum, the report says.

From three areas  Djugu, Mahagi and Irumu  UNICEF notes that about 200,000 people are seeking shelter in host communities or at extremely overcrowded displacement sites in and around Ituris capital of Bunia since December 2019.

The humanitarian situation in Djugu area is especially precarious as 70 percent of humanitarian workers have had to suspend operations due to the worsening security context, the UNICEF report adds.

Edouard Beigbeder, a UNICEF representative in the DRC, said the security situation in Ituri is deteriorating fast.

We need to act equally quickly to avert a crisis that would forcibly uproot and endanger even more children, Beigbeder warned in a statement.

The conflict between rebels and security services come as a conflict between farming and herding communities in the region has also led the killings of 701 people between December 2017 and September 2019 in Djugu and Mahagi, according to a U.N. investigation.

Violence and mass displacement has effected millions across Central and West Africa, including those that have been displaced or killed by extremist or rebel attacks in countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon and Burkina Faso. Escalating Islamic terrorism in the southeast African country of Mozambique has also led to the displacement of over 100,000 people.
DUBLIN, Calif., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TriNet, a leading provider of comprehensive human resources, partnered with The Harris Poll to conduct industry-wide pulse surveys to better understand broad COVID-19 sentiment beyond its own small and medium-size business (SMB) customers. The latest round of surveys, released in a whitepaper today, reveal how SMB owners are adapting to the current situation, dealing with the impact of the pandemic on their business and preparing for business continuity for the future.

According to the survey results 64% of SMB leaders expect their businesses to emerge either stronger or the same as before the pandemic, as most states across the U.S. gradually lift shelter in place orders. Additionally, 88% of SMBs are either creating or amending their business continuity plans after their experiences with the pandemic, including prioritizing health and safety of their employees.

The three surveys were conducted with leaders at over 500 SMBs from April 28  May 8. Detailed results of the surveys can be found in the whitepaper issued by TriNet.

"Although this pandemic has been one of the most difficult challenges many SMBs have faced, including direct impacts on revenue, employee health and wellness, morale, and plans for the future, we find in these results an underlying optimism and agility, despite the unprecedented hardships. This is the kind of optimism and agility that has come to define the SMB community and will help our economy to move forward and recover," stated John Gerzema, CEO at The Harris Poll.

Lower SMB Revenue

The challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have been particularly difficult for SMBs. The survey found 83% are experiencing decreased revenues since February, with almost one in four seeing their revenue decline by more than 50%.

While revenues are down, optimism and confidence levels are rising. As reported in the first wave of surveys, four out of five companies made strategic investments in March and early April to keep business operational. Their investments are paying off  as businesses begin to turn on their lights and open their doors to customers, 86% of SMB leaders say their business has handled the challenges brought on by the pandemic well and almost two-thirds (64%) expect their business to be stronger or the same as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lost revenue has been a major hardship for SMBs, but one-third of respondents cite the uncertainty of the situation and the unknown of when "normal" will return as their biggest challenge. The most difficult areas of dealing with the pandemic for SMBs include:

Uncertainty  not knowing when "normal" will return (31%)

Finances  lost sales, making payroll, paying expenses (26%)

Safety/health concerns  keeping employees and customers healthy (19%)

Employees  layoffs/furloughs, productivity, remote work (18%)

Operations  supply chain issues, delayed delivery, stores/locations closed/reduced hours (7%)

Business Continuity

The COVID-19 pandemic has shed new light on the need for business continuity plans for SMB leaders. While most SMBs had a formalized continuity plan in place before the COVID-19 crisis hit, only 18% of these plans accounted for pandemics. Even though most companies weren't thinking about a pandemic as they created their plans, about two-thirds with plans believe what they had in place was effective in helping them address the current situation.

Despite about half of companies not updating their plans in the past 12 months, nearly all of the respondents (88%) are either now creating plans or amending their existing plans after their experiences with the pandemic. Over half (53%) of those who are making these changes are prioritizing employee health and safety, and the same amount will also revise their company's work-from-home policies.

Other areas businesses have already made or plan to make changes to continuity plans in the future include:

Improve risk assessment (45%)

Enhance employee communication plan (43%)

Identify critical products/service that must be delivered in a crisis (33%)

Review/revise sick leave policies (28%)

Review/revise healthcare coverage (26%)

Implement a customer helpline (18%)

Government Support

While resiliency has remained strong, confidence in government support is an area that has waxed and waned throughout. Consensus among SMB leaders that the government is doing enough to support their businesses during this time was measured at 58% between April 36. Since early April, these numbers became very volatile and dropped to a low of 38% between April 28May 1, before rising to where it most recently stood on May 58 at 46%.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Workforce

SMBs have had to adjust their workforce to address the changing needs of their business during these unprecedented times. As of May 5-8, six in ten SMB leaders (60%) have had to reduce their workforce in some way, including one or more of the following:

Reducing employee hours (47%)

Furloughing employees (26%)

Laying off employees (22%)

Furthermore, business models, along with products/service offerings, were greatly affected by the current situation, with 57% of SMB leaders (as of May 58) making one or more of the following types of changes to their business:

Shifted business model to be more online/virtual (40%)

Changed product/service offering to address pandemic (20%)

Changed product/service offering to keep revenue coming in (18%)

More information on TriNet's continually updated resources for SMBs around COVID-19 can be found on TriNet's Business Resiliency and Preparedness Center.

For this research, TriNet teamed with The Harris Poll to conduct an online survey of more than 500 business leaders in U.S. companies with 5 to 249 employees between April 28May 1, 2020 for the eighth wave, April 30May 3, 2020 for the ninth wave and May 58, 2020 for the tenth wave. Business leaders were qualified as either owners/partners or C-level executives.

About TriNet

TriNet (NYSE: TNET) provides small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) with full-service HR solutions tailored by industry. To free SMBs from HR complexities, TriNet offers access to human capital expertise, benefits, risk mitigation and compliance, payroll and real-time technology. From Main Street to Wall Street, TriNet empowers SMBs to focus on what matters mostgrowing their business. TriNet, incredible starts here. For more information, visit TriNet.com or follow us on Twitter .

TriNet and the TriNet logo are registered trademarks of TriNet. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE TriNet Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.trinet.com


With the May 18 announcement of a new power-sharing deal between President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan and former Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah, at least the Afghan government is no longer disintegrating right before our very eyes. Until recently, both men claimed victory in last falls highly flawed presidential election; each went so far as to hold his own inauguration ceremony back in early March.

Now Abdullah will concede, or at least accept defeat  a noble decision he made as well in 2014, under equally opaque electoral circumstances  but will take on the enormous responsibility of leading the Afghan government/civil society team in negotiations with the Taliban that have as their goal peace and a new power-sharing arrangement for the country.

Outcome of negotiations remains unclear

The Ghani-Abdullah accord is a huge relief, and should allow the United States to restore the $1 billion reduction in aid funding that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had held up after his late March trip to Kabul failed to resolve the political impasse. But of course, the situation in Afghanistan remains dire. Large attacks by the Islamic State and/or al-Qaida have deliberately killed women and children in recent weeks. The Taliban, for their part, deny any role in those attacks but have stepped up the use of lethal force against Afghan police and soldiers.

U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, left, and Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar sign a peace agreement in Doha, Qatar, on February 29, 2020.

Actual numbers of losses in recent months have been classified by Kabul and Washington to avoid demoralizing security forces, but they might approach 1,000 security personnel killed in action per month. Taliban losses are likely no less. Yet, as The New York Times has reported, the organization has used a combination of religious zealotry, hatred of its own government , sanctuaries in Pakistan and the spoils of corruption to find ample recruits to replenish its ranks. Its strength now numbers 50,000 fighters or more, according to the Times.

Civilian casualties have gone up as well, due to everything from the spectacular bombings to being caught in the crossfire of the ongoing civil war, though they are not nearly as high as for the police, army and Taliban.

Story continues

Prospects for a peace deal are presently poor. Both sides say they have the upper hand  hardly a prescription for compromise. President Ghani and Dr. Abdullah understandably consider themselves the rightful and constitutional leaders of the country and enter talks with the Taliban with that attitude.

The Taliban say the Ghani/Abdullah government is an illegitimate creation and puppet of the infidel international community, able to survive in power only as long as NATO forces back up its army and police. The Taliban further say U.S. forces, and therefore all NATO troops, are heading for the door  because the Feb. 29 peace accord signed by American envoy Zalmay Khalilzad with the Taliban says as much, promising a 40% reduction from earlier American troop levels by mid-July and a complete departure by spring of 2021. Without the United States there, no NATO ally will remain either.

Joni Ernst: This Memorial Day, proudly say of our daughters, 'she should serve'

If President Donald Trump wants to avoid being played for a sucker by the Taliban, it is time for him to clarify U.S. plans. In fact, the Feb. 29 deal is not quite so simple or determinative as many, including, it would appear, the Taliban leadership, have come to believe.

In fact, the accord requires lots from the Taliban, too. It also explicitly confirms that all of its provisions are interrelated. Thus, it is hardly a stretch for Washington to point out that if the Taliban fail to do their part, Americas obligations are no longer binding, either.

What the United States is asking for

Specifically, in addition to the United States committing to a troop drawdown and the Taliban promising to break ties with al-Qaida and ISIS  promises it might in fact already have broken, since one extremist group, the Haqqani network, is now part of both al-Qaida and the Taliban leadership  the accord also includes these provisions:

After the announcement of guarantees for a complete withdrawal of foreign forces and timeline in the presence of international witnesses, and guarantees and the announcement in the presence of international witnesses that Afghan soil will not be used against the security of the United States and its allies, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban will start intra-Afghan negotiations with Afghan sides.  A permanent and comprehensive cease-fire will be an item on the agenda of the intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations. The participants of intra-Afghan negotiations will discuss the date and modalities of a permanent and comprehensive cease-fire, including joint implementation mechanisms, which will be announced along with the completion and agreement over the future political road map of Afghanistan.

The diction of these provisions is convoluted, perhaps intentionally so. They can be read to imply that if the Taliban team simply raises the subject of power sharing in discussions with the Abdullah-led delegation, it will have satisfied its obligations, regardless of the sincerity or seriousness of the ensuing talks. But that is ridiculous on its face. The United States should not allow such an interpretation of nebulous language to become the received wisdom of what the Feb. 29 deal actually requires.

Moreover, the last sentence above refers specifically to the completion of a future political road map for the country  not simply a passing gesture or comment in what becomes a stillborn negotiation. To be sure, neither the Taliban nor the Abdullah/Ghani team can be held accountable for the others behavior, and therefore neither side can be expected to deliver a deal on its own. However, because Ambassador Khalilzad will presumably still be in the room for the negotiating process between the Abdullah-led team and the Taliban, he can help adjudicate as to whether one or both sides is not acting in good faith in pursuit of these goals.

Next president needs Afghanistan plan: 5,000 troops for five years

If the Taliban do not negotiate in good faith, the United States and NATO are not bound to pull out all of their forces next year. Trump, rather than indulge his distaste for the war and his political desire to promise an end to it before facing voters in November, should make that clear.

For the talks to have any hope of success, Trump needs himself to say that he has made no commitment to cut and run  especially because the Taliban's willingness to assist al-Qaida elements in the future cannot yet be ruled out. Trump must therefore weigh his fatigue with this war against his longstanding promise to protect Americans from terrorism.

Future American policy will be influenced by the behavior, on the battlefield and at the negotiating table, of the Taliban. Otherwise the latter will conclude, as they have long believed, that while Americans have the watches, they have the time. And no meaningful power-sharing arrangements will be reached, because the Taliban will (perhaps wrongly, but still fervently) expect that they will have power fall into their laps when the Americans soon leave.

Michael O'Hanlon, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors, is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of "Beyond NATO: A New Security Architecture for Eastern Europe." Follow him on Twitter: @MichaelEOHanlon

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Afghanistan peace talks: How we save them
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has launched government's scholarship scheme for postgraduate training of Ghanaian medical doctors.

The scheme, launched at the Jubilee House on Thursday, is a fulfillment of a promise made by President Akufo-Addo in 2016 to fully fund the postgraduate training of Ghanaian medical doctors.

Under the scholarship scheme, the tuition fees of 918 residents and senior residents enrolled by the College of Physicians and Surgeons for the 2019/2020 academic year, will be fully paid for by government.

Speaking at the launch, Vice President Bawumia revealed that a total amount of GHC 6,885,000 (six million eight hundred and eighty-five thousand) Ghana Cedis has been released to the College to offset more than half of the projected budget of 11 million GHS which the College required to achieve its mandate this year.

The Vice President said access to good healthcare is not only about providing physical infrastructure, which he said the government is committed to, but also investing in health professionals to deliver quality service.

"Access (to healthcare) is not only in providing physical infrastructure. We need the health professionals who deliver the services, who are well trained to be able to make the difficult decisions, sometimes even tragic choices, in delivering health services. Training is therefore critical if any health system will survive over time," said Dr. Bawumia.

The Vice President further stated that in fulfilment of its promise to fund the postgraduate training of doctors, government, in line with the terms of conditions of service document signed with the Ghana Medical Association for doctors and dentists, agreed to provide direct funding towards the training of doctors to lift burden off medical facilities who were hitherto struggling to fund their doctors.

"We realised that the previous arrangements of funding training through health facilities was severely hampered by the ability of facilities to pay. This led to an unfortunate situation when some facilities could not rely on their own funding to provide the needed staff training."

"Under this new funding arrangement, the Ministry (of Health) has successfully fulfilled its obligation for the 2018/2019 academic year, and I am happy to announce that all the school fees for the 918 residents and senior residents enrolled in the 2019/2020 academic year has been covered under this new arrangement with the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat."

College of Surgeons and Physicians

The Vice President commended the role of the College of Surgeons and Physicians in the training of doctors in various fields since it was established by the government of President John Agyekum Kufuor to provide local opportunities for doctors dentists to further their medical education in the country.

Having enrolled its pioneers in September 2004, graduated in September 2007, and inducted into Membership of Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons in Devember 2007. The College has since produced 565 specialist physicians and 647 specialist surgeons - a total of 1 212 as at the end of 2019," Dr. Bawumia recounted, and applauded the College for its contribution.

Government committed to quality healthcare delivery

While reiterating government's commitment to support the building of health infrastructure and the training of personnel through the scholarship, the Vice President urged the College to maintain its dedication to the training of of doctors.

"I would like to stress that this government is committed to the health of Ghanaians and will do everything possible to assure all citizens of accessible, affordable and available health service delivery across the nation," Dr. Bawumia said.

"We are committed to investing in all aspects of the health system  in physical infrastructure and soft infrastructure by leveraging on technology to leapfrog our development."

"Together, we must work to ensure that the distribution of medical personnel across the country does not put some at disadvantage."

Present at the launch was the Minister of Health, Dr. Kweku Agyemang Manu, who expressed the Ministry's delight at the Scholarship Secretariat's intervention to absorb the fees for the postgraduate training of doctors.

Others present were: Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Okoe Boye, Registrar of the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, Kingsley Agyeman and representatives of the Ghana Medical Association and Ghana College of Physician and Surgeons.
It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Bright Smart Securities & Commodities Group Limited (HKG:1428).

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.

We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.

See our latest analysis for Bright Smart Securities & Commodities Group

Bright Smart Securities & Commodities Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Chairman of the Board Mow Lum Yip made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for HK$16m worth of shares at a price of HK$1.10 each. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of HK$0.94. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when an insider has purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price. Mow Lum Yip was the only individual insider to buy shares in the last twelve months.

Mow Lum Yip purchased 31.34m shares over the year. The average price per share was HK$1.19. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

Story continues

SEHK:1428 Recent Insider Trading May 29th 2020

Bright Smart Securities & Commodities Group is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Insider Ownership

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Bright Smart Securities & Commodities Group insiders own about HK$1.1b worth of shares (which is 69% of the company). Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.

So What Do The Bright Smart Securities & Commodities Group Insider Transactions Indicate?

The fact that there have been no Bright Smart Securities & Commodities Group insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. It would be great to see more insider buying, but overall it seems like Bright Smart Securities & Commodities Group insiders are reasonably well aligned (owning significant chunk of the company's shares) and optimistic for the future. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. To assist with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Bright Smart Securities & Commodities Group.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
ST. MARY'S CITY, Md.

(May 29, 2020)The St. Mary's County Health Department (SMCHD), St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM), and the St. Mary's County Metropolitan Commission (MetCom) have partnered on a pilot project to monitor the presence of COVID-19 in local wastewater. Detecting novel coronavirus in local wastewater before outbreaks of coronavirus disease happen allows for early public health intervention to suppress disease and readying of health care resources."We need to think about the long-term with COVID-19. We may be dealing with this virus for years." said Meena Brewster, St. Mary's County Health Officer. "This pilot study on virus in wastewater helps us plan for longer-term monitoring. In the future, when this pandemic is over, we may have to play whack-a-rona with this viruspick up on early signs of it re-emerging and aggressively implement public health measures to suppress it before it becomes an epidemic.""The Metropolitan Commission is excited about the opportunity to help quantify the scale of this virus and potentially determine if there is a population link to a specific wastewater treatment plant," said George Erichsen, MetCom executive director. "MetCom facilities process wastewater produced by local residences and businesses so we have a perfect opportunity to work with the College and to provide the Health Officer with background data that could be used in sciencebased recovery recommendations.""St. Mary's College is happy to lend its expertise to this important local initiative that may prove beneficial for the citizens of the state beyond the county," said Tuajuanda Jordan, St. Mary's College president. "This collaborative partnership between St. Mary's College, the St. Mary's County Health Department and MetCom is supported by our local COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Group and is the first of its kind in Maryland."MetCom is providing wastewater samples from all county wastewater treatment plants to SMCM, and SMCHD is supporting laboratory supplies for SMCM so faculty from the biology department can process the wastewater samples in their laboratories. As expected, early results of this pilot study confirm the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in local wastewater. Based on results from the pilot study, SMCHD epidemiologists and faculty from the SMCM biology and mathematics departments will work together to develop a longer-term sampling protocol in order to monitor for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the community and inform public health decision making.For more information about COVID-19, please visit www.smchd.org/coronavirus/ . Community members may call the COVID-19 Community Hotline at 301-475-4911 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m.5:00 p.m. for COVID-19 information.
Three children at different quarantine centres in Chhattisgarh have passed away in the past 48 hours.

Three children at different quarantine centres in Chhattisgarh have passed away in the past 48 hours.

Officials said two of the deaths were caused by asphyxiation while the children were being fed and attributed it to a combination of heat and overcrowding at quarantine centres, Indian Express reported. All the three were children of migrant workers who had returned to the state after the lockdown was eased, as per the report.

State health Minister T Singh Deo told the newspaper strict action would be taken if any lapses were found at the centres but added that the system is overburdened with the number of returning migrants.

A one-and-a-half-year-old girl who was at a quarantine centre in Pendra's Tikarkala passed away. The infant's father had come from Bhopal and was later shifted to a quarantine centre. He was working at a factory in Bhopal. However, the infant and her mother were living at their residence in Chhattisgarh's Devargaon village.

Damini, the mother of the infant, alleged that she was not allowed to take water from the hand pump in the village. Later, she, along with the child, went to the quarantine centre to live with her husband.

"My husband came from Bhopal. He was shifted to the quarantine centre in Tikarkala. I was advised not to come out of my house and even not allow us to take water from the pump. They used to call us 'corona'. My husband was tested COVID-19 negative," Damini told ANI.

Pooran Singh, father of the infant said, "I worked in a tobacco factory in Bhopal. Our factory was shut down due to lockdown. I came to Bilaspur via train from Bhopal. I fled from the quarantine centre. Later, the sarpanch and other district administration officials sent me back to the quarantine centre in Tikarkala."

"My wife told me that she is not being allowed to take water in the village. After two to three days, they came to Tikarkala. My child's health condition deteriorated. She had fever and died on Thursday," he added.

Ashok Vategawakar, sub-divisional officer of police (SDOP) said, "After he came from Bhopal, he was quarantined in Tikarkala. During quarantine, the child died today."

Abhimanyu Singh, doctor at the district hospital, said that the post-mortem report of the child showed that her windpipe was blocked due to hiccup.

"Damini breastfed her child today at the quarantine centre. The child was healthy until then. Later, the child fainted. A doctor and ambulance were sent to the quarantine centre. When the child reached the hospital, she was declared brought dead. I intimated the police. During the post-mortem report, we found gastric content in the windpipe. Her windpipe was blocked due to hiccup," he said.

In a separate incident, a four-month-old at a quarantine centre in Balod district's Tenga, passed away. Yogeshwar Nishad, brother of the infant's father said, "My brother came back from Chandrapur on 14 May and his family was quarantined in school. The child was not well. We admitted the child to Balod district hospital."

"The hospital administration was reluctant to admit the child. For several hours, the doctors did not attend the child," he added. Uttam Sahu, Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat Tatenga said, "A family from Chandrapur entered Tatenga village. They were kept at a quarantine centre. On 24 May, the child complained of fever. On 27 May, was referred to the district hospital. Today, the child passed away. I also got to know that the doctors did not attend the child."

In Kabirdham, a three-month-old girl, who was living at a quarantine centre, died in the district hospital. "On 11 May, the child's family came from Nagpur. The child was weak. On 25 May, she complained of fever. There were around 85 people in that quarantine centre. She was brought to the hospital. On 27 May morning, the child was not showing any signs of life. Later, the doctors confirmed that the child was dead," said Chief Medical Health Office (CHMO) SK Tiwari.

With inputs from ANI
Fundraisers are walking, running and swimming nearly 7,000 miles to help the families of Filipino frontline workers who have died of coronavirus, while an artist has unveiled a mural dedicated to Covid-19 in Birmingham, in Fridays news.

These are some of the more uplifting stories you might have missed.

 Fundraisers walk 11,000km for families of bereaved Filipino health workers

A message for the Filipino health and care community in the UK as we hit the halfway mark in our 11,000km journey: Kababayan, we are with you, you are not alone. There are more than 100 of us making this journey for you. https://t.co/asFbpWWxRG @bianca_morris pic.twitter.com/5ZHK7OgNOu  BalikBayani (@Ba11kBayani) May 24, 2020

Fundraisers are walking, running and swimming nearly 7,000 miles to raise money for the families of Filipino frontline workers who have died from Covid-19 in the UK.

There has been a disproportionately high number of deaths among Filipinos working in the NHS and care services during the coronavirus pandemic, with claims that Filipinos have the highest death rate of staff in the sector.

Bianca Hanbury-Morris, who is half British and half Filipino, launched a fundraising effort, Balik Bayani, to help the families of those who have died by gathering a team of people to collectively walk the distance from the UK to the Philippines.

She told the PA news agency: People really love to gang together and help, its not just the Filipino spirit but the human spirit.

Its been an overwhelming response and weve had people say, I had no idea Filipinos make up so much of the health system here, so thats a great byproduct  increasing the awareness of what Filipinos mean to the UK.

 Street artist creates Covid-19 mural in Birmingham

A mural titled Forward in Unity by street artist Gent 48 has been unveiled in Digbeth, Birmingham.

The piece, aiming to immortalise the return of community spirit in Birmingham during the coronavirus pandemic, is situated on Meriden Street and is designed to inspire continued fundraising efforts through organisers Art for Charity.

Its more about representing Birmingham. Everyone in Birmingham coming together as the coronavirus has affected everyone in all sorts of ways, big or small, the artist said.

I think we just wanted to show that we were thinking about everyone.

 Former nurse Joans 102 laps of the park to raise funds for the NHS

A 101-year-old retired nurse has raised thousands of pounds for the NHS as she aims to walk 102 laps of her local park before she turns 102.

Following in Captain Sir Thomas Moores footsteps, former auxiliary nurse and Second World War veteran Joan Rich aims to raise as much money as possible for the service she worked in for much of her life.

She has already completed 34 laps of Allenby Park in Felixstowe, Suffolk, and aims to complete the challenge by her birthday on September 11.

Mrs Rich said she was inspired to complete the challenge after seeing NHS mowed into the lawn of the park.

Even behind a mask, NHS staff always make you smile, she said.

 Baby pangolin named Hope nursed back to health after being found on road

A baby pangolin has been given a precious second chance, as zookeepers nursed him back to health after he was found on a road.

The pangolin was cared for in Thailand by conservation charity the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) after he was found alone last month by a villager.

Named Hope by his rescuers, the pangolin, thought to be just a month old, was at first not expected to survive but he has now gained weight, is snacking on ant eggs, and has been practising his climbing skills in his temporary home.

Dr Eileen Larney, a ZSL conservationist, said: Its been an anxious few weeks for the ZSL team taking care of Hope.

After being given this precious second chance, something many of his species do not, were now assessing whether Hope can be released into the wild.

 Duke of Westminster donates 1 million to Covid-19 mental health research

The majority of the Dukes 10m donation will be made immediately available to #NHS for respite, rehabilitation & mental health assistance to NHS staff and their families who are doing such an incredible job for us all. pic.twitter.com/0BgaZE7y8C  Westminster Foundation (@WestminsterFdn) April 15, 2020

Oxford Universitys research into the impact of Covid-19 on the mental health of the nation has been boosted by a 1 million donation from the Duke of Westminster.

The funds are part of 10 million donated earlier in the pandemic by the duke  billionaire landowner Hugh Grosvenor  with the majority of the money earmarked to support the health service through NHS Charities Together.

The million pound grant will help the work of the Universitys Department of Psychiatry which is examining the pandemics effect on a range of areas from anxiety and stress, to individuals being disconnected from their social, family and work lives.

The duke, who is Prince Georges godfather, said: Mental health can affect anyone, anywhere.

This crisis presents new and difficult challenges to so many people; whether thats clinicians and key workers on the front line, grieving families, children struggling to understand social isolation, or anyone already suffering from anxiety or other mental health issues.
Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Cho Yong-byoung, left, and Hana Financial Group Chairman Kim Jung-tai / Korea Times file



Shinhan, Hana chairmen's 32 years of friendship enables alliance



By Park Jae-hyuk



Shinhan and Hana financial groups' sudden announcement Monday that they had formed a partnership to enhance their competitiveness in the global market surprised the nation's financial industry since this was the first time that financial services holding firms here had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with each other.



Some people even compared this with the 1991 American film, "Sleeping with the Enemy."



Those who are well aware of the two banking group chairmen's careers, however, could easily understand how and why they teamed up with each other.



Behind the alliance was a three-decade friendship between Shinhan Chairman Cho Yong-byoung and Hana Chairman Kim Jung-tai.



According to industry sources, Wednesday, the cooperation was initially pursued between the banking units of the two financial groups.



After employees questioned the intensifying competitions among Korean banks in foreign markets, especially in Southeast Asia, Shinhan Bank CEO Jin Ok-dong and Hana Bank CEO Ji Sung-kyoo accepted their suggestion regarding mutual cooperation overseas.



Known as experts in overseas business, Jin and Ji built more than half of their careers in Japan and China, respectively.



In January, they met privately to discuss the establishment of a consortium to buy a foreign financial firm, because both of them realized that there were many obstacles to their global expansion.



Korean banks have aroused concerns recently, since they have relied heavily on the acquisition of local financial firms in Vietnam, Myanmar and Indonesia for their expansion in the global market.



Due to their fierce competition in Southeast Asia, some of them purchased local firms for more than double any reasonable price and some took over insolvent companies.



Against this backdrop, when the two bank CEOs told their plan to their chairmen, Cho and Kim proposed a partnership between the holding companies.



The two chairmen worked together for a year in 1988 at Shinhan Bank's Yeongdeungpo branch in southwestern Seoul.



Kim, who started his career at Seoul Bank in 1981, joined Shinhan Bank in 1986.



In 1988, he was deployed to the Yeongdeungpo branch and met with Cho, who joined Shinhan Bank in 1984.



At the branch, Kim was in charge of current accounts, and Cho dealt with foreign exchange.



Back then, they used to drink soju together after finishing work.



In 1992, Kim left Shinhan Bank and joined Hana Bank as a founding member.



He served as a vice president of Hana Financial Group in 2005 and president of Hana Daetoo Securities in 2006.



He was appointed KEB Hana Bank CEO in 2008.



Since 2012, he has led Hana Financial Group as the chairman.



Cho, who decided to stay at Shinhan, was appointed Shinhan BNP Paribas Asset Management CEO in 2013.



He became Shinhan Bank CEO in 2015 and Shinhan Financial Group chairman in 2017.



Although they have been in a rivalry since they became the chairmen of each group, Cho still calls Kim a "brother" when they meet privately, according to industry sources.



Based on this long friendship, the nation's leading banking groups agreed to avoid excessive competition and pursue innovation through mutual cooperation in overseas markets.



They vowed to cooperate in seeking business opportunities, coping with various regulations, making investments in foreign markets and establishing international networks.



"This agreement will show the new paradigm of the financial industry; not just allow us to overcome our rivalry and establish a cooperative relationship," Cho said after signing the MOU. "We hope this becomes a great opportunity for both groups to enhance their competitiveness and break through the uncertainties in the global market."



Kim said: "We hope this agreement becomes a cornerstone for both groups to compete with world-class financial institutions."


The family of a San Francisco man who died of COVID-19 after a voyage on the Grand Princess has sued the cruise line for wrongful death, saying it kept adding passengers even after a person on board exhibited severe symptoms of the coronavirus.

Despite extensive news reports about the outbreak on the Diamond Princess, a sister vessel docked and quarantined near Tokyo in early February, the cruise ship company and its top medical officer decided to disregard the deadly nature of the Grand Princess and its foreseeably lethal environment to passengers, the lawsuit said.

The suit was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles by Eva Wong, widow of Ronald Wong, along with their son, Benjamin.

Their complaint accuses the cruise line and its parent company, Carnival Corp., of seeking substantial profits when the Grand Princess traveled from Mexico to San Francisco to board new passengers, including Eva and Ronald Wong, on Feb. 21. At that point, the ship had already been infected, yet it continued en route to Hawaii, the lawsuit said.

Sixty-two passengers from the Mexico cruise and more than 1,000 crew members remained on board.

The Wongs joined that voyage and were not notified about possible exposure to the coronavirus until March 4, when they received a notice from Dr. Grant Tarling, the chief medical officer for Carnival. The couple showed no signs of COVID-19 and were sent to Travis Air Force Base after they disembarked in Oakland on March 10.

They later tested positive. Ronald Wong fell ill with a fever on March 15 and was transferred to Kaiser Hospital in Vallejo, where he died alone.

Nanci Nishimura, an attorney at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, representing the Wongs in this case, said she was angered by the sequence of events. She noted that the couple had long planned this vacation to celebrate Ronald Wongs 64th birthday.

Nobody deserves to go on a long-planned happy cruise with loved ones, only to contract a deadly disease, die alone and come home in a box. Nobody deserves that, Nishimura said in an interview Friday.

She criticized the cruise line for failing to disinfect the ship after it returned from Mexico and for generally seeming oblivious to the threat of COVID-19.

Nothing was done to give the Wongs or any other newly boarding passengers notice, Nishimura said. They werent warned. They werent tested. Nor was the ship disinfected. The worst of it is the chief medical officer who has 27 years of experience  and is reputed to be an international expert, did nothing.

Wong and her son are seeking a jury trial and multiple damage awards for what they say is reckless negligence. They contend that the ship had a financial motive to ignore warnings of a deadly virus and board passengers anyway because cruise ships reap a large share of their profit from the purchases people make on board.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

A spokesperson for Princess Cruises declined to comment on any pending litigation, but released a company statement saying it has been sensitive to the difficulties the COVID-19 outbreak has caused to our guests and crew.

Our response throughout this process has focused on the well-being of our guests and crew within the parameters dictated to us by the government agencies involved and the evolving medical understanding of this new illness, the company said.

The coronavirus has plunged the cruise industry into a deep crisis, with outbreaks on multiple ships before Princess and other lines suspended operations in March. In the chaos of the global pandemic, ships were left stranded at sea, with passengers falling ill and even dying on board.

The lawsuit is one of many filed against Princess and other cruise lines.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 11:53 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdae4a24 1 National corruption,Corruption-Eradication-Comission,KPK,wahyu-setiawan,harun-masiku,PDI-P,bribery-case,Jakarta-Corruption-Court,verdict,trial Free

Jakarta Corruption Court judges sentenced Saeful Bahri, a member of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), to one year and eight months behind bars for his involvement in a bribery case implicating General Elections Commission (KPU) commissioner Wahyu Setiawan.

During a verdict hearing on Thursday, the bench also fined the defendant Rp 150 million (US$10,214) or serve an additional four months in prison.

The sentence was lower than Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors demand of two years and eight months imprisonment.

Saeful was found guilty of bribing Wahyu and former Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) member Agustiani Tio Fridelina with $47,350 in exchange for the KPU commissioners approval for fellow PDI-P politician Harun Masiku to replace a deceased politician in the House of Representatives.

Read also: WhatsApp thread 'implicates' KPU chair in Saeful Bahri bribery trial

While KPK prosecutors said they were considering to file an appeal, the defendant said he accepted the verdict.

While Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) criticized the light sentence, the antigraft watchdog said the KPK should have filed more serious charges against him.

The public can see clearly from this case that the KPK has become soft toward corruptors, ICW activist Kurnia Ramadhana said on Thursday.

How can the maximum deterrent effect be created against corruption if the punishment is still light, he went on to say, adding that light sentences in corruption cases should be the focus of the new Supreme Court chief justice.

Harun, considered a key suspect in the case, is still on the loose after graft busters failed to capture him during an arrest operation in January. His escape and subsequent disappearance have turned the spotlight on Law and Human Rights Ministry and fellow PDI-P politician Yasonna Laoly.

While the KPK added Harun to its most-wanted list in January, the antigraft body decided to go ahead with its case against the three suspects without the key suspect's testimony.

Read also: KPK proceeds with bribery prosecution as key suspect Harun Masiku remains at large

On the same day, KPK prosecutors also indicted Wahyu and Agustiani in a separate hearing for allegedly accepting the bribe. They were charged under Article 11 of the Corruption Law, which prohibits state officials and civil servants from accepting gifts.

Apart from the Harun Masiku case, Wahyu was also indicted for allegedly accepting bribes from West Papua Governor Dominggus Mandacan pertaining the selection of provincial general elections commission members last year.

According to the KPKs indictment letter against Wahyu, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post, West Papua general elections commission secretary Rosa Muhammad Thamrin Payapo allegedly believed Wahyu could help native Papuans be selected as a provincial commission member following a demand from residents.

In December, only three native Papuans passed the selections initial phase, triggering an uproar among locals. Rosa reported the incident to the governor, who was suspected of sending the money to Wahyu so that the three native Papuans could be eventually selected as commission members.

Dominggus then allegedly wired the illicit money to Rosa, who allegedly transferred the Rp 500 million to a bank account owned by Wahyus relative in January.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 27-year-old man from West Brighton repeatedly sold cigarettes laced with angel dust to an undercover officer, authorities allege.

Anthony Mahoney, of the 600 block of Cary Avenue, allegedly exchanged phencyclidine cigarettes for cash on three occasions with an undercover officer in and around his neighborhood, according to a Narcotics Borough Staten Island investigation outlined in the criminal complaint.

The suspect fled when police tried to place him under arrest on Wednesday just after 12 p.m. on Roe Street, according to the complaint and police.

Mahoney has been charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, criminal possession of a controlled substance and obstructing governmental administration.

The suspect is due back in Criminal Court on Aug. 28.

An attorney for the defendant did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Emperor Emeritus Akihito visited a biology research institute inside the Imperial Palace on Thursday in his first return to the palace since moving to a temporary residence in Tokyo about two months ago, the Imperial Household Agency said.

The former emperor has long conducted research at the institute on goby fish and published academic papers.

The visit was also the first outing by the 86-year-old since he and former Empress Michiko, 85, left their home of 26 years to move into the Takanawa Imperial Residence in Tokyoas Minato Ward.

The emperor emeritus, who abdicated on April 30 last year as the first Japanese monarch to step down in around 200 years, had been refraining from going out due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The move in March was part of a process of swapping residences with the coupleas son Emperor Naruhito and his family, who currently reside in the Akasaka Imperial Residence.

Wearing a face mask, the former emperor left his residence at around 10 a.m. and arrived at a gate of the Imperial Palace in a car about 10 minutes later. He left the palace at around 11:40 a.m., waving to the roadside crowd.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 20:28:21|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BARCELONA, Spain, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Lin Zhanqiao was about to finish his first year residency in plastic surgery at Barcelona's Vall d'Hebron hospital, until COVID-19 hit Spain and doctors there were re-assigned to treat a burgeoning influx of infected patients.

As a doctor specializing in plastic surgery, Lin had to suspend his studies, shifting his focus to learning more about intensive care and mechanical respiratory systems, he told Xinhua.

"It was a lot of work, but I was very happy in the end -- happy to be able to give my best and see everyone give their best," said Lin, who has been living in Spain for 22 years.

Healthcare workers account for up to 20 percent of Spain's total COVID-19 cases, according to the country's health ministry, putting them among the country's worst-hit groups.

Vall d'Hebron Hospital, where Lin studies, reached close to 95 percent of its capacity for COVID-19 patients during the peak of Spain's outbreak.

Lin said that though the pandemic has been a difficult experience for Spain overall, the uncertainty on what is going to happen next is what he believes is dominating people's thoughts.

Meanwhile, Spain is gradually exiting one of Europe's toughest coronavirus lockdowns, which was imposed on March 14. With the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths slowing, the country has seen a glimmer of hope.

After seeing its wards nearly full at the height of the outbreak, COVID-19 cases in Vall d'Hebron Hospital have dropped to less than 10 percent of the facility's capacity. This, Lin believes, is in part due to members of the public adhering to the government's containment measures.

"I think the Spanish people behaved well," said Lin. "They have respected the restrictions and abided by orders from the government." Enditem
Discussion

Information from these diverse data sources suggests that limited community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the United States occurred between the latter half of January and the beginning of February, following an importation of SARS-CoV-2 from China. This importation initiated a lineage, the Washington State clade, which subsequently spread throughout the Seattle metropolitan area and possibly elsewhere. Several importations of SARS-CoV-2 from Europe followed in February and March. It is not known how many U.S. infections occurred during February and March, but overall disease incidence before February 28 was too low to be detected through emergency department syndromic surveillance data.

Also unknown are the dates of entry of the imported viruses into the United States and the identities of the persons who carried them. One possible early source is the first reported U.S. case of COVID-19, which occurred in a Washington man who became ill on January 19 after returning from Wuhan, China, on January 15; the genomic sequence of the virus isolated from that man is consistent with his being the possible source of the Washington State clade, although the thoroughness of the contact investigation of this case and the absence of identified secondary cases argue against this (8). However, subsequent published reports have indicated that infection with SARS-CoV-2 is frequently asymptomatic and that transmission can occur before the onset of symptoms (9). The possibility of presymptomatic transmission raises at least three other potential scenarios involving this case: 1) that one or more secondary asymptomatic infections might have occurred among the patients contacts and that these led to further, undetected spread of the virus; 2) that the man might have infected contacts before his symptom onset (such contacts would not have been identified through the standard recommended contact investigation at that time); or 3) that he and at least one other person were infected by another passenger on the same flight from Wuhan, and undetected spread from the other infected persons gave rise to the Washington State clade. Which, if any, of these scenarios occurred likely will never be known. It is also possible, given the limited global phylogenetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 at the time, that the Washington State clade was imported into the United States by another, unknown person around the same time.

Results of serologic testing are not presented here, because serology (i.e., testing for antibody to SARS-CoV-2) is likely to be a relatively insensitive means of detecting a newly emergent virus, particularly when the specimens were collected at random rather than from persons most likely to be infected (in contrast, for example, to viral testing of outpatients or hospitalized patients with acute respiratory disease) and because serologic assays generally do not approach 100% specificity unless some form of confirmatory testing is available. For example, a hypothetical serologic survey in the Seattle metropolitan area (population of 3.5 million) conducted after the first 3,500 infections would find a true seroprevalence of 0.1%, whereas the use of an assay with 99% specificity would be expected to produce false positives in 10 times as many samples. Serologic surveys, nonetheless, are useful in tracking the progress of the pandemic once established and have the potential advantage of detecting all infections, regardless of the symptom profile.

The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, the data presented here are retrospective. Although they are geographically diverse, they cannot provide as definitive a picture of transmission as would be available had widespread testing been immediately available after discovery of the virus. Second, some of the studies cited and possibly others are continuing to test samples retrospectively and might find earlier cases than those presented in this report. Finally, the relative phylogenetic homogeneity of SARS-CoV-2 globally in January and early February limited what could be inferred from genomic analysis.

Few countries have avoided the importation and sustained spread of COVID-19. In the United States, SARS-CoV-2 is now circulating widely after several importations from China, Europe, and elsewhere. Steps are underway throughout the U.S. public health system to improve indicators of SARS-CoV-2 activity, including expanding syndromic surveillance among emergency departments and increasing the availability of testing for SARS-CoV-2. Given the probability that most of the U.S. population is still susceptible, sustained efforts to slow the spread of the virus are crucial, including effective contact tracing and nonpharmaceutical interventions, such as physical distancing and source control (i.e., wearing cloth face coverings).
SpaceX plans to attempt to launch NASA astronauts to orbit for the first time on Saturday, if the weather cooperates.

Why it matters: If it works, this launch will mark the first time a private company has sent humans to orbit, and could be the beginning of the end of NASA's reliance on Russia for flights to and from the International Space Station.

How to watch: NASA TV will air coverage of the event starting at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, with the launch expected at 3:22 p.m. ET.

The space agency will continue coverage through the Crew Dragon's docking with the space station, expected to occur at 10:29 a.m. ET on Sunday.

Coverage should include live shots of NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley saying goodbye to their families before being driven out to the pad and loading into the capsule before launch.

You can watch all the action live in the window below:

But, but, but: Just like during the first launch attempt on Wednesday, weather will likely be the limiting factor for Saturday's launch.

At the moment, the Air Force is predicting just a 50% chance of good weather during the instantaneous launch window on Saturday, with the odds getting slightly better on Sunday, at a 60% chance.

SpaceX's first launch attempt was scrubbed just inside of 17 minutes before launch when it became clear that the weather wouldn't clear in time for liftoff that day.

Go deeper:
Public servants trained to hunt down corrupt police and officials are now using their detective skills to trace the spread of coronavirus in Queensland.

More than 500 law enforcement officials working for the Crime and Corruption Commission and the Justice Department have been trained up to help public health officials trace potential outbreaks.

Dr Bhakti Vasant is a Public Health Officer with Metro South HHS and has been at the forefront of contact tracing COVID-19 cases.

Before the virus invaded Queensland, the state had 200 people trained in contact tracing.

That number has swelled to 1213 including the 524 public servants helping out during the pandemic.
(Alliance News) - TOC Property Backed Lending Trust PLC on Friday reported a decrease in net asset value for its most recently ended financial year, despite a rise in the value of its property portfolio.

As at November 30, 2019, the trust's net asset value per share stood at 83.75 pence, down 11% from 94.39p the same date the year before. Net assets also dropped to GBP22.5 million from GBP25.4 million over the 12 months to the end of November.

As at November 30, TOC Property's portfolio had 17 projects, with a value of GBP25.2 million, up from GBP24.7 million the same period the year before.

For financial 2019, the trust reported a pretax loss of GBP1.2 million, swinging from a profit of GBP838,000, as a considerable rise in impairments led to total expenses rising to GBP3.5 million from GBP1.3 million.

This was in spite of revenue edging upwards to GBP2.2 million from GBP2.0 million the prior year.

"While uncertainty was moderated, moving into the New Year, by a clear-cut UK General Election result in December 2019, followed by the UK's formalised decision, ratified on 30 January 2020, to depart the European Union, the economic outlook remains, to put it mildly, far from certain. Even before the onset of the global Covid-19 outbreak in late January 2020, market conditions had become extremely hard to call, particularly while the UK government remains in the early stages of protracted negotiations with the European Union," said Chair John Newlands.

"The consequence of these events, as the crisis and ensuing lockdown have taken hold, has been a marked reluctance in the business community and households to make key business or financial transactions," Newlands added.

Shares in TOC Property Backed Lending Trust closed untraded on Friday in London, last quoted at 83.90 pence.

By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Ignoring threats from Washington, China stripped another layer of autonomy from Hong Kong on Thursday, ploughing ahead with a plan that would ban any form of dissent deemed subversive in the territory reclaimed from Britain more than two decades ago

Beijing: Ignoring threats from Washington, China stripped another layer of autonomy from Hong Kong on Thursday, ploughing ahead with a plan that would ban any form of dissent deemed subversive in the territory reclaimed from Britain more than two decades ago.

But even as the plan was approved by Chinas top legislative body, and Chinese officials taunted the United States as an imperious meddler, Premier Li Keqiang struck a conciliatory tone. While offering no concessions to US demands, he called for close trade relations between the two countries.

The clash over Hong Kong and other issues points to the quandary facing China as it grows in power and contends with an increasingly aggressive Trump administration. The Chinese leadership does not want to incinerate the relationship with the US, given the enormous economic benefits. Nor is it willing to back down, reflecting divisions in Beijing between hawks and more moderating forces.

Anything the US says or does or will do, China will refuse, Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing, said in a telephone interview.

With both countries blaming each other for the coronavirus pandemic, trade disputes and now the crisis roiling Hong Kong, the result has been a downward spiral of actions and responses that may not let up before President Donald Trumps reelection campaign ends in November.

The back-and-forth between Washington and Beijing intensified in the past two days.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared Wednesday that Washington would no longer consider Hong Kong to have significant autonomy, clearing the way for Trump to end the special trade and economic relations the territory now enjoys. Less than 24 hours later, the National Peoples Congress, Chinas legislature, did precisely what Pompeo had railed against: Authorising new security laws in Hong Kong.

After the US won an initial victory in a Canadian court Wednesday in its long effort to bring criminal charges against a senior executive of Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications giant, China swiftly vowed to retaliate against both Canada and the US. China already had blocked some Canadian exports and detained two Canadian citizens for more than 500 days.

Trump administration officials argue that they have brought China to the table on trade by imposing tariffs. But they have failed so far to achieve their goal of fundamentally shifting Chinas behaviour  on trade or any other issue.

From Beijings perspective, the punitive measures have simply revealed the core of US hostility toward China.

When China was rising as an economic power, the United States tolerated it, Shen Dingli, an expert on relations with the US at Fudan University in Shanghai, said in a telephone interview. Now that China is strong, it cannot tolerate it anymore.

When the Trump administration announced new restrictions to block companies around the world from using American-made machinery and software to help Huawei, Beijing promised to target American technology companies operating in China.

When the administration capped the number of Chinese journalists in the US, China kicked out most of the American correspondents from three major news organisations in the US, including The New York Times.

Both Trump and President Xi Jinping of China feel compelled to appear strong. The US president views blaming China for the coronavirus crisis in the US as a path to reelection. The Chinese leader faces enormous economic and diplomatic challenges that could stir domestic opposition to his grip on power.

What the American moves have not done is chasten Xis government, which appears to feel simultaneously embattled and defiant.

Hu Xijin, the outspoken editor of Global Times, a nationalistic tabloid controlled by the Communist Party, all but dared the Trump administration to carry out its threat to end Hong Kongs favoured trade status. He noted that there were 85,000 Americans there and scores of companies that would reap the bitter fruits of the US decision.

Washington is too narcissistic, he wrote in Chinese on Weibo on Thursday. American politicians like Pompeo arrogantly think that the fate of Hong Kong is in their hands.

The National Peoples Congress on Thursday dutifully adopted the governments proposals to impose new laws on Hong Kong to suppress subversion, secession, terrorism and other acts that might threaten Chinas national security  as authorities in Beijing define it. The vote was nearly unanimous, with only one delegate voting against and six abstaining.

Chinas authoritarian system and state-run media give Xi enormous power to control the message in the face of US hostility  exploiting it to rally popular outrage and tempering it to play the role of magnanimous global partner.

At his ritual news conference wrapping up the National Peoples Congress on Thursday, Li, the premier, singled out for praise an American company, Honeywell, that Tuesday announced an investment in Wuhan  the city from which the pandemic spread. A month before, the Pentagon had awarded Honeywell a contract to supply protective masks.

Li twice called for peaceful relations with Taiwan, after conspicuously dropping the word when he discussed Taiwan at the start of the week-long legislative session. And he underlined Chinas willingness to look further for the origins of the coronavirus.

China, though, has shown little inclination for compromise.

Beijing reacted harshly to a Canadian courts ruling that cleared an initial hurdle for the extradition of Meng Wanzhou, a senior executive of Huawei charged by the US with bank fraud related to US sanctions against Iran.

The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa, Ontario, accused the US and Canada of abusing their bilateral extradition treaty and arbitrarily taking forceful measures against Meng.

The purpose of the United States is to bring down Huawei and other Chinese high-tech companies, and Canada has been acting in the process as an accomplice of the United States, the embassy said on Twitter, which is banned inside China. The whole case is entirely a grave political incident.

China has already retaliated against Canadian exports of pork, canola oil and other products, and in recent days it has hinted that it will target still more. It has also held two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, in secret detention on state security charges widely viewed as retaliatory.

Neither has appeared in a public court hearing or been afforded access to lawyers during court proceedings. That has hardened anti-Chinese sentiment in Canada, which had not historically been as suspicious of Beijing as, say, the US has.

The International Crisis Group, where Kovrig, a former diplomat, worked, posted a message on Twitter noting that Thursday was his 535th day in detention. Each passing day is a stain on Chinas reputation, the group said.

Xi, who has ruled with an increasingly authoritarian grip since 2012, seems impervious to worries about Chinas reputation. He has emerged from the pandemic newly emboldened, seizing on nationalist themes to deflect from the governments early failures in stopping the coronavirus spread.

He has described the pandemic and its still-unfolding economic challenge as a crucible that will forge a stronger government and a stronger party. China has also showed it will not be distracted from its defence of territorial claims along its land and sea borders  from the South China Sea to the Himalayas. The commander of the Peoples Liberation Armys garrison in Hong Kong delivered a pointed reminder of its duty to keep the peace there on the sidelines of the congress in Beijing this week.

View Survey

The bravado has weakened what leverage the US might once have wielded: the threat of international condemnation, restrictions on trade, even the prospect of decoupling the worlds two largest economies. Beijing now seems willing to bear any cost.

Lau Siu-kai, a former senior Hong Kong government official who advises Beijing, said that US pressure had failed to prompt a reconsideration in the Hong Kong issue in part because Chinas leadership has anticipated US opposition on many fronts.

Beijing will stick with its new policy toward Hong Kong regardless of US reactions and is prepared to take countermeasures in a tit-for-tat manner, he said.

Keith Bradsher and Steven Lee Myers c.2020 The New York Times Company
Mumbai: In yet another incident of attack on saints from Maharashtra's Palghar, in the early hours of Thursday (May 28, 2020) three unidentified men barged into Jagrut Mahadev Mandir and Ashram at Balivali in Vasai, Palghar District, attacked the temples priests and fled with valuables worth Rs. 6,800.

While one of the three accused was arrested on Thursday and Rs 2000 was recovered from him, the other accused are still absconding. The police is conducting further investigations.

Senior officer of Virar police station, Suresh Varade said that a case has been registered against the three accused under sections 394 and other relevant sections.

According to the police, the trio attacked Shankaranand Dayanand Saraswati (54) and his co-worker Shyamsingh Somsingh Thakur (60) the two priests of Jagrit Mahadev Temple.

Earlier, two sadhus and a driver were heading towards Surat from Mumbai in a car were assumed were lynched by a mob on April 16.

The mob of villagers stopped them and beat them to death on suspicion that they were thieves.

At least 133 people have been arrested in the case so far with nine minors among them, according to the police.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 21: Former President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally for Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf on September 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Midterm election day is November 6th. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Barack Obama has released a statement on the death of George Floyd following widespread protests across the nation. Floyd was killed in Minneapolis on May 25 when police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for seven minutes even as he said he couldn't breathe. On May 29, Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder. In his response, the former president urged the nation to thoroughly confront the tragedy. "This shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America. It can't be 'normal,'" Obama said.

"This shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America."

On the normalization and desensitization of racial injustice, Obama said, "It's natural to wish for life 'to just get back to normal' as a pandemic and economic crisis upend everything around us. But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly 'normal.'" He added, "If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better."

My statement on the death of George Floyd: pic.twitter.com/Hg1k9JHT6R - Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 29, 2020

While sharing snippets from recent conversations with friends, Obama touched on the recent heartbreaking video of 12-year-old Keedron Bryant singing an original song on the challenges he faces. "I'm a young Black man, doing all that I can to stand. Oh, but when I look around and I see what's being done to my kind every day, I'm being hunted as prey," Bryant sings in the video. In his statement, Obama said, "Another friend of mine used the powerful song that went viral from 12-year-old Keedron Bryant to describe the frustrations he was feeling. The circumstances of my friend and Keedron may be different, but their anguish is the same. It's shared by me and millions of others."

Obama ended his statement by saying it will ultimately fall on Minnesota officials to ensure that justice is served, but he added, "But it falls on all of us, regardless of our race or station - including the majority of men and women in law enforcement who take pride in doing their tough job the right way, every day - to work together to create a 'new normal' in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts."
DeFoor Brothers, LLC and The Westin of Chattanooga will end the Stronger Together giveback with Blood Assurances Community Strong campaign on Friday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at 801 Pine St.

With over 4,000 bags and counting distributed into the community, the 23-day Stronger Together giveback addressed the need for essential food items in the wake of current world events, but as the effort comes to a close on Friday afternoon, the Stronger Together effort will end by addressing the critical need for O-, A-, A+, O+, and AB- blood types.

Amy O Brien, account manager with Blood Assurance said, As elective surgeries return to the Chattanooga-area, our inventory has plummeted, so through our partnership with West Village, we hope to offset the unprecedented number of cancellations and address our communitys critical need for blood donors.

According to Ms. OBrien, the complications of COVID-19 have caused the donation process to evolve with plenty of precaution, safety measures and advisement from the Center for Diseases Control.

In order to minimize time spent on the donation bus, donors will be accepted through an online appointment process. Under this new system, donors may enter their health history questions before arrival in order to expedite the donation process. One donor will be accepted for each 15-minute interval and to adhere to current regulations, no more than 10 people will be allowed to enter the bloodmobile. Sanitation, face masks, and an employee monitoring system that includes temperature checks and a battery of health questions before reporting for duty are in full effect.

Tom Underwood, general manager of The Westin hotel said, This is a great way for our community to take the torch as we bring our 23-day effort to a close. Like Blood Assurance says, were Community Strong and encourage as many people as possible to book an appointment between 10 and 3 oclock.

Every Monday through Friday for the past 23 days, a team of volunteers from The Westin have met at 212 West 8th St. to distribute 4,000 bags (and counting) of essential food items to those affected by the Chattanooga communitys recent string of difficult events. With one bag made available for each arriving car, and items varying from day to day, the effort successfully made its way into the hands that needed it most.

This effort was created to return the support weve received over the past three years, said Mr. Underwood. Ensuring that area residents possessed these essential food items was paramount to The Westin and the West Village communityit was our opportunity to give back to the people that shaped us."

For the Stronger Together giveback effort, attendants adhere to health and safety protocols with gloved service, face masks and minimal social interaction.

This effort took a village and Im proud of The Westin and our West Village teams for springing into action with their face masks and gloves held on tight, said Mr. Underwood. Were stronger together.
Outside of the coronavirus pandemic, there was plenty of news making headlines this week.

Here's a glimpse at what you may have missed:

Protests erupt in Minneapolis

Protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody intensified and spread to other cities across the United States this week. A CNN crew was arrested while covering the protests in Minnesota while live on the air and Twitter placed a warning on President Donald Trump's tweet about the protests for "glorifying violence."

Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer kneeled on his back, died earlier this week.

Several shot during protests in Louisville

At least seven people were injured in Louisville Thursday night as protesters turned out to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, a black woman fatally shot by police during a raid at her home in March.

Historic SpaceX astronaut launch scrubbed

SpaceX and NASA scrubbed Wednesdays attempt at launching astronauts from American soil for the first time since 2011. The scrub came after fueling of the Falcon 9 rocket had already begun, with about 16 minutes to go in the countdown because of the danger of lightning.

Soldier saves 'countless lives' by ending active shooter situation

An active-duty soldier at Fort Leavenworth intervened in an active shooter situation Wednesday morning on Centennial Bridge in Leavenworth, Kansas, and saved countless lives.

White woman apologizes for reporting 'African American man threatening my life'

A white woman has apologized for calling police on a black man bird-watching in Central Park on Monday morning after the two argued about her unleashed dog. Amy Cooper was eventually fired from her job after a video of the incident was shared thousands of times on social media.

Tropical Storm Bertha hits South Carolina coast before dissipating

Tropical Storm Bertha surprised the South Carolina coast Wednesday, forming and making landfall within two hours, bringing a poor beach day of rain and gusty winds, but no major problems.

Man says he broke into a bank to heat up Hot Pockets in a break room microwave

A man broke into a Wells Fargo Bank in San Diego early Wednesday and told a reporter at the scene he had committed the crime "all for a Hot Pocket."

Delivery driver fixes American flag rolled up in wind

A UPS driver's act of kindness in Oklahoma spread across social media over Memorial Day weekend. Doorbell camera footage shows the driver drop off the package and take down an American flag that had rolled up in the wind to unroll it and put it back in place.
NEW YORK, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ATC Healthcare Services LLC, a 35-year-old leading provider of national medical staffing services, announced a comprehensive COVID-19 testing and screening program to help companies get their employees safely back to work.

On March 10, 2020, David Savitsky, CEO of ATC spoke to Fox News regarding the potential for the Coronavirus to leave hospitals and medical offices short-staffed.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/coronavirus-leave-hospitals-medical-offices-short-staffed-expert-says

For most people, March 10th feels impossible to remember. Temporarily closing business, preparing to care for the sick, developing social distance guidelines and keeping people safe were thought to be the best efforts for containing the pandemic. Today, rising unemployment, repairing the economy, re-opening business, and bringing back workforces safely, including through the utilizations of various testing options, are key topic's in today's news cycle.

By leveraging its national footprint of offices, the unrivaled quality of its health care associates, as well as its partnerships with the nation's largest lab companies, ATC is able to offer a first-to-market turn-key testing and screening solution for employers looking to participate in reopening the nation's economy. ATC handles the coordination of the entire testing program, from providing the requisite personnel and testing kits, as well as the equipment and supplies necessary to run the program safely and efficiently. By partnering with ATC, businesses will be able to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for their employees without incurring the unnecessary burden of coordinating testing.

"After many successful years of partnering with the medical industry to help staff their needs, ATC is now responding to businesses' collective and overwhelming call for help to ensure a healthy and productive workforce. ATC has taken the steps to invest in those resources that are necessary to provide this comprehensive and unique quality testing solution. This not only affects the physical health of an employee, but also provides them with the mental assurance that they are returning to an office that is proactive in ensuring their wellbeing." - Steven Savitsky, President, ATC Healthcare Services.

TESTING: ATC has partnered with both national and local laboratories to offer a testing solution that combines swab and blood tests that can be performed at the workplace for those companies that want to obtain comprehensive knowledge on the health status of their employees. Whether currently open for business, working on a limited workforce, or preparing to bring employees back to work, ATC can help you better ensure your employees' collective health.

Screening: ATC is providing comprehensive screening services to ensure that employees are safe to come into the work place on a daily basis. This screening consists of a temperature check, pulse oximeter check, as well as a series of questions each employee must answer upon entering the workplace. ATC's screening services further ensure that employees are not coming to work with symptoms or signs that they may be positive for COVID-19.

ABOUT: For over 35 years, ATC has helped the medical industry staff their needs with quality Healthcare Associates (HCA) through a nationwide network of offices. ATC focuses on the needs of healthcare professionals across the USA, providing the support and experience of a national company while answering the need for staffing in local medical communities.

If you are searching through all the data to best understand how to incorporate a testing solution into your current business plan, please visit us at covidtestingscreening.com.

Media Contact:

Sasha Flor

917-992-4779

[email protected]

SOURCE ATC Healthcare Services LLC

Related Links

https://atchealthcare.com


FLINT, MI -- General Motors is speeding up vehicle production at some of its North American plants, including Flint Assembly, starting Monday, June 1.

In a posting on its website, GM said the restart of vehicle production during the COVID-19 pandemic "has gone smoothly thanks to strong teamwork. Our comprehensive safety procedures are working well, and our suppliers have done a great job implementing their return-to-work strategies and safety playbooks.

We are now in a position to increase production to meet strengthening customer demand and strong dealer demand. Starting Monday, three crossover assembly plants in the United States and Canada will be operating two production shifts, and three U.S. assembly plants building mid- and full-size pickups will move from one- to three-shift operations. Five other U.S. assembly plants will operate one production shift.

GM spokesman Jim Cain told MLive-The Flint Journal that truck plants in Flint; Wentzville, Missouri; and Fort Wayne, Indiana are moving to three full shifts starting Monday. Plants in Spring Hill, Tennessee, and Ingersoll, Ontario Canada are moving to two shifts, and plants in Lansing (Grand River); Lake Orion; Arlington, Texas; and Bowling Green, Ohio will begin production on one shift.

The companys Lansing Delta Township plant is already operating two shifts, Cain said in an email to The Journal.

GM closed its manufacturing plants in North America in mid-March in response to the coronavirus emergency. It then opened its plants in Kokomo, Indiana, to produce ventilators and in Warren to produce face masks. It also continued operations at Customer Care and Aftersales facilities with volunteer employees.

It said earlier this month that its goal is to return plants to full production by mid-June.

Brian Rothenberg, a United Auto Workers spokesman, said in an email to The Journal that the company determines work schedules for employees, but said the union representing hourly workers is committed to the health and safety of our members, their families and communities.

The UAW will continue to vigilantly monitor the implementation of health and safety protocols protecting our members and we will continue to advocate for as much testing as possible and full testing when available, Rothenberg said.

GM employees getting back-to-work packages with masks, letter from CEO Mary Barra

GM, UAW confirm May 18 as target date for reopening plants

After cautious start, GM hopes to return to pre-COIVD-19 capacity by June 15
Amid locusts attack in some parts of the country, the Karnataka government on Thursday claimed chances of a massive locust swarm reaching the state are remote due to change in the wind direction.

"Good thing is that the wind is not blowing towards Karnataka..according to the MET department report wind is expected to be towards a different direction,99.99 per cent it (locust) will not come to Karnataka, so farmers need not worry," Agriculture Minister BC Patil told reporters. As a precautionary measure, to face the situation in case of a locust swarm, a committee, comprising Agriculture and Horticulture directors and senior officials, has been constituted, and the officials have been directed to visit Kalaburagi, Bidar, Koppal and Yadgir districts.

"Our officials are in constant touch with officials in Maharashtra and are monitoring the situation," he added.

Patil along with Horticulture Minister Narayan Gowda today held discussions with experts, disaster management cell officials and top officials of the departments regarding the locust swarm.

In the last few months, locust attacks have been reported from many parts of the country, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The insects eat up crops in a field they attack, inflicting damage to the farm production.

Mentioning about the change in the wind direction, an official release said the locusts are about 450 km away from Bidar district border, and may not reach Karnataka.

Swarms of locusts have been reportedly seen in Maharashtra's Gondia district.

Stating that according to experts locusts have appeared in large numbers due to good rains last year in Rajasthan, a desert area, Patil said it has started moving in an eastward direction now.

"They travel along the wind direction and not against it," he said.

The minister also said as a precautionary measure, they have stocked pesticide chlorpyrifos and it can be sprayed in case the locusts come.
MANSFIELD, Mass., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Transplant Genomics Inc. (TGI), the leader in bringing personalized diagnostics to transplant patients worldwide, announces that TGI Clinical Advisor, Dr. John Friedewald of Northwestern University will receive a top honor at the American Transplant Congress (ATC2020). On June 1, Dr. Friedewald will receive The American Journal of Transplantation (AJT) 2020 Outstanding Article Award in Translational Science for his groundbreaking scientific publication. "Development and clinical validity of a novel blood-based molecular biomarker for sub-clinical acute rejection following kidney transplant" was published in the January 2019 edition of AJT.

The paper, by Dr. Friedewald and his colleagues, reports on the development and validation of blood-based biomarkers to rule out "silent" subclinical acute rejection (subAR) in stable kidney transplant patients. The NIH-funded, multi-center Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation (CTOT08) study, which informed the paper, definitively establishes that stable kidney transplant patients with biopsy-proven subAR have worse outcomes than those who do not have subAR. The study also shows that non-invasive blood tests are just as effective at ruling out subAR as invasive surveillance biopsies and are a viable, less-risky alternative to serially monitor stable kidney patients.

Out of the 307 stable patients studied over 24 months in CTOT08, ~25% were shown to have subAR, a condition also shown to negatively impact graft outcomes. Prior to this study, the only way to monitor patients for subAR was to perform serial invasive surveillance biopsies. Considering ~75% of patients were found to be negative for subAR, Friedewald says these biopsies can expose patients to unnecessary risk.

The findings are particularly relevant today, as doctors look for new ways to protect transplant patients from COVID-19. Instead of bringing stable patients into the hospital for a biopsy  where risk to COVID-19 exposure can be high and resources can be scarce - this non-invasive test can be done regularly by collecting blood samples at home using a mobile phlebotomist.

TGI holds the U.S. patent on the use of blood gene expression profiling by various technical approaches to rule out subAR. The CLIA-certified laboratory began offering the first commercial test using this approach, TruGraf, in 2019. It was developed and validated as the first and only blood test to non-invasively rule out silent rejection in stable kidney transplant recipients covered by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). TruGraf is indicated for use in renal transplant patients who are at least 18 years old and at least 90 days post-transplant with stable serum creatinine values.

Blood samples for TruGraf testing can be collected through TGI's newly launched [email protected] program. For information on ordering tests and arranging remote sample collection, physicians may contact TGI at 1-844-TruGraf. Ordering and general information is also available on our websites at www.trugraf.com.

Media Contact

Sloane Heller Communications

[email protected]

917.432.4194

About Transplant Genomics, Inc.

Transplant Genomics, Inc. ("TGI") is a molecular diagnostics company bringing personalized diagnostics to transplant patients worldwide, with an initial focus on kidney transplant recipients. Working with the transplant community, TGI is commercializing a suite of tests enabling diagnosis and prediction of transplant recipient immune status. Test results will support clinicians with information to optimize immune-suppressive therapy, enhance patient care and improve graft survival. Test services are offered through TGI's CLIA laboratory in Fremont, CA.

Eurofins  a global leader in bio-analysis

Eurofins Scientific through its subsidiaries (hereinafter sometimes "Eurofins" or "the Group") believes it is a scientific leader in food, environment, pharmaceutical and cosmetics products testing and in agroscience CRO services. It is also one of the global independent market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics, discovery pharmacology, forensics, CDMO, advanced material sciences and for supporting clinical studies. In addition, Eurofins is one of the leading global emerging players in specialty clinical diagnostic testing. With about 45,000 staff in more than 800 laboratories across 47 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 200,000 analytical methods for evaluating the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin and purity of biological substances and products, as well as for innovative clinical diagnostic. The Group objective is to provide its customers with high-quality services, accurate results on time and expert advice by its highly qualified staff.

Eurofins is committed to pursuing its dynamic growth strategy by expanding both its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology and analytical chemistry to offer its clients unique analytical solutions and the most comprehensive range of testing methods.

As one of the most innovative and quality oriented international players in its industry, Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients' increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the expanding demands of regulatory authorities around the world.

The shares of Eurofins Scientific are listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN FR0000038259, Reuters EUFI.PA, Bloomberg ERF FP).

SOURCE Transplant Genomics, Inc.

Related Links

http://transplantgenomics.com


Located on the shores of Lough Gill, just outside the village of Dromahair, is Parke's Castle and next month marks the 30th anniversary of the opening of this historic site.

In the early 1970s the derelict castle was being used as a works depot but in the late 1980s 750,000 was spent restoring the castle. The painstaking restoration involved the use of traditional techniques and specialist conservation.

The castle

The castle itself is not a true castle but rather an excellent example of a fortified manor house. It comprises a gatehouse, a manor house, two large corner towers (the north-east and north-west corner towers) and an associated bawn, and also has the foundations of a late medieval tower-house which were discovered in the courtyard area during archaeological excavations in the 1970s.

The building, previously also known as Newtown Castle, takes its current name from Captain Robert Parke, who was given the land during the Plantation of Leitrim in the early 1600s.

The castle was acquired by the Office of Public Works from the Land Commission in 1940 for preservation as a National Monument.

The O'Rourke connection

The 16th century Tower House remains, uncovered during excavations in the 1970s is believed to be a stronghold of the O'Rourkes, rulers of Breifne, whose chief, Sir Brian O'Rourke, gave refuge to the shipwrecked Spanish Armada officer, Captain Francisco de Cuellar, and was later indicted for high treason and executed on the gallows in London in 1591.

Plantation

During the plantation of Leitrim in the early 1600s Captain Robert Parke gained ownership of the site and the plantation castle built was built on the O'Rourke site, over the remains of the Tower House.

Captain Parke's daughter married Sir Francis Gore of Co Sligo, an ancestor of the Gore-Booth family of Lissadell and their son was the last resident of the castle.

The archaeological excavations have also revealed the foundations of a blacksmith's forge, a well and a sallyport (or watergate) accessing onto Lough Gill.

The restoration

After the archaeological survey of the area it was decided that the restoration of the castle would be feasible.

The work began with a detailed photographic survey of the ruins.

Following this, in 1984, craftsmen from the OPW National Monuments Depot in Dromahair, commence the painstaking restoration work of the castle.

The project involved the careful conservation of the stonework of the castle, reconstruction of the roof, restoration of the great wall to its former pristine glory, the construction of a wooden spiral staircase in the style of the 17th century and the adaptation of the entrance and ground floor area to accommodate a visitor reception and audio visual presentation area.

The timbers used in the roof of the castle are of native Irish oak and were fastened in place without the use of a single nail. Similar craftsmanship is displayed in the spiral staircase. Outside, the courtyard has been fully restored with cobblestones in the style of the original period.

Coverage of the opening of Parke's Castle in June 1990.



A series of out-buildings were also restored as part of the mammoth project including the blacksmith's forge which was restored to working order complete with trade tools and a thatched roof.

The work culminated in the official opening of the newly restored castle on Friday, June 8, 1990.

The official opening was presided over by the then Minister for State at the Department of Finance, Brendan Daly.

Today Parke's Castle remains a striking silhouette on the shores of Lough Gill.

Although at the present time, the castle is closed to visitors due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is hoped that it will soon, once again, be open to welcome visitors to this unique historic site.
High River, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited (TSXV: WI) ("WICC" or "Western") announces that it has filed its Q1 Financial Statements and MD&A on SEDAR.

In a message to shareholders, WICC CEO Scott Tannas provided the following commentary:

"As we continue to navigate our way through this severely depressed economy, WICC and its partners have been focused on making sure that each investee company has the resources to come through to the other side of this crisis. While we remain confident all our companies will thrive as things normalize, damage has been done that will take time to repair. That said, we have five strong companies with talented management teams and we are inspired by their passion and energy in confronting their unique business issues.

- Throughout the crisis, GlassMasters has remained open for business in their locations and with their extensive mobile service fleet. In the early weeks, the workforce was significantly reduced to fit the volume of sales activity. Since the end of Q1, sales have steadily risen week over week, and many previously laid off staff members have been recalled to meet surging demand.

- After a very strong January and February, Ocean Sales has suffered a significant reduction in revenue during the COVID-19 crisis. Together with management, we have put in place a plan that will see the company scale back its operations and temporarily focus all efforts on sales through the internet, while waiting for its traditional channels of sales to re-open. So far, the online sales results have been very encouraging, and it is clear there is a virtual market for Ocean Sales' lineup of household consumer products. This is an important channel that Ocean Sales will continue to develop into the future. However, the resiliency of the exhibition and show industry in a post COVID-19 environment is in question. At best it will be many months before Ocean Sales will resume selling through that channel. This uncertainty caused us to reflect on the carrying value of the company - specifically the goodwill and intangible assets. We have determined that the goodwill value of the company has sustained impairment, and as result, we are taking a non-cash charge to our Q1 net income in the amount of $3.475 million. We do not take this magnitude of loss lightly. However, it is the prudent thing to do given what we know today, and it provides us with some additional flexibility as we position the company for the future. I want to be clear that our belief in the long term success of Ocean Sales remains firm, and we are resolved to continue to work with our partners, employees and suppliers to make sure this company is successful. Ocean Sales has a strong tangible asset base, including inventory and equipment that will allow its people to generate sales and profits in the future. In the meantime, they have the financial resources to hunker down and continue to invest in their online sales efforts. Once the current restrictions around public gatherings and retail store capacities are lifted, Ocean Sales will be ready to execute a plan to resume their traditional operations, while continuing to develop new channels of distribution.

- Foothills Creamery remains in high production mode producing ice cream and butter for consumers, with consumer packaged butter sales up significantly over last year, while sales to restaurants and bakeries are down. In Q1 Foothills Creamery recorded a seasonal loss that is typical for that business.

- So far, Golden Health Care has been successful in protecting their residents from COVID-19, and delivered a steady return on investment in Q1. This company has significant cash reserves of $3.3 million to meet any future challenge or opportunity.

- Fortress Insurance continues to add new customers and premiums every month, and we expect the pace of growth will accelerate throughout 2020. Our goals for 2020 remain unchanged for the company. The equity component of the investment portfolio at Fortress Insurance was impacted by the market but mitigated by our 75% allocation to fixed-income investments which have performed well. Some of the investment losses incurred near the end of Q1 have since been recovered as the market improved over the past few weeks. The company has very strong capitalization levels to support its growing business.



We are now 75+ days into this crisis, and we continue to be confident that our businesses are doing the right things to ensure future success. I reiterate the words from my previous report:

Given our current and anticipated future environment, we believe The Western Investment Company of Canada has sufficient liquidity to meet its obligations and support our investee companies through this crisis and beyond. We will continue to provide updates as time and circumstances require.



On behalf of the Board, I thank all shareholders for your continued trust and support, and wish you and your family good health through the coming weeks and months."

About The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited

Western is a unique publicly traded, private equity company founded by a group of successful Western Canadian businesspeople, and dedicated to building and maintaining ownership in successful Western Canadian companies, and helping them to grow. Western's shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol WI.

For more information on Western, please visit its website at www.winv.ca

CONTACT INFORMATION

The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited

Scott Tannas President and Chief Executive Officer (403) 652-2663 stannas@winv.ca

Advisory

This news release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements, including without limitation, statements pertaining to future plans, acquisitions, financings and returns. Statements containing the words: 'believes', 'intends', 'expects', 'plans', 'seeks' and 'anticipates' and any other words of similar meaning are forward-looking. All statements included herein involve various risks and uncertainties because they relate to future events and circumstances beyond Western's control. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Western's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Any forward looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and Western does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56900
As chromosomes go, X and Y make an unlikely pair. The X is large and contains thousands of genes critical for life. The Y, by contrast, is little more than a nub.

Its main purpose is to provide the instructions for initiating male development and making sperm. Yet these two very different chromosomes must work together if they are to meet and pair up properly during meiosis -- the special form of cell division that creates sperm and egg.

How this happens has remained mysterious for decades. But scientists at the Sloan Kettering Institute have now figured it out. The answer involves some very deliberate breaking and rejoining of DNA.

Breaking is a theme of meiosis. During this process, every chromosome we got from our mothers lines up with every chromosome we got from our fathers and the two swap segments.

Before this swapping can occur, the DNA in the chromosomes must be deliberately broken. The regions that are swapped are "homologous" -- they're found in the same place along the chromosome and contain the same genes (although the particular DNA sequence of each gene may be slightly different).

Homologous recombination is vastly more challenging for males because most of the X chromosome has nothing to pair with. In fact, only a very tiny portion of the already tiny Y chromosome has any homology with the X.

This region is called the pseudoautosomal region (PAR), and it's critical for making sure that X and Y find their way into different sperm cells.

Scientists have known for a long time that the PAR undergoes breaking and swapping of segments at a level that far outpaces what one would expect, given its size.

On most chromosomes, DNA double-strand breaks typically occur once every 10 million base pairs. The PAR in mice is less than 1/10 that size but it still manages to undergo frequent double-strand breaks." Scott Keeney, Molecular Biologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

In a new study published May 27 in the journal Nature, Dr. Keeney and colleagues -- including molecular biologist Laurent Acquaviva and longtime collaborator Maria Jasin -- show how this happens.

What's in a blob?

The key to proper pairing of X and Y, they discovered, is a repeated sequence of DNA in the PAR that attracts several double-strand break-related proteins to this region.

These protein clusters -- which Dr. Acquaviva dubbed "blobs" -- change the architecture of the chromosome in this region in such a way that the PAR becomes, as the authors put it, "the hottest area of double-strand break formation in the male mouse genome."

Similar blobs had been seen in images from published studies.

But Dr. Acquaviva -- a postdoctoral fellow in the Keeney lab, the lead researcher on the project, and a co-corresponding author on the paper -- was the first to define what's in these blobs and connect them to the hyper-accumulation of double-strand breaks in this region.

"At first glance, the blobs just look like a mess you might see in the microscope if the experiment didn't work," Dr. Acquaviva says.

"But they turned out to be completely predictable in number, timing, and location, so it became clear that in reality they are very complex structures that the cell builds on purpose."

In fact, he says, these blobs were key to understanding how the PAR DNA is tethered as short loops to the linear axis that is the structural backbone of the chromosome.

Though the X chromosome also has this same repeated DNA sequence, the two X chromosomes in female meiosis typically do not recombine at this region.

Why not? The SKI scientists show that it is because pairing between other regions of the X tends to happen first and directly opposes breakage at the PAR.

This strategy of recruiting more than one's expected share of DNA-breaking proteins may not be limited to the PAR region.

In a paper published earlier this month, the Keeney lab showed that small chromosomes in budding yeast resort to a similar tactic.

Groundbreaking partnership

These new discoveries, which were made in mice, are the latest fruit of a longstanding collaboration between the Keeney and Jasin labs at SKI. "Scott and I began collaborating back in 1997 when he joined SKI," she says.

"This paper will be our 40th together. It's a tribute to the collaborative atmosphere of SKI."

In fact, an accompanying editorial published along with the new paper was written by a former collaborative fellow, Francesca Cole, now a faculty member at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Drs. Jasin and Keeney are both interested in homologous recombination, but they bring complementary expertise to their collaboration.

Dr. Jasin is an expert in mammalian double-strand break repair and Dr. Keeney is a specialist in how yeast does meiosis.

Last month, the team's 39th paper was published in the journal Molecular Cell. In it, they provide the most detailed look yet into how double-strand breaks are repaired.

"I am hoping it will change the textbook version of how DNA strands move around during meiotic recombination," Dr. Jasin says.

"But many exciting questions still remain to be tackled." In other words, stay tuned for more 'breaking' news from this team of scientists.
The Russian Embassy on its verified Twitter account has confirmed that the 2017 blockbuster "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" has found favour among TV viewers in Russia.

The film has been dubbed in Russian language and telecast on a channel in that country.

"Indian cinema gains popularity in Russia. Look what Russian TV is broadcasting right now: the Baahubali with Russian voiceover!" tweeted @RusEmbIndia, the official Twitter account of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of India, along with a dubbed clip of the film.

 Indian cinema gains popularity in Russia. Look what Russian TV is broadcasting right now: the Baahubali with Russian voiceover! pic.twitter.com/VrIgwVIl3b Russia in India (@RusEmbIndia) May 28, 2020

Fans in India were overjoyed with the news, and the dubbed Russian clip of the film has gone viral. Fans in India are thanking Russia and Russians for receiving the blockbuster mythological action drama with such warmth.

"Thank you from Telugu film industry and from Telugu speaking people.. Another addition to the list along with Pasivadi Pranam (1987) got dubbed into Russian language," tweeted a fan.

SS Rajamouli's two-film "Baahubali" series opened to full houses in its original Telugu version, as well as several dubbed languages including Hindi. While "Baahubali 2", released in 2017 has done a global business to the tune of Rs 1810 crore, the first film, "Baahubali: The Beginning" opened in 2015 and earned over Rs 685 crore.

The franchise made the film's hero Prabhas a superstar. The cast also includes several big-ticket names such as Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia and Ramya Krishnan.

A fan, commenting on the Russian Embassy's tweet, quipped: "I wonder how song will be sung in Russian.. please upload that video having song or background song."

To this, the embassy replied: "They just put subtitles."

Many Prabhas fans tweeted pictures of their star, who played the central father-son characters of Amarendra Baahubali and Mahendra Baahubali, as a thank-you note.

Others felt Baahubali would be fun to watch in other languages, too.

"Baahubali will be so much fun to watch in German language," wrote a fan.

Most users hailed it as a sign of the strong bond that India and Russia have shared traditionally, with some pointing out how Indian films and filmstars have found favour in Russia even back in the day when the country used to be USSR.

Indian stars who have made an impact in Russia in the past include Raj Kapoor and Mithun Chakraborty.

Follow @News18Movies for more
But as each graduate stood on the porch of the community center with their families, a parade of 35 people in 13 cars decked out with balloons and signs of congratulations rolled by to salute each one in three parades that day. Two parades were even escorted by Waukegan Police Department and the accompanying sirens and horns.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 17:54:22|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

SANAA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Health authorities in the Houthi rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa on Friday announced the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in several provinces in northern Yemen.

"We confirm the disease is rife ... there are so many COVID-19 cases in several provinces including the capital Sanaa," the health authorities said in a statement.

The authorities complained about inadequate testing capacity, ventilators and protective gears, blaming the UN aid agencies for not providing what they said "the required assistance to combat the coronavirus in Yemen."

They added they would not order full lockdown in the cities under their control due to the stop of salary payment to thousands of state employees and millions of residents reliant on daily wage since the war erupted five years ago.

Meanwhile, the internationally-recognized government calls on donors and relevant international humanitarian organizations to provide support to help contain the pandemic in the country.

Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized much of the country's north and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa. Enditem
A speeding motorcyclist who mowed down and killed a French tourist in front of her two teenage sons has been jailed for 32 months.

Jack Gough, 28, from Welling, south-east London, was riding home when he struck 45-year-old Muriel Sanna in Great Dover Street, in Borough, south London, on the evening of July 23 2018 while travelling at 60mph on a 30mph road.

Ms Sanna, from Nice in France, had been crossing the road to look at a street map when she was hit by Gough's Suzuki in front of her sons, aged 16 and 18.

Jack Gough, 32, was sentenced to 32 months in jail for mowing down and killing Muriel Sanna

She was carried up to 35 metres down the road by the bike before colliding with a parked car. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Before the crash, Gough had been doing around 60mph - twice the then 30mph speed limit - followed by a Harley-Davidson rider, who has never been traced.

The defendant, who lives with his parents, admitted causing death by dangerous driving but denied that he had been racing with the Harley-Davidson.

The Old Bailey heard Gough was returning home from work on his 650cc Suzuki, having left the office half an hour late at 6.30pm.

The son of a retired teacher father and clinical psychologist mother told the Old Bailey: 'I was simply on my way home. I truly had no idea that Harley was there until I was questioned.'

The motorcyclist was travelling at 60mph on a 30mph street when he struck the French tourist

He became emotional as he recalled the crash, saying: 'I braked, I tried to honk and I tried to swerve but it was simply too late. I could not stop in time.'

'I remember standing up after the accident and collapsing. I would have helped if I could. I remember asking if she was OK.'

Gough, who fractured his collarbone and injured his knee, was said by his father to have reacted with 'terrible anguish and uncontrollable sobbing' when he heard in hospital that Ms Sanna had died.

The defendant said he had been unable to watch footage of the accident and had not ridden a motorbike since.

Gough was sentenced at the Old Bailey in central London (pictured)

Sentencing, Judge Richard Marks QC said the trauma suffered by Ms Sanna's sons and her friends from witnessing the crash was 'simply unimaginable'.

On why Gough had been speeding, he told him: 'It seems to me you had likely decided, perhaps because you were late, that you were going to put your foot down.'

While there remained a 'significant suspicion' that Gough had been driving competitively with the Harley-Davidson, the judge said he could not be sure that was the case.

Judge Marks took account of Gough's 'impeccable character' and genuine remorse, as well as the impact on his mental health, when setting the prison term.

He added: 'Nothing I can say or do is capable of bringing Muriel Sanna back or undo the terrible pain and hurt caused by you to her family.

'Moreover, any sentence I impose is likely to be regarded by her family as wholly inadequate - and perhaps by your family as being excessive.'

The defendant, who was supported at the Old Bailey by his family, appeared tearful as he was sent down.

In addition to his jail term Judge Marks banned Gough from the road for five years.
Narendra Modi and Donald Trump

New Delhi: There has been no recent contact between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, government sources said on Friday.

The clarification came after Trump said in Washington that he spoke to Modi over India's ongoing border row with China in Eastern Ladakh.

Advertisement

Donald TrumpOn Tuesday, Trump offered to mediate between India and China to resolve the border dispute.

"The last conversation between Modi and Trump was on April 4 on the subject of hydroxychloroquine," a source said.

On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs made it clear that India is directly in touch with the Chinese side through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts to resolve the row.
- Monday, May 25, 2020, happened to be the birthday of Van Vicker's daughter and the star shared some incredible snaps of her

- Social media users joined the actor in celebrating his daughter in lovely posts

Renowned Ghanaian actor, Van Vicker, has wowed his loyal fans with his latest post on social media.

The actor released adorable photos of his second daughter on his Instagram page and fans were wowed.

READ ALSO: Good old days: TV queen Lulu Hassan relives acting days with stunning throwback video

READ ALSO: Jimmy Wayuni: Another Kikuyu benga maestro dies in road accident

Monday, May 25, was the actor's daughter's birthday and the loving dad decided to celebrate her in a beautiful way.

He shared a series of adorable photos of the lovely girl proving that she is his heartbeat.

In one of the photos, the two were enjoying a nap together and in another, they were having a good time at an outing.

READ ALSO: Man who claimed to have fathered Tanasha's son Naseeb changes tune, says he was misinterpreted

READ ALSO: Willis Raburu's boss Linus Kaikai invites moral police Ezekiel Mutua to host 10 Over 10 show

"Generous, modish, caring, ingenious, street smart, beautiful, resolute, respectful, genteel, chivalrous, talented, down to earth, these are just but a few of what you are built of. You can be mulish at times but you make me a proud father," Vicker wrote.

The proud father reminisced how she would cry back in the day, adding she occupied one of the four soft spots in his heart.

"Today you turn 14. The baby who would cry all day and cry all night, yet extremely sweet. Till today when you cry it touches my innermost feelings. I have only four soft spots in my heart Ji-an, you take up one. You are multitalented, the world is at your beck and call, take it by storm and make an impact on people's lives. Happy birthday my only second daughter, lol. I love you my Chichi, my chocho. Daddy," he added.

Social media users joined Van Vicker to celebrate her birthday.

@heiressflairgh: "Happy Birthday Jian darling you know we love you girl #mymodel."

@doreenmercy91: "Happy birthday to her."

@farida_houseofshimah: "Happy birthday to her."

@merlyscakesndesserts: "I like the street smart attribute... very important. That's one thing I'll make sure my kids must be even when they're book smart."

@therealjongermain: "Happy birthday to my beautiful niece. God bless her."

This came two months after the actor celebrated her first daughter's birthday in the same way.

He shared a photo of one of their fun moments together on social media while expressing how proud he was to be her dad.

The actor also showered accolades on his daughter describing her as "smart, intelligent, beautiful, respectful, confident" among other lovely words.

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly.

Anonymous Tuko fan feeds 50 needy families in Nairobi | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
TROY, Mich., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Flagstar Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: FBC) announced today that, due to the continuing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and out of concern for the health and safety of our employees, shareholders and other possible attendees, the 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Annual Meeting") will be held in a virtual-only format, instead of an in-person event.

Virtual meeting date: Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Virtual meeting time: 8:30 a.m., Eastern Time

Virtual meeting link: www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/FBC2020

Shareholders of record and beneficial holders of common stock as of the close of business on April 3, 2020 will be entitled to attend and participate in the Annual Meeting. Shareholders of record will need to use their 16-digit control number to log into the website to be able to vote during the meeting. The 16-digit control number can be found on the proxy card, voting instruction form or other notices shareholders received previously. Registered shareholders can email [email protected] through Monday, June 1 to obtain their control number. Those without a control number or not wishing to vote during the meeting may enter the virtual meeting as a guest. Beneficial owners of shares held in street name will need to follow the instructions provided by the broker, bank or other nominee that holds their shares.

Whether or not shareholders plan to attend the virtual Annual Meeting, the Corporation encourages shareholders to vote and submit their proxies in advance of the Annual Meeting by one of the methods described in the proxy materials. The proxy card included with the previously distributed proxy materials may continue to be used to vote in connection with the Annual Meeting. If stockholders have already voted, no additional action is required.

Subsequent to the virtual meeting, the presentation will be available as a live audio webcast on the investor relations section of flagstar.com for 90 days.

Additional detailed instructions on how to access the virtual meeting and ask questions are contained on our Investor Relations website at http://investors.flagstar.com/corporateprofile.

About Flagstar

Flagstar Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: FBC) is a $26.8 billion savings and loan holding company headquartered in Troy, Mich. Flagstar Bank, FSB, provides commercial, small business, and consumer banking services through 160 branches in Michigan, Indiana, California, Wisconsin and Ohio. It also provides home loans through a wholesale network of brokers and correspondents in all 50 states, as well as 87 retail locations in 28 states, representing the combined retail branches of Flagstar and its Opes Advisors mortgage division. Flagstar is a leading national originator and servicer of mortgage and other consumer loans, handling payments and record keeping for $225 billion of loans representing nearly 1.1 million borrowers. For more information, please visit flagstar.com.

For further information

ANALYSTS: Kenneth Schellenberg, Investor Relations, (248) 312-5741

MEDIA: Susan Bergesen, Corporate Communications, (248) 312-6237

SOURCE Flagstar Bancorp, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.flagstar.com


On August 19 the massive protests, involving thousands of people, started in the Papuan capital Jayapura and the towns of Manokwari, Sorong and Wamena. They quickly escalated to violence, with government buildings burnt down and even the airport briefly seized by protesters in Sorong. The scale of the protest and the determination of the protesters not to back down in the face of the usual security services response were unprecedented. They were chanting calls for independence, waving the Morning Star flag, condemning the institutional racism in Indonesian society. The entire sentiment of disenfranchisement, of marginalisation, oppression and brutalisation by Indonesian society suffused the protesters. More than 50 years of it. It was like a dam of frustration had been breached and the Papuans flowed out onto the streets, an unstoppable flood. The Indonesian human rights lawyer Veronica Koman told France 24: "Ive never seen the Papuans so angry."

There are no figures on how many people took part, but Koman said that it was the first time Papuan protests had reached this magnitude. The anger continued the following week. The prison in Sorong was partially burnt down, allowing more than 250 prisoners to escape. Government buildings in Manokwari, Sorong, Fak Fak and Wamena were also burnt down by protesters, sometimes with people inside. The Indonesian military and police opened fire with live ammunition on the demonstrators, but this time it only seemed to anger them more. They extended their protests to Indonesian shops and businesses, burning them down. Loading The Indonesians flew in more troops. They shut down the internet in West Papua, as well as mobile phone coverage, landline phones and even ATM access. They were losing control, and they did not want anyone in the outside world to see it. Meanwhile, people were dying. The worst of it was in Wamena, where it was reported in The New Zealand Herald by long-time campaigner for East Timor and West Papua Maire Leadbeater that on September 23:

"Forty-three people were killed as buildings and vehicles were torched. More than half of the victims were non-Papuan migrants and many residents, both Papuan and non-Papuan, fled the area. Jakarta capitalised on the suffering of the migrants, offering them trauma counselling and flights home. Journalists were banned and the internet closed off, but some recent witness accounts suggest provocateurs may have been involved." Lurid and graphic tales of the fate of Indonesian settlers were run in the press. Indonesian military C-130 aircraft were flown in to evacuate them and the Papuans were portrayed once again as savages and out of control. What the papers didnt report was how many Papuans were being shot, arrested and tortured by the security forces trying to repel this huge tide of anger and resentment. The Surabaya monkey video had been, as one commentator put it, "the straw that broke the camels back". West Papuan women and children fleeing Indonesian military operations in Nduga province in 2019. The fighting in the highlands, the diplomatic efforts abroad and the continuing economic marginalisation of the Papuans signified by such mega-projects as the Trans-Papua Highway had created a pressure-cooker environment that exploded with the demonstrations, which on more than one occasion descended into full-blown riots.

With the internet and communications blackout, the narrative of the Indonesians as victims crept into international coverage. But the reality was the Indonesian security personnel were cracking down as hard as they could in the usual way. As renowned Indonesian novelist Eka Kurniawan put it in The New York Times: "The crackdown targets not just Papuans, but anyone who sympathises with their struggle. Surya Anta Ginting, the spokesman for the Indonesian Peoples Front for West Papua, was arrested alongside the students, also on treason charges. While in detention, he reportedly was held in isolation and made to listen to nationalist songs. Veronica Koman, a lawyer for the West Papua National Committee, a pro-independence group, has been accused of provoking the violence by spreading fake news, simply because she shared information about Papua on Twitter. She is thought to be in Australia, and the Indonesian police have asked Interpol to arrest her and have threatened to revoke her passport. "Once again, a crisis in Papua is revealing the true face of the Indonesian government. This is an Indonesian government that, rather than listen to the Papuan peoples cries for dignity and equity, tries to quiet them with soldiers and money. This is an Indonesian government that allows Papuan people to be called monkeys and then asks them simply to forgive." Foreigners were barred and any who were there were thrown out. Four Australians were arrested and deported after being near a protest in Sorong. The violence continued, with 6000 more troops and police deployed to West Papua.

A student dormitory in Abepura, just outside Jayapura, was attacked by security forces and local pro-Indonesian militia, who opened fire on the students inside, killing three. That incident was caught on video. The Indonesian security forces had their blood boiling, but so did the Papuans. The Indonesians complained that their police had been attacked in their cars by angry students throwing rocks and arrows in the Abepura incident. The fact they had just shot dead three students was downplayed. People flee as a local market in the West Papuan town of Fak Fak burns on August 21, 2019. Credit:AP Footage emerged showing soldiers firing at a crowd of demonstrators outside a government office in Deiyai. Some of the demonstrators were standing with their hands in the air as soldiers moved in. It was always a few here, a few there. Papuans were killed and arrested; Indonesian transmigrants were killed or their businesses and government buildings burnt down in revenge. The reports of violence continued to come in from Jayapura, Sorong, Manokwari, Timika, Fak Fak and Wamena  all West Papua's major population centres. A theme started to emerge: the presence of pro-Indonesian militias composed of Indonesian loyalists from the migrant population or from Islamic organisations that were clearly supported by  and in some cases, such as the Abepura student dormitory attack, integrated with  the police.
New Jersey schools are allowed to host drive-by or drive-thru graduation ceremonies next month, despite conflicting state guidance issued this week.

The state Department of Education on Thursday night updated its guidance to school districts to allow for ceremonies involving car parades and other drive-in ceremonies in June, as long as all parts of the ceremony comply with state rules for outdoor gatherings.

The update comes following confusion over new guidelines released Wednesday that indicated only virtual ceremonies were allowed prior to July 6. It marked the second time the state has had to clarify its position on drive-thru ceremonies, following confusion over State Police guidance sent to schools earlier this month.

Some school superintendents have criticized the states directives and what they said feels like ever-changing rules for the annual rite of passage.

The guidance has been convoluted, contradictory and confused from the start, said Charles Sampson, superintendent of the Freehold Regional High School District, on Thursday. We have altered our graduation plans several times, and the clear lack of guidance has caused us to waste energy that should be directed toward reopening.

The complexity of graduation rules underscores the practical challenges the state faces as it begins reopening from the near-lockdown measures Gov. Phil Murphy ordered to limit spread of COVID-19.

The governor said in April he couldnt envision schools having in-person graduation ceremonies, but his stance began to soften in recent weeks as the number of new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations dropped.

On Tuesday, Murphy announced high schools, middle schools and colleges will be allowed to hold in-person graduation ceremonies unlike any others beginning July 6, as long as they are outside and comply with social distancing.

The state Department of Education released guidelines for those ceremonies on Wednesday, including the suggestions that students wear masks and all guests have their temperatures checked. But the now-corrected restriction on drive-thru ceremonies, which many districts had already scheduled in June, rankled school leaders.

We have spent hours and hours making plans and it is becoming increasingly difficult to adjust to the repeated shifts in direction, said Rene Rovtar, superintendent of Montville Township Public Schools.

Though the drive-thru issue seems finally resolved, one major question remains: How many people can attend graduation?

Current restrictions limit outdoor gatherings to 25 people, which would require numerous small ceremonies for large high schools. Murphy doesnt have enough health data yet to tell schools what the maximum attendance will be come July, he said Thursday.

He wants to make sure he gets the number right and doesnt have to lower it at the last minute, he said.

Somewhere between now and a reasonable amount of time from now, we will give some more guidance, Murphy said. I will be shocked if it is 25 or even close to 25 by July 6.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
Louisville, thank you so much for saying Breonna's name tonight. We are not going to stop until we get justice, a woman says in the video. But we should stop tonight before people get hurt. Please go home, be safe and be ready to keep fighting.
Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday struck down the ordinance promulgated by the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government last month to remove state election commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar by reducing his tenure.

A high court bench comprising chief justice JK Maheshwari and senior judge Satyanarayana Murthy also revoked the government orders that followed the ordinance and directed that Ramesh Kumar must be reinstated as the states election commissioner with immediate effect.

Within an hour of the high courts judgement, Ramesh Kumar announced he had resumed charge as SEC and that he would discharge his duties fairly and impartially as he had done in the past and as mandated.

Kumar said on Friday he would like to resume electoral process to the local bodies at the earliest on the return of normalcy in consultation with the principal stakeholders and all political parties.

Individuals are not permanent. But Constitutional institutions and the values they represent alone are permanent in the end. Those who have taken an oath of office to protect Constitution, have a greater responsibility to continue to protect and safeguard these institutions and their integrity, he said.

The ordinance was promulgated by the government on April 10 making an amendment to AP Panchayat Raj Act reducing the tenure of state election commissioner from five to three years and appointing a high court official of judicial officer rank as SEC in place of bureaucrats.

Within a day of the issuance of the ordinance, the government appointed Madras High Courts retired, justice V Kanagaraj, as the state election commissioner and he took charge immediately.

The position of Kanagaraj in the wake of the latest high court judgement is not immediately known.

The high court delivered the judgement after prolonged hearing of a batch of petitions, including those of Kumar who challenged his removal and that of Telugu Desam Party leader Varla Ramaiah, BJP leader Kamineni Srinivas and former minister Vadde Sobhanadreeshwar Rao.

The high court ruled that the state government had no powers to promulgate the ordinance under Article 213 of the Constitution in the given circumstances.

The Jagan government chose to remove Kumar through ordinance route, after the official issued a notification on March 15 for the postponement of local body elections scheduled to be held in the last week of that month citing the coronavirus pandemic as the reason.

Jagan fumed at Kumar for taking a unilateral decision to postpone the elections without consulting the state chief secretary or even the health department officials. The chief minister accused Kumar of colluding with the Telugu Desam Party since the official belonged to the same caste as TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu.

Later, Kumar wrote to the Union ministry of home affairs seeking additional police protection to him and his family as he was getting threatening calls from the YSRC leaders.

His letter also became controversial and CID is probing it.

Senior advocate Jandhyala Ravi Shankar, who argued for petitioners, said the high court had felt that the government and the governor were wrong in promulgating the ordinance, which is violative of various articles.


Christ Church crafters create a Quilt of Kindness Christ Church crafters create a Quilt of Kindness



A creative womens group at Christ Church in Eaton has come together to make a Quilt of Kindness to help people reflect on the kindness being displayed during lockdown.
The UT education department on Friday decided that government and government-aided schools in Chandigarh will remain closed till June 7. A committee has also been constituted to decide whether to reopen the schools or extend vacations after this.

The one-week extension of summer break comes two days before the schools were to resume operations after remaining closed for over two months in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. This is the third time since the lockdown that the summer break has been extended. On May 18, district education officer Alka Mehta had released an order instructing that the summer vacations will be extended in UT schools till May 31.

The move impacts over one lakh students of 123 government and eight government-aided schools in Chandigarh. Initially, the breaks were announced from April 14 to May 14. The order had stated that schools will make up for the lost time during the extended vacation by working on second Saturdays (usually a holiday) from August 2020 to January 2021.

COMMITTEE TO SUBMIT REPORT BY JUNE 4

The committee formed by UT to decide on the matter will go through the fresh guidelines released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the fifth phase of the countrywide lockdown, if extended, and prepare a report on phased opening of schools. The report is to be submitted to the education department by June 4, 2020. .

The committee has 10 members, including deputy director 1 and 2, district education officer, deputy district education officer 1 and 2, subject expert commerce, principals of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Manimajra, GMSSS Sector 33 and Sector 15. The committee is set to meet on June 1 at the office of deputy director, school education.

Director school education Rubinderjit Singh Brar said, The further instructions from the ministry of human resource development on easing the lockdown are expected on June 1. Keeping in mind the circumstances, we have extended the vacations for another week. A committee has also been constituted to look into the opening of schools. It will look into the guidelines from the Centre, neighbouring states and local conditions based on which a decision will be made on whether to reopen the schools.
New Delhi, May 29 : Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, making an observation on the Supreme Court Collegium system, said the Prime Minister has his finger on the nuclear button, "but the Prime Minister assisted by the Law Minister cannot be trusted to appoint a fair and objective judge? That is too sweeping a comment about which I have my serious reservations." Prasad was speaking at the Akhil Bhartiya Adhivakta Parishad edition of Prof NR Madhava Menon memorial lecture series on legal and digital challenges for India post-Covid-19. He added everybody works in democratic form of the government. Prasad said the Prime Minister is the head of the government, who appoints all the ministers and all report to the PM.

He added the Prime Minister also plays a significant role in the appointment of judges of the Supreme Court. "The Prime Minister has a nuclear button in his hand, the Prime Minister can be trusted for so many things in the country, but the PM assisted by the law minister cannot be trusted to appoint a fair and objective judge?" asked Prasad.

He said Menon held the view that the Collegium system (appointment and transfer of judges) is not relevant and it should be replaced, as it has outlived its utility. "We came with the National Judicial Commission (appointment and transfer of judges) in the first term of the Modi government. It was unanimously passed by the two Houses of the Parliament, and also unanimously passed by more than 50 percent Vidhan Sabhas of the states, yet the Supreme Court quashed it. Any judgment of the Supreme Court, we respect", he added.

Prasad said "The law minister of India and the law ministry is not a post office. We are a stakeholder and we shall continue to exercise our role as a stakeholder." He added that the Supreme Court has held that in the judicial commission, the law minister is also a member; therefore, the appointees from that process may not be fair and objective, when the litigation comes against the government. "Then I have serious reservations as a student of law", said Prasad.

He insisted that people trust the Prime Minister for sanctity and integrity and security of India. "We have to see that the PM also plays a major role in the appointment of the President, Vice President", he added.
The fear that we have I think in the restaurant business is that, to some extent, were going to be the last ones to open.

Three nights a week, Tim McLoone puts on a performance for guests dining at his Asbury Park restaurant, The Robinson Ale House  an appearance he regularly made behind the piano at all twelve of his New Jersey restaurants. But since the government mandated shutdown forced his dining rooms to close, he has continued to perform in an empty restaurant for a virtual audience. Now, more than two months since the closures began, the musician and longtime restaurateur is choosing to remain optimistic, despite the uncertainty the global pandemic has left on his businesses.

In a typical summer season, McLoone has about 2,000 employees working at his restaurants, but when he closed the doors in March, he has had to lay off over 700 employees who he describes as the core of what we do. I thought that it was important to get them on unemployment right away, said McLoone. Another concern for the restaurateur is his food purveyors who have been loyal suppliers of his for years. Weve been in business for 33 years and they know that were good for it, said McLoone. This year, were not going to catch up. While the restaurant industry has not been categorized as an essential business by government officials throughout the pandemic, many restaurant-goers are hoping that will change soon. Theres a social part to this thats very important to people, and thats all gone, said McLoone. The fear that we have I think in the restaurant business is that, to some extent, were going to be the last ones to open.

Although the kitchens at McLoones restaurants have been closed, the restaurateur recently decided to reinstate take-out services at some locations. We really had to rethink the whole thing through, said McLoone. We took a few weeks off, we got the PPP funds and we opened up at seven locations. With take-out and delivery services as the only option for restaurants, the future of the industry remains unknown with dining rooms still unable to serve customers. Our mantra is we want to be here on June 1, but June 1 of 2021, not June 1 of 2020, said McLoone. Can we be still standing a year from now? Thats the question.

Once restaurant operations do resume, guests can expect a much different dining experience as the fate of large gatherings and live music remain unclear. Banquet is a large component in three of our places. And it doesnt exist right now, said McLoone explaining that a number of special events scheduled at his restaurants have been cancelled or postponed to a later date. One event that McLoone is crossing his fingers will still happen is the annual Holiday Express, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing music, gifts, and holiday cheer to those less fortunate. Each year since 1993, McLoones employees volunteer their time for those in need, collecting donations, preparing food, and serving them throughout the holiday season. The team hosts 100 events between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, recruiting other businesses to help as well including Jersey Mikes Subs, The Windmill and Joe Leones Italian Specialties. We get more out of it than they do, said McLoone. Its an honor to meet these people. For more information, visit McLoones restaurants website at https://www.mcloones.com/philanthropy.php.

To view the full video interview, visit Bielat Santore & Companys website at http://www.123bsc.com, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/123BSC/, and Vimeo page https://vimeo.com/bielatsantore and stay tuned for the next Thursday Restaurant Rap interview.

About Bielat Santore & Company

Bielat Santore & Company is an established commercial real estate firm. The companys expertise lies chiefly within the restaurant and hospitality industry, specializing in the sale of restaurants and other food and beverage real estate businesses. Since 1978, the principals of Bielat Santore & Company, Barry Bielat and Richard Santore, have sold more restaurants and similar type properties in New Jersey than any other real estate company. Furthermore, the firm has secured in excess of $500,000,000 in financing to facilitate these transactions. Visit the companys website, http://www.123bsc.com for the latest in new listings, property searches, available land, market data, financing trends, RSS feeds, press releases and more.
At the beginning of the cronavirus pandemic, startups and investors took a cautious approach. Two months later, they say the crisis might breed more innovative  and profitable  companies.

Adaptation has been the key, they say.

Companies that have shifted to building cloud-based software and products to help people work from home have thrived compared to firms that rely on travel, events or face-to-face contact to drum up sales.

Still, the economic uncertainty wrought by the pandemic has some investors waiting and holding onto their cash for now.

And with fewer active investors, companies will have to be in a strong position to attract new funding, said Pat Matthews, founder and CEO of Active Capital, a San Antonio-based investment firm.

The bar has really been raised for companies that are raising capital, Matthews said. A lot of investors are looking very specifically for how companies are going to operate in the new world. Not just whether theyre going to be more capital efficient  but also whatre you building? And how relevant is it in the new world were going into?

Matthews firm has remained at work, and in April invested in eight of its portfolio companies and three new ones. Active Capital also closed two fundraising rounds and conducted one merger last month.

Broadly, angel investors  wealthy individuals with a willingness to take risks on young companies  are likely to shift away from putting money into startups in their earliest stages.

They may see more opportunity in real estate or mergers and acquisitions of existing companies, said Luis Martinez, director at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Trinity University.

Investment funds are prioritizing companies that will have a greater relevance in the future.

What were seeing with early-stage hedge funds, Martinez said, is theyre just kind of shifting deal flow to companies  where you can make an investment now and you get them on to the next level within the next six to 12 months that really positions them to take advantage in the post-COVID world.

Sendspark is a San Antonio-based startup that was founded in January 2019.

The technology company, which received a $300,000 investment from Active Capital last fall, helps businesses connect with their customers by sending personalized videos designed to stand out from traditional emailed sales pitches.

With organizations having to rely on more virtual contact, Sendspark saw its usage over the first month of the stay-at-home orders grow by 200 percent to about 3,000 monthly users, company co-founder and COO Bethany Stachenfeld said.

Before the outbreak, Sendspark targeted B2B, or business-to-business, companies.

But over the last few months weve also seen a lot of sign-ups in the nonprofit, education and consumer spaces, as people are looking for new ways to replace in-person events and connect with customers online, Stachenfeld said. At first, there was a wait-and-see approach, but it already seems like investors are back to writing checks, especially in the future of work category.

Still, its been a crash course over the last two months for entrepreneurs, like Stachenfeld, who have had to learn how to pitch their business plans over webcams.

We already have entrepreneurs that are training on how to pitch virtually, and how to do virtual meetings, said Martinez, whos also the founder of Students + Startups. Weve got investors doing the same thing, pivoting into asking, What does due diligence look like remotely?

Matthews of Active Capital described ending face-to-face meetings with entrepreneurs as our biggest adjustment as an investment firm.

We had a hard and fast rule that we would get to know them, do our due diligence, and we always liked to break bread and meet the company in person before actually making a final decision, Matthews said. We had to get comfortable skipping that step, which was a little bit of a challenge.

But for startups, the move to virtual communications could provide a needed boost by reducing the importance of where youre located.

This new remote-first world levels the playing field for companies located outside of Silicon Valley and New York City, Stachenfeld said. Not only are we able to connect with investors all over the world without any travel, but there are also new fundraising events online that we can participate in that didnt even exist three months ago.

She said Sendspark pitched at the first-ever Fundraise from Home virtual demo day earlier this month, which Stachenfeld said was an awesome opportunity to meet top-tier investors.

Both Matthews and Stachenfeld said they expect the downturn to cull inefficient companies and produce leaner firms that are less clustered geographically.

I agree its more important than ever for startups to be on top of their financials. To be secure, we have to have a clear path to profitability, not just our next funding round, Stachenfeld said.

At the same time, Ive always been a fan of the saying, Constraints breed creativity. I believe that tight budgeting will force founders to focus on the things that really matter to their customers. So, in a way, she said, there might be more creative innovation than before.

diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net
(L) Ambassador Bill Taylor, the top diplomat in the U.S. embassy in Ukraine looks on during the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump in Washington, on Nov. 13, 2019. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images) (R) Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch is sworn in prior to providing testimony before the House Intelligence Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 15, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Early Concerns That 2020 Election Cycle Will Sow Division in US-Ukrainian Relationship

Seven retired U.S. Ambassadors to Ukraine denounced efforts to inject Ukraine into Americas domestic politics as the 2020 U.S. presidential election approaches, in a statement issued on May 26.

It comes after Ukrainian politicians, diplomats, and civic activists called on American leaders in a joint statement three days earlier to differentiate between Ukraines position and the political actions sowing discord between two countries.

Those efforts advance a false and toxic narrative, one with no basis in the reality of U.S.-Ukraine relations, in order to weaken the relationship between the United States and Ukraine and sow division within our two countries, the statement posted on the Atlantic Council website said. The statement does not elaborate on what efforts it refers to.

The former ambassadors call on officials in both countries to to avoid steps that will only erode the bilateral relationship. The U.S.-Ukraine strategic partnership was established in 1996 and has been built over the years on the shared values of democracy, liberty, and human freedom, they said.

Ukraines success in developing as an independent, stable, democratic state with a strong market economy  advances the U.S. interest in a more stable and secure Europe, they said.

The statement was signed by retired U.S. Ambassadors who served in Ukraine during the period following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 when the country gained its independence. Among them are William Taylor and Marie Yovanovitch, both of whom testified in impeachment hearings against President Donald Trump, as well as John Herbst who currently is a director of the Atlantic Councils Eurasia Center.

The eighth Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, who currently serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Greece after leaving the post in Ukraine in 2016, did not sign the joint statement.

The Atlantic Council received a donation from Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings in 2018.

This joint statement was considered a response to the joint statement by Ukrainian politicians and activists, Ukraines former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, and a signatory of the Ukrainian statement said on Twitter.

Today, Atlantic Council posted the Statement of seven Ambassadors of the United States of America to Ukraine. This is a de facto response to the statement of Ukrainian public to American politicians and society in defense of the strategic partnership. https://t.co/yhIbEvdZNU pic.twitter.com/YyUiYx8M54  Arseniy Yatsenyuk (@Yatsenyuk_AP) May 26, 2020

Ukrainian Politicians, Activists Appeal to American leaders

Ukrainian politicians, diplomats, civic activists, and experts issued a joint statement calling on American leaders to prevent involving Ukraine in the political competition that has been intensified in the United States as it could erode the U.S.-Ukrainian partnership based on the common values of national and human freedom.

The statement issued on May 23 praises the combined efforts of the two largest political parties in the United States and all concerned Americans to defend Ukraine.

We oppose the dishonest attempts to use the political controversies in the United States. We do not choose any side, but support each of them in the same way that they together help Ukraines independence, the Ukrainian signatories said.

We call on American leaders to distinguish between the position of new Ukraine, which stands for the unity of the West and acts to unite democracies around the world, and those forces that seek to turn the political developments in our country into a toxic narrative to sow discord among our partners, the statement added.

Among sixty signatories of the statement are former Ukraines Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, former Ukraines cabinet members, and members of the Ukrainian Parliament.

We call on Americas leaders to distinguish between the position of our nation from the actions of politicians instigated by Moscow, the signatories said without providing any name of a person involved in such actions. It did not elaborate on what actions it refers to.

The letter came three days after an investigation was launched into leaked tapes allegedly involving Ukrainian officials and U.S. officials. Also, on the same day, a U.S. Senate Committee approved a subpoena request in the investigation involving a U.S. official and a Ukrainian company. Therefore facts related to these investigations are presented in this report.

Ukraine Investigates Leaked Tapes

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the presidents office in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Jan. 31, 2020. (Anastasia Vlasova/Getty Images)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 20 that prosecutors have opened a criminal inquiry into leaked tapes that allegedly feature then-President Petro Poroshenko discussing conditions for a $1 billion loan with then-U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, reported the Associated Press.

The tapes, which are yet to be authenticated, were released the day before by Ukrainian lawmaker Andrii Derkach.

The Ukrainian investigation was opened on treason and abuse of office charges, indicating it was mostly directed against Poroshenko. Poroshenko rejected the tapes as a fabrication by pro-Russian forces in Ukraine.

There was no immediate sign that the probe could be directed against Biden. The Prosecutor Generals Office gave no further details.

Senate Committee Investigates Biden-Burisma Relationship

Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) speaks at the start of a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on the governments response to the CCP virus outbreak in Washington on March 5, 2020. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) launched an investigation to determine if there was a conflict of interest when Hunter Biden, son of former Vice President Joe Biden, and 2020 Democratic presidential contender, served on the board of Burisma.

The Committee approved on May 20 at the request of Johnson the first subpoena in the investigation of Blue Star Strategies which represented Burisma Holdings in the United States.

It will cover records dating back to Jan. 1, 2013, regarding the public relations firms work for Burisma.

In a letter provided to Johnson before the voting, Blue Star Strategies Co-founder and CEO Karen Tramontano said that the company is willing to cooperate, had provided information demanded by the committee, and offered to be interviewed. However, Johnson said he disagreed that the company has been cooperating.

Hunter Biden, joined the board of Burisma in April 2014 when the former vice president was leading the Obama administrations Ukraine policy. He left Burisma in 2019.

The Associated Press, Allen Zhong, Ivan Pentchoukov, and Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

The federal courts in New Mexico, among the busiest in the country, may be getting some relief.

President Donald J. Trump nominated a veteran federal prosecutor and an attorney from one of the states well-known law firms to fill two vacant judgeships on the U.S. District Court.

The nominations of First Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Federici and Brenda Saiz, a director at Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin & Robb P.A., were announced Thursday afternoon by the White House.

If their nominations are approved by the U.S. Senate, the U.S. District Court in New Mexico would have a full complement of seven full-time judges, something it hasnt had in a number of years.

Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich said in a joint statement, We reviewed a number of high-quality applicants, and found both Fred Federici and Brenda Saiz to be experienced attorneys who came recommended by fellow New Mexicans. We believe they are well qualified district court judicial nominees.

Federici has been a federal prosecutor for 25 years, serving in a number of supervisory positions, including heading the criminal division and chief of the national security section.

Saizs law practice focuses on complex civil litigation in medical malpractice, trucking law and product liability issues.

Saiz also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico Law School, where she teaches civil procedure.

Saiz earned her B.A. and J.D. from the University of New Mexico, where she served as an editor of the New Mexico Law Review while in law school.

Federici earned his B.A. from the College of William & Mary in Virginia and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Udall and Heinrich said in their statement, We are particularly pleased that the judicial nomination process is moving forward given the need to fill vacancies in New Mexico, though we recognize we are still at the start of the confirmation process.

Last year, federal judges in rare interviews complained the court was drowning in federal criminal cases.

Two judges had taken senior status and one had retired to inactive status, leaving four full-time judges to handle the load.

Federal judges from around the country came to New Mexico to relieve some of the pressure by handling criminal immigration sentencings and some civil cases.

Late last year, the Senate confirmed state District Judge Kea W. Riggs to replace U.S. District Judge Christina Armijo, filling one of the three empty judicial slots.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Caden Custer, along with Make-A-Wish Central New York and the Food Bank of Central New York, will collect food donations at Destiny USA on Saturday afternoon.

The food drive will be from noon to 3 p.m. in the Silver Parking Lot of the mall, across from the Embassy Suites.

The effort is the first phase of the Skaneateles High School seniors wish experience that will help feed local families in need.

Custer, 18, didnt want to use the wish for himself even though he has cystic fibrosis.

Custers wish inspired the Food Bank to rename its summer break box program, Cadens Wish Break Boxes. Through Make-A-Wish and donor funding, both organizations hope to make it sustainable.

Donors are asked to bag or box their donations. The items need to include cereal, canned fruit, canned meals (ravioli, spaghetti), tuna fish, jam, raisins and crackers.

The food drive will feature a mobile food pantry truck and a collection of volunteers  including Custer and his family and friends. Volunteers will be masked and gloved and will remove donations from donor vehicles.

In mid-June and mid-July, Cadens Wish Break Boxes will be packed and given away by the Food Bank to various youth service sites over the course of 10 weeks. A total of 2,125 boxes of food will be distributed this summer to locations in Cayuga and Onondaga counties through Custers wish.

For those unable to donate or participate in the drive, monetary donations in support of Custers wish may be made to either the Food Bank or Make-A-Wish Central New York.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

After a week of hype, phase two of NYs restart wont begin tomorrow

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Syracuse AD John Wildhack anticipating reduced Carrier Dome capacity during football season

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Contact Mike Curtis anytime at mcurtis@syracuse.com or find him on Twitter at @MikeACurtis2.
The push-and-pull relationship between Donald Trump and Fox News is not newand not news. His Twitter account has been a sort of rolling recap of the networks programming for years. Its no stretch to say that he owes his political career to switching his daily viewing from Access Hollywood to Fox & Friends.

The symbiosis between one vain, lonely, frequently confused older man and the cable news network built to serve/enrage that very demographic is notable, but its not a phenomenon unique to Trump. The novel mutation is that Trump is not just a prominent figure in this media ecosystem, but so deeply a creature of it. (As the Hair Club for Men founder put it in his companys ads, Trump is not just the president, hes also a client.) He is himself a part of the lore and canon of the Fox News Cinematic Universe.

And so whenever he needs an emotional lift or a break from the rigors of his job, he can turn on a television and find poreless and enunciative anchor-types talking about how handsome and wise and unjustly accused he is. Even modest exposure to such an experience would create serious reality-management issues for people without any kind of preexisting dissociative disorder.

ICYMI: The bad news quietly buried during the pandemic

Though there are some ways in which Trump really, actually is adept at exploiting the collapse of any kind of shared national reality, he is in this sense also clearly a victim of it. His latest electoral gambit, an avant-garde exercise in improvisational aspersion that Trump dubbed OBAMAGATE, is both the logical and the most profoundly expressionistic outcome of this dynamic. It is a diabolical conspiracy against Trump that is not just impossible to understand in Fox-to-English translation, but which Trump himself seems incapable of explaining. That is because the story itself is still being parceled out to him, one segment at a time, on his personal cable news channel.

Do we all have to use the word "Obamagate" because the president tweeted this word a bunch of times with no explanation? It doesn't seem like that's a rule.  Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 15, 2020

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

It is clear to Trump that Obamagate is world-historically big and that all the worst bad guys are involved. Its origins lie in the criminal conviction of disgraced former Trump national security adviser Gen. Michael Flynn and, more recently, in a glancing critique from former president Barack Obama. On May 10, Trump retweeted a post from one of his more prolific reply-guys on how untoward Obamas criticism had been, appending his own He got caught, OBAMAGATE! Beyond that, your guess is as good as the presidents.

What followed has been something like a satire of how outmatched the news media is by this moment. The guiding principle that something is news if the president says itand that its the duty of any reporter to cover it with breathless enthusiasmcrumbles when the president doesnt seem to know what hes saying.

IT WAS THE GREATEST political crime in the history of our country, Trump said to Foxs Maria Bartiromo, in the plummy tone he assumes in friendly settings. If I were a Democrat instead of a Republican, I think everybody would have been in jail a long time ago, and Im talking with fifty-year sentences. It is a disgrace whats happened. This is the greatest political scam, hoax, in the history of our country. Because that conversation happened on the channel devoted to how well Trump has done and how badly he has been done wrong, things never got more specific than that.

Obamagate never gets more specific than that. It cant, because no one can quite name the crimes involved. The sitting president, exiting president, Joe Rogan explained on his podcast, literally hires, gets the FBI to investigate Trump. Youre essentially using the FBI to spy on Trump. And then it turns out that all that Russia stuff that they were claiming was going to happen didnt take place, and that they knew it wasnt really happening to begin with, that what theyre saying was all exaggerating and hyperbole and they were trying to turn it into something that it wasnt. Its all not good.

This is not quite coherent, but its as good as any explanation has gotten to this point. (The story, such as it can be said to exist, pivots on the unmasking of Flynn, who seems not even to have been masked in the first place, regarding some sketchy back-channel contacts with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak prior to Trumps inauguration, all of which Flynn would later lie about to both his White House superiors and the FBI; this all happened in late 2016 and early 2017. The actual crime, if one exists, was someone leaking information to the Washington Post about Flynns call with Kislyak, which was recorded by the FBI.)

This is the kind of story that Trump likes to tell; news, for him, is about who will get caught and humiliated. The fun of that storythat is, the journalism-esque television pull of itlies in the hunt, not just for the hidden enemy but for what any of this is even supposed to be about. None of it has to make sense; imagine a Benny Hill chase scene unfolding endlessly inside an Escher landscape.

This shared sense of discovery is something that Obamagate has in common with the more lurid and sprawling online conspiracies that have marked Trumps presidency, all of which unfold, with a strange superheated languor, in protracted serialized formats in monetizable online spaces. But the huffy ambiguity of this particular outrage also finally reveals Trump not as a savvy maestro deftly playing the atavism of cable news to his advantage, but as just another customera junkie not just wholly beholden to his habit, but sky high on what is very much his own supply.

Because it is literally the president of the United States doing all this, the news media feels compelled to cover it. Because the medias vestigial reverence for Trumps high office so outpaces his low capacity for explaining himself, this has mostly amounted to treating Trumps clammy fibbing and flubby bluster as coded messages that might reveal some ideology or goal, or as political tactics. But since theyre just some sounds that he is making, there is really only so much to do with any of it.

Its as if, every time the family dog dragged a dead bird to the doorstep, the adults in the scenario opted not to clean up the mess but to ask each other, with all the searching solemnity they could muster, what Patches meant by this and how it might affect the family cat going forward.

This is the bleak comedy at the heart of ObamagateTrump and his campaign are not strategically pushing it for maximum political advantage so much as they are idly working it out along with everyone else. The result is a devastating Boomer Media Consumption singularity playing out in real time; the president is live-tweeting an episode of a television show whose ending he does not know, and which he has by all indications never even seen before, in the authoritative voice of the showrunner. No, it doesnt make much sense. But who knows what lies on the other side of the next commercial break?

NEW: The Posts union shows the best of journalism

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

David Roth was an editor at Deadspin. Hes from New Jersey and lives in New York.
The resurgence of demand on the trading market has led to the cyclical depreciation of the Ghana cedi against three major trading currencies on the interbank currency market, according to data released by the IGS Financial Services.



According to the figures, the US dollar last week made a weekly gain of 0.05 percent to trade at GH5.62 on the interbank currency market with the year-to-date depreciation of the cedi consequently rose to 1.45 percent.



The Financial Services firm also notes the British Pound recovered from a seven-year low against major trading peers sustained by improving risk sentiments.



They add; "the Pounds surge was driven by emerging reports of a successful COVID-19 vaccine trial by Moderna Inc. and the reopening of some global economies in the wake of the coronavirus lockdowns."



Additionally, the British Pound appreciated by 0.59 percent to sell at GH6.85 on the interbank currency market with the year-to-date appreciation of cedi therefore easing to 6.50 percent.



For the Euro, it firmed on account of the release of upbeat economic data and proposals of a euro-recovery fund.



The Euro appreciated by 0.76 percent to trade at GH6.12 with its year-to-date appreciation of the cedi also declined to 1.54 percent.

Source: Ghanaweb









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
ST. LOUIS, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Home State Health announced a collaboration with Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, to increase access to real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) COVID-19 testing in critical areas of need in St. Louis. Through this collaboration, Home State will facilitate the distribution of up to 1,000 Quest COVID-19 test kits each week to Affinia Healthcare and People's Health Centers, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).

"We are pleased to do our part in making sure our communities, including those who need it most, have access to COVID-19 testing and healthcare services," said Nathan Landsbaum, President and CEO of Home State Health. "FQHCs provide care to thousands of our state's most vulnerable residents, testing is critical to flattening the curve in Missouri."

This collaboration leverages Home State's extensive network of critical safety net providers to ensure that testing capacity is routed to where it is needed most. As part of the collaboration, Home State will provide oversight and training to ensure test kits are received and processed efficiently. Distribution of kits began May 6, and Quest Diagnostics will conduct the COVID-19 testing through its network of laboratories across the United States.

"Affinia Healthcare is grateful for the generous donation provided by Home State Health. Testing vulnerable populations will help contain the spread of COVID-19 and benefit those most in need," said Dr. Alan Freeman, President and CEO of Affinia Healthcare.

"Our close relationship with Home State Health and Quest will bring vital COVID-19 testing access to our often-underrepresented communities," said Dwayne Butler, President and CEO of People's Health Centers. "We applaud Home State's commitment to ensuring that the healthcare needs all St. Louis citizens are addressed by working closely with our Federally Qualified Health Centers."

"Community Health Centers are safety net providers serving Missouri's most vulnerable populations. Through relationships with entities like Home State Health, our providers will receive the testing kits they need where Missouri needs it most," said Joe E. Pierle, CEO Missouri Primary Care Association.

Home State Health members are encouraged to contact Affinia Healthcare at (314) 833-2777 or People's Health Centers at (314) 627-5405 for additional information about testing. Members can also find more information about COVID-19 and how Home State Health can support them at www.homestatehealth.com.

Home State Health is a Care Management Organization that serves the needs of Missourians through a range of health insurance solutions. Home State Health serves the Medicaid population in partnership with MO HealthNet. The organization also focuses on under-insured and uninsured individuals through its federal insurance marketplace plan, Ambetter. Additionally, Home State Health provides insurance for the Medicare population through a Medicare Advantage plan, Allwell. Home State Health exists to improve the health of its members through focused, compassionate and coordinated care. Home State Health is owned by a joint venture of Centene Corporation and Missouri Community Health Access. Centene Corporation is a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise. For more information, visit www.homestatehealth.com.

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our 47,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.

About COVID-19 Testing by Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics is at the forefront of response to the COVID-19 pandemic, working to broaden access to laboratory insights to help us all lead healthier lives. We provide both molecular diagnostic and antibody serology tests to aiding the diagnosis of COVID-19 and immune response. Our COVID-19 test services are based on tests that have received or are expected to receive FDA emergency use authorization and which meet our high standards for quality. We provide data on COVID-19 testing to various federal and state public health authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and participate in studies with government and private institutions, aiding COVID-19 public health response and research.

Through our team of dedicated phlebotomists, couriers, air fleet team, and laboratory professionals, Quest Diagnostics won't stop until quality, testing is broadly available to patients and communities across the United States.

For more information about the latest developments with our COVID-19 testing, visit: newsroom.questdiagnostics.com/COVIDTestingUpdates

SOURCE Home State Health

Related Links

http://www.questdiagnostics.com


Professor of Surgery, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Dr Stephen Tabiri, has advised managers of hospitals to develop robust recovery plans as they envisage the post-coronavirus period.



The Surgeon also called on the Government to include hospitals in its 600 million Ghana cedis stimulus package to ease the debilitating impact of the coronavirus on the countrys health facilities.



Professor Tabiri, who is also a Consultant General Surgeon at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, made the call in a publication in the British Journal of Surgery.



In Ghana, hospitals have cancelled most elective surgeries in 12 weeks, and it is estimated that this will result in 14,549 cancelled surgeries, including 1,405 cancer procedures.



Elective operations have been cancelled in all hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemics across the nation. This has increased disease burden among citizens, Prof Tabiri said.



The Professor, who also led a CovidSurg Collaborative project in Ghana added, these cancellations will create a backlog that will need to be cleared after the COVID-19 disruption ends.



If after the disruption ends, he said, the hospitals increased the number of surgeries performed each week by 20 per cent compared to pre-pandemic activity, it will take 11 months, one week (45 weeks) to clear the backlog.



Each additional week of disruption will lead to the cancellation of extra 1,212 surgeries, significantly extending the period it will take to clear the backlog, he stated.



Professor Tabiri further observed that most cancer patients would deteriorate well before the pandemic was over, and hospitals would also lose significant income due to the cancellation of surgeries to support the wider hospital response to COVID-19.



These cancellations will place a heavy burden on the hospitals, patients and society at large, he said and urged hospital managers to develop a robust recovery plan well in advance of the day the pandemic would be declared over.



He also said, It is incumbent on policymakers in Ghana to include the hospitals in the proposed stimulus financial package for the hospitals.



Professor Francis Atindaana Abantanga, Dean of School of Medicine and Health Sciences at UDS, Tamale, who was part of the CovidSurg Collaborative project, said clearing the backlog of surgeries after COVID-19 pandemic will require all stakeholders working together to support patients and healthcare facilities.



The two professors cautioned Ghana and the world to prepare themselves and adopt policies that would enable them to handle the huge backlog of surgeries when the impact of COVID 19 declines.



In Ghana, the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service should consider drawing up a comprehensive plan to handle post-COVID-19 surgeries, they stated.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Prosecutor Generals Office of Armenia has issued a statement on the advisory opinion of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the case of second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan.

In the statement, the Prosecutor Generals Office particularly stated the following: On July 18, 2019, the Constitutional Court of Armenia applied to the European Court of Human Rights for an advisory opinion and set forth four questions.

The Grand Chamber of the ECHR didnt see logic between the question subject to consideration and the circumstances of the specific case in the advisory opinion and unanimously accepted that it cant answer the first two questions.

As far as the third question is concerned, the ECHR found that the case-law of the Court indicated that the use of the blanket reference or legislation by reference technique in criminal law was not in itself incompatible with Article 7.

As for the fourth question that concerned the criteria under Article 7 (no punishment without law) of the European Convention, the Grand Chamber of the ECHR has stressed what the Prosecutor Generals Office of Armenia has reiterated several times in its positions, stating that such assessments had to take account of the specific circumstances of the case (the principle of concretization) rather than be carried out in the abstract.

From this it follows that the advisory opinion of the Grand Chamber of the ECHR substantiates the fact that the actions taken by the criminal prosecution bodies to date have been and remain lawful.
Taliban Delegation In Kabul For Talks As Officials Blame Militants For Deadly Attack

By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan May 28, 2020

A Taliban delegation has arrived in Kabul for talks over a prisoner swap, just hours after Afghan officials blamed the militant group for a deadly attack in the country's north.

The prisoner exchange is part of a U.S.-Taliban agreement signed in February that called on the Afghan government to release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners and for the militants to free around 1,000 government captives as a confidence-building measure ahead of formal peace talks.

"A technical delegation of the Taliban is in Kabul to work with a technical team of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on the release of prisoners of both sides," said National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal on May 28.

In April, Afghan government representatives met with a three-member Taliban team in Kabul to discuss a prisoner swap, the first time an official Taliban delegation had been in the city since the group was driven from power by U.S.-led forces in 2001.

But the militant group broke off the talks days later, saying they had made no progress.

Since then the militants have intensified attacks on government forces, leaving the U.S.-Taliban peace deal on the verge of collapse.

But the Taliban's announcement of a May 24-26 cease-fire to coincide with the Eid al-Fitr Islamic holiday has created new momentum.

In the first major incident since the three-day truce ended, Afghan officials said the Taliban killed seven Afghan soldiers in an attack in the northern Parwan Province.

Waheeda Shahkar, spokeswoman to the provincial governor, said on May 28 that the militants attacked a checkpoint in Parwan.

"The Taliban have also suffered casualties," Shahkar added.

Prisoner Releases

District police chief Hussain Shah said militants set fire to the checkpoint, killing five security force personnel. Two more were shot dead.

The Taliban has not immediately claimed the attack.

The government has called on the militants to extend the cease-fire so long-delayed peace talks could begin.

During the cease-fire, Afghan authorities released some 1,000 Taliban prisoners -- part of a pledge by the government to free up to 2,000 militants in response to the Taliban's cease-fire move.

A senior member of the Taliban on May 27 told AFP that militants were planning to free about 50 to 100 Afghan security-force members as early as May 28.

Earlier, a senior Taliban figure was quoted as saying the group is considering an extension of the cease-fire "if these developments, like the announcement of prisoner releases, continues."

The prisoner exchange is part of a February 29 U.S.-Taliban agreement that did not include the Afghan government. Under a key point of the deal, Washington agreed to reduce its military presence in Afghanistan from about 13,000 to 8,600 by mid-July in a first stage, before a complete withdrawal by May next year.

U.S. President Donald Trump on May 26 said he has not set a target date for a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, amid speculation he may make ending America's longest war a campaign issue ahead of November's presidential election.

But U.S. and NATO officials speaking on condition of anonymity said U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan is down to nearly 8,600, well ahead of schedule, in part because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

Trump said there were "7,000-some-odd" U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, but officials clarified that number was slightly over 8,600 troops.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/seven-afghan-troops- killed-in-first-taliban-attack-since- end-of-cease-fire-/30639189.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






City government discussed its plans to possibly reopen its buildings after being closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Memorial City Hall in Auburn and other city facilities have been closed to the public since March 18 in order to maintain social distancing. City Manager Jeff Dygert talked about plans to reopen the doors  though how much hasn't yet been determined  at a city council meeting Thursday, which was livestreamed via the city's website.

Dygert discussed Central New York, including Auburn, entering into the second phase of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plan for reopening the economy. If the city gets state approval, Dygert would like city employees (who have been working remotely) to return about a week to get "up to speed" on what these new policies before buildings would reopen to the public.

He said it's expected the city would need a written plan. Staff, including Corporation Counsel Stacy DeForest, have been crafting a "plan that addresses a number of issues that are laid out by New York state," with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Cayuga County Health Department and other agencies.

Under the city's plan, Dygert said, city employees would go through the same procedures that Auburn Police Department and Auburn Fire Department members have had to do the last couple months; their temperature is taken and they answer a series of health questions.

The policy also outlines practices to promote social distancing between employees and members of the public, plexiglass barriers and face masks. The availability, distribution and use of personal protective equipment is included in the plan, with the equipment depending on the employee's work. Most of the city hall workers, he said, would wear a face mask. Personal hygiene requirements and workplace disinfection practices are outlined in the plan.

"We're attempting to do our best to address potential continued workforce reduction through teleworking or staggered schedules, things like that, in order to comply with the guidelines that are out there," Dygert said. "Those guidelines continue to change, sometimes on a daily basis, so we want to be compliant, we want to get our workforce back to work, but we want to make sure we're doing it safely and in a way that's not going to create problems for us down the road."

Councilor Terry Cuddy asked Dygert "what has stopped or has been minimized" due to the pandemic. Dygert said he didn't think "we've stopped necessarily doing much of anything. We've slowed down, we've changed the process."

Dygert said for a code enforcement appointment, they call ahead and somebody meets them at the door. In other cases, things are being done through email and traditional mail.

Dygert said he was looking for council's guidance on the public being around city employees. He said people could be allowed to go where they need to go or use a more "phased-in" strategy, where people would be directed to different areas depending on where they need to go. Dygert said after the meeting he would prefer the latter approach.

Cuddy advocated for a "phased-in approach" while following state protocols. He also said it was important to mandate people wear masks in the buildings. Councilor Debbie McCormick talked about the importance of people utilizing online services. Mayor Mike Quill asked the city employees who were present in the building for the meeting for their opinions on how to handle members of the public. Superintendent of Engineering Services Bill Lupien supported "having people have a checkpoint at the doorway and then let them go forward" to where they need to go.

Dygert said after the meeting, "we're going to try to strike a balance and come up with something that makes sense and is reasonable."

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The opinion is for the treatment of adults with other chronic fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) with a progressive phenotype beyond idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). 2

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada recently approved nintedanib as the first treatment for the same patient population. 3,4

Nintedanib is already approved in more than 80 countries for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and for systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) in more than 40 countries.

Boehringer Ingelheim today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion recommending an additional indication for nintedanib in adults for the treatment of other chronic fibrosing interstitial lung diseases with a progressive phenotype beyond IPF.1 The opinion is based on the positive results of the INBUILD phase III trial, the first study to evaluate adults with a broad range of chronic fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) and a progressive disease behaviour.2 This follows the FDA's and Health Canada's approval of nintedanib as the first treatment for the same patient population.3,4

Interstitial lung diseases encompass a large group of more than 200 disorders that may involve the threat of pulmonary fibrosis an irreversible scarring of lung tissue that negatively impacts lung function.5 People living with fibrosing ILD can develop a progressive phenotype, leading to lung function decline, deterioration in quality of life and early mortality similar to those with IPF, the most frequent form of idiopathic interstitial pneumonias.6 The course of the disease and the symptoms are similar in progressive forms of chronic fibrosing ILDs regardless of the underlying ILD diagnosis, and as many as 18% to 32% of patients with non-IPF ILDs are estimated to be at risk for developing a progressive fibrosing disease behavior.7,8

"Pulmonary fibrosis is a major challenge for people suffering with ILDs and can lead to irreversible harm to the lungs, resulting in worsening respiratory symptoms and reduced quality of life," commented Peter Fang, Senior Vice President and Head of Therapeutic Area Inflammation at Boehringer Ingelheim. "We are very pleased with the Committee's opinion, which can bring a new therapy to people where there are no currently approved treatment options available."

The positive opinion is based on the results of INBUILD, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group phase III trial, which evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of nintedanib in patients with chronic fibrosing ILDs with a progressive phenotype.2 The primary endpoint was the annual rate of decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) in mL assessed over a 52-week period. Patients on placebo lost 188mL lung volume over a year, while patients on nintedanib lost 81mL. This was measured as adjusted annual rate of decline over 52 weeks and meant that nintedanib slowed the lung function decline by 57% versus placebo.2 The treatment effect of nintedanib in slowing FVC decline compared with placebo seen in INBUILD was consistent for all patients, regardless of the fibrotic pattern on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and it was also consistent with the results in nintedanib trials studying patients with IPF and SSc-ILD.2,9,10,11

In the trial, nintedanib was associated with numerical reductions in the risk of acute exacerbation or death versus placebo.2 Treatment benefit may also be accompanied by reduced worsening of patient-reported outcomes such as dyspnea and cough.12 In addition, the safety profile observed in INBUILD was consistent to what has been seen in IPF and SSc-ILD patients treated with nintedanib previously.2

~ENDS~

Please click on the link for 'Notes to Editors' and 'References': http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/chmpopinionnintedanibildpf

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005287/en/

Contacts:

Boehringer Ingelheim

Corporate Communications

Media PR

Alexander Kurz

Tel.: +49 (6132) 77-184531

Mobile: +49 (151) 68948378

Email: press@boehringer-ingelheim.com
OWOSSO, MI., -- The 77-year-old Owosso barber whos defying Gov. Gretchen Whitmers stay-at-home orders is looking for help from the Michigan Supreme Court.

Attorneys for Karl Manke filed an appeal to the states highest court Thursday, May 29, asking the justices to invalidate a state Court of Appeals decision this week. The split decision ordered a local judge to issue a preliminary injunction that would immediately shut down his business.

David A. Kallman, Mankes attorney, said in a news release that no preliminary injunction can be issued against his client, who has continued to keep his shop open, until the Supreme Court decides whether it will accept his case.

We were astounded that the Court of Appeals majority would issue a decision that so clearly violates the law and court rules. We applaud Judge (Brock A.) Swartzle for his commitment to adhere to the rule of law," Kallman said in the release. "This appeal to the Supreme Court will allow Mr. Manke to be heard so that he can continue to exercise his constitutional right to speak out and earn a living and to keep his barber shop open in a safe and responsible manner.

Swartzle dissented in part from the Court of Appeals order signed by Presiding Judge Stephen L. Borrello.

Shiawassee County Circuit Judge Matthew Stewart had previously ruled against the state of Michigans request for the injunction to close Mankes shop, a battle that has drawn nationwide attention and support for the barber from those frustrated by Whitmers executive orders requiring certain businesses to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attorney General Dana Nessel, whose office sought the injunction against Manke, did not immediately comment on the barbers filings with the Supreme Court.

After the Court of Appeals decision, Nessel said in a written statement that the coronavirus pandemic

'has demanded we take appropriate measures to mitigate actions that pose a threat to the public. Protecting lives must now, and always, be the states first priority.

Kallmans statement says the Court of Appeals order was entered in violation of state Supreme Court Rules that require such a reversal of a trial judge to have unanimous approval by all three judges on the panel.

The filings with the Supreme Court say the state has failed to show Mankes barbering is a cause of illness as required by the law.

This case is about forced compliance with unchecked executive authority under the guise of public health, Mankes emergency application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court says. "The states real intent is about persecuting a barber for protesting an unlawful imminent danger and abatement order based upon illegitimate executive orders.

The states entire case rests upon fear, speculation and hyperbole. Rather than providing evidence of infection being spread by Mr. Manke, the state just repeatedly proclaims the general dangers from the COVID-19 virus. We live in a free country whose Constitution remains relevant and in force, even during a pandemic.

Michigan Court of Appeals orders Owosso barbers shop to close

Owosso barber to stay open after judge rules against state

State agency suspends license of Owosso barber who defied coronavirus order closing non-essential businesses
Major Suman Gawani, an Indian Army officer who served as a women peacekeeper with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in 2019 is being awarded the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award on 29 May 2020. She will receive the award from the UN Secretary-General Mr Antonio Guterres during an online ceremony being organised at the UN Headquarters, New York on the occasion of International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. Major Suman will be receiving this award along with a Brazilian Naval Officer Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo.

Read: Indian Army Increases Troops Along LAC In Ladakh In Response To China's Heavy Deployment

Major Suman served as a Military observer in UNMISS from November 2018 to December 2019. While at the mission, she was the principal focal point of contact for gender issues for Military Observers in the mission. The officer encouraged participation in joint military patrols to maintain gender balance, irrespective of the hardships under extreme field conditions. She visited various mission team sites across South Sudan to integrate a gender perspective into the planning and military activity in the mission.

The officer was selected to attend specialised training on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) at Nairobi and participated in various UN forums to demonstrate how a gender perspective can help in protecting civilians, especially from conflict-related sexual violence. Apart from supporting the UNMISS Force initiatives, she also trained the South Sudan government forces on CRSV related aspects. The officer also commanded the UN Peacekeepers Day Parade organised at UNMISS, where she commanded twelve contingents of UNPOL, Military and Civilians.

Read: Indian Army Recruitment 2020: Check Out The Last Date For Rally Jobs

Read: Former Indian Army Chief Gen. VK Singh Lashes Out At China, Warns 'it's 2020, Not 1962'
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Will Dunham (Reuters) Washington, United States  Fri, May 29, 2020 10:09 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdadd969 2 Science & Tech Allosaurus,dinosaur,cannibalism,animals,prehistoric-era Free

The dreaded dinosaur Allosaurus was the scourge of the Jurassic Period landscape some 150 million years ago, an apex predator just as Tyrannosaurus rex was 80 million years later during the Cretaceous Period. And, like T. rex, Allosaurus may have engaged in cannibalism to keep its tummy filled during lean times, based on a western Colorado trove of fossils described by scientists on Wednesday.

The researchers unearthed 2,368 fossil bones including several different dinosaurs and other creatures. Remarkably, 29 percent of the bones bore evidence of bite marks, a much-higher percentage than usual, indicative of heavy scavenging in what may have been a stressed ecosystem caused by a seasonal drought or potentially a wildfire.

Allosaurus, up to 33 feet long (10 meters) and 2-1/2 tons, was this ecosystem's most-common predator. Most of the bite marks appear to have been inflicted by it.

Another surprise was that 17 percent of the bones of dinosaur predators - mostly Allosaurus - bore bite marks, even including small toes bones, suggesting Allosaurus was scavenging carcasses of its own species and perhaps actively hunting them.

Read also: Meet T-Rex's older cousin: The Reaper of Death

"Allosaurus was most likely an opportunistic feeder," said University of Tennessee paleontologist Stephanie Drumheller, lead author of the research published in the journal PLOS ONE. "It probably ate anything and everything it could."

Allosaurus becomes the third dinosaur to have strong evidence of cannibalism, joining North America's Tyrannosaurus and Madagascar's Majungasaurus.

"Allosaurus might not have been as big as T. rex, but it was no slouch as an apex predator," Drumheller said. "It was able to hyper-extend its jaw for a super-wide gape. It was a hatchet feeder like a hawk, meaning it would chop into prey with its head. It had long arms with grasping claws and a strong bite force. Track sites suggest it might have been a long-distance hunter that would follow herds for miles to pick off prey."
Brenda Lenton is consoled by a passerby as she watches her apartment burn Friday in Minneapolis. (Brian Peterson / Star Tribune)

Abdishakur Elmi looked on in horror as flames raged and smoke billowed from the roof of the brick building next to his restaurant.

A single truck and a few firefighters battled the blaze that had already consumed several neighboring businesses overnight in a gentrified section of East Lake Street, a major thoroughfare. The police station had been set alight down the street, and protesters who had overrun it milled with the curious in smoky morning light.

The neighborhood was under siege. The blaze threatened Hamdi Restaurant, which Elmi founded after emigrating in 1996 from Somalia to the Twin Cities, a landmark for what would become the largest Somali American community in the country. The governor had deployed the National Guard overnight, but no troops had appeared at the restaurant.

Abdishakur Elmi, 55, watches firefighters try to extinguish a blaze next to his Somali restaurant Friday. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times )

I dont see the government. I dont see the power, said Elmi, 55, as he sat in his car trying to avoid the acrid air.

East Lake Street on the citys south side has become a haven for minority-owned businesses, particularly African and Latino immigrant entrepreneurs who managed to thrive in this progressive Midwest city. Across the street from Elmis restaurant, the first floor of the historic Midtown Exchange, built in 1928, was transformed over the past decade into Midtown Global Market, a modern bazaar featuring an organic produce market and craft brewery alongside African art and Scandinavian pastries  a nod to the area's early settlers.

The street echoed with accents. But no one could make sense of it  how life had suddenly changed in an ill-fated instant. Everyone knew, but it was hard to put into words. Elmi said he and many of his neighbors were disturbed by the video of a police officer kneeling on George Floyds neck before he died. Elmi couldnt even finish watching it.

A man kicks out a storefront window during a protest Thursday in Minneapolis. (Scott Olson / Getty Images)

That video, which like so many before it went viral, sent a shiver down East Lake Street. Demonstrators marched and swarmed; the mayor and police chief pleaded for calm. President Trump tweeted, suggesting protesters could be shot. But the rage widened, and some shopkeepers  watching the looters gather  retreated in despair as police vanished from the 3rd Precinct and chaos took hold.

Story continues

Hafsa Islam, the daughter of the owner of the nearby Gandhi Mahal restaurant, had earlier posted a message on social media: Thank you to everyone for checking in. Sadly Gandhi Mahal has caught fire and has been damaged. We wont loose hope though, I am so greatful for our neighbors who did their best to stand guard and protect Gandhi Mahal. ... Dont worry about us, we will rebuild and we will recover.

The message continues, Gandhi Mahal May have felt the flames last night, but our firey drive to help protect and stand with our community will never die! Peace be with everyone. #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd #BLM

Some tried to protect their businesses against looting by taping messages of solidarity in their windows, including African owned business and We support our small diverse and minority businesses. But those windows were broken overnight, too, leaving security guards sweeping up the shattered glass Friday.

We never expected this, said Elmi, who like other merchants has also been buffeted by the lost business and travails the coronavirus has brought.

He noticed that even East Lake Street's mainstays were looted, including Ingebretsen's, a Nordic bakery and meat market where residents line up at Christmas to buy lutefisk, pinnekjott, and yulecake. Elmi and his restaurant supplier, Mohammoud Abdi, said the damage reminded them of their youth in Somalia, where they watched militants roam and the government lose control of the country.

We dont have law and order, said Abdi, 47. This is not helpful to Georges family.

Liban Lee Alin surveyed the damage with dismay. Alin, 30, who works at a local homeless shelter, grew up in the area before settling there with his wife. As a child, he prayed and studied the Koran at the makeshift mosque Elmi created at the back of Hamdi Restaurant. But as an adult, he had been racially profiled by white police officers who live in the suburbs.

I agree with why people are upset, Alin said, but dont destroy the community. Who knows if the businesses are going to want to come back?

Neighbor David Allen, 42, was among the first protesters to march to the police station Tuesday to demand that police officers be charged in connection with Floyds death. He said looting had become a distraction. The pub where he works was closed and boarded up Friday.

The message is getting lost, Allen said as he filmed firefighters with his fiancee, who owns a clothing customization business.

Allen said he had lost confidence in police and most political leaders. He predicted neighbors would band together in the short term to rebuild businesses and police themselves.

Enough is enough, he said.

Eli Aswan, 50, was moving cars Friday from the dealership he owns in Minneapolis after looters stole $17,000 in equipment and titles. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times)

Car salesman Eli Aswan, 50, was moving several dozen cars Friday from the lot he has owned on East Lake since coming to the U.S. from Tanzania nearly two decades ago. A friend in the suburbs had agreed to let Aswan park the cars at his house while the dealer boarded up his office to brace against the looting.

Thieves broke in Tuesday and stole more than $17,000 worth of auto repair equipment and titles. After that, Aswan shuttered the windows and camped out in his office overnight. Early Friday, two looters carrying gas cans pried one of the boards off his window, then drifted off without breaking in. Aswan decided it was time to close up shop for a while.

Its too risky, he said as he stood in the lot wearing a camouflage Minnesota cap.

Aswan has been trying to cater to customers with better credit but was rejected this week by a local financing program when he mentioned that his business was on Lake Street. He too has had conflicts with police, saying he was pulled over for running nonexistent red lights. He challenged the ticket but still had to pay a fine. He worries about his sons being profiled: One is 16; the other is 19, a computer science student at the nearby University of St. Thomas.

A few doors down, Eloy Bravo was supervising a crew boarding up the windows of his ransacked Lupita Nail Salon.

Bravo, 50, and his staff of eight had been looking forward to reopening June 1 after closing temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Looters hauled away more than $10,000 worth of supplies and equipment, including the cash register.

We were so excited. Now, I may have to close, Bravo said.

He started the salon after moving from his native Puebla, Mexico, 15 years ago. He initially came for vacation but fell in love with residents, who he called kind and friendly.

Bravo lives in the suburbs, and he was stunned Friday when he arrived to see the damage on East Lake Street.

What did I do for people to come and destroy what I built in 15 years? he said.

Bravo has had break-ins before. He remembered years ago when there was enough crime in the area that police added bicycle patrols. But he thought that had changed.

Neighbor Lauren Johnson spotted Bravo and pulled over to help clean up. Instead, he ended up helping her distribute water and snacks to passersby, many of them protesters like her.

If you walk from one end of Lake Street to another, youll see all sorts of cultures, said Johnson, 34, who was wearing an I cant breathe T-shirt, a reference to what were among Floyd's final words.

People used to be scared of Lake Street. Now people come here for great food and music.

But will they still come? Will businesses rebuild?

I dont know what Im going to do, Bravo said.

Down the street, Elmi watched as firefighters put out the blaze next door to his restaurant. It wasn't clear what could be saved. They cordoned off the area with yellow police tape, like a crime scene.




The Arizona Consumer Fraud Act is the basis of a lawsuit filed by Arizona against Google. It was reported in an article that the lawsuit was filed after a 2018 investigation of Google's location tracking activities.

According to this article, Google was being accused of deceiving and employing unfair practices for attaining the location of the users of the company's services. Users of Google's services were not asked for permission before their location data were collected by the company. Furthermore, It was also reported in the article that Google can keep a record of data on their customer's location to help with advertising. The lawyer who filed the lawsuit is Attorney General Mark Brnovich. The lawsuit aims to collect the profits earned by Google from its location tracking activities.





Google's Response

According to an article, Google's services were ensured to protect the privacy of the information regarding their users and this includes their location data. Furthermore, the company explains that the lawsuit had erroneously interpreted their services to the public as something negative. They aim to make everything clear to everyone about the case.





Google's Earnings From Ads

Based on an the report, Google earns a significant amount of earnings from advertisements. They make use of user data they collect for targeting potential customers for advertisements without the user's permission. It means that the tech-giant had made use of the data that were made available through their user's usage of their services to provide an insight for the company on which ads to direct to those users.

Additionally, the article reveals that the company collects information from the users of their services through deceptive means such as not clearly stating to the users of their service how the information they provide to Google is being used by the company.

Check these out:

The Consumer Fraud Act of Arizona

In a recent release about the concealment of relevant information from sellers to their customers and deception of sellers to customers about a sale of goods or services to customers is prohibited under the Consumer Fraud Act of Arizona. This had been the ground of the lawsuit filed against Google for deceiving and insufficiently disclosing information to the users of their service on how the company makes use of their information to earn profits through advertisements.

The report states that the law of the state of Arizona prohibits the plaintiff from releasing to the public the major outcomes of their investigation regarding the lawsuit filed against Google. It means that there is still a need for the company in question to contest the release of the investigation before it can be released to the public.
IT services major on Friday said it has appointed Capgemini Group veteran Thierry Delaporte as its Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, effective July 6, 2020.

In January this year, the company had said its CEO and Managing Director Abidali Z Neemuchwala had decided to step down from the company. Abidali Neemuchwala will relinquish his position as CEO and MD on June 1.

Rishad Premji will oversee the day-to-day operations of the company until July 5, said in a statement.

"Until recently, Thierry Delaporte was the Chief Operating Officer of Capgemini Group and a member of its group executive board. During his 25 year career with Capgemini, he held several leadership roles," it said.

He also oversaw Capgemini's India operations, and led the group's transformation agenda, conceptualising and driving several strategic programs across various business units, it added.

"Thierry has an exceptional leadership track record, strong international exposure, deep strategic expertise, a unique ability to forge long-standing client relationships, and proven experience of driving transformation and managing technological disruption. We believe that Thierry is the right person to lead in its next phase of growth," Rishad Premji, Chairman of Wipro, said.

Delaporte will be based in Paris and will report to Rishad Premji.

"I look forward to working closely with Rishad, the board, senior leadership and the hugely talented employees of Wipro to turn a new chapter of growth and build a better tomorrow for all our stakeholders," Delaporte said.

Delaporte began his career in 1992 as a Senior Auditor with Arthur Andersen in Paris and London. He is also the co-Founder and President of the not-for-profit Life Project 4 Youth, an organisation dedicated to the professional and social integration of young adults living in impoverished regions.
Anuja Susan Varghese By

Express News Service

KOCHI: Travelling in Covid times, despite the best of precautions, is laced with danger. While strict lockdown with zero travel had kept the virus at bay for so long, this could not be a permanent measure, as travel is unavoidable for people, for business as well as personal purposes. With the easing of lockdown restrictions, all modes of transportation are slowly getting back on track in the state. Even while social distancing is the stipulated norm, the fact is that those taking flights and trains, and moving by road are inadvertently exposing themselves to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Experts fear that community transmission will happen if the stipulated social distancing norms are flouted while travelling. With a majority of fresh cases in Kerala over the past few days being among those arriving from abroad as well as other states, travelling has become a very risky affair, especially when infected people endanger other passengers travelling with them. Social distancing is the key to safety while travelling, as the risk is higher when you travel. Even though there are guidelines laid down for social distancing, we all have to learn to maintain the required distancing from others, wear masks, abstain from crowding and so on.

In many public places, people are seen wearing masks on their chin and talking to others. The main purpose of wearing masks is lost on them. Though a spike in cases was predicted earlier, the task at hand is to reducing the spread of the virus, said Rijo John, health economist and senior fellow at the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR). The police in Kerala have registered cases against 1,133 persons for violating lockdown restrictions, including not wearing masks, till Wednesday.

No means of transport is safe. We are all exposed to the virus while we are out. In flights, though stringent procedures have been put in place to reduce the risk, the closed space of an aircraft increases the risk of virus spread. In all means of transportation, be it by air, rail or road, we have advantages as well as risks, said Rijo. Dr B Ekbal, who chairs the state expert committee on Covid-19, said the state government is ensuring all means to maintain social distancing in the community.

There is a limit to which the government can intervene and make people practise precautions. Though imported cases are on the rise in the state, we cannot predict that community transmission will not take place. After all, we cannot prevent people from travelling or returning to their homes, said Dr Ekbal.

Experts are of the opinion that travel should be restricted to only urgent reasons in view of the high risk involved. The rate of the virus spread can, however, be minimised by maintaining social distancing, wearing masks properly, avoiding unnecessary touching of items, and using sanitisers while travelling, they say.
Police officers stand near burned out buildings in the aftermath of a night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

State of Minnesota Takes Over Minneapolis Operations in Bid to Quell Riots

The Minnesota National Guard and state patrol officers were deployed to Minneapolis just after midnight on Friday as the state took over operations from the city in an attempt to quell riots.

The shocking abandonment of a police precinct station prompted Gov. Tim Walz to facilitate a takeover, he told reporters at a press conference on Friday.

It seemed at that point in time that that was a time to move, he said.

Rioters flooded into the station after police officers suddenly left, setting fires and destroying most things in sight.

State officials worried that sending armed law enforcement and soldiers could act as a catalyst, considering the protests started with the death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, after he was arrested by police. My point to that was, is, we dont need a catalyst to that, its already burning, Walz said, pledging to correct what he described as a lack of leadership from the day before.

National Guard soldiers and Minnesota State Patrol members were on the ground Friday holding areas they seized from rioters around 3 a.m., including the 3rd Precinct station and a three-block radius around it.

A protester moves around the 3rd Precinct building of the Minneapolis Police Department in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

Saying some form of martial law is an option, Walz described the people who caused destruction as a quick moving group of anarchists and admitted he may have moved too slow to commandeer operations from local officials.

The governor was informed by Minneapolis officials on Thursday afternoon of the possible abandonment of the precinct station but didnt trigger the response until 10 p.m., when officers evacuated.

Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen, Minnesota National Guard adjutant general, said he woke up Thursday morning to a notification of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey requesting support from soldiers.

Butunlike what usually happensthe National Guard was not given a mission assignment, making them unable to move into the city even as darkness fell and buildings burned.

Phone calls to the number listed on the Minneapolis mayors website met a busy signal.

The National Guard sets up near the Lake Street/Midtown metro station as buildings continue to burn in the aftermath of a night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Frey told reporters around 2 a.m. that he ordered the abandonment of the precinct station when it became apparent that we could take a different route that would better assist both the public as well as the safety of our officers.

He wasnt asked questions about potential issues with the National Guard.

Phone calls to Minneapolis Police Department media officials werent returned.

Jensen, the National Guard officer, said he was concerned about soldiers being asked to move in the cover of darkness to an unfamiliar part of Minneapolis. The troops eventually arrived at 3rd precinct area about five hours after the building was abandoned and burned, but only through an order by Walz.

In contrast to Minneapolis officials, St. Paul officials gave a clear mission for help providing security to two buildings, freeing local officers to respond around the city to other places.

Soldiers are now working with Minneapolis Police Department officers on a mission that Jensen declined to detail.

Two men begin to board up a vandalized dry cleaning store after a night of protests and violence in Minneapolis, Minn. on May 29, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

When rioters remaining on the streets saw the soldiers and patrol officers approaching, the vast majority left, according to John Harrington, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Some of those who didnt leave were arrested for crimes including burglary and larceny.

Stores across the city were broken into, looted, and burned as law and order collapsed in the wake of Floyds death. City and state officials called on people to halt the unlawful actions as soldiers went to pharmacies, banks, grocery stores, and other key businesses to try to prevent looting.

Groups of armed men have patrolled outside some companies since the protests started Tuesday.

Walz and other state officials promised events on Friday wont unfold like those on Thursday. Harrington said officers would be careful not violate peoples First Amendment rights during enforcement.

An employee for Rapid Recovery picks up his fourth burned-out vehicle within three hours after a night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

An executive order capping gatherings at 10 because of the COVID-19 pandemic isnt being enforced on people who are mourning Floyds death, Walz said.

Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison paraphrased Martin Luther King Jr., telling reporters: Riot is the way that the unheard get heard.

He didnt condone it but he said to the nation, as a person who always protested peacefully, that: dont just dismiss that and ignore it and relegate it to criminality and bad behavior. Actually ask yourself whats going on there and is it something that we as a society must pay attention to, said Ellison, who declined to condemn the rioters.

Minnesota criminal statutes make county prosecutors in charge of prosecutions in their county. In the case of Floyds death, thats Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.

Freeman told reporters Thursday that justice cannot be rushed but Ellison said a message sent to the county attorney was: the wheels of justice must turn swiftly.

It is important that people have confident that accountability, no matter who you may be, is how we live in Minnesota, he added.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning offered to mediate the border dispute between China and India.

We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute. Thank you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2020

The conflict between the two superpowers came flared during the first week of May when Indian and Chinese soldiers got caught up in a skirmish and threw stones at each other in the Pangong Tso lake and Naku La areas.

The roof of the world border dispute goes back many decades and has resulted in various clashes such as the Nathu La and Cho La military duels in 1967, which lasted only a couple of days, to the more recent Doklam military stand-off in 2017 when China began constructing a road in a disputed area.

This time around, Chinese media reports suggest that Indian troops trespassed on Chinese territory, but India's government said its soldiers stayed on its side. While the tensions between the two countries are nothing new, Chinas ascent in the region has led to a new string of military incidents. Indian government data reveals that Chinese troops have transgressed into Indian territory 1025 times between 2016 and 2018. The number of transgressions is likely to have increased further in 2019 and 2020 as China increasingly sees India as a powerful rival in the region.





Border





China- India border map  image source: NewsBharati

For a number of reasons, U.S. President Trumps offer to mediate in this conflict is unlikely to settle the dispute between the two rising nations.

Related: Germany Aims To Become Worlds Hydrogen Hotspot





Relations between the U.S. and China have cooled significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic and with Beijings recent interventions in Hong Kong. In the meantime, India has cozied up to the U.S., Russia, and Japan with which its trying to build strategic partnerships, signing several multi-billion dollar deals in energy, defense, and technology.

Story continues

China, therefore, isnt likely to accept any type of mediation from the U.S. unless India is willing to make large territorial concessions to Beijing, something it wouldnt do as it would be seen as a sign of weakness by other neighboring countries.

In the meantime, satellite images suggest that China and India are building up troop strength along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where China has already deployed 5,000 soldiers and armored vehicles. The Chinese troop buildup has led India to add similar numbers to its existing border protection force.

India has said that it will not allow the current status quo on the LAC to be changed and added that it would respond to any Chinese aggression with strength and restraint.

Related: Putin To Bail Out Russian Oil Industry

The question remains whether this recent spike in tensions will lead to an actual military conflict between the two regional superpowers.

Currently, both China and India are considering their options, and statements from officials suggest that the two nations are looking to continue along the diplomatic route.

Chinas Foreign Ministry official Zhao Lijian said in a regular briefing to the media on Wednesday that Beijing was committed to safeguarding peace and stability in the border areas. According to Lijian, China is capable of resolving these related issues properly through dialog and consultation.

Indias Prime Minister Modi on Thursday also decided to opt for the diplomatic route after having discussed the clashes with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat and chiefs of its three armed services.

Neither China nor India responded to U.S. President Trumps offer to mediate.

By Tom Kool of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:

Read this article on OilPrice.com
For many people, retirement provides a potential new wind of opportunity. For Cliff Coonfer, retirement provided an opportunity for he and his wife to start a Standardbred breeding operation.

Cliff, along with his wife Kathy, operate Dungannon Standardbreds, a breeding farm based in central Alberta. While the couple has bred many quarter horses over the years, they only recently broke into the harness racing industry.

We thought this would be a unique experience to raise Standardbreds, Cliff said. Being that Kathy likes the babies so much, we thought thats a good thing we could do is get into the industry. She can have her babies and then of course wed have to sell them, which we did. So yeah, thats how it all began.

Cliff and Kathy were first introduced to harness racing back in 2007. They had gone down to Stampede Park in Calgary to watch harness racing, but soon after Stampede Park closed its doors for good. That roadblock did not stop Cliff and Kathy from entering the sport.

With as family-run of an operation as Dungannon has, one of the advantages for Cliff is how hands-on of a role he can play in the development and training of his horses. The amount of handling and care along with the emotional investment he placed into his horses caused Cliff to even expand his role in the industry.

My favourite part is of course jogging, Cliff said. You just feel so alive. Everything seems to be at peace. You look over at the mountains. I decided to get my groom's license because I was spending a lot of time in the barns, with the people and the horses. And I thought maybe I should get my groom's license so then I had a little bit of liability with me. I guess its kind of just to say Im a groom.

Cliff and Kathy have bred many Standardbreds since starting their farm, including O'Brien Award finalist Mateo, a provincial champion in Alberta with more than $300,000 earned and most recently racing in U.S. That horse holds a special place in Cliff's heart due to the unique challenges the pacer presented.

My favourite is Mateo. When he was born he was blind in his left eye and it was just a unique experience with him; working around him. We were trying to take his condition into reality or trying to work with him and say Okay, if I was blind in this eye... I always had my hand on him to let him know where I was, but he had a great personality. He was my fave for sure.

Many people will spend a lifetime trying to find success in harness racing while many others will eventually fatigue and stop trying. Within a couple years of their operation, Cliff and Kathy have in retirement managed to breed horses that have raced at the top levels in Western Canada as well as all over North America.

We feel very, very fortunate, Cliff said. We watch all of our babies race and everybody elses at that track. And being very fortunate, weve raced in Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Ontario and even some of them have gone down to the states too to Cal-Expo, Running Aces in Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Maryland. So we feel pretty fortunate that our horses are able to race not only as two- or three-year-olds but they have a longevity as well.

To view the full interview courtesy of Horse Racing Alberta, click the play button below.
On Thursday, Imint has announced a new partnership with the phone maker Infinix. The Swedish company provides its video stabilization algorithm solutions to other phone maker brands like Xiaomi, vivo, Oppo, nubia, OnePlus, and more recently, Motorola with the Edge+. The first Infinix device to have Vidhance is the Note 7.

The Infinix Note 7 runs a MediaTek Helio G70 chipset, so the partnership shows that Imints solution can work across many devices, regardless of chipset. Imint has previously announced a new integration with Qualcomm hardware that would improve power efficiency of its video stabilization processing.

Infinix Note 7

Imint explains that Vidhance uses the devices motion sensors to predict the phones movement, and compensates against unwanted camera movement, even while panning. Vidhance Video Stabilization offers low power consumption and high performance even in low light conditions and can be depoyed in both real-time and post-processing.

The partnership only mentions Vidhance Video Stabilization, but the company provides OEMs with a few other video-related solutions like Vidhance Selfie video, Stable zoom, and active Object tracking. A new feature that would seamlessly switch between cameras with different focal lengths has been in the works. Here's a hands-on we did with a few of these modes.

The Infinix Note 7 has a 6.95display with HD+ resolution, and features a quad-camera setup with a 48MP sensor as the main one. Theres also a huge 5,000 mAh battery, and support for 18W Super Charge.

Source
Novi Yarylovychi checkpoint Open source

On May 29, Ukraine's State Border Guard resumed the work of six checkpoints on the border with Moldova. Two of these are railway road checkpoints. The press office of the authority reported that on Friday afternoon.

There are certain circumstances that complicate the procedure on Ukraine-Slovakia border. On May 28, the sides were about to open four checkpoints in Zakarpattya region - Uzhgorod, Tysa, Dyakovo and Malyi Bereznyi. However, Ukrainian border guards claim that there's still no regulation of the passing procedure. The checkpoints are working in the quarantine mode. Cars are only allowed to cross the border as long as a person that crosses the border owns a Slovakian ID that confirms the residence permit.

Earlier this month, the State Border Guard of Ukraine sent the interested central executive bodies a draft of Cabinet of Ministers' decree amending the Action Plan for the Wall, which envisages completion of construction on the border with the Russian Federation in 2025. Border guards explain the need to extend the deadlines for the implementation of the action plan for the engineering and technical arrangement of the Russian-Ukrainian border with reduced funding, as well as an increase in the cost of construction materials, work and services.
DGAP-News: Mogo Finance S.A. / Key word(s): Annual Results/Annual Results



The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Mogo Finance: Publication of audited FY2019 annual accounts until mid of June 2020 Riga, Latvia, 29 May 2020. Mogo Finance and its group companies (the "Group"), specialized in used car financing, expects a delay in the publication of the audited FY 2019 results until mid of June 2020 instead of as planned at the end of April 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic's impact on the financial statements preparation process. Mogo Finance has already published unaudited figures for the first quarter of 2020 on 14 April 2020 and an earnings call was held subsequently. Contact: Mogo Finance (CFO), Email: maris.kreics@mogofinance.com

Maris Kreics +371 66 900 900 About Mogo Finance: Mogo Finance is one of the largest and fastest-growing secured used car financing companies in Europe. Recognizing the niche in used car financing underserved by traditional lenders, Mogo Finance has expanded its operations to 17 countries issuing over EUR 550 million up to date and running a net loan and used car rent portfolio over EUR 196 million. Mogo offers secured loans up to EUR 15,000 with maximum tenor of 84 months making used car financing process convenient, both for its customers and partners. Wide geographical presence makes Mogo unique over its rivals and diversifies revenue streams. Mogo Finance operates through its own branch network, more than 2,000 partner locations and strong online presence. Physical footprint makes Mogo Finance top of mind brand in used car financing. Established in 2012, headquartered in Riga, Latvia Mogo Finance operates in: Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Georgia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Albania, Belarus, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kenya and Uganda. www.mogofinance.com IMPORTANT INFORMATION The information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa or any other countries or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, the bonds in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this announcement may come are required to inform themselves of and observe all such restrictions. This announcement does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The bonds have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or under the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. This announcement does not constitute a prospectus for the purposes of Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended (the "Prospectus Directive") and does not constitute a public offer of securities in any member state of the European Economic Area (the "EEA"). This announcement does not constitute an offer of bonds to the public in the United Kingdom. No prospectus has been or will be approved in the United Kingdom in respect of the bonds. Accordingly, this announcement is not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of this announcement as a financial promotion may only be distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons in (i), (ii) and (iii) above together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). Any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, Relevant Persons. Any person who is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this announcement or any of its contents. PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS ONLY - Manufacturer target market (MIFID II product governance) is eligible counterparties and professional clients only (all distribution channels). No PRIIPs key information document (KID) has been prepared as the bonds do not constitute packaged products and will be offered to eligible counterparties and professional clients only.

29.05.2020 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de


The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has dedicated his first year in office to all frontline workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

Governor Sanwo-Olu while speaking during the first anniversary of his tenure in office, acknowledged the work and support of health workers at this period.

Also Read: Sanwo-Olu Felicitates With Muslims On Eid-el-Fitr

He said, Without the support, hard work of the health workers, it would not have been possible to achieve or contain the spread of the virus in Lagos.

Advertisement

He also reminded the healthier workers that the battle is not over yet because the enemy has not given up. Therefore, we need you more than ever before to redouble your efforts in the onslaught against this common adversary.

Sanwo-Olu also reminded Lagosians that this is not the time to relax or to slow down in the efforts to break the chain of transmission of the deadly pandemic.
NetEnt Live Revamped with Player-friendly Features

Published May 29, 2020 by Mike P

The upgraded NetEnt Live platform now has two new lobbies and user-friendly features intended to help players select which casino table appeals to them.

Swedish iGaming provider NetEnt is frequently in the headlines for releasing brand-new video slots. Recently, however, NetEnt has generated media attention by showcasing a revamp of NetEnt Live. Moving forward, NetEnt will provide a live casino platform that promises a greater focus on the players.

Two New Live Casino Lobbies

Players can now access either the Lobby or Mini-Lobby when navigating a casino site for live dealer games. According to NetEnt, the new lobbies are intended to foster seamless navigation. As part of the process, players can now consult an array of current information to support their selection process.

As a player, it shall be possible to consult the winning numbers from a roulette wheel or see how many seats are available at a blackjack table. NetEnt will also display the total number of players and make it possible to consult the exact wagering limits for every live casino table.

The lobbies also feature tiles with live footage captured from each table. This can let players see the live dealer, casino table, and background of the studio. Moreover, the tiles are intelligently ordered to ensure that relevant games are placed in clusters for simpler access. Branding has also been upgraded to ensure the operator is visibly represented in the lobbies.

NetEnt Live Casino Tables

NetEnt Live was introduced in 2013 and has continued to improve while some competing platforms have faltered. From the platform, users can play a variety of games in landscape or portrait mode on a desktop, smartphone, or tablet device. Across the world, NetEnt live is available in 25 languages and with multiple currencies.

Within the live range, there are recognisable table formats such as VIP Roulette Live, Classic Roulette, Auto Roulette Studio, Blitz Blackjack, Perfect Blackjack, and Common Draw Blackjack, with high roller versions also widely available.
A man was hospitalized and multiple people were arrested after a shooting at a North Side motel early Friday.

Police were called to the Studio 6 Motel at 11200 U.S. 281 just before 2 a.m. for multiple suspects attempting to force entry into rooms.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

Police said they believe the shooting stemmed from a drug deal gone wrong.

Five individuals were arrested in connection to the incident shortly after about 6 miles away, near McCarty Road and San Pedro Avenue, after police located their vehicle.

Police did not identify the suspects, but said they were all between the ages of 35 and 60.

The victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition from a gunshot wound.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Eradicating absolute poverty, upholding people-centered philosophy and seeking new opportunities from challenges, President Xi Jinping brought reassuring messages at times of uncertainty and difficulty.

Xi spoke on a wide range of topics at this year's "two sessions," which closed on Thursday.

The two sessions are the country's annual meetings of the National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, participated in deliberations with national legislators and joined in discussions with political advisors.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, takes part in a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Inner Mongolia autonomous region at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, May 22, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

PEOPLE FIRST

An NPC deputy himself, Xi joined deliberations with lawmakers from North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on May 22, the first day of the annual session of the national legislature.

"People first" was the keyword in the discussions. Xi referred to the recovery of an 87-year-old COVID-19 patient after 47 days of care by a team of 10 doctors and nurses.

"Many people worked together to save a single patient. This, in essence, embodies doing whatever it takes (to save lives)," he said.

China mounted swift and sweeping actions to contain the disease. It has mobilized the best doctors, most advanced equipment and high-demand resources. The eldest patient to have been cured is 108 years old.

"President Xi emphasized people and lives are the top priorities," said Huhbaater, a professor of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University and an NPC deputy who heard Xi speak.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

China decided not to set a specific annual economic growth target for 2020, but set eyes on winning the battle against poverty and finishing building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Xi touched upon the absence of a numerical growth target. "Had we imposed a target, the focus would have been strong stimulus and a simple grasp on growth rate. That is not in line with our social and economic development purposes," he said.

Xi urged efforts in seeking new opportunities amid challenges as he joined discussions with national political advisors from the economic sector on May 23.

"Our economy is still characterized by ample potential, strong resilience, large maneuver room and sufficient policy instruments," Xi said.

China has the largest industrial system in the world with the most complete categories, strong production capabilities and complete supporting sectors, as well as over 100 million market entities and a talent pool of 170 million people.

The Chinese president anticipates faster growth in the digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, life and health, new materials and other strategic emerging industries, highlighting the creation of new growth areas and drivers.

Xi stressed steady progress in creating a new development pattern where domestic and foreign markets can boost each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay.

He called for unwavering efforts to make economic globalization more open, inclusive and balanced so that its benefits are shared by all, and to build an open world economy.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, joins a deliberation with deputies from Hubei province at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, May 24, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

PUBLIC HEALTH PROTECTION

On May 24, Xi joined deliberations with lawmakers from Central China's Hubei province, which was the hardest hit by COVID-19.

"We must face the problems upfront, step up reform and waste no time in addressing the shortcomings, insufficiencies and loopholes exposed by the epidemic," he said, stressing fortifying the public health protection network.

Xi noted several priorities: reforming the disease prevention and control system; boosting epidemic monitoring, early warning and emergency response capacity; perfecting the treatment system for major epidemics; and improving public health emergency laws and regulations.

ENHANCING NATIONAL DEFENSE

When attending a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and People's Armed Police Force, Xi commended their role in battling COVID-19 and stressed achieving the targets and missions of strengthening the national defense and armed forces for 2020.

The epidemic has brought a pr ofo und impact on the global landscape and on China's security and development as well, he said.

He ordered the military to think about worst-case scenarios, scale up training and battle preparedness, promptly and effectively deal with all sorts of complex situations, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Noting that this year marks the end of the 13th five-year plan for military development, Xi said extraordinary measures must be taken to overcome the impact of the epidemic to ensure major tasks on the military building are achieved.
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei poses with his artwork made of Lego, entitled "Illumination 2019" during a photocall to promote his exhibition 'Roots' at the Lisson Gallery in London, England, on Oct. 1, 2019. (Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images)

Ai Weiwei Says New Security Law Is the End of Hong Kong

SEOUL, South KoreaDissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei believes the newly passed national security law for Hong Kong augurs the end for the semi-autonomous city.

Ai was arrested at Beijings airport in April 2011 and held for 81 days without explanation during a wider crackdown on dissent that coincided with the international foment of the Arab Spring.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Ai said he identifies with Hong Kongs democracy movement and has been working on a documentary about protests that began a year ago, at times erupting into tear gas-shrouded combat between police and demonstrators.

I experienced every detail of who they [the protesters] are, how they fight, and how this is going to end, Ai said. They are so determined and very pure. So those stories are really, really hurting me.

A protest against Beijings proposed National Security Law on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong on May 24, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images)

Many in Hong Kong fear their city will become like any other in mainland China after the National Peoples Congress in Beijing approved the national security law. It targets people and groups suspected of sedition or other threats to safety and security and follows recent arrests of many leading pro-democracy activists in the former British colony.

According to Ai, the new measure is not lawful because even the Chinese state hasnt established its own legitimacy of control.

Chinas communist leaders promised to allow Hong Kong to keep its own customs territory and financial system, laws, and civil liberties for 50 years after Beijing took control in 1997. Critics of the new law say it may allow mainland security organs to interfere in local law enforcement, among other things.

So, China promised one country, two systems for 50 years, now its far from that, Ai said from his home in Cambridge, England. They violated their own words. So, thats more dangerous because once youve lost the trust of the international community, whos going to (have a) dealing or have a business with someone like this?

Pro-democracy supporters scuffle with riot police during a detention at a rally in Causeway Bay district in Hong Kong, on May 27, 2020. (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)

In old China, we have a word that means if you say something, it has to be trusted, he said.

Hong Kongs status as a safe haven for dissent has been deteriorating for years, Ai said, pointing to abductions of business figures embroiled in mainland Chinese business disputes, among others.

In one of the best-known cases, five Hong Kong booksellers went missing in 2015 and were later found to have been detained in China for selling books critical of the government.

Many people still disappeared and nobody knows where they are, he said. So Hong Kong cannot allow this to happen.

Ai also mentioned the disappearance 25 years ago of a boy chosen by the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, to be Tibetan Buddhisms second-highest figure.

Riot police detain protesters in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, as hundreds took to the streets to march against Beijings proposed tough national security legislation for the city, on May 24, 2020. (Vincent Yu/AP Photo)

Nobody knows where this lama is and where his family is. And all of those human rights lawyers disappeared, Ai said. I was disappeared, he said, referring to his more than two months of detention in 2011.

When Ai was released, it was announced that he had confessed to tax evasion and was fined $2.4 million. He has since left China on his Chinese passport and legally has the right to return. His last visit to the Chinese mainland was a few months after he first left in July 2015, his studio said.

Before protesters turned the glitzy financial center into a canvas of anti-government graffiti, Hong Kong was famous for its bustling art scenehome to the annual Art Basel and many independent galleries.

When asked about Hong Kongs future, Ai said the definition of art has been changing amid the unrest. Protest itself is a form of art, he said.

When you see what happened in Hong Kong with the protesters, the way they organize through the internet, every day they would create hundreds of different posters so fast, he said.

No any other art industry in the world can catch (up to) that kind of flexibility, he said, referring to countless posters and graffiti slogans on Hong Kongs once-spotless walls, concrete barriers, roads, and tram tracks.

Young people in Hong Kong, they are smart, they are rational, and they are very brave, Ai said. And then in some sense, they are very innocent, and naive, and they use their life to test out their ideology.

Local police stop many people outside of Hysan Place shopping mall in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, on May 28, 2020. (Ivan Chan/The Epoch Times)

Ais no stranger to documenting current events. In 2003, he produced a documentary film called Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, capturing carefree moments of his brother and friends against the backdrop of SARS, an infectious respiratory disease that hit Asia in 2003.

He has now turned his attention to Wuhan, the central Chinese city that became the origin of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic.

Ai said his artist friends in Wuhan have been sending him footage, even from a hospital, giving him multi-angled glimpses of vulnerable and fleeting moments of the city during its unprecedented lockdown.

I think China has handled it better (than SARS) because theyre much more experienced, Ai said. But he said theres still a lack of transparency.

They (Chinese government) intentionally covered (up) the whole pandemic as a secret for many weeks, Ai said. In a certain sense, they will never change.

By Juwon Park

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
Inogen, Inc. INGN is gaining on its solid product portfolio expansion and strong momentum within European markets. However, forex headwinds have been offsetting the positives to some extent.

The company, with a market capitalization of $816.9 million, is a leading manufacturer of portable oxygen concentrators (POC). The companys earnings improved 41.2% over the past five years. Also, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company has a trailing four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 6.2%, on average.

In the past three months, the stock has lost 21.4% against the 2.7% growth of its industry.

Lets delve deeper into the factors working in favor of the company.

Focus on Europe: Inogen is optimistic about revenue generation in Europe starting the first half of 2020. The company expects tender activity to improve in the region and its partners to continue to adopt POCs. In fact, management foresees large long-term opportunity ahead, courtesy of market transitions from tank and liquid oxygen systems to non-delivery solutions.



Further, Inogen continues to gain from the production of Inogen One G3 concentrators in collaboration with contract manufacturer, Foxconn, located in the Czech Republic. Inogen also expects Foxconn to produce the vast majority of the Inogen One G3 concentrators required to support demand in Europe. Also, Inogen plans to start manufacturing the recently-launched Inogen One G5 in Czech Republic in the first half of 2020 for European customers.

In the first quarter of 2020, surging demand pertaining to the COVID-19 PHE led to increased sales in Europe.





Product Portfolio Strength: Inogens expanding product portfolio is a key catalyst. The company provides oxygen concentrator solutions for portable and stationary use. Inogens flagship product, One G4 is a single-solution POC. Recently, the company launched the Inogen One G5 in the domestic business-to-business arm as well as direct-to-consumer channel.



In fact, the company applied for CE marking for the Inogen One G5 and has begun shipments to international customers.

Story continues

Apart from this, Inogen One G3 portable oxygen concentrator brings mobility and independence to oxygen therapy users. Inogen At Home is aptly formulated for patients who need oxygen therapy during sleep.

In the first quarter of 2020, the company witnessed an increase in product sales mix toward Inogen One G5, which remained higher priced than Inogen One G3.



Management also confirmed Inogens plan of incorporating the Tidal Assist Ventilator directly into the Inogen One Portable Oxygen Concentrators and making the SideKick TAV product compatible with the Inogen At-Home Stationary Concentrator.

Unique Direct-to-Customer Business Model: Despite a soft show in the first quarter of 2020, Inogens direct-to-customer business model has lent it a leading position in the oxygen therapy market. In fact, management expects direct-to-consumer to be its fastest growing channel in 2020. The model gives companies an opportunity to build a unique brand-relationship, directly with customers.

The growing direct-to-customer sales and marketing efforts help in increasing awareness among patients. Growth in physician referrals in this segment is also expected to boost the top line over the long term.

However, there is a factor marring growth.

Forex Woes: Inogen generates a significant portion of revenues from the international market. Management expects international revenues to decline owing to the timing and size of the distributor. We also expect adverse foreign currency exchange rates to impede revenue growth in the near term owing to the strengthening of the U.S. dollar as against the euro and other foreign currencies.

Estimate Trend

The company is witnessing a negative estimate revision trend for 2020 earnings. Over the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same has slipped to a loss of 7cents per share from earnings of 70 cents per share.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the companys second-quarter 2020 revenues is pegged at $81.2 million, suggesting a 19.7% fall from the year-ago reported number.

Key Picks

Some better-ranked stocks from the broader medical space are Aphria APHA, DexCom DXCM and HMS Holdings HMSY.You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Aphrias long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 24.6%. The company presently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

DexComs long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 36.3%. The company presently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

HMS Holdings long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 10%. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

Just Released: Zacks 7 Best Stocks for Today

Experts extracted 7 stocks from the list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys that has beaten the market more than 2X over with a stunning average gain of +24.1% per year.

These 7 were selected because of their superior potential for immediate breakout.

See these time-sensitive tickers now >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



DexCom, Inc. (DXCM) : Free Stock Analysis Report



HMS Holdings Corp (HMSY) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Inogen, Inc (INGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Aphria Inc. (APHA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - Medical doctors and executives of the health sector in Tunisia Thursday held a sit-in protest in all the countrys health centers on the orders of the general health trade-union affiliated to the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) to demand improved working conditions
Santamaria, who recently sold the venue, said Chauvin got along well with the regular Latino customers but did not like to work the African American nights. When he did, and there was a fight, he would spray people with mace and call for police backup and half-dozen squad cars would soon show up, something she felt was overkill.
In response to a request made by the Constitutional Court of Armenia, the ECHR has published an advisory opinion.

Armenian Constitutional Court has asked the following questions:

1) Does the concept of law under Article 7 of the Convention and referred to in other Articles of the Convention, for instance, in Articles 8-11, have the same degree of qualitative requirements (certainty, accessibility, foreseeability and stability)?

2) If not, what are the standards of delineation?

3) Does the criminal law that defines a crime and contains a reference to certain legal provisions of a legal act with supreme legal force and higher level of abstraction meet the requirements of certainty, accessibility, foreseeability and stability?

4) In the light of the principle of non-retroactivity of criminal law (Article 7  1 of the Convention), what standards are established for comparing the criminal law in force at the time of committal of the crime and the amended criminal law, in order to identify their contextual (essential) similarities or differences?

In response to a request for an advisory opinion made by the Constitutional Court of Armenia, the Court delivered, unanimously, the following opinion:

The Court, delivering its second advisory opinion after Protocol 16 to the European Convention on Human Rights came into force in 2018, held that it could not answer the first two questions put by the Armenian Constitutional Court.

In particular, it could not find any direct link between the questions and the ongoing domestic proceedings, which have been brought against former President Robert Kocharyan for allegedly attempting to overthrow the constitutional order in 2008.

The Constitutional Courts third question was whether a provision which defined a crime and referred to a legal act with supreme legal force and a higher level of abstraction could meet the Convention requirements of certainty, accessibility, foreseeability and stability.

The Court concluded that using the blanket reference or legislation by reference technique in criminalising acts or omissions was not in itself incompatible with Article 7.

The two provisions  the referencing provision and the referenced provision  read together, had to enable individuals to foresee, if need be with the help of legal advice, what conduct would make them criminally liable. This applied equally to situations where the referenced provision had a higher hierarchical rank in the legal order or a higher level of abstraction than the referencing provision.

Among other things, the most effective way of ensuringclarity and foreseeability was for the reference to be explicit and for the referencing provision to set out the constituent elements of the offence.

The Constitutional Courts fourth question concerned the criteria under Article 7 (no punishment without law) of the European Convention for comparing two different versions of a legal act for their compatibility with the principle of the non-retroactivity of criminal law. The Court found that such assessments had to take account of the specific circumstances of the case (the principle of concretisation) rather than be carried out in the abstract.
A day after the Delhi High Court expressed anguish over the backlog in disposing of the dead bodies of Covid-19 victims, the AAP government informed that it has extended the working hours of crematoriums.

The backlog is result of non-functioning of CNG furnaces at the crematoriums in Delhi Now instead of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, they will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Delhi government told the court that the LNJP hospital is being authorised to divert bodies to crematoriums at Panchkuian and Punjab Bagh, as opposed to only Nigambodh Ghat. "Urgent steps were taken to remedy the ...
Shock has engulfed residents of Mrughua area, Mwatate in Taita Taveta County after a man beheaded his uncle before taking the head to his aunt.

Ali Mwinyi Rajab, 23, reportedly chopped off the head of his uncle, Festus Machila, 45, using a panga on Wednesday night, May 27, 2020 and took the head to the deceaseds wife, who fled in horror upon seeing it.

According to Citizen Digital, neighbours said that the suspect had in the recent past been threatening to kill someone in the area.

K24 TV reported that Mwatate OCPD Monica Kimani said Rajab was confronted early Thursday when he was seen carrying a sack that had blood dripping from it.

When locals overpowered him and opened the sack, they discovered he was carrying the head of his uncle, a resident of Mochi Village, which is located 5 kilometers from Mwandolo Village, where the suspect resides.

The deceaseds body was found in his house on Thursday morning.

Police in Mwatate are holding the suspect whose motive to commit the heinous murder remains unclear.

The dismembered body of the deceased was moved to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary pending post-mortem as investigations into the murder continue.
Former Progress Singapore Party members Michelle Lee (standing, middle) and Ravi Philemon (standing, first from right) have formed a new political organisation called Red Dot United. (FILE PHOTO: Facebook)

SINGAPORE  Former Progress Singapore Party (PSP) members Michelle Lee and Ravi Philemon have formed a new political organisation called Red Dot United (RDU), with the intention of contesting in upcoming general elections.

The organisation currently has 12 members aged between 25 and 55, with Lee as the chairman and Philemon as secretary-general. It has submitted to the Registry of Societies for official approval on Tuesday (26 May).

In an online media conference on Friday, Philemon said that RDU will be present not only in times of general elections, but also in the years in between them. It seeks to work for change on the ground with fellow Singaporeans, as well as enable thought leadership and active citizen participation in the decisions that affect their lives and the path of the nation.

It is the duty of every citizen to ensure good government. But how do we get the Government to better focus on the issues which affect ordinary citizens? It is no longer in Singapores best interests to tell the people to merely trust their leaders and not to ask questions, said Philemon, who had contested and lost in the 2015 general election under the Singapore People's Party banner in Hong Kah North single member constituency.

We are not best served by an elite class with their heads in the clouds. To be a robust nation and society, we must educate, enable and empower our citizens to engage in dialogue and effective debate without fear.

Shift from personality-driven politics

Philemon also expressed hope that, with RDU, politics in Singapore can shift away from being centred on different personalities to being centred on policies.

We want to see an alliance of like-minded political parties, academics, businesses and citizens working together for the greater good of Singapore, he said.

With a large segment of our members below the age of 35, a lot of our focus will also be on engaging youth.

Both Lee and Philemon insist that they parted ways with PSP amiably. Before applying to the Registry of Societies, the duo had reached out to PSP secretary-general Tan Cheng Bock and other PSP members to inform them of their plans.

Story continues

We are cheered that we received a warm response. As they are doing well and do not need our assistance, we have gone ahead to register Red Dot United, Philemon said.

We have also spoken to some other party leaders in the opposition space and will always seek to build each other and fellow Singaporeans up.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Related story:

Blow for Progress Singapore Party as party member Ravi Philemon resigns
The World Bank presented a bleak outlook for Cambodias economic prospects on Friday, with its annual update for the country projecting a growth rate of between negative 1.0 percent and negative 2.9 percent, the worst slowdown, it said, since 1994.



The development banks annual Cambodia Economic Update was released on Friday. It projected that the coronavirus pandemic-induced slowdown had affected three of Cambodias economic engines  tourism, manufacturing exports, and FDI inflows. The three sectors account for 70 percent of growth and 40 percent of paid employment.

The global epidemiological and economic crisis unleashed by COVID-19 poses the greatest threat to Cambodias development in its 30 years of modern history, reads the first sentence of the report.



As a result, the economy in 2020 is expected to register its slowest growth since 1994, contracting by between -1.0 percent and -2.9 percent, the World Bank reported.



The report presents a relatively dire outlook for the Cambodian economy compared to the Asian Development Bank, which in April projected the economy to post positive growth of 2.3 percent. The International Monetary Fund in April projected Cambodias growth to shrink by 1.5 percent, an 8.5 percent swing away from its 2019 growth of 7 percent.

According to the World Bank report, the slowdown would worryingly increase poverty between 3 and 11 percent, on account of a 50 percent loss in income for households engaged in tourism, wholesale and retail trade, garment, construction, or manufacturing.



The potential increase in poverty would be in line with the findings of the United Nations Development Programs report on multidimensional poverty, which showed that while Cambodia had made progress on reducing income poverty, 13.2 percent of the population was living in severe multidimensional poverty and 21 percent was vulnerable to slide back into poverty.

The collapse of growth drivers has hurt economic growth and put at least 1.76 million jobs at risk, reads the World Bank report.



Other worrying signs reported by the development banks was the halving of approved FDI investment for the first two months of the year, the continuing trend of rising domestic bank credit to the construction sector, and immense pressure on the job market on account of returning migrant workers.



The government has revealed that around 90,000 migrant workers have returned since March and Interior Minister Sar Kheng hinted last month that many could return to poverty without government intervention.



To mitigate the downsides, the World Bank said it was critical to provide support to households to stave off poverty and facilitate policies to ensure economic recovery, but also to ensure economic and social resiliency once the outbreak has been brought under control.



Despite some measures to provide monetary relief directly to individuals, the government has relied on tax relief and support for the financial sector. Plans to help identify poor Cambodians have yet to materialize.

Chan Sophal, president of the Center for Policy Studies, said the situation of the disease cannot improve because other countries were still facing the effects of the virus-induced global slowdown.

It affects our market and tourism and exports. The situation can be more than six months, she said.

In Channy, president and group managing director of Acleda Bank, said the current economic slowdown will reflect the experiences of the 2008 global financial crisis. He said Cambodia was able to bounce back to positive growth in 2009 and had relatively recovered by 2010.



He did admit that the impact of the 2008 crash was limited to housing, property, and land sector, but that COVID-19 had brought all sectors to a grinding halt.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks the press at the State Department in Washington. (AFP)

Washington: The United States will take action to prevent alleged espionage by Chinese students, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday, ahead of an expected announcement by President Donald Trump.

Trump earlier said that he will hold a press conference Friday about China amid soaring tensions between the two powers, including over the status of Hong Kong and the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Asked about a report in The New York Times that Trump was considering throwing out thousands of graduate students, Pompeo said that Chinese students "shouldn't be here in our schools spying."

"We know we have this challenge. President Trump, I am confident, is going to take that on," Pompeo told Fox News, while declining to say if an action would be announced on Friday.

"We have an obligation -- a duty -- to make sure that students that are coming here to study... aren't acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party," Pompeo said.

The New York Times said that the Trump administration was considering annulling visas for thousands of graduate students linked to China's military.

The move would be certain to draw criticism from universities, which rely increasingly on tuition from foreign students -- of which China and India are the largest sources -- and have already been hit hard by the COVID-19 shutdown.

Asian American activists have long voiced concern that the targeting of Chinese students impacts their own community, with US citizens of Asian ancestry coming under unjustified suspicion.

"This isn't a red scare, this isn't racist. Chinese people are a great people," Pompeo said when asked about the concerns.

"This is like the days of the Soviet Union. This is a communist, tyrannical regime that poses real risk to the United States," he said.

Trump, in remarks to reporters, declined to preview the press conference on Friday but said, "We're not happy with China."

The press conference will come two days after Pompeo certified to Congress that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China, as promised by Beijing before Britain handed over its colony in 1997.

China has been pressing forward the drafting of a security law that Hong Kong activists say will end freedoms enjoyed in the financial capital, which was rocked by months of pro-democracy protests last year.

Washington and Beijing are already clashing over responsibility for the extent of the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China but has spread worldwide and caused devastation in the United States.

Domestic critics accuse Trump of mismanagement and say that the 100,000 US deaths and massive unemployment were the result of a slow, patchy federal response to the virus' spread across the world's biggest economy.

But Trump blames the crisis on China and for a long time insisted on calling the COVID-19 sickness the "Chinese virus." He has threatened to cut off US funding for the World Health Organization, accusing the UN body of bias toward Beijing and assisting in a cover-up.
WASHINGTON  Bay Area politicians are using no uncertain terms to describe the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, calling police actions murder even before charges were filed against a fired officer Friday.

The direct word choice from prominent lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Kamala Harris, show a growing willingness on the part of Democrats to label police brutality as criminal.

Pelosi called Floyds death a crime early this week, and in her remarks to reporters on Thursday said there was no doubt it was murder.

We did see a murder on TV, and it wasnt self-defense, the San Francisco Democrat said.

Pelosi stopped short of calling for charges, but Harris did not, tweeting that the officers involved should be arrested.

Our country has a long history of slavery, Jim Crow, lynchings, segregation, and discrimination, the California Democrat wrote. The injustices of the past live on in our institutions today. We need systemic change. Black Americans are fed up. The officer who killed George Floyd must be arrested for murder.

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, similarly tweeted that Floyd was murdered by police, and Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, wrote that he was murdered at the hands of law enforcement.

Later Friday, Minnesota authorities arrested the former officer filmed with his knee on Floyds neck, Derek Chauvin, and charged him with third-degree murder. A prosecutor said other officers could be charged as well.

Police stopped Floyd on Monday after a 911 call about him buying cigarettes with counterfeit money. In an encounter shown on video, Chauvin knelt on Floyds neck as he pleaded for his life and said he couldnt breathe, before he eventually lost consciousness. Paramedics and emergency room staff were unable to revive him.

The video ignited a firestorm and days of protest in the Twin Cities. Protests also took place in Oakland on Friday. Floyds death drew widespread condemnation, including from President Trump, who once told police, Please, dont be too nice, while arresting suspects.

Although Trump expressed sympathy, he also tweeted early Friday that protesters were thugs and when the looting starts, the shooting starts, prompting Twitter to flag the tweet as glorifying violence.

Lawmakers choice to call the incident murder ahead of decisions by local authorities showed a growing willingness to speak bluntly in response to police-involved killings, which have drawn greater scrutiny since the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, in Ferguson, Mo.

In a statement responding to the Ferguson protests in 2014, for example, Pelosi called Browns death a tragedy. That same year, video surfaced of New York police placing another unarmed black man, Eric Garner, in a choke hold as he gasped and said, I cant breathe. Garners death was ruled a homicide. Pelosi again remarked on the sadness of the death, but didnt call it a murder, and used the phrase all lives matter in a news conference.

All lives matter has often been a response by those opposed to the phrase black lives matter, which is a rallying cry for activists protesting systemic racism, though the phrases were only beginning to come into widespread use at that time.

Lee noted in an interview that she has called out police killings for decades, and said Floyds death was another murder in a long line of African Americans who have been killed by law enforcement. She said that when she heard Pelosi use the same language, she felt the solidarity, the understanding, the clarity ... on the injustices in this American system of criminal justice.

Lee added, Everybody should be outraged and call murder for what it is. This is not just about African Americans, this is about the United States and its soul. And what affects one affects all, so I would hope that all Americans get it.

Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan
Part of the supplies received by the Prisons (top) and the presentation party at the AIA.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there have been no confirmed COVID-19 cases in prisons. However, with an outbreak of COVID-19, the lives of approximately 450 prisoners, 140 prison staff, and the general public will be at risk: potentially placing tremendous strain on the public health system.





On Wednesday, 20 May, 2020, the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), with the generous support of the British High Commission, Port of Spain, through the British Governments Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), donated basic sanitation supplies to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prison Service, to help minimise the risk of infection and transmission of COVID-19 in prisons.





The supplies, including infrared thermometers, as well as cleaning products such as disinfectant, liquid soap, bleach, hand sanitizers and other necessary supplies, were handed over to Mr. Brenton Charles, Superintendent of Prisons, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, at the Argyle International Airport (AIA). Mr. Steve Moore, Resident British Commissioner, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director (Ag), CARICOM IMPACS, were at the AIA to witness the delivery.





The supplies provided are in accordance with guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the prevention and control of the pandemic in prisons (WHO 2020). CARICOM IMPACS and the United Kingdoms efforts to prevent COVID-19.





Infections in prisons will continue next week with donations of similar basic sanitation supplies to eleven (11) other CARICOM Member States.





CARICOM IMPACS has also partnered with the Regional Security System (RSS), which continues to play a key role in providing airlift and logistical support for the distribution of supplies to some Member States.





The donation of these supplies will encourage and assist with the accelerated adoption of WHO guidelines for prisons and other places of detention. (Source: CARICOM IMPACS)




Novel therapy in intravascular large B-cell lymphoma. Credit: Kazuyuki Shimada

Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that develops from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). It has many subtypes. A rare subtype, called intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (or IVLBCL) is notably hard to diagnose accurately because the cancerous lymphocytes grow inside small blood vessels, instead of at lymph nodes, and there is no perceptible swelling/enlargement of lymph nodes. There is also no effective treatment: the disease tends to affect the elderly, for whom standard high-dose chemotherapy may have serious side-effects, and patients are at a high risk of developing subsequent central nervous system (CNS) disorders even with treatment. A novel treatment protocol with fewer side-effects and which also tackles secondary CNS involvement is needed, and this is exactly what a group of scientists, led by researchers from Nagoya University and Mie University, Japan, attempted to test in a new clinical trial.

However, the rarity of this disease has made testing new combinations of drugs difficult. A previous "retrospective" study involving the analysis of medical records of patients who had undergone standard chemotherapy combined with a drug called "rituximab" showed that this line of treatment is more promising than standard treatment alone, but it does not solve the problem of secondary CNS involvement. "We considered that rituximab-containing chemotherapies combined with treatment for the secondary CNS problems could lead to further improvement in the clinical outcome," remarks Dr. Kazuyuki Shimada of Nagoya University. With this consideration, Dr. Shimada and team conducted a Phase 2 multicenter clinical trial, where they administered their proposed treatment to 38 enrolled patients (aged 20 to 79 years and without CNS disorders at the time of cancer diagnosis) and monitored their conditions over the long term. The results are published in their paper in The Lancet Oncology.

Overall, their treatment protocol appears to be promising: 76% of the enrolled patients reached the primary goal of two-year survival without disease progression and 92% reached two-year overall survival. The disease affected the CNS in only 3% of patients. What's more, the toxicity of the treatment was found to be low, and all adverse effects were manageable, with very few serious complications.

Aptly summarizing their achievement, Dr. Shimada says: "To the best of our knowledge, this is the first 'prospective' trial of any treatment in patients with IVLBCL. It appears that the proposed treatment protocol might be effective in patients without apparent central nervous system involvement at the time of diagnosis."

An important advantage of the proposed treatment protocol is that it employs a combination of conventional drugs and uses no novel agents. This means that although further study is necessary, this protocol can be adopted in clinical practice in the very near future. As Dr. Shimada explains: "Given the rarity of this disease, a large-scale Phase 3 prospective trial is not feasible. In such a scenario, the results of our trial provide a safe and effective treatment option that can function as a historic control for future prospective trials."

The findings of this clinical trial are certainly quite promising. With only minor refinements to the proposed treatment protocol, patients with IVLBCL could have an edge in their fight against cancer.

This study, "Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone combined with high-dose methotrexate plus intrathecal chemotherapy for newly diagnosed intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (PRIMEUR-IVL): a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial," has been published in The Lancet Oncology.

Explore further E1912 trial leads to FDA approval of ibrutinib-rituximab combo for untreated CLL

More information: Kazuyuki Shimada et al. Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone combined with high-dose methotrexate plus intrathecal chemotherapy for newly diagnosed intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (PRIMEUR-IVL): a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial, The Lancet Oncology (2020). Journal information: Lancet Oncology Kazuyuki Shimada et al. Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone combined with high-dose methotrexate plus intrathecal chemotherapy for newly diagnosed intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (PRIMEUR-IVL): a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30059-0
The Voice Australia has already seen quite a few memorable characters and impressive talent go through the blind auditions.

And contestant Charlie McFarlane certainly left an impression on producers this season.

In a never-before-seen clip of his backstory interview, published on 9Now, he pranked them with a very elaborate tale involving the late animal conservationist Steve Irwin.

'You got us good!' The Voice Australia's Charlie McFarlane, 22, pranked the producers of the show with a very elaborate tale involving Steve Irwin

It all started when the Scottish-born talent was asked about a scar on his arm.

He explained that one of his first jobs in Australia was working with tigers at Australia Zoo, because he was a big fan of the late animal conservationist.

'On my third day I think it was, we (another animal handler) were feeding them and you're not supposed to shut the gate, but the gate shut behind me and one of them (a tiger) bit my arm,' he said pointing to the healed wound.

He then claimed he had to be 'torn out' of the tiger's jaws and said the pain 'hurt so bad'.

Telling tall tales: The Scottish-born talent explained that one of his first jobs in Australia was working with tigers at the late Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo (pictured). He said that a gate closed behind him while he was feeding the tigers and that his was bitten in the arm

Just kidding: Charlie wiped away a tear, but he couldn't keep the charade up for much longer, and laughed: 'No, it's all a lie. I made it up! Luckily, I've got so much sweat on my face, I can get away with a fake tear and it looks real'

'I don't even like thinking about it,' Charlie added as he wiped away a tear.

But he couldn't keep the charade up for much longer, and laughed: 'No, it's all a lie. I made it up!'

'I'm wiping fake tears away and everything. Luckily, I've got so much sweat on my face, I can get away with a fake tear and it looks real,' he added.

The producer was shocked that she fell for the gag and asked him what really happened to his arm.

The real story: The producer was shocked that she fell for the gag and asked him what really happened to his arm. He said that his fabricated story was something he tells people who 'don't know him' and explained that the scar was a result of an accident on a job site in Brisbane

He said that his fabricated story was something he tells people who 'don't know him' and explained that the scar was a result of an accident on a job site in Brisbane.

Still reeling from the his detailed story, the producer said: 'That is insane! OK, well you got us good. Well done.'

Earlier this week, Charlie performed an impressive rendition of Harry Style's hit song Sign Of The Times joined Kelly Rowland's team.

The Voice Australia continues on Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine
Dangerous farm pranks uploaded on social media channels such as TikTok have prompted a furious backlash among Irish farming industry groups.

The antics of some farm workers in videos uploaded on the popular website has been described as 'shocking' by Ireland's Health and Safety Authority (HSA).

The safety watchdog has called for a zero-tolerance approach to be taken when dealing with on-farm pranks, some of them considered highly dangerous.

One clip shows a young farm worker riding a quad bike up a steep hill before it slides back down, almost overturning.

And another video, uploaded onto TikTok, shows a man sitting on the front of tractor as it cuts silage.

Mark Cullen, assistant chief executive of the HSA, said it was 'pure luck' that some of individuals in the videos were not seriously injured or killed.

He said: Not only is there a complete lack of even the most basic safety precautions, there is a complete lack of common sense and total disregard for their own safety and the safety of those around them.

Farmers and contractors must take a zero-tolerance approach with this type of behaviour and make it clear to farm workers that under no circumstances is it acceptable.

The workers themselves need to seriously reflect on their actions and consider the consequences for themselves and their families if a serious incident occurred.

The HSA will not hesitate to take robust action where we can identify the individuals and the employers concerned, Mr Cullen said.

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) added that the practice was 'grossly irresponsible' as an accident was 'waiting to happen'.

IFA president Tim Cullinan said: "I am disgusted that people could be so casual and have no regard for the dangers involved in what they are doing.

With eight farm fatalities already this year in Ireland, Mr Cullinan said those carrying on performing prank should take a 'hard look at themselves'.

Too often, people are not willing to act responsibly and identify the risks, he said.

All farmers and contractors need to make it clear to their employees that engaging in these practices is a sackable offence."
South China Morning Post reported Tuesday that Chinas top court vowed to defend the countrys judicial sovereignty and national interests in response to overseas lawsuits against China demanding reparations for the coronavirus outbreak.

The third session of the 13th National Peoples Congress opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 22. Photo by Weng Qiyu/Peoples Daily Online

Delivering on Monday his annual report to the third session of the 13th National Peoples Congress, Chinas national legislature, Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme Peoples Court, said the courts would strictly abide by international laws and resolutely defend Chinas jurisdiction and national security.

There have been moves overseas amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including by certain US politicians, to sue China for compensation over economic losses brought by the coronavirus, which was first reported in central China in late 2019, according to the South China Morning Post.

Speaking on Sunday at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual national legislative session, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said these frivolous lawsuits are shoddy, as they have zero basis in fact, law or international precedence, adding that clamoring for so-called accountability and compensation from a victim of COVID-19 and fabricating so-called evidence for frivolous lawsuits trample on international rule of law and betray human conscience.

If anybody thought they could use some ludicrous lawsuits to undermine Chinas sovereignty and dignity or to deprive the Chinese people of their hard-won gains, theyd be daydreaming and bring disgrace to themselves, Wang said.

Chinas courts will also attach great significance to helping debt-laden companies stay afloat and resolving contractual disputes this year, so as to support the governments efforts to revive the economy, secure jobs, and ensure that peoples livelihoods and companies survived, Zhou noted.

Unwarranted seizure or freezing of the assets of companies facing litigation would be forbidden, Zhou said. The judiciary would also help struggling enterprises through bankruptcy protection and debt restructuring, but meanwhile it would do it utmost to make sure those who contracted COVID-19 would not face dismissal without justification, the Hong Kong newspaper reported.
Wipro Limited has appointed Thierry Delaporte as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the company, effective July 6, 2020. Notably, Abidali Neemuchwala will relinquish his position as CEO and MD on June 1. Till Delaporte joins the company, Rishad Premji will oversee the company's operations.

Until recently, Thierry Delaporte was the Chief Operating Officer of Capgemini Group and a member of its Group Executive Board. During his twenty-five year career with Capgemini, he held several leadership roles including that of Chief Executive Officer of the Global Financial Services Strategic Business Unit, and head of all global service lines. He also oversaw Capgemini's India operations, and led the group's transformation agenda, conceptualising and driving several strategic programmes across various business units.

Also read: Wipro loses $14 -$16 million to coronavirus in March quarter, skips revenue guidance for Q1FY21

"l am delighted to welcome Thierry as CEO and Managing Director of the company. Thierry has an exceptional leadership track record, strong international exposure, deep strategic expertise, a unique ability to forge long-standing client relationships, and proven experience of driving transformation and managing technological disruption. We believe that Thierry is the right person to lead Wipro in its next phase of growth," said Rishad Premji, Chairman, Wipro Limited.

He also thanked Abid for all that he has done for Wipro and for making this transition as smooth and seamless as possible despite his commitments."

Thierry Delaporte said, "l am deeply honoured to be invited to lead Wipro, an extraordinary company and an exemplary corporate citizen with a deep technology heritage built on a strong foundation of values. I look forward to working closely with Rishad, the Board, senior leadership and the hugely talented employees of Wipro to turn a new chapter of growth and build a better tomorrow for all our stakeholders."

Delaporte will be based in Paris and report to Chairman Rishad Premji. Thierry has a Bachelor's degree in Economy and Finance from Sciences Po Paris and a Masters in Law from Sorbonne University. He is also the co-founder and President of the not-for-profit organisation Life Project 4 Youth.

Meanwhile, the shares of Wipro Ltd were trading 1.3% points higher at the day's high of Rs 202 on the BSE today.

Also read: Why Wipro needed a leadership change
Three days before the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown comes to an end, union home minister Amit Shah spoke to all the chief ministers to discuss the current situation, their views on extending the lockdown and future strategy to fight the pandemic.

Officials familiar with Shahs meeting with the CMs said many states have reiterated that the lockdown should be extended with considerable relaxation in economic activity. He took note of suggestions, which will be taken into consideration.

According to officials of two state chief ministers offices, who didnt wish to named, Shah asked about various activities pertaining to the lockdown, economic activity as well as the status of migrant workers, the number of people still stranded etc. during his 5-6 minute-long conversation with the CMs.

Earlier, this virtual meeting used to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. An officer at the Centre said that he may not interact with the CMs this time.

It is also for the first time that Amit Shah personally called all the CMs to get their views on the lockdown. Many CMs have stated that they want the lockdown to continue but also want a gradual return to normal life.
#AccionCivicaEnLoreto Una comitiva liderada por la viceministra de Salud Publica, Nancy Zerpa, llego a Trompeteros, llevando 5000 pruebas rapidas y 20 000 mascarillas. Aqui, se evalua la estrategia para la reduccion del contagio de #COVID19.



?? https://t.co/rGU9QKhLe5 pic.twitter.com/f4dm1gSMf4
Participants in a signing ceremony for a 480 billion won ($388 million) green syndicated loan hold copies of the agreement at the Korea Development Bank (KDB) headquarters in Seoul, Friday. The state-run bank and three other financial firms agreed to lend the money to Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for eco-friendlier shipbuilding. From left are Industrial and Commercial Bank of China's Seoul branch head Niu Jianjun, HSBC global banking for Korea head Howard Kim, HHI Senior Executive Vice President Cho Young-cheul, KDB Vice President Choi Dae-hyun and KDB Capital Deputy President Kim Keon-yeol. / Courtesy of KDB
Midland County recorded no new coronavirus cases Friday, according to the daily afternoon state report. Midland County remains at 81 cases and eight deaths.

Bay County added six cases and is at 302 cases and 22 deaths. Gladwin and Isabella counties remain at 18 cases and one death and 76 cases and seven deaths, respectively. Saginaw County added five new cases and is at 1,108 cases and 108 deaths.

The state added 607 new cases and 34 deaths. Overall, Michigan is at 56,621 cases and 5,406 deaths.

The state also is reporting four cumulative COVID-19 cases since Jan. 1, 2020, at Brittany Manor in Midland County, and none at the other Midland County reporting long-term care facilities, Medilodge of Midland, Midland Kings Daughters Home and Stratford Pines. Gladwin Nursing & Rehab Community and Gladwin Pines Nursing Homes also are reporting no COVID-19 positive cases since Jan. 1.

MidMichigan Health  which covers a 23-county region and has medical centers at seven sites, including Midland  was listed as having 39 COVID-19 patients on the state page, defined by the state as confirmed positive patients, including those in ICU and patients who are currently pending and under investigation. The health system reported 54% bed occupancy, the percentage of staffed inpatient beds occupied by any patient regardless of COVID-19 status. This data, according to the website, reflects the status in health systems and hospitals 48 hours prior to the time that it was posted to the state page, which was May 28.

The Midland County Health Department on Friday is reporting 38 probable cases, which includes individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19 but have not been tested, meet the COVID-19 case definition and have had close contact with a lab-confirmed positive COVID-19 case. These are often household members of positive cases.

The department also is reporting 68 recovered cases, which includes individuals who have a lab-confirmed positive COVID-19 result and have completed their isolation and are symptom-free. This differs from the state definition of individuals who are 30 days from symptom onset.

The average death age is 75.3, according to the state website, mich.gov, with the deceased ranging in age from 5 to 107. The state lists 42% of the deceased as 80-plus and 27% age 70-79. State statistics show 53% of coronavirus deaths are male and 47% are female.

The state lists the total recovered at 33,168 cases, as of May 23, which represents COVID-19 confirmed individuals with an onset date on or prior to April 22.

The state lists the majority of races in positive cases as 31% Black/African American; 37% Caucasian and 16% unknown, and the top three races in deaths as 40% Black/African American; 51% Caucasian and 4% unknown.

The total positive cases are 47% men, 52% women and 1% unknown.

Midland County Department of Public Health continues to encourage residents to take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

 Continue to practice social distancing as recommended by federal, state and local officials.

 Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

 Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

 Disinfect commonly touched surfaces.

 Stay home when you are sick.

 Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

We cannot stress enough how important it is for our community to be diligent in their community mitigation efforts," said Fred Yanoski, Midland County Public Health director/health officer. "We know that COVID-19 is in our community, and our residents can make a huge impact on slowing the spread of disease by following the recommended precautions."

If you think you've been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your health care provider for medical advice. If he/she isn't available, call MidMichigan Urgent Care in Midland at 989- 633-1350 or MidMichigan Medical Center's Emergency Department in Midland at 989-839-3100.

MidMichigan Health has a COVID-19 informational hotline with a reminder of CDC guidelines and recommendations. The hotline can be reached toll-free at 800-445-7356 or 989-794-7600. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also has a hotline number for Michigan residents for questions about COVID-19. The number is 1-888-535-6136 and is available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can also e-mail COVID19@michigan.gov. E-mails will be answered seven days a week between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

If you are feeling anxious, stressed, depressed and feel you need to talk to someone, reach out to Community Mental Health for Central Michigan by calling 800-317-0708.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed Syria today on a phone call with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

Ortagus noted that Pompeo thanked Safadi for Jordans support and cooperation during COVID-19 as well as several matters of interest, including developments in Syria while reaffirming the strength of the US-Jordan bilateral partnership.

Why it matters: The United States is currently lobbying Russia to reopen two UN border crossings that were previously used to deliver humanitarian aid into Syria, including the Ramtha crossing from Jordan. Russia wielded its veto power at the United Nations earlier this year to close the Ramtha crossing, as well as the Yarubiya crossing from Iraq.

Additionally, seven conservative Republicans have turned to legislation Congress passed last year that would cut off some $1.5 billion in US economic and military aid to Jordan unless Amman extradites Ahlam al-Tamimi, a convicted terrorist who helped kill 15 people, including two Americans, in a 2001 bomb attack in Israel. Still, the law allows Pompeo to issue a national security waiver that would allow the aid to continue if Jordan refuses to extradite her.

Finally, Jordan has also cautioned Israel against annexing its West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley. While President Donald Trumps peace plan proposes annexation, Washington has become less keen on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus July timeline amid public opposition from Jordan, which has a peace treaty with Israel, and other Arab states.

Whats next: The United States faces an uphill battle at the UN Security Council to convince Russia to reopen the Syria border crossings from Jordan and Iraq. Additionally, Russia may seek to close the two remaining UN crossings from Turkey.

Know more: Amberin Zaman has the inside story on the United Nations battle to reopen the Jordan and Iraq border crossings to humanitarian aid. And Bryant Harris explains why aid-dependent Jordans continued refusal to extradite Tamimi to the United States could jeopardize nearly all US assistance.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Donald Trump was at the steering wheel as we drove through the rain together on a New Jersey highway in 2005. He had recently considered taking the stage to play a politician in the Broadway comedy La Cage aux Folles, but he had other things on his mind as he glanced over at me.

I have one asset that I think nobody else has. And thats that if somebody writes about me badly, I sort of own my own newspaper in a way. Like I went after you on the Today show, he told me. I do have the ability to fight back in the media. I can say that, You, Tim, is not smart. Is a terrible guy.

A total whack job, I suggested, since hed used that one before.

I can say that. Nobody else can, Trump continued. In other words, Im the only guy who can fight back on an almost even plane. I mean, Im not saying its an even plane because you may have an advantage. But I have an advantage, too. Because Im on television every day.

He finished off his primer with a flourish: People dont want to read about a negative Trump. I really believe that.

Remember, this was 15 years ago and Twitter hadnt yet been invented. Neither had Instagram or Snapchat. Facebook was still a baby. But Trump already instinctively understood one of his advantages as a ubiquitous and media-soaked mogul: He had direct access to readers and viewers and could circumvent traditional news sources to get his message out or to go into battle.

Trumps gut sensibility about how to play the media had been honed through decades of courting and jousting that, even after a series of failures, had left him as an object of interest. That led to his public rebirth on The Apprentice and made him ready to rock and roll once social media blossomed. Every social platform offered him the opportunity to run his own printing press and speak directly to fans and critics, but Twitter, a venue of choice for newsies, always held a special allure. And Trump, who adores basking in media attention while also being so singularly insecure that any form of criticism unspools him, has a love-hate relationship with Twitter.

Story continues

So it came to pass that Twitter, which has long tolerated Trumps retweeting of racists and anti-Semites while painting his targets as everything from skanks to murderers, decided on Tuesday to slap fact-checking notices on a pair of bogus Trump tweets claiming that mail-in ballots lead to voting fraud. Trump, who has the November election front of mind and is reeling from an onslaught of criticism for repeatedly bungling his response to the coronavirus pandemic, would have none of that. He claimed that revenge via a federal crackdown on Twitter and other social media companies was coming.

Early Thursday evening, Trump issued an executive order that seeks to strip Twitter and other social media platforms of liability protections they enjoy from lawsuits involving the content users post on their sites  including false or defamatory content. In other words, the kind of stuff Trump posts a lot on Twitter. While such a move might be self-defeating, its also not clear how serious Trump is about it. The order is littered with personal jibes at Trumps enemies and the White House said it might still be revised.Trump is also reportedly planning to ask the Federal Communications Commission to make it easier for social media users to sue platforms for removing posts and other content. He also reportedly plans to ask Attorney General William Barr to convene state attorneys general to investigate social media companies for deceptive practices.Theres nothing Id rather do than get rid of my whole Twitter account, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. But Im able to get to, I guess, 186 million people when you add up all the different accounts. Thats more than the media companies have, frankly, by a lot.

Trump actually has about 130 million followers on his primary personal social accounts (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram) and he certainly doesnt have more followers than all of the media companies combined, but you get the point.

Well have to wait and see if this turns out to be Trump rattling his saber. He has a long history of threatening to sue critics and competitors and then not following through. (I was an exception.) If he decides to try to enforce the executive order, he, the FCC and his White House lawyers will face daunting legal hurdles. Trump cant force the FCC to change existing regulations that give social media companies latitude to restrict objectionable content. And even if the FCC acts as he wishes, it may not complete its work prior to the November election, because the social media companies will unleash their own attorneys to challenge any change.

The First Amendments broad protection for editorial discretion from government dictates applies to social media platforms. In a 2017 federal appeals court fight over net neutrality rules, none other than future Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh argued that the government cannot tell companies such as Twitter and Facebook what content to post or favor.

The mere whiff of a federal crackdown could have a chilling effect on the social platforms, its true, but that will happen only if the companies allow it. Some internecine squabbles have already popped up, with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg telling Fox News that Twitter made a mistake, because no social media platform should be the arbiter of truth. Its quite possible that Zuckerberg is more worried about Facebook being regulated as a news provider rather than as a technology company, or about the added hard work that would come with adequately policing his own website. But thats a discussion for another day.

None of this is really about free speech or proper regulation of social media, however. Its about the presidents abuse of his power and his fixation on the politics informing the coming election. Also, his feelings are hurt. Hes acting out. Twitter is one of Trumps favorite toys, and although hes momentarily bashing it in frustration, he probably wont go so far as to break it.

Trump wont undermine Twitter because hes addicted to it. He revels in mainlining his thoughts into the American conversation and absorbing all the responses back into his own bloodstream. Twitter is Trumps drug of choice, and addicts dont break their habits so easily.

(This column was updated to include new details from the White House's executive order.)

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Timothy L. O'Brien is a senior columnist for Bloomberg Opinion.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
WASHINGTON  A key source of material for North Korea's nuclear program remains operational and continues to be updated, according to a coming report based on recent satellite photos that underscores the persistence of a top threat to U.S. national security.

In a preview of their analysis obtained exclusively by NBC News, North Korea experts Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. and Victor Cha say imagery taken in March depicts ongoing activity at the Pyongsan Uranium Concentrate Plant, which is believed to produce so-called yellowcake uranium, a precursor of nuclear fuel.

Click here to read the preview

Among the indicators of continued yellowcake production, researchers found, are full tanks of chemical waste and the continued accumulation of solid and liquid waste in a pond at the facility. The full report, to be released next month, will show new construction at the compound, the researchers said.

Cha, who was President George W. Bush's top Korea adviser, said the continuing work at the facility demonstrates the North Koreans' "unrelenting effort to grow their capabilities despite three summits and the utter failure of the one diplomatic negotiation that Trump has put any effort into."

Cha, an NBC News contributor, was considered by the Trump administration to be the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, but the idea was dropped after he raised concerns about a possible limited military strike on North Korea.

On Sunday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presided over a military meeting to discuss bolstering the country's nuclear arsenal.

Image: Pyongsan Uranium Concentrate Plant (Maxar Technologies)

The Korean Central News Agency said officials discussed "new policies for further increasing the nuclear war deterrence of the country and putting the strategic armed forces on a high alert operation," as well as increasing the capabilities for deterring "the threatening foreign forces."

Kim emerged in public recently after a long absence from view that fueled speculation about his health.

Story continues

President Donald Trump said he sent Kim a letter in March offering to cooperate on the coronavirus. It was part of a charm offensive by Trump that has included a pair of summits between the two leaders, but there has been no sign that North Korea will do what the U.S. wants and give up its nuclear weapons.

Related: The new evidence comes as U.S. military and intelligence officials are increasingly concerned that North Korea is poised to conduct a long-range missile test in the next few days or weeks.

U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Kim is unlikely ever to part with his nuclear weapons voluntarily and that despite a halt to nuclear testing, the regime has continued to work to improve a nuclear arsenal that officials say threatens the American mainland.

Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics

The work at the Pyongsan Uranium Concentrate Plant is one example of North Korea's commitment to its program, experts say. Satellite imagery in 2015 showed that the facility had been expanded. The new report will show further expansion, the researchers say.

"While it is unclear if the subject came up during the abortive February 2728, 2019 Hanoi Summit, the dismantlement of the Pyongsan Uranium Concentrate Plant should be an essential component to any meaningful future 'complete, verifiable, irreversible dismantlement' nuclear agreement between the United States and North Korea," Bermudez and Cha wrote in their analysis for Beyond Parallel, a newsletter put out by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

Image: Pyongsan Uranium Concentrate Plant (Maxar Technologies)

"The plant's importance to the North Korean leadership and its critical position within the nuclear research and weapons development programs is attested to by the fact that scarce human and financial resources have been consistently allocated to actively maintain, refurbish or modernize the plant since 2003, and probably since its construction."

Yellowcake uranium can be enriched for use in nuclear weapons, and it can also be used to produce fuel for North Korea's Experimental Light Water Reactor under construction at its Yongbon nuclear scientific research facility, experts have said. The reactor can produce weapons-grade plutonium for nuclear weapons.
A protester gestures in front of the burning 3rd Precinct building of the Minneapolis Police Department in Minneapolis, Minn. on May 28, 2020. (Julio Cortez/ AP Photo)

Minneapolis Police Station Abandoned to Rioters in Interest of Public Safety: Mayor

Police officers abandoned a precinct in Minneapolis late Thursday in the interest of public safety, Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey told reporters.

As more and more people gathered outside the station, and more people breached the perimeter, It became obvious to me that safety was at risk and it became obvious to me that we could take a different route that would better assist both the public as well as the safety of our officers, Frey said at an early morning press conference on Friday.

After numerous discussions over the phone between Frey and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, the mayor said he made the decision to evacuate the precinct.

The symbolism of a building cannot outweigh the importance of life, of our officers, or the public. We could not risk serious injury to anyone, he said.

The resources that we will offer to the people of the 3rd precinct will continue, period, he added later. The building is just bricks and mortar. Its a building.

Video footage showed police officers driving away from the building around 10 p.m. in vehicles with lights blaring as rioters hit the cars. The first vehicle pushed through the outside gate, which was shut by protesters.

After the building was abandoned, rioters flooded inside, setting fires and destroying equipment. All areas for three blocks around the precinct are closed until further notice, Minneapolis police said Friday morning, citing public safety reasons.

Protesters gather around after setting fire to the entrance of a police station in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Phone calls to department press officers went unanswered Friday. A phone call made to the 3rd precinct went to a voicemail that said no one was available to take the call.

A police spokesman told a wire agency late Thursday that officers evacuated in the interest of the safety of our personnel.

Rioters and protesters came out in masse starting Tuesday after video footage circulated showing Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee against the neck of George Floyd, a city resident.

Floyd, who complains he cannot breathe, ultimately died. Four officers involved with the situation were fired but none have been charged as of yet.

Prosecutors said charges cannot be rushed, warning against bringing a weak case.

Minneapolis officials said the officers were responding to a reported forgery. Police said Floyd died after suffering medical distress.

Frey earlier in the week called for the arrest of Chauvin, arguing that most people who committed such an act would already be behind bars.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat like Frey, activated the Minnesota National Guard on Thursday afternoon. Soldiers began dispersing overnight to key buildings like pharmacies, banks, and grocery stores, to prevent looting, Frey told reporters.

A member of the National Guard patrols near a burned-out building on the fourth day of protests in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Frey said he fully supports Arradondo and Minneapolis Fire Chief John Fruetel. Firefighters fought various fires overnight but not the ones at the 3rd precinct.

National Guard troops were focusing on ensuring fire departments are able to respond to calls, the Minnesota National Guard said in a statement.

Police officials remained silent on public-facing platforms Thursday night apart from a tweet spreading a message from the city of Minneapolis.

Were hearing unconfirmed reports that gas lines to the Third Precinct have been cut and other explosive materials are in the building. If you are near the building, for your safety, PLEASE RETREAT in the event the building explodes, the city said.

Police officials said Thursday that violent protests took place in some areas while peaceful ones also took place.

We are doing absolutely everything that we can to keep the peace, Frey said. This is one of the most difficult situations that our city has been through.
<! NCDC DG Chikwe Ihekweazu: agency accused of coronavirus fraud in kogi >



Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

Kogi state doubled down on Thursday night in rejecting its inclusion in the coronavirus caseload in the country.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, announced two cases for the state on Wednesday.

But the State government has rubbished the claim and insisted that its territory is free from the pandemic.

The declaration of the two cases was a beautiful fraud according to Kingsley Fanwo, the State Commissioner for Information and Communication.

He made this known on Thursday evening when he featured on Channels Television.

The Commissioner explained that the alleged COVID-19 Patient was an Imam who was stung by bees. The Imam was rushed to a private clinic from where he was taken to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC Lokoja. He was then moved to Abuja. Fanwo said the man showed no symptom of COVID-19.

The Commissioner explained that the alleged COVID-19 Patient was an Imam who was stung by bees.

The Imam was rushed to a private clinic from where he was taken to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC Lokoja. He was then moved to Abuja.

Fanwo said the man showed no symptom of COVID-19.

Fanwo insisted that the NCDC declaration was fraudulent and unacceptable to the State.

To buttress the point, he noted that 14 Members of his family have been traced and tested by the State but they all turned out negative.

He added that another 2 patients have been referred to the state testing centre today by the FMC and they turned out negative.

NCDC has said all States of the federation must have COVID-19 Even when it was only in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun and Kano States, but we reject in its entirety this fraudulent inclusion of Kogi State on COVID-19 log.

We have capacity for testing. We are well prepared to curtail and manage any case of COVID-19 but we will not accept fictitious declaration of positive cases.

We will continue to ensure the safety of our people.

Meanwhile, the NCDC said it followed due process in recording the Kogi cases.

At the briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja on Thursday, the Director-General of the NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the Kogi index case was a referral from the Federal Medical Centre in Lokoja.

There is actually no dilemma in the two cases, he said.

They followed absolutely normal practice.

A patient that was referred from the Federal Medical Centre to the National Hospital. This is a normal referral pathway when you have a case.

The physicians in the National Hospital, I dont have any influence over the work that they do. They suspected COVID-19 based on the clinical symptoms of the patient, asked for a test, and the test came out positive.

The individual lives in Kogi state and public health response is based on where you live because thats where your contacts are.

So this is not controversial in any way.

Standard practice was followed. Once the results came out, the states Epidemiologist was informed that he has to do contact-tracing around this patient.

It is the states responsibility to do that contact-tracing. So we hope they do it. There is nothing actually controversial in any way about this.
COVID-19 and tourism: Can domestic travel address the slump in emerging markets?

With the coronavirus pandemic causing the closure of national borders and the suspension of international travel, governments in emerging markets have begun to explore whether domestic tourism can kick-start their economies.

Friday 29 May 2020, 10:00AM

The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok will reopen to visitors on June 4. Photo: TAT

Since the COVID-19 outbreak was first reported in China in December 2019, some 5.58 million people have been infected with the virus, leading to 348,000 deaths globally as of May 25.

Although international travel ground to a halt in the first quarter of 2020, domestic tourism could become a popular approach to stimulating economic growth as restrictions are eased in many countries around the world.

Kick-starting travel

The revival of domestic travel in emerging markets is being led by countries that have been comparatively successful in avoiding large-scale outbreaks of the virus, and which rely on tourism for a significant portion of GDP.

One such country is Vietnam, which by May 25 had limited COVID-19 cases to 326 and had not experienced a virus-related death. These results are remarkable considering Vietnams population of 97mn and its close geographical and economic ties with China.

With international travel expected to remain severely limited for the foreseeable future, in mid-May the government launched the Vietnamese people travel to Vietnam destinations programme, designed to stimulate domestic tourism.

Running until the end of the year, the programme aims to develop specific tourism products and tours that cater to the needs of local travellers during the pandemic. Meanwhile, airlines, travel agencies, resorts and hotels are offering discounts of up to 50% to encourage internal travel while incoming flights are still banned.

Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, Thailand  which last year welcomed around 40m tourists, making it the most popular destination in the region  has also outlined efforts to incentivise domestic travel from July.

Some of the B1 trillion (US$31.3bn) that is expected to be borrowed by the government in 2020-21 is likely to be channelled towards incentives and subsidies to help stimulate the industry.

Meanwhile, the Philippines, which in 2018 derived 12.7% of GDP from tourism, has outlined a series of safety measures, including sanitation and physical distancing regulations, necessary for the re-establishment of domestic tourism. The importance of domestic tourism to the Philippines had been growing before the pandemic, with the country recording 110mn domestic tourists in 2018, an increase of 14.1% from the previous year.

Outside of Asia, Egypt allowed hotels to open for domestic travellers in early May, albeit with a maximum 25% capacity, which is to be increased to 50% as of June 1.

How big will the impact be?

Although domestic tourism will undoubtedly offer some relief to emerging economies that have suffered under the virus lockdown, it is unlikely to fully compensate for the losses incurred from international travel restrictions.

The global economy is expected to contract by 3% this year and emerging markets by an average of 1%, according to the IMF. Furthermore, widespread job losses around the world have placed significant pressure on household finances, leaving many people either unwilling or unable to spend money on travel.

This will disproportionately impact lower- to middle-income countries, where tourism was previously geared more towards foreign visitors.

For example, while tourism accounted for around 12% of Vietnams GDP last year, domestic spending only made up an estimated 40-45% of this. As such, efforts will need to be made to not just encourage more domestic trips, but also to entice domestic tourists into spending more when they visit local destinations  not an easy task considering the current pressures on household finances.

Similarly, in Thailand tourism accounts for around 17.4% of direct and indirect GDP, of which just 6% comes from domestic tourists. Meanwhile, estimates have suggested that the Philippines and Morocco could lose around $9bn and $3.5bn, respectively, in tourism receipts this year.

Significant restrictions placed on tourism operators  such as maximum occupancy levels in hotels, and stringent health and safety regulations  is also likely to dampen tourism and hospitality revenue in the short and medium term, with businesses having to consider price hikes to compensate for reduced capacity.

Next step: International travel

While the immediate focus is on domestic travel, selective international travel will be the next step as the health care risks and pressures ease.

As part of so-called travel bubble plans, some countries have looked towards opening international borders to countries that have successfully limited the spread of the virus.

World leaders in this regard have been the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which in mid-May opened their common borders to kick-start movement between the countries.

Meanwhile the governments of Australia and New Zealand  which have together limited COVID-19 cases to 8,300, and fatalities to less than 125  have discussed creating their own travel bubble.

In terms of emerging countries, tourism officials in Vietnam have suggested that the country could create its own travel bubble with Australia and New Zealand, or alternatively with the key tourist markets of China and South Korea.

Indonesian officials, meanwhile, have said that Bali may begin a phased reopening to foreign tourists at some point between June and October, if the island can demonstrate sustained success in controlling the virus.

 Oxford Business Group
Bhopal, May 29 : The Madhya Pradesh government is ready to extend the benefits of the Central government-run 'Swamitva Yojana' or Proprietary Scheme to the state.

The state government has selected 10 districts for the purpose in which the villagers will be able to receive the benefits of the scheme after a survey that the government will conduct. The villagers will be provided the records of the land so that they can easily secure a bank loan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time has started a 'Proprietary Scheme' to give villagers the ownership of their land.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that it is for the first time when residential lands in villages are being surveyed and a record maintained. Even after having big landholdings, the villagers could not utilise its financial benefits in their worst times. Prime Minister Narendra Modi understood this problem and launched the 'Swamitva Yojana' to give ownership of lands to rural people.

The 10 districts selected in the first year of this scheme include Morena, Sheopur, Sagar, Shahdol, Khargone, Vidisha, Bhopal, Sehore, Harda and Dindori. The remaining districts will be selected in the coming years.

The Chief Minister said that under this scheme, ownership records will be prepared after surveying the population of the rural area. Ownership records will be given to rural people as proof of owning the land.

People who have been using the populated land on September 25, 2018 or after will be allotted the land following which they will be eligible to get the land ownership records. In such cases villagers who will be settled on non-occupied land and the Collector will declare them as populated land after examining the records.

The Chief Minister said that under this scheme, villagers will get possession records and ownership certificates of their properties.

This will enable them to avail of bank loans on their properties. The process of family division and transfer of property will also be smooth and family property disputes will be reduced.

According to official information, the income of the panchayats will also increase with the implementation of this scheme. This will also facilitate planning village development at the panchayat level and the security and maintenance of government and public property will be easy.
The ways in which three doctoral scholars engaged in ethnographic research in differing social worlds are explored here. Accounting for the ethicalpolitical dilemmas engendered by fieldwork and the ways in which we grappled with them, this paper reflects upon methodology and questions of power pertaining to disciplinary boundaries, social identities, and researcherpractitioner binaries that have marked key debates within scholarship on the Indian social. This reflection draws from our vantage point as doctoral students, particularly addressing our preparedness for the messiness of field participation and converting field notes into authorial accounts. The arguments in the paper feed into larger conversations around representation in the social sciences. By foregrounding our ethicalmoral positions and the institutional spaces (or the lack thereof) to act upon such imperatives, the paper raises important questions about the dilemmas of authoring social worlds.

This paper is an exploration of ethical and political1 tensions engendered by institutional(ised) hierarchies in knowledge production. We specifically investigate our own experience of field-based research undertaken as doctoral scholars at an interdisciplinary research institute. We articulate these tensions in conversation with a long history of scholarship from India that has sought to discuss the hierarchies in academic engagements on the social, ranging from the forceful argument of theoretical Brahmins and empirical Shudras (Guru 2002) to a more recent piece by doctoral scholars critiquing the normative understanding of students as consumers rather than producers of knowledge (Reddy et al 2019); a discussion on questions of social power and hierarchy in academic practices, including doctoral supervision, forms of mentoring, and publication channels; the ethics of theorising the lived experiences of others, particularly socially underprivileged others (Sarukkai 2007), and politics, as the power dynamics underlying such theorisations (Satyanarayana 2013).

In this paper, we call to attention what it means to be in the field, recognising a long history of debates in ethnographic research on ethnography as both field method and interpretive writing (Geertz 1973; Ghodsee 2016; Gupta and Ferguson 1997; Narayan 1993; Srinivas 2002; van Maanen 2011). Such attention is necessary, we believe, at a time when fieldwork as a form of academic labour, involving observations and interviews with specific social groups (more often, studying down) marks the majority of knowledge production within the social sciences. Such fieldwork in the Indian social sciences is performed most often by research associates and doctoral students.
BRIDGEPORT  Keegan Bowes said he couldnt understand why he was behind bars on Friday.

Im not a bad guy, the 19-year-old Stamford man told Superior Court Judge Joan Alexander through a video connection from the basement lockup of the Fairfield County Courthouse.

Talking to Bowes through a large-screen TV monitor in the courtroom, the judge reminded him that last month she had agreed to release him because of concerns about the pandemic despite the fact he had a lengthy list of pending criminal charges: drug, motor vehicle, larceny, trespass and threatening.

On Wednesday, Bowes added several new charges to the list.

Stamford Police Sgt. Robert Shawinsky said patrol officers in the South End on Wednesday spotted a vehicle with very dark tinting and pulled the vehicle over. Behind the wheel was Bowes, of Warren Street, who police quickly discovered was driving with a suspended license and had no registration while being in possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Contributed / Contributed

There certainly should not have been any new charges, Alexander said Friday.

One of the conditions for his release on a promise to appear in court in April was that Bowes was to wear a GPS monitoring anklet. The judge said Bowes never reported to have the anklet put on him.

But I couldnt wear the GPS because I had to go to Rhode Island, Bowes protested.

Your other condition of release was that you were not to leave the state, the judge retorted.

Bowes started to argue but the judge muted him at his lawyers request.

Alexander ordered Bowes held in lieu of $70,000 bond.

Staff writer John Nickerson contributed to this report.
Sri Lanka: SLNS Samudura escorts back 36 fishing trawlers swept into Indonesian sea during cyclone

May 29,2020 | Source: Colombo Page

Sri Lanka Navy ship SLNS Samudura has escorted the local multi-day fishing vessels that were washed-away to Indonesian sea area due to cyclone Amphan back to islands waters. Although the fishing community has been warned of the brewing cyclone Amphan southeast of the Bay of Bengal, more than 50 Sri Lankan multi-day fishing trawlers were fishing in the IMBL, about 400 and 500 nautical miles off the shores and some of these vessels were swept towards Indonesia, due to the impact of the storm, the Navy said.



The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC), which operates under the Sri Lanka Navy, has notified the Indonesian-Rescue-Coordination-Center about the developing situation and as a result of that the distressed vessels were permitted to remain in the Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone. Meanwhile, the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has informed the Navy that there were no fuel, food and water which required for the return of 36 of those vessels and there were mechanical faults in several vessels.



In response to the request, the Navy on 21st May 2020 deployed one of its Offshore Patrol Vessel SLNS Samudura to render necessary assistance to the distressed fishing vessels. Subsequently, the naval vessel advised all fishing vessels to sail towards Sri Lanka, after establishing communications with all the distressed vessels.



Accordingly, on 23rdMay 2020 SLNS Samudura first spotted the fleet of fishing trawlers swept away by the storm, about 550 nautical miles off the coast of Sri Lanka. Over the next two days, the naval ship continued to provide food, water, fuel, medical aid and repair assistance to these vessels. The multi-day fishing trawlers had departed from Kudawella, Ambalangoda and Galle fisheries harbors between 18th April and 05th May 2020. Responding promptly to this eventuality, the Navy managed to safely bring all these vessels and all the fishermen of these vessels to waters just off the Sri Lankan coast.
" " Archie Thompson, who died in 2013 at the age of 93, was a Yurok tribal elder and one of the last known active speakers raised in the native tribal language of Yurok. Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

The U.S. Census Bureau published a compilation of four years worth of data in 2011 to paint a picture of the state of Native North American languages. While the report, titled "Native North American Languages Spoken at Home in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2006 to 2010," made headlines and drew attention to the diversity of languages spoken among Native North Americans, it didn't illustrate the often-overlooked nuances between indigenous speakers.

Here are 5 facts you may not know about some of the most common native North American languages today.

Advertisement

1. "Navajo" Is the Most Common Native Language, but the Name Is Not Totally Accurate

The census stated that nearly 170,000 people speak Navajo, but that term isn't entirely accurate. "Navajo is a Southern Athabaskan language and a part of the larger Athabaskan or Dene language family (other members of the Southern Athabaskan branch include all the Apache languages)," Anthony K. Webster, professor in the University of Texas at Austin Department of Anthropology and Department of Linguistics and affiliate faculty in the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program, says via email. "Related languages can be found on the Pacific Coast (Tolowa, Hupa) and in Canada and Alaska."

Samantha Cornelius, adjunct professor in linguistics at the University of Texas at Arlington, also points out that the term "Navajo" as it refers to language isn't quite correct. "Navajo is an exonym," she says via email. An exonym, in case you're not familiar, is a name given to a place, person or thing by an outsider. "Recent papers on the language and works produced by the community use the name 'Dine bizaad' [or Dineh bizad, in an alternate spelling]: 'people's language.' "Navajo people are Dine, which just means 'people.'"

" " "Dineh Bizad" is the Navajo language handbook, still used to teach the language to beginners. The Washington Post/Getty Images

Advertisement

2. The Reported Number of "Native Speakers" Can Be Deceiving

While the census indicated a relatively high number of Navajo or Dine bizaad speakers, Webster says the stats should be taken with a grain of salt. "Such self-identified numbers should always be used with caution, since it begs several questions, including  and rather importantly  what it means to claim to be a speaker," he says. "Much research in linguistics and linguistic anthropology have asked questions about what it means to be a speaker  and it isn't so simple as 'knows the language'  because, as can be imagined, that begs questions as well."

According to Webster, we ought to be cautious about throwing the term "speaker" around since there are a lot of factors affecting if, how, and why someone identifies as one. "We should be careful with thinking of 'speaker' as a neutral term," he says. "Likewise, for a variety of reasons, people may or may not want to identify in such a manner (questions of speakers is not a linguistic question, it is a social question). Among the reasons, of course, is racism towards Navajos and the devaluing of Navajo language and culture over the decades. So to say that there are 169,000-plus speakers of Navajo, while seemingly precise, actually is rather ambiguous concerning what that actually means.

"With that caution in mind, the language is used primarily in the American Southwest and on and around the Navajo Nation (which covers parts of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico)," Webster says. "But Navajos live in all 50 states and they also live in a variety of countries around the world, so Navajo is not exclusively spoken or written on the Navajo Nation; Navajos use it when they call relatives, or Skype, or whatnot, or with friends and family. Likewise, you see Navajo on Twitter and Facebook (it is a written language); not all of these people live on the Navajo Nation."

Advertisement

3. People Are Preserving Native Languages in Many Different Ways

"Like many Native American languages, many Navajos are concerned that young people are not learning the language at a rate that will insure its persistence," Webster says. "But there are efforts to teach the language in schools (from early education to courses in high school to courses in college, including at Dine College), and a number of language materials have been produced over the years. There is the very good technical grammar and dictionary by the late Robert Young and the late William Morgan  'The Navajo Language.' There is also some literature written in Navajo  the poetry of Rex Lee Jim, of Laura Tohe (currently Poet Laureate of the Navajo Nation), and of others, is sometimes written in Navajo. Jim, the former Vice President of the Navajo Nation, recently published a book of poetry in Navajo and English."

"One can hear the language on the radio  on, for example, the Navajo Nation radio station, as well," Webster says. "One can also see public signs in Dine bizaad on the Navajo Nation."

Advertisement

4. Overarching Labels on Native Languages Don't Represent the Variety Within Categories

According to the census, there are 13,063 native speakers of "Apache," but that category is much broader than the poll indicates. "Apache is also a wide umbrella  there are many 'Apachean' languages, which include Dine bizaad, but no single language called Apache," Cornelius says.

"Apache actually covers a number of different languages," Webster says. "The largest  that is the one with the most speakers  is Western Apache and that's spoken in San Carlos and White Mountain (in Arizona), for example. My understanding is that there are over 10,000 speakers."

But those aren't the only two categories of Apache, according to Webster. "There are other Apache languages  Jicarilla Apache, spoken in northern New Mexico, on the reservation there; Mescalero Apache, Chiricahua Apache and Lipan Apache  spoken to varying degrees on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in south central New Mexico; and Plains Apache  spoken, again to varying degrees, in Oklahoma," he says. "All these languages are related historically (and related as well to Navajo)  think, for example, of English and German or Spanish and French. All of the Apache Tribes have language revitalization programs  that is, they are working to teach future generations of Apaches the language."

And while the census cited nearly 19,000 Yupik speakers, experts say that's an umbrella term as well that deserves a bit more clarification. "Yupik is the name of a language family, not a single language," Cornelius says. "Yupik refers to central Alaskan Yup'ik, which is the Yupik language (and indigenous language of Alaska) with the largest number of speakers. They are also the most populous Alaska native group."

Finally, while the term "Sioux" is the name for a confederacy of several native tribes, there are linguistic differences between these tribes. "Sioux, as far as I know, is a historic term that covers several languages/dialects that may or may not be mutually intelligible, including Lakota and Dakota," Cornelius says. "Lakota has several robust language revitalization efforts (Lakota Language Project, Lakota Language Consortium), which are separate from Dakota revitalization (Dakota Language Project) in coordination with Carleton College [in Minnesota]."

Advertisement

5. In the Age of COVID-19, Native Languages Are Proving Their Longevity and Resilience

"Both the Navajo and various Sioux Tribal governments have been in the news recently concerning their responses to COVID-19," Webster says. "They have asserted their sovereignty and the responsibility of keeping their people safe in the face of this global pandemic; the value of elder speakers of the language, of those with knowledge, is often quite important  certainly for Navajos that I know  and protecting their elders, protecting their relatives, is for many a priority. That history of racism recurs here as well.

"So it is a testament to the resilience of generations of Navajos that there is still a Navajo language being spoken today," Webster continues. "One cannot understand the present status of Native American languages without understanding that history of the United States."

Now That's Interesting The linguistic nuances of native languages are unique as well. "Navajo has no regular verbs," John H. McWhorter, associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, says via email. "And Apache is the same way because it's very close to Navajo. In Yupik, what we think of as a sentence is often a single long word. In Sioux, how you make an assertion or ask a question is different depending on whether you are a man or a woman."
Popular Nigerian journalist, Kemi Olunloyo has shared her interest in being Nigerias president someday.

The journalist, on Twitter, shared some things she would be doing to fight corruption if she becomes Nigerias president.

According to Kemi, some government parastatals are designed for corruption and her mission would be to dissolve them.

READ ALSO  Most Of Tachas Fans May Never Become Graduates  Kemi Olunloyo

Advertisement

Sharing on Twitter, she wrote: NSCDC, @NCDCgov NDDC all these sound-alike parastatals designed for corruption. Let me become president and you will see them DISSOLVED. Keep confusing the masses.

See Her Post Here:
Coronavirus Relief Funds Distributed Through New NC Pandemic Recovery Office (NC PRO)

COVID-19 Updates: Staying Informed & Prepared

Where You can Get Tested for COVID-19

Get All of the Latest Information in Spanish

Tweet of the Week

People need to have confidence in their safety for us to reignite our economy. Count on Me NC is an innovative partnership that will help restaurants and businesses protect their customers and employees from COVID-19. https://t.co/uJkq7iZJiw  Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 22, 2020

In the Age of Coronavirus, regarding the level of authority that North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has exacted in his rule over the People of his state: What would you consider that measure of Authoritarianism to be? Not enough to keep everyone in line. Too much and exceeded his authority by usurping the People's God given freedoms. Just about right. 88 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



Governor Cooper announced this week that the new NC Pandemic Recovery office, a temporary office that coordinates and oversees federal and state funds for COVID-19 recovery legislation, has issued payments to 59 counties from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF). This week, $85.4 million will be paid to counties that have completed their certification. The money can be used for medical and public health expenses related to virus response, such as testing, personal protective equipment, cleaning costs and overtime pay.said Governor Cooper.NC PRO will offer technical assistance for entities who receive funds as well as ensure proper reporting of state and federal funds paid out. For more information on NCPRO, the county payments or the new leadership in the office, go to the NCPRO website Read the Press Release to learn more about the funding levels and what the funds may be used for locally.It's important to rely on trusted sources of information about COVID-19. Keep up with the latest information on Coronavirus in North Carolina HERE Texttoto receive general information and updates about COVID-19 and North Carolina's response. Dial 2-1-1 provides free, confidential information and is available 24 hours a day to help you find resources within your community. They can connect you with people and groups that can help with questions about access to food, shelter, health care, employment and child care.Families who need food assistance for their children can texttoto find free meal sites in their communities.Make sure to prioritize your overall wellness and don't hesitate to seek additional help. Optum has a toll-free 24-hour Emotional Support Help Line atfor people who may be experiencing anxiety or stress due to Coronavirus.You can track the disease in real time through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' COVID-19 NC Dashboard . It includes detailed information about the state's COVID-19 confirmed cases, hospital capacity and more.On Wednesday, Governor Cooper and Dr. Mandy Cohen teamed up to answer questions from North Carolinas young people about the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch the Kids Q&A North Carolinians can now go online to find a testing site on the DHHS website . The list will be updated regularly as testing sites may shift in the coming weeks. There are more than 200 sample site locations in 54 North Carolina counties, some at no cost to the test taker. Doctors and clinicians may also do in-office testing.During this time it is imperative that everyone is informed about what is going on in our state. Governor Cooper's administration has been working to get information and resources translated for the Spanish speaking population in our state. Many of the Governor's press conferences press releases , and executive orders are available in Spanish. Resources are also available in Spanish on the DHHS website.
TDT | Manama

Bahrain called for a unified effort and cooperation between countries in the ongoing battle against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Health Minister Faeqa bint Said Al Saleh made the appeal as she joined representatives of 194 other World Health Organisation (WHO) member countries in a first-ever video-conference.

Bahrains statement was delivered by the Health Minister during the session. It highlighted concerted international efforts to combat COVID-19, which has taken a heavy toll on all sectors and put an unprecedented burden on health, social and economic services worldwide.

The Health Minister stressed the need to take comprehensive measures to limit the spread of the virus and find treatment. The statement underlined Bahrains integrated governmental approach in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, which contributed to slowing the spread of the pandemic.

It highlighted the efforts led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, pointing out the establishment of the National Taskforce for Combatting COVID-19 to manage all precautionary measures, take action to mitigate the pandemic fallout, mobilise the public, and implement world-standard tracing procedures.

The statement highlighted Bahrains keenness to provide the necessary funding to increase the capacity of hospitals, quarantine and isolation centres, and laboratory testing sites, and to develop a plan to secure the stocks needed to carry out lab tests, as well as intensive care equipment and protection equipment.

A complete plan was also drawn up to recruit, qualify and train the necessary manpower. The statement further underlined Bahrains COVID-19 case management and therapeutic capacity improvement, adding that the Kingdoms treatment protocols have proven effective in enabling a large number of infected patients recover.

It also noted that Bahrain was the first Arab country to join the WHOs Solidarity Trial, and that the Kingdom has also started clinical treatment experiments using plasma collected from recovered patients.
On Thursday, Mr. de Blasio said that between 200,000 and 400,000 people in New York could return to work under the first phase of recovery. But when questioned on Friday if the city was prepared for the coming spike in commuters, he appeared to dodge the issue, saying that many city dwellers would simply walk or bike to their jobs while others would drive or take taxis.

For the next few months, people are going to make their own choices, the mayor said. Some people are going to be comfortable with mass transit, some are not. We just have to be honest and real about that.

While Mr. Cuomo insisted that the subways were safe, he also said that it would be up to riders themselves not to create a public health risk by violating social distancing protocols.

We will need a cooperative public where if youre on a subway platform and you see it is crowded, OK, wait for the next one, he said.

Both leaders cautioned that while the dangers of the virus had receded, New Yorkers needed to continue taking measures to keep its spread in check. More than 5,000 people in the city tested positive for infection last week alone  a steep drop from early April, when 40,000 people a week were testing positive, but still a significant number.

Officials have required each of the states 10 regions to meet seven health-related metrics before beginning the reopening process. New York City, the only region that has yet to do so, has not reached the benchmark of having 30 percent of its hospital beds available  it was close, at 28 percent  nor has it deployed enough contact tracers to adequately track the spread of the disease.

The city currently has 1,700 contact tracers in place who will act as disease detectives, getting in touch with those who came in contact with a person with the virus in order to map potential vectors of infection. Having a robust contact tracing program is crucial to quelling the outbreak and paving the way to reopening. But in a sharp departure from tradition, the city took the project away from public health officials and gave it to the public hospital system.
Leaders of China and Britain, including Chris Patten, stand to attention at the handover ceremony in 1997 - Jason Reed REUTERS

The British government has broadened its offer of a "path to citizenship" to include almost three million Hong Kong residents, up from 350,000, as it ramps up pressure against China's move to crush dissent in the territory.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had already made the "unprecedented" offer to extend the visa rights of 350,000 existing British national overseas (BNO) passport holders unless China suspended its plans to impose a new national security law on Hong Kong.

Mr Raab said on Thursday that BNO passport holders would be able to come to the UK for 12, rather than six, months, creating a "pathway to citizenship".

But the prime minister's spokesman confirmed to The Telegraph that the offer would not just apply to existing valid BNO passport holders, but to the almost three million people in Hong Kong who were eligible for them - mainly former BNO passport holders who had let them lapse.

The document was issued to Hong Kong residents who were born before the UK handed the territory back to China in 1997.

The move was made because the new security law will undermine the existing legal commitments to protect the rights of Hong Kong people, the Home Office told the FT.

In a further sign of the growing international outcry over the new law, Lord Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, has called for a United Nations special envoy to be appointed to defend human rights in the city.

The establishment of an international contact group to coordinate a global response would be a positive way forward, said Lord Patten on Friday.

Moreover, the creation of a UN special envoy for Hong Kong would contribute both to monitoring human rights and encouraging dialogue and reconciliation. Many UN member states would see it as a constructive proposal worthy of support, he added.

Beijings rubberstamp parliament on Thursday approved the law which will tighten its control of Hong Kong by criminalising separatism, subversion, terrorism, foreign interference and acts of that threaten national security.

Story continues

Western nations and legal experts fear it will end Hong Kongs special autonomy, and effectively railroad the one country, two systems principle underpinning the binding agreement that governed the UKs handover of the city to China in 1997, ensuring its freedoms and way of life until 2047.

Chinas decision to impose the new national security law on Hong Kong lies in direct conflict with its international obligations under the principles of the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration, Dominic Raab, the UK foreign secretary said this week in a joint statement with his Australian, Canadian and US counterparts.

China's foreign ministry lashed out with the threat of "counter measures" on Friday if the UK moved forward with the plan for BNO passport holders.

The foreign ministry also condemned the UK for meddling in Hong Kong, claiming it was butting into what are "purely China's internal affairs, and no outside interference is allowed." Beijing has before accused the UK for failing to shed its colonial mindset by thinking it could still influence Hong Kong matters.

Lord Patten was backed in his calls for the intervention of a UN special envoy by Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Director of the International Bar Associations Human Rights Institute, who said it was vitally important that the United Nations acts with urgency.

She added: A UN Special Envoy could prevent this crisis escalating beyond control. We are reaching a point from which there might be no return and the only body with the authority to act as mediator is the UN.

London-based advocacy group Hong Kong Watch this week coordinated a joint letter of close to 700 parliamentarians and dignitaries from 36 countries in opposition to the national security law. Signatories included Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury and Samantha Power the former US ambassador to the UN.

Benedict Rogers, the groups chair, said a UN envoy could help prevent a terrible disaster unfolding in Hong Kong.

As we approach the anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre, the world must do everything possible to help de-escalate the situation, protect human rights and prevent a similar tragedy recurring in Hong Kong, he said.

Hong Kong's chief executive issued a letter to the city's people asking them to support national security legislation - Justin Chin/Bloomberg

Dr Darren Mann, a Hong Kong-based British surgeon who has provided humanitarian assistance on the frontline of the often-violent protests that have rocked the city since last June, added his voice to the calls.

Earlier this year, he instigated an investigation by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention into the alleged police harassment, intimidation and arrest of frontline medics during the citys pro-democracy protests.

Chinas heedless imposition of a National Security Law on Hong Kong will further escalate tensions in the community and likely lead to greater outbursts of public anger and civil rights protest, he said.

Clearly it is time for the Secretary-General of the United Nations to appoint a Special Envoy to Hong Kong as the risk of large-scale bloodshed on the streets has never been greater.

The impact of the Hong Kong protests is also being felt on university campuses around the world.

Drew Pavlou, an Australian student activist, was suspended for two years from the University of Queensland on Friday after leading campus support for Hong Kongs pro-democracy movement and public accusations of Chinese influence at the institution.

Riot police mass detain pro-democracy protesters during a rally in Causeway Bay - Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

His suspension followed a closed disciplinary hearing about whether Mr Pavlou, a humanities student, breached the campus code of conduct, which the university maintains was not related to his criticism of its ties to China.

He has denied all charges and believes he is being hounded for his activism. Mr Pavlou told the Telegraph he had been given no grounds for his dismissal and would immediately appeal to the Supreme Court of Queensland.

Were basically preparing the appeal. Were going to keep fighting. Nothing is going to stop us, he said.

Mr Pavlous activism began last year after organising an on-campus pro-Hong Kong rally that turned violent during a stand-off with pro-Beijing supporters.

In an interview he said he has since received ongoing death threats. Some of them have been so personal - well find your house, hire a hitman, kill your family, he said.

The pressure is insane... Being thrust into public life like that and with all those threats and the intimidation and thuggery its been really difficult and taken a tremendous toll on my personal relationships, my mental health, he added.

But I cant ever give it up and never will because I care so deeply about the rights of Hong Kongers, Uighurs, Chinese people, Tibetans. I care so deeply for human rights.

In an extraordinary development, UQs chancellor Peter Varghese issued a statement saying he had concerns about the actions of the disciplinary panel.

There are aspects of the findings and the severity of the penalty which personally concern me, he said, adding that he would convene a meeting of the university senate next week to discuss the matter.
We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So before you buy or sell China Suntien Green Energy Corporation Limited (HKG:956), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.

What Is Insider Buying?

Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock in the company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.

We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.

Check out our latest analysis for China Suntien Green Energy

China Suntien Green Energy Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

There wasn't any very large single transaction over the last year, but we can still observe some trading.

The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

SEHK:956 Recent Insider Trading May 29th 2020

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Insider Ownership of China Suntien Green Energy

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Our data isn't picking up on much insider ownership at China Suntien Green Energy, though insiders do hold about HK$255k worth of shares. But they may have an indirect interest through a corporate structure that we haven't picked up on. This level of insider ownership is notably low, and not very encouraging.

Story continues

What Might The Insider Transactions At China Suntien Green Energy Tell Us?

The fact that there have been no China Suntien Green Energy insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. We'd like to see bigger individual holdings. However, we don't see anything to make us think China Suntien Green Energy insiders are doubting the company. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. To help with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs (1 is significant!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in China Suntien Green Energy.

But note: China Suntien Green Energy may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announces new rules for restaurants, bars, cafes to serve only take-out & delivery, movie theaters, gyms to close because of COVID-19 epidemic at City Hall.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio condemned the four Minneapolis officers involved in the death of George Floyd, saying this "horrifying" situation cannot happen again.

"I watched that video and my heart broke. It was ... I could not believe the officer's lack of concern, and it was horrifying, and it just can't go on this way," de Blasio said at a news briefing on Friday.

Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, died Monday after a white police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest while ignoring Floyd's pleas for help. A video that captured Floyd gasping and saying "I can't breathe" set off a national outcry and led to violent protests in Minneapolis. The officers involved in the confrontation were fired, but no charges have been filed.

On Thursday, de Blasio said in a tweet that Floyd was murdered and would still be alive if he were white.

tweet

De Blasio received some backlash on social media after urging that criminal charges be filed immediately against the police officers. The New York Police Department has also come under scrutiny for instances of police brutality. The officer who applied the fatal chokehold on Eric Garner in New York City in 2014 during de Blasio's first year in office was removed from his job only five years later.

On Garner's death, de Blasio said he's been "really clear about the fact we made a mistake, I made a mistake in believing the U.S. Department of Justice would do its job, and I will be very blunt and clear about that. When the city took over there was due process, there was a trial, our police commissioner made a decision, it was the right decision."

"The thing I feel very clearly in retrospect is we should've ignored the Department of Justice because what they did was unconscionable in not acting and just moved ahead and that's what we'll do from now on absolutely," he said.

When asked whether Garner would be alive today if he were white, de Blasio said, "absolutely."

Correction: This article was revised to recast the circumstances surrounding the Eric Garner case.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
As Delhi reported more than 1,000 new Covid-19 cases for the second consecutive day, the state government on Friday ordered setting up of at least 3,350 new beds, including paid hospital and quarantine facilities in hotels, in a bid to deal with the surging number of coronavirus infections in the city.

On Friday, 1,106 new cases of Covid-19 were added to the citys tally, taking the total number of cases to 17,386. However, with the addition of 1,106 cases to Delhis tally of 16,281 from Thursday, Fridays cases should have stood at 17,387. There was no immediate clarification from the government on the discrepancy on Friday evening. On Thursday, Delhi had crossed the key threshold of 1,000 cases on a single day for the first time, reporting 1,024 positive infections.

For the first time, the government notified five hotels to be fully used as extended Covid hospitals for patients with moderate symptoms such as a respiratory rate of 15 to 30 (normal is 12-20 breaths per minute) and oxygen saturation of 90-94% (normal is 95 -100%). A total of 1,000 beds are being readied in these paid facilities.

Two Delhi government hospitals with 200 beds each were also converted into dedicated Covid hospitals, adding 400 beds, in a second order. The two hospitals are Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital in Ashok Vihar-IV, Wazirpur and Satyawadi Raja Harish Chandra Hospital in Narela. Treatment here will be free, like other government facilities.

The government, in a third order, earmarked 500 beds at GTB hospital for Covid patients. Officials said 1,000 more beds as previously announced by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will be opened in the facility at a later stage.

In a fourth order, the government set aside 1,870 rooms in 10 plush hotels as paid quarantine facilities for those with mild symptoms such as fever and upper respiratory tract infection, who do not want to isolate themselves at home.

The hotels include JW Marriot, Le Meridien and IBIS. Two of the 10 hotelsHotel Sheraton in Saket and Hotel Surya in New Friends Colony will also serve as extended Covid hospitals. The prices range from 3,100 plus taxes to 4,800 plus taxes per night, including three meals, depending on the hotel and room.

The government had earlier, though, offered paid quarantines facilities at a few Aerocity hotels in the initial days of the Covid-19 pandemic for those coming from abroad.

In a digital press conference on Friday, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said the government was fully geared up to handle more than 1,000 cases a day. We have more than 5,000 beds for coronavirus treatment in Delhi. Out of this, 1,400 beds are in private hospitals and 3,700 in government hospitals. The number of patients currently on ventilator is 28. We have more than 300 dedicated ventilators available currently in Delhi. Our aim is to double the number of beds in the coming days against the number of patients right now, the minister said.

After Fridays orders, Delhi will have more than 6,500 Covid beds. This includes part of the 2,000 beds available in 117 private hospitals on a need basis. Before Fridays orders, only around 2,500 beds were vacant in the city.

The hotel-hospital facilities, ranging from 5-star to 3-star, have been attached to five private hospitals that will have to provide all medical services and treat patients there. In case the condition of any Covid patient admitted in these hotel-hospitals turns severe, he or she will have to be transferred to the attached hospital, the order stated.

The hotels that have been fully taken over are Hotel Crown Plaza in Okhla Phase 1 (attached to Batra hospital research centre), Hotel Sheraton in Saket (Max Smart Super Specialty hospital), Hotel Surya in New Friends Colony (Indraprastha Apollo hospital), Hotel Siddharth in Rajendra Place (Dr. BL Kapur Memorial hospital) and hotel Jivitesh at Pusa Road (Sir Ganga Ram hospital).

Covid patients opting for the hotel facility will have to pay a minimum of 63,000 for a 3-4 star hotel for a weeks stay, which is the period mandated for patients with mild symptoms. If it is a 5-star facility, treatment for seven days would cost at least 70,000. In addition, if the patient needs oxygen support, 2,000 will be charged on a daily basis. If it is 14 days, a patient will have to spend at least 1.26 lakh. The price will keep on increasing, depending on the medical investigation and treatment. The hospitals will charge investigation and medical services provided at the hotels at their respective scheduled rates.

The hotel shall provide regular hotel services, including rooms, housekeeping, disinfection and food for the patients, etc, at the price not greater than 5,000 for five-star hotel and 4,000four/three star hotel per day per person. The linked hotel shall be paid an amount, not greater than 5,000 per patient per day for their medical services to Covid-19 patients inclusive of all consumables, services of doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and nursing staff etc as per norms, the order stated.

A senior government official said a mobile application and a web portal will be launched in 2-3 days to help Covid patients to check the availability of beds across all designated hospitals and choose accordingly.

To ensure asymptomatic Covid patients do not panic and choose home quarantine instead of insisting on being admitted, the Delhi government on Friday evening also aired a video on news channels, informing people about the dos and donts of home quarantine.

In the presser, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had said around 80-90% of infected people are recovering in home quarantine. Some, he said, did not even need any kind of medication and recovered on their own in two weeks.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has constituted a special team that calls all patients under home quarantine at least twice a day to monitor their health. Special directives have been issued for the patients, attendants, and family members of the Corona-positive patients, which are conveyed to them time and again. The home isolation period is normally 14 days, but will also depend on how strictly a patient adheres to the guidelines of home isolation as issued by the Delhi government, Sisodia said.

Patients who are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms are advised to stay in home isolation.

Dr Lalit Kant, former epidemiology and communicable diseases head at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said it is best for Covid patients with no symptoms or mild symptoms to be under home quarantine instead of getting admitted into a hospital or a Covid care or health centre.

Asymptomatic patients and even those with mild symptoms are better off at their homes. Going to the hospital only increases the risk of contracting unwanted infections. Also, since you have your own toilets and beds, there is a higher degree of comfort attached with home quarantine compared to hospitals, no matter how good it is. Government centres are typically needed for the economically weaker sections who have homes so small that they cannot practise self-isolation, said Kant.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
A pregnant mum who inflicted cruel punishments on a four-year-old boy, including forcing him to drink Dettol, has been sentenced to five years in prison.

The 32-year-old, who has not been named, also tied the boy to a chair and made him stand under a cold shower for ten minutes.

The woman was heavily pregnant with her fourth child in May 2014, when the boy and his mother came to stay at her home in Doonside, west Sydney.

One one occasion, she accused the youngster of giving her a 'dirty look' and forced him to drink Dettol until he vomited.

She also stuck the boy on top of a freezer, which he soon fell off and hit his head.

The pregnant-mum forced another woman's four-year-old son to drink Dettol (pictured), which made him vomit, as one of a series of cruel punishments

When the same four-year-old called her a 'motherf***er', she tied him to a chair - binding his hands behind his back - and placed him under a freezing shower for ten minutes.

He was heard yelling 'let me out, I want my mother'. He now lives with a fear of showers.

The woman was known to dish out harsh punishments to her own three children, making them stand in a corner for one minute for each years of their age.

NSW District Court judge Deborah Sweeney said the woman was helped by a 26-year-old man.

The woman was found guilty of detaining the boy for advantage, causing a person to take a poison with the intention of causing distress or pain, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company.

Judge Sweeney acquitted the woman of other charges, but jailed her for five years - saying 'there was a cruelty in the offender's conduct against a vulnerable young boy'.

The court heard the woman was of previous good character and had not offended since the incidents.

The four-year-old's mother has already been sentenced, while a man staying att he home is serving a minimum 12-year jail term.

His admitted numerous offences, including forcing the boy to hold a brick over his head for several hours.
Japanese Study to Find Site for Missile Defence System Delayed Due to COVID-19 - Reports

Sputnik News

06:05 GMT 28.05.2020

TOKYO (Sputnik) - An ongoing study in northern Japan to find a suitable site for the deployment of a US-made Aegis Ashore ground-based missile system has been delayed due to the ongoing coronavirus disease outbreak, the NHK broadcaster reported on Thursday citing a source involved in the investigation.

In December 2017, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved plans to install two US-made Aegis Ashore missile defense units, each costing approximately $900 million, in response to ballistic missile tests conducted by North Korea.

Studies have been ongoing to find a suitable site in northern Japan for the deployment of the missile defense system. The second investigation was set to be completed in May, although the broadcaster cited a source inside the study who stated that work had been delayed due to the ongoing coronavirus disease outbreak.

The delay is estimated to last a month, the broadcaster cited the source as saying.

The Japanese authorities had previously planned to install one of the systems at the Araya Ground Self-Defence Force training complex in the northern city of Akita, although these plans were reportedly shelved after fierce pushback from local residents. The government later denied that it had scrapped proposals to deploy the system in Akita prefecture.

According to media reports, the government hopes to deploy the second of the two Aegis Ashore units in the southern Yamaguchi prefecture.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in January expressed doubts as to whether the Aegis Ashore missile defense systems would solely serve to protect Japan from the threat of ballistic missiles from North Korea.

A Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






A heartwarming video of a nonagenarian couple reuniting after months of separation brought about by the outbreak of novel coronavirus has made its way to the internet.

Shared on Twitter, the incident took place in New York. The short clip shows the Walter Willard fondly kissing his wife Jean Willard.

Walter and Jean have been married for 70 years. However, last year Walter suffered a pelvis injury and had to be admitted to a hospital. Later on, Jean developed signs of dementia, reported CBS 6 quoting the couples daughter Wendy Willard and Wanda Glenn.

Watch the adorable video:

After spending months apart due to the #COVID19, 89yr old Jean & 91yr old Walter Willard, who have been married for 70 years, were reunited at their nursing home in Troy, New York pic.twitter.com/IT7662G30I Kevin W. (@Brink_Thinker) May 22, 2020

The report added that the nursing home was nearby the couples house. Walter used to regularly visit his wife in the hospital. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic forced the hospital to disallow people coming from the outside so as to prevent the spread of the virus.

Then the report goes on to say that in the midst of the novel coronavirus Walter fell and suffered brain injuries. His daughters got their father treated and he had to be admitted to a rehabilitation facility. But, soon his daughter thought her father needed an out of the box treatment. She wrote a letter to the staff of her mothers hospital staff, asking them to allow Walter to meet Jean.

I told him what we were afraid of, were afraid were going to lose one of them and theyre never going to have seen each other again, and I asked 'is there anything you can do? Were willing to take the risk, my dad is willing to take the risk. Wendy said.

The hospital management had a change of heart and they allowed the couple to see each other.
The Management of 37 Military Hospital wants more Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to be made available to the facility to meet the demands of its staff in the delivery of quality healthcare.

The Commander of the Hospital, Brigadier General Nii Adjah Obodai in an interview with Citi News the hospital is currently running low on its stocks and fears that in the facility may not have PPEs for the use of its staff.

Speaking at a short presentation ceremony after receiving nose masks and mobile phones worth GHS 30,000 from debt recovery and private investigation firm, Tiger Force Consult, he said more corporate organizations should emulate the gesture.

We were running very low on our stocks. We probably thought we were just going for a short-haul [of COVID-19] but here we are, still at it. Unfortunately, we are running low on supplies. The numbers that we have to use are more than the PPE [we have]. If we have 2,900 personnel and everyone has to wear a face mask in the hospital and I'm doing about 7,000 surgical masks a week, you can imagine the numbers I'm dealing with. Then I come to N95 for those who are actually treating the sick patients. So there is a lot that goes with it. So this donation is very significant. It will go a long way to push the levels of stocks that we have, he said.

On his part, the CEO of Tiger Force Consult, Percy Dickson Boamah said the move forms part of the companys efforts to help in containing the spread of the virus.

We brought 1,000 pieces of N95 masks, 2,500 pieces of the surgical mask and then five pieces of KTA mobile phones. We have frontline workers and definitely, they need to communicate. For instance, if a patient is in dire need or a colleague needs the other, definitely, they'll need a mobile phone. So we gave it to them to aid communication. For now, 37 Military Hospital has really created that awareness. Theyve made us understand the situation. Before, we thought that things were okay but we realized that is not the case so we decided to stretch our hands to help, he stated.

Many health facilities across the country have been calling for the provision of PPE for their staff, especially as more cases of health workers being infected by COVID-19 are announced.

Recently, the Western Region reportedly had 43 health workers testing positive; while the Eastern and Ashanti Regions recorded 15 and 30 cases respectively.

 citinewsroom
A property raffle has added a 30,000 car to its original prize pot of a 500,000 London flat in a bid to tempt more customers to purchase tickets.

Raffle House has been selling tickets at 10 per entry for the two bedroom flat in Whitechapel since July last year, promising to hand over the property even if it didn't mean its target of 60,000 tickets sold.

However, it has now added a 30,000 new Land Rover Discovery to the prize, just two months before the competition closes on July 31.

A property raffle has added a 30,000 car to its original prize pot of a 500,000 London flat

The 'professional house raffle firm' has come under fire previously for failing to give away the promised property and instead offering a reduced cash prize instead.

This time round, it has promised to give away the property no matter how many tickets are purchased  selling 40,000 so far  20,000 shy of its target amount.

As well as offering the East London property, the winner of the competition is also now able to claim the 30,000 market value of the Land Rover Discover in cash, instead of the car itself, it they so desire.

In addition to awarding the property, Raffle House said it will also cover stamp duty costs, legal fees, 3,000 to cover the first year's utilities, council tax and other such necessities.

Tickets cost 10 each with discounts available for multiple ticket purchases, for example, those who buy three tickets, get four free whilst those who purchase 10, will get 15 free.

Everyone who buys a ticket is also automatically entered into a weekly prize draw where 1,000 is given away.

Another 10,000 worth of tickets have also been given away to NHS workers for free, during the coronavirus pandemic.

Giveaway: The 500k East London property that is currently up for grabs from Raffle House

Tickets cost 10 each with discounts available for buyers who make multiple ticket purchases

Benno Spencer, chief executive of Raffle House, said: 'These are uncertain and worrying times and we hope that our competition will bring fun, excitement and a little optimism to those that enter.

'Of course, for one lucky player it could prove to be absolutely life-changing  the property must be won regardless of whether we meet the ticket threshold or not, so someone is going to be leaving lockdown with a whole new life ahead of them.'

The East London home has been valued at 500,000 by Kings Group, an estate and letting agents operating in London, which also advised the property would get a monthly rental income of 2,100.

The flat has been valued at 500k by Kings Group, an estate and letting agents in London

It added that it may bring the draw date forward if the target is met before the closing date.

However, as it still has 20,000 tickets to sell in under two months, this is unlikely to happen.

Raffle House previously told This is Money that the business would cover the shortfall should it not sell enough tickets and that, as it is setting up a long-term interest in the property raffle industry, it is capable of operating sub-profit due to its investment.

It also confirmed that it will not be extending the date past July 31 and no matter how many tickets are sold by then, the property will be given away.

The company's previous offering of a Brixton flat ended with the winner taking home a 173,000 cheque instead - after the competition had been extended multiple times thanks to the firm not being able to sell enough tickets.
This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions
A Jamaat Ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist was arrested on Friday morning from a hideout in Suti in Murshidabad district by the Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police. Kolkata STF along with the local faction of West Bengal Police in Jangipur nabbed Abdul Karim.

The accused Abdul Karim alias Boro Karim was wanted in connection with a warrant issued way back on 29th November 2017. "He was the main leader of the Dhuliyan module and would actively supply logistics and support, shelter top leaders like Saleuddin." said a senior level officer of Kolkata STF. In 2018, STF had seized a substantial quantity of explosives and material from Karim's house during a sudden raid, but he escaped and STF had been trying to nab him since.

READ | Pulwama IED-attack Foiled: Drone Video Shows Terrorists' Car Being Detonated By Bomb Squad

READ | NIA Files Charge Sheet Against Narco-terrorist In Heroin Seizure Case

'One of the top 3 wanted JMB terrorist'

Karim's name was mentioned as the main operative also by JMB terrorists in Bangladesh during their interrogation. Karim was one of the top three wanted JMB terrorists in India. Karim is said to have a connection in the 2018 Bodh Gaya blast case. However, Karim has not been named in the National Investigative Agency(NIA) charge sheet in the Bodh Gaya case, though he has been under the scanner. Five persons were arrested by the NIA in connection with the case.

The blast dates back to January 2018 when a low-intensity bomb exploded in Bodh Gaya in Bihar a few hours after Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lamas sermon at the Mahabodhi temple.

READ | J&K Police Identify Terrorist Behind Pulwama IED Attempt; Attack Planned On May 11 Earlier

READ | Fake Number Plate On Terrorists' Pulwama IED Car Came From BSF Jawan's Scooter: Sources

Top JMB terrorist arrested
Pune, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global 3D printing materials market size is projected to reach USD 3.78 billion by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 12.1% during the forecast period. Extensive utilization of 3D printing materials in the aerospace industry will be one of the main growth drivers for this market, according to the Fortune Business Insights report, titled 3D Printing Materials Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Plastics, Metals, Ceramics, and Others), By End-Users (Automotive, Aerospace & Defense, Industrial, Medical, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026. The aerospace industry has been harnessing the power of 3D printing technology for the past few decades. 3D printing materials are commonly used in this industry to build design prototypes through processes such as material jetting and SLA.

Furthermore, organizations such as NASA and the Air Force also use surrogate parts that developed via 3D printing to act as placeholder parts, replicating components that are later installed during the finally assembly. Thus, this additive technology and its materials have high demand in aerospace and are likely to remain so in the foreseeable future.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis:

The emergence of COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill. We understand that this health crisis has brought an unprecedented impact on businesses across industries. However, this too shall pass. Rising support from governments and several companies can help in the fight against this highly contagious disease. Some industries are struggling and some are thriving. Overall, almost every sector is anticipated to be impacted by the pandemic.

We are making continuous efforts to help your business sustain and grow during COVID-19 pandemics. Based on our experience and expertise, we will offer you an impact analysis of coronavirus outbreak across industries to help you prepare for the future.





Get Sample PDF Brochure with Short-Term and Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on 3D Printing Materials Market,

Please Visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/covid19-impact/3d-printing-material-market-102296





The report states that the market value stood at USD 1.53 billion in 2018. It further answers the following questions:

What is overall industry outlook and upcoming trends that will influence the market growth?

Which other factors are driving and restraining the market?

How has the market been segmented?

How are changes in regional dynamics impacting the growth of the market?

Who are the top companies in the market and what are their key strategies?

Market Driver

Rising Applicability of 3D Printing in Healthcare to Stoke Market Growth

The 3D printing materials market growth is slated to get augmented in the coming years owing to the widening applicability of additive manufacturing techniques in the healthcare sector. Recent breakthroughs in this sector using 3D printing are a testament to its vast potential. For example, in 2019, TU Wien, a renowned Austrian university, developed a unique bio-ink to embed cells in a 3D matrix using 3D printing materials. These embedded cells are expected to enable controlled investigation of cell behavior and tissue growth. Another milestone was reached January 2020, when researchers at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine located the structural proteins in swine ovaries. This finding can empower medical professionals to create artificial ovaries in humans using 3D printing materials and processes. Thus, this technology offers promising prospects for the healthcare industry and help breach new frontiers of medical research.

Regional Analysis

Strong Funding for Industrial R&D to Propel the Market in North America

North America is anticipated to dominate the 3D printing materials market share during the forecast period in terms of revenue and size. In 2018, the regions market size was at USD 0.58 billion owing to the surging demand for 3D printing in the aerospace, defense, and medical industries. This demand is rooted in the fact that this technology is both energy-efficient and cost-effective. In Europe, additive manufacturing is being heavily employed to produce implants and prosthetics for the healthcare sector. On the other hand, the market in Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at an impressive rate on account of the wide usage of 3D printing materials in various end-user industries, including automotive, healthcare, and military.





Browse Summary of This Research Report with Detailed Table of Content:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/3d-printing-material-market-102296





Competitive Landscape

Strategic Launch of Advanced Products to Intensify Market Competition

The development and launch of advanced additive solutions and materials is rapidly emerging as the dominant strategy among players in this market. Apart from this, companies are collaborating to expand their innovation capabilities and deepen their foothold in the market.

Industry Developments:

September 2019: US-based 3D Systems released the Figure 4 PRO BLK 10 material for its Figure 4 digital production systems. The product is the companys maiden thermoplastics-based photopolymer, designed for durable, strong, and precise injection molded components.

US-based 3D Systems released the Figure 4 PRO BLK 10 material for its Figure 4 digital production systems. The product is the companys maiden thermoplastics-based photopolymer, designed for durable, strong, and precise injection molded components. May 2019: Solvay, the Belgian chemical major, entered into an agreement with the Israeli 3D printer manufacturer, Stratasys, to collaboratively develop high-performance additive manufacturing filaments to be deployed in FDM F900 3D Printers of Stratasys. These materials will be designed to meet the requirements in the aerospace industry.



List of Companies Profiled in the 3D Printing Materials Market Report are:

American Elements

Covestro AG

Hoganas AB

GE Additive

Royal DSM N.V.

EOS GmbH

Materialise NV

Stratasys Ltd.

Solvay

BASF SE

Evonik Industries AG

ExOne

Arkema

3D Systems, Inc.





Quick Buy  3D Printing Materials Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/102296







Detailed Table of Content:

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Key Emerging Trends  For Major Countries Key Developments: Mergers, Acquisition, Partnership, etc. Latest Technological Advancement Insights on Regulatory Scenario Porters Five Forces Analysis

Global 3D Printing Materials Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2015-2026 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Type Plastics Metals Ceramics Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By End-User Automotive Aerospace & Defense Industrial Medical Consumer Products Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Region North America Europe Asia pacific Rest of World



TOC Continued!!!







Get your Customized Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/3d-printing-material-market-102296







Have a Look at Related Research Insight:

Aluminum Composite Panels Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By Product (Polyvinylidene Difluoride, Polyester, Laminating Coating, Oxide Film, and Others), By Application (Building & Construction, Advertising Boards, Automotive, By Vehicle {Cars, By Parts [Doors, Hoods, Wings, Side Panels, and Others], Commercial Vehicles, and Trailers}, Railways, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026

Gypsum Board Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Standard Board, Type X, and Others), By Application (New Housing, New Commercial, and Rework & Remodel), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026

Automotive Composites Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By Fiber (Glass, Carbon and Natural), By Resin Type (Thermoset and Thermoplastics), By Application (Exterior, Interior, Structure & Power train, and Other), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026

Carbon Nanotubes Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By Product (Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) and Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNT)), By Application (Plastics & Composites, Electrical & Electronics, Energy, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026

Aerospace Composites Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By Fiber Type (Carbon, Glass, Aramid, and Others), By Aircraft (Commercial Aircrafts, Military Fixed Wings, Business Aircrafts & General Aviation, Jet Engines, Helicopter and others), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026



About Us:

Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them to address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in.

Our reports contain a unique mix of tangible insights and qualitative analysis to help companies achieve sustainable growth. Our team of experienced analysts and consultants use industry-leading research tools and techniques to compile comprehensive market studies, interspersed with relevant data.

At Fortune Business Insights, we aim at highlighting the most lucrative growth opportunities for our clients. We, therefore, offer recommendations, making it easier for them to navigate through technological and market-related changes. Our consulting services are designed to help organizations identify hidden opportunities and understand prevailing competitive challenges.

Contact Us:

Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd.

308, Supreme Headquarters,

Survey No. 36, Baner,

Pune-Bangalore Highway,

Pune - 411045, Maharashtra, India.

Phone:

US: +1 424 253 0390

UK: +44 2071 939123

APAC: +91 744 740 1245

Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com

Fortune Business Insights

LinkedIn | Twitter | Blogs


KYODO NEWS - May 29, 2020 - 20:30 | All, Japan, World

Ruling party lawmakers on Friday urged the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to consider withdrawing its invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Japan as a state guest, citing concerns over Beijing's attempts to tighten its grip on Hong Kong.

Two panels of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party submitted a resolution to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, expressing "serious concern" over the situation in the semi-autonomous former British colony.]

The resolution called on the government to "carefully consider" whether the visit should still go ahead, underscoring the views of conservative LDP members, who have been critical of China's poor human rights record and continued assertiveness in waters surrounding the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands, claimed by China.

Xi's visit, which would include a summit with Abe as well as a meeting with Emperor Naruhito and a banquet at the Imperial Palace, had been slated to take place this spring but was postponed due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

Related coverage:

China's national security law divides Hong Kong

Japan "seriously concerned" about China's security law for Hong Kong

FOCUS: Sino-U.S. strains over Hong Kong may ignite tensions in East Asia

The Chinese parliament on Thursday decided to introduce a national security law to crack down on what it views as subversive activity in Hong Kong, a move many Western countries have strongly criticized.

The resolution, compiled by the party's Foreign Affairs Division and Research Commission on Foreign Affairs, stressed that Hong Kong must remain free and open, and asked Abe to put pressure on China on the matter.

Yasuhide Nakayama, head of the division, said the document had initially been meant just to condemn China, but there was a growing consensus among the participants in a meeting on Friday that Xi's visit should not happen under the current circumstances.

The government has maintained that the visit will take place eventually, with Suga saying Thursday that Japan and China will "remain in communication" on the matter.

Under a 1997 agreement between Britain and China, Hong Kong was promised "a high degree of autonomy," except in matters of foreign policy and defense, for a period of 50 years.
It is a modern type-2 unit for urgencies, which contains the equipment and tools necessary for the evacuation of locals, as well as of national and foreign tourists to hospitals located in the city of Cusco.





Said vehicle will be linked to the platform of a Perurail company locomotive, which will travel the stations from Machu Picchu Town to Ollantaytambo and then continue its journey to Cusco.





"The ambulance was a concern that led us to sit down to talk with the Governor of Cusco Jean Paul Benavente and the Diresa head, and it has finally become a reality," he told Andina news agency.









This unit is the first that Machu Picchu Town relies on after several requests. Until two weeks ago the municipality requested a rolling ambulance given that the town could only be accessed by rail.





The town of Machu Picchu registered up to 10,000 people, including locals, as well as domestic and foreign tourists.





Health emergencies or accidents used to be attended at a precarious health center belonging to the Ministry of Health, but it is now under reconstruction.
The final price drop of the fall radio Sale-a-thon is underway!!!

During the Sale-a-thon, you may call in your buys during business hours at 406-228-9336 or e-mail anytime at kltz@kltz.com.

If you e-mail but do NOT hear back from us within 12 hours please call us to verify that we received your buys.

If you make purchases on Monday, please give us until Tuesday to pick up your gift certificates!!

KLTZ/Mix-93 reserves the right to refuse service to anyone and to limit number of gift certificates sold to any one individual or household!!!

Items sold are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Gift certificates may not be used on existing bills!

Once a certificate is issued, it will not be re-printed.

Please note that the online inventory of the Sale-a-thon may lag slightly behind actual availability.




TAIPEI, Taiwan  Taiwans constitutional court on Friday struck down an 85-year-old law that made adultery a crime punishable by up to a year in prison, a decision hailed by activists as a major step forward for womens rights on the island.

The law is a violation of a persons sexual autonomy and a serious invasion of personal privacy, Chief Justice Hsu Tzong-li said during a news conference announcing the ruling. While adultery may violate the marital promise, he added, it does not necessarily harm the public interest.

With the ruling, Taiwan has become the latest place in Asia to decriminalize marital infidelity  following South Korea in 2015 and India in 2018  and one of the last non-Muslim places in the world to take it off the criminal books. Some U.S. states still have criminal adultery laws, though they are not typically enforced.

While Taiwans law did not differentiate between gender, activists say it has been disproportionately used against women: They have been 20 percent more likely than men to be convicted of the charge, according to the International Commission of Jurists, a human rights group.
At Dick's Sporting Goods, people wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing wander the Glendale Galleria on Thursday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County officials are hoping to find out as early as Friday whether they'll be allowed to reopen restaurants for in-person dining, along with barbershops and hair salons.

The county submitted its variance application on Wednesday to the state, which decides if counties can reopen at an accelerated rate if they meet certain COVID-19 benchmarks.

Thus far, that variance approval has been granted within days for 47 counties, including all that surround L.A. County. The variance for Ventura County was approved within 48 hours.

Regional data shows we have flattened the curve, indicating our readiness to move forward in phased recovery," Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement. Barger expressed hope that the approval would be granted by Friday. "This will put Los Angeles County on a level playing field with surrounding counties, which have already been granted variances."

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who established the variance process in May, has cautioned residents that, although businesses across the state are starting to reopen, the threat of the coronavirus is not over.

The reality is, this has just begun, Newsom said at his news conference on Tuesday. It hasnt ended. And while we are moving forward because of stabilization, because of the good work thats been done by health officials all across this nation, all across the state of California, specifically, to suppress the spread of this virus, by no stretch of the imagination is this virus behind us."

Some counties have already tapered expectations after getting approval to reopen. This week, officials in Sonoma County, one of the first counties to begin reopening, were forced to decide they wouldn't reopen in-store retail, hair salons and places of worship after easing restrictions earlier this month and watching the case rate double.

And in Santa Clara County, the county's health officer Dr. Sara Cody expressed concerns Tuesday that California risks a surge in cases if it reopens too many sectors of society too quickly.

Story continues

Since early May, the state has shifted away from the stay-at-home model and has made significant modifications with increasing frequency, Cody said. The pace at which the state has made these modifications is concerning to me.

In its application to the state, L.A. County officials make the case that the county has met the criteria created by the California Department of Public Health to reopen.

For example, Los Angeles County had to prove that the prevalence of COVID-19 cases is low enough that, if the stay-at-home order is eased and cases undoubtedly increase, the county will have the capacity to respond.

Los Angeles County reported a decline in its total number of hospitalized patients, a seven-day average of daily percent change of -1%, according to the variance application.

L.A. County also had to prove that the prevalence of the coronavirus spreading in the community was low enough to reopen. The state's criteria is: fewer than 25 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days, or less than 8% testing positive in the past seven days.

L.A. County was able to meet the latter, with 6.5% people testing positive in the past seven days, according to the variance application. Meanwhile, the county saw almost 100 cases (98.7) per 100,000 people in the past 14 days, four times higher than the state's criteria.

One of the more concerning portions of the county's application related to showing nursing homes are prepared should the COVID-19 pandemic intensify.

As of Tuesday, only 33% of the 381 nursing homes in L.A. County had enough personal protective equipment to last more than 14 days, according to the application. Less than half, 47%, have enough N95 masks to last two weeks, and only one-third have adequate gowns.

Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of health services for L.A. County, said last week that at the start of the coronavirus outbreak, every one person who contracted the virus infected more than three others. After the stay-at-home order was issued, that rate of transmission dropped to one  every person who contracted the virus infected only one other.

But, Ghaly warned, that number could rise again if the use of face coverings and social distancing practices do not continue.

For the past four days, the number of hospitalizations in L.A. County has remained relatively unchanged from 1,440 to 1,477 people in hospital care, and between 28% and 27% in intensive care. The county has also reported for the past four days that 8% of those who have been tested for the virus have been positive.

In the application to the state, the county included a draft of its community mitigation plan, which outlines how the pandemic could play out in the coming months in Los Angeles County.

According to that mitigation plan, completed May 15, health officials anticipate additional waves of cases at varying levels of severity will occur over the next 18 to 24 months throughout the U.S., including Los Angeles County, and will continue until enough people  at least 60% to 70% of the population  are immune to the virus.

"Extraordinary and historically unprecedented efforts have resulted in disease transmission slowing in Los Angeles County," the plan reads. "However, its future course is still highly unpredictable."

Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.
(Newser)  Twitter isn't backing down in its dispute with President Trump. The company, accusing the president of breaking its rules, hid one of his tweets early Friday, putting it behind a warning that it was "glorifying violence," the Guardian reports. The president, denouncing violent protests in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd, called protesters "thugs" and said "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." "This tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence," Twitter's warning said. "However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the tweet to remain accessible." The warning included a link to Twitter's policy on public-interest exceptions.

story continues below

The policy states that rule-breaking posts from government officials will sometimes be allowed to remain "given the significant public interest in knowing and being able to discuss their actions and statements. In another tweet, Trump slammed Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as "very weak." Told about the tweet early Friday, the mayor said: "Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions," per the New York Times. "Weakness is pointing your finger at somebody else during a time of crisis." Trump responded to Twitter's move in a Friday morning tweet, saying Twitter was targeting "Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States," but was "doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party." (Read more President Trump stories.)
Years after Amber Heard and Johnny Depp parted ways, the actress' painful divorce message to her ex-husband suddenly emerged and left fans teary-eyed.

On May 23, 2016, Heard put an end to her ugly 15-month marriage with Depp. Multiple news outlets then reported that the actress stated "irreconcilable differences" as the cause of their divorce.

The heartbreaking decision came after Depp accused the "Aquaman" actress of smashing and throwing a vodka bottle at him while his hand was resting on the bar when they were in Australia. Heard reportedly sling-shotted the large bottle at him, severing his finger.

Eventually, it started the ugly divorce battle they are currently in right now.

Though Heard initiated the separation, she reportedly made the last move and tried to fix everything between them.

As stated on court papers filed in Fairfax County, Virginia, the L'Oreal Paris Ambassador sent the last message to Depp before their divorce.

"Do this or undue [sic] this as we see fit. You and I have the control. And love each other," Heard reportedly penned. "I thought you filed [for divorce]. You said you were going to and said goodbye. I'm sorry if I've hurt you. I have nothing but love forward you."

Depp's attorney Adam Waldman also told The Blast that Heard scarily claimed that the actor is the love of her life months after getting the TRO against him.

In addition, other witnesses testified against the actress, saying that she screamed "I love you, don't leave me" when they arrived at the hospital in Australia right after she violently severed his finger.

"Regarding Elon Musk, on whose Tesla board an owner of the Sun newspaper curiously sits, Ms. Heard laments that "yet again a man lets me fall on the spikes by myself'," Waldman revealed. He also claimed that Heard wrote everything differently compared to how a real abuse victim would do.

Heard Loved Depp So Much?

In 2016, weeks after Heard filed for divorce and a restraining order against Depp, CAA talent agent Christian Carino allegedly received text messages from the "London Fields" actress about the actor.

"Christian - do you think he and I will ever speak again?" Heard texted to Carino on October 2, 2016. "Does he hate me? I don't' see why or how we could just stop talking to each other...Or how are why we could both want to talk to each other, either."

Carino warned Amber and told her to let everything pass for a while, but the 33-year-old actress continued to be pesky since she really wanted to know what Depp was thinking at the time.

After multiple attempts to reconnect with Depp, Heard became silent again. Months later, the two exchanged text messages once more shortly after Heard broke up with Elon Musk after their relationship went public.

The actress allegedly texted the agent how much she hated when everything was unveiled in public. She added that she felt so sad while dealing with the recent split.

"You weren't in love with him, and you told me a thousand times you were just filling space," Carino replied to Heard, to which she responded with: "I know, [but] I wanted time to grieve and recover in my own time."

Maybe, no matter how heartwarming those messages sound like, she cannot make Depp's fans side with her now.
Love Field Area is somewhat walkable, is quite bikeable and offers many nearby public transportation options, according to Walk Score's rating system.

So what does the low-end pricing on a rental in Love Field Area look like these days  and what might you get for the price?

We took a look at local listings in Love Field Area via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what budget-minded apartment seekers can expect to find in this Dallas neighborhood.

Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, below. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

2710 Community Drive

Listed at $740/month, this 595-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom abode, located at 2710 Community Drive, is 35.7% less than the $1,150/month median rent for a one bedroom in Love Field Area.

Amenities offered in the building include on-site laundry and a swimming pool. Also, expect a balcony and a walk-in closet in the residence. Pet lovers are in luck: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

(See the complete listing here.)

5720 Forest Park Road

This one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, situated at 5720 Forest Park Road, is listed for $1,039/month for its 558 square feet.

In the unit, you're promised hardwood flooring and a dishwasher. Amenities offered in the building include garage parking and secured entry. Good news for pet lovers: This property is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. Look out for a $200 pet fee.(See the complete listing here.)

Maple Avenue

Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at Maple Avenue, which is going for $1,070/month.

Building amenities include garage parking. In the unit, look for hardwood flooring, a walk-in closet and a dishwasher. Good news for animal lovers: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. Look out for a broker's fee equal to one month's rent.

(See the full listing here.)

This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Additionally, get free local real estate marketing ideas and tools for agents, brokers and more.

Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Riza Roidila Mufti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, May 31, 2020 11:19 599 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb005f3 1 Business government,Jokowi,Japan,high-speed-railway,Jakarta-Bandung,Jakarta-Bandung-High-Speed-Train,Jakarta-Surabaya-medium-speed-railway Free

The government is considering including Japan in Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), an Indonesia-China consortium to develop the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, as Indonesia seeks to expedite and expand the national strategic project, a senior minister has said.

Japan, which was outbid by China for the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project, is currently working with the Indonesian government to develop a medium-speed line to connect Jakarta and Surabaya, East Java.

Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said that the consideration came from a request by President Joko Jokowi Widodo as the government reviewed the prolonged delays and budget overruns in the development of the Jakarta-Bandung railway.

Because of that  to be more economical  President Jokowi has instructed that the project not stop at Bandung but be extended to Surabaya. Also, [he asked to] add Japan to the consortium, said Airlangga on Friday in an online press briefing after a limited Cabinet meeting.

Policymakers believe the inclusion of Japan would accelerate the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project, while also helping the consortium extend the project to reach Surabaya via the Southern Java line.

Airlangga said that the idea to include Japan in the consortium would first be reviewed by the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry.

The construction of the high-speed railway has faltered because of various technical and financial challenges, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

KCIC initially aimed to finish the project and begin operation by June 2021, a two-year delay from its original target. With the current health crisis, the projects completion is expected to be further delayed to the second half of 2021.

The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project is one of the government's national strategic projects (PSN) in the transportation sector and is expected to require a total investment of US$6.07 billion.

The railway project will serve four main stations: Halim in Jakarta, Karawang in West Java and Walini and Tegaluar in Bandung regency. The trains will travel at 350 kilometers per hour, cutting the travel time between Jakarta and Bandung to 45 minutes from the current three-hour train journey.

In September of last year, the Transportation Ministry and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed an agreement on the summary record of the Java North Line Upgrading Project, outlining the two countries collaboration to develop the Jakarta-Surabaya railway.
SPRINGFIELD  Illinois' public health department filed emergency rules Thursday mandating long-term care facilities to develop testing plans to better protect residents and ensure they are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic appropriately.

The overwhelming majority of long-term care facilities in Illinois are privately run, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said during his daily COVID-19 news conference Thursday in Chicago. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, some of those facilities have acted proactively, some only reactively.

Pritzker said of roughly 1,100 long-term care facilities that care for elderly Illinoisans, 900 have been connected with directly or in person by the Illinois Department of Public Health office of health care regulation, its consultants or its teams of nurses.

Pritzker said the state now has two groups of nurses fanning out to long-term care facilities around the state. That includes a group of 200 IDPH nurses who are conducting focused COVID-19 infectious disease control surveys to monitor compliance, or conducting swab testing and training staff to do the testing. That group also reviews each facilitys personal protective equipment use and hygiene practices.

Another group of 100 contract nurses monitors for infection prevention and control and provides additional testing systems.

The governor said some facilities opt out of receiving IDPH help, however, sometimes because they choose to take their own specimens using IDPH swabs, or because they choose to work with the county or city health department instead.

Others work with their local hospitals and health centers to source and conduct tests, he said.

The state has also distributed about 45,000 testing kits, in 200 shipments, to 170 nursing homes, and personal protective equipment has been delivered to every nursing home in the state, as well.

Some homes, however, have even denied receiving free testing equipment from the state.

And even as we work to ramp up regular testing of all our long-term care residents and staff, my administration has received some pushback from owners and industry representatives, making it difficult to secure compliance across the board, Pritzker said.

The IDPHs new emergency rule will require long-term care facilities to report to public health officials the number of residents and staff tested, along with the number of positive and negative test results.

The facility must also make sure a copy of the facilitys infection control policies and procedures is provided to residents and their families, along with IDPH or local health departments, upon request.

The governor said the emergency rule enforces existing policies, and those not complying will be found in violation of the rules and will be subject to fines or other licensing penalties through existing IDPH authority.

The announcement came as the state reported another 104 deaths from the virus in the previous 24 hours, bringing the total to 5,186 fatalities since the pandemic first arrived.

There were another 1,527 cases reported Thursday among 25,993 for a positivity rate of 5.8%, bringing the preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate from May 21-27 to 8.3%.

COVID-19 hospitalization measures continue to improve as well, IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said, as there were 3,649 people hospitalized with the disease caused by the virus as of midnight Thursday. Of those, 1,009 were in intensive care unit beds and 576 were on ventilators. All of those numbers were trending downward.

Thats good news as the state readies to enter the third phase of the governors Restore Illinois reopening plan Friday, which will allow for more businesses to open.

Several activities will reopen under specific guidance from the state, including outdoor dining, outdoor recreation, manufacturing, retail, personal care services and offices. Those guidelines are available at Illinois.gov/businessguidelines, and they include provisions for youth sports, Pritzker said.

He also noted horse racing will return to Illinois tracks under the next phase.

The Department of Agriculture has worked with the IDPH, with the Illinois Racing Board and the industry leaders to develop guidelines for racing, allowing those whose livelihoods depend on these races to get back to work, and allowing spectators to work from home and place wagers online and over the phone, he said.

As the state enters the next phase, which allows gatherings of up to 10 people, the same metrics will be used to see if each of the four regions in the Restore Illinois plan can enter Phase 4 after 28 days. Those metrics include 14% hospital surge capacity, a decrease or steadiness in hospitalization rate for 28 days and a positivity rate of 20% or less for those tested over a 14-day period.

Whether the state moves forward or backward will depend on the numbers.

Its possible that if we have a surge, a spike and we need to quell that spike, we might, potentially, have to move backward in the phases, he said. Thats not something any of us wants to do, but certainly it wouldnt allow a region of the state to move forward if it wasnt meeting the metrics that weve set.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Moodys Analytics, a global provider of financial intelligence, today announced that its software has been selected by Assimoco Group, an Italian insurance group and the insurance provider for the Italian Cooperative Movement since 1978. Assimoco Group will use the Moodys Analytics SolvencyWatch solution to monitor key solvency metrics.

Powered by Moodys Analytics award-winning modeling capabilities, the SolvencyWatch solution quickly calculates an insurers assets and liabilities to reflect the latest market conditions, enabling chief risk officers (CROs) to monitor their solvency position in real time.

The tools intuitive dashboard allows CROs and risk teams to visualize the impact on crucial solvency metrics under changes to market and non-market risks, and communicate to stakeholders what is driving changes in those metrics.

The Moodys Analytics SolvencyWatch solution will allow us to monitor our solvency position frequently, accurately, and cost effectively, said Ruggero Frecchiami, General Manager at Assimoco Group. This is critical for managing our capital position, and for understanding the potential impact of future market movements on our business.

In the current environment, our customers are looking for solutions that deliver timely, actionable financial analytics to help senior management monitor their solvency position, said Jack Cheyne, Senior Director at Moodys Analytics. We are delighted that Assimoco Group will be using our SolvencyWatch solution to deliver this vital capability.

Learn more about the Moodys Analytics SolvencyWatch solution.

About Moodys Analytics

Moodys Analytics provides financial intelligence and analytical tools to help business leaders make better, faster decisions. Our deep risk expertise, expansive information resources, and innovative application of technology help our clients confidently navigate an evolving marketplace. We are known for our industry-leading and award-winning solutions, made up of research, data, software, and professional services, assembled to deliver a seamless customer experience. We create confidence in thousands of organizations worldwide, with our commitment to excellence, open mindset approach, and focus on meeting customer needs. For more information about Moodys Analytics, visit our website or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Moody's Analytics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO). Moodys Corporation reported revenue of $4.8 billion in 2019, employs approximately 11,300 people worldwide and maintains a presence in 40 countries.

About Assimoco Group

The Assimoco Group, whose first company was founded in 1978, is the insurance provider for the Italian Cooperative Movement. Insurance products offered by Assimoco cover a wide range of risks that satisfy the insurance needs of people and companies.

The Assimoco Group is the first insurance company in Italy to have obtained the B Corp Certification, and is the first to have acquired the status of a Benefit Company. The shareholders are R+V Versicherung AG, a leading insurance group in Germany and the flagship company of the German Cooperative Sector; Federazione delle Cooperative Raiffeisen (Federation of Raiffeisen Cooperatives); Fondosviluppo; Confcooperative (Confederazione Cooperative Italiane - Italian Confederation of Cooperatives); and Credito Cooperativo (BCC). Total funding at 31 December 2019 amounted to 667.357 million. Financial assets under management amounted to 4.014 billion. Non-Life Company profit amounted to 24.701 million. Life Company profit was 20.375 million.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200528005891/en/
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott on Friday applauded the Minneapolis police chiefs decision to fire four officers who were involved in an incident that killed George Floyd, calling the death, which ignited demonstrations throughout the nation, extremely disturbing.

Floyd died Monday after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck while pinning him to the ground. Three other officers stood by as the episode was captured on video, which was posted on social media and sparked global outrage. One of the officers, Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

What I and everyone else saw on the video images of this incident is flat wrong and not consistent with the respect for the sanctity of human life that all men and women who are sworn peace officers have a duty to uphold, Scott said in a statement released Friday morning. Furthermore, this issue intersects squarely with policing disparities that have occurred for generations  and continue to occur  in regard to using force on people of color (specifically black and brown men).

On Thursday, Oaklands interim police chief, Susan Manheimer, said the citys Police Department was deeply disturbed by the video of Floyd being killed.

Jim Mone/Associated Press

We stand with our community in denouncing this incident and all incidents of police brutality, Manheimer said in a statement. We stand with all in our community who have traditionally been marginalized, oppressed and who have been harmed by our systems and institutions. We extend our deepest condolences to George Floyd and his family.

San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia, who was among the first Bay Area officials to criticize the Minneapolis police officers actions, said earlier this week that the act of one impacts us all.

Not going hide behind not being there, Garcia said in a tweet. Id be one of the first to condemn anyone had I seen similar happen to one of my brother/ sister officers. What I saw happen to George Floyd disturbed me and is not consistent with the goal of our mission.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

In a joint statement released Thursday, police unions for San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland said the actions of the Minneapolis officers involved in Floyds death were inconsistent and contrary to everything we have been taught, not just as an academy recruit or police officer, but as human beings.

Scott said the killing of Floyd underscored the importance of San Franciscos collaborative reform initiative, which the department undertook in 2016 following several controversial police killings, including the 2015 shooting of Mario Woods.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle 2018

Those of us who have chosen policing as a profession all have a responsibility to make the difficult and courageous decisions necessary to change this narrative for the better, Scott said.

Alejandro Serrano is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alejandro.serrano@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @serrano_alej
In his most recent industry update, Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson announced to Ontario's horse racing industry that he would be conducting another 'Stronger Together' virtual session next week.

The date of that session is Wednesday, June 3 at 2:00 p.m.

Lawson's full update, dated May 28, 2020, is posted below.

To all Ontario Horsepeople,

Next week horse racing returns throughout Ontario including the resumption of Standardbred racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park and the opening of the 2020 Thoroughbred season at Woodbine Racetrack. It was great to see horses back training at Mohawk Park yesterday. It was also an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come since live racing was suspended in late March. We have all worked very hard to get our industry to this point. I hope you find time next week to embrace the moment and lets all be grateful we are in a position to continue doing what we all love.

For this weeks update here are a few key topics Id like to highlight:

Movement of People Between Tracks: Earlier this week, Ontario Racing sent a notice to the industry asking all participants to minimize travel between tracks to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19. This is absolutely critical. Woodbine is strongly recommending that all personnel who live or work daily on the Woodbine Backstretch, including but not limited to jockeys, exercise riders, grooms and starting gate personnel, refrain from travelling between racetracks.

We must do everything we can to minimize all risks of COVID-19. If you do have to travel between tracks, please always exercise extreme caution by following physical distancing protocols including wearing a mask and washing your hands properly and frequently.

Qualifiers at Woodbine Mohawk Park: A very positive sign that racing is coming back as Standardbred qualifiers started this morning at Mohawk Park. We are live streaming the qualifiers from Mohawk Park on our YouTube channel and website.

HPItv customers that subscribe to the HPItv Canada channel will also be able to watch the qualifiers live. Woodbine Mohawk Park will also play host to qualifiers

on Friday (May 29), Monday (June 1) and Tuesday (June 2). Post Time each

morning is 9:30 a.m.

Updated Standardbred Stakes Schedule: Earlier this week we announced new dates for several Standardbred stakes to be held this season at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The stakes rescheduling only impacts events that were originally slated for May or June. All other races remain the same on the 2020 stakes calendar. Here is a summary of the changes.

EHV-1 on Woodbine Backstretch: As communicated by the AGCO, it appears our efforts to contain the spread of EHV-1 on the Woodbine backstretch are working.

Restrictions on most barns have been lifted and further testing of barns that had horses test positive for EHV-1 are taking place this week. Good job to everyone on following protocols and limiting the spread of this virus. Lets keep our guard up and ensure its fully contained.

Ontario Racing Purse Allocation Program: Ontario Racing has confirmed that all April cheques have been sent out and those still waiting for payment should receive a cheque by the end of this week. They will now begin to compile the May payments to be sent out the first week of June. A list of eligible horses will be published on the Ontario Racing website shortly.

Many thanks to the Horsepersons Associations (HBPA, COSA and QROOI), who made difficult decisions on horse eligibility based on the criteria of the program. As per the application, these criteria include: (a) horses must be in the care of an Ontario-based trainer, and (b) horses must be either currently in residence in Ontario or be the subject of a stall application that was submitted for the 2020 race season prior to the date of the application or have other approved verification of participation in the Ontario 2020 race season, and (c) horses must be at least 3 years old, and (d) horses must either have not yet raced or have raced since January 1, 2019.

COVID-19 Racetrack Protocol Minimum Standards: Ontario Racing has posted COVID-19 Racetrack Protocol Minimum Standards which can be found here. I cant stress enough how important it is for all horsepeople to familiarize themselves with these minimum standards. Its important that we all do our part to be as safe as possible.

AGCO Approval to Commence Racing: Please also be reminded that all tracks must send their updated COVID-19 protocols to the AGCO for approval in order to obtain final AGCO approval to commence live racing.

Ontario Racing Updates: Ontario Racing also shared this week the updated AGCO Race Date Calendar and the Standardbred Qualifying Schedule.

Stronger Together: I look forward to connecting with everyone next Wednesday, June 3 at 2 p.m. for our next Stronger Together video conference.

Its going to be an exciting week! Please continue to be safe.

Thank you,

Jim Lawson
Achiko Limited / Key word(s): AGMEGM





Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 KR

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Achiko Ltd invites shareholders to its Annual General Meeting 2020 and proposes the relocation of the company to Switzerland



Zurich, 28 May 2020



Achiko Ltd has published the notice regarding the Annual General Meeting at 6:30 a.m. on 18 June 2020 in Zurich. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year's Annual General Meeting will be held in accordance with the Ordinance of the Swiss Federal Council on Measures to Combat the Coronavirus. Given the measures currently in force, physical attendance of shareholders at the Annual General Meeting will not be possible. Shareholders may be represented by the proxy or participate through a video conferencing platform as set out in the notes to the notice regarding the Annual General Meeting. The Board of Directors regrets not being able to welcome the shareholders to the Annual General Meeting this year and requests shareholders to make use of the alternative participation options provided. Only shareholders that are registered with their personal information in the Company's shareholder ledger may participate in the Annual General Meeting. Unregistered shareholders who wish to participate in the Annual General Meeting are kindly requested to contact the financial institution that holds the respective shares and request their registration. The cut-off date for the participation in the Annual General Meeting is 12 June at 23:59 Central European Summer Time. Shares that are not recorded in the Company's shareholder ledger at that time will not be entitled to participate or vote in the Annual General Meeting. For technical and legal reasons, shares cannot be registered directly through Achiko Ltd. In addition to the standard agenda items of the Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors proposes the relocation of Achiko's domicile and management seat to Zurich, Switzerland and the re-incorporation as a corporation (Aktiengesellschaft) under Swiss law. This includes a complete revision of the articles of incorporation to conform the company to Swiss law. The relocation of Achiko Ltd is proposed by the Board of Directors as Achiko intends to build a bigger presence in Switzerland to pursue its strategic plans to increase its footprint in Europe. Furthermore, Achiko wants to reduce friction resulting from the current domicile of the company in the Cayman Islands, as trading may have been inhibited by compliance issues. After the Annual General Meeting, Kenneth Ting, CEO of Achiko Ltd., will conduct a company presentation with an update on the progress of the Achiko Platform and outlook for the remainder of 2020 and beyond in key strategic areas to drive future growth. The invitation to the Annual General Meeting of Achiko Ltd with the full agenda and proposals of the Board of Directors plus further information is available at https://investor.achiko.com | Events or at the following direct link: https://investor.achiko.com/events/.

About Achiko

Achiko (ISIN KGY0101M1024) is a commercial platform that creates win-win outcomes for businesses and their customers who seek to entertain themselves, connect and enjoy diverse and unique experiences. It is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ACHI:SWX). The company's platform enables people to pay for unique and useful things to do and intends to be a place to be. It does this through an open API and an extensible wallet platform, marketed directly to consumers and through enterprises. Achiko is continuously adding additional services, both directly and through partners, including e-commerce, consumer credit, savings and, most recently, healthcare. Achiko has significant shareholders such as MNC Group, the largest media company in Southeast Asia. Its shareholder base also includes MOX, China's largest venture capital company focussing exclusively on the mobile sector and one of the three largest global VC companies in this field. Further information can be found at investor.achiko.com. Press Contact:



Germany and Austria

Axel Muhlhaus/ Dr. Sonke Knop

edicto GmbH

E: achiko@edicto.de

T: +49 69 90 55 05-51 Switzerland

Marcus Balogh

Farner Consulting Ltd.

E: achiko@farner.ch

T: +41 44 266 67 67 Disclaimer

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Achiko Ltd. and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Achiko Ltd. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Achiko Ltd. is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

End of ad hoc announcement
Poland was hit with a barrage of fake news stories this week, including a phony interview with a U.S. commander ridiculing allied militaries, days before a major NATO exercise kicks off in the country, Polish officials said.

"The attack coincided with the beginning of the next phase of (the) Defender Europe-20 military exercise hosted by Poland," Polish government spokesman Stanislaw Zaryn said in a lengthy statement Thursday, in which he blamed Moscow.

Read Next: Sailors Had Their Noses Painted by a Trident-Wielding King with Blue Hair. Here's Why

Hackers used "cyberattack tools" to post fake content on various news websites, including prominent Polish media groups, Zaryn said.

Among the bogus reports was a fabricated interview with U.S. Army Europe commander Lt. Gen. Christopher Cavoli, which was published on a website notorious for spreading disinformation and was then picked up by other sites, Polish officials said.

The flurry of fake news comes as Poland prepares to host the Agile Spirit exercise in June, the first large-scale exercise with the U.S. since the coronavirus pandemic forced most major training events to be cancelled.

The drill is part of the Defender Europe-20 effort, which was to be the largest Army exercise on the Continent in more than 25 years but was significantly scaled back when the coronavirus hit.

Defender Europe was one of the topics covered in the fake interview with Cavoli, with fabricated statements about a lack of preparedness for the exercise among Polish and Baltic militaries attributed to the USAREUR commander.

USAREUR, in a Twitter post, quickly dismissed the information as fake.

Another phony story focused on U.S. troops who had unflattering things to say about their Polish counterparts. Among the websites that picked up the fake news stories was the official site of the town of Orzysz in northeastern Poland, where U.S. troops are based as part of a NATO mission, Polish officials said.

The disinformation campaign is an attempt to break down alliance cohesion, "destroy the image of the U.S." and weaken its engagement in Europe, and raise doubts about the reliability of countries on NATO's eastern flank, Zaryn said.

Russia is suspected of being behind the ongoing attacks, which bear the hallmarks of previous disinformation campaigns led by the Kremlin, Zaryn said.

"The military cooperation between the U.S. and Poland is constantly targeted by Russian activities," he said.

Other alliance members on the eastern flank, including the Baltic states -- which were annexed by the Soviet Union after World War II -- have also been targeted in recent months by fake news stories, some of which have seized on the coronavirus to try to undermine NATO.

In February, a phony story claimed an American soldier deployed to Lithuania was infected with the coronavirus. Lithuania's Kauno Diena newspaper said the false story was the work of hackers and was visible for about 10 minutes before being taken down.

Lithuania's Defense Ministry last month said there had been 807 cases of false or misleading information since February about the virus, much of it focused on Lithuania.

Alarmed by such cases, allies have taken to social media with greater frequency to shoot down fake stories when they pop up.

But the hackers are just as active. No sooner were the fake articles and Cavoli interview taken down in Poland than other bogus reports were posted, including one that claimed the deleted disinformation wasn't the work of Russian hackers, but of the Polish authorities, Zaryn said.
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades conveyed to Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi the EUs appreciation of Cairos efforts in fighting terrorism and in combating illegal migration in a phone call on Friday.

The two presidents discussed a number of regional issues, in addition to the bilateral and trilateral cooperation between the two countries and Greece on different topics.

El-Sisis spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement that the leaders discussed the means to coordinate and exchange experiences on the countries efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus, and contain its repercussions.

The two presidents exchanged their views on energy security, within the framework of the Eastern Mediterranean gas forum.

In that regard, the Cypriot president praised the vital role and political weight of Egypt in maintaining stability in the region, Rady said.

Anastasiades also confirmed the EU's appreciation of Egypt's efforts in realising stability and fighting terrorism, as well as its successful experience in combating illegal immigration, Rady said.

The two presidents also addressed the latest developments in the Libyan crisis.

They both agreed on strengthening coordination in this regard, particularly through supporting the UNs efforts and ensuring the implementation of the outputs of the Berlin conference.

The Egyptian and Cypriot presidents also stressed their rejection of any foreign interference in Libya.

The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) was created in January 2019 to "create a regional gas market, optimize resource development, cut the cost of infrastructure, offer competitive prices and improve trade ties, Egypt's petroleum ministry said at the time.

Member countries include Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Israel, Jordan and Palestine.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Police in Minnesota arrested CNN journalist Omar Jimenez and his field crew as they covered unrest in Minneapolis in the early hours of Friday morning. Jimenez, a producer and a camera operator were placed in handcuffs though they clearly identified themselves to officers.

The moment of the arrest was aired on CNNs morning show, New Day, Friday. The camera crew was in Minnesota to capture protests over the death of a local black man named George Floyd at the hands of a white cop and the lack of charges brought against the police officer.

As CNN noted in its own write-up of the situation, the camera  which was also taken by police  continued to roll as they were all handcuffed. The police seemed unaware.

Also Read: Twitter Hits Trump With Content Warning for Tweet 'Glorifying Violence'

In the clip, Jimenez repeatedly asks the officers where they want him and his crew to stand.

Put us back where you want us. We are getting out of your way. Let us know. Wherever you want us, let us know. We were getting out of your way as you were advancing through the intersection. Let us know and we got you, he told them before continuing to address viewers of the live feed.

This is the scene here playing out in Minneapolis. This is part of the advanced police presence that we saw come over the course of really minutes when the local police showed up at the fire department  or with the fire department, I should say  at that building that was burning, he said as the cameras captured flames and smoke around him.

An officer approached him as he was broadcasting and said, Youre under arrest.

Do you mind telling me why Im under arrest, sir? he asked as they placed him in cuffs.

If youre just tuning in, you are watching our correspondent Omar Jimenez being arrested cut in New Day anchor Alisyn Camerota, sounding shocked.

The Minnesota State Patrol released a statement later Friday morning via Twitter, writing, In the course of clearing the streets and restoring order at Lake Street and Snelling Avenue, four people were arrested by State Patrol troopers, including three members of a CNN crew. The three were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media.

Story continues

CNNs competitor, MSNBC, also released a statement online: We condemn the arrest and detention of a crew of @CNN journalists who were simply doing their jobs in a tough situation on the ground in Minneapolis. This is a time when the work of journalists continues to be necessary to inform and educate the public. Any infringement on press freedom flies in the face of all of our freedoms and should not be condoned. We support and stand with our colleagues.

Fox News added, FOX News Channel has always supported the First Amendment and this instance is no different. We denounce the detainment of the CNN crew and stand with them in protecting the right to report without fear or favor.

The press account for CBS News tweeted, CBSNews stands in support of all journalists  now more than ever our work is vital to the country. No journalist should be detained just for doing their job.

After the crews release an hour later, Jimenez went back on air, saying, There seemed to be a little bit of confusion as to what was allowed to happenI think the moment before the arrest actually happened is we saw at least one protestor  or someone who was not media  run past us and that person was cornered by state patrolafter that person was apprehended, they then turned on us.

Watch the clip of Jimenezs arrest above.

Read original story CNN Reporter and Camera Crew Arrested by Minneapolis Police While Covering Protests (Video) At TheWrap
The selling price of Ca Mau shrimp has been gradually increasing again, though not as expected by farmers after prices fell due to narrowed export markets.

The price of white leg shrimp currently stands at VND86,000 per kg, nearly 20% higher than that in mid-March.

However, black tiger shrimp, one of the key shrimp products in Ca Mau, is being sold at low price at approximately VND175,000 per kg of 20 shrimp and VND145,000 per kg of 30, a slight increase of VND10,000-VND15,000 per kg compared to the tough times during March.

Before the pandemic, black tiger shrimp were sold at VND245,000 per kg of 20 shrimp and VND180,000 per kg of 30.

Processing plants increasing the purchasing prices of shrimp to keep a reserve for export, in addition to the scarcity of raw materials and severe drought, has contributed to the rise in shrimp prices.

The local authorities are promoting measures to recover the shrimp farming and markets as the shrimp sector relates to the income and life of 70% of population in the province.

Vietnam posted US$872.8 million worth of shrimp exports in the first four months of this year, up 2.9% over the same period last year, and the export of shrimp products is expected to continue to surge in May, according to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers.

Vietnamese shrimp exports are forecast to have many opportunities after the pandemic as the main rivals including India, Ecuador, Thailand, and Indonesia are being placed under blockade, making orders shifted to Vietnam.

Additionally, the upcoming effectiveness of the EU-Vietnam FTA will help Vietnamese shrimp industry to compete better in the EU.
As countries begin rolling out plans to restart their economies after the brutal shock inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic, the three biggest producers of planet-warming gases  the European Union, the United States and China  are writing scripts that push humanity in very different directions.

Europe this week laid out a vision of a green future, with a proposed recovery package worth more than $800 billion that would transition away from fossil fuels and put people to work making old buildings energy-efficient.

In the United States, the White House is steadily slashing environmental protections and Republicans are using the Green New Deal as a political cudgel against their opponents.

China has given a green light to build new coal plants but it also declined to set specific economic growth targets for this year, a move that came as a relief to environmentalists because it reduces the pressure to turn up the countrys industrial machine quickly.
Lee, also known as Linda Lee, is the owner and operator of Jubilee Insurance Services. The firm was issued a cease and desist order in August 2018 by the California Department of Insurance (CDI), and the department revoked the firms business license in December 2018.

CDI announced the charges against Lee on Wednesday, CBSN Los Angeles reported. The department said that despite being revoked of a business license, she was falsely acting as an insurance agent through her company and leaving her clients uninsured. Lee has also been accused of altering declaration pages to dupe clients into thinking they had liability, property, or workers compensation insurance.

The fraudulent agent also allegedly forged her clients signatures on finance agreements.

Lees clientele included restaurants, construction companies, and biochemical companies, the CDI explained.

My department is dedicated to investigating and shutting down unscrupulous agents who abuse the trust of unsuspecting clients, California insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara said in a statement.
Staff at the semi-private, 18-hole Owasso course, located off of 86th Street and Mingo Road, are gearing up to receive 78 new Yamaha golf carts that will replace their old line of four-wheeled vehicles.
Slipping through the frigid water, the sleek black dorsal fin of a killer whale is iconic; but theyre being seen in new parts of the world more frequently, thanks to climate change breaking up sea ice.

Researchers at the University of Manitoba have been working to identify and quantify the expansion of the apex predators range into the eastern Arctic off the northern coast of Baffin Island for the past few years. They use unique markings on whales to understand their movements and estimate the number that have taken up residence farther into the Arctic Archipelago in the summer.

As early as the mid-1800s, orcas were spotted in the area during the open-ice season, but as that season lengthens, their presence is becoming more prominent, the research found.

I am interested in how climate change influences animal populations. A climate change-related predator range expansion and influence on endemic prey was right up my alley, said Kyle Lefort, lead researcher on the paper being published by peer-reviewed science journal Global Change Biology.

Lefort, as a part of his masters research at the U of M, attempted to quantify what the change in orca habitat will mean for other species that typically live in that water, which will have to adapt to the increased threat of predation. Specifically, Lefort considered the effect on narwhals.

Narwhals are summer residents in the water off the northern coast of Baffin Island, with an estimated 95,000 whales migrating there in the late spring. Until recently, the area was a refuge because it remained at least partially ice-covered until the late summer, protecting the narwhal from predators such as the killer whale. That protection has now vanished.

Narwhals are a primary source of food for orcas. Leforts research estimates that in a single summer, orcas could be responsible for killing more than 1,200 narwhals. This would likely change the balance in the ecosystem and would have a significant effect on Indigenous communities that hunt narwhal.

Lefort explains his estimates are based on significant unknowns with regards to orca habits in the Arctic, but he plans to continue research as he enters PhD studies.

You may have heard of the expression, You are what you eat. Well, the same is true for killer whales. Our team has collected skin samples from free-ranging Canadian Arctic killer whales to clarify what theyre eating, Lefort said. Our team has also attached tracking devices to killer whales to record their movements.

Collectively, these studies will contribute to an improved understanding of killer whales influence on the Canadian Arctic marine ecosystem.

The range expansion of certain animals, especially predators near the top of the food chain, can destabilize an ecosystem. Killer whales expanding where they live is a great example of the effects of climate change that are poorly understood.

Colin Garroway, an assistant professor of biology at the U of M and one of Leforts thesis advisers, explains this is called a trophic cascade, where the effect from one change at a top trophic level is felt throughout the food chain.

We know for certain that human-caused climate change is happening, but the consequences of (that) are endlessly surprising, Garroway told the Free Press. (Climate change) is pretty clearly going to have bad effects on all sorts of things, but really working out the details of what those possible negative effects are is really hard work.

Garroway supervises a number of researchers that look at how human impact is changing animal life  from urbanization to climate change. He said as recently as when he was in school, it was taught that evolution and adaptation couldnt happen over one or two generations, but now human activity is forcing that kind of change for a variety of species if they hope to survive.

Those changes are much more likely to be accommodated by species that have more offspring, Garroway said. In the case of long-lived whales, rapid adaptation could be much more difficult.

(Killer whales) are moving into the Arctic, and all of the Arctic-adapted whales  like narwhal  beluga, bowhead  theyve all adapted to live underneath the ice, we think, in large part to avoid killer whales eating them. So, the increasing ice-free season is opening up a whole buffet of slow, chubby Arctic whales that rather than having evolved to outrun the killer whales, they just evolved to hide from them, Garroway said.

So were just trying to figure out what happens when we change things quickly.

Read more about:
We hate to hear military rule or governance by dictatorial rule. We dream never to have those kinds of regimes again because we often refer to those periods in our political history as the dark days.



The mention of democracy makes us happy, because as one radio station defined it, democracy in Twi means the say and let me say some, form of governance. It means freedom to us. Freedom, in which no one is forced to sleep; freedom in which no one is murdered, freedom where there is the unrestricted expression of opinions. But what is democracy, when the powers of a sitting President is almost equivalent to a dictator? This is not to reference any particular constitutionally elected president, but to question the wisdom of the 1992 Constitution.



According to the National Conference of State legislators, the term trias politica or separation of powers was coined in the 18th Century by Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brede et de Montesquieu.



His publication, Spirit of the Laws, is considered one of the great works in the history of political theory and jurisprudence and under his model, the political authority of the state is divided into legislative, executive and judicial powers.



3 Branches



In secondary school, we were taught that the legislative branch of government was responsible for enacting the laws of the state and appropriating the money necessary to operate the government.



The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the constitution and laws and giving interpretations to controversies brought before it.



The executive branch of government is in charge of making sure that the laws of the country are obeyed. The President is the head of the executive branch.



In a piece titled, Breathing life into Separation of Powers in 1992 Constitution, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, a Democracy and Development Fellow in Public Law and Justice at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), raised cogent points about the practice of democracy and how we understand the concept we so much cherish, yet never practise in full.



According to him, separation of powers is a generally accepted political doctrine, which can be traced back to Aristotles thesis that each constitution must have a deliberative, official and judicial element.



In its purest formulation, he pointed out that the government was divided into three coordinate branches  the legislature, the executive and the judiciary  each of which is assigned an identifiable function of government to perform, free from the encroachment of the other branches.



Based on his observations and that of the definitions given from the proponents of that concept, it is clear and unambiguous that the persons who compose the three agencies of government must be kept separate and distinct, no individual being allowed at the same time to be a member of more than one branch.



To him, the essence of this political architecture is to allow each of the branches to serve as a check to the others, so that no single branch, or for that matter, group of people are able to control the state machinery.



1992 Constitution



For long, many have recognised the gaps in that document we use in ruling our country, but have never attempted to get the entrenched clauses that makes for certain changes to happen swiftly, expunged.



The professor said in theory, Ghanas fifth Constitution embraced the doctrine of the separation of powers and traced Article 93(2) which provides that the legislative power shall be vested in Parliament. Article 58(1) provides that the executive authority shall be vested in the President.



Lastly, Article 125(3) provides that the judicial power shall be vested in the judiciary. Further, the power delineated to these organs of government shall be exercised in accordance with the Constitution.



In practice, the professor observed that the details in the design of the Constitution, the voluntary surrender of power by the legislature and illiberal judicial decisions and practices have culminated in an imperial presidency. Thus, some have argued that a President who operates under the 5th Constitution is as powerful as the President who operated under the 2nd Constitution or even under some of the military regimes, even if the latter made no pretences that they disfavoured separation of powers.



Is it not laughable that even under separation of powers, it is the requirement of Article 78 (1) that the majority of ministers of state shall be appointed from members of Parliament, with a blank cheque given to the President in Article 78(2) to appoint such number of ministers of state as may be necessary for the efficient running of the state.



No wonder a party in power always clamours to have more than two thirds in the House to see through any bill sent from the executive. It is not for nothing that the saying in Parliament that the minority will always have their say and the majority will always have their way.



Judiciary



While only the judiciary can exercise the judicial function, it is slow to resolve disputed facts and law and often strains to uphold executive authority. For instance, while the Constitution commands that the President appoints members of the Electoral Commission acting on the advice of the Council of State, the court has interpreted this requirement as if the President merely has to consult with the Council of State.



In another case, the court has taken over two years and is yet to resolve a simple question of law of whether the President can appoint a person who is past the mandatory retirement age to hold a public office. It does not help matters when the President can appoint an unlimited number of judges to the Supreme Court.



Way forward



I agree with the professor when he said that To breathe life into the separation of power doctrine, there is a need to amend Article 108 to allow MPs to introduce private member bills. It is not an entrenched provision of the Constitution and can be amended with a two-thirds majority.



In his wisdom, the present Speaker, Rev Prof Mike Ocquaye has openly announced that even in the absence of a constitutional amendment, Parliament can address this problem.



However, we await to see when it happens.



There is a call to amend Article 78 to allow a President to choose majority of ministers outside Parliament and also to have a ceiling on the number required for running a government. Unfortunately, the Constitutional Reform process has stalled and there is a need to jump-start the process.



A national Service Person in my office asked me whether we were practicing separation of powers in the country and my answer was simple  That, we are making mockery of ourselves. Its time to debate this once more and do the needful.



This is just my honest opinion as a citizen

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A 60-year-old man was arrested on Friday for allegedly beating a Chinese woman with a stick following an argument over feeding of stray dogs by her outside their residential society, said police.

The accused, dealing in realty business, and the victim, a Chinese woman working for a private company headquartered in China, both lived in the same ATS PARADISO society in Greater Noida, said officials.

The incident had occurred outside the society on May 25, when the man was walking his pet dog while the woman was feeding stray dogs, he said.

"There was a fight between stray dogs and the pet dog after which the man suggested to the woman to adopt the stray dogs if she wanted to feed them daily, a police official probing the case told PTI.

At this, the woman asked him why he made the suggestion and eventually they had a heated argument after which the man hit her with a stick, the official added.

Based on her complaint, an FIR was lodged at the Beta II police station on Thursday. Accused Amarpal Singh was arrested near the ATS roundabout on Friday, a police spokesperson said.

The FIR has been lodged under Indian Penal Code sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 354B (assault or use of criminal force by a man against a woman with intent to disrobe) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), the official said.

The Chinese national earlier had taken to Twitter to report the matter after which the Gautam Buddh Nagar police swung into action.

The district police also responded to her tweet and said it has consistently assured the victim of full support.

Noidawasis & animal lovers have been distressed over the reported aggression against a Chinese resident of Greater Noida. A case has been duly registered. https://twitter.com/noidapolice @noidapolice is truly committed to the dignity and security of all women (sic), Deputy Commissioner of Police, Women Safety, Vrinda Shukla tweeted.
Warbird Digest has just received the May, 2020 report from Chuck Cravens concerning the restoration of the Dakota Territory Air Museums P-47D Thunderbolt 42-27609 at AirCorps Aviation in Bemidji, Minnesota. We thought our readers would be very interested to see how the project has progressed since our last article on this important project. So without further ado, here it goes!

Update

Adaptations in how we work on warbird restorations in the current health crisis have become more comfortable, and progress on the P-47 is going well. One milestone happened this month when Eric Hokuf transported the spars for anodizing before assembly.

Recognition Light Control Box

Systems installation in the cockpit took up a lot of time this month.

Cockpit

Wing Structure

As already noted, Erik Hokuf transported the wing spars to Diversified Services Incorporated in Wellington, Kansas for anodizing. DSI is one of the few anodizers who can handle pieces as long as the P-47 wing spars. Now that they are back, we have painted the spars and are preparing them for final assembly.

Aarons work from home station.

Like so many Americans, AirCorp Aviations employees have been doing as much work at home as possible for health safety reasons. Aaron shared some pictures of his work area at home, where he assembles electrical components and solders connections.

Outside Contractors

The contributions to our victory in WWII were many and varied, but the production mobilization in America was undeniably a huge factor in the final outcome. That contribution has been immortalized as the Arsenal of Democracy.

Like all aircraft manufacturers, Republic couldnt produce complete aircraft without many components made by outside suppliers. Additionally, some of the actual assembly work was contracted to outside suppliers.

Many outside contractors produced consumer goods before the war and had to completely (and quickly) change their production over to aircraft parts or assembly during the war years.

One of the postwar parts catalogs for the F-47D included a list of approved vendors. While it is likely that the wartime list would have been slightly different and perhaps longer, it still gives a good idea of some of the contributors to the manufacture of the Thunderbolt [Parts Catalog for F-47D-25 Thru F-47D-40, AN 01-65BC-4A, 12-Feb-1951].

In the single city of Evansville, Indiana, fifty different companies contributed to the manufacture of P-47s coming out of Republics Evansville factory.

Because this manual is a post-war example, it wont include every subcontractor involved with building parts for the Evansville-built P-47D-23s.

A few of the more important local subcontractors for the Evansville Republic plant were:

Firestone Tire & Rubber: Self-sealing fuel tanks, tires, engine oil seal O-rings.

Self-sealing fuel tanks, tires, engine oil seal O-rings. Servel Corporation: Manufacturer of heating and cooling appliances (produced almost all P-47 wings for the Evansville plant).

Manufacturer of heating and cooling appliances (produced almost all P-47 wings for the Evansville plant). Hoosier Cardinal: An Evansville stamping company that made metal refrigerator parts, including ice cube trays and lamps (manufactured tail surface sections of the P-47).

And thats all for this month. We wish to thank AirCorps Aviation, Chuck Cravens (words and images) as well as Aaron Prince (images) for making this report possible! We look forwards to bringing more restoration reports on progress with this rare machine in the coming months, although it will likely be some time before we can do so given how the present pandemic has suspended almost all non-essential activities around the globe at the moment. Be safe, and be well
Members of the Texas congressional delegation are backing demands that a pair of headstones bearing Nazi imagery and expressions of loyalty to Adolf Hitler be removed from Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

The headstones mark the burial sites of German prisoners of war. Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Will Hurd, R-San Antonio, have joined Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, and others in Congress who told VA Secretary Robert Wilke the markers had to go.

Granger signed a letter that said the headstones at Fort Sam and another cemetery in Utah conveyed symbols and messages of hatred, racism, intolerance, and genocide, calling them especially offensive to all the veterans who risked, and often lost, their lives defending this country and our way of life.

So far, the Veterans Affairs Department has said it has no plans to disturb the gravesites at Fort Sam and at Fort Douglas Post Cemetery in Salt Lake City, which had been under the Armys control when the Germans were interred there.

The VAs National Cemetery Administration took over those resting places in 1973 and 2019, respectively.

My view is that we need to look at historical interpretations that Im very happy to put up. And I would also note in that Historical Preservation Act in Section 106, these cemeteries, which we inherited from the Army, are on the National Register of Historic Places, Wilke told the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday.

William Luther /San Antonio Express-News

When pressed by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat who signed the letter, to begin a review allowed under the preservation law, he replied: I will review everything.

The existence of the headstones here is no secret, having been the subject of news articles over the years. Section ZA at Fort Sam is home to 140 enemy POWs from World War II, most of them German. Two of the marble headstones show a swastika within an iron cross to denote a military decoration received by Alfred P. Kafka and Georg Forst.

On each is inscribed, He died far from his home for the Fuhrer, people and fatherland.

Most of the POW headstones are similar to those of the Americans across the sprawling cemetery, listing their names, ranks and dates of death.

Only those of Kafka and Forst echo with defiance of their captors. On Thursday, dying flowers could be seen placed in front of them.

Its unclear by what bureaucratic process their markers were approved, made and installed. The headstone for a third German has an Iron Cross, but no swastika or statement.

William Luther /San Antonio Express-News

After learning of the markers earlier this month, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, which advocates against unwanted religious proselytizing in the armed services, demanded Wilke order them removed and give an immediate and heartfelt apology to all United States veterans and their families.

The VA refused, saying that while it knew of two headstones at Fort Sam and a third on Fort Douglas with Nazi symbols, it would continue to preserve them, citing its stewardship responsibilities to protect historic resources, including those that recognize divisive historical figures or events.

The foundation lambasted that response as pathetic and feckless.

Foundation President Mikey Weinstein, a Jewish veteran and former Air Force lawyer, said his group is planning to file a federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C., or San Antonio if the VA doesnt take action.

This is wrong on every possible level, and if you think its OK to have the swastika displayed in a VA, taxpayer-supported cemetery, with homages to Hitler and the Third Reich and the German people who supported both, then we have five words to tell you: Tell it to the judge, he said.

Weinstein said he learned of the headstones when a veteran told the foundation of seeing German graves at Fort Sam. Weinstein said he confirmed the claim by finding a 2012 San Antonio Express-News article about them.

The retired full colonel came to us very shaken and shocked, but didnt want to risk retaliation if he tried to campaign against them publicly, Weinstein said. We were so stunned we didnt believe it at first.

Related: Enemies in war now rest together for an eternity

William Luther /San Antonio Express-News

Neither Hurd nor Cruz signed on to the congressional letter, but expressed support for removing the headstones.

The atrocities committed by the Nazis in World War II will forever serve as a scar on the worlds history, Hurd said in a statement. The swastika represents this horrendous regime and shouldnt exist on the hallowed grounds of cemeteries for American veterans.

A spokesman for Cruz said the senator was absolutely against glorifying the evil these men fought for and believes hate like these swastikas has no place in America. The cemeteries, he added, should never have been allowed to showcase Nazi symbols and messaging in the first place.

The deceased Axis prisoners rest near American veterans. In all, 132 German, four Italian, three Japanese and one Austrian POW are in one section at Fort Sam, the nations ninth-largest Veterans Affairs national cemetery with more than 165,000 people buried there.

Fort Sams contingent of German POWs is the highest among VA cemeteries. Fort Richardson National Cemetery in Alaska has the most Japanese POWs  a monument stands over a common grave containing 235 of them, only 18 of whom were identified.

The Japanese and Italians, as well as most of the Germans buried here, were held prisoner at Fort Sams Dodd Field. Some came from seven other POW camps in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas, where they initially were buried but reinterred at Fort Sam when the camps closed.

Many of their fallen comrades went home. Those still buried in the United States went unclaimed.

Some 425,000 German POWs lived in about 700 camps across the United States during the war, San Antonio historian John Manguso said. They came here in part because Great Britain, which was experiencing food shortages, didnt have the space or resources to house them, he said.

There were few reports of escape attempts at Fort Sam, although two Germans fled to Fredericksburg and New Braunfels, thinking the German-American populations there would be sympathetic to them, Manguso said. They were reported, captured and returned to confinement.

Prisoners were far better treated in the United States than in many other theaters of war.

In an interview for the 2012 Express-News report, one former German POW who had returned to the United States and lived in North Carolina recalled a fellow prisoners burial at Fort Sam.

We were standing at attention, and we had a band that played some music and I remember one song, Hatt Einen Kameraden. I had a good fellow pass away, said Karl-Heinz Blumenthal, then 88, a paratrooper captured in 1943 in Africa. We all sing that song. I felt, I hope I dont have to die here.

Army records say the POWs were reburied in the cemeterys southeast corner starting in 1947, far from then-active burial areas. As time went on, the cemetery expanded. Today, it sprawls across 366 acres, and the POWs are close to other graves.

The current controversy isnt surprising, given the battles often fought over divisive public symbols, including Confederate monuments, Southern Methodist University political science Professor Cal Jillson said.

As a political matter, its an extraordinarily easy position to take to be against the headstones, to be against Nazi symbolism in the United States, much less on a military base, he said Thursday, noting that generally thoughtful people like Granger and Hurd would argue for their removal. And I do think that were in a period of individual as well as sort of group demands not to be offended in any way.

Sig Christenson covers the military and its impact in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Sig, become a subscriber. sigc@express-news.net | Twitter: @saddamscribe
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 22:50:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature approved on Thursday a decision to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security.

Such a move, which signifies the start of the process of national security legislation for the Chinese city at the national level, will help crack down on acts of secession, subversion and terrorism, reject external intervention in Hong Kong affairs, and build up a firewall for national security.

Hong Kong has seen too much violence and chaos these days. Black-clad rioters, backed by external interventionists, set fires across the city, vandalized public facilities, and clashed with police and residents. Those violent acts have undermined territorial security, political security and public security in Hong Kong, and seriously disturbed the normal implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle.

That situation warrants an urgent need for national security legislation for Hong Kong and the decision by the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) will have a far-reaching and positive significance, and has been widely supported by the Chinese people, including those patriotic Hong Kong residents.

For a long time, foreign forces have been using Hong Kong as a bridgehead to launch anti-China activities. Following the proposed ordinance amendments in June last year, separatists in Hong Kong have ramped up violent activities to disrupt public order, and external meddlers have scaled up their intervention.

Such interference went even further in November when Washington, against strong opposition from Beijing, signed the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 into law. That had further emboldened those Hong Kong separatists to seek support from and collude with overseas anti-China forces, severely undermining China's national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

The alarming security situation Hong Kong is facing has highlighted the city's legal loopholes concerning national security, and its lack of enforcement mechanisms.

Article 23 of its constitutional document, the Basic Law, stipulates that the HKSAR shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition and subversion against the central government. However, the HKSAR has failed to pass such legislation due to various reasons.

The critical national security situation in Hong Kong brooks no delay for the NPC, empowered by China's Constitution, to make national security legislation to better serve the interests of Hong Kong and China as a whole.

The freshly approved decision serves as an official warning and a wake-up call for those external forces and their followers to discard illusions of disrupting Hong Kong and thus harming China's national interests. For them, Hong Kong will no longer be a safe haven for their sabotage against China.

The national security legislation in Hong Kong will affect neither the high level of autonomy in the city and the rights and freedom enjoyed by Hong Kong residents, nor the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors in this global financial hub.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday at a press conference that the decision will bring more stability, stronger rule of law, and a better business environment to the financial hub.

It is not surprising that following the approval of the decision, some external forces will pressure, oppose and attack China over it, but China will remain rock-solid in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and interests.

History will prove that the firewall in the making will further promote the implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle, which will in turn make major contributions to stability, security and prosperity in Hong Kong and the whole China in the long run. Enditem
Kevin Harrington and his mother, Pauline Lawrence, on May 10, their first Mother's Day together in more than 17 years. (Family photo)

The day that Kevin Harrington went into quarantine was a joyous one.

He flung open the door to room No. 305 at the Extended Stay America in Canton, Mich., and flopped down on the full-sized mattress, which felt so plush he imagined he was on a cloud.

The next day he took three long, hot showers  just because he could.

He ordered in hamburgers, fries, milkshakes, thick slabs of French toast crusted with cornflakes and topped with bananas Foster sauce, candied pecans and mixed berries.

More than once he simply told the person taking his order: Surprise me.

For many Americans, quarantine in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a sort of prison. For Harrington, it was freedom.

Kevin Harrington loads his belongings into his nephew's car, putting an end to his quarantine. (Family photo)

He knew what real prison was like, having come directly from the Macomb Correctional Facility, where he had been serving a life sentence for murder until a judge exonerated him.

Now, after nearly 18 years, he was no longer inmate No. 447846.

::

Growing up outside Detroit in the predominantly black city of Inkster, Harrington never thought much about freedom, even when he saw police arresting drivers or harassing neighborhood kids.

He was the youngest of three children, all raised by their mother, who worked as a nurse's aide for psychiatric patients in residential treatment centers. They would see their father on weekends.

Harrington did well in school, and in the fall of 2002, the 20-year-old became a freshman business major at Wilberforce University in Ohio  the first in his family to attend college.

There was a great future awaiting him, said his mother, Pauline Lawrence. I was so proud."

Then on Oct. 19, 2002, Harrington was at a bus station in Ann Arbor when six police officers walked up to him and said he was under arrest for murder.

A witness had implicated him in the homicide of a 45-year-old man whose body had been left in a field in Inkster three weeks earlier. In a long interrogation, the witness told police that she had seen Harrington and another man beat the victim with a pipe before shooting him.

Story continues

Harrington's first prosecution ended in a mistrial. As prosecutors prepared to retry him, he vowed to establish his innocence.

In the meantime, he began to learn how to survive behind bars.

'Freedom to me means doing the right thing, real justice.'

Kevin Harrington

Each morning before his feet touched the concrete floor in his cell at the Wayne County jail, he told himself: Today is the day that victory is here. Then he would pray and put on earphones to listen to the same gospel music his mother blasted in the house.

Whenever he would make a collect call, the person on the receiving end would hear: You have a collect call from Blessed and Highly Favored.

In the spring of 2005, Harrington went on trial again.

The case appeared to fall apart when the woman who claimed she had seen the killing took the stand and recanted the statement she had given to police. But the trial ended in a hung jury, as did a third trial that fall.

Prosecutors then offered Harrington a deal: Plead guilty and go home in four years. It was a sure path to freedom.

But he refused.

"I wanted nothing more than to go home, but I was willing to sacrifice my life for what's right," he said. "Freedom to me means doing the right thing, real justice."

And so in January 2006, Harrington went on trial for the fourth time.

The key witness again testified that she had made up her original statement, but the judge allowed it to be read in court anyway.

The jury deliberated for two days before finding Harrington guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

Kevin Harrington, center, with sister Sherica and brother Michael. (Family photo)

::

Harrington was transferred from the county jail into the state prison system. Over the next 14 years, he lived in 13 different lockups.

The toughest period was his three years at the Chippewa Correctional Facility upstate, because his mother and nephews could only make the drive  335 miles each way  every four or five months.

He called each of them collect every other day and tried to make sure they all knew they could talk about anything  big stuff, little stuff, breakups, whatever."

But each call was automatically cut off after 15 minutes.

As years passed and Harrington established a record of model behavior, he was allowed to spend more time outside his cell. He relished the opportunity to lift weights and attend a Protestant service each Sunday.

But his most cherished retreat was the law library. Each prison had one, and Harrington spent as much time as he could researching his case, which in 2009 was taken up by the Innocence Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School.

In his mind, learning was the closest thing to freedom. He never minded helping other inmates with their legal proceedings.

One day Harrington was returning to his cell when a friend  known to everyone as Big Pee-wee  saw him sobbing. A judge had just turned down yet another one of his appeals.

Big Pee-wee hugged him and said, "Listen, man, you gonna make it outta here. Believe that.

But leaving one prison only meant relocating to another.

When he arrived at Macomb in 2017, he was disappointed to find that his cell  which he shared with another inmate  was only 10 feet long and 7  feet wide.

It had a bunk bed, two desks and two lockers, but no toilet. If he needed to go after lights were out, he had to hold it. If he got thirsty during the night, tough.

But at least it was only 40 minutes from Inkster, so his family was able to visit about once a month.

Harrington also found his way back to a college classroom. He was one of 10 inmates who attended a University of Michigan philosophy class alongside 10 undergraduates who visited the prison each Tuesday evening for an entire semester.

He also would have liked to study cooking, horticulture or auto shop, but those classes were not open to lifers.

::

It would take the work of 27 different law students over the course of a decade, but the case for Harrington's exoneration began to take shape.

Records showed that the key witness had denied any knowledge of the crime at least 23 times before the detective interrogating her repeatedly suggested that she could be separated from her children if she failed to supply the information he wanted.

Last fall, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Conviction Integrity Unit, which investigates claims of innocence, took up the case, and by this spring, Harrington and his legal team began to feel hopeful.

But first he had to survive the pandemic.

Prisons across the country were being ravaged by the virus, and Michigan was no exception. At least 62 inmates across the state would die of COVID-19.

Many of the freedoms Harrington had enjoyed disappeared as prison officials tried to slow the spread. In late March, they canceled religious services and closed the law library.

Classrooms were converted into isolation wards for the infected. With the mess hall closed, Harrington and the other inmates ate in their cells.

I aint about to let no little coronavirus scare me," Harrington said he thought at first. "... Id already been fighting for my life for 17 years, so I figured, Alright, guess I gotta fight you too.' 

Then the virus killed William Garrison , one of the inmates who would sometimes join him to study law and, after nearly 44 years in prison, was slated to be released in May.

Kevin Harrington packs up to leave a hotel in Canton, Mich. (Family photo)

He was on his way home, Harrington said. Its sad. Very, very sad.

On April 21, eight days after Garrison's death, the judge threw out the murder convictions of both Harrington and the other man who had been falsely accused by the same witness and wrongly convicted.

::

Harrington found out an hour later, when a guard asked for his clothing size in order to supply him with khaki exit garb.

He thanked the officer but turned him down before rushing to the phone banks to place his final collect call from prison.

"We're on our way!" his mother screamed.

Harrington returned to his cell, put on his own white T-shirt and maroon shorts and grabbed his 13-inch flat-screen television, earphones, packs of ramen noodles and other possessions. Then he walked down the corridor handing them out through the bars.

As for the things he wanted to keep, he filled one giant trash bag with letters and photos and four others with his legal paperwork, and then piled them all onto a pushcart.

At 3 p.m., he exited the administration building's sliding doors, stepped into the parking lot, fell to his knees and thanked God. He was 37 and a free man.

His mother shrieked and banged a tambourine against her palm as she resisted the urge to embrace her son. Their faces covered by masks, relatives and friends cheered from a safe distance.

Then one of his nephews, who is a nurse, drove him to the hotel and helped him sanitize the room.

Harrington didn't have any symptoms of the coronavirus. But he thought it best to spend 14 days in solitude.

I understand the significance of doing the right thing in regards to social distancing, he said. I have older people in my family and definitely dont want anything to affect their well-being.

Relatives had chipped in to buy him an iPhone, and he spent that first evening of freedom FaceTiming with them.

Around 8 p.m., he decided to take a walk but was unable to bring himself to leave the hotel parking lot. Prisoners were never allowed out at night.

He felt exhausted but struggled to fall asleep in the darkness. Finally, he turned on the bathroom light, remembering that in prison he'd gone to bed with the lights on.

The next morning, he prayed, just as he had when he was locked up. After breakfast, he took another walk, this time going a few blocks. It became his morning routine.

Each day Harrington ventured farther. He wore a gray pleather mask, but eventually he started taking it off. He liked the feeling of the air on his mouth.

Back in his room, he would flip on the television and watch the news for hours. He strongly disagreed with protesters who claimed stay-at-home orders were a violation of their freedoms.

Soon he found "The Last Dance," the ESPN documentary series about Michael Jordan, one of his childhood heroes.

Harrington marveled at all the things now under his control. When to eat. When the lights go on and off. When to crank up the thermostat. How long to stay on the phone.

That was freedom.

Two law students who had worked on his case set up a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $22,000 to help him restart his life. He planned to rent an apartment as soon as quarantine ended.

A selfie of Kevin Harrington at Walmart. (Kevin Harrington)

Under Michigan's Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Act, he may be entitled to nearly $900,000. His attorneys also plan to sue the city of Inkster and the detective who handled the case. Money could start to correct the injustice.

But what Harrington said he believes would really be fair is that those who worked to incarcerate him spend 17 years, six months, two days and 35 minutes away from their loved ones  all that time wondering, How the hell am I even here?

Back in his hotel room, he could do as he pleased  even take a break from his quarantine.

After four days, he was running out of shampoo and clean socks and realized he also badly needed new lenses for his glasses. He had to make it through the next 10 days alone.

His nephew picked him up and drove him to Walmart.

There was an entire aisle just for shampoo. He didn't know where to start. The optical section, he was told, was closed because of the pandemic.

"When will it reopen?" he asked a saleswoman.

"Who knows?" she said.

Harrington could wait. He had time.
Tenants have sought rent reductions, delays in rent payments and other concessions, and the extent of rent reductions and defaults is unclear. Some publicly traded property owners have estimated 10% to 25% or more of their office tenants were late on rent payments in April and May. Those are lower percentages than retail rent defaults.
Turbulent and in some cases violent protests erupted around the country Thursday night over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, as demonstrators damaged buildings, blocked traffic and demanded justice for Floyd and other victims of police brutality.

At the center of the fury was Minneapolis, where protesters breached the police department's Third Precinct, set fire to the building and launched fireworks toward police, forcing all officers to evacuate the precinct.

The unrest multiplied from Phoenix to Columbus, Ohio, as hundreds of people converged in city centers and descended on state capitol buildings in the face of tear gas and rubber bullets from police. Gunfire broke out in multiple cities, including Louisville, where police say seven people were injured in a shooting that sent dozens scattering. Several hundred people there were protesting the March fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor in her apartment, where police barged in while she was asleep.

Six or seven shots were also fired near a crowd in Denver on Thursday evening, but a police spokesman said no one was injured.

Late into the night, officials pleaded with protesters to remain peaceful.

"I certainly understand everyone's frustration and sense of pain and disgust following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis," Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock (D) said in a video message Thursday night. "But I want to plead to everyone, let's demonstrate, but let's demonstrate peacefully. Leave the weapons home, and let's march together in unity and let's have our voices heard, but keep everyone safe. That's the way we need to do this."

Thursday marked the third night of protests after Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin was captured on video digging his knee into the back of Floyd's neck as Floyd cried, "I can't breathe!" just before he died.

In Louisville, multiple protests had also broken out since Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was shot and killed by police. When narcotics detectives broke down her door after midnight, her boyfriend fired a gun, thinking armed intruders had entered the home. Police shot Taylor eight times when they returned fire. They found no drugs.

The Louisville protests appeared to reach a fever pitch Thursday night.

Protesters blocked buses, broke an arm off a statue of King Louis XVI outside of City Hall, and threw fireworks at police officers, WFPL reported. Then, around 11:30 p.m., gunfire erupted from within the crowd, police said.

Of the seven people shot, at least two were in surgery and five were in good condition as of early Friday morning, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said, adding that no police fired their weapons. Police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley said police made multiple arrests but said she was unable to elaborate on how many or whether the arrests were connected to the shooting.

Fischer said, "I feel the community's frustration, but tonight's violence and destruction is not the way to solve it." He shared a video message from Taylor's sister, Juniyah Palmer, urging everyone to be peaceful.

"Louisville, thank you so much for saying Breonna's name tonight," she said. "We are not going to stop until we get justice, but we should stop tonight before people get hurt. Please go home, be safe and be ready to keep fighting.

Hundreds of miles away, in Denver, shots rang out about 5:30 p.m. close enough to the state capitol building to alarm lawmakers inside.

"They shot into a crowd of people protesting police brutality," state Rep. Leslie Herod, D, told the Denver Post, adding that police inside the building instructed people to take cover. "It's an act of violence against our community."

Protesters who converged on the capitol steps spray-painted "Black Lives Matter" and George Floyd's name on the capitol steps, footage from CBS Denver shows, while some smashed vehicles parked in the building's parking lot. Hundreds of others both blocked traffic on I-25 and marched down one busy street against traffic.

A viral video soon emerged showing one protester on the hood of a car before jumping off. The driver then circled back around to ram into the protester, who fell to the pavement before getting back up. Denver police spokesman Kurt Barnes said no arrests have been made in either the shooting or the apparent hit-and-run.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said he was "absolutely shocked" by the video of the driver attempting to run over the protester.

"Coloradans are better than this," he wrote on Twitter. "I share the immense anguish we all feel about the unjust murder of George Floyd. But let me be clear, senseless violence will never be healed by more violence."

Elsewhere, police in New York arrested at least 70 protesters at Union Square, NBC New York reported. In Columbus, protesters reportedly breached the Ohio Statehouse, breaking windows and running inside, according to WCMH. Police SWAT teams showed up to secure the area, declaring an emergency on megaphones and ordering people to clear the area, WCMH reported.

Protesters in Phoenix resisted calls to disperse after the police declared the protest an unlawful assembly around 11 p.m., the Arizona Republic reported. Chanting "I can't breathe," dozens faced police in riot gear, who shot rubber bullets at protesters and used pepper spray on others, the Republic reported. Video footage showed some being arrested, but when reached by phone, a police spokeswoman declined to answer any questions.

The protesting continued well after midnight in Phoenix and numerous other cities. Some protesters could be seen wearing face masks, although their primary focus was on a different kind of epidemic in America.

"It's too easy to say we're in a pandemic," one protester in Denver, Kira Pratt, told the Denver Post. "Black people are at risk every day just living."
The Jefferson County Jail has added another weapon to its arsenal of fighting COVID-19 in the lockup.

Sheriff Mark Pettway on Wednesday had the CONPASS DV body scanner installed in the Birmingham facility. The scanner is aimed at reducing physical contact between the staff and inmates during the booking process.

The scanner is just one of the ways sheriffs officials are working to keep coronavirus out of the jail population. Authorities there also have implemented an outdoor booking area, 14-day quarantine holding cells, monitoring of the staffs health and aggressive cleaning procedures.

As of Thursday, no Jefferson County inmates or deputies have tested positive for COVID-19.

Jefferson County jails in Birmingham and Bessemer have been conducting visitation by online visits. for quite a while. This modification has significantly reduced the traffic coming in and out of the facilities without denying visitations between inmates and their families, said Sgt. Joni Money.

The Jefferson County Jail has added another weapon to its arsenal of fighting COVID-19 in the lockup - the CONPASS DV body scanner. (Jefferson County Sheriff's Office)

With the implementation of the outdoor booking process, most inmates brought to the jail are able to complete booking procedures and make their bond without ever entering into the facility. However, those who are unable to make bond or do not have a bond must go through normal procedures to enter into the jail until they have a court date.

Those procedures include a full-body search of these subjects. These scanners will reduce the need for deputies to physically search those incoming inmates for drugs, weapons or other illegal contraband that could make its way into the jail, Money said. Having these scanners in place have the added benefit of keeping these dangerous items out of our jails.

These devices will have the ability of locating contraband that subjects attempt to hide on their body in places that are difficult or even impossible for deputies to locate, she said. This procedure will help make the facility safer for both the inmates and staff.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkeys export of ready-made clothing to Iran decreased by 97.27 percent from January through April 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, equaling to $3.4 million, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend.

In April 2020, the export of ready-made clothing from Turkey to Iran dropped by 99.6 percent compared to the same month of 2019, amounting to $121,000.

In the first four months of 2020, Turkeys export of ready-made clothing to world markets dropped by 20.1 percent, compared to the same period of 2019, amounting to $4.7 billion. Meanwhile, Turkeys export of ready-made clothing amounted to 9.3 percent of the countrys total export.

In April 2020, Turkey exported the ready-made clothing to world markets worth over $575.8 million, which is 61.7 percent less compared to the same month of 2019. In this month, the export of Turkish ready-made clothing amounted to 6.4 percent of the country's total export.

From April 2019 through April 2020, Turkeys export of ready-made clothing reached $16.4 billion.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Kpalwega in Bawku Municipality and Bazua in Binduri District have both received water and sanitation projects each to promote hygiene.

The project is funded by the Australian High commission-Direct aid program (DAP) 2020 and implemented by El-ehsan Charitable Relief Foundation, Ghana.

The facilities come with 6 toilet seater for men, 6 toilet seater for women, 6 bathrooms and 2 handwashing bases each to promote hygiene.

In a short ceremony at Kpalwega and Bazua, the CEO of EL-ehsan Charitable Relief Foundation, Sheikh Osman Ibrahim Tanko, said the Direct Aid Program (DAP) is a flexible small grants program funded by the Australian Government through Australia's overseas diplomatic posts.

He noted that the DAP provides funding to civil society groups to pursue small-scale development projects and provide humanitarian assistance, in line with Australia's international relations and public diplomacy objectives.

Sheikh Osman Ibrahim indicated that he earlier visited the areas, Bazua and Kpalwega and the residents' challenge was water and sanitation in this era of the coronavirus hence, the execution of the projects to help fight the coronavirus.

He said the project will help provide clean water, save time spent in going long distances in search of water and curb open defecation.

Sheikh Osman Ibrahim indicated that more of the water and sanitation project and 30 boreholes are ongoing in Missiga, Atuba, Googo and other places within the Bawku area.

Prince Edward Abugrago Azoka, a resident said, Highways in Bawku is a highly populated area but has only one old public toilet which serves over thousands of people in the area.

With the support the facilities, he indicated that residents won't have to go to the bush to ease themselves often caused by longer queues at public places of convenience.

Zulfawu Nobre Tahiru, a student, also lamented that water situation has been a challenge for them as students in the area and some times they had to abandoned classes in search of water and that slows their academic activities.

A representative of Bazua Chief, Imam Tanimu Dabre expresses gratitude to the Australian high commission and EL-ehsan charitable Relief Foundation for the facilities.

Luis Mbun, former Assemblymember for Bazua thanked the Australian High Commission and EL-ehsan charitable Relief Foundation team for the kind gesture and promised to put the project into good use to benefit generations unborn.
New Delhi, May 29 : The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday filed a charge sheet against Jammu and Kashmir Police Inspector Vivek Bassan for allegedly murdering his wife with his service pistol in February 2018.

A CBI spokesperson, in a statement, said that the charge sheet was filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jammu, under several sections of the Indian Penal Code for cruelty to married women and culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sections of the Arms Act in the case related to alleged murder of Neha Kumari.

The CBI had registered a case on March 26, 2019 on the orders of J&K High Court on a petition filed by the woman's father and taken over the investigation of the case, earlier registered at Pacca Danga Police Station in Jammu, alleging the death of Neha Kumari in suspicious circumstances on February 26, 2018. According to police, the woman's father had complained that she had died due to gunshot injury from the service pistol of her husband. The state police had registered the case on May 18, 2018, almost three months after the murder.

The spokesperson said that the CBI investigation, which included assistance of forensic experts and reconstruction of scene of crime, led to the unearthing of the criminal conspiracy behind the murder. "It was further alleged that the deceased was being subjected to cruelty in relation to demand for dowry and was murdered by her husband by using his service pistol," the statement said.

"It was also revealed an alleged conspiracy to manipulate evidence so as to reflect the incident as suicide," he said, adding that on the basis of evidence gathered during investigation, the agency has arrested Bassan earlier in the day. Bassan was produced before the court, which sent him to judicial custody.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-11 18:53:25|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

DAKAR, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The Senegalese Ministry of Health and Social Action on Monday reported 177 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 1,886 in the country.

Of those 177 positive cases, 169 are follow-up contact cases and eight community-transmission ones, Director-General of Public Health Marie Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye told a daily briefing of the pandemic.

Over the previous 24 hours, Senegal conducted a total of 917 tests, she said.

According to her, 65 patients have been declared negative and recovered, bringing the total to 715 in Senegal, while eight patients are now in intensive care units in Dakar and Ziguinchor.

Among the 1,886 confirmed cases across the country, 1,626 are follow-up contact cases, 86 are imported cases and 174 are community-transmission ones. Senegal has reported 19 deaths and 715 recoveries since March 2.

Ndiaye urged the population to strictly abide by the prevention measures implemented by the health authorities.

Senegal has since March 20 suspended all international flights till at least May 31.

President Macky Sall extended the country's state of emergency and dusk-to-dawn curfew, declared on March 24, to June 2.

Local media said Sall may announce more drastic measures when he addresses the nation again on Tuesday on the pandemic. Enditem
Check out the companies making headlines before the bell:

Big Lots  Big Lots is the latest discount retailer to report a strong quarter amid the pandemic, earning an adjusted $1.26 per share compared with a 40 cent consensus estimate. Revenue exceeded forecasts as well, with same-store sales jumping 10.3% compared with a 1% FactSet consensus estimate. Big Lots said comparable store sales should increase a similar amount for the current quarter.

Canopy Growth  The cannabis producer lost $3.72 per share (Canadian) for its fiscal 4th quarter, including $743 million in impairment and restructuring charges. Analysts had predicted a loss of 59 cents per share. Revenue was short of forecasts, and the company said fiscal 2021 will be a transition year in which a strategy reset is fully implemented. Canopy also withdrew its financial outlook due to pandemic-related uncertainty.

Costco  Costco reported quarterly profit of $1.89 per share, 6 cents below estimates, though revenue was slightly above consensus. Costco saw comparable sales fall in April for the first time in over a decade, as social distancing rules limited visits, following a pandemic-related stockpiling surge in March.

Nordstrom  Nordstrom lost $3.33 per share for its latest quarter, more than triple than consensus estimate of a $1.07 per share loss. The retailer's revenue also missed estimates, as nationwide lockdowns shut its stores. Overall sales were down almost 40% during the quarter.

Williams-Sonoma  Williams-Sonoma reported adjusted quarterly earnings of 74 cents per share, soaring past the consensus estimate of 3 cents, while revenue was also above forecasts. The housewares retailer was helped by a surge in online sales, with household essentials in demand amid widespread sheltering at home.

Salesforce.com  Salesforce beat estimates by a penny with adjusted quarterly earnings of 70 cents per share, with the business software company's revenue slightly above estimates as well. However, the company cut its annual profit and revenue forecast, due in part to allowing clients to defer payments as well as paying one-time commissions to its sales team.

Ulta Beauty  Ulta lost $1.39 per share for its latest quarter, surprising analysts who had predicted a 48 cents per share profit. Revenue missed estimates as well, as the cosmetics retailer's comparable store sales sank 35%.

Dell Technologies  Dell reported adjusted quarterly earnings of $1.34 per share, beating the consensus estimate of 92 cents, with revenue beating forecasts as well. Dell benefited from workstation purchases by companies moving more employees to home-based work.

General Motors  GM will increase North American production next week, adding shifts at plants that produce crossover vehicles and pickup trucks.

Eli Lilly  Eli Lilly won FDA approval for its radioactive agent that can detect a key marker for Alzheimer's disease.

Cisco Systems  Cisco is buying ThousandEyes, whose software helps companies monitor computer network outages. Terms were not disclosed, but multiple reports say the purchase price was approximately $1 billion.

AstraZeneca  The drug maker reported success in a phase 3 trial involving the use of its Tagrisso lung cancer drug to treat in EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) mutated lung cancer.

Okta  Okta lost 7 cents per share for its latest quarter, smaller than the 18 cent loss anticipated by Wall Street. The maker of ID management technology also saw revenue beat estimates. The company said it remains confident in long-term success, but said it did expect some near term headwinds related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tyson Foods  The meat producer will temporarily close its Storm Lake, Iowa, pork processing plant, after 555 employees tested positive for the coronavirus. It plans to resume operations next week after additional deep cleaning and sanitizing of the plant.
New Delhi :

In joint statements issued by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and US Secretary of State John Kerry, US and Pakistan struck a strong note against terrorism as they directly mentioned Pakistan.

1.We don't make distinction between good and bad terrorists, says John Kerry

In joint statements issued by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and US Secretary of State John Kerry, US and Pakistan struck a strong note against terrorism as they directly mentioned Pakistan.

2. Delhi LG Najeeb Jung appoints 3-member panel to examine 400 files submitted to him by Kejriwal Govt

Lt Governor Najeeb Jung has constituted a three-member committee to examine the decisions taken by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The panel comprises of Former Comptroller and Auditor General V K Shunglu, Former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami and Former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar.

3. Modi's gift for Babus: Two years bonus for central govt employees announced, hike in minimum wage

In an attempt to mollify trade unions that have threatened to go on a nation-wide strike on Friday, the Centre on Tuesday announced a hike in minimum wage for unskilled non-farm workers of the central government from Rs 246 a day to Rs 350.

4. This is how PM Narendra Modi saved DD cameraman from being washed away

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday saved the life of of a DD cameraperson during the inauguration of a huge water project in his home state of Gujarat, said Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat Nitin Patel.

5. BJP MLA Narendra Mehta gifts his wife Rs. 5.5 crore Lamborghini on her birthday, she rams it into an auto

BJP MLA Narendra Mehta surprised his wife Suman by gifting her a saffron Lamborghini worth Rs. 5.5 crore on her birthday. Suman took the Lamborghini out for a ride, but lost control of the vehicle and rammed it into the auto.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Millions of locusts have affected around 100 districts in five states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra and can reach another 12 in the next few weeks, officials have warned.

They said another swarm from Pakistan is expected to enter India around mid-June, which would provide fuel to locust activity in the region.

The desert locust is a species of swarming short-horned grasshopper, and are known to devour everything in their path, posing an unprecedented threat to food supply and livelihoods of millions of people.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organizations Desert Locust Information Service bulletin, locusts can fly up to 150 km a day and a one-square-kilometre swarm can eat as much food as 35,000 people in one day.

Authorities in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Telangana and Karnataka sounded alerts on Thursday to the possibility of locusts entering their territories even as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned that the crop-destroying insects could reach Bihar and Odisha in the east in the coming weeks.

The Delhi government has issued an advisory to officials across various districts to prepare for a potential locust attack after the Centre issued a warning that there was a high chance of the crop-munching insects moving from parts of Madhya Pradesh towards the capital.

The Locust Warning Organisation under the Union agriculture ministry warned that Delhi may be targeted by the swarm which hit Jaipur and Uttar Pradesh on May 25, and parts of Madhya Pradesh last week.

There is a chance that the swarm in Madhya Pradeshs Chhatarpur and neighbouring Jhansi area may move towards Delhi. They will settle in the evening and control operations will take place tomorrow morning. But its good that Delhi government is on alert just in case a small number reach Delhi from Madhya Pradesh, KL Gurjar, deputy director of the nodal organisation dealing with a possible locust attack, said.

Similarly, a high alert has been issued in Kangra, Una, Bilaspur and Solan districts after massive swarms of desert locust destroyed crops in adjoining states and that may spread to Himachal Pradesh.

Dr RK Koundal, director of agriculture, said on Thursday that field functionaries have been alerted to keep the continuous and constant vigilance on locust activity and get ready to control any emergency situation, according to an official release.

Farmers have been asked to report any activity of locusts to nearby agriculture officers.

Desert locusts usually fly with the wind at a speed of about 16-19 km per hour depending on the wind. When swarm settles down in a particular area it should be quickly treated chemically, mechanically beaten and buried by digging trenches, Koundal said.

At present, the primary method of controlling desert locust swarms and hopper bands is mainly with organophosphate chemical applied in small concentrated doses (referred to as ultra-low volume (ULV) formulation) by vehicle-mounted and aerial sprayers and to a lesser extent by a knapsack and hand-operated sprayers. Small patches of locust should be immediately sprayed by ULV, he said.

Koundal further said that all the field officers have been directed to create awareness among the farmers regarding the locust attack.

Directions have also been given to check its gregarious and solitary forms immediately by spraying contact insecticides, he added.

Bio-Control Laboratory, Kangra and Mandi have been directed to prepare Metarhizium and Beauveria bio-insecticides at their full capacities.

Haryana has also issued a high alert in seven districts after locust swarms attacked crops in neighbouring Rajasthan and a few other states, officials said on Thursday.

They added that there was enough insecticide in stock to tackle the pest menace.

Tractors mounted with chemical sprayers have also been deployed in Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Mahendragarh and Rewari districts, which are on high alert.

Farmers maintained vigil hundreds of kilometres away in Karnatakas Bidar as locusts were expected from western Maharashtra, where they reached on Tuesday.

The Karnataka government claimed on Thursday that the chances of a massive locust swarm reaching the state are remote due to change in the wind direction.

...good thing is that the wind is not blowing towards Karnataka..according to the MET department report wind is expected to be towards a different direction,99.99 per cent it (locust) will not come to Karnataka, so farmers need not worry, BC Patil, the states agriculture minister, said while speaking to reporters.

A committee, comprising agriculture and horticulture directors and senior officials has been constituted and the officials have been directed to visit Kalaburagi, Bidar, Koppal and Yadgir districts.

An official release mentioning the change in the wind direction said the locusts are about 450km away from Bidar district border, and may not reach Karnataka.

Minister Patil stating that according to experts locusts have appeared in large numbers due to good rains last year in Rajasthan and have started moving in an eastward direction now.

They travel along the wind direction and not against it, he said.

The minister also said they have stocked pesticide chlorpyrifos and it can be sprayed in case the locusts come.

In Telangana, a five-member committee has been appointed to keep a tab on the movement of the locusts and to monitor measures to prevent the swarms from entering the state.

Fire engines, jetting machines and pesticides were being sent to the entry point areas on the states borders with Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Reports said officials and police in Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mulugu, Jayashankar Bhoopalpally, Mancherial, Asifabad, Adilabad and Pedapalli districts have been put on alert.

The Uttarakhand government has set up district control rooms to coordinate locust control operations. Officials said that drones have also been procured to spray chemicals and fire tenders and trackers with chemicals were on standby for pest control operations.

Favourable breeding weather caused by a large number of cyclones in East Africa is being attributed to the surge in locust attacks since last year. India, China and Pakistan face the most risk in Asia, according to the UN. Pakistan has already declared an agricultural emergency.

Locust attacks are known to cause a considerable drop in agricultural output. A moderate infestation chomped through winter crops in an estimated 300,000 hectares in Rajasthan and Gujarat in January. The crucial summer-sown season begins next month.

(With agency inputs)
When Gary Marshs department transitioned to a hybrid telecommuting model 18 months ago, he didnt know he and his team were preparing for a new normal where the vast majority of us are working from home. Marsh, the Director of Talent Management for Harris Health System, describes a system where all non-clinical employees worked from home 2-3 times a week. The result? When stay-at-home mandates came down, the transition was not as difficult for Harris Health employees.

It was like a test drive, says Marsh. But now my entire team enjoys working from home. Its not just his team enjoying the benefits of telecommuting. Marsh has conducted polling of Harris Health employees and found by-and-large people are responding positively to the change, especially those ditching a lengthy Houston commute.

I used to have a fun commute back when I lived in Southern California, laughs Marsh. It was brutal. It definitely took a couple of years off my life. When he moved back home to Houston his commute dropped from 90 minutes each way to 10. Now he has no commute at all. its amazing how not sitting in your car and being home at reasonable times can really improve your quality of life.

Indeed, according to HR professionals like Marsh and health experts like Michele Hunnicutt, who is Harris Health Systems Director of Employee Wellness, there are a ton of positive aspects about telecommuting, quality of life first and foremost among them. Says Hunnicutt, Even before this crisis, Ive been a firm believer in telecommuting. In todays world, from a health and wellness standpoint, I think its critical that employers work with their employees to achieve a balanced work/life integration.

And while some companies worry that telecommuting negatively affects productivity, neither Marsh nor Hunnicutt have seen this to be the case. In fact, Hunnicutt notes, because of the lack of office distractions and the personal flexibility telecommuting allows, employees are often happier, which leads to better productivity. Add in the fact that were not spending 2+ unproductive hours in the car, and productivity increases by default.

Rondell Bailey, an HR veteran who now heads Harris Healths Learning and Resource Center, agrees. Hes been watching the effects of telecommuting on Harris Health employees and acknowledges some real positives. Besides improved quality of life, Bailey has witnessed what he calls the were still working benefit, which basically amounts to the gratitude felt by those lucky enough to still be working.

The were still working benefit is not meant to be insensitive to those who cannot work right now, Bailey clarifies. Instead, the fact that were still gainfully employed is a benefit that shouldnt be taken for granted. I believe recognizing this fact enables us to have an increased level of empathy for those not as fortunate and allows us, as HR professionals, a new level of patience that may not have been as prevalent before.

Still other benefits are emerging. Hunnicutt observes that from an employee wellness standpoint, working from home enables healthier life choices. We eat better because were cooking our own meals, and we exercise because we have the time. Bailey notes employees of Harris Health have embraced the technology inherent to telecommuting. Because he sees a future where telecommuting becomes the norm, hes excited his team now has these important skills. All three, Bailey, Hunnicutt and Marsh speak of enjoying more time with their families.

Despite these benefits, telecommuting has some challenges, from mental health issues linked to the lack of in-person interaction to potential burn-out from a dysfunctional work/life balance. A comfort curve is still being managed here, acknowledges Marsh. But all three experts stress Harris Health System managers are working hard to provide solutions to these potential drawbacks. Says Bailey, Even though there are no one-stop solutions that will work for every single individual, there are some helpful tips that, when tailored to your individual telecommuting situation, can mitigate any less-than-desirable side effects from working from home.

1. Find the Right Balance to Your Work/Life Blend

Pexels

Because telecommuting removes the physical act of going to work, Bailey notes what used to be a work/life balance is now more of a work/life blend. This can cause burn-out. The same elements that aid productivity in telecommuting, like never having to go into the office, can also do harm, Bailey says. Were doing more simply because we can.

To combat this, all Harris Health managers have been conducting coordinated employee check-ins to make sure employees get the support they need as well as dont feel overworked. Because of the physical distance inherent to telecommuting, says Bailey, We want to avoid an out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality with our employees. If this means making adjustments to elements like core timethe time during the day an employee must be reachable by phone or emailin order to ensure all employees dont feel trapped at their kitchen table for hours at a time so be it. Harris Health is looking to stay nimble in order to head off burn-out. Were here and were listening, says Marsh.

From a wellness perspective, Hunnicutt stresses having a functional work/life blend is the most important factor in maintaining mental and physical health. She encourages us to develop a routine that designates work time and family time. When the moment comes to trade your work hat for your home hat, Hunnicutt suggests giving ourselves a little bit of time to transition between roles. This helps maintain a healthy boundary between home and work.

Also bear in mind keeping a routine or schedule does not mean being inflexible, says Hunnicutt. Keeping yourself and your family on a regular sleep and eating schedule will help reduce your overall stress, but if its too rigid, you lose that benefit. Maintaining flexibility while wearing multiple hats is what an ideal work/life blend looks like.

Hunnicutt also encourages setting up a designated workspace, if your home allows, that is comfortable and functional, preferably one you can leave when your work is done. In other words, turning your living room into your office and back every day can get stressful. Says Hunnicutt, Life integration is more important than ever now. Personal circumstances make a difference. Creating a healthy workspace helps. Stay organized, keep good lighting, be near a window. And take your roles as parents and employees in shifts when possible.

2. Take Advantage of Mental Health Resources

Pexels

While telecommuting, it can feel like were unmoored, alone to face whatever challenges the day holds. But Marsh, Bailey and Hunnicutt all point out Harris Health, like many Houston companies, has a variety of programs to assist employees and their families during this health crisis. As the Director of Harris Healths Employee Wellness programs, Hunnicutt oversees the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The EAP is an invaluable resource to Harris Health employees. Here employees can receive free counseling, financial and legal assistance, and resources to help locate childcare like the systems new partnership with the Houston YMCA. In recent weeks, Harris Health witnessed increased demand for their mental health programs and responded accordingly.

Additional programing on how to deal with the mental health challenges caused by COVID-19 is available, says Hunnicutt. These programs are not only for nurses who are concerned about getting their families sick but also for telecommuting employees who are dealing with the stress of now having to be a worker and a teacher and a parent, all at the same time.

Regardless of your industry, your companys HR department is most likely offering some support. If not, Houston has mental health resources you can investigate.

3. Make It Part of Your Routine to Connect with Others

Pexels

Besides searching out mental health resources, Hunnicutt, Marsh and Bailey all agree theres one important step theyre taking as managers to improve their employees mental health that we can do, too.

I cant stress this enough, says Bailey. Interaction with others is key. Bailey and other Harris Health managers use what they call one-on-ones (1x1s) to incorporate this strategy on a company level. These are short, personal interactions between managers and employees that arent even necessarily work-related. 1x1s can make the difference between a happy, productive employee and one who may begin to feel isolated, despondent or anxious.

As managers, we need to weigh the pros and cons of telecommuting for each individual employee and not take on the mantra that theres a one-stop solution for all employees, says Bailey. Working from home is a privilege, but managers need to stay in touch with their team and make sure were doing whats best for our employees.

Marsh agrees. Connection with others is absolutely vital. From an employer standpoint, that means weve tried to focus on consistently knowing the pulse of our employees. We want them to know that if there are more things we can do that will help encourage them throughout this crisis, we will do them.

These check-ins are not just for managers. All of us, as individuals, can help each other by increasing the amount of checking in we do with our co-workers, friends and family. Touching base with people and checking in is vital, says Hunnicutt. Its something small we can all do to help. Social support and outreach arent just good for the people youre reaching out to, it makes you feel good, too.

4. Know the Mental Health Warning Signs

Pexels

The resulting focus on employee wellness has made the importance of knowing the warning signs of mental health issues all the more imperative. Hunnicutt says there is a list of things she and other managers like Marsh and Bailey look for in their employees that we, too, can be mindful of when we check in with others.

From a managers perspective, noticing an employee putting in erratic work hours, either at odd times of the day or just someone obviously overworking, missed deadlines or lack of availability, unexplained absences or reckless behavior are all mental health warning signs, says Hunnicutt. From a co-worker or parental perspective, if you hear frequent physical complaints, that could be a sign. Increased irritability, anger, trouble sleeping, all these may mean your child or co-worker is having difficulty coping with these unprecedented times.

Most of these signs can be mitigated by relationship building and checking in. Just touching base with someone, seeing how theyre doing, and giving them an opportunity to share is the first step, says Hunnicutt.

With these resources available, Harris Health hopes for continued success with its telecommuting program, one where the pros far outweigh the cons. If youre feeling more of the negative side effects of telecommuting, health experts encourage you to seek help. Reach out to your manager. Look into what mental health resources are available in your area. Check-in with a friend or loved one. You can be sure while were all telecommuting, theyll be checking in on you, too.
Vow's subsidiary ETIA has today entered into a supply agreement with Circular Carbon (Wurzburg, Germany), member of econnext group, for the delivery of a Biomass Energy System to be owned and operated by Circular Carbon, for the processing of cocoa shells from the food industry.

The Biomass Energy System, delivered by ETIA, will create a strong environmental impact by enabling Circular Carbon to help its clients reduce industry carbon footprint by offsetting natural gas and the production of biochar (reducing CO2 emissions). The Biomass Energy System comprises ETIA's Biogreen carbonization unit producing biochar and steam (to be used in the local food production).

"The delivery, within this food industry vertical, will demonstrate the relevance and value of Vow Group's decarbonisation technologies in the food processing industry", says Vow's CEO, Mr. Henrik Badin.

"The agreement between ETIA and Circular Carbon manifests the beginning of a mutually valuable cooperation for decarbonisation of industrial processes in the food sector, and the parties are happy to have successfully concluded the engineering study, as well as the pan-European negotiations, despite the exceptional times we are living in", says Circular Carbon's CEO, Mr. Felix Ertl.

"Our vision is to build companies with a positive impact on society and the environment, and we are very pleased to see Circular Carbon enter into this cooperation with ETIA and Vow Group", says Dr. Jobst von Hoyningen-Huene, Co-CEO/Co-Founder of econnext, the majority owner of Circular Carbon.

The Biomass Energy System is scheduled to be delivered and commissioned 2021. The value of this first supply agreement with Circular Carbon is in the region of EUR 2.4 million.





For further queries, please contact:

Henrik Badin - CEO

Vow ASA

Tel: +47 90 78 98 25

Email: henrik.badin@vowasa.com

About Vow ASA

In Vow and our subsidiaries Scanship and Etia we are passionate about preventing pollution. Our world leading solutions convert biomass and waste into valuable resources and generate clean energy for a wide range of industries.

Cruise ships on every ocean have Vow technology inside which processes waste and purifies wastewater. Fish farmers are adopting similar solutions, and public utilities and industries use our solutions for sludge processing, waste management and biogas production on land.

Our ambitions go further than this. With our advanced technologies and solutions, we turn waste into biogenetic fuels to help decarbonize industry and convert plastic waste into fuel, clean energy and high-value pyro carbon.

Our solutions are scalable, standardized, patented and thoroughly documented, and our capability to deliver is well proven. They are key to end waste and stop pollution.

Located in Oslo, the parent company Vow ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker VOW from 13 January 2020). The Vow group has 120 employees in Norway, France, Poland and the US.





This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT), with its lead creative partner BBDO Guerrero, has launched a series of 16 films called Wake Up in the Philippines that highlight the best tourism spots all over the country. This far-reaching campaign attempts to showcase all the fun one can experience in the Philippines in all of its 16 regions.

This year, four films have been initially released featuring key destinations in Regions VII, V, IX, and the Cordillera Administrative Region  sharing the many beautiful things a tourist can experience on these islands.

BBDO Guerrero, along with its seasoned partner production houses, Artillerie Media and Unitel Straight Shooters,accomplished the challenging task to film all 16 videos across the country. Working with several film directors, the entire project comprised of a total of 51 shooting days covering 150 different locations.

The film series is accompanied by music produced by Syn Music who reinterpreted and arranged the classic song Beautiful Dreamer using traditional local instruments mixed with contemporary sounds and rhythm. The concept of the song and its timeless melody was an opportunity to connect the diverse Philippine regions with a thoughtful, consistent musical story.

The rest of the campaign series will be rolled out throughout the year.

The most recent film, an omnibus teaser, has been released in light of the current trying situation due to the panedemic. The video was created in-house by DOT with a hopeful message for locals and tourists alike who yearn to travel again.

Watch the film:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=563887107896709

The Philippine Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary, Howard Uyking stated, Staying at home continues to be the utmost priority of the DOT and the governement. While we ensure our safety and that of our loved ones, we hope this material brings inspiration and excitement to travel again in the near future.

BBDO Guerrero Creative Chairman, David Guerrero, added here, Congratulations and thanks are in order to our clients, production, and agency teams who managed and led this massive project. We hope this reminds people to keep safe and plan for their dream travel destinations that they can experience soon.
In 2014, EU leaders agreed that all sectors should contribute to the European 2030 emission reduction target, including the land use sector, which did not count towards the achievement of the previous climate change mitigation goals. In 2018, this agreement was implemented by the Regulation on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) in the 2030 EU climate and energy framework. The Regulation lays down new rules for the accounting of the sector's emissions and removals, and for assessing EU Member States' compliance with these. For the first time, this allows the land sector to contribute, at least in part, to the achievement of the EU's climate change mitigation targets.

The paper "Making sense of the LULUCF Regulation: Much ado about nothing?", realized with the collaboration of the CMCC Foundation, assesses the importance and highlights the weaknesses and strengths of the LULUCF Regulation in the context of current EU climate and sustainability policies.

The three authors - among which Maria Vincenza Chiriaco and Lucia Perugini, researchers at the CMCC within the division dedicated to the study of agriculture, forests and ecosystem services - explain that the land sector plays a crucial role in climate change mitigation due to a peculiarity: the sector can either release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, acting as a source of emissions or, conversely, store carbon and therefore acting as a sink. Whereas some sectors can reduce or even eliminate their emissions by foregoing the use of fossil fuels (which can be achieved via a transition to renewable energy sources and increased energy efficiency interventions) , other sectors - such as food production and waste - cannot. With its capacity to absorb CO2, the land sector can therefore compensate for part of these unavoidable emissions, thus becoming an important player in the EU's mitigation targets of reducing emissions by 40% before 2030.

"Given the potential for climate change mitigation embedded in the good management of the LULUCF sector, and underlined in the latest IPCC Special Report on "Climate change and land", it is extremely important that emissions and removals of the land sector are accounted for, to incentivize virtuous forest and agricultural management in the EU. Thanks to this Regulation, the sector can finally contribute to the EU's mitigation targets. This was also necessary to align the EU with the Paris Agreement requirement for economy-wide mitigation targets. Although the new Regulation has much improved the accounting rules for the LULUCF, it is still constrained within certain limits. We can consider the LULUCF regulation as a first step towards its full recognition", affirms Perugini, who is currently involved in the negotiating process under the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) as part of the Italian delegation dedicated to defining the role of the land sector.

Indeed, the Regulation demands that EU Member States ensure, between 2021 and 2030, that the LULUCF sector remain emission "neutral", and therefore generate neither credits nor debits. As of today, only a small part of credits generated by the LULUCF can be used to compensate emissions generated in other sectors towards the EU climate goals. Furthermore, the Regulation allows for possible debts arising from the land sector, under given conditions, to go unaccounted for by single member states.

The authors look forward to a further review of the 2030 EU climate framework, as envisioned by the EU Green Deal, as an opportunity to better tap into the sector's sizeable mitigation potential. "With the increased ambitions foreseen by the 'European Green Deal', which includes the specific objective to make of the EU the first climate neutral continent, including the contributions of every economic sector into the EU targets is even more important, as it incentivizes all sectors to do their best in the fight against climate change", continues Chiriaco.

The roadmap designed by the EU Commission - with the final objective of having zero net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 - includes the target of reducing GHG emissions by at least 50%, and possibly towards 55%, by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, and therefore increasing current ambitions.

Achieving these climate goals will require a deep cut in emissions in all sectors.

"The subject matter of the LULUCF Regulation closely intersects with that of other EU law and policy instruments dealing with agriculture and forestry, most saliently the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The EU's ambitious targets ask for a strong coordination and integration among the various sustainability and climate policies linked to the land sector, where all debits and credits generated are accounted for, with no limitations. Only in this way will we have full accountability of emissions and removals from the agriculture and forestry sectors, which will be crucial to monitor progress and reward those that engage in virtuous behaviour, and penalize those who do not", concludes Perugini.

###

For more information: Savaresi, A., Perugini, L., Chiriaco, M. V., Making sense of the LULUCF Regulation: Much ado about nothing?, Review of European, RECIEL - Comparative and International Environmental Law, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/reel.12332
A man sacked as a police officer following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in the US city of Minneapolis has been arrested, officials say.



Derek Chauvin is one of four police officers who were fired after Mr Floyd's death in custody on Monday.



There have been days of protests, looting and arson after an officer was filmed kneeling on George Floyd's neck.



Mr Chauvin has been charged with murder and manslaughter.



The case has added to US anger over police killings of black Americans.



On Thursday, during the third night of protests over Mr Floyd's death, a police station was set alight. A number of buildings have been burned, looted and vandalised in recent days, prompting the activation of the state's National Guard troops.



There have also been demonstrations in other US cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix and Memphis.



Earlier on Friday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he expected "swift and fair" justice for Mr Floyd's death.



President Donald Trump said "thugs" were dishonouring Mr Floyd's memory and called on the National Guard to restore order.



Social media network Twitter accused Mr Trump of glorifying violence in a post that said: "When the looting starts, the shooting starts."



What happened to George Floyd?

Officers responding to reports of the use of counterfeit money approached Mr Floyd in his vehicle on Monday.



According to police, he was told to step away from the car, physically resisted officers, and was handcuffed.



Video of the incident does not show how the confrontation started, but a white officer can be seen with his knee on Mr Floyd's neck, pinning him down.



Mr Floyd can be heard saying "please, I can't breathe" and "don't kill me".



The Minnesota police handbook states that officers trained on how to compress the neck without applying direct pressure to the airway can use a knee under its use-of-force policy. This is regarded as a non-deadly-force option.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
In Iraq, a national lockdown to halt the coronavirus pandemic has found some unexpected fans: local businesses who no longer have to compete with Turkish, Iranian or Chinese imports. Those countries, as well as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kuwait, typically flood Iraqi markets with inexpensive products at prices local producers can't compete with. That includes everything from cars and computers to frozen chicken and even Iraq's national fruit, dates, which in recent years were more often imported from the Gulf than plucked from local palm trees. Local producers were left in the dust, struggling to compete given their expensive raw materials and low outputs compared to the enormous quantities being imported. Not anymore, said Amin Qassem, who has operated an ice cream factory in the oil-rich province of Basra since 2006. "The coronavirus crisis has allowed us to prove ourselves on the Iraqi market," he said, relishing the sweet moment. Qassem's 3,000 employees across six factories pack 144,000 ice cream cones and wafer sandwiches every hour. "When there was cheap ice cream coming in from Iran, I had to lower my prices to sell so that my ice cream wouldn't be stuck melting in storage," said Qassem. "Now, I can sell at higher prices. We were able to win back the same markets where imports once crushed us." - Out with the imports - Experts have long warned that oil-rich Iraq must diversify its economy to insulate it from the swings of the energy market. As OPEC's second-biggest oil producer, it relies on oil exports to fund more than 90 percent of its state expenses. This year, with oil prices crashing to around a third of their 2019 prices, Iraq will struggle to keep its government running, pay salaries or import essential goods. The International Monetary Fund projected Iraq's imports of goods and services would drop from $92 billion in 2019 to $84 billion this year and to $81 billion in 2021. Diversification has been a tall order for a country with a fledgling private sector, under-developed banking system and a weak customs regime that makes it cheaper to import than to produce. But with coronavirus restrictions, all that could change. As part of Iraq's lockdown measures put in place in March, it has officially closed its federal border posts with Iran, Turkey and Kuwait to both people and goods. Imports through Um Qasr, the southern port through which Iraq brings in crucial food and medicine, have dropped. As a result, Iraq is importing less according to data from its trade partners. It bought $973 million worth of Chinese goods in December but that dropped to $775 million by April, according to the Chinese General Administration of Customs. Imports from Iran also fell from $450 million per month before the coronavirus pandemic to $300 million currently, according to Hameed Husseini, a member of the Iran-Iraq Chamber of Commerce. Iraq is also taxing imports more stringently. Its Customs Office attributed "the notable rise" in customs revenues -- from $2.5 million in the first half of April to $7.3 million in the first half of this month -- to "tougher monitoring measures". Higher duties force Iraqi retailers to bump up the prices of imported goods, so local businesses can better compete in the markets. - Fishermen catch a break - Hadi Abbud, who owns a plastics factory in Basra, has already seen an exponential surge in orders for plastic tubing, usually brought in from China. His factory has been working 24/7 to mould, cut and polish thick plastic cylinders proudly stamped "Made in Iraq." "These days, I'm getting new orders for plastic tubes faster than I can even produce them," said Abbud, his white hair meticulously combed back. Sales are so good he is planning to recruit another 50 workers for his 100-man factory. "The situation has really changed," Abbud said, his smile barely concealed by the face mask he wore as part of mandated social distancing in his factory. Even at sea, the difference is notable. Basra's beleaguered fishermen have long competed with Iranian and Kuwaiti rivals in the wedge of Gulf coastline that is Iraq's only access to the sea. "Starting around a month ago, there have been many more fish," said Mohammed Fadel, who sells his daily catch at a stand in Basra's downtown market. "The Kuwaiti and Iranian fishermen aren't coming out anymore," he told AFP, leaving the Gulf almost exclusively to gleeful Iraqi fishers. In Basra's markets, tables are now heaving with rows of silvery fish and buckets of prawns, carefully examined by shoppers in gloves and masks. The catches are so plentiful that a kilogramme of "zubeidy," a local sea bream, has dropped from $16 to $9. "The number of fish -- and the prices -- are just extraordinary," said Fadel.
A travel bubble with New Zealand can go ahead even if state borders remain closed, Scott Morrison said today.

The Prime Minister has been 'regularly' discussing resuming travel across the ditch with New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern in a move that would boost both countries' economies and create jobs.

He said the plan will go ahead regardless of state borders which are in place in all jurisdictions except New South Wales and Victoria.

New Zealand could soon reopen its borders to Australian holidaymakers as part of a 'trans-Tasman bubble'. Pictured: Tourists in Queenstown, NZ

This means that people from Sydney and Melbourne may be allowed to fly to New Zealand before they can get to Brisbane or Perth.

'I hope in Sydney and Melbourne you can get to the states and territories and Auckland at the same time but we'll see what happens,' Mr Morrison said.

The Prime Minister said no date has been decided.

Australia's Tourism Restart Taskforce wants the bubble to begin on July 1 and also include Pacific Island nations which also have very low case numbers.

The group, made of nine leaders in the tourism industry, has submitted an ambitious plan to the government.

'We are saying that New Zealand travel will commence on July 1 and from 10 September we will consider whether other bubbles can commence,' said John Hart, the Chair of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Tourism.

Both countries closed their borders to travellers in March as the coronavirus crisis escalated Pictured: Lake Pukaki, New Zealand

Mr Hart said his timetable could only be realised if the health advice allows governments to remove restrictions.

Ms Ardern has suggested that the bubble is likely to be in place by September.

'September is realistic, but I haven't given specifics around what date precisely,' Ms Ardern said on Thursday.

'Needless to say, Prime Minister Morrison and I have been very, very keen to see us moving towards an opening up about borders as soon as it's safe to do so.'
Are your website in breach with the ADA guidelines 508 compliance?

Did you know lawsuits for websites not being in compliance with ADA guidelines requirements and 508 compliance may reach 30 000 for 2020?We over at Diggitally.com, a Website Promotion and Digital Marketing Agency, are surprised to learn that the average settlement for such ADA Compliance lawsuits are around $35?000 and that this is certainly for those very regular and non-famous ones. Meaning those that hits the small business type of websites and can even be the question about a?to be a? or not to bea.Obviously you may have heard about the more famous lawsuits where millions upon millions of dollars are in play, but the unfortunate fact is that your type of business is a target as well.Moreover  It is very concerning that there is no such thing as a pre-warning for breach of ADA requirements? You are, one day  any given day actually  at risk of finding yourself sued. If your website at that point are not at all prepared, you are basically doomed to lose.And it gets even worse as the ADA requirements do not rely on a strict and specific set of rules. It is actually open for interpretation and there exists absolutely no way to be 100% sure that you comply.Stating the above, we now know a few things about what the lawsuits have been targeting and are happy to say that quite a lot of the issues can be fixed quite effortlessly for the website owner, without having to interfere with the website configuration to any large extent.It is based on this that we are proud to introduce our ADA Compliance widget and Bundle to our customers, both new and old, as it will for sure solve a problem that many have  in addition of course to actually make the website more accessible for people with disabilities.You may read more about the ADA Compliance Widget Bundle here https://diggitally.com/ada-compliance/The widget will make your website meet the 508 compliance of ADA guidelines by offering a simple way for people with disability to adjust your website according to their needs for the following functions/functionality: Text to Speech, Display Mode a? multiple choices of contrasts and colors, Magnification of area, Cursor select a? choose bigger cursor of various contrast colors, Highlighting of links, Text Spacing, Readable font and Highlighting of HeadlinesIn the launch period, The ADA Compliance Widget Bundle sold by Diggitally.com is offered by a very special reduced price of only $139 a? thatas a healthy reduction down from $499 which will be the normal price.The bundle is consisting of a preliminary report which will identify known issues with your website, and thus provide very useful information for what should/could be done of onsite configurations, the widget to be installed and several follow up reports.All in all the ADA Compliance Widget Bundle should serve a website well and give a high level of accessibility for people with disabilities while at the same time leave the website owner well protected against very expensive and unnecessary lawsuits.The preliminary report is also offered for free over at our website, where a website owner can use our contact form requesting it.
Saint Louis University will kick off its fall semester in mid-August, earlier than usual, bringing students back for classes before sending them home for the year around Thanksgiving.

Just a few miles west, Washington University, another private school,will delay the first day for its undergraduates until mid-September, part of a gradual restart of a fall term that will stretch into January.

One major Midwestern city, two approaches to the resumption of campus life during the deadly coronavirus pandemic. It's a split that illuminates an emerging contrast between higher education leaders who are acting aggressively to reopen campuses - aiming to squeeze in most or all of an in-person semester by Thanksgiving - and those who are taking it slowly. Both camps say health is paramount. They are also mindful of fiscal pressures and the yearning of stuck-at-home students to return.

"If we can do it safely, it's got to be face to face," Saint Louis President Fred Pestello said. He announced this week that the 14,000-student university will open in person on Aug. 17, nine days ahead of its previous plan.

Washington Chancellor Andrew Martin, meanwhile, said Wednesday that the 15,000-student university hopes to bring law, social work and public health students to campus in August for a test run of social distancing measures before undergrad classes start Sept. 14. "The best course for us is to do a staggered start," Martin said.

The novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 100,000 Americans so far, forced college students nationwide to leave campuses in March as schools switched abruptly to remote instruction. Now, the virus poses extraordinarily complex challenges for colleges and universities as they plan for teaching, housing and dining in a way that will minimize risk for students, faculty, staff and surrounding communities.

For a growing number of schools, the answer is to pack as much face time as possible into three months ending Wednesday, Nov. 25. The University of Notre Dame and University of South Carolina were among the first to adopt that strategy. Syracuse University and others have followed.

The University of Virginia disclosed Thursday that it plans to call students back to Charlottesville, with in-person instruction ending by Thanksgiving. Several prominent universities in the Washington region and elsewhere have not yet announced plans. Some in the Ivy League have cautioned they could wait until July to decide on the fall.

Under the gone-by-Thanksgiving model, students return to campus in August and stay there with few or no breaks. Then they go home for the holiday, finish final exams there, if necessary, and wait until it's safe to come back for the spring term.

Schools hope limiting movement to and from campus will reduce the threat of infection from people students would encounter while traveling, helping avoid a possible resurgence of the coronavirus during the usual influenza season of late fall and winter.

"We could potentially avoid a second wave of the virus," said Kevin Guskiewicz, chancellor of the University of North Carolina. He announced last week the 30,000-student state flagship will start classes in person Aug. 10, eight days earlier than planned, and wrap up by Nov. 24.

The University of Colorado at Boulder, with about 36,000 students, announced Tuesday that it plans to open in person in late August and finish remotely after Thanksgiving. Almost half of the university's undergraduates are from out of state. Those students pay about $25,000 a year more in tuition and fees than Coloradans, which provides crucial revenue. But they also are potential viral carriers coming to Boulder from all over the country. The more they travel, the more the hazards.

Campuses are almost ideal venues for viral transmission, with students packed into dormitories, apartment suites, cafeterias and lecture halls. They live, eat, study and party together. Keeping a social distance will be challenging for even the most conscientious students, faculty and staff. But universities are racing to draw up plans to contain the threat.

To reduce the density of students inside classrooms, Colorado Chancellor Philip DiStefano said the university is likely to provide a significant amount of instruction online. The school might also split students into groups to attend certain courses on some days but not others. It might offer courses later in the evening to utilize more classroom space. And it might provide guidance on how to move around campus. "Do we have students entering through one door in the building and exiting through another door?" he asked.

"Students do want to come back," DiStefano said. "Faculty for the most part want to have in-person instruction." But he acknowledged that professors, especially those who are older, have more concerns about safety. He said the university would work to accommodate those who are vulnerable to covid-19.

This week, some Boulder professors gathered signatures for a letter opposed to DiStefano's plan.

"We are faculty who are committed to in-person instruction as our cherished vocation," the letter said, according to a copy provided by organizer Andrea Dyrness, an associate professor of education. "However, we believe that any plan for face-to-face classes in Fall 2020 puts our health and safety at risk and does not serve our educational mission or the vulnerable communities the Chancellor aims to protect: low-income, rural, and communities of color."

Robert Ferry, an associate professor of history who chairs the Faculty Assembly at the Boulder campus, said faculty have been consulted on the reopening. "There's a reasonable amount of enthusiasm for the plan," he said. Ferry, who is 72, said he is considering teaching remotely next semester because of his age.

At Saint Louis, Pestello said he is consulting public health experts on his faculty. It became clear quickly, he said, that student travel would be a problem.

"Everybody's going to go home at Thanksgiving," Pestello said. "What you don't want to do is send those thousands of students home across the country, and across the world, and then have them come back. From an infection standpoint, it's just a bad decision." That drove the university to reset its calendar.

Pestello acknowledged the university faces financial pressures, but he cast the decision to reopen campus in moral terms. It is impossible, he said, to design a plan with zero risk. "Community is very important to us," he said. "We thought we have to do whatever we can to be face to face."

At Washington University, known as Wash U, the plan is largely designed to buy time. "We have every intention of teaching courses in the classroom this fall," Martin, the chancellor, said. But delaying the return of most students will allow officials to observe how move-in day goes at early-starting schools such as its neighbor Saint Louis and Notre Dame, he said, and discover "what's working, what's not working, where we need to adapt, how to pivot."

Wash U's plan envisions the last undergraduate classes on campus on Dec. 18, with final exams to be held remotely in early January.

And while some students might travel around Thanksgiving, Martin said plenty could stay on campus for the long holiday weekend. If they do, Martin said, the university plans to give them "the best university Thanksgiving celebration we've ever had."
PITTSFIELD CHARTER TWP., MI - Hundreds of protesters filled Ann Arbor streets Thursday, May 28, demanding that ShaTeina Grady El be set free from jail.

On Friday, she was. And shes is expected to speak for the first time about the Tuesday, May 26 incident captured on video that shows her being repeatedly punched in the head by a Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office deputy.

Free ShaTeina: Continued incarceration of Ypsilanti woman leads 300 protesters to block streets again

Grady El was released from the Wayne County Jail just before noon on May 29, with charges pending for resisting arrest and injuring an officer, according to her lawyer William Amadeo. She is expected to address a crowd in front of the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office, 2201 Hogback Road, at 1 p.m. Amadeo said.

Fridays protest is the fourth this week at the sheriffs office since the video, showing one deputy punching Grady El, while another deputy used a stun gun on her husband, Daniyal Grady El, circulated on social media.

Video of Washtenaw County deputy punching woman sparks outrage in Ypsilanti Township

Deputies had ordered the Grady Els to leave the scene of a potential shooting in Ypsilanti Townships Apple Ridge neighborhood around midnight on May 26, said the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office. When officers tried to physically remove the two from the scene, they resisted and a deputy punched Grady El in the head before taking both into custody, police said.

The Grady Els were trying to film the police forming a perimeter near their daughter Jaquisy Diggins home on the 2000 block of Peachcrest Street, Daniyal Grady El said. The police didnt try to explain the shooting situation to them before springing into action, he said.

Grady El spent a night in the Washtenaw County Jail, then was turned over to Taylor police on a separate resisting arrest charge. After posting a $2,500 bond in Taylor, she spent two nights in the Wayne County Jail due to charges stemming from an altercation with Canton Police in May 2019. The family filed a lawsuit against Canton police, which was ruled as frivolous in court documents and dismissed.

The sheriffs office is having a press conference at 3 p.m. Friday in its Learning Resource Center, located across from the main office, said spokesman Derrick Jackson. Sheriff Jerry Clayton will take questions and break down bodycam footage from Tuesday nights incident.

As crowds have grown from a few dozen on Tuesday to more than 300 on Thursday, the sheriffs office and other local law enforcement agencies have blocked off streets to keep protesters safe from passing cars.

Outraged residents block streets in protest over Washtenaw deputy accused of punching black woman

The sheriffs office has been internally investigating the altercation, and the findings have been sent to the Michigan Sheriffs Association for an external review, Clayton said.

Weve collected police reports, dispatch notes and bodycam footage from the incident, Clayton said. We are preparing a detailed timeline of what occurred on Tuesday night. This is our attempt at getting information out to the community."

Live: Washtenaw County Police Protest Protesters block off a Pittsfield Township, MI intersection for 2nd straight day. The demonstration is a continued protest against a Washtenaw deputy who punched ShaTeina Grady El, a black woman from Ypsilanti Township still behind bars. Posted by MLive.com on Thursday, May 28, 2020

The protesters, led by Survivors Speak Executive Director Trische Duckworth, are calling for the firing of the deputy, who has been placed on paid administrative leave due to sheriffs office union requirements. In addition, they want the prosecution of the incident handled by the state Attorney Generals Office.

The sheriffs office has received notice that the case will be reviewed in Lansing, according to a news release. Messages were left with Brian Mackie and the Washtenaw County Prosecutors office, as well as the Attorney Generals office for comment.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Cases:

Manitoba

Confirmed: 294

Resolved: 273

Deaths: 7

Active: 14

Canada

Confirmed: 88,504

Resolved: 46,844

Deaths: 6,874 deaths

The latest from Manitoba:

 Two new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Manitoba, provincial health officials report. The two new cases are men in their 20s, caseload demographics show. The total number of lab-confirmed positive and probable positive cases in Manitoba is 294. No Manitoban is hospitalized. As of Wednesday, an additional 725 laboratory tests were performed. This brings the total number of tests performed since early February to 41,191.

The latest from elsewhere:

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

 Ottawa and the Canadian Armed Forces have started looking for an exit strategy amid talks with Quebec about the continued provision of military personnel to long-term care homes hit hard by COVID-19. Quebec Premier Francois Legault asked the federal government this week to keep hundreds of Armed Forces members in about two dozen long-term care facilities until September while the province looks for civilian support workers to replace them. The troops have been assisting in Quebec since April following an earlier request by Legault as outbreaks of COVID-19 ripped through some nursing homes. Military members were also deployed to a few long-term care facilities in Ontario.

 Representatives from Canadas oilpatch say they dont know of a single energy company that has yet benefited from any of Ottawas COVID-19-inspired loan programs. Several company owners and industry advocates painted a grim picture of the state of the energy sector at a virtual hearing of the House of Commons finance committee Thursday. Peter Kiss, the president of Morgan Construction and Environmental Ltd., says he has laid off 80 per cent of his staff, watched his revenue crash 87 per cent and still considers his company one of the lucky ones because some money is coming in. Tristan Goodman, president of the Explorers and Producers Association of Canada, says some of the loan programs promised from Ottawa have the right intention but the money is still not flowing, and qualifying is unnecessarily complicated.

 The threat of a growing COVID-19 outbreak in northern New Brunswick forced the adjournment of the provincial legislature Thursday and delayed by a week the planned loosening of some restrictions in the provinces recovery plan. The moves came a day after officials confirmed a health-care worker who travelled outside New Brunswick had failed to self-isolate upon their return and subsequently infected other people in the Campbellton area. Health officials announced three additional cases in the region on Thursday, bringing the total of cases in the cluster to six, including the health-care worker at the Campbellton Regional Hospital. One of the new cases also works in health care.

Quote:

"It is a stop-gap measure that is there to help out because our Armed Forces have the fundamental role of serving Canada and protecting Canadians."

 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding soldiers being deployed to long-term care homes
The US would announce "certain decisions" on China on Friday, President Donald Trump has said as he emphasised that Beijing should have stopped the coronavirus at the source.

Led by the US, several countries in the world have blamed China for the spread of coronavirus and its failure to provide timely information about the disease, leading to the death of over three lakh people and causing an unprecedented economic crisis. Trump has been pressing China to agree for an inquiry into the origin of the virus, including the allegation that it emerged from a bio-lab in the ...
Joe Biden on Friday slammed President Donald Trump for his handling of George Floyd's death after the black man died while in custody of white police officers.

The former vice president revealed he has spoken with Floyd's family and took issue with Trump's tweets on the matter, saying 'this is no time for incendiary tweets' or 'encourage violence.'

'The anger and frustration and the exhaustion is undeniable. That's not the promise of America. It's long past time that we made the promise of this nation real for all people. You know this is no time for incendiary tweets. It's no time to encourage violence. This is a national crisis we need real leadership right now. Leadership, that will bring everyone to the table,' Biden said in brief remarks Friday afternoon.

Joe Biden on Friday slammed President Donald Trump for his handling of George Floyd's death

Joe Biden took issue with President Trump's tweets on George Floyd's, saying 'this is no time for incendiary tweets' or 'encourage violence'

George Floyd died after a white police officer knelt on his neck

He said there was an open wound in America when it came to racism and it was time to heal that wound.

'The original sin of this country still stains our nation today. And sometimes we managed to overlook it. We just push forward with 1000 other tasks in our daily life, but it's always there. Weeks like this, we see it plainly ever country with an open wound. None of us can turn away, none of us can be silent. None of us can any longer. Can we hear the words, I can't breathe do enough,' he said.

'It's time for us to face that deep open wound. We have this nation. We need justice for George Floyd,' he added.

He called for Americans to come together in a stark contrast to the message of division President Trump has been pushing.

'We need to stand up as a nation with the black community with all minority communities, and come together as one American,' he said.

'With our complacency, our silence, we are complicit in perpetuating these cycles of violence. Nothing about this will be easy or comfortable but if we simply allow this wound to scab over once more, without treating the underlying injury, we will never 'truly heal. The very soul of America is at stake,' he noted.

Biden slammed President Trump earlier Friday after the president threatened to send the National Guard to Minneapolis to 'assume control,' warning 'thugs' in the city that 'when the looting starts the shooting starts.'

'Enough,' Biden wrote on Twitter.

The presumptive Democratic nominee weighed in on the situation in Minnesota after protesters in Minneapolis set fire to a police station as a part of series of demonstrations throughout the country in support of George Floyd, the African American man who died when a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck.

'Enough' Joe Biden responded on twitter to President Donald Trump

President Trump saw one of his tweets muzzled after he threatened to send the National Guard to Minneapolis to 'assume control' of situation there

Law enforcement officers amassed along Lake Street near Hiawatha Ave. as fires burned after a night of unrest and protests

Biden also criticized the arrest of black CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez, who was detained by police and then later released, while reporting on the situation.

'This is not abstract: a black reporter was arrested while doing his job this morning, while the white police officer who killed George Floyd remains free. I am glad swift action was taken, but this, to me, says everything,' Biden wrote in a series of tweets.

He criticized President Trump for writing 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts,' - a provocative statement that harkens back to race riots in Miami during the 1960s when violence was used against African Americans. Twitter muzzled Trump's tweet - but left it online in case people wanted to read it - because they said it 'violated Twitter rules about glorifying violence.'

'I will not lift the Presidents tweet. I will not give him that amplification. But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many. Im furious, and you should be too,' Biden wrote.

It is not the first time that racial violence has prompted Biden to speak against President Trump.

Biden launched his presidential campaign by condemning Trump's remarks on racially driven violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, during protest and counter protest rallies in 2017.

Trump declared there were 'very fine people on both sides' of the situation, initially sparked by a decision to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from a public park.

The resulting clashes between white supremacists who organized a rally and counter-protesters ended with a woman's death. Neo-Nazi James Fields was sentenced to life in prison in December for running over Heather Heyer with his car.

'You had some very bad people in that group. You also had some very fine people on both sides. ... I saw the same pictures as you did. You had people in that group that were there to protest the taking down of  to them  a very, very important statue and the renaming of a park from Robert E. Lee to another name,' the president said at the time.

The White House claimed then that Trump's praise was limited to people who showed up in Charlottesville to argue for preserving the Lee statue.

Biden criticized the remarks when he launched his presidential campaign in April 2017 and said one of the reasons he was running was because of Trump's handling of the incident.

'With those words the President of the United States assigned a moral equivalence between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it. And in that moment I knew the threat to this nation was unlike any I had ever seen in my lifetime,' he said.

Minnesota State Police deploy in the city as protests continue

Biden criticized Trump for the president's response to racially motivated violence in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017 and cited it as one of his reasons for running for president

CNN reporter Omar Jimenez was arrested live on air Friday by Minnesota State police for apparently refusing to move when he'd been told to despite being heard on camera telling the cops 'tell us where you want us to go, we'll go wherever you want'

Biden has vowed to speak on the current situation, where dozens of businesses were looted or destroyed in Minneapolis after rioting broke out for the third consecutive night in the city in protest of Floyd's death.

The protests spread across the country with some peaceful and some violent. Denver, Phoenix, and Columbus, Ohio were among the cities showing their support for Floyd.

Additionally, CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez was put in handcuffs and led away by police while reporting from Minneapolis.

According to one of his colleagues, the crew was told he was being arrested for refusing to move when he'd been told to but he was heard live on television telling the officers: 'Put us back to where you want us - wherever you'd want us we'll go. Just let us know.'

Jimenez told them they were live on air with CNN and was put in handcuffs.

He asked: 'Do you mind telling me why I am under arrest sir? Why am I under arrest sir' then was led away.

Two of his colleagues from the same team were also arrested. The trio were put in a police van and were driven to a precinct but were released around 90 minutes later after CNN President Jeff Zucker and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz intervened.

Twitter, meanwhile, flagged a tweet of President Trump for 'glorifying violence.'

'These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!' the tweet read.

Twitter put a warning on the tweet less than three hours later, a move that came after the president designed an executive order seeking to strip social media companies of their legal protections, potentially exposing them to a flood of lawsuits.

Twitter said it muzzled Trump's tweet 'in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts'. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey was informed in advance.

The tweet can no longer be liked or replied to and will not be recommended by Twitter's algorithm, although retweets with comment are still possible - with Trump's message initially hidden.

It is still possible to override the warning message and view the tweet, under special rules for government officials which protect the public's right to know what their politicians have said.

After Twitter muzzled him, Trump had the official White House Twitter account post his words. Twitter flagged that tweet too.
OAKLAND, Calif., May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente has announced that it will extend its waiver for most member out-of-pocket costs for inpatient and outpatient services related to the treatment of COVID-19 through December 31, 2020. This waiver, put into effect on April 1 and originally set to expire on May 31, is intended to alleviate the cost burden and stress of paying for care, allowing members to focus on recovery.

"Kaiser Permanente understands the financial impact that COVID-19 has had on our members and the communities we serve and is committed to ensuring they have access to the care they need during this time of crisis," said Greg Adams, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente. "This move aims to alleviate any stress about paying for care, as well as any hesitancy to seek needed care. The path forward through this pandemic must include identifying, treating and tracing as many cases of COVID-19 as possible as we work to suppress this virus."

Kaiser Permanente's elimination of member out-of-pocket costs applies to all fully insured benefit plans, in all markets, unless prohibited or modified by law or regulation. It will apply for all dates of service from April 1 through December 31, 2020, unless superseded by government action or extended by Kaiser Permanente. This waiver does not automatically apply to self-funded customers who directly administer health benefits to their employees. It also does not cover out of network care for choice product members, unless urgent or emergency care. Kaiser Permanente has encouraged self-funded customers to adopt this change.

Kaiser Permanente suspended all terminations for nonpayment of premium or out-of-pocket expenses from March 15 through May 31. In May, Kaiser Permanente further extended the suspension of terminations for nonpayment through June 30 for Kaiser Permanente for Individuals and Families and small group members.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.4 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health.

For more information, contact:

Marc Brown, [email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente
The White House official account has tweeted out president Donald Trumps post, that was flagged by the social media site yesterday for glorifying violence and claimed Twitter allows terrorists and dictators to abuse its platform.

On Thursday evening, after two days of protests following the death of black man, George Floyd, who died after being restrained by police in Minneapolis, Mr Trump condemned the demonstrators and threatened to call in the National Guard.

The president tweeted: These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

Mr Trumps post was later hidden and flagged by Twitter for glorifying violence, but on Friday morning, the official White House Twitter account tweeted out the presidents post word for word and in quotation marks.

The tweet by the White House account was flagged and hidden by Twitter for glorifying violence, but kept on the site, as they argued it was in the publics interest.

The White House claimed later on Friday that Twitter allows terrorists, dictators, and foreign propagandists, to use their site.

Their account posted a screenshot of a tweet from Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, where he defended Palestine and said: Crimes against Palestine trouble any humans conscience and inspire opposition.

The White House account captioned the post: This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, @Twitter has determined that it will allow terrorists, dictators, and foreign propagandists to abuse its platform.

After Mr Trumps original tweet was flagged, the social media site released a statement, explaining why the post was hidden, but allowed to stay on the site.

Weve taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts, but have kept the Tweet on Twitter because it is important that the public still be able to see the Tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance.

The Trump administrations deputy chief of staff for communications and director of social media, Dan Scavino Jr, criticised Twitter, in a reply to their tweet that explained the decision.

Mr Scavino Jr tweeted: Twitter is targeting the President of the United States 24/7, while turning their heads to protest organizers who are planning, plotting, and communicating their next moves daily on this very platform. Twitter is full of s*** - more and more people are beginning to get it.

Flagging Mr Trumps tweet was the second intervention on the presidents social media presence by the company, in a matter of days.

On Wednesday Twitter added a fact-check notice to one of his tweets where he claimed that mail-in voting could lead to fraud.

The Trump administration reacted to this fact-checking by releasing an executive order, that could allow federal officials to tackle how social media sites police content on their platforms.

After finding out his tweet about the protests had been flagged by Twitter, Mr Trump claimed that he is being targeted by the social media site.

Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party, he wrote.

They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States. Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated! the president added.

The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment
This is the miraculous moment a newborn baby buried alive in India is saved by villagers who spotted his foot poking out the ground.

The boy's rescuers heard muffled cries when they began digging the ground to build a house in the Sonoura village of Siddharthnagar, in northern India's Uttar Pradesh.

They rushed to the source of the whimpers and noticed a single dusty leg above the ground as they began a frantic race against time to dig the baby free from the soil.

Video footage shows a villager desperately trying to pinpoint the baby's arms, before he pulls the child up and out of the ground, its tiny body smothered in dust.

The baby lays motionless for some moments on the floor as one of his rescuers checks to see if the boy breathing.

At this point the baby miraculously begins to wiggle its arms and legs.

The child's tiny leg can be seen poking out of the ground as an adult tries desperately tries to dig around its body

He manages to lift the baby from the soil by its arms as a cloud of dust swirls around

The infant's tiny body is brushed clear of dust as his rescuers try to see if he's alive

After a few tense moments the baby boy begins to wiggle its arms and legs, before rescuers rushed him to hospital

Villagers quickly rushed the boy to a nearby hospital where doctors performed tests that revealed he had swallowed mud that was blocking his airway.

Medical staff treating the baby say he is in a stable condition but remains in hospital under supervision.

It is not known why the baby was buried or how long he had been dumped there for.

A local village woman has since come forward to adopt the child.

A police case has been filed against an unidentified person in the district and an investigation is underway.
The recent border standoff between China and India at Ladakh confirms two political realities that must not be ignored. First, India must not allow the intrusion of Chinese firms into its telecommunications network. If societies will be digital, China should not be permitted to encode Indias public sphere. New Delhi must not license Huawei or ZTE to provide equipment for its 5G rollout. And second, India must not allow any Chinese-origin firm into its critical infrastructure in much the same manner that it was kept away from certain industrial projects in the past.

Apart from a thin ideological constituency and vested business interests, China has limited appeal left in much of Indias imagination. An authoritarian regime that has given Xi Jinping absolute power has now become predatory in its external engagements and is a caricature of an insecure bully. The courtesies of diplomatic speak have been dispensed with as it referred to Australia as a giant kangaroo that serves as a dog of the US. The middle kingdom now has a medieval mindset that only seeks territory and markets for its benefit. That it continues on this course during the COVID-19 pandemic reveals much about its naked ambitions.

Its incursions into Indian territory in Ladakh are part of this new grammar of engagement, which have been ably captured by analysts such as Ram Madhav, HS Panag, Harsh V Pant, Kanchan Gupta, and Manoj Joshi. This time around, Chinas incursions may be another episodic distraction for its territorial ambitions in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Its contempt for India is more persistent. This is demonstrated by Chinas self-serving support to Pakistani terror against India and its actions at the UN Security Council that seek to undermine New Delhi. That India, over the past decade, just refuses to bend frustrates this increasingly pompous nation and fuels its ire further.

No more room for Chinas economic affections

This is Chinas approach to India and each nation must make its own choice. For Indias national interest, the choice is clear. There is no more room to accommodate Chinas economic affections while being scorched by the Dragons fire. My 10 December 2019 paper titled, 5G Infrastructure, Huaweis Techno-Economic Advantages and Indias National Security Concerns: An Analysis, argued these points. The criticality of 5G technology is based not only on its speed but also on its all pervasiveness. The real power of 5G lies in its ability to be a network of networks  to simultaneously serve several verticals including governance, business, smart cities, education, mobility, and in the post-COVID19 world, healthcare through telemedicine along with most other human interactions.

This makes the way we negotiate 5G technology a vital matter for national security. Allowing Huawei or ZTE to be a 5G equipment provider to Indian telecommunications firms will be like asking the Chinese Communist Party to run our general elections. As we repulse China at the borders, we must ensure that we do not surrender our cities, homes and minds to that ideology. In fact, one major lapse on the part of India has been that it has allowed the creeping acquisition of India Tech by the Digital BRI, even as the country has opposed the Belt and Road in its physical manifestation.

The risk China Tech poses to Indian interests is real. Considering they are backed by an authoritarian regime thats weaponising everything in its armoury, from trade and technology to medical equipment and humanitarian aid, the provisions by state-controlled Chinese firms are a global concern. Australia and the US have discovered it, Europe is in the process of finding out, and smaller nations will awaken to the consequences too late.

As a $3 trillion economy that has set its eyes on becoming a $10 trillion one in the 2030s, India cannot ignore the perils of the noxious interplay of Chinese Communist Party objectives and the capitalist facade represented by Huawei. This is especially problematic when juxtaposed with the 3,488 km long (and volatile) border that is now also being weaponised by the mandarins in Beijing. Chinas recent incursions expose the persistence of this risk. As I had argued earlier, this continuing Chinese behaviour has become a tipping point for security-embedded engagements such as the entry of Chinese firms into Indias critical infrastructure.

The risk is global

The risk of Chinese state control over the actions of Chinese firms is not a matter of perception. Further, it is not restricted to India  the risk is global. If governments across the world in general, and India in particular, were to read the Chinese National Intelligence Law (adopted at the 28th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 20th National Peoples Congress on 27th June, 2017) carefully while keeping national interests in mind, they would not allow any Chinese firm to participate in their critical infrastructure. Here are excerpts from four Articles of the law:

Article 7: All organisations and citizens shall support, assist, and cooperate with national intelligence efforts in accordance with law, and shall protect national intelligence work secrets they are aware of.

Article 9: The State gives commendations and awards to individuals and organisations that make major contributions to national intelligence efforts.

Article 12: In accordance with relevant State provisions, national intelligence work institutions may establish cooperative relationships with relevant individuals and organisations, and retain them to carry out related work.

Article 14: National intelligence work institutions lawfully carrying out intelligence efforts may request that relevant organs, organisations, and citizens provide necessary support, assistance, and cooperation.

National security is not a choice. It is a primary assumption and the first responsibility of statecraft. A country that uses its military power to threaten other nations and its economic power to pervert free trade and steal technologies, will not think twice before using its technological influence to advance its strategic ambitions and lust for territory. These networks are Indias lifelines of growth and highways of aspirations. These will support economic growth, governance, innovations, and be the critical infrastructure that can cart India towards a $10,000 per capita income future. These must not be implicated by an erroneous choice in partners.

For India to allow Huawei even in its 5G trials displays an act thats not very different from India rooting for China as a member of the United Nations Security Council against its own interests in 1950. Seven decades later, allowing Huawei into India mirrors the same sentiment  it is a signal that India is giving in to Chinas bullying. The Narendra Modi government must undo this action and prevent Huawei from entering Indias high technology arena, and must exclude Chinese participation in Indias critical sectors and infrastructure.

It is hoped that miraculously China may change, but for now, unless Xi Jinping mends fences, New Delhi must continue to frame policies assuming the worst about Beijings intentions. As I have argued in my paper, Beijing cannot expect economic returns from India without making commensurate investments in building strategic trust. To rephrase, China has to climb its way up the trust vanguards of India before it enters the trust vaults of India. Until then, Made in China firms must be treated with as much caution and precaution as the nation is treating the Made in China pandemic.
Towards realizing its mission of redefining yoga as a lifestyle and not just a workout form, SARVA, Indias fastest growing yoga and wellness ecosystem, is kicking off a cool, fun campaign called Yoga+. The brand aims to connect 7 billion breaths through yoga, showcasing it as a seamless part of various lifestyles, individuals, professionals and how it has changed them. SARVAs offerings are born and bred on 25 forms of yoga and adapted to suit the millennial fitness needs.

Yoga+ is spearheaded by celebrities, influencers, and experts from various walks of life like Malaika Arora, Aishwaryaa Dhanush, Aditya Ghosh, Shikhar Dhawan, Vikram Sathaye, Ankur Tewari, and Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor. They are not just associated with the campaign in the capacity of being celebrities, but also practice yoga regularly and hence theyre fondly referred to as the Sarva Yogis. With their combined social reach of over 200 million, SARVA wants to rebrand yoga as being authentic yet modern and inclusive yet transformative -- a positioning that yoga has never had in India.

The campaign has been timed at par with the upcoming worldwide event, International Day of Yoga, which falls on 21 June. The idea is to make an impact in the birthplace of yoga as a homegrown brand that is bringing the authenticity of yoga, in a modernised, adaptable and accessible form to the world.

Speaking about this, Sarvesh Shashi, Co-founder, SARVA Yoga, said, Yoga is the unification of Mind, Body and Soul and in one way or the other, were all yogis. Now more than ever, people are understanding the importance of doing things that bring them happiness, calms them down and keeps them active. I believe yoga is a great way to do that and our campaign, Yoga+ is all about how yoga fits into our lives. Our objective is to position yoga as a way of life rather than just a workout. Be it cooking food that you love, meditation, listening to music or just closing your eyes to tune off, its yoga. It is a lifestyle you choose to turn over a better, healthier, happier leaf. With this campaign, we hope to reach over 75 million people and showcase the various manifestations of yoga.

Adding further, Malaika Arora, Co-founder, DIVA Yoga, said, Theres no doubt that Im an ardent believer and practitioner of yoga. Yoga+ is a campaign that tells real stories of how it has helped people become calmer, fitter, healthier; get better sleep; recover from injuries; and so much more. Irrespective of whether we are actors, CEOs, PR professionals, dancers, etc., we all understand the importance of wellness. In the times we are in, the best thing we can do is to remain positive and hope for a safer and better tomorrow. Even 2 minutes of mindfulness and pranayama can help you with that. SARVAs digital initiatives are designed to keep you active, help you relax, sleep better and contribute to your holistic wellness. We hope to reach as many people as possible and show them how cool, fun, and transformational yoga can be.

SARVA also recently launched its App, currently divided into 2 categories: Body, that hosts video on demand, LIVE and an interactive offering which is currently under progress; Mind - a collection of authentic Indian stories for Sleep, Meditation and Mindfulness. The 3rd category to be launched soon is called Nourish, which will host healthy recipes, skin-care tips and more.

SARVA and DIVA have a global digital reach of over 200 million. The brands have set out to help people across different countries connect with this holistic practice and achieve the associated benefits. For more information or to join the classes, people can log on to www.sarva.com or Download the Sarva app on Appstore and iOS. The live yoga sessions can be accessed at @thedivayoga.
It's a truly trying time to be an investor. Panic and uncertainty caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic pushed the broad-based S&P 500 into its fastest bear market in history in March and eventually sent the widely followed stock index down 34% in just 33 calendar days. Never have equities had the rug pulled out from beneath them so quickly.

But at the same time, panic often breeds opportunity when we're talking about investing. Despite never knowing when stock market corrections will present themselves, how long they'll last, or how steep the drop will be, every correction (and bear market) in history has proven to be an excellent buying opportunity for investors with a long-term mindset.

What's more, you don't have to be rolling in dough to put your money to work in the stock market. If you have $2,500 in cash that won't be needed to pay bills or for an emergency, you have more than enough to make a difference. If you have cash to spare, here are some of the smartest stocks you can buy right now.

Berkshire Hathaway

Over the past decade, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A)(NYSE:BRK.B) CEO Warren Buffett is pretty much par for the course with the benchmark S&P 500. But dating back to 1964, Buffett has more than doubled the annual performance of the S&P 500, inclusive of dividends, and delivered an aggregate return for Berkshire's stock that outpaces the S&P 500 by more than 2,740,000%! In other words, buying Berkshire Hathaway stock makes investing great Warren Buffett your default portfolio manager.

Buying a stake in Berkshire also ties your portfolio to that of the U.S. and global economy. Although recessions are an inevitable part of the economic cycle, the U.S. and global economy tend to spend far more time expanding than they do contracting. Thus, Buffett's historically large bets on traditionally cyclical sectors, such as financials, consumer staples, and information technology, set his company up for success over the long run.

You can also buy Berkshire Hathaway stock at a significant discount. We're talking about a company that's ended each of the past five years at a valuation of 31% to 59% above its book value. Currently trading at 15% above book value, Berkshire is about as inexpensive as we've seen it in a decade. Perhaps this is why Buffett has been busy repurchasing his own common stock of late.

Ping Identity

The coronavirus pandemic hasn't created new trends within certain industries -- it's more like it's accelerated already existing trends. Take cybersecurity, for example, which was a necessity long before COVID-19 hit. However, with more employees working from home, the need to secure the cloud has grown exponentially. That's what makes Ping Identity (NYSE:PING) such a smart cybersecurity/identity verification play.

Why Ping Identity? Arguably the most exciting aspect of this company is its incorporation of artificial intelligence and machine learning to help secure enterprise clouds. Ping's solutions can evolve to spot potentially dangerous situations where a hacker or non-human might be attempting to access important data. In these situations, Ping may require multifactor authentication to confirm the identity of an employee and keep those who are unwanted out of the cloud.

A company like Ping Identity, which is providing a basic-need service in any economic environment, can reasonably grow by 15% to 20% annually, thereby doubling its sales every four years. That's fantastic news considering that the company is already profitable.

CVS Health

Another genius investment to consider is pharmacy-chain giant CVS Health (NYSE:CVS).

As you can imagine, stay-at-home orders throughout much of the U.S. have likely hurt CVS' front-end sales over the past two months. However, it's important to understand that CVS generates razor-thin margins from its front-end products. Rather, this is a story about pharmacy sales and insurer growth.

The great thing about pharmacy sales is that they tend to be consistent. By this I mean that if a person needed heart medication or insulin prior to COVID-19, they're going to continue needing these medications during and after the pandemic.

Furthermore, CVS Health acquired insurance-giant Aetna in 2018, broadening its sales channels and bolstering its organic growth. I suspect 2020 will demonstrate the real cost synergies of combining these two businesses.

And don't forget CVS Health's push toward personalized services. This is a company that's planning to open 1,500 HealthHUB health clinic locations across the country by 2021, which should help funnel additional foot traffic and prescriptions into its stores. Valued at just over eight times next year's earnings, CVS Health is begging to be bought by value-focused long-term investors.

TJX Companies

Discount retailer TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX), which is behind the Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, and HomeGoods brands, is yet another smart way to put your $2,500 to work.

Like most retailers, TJX has been walloped by the coronavirus, with many of its stores shut down for weeks at a time. But as other retailers struggle and try to formulate a plan to survive COVID-19, TJX's business model puts it in prime position to succeed.

TJX's success is derived from its ability to scoop up brand-name merchandise at a discount. Management learned a long time ago that consumers love brand-name merchandise, and they'll buy a lot of it at a perceived discount. TJX should have an absolute field day purchasing merchandise from the growing number of retailers going out of business. Because the company buys in bulk, it's already getting a huge discount, meaning it can pass along a portion of this discount to consumers and still reap significant margins.

What investors are getting with TJX Companies is a retailer that still envisions opening more than 1,500 new stores over the long run (many of them in the U.S.) and has sales-growth potential of nearly 10% a year. It's possibly the cream of the crop among retail stocks.
Photo: Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

Taylor Swift has made her most direct comment on the 2020 election yet, addressing President Donald Trump and his recent violent threats aimed at protesters. After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? When the looting starts the shooting starts??? she wrote on Twitter. We will vote you out in November. The pop star, whom fans criticized for her silence during the 2016 presidential election, tweeted amid the third day of protests in Minneapolis against the death of George Floyd, who died shortly after an officer kept his knee on Floyds neck during an arrest, even when Floyd said he couldnt breathe. Protesters are demanding charges be brought against the four officers involved, all of whom have been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department.

After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? When the looting starts the shooting starts??? We will vote you out in November. @realdonaldtrump  Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) May 29, 2020

The night of May 28, uprisings in Minneapolis culminated in protesters setting fire to the Third Precinct police station after police evacuated the area. In response, Trump threatened protesters with military violence, tweeting that when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Twitter has since hidden the tweet for violating rules against glorifying violence, but did not take it down because it was deemed in the publics interest.

Taylor Swift made some of her first political comments in 2018, endorsing Tennessee Democrat Phil Bredesen for Senate over controversial Republican Marsha Blackburn, along with incumbent Democrat representative Jim Cooper. (While Bredesen lost, Cooper kept his seat.) Her comments then led to a reported single-day surge in voter registration. Her January documentary Miss Americana showed her tearfully crafting her Instagram endorsement of the candidates. Speaking in 2019 to the Guardian about her new album Lover, she also confirmed that she voted for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016 but worried about going public after watching the fallout from the Dixie Chicks criticism of George W. Bush in 2003.
Former President John Mahama has described as disturbing, news about the COVID-19 infections in Parliament.

Some two Members of Parliament (MP) and 13 parliamentary staff were recently reported to be diagnosed with coronavirus.

Parliament later in a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Kate Addo, denied the Covid-19 positive Cases report, saying the Covid-19 response team has not informed the House about any such cases.

However, a Minority Member of Parliament, Mutaka later challenged Parliament's claim, saying indeed two MPs have tested positive for the virus.

In his latest article, Mr Mahama says there was the need for the NPP government to be transparent over the coronavirus situation in Ghana.

As of this morning, 29th May, 2020, the number of confirmed positive cases stands at 7,362, with 32 deaths. While the 2,412 total recoveries is welcome news, it is also evident from the latest data that the virus is still spreading, and across the country, he wrote.

Reports that the virus has spread to the Chamber and offices of Parliament is very disturbing, he said.

It adds to the urgency of the situation we face as a country, and while it is important to give hope to citizens it is absolutely necessary to be transparent and communicate the full picture of the extent of the disease.

Government has unfortunately not managed public education on coronavirus efficiently, while the latest communication creates the false impression that all is well with the management and spread of the disease, according to him.

The advice from the President and other government officials that we should begin to learn to live with the disease suggests that you and I must take our destiny into our own hands as far as COVID-19 is concerned.

This is coming at a time that public education on the disease has dwindled to the extent that observance of hygiene and distancing protocols, as I indicated earlier, appear to be waning.

The benefit of wearing face masks at this time is obvious, and I reiterate my call on government to utilize some of the funds from the Stabilization Fund and the IMF to enhance local production and free distribution of re-usable face masks to especially vulnerable communities and groups.

Daily Guide
Read next: Top talent seeking innovative insurance firms with strong culture

There are also positives to consider, according to Jon Loftin (pictured), president and COO of MJ Insurance. He said: While definitely not immune from downward economic cycles, the insurance industry is more resilient than most. As we saw in the financial crisis in 2008/2009, the insurance industry was very resilient, and did not have a downturn in unemployment. In fact, some people were aggressive coming out of it and they hired earlier than most. They were able to get some good talent based on the idea that insurance really is a stable industry. When people get shocked the way theyve been shocked by the coronavirus, they start to think about working in a stable industry rather than being in one thats volatile and susceptible to a recession.

Another strength thats been revealed through COVID-19 is the insurance industrys ability to innovate. The industry had to react very quickly to a completely remote workforce, and, despite some understandable anxiety around IT infrastructure and the potential impact on the customer experience, the mandatory remote work experiment has been a huge success.

One of the outcomes of this will be the digitization of the customer experience, Loftin told Insurance Business. The introduction of technology into the insurance space is going to be a really positive thing coming out of this for everybody involved. [It will give people the confidence to] do business digitally in what has traditionally been a very technology-archaic industry thats been slow to change. I think this is going to be the catalyst to accelerate change in the industry, and one of the by-products of that is being able to attract talent that are digital and technology natives. That helps the industry tremendously. I certainly know my peers and colleagues from around the country are excited about that opportunity. Its a real positive coming out of the crisis.

Read more: We need to show how innovative insurance companies are being

There will also be some new challenges associated with the coronavirus for the industry to overcome. First and foremost, insurers will have to do some work to rebuild trust among consumers. Over the past six weeks, there has been a lot of coverage disputes between consumers and the industry, especially around business interruption caused by mandatory shutdowns. As Loftin pointed out, people who are less informed as to what the disputes are really about could quite easily see an insurers denial of a claim as a violation of trust, especially in a time of such economic hardship.

For the first time in a long time [pre-COVID], I think the industry really started to do a good job of articulating the noble cause it serves in times of crisis and [how it] rebuilds communities that are stricken by natural disasters and things like that, said Loftin. Whats going on today is very public in terms of the media, and understandably so, as theres a genuine dispute as to whats covered and whats not covered as a result of this pandemic. Might a person contemplating employment in the industry think: I dont want to be any part of that? Certainly, but I hope not.

I think the industry needs to do a better job of promoting the good work that we do for people. Look at Nashville, Tennessee - they recently had a F4 tornado and excess of $1 billion in damage, but theres very little coverage on what the insurance industry is doing there to pick that back up. We must do a better job of patting ourselves on the back when we are doing good and show people what a noble industry this is.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 11:13:38|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Libyan Mine Action Center (LibMac) and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) on Thursday expressed concern over the use of improvised explosive devices against civilians in south of the Libyan capital Tripoli.

"The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Libyan Mine Action Centre (LibMac) and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) are deeply concerned about reports that residents of the Ain Zara and Salahuddin areas of Tripoli have been exposed, killed and wounded by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) placed in and near their homes," a joint statement said.

The statement explained that children and adolescents are particularly exposed and at risk of explosive ordnance, stressing that those who survived a blast are likely to experience serious physical, psychological and social problems and may have their life chances affected by the consequences of the incidents.

UNICEF Special Representative in Libya Abdel-Rahman Ghandour stressed that all parties to the conflict must abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child to protect children at all times.

The eastern-based army has been leading a military campaign for more than a year, trying to take control of Tripoli and topple the UN-backed government. The fighting has killed and injured hundreds of civilians and displaced more than 150,000 others.

The UN-backed government's forces accused the eastern-based army of planting mines before withdrawing from conflict areas in southern Tripoli. Enditem
Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday said the world would not be the same post-Covid and asked lawyers to adapt to effectively use the digital and physical court processes as Indias future lies in digital technology.

The post-Covid world will be a different world. It wont be the same. We must begin to prepare ourselves for the digital courts and physical courts must go together with one supplementing the other, he said in a speech as part of a series of memorial lectures organized in educationist N R Madhava Menons memory.

Prasad, who also holds communications, electronics, and information technology portfolio, said that with the help of technology, over 16,000 courts have been digitised. He added the second phase of e-filing of cases has been launched in the Supreme Court. Prasad said trial courts have been able to conduct e-trials through virtual examination of witnesses and recording of evidence in nearly 200,000 cases.

He spoke about future technologies and challenges they could pose for lawyers. Artificial intelligence [AI] will play a crucial role in the coming times. You [lawyers] need to coordinate with new ideas of technology to accelerate the justice delivery system. But the human mind will continue to play its role as AI cannot cross-examine. That only a lawyer can do.

He cited the example of driverless cars to show how machines cannot take the place of human consciousness. Driverless car technology is good but I am worried that if such a car gets involved in an accident, who should be held responsible. He stressed privacy too and promised a robust Data Protection law.

Prasad praised indigenously developed digital products like the Mitron app and expressed his confidence that the innate abilities of Indians and divine entity of India will help the country to deliver solutions to the Covid-19 crisis.
As part of our #LockdownLessons series, Bizcommunity is reaching out to South Africa's top industry players to share their experience of the current Covid-19 crisis, how their organisations are navigating these unusual times, where the challenges and opportunities lie, and their industry outlook for the near future.

Kevin Lennett

What was The Crazy Stores initial response to the Covid-19 crisis, and how has the business had to adapt operations under the various levels of lockdown?

Has the company experienced any major disruptions to its supply chain during the pandemic?

What are The Crazy Store shoppers spending their money on during the lockdown?

The most popular product categories are personal care and hygiene items (such as sanitisers, handwash, etc.), pets, winter essentials such as blankets, everyday consumables and of course arts and crafts to keep the kids busy.

How do you think the in-store environment will have to evolve taking into account consumers heightened awareness around hygiene and safety, and physical distancing?

Comment on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on your company, and retail as a whole?

Retailers need to be understanding of the challenges that consumers are facing, many have lost their jobs or have had to take a reduction in pay so its important that all retailers, The Crazy Store included, keep offering customers value for their money and great customer service.

How have you had to change the way you work?

Has this global crisis changed your view of the future of retail in any way? Any opportunities you think will emerge as a result?

Do you have any encouraging words for industry peers navigating business during these uncertain times?

Discount retail chain The Crazy Store boasts an expansive Southern African presence, with almost 400 stores spread across South Africa and a growing number of branches in neighbouring Botswana and Namibia.The nationwide lockdown instituted in South Africa at the end of March meant that The Crazy Store had to close its local stores for a month, a period that managing director Kevin Lennett describes as a "devastating blow" for the retail industry.As the retailer moves from selling essential goods to its full range of products as permitted during alert Level 3, Lennett shares how the in-store environment has needed to change to prioritise health and hygiene, and why offering shoppers value for their money is more important than ever.We had to implement various safety measures immediately in line with government regulations, ensuring the safety of our staff and customers. We closed all stores from Friday 27 March and were unable to trade during the month of April. We were, however, able to trade with essential goods from 1 May in all stores, making sure we implemented all government regulations.As we move to Level 3 of lockdown, we will be able to sell our full range of products so customers will be able to purchase all their Crazy Store favourites again.Yes. The movement of non-essential goods was not allowed during lockdown. The supply chain was disrupted on multiple levels  importation, delay in production of goods and the inability to transport non-essential goods. This meant that previously packed and invoiced orders had to be cancelled to make way for distribution of essential goods.Our huge range of affordable products meant that our customers were able to continue shopping during lockdown.Safety and hygiene in our stores will be our top priority for some time to come - keeping our stores clean for our staff and customers safety is of utmost importance to us. We have increased our already rigorous cleaning measures.We have also put the following measures into place: Our staff will be sanitising customers hands upon entering our stores. No customer will be allowed to enter the store without a face mask. Were limiting the number of customers allowed into stores at a time. Stores also have floor signs/stickers reminding customers of the 2-metre safe wingspan they need to keep when queuing at the till points. We will continue to take whatever actions are necessary to ensure that customers and our store teams are kept safe.We had established (prior to the pandemic) an exercise in increasing shopping space in our stores to improve comfort of shopping. This will become even more relevant now in the months to come.Naturally being closed for a month was a devastating blow to us all in the retail industry. Simply put, all touchpoints are affected  from landlords to suppliers, to customers to staff. It has been traumatic to say the least. It was, however, our responsibility to immediately begin planning for the future and a return to trade  no matter in what form or fashion. Our team has been fantastic and has pulled together to ensure the long-term survival of our business. We missed our customers and they missed us!At The Crazy Store we are all about value. We have the widest range of products at ridiculously low prices. We know that times are tough for everyone at the moment, therefore we will continue to keep our prices low and our stores fully stocked with everything our customers need.Like everyone else, we had to introduce a work from home policy for most of our employees. Those that need to be in office come in on a rotational basis. We are also limiting travel to stores and are more conscious than ever about consumer needs.Our staff on the sales floor are very much in the front line, and as such we implemented high hygiene levels prior to our return to work. This focus will have to continue, as well as a continued encouragement of changing of habits around staying 2m apart, not eating lunch at the same time, wearing masks, etc. Importantly staff need to be aware of their health and notify us of any symptoms no matter how severe they may or may not be.Naturally there is lots of talk about online retail, and there is no doubt that e-commerce will be boosted permanently by this pandemic. However, what no one is talking about is how people miss being out and about and being social. It is noteworthy how busy stores were once we moved down to Level 4 of lockdown.I was struck by how many of our staff said they missed seeing their regular customers  people are social creatures. The really pleasing thing is our customers said the same to our staff  we had missed each other!While these are very distressing and stressful times, I have been struck at how resolute people are. South Africans seem to be able to adapt to so many challenges. While we have many tough days, weeks and months ahead I believe the power of the human spirit will overcome this.
Hawkers in the Sunyani Municipality have complained about the closure of the Nana Bosoma market by city authorities.



The situation, they told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in a market survey, had slowed down their economic activities affecting their livelihoods.



As part of measures to control the spread of the COVID-19 disease in the Sunyani Municipality, the city authorities have some weeks now, shutdown the Nana Bosoma Central Market till further notice.



Since then, traders from far and near who used to throng the market to buy and sell mostly on Wednesdays, official market day in Sunyani have stopped.



But the hawkers - head potters, truck, and wheelbarrow pushers noted that the closure of the market had tremendously affected their businesses and many of them could not fend for themselves and their families.



They appealed to the Sunyani Municipal Assembly to supply them with food items, and nose masks to enable them to also protect themselves against contracting the COVID-19.



Sheriff Atinga, a truck pusher who resides around the market said some of his colleagues were students who had migrated from the northern part of the country to engage in menial jobs to enable them to save some money to pay their fees when school re-opens.



He said because of the markets closure, socio-economic lives have become unbearable for many of them including single mothers.



Meanwhile, several traders who spoke to the GNA within the central business district of Sunyani on Friday appealed to the Assembly to re-open the market for business activity to bounce back in the Municipality.



They said they expected city authorities to ensure that traders complied with the social and physical distancing protocols instead of closing the market, which had adversely affected the socio-economic lives of some people.



Madam Leticia Gyan, a trader in second-hand clothing said it would be difficult for some of the petty traders to pay their wards and children school fees if the market remained closed.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has said that Egypt will never show toleration for terrorist organisations or the parties supporting them under any circumstances, in comments on the Libyan crisis.

Egypt supports reaching a political solution to the crisis, as well as preserving Libya's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, said El-Sisi, speaking during a virtual meeting on Tuesday of the heads of the African contact group of states on Libya, his spokesman Bassam Rady said.

The meeting tackled the latest developments in Libya and the means of resolving the crisis through strengthening joint African efforts.

El-Sisi also said that Egypt fully supports the Libyan people's will and choices.

He stressed that Egypt rejects any foreign interference in Libyas domestic affairs, asserting that Libyas stability is a crucial aspect of Egypts national security.

The president argued that African countries should consider fighting terrorism in Libya to be a top priority, as it threatens the stability and security of neighbouring countries and the continent as a whole.

The president also stressed the importance of coordination between the United Nations, Africa, and the international community in Libya.

He said that since the Libyan crisis is considered an Arab-African issue, the African Union and the Arab League should coorindate in their efforts to solve the crisis.

On Monday, forces aligned with the Government of National Accord (GNA) took control of Al-Watiya air base, 125 km from the capital Tripoli, Reuters reported.

The air base has been of strategic importance to the forces loyal to the commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Khalifa Haftar, who in April 2019 launched an offensive to capture the Libyan capital.

The LNA and its allies still control eastern and southern Libya, which contains most of the country's oil facilities, in addition to the city of Sirte, at the centrepoint of Libya's Mediterranean coastline.

The capture of Al-Watiya marks an advancement for the GNA forces, pushing back Haftars LNA and its allies.

Egypt, the UAE and Russia are backing Haftar, while Turkey has been supporting the GNA.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


SACRAMENTO  The California Senate rejected billions of dollars in budget cuts proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that lawmakers said would harm the states most vulnerable residents, setting up a potentially contentious debate as they try to close a projected $54 billion deficit.

A plan approved Thursday by the state Senate budget committee would avoid severe reductions to education and safety-net programs by dipping further into state reserves and deferring payments to future years, while pushing off other program cuts for months in anticipation of a federal bailout.

That framework will become part of negotiations over the coming weeks with Newsom and the Assembly, which is expected to present its own proposal next week. The Legislature must pass a spending plan by June 15 or forgo its pay.

I hope that the proposal and ideas that the Senate puts forward have a positive impact, particularly when it comes to addressing the budget shortfall in a manner that does not make conditions worse for our vulnerable California residents, said state Sen. Holly Mitchell, D-Los Angeles, the Senate budget chair.

The economic shutdown during the coronavirus pandemic obliterated Californias finances, pushing millions of residents into unemployment and erasing a multibillion-dollar surplus.

Newsom unveiled his revised budget plan this month, tapping reserve accounts, using federal stimulus money, borrowing from special funds and temporarily limiting corporate tax credits to minimize the impact on public services. But his proposal would also slash $14 billion in funding for public schools, health care and social services programs, universities and state worker salaries, unless California receives additional aid from the federal government.

Legislators have criticized those cuts as a draconian solution that would disproportionately hurt poor, elderly and disabled Californians.

The Senate budget plan relies on many of the same financial mechanisms as the governors, but it assumes Congress will pass a stimulus package for states and local governments by the fall that would allow California to avert major cuts.

It would increase funding for schools, which have said they may not be able to reopen without additional money to pay for coronavirus safety measures. The Senate plan would also exclude Newsoms proposed reductions to Medi-Cal, the states health care program for the poor, as well as in-home health services, preschools and child care facilities, centers for people with developmental disabilities and day programs to keep seniors out of nursing homes.

If the state does not receive that money by October, however, it would trigger an alternative solution that would tap an additional $2.7 billion of reserves and defer more than $5 billion in education funding to a future year. Schools could borrow against that funding or dip into their savings, with the state promising to pay them back later.

More than $1 billion in cuts would still take effect, including $400 million for the University of California and California State University.

State Sen. Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber (Tehama County), vice chair of the budget committee, warned his colleagues about saddling the state with more debt as it faces an economic recession that could last for years.

I would admonish us to keep in mind not just kicking the can down the road, but the structural changes that are going to be required for us to get back on sound footing, no matter what happens with the economy, he said.

Other major differences from the governors proposal include an estimate that hundreds of thousands fewer families will be added to the Medi-Cal and welfare rolls during the coronavirus pandemic than Newsom expects, saving the state $3.6 billion next year.

The Senate also proposes to expand Medi-Cal access to undocumented immigrant seniors, but delay the start of the change until 2022. Providing health care for undocumented seniors was in Newsoms original budget plan, but the governor removed it after the economy crashed.

Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff
Decision is positive news for southwest Alaska's Pebble Project

VANCOUVER / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2020 / Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX:NDM)(NYSE American:NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") reports that the Company's 100%-owned, US-based subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership ("Pebble Partnership") issued the following statement on May 28, 2020.

A letter issued today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirming the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process for the proposed Pebble mine currently being led by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is proceeding well, and effectively addressing all issues and concerns raised by EPA, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and other cooperating agencies, was hailed by Pebble Partnership CEO Tom Collier as another positive step in the project's permitting process.

Collier also noted the letter reflects the EPA's decision not to pursue so-called 3(b) elevation under the Clean Water Act Section 404(q) guidelines.

"This determination by the EPA is another indication of positive progress for the project. This is on the heels of last of week's announcement from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) indicating their LEDPA determination would be for Alternative 3 - the northern route. We also saw the positive Preliminary Final Environmental Impact Statement earlier this year showing the project can be done responsibly and without harm to the Bristol Bay fishery.

"The decision last year by EPA to withdraw the Obama administration's pending veto (confirmed by a federal court's recent dismissal of the case brought by NRDC and others attacking that withdrawal), gives us strong reason to believe that EPA will not veto the USACE Record of Decision for the project. Today's decision not to file a 3b letter gives us more reason to believe that there will be no veto. This is consistent with our observation that USACE and EPA, and the other cooperating agencies, have been working well together to resolve all outstanding issues. The recent LEDPA announcement is further tangible evidence of that cooperation as we understand other federal agencies preferred the northern transportation corridor alternative.

"Our core principle has always been for the project to be done in a way that does not harm the fishery or water resources in Bristol Bay. The draft EIS showed this, the PFEIS shows this and we are confident the final EIS will show this and demonstrate to Alaskans that this is an important project for the state's future.

"The USACE continues to advance a rigorous and transparent review of all aspects and alternatives of our project. It has involved cooperating agencies from the federal, state, local and tribal governments in its review of the many technical issues facing the project. The permitting process for the project is reasonable and objective. We have always said let science and technical information guide decisions about the project. The EPA decision to not pursue a 3(b) elevation is in line with this notion."

Background - In 1992, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the EPA entered into a memorandum of agreement about how to implement Section 404(q) of the Clean Water Act including a process for evaluating and elevating beyond the regional level specific individual permit cases that involve aquatic resources of national importance. The EPA notified the USACE in July 2019 that under section 3(a) it was determining whether the issues at Pebble should be elevated within the agencies. Had the EPA wanted to pursue that path, it would have taken action via section 3(b) and today was the deadline for a decision. The agency has determined it will not elevate the issue. Instead, the traditional federal permitting process for the Pebble Project will continue.

The USACE published the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Pebble Project in February 2019 and undertook a 120-day public comment period to receive input from project stakeholders and government agencies. The USACE has spent many months reviewing and responding to all comments and has indicated their intent to publish a final EIS this summer. It is anticipated that a Record of Decision (ROD) could be published some 30 days after that.

About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.

Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset, owned through its wholly-owned Alaska-based U.S. subsidiary, Pebble Limited Partnership ("PLP"), is a 100% interest in a contiguous block of 2,402 mineral claims in southwest Alaska, including the Pebble deposit. PLP is the proponent of the Pebble Project, an initiative to develop one of the world's most important mineral resources.

For further details on Northern Dynasty and the Pebble Project, please visit the Company's website at www.northerndynastyminerals.com or contact Investor services at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114. Review Canadian public filings at www.sedar.com and US public filings at www.sec.gov.

Ronald W. Thiessen

President & CEO

US Media Contact:

Dan Gagnier

Gagnier Communications

(646) 569-5897

Forward-Looking Information and other Cautionary Factors

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of the ultimate size, quality or commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project, that the Pebble Project will secure all required government permits, or of the Company's future performance.

Assumptions used by NDM to develop forward-looking statements include the assumptions that (i) the Pebble Project will obtain all required environmental and other permits and all land use and other licenses without undue delay, (ii) studies for the development of the Pebble Project will be positive, (iii) NDM will be able to establish the commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project, and (iv) NDM will be able to secure the financing required to develop the Pebble Project. The likelihood of future mining at the Pebble Project is subject to a large number of risks and will require achievement of a number of technical, economic and legal objectives, including (i) obtaining necessary mining and construction permits, licenses and approvals without undue delay, including without delay due to third party opposition or changes in government policies, (ii) the completion of feasibility studies demonstrating the Pebble Project mineral reserves that can be economically mined, (iii) completion of all necessary engineering for mining and processing facilities, and (iv) receipt by NDM of significant additional financing to fund these objectives as well as funding mine construction, which financing may not be available to NDM on acceptable terms or on any terms at all. The Company is also subject to the specific risks inherent in the mining business as well as general economic and business conditions, as well as risks relating to the uncertainties with respect to the effects of COVID-19.

The National Environment Policy Act EIS process requires a comprehensive "alternatives assessment" be undertaken to consider a broad range of development alternatives, the final project design and operating parameters for the Pebble Project and associated infrastructure may vary significantly from that currently being advanced. As a result, the Company will continue to consider various development options and no final project design has been selected at this time.

For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and its home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

SOURCE: Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/591926/Northern-Dynasty-EPA-expresses-confidence-in-Pebble-permitting-opts-not-to-elevate-approval-decision
A man in his 50s has died after a farm accident in Longford.

The incident took place on a farm in the Colehill area yesterday evening.

He was pronounced dead at the scene and was removed to Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar.

A post-mortem will take place at a later date.

Gavin White, the chairman of Longford IFA, says the man was working on a plough when the accident happened.

"I did know him well. He was a local tillage farmer and agricultural contractor.," Mr White said.

"A hardworking man with a wife, four daughters and my sympathies to all the family.

"His extended family are involved in agriculture and agricultural contracting as well. I am also in agricultural contracting. It's after hitting the community very hard here. We're all in great shock."
China has signalled that it could ban dog meat from the dinner table after approving a proposed directive to classify dogs as companion animals instead of farm animals officially.

The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs calls for 'some traditional customs about dogs' to change in the country and stresses that they are 'companion, rescue and service animals'.

The move comes less than a month before the controversial Yulin dog meat festival, which sees thousands of dogs cruelly butchered and eaten on the summer solstice.

China has approved a proposed directive from the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs to recognise dogs as 'companion animals officially'. The picture shows dogs looking out of their cages from a truck on a motorway on the outskirts of capital Beijing on April 8, 2006

The Chinese agricultural ministry no longer considers dogs as livestock or poultry in the latest version of the country's Directory of Genetic Resources of Livestock and Poultry, which was published today.

What is the Yulin Dog Meat Festival? Some claim that the consumption of dog meat has been observed in Guangxi Province, China, for hundreds of years. However, the activity was not promoted and encouraged until around 30 years ago - first by the dog meat traders, then by the Yulin government for driving tourism. The annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival can be traced back to 2009. The event has drawn waves of criticism from media and animal lovers, with influential figures leading campaigns around the world in a bid to stop it. The local government has stopped organising the festival under pressure, as it is understood, but vendors continue selling dog meat and residents carry on eating it on the summer solstice. Advertisement

Only the animals on the list can be bred, raised, traded and transported for commercial purposes in China, according to China's Animal Husbandry Law.

This means the act can potentially prevent around 10million dogs being killed for their meat every year in the country.

A spokesperson from the ministry said that dogs had been domesticated for a long time in the country and they had 'close relationships' with humans.

The spokesperson told reporters: 'With the progress of the times, humans' understanding of civilisation and dining habits have changed constantly. Some traditional customs about dogs will change too.'

The idea of 'traditional customs' has been used as one of the explanations for the existence of the annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival.

The event is one of the most controversial food festivals in the world and sees thousands of dogs cruelly killed, skinned and cooked with blow-torches before being eaten by the locals.

The spokesperson highlighted that it was an international consensus not to classify dogs as livestock.

He said more policies regarding dogs would be rolled out in the future without giving details.

The new directory went into effect on Wednesday.

The annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival is one of the most controversial food festivals in China and sees thousands of dogs cruelly killed, skinned and cooked with blow-torches before being eaten by the locals. The picture shows dog meat being served at the festival on June 21, 2017

A spokesperson said: 'With the progress of the times, humans' understanding of civilisation and dining habits have changed constantly. Some traditional customs about dogs will change too.' A woman is pictured wearing a mask while carrying a dog in the street of Wuhan on Jan.22

Two Chinese cities, Shenzhen and Zhuhai, have banned the eating of dogs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

In late February, China issued a temporary ban on all trade and consumption of wild animals - a practice believed responsible for the global crisis.

The Ministry's catalogue lists 33 types of 'traditional livestock', including pigs, cows, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, camels, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons and quails.

It also covers 16 types of 'special livestock', including sika deer, red deer, reindeer, alpacas, guinea fowls, pheasants, partridges, mallards, ostriches, minks, the American red fox, the Arctic fox and raccoon dogs. The last four species can be traded, but not for their meat.

In late February, China issued a temporary ban on all trade and consumption of wild animals - a practice believed responsible for the global crisis. The picture shows butchered dogs being sold at a market in the Chinese city of Yulin at the annual dog meat festival on June 21, 2016

The Ministry says it revised the directory to show its support of the wild animal ban by Beijing.

Animal welfare groups have expressed their support for the Chinese government's decision.

Charity organisation Humane Society International (HSI) has called it a 'truly momentous time'.

Its spokesperson Wendy Higgins said: 'This now presents the perfect opportunity for cities across China to act upon the government's words by protecting dogs and cats from the meat trade thieves and slaughterhouses.'

PETA Asia has billed the new regulation a 'huge step in the right direction' for the Chinese lawmakers.

A spokesperson from the group urged Beijing to extend the same classification to raccoon dogs and foxes, which are currently listed as 'special livestock'.

Two Chinese cities, Shenzhen and Zhuhai, have banned the eating of dogs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, but no national law has been released to ban the act. Pictured, caged cats and dogs for sale at a live animal meat market in Guangzhou, China, in April 2003

A woman with her pet dog, both wearing face masks, is pictured walking on the street amid the novel coronavirus pandemic in the northern Chinese city of Shijiazhuang on March 6

Activists and legal experts have in the past proposed animal protection law to ban the eating of dogs and cats. The earliest such campaigns can be traced back to 2009.

But so far, no national legislation has been released to forbid people from consuming pets officially.

The Yulin Dog Meat Festival, held every year on the summer solstice, remains an extremely sensitive topic in and outside of China.

Ms Higgins from HSI called for an immediate end to the annual festival, which she billed as 'a bloody spectacle'.

She urged: 'In just a few weeks, the dog slaughterhouses of the city of Yulin will be full with terrified dogs awaiting bludgeoning and butchery for its infamous dog meat festival.

'Experience tells us that many of those dogs will be precisely the beloved companions and helpers and service dogs the national government talked about in its statement as being not for food.

'The Yulin festival is a bloody spectacle that does not reflect the mood or eating habits of the Chinese people, and if it is allowed to go ahead, it will appear to be in public defiance of the Ministry of Agriculture's words.'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 18:02:41|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

MANILA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has released a total of 22,522 inmates in an effort to decongest the country's overcrowded jails amid a rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country, a Supreme Court official said on Friday.

Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said the 22,522 persons deprived of liberty have been released since the lockdown imposed in mid-March to halt the spread of the virus.

Marquez made the statement during a webinar hosted by the Judicial Integrity Network in ASEAN, according to the Supreme Court Public Information Office.

The Supreme Court said the inmates were released "either through bail or recognizance, or after serving the minimum imposable penalty for the crime they were charged."

Marquez said the release of the inmates also "eliminated the risk of further spread of COVID-19 infection to the inmates inside the jail facilities."

The Bureau of Jail and Management Penology, which manages jails, reported that 517 inmates in its 10 jail facilities have contracted the virus.

The Philippines now has 15,588 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 921 deaths and 3,598 recoveries. Enditem
Syracuse, N.Y.  Ray Anderson isnt your typical sign-wielding protester.

The senior at Onondaga Central is president of his class at high school and this years salutatorian.

Anderson wants his school to be able to hold a normal graduation  or at least normal as possible in this coronavirus pandemic.

At OCS, graduation is only one hour, he said as he stood outside of the OnCenter today with about 15 other high school seniors from Onondaga and Westhill and a handful of parents. We only have 66 graduates. Were happy to follow all of the guidelines  wear face masks and gloves. We want to have our hour.

The seniors and parents held signs asking passing motorists to honk in support of high school seniors. They were hoping to ask Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon about the countys graduation guidelines that were issued Wednesday. Those guidelines, they claim, are forcing schools into holding drive-through ceremonies rather than more traditional graduations.

Seniors from Onondaga Central and Westhill high schools protested outside of the Oncenter on Friday, where County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily coronavirus briefing was to be held.Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.

McMahon, who did not make himself available to the protesters before his coronavirus briefing today, has said that the county is not regulating graduation ceremonies, rather issuing guidelines for safe practices at events that typically occur in the second half of June. He repeated those remarks in todays briefing.

The county executive said this weeks guidelines applied to phase two of New Yorks reopening plan, which began today.

We do not approve graduation plans, he said Thursday. Our role is to give guidance.

McMahon has said school superintendents and boards have the final say on graduation ceremonies.

Thats not the impression some school districts have.

Onondaga Central senior salutatorian Ray Anderson holds a sign outside of the Oncenter on Friday.Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.

Lisa Anderson, Rays mother and one of those outside of the OnCenter today, said Onondaga Central submitted detailed plans earlier this month for a June 26 ceremony on the school lawn that would have followed social-distancing guidelines.

Those plans were rejected by the county, she said.

Parents in the Westhill school district reacted strongly to a district plan earlier this week to hold what has been referred to as a drive-through ceremony later in June.

In a letter to parents on Thursday, Westhill superintendent Casey Barduhn said schools were told May 13 that graduation plans would need to be approved by the county health department.

Barduhn said today that the district planned to meet with students and parents on Monday to discuss possibly pushing the ceremony into July, when the county presumably be in phase four of the reopening and restrictions on gatherings might be relaxed.

Well see where that goes, he said.

County spokesperson Justin Sayles said Friday evening that those claims arent accurate.

The county health department has never approved or rejected any proposal for a graduation, he said.

Sayles said school districts reached out for guidance and the county offered it. There is no executive order compelling school boards or superintendents to heed those recommendations.

Westhill senior Will Davis was outside of the OnCenter today. He said he would absolutely wait until later in the summer for a more typical ceremony.

We feel the drive-through is not an appropriate ceremony, he said. Its been something a lot of seniors have looked forward to since they were kids.

Lisa Anderson said the county needs to recast its guidelines to reflect what would be appropriate in late June or July. School groups want to know what the rules are before proceeding with their plans.

I get the safety concerns, she said. Its supposed to be a glorious time for these seniors. Instead, were out here protesting.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

McMahon: Ugly reopening was making sausage,' but state made the right call in the end

Central New York, 4 other regions clear to move to phase 2 of reopening

8 ways offices will look different as CNY approaches phase two of reopening

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Nolan Weidner is a reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard and syracuse.com. Got a comment or idea for a story? He can be reached by call or text at 315.247.7419 or via email at nweidner@syracuse.com.
(Photo : Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash) Roller coaster in a park (Photo : Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash) Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida-shi, Japan

Japan will soon reopen its amusement parks, but with one catch: screaming is not allowed.

Operators of major theme parks recently introduced a set of guidelines to ensure the safety of both guests and staff amid the threat of COVID-19. The East and West Japan Theme Park Associations is a group of over 30 major amusement park operators in Japan such as Universal Studios Japan and Oriental Land Company, which operates Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea.

Since February, major theme parks across Japan were shut down in the fight against coronavirus pandemic. However, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the nationwide state of emergency on Monday, May 25, in a televised speech after the special coronavirus panel approved the easing of restrictions. The decision was made days earlier than the decree's set expiration on May 31.

As Japan reopens amusement parks, operators' new coronavirus guidelines are banning screaming

Some of the major amusement parks in Japan have already reopened, but Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Japan have yet to announce when they would welcome guests again.

As expected, the group recommends the enhanced measures of sanitation, regular body temperature checks, and the wearing of face mask while highlighting the value of social distancing.

However, visitors may be shocked by some of the suggestions where they are encouraged to avoid shouting or cheering while riding the outdoor attractions, including roller coasters. This may be a tough task as some of the rides are extremely wild.

The lifting of restrictions follows as Japan's COVID-19 cases fall to acceptable rates. The prime minister urged citizens and businesses to adapt to a "new normal" that includes using face masks and social distancing whenever possible.

Some surprising theme park rules

Japan currently has over 16,500 COVID-19 cases and 820 deaths, which is a relatively low figure compared to other nations' death toll. Abe said Japan's success to control the virus in such a short time shows how powerful the "Japan model" is.

Also, for some employees who have difficulty wearing masks while at work, including entertainers and haunted house staff, they should at least maintain a one-meter distance from visitors.

Park staff, including those dressed as animal mascots and superheroes, should not shake hands or high-five young fans and maintain a proper distance, which may leave children unhappy.

Perhaps the most difficult among the recommendations, aside from asking visitors to wear masks, is that they will be urged to "refrain from vocalizing loudly," even when riding roller coasters and other extreme rides.

The guidelines may also compromise customer service as discussions should be kept short. "As a new style of customer service, even when you're wearing a mask, you can use a combination of smiley eyes, hand gestures, etc., to communicate with visitors," one of the suggestions noted.

However, operators admitted "these guidelines will not bring infections to zero, but will reduce the risk of infection" and they pledged to continue to find measures to lower the transmission risks.

Aside from the recommendations of the operators' group, the Fuji-Q Highland theme park, located at the foot of Fuji Mountain renowned for its haunted house, has issued its own rules. It will only reopen its outdoor attractions and just accept visitors living in Yamanashi, Nagano, Niigata, and Shizuoka prefectures.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
P rime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been showered with praise after New Zealand went an entire week without recording a single new coronavirus infection.

New Zealand has all but eradicated Covid-19 from its shores, with just one person in the nation of some five million people known to be still infected.

The country's success in battling the pandemic has been, in part, attributed to Ms Ardern's swift decision to roll out a strict nationwide lockdown on March 25 in a bid to prevent widespread transmission.

Now, with the lockdown having since been eased and with health authorities not recording any new virus cases for a week, the plaudits have poured in on social media for the nation's third female prime minister.

One Twitter user wrote: "Congratulations PM Jacinda Arden and the people of New Zealand! We all need leaders like her."

Another added: "New Zealand rocks and so does its prime minister."

Moment New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Stays Calm During Earthquake On Live Tv

One other user praised the Prime Minister as a "true leader" and suggested "the world would be a better place if we had more like Jacinda Arden".

Several others from around the world meanwhile jokingly wondered whether they could also have Ms Ardern as their own leader.

New Zealand has to date recorded 1,504 coronavirus infections. Of those to have contracted the virus, 22 people have died.

All but one of the rest have now recovered.

The nations borders remain closed, and staying virus-free when they eventually reopen is expected to pose a big challenge.

However, Ms Ardern said earlier this month that New Zealand will not have open borders with the rest of the world for "a long time to come".
The coronavirus pandemic has forced some lateral thinking from governments on economic and social reforms to see the population through a tough time.

Who'd have anticipated we'd ever see free childcare, a doubling of the rate of unemployment benefits and the government supplementing workers' wages through a JobKeeper program - even if they are temporary measures?

Readers showed considerable knowledge of how pension systems work. Credit:Nic Walker

Now with the income streams of many older Australians drying up because of a fall in global interest rates, rent and dividends, seniors groups are pressing the Morrison government to consider ditching the means testing of the aged pension and giving every retiree at least a part pension.

The news story, Universal pension for all: Retirees call for tax and income reform, was one of the most commented-on articles by readers of The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald this week.
Albany County prosecutors last Wednesday charged four roommates in criminal court in connection with a suspected violation of a quarantine order because of exposure to the novel coronavirus.

The misdemeanor citations came on the basis of a state law that allows criminal prosecution for violations of orders issued by Dr. Alexia Harrist, the state public health office. Quarantine orders like those issued to the four women facing charges typically state why a person is thought to have contracted COVID-19 and order the recipient to remain at home and avoid close contact with non-household members.

Court documents filed in the case on Wednesday state that health officials on May 22 issued such orders to three of the four defendants: Darbi Buckmiller, Rachel Gaydos and Alexanna Dewaard. On Monday, officials issued an order to Hannah Siderfin, who  according to court documents  lives with her co-defendants in a East Garfield Street house on the edge of the University of Wyoming campus.

The four women were recorded on video Tuesday at Lake Hattie with an unidentified man, according to the documents. The videos, according to the documents, were posted to the social media website Snapchat and then provided to Albany County Health Officer Jean Allais. The next day, Harrist authorized pursuit of criminal charges in the case.

The documents allege that all four women left their property at other times. Although those allegations are made generally in two of the filings, they specify that officials received reports that Dewaard went on Saturday to a grocery store on Grand Avenue in Laramie and Gaydos on Monday afternoon went to the same store.

Three of the women were apparently students at the school. In a Thursday press release, the University of Wyoming wrote that it was working with legal and public health authorities in connection with citations for violation of isolation issued to three students. The school said it was looking into whether the students visited any university facilities and would notify people with whom they could have interacted.

We support local law enforcement and public health officials in their efforts to enforce restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, acting President Neil Theobald said in a written statement. We continue to urge our students and employees to follow all public health guidelines, and we are serious about the measures being taken to prevent the spread of the virus in our community. Our expectation is that the students will learn from this experience  and that our student body as a whole will exhibit the UW Cowboy characteristics of working together to keep our campus and community safe.

Twelve of the 22 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Albany County have been reported in the last six days, and a university spokesperson said earlier this week that a number of University of Wyoming students living off-campus had contracted COVID-19.

Star-Tribune staff writer Davis Potter contributed to this report.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Texas Southern Universitys board of regents will discuss the possibility of increasing the schools GPA requirements and waiving test scores in a special board meeting Monday, according to a meeting agenda.

The boards committee for academic affairs, research and student life requested that the regents consider increasing the required GPA for prospective undergraduates from the current 2.5 to 3.5 or higher for the 2020-2021 academic year.

An independent audit released this week of TSUs admissions standards found that over three years the university admitted 4,000 students who didnt meet the colleges academic criteria, and gave $2.1 million in scholarship and financial aid to 917 students who failed to meet eligibility requirements.

The committee has also asked that admitted undergraduates be in the top 25 percent of their high school graduating class, and to waive standardized test scores, including the SAT and ACT as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Under the proposal, the number of test waivers for out-of-state first generation students will be limited.

Currently, students are required to have a combined SAT score of 820 or higher if taken before March 2016 or a score of 900 if taken after that date, according to the college. Those who take the ACT must earn a composite score of 17.

On HoustonChronicle.com: TSU admitted 4,000 students over 3 years who were not qualified

Regent Pamela A. Medina and Dr. Kendall T. Harris, provost and vice president for academic affairs, will present the proposals Monday.

The GPA standards at TSU could exceed the requirements of other four-year institutions in the Houston area.

Prairie View A&M University, the regions other historically black college, has a 2.8 GPA requirement for freshman with a total score of 800 for the SAT and a composite score of 15 for the ACT.

The University of Houston has waived test scores during the pandemic, but typically considers students based on test scores and class rank. Students whose schools do not have class rankings are considered for admissions by individual review, according to the UH website.

UH-Downtown does not list GPA requirements on its website and will waive standardized tests for the upcoming academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For automatic admission at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, students must have a minimum GPA of 2.8. Testing is optional, but if submitted, the school accepts a minimum score of 1140 on the SAT or 23 on the SAT.

Mondays meeting at Texas Southern will come just days after a board-ordered review of the colleges admissions and enrollment showed roughly half of those admitted in the combined fall 2017, 2018, and 2019 semesters, did not meet academic criteria and were admitted based on a variety of undocumented scenarios.

The review by consulting firm Berkeley Research Group also found that more than 900 students in the three fall semesters received a total of $2.1 million in scholarships despite not meeting qualifications for TSU scholarship or financial aid programs.

In addition to the proposed GPA guidelines, the board is expected to discuss the review.*

Vickee Gray, a vocal TSU graduate, said Friday that she wants to see the boards full proposal Monday before commenting on it.

The historically black college, which has served generations of students since its founding in the days of segregation, began increasing its enrollment requirements in 2008 after decades of open enrollment. Under open enrollment, the college granted anyone with a high school diploma or a GED admission into an undergraduate program  an approach that community colleges typically offer students.

TSUs 2008 policy, however, required its new students to graduate in the top 25 percent of their high school class or have a 2.0 grade point average in high school and score between 775 and 820 on the SAT or between 15 and 17 on the ACT. Those who did not meet credentials were offered an opportunity to participate in a summer program or referred to a community college.

John Rudley, TSUs president at the time, said the new academic criteria could result in a drop in enrollment, which could be the case for the college in the 2020-2021 academic year if new requirements are imposed.

TSUs enrollment, which was about 9,000 last fall, has seen some increases in recent years. Enrollment increased by roughly 16 percent from 8,862 to 10,237 in 2017 under former president Austin Lane, but decreased by 5 percent in 2018, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Boards website.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas Southern interim president welcomes change, new responsibilities

But for regents, increasing admission standards and being the best HBCU rather than the biggest, are the main concern, board chair Marc Carter said in a written statement.

I believe community colleges are designed to prepare students for the rigors of four-year institutions like TSU. The students that dont meet these standards simply are not ready to attend a four year program. Its also not fair to the students that have done the work to gain acceptance, Carter wrote. These students and potential employers dont care if TSU is the second largest HBCU in the country. What they care about is that the university is competitive, they are challenged and their degree has value.

Editor's note: The Texas Southern University board of regents discussed the recent review on its enrollment, admissions and financial aid in public session and closed session. The Houston Chronicle regrets the error.

brittany.britto@chron.com
PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. - The booming shouts of the rain-soaked Marine recruits echo across Leatherneck Square training field, barely muffled by their masks. And as they jog by, belting out responses to drill instructors in a rhythmic cadence, the white fabric across their faces is the only telltale sign of the coronavirus effects on their quest to become Marines.

But in ways big and small, the virus is impacting training at the Marine Corps Parris Island Recruit Depot and across the military. And defence leaders say some of the adjustments are proving beneficial and could become permanent.

Maj. Gen. James Glynn, commander of Parris Island, said requiring recruits to spend two weeks in quarantine before their training has had unexpected benefits.

They are singularly focused on two weeks of mental and emotional prep for what you guys are seeing today, he said during a visit Wednesday by Defence Secretary Mark Esper. I think its pretty evident its making a difference. Theyre mentally focused and have reconciled why theyre here.

Until this week, recruits spent the two-week quarantine in a complex of large white tents and bathroom and shower trailers that was quickly built on the base to allow health monitoring and keep them isolated. But now recruits are spending the two weeks in dorms at The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, in Charleston, about a two-hour drive north.

Esper, who toured the tent area with Glynn, said the new precautions  including masks, social distancing and the quarantine  have greatly lowered the amount of other respiratory illnesses recruits traditionally get.

Theyve seen a much lower sick call right across the board when it comes to infection, so theyre going to keep that. And were going to keep some other practices, said Esper, adding that by breaking the recruits into smaller groups, theyve seen a higher level of unity and esprit. And they bonded much more quickly.

As Esper walked around the soggy field, recruits were going through what Marines call the confidence course. They were clambering over large log obstacles, climbing towers, shimmying across rope lines strung over a net, and swinging over streams of water. In other sections, recruits were paired off to battle with pugil sticks, which replicates rifle and bayonet combat.

Staff Sgt. Katheryn Hunter, a drill instructor for three years at Parris Island, said the main difference she sees due to the virus is that the number of female recruits she has in 4th Battalion, Oscar Company, has dropped to 70. And she has 35 recruits in squad bays that usually hold up to 64.

During the initial portion of training, women, who have their own battalion, are largely separated from men. Marine Corps leaders staunchly defend the segregation, saying it helps build confidence, but some members of Congress have demanded change.

On the confidence course, female recruits were together on the various obstacles, while the male recruits were doing other tests.

The course, Hunter said, is critical.

We have a lot of recruits that are scared of heights, recruits that are scared of water or are scared of different obstacles, she said, adding that the course actually tests recruits fears, also builds their confidence that they can accomplish stuff as long as they set their minds to it.

In the larger formations, the recruits wore masks, but during some physical tests  even those where teamwork was required and social distancing impossible  the masks came off. Most of the drill instructors wore theirs at all times, as did Esper and his entourage.

Commanders noted that the recruits had finished their two-week quarantine and were on day 14 of their actual training  so they had been largely isolated for about a month. Marine recruits go to either Parris Island or to Camp Pendleton in southern California, for 13 weeks of training.

Another change, Esper said, is that military recruits often get to go home for two weeks after graduation. That leave has been suspended because of the virus. Instead, the Marines are getting three or four days of little or no duty before reporting to their next schooling or station.

Theyre showing up at the next phase of training in much better shape, said Esper, noting that they havent been able to go out drinking and partying. He said Marine leaders are seeing a better product entering the next phase of training, so theyre starting to think maybe we wont go back to the 10 days off.

Glynn said the plan to use the Citadel for quarantine was inspired by his mother-in-law, who sent him an article about how colleges and the military worked together during the Spanish flu pandemic. But while the college, with its two-person rooms, is working out well, Glynn said hell need another solution when classes resume. He said they are reviewing several options, including some nearer Parris Island, but have not made a decision.

The Army has made similar changes in its recruit training, which is a longer, 22-week course for infantry and armour soldiers. But instead of separating the incoming recruits at a distant location for the two-week quarantine, Army leaders changed the course schedule.

The new plan shifted classroom learning to the first two weeks, with many classes done virtually or outside, with little physical interaction, spaced chairs and social distancing. The recruits then move into what Army officials described as a training bubble, where they begin their more traditional physical and combat instruction.

Both the Marine Corps and the Army screen recruits for the virus when they arrive at processing stations, and again when they get to the training base. Army recruits go to one of the four training centres at Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Defence leaders said they have been intrigued to see some good come from the virus precautions.

I mean, its funny, said Esper, as he flew home from Parris Island, Even once coronavirus fades or we have a vaccine, you may come out with a boot camp that produces a better product because of things learned.
A crack squad of Nazi assassins who took part in a do-or-die raid on a World Two War summit in 1943 came close to killing Winston Churchill

The British prime minister was meeting Josef Stalin and Franklin D Roosevelt in Iran to set the date for the D-Day landings the following year.

But Hitler had been forewarned and ordered a team of specially trained commandos to carry out the mission which a new book claims very nearly succeeded.

42 Nazi elite soldiers armed with bombs and sub-machine guns parachuted into Allied-occupied Tehran in November 1943 where the leaders were meeting for the first time.

Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin, pictured here in Yalta in February 1945 had met for the first time in Tehran in November 1943 to discuss plans for the opening of the second European front

The meeting between the Big Three in Tehran, pictured, went ahead, despite the Allies being aware of a plot to kill the Nazi plot to kill the wartime leaders

Otto Skorzeny, pictured left with Adolf Hitler, right, impressed the Fuhrer when he rescued Benito Mussolini who had been captured in 1943. Skorzeny led a group of commandos who landed in gliders on the mountaintop mansion Mussolini was being held

'Killing the Big Three would have dealt a catastrophic blow to the Allies,' says Howard Blum, author of Night of the Assassins, a new book about the plot. 'It wasn't only their lives in danger but the whole future of the war. And the plot came shockingly, appallingly close to succeeding.'

New evidence about the raid is uncovered in declassified documents released from Russian, American and British files.

The summit was supposed to be top secret, but Churchill let slip in a radio address that he planned to meet with Roosevelt and Stalin.

The audacious plan to assassinate the Big Three in Tehran in 1943 has been told by New York Times best-selling author Howard Blum

It was enough for Hitler's spy chief Walter Schellenberg to order German intelligence to begin the search for the summit's location.

Soon enough, a German spy working as the valet to the British ambassador in Turkey discovered that the summit was scheduled in Allied occupied Iran's capital Tehran.

'Hitler asked General Otto Skorzeny to lead the attack,' says Blum.

'Known in the West as The Most Dangerous Man in the World, he had previously led a daring raid to free Benito Mussolini from kidnappers in Italy. Skorzeny wanted to be the one who put a bullet in Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin. They planned to attack while Churchill was celebrating his 69th birthday in Tehran on November 30, 1943, knowing that FDR and Stalin would be at the party, and they'd all be off guard.'

The Tehran Conference couldn't have been better placed for the Nazis. Schellenberg had months earlier set up a spy ring in Tehran.

A German spy discovered an unguarded secret entrance into the heavily-fortified embassy compound, through underground water tunnels. The Nazi murder squad planned to parachute into Tehran wearing Russian uniforms to mingle with the heavy Soviet troop presence already there.

But the Germans were unaware that two of their operatives were double-agents, leaking assassination plans to the Russians.

Skorzeny was described as 'the most dangerous man in Europe' after leading the Mussolini rescue mission. His heavily armed men, pictured, stormed the mountain top before escaping in the cable car

Skorzeny, pictured right, survived the war and later settled in Martinstown House in Co Kildare

The first team parachuting into the desert outside Tehran was ambushed by waiting Russian troops, tipped off by a double-agent. The second team was arrested at a Tehran safe house.

'Their bodies were never found,' says Blum. 'Skorzeny, seeing the element of surprise had been lost, stayed in Germany, not wanting to risk his life or his reputation.'

But six German commandos, who landed 30 miles off course, evaded capture, and led by Sturmbannfuhrer Rudolf von Holten-Pflug forged ahead with the attack.

The six commandos hid in a Tehran gymnasium, but were betrayed by a group of Iranian wrestlers who overpowered them, inspired by a $20,000 reward, worth about $300,000 today.

Skorzeny, pictured, developed the plan to assassinate the Big Three but did not parachute into Iran with his troops

Even so the commandos escaped and continued with their mission. They quickly learned a captured German spy had disclosed the plot to attack through the embassy water tunnels, which were now under heavy guard.

Forced to adjust their plans, they decided on a suicide attack, bombing the Big Three when they left for Tehran airport. Shockingly, the commandos were again betrayed, and when surrounded by Russian troops, blew themselves up.

Some historians have claimed that the raid was really a piece of Soviet subterfuge to put Churchill and Roosevelt on guard so that the Russian leader could gain a negotiating advantage when he claimed to have saved the day after foiling the 'German plot'.

But Blum says it was real. 'The plot would have succeeded if the Russians hadn't killed most of the commando force. And if a captured spy hadn't disclosed the scheme to use the water tunnel to enter the embassy compound, German commandos would have burst in on Churchill's birthday party. It would have changed the face of the war, and possibly reshaped the world for years to come.'

The Night of the Assassins: The Untold Story of Hitler's Plot to Kill FDR, Churchill & Stalin, by Howard Blum (Harper Books)

What happened at the Tehran Conference and why was it so important? By ROBERT VERKAIK The meeting between the 'big three' Allies in Tehran at the end of 1943 agreed the D-Day landings in northern France the following year which ended the Second World War in Europe. It was the first time Russian leader Joseph Stalin, American president Franklin D. Roosevelt, and British prime minister Winston Churchill had sat down together to negotiate the conduct of the war. These historic negotiations set the tone for future conferences between Russia and the West, ultimately ending in the division of Europe into East and West and laying down the conditions for the Cold War. Joseph Stalin and Franklin D. Roosevelt pictured together as they met for the first time in Tehran in 1943 during a top-secret conference which determined the future of Europe and ushered in the Cold War The three leaders met in the Soviet embassy in Tehran, Iran, between November 28 and December 1. Stalin, whose armies had been directly fighting the Nazis since 1941, tried to convince the British and Americans of the urgent need for an immediate land invasion in the West. Churchill and Roosevelt wanted to delay so that they had more time to build up overwhelming forces. In the end it was agreed that Operation Overlord (D-Day) would be launched by American and British forces before May 1944 and that Russia would support the Allies with a major offensive on Germany's eastern front to divert German forces from northern France. Stalin also agreed to enter the war against Japan once Germany was defeated. But in return, Stalin pressed for a revision of Poland's eastern border with the Soviet Union, a concession which gave Stalin a legal and moral claim for the Soviet annexation of other parts of eastern Europe. The suffering of the Russian people during the German invasion and the recent Soviet victory at Battle of Stalingrad meant Stalin held the upper hand in the negotiations. The Tehran Conference also saw the first tentative steps to the creation of a United Nations, promoted by Roosevelt and Churchill as a forum for the peaceful resolution of the settling of all future international conflict and crisis. There was consensus between the three that a defeated Germany would need to be divided so that the German people could never start another war in Europe. However, Churchill clashed with Stalin over the Russian's territorial desires and his wish to heavily punish Germany. Churchill responded by setting out an alternative progamme. He told Stalin: 'Our duty is to make the world safe for at least 50 years by German disarmament, by preventing rearmament, by supervision of German factories, by forbidding all aviation and by territorial changes of a far-reaching character. It all comes back to the question whether Great Britain the United States and the USSR can keep a close friendship and supervise Germany in their mutual interests. We ought not to be afraid to give orders as soon as we see any danger.' When the three leaders met again in Yalta in February 1945 Hitler was near to defeat and their negotiations built on the terms of the agreements secured in Tehran. But Stalin's territorial ambitions were now much clearer. The Soviet Union would keep the territory of eastern Poland they had already annexed in 1939 and go on to make further territorial gains to create the Eastern Bloc. Russia and the West would be gripped in a Cold War for the next forty-four years until the tearing down of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Advertisement
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on May 29, 2020

2020/05/29

CCTV: According to reports, the US has asked the UN Security Council to hold a video conference on the national security legislation for Hong Kong on the ground that it harms the region's high degree of autonomy and freedoms and bears on international peace and security. Do you have a response?

Zhao Lijian: What the US side is doing is purely nonsense. China's stance and position has been made more than clear on this issue. I want to stress again that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and a sub-national administrative region directly under the Central People's Government of China. Establishing and improving at the national level a legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in the HKSAR is aimed to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and to ensure the steady and sustained implementation of "one country, two systems". This matter is China's internal affair and no foreign country has any right to interfere with it.

As is known to all, the UN Security Council bears the responsibility to maintain world peace and stability. Apparently this legislative issue concerning Hong Kong does not fall within its mandated scope of duty. Besides, non-interference in other's internal affairs is an important principle of the UN Charter and a basic norm of international relations. By asking the Security Council to discuss the issue, the US is blatantly interfering in China's domestic affairs and trampling on basic norms governing international relations. Naturally China is firmly opposed to it. And the US attempt will by no means succeed. The Security Council is not a tool at the disposal of the US. China and all member states upholding justice will not allow the US to take the Security Council hostage for its own political purposes.

People have fair judgments. Between China and the US, it is only too evident which side is upholding multilateralism and supporting the UN as a responsible member state. We urge the US side to immediately stop such frivolous political manipulation and instead do something useful for the international community.

China Review News Agency: On May 27, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that China imposed national security legislation on Hong Kong, which undermined Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms. He certified to Congress that Hong Kong does not continue to warrant treatment under US laws in the same manner as US laws were applied to Hong Kong before July 1997. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: The decision of the National People's Congress to establish and improve a legal framework and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in the HKSAR is totally China's internal affair and there is no place for any foreign interference. Pompeo even flatters himself by tweeting "we stand with the people of Hong Kong". But isn't he standing with those "Hong Kong independence" separatists and violent elements? Pompeo's remarks entirely run against basic norms governing international relations and severely interfere in China's internal affairs. We deplore and firmly oppose that.

National security is the basic foundation for the existence and development of any country in the world. The Hong Kong-related national security legislation targets a very small number of "Hong Kong independence" separatists and violent elements. It safeguards the lawful rights, interests and freedoms of Hong Kong residents. No state will allow separatist and other activities that endanger its national security on its own territory. The Chinese government is firm in its determination to safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests, to implement the principle of "one country, two systems" and to oppose any external interference in Hong Kong affairs.

We urge the US to immediately rectify its mistake, stop interfering in China's internal affairs and refrain from going further down the wrong path. Any act to undermine or obstruct the NPC's Hong Kong-related legislation is doomed to fail like kicking against the pricks.

China Daily: Statement from the foreign ministers of the UK, Australia, Canada and the US said that the NPC's decision to adopt the national security law on Hong Kong lies in direct conflict with China's international obligations under the principles of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and would undermine the "one country, two systems" framework. What is your comment?

Zhao Lijian: As I said, the NPC's decision to establish and improve a legal system and enforcement mechanisms on upholding national security for the HKSAR is China's internal affair that allows no external interference. The unwarranted comments and accusations made by the relevant countries constitute a flagrant interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs. China deplores and firmly opposes that and has made stern representations with the relevant countries.

In all countries, unitary and federal alike, only the State legislature has the legislative power on issues concerning national security. The Central Government is responsible for upholding national security in China, as is the case in any other country. I don't think you can find one country that will allow activities endangering national security to take place on its territory.

As China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, the rights and obligations of the British side under the Sino-British Joint Declaration were completely fulfilled. And the Chinese government started administering it, in accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law, not the Joint Declaration. The relevant countries have no legal basis or any right to cite the Joint Declaration to point fingers at Hong Kong affairs.

Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong. No one cares more about Hong Kong's prosperity and development and Hong Kong residents' welfare than the Central Government. No one is more determined than the Central Government to fully and faithfully implement the principle of "one country, two systems" and the Basic Law. We urge the relevant countries to respect China's sovereignty, abide by international law and basic norms for international relations, be discreet with their words and deeds, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs, and do more to promote Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and their bilateral relations with China.

China News Service: US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo announced in a statement on May 28 Beijing time the end of sanctions waiver covering nuclear projects in Iran including the Arak reactor conversion following a final, 60-day wind-down period. I wonder if China has a comment?

Zhao Lijian: The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a multilateral agreement endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, is an important component of the international non-proliferation regime and is essential to peace and stability in the Middle East. Arrangements in this deal regarding nuclear programs reflect a balance of Iran's non-proliferation obligations and rights to peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and embody the purpose and principle of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Complying with and acting on these arrangements serves all parties' common interests and is a shared responsibility.

The US has chosen to stick to its maximum pressure campaign on Iran. It has not only unilaterally withdrawn from the JCPOA in violation of the UNSCR, but also ratcheted up efforts to thwart other parties' implementation of the deal. Its latest decision to end sanctions waiver on relevant nuclear projects hampers the international non-proliferation progress and shared efforts to preserve the JCPOA. It demonstrates a consistent pattern of unilateral and hegemonic practice. China is firmly opposed to that.

The Arak reactor conversion is an important part of the JCPOA and a joint project of parties to the agreement. China is ready to work with other parties to continue upholding the deal and safeguarding its own legitimate rights and interests.

TASS: A follow-up question on Hong Kong. US President Donald Trump told reporters he would hold a news conference on Friday where he would announce what the administration would do with respect of China after the national security law regarding Hong Kong. What's your comment? Does China consider any countermeasures?

Zhao Lijian: You need to ask them what actions they want to take.

The NPC's decision to establish and improve a legal system and enforcement mechanisms on upholding national security for the HKSAR is China's internal affair and allows no external interference. In response to the wrong moves by the external forces to interfere in the Hong Kong affairs, we will take necessary countermeasures.

Since its return to the motherland more than 20 years ago, Hong Kong has given full play to its important advantages of drawing support from the mainland and facing the world. Hong Kong's status as an international financial, shipping and trading center has been consolidated, and it has become an important investment and operation area for the US business community. The US has 85,000 citizens, more than 1,300 businesses, nearly 300 regional headquarters and more than 400 regional offices based in Hong Kong. Almost all major US financial companies operate in Hong Kong. The US trade surplus with Hong Kong has reached $297 billion in total in the past 10 years, ranking the first among all US trading partners. A safe, stable and prosperous Hong Kong is in America's own interest.

We welcome the continued growth and success of the US business community in Hong Kong. The US has important interests in Hong Kong. We urge the US side to recognize the situation and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's other internal affairs. If the US side is determined to harm China's interests, China will take all necessary measures to firmly hit back.

AFP: US President Donald Trump said he is considering revoking the visas of thousands of Chinese students. Do you have any comment on that?

Zhao Lijian: The American leadership said on many occasions that the country welcomes Chinese students who want to pursue studies in the US. During a phone call between the two countries' heads of state on March 27, the US leader said that the American people have great love and respect for the Chinese people; educational institutions in the US would not be the same without Chinese students; and the US will take good care of Chinese people living in the US, including Chinese students. With those words still ringing in our ears, is the US side planning to renege on its own words?

For some time the US has been resorting to a series of negative and wrong words and deeds in people-to-people and cultural exchange with China. It runs counter to the openness and freedom the US claims to champion. It goes against public opinions in the two countries and the trend of the times in international talent exchange. This has gravely impacted the normal cultural and personnel exchange between the two countries, undermined the social foundation for bilateral relations, and exposed some Americans' deep-seated zero-sum game mindset and Cold-War mentality. One cannot help but wonder if this is a rebirth of the notorious ghost of McCarthyism.

Were the US side to adopt measures harming Chinese students' lawful rights and interests, it would be stark political persecution and racial discrimination and a grave violation of their human rights. We urge the US side to abide by its leadership's commitment and immediately stop using all sorts of excuses to wantonly restrict and repress Chinese students in the US. We support the students in safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests in accordance with law.

CRI: The Foreign Ministry posted a statement on the Chinese government's decision to send medical experts to Sudan this morning. Could you talk a little bit more about this? How will the medical team help fight COVID-19?

Zhao Lijian: At the request of the Sudanese side, the Chinese medical team of 20 anti-epidemic experts arrived in the capital Khartoum on May 28 to assist the country in combating COVID-19. They plan to stay for 15 days, during which they will exchange experience with the High Committee for Health Emergencies, the Federal Ministry of Health, and WHO, UNICEF and other international organizations' offices in Sudan, visit designated hospitals for COVID-19 patients and the National Public Health Laboratory, and provide training for local medical staff. Besides, the team will also offer guidance for the anti-epidemic work of the resident Chinese medical team and the Chinese community including businesses, residents and students. By sending the medical team, China is actively participating in international anti-epidemic cooperation and taking concrete steps towards building a community with a shared future for mankind. Only by standing in solidarity and pulling together can the world defeat this pandemic.

Shenzhen TV: The US House of Representatives recently passed the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: The Act passed by the US Congress wantonly accuses Xinjiang's human rights situation and China's Xinjiang policy, blatantly smears China's counterterrorism and deradicalization measures and seriously interferes in China's internal affairs. China deplores and firmly opposes this.

Xinjiang-related issues are not about human rights, ethnicity or religion, but about fighting terrorism and separatism. The measures in Xinjiang taken by the Chinese government have been widely supported by people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang and commended by the international community. The US practice of hyping up Xinjiang-related issues totally runs against facts and severely violates the basic norms governing international relations. This has further laid bare its double standards on terrorism and vicious intention to interfere in China's internal affairs.

Xinjiang affairs are entirely China's domestic affairs and there is no place for foreign interference. We urge the US to immediately rectify its mistake, stop using Xinjiang-related issues to intervene in China's internal affairs and refrain from going even further down the wrong path.

TASS: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday tweeted an offer to mediate between China and India on the conflict at their border. I wonder if China has any comment on this offer?

Zhao Lijian: China's position on the China-India boundary question is consistent and clear. We follow in real earnest the important consensus reached between leaders of the two sides, strictly abide by relevant bilateral agreements, and stay committed to upholding national territorial sovereignty and security as well as maintaining peace and stability in the China-India border areas. Currently the overall situation along the border is stable and controllable. There are full-fledged mechanisms on border-related issues and communication channels between the two countries. We are fully capable of properly resolving any issue between us through dialogue and consultation. There is no need for a third party to intervene.

NIKKEI: The Two Sessions have now concluded. Is there any update on the Chinese leader's planned visit to Japan?

Zhao Lijian: China stands ready to maintain communication with Japan on bilateral relations and relevant major issues. We hope the Japanese side will create sound conditions and atmosphere for this.

The Globe and Mail: A Canadian court ruled against Huawei Executive Meng Wanzhou in an extradition hearing on May 27. What's your comment? Does China intend to retaliate against Canada?

Zhao Lijian: On May 27 local time, the British Columbia Supreme Court of Canada made a ruling on the so-called "double criminality" issue in the case of Meng Wanzhou. It concluded that the extradition request of the US conforms to the principles concerning "double criminality". China deplores and firmly opposes that and has lodged stern representations with Canada.

The US and Canada, by abusing their bilateral extradition treaty and arbitrarily taking compulsory measures against a Chinese citizen, has gravely violated the lawful rights and interests of the said Chinese citizen. The purpose of the US is to bring down Huawei and other Chinese high-tech companies, and Canada has been acting in the process as an accomplice of the US. The whole case is entirely a grave political incident.

The Chinese government is determined in upholding the legal and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and companies. We once again urge Canada to take China's solemn position and concern seriously, immediately release Ms. Meng Wanzhou and ensure her safe return to China, and not to go further down the wrong path.

The Financial Times: The British side said it would provide more privileges for Hong Kong residents holding BNO passports. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: China has repeatedly made its position clear on the national security legislation for the HKSAR. I'd like to reiterate that Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs and allow no external interference. The Chinese government is determined in upholding national sovereignty, security and development interests, in implementing the "one China, two systems" principle, and in opposing any external interference in Hong Kong-related affairs.

As for the issue regarding the British National (Overseas) passport, or the BNO passport, in the memoranda exchanged between the two sides, the British side declares that it will not confer the right of abode to Chinese citizens in Hong Kong who hold BNO passports. It is made clear in the Explanations of Some Questions by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Concerning the Implementation of the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region that all Chinese compatriots residing in Hong Kong are Chinese nationals, whether or not they are holders of the British Dependent Territories Citizens passport or the British National (Overseas) passport.

If the British side makes unilateral changes to the relevant practice, it will breach its own position and pledges as well as international law and basic norms guiding international relations. We firmly oppose this and reserve the right to take corresponding measures. China hopes that the British side will objectively and fairly view the national security legislation for Hong Kong, respect China's position and concerns, refrain from interfering in Hong Kong affairs in any way, and do more to promote Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and China-UK relations.

BBC: If the UK gives more privileges to BNO passport holders who are Hong Kong residents, what might be the countermeasures that China could take? And also, does China believe that this move would be in breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration?

Zhao Lijian: I think I've made our position very clear. China reserves the right to take corresponding measures.

TASS: According to reports, the US Justice Department yesterday has accused a network of DPRK and Chinese citizens of violating US laws related to sanctions on the DPRK. I wonder if the Chinese foreign ministry has any comment on this?

Zhao Lijian: China opposes US long-arm jurisdiction over Chinese entities and individuals in accordance with its domestic law. The US had better not overreach lest its arms be cut off.

The Globe and Mail: Some say that since the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, China has taken a series of measures against Canada. Two Canadians have been arrested. Two more have been sentenced to death. Imports of agricultural products have been blocked. But Meng hasn't been released yet. Does China believe its actions toward Canada have been successful?

Zhao Lijian: On the Michael Kovrig case and the Michael Spavor case, China has expounded its position many times. They were suspected of engaging in activities endangering China's national security. In accordance with law, China's judicial authorities have been dealing with the cases independently and ensuring their legal rights. As to the drug-dealing cases of Schellenberg and Fan Wei, I'd like to say that drug crimes bring great harm to society, and they are considered as serious crimes that should be cracked down upon by all countries.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Canada. The development of China-Canada relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties shows that a healthy and stable China-Canada relationship serves the common interests of the two countries and peoples, and the key is to respect and treat each other as equals. We hope that Canada will make a correct political decision and take measures to remove the obstacles to the development of our bilateral relations as soon as possible and take concrete actions to bring China-Canada relations back onto the right track.

BBC: Just another question on Hong Kong. With the new national security law, some people in Hong Kong are worried their rights and freedoms will be impacted, and they are not sure which action might be caught up under the new provisions. So could you give us an example of some of the things which are currently going unpunished but might be captured by the new security law?

Zhao Lijian: It's just baseless to assume the legislation will impact the basic rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents. Since the return of Hong Kong, policies including "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy have been earnestly carried out. Hong Kong people's rights and freedoms have been fully guaranteed. This is a fact recognized by the international community. The NPC's adoption of the relevant legislation only targets a very narrow category of acts attempting to split the country, subvert state power, and organize and carry out terrorist activities, as well as foreign and external interference in the affairs of the HKSAR. It will not affect the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents. On the contrary, it will better ensure their lawful rights and freedoms by maintaining a safe environment.

Reuters: US and ROK troops brought replacement THAAD missiles to a base in the ROK last night. How do you respond to that?

Zhao Lijian: We have noted relevant reports. China firmly opposes the US deployment of THAAD in the ROK. This position is consistent and clear. China and ROK have reached a clear consensus on a phased resolution to the THAAD issue. We hope that the ROK side will strictly adhere to the agreement, properly deal with the THAAD issue, and uphold China-ROK relations and regional peace and stability. We urge the US side not to do anything that hurts China's interests and disrupts China-ROK relations.

The Financial Times: As we understand, the Australian and New Zealand Consuls-General designated to Hong Kong have waited months for China's consent in order to get their visas, and they haven't got the visas yet. Could you explain why?

Zhao Lijian: I'm not aware of this and may need to check on it.
Another San Antonian who tested positive for novel coronavirus has died, Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported Thursday.

An African American man in his 60s died at a Methodist hospital, he said. That brings the total death toll to 71 since the pandemic began in Bexar County.

At Thursdays city-county daily briefing, Nirenberg said there were 58 new COVID-19 cases reported, increasing the total to 2,583.

Of those, 95 were sick enough to require hospitalization, up from 92 Wednesday, with 41 in intensive care and 22 on ventilators to help them breathe.

The mayor said the continuing increase in hospitalized people with COVID-19 is a concern, but that other indicators show the San Antonio area is continuing to recover from the deadly disease.

In the larger picture, its just one piece of information that were looking at, added Dawn Emerick, director of Metro Health, who was also at the briefing. Its one indicator of seven or eight that were watching.

The availability of ventilators citywide was 79 percent Thursday, up from 77 percent Wednesday, and staffed hospital beds was 31 percent.

The hospital system itself continues to be in stable condition, which is what we want to see, Nirenberg said.

The percentage of San Antonio area residents testing positive also is good, he said. For the week ending Friday, the rate was 3.6 percent. Less than a month ago, the rate was nearly 6 percent.

As of Thursday, 58,626 area residents had been tested.

Emerick said Metro Healths two temporary sites open through Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., saw a good turnout. At San Antonio College Welcome Center, 1533 N. Main Ave., there were 146 people tested Thursday, she said. At Highlands High School, 3118 Elgin Ave., 131 tested.

Those are really good numbers for the first day, especially on a weekday, she said. I anticipate we would have big numbers on Saturday.

County Judge Nelson Wolff noted that the situation at the Bexar County Jail, where there was a major outbreak of novel coronavirus that claimed the life of a deputy and an inmate, has improved significantly. He said only two inmates are in the infirmary and none are in the hospital.

But, he said, there are 335 inmates who are awaiting transfer to the Texas prison system, which is still not accepting any prisoners. Wolff said those prisoners are costing the county about $20,000 per day.

If youre a local taxpayer, bring some pressure on your state representatives, Wolff said Its a big burden on the county and on local taxpayers because the states not stepping up to do what they should be doing.

Nirenberg also mentioned two web sites established by the United Way where those who want to help can donate and volunteer: helpSATX.org and SAunited4good.org

There has been an outpouring of support and volunteerism within the community, Nirenberg said.
Mideast: Jordan warns UK-U.S. over impact Israeli annexation Minister Safadi speaks with Raab, Pompeo

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MAY 29 - Jordan has warned Great Britain and the US about the consequences of the planned annexation by Israel of parts of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley - a delicate border area with the Hashemite kingdom.



In a phone conversation with his British counterpart Dominic Raab, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi was quoted by Petra news agency as stressing that the international community ''must act with speed and effectiveness to protect peace prospects from the dangerous and unprecedented Israeli plan''.



Safadi stressed that the two-State solution, backed by the UK, is ''the only way to reach a just and complete peace''.



In another phone conversation with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Safadi stressed that ''peace is a strategic Arab choice that Jordan will continue to pursue''. ''At the same time - he added - Jordan rejects any annexation of Palestinian land that damage the possibility of peace''. (ANSAmed)
Trilateral accord is first step toward establishing digital economy



Unions, management and the government have reached their first social consensus on a so-called platform for workers. The Economic, Social & Labor Council announced its "agreement to reinvigorate the platform economy and support workers engaged in the digital economy," Wednesday, prepared by an affiliated committee on digital conversion and the future of labor. Platform work is a relatively new job type, in which work is traded using digital platforms as a medium. Platform workers vary widely ranging from delivery workers and chauffeurs to webcomic artists and software developers.



The agreement focused on the IT and software sectors in particular. Under the accord, unions will cooperate to strengthen the competitiveness of these sectors, management will improve the treatment of platform workers while cooperating to develop their abilities, and the government will support their activities. As the committee emphasized, the agreement was significant in that the three sides took the first steps toward protecting platform workers with regard to related regulations and principles.



It is natural that transactions involving workers are made based on digital platforms in a digital economy and that related officials should try to find and tackle relevant tasks brought forth by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The spread of a contactless culture amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic will also likely serve as another catalyst for the platform economy. In reality, however, there is no clear definition of digital platforms, or reliable statistics. It was desirable for a trilateral agreement to come even before the establishment of laws and regulations governing new working patterns.



At stake is how to implement the agreement. If strengthening the IT and software sectors is needed in these times of digital conversion, the three sides should make concerted efforts to not just improve the treatment of platform workers but to sharpen these sectors' competitiveness.



If unions and the government pass all this responsibility on to management, the country can hardly expect to have a sustainable model of development in these areas. Especially important will be the government's role. It should speed up efforts to help establish a desirable industrial ecosystem by facilitating legal and institutional regulations.










U.S. government debt prices were higher on Friday morning ahead of President Donald Trump's press conference "on China", which markets expect to further sour relations between the world's two largest economies.

At around 4:10 a.m. ET, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note was down at 0.6640% and the yield on the 30-year bond fell to 1.4288%. Yields move inversely to prices.

President Trump said Thursday that he would hold a news conference "on China" without divulging details of the content. Wall Street took the hint to sell off in the final hour of trading.

The White House has been ratcheting up pressure on Beijing for weeks over blame for the coronavirus and, more recently, a new security law for Hong Kong that threatens the special administrative region's autonomy, according to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 15:43:02|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

URUMQI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Early summer is one of the most enchanting seasons for the Yudu International Bazaar in Hotan City of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, as the bazaar's central square will be full of rose aroma.

A section of the bazaar turns into a fair for roses during this period. Local people sit on the ground and pick the rose petals. These petals are then sold to merchants who will mix minced petals with sugar or honey to make rose paste, a popular local delicacy.

Buzenap Tursongbuk, who makes and sells the sweet and fragrant paste at the bazaar, said she could rake in about 15,000 yuan (about 2,097 U.S. dollars) during the rose blossom season. "It sells fast among the locals," she said.

The bazaar, however, is just the tip of the budding rose industry iceberg. The flower and business is venturing beyond south Xinjiang where roses have been planted for over 1,000 years.

Located on the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert, Hotan features an arid climate, unsuitable for traditional crop growth, whereas the sandy soil, ample sunshine and huge temperature difference between day and night endow this place with favorable conditions for rose planting. The local rose is a variant of the Damascus rose, which was introduced to China along the ancient Silk Road.

Just miles away from the bazaar is another famed rose-related destination. Founded in 2004, Xinjiang Hotan Sun Desert Rose Co., Ltd. has grown from a small plant to one of the largest rose processing firms in Hotan.

The company produces a string of rose products like rose tea, perfume and essential oil, with an annual output of over 30 million yuan.

"Roses in Hotan were mainly consumed locally, but now they are widely known across the country thanks to anti-poverty efforts and industrial development," said the company's general manager Li Yuqing.

Local governments have worked with companies like Sun Desert to turn roses into an emerging industry that help farmers increase their income by participating in rose planting and processing. Over 4,000 hectares of Hotan roses are planted in the prefecture, with an annual output topping 300 million yuan and over 10,000 locals employed in the sector.

The rose industry is expanding its value chain with enriching their product portfolio and tourism promotion in Hotan. Rose festivals are held each year when visitors can try picking roses and making the rose paste, among others.

As cross-provincial trips shrink over the novel coronavirus disease concerns, Li is resorting to online short-video platforms to spread the fame of Hotan roses and promote his products. He put clips of the production process of rose essential oil online and even livestreamed drinking rosewater to prove zero additives.

"The flowering season for Hotan roses is about one month, but its fame and fragrance can go far beyond and stay longer," Li said. "A rosy future is ahead." Enditem
Hyderabad: Chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Thursday appointed a five-member committee to keep tabs on locust swarms heading towards Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh and to killing the insects with pesticides if they enter Telangana state.

Speaking at a high-level review meeting at Pragathi Bhavan, he said collectors and police officials of the districts bordering the two states have been alerted, and fire engines, jetting machines and pesticides have been organised to spray the locusts.

He went through data on the entry of locust swarms into the country, their travel path, impact and other issues, and asked about the possible direction the swarms could take.

Experts who were in the meeting estimated that the swarms may travel from Madhya Pradesh to north India and then to Punjab. But if the winds blow towards Telangana state, they may enter the state.

The experts felt that the chances of locusts entering the state are small but the Chief Minister cautioned the official machinery and police in Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mulugu, Jayashankar Bhoopalpally, Mancherial, Asifabad, Adilabad and Pedapalli districts to be alert.

He said 15,000 litres of pesticides such as malathion, chlorpyrifos and lambda cyhalothrin should be kept ready on the border with Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh as well as 12 fire engines and 12 jetting machines.

The five-member committee comprises Central Integrated Pest Management Plant Protection Officer R. Sunitha, Agriculture Universitys principal scientist Dr S.J. Rehman, Warangal conservator of forests M.J. Akbar, Ramagundam police commissioner Satyanarayana, and Mancherial collector Bharathi, who will stay in Ramagundam for four days from Friday to monitor the situation by helicopter from Adilabad to Bhadrachalam alongside the river Godavari.
What do the following ten chemical elements have in common?

Yttrium

Ytterbium

Terbium

Erbium

Gadolinium

Thulium

Scandium

Holmium

Dysprosium

Lutetium

The answer is that the all the ten elements were isolated from a single mineral ore extracted from a modest mine in the small village of Ytterby on the Swedish island of Resaro. All of these elements are rare earth elements, which means that they are very difficult to separate. It took many chemists and scientists decades of research to discover them all. At least four of these elements Yttrium (Y), Erbium (Er), Terbium (Tb), and Ytterbium (Yb)are named after the village.

The mine in Ytterby when it was still functioning, circa 1910. Photo credit: Tekniska museet/Flickr

Ytterbys scientific history began in 1787, when an army lieutenant and part-time chemist Carl Axel Arrhenius discovered a strange, unusually heavy black ore in an old quarry near the Swedish village of Ytterby. Arrhenius named the new ore Ytterbite, and sent samples of it to various chemists for analysis in the hope that it would yield the newly discovered element tungsten.

Johan Gadolin, a Finnish chemist at the University of Abo, identified the first rare earth element in Arrhenius' sample in 1789. It was named Yttrium (Y). Over the next hundred years, nine more elements fell out of this ore.

In 1843 Carl Gustav Mosander discovered that Ytterbite was actually a mixture of three metal oxides. From these, two new elements were extractedTerbium (Tb) and Erbium (Er) both named after the village of Ytterby where they were found. A fourth metal oxide was discovered in 1878 by Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac, from which element Ytterbium (Yb) was separated. As refining techniques improved, more new elements were discovered in these four oxides, taking the total number of elements isolated from this one single ore to ten.

One of these elements, Gadolinium (Gd), was named after Johan Gadolin. The ore itself was renamed from Ytterbite to Gadolinite in Gadolins honor.

The mine, which was originally a feldspar mine, shut down a long ago, and is now covered with trees and weeds. There is a small plaque on a rock near the mine commemorating the discoveries made here. Some of the local streets in the village are also named after elements discovered here.

The periodic table of elements with the location of the ten elements highlighted.

Yttrium (Y), the first rare earth element discovered by Johan Gadolin, has important application in LEDs and phosphors, particularly the red phosphors in television set cathode ray tube displays. Yttrium is also used in the production of electrodes, electrolytes, electronic filters, lasers, superconductors, and various medical applications.

Terbium (Tb) is used in semi-conductors to manufacture solid-state devices, but most of the worlds supply of this element goes into the production of green phosphors thats used in TV screens. Terbium is also used in fluorescent lamps, and in actuators in naval sonar systems and in sensors.

Erbium (Er) is used in many optical applications such as in the manufacture of lasers and optical amplifiers. Erbium lasers have low penetration allowing them to be used in dermatology and dentistry, where only the skin or surface of a tooth needs to be treated.

Ytterbium (Yb) is mainly used as a dopant of stainless steel or active laser media, but its most interesting use is in atomic clocks. Ytterbium clocks are accurate to within less than two parts in 1 quintillion, or 2 followed by eighteen zeros. These clocks are more accurate than caesium atomic clock currently used to define the second.

Memorial plaque of the ASM International at Ytterby mine. Photo credit: Uwezi/Wikimedia

Roads named after elements discovered in Ytterbys mine. Photo credit: Uwezi/Wikimedia

Sources: MrReid.org / University of Melbourne / Wikipedia
Vietnam did not shy away from broadcasting the seriousness of Covid-19.

Vietnam has initially contained the novel coronavirus, becoming the first among affected countries to reopen the economy.

The Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) whose mission is to save lives, reduce poverty, and protect the world against the threat of epidemics, has named four essential measures that have helped Vietnam fight the virus effectively.

With a population of over 97 million, Vietnam has experience in responding to outbreaks of other infectious diseases including SARS, MERS, measles and dengue. In the case of the novel coronavirus, Vietnam relied on four relatively cost-effective solutions to combat the virus, Gavi reported.

On January 23, 2020, Vietnam became one of the first countries to report Covd-19 infections and the first to report human-to-human transmission outside of China. Four months later, the country has confirmed just 327 cases and no deaths.

At the time of writing, the country has undergone 42 days without local transmission. The situation has enabled Vietnam to resume its tourism, allow crowd gatherings, and operations of different fields.

Let's explore how Vietnam has contained the virus.

Infections (red) and convalescents (green) in Vietnam over the last two weeks. Source: Ministry of Health

Quick strategic testing

When the first reports of Covid-19 infections came out of China, Vietnam immediately acted. Familiar with recent epidemics, such as SARS and H5N1, it closely monitored border areas to prevent the spread of the new virus.

When Covid-19 was later detected, it quarantined affected communities.

On January 11, after China reported the first coronavirus death, Vietnam implemented health checks at airports. All visitors had their body temperatures measured, and those with a fever, cough, chest pain or shortness of breath were isolated for testing.

Confirmed cases, fellow passengers and crewmembers, and all their contacts were quarantined for 14 days.

The Ministry of Health organized a meeting with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as early as January 15, weeks before many other countries even started strategizing. These combined efforts of quick action and effective testing helped slow the spread of the virus in its earliest stages.

Aggresssive contact tracing

As the virus spread throughout the world, Vietnam enacted a mandatory 14-day quarantine for everyone arriving in the country and cancelled all international flights. People showing Covid-19 symptoms were closely monitored in medical facilities and their contacts were traced.

Using the Ministry of Healths records of infected, suspected, and exposed cases of Covid-19, extensive contact tracing was possible thanks to the rapid mobilization of health professionals, public security personnel, the military, and civil servants.

Contact tracing was also successfully implemented with technology. A mobile app called NCOVI was developed by Vietnams Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC). This lets the public update their health status daily. It also shares hotspots of new cases and gives its user best practices for staying healthy.

This was supported by an online reporting system, developed by the Ministry of Health, to monitor suspected and confirmed coronavirus cases. These combined efforts have ensured that new infections are reported and subsequently isolated.

Effective public communications campaigns

Vietnam did not shy away from broadcasting the seriousness of Covid-19. It even made a pop music video that went viral. Supported by the state, this video uses a catchy song to communicate the importance of handwashing. It is memorable, effective and has been enthusiastically shared with the rest of the world.

On March 19, Vietnam also launched a fundraising campaign to buy medical and protective equipment for people working closely with Covid-19 patients. By April 5, more than US$2.1 million donations had been mobilized via a text message platform.

Both of these public campaigns successfully raised awareness about the coronavirus pandemic, suppressing its spread.

Swift development of testing kits

Some reports claim Vietnam only has zero Covid-19 deaths because of insufficient testing being carried out. However, this is not the case. Not only did the country buy 200,000 tests from South Korea, but its quickly developed its own successful test kits.

The Vietnamese Covid-19 test kit was developed by scientists within a month. It is effective, affordable and fast, diagnosing suspected Covid-19 infections in just an hour. Using WHO-approved techniques, these test kits make it possible to isolate infected people and track down their contacts. Unlike other countries that rely on mass testing, in Vietnam, tests are only done on those likely to be infected.

These four factors are a crucial part of Vietnams Covid-19 success story. Time will tell if these measures continue to keep the number of people infected down, but it seems likely.

Vietnam proves that sometimes less is more, even during Covid-19. Hanoitimes

Linh Pham

Vietnam to continue testing Covid-19 vaccine on mice Company for Vaccine and Biological Production 1 (VABIOTECH) under the Ministry of Health will conduct a second test of Covid-19 vaccine on mice next month.
With long-term care residents comprising nearly 40 percent of all COVID-19-related deaths in Tennessee, all long-term care residents and staff in the state will receive COVID-19 testing, Governor Bill Lee said.

Under new rules from the Department of Health, each nursing home must complete an intent to test survey as provided for by the Department prior to Monday, and all nursing home residents and staff must be tested by June 30.

Failure to comply will be considered a serious deficiency, and the Department may seek any remedy including but not limited to, license revocation, license suspension, and the imposition of civil monetary penalties.

Governor Lees Unified Command Group released a new report on the states efforts to protect long-term care facility residents from the spread of COVID-19. The full report can be found here.


Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Interacting with journalists in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Donald Trump said a 'big conflict' was going on between India and China.

Washington: Reiterating his offer to mediate on the border dispute between India and China, US president Donald Trump has said that he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is not in a "good mood" over the "big conflict" between the two countries.

Interacting with journalists in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump said a "big conflict" was going on between India and China.

"They like me in India. I think they like me in India more than the media likes me in this country. And, I like Modi. I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," he said.

"They have a big conflict India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," the president said when asked if he was worried about the border situation between India and China.

"I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump said. A day earlier, the president offered to mediate between India and China.

Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries. Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump reiterated his offer, saying if called for help, "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help" about "mediate or arbitrate, I would do that," he said.

India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump's offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing.

"The two sides have established mechanisms both at military and diplomatic levels to resolve situations which may arise in border areas peacefully through dialogue and continue to remain engaged through these channels," he said.

While the Chinese foreign ministry is yet to react to Trump's tweet which appears to have caught Beijing by surprise, an op-ed in the state-run Global Times said both countries did not need such help from the US president.

"The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order," it said.

Trump's unexpected offer came on a day when China took an apparently conciliatory tone by saying that the situation at the border with India is "overall stable and controllable."

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.

Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal that was rejected by New Delhi.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of 5 May which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders.

Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in North Sikkim on 9 May.

On 5 May, the Indian and the Chinese army personnel clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting in the Pangong Tso lake area in which soldiers on both sides sustained injuries.

In a separate incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector on 9 May. At least 10 soldiers from both sides sustained injuries.

The troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doka La tri-junction in 2017 which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.

Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas.
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 28 (ANI): The central government on Thursday assured Jammu and Kashmir administration of all the support in evacuating its residents stranded abroad during the COVID-19 lockdown, Department of Information and Public Relations, J-K said.



"Centre has assured J-K Government all support in facilitating the early return of its residents stranded in Iran, Dubai and Oman under Vande Bharat Mission, flight from Muscat to Srinagar tentatively scheduled on 2 June 2020," DIPR, J-K tweeted.

India had launched the largest evacuation exercise to repatriate Indians stranded abroad due to coronavirus-induced lockdown. The second phase started on May 16. (ANI)


National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus says President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, five-year-old administration has been a total waste.

Secondus said this in a statement made available to journalists on Friday, titled Five years of Buhari- The Road that should not have been followed.

According to the opposition party, in the last five years, all negative indexes in our socio-political and economic life as a nation were activated.

Today, Friday May 29, 2020, marks the fifth year of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Advertisement

It has been five years of anguish for Nigerians that all negative indexes in our socio-political and economic life as a nation were activated.

Looking back as a nation at the progress recorded in this countrys democratic journey in 2015 and where we are today, it would be difficult not have a regret.

All gains after independence, the civil war as well as the era the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, successfully midwifed the nations democratic evolution up to the point of successfully seeing an opposition win and transit into power, have been destroyed.

Read Also: Buharis Emergence In 2015 Plunged Nigeria Into Destruction: Fani-Kayode

This happened at a time small nations like Ghana witnessed astronomic growth in all spheres.

In 2015, the global international community stood in salute for Nigeria for the great feat recorded in area of democracy but rather than progress from it, the nation under the watch of APC has continued to go in retrogression.

Our general elections have been anything but fair, with security agencies and the election body abandoning their legitimate responsibilities of neutrality and fairness to being visibly partners of the ruling government, the statement read in part.
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the latter's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg on Friday (May 29, 2020).

According to sources, the Home Minister discussed with the PM matters related to COVID-19 situation in India and the next course of action in this regard. If sources are to be believed, the Centre is likely to extend the COVID-19 lockdown for two more weeks. The fourth phase of the lockdown ends on May 31. The lockdown has been in effect since midnight on March 25.

The Home Minister had earlier held discussions with the Chief Ministers of states and took their feedback in this regard. Also, there has been concerns over the rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 infections in the country since the Centre's lifting of various restrictions to bring the normal life back on track.

PM Modi is also likely to address the corona crisis situation in his radio address to the nation 'Mann Ki Baat' on Sunday.

Notably, India has now become the ninth-worst COVID-19-hit country in the world, overtaking Turkey. The number of COVID-19 cases in India has climbed to 1,65,799 on Friday, registering an increase of 175 deaths and a record jump of 7,466 cases while the death toll rose to 4,706.

The Health Ministry said the number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 89,987, while 71,105 people have recovered and one patient has migrated. "Around 42.89 per cent patients have recovered so far," the Health Ministry said. The total confirmed cases include foreigners.

Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the ongoing lockdwon in its existing form, may be extended by 15-days. Speaking to reporters in Panaji Sawant said he had a telephonic conversation with Shah. "I had a telephonic conversation with Amit Shah ji yesterday. It appears that the lockdown in the current state, may continue for 15 more days," Sawant was quoted saying by PTI.
The coronavirus has killed 10,336 people at French care homes. (Photo: AFP/Denis Charlet)

But this is no ordinary reunion.

The couple meets in an anti-virus "bubble" at Joseph's nursing home in Bourbourg, northern France, separated by a clear plastic sheet that allows them some physical contact, face-to-face, without the risk of infection.

Nathalie holds up the couple's dog, a white fluffy creature named Valco, so that Joseph, who has Parkinson's disease, can press his palm to its paw through the plastic.

"You are eager to see your dog? Well, look, here he is," she says, smiling tenderly as Joseph reaches out weakly, his eyes shining as Valco tries in vain to climb onto his master's lap on the other side of the sheet.

COVID-19 has proved deadliest for older people, and France imposed a strict no-visit policy at retirement homes when the country was placed in lockdown in March in a bid to curb infections.

So far, the virus has killed 10,336 people at French care homes, authorities say, more than a third of the national toll of 28,596.

But the lack of contact has been hard to bear for nursing home residents, many of whom are battling dementia, and psychologists have warned that the trauma of perceived abandonment can be fatal for some.

"THEY STOP EATING"

Confined to their rooms, "the residents suffer tremendously" and some "just let themselves die, they stop eating, they no longer find meaning in life," said Audrey Bernard, director of the Bourbourg nursing home.

The separation has been hard on loved ones too.

"We couldn't visit him for two months ... This week I called for an appointment, and voila, the surprise!" Nathalie Szczepaniak said, pointing to the plastic reception tent she discovered upon arrival.

She had been expecting to see her husband only from a distance, but instead, the igloo-like contraption allowed them to experience something as close as possible to real contact.

"We can touch each other, you can feel the body heat through the (plastic) ... It is very, very, very nice," Szczepaniak said, a big smile on her face.

Erected just last week, the inflatable tent comprises a central bubble that acts as the reception area, connected to an entrance on either side that can be closed airtight.

RENEWED ENERGY

"You can see an improvement in the people who've already had visits ... there is renewed energy, a newfound interest, you can see the smiles on the faces both of the families and the residents," Bernard told AFP of the innovation.

"The families really feel like they're with the resident, there's no feeling of separation, it allows them to touch each other safely ... They are both inside, safe and secure, they can hear each other easily, as if they were in the same room."

Before the bubble, the home had tried to facilitate family access by placing residents in the on-site restaurant, with visitors waving and talking to them through the windows, from outside.

But they had trouble hearing each other, and many found the experience frustrating.

"Today, with this bubble ... they can talk, see each other without masks and almost touch," said Bernard, who recounts seeing one couple kiss through the plastic.

"I SAW HIM SMILE"

"It is excellent. Excellent!" exclaims Nathalie. "He did not even notice the plastic. And I saw him smile, something that I haven't been seeing anymore."

After she leaves, the bubble is disinfected before the next visitors to arrive: A woman coming to see her father, his granddaughter in tow.

The bubble tent receives between six and eight visits a day, each lasting 30 to 45 minutes, and there is already a long waiting list.

"We wanted to restore a humane dimension to a totally inhumane situation while guaranteeing safety, the non-transmission" of the virus, said Pierre-Stephane Dumas, of BubbleTree, the company that designed the tent.

A prototype was erected at the Bourbourg site without cost for a two-week trial period, with a view to making improvements before others are rolled out to more French care homes.

Several have already shown interest, Dumas said, but the wind and rain-resistant installation, complete with electricity, costs between 7,500 and 10,000 euros (US$8,250-$11,000) to manufacture, meaning financing will have to be found to reduce overheads.
From the Sun to distant planets to galaxy clusters and more. Images from our solar system and beyond.
As mayor I will always champion the contributions our immigrants and refugees have made throughout the life of our city  DACA or otherwise  and continue to make every single day. And so long as I am mayor, I will continue to do everything I can to support these communities, to lift up their stories and fight to ensure their rightful place in the country we all call home.
Minnesota's Attorney General says he expects 'there will be charges' filed against the four police officers involved in the death of George Floyd as the cops say they don't plan to cooperate with the investigation.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on Memorial Day as he was arrested by four cops over allegedly trying to buy cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill.

He was seen in a video pleading that he couldn't breathe as white officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck.

Ellison, the Attorney General, told CNN that officials are ensuring they have 'a very strong case' before announcing charges.

'Everybody believes that this is a violation of Mr Floyd,' Ellison said.

'And I believe that everybody wants to see these charges filed as soon as they can be. But again, I do want to say we have seen cases that seem so clear go south.'

Chauvin and the other three officers in Floyd's arrest - J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao - were fired but say they don't plan to cooperate.

On Friday, Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. It is unknown if any of the other three officers were arrested.

George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on Memorial Day as he was arrested by four police officers over allegedly trying to buy cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. He was seen in a video pleading that he couldn't breathe as white officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says he expects 'there will be charges' filed against the four police officers, who were later fired for their conduct. Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter

Ellison said officials want a 'very strong case' before any charges are filed. Pictured: Ellison answers questions about the investigation into the death of Floyd, May 27

'Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says the officers involved in #GeorgeFloyd death are not cooperating with law enforcement,' tweeted Courtney Godfrey, a reporter for Fox 9.

'They are pleading the 5th.'

Pleading the fifth amendment prohibits defendants from self-incrimination and double jeopardy as well as mandates due process of law, meaning fair treatment through the judicial system.

According to a police statement, officers said they located Floyd in his car around 8pm and ordered him to exit the vehicle.

A police spokesman alleged Floyd got out of the car before 'physically resisting officers'.

But video footage, obtained by FOX 9 on Wednesday, showed Floyd appearing to comply with officers and not resisting arrest.

In the 10-minute video widely shared on social media on Tuesday, Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes. He eventually lost consciousness.

An incident report released by the Minneapolis Fire Department on Wednesday detailed how paramedics worked on a 'unresponsive, pulseless' Floyd, who was pronounced dead at hospital.

The delay in bringing about murder charges sparked protests, looting and riots in Minneapolis across the country.

Floyd's death was compared to that of Eric Garner, a black man in New York who lost his life after he was placed in a chokehold by white police officer for selling lose cigarettes while yelling out: 'I can't breathe!'

Chauvin, J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao were all fired after video of the arrest emerged. Pictured: Floyd before his death

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freema says the officers don't plan to cooperate with the investigation and have pleaded the fifth amendment

Ellison said that 'unfortunately, it is taking more time than any of us want' and that he sympathizes with everybody 'who's demanding charges.'

CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota asked Ellison If any details from the autopsy could lead to no charges being filed.

'I can't believe what can be in there to change my mind,' he replied.

Ellison later condemned many of the violent protests and President Donald Trump over tweeting 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts.'

The lack of murder charges have sparked protests, looting and riots in Minneapolis across the country. Pictured: Protesters burn the Minneapolis Police Department 3rd Precinct during protests over Floyd's death, May 28

Ellison pleaded for the protests to stay peaceful because violence begets violence. Pictured: A group of demonstrators in Midtown Memphis on May 27

Trump also referred to the protestors as 'thugs.'

'We need the president & everybody else who thinks that you can get to a better place through threats of violence, to stop it,' Ellison told CBS This Morning.

'I think violence begets violence and Trump's angry words just feed an ugly cycle that is going on in my beloved city which I'm so proud of.'

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also called on prosecutors to arrest and charge the officers involved in Floyd's death.

'If most people, particularly people of color, had done what a police officer did late Monday, they'd already be behind bars,' Frey said in a tweet on Wednesday.

'That's why today I'm calling on Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman to charge the arresting officer in this case.'
For days, President Trump has been on a rampage against Twitter for its treatment of him, and its easy to see why. Early Friday morning, after a tweet from him about the violence in Minneapolis declared, When the looting starts, the shooting starts, Twitter dispatched police officers to the White House, who handcuffed Mr. Trump and took him into custody on live television in view of the entire nation.

Oh, sorry, quick fact-check: That did not happen at all. The president remains free and tweeting. Twitter, a private company, remains free to set rules on the use of its service. The presidents flagged tweets  the shooting remark and a misleading attack on mail-in voting  remain available to read, the first behind a notice that it violates the services rules on glorifying violence, the second with a fact-checking link appended.

The arrest on live TV Friday was of Omar Jimenez, a CNN reporter, and his crew, who were handcuffed and walked off down a ravaged Minneapolis block, where theyd been covering protests and violence after the killing of a black man, George Floyd, in police custody.
Wellington: New Zealand's COVID-19 eradication efforts have been so successful, there is now just one active case in the whole country.

Health officials announced the result on Friday as they also confirmed a seventh consecutive day without a positive test for the deadly virus among tens of thousands of tests.

NZ PM Jacinda Ardern in Napier on Friday. Credit:Getty Images

In total, 1504 Kiwis have contracted the virus, with 22 dead.

Test, test, test, has been the mantra first used by public health experts to help stomp on the spread of COVID-19. It is now being applied to sexually transmissible infections.
University of Cincinnati engineering professor Vesselin Shanov displays carbon nanotubes he created in his lab. Credit: Joseph Fuqua II/UC Creative + Brand

Two researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science have been granted funding from the National Science Foundation for a project with the goal of creating a heatable and reusable face mask for medical workers and others.

"Currently, there is a significant shortage of personal protective equipment, particularly face masks, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Statistics show that one COVID-19 patient consumes on average 17 face masks per day worn by medical personnel," said the principal investigators of the study, Vesselin Shanov, professor of chemical engineering, and Soryong "Ryan" Chae, assistant professor of environmental engineering.

With face masks in high demandand an expectation that the widespread need for masks will continue as the virus persistsShanov and Chae saw an opportunity to make an impact.

The research team is working on a design and prototype of the face mask that could kill viruses caught on the mask surface. The team plans to use thin, breathable film constructed of engineered carbon nanomaterials as a heatable filter that can be retrofitted onto the outer surface of a commercial face mask to prevent buildup of infectious pathogens. This heatable filter will be powered by a portable battery or a cell phone and is thermally insulated from facial skin. The mask can be energized when worn by the user or in storage to disinfect it.

Engineers at the University of Cincinnati create carbon-nanotube fiber that can be woven into a textile. Credit: Joseph Fuqua II/UC Creative + Brand

Faculty members and students with a variety of backgrounds will be involved in the project, which is just getting underway. Yanbo Fang, a doctoral student in materials science, and Hung Nguyen, an undergraduate chemical engineering student, have been instrumental in the creation of an initial prototype that will be optimized and tested for breathability and virus inactivation.

Preliminary data resulted from previous research support from University of Cincinnati, Ohio Water Resources Center and NSF.

Explore further How should I clean and store my face mask?
In the BC (before COVID-19) era, the most stressful thing about hosting a dinner was remembering who was vegan and who was gluten-free that week. Things have become slightly more complicated now.

As the states ready themselves for an easing of social restrictions  from June 1, residents in Victoria will be able to host up to 20 people in their homes, while New South Wales will remain at five  many are wondering what the new dinner party etiquette rules will look like.

Will invitations request BYO sanitiser? Is it after-dinner masks instead of mints or a seating arrangement that looks more like divorce proceedings?

Alice Moore (centre) and her dog Iggy host friends Lucy Applegarth and Sharyn Mcdougall. Credit:Dom Lorrimer

It will definitely be a juggling act, says Alice Moore, a Sydney-based public relations expert and event manager, but she's excited at the prospect of being able to socialise again: I've already made plans to host dinner for friends this weekend.
The app the City of Asbury Park uses to sell beach badges was overwhelmed two weekends ago.

It was the day after Gov. Phil Murphy announced beaches would be open for Memorial Day, and about 10,000 people were trying to make purchases on the Viply app, said Asbury Park Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn. At the same time, hackers were attempting to buy up all of the tags, she said.

The city of 16,000 is one of at least two Monmouth County Shore towns that has now stopped selling seasonal badges as officials wait to see how many people can fit on a beach while still maintaining social distance. To the south, nearby Ocean Grove also temporarily halted seasonal tag sales.

This year, essentially, the number of people (allowed on the beach) is going to be cut in half till we can figure out how many people we can put on safely, Quinn said. (Viply resolved the situation from May 15 by selling 6,000 badges throughout the day in waves instead of all at once, she said).

The city sold 9,000 seasonal tags over the course of three days through both online and in-person channels, and officials plan to evaluate the social distancing on its beaches before reopening those sales, Quinn said.

Daily tags are still available, but the city is greatly limiting the number that can be purchased. On a typical, hot summer day in Asbury Park, 15,000 daily badges are sold, Quinn said. This year, they will be capping the number at 500 for now. The city has about 1 million square feet of beach, she said.

The idea was, well put 10,000 people on the beach and see what that looks like... and slowly increase if we have the ability to increase, Quinn said.

Neighboring Ocean Grove also sold out of seasonal badges shortly after the governors announcement, which came only eight days before Memorial Day weekend, said Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association President Mike Badger.

It kind of caught a lot of people off guard, he said. (Ocean Grove badges) were being purchased online at a very fast rate and we wanted to be able to make sure the beach was safe. That we were able to maintain social distancing.

So officials put the brakes on seasonal sales before Memorial Day Weekend.

Its unclear exactly how many seasonal badges were sold there before the cutoff, but the town is resuming those purchases this weekend to volunteer EMS, volunteer firefighters, people with disabilities and veterans with disabilities only, he said. There is a sign-up sheet on its website for others who want to be updated on seasonal badge sales via email.

Belmar also temporarily halted seasonal sales in the days leading up to the holiday, after a long lines of people stretched more than a block on its boardwalk the weekend prior. The town resumed those sales on May 26.

We hope to begin to expand the number of seasonal badges in a controlled way over the next few weeks, Badger said. Weve been very measured. The take away message is were really focusing on safety."

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo.
San Francisco, May 29 : The US National Security Agency has warned that a notorious Russian military hacking group is engaged in an email hacking campaign.

The group is part of General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate's (GRU) Main Center for Special Technologies (GTsST), NSA said on Thursday.

This is the same group which was linked to the leak of 2016 stolen Democratic emails and files in the rup up to the 2016 US presidential election.

The Russian military cyber group has been exploiting a vulnerability in Exim mail transfer agent (MTA) software since at least last August, NSA said.

Exim is a widely used mail transfer agent software for Unix-based systems -- which offer an alternative to Microsoft and Apple's operating systems -- and comes pre-installed in some Linux distributions as well.

The vulnerability being exploited, CVE-2019-10149, allows a remote attacker to execute commands and code of their choosing, NSA warned.

The Russian actors have used this exploit to add privileged users, disable network security settings, execute additional scripts for further network exploitation as long as that network is using an unpatched version of Exim mail transfer agent.

The NSA, however, did not reveal who became targets of the Russian hackers.

When the patch was released last year, Exim urged its users to update to the latest version, NSA said, adding that it encourages users to immediately patch to mitigate against this still current threat.
ALBANY  Both in defiance and confusion, some upstate business owners ignored a directive from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and began to open Friday morning in regions that had been expecting to move into the second phase of reopening this week.

"As of now, we are telling businesses that do not have a licensing relationship with the state to begin reopening," Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin said Friday afternoon. "Rensselaer County recognizes many of these businesses are fighting for survival and it is unfair for these businesses to be used as pawns by the state, especially as we are seeing real progress in dealing with the outbreak."

Members of the control rooms for the five regions that were poised to allow reopening of hair salons, retail stores, real estate businesses and other services on Friday morning were told by Cuomo's administration late Thursday that each region's metrics must first be reviewed by international experts retained by the governor before moving forward.

But Friday morning in Elmira  a city in Chemung County of the Southern Tier region  a barbershop had a line out the door with nearly 20 people waiting for a haircut.

Elmira Mayor Daniel J. Mandell confirmed at least one barbershop in the city had opened, and said Chemung County overall has moved to the second phase. County Executive Christopher Moss had said Thursday their community would move forward, Mandell said, and other communities in the Southern Tier also planned to follow suit.

Latest coronavirus-related cancellations, postponements

The latest coronavirus numbers in NY

Sign up for the Times Union coronavirus newsletter

Full coronavirus coverage

"We only have two active cases in Chemung County. We've met all the metrics," he said. "There is no reason why we should not be in phase two. None whatsoever."

The Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Finger Lakes and central New York all expected to move to phase two of the states gradual reopening of local economies Friday, as it marked the two-week waiting period Cuomo had said would be necessary to assess whether the reopening prompted spikes in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.

Then, during Cuomo's daily coronavirus briefing on Friday afternoon, the governor announced those five regions could move to phase two.

"I feel confident that we can rely on this data, and the five regions that have been in phase one can now move to phase two because their data has been reviewed and the experts say it's safe to move forward because people have been smart and you haven't seen the spikes," he said during a news conference in New Rochelle.

The governor's withering control of some counties is occurring as Republicans in the state Senate and Assembly, with the pandemic subsiding in New York, are calling on him to end the state of emergency  which fuels his ability to issue executive orders and control the state's handling of the crisis  and to allow the Legislature to have more of a say in the reopening process.

"The abrupt news that five regions eligible to enter a phase two reopening (Friday) would have to wait while the governor consulted international experts is further proof that the Senate Republican amendment to end his disaster emergency power should have been passed," Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan said in a statement. "It is unfortunate that Democrats in the majority have chosen one-man rule."

Jefferson County Board of Legislators Chair Scott Gray said local leaders were told recently that Cuomo must issue an executive order that allows a region to move to the next phase  a signal that the governor is controlling the decisions of the reopening teams he appointed.

Gray said he also has heard additional businesses have reopened in his community, and has instructed county and state legislators to keep a neutral stance if businesses contact them intending to reopen.

"This situation is in flux," he said. "Business owners have to understand there are risks and rewards with reopening, and it's their choice."

In the Mohawk Valley, an Amsterdam salon opened its doors Friday based on approvals it received from both county and state Department of Health officials Thursday afternoon, Hair One Salon owner Dan Martuscello said. The salon has been a mainstay establishment for over 50 years and it wasn't until Friday morning that the salon owner found out the region could no longer move to phase two.

"By that time, it's too late," he said, adding that 10 stylists working Friday were all booked with appointments. "If I didn't feel comfortable opening up today, I would not have opened. I feel very comfortable with the staff that I have and the protocols that we have put in place."

Non-essential businesses have been shuttered for roughly two months to stop the spread of COVID-19. Between stay-at-home orders and business closures, the national economy has been crushed as millions of people lost their jobs, including more than 2 million New Yorkers.

With continued declines in COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations, regions across the state have begun to reopen. But the 10 economic regions must meet seven criteria to move through the four phases of reopening, including adequate hospital beds to handle any resurgence in infections and a minimum number of contact tracers and testing capacity.

The reopening process laid out by the state has been mired in confusion - including shifting metrics and unanswered questions - that has frustrated local leaders whose communities are ager to reopen.

"It's confusing to the businesses who have already been hurt by this whole shutdown," the Elmira mayor said. "It's a lack of communication, and it's negatively affecting our businesses. It's not fair to them."

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

McLaughlin, a former state assemblyman who has often tangled with Cuomo, accused the administration of "unnecessarily causing anxiety and hardship by not providing a clear plan that allows for a safe and productive reopening."

"Our residents have stepped up and put their lives on hold for three months, and helped flatten the curve to beat back COVID-19," McLaughlin said. "The state needs to follow through on what was promised to residents and allow for our economy to be restarted while still working to protect health and safety."

McLaughlin said the governor, whose briefing on Thursday was attended by comedian Chris Rock and actress Rosie Perez, has not spoken directly to county executives.

"The governor should make himself available and talk directly to county executives on what we are facing," McLaughlin said. "He has time for Chris Rock, but I know many county executives would appreciate a direct line of communication with the Executive Chamber. That is not happening."

Ahead of phase one, the state released detailed guidance on the "NY Forward" website noting which businesses were able to reopen and what safety precautions were needed to keep the spread of the virus down. But the instructions for phase two were available only about 12 hours before five regions of upstate New York believed they were set to move into that phase on Friday morning.

Cuomo declined to mention phase two plans during his daily coronavirus briefing Thursday, but later in a radio interview suggested regions may not be able to move forward. The governor previously said a two-week period was necessary between phases to make sure the infection rate does not spike, and all areas that have moved through phase one for 14 days have continued to meet the state's seven reopening criteria.

When asked Friday about some businesses reopening prior to his approval, the governor said he never talked to anyone about timing.

They wanted it this morning instead of 1 p.m.? I can understand that, but we want to make sure that the data was reviewed by all the experts, Cuomo said. A county executive may be very good at what they do, but they are not an expert in viral transmission in a global pandemic.

State GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy also blasted Cuomo's last-minute decision to reverse course on the second phase.

"Its time for Andrew Cuomo to stop playing games with peoples livelihoods. The governors capricious, arbitrary and punitive behavior has gone too far," Langworthy said in a statement. "These regions worked incredibly hard to meet the metrics he laid out and changing the goal posts at the 11th hour is unacceptable. We dont need a group of international so-called experts or a power-hungry governor dictating our freedoms."

Local leaders on Friday said the metrics and the reopening plan have now been scrapped entirely and questioned the point of the "control rooms" now that state officials have indicated Cuomo must issue an executive order for regions to move to each new phase.

"You have heard the governor often speak that he's turning control over to the regions. If you're going to open everything by executive order, then you essentially have removed all the control," Gray said. "The overarching question today is, 'What is our purpose now?'"

Indeed, Cuomo unveiled a new reopening dashboard that appeared to change not only how the metrics are being tabulated, but removed the benchmarks for the criteria.

All regions except New York City have begun reopening, but the governor said he expects the metropolis to satisfy the remaining protocols next week. He anticipates New York City will begin phase one on June 8.

My priority next week are the hotspots, Cuomo said, noting lower-income and minority communities have been hit hardest by the virus. We can tell you by zip code where the new cases are coming from. You have double the infection rate in those zip codes than you do citywide. In some zip codes, its over 40 percent.
Approval of resolutions proposed by the Board of Directors

Regulatory News:

The Combined Shareholders' Meeting of Total S.A. (Paris:FP) (LSE:TTA) (NYSE:TOT) was held as a closed session at the Company's registered office, on May 29, 2020, under the chairmanship of Mr. Patrick Pouyanne. The Shareholders adopted all resolutions approved by the Board of Directors, including:

Approval of the 2019 financial statements, the payment of a dividend for 2019 of 2.68 euros per share, as well as the option for the payment in shares of the final 2019 dividend of 0.68 euro per share,

Renewal of the terms of office as Director of Mrs. Patricia Barbizet and Mrs. Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette as well as for Mr. Mark Cutifani for a three-year period,

Nomination as Director of Mr. Jerome Contamine for a three-year period,

Various elements related to the remuneration of the Directors,

Elements of compensation due or granted to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for the 2019 financial year and the compensation policy for 2020,

Approval of the conversion of the Company to a European company and the adoption of the Articles of Association of the Company in its new European corporate form, including other various modifications, notably related to the consideration by the Board of Directors of the social and environmental challenges of the Company's activities,

Various delegations of authority and financial authorizations granted to the Board of Directors.

The resolution proposed by a group of shareholders and that the Board of Directors recommended not to approve, has been rejected by a vast majority (83.2%) of shareholders.

The full results of the votes and the presentations made to the shareholders will be available on the website total.com.

During the Shareholders' Meeting, Mr. Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, presented in particular the way the Group has organized itself to deal with health and economic crises. He gave an update on the implementation of the Group's strategy and presented the Company's new climate ambition by 2050.

He also announced the decision of the Board of Directors to appoint Mrs. Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette as Lead Director, thus replacing Mrs. Patricia Barbizet in these missions, at the end of the Shareholders' Meeting. Mrs. Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette will chair the Governance and Ethics Committee. Mr. Cutifani and Mr. Patrick Artus agreed to take the chairmanship of the Compensation Committee and the Audit Committee, respectively. The Board of Directors and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, on behalf of all shareholders, thanked Mrs. Patricia Barbizet for her role as Lead Director since her appointment on December 18, 2015.

About Total

Total is a broad energy company that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and low-carbon electricity. Our 100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, more affordable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, our ambition is to become the responsible energy major.

Cautionary note

This press release, from which no legal consequences may be drawn, is for information purposes only. The entities in which TOTAL S.A. directly or indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. TOTAL S.A. has no liability for their acts or omissions. In this document, the terms "Total", "Total Group" and Group are sometimes used for convenience. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them.

This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TOTAL S.A. nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005275/en/

Contacts:

Total contacts

Media Relations: +33 1 47 44 46 99 l presse@total.com l

Investor Relations: +44 (0)207 719 7962 l ir@total.com l
'Having long portrayed Rahul as being out of touch, the BJP was suddenly confronted with a spectacle of humbleness and concern for the downtrodden,' observes Amulya Ganguli.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Twice in the recent past, the BJP has found itself being wrong-footed.

For a canny, street-smart party, such lapses are unusual.

If anything, they show that it is losing its touch, perhaps because of its long stint in the giddy heights of power.

On the first occasion when the BJP was put on the defensive was when the Congress offered to bear the train fares of the migrant labourers travelling back to their villages.

Earlier, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy had said that it was 'moronic' of the government to charge fares from them.

The second time was when Rahul Gandhi was pictured sitting on a pavement, talking to a group of migrants.

It was a Haroun al-Rashid moment of a privileged person closely interacting with the unwashed masses.

Except that unlike the medieval potentate, the Congress's shahzada was not in disguise.

For the BJP, this was the unkindest cut of all.

Having long portrayed Rahul as being out of touch with the hoi polloi, for having been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, the BJP was suddenly confronted with a spectacle of humbleness and concern for the downtrodden which was at variance with its longstanding objective of portraying the former Congress president as a dilletante.

Nirmala Sitharaman's ire, therefore, is understandable.

She instinctively realised that the BJP would be hard put to replicate Rahul's gesture.

None of its partymen, who are currently full of themselves in the belief enunciated by Amit Anilchandra Shah that they are going to rule from panchayats to parliament for the next half a century, will be willing to sit down on a pavement to talk to the down-and-out.

Not surprisingly, Rahul's unpretentious act has been derided as a 'staged' photo-op.

In a way, it might have been.

After all, he did go to meet the migrants accompanied by cameramen who later prepared a documentary on the tete-a-tete.

But, politics after all does comprise photo-ops, whether it is declaiming at a public rally or on television.

This is the reason why virtually all politicians, in fact all public personalities, whether a film star or a sportsperson, spend their lives in front of cameras, either willingly or inadvertently as when the paparazzi try to catch them in their unguarded moments.

It is besides the point, therefore, to accuse Rahul of publicising the event.

What matters is his intention.

Even if it is conceded that he was trying to buttress his party's position among the migrants and to impress the people at large by reaching out to those in dire straits, at least his 'drama-baazi', to quote the finance minister, could not but have served the purpose of highlighting the plight of the labourers who have been left high and dry by the government's sudden call for a lockdown.

The same purpose of drawing attention to their miseries is also being served by the videos of their long treks on highways or on trucks and in trains.

Some of the videos are accompanied by mournful songs and sarcastic comments on the high and mighty which can also have a dramatic impact on the viewers.

Perhaps the real drama of Rahul's act was to demonstrate a hitherto hidden side of his character -- his sense of compassion.

It is not something which can be easily feigned.

As a result, it is hard to imagine any one of the top honchos of the BJP squatting on a footpath with those whose ordinariness can be gleaned from their clothes.

No matter how irate are the BJP and its 'undeclared' spokespersons like the BSP's Mayawati (as the Congress has dubbed her), there is little doubt that Rahul has stolen a march over them.

Amulya Ganguli is a writer on current affairs

Production: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
EDWARDSVILLE  Chief Judge Bill Mudge on Friday issued an order re-opening courts on Monday, but lawyers and others involved must stick to strict guidelines.

Mudge issued a general outline of procedures for all court cases, as well as specific details for various divisions, such as criminal, family, traffic and misdemeanor. There will be no civil trials until after Aug. 1.

He said the Madison County Court orders follow closely the orders of the Illinois Supreme Court. People who wish complete details may visit the Illinois Supreme Court or the Madison County Court websites.

Mudge previously said shields and other safety devices will be in place to help protect against the spread of the coronavirus. The time and place for various functions is also detailed in the order. Cleaning efforts have been stepped up.

General procedures applicable to all court houses are:

* Lawyers and parties must arrive promptly for hearings and leave after the hearing ends.

* Lawyers and named parties only are allowed to attend hearings, depending on the type of hearing and subject to the assigned judges directive.

* Face coverings are required while in the courthouses, subject to possible exceptions.

* Social distancing must be maintained at all times within the courthouses.

* No one will be allowed to congregate inside or outside the courtrooms.

* Case management and status hearings should be conducted remotely, pursuant to divisional guidelines established by presiding judges, unless by leave of the court.

* Avoid touching doorknobs, handrails, computers, copiers and other high-touch areas. Access to some computers and copiers will not be available during this time.

* Capacity limits will be in place for each courtroom.

Each judge will control access to his or her courtroom. Docket calls are being re-arranged and organized to reduce the number of people in the courtroom and allow for social distancing. Scheduling will be changed to prevent large gatherings at a single time.

Remote hearings should be conducted via phone and video conference.

The Madison County Sheriffs Office will be in charge of entry to the courtrooms and will screen people who enter. Everyone will be required to have a face covering.

People who have recently travelled abroad or have had contact with those who have travelled abroad, those directed to quarantine by a medical provide, those who live with people who have been quarantined, those who have been diagnosed with or had close contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 and anyone with flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough or shortness of breath with not be allow in.
Yang Wenqing, the only teacher in the school at Dengyunzhai village, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan province, has stuck to her post in the mountains for 10 years.

10 years ago, when Yang was teaching the 6th grade at the foot of the mountains, she learnt that the school at Dengyunzhai village needed a teacher and volunteered for the job.

"Young teachers may not be able to adapt to the dull life in the mountains, so I am the right person," she said.

Since then, Yang has taught Chinese, math, science, art, music and P.E. to preschool learners and students in the first and second grade all by herself.

This semester, the school has recruited 15 preschool learners, three students for the first grade and four for the second grade.

As preschool learners and 1st grade students study together in one classroom and 2nd grade students in another, Yang has to travel between the classrooms to complete her teaching tasks, which can be tiring.

"As long as the students can get good grades and stay happy, I feel that my work is meaningful," she said.
A 'virtual summit' that was supposed to be centered around the topic of philanthropy and claimed to have secured some some big star power to participate, has been revealed to be a fake.

Thrive Philanthropy, a small consulting firm based in Utah, had been advertising a star-studded event that would feature celebs including George and Amal Clooney as 'keynote speakers'.

Other A-listers said to be involved included Ryan Reynolds and his wife Blake Lively, Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, and Golden Gate Warriors' Stephen Curry.

However, stars including Clooney have now revealed they knew nothing about the event - despite tickets being being sold for up to $1,799.

And the PR firm that was to promote the event has also said that no such event is happening.

The apparent scam has echoes of 2017's Fyre Festival that saw thousands of music fans travel to a non-existent event in the Bahamas after spending up to $12,000 on tickets.

A website had claimed to have secured A-list celebs to speak on the topic of philanthropy in an exclusive 'virtual' two-day summit

George and Amal Clooney who are well known for their philanthropy are said to be calling for an investigation after their names were used to promote the event without their knowledge

Actress Charlize Theron had also been billed as a 'keynote speaker' at the event

A website had been set up inviting journalists to attend the 'two day virtual Connect Summit', promising to 'educate, enlighten and engage on the most crucial and urgent global issues.'

'The event will feature the whos who in the non-profit and philanthropy circuit, including keynote speakers who include Matthew McConaughey, Stephen, and Ayesha Curry, George and Amal Clooney, Ashton Kutcher, Charlize Theron, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Camilla Alves, and Julie Cordua,' a press release promoting the summit read.

Tickets were being sold for $399 each with some as high as $1,799 according to Deadline.

However, after the story was published, the website was stripped of information and the facility to purchase tickets was removed.

Actress Blake Lively and husband Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds. The couple have said they 'were not aware of this event or confirmed to participate'

PR firm Wunderlich Kaplan, who had been hired to plug the flashy conference, has since learned that no celebrities appear to have been booked and that all information related to the event appears to be 'fraudulent'.

'While something like this has never happened at our agency of over 20 years, it seems that we were hired to launch a conference that was built on lies,' Kaplan wrote in a statement.

'Regrettably, due to fraudulent information provided to us by our client Stephanie Lapensee the founder of Thrive Philanthropy, the creator of the Connect Summit, our agency, Wunderlich Kaplan Communications no longer represents this project.'

'We are horrified about the situation and will be working diligently to make sure that all information put out there is corrected. Thank you for your understanding. It's all pretty unbelievable.'

Lapensee sent a statement to DailyMail.com explaining that the entire episode was a simple misunderstanding:

Stephanie Lapensee the founder of Thrive Philanthropy has said that the entire episode was down to a simple misunderstanding

'I deeply regret the circumstances surrounding the Connect Summit. Miscommunication from Thrive Philanthropy led to keynote speakers being publicized before they had officially committed to participating in our virtual conference.

'We were hopeful and optimistic that we would be able to confirm these speakers and were in the process of determining their interest. I understand the disappointment and concerns of all involved with the conference. It was not our intention to mislead the public, and I am sincerely sorry for the confusion this has caused. All admissions to the conference have been paused and the one ticket that was sold has been refunded, although I understand this does not minimize this error in judgement.

The Connect Summit was organized as a platform for philanthropic organizations to come together virtually to plan for the future. Following discussions with our confirmed panelists and project partners, we will re-evaluate the appropriateness of continuing with the Connect Summit and provide an update on the future of the event in the coming days,' Lapensee wrote.

Among the recognizable names were Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and wife Ayesha who have also denied any participation in the event

Some of the celebrities that had been billed as being involved in the event have since released statements in relation to the total non-event.

'There are ads running claiming that Amal and I will be participating in the Thrive Philanthropy's Connect Summit. We Have never heard of this summit and have never been approached to be part of a charity that is charging $399.00 for people to participate. When we contacted the company in charge they said it was a mistake and would take our names off,' George Clooney wrote in a statement.

'We don't know whether this charity is what it says it is and was just duped by a booking agency or whether there is something more nefarious involved. The best antiseptic is sunlight, and in the interest of protecting the public and the many important charitable organizations we hope that this situation will be rigorously investigated,' Clooney continued.

Other celebs given a billing included Ryan Reynolds and his wife Blake Lively. The couple have said they 'were not aware of this event or confirmed to participate.'

The Connect Summit also claimed to have secured Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves

Stephen and Ayesha Curry have also stated that they 'were never a part of this event.'

The summit also claimed to have David Simas, the CEO of the Obama Foundation, speaking and Dr. Rajiv Shah, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, hosting a panel.

The premise has echoes of the infamous Fyre Festival of 2017 which was a fraudulent luxury music festival founded by Billy McFarland, pictured

Both have confirmed that neither are taking part in such an event.

Others speakers that had been billed as being involved, according to the website, were Peter Buffett, the son of billionaire Warren Buffett and his wife Jennifer.

At one stage, the summit was offering 'a gift bag, exclusive access to sessions, morning yoga sessions and lunch/dinner with celebrity chef Curtis Stone', Deadline reveals.

The premise has echoes of the infamous Fyre Festival of 2017 which was a fraudulent luxury music festival founded by Billy McFarland, of Fyre Media and rapper Ja Rule.

It was created with the intent of promoting the company's Fyre app for booking music talent.

The festival was scheduled to take place in the Bahamas and was promoted on Instagram by social media influencers who later revealed they had been paid to do so.

Instead of the luxury villas and gourmet meals for which festival attendees paid thousands of dollars, they received prepackaged sandwiches and FEMA tents as their accommodation.

Celebrities including Elsa Hosk, Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid, Lais Ribeiro, Gizele Oliveira and Rose Bertram, pictured left to right, were also paid to promote the event on Instagram

Fyre festival was heavily promoted on social media and billed as 'the cultural experience of the decade' touting plush villas and gourmet food. However, the project completely fell apart due to lack of funds, and guests arrived at a barren island with inadequate food, water, or shelter

McFarland was blamed for the failure of the highly-anticipated music festival which was set to take place in the Bahamian island of Exuma over the course of two weekends in 2017
THAI ticket refunds at risk under rehab

THAILAND: Thai Airways International (THAI) has admitted that debt rehabilitation has kept it from refunding customers for unused tickets.

transportCoronavirusCOVID-19

By Bangkok Post

Friday 29 May 2020, 09:12AM

Thai Airways ticket office at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province. Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb.

THAIs Corporate Image and Communications Department said yesterday (May 28) it is unable to offer refunds at this time as the Central Bankruptcy Court admitted the airlines request for rehab under the bankruptcy law on Wednesday.

The airline is restricted by obligations under the law which prevents it from disbursing refunds at this point in time. But it promises to return the money within six months without any fees.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced THAI to ground its flights. Unconditional refunds are just one of many remedies for customers, which also includes postponing travel dates with no extra charge, extending the tickets validity, and exchanging the tickets for travel vouchers of equal value.

The airline pledged to continue to take care of customers holding valid tickets as well as members of the Royal Orchid Plus, its loyalty programme.

The airline said it was confident it will beat the odds and overcome the crisis that has beset the company and emerge stronger.

THAI earlier announced on its website that it will resume flight operations in July, a delay by one month as borders slowly begin to reopen and passenger start trickling in.

However, the (planned) resumption in July 2020 is still under consideration. THAI is monitoring the situation and preventive measures and lockdowns in each country as well as travel demand to resume services as the COVID-19 situation improves, the airlines website said.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has already banned all scheduled international flights into Thailand until the end of next month.

THAI, saddled under a massive B244.9 billion of outstanding debt, will be protected from foreclosures until the debt rehabilitation affair is sorted out with creditors and approved by the court, a process which could take up to six months.

Also yesterday, THAI asked the Central Bankruptcy Court to remove Pailin Chuchottaworn from the list of nominated rehab planners, according to a source. Mr Pailin was among four people appointed to the THAI board on Monday.

He quit the board citing a violation of an anti-graft regulation which bars anyone assuming a position in any organisation in which the government holds a stake within two years of leaving a cabinet ministers post.
The founder of Women on Web, a nonprofit online abortion pill service, last year created Aid Access to provide pills to U.S. women. Read more

The pandemic is helping U.S. abortion-rights advocates achieve a long-standing goal: Make it easier for women to use pills to end pregnancies up to 10 weeks.

Federal and state regulations have restricted access to medication abortion ever since the Food and Drug Administration approved it two decades ago. Nonetheless, use of the two-drug regimen has grown steadily, accounting for at least 40% of all abortions, even as the national abortion rate has fallen to historic lows, data show.

Before the coronavirus made seeking medical care in person risky for both patients and providers, efforts were well underway to expand access to abortion pills through telemedicine and mail-order pharmacies. Now, those efforts are accelerating and multiplying because suddenly a divisive political issue is also a matter of public health.

For patients seeking abortion, urgent modifications of current protocols are needed to ensure that patients can continue to obtain this time-sensitive treatment while limiting transmission of infection, 11 prominent reproductive health experts wrote last month in the journal Contraception.

The group, led by obstetrician-gynecologist Elizabeth Raymond, proposed reducing in-person clinic visits by eliminating ultrasounds and other tests that research shows are unnecessary for a safe, effective pill-induced abortion.

Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania, which adopted the test-less approach in mid-March, quickly saw a shift. Although the total number of medication and surgical abortions remained about 800 a month, the proportion that used pills increased from 55% before the pandemic to 65% now.

We wouldnt be offering it if it werent safe,' said Dayle Steinberg, president and CEO of the Southeastern Pennsylvania affiliate. The pandemic is showing us that we have to be nimble and adapt.

When precautions become dangers

Some background: Medication abortion starts with a pill called mifepristone, which blocks a hormone vital to pregnancy. That is followed 24 to 48 hours later by at least two misoprostol pills, which induce contractions. (Misoprostol is also used to treat stomach ulcers.)

In 2000, when the FDA made the controversial decision to approve mifepristone, it imposed stringent safety requirements. The drug can be dispensed only by specially certified health-care providers and only in clinics, hospitals, and medical offices  not pharmacies like most prescription drugs.

Medical societies and public health experts have called on the FDA to remove the restrictions. Physician Jane E. Henney, FDA commissioner when mifepristone was approved, added her voice last year. Last month, so did Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Patty Murray, urging a reevaluation in light of the growing coronavirus disease pandemic.

The FDA has not budged, even though its own review says medication abortion has been increasingly used as its efficacy and safety have become well-established by both research and experience, and serious complications have proven to be extremely rare.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

Advocates have not been deterred by the FDAs inflexibility.

Over the last year, Gynuity Health Projects  a New York City-based nonprofit that Raymond joined in 2010  has expanded its FDA-approved study of medication abortion via telemedicine from five states to 13. It enables women to have video conferences with certified doctors, then get the pills mailed to them to take at home.

Still, Gynuitys TelAbortion has served fewer than 1,000 women over more than three years. Partly, thats because the FDA requires all study participants to have an initial in-person visit and an ultrasound to make sure they are no more than 10 weeks pregnant.

Bending the rules

Studies have shown an ultrasound is unnecessary; only 1% of women do not accurately recall the date of their last menstrual period, and medication abortion still works for the vast majority of them. Other parts of the typical medication abortion protocol  a pelvic exam, blood tests, and a return visit to confirm the termination  are also unneeded, research shows.

Thats why Raymond and her 10 colleagues wrote the Contraception article, which laid out a protocol for evaluating, treating, and following up with patients in a way that would bend but not break the FDA rules.

Although FDA-imposed restrictions on mifepristone may require patients to present to the abortion facility to obtain the drug, this protocol would enable every other part of the medication abortion process to be implemented without any in-person encounter, they wrote.

Nothing like an epidemic to accelerate innovations, Raymond said in an interview.

Abortion foes denounce such innovations as endangering womens health. So far, 18 states have enacted various laws designed to ban the use of telemedicine in medication abortion. More recently, several states have tried to ban all abortions under pandemic emergency orders restricting elective medical procedures.

While the political divide is wider than ever, even abortion-rights activists dont agree on how much medical support women seeking medication abortion need or how best to provide it.

Numerous international websites ship abortion pills  without prescription or any medical oversight  to women who self-manage the termination in secret. Recognizing that the internet makes such uncounted abortions virtually unstoppable, public health researcher Elisa Wells cofounded Plan C, a website with a report card that rates such websites on product quality, price, and shipping time.

 READ MORE: Do-it-yourself abortion isnt driving decline in rates, analysis finds. But that could change.

In early March, as the pandemic deepened, Plan C took another step toward helping women self-manage: It asked doctors across the country to register with one of the two FDA-approved manufacturers of mifepristone so they can obtain pills to mail to women in their homes.

FDA regulations say mifepristone must be dispensed in a facility, but Plan C maintains that dispensing is different than delivering.

Most doctors read the [FDA regulations] to say the pills cant be mailed, Wells said, adding that a handful of doctors have joined the new initiative. "We disagree. "

Aid Access, a mail-order abortion-pill service overseen by Dutch physician Rebecca Gomperts, has already been ordered to cease and desist by the FDA.

Gomperts set up Aid Access last year using the model of her first abortion-pill service, Women on Web, which serves women in countries were abortion is illegal. Basically, the pregnant woman consults online with the prescribing doctor, then gets a script to email to an Indian company that ships the pills. Instructions explain how to use the drugs, what to expect, and when to see a doctor if problems occur.

Although Gomperts didnt respond to a request for comment, she was recently quoted in the New York Times saying that the pandemic has fueled demand, with about 3,000 women requesting help from Aid Access since late March.

As for the FDA, Gomperts has a complaint against the agency pending in federal court. The FDA, she maintains, is trying to deny the constitutional right to abortion.

Dr. Gomperts has standing to assert the constitutional rights of her patients seeking medical abortions ... in the U.S., her legal brief says.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Oscar Lopez (Thomson Reuters Foundation) Mexico City, Mexico  Fri, May 29, 2020 08:20 602 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdacf6af 2 World gay-marriage,gay-rights,LGBTQ,LGBT-rights,same-sex-marriage,same-sex-couples,US,economy,legalization Free

Gay and lesbian weddings have boosted state and local economies by an estimated $3.8 billion since same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide in the United States in 2015, according to a study published on Thursday.

Nearly 300,000 gay and lesbian couples have tied the knot since the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, according to researchers from the Williams Institute at Californias UCLA School of Law.

"Marriage equality has changed the lives of same-sex couples and their families," said the study's lead author Christy Mallory, state and local policy director at the Williams Institute. "It has also provided a sizable benefit to business and state and local governments."

Some $3.2 billion has been spent on weddings, while thousands of traveling wedding guests spent $544 million. The events generated an additional $244 million in state and local taxes, the research found.

About 45,000 jobs also were supported by same-sex weddings, according to the study.

Gay marriage was first approved in the state of Massachusetts in 2003, with several states following suit.

By the time of the Supreme Court's landmark decision, some 242,000 same-sex couples had wed, the study said.

The total has since more than doubled, with more than half a million gay and lesbian couples marrying in the United States.

The United States is one of 28 United Nations' member states that recognizes the right of same-sex couples to marry after Costa Rica joined the ranks on Tuesday.

According to advocacy group Open For Business, gay marriage in Costa Rica could boost the economy by up to $592 million.

The Williams Institute study included figures and estimates based on data from the US Census Bureau.
<! The suspected killer-policemen >

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two policemen for allegedly shooting a teenager dead at Bariga area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

The two police officers are ASP Theophilus Otobo and Inspector Oguntoba Olamigoke attached to Bariga Police Station.

They allegedly shot a 17-year-old girl, Tina Ezekwe dead.

Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bala Elkana, in a statement on Friday said the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu has ordered an in depth investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ezekwe.

Two Police Officers suspected to have carried out the shooting were arrested and subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings. If found culpable, they will be arraigned in Court. They are ASP Theophilus Otobo and Inspector Oguntoba Olamigoke attached to Bariga Police Station.

The incident happened on 26th May, 2020 at about 10:45pm. The said Police Officers fired shots from their pin down point along Berger by Third Mainland Bridge, in a circumstances yet to be determined, one Musa Yakubu m 35 years was injured at the point and a stray bullet hit Tina at Berger Yanaworu Bus stop, he explained.

According to Elkana, the bullet pierced through the left upper side of her lap and was rushed to hospital by a team of Policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer.

He said the battle to save her life lasted for two days, as she died on 28th May, 2020 at about 9:29pm while on admission, adding that the second person was in stable condition.

The Police are in contact with the families of the victims from the day of the incident. The Command deeply sympathised with the family and friends of the deceased person.

The Commissioner of Police calls for calm and assures the family that the perpetrators of this dastardly act will face the full weight of the law. He reiterated his stance on zero tolerance for impunity. Members of the public will be updated on the outcome of the investigation, he said.
Thousands of terrorists might have been airlifted out of Kabul: Trump slams Biden

Never in history has withdrawal from war been handled so badly: Trump

China, India capable of resolving issues through dialogue: Beijing rejects Trump's mediation offer

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, May 29: Beijing on Friday rejected Donald Trump's mediation offer, saying 'China, India capable of resolving issues.'

Trump said on Wednesday that he was "ready, willing and able" to "mediate or arbitrate" the raging border dispute between India and China, amid the continuing standoff between the militaries of the two neighbours at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

"We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute. Thank you!" Trump said in an early morning tweet.

PM Modi did not converse with Trump on border standoff with China: Officials

Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan, a proposal rejected by New Delhi which maintains that there is no role for any third party in bilateral issues.

LAC tension: Rahul wants govt to come clean on what is happening at border | Oneindia News

Meanwhile, there has been no recent contact between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, reports said on Friday.

The last time the two leaders spoke was on April 4, when the subject of the conversation was hydroxychloroquine, an official said, hours after US President Donald Trump appeared to suggest that he had spoken with PM Modi in recent days.

This comes in the wake of Trump suggesting that he had spoken with PM Modi in recent days. India is directly in contact with China to address the border stand off, it was also reiterated.

Both India and China are locked in a stand off in the Ladakh region along the Line of Actual Control. China had in fact first adopted an aggressive posturing by sending in 6,000 soldiers to the region.

With no immediate solution in sight, India matches China in terms of man power, resources

The nearly 3,500-km-long LAC is the de-facto border between India and China. Several areas along the LAC in Ladakh and North Sikkim have witnessed major military build-up by both the Indian and Chinese armies recently, in a clear signal of escalating tension and hardening of respective positions by the two sides even two weeks after they were engaged in two separate face-offs.

India has said the Chinese military was hindering normal patrolling by its troops along the LAC in Ladakh and Sikkim and strongly refuted Beijing's contention that the escalating tension between the two armies was triggered by trespassing of Indian forces across the Chinese side.
Global warming has unleashed an early summer in Alaska, triggering a landslide on Yudikench Peak, a mountain near Anchorage.

Temperatures reached 69 degrees Fahrenheit near the mountain this month that sparked a 'wedge failure'  a type of land slide that occurs along multiple planes.

The collapse sent debris barreling down the mountain side and filled the area with dust, which alerted officials to investigate the scene.

NASA shared an image of the landslide as seen from space, which highlights a once snow-covered area and is now riddled with debris.

Scroll down for video

 Slide me  NASA shared an image of the landslide as seen from space, which highlights a once snow-covered area and is now riddled with debris. The left image was taken May 6 before the avalanche and the right was snapped after it happened on May 13

Yudikench Peak, or Yudi, stands 5,732 feet high and is located near Anchorage, Alaska.

On May 16, Steve Jones of Vancouver was watching a live webcam of the mountain and noticed a thick cloud of dust surrounding the area.

'Looking at the webcam, it was clear at 8:56 am and in the 9:26 and 9:56 pictures there is dust or mist before returning to being clear,' Jones shared in a tweet.

'May be worth looking at that 8:56 to 9:26 am window on Thursday morning?'

Temperatures reached 69 degrees Fahrenheit near the mountain this month that sparked a 'wedge failure'  a type of land slide that occurs along multiple planes

The collapse sent debris barreling down the mountain side and filled the area with dust, which alerted officials to investigate the scene. Pictured is a trail of the debris left behind from the landslide

John Cassidy, an earthquake seismologist, responded to the tweet shortly after it was posted.

'Yes - there is a clear signal at Whistler, Lillooet, and Hope (the three closest seismic stations to Joffre Peak) just a few minutes after 9 a.m. PDT today (May 16). Will take a closer look tomorrow,' he wrote.

Residents of Anchorage look forward to the warm weather, as it brings green leaves and a break from the frigid winter temperatures.

However, an early summer crept in the populous city and is thawing 'soils in ways that encourage landslides,' NASA shared in a statement.

On May 13, 2020, the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 captured an image of the trail left behind by the landslide debris.

University of Sheffield landslide watcher Dave Petley shared in a blog post: 'It is well established that Alaska sees large landslides in the spring, and that their increasing size and frequency is driven by global heating.'

Just a day before the avalanche was spotted by Jones, 14 scientists signed and released a public letter warning that another mountain slope in Alaska is unstable and could trigger a catastrophic tsunami within the next year and 'likely within 20 years.'

Yudikench Peak, or Yudi, stands 5,732 feet high and is located near Anchorage, Alaska.

Officials flew in a helicopter to investigate the peak and determine if a landslide did occur

University of Sheffield landslide watcher Dave Petley shared in a blog post: 'It is well established that Alaska sees large landslides in the spring, and that their increasing size and frequency is driven by global heating'

The dangerous event is looming in Prince William Sound and could release millions of tons of rock into Harriam Fiord that would have devastating effects on fishermen and recreationalists in the area.

The scientists warn that the slope is supported by the retreating Barry Glacier, which has succumbed to the effects of climate change.

Warming temperatures have left just one-third of the slope supported by ice, but an earthquake, heatwave or significant rain could prompt the disastrous landslide.

Prince William Sound is located 60 miles east of Anchorage and is an area of ports and is the location for part of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System.

Steve Masterman, director of the Division of Geological Surveys, said his staff has received evidence that the rapid retreat of the Barry Glacier could release millions of tons of rock into Harriam Fiord, triggering a tsunami at least as large as some of the largest in the state's record.

An early summer crept in the populous city and is thawing 'soils in ways that encourage landslides,' NASA shared in a statement

Just a day before the avalanche was spotted by Jones, 14 scientists signed and released a public letter warning that another mountain slope in Alaska is unstable, due to the melting Barry Arm glacier that is holding it up and could trigger a catastrophic tsunami within the next year and 'likely within 20 years'

'The most noteworthy of these tsunamis was in 1958, when a landslide entered the Lituya Bay Fiord in Glacier Bay and generated a wave that went 1,700 feet up the opposite side of the fiord,' Masterman said.

'The most recent was at Southeast Alaska's Taan Glacier in 2015, where a wave went 600 feet up the opposite wall of the glacial valley.'

Warming temperatures, earthquakes, significant rainfall and snow are all factors that could speed up the motion.

Climate change may also be a huge player in this catastrophic event, as the northern part of the world is warming twice as fast as anywhere else and resulting in a number of glaciers melting.

'We have only preliminary results showing the potential spread of the tsunami. The effects would be especially severe near where the landslide enters the water at the head of Barry Arm,' the open letter reads.

'Additionally, areas of shallow water, or low-lying land near the shore, would be in danger even further from the source.

'A minor failure may not produce significant impacts beyond the inner parts of the fiord, while a complete failure could be destructive throughout Barry Arm, Harriman Fiord, and parts of Port Wells.

'Our initial results show complex impacts further from the landslide than Barry Arm, with over 30 foot waves in some distant bays, including Whittier. Field measurements and further analysis could allow us to make these estimates more accurate and specific.'

And the scientists have predicted the landslide could possible occur within the next year and likely within 20 years.
Every name on the BrandBucket marketplace is exclusively listed with BrandBucket. That means that all of our sellers are very responsive, making for quick domain transfers.

A dedicated BrandBucket agent will manage your domain transfer from beginning to end, ensuring a secure and easy transaction. They will manage the receipt of the domain into one of BrandBuckets secure registrar accounts and then complete the transfer to you.

1. Verification and registrar choice

After we receive the payment and verify it, we will reach out via email to confirm which registrar you want the domain transferred to. We also provide a link to our tracking system, where you can communicate with us, check on the status of your transfer, view your invoice, and download your logo files.

In most cases, if a domain is moved between accounts at a single registrar, the transfer is quick and usually completes within 48 hours. If a domain changes registrars (in other words, you would like to move it away from where it is currently registered), the transfer is slower. The total transfer time can then be anywhere from 48 hours to 7 days.

BrandBucket has vetted and supports the following registrars:



GoDaddy

Namesilo

Uniregistry

NameCheap

Google Domains

Network Solutions

Name.com

Dynadot

Amazon Route 53

123 Reg

Gandi

2. We request the name from the seller.

Once we know where you would like the domain transferred, BrandBucket will request the domain from the seller. All of our sellers are very responsive, making for a quick process.

3. Transfer the name into your account

As soon as we receive the name from the seller, we start the transfer into your account and guide you through the whole process.

4. Verify with the buyer that the transfer is complete

Once we confirm that you have received the name, we consider the escrow process to be complete. Only then do we release payment to the domain seller.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Over 48 hours in America, the official death toll from the coronavirus pandemic topped 100,000, the number of people who filed for unemployment during the crisis soared past 40 million, and the streets of a major city erupted in flames after a handcuffed black man was killed by a white police officer.

Its the kind of frenetic, fractured moment when national leaders are looked to for solutions and solace. President Donald Trump instead threw a rhetorical match into the tinderbox. When the looting starts, the shooting starts, he declared ominously in a late-night tweet.

Trumps words were so jarring that Twitter attached a warning to his post  as well as to an identical message from an official White House account  saying that the president of the United States was glorifying violence. Its the first time the social media giant has taken such a step with any world leader, prompting new claims of bias from Trump and some of his conservative allies.

The episode encapsulated Trumps approach to the presidency and to this time of national crisis, which has upended nearly every aspect of American life and put his November reelection prospects at risk. Hes latched on to personal grievances and cast himself as a victim, while making only occasional references to the staggering loss of life across the country. Hes willingly stoked partisan divisions over public health, and now racial divisions in the face of a death, rather than seeking opportunities to pull the nation together.

To Trumps detractors, none of that should come as a surprise at this late stage in his term, which has been defined by such responses at volatile moments.

I had hoped that at least for this one time, some of the presidents advisers would get to him and try to convince him to be consoler-in-chief, said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Democrat from Missouri. President Trump was not built for times like this.

Many Republicans were silent about the presidents remarks. Several contacted by The Associated Press either did not respond to questions about whether Trump was appropriately meeting this moment of cascading national crises or would not speak about the matter on the record. Trumps campaign issued a statement accusing Democrats and the media of twisting Trumps words and trying to make money an assertion the campaign did not explain.

Story continues

The death of George Floyd, a black Minnesota man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes, added a new element of anxiety to an already nervous nation. Millions of Americans have been largely confined to their homes for weeks as the COVID-19 virus swept through the country and 100,000 people have died, according to official estimates which are believed to be lower than the real toll. The economy has cratered as a result and is unlikely to recover quickly even as some of the most restrictive stay-at-home orders start to ease.

Trump has frequently sided with law enforcement during officer-involved deaths. But he struck a different tone in his initial reaction to Floyds death, calling the video a very shocking sight. The Department of Justice called the investigation into his death a top priority.

As protests in Minneapolis escalated, Trump shifted toward his more typical posture, describing those taking to the streets as THUGS in the tweet that was flagged by the company. His warning in the same message about shooting echoed a phrase used by a Miami police chief in the 1960s during aggressive crackdowns on unrest in black neighborhoods.

Trump crashed with this statement in showing who he really is, said Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network. This is dangerous, this is ugly, this is provocative.

The president tried to explain away the comments on Friday, saying in a new tweet that he was stating a fact that people can be shot when looting happens. During a later appearance at the White House, he said he understood the hurt and pain but the situation in Minneapolis should not descend further into lawless anarchy and chaos.

At a moment when many Americans are looking to their leaders, Joe Biden, Trumps Democratic challenger in the November election, tried to step into the breach. In remarks from his Delaware home, where he has remained throughout the pandemic, Biden offered condolences to Floyds family and said it was no time to encourage violence in America.

We need real leadership right now, leadership that will bring everyone to the table so we can take measures to root out systemic racism, Biden said.

One week ago, Biden was the one facing criticism for comments he made about race after he said in a radio interview that African Americans who dont support him over Trump aint black. Biden, who surged to the Democratic nomination on overwhelming support of black voters, quickly walked back that remark.

Trumps campaign, which has been making targeted appeals to black voters, seized on Bidens remarks. But the attention, as it so often does, shifted quickly back to the president.

Democrats are eager to keep it there, urging Americans to envision four more years of Trumps responses to racially charged episodes, as well as the health and economic crises roiling the country.

The nation is on fire, and the president of the United States is standing there with gasoline, said Rep. Val Demings of Florida, a contender to become Bidens running mate.

___

AP writers Aamer Madhani and Andrew Taylor contributed to this report.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE  Julie Pace has covered the White House and politics for the AP since 2007. Follow her at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC
Passengers take a subway train specially decorated to mark the upcoming International Children's Day, which falls on June 1, in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, on May 26. [China Women's News]

As International Children's Day is approaching, a converted train of Shenzhen Metro Line 11 was back to operation and served passengers once again. The subway train was decorated with 508 paintings of children from Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SARs).

The train was jointly launched by the Shenzhen Municipal Working Committee on Women and Children, the Shenzhen Women's Federation and Shenzhen Metro on May 26. It is the third year in a row that the train is on the tracks and will run for a month as before.

The subway train of Shenzhen Metro Line 11 is decorated with children's paintings. [China Women's News]

The works on display include more than 200 drawings themed on the fight against the novel coronavirus disease, which vividly reflect the children's positive attitude in the face of the epidemic. The train also has special carriages to display children's works from Hong Kong and Macao SARs, serving as a platform for enhancing exchanges among children in Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao.

In particular, this year's child-friendly subway has added an interactive activity with the theme of "returning to the age of 11." By scanning codes posted in subway cars, passengers can enter an interactive connection where they need to answer questions such as "Which of the pictures do you like best," to get the result of a big data test  their own aesthetic style at age 11.

Children's paintings make up the decorations on both sides of the carriages, including the doors, windows and armrests. [China Women's News]

A simple and elegant design style is applied to all six carriages of the train to embody innocence and a childlike interest in the kids' works. The youngest painter is only 3 years old. Adopting the color elements in the logo of the child-friendly city, the train creates a loving and dreamy atmosphere for passengers and facilitates the spread of the child-friendly concept.

To better promote the theme, the organizers cooperated with the Shenzhen Women and Children's Development Foundation to issue a souvenir stamp folder and commemorative envelope of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Child-Friendly Subway. The set contains 12 stamps with the child-friendly city logo and six envelopes featuring children's paintings.

The event is also part of the celebration of this year's 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and marks a critical year for promoting the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The ready-to-scan interactive activity code and the child-friendly city logo are integrated into the decorations. [China Women's News]

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)
The latest:

UPS is imposing new surcharges on large shippers to account for increased traffic on its package-delivery network during the pandemic.

United Parcel Service Inc. said surcharges for shipments within the U.S. will start Sunday and add 30 cents per parcel to ground and SurePost deliveries and $31.45 to oversize items.

The fees target high-volume shippers who are sending more packages through UPS than they did in February. The move follows surcharges that UPS began imposing on international shipments in April. A UPS spokesman said the company routinely adjusts rates to reflect costs and other factors.

World health experts shift focus to new hot spots



As the U.S. coronavirus death toll reached the grim milestone of more than 100,000 deaths this week, world health experts are concerned about new hot spots and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is projecting 123,000 coronavirus deaths by late June.



More than 1.7 million people in the U.S. have tested positive for coronavirus and over 102,500 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The CDC projects that by June 20 the death toll will reach about 123,000.

The projection is based on an ensemble forecast of more than a dozen individual forecasts from outside institutions and researchers. The projections show a possible range of 115,400 to 134,800 deaths before the end of next month.

"This week's national ensemble forecast indicates that the rate of increase in cumulative COVID-19 deaths is continuing to decline. Nevertheless, total COVID-19 deaths are likely to exceed 115,000 by June 20," the CDC says on its website.

Meanwhile, as Americans continue reopening their businesses and returning to public spaces after lockdowns to stop the virus's spread, the World Health Organization is still keeping an eye on hot spots in other parts of the world.

Among them are Russia, Africa, the Americas, some countries in South Asia and a few countries in Europe, said Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead for the WHO's coronavirus response.

"These are areas that we are concerned about because, as we know, as you know, when this virus has an opportunity to really take hold it can grow very, very quickly," Van Kerkhove said. "Any one of these could really take hold and take off very, very quickly and we have seen how this virus affects vulnerable populations, and that's a big worry of ours."





US terminating relationship with WHO, President Trump says

President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. will be terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization, saying it had failed to adequately respond to the coronavirus because China has total control over the global organization.



He said Chinese officials ignored their reporting obligations to the WHO and pressured the WHO to mislead the world when the virus was first discovered.

He noted that the U.S. contributes about $450 million to the world body while China provides about $40 million.

The U.S. is the largest source of financial support to the WHO and its exit is expected to significantly weaken the organization. Trump said the U.S. would be redirecting the money to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs, without providing specifics.

"We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engaged with them directly but they have refused to act," Trump said. "Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs. The world needs answers from China on the virus. We must have transparency."

US missed early chance to slow coronavirus, genetic study indicates

The United States missed out on an early chance to catch imported cases of coronavirus earlier this year, genetics experts say in a new report.

Their analysis of the virus imported by the first person known to have carried the infection to the U.S.  in Washington state back in January  shows it probably was not the source of the later cases there.

And that patient gave the federal government a perfect opportunity to stop further imports, evolutionary biologist Michael Worobey of the University of Arizona and colleagues said.

"Our analyses reveal an extended period of missed opportunity when intensive testing and contact tracing could have prevented SARS-CoV-2 from becoming established in the U.S. and Europe," they wrote in a report, not yet peer-reviewed and published on the preprint server bioRxiv.

The patient's story was widely reported. He arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Jan. 15, before any health screenings began at U.S. airports.

When the 30-year-old man started feeling symptoms, he remembered warnings from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the virus and contacted local health officials. He was isolated quickly and Washington state health officials started the process of contact tracing that's considered the key to containing the spread of infectious disease.



Pandemic enters new phase in US as experts shift focus to new hot spots

As the U.S. coronavirus death toll reached the grim milestone of more than 100,000 deaths this week, world health experts are concerned about new hot spots.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects that by June 20, the U.S. death toll will reach about 123,000.

The projection is based on an ensemble forecast of more than a dozen individual forecasts from outside institutions and researchers. The projections show a possible range of 115,400 to 134,800 deaths before the end of next month.

"This week's national ensemble forecast indicates that the rate of increase in cumulative COVID-19 deaths is continuing to decline. Nevertheless, total COVID-19 deaths are likely to exceed 115,000 by June 20," the CDC says on its website.

Meanwhile, as Americans continue reopening their businesses and returning to public spaces after lockdowns to stop the virus's spread, the World Health Organization is still keeping an eye on hotspots in other parts of the world. Among them are Russia, Africa, the Americas, some countries in South Asia and a few countries in Europe, said Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead for the WHO's coronavirus response.

"These are areas that we are concerned about because, as we know, as you know, when this virus has an opportunity to really take hold it can grow very, very quickly," Van Kerkhove said. "Any one of these could really take hold and take off very, very quickly and we have seen how this virus affects vulnerable populations, and that's a big worry of ours."

Behavior that can make a difference

With neither a vaccine nor treatment available for coronavirus, experts say the best defense against a resurgence is public behavior.

Socializing outdoors, maintaining distance from others and wearing face coverings have been highlighted as best practices for reducing coronavirus transmission.

Face masks worn at home can help to stop the spread of coronavirus among people who live together, according to a study published Thursday in BMJ Global Health. Researchers in China studied 124 families with at least one coronavirus patient.

The study found that opening windows, keeping more than about 3 feet apart and disinfecting shared surfaces also seemed to lower the risk of passing the virus on to family members, even in crowded homes.

If a person wore a face mask before they showed signs that they were sick, it was 79% effective at reducing transmission, according to the study.

The masks proved only to be effective in the home before a member of the household showed symptoms, the study said.

But it is still an important precaution in all settings, because many of the people carrying the virus don't know they are infected, said Erin Bromage, associate professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

"A standard mask, the ones that we've been making, cut things down by 50%. I wear it to protect you, you wear it to protect me," Bromage said.

Behavioral changes have already proven successful in bringing cases down in China, New Zealand and Australia, said Dr. William Haseltine, president of the think tank ACCESS Health International.

W2lmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vZDJjbXZicTdzeHgzM2ouY2xvdWRmcm9udC5uZXQvZW1haWwvcHJvZF9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1c19pZnJhbWVfYXJ0aWNsZS5odG1sIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjQxNCIgc3R5bGU9IndpZHRoOjEwMCU7Ym9yZGVyOm5vbmU7b3ZlcmZsb3c6aGlkZGVuIiBzY3JvbGxpbmc9Im5vIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgYWxsb3dUcmFuc3BhcmVuY3k9InRydWUiXVsvaWZyYW1lXQ==

CNN and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at local government level in Edo State, Thursday, disclaimed Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, ...





Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at local government level in Edo State, Thursday, disclaimed Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the consensus guber candidate of the partys faction loyal to the partys National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.





The chairman of the forum of APC chairmen in Edo State, Elder Benjamin Oghumu, told journalists in Benin City, the state capital that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is not a member of our party. Hence, the urgent need to reject the acclaimed consensus which is totally false without foundation.





According to him, Ize-iyamu led his followers out of All Progressives Congress in 2004 and even contested the governorship election on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party in 2016 election which he lost.





The purported waiver granted to him by the National Working Committee of the party was null and void as spelt out in article 31 of the party constitution which confers the power to do such on the Natiinal Exrcutive Coumcil of the party.

Pastor Ize-iyamu only recently joined Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), a group organised by Oshiomhole to destabilise the APC in Edo state. Our party has a constitution and the constitution make it clear on how things are done including registration of new members.





We in Edo know only one person which is Gov Obaseki and we are solidly behind him for another term, we urge president Buhari call Adams Oshiomhole to order before it is too late.
SPRINGFIELD  New Valley Bank & Trust Co. celebrated its one-year anniversary Friday by announcing its plans for a street-level branch office in Monarch Place downtown.

It will relocate from the ninth floor of the office tower to the lobby in an expanded 6,000-square-foot bank branch and headquarters.

It's space next to Starbucks that was most recently a United Bank branch and before that part of a Bank of America.

The move is expected to be completed by midsummer.

New Valley Bank president and CEO Jeff Sullivan said the bank is meeting the challenges of coronavirus.

Our bank was formed to serve the needs of local small business owners and their employees, he said. We recognized two underserved niches in the local banking landscape when we formed the bank. Never did we imagine that there would be an economic disruption on a global scale that would highlight the need for strong local banking such as we have encountered in 2020. We are grateful to have been able to serve the community through this difficult period.

New Valley Bank board chair Frank Fitzgerald thanked the shareholders, board and staff for their commitment to the banks service model.

We have assembled a tremendous team which has worked under pressure, especially over the past two months, he said in statement. Our board has provided solid advice and guidance not only to our management team but to the community in the civic, charitable, and business leadership roles that our board members serve in daily.

New Valley Bank & Trust Co., the first startup bank in Springfield in 11 years, began opening accounts and accepting deposits May 30, 2019.

It also has an office also at 1930 Wilbraham Road in Springfields Sixteen Acres neighborhood.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration is accelerating efforts to seize private property for President Donald Trumps border wall, taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to survey land while its owners are confined indoors, residents along the Rio Grande say.

Is that essential business? asked Nayda Alvarez, 49, who recently found construction markers on the land in Starr County, Texas, that has been in her family for five generations. That didnt stop a single minute during the shelter in place or stay at home.

The federal government brought a flurry of lawsuits against landowners in southern Texas to survey, seize and potentially begin construction on private property in the first five months of the year as the administration rushed to deliver on Trumps promise to build 450 miles of wall by the end of the year, which he downgraded Thursday to 400. While Trump has built less than 200 of those miles, his administration has brought 78 lawsuits against landowners on the border, 30 of them this year.

Negotiations and lawsuits are proving to be arduous. The administration has acquired just 10 of the 213 miles of private property that the border wall is projected to pass through in the Laredo and Rio Grande Valley sectors, according to Customs and Border Protection data from May 19 obtained by The New York Times, an increase of 7 miles since December. In recent months, the presidents son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has stepped in to oversee the effort.

The increased litigation against the landowners, despite the pandemic, is evidence of the administrations sense of urgency to deliver on a symbol of Trumps crackdown on immigration. The president has said the pandemic is proof of the walls necessity, though there is no real evidence it will have any effect on public health.

Mexico is having a very, very hard time, as you know, with COVID, especially along the border, Trump told reporters Thursday, though Mexicos 8,600 deaths and 78,000 infections are a fraction of the toll in the United States. Fortunately, he added, we have a brand-new wall along there, and the wall is saving us.

The government filed 13 lawsuits in March alone to access and acquire land, the highest single-month total since Trump took office, according to the Texas Civil Rights Project.

Some of the landowners who were sued have kept the properties in their families for generations. But the Texans say the governments timing has left them further disadvantaged in a process in which the administration already has the law on its side. Landowners adhering to coronavirus guidelines have been unable to meet with their relatives to discuss the governments offers, to confer with lawyers on how to fight the government or to consult appraisers on the accurate value of their land. Some have questioned why the push to access their properties is coming as the coronavirus spreads, and they try to avoid social contact.

They want to do it all obviously prior to November and the election, said Steven Kobernat, 61, a landowner in Starr County who said he felt hounded by the Department of Justice. But here we are in a pandemic. We cant meet, we cant meet with our families. And then DOJ says its time-sensitive in a time of pandemic. Its just absurd.

The Justice Department said in a statement, We are following all local, state and federal COVID protocols for all phases of land acquisition and court work.

Raini Brunson, a spokeswoman for the Army Corps of Engineers, which is leading construction, said the agency was committed to the safety of employees, contractors and the people in communities in which we work. The agency continues to execute its border barrier infrastructure mission in order to safeguard national security capabilities, she added.

Alvarez had just come back to Starr County in March when she noticed something strange on her property: construction markers jammed into the earth to measure elevation. Crews had come to her land while she was in Washington to testify to Congress against the border wall.

Months before, Alvarez had encountered government contractors on her property who claimed they had received permission from a relative to survey the land. She refused them access, but her family has continued to see construction crews driving around their land.

Kobernat feels similar pressure. When the Army Corps of Engineers pressed him to accept an offer for 7 acres of his familys farm, he pleaded for time to allow the pandemic to ebb.

There is a sudden mad rush to obtain our property by pushing us to sign and sell immediately. But due to the extraordinary current pandemic crisis, we simply need more time, Kobernat wrote in an April 27 email to Army Corps and Border Patrol officials. Our family is presently unable to safely confer with each other or our attorney as we need to  due to my mayor, my governor and your boss shelter-in-place rules.

Shortly after that, he began getting calls from the Justice Department telling him to cooperate with the Army Corps or risk a lawsuit.

Lawyers and government officials agree that landowners already had few options.

They can choose to voluntarily allow the government to access and survey their land and, if the administration wants it, accept compensation that is supposed to be based on fair market value. But if they refuse, they are likely to be taken to court, where the government can use eminent domain powers to argue that the wall is an emergency and eventually take possession of their land. The government can then begin construction, even while continuing to argue with the landowners over compensation.

Ricky Garza, a staff lawyer for the Texas Civil Rights Project, said the timing of the governments push for private property had made what was already an uphill battle for the landowners even more challenging.

Theyve taken advantage of people sheltering in place. People have not been able to seek out attorneys, Garza said. We havent seen any signs of it slowing down. The landowner is really at the mercy of what the government is trying to do.

Many of the property owners are still enlisting lawyers to negotiate. Some hope they can delay the process beyond the election, when the construction of the wall may not be as much of a priority.

But Trump is pressing forward as fast as possible. As the coronavirus spread in March, he tweeted, We need the Wall more than ever, despite a top health official saying he had not seen evidence that physical barriers would prevent the spread of the virus. The presidents border agency recently started a website showcasing videos of the walls construction, months after Kushner and his allies pushed the Department of Homeland Security to livestream the building of the project.

The administration has also waived federal contracting laws to speed construction of the wall; 194 miles have been completed as of this week, up from 93 in December. All but 3 of the miles are in areas where dilapidated barriers existed or vehicle barriers once stood. The federal government also recently gave a nearly $1.3 billion contract to a North Dakota company backed by Steve Bannon to construct 42 miles of the wall, despite the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Defense examining an earlier $400 million contract given to the company.

With recent funding transfers from the Department of Defense, the administration now has $15 billion to build 731 miles of border wall. John B. Mennell, a Customs and Border Protection spokesman, pointed to data that suggested the agency could build about 500 miles of wall on federal border land, without private acquisitions. The agency has apparently tried to lower expectations in recent months, removing language from weekly border wall bulletins that said the administration expected to have 450 miles completed by the end of the year.

By the Trump administrations own logic, private land in southern Texas is where the wall is most needed. The border agency recorded more than 34,000 illegal crossings in the Rio Grande Valley in fiscal year 2019, the most of any border sector.

It is the shortest land route from the Guatemala-Mexico border to the U.S. It is an environment that is very difficult to enforce, said Gil Kerlikowske, the Customs and Border Protection commissioner under President Barack Obama. It should be the focal point.

Melissa Cigarroa, 53, said she had rarely thought of the border in Zapata County, Texas, as dangerous. The land brings to mind skeet shooting or watching aoudads  or Barbary sheep  make their way through her familys 150-acre ranch.

So far, she has refused to sign documents allowing the government to enter her property.

Why are we going to be the guinea pigs? Cigarroa said. Were such a little town on the border. It is ridiculous.

Kobernat said he incorrectly thought that when he sold 1 acre to the federal government a year ago to build a watchtower for Border Patrol, he and his siblings might be spared from the border wall, which could turn a portion of their farmland into a no mans land between the wall and the Rio Grande.

He said he would not give the federal government an answer until he could meet with his siblings, who share ownership of the property. All of them are vulnerable to the coronavirus.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
A worker processes mail ballots at the Bucks County Board of Elections office on Wednesday in Doylestown. Read more

Bucks County election officials are asking a court to give voters more time to turn in mail ballots, saying the current deadline will disenfranchise voters who receive their ballots too late to return them by election day.

Hundreds or thousands of qualified applicants for mail-in and absentee ballots might not receive their ballot in time to return their ballots by mail under the current deadline, the Bucks County Board of Elections wrote in an emergency petition Thursday.

They asked Bucks County Court to set a new deadline of between two and seven days after the election, and to allow ballots received by that time to be counted if they are postmarked by election day.

State law requires ballots to be returned to county elections officials by 8 p.m. on an election day, and postmarks dont count. But the pandemic has slowed the processing and mailing of ballots, and county election officials across the state have warned that thousands of voters may receive their ballots too late.

Tuesday was the deadline to request a ballot, and the final Bucks County ballots will be mailed Friday, said the countys chief clerk, Gail Humphrey.

We are concerned that the ballots that go out tomorrow in the mail may not get to someones home until June 1, she said Thursday at a news conference.

That would be the day before the election, making it impossible for many voters to return those ballots by mail.

A new election law allows any voter to vote by mail, but the pandemic has led to an unexpected flood of ballot requests. Voters have reported long mail delivery times, sometimes more than a week, to receive ballots once they are mailed.

That has alarmed county election officials and led, among other things, to a scramble to set up drop boxes for hand delivery of ballots.

In Bucks County, boxes are being set up this weekend at the Lower Bucks Government Services Center at 7321 New Falls Rd. in Levittown, the Bucks County Administration Building at 55 E. Court St. in Doylestown, and the Upper Bucks Government Services Center at 261 California Rd. in Quakertown.

Thursdays petition is the latest in a series of attempts to have courts change the mail ballot deadlines, all of which have been unsuccessful.

Advocacy groups sued the state in April and argued for a one-week extension to the deadline, saying the current deadline would disenfranchise voters because of the challenges of running the election during the pandemic. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the case, agreeing with the Pennsylvania Department of State that the plaintiffs argument was hypothetical.

Montgomery County elections officials on Tuesday asked a court for a one-week extension of the deadline, citing long mail delivery times and a design flaw with the online ballot application system that they said led to hundreds of ballots being sent out without apartment numbers. The county court rejected that request Wednesday without explanation.

And on Thursday, the president judge of Commonwealth Court denied a preliminary injunction request to allow mail ballots to be counted if they are postmarked by election day and received within seven days. That case, brought by the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans and funded by the Democratic super PAC Priorities USA, remains open, but the court said it did not have jurisdiction to grant the request.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Affinor Growers Inc. (AFI or the Company) (CSE:AFI, OTC:RSSFF, Frankfurt:1AF) provides a corporate update and update on the filing of the Companys unaudited condensed interim financial statements for the nine months ended February 29, 2020.



Corporate Update

With the reality setting in that the Covid-19 pandemic is far from over and that social distancing and other restrictions could be in place for several months, its becoming more important than ever to have a consistent food supply that is secure, safe, and clean. With that in mind, Affinor is working harder than ever to commercialize its current technology and also working with Cobotix Manufacturing Inc. in developing additional vertical farming technologies to expand our product line.

Cannabis LED Light Grow Trials

In December 2019, the Company entered into an agreement with Fundamental Lighting Solutions Inc. (Fundamental) and Cannalife Solutions LLC (Cannalife Solutions) to test the LED cannabis lights. On the back of the first successful grow trial, completed in February 2020, the Company moved directly into a second grow trial. The Company is currently awaiting the final results of the second grow trial while moving into the third grow trial.

The advancement of the trials is a testament to the great cannabis LED lighting product that has been developed. We will continue to gain valuable data from these grow trials, that in turn, we will use to commercialize the cannabis LED lights. We are in the process of working with Fundamental Lighting and Cannalife Solutions to expand the testing program to convert a second room to the cannabis LED lights in the coming months.

Agreement with the University of Fraser Valley (UFV)

In February 2019, the Company entered into a two-year agreement with the UFV to complete strawberry grow trials in the newly designed soil-based, vertical growing tower with the use of the LED lights from Fundamental Lighting. The grow trials took place at The Surrey Biopod facility, a partnership between the University of the Fraser Valley, the John Volken Academy (Volken Academy), and the City of Surrey.

The growing trial was a success and we were able to showcase the growing ability of the towers and the high-quality strawberries being grown in the towers. The strawberries continue to grow well and we have donated the towers to the Volken Academy so that they may continue to use the technology and continue the great work they are doing at the Surrey Biopods.

As a Company, we want to continue advancing our technology and showcasing it to investors and potential customers. With that in mind, effective May 31, 2020, the Company decided to withdraw from the remaining year of the agreement. We will be shifting our focus to developing our own research and development facility, either wholly owned or through a collaboration with a partner. This will allow us to test all our technology, continue to develop additional technologies, all while having a showcase to market our technology to prospective investors and customers.

We want to thank the University of Fraser Valley and the Volken Academy for working with us over the past four years and providing us with an opportunity to develop and test our towers. We especially want to thank Dr. Laila Benkrima, who has been an extremely valuable resource during these grow trials and during the re-design of the towers in 2019.

Q3 Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements

On April 28, 2020, the Company announced it would be relying on the Blanket Exemption Order to postpone the filing of the Financial Statements required by section 4.2 of National Instrument 51-102 and the filing of the MD&A required by subsection 5.1(2) of National Instrument 51-102.

The Company expects it will file the Financial Statements and MD&A on SEDAR on or about June 12, 2020. Until such time as the Financial Statements and MD&A are filed, management and other insiders of the Company are subject to an insider trading black-out policy that reflects the principles in Section 9 of National Policy 11-207  Failure-to-File Cease Trade Orders and Revocations in Multiple Jurisdictions.

An update of material business developments since the filing of the Company's second quarter 2020 interim financial statements and corresponding management's discussion and analysis on January 29, 2020 was provided in the news release on April 20th, 2020. The Company announced the results of the first grow trial of the LED cannabis growing lights in conjunction with Fundamental Lighting Solutions and Cannalife Solutions LLC.

About Affinor Growers

Affinor Growers is a publicly traded company on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol ("AFI"). Affinor is focused on developing vertical farming technologies and using those technologies to grow fruits and vegetables in a sustainable manner.

This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control that may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

AFFINOR GROWERS INC.

www.affinorgrowers.com

For More Information, please contact: Randy Minhas, CEO contact@affinorgrowers.com
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also reminded Pakistan that India is a nation served by the rule of law."

New Delhi: India on Thursday lambasted an absurd statement by Pakistan after Islamabad criticised both the construction of a Temple dedicated to Lord Rama in Ayodhya as well as the Supreme Courts judgement in the Ayodhya case that was delivered a few months ago.

New Delhi said that given the poor Pakistani record on treatment of their own minorities, Islamabad should be embarrassed to even mention the word minorities, adding that Pakistan had no locus standi to comment on the matter.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also reminded Pakistan that India is a nation served by the rule of law and which guarantees equal rights to all faiths and that Pakistans Foreign Office may take time out and read their own constitution to realise the difference.

Ridiculing the Pakistani judiciary too, India said Pakistan must realise that their (Pakistani) judiciary is thankfully not the norm and that there are others elsewhere (Indian judiciary) with credibility and integrity that Pakistan understandably finds difficult to recognise.

We have seen an absurd statement by Pakistan on a matter on which it has no locus standi. Given its record, Pakistan should be embarrassed to even mention minorities. After all, numbers dont lie even if they do, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.

The Pakistan Foreign Office had on Wednesday night issued a statement, claiming that the construction of the Temple at Ayodhya was an example of advancement of the Hindutva agenda and had also alleged poor treatment of minorities in India.
In a rather bizarre incident, a troop of monkeys ran away with what is believed to be coronavirus test samples. The incident took place in Meerut Medical College in Uttar Pradesh on Friday. The monkeys attacked a lab technician who was carrying the samples. The monkeys then snatched three samples and ran away.

Chief Superintendent Dr Dheeraj Balyan is investigating the matter. He issued a statement and said that the monkeys snatched the samples of suspected coronavirus patients. The forest department has been informed and the monkeys are yet to be caught. Meerut district officer Anil Dhingra said that the matter is under investigation.

Doctors collected the samples from the patients again but the incident has sparked fear in the area as the samples believed to be of coronavirus patients are still with the monkeys.

India Today TV spoke to a doctor at the medical college who acquiesced that monkeys in the area are serial offenders and such incidents have occurred in the past too.

In a video that has since gone viral, monkeys can be seen sitting on a tree and chewing the sample collection kit.

However, SK Garg, Principal of Meerut Medical College denied that the samples were of coronavirus patients and said that the troop of monkeys snatched blood samples of some patients collected for routine tests. He said that the samples taken away by the monkeys do not include coronavirus swab test samples.

Also read: Lockdown 5.0: List of activities likely to be permitted, prohibited after May 31

Also read: India's lockdown strictest; economic impact to be deeper than other countries: Jefferies
Bengaluru, May 30 : The South Western Railway (SWR) zone has ferried 10,954 migrants home to Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha in seven Shramik special trains, an official said.

"First Shramik special of Friday departed from Ashokapuram to New Jalpaiguri at 12.43 p.m. with 1,520 passengers," said a SWR zone official on Friday.

The second special train left from KSR Bengaluru to Darbhanga in Bihar at 2.55 p.m. with 1,622 migrants.

Friday's third special train departed Chikka Bannavara station near Bengaluru at 5.15 p.m. with 1,575 passengers.

The fourth special train departed KSR Bengaluru for Muzaffarpur in Bihar at 7.15 p.m. with 1,600 migrants.

Similarly, the fifth special train departed from Chikka Bannavara for Araiya at 8.25 p.m. with 1,568 passengers.

The sixth special train left from Koppal for Bhadrak in Odisha at 8.40 p.m. with 1,469 migrants.

The last train and seventh special train on Friday departed from Chikka Bannavara station to Bhagalpur at 10.43 p.m. with 1,600 migrants.

The special trains are being run following the Ministry of Home Affairs' permission for the movement of stranded migrant labourers, workers, students, tourists and others amid the COVID lockdown.

Since May 3 to Friday, the railway zone has operated 176 special trains to chug more than 2.5 lakh migrants home to mostly Odisha, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal and some northeastern states.
Some parents in Lagos have kicked against any imminent plans to reopen schools on account of the continued spread of the novel coronav...





Some parents in Lagos have kicked against any imminent plans to reopen schools on account of the continued spread of the novel coronavirus.





Emeka Nwajiuba, minister of state for education, had earlier spoken on plans to divide academics into morning and afternoon sessions towards safely reopening institutions across the country.





This was after Boss Mustapha, chairman of the presidential task force on COVID-19, had announced that the federal government looks to roll out guidelines to prevent any surge in the COVID-19 cases.





Speaking to NAN about their concerns on Thursday, some parents whose wards school in Lagos state said it was important for the federal and state governments to continue to safeguard children from the pandemic.

Ayobami Ojo, a civil servant, who resides in Ikotun, urged the state government to allow children to remain at home until the pandemic is effectively contained and or a vaccine is found.





There is no need of considering any morning and evening classes for now; let the children continue to stay safe at home as the virus is increasing every day, the parent said.





Children will naturally not be as cautious as adults; schools cannot be compared to markets. Reopening of schools should be considered when confirmed cases drop very well.





On her part, Abiodun Aina, a businesswoman, who resides in Ayobo, said that lives could be jeopardised by the planned resumption if the issue isnt handled carefully.





It is difficult to control adults, let alone children, we should not risk the lives of children. A two-shift option for classes may not stop the spread of the virus, the trader said.





Its better to remain at home until COVID-19 subsides or a vaccine is found. Nigerians should stop putting pressure on government to reopen schools. Why are we in a rush? We need to be patient.





Kayode Jacob, a businessman, who lives around the Iyana-Ipaja area of the commercial city, said his opinion wasnt any different from his colleagues as he warns of the dangers that lie ahead.





University and secondary schools students can be cautioned, he said.





They can observe social distancing and other precautions. But these will be difficult for nursery and primary school pupils. Protecting the lives of our children should be paramount.




Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday shot down a bill offering small businesses slammed by the coronavirus a chance to suspend their rent payments for up to three months.

The bill would have given the governor power to issue an executive order allowing some small businesses to defer rent payments. They would have repaid the missed rent over six to nine months following the end of the state of emergency.

Landlords would have been barred from evicting small businesses that take advantage of the rent suspension order. They would have been considered in violation of the New Jersey consumer fraud act if they did attempt to evict their tenant, according to the bill (S2363).

In his veto message, Murphy said the bill shifts the financial pain from small businesses to commercial landlords who may not be relieved of their own obligations to pay mortgage payments and property taxes.

While I share the sponsors concern for the viability of our states small businesses, I am concerned that the approach contemplated in this bill fails to fully consider the financial impact that an emergency rent suspension would have on our non-residential property owners who are, in many cases, themselves small businesses," he said.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Murphy said direct financial support is a better tool for helping small businesses hit by mandated closures and stay-at-home orders. The governor pointed to a small $5 million grant program offered by the state Economic Development Authority in April. Tens of thousands of businesses with 10 or fewer full-time equivalent employees sought grants of $1,000 to $5,000, but there was only enough cash available for 1,600 awards.

The administration has since announced it is pledging another $50 million, paid out of the states federal aid award, toward grants administered by the EDA.

Rather than establishing rules that help one segment of the economy at the expense of another, we should be taking more evenhanded steps to lift the tide for everyone concerned, he said in the message accompanying his veto. Direct financial aid, including rental assistance, is a necessary lifeline for many small businesses struggling to survive these troubling times.

Businesses across the state were ordered to close their doors while restaurants were limited to carryout and delivery only as part of the states effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Nonessential retail businesses were only recently allowed to open for curbside pickup.

Nearly 1.17 million New Jersey workers have filed claims for unemployment benefits.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com.
Boris Johnsons decision to relax the lockdown carries some risk as the daily number of new coronavirus cases remains relatively high, a top scientist advising ministers has said.

Many experts would prefer to see the Covid-19 infection rate at a lower level before easing restrictions, said Professor John Edmunds, who attends meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage). He said there was little room for manoeuvre if the test, track and trace system fails to keep cases down.

The latest Office for National Statistics data suggests there are around 54,000 new coronavirus infections per week in England outside hospital and care settings  nearly 8,000 per day.

Professor Edmunds questioned whether the test, track and trace system would be able to keep the so-called R value, or reproduction rate, below one unless significant numbers of wider social distance measures were in place.

It comes as a tranche of Sage documents was published online, which revealed:

Evidence of low public compliance with self isolation as only 50 per cent of those who developed symptoms stayed at home for seven days

Test, track and trace was only likely to be effective if 80 per cent of contacts were tracked down and isolated within 48 hours

Experts said public should be advised to wear face coverings on 21 April but advice was not issued by ministers until 11 May

A request was made for pastoral support for Sage members due to the pressures of the work

Ben Warner, a data scientist who worked for Vote Leave, attended meetings on behalf of Downing Street

Professor Edmunds said: I think many of us would prefer to see the incidence driven down to lower levels because that would mean we have fewer cases occurring before we relaxed the measures.

If we had incidence at a lower level, even if the ... level went up a bit, we wouldnt be in a position where we were overwhelming the health service.

I think at the moment with relatively high incidence, relaxing the measures and with an untested track and trace system, I think we are taking some risk here.

Even if that risk doesnt play out and we keep the incidence flat, were keeping it flat at quite a high level.

More than 50 documents detailing scientific advice to the government from the beginning of the pandemic until the start of May were published on Friday afternoon.

One paper, by a sub-group of behavioural scientists in April, suggested only around half of people with coronavirus symptoms self-isolate for a week. This raised concerns over whether members of the public would self-isolate if they came into contact with an infected person  they would be asked to do so under the test, track and trace system.

Advisers said track and trace was likely to be effective if 80 per cent of contacts were tracked down and isolated within 48 hours. They warned that there is a risk individuals become less willing to comply if they are repeatedly asked to isolate and are impacted financially.

The document pointed to major behavioural barriers to widespread use of the NHS contact tracing app, which is currently being developed, including lack of trust and technological knowledge, particularly among older people.

It also warned that Russia would scrutinise all western responses to Covid-19 as a significant intelligence gathering opportunity.

Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Show all 18 1 /18 Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, wearing PPE before going into rooms Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, speaks to a carer at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Carers working at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care worker wearing PPE opens a drink carton Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, sits with a carer Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care staff member wearing PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home looks after a resident SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE uses a speaker Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer helps Jack Dodsley, 79, from his chair Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE helps Jack Dodsley, 79 Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer brings food to a resident at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member puts on PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, puts on PPE before she enters a room SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A bench at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS

Minutes from meetings in May revealed Sage suggested more stringent contact tracing criteria than is being adopted, recommending that people should be told to isolate if they come into contact with someone who has symptoms.

The new test, track and trace system recommends people isolate only if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.

Experts looked at introducing social bubbles to allow people to see family and friends in early May but concluded that such a move carried potential unforeseen risks.

On mask wearing, the panel concluded on 21 April that there is enough evidence to support recommendation of community use of cloth face masks, for short periods in enclosed spaces, where social distancing is not possible. But ministers did not issue public advice on masks until 11 May.

In May, the experts said it was unclear whether children were as likely to spread coronavirus as adults. But some variable evidence indicated children under 13 were less likely to transmit the virus.

The minutes also showed the scientists hesitancy at advising a lockdown, which was finally imposed on 23 March.

Ten days earlier, they wrote: Sage was unanimous that measures seeking to completely suppress spread of Covid-19 will cause a second peak.

Sage advises that it is a near certainty that countries such as China, where heavy suppression is under way, will experience a second peak once measures are relaxed.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) today reported net income of $49.3 million, or $1.26 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2020 ended May 2, 2020. This result compares to adjusted net income of $37.0 million, or $0.92 per diluted share (non-GAAP), for the first quarter of fiscal 2019. As a reminder, on March 30, 2020 the company withdrew its previously communicated guidance for fiscal 2020 as a result of the uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2020 totaled $1,439 million, an 11.1% increase compared to $1,296 million for the same period last year, with the growth resulting from a 10.3% increase in comparable sales and sales growth from new and relocated non-comp stores.

Commenting on today's announcement, Bruce Thorn, President and CEO of Big Lots stated, "I am very proud of our team over the past quarter. We've grown as an organization through these unprecedented times, and it has been amazing to see the team step up our game. Most importantly, our primary focus has been on maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our associates and customers. In turn, that has enabled us to keep our store and ecommerce operations open, and continue serving both our loyal existing customers and many new ones. Our strong financial results are the outcome of those efforts, and I want to give a big and special thanks to all of our associates, and particularly to our associates working in our stores and distribution centers."

Mr. Thorn continued, "Looking forward, we are off to a strong start in the second quarter, and believe we are well positioned to navigate through the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, with strong alignment between our assortment and current customer demand. Equally, we are very focused on ensuring sustainable improvements in our business beyond the crisis. We are applying the learnings of the last few months and continue to roll out our Operation North Star strategies to support our positioning as a go-to neighborhood discount retailer."



Earnings per diluted share









Q1 2020

Q1 2019







Earnings per diluted share $1.26

$0.39 Impact of costs associated with early implementation





phases of our strategic business transformation review (1) -

$0.39 Impact of legal settlement loss contingencies (1) -

$0.14







Earnings per diluted share - adjusted basis $1.26

$0.92



(1) Non-GAAP detailed reconciliation provided in our statements below.

Inventory and Cash Management

Inventory ended the first quarter of fiscal 2020 at $807 million compared to $927 million for the same period last year with the 13% decrease resulting from strong sales results in most merchandise categories in the quarter.

The company ended the first quarter of fiscal 2020 with $312 million of Cash and Cash Equivalents and $437 million of long-term debt, representing a significant improvement in net debt compared to the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2019 when the company had $64 million of Cash and Cash Equivalents and $470 million of long-term debt. During the quarter, out of an abundance of caution, the company chose to draw down additional amounts on its revolving credit facility to provide protection against the unknown potential impacts of the crisis.

Dividend

As announced in a separate press release today, on May 28, 2020, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per common share. This dividend payment of approximately $12 million will be payable on June 26, 2020, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 12, 2020.

Company Outlook

As of March 30, 2020, the company withdrew its full year guidance for fiscal 2020. At this point, the company does not believe it has sufficient visibility to reinstate full year guidance.

For the second quarter to date, comparable sales are up strongly, reflecting a continuation of the acceleration in business that began in mid-April. The company expects comp trends to moderate over the balance of the quarter due to a number of factors, including competitors and other retailers reopening, the planned cancellation of the July Friends and Family event, potential inventory constraints in certain categories, and the abatement of stimulus-driven demand.

Assuming comparable sales for the second quarter increased in line with the first quarter, the company would expect diluted EPS to be in the range of $0.65 to $0.80. This outlook incorporates anticipated pre-tax expenses related to COVID-19 of approximately $18 million. It further incorporates an approximate $7 million adverse pre-tax impact from the expected closing of the sale and leaseback transaction for the four owned distribution centers, but excludes the expected gain on sale from the transaction. Based on quarter to date sales, the company believes the foregoing comparable sales assumption is conservative.

Notwithsanding the prior commentary, given the highly fluid environment and uncertain outlook on consumer behavior, the company believes the range of outcomes is wider than in a normal quarter.

Conference Call/Webcast

The company will host a conference call today at 8:00 a.m. to discuss the financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2020. A webcast of the conference call is available through the Investor Relations section of the company's website http://www.biglots.com . An archive of the call will be available through the Investor Relations section of the company's website http://www.biglots.com/after 12:00 p.m. today and will remain available through midnight on Friday, June 12, 2020. A replay of this call will also be available beginning today at 12:00 p.m. through June 12 by dialing 1.877.660.6853 (Toll Free) or 1.201.612.7415 (Toll) and entering Replay Conference ID 13703921. All times are Eastern Time.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) is a discount retailer operating 1,404 BIG LOTS stores in 47 states with product assortments in the merchandise categories of Furniture, Seasonal, Soft Home, Food, Consumables, Hard Home, and Electronics, Toys & Accessories. The company's mission is to help people Live BIG and Save Lots. The company strives to be the BIG difference for a better life by delivering unmatched value to customers through surprise and delight, being a "best places to work" culture for associates, rewarding shareholders with consistent growth and top tier returns, and doing good in communities as the company does well. For more information about the company, visit www.biglots.com.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and such statements are intended to qualify for the protection of the safe harbor provided by the Act. The words "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "objective," "goal," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will," "should," "may," "target," "forecast," "guidance," "outlook" and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. Similarly, descriptions of objectives, strategies, plans, goals or targets are also forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to the expectations of management as to future occurrences and trends, including statements expressing optimism or pessimism about future operating results or events and projected sales, earnings, capital expenditures and business strategy. Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of assumptions concerning future conditions that may ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Forward-looking statements are and will be based upon management's then-current views and assumptions regarding future events and operating performance and are applicable only as of the dates of such statements. Although the company believes the expectations expressed in forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of knowledge, forward-looking statements, by their nature, involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, any one or a combination of which could materially affect business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Forward-looking statements that the company makes herein and in other reports and releases are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, current economic and credit conditions, the cost of goods, the inability to successfully execute strategic initiatives, competitive pressures, economic pressures on customers and the company, the availability of brand name closeout merchandise, trade restrictions, freight costs, the risks discussed in the Risk Factors section of the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other factors discussed from time to time in other filings with the SEC, including Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. This release should be read in conjunction with such filings, and you should consider all of these risks, uncertainties and other factors carefully in evaluating forward-looking statements.

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date thereof. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised, however, to consult any further disclosures the company makes on related subjects in public announcements and SEC filings.

BIG LOTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands)













MAY 2

MAY 4



2020

2019



(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)











ASSETS















Current assets:







Cash and cash equivalents $311,872

$63,572

Inventories 806,559

926,988

Other current assets 75,978

78,532

Total current assets 1,194,409

1,069,092









Operating lease right-of-use assets 1,206,133

1,156,656









Property and equipment - net 849,857

735,957









Deferred income taxes 6,161

15,418 Other assets 65,226

68,522



$3,321,786

$3,045,645





















LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY















Current liabilities:







Accounts payable $275,461

$314,639

Current operating lease liabilities 207,899

236,016

Property, payroll and other taxes 96,248

84,016

Accrued operating expenses 138,212

144,058

Insurance reserves 35,572

37,492

Accrued salaries and wages 34,622

32,697

Income taxes payable 16,903

6,551

Total current liabilities 804,917

855,469









Long-term debt 436,684

470,400









Noncurrent operating lease liabilities 1,046,711

960,754 Deferred income taxes 41,171

0 Insurance reserves 56,759

53,018 Unrecognized tax benefits 10,279

14,002 Other liabilities 41,332

43,671









Shareholders' equity 883,933

648,331



$3,321,786

$3,045,645

BIG LOTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands, except per share data)

















13 WEEKS ENDED

13 WEEKS ENDED



MAY 2, 2020

MAY 4, 2019





%



%



(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)



























Net sales $1,439,149 100.0

$1,295,796 100.0















Gross margin 570,756 39.7

519,047 40.1















Selling and administrative expenses 458,631 31.9

460,605 35.5















Depreciation expense 37,690 2.6

32,797 2.5













Operating profit 74,435 5.2

25,645 2.0















Interest expense (3,322) (0.2)

(3,733) (0.3)















Other income (expense) (3,317) (0.2)

910 0.1













Income before income taxes 67,796 4.7

22,822 1.8















Income tax expense 18,473 1.3

7,282 0.6













Net income $49,323 3.4

$15,540 1.2



























Earnings per common share

























Basic $1.26



$0.39

















Diluted $1.26



$0.39





























Weighted average common shares outstanding

























Basic 39,129



39,922

















Dilutive effect of share-based awards 111



80

















Diluted 39,240



40,002















Cash dividends declared per common share $0.30



$0.30



BIG LOTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (In thousands)













13 WEEKS ENDED

13 WEEKS ENDED



MAY 2, 2020

MAY 4, 2019



(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

Net cash provided by operating activities $146,121

$57,435











Net cash used in investing activities (28,913)

(76,766)











Net cash provided by financing activities 141,943

36,869









Increase in cash and cash equivalents 259,151

17,538

Cash and cash equivalents:







Beginning of period 52,721

46,034

End of period $311,872

$63,572

BIG LOTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

(In thousands, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

The following tables reconcile: gross margin, gross margin rate, selling and administrative expenses, selling and administrative expense rate, gain on sale of distribution center, gain on sale of distribution center rate, operating profit, operating profit rate, income tax expense, effective income tax rate, net income, and diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2019, the second quarter of 2019, and the full year 2019 (GAAP financial measures) to adjusted gross margin, adjusted gross margin rate, adjusted selling and administrative expenses, adjusted selling and administrative expense rate, adjusted gain on sale of distribution center, adjusted gain on sale of distribution center rate, adjusted operating profit, adjusted operating profit rate, adjusted income tax expense, adjusted effective income tax rate, adjusted net income, and adjusted diluted earnings per share (non-GAAP financial measures).

First quarter of 2019 - Thirteen weeks ended May 4, 2019





















As Reported

Impact to exclude

department exit

inventory

impairment

Impact to exclude

transformational

restructuring costs

Adjustment to

exclude legal

settlement loss

contingencies

As Adjusted

(non-GAAP) Gross margin $ 519,047

$ 6,050

$ -

$ -

$ 525,097 Gross margin rate 40.1%

0.5%

-

-

40.5% Selling and administrative expenses 460,605

-

(15,333)

(7,250)

438,022 Selling and administrative expense rate 35.5%

-

(1.2%)

(0.6%)

33.8% Operating profit 25,645

6,050

15,333

7,250

54,278 Operating profit rate 2.0%

0.5%

1.2%

0.6%

4.2% Income tax expense 7,282

1,553

3,935

1,696

14,466 Effective income tax rate 31.9%

(0.8%)

(1.6%)

(1.4%)

28.1% Net income 15,540

4,497

11,398

5,554

36,989 Diluted earnings per share $ 0.39

$ 0.11

$ 0.28

$ 0.14

$ 0.92

The above adjusted gross margin, adjusted gross margin rate, adjusted selling and administrative expenses, adjusted selling and administrative expense rate, adjusted operating profit, adjusted operating profit rate, adjusted income tax expense, adjusted effective income tax rate, adjusted net income, and adjusted diluted earnings per share are "non-GAAP financial measures" as that term is defined by Rule 101 of Regulation G (17 CFR Part 244) and Item 10 of Regulation S-K (17 CFR Part 229). These non-GAAP financial measures exclude from the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") (1) an inventory impairment amount of $6,050 ($4,497, net of tax) as a result of a merchandise department exit; (2) the costs associated with a transformational restructuring initiative of $15,333 ($11,398, net of tax); and (3) a pretax charge related to estimated legal settlement of employee class actions of $7,250 ($5,554, net of tax).

Second quarter of 2019 - Thirteen weeks ended August 3, 2019













As Reported

Impact to exclude

transformational

restructuring costs

As Adjusted

(non-GAAP) Selling and administrative expenses $ 455,026

$ (19,452)

$ 435,574 Selling and administrative expense rate 36.3%

(1.6%)

34.8% Operating profit 13,181

19,452

32,633 Operating profit rate 1.1%

1.6%

2.6% Income tax expense 1,649

4,993

6,642 Effective income tax rate 21.1%

3.2%

24.3% Net income 6,178

14,459

20,637 Diluted earnings per share $ 0.16

$ 0.37

$ 0.53

The above adjusted selling and administrative expenses, adjusted selling and administrative expense rate, adjusted operating profit, adjusted operating profit rate, adjusted income tax expense, adjusted effective income tax rate, adjusted net income, and adjusted diluted earnings per share are "non-GAAP financial measures" as that term is defined by Rule 101 of Regulation G (17 CFR Part 244) and Item 10 of Regulation S-K (17 CFR Part 229). These non-GAAP financial measures exclude from the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP the costs associated with a transformational restructuring initiative of $19,452 ($14,459, net of tax).

Full Year 2019 - Fifty-two weeks ended February 1, 2020

























As Reported

Impact to exclude

department exit

inventory

impairment

Impact to exclude

transformational

restructuring costs

Adjustment to

exclude legal

settlement loss

contingencies

Adjustment to

exclude gain on

sale of distribution

center

As Adjusted

(non-GAAP) Gross margin $ 2,114,682

$ 6,050

$ -

$ -

$ -

$ 2,120,732 Gross margin rate 39.7%

0.1%

-

-

-

39.8% Selling and administrative expenses 1,823,409

-

(38,338)

(7,250)

-

1,777,821 Selling and administrative expense rate 34.3%

-

(0.7%)

(0.1%)

-

33.4% Gain on sale of distribution center (178,534)

-

-

-

178,534

- Gain on sale of distribution center rate (3.4%)

-

-

-

3.4%

- Operating profit 334,826

6,050

38,338

7,250

(178,534)

207,930 Operating profit rate 6.3%

0.1%

0.7%

0.1%

(3.4%)

3.9% Income tax expense 75,084

1,553

9,836

1,696

(41,930)

46,239 Effective income tax rate 23.6%

0.0%

0.1%

(0.0%)

0.6%

24.3% Net income 242,464

4,497

28,502

5,554

(136,604)

144,413 Diluted earnings per share $ 6.16

$ 0.11

$ 0.72

$ 0.14

$ (3.47)

$ 3.67

The above adjusted gross margin, adjusted gross margin rate, adjusted selling and administrative expenses, adjusted selling and administrative expense rate, adjusted gain on sale of distribution center, adjusted gain on sale of distribution center rate, adjusted operating profit, adjusted operating profit rate, adjusted income tax expense, adjusted effective income tax rate, adjusted net income, and adjusted diluted earnings per share are "non-GAAP financial measures" as that term is defined by Rule 101 of Regulation G (17 CFR Part 244) and Item 10 of Regulation S-K (17 CFR Part 229). These non-GAAP financial measures exclude from the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP (1) an inventory impairment amount of $6,050 ($4,497, net of tax) as a result of a merchandise department exit; (2) the costs associated with a transformational restructuring initiative of $38,338 ($28,502, net of tax); (3) a pretax charge related to estimated legal settlement of employee class actions of $7,250 ($5,554, net of tax); and (4) a gain resulting from the sale of our Rancho Cucamonga, California distribution center of $178,534 ($136,604, net of tax).

Our management believes that the disclosure of these non-GAAP financial measures provides useful information to investors because the non-GAAP financial measures present an alternative and more relevant method for measuring our operating performance, excluding special items included in the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, that management believes is more indicative of our on-going operating results and financial condition. Our management uses these non-GAAP financial measures, along with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, in evaluating our operating performance.

SOURCE Big Lots, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.biglots.com


The first Connecticut prisoner to die with coronavirus, who was approved for release by the Department of Correction and was scrambling to find a place to go before the illness took his life, finally made it home to his family in Bridgeport Thursday in a midday funeral marked by sad what-ifs.

Family and friends gathered Thursday in a distant corner of St. Michaels Cemetery for a small ceremony to remember Carlos DeLeon, who died from the virus on April 13 at John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington.

DeLeon had been an inmate at the Osborn Correctional Institute, a medium-security prison in Somers. Several of those gathered, including his sisters, Milagros and Isabel DeLeon, had tried to bring him home before the coronavirus did, to no avail.

DeLeon was halfway through a two-year sentence for a nonviolent firearms possession offense. When he died, he had just turned 63 and suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a lung disease caused by years of smoking  exactly the profile of the inmate the state said it needed to protect from COVID-19.

Despite the situation, he deserved at least this, for us to pay him respect, Milagros DeLeon said Thursday, gesturing toward the grassy area where more than a dozen friends and family members had just gathered to remember her brother. A small table topped with a maroon cloth was covered in pink carnations placed around the black box that held Carlos ashes.

At least he knows we dont forget him, Milagros said.

The family also had some consolation that DeLeons death brought changes for others behind bars.

DeLeons funeral was held a day after the Department of Correction announced a seventh inmate had died with the coronavirus. Since DeLeons death, more than 850 inmates and nearly 400 staff have tested positive for the virus. More than 3,800 people have died of the virus in Connecticut as of Thursday.

A lot has changed within the prisons since DeLeon died. For one, a week after DeLeons death, the prison system implemented a mask policy for inmates. As of April 21, inmates are required to wear masks when theyre not in their cells.

And about two weeks ago the department began offering testing to its entire incarcerated population. Testing has been completed at both Osborn and the Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center, the department said in a release this week. A total of 1,579 offenders were tested, and 298 showed positive results despite no noticeable symptoms.

DeLeons death was a flashpoint  and the department remains under fire from activists and families of inmates who claim the state hasnt done enough to protect its incarcerated population.

A pandemic funeral

Its tradition when a member of the DeLeon clan dies to hold a big funeral, usually with an open casket. Normally, the multi-day affair draws family from across the country.

But Wednesday, the group was small, restricted by safety precautions. Members of his family and close friends, clad in cloth face masks, spaced six feet apart around the table holding his ashes. Traffic on the stretch of I-95 that looms over this part of the cemetery made it difficult to hear.

The family was told he would have to be cremated even though cremation isnt in their tradition. For the past month and a half, the family has worked to scrape the funds together to pay the total cost of just under $2,000 for the cremation and services.

The funeral, lasting just under 15 minutes including prayers in both English and Spanish, took place graveside. Carlos would be buried next to his mother, Asuncion DeLeon, who died in February 1982, according to the simple plaque that marks her gravesite. Fresh flowers planted near the stone on Mothers Day still bloom there.

Under cemetery policy due to COVID-19, the family couldnt stay next to the grave for the burial, so they returned to their cars after the prayers.

He deserves to be remembered. He had a name, he had family, Milagros said. I would have done anything to give him a normal funeral, but the great thing is we brought him here and he is resting with mami.

DeLeon tried to go home

DeLeon was very artistic and did odd jobs over the years, his family said. He did have a significant criminal record.

Databases show he was first incarcerated in 2015 for 18 months with two years of parole for third degree larceny, and served 90 days in 2016 for another minor larceny charge. Connecticut Judicial records show no earlier convictions, though other criminal records show prior convictions for threatening, attempted murder, possession of drug paraphernalia, burglary, larceny and risk of injury to a minor.

DeLeon fit of the criteria required by the Department of Correction for approval for expedited release: over 60 with a medical condition with a sentence of less than two years for a nonviolent offense.

But the department said at the time of his death it couldnt find an appropriate place for him to go.

DeLeons family tried to bring him home  his sister Isabel offered her house. Complications and miscommunications in the application process led Carlos to instead seek approval for a halfway house, apparently under the impression that process might be quicker.

Coronavirus cases were surging outside the prison system, and Carlos said hed apply for a halfway house rather than have Milagros apply for approval for transitional release, she said. Milagros convinced herself her brother would be safer inside the prison.

By then, it was late March. The department was only testing inmates who showed symptoms. The first tested positive on March 30, and two weeks later DeLeon was dead.

The family hasnt alleged any negligence and the department did not, apparently, violate any of its own policies. Still, family members said theyre furious with a system rife with flawed policies that kept DeLeon behind bars.

DeLeon could have been released into their care, or he could have, at least, been kept safer while he was behind bars, they said Thursday.

DeLeons daughter, Maria Ruiz, who also lives in Bridgeport, was able to FaceTime with her father, along with Milagros and Isabel, just before he died in the hospital. He was on a ventilator by then. He couldnt speak, and Ruiz said shes not even sure he could hear them. Seeing him that way, as her last memory of him, made his loss even harder, she said.

They most certainly should have handled it differently. But those are the disadvantages of being a minority and being incarcerated, Ruiz said, her voice soft and her eyes bright with tears.

I dont understand the stipulations or what happened. He was very independent and he liked being on his own anyway, but he wasnt given the proper treatment. He didnt deserve to die there.

kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt
Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Caleb Rule was killed in a friendly-fire incident early Friday morning in a Houston suburb

A Texas deputy mistakenly shot and killed another responding officer early Friday while searching a vacant home after a neighbor reported a suspicious person in the area.

The shooting happened in the Sienna Plantation subdivision in Missouri City, about 15 miles southwest of Houston.

Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls said a neighbor called police at around 1.45am to report that someone suspicious was running in the 3900 block of Chestnut Bend. Fort Bend County sheriffs deputies and Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Caleb Rule, 37, responded, he said.

Ten minutes after getting the 911 call, the officers came upon an unoccupied home with an unlocked back door and entered to search it. While clearing the home, a sheriff's deputy fatally shot Rule, mistaking him for an intruder, Nehls said.

Scroll down for video

Rule and his colleagues were responding to a call about a suspicious person at a vacant house in the Sienna Plantation subdivision when a sheriff's deputy mistook him for an intruder

Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls (left) and his brother Precinct 4 Constable Trever Nehls (right) are speaking about the officer-involved shooting

Rule, who was wearing his bulletproof vest at the time, suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest.

He was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he later died.

'What else do you say? Youve got to pray for everybody  just a tragic, tragic scene here,' the visibly dejected sheriff said early Friday.

Sheriff Nehls' brother, Precinct 4 Constable Trever Nehls, struggled to contain his emotions while speaking of the fallen deputy, as seen during the press conference that aired on KTRK.

He said that before joining the constables office, Rule served as a detective at the Missouri City Police Department for 14 years.

Despite wearing a bulletproof vest, Rule (pictured with his wife) suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and died at a hospital

Rule leaves behind his wife and their four children (pictured together above)

The deputy constable is survived by his wife and their four children, ages 13 to 18.

The sheriff's deputy who fired the fatal shot was placed on leave, as per department policy in deputy-involved shootings, and an investigation into the shooting was underway, Nehls said.

'We are heartbroken over this. We are praying for everyone involved,' Nehls said in a statement.
ALBANY  The former General Electric research engineer who pleaded guilty on Thursday to stealing trade secrets admitted he stole the technology while working at GE's lab at SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Albany.

Yang Sui, 42, of Niskayuna, faces up to 10 years in federal prison under a plea deal in which he admitted to stealing dozens of files from GE's computer servers while working at GE's lab at SUNY Poly, which was part of the New York Power Electronics Manufacturing Consortium, a $500 million research program created by the state in 2014.

GE invested $100 million in the consortium by helping to set up a clean room manufacturing line at SUNY Poly that would make silicon carbide chips that would be made into power electronics switches. The switches would regulate power in everything from electric cars and airplanes to wind turbines. The chips are technically called metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors, or MOSFETS.

The consortium has been instrumental in attracting companies to set up silicon carbide manufacturing and packaging operations at SUNY Poly's campus outside of Utica.

Sui was assigned by GE to work at the SUNY Poly lab from 2015 to 2017. It was during those two years that he admitted to stealing GE trade secrets on silicon carbide chip manufacturing, which GE had developed over the years at the GE Global Research Center in Niskayuna.

Sui, a Chinese national, began working at GE's research lab in Niskayuna in 2010. He was sent to work at GE's silicon carbide lab at SUNY Poly in 2015, and soon after began downloading sensitive GE files to his computer at SUNY Poly.

"On multiple occasions, the defendant stole, by downloading from GEs servers, and then uploading as attachments to emails via his Gmail account, dozens of GEs electronic files pertaining to the research, design, manufacture, and customer markets for silicon carbide MOSFETs," federal prosecutors outline in Sui's plea deal filed in U.S. District Court in Albany. "After sending the stolen information to himself via his Gmail account, the defendant repeatedly logged on to his Gmail account from his home in Niskayuna and downloaded the stolen GE files onto his personal laptop computer."

Sui also admitted that he planned to use the silicon carbide manufacturing instructions, which involve 200 steps, to launch his own company. He even had plans to attract $30 million in outside investment in the venture.

"Beginning in about 2017, the defendant was developing a business plan to start his own private company whose purpose was to manufacture and sell the same type of silicon carbide MOSFETs that GE was researching, developing, designing, and manufacturing through NY-PEMC," federal prosecutors wrote in the plea agreement.

Under the plea agreement, the loss to GE is considered to be at least $500,000. Sui is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22.

Neither SUNY Poly nor the state immediately offered comment on the case.

GE has been closely cooperating with the FBI for some time on this matter," a GE spokesman told the Times Union. "At GE, we aggressively protect and defend our intellectual property and have processes in place for identifying these issues and partnering with law enforcement.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Prosecutors wrote that GE uncovered the theft in December of 2017 as it was winding down operations at SUNY Poly, having set up the manufacturing line at SUNY Poly.

GE initially interviewed Sui about the crime on Dec. 19, 2017 and then took materials and electronic devices from his SUNY Poly office and his house.

Two days later, the FBI searched Sui's Niskayuna home and seized additional computers and other devices. On Dec. 22, the FBI executed another search warrant at GE in Niskayuna and seized Sui's office materials that GE had removed from its SUNY Poly lab after uncovering his activities, including notebooks.

"One of the notebooks memorialized the defendants plans to start his own company by producing silicon carbide MOSFETs," prosecutors wrote in the plea agreement. "The seized materials show that the defendant was seeking $30 million in funding for a 50 percent ownership stake in his planned private company."

Prosecutors say Sui had also explored the possibility of just licensing the silicon carbide technology from GE, a move that would not have been illegal by itself.

"The defendant had not yet discussed any potential license with GE because, soon after the defendant began exploring the possibility of obtaining a license, GE came to his house and seized the materials," prosecutors wrote.
South Korea has been forced to re-close 251 schools amid a dramatic spike in coronavirus cases.

A total of 2.37 million children were allowed back to the classroom on Wednesday after months of online learning, but two days later 251 schools in Bucheon, west of Seoul, have been forced to close again.

It comes amid an outbreak of cases traced back to a warehouse run by South Korea's biggest e-commerce firm, Coupang, in Bucheon, according to the BBC.

South Korea has seen cases jump by 56 in just 24 hours - despite managing to keep the daily number of cases in single figures until now.

The country had been praised for its early intervention of the virus, which has caused 269 deaths since the outbreak began earlier this year.

High school students wearing face masks prepare for classes, with plastic covers placed on desks to prevent infection in Daejeon, South Korea, May 20, 2020

To date there have been 11,402 confirmed cases in the country.

Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae has delayed 561 school openings amid the latest hike in cases, as 79 new infections were recorded on Thursday - the highest in nearly eight weeks.

Traces of Covid-19 have been detected on the soles of distribution workers' shoes and on clothing. One student, whose mother is an employee of the centre, tested positive for the virus.

'We'll take every measure we can take until safety is confirmed,' a Coupang spokeswoman said.

Museums, parks and art galleries in the capital Seoul will shutter their doors from Friday with companies urged to reintroduce flexible working hours, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said.

'We have decided to strengthen all quarantine measures in the [Seoul] metropolitan area for two weeks from tomorrow to June 14,' he said.

Students sit behind protective screens as they eat their lunch as a preventative measure against COVID-19 at a high school in Daejeon on May 20, 2020

South Korea reported 79 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, its largest single-day rise in almost two months, with a majority of cases linked to a warehouse near Seoul (pictured)

Citizens were also advised to refrain from social gatherings or going to crowded places - including restaurants and bars - while religious facilities were asked to be extra vigilant with quarantine measures.

Some 20,902 schools in the country were allowed to reopen on Wednesday.

'If students can't return to school under the current prevention regime there might be no offline schools at all this year,' Ms Yoo warned during a meeting a a government complex in Sejong earlier this week.

On their first day back to school, students lined up for temperature checks and were given sanitisers to wash their hands as they entered school premises.

Senior students line up to get their body temperatures checked at the Kyungbock High School in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 20

But for 66 schools in Incheon, Seoul, the excitement was short lived as students were evacuated and sent home soon after the reopening when two pupils were found to have contracted the virus.

Authorities decided to temporarily close all schools in their neighbourhood as students there may have come in contact with the infected students earlier, a spokesman at the Incheon Metropolitan City Office of Education said.

The episode illustrated the challenge of reopening schools while at the same time seeking to prevent transmission of the virus.

Inside the school buildings, students were asked to wipe their desks and sit apart according to social distancing guidelines, with some classes setting up partitions between desks.

A teacher (right) welcomes a student back to school with an elbow bump at Kyungbock high school on May 20, 2020 in Seoul, South Korea

Ms Yoo said: 'Concerns over small infection clusters still remain and no one can predict what kind of situation will arise at schools.'

The education ministry began operating a 24-hour emergency situation room two weeks ago, Ms Yoo said, adding that any schools that report fresh infections will be shut immediately.

While final-year students are required to come to school every day, younger pupils will shift between online and offline classes to ensure school buildings are not overcrowded.

Oh Chang-hwa, student president of Kyungbock High School in Seoul said: 'It's really exciting to meet my friends and teachers face to face, but we have to strictly follow the disinfection guidelines.

Students eat lunch at tables equipped with plastic barriers in Doan High School in Daejeon, South Korea, 20 May 2020

'I am very worried but it's still nice to see them again.'

South Korea endured one of the worst early outbreaks of the virus -- at one point the second-worst hit nation after mainland China -- prompting officials to delay the reopening of schools in early March.

But it appeared to have brought its outbreak under control thanks to an extensive 'trace, test and treat' programme.

Around 440,000 final-year students, who will in December take the university entrance exam that is crucial in the education-obsessed country, are the first to return to schools, with other years following in stages over the next several weeks.

Lower-level students were set to return to school in phased steps by June 8.

South Korea's new school year was supposed to start in early March, but it was delayed several times due to worries about the spread of the coronavirus.

Pupils have their temperatures checked at an elementary school in Muan, South Jeolla, South Korea, 20 May 2020

A student walks past a thermal scanner to have his temperature checked before entering class at Geumcheon High School in Cheongju, South Korea, 20 May 2020

High school students wearing protective face masks maintain social distancing as they stand in a line to have their body temperature checked at a high school, in Ulsan, South Korea, May 20

About 5.4 million students in South Korea have been subsequently taking classes online.

At Seoul's Kyungbock High School, Cho Hee-yeon, the education superintendent in the capital, used a digital ear thermometer to check students' temperatures at the main gate while another official placed liquid sanitiser on the hands of those students.

Signs that read 'no outsiders are allowed to enter the school premises' were put up.

Cho Hee-yeon, Seoul's top education superintendent, said: 'I am here to see students returning to school while praying that there won't be any coronavirus patients among our students in 2,200 schools.'

South Korea relaxed much of its social distancing rules in early May. But it quickly saw a small but sudden spike in new infections linked to nightclubs in Seoul.

Those latest outbreaks had been on a downward trend until Tuesday, May 19.

PORTUGAL: A teacher wears a protective visor and the mandatory mask during class in the Agrupamento de Escolas Frei Goncalo de Azevedo on May 18, 2020 in Cascais

GERMANY: Pupils apply social distancing measures in class at Benzenberg secondary school in Duesseldorf, Germany, 19 May 2020

Across the world thousands of students have been making a cautious return to schools with countries such as Germany, Canada, Australia, China, Switzerland, Denmark, Greece, the Czech Republic, Cyprus and Israel allowing schools to reopen with measures including splitting classes in half and teaching them at different times of the day to keep pupils safe.

Pupils in Finland, who returned on Thursday, were pictured giving each-other air hugs as a greeting while students in the Netherlands were separated by plastic dividers as they returned to their desks.

That stands in stark contrast to the UK which has yet to produce a plan for getting the majority of students back to classes during this school year - putting the country alongside Spain and Italy, where only a few children are expected to return to classes before the summer holiday.

The UK Government wants a phased reopening from June 1, with Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils going back first as a row rumbles on about whether it is safe with Education Gavin Williamson insisting getting children back to school on that date is vital for their development and prospects so teachers should 'do their duty'.

NETHERLANDS: A teacher standing inside her taped-off safe zone speaks to pupils who sit at their desks behind plastic shields after elementary schools reopened

FINLAND: A teacher signals a warm welcome as children arrive to start the primary school in Helsinki, Finland, after schools were reopened on Thursday, May 14

FINLAND: Pupils keep the social distances before entering Eestinkallio primary school, as it re-opens after lockdown measures were eased across Finland

FINLAND: Students - some of whom are wearing gloves to prevent against coronavirus - are shown how to properly socially distance from one-another

Scientists are divided on the risks of sending children back to school - while they largely escape coronavirus symptoms they are known to be carriers of the disease and there are fears they will infect adults around them.

But restarting classes will be key to getting the global economy back up and running since parents who are forced to keep their offspring at home will be unable to return to their jobs.

There are also fears it will cause lasting economic damage for a 'lost generation' whose learning will be irreparably damaged by being kept away from their teachers, leading to a skills shortage in the future.
Self-driving startup Pony.ai in Nansha district of south Chinas Guangzhou city became the first company of the kind to nab licenses to test autonomous vehicles carrying passengers on Beijings roads on May 14.

The company marks an effort of Guangzhou in accelerating the digital economy and cultivating new growth drivers in recent years.

The increasing investment in the city against headwinds is further injecting impetus to its economic development.

On Longxue Island of Nansha district, more than 10 excavators are working at the construction site of the fourth phase of Nansha Port. With a total investment of over 20 billion yuan ($2.8 billion), the project is under intensive construction.

The port, projected to be completed and begin operation in 2021, is expected to lift the annual container throughput of Nansha Port to more than 22 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). It aims to become a sea passage for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to fully integrate into the construction of the Belt and Road.

Since this year, Guangzhou has regarded the construction of major projects as a focal point of its efforts and constantly fostered new growth drivers. The city has arranged 1,642 major projects this year with a total investment of 479.8 billion yuan. In the January-April period, 139.6 billion yuan of investment has been completed.

The city has achieved high-quality development while hedging against the negative impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Statistics show that 517 new projects were under negotiation in the city in the first quarter, and six contracts of intent were inked with a value of more than 10 billion yuan. The figures represent growth of investment against downward pressure from COVID-19.

Planning to invest nearly 1.4 trillion yuan in Guangzhou, global enterprises have showed their confidence in the city, a place where a bunch of major projects have been signed, kicked off, put into operation and planned.

The vigorous development of strategic emerging industries has become a unique advantage of Guangzhou. Within 48 hours, the nucleic acid testing kit developed by Guangzhou Hybribio Medical Laboratory Ltd. was issued a CE certification from the European Union; within two weeks, Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited resumed production of chloroquine phosphate, which was included in the seventh version of the diagnosis and treatment plan for the novel coronavirus.

Prior to that, the city proactively took policy measures to propel development of all respects of the strategic emerging industries. The bioengineering and pharmaceutical industry was the first to establish a complete industrial chain covering research and development, clinical trial, commercialization, manufacturing, application and marketing of products.

The Guangzhou speed demonstrated by the bio-pharmaceutical enterprises in the pandemic has highlighted the strength of the city in building a complete bioengineering and pharmaceutical industry. In 2019, the added value of the citys strategic emerging industries was up 7.5 percent on a yearly basis.

Guangzhou is also a pacemaker in 5G technology. 5G smart lamp poles have become a common scene in Yuexiu district, a center of traditional Cantonese culture, the business area in Tianhe district, and the eco-design town in Conghua district. The city has built more than 20,000 5G base stations, and is emerging as a top-notch pilot city for 5G commercialization and a demonstration city for comprehensive information consumption.

Guangzhou is striving to build itself into an innovation center for digital economy. On May 8, 73 digital new infrastructure projects were inaugurated in the city with a total investment of 180 billion yuan, including information projects such as 5G technology, Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Chinas internet giant Alibaba, and Industrial Internet; integrative programs such as 5G smart ports and building information management (BIM) +smart cities; and innovation projects such as the ecological innovation center of Chinese technology firm Huawei, and the Apollo Intelligent Driving Ecosystem of Chinese tech giant Baidu.

The projects include information projects represented by 5G technology, Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Chinas internet giant Alibaba, and Industrial Internet, integrative programs such as 5G smart ports and building information management (BIM) +smart cities, and innovation projects such as the ecological innovation center of Chinese technology firm Huawei, and the Apollo Intelligent Driving Ecosystem of Chinese tech giant Baidu.

Enterprises know best Guangzhous confidence and resolution in developing digital economy. China's Internet giants Tencent and Alibaba, home appliance retailer Gome, tech giant Xiaomi, leading global video-based social media platform Joyy Inc., major online discount retailer Vipshop, and e-commerce platform Global Market Group are all accelerating construction of their projects in Guangzhou.

Guangzhou is a favored place and a test field for the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital economy. It has a broad prospect in the two fields, said Liu Nan, general manager of the strategic development division of the South China region of Alibaba Group and its affiliate Ant Financial.
Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency calls for focus on people to combat illegal fishing

May 29,2020 | Source: Matangi

The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) is calling for collective action to focus on people, not just technology, in efforts to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing at an international forum last week.



The Chatham House International Forum was hosted online in London from 18-22 May 2020 and attended by global policymakers, researchers, industry representatives and civil society groups from across the world.



FFA Director General, Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen told attendees that FFA is increasingly recognising the human elements of illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, with a focus on the safety of observers and crew, as well as identifying persons of interest who commit fisheries offences.



The importance of observers cannot be overstated as these are our eyes and ears at sea who collect critical data for science and compliance, such as monitoring catches and ensuring fishermen are following the rules, she said.



This is a vital role in protecting our oceans and preserving fish stocks.



Dr Tupou-Roosen added that this can be a dangerous and lonely role as they can face hostilities from those that they are monitoring, sometimes leading to incidents or loss of life.



The FFA is exploring ways in which the role of observers can be broadened to ensure they are not heavily dependent on fishing trips for income and that their valuable data analysis skills can be applied readily on land.



Dr Tupou-Roosen said there is much work to be done to improve fishing crews working conditions on vessels and that there has been a lot of coverage highlighting this form of modern-day slavery.



FFA Members drove the adoption of the Resolution for Minimum Labour Standards for crew at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission in 2018. Notably, this is the first regional fisheries management organisation to make a stand for crew. 



There has been much talk globally about improving observer and crew safety in the fishing industry but I suggest that we can all do better in walking that talk, and prioritising steps to ensure their safety and wellbeing.



To combat IUU fishing, there has been heavy focus on vessels compliance history. However, the DG said it is people who commit fisheries offences, not vessels.



Persons of Interest profiling, including information about the history and performance of persons, would be extremely valuable as a tool for proactive decision-making, and increasing the information for decision makers.



Dr Tupou-Roosen said a key task in this project is to go behind the corporate veil to reveal beneficial owners, to ensure that key persons involved in a vessels IUU activity are held accountable.



We all recognise that IUU fishing is a global challenge."



The 'people factor' inherent in our industry must be addressed in a more concerted way. The potential benefits in cooperation are manifestly positive.

 Vava'u Press 2020

Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods.
Oops she did it again!

Just as Britney Spears likes to rewear her favorite clothing items, she also decided to recycle the same arch-backed desert image of herself she used for the updated Glory cover for the official Mood Ring release.

'Repurposed this since we didn't use it [in 2016],' the 38-year-old Grammy winner - who boasts 123.5M social media followers - explained Thursday.

Oops she did it again! Just as Britney Spears likes to rewear her favorite clothing items, she also decided to recycle the same arch-backed desert image of herself she used for the updated Glory cover for the official Mood Ring release

'You folks wanted a new album cover... tada there you go! What was requested next is out now. I hope you turn #MoodRing up sooooooo loud!'

The scantily-clad swimwear snap was originally shot in 2016 by lensman Dave LaChappelle for the cover of Britney's ninth studio album, Glory, which was deemed 'too sexy.'

And just like his shelved music video for Make Me..., the 57-year-old director's work was replaced by far more tamer images shot by his rival Randee St. Nicholas.

The 38-year-old Grammy winner - who boasts 123.5M social media followers - explained Thursday: 'Repurposed this since we didn't use it [in 2016]'

Deemed 'too sexy': The scantily-clad swimwear snap was originally shot in 2016 by lensman Dave LaChappelle for the cover of Britney's ninth studio album, Glory

Headshot: And just like his shelved music video for Make Me..., the 57-year-old director's work was replaced by far more tamer images shot by his rival Randee St. Nicholas

However, Spears did approve of another one of LaChappelle's image of her from the same desert shoot, which she used for her Make Me... single cover.

The former Mouseketeer was only 17 when she was first photographed inside her Louisiana family home by the 'kitsch pop surrealist' for her first Rolling Stone cover in 1999.

Mood Ring was only a Japan exclusive in 2016, but Britney gave it an official US release Thursday to thank her fans for making the underrated Glory top the iTunes chart on May 3.

Look familiar? However, Spears did approve of another one of LaChappelle's image of her from the same desert shoot, which she used for her Make Me... single cover

Underage: The former Mouseketeer was only 17 when she was first photographed inside her Louisiana family home by the 'kitsch pop surrealist' for her first Rolling Stone cover in 1999

'I'm having the best day ever... thank you!' Mood Ring was only a Japan exclusive in 2016, but Britney gave it an official US release Thursday to thank her fans for making the underrated Glory top the iTunes chart on May 3

Spears could easily donate her Mood Ring proceeds towards charities benefitting those affected with COVID-19 but, thus far, she's only thanked the frontline workers once back on April 10.

The bipolar pop star spends much of her quarantine time dancing around her $7.4M five-bedroom mansion in Thousand Oaks, sometimes joined by boyfriend Sam Asghari.

Britney has been focusing on her health during the extended career hiatus, which began after the January 2019 cancellation of her Las Vegas residency Dominion.

'It means so much to all of us': Spears could easily donate her Mood Ring proceeds towards charities benefitting those affected with COVID-19 but, thus far, she's only thanked the frontline workers once back on April 10
Lucknow, May 29 : The alumni of Lucknow University, who are experts in different fields, will now mentor the students.

Around 1,000 former students have expressed their wish to get registered on the alumni portal that was set up in the university's centenary year.

The alumni will get an opportunity to be LU's adjunct or part-time professors who will guide, teach and help students in getting placed in various sectors.

The list of former students who have expressed interest in giving back to their alma mater by way of sharing knowledge includes many who are acclaimed in their respective fields.

Coordinator of the portal, Prof Nishi Pandey, said, "Be it our former students who are faculty in IITs and IIMs or scientists based abroad, all will get connected to the university via the alumni portal. This portal will have various sections for both, former students and retired teachers, who want to help their alma mater and institution to nurture students." She said that the portal will be revamped further so that adjunct professors can volunteer to teach students, or share industry and market trends, give them the opportunity to work in their organization or provide internships.

The alumni can either guide and mentor students online or visit the campus as per a schedule fixed.

Prof Pandey said the portal will also have one section for sharing funds for LU in which students can financially support the university.
Shortly after the Karnataka government announced Thursday that it was suspending arrivals of flights, trains and vehicles from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, MP and Rajasthan into the state to contain the spread of Covid-19, it issued a clarification that it had requested for reduction in number of incoming flights from these five states.

The government said that the request for reduction in numbers of incoming flights from the five coronavirus hotspot states for the next fortnight was with the sacred intention that there may not be adequate quarantine facilities, if there is a huge turnout at a short span of time.

The decision was announced by law minister J C Madhuswamy after a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

However, Karnataka made it clear that it would bar people coming by road from Gujarat, TN and Maharashtra from entering the state. But those who want to go to these states would be permitted, the government clarified.

These measures were announced after the state has seen a continuous spike in cases recently, mainly due to those coming from these highly infected states.

On Thursday 115 more people tested positive for Coronavirus in the state  almost all of whom had travelled from other states. who had come back or entered the state  taking the cumulative tally to 2,533 cases including 834 discharges and 47 deaths.

The government also issued a new SOP by which any person who has completed seven days of institutional quarantine and is asymptomatic can be permitted for home quarantine without a Covid test as long as the he or she undergoes medical checkup  which includes thermal screening where temperature has to be less than 37.5 degree centigrade and pulse oximetry should be greater than 94%.

All elderly (above 60 years of age) and those with co-morbidities like blood pressure and diabetes are to be clinically evaluated before shifting them to home quarantine. All such people shall mandatorily be under home quarantine and their hands stamped as well as details entered into quarantine watch app. The government has taken this measure to ease the pressure on the institutional quarantine mechanism as a large number of people are coming into the state, Madhuswamy said.
WASHINGTON -- As the coronavirus continues to ravage communities across Eurasia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reporting has revealed the extent to which deception and secrecy are the default mode for numerous governments that continue to attack journalists and first-responders, while failing in their pandemic response.

"The longer the pandemic persists, the more we see that secrecy and disinformation remain a reflex among many governments in the countries where we work  even as cases have mounted and threats to public health have grown, " said RFE/RL President Jamie Fly. "We are constantly being told by our audiences in Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Iran, and elsewhere that our reporting is helping people stay safe, but it is also providing information that helps them demand action and accountability from their governments."

Nowhere has the deception been more apparent and more consequential than in the hospitals treating coronavirus patients. A report by RFE/RLs Russian Service, based on interviews with 20 medical workers -- many of whom spoke anonymously for fear of reprisals -- portrays a medical culture long predating the coronavirus that values the system over the patients. After describing his hospital's lack of preparedness in addressing the pandemic, a St. Petersburg doctor told RFE/RL, "If, God forbid, someone from outside the hospital starts looking around, the management of the hospital will begin blaming the doctors. There will be a big investigation, but the result is always the same -- the doctor who is responsible for the story getting out will, at the very least, be fired." An intensive-care physician in Moscow agreed. "This has always been a problem," he said. "Even in medical school they tell us that case histories are written for prosecutors."

A report by Current Time and the volunteer-run Scanner Project traced the mismanagement in one hospital back to a procurement scandal. The investigation disclosed alleged shortages of protective equipment and labor violations at a makeshift facility for coronavirus patients set up by well-known Azerbaijani-Russian businessman Araz Agalarov, who obtained state contracts worth almost 2 billion rubles ($28 million) without a public tender. After the report's publication, Moscow prosecutors on May 24 announced that they had launched an investigation; the regional Health Ministry has denied the reports claims.

Radio Farda, ever the "polygraph," detecting lies for its audiences in Iran, continued to debunk the endless conspiracy theories and disinformation propagated by the regime. Already in the pandemics earliest days, Farda had exposed that the Iranian authorities were hiding the true number of coronavirus cases and deaths.

In Kazakhstan, RFE/RL reporters have taken to monitoring cemeteries to verify questionable government figures on COVID-19 deaths. In one cemetery designated for coronavirus victims outside Almaty, the country's largest city, they documented 32 fresh graves, while official figures indicated only 10 fatalities in the city and the surrounding region.

RFE/RL's Tajik Service has maintained its own list of COVID-19 victims in the absence of reliable data from a government that for nearly a month defied WHO guidance and denied the pandemic. The Service, which broke the news of the countrys first registered case, has also taken body counts at local cemeteries to fact-check official fatality figures. It documented 50 new graves in Dushanbe for the period April 30 - May 15, while official data recorded 33 deaths.

After RFE/RL published the report, Tajik authorities closed cemeteries to journalists and banned filming. The country's Foreign Ministry refuses to accredit eight members of RFE/RLs Dushanbe bureau, preventing them from working at a time when reliable reporting is urgently needed. Government-aligned trolls have amplified authorities assault on information, attacking bureau staff on Facebook with posts replete with verbal abuse and obscene, photoshopped images.

Said Fly, "These are some of the bravest journalists in the world, who are risking their lives to do a public service, and yet they are obstructed at every turn and vilified by governments and their agents who seek to deny the truth. We are providing information that is saving lives -- while governments are fighting us."

Audience demand for RFE/RL reporting during the coronavirus pandemic has reached record numbers. Compared to the previous month, visits in March to RFE/RL websites and apps increased 48% to 77 million, page views were up by 43% to 128.5 million, and unique visitors increased 50% to 33.5 million; spikes were similarly registered on social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Website and app traffic in April continued to rise, with an especially dramatic increase in Instagram story impressions of 72 percent over March.

About RFE/RL

RFE/RL relies on its networks of local reporters to provide accurate news and information to more than 37 million people in 27 languages and 23 countries where media freedom is restricted, or where a professional press has not fully developed. Its videos were viewed over 3.6 billion times on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram/IGTV in FY2019. RFE/RL is an editorially independent media company funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

----

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Joanna Levison in Prague (levisonj@rferl.org, +420.221.122.080)

Martins Zvaners in Washington (zvanersm@rferl.org, +1.202.457.6948)
Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday said that the car used for an unsuccessful bomb attack in southern Pulwama district yesterday belongs to an active militant of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.

The Santro car used for IED belongs to Hidayatullah Malik, an active Hizbul Mujahideen militant who is a resident of Sharatpora, Shopian. He had joined militant ranks in July last year, a senior police officer was quoted as having said by local news gathering agency GNS.

Also read  2019-like suicide attack averted in Kashmirs Pulwama

The car was not registered in Kashmir, but in the Jammu division of the J&K union territory, the police said. The Hizbul militant, who is active in south Kashmir over the last two years and the owner of the car, is still at large, but efforts are on to nab him, the officer added.

On Thursday morning, police averted a major fidayeen attack by detecting and defusing a car bomb in Ayangund village of Pulwama district. The video of the controlled blast captured by a drone camera was shared on media platforms. The blast was so huge that windows, doors and roofs of several houses in the vicinity were damaged.

After the recovery of the car, Inspector General Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that a major incident of a vehicle-borne IED blast, akin to 2019's Pulwama-type attack, was averted by timely detection of the car fitted with explosives.

On February 14 last year, a vehicle being driven by a local Kashmiri fidayeen (suicide) militant Adil Ahmed rammed his vehicle packed with explosives into a paramilitary bus on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway in the same district. In the worst casualties suffered by the security forces in peacetime operations, over 40 CRPF personnel were killed and several others wounded.

At least 40 to 45 kgs of explosive material was fitted in private vehicle jointly by Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists in a bid to target security forces. Timely action of security forces averted major tragedy, he added.
When the news of women labourers stuck in Kerala reached actor Sonu Sood, who has been hailed for providing buses for migrant workers stranded due to the coronavirus lockdown, he immediately swung into action.

Stuck in Kerala's Ernakulam, 167 women, engaged in stitching and embroidery work at a local factory were seeking to return to their homes in Odisha. They had nowhere to go after the factory was shut down in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I came to know about them, connected with them through social media...My friend Neeti Goel and I reached out to them. We knew the only way was to fly them out," Sonu Sood told CNN News18.

Another hurdle was that most airports were shut for passenger movement, but he arranged for permissions from the government and had Kochi and Bhubaneswar airports opened.

On Friday morning, Sood made arrangements for an aircraft to fly from Bengaluru to Kochi at 8am to airlift the 167 workers. This Air Asia flight will take them to Bhubaneshwar and from there, they will be transported to their homes in Kendrapara.

By reaching out to migrants, Sood has also become a hero off-screen and has received praises from Bollywood actors and political leaders alike.

Recently, the governor of Maharashtra lauded his efforts as did Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh. Incidentally, Sood, who is now based in Mumbai, hails from Moga in Punjab.
(The Straits Times)  China will soon relax its border controls for Singapore and several countries, allowing certain categories of people to travel to some cities.

Chinese state media on Wednesday reported that the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) will let domestic and foreign airlines apply for green channels for chartered flights to airports in the mainland.

The countries given the green light are Singapore, Japan, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland, said the media reports.

According to a CAAC notice, flight operators can apply to the air regulator at the provincial level to run passenger charter flights.

As China attempts to revive its economy stalled by the coronavirus outbreak, it requires experts and skilled workers such as those in foreign companies or joint venture firms to resume work.

South Korea was the first country to establish this green channel with China earlier this month. Certain South Korean business travelers were allowed to enter 10 regions, including Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing, after undergoing minimal health screening and quarantine.

More than 200 South Korean workers were the first batch to return on May 10 to Tianjin to resume work at Samsung's subsidiaries, mostly in electronics.

Singapore government officials have been in talks with their Chinese counterparts to re-establish some essential reciprocal travel. An announcement can be expected soon.

The city state is also in discussions with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea to re-establish essential cross-border trips.

On Wednesday, CAAC Deputy Director Li Jian said the authorities will consider increasing the number of international flights to meet market demand, while keeping the coronavirus in check.

China shut its borders to foreigners, including those with valid work permits, at the end of March in a bid to curb the virus from being imported into the country.

It also slashed the number of flights, allowing each airline to fly one route into and out of China once a week.

Since then, Singapore Airlines has been operating a direct weekly flight from Singapore to Shanghai, while Silkair has been flying to and from Chongqing once a week.

Li said the maximum number of flights allowed have since been capped at 134 a week, reported China News.

But that number will be increased to 407 a week from June 1. The actual number may be smaller, depending on demand for the routes, he said.

SIA told The Straits Times it is keeping a close watch on the development of green channels and will work with the relevant regulators and authorities where required.

Meanwhile, the US last week accused China of blocking its carriers from resuming flights to China. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have submitted applications to the CAAC to resume flights in June, but have yet to receive approval.

This story was originally published by The Straits Times

Contact editor Yang Ge (geyang@caixin.com)
By Jeff Bahr

At about 6:45 p.m. Thursday, the Nebraska State Patrol arrested a Lincoln man suspected of shooting Gary Zierke III in Grand Island early Thursday morning, concluding an 18-hour search between Aurora and Henderson.

Zierke, a 31-year-old Lincoln man, was critically injured near the intersection of Sycamore and Oklahoma streets at 12:20 a.m. Thursday.

In response to reports of a shooting, Grand Island police officers found Zierke with a single gunshot wound to his head. Zierke was found lying in the grass, in close proximity to a vehicle. Lifesaving actions were taken by police personnel until emergency medical services could arrive.

Zierke, in critical condition, was taken by life flight to an Omaha hospital.

Police believe the shooting was drug-related.

At approximately 12:50 a.m. Thursday, a trooper observed a Chevrolet Trailblazer traveling eastbound on Interstate 80 near Aurora. The vehicle matched the description of one being sought by the Grand Island police in connection with the shooting.
Summer waits for no one, and for some the pull of the ocean is a strong one. If Ocean City, Maryland is your destination for your next beach vacation theres a few things you need to know, including a look at whether or not you can rent a hotel room and if you have to wear a mask when on the beach.

One thing to keep in mind, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf is discouraging traveling at all during the coronavirus pandemic.
When torch-carrying neo-Nazis chanting anti-Semitic slogans marched through the streets of Charlottesville during a 2017 white supremacist rally that left a counter-protester dead and others injured, President Donald Trump claimed there were very fine people on both sides.

When protesters armed with military-style rifles rushed the Michigan Capitol in early May and forced their way inside, some shouting into the faces of law enforcement, to demand the lifting of pandemic restrictions, Trump said these are very good people, but they are angry and urged the states governor to give a little, and put out the fire.

Last night, as rage over the death of yet another black man in police custody boiled over into fire and chaos on the streets of Minneapolis, Trump did not seek to find good among the protesters. He did not try to calm the roiling anger, as the leader of a country beset by strife and division should.

Instead, he poured fuel on the flames of unrest and, using a phrase first uttered by a racist Miami police chief in 1967, apparently threatened to respond to any looting with deadly force.

Calling the Minneapolis protesters THUGS, he warned when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

Half a century ago, then-Miami police chief Walter Headley used those words about a crackdown on  slum hoodlums, as it was referred to in news reports of the time. Headleys words, associated with stop-and-frisk policies targeting black neighborhoods, were later cited as contributing to three days of race riots in the city.

Trumps post was quickly  and rightfully  flagged by Twitter for glorifying violence and roundly denounced as promoting retaliation against black protesters.

University of California law professor Orin Kerr noted that the threat violates the Fourth Amendment, pointing to a 1985 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that concluded a police officer may not seize an unarmed, non-dangerous suspect by shooting him dead.

Even the Oath Keepers, a right-wing militia group, recoiled from the language and tweeted: This is a disaster. President Trump needs to retract that statement ASAP, stating that he misspoke & did not mean to say that National Guard should shoot people for stealing.

The fact is, Trump did not misspeak. This heinous tweet is part of his long record of incendiary statements and racist treatment of black people  including his days as a New York City property owner who rejected black applicants from renting in his buildings, his campaign calling for the execution of the Central Park Five, young men of color later exonerated of rape; and his years-long birther conspiracy theory targeting President Barack Obama.

The tweet was meant to chill the protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd, without addressing the underlying conditions that sow despair, frustration and fury in black communities. It was meant to draw a solid line between the very good rifle-carrying white people who make up Trumps base and the thugs setting a police station on fire, without recognizing the desperation of those fighting deep-seated racism that allows police to escape accountability time and time again.

It keeps happening, despite vigils and prayers. It keeps happening, despite marches and peaceful demonstrations. We dont condone violence, which can harm protesters as well as law enforcement trying to restore order. We do echo the words of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who connected the unrest with decades of anguish over racism in policing.

Their voices went unheard, and now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world, Walz said Friday in an emotional press conference. And the world is watching.

But are we truly seeing, truly hearing? The burning of a building, the theft of merchandise from Dollar Tree what are those offenses compared with the slow, public suffocation of an American citizen at the hands of his own government? What will it take to stop the senseless killing of black people by armed police officers sworn to protect them?

Those are the questions we all should be asking. And its what our president should be trying to answer.

In times of trouble and turmoil, the role of the president should at the very least be to soothe, not sow greater discord. It should be to serve all Americans, not just those who pick your name at the ballot box. It should be to understand the roots of discontent, not wield violence to shut down dissent.

Trump seems more intent on provoking than he is on problem-solving. Hours after his original tweet was flagged, it was re-posted by the official White House account. That, too, was cited by Twitter.

Think about that. Our nations most prestigious public office, along with the man who occupies it, had to be cited by a social media platform for glorifying violence. Where is the leadership in that? What kind of example is the president hoping to set by condoning the same behavior he condemns?

The next time Trump brags about what he has done for the black community and asks what do you have to lose? remember his words. If you are black and seared with anger over years of injustice, the president of the United States has given permission for your protest to be met with bullets.
Australia has joined the United States, UK and Canada in condemning China's national security crackdown on Hong Kong that takes away freedom of speech.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne issued a joint statement with her counterparts Mike Pompeo, Dominic Raab and Francois-Philippe Champagne on Thursday night.

They slammed China's National People's Congress for voting 2,878 to one to directly impose national security legislation on Hong Kong, following months of anti-government and pro-democracy riots.

Australia has joined the United States, the UK and Canada in condemning China's national security crackdown on Hong Kong. Foreign Minister Marise Payne (pictured) issued a joint statement with her counterparts on Thursday night

The chief diplomats from the English-speaking nations said the undermining of Hong Kong's autonomy would destroy global trust needed to tackle COVID-19.

'The world's focus on a global pandemic requires enhanced trust in governments and international cooperation,' they said.

'Beijing's unprecedented move risks having the opposite effect.'

When the British handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997, the Communist Party promised a 'one country, two systems' form of government, which for the next 50 years was meant to allow media freedom and a restricted vote for the island trading city's chief executive.

The ministers condemned China's National People's Congress for voting to directly impose national security legislation on Hong Kong, following months of anti-government and pro-democracy riots. Pictured is Chinese President Xi Jinping being applauded by State Councilor Xiao Jie, Foreign Minister Wang YiState Councilor Wang Yong, and Defence Minister Wei Fenghe

Senator Payne and her counterparts said it would undermine Hong Kong's freedoms and breach the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration, signed between the powers in 1984 when Margaret Thatcher was UK prime minister. Pictured is pro-democracy lawmaker Eddie Chu being removed by security following a scuffle with pro-Beijing lawmakers

Senator Payne and her counterparts said it would undermine Hong Kong's freedoms and breach the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration, signed between the powers in 1984 when Margaret Thatcher was UK prime minister and Deng Xiaoping led China.

'We are also extremely concerned that this action will exacerbate the existing deep divisions in Hong Kong society; the law does nothing to build mutual understanding and foster reconciliation within Hong Kong,' they said.

'Rebuilding trust across Hong Kong society by allowing the people of Hong Kong to enjoy the rights and freedoms they were promised can be the only way back from the tensions and unrest that the territory has seen over the last year.'

The foreign ministers and secretaries said the Chinese vote to legislate new national security laws see would see people prosecuted in Hong Kong for political crimes, contravening the UN's International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The US is now threatening to withdraw its special status for Hong Kong when it came to trade, which would see it treated like mainland China.

China is the biggest buyer of US Treasury bonds while China is Australia's biggest trading partner.

The US is now threatening to withdraw its special status for Hong Kong when it comes to trade, which would see it treated like mainland China. Pictured is US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addressing the media in Washington on May 6, 2020
National Chairman of the People's National Convention (PNC) has reacted to calls demanding for his arrest, describing such as unreasonable.



Some political pundits have criticized Bernard Mornah for comments they deemed as 'treasonable'.



Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, was first to wade in the fray by calling for the arrest of the leader of the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Voter Register [IPRAN] with immediate effect.



Machiavellian & Crude Tactics



The IPRAN, addressing a section of the media on Tuesday, 26th May, 2020, stated emphatically that the Electoral Commission (EC) is employing crude Machiavellian tactics to compile a new voters' register ahead of the December polls, and vowed to disrupt the process if push comes to shove.



It is disappointing and disheartening to note that that was the first time political parties in the Resistance had heard about this blatant attempt at political bigotry by the EC to exclude close to about 10 million eligible voters from registering to vote in this years general elections.



It is also important to emphasise that the EC surreptitiously employed a crude Machiavellian tactic in this mischievous agenda by circumventing long-standing laid-down procedures of allowing IPAC to discuss such an important matter such as amending an electoral law," the group stated.



Incentive For War



Kwamena Duncan, contributing to a panel discussion on Wednesday's 'Kokrokoo' on Peace FM, told host Kwami Sefa Kayi that Mr. Mornah's recent comments are an incentive for war in the country and wondered why the PNC leader has not been picked up by the appropriate security agencies for interrogation.



" . . A constitutional body with a clear mandate subject to the law and you have a Ghanaian speak to the entire country that if they go ahead, we will disrupt and we will kill one another . . . One Ghanaian tells all of us that let the constitutionally mandated body charged with the duty to compile a register to enable us exercise our franchise to select or elect those who will wish to govern our country; let somebody go ahead, they will disrupt the exercise. They will kill one another...If I were the Minister for National Security, straightaway, I will pick up this man. What he did yesterday amounted to a declaration of war," he stressed.



Same As Ofosu Ampofo?



Atik Mohammed, also of the PNC said if the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, is facing trial for similar comments he made, Bernard Mornah should be arrested to face same.



Pay Attention To Your English Teacher



But speaking in an interview on UTV midday news, Mr Mornah said there is nothing 'treasonable' about the comments he made.



He insists those who have misconstrued him either have poor english background or their english teacher did a poor job.



"Im at Oyibi . . . Im available which police should I go to? If there is any problem they dont need to look for me; they should invite me; I will come; moreover, Ive shown you my location.



"I said the worst they (NPP) can do is to kill us but if we dont die we will resist. If you dont understand this and you misconstrue it, I can only blame your English teacher or perhaps you didnt pay attention when your English teacher was teaching (the subject); so go back to school.



"So if anybody is calling for my arrest, I dont have a problem with them but their English teacher. I will easily walk to any police station they want me to go to. I am available to be arrested," he stated.





Listen to him in the video below





Police CID Invite

In a related development, Peacefmonline.com is reliably informed that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has invited Mr Mornah to assist with investigations into the matter.



The police have sent an invitation letter to him asking that he should report at the CID headquarters on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at 10 am to assist with an investigation it is conducting into an allegation of threat against the EC, should it decide to go ahead with the compilation of a new voter's register in late June 2020.



"The CID Headquarters is investigating a case in which you were alleged to have threatened to resist any attempt by the Electoral Commission (EC) to compile a new voter's register for the 2020 general election."



"You were also heard in a video interview to have threatened "that people who are already Ghanaians and already registered are going to be taken out of the register, don't you think confusion will come at the registration and if confusion come there, you think the EC staff will be safe, we will beat each other there, we will kill each other there if that is what the EC want to lead this nation to," the invitation letter dated May 28, 2020 and signed by Barima Tweneboah Sasraku III, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) for the Director General of CID said.

Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Gabby Hebden-Pearl holds signs demanding justice for George Floyd in front of City Hall in Philadelphia, May 29, 2020. George Floyd died Monday night after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd to the ground with a knee on his neck, there is video footage of the arrest. Protests in Philadelphia are currently planned for Saturday and Monday. Read more

 LIVE UPDATES: Follow along here for the latest updates and images from Saturdays protests

A day before a planned demonstration outside City Hall over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Mayor Jim Kenney on Friday vowed that police will treat the protesters with respect, and said he was hopeful the city will avoid the destruction seen in some demonstrations elsewhere.

In the midst of a global pandemic, Americas original sin of racism has not gone dormant, Kenney said at a virtual news conference. Black Americans are outraged, and they should be. Im outraged, too. As a white man, I will never know the heartbreak and trauma that the black community continues to experience. But I want black Philadelphians to know that I and other city leaders stand with them and are here to support them during this painful time.

Floyd, an African American man, died in handcuffs after saying, I cant breathe, while a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck. A video went viral on social media, igniting protests across the country. In Minneapolis, demonstrators burned a police precinct house. Chauvin on Friday was charged with third-degree murder.

 READ MORE: Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Floyds neck charged with murder

The Philadelphia demonstration is planned for noon Saturday. Kenney said the citys experience handling large demonstrations has prepared it for the protest.

Were used to people protesting various issues. Its their right to protest. Our only rules are: You can protest as loud and as long as you want, but to destruct property or hurting someone else will not be permitted, he said. Were very well schooled, from the [2000] Republican National Convention onward, on how to handle these events. Well be respectful, and we expect people to be respectful and to express their anger, express their concern.

Kenney also acknowledged the shooting of Robert Friel, a police lieutenant who was shot while off-duty Friday morning in South Philadelphia. Friel, a 28-year veteran, suffered a broken femur after being shot in a leg and was reported in stable condition at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

His injury comes as we continue to see acts of gun violence rising in our city. As we said before, the plague of gun violence is a public health crisis in Philadelphia, and its not going away while we battle the pressing public health threat from COVID-19, Kenney said. I want to thank all of our law enforcement officers for their continued service during this crisis and every day they put their lives on the line when they put on their uniforms.

 READ MORE: S. Philly lieutenant shot by a reputed motorcycle gang member

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also addressed Floyds death Friday at a briefing on the coronavirus pandemic.

There is no doubt that the centuries-old stain of systemic racism is far from being erased from the fabric of this country. We also know that the overwhelming majority of our law enforcement officers believe strongly in the communities they have sworn to protect, Murphy said. But what we are seeing right now in Minneapolis is painful, almost too painful, in fact, to watch. And perhaps that is because that is not the first time weve seen such horrific pictures on our screens.

Murphy also noted that racial minorities in New Jersey, as is the case across the country, have been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus, which has exacerbated existing inequities in issues like access to quality health care, housing stability, and white-collar employment opportunities in which social distancing is more feasible.

We have to acknowledge that we can see this through a number of different lenses, but the conclusion is the same, Murphy said. This is the first year in the fifth century since slavery first came to our shores. Were still digging out.
Supreme Court directive to the Centre and the states on how the migrant workers' reverse migration should be handled is a welcome move

Supreme Court directive to the Centre and the states on how the migrant workers' reverse migration should be handled is a welcome move. It provides great deal of comfort to those who are still waiting to return home and eliminates the possibility of any more bickering between central and state agencies.

But the apex court directive has come a bit too late in the day. And, it may not have much of relevance on the ground. Not because the Centre and states would flout the verdict, but because these measures had already been put in places. The peak of the migrant workers' desperate rush to home has passed and now very less people are left to be transported to their native states.

Also, industrial and economic activities are slowly resuming, which requires employment of labour and given the demand-supply imbalance, there is a real possibility of wages going up. The changed scenario is now making sections of migrant workers to stay where they are.

Now, let us go through the court's directions and the situation that prevails today.

It has been directed that no fare would be charged from the migrant workers on their journey to home. Its true that initially there was some confusion as to who would pay for migrant workers ticket for home. The booking counters were not open, and no online booking was taking place. The system was that the Railways would give the tickets in bulk to the sender state and the local administration would screen the already registered passengers, hand over individual tickets and take them to the station.

Some sender states wanted reimbursements from receiver states, while others made the individual passengers pay before they could be allowed to board the train. But the issue was subsequently sorted out. Almost all receiver states, even those who were initially reluctant to pay agreed to pay, some paid money in advance to the Railways and some others paid to the sender states.

This model, which subsequently evolved was followed by all states, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, northeastern states and others. Politics and political affiliations virtually had no role in this. Sources said that there was problem with only one state, Bihar, which had insisted on reimbursement to migrants on arrival. But that problem too has been resolved.

Last week, the Gujarat High Court directed that if a receiver state was not paying for its people, the sender state should pay for them and give them a safe passage.

The receiver states were paying for buses wherever and whenever it was put into service.

The other thing, the Supreme Court directed was about the provision for food and water at bus or railway stations by the sender state and en-route by the Railways. This is something which already is in practice. Food and water is provided at stations to those boarding Shramik Special trains by the sender state while the IRCTC provides food and water on the way. On arrival, food is provided to them by the receiver state.

But the most important thing why Thursdays directive of the Supreme Court does not have much relevance is because only a small percentage of migrant workers are now left to be sent to their native states.

Till Thursday, 3,736 Shramik Special trains carrying around 50 lakh migrants had departed from stations across India. Of these, 75 percent trains were headed for Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Gujarat and Maharasthra accounted for about 40 percent, while Gujarat topped the number by sending 979 Shramik Special trains followed by Maharashtra with 695 trains.

Uttar Pradesh is estimated to have received around 24 lakh people and Bihar around 2 lakh.

Gujarat where the maximum number of Shramik Special trains originated was on average, sending on an average 70 trains a day, the highest being 91 on a given day. But now that number is greatly reduced. Today, only 20 trains are starting from Gujarat and most of them are for Odisha. West Bengal is also starting to receive trains. Only one train for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar has been designated. In the coming days, the number of Shramik Special trains is going to further reduce.

Senior functionaries in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar government told Firstpost that the issue of migrant workers retuning home is practically over and whatever is left will be completed in next one or two days.

The rush now is only for Odisha and West Bengal. The movement of trains and other services was halted because of Cyclone Amphan. Now, majority of trains would be headed to these two states and the process is expected to be completed in the next few days.
Former EastEnders star Aaron Sidwell revealed fears he will 'earn 0 this year' as he detailed his struggles as an out of work father-of-two during the coronavirus pandemic.

The actor, 31, best known for playing Steven Beale on the BBC soap, said 'it's hard to keep smiling' when the career he has 'worked so hard to build for 13 years could be taken away' because he's had three years of financial success.

Taking to Twitter to express his woes, Aaron old how he has 'fallen through the cracks' as a self-employed dad.

Struggles: Former EastEnders star Aaron Sidwell revealed fears he will 'earn 0 this year' as he detailed his struggles as an out of work father-of-two during the coronavirus pandemic

He wrote: 'It's hard to keep smiling when everything I've worked so hard to build for 13 years could be taken away because I had three successful financial years. I could, quite seriously, earn 0 in 12 months.'

The Wicked star added the hashtags '#selfemployed #fallenthroughthecracks #fatheroftwo' to the post.

Many of his 29,500 followers were quick to show their support for the struggling actor in the comments.

One wrote: 'This is awful. I know it's not the solution but please shout if you need something.'

Worried: The actor, 31, said 'it's hard to keep smiling' when the career he has 'worked so hard to build for 13 years could be taken away' (pictured with daughters Mathilda, 11, and Isla, eight)

While another suggested that Aaron could seek help from the Fleabag Support Fund.

The charity was set up last month by the creator and star of BBC Three's hit comedy-drama Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

So far a whopping 64,574 has been raised to support freelance workers who are unable to earn money because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The charity's website states: 'The Fleabag Support Fund partners with charities responding to the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic.

Candid: Taking to Twitter to express his woes, Aaron old how he has 'fallen through the cracks' as a self-employed dad

'Distributed by DryWrite, the fund provides support to freelancers working in theatre, comedy and cabaret who are unable to work as a direct result of the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic.'

Millions of self-employed workers have been forced to take handouts from the government to make up for their loss of income during the pandemic.

However, this is due to end at the end of this month.

Aaron shares his two daughters, Mathilda Bethany, 11, and Isla Grace, eight, with his ex-wife Grace Isted.

Supportive: Many of Aaron's 29,500 followers were quick to show their support for the struggling actor in the comments

The pair were together for years before marrying in 2009, they separated in 2013 and officially divorced in 2017.

Aaron is now engaged to his girlfriend, theatre actress Tricia Adele-Turner, after a six-year relationship.

He played Steven Beale in EastEnders on and off until September 2017 when the character was killed off.

Since then he has appeared in several theatrical productions.

Aaron previously insisted he never wants to star in a soap again, after his character was killed off.

Set to wed! Aaron announced his engagement to long-term girlfriend Tricia Adele-Turner after a six-year relationship in 2019

Speaking in January 2018, he said: 'I don't want to do a soap again. It wasn't a discipline I enjoyed.

'I mean, I admire the actors on there who are so instinctive that they can do it, but I was definitely ready to go.

'There was a lot of negativity around, and my storylines did meander for me. I also think the soap actors can sometimes get taken for granted too.'

Aaron said he feels much more at home on stage than on screen, because he gets to 'push boundaries' and develop new skills.

He explained: 'I always felt like I didn't belong there quite as much as I do in a theatre environment.

'Doing theatre means you get to push boundaries a little more, and there's always something new to discover.'
Locked inside my apartment under stay-at-home orders, the pandemic begins to look oddly routine. Bingeing some reality TV show, I can begin to forget why Im stuck here  until the commercial break. Were all living a new normal  Especially now. Even in times as uncertain as these. Its jarring how quickly the realities of the coronavirus have been processed into the optimistic language of advertising. Every crisis inspires its own corporate PSAs, but these ones are strangely ubiquitous. The hallmarks of coronavirus ads are so consistent they could be generated by bots. People. People. People. People. People. And family. Theyre all collected in this YouTube montage called, Every Covid-19 Commercial Is Exactly the Same. Especially now. The ads begin with eerie drone footage of empty streets, a shot of a child staring plaintively out the window, some desperate-looking individual, and then  upbeat musical key change. A medical worker peeling off their mask, a guy jamming on his home piano, a deeply pregnant woman rubbing her stomach as if summoning a genie from a bottle. And finally: We care about keeping you safe. Were here to help. Were still here for you. Our spirit is what unites us. Whats weird is, Im not sure what Im supposed to buy. These ads are often strangely devoid of product placement. Instead, they lean on pat metaphors that stuff the crisis into the various receptacles affiliated with the products. There are no Cokes in this Malaysian Coke ad, just the note, Thank you for filling the glass with kindness and hope. Dunkin talks about raising a cup. And Heftys message compares the human spirit to a bag of trash. Thank you. Uber even ran an anti-Uber commercial that tells its customers, Thank you for not riding with Uber. In the place of images of products, these ads are selling a vision of the workers who made them. They show Fareway employees striding in slo-mo through stockrooms, and masked warehouse workers monitoring Amazon conveyor belts. To our over one million heroes  To all of our Amazon retail heroes, we want to thank you. I say thank you. Theyre capitalizing on the trend of anointing all essential workers as heroes. Its a well-meaning impulse to thank those people who are stocking shelves and bagging groceries, but employers have seized on it as a tactic to soften the uncomfortable truth that their workers are at risk, and ease our own tensions as consumers about benefiting from their work. So how does it feel when you see an ad that valorizes a grocery store worker as a hero? The word, hero, has always implied having some sort of agency. Somebody running into a burning house and saving a baby, they are making a conscious decision. But we werent trained for this kind of thing. This wasnt in our job descriptions. Were not these altruistic angels that are just so happy to be there, and to serve you. And thats kind of what theyre trying to show in these ads. Its wonderful to be acknowledged. Its when it becomes a catchphrase, its when it becomes ingenuine. Its like memos from corporate like, You guys are heroes, you know? It doesnt mean anything anymore. These ads have reimagined their ideal consumers too. Medical workers have swiftly been elevated into unwitting corporate spokesmodels, creating a fantasy where all consumption is reframed as a public service performed by heroes for heroes. In the coronavirus ad world, heroes are broadly defined. Theyre not just the nurses and grocery stockers. Now every couch surfer can feel like theyre doing their part. Basically anything a person does during the pandemic can be reframed in a commercial as an act of heroism. Its telling that so many of these ads are constructed from found images of social media, or at least theyre made to appear that way. They locate hope in amateur video of a woman cutting her own bangs and a baby riding a Roomba. Its as if by some kind of transitive property, drinking the same brand of coffee that I saw a nurse drink means that Im contributing to the cause. [sirens] I may not be packing meat or intubating patients, but at least I am bravely maintaining my consumption habits. They make me feel like Im doing my part by staying on my couch.
Arriving at the Princes Trust Awards in March, Prince Charles was about to go in for a handshake when, mindful of social-distancing rules, he quickly changed tack.

He offered a namaste instead, putting palms together with his fingers pointing up  the traditional Hindu salutation.

Handshakes and hugs were abandoned overnight when the pandemic took hold.

New normal? In Japan, people tend to greet one another with a formal bow

Such changes in greetings may mean air kisses on an eventual trip to France are met with a Gallic shrug, and the Maori hongi, where people press their noses and foreheads together, is consigned to history.

Anthony Fauci, a leading U.S. public health official, has said: I dont think we should ever shake hands again.

Its a hard habit to break. The humble handshake dates back to Ancient Greek and Roman times, and featured in their art as a symbol of peace.

Its believed it was born out of distrust, however. Romans grasped each others forearms to check there were no daggers hidden up their sleeves. But there are alternatives  and not only the Wuhan shake foot-tap.

The Thai wai, for example, involves bowing your head with your palms together, as a gesture of openness. Its popular in south-east Asia and is used in prayer and dance.

Meanwhile, the formal bow was introduced to Japan between the 5th and 7th centuries, and remains de rigueur in a country that prides itself on etiquette.

At the Princes Trust Awards in March, Prince Charles offered a namaste rather than a handshake

We could adopt this for formal settings, with the degree of bow matching the level of respect you feel for one another.

For a spiritual symbol, look to the Middle East. Place your right hand on your heart, sacred in Islam as the seat of the soul, and say, As-salaam alaikum (peace be upon you).

The Hawaiian shaka sign, with the three middle fingers curled and thumb and little finger extended, could even be adopted beyond the surfing community, who know it as meaning hang loose.

Or theres the Zambian cup and clap  cup your hands together and clap a couple of times while saying, Muli bwanji (how are you?).

But back to the namaste. In Sanskrit, it means the highest in me salutes the highest in you. Its appropriate at a time when were meant to be appreciating each other more, while keeping our distance. Prince Charles may have set a trend.
Online Desk By

Nissan Motors has agreed to settle a long-running dispute with the Tamil Nadu government after claiming it was owed Rs 5000 crore (USD 660 million) in unpaid dues and damages, according to a report by Reuters.

The Japanese auto major was to receive between Rs 1400 crore (USD 185 million) and Rs 1800 crore (USD 238 million) as per the settlement, said the report. The dispute began after the company said the state government owed the amount under a 2008 agreement for setting up a plant near Chennai.

The carmaker started an international negotiation against India in 2016, claiming Rs 2100 crore in unpaid dues and Rs 2900 crore in other costs. The state government had been trying to reach a resolution with the company for many years.

ALSO READ| Nissan plans to close Barcelona factories, 3,000 jobs lost

Tamil Nadu industries minister MC Sampath said the state government had resolved the issue but refused to give further details, according to the report. "Nissan has begun the process to withdraw the international arbitration," he was quoted as saying.

The terms of the resolution were not clear and neither could they be independently verified, said the report.

The settlement comes as Nissan's declining profits have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. The company announced its first loss in 11 years on Thursday.

ALSO READ| COVID-19: Nissan offers special services package to customers

The TN government believes the current payment won't affect the state's finances amid the coronavirus crisis. "The payment will be made from a separate fund of Rs 2500 crore rupees which is allocated for the auto sector," said Sampath.
Starting with the silent move of global smartphone titan Apple, companies have been shifting their facilities to Vietnam, following the call for more lucrative investment opportunities.

Following fellow industrial giants, Panasonic is also looking to relocate to Vietnam Photo: Duc Thanh

Japanese electronics manufacturer Panasonic last week declared a halt in operations of its large washing machine factory in the suburbs of Bangkok and announced it would migrate the facility to a branch in Vietnam. Accordingly, the factory, together with a research and development (R&D) centre in Thailand, will be closed by next March.

Panasonic is aiming for a cost reduction by merging its subsidiaries across many markets, including Vietnam, according to Nikkei Asian Review.

The Japanese group, which entered Vietnam more than 25 years ago, has operated eight facilities in the country with the total registered investment of $243 million, including its largest washing machine factory and R&D centre in Southeast Asia in Thang Long Industrial Park II in the northern province of Hung Yen.

Since the launch of the subsidiary, its manufacturing capacity climbed to about 600 products per day. After shifting to Vietnam, the company could select the Thang Long facility to integrate its manufacturing line from Thailand.

Panasonic is one of many foreign investors wishing to relocate their business to Vietnam. Meanwhile, other overseas behemoths like Apple have been carrying out similar moves.

Unfolding relocation

China-based Luxshare-ICT, one of Apples global partners, has been negotiating with Catch Technology to prepare to produce the iconic AirPods in Vietnam. According to a white paper published by Savills Vietnam last year, nearly 20 others are following this example.

Some of these companies are South Korean aerospace manufacturer Hanwha Aero Engine, Japanese carmaker Yokowo, and Hong Kong-based textile producer Huafu Industrial, as well as another of Apples assembly partners, Chinese Goertek.

Huafu Industrial has officially moved its manufacturing lines from China to the Vietnamese market, quickly implementing the necessary constructions for the final phase of its 36-hectare facility in Thuan Dao Industrial Zone in the southern province of Long An. Currently, the factory has an annual production capacity of 20,000 tonnes and created jobs for around 3,200 labourers.

Last February, partially state-owned Chinese TCL Technology also carried out the first phase of its 7.3 hectare integrated manufacturing base in the southern province of Binh Duong. The project was expected to be finished within seven months. However, to date, it is still under construction.

Other large Japanese electronics manufacturers like Nintendo, Sharp, and Kyocera are also considering moving their facilities out of the worlds workshop.

According to Jeff Olson, managing partner at Hogan Lovells Vietnam, the country must continue to create an attractive environment for foreign investors. Olson stated that foreign investors want to see continuous movement towards more equal treatment for them and domestic investors, fewer restrictions on business activities, further streamlining of required licensing procedures, greater clarity and consistency in the interpretation and enforcement of laws and regulations.

Compliance issues

Relocating or expanding business lines in Vietnam contributes to reinforcing the trust of already present businesses, especially large-scale ones. However, newly established facilities and their investors must follow local regulations to limit unwanted consequences.

Although the company is a large partner of Apple, Luxshare-ICT in the northern province of Bac Giangs Quang Chau Industrial Zone received some unwanted attention with the company lacking in compliance with Vietnamese regulations.

Most recently, Bac Giang Peoples Committee issued a combined fine of VND340 million ($15,000) for the groups violations in investment, environmental protection, and construction regulations, as well as labour rights. Accordingly, the company implemented its projects without issuing an environmental impact assessment report, built several structures, which were not mentioned in the granted construction licence, and illegally recruited nearly 700 Chinese experts and workers.

Luxshare-ICT, which was established in Vietnam in 2016 and has a second factory in the central province of Nghe An, registered VND4.19 trillion ($182 million) in the Bac Giang facility last year.

It is not only a lesson about attracting foreign-invested projects without paying attention to responsibility and potential of the investors but also shows the oversight of local authorities in monitoring the companys operation, where the factory is located, economist Nguyen Tri Hieu told VIR.

Last August, the Politburo issued Resolution No.50-NQ/TW on orientations to improve institutions and policies to enhance the quality and efficiency of foreign investment co-operation towards 2030. Under which, Vietnam is proactively choosing to attract foreign-invested projects with high-tech content while ensuring high values for the economy following the new foreign direct investment attraction policy in the new era.

According to Hieu, businesses have many contractors, and some oversee facility construction while others provide raw materials or are responsible for recruitment. Therefore, foreign investors tend to depend on the contractors to run business in Vietnam under local regulations. Many investors care most about the quality of orders that they assign to their partners as well as whether the orders are finished on time, said Hieu. VIR

Kim Anh

When Apple comes to Vietnam and FDI flow starts moving Apple is making clearer signals in the production of components and products in Vietnam, opening up opportunities for Vietnam to participate more deeply in the global value chain.
Commemorations began on May 29 Friday in Hungary for the first anniversary of an accident on the Danube River in which over two dozen South Korean tourists died after their tour boat collided with a river cruise ship. At least 25 out of 33 South Korean tourists died when the Hableany (Mermaid) boat capsized and sank on the night of May 29, 2019.

The boats two-man Hungarian crew also died, while a female South Korean tourist is still missing. In a ceremony organized by the operators of the Hableany, a wreath was lowered into the water from a boat near the site of the catastrophe, close to the Hungarian neo-Gothic parliament in Budapest.

Later, an official memorial with the participation of authorities from Hungary and South Korea will be held on the banks of the Danube, by the foot of the Margit Bridge, where the Hableany was hit from behind and practically pushed underwater in a few seconds by the Viking Sigyn river cruise ship.

The cruise ship's captain is on trial for his alleged responsibility in the crash, but court sessions have been postponed until at least September because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 16:45:49|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

20,000 surgical masks donated by northwest China's Qinghai Province to Burundi were shipped off Thursday morning to help aid the fight against #COVID19.
Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz has declared a state of emergency and sent National Guards following three nights of destructive protests after news of George Floyd's death-and the circumstances that led to it-sparked national outrage. George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, died on Monday after law enforcement officers pinned him to the ground. The officer, who was identified as Derek Chauvin, knelt on Floyd's neck despite pleas he couldn't breathe. Footages of the incident captured the victim begging for his life and crying for help, but none of the other 3 officers, who were identified as Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane, responded.





Protests

A large crowd of Minneapolis residents protested from Wednesday evening to early Thursday morning following the death of a black victim who died in police custody. Some protesters threw rocks and drew graffitis on police vehicles while others targeted the precinct where the four officers were assigned. Several buildings in a retail area across the station were smoldered in flames following the protests. The police used tear gas and rubber bullets during the protests as demonstrators looted stores and set buildings on fire. In a twitter post, a resident captured affordable housing developments, Wendy's establishment, and an AutoZone franchise burning.

The governor also claimed the activities injured first responders and fellow protestors.

Fatal Shooting

The Minneapolis authorities also began investigating a fatal shooting near a looted pawnshop. According to the state's police department spokesman, John Elder, the police officers found the victim in critical condition on the sidewalk near the Cadillac Pawn and Jewelry Shop. He was brought to the hospital where he died. The spokesman refused to confirm whether the victim was involved in looting the pawnshop or whether the store owner shot the victim. He claimed the investigators are looking into both theories. A suspect was taken into custody, but his identity remains publicly unknown.

Excessive Force Complaints

Officer Chauvin, the police officer who knelt on the victim's neck, had previously been involved in 18 excessive force complaints filed against Minneapolis officers in recent years. In 2005, the Communities United Against Police Brutality claimed the officer was involved in the deaths of three people after a car he was chasing struck them. In 2006, Chauvin was involved in the fatal shooting of a man who allegedly stabbed two individuals before pointing a gun at law enforcement officials.

In 2008, the officer shot a man he claimed reached for an officer's gun during a domestic violence call. In 2011, the Minneapolis police department placed Chauvin and four other officers on a three-day leave after he was involved in the shooting of an indigenous man. They were allowed to return to work after the department deemed they "acted appropriately."

The Minneapolis Office of Police Conduct complaint database had seven other complaints recorded against him. The city's database listed five other complaints filed before September 2012. All of the complaints are labeled closed or non-public.

Tou Thao, another officer involved in the incident, was previously sued in 2014 after a man claimed he and two other officers used excessive force in an arrest. According to the lawsuit, the man, who was accompanying his pregnant girlfriend, was stopped by the officers who punched, kicked, and kneed his face and body. The incident led to broken teeth, bruising, and trauma. The lawsuit was settled out of court for $25,000.

Want to read more?
Executives from eight local hospitals are calling on the province to extend pandemic pay to all hospital workers, saying uncertainty surrounding who gets it is affecting morale.

But it doesnt appear the province will budge.

In an open letter dated May 27, Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand. Brant and Burlington hospital executives  including Rob MacIsaac, president and CEO of Hamilton Health Sciences, and Melissa Farrell, president of St. Josephs Healthcare Hamilton (HHS)  urge the province to give the $4 per hour pandemic pay raise to all hospital workers. The hospital brass say they want the change to come into effect before the government finalizes its plans for pandemic pay distribution.

Unfortunately, the lack of clarity and uncertainty regarding pandemic pay eligibility is impacting the morale of our employees and undermining the recognition they are receiving from our communities, the leaders write. We value the efforts of all of our employees and we believe they all deserve recognition for their contributions.

But a spokesperson for the provincial Treasury Board put a damper on any hopes theyll all get a pay bump.

As Premier Ford has said, we wish we could provide pandemic pay to every single front-line worker who has contributed to the fight against COVID-19, said spokesperson Sebastian Skamski. However, unfortunately, there is a limit to the amount of funding provided by the federal government through our shared agreement and we are not able to expand the pandemic pay program beyond the over 375,000 employees already deemed eligible.

On April 25, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced some front-line health-care workers would receive a temporary raise of $4 per hour during the pandemic. It was then to go to 350,000 staff working in environments such as including hospitals, correctional facilities and long-term care homes and be in effect for four months.

Its our way of saying thank you, Ford said at the time.

Many praised Ford, but some workers left off the list of those eligible, such as paramedics, spoke out. Days after the initial announcement, the list was expanded.

But some hospital workers are still not eligible. And thats creating stress, tension and divisions in the workplace, says Dave Murphy, president of CUPE Local 7800, which represents more than 4,200 HHS staff.

Ive had a lot of people crying on the phone, Murphy said. I think its more the recognition and the self-worth that theyre feeling (theyre missing out on) than the money ... Theyre just disheartened.

He was disappointed to hear the province is holding firm on its list limits.

I think its unfair to take such a closed view, he said. Its front-line workers who are going to pay the price of the ineptness of Premier Ford.

Murphy said workers remain confused about two things: if they qualify for a raise and, if they dont, why not?

He said the provinces guidelines for who gets the pay are vague, with broad categories, and its not clear who decides which workers get the pay or how theyll decide.

Murphy wonders, for instance, about hospital staff who visit patients at their bedside to ask about insurance coverage. Theyre called preferred accommodation workers. Does that meant theyre considered client facing reception/administrative workers, which means theyre included on list of eligible recipients, or not?

So far, no money has been handed out.

The thought was in the right place, Murphy said of Fords initial decision to raise pay. But it has caused so many problems and issues.

Local hospital workers rallied two weeks ago outside Hamilton General Hospital to raise the profile of their cause.

Murphy said he was glad to see the hospital executives put their names to the letter asking for everyone to be included.

The leaders state in the letter they are grateful for the additional pay. They just want to see everyone recognized equally.

Caring for patients in hospitals requires a team of dedicated health-care workers. Everyone plays a role, said Farrell, president of St. Josephs Healthcare Hamilton in an email to The Spec. Our team at St. Joes have been doing extraordinary work through this challenging time, and they should all be recognized with this pandemic pay.

Read more about:
Members of the state Assembly, seen here in 2016, are among 132 elected state officials whose pay was maintained at the current level Thursday by the state Citizens Compensation Commission. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

While most state employees face the threat of 10% pay cuts due to a state budget deficit fueled by the coronavirus crisis, a citizens' panel on Thursday decided not to cut the salaries of state lawmakers and other statewide elected officials.

But the decision came with an entreaty from Tom Dalzell, the chairman of the state Citizens Compensation Commission, who called on California's 132 elected state officials to each consider taking less pay as the state contends with the economic upheaval stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and the stay-at-home orders implemented to slow spread of the virus.

I urge the legislators and the constitutional officers  to each seriously consider a voluntary surrender of some portion of their salary in recognition of the budgetary hardships and the hardships of many Californians, especially those who are unemployed, Dalzell said during Thursday's meeting.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced earlier this month that he will seek a 10% reduction in the salaries of rank-and-file state workers as well as his own pay starting July 1 as part of a plan to address an expected $54.3-billion deficit for the fiscal year starting that day.

Thursday's vote to maintain salary levels for elected officials sent the wrong message, said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn.

Its a question of optics, that with all the pain being inflicted on individuals and small business, it's unseemly that the highest paid legislators in America [until recently] arent sharing in the pain, Coupal said after the decision.

As a result of the commission vote, Californias 120 legislators will see their base salaries remain at $114,877, which until recently was the highest base salary paid to lawmakers in any state in the country. New York bumped its lawmakers pay to $120,000 annually in January.

Although the commission did not reduce the governors annual salary of $209,747, he has indicated that he will voluntarily take a 10% reduction starting July 1.

Story continues

While other legislators were not immediately available Thursday for comment, it does not appear Senate Democrats will voluntarily reduce their salaries. When asked about Dalzells suggestion, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) said in a statement Thursday that the Senate is focused on developing a plan that would avoid devastating cuts to important state programs.

Voters put legislators compensation in the hands of the Citizens Compensation Commission. We continue to abide by their decisions, Atkins said.

While Newsoms office is negotiating with unions to reduce the pay of civil servants working for the state, the salaries of elected officials are set annually by the commission that was created under a ballot measure approved by voters in 1990.

The commission was not able to raise salaries Thursday because another ballot measure from 2009 prohibits salary increases when there are deficits, as there is now.

All four members of the commission, who are appointed by the governor, said they recognize that the state is facing economic and budgetary difficulty.

Commissioner Laura Horrocks said during the panel's teleconferenced meeting that she would support a reduction of pay but added: We dont know the long-term impacts of where we are going economically.

Dalzell said the state's financial picture is grim.

We are facing a financial crisis that is certainly greater than the stock market problems of 2008, Dalzell said. There is uncertainty in budgets at every level of government.

However, he said that, because the Legislature has not met as frequently as it normally does due to the pandemic, lawmakers are getting less from the $206 per diem they receive for each day the Legislature is in session.

They still have the cost of maintaining housing in Sacramento for the very little time they are here, he said. So they are already making a big sacrifice.

Dalzell also said that the money saved from cutting salaries of legislators is insignificant in comparison with the overall state budget hole.

Im not interested in a meaningless, symbolic gesture, he said.

The commission action Thursday also maintained the current salary levels for the lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, controller, secretary of state, insurance commissioner, superintendent of public instruction and members of the Board of Equalization.

The commission cut elected officials pay by 18% in 2009 after the governor and Legislature furloughed state workers to avoid a budget deficit during the Great Recession.

That year, lawmakers challenged the legality of cutting their salaries mid-term, arguing the changes should apply only to those who take office the following term, but the state attorney general ruled against the legislators.

Legislative leaders signaled last week that they would accept any decision of the citizen panel.

Whatever the Citizens Compensation Commission decides is what the Assembly will abide by, said Katie Talbot, a spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood).
This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

For years, one of Alberto Rotturas well-heeled customers habitually paid the same amount for his weekly haircut: $18, without tip (none was necessary, his wife had advised, since Mr. Rottura owned the salon). Finally, the customer volunteered some advice:

Alberto, he said, why dont you raise your rates?

I did, Mr. Rottura replied.

He had, in fact, been too gentlemanly to tell his loyal customer, whom he considered a friend. Since then, and until 10 weeks ago when Mr. Rottura fell ill, the customer had paid $50 for his haircuts.

Mr. Rottura died on May 25 in Manhattan. He was 77. The cause was complications of Covid-19, his son Gianluca Rottura said.

Mr. Rottura and his Solingen scissors attracted a faithful clientele who valued his talent and his generosity, and his discretion even more.
There has been no recent contact between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump. The last conversation between them was on April 4 on hydroxychloroquine, according to CNBC TV18 sources.

On May 28, MEA made it clear that India was directly in touch with China through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts, the source said.

This comes after Trump said he had spoken to PM Modi about the China situation and that the Indian prime minister was not in a "good mood".

Trump said, "I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China".

Trump, on May 27, said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.

India, on May 27, said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump's offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing.

"The two sides have established mechanisms both at military and diplomatic levels to resolve situations which may arise in border areas peacefully through dialogue and continue to remain engaged through these channels," he said.

While the Chinese Foreign Ministry is yet to react to Trump's tweet which appears to have caught Beijing by surprise, an op-ed in the state-run Global Times said both countries did not need such help from the US president.

"The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order," it said.

Trump's unexpected offer came on a day when China took an apparently conciliatory tone by saying that the situation at the border with India is "overall stable and controllable."

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.

Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal that was rejected by New Delhi.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders.

Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in North Sikkim on May 9.
When you have to go, you'll soon have to go to gender neutral facilities with foot-operated flushes, self-closing seats, sensor-activated taps, soap dispensers and toilet attendants.

And, if you're a bloke, you can forget about using the old-fashioned urinals.

A sign requesting users to 'Please wash your hands' in a public toilet during the pandemic. Victoria Jones/PA Wire

That's because public loos are going to get a massive revamp in the post-Covid-19 world near you.

It's also likely that you won't be able to spend a penny for free as the new-look public facilities are somehow going to have to be paid for: think contactless payments of between 50p and 1.

As lockdown restrictions are eased, the boss of the British Toilet Association (BTA) has been advising councils and companies on how to keep washrooms clean and safe amid a global pandemic.

Expand Close Raymond Martin / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Raymond Martin

In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Raymond Martin said it was "time for a total redesign of public toilets" of which there are "around 60 run by councils in Northern Ireland" and over 200 in total.

He suggested the introduction of mandatory fees and attendants whose sole responsibility is to keep them "shiny and pristine at all times".

Another proposal is the elimination of separate loos for men and women going forward - although Mr Martin believes "there should still be separate toilet blocks for men and women" where possible.

Gender neutral facilities could see men and women queuing at one door and exiting on the other side, with individual cubicles in between, while public urinals could also be a thing of the past

"We still believe in separate gender toilet blocks where possible - in shopping centres, for example," he said.

"You'd have Men on one side, Ladies on the other and a disabled toilet round the back."

Expand Close (David Davies/PA) PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (David Davies/PA)

Mr Martin also said potential solutions include foot-operated flushes and self-closing seats to sensor-activated taps and soap dispensers.

The watchdog's chief executive told this newspaper that he is calling on the Government to invest in revolutionising the nation's washrooms as a matter of "public health".

"Toilets have a massive commercial effect on an area, which is why they are one of the first things you plan in any new shopping centre," Mr Martin said.

"It's going to cost a lot of money, but if we want to get back outdoors, to socialise, to go to parks and beaches, then the Government has to step in.

"We want to bring back life to Northern Ireland, and toilets are a vital part of that."

Mr Martin said local councils understand the importance of public toilets. "They see the need for parents coming out with kids and people with disabilities, for example," he said.

"The councils I deal with know they're a vital piece of infrastructure."

And he said they're going to become increasingly important in Northern Ireland "because there's going to be a huge spike in staycations as a result of coronavirus". Mr Martin revealed that he's currently "writing a strategy for Belfast".

"Belfast has closed all 14 public toilets in the city centre. They have to be reopened," he said.

"We're now looking at building a big toilet block right in the middle of Belfast, with modern toilets and attendants, etc."

The BTA boss said he thought individual department stores would have to make big decisions about how they're going to approach the toilet question.

"Health and hygiene will have to be ramped up," he said.

"But I'm not sure if smaller shops will be able to offer that facility because you'll need a toilet attendant and that's going to cost upwards of 15,000 a year when you factor in all the costs - salary, National Insurance, etc - and that puts a big strain on the store."

He added that there "needs to be a bit of a revolution".

"The bottom line is we think the day of the free toilet is gone," he said. "We also think customers should be paying anything from 50p to 1 to use the facility.

"We're going to have to upgrade, we're going to have to spend money on hygiene - for things like contactless touching and spray systems."
Seattle: On a day when Boeing announced more than 12,300 jobs cuts in the US, with almost 10,000 of those in Washington state, the company also chose to push the button on re-starting 737 MAX production.

"Today, teams in Renton started to warm up the factory's central production line," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal in a message to employees on Wednesday afternoon (US time).

Boeing's future business relies upon the rebirth of the troubled 737 MAX, which still has a backlog of more than 3800 orders. Credit:AP

The MAX has been grounded since soon after the deadly crash of an Ethiopian Airlines MAX in March 2019, following the crash of a Lion Air MAX in Indonesia less than five months earlier, with a combined death toll of 346 people.

Boeing's future business relies upon the rebirth of this troubled airplane, which still has a backlog of more than 3800 orders.
The benchmark index shed 24.31 points (-1.22%) due to downward price movements in three counters, Fan Milk (-0.29%), MTN Ghana (-3.33%) and Benso Oil (-5.66%) to close at 1,975.81 with a -12.46% year-to-date return.



The market capitalization decreased by 0.47% to settle at GH53.90 billion.



The GSE Financial Index remained unchanged at 1,840.80 with a year-to-date return of -8.86% while the SAS Manufacturing Index moderated by 9.77 points (-0.33%) to end its changeless streak after four successive sessions at 2,980.13 with a -14.40% year-to-date return.



Trading activity jumped as 10,100,023 shares valued at GH5,840,219.56 changed hands from 157,769 shares valued at GH59,604 in the previous session.



MTN Ghana dominated trades by volume and value, accounting for 99.06% of the total volume traded and 99.36% of the total value traded.



We expect trading activity to pick up as investors take advantage of bargain stocks.



Notification of Resignation of Managing Director



Intravenous Infusions PLC - (GSE: IIL)



IIL has announced the resignation of Mr. David Klutse as the Managing Director of the company effective 15th May 2020. The company also announces the appointment of Mr. Moukhtar Soalihu the Head of Finance as the Acting Managing Director.



Notification of Change of Directorship



Tullow Oil PLC (GSE: TLW)



Tullow Ghana has announced that Kweku Awotwi, Managing Director of Tullow Ghana, and Executive Vice President of Tullow Oil plc, will be retiring on 30th June. He will hand over his responsibilities to Wissam Al Monthiry who becomes Managing Director, Tullow Ghana and Cynthia Lumor, Corporate Affairs Director, over the coming weeks.

Source: SAS Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  As part of a hazing ritual, a student from Staten Island pledging to join a womens fraternity at a college in Albany was subjected to a salacious act which was recorded and shown to other people, a lawsuit alleges.

The incident occurred on April 4, 2019, when the plaintiff, a student at the State University of New York at Albany, was seeking to join the Alpha Xi Delta fraternity, said a civil complaint.

One of her initiation tasks required the young woman to let a male student, who was a member of an associated fraternity, lick whipped cream off her breast and videotape it for others to see, said attorney Michael V. Gervasi.

It went far beyond what should have been a membership-participation activity, Gervasi said.

Besides the Alpha Xi Delta fraternity, the plaintiff has sued the owner of the off-campus building where the fraternity was housed, two women alleged to be leaders in the fraternity and an unidentified male student who reputedly performed the act.

The school is not named in the suit, recently filed in state Supreme Court, St. George.

The plaintiff alleges serious physical and psychological injuries. She seeks unspecified monetary damages.

The young woman contends she was wrongfully compelled to perform a demeaning task and the video should never have been disseminated.

According to the complaint and Gervasi, the pledges were told they were participating in a scavenger hunt.

They were required to perform certain activities and tasks.

As proof of completion, they were obliged to record themselves performing the initiation rites and send the video to two female leaders of the fraternity who organized the scavenger hunt, said Gervasi and the complaint.

Due to the nature of the allegations, all the involved parties names are being withheld.

One of the scavenger-hunt activities compelled the plaintiff to allow the male student to perform a sexual act upon (her), said the complaint.

The male, listed in the suit as John Doe, was a member of a fraternity associated with Alpha Xi Delta, the complaint said.

He did not force himself on her, and the plaintiff willingly participated in the task, said Gervasi, a principal in the West Brighton law firm of Scamardella, Gervasi, Thomson & Kasegrande.

A recording was made of the male licking the whipped cream off the plaintiffs breast and sent to the two fraternity leaders, said the complaint.

The video was uploaded onto the messaging service GroupMe where it was then shared among various students, mostly those associated with the two group leaders, the complaint alleges.

The plaintiff was forced to watch the recording as well as recordings of sexual acts performed on other pledges, contends the complaint.

The conduct of the two leaders and the male toward the plaintiff was shocking, outrageous and exceeds the boundary of decency, the complaint alleges.

The plaintiff withdrew from the school at some point after the incident, said Gervasi.

Earlier this year, on Jan. 15, the school conducted a hearing with respect to allegations against the two group leaders, the complaint said.

Two months later, on March 13, SUNY Albany concluded the two women had violated school policy related to sexual harassment, said the complaint.

That information could not immediately be confirmed.

A school spokesman said federal student privacy laws bar the university from commenting on matters related to student discipline.

However, SUNY Albanys web site said Alpha Xi Deltas fraternity charter has been revoked but doesnt say when that occurred. The web site was last updated on Feb. 13.

The lawyer said no criminal charges were filed in connection with the episode.

Among the allegations, the complaint contends the fraternity and the building owner, listed in court papers as Hudson 410 Inc., failed to properly investigate and screen the two group leaders and the male student.

Phone and email messages left at Alpha Xi Deltas headquarters in Indianapolis were not immediately returned.

Telephone attempts to reach Hudson 410 Inc., which is based in Allendale, N.J., or a principal were not immediately successful.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-21 00:18:05|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Djibouti's Ministry of Health on Wednesday announced 210 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Horn of Africa nation to 1,828.

The Djiboutian Ministry of Health disclosed in a statement that from a total of 1,123 people who were tested over the last 24 hours, 210 were tested positive for the virus.

The ministry also announced that some 1,052 people who have been infected with the COVID-19 have recovered as of the stated period.

Djibouti has so far conducted a total of about 20,056 COVID-19 tests, according to the Djibouti Ministry of Health, which has reported nine COVID-19 deaths.

Djibouti reported its first COVID-19 case on March 18.

The Red Sea nation, which lies on a key location connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, hosts a number of foreign military bases. Enditem
Despite improvements in their performance over the past decade, electronic health records (EHRs) commonly used in hospitals nationwide fail to detect up to one in three potentially harmful drug interactions and other medication errors, according to scientists at University of Utah Health, Harvard University, and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. In tests using simulated medical records, the researchers found that EHR systems consistently failed to detect errors that could injure or kill patients.

"EHRs are supposed to ensure safe use of medications in hospitals," says David C. Classen, M.D., the study's corresponding author and a professor of internal medicine at U of U Health. "But they're not doing that. In any other industry, this degree of software failure wouldn't be tolerated. You would never get on an airplane, for instance, if an airline could only promise it could get you to your destination safely two-thirds of the time."

The study appears in the May 29 issue of JAMA Network Open.

First deployed in the 1960s, EHRs replaced written medical records and manual filing systems. They became almost universally adopted in the early 21st century after an Institute of Medicine report found that medical errors accounted for 1 million inpatient injuries and 98,000 deaths annually. According to the report, medication safety problems were the most frequent cause of preventable harm.

Medical professionals hoped that widespread use of EHRs would reduce this problem. The computerized systems are designed to issue warnings to doctors if their orders for medication could result in allergic reactions, adverse drug interactions, excessive doses, or other potentially harmful effects. However, recent studies suggest that medication safety and overall safety problems in hospitals continue to occur at a high rate despite the almost ubiquitous use of EHRs by hospitals.

One snag is that hospitals must customize and adapt their EHR software to meet their own needs, Classen says. This is a complex process that makes it difficult to keep up with all changes in drug safety. So, for example, a serious drug interaction that would trigger EHR warnings at one hospital might not at another one.

"Although EHRs are now widely used, their safety performance continues to vary from hospital to hospital," says David W. Bates, M.D., a study co-author and chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "Hospitals decide what drug-related decision supports to turn on within their systems. They have a great deal of latitude around this."

However, Classen says federal regulators only inspect EHR systems with factory specifications, meaning that whatever alterations hospitals make after installation aren't accounted for.

To determine the effectiveness of EHRs in real-world settings, Classen, Bates, and colleagues studied the results of tests conducted by an EHR safety evaluation tool called Leapfrog CPOE EHR test, which simulated actual drug orders that have and could potentially harm patients. Almost all of the scenarios were based on actual adverse drug events that harmed or killed patients in the real world.

In one scenario, for instance, a 52-year-old woman is admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. Prior to hospitalization, she was taking warfarin, a blood-thinning medication, once a day to combat deep vein thrombosis. After admission, she receives warfarin three times a day. This excessive dosage goes undetected by the hospital's EHR system for five days. As a result, the patient has a large hemorrhage and dies of causes directly related to the overdose of warfarin.

Scenarios like this one were fed directly into EHR systems at 2,314 hospitals nationwide to see if their systems would perform better. All of the tests were conducted over a 10-year span, 2009 to 2018.

The researchers found that, in 2009, these systems correctly issued warnings or alerts about potential medication problems only 54% of the time. By 2018, EHRs detected about 66% of these errors.

"These systems meet the most basic safety standards less than 70% of the time," the researchers conclude. "These systems have only modestly increased their safety during a 10-year period, leaving critical deficiencies in these systems to detect and prevent critical safety issues."

In addition, Classen notes that the hospitals in this study used the EHR evaluation tool on a voluntary basis to improve patient safety and care. Many hospitals do not participate in such evaluations, suggesting that the true safety performance of U.S. hospitals could be worse than the study found.

###

This study titled, "National Trends in the Safety Performance of Electronic Health Record Systems from 2009 to 2018," was funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

University of Utah Health provides leading-edge and compassionate medicine for a referral area that encompasses 10% of the U.S., including Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and much of Nevada. A hub for health sciences research and education in the region, U of U Health touts a $356 million research enterprise and trains the majority of Utah's physicians and more than 1,250 health care providers each year at its Schools of Medicine and Dentistry and Colleges of Nursing, Pharmacy, and Health. With more than 20,000 employees, the system includes 12 community clinics and four hospitals. For 10 straight years, U of U Health has ranked among the top 10 U.S. academic medical centers in the rigorous Vizient Quality and Accountability Study, including reaching No. 1 in 2010 and 2016.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Cheering protesters torched a Minneapolis police station Thursday that the department was forced to abandon as three days of violent protests spread to nearby St. Paul and angry demonstrations flared across the U.S over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer kneeled on his neck.

A police spokesman confirmed late Thursday that staff had evacuated the 3rd Precinct station, the focus of many of the protests, "in the interest of the safety of our personnel" shortly after 10 p.m. Livestream video showed the protesters entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as blazes were set.

Protesters could be seen setting fire to a Minneapolis Police Department jacket and cheering.

Late Thursday, President Donald Trump blasted the "total lack of leadership" in Minneapolis. "Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts," he said on Twitter.

Protests first erupted Tuesday, a day after Floyd's death in a confrontation with police captured on widely seen citizen video. On the video, Floyd can be seen pleading as Officer Derek Chauvin presses his knee against him. As minutes pass, Floyd slowly stops talking and moving. The 3rd Precinct covers the portion of south Minneapolis where Floyd was arrested.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz earlier Thursday activated the National Guard at the Minneapolis mayor's request, but it wasn't immediately clear when and where the Guard was being deployed, and none could be seen during protests in Minneapolis or St. Paul. The Guard tweeted minutes after the precinct burned that it had activated more than 500 soldiers across the metro area.

The Guard said a "key objective" was to make sure fire departments could respond to calls, and said in a follow-up tweet it was "here with the Minneapolis Fire Department" to assist. But no move was made to put out the 3rd Precinct fire. Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Tyner said fire crews could not safely respond to fires at the precinct station and some surrounding buildings.

Earlier Thursday, dozens of businesses across the Twin Cities boarded up their windows and doors in an effort to prevent looting, with Minneapolis-based Target announcing it was temporarily closing two dozen area stores. Minneapolis shut down nearly its entire light-rail system and all bus service through Sunday out of safety concerns.

In St. Paul, clouds of smoke hung in the air as police armed with batons and wearing gas masks and body armor kept a watchful eye on protesters along one of the city's main commercial corridors, where firefighters also sprayed water onto a series of small fires. At one point, officers stood in line in front of a Target, trying to keep out looters, who were also smashing windows of other businesses.

Hundreds of demonstrators returned Thursday to the Minneapolis neighborhood at the center of the violence, where the nighttime scene veered between an angry protest and a street party. At one point, a band playing in a parking lot across from the 3rd Precinct broke into a punk version of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song." Nearby, demonstrators carried clothing mannequins from a looted Target and threw them onto a burning car. Later, a building fire erupted nearby.

But elsewhere in Minneapolis, thousands of peaceful demonstrators marched through the streets calling for justice.

Floyd's death has deeply shaken Minneapolis and sparked protests in cities across the U.S. Local leaders have repeatedly urged demonstrators to avoid violence.

"Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement and on preventing this from ever happening again," tweeted St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, who is black.

Erika Atson, 20, was among thousands of people who gathered outside government offices in downtown Minneapolis, where organizers had called a peaceful protest. Many protesters wore masks because of the coronavirus pandemic, but there were few attempts at social distancing.

Atson, who is black, described seeing her 14- and 11-year-old brothers tackled by Minneapolis police years ago because officers mistakenly presumed the boys had guns. She said she had been at "every single protest" since Floyd's death and worried about raising children who could be vulnerable in police encounters.

"We don't want to be here fighting against anyone. We don't want anyone to be hurt. We don't want to cause any damages," she said. "We just want the police officer to be held accountable."

The group marched peacefully for three hours before another confrontation with police broke out, though details were scarce.

After calling in the Guard, Walz urged widespread changes in the wake of Floyd's death.

"It is time to rebuild. Rebuild the city, rebuild our justice system and rebuild the relationship between law enforcement and those they're charged to protect," Walz said.

Much of the Minneapolis violence occurred in the Longfellow neighborhood, where protesters converged on the precinct station of the police who arrested Floyd. In a strip mall across the street from the 3rd Precinct station, the windows in nearly every business had been smashed, from the large Target department store at one end to the Planet Fitness gym at the other. Only the 24-hour laundromat appeared to have escaped unscathed.

"WHY US?" demanded a large expanse of red graffiti scrawled on the wall of the Target. A Wendy's restaurant across the street was charred almost beyond recognition.

Among the casualties of the overnight fires: a six-story building under construction that was to provide nearly 200 apartments of affordable housing.

"We're burning our own neighborhood," said a distraught Deona Brown, a 24-year-old woman standing with a friend outside the precinct station, where a small group of protesters were shouting at a dozen or so stone-faced police officers in riot gear. "This is where we live, where we shop, and they destroyed it." No officers could be seen beyond the station.

"What that cop did was wrong, but I'm scared now," Brown said.

Others in the crowd saw something different in the wreckage.

Protesters destroyed property "because the system is broken," said a young man who identified himself only by his nickname, Cash, and who said he had been in the streets during the violence. He dismissed the idea that the destruction would hurt residents of the largely black neighborhood.

"They're making money off of us," he said angrily of the owners of the destroyed stores. He laughed when asked if he had joined in the looting or violence. "I didn't break anything."

The protests that began Wednesday night and extended into Thursday were more violent than Tuesday's, which included skirmishes between offices and protesters but no widespread property damage.

Mayor Jacob Frey appealed for calm but the city's response to the protests was quickly questioned as things started spiraling into violence. "If the strategy was to keep residents safe  it failed," City Council Member Jeremiah Ellison, who is black, tweeted. "Prevent property damage  it failed." On Thursday, he urged police to leave the scene of the overnight violence, saying their presence brings people into the streets.

Protests have also spread to other U.S. cities. In New York City, protesters defied New York's coronavirus prohibition on public gatherings Thursday, clashing with police, while demonstrators blocked traffic in downtown Denver. A day earlier, demonstrators had taken to the streets in Los Angeles and Memphis.

In Louisville, Kentucky, police confirmed that at least seven people had been shot Thursday night as protesters demanded justice for Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was fatally shot by police in her home in March.

Amid the violence in Minneapolis, a man was found fatally shot Wednesday night near a pawn shop, possibly by the owner, authorities said.

Fire crews responded to about 30 intentionally set blazes, and multiple fire trucks were damaged by rocks and other projectiles, the fire department said. No one was hurt by the blazes.

The city on Thursday released a transcript of the 911 call that brought police to the grocery store where Floyd was arrested. The caller described someone paying with a counterfeit bill, with workers rushing outside to find the man sitting on a van. The caller described the man as "awfully drunk and he's not in control of himself." Asked by the 911 operator whether the man was "under the influence of something," the caller said: "Something like that, yes. He is not acting right." Police said Floyd matched the caller's description of the suspect.

The U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI in Minneapolis said Thursday they were conducting "a robust criminal investigation" into the death. President Donald Trump has said he had asked an investigation to be expedited.

The FBI is also investigating whether Floyd's civil rights were violated.

Chauvin, the officer who kneeled on Floyds neck, was fired Tuesday with three other officers involved in the arrest. The next day, the mayor called for Chauvin to be criminally charged. He also appealed for the activation of the National Guard.

___

Tim Sullivan and Amy Forliti of The Associated Press wrote this story. AP writers Steve Karnowski and Jeff Baenen in Minneapolis, and Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee, contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON - Transcripts of phone calls in late 2016 between President Donald Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn and a Russian diplomat were released Friday, showing that the two did discuss sanctions as the incoming administration sought to avoid escalating the conflict over Russian interference in the presidential election.

The conversations were secretly monitored by U.S. agents as part of intelligence-gathering on then-Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents in early 2017 when he was asked if he discussed sanctions with the ambassador. He has since argued he was unfairly targeted by the FBI, and earlier this month the Justice Department asked a judge to toss out his guilty plea.

The fate of the retired U.S. Army general has divided Republicans and Democrats months before the presidential election, while Trump, who fired Flynn in February 2017, now casts him as a hero.

In the transcript of a Dec. 29, 2016 call between Flynn and Kislyak, it is clear that Flynn was trying to convince Russia not to respond aggressively to the Obama administration decision that day to eject 35 suspected Russian intelligence operatives from the U.S. and impose sanctions on Russian intelligence agencies. The administration's actions came in response to Russian hacking to influence the election.

The newly declassified transcript - which was released by the Trump administration to lawmakers, who then made the documents public - veers between what appear to be direct quotes and summaries of each man's remarks.

Flynn's message to Moscow was: "Do not allow this administration to box us in right now!" according to the transcript. "I know you have to have some sort of action," Flynn said, but he added he would like Russia "to only make it reciprocal; don't go any further than you have to because I don't want us to get into something that have [sic] to escalate to tit-for-tat."

Kislyak replied that he understands, but sentiments "are raging now in Moscow."

Flynn replied that he understood, "but I really do not want us to get into the situation where we, everybody goes back and forth and everybody has to be a tough guy here. We don't need that right now. We need cool heads to prevail."

At parts of the transcript, it is not entirely clear who is speaking.

"Now when FSB and GRU are sanctioned," the transcript says at one point, referring to Russia's two most prominent intelligence agencies, "and Kislyak asks himself, does it mean that the U.S. is not willing to work on terrorist threats, Kislyak poses a question. Flynn says, yes."

Flynn then repeated his request asking Russia to not expel more Americans than Russians have been expelled, because if Moscow kicks out 60 people, "you will shut down the embassy," according to the transcript. "Let's keep this at an even-kill level; then when we come in, we will have a better conversation where we are going to go regarding our relationship."

The Flynn case has provoked vastly different responses from Republicans and Democrats, as conservatives claim he was railroaded by anti-Trump investigators in the FBI, and liberals and many current and former Justice Department lawyers see the abandonment of the case as an alarming cave by the department to pressure from Trump.

"These transcripts clearly demonstrate that Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn lied to the FBI and the Vice President when he denied discussing sanctions," said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. "It should be no surprise that the President and his allies wish to promote conspiracy theories to distract and rewrite history, as the true facts and history are so damning."

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said he would continue to push for "additional relevant disclosures until we are satisfied that the American people know the full truth."

When he first asked about his conversations with Kislyak on Dec. 29 and thereafter, Flynn and White House officials claimed he had talked about a number of other issues, but not sanctions. The transcripts show that a significant majority of the conversation was about sanctions, and those other topics were mentioned only briefly.

The transcripts also make clear that Moscow's decision not to retaliate was influenced by Flynn.

On Dec. 31, Kislyak spoke again with Flynn, emphasizing that their conversation two days earlier had been "taken into account in Moscow."

"Your proposal that we need to act with cold heads, uh, is exactly what is uh, invested in the decision," Kislyak said.

"Good," Flynn replied.

Putin's decision not to retaliate flummoxed U.S. officials, and ran counter to a tit-for-tat pattern established over decades of relations between Washington and Moscow.

At one point in their conversation, the Russian ambassador suggests to Flynn that they are both victims of the punitive measures being levied by Obama in his final days in office.

"We found that these actions have targeted not only against [sic] Russia but also against the president-elect," said Kislyak, adding that he hopes "within two weeks we will be able to start working in [a] more constructive way.

Nowhere in the transcripts does Flynn admonish or complain to the Russian ambassador for its hacking of Democrats during the 2016 election, or indicate that Trump expected Moscow to pay any price for the hacking or sowing political divisions among Americans via social media.

Trump's GOP allies say the transcript proves that there was nothing wrong with Flynn's overture to Kislyak.

"Lt. General Flynn, his legal team, the judge and the American people can now see with their own eyes - for the first time - that all of the innuendo about Lt. General Flynn this whole time was totally bunk," said Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa. "There was nothing improper about his call, and the FBI knew it."

But Flynn's ask of Kislyak was problematic for a number of reasons, analysts say. One, he was seeking essentially to take the sting out of the sanctions imposed by the Obama administration on Dec. 29, they said. Two, these were sanctions imposed in response to a brazen attempt by the Russians to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, they said.

"The incoming administration can signal what it will do when it comes into power, but it can't undermine the existing policy," said Ryan Goodman, a New York University law professor.

"What's astonishing is the Obama team didn't even realize the full extent of the Russian interference when they imposed those sanctions. Here, Flynn working in coordination with the Trump transition team was undermining the very penalty imposed for the Russian attempt to interfere in the presidential election," Goodman said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Ellen Nakashima contributed to this report.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called in the National Guard on Thursday as looting broke out in St. Paul and a wounded Minneapolis braced for more violence after rioting over the death of a handcuffed black man in police custody reduced parts of one neighborhood to a smoking shambles.

The Minneapolis unrest ravaged several blocks in the Longfellow neighborhood, with scattered rioting reaching for miles across the city. It was the second consecutive night of violent protests following the death of George Floyd, who gasped for breath during a Monday arrest in which an officer kneeled on his neck for almost eight minutes. In footage recorded by a bystander, Floyd can be heard pleading that he cant breathe until he slowly stops talking and moving.

Another protest was announced for Thursday evening near county offices in downtown Minneapolis. Some stores in Minneapolis and the suburbs closed early, fearing more strife. The city shut down its light-rail system and planned to stop all bus service out of safety concerns.

Around midday Thursday, the violence spread a few miles away to a Target in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood, where police said 50 to 60 people rushed the store attempting to loot it. Police and state patrol squad cars later blocked the entrance, but the looting then shifted to shops along nearby University Avenue, one of St. Pauls main commercial corridors, and other spots in the city.

St. Paul spokesman Steve Linders said authorities have been dealing with unrest in roughly 20 different areas throughout the city.

Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement and on preventing this from ever happening again. We can all be in that fight together, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter tweeted.

Walz called for widespread changes in the wake of Floyd's death.

"It is time to rebuild. Rebuild the city, rebuild our justice system, and rebuild the relationship between law enforcement and those theyre charged to protect. George Floyds death should lead to justice and systemic change, not more death and destruction, Walz said.

By Thursday morning in Minneapolis, smoke rose from smoldering buildings in the Longfellow neighborhood, scene of the worst violence. In a strip mall across the street from the police's 3rd Precinct station, the focus of the previous night's protests, the windows in nearly every business had been smashed, from the large Target department store at one end to the Planet Fitness gym at the other. Only the 24-hour laundromat appeared to have escaped unscathed.

WHY US? demanded a large expanse of red graffiti scrawled on the wall of the Target. A Wendys restaurant across the street was charred almost beyond recognition.

Were burning our own neighborhood, said a distraught Deona Brown, a 24-year-old woman standing with a friend outside the precinct station, where a small group of protesters were shouting at a dozen or so stone-faced police officers in riot gear. This is where we live, where we shop, and they destroyed it.

What that cop did was wrong, but Im scared now, Brown said.

But others in the crowd saw something different in the wreckage.

Protesters destroyed property "because the system is broken, said a young man who identified himself only by his nickname, Cash, and who said he had been in the streets during the violence. He dismissed the idea that the destruction would hurt residents of the largely black neighborhood.

Theyre making money off of us, he said angrily of the owners of the destroyed stores. He laughed when asked if he had joined in the looting or violence: I didnt break anything.

The protests that began Wednesday night and extended into Thursday were more violent than Tuesdays, which included skirmishes between officers and protesters but no widespread property damage or looting.

Mayor Jacob Frey appealed for calm. Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy, he said on Twitter.

Protests also spread to other U.S. cities. In California, hundreds of people protesting Floyds death blocked a Los Angeles freeway and shattered windows of California Highway Patrol cruisers. Memphis police blocked a main thoroughfare after a racially mixed group of protesters gathered outside a police precinct. The situation intensified later in the night, with police donning riot gear and protesters standing shoulder-to-shoulder in front of officers stationed behind a barricade.

Amid the violence in Minneapolis, a man was found fatally shot Wednesday night near a pawn shop, possibly by the owner, authorities said.

Fire crews responded to about 30 intentionally set blazes during the protests, including at least 16 structure fires, and multiple fire trucks were damaged by rocks and other projectiles, the fire department said. No one was hurt by the blazes.

There was no sign of police at the destroyed shopping center, though a couple dozen were outside the precinct house. One man standing outside the building was using a bullhorn to shout. I cant breathe, I cant breathe. Mama, I cant breathe, repeating some of Floyds pleas for relief.

Across from the precinct, someone had spray-painted the sidewalk in red: Wheres humanity?

The 46-year-old Floyd died as police arrested him outside a convenience store after a report of a counterfeit bill being passed. The U.S. Attorneys Office and the FBI in Minneapolis said Thursday they were conducting a robust criminal investigation into the death and making the case a priority. The announcement came a day after President Donald Trump tweeted that he had asked an investigation to be expedited.

The FBI is also investigating, with a probe focused on whether Floyds civil rights were violated.

The officer who kneeled on Floyd and three others were fired Tuesday. The next day, the mayor called for him to be criminally charged.

Frey appealed to Gov. Tim Walz to activate the National Guard, a spokesman confirmed Thursday. The governors office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Walz tweeted for calm Wednesday night, calling the violence an extremely dangerous situation and urging people to leave the scene.

The last time the Minnesota National Guard was called out to deal with civil unrest was in a backup role during the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul. The most comparable situation to the current disturbances happened when the Guard was called up to deal with the riots in Minneapolis in 1967, a summer when anger over racial inequalities came to a boil in many cities across the country.

The Minnesota National Guard was also called out during protests against the Vietnam War in the 1960s and early 1970s and during a 1986 strike by Hormel meatpackers in Austin.
Yet defence lawyers and business leaders say it is a long overdue step in controlling the rise of baseless and costly litigation that mostly benefits for-profit litigation funding groups  many of which are based offshore  rather than actual shareholders. Under Frydenberg's emergency measures, company directors will now only be liable for failing to disclose market-sensitive information where it can be proved they knew, were reckless or negligent in withholding it. Loading The change will last for only six months, but with a separate inquiry into class actions ordered by Attorney-General Christian Porter under way, the industry is on notice. For his part, IOOF chief executive Renato Mota says he sees a place for class actions but is looking forward to the debate around corporate Australia's most reviled legal tactic. "There are clearly costs, we need to be very clear about what the benefits are. I'm looking forward to that discussion," he says.

Vexed issue for shareholders Class actions emerged in Australia in 1992, allowing one person to bring a claim on behalf of a wider group affected in a similar way. Shareholder class actions, in which groups of investors in listed companies band together to sue boards for breaching disclosure obligations, started to pick up steam in the early 2000s. Some of the major shareholder class actions of the past decade include the 2010 case against the National Australia Bank, which settled after two years for $115 million plus $12.5 million in costs, over allegations the bank failed to properly disclose its exposure to bad debts associated with the global financial crisis. Property group Centro was the largest settlement in Australia's history, where shareholders won $200 million after over four years of litigation. Slater and Gordon argued the company failed to adequately disclose the extent of the company's debt which resulted in a dramatic share price fall when it finally admitted it was unable to refinance billions of dollars.

This year, a case against retailer Myer became the first shareholder class action to go to judgment over allegations investors were given incorrect profit forecasts. The highly anticipated ruling was ambiguous: the judge found while Myer did breach its continuous disclosure obligations, it did not cause shareholders financial losses. Class action lawsuits often cause companies significant reputational damage, and the very news of them can result in a hit to share prices. That's why shareholder groups are vexed on the issue. We find that a class action is often a departed shareholder suing the existing shareholder, Australian Shareholders Association policy lead Fiona Balzer says. Thats why we are very much half-way. Australian Shareholders Association policy lead Fiona Balzer says class actions are good and bad news for shareholders. Credit:Jim Rice The regulatory reprieve for company directors came the week after litigation funders were separately told they would be subject to tougher rules, including the requirement to hold an Australian Financial Services Licence. Some sections of the class action industry support more regulation of the sector. Ashurst partner Ian Bolster, considered one of the nation's leading class action practitioner, says Australia has a "class action friendly environment" where the lack of regulation for litigation funders had incentivised the rise of flimsy cases that bully corporations into settling.

Everyone is entitled to their day in court but it shouldnt be a vehicle for funders to profit, it should be a way for people to access justice, he says. Shareholder class actions almost always settle as companies want to minimise legal fees and reputational damage. Because the claims can be so big, if you have a $1 billion exposure, its attractive to settle at 5 per cent, $50 million, which is a good deal for funders, Bolster says. The Australian Law Reform Commission found about 28 per cent of litigation proceeds went to funders, 55 per cent to affected shareholders and 15 per cent to legal costs. Proponents say litigation funders take on the risk necessary to get the case up and shareholder class actions are an important mechanism for holding company directors to account. But Bolster says a lack of regulation around pricing for funders meant these players had been left up to their own devices where they were able to set their own commissions. Somewhat surprisingly, the chief executive of the largest litigation funder in the country, Omni Bridgeway, agrees. Omni Bridgeway merged with IMF Bentham in November to form a $1.17 billion ASX-listed company which shareholder activists regard as a leader in the field.

They reject 95 per cent of proposals, says shareholder activist Stephen Mayne. The problem is with the cowboy operators who come in from overseas to take a slice. Shareholder activist Stephen Mayne says it is internationally owned cowboy litigation funders that are starting flimsy claims. Credit:Luis Ascui Omni chief executive Andrew Saker says the company has been calling for greater regulation of funders for more than a decade, and raising the bar for shareholder class actions was only half the cure. Our proposal was to have a complete moratorium on class actions for six months so corporates could focus on the business, says Saker. It wasnt to absolve boards but to give them breathing room. The company also wants funders to be subjected to minimum onshore capital requirements, and Saker threw his support behind a requirement for funders to have financial licences.

I can understand why regulation is important and we have supported that, he says. You dont need a bank failure to have bank regulation. Cynics would say Omni wants greater regulation to stamp out foreign competition. The litigation funding industry is made up of more than 30 firms including foreign and domestic publicly listed corporations, private companies, private equity firms and hedge funds. The industry made $44.8 million in profit for 2017-18 and is predicted to grow 7.8 per cent per year until 2023. However, class action lawyer Tim Finney says the influx of overseas funders was a good thing for the industry as it drove down costs for plaintiffs. Finneys latest class action against Westpac over its anti-money laundering scandal is funded by UK-based Woodsford Litigation Funding. Omni Bridgeway chief executive Andrew Saker supports more regulation for litigation funders. Credit:Philip Gostelow If theres only one or two funders, they can pick or chose the highest returns relative to the cost of the case, Finney says. A focus on funding those cases reduces access to justice.

Class action explosion Australias leading researcher on class actions, Professor Vince Morabito, says the debate about the countrys 27-year-old class action regime has become more aggressive and more persistent. Class action critics consistently rely on a refrain that there has been an explosion of shareholder litigation in Australia, but Professor Morabito argues this is not accurate. Shareholder class actions are the most popular form of class action litigation, making up just over 30 per cent of cases filed last year. But he says many of the 122 actions filed since 1992 are duplicate claims or competing class actions relating to about 63 companies. This is not a threat to company directors, Professor Morabito says. Morabito cites research that found Israel had nine times more general class actions than Australia and while Quebec had the same number as Australia, it has a third of the population size.

Federal Court data shows the number of class actions in Australia have tripled over 10 years and whichever way you look at it, premiums for directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance  used to cover legal costs for companies  are going up. Insurance broker Marsh says the cover could soon become unaffordable with its latest analysis finding D&O premiums have risen by 75 per cent on average last year, on top of 88 per cent in 2018. However, these premiums have been driven up not only by shareholder class actions, but the increase in litigation brought by corporate regulators and the fall-out from the banking royal commission. Mayne says rising premiums only shows companies are more frequently breaking the law. If there was no longer a functioning D&O market, thats when you would intervene. But theres no sign of failure, theres no sign of people being not being to get cover. Its corporates are stuffing up, taking out insurance and insurers are paying out. Will the red tape work? Ashurst's Bolster says the changes to disclosure laws wont scare anyone off. The law firm will make a submission to the governments upcoming inquiry and Bolster says fundamental changes need to be made to improve the system.

By introducing a due diligence or good faith defence, directors could have more options when it came to fighting the case. Then you have a situation where directors get some protection for in effect doing their best, trying to do the right thing, says Bolter. Ashurst suggests a requirement for courts to have an early look at whether the class should proceed. In the US, the plaintiffs need to show a causal link between announcement and share price movement," Bolster says. The ALRC did not think this was needed here, but were in a different environment now. If the government is really looking to provide more balance to business, I think it should be looked at again. Maurice Blackburn chief executive Jacob Varghese says the suspension of continuous disclosures were unnecessary when there are already exceptions to reporting obligations. Theres plenty of room under the current law for them to manage their disclosures to shareholders appropriately, Varghese says. This risk of this is that were just going to have this black box for six months where shareholders cant trust what theyre being told because companies are released from their normal obligations.

Maurice Blackburn files the most class actions in the country and Varghese says the continuous disclosure obligation moratorium was a part of a broader push by the business lobby to crush litigation. It seems really clear to us there has been a fever pitch campaign by the peak business bodies that I dont think has anything to do with the pandemic and just do with the notion they dont want to be accountable for board and director responsibilities to shareholders or to consumers, he says. The concerning part is the government seems to be listening to them. Ben Hardwick is the head of class actions at Slater and Gordon, a firm that has sent cheques of $1000 each to 45,000 group members in the settlement with NAB over junk insurance. About half of the plaintiffs were in casual or insecure employment, and many under the age of 25. Hardwick says the banking royal commission was still fresh in peoples minds and now was not the time to water down laws that hold corporate Australia to account. The concern for the investor community is our continuous disclosure regime is one of the best in the world and any weakening of that regime has the potential to diminish confidence in our systems, Hardwick says.
He was summoned for this questioning through a video on the Bureaus website, but not by serving a summons as required by the Code of Criminal Procedure

The fifth president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko Delo.ua

Ukraine's fifth president Petro Poroshenko will not be questioned by the State Bureau of Investigation on May 29: he was summoned to testify in two cases involving the illegal movement of 43 paintings and possible wiretapping of his conversations with former U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden. This was stated by Poroshenko's lawyers Ilya Novikov and Igor Golovan.

Poroshenko was summoned for this questioning through a video on the Bureaus website, but not by serving a summons as required by the Code of Criminal Procedure.

"They (State Investigation Bureau investigators  112 International.) tried to introduce such a practice in Ukraine so that the service of the summons could be replaced by posting a video on the Bureaus website in order to consider it a proper witness notice. This will not happen," Novikov said.

"The CCP stipulates that the summons must be served three days before the date of the interrogation. At the same time, the CCP clearly states that the first day is not taken into account when this deadline is calculated. And we know that all these illegal actions began only yesterday," Golovan noted.

As we reported earlier, on May 26, a special force unit of the State Bureau of Investigations stormed the building Kyiv-based museum of Ivan Honchar.

The law enforcement agency explained this move with the necessity to hand over the notice to Petro Poroshenko.
South Korea has shut hundreds of schools and re-imposed strict lockdown measures following a spike in Covid-19 cases, sparking fears of a new wave of infections.

Health officials recorded 79 coronavirus cases on Friday  the biggest daily increase since 5 April, when 81 infections were logged.

The rise in cases led authorities to close more than 200 schools just days after they had reopened, with students returning to online lessons.

The resumption of classes at more than 500 other schools across the country has also been delayed due to increasing virus fears, South Korea's education ministry said on Wednesday.

The new cases have been linked to a logistics centre in Seoul.

Almost 100 cases have been recorded at a warehouse run by e-commerce outfit Coupang. In March, the firm began providing food and other essentials to people isolating at home. Well take every measure we can take until safety is confirmed, a Coupang spokeswoman said.

Museums, parks and galleries shut on 29 May for two weeks in a bid to contain the new outbreak. Health minister Park Neung-hoo announced on Thursday that strict social distancing rules had been reimposed in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi province until 14 June.

South Korean health authorities said on Friday they would request imports of Gilead Sciences Inc's anti-viral drug remdesivir to treat Covid-19 as cases begin to rise.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety must approve the import but a government panel concluded remdesivir showed positive results, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) director Jeong Eun-kyeong said.

California-based Gilead has said the drug has improved outcomes for people suffering from the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus and has provided data suggesting it works better when given in the early stages of infection.

Preliminary results from a trial led by the US Institutes of Health showed remdesivir cut hospital stays by 31 per cent compared with a placebo treatment, although it did not significantly improve survival.

Remdesivir, which failed as a treatment for Ebola, is designed to stop some viruses making copies of themselves inside infected cells.

Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Show all 18 1 /18 Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, wearing PPE before going into rooms Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, speaks to a carer at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Carers working at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care worker wearing PPE opens a drink carton Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, sits with a carer Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care staff member wearing PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home looks after a resident SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE uses a speaker Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer helps Jack Dodsley, 79, from his chair Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE helps Jack Dodsley, 79 Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer brings food to a resident at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member puts on PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, puts on PPE before she enters a room SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A bench at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS

South Korea's new clampdown comes as pupils in England prepared to return to school on 1 June following more than eight weeks of lockdown. As part of a phased return plan, reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils are due to return to lessons first.

The government has faced opposition to its plan with some teaching unions warning that it is not safe for staff and pupils to return.

Earlier this month, Liverpool City Council announced that its schools would not welcome students back until mid-June at the very least. Our guiding principle is that schools can only re-open to other pupils when it is safe to do so and not a moment before, said Steve Reddy, the local authority's director of children and young peoples services.

Additional reporting by Reuters
After rioters stormed and set alight the Minneapolis police station, Donald Trump now threatens to take control of the city as officials warned the explosion might happen in the police station on the third night of violence as the protest goes nationwide over George Floyd's death.

Tagging protesters as thugs pledged to take control if Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey fails to tackle the violence that currently escalates and destroys the city, he also emphasized that the start of the looting is also the start of the shooting.

In a report by Big League Politics, on Thursday night, rioters forced cops to evacuate the burning Minneapolis Third Police Precinct as they broke into the station premise and torched it.

After prosecutors released that there is no evidence that supports criminal charges in the case of the four cops accused of Floyd's death, fears arise that they will continue to walk free.

As a result, hours after the warning, footage of a precinct surging out of the building circulated.

Mayor Jacob Frey declared a state of emergency, wherein the later deployed 500 National Guard soldiers to decelerate the riot as buildings and cars torched on the streets of Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul area.

As per Frey, the occurrence of the looting is unacceptable, while raged at Trump's comment about the refusal to take responsibility for his actions, but Frey pointed out that he knows nothing about Minneapolis' strength.

Daily Mail also reported that protests continue to swell across the US due to the death of Floyd, wherein disturbing footages of other violent incidents arise in other states like Colorado.

Moreover, NYPD officers were caught brawling against protesters on the ground in the streets of New York, wherein at least 70 citizens were arrested in the city of New York.

Read also: Xenophobic Woman Arrested for Leaving Demeaning Letters Outside Home of Asian American Family

While in Ohio, protesters smashed the windows of downtown Columbus' statehouse and raided buildings. In the Los Angeles area, protesters also damaged a police cruiser.

In addition, Independent reported that in downtown Louisville in Kentucky, seven people were shot while protesting, demanding justice for a black woman named Breonna Taylor who was shot dead by cops way back March.

But the incident involving Floyd reignited the tensions among the African-American community and cops.

The US President waded in on the rising violence in the Minneapolis area on Friday as cautioned that he would assert himself if the officials will fail to bring the violence under control.

On a tweet, the President shared that he cannot stand back and watch that it is happening to a great city in America.

He pointed out that it is because of the total lack of leadership and if Mayor Jacob Frey cannot bring the control in the city back, he will be sending National Guards to get the job done right.

On the other hand, Mayor Fred fired back at Trump stating that he knows nothing and emphasized that weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your actions, and pointing finger at someone else during a time of crisis is pure weakness.

Lastly, Frey confessed that he understands the pain and anger his beloved city feels.

Related article: Democrat Amy Klobuchar Declined to Prosecute Officer Involved in Death of George Floyd for Previous Conduct Complaints

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Spains Public Prosecutor has filed a fresh appeal that seeks to reverse the courts decision allowing the Catalan political prisoners to have a job or do voluntary work outside the prison. This time the appeal has been lodged with Barcelonas Audiencia court against the benefits that former Catalan Interior Minister Joaquim Forn has been granted in accordance with Article 100.2 of the Prison Services Rules and Regulations, as is the case with the other Catalan political prisoners.

Prison leave and the work release programme are granted by the prison board and validated by a court of penitentiary surveillance. The Prosecutor objected to Forns initial prison leave with the court that handles the Lledoners inmates, but the appeal was dismissed. That is why now the Public Prosecutor has taken the matter up with the Audiencia de Barcelona.

In its statement, the Prosecutors Office argues that Article 100.2 provides a legal loophole to grant Joaquim Forn greater benefits than he is entitled to as a level 2 inmate and insists that, by law, Article 100.2 can only be invoked in exceptional cases. All nine inmates [convicted in the case of Catalonias independence referendum] have been granted this benefit, which proves that Article 100.2 is being applied as a matter of course, not exceptionally. In Forns case, they claim his work release benefit means he is effectively being treated as a level 3 inmate, but on the sly, something he is not entitled to at this point in his sentence.

Currently Joaquim Forn is allowed to spend up to twelve and a half hours a day on weekdays working as a lawyer for Mediapro. On this point the Prosecutor argues that there is no connection between Forns job and the crimes he was convicted of, which were to do with public order. As he had argued before the court of penitentiary surveillance, the Prosecutor believes that Forn should go on a programme that teaches him to respect the law and that one can only legitimately pursue ones goals provided it is done in a manner that is enshrined by law.

So far every appeal lodged by the Prosecutor to prevent the Catalan political prisoners from having jobs or doing voluntary work outside prison has been unsuccessful. When the Spanish government declared the state of emergency and imposed restrictions on mobility [due to the Covid-19 crisis], their leave was suspended for several weeks, but they have progressively been allowed to go out again. It remains to be seen what Barcelonas Audiencia court will rule in Forns case.
A late Thursday afternoon rainstorm plunged a commercial vehicle into a drain in Ho.



The flood also brought tree logs onto the road causing vehicular traffic for hours at the Amegashie Bridge, near the Ho Central market.



The vehicle, with four occupants from Hohoe was washed off the bridge by a strong water current between 1400 and 1600 hours.



Some men in the community who witnessed the incident however braced the storm and rescued the occupants in the vehicle including two women.



Personnel of the Ghana National Ambulance Service responded promptly to send the victims, some with minor injuries, to the Ho Municipal Hospital where they were treated and discharged.



Mary, a 21 year old woman who was on board the vehicle with registration number GR 2488 14, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that they had cautioned the driver against using the flooded bridge.



She said the vehicle was partly flooded, and that they used an opened door of the vehicle to escape.



Personnel from the Police, the National Fire Service, and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) rushed to the scene for a joint rescue operation following distress calls.



Residents and business owners in the area told GNA the over 60-year-old bridge have been a trouble spot during rainy seasons.



The GNA was told that locals choked the culverts with different kinds of waste, causing overflowing water to flood the low-lying areas cutting off access to the Ho Central Market.



The storm also fell some trees at the Ho SNNIT Flats, causing a three-hour diversion of heavy traffic heading to and from areas including the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS).



Heavy rains have made access to UHAS main campus extremely difficult with sections of the road unworthy for vehicular traffic.



The rainstorm also caused flooding on the Ho Polyclinic bridge with challenges for motorists and other road users.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Reflecting upon his love and affection for India and the good rapport he has with its leader, US President Donald Trump has said that he likes Prime Minister Narendra Modi and termed him a "great gentleman".

Prime Minister Modi is one of the few world leaders, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, with whom President Trump enjoys a close friendly relationship. They talk with one another frequently, and their conversations normally do not appear in the public domain.

"I like Modi. I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman. (He is doing a) great job," Trump told White House reporters in an Oval Office exchange on Thursday. For the second time in less than a fortnight, he confirmed of having spoken to Modi. Neither the White House nor the Prime Minister's Office has issued readouts of the two telephonic conversations, but from Trump's public remarks, it appears that he and Modi talk to each other regularly. Responding to a question, Trump acknowledged that he knew he was popular in India.

"I know (I am popular in India). They (people) like me in India. I think they like me in India certainly more than the media likes me in this country," he said. From the very start of his presidency, Trump has gone out of his way to show his love and affection for Modi and India. After the historic "Howdy Modi" event in Houston last September and "Namaste Trump" rally in Ahmedabad this February, Trump has not let any opportunity go without praising Modi. "I just got back from India, right? I just beat COVID," he said.

The two leaders like each other a lot, given their frequent conversations and twitter exchanges. Same is the case with other members of the president's family, who are genuinely in love with India and the Indian-Americans. Be it First Lady Melania Trump; the president's daughter and senior presidential advisor Ivanka Trump; son-in-law Jarred Kushner, also a presidential advisor, they all frequently tweet on India and Indian-Americans.

The president's son Donald Trump Jr, along with Kimberly Guilfoyle, advisor to Donald J Trump for President, Inc. and National Chair of the Trump Victory Finance Committees, also echos Trump's love for India and Indian-Americans. "So much so, Prime Minister Modi praised Jared Kushner, saying that everything Jared does is positive, while addressing a crowd of 110,000 people at a rally for Trump in India," said Al Mason co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian American Finance Committee.

Also read: 'No conversation between PM Modi, Trump on India-China standoff,' say govt officials

Also read: India-China issue: Prime Minister Modi not in 'good mood', says Donald Trump
Brandon BowenLady Gaga is postponing her Chromatica listening party, which had been scheduled for today, and is instead encouraging her fans to register to vote.



As much as I want to listen to Chromatica together as a global group of kindness punks right now, our kindness is needed for the world today, she tweeted. Im going to postpone our listening session right now and encourage you all to take this time to register to vote and raise your voice.



She added, Im so glad the album is bringing you some joy, because thats what I always wanted it to do. Well reschedule this very soon.



Ariana Grande, Gagas duet partner on the Chromatica single Rain On Me, also used her platform Friday to encourage civil action in light of current events.



a lot of things feel scary, dangerous and uncertain right now... but there are things within our control: voting, contacting lawmakers, and taking the census, she wrote. the most important thing you can do right now to take the power back is become a voter and know when your next election is.



She continued, nine states have a primary on tuesday. the items on these ballots impact our day to day lives. were voting for more than the president. use ur voice and check out @headcountorg for resources.

By Andrea Tuccillo

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced the appointment of Thierry Delaporte as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the company, effective July 6, 2020.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200528005916/en/

Thierry Delaporte (Photo: Business Wire)

Until recently, Thierry Delaporte was the Chief Operating Officer of Capgemini Group and a member of its Group Executive Board. During his twenty-five year career with Capgemini, he held several leadership roles including that of Chief Executive Officer of the Global Financial Services Strategic Business Unit, and head of all global service lines. He also oversaw Capgemini's India operations, and led the group's transformation agenda, conceptualizing and driving several strategic programs across various business units.

"I am delighted to welcome Thierry as CEO and Managing Director of the company. Thierry has an exceptional leadership track record, strong international exposure, deep strategic expertise, a unique ability to forge long-standing client relationships, and proven experience of driving transformation and managing technological disruption. We believe that Thierry is the right person to lead Wipro in its next phase of growth," said Rishad Premji, Chairman, Wipro Limited

"I want to thank Abid for all that he has done for Wipro and for making this transition as smooth and seamless as possible despite his personal commitments."

Abidali Neemuchwala will relinquish his position as CEO and MD on June 1. Rishad Premji will oversee the day to day operations of the company until July 5.

Commenting on his appointment, Thierry Delaporte said, "I am deeply honored to be invited to lead Wipro, an extraordinary company and an exemplary corporate citizen with a deep technology heritage built on a strong foundation of values. I look forward to working closely with Rishad, the Board, senior leadership and the hugely talented employees of Wipro to turn a new chapter of growth and build a better tomorrow for all our stakeholders."

He will be based in Paris and report to Chairman Rishad Premji.

Thierry has a Bachelor's degree in Economy and Finance from Sciences Po Paris and a Masters in Law from Sorbonne University. He is also the co-Founder and President of the not-for-profit organization Life Project 4 Youth.

About Wipro Limited

Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 175,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future.

Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200528005916/en/

Contacts:

Wipro Media Contact:

Vipin Nair

Wipro Limited

vipin.nair1@wipro.com
The country is on course to take the next step to ease the lockdown as the latest trends show the coronavirus is being crushed.

The level of the disease in the community is now "very low" and all indications are that overall control of the virus is now "astonishingly stable".

Read More

The optimistic verdict was delivered by Prof Philip Nolan of Maynooth University yesterday, who is leading a team tracking the spread of virus.

He said: "Intensive care and hospital admissions as well as the number of deaths per day continue to decline.

"The number of cases per day remain stable."

There are around one or two admissions to intensive care a day and 50 new cases of the virus daily.

The R number, indicating how many people the average Covid-19 patient passes the virus on to before they recover, is also low at 0.5.

It will be next week before figures that reflect the impact of phase one of exiting lockdown measures will be clear, but even at this stage there are no hints or "disturbance in the data that would lead to worry and that is a good sign".

The next phase of the roadmap to exit lockdown is due to come into effect on June 8 when people may be able to travel 20km, more shops open and over-70s can visit supermarkets.

However, the ongoing toll of the virus was revealed by chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan, who announced another nine deaths, bringing the total to 1,639.

A report from the Department of Health showed the death rate from the virus here is 6.5 per 100,000 of the population.

It ranks eighth-lowest in a table of 10 countries behind Belgium, France, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Spain.

Dr Holohan said not all countries counted confirmed and probable cases of the virus as the Republic does.

More than 60pc of people who have died from the virus have been in residential centres, with half all deaths among nursing home residents.

The National Public Health Emergency Team, which met yesterday, has now said that loss of taste and smell should be added to the list of symptoms that could signal a person is suffering from the coronavirus.

A further 46 cases of the virus were diagnosed yesterday, pushing the total number of infections so far to 24,841.

Dr Holohan reiterated the need for caution but said: "All the signs are that there is still widespread compliance with restrictions."

Isolated incidents of non-compliance were being handled by gardai, he added.

He also indicated there would be no fast tracking of measures outlined in the five-stage roadmap.

It is expected guidelines ready next week could lead to activities like summer camps for children going ahead, as long as precautions are followed.

Dr Holohan said: "We are not seeing increases in infection for the most part in countries where schools have been reopened.

"We are encouraged by that but it is early days."

Questioned about people attending Mass at a church in Blackrock, Dublin, he said they were sensitive to people's religious beliefs, but now was not the time for public gatherings.

Meanwhile, new ESRI research today shows that half of a representative sample of the Irish public failed to recognise that someone experiencing flu-like symptoms needed to self-isolate.

While almost 88pc understood that someone with a fever or dry cough should self-isolate, this fell to 49pc for less common symptoms of Covid-19, such as a sore throat or aches and pains.

The study, conducted during April, presented members of the public with different scenarios.

People were more likely to say that someone who was asymptomatic but had been in contact with a suspected case of Covid-19 should self-isolate, than someone with flu-like symptoms who had not had such contact.

Pete Lunn, head of the ESRI's behavioural research unit, said that while understanding in relation to primary symptoms was good, the message about less common symptoms had not yet been fully absorbed.
The contract signed between the Government of Ghana acting through the Ministry of Trade and Industry on the one hand and GHANA LINK NETWORK SERVICES LTD on the other hand, has no indication of Government owning any shares in the UNIPASS Ghana arrangement.



This strange arrangement runs counter to the one that subsisted between GC-NET and Government of Ghana. In fact, by terminating the contract of GC-NET, Government of Ghana is effectively selling its 35% shareholding in GC-NET to UNIPASS Ghana for free. And Given that Government owns no shares in UNIPASS Ghana, the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) can therefore not be construed to be the property of Government of Ghana.



The agreement stipulates that, the system will be handed over to the Government of Ghana after ten years. That does not imply, at present, it is owned by Government. Therefore the claim that ICUMS is the property of the Ghana Revenue Authority acting for and on behalf of Government cannot be true. What is however true is the fact that, GHANA LINK NETWORK SERVICES LTD is and will be the sole proprietor of the UNIPASS platform for the next ten years.



The contract that is signed between the parties does not contain penalties in the event of system failure. This contractual defect, places Ghana in such a vulnerable and disadvantaged position. It is common knowledge that, this Ghana version of UNIPASS has never been tried anywhere in the world. It was therefore not surprising that, the system failed during the test runs that were conducted at the major entry points. This resulted in Government losing sixty six million Ghana Cedis (GHS 66 Million) as revenue. In the light of this, Government stands to lose so much more when the system becomes fully operational and failures occur since no clause will hold them accountable for the failures.



Another provision of the contract that bothers many industry players and experts alike and for which reason they are requesting its review, is the cost of Early Unilateral Termination. The Termination Compensation according to the contract is said to be USD 90 million vis-a`-vis the cost of the system which is estimated at USD 40 million. How can Government be committed to pay USD 90 million as compensation for terminating the contract in the first year for a system allegedly costing USD 40million? This is a question begging for answers. Conversely, the contract is silent on what pertains in the case of termination due to poor performance or failure to meet the objects for which the system was procured.



Our sources also indicate that, Government or its authorized representatives were to prove that the system delivered and installed by GHANA LINK NETWORK SERVICES LTD conforms to the specified standards in writing within seven days and to indicate if there is any system failure. This, our sources tell us, was never done when the system was deployed but failed. Our information is that, the recall of the GC-NET /WESTBLUE system was subsequent to the Test and Trial failures.



Despite these failings, no attempt has been made to review the Notification of Termination, as it is clear the UNIPASS system cannot meet the needs as was done by the GC-NET system.



The UNIPASS system has no Transaction Price Database to check Under and Over Invoicing which are key instruments for checking revenue loss. Information reaching us indicates that, the UNIPASS system is going to rely on the pre-existing WESTBLUE Price Data and Benchmark Values for valuation. The UNIPASS system has no classification module to check Item Description to match it with the appropriate HSCODE. These are some of the major flaws of the ICUMS. It would seem as if the UNIPASS system is projected much more than its actual capabilities.



Many industry players and trade experts are therefore asking the following questions:

Is it the case that, the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) failed to carry out proper due diligence on the contract as it contains many loopholes, working only to the advantage of GHANA LINK NETWORK SERVICES LTD?



Who are the people politically pushing the agenda to promote UNIPASS to the detriment of Government? And more importantly, are there any personal interests of these political individuals at play in this whole UNIPASS saga?



Answers to these questions will be sought in the coming days.



Source: A News Desk Report/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video




Haiti - FLASH : Increase of more than 9% of cases in 24 hours





The Ministry of Public Health informs that 123 new cases have been confirmed in Haiti, for a total of 1,443 cases throughout the national territory (38.7% women and 61.3% men) since the first case (March 19, 2020 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html ).



1 new death was recorded in the North bringing the total to 35 at the national level.



The number of active cases (minus deaths and cures) is now 1,386 +122 cases in 24 hours (+ 9.65%).



Number of suspected cases followed : 3,966 cases (+ 6.8%) +323 (the day before: +168).



People hospitalized : 320 people +14 in 24h (the day before : +12)

Home quarantine : 1,386 people +494 in 24 hours (the day before: +127).



All the details in our daily report of 11:00 am



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30888-haiti-covid-19-daily-report-may-28-2020.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30881-haiti-flash-more-than-1-000-cases-in-the-west-department.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html



S/ HL/ HaitiLibre


















Shi Chaosheng, also known as Charles, in front of the Suzhou city procuratorate in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, on Oct 12, 2019. (Courtesy of Shi Chaosheng)

Whistleblower Faces Retaliation for Exposing Counterfeiting of Aerospace Parts in China

After the former East Asia supply chain manager for U.S. parts manufacturer Moog Aircraft reported suspected counterfeiting by a Chinese supplier to authorities, he has continually faced threats from police in China.

After providing local police with supporting evidence for his allegations, Shi Chaosheng found himself sued by the Chinese company for defamation, with the materials he had provided to the police.

The police refused to press charges against the Chinese firm, warned Shi to stop speaking to the press, and banned him from traveling to the United States.

The Chinese manufacturer is New Hongji Precision Parts Co., Ltd. (NHJ), based in the city of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province in China. According to Shi, NHJ knowingly supplied Moog with substandard, counterfeit aerospace parts.

Shi also claims that U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing used faulty Moog parts in its 777 and 737 planes, and is worried they pose a danger to the flying public. His whistleblowing had been previously reported by The Epoch Times.

In September 2016, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigated Shis allegations. Some were found to be substantiated, while others not. The investigation found that 273 discrepant parts delivered to Boeing were installed into spoilers [a device for reducing lift on planes] on the Boeing 777 aircraft.

When contacted by The Epoch Times, Boeing said via a spokesperson: The FAA investigations, as well as Boeing and Moog, found no evidence of a safety risk related to these allegations. Any claim otherwise is false. The Moog parts Shi references in his complaint to the FAA are not on the 737 MAX.

NHJ did not respond to requests for comment.

In a series of follow-up interviews with Shi, he told The Epoch Times his experience with Chinese law enforcement agencies after he reported NHJ to the police in June 2018.

After providing the Suzhou police with evidence including conversation recordings, witness contact details and recommendations on how to investigate NHJ due to the cases technical complexity, he was informed on April that the police refused to press charges against NHJ due to lack of evidence.

Notice from Suzhou police on their decision not to press charges against NHJ, on April 4, 2019. (Courtesy of Shi Chaosheng)

Shi contacted the police and found they made the decision without speaking to the key witnesses he recommended. The police had also verified the quantity of raw materials supplied to NHJ by certified aerospace raw material supplier Gloria Material Technology (GMT). According to Shis estimate, that quantity was less than half of the units that were required to manufacture the single-point-of-failure parts that NHJ supplied to Moog, based on NHJs own production records.

Shi said this was the key criminal fact, and the police had just verified that.

He appealed against the polices decision not to press charges against NHJ, and in the following month, on May 20, he received a letter from the police stating they were extending the preliminary investigation because the case was important and complex.

Suzhou police decision to extend investigation due to its importance and complexity. (Courtesy of Shi Chaosheng)

NHJ sues Shi

On June 28, 2019, Shi received a summons to appear in Suzhou court to defend against defamation charges NHJ had brought against Shi. The summons was dated May 5, 2019.

Suzhou court summons Shi for court hearing on July 25, 2019. (Courtesy of Shi Chaosheng)

When Shi checked with the court to find how they could press civil charges against him when the police were still investigating the companys alleged counterfeiting activities, he was told by the court clerk that NHJ had obtained materials about him from the police. Shi checked with Suzhou police and they told him they were ordered by the court to release the case files to NHJ.

Shi found the material they had included information that he had passed to the police and his recommendations on how to investigate NHJ. The police also passed to the NHJ the witness testimonies they had collected and personal data of the witnesses like their personal IDs, telephone numbers, and addresses.

Calls to Suzhou court and NHJ for comment were unanswered. NHJ also did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

Police: Counterfeiting Not Necessarily a Crime

On July 4, 2019, Shi met with the police, where he was shown raw materials certifications from NHJ. Shi pointed out that NHJ was a manufacturer that used these raw materials; how could it produce its own materials certifications?

The police also showed Shi the witness testimonies they had obtained. One of the key witnesses said that she stood by what she said to Shi back in Feb 2, 2017: that NHJ knowingly falsified materials certifications and their ex-employees admitted to her that they were the counterfeiting brigade and knew that they would go to jail if caught. The Epoch Times reviewed an audio recording of the witness attesting to the information.

To that, the police said NHJ counterfeiting was not necessarily a crime, according to Shi.

He requested the police to consult with aerospace material experts based in China to verify and validate his claim that NHJ had forged the material certificates, but his request was rejected.

Later on August 5, Shi received a letter from the police saying that they have decided not to press charges against NHJ.

Notice from Suzhou police affirming their earlier decision not to press charges against NHJ, on Aug 5, 2019. (Courtesy of Shi Chaosheng)

Suzhou police were contacted for comments regarding Shis allegations but refused to speak about the issue over the phone. They said sensitive matters like this had to be discussed in person.

Shi Escalates Case to Suzhou Procuratorate and Files Appeal to Chinese Leader Xi

Shi appealed to the Suzhou procuratorate (which oversees the police) on August 8, 2019, protesting that the police twice refused to bring charges against NHJ; police had leaked the materials he provided them to NHJ; and acted as a protective umbrella for NHJ.

Due to the technical complexity of the case, Shi suggested to have a public hearing with key witnesses and aviation experts to assess the evidence, and was told on October 10 by the procuratorates chief prosecutor that the case was a state secret and thus not suitable for a public hearing.

During a meeting on October 12, Shi challenged the chief prosecutor, saying that NHJ was a private company suspected of counterfeiting foreign aerospace parts. Thus, how could it be a state secret? If the case were a state secret, then the police knowingly releasing case files to NHJ would be an even greater crime. She then said she was not certain whether it was a state secret.

Shi requested the procuratorate send him a statement of their decision regarding his case but has yet to receive a reply.

Suzhou procuratorate did not respond to calls and email requesting for comment.

Shi also filed an appeal to Chinese leader Xi Jinping on August 9, requesting that Suzhou police be investigated for the way they handled the case and acted as a protective umbrella for NHJ.

He received a reply from Suzhou police on August 16, and was told they were handling his appeal. He said this is a direct violation of the law: the subject of the complaint should not be the one handling the complaint itself. The police advised him if he was unhappy with their decisions, he could either appeal or lodge a complaint with Suzhou procuratorate.

Police Impose Travel Ban and Warns Shi Not to Speak to Press

Shi told The Epoch Times he was invited to a U.S. airline safety hearing on October 17, 2019, but was informed by the police that he was banned from overseas travel. The police also warned him to stop speaking to the press.

He appealed against the ban, arguing that his trip was non-political in nature and for public safety. But his request went unheeded.

The police did not respond to request for comments.

No Interest From Media in China

Shi said he had approached Chinese media about his story but received no replies, except the state-run broadcaster, China Global Television Network (CGTN), which contacted him on April 8, 2019 and offered to interview him. However, CGTN canceled the day of the scheduled interview, due to the weather.

CGTN cancels interview with Shi due to the weather, on Apr 9, 2019. (Courtesy of Shi Chaosheng)

In contrast, his story was picked up by Western and independent media such as Reuters, The Crime Report, NBC, The Conservative Daily Post, law firm Beasley Allen and most recently, Tarbell.

Risking His Life to Blow the Whistle

Shi first blew the whistle and informed Moog, Boeing, and the U.S. FAA back in 2015 to 2016. But it was two years before he would report NHJ to local Chinese authorities, in mid-2018.

I knew it was a risk of life at the very beginning to deal with Chinese judicial organs, Shi said.

That was why it took me two years to file a criminal complaint on NHJ, after the FAA and IG (Inspector General) of DOL (U.S. Department of Labor) consistently refused to launch a criminal investigation (into Boeing and Moog).

After he first met with Suzhou police to brief them on the case on March 5, 2019, his house was broken into on March 13, at around 3:30 am. No valuables were stolen. Shi said before his visit to the police, no one knew his address. He believed the break-in was the polices attempt to warn him to stop.

The threat to personal safety was not felt by just him alone.

In an internal Moog email he showed The Epoch Times, one of the engineers involved in the undercover investigation led by Shi into NHJs operations, said, please keep this only in a certain group of people since I will worry about the safety of my family and myself since I live very close to NHJ and they know where I live as well.

In August 2019, Shi divorced his wife of 30 years, to spare her the psychological and mental stress they were going through.

On April 30, 2020, the court in Suzhou ruled in favor of NHJ. Shi plans to appeal but concedes his chances of success are slim.

I believe I am fighting a losing battle in front of too much powerful politics alone, She said.

But I shall keep fighting until completely being silenced or see the corruption crumble and counterfeiting get addressed.

Shi believes what he is exposing is very important for the world to know.

Shi said, Chinese judicial organs as well as party supervisory bodies remained inactive as if the matter was gone if their coverup was long enough.

Suzhou must take a lesson learned to treat whistleblowers complaints seriously as this is a massive public safety issue with tremendous international significance.

Shi hopes Chinese authorities would not silence him again and would act to keep him and his family safe for speaking out on this vital issue of public safety.

The Chinese law enforcement must conduct a real criminal investigation on NHJ suspected massive counterfeiting and work with U.S. agencies for enforcement actions, Shi said.

Counterfeit goods are specifically addressed in Section G (Manufacture and Export of Pirated and Counterfeit Goods) of the phase one U.S.-China trade agreement (pdf) signed on Jan 15, 2020: The Parties shall take sustained and 1-11 effective action to stop the manufacture and to block the distribution of pirated and counterfeit products, including those with a significant impact on public health or personal safety.

As reported by The Epoch Times, the number of counterfeit goods seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection increased ten-fold from 2000 to 2018.
(Natural News) TAIPEI (Taiwan News)  A White House petition was created last week after news broke that the Twitter accounts of Chinese dissidents started to disappear after a controversial Chinese-American artificial intelligence (AI) expert was hired to serve on the companys board.

(Article by Keoni Everington republished from TaiwanNews.com.tw)

On May 11, Twitter announced in a press release that it was hiring Li Fei-Fei, an AI expert and former vice president of Google, to its board of directors as a new independent director with immediate effect. Li quit Google in 2018 after a trail of leaked internal emails revealed that she appeared to be more concerned about the public relations damage to Googles image if news broke about the companys work on Project Maven than the ethical issues raised by over 3,000 Google employees.

Project Maven is a U.S. Department of Defense AI project that seeks to use the technology to help military drones select targets from video footage.

During her tenure at Google, there is no public record of Li objecting to the controversial Project Dragonfly, which was meant to be a search engine that would suit Chinas censorship rules, as she opened an AI research facility in Beijing.

When she took the helm of Googles new AI center in Beijing, Li was quoted in Chinese media as using the CCP slogan stay true to our founding mission and said that China has awakened. In addition, Li allegedly has ties to a student association that is affiliated with the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) United Front, according to Radio Free Asia.

Caption reads: Li Fei-fei returns to the motherland to take charge of the Google AI Chinese team: Stay true to our founding mission, China has awakened. (Screenshot of Weibo post)

A week after Li joined Twitter, a Chinese writer who goes by the handle Caijinglengyan, discovered that four of his accounts were simultaneously deleted on May 18. He did not receive an explanation until May 23, when he was told his accounts had been taken down for violating Twitters rules against posting identical content on duplicate accounts.

He countered that he had only posted content on one of the accounts and used the other to retweet the original post. He pointed out that Twitter does not have a policy precluding a person from having more than one account.

The writer stated that he believes the real reason for his account cancellations was that, on May 17, he tweeted that Twitters new board member has a red background. In the post, he alleged that she is a member of a student association affiliated with the CCPs United Front and has close ties with Second Generation and Third-Generation Reds.

Caijinglengyan claimed that many other Twitter accounts used by Chinese dissidents were suddenly suspended without notice. After he contacted them, he found that they had also criticized Li or started commenting about Li just before their accounts were banned.

The writer listed @beacon__news and @kevinheaven9 as other Twitter users who found their Twitter accounts suddenly shut down. He claimed that one Twitter user simply wrote Li Fei-Fei is coming, I have to run, and soon found that both his primary account and secondary account had been suspended.

French-based Chinese dissident Wang Longmeng wrote that Twitters ban on those who criticized Li and exposed her background was undoubtedly related to Li Feifeis appointment as a director, because criticism and negative information were banned, which is Beijing characteristic, reported Liberty Times. He believes that Twitter was quickly dyed red after Li took charge.

On May 20, a petition was created on the White House website titled Call for a thorough investigation on Twitters violation of freedom of speech. The creator of the petition wrote that Twitter is suppressing criticism of the CCP and suspending dissident accounts while pro-Beijing accounts remain unscathed.

The petition listed May 18 as a date when many anti-CCP Twitter users found their accounts permanently suspended. The author of the document pointed out Lis involvement with Project Maven and alleged that she was engaged in extensive military-technical programs while running Googles AI center in Beijing.

The document then alleged that Li continues to have close ties with top leaders of the CCP. The petition closed by calling on the U.S. government to investigate Twitters violation of freedom of speech, and on Dr. FeiFei Lis collaborations with the CCP, a threat to national security.

Read more at: TaiwanNews.com.tw
Click here to read the full article.

Even more than most Mexican cities, Monterrey has a notorious gang problem, often linked to street violence and drugs, but 17-year-old Ulises and his friends arent part of it. Technically, their little group is also a gang  they call themselves Los Terkos, dress alike in baggy clothes and sport magnificent hairstyles that turn the heads of total strangers  but these kids have come together out of a common interest not in crime, but in cumbia music.

Thats the central misconception director Fernando Frias de la Parra sets out to challenge via stereotype-defying full-immersion portrait Im No Longer Here, now available on Netflix. Frias first draft predates the series by at least five years and was workshopped at the Sundance Lab back before many people were paying attention to the Cholombiano subculture the film depicts (or Kolombia, as its called here).

More from Variety

Since then, portrait photographers (and a popular Vice video) have brought global attention to the distinctive style of these marginalized young people, who have discovered a sense of freedom and self-expression dancing to manipulated cumbia  classic tracks that take on a completely different tempo when played at slower RPMs. The Cholombiano dancers have adopted a signature punk look as well, embodied by Ulises, who wears his hair bare in back, bleached on the top and tips, set off by long, slicked-down sideburns, like some kind of outlandish anime character.

Striking newcomer Juan Daniel Garcia plays Ulises with limbs lithe and face hardened, a flexible dancer determined to look tough on the intimidating streets (stick through the credits, if Netflix lets you, to see Garcia and the other non-pro actors in and out of character). Early on, we learn that his older brother co-founded a gang that went the other direction and got mixed up with the cartels. I wish I had someone like you to watch out for me when I was a kid, says its leader, whose murder will later force Ulises to flee the country  well, later in chronological terms, although the scene of Ulises departure from Monterrey to Queens, New York, opens the film. Its telling that virtually the only possession he brings with him is an MP3 player loaded up with every cumbia song he knows. Maybe in the United States, he can dance for money.

Story continues

Frias presents Im No Longer Here in two parallel time frames, cutting back and forth between the two countries in a way that can be confusing at times. Ulises is an alien of sorts in both, owing to more than just his rebel style. In New York, an insensitive white photographer stops to take his picture, which might seem a cheap shot, except something similar happens in Monterrey, where the ladies ask for selfies with him as well. His unusual coif invites teasing from some, respect with others. The effect is not unlike a Mohawks in that it commands attention and conveys Ulises outright refusal to assimilate, which becomes an obstacle.

In Queens, Ulises finds lodging among fellow Spanish speakers, but when they gang up on him, he crashes on the roof of a nearby bodega where hed done some cleanup work. The owners daughter, Lin (Angelina Chen), takes an interest in the enigmatic foreigner, although this subplot  like so many in Frias expectation-bending film  doesnt pan out as one might expect. As in Sundance prize winner I Carry You With Me (the true story of a Mexican gay couple who immigrated to New York), living undocumented in the U.S. has serious downsides, and the film captures them with sympathy rather than sensationalism.

Ulises could apply for asylum in the States, but the story isnt about the traditional path. So many films suggest that the solution to peoples problems is to head to cities like New York and Los Angeles, whereas Im No Longer Here opens with that step and sees Ulises journey through to its likely conclusion. Frias isnt trying to change policy so much as perceptions. Tragic as the film can be at times, theres something incredibly charming in the way it depicts the Cholombiano bubble: Picture a bunch of South Central gangbangers coming together to roller-skate, and youll get a sense of the oddly old-school aspect of Ulises passion. On multiple occasions, he scoffs at hip-hop music, questioning how anyone can dance to it. Ulises makes for an uncommon protagonist, but thats the point: Faced with pressure to embrace drugs and violence, Ulises resists, finding his own beat to follow instead.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Photo: Contributed

Tourism businesses would normally be celebrating Tourism Week by looking forward to a summer full of visitors, activity and cash registers ringing.

Instead, they are spending it trying to find a way to survive.

Several tourism stakeholder groups have joined forces and are asking the provincial government to implement a wide range of measures to ensure their businesses will survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

British Columbia Hotel Association, Restaurants Canada, Tourism Industry Association of BC, Alliance of Beverage Licensees and Metro Vancouver Tourism and Hospitality sent out a press release this morning outlining their demands that they believe will ensure their survival.

For more on this story, visit Okanagan Edge.
Standard Chartered Bank and mPharma have presented to the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), a portable Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) equipment donated by the bank and diagnostic, extraction kits and tubes donated by the health logistics company.



The donation is meant to assist in conducting widespread testing and detection of COVID-19 in Ghana.



Madam Asiedua Addae, Head of Marketing, Brand and Corporate Affairs, Standard Chartered Bank, Ghana, while presenting the equipment said, Widespread testing is key in the fight against COVID-19 and we are happy to present this testing equipment to KCCR after the first was presented to Nogouchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research three weeks ago.



Standard Chartered Bank has committed GH1 million to support emergency relief and aid those affected by COVID-19 in Ghana through three key ways; helping the vulnerable, assisting medical frontline workers with PPEs and bolstering widespread testing.



At Standard Chartered Bank Ghana, we live up to our brand promise Here for Good and hope that the testing equipment will enable more people to know their COVID-19 status so they can take care of themselves and their families.



Commenting on the partnership, Gregory Rockson, Co-Founder and CEO, mPharma, said, We are happy to partner with Standard Chartered Bank in this donation because we believe it is important to do widespread and faster testing especially for emergency cases as we continue fighting this pandemic.







KCCRs Scientific Director, Professor Robert Phillips, thanked Standard Chartered Bank and mPharma for bolstering their testing efforts and urged the public not to forget that the COVID-19 virus is still at large.



This portable testing equipment works within short timelines to deliver results and it is a great blessing for KCCR as we aim to respond to the pandemic in an even greater way. We urge Ghanaians not to relent in following the governments guidelines on social distancing and hygiene, he added.



Separately, Standard Chartered Bank has also today donated PPEs which included N95 masks, surgical gloves and coveralls to the Department of Child Health at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. This becomes the fifth hospital to receive a donation of PPEs as part of the GHS 1 million committed by the Bank.



As one of the integral treatment centers for COVID-19 cases in Ghana, it is essential that frontline workers at the institution are adequately resourced to protect them and those they come into contact with from being infected.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Exploding gas tank rocks Playa del Carmen neighborhood sending 2 to hospital

Playa del Carmen, Q.R.  A man and a woman were left with serious injuries after at least one gas tank exploded inside a house.

Civil Protection of Solidaridad reported the explosion happened inside a house along 18th Street in the Ejido neighborhood Thursday morning. Emergency 911 received the call at 7:45 a.m. from area residents who heard the explosion.

The Civil Protection office says when they, along with police and Solidaridad firemen arrived on scene, they found a Z-Gas company truck parked outside the building loaded with tanks of varying sizes.

Inside the house, officials removed 11 other LP gas cylinders including six 20-kilo tanks, two 30-kilo tanks, two 10-kilo tanks and one 45-kilo tank. More than two dozen firemen attended the scene. The explosion is thought to have occurred by huachicoleros (a person who engages in the theft and illegal sale of fuel) from refilling the tanks.

The injured, 35-year-old Francisco R.H. from Veracruz and a woman, 30-year-old Sinai L.L. from Mexico City, were rushed to Playa del Carmen hospital with extensive burns.

A man and a woman received serious burns when one of the tanks exploded

Civil Protection and firemen continue to investigate the exact events that caused the explosion. The clandestine refill station has been shut by city officials.
When hundreds of artists started singing from their living rooms when the coronavirus pandemic hit, Grammy-winning DJ-producer David Guetta still wanted to perform in front of a live audience.

So the hitmaker set up shop in front of a 205-foot pool at the Icon Brickell in downtown Miami, performing for 90 minutes as 8,000 locals danced along from their balconies during the feel-good moment last month.

Now, he's launching his second United At Home event at an undisclosed location in New York on Saturday to connect with fans and raise money for health care workers and virus relief efforts.

"A lot of artists, especially DJs, were doing performances from their bedrooms. I felt like that was a little bit frustrating. I really wanted to feel like I have a crowd," Guetta said in an interview with The Associated Press this week. "So, I had the idea of doing this in the middle of towers and people were on the balconies and that was absolutely amazing."

His first concert featured fans dancing away  some taking their shirts off and basking in the moment  while others enjoyed the vibe from their homes, which Guetta could watch via Zoom as he performed his electronic dance hits that have made him a chart-topping touring juggernaut in the last decade. Police said they dispersed crowds violating social distancing guidelines during the rooftop performance, but no arrests were made when officers had to break up groups on the sidewalks far below the concert.

The first United At Home concert raised $750,000, including a $300K contribution from Guetta. This week's event will air live at 7 p.m.  the time of Manhattan's ritual of clapping and cheering for a few minutes to honor all essential workers  from Guetta's social media pages, including Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Fans can select if they want to donate to the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, Feeding America, the World Health Organization or Fondation Hopitaux de Paris-Hopitaux de France.

Guetta, who is French, has had white-hot success in the U.S. and around the world with popular songs like "When Love Takes Over" with Kelly Rowland, "I Gotta Feeling" with the Black Eyed Peas, "Titanium" with Sia and other Top 10 hits. He called dealing with the virus "very scary" because he hasn't been able to tour the world and perform like he's used to.

"I don't think I'm going to work before 2021 so of course it's a problem," the 52-year-old said. "I'm lucky enough that I have money on the side and I don't have to worry about if I can eat next month. But some of the people, they're not in the same situation and that's why I'm trying to do something to help."

 Associated Press

Winfrey, Pitt part of Grammys special

The Grammys is putting together an event featuring Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, Herbie Hancock and Harry Connick, Jr. to honor essential workers across America.

The Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammy Awards annually, announced Thursday that the two-hour special, "United We Sing: A Grammy Salute to the Unsung Heroes," will air June 21 on CBS.

"United We Sing" will follow Connick Jr.  who is hosting  and his filmmaker-daughter Georgia Connick on a road trip celebrating and thanking essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Winfrey, Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Queen Latifah, Renee Zellweger and Drew Brees will also deliver special messages to workers.

The event will also feature performances by Hancock, John Fogerty, Jamie Foxx, Cyndi Lauper, Dave Matthews, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Tim McGraw, Little Big Town, Andra Day, Irma Thomas, Trombone Shorty, Rockin Dopsie, Jon Batiste and Connick Jr.

 Associated Press

ASCAP to hold virtual awards

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is going virtual with its annual awards shows this summer because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The performing rights organization announced Thursday that it will hold three-day virtual events  that will stream on ASCAP's social media channels  for its four awards shows, which focus on pop, R&B/rap, Latin and film music.

The ASCAP Pop Music Awards will be held June 17-19; the ASCAP Screen Music Awards on June 23-25; the ASCAP Latin Music Awards on July 7-9; and the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards on July 15-17.

 Associated Press
The American-born daughter of a fugitive Mexican drug lord wanted by the United States will be facing trial in Washington, D..C. this winter.

A document from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia notes that Jessica Oseguera's trial is set to begin December 14.

Oseguera, whose father Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera is the leader of the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel, is charged with five counts of money laundering.

The dual Mexican-U.S. citizen, who appeared before a court judge Wednesday via teleconference, was arrested February 26 while visiting a Washington federal courthouse where her brother Ruben 'El Menchito' Oseguera was attending a hearing on drug trafficking a week after he had been extradited from Mexico.

Jessica, who is also known as 'La Negra' and like her brother was born in California, was unaware that a grand jury had indicted her February 16 for the federal crimes after the Department of Treasury had sanctioned several businesses in 2015 that were reportedly tied to the Jalisco New Generation, widely known as the most powerful criminal organization in Mexico. At least one of the companies that were blacklisted were registered to her.

Jessica Johana Oseguera, the daughter of Mexican drug lord Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera, is set to face trial in Washington, D.C. for money laundering charges

Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera Cervantes co-founded the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which since the fall of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman became Mexico's most powerful criminal group

On March 20, the 33-year-old mother of two children petitioned the court to grant her release because she feared she would contract the coronavirus in prison. However, the motion was denied by the judge, who side with the prosecutors because she was considered a flight risk.

She previously also asked the court to be placed under house arrest at her aunt's $500,000 California residence, which was offered as collateral.

But prosecutors countered because the 'plot of land in Southern California that has an appraised value of only approximately $109,000 and previously sold for less than $100,000' was part of a scheme to 'mislead' the judge.

The arrest of the two siblings is part of an ongoing investigation by U.S. federal authorities to dismantle an organization that rose to power after the fall of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, once an ally of El Mencho.

El Mencho has evaded capture for eight years and the U.S. government is offering $10 million for information leading to his arrest.

He is charged with conspiring to distribute massive amounts of drugs 'for illegal importation into the United States' and using a gun 'during and in relation to these drug trafficking crimes', according to an October 2018 indictment presented in a Washington court.

California-born Ruben 'El Menchito' Oseguera Gonzalez was extradited from Mexico to the United States in February, and his sister Jessica Oseguera was apprehended at a Washington, D.C. federal court where he was attending a hearing February 26

The 53-year-old Michoacan native is also charged with drug trafficking in the state of Mississippi and was designated as a 'kingpin' under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act in April 2015.

El Mencho's organization operates in 24 of 32 states in Mexico and has shipped cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl-laced heroin to the United States.

The cartel, is known to be in control of at least two-thirds of the U.S. drug market.

In early March, the DEA announced the arrest of more than 600 members of the cartel who were mostly operating in the states of Texas, California, New York, Florida, Georgia, Illinois and Colorado. The organization also has a presence in New Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Michigan, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

El Menchito, 30, has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute large quantities of cocaine and meth, and use of a firearm in commission of a drug trafficking offense. If convicted, he faces at least 15 years in prison.

He is considered to be the second-in-command behind his father.

Mexican authorities arrested El Menchito in 2015 and he spent several years fighting extradition and even argued in court that El Mencho was not his biological father.
Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal has contributed Rs 11 lakh to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to aid restoration work in areas affected by cyclone Amphan, an official said on Friday. The governor donated the amount from his discretionary grants and urged people to contribute generously for relief and restoration work in the cyclone-affected areas, the Raj Bhavan official said.

The cyclonic storm Amphan had rolled past the Odisha coast before making landfall between Digha in West Bengal and Hatiya island in Bangladesh last week. It caused extensive damage to power infrastructure and agriculture crops in ten districts of Odisha.

The governor had earlier donated Rs 21 lakh to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help the state government fight against the COVID-19 outbreak. Lal has decided to contribute 30 per cent of his monthly salary from March 2020 to February 2021, amounting to Rs 13.2 lakh, to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES).
Jinger Duggar has opened up about the 'overwhelming feelings of sadness and loss' she experienced last fall when she suffered a miscarriage.

The 26-year-old is excitedly anticipating the arrival of her second child with husband Jeremy Vuolo, 32, in November, but just a day after announcing her pregnancy to the world, she is taking time to reflect on the pregnancy she lost last November.

In a lengthy Instagram post today, the mom of 22-month-old daughter Felicity said that 'tears filled [her] eyes' and 'sadness cloaked [her] soul' when she realized she'd lost the baby  just one day after sharing her pregnancy news with her family.

Tearful: Jinger Duggar has opened up about the 'overwhelming feelings of sadness and loss' she experienced when she suffered a miscarriage (pictured after her grandmother's death)

Growing family: She and husband Jeremy Vuolo revealed the miscarraige while announcing that Jinger is pregnant with their second child, another girl

Yesterday, Jinger and Jeremy announced that she is 15 weeks pregnant baby number two, another little girl.

But in sharing their happy news, they also revealed that Jinger has suffered a miscarriage along the way, and today she followed up with more details about the experience.

'Im excited! Yet, the overwhelming feelings of joy and anticipation that Im feeling today are a sharp reminder of the overwhelming feelings of sadness and loss I felt last November,' she wrote.

'On a Monday evening, Jer and I were rejoicing with our families as we announced that I was pregnant. Yet, in Gods perfect timing, it was the next morning that I awoke knowing something wasnt right.

'Within moments I knew that Id lost the baby. Tears filled my eyes, sadness cloaked my soul. Having just lost my grandmother months before, the news of new life was like spring lilies blossoming after a dark, cold winter. And in a moment, that life was gone.'

Jinger's grandmother, Mary Duggar, had died on June 9 at the age of 78.

'Within moments I knew that Id lost the baby. Tears filled my eyes, sadness cloaked my soul,' she said (pictured after the death of her grandmother in June 2019)

Emotions: Jinger said it was especially sad because her Grandma Mary Duggar had passed months earlier

'I know many of you can relate,' she went on. 'The minutes feel like hours, the hours like days, dont they? I was helpless  nothing I could do would restore the lost life. Yet, I was never hopeless.

'In those moments, I did the only thing I could. I rehearsed the timeless truths upon which Ive anchored my soul  the truth that God is sovereign and he is good,' she said.

'The truth that Job recited, thousands of years ago, in his agony: The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

'The pain doesnt leave quickly. Its not meant to. But in the midst of pain, the hope we hold is in God who works all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28). Dear friends, the reality is, at times we are helpless. But never, and I mean never, do we have to be hopeless.'

Jeremy, too, shared his thoughts on the loss.

'Todays joy is not without sorrow,' he wrote. 'Ill never forget that moment when we realized wed lost the baby.'

He went on to say how he, too, looked to his faith for comfort, concluding: 'As we pray for her safe development in the womb, we cant help but rejoice, even if theres sorrow mixed in.'

'Todays joy is not without sorrow,' Jeremy said wrote. 'Ill never forget that moment when we realized wed lost the baby'

'It was such a hard time, but Jer just really supported me, and it was just such a tremendous blessing to have many people who loved on us in that difficulty,' Jinger said

The pair had kept quite about the miscarriage at the time, but revealed it on Thursday as they announced their baby news  and TLC announced that the new season of Counting On will premiere June 30.

The couple moved across the country last summer so that Jeremy could attend the Master's Seminary at Grace Community Church, and their move will also be covered in the new season.

It seems that the cameras were also be there as the couple dealt with miscarriage, too, will

'That was very difficult and definitely a trial for us,' Jeremy said.

'In those times when your faith is tried, you just run to God all the more,' Jinger added. 'We were just praying together, talking with family, had friends at our church here that just surrounded us.

'It was such a hard time, but Jer just really supported me, and it was just such a tremendous blessing to have many people who loved on us in that difficulty.'

But most of yesterday's announcement was focused on their baby joy, with Jinger writing on Instagram: 'Well definitely have our hands full! But theres nothing else wed rather carry.'

Jinger said: 'In those times when your faith is tried, you just run to God all the more'

'We told [Felicity], but she doesn't quite understand everything yet,' Jinger said. 'Not being two yet, but she, she comes up to my belly and says, "Baby. Baby."'

She added: 'The bond that sisters share is unique, and one I cherish every day. After all these years, theyre still my best friends! Im glad Gods giving that gift for Felicity to enjoy'

The couple celebrated their second daughter with an all-pink photoshoot. In the images, Jeremy matched Jinger's pink dress with a pink bowtie and flower in his pocket, while their daughter Felicity, who turns two on July 19, wore a pink bow in her hair and matching Mary Janes.

'Jeremy and I both guessed it was a girl, just a gut feeling we had. And we couldnt be happier,' Jinger wrote.

'The bond that sisters share is unique, and one I cherish every day. After all these years, theyre still my best friends! Im glad Gods giving that gift for Felicity to enjoy.'

On his own page, Jeremy added: 'Recently, shes been practicing her big-sistering on dolls, cradling and shushing them to sleep. Pretty soon, shell be holding a real baby. But shes ready, and so are we.

'Life is beautiful! We are praising God for this precious little gift,' he said.

Speaking to People, Jinger shared her excitement over their impending arrival.

'We are so excited,' she said. 'Everything looks great with the baby. We're so thankful. Had a lot of check-ups and were just really, really excited.'

'We told [Felicity], but she doesn't quite understand everything yet,' Jinger said. 'Not being two yet, but she, she comes up to my belly and says, "Baby. Baby."'

Flashback: Jinger and Jeremy are pictured when they announced they were pregnant with their first child, Felicity

The first one: Jinger, then a brunette, documented her growing bump on social media

Women in the Duggar family  and wives of the Duggar men  tend to have quite a lot of children, though Jinger and Jeremy appear to be spacing out their family planning a bit more than the others, having waited nearly a year to get pregnant the first time.

Meanwhile, her oldest sibling, sex pest Josh, is 32 and already has six children with his wife Anna, 31.

Her sister Jessa, 27, has three children with husband Ben Seewald, 25. Joe, 25, and his wife Kendra, 21, have two kids, and Joy Anna, 22, is expecting her second with husband Austin Forsyth, 26.

Jill, 29, has two sons with husband Derick Dillard, 31.

Only John David, 30, and his wife Abbie, 28, and Josiah, 23, and his wife Lauren, 21, are parents to one child each.

The Duggar women are also known to document every step of their pregnancies, from announcements to gender reveals to baby showers, with many of the births being filmed for TV.

Several have also been candid about miscarriages. Jinger joins her sister Joy Anna, Josh's wife Anna, Josiah's wife Lauren, and her own mother in having suffered the loss of a pregnancy.

Sharing loss: Last summer, Jinger's sister Joy Anna suffered a devastating miscarriage at 20 weeks

So sad: Josiah's wife Lauren also miscarried, at five weeks, and has spoken frequently about the experience on social media and on Counting On

Keepsakes: In an episode from last season, she showed off her 'Asa' box for the pregnancy she lost

Anna has kept mostly silent on the experience, while Lauren, Joy Anna, and Jinger's mom Michelle have been quite vocal.

Joy Anna suffered a devastating miscarriage at 20 weeks last summer, and had to deliver the fetus in a hospital. She and Austin named the baby Annabel and held a tear-filled commemorative photoshoot in the hospital.

Lauren lost a pregnancy at five weeks, and has spoken tearfully about it in several interviews and episodes of Counting On. She and Josiah decided it was a boy, named it Asa, and have paid tribute on social media.

Glove-less love: Michelle stopped using the pill when she suffered a miscarriage after the birth of sex pest Josh

'For a long time, I was in depression for so long that to me life had no purpose, or something like that, and it hurt. It just hurt really bad,' she said in an episode of Counting On.

'I remember hearing people say, "I went through a depression" and all I think is, "whatever." But knowing that I am going through it, I'm like, "Oh, I am so sorry," cause I know what it feels like to live your life like every day's worthless,' she said.

When she she got pregnant again soon after, she even had a special cake for 'Big Brother Asa' at her baby shower.

Michelle, meanwhile, has pointed to a miscarriage early in her marriage as the reason she and Jim Bob are so against birth control.

The couple revealed that initially, they thought they'd have just two or three kids, and Michelle went on the pill for the first few years of their marriage.

After having their eldest son Josh, Michelle went back on the pill, but got pregnant while taking it. They ended up losing that baby and were so grieved that, through prayer, they decided to 'give that area of our life to the Lord,' letting God decide on when and how often they would have kids.

Flashback: Back in early March, there had been some speculation that Jinger was pregnant when she traveled from her new home in California to visit her family in Arkansas

Announcements: The enormous family gathering included nearly all the women and girls in the Duggar family

Aunt: Jinger flew in for a visit with daughter Felicity and got to meet three of her nieces  including Josiah and Lauren's daughter Bella  for the first time

Special trip: Jinger may have just learned she was pregnant at the time

Support: She also went out with brother Jed and promoted his campaign for a spot in the Arkansas House of Representatives

Back in early March, there had been some speculation that Jinger was pregnant when she traveled from her new home in California to visit her family in Arkansas.

During her visit, nearly every single woman and girl in the Duggar family got together for lunch, and some later went out together on a shopping trip.

The group outing had fans wondering if one of the women was about to announce a pregnancy, with Jinger and Joy Anna earning the highest bets.

Just two weeks later, Joy Anna announced that she was pregnant with a baby girl, admitting she was 'super excited' but 'nervous' after suffering a miscarriage at 20 weeks in July.

But it seems that Jinger may have also been sharing baby news with her family at the time.
The Volta Regional Capital, Ho is gradually becoming a flood-prone area as about 11 places have been identified to be dangerous spots in the hitherto flood-free municipality.

The discoveries were made last Friday, May 29, 2020, after four persons escaped death when floodwater washed them and the vehicle in which they were commuting into a storm drain at one of the identified flood-prone spots.

The four, a driver and three passengers, were driving in a Toyota Corolla Hiring saloon vehicle with registration number GM 4688-14.

On reaching Ho from Hohoe, on Thursday, May 28, 2020 at about 3:30 pm the heavy rains which had begun about an hour earlier was still pouring.

On reaching the bridge near Amegashie House, about 500 matters from the main lorry station, the vehicle and its occupants were washed into the storm drain.

Eyewitnesses say the driver had ignored the danger posed by the running water and attempted to drive through it.

The vehicle landed on its side in the storm drain.

Residents rushed to evacuate the victims all of whom did not have any severe injuries. The team from the Ambulance Service and the Ghana Fire Service responded swiftly and conveyed the accident victims to the Ho Teaching Hospital while the vehicle was removed from the drain.

A resident of the area, Esinam Azialey said the section always floods whenever it rains, adding that it becomes more dangerous when it is a heavy rain.

Consequently, several people have become victims of the section, to the extent of some losing their lives.

The residents have since appealed to the Municipal Assembly to as a matter of urgency reconstruct that section of the road since, The road here is not wide enough.

The culvert gets flooded anytime it rains because it is choked with debris.

The Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Prosper Bansa who visited the scene promised that swift action will be taken to ameliorate the situation.

11 Flood Prone Spots In Ho

In a related development the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa and his Deputy, Rev. Johnson Avuletey have toured some of the flood-prone areas in the municipality following the floods caused by heavy rains.

The team which included officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the various road sector departments in the region, visited 11 spots including the Amegashie House Bridge where four persons' escapade death last Thursday, May 28, 2020.

The other places visited include, the Barracks road, C.K road, BNI-Powerhouse road, YMCA Bridge on the Civic Centre road and Rabazey area.

The others include, Tsikpota, the Asogli (Togbe Afede) Palace Square drainage and bridge, Redeem-Down area, Trafalgar Down on the Ho-Aflao Highway and Bulawayo Bridge near the Ho Technical University junction.

The Minister observed that the havoc wreaked on bridges and roads in the regional capital by last Thursday's heavy rains required urgent attention as it was evident that most of the drainage systems were too small to accommodate large volumes of rushing water.

He noted that these drainage systems needed to be re-engineered and expanded to prevent any disaster in the future.

Secondly choked drains must be immediately deleted and in some cases to allow free flow of water.

Dr Letsa further directed that the necessary processes required to reconstruct and realign some selected bridges must be initiated immediately in order to prevent the drains from collapsing or overflowing their banks in the future.

Daily Guide
Almost a third of passengers arriving at Dublin Airport were still not filling in passenger location forms up to last week.

New figures show almost 3,000 people who arrived from April 28 to May 21 did not say where they would be self-isolating for two weeks.

The vast majority (2,779) of those who did not fill out the form said they were not provided with one by the airline they travelled with.

The Department of Justice figures showed 186 people refused to fill in the form when asked to do so by the Dublin Airport border management unit.

Another 26 people are recorded as having not filled one out because of "language barriers".

Refuse

Yesterday it became mandatory for passengers to tell authorities where they will be self-isolating for a fortnight after arriving in Ireland.

Those who refuse to fill in the form face six months in prison or a 2,500 fine.

Sinn Fein health spokesperson Louise O'Reilly, who obtained the figures through parliamentary questions, said the Government should have acted sooner on the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet).

"The Nphet recommended that this system be put in place at their meeting on April 3 but it took more than three weeks to be implemented," she said.

"As we reopen the economy and there is increased activity we cannot have this type of time delay again."

Disappointed

Ms O'Reilly said she was disappointed that passengers were refusing to fill out the form given "the seriousness of the health emergency".

However, she welcomed the fact that it is now compulsory for passengers to tell the authorities were they will be staying.

"The Government should move immediately to publish the data about the levels of compliance when the follow-up calls are made," she added.

Gardai now have the power to call to addresses where people say they are self-isolating when they come to Ireland if they believe someone may not have filled out a form accurately.

Meanwhile, it has also emerged that gardai have established a "direct link" with the Nphet to ensure the concerns of the force are heard when Covid-19 measures are being discussed.

In a statement, Garda Representative Association general secretary Pat Ennis said the link was established after he raised concerns about the impact of Nphet recommendations on the "health, welfare and work" of his members.

Mr Ennis said his members were "justifiably angry" at the Nphet's decision to abandon priority testing for them without consulting An Garda Siochana.
Social workers deserve better recognition, says advisor

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-05-29 08:46

Social workers deserve better recognition and support from society, said a CPPCC National Committee member during the 2020 two sessions.

Social workers have made plenty of contributions during the epidemic and played an important part in the fight against COVID-19, said Wang Su, associate professor at Shanghai Theatre Academy and member of the 13th CPPCC (Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference) National Committee.

(Photo/Xinhua News)

This years two sessions are being held in a special context [of the COVID-19 pandemic]. I hope to learn more about our countrys major strategic plans, said Wang, who had drafted several proposals very carefully before attending the meeting in Beijing.

Wang said she understands the efforts of social workers, especially what they have done during the epidemic.

As people dealing with social affairs, social workers in China serve and care for the people. They are an indispensable force in grassroots governance. In Wangs opinion, the profession still lacks planning and design for its development and promotion, and that is why some social workers are not confident enough in their career development. The COVID-19 outbreak has allowed more people to realize the importance of social workers. But their work scope and responsibility are still lesser known to some citizens.

As such, Wang believes social workers jobs should be specified and that the rank of social workers should be more professional and standardized.
Piers Morgan has upset Conservative MPs so much that they are boycotting Good Morning Britain (Getty Images)

The global pandemic has put a lot of things into new perspective, but this one might come as a surprise to some: Capital FM DJ Roman Kemp says hes finding Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan a bit of a comfort.

Kemp, who was chatting to Kate Thornton on White Wine Question Time, said hes finally agreeing with what Morgan is saying.

I think it's just a really strange time, whereby Piers Morgan is now sounding like a voice of reason, he joked.

READ MORE: Piers Morgan says he received death threats for challenging government over coronavirus

For the moment, honestly, everything that Piers has said is dead on the money. And I think that, you know, in a way, he's kind of been this voice of reason in a weird, weird way.

According to Morgan, Conservative MPs have boycotted Good Morning Britain because he asked those that appeared on the show tough questions.

Speaking on Twitter, the former Britains Got Talent judge said: "This is the 15th day of its boycott of our show during the worst national crisis since WW2. All because we asked them tough questions."

Roman Kemp says one of the strangest things about the pandemic is agreeing with Piers Morgan! (Getty Images)

Good Morning Britain has received 212 complaints about the confrontational interview style that Morgan has been demonstrating on the show, but Kemp believes that the former Mirror editor has become the voice of the nation, as hes getting angry on their behalf.

At the moment, you know, he is what people need when they wake up, because he is venting for the nation, he said. He is stopping people from going through their day angry, feeling like they're not understood.

READ MORE: Lord Sugar brands Piers Morgan 'deluded pillock' and makes Adolf Hitler comparison

The Im A Celebrity star continued: The biggest reason when people get angry is when they feel misunderstood, and they feel like they're not heard. He's literally just venting for the nation and that provides a little bit of relief.

While podcast host Thornton agreed with Kemps sentiment, she also said they should be careful not to swell Morgans head with too many compliments, to which Kemp delivered the ultimate parting shot:

Story continues

Don't get me wrong: sometimes he can be an absolute knob, he laughed. But, you know, he's really been really getting it right.

Hear Roman Kemp talk about working on Capital Radio during lockdown, what hes missed most and his most magical childhood memory on this weeks episode of White Wine Question Time. Listen now on iTunes and Spotify.
Richard Herd, who played lawmen, tough guys, a general, an alien commander and a Watergate burglar, but was best known as Mr. Wilhelm, George Costanzas supervisor, on Seinfeld, died on Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 87.

His wife, Patricia (Crowder) Herd, an actress, said the cause was complications of colon cancer.

As Wilhelm, a Yankee executive who reported to the teams owner, George Steinbrenner (voiced by Larry David), Mr. Herd brought a grandfatherly and slightly daffy demeanor to his dealings with George (played by Jason Alexander), the lazy assistant to the Yankees traveling secretary.

He was sometimes concerned that George was working too hard or cracking under pressure. But he also accused him of theft when he perspired under questioning, which George attributed to spicy Chinese food.

In one episode, Wilhelm is abducted by a cult that uses a carpet cleaning service as a front. When told by George  who is angry that the cult did not want to brainwash him  that he is a hostage, he responds: Wilhelm? My name is Tania  the alias that the heiress Patty Hearst used after being kidnapped by terrorists in 1974.
The religious complex includes Hai Ba Trung temple, Dong Nhan shrine and Vien Minh pagoda.

Of which, the Hai Ba Trung temple worships national heroines Hai Ba Trung (the Trung Sisters), who led a mass uprising against the Han invaders in 40 AD to reclaim national independence after more than 200 years of foreign rule.

The temple is home to many valuable artefacts such as 27 royal decrees dating back to the Le Dynasty (1428-1788) and the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), eight statues, two stone steles, and two palanquins dating back to the Nguyen dynasty.

Meanwhile, the Vien Minh pagoda houses an ancient stele carved in 1932 and 72 worshipping statues dating back to the Nguyen dynasty. The Dong Nhan shrine is in tribute to the water deities who protect people living along rivers.

The complex is one of a few of its kind in Vietnam where typical architectural, cultural and religious features are well preserved and have remained intact despite the tests of time.

Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of Hanoi municipal Peoples Committee Ngo Van Quy described the complex as a time-honoured cultural heritage of the capital city.

He asked the Hai Ba Trung district authorities to improve its management of the relic and continue popularising the sites cultural and historical value in order to attract more visitors.
Several businesses went up in flames Wednesday night during protests over the police killing of George Floyd. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

On Thursday, protestors took to the streets in Minneapolis to protest the police killing of

A second night of protests in Minneapolis over the police killing of 46-year-old George Floyd turned deadly Wednesday when a man was shot by a shop owner who suspected him of looting. The shooting victim was one of five people hit by gunfire on a night that saw police use tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters demanding justice for Floyds death.

Mayor Jacob Frey called on the Minnesota National Guard Wednesday night to help the Minneapolis Police manage the protests. The Star Tribune reports that the military was ordered to the 3rd Precinct police station to relieve Minneapolis police officers, as demonstrators encircled the precinct. The protests were concentrated around the precinct, where virtually every business within a two block radius was damaged in some way, according to CBS Minnesota.

The affordable housing development is gone. Wendy's, too. AutoZone, a husk. pic.twitter.com/95UjML7lN6  Libor Jany (@StribJany) May 28, 2020

Some photos of the Wendys near the 3rd Precinct in Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/JxmeSiUT8P  Tony Webster (@webster) May 28, 2020

The Star Tribune reports that the deadly shooting Wednesday night took place at Cadillac Pawn & Jewelry, roughly a mile away from the heart of the protests. A 59-year-old man shot a suspected looter there and was later arrested on suspicion of murder. While the area did see many stores looted, including a Target, its unclear if the victim was in fact attempting to loot the pawn shop.

George Floyds family joined local officials calling for an end to the violence  though they thanked those who have been demonstrating peacefully. Courteney Ross, Floyds girlfriend of three years, said of the unrest, I am heartbroken.

Waking up this morning to see Minneapolis on fire would be something that would devastate Floyd, Ross continued, in a statement to the Star Tribune on Thursday. He loved the city. He came here [from Houston] and stayed here for the people and the opportunities.  Floyd was a gentle giant. He was about love and about peace. She added that she wants demonstrators to know that I understand their frustration.  I want people to protest in a peaceful way.

Benjamin Crump, an attorney representing some of Floyds relatives, said they want to thank the protesters for joining them in standing for justice, [but] we also cannot sink to the level of our oppressors, and we cannot endanger each other as we respond to the to the necessary urge to raise our voices in unison and outrage.

The drama Wednesday followed clashes Tuesday night between demonstrators and law enforcement. Police in riot gear were eventually called to the citys Third District to quell the demonstration Tuesday, using tear gas and rubber bullets.

Lots of squads showing up to third precinct. Cops in riot gear. More tear gas. pic.twitter.com/pEcAiNpSmq  Evan Frost (@efrostee) May 27, 2020

The protests come after a video emerged of a police officer digging his knee into Floyds neck on Memorial Day, pinning him to the ground next to a squad car. The video showed Floyd lying facedown, groaning and screaming. I cant breathe, he said as bystanders asked officers to allow Floyd off the ground to check his pulse. The video ended with Floyd, apparently unconscious, being loaded onto a stretcher. He died a short time later at Hennepin County Medical Center.

Twenty-four hours later, hundreds gathered at the intersection where the incident occurred. There were chants of It couldve been me and I cant breathe. The phrase uttered by Floyd in his final moments became a rallying cry in the Black Lives Matter movement six years ago, when Eric Garner was suffocated due to a police chokehold in New York.

Photo: Jordan Strowder/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Photo: Steel Brooks/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

After the video of George Floyds arrest went viral, four Minneapolis police officers involved in the incident were fired. Protesters told CBS Minnesota that while theyre glad the officers were fired, justice wont be served until theyre charged and convicted. Wednesday, Frey called for the arrest of Derek Chauvin, the white police officer who killed Floyd.

Ive wrestled with, more than anything else over the last 36 hours, one fundamental question: Why is the man who killed George Floyd not in jail? Frey said. If you had done it or I had done it, we would be behind bars right now. And I cannot come up with a good answer to that.

On the Today show Thursday morning, Floyds sister said, I would like for those officers to be charged with murder because thats exactly what they did.

There are several investigations currently being conducted into the incident. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the FBI, and the Justice Department are all looking into the circumstances of Floyds death. In a statement Thursday morning, the U.S. attorney and FBI special agent in charge said a robust criminal investigation in underway.

The DOJ, according to the statement, has made the investigation a top priority and has assigned experienced prosecutors and FBI criminal investigators to the matter.

Many have noted the differenced between how police responded to protesters in Minneapolis and how they handled reopening protests at the state capitol earlier this month, in which demonstrators calling for an end to the coronavirus shutdown were heavily armed.

Protests outside the Governor's mansion to get a haircut: crowded together, heavily armed, Nazi imagery.



The protest in South Minneapolis against murder and police violence: peaceful, community based, masked, socially distanced.



Yet the second one was the one with tear gas. https://t.co/yCRfQxAWUc  Sydney Jordan (@SydneyJordanMN) May 27, 2020

This post has been updated throughout.

Sign Up for the Intelligencer Newsletter Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us.
Bigg Boss 13 contestant and actor Shefali Jariwala has revealed the difficult times she and her husband Parag saw over the past week after his father dies in Ghaziabad on May 25. Her father-in-law was not keeping well and had a heart attack on May 25.

Speaking with Times of India, Shefali said, It was an extremely stressful time but fortunately the flights had just resumed and we managed to get one out of Mumbai on the 26th and could make it in time for his last rites. She added the rituals were performed with just with immediate family for everyones safety because of the coronavirus pandemic. Parags elder brother could not make it for the last rites of his father as he lives in Australia and international flights are not operational.

Shefali had earlier revealed about her experience at the airport in a post on Instagram. Sharing her own pictures from her travel, Shefali wrote Thursday, One of the busiest airports in the world #mumbaiairport , never looked so deserted before...lifeless I can say... this has been such a saddening travel experience... no hugs, no kisses, no enthusiasm... only fear. I pray to god it all becomes normal soon... but then wondering , maybe this is the new normal.... and its time to accept it ... hope not ! #airportdiaries #socialdistancing #coronapocalypse #besafe #sad #hopeful #travelgram.

Also read: Ponmagal Vandhal movie review: Jyotika starrer is a dark, socially relevant legal drama

Parag spoke to Indiaforums and said about his fathers demise, Yes he was not well. And it happened on Monday. He went for his dialysis and suddenly he got an attack. Shefali and I reached yesterday. We took a flight from Mumbai and luckily the flight services had already started or else we would had to travel by road.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 04:40:31|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Cars wait for washing at a car wash station in Kuwait City, Kuwait, May 31, 2020. On Sunday, Kuwait has ended the total curfew and imposed a three-week partial curfew for gradual return to normal life in the country. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua)

KUWAIT CITY, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait will end a total curfew and impose a three-week partial curfew for gradual return to normal life in the country, the Kuwaiti government announced Thursday night.

Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anas Al-Saleh told a press conference that the partial curfew will be imposed from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time, starting from May 31.

The minister said that the government also decided to isolate several areas that witnessed an increase in the number of people infected with the coronavirus during the recent period.

Meanwhile, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said that Kuwait will begin gradual return to normal life on May 31, taking into consideration the health, economic and social aspects with the main objective of defeating the coronavirus.

"We adopt a plan for gradual return to normal life, based on experiences of many countries, prepared by experts and specialists," he said.

The Kuwaiti government imposed on May 10 a full curfew in the country for three weeks to curb the rapid rise in coronavirus cases.

Kuwait and China have been supporting each other and cooperating closely in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kuwait donated medical supplies worth 3 million U.S. dollars to China at the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak, while China has been facilitating the procurement of medical supplies by Kuwait.

On April 27, a team of Chinese medical experts visited Kuwait to assist the Arab country's anti-coronavirus fight, sharing with Kuwaiti counterparts their experience and expertise in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.
How quickly can a whole nation forget about a catastrophe? In Chan Koonchungs 2009 dystopian novel The Fat Years, China endures a huge, fictional crisis. Two years later, nobody seems to remember it. In reality, Chan realised, it took less than two months for many people in China to leave behind their anger and despair over the coronavirus crisis and the governments bungled response. Today, they believe China triumphed over the outbreak. Its like nothing had happened, Chan said in an interview. Im dumbfounded. How could ...
LifeStyle

The best Lifestyle shows are right here, from Australia and around the world. Catch up with the experts on home design and interiors, food and cooking, the property market, and get fresh ideas with the savviest of renovators. Whether you need inspiration for cooking up a storm, to refresh a tired room, or tips to sell your property, Foxtel Lifestyle will always something new for you to watch. Enjoy your favourite experts like Andrew Winter and Neale Whitaker, or Shaynna Blaze and Jamie Oliver live or On Demand.
Peter LaVilla is many things  a Jersey City native, the former mayor of Guttenberg, and a former Jersey Journal reporter. LaVilla is also a playwright and filmmaker whose offerings including Mollie and Friends, starring an Oscar nominee, are available on YouTube. And as LaVilla, 80, is holed up in his place in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida due to the pandemic, hed like people to know his work is among their free viewing options as something different.

Included among his work is the aforementioned Mollie and Friends, which stars Rosemary Gore, Jeannie Evans, and Academy Award-nominee for Best Actress Sally Kirkland.

Kirkland specifically was nominated for her role in Anna (1987). Even if you dont know her by name, her face has the kind of familiarity that comes from having been in everything  from The Way We Were to Bruce Almighty and recurring roles on TV on shows like Roseanne.

Mollie and Friends (also known as Oak Hill when it was originally released in 2008) is about the eponymous Mollie (Gore), a comedian in the Fozzie Bear tradition working at a shelter where shes caught between trying to help two substance abusers, Madison and former actress Elizabeth St. James, played respectively by Evans and by Kirkland.

Kirklands role in LaVillas film is one of the rare times LaVilla doesnt use local talent in his work. His former Journal colleague Ron Leir does appear in the film, as Leir does in more work available on LaVillas YouTube page.

The only movie where I did not (use local talent) was Mollie and Friends because that was a SAG movie, and most of the people that I hire locally are non-union, so that was a no-no with SAG.

Mollie and Friends is unique among LaVillas film work for being a drama.

(My films) are all to make people happy and make them laugh and feel good about themselves  not that Mollie and Friends doesnt make people feel good. It makes you look at times inward, rather than outward.

The way LaVilla became a journalist in the first place seems to to speak to the way hes approached much of his creative work.

Back in the day I sent a letter to the guy who was the editor (of the Hudson Dispatch, later folded into The Jersey Journal) at the time  You know, you do all this stuff about people from out of town and from New York, but what about the locals down here? You never do any work (on them), you never do any reviews. And then the guy called me and said, Would you like a job doing it?

LaVilla reflected on his starting salary and being fortunate that rent at the Jersey City public housing he lived in at the time was according to how much you your salary was. He also reflected on later doing three one-act plays called The 99 Cents Special  two of which were mine and one was one of the editors at The Jersey Journal, he said.

The play was performed in the backroom of a Hoboken bar.

We got a review in The New York Times. (The reviewer) called (one of the plays) beyond gross. I took out an ad in The Journal, quoted the guy. I ran the show for eight more weeks. It was only 99 cents to get in.

LaVilla can recall talking to people in the long line to see the play, finding out that many of them came from NYC because of that review.

We know what gross is, but we dont know what beyond gross is, one guy said, according to LaVilla.

The camaraderie of making something with friends, and of trying to make people laugh in a way thats not unlike the vaudeville-like character he plays in Mr. Las Vegas, is something LaVilla built off of creatively.

Mollie and Friends star Gore co-starred with LaVilla in Oil and Water, where he played a veteran news man paired with Gores young gossip columnist character.

Gore had moved out to LA and became friendly with Kirkland, LaVilla said. Shes the one who suggested he reach out to Kirkland for the part in Mollie and Friends.

I said (to her), you want me to call an A-list star? She said, Call her. I gave her a call, I said, Sally my name is blah blah blah. Rosemary told me to give you a shout. I got this script, would you be interested in reading it? I mailed it to her, about a week later she says, Peter, I love the character, I want to make the movie.

In addition to having written the script, LaVilla has a role in the film as the director of the Oak Hill shelter.

Filmed at Palisades Emergency Residence Corporation (PERC) Soup Kitchen, in Union City, Mollie and Friends is a mixed bag bolstered by particularly endearing performances from Gore and Kirkland. Its a film where you laugh and feel for the characters, but by virtue of the melodrama, you sometimes laugh a little at it.

Thematically it relies on stereotypes a little too much, and sometimes you wish for something more in tune with the energy of one of the most affecting scenes  where two quiet, emotive characters often in the background are having a meal together in the shelter and talking wistfully about where they came from originally, before their lives brought them there.

Like LaVilla  who still performs locally in Sunny Isles Beach and has made some his creative writing available on Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com, its a little all over the place but not without its charms.

LaVillas work as a filmmaker also has a particular distinction as part of Netflixs transition from DVD-mailers to streaming. Mr. Las Vegas, a feature film which he wrote and stars in, was among Netflixs original DVD offerings.

What happened was, a friend of mine said call this distributor up in Los Angeles. Theyre just getting started and they need talent. So I sent them a copy and the guy loved it. I signed a 7-year contract.

LaVilla later got an email about Netflix trying out something called streaming, he said.

Its gist: Netflix said theyre taking 100 films to test this thing called streaming, and Mr. Las Vegas is among the hundred films.

Mr. Las Vegas was joined by Oil and Water for a long streaming stint on the platform, but the shuffling of new content has pared them down to being available for Netflixs still available mail-in option. And now, for something different, you can see them on YouTube. Just search Peter LaVilla on YouTube.
The transmembrane protease serine-type 2 (TMPRSS2) protein plays a key role in COVID-19 infection since it primes the viral spike protein to allow viral entry into the target cell. A new study by researchers at Imperial College London and published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in May 2020 describes the protein, which could be an attractive drug target to help manage COVID-19.

The TMPRSS2 protein is found on lung cells and bronchial epithelium, as well as in the intestine, pancreas, and salivary glands. Recently, scientists have found that it is expressed along with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in bronchial and lung fabricators.

The function of the TMPRSS2 includes the ability to cleave and activate the spike protein of several coronaviruses, including the SARS-CoV, which caused the earlier 20022004 SARS outbreak. This cleavage is required for viral-cell membrane fusion and viral infection. This protein is among the main proteases on the cell surface that take part in this priming process, in addition to furin and lysosomal cathepsin.

The reason for the broad spectrum of symptoms in COVID-19 is unknown. There is little known variation in the ACE2 gene. Could it be due to genetic TMPRSS2 variants?

Earlier studies have shown that these coronaviruses cannot replicate in the absence of this enzyme, causing a reduced immune response as well. Inhibitors of this enzyme also prevent bronchial cell infection by SARS-CoV in vitro, an effect confirmed with protease inhibitors in animal studies.

Based on these results, the current study aims to explore the putative protective effect of natural genetic variants that alter the structure and function of the TMPRSS2 protein. The GnomAD database of genetic variations in the population was analyzed using computational bioinformatics to identify those variants that affect protein structure and function, as well as to find how commonly they are distributed in the population.

TMPRSS2 predicted 3D structure Diagram of TMPRSS2 amino acid sequence and domains. The 3D model of TMPRSS2 domains SRCR and Peptidase S1 is presented. The active site, residues H296, D345 and S441, is highlighted in red on the amino acid sequence. TM, transmembrane domain; LDLRA, LDL-receptor class A; SRCR, scavenger receptor cysteine-rich domain 2; Peptidase S1, Serine peptidase.

The researchers also used human protein atlas data to find out whether ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were co-expressed in extrapulmonary tissues, especially the gut, because of the common occurrence of diarrhea and other gut symptoms in COVID-19.

As a first step, they built a 3D model using a Phyre modeling algorithm and evaluated its quality with three different methods. They also assessed the impact of each of the variant forms on the structure of the protein using the Missense3D algorithm, as well as other methods.

The researchers found that the TMPRSS2 protein is built of a cytoplasmic region, a transmembrane region, and an extracellular region. This last region has three domains, of which the peptidase S1 contains the active protease site, which can be glycosylated at 2 positions, along with a cleavage site that allows the extracellular region to be shed.

The 3D structure of the extracellular region was found to be of good quality. Of the 378 TMPRSS2 variants analyzed in the current study, one variant, p.V160M, was found to have a minor allele frequency (MAF) of 0.248 in the population, slightly higher among males compared to females.

This corresponds to a distribution of about 25% of the general population. About 6.7% of the population was homozygous for this variant, which has been predicted to be a damaging substitution by all the methods used.

The SCRS domain is highly conserved, but its function is not entirely clear. It may be necessary in ligand or protein interaction. It is seen in several host defense proteins, which could indicate a role beyond its protein-cleaving activity that primes the virus for membrane fusion and viral entry.

Within this SCRS domain, valine 160 is a small but highly conserved amino acid which could have an important role in the structure or function of the protein. Though the steric clash was suspected, it was not observed to be likely from the change in free energy.

There are 31 variants that could stop the translation of the protein prematurely. Among 304 variants which were mapped on to the 3D structure generated by the researchers. Of these, 62 are thought to be structurally damaging according to the MissenseD prediction, and 12 are highly destabilizing to the protein, possibly leading to protein structure misfolding.

Two of the variants disrupt protein function as well, namely, p.R255S and p.S441G. The first of these abolishes the TMPRSS2 cleavage site while the other abolishes the active site of the protein. The fact remains that their rarity in the population reduces their utility as markers of severe COVID-19 infection.

Another 167 or 152 variants were predicted to be damaging, depending on whether the SIFT or Polyphen programs were used. However, 137 of these were common to both. Structural damage was predicted for 53 of them, which could indicate that they cause severe damage to the protein.

Overall, the 53 structural damage variants and the 31 prematurely truncated protein variants are predicted to probably cause loss of function but are infrequently distributed in the population. Both the mean and the cumulative MAF are low, meaning that their use as markers of severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection is unlikely.

Are TMPRSS2 and ACE2 Co-Expressed in The Intestine?

The data on TMPRSS2 and ACE2 expression taken from the Human Protein Atlas showed co-expression of both proteins in the tissues of the gastrointestinal tract, the kidney, and the gallbladder. This could indicate the susceptibility of the gut to this virus, explaining the gut symptoms often seen in COVID-19 infection.

TMPRSS2 and ACE2 tissue expression

However, the HPA fails to show the expression of ACE2 in the lung cells, or in the endothelial cells, or arterial smooth muscle cells. This is despite the fact that recent work has shown the co-expression of both genes in lung and bronchial tissue. This indicates the need for specific in vitro experiments to examine this feature in the gut and other tissues as well, completing the HPA data.

According to the researchers, the study shows that TMPRSS2 variants should be investigated further to understand the impact of a persons genetic background on their clinical presentation and prognosis when contracting SARSCoV-2. Further studies on the co-expression of these gene variants in the cells of the gastrointestinal tract are also required.

*Important Notice

bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Decision support systems definition

A decision support system (DSS) is an interactive information system that analyzes large volumes of data for informing business decisions. A DSS supports the management, operations, and planning levels of an organization in making better decisions by assessing the significance of uncertainties and the tradeoffs involved in making one decision over another.

A DSS leverages a combination of raw data, documents, personal knowledge, and/or business models to help users make decisions. The data sources used by a DSS could include relational data sources, cubes, data warehouses, electronic health records (EHRs), revenue projections, sales projections, and more.

The concept of decision support systems grew out of research conducted at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in the 1950s and 1960s, but really took root in the enterprise in the 1980s in the form of executive information systems (EIS), group decision support systems (GDSS), and organizational decision support systems (ODSS). These says, as organizations become increasingly focused on data-driven decision making, decision science (or decision intelligence) is on the rise, and decision scientists may be the key to unlocking the potential of decision science systems. Bringing together applied data science, social science, and managerial science, design science focuses on selecting between options to reduce the effort required to make higher-quality decisions.

Decision support systems vs. business intelligence

Decision support systems and business intelligence (BI) are often conflated. Some experts consider BI a successor to DSS. Decision support systems are generally recognized as one element of business intelligence systems, along with data warehousing and data mining.

Whereas BI is a broad category of applications, services, and technologies for gathering, storing, analyzing, and accessing data for decision-making, DSS applications tend to be more purpose-built for supporting specific decisions. For example, a business DSS might help a company project its revenue over a set period by analyzing past product sales data and current variables. Healthcare providers use clinical decision support systems to make the clinical workflow more efficient: computerized alerts and reminders to care providers, clinical guidelines, condition-specific order sets, and so on.

Categories of decision support systems

In the book Decision Support Systems: Concepts and Resources for Managers, Daniel J. Power, professor of management information systems at the University of Northern Iowa, breaks down decision support systems into five categories based on their primary sources of information.

Data-driven DSS. These systems include file drawer and management reporting systems, executive information systems, and geographic information systems (GIS). They emphasize access to and manipulation of large databases of structured data, often a time-series of internal company data and sometimes external data.

Model-driven DSS. These DSS include systems that use accounting and financial models, representational models, and optimization models. They emphasize access to and manipulation of a model. They generally leverage simple statistical and analytical tools, but Power notes that some OLAP systems that allow complex analysis of data may be classified as hybrid DSS systems. Model-driven DSS use data and parameters provided by decision-makers, but Power notes they are usually not data-intensive.

Knowledge-driven DSS. These systems suggest or recommend actions to managers. Sometimes called advisory systems, consultation systems, or suggestion systems, they provide specialized problem-solving expertise based on a particular domain. They are typically used for tasks including classification, configuration, diagnosis, interpretation, planning, and prediction that would otherwise depend on a human expert. These systems are often paired with data mining to sift through databases to produce data content relationships.

Document-driven DSS. These systems integrate storage and processing technologies for document retrieval and analysis. A search engine is an example.

Communication-driven and group DSS. Communication-driven DSS focuses on communication, collaboration, and coordination to help people working on a shared task, while group DSS (GDSS) focuses on supporting groups of decision makers to analyze problem situations and perform group decision-making tasks.

Decision support system examples

Decision support systems are used in a broad array of industries. Example uses include:

GPS route planning. A DSS can be used to plan the fastest and best routes between two points by analyzing the available options. These systems often include the capability to monitor traffic in real-time to route around congestion.

A DSS can be used to plan the fastest and best routes between two points by analyzing the available options. These systems often include the capability to monitor traffic in real-time to route around congestion. Crop-planning. Farmers use DSS to help them determine the best time to plant, fertilize, and reap their crops. Bayer Crop Science has applied analytics and decision-support to every element of its business, including the creation of virtual factories to perform what-if analyses at its corn manufacturing sites.

Farmers use DSS to help them determine the best time to plant, fertilize, and reap their crops. Bayer Crop Science has applied analytics and decision-support to every element of its business, including the creation of virtual factories to perform what-if analyses at its corn manufacturing sites. Clinical DSS. These systems help clinicians diagnose their patients. Penn Medicine has created a clinical DSS that helps it get ICU patients off ventilators faster.

These systems help clinicians diagnose their patients. Penn Medicine has created a clinical DSS that helps it get ICU patients off ventilators faster. ERP dashboards. These systems help managers monitor performance indicators. Digital marketing and services firm Clearlink uses a DSS system to help its managers pinpoint which agents need extra help.

Components of a decision support system

According to Management Study HQ, decision support systems consist of three key components: the database, software system, and user interface.

DSS database. The database draws on a variety of sources, including data internal to the organization, data generated by applications, and external data purchased from third parties or mined from the Internet. The size of the DSS database will vary based on need, from a small, standalone system to a large data warehouse. DSS software system. The software system is built on a model (including decision context and user criteria). The number and types of models depend on the purpose of the DSS. Commonly used models include: Statistical models. These models are used to establish relationships between events and factors related to that event. For example, they could be used to analyze sales in relation to location or weather.

These models are used to establish relationships between events and factors related to that event. For example, they could be used to analyze sales in relation to location or weather. Sensitivity analysis models. These models are used for what-if analysis.

These models are used for what-if analysis. Optimization analysis models. These models are used to find the optimum value for a target variable in relation to other variables.

These models are used to find the optimum value for a target variable in relation to other variables. Forecasting models. These include regression models, time series analysis, and other models used to analyze business conditions and make plans.

These include regression models, time series analysis, and other models used to analyze business conditions and make plans. Backward analysis sensitivity models. Sometimes called goal-seeking analysis, these models set a target value for a particular variable and then determine the values other variables need to hit to meet that target value. DSS user interface. Dashboards and other user interfaces that allow users to interact with and view results.

Decision support system software

According to Capterra, the popular decision support system software includes:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 20:46:00|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LUSAKA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Friday launched an online portal aimed to provide information on trade to stakeholders.

Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Christopher Yaluma, who launched the portal, said the Zambia Trade Information Portal will help the country do better in business and trade.

The portal has been developed in line with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement, which obliges governments to be transparent and to provide practical guides to trade formalities.

Yaluma said the portal is an authoritative platform for credible business information.

"It will improve trade flow and cement the country's strategic position in promoting commerce in the region," he said.

The minister said the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about new innovation in conducting business, adding that the portal responds to the new norm as there is little physical contact among traders. Enditem
During the month of February 2020, ASCI investigated complaints against 279 advertisements, of which 101 advertisements were promptly withdrawn by the advertisers on receipt of communication from ASCI. The independent Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of ASCI evaluated remaining 178 advertisements, of which complaints against 171 advertisements were upheld. Of these 171 ads, 77 belonged to the education sector, 59 belonged to the healthcare sector, 6 to real estate, 5 to visa/ immigration services, 5 to personal care, 4 to the food & beverages sector, and 15 were from the others category.

ASCI continues to see advertisements featuring celebrities falling short of adhering to Guidelines for Celebrities in Advertising. Amongst the various advertisements that were scrutinised, CCC pulled up a misleading advertisement of a gamified school education app claiming it to be the biggest scholarship exam, and promising prize money worth up to Rs 1 crore, featuring one of Bollywoods legendary actor. An advertisement of herbal drops endorsed by a Bollywood celebrity made a misleading claim that it can save or protect from diseases by immunity enhancement. A fertility clinic was found to mislead their patients claiming it to be Indias Largest and Most Successful IVF and Fertility Chain, while co-promoting a movie with IVF procedure mix up theme, featuring four top Bollywood celebrities. Advertisement of a honey brand endorsed by an Olympic Badminton player made unsubstantiated claims like Strengthen bones and Muscle redevelopment.

A popular auto company, in a TV advertisement, depicted a pillion riding barber shaving the rider on a running motorcycle. It showed a dangerous act with disregard for safety and challenged safe driving requirements. The advertisement contravened ASCIs Guidelines for Advertisements depicting Automotive Vehicles.

ASCI also saw several Real estate companies making superlative/ leadership claims. A few of them were specially focused providing senior living communities and townships. One well-known brand while promoting their township project for seniors, made unsubstantiated claim of being Indias Largest Senior-Living Community.

ASCI also processed complaints against several advertisements which guaranteed 100% Visa, 100% Visa Success Ratio, No.1 Visa Company either for work or education in countries which had stringent documentation mandates. Such misleading claims were likely to lead to widespread disappointment in the minds of students and job seekers.

The CCC upheld multiple complaints pertaining to advertisements from healthcare as well as educational sector, wherein the advertisers claimed to have leadership positions or boasted about the awards they have won, but failed to substantiate it with authentic and credible supporting ranking data or awards data. Shweta Purandare, ASCI Secretary General, said, Our guidelines for Usage of Awards/ Rankings in Advertisements that were introduced in January 2020, are proving to be a timely step in the right direction. We are educating the advertisers that self-sponsored awards and ranking are on thin ice and will not hold any more. They need to know the rigor expected in claim substantiation when referring to awards and rankings in their advertisements.

Education: 77 advertisements complained against

Healthcare: 59 advertisements complained against

Real Estate: 6 advertisements complained against

Visa/ Immigration Services: 5 advertisements complained against

Personal Care: 5 advertisements complained against

Food & Beverages: 4 advertisements complained against

Others: 15 advertisements complained against

Direct Complaints

The ads given below were complained against by the general public or by industry members. Of the 25 advertisements complained against, 12 advertisements were promptly withdrawn by the advertiser on receiving communication from ASCI. For the remaining 13 advertisements, complaints against six advertisements were upheld by the CCC. All the six advertisements belonged to the others category. Seven advertisements were not considered to be objectionable or in contravention of the ASCI code.

Others

Times Network Ltd (ET Now): The television and social media advertisements claiming "ET Now 75% CNBC TV18 25%, were misleading as well as it was in contravention of the BARC Guidelines. As per BARC Guidelines, viewership may only be shown in impressions 000s or viewing minutes. Use of rating percentage is not permitted. The advertiser did not include the budget day in making claims regarding budget week as they submitted only Monday to Friday data whereas the Budget was presented on the following Saturday. Furthermore, the complainant presented BARC reporting weeks 4 and 5 data for the same target audience to disprove the leadership claim. The other claims "ET Now #1 in Budget Week" and ET Now# 1 During Year's Most Important Week" were also considered to misleading. The disclaimers in the TV promo were in contravention of the ASCI Guidelines on Disclaimers for their placement not being in sync with the claims and their hold duration was inadequate. The TV promos as well as Social Media promotions were in contravention of BARC advisory as well as ASCI Guidelines on Disclaimers. Malayala Manorama Company Ltd (Manoramaonline): The Ad-Emailers claim, The No. 1 Malayalam News site, was not substantiated. The CCC observed that the advertiser conveys in the advertisement that they have about 164 million total views in Malayalam alone as compared to their closest competition who has about 131 million total views in Malayalam and other languages. The advertisement indicates the source of the claim  Comscore MMX Multi-Platform Key Measures, Total Views, October 2019, India. The CCC noted that the advertiser has used an arithmetic manipulation to come up with a superiority figure which is a false representation. Further, there is no evidence provided by the advertiser to substantiate ComScore as the source of support. Malayala Manorama Company Ltd (Manoramaonline): The Ad-Emailers leadership claim of being The No. 1 Malayalam News site was misleading. The CCC observed that the advertiser positions itself as the No. 1 Malayalam News site and qualifies this with a disclaimer  Comscore MMX Multi-Platform Key Measures, Total Views, October 2019. The CCC noted that the advertisement claims, in the headline, that 164 is greater than 131. While the response to the complaint explains that the 131 million views number has been arrived at by filtering out non-Malayalam sites from the Total Views received by the top level domains, viz. Manoramaonline.com and Asianetnews.com, the actual text in the emailer claims that 131 million is the count of views for Malayalam and other languages. This is a false statement, even by the table provided by the advertiser. The advertisement unfairly denigrated competition. Bajaj Auto Ltd (Bajaj Platina 110 H Gear): The television and YouTube advertisements visual of the pillion rider shaving beard of the bike rider using a shaving blade while the bike is in motion, shows a dangerous act and manifests a disregard for safety. The advertisement carries a disclaimer to mention Actions shown are a creative expression to relate with features of Bajaj Platina and are performed under supervision. Please do not imitate. The CCC did not agree with the advertisers contention that the act/stunt shown in the advertisement is a hyperbole, as any person could try doing the act as shown nor did they consider this to be a professional stunt. If replicated in real life would be very unsafe. The advertisement also challenges safe driving requirements. In the advertisement, the direction of left view mirror is placed in dangerous manner as the rider can see only his reflection and not condition of traffic behind him that he is supposed to be observant about. Ultratech Cement Ltd (Ultra Tech Cement): The website advertisements claim, Desh ka No.1 Cement, was inadequately substantiated. In the advertisement there were no disclaimers to indicate the source and date of the claim. The CCC did not agree with the advertisers contention that their claim is widely known to public as various news article and publications in the last two years have been quoting them to be the Largest Cement Player in India/Largest/Biggest Cement Manufacturer in India and which is therefore a known fact to the consumer. As per CCC, a lay consumer is not expected to understand the entire market situation nor is expected to source the data of various players for claim validation. For the data submitted by the advertiser, instead of a self-certificate, the advertiser should ideally submit an independent third-party verification report or a CA certificate and provide the exact basis for making a leadership claim (Sales volume or manufacturing capacity / output or market share by value, etc.). Media coverage based on press releases issued by the company was not considered as primary claim support data. The CCC concluded that superlative claim is misleading by omission of the mention of the basis for arriving the leadership claim. The source for the claim, especially for comparison versus competition, was not indicated in the advertisement. The advertisement also contravened ASCI Guidelines for Disclaimers in Advertising. Lakshmi Ganapathi Group: The website advertisement claims premium residential plotted land for contemporary living. It also indicates that the area has a list of several ready amenities like 5Ft foot path with tiles, Landscape Park with jogging park, 24*7 sophisticated security, childrens play area and compounds surrounding the whole township for the residents. However, the photographic and video evidence submitted by the complainant indicated that the claimed amenities advertised by the advertiser were not yet available. Hence, it was concluded that claims made in the advertisement in conjunction with available amenities were false and misleading.

Suo Motu Surveillance by ASCI for misleading advertisements

ASCIs Suo Motu surveillance of Print and TV media through the National Advertisement Monitoring Services (NAMS) project picked out 254 advertisements, of which in 89 cases the advertisers promptly confirmed that the advertisements were being withdrawn post receiving the ASCI communication. All other 165 advertisements examined by the CCC were found to be misleading. Of these 165 advertisements, 77 belonged to the Education sector, 59 advertisements belonged to the Healthcare sector, six belonged to Real Estate, five to Visa/Immigration Services, five belonged to the Personal Care category, four belonged to the F&B category, and nine fell in the Others category.
Children with a rare, life-threatening inflammatory condition linked to coronavirus may be suffering from a pediatric version of the 'cytokine storm' blamed for the deaths of many adult patients, suggests a new study.

Kids have largely been spared from severe COVID-19 but they're not immune and, in April, a disturbing trend emerged: children were testing positive for the infection and had symptoms that most closely resembled Kawasaki Syndrome.

The syndrome is a rare pediatric condition marked by potentially life-threatening inflammation of blood vessels, usually preceded by a fever and skin rash.

Doctors have been unsure what to make of the apparent link, but the connection was strong enough and the symptoms dangerous enough that, in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning about it to doctors.

Now, doctors at Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine have released one of the first detailed reports on phenomenon.

From their report on four such patients, it seems that children have a delayed onset of the 'cytokine' storm that can turn deadly, even after children have cleared coronavirus.

Even though the patients tested negative for coronavirus, they showed signs of the dangerous inflammatory condition known as Kawasaki Syndrome, with one of the four showing progressively worse lung inflammation triggered by the virus - after he'd cleared it (pictured)

Coronavirus's burden is undoubtedly heaviest upon older patients.

To-date, more than 16,000 people ages 24 and under have contracted coronavirus.

For most children, the infection is mild or even asymptomatic.

But at least 19 children 14 or younger have died, according to the CDC, plus another 93 between ages 15 and 24.

At least 100 American children have been diagnosed with the Kawasaki-like condition alongside coronavirus, and the phenomenon has appeared in Europe and the UK as well.

Doctors are now referring to it as pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome (PMIS) and scrambling to work out how coronavirus might cause it and how to treat it.

Four children - ages 15, 12, five and 10 - with symptoms that fit the bill for PMIS showed up at Mount Sinai's emergency room between the end of April and beginning of May.

All four children came to the hospital with fevers that had lasted at least a day (all but one had had several days of fever) and rashes.

Bobby Dean, nine, was diagnosed with the rare inflammatory condition striking children who have had coronavirus. He spent six days in the hospital in Rochester, New York

They also had some form of stomach upset - including diarrhea, pain and/or loss of appetite and either already had or developed potentially dangerous rapid heartbeats.

They all tested negative for current coronavirus infection but had positive antibody test results. One child had tested positive for coronavirus more than two weeks prior.

Before admission, the kids were otherwise healthy, but ultimately wound up in the pediatric ICU where they needed medical support for their lung function and levels of various blood proteins.

They had PMIS and toxic shock syndrome and high levels of markers of inflammation in their blood.

In the study, published in the American Journal of Infectious Medicine, the doctors said that the four children all had the same markers of a 'cytokine storm' - overrun inflammation triggered by an off-the-rails immune response - seen in adult patients hospitalized with coronavirus.

Josie Paskvan had a high fever on and off for a week, as well as a stomachache, red eyes, and cracked lips when she arrived at the hospital in Texas. She is Covid-positive and was diagnosed with the rare inflammatory illness, PMIS, triggered by coronavirus

But four children at Mt Sinai had already cleared the infection and were admitted almost exactly a month after the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in New York City.

Three of the four were, in fact, asymptomatic while they had active coronavirus infections. It was only later that they got severely ill.

Doctors now suspect that the ACE2 receptor found on the surface of lung, blood vessel and other cells, through which the coronavirus enters, is not yet fully developed, which may partially explain their generally mild infections.

Another recent study proposed that children have low levels of an enzyme found in adults that actually helps the virus enter lung cells, meaning kids bodies do less to fuel the infection.

'It is possible that the mechanism of COVID-19 post-infectious cytokine release syndrome in children is a post-infectious phenomenon related to an antibody complex mediated reaction,' the Mt Sinai researchers wrote.

The children deteriorated rapidly at various points, and some even had to be resuscitated.

The doctors gave all four children an immune system-suppressing drug, called tocilizumab - but it remains unclear if they recovered.
President Donald Trump has said voting by mail is fraudulent and will result in rigged elections.

In Pennsylvania, Republican voters appear to be listening  despite efforts by national and state party officials to encourage mail voting amid the coronavirus pandemic.

As of Thursday morning, about 1.3 million registered Democrats had requested and been approved for mail ballots for the June 2 primary election, compared with about 524,000 Republicans. Republicans made just 29% of the requests, even though they represent 38% of registered voters in the state and 45% of those registered with either major party.

I must tell you that locally, in my county, were not advocating and were not pushing the mail-in voting, said Lee Snover, chairwoman of the Northampton County GOP. Were concerned about fraud. Were not happy with the process. Trump has sent the message out there that hes concerned about it as well.

I think that we need to inspire Americans to get out and go to the polls, she said. Sign in, identify yourself, and vote.

Northampton County, about 80 miles northwest of Philadelphia, was one of three in the state that voted twice for Barack Obama before backing Trump.

Our county kind of is a Trump county. Were kind of listening to Trump on this, Snover said. Hes spoken about it. Hes tweeted about it. He doesnt want us to do it.

Snover said more than one person has told her that Trump doesnt want us mailing in, [so] Im not mailing it in.

The data and anecdotal reports like Snovers show that Trumps rhetorical war against voting by mail is turning into a high-stakes bet that enough of his supporters will show up at the polls during a pandemic to propel the president in a key battleground state he won by less than 1 percentage point in 2016.

Trump has long cast doubt on the integrity of U.S. elections and stepped up his attacks in recent weeks. Last week, he falsely accused Michigans rogue secretary of state of illegally sending absentee ballot applications to millions of people. The same day, he falsely tweeted that Nevada was creating a great Voter Fraud scenario.

The United States cannot have all Mail In Ballots, he wrote Sunday. It will be the greatest Rigged Election in history. He followed up Wednesday declaring, There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent.

Election experts say that while fraud does occur more frequently in absentee voting than in person, it is still very rare. Five states, including the Republican stronghold of Utah, conduct elections primarily by mail, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

 READ MORE: Want to know who won the presidential race on election night? Get ready to wait.

Last fall, the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania legislature passed, and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf signed, a law allowing all registered voters to vote by mail without providing a reason.

Now, amid public health concerns over potential exposure to the coronavirus, scores of voters have applied for mail ballots. The number of registered voters in Philadelphia alone who have requested mail ballots exceeds the statewide total in the 2016 primary.

The Pennsylvania Democratic Party said last week that it worked with allied groups to encourage mail-in voting by sending more than one million text messages and making 750,000 phone calls.

Outside the White House, Republicans have tried to promote the option, too. The Pennsylvania GOP has paid for Facebook ads encouraging people to vote from the safety of your own home. Its website features a how-to guide for mail-in voting and explains why its smart.

There are no lines, no delays, and no potential voting machine malfunctions, the guide says. Democrats will use the new mail-in ballot to greatly increase their turnout. Republicans would be smart to do the same so that we have the advantage.

The state GOP believes that mail-in ballots should only be an option for voters  not the only means of casting their ballot, said Charlie ONeill, the partys deputy executive director. We have sent information to voters informing them to that option, but in no way should this hinder or change voters rights to be heard at the polls.

Last week, the Trump campaign sent an email alerting people to the May 26 deadline to apply for a mail ballot. The message  which featured a Trump-Pence Keep America Great! campaign logo  included a link to the application form.

Campaigns have also promoted mail-in voting via social media, texting, phone calls, and advertising.

Vote by mail in the June 2 primary before the deadline passes, reads a Facebook ad paid for by U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R., Pa.), which links to the ballot application form. Vote Perry. Help Trump.

Despite the conflicting messages, many Republican primary voters appear to be listening to Trump. And he has been adamant that mail voting is a very bad idea  though he himself voted absentee in Florida in March.

A spokesperson for the Republican National Committee said this week that the GOP has always supported absentee voting with safeguards in place, but opposes a nationwide experiment that would eliminate those safeguards, invite fraud, and weaken the integrity of our elections.

Republicans are less likely to support expanded mail voting, according to public opinion surveys. While 64% of U.S. adults favor their states allowing all voters to vote by mail in Novembers presidential election, just 40% of Republicans support that, according to an April Gallup survey. Eighty-three percent of Democrats and more than two-thirds of independents said they supported the idea.

I think voters largely, at least on the Republican side, want to vote in person, said Lance Stange, chairman of the Lackawanna County GOP. I think that that is part of the motivating factor.

In his Northeast Pennsylvania county, about 30% of voters are registered Republicans. But just 20% of mail-in ballot applications processed there were requested by Republicans.

I think theres also a little bit of a learning curve. This is the first election where weve implemented this, Stange said, referring to the new election law.

There have been some reports of voters receiving the wrong mail-in ballot, he said  like a registered Republican receiving a ballot for the Democratic primary. In Montgomery County, officials realized this past weekend they had sent the wrong ballots to almost 2,000 voters.

 READ MORE: Montgomery County sent 2,000 Pennsylvania voters the wrong ballots for next weeks primary

I think that also hurts faith people have in that process, Stange said.

The difficulty is predicting whether Republican voters who are requesting mail ballots in low numbers will show up Tuesday to vote in person  or sit out the election altogether, with no contested presidential race to draw them out. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the campaign, and there is little past precedent to draw upon.

But Snover, the Northampton County GOP chair, said the party will need to compete for voters who plan to vote by mail in the general election  or else Democrats might gain an advantage.

Its one thing to not advocate for it, she said. Its another to realize this is the new game and this is the new system, and we have to figure out how to go out and make the best of it.

Staff writer Jonathan Lai contributed to this article.
BRIDGEPORT  A convicted child molester in Iowa, charged with sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl in Stratford, was denied release Friday because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Based on your prior conviction which involved sexual conduct with a minor and the new arrest for an alleged sex abuse of a minor, I find there is a substantial risk of flight and a substantial risk to the community, Superior Court Judge Joan Alexander stated in denying a bond reduction to Douglas Simmons.

Simmons, 61, is charged with first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a child. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Police said Simmons was visiting some friends in Connecticut last year and crept into the bedroom of the sleeping girl and sexually assaulted her.

When he was later confronted with the allegations, police said Simmons admitted he had been in the state but denied sexually assaulting the girl.

Police said Simmons is a registered sex offender in Iowa and traveled to Connecticut in violation of sex offender registry rules.

During a hearing Friday, Simmons public defender Jared Millbrandt asked the judge to reduce his clients bond so that Simmons could be released. He argued that Simmons is in danger of contracting COVID-19 in the prison system and said his client would abide by any restrictions on his liberty.

We are not talking about him just walking out the door, Millbrandt said.

Supervisory Assistant States Attorney C. Robert Satti Jr., opposed the reduction because of the seriousness of the allegations and the fact that Simmons fled to Iowa after the alleged crime.

The judge also denied Simmons motion for a speedy trial. She said because of the pandemic, a jury can not be assembled to hear the case at this time.

Gov. Ned Lamont had previously issued an executive order barring jury trials until it is determined it is safe to hold them.
The International News Media Association (INMA) has confirmed 13 executives to its governing Board of Directors for terms taking effect June 1, 2020. The election and confirmation of Board members were made during INMAs Annual Business Meeting, which was held virtually via Zoom.

Elected to Board terms are:

Marcelo Benez, Executive Commercial Director, Folha de S.Paulo, Brazil

John Boynton, CEO, Torstar, Canada

Carsten Erdmann, Editor-in-Chief Digital, Funke Media, Germany

Frederic Kachar, CEO, Infoglobo, Brazil

Frank Mahlberg, Managing Director Bild Media Group, Axel Springer, Germany

Martha Ortiz, Chief Editor, El Colombiano, Colombia

Pam Siddall, Co-President, Advance Local, United States

Rika Swart, CEO, Media24 Newspapers, South Africa

Anthony Tan, Deputy CEO, Singapore Press Holdings

Also at the Annual Business Meeting, INMA division boards notified members of presidential appointments. Division boards look after the interests of INMA members in their regions, creating events and meet-ups to serve regional needs. Division board presidents serve on the INMA Board of Directors. These include:

Latin America Division: Luis Garcia, CEO and General Manager, Los Andes/Grupo Clarin, Argentina

North America Division: Ann Poe, Senior Director of Digital Consumer Revenue, Advance Local, United States

South Asia Division: Pawan Agarwal, Deputy Managing Director, Dainik Bhaskar, India

Meanwhile, the chair of a new Young Professionals Committee will be elevated to the INMA Board of Directors. The committee chair for the next year is Katharina Neubert, Director - Membership Strategy of Business Insider. The committee governs a Young Professionals Initiative for INMA, set up to engage rising stars of news media companies under the age of 30.

During the Annual Business Meeting, INMA President Damian Eales of News Corp Australia recognised six executives departing the Board. They include:

Brooke Christofferson, formerly of Gannett, as North America Division President

Kirk Davis, formerly of Gatehouse Media

Michael Doorly, formerly of Independent News & Media

Griet Ducatteeuw, formerly of Mediahuis

Pit Gottschalk of Pitch and Sport1

Rajiv Verma, formerly of HT Media, as South Asia Division President

Eales praised their service to INMA and made a special commendation for Gottschalk, who served nine years on the INMA Board of Directors, a rarity in the associations 90-year history.

The Board of Directors is the governing fiduciary body of INMA and meets at least monthly via video to discuss, guide, and approve association matters.

The International News Media Association is a global community of market-leading news media companies, reinventing how they engage audiences and grow revenue in a multi-platform environment. The INMA community consists of more than 12,000 members at 800+ news media companies in 70 countries. Celebrating its 90th anniversary, INMA is the news media industrys foremost ideas-sharing network with members connected via conferences, reports, Webinars, virtual meetings, and an unparalleled archive of best practices.
Robert Weighton, the worlds oldest man, died on Thursday at the age of 112, CNN reported.

Weighton, of Hampshire in southern England, had cancer and died peacefully in his sleep in his own home, the family confirmed in a statement to the UKs PA Media news agency.

Born in Yorkshire in the north of England on March 29, 1908, Weighton officially became the worlds oldest man earlier this year after Chitetsu Watanabe, from Japan, died on February 23 at the age of 112 years and 355 days.

A former engineer and teacher, Weighton entertained a variety of hobbies and interests up until his death, including politics, theology and ecology. His family called him an extraordinary man and role model to us all, who lived his life interested in and engaged with all kinds of people from across the world.

Weighton, for his part, characterized himself as an ordinary bloke who just happened to live for a long time, in a humble statement shortly after he claimed the title of oldest living man.

We are so grateful that until the very end Bob remained our witty, kind, knowledgeable, conversationalist father, grandfather and great grandfather, and we will miss him greatly, the family added.

Throughout his life, Weighton spent time living in Taiwan, the US, and Canada, before returning to the UK in 1945. He is survived by his children David and Dorothy, 10 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

According to Guinness World Records, the worlds oldest person is Kane Tanaka, who celebrated her 117th birthday in January.

Subscribe here for our free daily newsletter.

The post Worlds Oldest Man Dies at Age 112 appeared first on InsideHook.
The conference was co-hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Trades Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade), the Vietnam Trade Office in the US in partnership with Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA), the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso), and USAID Linkages for Small and Medium Enterprises (LinkSME), to boost the export of footwear  one of Vietnams main foreign currency earners  to the US.

It was the first video conference ever held bringing Vietnams footwear sector and a foreign market together.

As both countries gradually reopen their economies, the conference and its business matching session provided a platform for Vietnamese firms and US importers to learn about each others needs and capacity, seek deals, and promote trade in the new normal.

The event presented Vietnamese firms with the latest updates on the USs footwear market and how it is being affected by COVID-19. US experts also advised Vietnamese footwear makers on specific market segments they should focus on and how to improve competitiveness and properly access the US market.

The conference also offered Vietnamese companies a chance to discuss the challenges facing them in exporting footwear to the US.

Vietnam exported US$18.3 billion worth of footwear products in total last year, up 12.8% against 2018. The US remained Vietnams largest footwear market, buying US$6.65 billion, a year-on-year increase of 14.2%.

Shipments of footwear to the US grew 10% year-on-year to US$1.56 billion in the first quarter of this year.
Farmers say theyre left with no choice but to euthanize hogs because they havent been able to ship out some animals for more than a month, and as they become larger and young pigs grow, there isnt enough space in the buildings that house them. Slaughterhouses also arent designed to efficiently process hogs once they get too large, so farmers have few options.
Ever since Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli got married in private, its a new trend for our B-town couples to have an intimate and private wedding ceremony and later have a big fat wedding reception.which was held in 2018 in Jodhpur was an intimate affair with only 200 people invited.

When Priyanka Chopra graced Hollywoods favourite and famous Ellen DeGeneres chat show, she spoke about her dream wedding which the chat host rightly said that it was nothing short of a royal wedding. Speaking about the festivities, Priyanka Chopra said on the show that there were only 200 people and for Indian standards they were very less. She further added saying that how her mother Madhu Chopra was upset with her since she couldnt call her group of friends. "For an Indian family and an Indian wedding, for sure, thats like less. My mother was so upset with me the entire time. She was like, 'I need to have another party for the 150,000 people I know. How can I not invite my jeweller? How can I not invite my hairdresser?' So it was a whole conversation, said the actress on the show.

Now we can totally believe her, Indian weddings are known for its huge crowd so we can understand Madhu Chopras complaint. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas however had a Wedding Reception in Mumbai, in December 2018. Where she had a blast and even shook a leg with Deepika Padukone on their popular track Pinga.





Priyanka and Nick are currently quarantined together in LA and are sharing several pictures on their social media accounts to keep their fans updated about them.
By Associated Press

HONG KONG: A national security law proposed by China could imperil Hong Kong's status as one of the world's best places to do business.

The law, approved Thursday in Beijing, led Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to say Washington will no longer treat Hong Kong, already reeling from anti-government protests and the pandemic, as autonomous from Beijing.

The Chinese government has not given details of the law, which is aimed at suppressing secessionist and subversive activity in the former British colony.

After 11 months of protests, Chinese leaders say it's needed to combat unspecified threats in the semi-autonomous region of 7 million people.

But business groups, lawyers and financial analysts say potential repercussions range from loss of business for Hong Kong's financial markets and law firms to a loss of professional talent in the city.

Hong Kong is highly regarded for its skilled workforce, business-friendly legal system, Western-style free speech and ease of movement.

ALSO READ | Hong Kong's 'autonomy' in doubt after Chinese parliament approves controversial national security bill

But global companies already were shifting some operations out of Hong Kong due to rising costs and uncertainty after prolonged, sometimes violent clashes between police and pro-democracy protesters.

Scott Salandy-Defour, founder of clean-tech startup Liquidstar, has been considering moving out of Hong Kong, and the security bill is the "last straw," he said.

"I don't see how it gets any better from here."

"When we say we're a Hong Kong-based company when talking to investors, it's just not as attractive as it was as a year ago," said Salandy-Defour, whose company provides sustainable battery rental and charging services for developing countries.

"We're potentially cutting ourselves off from a lot of different funding avenues, like grants from the U.S. government," he said.

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam has tried to reassure companies and the public that its civil liberties won't be affected.

But the law shows Chinese President Xi Jinping is determined to tighten control.

"Hong Kong is riskier than it used to be," said Tara Joseph, president of AmCham Hong Kong.

"There is a big worry that there are two buses careening towards each other, and that's the U.S. and China, and that this could have a profound impact in Hong Kong," Joseph said.

Critics say the law undermines the "high degree of autonomy" promised when Britain handed control to China in 1997.

That autonomy meant Washington and other governments have treated the city as a separate territory for trade, travel and other affairs.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday those changes are significant enough that Washington will no longer treat Hong Kong as autonomous.

Washington could revoke its promise to exchange Hong Kong dollars for U.S. dollars, potentially disrupting the city's financial system, Deutsche Bank economist Michael Spencer said in a report.

The financial sector would take a big hit if companies such as MSCI reclassify Hong Kong as an emerging market like Shenzhen and Shanghai instead of a developed market, Spencer said.

"A very large share of capital invested in the Hong Kong market will have to leave," he said.

Hong Kong's uncertain future is putting it at a disadvantage with other Asian destinations that are competing to attract foreign investment, such as Singapore and Tokyo.

"Over time, people get nervous, and think that this place may not be, my money may not be, as safe as it once was, and I'm going to think about going somewhere else," said William Reinsch, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"It sends a signal that Hong Kong is no longer a safe and reliable place to put your money or to do business."

The national security law has added to worries that Hong Kong's legal system is losing its independence.

The Hong Kong Bar Association says the method for enacting it is a threat: China is circumventing the territory's legislature by changing its mini-constitution, the Basic Law, to require its government and courts to enforce security measures, regardless of what local lawmakers decide.

Beijing has shown little regard for such considerations, said Reinsch.

"China is not a rule-of-law state, it's a state where the party makes decisions about what's going to happen, those are arbitrary decisions, and if that's what's going to happen in Hong Kong, it doesn't bode well for the economy or for the people," he said.

Bob Broadfoot, managing director of Hong Kong-based research firm Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, said companies might shift legal work to Singapore or other countries.

"Singapore's going to get more business as a dispute resolution center," said Broadfoot.

"Its legal system, which is a bigger earner, will benefit from Hong Kong's problems."

Hong Kong's troubles and broader global economic uncertainty due to the pandemic also may make it harder for businesses there to attract and retain talent.

Still, some experts believe the concerns over a possible loss of Hong Kong's special status are overblown.

Many big companies have sizable operations in both the mainland and Hong Kong, and most of Hong Kong's manufacturing base shifted to China years ago, said Nicholas Lardy, a fellow at the think tank Peterson Institute for International Economics.

"The real economic consequences are fairly limited," Lardy said.

Hong Kong is still an attractive base for many companies, said Andrew Bishop, a partner with Signum Global Advisors, a risk advisory firm.
Last year, it was reported that the future King of England, Prince Charles, want to trim down the number of working royals to a bare minimum.

He has had a desire to cut the acting royal family to a smaller core group of royals. That plan was set into motion amid his younger brother Prince Andrew's interview with BBC in November 2019, which resulted in him stepping away from official royal duties.

Royal Central deputy editor Brittani Barger told The Daily Star, "I think the Andrew crisis has definitely strengthened Prince Charles' desire for a slimmed-down monarchy."

She continued, "Prince Andrew is now out of the picture. I don't see him ever undertaking royal duties again, and any hope that his daughters would is now gone."

The royal expert believes that once Prince Charles becomes king, the monarchy will just include his children and grandchildren, sans Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.

Among the future casualties under the Prince of Wales' slim-down would include Prince Andrew's daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice.

Most of their life, the two princesses have often been overshadowed by their more famous cousins, Prince William and Prince Harry, however recently, the two sisters have come into their own.

In a 2016 Daily Mail article, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie felt diminished by the family's attention toward the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for some time.

Royal reporter Catherine Ostler said, "Beatrice and Eugenie have been reduced to walk-on parts in royal family life. It particularly hurt when Kate did solo engagements with the queen during the Diamond Jubilee. They felt snubbed."

But because of Prince Charles' plan, the two York sisters may lose even more of their diminishing spotlight.

Royal Central editor Charlie Proctor said, "Gone are any chances of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie ever becoming working royals. There is now no chance they will ever conduct engagements on behalf of Queen Elizabeth or King Charles."

When Prince Andrew stepped down, it was reported that he was so worried about his daughters' roles in the monarchy that he wrote a letter to Queen Elizabeth II and asked that they are given full-time royal duties.

It was reportedly rejected.

Katie Nicholl, royal expert, stated that Prince Charles told Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice that they had to "go and make it on their own" much to the annoyance of his brother.

"What happened with Beatrice and Eugenie was problematic as well because their father wanted them to have a role with the royal family where they are representing the queen."

Lucky for the York sisters, they are not really working royals, but they attend public engagements full-time.

They have full-time jobs.

Princess Beatrice is using her Bachelor of Arts in History to work in finance and consulting. She has worked at venture capital firm Sandbridge and Afiniti, where she is currently employed as the VP of Partnerships and Strategy.

On the other hand, Princess Eugenie is working as a director at the London art gallery Hauser and Wirth and has previously worked for an online auction firm.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle the Great? Duchess Doesn't Need Help from Kate Middleton AT ALL
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 28)  Bocaue, Bulacan Mayor Eleanor Joni Villanueva-Tugna passed away on Thursday.

In a tweet, Sen. Joel Villanueva confirmed the death of his sister.

"Today Bocaue lost its finest public servant. Mayor Joni was relentlessly serving Bocauenos during this lockdown despite her medical condition, which eventually caused her life," said the senator.

Her death was also confirmed by the Jesus is Lord (JIL) Church founded by her congressman and evangelist father, Bro. Eddie Villanueva. She served as executive director of the Christian movement.

Villanueva died at 5:08 p.m. due to sepsis secondary to bacterial pneumonia, according to JIL.

In a statement posted on Facebook, JIL described the mayor as an exemplary leader, a pioneer, a trailblazer, and woman of vision and action.

She dreamed big dreams for God and the ministry and worked day and night to bring those to fruition, it said.

While we grieve her passing, let us also not forget to keep praying for the whole Villanueva and Tugna families as they go through this emotional ordeal, the church added.

The late mayor is also the sister of former Bocaue mayor Jon-Jon Villanueva and Jovi Villanueva-Binalla. Their mother died in March due to "arrhythmia secondary to septic shock."

Joni Villanueva is also the wife of former congressman Sherwin Tugna.

Several politicians have posted online messages of sympathy to the bereaved family.

Ron Munsayac, executive director of Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan (PDPLaban), wrote on Twitter: The @PDPLABAN offers its condolences, sympathies, and prayers for our beloved partymate Mayor Joni Villanueva-Tugna. She has always been one of our exemplar local chief executives as evidenced by her dynamic leadership in Bocaue, Bulacan.
This years Two Sessions is destined to be a milestone in Chinas history, as it will fulfill the Central Governments decades-long promise to its people: to achieve a moderately prosperous society in all respects and to eradicate abject poverty.

Moderately prosperous society is the official translation of Xiaokang, a term that was first used in The Classic of Poetry, the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, written as early as 3,000 years ago.

Confucius philosophy adopted the term, referring to a basically well-off society in which the people are able to live relatively comfortably, albeit ordinarily.

Aerial photo of Huamao Village, Zunyi City, Southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Photo by Tu Min/People's Daily Online)

The former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping used the term as the eventual goal of Chinese modernisation after he launched an economic reform in 1978, believing that China will eventually build a Xiaokang society composed of a functional middle-class.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pushed the goal even further since the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012. In line with the achievement of a moderately prosperous society, eradicating abject poverty is a monumental goal, as poverty has plagued China and hindered the countrys development for thousands of years.

Though COVID-19 added challenges, with only half of the year left to achieve the goal, the Chinese government has promised nothing is going to disrupt the target set to eradicate poverty.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the country has achieved significant progress in poverty reduction, with over 93 million rural people lifted out of poverty over seven years, while reducing China's poverty rate from over 10 percent to less than 0.6 percent in the past decade.

By 2020, China is committed to ensuring that all of the impoverished rural population has stable access to adequate food and clothing, compulsory education, basic medical services and housing, achieving the primary goals set in the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule.
New Delhi, May 29 : In the past three weeks, the Delhi government has scaled up testing for Covid-19 by collecting almost double the amount of samples, while the pendency of the reports have reduced to half, data from the Health Department said.

The data accessed by IANS from the Delhi Health Department said that on May 26, 5,359 samples were collected -- highest in a day so far in this month -- and the pendency was 2,650.

On May 6, only 1,815 samples were collected, and the pendency stood at 6,153 -- highest in the last three weeks.

Between then and now, while the sample collection increased, the pendency started decreasing.

On May 7 and 8, 1,608 and 1,360 samples were collected, respectively, while the pendency was over 4,000.

At least 1,279 samples were collected on May 9, when the pendency was 3,842.

On average, more than 1,900 samples were collected between May 10 and May 14 and the pendency each day stood at over 4,000.

On May 15, the pendency went up to 5,080 even as the samples collected were only 1,722 during the day.

Similarly, the pendency was more than 2,000 each day between May 16 and May 23, except on May 19 when it was 1,841.

The sample collected each day in this period varied between 2,262 (May 17) and 4,366 (May 22) -- May 16 (3,381), May 18 (4,235), May 19 (4,132), May 20 (3,953), May 21 (4,255) and May 23 (4,272).

"Similarly, 3,329 samples were collected on May 24 while the pendency at different labs stood at 2,641. On May 25, 3,276 samples were collected while the pendency was 2,386," the data said.

On April 29, owing to 'considerable pendency' for the test reports in NIB, the Delhi government had directed the officials to not send test samples to the Noida-based organisation.

Within a week, the Delhi government had asked the National Institute of Biologicals (NIB) to destroy all the pending samples.

On May 4, the Delhi High Court directed the Delhi government to ensure that coronavirus samples sent to the accredited labs were processed swiftly and the results were declared within 24-48 hours.

"We have been following the guidelines of the high court. The samples are tested within 24 hours. Some samples are pending still. The pendency was very high during the initial weeks of May. And with increasing testing in the last few days, the load is high. The labs are under a watch for sample testing," an Health Department official told IANS.
New Delhi/Washington, May 29 : US President Donald Trump has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not pleased with the Xi Jinping regime over the ongoing border conflict while reiterating his offer of mediation between India and China.

Responding to a media query related to the border tensions between India and China, President Trump on Thursday at his Oval Office said, "They have a big conflict going with India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people. Two countries with very powerful militaries.

"And India is not happy, and probably China is not happy." "But I can tell you, I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He's not...he's not in a good mood about what's going on with China." The President did not specify when exactly he spoke to Modi about the ongoing stand-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. Official sources in New Delhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has had any recent contact with President Trump though.

The last conversation between the two leaders was on April 4 on the matter related to Hydroxychloroquine, sources said. The government on Thursday also announced that it was directly in touch with the Chinese through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts to resolve the face-off on the Western front in Ladakh.

However, at the press conference, in response to another question, President Trump repeated his offer of arbitration between the two countries. "If they thought it would help if I were the mediator or the arbiter, I would do that. So we'll see."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Kuwait - Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancements (MSEs) with Canisters

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 20-16

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2020 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Kuwait of eighty-four (84) Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancements (MSEs) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $800 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Kuwait has requested to buy eighty-four (84) Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancements (MSEs) with canisters; two (2) Patriot MSE test missiles 2-Pack per unit of issue; thirty-five (35) remanufactured (upgrades): Patriot modification kit, missile launchers A902+ Series to A903 Series; twenty-six (26) PAC-3 Missile Round Trainer (MRT); and twenty-six (26) Empty Round Trainer (ERT). Also included is one (1) Flight Test Target -Zombie, PAC-3 missile spares held in Continental United States (CONUS) for repair and return, two (2) PAC-3 telemetry kits, training devices, simulators, transportation, organizational equipment, spare and repair parts, support equipment, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The total estimated program cost is $800 million.

The proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.

Patriot PAC-3 MSEs will supplement and improve Kuwait's capability to meet current and future threats and provide greater security for its critical oil and natural gas infrastructure. Kuwait will use the enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland air defense by better meeting current and future air threats. The acquisition of these missiles will allow for integration with U.S. forces for training exercises, which contributes to regional security and interoperability. Kuwait will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractor involved in this program is Lockheed Martin Corporation (Grand Prairie), Dallas, TX. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of two U.S. Government and three contractor representatives to Kuwait to support delivery of the Patriot PAC-3 MSEs with Canisters and provide support and equipment familiarization.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.

-30-



NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






A 24-year-old girl has been brutally assaulted by her father after she allegedly converted into Christianity.

The shocking case has come to light from Uganda where a young woman was allegedly burned by her Muslim father after she changed her religion.

Meanwhile, the young woman is recovering in a Ugandan hospital.

The woman identified, Rahema Kyomuhendo, 24, faces spending another month at the Mbale Regional Referral Hospital after she suffered injuries on May 4.

According to the reports of metro.co.uk, her father Sheikh Hussein Byaruhanga, who is a spiritual teacher, used fuel from a jerrycan and threw it on his daughters legs, stomach, neck, ribs, and her lower back after she denied to obey him.

Reportedly, the girl accompanied her father for a business trip across the country, in Mbarara District. They went to stay with his sister since the lockdown due to coronavirus announced.

Also Read: Al-Qaeda asks Indian muslims, scholars to join hands and wage jihad against India

According to the reports in Morning Star News, the 24-year-old woman called Catholic friend of her father while listening to a Christian radio station and became convicted.

Speaking to the website from her sickbed she said: She explained to me about Christ and the way of salvation, and I got convicted and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

As she was sharing Christ with me, I was so overjoyed, and my father heard my joy and woke up, came from his bedroom furiously, and started beating me up with blows, slaps, and kicks.

Kyomuhendo also mentioned that her father also shouted at her aunt and alleged that she had converted to Christianity and he was going to kill her.

Morning Star News said it was the latest in a string of attacks against Christians.

Also Read: Pakistan: Minor girl brutally assaulted by goons; suffers nasal fracture
The U.S. often chides other nations for human rights abuses. Those countries, in turn, are typically quick to pounce on examples of American hypocrisy. Thats certainly been the case with the police killing of George Floyd and subsequent protests and unrest in Minneapolis.

Russias Foreign Ministry put out a statement that noted, This incident is far from the first in a series of manifestations of lawlessness and unjustified violence by the law enforcement officers in the United States. It went on to state that systemic problems in the human rights sphere have clearly accumulated. Among them: discrimination on racial, ethnic, and religious grounds; police arbitrariness; bias of justice; overcrowding in prisons; uncontrolled use of firearms and means of self-defense by private individuals and many others. It ends by noting the recent U.S. withdrawal from the U.N. Human Rights Council and urging Washington to return to compliance with global human rights norms.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Hesameddin Ashena, a top adviser to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, tweeted about the situation in Minneapolis, tagging Secretary of State Mike Pompeo:

.@secpompeo: The brave American people have the right to protest against the ongoing terror inflicted on minorities, the poor, and the disenfranchised. You must bring an end to the racist and classist structures of governance in the U.S.



We are watching closely!  Hesameddin Ashena (@hesamodin1) May 29, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Given the outraged U.S. response to recent events in Hong Kong, its not surprising people are drawing parallels. Journalist Wilfred Chen pointed out that a South Asian man was recently killed by Hong Kong police using a similar tactickneeling on his neck until he lost consciousnessto the one that killed Floyd. Some Hong Kong activists have expressed solidarity with those protesting in Minneapolis. Others are using the situation a bit more cynically. The Global Times, Chinas state-owned English-language tabloid, editorialized:

Advertisement

After only three days of chaos in Minnesota, Trump threatened to shoot and use the military as a bargaining chip. He publicly suggested violent repression. This is probably the most brutal attitude toward riots in the world today. No wonder Twitter flagged Trumps tweet and said it violated the rules on glorifying violence.  The US has the highest COVID-19 death toll, and the police always abuse violence and mass shootings happen every year. But US political elites still believe such a country has the best human rights record worldwide. Now, the US human rights record is widely criticized, but the US is most interested in the national security law for Hong Kong which they believe may sabotage Hong Kongs human rights.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Whataboutism is a time-honored political tactic used by authoritarian regimes. Most famously, during the Cold War, Soviet Union officials would point to racism and lynching in the United States to brush away criticism of their own human rights abuses. Police violence and racism in the U.S. in no way minimizes the abuses of governments that dont allow their citizens to voice the kind of criticism that local and federal authorities in this country are now facing. (Though given yesterdays arrest of a CNN crew, and Donald Trumps recent threats against social media platforms, even that distinction is getting harder to draw.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

While no one should be taking lessons in human rights from the Global Times, its fair to say that a good portion of the American political elite will stand up for the rights of people in other countries to protest injustice, even when protests turn violent, but dont feel the same way about their fellow citizens. Never was this more evident than on Friday when Trump and his senior advisers announced new measures punishing China for its treatment of Hong Kong at a White House press conference, hours after Trump threatened to send the military to shoot protesters in Minneapolis.

The U.S. could promote democracy a lot more effectively abroad if it was promoting it at home.

For more of Slates news coverage, listen to What Next.
WCC Executive Committee to Hold Virtual Meeting, Pray for World Burdened by COVID-19

NEWS PROVIDED BY

World Council of Churches

May 28, 2020



GENEVE, May 28, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ -- The World Council of Churches (WCC) Executive Committee will meet virtually on 1-3 June, offering solidarity to a world in which many find themselves in critical situations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Executive Committee plans to share information, make decisions by consensus, and assess the impact of COVID-19 on the life of the fellowship and the work of the WCC.

The committee will also review the impact of COVID-19 on the WCC's 2020 plans and budget, establish how the Executive Committee will continue consultation and decision-making; and adopt the 2019 WCC financial report. Planning for the upcoming WCC 11th Assembly, to be held in Karlsruhe, Germany, is also on the agenda of the Executive Committee.

In a message to Executive Committee members, WCC moderator Dr Agnes Abuom said these times are challenging to all of us.

"Please remember that this is not a meeting where we will be conducting 'business as usual,'" said Abuom. "We have neither the luxury of time, nor the precious moments outside of the meeting for exchanges and being together."

Although the meeting will focus on a smaller number of decisions than usual, a discussion forum is being provided so that the Executive Committee can post comments or questions.

"As we prepare for this meeting, we ask God to guide us through the constant presence of the Holy Spirit," Abuom said. "We know our people and churches are suffering in many areas of the world."

During 2021, the Central Committee meeting will be held 22-30 June, with the Executive Committee holding its meeting on 21-22 June.

WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca has been sending monthly accountability reports to the WCC Central and Executive Committees to share information on the WCCs focus and adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

WCC resources on coping with the Coronavirus

Learn more about the next WCC Assembly



SOURCE World Council of Churches



CONTACT: Media Office +41 79 507 6363, media@wcc-coe.org



Related Links



www.oikoumene.org/press


13:26 | Lima, May. 28.





During his presentation at Parliament, the high-ranking official indicated that the Government began an intense work on spaces for dialogue and consensus to reach recommendations that improve efficiency in the labor market, based on the civil service reform and modernization.





"Two key efforts had to be completed to start a path consistent with such objectives: the diagnosis of the capacities and competences of the workforce in our country, and a plan, which at that time we considered was urgent: to prioritize the modernization of the health sector management," he stated.





On the latter, the high-ranking official said that what appeared as an accessory element became a central element of prioritization "following the COVID-19 crisis that quickly appeared in our society."





Along these lines, Zeballos stressed that an Urgency Decree has been published to meet urgent social demands for safety at work an issue that used to be poorly addressed despite the increase in workplace accidents, even with the efforts of oversight.





"For this reason, we made the decision to strengthen labor inspection, giving the National Superintendence of Labor Inspection (Sunafil) greater capacity for preventive and punitive measures," he stressed.





"Demonstrating our commitment to workers, the right was established through an Urgency Decree, so that all workers without distinction can rely on life insurance () from the beginning of the employment relationship," he stressed.





Zeballos emphasized that this measure has allowed Peru to mark a new milestone in the labor rights of workers.
It is possible to lead and succeed with a popular revolt, Jerry Rawlings did it. You only need circumstances of mass hardship to converge and take advantage of it.

What will definitely not succeed is the expected outcome of progressive change.

Because a revolution that is not ideologically grounded, is nothing more than a mass of people lashing out, and trading in a bunch of fat looters for hungry ones.

Agree with the idea of communism or not, the soviets revolutionaries used it turn thier third world country into a developed country in just 30 years. The Chinese revolutionaries have pulled out, more people from poverty in a few decades than whole continents have done in centuries.

After the second world war, the wave of mass protests for social democratic values which swept the Scandinavian countries have made tiny countries like Denmark, economic wonders of the world.

You can't sell a toothpick to Cuba because of the American sanctions, but in the midst of this global pandemic, we see their medical professionals dropping into hot-spots all over the world, including Europe. They have one of the best healthcare in the world today, and their children don't need loans to get an education.

On the other hand, history is also littered with popular uprisings like we saw in the so called Arab Spring. Lybia is now a backwater country run by tribal gangs and smugglers. Egypt is more autocratic today than before the revolution. Syria is in flames because the Obama led American government, armed terrorist, thinking they were Arab spring revolutionaries. Almost 40years after Jerry Rawlings and his gang, and Ghana is worse off in many ways.

A revolution that is not founded on ideas, is like burning forests to catch rats for dinner.

This is why I find the calls for ending the duopoly of NDC-NPP politics, for a new third force a complete joke. A joke not because it may not succeed, a joke because in our history, we have set aside whole systems before. And yet here we are.

Progress is the end goal, change should be a means, not an end. Otherwise what is the point. And progress is the product of clearly defined systemic ideas.

So tell me what systemic changes we should make. And perhaps, how we should make it. Tell me which third force is preaching those nuanced systemic changes, or maybe how we should go about building such a third force.

But don't tell me to change the existing duopoly. Change it for WHAT. The WHAT is more important.

And the WHAT requires careful and objective reasoning about problems and solutions. That is more difficult to do, so I can understand why people retire at venting anger and simply calling for change.

It has succeeded before, it may succeed, but the outcome will not be in doubt. Failure!

So don't just preach revolution, WHAT revolution is more important.
Amazon provided edited and scripted news reports to nearly a dozen local news stations ahead of Amazons annual shareholder meeting Wednesday.

The public-relations video/script routine aired on at least 11 different news programs throughout the United States. At these stations, reporters read dutifully from scripts handed out by Amazon, without disclosing they were repeating verbatim text that had been fed to them by the company.

Amazon confronts an insurrection in its workforce and widespread public outrage for keeping workers at their stations during the pandemic without adequate safety precautions, while at the same time piling up colossal profits.

The companys fake news broadcasts turned reality on its head, presenting Amazon as a paragon of concern for workers safety. In nearly a dozen localities, reporters faithfully mouthed pre-packaged one-liners such as:

Amazon has transformed its global operations in response to COVID-19 to protect its employees.





The company is keeping its employees safe and healthy.





It has spent 800 million dollars on increased wages and overtime pay during the pandemic.

These fake news broadcasts aired in Miami, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Bluefield, West Virginia; Lexington Kentucky; Columbus, Georgia; Palm Springs, California; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The segments dishonestly introduced Todd Walker, an Amazon Public Relations manager, as an independent reporter uncovering the unprecedented ways Amazon is tackling the COVID-19 crisis by innovating in the workplace.

The propaganda broadcasts then proceeded into staged responses by highly-paid managers. Marty Kuhl, site leader at an Amazon Fulfillment Center, says: I was extremely proud of our team and how they handled the situation on a daily basis. Every day they were coming into work ready to embrace change. Walker even provided a plug for Heather MacDougall, Amazon VP of Worldwide Workplace Health & Safety, saying we are doing more than any other employer that I know. I am super proud of the work that weve done.

Walker said on his LinkedIn page that he got to dust off my reporting skills to give local markets their first look inside our fulfillment centers to see how Amazon is protecting the health and safety of its associates to continue delivering for you.

At the same time as these fake news broadcasts were being aired, Amazon was actively covering up the number of workers infected and dead from the virus, refusing to disclose these numbers to the public or to public health officials.

Last Friday, the Guardian reported that at least 32 employees have tested positive for the virus at two warehouses in Wisconsin. A health official for the county said, To date, the Kenosha County Division of Health has struggled to receive coordinated cooperation from Amazon regarding the handling of COVID-19 cases, threatening to shut down the warehouses if Amazon does not fully cooperate with state testing and contact tracing.

According to Amazon worker Jana Jumpp, who has been working to compile these statistics, at least 900 workers have tested positive and at least 8 workers have died at Amazon workplaces since the start of the pandemic. The true numbers are likely substantially higher. As a direct consequence of Amazons callous indifference to workers lives, over 75 percent of Amazon facilities have reported cases of the virus.

Amazon expects its workers to continue showing up to work until they get sick. When a worker tests positive for the virus, a text message is sent out that unfailingly ends with the boilerplate phrase, we continue to take measures to keep you safe.

Corporations often pay news stations to air company-provided content for the sake of promoting themselves. The practice has been criticized because it may not be clear to viewers that the segment was produced by a company, states CNBC mildly.

Madison, Wisconsin-based reporter A.J. Bayatpour indicated that Amazon had approached his station with the video but executives made clear that this is not something that we should run. According to Bayatpour, the Amazon segment stood out because it included a script, all the way down to the anchor toss.

At the end of this month, Amazon is terminating its small increases in wages$2 per hour and double overtime payfor workers. The company has already shelved its policy of unlimited unpaid time off, forcing sick workers back into the warehouses. With these measures, behind all of the concern for workers safety it mouths in its propaganda videos, the company makes clear where it really stands.

The International Amazon Workers Voice spoke to Amazon workers this week about the real conditions inside Amazons warehouses and about managements contradictory and callous attitude to safety.

Sometimes you have to break [previously established] safety rules just to accommodate the new social distancing ones, an Amazon worker in Maryland told the IAWV by telephone.

The worker, who preferred to remain anonymous, referenced the haphazard and inadequate procedures introduced at Amazon during the pandemic. For instance, the procedures for lifting pallets, the worker said. We cant do that by ourselves, and we arent allowed to do that with teams with social distancing in effect.

Ive seen safety officers break the rules theyre trying to enforce, he added. Ive even had to call out our safety manager because theyve gone against the rules.

Another worker, who also chose to remain anonymous, called on workers to know their rights. The demand for a safe work environment was not asking for much. Im honestly surprised we dont have rules like these in place already.

Workers interviewed by the International Amazon Workers Voice described empty hand-sanitizer stations, crowded workspaces as workers rush to meet the pace set by the company, and ad-hoc remedies by management such as cardboard walls called bufferboards.

Amazon has a long record of contempt for workers safety. Amazon was listed on The Dirty Dozen list maintained by the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) in both 2018 and 2019, which described Amazon as a company that puts workers and communities at risk due to unsafe practices. Less than a year ago, the IAWV exposed a warehouse in Texas where 567 workers were injured over a two-year period. So much for the companys supposed commitment to safety!

Workers need a guiding light, an Amazon worker in Maryland said, endorsing the demand for independent rank-and-file safety committees. People want change but they are taken advantage of. They know that Bezos doesnt care about their safety, they know that the President doesnt care. They both only care about money.

The rank-and-file demands are on point, the worker said, referring to the May 21 statement published on the World Socialist Web Site. I think you can add a few more.
By Byron Kaye

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian court ruled on Friday that the country's archives must release letters between Britain's Queen Elizabeth and her local representative during the 1970s, a move which may shed light on the sacking of its then prime minister Gough Whitlam.

The firing of Gough Whitlam by Governor-General John Kerr in 1975 remains one of Australia's most polarising political events because it represented an unprecedented level of intervention by the Commonwealth.

Historians say the country still has not been told the full story behind Whitlam's removal during a political deadlock over the Budget, and in 2016 a historian sued the National Archives of Australia for access to letters between Kerr and the queen at the time. The lawsuit failed on grounds that the letters were private.

On Friday the High Court overturned the Federal Court ruling and said the historian, Jenny Hocking, should get access to the so-called "palace letters" since they were the property of the governor-general's office, which was a Commonwealth institution.

"It's a wonderful decision for transparency, for accountability of government," Hocking told reporters in Melbourne.

"It's a story that has been absolutely clouded in secrecy, in distortion and in so much unknown. With this decision one of those last remaining areas of secrecy and great unknown will be released to the Australian public."

Kerr died in 1991 without disclosing the extent of his coordination with the queen. Australia federated in 1901 but the British monarch remains the country's official head of state, although the relationship is usually ceremonial.

Many government documents from the Whitlam era have been made public in recent years because of a rule which requires commonwealth documents to be released after 31 years. The "palace letters" were kept secret since they were deemed private.

Whitlam died in 2014 but his sacking prompted one of the country's most often quoted political barbs.

"Well may we say 'God save the Queen' because nothing will save the Governor-General," he said on the day of his removal, walking out of Parliament House.

(Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Michael Perry)
Carl Icahn won three seats on Occidental Petroleums board Friday, giving the billionaire activist investor greater control over the direction of the embattled Houston energy company.

Shareholders who gathered virtually for Oxys annual meeting elected Icahn Capital Portfolio Manager Nicholas Graziano, Icahn Enterprises General Counsel Andrew Langham and Margarita Palau-Hernandez, CEO of Hernandez Ventures, to the companys 11-member board of directors. The three Icahn-backed members were added to the board as a concession to Icahn, who has been vocal in his opposition to Oxys high-stakes takeover of rival Anadarko.

Yet Icahn, who also pushed Oxy to bring back former CEO Stephen Chazen to lead the company's board, faces an uphill battle to turn around the company and get a return on his investment. The activist investor is Oxys second largest shareholder with 88.6 million shares worth more than $1.1 billion, or about 9.9 percent of the company.

Carl is kind of stuck, said Ed Hirs, a petroleum economist with the University of Houston. He's got three of his team in there, but quick frankly, Occidental is in a bind. The value of its assets is much less than the value of its debt. Theres no quick flip on this.

OXY WOES: Unable to sell assets, Oxy seeks other ways to pay debt

Oxy on Friday faced shareholders for the first time since acquiring Anadarko in August and saddling the company with some $40 billion of debt. The megadeal, which made Oxy the largest player in the Permian Basin of West Texas, was a huge gamble that the worlds leading oil producers would play well together and that oil prices will continue to rise amid the U.S. shale boom. However, both linchpins of the deal suddenly fell apart in March, after Saudi Arabia started a short-lived price war with Russia and the growing coronavirus pandemic shut down economies around the world.

Oxy, which lost $2.2 billion in the first-quarter, has responded to the subsequent oil collapse by slashing overhead and operating expenses by $1.2 billion, cutting capital spending on new wells by $2.5 billion and offering voluntary buyouts. The company also capped executive salaries to $250,000, and twice slashed its quarterly shareholder payout, announcing on Friday that it would pay a dividend of just 1 cent a share in July, down from 79 cents before the pandemic.

Weve taken a series of decisive financial and operational actions to ensure that Oxy has the resiliency to weather this difficult period while positioning the company to succeed in future higher price environments, Oxy CEO Vicki Hollub told shareholders Friday. Weve been encouraged by recent green shoots of recovery, but know that we must continue to demonstrate low-cost leadership while ensuring the safety of our employees.

Oxy has been trying to sell $15 billion of assets by the end of next year to help pay down its massive debt. But Oxy's planned sale of former Anadarko assets in Algeria and Ghana to French oil major Total fell through earlier this month as oil prices plunged along with the value of oil and gas assets. Hollub, who was re-elected to Oxys board Friday, said the company plans to market its Ghana assets to other potential buyers.

The company faces debt payments of nearly $12 billion between now and 2022. Oxy this month said it had $1 billion in cash and an additional $5 billion under its revolving line of credit as of April 30.

TOTAL COLLAPSE: Total backs out of deal with Oxy to buy Anadarko assets in Ghana

Shareholders on Friday also authorized Oxy to issue 400 million in shares to be used instead of cash as dividend payments, and issue warrants to Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway for up to 80 million common shares. Berkshire Hathaway last year helped finance Oxys acquisition of Anadarko by buying $10 billion in preferred shares.

Oxy faces lawsuits from several investors over the Anadarko deal. Earlier this week, former Anadarko shareholders sued Oxy in a New York state court in Manhattan, arguing the company should have disclosed how quadrupling its debt load to $40 billion would leave it precariously exposed to oil price volatility. The lawsuit also criticized Oxys decision to issue $10 billion in preferred stock to Berkshire Hathaway, saying it compounded the overleveraging.

Oxy shares closed at $12.95 on Friday, down 5 percent from yesterday and down 76 percent from its 52-week high of $54.05. The companys market value is $11.7 billion, less than a third of what it paid for Anadarko less than a year ago.
Derek Chauvin charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man.

Protests erupt in cities across the United States over the deadly arrest of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, who was pinned to the ground by the knee of a white officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The fired officer who knelt on Floyds neck for several minutes, as Floyd pleaded I cant breathe, has been charged with murder and manslaughter.

The Minnesota National Guard has arrived in Minneapolis, Saint Paul and surrounding areas.

Minneapolis has imposed a weekend curfew.

Community leaders and residents demand the arrest of the three other officers involved.

Here are the latest updates:

Saturday, May 30

9:14 GMT  Firefighters report 30 fires in Minneapolis

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told citizens there was no honour in burning down your city as firefighters tackled multiple blazes into Saturday morning.

The Minneapolis Fire Department said it was responding to 30 fires across the city. That included blazes at a Japanese restaurant, a Wells Fargo bank and an Office Depot. Many burned for hours, with firefighters again delayed in reaching them because areas were not secure.

In a statement Frey said, We as a city are so much more than this. We as a city can be so much better than this.

A person walks amid two fires during a demonstration against the death in Minneapolis police custody of African American man George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, May 30, 2020 [Lucas Jackson/ Reuters]

07:55 GMT  Louisville police apologise for targeting news crew at protest

The Louisville Metro Police Department apologised after a police officer was seen on camera firing what appeared to be pepper balls at a news crew during a live television broadcast.

A crew from WAVE-TV was downtown in the Kentucky city on Friday night, covering demonstrations over the death of Breonna Taylor, a black woman killed by police in her own home in March.

As WAVE-TV was on air, reporter Kaitlin Rust is heard yelling off-camera: Ive been shot! Ive been shot! The video shows a police officer aiming directly at the camera crew, as Rust describes the projectiles as pepper bullets.

LIVE ON @wave3news  something Ive never seen in my career.

An armed officer shooting directly at our reporter @KaitlinRustWAVE and photographer @jbtcardfan during the protests in #Louisville.

My prayers are going out to everyone tonight.

Such a scary situation for all. pic.twitter.com/Ipg0DjFIXu  Lauren Jones (@LaurenWAVE3TV) May 30, 2020

I want to apologise, Louisville police spokeswoman Jessie Halladay told the Courier Journal. Its not something that should have occurred if she was singled out as a reporter.

Halladay said she could not tell who the officer was at this time, but that police would review the video again and if we need to do any investigation for discipline, we will do that.

07:00 GMT  One dead after shots fired at protesters in Detroit

A 19-year-old man was killed in Detroit, Michigan, after someone in an SUV fired shots into a crowd of people protesting against Floyds death in Minneapolis, police said.

Sergeant Nicole Kirkwood said the shooting occurred around 11:30pm local time on Friday near Detroits Greektown entertainment district as officers were confronted with dozens of protesters.

An officer was not involved in the shooting, she said, adding that the suspect pulled up in a Dodge Durango and fired shots into the crowd.

06:50 GMT  Scuffles reported in front of the White House

US media reported scuffles between Secret Service officers and protesters in front of the White House as demonstrators returned to the area.

Some violence here. Police just did a small charge after protesters got one of their shields and brandished as a trophy. Clashes as the line broke. White House viewable behind. 2.10am-ish. #GeorgeFloydProtets pic.twitter.com/MOdRGopA4w  Ben Riley-Smith (@benrileysmith) May 30, 2020

Some violence here, said Ben Riley Smith, US editor at The Daily Telegraph. Police just did a small charge after protesters got one of their shields and brandished as a trophy.

Fin Gomez, CBS Newss White House correspondent, said Secret Service officers were pushing back the crowds as some protesters tried to breach barricades in the area.

Protest in front of the White House. @SecretService using their plastic shields to push back vs some in crowd who are pulling on metal barricades #georgefloyd @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/tLRExwqrfE  Fin Gomez (@finnygo) May 30, 2020

06:24 GMT  Military police put on alert to go to Minneapolis, says AP

The Associated Press news agency said the Pentagon has ordered the army to put several active-duty US military police units on the ready to deploy to Minneapolis.

Citing three people with direct knowledge of the orders, the AP news agency said soldiers from Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Drum in New York have been ordered to be ready to deploy within four hours if called.

Soldiers in Fort Carson, in Colorado, and Fort Riley in Kansas have been told to be ready within 24 hours.

05:27 GMT  National Guard deploys to enforce Minneapolis curfew

Some 350 officers of the Minnesota National Guard and local police have deployed to enforce a curfew in Minneapolis, warning protesters they will be arrested if they refused to leave the citys Fifth Precint area.

Troopers are giving dispersal orders near the Fifth Precinct. Leave the area now or you will be arrested. #MACCMN  MnDPS_DPS (@MnDPS_DPS) May 30, 2020

The warning came as KARE 11, a local TV channel, reported protesters had lit fires at a petrol station, a bank and a US post office building.

I urge residents to comply with 8pm curfew and go home immediately, said Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota.

A Minneapolis standoff ends in teargas pic.twitter.com/epXhxOL6e9  John Hendren (@johnhendren) May 30, 2020

04:57 GMT  Georgia declares state of emergency

Brian P Kemp, the governor of the state of Georgia, has declared a state of emergency in Fulton county and ordered the deployment of 500 National Guard troops as protests turned violent in Atlanta.

Police in Atlanta said protesters lit fires and looted businesses in downtown Atlanta.

They will deploy immediately to assist @ga_dps, @GaDNRLE, @GA_Corrections & local law enforcement who are working tirelessly to subdue unlawful activity & restore peace. We will continue to make all state resources available to local leaders during this emergency situation. (2/2)  Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) May 30, 2020

04:32 GMT  Protesters set fire to court building in Louisville

Hundreds of people have protested for a second day in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, with some demonstrators breaking into the citys Hall of Justice and starting a fire inside.

WHAS11 TV said protesters broke into the court building through a basement window and lit a fire there. Police told the TV station things are escalating, not de-escalating.

Crowds rallied in different parts of the city, with some chanting Prosecute the police and I cant breathe.

Protesters destroy government flags outside the Hall of Justice on May 29, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. Protests have erupted after recent police-related incidents resulting in the deaths of African Americans Breonna Taylor in Louisville and George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota [Brett Carlsen/Getty Images/AFP]

03:46 GMT  Houston mayor calls for peaceful protests

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has urged protesters to remain peaceful after a group of people demonstrating against Floyds death blocked highway entrances and threw objects at police officers.

Some protesters clashed with police in downtown Houston, Texas, with officers deploying tear gas or pepper spray to disperse crowds.

Organisers believe more than 3,000 people gathered with Black Lives Matter Houston to protest Floyds death with chants of I cant breathe and No justice, no peace.

Turner said some were arrested for attempting to block roads, but no injuries were reported. He added that some police vehicles were damaged.

A protester wearing a facemask and goggles gestures as people gather to protest and mourn George Floyd in Houston, Texas, on May 29, 2020 [Mark Felix/AFP]

02:50 GMT  Protesters defy Minneapolis curfew

Hundreds of people defied a curfew in Minneapolis by rallying in the citys downtown for a fourth day over Floyds custodial death.

Its an eerie scene right now, Allison Herrera, a Minneapolis resident, told Al Jazeera. The curfew went into effect a little over an hour ago. And people are still out on the streets.

Earlier in the day, CBSN Minnesota reported 1,000 people led by athletes marched to the Hennepin Bridge in downtown Minneapolis and took a knee in Floyds memory.

People hold their hands up during a protest sparked by the death of George Floyd while he was in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota [Scott Olson/Getty Images/AFP]

02:30 GMT  Police and protesters clash in New York City

Demonstrators took to New York City streets for a second day in protest over the death of Floyd and invoked the names of other Black people who died at police hands.

In Brooklyn, crowds of demonstrators chanted at police officers lined up outside the Barclays Center.

A lot just popped off at the protest for George Floyd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Pepper spray, batons, and several arrests. pic.twitter.com/ZuciQA82fe  Jon Campbell (@j0ncampbell) May 29, 2020

There were several moments of struggle, as some in the crowd pushed against metal barricades and police pushed back.

Water bottles flew from the crowd toward the officers, and in return police sprayed an eye-irritating chemical at the group twice.

01:54 GMT  Police in Atlanta use tear gas as mayor decries chaos

Police deployed tear gas to disperse crowds in downtown Atlanta, local media reported, as the citys mayor pleaded with protesters to go home.

What I see happening is not Atlanta. This is not a protest  this is chaos, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said at a news briefing after protesters vandalised police cars, setting one vehicle on fire.

An Atlanta Police Department vehicle burns as people pose for a photo during a demonstration against police violence on May 29, 2020, in Atlanta [Mike Stewart/AP]

When you burn down this city youre burning down our community  you are disgracing our city, you are disgracing the life of George Floyd and the life of every other person who has been killed in this country. Were better than this.

Go home, she pleaded. Go home.

Police officers and protesters clash near CNN Center, on May 29, 2020, in Atlanta, US. The protest started peacefully earlier in the day before demonstrators clashed with police [Mike Stewart/AP]

01:29 GMT  White House goes on brief lockdown

The White House went into a brief lockdown, according to US media, after hundreds of people gathered at a park across the street from the presidents mansion.

Peter Alexander, NBC Newss White House correspondent, said in a tweet: The White House is under lockdown orders from the US Secret Service due to protests outside the gates over George Floyd.

The lockdown was lifted about an hour later.

White House lockdown lifted. Heading out. pic.twitter.com/7lO32ZOxx9  Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) May 30, 2020

Demonstrators gathered at the Lafayette Park had wielded signs saying Stop killing us and called for justice for Floyd.

01:14 GMT  Denver mayor calls for calm

Michael Hancock, the mayor of Denver, Colorado, has called for calm and unity after the first of several planned city protests over Floyds death turned violent.

Let not the story be about the riots and protests. Lets keep the focus on the life that was lost, he said.

I can tell you not to go out and demonstrate but the reality is its going to happen, Hancock said at a news briefing, stressing he shared outrage over what he has called the senseless and tragic murder of Floyd in Minneapolis.

Hancock blamed what he called a minority of agitators among peaceful protesters for inciting violence downtown on Thursday. That violence included throwing rocks at police officers, setting small fires, and breaking windows and damaging cars at the state Capitol and at businesses.

00:38 GMT  Police car set on fire in Atlanta

A police car was set on fire in Atlanta, where protesters used barricades to break the windows of cruisers while others jumped on the vehicles and shattered windshields as they demonstrated against the death of Floyd.

Hundreds of protesters confronted police outside CNNs downtown headquarters. Activists spray-painted a large CNN logo outside the building, breaking a window and tagging doors. One protester climbed on top of the CNN sign and waved a Black Lives Matter flag to cheers from the crowd.

HAPPENING NOW: Atlanta #protests in response to the #GeorgeFloyd killing have turned chaotic as police in riot gear are called in: https://t.co/LWmWiyII4D pic.twitter.com/T9ae1hLRAE  AJC (@ajc) May 30, 2020

Protesters pelted officers who came over with bottles, striking some of them. Other bottles thrown at authorities exploded behind the police line, but no officers appeared to have been hit.

Protesters chanted: Quit your jobs.

The officers backed their line away from the group of protesters who were throwing objects at them.

Police ordered demonstrators to leave the street and threatened to arrest them if they did not leave quickly.

Friday, May 29

22:00 GMT  Protests kicking off in major US cities

Protests against police brutality were kicking off in major cities across the United States late on Friday.

Video shared on social media showed demonstrators marching in Houston, Texas, chanting: I cant breathe and Hands up, dont shoot.

MUST-SEE VIDEO: Police blocked protesters from entering the Gulf Freeway at Allen Parkway in downtown Houston this afternoon during a march for George Floyd https://t.co/RLG9oBsPaO pic.twitter.com/4dKeuWc2Rc  ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) May 29, 2020

Protesters also rallied in Washington, DC and New York City, with demonstrations scheduled in other major cities later on Friday and throughout the weekend.

Covering a protest against the death of George Floyd in Washington, DC. pic.twitter.com/m1hs671Vw2  Matthew Rodier (@mattrodierphot1) May 29, 2020

21:15 GMT  Trump says he spoke with family of Floyd

US President Donald Trump said he had spoken with the family of Floyd.

Trump, speaking during an event at the White House, also said we cant allow the demonstrations in Minneapolis to descend further into lawless anarchy and chaos.

20:40 GMT  Minneapolis imposes weekend curfew

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has imposed a curfew in the city beginning on Friday night.

Under the curfew, only specified public safety personnel and other essential workers will be allowed in public places from 8pm to 6am (01:00-10:00 GMT) Friday and Saturday nights.

Mayor Frey has issued Emergency Regulation No. 2020-2-1 which imposes a curfew throughout the City of Minneapolis beginning at 8 p.m. tonight (Fri., May 29) and extends through the weekend.

See the posted regulation for details at: https://t.co/iebgleKnyx pic.twitter.com/7l61oURPtc  Minneapolis Clerk (@mplsclerk) May 29, 2020

20:05 GMT  FBI asks for info, photos, video of Floyds death

The FBI in Minneapolis asked for public assistance with its civil rights investigation of the death of Floyd.

It encourages the public to provide any information, photos or videos from before, during or after the incident.

19:50 GMT  Floyd was unresponsive for nearly three minutes before officer removed knee: Complaint

Floyd was unresponsive for nearly three minutes before the officer removed his knee from his neck, according to a complaint filed by the Hennepin County Attorneys Office in the arrest of Derek Chauvin.

Citing a preliminary autopsy, the complaint said being constrained, underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in Floyds system likely contributed to his death.

A protester reacts while gathering with others outside the Minneapolis city hall after a white police officer was caught on a bystanders video pressing his knee into the neck of African American man George Floyd [Carlos Barria/Reuters]

18:32 GMT  Trump defends tweet, says he was not glorifying violence

Responding to Twitters decision to hide President Donald Trump tweet that it deemed to be glorifying violence, Trump said he was only stating a fact.

Looting leads to shooting, and thats why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night, Trump tweeted, repeating the phrase he initially tweeted late on Thursday.

It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement. Its very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media. Honor the memory of George Floyd! Trump said.

The phrase looting leads to shooting was first used, however, by former Miami Police Chief Walter Headley in declaring war on criminals, according to the Washington Post.

Ive let the word filter down that when the looting starts, the shooting starts, Headley reportedly said.

18:10 GMT  Fired police officer charged with murder, manslaughter

A fired Minneapolis police officer has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said.

Former officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyds neck for several minutes before the Black man went motionless, a video of the incident showed.









Minneapolis residents called the arrest a good first step but demanded the three other officers involved be arrested and charged as well.

Freeman said those officers are still under investigation.

17:20 GMT  Fired officer who knelt on Floyds neck taken into custody, local media report

According to local media, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has taken into custody former officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyds neck for several minutes before the Black man went motionless.

No criminal charges have been filed as of yet.

16:50 GMT  Obama: This should not be the normal in America

Former President Barack Obama issued a statement on Floyds killing via Twitter. Obama cited conversations with friends in recent days, including one with an African American business owner who said Floyds killing hurt to watch.

While its natural for people to want things to return to normal, Obama said, we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly normal.

My statement on the death of George Floyd: pic.twitter.com/Hg1k9JHT6R  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 29, 2020

This shouldnt be normal in America. It cant be normal. If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better, Obama said.

16:05 GMT  National Guard arrives in Minneapolis

Members of the Minnesota National Guard arrived in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul areas. The National Guard said about 500 members would be sent to the area.

Armoured vehicles are pictured as National Guard members guard an area in Minneapolis, Minnesota [Carlos Barria/Reuters]

A man reacts as he confronts National Guard members guarding an area in Minneapolis, Minnesota [Carlos Barria/Reuters]

16:00 GMT  NABJ calls arrest of CNN journalist unfathomable

The on-air arrest of CNN journalist Omar Jimenez, who is Black, was condemned by Dorothy Tucker, president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).

It is unfathomable and upsetting to witness this structural racism in real time. We are closely monitoring this situation, Tucker said in a tweet.

Local NABJ chapter head Nicole Norfleet reached out to Jimenez to offer support.

Let us know if there's anything we can do for you, Omar. I'm the president of the local @NABJ chapter here and board member of @mnspj . We just put out a joint statement. Please reach out if you need additional assistance while here in the Twin Cities.  Nicole Norfleet (@nicolenorfleet) May 29, 2020

15:30 GMT  Minnesota governor apologises for CNN arrests, says there will be swift justice for Floyd

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he expects swift justice for Floyd.

It is my expectation that justice for the officers involved in this will be swift, that it will come in a timely manner, that it will be fair, Swift said. That is what weve asked for. I have been in contact with Hennepin County attorney, and I am confident that those very things I just said will happen.

Prosecutors have been criticised for taking more than three days to announce a decision on charges against the officers.

Walz also publicly apologised for the arrest of a CNN crew.

14:20 GMT  Biden furious about Trump tweet

Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said on Twitter he was furious about Trumps tweet glorifying violence against protesters in Minneapolis.

I will not lift the Presidents tweet, the former vice president said. I will not give him that amplification. But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many. Im furious, and you should be too.

I will not lift the Presidents tweet. I will not give him that amplification. But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many. Im furious, and you should be too.  Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 29, 2020

Biden said he would speak later on Friday about the protests.

14:15 GMT  US first lady calls for peace

Striking a noticeably different tone from her husband, US First Lady Melania Trump tweeted her condolences to the family of Floyd and called for peace.

Our country allows for peaceful protests, but there is no reason for violence, she said. Ive seen our citizens unify & take care of one another through COVID19 & we cant stop now. My deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd. As a nation, lets focus on peace, prayers & healing.

Our country allows for peaceful protests, but there is no reason for violence. Ive seen our citizens unify & take care of one another through COVID19 & we cant stop now. My deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd. As a nation, let's focus on peace, prayers & healing.  Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) May 29, 2020

13:10 GMT  Minnesota attorney general says charges are likely

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says he expects there will be charges against the police officers involved in Floyds deadly arrest.

We are standing by and helping any way we can, Ellison told CNN. I anticipate there will be charges. I hope theyre soon. But that is the prerogative of another prosecuting authority. They are trying to be careful. They are trying to make sure their case is strong and airtight.

12:00 GMT  Brother of George Floyd: I just want justice

Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, says he just wants justice.

Philonise said the protesters have the same pain that I feel.

I want everybody to be peaceful right now but people are torn and hurt because theyre tired of seeing Black men die constantly, over and over again, Philonise told CNN.

I understand and I see why a lot of people are doing a lot of different things around the world. I dont want them to lash out like that, but I cant stop people right now. Because they have pain. They have the same pain that I feel. I want everything to be peaceful, but I cant make everybody be peaceful. I cant. Its hard.

Read more here.

11:00 GMT  Twitter flags and hides Trumps tweet that glorified violence

Twitter has, for the first time, flagged and hidden a tweet by Trump, saying he violated Twitters rules about glorifying violence.

Trump took to Twitter on Friday, saying when the looting starts, the shooting starts, in reference to nationwide protests that followed the deadly arrest of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, in Minneapolis.

Twitter flagged the second tweet with a disclaimer, saying: This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible, allowing the public to still view the tweet by clicking on View.

Read more here.

09:00 GMT  Protests over deadly arrest rock USs Minneapolis

Protests erupted across the United States on Thursday night as anger over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, intensified, with some demonstrators gaining access to a police precinct in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and setting sections of the building on fire.

Protesters set a shop on fire during the third day of demonstrations over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis [EPA]

A protester reacts while gathering with others outside the city hall [Carlos Barria/Reuters]

People gather outside the Hennepin County Government Center to protest against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, arrested by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota [Eric Miller/Reuters]

Read more here.

Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the protests in the United States over the deadly arrest of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is Laurin-Whitney Gottbrath in Louisville, Kentucky, and Creede Newton in Washington, DC.

Here are a few things to catch up on:
As part of our #LockdownLessons series, Bizcommunity is reaching out to South Africa's top industry players to share their experience of the current Covid-19 crisis, how their organisations are navigating these unusual times, where the challenges and opportunities lie, and their industry outlook for the near future.

Wayne Flemming, founder and managing director of Brandtruth// DGTL.

What was your initial response to the crisis/lockdown and has your experience of it been different to what you expected?

Comment on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the agency and creative industry or economy as a whole.

Ive seen some clients increase their spend and activity on digital to get their support messages out, to some clients being severely impacted by their respective industry rules and forced to cut budgets. Its been like seeing a massive juggling act. Some are glass balls, some are rubber balls and some are helium balls. As an agency, this has tasked us with learning new skills to command many different scenarios at the speed of light, being agile to respond to anything and everything - and looking ahead of what could, might and should be.

How is the agency responding to the crisis and current lockdown?

Comment on the challenges and opportunities.

Its in this uncertainty where the massive opportunity lies - an opportunity to thrive, to grow, to connect, to show up, to make the world better, to learn new things, to reorient yourself, to reinvent your business, to look after yourself, to serve and to ultimately adapt. The one certainty we do have right now is that our lives, our jobs, our companies will be completely different from this day forward, and we have to embrace it.

Speaking of opportunities, the world has really turned to creativity during this time. Why do you think this is the case and what does this mean for the industry, agencies and their clients/brands?

How has the lockdown affected your staff? / What temporary HR policies have you put in place regarding remote working, health & safety, etc.?

How are you navigating physical distancing while keeping your team close-knit and aligned and your clients happy?

What are you busy working on? Any initiatives/campaigns relating to the coronavirus?

How have you had to change the way you work?

Has this global crisis changed your view of the future of advertising/marketing in any way?

Any trends youve seen emerge as a result of the crisis?

More virtual, more digital, more information and more connected.

Work from home space (home office) integrated into your livable space.

Partnerships are everything - industry, media, creative, clients and platforms.

Your key message to fellow industry folk?

We chatted to Wayne Flemming, founder and managing director of Brandtruth//DGTL to get his take. He tells us that work and life continues in very much the usual way - except that it is now within the boundaries of his home. "I miss face-to-face interaction and collaboration sessions. In most ways, Ive relentlessly kept to my morning and evening routines before, during and after work - finding new ways to integrate work and life."He says one of the highlights of his workday is their daily morning huddle with their full team, where they do some breathing and mindfulness work, set an intention for the day and connect with each other - whether it is sharing their #TunesDay music tracks or digging a little deeper to understand what fellow team members are experiencing, feeling and learning how they can support them."Other than that, I spend my days connecting with clients, having 'pow-wows' for new ideas and running the business remotely, and then finding some time to eat in between meetings and cook a meal, which is a real struggle. LOL."My initial response was, What the heck is happening!. My business partners and I then moved into first gear to develop a plan to ensure business continuity and moved our teams into full remote working environments as a test run about 10 days prior to the actual lockdown.As a digital agency, we are fortunate to have an agile business approach with systems and tools in place which have allowed us to move our full team into a complete remote working plan quite quickly.I dont think any of us could plan or foresee what will happen or how the lockdown experience would be. On the whole, the experience has been very good and our team has worked together to create a total new way of working. On a personal level and as an extrovert, there have been days when Queens song, I Want To Break Free resounds in my head all the time.As an industry and as a business, weve seen the impact of the pandemic in many different ways. From good days to days where you hope that this entire journey is like a Neverland dream. Ive seen friends struggle to save their businesses. Ive seen some businesses reinvent themselves. Its been challenging, but also good.Our response has been one of business as usual. We have a magnificent team that has displayed enormous courage and resilience to continue towards building our company culture remotely, delivering our magic to our clients and at the same time maintaining our business operational principles - basically just as a distributed team.As leaders of our agency, its about showing up to assist our team - whether it is with supplying and equipping them with tools to create their home office environment or providing guidance on how to navigate this lockdown, even on a personal level.The upside: weve become more productive, more synchronised and even stronger as a team.One of the key challenges is to find a new way to effectively and inclusively communicate through only virtual means. I mean, if you think of it, we've taken away a key element of feeling someone's vibe when they sit in front of you. So we need to learn as a world how to better communicate virtually to drive common understanding, including people, so that they feel heard and part of your team, learning how to deliver inspiration and how to maintain your culture virtually.Creativity is really about problem-solving and in my view, everyone can be creative in some form. Its in times like these where the creative magic happens - when industries, agencies and clients are challenged to reinvent, rethink and reformulate themselves. These types of challenges are what the human was designed for... to find solutions, to innovate and to thrive. To find new opportunities and make that a new reality. Whether it is in the way we work with each other or how we interact with clients or how we actually need to insert ourselves into our clients businesses to be at their side to help solve their problems, which are often way bigger than just their immediate marketing problems.Im sure weve all experienced various types of emotions during this lockdown and there is no doubt that everyone has been affected in some sort of way. From team members who find it really hard to work from home and balancing time to do homeschooling, to days where people struggle with a good internet connection or having a day filled with back-to-back meetings.Weve built and implemented a 'working from home code' to help our teams with guidelines on how to work from home effectively (like how to structure your day and your routine), how to stay connected to the core of our business and culture (like tea time dates and our daily huddle).In addition, all of us as business leaders have to show up even more to inspire their teams, to keep them safe, to motivate co-workers and set a new vision alight that will reinvent the economy, workforces and catapult us into the information era.As a digital business, we will continue with working from home for now. Weve adapted to this new way of working effectively after exploring and testing various options on how to maintain our culture and keeping our clients happy.To maintain a close-knit team and happy clients links back to our culture code, how we operate and how we show up for our clients based on our business principles.This is one of the most magnificent gains that weve experienced in our own business: the affirmation that not only we can operate 100% remotely, but we also have a champion team that remains dedicated to staying connected with each other, delivering exceptional work for our clients and, more importantly, maintaining the culture of our business virtually, day after day.We have some exciting projects in our creative lab pipeline at the moment. ;)Ive certainly learnt that I can work from home and that Im almost more productive now. Ive had to change my thinking about being office-bound versus the opportunity to work from anywhere in the world at any time.Yeah, for sure. The major shift to remote working and having distributed teams have now opened the opportunity to also work with clients and co-workers wherever they are in the world.This has also proved in our advertising and marketing industry (agencies and clients alike) that remote partnerships, co-creation and collaboration are 100% possible. For example, at Brandtruth//DGTL, weve managed to produce a body of work for one of our clients within 24 hours which required many team members scattered all over the country to make the impossible project happen.There is now the opportunity for each of us, our agencies and our industry to reinvent ourselves. On a personal level we have to go within; from an emotional, spiritual, mental, physical and health perspective to prepare and create the best version of ourselves we could ever be, and, in turn, create a better version of our businesses and our industry.When we resurface from this lockdown, there will be a massive opportunity to reconnect with people, rebuild businesses and serve others. Find that opportunity now. Opportunity is everywhere.
Iran UN envoy: 'Desperate' US move to end sanctions waivers 'pulls final plug' on JCPOA

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 28 May 2020 3:37 PM

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations says the US has destroyed the last means of retention of the 2015 nuclear agreement between the Islamic Republic and major world powers by ending waivers for sanctions prohibiting nuclear cooperation with Tehran.

"Two yrs ago, @realDonaldTrump ceased participation in #JCPOA," Majid Takht Ravanchi reminded in a tweet on Thursday, referring to the nuclear deal by the acronym of its official name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

In May 2018, the US president took an illegal and unilateral decision to quit Washington's participation in the nuclear deal and re-impose the sanctions that the agreement had lifted, in defiance of the fact that the accord has been endorsed by the UN Security Council (UNSC) in the form of Resolution 2231.

"Now, in further violation of JCPOA & UNSCR 2231 @SecPompeo pulls final plug, imposing penalties for compliance EVEN w/nuclear provisions of 2231," Takht Ravanchi added.

The envoy was referring to recent remarks by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during which he announced another controversial decision by Washington to end sanctions waivers for nuclear cooperation with Iran.

Takht Ravanchi also pointed to the US' intention, which has likewise been announced by Pompeo, to have the UN extend an arms embargo against Iran, which is set to expire in October in line with the JCPOA.

According to the US' top diplomat, Washington is considering "every possibility" to renew the ban that prevents sales of conventional arms to Iran. Pompeo has also been reported to be planning to claim that Washington is still a JCPOA partner to enable Washington to push for prolongation of the arms embargo.

"Claiming US is STILL "Participant" is not just preposterous; it's FALSE," Takht Ravanchi said.

'US actions have no effect on Iran's nuclear work'

In a related development also on Thursday, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), told ISNA news agency that although the US wants its "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran to work, the US' move to "end the waivers for nuclear cooperation [with Iran] under the JCPOA, in practice, bears no effect on the course of Iran's activities."

By "maximum pressure," the official was referring to Trump's trademark anti-Iran drive that he brought into force after taking office in 2016, under whose framework Washington left the nuclear deal and returned the sanctions.

"In practice, nothing is going to happen [as a result of such moves]," Kamalvandi remarked, saying Washington itself was well aware that such maneuvers were nothing beyond an attempt at creating fanfare across the media.

The US actions, he added, were "a desperate attempt" at deflecting attention from Washington's back-to-back defeats against Iran at a time when the Islamic Republic is decisively advancing its policies as witnessed by the country's remarkable progress in the field of nuclear energy and its ongoing sales of oil derivatives to Venezuela.

The Islamic Republic is shipping some 1.53 million barrels of gasoline to the Latin American country in defiance of American sanctions targeting both the nations.

The shipment is underway using a five-strong fleet of Iranian tankers, three of which have entered the Venezuelan waters. A fourth tanker has entered the Caribbean and is nearing the country's maritime area.

Washington has said it is considering "measures" against the legal exports.

The Venezuelan armed forces, however, brought the vessels under their protection upon their sailing into the country's territorial waters. Iran has sternly warned Washington against any act of mischief, saying it would duly retaliate against any American interference.

Nuclear cooperation with Russia

Elsewhere in his remarks, the AEOI official reflected on Iran's cooperation with the JCPOA's remaining signatories.

Underlining the futility of the US' move on the waivers, Kamalvandi said Iran can obtain fuel for its nuclear reactors from Russia "without any problem and at any time we found the need."

He added that even if the existing nuclear fuel ran out, the Islamic Republic would be able to produce its own fuel without any need to "[rely on] help from any other country."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






T om Hanks has donated more of his plasma to medical research in a bid to aid the efforts to develop a coronavirus vaccine.

The Hollywood star, 63, and wife Rita Wilson, also 63, tested positive for Covid-19 in March and were among the first major celebrities to contract the virus.

The couple, who were in Australia ahead of filming for Hanks next film, have since recovered and have returned to the United States.

Speaking to NPR in April, Hanks revealed that he and Wilson were set to donate their blood and plasma to institutions working on what he jokingly called a Hank-ccine.

He later shared a photo of a bag of plasma on social media, telling fans that after the paperwork, the process was as easy as taking a nap.

Posting on Instagram on Thursday, the Oscar winner showed that he had returned to donate two more bags of plasma.

He shared pictures of the fluid in bags as well as photos of the plasma being extracted from his arm and leg.

He captioned the images: Plasmatic on 3! 1, 2, 3, PLASMATIC!

Hanks said wife Rita Wilson experienced stronger symptoms of Covid-19 / Getty Images

Speaking of his experience with the virus in an interview with the National Defence Radio Show in April, Hanks said that his wife went through a much tougher time.

He revealed that while he experienced bad body aches and was very fatigued, Wilson had a much higher fever.

She lost her sense of taste and sense of smell, he explained. She got absolutely no joy from food for a better part of three weeks.
DETROIT, MI  A federal appeals court ruled that police officers dont have immunity in a lawsuit related to misconduct in a murder investigation involving a 14-year-old Detroit boy.

The court ruled in favor of Davontae Sanford and said the case can move forward against Michael Russell and James Tolbert, the Associated Press reports.

Sanford was 14 in 2007 when he was charged with four killings in his Detroit neighborhood. He pleaded guilty at age 15, although he later insisted he was innocent and only made a deal because he felt desperate and poorly represented by his lawyer.

According to AP, Sanford was released from prison in 2016 after prosecutors said the case was spoiled by police misconduct. Tolbert told investigators that Sanford hadn't made a crime scene sketch as police had reported years earlier.

"A jury could find that Russell and Tolbert fabricated critical evidence, which they passed off to prosecutors as authentic, which in turn caused Sanford to be imprisoned for nine years," the appeals court said. "Russell and Tolbert cannot seriously contend that a reasonable police officer would not know that these actions would violate Sanford's constitutional rights."

A professional hit man said he  not Sanford  committed the Runyon Street killings. But the Wayne County prosecutors office hasnt charged Vincent Smothers, who is in prison for other murders.

RELATED:

Detroit man seeks another $27k after murder convictions thrown out

Timeline of Davontae Sanfords fight for freedom after tainted murder conviction

Detroit hit man says convicted teen Davontae Sanford played no role in 2007 murders

Man wrongfully convicted of murder as teen set free
The COVID-19 crisis proved to be too cruel on daily wagers who were away from home. The worst hit were the migrant workers as most of them were left jobless due to the lockdown. While many have managed to reach home somehow, others are still left stranded in the city. Taking note of the situation, Amitabh Bachchan has come forward to help migrant workers in Maharashtra to reach their homes in UP.

He arranged for 10 buses to send migrant workers from Mumbai back to different parts of Uttar Pradesh. Big B also has been reportedly distributing 4500 cooked food packets everyday at various locations in Mumbai city in collaboration with Haji Ali Trust and Pir Makhdum Saheb Trust. He has been doing it since March 28.



So far, Big B has also distributed 10,000 ration packets to date and has provided masks, PPE kits, sanitisers and more to hospitals and police in Mumbai.

We pray for everyone's safety and applaud people like Amitabh Bachchan and Sonu Sood who are helping in this process.






We understand the restrictions on travel during the coronavirus pandemic. But like you, we dream of travelling again, and are publishing these stories with future trips in mind.

Nature therapy is good for the soul. When travel restrictions loosen up, well all be looking for ways to get outside more while still maintaining a little social distance from each other. Spotting, identifying and photographing different species of birds lets you connect with nature in a unique way that engages all your senses. Its a challenging pastime that involves constant learning about birds, habitats and conservation efforts. Most importantly, its fun. Whether you are a Sunday birdwatcher or a seasoned twitcher, there are plenty of amazing birding destinations in Canada. Here are five Canadian nature hot spots that could turn anyone into an avid birder.

Point Pelee National Park, Ontario: One of North Americas best bird migration sites sits at the southernmost tip of mainland Canada. Point Pelee National Park has been called the warbler capital of North America. Its possible to see 34 different species of warblers in a single day. You can also see orioles, flycatchers, vireos, sparrows and many other bird species. Though Point Pelee is Canadas second smallest national park, it is one of the most ecologically diverse parks. Visitors should also take time to enjoy the parks sandy beaches and trails. The marsh boardwalk should not be missed. Spring is peak birding season.

Parc national de l'Ile-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Perce, Quebec: At the tip of the Gaspe Peninsula, Bonaventure Island and Perce Rock are home to the largest migratory bird refuge in North America. The islands colony of 110,000 northern gannets can be reached via a boat tour. In all, more than 200,000 birds nest on the 4.16-square-kilometre island. Four hiking trails give you close up views of gannets and other wildlife. Park wardens are also trained naturalists that can answer questions about the birdlife and wildlife in the park.

Grand Manan Archipelago, New Brunswick: These isolated Bay of Fundy islands have been renowned as a birdwatching destination since the visit of John James Audubon in 1831. More than 360 bird species have been seen on the 20 islands of the archipelago and there are 131 nesting species. Its a good place to see Atlantic puffins, Arctic terns, razorbills, dovekeys and kittiwakes as well as many other species. The islands are also renowned for whale watching. Finback, humpback, minke and endangered North American right whales can be seen on whale watching tours or from shore.

Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park, Alberta: At nearly 1,200 square-kilometres, Lesser Slave Lake is Albertas third largest lake. It is surrounded by boreal forest and experts have dubbed the region North Americas bird nursery. Nearly half of all North American bird species rely on Canadas boreal region. Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park is a birdwatchers paradise. Spring and fall migrations are peak birding time and an annual spring festival hosted by the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation celebrates the return of the songbirds. In the spring and fall, flocks of up to 3,500 tundra swans have been seen on the lake along with many other species of waterfowl. Visitors can watch naturalists counting and banding birds during the migrations.

George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, BC: Just 25 kilometres south of the city of Vancouver, this federal migratory bird sanctuary contains nearly 300 hectares of managed wetlands, natural marshes and low dikes in the heart of the Fraser River Estuary. Nearly 300 bird species have been spotted at the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. In October and November, up to 80,000 lesser snow geese turn the sky and land white when they arrive at the sanctuary after a 5,000-kilometre migration from Russia. This sanctuary is a wonderful nature escape in easy reach of the big city.

Debbie Olsen is an award winning writer and photographer and a national bestselling author. Her newest book, 150 Nature Hot Spots in Canada, will be released in May. Follow her adventures on www.wanderwoman.ca

Read more about:
FILION  Joni Reimann has sewn 804 face masks since the end of March.

Most went out to people in the community. Others were distributed between McLaren Thumb Region and Hills & Dales General Hospital. A portion even went to Ethiopia.

I am willing to make more, Reimann said.

With more than 84 cut out and ready to go, it is clear she has no interest in stopping just yet. Reimann works for Leader Tool in Harbor Beach. Like so many others, she was laid off in April, which left extra time on her hands.

Friend Mary Dhyse made notice of all the work Reinmann was putting forth.

She started as soon as they put the call out, Dhyse said.

Dhyse has a daughter-in-law working the frontlines at the Huron County Medical Care Facility and a son serving with the Huron County Sheriffs Office. Therefore, she understood the need first-hand. She could not thank her friend enough for leading in a cause that has helped protect her own family.

Many more made notice and started donating spare materials.

She made it clear she was making them and ran out of elastic, so she asked for donations via Facebook, Dhyse said.

I went through all my materials in the first 200 masks, Reimann said. A lot now are made from donations of other people's fabrics. That kept me going for quite a while.

Then, a new obstacle arose. Some people could not tolerate elastic masks, due to aging or thinning skin. To help meet their needs, she crocheted masks with buttons on each end. These provided them with comfort and safety.

I did 100 buttoned straps, Reimann said. People started donating buttons.

During Reimanns community service mission, she has gone through four sewing machines and turned the dining room table into a factory.

Old faithful gave up on me, she said of her first sewing machine.

Then, the second machine she tried stopped working. The third one finally did the job and a fourth was generously donated.

Reiman shared that she and her husband have been married for 30 years, which meant 30 years of dining together at the family table. That was until the virus spread into the area.

We havent eaten off the kitchen table for over a month straight, Reimann said. We just started doing buffet-style dinners.

This was considered a very small sacrifice by the Reimann's. She noted that her efforts could not have been made possible without those who gave to her cause.

I would like to thank everyone for donations, Reimann said.
On the global stage, there is no other foreign policy platform that comes close to its scale and ambition. China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is worth hundreds of billions of dollars in investment across more than 60 nations. But as Beijing attempts to surpass an increasingly divided US, President Xi Jinpings grand plan has come to encapsulate the promise and pitfalls of dealing with the Asian giant.

The Herald agrees with the federal government which has expressed no firm views on the merits of BRI except that it will not sign up. Many countries have borrowed heavily from China to invest in new projects and as a consequence of that debt China now owns a port in Sri Lanka. The state of Victoria has taken the very unusual step  for a state or local government  of committing to BRI. It is unlikely to suffer the same fate as Sri Lanka but this is not the same sort of benign trade deal our states usually sign with other countries. And it has consequences for all Australians.

Having agreed to the initiative two years ago, Victoria finds itself at odds with federal government policy, NSW policy and national security advice. Premier Daniel Andrews signed the initial agreement in early October 2018 but kept its details under wraps for weeks. When its eventual release revealed little detail or binding arrangements, the level of secrecy raised suspicions. And by failing to consult with DFAT before signing the infrastructure deal last year, the Andrews government again opened itself up to accusations of secrecy and of undermining the national interest.

With China more willing than ever to exert its growing economic might and territorial ambitions, and less willing to countenance criticism, Mr Andrews has given the federal government an unnecessary headache. It would be hard enough treading a fine line between a willingness to support democratic principles of openness and transparency, while preserving the enormous economic benefits that come with the relationship with China.

Like Gladys Berejiklian, Mr Andrews has tried to turbo-charge economic ties with Beijing. Both have visited China in recent years. Eyeing the enormous financial windfall in attracting Chinese tourists, students and investment is a smart move at a time NSW and Victoria are losing manufacturing capability.
India is the latest country whose coronavirus death toll has topped the number of lives lost in China, where the pandemic started, as hot spots shift to developing countries ill-equipped to contain its spread.

The South Asian nations death toll hit 4,695 on Thursday, climbing past the 4,638 fatalities from COVID-19 in China. The nation of 1.3 billion people now has the highest number of fatalities in Asia, excluding Iran, despite the largest lockdown in the world.

The countrys death toll quadrupled in less than a month, accelerating by more than 1,000 over the past week, while infections have been soaring at a similar pace. Government experts have begun to acknowledge the outbreak wont peak until June or July.

The total number of cases in India is already about twice the level in China, and also surpasses those in Iran. Infections rose to 165,069 on Thursday, the ninth-highest globally, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The hope was the lockdown will be able to prevent transmission, but clearly, that did not happen, said Vivekanand Jha, executive director of the George Institute of Global Health, India.

While still far behind the number of cases and deaths seen in places like the U.S., Spain and Italy, the rapid growth of Indias virus burden comes as the pace of new infections starts to plateau or decline in many of the wealthier countries where the pandemic first struck, and explode across the developing world.

In recent weeks, Brazils epidemic has quickly grown to be the largest in the world behind only the U.S., while Peru, Mexico and Chile are all rapidly developing into problem spots.

Health experts warned earlier this year of the dangers the coronavirus presents to developing nations such as India, which possess fewer strategies to contain the diseases spread than wealthier countries. Lockdowns cant be maintained for as long in poorer countries where many people depend on daily wages to survive, crowded slum areas make social distancing impossible and health-care systems are under-resourced even during the best of times.

The health-care systems of these countries will be tested really badly, and it is quite likely that in many instances, they will just not be able to meet with the need, Jha said. If thats the case, unfortunately, well see a huge amount of suffering.

Indias coronavirus infections are escalating at the fastest pace in Asia as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been forced to start gradually relaxing the countrys nationwide lockdown to boost economic activity and ease the pain of whats set to be the economys first annual contraction in 40 years.

The lockdown  which began on March 25 and is set to end on May 31  was partly aimed at giving the country more time to build up its health-care system. The government has been scaling up its testing to identify new cases, but Indias huge population means its efforts still only cover a relatively small portion of the citizenry.

Read more about:
Kazakh Parliament's Upper Chamber Approves Bill On 'Parliamentary Opposition'

By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service May 28, 2020

NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakh parliament's upper chamber, the Senate, has approved a draft law introducing the concept of an opposition, legislation that has been dubbed in the media as the "parliamentary opposition" bill and harshly criticized as misleading by the tightly controlled Central Asian nation's political opposition.

The bill approved by the Senate on May 28 is expected to get endorsed by President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev.

The bicameral Kazakh parliament consists mainly of members of the president-backed Nur-Otan party led by the former President Nursultan Nazarbaev, and two other parties loyal to the ruling party.

The idea of formalizing the concept of the opposition was proposed by Toqaev in December 2019 at a session of the National Council of Public Confidence, a forum initiated by Toqaev to mediate between the authorities and civil rights activists.

Toqaev was picked by Nazarbaev as his successor last year after suddenly resigning from the post he held for almost 30 years.

Toqaev officially won an election last June -- a vote that was roundly criticized as rigged -- and has tried to position himself as a reformer, pushing forward proposals that many in the former Soviet republic have called populist.

Toqaev's critics note that there is no prospect for real opposition groups to be allowed to get seats in a parliament dominated by the Nur-Otan party, which Nazarbaev continues to lead and control while also remaining the head of the powerful Security Council and carrying the title of elbasy, or national leader.

The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2021.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakh-parliament-s -upper-chamber-approves-bill-on- parliamentary-opposition-/30639312.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






In a late-night tweet on Sunday, US President Donald Trump declared, Schools in our country should be opened ASAP. Much very good information now available. @SteveHiltonx @FoxNews Trump was referencing a monologue earlier in the day by the extreme right-wing Fox News commentator Steve Hilton.

Speaking on his program The Next Revolution, Hilton declared that there wont be a recovery in the US unless we reopen schools now. He went on to describe temperature checks as unscientific nonsense and totally pointless, while calling social distancing rules over-prescriptive and arbitrary.

Referencing Kari Stefansson, the CEO of Icelandic company deCODE genetics, Hilton added that children were not at risk and, moreover, were less likely to transmit the disease to others than adults. His first assertion has been tragically refuted by the emergence of the Kawasaki-like multi-organ inflammatory syndrome. The second is unproven and has been challenged by scientific studies. Nevertheless, the dangerous proposition is being used to justify the reopening of schools in many European countries.

Empty classroom (credit: Flickr)

Trump seized on Hiltons remarks because the reopening of schools is critical for big business to ramp up a return to work throughout the country, despite its immense dangers. Eighty-billion dollars a day are being funneled by the Federal Reserve into the paper assets of the financial elite; these dollars represent claims on value that must be made good through the labor of millions. While educators represent a substantial workforce in themselves (3.7 million teachers, 1.6 million college faculty, and at least 2 million support workers), tens of millions more cannot return to their workplaces without sending their children to school.

The Democratic Party and presumptive presidential candidate Joe Biden concur. Biden recently went out of his way to attack Trump for hampering the return to work. The very first schools to reopen this month were under Montanas Democratic Governor Steve Bullock. Californias Governor Gavin Newsom has suggested summer school may open in July. From Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan to Andrew Cuomo of New York, Democratic governors are overseeing the deadly restart of industry and commerce across the US.

The presidents demand for the reopening of schools was also followed on Tuesday by a statementdifferent in tone, but analogous in messagefrom American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten.

Opposing those who say that it is premature to reopen schools in the fall, Weingarten put a pseudo-scientific spin on it, suggesting voluntary summer school over the next few months would provide an opportunity to test-drive best practices. The union executive noted that reopening schools is a key part of overall reopening, while admitting that absent a vaccine, no one knows what the future will bring. She again appealed for schools to partner with the AFT in the process and, concurring with Trumps reckless timeline, concluded, That starts this summer.

AFT President Randi Weingarten working to shut down the 11-day Chicago Teachers strike, October 2019

The prevailing attitude of parents is strikingly different. A recent USA Today /Ipsos poll shows that in the event of their schools reopening, a majority of parents, 59 percent of respondents, said they were very likely or somewhat likely to protect their children and families by keeping youngsters at home. Parents would opt for online learning or some form of home schooling, they said. Seven out of 10 said their children would struggle with social distancing at school.

Other polls concur. A Politico/Morning Consult poll published last week found 41 percent of Americans said it was a bad idea to reopen schools this fall, while about one-third thought it was a good idea. As for teachers, 18 percent said it would be likely they would not return to schools reopening in the fall, a statistic that rises to 25 percent for those over 55.

Where schools have reopened in Europe, there has been a rapid spread of the pandemic, sparking outrage. In France, two weeks after the reopening on May 11, more than 70 schools have been forced to re-close after positive tests for COVID-19 emerged among both students and teachers. Primary and day-care centers have opened in Saxony, Germany, with virtually no precautionary measures, prompting a storm of protest.

Public health experts continue to sound the alarm on the dangers facing children as well as their potential role as vectors for community spread. Seattle Childrens Hospital infectious disease expert Dr. Danielle Zerr rebutted the claims of Stefansson and deCODE, telling Vox, What we dont know yet is the degree to which children can transmit the virus.

Leading German virologist Christian Drosten conducted a study that found similar viral load across age groups. He and his colleagues concluded, We have to caution against an unlimited reopening of schools and kindergartens in the present situation, with a widely susceptible population and the necessity to keep transmission rates low. He emphasized, Children may be as infectious as adults.

The entire process of reopening schools in the US is patched together, chaotic, and unfunded. It will inevitably create new breeding grounds for the virus in every community across the country with incalculable consequences.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under direct pressure from the Trump administration, has sent contradictory and mealy-mouthed messages. Its first set of recommendations was suppressed by the White House, then amended and reissued. The resulting guidances take no federal responsibility, delegating decision-making and implementation to states and local school administrators.

The CDC document is filled with weasel-words. Schools may consider implementing several strategies to encourage behaviors that reduce the spread of COVID-19 [emphasis added], it states, making life-and-death public health directives a choice, not a mandate.

On the most critical questionwhat schools should do when people get the virusthey are advised to actively encourage employees and students who are sick or who have recently had close contact with a person with COVID-19 to stay home. This amounts to the complete absence of precautions and the full-on adoption of herd immunity. The point is underscored when the CDC suggests the wearing of face masks if feasible.

Upon reading this document, one would have no inkling that we are living through a highly infectious pandemic, the likes of which the world has not seen in 100 years, that has cost the lives of more than 360,000 people globally, including over 103,000 Americans.

Schools have already pointed out the prohibitive cost of buying face masks alone, much less all the other necessary requirements for protecting students. Across the US, public schools are facing budget cuts of up to 30 percent, as states reel from the economic downturn. One Learning Policy Institute analyst estimates that there would need to be an infusion of $41 billion more across the US to roll out remote learning, expand food service for a growing number of low-income students, and extend the school year to make up for lost days. There is no guidance as to how schools should accomplish these measures with substantially less funding. The CDC notes that social distancing requires spacing desks at least six feet apart. This measure obviously entails much smaller class sizesa demand teachers have fought for over decades and been rebuffed at every turn. This policy alone, a critical one, would require hiring tens of thousands of educators under conditions when it is estimated that at least 275,000 stand to lose their jobs due to budget cuts.

The guidelines also include a series of high hurdles for any district and an impossibility for many, including: adequate supplies including soap, hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol, paper towels, tissues, disinfectant wipes, cloth face coverings (as feasible) and no-touch/foot-pedal trash cans, the installation of physical barriers, such as sneeze guards and partitions, the establishment of isolation areas in every school, staggered scheduling and more.

Regarding transportation, news aggregator Education Dive points out, Limiting the number of students on a bus to maintain distance could mean increasing the number of buses, drivers and routes, which many districts cant afford. This could be even less practical considering a nationwide bus driver shortage, and that drivers in many cases have pre-existing conditions or are in an age range more susceptible to coronavirus.

As to the all-important issues of mass testing, isolating and contract tracing, Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health in the Department of Health and Human Services, claimed, It is certainly possible to test all of the students. However, he said, it is much more likely that a surveillance strategy would be used with random testing, or perhaps testing the schools sewage. None of the Trump administrations projected claims for mass testing have occurred as the government abandons any effort to check the spread of COVID-19. As for the attempts to put in place the tens of thousands of necessary contact tracers, ABC News reports that an effort began about a week ago, long after the pandemic took root across the country.

Reopening schools under these conditions means mass deaths and suffering will escalate. The unions, both the AFT and the National Education Association, are well aware that the ruling elites have no intention of funding any essential measures. They are highly paid accomplices in the drive to reopen schools and force workers back on the job.

No doubt, educators are worried about their students losing substantial ground in their education. Many young people are also hungry, deprived of the myriad supports that schools provide, and cut off from their social network. The choice, however, is not between simply opening and closing.

The real issue is making the safety and welfare of students, their families and workers primary. The rethinking of public education must be driven by science, not money. The vast resources of society must be made available to defeat the virus and provide all necessary supports to the working population and their children. It is the profit system that stands at every point as a barrier to a rational and scientific solution.

The unions open alliance with Wall Streets demand for a reopening of schools under conditions where there is no vaccine, no real treatment, and the pandemic continues to spread, is a socially criminal act. The unions have demonstrated that there is no bridge they wont cross in defense of capitalism.

The WSWS Teachers Newsletter calls on educators to immediately form rank-and-file safety committees of educators, students and parents in every school and neighborhood, to determine under what conditions and when schools reopen. No expense can be spared in provisions for the safety of children and communities. The fortunes of Wall Street, extracted from the labor of the working class, must be expropriated and devoted to fighting the pandemic and reorganizing society along socialist lines, placing social needs above private profit. All educators interested in fighting for this perspective should sign up for our newsletter, follow us on Facebook, and contact us today at teachers@wsws.org.
Lawyers say summons have not been handed over in line with procedural law.

Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has skipped today's questioning scheduled by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).

His lawyers told journalists outside the SBI's HQ in Kyiv that the detectives had failed to properly hand over the summons to the former president, an UNIAN correspondent reports.

When asked by journalists whether the SBI really sent the summons to Poroshenko's office, home, and registration address, the lawyers said: "They [the SBI] are lying."

The latest time Poroshenko was summoned for questioning was in the case of the alleged smuggling of paintings. That time, Poroshenko did not report to the SBI either.

Read alsoSBI goes to museum to serve summons on Poroshenko for questioning

Today, at 11:00 Kyiv time, he was set to be questioned in this case, as well as at 12:00  in that into the illegal eavesdropping of his phone conversations with former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

As UNIAN reported earlier, it became known on May 22 that Poroshenko had urgently been summoned to the SBI for questioning as a witness on May 26 in a criminal proceeding probing into the alleged transfer of 43 paintings across the customs border of Ukraine in circumvention of customs control. On the same day, Poroshenko hosted an exhibition at Kyiv's Ivan Honchar Museum where he showcased the paintings in question along with the original custom clearance paperwork.

On the afternoon of May 26, SBI investigators arrived at the museum to conduct urgent investigative actions and search the museum's premises "in order to preserve the assets [paintings]." They did not present any search warrant.

The director of the museum, Petro Honchar, claimed that the SBI agents had broken the entrance door of the museum and blocked him from entering into the premises. He added that Poroshenko had not commissioned the museum's administration to relocate the paintings that were on exhibit.

The SBI officers conducted an inventory of the paintings from Poroshenko's collection and seized the original customs declarations.

On May 27, the SBI summoned Poroshenko for questioning in two cases scheduled for May 29.
A new study has said that regional differences play a major role in mutating the strains of coronavirus and making it innately contagious as well as lethal in one part of the world than in another.

The study has been conducted by Japanese researchers and reported by various Japanese media outlets.

Researchers examined differences in genetics and immune system responses, separate virus strains and regional contrasts in obesity levels and general health, apart from the quick reaction time to the crisis in many countries of Asia.

Giving example of China, where the outbreak started in December last year, the scientists said that the country reported less than 5,000 deaths since the outbreak began, which translates to three deaths per million inhabitants. Japan has around seven per million, Pakistan six, South Korea and Indonesia five, India three and Thailand fewer than one per million.

They then said that there were about 100 deaths per million in Germany, about 180 in Canada, nearly 300 in the United States and more than 500 in Britain, Italy and Spain.

That means we need to take into consideration regional differences first, before analysing what policies and other factors are affecting the spread of infection in any given country, said Akihiro Hisaka of China Universitys Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Reacting to the research, Tatsuhiko Kodama of the University of Tokyo told Japanese media that preliminary studies show that Japanese peoples immune systems tend to react to the novel coronavirus as though they had previous exposure. He also noted that there are centuries of history of coronaviruses emerging from East Asia.

Several studies had earlier suggested that heat and humidity can slow the spread of the virus. But such findings were squashed after equatorial countries like Ecuador and Brazil saw severe growth in infected cases and deaths linked to Covid-19.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 05/29/2020



ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

: Before the 90 Days star Lisa Hamme has warned Yolanda Leak that Williams, her alleged scammer believed to be from Nigeria, is not done with Yolanda yet.Yolanda, a 51-year-old from Las Vegas, NV who currently co-stars on Season 4 of : Before the 90 Days with Lisa, received some tough love from her co-star Lisa when the women filmed the show's Tell-All reunion, which filmed during the first weekend in May.: Before the 90 Days' Season 4 cast Tell-All reunion had reportedly been set to film at a studio in New York City in March similar to past seasons, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, those plans ended up being postponed.Instead, the show ended up filming a reunion remotely, with everyone participating via video conference -- and nearly ten hours of the footage leaked out online recently.Lisa -- whose husband Usman Umar is from Nigeria -- told Yolanda that her long-distance love Williams, a 40-year-old from England, is most likely a scammer known as a Yahoo Boy living in Nigeria."This Yahoo Boy is not done with you," Lisa told Yolanda. "He's not done with you yet, 100 hours is the minimum. They can spend up to five years grooming you.""Really?!" Yolanda replied."Yes ma'am, they will groom you. And once they groom you, they will start asking for iTunes, small stuff -- real small stuff... It's grooming," Lisa explained."His format that... he provided for you [on Instagram] is completely fake. What they'll do is they run it for so long and if they can't get a hit -- like, they want 50 clients at a time, and you were his client. And he's not done with you. He is not done with you."Lisa said she knows this because she has been on social media platforms for a very long time."There are scammers over there in Nigeria. I had one for five years. They pose as an American military guy. I knew it was fake from the jump because if you're overseas, the military is not on the phone texting in a heavy traffic area," Lisa told Yolanda."So, finally this young boy revealed his true identity. He was Nigerian, just as I had speculated, and still, he tried to scam. He tried to run his scam, his format."Lisa said this Yahoo Boy was also affiliated with a woman in the UK, and when these scammers convince clients to send money, the money is transported through "a mule," who will allegedly "take 10 percent [of the money] and then ship it to Nigeria."Lisa came to the conclusion Williams "and probably 20 other guys sitting in a room" were scamming Yolanda "on computers, typing away, trying to hustle her." Lisa claimed these guys work around the clock.Usman then joined the videoconference and Lisa accused her husband of having "Yahoo Boy" friends in Nigeria. Lisa also offered to help educate Yolanda on how these scams work."The next time [Williams] calls you, it will be on video, but it will be blurry. You won't be able to see him but you can hear him, and they hide it," Lisa claimed.Lisa told Shaun that Yahoo Boys have tried to scam her in the past."I'm very good at this. I get hit probably by about 300 Yahoo Boys a year," Lisa revealed."Are you sure I'm not a Yahoo Boy?" Usman jokingly asked his wife."If you were, I would put your head on a platter," Lisa responded with a laugh.Yolanda was shocked, saying she couldn't believe these scammers invest so much time into these fake relationships."They find out one thing about your life and they build on that. They will continuously groom you, they will gain your trust, and they tell you everything that you wanted to hear. You just suffered with your husband gone, and they will continuously do that," Lisa said."Like you said [Yolanda], he keeps disappearing. He probably doesn't have the money for data!"Yolanda then watched back a : Before the 90 Days' Season 4 clip of herself talking to Williams on the phone and Yolanda realized he didn't sound British, adding, "Now that I hear him again, he sounds like Usman!""These Yahoo Boys do blood rituals over there, and it is very scary what they are doing," Lisa concluded.As shown on : Before the 90 Days' fourth season, Yolanda thought she found true love with Williams.Yolanda intended to travel to England and meet Williams for the first time in person after getting to know each other online and over the phone, but the situation became sketchy when she tried to make concrete plans.Williams couldn't tell Yolanda which airport to fly into, and he became harder to reach the more Yolanda needed information from him.Yolanda's children Karra and Damante believed Yolanda was being scammed, especially when they did some research for her.Not only did Williams' Instagram profile mysteriously disappear -- with Williams telling Yolanda it had been hacked -- but Yolanda's kids discovered stock photos on the Internet of the muscular man claiming to be Williams.The photos Karra and Damante found by doing a reverse-image search on the Internet were the same ones Williams had privately sent Yolanda during their intimate chats.Yolanda later asked Williams to send her a real photo of himself, but he dodged the request by asking Yolanda how he could be sure that she was the real her. Yolanda sent him a photo of herself via text as a result, but he never reciprocated the gesture.viewers were therefore led to believe Williams may not even exist and there is someone who is scamming Yolanda, potentially a man from Nigeria based on Karra's online findings."I can't fall out of love with him that fast. A lot can still be true about Williams, so until I'm 100 percent sure he's deceiving me, I still feel the way I feel about him," Yolanda said in a confessional in an episode of : Before the 90 Days."The magic of love is just wonderful and I love the feeling that loving someone gives you."Yolanda said her heart was telling her to trust Williams and hear him out, and she still wanted to travel to England to meet him face to face. Yolanda wanted to see this man in person and see for herself he's real or not real.At the time Yolanda filmed the Tell-All, she told Shaun that she had hired a private investigator to track Williams down and find out information for her.Yolanda said Williams recently reached out to her following a long period of no contact. Yolanda explained Williams initially stopped calling her because he was offended when she had asked whether he's Nigerian.: Before the 90 Days currently airs on Sunday nights at 8PM ET/PT on TLC, followed by : Self-Quarantined on Monday nights.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
As extreme heat, hunger and dehydration take a toll on lakhs of migrant workers and their families rushing back home amid the lockdown, nine passengers, including a child, have been reported dead on 'Shramik Special' trains since Monday.

Kolkata: The death of migrants returning home on Shramik Special trains are "small and isolated" incidents, and the Indian Railways cannot be blamed for it, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said on Thursday, provoking accusations of "insensitivity" from political rivals.

As extreme heat, hunger and dehydration take a toll on lakhs of migrant workers and their families rushing back home amid the lockdown, nine passengers, including a child, have been reported dead on 'Shramik Special' trains since Monday.

"Some unfortunate incidents have taken place. But you can't just blame the railways for it. They have been doing their best to ferry the migrants. Some deaths have taken place, but these are isolated incidents. "We have examples of how railways have done their best to serve the passengers. Some small incidents have taken place, but that doesn't mean you will close down the railways," Ghosh, also a BJP MP, told reporters.

His remarks drew sharp reactions from the ruling TMC and the Opposition CPM in West Bengal, which asked the BJP leader to be more sensitive to the plight of the labourers. "This entire migrant issue is a result of the Centre's mishandling of the COVID crisis and the lockdown. So many people are dying, and BJP leaders are behaving arrogantly as if nothing has happened. Before pointing fingers at us, Mr Dilip Ghosh should behave and speak sensibly," senior TMC leader and MP Sougata Roy said.

CPI(M) politburo member Mohammed Salim also echoed Roy's view and said leaders like Ghosh want to remain in a "make-believe world of BJP which says everything is happening for good in BJP regime". "The migrant labour issue has proved that the Modi government is unable to save human lives. BJP leaders should be ashamed of the mishandling of the crisis by the union government," Salim said.
MI Best Stories: Hack-Ma-Tack Inn & Restaurant In this episode John and Amy sit down with Julie and Rob Redding from the Hack-Ma-Tack Inn & Restaurant who just opened for the season this week. Posted by MIBest on Thursday, May 28, 2020

CHEBOYGAN, MI -- The Hack-Ma-Tack Inn & Restaurant -- our pick for Michigans Most Iconic Restaurant in 2019 -- typically opens Mothers Day weekend. Its the beginning of a busy summer season when generations of longtime admirers make their annual visits.

This year, for the first time in 40 years, the Hack-Ma-Tack was closed for dine-in service on that special day for moms.

It was an odd day, said manager Rob Redding, whose parents Michael and Susan Redding purchased the restaurant in 1979.

Its usually one of the busiest days of the year.... We definitely missed seeing all the people that are usually in for Mothers Day."

Rob and his wife Julie, as well as daughters Audrey and Estella, joined his parents for dinner at the Hack-Ma-Tack without the fanfare of a bustling dining room.

It was weird," Julie said in a recent Michigans Best Podcast/Video interview.

It was kind of nice not working; you see so many people on Mothers Day that it was sad," she said. "Next year.

Located at the mouth of Mullett Lake and on the Cheboygan River, the Hack-Ma-Tack Inn opened officially for the summer on Wednesday, May 27, five days after Gov. Whitmer allowed restaurants in two Michigan regions to reopen, but at only 50 percent capacity.

The announcement to reopen the Upper Peninsula and the Traverse City area (Regions 6 & 8) on May 22 ahead of Memorial Day weekend -- another busy time for seasonal restaurants in the north -- was made on May 18.

READ: Northern Michigan restaurants and shops can reopen Friday, Whitmer says

Even though they had been pre-ordering supplies and getting ready to open, they didnt have enough time to open Memorial Day weekend, which is why they delayed until May 27, Rob Redding said.

We pulled it off, said Rob, who estimated they were at 50 percent capacity all night.

The locals like to visit on Wednesdays, Hump Day, he said, which meant the bar was packed.

Julie said guests were cordial, and they took time to read the postings on the door. Diners wore masks. Staff members/servers wore masks. Everyone complied.

Serving at only 50 percent capacity took some coordination, Julie said.

It will be interesting how July works, but, then again, we cant really seat any more than we did last night so it will probably be the same."

We all laughed.

Reservations are strongly encouraged, and the dinning room will open each day at 5 p.m. They will be closed on Mondays, for now.

Contact the Hack-Ma-Tack on their Facebook page for reservation information.

Michigan's Most Iconic Restaurant: The Hack-Ma-Tack Inn & Restaurant was selected by John Gonzalez and Amy Sherman as the winner. The Redding family have been the caretakers of the Hack-Ma-Tack Inn since 1979. From left, Julie and Robert with their daughters Audrey and Estella, and Susan and Michael, who have recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.John Gonzalez

We recommend the classics, from whitefish to prime rib, the whole menu is fine dining in a rurual/scenic environment. Built in 1894 as a hunting and fishing lodge, Hack-Ma-Tack is the Native American word for tamarack, and the restaurant is built with those tamarack logs. And they have a great wine list, too.

As you walk in the dining room you feel like youre at the center of a Pure Michigan postcard. Its one of the many reasons why we selected it as a Michigans Most Iconic Restaurant.

READ: Michigans Most Iconic Restaurant is the Hack-Ma-Tack Inn

Its exciting to be open again and to put smiles on faces, the couple said.

Everyone was just happy to be out, in general," Julie said. Theyve been slowly coming out to restaurants up here just recently, and theyre ecstatic."

Rob said he received texts from customers saying thank you for opening.

This is part of the tradition just a little bit late in coming this year, Rob said. But I think everyone is even more excited that were open just because of whats going on.

Michigan's Most Iconic Restaurant: The Hack-Ma-Tack Inn & Restaurant was selected by John Gonzalez and Amy Sherman as the winner. It was was built in 1894 as a hunting and fishing lodge. It is located on the Cheboygan River at the mouth of Mullett Lake. The Redding family have been the caretakers of the Hack-Ma-Tack Inn since 1979.John Gonzalez

IF YOU GO

Hack-Ma-Tack Inn

8131 Beebe Rd., Cheboygan, Michigan 49721

231-625-2919

https://www.facebook.com/HackMaTackInn

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE:

Want to know whats happening behind the scenes at Michigans Best? We are always posting videos, photos and more on our Social Media channels.

Here's how to find us:

@mlivemibest on Twitter

@mlivemibest on Instagram

Also, be sure to follow our new MI Best Facebook Page, which you can check out here.

If you've tried a Michigan's Best pick, let us know! Use the hashtag #ItriedMiBest

In addition:

Amy Sherman is on Twitter @amyonthetrail, as well as Facebook and Instagram @amyonthetrail.

John Gonzalez is on Twitter @michigangonzo, as well as Facebook and Instagram @MichiganGonzo.
This is an opinion column.

This is on you, White America.

On me.

The best among you  among us -- were too passive, too quiet, too accepting of a heinous status quo, too slow to see and stand and act for justice and decency.

The worst among you  among us  were too fearful, too selfish, too insulated to look outside ourselves, too willing to exploit and belittle others to try to make ourselves look bigger and stronger and more successful than we are.

The very worst among us killed people who did not look like us. Hung them from trees in the name of justice. Sat in jury boxes and ignored evidence. Looked the other way. As the best of us  with only the fewest of exceptions  said nothing.

Your people  my people -- would fight for freedom. But not equality.

For generations, centuries, your people  my people  pushed those of color down to raise themselves up. Your ancestors  mine too  did all in their inherent power to give people with darker skin less, to make them think they deserved less, to burden them with poverty and separate them from white people so those on all sides would know their place, as defined by our people.

Your people  my people  tried to make them think they were dumber, and less deserving, and uglier, and somehow more flawed, and made laws to give those lies weight.

So the boast that all men are created equal became an ironic joke. An insult. Another lie.

When it became so painfully clear that those acts of separation and inequality were in direct contrast not only with decency but the pesky U.S. Constitution, it seemed the world might change.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. marched in the streets to claim those rights, demanding a strict adherence to a strategy of non-violence. He knew coming to places like Birmingham, Ala., would trigger violence on the part of police and the public, and that violence would show itself to the world. And it did.

White people blew things up. Buildings and churches and little girls. And black people protested in the streets, and were beaten and bitten and hosed, and finally Congress acted, because even that body saw the hypocrisy. King was killed in cold blood in 68, and Bobby Kennedy later that year, and riots followed, and white politicians vowed that looting leads to shooting, just like the current president did Friday.

It seemed, after that, if only for a minute, that your people  my people  began to see the wrongs, and the shame, and our own culpability. Schools in places like Alabama were ordered to desegregate, and the most hopeful saw it as a golden age of integration.

But it lasted only a minute.

Because it was another lie. Because White America was still not willing to make equality more than a slogan.

Your people  my people  abandoned their homes and schools and paid premium dollars to move away from black people.

Your people -- my people -- militarized police forces, and criminalized black people at rates far different from whites. Police staked out corners in poor neighborhoods and politicians made harsh laws to punish those who sold drugs there, and ignored those who did the same in suburban basements. Black people were blocked from the banking system whites take for granted, and forced to turn to payday loan sharks. They were redlined into unsafe and polluted neighborhoods, gerrymandered out of political power, told they were not good enough, that they should work harder.

Authorities regularly sent black drug users to prison, and white ones to rehab. They approached black people with doubt, and gave whites its benefit. And black people died. They still do. In the streets on their faces, in their homes, in their cars, as if hung from trees.

And White America  or much of it -- looks away. White America calls them thugs, and refuses to acknowledge its role. Our role.

Now Minnesota simmers, and a police precinct burns in Minneapolis after the death of George Floyd. Louisville erupts  at least seven people were injured  with protests of the police shooting of Breonna Taylor in her apartment. It all seems to be coming apart, like it did in 68. Perhaps it needs to.

Do not blame black people for wanting equality, for demanding it after all this time.

This is on you, White America.

On me.

John Archibald, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is a columnist for AL.com. His column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register, Birmingham Magazine and AL.com. Write him at jarchibald@al.com.
The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has backed calls for the government to reopen schools for only final year students amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.

President Akufo-Addo on March 15, 2020, directed the closure of schools in the country to curb the spread of the virus has now been a matter of discussion with various groups left divided over their support or otherwise for students to return back to school.

Government is however expected to finalize consultations on the easing of COVID-19 restrictions with various stakeholders by the end of this week.

NUGS in a press release urged the government to reopen schools for only the final years to enable them to take their final examinations with strict adherence to all the safety protocols enumerated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

All final year students of Junior High Schools, Senior High Schools and Tertiary should be allowed to return to the classroom but with strict adherence to the health protocols like social distancing, limited contact hours, few pupil-to-teacher ratios, decongestion of classes among others. This will afford them the opportunity to prepare and to take their transition exams in a usual physical session, it said. Prof. Adei advises against wholesale reopening of schools

A renowned Ghanaian educationist, Prof. Stephen Adei, had earlier suggested the reopening of schools for only final year students as the debate on whether or not schools in Ghana should be reopened amidst the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus rages on.

I think that we should not rush to reopen for all students to go back at the same time because we have not learned how to manage the crowd at this stage. However, I think the institutions can reopen as soon as possible by the end of this month even for the final year students. In the universities, you will be dealing with a quarter of the population who are adults and can manage it.

He continued to argue that: when it comes to the secondary school level, they had eight weeks left before they went home [you can also take only the final years] but even if you think that the final years are too many, you can double track them for one batch to come and do eight weeks and the others come later. But the most important thing is that you want to have the numbers manageable for distancing and teaching. So I think that we should be concerned with the examination candidates now. We must be careful in breaking in; we must deal with the final year students' numbers first such that we can observe the protocols. There are options but we must be pragmatic. he said. Debate on reopening of schools

While teachers from the public schools are asking the government to abort any possible plans of reopening schools, the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) has however argued otherwise.

Four Teacher unions ; Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers, Tertiary Education Workers' Union and Coalition of Concerned Teachers have registered their opposition to the intended reopening.

The Parents Teacher Association and School Management Committees had also advised the government against the reopening of schools because it will put the lives of teachers and students in danger . Schools won't reopen now, consultations ongoing  Oppong Nkrumah

Meanwhile, the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has debunked claims that the government intends to reopen schools soon regardless of the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.

According to him, a number of stakeholder consultations are being held in that regard. He wants stakeholder groups and parents to channel their energies finding possible ways of resolving the COVID-19 challenges.

We noticed that there are a lot of stakeholder groups and parents and unions that appear apprehensive since those reports [schools reopening soon] came out. It is okay to be apprehensive, Indeed if we were not apprehensive then we would not be sensitive to challenges of the times. It is okay to have worries, it is okay to wonder how this will be done but we must channel those apprehensions and those worries towards answering the question; what does it take? what should be the indication of a good time? What will be the best way to protect teachers, non-teachers, students if we are to open-up at some point? Oppong Nkrumah emphasized.

 citinewsroom
Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

(Photo illustration by Chava Sanchez/KPCC)

My nephew was supposed to have his 8th grade graduation on Thursday, but the coronavirus killed those plans. So we had a little family celebration at home with a jumper and a carne asada. My sister Cynthia had a big sign made for him that said, "Congratulations Angel."

She hung the sign and a bunch of balloons outside the front yard fence that faces Imperial Highway. It was there all day. After she gave a speech saying how proud she was, we had a strawberry cake she baked with a side of chocolate chip ice cream.

I was sitting there eating it when a young black kid stood in front of the graduation sign. He couldn't have been older than 18. He looked fresh in his red t-shirt over a white one, so you could see white trim sticking out his sleeves and waist. His jeans were blue. So was his mask, which the young man lowered down his mouth, pointed and yelled, "This is for you, Angel!" Then he began to dance a dope choreographed number.

I wondered if he was going around doing it for all the graduates, since Thursday was graduation day in all of Downey. Thursday is also my deadline to finish writing Mis Angeles. I'm supposed to be writing about this resilient family business. But I'm at a loss for words.

The young black kid's routine ended with the same energy and spirit as it began and the young man ran off fast--a flash of red, white and blue ... and black.

Even if you don't want to see it, this country was made "great" on the backs of Black, Brown, Asian, Indigenous and Immigrant communities, who rarely get either the praise or even the benefits of the system we prop up.

George Floyd was supposed to be home with his family right now. But a Minneapolis police officer with a history of misconduct named Derek Chauvin knelt right on his neck and did not let up for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, even as Floyd cried out that he could not breathe, even as he appeared lifeless. In fact, the criminal complaint against Chauvin states he kept Floyd pinned down for 2 minutes and 53 seconds "after Mr. Floyd was non-responsive." Chauvin is in custody now, charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

It's apparent to me that Chauvin killed George Floyd and would not have faced justice had protests in Minneapolis and across the country forced Chauvin's arrest four whole days later.

It's not right and you know it. God, I hope you know it.

Even if you're a cop or a lover of cops, even if you vote conservative or liberal or the middle, even if you hate the "lame stream media" and woke culture, I hope you know it. I hope you're not one of those people who emails me and calls me subhuman because I'm Mexican. But even if you are, I hope you see that it is wrong for black men to be killed simply for being black.

Because hope is all I got right now.

The news of Floyd's death comes on the heels of a viral video showed the brazen murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and another that showed a white woman in New York's Central Park trying to essentially sic the police on a black man who had the audacity of asking her to put a leash on her dog.

When video of the Minneapolis arrest went viral, Chauvin and the three other police officers who stood and watched him choke the life out of Floyd with his knee tried to claim Floyd resisted arrest. Other video footage contradicts their claim. They were fired. And until the arrest today, that was it. Most of us have been fired for a lot less than homicide. It shouldn't take destruction and outrage for justice to be served.

This country, man. It just breaks my heart over and over again until all I can do is nothing. Because what else am I supposed to do? Write a poignant tweet? Change my Facebook photo to some "resistance" filter?

Or should I burn down the system that allows this to go on? It's been happening in South Minneapolis, in Louisville. People in Los Angeles have been protesting in the streets, too. I could easily join in but there's that big green sign for Angel and there's the dancing king. There's young people of color all around me. And I need to leave this world a better place for them.

I just don't know what the best way to do that is.

There are no good options. So I'm just sitting in my front yard on a Thursday trying to hang on to hope but feeling like it's racist deja vu all over again.

Twenty-eight years ago, I was in the 4th grade when Los Angeles was beset by upheaval over the injustice of the Rodney King trial. The fires and looting from protestors reached the outer edges of my elementary school and school officials told us to run home. I was afraid the cops would see us running and shoot us, but running was our only option. I'll never forget that fear as we ran.

Nineteen years ago, I was in 12th grade when an undercover police officer pulled me over and gave me a swift beating because I was wearing a red bandana tied around my head like I'd seen Tupac Shakur do. He said he was doing it to save my life because if "they saw you like that they'd smoke you up." I didn't ask who "they" were. I was just glad I didn't get a ticket.

Imagine that. I was happy I didn't have to pay for a racist beat down.

Ten years ago, I was a young journalist in D.C. during President Barack Obama's first term. I used to walk through the Newseum's Pulitzer Prize section where they had a collection of prize-winning photos of racist lynchings. One day, I asked my photographer friend what she would have done if she was a journalist during a scene like that. She said she would have probably taken the photo because it has more power to prevent many more lynchings than to stop the one lynching.

I guess that made sense at the time. But I remember her answer just made me feel helpless to change the past. I guess I thought I'd somehow change the future.

But this present ... man.

So I'm just sitting here in Southeast Los Angeles on a Thursday thinking about the black kid who just danced and the brown kid who just graduated middle school.

And I'm trying to hang on to hope for all of us.

About the Mis Angeles column: Erick Galindo is chronicling life in Los Angeles for LAist. He took on this role after serving as our immigrant communities reporter. Erick came to us last year from LA Taco, where he was the managing editor.

MORE FROM ERICK GALINDO:
The death toll from the coronavirus spiked again in the United States, and Latin America's pandemic crisis deepened, as Europe's re-opening from lockdown grew bolder by the day.

Grim figures from the Americas were accompanied by the growing economic fallout, with the number of people filing unemployment claims in the US reaching 40 million, and Brazil shedding five million jobs.

Members of International Medical Corps (IMC) carry the body of a COVID-19 victim at a Ministry of Health Infectious Disease Unit in Juba, South Sudan. By Alex McBride (AFP)

But Europe pressed on with efforts to return to normality, with the English Premier League and Italy's Serie A unveiling plans to resume play.

Populations are learning to adjust to life with the long-term threat of infection as the virus continues its march around the globe and a vaccine remains elusive.

Pharmaceutical firm bosses expressed optimism a jab could be rolled out by year's end but warned of "daunting" challenges in producing the 15 billion doses needed to curb the pandemic.

Parisian healthcare workers demand better working conditions and an increase in staffing amid the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. By ALAIN JOCARD (AFP)

Well over 100 labs around the world are scrambling to come up with a vaccine, including 10 candidates that have made it to the clinical trial stage.

"If things go well, and the stars are aligned, we will have enough evidence of safety and efficacy so that we can... have a vaccine around the end of October," said Pfizer boss Albert Bourla.

'Everything has changed'

The urgency was underlined by ballooning death tolls in South America, increasingly the new focus of the pandemic, where Brazil recorded more than 1,000 fatalities and a national one-day record for infections.

A health worker checks his cell phone next to an ambulance carrying a patient with symptoms of the new COVID-19 coronavirus waiting to be admitted in a hospital in Santiago. By MARTIN BERNETTI (AFP)

Chile also logged a record daily death toll Thursday and in Peru total fatalities topped 4,000.

With limited sanitation and little space for social distancing, millions of people in slums across the region cannot take basic precautions recommended by health authorities and have little to fall back on when lockdowns destroy jobs.

"We are construction workers, people who sell things, people who go out every day. With confinement everything has changed for most of us. We find ourselves without any work," Oscar Gonzalez, a 43-year-old welder in the deprived Brisas del Sol area of Santiago, told AFP.

Rooms in a building are lit up to create the shape of a heart at the Dubai Marina, United Arab Emirates. By GIUSEPPE CACACE (AFP)

The economic toll on workers around the world was illustrated further with news that French car giant Renault plans to cut 15,000 jobs as part of a two billion euro cost-cutting drive.

British budget airline EasyJet also said it would axe up to 30 percent of its staff, and Japanese carmaker Nissan reported a huge $6.2 billion annual net loss.

Seeking to stem the bleeding, Europe has been carefully moving ahead with the lifting of restrictions on daily life, with France set to reopen bars, restaurants and museums next week and Britain sending children back to school over the next two weeks.

A storekeeper arranges mannequins wearing single use disposable personal protective suits in Bangalore. By Manjunath Kiran (AFP)

"Freedom will be the rule and restrictions the exception," French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said.

Elsewhere in Europe, Spaniards were revisiting old joys as life gets back on track -- with people seen belting out tunes from classic movie "Grease" at a 1950s-themed drive-in theatre in Madrid.

"It gives you a real sense of freedom. We really wanted to get out of the house," said 22-year-old Belen Perez.

A security guard checks the temperatures of passengers wearing personal protective suits at the entrance to the check-in area at the international airport in Manila. By Ted ALJIBE (AFP)

Spain will allow 70 percent of the population to go to restaurants, swimming pools and shopping centres from next week.

Globally the death toll is nearing 360,000 and almost 5.8 million people have been confirmed as infected since the virus emerged in China late last year.

Curbs return

But many countries that have seen success in curbing the virus since early outbreaks are now on alert for a second wave of infections, with South Korea and Sri Lanka showing renewed signs of caution.

Emergencies Ministry workers disinfect Moscow's Kazansky railway station as the country adopts measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19. By Dimitar DILKOFF (AFP)

South Korea -- held up as a global model in how to stop the virus -- has reimposed some social distancing rules after a series of new clusters emerged, many in the capital Seoul.

Museums, parks and art galleries were closed again from Friday for two weeks and companies urged to reintroduce flexible working practices. The numbers of children in Seoul schools will also be cut back.

And in Sri Lanka, some lockdown rules will be rolled out again from Sunday after more than 250 returnees from Kuwait were found to be infected.

A woman wearing a face mask passes by a show window with masked mannequins in Mulhouse, eastern France. By SEBASTIEN BOZON (AFP)

The United States has now seen over 101,000 deaths from the disease.

"To all of the families & friends of those who have passed, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy & love for everything that these great people stood for & represent. God be with you!" President Donald Trump tweeted.

The US capital Washington will slowly move into its phase one of reopening on Friday as more parts of the country open up the economy, sometimes against the advice of health experts.

As people emerge from weeks of confinement, some say the experience has not been all bad.

Electronic dance music titan David Guetta said lockdown had given him the chance to look inward and breed inspiration as the 52-year-old Grammy-winning French DJ gears up for a New York COVID-19 benefit concert.

"I've tried to dig into myself," Guetta said.

"I'm more inspired to write songs to inspire people and try to give them happiness."

burs-axn/hg
* Loans: Riskier loans test resilience of institutional market By Mariko Ishikawa SYDNEY, May 29 (LPC) - The leveraged finance market Down Under is showing signs of revival, with a couple of event-driven loans injecting life into a market that slowed to a trickle when the coronavirus pandemic hit. Infrastructure services company Ventia and private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners are leading a US$3.81bn-equivalent pipeline of sizeable term loan Bs, in a test of resilience for institutional loans in Australasia. Ventia is eyeing a A$525m-equivalent (US$340m) dual-currency add-on TLB to fund its acquisition of Broadspectrum, the Australian services unit of Spain's Ferrovial. Madison Dearborn is in the market for a A$725m TLB backing its buyout of a stake in disability employment services provider Advanced Personnel Management. The outlook for the Australasian leveraged loan markets looks cautiously optimistic, taking its lead from the US high-yield bond and TLB markets, which continue to see new issuance accelerate despite the toll Covid-19 is having on the country, said Peter Graf, Credit Suisse's head of leveraged finance for Australia. Other Australasian borrowers tapping the TLB markets include gaming machine manufacturer Aristocrat Leisure, data centre company AirTrunk and mental health, rehabilitation, oncology and cardiology services provider Healthe Care Specialty. MIXED RESULTS While bankers and loan investors welcome the return of TLBs, there is caution over the fallout from Covid-19 and how deals should be structured and priced. There are likely to be bumps in the road as more new issuance tests the boundaries on what is executable in the post Covid-19 world, said Graf. Phrases like essential services, Ebitdac (Ebitda adjusted for Covid-19 impact) and Covid-safe are the new buzzwords for credit markets in 2020. TLB borrowers have had mixed results in recent weeks. Earlier in May, Aristocrat Leisure, a frequent borrower, won a vote of confidence from US investors as it increased and tightened terms on a US$500m incremental TLB. The covenant-lite deal had been marketed at 400bp over Libor and a 97 original issue discount, but the terms were revised tighter to 375bp over Libor and 98 OID. Pricing is still juicier than the 175bp margin offered on loans of US$1.3bn and US$950m that priced in May 2018. In April, AirTrunk flexed pricing on a multi-currency TLB of around A$1.6bn by 75bp to 450bp over BBSY/SOR/Hibor. The loan has an average life of 4.75 years and has still not closed after having been initially launched in mid-February. In early March, before the coronavirus outbreak triggered a lockdown in Australia, cancer and cardiac service provider GenesisCare sweetened pricing on the euro tranche of a US$1.002bn-equivalent TLB backing its acquisition of US-based 21st Century Oncology. Ventia, which maintains and manages public and private infrastructure assets in Australia and New Zealand, is offering margins of 450bp475bp over Libor for US dollars and 550bp575bp over BBSY for Australian dollars  up around 100bp from its June 2019 financing. (See Table.) The balance of power has shifted in favour of the lenders, in contrast to the borrowers market that we have seen over the last few years, said Alok Jhingan, head of acquisition and syndicated finance for Australia and New Zealand at Citigroup. Most of the TLBs for Australasian borrowers include tranches in US dollars, euros or pounds sterling, given that the Australian dollar market for this product is still small. Nonetheless, the local market has grown rapidly since the first Aussie dollar TLB in May 2015  a A$359m tranche of a A$900m borrowing for LS Newco (now Ventia). It has also emerged as a viable alternative to the offshore TLB and bank liquidity in Australia. Aussie dollar tranches in TLBs are thinly traded and tend to be smaller in size and illiquid versus other currencies, said Jhingan. Investors are going to continue to demand a premium on Aussie dollar tranches versus the offshore tranches. The difference in spreads may increase to reflect the rise in swap costs post Covid-19. PIPELINE BUILDS Successful outcomes for the loans for Ventia and Madison Dearborn could set the stage for other financings. While several asset sales and carve-outs were put on hold or cancelled due to the pandemic, cashed-up sponsors are looking for bargains. Funds under management with Australian PEs and venture capital firms rose to a new high of A$33bn in June 2019, according to Preqin & Australian Investment Council. There is still a lot of dry powder sitting at private equity firms, said Bob Sahota, chief investment officer at Revolution Asset Management, which invests in leveraged loans in Australia and New Zealand. Its the case of how to get deals funded when there may not be many banks willing to underwrite loans. Melbourne-based Village Roadshow granted PE firm BGH Capital exclusive access to its books this month, even after the suitor cut its bid by 40% and made it conditional on Village reopening its theme parks and cinemas. Commonwealth Bank of Australia agreed to sell its 55% stake in Colonial First State, while binding bids for embattled airline Virgin Holding Australia are due on June 12. Financial services company Pioneer Credit is discussing alternative proposals after Carlyle Group terminated its buyout in April. Term Loan Bs for Australasian borrowers Borrower Tenor Margin Date of Tenor Margin (years) (bp) previous (years) (bp) financings Ventia/Broadsp 6 450-474, June 2019 ~7 350, ectrum 550-575 462.5 (A$) (A$) Madison 6 (1L) 550 (1L) Dearborn/APM Madison 7 (2L) 950 (2L) Dearborn/APM Aristocrat ~4.5 375 May 2018 ~6.5 175 Leisure AirTrunk 5 450 April 2019 5 (1L), 275 5.5 (1L), (2L) 800 (2L) Healthe Care 5 (1L) 475 (1L) Specialty Healthe Care 5.5 800 (2L) Specialty GenesisCare/21 7 500, 475 August st Century (), 525 2018 Oncology (A$) TradeMe 6.25 400 April 2019 7 (1L) 425 Source: Refinitiv LPC (Reporting By Mariko Ishikawa; editing by Prakash Chakravarti and Chris Mangham)
More than 100 domestically-built missile-launching speed boats join Iran's naval fleet

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 28 May 2020 5:08 AM

Iranian naval forces have received more than 100 missile-launching speed boats designed and manufactured by experts at home, in what will boost the Islamic Republic's offensive power in the strategic Persian Gulf waters.

During a ceremony on Thursday, 112 new-generation offensive speed boats of different classes were unveiled and delivered to the naval forces of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

Enjoying hydrodynamic functional features, the boats are capable of sailing at a high speed, with a low radar cross-section (RCS) and a high level of offensive power, the IRGC's Sepah News reported.

The event was attended by several high-ranking military officials, including Chief IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, and Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami.

IRGC chief: Defense doesn't mean passivity against enemies

Addressing the ceremony, Salami hailed Iran's significant progress in the defense sector, warning that the Islamic Republic will give a crushing response to enemies if threatened.

"The Islamic Republic has the determination. We will not bow to enemies. We will not retreat. Progress is the nature of our work. Defense is our logic in war but not in the sense of passivity against the enemy. Our operations and tactics are offensive and we have shown it in the battlefield," he said.

The IRGC commander said that a key portion of Iran's maritime power is still "unknown" to others.

"The most important and dangerous part of this power is unknown. Our enemies will see this power the day when they pursue an evil intention against this land. On that day, they will get to see the real firepower of our forces at the sea and in the sky, and the battlefield will turn into a hell for the enemies of Iran and Islam," he warned.

Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing military equipment and hardware despite facing US sanctions and Western economic pressure.

The Islamic Republic says its military power is solely for defensive purposes against enemy threats.

'Persian Gulf security belt to get a boost'

Iran's defense minister also addressed the event, highlighting the significance of maintaining security in the Persian Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

By manufacturing the high-speed boats and delivering them to the IRGC Navy, he said, "the security belt of the Persian Gulf and especially the vital Strait of Hormuz will be strengthened."

Iran has always been a focus attention for world powers given the fact that the country has some 5,000 kilometers of maritime borders and coastlines, and that it is rich in maritime resources, including deep-sea oil reserves.

Hatami highlighted the geopolitical significance of the Persian Gulf region, describing it as one of the world's most strategic regions, which links three continents together.

Iran attaches high importance to maintaining and consolidating security in the Strait of Hormuz as most of the world's fuel flow through the key passage.

He further criticized certain trans-regional powers, who have been attempting to disrupt the region's security, adding that such attempts are aimed at ensuring America's dominance over the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

He slammed a move by the US to create an anti-Iran military coalition in the Persian Gulf, saying Washington is in fact after destabilizing the region and countering Iran's dominance over the international waterway.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Expected to be completed by September after missing multiple deadlines, the Kharar flyover has been delayed again  this time by two more months, now getting the seventh deadline as November 2020.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had handed over the Rs 368-crore project to Larsen & Toubro, that began construction in November 2015. It was to be completed in three years by December 2018.

But over four years later, only 70% work has been completed, with the project being pushed six times to January 2020, March, June, July, September and now to November.

After multiple roadblocks impeding the projects progress, authorities have now cited labour shortage and shifting of the overhead high-tension power cables as reasons for further delay.

Work on the flyover was suspended on March 22 after the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19, but was resumed from April 20, with authorities hoping it will finish by September amid restrictions on movement of traffic.

Kharar sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Himanshu Jain, who is supervising the project, said the executing agency was facing labour shortage and was waiting for shifting of high-tension power cables. To shift the cables, we need to shut down the power supply, but that will cause inconvenience to residents. We are working on finding a way, and will accomplish the task by June 10, he said.

NHAI project director Krishnan Sachdeva said they were doing their best to complete the project by November end. Due to Covid-19 lockdown, we are working with only 50% manpower, as the remaining workers have returned to their native states, he said.

The national highway where the flyover is coming up connects Chandigarh to parts of Punjab, besides Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

This leaves Kharar as a major bottleneck, with around 50,000 vehicles crossing the stretch daily.

The authorities concerned are not bothered about the inconvenience to commuters and keep indulging in blame game. It is a challenge to cross the stretch, which often even delays ambulances, said Kamaldeep Singh Tiwana, a resident of Kharar.

Project file

It entails widening of the road between Balongi and Kharar T-point, including two flyovers and three minor bridges.

Length: 10.2km

Cost: Rs 368 crore

Construction began: November 2015

First deadline December 2018

Second deadline January 2020

Third deadline March 2020

Fourth deadline June 2020

Fifth deadline July 31

Sixth deadline September 30

Fresh deadline November

Work Completed 70%

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
New York City, closed down due to the coronavirus pandemic, is expected to begin a "phase one" reopening on June 8, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday.

"We know where the hot spots are in the city, we want to focus on them next week, be ready to open," Cuomo said during a news conference in New Rochelle, New York. "We're on track to open on June 8, which is one week from Monday."

The Long Island and Mid-Hudson regions began their phase one reopening this week, leaving New York City the only region in the state to remain under Cuomo's full stay-at-home order.

The governor said Friday that the phase one reopening in New York City should bring about 400,000 employees back to work.

Cuomo cautioned against too much excitement about reopening, saying, "this is not 'happy days again, this is over.' We have to be smart."

"Remember that reopening does not mean we're going back to the way things were. Life is not about going back nobody goes back, we go forward," he said.

New York state is the hardest-hit region in the U.S. The coronavirus, which emerged in Wuhan, China, less than five months ago, has infected more than 366,000 people across the state, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Cuomo also released guidance for barbershops and salons, which have been closed as part of social distancing measures intended to curb the spread of the virus. They will be required to a 50% maximum capacity and employees interacting with customers will need to be tested at least once every two weeks, he said.

Earlier this week, Cuomo said tracking certain ZIP codes with a high number of Covid-19 cases would be key to reopening. The rate of positive test results in some communities in the state is at 40%, double the infection rate of New York City, he reiterated Friday.

New York had started to deploy its phased reopening plan in regions of the state that have met seven health criteria. Cuomo has warned regions to "watch their numbers," saying, "when you have a cluster of cases, jump on it."
'Hey honey I'm home! Oh, and I just bought a church!" Pat O'Connor's wife Claudia wasn't too happy. Initially.

The Meath tech entrepreneur had popped out one Saturday in 2003 and whilst driving through the Westmeath town of Rochfortbridge, he noticed it was choked with traffic. Everyone was walking towards an old church. Curiosity got the better of him, so he stopped off to see what was going on.

"It was an auction," says Pat. "It turned out they were selling the former church building. To make a long story short - I came out as the successful purchaser. For me, it was love at first sight. Needless to say, my wife wasn't overly impressed when I arrived home that day." But happily for Pat, Chilean born Claudia, who works as a fashion designer, was soon won over. "Once she came to see the church, she was fully on board. We make a great team, with my knowledge of heritage and building, along with her fashion and creative flair."

Formerly known as Castlelost Church, Clonlost House was completed in current form in 1815. The Church of Ireland sold it in the 1980s, after which director Paddy Breathnach used it as an animation studio.

Expand Close The kitchen / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The kitchen

"It was a huge undertaking and we spared no expenses with the build. I worked with the Heritage office in Westmeath County Council to come up with a design that kept the great heritage features that still existed, and balanced it with a liveable family house. This included building a large extension to the rear of the church in the Gothic style of the original structure.

Pat was raised in large historical houses. When he was seven, his parents bought Breemount House in Trim and restored it. As he turned 15, they took on Strawberry Hill in Belmont, Co Offaly, a large Gothic style period house which kept them busy for 20 years. "I worked in South America for a number of years and when I came back with Claudia, my first venture was the renovation of Dunville House in Rhode, Co Offaly. It was in complete ruins, with no roof," says Pat.

With the church project, the structure was divided into upper and lower living areas, with the flooring stepped back from the large five-metre Gothic windows to maintain character, maximise the living area and provide heating efficiency.

"I got a lot of help from the local community and experts in the area of building renovations. One of the most beautiful features are the very large cornices (500mm in length). Unfortunately, as the church was vacant over the years, these had perished due to damp conditions. I engaged a local company - Mann Plastering from Kilbeggan, who are experts in cornice restoration - who brought them back.

"My wife's cousin, who is a woodwork craft master, assisted with custom building the kitchen, skirts and doors in teak. We custom made the Gothic windows. All the wood used was teak."

Pat found the original bell in a dirt pile at the back of the house and it suggests an earlier incarnation. "It is dated 1706 and inscribed with the name of Robert Rochfort (1652 - 1727) a lawyer, politician and judge who was Irish Attorney General and Speaker of the Irish House of Commons."

Expand Close Games room with Gothic style bar / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Games room with Gothic style bar

The home spans more than 5,000 sq ft, with a very large games and living/conference room with a Gothic bar (designed by Claudia). There's a lounge, a formal dining room, a kitchen/diner and five double bedrooms, all with their own bathrooms, and the master chamber also has its own dressing room. There's a 400 sq ft detached granny flat and the bell tower offers views across the countryside. It has oak floors throughout and an ornate Gothic carved stairwell.

Pat adds: "The village is a great community - good mix of locals and commuters. My business was on the M25 corridor and it took me 50 minutes to get to work. We moved to Australia in 2010 for one year and ended up staying. We were lucky to rent it to a young family.

"Our boys are now grown up and in University in Melbourne. We miss the church and have great lasting memories and hope that whoever buys it will get the same pleasure we had from it."

Sherry FitzGerald Davitt and Davitt seeks 549,950 on their behalf.
[May 29, 2020] Molina Healthcare Reaffirms its Commitment to Kentucky

Molina Healthcare is excited to reaffirm its commitment to the Commonwealth of Kentucky and to the city of Louisville with today's announcement of its upcoming participation in Kentucky's Medicaid managed care program. "Our team at Molina is ready to begin serving the Commonwealth of Kentucky," said Molina's president and chief executive officer, Joe Zubretsky. "In the midst of these difficult times, we stand ready to perform and follow through fully with our commitments to Kentucky and the Louisville community. Our relationship with the Commonwealth will bring needed jobs, pump resources into the community, and most importantly help Kentuckians access the services they need to be healthy." Molina's planned investments are expected to bring over 1,100 jobs to Kentucky. The establishment in west Louisville of Molina's Kentucky headquarters, along with a regional operations center, will provide employment opportunities for the citizens ofKentucky and stimulate local development in the city of Louisville.



Mr. Zubretsky continued, "We bring to the Commonwealth our Company's mission of improving the health and well-being of all of our members, and look forward to working with the Beshear Administration to fulfill that commitment." Molina will be investing additional capital in the community by setting up the Molina Community Innovation Fund, which will provide $2.5 million over four years to address the needs of Kentucky's Medicaid populations. This investment will build upon the contributions Molina has already made to community organizations in the state, including the Louisville Urban League, Home of the Innocents, Family Scholar House, Dare to Care, Boys and Girls Club, and others.

About Molina Healthcare Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, provides managed healthcare services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare served approximately 3.4 million members as of March 31, 2020. For more information about Molina Healthcare, please visit molinahealthcare.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005642/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Several European nations, including Spain, are slowly easing lockdowns linked to the coronavirus pandemic. Tourists will be able to visit Spain from the beginning of July without having to quarantine for two weeks.

By Stefan J. Bos

While still mourning its reported 28,000 coronavirus deaths, Spain wants to reopen to the outside world. The world's second-most visited nation currently demands all foreign visitors isolate themselves for 14 days on arrival.



But in a significant turnaround, the government of the world's second-most visited country decided to lift the controls from July 1.



It is an attempt to revive its tourist industry for the holiday season. Prime Minister Petro Sanchez said he wants Spain to establish reciprocal "safe corridors" with other countries in Europe. "I am announcing that there will be a tourist season this summer. We want to guarantee the reactivation of national tourism for this summer season," Sanchez told his nation.



In televised remarks, he added: "I publicly invite all tourist establishments, bars, restaurants, beach destinations to start to prepare from today and to restart their activities in a few days. I am announcing that from July, foreign visits to Spain will resume under safety conditions."



And his foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya proposed that Spain and other European Union member states should agree to a common approach to open borders. She wants a European definition of which countries should be deemed as safe.



Tourism industry



Saving the tourism industry and commerce is also crucial for other European nations struggling to overcome the economic impact of the pandemic. Among them is Europe's largest economy Germany, which has entered into a technical recession. Official figures show that the German economy shrank by 2.2 percent in the first quarter of the year. That is compared to the same period in 2019 amid a global downturn linked to the coronavirus pandemic.



Despite the financial difficulties, the government agreed to a rescue deal worth 9 billion euros to save Germany's crucial airliner Lufthansa from collapse after many flights were canceled due to the coronavirus crisis.



There was also some good news in Europe for beer-loving Czechs. They can finally get back into pubs, but with social distancing and mask-wearing indoors. Perhaps no surprise as the Czech Republic is the country with the highest per capita beer consumption in the world.



Elsewhere in central and Eastern Europe, Hungary is talking with neighboring nations to ease border controls.

But as summer approaches in the European continent, some government leaders are under pressure for violating their own coronavirus restriction rules. In Austria, President Alexander Van der Bellen has apologized after staying at an Italian restaurant with friends beyond the coronavirus-related closing time of 2300.



And in Britain, prime minister Boris Johnson is under pressure to fire his chief aid for allegedly violating the national lockdown rules that he helped to create. Dominic Cummings drove the length of England to his parents' house while being infected with the coronavirus.
Protesters face off with Minneapolis Police after a night of rioting as protests continue over the arrest of George Floyd who died in police custody Monday night. Read more

A white Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck opened fire on two people during his 19-year career and had nearly 20 complaints and two letters of reprimand filed against him.

Derek Chauvin, 44, became the focus of angry street protests and a federal investigation after he was seen in cellphone video kneeling on the neck of 46-year-old Floyd, a black man, for almost eight minutes Monday night during his arrest on a suspicion of passing a counterfeit bill. Floyd, who was handcuffed and heard saying he couldnt breathe, was pronounced dead later that night.

Chauvin, whose driveway was splattered with red paint and the graffiti murderer, has not spoken publicly since Floyd's death and his attorney did not respond to calls seeking comment. He and the other three officers involved in Floyd's arrest were fired Tuesday.

Minneapolis City Council records show that Chauvin moonlighted as a bouncer at a downtown Latin nightclub. He was among a group of six officers who opened fire on a stabbing suspect in 2006 after a chase that ended when the suspect pointed a sawed-off shotgun at them. The suspect, Wayne Reyes, was hit multiple times and died. A grand jury decided the use of force was justified.

Two years later, Chauvin shot Ira Latrell Toles as he was responding to a domestic dispute.

According to a Pioneer Press account of the incident, a 911 operator received a call from an apartment and heard a woman yelling for someone to stop hitting her. Chauvin and another officer arrived just as Toles locked himself in the bathroom. Chauvin forced his way into the bathroom. Toles went for Chauvins gun and Chauvin shot him twice in the stomach. Toles survived and was charged with two counts of felony obstruction.

Toles told the Daily Beast that the mother of his child called police that night and he fled into the bathroom after officers broke down the apartment door. Chauvin then broke down the bathroom door and started to hit him without warning. He said he fought back in self-defense and was too disoriented to go for Chauvin's gun.

Toles said he ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and still feels pain from the shooting.

He tried to kill me in that bathroom, Toles said.

Online city records also show that 17 complaints have been filed against Chauvin. Sixteen complaints were closed with no discipline. The remaining complaint generated two letters of reprimand, with one apparently related to the use of a squad car dashboard camera. The records don't include any details on the substance of the complaints.

Chauvin also was among a group of five officers in 2011 who chased down an American Indian, Leroy Martinez, in a housing complex after they spotted him running with a pistol. One of the officers, Terry Nutter, shot Martinez in the torso. Martinez survived. All the officers were placed on leave but absolved of any wrongdoing, with Police Chief Timothy Dolan saying they acted appropriately and courageously.

A much different side of Chauvin was portrayed in a 2018 newspaper profile of his wife, Kellie, a Laotian refugee who became the first Hmong Mrs. Minnesota. She told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that they met when he dropped off a suspect at a Minneapolis hospital where she worked.

Under that uniform, hes just a softie, she said. Hes such a gentleman. He still opens the door for me, still puts my coat on for me. After my divorce, I had a list of must-haves if I were ever to be in a relationship, and he fit all of them.

Less is known about the other three officers involved in Floyds arrest.

Online court records indicate that the officer who stood guard at the scene, Tou Thao, was sued in federal court in 2017 for alleged excessive force. According to the lawsuit, Lamar Ferguson claimed Thao and his partner stopped him as he was walking to his girlfriends house in 2014 for no reason and beat him up. The city ultimately settled the lawsuit for $25,000.

City records show six complaints have been filed against Thao. Five were closed with no discipline. One remains open. The records didn't include any further details.

Thomas Lane joined the force as a cadet in March 2019, according to online city records. No information about J. Alexander Kuengs service history was immediately available. City records show no complaints against either of them. Attorneys for Thao and Kueng didnt return messages. Lanes attorney, Earl Gray, declined comment.
OAKLAND  Conservatives from Washington to the West Coast have anointed attorney Harmeet Dhillon as their go-to legal warrior in the culture wars of the Covid-19 pandemic. And they dont even seem to mind that shes from San Francisco.

During the pandemic, Dhillon has emerged as a conservative thorn in the side of Gov. Gavin Newsom, suing on behalf of pastors, gun shop owners, protesters, cosmetologists and beachgoers. And now on behalf of her fellow Republicans, who last weekend challenged the Democratic governor for switching California to a mail-ballot election in November.

The San Francisco attorney has also become a social media star and a regular on top-rated Fox News shows for her legal expertise and hard-charging political commentary.

Dhillon, 51, argues the pandemic has exposed a government inclined to overreach  and the fragile nature of civil rights.

The Constitution is not suspended in a pandemic, any more than it was suspended in every war that weve had in this country, Dhillon said in an interview. There is no emergency justifying the suspension of any civil rights in this country.

Newsom on March 19 became the first governor to issue a statewide stay-at-home order that shut down nonessential activities. Dhillon's lawsuits have focused on how the state defines "essential."

She has filed more than a dozen lawsuits through her own law firm or her nonprofit, the Virginia-based Center for American Liberty, that challenge Newsom's orders on constitutional grounds. She has questioned his criteria and ability to determine what activities and businesses are necessary.

Some conservative states deemed gun stores and churches essential early on. But California forced them to close until Newsom on Monday allowed houses of worship to reopen.

Dhillons nonprofit also filed suit to block Governor Newsoms appropriation of $75 million toward nonprofits that are providing $500 payments to undocumented immigrants who don't qualify for unemployment insurance.

Story continues

Her red-state activism in overwhelmingly Democratic California has earned her notice and increasing airtime from Fox News conservative icons like Laura Ingraham, who lauds Dhillon as the one leading the charge to keep Gavin Newsoms power grabs in check, and Tucker Carlson, who has said she is at the forefront of the fight against censorship.

Dhillon has also caught the attention of President Donald Trump, who kicked off a 2019 White House Social Media Summit  bringing together a collection of conservative bloggers, journalists and media watchers  by anointing Dhillon as one of the leading First Amendment lawyers in the country. Trumps praise came on the heels of her advocacy for conservatives battling big tech companies and what they claim is internet censorship as the divide grew between the left and right on issues of civil rights.

She has emerged as a loyal Trump booster  and a big campaign bundler. In Trump's last visit to the Bay Area in September, she corralled many of the 400 deep-pocketed donors who attended a lavish fundraiser at the Portola Valley estate of Sun Microsystems founder Scott McNealy, which helped raised $3 million for the president in one night.

The Indian-born daughter of a conservative Sikh family became the first Republican to stand before the Republican National Convention and deliver a Sikh prayer  in Punjabi.

She grew up in North Carolina before heading to Dartmouth College, an Ivy League school where she became editor-in-chief of the Dartmouth Review, the campus conservative newspaper. She later graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Dhillon traveled and worked around the world until she came to San Francisco in 2000 for a Silicon Valley job opportunity during the dot-com boom. She said circumstances changed, "but I fell in love with Northern California and decided to stay."

She opened her own practice, the Dhillon Law Group, in San Francisco in 2006  when she immersed herself in Republican politics in one of the countrys most liberal bastions.

She took on the challenge of chairing the Republican Party in San Francisco and ran twice unsuccessfully for public office  but also raised her social media and political profile. Seeking to become the first woman and Sikh vice chair in California Republican Party history, she faced down prejudice and some attacks from the far right in her own partys ranks.

Dhillon took heat for being a former board member for the American Civil Liberties Union in Northern California  a role she pursued in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, she said. She was later attacked as a Taj Mahal princess by anonymous opponents at a state convention, where a county chair  later forced to resigned  wrongfully accused her of being a Muslim who endorsed beheading.

Harmeet Dhillon of San Francisco covers her head before delivering the invocation during the second day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Tuesday, July 19, 2016. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Dhillons steely drive and activism in the embattled California Republican Party catapulted her to a post as the RNCs California committeeperson in 2016.

She is a force; theres no doubt about it, said Cynthia Bryant, the CRP's longtime executive director. I've watched her grow so much in the last seven years ... She's very determined and works extremely hard  and she's absolutely passionate about individual freedom and personal liberty."

Dhillon became a party champion in the culture wars in 2016 by representing Trump supporters who were the target of counter-protesters after a San Jose rally by the then-candidate. She went to bat for the University of California, Berkeley College Republicans who took the school to court after canceling a planned talk by conservative firebrand Ann Coulter.

She then represented Google software engineer James Damore, who was fired after circulating a memo that suggested there was a biological basis for the lack of women in the tech industry.

I'm one of the few lawyers whos willing to step up and challenge the big tech companies on their privacy violations ... and on their discrimination on the basis of viewpoint, she says. Most big law firms and big firm lawyers are very interested in having those companies with clients  so they would never sue them.

But Dhillon has also been dismissed as a grandstander. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), in a recent tweet directed at Dhillon, said that as national co-chair of 'Women for Trump,' you're basically the Purdue Pharma of crazy pills.

And critics point out that while Dhillons legal efforts may give the right a rallying cry, she has so far gotten little traction in the courts.

Mike Madrid, a GOP strategist and outspoken Trump critic who has verbally battled with Dhillon and her team, said Dhillon's growing profile dramatizes the conservative movement that has brought the GOP to its knees in California.

Most of this is really just about trying to show the banner for a dying, shrinking, angry despondent people who make up the partys hardcore conservative base, he said. So rather than using her role as a national committeewoman to focus on building the party  to try and win the hearts and minds of Californians  theyre trying to grab a few headlines on a couple of legal issues.

On Sunday night, Dhillons lawsuit on behalf of the South Bay Pentecostal Church, which challenged Newsoms Covid-19 shutdowns, reached the U.S. Supreme Court after a 9th Circuit panel rejected the challenge on a 2-1 split vote.

Were dealing here with a highly contagious and often fatal disease for which there presently is no known cure, Judges Barry Silverman and Jacqueline Nguyen wrote in their majority opinion rebuffing the case.

Dhillon countered that the idea that you can trust citizens to go behave responsibly in Costco and you cannot trust the same citizens to go behave responsibly in church has no basis in constitutional law or fact.

Conservatives say her advocacy helped build pressure against Newsom. President Donald Trump last week threatened to "override" states that kept churches shut, while the U.S. Justice Department told Newsom to reopen houses of worship.

On Monday, the governor released new guidelines that will allow a limited number of churchgoers to attend services, with the approval of their local health departments.

Still, Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson, and host of The Legal Eagles Files  a podcast about constitutional issues  argues that Dhillon's arguments are on weak legal ground in the pandemic era.

Yes, we have lots of constitutional rights  but none of them are absolute, she said. We have these incredibly robust state police powers that are there to protect our health, safety and welfare.'' She noted how states have the ability to require seat belts and speed limits for safety reasons.

Dhillon remains undeterred.

"I don't know anybody who wants to get sick from this disease," she said recently on Fox News. However, I don't know anybody in my Republican circle who wants to live on their knees, either  or at the whim of the governor who picks up the fake news and looks at one [beach] photograph and says, 'Oh, let me punish Orange County.'"
A Yorkshire farmer has said visitors on his land have gone 'too far' after hundreds of people left litter behind and started campfires over the bank holiday weekend.

Ted Hughes, 28, said the problem has now become a 'real nuisance' due to the amount of people who have visited his land since the coronavirus lockdown.

Speaking to Yorkshire Live, the farmer, who owns land and private lakes by Newland Hall, in Normanton, has even reported incidents to the police.

Its always been the case that people go and use the lake. I dont mind it but since the lockdown, its become rife with the amounts of people, the land cant bear it with the fires.

"Its become a real nuisance since lockdown began. Other locals are up in arms about it," Hughes told the website.

While the police have a regular patrol through the area, the farmer said they seemed to be 'everywhere else but here'.

He said he didn't mind visitors coming to the land and using the lake, but people were not being respectful.

"I want them to take their rubbish home with them," Hughes said, "There are already bins there but I have had to put new bins out.

It comes as the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) pleaded with the public to act responsibly in the countryside as summer approaches.

The rural group has called on visitors to respect rural areas and farmers' livelihoods during this busy time of year.

We fully recognise that the nation will want to make the most of our beautiful countryside following lockdown restrictions being eased," CLA president Mark Bridgeman said.

Those using the countryside should, especially under current circumstances, be conscious that it is also a place of work where the land, livestock, machinery, wildlife and environment must be respected."

The group also called on the public to be pragmatic and avoid hot-spot tourist areas that are particularly busy.

"Its important that we all act responsibly and check car parks, for example, are open before travelling," Mr Bridgeman said.

Earlier this month, farmers highlighted their 'untold anxiety' over the amount of people ignoring Covid-19 guidelines on exercise.
India has sent four rakes full of agricultural products to Bangladesh amid the COVID-19 crisis to continue operating the freight and parcel trains in order to ensure the supply chain remains intact. Four rakes of essential agricultural products including dry chilies, turmeric, and ginger have been successfully loaded and despatched from different stations of the zone to Bangladesh, said South Central Railway (SCR).

READ | Piyush Goyal States 18% Hike In FDI Into India, Credits 'Make In India' For $73bn Figure

READ | Mayawati Hails SC's Relief For Migrants, Asks Govt To Find Jobs For Them Near Their Homes

"Even in the prevailing pandemic times due to outbreak of COVID-19, South Central Railway has been continuously operating freight and parcel trains to ensure that the supply chain, particularly of essential commodities, remains intact across the nation," an official statement issued by SCR on Thursday read.

"Now the services of the zone during the current lockdown have crossed the country's borders wherein essential commodities are also being transported to the neighbouring country, Bangladesh. Four rakes of essential agricultural products have been successfully loaded and despatched from different stations of the zone during the current month," the statement read further.

According to the statement, one rake consisting of 42 wagons with 2,477 tonnes of dry chilies has been loaded and despatched from Tadepalligudem station to Darshan station in Bangladesh on May 12.

One rake consisting of 42 wagons with 2,472 tonnes of onions was despatched from Nagarsol station to Darshan station on May 26. Two rakes consisting of 42 wagons each with a total of 4928 tomes of dry chilies, turmeric and ginger were despatched from Reddipalem railway station to Benapole railway station on May 26 and May 27.

READ | Trump Goes After Twitter Again, Asks If The Micro Blogging Site Ever Fact-checked Obama

READ | 'Last Call Between PM Modi, US Prez Was About HCQ': Sources On Trump's Mediation Offer

As per the last update from Indian Railways, the national Railway service has run more than 3274 Shramik Special trains carrying over 48 lakh passengers. Indian Railways have so far served around 4.7 million free meals to the needy people across the country during the lockdown.

Besides ferrying the migrants, the Indian Railways is also involved in the manufacturing of essentials required for COVID warriors who are at the forefront of the battle against the deadly virus. During the lockdown, the Indian Railways produced 1.2 lakh coveralls of PPEs, 1.4 lakh litres sanitiser and 20 lakh reusable face mask/cover to support the nation's fight against the pandemic.

(With ANI inputs)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 21:24:44|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

A woman wearing a face mask walks on a street in Brussels, Belgium, on May 29, 2020. Belgium is seeing a downward trend of COVID-19 as 187 patients are currently in intensive care, less than 100 of whom need respiratory assistance, said Yves Van Laethem, an inter-federal spokesman in the fight against COVID-19, here at a press briefing on Friday. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

BRUSSELS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Belgium is seeing a downward trend of COVID-19 as 187 patients are currently in intensive care, less than 100 of whom need respiratory assistance, said Yves Van Laethem, an inter-federal spokesman in the fight against COVID-19, here at a press briefing on Friday.

There are a total of 187 patients in intensive care, which is a decrease of 22 patients in the past 24 hours. The decline trend of the virus therefore continues.

There were 212 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, according to Yves Van Laethem. This brings the total to 58,061 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Twenty-seven new hospitalizations have been recorded, according to the spokesman, and 42 deaths have been reported in the same 24 hours. The death toll in Belgium to date stands at 9,430.

The public health institute Sciensano conducted a serology study on 1,500 blood samples to monitor the possible development of antibodies against COVID-19 in the population in north and south Belgium. The study showed that the antibody level was 1.3 in mid-March and 4.8 in mid-April. The rate remained stable at 4.8 in mid-May.

"These antibodies no longer increased in mid-April or mid-May, reflecting the impact of the containment measures," Van Laethem said, adding "It would be interesting to monitor the status of this antibody level during the deconfinement phase." Enditem
The International Criminal Court on Thursday authorised ex-Ivorian leader Laurent Gbagbo to leave Belgium under certain conditions, following his acquittal last year on charges of crime against humanity. Gbagbos release could shake up the countrys October election.

The road to freedom for Laurent Ggabgo was partially cleared on Thursday.

The decision by the International Criminal Court means he can leave Belgium and travel to any of the 123 countries signed up to the ICC, including his home country of Cote dIvoire.

The ex-Ivorian president however must first get the greenlight from the country he wants to travel to before leaving.

Gbagbo cannot travel beyond the territorial limits of the municipality of the receiving State without the explicit and prior authorisation of the Court, an ICC statement said.

Charles Ble Goude, Gbagbos former youth minister, was also released under similar conditions and is free to leave his address in The Hague.

ICC keeps control

The conditional release is a way for the court to maintain a certain judicial control over the two Ivoirians, explains RFI correspondent in The Hague Stephanie Maupas.

The 123 member countries (of the ICC) must cooperate with the court and are obliged to execute any of its orders until the case is definitively over, she said.

This means that Gbagbo and Ble Goude would still have to report weekly to the law enforcement authorities of the receiving states.

The case against Gbagbo and Ble Goude has been going on since 2015.

In January 2019, the two men were acquitted of crimes against humanity in connection with violence following a disputed 2010 election that left 3,000 dead and 500,000 displaced.

Judicial process

However, ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda argued that the trial chamber committed legal and procedural errors, and appealed the acquittal shortly after.

Gbagbo's lawyers had appealed for his unconditional release, arguing the ICC could not limit the movements of an acquitted person. The court rejected the demand but revoked certain restrictions, allowing the two Ivorians to recover their passports.

Story continues

The judicial process is far from over, which explains why judges decided to loosen some of their restrictions, comments Maupas.

The appeal hearings were meant to take place this week but have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, she said.

They are scheduled to restart on the 10 June, but even then, judges may take months before giving their final decision on whether to let an appeal trial go ahead, Maupas added.

Cote d'Ivoire next?

On the political front, news of the ex-presidents conditional release has raised hopes of his imminent return to Cote dIvoire.

"We are happy, it's important that these restrictions are lifted," Franck Anderson, a spokesman for Gbagbos Ivorian Popular Front Party (FPI) told AFP.

"We are waiting for the date of his return. We will welcome him."

The Ivorian Popular Front is preparing to challenge President Alassane Ouattaras ruling party in elections scheduled for 31 October.

Elsewhere, former Ivorian President Henri Konan Bedie, who heads the Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire (PDCI), the main opposition movement, has also expressed "joy" at Gbagbos release, saying the court decision offered a key to national reconciliation.

Both Bedie and Gbagbos party have signed a pact ahead of the October poll.

Shaking up election

Whether Gbagbo can run as a candidate or not, this decision shakes up the October election dramatically, reckons Leslie Varenne, director of the IVERIS institute of international and strategic relations in Paris.

It is very bad news for Alassane Ouattara, who is already having to revise his plans because of the illness of his prime minister, she told RFI.

Cote d'Ivoire premier Amadou Gon Coulibaly is currently being treated in France for suspected atheroscelerosis, a disease that blocks the arteries.

It is unclear if he will still be able to compete in the presidential election.

For Varenne, Gbagbo's release is a victory" for him and his supporters. "They are waiting for him like the Messiah, she said.
Chinese Parliament Passes Resolution on Hong Kong Security Bill

Sputnik News

07:15 GMT 28.05.2020(updated 07:51 GMT 28.05.2020)

Protests have erupted in Hong Kong in recent days over two controversial bills, which are being reviewed by the Chinese parliament. One of the bills seeks to outlaw secessionism in the territory, while the other stipulates hefty fines or jail terms for those ridiculing China's anthem.

China's parliament has overwhelmingly passed a resolution to draft a law on national security in Hong Kong. In total, 2,878 lawmakers supported the resolution, while one voted against it and six others abstained.

Under this resolution, the National People's Congress Standing Committee will be in charge of developing a bill on security for Hong Kong.

The South China Morning Post had reported earlier in the day that the law could enter into force by August.

A senior legal source told the newspaper that offenders under the new law will face open trials in Hong Kong after the law is passed but won't be sent across the border to the mainland for trial.

According to the newspaper, the new legislation would require Hong Kong's regional government to set up new institutions that would guarantee the safety of civilians. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called for the legislation to be enacted without delay, and the bill has the support of leading Hong Kong politicians, including Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

The security legislation, as well as another bill that would forbid Hong Kong residents from disrespecting the Chinese national anthem, has triggered a wave of protests over recent days. More than 500 demonstrators have been detained over the past week, including many individuals carrying deadly weapons, law enforcement officials in the region have said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told Congress that Washington will be forced to reassess the level of autonomy in Hong Kong while the new legislation is being discussed. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien has already hinted that Beijing may face sanctions if Washington concludes that Hong Kong's autonomy has been compromised.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has hit back at Washington for getting involved in China's domestic affairs. Beijing considers the ongoing political situation in Hong Kong to be a purely domestic matter.

A Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Republicans in Pennsylvanias 7th Congressional District will decide Tuesday who they want to run against U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, the incumbent Democrat who is seeking a second two-year term.

The GOP candidates, Lisa Scheller and Dean Browning, have had to wage unconventional campaigns as the threat of the COVID-19 coronavirus illness has all but nixed traditional ways to meet voters.

Theyre not going door to door because they dont want to be in contact with people, theyre not going to even like any spaghetti dinners or any firemens nights, said Lee Snover, chairwoman of the Northampton County Republican Committee. So no ones meeting them.

Both candidates spoke with lehighvalleylive.com this week for this look at who they are, their top concerns and what their goals would be if elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. The PA-07 district covers Lehigh, Northampton and southern Monroe counties.

Scheller and Browning also touched on how they're getting their word out.

Browning, who fell short in the Lehigh Valley's 2018 congressional primary to Marty Nothstein before Wild went on to victory, said he had counted on "what I view as my strength, which is my ground game -- going door to door, going to events ... and of course toward the end of March all of that was put on hold."

He's turned to phone calls and "lit drops," where campaign staff wearing masks and socially distancing themselves have been dropping off literature about Browning at voters' homes.

"Certainly the pandemic has had an impact on campaigning," Scheller said, noting she misses the grassroots campaigning she's been involved in. She's been doing phone calls, as well as doing outreach with groups via Zoom, she said.

"It's made it very difficult," she said. "I do spend a lot of time on the phone calling people."

Both Scheller and Browning are former Lehigh County commissioners. Here is a closer look at their candidacies.

Lisa Scheller is running for the Republican nomination in Pennsylvania's June 2, 2020, primary election to face Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Susan Wild in November in the 7th Congressional District covering Lehigh, Northampton and Monroe counties.Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com

Scheller is coming into Tuesdays election as President Donald Trumps favorite in the race, having picked up his endorsement a week ago.

She is chairwoman and president of Silberline Manufacturing, the business owned by her family where shes worked since 1987 and which she took control of following the death of her brother in 1998. The company has its global headquarters in Tamaqua in Schuylkill County, where Scheller grew up; it makes aluminum-based pigments for the automotive and other industries.

"The No. 1 issue facing Americans and facing Pennsylvanians in PA-07 right now is jobs and the economy," Scheller said. "As a business owner myself, I understand the struggle that people are going through with this coronavirus."

After the initial, necessary focus on keeping safe, Scheller said her first priority in office would be to work with the president to help put America back on track and back to work.

Since the coronavirus crisis began in March, Pennsylvanias unemployment rate has reached an unprecedented 15.1% and Lehigh and Northampton counties have seen nearly 80,000 people file initial claims for unemployment compensation.

Schellers other key issues, she said, are expanding education opportunities without financially burdening those who can least afford it, opposing abortion, supporting Second Amendment rights, securing the nations borders and opposing so-called sanctuary cities that refuse to assist in federal crackdowns on illegal immigration. With 38 years of continuing recovery from drug addiction, she also wants to take on opioid addiction, expanding on the Hope and Coffee shop she opened in Tamaqua with a mission of eliminating the stigma for those battling addiction.

"I'm running for U.S. Congress to be the voice of Pa.'s 7th District in Washington, and really to protect the American dream for generations to come," Scheller said.

That dream is threatened by government overreach, she said, pointing as an example to government attempts to manage health care through the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Obamacare, as its known, has been under attack throughout the Trump Administration. Moving to Medicare for All, as some Democrats advocate, would further impact costs and accessibility, Scheller says.

Scheller says she's not a politician, that she's an engineer and business owner who got involved in politics because she wanted to lower Lehigh County's taxes.

She is a divorced mother of two grown children, Leo and Zary, and lives in Allentown.

Dean Browning is running for the Republican nomination in Pennsylvania's June 2, 2020, primary election to face Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Susan Wild in November in the 7th Congressional District covering Lehigh, Northampton and Monroe counties.Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com

The very simple reason that Im running is I believe that America is a great country, and Im running to be an ally of Mr. Trump and be someone he can absolutely count on as he battles to keep America great, Browning said.

The candidate committed to helping to push Trumps agenda through Congress, working first to repair the economy from the impacts of the coronavirus fight. He says that damage is growing worse the longer the shutdown continues.

I understand the closing down to quote flatten the curve, Browning said, "... but my view is were well beyond that.

Browning said he supports a payroll tax holiday that would give workers a nearly 8% raise by suspending contributions of 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare/Medicaid, while saving employers a comparable amount on their own contributions.

"The second area that I want to work with and support the president on is reducing the critical threat from China," said Browning, who sees two avenues toward that objective. One is the military, for which he supports expanded investments in training and technology, and the second is the economy: "We need to start returning vital manufacturing back to the United States."

"They are not interested in being a responsible member of the world community," Browning said. "They are interested in being the dominant member of the world economy."

"The third area I want to work with the president on is finishing the wall," Browning said, going on to say he'd work to secure the southern border and eliminate federal funding for sanctuary cities and counties as part of a plan to reduce illegal immigration.

Returning to his support for the military, Browning called for an overhaul of the Veterans Administration that he says is using an antiquated system and suffering from a shortage of doctors. "A disgrace" is how he described the medical care afforded to veterans.

Brownings other main focus would be to make health care more affordable and put individuals and families in charge of their health care decisions, not insurance companies or the government. He sees the need for more competition through transparency, so patients know how the amount theyre paying for care compares to that being charged to someone on Medicare or Medicaid or who is uninsured. As for Medicare for All, he points to the VA system for an advanced look at what that would mean.

"To me, Medicare for All would just wind up being mediocre care for all," Browning said.

Browning, of South Whitehall Township, is retired from a career as an executive with Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of the Lehigh Valley, Harvel Plastics and New World Aviation.

He and his wife, Cheryl, have been married 32 years. They own three German shorthaired pointers.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.


Basil Williams B. G., Opalesque Geneva: Basil Williams talks to Opalesque about Welton's new quantitative hedge fund, Welton ESG Advantage fund, due to launch in June 2020. The fund has a core active ESG equity strategy as well as a diversifying trend strategy as an overlay. Williams joined Welton Investment Partners as president in March 2019, after more than 30 years of experience both as an investment manager and an allocator at Concordia Advisors, Mariner Investment Group and PAAMCO. He will be one of the speakers in the upcoming webinar: How Quants Achieve Material Improvements in ESG Investment Performance, on June 18th.

Opalesque: What is the rationale behind the fund? Basil Williams: To me, the asset management industry has grown in a bunch of silos of product offerings. In the equity space, you had value equity, growth equity, emerging market equity; in the fixed income space, you had high yield, investment grade, and bridge loans. Everyone tries to perfect their silos. Investors trying to build portfolios were selecting from these various building blocks. I have learned from experience that investors want outcomes. And the ideal outcome is, when the markets are in a bull phase, their returns keep up with the bullish returns. And when the markets go into a bear phase, their assets are protected. They want to have that switch: run with the bulls and hide from the bears. That type of product is the holy grail, or the killer app of investments. Welton has a long history of building portfolios that do very well during a crisis. They use multi-asset classes to provide absolute asset return, with key downside protection, low correlation with equities and credit, and negative correlation during periods of contraction. The question I asked myself is, can we improve upon this, can we take this into the equity market, such that not only do we have absolute returns but we also have equity-like returns. And then, can we use technology based on my time at Mariner Investment Group (one of the first hedge funds to provide ESG ratings), feed it in, and filter our portfolio based upon the preferences that ESG investors would typically have. At the end of the second quarter of 2019, I started looking into integrating Welton's stock selection and trend-following capabilities in a single product. We started working on this in the summer and found the results very interesting. That was initially the rationale: can we take a responsible portfolio and produce better outcomes with it. Many investors like ESG but need better returns. So here we look at, can we both do right and do well. Opalesque: This is also good timing. ESG is the future of investment. Basil Williams: ESG investing does mitigate some equity risks. There are companies that are bad actors and that go through an event, whether it's environmental, labour, or governance-related, which tags them as being a bad actor and affects their stock price. If you have a diversified portfolio of stocks, and because of their low ESG ratings, they may have such so-called idiosyncratic events. Within the ESG space, the problem is that most ESG funds are long-equity funds and therefore, while they may be reducing idiosyncratic risks, they are still left with the systemic market risks. We did research and found 62 responsible funds either in mutual or ETF form, with more than $100m in assets and more than a 10-year track record. We compared their returns to the S&P's. Of those 62 funds, only five matched or exceeded the returns of the S&P over the last 10 years. Most were long-only equity, some active, some passive. During the global financial crisis, during the 2018 market volatility, and during the first quarter of 2020, these five funds did beat the S&P by 100 to 200 b.p. But broadly speaking, during these crises, the portfolios were down 20%. Opalesque: And the systemic risks are what Welton is targeting in the new fund? Basil Williams: The question we asked was, can we integrate Welton's technology into an ESG-filtered equity portfolio that would use the same quantitative engines to select, put together and create a portfolio that produces the alpha in the stock selection and helps modulate the risks based upon the market environment, both from quantitative signaling on the equities side and from the integration of these diversifying systematic trend programs that form the basis of our flagship. That is the product's design. It speaks to a need in the market: returns are not beating the markets and we're still taking a lot of systemic risks in the building of these portfolios. Opalesque: What tools do you use in the strategy? Basil Williams: We're using three things: (1) a quantitative stock selection on a filtered portfolio of ESG-preferred equities; (2) return forecasts to help modulate through time the market exposure the equity portfolio takes; (3) we integrate a momentum-based diversifying strategy, which in this case is the Welton Trend Strategy, to create the uplifts in absolute return and more importantly to provide downside protection during selloffs. Opalesque: What about your ESG selection criteria? Basil Williams: We use third-party ESG data. Our primary data provider is Arabesque, a London-based ESG alternative data house. They will participate in the June webinar. They have a very integrated approach: they take non-financial data from companies, data from NGOs, and they use natural language processing AI to search over 30,000 media sources globally for corporate activity with respect to any of their environmental, sustainable, or governance metrics. The data is assessed for its relevance, then put in a metric for scoring. Then they create a score for more than 7,000 companies, updated on a daily basis. Opalesque: What is your universe? Basil Williams: We have a US universe and a European universe. Each starts with 500 companies, the largest and most liquid ones. Then we screen them using the Arabesque analysis. We also feed data from another group called ISS. We screen data down to a target portfolio of 300 to 350 names. We do not provide independent checks to the Arabesque analysis. Opalesque: How will you manage the current investment landscape? Basil Williams: We are obviously launching during a high volatile market where the economic outlook is highly uncertain. The beauty of the portfolio we are building is that it's not just passive long-only. It is assessing the economic outlook and the company forecasts on the one hand, using our technical factors, and then we are also integrating the diversifying hedge strategy that's built into the portfolio. So if we get into an environment where we have another downturn in the markets, the hedging strategy will protect the equity side of the portfolio. Given the current momentum signals that we are getting from the market, the equity portfolio won't be fully invested from day one. Opalesque: What are the assets under management? And your expected returns? Basil Williams: We will be launching in June with a minimum of $25m. The program's back-test, using the models that we have, has annualised more than 12% over 15 years, with a 14% volatility. We are targeting 10-12% returns.

Welton Investment Partners is a privately-owned, alternative asset management firm that uses advancing quantitative investment techniques, co-founded by Dr. Patrick Welton in 1988. It has $846 AuM and offices in Carmel, CA and New York City.

Don't miss Opalesque's webinar on Thursday, June 18th, at 10 am EST: How Quants Achieve Material Improvements in ESG Investment Performance.
Raipur: Ajit Pramod Kumar Jogi, the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh, wasknown in the political circles as someone who never gave up despite defeats, controversies and debilitating health issues.

Jogi, 74, who died at a private hospital here on Friday, was the quintessential politician who enjoyed support among tribal and scheduled caste communities because of his easy accessibility.

Born into a family of modest means in Pendra Road area of the then Bilaspur district, Jogi earned his engineering degree with a gold medal from a university in Ujjain in 1964.

After that he qualified first for the Indian Police Service and then the Indian Administrative Service.

After serving as collector for 12 years in various districts includingIndore and Raipur, Jogi resigned in 1986 and joined the Congress. The party sent him to the Rajya Sabha for two terms -- 1986-92 and 1992-98.

His rise in politics was meteoric, and he became chief minister of the newly formed Chhattisgarh state in November 2000, trumping rivals such as Congress stalwart Vidyacharan Shukla.

As chief minister, he was credited with setting up a state-of-the-art heart hospital in Raipur under the Public- Private-Partnership mode.

Jogi focused on improving health infrastructure in the tribal-dominated backward state and also laid the foundation stone of the new capital city near Abhanpur area of Raipur.

His ambitious `Jogi Dabri scheme' to develop small water sources won praise, but was later marred by corruption allegations.

He was accused for splitting the opposition BJP after 12 of its MLAs joined the ruling Congress in 2002.

Jogi succeeded in sidelining Vidyacharan Shukla, who was seeking to become Rajya Sabha MP in 2002. Shukla then joined Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party.

In January 2003, Jogi faced a major political setback when he and his son Amit were named as suspects in the murder of Ram Avtar Jaggi, then treasurer of the state NCP. Amit Jogi was also arrested but was later acquitted by the trial court.

The BJP cashed in on the issue during the Assembly elections held towards the end of 2003, in which the Congress suffered a humiliating defeat.

After coming to power, the BJP released an audio tape which purportedly suggested that Jogi had tried to bribe BJP MLAs in an attempt to engineer a split.

Jogi was suspended from the party, but a few months later the Congress fielded him against Shukla who was contesting on BJP ticket in the 2004 Lok Sabha election from Mahasamund.

During the campaign, Jogi met with a road accident near Rajim and was permanently confined to a wheelchair. But he went on to defeat Shukla.

During the 15-year-long tenure of Raman Singh that followed 2003 assembly polls, Jogi was often dubbed as `Team B' of the BJP for his perceived closeness to the ruling party.

When the Congress lost a third Assembly election in a row in 2013, knives were out for Jogi, and the party then made Bhupesh Baghel the state unit chief despite the fact that he did not share anybonhomie with Jogi.

Isolated, Jogi quit the Congress in 2016 after he and his son were accused of involvement in alleged fixing of the by-election to Antagarh Assembly seat in 2014.

After the scandal broke in 2015, Baghel expelled Amit Jogi from the Congress. In June 2016, Ajit Jogi formed the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J).

Ahead of the 2018 assembly elections, Jogi sprang a surprise by forming alliance with Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party. It was expected that the alliance will play the role of kingmaker.

But the Congress won a landslide by bagging 68 out of 90 seats. Jogi-Mayawati combine won only seven seats.

Ajit Jogi himself managed to win his traditional Marwahi seat, banking on his charisma.

Jogi's status as the member of a tribal community had been the subject of controversy since he entered politics. After he became chief minister, BJP leader Sant Kumar Netam had complained to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes that his claim of belonging to a Scheduled Tribe was based on forged documents.

With the Congress' return to power, he and his family members faced several fresh allegations with regard to Antagarh bypoll and the caste status issue.

Though sidelined in the state's politics, the four- time MLA never lost his sharp sense of humor, especially while targeting his opponents. His political legacy is now expected to be carried on by his son and JCC chief Amit Jogi.
New Delhi, May 29 : Maharashtra Speaker Nana Patole has said that at a time when the country is fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, there should not be any scope for doing politics, both at the level of government as well as the Opposition.

His remarks came in the backdrop of BJP demanding President's rule in Maharashtra, the top corona hotspot in the country.

In Delhi while speaking to IANS on Friday, Patole said: "We should allay people's fears and fight the pandemic together. Both Opposition and the ruling alliance (the three-party coaltion government in Maharashtra) should desist from doing politics." The Speaker was critical of BJP going to the Governor with a memorandum complaining about "ineffective" handling of the pandemic and warning of statewide agitation against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Patole also referred to BJP demanding President's rule in the state.

He said the Assembly session is due in the state from June 22, but it has to be decided by the Business Advisory Council meeting on June 1.

He said the Maharashtra assembly has space to conduct House proceedings, much like the Central Hall of Parliament, while complying with social distancing norms. The Speaker said the Maharashtra government had presented the budget when there was no Covid threat, but now the government needs the assembly nod for additional demands.

The ruling party in the state is faced with a tough task given the worst Covid scenario in the state. On the other hand, the Opposition has mounted further pressure on the government to deal "more effectively" with the situation.

Maharashtra on Thursday reported 85 Covid-19 deaths, down by 20 over yesterday's high of 105 fatalities, while the number of cases in Mumbai shot past the 35K mark, health officials said.

Meanwhile, a political battle is on in the state with ruling MVA questioning the BJP over availability of additional funds.

Nationalist Congress Party state President and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil said former CM Devendra Fadnavis' statements have given rise to doubts whether "he is a friend or enemy of Maharashtra".

"Instead of cooperating, Fadnavis is busy vilifying all the good work of the MVA government. The state BJP thought it fit to donate money to the PM Cares Fund, but not to the CM Relief Fund," said Patil.
While we're all locked down at home, you may be wondering what to do with the credit card points you've racked up.

If you're a Chase Sapphire cardholder, you can use those points to pay for some burgers at your local grocery store  if you can find some.

The new Chase "Pay Yourself Back" program will allow eligible cardholders to use points to pay for purchases in select categories, starting with grocery stores, dining and home improvement stores. Customers can apply the points through Chase's Ultimate Rewards site.

"Pay Yourself Back" begins Sunday, through Sept. 30, for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve cards. Chase confirmed to USA TODAY that it "will be looking to evolve the tool to keep the categories fresh and over time introduce other eligible Chase cards to the tool."

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Usually, credit card rewards programs place a focus on travel purchases, often making it the main attraction for customers.

"Were continuing to give our customers choices so they have the flexibility to use their points in the most meaningful ways for them," said Matt Massaua, head of ultimate rewards and loyalty solutions at Chase, in a statement.

Chase Sapphire joins similar programs like:

Citi's City Prestige program, in which cardholders can use the annual $250 travel credit on purchases at supermarkets and restaurants, in addition to travel.

Capital One, which is allowing Venture Rewards and a VentureOne Rewards cardholders to redeem airline miles for food delivery, takeout, streaming and other services.

American Express, which offers Platinum Consumer card holders up to $320 in statement credits when they use their Platinum Card on select streaming and wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers  up to $20 per month on each, through December.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chase Sapphire cardholders can apply their points to pay for groceries
New Delhi: Markets opened in red on Friday led by decline in banking stocks amidst negative Asian cues.

The BSE Sensex dropped 295.72 points or 0.92 percent to 31,904.87. On the other hand the NSE Nifty fell 95.75 points or 1.01 percent to 9,394.35.

Major losers were Infosys, Bajaj Finance, Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank, Tata Steel, SBI, NTPC, TCS, Maruti, Heromotocorp, ONGC and HDFC Bank, falling by upto 2.59 percent. On the other hand, major gainers were Sun Pharma, Bajaj Auto, Ultrachem, Nestle, HUL, Tech Mahindra, rising upto 1.30 percent.

Among Asian peers, MSCI`s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.3%. The Nikkei retreated from a three-month high and, though moves were slight, riskier currencies were under pressure against the U.S. dollar. Futures for the S&P 500 slipped 0.7%. Hong Kong`s Hang Seng index was 0.4% lower in early trade and has lost 3% in the two weeks, a Reuters report said.

In the previous session on Thursday, the BSE Sensex soared 595.37 points or 1.88 percent to 32,200.59 while the NSE Nifty jumped 175.15 points or 1.88 percent to 9,490.10.
Stevens, who hails from Mississippi, has decades of campaign experience at the presidential and congressional levels, with stints working for former president George W. Bush and former senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole. He is also an author and his forthcoming book, It Was All a Lie, documents his disgust with Republicans embrace of Trump as they seek to hold or win power.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says a popular entertainer and his associates in Turkmenistan have been handed prison terms for being gay and called on authorities to "immediately dismiss" all charges against the men.

HRW said the showman was sentenced to 2 years in prison on May 7 after a court found him guilty of sodomy.

In April, an independent media outlet quoted several sources in Ashgabat as saying that an actor and showman, whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested along with about a dozen other people, including his partner, in late March.

According to that report, some of those arrested were later released after they paid bribes.

A source in Ashgabat confirmed to RFE/RL at the time that the man was under arrest, but it was impossible to obtain any clarification of the situation from the authorities.

The former Soviet republic's criminal code envisions up to 2 years in prison for homosexual relations.

The Turkmen government -- which controls all media, most of the economy, and enforces many social rules on its citizens -- is considered among the most repressive in the world and doesn't tolerate public criticism or free speech.

The issue is a social taboo and antigay sentiment among many Turkmens is very strong.

HRW said that it "documented a 2013 case in Turkmenistan, where medical staff collaborated with law enforcement officials to conduct an anal exam on an 18-year-old man accused of homosexual conduct," adding that "the case raises the possibility that forced anal examinations have been or are being used against others charged with sodomy in Turkmenistan."

"Such examinations have no medical justification, are cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment and may amount to torture. They violate the Convention against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both ratified by Turkmenistan," the statement says.

Last year, a young cardiologist in Ashgabat, Kasymberdy Garayev, and members of his family faced pressure after he came out as gay and spoke about problems faced by gays in Turkmenistan to RFE/RL.

In 2017, the United Nations Human Rights Committee flagged criminalization of consensual same-sex conduct as unjustifiable and urged the Turkmen government to repeal it.
Pres. Donald Trump signed an executive order that is aimed at removing some of the legal protections given to the social media platforms, according to a recently published article.





Pres. Trump and Social Media Platforms

Pres. Donald Trump is very known for being very vocal using his social media account. But, he has regularly accused social media giants Facebook and Twitter for stifling conservative voices. He said in a recent report: "The firms had 'unchecked power' to censure and edit the views of users." Recently, Trump tweeted on his social media account and he accused a social media giant of interfering in the election by adding a warning label to his tweets about claims of widespread fraud in mail-in voting or also known as postal votes.

The executive order signed by Pers. Trump was strongly condemned by social media giants. Additionally, the latest tweet of the POTUS was hidden by Twitter because accordingly, it violates rules about glorifying violence.

What is in the Executive Order?

The executive order clarifies the protection of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and the likes in certain situations under the 1996 Communications Decency Act. On which, under 230 it was written that social media platforms are not generally held responsible for the contents posted by their users.

In the EO signed by Trump, it points out that the immunity does not apply to a social media company that "edits content posted by its users, and calls for legislation from Congress to remove or change under section 230," according to a recently published article.

Additionally, it also means that "Deceptive blocking of posts, including removing a post for reasons other than those described in a website's terms of service, should not be offered immunity,"

In the Executive Order, the following are some of the highlights, according to a published article:

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to spell out what type of content blocking will be considered deceptive, pretextual, or inconsistent with a service provider's terms and conditions.

A review of government advertising on social media sites and whether those platforms impose viewpoint-based restrictions.

The re-establishment of the White House "tech bias reporting tool" that lets citizens report unfair treatment by social networks.

Meanwhile, there are lawmakers who supported and opposed the action of the federal government. One of those who supported is Rep. Ted Cruz from Texas who is known as a frequent critic of big tech companies. He said: "This executive order is an important acknowledgment that we can no longer afford to let Big Tech go unchecked. For too long, social media platforms like Twitter have hid behind their opaque algorithms and Section 230 immunity to target speech with which they disagree and advance their own political agendas."

However, the Democratic lawmakers did not like it. Sen. Richard Blumenthal described the Executive Order as "egregiously excessive with clearly malevolent intent to suppress free speech." While Sen. Mark Warner also said: "This is a sad distraction. At a time when common-sense regulation of these dominant companies is desperately needed, the President is threatening retaliation if they try to reign in the disinformation, targeted harassment, and voter suppression taking place on their platforms."

Read a related article:
The US is undergoing a reckoning on race and police brutality after footage went viral of a white police officer killing a black man by kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes.

Related: Night of flames and fury as Minneapolis swells with outrage over George Floyd killing

Protests have flared up across the country as people demand the arrest of the officers involved in the killing and for systemic change that will put an end to police brutality. After clashes with the police on Wednesday, some protesters set buildings on fire and ransacked stores. Heres what we know so far.

What prompted the protests?

Protests erupted on Tuesday in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after word got out that George Floyd, 46, a black man, was killed in police custody on Monday night after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on his neck.

The officers were responding to a call from a grocery store that claimed Floyd used a fake $20 bill. Police said he physically resisted officers once police located him inside his car.

In graphic footage of the incident shared on social media, Floyd can be heard shouting I cant breathe and Dont kill me! as the officer continues to kneel on his neck until medical personnel arrive. On Tuesday, the Minneapolis police department confirmed that he died a short time after a medical incident once he was transported to hospital.

Floyds family and friends called him a gentle giant because he was tall with a quiet personality but a beautiful spirit. The father of a six-year-old daughter had recently been laid off from his job as a bouncer at a local restaurant.

Have any arrests been made?

Chauvin was arrested on Friday afternoon on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

According to the complaint filed by the county prosecutor against Chauvin, Chauvin had his knee on Floyds neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds total, two minutes and 43 seconds of which Floyd was unresponsive. Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous, the complaint said.

Story continues

The complaint also said that the autopsy of Floyd revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. Rather, the combined effect of Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death. The family plans a second, independent autopsy.

The arrest came four days after the incident. The officers were fired on Tuesday.

What other incidents sparked the protests?

The police killing of George Floyd comes on the back of two other high-profile killings of black Americans in recent weeks.

Video footage of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, 25, from 23 February began circulating in early May. Arbery was jogging through a neighborhood outside Brunswick, Georgia, when he was shot dead by two white men, a 64-year-old father and his 34-year-old son, in a pickup truck who were pursuing him. The men were charged with murder and aggravated assault and arrested on 7 May after footage of the incident went viral.

Protesters gather at the scene where George Floyd was pinned down by a police officer kneeling on his neck in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 26 May. Photograph: Eric Miller/Reuters

Just a few weeks after Arbery died, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old certified EMT, was killed in her bed at home by police officers who were serving a no-knock warrant for a narcotics investigation on 13 March.

Taylors boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, said he believed he was witnessing a home invasion when police broke down their apartment door. Walker picked up his gun and fired a shot that hit an officer in the leg. In response, officers fired more than 20 times. Taylor was hit eight times and killed.

Where are the protests?

Protests have taken place all around the US, as they have since news of Arberys murder began to spread earlier in May.

The killing of Floyd was a tipping point. The largest demonstrations have been in the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St Paul, where peaceful protests have turned into riots in places, following clashes with police. Other protests have taken place in Denver, Chicago, Oakland, Los Angeles, Columbus, and New York.

A police officer throws a teargas canister towards protesters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 26 May. Photograph: Carlos Gonzalez/AP

Whats been happening during the protests?

I cant breathe has become the rallying cry for demonstrators, bringing back a phrase that was used in protests around the police killing of Eric Garner in New York City in 2014.

In Minneapolis, hundreds marched on Wednesday from the site of the confrontation between the police officer and Floyd to the police precinct where the officer was based.

When the protest reached the police precinct, officers dressed in riot gear clashed with demonstrators. Videos showed protesters throwing rocks and bottles at police vehicles and police officers using teargas, smoke and flash bombs and rubber bullets.

On Thursday, looting began in parts of Minneapolis and St Paul.

On Thursday night, demonstrators set ablaze the police precinct in Minneapolis .

Protests spread across the country on Friday, with demonstrators clashing with police in New York, Washington and Atlanta. Highways were blocked by protesters in California and the White House was temporarily placed under lockdown. The most violent scenes were in Atlanta, where protesters set a police car ablaze and broke windows at CNNs headquarters.

In Minneapolis, protesters defied a curfew of 8pm and, despite waves of teargas fired by police, took control again of the police precinct building.

What has the response to the protests been?

Just past midnight on Friday morning, Donald Trump tweeted that he sent the national guard to combat the protests in Minneapolis, criticizing the citys radical leftist leaders and threatening a crackdown against demonstrators. When the looting starts, the shooting starts, the president wrote in a tweet that has since been hidden by Twitter for glorifying violence.

Local leaders have denounced calls for violence against protesters. But in a press conference on Friday, Minnesotas governor, Tim Walz, said that restoring order was crucial to begin repairing societal injustices.

The ashes are symbolic of decades and generations of pain and anguish unheard, Walz said. George Floyds death should lead to justice and systemic change, not more death and destruction.

Floyds family told me they want peace in Minneapolis, but they know that black people want peace in their souls and that until we get #JusticeForFloyd there will be no peace, the familys lawyer, Ben Crump, said in a statement. We also cannot sink to the level of our oppressors and endanger each other as we respond to the necessary urge to raise our voices in unison and outrage.
US President Donald Trump reiterates his offer to mediate between India and China over the border issue, says he spoke to PM Modi and he is not in a good mood over the conflict.

Reiterating his order to mediate on the border conflict between India and China, US President Donald Trump said that he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is not in a good mood over the border dispute between the two countries. US President said that both the countries have powerful militaries. He said that Indians like him. He added that he also likes Modi as he is a great gentleman.

On Wednesday, Trump also expressed himself on a tweet that he is ready, willing, and able to mediate in the conflict between the two countries. He also said that if called for help, he will definitely intervene in the matter. India on Wednesday also responded to Trumps offer to mediate in the matter and said that it is engaged in peacefully handling the situation currently.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that both the sides have established mechanisms both at diplomatic and military levels to resolve the issue. He added that the country wants to resolve this peacefully. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian also said that both India and China have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve all the issues through dialogues.

Also Read: Nepal deploys Army unit to construct Darchula-Tinkar Road Project

#WATCH "We have a big conflict going on between India & China, 2 countries with 1.4 billion people & very powerful militaries. India is not happy & probably China is not happy, I did speak to PM Modi, he is not in a good mood about what's going on with China": US President Trump pic.twitter.com/1Juu3J2IQK  ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2020

Now, this is not the first time when Trump offered to mediate. Earlier, also Trump also offered the same offer between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue, which was then rejected by the Narendra Modi government which states that the third party has no role in bilateral issues.

For all the latest World News, download NewsX App
China will attack Taiwan if there is no other way of stopping it from becoming independent, one of the country's most senior generals said today.

Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department and member of the Central Military Commission told Beijing's Great Hall of the People: 'If the possibility for peaceful reunification is lost, the people's armed forces will, with the whole nation, including the people of Taiwan, take all necessary steps to resolutely smash any separatist plots or actions.'

He added: 'We do not promise to abandon the use of force, and reserve the option to take all necessary measures, to stabilise and control the situation in the Taiwan Strait.'

The general's ferocious rhetoric comes amid global outcry over Beijing's national security legislation in Hong Kong which has once again seen violent clashes between riot police and protesters.

Taiwanese supporters of Hong Kong hold slogan during a protest against proposed Beijing's national security legislation in Taipei, Taiwan, on Thursday

Li was speaking on the 15th anniversary of the Anti-Secession Law which gives China legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to, making the narrow Taiwan Strait a potential military flashpoint.

Although China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, it is rare for a top, serving military officer to so explicitly make the threat in a public setting.

Li is one of China's few senior officers with combat experience, having taken part in China's ill-fated invasion of Vietnam in 1979.

Taiwan is China's most sensitive territorial issue. Beijing says it is a Chinese province, and has denounced the Trump administration's support for the island.

Li Zhanshu, the third-most-senior leader of China's ruling Communist Party and head of China's parliament, told the same event that non-peaceful means were an option of last resort.

'As long as there is a slightest chance of a peaceful resolution, we will put in hundred times the effort,' Li said.

President Xi Jinping joins a deliberation with deputies from Hubei Province at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing on Sunday

However, he added: 'We warn Taiwan's pro-independence and separatist forces sternly, the path of Taiwan independence leads to a dead end; any challenge to this law will be severely punished'.

Taiwan has shown no interest in being run by autocratic China. It has denounced China's repeated military drills near the island and rejected China's offer of a 'one country, two systems' model of a high degree of autonomy.

China is deeply suspicious of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, whom it accuses of being a separatist bent on declaring formal independence.

Tsai says Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its official name.

Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party won presidential and parliamentary elections by a landslide in January, vowing to stand up to Beijing.

Hong Kong riot police fire tear gas as hundreds of protesters march along a downtown street during a pro-democracy protest against Beijing's national security legislation on Sunday

The mood in Taiwan toward China has further soured since China's parliament passed new national security legislation for Chinese-ruled Hong Kong on Thursday.

There was no immediate reaction from Taiwan's government to the comments out of Beijing.

But a senior Taiwan official familiar with the island's security planning told Reuters Beijing was seizing the occasion of the law's anniversary to 'intimidate Taiwan' and 'challenge the status quo in the Taiwan Strait' as Beijing draws heat for its Hong Kong plans.
In a shocking statement, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh has termed deaths of migrants returning home on Shramik Special trains as "small and isolated" incidents.

IANS

As multiple incidents of migrant workers losing their lives on trains are being reported every other day, the comments come across as purely insensitive and without any regard for the problems being faced by the poor.

Apart from the rising summer heat, migrants workers are also fighting hunger and dehydration as many have succumbed in trains on their way home, nine passengers, including a child, have been reported dead on 'Shramik Special' trains since Monday.

PTI

"Some unfortunate incidents have taken place. But you can't just blame the railways for it. They have been doing their best to ferry the migrants. Some deaths have taken place, but these are isolated incidents.



"We have examples of how railways have done their best to serve the passengers. Some small incidents have taken place, but that doesn't mean you will close down the railways," Ghosh, also a BJP MP, told reporters.

His remarks haven't gone down well as he faced the ire of Netizens.

Dilip Ghosh does it again. Hunger death is a serious violation of human rights. And this moron is mocking the whole situation calling it a less significant incident. All those who elected such morons take a bow. It will all come to you one day, you will b served what you elected pic.twitter.com/oSylw8Nshl  Abide in the truth (@Abide_in_truth) May 29, 2020

.@DilipGhoshBJP Thank you! This... this is your true colour and the people should witness it. You are just a power-hungry politician who never had any intention of helping the masses. #BJPFailedBengalhttps://t.co/95RhqqXV9C  Nusrat (@nusratchirps) May 29, 2020

According to WB BJP President #DilipGhosh, "Death of Migrants on 'Shramik' trains is a 'small, isolated' incidents".



You may understand what kind of mentality he has. How can a person like State President of some BIG party can say like this?#MigrantLivesMatter #MigrantWorkers pic.twitter.com/9OfSc74XJX  Momin Ali (@mominali00) May 29, 2020

Do people not die in trains?' asks Bengal BJP Chief Dilip Ghosh.



Not only in trains also in railway tracks and highways...People are dying everywhere. We're witnessing the dance of death and destruction since BJP came to power.  Gladwin Emmanuel@mirror.com (@gladwinemmanuel) May 29, 2020

Sir Ji, this Dilip Ghosh surely has a great body, but without a "Heart" & "Brain" inside that body. He is simply a pakka "" GODSE BHAKT "".. https://t.co/y3JoCVTkXF  Rajiv Prasad (@RajivPr45330955) May 29, 2020





His remarks also drew sharp reactions from the ruling TMC and the opposition CPI(M) in West Bengal, which asked the BJP leader to be more sensitive to the plight of the labourers.
The China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) will host an international webinar on global science and technology development and governance amid the COVID-19 pandemic on May 30, which also marks the fourth National Science and Technology Workers Day in China.

By hosting the event, CAST hopes to call on countries to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation and share their science and research results, facilitate the establishment of an international cooperation platform and mechanism involving all countries, and promote sustainable development as well as the reform and improvement of the global governance system through technological innovation.

Under the theme "Build Consensus for Cooperation and Jointly Tackle Challenges," the event will be organized by the Department of Academic and Societies Affairs of CAST, Chinese Preventive Medicine Association (CPMA) and Tencent Medpedia.

Huai Jinpeng, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Secretary of China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Mohamed H.A. Hassan, president of the World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries; Margaret Chan, honorary director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Walter Ricciardi, president elect of the World Federation of Public Health Associations, will attend the meeting and deliver speeches.
(Natural News) The coronavirus may be using the eyes as an entry point into the body, suggests a new study conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins University.

The study, published in a preprint format in MedRxiv, found that a certain protein enzyme produced by the eyes called angiotensin-converting enzyme-2, or ACE-2, can serve as a carrier for SARS-CoV-2 to enter the body.

According to the researchers, SARS-CoV-2 latches onto ACE-2 receptors, which are also known as the gateway into the bodys cells.

The study was spurred by cases wherein conjunctival signs and symptoms were observed in a subset of patients with COVID-19. The researchers first analyzed 10 post-mortem eyes from people who did not die of the disease, and checked for the presence of ACE-2, as well as TMPRSS2, another enzyme that helps viral entry following binding of the viral spike protein to ACE-2.

According to the researchers, ACE-2 and TMPRSS2 must both be present in the same cell for the virus to successfully replicate. (Related: Coronavirus updates: Global caseload now over 4.2 million, Wuhan orders tests for ALL residents, South Korea battles new cases.)

The two enzymes were found in all of the 10 samples.

The enzymes, the researchers said, were predominantly found in the conjunctiva, or the tissue that lines the inside of the eyelids. The two enzymes were also found in the clear outer layer of the eye, or the cornea, and the border between the cornea and the white of the eye, called the limbus.

As described in their study, once SARS-CoV-2 successfully latches onto the receptors, it becomes much easier for the virus to infect the cells, which would subsequently facilitate their replication.

Ocular surface cells including conjunctiva are susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2, and could, therefore, serve as a portal of entry, lead researcher Lingli Zhou wrote in their study.

As per the researchers, this means that if droplets from an infected persons sneeze or cough were to land on the surface of the eye, the virus could begin infiltrating cells there.

In addition, Zhou said this finding opens up the possibility that tears may also serve as a way to further spread the infection, noting that aside from being a point of entry into the body, the eyes could also serve as a reservoir for person-to-person transmission of this virus.

Infection of ocular surface cells could lead to the eye as being an important carrier, with ocular virus shedding constituting a significant mechanism for infection of other individuals, the researchers said, adding that their findings highlight the importance of safety practices in the general community to prevent the further spread of the infection, as well as the need for extra caution among ophthalmologists and other medical practitioners.

The results of the research came about a month after doctors from Italy found that their countrys first confirmed COVID-19 patient had detectable levels of the coronavirus in her eyes, long after the infection had cleared from her nasal cavity.

According to the doctors who attended the patient, they took eye swabs daily, with the doctors noting that the virus lingered in the womans eyes for 22 days.

As of this writing, the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the coronavirus which originated in Wuhan, China, has infected 4,430,000 around the world and killed 298,174.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

BioRXIV.org

Fox5DC.com

Express.co.uk

Mirror.co.uk

NYPost.com

LiveScience.com
Two New Yorkers have been stuck on their third date for two and a half months after flights were canceled due to coronavirus travel restrictions.

Matt Robertson, 31, and Khani Lee, 29, made the adventurous decision to go to Costa Rica for only their third time meeting.

But pair  who met in February after connecting on dating app Hinge - had no idea they'd still be there together after 71 days when they only committed to a week.

Robertson first revealed his plight in an Instagram post four weeks ago, calling their quarantine abroad, 'crazy times' in a hashtag.

Matt Robertson, 31, and Khani Lee, 29, made the adventurous decision to go to Costa Rica on March 17 for only their third time meeting. But their flights kept getting canceled. He revealed who he'd been stuck abroad with last week on day 67

'When you been abroad 6 weeks and still don't know when you're going home face,' he captioned a pictured of himself with a straight face. 'Hope everyone is staying, safe, healthy and happy.'

His post caught the interest of social media users and last week he revealed to followers who he'd been spending time with the jungle.

'Day 67 in Costa Rica. Since everyone has been asking me who I've been quarantined in Costa Rica with this whole time... meet Khani,' he captioned a picture of pair.

In the image Khani appears smiling, and while Robertson doesn't give much away from his expression, he revealed in the caption that they are getting along just fine.

'Don't normally share stuff like this but these aren't normal times,' he admitted. 'Lucky to get stuck with someone like her. Hopefully back to the states soon!'

Robertson said in an interview that initially they suggested the trip in jest but then he spontaneously booked flights for March 17.

Their plane departed just as New York City lockdowns got stricter.

On April 27, he had done six weeks in the jungle with Le. But he said in an interview this week: I'm really lucky to be stuck with someone like her

'Our first two dates went really well  We were feeling adventurous. It started out as a joke and then I escalated it and bought round-trip tickets to Costa Rica,' Robertson told Page Six.

One the date of their flight, nonessential services closed and the airline told them they'd 'be fine,' Le said.

She wasn't advised not to go by anyone she knew because she kept their plans quiet.

'I didn't even tell anyone,' Le admitted. 'I told my mom when I was boarding the flight and my dad still doesn't even know about Matt.'

The trip started out fun with some zip lining and he described it as 'badass for going on a third date together in another country'.

In one social media post he captioned a pool picture: 'As if we needed an excuse to drink at 10am every day. #coronacocktails.'

Robertson said: 'I guess I needed a global pandemic to push me into a relationship.' He captioned a March 24 pool picture (above): 'As if we needed an excuse to drink at 10am every day. #coronacocktails'

However the novelty wore off as airlines removed flights from schedules and they were ready to trade in jungle life for the concrete jungle.

'Flights kept getting canceled and we just drove around the country  finding affordable hotels and different Airbnbs,' Robertson said. 'Most don't have A/Cs  There's been lots of bugs and cockroaches, snakes and raccoons and we've been freaking out.'

Tourist stays in Costa Rica are normally limited to 90 days, but under the current COVID border restrictions, any foreigner who entered Costa Rica after December 17, 2019 for tourism purposes has been granted an extension of stay until July 17.

Still, Robertson feels fortunate that the situation wasn't made any worse by having an incompatible travel partner.

He suggested that being out of his comfort zone in a foreign country persuaded him to be a one-woman man.

'In hindsight, I'm really lucky to be stuck with someone like her  Everything happens for a reason,' he said. 'I guess I needed a global pandemic to push me into a relationship.'
SANTA FE  Public officials in New Mexico continue to contemplate a possible transition to single-payer health care in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Preliminary results of a study commissioned by New Mexicos Democrat-led Legislature in 2019 were released Tuesday that outline the consequences of combining nearly all financing for health care services behind a single, state-administered payer for all residents.

The analysis from a team led by Maryland-based KNG Health Consulting says the states uninsured rate would likely fall below 1% and that the use of health care services would likely increase as the vast majority of residents turn to public insurance.

Under a state-administered plan, some segments of the private insurance industry would disappear and significant additional funding sources would likely be needed to fully cover the cost of the plan  through some combination of additional contributions by employers, reduced payment rates to medical providers or higher costs for patients.

Although we assumed significant reductions in costs to administer the program, we found that the health security plan would be underfunded by approximately $7 billion over the first five years of the program, the preliminary report states.

Several states have contemplated a switch to single-payer universal health care systems that are anathema to the national Republican Party. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden opposes single-payer proposals, even as the coronavirus reveals the shortcomings of the current U.S. medical system.

Proposals by states for single-payer health care confront legal and financial hurdles as they seek to consolidate federal government tax subsidies, and spending on Medicare, Medicaid and health care exchanges.

Comments on the preliminary report for New Mexico are being sought before a final version is submitted to the Legislatures budget and accountability office.

New Mexico cut the uninsured rate roughly in half since expanding Medicaid in 2014 to more people on the cusp of poverty.

Enrollment leveled off in recent years, with about 10% of the population still uninsured. Its still unclear what impact the COVID-19 pandemic and a stalled economy will have on the number of people who go without insurance.
By staying on the sidelines as Twitter does battle with Mr. Trump and his allies, Mr. Zuckerberg could gain unlikely Republican friends to stave off regulatory intervention into his business, which lawmakers around the world have threatened for more than a year.

Many people in the tech industry believe regulators  not economic collapse brought on by the coronavirus pandemic or any other problem  are the one existential risk to Mr. Zuckerbergs business.

Zuckerbergs instincts have been right, said Brendan Carr, a Republican commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission. Zuckerberg said, We trust people to make up their minds.

But Mr. Zuckerbergs hands-off approach to Mr. Trumps increasingly incendiary behavior on social media runs the risk of alienating some users who think the rules about what can be posted to Facebook should be applied equally to everyone, including world leaders. It could also infuriate some of the companys Silicon Valley work force, who still believe Facebook isnt doing enough to counter misinformation campaigns.

And it could lend more ammunition to critics who say Mr. Zuckerberg is still unwilling  or unable  to own up to his companys role in disseminating information to the world, particularly when many news organizations are collapsing.

Twitter and Facebook both have community standards and policies to combat voter suppression, hate and the incitement of violence, and yet Twitter is actually enforcing those standards against the president of the United States and Facebook is doing nothing, said Vanita Gupta, the president of the Leadership Conference of Civil and Human Rights. The harm from this approach by Facebook is mass confusion, voter suppression and possible violence.

Twitter has started to experience the repercussions of taking on the White House. Several Republican lawmakers and regulators argued  on Twitter  that Twitter was being hypocritical because it was focusing on Mr. Trump while allowing other world leaders to spread lies.
The initial impact of COVID-19 on the Dublin economy is clearly evident in the latest Dublin Economic Monitor (DEM) published this morning by EY-DKM Economic Advisory on behalf of the four Dublin Local Authorities.

The data mainly covers the first quarter of 2020 and captures the early part of the current economic contraction. Dublin City Council say that this trend looks set to accelerate in the second quarter when the full effects of the COVID-19 lock down become evident.

This economic deterioration is particularly apparent in the Dublin hotel sector where April occupancy rates (-57% YoY), Average Daily Rates (-30% YoY) and supply (-54% YoY) have all collapsed. Data from Dublin airport also reflects this with provisional numbers pointing to a 57% annual fall in March.

The monitor shows the broader business sector ground to a halt in the first quarter with the Markit PMI index falling into contractionary territory for the first time in over seven years. This is apparent in the -4.7% yoy fall in volumes at Dublin Port in the first quarter, the largest decline since the third quarter of 2009. This also looks set to accelerate in the second quarter with the new orders componenet of the PMI, a leading indicator, decreasing for the first time since the third quarter 2012.

While the official unemployment rate in the capital only rose marginally to 4.6% in the first quarter, a sharp increase is expected in the second quarter in line with the national COVID-adjusted unemployment rate, which rose to 28.2% in April (NSA).

The Mastercard SpendingPulse, published as part of the DEM, also shows the effect that the lockdown is having on consumer spending in Dublin as shops closed and travel restrictions were introduced at the end of March 2020.

The diverging patterns between necessity (+5.1% YoY) and discretionary spending (-5.1% YoY) were noticeable as consumers stockpiled essentials but were more cautious elsewhere. The likelihood is that spending on necessities will return to more normal levels. Unsurprisingly, online sales accelerated in Dublin (+10.7% YoY) as the closure of physical shops saw customers move online.

Tourist spending in the capital also showed the effect of travel restrictions with all international nationalities measured showing annual declines except the UK, which rose by 1.3% YoY. Declines from the USA (-14% YoY) and France (-16.4% YoY) were particularly stark.

Commenting on the reports findings, Director with EY-DKM Economic Advisory, David McNamara said, "As Ireland begins the slow process of re-opening the economy, attention will turn to the post-COVID landscape and what changes might occur from the crisis. As was the case in the aftermath of the last recession, Dublin should recover at a faster pace than the rest of the country due to its industry mix of domestic services firms and multinationals, but most forecasters are now discounting any prospect of a V-shaped recovery."

He added, "Jobs might be permanently lost in tourism and retail in the city, while a shift towards remote working in other sectors could change the way citizens travel and socialise in the city. As we emerge from the crisis, the Dublin Economic Monitor will continue to be a vital resource to track these changes and the citys progress in the aftermath of the crisis."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
A cell phone app to alert Alabama users if theyve come in close contact with a person who tests positive for COVID-19 will not compromise users privacy, say the teams working on its development.

The app is currently being developed by Birmingham-based tech company MotionMobs, in collaboration with the Alabama Department of Public Health and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. It would notify users if they spent about 15 minutes or more within 6 feet of someone who later tested positive.

The app will use Bluetooth signals to determine whether other cell phones have been in close proximity, but will not record or store users locations or identify the users, according to Dr. Selwyn Vickers, Dean of UAB School of Medicine and chair of the re-entry task force for the University of Alabama system.

It has no location identity, it has no tracking capacity, Vickers said. It's a voluntary tool and it really will build itself on a culture of individuals valuing the power of the information to help keep a community safe or a school safe.

Alabama is one of four states so far to announce that it will work with Apple and Google to develop an app using their API (application programming interface), which includes limits on what the app can and cannot do in order to protect users privacy.

This is actually the most private and secure option for contact tracing that exists, said Emily Hart, director of consulting and marketing for MotionMobs, which is building Alabamas app. The app does not track your location. If the app were to attempt to access your GPS, it would get rejected from the [app] store."

"It does not ask for your name, or your email address, your birthday, or ask for any personally identifiable information. It also cannot access any other data on your phone.

Sue Feldman, associate professor and director of UABs graduate programs in health informatics, is leading UABs efforts to develop the tool. She said the companies privacy safeguards were an important consideration in selecting an app.

One of the reasons why we went with the Google-Apple app is their strict privacy concerns, Feldman said. There are other applications that do the same thing that are out there, but they disclose too much information, and we just felt like that was not appropriate for our state.

How it works

The app, once installed, will allow phones to broadcast a unique key, a chain of characters that serves as an identifier to other cell phones within close proximity through Bluetooth signals.

The app will automatically change your phones key every 10-20 minutes to a new random string of characters but will record the keys of associated phones that you come in contact with. Later, if a person tests positive for COVID-19, they can voluntarily enter that information into the app.

The app will then send an alert to phones that used those unique keys over the past 14 days, advising that they may have come in contact with a person who tested positive. The log of keys will be deleted after 14 days.

The app really functions like a little black box, Hart said. It just sits there, it distributes its keys and it collects its keys, and there is nothing else that the app knows how to do.

Hart said the keys are the only information exchanged, and even a list of keys would be of little use in tracking a person without knowing all the different keys a phone used.

Because those keys are randomized, anonymous, and they change so frequently, even if somebody were to try to intercept keys, they're not personally identifiable, Hart said. And because the keys are then bundled and encrypted, it's a worthless package. It doesn't tell you anything about the user. It doesn't tell you anything about where they've been. It is meaningless data, unless you are evaluating it through the exact same, secure algorithm.

The notifications would only occur once per day, and only after someone reports a positive test, so users will not be alerted immediately when they enter in the proximity of someone who has tested positive.

I think one of the misunderstandings is that if I'm at the supermarket, and somebody in front of me has been diagnosed with COVID-19 that I'm going to get an alert on my phone, Feldman said. That's just not how it works. It's completely anonymous. You never know the location [where you encountered a person who reported a positive test], you never know the person [who reported a positive test].

We're trying to change the messaging so that people understand what it truly does and what it really is, and what it doesn't do as well.

That basic framework will apply to all states who design an app to use the interface released by Apple and Google, but the states will be allowed to set their own thresholds for what constitutes close contact.

This setting is one of the more important and delicate customization options in the app.

If the app is too sensitive, and reports every passing contact, a large number of people will get mobile alerts who in reality have little danger of having contracted the disease. Too lax and the app may miss people who have a greater chance of being exposed.

In Alabama, the sensitivity settings are being configured with consultation from ADPH and UAB, based on a number of factors, including the distance between the phones and the length of time they are in close proximity. Hart said that generally speaking, the app will focus on notifying people who are less than six feet apart for at least 15 minutes.

Other options

While Alabama and three other states have announced they will use the Apple-Google API and conform to its privacy protection standards, other states have used separate apps that do not have those privacy protections in place.

Utah uses an app that can transmit information about symptoms to the states public health agency and allows public health workers to use location data for contact tracing, if the user opts in.

North and South Dakota used an app called Care19, which was found to be violating its own privacy policies by transmitting users location data to a third party company.

One reason is the immediate availability of those apps which have already been running for weeks, and the fact that apps that use location tracking data can offer more features than the more limited Apple-Google apps. Those apps could also help state health departments do contact tracing, as Utahs app does, or provide more feedback on where infected people have traveled.

Alabamas app is being called a contact tracing app, but it will not send data to the health department to help with contact tracing. It will only notify individual users who may have been exposed so that they can voluntarily limit their contact with other people, especially those who may be vulnerable due to age or health conditions. This early warning could be particularly useful with COVID-19 since people can transmit the virus before they develop symptoms, or even if they only develop mild symptoms.

Feldman said a less invasive tool with more users would be more helpful than a stronger tool that was less widely used.

When we think about trying to mitigate exposure and contact during a pandemic, we want more people using it, Feldman said. So the risk of having fewer features and more people using it, it's worth that risk, because the value is in the people using it, not really in the features.

The American Civil Liberties Union released a white paper highlighting privacy concerns associated with these apps, stating that the Bluetooth apps compatible with Google and Apple were preferable to those that use GPS location data, and that the Bluetooth apps could be even more privacy-preserving than traditional contact tracing, because no direct contact or identifying of an infected person is required.

I think, with all due respect about the concerns of being tracked and monitored, this is our best tool, Vickers said. Realizing that, no one wants undue invasion of privacy. We certainly don't and we don't believe Apple or Google do either.

Whats next?

Feldman said the team expects the app to be finished next week, with testing being performed once the updates to the operating systems are rolled out.

Apple and Google have to update all of our operating systems on our phones, Feldman said. Once they do that, then we'll be able to do some [quality assurance] checks and make sure that everything is still working and behaving as intended. Then we'll be able to put it up to the Apple, Google markets for people to download.

Once the app is available, the ADPH, UAB and other institutions will try to get as many people to register as possible. Vickers said the UA system will strongly encourage students and employees at UAB and the Tuscaloosa and Huntsville campuses to participate.

UAB has also reached out to private employers like Regions in Birmingham to encourage participation. Regions spokesperson Evelyn Mitchell said the company has been in communication with UAB about the app, but had not currently developed plans to use it.

We are encouraged by the progress being made to develop a contact tracing application, Mitchell said. However, at this time, we do not have specific plans in place to use the application.

Vickers said that while the app has limitations and concerns, it represents the best tool available to limit spread of the virus through reopening.

I think it gives us our best chance for actually surviving through this without undue damage and havoc, Vickers said. And having a chance to move into a future where we may eventually get a vaccine."

Feldman said the desire to protect themselves and others from the virus will be a key motivation for downloading the app.

Historically, in times like this, people want to help, Feldman said. They want protection and they want to protect others and so I agree that it will be a culture change, but I don't think it's going to be as hard as we had anticipated [to encourage adoption].

Vickers agreed, citing people who are afraid to go to the hospital for fear of being infected or become concerned when they see others not wearing masks.

I think there will be a small vocal few who say, I dont want my privacy invaded, but I think there will be a big majority who will endorse this to say We want to do all we can to protect our community, Vickers said.
Donald Trump is losing this years election  and you knew that. But the part coming into focus is that the way hes losing it may put Republicans in voters doghouses for decades. In other words, Trumps not losing one election, but as many as five or six at once.

As The Donald himself likes to boast, hardly anyone has ever done anything like that before.

The past weeks polls have been brutal, for the president and his party, as coalitions emerge in response to Trumpism that could last a generation. Republicans are increasingly likely to lose the Senate this fall, just like they lost the House of Representatives to Democrats in 2018, as Trump marks their brand as one for people who are old, busybodyish, and, worst of all, disconnected from reality.

Specifically, the 11-point lead Quinnipiac Universitys poll found for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, and the 8-pointer in Fox News poll, show the GOP looking more than ever like an all-in bet on the past, conceding the future to Democrats whether they deserve it or not.

Internal numbers in Quinnipiacs poll explain why Trumps party is in both short-term and long-term trouble.

Trumps down 11 despite a 24-point lead with white voters who lack college degrees, about 40 percent of the electorate. With everyone else, then, hes getting whipped by far more.

Both variables are moving, inexorably, in ways that doom Trumpism. The percentage of women with college degrees has doubled, to 36 percent, since Bill Clintons election in 1992 and nearly tripled since the last big GOP presidential wave in 1980, according to Statista. And the 67 percent white electorate was 76 percent as recently as 2000, says the Pew Charitable Trust.

So, Trumpism is betting everything on a base shrinking in both of its most relevant dimensions.

Foxs poll isnt much different. It shows Trump up 26 points (58-32) among white men without degrees, and down 21 (56-35) among white women with them. And hes getting demolished, 67-21, among nonwhites.

That could be fixed in four years  normally  but the GOP has been lashing itself to Trumpian surrealism, even before the president raised disdain for economic reason and scientific fact to the performance art required to make treating Covid-19 with hydroxychloroquine or Lysol a partisan litmus test.

Think about educated people you know. How many think wearing masks is a masculinity test? Think gay people shouldnt free to work without discrimination, or to get married, GOP-base mainstays before Trump? That government should restrict birth control? That immigrants all go on welfare and ravage cities? That neo-Nazis include very fine people, and barging into Michigans legislature brandishing AR-15s because you cant get a haircut is normal? Some, but not enough to win elections. Attitudes on all these issues vary by education level and occupation  the more educated and white-collar, the more voters favor Democratic answers.

In other words, the culture wars over and Republicans lost, even though many are very fine people.

 Anti-Trump Republican group launches ad against Mitch McConnell

These patterns are showing up in Senate races. Arizona, getting more Latinx and suburban, has GOP incumbent Martha McSally down 13 points in a survey by a local pollster. Colorados GOP incumbent Cory Gardners losing by as much as 18.

Of a sudden, the GOPs 53-47 Senate majority could  theoretically  lose 10 members. Maine, Colorado, Arizona and North Carolina are acknowledged problems. But Georgia (which has two seats open this year because Sen. Johnny Isakson resigned for health reasons), Iowa, and Montana are newer problems, and the GOP has a uniquely weak likely nominee in Kansas. If Trump stirs a wave of repudiation, even Kentuckys Mitch McConnell, Texas John Cornyn or South Carolinas Lindsey Graham could get wet.

The 2022 Senate map is worse for Republicans. Iowas Chuck Grassley will be 89, Pennsylvanias Pat Toomey wants to run for governor, and North Carolinas Richard Burr must explain stock trades possibly based on inside information about coronavirus. Democrats need to defend just 12 seats, all in blue strongholds.

The worst part for the GOP is that old white guys  those of whom Trump said, I love the poorly educated  still dominate the party. The path to GOP primary victory in 2022 runs through distaste for social norms (like abortion choice and multiculturalism) 40 to 50 years deep in mainstream culture, plus reality denialism. Thats why the GOP is likely to produce more Senate nominees  and a presidential nominee for 2024  who struggle in November.

Despite Trumps claims that everything he does is unique, weve seen this before. The best example (better even than Herbert Hoover) is 1896, when Democrats nominated William Jennings Bryan to fight for the interests of farmers in a nation turned urban and industrial.

Bryan got buried, and buried every Democratic nominee but one for 36 years, because he was as out of step with Americas turn-of-the-century transformation as Trump is now.

The way the Democrats really killed themselves was nominating Bryan again  in 1900 and 1908  to make sure no one forgot they were out of touch.

Like Democrats then, Republicans are falling over themselves to be the Trumpiest now, building paper trails to sink Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio and for United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley whenever they run for president.

And President Mike Pence? Oh, mother!
A DEA surveillance operation in north Laredo landed one man behind bars on drug charges, according to an arrest affidavit filed on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Mexican drug lord pleads poverty in bid to escape arrest

Juan Antonio Ramirez, 50, was charged with attempt to possess with intent to distribute and conspire with others to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

The cases unfolded at about 4:41 p.m. on May 20, as Drug Enforcement Administration special agents conducted surveillance on an alleged narcotics trafficker arriving at a residence in the 7500 block of Country Club Drive.

Special agents confirmed that he met with Ramirez, who lived at the Country Club residence. At approximately 4:46 p.m., special agents observed Ramirez and the supposed trafficker leave the residence. Ramirez drove away in a gold Ford F-250. Special agents maintained simultaneous surveillance on both.

Special agents observed the alleged trafficker drive a short distance to his residence near King Arthurs Court. He was allegedly carrying two grocery bags containing what appeared to be brick-like objects into his residence. Special agents had previously identified him as a stash house operator and coordinator working with Ramirez, according to court documents.

Special agents approached the alleged trafficker shortly after he left his residence. He allegedly stated to authorities that there were nine bricks of cocaine inside his residence. DEA detained him and seized the cocaine.

Special agents then obtained recorded phone conversations between the trafficker and a man identified only as Jefe discussing the delivery of the 19 pounds of cocaine to Ramirez. The alleged trafficker stated that Ramirez had agreed to receive the cocaine.

On May 21, special agents replaced the bricks of cocaine with sham cocaine, and with the assistance of the supposed trafficker, special agents made arrangements for the trafficker to deliver those bricks to Ramirez, according to court documents.

At about 9:49 p.m., Ramirez arrived in a Ford F-250 and parked in front of the traffickers residence. The trafficker placed a large bag in the backseat of the Ford. Ramirez then departed. DEA requested assistance from the Webb County Sheriffs Office to perform a vehicle stop. A deputy pulled over Ramirez along Bob Bullock Loop north. The deputy requested Ramirez exit the vehicle and walk toward the back of his vehicle to speak to special agents.

READ MORE: Plane makes emergency landing on US 59 east of Laredo

Special agents asked Ramirez if there was anything illegal inside the vehicle, and Ramirez stated that to his knowledge there was nothing illegal. Authorities then questioned Ramirez on his whereabouts, and he allegedly provided conflicting statements. He then allegedly agreed to a consent to search. Special agents then discovered the bag with the sham cocaine, according to court documents.
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries saw retail alcohol sales increase during the initial stage of the pandemic, generating $2 million more in revenue in March and April than the same period last year.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/5/2020 (602 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries saw retail alcohol sales increase during the initial stage of the pandemic, generating $2 million more in revenue in March and April than the same period last year.

The increase helped the corporation offset losses from shuttered casinos.

Chief executive officer Manny Atwal provided new details on the corporations pandemic response and anti-theft strategy during a legislature meeting on Crown Corporations Thursday afternoon.

The corporation has also managed to significantly reduce thefts at its Liquor Mart locations that last year amounted to $2.9 million in product taken from store shelves, doubling the total from the previous fiscal year, Atwal said.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Manny Atwal, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries chief executive officer, said the corporation was not able to slow the rate or severity of thefts despite launching an anti-theft strategy more than a year ago and seeing some initial positive results. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

"Outside of COVID-19, one of the greatest challenges faced for the corporation has been Liquor Mart thefts," Atwal said.

Despite launching an anti-theft strategy more than a year ago and seeing some initial positive results, Atwal said the corporation was not able to slow the rate or severity of thefts.

The corporations introduction of controlled entrances at Liquor Mart locations, however, has stemmed robberies since the first entrance was installed at the Tyndall Market Liquor Mart last November, he said. The majority of liquor stores have since been renovated with controlled accesses and the roll-out to all Winnipeg locations is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

"Over the past several months weve gone from over 400 thefts and robberies on a weekly basis to less than a dozen," Atwal said.

A spokeswoman for MLL said theyre unable to disclose the total cost of the security initiative before construction has been completed.

Following the arrival of the novel coronavirus in Manitoba, retail Liquor Mart sales in March and April increased by $4 million over 2019, Atwal said, with a net income of about half. Those sales have since levelled out.

Some of those gains, however, were deflated by revenue losses from licensees, including restaurants and wine stores.

"Were pretty much on budget, plus or minus a percentage point or two at this point," Atwal said of liquor operations.

Over the past several months weve gone from over 400 thefts and robberies on a weekly basis to less than a dozen.  Manny Atwal, chief executive officer at Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries

Atwals remarks came during the first sitting of a Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries CEO and board chair before the committee since November 2016.

Despite a significant drop in revenue attributed to the pandemic-based closure of casinos and the provinces VLT network, MLL has been able to manage its expenses relative to income and is projecting to have a positive cash flow until the end of the second quarter.

Approximately 1,300 MLL employees, or 40 per cent of the companys workforce, have been temporarily laid off -- including 1,100 casino employees and 200 staff in management and support roles, Atwal said. More than 130 have been redeployed to assist in home delivery efforts and distribution.

A treasury board document posted online in mid-April said Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries normally contributes more than $600 million a year into government revenue but could see negative cash flow for some time, The Canadian Press reported.

The chief executive officer said the corporation continues to operate as a "cash-positive" business.

"As you can imagine the casinos and VLT network contributed significantly to our bottom line from a revenue standpoint," Atwal said. "The shutdown of those for two months now is impacting our fiscal delivery relative to budget."

Atwal said online gaming has more than doubled since the pandemic but is still relatively small and less than a tenth of what was lost with the closure of casinos and VLTs. The corporation has also put non-safety related projects temporarily on hold to manage expenses. Meanwhile, cannabis operations have not been significantly impacted, Atwal said. The corporation is currently in the process of developing new forecasts for the full fiscal year.

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"Our most current projections show that we would likely not be cash flow negative. Our projections go forward to the end of the second quarter, at this point, and theres still a number of assumptions and variables in there that could impact that number," he said.

Opposition MLA Adrien Sala said the contradiction between the treasury board analysis and what MLL officials stated Thursday raises concerns over the governments request to its departments and Crown corporations to find savings.

"We learned clearly today that the premiers messaging around these Crown corporations and how theyre bleeding money and using that as a pretense for making cuts across the whole of government are totally baseless," Sala said.

Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton said quarterly reports are a good gauge, but are not the end result.

"Certainly, the CEO had mentioned these are fluid times and the numbers are always fluid as well," Wharton said.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
An attorney for a Charlotte man accused of fatally shooting a Kernersville man in 2018 wants Forsyth prosecutors to turn over information about an alleged deal with the getaway driver, who is now the DJ for rapper DaBaby. The attorney said in the motion that she found out the possible deal in an email exchange this month. According to search warrants, the driver admitted his role in interviews with Kernersville police and identified the three men who have been charged in the fatal shooting.
Visitors wearing face masks and practicing social distancing shop on Thursday in the Glendale Galleria. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

When the email alert landed in her inbox Wednesday night, Christine Parsons knew exactly what she would do the very next morning: head to the mall, the Glendale Galleria to be exact.

The electronic missive announced that the huge shopping center would reopen Thursday after a long coronavirus nap. Parsons had been sitting for a month on a bag of unwanted merchandise shed bought online, and she wanted to return it in person at PacSun, a beachy clothier that trades on California chic.

But when she got to the shop, the door was locked, clothing was scattered on the floor inside, and a note was taped to the glass, the kind of announcement seen at stores mallwide: Right now, our plan is to re-open our stores on Sunday, March 29th, but the situation is evolving and this may change.

An empty corridor of the Glendale Galleria, where many shops, despite the mall's reopening, remained closed on Thursday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Now theres an understatement. When the mall opened at 11 a.m., 90% or so of its retail outlets were not ready to reopen; according to the Glendale Galleria website, only 19 of the 198 shops were back in business, one day after the Los Angeles County Department of Health allowed malls, retail stores, faith-based services and drive-in movies to resume business.

In fact, most major malls across the county  and a fair number of smaller, independent shops as well  were still closed on Wednesday and Thursday. And those that were open were far from jammed with customers.

The slow start underscores the peril facing the regions economy and the difficult choice facing retailers, employees and consumers alike: If stores are full, the pandemic could worsen. If theyre empty, there goes the economy.

On Thursday, you could buy a soft pretzel, a diamond ring or a Double-Double at the Glendale Galleria. But you couldnt browse the makeup counter at Bloomingdales or get your cranky iPhone fixed at the Apple store. And you most certainly couldnt return goods you didnt like at PacSun.

Masked shoppers browse inside Papaya while wandering the Glendale Galleria on Thursday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

I dont understand how this store is closed, but the stores across the hall are open, said Parsons, a 29-year-old Los Angeles County resident who works at Chobani. If you travel outside of L.A., its a whole different reality. Its like coronavirus doesnt exist.

Story continues

The novel coronavirus certainly exists here. Los Angeles County has recorded 49,860 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday, and 2,241 people have died here from the virus. Thats a much higher toll than any other county in the state, but then Los Angeles is also the most populous states most populous county.

The virus pushed unemployment in the county to 20.3% in April, the highest rate of any big, urban area in the state; in that month alone, Los Angeles County lost 691,300 jobs. The state lost 2.3 million jobs in April, according to the California Employment Development Department, which called the job loss unprecedented and a direct result of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That pain has rippled out into malls and stores throughout the region.

Shoppers wearing facial coverings and practicing social distancing peruse a shoe section on Thursday at the Glendale Galleria. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Major malls such as the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, the SouthBay Pavilion in Carson and the Beverly Center in Los Angeles all were closed Thursday, except for essential services such as restaurant takeout and delivery and some curbside pickup. Some stores at the Beverly Center plan to reopen Friday.

Baldwin Hills Crenshaw mall's website said it would be open today 0:00. Along with the Shops at Montebellos closure notice, the malls website exhorted consumers to #FLATTENTHECURVE.

The Westfield Century City mall plans to reopen Saturday, but five of the companys other shopping centers  in Culver City, Valencia, Sherman Oaks, Arcadia and Canoga Park  will remain closed until Wednesday. When they do come back, the malls will offer a package of new digital services, which will allow customers to shop by appointment and check foot traffic at the mall in real time before heading out to browse.

Bill Allen, chief executive of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., said he thinks retailers and mall operators are taking appropriate time to make sure the experience is safe and pleasurable for consumers. Because the retail experience is everything today.

But he also worries about the impact of a sluggish restart.

The majority of our economy is driven by consumers. If consumers dont have the ability or interest to get out and shop, it will limit the economic recovery," Allen said. "That will limit reemployment. It will limit spending. It will limit taxes paid to local government. And that limits governments ability to provide services.

The Citadel Outlets in Commerce, which also reopened Thursday, didnt give much cause for hope. Only 25 stores out of 130 opened their doors in a mellow first step back for the Assyrian-style icon along the 5 Freeway.

Shoppers wearing protective masks walk around the garment district on Thursday in downtown Los Angeles, an area whose shops have mostly been closed since March. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

The parking structure was almost empty and the scattered crowds left plenty of room for people to maintain more than the recommended six feet of separation. Almost everyone  adults and children alike  wore masks. Short lines appeared at several storefronts, but wait times seldom exceeded 10 minutes.

Citadel general manager David Blagg said the decision whether to open was left up to individual tenants, mostly national chains making plans on a regional scale. None had notified him that they did not intend to reopen. Several said they were trying to figure out how to keep customers far enough apart, while others were having trouble getting staff to return.

The dearth of stores and lack of choice were a disappointment for Octavio Acevedo and his daughter Dana, who waited in line outside Papaya, a clothing store that caters to the fashionable young.

Still, Acevedo conceded, Its better to be here than home.

They got into Papaya after a 10-minute wait. Dana left with a dress and sweater.

A deliveryman donning a face mask moves packages past mannequins wearing similar protection in the garment district on Thursday in downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Outside of the countys major malls, at independent businesses that dont wait for orders from a corporate office, the picture wasnt any rosier.

The retail vacancy rate in beleaguered Westwood Village was a dismal 22% before the pandemic, Andrew Thomas, executive director of the Westwood Village Improvement Assn., said Wednesday. Thomas expects that to nearly double, because it's still unclear whether UCLA students will be able to return in the fall.

And upcoming construction of the Metro Purple Line subway extension will only make matters worse in the neighborhood, where many streets have "for lease" signs posted.

Business is not going to be dictated by a faucet," Thomas said. "You cant just bring all of the customers back and pour into the Village. Its going to take time for people to feel safe. And businesses are going to have to hang in there until people have that comfort level. And that's going to be very difficult.

On Wednesday, the first day the county had loosened shelter-at-home directives, Highland Parks trendy York Boulevard was hit and miss. Essential businesses, such as the upscale coffee shops and traditional mom-and-pop markets, had been open throughout the pandemic. But many boutiques and specialty shops remained dark.

The doors at vintage clothing shops, gift stores, art retailers and bookstores were barred, chained or boarded up Wednesday, sporting a variety of outdated signs about when  or if  they would reopen.

There are three party supply stores within a block and a half of York and North Avenue 50. But on Wednesday, only Juniors Discount Shop was open.

Nobody has come in, but we have to open, we have to try, said owner Silvia Flores, 51, whose store previously offered curbside pickup. I was hoping for more people.

Juniors sells clothing and knickknacks, paper products and party decorations. Signs warn customers to wear masks and maintain social distancing. Flores said she also would be on the lookout to make sure her store didnt get too crowded.

Wednesday, that was not an issue.

I think people are scared, said Flores, who wore a protective mask and pushed aside her own fears of the deadly disease for one simple reason: She cant afford to stay closed any longer.

The virus is out there, but so is the electric bill, so is the rent, so is my insurance, she said. If we stay closed, this store will die."
Nurses at the Mater Hospital in Belfast taking part in the last night of the Clap for Carers tribute. Picture by Stephen Davison/Pacemaker

Tourism NI has paid tribute to the people of Northern Ireland and their response to the Covid-19 crisis with a video applauding their giant spirit.

The one minute 40 second film, narrated by Game of Thrones and Derry Girls star Ian McElhinney, is a gesture designed to raise spirits and send a small message of hope and resilience.

Theres a crisis in our land and it is trying to tear us all apart," says McElhinney. No longer can we stand side by side but that doesnt mean we cant stand together."

The film includes moving clips of people being applauded by family and neighbours as they return home from hospital after contracting the virus and fighting for their lives.

Pictures of Belfast City Hall and Parliament Buildings illuminated in blue in support of NHS staff feature in the campaign video, as well as touching footage of people across Northern Ireland taking part in the weekly Clap for Carers movement.

The film which is just under two minutes long, also includes a clip of Pastor Mark McClurg, of Newtownards Elim Church, who made headlines when he spoke of his near-death experience in viral videos recorded from the coronavirus ward of the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald.

If you look closer, McElhinney continues, there is more than a crisis. There is a flicker, a flame of perseverance. It might look small, but it is giant at heart, fuelled by our spirit that never wavers, whatever comes our way.

We are a land that, in times of need, stands together, stands strong and will not falter.

He adds: Ours is a giant spirit forged by our surroundings. A spirit filled with relentless creativity descended from legends that shines through cold winds with warm smiles and open hearts.

Well get through this, just like everything else. Well keep fighting on the front lines, well keep protecting our families, our loved ones, our community.

Well keep our spirits up and raise the spirits of those around us. We will get through this, together.

The film which is just under two minutes long, also includes a clip of Pastor Mark McClurg, of Newtownards Elim Church, who made headlines when he spoke of his near-death experience in viral videos recorded from the coronavirus ward of the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald.

Tourism NI Chief Executive John McGrillen said the video tribute showcases the generosity, spirit and strength of our people and conveys the fact that in times of need we stand together.

The people of Northern Ireland and the warm hearted courtesy that we extend to others is the essence of our welcome and so we decided that as an agency we were well placed to pay tribute to everyone who has stood together during this crisis.

He added: We are acutely aware of the challenges faced by our communities as we start to consider how we move into recovery.

The tourism industry will have an important role in helping to rebuild the economy, sustain jobs and create opportunities for our young people.

We have witnessed incredible strength from our entire community in recent months and this film is intended, as much as a thank you, as a way of stating that we will continue to need each other to rebuild in the years ahead.

Tourism NI, Government and industry are working together in unique ways to provide practical help to businesses in Northern Ireland. Despite the considerable challenges that we face this film is one of hope and pride shared across the country.
KITCHENER  Forest Heights is one of 19 high-risk red long-term care homes in the province.

The province has classified nursing homes in the province as being either red  with the most serious COVID-19 infections  yellow or green, which are homes with the least concern.

Forest Heights is the only red home in the region, said Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the regions acting medical officer of health, at a briefing Friday. One other home in Kitchener, Trinity Village, is yellow.

Only 19 of the provinces 626 long-term care homes are currently classified as red. Those homes have the most serious outbreaks and require significant resources from other health care partners, Wang said.

This is a very, very large outbreak, Wang said.

The outbreak at Forest Heights, a privately run home owned by Revera, is by far the most serious in the region. Almost one in four of the cases in the region have been either a resident or an employee at Forest Heights.

The home has been in continuous outbreak for almost two months, the longest of any home in the region. Its outbreak started on April 1. Fifty residents have died of COVID and almost three-quarters of all residents at the home have been infected  a total of 174 cases among its 240 residents. As well, 68 employees have been infected.

Andrea Coles 90-year-old mother Hope Cole lives at Forest Heights. She tested positive for the virus more than nine weeks ago and Andrea wanted her mother retested. It finally happened this week after much complaining.

They are still obviously understaffed, said Cole of the home, even though additional staff were brought in to deal with the outbreak.

The provincial government ordered the Canadian Armed Forces to provide extra help to five Ontario homes. Forest Heights was not included even though it had more deaths than two of the five homes where the military stepped in.

Ministry officials said they gave first priority for military help to homes with the most severe staffing problems.

Why werent the military at Forest Heights? said Cole, whose father, Leslie, 89, died at the home on April 20. His death was not COVID-19 related.

Cole said the military help should have come to homes battling the virus outside of the Toronto area.

How did Doug Ford decide which homes got help? she said. You are the premier of Ontario, not just Toronto.

We got hit hard here too in Waterloo Region, Cole said.

Kitchener Centre MPP Laura Mae Lindo, whose riding includes Forest Heights, agrees. To be honest, a lot of times when the government has had to intervene on anything, its been focused on Toronto first. Its been part of our job to remind the government that there are other areas.

On Friday, the province announced more enhanced and targeted testing of homes and other groups such as LCBO workers and police. Enhanced testing is expected for hospital workers and their families, residents and staff at retirement homes, and nursing homes.

A testing blitz of residents and staff at Ontarios long-term care homes was completed two weeks ago. Locally, public health completed whole-home testing of all long-term care homes on May 15.

According to a Globe and Mail compilation of cases in long-term care across the province, Forest Heights had the sixth highest numbers of deaths of any single home in the province.

But while the outbreak at Forest Heights continues, Wang said the situation in the home is improving.

Weve seen the outbreak over time come under better control, she said. With these very large-scale outbreaks, it is very difficult to quickly bring it under control.

We just have to continue with the efforts, continue to work with Forest Heights and their Revera management to ensure that things continue to go in the right direction, but its not an easy thing to do when an outbreak is that large.

We cant let up in terms of the vigilance and we have to keep monitoring every day.

Forest Heights has received some help to deal with its outbreak.

A dozen personal support workers have been reassigned from home and community care to Forest Heights to provide relief to front-line caregivers who have been working long hours throughout the outbreak. Revera has also hired 28 extra staff to bolster a variety of roles in the home, the company said.

As well, 54 residents have been temporarily moved to local hospitals, to make it easier for the home to isolate infected residents, and to relieve some pressure on staff at the home.

With 240 beds, Forest Heights is one of the largest nursing homes in the region. It is an older facility, and some residents are housed four to a room, making it harder to isolate people once infected.

New Democrat MPP Catherine Fife raised the situation at Forest Heights and other hard-hit homes in the legislature this week, saying scared and angry families have contacted her and Lindo about the situation at Forest Heights.

We can agree that the former government neglected our long-term care system, Fife said in a question to the Conservative health minister. But it is this government who looked the other way when the pandemic began.

There has been no iron ring around these homes.
By Express News Service

A trend of women-led nations successfully subduing the coronavirus has gained a lot of attention, especially when many male-led major countries with advanced economies and healthcare systems have been flailing. What are the countries with women leaders doing differently?

One common theme is the swiftness of the response. Women leaders took the coronavirus seriously and did not underestimate the risks, unlike, say, US President Donald Trump. They also acted decisively, either with strict lockdowns or (in the case of Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen) highly-effective testing and tracing programmes.

There are other factors at play here besides leadership. New Zealand, for example, is an isolated nation with a population spread out thinly over a large area, which makes containing the outbreak easier. Others such as Iceland can implement universal testing because of tiny populations.

In Scandinavian countries, Sweden alone took the much-talkedabout approach of placing economic considerations alongside the health risks of the pandemic. The Covid-19 figures for the country, headed by a male prime minister, stand in stark contrast to statistics of Finland, Denmark and Norway, all of which are headed by women: Sweden has recorded close to 5,000 deaths, whereas the other three nations have kept their individual toll to less than 600.

Gender disparity

Only about 21% of cabinet ministers around the world are women, as per the World Economic Forum. Experts such as Devi Sridhar of the University of Edinburgh say that diversity in leadership positions in countries will lead to better policy outcomes. It should also be noted that women bear the brunt of the pandemics impact. They constitute 70% of global medical workers and also face an increased burden in caring for family members during the lockdown.

FINLAND

Sanna Marin, 34, is one of the youngest prime ministers in the world and she took office only 6 months ago, around the time the virus emerged in China. Following a strict lockdown from March 18 onwards, Finland has managed to contain the outbreak, recording fewer than 7,000 cases. Now the country is set to reopen on June 1, with restaurants, theatres, bars, cinemas and crowds up to 50 allowed. Even schools and universities will resume classes.

GERMANY

Angela Merkel, a scientist herself, didnt mince words early on during the outbreak, when she warned that up to 70% of Germans could get infected. Merkel looked at information sources outside of her government for determining its response, including South Koreas strategy. This is in contrast to male leaders in countries such as the UK (where the toll is much higher), who listened mainly to their own advisers.

ICELAND

Katrin Jakobsdottirs rapid response to Covid-19 has been instrumental in Iceland recording the lowest death rate in Europe. The country has tested more people (including those with no symptoms) per capita than any nation. Iceland joined hands with deCODE genetics, a biopharma firm, to begin Covid-19 testing as early as March. This aggressive testing and tracing practices allowed the country to avoid strict lockdowns and is expected to open to tourists by June 15.



DENMARK

Denmark was one of the earliest to lock down. Though it has a relatively higher count of coronavirus deaths, the countrys left-leaning PM Mette Frederiksen has been praised for acting decisively to control the outbreak. As a result, the country of 6 million has largely returned to pre-Covid-19 status, with restaurants and hairdressers and other places with large gatherings now back in business. Denmark has also rolled out universal testing, which is key to fighting a second wave of cases.

NEW ZEALAND

From the outset, New Zealand was determined to wipe out the virus altogether. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had a motto of Go hard and go early. She put the country under a aggressive lockdown as soon as about 100 people tested positive. Daily new infections plunged in April to single digits, from a peak of 89, and Ardern has allowed businesses and schools to reopen. The duration of lockdown has been much shorter than other countries in the Pacific

TAIWAN

The country of 24 million has recorded just 441 cases and 7 deaths, despite the islands proximity to the virus epicentre Wuhan. Using the experience of vice president and former health minister Chen Chien-jen, a Johns Hopkins University-trained epidemiologist, President Tsai Ing-wens administration was able to overcome the pandemic without a full lockdown. Besides beginning testing on Dec 31, 2019, Taiwan led the way in diligent contact tracing and medical checks. When passengers arrived in Taiwan in March-April, they had to hand over phones to authorities for recording details. The phones GPS signals were used to track the arrivals location and make sure they stayed put in quarantine. Police would turn up if the phone stopped transmitting the GPS signal. The country also sought out patients with respiratory symptoms and tested them for Covid-19
* Minimal activity in Hong Kong, China

* Chinese premiums ease slightly to $14-$18/ounce

* Most jewellers still shut in India

* Singapore sees some retail buying

By Rajendra Jadhav and Asha Sistla

BENGALURU/MUMBAI, May 29 (Reuters) - Asian physical gold hubs struggled to regain footing this week as most retail customers stayed away even as some coronavirus restrictions were eased.

Chinese dealers sold gold at discounts of $14-$18 an ounce versus benchmark prices, compared to last week's $15-$20 discounts, with traders attributing the dip to a depreciation in the yuan.

"Jewellery shops in both China and Hong Kong are hardly seeing any customers... many people prefer to liquidate their physical gold for profit," said Peter Fung, head of dealing at Wing Fung Precious Metals

Benchmark spot gold prices ranged between $1,693.22 and $1,735.19 an ounce this week.

In Hong Kong, which has been reeling from protests over a national security legislation being introduced by China, premiums were unchanged at $0.50-$1.75 per ounce.

India too saw subdued activity amid high local rates while most jewellery shops remained shuttered due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Demand is just 20% compared to normal as most weddings have been postponed, said Mangesh Devi, a jeweller from the rural town of Satara in the state of Maharashtra.

"Many potential customers aren't stepping out due to fears of getting infected," said Devi, who opened shop this week.

Indian gold futures were trading around 47,000 rupees per 10 grams on Friday, near a record high of 47,980 rupees.

Jewellers haven't started purchasing from banks yet, said a Mumbai-based dealer with a bullion importing bank.

In thin trade, dealers offered discounts of up to $25 an ounce over official domestic prices, which include a 12.5% import and 3% sales taxes.

In Singapore, gold was sold at $0.80-$1.90 an ounce premiums.

A dip in global spot prices below $1,700 "spurred some retail buying," said Brian Lan of dealer GoldSilver Central.

"It seems bullion dealers will be able to operate but not all services are allowed. Retail shop fronts are not allowed to resume at least for phase 1 after the 'Circuit Breaker'."

In Japan, gold was sold at par with the benchmark. (Reporting by Asha Sistla and K. Sathya Narayanan in Bengaluru and Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai Editing by Arpan Varghese and Frances Kerry)
Brussels:

The European Union today ordered Apple to pay a record 13 billion euros in back taxes in Ireland, saying deals allowing the US tech giant to pay almost no tax were illegal.



In the latest in a series of rulings that has angered Washington, Brussels said the world's most valuable company avoided tax bills on virtually all its profits in the bloc under its arrangements with Dublin.



Apple and the Irish government immediately said they would appeal against the European Commission ruling, while the US Treasury said it could undermine its economic partnership with the EU.



Ireland has been seeking to attract multinationals by offering extremely favourable tax conditions, known as sweetheart deals, but EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said Apple's broke EU laws on state aid.



"This decision sends a clear message. Member states cannot give unfair tax benefits to selected companies, no matter if European or foreign, large or small," Vestager said.



"This is not a penalty, this is unpaid taxes to be paid," Vestager added.



The tax repayment order, by far the largest in EU history, follows a three-year inquiry into whether Dublin's tax breaks for Silicon Valley titan Apple were against the law.



Apple has had a base at the southern city of Cork since 1980 and employs 5,000 people in Ireland, through which it routes its international sales, avoiding billions in corporation taxes.



But Vestager, who has launched a series of cases against US firms, said that Apple's "so-called head office in Ireland only existed on paper.



It had no employees, no premises and no real activities.



" Apple as a result paid an effective corporate tax rate of 0.005 per cent on its European profits in 2014, equivalent to 50 euros for every million, Vestager added. Tensions have been growing between Washington and Brussels over a series of anti-trust investigations targeting companies such as Apple, Amazon, Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler. Apple said "we will appeal and we are confident the decision will be overturned," said the company.



"It will have a profound and harmful effect on investment and job creation in Europe," the company added.



Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the decision "leaves me with no choice but to seek cabinet approval to appeal the decision before the European Courts".



The Apple tax bill dwarfs the previous EU record for a state aid, the 1.3 billion euros received by the Nurburgring race track from German authorities.



The US stepped up its rhetoric ahead of the decision, accusing the European Commission of unilateralism and overstepping its mandate.
MOUNT PLEASANT, MI  Temperature checks, face masks, fewer slot machines, Plexiglas partitions and a smoking ban are among the changes guests can expect when they return to Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant and Saganing Eagles Landing Casino near Standish.

Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe officials recently announced plans to reopen the two casinos to the general public on Monday, June 1. The reopenings come before Gov. Gretchen Whitmers stay-home order expires June 12, but with a variety of safety precautions in place meant to protect employees and guests.

New safety measures and policies at the casinos will include a smoking ban, face masks required for both employees and guests, temperature checks at entrances with either infrared cameras or non-contact thermometers, and other changes to promote social distancing.

Soaring Eagle is one of at least seven tribal casinos in Michigan that plan to reopen in the coming days. Others include FireKeepers in Battle Creek and Gun Lake Casino in Wayland.

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, which owns the Soaring Eagle and Eagles Landing casinos, voluntarily closed Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, the Slot Palace & Bingo Hall and Saganing Eagles Landing Casino & Hotel on March 16 to support efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, in Michigan. The facilities are scheduled to reopen to invited guests only at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 29, and to the general public at 8 a.m. Monday.

Although the casinos are reopening, some amenities will reopen at later, undetermined dates, according to officials. At Soaring Eagle, those amenities opening later include a buffet, valet and shuttle services, coat check, spa and salon, pool and hot tub areas, poker games, tour bus groups, concerts and more. At Saganing Eagles Landing, amenities opening later include shuttle service, coat check, pool and fitness center.

Safety precautions casino guests can expect include:

Temperature checks with infrared cameras at primary entrances and with no-contact thermometers at secondary entrances

Plexiglas partitions in appropriate interactive areas

Additional hand sanitizer available to employees and guests

Increased surface sanitation

Gaming chips sanitized regularly

Playing cards replaced more frequently

Markers on the floor to promote 6-foot social distancing where lines may form

Fewer tables in restaurants

Employees serving drinks to guests at self-service drink stations

Every other slot machine turned off

Reduced seating at game tables and modified bingo seating

Team members required to regularly wash or sanitize their hands and to stay home if not feeling well and guests encouraged to do so

As of Thursday, May 28, COVID-19 had infected more than 56,000 and killed 5,372 in Michigan. For more statewide data, visit MLives coronavirus data page, here.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Gov. Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

RELATED STORIES:

2 more northern Michigan tribal casinos to reopen with coronavirus precautions

FireKeepers Casino to reopen June 1
WASHINGTONFriday afternoon, President Donald Trump announced that in the middle of a global pandemic, he is terminating the U.S. relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO), making permanent a suspension of funding he announced last month.

Why? Because of China, he said.

The world is now suffering as a result of the malfeasance of the Chinese government. Chinas coverup of the Wuhan virus allowed the disease to spread all over the world, Trump said, saying it was a coverup the WHO participated in under pressure from China.

The U.S. calls for significant reform to the organization have not been met, he said. China has total control over the World Health Organization.

However, experts have warned that a WHO without American participation and funding would give China more influence and control over both the organization and global health efforts around the world.

What would an international organization be like without the United States? Robert Bothwell, an international relations expert at the University of Torontos Munk School said to me recently. Obviously, it would start performing in ways that simply ignored American views.

Thats exactly the scenario laid out this week by Amanda Glassman and Brin Datema of the Center for Global Development, who wrote that without the involvement of the United States, and with correspondingly increased involvement and funding from other countries including specifically China, the WHO would likely pay less attention to U.S. public health goals and areas of strategic importance. The United States created the WHO and the United Nations system. If there is a problem, the United States should name it and fix it, rather than giving up its seat at the table, they wrote.

Similarly, Oxford University Global Health Researcher Luke Allen (who has consulted for both the WHO and U.S. government) wrote in The Conversation late last month that withdrawing U.S. funding and involvement only serves to weaken the Americas disproportionate influence on global policy and strengthen Chinas. Withdrawing from the international stage also leaves a superpower-sized leadership hole that only China can fill. If Trump wants the WHO to be more effective and less China-centric, then surely the remedy is more U.S. engagement, not less.

Trumps halting of funding to the WHO last month was greeted with widespread condemnation by experts in global health who said both that the organization was not to blame for the slow U.S. response, and that withdrawing funding for the organization in the middle of a deadly pandemic was irresponsible. Robert Redfield who head the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Trumps administration then said he continued to have a productive public health relationship with them.

At his Friday press conference, Trump made the WHO announcement alongside several other changes in China policy, including ending special recognition of Hong Kong as a separate entity in trade and travel matters. He also announced new measures to curtail Chinese access to American university intellectual property and to the U.S. finance industry.

Our actions will be strong. Our actions will be meaningful, Trump said.

The question, in the case of the WHO, is if the actions are more likely to backfire.

Immediately after Trumps announcement, Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the CDC, tweeted, Turning our back on WHO makes us and the world less safe.

Read more about:
Stocks in Asia Pacific were mixed on Friday as investors watched for market reaction to China's controversial national security law for Hong Kong that was approved on Thursday.

Mainland Chinese stocks edged higher on the day, with the Shenzhen component up 0.869% to about 10,746.08 while the Shanghai composite gained 0.22% to around 2852.35.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index dipped 0.7%, as of its final hour of trading, as shares of HSBC fell 2.97%.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 declined 0.18% on the day to 21,877.89 as shares of robot maker Fanuc fell 2.76%. The Topix index also shed 0.87% to close at 1,563.67.

South Korea's Kospi fnished its trading day slightly higher at 2,029.60. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 declined 1.63% to close at 5,755.70 as shares of major banks such as Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Westpac dropped.

Overall, the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index dipped 0.17%.

China's National People's Congress on Thursday approved a national security bill for Hong Kong, calling into focus the embattled city's autonomy from China. Hong Kong has a "one, party two systems" principle that allows for it to have additional freedoms not available to mainland Chinese residents.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would hold a press conference on U.S.-China relations, expected sometime on Friday stateside.

"Tensions between the US and Chinese governments over a security law for Hong Kong continue to escalate," Joseph Capurso, head of international economics at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, wrote in a note. "We consider the tensions between these two governments over Hong Kong, trade, the coronavirus and the South China sea will not fade."

Acknowledging that strains between the U.S. and China have been "bubbling in the background for a very long time," Tribeca Investment Partners' Jun Bei Liu said "it's not a great time" for political tensions to rise at a time when the world is already threatened with recession.

"It's not a great combination," Liu, who is lead portfolio manager at the firm, told CNBC's "Street Signs" on Friday. "It certainly make(s) us much more cautious when you look at, in terms of the new risks, put into the portfolio."

On the economic data front, Japan's retail sales fell 13.7% year-on-year in April, according to data released Friday by the country's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. That compared against a median market forecast of a 11.5% decline, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, India is also set to release its gross domestic product for the January to March period at 8:00 p.m. HK/SIN on Friday, where the country is expected to report a sharp slowdown.
Otto Skorzeny was born in Vienna, Austria in 1908 and was once described as 'the most dangerous man in Europe'.

His most famous operation involved the rescuing of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in September 1944.

He led a group of commandos in a pair of gliders to storm the mountain top hotel where Mussolini was being held. The allies believed the location was safe as it could only be accessed by cable car.

The 6'4" commando was a national hero upon his return to Germany and was awarded an Iron Cross for saving the Italian dictator.

Waffen-SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Otto Skorzeny, who rescued Benito Mussolini from imprisonment after his overthrow. Gran Sasso, Italy - 12 Sep 1943 World War II, Hitler commended Skorzeny for this daring glider-plane mission

Otto Skorzeny, the Austrian Nazi officer who freed Mussolini, photographed during his lawsuit in Nuremberg - 1947

Skorzeny had a prominent five-inch scar on his cheek which he received in a fencing duel in university.

The SS officer publicly denied any involvement in Operational Long Jump, though he revelled in his reputation as 'the most dangerous man in Europe'.

Towards the end of the war, Skorzeny was responsible for sabotaging the invasion of Germany.

His last major action in the war was at the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Forest - which had him brought before the War Crimes tribunal.

Skorzeny was a distinctive character, standing at 6'4 inches tall and weighting over 250 lbs. He also had a large scar on his cheek that he sustained while jousting in a university fencing match, he came to be known as 'Scarface' for this feature

He surrendered to US troops which saw him brought before the Dachau tribunal - a smaller version of the trials at Nuremberg.

Skorzeny ordered his men to dress in American uniforms during the Battle of the Bulge. However, he was acquitted at the Dachau trials after a British officer admitted wearing an enemy uniform was something the Allies had done.

According to documents in the National Archives in Kew, Skorzeny had been developing 'poison bullets' which he had claimed were for suicide, though Allied war crimes investigators believed they were to be used in assassinations.

He managed to escape from custody dressed as a US military policeman along with several other SS officers.

After hiding out for a time in Bavaria, he was pictured outside a cafe on Paris's Champs Elysees.

The photo appeared in the French press the next day, causing him to flee to Salzburg to evade capture.

After a short while he moved to Madrid. Spain was still in the grip of fascist dictator Francisco Franco and Skorzeny was among many former Nazis to find comfort and respite there.

A considerably older Otto Skorzeny outside his property, Martinstown House, in the Curragh in Kildare with his dog

In 1952 he was 'denazified' in absentia by a West German court like many former low-ranking Nazis, which allowed him to travel freely outside of fascist strongholds like Spain.

From Madrid he moved to Egypt for a stint in training the Egyptian army, and then he followed a well-travelled Nazi route to Latin America, and Juan Peron's Argentina.

He acted as bodyguard - and allegedly had an affair with - Eva Peron, before arriving in Ireland in June 1957.

However, in 1959, Skorzeny bought a large farm, Martinstown House, in Kildare, Ireland.

Otto Skorzeny rarely visited the island after 1963 and sold Martinstown House in 1971. He lived out his remaining years in Madrid.

He died of cancer in 1975 and was buried by his former comrades with his coffin draped in the Nazi colours.
Your home office is wrecking your back. Here's how to fix it. Read more

You made it through another week. Heres to you. This week, weve got advice on how to visualize that six-foot distance better, and how to fix your home office so you dont end up with a lot of back pain. But before we get there:

Weve got the best online events this week, including the Laughter in Lockdown comedy fundraiser, Bruce Springsteen, and more: inquirer.com/calendar. And our kids calendar is updated every Sunday with ways to keep the kids occupied while you work: inquirer.com/kidscalendar.

How to do (everything) better: Everything you need to know about living right now is all here in one place: inquirer.com/topic/do-this

Stay healthy, stay safe, and, as much as possible, stay home.

 thingstodo@inquirer.com

Your questions, answered

 SEARCH OUR FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered

Picture this

Six feet apart is the watchword, at least for the next little while. While Philly and the surrounding region may move into the yellow phase soon, social distancing is still going to be very much a part of our lives in the weeks and months to come. Which brings up the question: What exactly does six feet look like? Grace Dickinson has some handy advice to help us stay at a safe distance from others.

More than a regular Philly sidewalk. In Philadelphia, 5 feet is the standard width requirement for sidewalks in most residential neighborhoods. But plenty are even narrower.

Any 76er. The shortest current player on the roster is Raul Neto, at 61. Joel Embiid, whos 7, would give you a full foot of leeway.

Two shopping carts. A shopping cart can be a good way to think about social distancing. Picture your cart, plus an extra one hooked to the front. Itll make you more aware of how close youre getting to others.

More than your arms, outstretched (probably). The distance between your outstreched arms is roughly equivalent to your height. The amount of extra room depends on how far your height is from six feet.

More useful comparisons in Graces full piece.

 READ MORE: This is what 6 feet apart looks like

Fix this

Your home office is wrecking your back. But it doesnt have to be this way. Nick Vadala dug into how to fix your office set-up so you dont destroy your body. The full piece has great advice from back experts, but here are some things you can do right now:

Dont work from the couch. You have to think about how your arms, elbows, knees, and hips are positioned, says Alexis Tingan of Penn Medicine. In general, he says, youll want to look for 90-degree angles at your joints: your elbows should be at a 90-degree angle when sitting at your desk, as should your hips and knees, and your feet should be flat on the ground. Your gaze should be as straight ahead as possible.

Hack your existing chair. Dont want to lay out the cash for a new fancy seat? Dani Walsh of Epic Chiropractic in Northern Liberties recommends stuffing a firm pillow or rolled up towel in the small of your back for extra support in your existing office chair, or using an extra cushion on the seat to raise you up if you are sitting too low. And if your feet cant sit flat on the ground while sitting, try using a foot stool, a stack of books, or even plastic containers to even out your footing.

Try a standing desk setup. Tingan says standing is a good option, or at least alternating between sitting and standing to break up the workday. Standing, can help correct the alignment of your back, spine, and neck, he says, all with the added benefit of burning more calories than sitting. And make sure your feet are squared  not standing like the statue of David with one hip cocked.

 READ MORE: Fix your home office and stop letting your desk ruin your back

Bake this

If youre not a baker, youre probably feeling it right now. With a mess of sourdough enthusiasts, baking seems to be what everyone is into right now. So it is with Jenn Ladd, who writes: I am not a baker. Im contractually obligated to bake once a year: I make a from-scratch chocolate-chocolate birthday cake for my husband.

But Jenn found some user-friendly recipes for non-bakers who also dont have yeast. If you number in this population, shes found recipes for lemon meringue bars, homemade Oreos and no-yeast cinnamon rolls.

 READ MORE: Quarantine baking projects for home cooks without yeast (or patience)
President Donald Trump, in his controversial tweet on the Minneapolis riot that was flagged by Twitter, quoted a former Miami police chief known for violent reprisals on black protesters in the 1960s.

'When the looting starts, the shooting starts,' Trump wrote in a tweet, that the company muzzled - but left online in case people wanted to read it - because they said it 'violated Twitter rules about glorifying violence.'

The words echoed the ones used by late Miami police chief Walter Headley, who issued a 'get tough' policy on black protesters during race riots in the city in the 1960s.

'We haven't had any serious problems with civil uprising and looting,' Headley said at a December 1967 news conference The New York Times reported at the time, 'because I've let the word filter down that when the looting starts, the shooting starts.'

'We don't mind being accused of police brutality,' Headley noted. 'They haven't seen anything yet.'

President Trump quoted a former Miami police chief known for violent reprisals on black protesters in the 1960s in his controversial tweet

Late Miami police chief Walter Headley said at this December 1967 press conference with the Rev. Theodore Gibson that Miami didn't have problems with race riots 'because I've let the word filter down that when the looting starts, the shooting starts'

Headley's words angered black leaders. That and his aggressive policies against blacks have been cited as major factors that contributed to the race riots in the city during the late 1960s, particularly in 1968 when Republicans were in town for their Republican National Convention.

While Richard Nixon accepted his party's nomination, across the bay from Miami Beach, blacks in Miami's Liberty neighborhood protested working conditions and treatment of blacks. Police intervened and two protesters were killed.

The president's tweet was in response to protesters in Minneapolis who set fire to a police station there as a part of series of demonstrations throughout the country in support of George Floyd, the African American man who died when a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck.

The president called the demonstrators in Minnesota 'thugs' and threatened to send in the National Guard and get 'the job done right.'

'....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!,' he wrote.

Twitter put a warning on the tweet less than three hours later, a move that came after the president designed an executive order seeking to strip social media companies of their legal protections, potentially exposing them to a flood of lawsuits.

Twitter said it muzzled Trump's tweet 'in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts'. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey was informed in advance.

The tweet can no longer be liked or replied to and will not be recommended by Twitter's algorithm, although retweets with comment are still possible - with Trump's message initially hidden.

It is still possible to override the warning message and view the tweet, under special rules for government officials which protect the public's right to know what their politicians have said.

Police with rifles ready stand beside their patrol car near waiting fire engines as black children saunter past in Miami's Liberty City section, scene of renewed racial violence in August 1968

Miami policemen, one holding the man's arm and the other with an arm lock on his neck, drag away a Negro youth during a clash between police and rioters in that city's predominantly Negro Liberty City district in August 1968

Protesters hurl chairs during the August 1968 race riots

Richard Nixon flashing the v-sign at the Republican National Convention in Miami in 1968

Trump has been criticized in the past for his handling of race relations, particularly in 2017 when he declared there were 'very fine people on both sides' of a series of increasingly violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, initially sparked by a decision to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from a public park.

The resulting clashes between white supremacists who organized a rally and counter-protesters ended with a woman's death. Neo-Nazi James Fields was sentenced to life in prison in December for running over Heather Heyer with his car.

'You had some very bad people in that group. You also had some very fine people on both sides. ... I saw the same pictures as you did. You had people in that group that were there to protest the taking down of  to them  a very, very important statue and the renaming of a park from Robert E. Lee to another name,' the president said at the time.

The White House claimed then that Trump's praise was limited to people who showed up in Charlottesville to argue for preserving the Lee statue.
Actor Ram Kapoor took to Instagram to share a joke on social distancing and the need to flatten the curve. Ram made fun of his on effort to stay away from putting on weight.

The post he put up read: I need to social distance myself from my refrigerator so I can flatten my curve. Sharing this, he wrote on Instagram: This is soooooooo meeeeee !!!!

Ram has had a long struggle against weight gain and his attempts to knock it off. In July last year, he shared before-and-after pictures of his body transformation. He added just a kiss emoji to go with the pictures.

Speaking to Mumbai Mirror about his weight loss journey, he had said: I was 130 kgs when I started and I want to lose another 25-30 kgs. The actor also mentioned how his journey had actually begun two years ago at the age of 43. He added, I decided that if I wanted to do achieve my weight goals, I will have to take time off from work. It would need to be a substantial length of time  six months to a year.

Also read: Marvel superfan arranges every MCU scene in chronological order, loses his mind, goes viral: Took a global pandemic

Ram, who became a household name after working in TV serials like Kasamh Se and Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, has worked in a number of Hindi films as well including Agent Vinod, Mere Dad Ki Maruti, Student Of The Year, Shaadi Ke Side Effects and Loveyatri.

His film Humshakals was heavily criticised for its bad content. The Hindustan Times review had said, A two-and-a-half hour assault on your intelligence, Humshakals was not content with just one Saif hamming and trying desperately to look young. Thanks to a shady scientist and some gobbledegook about chromosome restructuring, you get three Ashoks, three Kumars and three Ram Kapoors. Which brings us to Sajid Khans greatest feat as a director  being ambitious enough to try and fit them all into one frame.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
After seeing low number of coronavirus case in the early stage of worldwide outbreak, Brazil is staring at a catastrophe as cases spike at apocalyptic rates with more than 25,000 infections recorded in last 24 hours.

Reuters

The country reported a daily record of 26,417 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, according to the Health Ministry, bringing its total tally to 438,238, second only to the United States in confirmed cases.



Brazils death toll rose 1,156 from a day earlier to 26,754 confirmed fatalities from the COVID-19 disease, just shy of a record 1,188 deaths registered on May 21.

At the end of March, Brazil had less than 3000 conformed cases, and the country's President Jair Bolsonaro asked citizens to get back to work and had even dismissed the coronavirus threat, saying that it is blown out of proportion.

Reuters

In an address to the nation, Bolsonaro urged mayors and state governors to roll back lockdown measures that have brought Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to near standstills.



As Bolsonaro termed coronavirus as 'little flu' showing how much he cared about the impending crisis, the country has witnessed a spike in cases since April that has overwhelmed healthcare system and sees the country on the brink of disaster.

Bolsonaro has meanwhile pinned his hopes on the medication hydroxychloroquine, which -- like US President Donald Trump -- he has touted as a potential wonder drug against COVID-19.

Reuters

Brazil's health ministry recommends doctors in the public health system prescribe hydroxychloroquine or a related drug, chloroquine, from the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.



Despite being one of the hardest-hit states, Sao Paulo, the biggest hotspot for cases in Brazil, will begin to gradually reactivate its economy on Monday.

Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria announced on Wednesday that the state will enter a new phase of quarantine as of June 1.

According to Doria, economic activities will return gradually and will depend on a sustained decrease in cases and on the availability of ICU beds.

Contrary to what President Jair Bolsonaro has said, Sao Paulo authorities have stressed that without the quarantines adopted, the number of victims would be much higher.
After reporting for weeks that Connecticut Hispanics are only half as likely to die from COVID-19 as non-Hispanic whites, state officials now say that Hispanics here are substantially more likely to die from the disease.

State officials were also reporting that the states black population was only 26 percent more likely than whites to die from a coronavirus infection when in fact their likelihood of death is 2.5 times as high. The death rate for Hispanics is now calculated at 67 percent higher than non-Hispanic whites.

Why the change? And why were they getting it wrong?

Health officials recognized that the daily figures being released by the governors office werent a true reflection of the impact of the disease on the populations outside of nursing homes, where 60 percent of Connecticuts COVID-19 deaths have occurred. Yale Public Health Epidemiologist Albert Ko, who chairs Gov. Ned Lamonts advisory group on reopening the state, said the daily reports did not jibe with the number of blacks and Hispanics who were reported hospitalized at more than twice the rate of whites.

With an average age of 29 compared to 47 for whites, Hispanic residents are collectively the states youngest population and for that and other reasons there are fewer of them in nursing homes. U.S. Census figures show that only about 5.9 percent of residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities are Hispanic, while 76.1 percent are white non-Hispanics and 14.9 percent are black.

Going forward the state plans to release racial and ethnic death rates adjusted for age.

When you dont age adjust, it can lead to a different conclusion. A conclusion, that could be false, said Matthew Cartter, the states top epidemiologist at the Department of Public Health. To answer the question: are Hispanics more or less likely to have died from this? You have to age adjust, and when you do, you clearly show Hispanics do indeed have higher rates of death.

Public health experts say every state should be adjusting for age if they want to accurately understand who is being affected by the virus and where to focus their efforts.

Given the strong relation between age and risk of COVID-related mortality, and the younger age distributions of the black and Latinx populations, these unadjusted data can result in substantial underestimates of disparities, researchers from Yales schools of Medicine, Public Health and Equity Research and Innovation Center reported May 11.

Experts cite a host of reasons for the higher death rates among people of color. Minorities are more likely to have underlying health conditions such as diabetes and asthma, their jobs are more likely to put them at risk of getting the virus, they have unstable housing or often live in crowded living conditions, and often dont have good access to health care.

While all these factors may be contributing to the high death rate, theres also the unmeasurable, says Bridgeport resident Diales Olivencia. She was caring for elderly and disabled residents in their home in Bridgeport before they  and she- contracted COVID-19.

Struggling to breathe last week, the Puerto Rican native was convinced she was going to die, she said. One of her clients, who is also Puerto Rican, is not expected to survive. His lungs stopped working Friday and was put on a ventilator.

Among the 12 personal care attendants Olivencia worked with - nearly all of them Hispanic - 10 have COVID-19, she said.

This is my belief: we expose ourselves more often because we care about our patients and what we do. A lot of people dont risk their lives like we do. Like me, I love what I do. I love to take care of patients and at that time, I didnt mind to risk my life for them, said Olivencia, who is now on the mend. I thought I was going to die. It was so hard, because I have two daughters. It has been hard for them because they thought I was going to die.

Accurate data critical to providing care

The states first months of daily reports on black and Hispanic death rates defied logic for health equity experts.

Heres the rub: a lot of what were seeing in the data may be obscured by the fact that we dont disaggregate by socioeconomic status and other demographic factors, said Wizdom Powell, director of the Health Disparities Institute at UConn Health. The challenge here is that it could oversimplify whats happening with this population in ways that suggest that they dont need resources for testing or COVID-19 recovery efforts dedicated to that community - and thats far from the truth.

Cartter - the states chief epidemiologist - agrees there are huge implications if the data is not accurately reported.

My job as an epidemiologist is to document the impact of COVID-19. Our intent is to include this in our weekly update, so that its available for discussions, because one of the things about pandemics is that they are always followed by long periods of discussion and policy-making and the enacting of new laws. Thats characteristic of every pandemic in history: Everybody tries to figure out what it is you need to do the next time around, he said.

There are populations that are at increased risk for serious death and illness. This includes people in minority groups in the United States. Its clear that the pandemic didnt create these disparities, but it certainly has revealed them and in ways that weve seen before but basically the disparities became even clearer during the pandemic.

Cultural and economic differences

While Hispanic residents makeup 16.5 percent of Connecticuts overall population, they only account for 7 percent of the roughly 25,000 people living in Connecticuts nursing homes on any given day. African-Americans comprise about 11 percent of the nursing home population. The Connecticut Department of Public Health has not yet released the racial and ethnic breakdown of the nearly 2,200 nursing home residents who died from COVID-19, though it is working on that data.

In addition to their relative collective youth, there are other reasons why fewer Latinos are in skilled nursing home facilities. They are less affluent than non-Hispanic whites and less likely to be able to afford residency in pricey, community-based skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.

But another important reason is cultural. Hispanic people are much less likely to place an elderly relative in an nursing home.

People in the Latino community live in inter-generation families, said Rita Carreon, vice president for health at UnidosUS, the nations largest Hispanic advocacy group.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention paints a grim picture when it comes to the Hispanic population in the pandemic. Nationally, the CDC reported, 28 percent of those who have contracted COVID-19 are Hispanic, though they make up only about 18 percent of the U.S. population. The CDC data also showed that 40 percent of all school-aged children hospitalized with COVID-19 are Hispanic.

Carreon said that data may be incomplete and not show the full impact of the pandemic on this population group. We dont have enough information, she said. We remain in the dark. The true impact on our community is still unknown.

How do Connecticuts disparities compare?

While the states disparities in racial and ethnic death rates are glaring after adjusting for age, Connecticuts gaps are still narrower than most of the 27 other states that release the race and ethnicity data, Yale researchers report.

Hispanics are 88 percent more likely to die from COVID-19 in 27 other states using racially and ethnically stratified data, compared to 60 percent in Connecticut, according to one report. Black residents are 3.5 times more likely to die than whites among those states, compared to 2.5 times in Connecticut.

Powell said there are other factors to help explain why the death rate among some Hispanics is not as high as that of blacks.

Much of Connecticuts Hispanic population is from Puerto Rico, but historically those who immigrate here from other countries experience a gradual decline in health the longer they are here. Something happens with the length of time in the U.S. and we see a sort of deterioration of that protective health effect for Hispanics and Latinx individuals, Powell said.

Some Hispanic residents also might be being misclassified as white in the data.

People who are Hispanic or Latinx can choose and can select white, Powell said, and in certain parts of our nation, folks dont even have an option to select a more granular ethnic category, so they might revert to selecting white.

A UnidosUS poll released last week shows one-fourth of the nations Latinos know someone with COVID-19.

Carreon asserts that the main reason the pandemic is taking a toll on the Hispanic communities is that a disproportionate number of them work in jobs considered essential and have had continued interaction with the public during the pandemic.

She cited statistics showing that 70 percent of all health front-line workers in New York City are people of color, and worries Latinos will become more vulnerable to the coronavirus as states begin to reopen.
"There was a man who lived like a little sparrow stuck in the throat of a snake," wrote Russian human rights activist Aleksei Polikhovich on Facebook on May 29.

Russia's liberal opposition and human rights community is mourning the death of Sergei Mokhnatkin, an accidental dissident who over the last decade became a respected standard-bearer for those opposed to the authoritarian government of Vladimir Putin. Mokhnatkin died in Moscow on May 28 after a long illness at the age of 66.

"They have been killing him for many years," columnist and Kremlin critic Viktor Shenderovich wrote on Facebook. "[Now] they have killed him."

Relatives and supporters say that Mokhnatkin died of complications from injuries suffered at the hands of guards in 2016 when he was serving 4 1/2 years in prison in the Arkhangelsk region. That incident left him with a fractured spine.

"He wasn't able to walk for the last month," his wife, Anna Krechetova, told RFE/RL. "A week ago, he lost the ability to move his legs. He was just lying on one side. We couldn't turn him or put him on his back because the pain was so great."

Mokhnatkin became nationally prominent when he was arrested in Moscow on December 31, 2009, during an opposition protest to defend freedom of assembly under Article 31 of the Russian Constitution, which guarantees the right to gather peacefully and hold public protests.

He later said that he found himself in the vicinity of the protest by chance and that he was arrested when he tried to intervene when he saw a police officer roughly detaining an elderly woman. In April 2010, he was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for assaulting a police officer, charges which he denied.

Blogger and photographer Rustam Adagamov posted a photograph on Twitter on May 28 showing Mokhnatkin in the background as police are detaining the woman. One commentator wrote beneath the photo that Mokhnatkin was "a man who couldn't just walk by."

In an obituary on May 29, the business daily Kommersant wrote of the incident: "A person can live a long time, but sometimes the essence of that life can be summed up by just one day."

'Strong, Free, Happy, Courageous'

During his first prison term, Mokhnatkin took up the cause of prisoner rights and was frequently punished for his activism.

In April 2012, then-President Dmitry Medvedev pardoned Mokhnatkin, the only one of 37 proclaimed political prisoners who were included by activists in a mercy appeal to the president. Opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, who organized the appeal, wrote that it was the first time in Russia's modern history that a prisoner was amnestied without first admitting his guilt.

Putin returned to the presidency one month later.

After that, Mokhnatkin devoted himself entirely to human rights activism. He became the head of the Tver branch of the For Human Rights nongovernmental organization. In December 2012, the Moscow Helsinki Group gave him its prize "for courage in the defense of human rights."

He carried out many one-person pickets for various causes and was outspoken in his support of the Pussy Riot performance-art group, three members of which were convicted in 2012 of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" for performing an anti-Putin song in Moscows Christ the Savior cathedral.

'Great Torment'

On December 31, 2013, he was arrested at another Moscow rally in defense of the right to demonstrate. His lawyer claimed at the time that he was beaten after being taken to a police precinct. He was subsequently charged with "using violence against a law enforcement officer." In December 2014, he was convicted and sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison. Again, he denied the allegations.

In prison, he continued his advocacy of prisoners' rights. In March 2016, he claimed he was beaten by guards, suffering a spinal fracture. However, prison officials added 11 months to his sentence for allegedly insulting a prison official. In 2017, he was given an additional, concurrent sentence of two years for purportedly disrupting prison discipline.

In December 2018, Mokhnatkin was released from prison after completing his term. However, he was the subject of various criminal investigations and cases for the rest of his life.

"He was in great torment after his release," Olga Romanova, a colleague and fellow prisoners' rights advocate, wrote on Facebook. "The pain in his back nearly drove him insane. He was a martyr to his principles. He was an old-fashioned man out of his time whose principles were stronger than his spine."

"We need to remember the names of all those who murdered Sergei Mokhnatkin," Shenderovich wrote. "The police and the investigators and the prosecutors and the judges and the prison executioners who broke his spine and, again, the judges and the 'doctors' who finished the execution."

"He was one of the best people I ever met in life," he continued. "The 20th century almost completely eliminated this type of person from Russia --strong, free, happy, courageous. Now the 21st century is killing off those who miraculously survived."
Open Doors USA CEO urges Christians to boycott Beijing Olympics By Ryan Foley Kevin Frayer/Getty Images The Olympic Rings are seen inside one of the Athletes Villages for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics before the area was closed on January 3, 2022, in Chongli county, Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, northern China. The area, which will host ski and snowboard events during the Winter Olympics and Paralympics was closed off to all tourists and visitors as of January 4, 2022, and will be part of the bubble due to the global coronavirus pandemic for athletes, journalists and officials taking part in the games. The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics are set to open February 4. The CEO of a leading religious freedom advocacy organization is urging Christians in the United States to boycott the upcoming Winter Olympics scheduled to take place in Beijing, China, due to the countrys persecution of Christians and other religious minorities. David Curry, CEO of the religious persecution watchdog Open Doors USA, discussed the actions taken by the Chinese government against Christians and other religious minorities at a press conference unveiling the organizations 2022 World Watch List on Wednesday. While Open Doors USA ranked China 17th among the top 50 countries where it's most difficult to follow Jesus, Curry dedicated a significant portion of the press conference to highlighting the religious persecution perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party. Curry also addressed the 2022 Winter Olympics scheduled to kick off in Beijing on Feb. 4. He cited the upcoming Olympics as one example of how China is using sports, money and investment in infrastructure around the world to whitewash their human rights violations. While Curry praised the Biden administrations diplomatic boycott of the Olympics, he stressed that every Christian in the United States had an obligation to go a step further. Open Doors USA  is calling on every Christian to join this boycott of the Olympics in the name of our persecuted brothers and sisters in China. He acknowledged that the persecution of religious minorities extends beyond Christians to include Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group in the countrys far-western region that the Chinese Communist Party subjects to forced labor. Curry elaborated on his call for a boycott in response to a question from a reporter. I am suggesting that people dont watch the Olympics, that they dont participate in whatever way they normally would, he said. While Curry lamented Chinas human rights records, particularly regarding religious minorities, he defended Open Doors USAs decision not to place China higher on the list of the top 50 most dangerous countries for Christians. Whats not happening and ... why it is lower is because theyre not lining people up and shooting them, at least that were aware of, he added. Thats happening in some places. Curry expressed particular concern about Chinas use of centralized government control to suppress and exterminate the free practice of religion of all kinds. Curry added, Chinas high-tech noose is slowly choking the free expression of Christian faith and the faith of Muslims and other religious minorities. China is using a blanket of surveillance monitored by artificial intelligence to watch the movements of people of faith. Its even using facial recognition to monitor those who enter places of worship, he explained. China recently implemented additional restrictions on Christian Bibles and literature online, for example. Only groups that recognize the Communist Party of China and their censorship of their sermons and Bibles will be allowed to distribute the Scripture. Curry warned that in the near future, 100 million followers of Jesus in China will be subjected to Bibles that have key elements removed or changed because they conflict with communist dogma. He also reported that churches are being forced to disband and break into small pieces or go underground and attributed the governments hostility toward religion to the fact that President Xi and the Communist Party sees religion as a threat because its not aligned with the values of the Chinese state. Additionally, Curry discussed the implications of Chinas development of a blueprint  for how a government  can centralize control and monitor behavior of people can squeeze  and punish people without them ever leaving their home. He predicted that China would establish digital currencies in the near future, which would cut off the ability of Christians and others who do not conform to the government the ability to do anything, even buy a loaf of bread. Curry is not the only public figure calling for a boycott of the 2022 Olympics. Fox News' opinion host Laura Ingraham has launched the #NotOneMinute campaign, urging her viewers to watch not one minute of this years Olympics. Ingraham is also encouraging her viewers to boycott the corporations that are sponsoring the 2022 Beijing Olympics, including Airbnb, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Panasonic, Samsung, Toyota and Visa. The complete World Watch List of 2022 is available for purchase on the Open Doors USA website.
Agartala/Silchar (Assam), May 28 (IANS) A total of 263 Indians, who were stranded in Bangladesh for more than two months, returned to the country on Thursday and were admitted to institutional quarantine centres in their respective northeastern states, officials said.

According to police and civil officials, these Indians, belonging to Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya and Manipur, entered India through the Akhaura-Agartala integrated check-post (ICP) in Tripura and Sutarkandi checkpost in Karimganj district of southern Assam.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Karimganj, Prashanta Datta said that of the 134 who came, 24 and six hailed from Manipur and Meghalaya, respectively, and authorities from their states took them away.

He said that 104 Assam residents were sent to different institutional quarantine centres and their swab samples would be tested.

Officials in Agartala said that 129 Indians returned from Bangladesh on Thursday through the Akhaura-Agartala ICP and were subsequently admitted to the institutional quarantine centre in Agartala.

Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das also reached the Akhaura-Agartala ICP by road from Dhaka to supervise the return formalities. Tripura MP and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pratima Bhowmik also visited the ICP.

Tripura Education and Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath said 133 Tripura residents, stranded in Bangladesh for more than two months, had earlier approached the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

"The returnees would remain at the quarantine centre till their samples tested negative for coronavirus. Given the wide spread of coronavirus in Bangladesh, the authorities have been extra careful about the people coming from there," Nath told the media.

In Bangladesh, 40,321 people have been infected by coronavirus and 560 have died.

The Minister said the Kuwait government would deport 135 Indians belonging to Assam (89) and Tripura (46). They would reach Guwahati by an aircraft on Friday night. Quoting from the MEA communication, Nath said they were in Kuwaiti jails for violation of that country's laws.

The Tripura government will send two buses to Guwahati to bring the Tripura residents, who would be tested for coronavirus on arrival and quarantined in Agartala, he said.

--IANS

sc/vd
"Amidst the pandemic that has rocked the world, we must not forget people living with other health conditions such as Diabetes and Hypertension because they are the Coronavirus risk groups, therefore, Merck Foundation continues to build Hypertension and Diabetes care training to doctors, in partnership with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health and Academia, Moreover, we also provide training to doctors from Asian countries," emphasised Dr Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and One of 100 Most Influential Africans.Merck Foundation has so far enrolled and trained over 183 Medical postgraduates from over 35 countries. As a part of their efforts to build hypertension and diabetes care capacity, Merck Foundation enroll medical postgraduates for One Year Online Diploma and Two Year online master degree in Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine and Diabetes from reputable university in UK.Additionally, they also enroll doctors for a three-month Diabetes Master course from English, French and Portuguese speaking African countries to advance their clinical knowledge in tackling these non-communicable conditions.Merck Foundation started capacity building of coronavirus healthcare through providing online one-year diplomas and two-year master degree in both Respiratory Medicine and Acute Medicine from UK University, for African doctors."I feel fortunate to be a part of this program and receive the Postgraduate one-year Diploma in Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine as part of Merck Foundation capacity advancement program. The course has enabled me to learn the advanced scientific developments for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The course has helped me to serve my patients better. Merck Foundation is doing a great job by providing postgraduate degrees for doctors like me who are eager to specialize to better serve their communities," said Dr Sofia Jarombwereni Natshikare Nepembe, Merck Foundation alumnus from Namibia."We are committed to enroll more doctors for these courses to be able to build a platform of hypertension and diabetes experts in underserved communities. These online courses is the right strategy to scale up our efforts to improve access to quality healthcare solutions widely and effectively especially during Coronavirus lockdown," explained Dr Rasha Kelej.The program started in 35 countries such as: Bangladesh, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
The white officer who pinned down an unarmed black man with his knee is charged with third-degree murder, manslaughter.

The white police officer who was seen on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died in custody after pleading that he could not breathe, was arrested Friday and charged with murder in a case that sparked protests across the United States and violence in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Derek Chauvin, the officer seen on a bystanders mobile phone video kneeling on Floyds neck on Monday before the 46-year-old man died, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman told a news briefing.

He is in custody and has been charged with murder, Freeman said of Chauvin. We have evidence, we have the citizens cameras video, the horrible, horrific, terrible thing we have all seen over and over again, we have the officers body-worn camera, we have statements from some witnesses.

The mobile phone footage showed Floyd repeatedly moaning and gasping while he pleaded to Chauvin, kneeling on his neck, Please, I cant breathe. After several minutes, Floyd gradually grows quiet and ceases to move.

The arrest and charges come after three days of protests, which escalated in violence as demonstrators torched a police precinct that had been abandoned by officers.

Residents welcomed the charges, but said the other three officers involved must also be arrested and charged.

Freeman said those officers were still under investigation.

With smoke drifting over Minneapolis, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Friday acknowledged the abject failure of the response to this weeks violent protests and called for swift justice for police involved in Floyds death.

A protestor stands next to a burning car and holds a sign in support of the Black Lives Matter movement during the third day of protests over the death of George Floyd [Anadolu]

Walz said the state would take over the response and that its time to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering. The US National Guard had arrived in Minneapolis by midday Thursday.

Minneapolis and Saint Paul are on fire. The fire is still smouldering in our streets. The ashes are symbolic of decades and generations of pain, of anguish unheard, Walz said, adding, Now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world  and the world is watching.

His comments came the morning after protesters torched a police station that officers abandoned during a third night of violence.

Livestream video showed protesters entering the building, where intentionally set fires activated smoke alarms and sprinklers. US President Donald Trump threatened action, tweeting when the looting starts, the shooting starts, which prompted a warning from Twitter for glorifying violence.

The governor faced tough questions after National Guard leader Major General Jon Jensen blamed a lack of clarity about the guards mission for a slow response. Walz said the state was in a supporting role and that it was up to city leaders to run the situation.

You will not see that tonight, there will be no lack of leadership, Walz said.

Dozens of fires were also set in nearby Saint Paul, where nearly 200 businesses were damaged or looted. Protests spread across the US, fuelled by outrage over Floyds death, and years of violence against African Americans at the hands of police.
Representative image

Kuldeep Tikkha | Prashant Ved

The real estate sector in India had been facing significant headwinds much before the COVID-19 crisis struck. The sector suffered from a lack of availability of funding from banks, NBFCs and HFCs. Besides, certain structural changes implemented by the government in the recent past, such as demonetisation and introduction of GST, had also adversely impacted the demand for residential real estate and led to built-up unsold inventories with developers.

With favourable initiatives undertaken by the government with a view to bringing transparency in the sector, reduction in GST rates for new projects, and lowering of lending rates, the calendar year 2020 was expected to herald a recovery in the real estate sector in India. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout would now delay the recovery in residential real estate.

Most of the residential real estate projects in India have been historically funded by banks and NBFCs. However, with funds from NBFCs drying up, the capital required for completing under-construction projects is likely to come from real estate funds and Alternative Investment Funds (AIF) willing to provide last mile funding against the security of project cash flows on a priority basis. The government has already committed to providing debt funding for completing stuck projects through setting up of a dedicated AIF in the form of SWAMIH.

The prices of real estate have been under pressure since 2014 due to lower demand. There is a significant pile-up of unsold real estate units with developers. In a recent webinar discussion organized by National Real Estate Development Council (Naredco), Deepak Parekh, chairman of HDFC had advised the developers to reduce the prices of real estate units to accelerate the liquidation of unsold inventories. This would significantly impact the value of unsold inventories held by the developers.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Further, after COVID-19, the recovery in demand for affordable housing is expected to be faster compared to other segments given the economic conditions of buyers.

Given the expected adverse impact on sales and cash flows in under development projects, it will be important for funding agencies to factor the impact of COVID-19 in their evaluation of the project. Here are some areas that need to be adequately covered as part of due diligence on under development residential real estate projects.

A stress test on sold receivables

Sold receivable from a project represents balance cash inflows from sold inventory. Sold receivable for a project would include a) amounts which are demanded against completed milestones but not yet paid by customers (Amount due) and b) amounts to be demanded in future on completion of future milestones (Amount not due). Value of sold receivable is one of the key securities for loans granted to a developer.

Diligence procedures on such sold receivables should involve understanding the proportion of such sold receivables (both due and not due) from sales which are not backed by a registered agreement of sale. While such unregistered sales were always subject to the risk of potential cancellations in the past (and thereby, reduction in the corresponding value of sold receivable), the probability of customers opting for cancellations due to COVID-19 would significantly increase.

The risk of such cancellations is very high in case of unregistered sales where the customers have only paid nominal advances (5-10% of Agreement value). Besides, registered agreement for sales is also subject to the risk of cancellations especially in markets where stamp duty and registration costs are not significant.

A comparison of customer equity in the project (i.e. the amount paid by the customer including stamp duty) with loss due to decline in the market value of the unit may provide an indication of units which may be subject to the risk of cancellation.

Funding agencies would also have to understand the contractual rights of developers towards cancellation penalties under the agreement for sale with customers.

Value of sold receivables from a project may also be impacted on account of any subsequent discounts being offered to customers by the developer with a view to either pre-pone the timelines for recovery of the remaining balance or for customer retention.

In certain instances, customers may request for deferral of timelines for milestone linked to the installments due to the economic condition of the customer. This may lead to deferment of collections towards completion of the project instead of construction linked milestone payment.

To summarise, diligence procedures on sold receivables should include customer analysis of sold receivables to assess the risk of potential cancellations. They should appropriately factor any discounts/deferral of collections agreed with customers. Analysis of such receivables should also factor the economic condition of the customer and proposed manner of funding (bank funded or self-funded) to gain further comfort on the collectability of sold receivable.

Value of unsold inventories

The level of unsold inventories with real estate developers was already higher prior to COVID-19. COVID-19 would further lead to a dent in customer demand. Oversupply of inventory without adequate demand may lead to a reduction in selling prices for these units. This would impact the underlying value of the collateral being offered to the funding agency. Besides, the timeline for liquidation of such unsold inventories would be further elongated amid tepid demand.

While diligence procedures by funding agencies should include detailed analysis around average selling prices and sales velocity across different units, historical trends in average sales rates and velocities may not be indicative of selling prices and velocities in the future. Funding agencies would have to build appropriate sensitivities around sales prices and velocity for liquidation of unsold inventories while estimating future cash flows.

COVID-19 would also lead to reductions in instances of walk-in purchases and would require developers to re-engineer selling and marketing plans. This would include, among other things, digitization of the sales process, which may lead to additional investments.

Vendor claims

Vendor payments may be stretched and there may be claims from vendors for losses due to idle time. Disputes with vendors would further impact construction progress thereby impacting the overall project completion timelines.

A proper assessment of vendor liabilities and claims should be done as part of diligence. Diligence procedures should include a reading of vendor contracts to understand the commercial terms agreed, including the right to such idle time claims.

Developers may also enter into barter arrangements with vendors where vendor liabilities are settled against handover of units in the project. Such arrangements, if not appropriately documented and disclosed during diligence, would impact the value of unsold inventory being underwritten. Detailed analysis of vendor liabilities and settlements would therefore, become all the more important. Confirmations from developers may be obtained to ensure that all such unusual arrangements are disclosed.

Customer claims

COVID-19 would impact construction and project completion timelines. The period of such delays may vary across developers and projects and may even extend beyond timelines committed under RERA, at times. Diligence procedures should include a careful reading of Agreement for Sale entered with customers to understand the committed timelines, force Majeure clauses and customers right to interest claim and cancellation for delays.

Further, the agreements registered prior to the implementation of RERA in case of units sold in Maharashtra would continue to be governed by erstwhile Maharashtra Ownership of Flats Act (MOFA). The timelines for the handover of units in such cases and the corresponding interest obligation for delays would therefore, be governed by clauses of MOFA.

Potential interest payable to customers for delays in hand over of units should be appropriately factored as part of cash outflows.

Developers obligation under the subvention scheme may also be impacted on account of delays in completion of the Project due to COVID-19. This may lead to an increase in subvention cost for the developer in cases where the tripartite agreement specifies that the developer would bear the interest up to the date of actual handover of a unit to the customer.

The estimated cost to complete

The estimated cost to be incurred to complete under-construction projects may undergo a change following a delay in project completion and on account of increase in labour cost, change in construction norms (social distancing, sanitization of sites) and changes in prices of steel/cement. Thorough technical diligence would have to be done to assess the revised estimates of balance cost which should be appropriately factored.

Appropriate assessment of the funding gap

Considering some of the matters discussed above, COVID-19 would severely impact the sources of cash flows in real estate projects with delays in customer collections due to the economic impact of COVID-19 and unwillingness of banks and NBFCs to provide further funding.

The shortfall in cash inflows would have a corresponding impact on a developers ability to meet its obligation towards monthly/quarterly repayments to lenders and payment of dues to construction vendors. This would lead to mismatches in monthly cash inflows and outflows, thereby leaving a funding gap. The funding gap, if not addressed through moratorium from lenders or alternate means of cash inflow, would lead to delays/default under lender agreements.

As part of diligence, an investor should obtain and analyse the mapping of projected monthly cash inflows and outflows to understand funding gaps. This would help the investor obtain a better assessment of overall fund requirements and timelines for the same.

Terms of lender agreements should be read to understand the status of historical compliances with loan covenants, securities given, and other terms. Diligence should include understanding the level of debt not just at the project level but also at a group level.

Cross default clauses in lender agreements may have to be appropriately evaluated and addressed. Besides, conditions attached to any loan moratorium availed and its impact (including any restrictions) on the utilisation of future cash flows would have to be evaluated.

Summary

We believe that funding agencies and banks would have to do robust diligence across financial, legal, technical and commercial aspects of a project to make an appropriate risk assessment of factors affecting the project due to COVID-19. Funding agencies may have to devise innovative means of structuring a transaction with the objective of protecting its investment and cashflows in projects.

(The authors are partner and national leader, Transaction Diligence Services, and Director, Transaction Diligence Services at EY India)
Six Beehive Clothing plants owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico, Paraguay, Brazil, the Philippines, Salt Lake City and American Fork, Utah have shifted production to make cloth face masks and surgical gowns for healthcare workers. Although Beehives four international locations were closed due to COVID-19, governments allowed them to reopen to sew masks for their communities.

Workers have already sewn over half a million masks and 50,000 gowns. The Daily Herald reported on May 20 that the Brazil plant plans to produce 600,000 masks and cut an additional 600,000 for volunteers in local congregations to sew. Up to 300,000 masks are being sewn in Paraguay. The Philippines plant is making 400,000 masks. Workers in Mexico are planning to sew 200,000 masks during the project.

Beehive Clothing is employing social distancing at its facilities and has worked in conjunction with Intermountain Healthcare and other consultants to make sure the surgical gowns provide proper protection. The goal is to sew 200,000 surgical gowns by the end of June.

In a press statement, as reported by The Daily Herald, Stan Howell, global director of Beehive Clothing said, If there is a shortage of something and we can have a small impact on that, were going to do everything we can. Local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are also doing what they can  sewing masks for nursing homes in Dalton  helping with tornado clean-up and with food donations. As previously reported, The Church sent more than 40,000 pounds of food to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank.

We are all in this together, Celeste Ward, Relief Society president of The Chattanooga Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said. The Relief Society is the womens organization of the Church, one of the largest and oldest womens organizations in the world. Our motto is Charity never faileth, Mrs. Ward said. We are committed to serving whenever and however we can because we are followers of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who forever teaches 'on earth peace, goodwill toward men' (Luke 2:14).




The RAID controller battery market is expected to grow by USD 54.25 million during 2020-2024. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact can be expected to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth, according to the latest market research report by Technavio.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005430/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global RAID Controller Battery Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Request challenges and opportunities influenced by COVID-19 pandemic Request a free sample report of the RAID controller battery market

The construction of data centers is generally associated with huge CAPEX and OPEX. Hence, many enterprises, especially SMEs with budget constraints are increasingly adopting colocation services. This is driving investments in the construction of colocation data centers. For instance, in May 2019, Equinix announced its plan to open 12 new International Business Exchange (IBX) data centers and expand the 23 existing IBX data centers by 2019. The company also announced its plans to invest in the construction of its fourth data center in Singapore. Colocation services require SMEs to install hardware such as servers, storage devices, network equipment, PDUs, and RAID controller cards. RAID controller batteries are used to increase the performance of RAID controller cards without risking data. Therefore, the rising demand for colocation services is expected to fuel the growth of the global RAID controller batteries market during the forecast period.

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43764

As per Technavio, the increasing demand for cloud-based services will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024.

RAID Controller Battery Market: Increasing Demand for Cloud-based Services

The adoption of cloud computing is significantly increasing among enterprises owing to the flexibility and cost benefits associated with cloud services. For example, cloud services allow enterprises to flexible payment options such as a pay-as-you-go model or fixed monthly fees. Besides, several leading organizations are focusing on expanding their cloud operations across regions. This is accelerating investments in cloud data centers. This, in turn, will drive the adoption of RAID controller cards, thereby fueling the growth of the global RAID controller battery market.

"Increasing investments in the construction of data centers and data center modernization will further boost market growth during the forecast period", says a senior analyst at Technavio.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

RAID Controller Battery Market: Segmentation Analysis

This market research report segments the RAID controller battery market by type (Lithium-ion and Nickel-Cadmium) and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA).

The APAC region led the RAID controller battery market in 2019, followed by North America, Europe, South America, and MEA respectively. During the forecast period, APAC is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to the increasing mobile data traffic in the region.

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report

Some of the key topics covered in the report include:

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005430/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: media@technavio.com

Website: www.technavio.com/
IQE plc

Cardiff, UK

29 May 2020

IQE plc (AIM: IQE, "IQE" or the "Group"), the leading manufacturer of advanced semiconductor wafer products for the global semiconductor industry, today announces it has published its 2020 Notice of Annual General Meeting which can be viewed online at https://investors.iqep.com/investors/agm .

IQEs 2019 Annual Report is also available to view at https://investors.iqep.com/investors/results-reports-and-presentations/ .

Contacts:

IQE plc

+44 (0) 29 2083 9400

Drew Nelson

Tim Pullen

Amy Barlow



Peel Hunt LLP (Nomad and Joint Broker)

+44 (0) 20 7418 8900

Edward Knight

Nick Prowting



Citigroup Global Markets Limited (Joint Broker)

+44 (0) 20 7986 4000

Christopher Wren

Peter Catterall

Headland Consultancy (Financial PR)

+ 44 (0) 20 38054822

Andy Rivett-Carnac: +44 (0) 7968 997 365

Tom James: +44 (0)78 1859 4991





ABOUT IQE

http://iqep.com

IQE is the leading global supplier of advanced compound semiconductor wafers and materials solutions that enable a diverse range of applications across:

handset devices

global telecoms infrastructure

connected devices

3D sensing

As a scaled global epitaxy wafer manufacturer, IQE is uniquely positioned in this market which has high barriers to entry. IQE supplies the whole market and is agnostic to the winners and losers at chip and OEM level. By leveraging the Groups intellectual property portfolio including know-how and patents, it produces epitaxy wafers of superior quality, yield and unit economics.



IQE is headquartered in Cardiff UK, with c. 650 employees across nine manufacturing locations in the UK, US, Taiwan and Singapore, and is listed on the AIM Stock Exchange in London.
Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine tablets are shown in at the IHU Mediterranee Infection Institute in Marseille, France, on Feb. 26, 2020. (Gerard Julien/AFP via Getty Images)

White House: Trump Would Take Hydroxychloroquine as Prophylactic Again

President Donald Trump is feeling great after taking hydroxychloroquine for two weeks in a bid to prevent infection of the CCP virus, the White House said, soon after Indian researchers found the drug is effective as a prophylactic.

Hes feeling perfect. Hes feeling absolutely great after taking this regimen, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters in Washington.

He would take it again if he thought he was exposed, she added.

Researchers in India recently found hydroxychloroquine was effective when taken as a prophylactic. The countrys Council of Medical Research said all asymptomatic healthcare workers, whether theyre treating COVID-19 patients or not, should take the drug, along with other frontline workers and household contacts of confirmed CCP virus cases.

The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus causes a disease called COVID-19.

A pharmacy tech pours out pills of hydroxychloroquine at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20, 2020. (George Frey/AFP via Getty Images)

Using hydroxychloroquine to treat or prevent the disease or virus has proven divisive. Critics say there isnt enough evidence to support its use, dismissing widespread anecdotal reports about its supposed effectiveness and some studies indicating the same. Proponents say enough evidence exists for further study and point to promising results, especially when the drug is combined with azithromycin and zinc.

There are no vaccines or proven treatments for COVID-19.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration experts said last month that people shouldnt take hydroxychloroquine or the closely related chloroquine outside of clinical trials or the hospital, citing studies showing some patients experienced side effects, including heart issues. And an observational study published this month prompted the World Health Organization to suspend its research into the drug, despite some experts questioning the methods used in the study.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, a top U.S. health official, said this week that the available data suggests hydroxychloroquine isnt effective.

Outside India, few studies have been published looking at hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine as a prophylactic. A global trial expected to involve tens of thousands of healthcare workers testing the drugs as preventative medicines launched this month in the United Kingdom.

Some recent studies found hydroxychloroquine is effective when used to treat COVID-19 if certain dosing levels and combinations are used. A group of researchers found early use of hydroxychloroquine at the relatively high dose of 800 milligrams was associated with an increase of survival in patients. Scientists separately concluded (pdf) that patients in hospitals treated with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, an antibiotic, for more than 48 hours have a reduced risk of being transferred to intensive care units and/or dying.

El Salvadors president Nayib Bukele speaks during a press conference at Rosales Hospital in San Salvador on May 26, 2020. He said hes been taking hydroxychloroquine as a prophylactic. (Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images)

And another group found hydroxychloroquine plus antibiotics was a more effective treatment than ritonavir/lopinavir plus antibiotics and conservative treatment.

It is notable that HQ plus antibiotics group had better clinical outcomes than the conservative treatment group despite the worse baseline clinical profiles  and prognostic factors such as age, LDH, lymphocyte count, and CRP, the South Korean scientists wrote (pdf).

McEnany at the White House noted the hundreds of trials on hydroxychloroquine that are ongoing, including some looking at the drug as a preventative medicine.

She quoted Sarah Lofgren, an infectious disease doctor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, where researchers are testing hydroxychloroquine as a prophylactic. Lofgren told Science News about possible side effects: When used alone, were not seeing major issues.

Out of our thousands of patients, were not seeing things people are quite concerned about, particularly the heart arrhythmias, Lofgren added.

While people should only take the drug when their doctor prescribes it, McEnany noted that hydroxychloroquine was approved decades ago and is used against malaria and two other maladies.

When theres a lot of hyperbole about this being unsafe  there are consequencesdeterring people from being recruited into actual clinical trials, she said. Its important to note that this drug has been safely used by millions of people for a long time.
The Missoula City-County Health Department reported one new active COVID-19 case in Missoula County on Friday, the first one in weeks.

Incident Commander Cindy Farr said in her daily briefing that the one person with a confirmed case is in isolation, and the persons sole known close contact will be monitored for the next two weeks.

No further demographic or location information was provided for the case.

One new case today might surprise some of us, but it really demonstrates what we in public health have been talking about this whole time, Farr said. While we cant always see COVID-19, we know from our epidemiological knowledge and our experience that it is still in our community to some extent.

The case comes on the heels of Memorial Day weekend and just ahead of June 1, which marks the next phase of broader reopening.

Montana counted eight new cases as of 10 a.m. Friday, with six in Big Horn County and one in Gallatin County, in addition to the one in Missoula, according to data from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. The state has a total of 28 active cases. A total of 17 people have died, and 448 have recovered. There is one active hospitalization.

Farr said state health leaders anticipate seeing some amount of growth in the number of cases as the state moves into Phase 2 of reopening, which allows for larger gatherings and out-of-state travel quarantine requirements are lifted.

Next week, mobile testing facilities will be in Lolo on Tuesday, as well as in Clinton and Seeley Lake on Wednesday. Missoula County is also developing a plan to test asymptomatic residents for COVID-19 as restrictions ease and tourism picks up. Until now, only residents with some level of COVID-19 symptoms have been eligible for free testing through the health department.

Since so few people in Montana have tested positive for the virus, Angela Luis, a disease ecologist at the University of Montana, recently estimated that 99.9% of the population still remains susceptible to infection, and a spike is still possible.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Hyderabad, May 29 : Revolutionary Telugu poet and writer Varavara Rao, who is in judicial custody in Maharashtra in the Bhima Koregaon case, has been admitted to JJ Hospital at Mumbai, officials said on Friday.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said on Friday night that his family is being informed to family members and necessary passes are being issued for them to travel to Mumbai."We are coordinating with agencies at Mumbai," the Police Commissioner tweeted.

The news of Varvara Rao's admission to hospital came on a day when rights activists and his family members staged protests at their respective residences in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana demanding the immediate release of Rao and Delhi University professor G.N. Saibaba. They voiced the apprehension that the activists may be facing the threat of coronavirus in jails.

Varavara Rao's wife Hemalatha and daughter Pavana staged a three-hour-long protest at home, holding placards for release of the 80-year-old who was arrested in November 2018.

Two days ago, Varavara Rao's three daughters had written a letters to the Governor and Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and Chief Justice of Bombay High Court, demanding his release on bail or parole.

"Our father is aged 80 and ailing with multiple health issues and highly vulnerable to be affected by coronavirus. During the last eight weeks of lockdown, we were not allowed to visit him in jail and even the usual correspondence was also disallowed," wrote Sahaja, Pavana and Anala.

Rao, leader of Revolutionary Writers Association (RWA), is currently lodged at the Taloja jail at Navi Mumbai, which reportedly saw the death of a prisoner due to Covid-19.

"The lawyers were also not permitted to visit him. We have been extremely anxious to find out his well-being and during these eight weeks, he was allowed to make phone calls for three times to speak to our mother, who is also ailing and 70 plus. Even the phone conversation was allowed only for two minutes." The Forum against Suppression (Nirbandha Vyatireka Vedika), Telangana had given call for the protest on Thursday. Vedika convenor Professor G. Hara Gopal, other office bearers Professor G Lakshman, M Raghavachary, S Anitha and K Ravichander and others held protests outside their houses.

Hara Gopal said Saibaba had been facing health problems in Nagpur jail and his mother too is ailing. He said Coronavirus is prevalent in Mumbai jail where Varavara Rao had been lodged for over 18 months. He demanded that Rao be released on bail on parole.

Leaders of the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) and Telangana State of Union of Working Journalists (TSUWJ) had also urged the Maharashtra government to consider releasing Varavara Rao on parole, keeping in mind his health condition and Covid-19 situation in the state.

Last month, a group of poets from different languages, including Gulzar, had sought the immediate release of Varvara Rao.

His name surfaced in the case following the arrest of the lawyer Surendra Gadling. A letter, allegedly penned by Rao, was recovered from Gadling.

In a representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gulzar, along with 40 poets, sought the release of the 80-year-old Rao in view of the health emergency in the country.

A copy of the representation was also submitted to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the National Human Rights Commission.

"Varavara Rao, renowned poet, writer and harbinger of change in modern Telugu poetry, eighty years of age, runs a high risk of ailment considering his age, deteriorating health and the crowding situation in jail. Vernon Gonsalves, a fellow prisoner, had sent a message to the advocate drawing attention to the worrisome health condition of Rao. In this context, we see the plea for help with utmost concern," the representation read.
Rajya Sabha member M P Veerendra Kumar, who died at the age of 84 on Thursday night, had been a minister in Kerala for hardly 48 hours.

Kumar was elected to the eighth Kerala Legislative Assembly from Kalpetta in Wayanad, his home town, in 1987. He was sworn in a forest minister on April 2, 1987, in the left ministry led by CPM leader E K Nayanar. But owing to differences from within the party as a faction wanted N M Joseph to become the minister, Veerendrakumar decided to resign the next day.

Also read  M P Veerendra Kumar, MD of Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi and Rajya Sabha MP, passes away

According to Kumar's website, immediately after swearing-in, he decided to ban felling of trees in forests. Following pressure to withdraw the order, he resigned.

Veteran political analysts K G Parameswaran Nair recollected that in-fight in the Janatha party was the key reason for Kumar's resignation. "After swearing-in in Thiruvananthapuram, he headed towards his home town for reception. But before the reception was over he had to resign. Some media had then termed him as 'Ek Din Ka Raja' (one day king)," Nair recollects.

Also read  PM Modi condoles death of RS member and Mathrubhumi MD M P Veerendra Kumar

Kumar was Loktantrik Janata Dal state president in Kerala. He was Lok Sabha member during 1996-98 and 2004-2009 and served as Minister of State, Finance in 1997 and Minister of State for Labour (Independent Charge) in 1997-98. He was Rajya Sabha MP from 2016 to 2017. He was then a JD(U) leader and had resigned from Rajya Sabha after JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar decided to join NDA. He remained with the Sharad Yadav faction and got re-elected to Rajya Sabha in 2018 March.

Kumar was also serving as Managing Director and Chairman of a prominent Malayalam media group that brings out the widely-read daily Mathrubhumi. He authored over 20 books and won over 100 awards.

Kumar was born on July 26, 1936, at Kalpetta in Wayanad. His father M K Padmaprabha Gowder was a member of Madras Legislative Assembly and mother Marudevi. He is survived by his wife Usha, son Shreyams Kumar, who is a former MLA, and three daughters. Funeral was held near his ancestral home at Kalpetta in Wayanad with state honours by 5 pm on Friday. Owing to lockdown, restrictions were imposed on the number of persons to pay last respects.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and many other prominent leaders condoled Kumar's death.
The 'hero' soldier who thwarted a possible mass shooting on a Kansas bridge has spoken out about the incident in an interview with Good Morning America.

Master Sgt David Royer, 34, appeared on the program Friday alongside his fiancee Haley Siela, who dialed 911 when the shooter began firing the bullets.

Royer was on the phone to Siela late Wednesday morning while he was driving across the Centennial Bridge that connects Kansas and Missouri.

He told Good Morning America it was there that he noticed the shooter stop his car and 'pull a rifle out of his trunk'.

'My adrenaline kicked in immediately. I knew people were in danger,' he recalled.

'I was kind of shocked. This guy has a rifle, and he started to fire his rifle, and I looked around real fast and just - the only decision I felt I could make was the hit the suspect with my vehicle.'

Royer accelerated his pick-up truck, hitting the shooter and pinning him under the wheel.

Siela told Good Morning America she immediately got off the phone with her fiance and switched over to call 911.

The shooter - identified only as a 37-year-old Missouri man - hit and injured one victim. Both of them remain in a stable condition in hospital.

Scroll down for video

Master Sgt David Royer, 34, appeared on the program Friday alongside his fiancee Haley Siela, who dialed 911 when the shooter began firing the bullets

Royer was on the phone to his wife-to-be (pictured left) late Wednesday morning when the dramatic incident began to unfold

Royer's white Chevy Silverado is seen pushed up against the suspect's black car on the bridge on Wednesday morning

Police do not believe the shooting was targeted, and instead the suspect was 'randomly firing at vehicles as they passed by'.

The suspect had a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun, shooting three different vehicles during his attempted attack, with at least seven bullets flying through the window of a Ford Taurus.

Local police chief Patrick Kitchens has praised Royer, saying he 'likely saved countless lives' with his quick thinking.

Royer first spoke to reporters about his heroic actions at a press conference on Thursday.

'I assessed the situation very quickly, looked around and just took the only action possible I thought I could take,' Royer recounted.

'I accelerated my truck as quickly as possible and struck the active shooter and pinned him underneath my truck.'

Royer and Siela both appeared on Good Morning America Friday to discuss how the shocking shooting unfolded

A hero soldier is speaking out after he saved countless lives by jumping into action and taking down a shooter. @dianermacedo has the story. https://t.co/ztIwpCzw5x pic.twitter.com/yMhYpP0rxs  Good Morning America (@GMA) May 29, 2020

Royer attributed his ability to react quickly to the emergency to his extensive military training, which included active-shooter drills.

After mowing down the suspect, Royer said he made sure he no longer posed a threat, then proceeded to render first aid to the injured man lodged under his truck.

Royer said when he went over to the suspect's car to turn off the engine, he noticed a pistol resting on the seat.

Moments later, first responders arrived on the scene and took over, with Royer describing their actions as 'textbook' and 'amazing.'

Royer first spoke to reporters about the incident at press conference on Thursday

Royer revealed that his fiancee was 'panicking' after hearing gunshots during their call. After the incident was over, the soldier called his wife-to-be back to tell her he was unharmed.

The master sergeant later arrived home and was reunited with his fiancee and children.

'I mowed my grass and ate dinner and spent time with my family,' Royer said, summing up the incident as 'pretty surreal.'

The soldier revealed that when he later spoke to his family, his father was at first angry at him for putting his life at risk, but ultimately he was happy that his son took action.

Traffic is seen backed up on the bridge during the active shooter investigation on Wednesday

Master Sgt Royer said he was driving across the bridge on his home home from an appointment when he encountered the shooter

When asked about his truck, Royer jokingly lamented that his 2014 Chevy Silverado, which was the first vehicle he ever bought, likely has been damaged beyond repair, prompting Police Chief Kitchens to quip that someone should call Chevrolet and ask the automaker to send the hero soldier a new truck.

Royer said his takeaway from what happened is 'not to be afraid. Everything would turn out OK. There's people all around the world that would do things like that. I believe there is more good out there than there is bad.'

Royer grew up in a small town in Ohio. He said both his parents and his military veteran brother are courageous people who had taught him from a young age to do what's right and protect the innocent.

'It kinda runs in our blood to stand up and do what's right and put ourselves in front of harms' way if we need to,' he said,

After getting into some trouble as a teen, Royer said he got his life in order, graduated from high school and joined the military in 2005, with his first posting being Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
"Getting to meet them, and hear their stories, is just something super special. I know from speaking with other people that they enjoyed our presence just as much as we enjoyed theirs, and they inspire us to be better." Cadet Second Lieutenant Alexis Nyce.
The Minneapolis officer who was seen on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died in custody after pleading that he could not breathe, was arrested Friday.

Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said state investigators arrested Derek Chauvin. And County Attorney Mike Freeman says Chauvin has been charged with murder and manslaughter.

The arrest comes after three days of protests, which escalated in violence as demonstrators torched a police precinct that had been abandoned by officers.

+2 NOPD chief addresses 'injustices faced by black men' after George Floyd's death in Minneapolis New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson on Friday joined law enforcement officials from across the country who have responded to a po

With smoke drifting over Minneapolis, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Friday acknowledged the abject failure of the response to this weeks violent protests and called for swift justice for police involved in the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white officer knelt on his neck.

Walz said the state would take over the response and that its time to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering.

Minneapolis and St. Paul are on fire. The fire is still smoldering in our streets. The ashes are symbolic of decades and generations of pain, of anguish unheard, Walz said, adding. Now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world  and the world is watching.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

His comments came the morning after protesters torched a police station that officers abandoned during a third night of violence. Livestream video showed protesters entering the building, where intentionally set fires activated smoke alarms and sprinklers. President Donald Trump threatened action, tweeting when the looting starts, the shooting starts, which prompted a warning from Twitter for glorifying violence.

The governor faced tough questions after National Guard leader Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen blamed a lack of clarity about the Guards mission for a slow response. Walz said the state was in a supporting role and that it was up to city leaders to run the situation. Walz said it became apparent as the 3rd Precinct was lost that the state had to step in, which happened at 12:05 a.m. Requests from the cities for resources never came, he said. You will not see that tonight, there will be no lack of leadership, Walz said.

Dozens of fires were also set in nearby St. Paul, where nearly 200 businesses were damaged or looted. Protests spread across the U.S., fueled by outrage over Floyds death, and years of violence against African Americans at the hands of police. Demonstrators clashed with officers in New York and blocked traffic in Columbus, Ohio, and Denver. Trump threatened to bring Minneapolis under control, calling the protesters thugs and tweeting that when the looting starts, the shooting starts. The tweet drew another warning from Twitter, which said the comment violated the platforms rules, but the company did not remove it.

This is a developing story. More details to come.
[May 28, 2020] COVID-19 Updates: Skilfinity announces relief support for businesses to enable their digital marketing strategies

SINGAPORE, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Life has changed drastically due to the coronavirus crisis, and people do everything to keep each other safe, with routines being fundamentally shifted. The necessary measures taken to manage the coronavirus crisis have drastically altered the global economy and changed consumers' expectations, habits, and purchasing behaviour. This has resulted in new challenges to supply chains, fulfilment, physical stores, both for employees and customers. In these unusual circumstances businesses can re-engage their customers using a 'Respond  Rebuild  Recover' model. While most business owners are concerned about the prolonged recession and operational restrictions, there are also internal infrastructural risks that need immediate attention. Shift in work patterns and disrupted network maintenance are making organizations vulnerable to data leaks and frauds. Early adaptation of digita tools can enable the leadership and employees to maintain business continuity and help the company navigate the unprecedented effects of the pandemic.



Make data-driven decisions Analyse the shift in the behavioural change of the customers, suppliers, investors and partners to strategize the next action item. Learn about some of the best practices of multinational companies to stay engaged with the internal and external stakeholders.

Google Analytics is a free and powerful tool that provides easy to read, dashboard-style real-time data of the web traffic, digital campaigns and mobile apps. While it is a good place to start, the tool is self-serviced and deriving actionable business intelligence from the data can be a daunting task for beginners. Alternatively, Skilfinity's Data Studio Dashboard collates data from more than 150 sources and connects the dots to provide personalized insights about the entire value chain of an organization. From product to sales data, the correlation of various internal activities and external stimulus provides more valuable information for the businesses to respond during a volatile situation. Skilfinity is inviting businesses to join its platform and make informed business decisions during this crisis. Access to the relief package worth S$3,000 will be provided to select applicants which includes:

Creation of actionable digital reboot strategy

Access to Real-time data studio dashboard

Marketing support materials such as email, social media and website templates

One-on-one zoom consultation with our expert strategists and media specialists Contact us or Email at [email protected], with the subject: COVID support request. About Skilfinity: Skilfinity is a global full-service digital marketing, analytics and marketing consulting company headquartered in Singapore. It caters to a wide range of clientele to drive their digital branding and lead generation efforts through an integrated digital approach. Skilfinity's service portfolio includes Web development, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Content Strategy and Data Analytics. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200528/2815767-1 SOURCE Skilfinity

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
CORNING, NY, May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corning Incorporated (GLW) and Pfizer Inc . (PFE) today announced the execution of a long-term purchase and supply agreement for Corning Valor  Glass .



The multiyear agreement provides for the supply of Valor Glass vials to a portion of currently marketed Pfizer drug products, pending regulatory approval.

Since first launching its collaboration with Corning, Pfizer has continued to evaluate Valor Glass performance across several aseptic sites, utilizing multiple vial sizes, with a broad range of drug products from Pfizers sterile injectables portfolio. During this time, Valor Glass was accepted into and provisionally evaluated under the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) Emerging Technology Program.



Pfizer Global Supply colleagues directly deliver on our purpose  breakthroughs that change patients lives  and those breakthroughs can come in many forms, said Mike McDermott, president, Pfizer Global Supply. Our collaboration with Corning is one example of how we continually evaluate new technologies and innovations that have the potential to advance our manufacturing reliability and efficiency.

Our strong customer relationships and shared passion for life-changing innovations make products like Valor Glass possible. Together, with Pfizer, we are revolutionizing an industry in which quality matters most  pharmaceutical packaging, said Wendell P. Weeks, Corning chairman and chief executive officer.



Cornings Valor Glass packaging solution has been designed to enable superior chemical durability and resist breakage, damage, and particulate contamination. In addition, Valor Glass has a low-friction exterior coating that enhances manufacturing productivity by enabling increased throughput and quality assurance for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Pfizer and Corning are encouraged by the FDAs role to facilitate adoption of emerging technologies, like Valor Glass, with the potential to improve biopharmaceutical product quality on a broad scale.

Story continues

Corning Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), which are based on current expectations and assumptions about Cornings financial results and business operations, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include: the duration and severity of the recent COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, and its ultimate impact across our businesses on demand, operations and our global supply chains; the effects of acquisitions, dispositions and other similar transactions by the Company, the effect of global business, financial, economic and political conditions; tariffs and import duties; currency fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and other currencies, primarily the Japanese yen, New Taiwan dollar, euro, Chinese yuan, and South Korean won; product demand and industry capacity; competitive products and pricing; availability and costs of critical components and materials; new product development and commercialization; order activity and demand from major customers; the amount and timing of our cash flows and earnings and other conditions, which may affect our ability to pay our quarterly dividend at the planned level or to repurchase shares at planned levels; possible disruption in commercial activities due to terrorist activity, cyber-attack, armed conflict, political or financial instability, natural disasters, or major health concerns; unanticipated disruption to equipment, facilities, IT systems or operations; effect of regulatory and legal developments; ability to pace capital spending to anticipated levels of customer demand; rate of technology change; ability to enforce patents and protect intellectual property and trade secrets; adverse litigation; product and components performance issues; retention of key personnel; customer ability, most notably in the Display Technologies segment, to maintain profitable operations and obtain financing to fund their ongoing operations and manufacturing expansions and pay their receivables when due; loss of significant customers; changes in tax laws and regulations including the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017; and the potential impact of legislation, government regulations, and other government action and investigations.

For a complete listing of risks and other factors, please reference the risk factors and forward-looking statements described in our annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the day that they are made, and Corning undertakes no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events

Corning Web Disclosure

In accordance with guidance provided by the SEC regarding the use of company websites and social media channels to disclose material information, Corning Incorporated (Corning) wishes to notify investors, media, and other interested parties that it uses its website ( http://www.corning.com/worldwide/en/about-us/news-events.html ) to publish important information about the company, including information that may be deemed material to investors, or supplemental to information contained in this or other press releases. The list of websites and social media channels that the company uses may be updated on Cornings media and website from time to time. Corning encourages investors, media, and other interested parties to review the information Corning may publish through its website and social media channels as described above, in addition to the companys SEC filings, press releases, conference calls, and webcasts.

About Corning Incorporated

Corning (www.corning.com) is one of the world's leading innovators in materials science, with a 169-year track record of life-changing inventions. Corning applies its unparalleled expertise in glass science, ceramic science, and optical physics along with its deep manufacturing and engineering capabilities to develop category-defining products that transform industries and enhance people's lives. Corning succeeds through sustained investment in RD&E, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and deep, trust-based relationships with customers who are global leaders in their industries. Corning's capabilities are versatile and synergistic, which allows the company to evolve to meet changing market needs, while also helping our customers capture new opportunities in dynamic industries. Today, Corning's markets include mobile consumer electronics, optical communications, automotive technologies, life sciences technologies, and display technologies.

About Pfizer: Breakthroughs That Change Patients Lives

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 170 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.Pfizer.com . In addition, to learn more, please visit us on www.Pfizer.com and follow us on Twitter at @Pfizer and @Pfizer News, LinkedIn, YouTube and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Pfizer .

Pfizer Disclosure Notice

The information contained in this release is as of May 28, 2020. Pfizer assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments.

This release contains forward-looking information about the purchase and supply agreement between Corning Incorporated and Pfizer for Corning Valor Glass, including its potential benefits, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development; uncertainties regarding the commercial success of and the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the collaborations and when regulatory approvals may be received for any new packaging solutions; uncertainties regarding the impact of COVID-19 on our business, operations and financial results; other business effects, including the effects of industry, market, economic, political or regulatory conditions; and competitive developments.

A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Pfizers Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned Risk Factors and Forward-Looking Information and Factors That May Affect Future Results, as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov and www.pfizer.com .

Corning Media Relations Contacts:

Gabrielle Bailey

(607) 684-4557

BaileyGR@corning.com

Amy Washco

828-228-730

Washcoa@corning.com



Corning Investor Relations Contact:

Ann H.S. Nicholson

(607) 974-6716

Nicholsoas@corning.com

Pfizer Media Contact:

Kim Bencker

(610) 329-1340

kim.bencker@pfizer.com
ShareBar

Comments must be on-topic and civil in tone (with no name calling or personal attacks). Any promotional language or urls will be removed immediately. Your comment may be edited for clarity and length.
Prithviraj Sukumaran, the actor-filmmaker has finished the first phase of quarantine. The actor revealed that he has finished the institutional quarantine which lasted a week, through the latest post on his official social media pages. Prithviraj has also revealed that he will be in the home quarantine for another week.

'Now off to the next 7 days of home quarantine. A huge thanks to Old Harbour Hotel, Kochi, India and its extremely well trained staff for the hospitality and care.

PS: To all those who are going to or already in home quarantine, remember..going home doesn't mean the end of your quarantine period. Do abide strictly by all quarantine regulations and make sure no person belonging to the high risk population group as stipulated by the authorities is at home. #EdgarPinto Kashi Art Cafe', wrote the Aadujeevitham actor in his post.

Recently, Prithviraj Sukumaran had posted a throwback picture which was clicked in January 2020, during his cross-country drive with wife Supriya Menon. The actor recalled how different his ideas were about the year ahead. 'Throwback to our cross country drive in Jan 2020 @supriyamenonprithviraj ! Enroute Mont Blanc, taking a break from the long hours behind the wheel at the Switzerland/France border. Had such different ideas about the year ahead back then! Hopefully, the world will come back to normal soon, and travellers and explorers will be back to doing what they love best!', wrote Prithviraj.

However, Supriya Menon, his wife reacted to his post saying she misses seeing him the most. 'I miss those drives! But I miss seeing you! One more week to go I guess! @therealprithvi', wrote the journalist-producer.

Coming to Aadujeevitham, Prithviraj Sukumaran and his team have recently finished the much-talked Jordan schedule of the Blessy directorial, despite being stranded in the country for over two months. The next schedule of the project is expected to go on floors in Namibia, once the world comes back to normalcy.

Also Read:

Prithviraj Sukumaran Accepts Dulquer Salmaan's 'Training Done' Challenge: Reveals His Transformation
A mysterious new Chromebook has now reportedly appeared at Geekbench, touting Qualcomms budget-minded Snapdragon 7c platform. The device, codenamed Trogdor, reveals very few details in the listing. But it is shown to have that processor backed up with 8GB RAM. Thats noteworthy since the Snapdragon 7c processor is meant to represent the budget-end from Qualcomm.

As pertinently, thats an eight-core processor, clocked at a base of 1.8GHz. Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon 7c, touting a chipset for devices up to 20-percent more powerful than competitive platforms. Thats compared to other budget-friendly laptop processors  although no distinction was given with regard to which one. Similarly, the manufacturer claims that up to two-times the battery life can be had there too.

Other key aspects of this particular chipset include support for 4G LTE via the Qualcomm X15 LTE modem and support for Bluetooth 5.1. Continuing down the networking side of things, Trogdor supports up to Wi-Fi 6 as well. Thats atop support for up to 4K resolutions with compatibility for HDR 10. AI is a big part of the package too.

Advertisement

Trogdor stands on a borderline with the Snapdragon 7c on board

Now, none of the supported specs or features of this processor necessarily points to a device that will ship with all of them intact. In fact, earlier rumors surrounding Trogdor indicated that it would be a budget-friendly device, as noted above. But there could be quite a few top-tier features here as well.

Early commits to the Chromium Gerrit code repository point to a clamshell-style design with at least one USB-A port. USB-C has become something of a standard with Chromebooks in terms of charging. So its safe to say at least one port will be included for that as well. Backlighting on the devices keyboard is also part of the initial build in the code repository. So that should be at least an option if the OEM launches more than one variant.

For the time being, its less clear who, exactly, will be manufacturing this device. While benchmarks are notoriously easy to spoof, the Geekbench listing all but confirms that this will be a wallet-friendly gadget. The scores land at around 558 on the single-core side. Thats comparable to an Exynos-powered Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite. On the multi-core side, Trogdor scores 1528 points  closer to a Samsung Galaxy A70 mid-ranger.

Advertisement

That means it should be comparable, or slightly better, than many other gadgets launching on new  to Chrome OS  hardware platforms.

When will this arrive and how much will it cost?

Trogdor remains a mystery in terms of nailing down a plausible manufacturer and when it might arrive. Chromebooks typically land on benchmarking sites several times before finally appearing in announcements. All of the specifications here also put Trogdor right in the middle of the market, in terms of expectations for performance and performance.

That makes determining a likely cost difficult. So does the fact that this is the first purportedly budget-friendly Chromebook to appear at all bearing the Snapdragon 7c platform under-the-hood. Regardless, if this device is priced properly and comes with enough over-the-top features, it could easily be one of the best Chromebooks available.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 18:14:13|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

MOGADISHU, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The UN humanitarian agency on Friday condemned the killing of seven health personnel and a civilian in Gololey village in Somalia's Middle Shabelle region by unknown gunmen.

Adam Abdelmoula, resident and humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, expressed shock at the killing.

The eight Somali civilians were abducted on Wednesday from an non-governmental organization-run health clinic before their brutal killing, he said.

"Preliminary information indicates that they suffered brutal deaths," Abdelmoula said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.

The UN humanitarian official extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims.

Attacks against medical facilities and personnel are unacceptable and a breach of international humanitarian law and any common decency, he said.

"It is unbelievable that this attack comes at a time when Somalia is grappling to contain a triple threat of a pandemic, flooding and the resurgence of desert locusts," Abdelmoula said.

No arrest has been made in connection to the killings. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-30 01:55:03|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Friday pledged that his country will make greater contributions to UN peacekeeping, on the occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

"China will continue taking concrete actions to honor its commitment to multilateralism and world peace, and contribute even more to UN peacekeeping," said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, in a video message.

"This year marks the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. China highly values the role played by the organization. We are a strong supporter and an active participant of UN peacekeeping," he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping made a series of important proposals and solemn commitments at the UN Peacekeeping Summit in 2015. Those commitments have been implemented. Now, China is the second-largest financial contributor and a major troop contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. China is also one of the champions on the safety and security of peacekeepers in UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' Action for Peacekeeping initiative, said Zhang.

Some 2,500 peacekeepers from China are currently serving in nine mission areas. Eighteen Chinese peacekeepers have made the ultimate sacrifice for peace, he noted.

Zhang extended his deepest respect for and thanks to all UN peacekeepers, and paid tribute to the more than 3,900 peacekeepers who gave their lives for the cause of peace since 1948.

The International Day of UN Peacekeepers falls on May 29. Enditem
 Flash

Researchers from China and the United States released the result of a joint study showing China's oldest forest dates back to 371 million years ago.

The ancient forest was in Tacheng Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said Professor Xu Honghe of Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the leader of the research.

In 2015, researchers found a fossil plant stem of 70 cm-diameter in Tacheng. The plant can grow up to more than 4 meters and is one of the oldest-known trees, forming the oldest-known forest in China, Xu said.

Xu's team conducted a more detailed geological survey and isotope chronology research on fossil materials this time. They, for the first time, dated the age of the Tacheng forest to 371 million years ago, more than 10 million years earlier than the Carboniferous Period when ancient forests appeared on a large scale.

"Palaeogeological studies show that over 300 million years ago, the area where the forest was located was warm and humid, with tall tropical plants, but now, it is dry and desolate, a totally different scene," Xu said.

Related results are published in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.
YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. US bio-tech company Moderna Therapeutics signed on May 28 a contract with the Swiss CordenPharma to supply the increased volume of lipids used for the production of experimental vaccine for COVID-19, trying to increase the production capacity aimed at meeting the global demand, Voice of America reports.

At the moment there is no vaccine and treatment measures for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and according to specialists, before having a safe and effective vaccine, it will take one or one and a half year from the start of the works. The global leaders think that the vaccine is the only real measure to re-launch economies because it can limit the spread of the virus. Nevertheless, there is a concern that some countries, including the United States, may try to accumulate vaccine stocks as its less likely that it would be possible to satisfy the global demand at the initial stage of the production.

Last week Moderna announced that its possible vaccine, which was first tested in the US, has developed protective antibodies in a small group of healthy volunteers, which gives hope that it will be effective. If succeeded, Moderna plans to deliver millions of doses monthly in 2020 and tens of millions in 2021.

The company has signed a 10-year contract with the Swiss Lonza to accelerate the process of vaccine production.

Modernas shares rose by 2% on May 28.

Armenian-American entrepreneur, philanthropist and venture capitalist Noubar Afeyan is the co-founder and chairman of the Moderna Therapeutics.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
'Ajit Jogi strived to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor, especially tribal communities,' said Prime Minister Narendra Modi offering his condolences to the family of the first Chhattisgarh chief minister

Ajit Jogi, the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh, passed away on Friday at the age of 74. His son Amit Jogi made the announcement on Twitter.

Not only me but Chhattisgarh has lost his father. His funeral will take place tomorrow at his native land Gorela, he said.

                      ,               ,    -  ,  ,     pic.twitter.com/RPPqYuZ0YS  Amit Jogi (@amitjogi) May 29, 2020

According to a report in India Today, the 74-year-old veteran politician had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Raipur after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home on 9 May.

He suffered a second cardiac arrest on Friday, reports said.

President Ram Nath Kovind expressed condolences to the family of the former Chhattisgarh chief minister. He tweeted:

Sad to hear of the passing of first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Shri Ajit Jogi. A man of many parts, Shri Jogi was an able administrator known for promoting development of the State and its people. My condolences to his family, friends and followers.  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 29, 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too offered his condolences. He said: "Shri Ajit Jogi Ji was passionate about public service. This passion made him work hard as a bureaucrat and as a political leader. He strived to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor, especially tribal communities. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family. RIP."

Shri Ajit Jogi Ji was passionate about public service. This passion made him work hard as a bureaucrat and as a political leader. He strived to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor, especially tribal communities. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family. RIP.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 29, 2020

Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu shared on Twtter: Saddened by the demise of Shri Ajit Jogi, the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and a former Member of the Parliament. My condolences to the bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace, he tweeted.

Saddened by the demise of Shri Ajit Jogi, the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and a former Member of Parliament. My condolences to the bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/DV0mngAJEl  Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) May 29, 2020

Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also expressed his condolences. Deeply pained at the demise of former Chhattisgarh CM Ajit Jogi Ji. May god give strength to his family members to bear this unbearable loss. Om Shanti. RIP, he tweeted.

India's Sherpa to the G20 and former commerce minister Suresh Prabhu too extended his message of condolence on Jogis death. Reminiscing the days they worked together in the Parliament, he wrote, Very sad to know about unfortunate passing away of #AjitJogi. Deep condolences to his family. We worked together in Parliament. Will remember him for his contribution to #Chhattisgarh and his role in public life Om Shanti.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said he was deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of veteran leader and former Chhattisgarh CM.

Deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of veteran leader & former Chhattisgarh CM #AjitJogi. My thoughts & prayers are with the bereaved family.  Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) May 29, 2020

Industrialist and former MP Naveen Jindal remembered Ajit Jogi and said, Shri Ajit Jogi was a visionary mass leader. Coming from a humble background, he had an inspiring journey from serving in IPS to IAS, being elected as MP to both housesand becoming the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. My deepest condolence to @amitjogi and his family. Om Shanti folded hands.

Chief Ministr of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal too expressed his grief over the sudden demise of the political leader.

Saddened to know of the sudden demise of former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Ajit Jogi ji. My condolences to his family and well-wishers and prayers for peace of the departed soul. #AjitJogi  Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) May 29, 2020

DMKs Dayanidhi Maran offered his condolences to the late politician's family.

My deepest condolences to Thiru @amitjogi & family on the passing away of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Thiru.Ajit Jogi ji. An experienced bureaucrat-turned politician, he served as the 1st CM of Chhattisgarh. His contribution to building the state will be long remembered.    Dayanidhi Maran (@Dayanidhi_Maran) May 29, 2020

His contribution to building the state will be long remembered, Maran wrote.
Self-isolation rules for those arriving in the country have been labelled farcical by an Independent TD.

Mattie McGrath said it sends out the wrong message to the business community abroad, as the country starts to reopen.
According to an official, there were also 254 incidents of assault on the police staff during the lockdown

Mumbai: With the 131 more COVID-19 cases reported on Thursday, the total number of positive cases among Maharashtra police personnel increased to 2,095. So far, 22 personnel from the force have succumbed to the disease, a police official said.

Deputy commissioner of police (operations) and spokesperson of Mumbai police Pranaya Ashok said, We are taking extreme precaution to safeguard our personnel. All the men above 55 years of age have been taken off the duty as they are more vulnerable to coronavirus. In initial days, we felt lot of panic among the ranks as Covid-19 cases started to emerge in the force. But now our people have understood that if their immune system is strong, the virus cannot do a major harm to them.

Of the total number of infected police personnel, 236 are officers and 1,859 others are constabulary-rank staff. So far, 75 officers and 822 constabulary-rank personnel have recovered from the infection.

Vinayak Deshmukh, assistant inspector general of police (Maharashtra), said, To ensure that we do not face operational issues due to manpower crunch, we have taken help from 10,000 home guard personnel. We had also asked for 20 companies, comprising around 1,200 personnel, of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Rapid Action Force (RAF). We have got 10 companies till now, which have been posted strategically across the state.

According to an official, there were 254 incidents of assault on the police staff during the lockdown, and so far 833 people have been arrested in connection with these cases. More than 40 health professionals were also attacked by the anti-social elements during the lockdown, he said.
On behalf of the Asian and Asian American, Jewish and Muslim communities of Greater Kansas City, we write to express our solidarity with one another and our mutual concern at the ways in which the COVID-19 crisis has fueled fear and scapegoating in our society.
The state's largest workers' compensation organization is offering some policyholders grants in the form of personal protective equipment.

Montana State Fund, the quasi public-private program, said about 2,000 eligible policyholders including firefighters, EMTs, police, physician offices, hospitals, nursing homes, grocery and drug stores, social services organizations and group homes, will be able to apply.

Lanny Hubbard, the president and chief executive officer of Montana State Fund, said Wednesday that the fund spent more than $100,000 of its own funds on the equipment several weeks ago. When supplies arrived, it donated 1,000 N-95 masks to the state health department.

The fund has 15,000 medical tri-fold masks, 15,000 KN-95 masks and 100 infrared thermometers available. Letters will go out to qualifying policyholders soon and the deadline to apply is June 10 by 5 p.m.

A former State Fund employee, Matthew Cohn, pitched the idea to the board of directors in April with a deeply personal plea.

"Two weeks ago today I lost the closet friend of my life to COVID," Cohn said. " ... I have been grasping with myself what is it that I can do, what is it that we can do, to minimize the impacts of this virus."

Hubbard said the board had already been discussing how to support its policyholders and found the PPE grant "a very natural place to land."

"It was a little risky, but we entered into the venture, we put a deposit down, and just in the last couple weeks received most of the (supplies)," Hubbard said. "It doesn't solve the entire problem and won't solve the entire problem of providing people with what is an essential ingredient for reopening, but it's a small contribution that we think is important for us to make where we can."

Hubbard said the supplies are meant to be targeted toward the most vulnerable workers.

"We target those first and foremost, because those are the ones who need this protective equipment more than anyone else because they can't shelter in place. They have to go to work every day," Hubbard said.

As Montana has started to reopen, Hubbard said the fund has fielded some questions from employers about the role workers' compensation would play if an employee were to fall ill with COVID-19 from on-the-job exposure.

In Montana, Hubbard said, the law is that any disease incurred in the workplace is a workers' compensation defensible claim, though there may be challenges with COVID-19 because of its nature.

"The problem is that it's so universal and so community-based that it would be difficult under Montana law to easily prove that they contracted it in the workplace," Hubbard said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
GLADWIN, MI  Restaurants in Gladwin County can reopen for dine-in services to help people after area flooding, according to the Gladwin County prosecutor.

Given the recent weather and a lack of areas available to offer respite from the heat, humidity, and precipitation, the benefit in allowing restaurants to offer dine-in service to residents, emergency workers, volunteers, and property owners is clear, the Gladwin County Prosecutors Office posted on its Facebook page the morning of Friday, May 29.

Dine-in services in Michigan restaurants have been banned since a March 16 executive order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The governor has since extended the prohibition through June 12, exempting the Upper Peninsula and certain counties in the northern Lower Peninsula.

The prosecutors post went on to reference a May 22 executive order issued by Whitmer declaring a state of emergency for Gladwin, Arenac, and Saginaw counties as a result of flooding from the May 19 Edenville Dam failure and Sanford Dam breach in Midland County. Two days prior, Whitmer issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for Midland County and the city of Midland.

Whitmer on May 26 extended the order to also include Iosco County.

The order states in part that Any emergency order issued in response to the COVID-19 crisis is temporarily suspended in these counties to the extent such order impedes the emergency response effort under this declaration.

As a result, the prosecutors offices post continues, it has been decided by local law enforcement authorities that a temporary exception will be made to Governor Whitmers Executive Orders regarding the Covid19 pandemic. This exception will allow restaurants to resume normal operations only for the duration of the flooding disaster response within Gladwin County.

The exception does not allow for the service of alcohol, prosecutors said.

It is expected that restaurants resuming operations will observe social distancing precautions and maintain a focus on health and safety of its employees and customers, the post concludes.

Related:

Michigans governor orders all bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, more to close amid coronavirus outbreak

Whitmer extends stay-home order, closures of gyms, salons and other businesses to June 12

Gov. Whitmer issues executive order adding flood-affected Iosco County to relief efforts
Peter Manfredonia, a 23-year-old University of Connecticut student accused of killing two people, was taken into custody Wednesday night, according to Connecticut State Police. Authorities had been searching for Manfredonia across Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland since Friday.

Manfredonia was believed to be armed and dangerous, but no law enforcement officers were hurt when they apprehended him at a truck stop in Hagerstown, Maryland. The FBI and U.S. Marshals assisted the local police department in the arrest.

The college senior is suspected of killing Ted DeMers, 62, and Nicholas Eisele, 23, before forcing Eisele's girlfriend into her car and fleeing the state with her.

The woman, 23, was located Sunday at a rest stop near Paterson, New Jersey, with her 2016 Volkswagen Jetta, police said. She was unharmed.

manfredonia-booking-foto-052720.jpg

Peter Manfredonia booking photo from night of May 27, 2020 Washington County (Maryland) Sheriff's Office

She identified Manfredonia as her "captor," reports CBS Hartford, Connecticut, affiliate WFSB-TV.

"His family is relieved that Peter has brought this to a peaceful conclusion," said Michael Dolan, the attorney for Manfredonia's family.

Dolan said earlier that the suspect has struggled with mental health issues and has "sought the help of a number of therapists."

"Peter, if you are listening, you are loved," Dolan said at a news conference Monday. "It is time to let the healing process begin. It's time to surrender. You have your parents' and your sisters' and your family's entire support. So, Peter, from your parents, we love you, please turn yourself in."

**UPDATE**Suspect, Peter Manfredonia has been found & is in custody. CSP Eastern District Major Crime are on scene in Hagerstown, MD. No injuries to any law enforcement personnel or Manfredonia. More info will be provided on Thurs, May 28 @PAStatePolice @FBINewHaven @FBI @MDSP pic.twitter.com/QFnUDuOqn0

Story continues

 CT State Police (@CT_STATE_POLICE) May 28, 2020

Prior to his arrest, Manfredonia was last seen Sunday wearing a white T-shirt, dark shorts and carrying a large duffel bag near train tracks in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

Paterson is about a 90-minute drive from Derby, Connecticut, where Eisele was killed. East Stroudsburg is about an hour farther west on Interstate 80.

Minneapolis police clash with protesters demanding justice for George Floyd

CDC warns about "aggressive" rats as coronavirus shuts down restaurants

Texas high school holds graduation ceremony at speedway
Update: 6:00 PM Eastern

The document that charges Officer Derek Chauvin with murder in the third degree and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd reveals that Chauvin pinned Floyd's neck to the ground with his knee for nearly nine minutes, including three minutes after Floyd had become unresponsive. During this same period of time, two other police officers, Thomas Lane and J. A. Keung, were helping Chauvin keep Floyd pinned to the ground, one on his back and the other on his leg. A fourth officer, Tou Thoa, was engaged in keeping back bystanders who were pleading for Floyd's life. All four policemen have been fired, but only Chauvin has been arrested.

Update: 2:00 PM Eastern

The police officer who killed George Floyd was taken into custody by investigators, Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington announced late Friday morning. Derek Chauvin was fired after video of him pressing his knee into Floyds neck until Floyd lost consciousness and died was posted on the internet and viewed by millions around the world, touching off disturbances in Minneapolis and other US cities. The three policemen who assisted Chauvin in the killing were also fired, but so far have not been arrested.

***

Protests and demonstrations have erupted throughout the US in an explosive reaction to the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In Minneapolis, thousands gathered on the same block where Floyd was killed and marched to the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct building. Multiple fires were burning Thursday, including at the Third Police Precinct, which remains on fire at the time of writing. The Minnesota National Guard announced late last night that 500 soldiers had been activated and were preparing to deploy.

Also late Thursday night, US President Donald Trump threatened to deploy the military against the demonstrators and shoot protesters. I cant stand back & watch this happen to a great American city, Minneapolis, Trump tweeted. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.

Police move through an area during demonstrations Thursday, May 28, 2020, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Trump called the protesters THUGS and said that he just spoke to [Minnesota] Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

A black CNN reporter was arrested by police while broadcasting live about 6 a.m. Friday morning. Omar Jimenez and three crew members, all white, were led away in handcuffs. Jimenez was being fully cooperative with police directions, offering to move his reporting location if his crew were in the way, when a group of Minnesota state patrolmen surrounded them.

One of the crew could be heard telling the cops, Youre arresting him live on CNN. We told you before were with CNN. Another CNN reporter, a block away, who was white, was accosted by police but allowed to continue broadcasting, with the words, OK, youre good.

Jimenez and his crew were released an hour later without charges, and the Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota apologized to CNN officials for the arrest, admitting that Jimenez clearly had the right to be there.

Demonstrations were also held in New York City, where 33 protestors were arrested after a scrum with police. Hundreds of people also participated in demonstrations in Columbus, Ohio; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Pensacola, Florida; Louisville, Kentucky; and Los Angeles, California. In Columbus, protesters attempted to break into the Ohio statehouse.

Several hundred gathered in downtown Louisville and marched through the streets to demand the arrest of the cops who killed Breonna Taylor in March. In Denver, Colorado, a protestor was hit by a car that forced its way through the crowd.

Floyd was murdered Monday after being seized by four Minneapolis cops who were responding to an alleged forgery in progress. As of Thursday, none of the cops involved in the murder had been arrested or charged.

Floyd repeatedly cried out for help, screaming I cant breathe and Im gonna die, as Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck and Tou Thao helped keep the crowd from interfering.

At a Thursday afternoon press conference, Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey attempted to placate protesters and pleaded with them to be better than we have been. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arrodondo joined in the plea to restore order in the city. I know that there is currently a deficit of hope in our city But I will not allow anyone to continue to increase that deficit by re-traumatizing those folks in our community, he said.

Popular anger was further stoked Thursday by the comments of the prosecutor who has jurisdiction over the case, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman. He told reporters that there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge I will not rush to justice.

Freeman is responsible for the decision to not bring charges against the officer who killed Jamar Clark in 2016, sparking days of protest, as well as the more than half-a-year delay in deciding to charge and arrest the officer who shot and killed Justine Damond in 2017.

The eruption of anger is not only over the killing of George Floyd. This is only the latest in an unending string of killing and brutalization. Every year, the police in the US kill 1,000 people in cities and states throughout the country, whether run by Democrats or Republicans.

To the outrage over police violence is added the explosive situation created by the response of the ruling class to the coronavirus pandemic. Trillions have been handed out to the rich, while tens of millions of workers are out of work and will not have a job to return to.

The Trump administration is seeking to utilize mass social distress to force a return to work that will lead to a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases and deaths. Already, more than 100,000 people have died from the coronavirus.

From the representatives of the ruling elite, there have been the usual hypocritical statements that follow every horrific police killing. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who was vice president under Barack Obama, declared that the killing of Floyd is part of an ingrained systemic cycle of injustice that still exists in this country. The Obama Justice Department repeatedly whitewashed police killings, refusing to bring federal charges against killer cops.

This is combined with the efforts of Democratic Party figures like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to frame police violence as a product of racial conflict, as they did in speeches at the Minneapolis protest on Thursday.

There is no doubt that racism was involved the killing of Floyd and other incidents of horrific police violence. The most backward and fascistic layers are deliberately recruited into the police. The Trump administration in particular has encouraged unrestrained police violence with impunity.

However, the police are fundamentally an instrument of class rule. As social tensions reach a breaking point in the United States, the ruling class is turning ever more directly to the mobilization of its apparatus of repression.
The Presidency has said the anniversary to mark President Muhammadu Buharis second term in office will be low-key. This was discl...

The Presidency has said the anniversary to mark President Muhammadu Buharis second term in office will be low-key.





This was disclosed in a statement posted by Buharis spokesman, Garba Shehu on his official Facebook page.





Shehu, who did not give reasons for the decision, however, said the achievements of the current administration will be reeled out via digital platforms.





He urged Nigerians to visit presidential handles to read about some of Buharis achievements since assuming power in 2015.





According to Shehu: The First Anniversary anniversary of the Muhammadu Buhari governments second term will be marked low-keyed.





Narratives of the governments achievements over the past five years which normally would have been showcased by ministers and the party will go digital.





The last five years have been full of historic achievements. Please go to the Presidential handles and read how the decades-long wishes of the Nigerian people are being met.





Thank you Nigerians for entrusting the countrys government in the hands of President Muhammadu Buhari.





Buharis Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina had yesterday reeled out some of the presidents achievements since assuming power in 2015.
A British Virgin Islands-based firm allegedly paid more than US$390,000 in bribes to land a natural gas processing plant construction contract in 2009, Nigerias attorney general said in a statement obtained by OCCRP and its Nigerian member center, the Premium Times.

In 2012, Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID), an engineering and project management company, told a UK arbitration judge they invested $40 million in the plants construction but never broke ground because the Nigerian government failed to build promised infrastructure.

Last year, the British court authorized P&ID to seize more than $9.6 billion of Nigerias foreign assets  more than the West African countrys annual health and education budgets combined.

The amount, one of the biggest UK arbitration awards ever, was based on the loss of two decades of presumed profits plus $1.2 million per day in interest since the project went bust.

The award was stayed last November after Nigeria appealed, alleging that P&ID was unqualified for the work and won the contract through bribery. P&ID says Nigeria invented the bribery allegations to distract from its own mismanagement.

A Duffel Bag Full of Cash

On January 22, Nigerias Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, submitted what he termed a witness statement to the Business and Property Courts of England and the Wales Commercial Court, summarizing the case as he sees it.

In the unsworn document, Malami for the first time lays out exactly how Nigeria believes the bribery scheme worked, and how the alleged recipients were paid through shell companies and in large sums of cash.

FILE PHOTO: In this photo released by the Nigeria State House, newly sworn in Cabinet Ministers from left, Minister of State Health Adeleke Mamora, Minister of State Transportation Gabemisola Saraki, Minister of information Lai Mohammed, Minister of State FCT Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami during their swearing-in at the Council Chambers of the State House, in Abuja, Nigeria Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019. (Sunday Aghaeze/Nigeria State House via AP)

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, seen standing farthest right, and other cabinet ministers during their swearing-in at the Council Chambers of the State House, in Abuja, Nigeria Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019.

Credit: Sunday Aghaeze/Nigeria State House via AP

Malami alleges that P&ID indirectly paid more than $300,000 to a company connected to Taofiq Tijani, the chairman of a government technical committee that reviewed the contract. P&ID also gave Tijani $94,000, much of it in cash, Malami told the court.

Tijani initially pleaded not guilty to charges related to bribery and other crimes, but eventually confessed to the scheme after Nigerias Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) started probing the large sums he received. He said P&ID executives Michael Quinn and Neil Hitchcock dropped a duffel bag packed with $50,000 into the trunk of his car after the trio dined at a Chinese restaurant in Abuja, Nigerias capital, in April 2009.

Chopsticks, Abuja [Photo: Premium Times]

The Chopsticks restaurant in Abuja, where P&ID executives allegedly met with Taofiq Tijani. [CREDIT: Premium Times]

In addition to the bag of cash, P&ID promised that they will further take care of me better at a later date, Tijani allegedly told investigators.

Tijani also told investigators that Hitchcock gave him another $44,000 to support his childrens weddings, with some of the money coming through a company controlled by Michael Quinns son.

P&ID made several payments to Lurgi Consults, a Nigerian company controlled by Quinns son, Adam, and his associate, James Nolan. Adam Quinn and Nolan also own and manage a Nigerian subsidiary of P&ID.

Lurgi Consults then passed the money on to Conserve Oil, a company that Tijani controlled with his wife.

Nolan and Adam Quinn were charged last October with money laundering and tax evasion in connection with the alleged bribery case.

While he was heading the committee overseeing the gas plant contract, Tijani was also a senior special assistant to Minister of Petroleum Rilwanu Lukman. Tijani told investigators that Lukman, who died in 2014, instructed him to contract with P&ID even though it was a sole-purpose company that had no track record in the oil and gas sector.

Lukman also ordered him to deliberately overlook P&IDs shortcomings and push the deal through, Tijani said in an EFCC affidavit cited by Malami.

Nigerias anti-corruption commission determined that Lukman broke the law by signing the P&ID contract. It found that he lacked authority to approve the deal and did no due diligence on the company. The company lacked legally required approvals from the Bureau of Public Procurement and National Petroleum Investment Management Services and didnt register the deal with the National Office for Technology and Promotion.

Though Lukman was the Minister of Petroleum, Minister of State Odein Ajumogobia was responsible for all gas deals. He confirmed he was not consulted and had no knowledge of the deal.

Grace Taiga, a former Petroleum Ministry lawyer who oversaw a contract review committee, has also been charged with accepting bribes from P&ID-linked companies between 2015 and 2019, to which she pleaded not guilty.

Taiga was scheduled to retire in September 2010, but she inexplicably remained in her position for another 16 months as the P&ID contract was being finalized, Malami said in his statement.

Advertisements



Federal Ministry of Justice

Nigerias Ministry of Justice [CREDIT: Premium Times]

Blame game

Nigerias President, Muhammadu Buhari, has flatly rejected the British court ruling. In a 2019 speech to the United Nations, he slammed P&ID as a scam attempting to cheat Nigeria out of billions of dollars.

P&ID dismisses bribe allegations as a ploy.

The Nigerian government knows there was no fraud and the allegations are merely political theater designed to deflect attention from its own shortcomings, the company told Reuters last September.

The company challenged the assertion that it was unqualified and lacked petroleum industry experience. It notes that before they founded P&ID, Cahill and Quinn had more than 30 years experience with engineering projects in Nigeria. Those projects included port infrastructure upgrades in Lagos and Calabar and a large-scale butane project that included construction of a gas pressure vessel manufacturing facility.

Years after the contract was awarded P&ID was acquired by its current owners, Lismore Capital Limited, a private financial management firm incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and VR Advisory Services Limited, a hedge fund with principal offices in the United Kingdom.

Ajumogobia could not be reached for further comment when contacted by the Premium Times and Malamis spokesperson did not respond by the time of publication.
Google Street View

Twelve employees at Cardenas Markets, a Mexican grocery store in Oakland's Fruitvale, have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Mercury News. The most recent positive test came in on Sunday for an employee that last worked at the store on May 21. A Cardenas spokesperson told the Mercury News that each coronavirus-positive employee, as well as any workers they came into direct contact with, has been asked to quarantine for 14 days.

The Ontario-based grocery chain, which operates 45 stores across California, reported coronavirus cases at its East San Jose and Ponoma locations in late March, as well as at its San Rafael and Hayward locations in May, according to information on the Cardenas website.
But he said they planned to allow groups limited to 10 to participate at the church as soon as the Feast of the Pentecost  as Holy Communion is essential to our faith. Guidelines about personal contact, handshaking and more are to be taken seriously, and Communion is to be limited to wafers and not the traditional common cup, he said. Singing also may be cut to help prevent the spread of the virus.
A tvN's "Comedy Big League" rehearsal is held at CJ E&M Center in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Dec. 3, 2019. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



By Park Ji-won



The government's plan to ease the requirements of eligibility for unemployment support for artists has drawn positive feedback from many.



But some still harbor discontent because they are not entitled to the benefits even under the revised scheme.



On May 20, the National Assembly passed the revision bill that allows artists to receive unemployment compensation if they have paid unemployment insurance for at least nine of the last 24 months before the end of their most recent job.



The government also made another decision that is likely to help artists in their fight against job insecurity.

In a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the government approved an enforcement decree calling for penalties on employers who force artists to work without a written contract.



The two measures were introduced to protect creatives who were hit hard by the lingering coronavirus pandemic. Movies that were initially scheduled to screen in local theaters have been cancelled. Performances and exhibition schedules were suspended or cancelled, leaving the artists and those who were involved in the business to suffer the financial consequences.

Thus, many artists and performers welcomed the approval of the two measures.

"I think the revised laws signals a positive change in the industry. Freelance artists like me feel nervous because we have no other income source once our contract is over. I heave a sigh of relief for the passage of the laws because I am now eligible for unemployment payment if conditions are met. I can see the incumbent government is trying to cultivate the industry compared to the previous one," Cha Hee-ra, a freelance illustrator, told The Korea Times.



"Now we can demand that our employers sign a written contract with us when they want to hire us. This means that they can no longer abuse us with longer working hours or abusive working conditions. We've been calling for such fair treatment for a long time and now our voices are heard," an alliance of art workers in cultural industry said in a statement, Wednesday.



Despite their positive response, not all artists and performers are happy about the revised laws. There are still people who cannot benefit from the unemployment benefits. Self-employed artists and performers who work under short-term contract scenarios say they cannot meet the condition of having to have paid unemployment insurance for nine months or longer out of the last 24 months.



"In my case, most of the time, I perform only for a few hours at festivals held in local provinces. So I sign a one-day contract. It is hard for me to meet the nine-month condition," a traditional art performer said, asking not to be named.



"Freelance designers like me just work with a company without signing a contract It is hard for us to prove our work unless we hold a fine art exhibition, which is also hard for beginners. And it is also hard to be recognized as an artist by law. For example, my father worked as a full-time fashion photographer for more than 20 years, but he was not recognized as an artist until he applied for this recognition. People who work in theatre, musical and broadcasting companies may benefit from the new law. But there seem to be loopholes," June Kim, a freelance designer, told The Korea Times.



Stressing the passage of the law is a half success it created some blind spots for some artists, the alliance urged the ruling bloc to pass the law on guaranteeing the artists' status, saying "the law on artists' status should be passed because it promotes the rights of artists, who are also laborers, by acknowledging creative activities as labor."



Park Han-sol and Lee Hyo-jin contributed to this story.


Trouble finds Karnataka CM Yediyurappa again, BJP MLAs' meeting trigger speculations

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

Bengaluru, May 29: It looks like Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa once again found to be in trouble with respect to the Chief Ministerial post.

On Friday, CM Yediyurappa dismissed reports that he has convened an emergency meeting of a section of BJP MLAs after a group of party legislators met in Belagavi, fuelling speculations about fresh discontentment in the ruling camp.

It is reportedly said that the MLAs from North Karnataka met at the residence of former MP Ramesh Katti at Bellad Bagewadi in Belagavi district on Thursday evening in the backdrop of coming elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from the state.

The gathering is seen as a move to drum up support for Ramesh Katti, brother of senior MLA Umesh Katti who was among the ministerial aspirants, in getting one of the four seats.

Home Minister Amit Shah speaks to all CMs, seeks their views on extension of coronavirus lockdown

LAC tension: Rahul wants govt to come clean on what is happening at border | Oneindia News

It led to speculations about fresh bout of discontent among a section of ruling party MLAs, who missed out on ministerial berths when Yediyurappa came back to power in June last year (2019) after the collapse of Congress-JDS coalition government.

The meeting also triggered reports in a section of media that the Chief Minister would hold a meeting with a few legislators, apparently to placate them, a claim rejected by Yediyurappa.

To put an end to coronavirus pandemic, priest beheads a man in Odisha

Taking to Twitter, Yediyurappa said, "I have noticed reports being aired by some news channels that I have convened an emergency meeting with a few legislators. It is far from truth. I would like to clarify that I have not convened any such meeting." Confirming that the meeting took place at his residence, Ramesh Katti, however, sought to dismiss any link to the Rajya Sabha polls and said only a feast was organised.

             .    .         .  B.S. Yediyurappa (@BSYBJP) May 29, 2020

Talking to reporters, Ramesh Katti, however, recalled that his brother Umesh Katti, a senior BJP MLA from Hukkeri, was not given a ministerial position in the Yediyurappa government. According to him, Yediyurappa had assured Umesh Katti that he (Ramesh Katti) would be made a Rajya Sabha member.

"Recently my brother met the Chief Minister and reminded him about it (Rajya Sabha seat) and he too assured him that he will do it," Katti said. Umesh Katti maintained no politics was discussed at the meeting.

Explained: How desert locusts made its early arrival to India and how serious would it

The MLAs who attended the meeting shared their "joy and pain". "Being MLAs we ask the Chief Minister to get some works done but how many times can we ask," he told reporters. When asked whether Yediyurappa should continue as the Chief Minister, Patil said he would not talk about it in the media.

"I will tell only our senior party leaders. I will tell them whatever is in the best interest of the state in clear terms. We will abide by our high command. If they say the Chief Minister should continue let it be so and if they want to change the leadership, we will abide by it," he added.
(Alliance News) - Johnson Service Group PLC said Friday it plans to raise around GBP85 million through a share placing, which will go towards improving the company's liquidity position and further strengthen its balance sheet.

The textile services provider will issue 73.9 million shares at 115 pence each through an accelerated bookbuilding process, for which Investec Bank is acting as a sole broker and bookrunner.

The placing price reflects a discount of 20% to the company's closing price of 143.00p on Thursday. Shares in Johnson Services Group were 9.3% lower at 129.71p on Friday in London.

Johnson Service said that trading for the first two months of 2020 before the impact of Covid-19 was in line with expectations. The Workwear business has remained open to continue supplying key industries, however organic revenue decline in March and April.

Within HORECA, which serves the Hotel, Restaurant & Catering markets, Johnson Service Group has ceased operations at most of its 18 sites. For the first two months of 2020, revenue was up, but declined in March and April. However, revenue for May is expected to be slightly ahead of April, as some customers reopen.

Proceeds from the placing will help the group to deal with several challenges, including a longer lockdown period, lower revenue, and a short-term working capital impact, Johnson Service said.

By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Killings took place in Mezdah, 150km south of capital Tripoli, the interior ministry said.

The family of a Libyan smuggler killed by migrants has killed 30 migrants in a revenge attack, Libyas United Nations-recognised government said.

The killings took place in Mezdah, a town some 150km (95 miles) south of Libyas capital Tripoli, the interior ministry said on Thursday, adding that the 30-year-old smuggler was killed by clandestine migrants for unknown reasons.

Eleven other migrants, whose nationalities were not specified, were injured and admitted to hospital in Zentan, 170km (106 miles) southwest of Tripoli, it said.

The ministry promised to track down the killers.

Libya has been engulfed in chaos since 2011 when longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed in a NATO-backed uprising. Since 2014, the country has been split between two rival administrations.

In recent years, the country has also become a major gateway for migrants and refugees hoping to reach Europe.

Many of the migrants have fled poverty, conflict, war, forced labour, female genital mutilation, corrupt governments and personal threats, only to find themselves stranded in the middle of the Libyan conflict and also facing the threat of a potential coronavirus outbreak in the country.
A group practices social distancing while exercising on the dock of the Temple University crew boat house on the Schuylkill River, along Kelly Drive on Friday. Read more

All Pennsylvania state park beaches and some pools will reopen at reduced capacity in June, and Delaware campgrounds at state parks will reopen Monday, officials said Thursday  more gradual steps toward emerging from the coronavirus lockdown as summer approaches.

New Jersey officials laid out guidelines for outdoor graduation ceremonies, which will be permitted with limitations starting July 6. In Pennsylvania, focus was on Tuesdays primary election, which will look different from any before. In Bucks County, officials said voters who refuse to wear masks at the polls will be asked to fill out a provisional ballot outside their polling place or wait until other voters are done and the polling place has cleared out.

The day after the U.S. coronavirus death toll passed 100,000, the regions shifting regulations and precautions attempted to accommodate some of those rituals  of summer, of democracy, of convocation  that have, like all others, been derailed by the pandemic.

Philadelphia officials said they would release reopening guidelines for businesses and residents on Friday, along with a list of virus metrics the city is tracking.

Officials expect Philadelphia to move to the yellow phase of reopening next Friday, though they repeated that the city wont reopen if the numbers get bad. The Wolf administration confirmed that counties can move to the reopening phase more slowly at their discretion.

Health Commissioner Thomas Farley declined to say what number of cases might dissuade him from moving the city into the yellow phase next week. If the numbers doubled, I would be very concerned," he said.

While residents should be prepared for the possibility that the move might be delayed, Mayor Jim Kenney said he did not want to be totally negative about it.

The point is, we need to be realistic with people, we need to be upfront with people, Kenney said. Im hoping and praying  and encouraged  that we can get there on June 5.

 READ MORE: The Philadelphia region will move to the yellow coronavirus reopening phase on June 5, Wolf announces, and some other counties will go green next week

Philadelphia is still reviewing whether and how to permit outdoor dining, despite Gov. Tom Wolfs offices this week approving it for yellow counties. The city will issue its own decision next week about whether outdoor dining can begin when the city transitions to the yellow phase.

No restaurant should be announcing plans to launch outdoor dining on June 5 based on the Wolf administrations announcement, Kenney said Thursday. We are still determining how this will work in Philadelphia.

City officials said they will need to determine how to keep sidewalks accessible while allowing outdoor dining and requiring social distancing between tables. The city may change curb lines and make other adjustments  something Kenney said would be extremely complicated.

Also on Thursday, Kenney withdrew a 3.95% property tax hike proposed in his coronavirus budget  an increase that would have provided $57 million for the School District  after state lawmakers included funding in their budget to help fill a budget hole for the citys schools.

As soon as the Senate did that this morning, we were free to step away from the proposal, Kenney said Thursday.

Kenneys proposed budget still includes increases in the citys parking tax and wage tax for non-residents who commute to work in the city. His proposal would also freeze planned reductions in business taxes and the wage tax rate for city residents and eliminate a discount for property owners who pay their bills early. Those measures would raise an estimated $49 million in the next fiscal year.

Farley announced 175 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 10 additional deaths in Philadelphia. Montgomery County officials announced the number of cases has increased by 26% in the last two weeks, with people under 50 getting infected at a higher rate.

As we move into the yellow phase, we have to keep in mind that the yellow phase is a slow opening, said Val Arkoosh, chair of the Montgomery County commissioners.

Pennsylvania surpassed 70,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, the state said Thursday, adding 625 additional positive cases for a total of 70,042 and 108 newly reported deaths for a total of 5,373.

Neither Wolf nor Health Secretary Rachel Levine held news conferences on Thursday, but the governor announced in a statement that the state has sent testing supplies for more than 67,000 patients to more than 60 hospitals, facilities, and local health departments.

 READ MORE: Pennsylvania Democrats want to know why they werent told when a Republican lawmaker tested positive for coronavirus

Financially struggling Pennsylvanians were urged by officials Thursday to apply for pandemic relief programs at compass.state.pa.gov.

The states recovery crisis program can provide residents with money toward utility bills; its emergency assistance program can help qualifying families that have lost significant income due to the pandemic; and its electronic benefits transfer program can help families eligible for reduced-price school meals, Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller said Thursday.

You may not think these programs are for you, Miller said, but they can help make these difficult times a little easier.

Announcing that all Pennsylvania park beaches will be open for swimming starting June 6, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said the planned reopening was consistent with Wolfs aim to ensure Pennsylvanians have opportunities to safely enjoy outdoor recreation and help maintain positive physical and mental health.

 ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters.

Most pools will reopen at half capacity June 13 in both yellow and green counties, officials said.

As of Thursday, all state parks and forests had at least one bathroom facility open for visitors, the department said, with enhanced cleaning protocols in place.

Some campgrounds in Pennsylvania are already open with restrictions, though group tent camping sites at state parks in the Philadelphia region remain closed. New Jerseys campgrounds opened Friday.

And Delaware campers will be able beginning Monday to stay in tents, RVs, cabins, cottages, and yurts at Cape Henlopen, Delaware Seashore, Indian River Marina, Killens Pond, Lums Pond, and Trap Pond, the states Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control said Thursday.

New Jersey reported 1,261 newly confirmed coronavirus cases for a total of 157,815 and 66 deaths for a total of 11,401.

The numbers of people in the hospital, in critical care or on ventilators because of the coronavirus are all down more than 60% since the pandemics peak in mid-April, Gov. Phil Murphy said. On Tuesday, 24,000 people were tested for the coronavirus, surpassing Murphys goal to have at least 20,000 people tested per day by the end of May.

After President Donald Trump extended funding for National Guard deployments, Murphy announced Thursday the National Guard will remain deployed in the state until mid-August, saying the extended assistance would be a big game-changer.

National Guard members have been working at New Jerseys long-term-care facilities to tame the spread of the virus among the states most vulnerable population and also help operate two FEMA testing sites in northern and central New Jersey.

Each state relying on the National Guard to assist in the pandemic response will be able to take advantage of the funding extension.

Murphy urged residents not to derail progress.

"Weve got to make sure things are in fact going in the direction we want to go, he said. Weve been on a one-way street, and we dont want to have to turn the car around and go back the other direction.

Staff writers Pranshu Verma, Jonathan Lai, and Ellie Rushing contributed to this article.
As most of the nations media organizations on Wednesday sombrely reflected on a grim coronavirus death toll milestone, Fox News largely downplayed the story during its prime-time programs, and on the networks website.

If historians were to go back and watch Fox News on the night the country passed 100,000 deaths, theyd be forgiven if they didnt know it happened, CNN Business reporter Oliver Darcy wrote in an analysis of the coverage.

Darcy pointed out that, while major mainstream media networks, publications and websites acknowledged that the U.S. surpassed 100,000 coronavirus-related deaths in a mere four months, Fox News programs had their focus elsewhere.

For example, Martha McCallum started her The Story program with a segment about a student suspected of two homicides. It took her more than 50 minutes to get to the news about the American carnage  and it came in her last segment.

Darcy went on to write that Tucker Carlson led his program with a monologue on Big Tech censorship. Sean Hannity with live coverage of the Minneapolis protests over the death of George Floyd. And Laura Ingraham with a call to reopen the country and an attack on Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Apparently, the Fox News website followed a similar pattern. During her MSNBC program Wednesday night, Rachel Maddow noted that readers wouldnt find the death toll news unless they made a concerted effort.

If you scroll down, and scroll down and scroll down ... they do ultimately get to, oh yeah, 100,000 Americans dead, she said. They do get to it eventually.

It should be pointed out that these observations are being made by employees of CNN and MSNBC, networks that are rivals of Fox News  and ones that that tend to trail Fox News in the ratings wars.

But the coronavirus coverage on Fox News is part of a larger pattern, according to Media Matters, a watchdog organization. In a study covering the period between May 11 and May 26, it found that the U.S. coronavirus death toll was mentioned between the hours of 8-11 p.m. on Fox News only 11 times in almost 36 hours of programming.

Also, if you perused the Fox News website on Thursday, you would have found more evidence of the downplaying strategy. The site did have a story that acknowledged the fact that the 100,000 death statistic is higher than American casualties suffered in the Korean (36,000) and Vietnam (58,000) wars. But it quickly pivoted to explain that the death rate per number of cases and per 100,000 people ranks significantly lower than most other Western European countries.

We are living through what is widely considered to be one of the greatest stories in a generation, Darcy wrote. And the countrys most-watched cable news network keeps putting it on the back burner.
(TNS)  Rockford, Ill., officials plan to accept a pair of grants totaling more than $1.1 million that will pay to beef up city police technology meant to combat violent crime and for coronavirus-related public safety expenses.The Rockford Police Department's emphasis on community outreach was damaged this year by the novel coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, the city has seen an increase in violent crime.Although Chief Dan O'Shea said there isn't a large enough sample size to determine if social distancing, economic disruption and the pandemic caused an uptick in violent crime, he does believe it is a factor.O'Shea has long advocated relationship-building to combat and solve crime. Those efforts are severely curtailed by needing officers to remain socially distant."That's killing us as a police department," O'Shea said. "Our goal is to interact with the community every day. And to not be able to do that the last couple months hurts us, hurts our relationship with the community. What we have said from the start is that is what solves the problems: Us working with the community."There were 545 violent crimes in Rockford through April this year, 8% more than the 505 violent crimes in the same time period in 2019. After going 132 consecutive days without a killing, there have been eight homicides since March 11.Rockford will tap a $569,553 Department of Justice 2018 Project Safe Neighborhoods grant in conjunction with the Region 1 Planning Council. It will be used to acquire additional technology including $302,070 for fixed location license-plate readers, $43,763 for surveillance cameras, $70,000 to enhance the Rockford Intelligence Special Operations Center and $153,720 for violent crime overtime costs.There is no local match required for the grant.O'Shea said the technology plays a critical role in investigations and should help detectives track down and arrest violent criminals.In addition, Rockford plans to accept a $572,968 grant from the Department of Justice for coronavirus response. O'Shea said the money will pay for related expenses for the Rockford police and fire departments. The city applied for the grant only about 30 days ago, he said.About $75,000 will be spent on personal protective equipment and disinfectant materials for fire and police personnel while the rest will pay for overtime costs associated with the pandemic.
The country is on course to take the next step to easing lockdown as the latest trends show the coronavirus is being crushed.

The level of the disease in the community is now "very low" and all the indications are that overall control of the virus is now "astonishingly stable".

The optimistic verdict was delivered yesterday by Prof Philip Nolan, of Maynooth University, who is leading a team tracking the spread of the virus.

"Intensive care and hospital admissions as well as the number of deaths per day continue to decline. The number of cases per day remain stable," he said.

It will be next week before figures that reflect the impact of phase one of the exit lockdown measures on the spread will be clear, but even at this point there are no hints that would lead to worry.

The next phase of the road-map to exit lockdown is due to come into effect on June 8 when people may be able to travel 20km, more shops and can open and over-70s can visit supermarkets.

However, the ongoing toll of the virus was revealed by Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan who announced another nine deaths, bringing the total to 1,639.

A report from the Department of Health showed the death rate from the virus here is 6.5 per 100,000 population.

Ireland ranks eighth lowest in a table of 10 countries behind Belgium, France, UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Spain.

Dr Holohan said not all countries count confirmed and probable cases of the virus, as we do in the Republic.

Three-quarters of contacts of confirmed cases of people with Covid-19, who had tested positive themselves, showed no symptoms of the disease.

Symptoms

Earlier HSE chief executive Paul Reid said 73pc of such close contacts who have tested positive in the past week were asymptomatic.

Speaking at the HSE weekly briefing, he urged close contacts of confirmed cases to "come forward" for testing to further suppress the virus.

It came as HSE chief clinical officer Colm Henry said transmission of the virus has been taken "off the streets" and is mainly among households.

Mr Reid said 320 close contacts were tested in recent days, with 38 testing positive.

He said Ireland is one of the first countries in the world to test contacts of confirmed cases.

He added that, even if people do not feel they have symptoms, if they are invited to take a swab test they should do so.

"It is really important that people come forward and have the test. That is the best way to suppress the virus in the community," he said.

Dr Henry echoed this, saying: "Some of these people are actually pre-symptomatic. They just haven't developed their symptoms yet.

Experiment

"We know that people who become ill can shed the virus for 48 hours before they show symptoms themselves."

Meanwhile, new research shows half of a representative sample of the Irish public failed to recognise that someone experiencing flu-like symptoms needed to self-isolate, in an experiment conducted by the ESRI's behavioural research unit.

While almost 88pc understood someone with a fever or dry cough should self-isolate, this fell to 49pc for less common symptoms of Covid-19, such as a sore throat or aches and pains.

The study presented members of the public with different scenarios and asked them to judge whether the situation required self-isolation.

People were more likely to say that someone who was asymptomatic but had been in contact with a suspected case of Covid-19 should self-isolate, than someone with flu-like symptoms who had not had such contact.

The public health guidelines are clear that people with any flu-like symptoms self-isolate.

"Self-isolation will continue to be a vital part of the battle against Covid-19 in coming months, so we need people to understand when it is needed," said Pete Lunn, head of the ESRI behavioural research unit.

"Our study shows that while understanding in relation to primary symptoms is good, the message about less common symptoms has not yet been fully absorbed."

The study also tested a range of communication techniques designed by behavioural scientists to improve decisions about self-isolation.

It found that simple flow diagrams - called 'decision trees' - improved decision-making.

An online planning tool helped people to feel that they could cope with a period of self-isolation, especially younger people.
However, Principal Scientific Adviser says distribution of vaccine, whenever it is ready, will be a challenge





The Centre on Thursday said India was at the forefront of vaccine development for COVID with 14 candidates under development and six of them promising.





K Vijay Raghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister

Principal Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister K Vijay Raghavan also cautioned that a COVID vaccine once ready would not be a switch available to all.





Distribution of the COVID vaccine, whenever it is ready, would be a challenge. Logistics of making the vaccine available and priority groups are now being discussed, said Raghavan.





Eight vaccines are being led by Indian industry, including the Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech, Cadila and Biological E, while national scientific labs under ICMR, Biotechnology and Council for Industrial and Scientific Research are working on six vaccine candidates and two are promising.





We are also working to augment local testing capacity and by July we will make 5 lakh test kits through 20 manufacturers locally, said NITI Aayog member VK Paul.





The government experts also said India was working on several drugs against COVID, including anti-viral faviparavir, Phyto Pharma based drug ACHQ, anti-arthritis drug itolizumab, and trials were on to see if another dose of BCG vaccine have better protection against COVID after some observational studies had indicated lesser mortality from COVID among those who have taken anti-TB BCG vaccine earlier in life.





A trial on mycobacterium w drug is underway at PGI Chandigarh and AIIMS Bhopal and New Delhi, so are studies on convalescent plasma therapy and remdesivir.





We are in the frontlines of testing drug molecules against COVID, Paul said, inviting scientists, start-ups and industry to share any scientific solution ideas with the office of the Scientific Advisor or with NITI Aayog.





( Agencies)
Iran Police Arrests Fourteen On Charges Of Separatism In Southern City

Maryam Sinaiee May 28, 2020

The Law Enforcement Commander of Khuzestan Province on Wednesday said the security police of Mahshahr Port has arrested "fourteen agents of Takfiri and separatist groups".

Brigadier General Heydar Abbaszadeh said those who have been arrested had shot bullets at police and Basij headquarters, hoisted "the fake flag of Al-Ahvaziyoun group around the city, and sent video clips showing that to foreign [media]".

The Police Chief also claimed that the accused "have confessed to the crimes they committed".

Al-Ahvaziyoun is a general term used by Iranian security officials to refer to dissident groups in Khuzestan including the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz (ASMLA). Iranian officials also use Takfiri as a vague umbrella term to refer to Sunni dissident groups and individuals.

Iran has classified ASMLA as a terrorist group. The group has taken responsibility for several bombings in the city of Ahvaz including four bombs which killed eight people and injured seventy-five in June 2005. Two other bombings in January 2006 killed nine Revolutionary Guards and injured forty-six.

The group advocates a separate Arab state in Iran's oil-rich southwestern Khuzestan province. Arabs are a minority in Iran, and some see themselves as under Persian occupation and want independence or autonomy.

A former leading member of ASMLA, the 52-year-old Ahmad Mola Nissi, was shot to death on November 8, 2017 in front of his home in the Hague, Netherlands. The Dutch government accused Iran of hiring local criminals to carry out the assassination.

Danish Security and Intelligence Service (DSIS) also accused Iran of planning the assassination of the leader of the Danish branch of ASMLA on Danish soil in October 2018.

A Norwegian citizen of Iranian background was arrested in Sweden in connection with the plot and extradited to Denmark, Swedish security police said.

Iran has vehemently denied all these allegations but the EU imposed some sanctions against Iranian intelligence services for killings and attempted killings in Denmark, the Netherlands and France in January 2019.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-police- arrests-fourteen-accused-of-separatism- in-southern-city/30639404.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






An international survey of Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE) membership found that the majority of members--health professions schools and programs, including medical, nursing, and public health--offer learning opportunities related to the health impacts of climate change, yet many also encountered challenges in instituting or developing curricula.

The results of the survey provide a baseline assessment of the state of climate-health education internationally among health professions institutions. Results of the survey by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health researchers appear in the journal JAMA Network Open.

The survey suggests there exist a range of educational offerings on climate-health, including sessions, courses, programs, or post-doctoral positions.

Some schools have offered climate-health education for several years, some are just now adding content, and others do not include any content on the subject.

While many schools are discussing adding climate-health educational offerings, there are still considerable gaps in offerings at many institutions as well as challenges that extend beyond the institutional level, such as political and funding priorities that might lead to lack of staff time and materials to support the training.

Conducted in 2017 and 2018, the survey was completed by 84 health professions institutions internationally. Among respondents, 63% offer climate-health education, most commonly as part of a required core course (76%).

Sixty-one of 82 respondents (74%) reported additional climate-health offerings are under discussion, 42 of 59 (71%) encountered some challenges trying to institute the curriculum, and most have received a positive response to adding content mainly from students (39 of 58 (67%)), faculty (35 of 58 (60%)), and administration (23 of 58 (40%)).

The article's authors write that opportunities exist to facilitate the integration of climate-health curricula, such as working with students, faculty, and members of administration that are interested in this topic.

In order to facilitate this integration, institutions can look to online resources, groups, and networks to provide guidance and information to develop curricula.

We suggest that health professions schools include this content in their curricula and that awareness as well as financial support, resources, and expertise increase to help in its uptake. Climate change may be affecting health in a variety of ways with increasing consequences. Health professionals, including those in public health, nursing, and medical services, should be educated on how to prevent, mitigate, and respond to factors associated with climate change that may be associated with health in a negative way." Brittany Shea, MA, Kim Knowlton, DrPH, and Jeffrey Shaman, PhD, Study Authors

Brittany Shea is project director for GCCHE. Kim Knowlton is assistant professor of environmental health sciences and senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council. Jeffrey Shaman directs GCCHE and the Columbia Mailman School Climate and Health Program; he is a professor of environmental health sciences.

The study was made possible with financial support from The Rockefeller Foundation and ClimateWorks Foundation. Jeffrey Shaman and Columbia University disclosed partial ownership of SK Analytics. Shaman also disclosed providing paid consultant services for Merck and Business Network International.
With masks covering the faces of people walking down streets, through grocery store aisles and passing by their coworkers, one key detail seems to be missing from the human experience during the days of the pandemic -- smiles.

Laura Fuchs has been a street photographer in New York City for 10 years. Throughout her time as a photographer, she has searched for different ways to capture slices of everyday life. Her latest project is no exception.

Her latest photo project, which she calls "Mask Smile," features photos of health care workers, construction workers, children, couples and people from all walks of life wearing a mask or face covering and smiling.

Fuchs told AccuWeather that the idea of capturing people smiling through the masks came to her when she realized people were smiling less now that no one could see their mouths.

"I was noticing that people weren't making eye contact nearly as much, nor were they smiling," she said in a recent interview with AccuWeather's video producer Taliya Riesterer. "And I wanted to encourage people to continue to smile."

(Laura Fuchs / @laurasfuchs)

Fuchs has spent the rainy and cold days in New York social distancing at home, but when the sun comes out, so does her camera. Not only are there more people out to photograph, but she said the sun brings out brighter smiles from underneath the masks as well.

"I think the sun matches with peoples' moods," Fuchs said.

Being based in New York City, Fuchs is limited in the smiles she gets to see, so she has started an Instagram account called @masksmiles for people all over the world to submit photos of their own masked smiles.

"I wanted to encourage people that I can in fact still see your smile when you're wearing a mask," Fuchs said. "So much of a smile is not necessarily in the mouth -- it's in the eyes and in the cheekbones."

Story continues

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

While COVID-19 may have led to the inspiration for her latest photo series, the virus has also impacted her line of work -- as it has for many other Americans as well.

"I get lots of different responses when I ask people to take their picture," she said. "I get rejected certainly a lot more than I normally do while doing street photography, which may make a lot of sense."

(Laura Fuchs / @laurasfuchs)

"I think it's a time where people are scared," Fuchs said. "It's certainly not always a time for smiling for everyone. People are grieving the loss of loved ones, some people are going home to take care of someone sick and it certainly doesn't feel like a time to smile. But I do think that it's important to encourage people that you know, if we're alive we should live."

Fuchs has experienced many "amazing" moments among the times she's told "no," however. She recalled one moment where after a long day of no after no, a group of people on messenger bikes allowed her to take photos -- both individually and as a group. She told the group how much it meant to her to receive a yes after so many rejections, to which one man in the group stepped up to reassure her to continue.

"One of them said, 'Miss, Miss, don't worry. People are scared, people are scared.' And he continued to tell me that his interactions with people delivering food wasn't necessarily always positive. People were afraid; they wanted to drop the money. But that interaction was a particularly, particularly good one," Fuchs said.

(Laura Fuchs / @laurasfuchs)

The need for social distancing has hindered Fuchs' ability to connect deeper with the subjects of her photos, she said, but she has also missed out on photographing some of her favorite subjects.

"Once we get through this pandemic, I think the first thing I want to photograph is my family," she said. "I can't wait to see my family."

Reporting by AccuWeather Video Producer Taliya Riesterer.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Martin Seay, president of the Financial Planning Association and chair of the Personal Financial Planning Program at Kansas State University. Financial Planning Association

The coronavirus pandemic has forced businesses of all kinds to rethink how they work and interact with customers. Financial planning is no different. Martin Seay, president of the Financial Planning Association, perhaps knows better than most how financial planners have adapted their practices to Covid-19. With more than 21,000 members, the FPA is the largest membership organization for financial planners. Seay, a certified financial planner who is also chair of the Personal Financial Planning program at Kansas State University, spoke with CNBC  in a safe telephone interview  to discuss how advisory firms have shifted, what the FPA has done to help and the transformations that are likely to remain after the crisis abates.

This interview was edited and condensed from a longer conversation. CNBC: How have financial advisors' practices changed as a result of Covid-19? Martin Seay: Advisors are learning technology. They're learning the beauty of Zoom. Firms have been able to adapt through the use of virtual technologies to keep their meetings going with clients. That comfort will probably change practices into the future. Even though things are loosening up, a lot of clients are of the demographics that are most at risk for Covid-19. So they will continue to be operating like this for quite a while. CNBC: Is that the largest change to advisors' practices, the inability to really meet face-to-face? MS: I think that has been the largest disruption. A lot of advisors went through a number of difficulties in terms of firms not being set up for virtual dial-in. They have offices that, if you were there, you could work. But not all of them have embraced technology to work from home. CNBC: And now they've had to? MS: They've had to.

Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards

CNBC: What has the FPA done, or what is it doing, to help advisors adapt their practices? MS: We've had to rethink our delivery models for everything. We're built off a chapter network that's built off in-person conferences and meetings. We've had to rethink everything about how we can present information in a timely manner through a digital format. One of the first things that we came out with as a response is the Volatility Resource Center, which is a database of research and practitioner-written articles about how to work with clients in downturns and how to best support clients who are feeling stress. It's a mix of technical content and then a lot of behavioral content. More from FA Playbook

Financial advisors face new challenges

Op-Ed: Here's a game plan to help create retirement security

Your advisor took a PPP loan. What that means for you We overlaid that with the Navigating Market Turbulence Community. The community is built around planners talking to planners, an interactive dialogue of people sharing what they're seeing in real life. One of the most important pieces of that has been our biweekly Planner To Planner [sessions]. These are conversations being led by thought leaders in the space who are sharing what they are doing in their actual practices right now. CNBC: It's specifically geared toward questions around Covid-19? MS: Correct. Those are all a direct response for how to work with clients in response to Covid. CNBC: How has client experience been impacted as a result of the coronavirus? MS: A lot of advisors have talked about wanting to give virtual a go. This has really changed that comfort level for communication and how clients want to meet. There are far more 70-year-olds comfortable with getting on a Zoom or Skype now than there used to be, which will change the service model moving forward. I think many advisors still have offices and would be happy to meet with clients there. But I think there will be far more virtual meetings moving forward as everyone has gotten used to it being a medium where business can be conducted.

CNBC: Has theadvice to clients changed at all as a result of Covid-19? MS: They will continue to focus on the importance of financial planning over investment returns. Advisors have already been strongly shifting away from investment returns in their selling points and focusing more on probabilities of success. A lot of advisors have small business clients. There are a lot of advisors providing guidance on Paycheck Protection Program loans, how to support employees, keep them employed, and make sure that business is going to be viable on the other side. You see more depth of that engagement.

Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards

The other really big issue is, a lot of advisors did health insurance planning especially around those bridge years when you weren't eligible for Medicare yet. But more are having to delve into that space in an emergency scenario, dealing with Cobra in many cases. These [employment] transitions that have occurred unexpectedly may lead to an early retirement for some folks but may also require some planning to mediate those impacts until they find gainful employment. CNBC: Are there cybersecurity concerns with respect to shifting more virtual? MS: You saw that with Zoom. Zoom worked fine, but when it was under stress the security got hacked, and pretty quickly too. It didn't take long before "Zoom bombing" became a pretty common occurrence. As advisors use this software more regularly, it will create another level of liability. Advisors will have to step up and make sure their clients are protected. CNBC: How has the FPA addressed advisor internship programs? MS: One of the things we're most excited about at the national level is our 'externship' program. It's brand-spanking-new. The idea didn't exist eight weeks ago. This eight-week intensive is for students who had internships that got canceled, couldn't get an internship or maybe graduates who didn't find a job. We also got a lot of career changers.

It will be a topic area a week, whether it's investing, retirement, estate planning. There are going to be 20 firms to 25 firms that open their doors and share, 'This is how we deal with this topic area with clients in real life.' The experience is qualified for 160 work-experience hours for the CFP [Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards] Board. For internships, you're at one firm. You're getting to know that firm really well. This externship is like a survey of firms. These folks can see how firms deal with different topic areas and help them to understand the financial planning landscape. This has hit [more than] 500 enrollees. This will close June 1, when this starts. CNBC: Do you think that this gives someone a better experience than an internship? MS: I don't know if it's better or worse. But it's different. The internship is only as good as the firm that gives it to you and the amount of time they have. Some internships are very good. Some internships are not. So I think it's a different experience. Probably if you had one of the best internships in the country, you'd want to do that. But there are a lot of internships where maybe you don't get into how to do financial planning. You might do paperwork. You might support the advisor.

Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards

But you don't get into the process of doing. I would view this as not necessarily a replacement, but a complement to an internship. My dream, for example, would be you have students after their sophomore year do this externship program. After their junior year, they do an internship. And you're going to have somebody that's ready to enter the workforce. CNBC: What are you doing relative to conferences at the local chapter and national levels? MS: I'd say the vast majority [of chapters] have started holding Zoom chapter meetings. They're either doing the [continuing education] via Zoom or they're doing happy hours. I support both (laughs). For example, the chapter in Nebraska is actually going to start meeting more frequently than they did before, but doing it via Zoom, so that they are really there for their members during this time. They're going to go to biweekly instead of monthly.

Stats are through May 21's weekly jobless claims report.

Some chapters have gone virtual [with their conferences]. For example, the FPA NorCal [Conference] will go on next week. It will be in a completely virtual format. FPA annual is not until September [and] we have not yet made a call on that. But we have had to cancel conferences like FPA Retreat and FPA NexGen. We're trying to be very careful. These conferences are not about CEs. They're about collaboration. We don't want to just stick them up on Zoom and say it's the same thing. CNBC: How are you helping underserved communities at the chapter level? Are advisors or planners doing any pro bono work? MS: We started a database of advisors that are willing to provide pro bono advice during this time. It has members from all over the country.

Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
President Donald Trump is poised to sign a measure that would punish Chinese officials for imprisoning more than one million Muslims in internment camps, as he looks to rebuke Beijing over its crackdown in Hong Kong and its response to the coronavirus.

Trump said he would announce on Friday what the administration would do with respect to China, though theres no indication hes planning to focus on the legislation. The White House has scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m.

Trump is expected to eventually sign the China legislation, said Representative Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The measure, which won broad bipartisan support in Congress, would require Trump to sanction any officials found responsible for the Muslims oppression and revoke their visas.

We fully anticipate within a matter of days that the president will sign this, McCaul said on a conference call.

Trump expressed displeasure with China after the country moved to pass national security legislation expected to curb freedoms in Hong Kong.

We are not happy with whats happened, Trump said Thursday, in response to a question about whether the US would remain in the phase one trade deal he signed with Chinese officials in January. Trumps top economic aide Larry Kudlow told Fox News Friday that the US is furious with what China has done in recent days, weeks and months.

Trump has shown little interest in human rights violations in China. But the national security law and Trumps complaints about the countrys handling of the virus have escalated tensions between the worlds two largest economies, and prompted the White House to examine ways to retaliate.

The president has discussed targeting Chinas financial sector through sanctions and trade policy, according to people familiar with the matter. Hes also weighed unspecified visa restrictions on Chinese travelers, the people said.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Thursday that Trump hadnt reviewed the congressional legislation because it hadnt been forwarded to him. He said on Tuesday that he would look at it very strongly.

Read more| Who Are the Uighurs? Why Does China Lock Them Up?: QuickTake

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said Wednesday that Hong Kong has effectively lost its autonomy and no longer warrants special treatment under US law. The declaration opens the door for Trump to impose penalties ranging from modest sanctions to revoking Hong Kongs special trading status with the U.S.

China pushed back Friday, calling US actions over Hong Kong purely nonsense and repeating that the matter was an internal affair.

Beijing urges the US to stop its frivolous political manipulation, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters at a daily briefing, reiterating Beijings support for Hong Kong police in upholding the law.

Trading Blame

The countries have traded insults and blame for the coronavirus pandemic, which began in the Chinese province of Hubei. But the illness has killed at least 100,000 Americans, far more deaths than China has reported, and Trump has sought to shift blame to Beijing as he his administrations handling of the crisis has come under intense criticism.

The human rights measure passed the House Wednesday on a vote of 413-1 and passed the Senate by unanimous consent. It condemns the internment of Uighurs and members of other Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang region of China. The legislation calls for closing the camps where they are being held.

Zhao, the foreign ministry spokesman, said the act blatantly smears China and interferes in its internal affairs.

Signing the bill would mark a shift for Trump, who has been reluctant in the past to retaliate against China over human rights.

But virus-related tensions between the two countries have converged with growing concern among China hawks within the administration over the Beijing governments crackdown on free expression and religious minorities.

Before the pandemic, Trump had been loath to denounce China in order to preserve his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping and the trade deal. Trump, for example, only offered lukewarm support for pro-democracy protests that swept Hong Kong last year as the deal was being negotiated.

Overshadowing Trade

But the president recently indicated that the virus has overshadowed trade.

I feel differently now about that deal than I did three months ago, Trump said during a May 19 cabinet meeting. And well see what all happens. But its been a very disappointing situation. Very disappointing thing happened with China because the plague flowed in. And that wasnt supposed to happen, and it could have been stopped.

Decisions such as imposing tariffs or visa restrictions against Chinese officials over the governments crackdown of Hong Kong have prompted internal debate over how far the US should go.

Hong Kong is clearly losing its freedom, China is now breaking longstanding rules and laws and treaties, that means Hong Kong will be treated differently, top White House economic adviser Kudlow said Thursday on CNBC, adding that the country has made a huge mistake.

But the Uighur bill may pose less political risk for the president. China hawks and human-rights groups have begun to express frustration that the administration has been reluctant to respond to Chinas abuses and take broader actions to bring manufacturing back to the U.S.

Small Steps

The administration so far has taken small steps toward penalizing China over its treatment of ethnic minorities.

The Commerce Department announced last week it would add Chinas Ministry of Public Securitys Institute of Forensic Science and eight Chinese companies to the entity list, which will result in new restrictions on access to US technology. The department accused them of human rights violations and abuses committed against Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minority groups.

The China legislation was passed under a new House rule allowing members to cast proxy votes for other lawmakers who stayed home during the pandemic -- an approach that may raise concern at the White House.

But McCaul said he didnt think that would affect Trumps support for the measure. Republicans have sued Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats over the practice, which they argue is unconstitutional.

Well see how that lawsuit goes, McCaul said. There was such overwhelming bipartisan support that even if you canceled the proxy votes, I think thered be a sufficient number of votes to have passed it.
The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has written to Electoral Commission's (EC) contractor Thales Group to suspend the delivery of biometric verification devices to the Commission meant for the compilation of a New Voter Register considering the "political tension in the country."

The EC is determined to compile a new voter register and has decided to commence the registration exercise in June in preparation for the 2020 General Elections.

ASEPA which is one of many Civil Advocacy Groups in opposition to the move has argued that a lot of Ghanaians will be disenfranchised if the EC go ahead with the Ghana Card and passport as the primary requirement for registration.

Despite several attempts to stop the Electoral Commission, ASEPA is taking the battle to another level.

They have officially written to Thales Group asking them to suspend the supply of the Biometric Verification Devices BVDs and BVRs the EC is seeking to buy.

Considering the heated Political tension in the Country currently, we believe that it would be a necessary intervention for your Company to suspend any delivery of these Biometric Machines to the Electoral Commission of Ghana which would then commence the planned Registration Exercise that can potentially degenerate into violent protests and Civil unrests that would undermine the Peace and Security of Ghana, ASEPA said in its letter signed by Executive Director Mensah Thompson.

It further added, We are alerting you well in advance because we do not want to cite your reputable institution as an accomplice to the Electoral Commission of Ghana in the event of Violence or Civil unrest if so happens.

Read the full letter below

ASEPA Ghana

PMB Accra

[email protected]

28-05-2020

The Chairman/CEO

The Thales Group

Tour Cape Diem

31 Places des Corroles-CS 20001

92098 Paris La Defense

Cedex

Dear Sir,

SUSPEND DELIVERY OF BVDs and BVRs to GHANA's EC, DON'T BE AN ACCOMPLICE TO HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN GHANA

The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability-ASEPA is a registered Civil Society Organisation in Ghana with Registration Number CG030022020 incorporated under the laws of Ghana, with major focus on Human Rights Protection, Public Accountability, Research and Advocacy.

We write to your office relative of a contract signed between your company Thales Gelmatos and the Electoral Commission of Ghana to supply a certain quantity of BVDs and BVRs for the purposes of Electoral Registration and Elections.

For the avoidance of doubt, we want to officially notify you that as we speak, there is a stale mate between the Electoral Commission and the major Political Parties as to whether the decision to compile a new Voters Register by Commission is tenable or not.

Subsequent to that the Electoral Commission has presented a Constitutional Instrument to Parliament seeking to use only Passport and NIA Card as requirements for the upcoming Registration.

This decision we believe seeks to rob millions of Ghanaians of their fundamental rights to Vote under the laws of Ghana.

This has created heated Political tension in the Country, with a number of people threatening to hit the street and protest if the Electoral Commission goes on this tangent.

Considering the heated Political tension in the Country currently, we believe that it would be a necessary intervention for your Company to suspend any delivery of these Biometric Machines to the Electoral Commission of Ghana which would then commence the planned Registration Exercise that can potentially degenerate into violent protests and Civil unrests that would undermine the Peace and Security of Ghana.

We are alerting you well in advance because we do not want to cite your reputable institution as an accomplice to the Electoral Commission of Ghana in the event of Violence or Civil unrest if so happens.

The People of Ghana are willing and ready to resist the Electoral Commission because they believe it is against their fundamental human rights for the Electoral Commission to do what it intends to do and also because the ECOWAS protocols on elections prevents the Electoral Commission from effecting any major changes to the Electoral Roll six months to an elections.

We want to assure Thales that they have the support of Ghanaians to hold on to any payments made to them in effect of this Contract and may refund same at their own convenience due to this unexpected turn of events.

We believe the people of Ghana are ready to loose a few millions if it is to protect the peace and stability of this Country.

We have also attached a copy of data analysis by our office that vividly examines how the Electoral Commission of Ghana intends to violate the fundamental human rights of millions of Ghanaians in the supposed Registration Exercise for your kind. perusal.

Kindly treat this letter with all the seriousness it deserves for your own International Corporate reputation.

Our office would be willing and ready to assist you with any further information on the subject.

Signed:

Mensah Thompson

Executive Director, ASEPA

(+233 0542120628)

[email protected]

Cc.

The French Embassy, Ghana

The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Ghana

All Media Houses.
Vacationers who avoid being in crowded environments due to the coronavirus pandemic are preferring caravanning, an official of the National Camping and Caravanning Federation said on Thursday.

Leyla Ozdag, CEO of Turkeys only authorized caravan tourism federation, spoke to Anadolu Agency about the increasing demand for camping and caravans.

COVID-19 has increased the demand for caravan tourism immoderately," she said.

Caravan, a purpose-built vehicle used for traveling, leisure and accommodation, is a unique tourism product that promotes small group tours even in destinations which lack adequate hotel accommodation.

Ozdag said the number of camping spots is decreasing by the day since 1990, and in order to develop camping and caravan tourism, the country should improve standards of trailer camps and campsites.

Turkey, she added, had many camping spots in the 1990s, especially along beaches in the country's southern province of Antalya, but have been given to hotels over time.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism needs to create a caravan route before an agency could start caravan tourism, Ozdag said.

Camping holidays with caravan have traditionally been a summer pleasure. Fully equipped caravans are often rented in Turkey's major cities for excursions to the countryside.

Image Credit:  AA
Hong Kong politic activist Joshua Wong, right, and Nathan Law, left, speaks to media outside Legislative Council Complex after a second-day legislative debate on a contentious bill in Hong Kong that aims to criminalize insult and abuse of the Chinese national anthem. Read more

A major turning point in U.S.-Chinese relations occurred Thursday. It nominally involves the future of Hong Kong, but has major significance for Washington and the wider world.

Chinas National Peoples Congress approved a security law that will allow Beijings security agencies to crack down directly on the civil liberties of Hong Kong residents, who have been protesting the regimes indirect efforts to shrink their freedoms since last summer.

 READ MORE: China uses COVID-19 as an excuse to crack down on protesters I Trudy Rubin

China promised Hong Kong a full range of political freedoms such as freedom of speech and press and an independent judiciary after it regained control of the territory from Great Britain in 1997. Hong Kong autonomy, under the one country, two systems framework, was endorsed by U.S. legislation in 1992.

However, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has been eager in recent years to exert tighter Chinese control over the territory and apparently believes he can do so now with minimal cost. Buoyed by Beijings success (after a rocky start) in crushing COVID-19, in contrast to the chaotic U.S. response, he clearly thinks the world will abandon Hong Kong.

That would be a dangerous mistake, because Hong Kong has become the symbol of Xis aggressive global approach.

Hong Kong is a test of whether people [around the world] kowtow to China, whether they say no to pressure from China to implement its authoritarian ideology, I was told by phone by Joshua Wong, the 24-year-old organizer of the 2014 Umbrella Movement that peacefully shut down the territory to protest earlier efforts to curb its freedoms.

I met with Wong during a November visit to Hong Kong when the citys streets were crammed with demonstrators of all ages and professions. They were protesting the Beijing-backed Hong Kong governments effort to pass a law allowing residents to be extradited for trial on the Chinese mainland, where the courts are controlled by the Communist Party. Sixteen-year-old high school protesters on the streets spoke to me passionately, as did Wong, about the need to protect rule of law in the territory.

Now, says Wong, the new Chinese law will enable Beijing to openly deploy its secret police and security forces in Hong Kong and shut down civic and human rights defenders the way they do on the mainland. The new law serves as a weapon to rip out all democratic aspirations in Hong Kong, he told me. There is no transparency on how it will be implemented.

 READ MORE: Young protesters stand up for Hong Kong democracy against huge odds I Trudy Rubin

What makes Chinas move on Hong Kong even more disturbing, beyond the pull of democratic Davids fighting Goliath in Beijing, is that Beijings move reflects the expanding ambitions of Xi Jinping.

The Chinese leader has no doubt been emboldened by the political divisions in the West, including the rise of populism, and the weakening of Western alliances under President Donald Trump. And while COVID-19 has wounded China economically, the country is emerging from virus shutdown far sooner than the United States and Europe. So this is an opportune moment for Xi to take action against Hong Kong.

If the new Chinese security law meets no resistance, Chinese leaders could take this as an indication that they can continue to militarize the South China Sea, gnaw at neighbors borders, and squeeze Taiwan. If Hong Kong falls, it affects the interests of the Western world, Wong told me. Next is Taiwan [which has close military ties with the United States]. He wants world leaders to send a warning signal to China, not just talk.

What kind of warning signal will register with Beijing is the burning question. In November, Congress passed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act with a veto-proof bipartisan majority, forcing a reluctant President Trump to sign it. The act authorizes the administration to revoke the special trade status the United States grants Hong Kong -- if the State Department rules that China has taken away Hong Kongs autonomy.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made that determination Wednesday. And Friday, President Trump announced the U.S. would end almost all aspects of Hong Kongs special status.

Yet eliminating that special trade status will also gravely hurt the citizens of Hong Kong. And doing it immediately, and totally, is likely to undercut any slim chance of persuading Beijing to soften its stance towards Hong Kong. Especially if the United States acts on its own.

Wong and other Hong Kong activists say the special status should be removed in stages, sending Beijing a clear warning. Although Hong Kong is no longer as economically important to mainland China as it once was, the territory is still the gateway for Western investors who want to access the mainland Chinese market, and accounts for nearly three-quarters of initial public offerings for Chinese firms, according to Hong Kong Watch.

Most important, for U.S. pressure to make an impact it must be done in concert with allies, not as part of Trumps blame-China bluster aimed to distract from COVID-19. Otherwise, say China experts, it will not budge Beijing.

Together with European and Asian allies, the Trump administration should collectively set a legislative red line and make a quiet demarche to Beijing: Continue down this path and the worlds most important economic powers will revoke the territorys special economic status, writes the Cato Institutes Doug Bandow.

In other words, to stand with Hong Kong, Trump must stand together with allies hes dissed and stand up to Xi, whom he regularly praises.

Stand with Hong Kong, stand firm, and stand with the democratic world.
Consumers are warned to be on the alert to investment scams being carried out by false companies offering fake investment opportunities.

Examples of such scams include bogus firms selling cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin as well as offering bonds and share investment opportunities.

FraudSMART, the fraud awareness initiative led by Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) issued the warning following the recent publication by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) of details of three new unauthorised firms who are offering financial services including loans and investments without regulation or authorisation from the CBI.

Keith Gross, Head of Financial Security with the BFPI said the fictitious and unregulated firms will offer the consumer very convincing investment opportunities promising a quick profit or return after they hand over their money. "However the opportunity never manifests itself as it simply does not exist. Significantly there is no redress for the consumer or investor once they hand over money to an unregulated firm," he said.

The BPFI said key signs to watch out for with investment scams include being cold-called out of the blue or receive an e-mail about a great investment opportunity and you are rushed and pressured into making a decision there and then.

The Central Bank of Ireland issues warnings on unauthorised firms. "We urge consumers to do their research before making any investment or loan application," Mr Gross said.

"Their first port of call should be to the Central Bank's website where they can check very easily if a firm is regulated or authorised by the Central Bank. If the website/company that is offering the investment or loans is not listed, do not invest or apply for a loan/credit on that website or to that company."
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Minneapolis, United States  Fri, May 29, 2020 19:56 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb011b4 2 World US,media,freedom-of-speech,CNN Free

Police arrested a CNN crew broadcasting live from the US city of Minneapolis early on Friday while covering unrest sparked by the death of a black man at the hands of law enforcement.

The crew was later released.

The network posted footage of correspondent Omar Jimenez speaking calmly to police with batons and riot helmets, then being handcuffed and taken away.

"Do you mind telling me why I am under arrest, sir," Jimenez is heard saying. "Why am I under arrest, sir?"

No answer was audible.

CNN reporter @OmarJimenez was arrested early this morning in Minneapolis, MN. I know Omar. He is a consummate professional. They did this on live TV. The message is be afraid you are not safe. Im not interested in their fear, Im invested in our freedom. #RESIST pic.twitter.com/TAL05S19VF  S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) May 29, 2020

CNN said a producer and a camera operator working with Jimenez were also arrested.

Earlier, as Minnesota state police surrounded Jimenez while he reported, the correspondent spoke to the officers and said he wanted to cooperate.

"Wherever you want us, we would go," said Jimenez, who is black. CNN said in a tweet that a white reporter who was also on the ground covering the unrest was not arrested.

Jimenez was back on the air later Friday after police released him. CNN said Minnesota Governor Tim Walz apologized to the network.

Earlier, CNN put out a statement condemning the police behavior.

"A CNN reporter & his production team were arrested this morning in Minneapolis for doing their jobs, despite identifying themselves - a clear violation of their First Amendment rights," the network said.

Jimenez was in the city covering the third straight night of unrest triggered by the death of George Floyd after he was arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit banknote.

A video taken by a bystander shows an officer kneeling on his neck as he is pinned to the ground. At one point Floyd is heard saying he cannot breathe, and eventually his body goes limp.
In one of the biggest attachments so far in UPA-era AgustaWestland scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth US dollars 50.90 million (equivalent to 385.44 crore) including a villa in Palm Jubeirah, Dubai and five Swiss bank accounts belonging to AgustaWestland scam alleged middleman Rajiv Saxena, who the agency says managed the proceeds of crime and tainted money of many high profile and High Net worth Individuals (HNIs).

The value of the villa in Palm Jumeirah (Dubai) is worth 20 million Dirhams and money attached in five Swiss bank accounts is worth US dollars 45.5 million, the ED said in a press statement on Friday. The agency had sent a Letter of Request to Swiss Confederation to restrain his Swiss bank accounts and ensure that Saxena did not transfer or dispose-off the suspected proceeds of crime.

The accused-turn-approver in AgustaWestland scam, Saxena was deported to India from the UAE on January 31 last year and arrested under money laundering act for routing money belonging to several accused.

ED has claimed that Saxena is a hawala operator and accommodation entry provider who runs the accommodation entry business in Dubai through numerous companies known as Matrix Group companies and has laundered proceeds of crime in the cases of AgustaWestland scam, or VVIP chopper scam.

Saxena is also named as accused for assisting Ratul Puri, nephew of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, in money laundering in the VVIP chopper scam as well as a separate case against Moser Baer India Ltd related to bank fraud. Rajiv Saxena created structures for laundering proceeds of crime generated by accused of both cases either for the kickbacks in AgustaWestland case or defrauding banks by mis-utilising the loans given to Moser Baer

The agency has lately been trying to get his approver status revoked claiming that he misled the investigators and withheld crucial information. However, a Delhi court has refused to revoke his approver status, which is being challenged by the agency in Delhi high court.

Rajiv Saxena manages the proceeds of crime and tainted funds of many high profile and High Net worth Individuals (HNIs). He has admitted to laundering the proceeds of crime not only of the AgustaWestland deal but also various other defence deals. The proceeds of crime have also been transferred to the personal accounts of Rajiv Saxena and his wife Shivani Saxena (also an accused in AgustaWestland case), the ED press release stated.

In the Moser Baer case, the ED said, the proceeds of crime belonging to Deepak Puri (father of Ratul Puri) amounting to USD 16.33 million were also managed by Saxena.

From the analysis of digital evidences and accounts of the Puri family maintained by Rajiv Saxena, it has been revealed that the amount of USD 16.33 million is proceeds of crime in the hands of Rajiv Saxena belonging to Deepak Puri and is parked in the accounts of companies of Matrix Group. Similarly, proceeds of crime belonging to Ratul Puri and transferred to Rajiv Saxena from an undisclosed foreign entity have also been attached, said the ED.

Saxenas lawyer R K Handoo said, Whats happening is very wrong and is harassment of Rajiv Saxena by the agency. He was made an approver and now the agency is making these claims. Wont the statement given by him against any person become null and void in that case?

Puris lawyer Vijay Aggarwal refused to comment.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Taliban fighters attacked an army checkpoint in eastern Afghanistan, killing 14 military personnel, the Defense Ministry said Friday.

The Taliban took responsibility for Thursday's attack in Paktia province, calling it a ``defensive action,'' without elaborating.

Javid Faisal, spokesman for the Afghanistan national security adviser's office, said despite sporadic clashes, a truce in effect during the three-day Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which ended Tuesday, would continue.

The Taliban accused the Afghan government of carrying out an airstrike Wednesday killing several civilians. The government said the target was Taliban fighters.

Neither side appeared ready to return to all out fighting, however. ``The detente that started during Eid al-Fitr continues despite reports of scattered incidents to the contrary,'' Faisal said.

Meanwhile, a team of five Taliban members were in Kabul discussing the release of Taliban and Afghan government prisoners from.

The Afghan government has released 2,000 Taliban prisoners since the signing of a peace deal between the United States and the Taliban on Feb. 29 and the insurgents have freed 347 captives.

Under the peace deal, the Afghan government is to release up to 5,000 insurgents, while 1,000 Afghan soldiers and police will be freed by the Taliban. The agreement was signed to allow American soldiers to return home, ending America's longest military engagement.

The deal also calls for Afghans in Kabul and the Taliban to start negotiations to decide the future of Afghanistan. Those negotiations have been delayed because of political feuding between Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani and his rival in last year's presidential polls, Adullah Abdullah. The two reached an agreement earlier this month and the release of prisoners has raised expectations that negotiations can begin.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


A New Hampshire man has been charged in a fraud scheme that involved using Bitcoin to buy stolen personal data belonging to people across the country, officials said.

Jonathan Nguyen, 23, of Windham, was charged Tuesday in federal court with conspiring to engage in wire fraud, access-device fraud and identity theft, U.S. Attorney Andrew Lellings office said.

Nguyen and others involved in the scheme used the personal information they bought to purchase tickets to sporting events and gift cards which Nguyen sold, Lelling said.

Nguyen faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of at least $250,000.

No defense attorney was listed in court records for Nguyen.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Mergers Abuse Molestation New Hampshire
Jeffrey Epstein's first victim has branded the new Netflix documentary on the pedophile 'disgusting' - and says the show's producers took advantage of the victims.

Artist and former employee Maria Farmer was the first woman to come forward with sexual assault claims back in 1996 and is one of the stars of the four-part series on the disgraced financier entitled, Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich.

The 50-year-old, who was hired by Epstein to paint naked portraits of his underage victims, was approached, alongside other victims, to appear on the series with Farmer persuading her 'Survivor Sisters' to do it. She says she thought it would be a 'good thing' and help give their claims credibility.

But on the day of filming, Farmer, who's suffering from a cancerous brain tumor and lymphoma, tells DailyMail.com that she was still going through radiation and wanted to postpone it.

Her dog had also just died and she was 'swollen' to the 'size of a house' - but they wouldn't take no for an answer.

Maria Farmer has branded the new Netflix documentary on the pedophile 'disgusting' - and says the show's producers took advantage of the victims

Farmer is the first of Jeffrey Epstein's victims to come forward with sexual assault claims in 1996

Farmer appears in the four-part Netflix series on Epstein and tells DailyMail.com she thought it would be a 'good thing' and help give victims' claims credibility

She says they messed up the filming of fellow 'survivor' Virginia Giuffre so badly that they had to go back to Australia to film it again.

The four-part docuseries is out now on Netflix

Giuffre, 36, who moved to Australia in 2002 after meeting Antipodean husband Robert, alleges that she had sex with Prince Andrew when she was only 17 and pursued civil and criminal actions against Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

'It's really upsetting, they came here when I was really, really sick, I was the size of a barge, I was so slow, I'd just had radiation and literally the day they got here, my dog died,' says Farmer.

'They filmed me, I looked like a house, I'm so swollen from radiation. They could have filmed me at anytime, they choose then, they said it was convenient for them. They made me look bad.

'They could have just made me look good, but they wouldn't give me hair and make-up. And they were like: ''This is the only day we can film you. Sorry, this is it, it's now or never.'' So I said: ''Never''. They said: ''Sorry, that won't work.''

'I'm mad, they know I am, they keep doing promos, and they show the worst picture of me, next to all these beautiful young girls. Why are you doing that? I'm not that ugly. It's not that hard to find a picture where I'm less ugly.

'It's not gospel, it's theatre, that's all it is. They're disgusting. It feels like torture and feels really mean. I feel like I've [been] taken advantage. I'm not going to watch that Netflix, I shouldn't have done it, I was so sick in it. Every time they do a promo, they make me look like a wildebeest.

'Virginia, they made her look so bad, she made them fly to Australia and re-film and I should have done that. They really filmed her looking horrible and she's beautiful and I'm like: ''Bill [Robinson, one of the executive producers] you have to re-film that.'' He said: ''I agree that's not going to work'', so they flew out to Australia.

'The others aren't as angry, as they don't look a giant beached whale, who just got out of chemo and radiation, they look like innocent little butterflies. But none are going to be happy with it.'

Farmer's dog had also just died when producers wanted her to film and she says she was 'swollen' to the 'size of a house' - but they wouldn't take no for an answer

Farmer was one of the first to speak out against the late financier after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by Epstein and Maxwell in 1996, claiming she was introduced to the pair while a graduate student at the New York Academy of Art and ended up working for Epstein as an art consultant. Pictured: Farmer in 1996 just after she was allegedly assaulted by Epstein

Farmer claimed Guggenheim urged her to sell Epstein her painting of a shirtless man gazing at a young woman - which was a homage to Edgar Degas' famous painting known as The Rape - for just $6,000. Pictured: The painting by Farmer that she says Epstein bought from her thesis show at the New York Academy of Art

Farmer claims that the production messed up the filming of fellow 'survivor' Virginia Giuffre (pictured) so badly that they had to go back to Australia to film it again

Farmer also claims that another reason they all agreed to do it was to break the myth that Giuffre was the 'queen of all the victims', as it made her feel uncomfortable and the others bitter.

Farmer stresses that there's absolutely no divide and says that she adores her 'sister' Giuffre, who has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay Farmer's huge medical bills.

'Virginia has got her story out there. [There's the image that] Virginia is the Queen of England and everyone around her anoints her. She's not like that, she's super down-to-earth, but they try and make her out as if she's like the Queen of England, as it fits their narrative, and everyone else looks like a little servant piling around her.

'I said we'll all do this if it breaks that cycle because it's a lie, it makes her very uncomfortable, and it makes us bitter, like we don't have a story,' says Farmer.

She goes on to add that none of the victims had any idea that it was all going to be based around the bestselling book Filthy Rich by James Patterson. But Farmer has an issue with the author after he got a private investigator to track her down.

She says that she was in hiding at the time, as most of the other girls were, in fear of reprisals from Epstein and Maxwell, but Patterson outed where she was living, which meant she had to change location.

On the day of filming, Farmer, who's suffering from cancer, says that she was still going through radiation and wanted to postpone the interview but producers refused

'They used me to get those survivors. I was told it was a low budget documentary, that's the only reason I did it, I was lied to,' Farmer said

She says: 'They used me to get those survivors. I was told it was a low budget documentary, that's the only reason I did it, I was lied to. I only knew after the promo was out [that Patterson was involved]. I was never told until the promo that it had anything to do with Patterson, Annie [Farmer's sister, also an Epstein victim when she was just 16] didn't know, none of us knew.

'It's the same guy, whose PI outed where I lived, so I had to stay inside for five years. When he was writing his book, he wanted to interview me, so hired PIs in Kentucky to swarm around my house and everyone then knew. The point I was in hiding and the FBI wouldn't protect me.'

Farmer is also upset that they interviewed Vanity Fair journalist Vicky Ward, who wrote a piece for the magazine in 2003 entitled The Talented Mr Epstein, detailing his financial and personal life.

Incredibly, it missed out any sex allegations, much to the disgust of Farmer and sister Annie, who were both interviewed for the piece, but cut from the final edit. Ward says that she wanted to do a follow up on this issue, but was denied by Graydon, who says that's untrue.

'Vicky Ward is exonerated in it. Can you imagine?' says Farmer.

'They gave her a voice to say she's innocent and it's all Graydon's fault. Can you imagine how that makes me feel? I was in hiding for 18 years. I've never been this upset. I'm just really mad today. It's like getting an interview with one of the perpetrators.'

Farmer was hired by Epstein soon after she graduated from The New York Academy of Art in her early 20s, meeting Trump on the third day of working for Epstein

I'd just had radiation and literally the day they got here, my dog died,' says Farmer (She's pictured while working for Epstien. She had her hair cut to match Ghislaine Maxwell's style and color)

Farmer was the 'artist-in-residence' and receptionist at Epstein's New York office in 1995 after graduating from the New York Academy of Arts and handpicked by Epstein to work for him, who was also a college donor.

She was then abused by Epstein and Maxwell on his mentor, billionaire Les Wexner's estate in Ohio, and also ogled at by President Donald Trump, whom she claims visited Epstein at least three times while she worked there.

After death threats from Maxwell, Farmer went into hiding for years, moving about the country, renovating and flipping houses to make ends meet. She was then diagnosed with a brain tumor, which she'd had for over twenty years due to stress, and needed radiation. Then last year, she got lymphoma and now the other victims, led by Giuffre, have set up a GoFundMe page.

Farmer, who doesn't know if she'll survive this latest round of chemotherapy, doesn't want Netflix to be the last memory of her.

She adds: 'If I do die, I don't want that to represent me.'
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen paid a short visit to Causeway Bay Books in Taipei on Friday to reiterate her determination to help Hong Kong people who wish to seek refuge in Taiwan as they leave their homes to avoid persecution from China's government.

Causeway Bay Books is symbolic in representing Hong Kong's democracy and freedom of speech because it used to sell books prohibited by the Chinese regime.

Owner Lam Wing-kee has reopened his bookstore in Taipei after it was forced to shut down in Hong Kong.

Tsai left a Post-it note on the book store's Lennon Wall with an encouraging message showing support for the semi-autonmous Chinese territory.

Earlier this week, Tsai has instructed her government to establish a cross-ministerial task force to provide assistance to Hong Kong people who needs to seek refuge in Taiwan.

A former British colony, Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 under the so-called "one country, two systems framework," which promises the city certain democratic rights not afforded to the mainland.

Taiwan has developed its own identity since separating from China during civil war in 1949, but has never declared formal independence.

Beijing still claims sovereignty over the island of 23 million people.
Vaya Africa, a ride-hail mobility venture founded by Zimbabwean mogul Strive Masiyiwa, has launched an electric taxi service and charging network in Zimbabwe with plans to expand across the continent.

The South Africa-headquartered company has acquired a fleet of Nissan Leaf EVs and developed its own solar-powered charging stations.

The program goes live in Zimbabwe this week, as Vaya finalizes partnerships to begin on-demand electric taxi and delivery services in markets that could include Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia.

Zimbabwe is a sandbox really. Weve moved on to doing pilots with other countries right across Africa, Vaya Mobility CEO Dorothy Zimuto told TechCrunch on a call from Harare.

Vaya is a subsidiary of Strive Masiyiwa's Econet Group, which includes one of Southern Africa's largest mobile operators and Liquid Telecom, an internet infrastructure company.

Masiyiwa has become one of Africa's Gates, Branson-type figures, recognized globally as a business leader and philanthropist with connections and affiliations from President Obama to the Rockefeller Foundation.

Working with Zimuto on the Vaya EV product is Liquid Telecom's innovation partnerships lead, Oswald Jumira.

The initiative comes as Africa's on-demand mobility market has been in full swing for several years, with startups, investors and the larger ride-hail players aiming to bring movement of people and goods to digital product models.

Ethiopia has local ride-hail ventures Ride and Zayride. Uber's been active in several markets on the continent since 2015 and, like competitor Bolt, got into the motorcycle taxi business in Africa in 2018.

Over the last year, there's been some movement on the continent toward developing EVs for ride-hail and delivery use, primarily around two-wheeled transit.

In 2019, Nigerian mobility startup MAX.ng raised a $7 million Series A round backed by Yamaha, a portion of which was dedicated to pilot e-motorcycles powered by renewable energy.

Story continues

Last year the government of Rwanda established a national plan to phase out gas motorcycle taxis for e-motos, working in partnership with EV startup Ampersand.

Vaya Mobility CEO Dorothy Zimuto, Image Credits: Econet Group

The appeal of shifting to electric in Africa's taxi markets  beyond environmental benefits  is the unit economics, given the cost of fuel compared to personal income is generally high for most of the continent's drivers.

"Africa is excited, because we are riding on the green revolution: no emissions, no noise and big savings... in terms of running costs of their vehicles," Zimuto said.

She estimates a cost savings of 40% on the fuel and maintenance costs for drivers on the ride-hail platform.

At the moment, with fuel prices in Vaya's first market of Zimbabwe at around $1.20 a liter, the average trip distance is 22 kilometres for a price of $19, according to Econet Group's Oswald Jumira.

With the Nissan Leaf vehicles on Vaya's charging network, the cost to top up will be around $5 for a range of 150 to 200 kilometres.

Image Credits: Vaya Africa

"It's the driver who benefits. They take more money home. And that also means we can reduce the tariff for ride-hailing companies to make it more affordable for people," Jumira told TechCrunch.

The company has adapted its business to the spread of COVID-19 in Africa. Vaya provides PPE to its drivers and sanitizes its cars four to five times a day, according to Zimuto.

Vaya is exploring EV options for other on-demand transit applications  from delivery to motorcycle and Tuk Tuk taxis.

On the question of competing with Uber in Africa, Vaya points to the reduced fares offered by its EV program as one advantage.

The CEO of Vaya Mobility, Dorothy Zimuto, also points to certain benefits of knowing local culture and preferences.

"We speak African. That's the language we understand. We understand the people and what they want across our markets. That's what makes the difference." she said.

It will be something to watch if Vaya's EV bet and local consumer knowledge translates into more passenger flow and revenue generation as it goes head to head with other ride-hail companies, such as Uber, across Africa.
China will attack Taiwan if there is no other way of stopping it from becoming independent, one of the country's most senior generals said on Friday, in a rhetorical escalation from China aimed at the democratic island Beijing claims as its own.

Speaking at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on the 15th anniversary of the Anti-Secession Law, Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department and member of the Central Military Commission, left the door open to using force.

The 2005 law gives the country the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to, making the narrow Taiwan Strait a potential military flashpoint.

"If the possibility for peaceful reunification is lost, the people's armed forces will, with the whole nation, including the people of Taiwan, take all necessary steps to resolutely smash any separatist plots or actions," Li said.

"We do not promise to abandon the use of force, and reserve the option to take all necessary measures, to stabilise and control the situation in the Taiwan Strait," he added.

Although China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, it is rare for a top, serving military officer to so explicitly make the threat in a public setting. The comments are especially striking amid international opprobrium over China passing new national security legislation for Chinese-run Hong Kong.

Taiwan's government denounced the comments, saying that threats of war were a violation of international law and that Taiwan has never been a part of the People's Republic of China.

"Taiwan's people will never choose dictatorship nor bow to violence", Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said. "Force and unilateral decisions are not the way to resolve problems."

Li is one of China's few senior officers with combat experience, having taken part in China's ill-fated invasion of Vietnam in 1979.

Taiwan is China's most sensitive territorial issue. Beijing says it is a Chinese province, and has denounced the Trump administration's support for the island.

Li Zhanshu, the third-most-senior leader of China's ruling Communist Party and head of China's parliament, told the same event that non-peaceful means were an option of last resort.

"As long as there is a slightest chance of a peaceful resolution, we will put in hundred times the effort," Li said.

However, he added: "We warn Taiwan's pro-independence and separatist forces sternly, the path of Taiwan independence leads to a dead end; any challenge to this law will be severely punished".

Taiwan has shown no interest in being run by autocratic China. It has denounced China's repeated military drills near the island and rejected China's offer of a "one country, two systems" model of a high degree of autonomy.

Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party won presidential and parliamentary elections by a landslide in January, vowing to stand up to Beijing.

China is deeply suspicious of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, whom it accuses of being a separatist bent on declaring formal independence. Tsai says Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its official name.

The mood in Taiwan toward China has further soured since China's parliament passed new national security legislation for Chinese-ruled Hong Kong on Thursday.
There were violent protests in both Minneapolis and Louisville, Ky., last night, as tensions over recent police killings escalated. A police precinct in Minneapolis was set on fire, and seven people were shot at a demonstration in Louisville.

There were also protests in several other cities, including New York, Denver and Columbus, Ohio, and President Trump posted two angry tweets, one of which Twitter flagged for glorifying violence.

The Times has started a live briefing so you can follow the latest developments.

The conflicts come after the latest spate of deaths of African-Americans caused by the police, including George Floyd, who was apparently suffocated in Minneapolis, and Breonna Taylor, who was killed in March during a no-knock raid of her apartment in Louisville.

In Minneapolis, protesters broke into the citys Third Precinct, on the citys south side, just after 10 p.m. and smashed equipment, set off fireworks and lit fires, according to videos posted from the scene.
If we really make an effort to address the underlying disparities that this report shows, that existed even after a historic economic run, with almost full employment and unprecedented prosperity, it really points to how much those disparities matter, Bader said. I think theres an opportunity right now because things are all up in the air and so much of our lives has changed, that we as a society can think of change in ways we werent able to before.
They're two of Australia's biggest social media sensations.

And on Friday night, Tammy Hembrow and Skye Wheatley partied the night away at a friend's birthday, after their group booked out ultra-popular Gold Coast bar, Burleigh Pavilion.

The Instagram stars, both 26, looked thrilled to be out on the town after lockdown restrictions eased, as they attended the birthday party of fellow influencer Jemma Heran.

Influencers' big night out! Tammy Hembrow (pictured) and Skye Wheatley booked out a popular Gold Coast bar on Friday night, after lockdown restrictions eased. They both attended the birthday party of fellow influencer Jemma Heran

The women dined on oysters, twerked and downed drinks out of a shot glass against the backdrop of the ocean.

Tammy seemed to be one of the first to arrive at the event, immediately getting into the party spirit as she danced around the near empty bar's famous ocean-front balcony.

The mother-of-two kept to her signature athleisure aesthetic, donning a turquoise velour tracksuit and matching cropped hoodie with a baguette purse.

Later in the night, Tammy posed with her friends in a cheeky Instagram boomerang, sticking her tongue out for the camera.

Having a boogey: Tammy seemed to be one of the first to arrive at the ultra-popular Gold Coast bar, Burleigh Pavilion, immediately getting into the party spirit as she danced around the near empty venue's famous ocean-front balcony

Having fun: Later in the night, Tammy posed with her friends in a cheeky Instagram boomerang, sticking her tongue out for the camera

She also filmed herself being fed an oyster, seductively opening her mouth and sticking her tongue out before giggling.

'Guys we outside,' Tammy captioned the Instagram story, adding: 'Oyster mood'.

The Saski Collection founder also sang 'happy birthday to ya' and joined in drinking a clear beverage out of a shot glass.

Tammy got up close and personal with her friends as they posed for a group photo, with Skye noticeably absent.

'Guys we outside': Tammy also filmed herself being fed an oyster, seductively opening her mouth and sticking her tongue out before giggling

Where is she? Tammy got up close and personal with her friends as they posed for a group photo, with Skye noticeably absent

The mother-of-one appeared to arrive to a little later in the night, with the party seemingly already well on its way.

Skye quickly headed over to the birthday girl and fellow influencer Jemma Heran, who was cuddling up with Tammy on an outdoor couch.

'Happy birthday baby,' Skye called out to her friend, clinking their wine glasses together with a 'cheers'.

The girls appeared to disregard social distancing as they cuddled up together, Jemma even kissing Skye on the forehead.
View exotic locales like Maui and Paris as well as points of interest such as local restaurants, hospitals, schools, and more.

Want to know more about a specific location? Dive right in -- Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google Search to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips.

Here are some key features of "Google Earth":

Fly from sace to your neighborhood. Type in an address and zoom right in.

Search for schools, parks, restaurants, and hotels. Get driving directions.

Tilt and rotate the view to see 3D terrain and buildings.

Save and share your searches and favorites. Even add your own annotations.

What's New:

With Google Earth, you can explore the streets in 3D like never before. Fly from outer space down to the streets with the new Street View and easily navigate your way around. Switch to ground-level view to see the same location in 3D.

Now you can see 3D trees in locations all over the world. We have also made it easier for you to know when historical imagery is available in the location you are viewing.
There is little doubt that the Italian economy needs to restart, and restart soon. But at what cost?

When the novel coronavirus began spreading across the world earlier this year, Italy quickly became one of Europes worst-affected countries and went into lockdown. Schools, shops, leisure centres and churches were swiftly shut and all Italians were told to remain indoors as much as possible.

On May 4, as the number of new COVID-19 cases started to fall, the country moved to gradually ease the lockdown restrictions that kept 60 million Italians at home for nearly two months and devastated the economy.

At first, the central government was firmly in control and determined to ensure that the restart of the economy would not take place at the expense of human lives. The manufacturing sector and wholesale retailers were allowed to resume their activities, but many other businesses that require close human contact to function, such as hairdressers and gyms, were told to remain shut.

Within two weeks, however, many of the safety measures initially put in place to guarantee a safe, gradual and calculated reopening were scrapped. Rome buckled under pressure from regional governments that warned against the negative effect that a too strict approach to safety could have on economic recovery, and took steps to guarantee the speedy resumption of all business activities. The recommendations for the safe reopening of businesses were significantly diluted, and regional governments were allowed to use a considerable degree of discretion in their implementation.

On May 18, retail shops, cafes, restaurants, hairdressers and barber shops, museums, leisure centres, and other businesses were told that they can now reopen as long as they follow the recently updated  and significantly softened  safety measures. Restrictions over home visits to friends and neighbours were also lifted. Moreover, it was announced that travel between regions and to and from the country will be allowed from June 3, in the hopes that it would help revive the countrys moribund tourism industry.

In other words, the government told the Italian people that they can return to a certain degree of normalcy, as long as they follow social distancing measures and other basic safety rules such as wearing face masks on public transport and in closed public spaces.

All this led to fears that Italy may be trying to reopen its economy too quickly, before taking the necessary precautions to prevent a second outbreak.

Many have criticised the government for not taking decisive steps towards mass testing, contact tracing and isolation  the three key policies in the World Health Organizations (WHO) recipe to effectively contain the virus  before reopening the economy.

An app for contact tracing is in the works, but it has not been rolled out yet and there are already some questions over its efficiency. Critics have also noted a scarcity of human contact tracers in the country.

Isolation facilities have been set up across Italy during the lockdown, but people who test positive for COVID-19 are still allowed to quarantine at home with other family members.

Testing is another contested area. Many regional governments are investing in anti-body tests, which determine whether a person had COVID-19 in the past and may have immunity. The WHO, however, has warned against these tests due to lack of scientific evidence on this issue. There are no plans yet to conduct regular mass tests on Italian workers to determine if they have COVID-19 at the time of testing.

Economy in emergency

Despite his initial intention to embark on a cautious and gradual reopening, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte found himself cornered by two opposing currents: The threat the virus, which already claimed more than 33,000 Italian lives, continues to pose to the country, and the need to ease the lockdown to avert an economic catastrophe.

The economic situation is dire, and it is not affecting big business only. The small and medium-size enterprises that drive Italys economy have also suffered significantly under the lockdown. Sectors such as tourism and hospitality are devastated, with little hope of recovery this year. The gross domestic product (GDP) has declined by 4.7 percent in the first quarter of 2020, and is projected to fall by 8 percent for the whole year.

The government has undertaken an unprecedented number of economic measures to mitigate the effect of COVID-19, which include significant grants for the self-employed and those who have lost their jobs during this crisis. But many workers who do not have regular labour contracts  a phenomenon particularly common in the southern regions  can not benefit from these grants and are left to survive on the limited poverty grants that are designed to provide some relief to the poorest sectors of society. Undocumented migrants in the country, meanwhile, are left with no safety nets, except perhaps for food aid organised unevenly at the municipal level.

There are worries that the governments economic measures will not be enough to shelter many Italians from the worst of the crisis. The lack of a universal welfare delivery infrastructure that cuts across professional categories and industries, has resulted in uneven coverage, and in bureaucratic delays of payments to many who are eligible for support.

The 80 billion euros ($87.8bn) mobilised so far to help families and businesses amid the pandemic has also added to the growing public debt that has been burdening Italy for decades. Government bond yields are rising over fears that a debt default might be in the cards  this is a real risk, especially if EU institutions do not protect Italys finances and fail to provide favourable lines of credit. This could have catastrophic consequences for the country and could escalate into a full-blown eurozone crisis.

There is little doubt that the Italian economy needs to restart, and restart soon. But at what cost?

From coordination to compromise

Despite the heavy death toll and the delays in taking firm action at the beginning of the epidemic, the coalition government led by the centre-left Democratic Party and the post-ideological populists of the Five Star Movement was able to deliver a strong, coordinated response throughout March and April, reverting the legacy of an often inefficient state bureaucracy, and working against the resource constraints imposed by decades of austerity programmes.

During the lockdown, intensive care beds were increased from 5,300 to 8,660 in just a few weeks, and a repeat of the disaster in Lombardy, where tens of thousands died unnecessarily in overflowing hospitals and care homes, was avoided in other regions. Far reaching social distancing measures and movement restrictions were imposed efficiently, and largely with the consent of the population.

During this unprecedented public health emergency, what was once a weak marriage of convenience between the Democratic Party and the Five Star Movement blossomed into a surprising show of political unity, under the sober, non-partisan leadership of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who currently enjoys very high approval ratings.

This political capital, however, has already been weakened by the re-emerging of the usual factional politics within the governing coalition, as well as the tensions between the central government and the regions, and the deepening of the North-South divide.

The contradictions and ambiguities that currently surround the reopening of the economy signal a return to the prepandemic politics of compromise, where central governments negotiated important matters with a myriad of local and regional interest groups, with often incoherent results.

This system, established in the aftermath of World War II, provides for a good degree of social and political consensus, but might not be the most effective way to undertake the kind of firm and decisive action required to contain COVID-19. The lockdown imposed in March was perhaps so successful exactly because its implementation did not follow the usual channels of institutional negotiation. And yet, it did not pose a threat to Italian democracy.

With more movement and contact, an increase in infections is expected. But will the current set up, with the regions in the driving seat, allow for a swift containment of potential hotspots, or is there a risk of another wave of uncontrolled infections?

At this stage, nobody knows, but a more orderly and nationally coordinated reopening of the economy with mass testing, a contact tracing app, a significant increase in the number of contact tracers, and stricter measures for the isolation of confirmed cases, would certainly reduce the risks.

Even though the regions have the upper hand at the moment, the central government has the legislative and executive instruments to take back control if the spread of the virus in the country gains pace once again. In the meantime, Conte and his cabinet should work towards expanding the countrys health surveillance and intervention capacity so that the government can move swiftly when necessary to contain potential hotspots locally, and avoid another national lockdown.

The rushed easing of lockdown measures could have devastating consequences not only for public health, but also for the prospects of economic recovery.

If Italys leaders are not careful, they can find themselves in a situation where the number of COVID-19 cases is rapidly rising and a second lockdown is needed. This would cause Italians to lose trust in the government, which has promised to prevent a second outbreak. Herd immunity discourses have not gained much traction in Italy. Amid a second spike in the number of cases, it would be hard to convince Italians to go to work, shop on the high street, enjoy cafes and restaurants or participate in other leisure activities. All this would not only bring the economy to a stop once again, but could also ignite significant social and political instability amid a pandemic and a looming debt crisis.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Washington: When Donald Trump signalled his plan to take action against social media companies following Twitter's unprecedented decision to fact-check him, there was good reason to be more sceptical than alarmed.

Trump regularly issues dramatic and headline-grabbing threats that later come to nothing. After threatening to rain down "fire and fury" on North Korea, he ended up cosying up to Kim Jong-un. A few weeks ago Trump threatened to unilaterally suspend Congress, then never spoke of it again. More recently he demanded state governors immediately reopen churches - something he has no constitutional power to order.

President Donald Trump holds up a copy of the New York Post as he speaks before signing an executive order aimed at curbing protections for social media giants. Credit:AP

More often than not, Trump's goal is projecting an image of power rather than exercising it. As alarming as they find his rhetoric, the President's critics often express quiet relief that he doesn't have the attention span or interest in policy-making to turn his stated goals into reality.

The social media executive order Trump unveiled, at least for now, is the latest example of his bark being far worse than his bite. It's neither the mortal blow to freedom of speech that some had feared nor the bold action against social media companies that his supporters would like to celebrate.
New moderate income housing program could be on the way to Long Beach
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump said Friday his administration would withdraw from the World Health Organization and move to revoke Hong Kong's special trading status in twin decisions likely to exacerbate U.S-China tensions.

Trump did not give a timeline or specify exactly what privileges would be yanked from Hong Kong, a global financial hub that could see its status tarnished by the move.

Trump said Hong Kong is not entitled to special treatment by the United States, because it is no longer autonomous from mainland China. He said he would direct his advisers to begin the process of eliminating the "full range" of perks that Hong Kong now enjoys, which includes export controls, tariff exemptions and other benefits.

Trump also said he would formally end the U.S. relationship with the World Health Organization, blasting the multilateral institution as a tool of China.

"China has total control over the World Health Organization, despite only paying $40 million per year," Trump said, noting that the U.S. contribution to the WHO has been approximately $450 million dollars a year.

"Chinese officials ignored their reporting obligations to the World Health Organization and pressured the World Health Organization to mislead the world," Trump said, referring to China's handling of the coronavirus.

Because the WHO has resisted implementing reforms that his administration sought in the wake of the pandemic, Trump said, "we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs."

It's not clear how that would work. For starters, Congress approves funding for WHO, and lawmakers have already started pushing back on Trump's decision to withdraw from the Geneva-based organization.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., the chairman of the Senate health committee, said while the WHO's actions should be examined, that review should occur after the pandemic, not in the middle of it. Trump's the move to withdraw from the WHO, he said, could have severe consequences.

Story continues

"Withdrawing U.S. membership could, among other things, interfere with clinical trials that are essential to the development of vaccines, which citizens of the United States as well as others in the world need," Alexander said. "And withdrawing could make it harder to work with other countries to stop viruses before they get to the United States.

Even Trump's secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has conceded the WHO does vital work in eradicating polio and other diseases in a bevy of low-income countries. Other global health groups are probably not going to be able to fill that void, even with a new infusion of U.S. dollars.

Critics said Trump's WHO announcement was yet another attempt to deflect blame from his own mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak  and one that would end up hurting the U.S.

For the US to have one of the WORST domestic responses of any developed country in the world and then CEASE contributions to @WHO in the middle of a raging global pandemic is an embarrassment  a sign of weakness, panic, and scapegoating," tweeted Brett McGurk, a former special State Department envoy who served under presidents Trump, Obama and Bush. "It also endangers American citizens."

Ben Rhodes, a former top Obama adviser, said Trump's WHO decision would only empower China more.

"Trump is so mad about Chinese influence at the WHO that he's going to dramatically increase Chinese influence at the WHO," Rhodes tweeted. "Makes a lot of sense in the middle of a pandemic that requires global cooperation."

WHO chief: Public health 'superstar' or pro-China propagandist?

Trump made the WHO and Hong Kong announcements during a Rose Garden event in which he leveled a long list of complaints against China  from engaging in unfair trade practices to hiding the scope and severity of the deadly coronavirus.

"The Chinese government has continually violated its promises to us and so many other nations," Trump said, reading from a teleprompter and taking no questions from reporters.

Trump's decisions come after Xi Jinping's government moved to impose a so-called "national security" on Hong Kong, which critics say is aimed at snuffing out pro-democracy protests that have roiled Hong Kong for months.

China's new law would ban sedition, secession and other forms of subversion by Hong Kong residents against Beijing. It would also allow China's secretive state security agencies to operate in the city, sparking fear about possible arrests of pro-democracy activists.

"Hong Kong was secure and prosperous as a free society. Beijing's decision reverses all of that," Trump said. The new law, he said, "extends the reach of China's invasive state security apparatus into what was formerly a bastion of liberty."

Washington vs. Beijing: Pompeo declares Hong Kong no longer autonomous from China

Trump said his directive would affect "the full range of agreements we have with Hong Kong, from our extradition treaty to our export controls on dual use technologies." The State Department would also revise its travel advisory for Hong Kong, he said, "to reflect the increased danger of surveillance and punishment by the Chinese state security apparatus."

Zack Cooper, an expert on U.S. defense strategy in Asia with the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank, applauded Trumps moves but said China is unlikely to reverse course. He noted that China has taken a number of aggressive actions recently  against India, Australia and in the South China Sea.

These steps will anger Beijing, but they are unlikely to prevent the Communist Party from exercising greater control over Hong Kong, Cooper said. Therefore expect tensions to rise in the days and weeks ahead."

Tensions between Washington and Beijing have been escalating for weeks as Trump has blamed China for an alleged cover-up about the coronavirus outbreak. Chinese officials initially censored warnings about the virus and later circulated false theories asserting the coronavirus originated with the U.S. Army.

The already frayed U.S.-China relationship took a more serious turn this week after China adopted a new security law that threatens Hong Kong's autonomy, leading the Trump administration to declare it no longer considers the city to be autonomous from mainland China.

Two women hold up posters of the U.S. flag and a depiction of President Donald Trump, right, during a pro-democracy rally in a shopping mall in Hong Kong on May 28, 2020.

The legislation, adopted Thursday in Chinas rubber-stamp Parliament, will not take effect immediately. Chinese officials have defended the law as necessary for the country's national security and for Hong Kong's prosperity.

Superpower struggle:China approves sweeping national security legislation for Hong Kong, jeopardizing the city's autonomy and angering Washington

.

Trump announced his decision to revoke Hong Kong's trade status even as Washington and Beijing are in the middle of trying to implement 'phase one' trade deal reached earlier this year.

More: U.S., China sign 'Phase One' trade agreement, signaling pause in trade war

Critics warned China's new national security law for Hong Kong could spell the end of civil liberties in the city and cripple its status as a global financial hub. The Trump administration joined the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia in warning China's action is destabilizing and "in direct conflict" with its international obligations.

The law "raises the prospect of prosecution in Hong Kong for political crimes and undermines existing commitments to protect the rights of Hong Kong people," a joint statement said.

Hong Kong was returned to China from British control as a semiautonomous territory in 1997  on the condition that China maintained a "one country, two systems" framework guaranteeing freedoms not found on the mainland  including freedom of speech and an independent judiciary.

Xi Jinping: China strengthening armed forces amid tensions with U.S. over coronavirus, Hong Kong

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: China: Trump revoking Hong Kong trade perks, cuts ties with WHO
Radio news folks naturally do not get the kind of attention and do not have the close tie with audiences as do show hosts. But Middlebrooks on-air tenure is remarkable and for me it recalled the Aug. 29, 1987 day I sat is the studios of WLS-FM890 when Larry Lujack wrapped up his 20 years as a top-rated radio host. He was pleasant, in his typically gruff way, at one point in the program saying, Saying goodbye is kind of silly.
Boyd Gaming Corporation BYD intends to resume operations at 13 properties in Nevada, Missouri and Iowa. However, receipt of final regulatory approvals is pending. Notably, the company had closed operations in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the past three months, the companys shares have fallen 16.2%, compared with the industrys decline of 13.3%.

The company announced that it plans to resume operations at its two Missouri properties  Ameristar St. Charles and Ameristar Kansas City; and two Iowa properties  Diamond Jo Dubuque and Diamond Jo Worth on Jun 1. Moreover, its Nevada properties  The Orleans, Gold Coast, Suncoast, Aliante, Cannery, Sam's Town, Fremont, California and Jokers Wild are anticipated to resume operations on Jun 4.

The company has already resumed operations at seven properties across Louisiana and Mississippi. Keith Smith, president and CEO of Boyd Gaming said "By the first week of June, we look forward to having 21 of our 29 properties across the country back in operation, and we are optimistic that we will be able to reopen most of our remaining properties by the end of June.

Boyd Gaming has already taken certain strategic measures to protect the business in this crisis scenario. These measures include the suspension of dividend and stock buyback programs. Notably, this is in line with its plan of preserving cash and maintaining ample liquidity to avoid a possible recession due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Although coronavirus has triggered a catastrophe in terms of lives lost and financial impact, the company appears resilient enough to navigate through these uncertain times. We believe that it will continue to monitor the COVID-19 crisis and adjust contingency plans accordingly.

Boyd Gaming  which shares space with Century Casinos, Inc. CNTY , Eldorado Resorts, Inc. ERI and Las Vegas Sands Corp. LVS in the Zacks Gaming industry  has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Story continues

Just Released: Zacks 7 Best Stocks for Today

Experts extracted 7 stocks from the list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys that has beaten the market more than 2X over with a stunning average gain of +24.1% per year.

These 7 were selected because of their superior potential for immediate breakout.

See these time-sensitive tickers now >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Eldorado Resorts, Inc. (ERI) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Boyd Gaming Corporation (BYD) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Century Casinos, Inc. (CNTY) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Royron Adams (right) accepts donation from Ms. Ikarmola Laborde in the presence of Donette ONeil.

Minibus drivers and conductors have little excuse for not masking-up during this period of threat by the novel coronavirus.





Their representative, Royron Adams  Vice-President (Acting) of the Vincentian Transport Association (VINTAS), accepted on their behalf some 200 washable masks as a donation from Soroptimist Ints SVG, last Tuesday, May 26.





The masks were handed over by recently installed President of Soroptimist Intl SVG Ms. Ikarmola Laborde, and witnessed by her Vice-President Donette ONeil.





The presentation was fittingly conducted at the Bus Stop opposite the St. Vincent Cooperative Bank, Blue Caribbean Building, Bay Street.





When THE VINCENTIAN spoke later that day to at least one minibus driver, he said he didnt know about the presentation but he appreciated the gesture on the part of "the ladies.
EDWARDSVILLE  The Edwardsville Public Library, which has been closed since March 17, still isnt quite ready to open its doors to the public, but it is taking a positive step in that direction.

Assuming Gov. J.B. Pritzker moves the state into Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan, the library will be able to offer contactless curbside service for the community starting Monday, June 1.

We have been answering the phone the entire time we have been closed and we have been able to help people access e-books and audiobooks, and we have been able to help people whose library cards have expired or just have general questions, Edwardsville Public Library Director Jill Schardt said.

Offering curbside service will be great for the community. People are anxious to get their hands on some new reading material again.

The library will also be accepting material returns into its Kansas Street book drop while the building is staffed, which will be from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday.

The remote book drops will all still be locked, so all returns must go to the book drop on Kansas Street.

We will be quarantining the books for seven days and the staff will empty the book drop with masks and gloves, Schardt said. We borrowed grocery carts from Dierbergs and we will be carting the books into the meeting room and letting them sit for seven days.

Were hoping that we will able to shorten that time once some definitive research is released. Were waiting on the results of a study from IMLS (Institute for Museum and Library Services) about the lifespan of COVID-19 on different kinds of surfaces.

People can call the library at 618-692-7556 or email info@edwpl.org or access the librarys catalog online at https://www.edwardsvillelibrary.org/ to put material on hold.

Anyone with an IHLS library card can request curbside service, but we just ask that they return those items to our book drop on Kansas Street, Schardt said. If they place it in another librarys book drop, it could be weeks or months until we receive it back. Our regional library system at IHLS is not delivering material at the moment, so we only have access to our own material.

The library will have a video on its website showing people how to search its catalog for the items they are looking for and how to place a hold on them.

We will be calling everybody when their holds are ready to be picked up and we will put in a paper bag with some identifying marks on it, Schardt said. They can call us when they are outside the library or when they are leaving home, and we will be placing the bag on a table outside.

The library will not be accepting any donation of material until further notice.

If people have an expired card or would like to get a library card for the first time, they should call the library.

We are handling this process over the phone now due to the COVID-19 situation, Schardt said. Even if people are uncomfortable with physical material, we encourage everyone to get a library card and try out our electronic resources.

The library offers three apps for e-books and audiobooks, including Overdrive/Libby, Cloud Library, and Hoopla.
A tradie described as a 'law-abiding family man' has been living a double life as a gun runner and drug trafficker, police have alleged.

Dad-of-two, Adrian Joseph Somerville, is accused of selling weapons since March, but was allegedly caught out on Wednesday after offering a gun to an undercover policeman.

The 32-year-old former FIFO mine worker lived a seemingly quiet life with his wife, Melissa Ann, and their two children in Greenbank, 33km from Brisbane.

But police will allege that he secretly sold guns and drugs, after charging him with 23 counts including weapons and drug trafficking.

Adrian Somerville (pictured, left, on his wedding day to wife Melissa Ann, right) allegedly sold a gun to an undercover police officer

Somerville (pictured, left, with wife Melissa Ann, right) was charged with 23 offences including drugs and weapons trafficking

Somerville was also charged with eight counts of supplying weapons and one count of selling a shortened weapon, according to the Courier Mail.

Somerville wept as he appeared in court via video link on Thursday, after he was granted bail on strict conditions.

His mum, Deborah Joan, agreed to offer a $50,000 surety to ensure his release.

If convicted, he will serve jail time as trafficking weapons has a mandatory prison sentence.

Somerville (pictured, left) shares two young children with his wife Melissa (right), with the family living near Brisbane

Somerville's lawyer, Corey Cullen, told the court his client worked for Able Concrete Pumping and previously spent seven years working as a FIFO mine worker.

'My client has never been in trouble with the law in his life,'

Mrs Somerville told the court the couple have two children, a three-year-old toddler and a baby, who is 11 months-old.

Under bail conditions, he must live at his family home with a curfew and report to Jimboomba police station three times a week.

He is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on August 10.
Advocate Emin Khachatryan posted the following on his Facebook page:

I would like to inform that a charge has been brought against former head of the Department of State Property Management of Armenia Arman Sahakyan under the criminal case being investigated by the General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

The charge against Arman Sahakyan is clearly unfounded and is based on assumptions of the body implementing proceedings, and they simply cant be reasonable.

Due to confidentiality of the preliminary investigation, I cant publish the content of the charge and factual circumstances, but I can unequivocally state that they have nothing to do with reality. Besides, taking into consideration the current political realities and developments, I find that there is also a political subtext, and from this I can deduce that it is simply naive to expect a full, comprehensive and objective investigation into this criminal case since there is no combination of sufficient proofs attesting to commission of a crime by Arman Sahakyan, and the investigator hasnt submitted any evidence that would attest to the fact that Arman Sahakyan has committed the alleged criminal act incriminated to him.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Karnataka Bank share price fell nearly 3 percent after Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed penalty on the bank.

Reserve Bank of India has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1.20 crore on the bank.

The penalty imposed for divergence in respect of NPAs and non-adherence to IRAC norms with reference to financial position as on March 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018.

As bank had already made full provision, there is no other financial impact other than the penalty amount.

At 09:21 hrs Karnataka Bank was quoting at Rs 35.35, down Rs 0.85, or 2.35 percent on the BSE.

The share touched its 52-week high Rs 108.82 and 52-week low Rs 34.35 on 27 May, 2019 and 27 May, 2020, respectively.

Currently, it is trading 67.52 percent below its 52-week high and 2.91 percent above its 52-week low.
By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 28, 2020 | 04:02 PM | FRANKFORT



Benton shared that a vulnerability in the Unemployment Insurance Portal was reported to the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet on April 23.

According to Benton, there were two verifiable reports of the vulnerability. Under the vulnerability, some people may have been able to see the identity verification documents that had been uploaded by other individuals using the system. Although there are currently no reports of identity theft or financial harm as a result.

In an effort to prevent further harm, while working with the Kentucky Commonwealth Office of Technology, the portal was taken offline. A short time later, officials had modified the system to ensure no one was able to view any uploaded documents, and by midnight the security team had patched the software to correct the problem going forward.

"Nothing is more important than keeping Kentuckians safe during the COVID-19 crisis." Benton continued, "That includes keeping their information safe."

Benton says that due to the way the uploaded documents are processed, it will be impossible to determine how many important documents were viewed at the time of the incident. Officials believe the likelihood of damage is low, however anyone whose personal information may have been compromised will be receiving a letter or email.

Beshear thanked Benton and his staff for reacting to the issue quickly internally, but shared that he was unsatisfied with the response.

He said, "I do want you to know that I'm not satisfied by the response. While there is no indication that anyone has been or will be financially harmed, I do believe it took way to long to provide public notice. This was back in April."

Beshear says he has asked an Inspector General from a separate cabinet to take a look at the breach to ensure their software is where it needs to be, and to review their policies and procedures.

"I want to make sure that we respond quickly and we respond correctly each and every time," Beshear said.

As of Thursday there were 113 new cases of the virus in the Commonwealth, bringing the total number of cases to 9,184. Out of the new cases, six were in McCracken County, and one in Christian and Fulton Counties. There are currently 494 Kentuckians hospitalized with the virus, with 88 of those in the ICU. Nine more Kentuckians have passed away after contracting the virus, while 3,181 have recovered.

During Governor Andy Beshear's Thursday COVID-19 update, Deputy Secretary of the Kentucky Education & Workforce Development Cabinet, Josh Benton, shared information about a data breach of the state's Unemployment Insurance Portal.
These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen, the president wrote in another post, which was flagged with a warning label by Twitter. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

In saying when the looting starts, the shooting starts, Mr. Trump echoed a phrase coined by a Miami police chief in the 1960s about crackdowns on black neighborhoods during times of unrest. Walter Headley, the Miami police chief in 1967, warned that young black men whom he called hoodlums had taken advantage of the civil rights campaign, and added, We dont mind being accused of police brutality.

Shortly before his midafternoon event in the Rose Garden  an announcement of punitive measures against China  Mr. Trump tweeted in a puzzling construction that his remarks overnight had been a fact, not a statement, and said he had not been urging further violence but rather describing it as a natural consequence of looting.

I dont want this to happen, and thats what the expression put out last night means, Mr. Trump said of the earlier tweet.

By late Friday afternoon, at a White House event focused on the coronavirus, Mr. Trump was noting that he had spoken to Mr. Floyds family  they were grieving, he said  and condemning the actions of Mr. Chauvin. It certainly looked like there was no excuse for it, he said, calling it a terrible insult to police and to policemen.

Mr. Trump said he had not known the origins of the statement he used about looting and shooting, but that he had heard it for a long time and that he intended it to be about the protesters actions.

Certainly there were a lot of different people and there were good people too, Mr. Trump acknowledged of the protesters when pressed by a questioner. They were protesting for the right reason. Others, he said, did a great disservice to the city.
By Howard Schneider

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve officials have talked broadly about helping households and firms through the current economic crisis and quickly unleashed trillions of dollars in cash and credit guarantees to build a "bridge" to the post-pandemic world.

But underlying that swift response is a debate over how to ensure the cure for the country's immediate economic problems doesn't damage future growth by keeping otherwise failing firms alive, saddling others with too much debt to thrive, or encouraging people to stay in jobs that will disappear.

It's a longer-term dilemma, to be sure, when the priority is to prevent a wave of personal and business bankruptcies from creating an even deeper economic hole. But it is one the world's central banks and elected leaders are struggling to get right even as they roll out unprecedented support. A misstep could damage productivity and slow the hoped-for recovery.

"It is a very tricky balance," Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin said in a recent interview where he sketched out the paradox U.S. officials face in lowering an unemployment rate that likely topped 20% this month: Federal programs, based on hopes of a short downturn and sharp rebound, have been geared toward returning workers to jobs they held before the novel coronavirus outbreak; but those might not be the jobs the economy demands in a slow-to-recover world with new social norms and entire industries like elder-care likely to be reimagined.

"Some of this has to start with where do you see growth" in the future, Barkin said. His thought was echoed in a recent New York Fed study on how job training programs struggled after the last recession to adapt to in-demand occupations, possibly prolonging unemployment.

'MAIN STREET' SET TO OPEN

The Fed is expected by next week to open its "Main Street Lending Program," which will provide four-year loans to businesses with between 500 to 15,000 employees. The signature program, one of several measures taken by the U.S. central bank to battle the crisis, was announced about two months ago but delayed as officials wrangled over complex details.

Story continues

Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren, whose bank will administer the program, described the hunt for a sweet spot in which loans are too expensive for firms that "have no problems" while troubled borrowers are weeded out by private banks who must put some of their money at risk for each loan the Fed makes.

"What we are really looking for is firms that were doing fine going into the end of last year," Rosengren said on Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation" program.

At up to $600 billion, the program is the Fed's most extensive use ever of its credit-creating powers for non-financial firms. Officials expect to avoid losses on the program, and the Fed says its aim isn't to provide bailouts - a spending issue for elected officials to decide - but to provide a credit lifeline likely to turn a profit for the central bank.

The coming weeks will tell if Fed officials got it right.

LIQUIDITY LESS IN DEMAND

The crisis programs the Fed has opened so far have been largely aimed at the financial sector, and seen only weak demand. The modest take-up is viewed as a success, a sign the central bank's announcement of support for financial markets convinced investors to keep credit flowing and allow firms like Boeing Co, Ford Motor Co and others to raise money on their own.

Central banks in Europe and elsewhere have seen similar tepid use of "liquidity" programs, which is also viewed as evidence the financial sector only needs to know that central bank help is available if needed, not to actually tap it.

In the case of programs for potentially thousands of firms in the real economy, however, even Fed officials say they expect strong demand - and don't want to be seen as too strict in the midst of a global crisis.

Other central banks are working through the same issues.

The Bank of Japan has designed a program along the lines of what the Fed is doing. Britain's experience shows why the details are important. When the British government offered to guarantee 80% of loans banks made to companies to navigate the crisis, banks were still reluctant to lend. When the guarantee extended to 100%, the flow of credit doubled.

What that means for the future will be a core concern for policymakers as the recovery takes shape.

Some economists have begun discussing the legacy of bad debt that may be left behind by the pandemic, and whether the same sorts of programs erected to erase bad loans in the early 1990s savings and loan crisis or the 2007 housing meltdown may be needed again.

For labor markets and business investment, meanwhile, the "reallocation shock" has already begun, University of Chicago economists Jose Maria Barrero, Nick Bloom, and Steven J. Davis argued in a recent paper. They estimated more than 40% of the pandemic-related job losses will prove permanent, and said governments should not encourage workers to wait for their return, for example through programs that extend generous unemployment benefits too far into the future.

The shift to new jobs and industries will "lag the destruction," they wrote. "Partly for this reason we anticipate a drawn-out economic recovery."

(Reporting by Howard Schneider; Additional reporting by William Schomberg in London, Leika Kihara in Tokyo, and Balazs Koranyi in Frankfurt; Editing by Dan Burns and Paul Simao)
Press Release

29 May 2020

Middle East profit per available room turned negative in April, as the region continued to be battered by COVID-19. And while hotel performance data will continue to be anemic for the near-term, May could see the first buds of promise emerge, according to one industry leader in the region.

Advertisements

Mark Willis, CEO of Middle East & Africa at Accor, in a recent interview with Bloomberg, noted an uptick demand in May, including specific signs of positivity in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and a "positive vibe in Dubai."

April, meanwhile, reached new lows for the region. Ramadan (April 23-May 23) did little to improve hotel performance, as even partial easing during the holy month led to a spike in infections.

Occupancy dropped 58 percentage points from the same time a year ago. That, combined with a 32.8% year-over-year decline in average room rate, led to an 83% YOY drop in RevPAR.

The huge decline in rooms revenue, combined with little to no ancillary revenue, resulted in an 85.4% YOY decrease in total revenue (TRevPAR).

The dramatic fall in revenue, even with a let-up in expenses, including a 52.3% YOY drop in labor costs on a per-available-room basis, led to a 115.3% YOY decrease in GOPPAR to $-14.62.

Profit margin also fell into negative territory, down 83.4 percentage points to -42.7%.

Profit & Loss Performance Indicators - Total Middle East (in USD)

Photo: HotStats Limited

Dubai

As Dubai moves further into reopen mode (on April 24, it eased a full curfew to eight hours at night and allowed restaurants to reopen at limited capacity; and in early May allowed public parks to reopen and hotel guests to access private beaches), its hotels hope that April performance numbers will be a thing of the past.

Like the total Middle East region, occupancy in the month dropped precipitously (down 71 percentage points) and, combined with a decline in average rate of 58.6% YOY, led to a 93.1% YOY drop in RevPAR.

On the profit side, GOPPAR fell 122% YOY to a negative value of $-31.29.

After a benign February, Dubai's hotel market plummeted in March and foundered further in April, noted by an 81% drop in TRevPAR from March to April and a massive 582% drop in the same time frame.

Meanwhile, a more dire picture is emanating from Dubai, where a recent survey by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce revealed that 70% of businesses in the emirate expected to close within the next six months. Dubai is one of the most diversified economies in the Gulf and hyper reliant on travel and tourism dollars. Within the survey, some 74% of travel and tourism companies said they expected to close in the next month alone.

In an attempt to manufacture revenue, some Dubai hotels, short on guests, are now doubling up as offices. At the same time, Dubai is trying to soften the blow to hotel owners by reducing the municipality tax on hotels from 7% to 3.5% up to June 15.

Profit & Loss Performance Indicators - Dubai (in USD)

Photo: HotStats Limited

Istanbul

Istanbul, part of Turkey's $35 billion tourism industry, saw similar grim results in April. The country is now doing all it can to shore up its tourism industry through the " healthy tourism certificate ," a program to convince travelers that despite the global pandemic, the country's beaches and other attractions will be safe to visit this year. This will include cleaning and vigorous checks of hotels.

"The more transparent and detailed information we give, the more we will earn the confidence of tourists," Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy told Reuters.

Figures released in May showed the pandemic slashed foreign arrivals by 99% in April. That showed up in the data for the month. Occupancy was down 81.7 percentage points for the month, which combined with a 33% YOY drop in rate led to a 96% YOY decline in RevPAR. TRevPAR declined 96.1% YOY.

The revenue shortage, combined with remaining fixed costs, including labor at $12.26 per available room, led to a 119.3% YOY decrease in GOPPAR.

Profit & Loss Performance Indicators - Istanbul (in USD)
Chiedza Mushayamunda and Matthew Hooker went through a range of emotions, as Mr. Hooker put it, when they realized their long-planned May 30 wedding would have to be severely downsized because of the coronavirus.

The wedding was to have taken place at the Millennium Center in Winston-Salem, N.C, with more than 200 guests, including family and friends from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Australia, Canada and Britain.

The couple, concerned mainly with the health and safety of their guests, were still married May 30. But the ceremony, and the reception, took place mostly with immediate family on the grounds of Summit School  a scenic outdoor space in Winston-Salem, and the school the bride attended from junior kindergarten through ninth grade.

Among those in attendance were Ms. Mushayamundas parents, Yvonne and Dereck Mushayamunda (originally from Zimbabwe and now residing in Winston-Salem), as well as her grandparents, and Mr. Hookers parents, Kay A. Hooker and Phillip Hooker of Gaithersburg, Md.
Data showed that the body confused a protein in the wild type H1N1 flu virus with a human protein relevant in regulating the sleep cycle.

British drugmaker GSK (GSK.L) said on Thursday that its previous flu pandemic vaccine, which used some of the same ingredients as COVID-19 vaccines currently under development, was not linked to a rise in cases of the sleep disorder narcolepsy.

A spokesman for GSK said the science has moved on since concerns were raised about links between narcolepsy and its H1N1 vaccine, called Pandemrix, which was developed during the flu pandemic 10 years ago.

He said evidence now suggests the link is to the H1N1 flu virus itself, not the vaccine.

Previous studies in several countries, including Britain, Finland, Sweden and Ireland, where GSKs Pandemrix vaccine was used in the 2009/2010 flu pandemic, had suggested its use was linked to a significant rise in cases of narcolepsy in children.

Pandemrixs ingredients included a booster, or adjuvant, known as AS03, which GSK said on Thursday it planned to produce in large volume for possible use in COVID-19 vaccines currently being developed to fight the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

AS03 could potentially be an ingredient in at least seven experimental COVID-19 vaccines, including one being developed by Sanofi (SASY.PA), with whom GSK signed a collaboration deal in April.

The Pandemrix H1N1 vaccine mixed portions of viral proteins with the AS03 adjuvant, designed to induce a stronger immune response. The shot was never used in the United States and was withdrawn from use in Europe when links to narcolepsy emerged.

In a statement to Reuters, GSK said available scientific data now suggest that the rare occurrence of narcolepsy during the 2009/10 flu pandemic was triggered by the body confusing a protein in the wild type H1N1 flu virus with a human protein relevant in regulating the sleep cycle.

It said studies also showed spikes in cases of narcolepsy in unvaccinated populations during that period.

Because it is believed that this rare occurrence was specific to the wild type H1N1 flu virus, it is highly unlikely that there would be any implications for a future COVID-19 vaccine, GSK said.

Narcolepsy is an incurable, lifelong disorder that disrupts normal sleep-wake cycles and causes severe nightmares and daytime sleep attacks that can strike at any time.

Wendy Barclay, a professor and chair in flu virology at Imperial College London, said that since the link between narcolepsy and the 2009/10 flu pandemic is thought to have been due to cross-reactivity between parts of the H1N1 virus and human proteins that control sleep patterns, the Pandemrix vaccines adjuvant may have played a role.

If the virus/host cross-reactivity is the mechanism or explanation, then using an adjuvant in the vaccine to boost the immune response may have increased the chances that this cross-reactivity was generated, she told Reuters. We still dont really know if this was the case or not.

GSK was not immediately available to respond to Barclays comment.
FORT EDWARD  The Washington County Board of Supervisors replaced Budget Officer Dan Shaw with Hebron Supervisor Brian Campbell in a special meeting Friday.

After the meeting, an attorney representing Shaw served County Attorney Roger Wickes with an Article 78 lawsuit claiming the board acted illegally in replacing him with Campbell.

Dan Shaw, the Easton supervisor, had served two years and five months as budget officer and was reappointed to the position in January. Shaw had been accused of not being mentally focused or mentally engaged in the budget process.

Campbell, who has been supervisor for 12 years, previously served as budget officer for eight years. He was on the board during the 2008 housing market crash, when the county faced similar financial difficulties.

No supervisors spoke in favor of or against the resolution to appoint Campbell.

Kingsbury business owner Tim Havens called into the meeting and spoke on behalf of Shaw, whom he called a fiscal conservative.

Havens said Shaws first budget as budget officer had the highest yes vote in a decade. His second vote, Havens said, was fixed by a group of supervisors that increased spending and depleted the fund balance.

Removal of any duly elected person during their term sets a very bad precedent, Havens said.

Havens said Campbell isnt able to make the tough decisions to rein in spending or to cut employees at the county level and make it affordable for people to live in Washington County.

Its coming to a point that the last one out of Washington Countys going to have to turn out the lights, Havens said. Theres for sale signs everywhere. It is unsustainable.

There was a motion for the board to go into an executive session to further discuss the issue, but the motion was defeated.

Washington County supervisors are paid a salary of $19,138. The budget officer is paid a salary of about $36,000.

Gretta Hochsprung writes hometown news and covers Washington County. You can reach her at ghochsprung@poststar.com or 518-742-3206. Follow her on Twitter @GrettaHoch or at her blog on www.poststar.com.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 4 Sad 1 Angry 5

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
I have been inspired to write this piece based on my reflections over death. But before I go in-depth into the discussion, let me provide some outline of my argument.

Death is an existential reality that leads to social and eternal distancing.

Because death is an existential reality, we need experiential knowledge about what happens when we die.

Because death is an existential reality, we cannot leave and end the discussion on the subject at speculations and mere religious beliefs and rituals. So, we cannot trust philosophy and speculators like Epicurus.

Because death is an existential reality, someone who did not die cannot tell us about it. So, Enoch and Elijah are not our good guides on death. We cannot also trust Komfo Anokye, if he did not die at all.

Because death is an existential reality, people who died, but did not resurrect, cannot help us. So, all the prophets, from Abraham, through Mohammed to Zarathustra cannot help us.

Because death is an existential reality, those who died, experienced resuscitation and died again cannot help us. So, Lazarus, Dorcas, and the son of the widow who experienced resuscitation cannot help us, because they died again.

Because death is an existential reality, we can and must trust someone who died, resurrected, and lives again forever.

Conclusion 1: historically, it is only Jesus who died, resurrected and lives forever (Revelation 1:18). This truth is the epicentre of the Christ faith (I Corinthians 2:2; I Corinthians 15:14).

Conclusion 2: When it comes to what happens after death, we can only trust Jesus for experiential and salvific knowledge.

Centuries ago, a man called Job asked the question, If a man dies, will he live again? (Job 14:14). He was a man full of sorrow. He experienced pain that made death the plausible option (with a plausible structure for afterlife). He lost all his property. He lost all his children. His wife betrayed him. His friends incriminated and berated him. The Lord appeared very far. The traumatic experiences of Job are such that many people think the story was not real. Some even want to believe that it was only a symbolic prefiguring of Jesus Christ. But regardless of how we think about the story of Job, it is true that we all ask the question about whether we will live again after death. And if we will live again, where shall we be? In this article, I will address the answer from the perspective of what happens to only Christians when they die.

The question about the afterlife and the plausibility of continuity in existence after our eternal journey has tested the minds of virtually every rational and emotional human being. It is even as if animals dont want to die. Have you considered why animals struggle against pain and death? Perhaps, one of the greatest philosophers who answered this question was Epicurus, the Greek philosopher who lived in BC 4. He reasoned that:

"Why should I fear death? If I am, then death is not. If Death is, then I am not. Why should I fear that which can only exist when I do not? Long time men lay oppressed with slavish fear. Religious tyranny did domineer. At length, the mighty one of Greece Began to assent the liberty of man.

Epicurus philosophical assumption about death gives us temporary tickling and soothing of the mind. But it does not respond to the deep questions of the heart. It helps us to have a temporary change of mind about death when it appears to be far from us. But it does not touch the heart with hope when death occurs. It is also not empirical. It will not survive the test of experiential knowledge, so we cannot trust and bask in it. Death is practical and experiential, so we need an experienced knowledge. But over the centuries, we have used formal logic, instead of experiential knowledge to answer questions about death. That is why anybody, like Epicurus, can use formal logic to wish away death. Formal logic is just formal. It is not experiential.

We all ask the question of whether there is life after death. We ask the question either when death occurs or when we are nearing death. I asked the same question when I stood in front of the Police Hospital mortuary in January 2009 and answered the question from the undertaker about the identity of my deceased father. The question was: Gentleman, can you certify whether the remains before you is your late father? In response, I said, Yes, he is my father. My boldness in answering the question sounded differently to many people who were watching. They were surprised that I shed no tears. They were surprised that I was even emotionless. Later that afternoon, I sat in the vehicle that conveyed my fathers remains from Accra to our village, Assin Bosomadwe. We went through Abora Dunkaw. His remains was placed at the Abura Dunkwa mortuary for the burial the following day in my village. We arrived at Abura Dunkwa about midnight. But I was not worried about the time. I stood close to my father for about 20 minutes. I watched him closely to find out whether he would startle his body. But nothing of that sort happened.

At that point, I had two things in mind: one was a question; the other one was the affirmation of hope. The question was: will he live again and will I see him again? The hope affirmed was that Jesus said he will. In my musing, I understood the Bible when it affirmed the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many people deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ, not necessarily because they dislike Christianity or even have any alternative practical answer to death. They question the resurrection because it is countercultural and cultural intuitive. This is precisely because, historically, we have not read about any man or woman who resurrected and lives forever. This is against the grain of multiple evidence that we have about people who experienced near-death experiences. We have also had people who were resuscitated, including those recorded in the Bible. But we cannot call their experiences resurrection, because they died again.

So, the resurrection of Jesus Christ was unprecedented. It was unique from the experiences of Enoch and Elijah who never experienced death. When it comes to death and its universality, all of us would want to know whether there is someone who died and resurrected and lives forever. The commonality and existential fact of death imply that we all want someone who has gone through that terrible experience of death and resurrected and lives forever. Impliedly, if you died and did not resurrect, we cannot trust you to give us a plausible answer to the question. If you died and resurrected (better rendered resuscitated) and died again, you do not qualify to give us a good response. If you did not die, then you do not have the experience of death which all men must likely face to answer the question. We can only trust someone who died, resurrected and lives again forever. But in all of history, there is none, apart from Jesus Christ, who died, resurrected and lives again forever.

Since yesterday March 27, 2020, my brother Japheth Roberts has been lying in state in London. His death was a shock to many of us. This is precisely because, contrary to atheistic evolution theory, death is not natural to us. So, while it happens all the time and is a constant, unwanted visitor, we still get shocked when it happens. But the reason the occurrence of death shocks us is that it is not in our DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) to die. The Lord did not create us to die and, indeed, we do not die, in the long run. We survive death, but we do not experience the same consequences of death. Some will be eternally damned, others who were saved by Jesus Christ will live forever in blissfulness.

What we do suffer when death occurs is social and eternal distancing. When death occurs, the social and eternal distancing is so real. It is real that we cannot be physically reunited with the person again on earth. This is to the extent that no matter how hard we cry that we want to go with the person, the deceased persons casket and burial ground (tomb) is constructed in such a way that it could be occupied by only the deceased person or others like him.

Death also leads to eternal distancing. As I have hinted, we will not physically see the person again on earth. We may sometimes have apparitions of the person or even claims to have seen his ghost. But the truth is that regardless of the controversies over the existential reality of ghost, there is no equivocation that we will not see the person physically and engage in social interactions again! Death leads to eternal distancing. Death interrupts the flow of social and eternal life. The eternal distancing is also that if you dont die in Christ, you will be eternally distanced from him  as you languish in hell forever.

As Japheth lies in state today, I am rethinking and re-echoing the questions: Will he live again? Shall we see him again? Has he evaporated into thin air? Is he descending into a bottomless pit? Is his soul sleeping? Can I practice necromancy to interact with him? These are some of the questions that we ask sometimes when death occurs. While I may not have precise and concrete answers to these and many more questions, there is one thing I am sure about: For Christians to die is gain (Philippians 1:25). How can death that causes social and eternal distancing be gain? This is the question we all ask because we are all certain about how death upends social and scutters everything we know.

But for the Christian death is gain for two main reasons: First, it sets us free from all the troubles of life on earth. This world is not our native home (John 17:16). Our native home is in heaven. And because this world is not our native home, we hardly fit in here. In all of our lives on earth, we constantly battle with challenges. We solve one problem, only for a new one to emerge. We are happy in a moment and the next few minutes, we are emotionally traumatised. In fact, the Bible says that the world itself has been subject to corruption as a result of sin (Romans 8:20). So, when we die  regardless of how we die  it is gain because it takes us from this beleaguered world to a better world. Who does not want to be free from this earth that is laden with troubles? While we do not remain passive on earth and work hard to make life better, we do not clamour to be here forever. Death takes us from all the existing troubles of this world!

The second reason for the benefit of death to the Christian, which reinforces the first point, is that death leads us to our native home. Because our native home is heaven, we will find it joyful when we return home. Last year, when I visited home in Ghana, after spending two years in the United Kingdom, I was so excited. I was so happy that I was going to touch base with my family; I would see my friends; I would see the people I have missed since I left Ghana. I was happy that I was going to eat the true Banku and okro soup or stew which I missed so much. I knew I was going to be free in my own country where I would not worry about anyone treating me differently because of my phenotypical characteristics. I knew I would enjoy the warm weather in Ghana. In sum, I knew I was going to touch base with my native home. The concept of home is part of a long tradition in Anthropological studies. Home is not necessarily where we were born; home is where we trace our primordial roots. That is why most Africans in the diaspora still call Africa their native home.

Fellow Christian pilgrims, heaven is exactly going to be like returning to our primordial home. We will return home to our native home. We will be so excited to see Jesus Christ whom we have always longed. Like Fanny Crosby said, our first sight will be set on Jesus when we open our eyes in heaven. Interestingly, when we shut our eyes on earth, we will open it concurrently in heaven. When we take our last breath on earth, we take in our first breath in heaven. To sum this, the worst that will happen to us on earth will lead to the best that will happen to us in heaven.

This existential truism makes Christianity unique and different from all other religions and philosophies. I was a freethinker for a few years (2000  2003) before the Lord had mercy on me in 2004. In all my readings of philosophy and religions, there is one unique thing that makes me love Jesus Christ. This is because while religions and philosophies attempt to answer the question about whether we will live again after death, it is ONLY Christianity that offers a practical response. All religions and philosophies speculate about the consequences of death. But Jesus Christ gave us a practical response. He died and resurrected and lives forever (Revelation 1:18). I repeat for emphasis: Jesus Christ died and resurrected and lives forever. Because of that, Jesus categorically said: Because I live, you Charles Prempeh, will also live (John 14:19). Because Jesus lives, all Christians will live again when we die. This is amazingly comforting. It is the epicentre of the Gospel. That is why the Gospel is good news. It is good news because we have a saviour who gave us salvation and conquered death. We have a saviour who answers the question about whether man will live again after death with a resounding and commanding yes!

Are you mourning the passing of a Christian loved one? Has death orphaned you? Has death made you a widow or widower? Has death upended your hopes? Has death robbed you of your joy? Has death left you confounded about anything good in life? Has death denied you of a helper in life? Are you facing the threats of death? Are you terminally ill? Have the doctors given up on you? Are you dreading death? If you are going through any of the above-mentioned questions, do know that all the pains of death will be over very soon. Soon and very soon, all these will be over. But the most important answer is that Jesus Christ said, Because I live you will also live. We will not only live, but we will live with Him where He is. He said He is preparing a place for us and that place is our native home (John 14:1-3). It is where we belong. It is where He intended for us. Very soon, we shall taunt at death, saying, Death, where is thou sting? We can ask this taunting question because death is gain. And the worst death will do to us will lead to the best that will happen to us: We will be taken to our native home.

In our native home, the troubles of this world will forever be over. It will be like Moses telling us, These problems you see and face on earth today, you will not see and experience them again. Heaven will lead to the bridging of social and eternal gaps. We will be reunited with our families and friends who believed in Jesus Christ. That day, I will see my father again. That day, I will see Japheth again. That day, I will see all the gallant soldiers of the Lord. That day, the Lord will welcome us home and said, "Welcome, my child. You fought the good battle and finished the race."

If you desire this, why dont you consider inviting Jesus Christ into your life? Just read the Bible, particularly the New Testament, you will find assurance for all that I am saying. If the question of death is not answered with speculations, but with experience, then we need Jesus Christ. This is precisely because He died and resurrected and lives again forever (Romans 1:18).

Satyagraha

Charles Prempeh ([email protected]), African University College of Communications, Accra
Advertisement

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday branded small businesses that are reopening in defiance of shutdown orders 'bad apples' and asked reporters at his daily press briefing for the address of one so he could send police to shut them down.

Hundreds of small businesses are flouting the ongoing lockdown order to open their doors across the city after growing tired of waiting for action and information from de Blasio and Gov. Cuomo.

Both refuse to reopen New York City until more hospital beds become available and until they have hired more contact tracers.

De Blasio on Friday stuck to his vague date of 'sometime in the first two weeks of June' to start phase one of New York City's reopening but refused to give any more precise information.

He fumed that any business that defies him to reopen early will be hit with fines starting at $1,000 and said it would become worse from there if they keep serving people.

He claims to have spoken to small business owners who say they are 'hanging on' and accept having to stay closed and hemorrhage money until he says they can get back to work - a claim that has been blasted as 'outrageous' and 'out of touch' by businesses that say they are being held prisoner by the state and city.

On Friday, he said: 'There are a few bad apples that are trying to jump the gun.'

Sunbelievable, a tanning salon on Staten Island, reopened on Thursday after owner Bobby Catone (shown in light blue shirt) said he felt like he was being held 'prisoner' by city officials keeping him closed

Protests outside the Sunbelievable on Thursday to support Bobby Catone

He then asked a reporter, who'd mentioned a beauty salon in Midtown that had reopened, if he'd provide him with the name and address of the salon in order to shut them down.

All over New York City, people have placed Reopen New York signs in their windows in a show of support for the coalition of 1,000 small businesses that are flouting the lockdown order and risking having their licenses revoked.

A sign in the window of Gracie Mews restaurant on the Upper East Side calling for NYC to Reopen. Restaurants still are not allowed to offer dine-in service but can do take-out

In New York City on Thursday, there were just 61 hospitalizations for suspected COVID-19 cases and of the thousands of people tested for the virus, only five percent tested positive.

Daily deaths are now at record lows - a tenth of what they were at the height of the pandemic - and the new cases that keep popping up are largely contained to a handful of small neighborhoods that are predominantly lower income, minority communities.

Despite the figures, the entire city remains shut down and there has been no guidance for businesses in any other phase.

Phase two lets office workers return to their jobs and also resumes real estate and hair salon services.

Dine-in restaurant services are in the third phase but the industry is begging to be allowed to start serving people on socially distanced, outdoor tables before then.

Despite their pleas and the ongoing anguish of businesses like small retailers, many of whom sell similar items to what's available on Amazon and at Home Depot - which have served people throughout the pandemic - de Blasio and Cuomo are keeping them closed.

Both are insisting on a federal bailout to plug the state and city's deficit. De Blasio on Thursday asked for a $7billion loan from the state to cushion his budget but he was turned down.

Sunbelievable, a tanning salon run by Bobby Catone, reopened after he complained that he was being treated like a 'prisoner'.

Peter Eliot Blue, a menswear store on the Upper East Side, has been open since the end of April

It is unclear whether or not he was able to serve any customers before police shut him down again on Thursday. Dozens of protesters turned out to support him.

Some wore masks, others did not.

Owner Eliot Rabin, 78, let two people in the store at a time and provides shoppers with masks and gloves. He says he couldn't afford to stay closed

Catone told DailyMail.com: 'The problem is they don't give you a date. Now it's phases. It went from flatten the curve to now I've got to wait a little longer.. we did that. Everybody did that. We were willing to sit in, make no money - it's not healthy to stay in, first of all, after a few weeks people started realizing this isn't really making much sense.

'We did our jobs. We trusted you. Now you're not trusting us.'

On Thursday, de Blasio fumed about the businesses reopening without his say-so.

'Businesses don't get to make up their own rules...'I know people are anxious and frustrated.

'It is idiotic to try to open a business today that will be legally able to reopen in a week or two. How about waiting until it's legal? If you don't, you're going to suffer the consequences.

'The guidelines really are clear.

'Businesses are not supposed to make up their own rules and jump the gun.

Beard Barberia Cut and Shave in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Owner Ilya Iskhakov reopened quietly on May 22 and three cops showed up to shut him down again (shown). He's since started giving people haircuts in their homes and even moved to a temporary premises to avoid being caught

'If someone thinks they get to make up the rules for everyone else I hate to inform them that's not how it works in a democracy.

'We are all in the middle of a pandemic - a health crisis. The only way we've gotten things better is by all sticking together. It's working.

'I'm not into free agents: people deciding that they get to make the rules and they can do something no one else can do.

'Any business that attempts to open that should not yet be open , we're going to go and tell them shut down right now.

'If they ignore the instructions, that starts with a $1,000 fine and we'll escalate from there. When phase one is formally declared, that's when the next group of businesses can open. The bottom line is you don't get to jump the gun.

'We're talking about phase 1 beginning in a week or two at this point I don't think it's too much to ask to wait to get the all clear,' he said.

Fewer people were being tested at the end of March than they are now which highlights even more that the virus is not as prevalent in the city but 8.4million are still being told to stay at home
London, May 29 : The UK could offer British National (Overseas) passport holders in Hong Kong a path to UK citizenship if China does not suspend plans for the national security law in the city, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said here.

There are 300,000 BNO passport holders in Hong Kong and have the right to visit the UK for up to six months without a visa, reports the BBC.

The BNO passports were issued to people in Hong Kong by the UK before the transfer of the territory to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.

Announcing the possible change in policy, Raab said the six-month limit on stays in the UK for BNO holders would be scrapped.

"If China continues down this path and implements this national security legislation, we will remove that six month limit and allow those BNO passport holders to come to the UK and to apply to work and study for extendable periods of 12 months and that will itself provide a pathway to future citizenship," he said.

Raab's statement came after China's top legislature, the National People's Congress, on Thursday approved a resolution prohibiting acts of secession, subversion, terrorism or conspiracy with foreign influences in the city, before sending it to the Standing Committee to craft the finer details.

The UK, US, Australia and Canada have also issued joint condemnation of Beijing's plan, said the BBC report.

The four nations said imposing the security law would undermine the "one country, two systems" framework agreed before Hong Kong was handed over from British to Chinese rule in 1997.

It guaranteed Hong Kong some autonomy and afforded rights and freedoms that do not exist in mainland China, the countries added.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy earlier said the UK had to be more robust with Beijing.

Referring to the security law, she told the BBC: "This is the latest in a series of attempts by China to start to erode the joint declaration which Britain co-signed with the Chinese government when we handed over Hong Kong, and protected its special status.

"We want to see the UK government really step up now," she said.

Former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the BBC that the UK should bring together a coalition of countries to avoid a tragedy in the territory.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: "We are deeply concerned about China's legislation related to national security in Hong Kong.

"We have been very clear that the security legislation risks undermining the principle of one country, two systems." On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said developments in Hong Kong meant it could no longer be considered to have "a high degree of autonomy" from mainland China.
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

San Francisco, 29 May 2020: The Report Anisole Market Analysis By Application (Perfumes, Pharmaceuticals) And Segment Forecasts To 2022

Global anisole market is expected to reach USD 54.9 million by 2022, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. Rapid industrialization coupled with growing use of these intermediate chemicals for production of various other products such as building polycarbonates, and detergents is expected to promote capacity expansion over the next seven years.

Various factors including rising disposable income coupled with increasing spending on personal care products including perfumes is expected to drive products need over the forecast period.

High need from various applications including perfumes on account of its pleasant aromatic odor and pharmaceutical sector owing to its tremendous use as an intermediate chemical will be favorable for global industry expansion.

Rising need for consumer products such as fragrances and flavors on account of changing consumer habits along with better living standards is expected to augment the product demand in emerging economies including India, China, and Brazil. However, raw material availability will challenge growth over the next seven years.

Access Research Report of Anisole Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/anisole-market

Further key findings from the study suggest:

Perfumes dominated the industry with revenue estimated over USD 19.0 million in 2014. Rising disposable income coupled with increasing penetration of players such as P&G and Reckitt Benckiser through new product launches in China and India is expected to promote cosmetics sector. This in turn will have a positive impact on the market over the forecast period. Furthermore, rapid urbanization, higher spending power and growing awareness regarding appearance and grooming in emerging economies is expected to propel perfume sector in the region thereby fuelling growth.

Pharmaceuticals were the second largest segment and valued over USD 14.0 million in 2014. Prevalence of various companies including Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Merck & Co. along with high R&D expenditure in the U.S. and Mexico will propel product expansion.

Europe was the largest market, estimated over USD 13.0 million in 2014. Growing personal care products sector in Germany, Italy, France and UK is expected to have a positive impact over the forecast period. Introduction of new gender-specific products and technological developments is expected to drive need for personal care products. This in turn will augment demand over the next seven years.

Asia Pacific is expected to witness fastest growth at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2015 to 2022. Growing popularity of various brands including Christian Dior, Chanel and Elizabeth Arden in developing countries is expected to augment demand over the next seven years. In addition, increasing need for men perfumes particularly in India and China is expected to propel industry over the forecast period.

Global industry is fragmented on account of presence of numerous companies. These invest highly in R&D to introduce innovative products and employ various strategies including M&A and joint ventures to expand their presence. In March 2011, Camlin Fine Chemicals Ltd. signed an acquisition agreement for Borregaard Italys anisole facility.

Browse more reports of this category by Grand View Research at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/personal-care-and-cosmetics

Grand View Research has segmented the global anisole market on the basis of application and region:

Anisole Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2022)

Perfumes

Pharmaceutical

Others

Anisole Regional Outlook (USD Million, 2012 - 2022)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

MEA

Access Press Release of Anisole Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-anisole-market

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.

For More Information:www.grandviewresearch.com
Twitter on Thursday evening blasted President Donald Trump for a reactionary and politicized executive order seeking to make it easier to sue social media companies based on federal regulators interpretations of bias and censorship.

In a tweet by the tech giants public policy account, the company said Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields social media platforms from being held liable for content on their sites, protects American innovation and freedom of expression, and its underpinned by democratic values.

This EO is a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law. #Section230 protects American innovation and freedom of expression, and its underpinned by democratic values. Attempts to unilaterally erode it threaten the future of online speech and Internet freedoms.  Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) May 29, 2020

Attempts to unilaterally erode it threaten the future of online speech and Internet freedoms, Twitter said.

Facebook, in a statement, said it believes in protecting freedom of expression while protecting the community from harmful content, including content designed to stop voters from exercising their right to vote. The executive order, the company said, will have the opposite effect.

It will restrict more speech online, not less," Facebook said. "By exposing companies to potential liability for everything that billions of people around the world say, this would penalize companies that choose to allow controversial speech and encourage platforms to censor anything that might offend anyone.

The presidents order came after Trump was angered this week by Twitter placing a fact-check label on a pair of the his tweets on mail-in voting.

A small handful of social media monopolies controls a vast portion of all public and private communications in the United States, Trump claimed in the Oval Office. Theyve had unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide, alter virtually any form of communication between private citizens and large public audiences.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the labels amounted to censorship and bias in action even though the tweets contained misinformation and were not removed by the platform.

The order seeks to allow the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission to study whether they can enact new regulations on the tech firms, which are granted liability protection under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, The Associated Press reported. The 1996 law treats the companies as platforms," which unlike publishers," cannot be sued for content.

The order also instructs the Department of Justice to dig into allegations of bias with state attorneys general and directs the FTC to report on complaints of political bias.

No one believes in the first amendment more than the president, McEnany told reporters. The president will take action to ensure that big tech does not stifle free speech and that the rights of all Americans to speak, tweet and post are protected.

Several free speech and tech advocates told The Washington Post it was the presidents order  not the constitutionally-protected content decisions of private tech firms  threatening free speech.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi derided Trumps order as a desperate distraction from the coronavirus pandemic.

The order is likely to face legal challenges, as the FCC and FTC are independent agencies.

Related Content:
China pushes market-based reform despite epidemic

From:ChinaDaily | 2020-05-29 10:07

You might think that setting up the basic institutions of business and market governancethe rules of the road, the softwarewould be easy compared to building physical infrastructure, developing technology or raising a nation's education level.

But it turns out that building efficient institutions and commercial governance is the hard part of development.

Many nations have failed to develop and some currently developed nations are in danger of regressing because they have been unable to reform.

In his famous book, The Rise and Decline of Nations, late University of Maryland economist Mancur Olson argued that progress is stopped by entrenched groups of people or companies with concentrated interests who use their power to block efficient reforms that would be good for the whole of society but bad for them.

On the other hand, the unique strength of China's reform and opening-up process has been that China's government has, for over 40 years now, steadily pushed the gradual institution-building that allows markets to work well. In recent weeks, China's leaders have repeatedly emphasized that the economic problems caused by COVID-19 will not derail the continuation of this market-based reform process that made the nation's spectacular economic growth possible.

In a discussion with national political advisers at the third session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, President Xi Jinping emphasized that the country is committed to seeing that the market plays the decisive role in resource allocation and that the government plays its role better, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.

"The practices in reform have made us realize that we must under no circumstances turn our back on addressing blindness of the market, and we must not return to the old path of a planned economy," Xi said.

China's leaders have been stepping up the push for fundamental market-based economic reform since Xi's first year in office. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee in 2013 set out a strong agenda to restructure the role of the market, giving market forces a "decisive" role in allocating resources, instead of the "basic" role stated in earlier documents.

As in all countries, the government retains the core functions of macroeconomic management, market regulation, provision of public services and environmental protection.

The business environment and the health of the private sector are critical to China's economy. The World Economic Forum uses the numbers 60/70/80/90 to describe the importance of the private sector to China's economy: "(Private companies) contribute 60 percent of China's GDP, and are responsible for 70 percent of innovation, 80 percent of urban employment and provide 90 percent of new jobs. Private wealth is also responsible for 70 percent of investment and 90 percent of exports."

At the two sessions this year, Premier Li Keqiang stressed that the government is taking strong steps to aid private businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises that have been hard hit by the coronavirus. Li also called for greater steps forward in reform and opening-up to overcome obstacles, promote fair competition. He also called for rolling out more concrete steps to help businesses and create a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment.

A recent guideline released by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, China's Cabinet, stressed that the country will focus on improving the system of property rights and pursuing market-oriented allocation of production factors.
Protesters gather at the scene where George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was pinned down by a police officer kneeling on his neck before later dying in hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. May 26, 2020. REUTERS/Eric Miller

Eric Miller/Reuters

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said he has been inundated with calls asking what he's "going to do about the murder" of George Floyd.

But, Freeman told reporters on Thursday, "I will not rush to justice. I'm going to do this right. And those folks who know me in the African community know I will do my very level best."

Freeman's office later issued a clarification. "Evidence not favorable to our case needs to be carefully examined to understand the full picture of what actually happened," it said.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

George Floyd died after a since-fired police officer in Minneapolis pinned him to the ground by kneeling on his neck for eight minutes.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said he has been inundated with calls demanding to know what he's "going to do about the murder."

But at a press conference on Thursday, Freeman said he would wait for more evidence before pressing ahead with any charges over the death of Floyd, citing a failed prosecution of cops in Baltimore  comments he later clarified following a backlash.

"I will just point to you the comparison to what happened in Baltimore in the [Freddie] Gray case. It was a rush to charge. It was a rush to justice. And all of those people were found not guilty," Freeman told reporters.

"I will not rush to justice. I'm going to do this right. And those folks who know me in the African community know I will do my very level best," Freeman said, in remarks that appeared to be a attempted reference to the local African-American community.

Freddie Gray died in 2015 while in the custody of Baltimore police after suffering a "significant spinal injury." Six officers were charged in connection with the death  19 days later  but none were convicted of a crime. Gray's family was later awarded a $6.4 million settlement from the city.

Story continues

Former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who was mayor when Gray was killed, seemed to agree. She told CNN's Erin Burnett on Thursday evening: "As we saw in Baltimore, I think it's very important to get it right and not just get it fast."

In a statement issued later on Thursday, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office insisted that Freeman's comments were "being misinterpreted."

"To clarify, County Attorney Freeman was saying that it is critical to review all the evidence because at the time of trial, invariably, all that information will be used," the office said. "Evidence not favorable to our case needs to be carefully examined to understand the full picture of what actually happened."

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has called on Freeman to pursue criminal charges against the arresting officer, Derek Chauvin. All four officers involved in the incident have been removed from the police force.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office, meanwhile, is stressing that the results of its own investigation are unlikely to be conclusive. In a press release Thursday, the office said it is "actively investigating the death of George Floyd and awaiting final results from laboratory studies." However, an "autopsy alone cannot answer all questions germane to the case and manner of death."

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

Read the original article on Business Insider
Ben Affleck showed off his superhero skills for eight-year-old Samuel, as he effortlessly wrangled their family dog back to safety on Friday.

The 47-year-old Batman star leapt to the rescue in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood, as he caught the terrier mix, which his ex-wife Jennifer Garner rescued at the end of 2018.

As he held onto the skittish pup's collar, the stubborn pooch still appeared to be attempting another run down the block, after escaping from Affleck's assistant.

To the rescue! Ben Affleck showed off his superhero skills for eight-year-old Samuel, as he effortlessly wrangled their family dog back to safety on Friday

The father-of-three, who also shares daughters Violet, 14, and 11-year-old Seraphina with Garner, kept his composure and a tight grip on the furry flight risk.

For his afternoon with the kids, the Oscar winner sported a laid-back charcoal t-shirt, light grey jeans and coordinating sneakers.

Despite making headlines for his darker facial hair earlier this week, the Gone Girl star returned to rocking a more salt-and-pepper beard.

Quick thinking: The 47-year-old Batman star leapt to rescue in Brentwood, as he caught the terrier mix, which his ex-wife Jennifer Garner rescued at the end of 2018

Last weekend, Affleck introduced his girlfriend Ana de Armas to his and Garner's children.

The sighting of the group family meet comes after a report from Us Weekly claiming that Jennifer is 'happy' he is dating again.

An insider told the outlet: 'Although it's sad in a way to see him move on and be so happy, she is ultimately happy that he is happy and in a good and healthy place with his life. That's what she ultimately wants for the father of her kids.'

Flight risk: As he held onto the skittish pup's collar, the stubborn pooch still appeared to be attempting another run down the block, after escaping from Affleck's assistant

The Hollywood stars have subsequently worked hard to maintain a good relationship with each other for the sake of their children.

The source added that Jennifer is 'always polite and trusts Ben and lets him do what he wants when he's with the kids.'

Meanwhile, Ana and Ben first connected on the set of the thriller film Deep Water in 2019 where they star as a married couple who have fallen out of love.

Proud dad: Last weekend, Affleck introduced his girlfriend Ana de Armas to his and Garner's children; seen last week with daughters Violet, 14, Seraphina, eleven, and eight-year-old son Samuel

They took their relationship public in March when they were seen enjoying a vacation in Costa Rica and Ana's native Cuba.

Earlier this month, Us Weekly also claimed that Ana has been wowed by Ben and Jennifer's co-parenting skills.

The source said that the Cuban starlet is impressed by how the celebrity duo have managed to balance their acting careers with raising their three little ones.

Co-stars-turned-lovers: Ana and Ben first connected on the set of the thriller film Deep Water in 2019 where they star as a married couple who have fallen out of love

The insider explained: '[Ana] thinks Ben is such a sweet and nice guy. [She] admires how he juggles so much between work, his kids and co-parenting with Jen.'

Ben 'splits his time [between Ana and his family] and, as always, the kids are the most important thing in his life'.

The new couple is currently hunkering down together while stay-at-home orders are in place in Los Angeles.
It feels like something out of a Dickens novel  children, helpless and vulnerable, mistreated by a government that acts with a ruthless disregard for their well-being.

The Trump administration is rushing the deportation of children who have been detained in U.S. facilities, sometimes without the notification of their parents or attorneys, according to the Texas Tribune and ProPublica.

A record number of migrant children  almost 70,000, many of them unaccompanied by their parents  were held in U.S. custody in 2019, according to the Associated Press, although it is not known how many have been deported recently.

Some were released while immigration judges were considering their asylum cases, and a 16-year-old girl, tracked by an international refugee agency, was sent back to Honduras, where she had been raped.

Such cases are probably the tip of the iceberg, said Stephen Kang, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union.

In addition to deporting migrants in detention, the U.S. has turned away hundreds of children at the border without addressing their asylum pleas, according to news reports.

These are human rights cases, irrelevant to the debates about whether the immigrants represent a drain on the U.S. economy. The children are human beings, and they deserve to be treated with dignity, despite their ethnicity or place of origin. Their health and safety should be paramount.

Historically, minors have been provided shelter, education and medical care while their asylum cases were adjudicated. The change in policy emerged a month ago. The Trump administration is justifying the shift by saying the migrants pose a risk as the country battles the novel coronavirus.

We are seeing a wholesale attack, said Jennifer Podkul, director of policy for Kids in Need of Defense, a national nonprofit advocating for migrant children. They are using the pandemic as an excuse.

In a recent letter to Chad F. Wolf, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee said the moves had no known precedent or clear legal rationale.

The fact that nobody knows who these kids are and there are hundreds of them is really terrifying, said Jennifer Nagda, policy director of the Young Center for Immigrant Childrens Rights. Theres no telling if theyve been returned to smugglers or into harms way.

In his efforts to stem the tide of immigration, Trump has exhibited almost stunning hypocrisy, deporting the children while allowing the government to continue processing thousands of visas for temporary workers, including farmworkers and crop pickers  jobs spurned by U.S. citizens.

The approach recalls the bracero program, which exploited Mexican workers to offset the labor shortage triggered by World War II.

It is troubling to realize that, almost 80 years later, our immigration policy continues to represent a mixture of opportunity and exploitation  opportunity for us, exploitation for migrants.

These dual policies  booting the children while allowing certain adult workers to enter the country  represent the need for humane immigration reform that respects both our borders and the downtrodden who cross them.
Dylan Farrow responded to Allen's interview Friday afternoon, telling THR she finds his comments "baffling" while adding, "One thing he is right about though is that there are far more important things to focus on than his fall from Hollywoods grace" https://t.co/yML3F4zvXO  The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) May 29, 2020

for some unexplicable reason in the middle of a pandemic The Guardian decided to profile Woody Allen, who spent the entire interview whining about people being unfair to him. choice quotes to make your day worse:on why he won't sue pubblications: "It doesnt pay to sue. Do I really want to be tabloid fodder for two years and go to court? And do I really care?"on the actors who denounce him: "Its silly. The actors have no idea of the facts and they latch on to some self-serving, public, safe position. Who in the world is not against child molestation? Thats how actors and actresses are, and [denouncing me] became the fashionable thing to do, like everybody suddenly eating kale."on "facts": "You can give them the facts over and over. But the facts dont matter. For some reason, emotionally, its important for them to buy into the story."????????: "I realised [the relationship with Soon-Yi] had dramatic impact and was not usual: one could make criticisms about the rectitude of it, the appropriateness of it; I understood all of that. But these false accusations that have hurt the psychological life of Ronan and Dylan; I dont feel for one second that I brought that on myself."a final kicker: I assume that for the rest of my life a large number of people will think I was a predator. Anything I say sounds self-serving and defensive, so its best if I just go my way and work."Dylan Farrow gave a quote to The Hollywood Reporter following Allen's interview:
Emily Maitlis has never been shy to disguise her Left-leaning views, as even the most cursory glance at her tweets and retweets directed at her 360,000 followers reveals.

Unable to contain her excitement at Dominic Cummings's trip north, she tweeted about it before her monologue on Tuesday night.

But her bias goes back a long way, as Ross Clark explains

Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis caused a stir with her monologue about Dominic Cummings on Tuesday night

WEDNESDAY MAY 27

Missing from the Newsnight presenter's chair, Miss Maitlis is busy on Twitter, retweeting Newsnight's feed, which was quoting Donald's Trump's rogue ex-press secretary Anthony Scaramucci: 'It's a very tough decision for the executives at Twitter You didn't think you were going to be in a situation where you had a pathological liar as the President of the US and now you have to sit there and measure and weigh through what he's doing.'

Miss Maitlis then retweets three negative tweets about Trump, including one by comedian Sarah Cooper: 'Still processing the fact that the President has no clue what he's talking about on national television.'

MAY 26

Far from having second thoughts about the way she had introduced the subject of Cummings that night, Miss Maitlis proudly retweets praise from user 'Nearly Legal', a lawyer recommended by (who else?) The Guardian: 'Okay, that is an opening. @maitlis telling it as it is.'

Miss Maitlis retweeted multiple negative tweets about President Donald Trump, pictured at the White House yesterday

MAY 24

Retweets a clip showing people shouting and making obscene gestures at Cummings as he walks towards his home, with a comment by New York Times correspondent Jane Bradley: 'These aren't journalists shouting at Cummings but furious members of the public.'

Miss Maitlis tweets: 'The damaging thing about this whole issue for government is that Cummings instantly loses any right to tell others they are out of touch/elite/ missing the public mood. That's properly over now. He has become the thing he loathed.' Retweets the Labour Party's official account: 'There cannot be one rule for Dominic Cummings and another for the British people.'

Retweets the Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff: 'Just want to say there will be good Tory MPs and ministers hating every minute of this, who need to decide if this is what they want their party to become. Politics is being demeaned and as with expenses scandal, there will be lasting damage.'

MAY 14

Retweets LBC radio presenter and arch-Remainer James O'Brien: 'The far-Right routinely disseminate and pretend to believe things they know not to be true to stoke hatred and division. To see the tactic being adopted by Conservative MPs and even an actual minister is a moment of real danger for our democracy.'

Retweets an anti-Tory doctor who congratulates her following an item in that evening's Newsnight: 'As a frontline healthcare worker I'm so grateful you are calling out the lies, u-turns and incompetence of this government. Proper journalism.'

She also retweeted the views of LBC radio presenter and arch-Remainer James O'Brien, pictured

MAY 11

Retweets Times columnist Jenni Russell: 'Boris was never up to the job of crisis leader. His role was figurehead. But his Cabinet can't fill the gap because they were chosen for Brexit loyalty, not competence. We're being led by bunch of inadequates.'

MAY 6

Professor Neil Ferguson has resigned from the Government's Sage committee after his married lover visited him. In contrast to the excitement she will show when Cummings is accused of breaking lockdown, Miss Maitlis retweets a scientist: 'The lockdown is here actually to protect your community and protect the NHS So in a sense, not to let this [resignation] distract people from complying with the lockdown.'

APRIL 5

Miss Maitlis retweets a doctor who has been angered by a column in the Daily Telegraph: '@Telegraph has really decided to ratchet up the blame game. Yep, it's the NHS who's to blame for the Covid19 lockdown. Oh  and US-style healthcare would be better. NHS staff  who's with me in boycotting Telegraph advertisers? Because this kind of accusation stinks.'

The presenter retweeted a scientist's views over the resignation of Professor Neil Ferguson, pictured

DECEMBER 9, 2019

Three days before the general election, she tweets: 'Don't underestimate the similarities between G.B.Done [Get Brexit Done] and M.A.G.A [Make America Great Again, Trump's campaign slogan]  they each work if they are consistently repeated and chanted  but never explained.'

DECEMBER 7

Retweets Lib Dem candidate Sue Wixley, praising Tory voters who lend their vote to the Lib Dems.

DECEMBER 4

Retweets Lib Dem activist who claims then-leader Jo Swinson has been unfairly criticised for her time in the Tory-led coalition Government. 'The irony is Jo Swinson, who no one knew five years ago, is being held to account on her record in government, while Boris Johnson completely shrugs it off.'

Tweets by a Lib Dem activist who claimed then-leader Jo Swinson, pictured on election night, was unfairly criticised, were also shared by Emily Maitlis

NOVEMBER 6

Retweets Jonathan Lis, of anti-Brexit group Brit Influence, after Miss Maitlis grilled Tory ex-minister James Brokenshire on Brexit.

'Maitlis puts a suggestion to James Brokenshire that simply won't go away: after so many years of attempted detoxification, the Tories are back to being the Nasty Party again.'

Miss Maitlis goes on to retweet supportive comments that Brokenshire was 'completely out of his depth' during her interview and was speaking in 'banal soundbites'.

OCTOBER 20

Retweets a post by the then Lib Dem MP Sarah Wollaston who had defected from the Tories. 'No one should be duped by the fake 'One Nation' Tory spin. This would be a very different and far more Right-wing #NastyParty if it gets back in. The cull of the moderates has been ruthless.'
The once chaotic unit has fallen eerily silent.

The clamor of beeping machines, whooshing ventilators and emergency codes blaring over loudspeakers has stilled. The doctors and nurses who once scrambled to treat a deluge of gravely ill coronavirus patients have moved on.

Only a few weeks ago, Holy Name Medical Centers COVID-19 ICU was overwhelmed.

Now its empty.

The Teaneck hospital recently discharged the last patient from the unit.

From filled to the brim with every patient intubated, said Dr. Suraj Saggar, an infectious disease specialist at Holy Name, and now you fast forward to the end of May, and its empty.

For nearly three months, bedlam reigned over New Jersey hospitals. But a strange calm has settled over them as patient volume continues to fall and the rate of new COVID-19 cases declines.

While some coronavirus patients still remain under care, a new chapter is emerging, as hospitals around the state pivot to what they call the new normal. They are implementing a range of new protocols and another round of physical renovations as they transition to again care for non-COVID-19 patients.

But many of their coronavirus units remain ready and waiting.

The strong possibility of the virus resurgence in the fall  or even before then  looms large in a pandemic that has already claimed 11,401 lives in the state and infected 157,815.

We are keeping those areas at the ready in case we do need to reactivate them in the coming months or into the fall, when we most expect that coronavirus will return, said Shereef Elnahal, president and CEO of University Hospital in Newark, one of the hardest hit facilities in New Jersey.

In the meantime, the surge tents, repurposed cafeterias and retrofitted lobbies converted into makeshift ICUs to handle the deluge of coronavirus patients now sit decommissioned, empty or only half full.

Its cooled down a lot... The COVID inpatient volume has decreased substantially, said Dr. Daniel Varga, chief physician executive at Hackensack Meridian Health.

People are calmer. Things are calmer, said Elnahal, whose hospital recently decommissioned the surge tent it had erected.

So hospitals are remodeling their buildings and ushering in new protocols in preparation for the new world they find themselves entering.

They are conducting routine coronavirus testing for staff and surgical patients prior to procedures. They are overseeing verbal screenings and employee temperature checks. Hospitals are creating separate COVID and non-COVID units. And they are sanitizing their entire facilities and mandating social distancing in waiting rooms and other areas once visitors return.

A huge transformation, Varga said.

It shows the progress hospitals have made since New Jerseys first coronavirus case was identified March 4 and its hospitalizations peaked April 14 at 8,084 patients.

The states 71 hospitals now report only 2,797 COVID-19 patients, although that number increased slightly Thursday for the second consecutive day.

During a surge in late March, Saggar described Holy Name as a war zone. But the endless onslaught of patients has now slowed to a trickle.

Theres definitely a visible quieting, Saggar said.

An uneasy silence has taken their place.

Eye of the hurricane?

During the pandemics peak, there was shared sacrifice.

As hospitals flooded with coronavirus cases, they asked the public to stay home unless absolutely necessary and barred patient visitors. People steered clear of medical facilities, delaying treatment and putting off elective procedures.

For a time, just COVID-19 patients entered hospitals. Now officials are asking them to return.

Hospitals are quiet. Too quiet.

Some are at half-capacity.

There are many patients who are super frightened, who didnt want to go near a doctor or hospital, said Dr. Robert Brenner, president of clinical integration and physician enterprise at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood.

A statewide moratorium on elective procedures was lifted this week. But convincing patients to come back to hospitals is proving difficult.

I would say this is infinitely harder to open than to close things down to patients, Brenner said. This is very difficult. You have a whole new set of rules, and its a new normal.

Some hospitals are utilizing telehealth and phone apps to lure people.

The Valley Hospital now offers an app that patients can use so when they are in the parking lot, they can secure text our office, and then gain entrance directly to the examine room, Brenner said.

But despite all the measures, it will remain a struggle for some time to draw patients, officials say.

We're doing as much as we can to reestablish our connection to the community and restart services, Elnahal said.

The reprieve from the chaos of March and April is a relief for exhausted health care workers. But its not without reservation.

Even while hospitals attempt to return to semi-normal operations, they know the virus hasnt vanished.

Thats not how pandemics work, Saggar said. It just doesnt disappear like that. We know that this could be the calm before the storm. This could be the eye in the hurricane. No one knows for sure.

All the lessons learned during the pandemic were learned the hard way.

During those first weeks, a perfect storm of problems arose: a mysterious novel virus emerged, facilities had insufficient staffing levels and there were shortages of personal protective equipment, ventilators and beds.

It took time for hospitals and health care workers to adapt. They endured weeks of trial and error with medications, treatments and in reusing gowns and face masks as reserves in every supply closet ran low to empty.

No one wants to be caught flat-footed again.

While the makeshift units and other infrastructure will remain, ready to handle another surge, staffing levels may again prove to be "the biggest challenge, Elnahal said.

Meanwhile, hospitals are still burning through thousands of masks a day.

Which shows you that by no means are we out of the woods from a clinical standpoint, but also a PPE and resource standpoint, Elnahal added.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
The gross domestic product (GDP) had expanded by 5.7 percent in the corresponding quarter of 2018-19, according to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Friday.

Economic growth slipped to 3.1 percent in the January-March quarter of 2019-20 showing impact of COVID-19 pandemic, the slowest growth in at least eight years, official data showed on Friday.

The coronavirus pandemic has weakened the already declining consumer demand and private investment.

The gross domestic product (GDP) had expanded by 5.7 percent in the corresponding quarter of 2018-19, according to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Friday.

In 2019-20, the Indian economy grew by 4.2 percent against 6.1 percent expansion in 2018-19.

The government imposed lockdown on 25 March to combat COVID-19. However, slowing down of business activities across the world in January-March impacted the Indian economy.

The Reserve Bank had pegged the GDP growth for 2019-20 at 5 percent as projected by the NSO in its first and second advance estimates released earlier this year in January and February respectively.

China's economy shrank by 6.8 percent in January-March 2020 due to the impact of coronavirus infection.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained the lockdown ordered on 25 March to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the worlds second-most populous country, though many restrictions were eased for manufacturing, transport and other services from 18 May.

The full impact of the lockdown on manufacturing and services will become more apparent in the June quarter, with Goldman Sachs predicting a 45 percent contraction from a year ago, Reuters said.

Economists expect the fiscal year that began in April will see the worst economic contraction in four decades.

Economic activity will face ongoing disruption over the next year as the country transitions to a post-COVID-19 world, the rating agency S&P said on Thursday, cutting its 2020/21 forecast to a 5% contraction.

Weather forecasts for normal monsoon rains are in farmers favour at least, giving hope that the rural sector can help support the millions of migrant workers who returned to their villages from the cities when the lockdown began.

The number of coronavirus-affected people in India has crossed 158,000 with 4,531 deaths, with an average daily jump of 6,000 cases in the last one week.

--With inputs from agencies
The COVID-19 pandemic has paused many legal proceedings in the United States, however, court actions filed by the U.S. government to survey and take private land in Texas for the border wall has accelerated.

Laredo is home to 250 landowners-half of whom half allowed the government to survey for the wall planned to be built in the area, which is expected to span more than 69 miles. According to the Wall Street Journal, the government has filed over 24 federal cases against landowners in the area after they refused to allow surveyors onto their land. In Texas, owners who are unwilling to give up their land voluntarily will be sued by the government in federal court twice. The initial lawsuit aims to grant the government the rights to survey, while the second lawsuit aims to give the government land ownership.

Landowners rarely win in federal lawsuits as the government holds the authority to take land for national security. Many fight to delay the process, or to increase payment for the land.

Border Wall

Since 2017, the U.S. government has built over 194 miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico Border that spans over 2,000 miles. Most of the work involved replacing existing walls or fences. Parts of the wall will be built in the Laredo area where funds were allocated in late 2019. While more than half of the property owners who were contacted have voluntarily signed papers to allow surveyors onto their land, a quarter has refused. The refusal led the U.S. Justice Department to sue the city to get access to over 980 acres of the riverfront.

Laredo officials responded to the lawsuit by claiming the wall is illegal because the Congress did not specify that the wall would be built in Webb County. The CBP claims the wall will help improve the city's ability to impede and deny illegal border crossings and smuggling which they consider is an area of high illegal activity. However, the department's own figures show that apprehensions of illegal foreigners in the area has been among the lowest on the southwest border for over two decades.

The Drug Enforcement Administration also claimed the majority of the smuggling of illegal drugs occur in international bridges with the help of vehicles.

Environmental Impact

Laredo residents are concerned the border wall would ruin the view of a river they claim is the city's amenity. The wall's bright lights will also ruin the night sky for the residents who favor observing stars and meteor showers. Environmentalists claimed the wall would also cut off the city from the Rio Grande which serves as its main water source. Leaders of a nonprofit organization said the 30-foot-tall wall with a 150-foot-wide enforcement zone will take out vegetation and destroy gated communities and a ranch.

Melissa Cigarroa, president of the nonprofit organization, claims running the wall upstream would have a devastating effect according to a recent report. "The impacts to the river, to neighborhoods, and Laredo College and also the city, it's not just the bollards but the 150-foot enforcement zone will take out all of the locations along that river land."

Want to read more?
DALLAS, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- An agreement between the Texas Attorney General's office and a group of Texas cities and counties ravaged by highly addictive prescription opioids clears the way for a settlement of litigation that could bring monetary relief to communities battling the opioid addiction epidemic, trial lawyers with Dallas-based Fears Nachawati Law Firm said Thursday.

The agreement announced by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton provides structure to any future settlements with manufacturers, distributors and retailers that played in a role in flooding communities with prescription painkillers like Purdue Pharma's Oxycontin. The agreement ensures that settlement funds will be properly channeled to the local and regional level so that the money can be spent where it's needed most, said trial lawyer Matthew McCarley, part of a Fears Nachawati legal team that represents numerous cities, counties and local government entities in opioid litigation in Texas and nationwide.

"These cities and counties have learned from the mistakes of the Big Tobacco settlement in the 1990s, where funds intended for communities disappeared in the state's coffers," Mr. McCarley said. "It is critically important that a structure is in place before a settlement is approved to make sure that funds reach these communities to provide critical relief on the ground."

The agreement guarantees that the state and local governments will each receive 15 percent of any settlement, with the remaining 70 percent administered by the Texas Opioid Council to be dispersed to 20 regional healthcare partnerships that operate treatment programs across Texas.

With a team of nationally respected trial lawyers with expertise in representing public entities in multidistrict litigation against pharmaceutical companies, distributors and retailers, Fears Nachawati has played a leadership role in litigation on the behalf of states, regional governments, public hospitals and other public entities battling the opioid epidemic.

Fears Nachawati Law Firm represents individuals, businesses and public entities in cases involving business interruption insurance disputes, medical device and pharmaceutical liability, environmental damage claims, and serious personal injury and wrongful death. For more information on the firm, visit https://www.fnlawfirm.com.

Contact:

Robert Tharp

Androvett Legal Media

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Fears Nachawati Law Firm

Related Links

https://www.fnlawfirm.com


The daily number of coronavirus cases registered in Armenia reached a new record high on Friday, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian saying that his country now has a higher infection rate than neighboring Iran hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The situation with the coronavirus epidemic in the country is continuing to deteriorate, he said.

Even so, Pashinian made clear that his government is still not planning to re-impose a nationwide lockdown. He said it will continue instead to promote and enforce social distancing and hygiene rules set by the health authorities.

The Ministry of Health said in the morning that 460 people tested positive for coronavirus in the past 24 hours, up from the previous daily high of 452 cases reported on May 24. It said a total of 1,100 of coronavirus tests were carried out on Thursday.

The total number of COVID-19 cases registered in the country of about 3 million thus reached 8,676. The ministry also reported 7 new fatalities which raised the official death toll from the epidemic to 120.

I want to stress that in terms of the number of cases per 1 million people we have already surpassed Iran and France and are practically on a par with Russia, Pashinian told a daily news briefing in Yerevan. At this pace, we will reach Italys indicator.

The reason for this situation is widespread non-compliance with anti-epidemic rules and our citizens failure to take epidemiological alarms seriously enough, he said, again calling on people to wear face masks, practice social distancing and disinfect their hands.

Armenians are obliged to wear masks in shops, buses, taxis and all other enclosed public spaces. They must also possess masks when walking in the streets or parks.

The Armenian police claim to have fined or reprimanded in recent days hundreds of people not abiding by this requirement. For their part, sanitary authorities have ordered one-day closures of many restaurants, shops and other businesses flouting other safety rules.

Critics of the Armenian government are skeptical about the effectiveness of this strategy of containing the virus. They say that only a renewed lockdown can slow and ultimately stop the spread of the disease.

Pashinian again spoke out against re-imposing lockdown restrictions now, however. I hope that there will be such changes in our social behavior that we wont have to revert to a strict lockdown, he said. None of us wants such a scenario.

I want to again assure that  if Armenias citizens follow the proposed rules -- namely, wear masks, practice social distancing and periodically disinfect hands and dont touch their faces with unwashed hands -- we will very quickly have a drop in new coronavirus cases and reduce them to zero. We will follow this path as long as possible, added the prime minister.

The government had issued stay-at-home orders and shut down most nonessential businesses in late March. But it began relaxing those restrictions already in mid-April. The daily numbers of new COVID-19 infections and deaths have increased significantly since then.

Pashinian dismissed arguments that his government has ignored World Health Organization warnings against a quick lifting of lockdowns. The World Health Organization is guided by health standards, while Armenia, like many other countries, also has socioeconomic, financial and security needs, he said. Many countries of the world are lifting lockdowns despite not meeting those standards.

The crisis is putting a growing strain on Armenias underfunded healthcare system. Faced with the rising number of coronavirus cases, the health authorities stopped late last week hospitalizing or isolating infected people who show mild symptoms of the disease or none at all.

Officials have also warned that intensive care units of the Armenian hospitals treating COVID-19 patients are running out of vacant hospital beds. Arman Hovakimian, the director of the largest of those hospitals, said on Friday that 95 percent of intensive care beds at the Surp Grigor Lusavorich Medical Center are already occupied.

Health Minister Arsen Torosian said on Thursday that the authorities will set up 100 more such beds at Surp Grigor Lusavorich and another Yerevan hospital over the next month.

Torosian also signaled a shortage of medical personnel, urging more Armenian doctors to join their colleagues fighting against the virus.

This is especially true for anesthesiologists and resuscitation specialists, he wrote on Facebook. We need them the most because there are now more than 350 patients in a severe or critical condition and in need of their care.
A West Deptford, N.J. warehouse used by Amazon.com to fulfill online orders. "COVID-19 and its associated quarantines are creating new online consumers," the CBRE report said. Read more

Industrial leasing in and around Philadelphia returned to near pre-pandemic levels last month, as companies snapped up space in the densely populated area to support growing online grocery operations and other e-commerce business, according to a study this week.

More than two million square feet of warehouse space was leased in Philadelphia and neighboring Southeast Pennsylvania and South Jersey counties in April, almost three quarters of the 2.65 million square feet leased in January and more than 86 times the 23,270 square feet leased in March, real estate services firm CBRE said in a research report Wednesday.

The Philadelphia regions recovery outpaced that of the broader Northeast U.S. industrial market that also includes the outer boroughs of New York, North and Central Jersey, and the I-78/I-81 corridor through the Lehigh Valley, where April leasing volume was down 38% from January and just over twice as active as in March.

Most of the Philadelphia-area activity is concentrated in South Jersey, driven by web-based retailers, as well as traditional brick-and-mortar stores seeking to expand their e-commerce capacity, said CBRE, which declined to share details of specific leases.

COVID-19 and its associated quarantines are creating new online consumers, which will further increase e-commerces share of total retail sales, the studys authors wrote. Increasing demand for goods bought online, especially food, will fuel the need for modern distribution facilities at a pace much higher than the previous cycle.

 READ MORE: PREIT gets $4.5M Paycheck Protection loan for small business and real-estate tax delays, as losses mount

Nationally, online grocery sales are on track to hit a record $6.6 billion this month, up 24% over April, according to a report Thursday by online retail consultancies Bricks Meets Click and Mercatus.

The firms estimated that 43 million U.S. households  about a third of the population  will have bought groceries online this month, up from 13.1 million in their last comparable study before the health crisis in August 2019.

The online surge may level off slightly as various states strive to return to normal, Mercatus chief executive Sylvain Perrier said in a release. However, COVID-19 has accelerated online grocery adoption at a rate the industry hadnt expected to see for years.

But demand for space around population centers like the Philadelphia area isnt being driven only by online grocers, said Kevin McGowan of McGowan Corporate Real Estate Advisors in Allentown.

 READ MORE: A big Philly apartment landlord is pursuing a new project despite coronavirus upheaval

Distributors of all sorts of merchandise are also expanding their warehouse footprints to hold inventory that can be quickly deployed if there are more supply disruptions, such as the recent ones that kept everything from toilet paper to hand sanitizer from reaching consumers, McGowan said.

Tenants are getting bigger because theyre holding more safety stock, he said. People are retooling their supply chains.
The only surprise in the militarys damning report on Ontario nursing homes is that anyone was surprised.

The horrors that Canadian soldiers found in five long-term care homes in the Greater Toronto Area were already well-known.

We knew that such homes are routinely understaffed, a state of affairs that leads workers to cut corners.

In the case of the five Ontario homes, such corner-cutting included:

Leaving residents to fester in their own excrement. In some cases, soldiers were told residents hadnt been bathed for weeks.

Leaving residents immobile in their beds all day instead of encouraging them to move around. This routinely leads to infected pressure sores.

Not taking the time needed to help residents eat. Instead, staff members often reported that residents had refused food. In one instance, the soldiers wrote, an attempt to hurry up feeding may have made a resident choke to death.

Oversedating residents just to keep them quiet. Soldiers reported that some residents were sedated even though they were simply sad and lonely.

Ignoring calls for help. In one home, soldiers reported that it took up to two hours for such cries to be answered.

Inadequate medical care. In one home, soldiers noted, the assigned doctor was rarely on site and had to be accessed by phone. Even then, the physician was not always reachable. In one instance, the soldiers noted, a fractured hip was not adequately addressed. In another, the homes assigned physician insisted on prescribing an inappropriate drug.

Cutting back on cleaning in order to save money. In one case, this resulted in infestations of flies and cockroaches. In another, incontinent residents were limited to one soaking pad even if it became soiled.

A reluctance to use necessary medical equipment, such as masks and gloves, that cost money. This led to staff using the same protective equipment when dealing with all residents, including those who were diagnosed with COVID-19. It also led to their giving residents prescription medicine that was out of date.

The soldiers had been deployed to the five nursing homes, at Ontarios request, to help them through the pandemic. And certainly, according to the military report, the homes made plenty of mistakes in their handling of the coronavirus.

In one instance, cooling fans set up by a home ended up blowing air from infected to clean areas.

But most of the horrors soldiers itemized had nothing to do with COVID-19. They predated the pandemic. Whats more, they had been well-known before the pandemic.

Premier Doug Ford said this week that he has never before read such an alarming report. If so, he hasnt been paying much attention to the depressing saga of long-term care in this province.

All of this  the cheese-paring and casual cruelty  has been written about for years. The Stars Moira Welsh has been reporting on the problems facing long-term care since 2003. So have other journalists.

Advocacy groups for seniors have long been sounding the alarm. There has even been a public inquiry into long-term care. Its report was issued last year.

All point to the same problems: a fixation on cost-cutting; a reliance on low-wage, undertrained workers; an assumption that the lives of the elderly arent worth much.

Even when the rules are followed, nursing homes are hardly generous. By law, residents, are entitled to only two baths a week. The food, while technically healthy, is too often unappetizing.

A long-term-care home can be a grim place.

This is what the soldiers found in five Ontario nursing homes. Horrifying? Yes. A surprise? No.
Its been one of the most well-known landmarks in La Mesa since the 1960s. Soon, it will be a memory.

The Drew Ford Roundhouse of Values at 8970 La Mesa Blvd., once a highlight for drivers traveling along freeways and roads in La Mesa, is being demolished. Crews started tearing it down last week.

The iconic structure, built in April 1967, was designed by La Mesa architect James Hurley and built to resemble the Ford Rotunda from the Worlds Fair in New York in 1964.

It originally was known as the Drew Ford Rotunda and was renamed the Roundhouse of Values in the early 1970s, according to Jim Newland, a La Mesa planning commissioner and president of the La Mesa Historical Society.

Advertisement

Many fondly remember not only purchasing cars, but attending high school proms and other community events at the iconic building, he said.

In 2014, SoCal Penske Dealer Group took over the Drew Ford dealership, a La Mesa staple that started in 1927 under businessman Elmer Drew. Elmer Drew passed the business onto his son, Joe, in the 1990s. After Joe Drew died in 2014, his son, Bill Drew, sold the dealership to Penske.

In a statement Monday, the company said a renovated service facility would be opening in 12-18 months.

The partial arch pillars  several long, upturned steel and concrete poles that gave the building its unique architectural style  were knocked down Monday.

Last week, windows had been smashed by construction rigs and the interior gutted. Piles of wood and glass littered the inside.

Elmer Drews daughter, Esther, told Newland that her father let it be known that the structure was built to be disassembled in case it needed to be moved some day.

The first day of demolition was wistful for many longtime employees, who either watched the glass being broken by a rig or showed up after the fact and saw the crumbled remains inside.

The roundhouse pillars at Penske Ford in La Mesa started going down on Monday, June 25. (Karen Pearlman/San Diego Union-Tribune )

Some of us have been emotionally connected to the building, said Mark Webb, who has worked at the dealership for 29 years. But we know that the Penske team has the right idea and want to make it more of a modern facility.

Room is needed for more cars to be put on display as the dealership is looking to transform itself and expand, Webb said. The dealership keeps some of its cars in other spots around the county on rented or leased land.

Webb said he remembered when there were old Ford Model A and Model T cars inside the buildings first floor. The structure had offices and tables where people sat down to talk to sales representatives and sign contracts to buy cars.

Gregory May started a petition last year on change.org at tinyurl.com/ybt4uzov to stop the demolition of the landmark. It is still online and there are more than 700 signees.

Its sad that Penske, the Drew family or the Ford Motor Co. has no creativity to use this unique building, May said. Nothing they build will be anything remotely interesting.

There is also a Facebook page devoted to keeping the roundhouse at facebook.com/savedrewfordroundhouse/

But those efforts have been for naught  and many from across San Diego County are mourning the loss.

For locals like Tina Culp Barton of Pacific Beach, whose parents still live in the foothills of Mount Helix near the dealership, losing the building is a sad occasion that brings back good memories.

After my father returned from Vietnam in 1968, we were transferred to Yuma, Barton said. Every time we drove back to San Diego to visit my grandparents, we would drive right by the Roundhouse. It was the first large and modern building we saw coming into San Diego. Once I saw it, I knew we werent far from seeing my grandma and the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

The iconic Roundhouse of Values started to be torn down on June 20 in La Mesa. (Karen Pearlman/San Diego Union-Tribune )

Since hearing the news and seeing a photo on social media of the demolition, hundreds of people have chimed in with memories of the roundhouse on Facebook.

Say its not so, Tom Lux wrote. I bought a car there in my youth!! PINTO!!!

Goodbye to an East County icon, wrote Dana Stevens.

One less landmark, Bob Gould wrote.

Many also remembered the loss in 1996 of the Aquarius Roll-A-Rena roller-skating rink, once a Food Basket grocery store. The structure was built in 1952 and leased a spot in the parking lot of the auto dealership. Al and Ruth Strunk opened the rink in 1978.

Omg, that is where I bought my first car and my parents bought a lot of theirs, Gwendolyn Poe wrote. Aquarius roller rink was over there, too. The roundhouse with those white pillars around it always reminded me of teeth as a kid.

Howard B. Owens III wrote that when he was younger, he was fascinated by the buildings unique design. But he said he didnt consider it of much significant architectural value.

Owens wrote that the location became really horrible as freeway construction around it grew and grew.

Interstate 8  and U.S. 80 roadway before it  was once the main thoroughfare next to the car dealership. State Route 125 was built in the 1980s and now mammoth bridges leading from Interstate 8 to the state Route 125 connectors heading north and south loom over the dealership.

Newland said the building should have been considered for historical eligibility in La Mesa, but a procedural loophole allowed the city to OK a permit for demolition.

Some of the gutted inside of the Roundhouse of Values in La Mesa at the Penske Ford dealership. (Karen Pearlman/San Diego Union-Tribune )

In the 1980s, the city started a list of buildings and properties at least 50 years old that it would consider for historical designation. Although he has tried to make inroads, that list has not been updated, Newland said.

So while Drew Ford dates back to the late 1920s, the rotunda only goes back to the 1960s, and so it never made the original list.

Lori Walters, a historian and preservation specialist in mid-century modern architecture from the University of Central Florida, visited the roundhouse in March. Walters scanned and recorded 3-D imaging of the outside building.

She was also able to get inside the building with Penskes OK and procured and made copies of its original blueprints. Walters was also able to climb on the roof of the roundhouse. She will be sharing her findings with the La Mesa Historical Society at a later date, Newland said.

Newland said that as a historian it is tough when landmarks like the roundhouse go away.

Its one of those icons that has always been there, he said. Its one of those things that generations hold onto, a multigenerational thing for the last 50 years that anybody who drove down U.S. 80 or Interstate 8, when youd see the roundhouse, you knew you were in La Mesa.

karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com
WASHINGTON - The House overwhelmingly passed a bill Thursday that would make it easier for small businesses to utilize funds under the new Paycheck Protection Program, Congress's latest response to the coronavirus pandemic's roiling economic fallout. But the measure's future remains uncertain because Senate leaders have not yet signaled support.

The House legislation, strongly supported by business groups that lobbied hard for changes to the existing program, would give businesses more time to have the loans forgiven and paid off by the U.S. government.

The vote came as the Labor Department reported that an additional 2.1 million Americans filed jobless claims last week, bringing the 10-week total to more than 40 million applications.

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has emerged as one of the most visible elements of the $2 trillion Cares Act, which passed Congress in March and was meant to blunt the economic fallout from the pandemic. As of Saturday, more than 4.4 million loans had been issued under the program, with a total valuation of more than $500 billion.

Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Chairman Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is supporting a different bill and made clear Thursday he does not back the House approach. There are similarities between the two pieces of legislation, though, and the White House also supports making changes to the PPP, so a compromise could emerge.

The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act passed 417 to 1 on the House's second day of a new proxy voting system developed in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The lone opposition vote came from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. Proxy voting allows lawmakers to cast votes on behalf of members not present, and scores of Democrats cast their votes by proxy in favor of the small-business bill. Republicans, who are challenging the constitutionality of the proxy voting system in court, showed up in person to vote despite some absences.

The legislation, introduced by Reps. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, makes a number of changes to the $660 billion Paycheck Protection Program. The program allows companies to take out loans of up to $10 million from banks and other lenders, and the loans can be paid off by the federal government if most of the money is spent on payroll within a certain time period.

With many businesses forced to close their doors starting in March as the pandemic swept through, the PPP was overwhelmed by demand in the weeks following its creation. Congress added more money to it as scandals emerged over entities such as the Los Angeles Lakers confirming participation in the program. But as the coronavirus crisis dragged on longer than originally foreseen, businesses began to complain about the requirements for having the loans forgiven, prompting lawmakers in the House and Senate to propose changes.

Under the House bill, the original eight-week timeline for businesses to spend their loan money on payroll for it to be forgiven would be increased to 24 weeks. A June 30 rehiring deadline would be extended to Dec. 31. A requirement that 75% of loan money be spent on payroll would be reduced to 60%. And employers would be given more leeway on loan forgiveness if they can show they were unable to rehire people or reopen to business in a way that complies with safety standards.

"Small businesses continue to have a tough road ahead and they need flexibility in how they use the emergency capital, and this provision gives them that," said Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., who chairs the House Small Business Committee. "That will help ensure businesses have more room to breathe even in places where reopening the economy happens more slowly."

The National Federation of Independent Business announced support for the legislation, saying in a letter to lawmakers that a majority of small-business owners have reported difficulty understanding the terms of the Paycheck Protection Program. "Together, these changes will allow more businesses to receive PPP loan forgiveness and have liquidity after the PPP ends," the NFIB letter said.

The bill Rubio is pushing in the Senate extends the rehiring deadline for 16 weeks instead of 24. His office highlighted several objections to the House bill, including the provision that would make it easier for businesses to get loan forgiveness even without rehiring workers. Rubio had hoped to pass his legislation last week in the Senate, and it is unclear what the timeline might be for reaching a compromise.

The House bill attempts to strike a balance between the demands of organized labor and the business community. An earlier version of the bill had entirely eliminated the requirement for a portion of the loan to be used on payroll, but Phillips told reporters Thursday that labor groups had objected.

"Labor was concerned that it would reduce the amount of money that would go to employees. And we also wanted to pass something that wouldn't just pass this chamber but also the Senate and find, perhaps, a signature in the White House," Phillips said. "We felt based on conversations that this was a reasonable solution."

The House defeated a separate bill by Phillips on Thursday that would have demanded more transparency in the PPP, with the legislation failing to clear the two-thirds requirement needed for passage. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., agreed to bring Phillips's bills up for a vote as she sought his support for a sweeping $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill that passed the House earlier this month over GOP objections but is going nowhere in the Senate.

The Treasury Department and Small Business Administration have refused to disclose the names of entities that have obtained PPP loans. The Washington Post is one of several news organizations that has sued the SBA asking for access to those records.
New Delhi : The Indian Army rushed in additional troops and weaponry to eastern Ladakh as part of its strategy to fend off China's aggressive military behaviour with 'firmness', even as top Army commanders deliberated on the delicate situation in the region for the second consecutive day on Thursday, official sources said.

They said military reinforcements, including troops, vehicles and equipment, were sent to shore up Indian presence in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie.

The Army commanders extensively deliberated on the situation in eastern Ladakh on the opening day of a three-day conference on Wednesday as well.

The conference, which is being chaired by Army Chief General M M Naravane, also reviewed anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in certain areas in the North Eastern region, the sources said.

The Indian Army will continue to maintain its aggressive posturing in all disputed areas in eastern Ladakh and will not back off till status quo is maintained, they said.

The sources said the Indian Army has significantly bolstered its strength in eastern Ladakh and even brought in artillery guns.

The commanders' conference was originally scheduled to be held from April 13-18, but it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The biannual army commanders conference is held in April and October every year.

The second phase of the conference will take place in the last week of June.

In the meantime, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said India was engaged with China at military and diplomatic levels to resolve the border standoff in eastern Ladakh, but at the same time asserted that the country is 'firm' in its resolve to protect its sovereignty and national security.

He said India is committed to the objective of maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control and that Indian troops take a very responsible approach towards border management.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to 'disengage' following a meeting at the level of local commanders.

Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.

The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.

On the face-off in eastern Ladakh, India last week said that it has always taken a very responsible approach towards border management but the Chinese military was hindering normal patrolling by its troops.

It is learnt that both India and China are looking at a solution to the issue through talks.

On May 5, the Indian and the Chinese army personnel clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting in the Pangong Tso lake area in which soldiers on both sides suffered injuries.

In a separate incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector on May 9.

At least 10 soldiers from both sides suffered injuries.

The troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam tri-junction in 2017 which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long LAC. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.

Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas.
The Supreme Court on Thursday put three questions to the Centre on the plight of migrant workers during the lockdown. "Did the migrants pay for their ticket, who paid for their food on trains and who is ensuring that migrants are not hungry?" it asked.

The top court also posed similar queries to many state governments.



A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, S.K. Kaul and M.R. Shah queried Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, "You still haven't informed us who is paying for their ticket."



As Mehta replied that either it is the sending state or receiving state, as there is an interstate agreement, the bench queried further: "What about the states? How are the migrants supposed to get reimbursement? Migrants would not know which state has to pay."





The bench said migrants may not know how to get reimbursement from a state or about the available transport. "There needs to be a uniform policy," it added.



The court observed that if the mechanism is different for all states -- in certain scenarios, the originating state will pay, in others the receiving state will pay, then it will create confusion. Mehta responded it depends on how many migrants are in question. "It has all been decided between the states," he added.



Justice Kaul asked Mehta: "How do you ensure that nobody asks the migrants to pay or troubles him? What we are saying is that the migrants should be least concerned with the means of payment."



The bench asked what is the normal time, after identification, to send back migrant workers -- a week or 10 days? It said no state should decline from accepting migrant workers. "No state should say no, no, don't come or we will not take you," noted the bench, insisting on a policy on the issue.



Citing middleman, the bench noted that there should be a clear policy as to who will pay for their travel.



Mehta told the court that 91 lakh migrants have travelled back between May 1 and May 27, and a total of 3,700 special trains have been used to ferry them.



The bench then queried the Centre on issues connected with supply of food. "With food surpluses available with the Food Corporation of India, is food being supplied to these people or not? Why should there be a food shortage among people?...We accept that it is not possible to transport everybody at the same time. But food and shelter must be given till they can get transport. Who is providing it?" it asked.



Mehta replied they are being provided food. "This is an unprecedented crisis and we are taking unprecedented measures," he said.



The bench observed that the government is taking measures, but looking at the number of stranded migrants, some concrete steps need to be taken.



The top court queried counsel for Maharashtra, "how many persons are waiting in queues? Maharashtra is the worst affected state. People are complaining that they are not getting food etc." It also queried senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Congress leader Randeep Surjewala: "So far how are things in your state, your party is also in governance in multiple states."



On May 26, the apex court had taken cognizance of the plight of migrant workers and asked the Centre and states to provide them transport, food and shelter immediately free of cost.
Same Size, Same Spots: Mini Horse and Great Dane Become Best Friends at Texas Farm
In Jet Airways' long list of suitors, of nearly a dozen, are a few familiar names, a couple of surprising ones and some unknown. But all are dogged by the same question in this fourth attempt to revive the airline - will anyone reach the finishing line?

The airline's lenders too are in a wait-and-watch mode, before pinning their hopes on the latest suitors.

The airline had suspended operations in April 2019, after running out of money to run operations.

Some of the new names that Moneycontrol could verify till now include - Hyderabad's Turbo Aviation, which specialises in charter, ground handling and MRO services; and entrepreneur Sanjay Mandavia of FSTC, who had planned to start a new airline in India, this year.

And yes, there is an airline!

Alpha Airways, which advisory firm CAPA says is based in Kyrgyzstan. A Google search doesn't throw up any website.

Making a comeback

Three suitors have made a comeback. One is AdiGro Aviation, the London-based group headed by Sanjay Viswanathan. After being in the race for a considerable amount of time, and teaming-up with another suitor - a consortium of Jet Airways employees - AdiGro had bowed out.

Confirming the re-interest, Viswanathan, who is the Chairman of AdiGro, told Moneycontrol: "AdiGro is happy to work collaboratively with Resolution Professional, Committee of Creditors and Ministry of Civil Aviation to revive it, if this happens. It's in this spirit that we submitted our Prelim Resolution Plan."

Interestingly, the consortium of Jet Airways employees has also made a comeback.

The third one is Atmosphere Intercontinental Airlines, led by Jason Unsworth, the British entrepreneur whose offer last year to take control of Jet Airways had evoked surprise.

South America's Synergy Group, which is probably to have come closest to the finishing line since Jet Airways insolvency process began last year, continues to be in the race.

More new suitors

One of them is KALROCK Capital, a UK-based financial services firm which, among other things, specialises in 'special situations'.

Its Board Member Manoj Narender Madnani confirmed that KALROCK has submitted an EoI for Jet Airways.

"Jet is a premium brand and we would like to be part of the solution, this will bring jobs back in an essential sector," he told Moneycontrol.

Explaining the rationale behind the firm's interest, Madnani added, "Our investment thesis is predicated on our ability to marry efficient and sustainable technologies to the aviation sector and improve efficiencies.

"With the global supply chains looking at India, we believe that the Indian aviation market is poised to grow exponentially once international skies open."

The shortlist

"The long list of suitors is surprising, given the state of the aviation sector because of COVID-19. In the past, many of the suitors hadn't even presented the relevant documents. Let's see if it's different this time," said a senior executive from the industry.

The resolution professional, added sources, will now shortlist the suitors to create a provisional list of EoIs and this will be presented to the banks. Lenders, led by State Bank of India, have an exposure of over Rs 8,000 crore to Jet Airways.

Overall, claims of about Rs 30,000 crore have been made on the airline.

The shortlist will be made within a week, added an executive.

Banks not too hopeful

Bankers to Jet Airways are not too sure of a successful outcome even this time. A top official in State Bank of India said the banks are on a wait and watch mode. It is early to predict in which way the bidding process will progress this time, the official said.

"People are bidding, which means there is some interest. If you see, all airlines are in difficult [circumstances] this time. When bidding, they would have thought about all this. Let's see how it goes this time," said the SBI official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Other lenders include Bank of India, Canara Bank, IDBI, Indian Overseas Bank and Punjab National Bank. Aviation is one of the high stress sectors for banks even before the lockdown.

"There is nothing much left (in Jet Airways) anyway. If somebody can run it, we would be happy," said the official.

Jet is not the first airline where banks, mainly PSU lenders, were left with holding the baby.

Banks have lost (or yet to recover) at least Rs 10,000 crore (including accrued interest amount) to Vijay Mallya-owed Kingfisher Airlines.

Mallya is close to being deported back to the country post a recent court verdict in the UK. But, even if he is brought back to India, there is no assurance that banks will get their money back in the foreseeable future.
The Kinahan crime organisation carries out "execution-type murders" and smuggles drugs and firearms "on an international scale", the Special Criminal Court has found.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt yesterday said the non-jury court accepted garda evidence on the organisation and structure of the cartel as he jailed a "foot soldier" for seven-and-a-half years for helping to plan the murder of Patrick "Patsy" Hutch.

Sentencing Mark Capper, Mr Justice Hunt said the defendant "knew well" what was contemplated by his associates and he had a "shrewd appreciation" of the detail and methodology to be used in the proposed murder.

He was also capable of expressing doubt as to the details of the proposed plan.

The judge said the 31-year-old's conduct was intentional as opposed to reckless and he was initially prepared to serve on the front line and offered ideas towards the plan to murder Mr Hutch. There is no doubt he was aware of the nature and structure of the Kinahan organisation, he added.

Reservations

Expand Close Kinahan target Patsy Hutch / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Kinahan target Patsy Hutch

Capper was most likely "dropped" from the plot as he was not sufficiently on board due to his reservations and state of mind, pointed out the judge.

Referring to the Kinahan criminal organisation, Mr Justice Hunt said the court accepted garda evidence that it is an organised crime gang involved in "execution-type murders" in the context of feuds "to protect its core activities", which include "organised drugs and firearms" offences on "an international scale".

The Special Criminal Court further accepted that the crime gang operated "an organised hierarchical structure" with "cells and sub-cells" to "segregate activities and limit knowledge" among gang members. The gang also operated on directions from superiors within this hierarchy.

Capper, who admitted helping the organised crime group with a plan to kill Patrick Hutch - the older brother of the leader of the rival Hutch organised crime group - pulled out three days before the attempted murder.

Capper of Cappagh Green, in Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty in March to having knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation and participating in activities intended to facilitate the commission of a serious offence by that criminal organisation, or any of its members, to wit the murder of Patrick Hutch within the State between February 1 and March 10, 2018, both dates inclusive.

During the sentence hearing for Capper earlier this month, the non-jury court heard evidence on how the Kinahan gang operates a hierarchical structure, with compartmentalised "sub-cells" acting independently from one another.

The three-judge court also heard that Capper was hired by the Kinahan organised crime group and the arrival of Storm Emma had scuppered the gang's first bid to murder Mr Hutch.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Hunt, presiding at the three-judge court, said that Detective Inspector David Gallagher gave evidence on May 11, where he specifically identified the criminal organisation as the Kinahan organised crime group.

Expand Close Cartel boss Daniel Kinahan / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Cartel boss Daniel Kinahan

Mr Justice Hunt said an intelligence operation was led from the outset and surveillance had identified ten persons directly involved in this enterprise.

The target of the operation was not known to gardai at the early stage but it became apparent towards the end of February 2018 that the organisation was trying to murder Mr Hutch and it was based on three central elements.

Damage

The first was to set up a "staging post" at Belmont apartments which was midway between two locations associated with target Patrick Hutch.

The second was a "ruse" to commit criminal damage "to lure" Mr Hutch from his home to the murder scene while a "looker" would give the "hit team" the signal when he was on his way.

The third element was to have a "getaway location" at Stoney Road in East Wall in Dublin 3 where the gunmen would go through a pedestrian tunnel and a car would be waiting on the other side to take them away.

Capper did not appear as a participant within the sub-cell until February 24, 2018 and there were recordings of specific conversations between Capper and Michael Burns - who has also pleaded guilty to the same offence - concerning Mr Hutch's movements.

These recordings included references to drawing Mr Hutch out of his home, gardai presence in certain areas, the underground car park at Belmont Hall Apartments on Gardiner Street and the burning of a getaway vehicle, said the judge.

Capper had expressed concern about getting arrested, was reluctant about carrying out the plan, had concerns regarding the weather and referred to needing more weapons, pointed out Mr Justice Hunt.

Motivation

Audio surveillance of a vehicle recorded Capper asking Michael Burns for a loan of 50, which he was refused. Mr Justice Hunt said this shed light on Capper's financial motivation for his involvement in the incident as he was obviously struggling with money at this time.

He said the defendant "knew well" what was contemplated by his associates and he had a "shrewd appreciation" of the detail and methodology to be used in the proposed murder.

Capper was also capable of expressing doubt as to the details of the proposed plan and participants had considerable reservations and scepticism about his participation in the incident, he said.

Mr Justice Hunt said the prosecution had established a link between Capper's conduct and the serious offence contemplated by the criminal organisation.

The evidence established that he had assisted in the preparation for the very grave crime of murder and his conduct was intentional as opposed to reckless, he said, adding he was initially prepared to serve on the frontline and had offered ideas on the plan.

It was not known if Capper actively withdrew or if his retainer was withdrawn, but given the reservations expressed, it was most likely the defendant was dropped from the plot as he was not sufficiently on board due to his state of mind, said the judge.

He also noted that the fact serious harm or death did not ensue was due to the fine work of gardai and no thanks to Capper or his cohorts.

Capper has 65 previous convictions and suffered with a drug addiction problem.

Mr Justice Hunt, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Dermot Dempsey, sentenced Capper to eight years and three months imprisonment with the final nine months suspended, backdated to December 5 2019, when he went into custody.

In July 2019, a three-man "hit for hire team" received sentences totalling 36.5 years at the Special Criminal Court for planning to kill Patrick Hutch before they were intercepted by gardai just 250 metres from their target's home in Dublin's north inner city.

Gary Thompson (35) and his brother Glen Thompson (25) were each jailed for 12 years and six months.

A third man, Afghan war veteran Robert Browne (36) was sentenced to 11 years and six months in jail.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (May 29) offered condolences to former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogis family on his demise and remembered him as a man with passion towards public service who strived to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor. PM Modi said he was saddened by his demise.

"Shri Ajit Jogi Ji was passionate about public service. This passion made him work hard as a bureaucrat and as a political leader. He strived to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor, especially tribal communities. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family. RIP," said the tweet from PMs account.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too twitted his condolence to family of Jogi and said he was sorry to hear about the passing away of the former Chhattisgarh chief minister. "I'm sorry to hear about the passing of Shri Ajit Jogi, former Parliamentarian and Chhattisgarh's first CM. My condolences to his family, friends and followers in this time of grief. May he rest in peace," he wrote on Twitter.

An IAS officer-turned-politician, Jogi went on to become the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh in the year 2000. He died on Friday (May 29) at a Raipur hospital, where he was being treated for the last 20 days, doctors said.

Jogi (74), who had slipped into coma, suffered a cardiac arrest in the afternoon and could not be revived, they added. He is survived by his wife Renu Jogi, the MLA from Chhattisgarh's Kota constituency, and son Amit, a former MLA.

Chhattisgarh has declared a three-day mourning to show respect to the departed leader, who remained a force in the state politics till his very last day. He was currently representing Marwahi seat as an MLA of Janta Congress Chhattisgarh, a party he formed in 2016 after quitting the Congress. His son now heads the party.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has vowed to continue supporting the economy to get people back into work despite the federal budget deteriorating by $18 billion in April as company and personal income tax revenues collapsed.

Mr Morrison said with the Reserve Bank "out of ammo", the federal government would work with the states to boost jobs with a heavy focus on infrastructure and transport projects that could be brought forward.

This week, RBA governor Philip Lowe warned it would be a mistake for governments to withdraw support for the economy, arguing it would be a "long, drawn-out process" to bring down unemployment, which is expected to reach 10 per cent by June.

Finance Department figures released on Friday show how the coronavirus pandemic has up-ended the government's plans to deliver the first budget surplus in more than a decade.
Derek Chauvin, the 19-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department who killed George Floyd, had a long record of abuse, including three shooting incidents, about 20 complaints and two letters of reprimand.

Local station KARE 11 reports 13 complaints since 2003 were closed without discipline. Chauvin was awarded a departmental medal of valor in 2009.

The police murder in Minneapolis is part of an unending string of outrages that occur on a daily basis. Had a bystander not recorded Floyds assault and murder and shared the video, the actual circumstances of his death may not have ever come to light.

Derek Chauvin

Tou Thao, another police officer involved in the killing, has also been subject to excessive force complaints. Thao was the defendant in a lawsuit that alleged he beat a handcuffed citizen, and the city of Minneapolis paid out $25,000 to his victim.

After video of the murder was widely circulated, a victim of Chauvin in a 2008 incident came forward. Ira Toles, a 33-year old IT worker, told the Daily Beast that Chauvin was one of several officers who entered his home unannounced after the mother of his child called police to report that Toles assaulted her. He said that Chauvin broke into his bathroom and beat him before shooting him in the groin at point-blank range: I collapsed in the main entrance where I was left to bleed until the paramedics came He tried to kill me in that bathroom.

In 2011, Chauvin was among a group of officers involved in the non-fatal shooting of Alaskan native Leroy Martinez. A witness to the police shooting, Delora Iceman, told the Star Tribune that Martinez had thrown down his gun and put his hands in the air when the officer, Terry Nutter, shot him in the abdomen after warning he would do so. Minneapolis found the shooting to be proper.

In October 2006, Chauvin was one of six cops who opened fire on 42-year-old Wayne Reyes, suspected of a stabbing, after Reyes reportedly pointed a shotgun at them. Reyes was shot multiple times and killed. A grand jury ruled use of force was justified, and the killing was not prosecuted by Hennepin county attorney Amy Klobuchar, the future Democratic Party presidential candidate.

Chauvin has retained Tom Kelly, the attorney who represented Jeronimo Yanez. Yanez, a St. Anthony, Minnesota police officer, was acquitted in the 2016 police murder of Philando Castile, whom he shot five times at close range while Castile sat in the passenger seat during a traffic stop.
Donald Trump phone

REUTERS/Mike Segar

President Donald Trump slammed a Twitter employee as a "hater" Thursday after the employee's old tweets surfaced that were critical of Trump.

Twitter's head of site integrity, Yoel Roth, tweeted that Trump was a "racist tangerine" and decried "ACTUAL NAZIS IN THE WHITE HOUSE" in 2016 and 2017. Trump allies widely circulated the tweets Wednesday, purportedly as evidence of Twitter's anti-conservative bias.

Roth is now at the center of Trump's ire over Twitter's decision to add fact-checking labels to some of his tweets that contain false statements.

"Fact check: there is someone ultimately accountable for our actions as a company, and that's me," Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted on Wednesday night. "Please leave our employees out of this."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump slammed a Twitter employee Thursday who was critical of Trump in past tweets, calling the employee a "hater" and tagging his twitter handle.

Trump has reacted strongly this week to Twitter's decision to add fact-checking labels to some of his tweets for the first time, and has accused Twitter and other tech companies, again and without evidence, of anti-conservative bias.

On Wednesday, Trump allies and advisers started directing their ire at Twitter's head of site integrity, Yoel Roth, who has tweeted harsh criticism of Trump in the past.

Roth's old tweets from 2016 and 2017 were resurfaced and shared widely on Wednesday, including a tweet calling Trump a "racist tangerine," a tweet decrying "ACTUAL NAZIS IN THE WHITE HOUSE," and a tweet describing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as "a personality-free bag of farts."

A Twitter spokesperson told Business Insider Wednesday that Roth is part of the team overseen by VP for trust and safety Del Harvey that recommends whether to label tweets that contain misinformation, but added that the decision to label tweets is ultimately made by "leadership" following recommendations from the trust and safety team.

Story continues

On Wednesday night, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey stood by the decision to correct Trump's false claims about voting.

"Fact check: there is someone ultimately accountable for our actions as a company, and that's me," Dorsey posted. "Please leave our employees out of this. We'll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally."

"Per our Civic Integrity policy (https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/election-integrity-policy), the tweets yesterday may mislead people into thinking they don't need to register to get a ballot (only registered voters receive ballots)," Dorsey continued. "We're updating the link on @realDonaldTrump's tweet to make this more clear."

Trump advisers are presenting Roth's tweets as evidence of alleged anti-conservative bias across Twitter and other tech companies. Donald Trump Jr. slammed Roth on Twitter after Breitbart reported on his past tweets. On Fox News Wednesday morning, senior adviser Kellyanne Conway called Roth "horrible" and read his Twitter handle out loud on air.

"Somebody in San Francisco go wake him up and tell him he's about to get a lot more followers," Conway said on "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday.

The jabs at Roth are part of the Trump world's broader backlash to Twitter's decision to add fact-checking labels to Trump's tweets that claimed without evidence that vote by mail is being used by Democrats to commit voter fraud. The tweets now include a disclaimer reading "get the facts" with a link to independent fact-checkers who debunk Trump's claim.

This is the first time Twitter has taken action to mediate Trump's false or misleading statements on the platform. Twitter has been upbraided by Trump critics over the years who say the platform enables Trump to spread falsehoods despite its policies against misinformation.

Trump lashed out at Twitter in response to the labels early Wednesday, threatening to shut down or "strongly regulate" social-media platforms that he claims are unfair to conservatives.

Charles Davis contributed to this report.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The puppies were found in poor condition by Scottish SPCA inspectors (Scottish SPCA/PA)

Scotlands animal welfare charity has rescued 13 puppies from an illegal dealer at Cairnryan Port in Dumfries and Galloway.

The Scottish SPCAs special investigations unit caught the individual, who had travelled from Belfast in Northern Ireland.

One puppy was so ill it had to be put down and another required emergency vet treatment for breathing problems.

The animal welfare charity said the puppies were in poor body condition and filthy when found, carrying diseases consistent with being bred in horrendous circumstances.

The rest are receiving urgent vet treatment and round-the-clock care at a Scottish SPCA animal rescue and rehoming centre.

Most are now said to be lively and bright.

Every year, thousands of pups are dying alone and in pain, at just days or weeks old, to fuel the trade Mike Flynn

Two Maltese terriers, four miniature Jack Russells and seven Jack Russell/cocker spaniel cross puppies were recovered.

The Scottish SPCA said the dealer transporting the dogs agreed to pay veterinary bills and was given a warning.

Since the Covid-19 lockdown, the port has been quiet but the charity believes puppy traders are beginning to move dogs again with the aim of selling them.

Chief superintendent Mike Flynn said while the lockdown lead to a dramatic decrease in the puppy trade, things are becoming more active again.

We cannot stress this enough: the supply for badly-bred puppies will only disappear if public demand stops, he said.

Every year, thousands of pups are dying alone and in pain, at just days or weeks old, to fuel the trade.

We will continue to fight the puppy trade every step of the way but we need each and every person to do their bit to help us stop it.

He added: Many responsible breeders put a hold on breeding during the pandemic but we are aware of some breeders ramping up prices due to lack of supply.

This could drive people to buy a puppy without doing their homework on where they are getting it from.

There are thousands of adverts on [free listings] websites for puppies but there is no guarantee you are buying from a responsible breeder when you shop online.

Many dealers will use false names and phone numbers to sell a dog, making it impossible for a buyer to get a hold of them when the pup falls ill.
Military deputy to NPC calls for improved actual combat level under normalized epidemic prevention and control

PLA Daily

Source: China Military Online

Editor: Chen Lufan

2020-05-28 17:25:30

BEIJING, May 28 -- In a special test to combat COVID-19, Chinese military has worked hard for more than 80 days and achieved the goal of winning the battle with zero infection. Currently, implementing military training under conditions of normalized epidemic prevention and control is an emerging concern for the troops.

Lieutenant General Li Huohui, director of the Training and Administration Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC), noted that China is now faced with some new risks and challenges in national security. Elevating the actual combat level of military training under the conditions of normalized epidemic prevention and control is particularly necessary, considering the political requirements and the needs of combat readiness, he stressed.

In this regard, deputy Li Huohui put forward four suggestions:

First, we must strengthen the overall military training coordination, sparing no effort to minimize the epidemic impact and ensure the realization of major targets of the annual military training;

Second, we must focus on emergency response training. In particular, it is necessary to strengthen the capability training of various task forces, promote integrated command and systematic capabilities, as well as the transformation from simple training to actual combat exercise training;

Third, we must innovate the training modes under the new conditions. For example, modes like online training, training conducted in compact mixed groups, training in closed bases, as well as other differentiated approaches, are all reasonable to be applied;

Besides, we must strictly prevent training risks at the same time, ensuring the training being conducted in a science-based, bold, and safe manner.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Quick Links SACI Facebook :

SACI Instagram: Note our office will be closed from 18 December 2021 till 6 January 2022 Statement from SACI Council on tertiary training in chemistry as a result of disruptions to the 2020 academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the professional body representing the interests of all chemists in South Africa, we recognise the challenges that the current COVID-19 crisis presents to all our members in academia, research and industry. We also acknowledge the challenges the current situation presents to our tertiary institutions and specifically the challenges presented by moving to online teaching. We applaud the efforts of all our members who work at tertiary institutions who have adapted and innovated to ensure that we can continue as far as possible with our teaching and learning of chemistry even when on campus face-to-face contact is not possible. Our tertiary institutions play a critical role in not only training the next generation of chemists, but they are also tasked with the important responsibility of ensuring that many people from other professions and disciplines are trained in the fundamental principles of chemistry. We reaffirm our belief that this training is essential, as chemistry is one of the central sciences. Key to this training is the practical component and laboratory based skills development. While we accept that this critical component of our training is not possible under the current situation, we strongly urge that plans be put in place to preserve this component of training as part of the curriculum as far as possible. In some cases, virtual laboratory tools can facilitate learning, but we believe that in laboratory practical training particularly for senior level courses should be preserved. SACI strongly recommends that at least a critical minimum practical experience should form part of the plans to complete the 2020 academic year at our tertiary institutions. We believe that this is essential to preserve the validity and integrity of the academic training programmes in chemistry. Statement issued on behalf of the SACI Council, Professor Peter Mallon

President of SA Latest Updates: Pay your SACI membership fees with SnapScan New Interactive Electronic Version of the IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements & Isotopes How do we know what the temperature of our planet was a million years ago, to better understand climate change? Where did Otzi the Iceman live as a child and an adult? What evidence gives doping agencies the gold standard to determine whether testosterone in an athletes sample comes from doping? How do we obtain 3D images of tumors in soft tissues? The answers to all of these questions and many more can be revealed through a deeper understanding of isotopes of the elements. Isotopes matter! These new resources are created for educators and students at secondary and post-secondary levels, and to inform the public about the many uses of isotopes in our lives. They are based on educational practices that encourage engaged and active learning by students. The new IUPAC interactive electronic periodic table and accompanying educational materials were created by a partnership between an , and researchers at the , and build on the work of a previous IUPAC project team to create a print version of the Periodic Table of the Isotopes. This project responds to requests by educators and students for resources highlighting the importance of isotopes in our lives, and that give students help in using interval atomic weights for elements. brings free engaging and interactive learning resources to the fingertips of students and educators around the world, says Task Group Co-Chair Peter Mahaffy, Professor of Chemistry at the Kings University in Canada, and co-director of the Kings Centre for Visualization in Science. And Norman Holden, retired Research Coordinator of the High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) and the Brookhaven Medical Research Reactor (BMMR) and a Guest Scientist at the National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC) of Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York, adds: Its great when scientists and educators work together to create a vehicle to provide students with an understanding of fundamental scientific facts and accomplish this internationally. Following the global launch on August 17, 2016, the new IUPAC interactive electronic periodic table and accompanying resources can be accessed at . A print version of the periodic table of the isotopes and elements is available at . Further details will be published in the peer-reviewed IUPAC Journal, Pure and Applied Chemistry. Contact:

Dr. Peter Mahaffy, IUPAC Project Task Force Co-Chair

Co-Director, The Kings Centre for Visualization in Science

The Kings University, Canada

Dr. Norman Holden, IUPAC Project Task Force Co-Chair

Brookhaven National Laboratories, USA

Dr. Fabienne Meyers

Associate Director, IUPAC



SACI Ties, Scarfs and T-shirts Periodic table ties and ladies scarfs R130 each. Periodic table T Shirt Short sleeve R180, Long sleeve R200 Please contact head office to place orders. There is also a courier charge of R150 per order for delivery.


Zelensky thanks EU for EUR 500 mln second tranche of macroeconomic assistance

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed gratitude to the leadership of the European Union for allocating the last tranche of the fourth macroeconomic assistance program in the amount of EUR 500 million.

"Grateful to the #EU & President of EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen for decision on disbursement to #Ukraine of 500 mln of the 2nd tranche of the 4th Macro-Financial Assistance as discussed last week. Timely support by our #EU friends to support Ukraine's economy during #COVID19," the head of state wrote on Twitter.

Previously, European Commission spokeswoman Marta Wieczorek announced a decision on allocating EUR 500 to Ukraine in Brussels on Friday.

The Commission on behalf of the EU approved the allocation of a 500 million euro loan to Ukraine as part of the fourth macro-financial assistance program, she said.
The Real Estate Institute of New South Wales (REINSW) has urged the government and insurance groups to provide support for landlords amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Leanne Pilkington, president at REINSW, said landlord insurance policies offering cover for rent defaults discourage landlords from complying with the government's instructions to negotiate with their tenants.

"Landlords have been asked by the government to negotiate in good faith, yet the insurers are saying they will not honour their rent default cover in the policy if the landlord voluntarily agrees to a rent reduction," she said.

This, Pilkington said, puts landlords in a difficult position, given that if they refuse to negotiate, tenants will take the case to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

"Effectively, if the landlord agrees to reduce the rent for their tenant then their landlord insurer abandons them. This is clearly an appalling requirement and contrary to spirit of what is required across the entire community," she said.

REINSW is calling on the government to direct the insurance companies to allow landlords who negotiated for a reasonable reduction in rent to make a claim. Another option is for the government to allow landlords to compel their insurers to take over the negotiations.

"That way, when the landlord negotiates an outcome with their tenant, if the insurer wishes to call a halt to it then the landlord can give the insurer the right to take over the negotiation," Pilkington said.

In an earlier report, Carolyn Parrella, insurance executive manager at Terri Sheer, explained that rent reductions are not considered as default and are not a valid trigger for a claim.

"Landlords who choose to negotiate lower rents with tenants will remain covered under their existing policy to the new rental amount," she said.

REINSW also urged the state government to release the $2,500 subsidy for landlords forwarded by the NSW Parliament on 16 May 2020.

"Let's state the obvious here. In the current environment, providing landlords with some financial assistance is ultimately and directly supporting tenants," said Tim McKibbin, CEO of REINSW.

Some states, which include Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia, have already implemented supports for landlords, offering $2,000 in assistance.

"We are calling on the minister to prioritise this parliamentary directive, bring the support package to life and in doing so, address some of the distress in the residential rental market," McKibbin said.
The Arakan Army attacked a paramilitary border guard outpost in western Myanmars war-ravaged Rakhine state on Friday, capturing six policemen and three of their family members, and killing several others, the Myanmar military and local residents said.

The ethnic armed force raided the Thazin Myaing police outpost in rural Rathedaung township from the northwest, according to a statement on the website of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services.

Around 100 AA terrorist insurgents attacked in droves using heavy and light artillery and guns at about 2:10 a.m. on the main station of Thazin Myaing police outpost which has been undertaking law enforcement in the region, the statement said.

The ambush resulted in four deaths and the abduction of nine others, including some of officers' relatives, it said.

"The attacks killed four policemen, while six more policemen and three family members, including a child, are missing," the statement said.



Similar AA raids on police outposts in late 2018 and in early 2019 triggered the conflict pitting the ethnic Rakhine rebel group against the Myanmar military in northern Rakhine state  a region already devastated by the national armys campaign to expel 740,000 Rohingya Muslims in 2017.

Some residents from a nearby village estimated that at least 30 security forces were deployed at the outpost and that as many as 10 of them may have died during the armed assault.

There were heavy losses of servicemen from the government side during the battle last night in the village, [and] the AA abducted some policemen, said a resident of Thazin Myaing village who requested anonymity for security reasons.

AA soldiers took away nine police officers, the resident said, adding that the exact number of deaths is unclear.

Another 10 policemen who left the outpost are staying on the mountain, and they havent come down, he said. They asked us for help with food supplies. We promised to help them.

The remaining 10 or so officer are assumed to have been killed during the assault, the villager said.

Myanmar military spokesman Brigadier Gen Zaw Min Tun told RFA that only a handful of policemen were assigned to the outpost and that authorities were still trying to determine the total number of people killed and abducted.

Myanmar security forces are now following AA soldiers and conducting clearance operations to eliminate them from the area, he said.

Another local villager who also requested anonymity for the same reason said AA troops also torched two police outpost buildings following the cessation of artillery fire at about 3 a.m.

They burned down two buildings, the villager said. One is on the hill, and the other one for support staff is at the foot [of the hill].

Almost all the residents of Thazin Myaing, except for the elderly, have now fled the community  a purpose-built village with about 40 houses that was set up as an outpost to protect the area against attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a Muslim militant group active in the region.

Military 'support station'

The Myanmar military said the AAs strategy of targeting border guard outposts and police stations as well as civilians related to officers amounts to a war crime.

The AA terrorist insurgent group committing such consistent attacks targeting police outposts and policemen is [tantamount to] committing war crimes," the military's statement said.



AA spokesman Khine Thukha confirmed the attack on the outpost saying that the facility nominally called a police outpost is actually a support station for the militarys operations.

He said that security forces at the outpost cannot be classified as civilian forces because they are under the command of the military, and that AA troops had seized a rocket launcher and 14 other weapons there.

Khine Thukha said that the AA is assessing the policemen it detained at the scene and would soon release all nonmilitary personnel and well as information about the number of deaths and injuries that occurred during the attack.

A violent AA ambush on four border outposts in neighboring Buthidaung township on Jan. 4, 2019, killed 13 policemen and injured nine others, amid an escalation of hostilities with Myanmar forces that began in late 2018 and has now raged for nearly 17 months.

The AA conducted additional deadly attacks on other police outposts and barracks in Rakhines Ponnagyun, Mrauk-U, and Buthidaung townships in 2019.

The Myanmar government in March declared the AA an illegal association and a terrorist group.



Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Ill. eases worship service restrictions after churches turn to Supreme Court

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has eased restrictions on in-person worship services in new coronavirus stay-at-home guidelines after churches appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court for relief.

In a daily news briefing Thursday, Pritzker announced a new health department guidance for faith leaders seeking to resume in-person worship services, recommending they do so at 25% capacity or a 100-person maximum  whichever is lower  under phase three of the states reopening plan.

Having received many plans and ideas from responsible faith leaders, [Illinois Department of Public Health] has reviewed many detailed proposals and has provided guidance, not mandatory restrictions, for all faith leaders to use in their efforts to ensure the health and safety of their congregants," Pritzker said.

Pritzker said the safest option is for churches to continue with online services and drive-in services. However, he said churches that want to resume in-person services can use the states new guidelines to help combat the spread of the virus.

Places of worship should develop a COVID-19 plan and be prepared to adapt to updated public health guidance and to restrict in-person activities if the incidence of COVID-19 within their communities increases, the guidance reads.

Places of worship should provide training to both staff and congregants on their COVID-19 plans and should share the new safety protocols and processes by email, video, mail, and posted signage  with frequent updates as new safety protocols are implemented.

The guidelines state that churches should expand capacity limits gradually to allow the opportunity to test safety protocols. Additionally, the guidelines encourage churches to hold multiple small services as opposed to one large service.

Churches are also advised to do thorough cleanings of high-trafficked areas and require attendees to wear face coverings as well as undergo temperature and symptom checks upon arrival at places of worship.

Under the states current stay-at-home order, which expires Friday, religious services were limited to 10 people or fewer. That mandate was opposed by several churches and led to lawsuits.

Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church and Logos Baptist Ministries filed an injunction request on Wednesday with the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking relief from the order by Sunday, the holy day of Pentecost.

The appeal to the Supreme Court came after a federal judge denied their request in mid-May.

Last weekend, Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church and two other churches said they received letters from the city of Chicago threatening to shut down their church buildings temporarily through a summary abatement if they continued to hold worship services in defiance of the governors order.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked the city to respond to the churchs request by Thursday night, according to The Chicago Sun-Times.

The Chicago Tribune reports that in a filing with the Supreme Court, the state argues that the churches request for relief is now moot because the governor has announced that after that date religious gatherings will no longer be subject to mandatory restrictions.

However, the conservative religious freedom legal nonprofit Liberty Counsel, which represents the Romanian churches, argues that the request for relief is not moot because the governor could just as easily reinstate his orders.

The unilateral actions of Gov. J.B. Pritzker is the classic example of tyranny, Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver wrote in a statement. He knew he did not have authority to trample on the First Amendment rights of churches and houses of worship, but he did anyway and continued to do so until his case reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

He cannot be trusted to obey the Constitution. The fact that he recently said that churches would never get above 50 people for at least 12 to 18 months, and now a few hours before he had to file with the Supreme Court he removes all restrictions, illustrates that he had no basis for the orders in the first place, Staver added.

The only thing that changed was he was dragged to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. While we are happy that all churches and houses of worship no longer have any restrictions, we want to make sure this tyranny and abuse never happens again.
A joint statement released on May 25 calls for solidarity against hate and racism against Asian communities in the US. The statement is signed by more than 100 prominent writers, artists, actors, and creative professionals. Many of them are Americans with Asian origins.

The statement is followed by a day-long event of online panel discussions hosted by Pen America and Asian American Writers Workshops on May 27. Panelists including college professors, writers and journalists drew attention on hostility mindset and behaviors after the COVID-19 pandemic, asking people to speak out and fight hate.

The statement refers to a report released by ADL, an organization watch for bias, discrimination and hate around the world. The report listed more than 100 anti-Asian incidents reported in the media and by victims since January. The attacks have happened in college campuses, city subways and online. Many individuals being spit on, stabbed, beat up, or verbally assaulted.

One incident reported by the Daily Beast is that a man from Myanmar and his two children, ages six and two, were attacked and stabbed at a Sams Club by a 19-year-old man in Texas on March 14. The alleged assailant admitted to targeting the family because he believed the family was Chinese and infecting people with coronavirus.

ADL points out that the list is still not comprehensive, but it is clear that these are not just isolated incidents. The anti-Asian sentiment is on rise, in both scale and quantity.

According to a recent Ipsos poll among Americans, 32% of them have witnessed someone blaming Asian people for COVID-19 and 24% would be concerned about coming in close contact with someone of Asian origins. With such an alarming proportion, things could be out of control if unchecked.

They have been egged on at times by an administration drawing on racist tropes and stereotypes, eager to distract from its own missteps, claims the statement. It highlights that public officials and leaders in the US have not taken sufficient steps to address such attacks, and in some cases are promoting theories that blame Asian people for the coronavirus pandemic.

We, the undersigned, call on everyday citizens to join us in standing in solidarity with all those targeted by hate during COVID-19, said the statement, The time to turn back this wave of hate is now.
The simplest way to benefit from a rising market is to buy an index fund. Active investors aim to buy stocks that vastly outperform the market - but in the process, they risk under-performance. For example, the CLP Holdings Limited (HKG:2) share price is down 15% in the last year. That contrasts poorly with the market decline of 6.9%. However, the longer term returns haven't been so bad, with the stock down 11% in the last three years. More recently, the share price has dropped a further 8.3% in a month.

See our latest analysis for CLP Holdings

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

Unfortunately CLP Holdings reported an EPS drop of 66% for the last year. The share price fall of 15% isn't as bad as the reduction in earnings per share. So the market may not be too worried about the EPS figure, at the moment -- or it may have expected earnings to drop faster.

The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

SEHK:2 Past and Future Earnings May 29th 2020

This free interactive report on CLP Holdings's earnings, revenue and cash flow is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. As it happens, CLP Holdings's TSR for the last year was -12%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

Story continues

A Different Perspective

While the broader market lost about 6.9% in the twelve months, CLP Holdings shareholders did even worse, losing 12% (even including dividends) . However, it could simply be that the share price has been impacted by broader market jitters. It might be worth keeping an eye on the fundamentals, in case there's a good opportunity. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 6.2% per year over half a decade. If the fundamental data continues to indicate long term sustainable growth, the current sell-off could be an opportunity worth considering. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. To that end, you should be aware of the 4 warning signs we've spotted with CLP Holdings .

Of course CLP Holdings may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on HK exchanges.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
This story is jointly produced by the South China Morning Post and POLITICO, with reporting from Brussels, Paris and Hong Kong.

European leaders are in no mood to follow the United States in threatening trade sanctions against China as it moves to tighten its grip on Hong Kong, although foreign ministers will meet on Friday to try to hack out a common position.

Chinas top legislature on Thursday voted to impose a national security law on Hong Kong, sparking concerns that Beijing will limit the autonomy granted by the one country, two systems principle that followed the end of British rule in 1997.

The US, Canada, Australia and Britain condemned Beijings step, hailing Hong Kong as a bastion of freedom, while Britain held open the prospect of citizenship for more Hongkongers if Beijing presses ahead.

But despite growing tensions over the former British colony, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Europes most powerful politician, insisted she still wants the European Union to reach a landmark investment agreement with China this year.

And while US President Donald Trump said on Thursday the US would be announcing new US policies on Friday as we are not happy with China after his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had already cast doubt on Hong Kongs continued preferential trading status, the EU stuck to traditional diplomatic expressions of concern.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he had deep concern about Thursdays move. He has previously insisted Brussels attaches great importance to the preservation of Hong Kongs high degree of autonomy, but said this week he did not think sanctions against China are going to be a solution for our problems.

Merkel also said the EU, the worlds biggest trade bloc, needed to maintain a critical and constructive dialogue, with trade retaliation not on the agenda when European foreign ministers meet on Friday.

Sanctions are not on the table, our relations with the Chinese are simply too important

Story continues

Senior EU diplomat

Sanctions are not on the table, our relations with the Chinese are simply too important, one senior EU diplomat said.

The senior EU diplomat added that Hong Kong could be a game changer as questions increase about the rule of law in a city of 7 million people that is the base for many European investors in the region.

But the key issue is whether Chinas power grab in Hong Kong will weigh on the EUs investment agreement with China.

Germany wants the deal to be concluded at an EU-China summit in the German city of Leipzig in September, although the agreement was already in trouble even before the latest flare-up in Hong Kong.

Michael Clauss, Germanys ambassador to the EU and a former ambassador to China, admitted earlier this month that talks were stuck over market access rights for European companies.

Joerg Wuttke, president of the European Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, has also since warned that events in Hong Kong could undermine Chinas diplomatic standing.

This could seriously affect ongoing negotiations between the EU and China on a variety of critical areas such as the comprehensive agreement on investment and on issues of common concern like climate change, he said.

It would, though, require a major political shift for Europe to reverse away from the investment agreement. The EU officials in charge of the investment agreement negotiations with China were not given the mandate to include Hong Kongs human rights issues, according to three European Union diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity. European parliamentarians could change this, however, one of the diplomats said.

If [MEPs] insist on that, the [European] Council may have to consider something like changing the mandate, at a later stage. But this must be discussed and talked through, and the [European] Commission would have to take the initiative, he said.

Still, one high-level EU official noted that the security law could itself simply make European investment undesirable.

One of the key issues in Hong Kong is the change  the sudden, radical change  in the legal framework, legal guarantees, in how the judicial system can work. If youre an investor, it is the key part of the reason to take into account when making investment decisions, he said.

Investment flight would be a huge problem for Hong Kong, which has always sought to entice investors by parading its openness. The city was ranked as the third most popular destination for foreign direct investment from the EU in 2017, much of which is then channelled to China. About half of the 2,200 European companies in Hong Kong also use it as their regional headquarters or offices.

The EU is Hong Kongs second largest trading partner, after China, while Germany is by far the largest European trading partner for the city, with bilateral trade amounting to some 13.97 billion (US$15.4 billion) in 2019.

We do notice that many stakeholders inside and outside Hong Kong, including the [EU], are monitoring the current development closely, besides having expressed their concerns

Frederik Gollob

I believe we are still looking at a strong case for Hong Kong overall, said Frederik Gollob, chair of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. However, we do notice that many stakeholders inside and outside Hong Kong, including the [EU], are monitoring the current development closely, besides having expressed their concerns.

Investors had already started to feel the heat in Hong Kong since the local governments failed attempt last year to push through an extradition law that would have allowed suspects in Hong Kong to be sent to China for trial.

The Hong Kong government has lost a lot of credibility, if not all of it. Id not be surprised to see businesses leaving or reducing their operations or staff in Hong Kong, said Julien Chaisse, a law professor at the City University of Hong Kong.

Itll take time to measure this exodus, but Id expect some clear trends to become visible after summer.

Reinhard Buetikofer, a German member of the European Parliament and chair of its delegation for relations with China, said that EU foreign ministers meeting on Friday should speak out clearly and condemn Beijings attacks on Hong Kongs autonomy.

He called for a mechanism to respond to human rights violations and for EU countries to reconsider their work with the telecommunications company Huawei in view of the fact that Chinas leadership is arrogantly ignoring international law.

Speaking to German diplomats on Monday, Borrell argued that the pressure to choose sides [between the US and China] is growing and that we need a more robust strategy for China.

The fact that there are fundamental differences between us should not be an argument against exchange, dialogue and cooperation

Angela Merkel

Merkel, however, suggested on Wednesday that Europe would seek to avoid the open confrontation with Beijing pursued by Washington.

She conceded the EU had profound differences with China on the rule of law, freedom, democracy and human rights, but that it wanted to take a different approach from the Washington-Beijing clash.

Let us think only of the situation in Hong Kong with regard to the principle of one country, two systems. The fact that there are fundamental differences between us should not be an argument against exchange, dialogue and cooperation, especially not at a time when we are experiencing a sharply increasing conflict between the USA and China, said Merkel.

Stuart Lau reports for the South China Morning Post from Brussels. Jakob Hanke Vela and Jacopo Barigazzi report for POLITICO from Brussels. Finbarr Bermingham reports for the South China Morning Post from Hong Kong. Rym Momtaz, who reports for Politico from France, also contributed to this article.

Sign up now and get a 10% discount (original price US$400) off the China AI Report 2020 by SCMP Research. Learn about the AI ambitions of Alibaba, Baidu & JD.com through our in-depth case studies, and explore new applications of AI across industries. The report also includes exclusive access to webinars to interact with C-level executives from leading China AI companies (via live Q&A sessions). Offer valid until 31 May 2020.

More from South China Morning Post:

This article EU not in mood to follow Donald Trump into China conflict over Hong Kong national security law first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.
My heart used to sink whenever a few of my high school seniors proudly informed me that they planned to major in psychology. Even though at the time I didnt see much of a need for psychologists, I tried to sound encouraging unless they went on to say that they planned to minor in philosophy.

Let us flash forward. If I had it to do over, I would consider getting a degree in psychology. I think I can safely say that there has never been a greater demand for psychologists than there is now. -- Beg pardon? Yes, psychiatrists even more so. Theyre the ones who can prescribe drugs, arent they?

You would have to agree that I am one of the most mentally stable persons I know. Im cool, calm, and kind. Ive even been told that, at times, I displayed a hint of patience. Unfortunately, that hasnt happened recently. I am at my ropes end, and there is no room to tie a knot and hang on.

Dont say anything to Kay, but she is beginning to bug me. Shes not as nice and understanding as she used to be. I dont know the last time she tactfully asked me something. -- Darling, would you please pick up the peanuts around your chair? I used to get a lot of that stuff. Polite and cordial. I deal with that, But now I get, Sweetheart, would you mind awfully finding just one item you came home with that was actually on the shopping list?

What do you do with a comment like that? Any other husband wouldve unloaded. Not, Mark Atticus Hayter. I always go with the truth. Sweetpea, I lost your list and my mask while searching for the perfect watermelon in a bin that couldve held a pod of orcas.

Along with Kays mood change, Im finding it difficult to trust myself in decision making. In fact, let me just tell you upfront, were I you, I would suspend making any big decision until after this whole pandemic thing is behind us. Ive been thinking about us selling both our cars that have 31 years between them, and buying a 2020 model of something good. That would enable us to acquire a monthly car payment beyond that which Teacher Retirement could even supplement. Fortunately, Kay threw a hissy fit over my idea.

So, my advice, dont make any big purchases. Dont plan on a move to Alaska, or buying a new home somewhere west of town. Stay completely away from Amazon. Whatever you do, do not buy a couple of rottweilers, unless you have a herd of bovine you can feed em.

Ill have you know that at this moment there are three boxed, high-quality toilet seats in this house. I didnt intend to buy them but the thought hit while I was passing by the toilet aisle. The seats that came with the house are touted as being easy to take off. They are. Theyll even take off while youre sitting on em. It never bothered me because I know how to slide em back on. It was our guests who started complaining. I figured I could either replace the toilet seats or stop inviting people over. I decided to stop inviting people over.

However, while in Home Depot I had a change of heart. Im glad that Dad was not alive to find out that his number three son paid $120 for three toilet seats. He wouldve come up-glued. He liked that old adage. Regardless, sometime between now and the Fourth of July 2023, Ill have those seats mounted. I mean installed. It was a frivolous buy, but Ive put it behind me.

Another thing sending me to the edge is my health. Its shot. Kay edited out the part about my hemorrhoids, so Im going with the kidney stones. Ive passed more stones than kids in a clod fight. Last weekend was my most recent attack. All I had to work with were the eight pain pills that my doctor prescribed back in 06. They were weak as all get out. The fast care places recommended I go to the emergency room. I preferred having Kay just kill me.

I never did pass that stone, but after standing on my head a few times, it moved to a less painful locale. I feared it was too large to pass, so I ended up getting a CT scan along with an appointment with my urologist. Low and behold, the doctor could find no stone in either kidney. He said my kidneys were in better shape than he had ever seen em. I couldnt believe it. I dont believe it. While he was still looking at the computer screen, I pointed out an odd-shaped object and jokingly asked if it was related to the topic Kay doesnt want me to mention.

The doc told me that my CT scan wouldnt have picked that up. Thats what he called it. That. I ended up sharing that experience with Brad Meyer, but only because he was foolish enough to ask how I was doing. After I told him of my discussion with my urologist, he suggested I write an article about it and title it Tales from the Backside.

And that, my faithful reader, is what Im talking about. Events are pushing me closer and closer to a session with a psychologist. The only thing keeping me from going now is my fear of getting an appointment with one of my ex-students. After telling her my problems, I have every confidence that she will recommend I see a psychiatrist.

hayter.mark@gmail.com
MONTREAL - Business at Canadian National Railway Co. has gone downhill since mid-March, leading to thousands of temporary job cuts at the company as the COVID-19 pandemic rips into a sector that serves as a barometer of economic cycles.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/5/2020 (602 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A CN locomotive makes it's way through the CN Taschereau yard in Montreal on November, 28, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

MONTREAL - Business at Canadian National Railway Co. has gone downhill since mid-March, leading to thousands of temporary job cuts at the company as the COVID-19 pandemic rips into a sector that serves as a barometer of economic cycles.

Revenue ton miles  a key industry metric  fell 15 per cent year over year in April and 21 per cent in May, CEO JJ Ruest said Thursday, speaking at a conference held online.

"Business has been slowing down since mid-March, April was lower than March and May was lower than April," he said. "June might be flat to May," although it could be the "tipping point ... slightly."

CN Rail has cut its workforce by 5,800 employees or 21 per cent since May 2019, including 3,500 workers furloughed due to the pandemic, Ruest said.

More than 70 per cent of those furloughs were already in place by late April, the company said last month.

The job cuts come in lockstep with a reduction in the number of active cars by 17 per cent, with some 21,000 now in storage. More than 20 per cent of CN's locomotive fleet  about 720 engines  are also off the track indefinitely, it said.

Ruest said automotive shipments have been a "roller-coaster," falling, rising and falling again as factories in China closed and then reopened just as plants shut down in North America.

Auto volumes have dropped more than 90 per cent year over year, he said, with a bleak outlook for the months ahead as frugal consumers pull back on big purchases in a recession.

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"I don't know whether people will start to buy vehicles again," Ruest said.

Meanwhile, earnings from crude by rail and frac sand are "as bad as can be" amid a global glut of oil and a pandemic-induced plunge in demand, both of which have sent oil prices to near-record lows over the past two months.

On the plus side, the CEO said grain revenues will likely hit new monthly highs in May, June and July after notching record levels in March and April following a backlog owing to a late, wet crop last year.

CN, which last month scrapped its 2020 profit forecast as well as the three-year targets it outlined last June, is aiming for $2.5 billion of free cash flow in 2020, Ruest said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CNR)
Protesters run away from tear gas during a march against Beijings plans to impose national security legislation in Hong Kong on May 24, 2020. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

Aussie PM Rules Out Sanctions Against Beijing for Controversial Hong Kong Security Laws

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stated that Australia is not considering sanctions against Beijing in response to the Chinese communist regimes rubber-stamp legislature, the National Peoples Congress (NPC) approving security laws targeting Hong Kong.

Morrison stated at a press conference following the national cabinet meeting on Friday, that sanctions were currently not an issue before government and that it was not in consideration.

Morrison said the federal government had issued several statements on the matter and have done so in concert with several like-minded countries.

That sets out the governments very clear and consistent position regarding the Basic Law and what we consider the departure from those principles, which have been widely seen as the one country, two system process, he said.

Morrison also said the government was concerned for the large number of Australian residents who currently reside in Hong Kong and was keen to provide them with support during the civil unrest.

Hong Kong-born federal member of Parliament Gladys Liu issued a statement on May 28 saying, As someone who was born and raised in Hong Kong, I am saddened by the current violence and I am concerned about the proposed laws.

Australian Liberal backbencher Gladys Liu attends a Question Time session at Parliament House in Canberra on Sept. 12, 2019. (Mark Graham/AFP/Getty Images)

Making such a law on Hong Kongs behalf, without the direct participation of its people, legislature or judiciary, would clearly undermine the principle of One Country, Two Systems, under which Hong Kong is guaranteed a high degree of autonomy, she said.

I have consistently supported the principles of autonomy that have underwritten Hong Kongs stability and prosperity and are critical to maintaining international and business confidence in Hong Kong.

That same day, Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne, along with her United States, United Kingdom, and Canadian counterparts, together issued a joint statement condemning the NPCs approval of the law earlier on the same day.

On May 23, the foreign affairs minister, along with her Canadian and UK counterparts issued an initial statement responding to the Chinese leaderships announcement of the security bill.

Protests have re-emerged in Hong Kong sparked by the controversial security bill. The bills passage through the NPC bypassed Hong Kongs Legislative Council, which has traditionally been the lawmaking body for the city.

The security bill, whilst scant on detail, alludes to giving the NPC authority to legislate on Hong Kong regarding alleged activities that could split the country, subvert state power, organize and carry out terrorist activities.

A wide reading of these laws implies that Beijing has the authority to make wholesale changes to the one country, two systems framework, which underpins civil rights in the city.
A mother has captured on camera the moment her three-year-old and her best friend were reunited for a weekend of play together after spending over two months apart in lockdown.

Little Madison Rosboschil, three, from Texas, was desperate to see her best friend, and cousin, James, also three, who she used to play with all the time before they were separated during lockdown.

Madi's mother Kathleen said the experience was difficult for her daughter, saying: 'Throughout the lockdown Madison has found it tough because she had no one her size to play with, she loves playing chase and her first question was asking if James would chase her when they met up.'

The pair, who have only been able to FaceTime and speak on the phone, were finally able to reunite last week, with their parents capturing the emotional moment they raced into each other's arms on camera.

Mother Kathleen Rosboschil, from Texas, managed to capture the moment her daughter Madi, three, reunited with her best friend James, also three, after months of seperation

Kathleen revealed how Madi and James have always been inseperable and said the lockdown had been 'tough' on her daughter

Kathleen, a quality assurance advisor, said: 'The last time they were with each other was 67 days ago and they saw each other all the time until we left because we didn't know what to expect with the lockdown.

'They're cousins and were born two weeks apart, so they have grown up together experiencing everything at the same time.'

Erin Blaylock, James's mother, added: 'They were born just a few weeks apart so they were each other's first friend.

'Madi is the first person James wants to call when he gets a new toy or something exciting to share.'

Kathleen revealed how her daughter had been able to stay connected with her best friend with the help of modern technology during lockdown

Kathleen said: 'When the lockdown happened, we said our goodbyes and the kids knew they would meet again once it was safe to do so.'

During the lockdown, the only way they could speak to each other with telephones and laptops but lacked real time together which started to take its toll on the cute pair.

Erin said: 'We have been thankful for modern technology which has kept us connected during these unprecedented times but there is nothing better than spending time with your best friend.'

Kathleen said: 'Last week lockdown was lifted so I told her she was going to get to see him which made her so happy, she kept asking when we were going and when we finally did, we all arranged to spend the weekend together.

In the adorable video, the emotional children can be seen racing towards one another with their arms outstretched

The youngsters could barely contain their excitement as they prepared to reunite during the emotional moment

The youngsters could be seen enjoying a warm embrace, with their parents having reminded them not to take off their face coverings

After the cuddle, the three-year-olds could be seen re-adjusting their masks as they spoke face-to-face for the first time in months

Erin added: 'He couldn't sleep the night before we were traveling because of how excited he was, James had been asking to see Madi for the past two months and we just had to tell him that we weren't able to yet because of the germs.

Meanwhile Kathleen explained: 'She called James as soon as she woke up shouting that she was coming to see him, we taught them it was important to keep the masks on, but they could give each other a hug.'

The adorable reunion was filmed and in the video the tots can be seen charging towards each other to embrace, both with masks on and then started chatting.

It has been two months since they last played together and they were inseparable for the entire weekend.

Kathleen revealed how the usually inseperable duo had been 'desperate for kids to play with' during the lockdown

The families planned a series of activities during the weekend, with the duo enjoying board games and make-believe, as well as watching movies, during the few days

Meanwhile Madi and James were also lucky enough to enjoy a private pool in the neighbourhood as they enjoyed the early-summer weather

Kathleen revealed: 'I pulled up and James was waiting around the corner when we got out the car, they just ran straight to each other to cuddle - it was such a beautiful moment.

'We spent the weekend together and the neighbourhood has a private pool so we went there together, we also went to visit my other sister so they could play with their other cousin.

'My daughter has been desperate for kids to play with and she just wanted to play chase with James all weekend.

'They would stay up together until 10pm every night running around the living room and playing together.'

Kathleen revealed that while the duo 'have done everything together as they've grown up', they are also 'quite different' from one another

Kathleen revealed how the children are 'quite different' despite their closeness, with James a natural performer' and Madi slightly more reserved

Erin added: 'They played make-believe, had a movie night to watch 'Scoob' and played board games, James was happy to have another person to play with other than his mommy.'

Kathleen said: 'Because they're the same age they have done everything together as they've grown up, they're quite different too.

'Madi is very reserved and shy until she really knows someone, but we all joke that James should be in Hollywood because he loves to perform and is confident with anyone - they both complement each other in different ways.'

Kathleen added: 'It was great to be able to spend some proper time together, and now they just can't wait to see each other again'
The United Kingdom, Australia and Canada are also part of it. For these, the measure is contrary to the international commitments made by the Chinese government. USA and Great Britain threaten retaliation. European Union: Basic Law violated.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews / Agencies) - An international front led by the United States has roundly condemned Beijings security law for Hong Kong. In a joint statement, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada invite China to review its decision, which they say is contrary to the international commitments made by the Chinese government.

The reference is to the Sino-British agreement of 1984, which regulated the passage of Hong Kong from the sovereignty of London to that of Beijing in 1997, and ensures the city a high degree of autonomy from the motherland until 2047.

The new measure was approved yesterday by the National People's Congress, the Chinese parliament. It punishes "acts" and "activities" that seriously endanger national security. Hong Kong residents may be arrested for subversion, secession, terrorism and collaboration with foreign forces interfering in the affairs of the city.

The United States is considering whether to cancel commercial preferences granted to Hong Kong, such as financial and entry visa preferences. Washington also threatens to impose sanctions and new duties on Beijing. London will ensure citizenship of Hong Kong citizens who hold a British passport.

The European Union also said it was concerned about Beijing's move. Josep Borrell, head of European diplomacy, yesterday told the United Nations that the new law does not comply with the international agreements signed by the Chinese or with the Basic Law, Hong Kongs mini-Constitution.

So far Taiwan is the only Asian country to have clearly condemned the measure. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen announced yesterday that her executive will develop a mechanism to offer humanitarian assistance to Hong Kong citizens who intend to seek asylum on the island this week.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

An Albuquerque mans victory in a federal class-action lawsuit will have an effect nationwide on people denied Social Security benefits because of unconstitutional same-sex marriage bans in place before 2015.

A federal judge in Arizona ruled Wednesday that the Social Security Administration cant deny survivors benefits to anyone who was part of a couple who werent married for the required nine months before receiving the benefits if the couple werent allowed to get married due to a same-sex marriage ban.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June 2015 that same-sex marriage bans were unconstitutional. Several states, including New Mexico, began loosening same-sex marriage restrictions in 2013.

Albuquerque resident Anthony Gonzales was a plaintiff in the lawsuit. He married Mark Johnson, his partner of 15 years, when Bernalillo County started issuing same-sex marriage licenses in August 2013.

Johnson died of cancer in February 2014. Gonzales lost his job in January 2015 and applied for Social Security survivors benefits when he turned 60 in May 2015.

The Social Security Administration withheld the benefits because Gonzales and Johnson hadnt been married for the required nine months.

But federal Judge Bruce Macdonald ruled Wednesday that the SSAs decision to deny the benefits to Gonzales and two other men who also lost their husbands was unconstitutional.

Im ecstatic, Gonzales said of the decision. It was very good news.

The judge also classified the suit as a class action.

Defendant is ENJOINED from denying class members benefits without consideration of whether survivors of same-sex couples who were prohibited by unconstitutional laws barring same-sex marriage from being married for at least nine months would otherwise qualify for survivors benefits, Macdonalds order states.

Peter Renn of Los Angeles-based law firm Lambda Legal, which represented the plaintiffs, said Gonzales and others in his situation will finally get the money they are owed.

The government has been robbing same-sex couples of their benefits for which they already paid, Renn said.

A Social Security Administration spokeswoman referred all questions to the U.S. Department of Justice. The DOJ did not respond to Journal questions Thursday.
The Indian economy grew at 3.1 percent in March quarter of FY20 and the full-year growth came in at 4.2 percent against 6.1 percent in FY19.

Experts said the numbers are on expected lines and the full impact of lockdown will be felt in the coming quarters.

"GDP growth rate for Q4FY20 is in the expected line as growth was moving in a downward trajectory. The impact of COVID was limited in the last quarter of FY20, though the slowdown in global economic activities affected India as well," Deepthi Mathew, Economist at Geojit Financial Services, told Moneycontrol.

Experts feel the data could be revised given more than a week of lockdown in March. The GDP numbers for Q1, Q2 and Q3 of FY20 have already been revised downwards. The Q3FY20 GDP was revised to 4.1 percent (from 4.7 percent.

The nationwide lockdown in India started on March 25 and currently we are in the lockdown 4.0.

"The statutory deadline extension for financial returns hit data flow to calculate GDP. Hence quarterly and annual GDP estimates of FY20 is likely to undergo revision," a Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation statement said.

"The Q4 GDP data looks much better but there could have been some data problem given the lockdown started in last week of March. So revision in numbers can't be ruled out. It is too early to conclude the impact of lockdown on economy," Dharmakirti Joshi, Chief Economist at CRISIL, told CNBC-TV18.

"My hunch is that exports contracted by 35 percent, auto sales were down by 45 percent, which indicated that industrial activity was getting impacted in March, aviation was also shut. So the data may not have captured the lockdown period data," Joshi said.

The gross value added (GVA) grew 3 percent in March quarter 2020, while the full year (FY20) growth was 3.9 percent against 6 percent in FY19.

The Q4 growth was supported by agriculture which grew 5.9 percent (against 3.6 percent QoQ and 1.6 percent YoY), and mining which showed growth at 5.2 percent (against 2.2 percent QoQ and (-4.8) percent YoY).

"Agriculture numbers are definitely good and are also going to be good numbers given the strong rabi harvest numbers. So agri become a hope for FY21," Joshi said.

Public administration also supported GDP, with growth at 10.1 percent in Q4FY20 against 10.9 percent QoQ and 11.6 percent YoY. However, manufacturing, construction and industries have seen contraction in Q4 while the growth in Trade & Hotels, Finance & Real Estate and Services have fallen.

Private Consumption Expenditure growth in Q4 dipped to 2.7 percent compared to 6.6 percent in previous quarter and Gross Fixed Capital Formation growth contracted further to (-6.5) percent against (-5.2) percent on sequential basis, but Government Final Consumption Expenditure grew to 13.6 percent against 13.4 percent QoQ.

"The private consumption expenditure falling is not surprising, infact it already showed deceleration. Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) was contracting even in earlier two quarters and this was the third quarter where contraction continued. Given the headwinds facing by India, we see deeper contraction in GFCF data," Anubhuti Sahay, Head of South Asia Eco Research at Standard Chartered Bank told CNBC-TV18.

Dharmakirti Joshi also feels GFCF will go down further. "Agri, mining will be saviours, but are not enough to offset the impact which is seen in other sectors."

Indranil Pan of IDFC First Bank said given significant contraction in revenue, the government expenditure will not hold on same levels if private consumption expenditure continues to fall in FY21.

Hence experts expect the double digit contraction in first quarter FY21 GDP, but as there could be some improvement in economic activity after easing lockdown measures from May onwards, the full year degrowth could be in single digit.

"These are starting points, the data captured only one week of lockdown, so the pain is ahead definitely in Q1FY21 which will come out later in the year. We see 35 percent degrowth in Q1FY21 GDP due to already tepid growth in economy and lockdown for more than 2 months," Anubhuti Sahay said.

"India could degrew 4% in FY21 as once the recovery starts, we should see some improvement in numbers on May onwards due to some relaxation from lockdown," she added.

Joshi also said, "My broad sense is that 2019-20 like story will be played out in FY21 as well but would be much deeper."

Indranil Pan, the Group Economist at IDFC FIRST Bank expects a contraction 14-15 percent in Q1FY21 GDP and (-6.4) percent for FY21 due to stalled economy for two-and-half-month by COVID-19-led lockdown.

"Trajectory was anyway on downwards during COVID. Therefore there is definitely some headwinds on the structural front. Health problem will have significant impact," he said.

Here is what other experts said:

Upasna Bhardwaj, Senior Economist at Kotak Mahindra Bank

Expectedly, the 4QFY21 GDP slowed down across manufacturing, construction and trade hotels, partly reflecting the sudden halt in economic activity led by the COVID-related response. Probable, some data gaps could also have made the data patchy. While the slowdown in economy was already underway, the COVID-19 related disruptions has further exaggerated the issue. We expect the 1QFY21 to record a sharp contraction of over 14 percent, with only a gradual recovery thereafter. For the year, we continue to expect contraction in GDP (over 5 percent). Accordingly, expansionary fiscal and monetary response will have to continue to aid the economy.

Joseph Thomas, Head of Research - Emkay Wealth Management

The sluggishness in economic growth which was a feature of the numbers in the Q2 and Q3 of the last financial year, manifested itself once again in the Q4 growth rate falling further to 3.10 percent. This number fully reflects the slowdown which the economy was going through in the last two years, and it also amply highlights the importance of a demand-led recovery for sustainable future growth. This number is more important than a quarterly number. Because this number would be the base against which the impact of the lockdown and consequent demand destruction, loss of productivity and employment would mapped. What could be the fall from this level us the question that would be asked. It goes without saying that the number for Q1 of the current financial year will be much lower bordering on the negative as we get the first estimates after a month. That the core sector output contracted by 38 percent in April is an indicator of the dent which the lockdown is likely to bring forth in economic activity and the resultant numbers.

B Gopkumar, MD & CEO at Axis Securities

GDP growth at 3.1 percent is not a major surprise considering the challenges that started in March 2020 and Q1FY21 will be even weaker. This information is already factored by the market and now focus has shifted to opening of economy. The pace at which demand will be restored to normalcy is critical. There have been some encouraging signs in consumer staples, digital businesses and Pharmaceuticals. However, large ticket consumer discretionary revival will take time. Overall, businesses have drawn plans to deal with the situation and economy will improve from hereon and demand will pick up with each passing month.

Dhiraj Relli, MD & CEO at HDFC Securities

The Q4FY20 GDP number came in better than expected at 3.1 percent (11-year low) though the downward revision in the previous three quarters takes away some of that relief. The poor data on growth of Indias eight infrastructure sectors contracting by a record 38.1 percent in April led by cement, steel, electricity and coal was partly on expected lines. However this data does not portend well for Q1FY21 unless we see a fast and complete lifting of lockout with safeguards in place.

The fact that Manufacturing sector has grown at 0 percent for the whole of FY20 versus 5.7 percent in previous year highlights the extent of issues in that sector and prompts faster and thorough measures to kickstart manufacturing given that the first two months of FY21 are washouts and job creation remains a top priority in the current times. Construction is the other sector needing immediate attention. Agriculture could do well even in FY21 after growing 4 percent in FY20 and lead the sectoral growth in FY21, contrary to its negative contribution in all earlier years of negative GDP growth.

Deepthi Mathew, Economist at Geojit Financial Services

GDP data for Q1FY21 would slip to the negative territory, with the impact of COVID on the economy fully captured.

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on Moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
President Donald Trump's threat Friday to involve the military more deeply in the response to looting in Minneapolis pulled the military into a political fray over the issue, but he is unlikely to follow through despite his authority to deploy armed forces, defense officials and national security experts said.

The threat came in a pair of tweets from the White House during protests that escalated into violence following the death of a handcuffed black man, George Floyd, after an officer was shown on video pressing a knee on his neck. Trump tweeted as scenes of a police station and other buildings burning in Minneapolis aired on television amid calls for the officer's arrest.

"These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen," Trump tweeted, using a term with racist connotations for those involved in the looting. "Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

In another tweet, Trump said he "can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis," and blamed local officials there for a "total lack of leadership."

Trump's reaction immediately pulled the Pentagon into a crisis that already has racial and political dynamics. It follows other incidents in which the president has politicized the military, including the deployment of active-duty service members to the southern border, threats to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Twitter and intervention into criminal justice cases.

Troops historically have been put under federal control to quell unrest only when more local forces were unable to do so, said Lindsay Cohn, a professor at the Naval War College. While federalized troops can be effective peacekeepers in situations where trust between police or civilians is broken, she said, Trump's comments indicated he wanted to use military force in a suppression role, and are consistent with his tendency to use tough-guy rhetoric.

"His base also tend to have very high confidence in the military and to see them as effective, so this appears to be politicized use of the idea of the military to appeal to the president's political supporters," she said.

The Pentagon historically dislikes overseeing troops under federal control to handle unrest, preferring to leave them to the National Guard under state orders. Under federal orders, Cohn noted, the Defense Department picks up the majority of the cost, rather than the state.

Trump's tweets had parallels to his comments about the southern border in 2018, when he suggested that if migrants threw rocks at U.S. troops dispatched there, American forces should act as if the rocks are rifles. After a backlash, Trump said the migrants would not be shot.

Walz, a Democrat and retired command sergeant major in the National Guard, already had activated guard to assist police on Thursday, a point that Trump did not acknowledge. The governor's decision follows similar actions by other governors amid unrest prompted by the death of black men at the hands of police, including in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014, and in Baltimore in 2015.

In those cases, the guard operated under state orders and did not have a leading role, as government officials sought to deescalate tensions. Under such orders, guard can take on law enforcement duties, but frequently do not. In Minnesota, they will not have authority to arrest and will be armed for their own self-defense, state officials said.

But Trump also has the authority to order federalized troops to Minnesota under laws such as the Insurrection Act, which allows presidents to deploy the military domestically during emergencies without a governor's permission, said Stephen Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law.

Such actions are rare but have occurred, most recently in 1992 amid rioting in Los Angeles after the police beating of Rodney King was recorded on video. Then-President George H.W. Bush deployed 4,000 active-duty soldiers and Marines to complement thousands of National Guard and police.

"This is one of those areas where I think the law is actually a lot scarier than we might like it to be," Vladeck said. "It's the practical and political constraints that are the political checks" on power.

Vladeck added that if the president deploys forces under federal orders, he would be responsible for whatever happens.

"Right now, if things go well he can say that he told Walz to do it, and if things go badly, he can say, 'It's all Walz's fault,' " Vladeck said.

A senior defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Defense Secretary Mark Esper and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, had spoken with Walz on Friday. The two officials "pledged to support him in any way that he would need," the official said. "The governor had no requests at this time and the Defense Department is not sending any additional assets."

Gen. Joseph Lengyel, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, spoke with the president on Friday about the unrest, a defense official said. He declined to discuss internal deliberations.

The Minnesota National Guard said Friday that Walz had activated about 500 guardsmen, including some who were on duty Thursday night.

Peter Feaver, a scholar on civil-military relations at Duke University, said Trump's warning on Twitter was likely to result in a planning process among government officials but didn't constitute a presidential order.

Feaver noted that Bush employed active-duty troops to assist in Louisiana when local authorities were overwhelmed by the scale of the destruction following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But state authorities rejected White House requests to put the National Guard there under federal control. The situation in Minnesota, Feaver said, does not appear to have reached the same scale of crisis that followed Katrina.

"It does feel a little more politically opportunistic for the president to insert himself in this," especially when the governor is not requesting it, Feaver said.

"The use of the military by federal authorities in domestic situations, while it's precedented, it also tends to be very controversial," he said. "It's a politically fraught move."

By Friday afternoon, Trump appeared to backtrack on his late-night tweets.

In a follow-up message, he recast his comment about looting leading to shooting by noting that a man had been shot to death in Minneapolis on Wednesday night, and that others had been shot in Louisville, on Thursday.

"I don't want this to happen, and that's what the expression put out last night means," he tweeted. "It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement. It's very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media. Honor the memory of George Floyd!"
Two Sligo schools are maintaining links with counterparts in Kenya despite the difficulty of the pandemic.

Gaelscoil Chnoc na Re has a well-established link with Tumu Tumu Primary School and raises funds to support the maintenance and development of this rural school in Central Kenya.

Mercy College established a link in 2018 with Tumu Tumu High School and during a 2019 cultural school exchange, established a fundraising commitment to Tumu Tumu School for Children with Hearing Impairment.

Fundraising activities planned for 2020 initially took a setback due to coronavirus but thanks to the determination and collaboration of both schools, they have come up with a novel idea of continuing to raise money during lockdown to support both Tumu Tumu Schools and Kisiju Mission School in rural Tanzania.

Dara Gallagher, Fiona Gallagher, Colette O'Hagan and Micheal O Broin have established a new fundraising site for the three East African Schools.

Dara first worked as a doctor in Tumu Tumu Hospital in the Kenyan Central Highlands in 1992, and has maintained close links with Tumu Tumu ever since, travelling there regularly.

Her sister Fiona has been travelling to Tumu Tumu since 1995.

Dara and Micheal, the Principal of Gaelscoil Chnoc na Re, established a link with Tumu Tumu Primary School in 2016, and fundraising in the past, through the parent body CAIRDE, has enabled the building of a school kitchen.

In 2018 Dara, Fiona and Colette, Principal of Mercy College Sligo, established a link between Mercy College and Tumu Tumu School for the Hearing Impaired.

This is a special residential school for Deaf Children, some of whom also have developmental difficulties. Colette, Dara and Fiona, together with 15 Mercy College Students and teacher Katie Kelly, visited the school in 2019 providing much needed funding for food and water access.

Colette and Mercy College also have a long-established link with Kisiju Mission School in Tanzania and fundraise for much needed basic equipment and supplies.

Central Kenya, as well as having to contend with COVID-19, has been hit very badly in the past month by heavy monsoon rain.

Tumu Tumu School for the Deaf, saw their pit latrines and other buildings collapse into the ground and are urgently in need of new toilets.

They are also in need of food and funds to build a well. Tumu Tumu Primary School hopes to complete a kitchen and dining hall that the Gaelscoil has previously supported.

Kisiju School is in urgent need of basic equipment and school supplies.

The fundraiser "We Will Walk 500 miles" started on Monday 11th of May and ends on Sunday 21 June.

Dara, Fiona, Colette, Katie, Carol Ni Chormaic, Martin & Jetty Gallagher together with Foireann Gaelscoil Chnoc na Re, -Muinteoir Micheal, Herta, Jade, Grainne, Yvonne, Sile, Katriona, LauraAnn, Lynne, Dara, Liz, Sorcha, Donna, Brid agus Samantha, "will walk 500 miles (and maybe 500 more!)" for Tumu Tumu Primary Schools, Kenya and Kisiju School Tanzania.

The distances walked are logged and totalled every night and the website is updated with pictures from the walks or information about the sponsored schools and children.

For donations go to: www.ifundraise.ie/fundraiser/11385332_we-will-walk-500-miles.html
New York, May 29 : New York City is expected to enter phase one of the reopening process in early June with up to 400,000 people back to work, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

At a briefing on Thursday, the Mayor said the city is "now in a position to start opening things up step by step, phase by phase" and he expected it to enter phase one in the first or second week of June, reports Xinhua news agency.

He estimated that a total of 200,000 to 400,000 people would be back to work in businesses of construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade and curbside pickup for certain types of stores.

Businesses are required to limit capacity to 50 per cent, and implement social distancing. Workers have to cover their faces when a six-foot distance cannot be maintained, said de Blasio.

Shared surfaces in a workplace must be cleaned regularly, and employees have to undergo a temperature check and fill out a questionnaire regarding their health conditions every morning, he noted.

"We're going to constantly make sure we are holding back this disease, and we're going to make sure that we are putting the steps in place all the time to avoid it ever having a resurgence," he noted.

Any business that attempts to open but should not yet be open during phase one will be told to shut down.

If a business refuses to shut down, it could face a daily fine of $1,000, the Mayor warned.

According to state-established metrics for reopening, New York City still has not achieved goals in shares of total hospital beds and ICU beds available as of Thursday.

It is the only region in New York state that remains under the "PAUSE" order.

State Governor Andrew Cuomo held Thursday's briefing in Flatbush in Brooklyn, one of the hardest-hit neighbourhoods.

The state's testing results have shown neighbourhoods with lower-income workers and minorities have higher rates of COVID-19 infections and the virus is still spreading there.

Cuomo said the state would deliver 1 million masks to such neighbourhoods within 24 hours. It has already distributed more than 8 million masks across the city.

He noted that he would sign an executive order mandating private businesses to deny entry to individuals who do not wear masks or face-coverings.

"You don't want to wear a mask, fine. But you don't then have a right to then go into that store if that store owner doesn't want you to," said Cuomo.

The state, the epicentre of the pandemic in the US, reported 74 more deaths due to COVID-19 on Thursday, the same as the number reported a day before, according to Cuomo.

The Governor confirmed 1,768 additional cases, bringing the statewide total to 366,733, while the death toll is approaching 30,000.
A Government scheme which will force all travellers arriving in the UK to spend 14 days in quarantine could be scrapped just weeks after it is launched as a Tory revolt grows.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has announced that from June 8 everyone coming to Britain must spend two weeks in self-isolation in order to prevent importing new cases of coronavirus.

But the tourism and aviation industries have warned the measures could scupper any hopes of economic recovery.

There is now a growing number of ministers and Conservative MPs who are demanding Ms Patel rethink the plans.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said new quarantine rules for travellers returning to the UK will start from June 8

People coming to the UK will be told they have to self-isolate for 14 days. Pictured is a passenger at Heathrow Airport on May 22

Travel quarantine plan Q&A What will happen? From June 8, all travellers arriving in the UK  whether by air, land or sea  will have to fill in a form before being allowed into Britain. This will include British nationals coming home, as well as foreign visitors. You will have to provide an address where you will be staying and self-isolate there for 14 days, with no visitors and no trips outside. Officials will carry out spot checks at addresses to ensure that people comply and public health officials will also carry out random checks by phone. How will it work? Passengers will be able to complete a 'contact locator form' on the Government's website up to 48 hours before departure. There will be no paper versions of the form. Failing to complete it before travelling is a crime. However, the scheme has been criticised because checks for the forms will only be done at random, meaning some people could slip through the net. Will anyone be exempt? Yes. Haulage workers, medics who are helping to fight the virus and some seasonal agricultural workers. A full list will be published on the Government's website. This applies to foreigners from all countries, except Ireland, in order to protect the Common Travel Area. How long will these restrictions be in place? Home Secretary Priti Patel described them as 'temporary health restrictions' but, in reality, they will be in force for as long as coronavirus remains a threat possibly for many months. However, there is a glimmer of hope for tourists wanting to go abroad in that the scheme will be reviewed every three weeks. So the restrictions could be lifted in time for the high season if the virus is kept under control. Transport officials are also talking to other EU countries about the possibility of 'air bridges', which would allow the measures to be dropped for visitors returning from these places. Portugal, Spain and Greece have all expressed interest in creating these bridges at some point in the future. Advertisement

Many now believe the scheme will launch as expected in just over a week's time before then swiftly being 'knocked on the head' and replaced with a more nuanced approach at the end of June.

Ministers at the Treasury, the Department for Business and the Department for Transport are all now said to be pushing for the scheme to be dramatically overhauled.

The restrictions, which include the threat of unlimited fines if people breach self-isolation, are due to be in place indefinitely but will be subject to a review every three weeks.

Some Tory MPs believe the mounting backlash over the quarantine strategy will mean the scheme will not survive beyond its first review, likely at the end of June.

Some ministers believe imposing quarantine on travellers returning to the UK from parts of the world with a smaller outbreak than Britain is illogical.

A cross-party group of 40 MPs, including former transport secretary Chris Grayling, has been set up to push for the measures to be relaxed.

The chairman of the group, Tory MP Henry Smith, told The Times he believed the quarantine plans will be 'knocked on the head' after the first review.

However, Whitehall sources told MailOnline that changes would only be made to the quarantine measures when the science on the spread of the disease allows it.

Optimism among MPs that the scheme could be rapidly rethought is shared by some in the tourism industry.

They believe the rules will be relaxed in July at the same time that the Government could move to ease restrictions to allow the reopening of hotels and other leisure facilities.

The period between April and September is key for the hospitality sector with one source saying the industry does now have 'quite advanced plans to safely open in July'.

They added: 'The danger is that if no one is allowed into the country without spending two weeks in quarantine it simply won't be economically viable for them to do so.'

There remains a ban on all non-essential international travel and it remains unclear when this could be lifted.

The quarantine plans will make the return of summer holidays all but impossible for most people.

However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday suggested things could change in the near future as he hinted holidays abroad could return in July.

Pushed on whether it is out of the question for people to be hoping for a foreign holiday from July, he said: 'I absolutely wouldn't rule it out. We've got to proceed cautiously.

'I definitely wouldn't say no and I know how important it is for so many people.'
By Tom Daly

BEIJING, May 29 (Reuters) - China is importing at least two cargoes of copper concentrate from the United States after Beijing allowed Chinese companies to seek trade-war tariff waivers on the material, according to two smelter sources.

The United States was China's eighth-biggest copper concentrate supplier in 2017, sending almost 433,000 tonnes, but trade virtually dried up after Beijing imposed a 10% tariff on U.S. shipments from September 2018 and later raised it to 25%.

Chinese firms have been allowed to apply for exemption on the duty since March 2 amid a trade war detente.

A shipment of around 10,000 tonnes for China Copper, part of state-run Chinalco, is due to arrive in mid-June, a company source said, adding it was bought from a trader and would come from either the Robinson mine in Nevada, operated by Poland's KGHM, or Asarco's Mission mine in Arizona.

A source at Daye Nonferrous, in the coronavirus epicentre of Hubei, said his firm also bought a 10,000 tonne U.S. cargo from a trader but was unsure of the arrival date.

The shipments come amid escalating China-U.S. tensions over the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed more than 100,000 lives in the United States and seen President Donald Trump threaten new tariffs on China.

Smelters are also worried about supply amid mine closures.

"It is clean but the content of copper is lower" than concentrate from top suppliers Chile and Peru, one of the sources said of the material, adding that his firm was buying from the United States both because the concentrate was suitable and as a gesture toward bilateral relations.

A KGHM spokeswoman did not comment directly when asked if the company's U.S. concentrate was going to China again but said April sales from Robinson were up by around 10,000 tonnes, or one shipment, year-on-year.

"We and our clients welcome and take advantage of any improvement in trading conditions," she added.

Asarco, China Copper and Daye did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Tom Daly; additional reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko in Warsaw and Ernest Scheyder in Houston; Editing by David Evans)
In his biggest public event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated an ambitious but controversial project that pays homage to his political idol Adnan Menderes, the center-right prime minister who ended in the gallows after modern Turkeys first military coup in 1960.

The May 27 inauguration of the giant memorial project on Yassiada, a once-picturesque and uninhabited island 16 kilometers (10 miles) off Istanbul, came at the 60th anniversary of the May 27 military coup that ousted the Democrat Party, which rose to power in Turkeys first free multi-party elections in 1950 and held the reins of the country for a decade.

Yassiada, rebaptized seven years ago as Democracy and Liberties Island, was where the putschists jailed and tried the party brass before executing Menderes and his ministers of economy and foreign affairs at the nearby island of Imrali.

"60 years ago, Turkey experienced one of the darkest days of its history with the May 27 coup," Erdogan said. It was not only the will of the people that was executed, but the law  Not only Menderes and his aides were tried in Yassiada, but also Turkish history, culture, values and beliefs.

Yassiada, or Flat Island, has been a place of exile since the fourth century. In the ninth century, exiled Patriarch Ignatius built a church there. Two centuries later, Byzantines used the island to keep political prisoners and built underground cells, four of which remain. The island has also had its share of romance: In the mid-19th century, the British ambassador to the Sublime Porte, Henry Bulwer, bought the island to build a garden and a castle for his lover, Eurydice Aristarchi, the princess of Samos, according to historian Philip Mansel in his book Constantinople: City of Worlds Desire. Bulwer later sold the island to Ismail Pasha, the khedive of Egypt and Sudan. After the establishment of the modern republic, Turkey took over the island and a naval base was established there in the late 1940s.

But for most Turks, it is the yasliada  mourning island, a play on its name  because of the kangaroo military court that sent Menderes and his top aides to the gallows on a variety of charges from treason to corruption and bribery, as well as an ill-concocted claim that the premier collaborated with doctors to kill off his illegitimate baby.

Menderes has been an apostle for the Justice and Development Party and Erdogan in particular, Tuncay Sur, a researcher at the Paris-based School of Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, told Al-Monitor. The party has based its legitimacy and vision largely on the legacy of the Democrat Party, reusing buzzwords and concepts they used half a century ago such as bringing prosperity to the devout rural people, respect for the religious values of the country and empowering people.

Erdogans long-winded speech at the opening drove home Surs last point. The Democrat Partys slogan was Enough, people have the say. We have taken this slogan further by saying, It is the people who decide, he said. The Turkish people will never forgive not only those who staged coups but also those who encouraged them.

Erdogans words were a thinly veiled reference to the opposition, which he has been accusing of inciting a coup as well as his ally-turned-arch-enemy, US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom he has been accused of masterminding the coup attempt in 2016.

The plan to turn Yassiada to a hub of tourism and diplomacy has taken five years and some $74 million and razed much of the islands natural landscape, including hundreds of trees, endangering its archaeological heritage. Ahmet Davutoglu, then the prime minister, laid the groundwork for the project in 2015, saying that the conference halls to be built on the island would be used for international diplomacy.

Davutoglu and other flag-bearers of the project are no longer part of Erdogans entourage nor even his party. Ertugrul Gunay, the former minister of culture and tourism who weathered opposition to the project from environmentalists, said last year that the present state of the island was a deviation from the original plans. The democracy and liberties island has become an isle of tourism and concrete, he told DW.

Oguz Haksever, an NTV anchor who criticized the project while mistakenly believing his microphone was off, lost his job last year. In a video that went viral, Haksever said, Island of mourning, my eye. You have totally killed the island, as the channel broadcast news about the president inspecting the project.

The current project includes a 125-room hotel with nearly 30 concrete bungalows, a conference hall with a capacity to host 600 people, a 1,200-person capacity mosque, a museum with wax figures showing the post-coup trial, cafes, restaurants and a 24-meter lighthouse called Beacon of Democracy. The conference hall is named after Adnan Menderes and the huge mosque carries the name of his foreign minister, Fatin Rustu Zorlu, a firm secularist and pro-Western diplomat who snubbed the Non-Aligned movement in the 1955 Bandung Conference and initiated Turkeys ties with the newly launched Common Market, the predecessor of the European Union.

The inauguration generated praise from the pro-government press, which hailed the project as a beacon of democracy while critics raged online. I have never seen such a useless project, read a tweet that got 46,400 likes and thousands of shares. How they have destroyed this green island! What will be the use of these buildings at a time when tourism is at a standstill? Who will use this huge mosque?

At the opening, Erdogan said that the island could become another Camp David, the country retreat of US presidents, where key negotiations are made and decisions taken at the top level. But it is clear that the decision to open it amid the novel coronavirus outbreak is for domestic consumption, rather than international ambitions.
The International School of Business had attempted to disassociate itself from Ravi on 29 May with a tweet stating that she was 'not a permanent faculty member'.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on 29 May last year. The article and headline are being updated to reflect developments in the story

Update: On 27 May last year, The Indian Express withdrew a piece by economist Shamika Ravi on account of the author's alleged failure to make attributions to the work of economist Karthik Muralidharan and 2018 Nobel Laureate in Economics Paul Romer. Following this, the Brookings Institute briefly took down a piece by the author titled 'Accelerating Financial Inclusion in India'.

The piece soon reappeared on the website carrying a note that read, "This blog post and report were published with 2 sentences on page 6 that lacked proper citation of work originally printed in a report by the Government of India, as well as a sentence on page 7 that was not properly attributed to a publication from CGAP. As of June 9 2020, both have been updated to include these citations."

The International School of Business had attempted to disassociate itself from Ravi on 29 May with a tweet stating that she was 'not a permanent faculty member'. That tweet has subsequently been deleted and the school has reportedly sought a rapprochement with Ravi:

Some non-Covid update: Received multiple requests from @ISBedu to continue my association. The school has repeatedly assured me of valuing my contribution & wishes that it had handled matters better. I have agreed & look forward to a positive and mutually respectful association.  Prof Shamika Ravi (@ShamikaRavi) February 2, 2021

The original text of the article follows:

Two days after The Indian Express withdrew the piece by Ravi over allegations of plagiarism, the Indian School of Business took to Twitter to state that Ravi was not a permanent faculty at the institute, but rather an adjunct faculty who "taught in some of our programmes".

The Indian School of Business (ISB), on its Twitter handle, put out a series of tweets on Ravi, a former member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council and non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, whose piece entitled 'A Pandemic Prescription', which appeared in the print and digital versions of the Indian Express, was withdrawn.

ISB would like to clarify that Dr Shamika Ravi is not a permanent faculty member at the ISB. She is an adjunct faculty member who has taught in some of our ISB's programmes. @IndianExpress recently withdrew Dr Ravi's press article titled 'A Pandemic Prescription.' dated May 25.  ISB (@ISBedu) May 29, 2020

The ISB, noting that Ravi had publicly apologised for plagiarism, also said that the institute's management had formally written to Ravi to correct her Twitter handle signature which states her affiliation as 'Professor at ISB.' Ravi, responding to the ISB tweet, stated that she was not an adjunct faculty, but a visiting professor. She added that she was permanent faculty from 2005 to 2015 and that she had not heard from ISB management.

1) I am not an adjunct faculty but Visiting Professor @ISBedu. Was permanent faculty from 2005-15. Have taught too many courses to keep count in 16 yrs. 2) I put out a public apology LONG before IE did anything. 3) I've not heard from ISB management. 4) Grow up.Don't get bullied. https://t.co/M1dFAtkjZV  Prof Shamika Ravi (@ShamikaRavi) May 29, 2020

Ravi further retweeted an ISB tweet from 5 April, 2019, that congratulated her for being selected "Professor of the Year" for elective courses by the PGP Class of 2019.

Thank you for this. It should have read "Visiting" Professor of the year. @ISBedu https://t.co/NXNEAW95HB pic.twitter.com/chGhGShzPs  Prof Shamika Ravi (@ShamikaRavi) May 29, 2020

The Brookings Institution, which in a tweet on Wednesday, said it is "looking further into this matter" and is "committed to maintaining the highest integrity in its research and takes very seriously any allegations of plagiarism by its experts" has also seemingly withdrawn a paper by Ravi. The piece entitled 'Accelerating Financial Inclusion in India' was published on 5 March, 2019. Clicking on a URL for the paper on the Brookings website takes you to a webpage which gives the 'Page Not Found' error.

On 27 May, the Indian Express had published an op-ed explaining the particulars of why they were withdrawing Ravi's piece originally published on 25 May. The paper explained Ravi had failed to attribute part of the cost calculations needed to minimise the spread of the pandemic to work done by economist Karthik Muralidharan, after which it agreed to add the attribution in the online version. The paper was subsequently made aware of allegations that some other parts of the same piece were similar to sections of a paper entitled Roadmap to Responsibly Reopen America, published on 23 April by Paul Romer, a professor at New York University and 2018 Nobel Laureate in Economics. The newspaper explained that its editorial team found four sections, one to three sentences each, that consisted of substantial or verbatim quotation, unacknowledged, from Romers piece. Ravi wrote to the newspaper again saying she had spoken to Romer in light of the allegations of plagiarism, following which the paper contacted Romer and concluded that Ravi's piece did not meet its standards of professional integrity.
The Narendra Modi government may consider an ambitious, targeted programme to ensure welfare and jobs for millions of migrants who have returned home during the Covid19 pandemic.

According to officials directly familiar with the plan, the programme may start in June and go on for four months at the least and provide either jobs or cash to the people who have returned to their hometowns and villages after losing employment in the cities they had migrated to following the nationwide lockdown.

The programme, however, may not entail any additional support from the exchequer, the officials explained. Existing centrally sponsored schemes such as MGNREGS and scholarships will be tweaked to address the extraordinary situation, they said. The finance ministry announced a 20 lakh crore stimulus package earlier this month to help individuals, businesses and states to cope with the pandemic and the impact of the lockdown imposed to fight it.

Many of the measures announced in the package, especially those for small businesses, agriculture and the rural sector, will also come handy for the government to support welfare and financial plans for migrant labourers, the officials added.

Around 9.1 million migrant workers have already returned to their homes.

Preparing the ground for the big-ticket plan, the governments machinery has already started mapping districts that have received 25,000 or more migrant workers, the officials said. Those areas with a higher concentration of migrants would see an early roll-out of the plan.

The final decision on the plan, according to them, will be taken by the PMO.

Millions of workers have returned to their villages and not all of them will be interested in digging earth under MGNREGS. They have a wide variety of expertise and we need to address their needs through a bouquet of welfare programmes, using MSMEs,and rural or agricultural schemes, said one of the officials.

According to this person if approved, the programme could be launched by June.

A second official pointed out that centrally-sponsored and central sector schemes already have the capacity to adapt to rising demand. They further argue that as these schemes are monitored and executed directly by the union government, it is easier to use them for such exigencies.

The second official added that its not required to further dig into the exchequer for rolling out such a targeted programme as funds are already tied up for each scheme.

Such a targeted programme, if it is approved and executed, has a dual advantage: It can help millions of distressed workers and maximize the potential of government schemes and the stimulus package, said the first official.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Subscriber content preview

By STAN CHOE, ALEX VEIGA and DAMIAN J. TROISE

AP Business Writers

Wall Street's rally ran out of fuel in the last hour of trading on Thursday, and the market fell to its first loss in four days amid worries about rising U.S.-China tensions.

The S&P 500 had been climbing for much of the day and was up as much as 1.1% at one point. But it all disappeared after President Donald Trump said he'll hold a news conference about China on Friday. That raised immediate worries among investors about possibly worsening relations between the world's largest economies, which had signed a deal earlier this year to at least pause their trade war.





. . .
Siloam Mission will soon have new space for people in need after reaching its $19-million fundraising goal.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/5/2020 (602 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Siloam Mission will soon have new space for people in need after reaching its $19-million fundraising goal.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The "Make Room" capital campaign will help build the Buhler Centre, named after Bonnie and John Buhler, who donated $3 million to the campaign  the largest private donation in the non-profits history.

Construction of the 54,000-square-foot two-storey building began in 2018, and will connect Siloam Missions Princess Street facility with its Stanley Street dining room. The new building will include 41 shelter beds, a separate space for women and additional space for programming.

Donors to the campaign also included a $3 million joint investment from the federal and provincial government, funding from the city and a $2.2 million investment from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

"The timing of opening the expanded space is even more critical than we foresaw," campaign chair Garth Manness said in a news release. "With the advent of the pandemic, Manitoba needs Siloam Mission and the services it provides now more than ever."

The building is set to open this summer.

It will have no functional relation to the Buhler Centre owned by the University of Winnipeg, which was also named after Bonnie and John Buhler.
Helena Bonham Carter was spotted heading out for a bike ride with two of her pals in north London on Thursday.

The Crown star, 54, sported a flowing pink skirt during the warm weather as she cycled through the capital's streets in the sunshine.

It comes after Helena recently revealed that the disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein made a pass at her.

Cycle time: Helena Bonham Carter, 54, was spotted heading out for a bike ride with two of her pals in north London on Thursday

Helena displayed her quirky fashion sense by teaming her pink skirt with a floral printed helmet for the bike ride with two pals.

The star pulled her dark hair into matching pigtails to avoid her locks billowing in the breeze during the bike ride.

Helena's two pals following close behind her as they tried to move their way through traffic on the busy London roads.

Keeping fit: The Crown star sported a flowing pink skirt during the warm weather as she cycled through the capital's streets in the sunshine

Out and about: Helena displayed her quirky fashion sense by teaming her pink skirt with a floral printed helmet for the bike ride with two pals

Last week, the star told Louis Theroux on his Grounded podcast that Harvey Weinstein one made a pass at her.

Helena said the disgraced Hollywood producer tried to give her a neck massage and she escaped by running away.

'I wasn't aware of him pursuing people against their will, I wasn't aware certainly of rape,' she said of the movie mogul, who is serving a 23-year sentence for rape and sexual assault in his landmark #MeToo case.

'I was aware that he would make passes at people and he did make a pass at me and I just said no and that was the end of it.

'He was also a bully and he obviously molested people - it was partly I think sociopathic.'

Keep pedalling: The star pulled her dark hair into matching pigtails to avoid her locks billowing in the breeze during the bike ride

Helena continued: 'I saw him treat some people so badly and there was no compassion there, that was what disturbed me.'

Speaking about the incident, the actress said: 'He literally laid a hand on me, that's all, he was trying to give me a massage of my neck and I knew this wasn't going well so I ran and said no, or got to the other side of the room.

'I haven't really spoken up about it because I kind of feel everything has been said about him.'

'He was also a bully and he obviously molested people - it was partly I think sociopathic.'

On the move: Helena's two pals following close behind her as they tried to move their way through traffic on the busy London roads

Helena continued: 'I saw him treat some people so badly and there was no compassion there, that was what disturbed me.'

Speaking about the incident, the actress said: 'He literally laid a hand on me, that's all, he was trying to give me a massage of my neck and I knew this wasn't going well so I ran and said no, or got to the other side of the room.

'I haven't really spoken up about it because I kind of feel everything has been said about him.'
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen will be hosted by Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, 2 June 2020. The event will be in partnership with the United Nations. The Kingdom will announce its funding for the United Nation's emergency Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen. This year's pledge is expected to be substantive and will cover emergency needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event will take place from 8:00 - 13:40 EDT (New York). It will be attended by His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (Ksrelief) and Advisor to the Royal Court and Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

Dr. Al Rabeeah said, "The humanitarian needs globally and in Yemen have been expanding rapidly. There are more humanitarian crises, either natural or man-made, than ever across the world. Unfortunately, this hasn't resulted in increased funding from donors globally. Yemen has been a priority for Saudi Arabia for the past four or five decades. From the onset of COVID-19, Saudi Arabia has established a strategic plan to help countries in need. Top of the list is Yemen. Yemen needs a lot of help because of the weak and fragile health system in the country.

"It is precisely for this reason and the Kingdom's determination to help Yemen that the government of Saudi Arabia is hosting the pledging event for the humanitarian response plan in partnership with the United Nations. We are hoping this event will receive attention from the international community and donor countries globally. We are optimistic that this pledging event, despite the economic crisis and COVID-19, will receive very positive responses and we hope to see this will reflect positively on Yemen."

Saudi Arabia's pledge will include more than 10 relief projects with 11 UN agencies. The most urgent sectors of needs will be included. Last year, Saudi Arabia pledged USD 750,000,000 and reached 11 million beneficiaries. Food security, agriculture, heath, nutrition, WASH, coordination, RRMS, shelter, logistics, camp coordination and camp management, as well as Emergency Employment & Community Rehabilitation were funded.

Saudi Arabia has been the largest consistent donor to Yemen. The total of its funding to date is USD 16.9 billion. Forty pledges for a total of USD 2.6 billion dollars were promised by donors in 2019.

Last year, Sir Mark Lowcock told the UN Security Council that the Saudi pledge was done in full respect of the best humanitarian donorship principles. He said: "The Contribution was channeled through the UN as a single, unearmarked grant early in the year, which I consider a best practice in humanitarian donorship."

For Registration: https://www.unocha.org/yemen2020

SOURCE King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre
Editors Note: Welcome to Inside Out, our weekly roundup of stories about Staten Islanders of all ages who are making waves, being seen, supporting our community and just making our borough a special place to live. Have a story for Inside Out? Email Carol Ann Benanti at benanti@siadvance.com.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As George Parsons 90th birthday nears and he contemplates entering his tenth decade, the Richmond resident is reflecting deeply about his life -- rich in love and laughter, family and friends and filled with abundant blessings.

A military hero, thoughts of the days when he called South Brooklyn home and enlisted in the National Guard and then activated into the U.S. Army are forever etched in his mind and heart  especially now during these unprecedented times and as he recovers from the coronavirus.

Parsons has quite a story to tell  highlights of his personal life brim with the happiest of times and sadly, some not so happy -- from serving as chief/director of the Fresh Kills Landfill to his ordeal as he battled COVID-19.

But throughout it all, his faith in God and country and the unwavering support of his wife and children  whom he loves and adores  pulled him through, victoriously.

Katheen and George Parsons on their wedding day in 1992. (Courtesy/George Parsons)Staten Island Advance

GEORGES MILITARY CAREER

Parsons enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 1950, just a month before the Korean War broke out, and would ultimately see a lot of action in the East Asian nation from January 1951 to January 1952.

He received basic training in Fort Drum, N.Y. and advanced training at Fort Lewis, Washington. In January 1951 he sailed aboard the USS Anderson Troop Transport Ship, his battalion landing in Pusan, South Korea, that same month.

George Parsons is shown when he served as staff sergeant in the U.S. Army. (Courtesy/George Parsons)Staten Island Advance

His outfit was assigned to the 24th Infantry Division, 5th Regimental Combat team and was transported to Inchon, South Korea. Once there, he fought valiantly in four major battles that year: The First United Nations Counter-Offensive, the Chinese-Communist Spring Offensive, the United Nations Summer-Fall Offensive, and the Second Korean Winter Offensive.

Staff Sergeant George Parsons is shown when he served in South Korea. (Courtesy/George Parsons)Staten Island Advance

We were the first National Guard outfit from Brooklyn and we fired the first round in the combat for any National Guard unit in the United States, said Parsons. We were in the Kumwha Valley and we fought in the Iron Triangle. I met a lot of great men. We started out as young boys when we went in, and when we came out, we were men. I will never forget.

He was promoted to staff sergeant and received a number of medals and citations.

For his valor and bravery, in 2012, State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) welcomed the Richmond resident into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony hosted in Albany. Lanza, who nominated Parsons, had the privilege of presenting him with the distinguished award.

CIVILIAN LIFE

After being honorably discharged in April 1952, Parsons embarked on a career with the city Department of Sanitation and retired in 1985 after 33 years, attaining the rank of chief and director of marine unloading at the Fresh Kills Landfill.

George Parsons

During his career with the city, Parsons received the Medal of Valor for heroism after saving three children and an adult from a house fire in Brooklyn back in 1958.

In 1955, he married the former Joanne Fischer, and in 1967 Parsons would relocate to Staten Island. A year later, their daughter, Sharon, was born.

In 1988, they settled in Richmond. Sadly, in 1990, Parsons lost his daughter to a severe medical condition, and, just two months later, his wife died tragically in an automobile accident.

After being introduced to Kathleen Cunningham and dating for a while, she and Parsons married and, as he told us, he then became the proud stepfather of Michael and Barbara Seagriff, Karen Scivoli and Kathi Elliott and the grandfather of Matthew and Michael Joseph, who call him grandpa.

My kids come over all the time  making sure we have everything we need,'' he said. Theyre great always  and always calling, he said.

Sen. Andrew Lanza honored George Parsons during an induction ceremony into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame hosted in Albany in 2012. (Courtesy/George Parsons)Staten Island Advance

GEORGE PARSONS INTERESTS

The Parsons are members of the Arrochar Friendship Club and enjoy jaunts to Atlantic City.

Parsons recounts one of his proudest moments in his life was when, through the Korean Governments Revisit Program," both he and Kathleen visited Korea and retraced the steps of his war years.

The couple lodged in luxury hotels and even met the president of Korea, who presented Parsons with the Republic of Korea Ambassador of Peace Medal, presented to American servicemen and women and disabled American veterans as an expression of appreciation from the Korean government.

We also were able to make side trips to Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, he added. And we visited all over the United States at reunions with my outfit with men from a number of states. But, a lot of my buddies in the service passed."

Upon revisiting South Korea in 1997 and 2011, he was totally amazed by how much South Korea has changed since his days in the military.

He is now the commander of the Allan F. Kivlehan Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association, a life member of the Rawley Post American Legion in Brooklyn, as well as a life member of the Halloran Memorial Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans.

In 2015 he was presented with the Charles W. David Jr. Life Saving Medallion by the Chapel of Four Chaplains.

PARSONS BRUSH WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

Toward the end of March, Parsons began to show symptoms of the coronavirus.

He phoned his doctor and followed by signing up to see if he would test positive.

And though he had a malignant kidney removed in 1990 and made a complete recovery and is otherwise in good health, he continues to keep a close check on his health.

I got on the list at the site on Seaview Avenue and I had to wait until April 2,'' he said. My daughter, Barbara, and son-in-law, David, took me to Staten Island University Hospital. I had no fever, but had pains in my back and my sense of taste was completely gone. Eventually I was told that I tested positive.

Parsons recounted that he was placed in an isolation room, where medical professionals began an intravenous drip and administered Tylenol.

They said, If you can breathe, we can send you home," he recalls.

I isolated myself and I quarantined in the apartment in my home, he said. My wife took care of me. She came down with food and we both made sure to wear masks. My wife was my main support. If it wasnt for her, I dont know where Id be.

Parsons symptoms lasted for some 25 days, but he has now tested negative.

On May third and fourth, I was able to come upstairs with my wife. We are still staying home, but other than that I feel fine right now, he continued.

In speaking of Parsons and his accomplishments, Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis stated: George is an amazing source of strength, and hearing the news that he beat the coronavirus was great news for those of us who admire and love him. When I called to check in on him and his family and discuss Memorial Day, the first words he said to me were, If I can survive Korea, I can survive this.' People from all generations can be inspired by his resilience and positive attitude toward life.

Parsons, wholl turn 90 on June 19, boasts that hes been a longtime reader of the Advance.

Thanks, and happy 90th birthday, George!
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 19:51 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb00e9d 4 National COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,SDGs,coronavirus,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,sustainable-development,Sustainable-Development-Goals,United-Nations Free

With the COVID-19 pandemic having challenged sustainable development in many parts of the world, it is necessary to use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the baseline for the countrys outbreak recovery efforts, a recent discussion has suggested.

During a virtual discussion on Thursday, the Foreign Ministrys director for development, the economy and the environment, Agustaviano Sofjan, said the pandemic had set countries back in terms of achieving by 2030 the 17 economic, social and environmental goals stipulated in the SDGs.

The pandemic, he said, disrupted stability and growth in supply and demand, as well as peoples livelihoods. Moreover, the coronavirus disease posed great risks to women, children, elders and informal workers.

On the other hand, the pandemic has had a positive impact on the environment due to the reduction of economic activities. However, this is just temporary, Agustaviano said on Thursday as quoted by Antara news agency.

Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, a lawmaker from the House of Representatives Commission VII on energy affairs, argued that environmental challenges would emerge after COVID-19-related restrictions are lifted.

Read also: Some 50 world leaders call for post-pandemic cooperation

After the outbreak ends, the demand for energy will drastically increase. Indonesia should begin to roll out its plan on sustainable development, the lawmaker said during the discussion.

Agus echoed the statement, saying the end of the COVID-19 crisis should be a chance for Indonesia to do better in implementing the SDGs. He cited the governments plan to introduce the so-called new normal policy as a way to realize the vision of sustainability.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Indonesia country director Christophe Bahuet emphasized the importance of the SDGs as the baseline for Indonesias COVID-19 recovery.

Bahuet said the new normal policy should not diminish the urgency of putting forward the SDGs.

The pandemic and the new normal should make the SDGs more important, he said.

He advised Indonesia against returning to business as usual upon recovering from COVID-19. Arranging policies toward a green recovery might be the best way to restart development in Indonesia, Bahuet said. (asp)
The British government has approached the US with the prospect of creating a 5G club of 10 democracies, including India, amid growing security concerns related to Chinese telecom giant Huawei, according to a UK media report.

A so-called D10 club of democratic partners, including G7 countries UK, US, Italy, Germany, France, Japan and Canada plus Australia, South Korea and India will aim to create alternative suppliers of 5G equipment and other technologies to avoid relying on China, The Times' reported.

The move to speed up such a club comes as the UK launched an inquiry into Huawei's involvement in the country's mobile network upgrade in the wake of US sanctions against the company.

We need new entrants to the market. That was the reason we ended up having to go along with Huawei at the time, the newspaper quoted a UK government source as saying.

Nokia and Ericsson are the only European suppliers of 5G infrastructure and experts say that they cannot provide 5G kit as quickly or as cheaply as Huawei.

Britain has labelled Huawei a high-risk vendor and therefore its involvement in the UK's 5G upgrade comes with a 35 per cent market cap, including a ban on its participation in the sensitive core of the network.

The review into Huawei, launched last week by the UK s National Cyber Security Centre, followed the announcement of US sanctions to block the sale of American chips to the company.

UK security officials fear that the ban will prompt China to use cheaper, less secure technologies, instead of verified US versions.

Officials are, meanwhile, examining proposals to curb the installation of Huawei kit in the 5G network from 2023.

According to the newspaper, increasing the partnership of like-minded democracies forms part of the ongoing reappraisal of the Chinese firm's involvement in the UK.

T

he US in recent months has increased its action against Huawei, China's first global tech brand and a maker of network equipment and smartphones, preventing it from doing business in the US, as it believes the company known for its technological advancement in 5G is being used by the Chinese leadership to serve their interest.

The Trump administration says Huawei is a security risk, which the company denies, and is trying to persuade European and other allies to shun its technology for the next-generation telecom networks.

China has accused the US of raising phony security concerns to hurt a rising competitor to American tech companies.
HOLLAND, MI -- Two pedestrians were seriously injured after being struck by a car near Holland Hospital.

The crash happened about 5:20 p.m. Thursday, May 28 and a red Honda ended up over the curb after the two people were struck.

Holland police said a young adult female was flown to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital by Aero Med helicopter and a young adult male was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Other details of the crash were not immediately available.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 23:41:43|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has emphasized the full recognition of the significance of the promulgation and implementation of the country's newly adopted Civil Code and better protection of the people's legitimate rights and interests in accordance with law.

Xi made the remarks on Friday while presiding over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on the effective implementation of the Civil Code.

Xi demanded the whole Party effectively promote the implementation of the Civil Code in order to better advance law-based governance of the country and the building of a socialist country based on the rule of law, and better protect the people's rights and interests.

Noting that the Civil Code is the first law to carry the title "code" since New China was founded in 1949, Xi said it marks a major achievement of the country in developing socialist rule of law in the new era.

The Civil Code systematically integrates the civil legal norms formed through long-term practices during more than 70 years of New China, drawing upon the Chinese nation's fine legal culture stretching back more than 5,000 years, and mankind's beneficial achievements in building a law-based civilization, Xi stressed.

Party and state organs at all levels should take into account the stipulations of the Civil Code while carrying out relevant work, without violating the legitimate civil rights enjoyed by the public, including personal rights and property rights, Xi added.

Relevant state departments should step up the institutional building of laws and regulations related to the Civil Code, Xi said, noting that the Civil Code should serve as an important scale plate for administrative decision-making, management and supervision.

Xi also stressed the strengthening of work in civil trials and supervision and guidance in key areas that involve the protection of property rights, personality rights, intellectual property rights and ecological and environmental protection.

Highlighting the importance of giving full play to the roles of legal organizations and professionals, including law firms and lawyers, Xi also called for the incorporation of the Civil Code into the national education system.

The Civil Code, long expected in the country, was adopted on Thursday at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, the top legislative body of China. Enditem
To provide employment to labourers who have returned to the state following the coronavirus pandemic, real estate body Naredcos UP Chapter has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UP government to employ 2.5 lakh migrant workers on construction sites spread across the state.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by NAREDCO-UP in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on May 29 in Lucknow.

Around 1.25 lakh workers will be absorbed at project sites spread across Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida in NCR, while the remaining 1.25 lakh will be taken for projects across other cities in UP such as Meerut, Kanpur, Bareilly, Moradabad, depending on requirements of developers in these areas.

"Labour shortage is the biggest challenge that the real estate sector faces today. The government is working to resolve this issue on a priority basis. The solution is within our state," RK Arora, Naredco-UP president, told reporters in a video conference.

He said he hopes that through this initiative work on construction sites will resume in full swing within two months.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Hopefully we will be able to cover up on construction delays. We will gradually augment manpower. Demand for workforce may increase from 2.5 lakh to even 5 lakh going forward as work resumes, he said.

The association will also provide training to labourers to undertake construction works, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given us the mantra of "atmanirbar". We are committed to support UP Government and standby with them for creating Atmanirbar Uttar Pradesh by employing migrant workers in our state," he said.

NAREDCO-National has around 5,000 members across the country.

Labourers would first be quarantined and then their details registered with Naredco. As per state governments data around 30 lakh registered workers have returned from other states to UP so far. The government is currently doing skill mapping, he said.

Projects across Noida and Greater Noida had engaged about 10-12 lakh construction workers pre-COVID. Post the pandemic, less than one lakh construction workers are deployed across sites in Delhi-NCR.

Arora said that the MoU may be implemented in the next fortnight. "This MoU is a win-win situation for labourers from UP, state government developers and also homebuyers. Labourers will be absorbed and construction work will start," he said.

He said the association will get data of labourers from the state government, after which it will run an awareness campaign to attract labourers on their sites.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
Unicon, Inc., a leading EdTech consulting and digital services company specializing in open source applications that support and enhance teaching and learning, will be leading and participating in a total of 7 virtual conference sessions at the upcoming Open Apereo 2020 Online conference June 15 - 19, 2020. Chris Beach, open-source software developer from Unicon, will present on Apereo Foundation projects for online campuses with topics including EdTech challenges, Creative Commons, portals, content management, and customization across the uPortal, openEQUELLA, and Fiosan solutions.

Open Apereo is the premier conference for open-source software in education. It is offered by the Apereo Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and sustaining innovative open-source software solutions for education. Unicon has a notable involvement in Apereo open-source projects and shares its latest progress at the Open Apereo conference to help the community keep abreast of project developments and aid in project collaboration.

View Unicon sessions at a glance or for full descriptions see Open Apereo 2020's Online Agenda.

About Open Apereo

The Open Apereo conference provides participants with the opportunity to share their institutional experiences, learn from their colleagues, and develop an understanding of other areas of the academic enterprise they may not be familiar with. The conference is held every year with the intent to help attendees network, grow, share, and learn from each other. Apereo is still accepting registrations for this conference.

About Apereo

The Apereo Foundation exists to help educational institutions collaborate to develop, use, and sustain open-source software for learning, teaching, and research. It is a membership organization, with members on four continents. Membership ranges from community colleges to major research-intensive institutions. Apereo currently supports nineteen software solutions, which are listed at http://www.apereo.org. The Apereo Foundation is a non-profit corporation registered in New Jersey.

About Unicon

Unicon is a leading provider of education technology consulting and digital services. Institutions and corporations leverage Unicons domain expertise in online program content development and enablement as well as technology disciplines including identity and access management (IAM), learning analytics/student success, standards-based integration, portals, content lifecycle, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Unicons depth of experience in designing, building, integrating, operating, and supporting learning content, assessment, and institutional systems ensures that the right skills and technologies are applied to every engagement. Unicon is a Contributing Member of IMS Global Learning Consortium, a Commercial Affiliate of the Apereo Foundation, a Trust and Identity Solution Provider in the Internet2 Industry Program, an Industry Member of Internet2, an InCommon Participant, an Instructure Certified Partner, an Okta Premier Solution Provider, and a GSA Industry Partner and Schedule 70 Contract Holder. Unicon is also an AWS Partner Network (APN) Advanced Consulting Partner, has achieved the AWS Education Competency, and is a member of the AWS Public Sector Partner Program. For more information, visit: https://www.unicon.net

# # #

Unicon is a Registered Trademark of Unicon, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.
Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business.
The Birmingham City Council on Friday morning voted to extend the expiration date of the citys mask ordinance. The vote was unanimous. District 8 Councilor Steven Hoyt and District 2 Councilor Hunter Williams was not at the meeting.

The ordinance, which went into effect May 1, requires people to cover their nose and mouth while in public. The ordinance is set to expire on June 12.

Fridays meeting was called Thursday afternoon. District 5 Councilor Darrell OQuinn and District 7 Councilor Wardine Alexander said this week they received messages from residents asking the council to extend the ordinance.

The Alabama Department of Public Healths May 29, 9:30 a.m. numbers show 16,554 COVID cases, up 522 from Thursday. Jefferson, with 42 additional cases, was one of four Alabama counties that accounted for almost half that increase.

Along with the extension, the fee schedule for violations of the ordinance was changed. Previously, the ordinance said anyone violating it could be punished by up to 30 days in the municipal jail and/or a fine of up to $500. The amendment approved today sets the fine to $25 for the first offense, $100 for the second offense and $250 for the third offense and on.

The ordinance defines a mask as a device to cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of saliva or other fluids during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other intentional or involuntary action.

It doesnt require the masks be medical-grade, just that they cover the wearers nose and mouth.

RELATED: Do I have to wear a mask in Birmingham?

Click here to read AL.coms full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
The United Kingdom foreign secretary, Dominic Raab may face private criminal prosecution as the family of Harry Dunn, the 19-year-old boy who was killed by the wife of a US intelligence officer intends to take him to court for allowing the accuse to leave the country. Harry Dunn was killed in a car accident on August 27 last year after he was hit by a car driven by Anne Sacoolas, a United States citizen and wife of an intelligence officer working at RAF Croughton, the highly sensitive US intelligence base in Northampton.

Read: Dominic Raab Announces Cyber Attacks On UK

Harry Dunn's case and controversy that followed

The family of Dunn alleges that Dominic Raab allowed Anna Sacoolas to return to the United States while a police investigation in the United Kingdom was still on. The family also accuses Raab of misleading the parliament over Sacoolas' return to the United States. The family says that Raab had lied to them saying that he had requested the US embassy to waive the diplomatic immunity of Sacoolas on September 5. However, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) last week told the press that Raab didn't know about Dunn's case until after September 12.

Read: UK: Dominic Raab Says It's 'too Early' To Think About Ending COVID-19 Lockdown

According to reports, Raab had stated in the British parliament that the FCO had strongly objected to the US embassy reply saying that it would not waive Sacoolas' diplomatic immunity and she would be leaving the country imminently. However, the family has discovered a document disclosed by FCO that has a text from senior diplomat Neil Holland, then serving as the FCOs director of protocol.

Read: Dominic Raab: Everything About UK's Standby Leader While PM Johnson Is In ICU

In the text written by Neil to his US counterpart on September 14, he says that now that the US embassy has decided to not waive off diplomatic immunity there's not much in keeping the family in the United Kingdom. he further added that they can take the family out of the country in the next flight available but also mentioned that it's not the FCO approving of their departure. Sacoolas returned to the United States on September 15, a day after the text was written.

Read: Dominic Raab States 'UK Cannot Continue Usual Business' With China Post Coronavirus

(Image Credit: AP)


An electronics installer with access to some of Florida's most exclusive neighborhoods has been arrested in Vero Beach, Florida, after he allegedly set up a hidden camera in the bathroom of a $20 million mansion to capture footage of two underage girls showering, walking around nude and even going to the bathroom.

Indian River Shores Police turned the tables on the digital peeping Tom with its own sting operation Wednesday inside the mansion and caught the suspect, Lennon Ford Starkweather, a married 37-year-old father of one.

Detectives were still serving a search warrant at the suspect's home late Thursday and were spotted by DailyMail.com carrying large boxes, an antique chest and files to unmarked patrol cars out front.

One investigator close to the case, who asked to remain anonymous, said detectives were looking for photos of other victims captured after Starkweather installed home theaters, smart-house wiring, surveillance cameras and computer equipment inside multi-million dollar beachfront mansions.

By Thursday morning, dozens of the residents of exclusive enclaves like John's Island, home of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, were calling the small police department to have detectives check their homes for similar hidden cameras.

Lennon Ford Starkweather, a married 37-year-old father of one, was charged with two felony counts of video voyeurism. He is out on $50,000-bond, but other charges could be coming

Starkweather allegedly set up a spycam in the bathroom of this $20 million-mansion to capture footage of two underage girls showering and using the bathroom

Detectives were still serving a search warrant at the suspect's home late Thursday and were spotted carrying large boxes, an antique chest and files to unmarked patrol cars out front

One investigator close to the case who asked to remain anonymous said detectives were looking for photos of other victims captured by Starkweather

Detectives are seen carrying items out of Starkweather's home as potential evidence in the case

Starkweather was charged with two felony counts of video voyeurism. He is out on $50,000-bond today, but other charges could be coming.

This is the spycam the two underage girls found in the bathroom. They searched for the device on the web and quickly understood the 'charger' was indeed a DevineEagle spy camera wall charger retailing online for $36.50

'We believe there could be many victims,' said Indian River Shores Police Chief Rich Rosell. 'He had dozens of clients in the area with full access to their homes.

'In this case, he took advantage of having an office in the home of the victims' grandfather to place a widely available spy camera in the bathroom used by a 16-year-old girl and her 17-year-old friend.

'Our investigation is continuing.'

According to Indian River County Sheriff's Office, the agency charged with booking and jailing the suspect, the incident occurred at the eight-bedroom winter home of the multi-millionaire.

According to the probable cause affidavit obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, the millionaire was hosting a Memorial weekend family gathering when his granddaughter and her best friend found the device in the bathroom of the suite they shared.

DailyMail.com is not identifying the victims because of the sexual nature of the alleged crime.

Our law enforcement source said Starkweather had been recently hired as a full-time tech consultant by the homeowner after years working in neighboring luxury homes, and the millionaire assigned him an office on the 2.5-acre property.

According to the probable cause affidavit obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, the millionaire was hosting a Memorial weekend family gathering when his granddaughter and her best friend found the device in the bathroom of the suite they shared

The juveniles were housed in a suite with sweeping ocean views when, before dinner on May 22, they retreated to their quarters for a shower.

That's when they noticed a device that looked like a charger plugged into an outlet in the bathroom.

Each of the girls, they told police, thought the charger belonged to the other.

After dinner, the girls were putting on facial masks when they figured out the device near the mirror didn't belong to either of them.

They removed it from the outlet and examined it. When they turned it at an angle, the device appeared to have a pin hole with a red camera lens inside, according to the arrest papers. It also had an eagle head logo on the side.

They searched for the device on the web and quickly understood the 'charger' was indeed a DevineEagle spy camera wall charger retailing online for $36.50.

The company advertises the product as indispensable to 'keep an eye on the babysitter and the child, the housekeeper or employees at work to confirm competence, to prevent the theft of jewelry, money, property or information in the house / hotel / workplace.'

In this case, however, police say the spy cam was used for more insidious purposes.

When police arrived at the house to investigate May 26, family members told cops they suspected Starkweather placed the camera, mostly because he was the only one with knowledge of surveillance equipment.

Police took a SIM card out of the device and found 'numerous nude photos of the two juveniles,' the police report reads.

The camera, our law enforcement source said, was equipped with a wide-angle lens and captured the girls in the entire suite, including sleeping in bed.

Indian River Shores cops then decided to use their own video surveillance equipment to catch the suspect.

They put the spy cam back into the socket on May 27 and sat in the room adjacent to the suite to monitor their own video feed.

An hour later, Starkweather allegedly walked into the girls' room and walked straight to the bathroom.

Police say their video caught Starkweather removing the spy cam from the outlet and leaving the room.

He was arrested in his office at the house moments later.

It is unclear if Starkweather has hired a lawyer. He wasn't at his house and couldn't be reached Thursday night.

The millionaire wasn't home either last night and didn't reply to messages requesting comments left on his house phones.
If you want to experience the journey from the beginning, you may read the first four parts of the story here: https://keystoneelderlaw.com/elder-care-journey.

Not quite four years after Bills wife, Sue, had been admitted to the Regal nursing facility, Bill also began to receive skilled nursing care. After implementing a life estate plan created by Keystone Elder Law, Bill had been sharing his home with his son, Joe, Joes wife Gail, and his grandson, Mark. Because Bill and Sue had enrolled to be clients in Keystones Life Care Planning program, it was easy for Joe to turn to Keystone for help with the latest change in their situation.

The primary goal of Joe and Gail, and Joes sister, Mary, was to make sure that Bill and Sue would continue to receive the skilled nursing care they needed without endangering the family home, in which Joe and Gail had purchased a remainder interest and invested money in necessary improvements.

Because of the asset preservation work that the Keystone lawyer had done four years before in relation to Sue receiving Medicaid for her care in a nursing home, all of Bill and Sues resources been placed in only Bills name. At the time Bill was admitted to a nursing home, the amount of remaining resources totaled around $170,000, which included a mortgage note of about $100,000 that was still payable to Bill by Joe and Gail toward the balance due for the remainder interest in the family home.

Since mortgage rates were at historic lows, and the mortgage note held by Bill was for less than 50% of the market value of the home, the Keystone attorney advised Joe and Gail to refinance the mortgage note with a conventional mortgage from their local credit union. That way, all of Bills financial resources would be in cash, and the future need to probate a mortgage note after Bills death could be avoided, saving around $5,000 to $10,000 in future estate administration expenses.

The total of Bills remaining cash put him well over the limits of the maximum resources that a Medicaid applicant may have. If Bill would die within two years, he would never need Medicaid. But if Bill were to out-live his liquid resources, his POA agent, Joe, would need to apply to DHS for MA.

As an alternative, Keystones attorney explained how it would be possible for Bill to make a substantial gift of cash to be held in a special account by Joe and Mary. By coupling this final gift with a Medicaid-compliant annuity, any future financial hardship for Joe and Mary would be avoided. The attorney called this a gift with an annuity strategy.

This strategy would solve another issue that was caused by Bill giving around $40,000 to his daughter, Mary, against the recommendation of the Keystone attorney. The gifts to Mary did not create an issue regarding Sues eligibility, but with respect to an application for MA for Bill, the gifts to Mary would result in a penalty of about four months.

Pennsylvanias relatively new filial support law would hold both Joe and Mary to be financially responsible to pay the shortfall of $5,000 per month for the cost of Bills care during the four-month penalty period. That was a risk that Joe asked Keystone to help them avoid.

The attorney explained that Keystone uses a proprietary computer program to compute how much additional money Bill could give to Joe and Mary, and offset the penalty of all gifted funds with use of a short-term, Medicaid-compliant annuity. The calculation would factor in the amount of all gifts Bill and Sue had made to their children, the daily cost of Bills care, Bills gross monthly income, and the cost of his supplemental Medicare insurance. The attorney estimated that Bill could give his children approximately $110,000 more as an advance inheritance, and purchase a Medicaid-compliant annuity to enable the family to pay through an anticipated fifteen month penalty period.

The plan would cure the gifting problem of the money given to Mary, as well as set aside a little more than $100,000 for Joe and Mary to pay for extra things that are not provided by Medicaid during the rest of Bill and Sues lifetimes. Extra things might include an expanded cable TV package, clothing, digital hearing aids that exceed a Medicaid allowance, or gifts to their only grandchild, Mark.

If Bill would die after the annuity plan was set up, but before all of the 15 monthly payments were made, the annuity payments of about $4,000 per month would be split between Joe and Mary. The total inheritance left for Joe and Mary would be in an amount of $90,000 to $200,000, depending upon when Bill died. If Bill would live at least one year after completion of the spend-down with the final gift, there would be no Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax due.

By involving Keystone Elder Law, Bill managed to get the best possible care for Sue and himself. Bill reduced his stress caused by Sues unexpected crisis. Bill equipped Joe to help him manage his own gradual need for increasing care and ultimate nursing care crisis.

Financially, Bill and Sue managed to give $175,000 in equity value from the family home to their son, a car to their grandchild, cash to Mary, and finally a guarantee that Bill and Sue would leave a residual bequest of between $90,000 and $150,000 for Joe and Mary. Those amounts represent more than 50% of the total wealth that Bill and Sue had at the time that Sue needed nursing care, four years before Bill needed it as well.

Reducing a four-year elder care journey of one family into five segments was challenging. Every elder care journey is unique; and it is almost never too late for Keystone Elder Law to provide helpful guidance. It is less stressful for everyone at a time of crisis if appropriate foundational documents are prepared and executed in advance for whatever journey a person might encounter.

Dave Nesbit and the team at Keystone Elder Law have been serving older adults and their families for 10 years. Join their 10th anniversary celebration during May (also Elder Law Month) and help support our community. Send them anniversary wishes and be entered into several drawings to win gift cards for local businesses. Complete details can be found at: https://keystoneelderlaw.com/event/10th-anniversary-celebration.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Bernalillo County will distribute free masks to residents from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. Friday, May 29, at eight county facilities.

The face masks, made of washable and reusable material, are available in adult and child sizes, according to a county news release. There is a limit of one per person.

The county has 5,000 masks available for Fridays giveaway. The county already gave away 5,000 during a similar event last week.

Fridays distribution will take place at the following locations:
Emily Lau: Hong Kong Dealt Fatal Blow by Communist Chinas National Security Law

How will the national security law being pushed by Beijing impact Hong Kong rule of law and its role as a major financial center?

Does Great Britain have a special responsibility to help the people of Hong Kong?

And how can the international community effectively put pressure on the Chinese Communist Party to change its course?

In this episode, we sit down with Hong Kongs Iron Lady Emily Lau, the former chairperson of Hong Kongs Democratic Party. She was the first woman directly elected to Hong Kongs Legislative Council in 1991, and she also sits on the board of directors of the China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group.

This is American Thought Leaders , and Im Jan Jekielek.

Jan Jekielek: Emily Lau, its a real pleasure to have you back on American Thought Leaders, though unfortunate that its under these very difficult circumstances.

Emily Lau: Well, thank you very much, Jan. Good to see you again.

Mr. Jekielek: Were looking at the Chinese Communist Party pushing through this national security law. Weve been hearing a lot about it in the media, weve seen this dramatic increase in protests again, and arrests. Tell us what are the implications of this national security law?

Ms. Lau: Well, this is a real bombshell and this security law was only sprung on us a few days ago. Before that, nobody in Hong Kong knew anything about it. And now, on Thursday, Chinas rubber stamp parliament called the National Peoples Congress, the NPC, will pass it. Of course it will pass the proposal. And then in June, the Standing Committee of the NPC will work out the details and then they will force it on Hong Kong. So the 7-odd-million people here have not been consulted. And whats more insulting is that according to the basic law, which is the mini constitution given to Hong Kong by the Communist Party, Hong Kong is supposed to legislate on its own on this national security legislation.

But I guess Beijing has lost patience. So suddenly, it said, Nevermind. Im going to do it for you. So it is ridiculous. So after they have enacted it, its a mainland law. And its going to be implemented in Hong Kong and probably by public security officials from mainland China. And the Chinese government, the Communist Party, also said they would set up a public security department in Hong Kong, which is totally, totally in breach of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration and also against the basic law. So they are just turning the whole Chinas policy of One country, two systems on its head. And thats why people say, Well, if this thing is enacted and its coming into effect in Hong Kong, it is literally the end of One country, two systems,' and Hong Kong will become just another Chinese city without freedoms, without the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, personal safety; all these things will go out of the window.

Mr. Jekielek: Emily, that sounds deeply disturbing. As you described it, can you explain to our audiences how the system has worked more traditionally and what is changing now that makes the difference?

Ms. Lau: Well, in the past, of course, up to now, we have not got any law on national security, although the basic law, the mini constitution, said we should legislate. And of course, the government of Mr. C. H. Tung, when he was chief executive, he tried to do it in 2003 but it attracted more than half a million people marching. And so the whole thing was abandoned and no attempt was made again to resurrect it. And what they want to do in this national security law is to create offenses of secession, sedition, subversion, theft of state secrets and so on. But now, what Beijing is trying to do, or will do on Thursday, is to legislate just on subversion, and secession, and terrorist act, and also act of inviting foreign interference. These could be very, very broad offenses. Maybe even now, Im speaking to you, it could be, maybe not an act of terrorism, but inviting foreign interference or whatever. So it is outrageous.

Well, if we are going to have such draconian offenses, they should be debated in Hong Kong; to be discussed. And actually way back in 2003 when the attempt failed, the legal profession came out. They recognized a need to do it because its in the basic law. So why cant the government publish a white paper, which is a consultative document, and let the whole community have a discussion, and make some compromises, and then come to a consensus? But that never was taken up. So now we just dont know what would constitute an act of subversiontalking to you maybeor act of terrorism; act of inviting foreign interference. So this is very disturbing. And also in mainland China, National security offenses, anyone accused of that, and of course theyll be tried in court, but sometimes they may be locked up for years before they are taken to court. But those court hearings are often held in camera and the defendant, the accused, will have no access to his family members; no access to a defense lawyer. It is complete lawlessness, and thats what we fear, Jan.

Mr. Jekielek: How is this law related to the extradition bill that brought 2-million-odd people out into the streets last year?

Ms. Lau: Thats a good question. I think this law not only includes the extradition bill, but it has all these other offenses as well. So what we fought so hard to get rid of last year is now coming back with full vengeance. And thats why actually its not just the political activists or the young people who are very worried and afraid. I think the business people and the professionalsthey should be even more worried because they go to mainland China all the time. They have lots of dealings with people over there, whereas I cant even go to mainland China. Ive been banned by them for over 20 years. But these people who have so many dealings with them, well, if the authorities turn nasty, they can accuse them of these very, very draconian offenses. So thats why even the American Chamber of Commerce has come up with a statement asking them to spell out what it is. A number of senior Hong Kong and Beijing officials kept speaking out, and I think they want to assure the business and the professional people that they are going to be okay.

But youre right. Under this law, maybe people who are accused of committing such offenses could be sent to mainland China for trial. And to add insult to injury, today, Reuters reported that they are going to make an amendment to the proposal before its passed on Thursday. And the amendment is that if these cases are tried in Hong Kong, in Hong Kong courts, only ethnic Chinese judges can try these cases. We have lots of foreign judges, and the Basic Law says [that] we can invite foreign judges and we have more than a dozen of them sitting in our Court of Final Appeal, but now they want to come out and stipulate that these foreign Court of Final Appeal justices cannot try these cases. How ridiculous. This will make it sound very racist and also, of course, it is a big blow to the independence of the judiciary.

Mr. Jekielek: Emily, exactly. This is one of the big, big questions. People are saying [that] this is the end of rule of law in Hong Kong, and this guarantee that rule of law would be respected in Hong Kong is what has fueled the whole economic boomHong Kong became this conduit of U.S. dollars into China. All of this seems to be in jeopardy. Almost seems bizarre that the Chinese Communist Party would do this.

Ms. Lau: Well, youre right. So some people will say, Well, this shows you, the Communist Party does not really need Hong Kong so much. Otherwise, why would they want to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs? But some people of course will continue to argue that the Communist Party needs Hong Kong, as you say, to bring in U.S. dollars and other foreign currency into China. But the fact is, they are dealing this very fatal blow to Hong Kong and it would really damage confidence, and it would affect Hong Kongs status as an international financial center. Well, Im not a businessman, Jan, so dont ask me. You should ask all these business people whether they will continue to have confidence and they will want to do business in Hong Kong. And maybe even if they didnt, they would not tell you because they dont want to upset the Communist Party. But they are also forecasting that money and people will leave Hong Kong, and then we will no longer survive. We will no longer be an international financial center.

Mr. Jekielek: Weve had Kyle Bass on the show, for example, talking about this exact issue. Actually this makes me think: Even towards the end of the year, the Hong Kong economy was in a very difficult state, arguably going into a depression. Then coronavirus hit. Just economically, its a very difficult situation over there.

Ms. Lau: Exactly, it is. Many companies have gone bankrupt and I guess even more will do so, and more and more people are getting unemployed. So it is very, very serious because although we dont have this complete lockdown, many countries do, and especially with mainland China. And now very few of their people can come here and also foreign tourists cannot come. As I said, if you come, you have to be quarantined for two weeks. So many, many industries, businesses have been affected; the hotels are empty. The restaurants, the shopstheyre empty. Many people have been laid off. On top of that, we have this, and these officials keep arguing, Oh, this is going to be great after we pass this law and we will have stability, and people will love to come and do business. Well, we will see.

Mr. Jekielek: Thats fascinating. I havent actually heard that perspective, that there are people in support of this law [who] believe that this will actually help foster this economic security.

Ms. Lau: Jan, they have to say that, my dear friend. Do you think they will come out and say, Yeah, if we pass this law, everybody will flee, or The money will leave Hong Kong? Of course they wont say that. So they have to say the opposite although maybe they themselves know its not true. It is very, very laughable and very tragic.

Mr. Jekielek: Emily, frankly, its difficult for me to imagine what exactly is going to happen. One of the things thats been discussed and youve actually discussed before is that theres a considerable number of people who hold the British National (Overseas) passportthis special relationship with the U.K. Can you talk a little bit about the implications of that status? I think it was 3 million almost, of 7 million Hong Kongers. What are the implications of that relationship and what should the U.K. be doing here?

Ms. Lau: Well, yes. Briefly, the origin was 1997, Britain had to pull out of Hong Kong. So at that time we were British Dependent Territory citizensBDTCs. But of course, on July 1, 1997, were no longer dependent territory, so Britain created another citizenship for the people left behind. Its called British National (Overseas), BNO, and they only can get it up to the end of 1997. After 1997, nobody can apply for BNO and the BNO cannot be passed on to your second generation, but you can hold the BNO for as long as you live. But it does not give you the right to live in the U.K. Of course it doesnt give you full British citizenship.

At that time, there were more than 3 million people who applied and got the BNO passport. I dont have one. Im not a BNO passport holder, but there are that many. And there was a debate in the House of Lords in March this year, and the foreign minister said that their estimate now is that there are 2.9 million people who are eligible for this BNO passport. But those holding a valid BNO passport is about 360,000 because many have not renewed after it expired, but they can get it renewed. So these are British citizens but with no right to live in the U.K.

So what Im saying to the British government, to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and members of parliament, is that these are British citizens. When you handed Hong Kong over to communist China, and I asked Margaret Thatcher the question, I said, Is it morally defensible to deliver these people into the hands of the communist dictatorship? Now, this is all happening before us, and people are very angry and very frightened. So should Britain, should Parliament, not do something for these people by giving them citizenship? I dont think 2 million people will go there, so I dont think the Brits need to be so scared, but some will want to go. And I think they have a duty, they have a responsibility, to look after these people. Very sad, very sad.

I hope that they will not wait until there are refugees from Hong Kong like in the 1980s, in the last century, when these Vietnamese boat people, they left Vietnam and came in boats, and landed on the shores of Hong Kong, called the Vietnamese boat peoplethe refugees. And there was a conference at the United Nations to look after them, to resettle them, and Hong Kong was the first port of call. And we dont want to see the Hong Kong boat people, do we? We dont want to see the Hong Kong people taking their boats going out to sea to seek refuge.

Mr. Jekielek: That is actually one of the predictions. I mentioned Kyle Bass who was on the show, [from] Hayman Capital. His prediction actually is that there will be a mass exodus by summer.

Ms. Lau: Well, actually, I dont know whether you heard or not, today, the president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, said, Taiwan will have a policy of accepting Hong Kong people, people who want to flee to Taiwan, which I think is very good. And I hope they really mean it because there are Hong Kong people who want to go to Taiwan, which of course is much closer than Great Britain, and probably cheaper. And also, language wise, I think many Hong Kong people can speak Mandarin. So if the Taiwanese government genuinely wants to open its doors to the Hong Kong people, I think that it would be a good thing.

So I hope the other countries who are now listening in to our discussion, if their government would adopt a more lenient immigration policy for Hong Kong people, I think you will be doing us a great favor. And I think people who have accepted Hong Kong immigrants, most of these countries are very happy because they think the Hong Kong immigrants are hardworking, and they are bilingual, and they are very, very creative; very, very entrepreneurial. So I certainly hope the world will look at Hong Kongs case and welcome them. But of course, many dont want to leave, many cannot leave, and many will stay and fight.

Mr. Jekielek: Yeah, and thats what I was going to say. Theres certainly a number of people that Ive been talking to on the down-low over the past few days who are basically saying, Im in it for the long haul. So its like a big mix. Its very interesting. Of course I mentioned earlier, you were the first woman elected to the LegCo. But I think even more so, I have a quote here: Chris Patten described you once as a true professional politician, handsome, well-informed and dashingly eloquent, who would have gotten to the top of any Western political system.

Ms. Lau: Thats very kind of Chris, but Im in communist Chinathats my problem. And people kept asking me when Im going to be arrested or when Im going to flee. Im not going anywhere and I dont know when I will be arrested. When Im arrested, Jan, then I cant talk to you anymore.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, I certainly hope that doesnt happen. What I wanted to talk to you about though is Ive spoken with a number of people recently and theres a suggestion that had there been more of an opening up pre-2014,  you were elected into a position perhaps even to lead the council or something like that. How would you have approached this? I think this is more than just an academic question.

Ms. Lau: Well, actually, when I was a member of the Council for quite a few years, I was able to work with people from the other side. At one stage, we actually had an eight-party coalition in the Council covering more than 80% of the members. So that means in those days, even those pro-communists, pro-business members, were willing to talk to us and try to reach consensus on difficult issues, except political ones. But we can talk about economic things, social things, and we can reach consensus. But now it seems theyre just dead enemies. And of course, I think the main influence is from Beijing, that Beijing would not allow the pro-Beijing camp to talk to the pro-democracy members, and would not make any compromise at all. So it is very, very different and a very difficult situation now.

Mr. Jekielek: Lets talk about the pro-Beijing camp, so to speak, a little bit. I was reading reports that a number of them or perhaps all of them actually slept at the LegCo last night before the debate started around the National Anthem [Bill].

Ms. Lau: Yes, indeed, because they were calls on social media calling on people to surround the Legislative Council complex, and maybe one thing is to not allow them to enter the complex. So if they were not there, they could not vote, and maybe the National Anthem Bill could be voted down, and I think that they would get death penalty from Beijing. So thats why they were so terrified.

Mr. Jekielek: Right now, this bill is in the process of being debated. We just had the first day of it. What is this about and why is this one problematic?

Ms. Lau: Well, the national anthem used to be not controversial particularly if you look back to 2008, the Olympics, when it was in Beijing and the Chinese athletes won so many medals. Many Hong Kong people were very patriotic. But since then, and especially in the last few years, many people have become very hostile towards the Communist Party. And when do they play the national anthem? Particularly during the football matches. And then what did some of the Hong Kong people do? They boo it, and they use all sorts of foul language and all the [foul hand] signs. So of course the government felt very much insulted and Beijing was very angry. Thats why they gave us this law and say [that] you must pass it, and it includes a clause and you get a penalty if you insult the national anthem, if you show disrespect to the national anthem. I dont remember how many months you have to spend in jail or how many dollars youll be fined, but people find it so ridiculous. If I want to show respect for the national anthem, it should come out of my heart and not because you have the law to stipulate that I must do it. And so it is very controversial.

Mr. Jekielek: What do you expect will happen with this law? Are we in a situation now where its basically guaranteed that anything that Beijing institutes will be passed?

Ms. Lau: I think so. Well, with this council and now with 4,000 police being deployed to stop people from crashing into the complex to stop the proceedings, and because the pro-Beijing camp, they have a majoritynot because they are so popularly supported by the people. They have a majority because there are so many functional constituency seats. That meansthese are created by the Britishone constituency is the General Chamber of Commerce, another constituency is the banks, a third one is the insurance companies, another one [is] the transport companies, and so on. So these people, they make up a majority. So Beijing says, You support this, and they will all put up their hands and support it, and of course it will be passed. Its a disgrace.

Mr. Jekielek: Lets talk about the police. Ive been reading reports here that there were more arrests even today, and were talking [about] Wednesday, May 27th here, than there have been in the past over a two-month period. Those police have really ramped up arrests, and actually particularly young people, from the reports that Im seeing from our own media and others.

Ms. Lau: Yes, indeed, because there were many people gathering today from morning to lunchtime, to afternoon, to evening. Now as we speak, as I said, theyre still out there in Mongkok. So the police said it was really an illegal assembly and the police asked them to disperse, and some of them refused, and so the police herded them up and arrested them, but they were not afraid. So they arrested 300 or more, but others kept cropping up and they turned up in the shopping mall; they turned up in the streets. So these are very, very courageous people, theyre not afraid of being arrested or beaten up by the police, and they are so angry, and they will just come out to challengechallenge the police and challenge the authorities.

Mr. Jekielek: Im looking at some photos here of what looks like young children, even pre-teenage, so to speak, and in school uniform being arrested. Are you aware of this?

Ms. Lau: Yes, of course.  Like in many other places, because of the pandemic, all the schools are closed. And because the situation is improving a little bit, so today, some of the high schools reopened. So its the first day of school for many students after staying home for several months. But today, when the schools reopen, many students already are calling for a strike, a boycott of classes, to protest against this National Anthem Bill and also the national security law. And then of course, after they left school, they all went onto the street. Maybe they gathered in all these places and got arrested by the police.

Mr. Jekielek:  Its also incredible that these very young kids are taking it this seriously. Its inspiring.

Ms. Lau: Well, maybe it is. Theyre very young. Some as young as 10 years old, and I think some of them were arrested today, teenagers, they got petrol bombs in their bag. I dont knowthats what the police claimed. So youre right. I think they are very young, but theyre very, very active, and many of the young people, maybe not just teenagers, but young people, they are very active and they are very angry.

Mr. Jekielek: You mentioned that the police are alleging there are petrol bombs. We have no idea if thats true or not. But also, the police have lost a tremendous amount of credibility recently. Just from the look of it, from the outside, theres just increased aggression; police acting with impunity; the independent investigation doesnt really appear if it was that independent; no one seems to be charged for any offenses. What is the situation with police?

Ms. Lau: Well, it is really dreadful and many Hong Kong people really hate the police, and the hatred, the venom, the animosity, is so deep. Its so, so sad. Even with the Occupy [Movement] in 2014, the relations with the police was not that bad. But last year in June, with the violence in the protests, the police became very, very violent and very brutal, and many people were very badly beaten up. But as you said, not a single police officer has been arrested and charged. But now we have over 8,000 arrested; maybe after today, 9,000. So many [were] arrested, but nothing happened with the police. They just did all these bad things with impunity. And many people believe that the police are now not answerable to the Chief Executive Carrie Lam, but to the public security in Beijing, so they are in control. And theyre just out of controlthey can just go and beat people up, and round people up, and theres nothing we can do about it.

Mr. Jekielek: This whole situation, weve got this national security law, weve got the [National] Anthem Bill, weve got a lot of challenges with police, and no oversight.  Its obviously incredibly, incredibly troubling mass arrests now. A lot of people respect your perspective, in Hong Kong and around the world. What do you recommend to the Hong Kong government at the moment?

Ms. Lau: Well, of course, I hope the international community would speak out and tell the Hong Kong government, but most importantly, the Chinese Communist Party, to cool it; to stop such barbaric acts. And if people say, Oh, the Communist Party doesnt care about international public opinion, they are wrong. They do care. They care about face.

And also I think the international community should speak out because many of their citizens are living and working here, and they have many companies operating here, making money; maybe not anymore. So I hope they will speak out. I just saw on the news that the European Union, the leaders, are going to have a meeting on Friday and Hong Kong may be on the agendaand I hope it will beso they will all come out and speak with one voice to tell Beijing to cool it. And then next month, the Group of Seven [G7], big industrialized countries, will meet in America. And the last governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, has called on the G7 to put Hong Kong on the agenda, to discuss and come up with a statement. 

I hope the international community will send a signal to Hong Kong and to Beijing, to the Communist Party, that the international community is not asleep. They are not too preoccupied with the pandemic that they will turn a blind eye to all these things that are happening in Hong Kong. So they should speak out and tell China to cool it, and dont do it. And what should they do? To engageengage the pro-democracy movement; all these councilors who are elected by the people. Lets have a civilized dialogue.

And then if not, if they wont do it, then in some countries, they have the Magnitsky Act. I think they have it in the U.S. and in the U.K., the Australians are in the process of passing it, and they can use the act to punish individuals who are guilty of gross human rights violations, and they can ban those people from entering their countries; they can freeze their assets or their properties. This is very serious. So there are all these tools that the international community can use. And I think they should tell  the Communist Party, Now, if you continue to behave in such a barbaric way, then the international community will take action.

Mr. Jekielek: There are a lot of calls right now to be ready to revoke Hong Kongs special status. For example, in the U.S., the U.S. administration has said [that]  anything is on the table, depending on what the CCP does. What are your thoughts?

Ms. Lau: Well, they have their law, Hong Kong Policy Act, and they can, if they think its necessary, to revoke this separate custom territory for Hong Kong. And as some business leaders said several months ago, they said, If that happens, the game is over for Hong Kong. So it is very, very serious. And I certainly do not think that 7.5 million people should be punished. But of course, Im not the American administration, but I certainly hope that when they do make a decision, they should target the individuals who are guilty of terrible acts. But to choose an action that would hurt millions of Hong Kong people, I certainly would not advocate it. I would advise against it. And I certainly think those politicians in America who like the Hong Kong people, who support the Hong Kong people, will not want to do such a thing to the 7 million of us.

Mr. Jekielek: Emily Lau, any final words before we finish up?

Ms. Lau: Well, I hope I will be at liberty to talk to you again. I think the situation is very grim. Not that Im saying Ill be arrested tomorrownobut the situation is very grim, and I just hope the international community will spare some time to look at Hong Kong and also will speak out to support us.

Mr. Jekielek: Emily, I certainly hope we get to talk often in the future and well definitely be having you back very, very soon. So great to have you on the show.

Ms. Lau: Thank you very much, Jan.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. American Thought Leaders is an Epoch Times show available on Facebook and YouTube and The Epoch Times website.
New York City has become the first major U.S. city to outlaw the use of terms such as 'alien' and 'illegal' when referring to immigrants in local legal documentation.

The terms will now be replaced with 'noncitizen'.

NYC City Council passed the bill on Thursday that will get rid of the terms 'alien', 'illegal immigrant' and 'illegal migrant' from local laws, rules, orders, city documents and other materials.

Those who supported the legislation said the terms were used to 'dehumanize' people and praised the decision to remove them at a time when they claim the White House is engaging in 'racist rhetoric'.

The bill was passed by 46 of the 50 city council members present.

New York City has become the first major U.S. city to outlaw the use of terms such as 'alien' and 'illegal' when referring to immigrants in local legal documentation calling the terms 'degrading'. Pictured, New Yorkers arrested for protesting immigration camps

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson welcomed the decision by NYC to become the first major U.S. city to outlaw the use of terms 'alien' and 'illegal' when referring to immigrants

'No human being is illegal,' said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson in a statement.

'This degrading terminology never belonged in our laws, in our language, or in our lives. By taking this step, New York City would become the first major city in the United States to remove these offensive terms from its laws. It is my hope that other big cities will follow suit.'

The legislation was sponsored by Queens City Councilman Francisco Moya, who said it was not a question of political correctness but that the terms were outdated.

Moya added that they are often used to degrade an undocumented person.

'These words are outdated, and loaded words used to dehumanize the people they describe. It's time to retire them,' Moya said.

'Words matter. The language we choose to use has power and consequences. It's time we as a city use our language to acknowledge people as people, rather than to dehumanize them and divide us.'

The vote was also applauded by commissioner of NYC Immigrant Affairs, Bitta Mostofi, who stated: 'At a time when the federal government is engaged in divisive policies and racist rhetoric, we are proud to have worked within the administration with the council to show that there is a better way, one that recognizes the humanity of New Yorkers.'

The legislation was co-sponsored by seven city council members from across Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan.

Commissioner of NYC Immigrant Affairs, Bitta Mostofi, said that the decision came 'at a time when the federal government is engaged in divisive policies and racist rhetoric'

The four that voted against included Staten Island's Joe Borelli and Steven Matteo, Queens' Robert Holden and Brooklyn's Kalman Yeger.

Matteo claims that he voted against the legislation as it important to differentiate between different kinds of immigrants and noncitizens.

'Not all noncitizens are the same. Some are tourists, students, or temporary or permanent legal residents, while others have entered and/or remain in this country unlawfully. This legislation is an ill-conceived attempt to erase these important distinctions from all city government publications,' Matteo said, according to Staten Island Live.

Mayor Bill de Blasio must now sign the bill into law and the legislation will take effect 60 days after its enactment.

It will not affect any direct references in the City Charter or Administrative Code to a federal law or program.

According to Fox News, New York City's Commission on Human Rights has already issued guidance making it illegal to use the terms 'illegals' or 'illegal alien' with the 'intent to demean, humiliate or harass a person' last October.

The guidance made the use of the terms in this manner punishable by a fine of up to $250,000.
The 26th conference of parties, or COP26, of the United Nations scheduled to be held in Glasgow later this year has now been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic to November 2021 following consultations with stakeholders, officials said on Friday.

Alok Sharma, business secretary in the Boris Johnson government and the COP26 president, said: While we rightly focus on fighting the immediate crisis of the coronavirus, we must not lose sight of the huge challenges of climate change.

With the new dates for COP26 now agreed, we are working with our international partners on an ambitious road map for global climate action between now and November 2021. The steps we take to rebuild our economies will have a profound impact on our societies future sustainability, resilience and well-being and COP26 can be a moment where the world unites behind a clean resilient recovery.

The decision on the new date comes as the UK government announced that over 25 experts in multiple global sectors will be advising the COP26 Presidency. The Friends of COP bring expertise from countries across six continents, including France, Barbados, Chad, Australia, India and Peru.

As the host of COP26 in November 2021, the officials said, the UK will continue to work with all involved to increase climate action, build resilience and lower emissions. The new date will also allow the UK and Italian partners to harness incoming G7 and G20 presidencies in driving climate ambition.

UN climate change executive secretary Patricia Espinosa said: Our efforts to address climate change and Covid-19 are not mutually exclusive. If done right, the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis can steer us to a more inclusive and sustainable climate path.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that groups of up to six people will be able to meet outdoors in England from next Monday, provided strict social distancing guidelines are followed, as part of steps towards easing the countrys coronavirus lockdown.

The devolved administration of Scotland has begun easing its lockdown from Friday, allowing people from two households to meet outside so long as they keep at least two metres of distance.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 18:34:04|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

JAKARTA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia has extended the shutdown of the Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara province as the COVID-19 continues spreading in the country, an official said on Friday.

The park situated in Manggarai district has been closed since March 22 and had been scheduled to be reopened on May 29, still the Komodo National Park Office extended the closure, Director of the Park Lukita Awang Nistyantara said.

The extension, he said, aims at protecting the staffs and the residents living in the compound of the park from transmissions of the flu-like disease.

Concerning the period of the extension, the director conceded that he was not certain as the virus keeps spreading in the country, citing that the park would be reopened based on the result of an evaluation on the situation that would be carried out by the government.

"The Komodo National Park is still transiently closed until further notice," he said.

A ban was also imposed on the entry of cruise ships which carry several passengers to the popular tourist destination, Nistyantara was quoted by local media as saying.

The park's closure was initially aimed at allowing the authorities to carry out conservation and rehabilitation programs in the park, following the smuggling of 41 Komodo dragons to three nations in Southeast Asia, to boost the population of the species and protect them.

Partial lockdowns along with physical distancing policies remain in place in Indonesia to curb the transmissions of the COVID-19.

The disease has killed 1,520 people in Indonesia and infected 25,216 others, the Health Ministry reported on Friday. Enditem
The European Commission announced an ambitious seven-year budget yesterday to bail out the EUs 27 member states from the economic impact of COVID-19, but culture representatives say it fails to provide enough protection for their industry, which is one of the economic sectors that has been hardest hit by the pandemic. In particular, the representatives say, cuts to three programs  Erasmus+, Creative Europe, and European Solidarity Corps  send a terrible message to the cultural, creative, and media sectors.  Artnet
This years BookExpo Childrens Book & Author Dinner took place via Facebook Live, where more than 700 booksellers and others viewed in real time a diverse group of authors, ranging from the iconic Judy Blume to younger voices such as Kwame Mbalia and Raj Haldar. The six speakers emphasized how reading and writing helped them find their voices in what is sometimes a difficult world to navigate.

Moderated by ReedPops content director Matt Wasowski, the event kicked off with Blume talking about her past, her present, and the 50th anniversary edition of her classic novel, Are You There, God? Its Me, Margaret (Atheneum). Blume disclosed that this is her fourth time as a Childrens Book & Author Breakfast speaker, and that she was one of the speakers at the first such breakfast in 1978, in Atlanta, with Maurice Sendak and Dr. Seuss. It was a very heady experience, she said.

I dont think there will be a fifth time, and not just because Im so old, she joked, adding that Are You There, God? was her third novel, but also the one in which she let go and wrote most freely, and spontaneously, much more so than any of her subsequent 28 novels, the last of which took five years to write. Disclosing that for a long time she had resisted the notion of her character, Margaret, moving to the big screen, Blume sounded genuinely enthused that a cinematic adaptation of Are You There, God?, was meant to be filmed this summer (though the pandemic has delayed the production).

Blume explained that she isnt writing anymore: for the past four years, she has been selling books at her bookstore, Books & Books Key West, which is affiliated with Books & Books in Coral Gables, Fla. Do I miss writing? she asked, Not really. I have fallen in love with my new life as a bookseller. Fifty years is long enough to have said whatever it is I wanted to say. Now its my pleasure to introduce books to young readers.

Following Blume, Natalie Portman, who is both a debut childrens book author and a movie star, presented Natalie Portmans Fables (Feiwel and Friends). Noting that she was in shock to be in the company of Blume who helped shape my childhood, Portman described herself as a lifelong reader, due to being an only child in a family that was constantly moving. Books were my constant companion. Books helped her understand what life was like for children whose lives and worlds were different from her own. Books, Portman said, provided her with escape, stimulation, and affection when she started acting at age 11. Books helped her be less of a stranger, though, at the same time, a bit more strange.

Having a son (born in 2011) and a daughter (born in 2017) made Portman realize that classic literature relies on certain gender tropes and that readers make assumptions about the gender of even animals in stories, and that male characters outnumber female characters in books, even about animals.

Were valuing male stories over female ones, Portman said, explaining that classic childrens books socialize females in a negative way. We as girls have so much practice in how boys must feel, how they must think, how they must see the world, and were primed to do the same as adults. Were experts at seeing the world through others eyes and not enough through our own. I wanted to see how I could preserve the stories I love and their messages while also creating a world with a gender distribution that reflected nature.

Portman recalled that when she was younger, and a big fan of the Babysitters Club series, she was desperate to gain access to author Ann M. Martin to ask her to include a Jewish character in her tales, so that Portman would feel represented. I wanted to see myself. I wanted to see someone specifically from my own culture there. Representation matters.

Regarding her own collection of fables, she said she did not want to discard the classic tales, but wanted to make them reflective of all genders, and hopefully, inspire empathy towards all genders.

Misty Copeland, the first black woman to be promoted to principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, spoke next about her forthcoming picture book, Bunheads (Putnam), noting that she became a reader and writer at an early age due to being the fourth child in a single-parent home with six children. Writing for me became a source of expression for me from a very young age, she said. I kept all of my journals, which definitely helped me write my memoir. Writing was the first expression I had before ballet came into my life.

Ive often used my personal experiences to create these fantastical stories, she said, noting that Bunheads, about two girls in ballet school who become best friends. was inspired by her early experiences beginning ballet at the age of 13.

I didnt enter the ballet world with any preconceived notions of what it was to be black in the ballet world, she said, Its not about the package you come in, its about the art you produce. Its really important for children to see and know its not so one-layered and superficial.

Raj Halder, a rapper known as Lushlife to his fans, explained that not being a childrens book author by trade facilitated his getting these improbable, absurd subversively educational books into the worldP Is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever and the forthcoming No Reading Allowed: The WORST Read-Aloud Book Ever (both Sourcebooks Kids), cowritten by Chris Carpentereven though P Is for Pterodactyl was rejected by 17 publishers before Sourcebooks acquired it.

Approaching childrens book writing as an outsider, he said, allowed him to think outside of the box and to have fun with the English language as there are more exceptions than rules. His philosophy, he said, is to encourage children to have fun while exploring what adults might consider to be complex concepts, including the sheer absurdity of the English language. Each page spread of No Reading Aloud features two sentences that include homophones: words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.

Adults underestimate what children are capable of sometimes, he maintained, Kids want to push the boundaries, they want to make sense of a nonsensical world.

Marie Lu explained while she has written several dystopian SFF novels, she feels that she should just transcribe what is going on in the world today, as nothing in my books can ever be as dark and weird as what is happening in the real world, or has happened. Lu noted that her dystopian novels are snapshots of that moment in time for her, what was keeping me up at night when I was writing that story.

Born in Beijing in 1984, and having visited Tiananmen Square as a child several timesher first exposure to dystopiaLu says that her early life may have predisposed her towards thinking about dystopian worlds, and writing dystopian fiction.

Skyhunter (Roaring Brook) the first novel in a series, she says, was inspired by the 2016 campaign season, especially the Democratic National Convention, when Khizr Khan spoke of his late sons sacrifice in the U.S. military, fighting and dying for his country. I couldnt get that speech out of my head, she recalled. Young people in our country, people of color, people of different religions, nonbinary people, women, are sent out to war, to fight for a country that doesnt have their back, doesnt give them the respect they deserve. But they fight anyway, because they believe that someday it can be better than it has become.

Skyhunter, she said, is set far in the future, 5,000 years, possibly our own future world, where a regressive society is built on the ruins of a long-gone civilization. The world has been taken over by a massive power, except for one small country, Mara. Its the story of a young woman, an immigrant to Mara, who becomes a soldier and saves the life of a young man who may save Mara from destruction.

Its an exploration of what it means to love your country, and how complicated that question is, she said, and what it means to be an immigrant, and trying to fit into a new world and finding your voice again.

Skyhunter, she said, is her attempt to come to terms with what is happening in the real world. I realized as I was writing this fiction about young people saving their world, I was kind of taking dictation from the real world. Young people right now, she points out, are doing what it takes to effect real change, advocating for climate change, and gun control, and other issues, and thats not their job: their job is to grow up and figure out who they are.

I love writing YA, she added. People tend to underestimate young people [in real life] until they look up and young people are doing these amazing things out there. In YA, young people are taking charge, theyre taking their dystopian world, and fixing it. Writing fiction, she says, gives her the opportunity to fix what is wrong in the real world.

The final speaker, Kwame Mbalia, author of Tristan Strong Destroys the World, the sequel to last years Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (both Disney/Rick Riordan Presents), might be forgiven if he seemed distracted during his presentation: Mbalia was speaking from a bathroom in a hospital maternity ward; his wife had just given birth to their fourth child. Mbalia read a passage from his first book, before providing his audience with a sneak peek into the sequel by reading for the first time to an audience from Tristan Strong Destroys the World. The passage, with Mbalia taking on the characters voice, featured Gum Baby exploring feelings of grief and sadness.

Addressing the source of inspiration for his tales, Mbalia explained that he wanted to reimagine the African fairy tales and West African myths he heard while growing up, and share them with a new generation.

The title of Kwame Mbalia's forthcoming release was incorrect in an earlier version of this story and has been corrected.
A Louisiana police officer has been placed on departmental leave after he called the police custody death of George Floyd a 'common mistake and poor technique' and 'not murder'.

Shreveport Police Sgt. Brent Mason shared his views on Facebook Wednesday, commenting on an article about the black man who died after a white cop knelt into his neck for eight minutes as he pleaded for his life, repeating: 'I can't breathe, officer.'

Mason said he has been in the force for two and half decades and training for almost half that time as he described what he teaches cops.

'I have been training police for over 12 years now and with more than 25 years of service this is a common mistake and poor technique often made by police officers,' Brent Mason began.

'The knee is not supposed to go across the nape of the neck. Most common when the suspect is assisting by bucking or bridging. The knee had to [be] angled across the shoulder blades during handcuffing.'

Shreveport Police Sgt. Brent Mason (left) shared on Facebook Wednesday: 'This is a common mistake and poor technique often made by police officers'> Mason wrote the death of George Floyd (right) 'misstep not an act of murder'

Mason added: 'I feel that Minneapolis Police Department jumped the gun by arresting and firing the 4 officers'

Mason then claimed that Floyd, 46, likely had a health condition that made him at higher risk of dying from the technique.

He predicted, without evidence, that Floyd would may have died as a result of excited delirium  a condition that can be found in men with a history of mental illness and drugs abuse.

'This was a mistake or misstep not an act of murder. Normally this mistake does not result in death,' Mason continued.

'The cause of death will be more likely to be positional asphyxia or excited delirium. This individual more than likely had health conditions and toxics in his blood. (no report yet).'

As protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis demanding that four cops from the MPD are charged with murder, Mason added that he thinks they've already been punished too harshly.

'I feel that Minneapolis Police Department jumped the gun by arresting and firing the 4 officers,' Mason wrote on Facebook. 'Wow where is the innocent until proven guilty!!?? Minnesota??'

He predicted, without evidence, that Floyd would may have died as a result of excited delirium  found in men with a history of mental illness and drugs abuse

Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins (pictured) and Shreveport Police Chief Ben Raymond said in a press conference on Thursday that they both spoke to the cop on Wednesday and asked him to remove the post

Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins and Shreveport Police Chief Ben Raymond said in a press conference on Thursday that they both spoke to the cop on Wednesday after they were directed to the post.

A fatal shooting and lawsuit for excessive force: What we know about the four officers fired for George Floyd's arrest Derek Chauvin In 2006 Derek Chauvin (pictured), 44, was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes The white police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck has already been investigated over three police shootings and a fatal car chase. In 2006 Derek Chauvin, 44, was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes. Reyes, 42 was killed by officers after allegedly pulling a shotgun on the six cops, which included Chauvin. Also that year he was named in a lawsuit filed by an inmate at the Minnesota Correctional Facility. The case was dismissed in 2007. Two years later Chauvin was investigated for his role in the 2008 shooting of Ira Latrell Toles during a domestic assault call. Toles was wounded after police said he went for an officer's gun and Chauvin shot him. That same year Chauvin was handed a medal of valor for 'his response in an incident involving a man armed with a gun.' But in 2011 23-year-old Leroy Martinez was shot and injured during a chase given by officers including Chauvin. Chauvin was arrested Friday - four days after Floyd's death - and charged with third degree murder and manslaughter. Tou Thao Tou Thao (pictured), was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017 Tou Thao, was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017. A lawsuit obtained by the DailyMail.com shows Thao was sued for using excessive force in arrest where he was accused of punching and kicking a handcuffed suspect 'until his teeth broke'. The remaining two officers have been identified as Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng. Both were reportedly rookie cops who were still in their probationary periods. Thao, Lane and Kueng do not currently face charges. Advertisement

He did not name the officer but said an 'individual made some comments that our community is very much up in arms about'.

They asked Mason to remove the post while they review their social media policy to see whether he flouted the rules.

The probe could take six to eight weeks.

But Raymond called the video 'disturbing, to say the least' and said personally he had never seen such use of force except in deadly instances.

'I was an instructor at our police academy and taught use of force and defensive tactics as part of my daily duties during that time,' Raymond explained. 'I've never been taught, nor do I believe, that placing the knee on the back of somebody's neck for an extended period of time is an acceptable or justifiable use of force, except in instance of deadly force.'

Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck while he lay handcuffed on the ground and not resisting as two other officers hold down the victim. Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng were also involved and were fired.

Raymond added that he found the actions of the MPD cops in the video 'painful to watch'.

'They are very insensitive, and in the words of my friend and the fellow mayor from Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, the actions of those officers in Minneapolis were completely unacceptable,' the chief said. 'Police officers' duty is to serve and protect. Not only was the duty absent in their actions, but also an element of humanity was lacking.

'To hear somebody cry out for help and say they can't breathe and keep the knee on back of someone's neck for over five minutes is painful to watch.'

The footage was obtained from a witness. The only bodycam footage that has been released was from a cop from the Minneapolis Park Police who arrived on the scene after the arrest and was 118 feet from Floyd so did not capture exactly what took place between the victim and police.

Now the Shreveport Police wants to renew a commitment to equip all of their officers with bodycams.

The already have some 'but 90 body cameras doesn't go very far when you have over 500 police officers'.

He said they would need funding of $2.9 million over five years - $2.1 million for the body cameras alone.

Shreveport also announced that from June there will be a new 22-member Commission on Race and Cultural Diversity, working on how to build trust between SPD and the community of color.

'As I have proven over the last 18 months, I insist on leading an agency with integrity and putting the needs of citizens above all others. If a violation of our policies and more importantly a violation of the public trust occurs, then I will deal with it appropriately, as I have always done,' he stated.

'No doubt, tensions are high both nationally and locally as a result of years of distrust of policing methods and practices. Often times, as is the case today, incidents occur to further erode that trust and even if the incident was hundreds or even thousands of miles away, damage is done to the entire law enforcement profession and we in Shreveport are not immune.

'We simply cannot move forward if we continue to tiptoe around one another and not have an action plan. We have worked hard to improve relationships between the Shreveport Police Department and the citizens of Shreveport. But many of the issues that we face today are historical in natures and have existed for over 100 years. We cannot erase history and we certainly cannot heal all wounds in the last 18 months.'
It looks like Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (SGX:S63) is about to go ex-dividend in the next 4 days. You can purchase shares before the 20th of May in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 29th of May.

Singapore Technologies Engineering's next dividend payment will be S$0.10 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of S$0.15 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Singapore Technologies Engineering has a trailing yield of approximately 4.6% on its current stock price of SGD3.27. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Singapore Technologies Engineering's dividend is reliable and sustainable. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

Check out our latest analysis for Singapore Technologies Engineering

Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Its dividend payout ratio is 81% of profit, which means the company is paying out a majority of its earnings. The relatively limited profit reinvestment could slow the rate of future earnings growth. We'd be worried about the risk of a drop in earnings. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. It paid out an unsustainably high 240% of its free cash flow as dividends over the past 12 months, which is worrying. It's pretty hard to pay out more than you earn, so we wonder how Singapore Technologies Engineering intends to continue funding this dividend, or if it could be forced to the payment.

Singapore Technologies Engineering paid out less in dividends than it reported in profits, but unfortunately it didn't generate enough cash to cover the dividend. Were this to happen repeatedly, this would be a risk to Singapore Technologies Engineering's ability to maintain its dividend.

Story continues

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

SGX:S63 Historical Dividend Yield May 15th 2020

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Stocks with flat earnings can still be attractive dividend payers, but it is important to be more conservative with your approach and demand a greater margin for safety when it comes to dividend sustainability. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. That explains why we're not overly excited about Singapore Technologies Engineering's flat earnings over the past five years. We'd take that over an earnings decline any day, but in the long run, the best dividend stocks all grow their earnings per share. Earnings have been growing somewhat, but we're concerned dividend payments consumed most of the company's cash flow over the past year.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the past ten years, Singapore Technologies Engineering has increased its dividend at approximately 7.9% a year on average.

Final Takeaway

Should investors buy Singapore Technologies Engineering for the upcoming dividend? In addition to earnings being flat, Singapore Technologies Engineering is paying out a reasonable percentage of its earnings as profits. However, the dividend was not well covered by free cash flow. With the way things are shaping up from a dividend perspective, we'd be inclined to steer clear of Singapore Technologies Engineering.

With that in mind though, if the poor dividend characteristics of Singapore Technologies Engineering don't faze you, it's worth being mindful of the risks involved with this business. Our analysis shows 3 warning signs for Singapore Technologies Engineering and you should be aware of them before buying any shares.

If you're in the market for dividend stocks, we recommend checking our list of top dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper listens to a question during a briefing on the coronavirus pandemic at the Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, May 26, 2020.

Republican National Convention organizers appear to have hit an impasse with the state of North Carolina over social distancing at the party's nominating convention, scheduled to be held in Charlotte in late August.

After weeks of trading strongly worded letters, punctuated by angry threats from President Donald Trump to move the convention to a more accommodating city, the GOP organizers appear no closer to getting their desired green light for a massive gathering than they were a month ago.

Meanwhile, the state of North Carolina, where coronavirus cases are still surging, is no closer to getting the Republican nominating event to agree to limits on attendees or social distancing practices, both of which Trump has flatly rejected.

Officials from North Carolina requested in a letter released Friday that the Republican National Committee expand on their plans to host the convention safely while adhering to social distancing guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and enforced by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.

"The CDC currently has interim guidance regarding mass gatherings which details a number of safety protocols that organizers of major events should utilize amid this pandemic. We would ask that the RNC further elaborate on its plans to protect convention participants and the people of Charlotte in accordance with CDC guidance," said the letter, sent by Mandy Cohen, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Letter from NC

North Carolina has previously urged the RNC to come up with a plan to carry out the convention safely to minimize potential to the spread of Covid-19. But the RNC has skirted the issue of releasing a social distancing plan in their discussions with North Carolina.

In a letter released Thursday, the RNC outlined a number of safety protocols such as temperature scans ahead of entry and availability of disinfectant in the convention site.

But absent from their plan is a way to encourage social distancing and cap the number of people who are able to attend the convention.

In a statement to CNBC, the RNC said it was hoping to receive clearer guidance from North Carolina on how to host the convention in August.

"We had hoped to receive from Gov. Cooper concrete details on how to plan for our Convention in Charlotte. After all, if public schools can be opened early on August 17th we should know how to proceed with an event on August 24th," said RNC spokesperson Rick Gorka.

"Instead we do not have a commitment that provides clarity or guidance. Like the rest of the state, we will be ready and waiting for North Carolina leadership to offer clear guidance on how we should safely plan for the type of convention for which we originally contracted," Gorka said.

This stalemate comes days after President Donald Trump said he "will be reluctantly forced" to move the convention, leading several Republican officials in Texas, Atlanta and Florida to pitch their states as possible venues.

The coronavirus pandemic has cut the president off from his beloved rallies, and he sees the August convention as a key opportunity to showcase the passion and size of his base of support in the party.

Without the image on television of a packed convention hall wildly cheering for Trump, the president reportedly feels his campaign would appear diminished, and he would be deprived of the scenery that befits an incumbent president being renominated by his party.

Meanwhile, the Democratic National Convention is scheduled to occur the week before the GOP convention, and its organizers have indicated that they are planning to hold a virtual event.

In a May 13 statement, the DNC said it is taking these steps to "plan a safe event that guarantees every delegate can accomplish their official business without putting their own health at risk."

The statement continued: "With much about the scale and impact of the coronavirus pandemic still unknown, this resolution will make it easier for our team to appropriately adjust things like the convention's format, size, or date as the situation continues to unfold in real time, while still delivering an uplifting and unifying event that puts our nominee on the path to victory in November."

When reached for comment, DNC Communications Director Xochitl Hinojosa gave the following statement: "100,000 people have died and millions are unemployed given this President's failed response to the pandemic. In every area, Trump has ignored experts, and now he's more concerned about packing 50,000 people in a stadium without listening to health officials. We will continue to listen to local and national health officials, and do everything we can to ensure the safety of the people of Milwaukee and all those involved in the convention."

The outbreak has spread to dozens of countries, with more than 5.8 million confirmed cases worldwide and over 360,800 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. There are at least 1.7 million cases in the United States and at least 101,600 deaths, according to the latest tallies.
Commentary What Do We Want a Post-Pandemic Myanmar to Look Like?

Consumers at a local market in Mandalay in May. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

Myanmars good fortune appears to be holding in terms of COVID-19; the country has seen relatively few infections and fatalities so far. According to the Ministry of Health and Sports, as of Friday, a total of 207 COVID-19 cases had been reported, including six deaths and 130 recoveries. But a deeper question haunts this apparent success story. How well prepared are we to reshape Myanmar in the post-COVID era?

The government is preparing to spend US$3-3.5 billion (4.17-4.86 trillion kyats)or up to 5 percent of Myanmars GDP of more than $70 billionto help the economy recover from the blow it has been dealt by COVID-19. The planned stimulus spending targets economic recovery, social security and an upgrade for the health-care sector.

Watching other countries try to deal with the impacts of the outbreak, it is clear that much uncertainty lies ahead, but these challenges also present opportunities. It is imperative that Myanmars leaders and citizens rise to these challenges and develop a vision for the countrys post-pandemic future.

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi holds weekly online discussions with health workers, government officials, labor union leaders and MPs about Myanmars response to the virus.

And for their part, Myanmars military leaders have reached out to insurgents in ethnic areas, providing COVID-related assistance, including testing kits, and pledging continued cooperation on fighting the coronavirus on the ground.

Two weeks ago, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met leaders of the United Wa State Army and the National Democratic Alliance Army at the headquarters of the Myanmar militarys Triangle Region Command in eastern Shan State. He said the military would provide assistance to the armed groups in handling COVID-19-related health issues.

To be sure, its heartening to see such cooperation and assistance, including the distribution of surgical masks, N95 face masks, face shields and hand-sanitizing gel; and we have seen ordinary Myanmar peoplewith characteristic generosityproviding food and relief packages to poor families and those who have lost their jobs.

However, so far we have heard little from national leaders and government officials about the futureabout the need for a sustainable economy and environmental protection, or about whether Myanmar should reassess the way it treats the environment and try to reverse the ecological damage that has been done so far.

Since the pandemic started we have heard much discussion of the way some viruses can jump from animals to humans; it has been speculated that the coronavirus outbreak emerged from a wildlife market in Wuhan, China, and bats and pangolins have featured prominently in international news stories.

Deadly viruses such as those that cause SARS, MERS, bird flu and swine flu all jumped from animals to humans, unleashing deadly outbreaks.

The coronavirus, many in Myanmar say, is natures way of venting her fury, of taking her revenge on mankind.

Then, what sort of relationship should we seek with nature?

Like the rest of the world, Myanmar has shown little respect for nature. As we have destroyed natural habitats to make room for more roads and infrastructure, more mines, factories and farmland, we have witnessed more deadly viruses reaching our cities. By clearing the forest wilderness we deprive wild animals of their habitat and force them into ever greater proximity with us, making the transmission of diseases from animals to humans more likely.

In the three decades since the 1988 military coup, Myanmar has witnessed a rapid acceleration in forest depletion, mine excavation and fishery development. Myanmar is not a poor country: We are rich in gemstones, jade, rubies, gold, minerals, rivers and deep forests.

But who controls this wealth?

According to the Economist Intelligence Units country report on Myanmar, Minerals and mineral-related products made up 23 percent of Burmese exports in 2018, representing the largest share of any category. These predominantly consist of valuable gemstones, such as jade and ruby, as well as industrial and metallic minerals.

It continues: According to government estimates, Myanmar produces between 70 percent to 90 percent of the worlds jade, and ranks fourth globally for ruby production. A majority of these gems are exported for jewelry manufacturing to regional markets, often through informal smuggling. Historically, this has facilitated corruption among army officials involved in the gemstone supply chain: according to Global Witness, an international non-government organization, US$31 billion worth of jade was seized by military elites in 2014almost half the countrys GDP that year.

Lets not mince words: We know that a handful of greedy bastards in Myanmar have made fortunes by raping the environment. The elite men in uniform, ethnic rebel leaders, local tycoons and voracious businessmen from neighboring countries have collaborated to raze green forests, extract precious stones, pollute rivers and clear jungles to build enormous dams.

The contribution of our countrys vast mines, fisheries and forests to Myanmars economy is under threat. The mismanagement of natural resources no doubt undermines sustainable development in Myanmar.

This mismanagement and exploitation is further exacerbated by climate change. On paper the government recognizes that a clean environment, with healthy and functioning ecosystems, is the foundation upon which the countrys social, cultural and economic development must be sustained; thus there is a national development framework that incorporates the notion of environmental sustainability for future generations by systematically embedding environmental and climate considerations into all future policies and projects. In reality, many fundamental issues remained unaddressed.

You will have to excuse me here while I quote the United Nations on this subject. (Occasionally this institutions puffed-up statements actually get it right.) According to the UN, Myanmar is widely considered one of the most vulnerable countries in the world in terms of the impacts of climate change. More intense and frequent floods, cyclones and droughts have caused immense loss of life and damage to infrastructure and the economy and put its renowned biodiversity and natural resources under increasing pressure.

So as we grapple with the pandemic, we must also address the issue of climate change, whose consequences are now clearly visible around the country, which has seen an increase in the frequency of severe flooding, disastrous tropical storms and other natural disasters in recent years. It should be treated as nothing less than a national emergency.

In an interview with The Irrawaddy two weeks ago, historian Thant Myint-U said, We have as well the near-overwhelming challenges of climate change. This pandemic adds yet another layer of uncertainty. Myanmar needs to see clearly the ways in which the world is changing and radically rethink its future options.

As Myanmar plans its recovery from the pandemic and the current economic crisis, its goal should be a sustainable economy that creates jobs while delivering greater equality and improved health care.

Infrastructure and other mega-investment projects should be climate-friendly; a good place to start would be for all of us to treat nature and the environment as our friends and family members. This pandemic in fact offers us a chance to reset our future course, assuming we have sufficient vision to recognize it.

You may also like these stories:

Apparently, Myanmar Govts COVID-19 Rules Dont Apply to Yangon Chief Minister

Myanmars Return of Indian Rebels: Act of Friendship or Strategic Trade-Off?
While many of us follow stay-at-home orders and wait for lockdowns to end, healthcare workers continue to battle on the frontlines against the novel coronavirus.

Doctors and nurses from all hospital departments suddenly found themselves as first responders in intensive care units intubating patient after patient, trying to treat and prevent the spread of the highly-infectious disease.

One of them is Dr Tazeen Beg, an anesthesiologist at Stony Brook University Medical Center in Long Island, New York - a 600-bed facility that essentially turned into a COVID-19 hospital.

The 53-year-old has treated hundreds of patients over these last two months and says there are several moments that have 'stayed with her' during such unprecedented times.

Speaking with DailyMail.com, Beg explained what her days have been like, the challenges she and her co-workers face as they treat seriously ill patients, and the heartbreaking moment in which a patient asked her if he was going to die.

Dr Tazeen Beg (pictured), 53, is an anesthesiologist at Stony Brook University Medical Center in Long Island, New York

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Beg became a frontline worker on the Airway Team, intubating patients across the hospital. The Airway Team at Stony Brook University Medical Center, Beg (center) with two colleagues

Prior to the pandemic, Beg was arriving to the hospital at 6.30am to get ready for her day of operations.

Some days she was in the main operating rooms where she provided continuous pain relief and sustained critical life functions during surgeries.

Other days, she was an anesthesia coordinator, deciding which cases go to which operating room, and sometimes she would be providing sedation for non-surgical operations such as colonoscopies.

Beg would start seeing patients around 7.30am and, on a typical day, she would head home between 5pm and 6pm.

That all changed after the pandemic hit.

Long Island has been one of the hardest hit regions of New York, the epicenter of the US coronavirus outbreak.

As of Thursday, Nassau and Suffolk County have nearly 80,000 confirmed cases of the illness and more than 4,500 deaths.

At Stony Brook University Medical Center, hundreds of new COVID-19 patients were coming through the doors every day.

'I volunteered for the COVID Airway Team, which means I was responsible for all the COVID intubations, whether it was in the emergency room or on the floors or in the ICU,' Beg said.

'We were providing intubations because they were the sickest of the sick patients.'

She and other members of her team began working 12-hour shifts for seven days at a stretch before getting a couple of days off.

Beg would dress every day in scrubs, a surgical gown, a hood, three pairs of disposable gloves and a N95 mask with a surgical mask over it.

'It has been very exhausting, both mentally and physically,' she said.

'Sleepless hours at night, fearing the unknown you know since there is not a standard treatment nor a vaccine.'

One of the most striking COVID-19 cases for Beg was of a young man between the ages of 27 and 28.

He was very short of breath and his other vital signs showed he was ill, but he sitting up in his hospital bed on his phone.

Beg says that a lot of the younger patients that she's come across don't seem to understand how ill they are.

'We went in, I spoke to him and I told him what we we're going to do and said: "We're going to make sure you're safe and comfortable,"' she said.

'He just looked up from his phone and asked: "Will I wake up from this?" And the second question was: "Am I going to die?"

'That is something that stays back with you.'

Another patient, a man in his 40s, only spoke Spanish and didn't understand the nurses when they said they had to intubate him and kept refusing.

Eventually, after getting his family on the phone, whom acted as his translators, he consented.

According to Beg, the man in his 20s was discharged from the hospital one week later while the man in his 40s is still there, last she checked.

Beg's other big fear is getting her family ill so she's taken several precautions to make sure she keeps her husband and two college-aged daughters safe.

She changes out of the scrubs she's been wearing during her shift into a clean pair of scrubs on her drive home.

'I leave my shoes outside the garage. We have a small area in the garage where we have some rubbing alcohol spray to clean my phone, take it out of the cover.

'Then I walk straight into the shower and I have a small room right next to the garage where I've been staying since March 14.'

If she ever leaves the room to go to other areas of the house, she wears a mask.

While Beg worries about contracting COVID-19, she said she is very appreciative of the outpour of support for frontline workers.

She says she wants to encourage all medical staffers to take just as much care of themselves as they are of patients.

'We are very committed and passionate about our profession so we are proud to be able to serve, but we should always remember we are certainly not invincible,' she said.

'My piece of advice for other healthcare workers is there is no emergency in a pandemic to rush into a patient's room. We need you to be healthy so that you can take care of others. So put on your PPE first before entering the patient's room.

'I'm always reminded of the situation where you are on a plane and the flight attendant is giving you I the inflight safety instruction and says: "You put on your own mask first and then try to help others."'
Many nonprofits in the Houston area have provided opportunities for low-income families to receive food during the COVID-19 pandemic, but rental assistance is also becoming a more immediate need as jobs are lost and suspension of evictions come to an end.

Northwest Assistance Ministries Chief Advancement Officer Brian Carr said more than half of the 3,500 clients NAM has served since businesses began closing and the Stay Home Work Safe order from Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo was put into effect, have been new clients in need of rental and food assistance. NAM anticipates that these needs will continue for the next several months, at the least.

There was a little bit of a grace period where families who were behind (on rent) and there werent any evictions or anything of that nature, Carr said. Now that that window has closed a lot of it has become more immediate. Theyre getting (eviction) notices, theyre getting the calls so theyre a little bit more desperate and scared and afraid and so theyre coming up here a little bit more anxious than a couple of weeks ago.

Clients in need are encouraged to visit NAMs building for direct services including rent assistance, mental health assistance, food and domestic violence resources. Clients will line up at least 6 feet away from each other per social distancing guidelines and wear masks.

Carr suggested low-income families with any sort of unemployment benefits or a source of income budget their money for other needs and let NAM take care of rent payments.

Because of the way our funding is structured, our advice to our clients is to use to use the unemployment (payments) for your utilities, for your prescriptions, for some groceries and allow us to subsidize the rent because we can make that one payment to the landlord and get that caught up, Carr said. Most of them have already applied for benefits, its just not enough to make the rent.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Northwest Houston nonprofits continue services as need for food and financial assistance rise

Although food is important and scarcity of food is an issue, Carr said NAM and other providers, like school districts and other nonprofits, have been tackling the issue head-on, each hosting multiple days of giving away free food. NAM has served more than 3,500 families, with hundreds more being served a week.

The school districts have been distributing food in a big way and the (Houston Food Bank) is working with other organizations, so food scarcity and food insecurity is still high, but theres a lot of opportunity to get food on a regular basis, Carr said. Sometimes there are up to 200 to 220 families here that are requesting rent assistance and theyre able to respect social distancing and all of the protocols in place.

In the near future, NAM is hoping for more financial donations, donations of non-perishable food and more volunteers to help with their Meals on Wheels program, which serves seniors in need of food without the ability to leave their home.

We need financial support. Donations have been great, we have been so blessed by how the community has been supportive of NAM, Carr said. We always need donations for our food pantry.

NAM is located at 15555 Kuykendahl Rd. in northwest Houston. For more information, visit www.namonline.org.

chevall.pryce@chron.com
Many epidemiologists have warned of the risk of a new coronavirus outbreak in the autumn. This is not because cold weather is the source of infections  bacteria and viruses are  but rather because people are likely to spend more time indoors. Poorly ventilated areas are the perfect breeding ground for the flu, colds  and for Covid-19. Indeed, from what has been learned about the SARS-CoV-2 virus, fresh air is one of its main enemies.

While it is true that a coronavirus outbreak can happen at any moment, it is less likely to occur in the summer, just as it is less likely that a person will catch a cold. There has been a lot of speculation about whether warm weather affects the transmission of the coronavirus, but there are no final conclusions, even though outbreaks in many tropical countries have shown that it is not a decisive factor. According to health experts, fresh air  not warm weather  may play a more important role in slowing infections this summer.

If we maintain our distance in the fresh air, the possibility of contagion is very, very low Antoni Trilla, epidemiologist

The old saying of opening windows to let the air in is the best [way to fight] the virus, says Antoni Trilla, an epidemiologist and a member of the expert committee advising the Spanish governments coronavirus response. In closed spaces, he explains, it is more likely that suspended particles will concentrate and be inhaled. If we maintain our distance in the fresh air, the possibility of contagion is very, very low, he says.

It is a question of odds. As soon as a person goes outside, there is a risk of contagion. That individual may have the bad luck of crossing paths with someone who is infected, breathing in a droplet with the virus and catching the disease. But it is a remote possibility. The risk of transmission increases the longer a person is in contact with an infected case and the closer they are to them, given that the likelihood of infection depends on how much of the virus is inhaled.

People gather in El Retiro park in Madrid on Thursday. Marta Fernandez Jara (Europa Press)

Studies on sites of contagion indicate that most have been closed spaces. Gwen Knight, a researcher from the Center for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases (CMMID) in the United Kingdom, has put together several scientific studies as well as different types of publications on the subject. The science communicator Luis Jimenez, who analyzed this work, explains that of the 188 outbreaks studied by Knight, only seven (3.7%) originated from a solely outdoor activity. From the point of view of the number of confirmed infections, 150 are related to outdoor cases, while more than 9,000 are related to cases that took place indoors, says Jimenez after reviewing the data from CMMID.

Ildefonso Hernandez, spokesperson for the Spanish Public Health and Health Administration Association (SESPAS), says that all the studies published on the topic have found that outbreaks have begun in closed spaces: homes, offices, restaurants, stores, places of worship, hospitals, hotels, funerals and conferences. In open areas there can also be [outbreaks], but the risk is much lower, says Hernandez.

Although the chances are low, they are not non-existent, warns Maria del Mar Tomas, a microbiologist at the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC). We must not let our guard down in the fresh air, either, she says. The epidemic is going much better, but we have to be careful with the feeling that it is over.

Possibility of a new outbreak

A good example of this is what happened in the Catalan province of Lleida, when a birthday party with 20 guests led to a spike in new coronavirus cases. the event was in violation of the coronavirus lockdown rules, since at the time, the province was in Phase 1 of the national deescalation plan, which only allows social gatherings of up to 10 people. If all had gone according to plan, Lleida would have entered Phase 2 on Monday, June 1. Instead, the province has been held back due to the outbreak.

Maria del Mar Tomas recommends respecting safe distances even in open spaces and believes it is better for family and social gatherings to take place outdoors with a reduced number of people. The home gives us a sensation of security that can be misleading. If we have a party at home, we may relax, forget the prevention measures, and be surprised [by the virus], she explains.

Trilla calls on the public to take advantage of the fact that Spain is a country that has a lot of outdoor life. Because once autumn arrives, people will once again stay indoors. The dry cold probably doesnt help, but the main risk is that we will be in closed spaces, with little ventilation, where the possibility of contagion is much higher, he explains.

Only 43 of nearly 10,000 infections took place outdoors

In the data collected by Gwen Knight on sites of coronavirus infections, only two are definitely connected to open spaces, according to Luis Jimenez: One is the market in Wuhan [in China], the possible origin of the virus (with 41 infections), and the other is two jogger friends, in which additional circumstances increased the risk: proximity over a long time period, pulse conversation and / or intense breathing. In total, 43 out of nearly 10,000 confirmed cases can be linked with a certain degree of certainty to outdoor situations.

In a Chinese study into coronavirus outbreaks, more than 7,000 infections were traced in search of their origin. According to Jimenez, most were in the home or on public transportation. Only one infection took place outdoors, when two people met on the street and were talking for some time.

English version by Melissa Kitson.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Dublin, Ireland  Fri, May 29, 2020 16:00 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdaf51de 2 World Ireland,Leo-Varadkar,social-distancing,physical-distancing,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-lockdown,pandemic,reopening-plan Free

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar raised the prospect on Friday of halving social distancing rules from two meters to one if the rate of coronavirus infections comes down further in a potential boost to still shuttered restaurants and pubs.

Facing one of the longest shutdowns in Europe, Ireland's hospitality sector has called for the guidelines to be eased in line with a number of other European countries, saying it could be the difference between some operators reopening or not.

"Before we can relax that rule and maybe reduce it to 1 [meter], which I know a lot of people would like, we just need to see the virus come down a bit more. We're not at that point yet but I think there's a good chance we get there, just not quite yet," Varadkar told Ireland's FM104 radio station.

The daily number of new COVID-19 cases has stayed below 100 for 13 of the last 14 days and the so-called "reproduction rate" narrowed further to 0.4 to 0.5 this week, a trend the country's top epidemiologist described as "astonishingly stable."

Ireland partially eased stay-at-home restrictions last week, the first of a five-stage plan that currently only sees restaurants opening in late June, hotels in July and finally pubs in August, far later than many European countries.

Restaurants in Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Germany have reopened with looser 1 to 1.5 meter guidelines. Operators in the Czech Republic, Iceland and Switzerland that have had to stick to 2 meters have had the benefit of being open since May to try to salvage some of the busy summer season.

Varadkar said on Wednesday that he hoped to be in a position to speed up the reopening plan next week.

"I certainly want to accelerate it. It's really the numbers next week that tell us whether we're still going in the right direction," he added on Friday.
BRUSSELS, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Results of the world's largest study into strategic communication and public relations have been launched today. The European Communication Monitor 2020 surveyed more than 2,300 professionals in 44 countries, producing the following highlights:

Ethical concerns over communication practices on social media: Four out of five practitioners are worried about using bots and big data analyses (PRNewsfoto/EUPRERA) Gender equality has improved significantly in Spain, Greece, Belgium, and the Czech Republic; more support is especially asked for in Austria, Italy, and Germany (PRNewsfoto/EUPRERA) Communication professionals are often involved in handling cyber security issues; but only a minority is helping to build resilience (PRNewsfoto/EUPRERA) Communication professionals in consultancies and agencies spend more time on personal development than their colleagues in other types of organisations (PRNewsfoto/EUPRERA) European Association of Communication Directors (EACD) Logo (PRNewsfoto/EACD) Leipzig University Logo (PRNewsfoto/Leipzig University)

Digital communication channels bring along new ethical challenges, but the majority of communication professionals are lacking up-to-date resources to tackle them

Three out of four communication departments employ more women than men, but still only one out of two top leaders in the field are women  the main barriers identified are a lack of flexibility and intransparent promotion policies within organisations

Communication practitioners fear the hacking of websites and social media accounts  they are often involved in handling cyber security issues, but seldom help to build resilience

Large competence gaps are identified in the fields of technology and data, although communication professionals have completed an average of 19 training days in 2019

There are significant differences between countries and various types of organisations

The full report is available for free at www.communicationmonitor.eu.



The results of the European Communication Monitor 2020 have been presented today in a virtual launch event organised by the European Association of Communication Directors (EACD). This year's edition of the world's largest survey of the communications profession is based on more than 2,300 respondents from 44 European countries, providing valuable insights for public relations, corporate communications and public affairs.

The study includes insights on moral challenges and ethical resources, cyber security and communications, gender equality in the profession, as well as status quo and future needs of competency development. Salaries, key strategic issues and communication channels as well as the characteristics of excellent communication departments have all been researched. A strict selection of participants, a unique research framework based on established theories, and statistical analyses fulfilling academic standards are key features of the study. It has been conducted and supported by a team of renowned communication professors from universities across Europe.

Professor Ansgar Zerfass, lead researcher of the survey and Chair Professor at Leipzig University, explained: "Communication leaders need to think about the time after the current downturn. Which competencies are needed in the future? What type of contribution can communications make in the field of cyber security? And how can we create a better future for the profession that enables practitioners to deal with the ethical challenges of digital technologies and how to make it easier for women to reach the top positions in communications? The European Communication Monitor explores these issues and provides insights that can stimulate internal debates in communication teams about their future set-up."

Kim Larsen, Head of Group Communications, Brand & Marketing at Danske Bank and Acting President of the European Association of Communication Directors, added: "In times of radical disruption and uncertainty, it becomes evident for everyone, that as communicators we have an important role to help bring out the facts, facilitate dialogue and create shared meaning that will enable individuals, communities and organisations to respond to the crisis and move forward in a balanced and sustainable way. We are very proud to present this report, a joint project with EUPRERA for more than a decade. It sheds light on some of the key issues and opportunities we are facing as communicators."

Ethical challenges and resources to tackle them

Today's globalised and complex world is interconnected in many ways. This makes it difficult to assess the consequences of individual actions. Many activities might be legally acceptable, but challenging from a moral point of view. Strategic communicators influence public opinion building and the construction of reality in mediatised societies to a huge extent. This poses severe ethical challenges to communication professionals, which are explored in the study.

Almost every second communication practitioner (47%) has experienced several ethical challenges in their day to day work during the last 12 months. A smaller portion reports about one issue of this kind (18%). The frequency of moral hazards has grown within the last years. When dealing with these issues, a clear majority (86%) relied on personal values and beliefs  codes of ethics (58%) or organisational guidelines (77%) are less important. Digital communication practices like the usage of social bots and big data analyses pose new ethical challenges  perhaps because only a minority of practitioners has participated in ethics training of any kind within the past three years.

Assessing and advancing gender equality in the profession

Since the United Nations addressed gender equality as the fifth of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), business in general and the communications industry in particular have promoted discussion on the issue. Annually the European Communication Monitor monitors female practitioners and gender issues in the profession. This year it evaluates how gender equality achievements are perceived. The study also explores the awareness of the glass ceiling and its causes and responsibilities at the individual, organisational and profession level.

Results show that gender issues remain a particular concern in an industry where three out of four departments and agencies in Europe employ more women than men, but still only one out of two leaders are women. Over half of practitioners observe an improvement in gender equality in their country, but disagreement arises when it comes to evaluating how much has actually been done to support female practitioners. The majority identify barriers for women at the organisational level: lack of flexibility to take care of family obligations (62%) and intransparent promotion policies (58%).

Cyber security and communications

We are all becoming more and more reliant on the Internet and digital communication which is making individuals and organisations vulnerable to cyber (in)security. These new realities are also recognised by professional communicators in Europe.

Two thirds of the surveyed professionals (63%) have given attention to the public debate about cyber security, and 59% of them see cyber security as relevant for their daily work in their communication departments or agencies. The major concerns are that cyber criminals could hack websites and/or social media accounts (42%) or close down digital infrastructures (29%). Governmental and public sector entities are more threatened than other types of organisations. More than half (54%) of communication practitioners in Europe have already experienced cyber attacks on their own organisations. Communication professionals are often involved in handling cyber security issues; but only a minority is helping to build resilience.

Competency development: Status quo and future needs

Skills, knowledge and personal attributes lead to broader competencies which have been identified as drivers of success for communication departments. For communication professionals, competencies are the foundational abilities that are both specific to communication such as data handling and those that are relevant to organisational success more generally, such as management skills.

Almost half of the respondents (43%) agree that competencies are intensively discussed in their country, highlighting their importance to communicators across the continent. Most practitioners (81%) believe in the need for constant improvement. The awareness for competency development is strongest in Western and Northern Europe. 69% of practitioners believe that technological competence is important, but only 51% report a highly developed competence in this area. Despite data handling being an important skill for all communicators, a lack of data competencies is particularly striking across all levels, with 51% of communicators underskilled in this key area. Communication professionals have completed an average of 19 training days a year in 2019, with 10 of those taking place in their free time (weekends, holidays or evenings). Most practitioners (84%) report that individuals should invest in their own development, but many (83%) plead for development programmes at the organisational level.

About the European Communication Monitor 2020

The European Communication Monitor 2020 is annually organised by the European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA) and the European Association of Communication Directors (EACD), supported by premium partner Cision Insights, digital communications partner Fink & Fuchs, and media partner Communication Director magazine. The communication monitor series is known as the most comprehensive research in the field worldwide covering more than 80 countries  the European survey is complemented by bi-annual surveys in other regions like Asia-Pacific, Latin and North America.

www.communicationmonitor.eu

About the survey organisers

European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA)

The mission of EUPRERA is to enhance and promote innovation in the knowledge, research, education and practice of strategic communication. Through its membership of universities and other research associations and bodies, EUPRERA has developed a range of high profile transnational research projects and a worldwide network. More than 200,000 scholars and practitioners can potentially be reached through its extended communication channels and partnership arrangements.

www.euprera.org

European Association of Communication Directors (EACD)

The EACD aims to attract, inspire and engage current and future communication leaders to drive excellence in the profession. It offers a platform to connect, deepen their expertise, share best practice, establish and promote relevant standards. The EACD is a networked community that convenes its members in national chapters and working groups. It engages its members  and others  through a rich online programme and regional debates across Europe. www.eacd-online.eu

Infographic - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173569/EUPRERA_1_Infographic.jpg

Infographic - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173570/EUPRERA_2_Infographic.jpg

Infographic - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173571/EUPRERA_3_Infographic.jpg

Infographic - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173572/EUPRERA_4_Infographic.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173800/EUPRERA_Logo.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173801/EACD_Logo.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1173802/Leipzig_University_Logo.jpg

SOURCE European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA)

Related Links

http://euprera.org


PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif., May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Malaga Financial Corporation (OTCPink:MLGF) announced today the declaration of a cash dividend in the amount of 25 cents per share to shareholders of record on June 19, 2020. The dividend will be paid out on or about July 1, 2020. Randy C. Bowers, Chairman, President and CEO, remarked, We are pleased to announce the 25 cent quarterly dividend which represents a 4.55% annualized yield based on our most recent closing price of $22.00. Strong earnings and capital levels enable us to continue to reward our shareholders in spite of an extremely challenging operating environment over recent months.



Mr. Bowers continued, We are extremely proud of the extraordinary efforts of our colleagues during this period, which includes accommodating all loan requests from local businesses and non-profits for the SBA Paycheck Protection Program while conducting normal banking activity Monday-Friday at our branches.

Malaga Bank, a subsidiary of Malaga Financial Corporation, is a full-service community bank headquartered on the Palos Verdes Peninsula with six offices located in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Malaga Bank has been named by DepositAccounts.com as one of the Top 200 Healthiest Banks out of the 5,035 banks analyzed across the United States. A more detailed breakdown of Malaga Banks A+ health score may be found in the health section of its dedicated page at www.depositaccounts.com/banks/malaga-bank-fsb.html#health . For over ten years Malaga Bank has been consistently recommended by one of the nations leading independent bank rating and research firms, Bauer Financial Inc. Malaga Bank was awarded Bauers premier Top 5-Star rating for the 50th consecutive quarter as of March 2020. Since 1985 Malaga has been delivering competitive banking services to residents and businesses of the South Bay, including real estate loan products custom-tailored to consumers and investors. As the largest community bank in the South Bay, Malaga is proud of its continuing tradition of relationship-based banking and legendary customer service. The Banks web site is located at www.malagabank.com .
With no inflows reported in April, the first month of the second quarter of Calendar 2020, fund raising by India-dedicated funds may remain under pressure for the next 3-4 months at the very least, since most Limited Partners (LPs) are in a wait-and-watch mode as they take stock of their own investment portfolios.

Some clarity on global and domestic challenges is expected to emerge by then, enabling the LPs to take concrete steps. Industry representatives have said that they are expecting a significant uptick in PE investment activity in a couple of quarters, or possibly even ...
The University Grants Commission is set to bring in regulations for online degree courses, officials familiar with the matter said.

The development has come after the ministry of human resource development asked the countrys top 100 universities to offer such courses amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Members of the commission, in a meeting on Friday, discussed the contours of the regulations which will be similar to those for open learning courses.

It is likely that an integrated set of regulations for distance and online learning can soon be brought out by the UGC. There is a general agreement that courses which are high on practical content like engineering or others will not be offered through online education. However, courses where there is less of practical training are ideal for such teaching. Moreover, subjects like coding can also be taught, said a senior official, requesting anonymity.

Even with integrated regulations, there may be clauses specifically for online courses, the official cited above said. The reason for bringing in regulations is mainly to address quality concerns related to such courses, he said.

The higher education regulator has already decided that it will lower the bar for varsities to offer online and distance learning courses from the earlier benchmark 3.26 score by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) at least for one academic year.

It is also likely that varsities will be given a free hand in offering diploma and certificate courses online, said another official.

Following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, the HRD ministry has been focusing on popularising the online mode of education as classroom teaching appears increasingly difficult.

In her budget speech earlier this year, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that the countrys top 100 educational institutions will start offering full-fledged degree courses online. Sitharaman had again mentioned online courses while announcing the relief measures to alleviate the effect of the pandemic on the economy.
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews speaks to the media to announce lifting of restrictions, Melbourne, Australia, May 11, 2020. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Work From Home Will Continue in Victoria

Victorians who have been working from home must continue to do so for at least another month, under a new directive from the states chief health officer.

Victorians who have been working from home must continue to do so for at least another month, as part of efforts to prevent a second wave of COVID-19.

From Monday, the obligation for employers to keep their staff working from home will be included in the Chief Health Officers directions.

Businesses will be subject to spot checks and could face fines of up to $9913 if they force staff back to the office.

Just to avoid any doubt we wanted to have the message as clear and as sharp as possible: if you have been working from home you must keep working from home, Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters on Friday.

The directive will be in place until at least until the end of June and is in contrast to advice in other states, where a staged return to workplaces is set to begin from June 1.

If everyone tries to get back to office blocks and end their working from home arrangements well simply have too many people in close contact that will spread the virus, Andrews said.

That will cause enormous challenges and could potentially lead to a second wave. Thats what were trying to avoid.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the directive will apply to hundreds of thousands of people and will help to avoid congestion in workplaces, lower foot traffic and decrease the number of people on public transport.

Its a really powerful additional measure that can drive down transmission of this virus, Professor Sutton said.

About 15 percent of the states public transport capacity could be used safely while maintaining social distancing. The current rate is about 18 percent.

It comes as Keilor Downs Secondary College, in Melbournes northwest, was closed for cleaning after a student tested positive to COVID-19.

The student was probably infectious on-site on the 26th of this month and was notified yesterday, Professor Sutton said, noting the student is associated with a family cluster announced on Thursday.

He said there is no evidence of a link between the student and a staff member who also tested positive last Friday, as the teacher had no exposure to the school site.

A St. Albans Secondary College student and six students at Taylors Lakes Secondary College have been identified as close contacts of the infected student, who attended a VET class while infected.

Those students, as well as 78 other known contacts, will enter a 14-day self-isolation but their schools have not closed.

Professor Sutton said a mobile testing site will be established in Keilor Downs at the Keilor Community Hub on Old Calder Highway.

This student has acquired it from a broader family group, but how that family group acquired it is under investigation, he said.

It might indicate that there are some low levels of transmission in or around Keilor Downs.

There were seven new cases recorded in Victoria on Friday, bringing the states total to 1634.

Three were discovered through routine testing, two were people in hotel quarantine after returning from overseas and two are still under investigation.

One previous case was removed from the tally because of a data issue.

About 70 cases remain active.

By Benita Kolovos
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) has strongly criticized the firing of Associated Press (AP) photojournalist Iyad Hamad in what it considers an arbitrary and unfair dismissal. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins the PJS in condemning the firing and calls on AP to reconsider its decision.

AP said it had warned Iyad in the past about his public actions and views expressed on social media platforms, which were unrelated to his professional role as a cameraman. AP said it took the decision to dismiss him after it received a complaint from the Palestinian police about his behaviour, relating to a demonstration in front of a government building in Bethlehem.

The PJS said it will defend Iyad against this unfair dismissal and called on the agency to step back from its decision.

The PJS also said that the agency warned Iyad Hamad after he participated in a solidarity demonstration with journalist Moaz Amarneh, a photojournalist who lost his eye in an Israeli army attack in Hebron in November 2019. The PJS condemned this warning and called on the agency to cancel it.

According to the PJS, Iyad Hamad is well-known for his professionalism and dedication to his work. The photojournalist has long-experience in reporting in Palestine and had suffered attacks by the Israeli forces in the past.

The PJS said: We consider this is an unfair, arbitrary and totally unjustified decision. We will continue our defence for the human and professional rights of journalists and media freedom in Palestine.

Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary said: "It is a fundamental right for journalists to show solidarity with their colleagues who are harmed or facing a crisis, this is the founding principle of our trade union movement. It is outrageous that an international media would give a journalist a final warning for showing solidarity with his colleagues without his employer's permission. AP must reverse this shameful decision."
(Newser)  Scientists studying residue on an ancient Israeli altar found something they didn't expect: cannabis. And it appears those present knew exactly what they were doing. They figured out a way to keep it burning at a low temperature to get worshipers high, reports Haaretz. The sample was found on one of two limestone altars at a 2,700-year-old temple in Tel Arad in the Negev Desert. This temple was actually discovered decades ago, but it wasn't until now that chemical analysis became sophisticated enough to determine what was burned there during rituals. One altar had frankincense, which wasn't surprising given the times. Researchers say it was mixed with animal fat to burn at a high temperature and release its fragrance. The surprise came on the second altar, where scientists found a decent amount of THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, per the BBC.

story continues below

"To induce a high you need the right temperature, and they clearly knew this well, just as they knew which fuel to use for each substance," says Dvory Namdar of Israels Agricultural Research Organization and one of the authors of the study. The trick? Worshipers mixed the cannabis with animal dung so it would burn at a low temperature, explains Science News. This is the first evidence that ancient Israelites used cannabis, and researchers speculate that it likely came from afar, perhaps what is now China or Russia. But exactly how they acquired it and learned about it remains unclear. Another question: If they were using it in rituals, why is there no mention of cannabis in the Bible, as there is for frankincense? One theory noted by Haaretz is that it does appear but under a different name. The researchers hope biblical scholars will now dig into that possibility. (Read more discoveries stories.)
Here in America, organized efforts are made to get as many people as possible to prepare for emergencies, catastrophes and disasters.

Articles, Facebook postings and public service announcements remind us why we should learn to perform CPR, what to do if a confirmed tornado is headed in our direction, or how to respond in the event of an attempted robbery or sexual assault.

Perhaps that same school of thought, which emphasizes the importance of preparing for the worst, could be useful for state unemployment offices that have struggled to help jobless people during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

A recent Associated Press story highlighted how COVID-19 delivered a devastating blow to our nations economy that resulted in lost jobs for millions of Americans. In fact, a May 28 USA Today story stated that 35 million Americans have filed for unemployment since President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in mid-March because of COVID-19.

Sadly, the unemployment offices in many states found themselves unprepared to properly assist the soaring numbers of jobless people who urgently needed help.

Ohio faced an unprecedented surge in unemployment claims almost overnight as the pandemic led to widespread business shutdowns, leaving the state no time to retool its system to respond, the states human services chief said May 27 as she testified before Republican lawmakers critical of the states reaction.

In contrast to the Great Recession beginning in 2008 when jobless claims arrived gradually, the recent layoffs came immediately in a tsunami, Kimberly Hall, director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, told the House Ways and Means Committee.

At the same time, because jobless numbers were so low more recently, the agencys unemployment staffing had been reduced, Hall said.

This experience has been unlike anything any of us have ever witnessed, Hall said.

The state had only about 550 people in its unemployment office when the pandemic started and only 40 full-time agents in its call center, Hall said. The state now has 1,250 part-time and full-time call center agents.

Ohio also has been hobbled by the benefit system and call centers antiquated technology, Hall said.

Ways and Means committee members have heard from many people across Ohio in recent weeks who had problems receiving their unemployment checks, said Rep. Derek Merrin, the committees chairman, a Republican from Moncolva in northwestern Ohio.

Merrin criticized the states preparation and response, saying the high volume of calls was the result of a broken website that should have been addressed before the pandemic hit. He also questioned why callers who wait for hours on the phone only to be disconnected arent immediately called back.

Were in 2020  how do we not have a phone system that appropriately works? Merrin said.

Hall agreed that the website is problematic and said its in the process of being revamped. She agreed that the hang-ups were frustrating and the problem is being examined.

About 1.3 million people filed jobless claims in Ohio in the past 10 weeks, more than the combined total in the past three years, the agency said this week as it provided the most recent unemployment claims figures.

Hall provided an accurate assessment in saying that Ohio Job and Family Services dealt with an unprecedented situation as the unemployment claims roared in like a tsunami.

But Merrin also made valid points in stating that problems with the agencys website should have been remedied prior to the pandemics arrival. This could have been accomplished through regular monitoring and maintenance, and necessary upgrades, of the agencys technology.

The JFS also should have come up with a system to respond more promptly to callers who were disconnected. Crisis management is a skill that administrators in all state offices should possess and be able to carry out.

In conclusion, we believe that a message needs to be delivered to directors of state unemployment systems in Ohio and throughout the United States: Its not just a good idea to assure that your state is prepared to help people affected by a catastrophic event like a pandemic. Its your job.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 23:10:34|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Health histories and recent test results open the possibility that the new coronavirus was circulating in the United States before January, said a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

"Armed with positive antibody tests for COVID-19 and a history of related symptoms, some Americans think they had the disease as early as fall 2019," said the report "Antibody Tests and Accuracy Issues Leave Some Americans With More Questions Than Answers" posted on www.wsj.com Thursday.

According to the report, New Jersey dental hygienist Judy Abram suffered a severe illness that left her gasping for air last November, and she tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies last month.

"They just have the timeline wrong somewhere, which explains why we're so deep in it," Abram was quoted as saying. "I felt so strongly. I would've questioned if the test came back negative."

Antibody tests alone aren't enough to redraw the timeline of U.S. transmissions, even though it is possible the virus reached the United States late last year, Richard Tedder, visiting professor of medical virology at the Imperial College London, told the WSJ. "We can't turn the clock back unless we have blood samples from the time."

"Still, some people think the antibody-test results and the personal histories show that the disease may have been circulating months before Jan. 21, which is the date of the first-known U.S. infection," the report said.

This month, the U.S. state of Ohio listed 12 cases in January as probable COVID-19 cases, showing people who recently had COVID-19 antibodies and recalled being sick that month, according to the report.

Many people who think they had early COVID-19 infections have joined a Facebook group called "Survivor Corps," it added. Enditem
She was due to play Dolly in the West End this summer; and appear as Her Maj on the small screen in the fifth and final season of Netflixs smash hit drama (with filming to start next year)

They're the cream of leading roles: Dolly Gallagher Levi, the meddlesome matchmaker from legendary musical Hello, Dolly. And Her Majesty the Queen, in The Crown.

And Olivier award-winning actress Imelda Staunton scored a coup by snaring both.

She was due to play Dolly in the West End this summer; and appear as Her Maj on the small screen in the fifth and final season of Netflixs smash hit drama (with filming to start next year).

But Dolly is now making way for the Queen, with news that the musical has been rescheduled for two years down the line.

The decision to shift the show was taken because of the impact of the pandemic on the theatre industry; and to allow Staunton to honour her filming commitments to The Crown.

The musicals producers are insistent that, in the words of the shows title tune, Dolly wont never ever go away. Shell just have to wait for her entrance.

Regrettably, weve got to postpone Hello, Dolly  but shell be back, Michael Harrison told me on Wednesday. Were still doing it. But weve just got to pick it up when Imeldas schedule allows. The lavish production had been due to start rehearsals in July, and begin performances on August 11 at the Adelphi.

Every role had been cast, and designer Rae Smith had created models and sketches of sets and costumes. Director Dominic Cooke had a full Dolly mixture of ideas for the extravagant production with its cast of 34 and 18-piece orchestra.

Its limited, 30-week run was designed to allow Staunton to honour her commitments to The Crown, in 2021. But it seems increasingly clear that big London musical houses wont open again until next year.

So now Imelda will return to the role of Dolly after shes finished portraying the sovereign.

Imelda accedes to the throne following the reigns of Claire Foy and Olivia Colman. (Oscar-winner Colmans turn as the monarch ends when season four is streamed on Netflix later this year.) This column broke the news of Stauntons casting last November

Its possible that filming on The Crown will now begin in spring of next year. With shooting likely to continue for several months, it means she wont be available to do Dolly until 2022.

Imelda accedes to the throne following the reigns of Claire Foy and Olivia Colman. (Oscar-winner Colmans turn as the monarch ends when season four is streamed on Netflix later this year.) This column broke the news of Stauntons casting last November.

She will film ten episodes of the show and the storylines could well include the Queens Annus Horribilis speech at the Guildhall in November 1992.

During the event, marking the 40th anniversary of her accession to the throne, she commented (with masterly understatement) that it had not been a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure.

The previous months had seen the separation of the Prince of Wales and Princess Diana; the publication of Andrew Mortons sensational book on the state of Charles and Dianas marriage; Princess Annes divorce; the separation of the Duke and Duchess of York (photos of the duchess having her toes sucked by American John Bryan didnt help). And on top of that, Windsor Castle almost burned down.

She will film ten episodes of the show and the storylines could well include the Queens Annus Horribilis speech at the Guildhall in November 1992 (pictured)

Peter Morgan, creator of The Crown, told me earlier this year that the Nineties were a period of turbulence for the monarchy, particularly the crisis following Dianas death in August, 1997.

There was to be more sadness when Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother died within seven weeks of each other in early 2002.

But back to Hello, Dolly business: ticketholders will be refunded their money. They need do nothing but wait until they are contacted by those they purchased their tickets from.

Who knows what the West End landscape will be like when Imeldas ready? Harrison said. If we cant get the Adelphi back, well play somewhere else  and make the announcement in due course. Other major parts in Hello, Dolly had gone to Andy Nyman, Jenna Russell, Harry Hepple, Tyrone Huntley and Clare Halse. Once dates are confirmed were hopeful the entire company, as planned, will reunite, Harrison added.

Dominic Cooke and Imelda forged a bond when he directed her in the glorious production of Follies at the National Theatre.

Of his new project, Cooke said that while it has glitz, fun, comedy . . . and great numbers, Hello, Dolly is also about people coming back to life after suffering loss.

Its about a woman going back out into the world.

We can understand that; and as the song goes, well be ready to take her wrap and welcome her back, once a new date is set.

Norway was once voted the worlds happiest country. And now theyve made an engrossing TV drama called State Of Happiness. Like most Scandi drama its not the most cheerful  but it is darn good.

Set in the late 1960s, the eight-part series explores what happens to the residents of a small fishing town, struggling to survive as North Sea cod and herring supplies dwindle, when a foreign conglomerate strikes oil.

Sex, betrayal, black gold  and herring! What more could you ask for. Catch it on BBC4 iPlayer.

Norway was once voted the worlds happiest country. And now theyve made an engrossing TV drama called State Of Happiness

Watch out for...

Lauren Samuels, who will star in and direct a self-filmed version of Jason Robert Browns 2001 two-hander musical The Last Five Years.

It follows the lives of Cathy (Samuels), an actress; and Jamie (played by Danny Becker, of Aladdin and The Prince Of Egypt), her overbearing, aspiring novelist husband.

The shows perfect for these isolating times. It begins with a sorrowful number sung by Cathy as her marriage to Jamie ends.

Each scene switches between the two as they sing about the happy-sad times of their courtship and wedding, and how it all unravelled as he found success while she did not.

Samuels, a favourite of mine since she starred in the musical of Bend It Like Beckham, has been filming herself and directing Becker performing his scenes.

The completed production will be streamed online by producers Jamie Lambert and Eliza Jackson from Thursday June 25 through Saturday June 27 at 7.30pm. A limited number of electronic tickets will be available at 8 each.

For details visit lwtheatres.co.uk/theatres/the-other-palace/
By IANS

NEW YORK: At least 40 people were arrested in New York City as people took to the streets to protest against the death of a black man in police custody in Minneapolis.

Over 100 people gathered in Manhattan's Union Square on Thursday afternoon to express their anger over what they called police brutality that led to George Floyd's death, reports Xinhua news agency.

The 46-year-old African-American man died on Monday after a white police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee to the back of his neck while he was handcuffed and other officers stood by.

While being pinned down, Floyd repeatedly pleaded, "please, I can't breathe" and "don't kill me".

The four officers involved in the case were fired shortly after a video showing Floyd's death went viral on social media on Tuesday, sparking a national outcry for justice.

The incident has drawn comparisons to the 2014 death of New York African-American Eric Garner, who was put in a chokehold by police, despite his cries of "I can't breathe". His death galvanized the nationwide "Black Lives Matter" movement.

ALSO READ | George Floyd death: Violent protests continue for third consecutive day, spread beyond Minneapolis

The New York City protesters chanted slogans, including "I can't breathe", while standing in lines face to face with dozens of policemen.

Some of them used abusive language toward police.

The 40 protesters were arrested after several scuffles and a fight between the two sides.

Local news reports said someone threw a trash can to police and another tried to grab an officers' gun, while NBC reported that a protester punched an officer in the face.

Demonstrations also took place as well in cities like Los Angeles and Memphis, according to media reports, while large-scale protests have turned violent in Minneapolis, for which Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Thursday declared a state of emergency.

The incident concerning Floyd occurred on Monday night when after receiving a complaint, reportedly that a man might be trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at a local store, police officers arrived on the scene and found Floyd sitting in his vehicle, Efe news reported.

When they ordered him to get out, they said he resisted arrest, adding in their official report filed after the incident that after they had handcuffed him and made him lie facedown on the pavement they noticed that he was in "medical distress".

In the video taken by a passerby of Floyd's arrest and the events leading to his death, the man is seen lying facedown on the pavement beside a patrol car with one of the officers kneeling on the back of his neck for more than five minutes without changing position, despite the fact that Floyd can be heard saying that he cannot breathe and begging for the officers not to hurt him, until he ultimately loses consciousness.

"Please, please, please I can't breathe," and "My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Please, please. I can't breathe," Floyd is heard saying. But the officer never reduced the pressure of his knee and body weight on the man's neck until an ambulance arrived minutes later and Floyd was loaded onto a stretcher showing no signs of life.

He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The FBI has launched a criminal investigation into the case, which has sparked strong reaction across the country.
Police station torched

Demonstrators have torched a Minneapolis police station.

A city police spokesman confirmed that staff had evacuated the 3rd Precinct station, the focus of many of the protests, "in the interest of the safety of our personnel".

Live-streamed video showed the protesters then entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as fires were started.

Protesters could be seen setting fire to a Minneapolis Police Department jacket.

A visibly tired and frustrated Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey made his first public appearance of the night at City Hall at around 2am and took responsibility for evacuating the precinct, saying it had become too dangerous for officers.

As Mr Frey continued, a reporter cut across loudly with a question: "What's the plan here?"

"With regard to?" Frey responded.

Then he added: "There is a lot of pain and anger right now in our city. I understand that ... What we have seen over the past several hours and past couple of nights here in terms of looting is unacceptable."

The mayor defended the city's lack of engagement with looters - with only a handful of arrests across the first two nights of violence - and said: "We are doing absolutely everything that we can to keep the peace."

The 3rd Precinct covers the portion of south Minneapolis where Mr Floyd was arrested.

Minnesota governor Tim Walz earlier activated the US National Guard at the Minneapolis mayor's request, but it was not immediately clear when and where the Guard was being deployed, and none could be seen during protests in Minneapolis or neighbouring St Paul.

The Guard tweeted minutes after the precinct burned that it had activated more than 500 soldiers across the metro area.

The National Guard said a "key objective" was to make sure fire departments could respond to calls, and said in a follow-up tweet it was "here with the Minneapolis Fire Department" to assist.

But no move was made to put out the 3rd Precinct fire. Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Tyner said fire crews could not safely respond to fires at the precinct station and some surrounding buildings.

"Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement and on preventing this from ever happening again," tweeted St Paul mayor Melvin Carter, who is black.
Regulatory News:

Total Gabon's (Paris:EC) ordinary Annual Shareholders' Meeting was held today in Libreville, chaired by Mr. Nicolas TERRAZ.

Shareholders approved all resolutions recommended by the Board of Directors, including:

Approval of the 2019 financial statements, including a net income of $50 million under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and $39 million under OHADA standards;

Approval of the payment of a net dividend of $11 per share related to the financial year 2019 which amounts to $49.5 million;

Revocation of Mr. Patrichi Christian TANASA of his director mandate;

Ratification of Mr. Nicolas TERRAZ's co-optation as director for the remainder of his predecessor's term, until the Annual Shareholders' Meeting called to approve the 2020 financial statements;

Ratification of Mr. Stephane BASSENE's co-optation as director for the remainder of his predecessor's term, until the Annual Shareholders' Meeting called to approve the 2019 financial statements;

Ratification of Mr. Aristide OBIANG MEBALE's co-optation as director for the remainder of his predecessor's term, until the Annual Shareholders' Meeting called to approve the 2020 financial statements;

Renewal of the directors mandates of the Gabonese Republic and of MM. Stephane BASSENE, Olivier JOCKTANE and Emmanuel CHAPON for a two-year terms expiring at the end of the Annual Shareholders' Meeting called to approve the 2021 financial statements;

Determination of the global compensation ceiling of the statutory auditors for preparing their reports on the 2019 financial statements.

A detailed breakdown of the vote tallies will be posted on the Company's website www.total.ga in the coming days.

The Board of Directors in its meeting today approved the modalities of the dividend payment. The $11 per share dividend will be paid as from June 11, 2020 in an equivalent amount of 9.88 per share (or its equivalent in CFA Francs), based on the European Central Bank's rate of $1.1136 per on May 29, 2020.

Payment will be made through the following entities:

In Gabon: Union Gabonaise de Banque (UGB);

In France: BNP Paribas Securities Services acting on behalf of other banks and any financial institution that manages an account.

Total Gabon is owned 58.28% by the Total group, 25% by the Gabonese Republic and 16.72% by private sector investors.

Societe anonyme incorporated in Gabon with a Board of Directors and share capital of $76,500,000

Headquarters: Boulevard Hourcq, Port-Gentil, BP 525, Gabonese Republic

www.total.ga

Registered in Port-Gentil: 2000 B 00011

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005570/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact: actionnariat-totalgabon@total.com
New Delhi: The finance ministry is not in favour of increasing goods and services tax rates on non-essential items in the next month's meeting of the GST Council, despite depressed revenue collections due to the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19.

If goods and services tax (GST) rates are increased on non-essential items, sources said it will further bring down their demand and impede the overall economic recovery.

Post the lockdown, the demand has to be induced and economic activity has to improve on all fronts, not just on essential items side, they said.

However, the decision will be taken by the GST Council headed by the finance minister, according to sources.

Rates will come up for discussion during the council meeting next month to be attended by state finance ministers, they added.

The 39th meeting of GST Council was held in March, which proposed rationalisation of taxes on many items.

The nationwide lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 for 21 days in the first leg in a bid to contain the spread of novel coronavirus. It was then extended till May 3 and then again till May 17. The fourth phase of lockdown is in place till May 31.

The lockdown has led to a major shrinkage in GST collections. The government deferred the release of April GST revenue collection data due to the lockdown.

The government had last month extended the deadline to file GST returns for March to May 5, from April 20.

As per convention, the government releases GST revenue collection number on the basis of cash collection in a particular month. However, with the situation arising out of COVID-19, the government has decided to wait till the extended deadline for filing returns before release of the collection figure.

Sources further said that the government has not taken any call on monetisation of deficit at this point of time to shore up its resources.

Nobody knows how this COVID-19 pandemic pans out, what shape it is going to take, what kind of impact it will have on the Indian economy, and globally also no country knows today what lies three months later, sources said.

As of now, the government has increased the borrowing limit from Rs 7.8 lakh crore to Rs 12 lakh crore, which is Rs 4.2 lakh crore higher than the Budget estimate.

The RBI's monetisation of the fiscal deficit broadly means the central bank printing currency for the government to take care of any emergency spending and to bridge its fiscal deficit ? this action is resorted to under emergency situations.

Sources, however said, there is a need to bring down cost of borrowing for the government in the given situation.

As a result of this, the government has to withdraw 7.75 per cent Savings (Taxable) Bonds scheme from the close of banking business on Thursday.

The scheme, commonly known as RBI Bonds or GOI bonds, is popular among retail investors who look for safety of principal and a regular income. NRIs, however, are not eligible for making investments in these bonds.

On issues pertaining to labourers with regard to wages and opportunities, sources said the finance ministry has initiated talks with the Labour Ministry on job losses and salary cuts due to the lockdown.

The Labour Ministry will engage in talks with the states on the issue, they added.
Secret letters between the Queen and Australia's governor-general that led to the sacking of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam are set to be released following a landmark order from the country's top court.

Palace allies have battled for decades to keep Queen Elizabeth II's correspondence with governor-general John Kerr about the 1975 sacking secret, with the National Archives of Australia refusing to release them to the public.

Australia's High Court has now said the hundreds of letters between the pair are public record - meaning their release could provide key insight into one of Australia's greatest political crises.

Kerr sacked Whitlam, the popular leader of the centre-left Labor party, three years after his election in 1972 - causing a deep constitutional crisis that still scars Australian politics.

The letters could help show if the British government tried to interfere in events and what role the queen, Prince Charles and top royal advisers may have played.

Historian Jennifer Hocking, who had been fighting the million-dollar legal battle for four years, has previously said the Palace knew of Kerr's intentions to sack Whitlam, and she believes the letters will reveal if the Queen influenced his decision.

The letters between the Queen and former Governor-General Sir John Kerr (pictured together) during the dismissal of Gough Whitlam are set to be released for the first time. The letters could help show if the British government tried to influence events in its former colony

Gough Whitlam was dismissed as Australian Prime Minister on November 11, 1975. The High Court has now ordered the archives to reconsider Professor Hocking's request to access the letters, and pay her legal costs. He is pictured above addressing reporters after his dismissal

Reasons for Whitlam's dismissal are fiercely argued, with allegations of British and even American efforts to smother his reformist agenda.

One of Whitlam's key goals when he came to office was to loosen the colonial ties between Australia and Britain.

He ended the British honours system and implemented Australia's own version, replaced God Save the Queen with the Australian national anthem and removed those same words from the official announcement dissolving parliament.

Following a meeting with the-then British Prime Minister Edward Heath, Whitlam is believed to have said: 'All these colonial relics are incompatible with the position of Australia as a separate, sovereign country', as reported by The Conversation.

Professor Hocking has been in a legal battle for four years to have the letters released to the public, something she believes will provide insight into one of Australia's greatest political crises

Hocking argued the texts between the palace and Kerr were 'extraordinarily significant historical documents' and needed to be accessed'.

'They are contemporaneous real-time communications between the queen and her representative in Australia, written at a time of great political drama, and are a vital part of our national historical record,' she wrote at the start of the case.

'As an independent autonomous nation, Australia has a right to know its own history, including and in particular the records pointing to British involvement in that history.'

The letters had been deemed personal communication by both the National Archives of Australia and the Federal Court which meant the earliest they could be released was 2027, and only then with the Queen's permission.

On Friday a majority of the High Court bench ruled the letters were property of the commonwealth and part of the public record.

The court has now ordered the archives to reconsider Professor Hocking's request to access the letters, and pay her legal costs.

A statement issued by Director-General David Fricker of the National Archives of Australia said: We accept the High Courts judgement and will now get to work examining these historically significant records for release'.

Hocking was represented by a legal team that included Whitlam's oldest son. She had previously lost a battle in 2016 to have the letters released by the Federal Court.

Whitlam - who died in 2014 - is still hailed as a champion of Australia's left.

He had opposed Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, sought to assert Australia's sovereignty and end what he called 'colonial relics' of the relationship with Britain.

He ended conscription, established the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, tried to normalise relations with China, set up a free public health service, made university free and replaced 'God Save the Queen' with Australia's national anthem.

But his detractors accused him of destabilising the economy, and Kerr fired him without warning on 11 November 1975 after political fighting that weakened Whitlam's government.

Gough Whitlam holds up the original copy of his dismissal letter he received (pictured above at a Sydney book launch in 2005)

In October that year the country's Liberal Party refused to pass the government's bills in the senate until an election was called - meaning the government would soon run out of money to provide things like pensions and pay public servants.

Whitlam refused to call an election and Kerr swiftly dismissed him as Prime Minister.

Kerr then appointed opposition Liberal leader Malcolm Fraser as interim Prime Minister - without a confidence vote being held in parliament - and he went on to win a landslide election victory later that year.

Australia became independent in 1901, but the queen is still head of state. A referendum on becoming a republic failed in 1999.
MEXICO CITY, May 28 (Reuters) - Mexico's president on Thursday likened a battle between the national power utility and private operators to Argentina's debt restructuring negotiations with creditors, calling for energy contracts signed by previous governments to be reworked.

The government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has moved in recent weeks to give the Federal Electricity Commission more control over the industry, and has since said private sector contracts were "predatory" and led to high prices.

Lopez Obrador drew parallels with Argentina, saying governments preceding his leftist ally President Alberto Fernandez had unduly indebted the South American nation and that banks and funds would now have to absorb losses there.

In its ninth sovereign default, Argentina missed payments on around $500 million in already delayed bond coupons last Friday, and its government has been negotiating for more favorable terms on $65 billion of outstanding debt.

Lopez Obrador suggested his government was taking a similar approach in the power sector.

"Predatory contracts were signed, well, I think it is fair that in a different circumstance, we review them," he told reporters at a regular news conference.

"Or should all the losses be absorbed by the public? Can't they be shared?" he said. "Everybody puts in a bit."

Since winning office in 2018, Lopez Obrador's moves to give the state more weight in the Mexican economy have unnerved investors and led to friction with the United States, Canada, and the European Union.

Last year, his government persuaded companies to waive significant profits from natural gas pipeline deals signed under the previous administration. It said the renegotiated contracts saved taxpayers $4.5 billion. (Reporting by Dave Graham; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Leslie Adler)
The CNN journalist Omar Jimenez was arrested by Minnesota state police early on Friday while covering protests in Minneapolis over George Floyd's death.

CNN

CNN accused Minnesota state police of misrepresenting the circumstances surrounding the arrest of a black CNN correspondent and two TV crew members on Friday morning.

The correspondent, Omar Jimenez, was on live TV as he identified himself and his crew as members of the media, but Minnesota State Patrol officers handcuffed him and took the group into custody.

Minnesota State Patrol later said it released Jimenez and the crew members "once they were confirmed to be members of the media."

CNN challenged the statement, saying that Gov. Tim Walz intervened to help release the crew members and that the police violated their First Amendment rights.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

CNN accused Minnesota state police of misrepresenting the circumstances surrounding the arrest of a black CNN correspondent and two TV crew members early Friday as they covered the protests in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd.

The correspondent, Omar Jimenez, was arrested on live TV as he broadcast from downtown Minneapolis. Jimenez and his crew repeatedly identified themselves as journalists and displayed badges confirming their identities. As the camera rolled, Jimenez was handcuffed and led away by Minnesota State Patrol officers at 5:11 a.m. local time.

"In the course of clearing the streets and restoring order at Lake Street and Snelling Avenue, four people were arrested by State Patrol troopers, including three members of a CNN crew," Minnesota State Patrol said on Twitter. "The three were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media."

CNN challenged that account, insisting that the crew members identified themselves as journalists before the arrests and saying Gov. Tim Walz intervened to help ensure their release.

Josh Campbell, a white CNN correspondent who was also covering the protests, was not arrested and described being treated respectfully by the police. Campbell and the "New Day" anchor John Berman suggested that race likely played a role in Jimenez's arrest.

Story continues

CNN called the arrests "a clear violation of their First Amendment rights."

Jimenez was filmed as he and his crew moved out of the way so that a group of officers could make their way down the street. In the minutes before the arrest, Jimenez could be heard asking the police officers where they wanted him and his camera crew to stand and offering to move back.

"Put us back where you want us. We were getting out of your way," Jimenez said, adding that they were "live on the air at the moment."

Jimenez then began to describe what he was seeing but stopped as two officers cuffed him and told him he was under arrest.

A CNN producer and a camera operator were also placed in handcuffs and led away. The camera was placed on the ground, and CNN continued to broadcast the footage. You can watch it here.

Jimenez later reported that he asked the officer who led him away where CNN's crew was allowed to stand on the street. Jimenez said the officer responded, "I don't know, man, I'm just following orders."

Bill Bostock contributed to this report.

Read the original article on Business Insider
DEAR ABBY: My former husband had an affair years ago, and when our divorce was final, he married the woman he was involved with. I'll call her "Libby."

Although I have moved on, it bothers me when she refers to my children as "her children." I have asked her to stop, but she continues to talk about "her daughter" and "her son" and insists it's a term of endearment and it shouldn't bother me. My children don't like Libby, so if she's trying to get the world to believe they're one big happy family, it isn't working.

I think it's rude of her to insist on telling people that these are her children. It's as if Libby not only took my husband, but she's also claiming to be the mother of my children. How should I handle this wretched person who refuses to get it?

 Real mom in Kentucky

DEAR MOM: Libby gets it, and she may persist in doing it in order to get your goat. But this is not a battle you should pick. It's possible "Stepmom" may simply be trying to acknowledge her role in the parenting equation.

DEAR ABBY: Is it appropriate to confront someone in a restroom about not washing their hands, whether at work or in public? I noticed at work that some of my co-workers walk right past the sink or rinse their hands with water for a second and then leave. I think washing your hands thoroughly with soap is more important now than ever, and not washing hands is a health hazard.

 Watching the washing in Texas

DEAR WATCHING: You are right. It is a health hazard. Everyone should realize that fact in light of the current health crisis. According to the Mayo Clinic, unwashed hands are spreaders of disease, which is why medical personnel and workers in the food industry are urged to be diligent about it.

That said, I don't think it would be prudent for you to assume the parental role and remind your co-workers to wash their hands after using the bathroom. You might, however, suggest to your boss, once people are no longer working remotely, that it would be wise to issue a memo about the importance of frequent hand-washing.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

DEAR ABBY: My sister, "Camille," and I have almost nothing in common. She lives far from where I do. We have seen each other infrequently over the years, but when we have, she has always dropped a nasty comment or two, ridiculing me or my husband or our lifestyle.

She recently took early retirement and wants to come for a visit. Another sister says Camille is much more relaxed now because working full-time was very stressful for her. I gave up on a relationship with her long ago, and I have no desire to see or entertain her. We didn't even like each other as children. Yet, I'm feeling guilty about saying no to her visit. Is it OK to draw the line on contact with a family member?

 Leave me alone in Washington

DEAR LEAVE: Yes, it is. And it is also OK to tell her exactly why.
Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
WASHINGTON  An incendiary phrase used by President Trump in a tweet about the protests over George Floyds death in Minneapolis appears to have originated in a 1967 news conference held by a Miami police chief long accused of using racist tactics in his forces patrols of black neighborhoods.

Mr. Trump, in a tweet after midnight on Friday, called the protesters in Minneapolis thugs and said: When the looting starts, the shooting starts. The phrase was used prominently by Walter E. Headley, Miamis former police chief, in 1967 as he pledged a no-holds-barred response to a Christmas-season outbreak of violent crime in black neighborhoods that had left three people dead in attempted robberies.

Mr. Headley suggested that his departments tough tactics had kept Miami calm that year, even as race riots were convulsing dozens of other cities and leaving scores dead.

We havent had any serious problems with civil uprising and looting because Ive let the word filter down that when the looting starts, the shooting starts, he said. We dont mind being accused of police brutality. They havent seen anything yet.
Afghan government says efforts under way to extend the ceasefire as Taliban delegation arrives in Kabul for talks.

At least 14 members of the Afghan army have been killed in a Taliban attack as the Afghan government said the Eid ceasefire was not over yet.

The Ministry of Defence said on Friday members of the Afghan army were killed in the province of Paktiya. Three others were also wounded in the attack that was also confirmed by the Taliban.

A day earlier, the Taliban killed at least 14 people from the security forces in northern Parwan and western Farah provinces.

Afghanistans National Security Adviser (NSA) spokesperson Javid Faisal nevertheless wrote in a tweet on Friday that the detente which started during the Eid holiday, marking the end of Ramadan, was continuing.

The ceasefire is not over yet; there have been violations because it is a complicated technical process that requires good coordination between both sides, Faisal said.



Earlier, Faisal had urged the Taliban to extend the three-day ceasefire, which came into effect on Sunday to mark the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr.

It is important to extend the ceasefire and, to avoid bloodshed, the Afghan government is ready to extend it, the NSA spokesman told a news conference on Tuesday.

Despite the violence, a prisoner swap crucial to the start of peace talks between the warring sides in Afghanistan has continued.

Taliban delegation in Kabul

The Taliban, which launched an armed rebellion after it was toppled from power by a US-led invasion in 2001, has remained silent on government appeals for an extension of the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, a five-member Taliban delegation arrived in Kabul on Thursday to work with a government team on the release of prisoners on both sides, spokesmen for both sides said on Twitter.

A US-Taliban agreement signed in February in Qatars capital, Doha, stipulated that the Afghan government would release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners while the Taliban would free about 1,000 Afghan security forces personnel.

But the prisoner swap has been delayed as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani refused to release all 5,000 Taliban prisoners at once. So far, Kabul has freed about 3,000 Taliban inmates, while the armed group had released about 300 Afghan security forces it held captive.





On Tuesday, the Afghan government freed 900 Taliban members from prison, the biggest such release yet, as part of a prisoner swap under the Doha agreement.

Following their release, the Taliban said on Thursday it had released 80 more Afghan security forces. That number brought the total number of released prisoners by the Taliban to 347.

The delegation will also discuss the announcement of the long-delayed intra-Afghan talks, which was also one of the elements of the Doha agreement, with the government.

Violence after ceasefire ends

Skirmishes between Taliban fighters and Afghan security forces recommenced following the end of the three-day truce at midnight on Tuesday.

Taliban attacked checkpoints in the Syagird district of central Parwan province late on Wednesday night, a spokeswoman of the provinces governor said.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, meanwhile, said the government had carried out air raids on Wednesday in the southern province of Zabul despite the groups fighters not having carried out any attacks.

As per the February agreement, the US is expected to withdraw its forces after nearly 19 years in Afghanistan, leaving the Afghan government to negotiate a peace deal with the armed group to end the war.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday renewed his desire for a full military withdrawal from Afghanistan but added that he had not set a target date.

Were there 19 years and, yeah, I think thats enough  We can always go back if we want to, Trump told a White House news conference.

The US has already begun to withdraw its forces. By the second quarter of 2021, all foreign forces are supposed to withdraw, ending the USs longest war.
The war on the use of reusable plastic has never been an easy one.

But since the Covid-19 pandemic hit it's become even more complex, as the drive towards re-use suffers due to health concerns. For example, major coffee chains such as Starbucks are shunning the use of reusable coffee cups for now, in favour of disposables.

Disposables, they argue, are more hygienic. How long this continues for remains to be seen, after years of progress which has seen coffee chains offering discounts for bring your own drinking vessel.

It has created a thorn in the side of Refill - a campaign launched by City to Sea, an environmental not for profit business based in Bristol - its founder Natalie Fee and chief executive Rebecca Burgess.

Plastic fantastic: Natalie Fee (right) founder of Refill and chief executive Rebecca Burgess are both passionate in their fight against the use of single use plastics

Like many organisations they are struggling to keep going and have had to furlough members of the team.

But even as they rotate themselves and their staff on furlough, they're trying to fight the perception that disposables reduce the spread of the virus.

Rebecca says: 'From what I have read, there is simply no evidence to suggest reusables are in any way more dangerous than disposable cups.

'I am therefore trying to get the Government to amend their current advice regarding reusable cups as it's somewhat vague.

'Starbucks and others have all stated that the lack of government advice on this has meant they've chosen to only offer disposables at the current time.'

Rebecca says she's also reaching out to the Sustainable Restaurant Association to update its advice.

What does the government say about reusable cups? On Gov.uk, the government gives businesses the discretion to allow reusable cups. It says: 'Customers may previously have used reusable cups or containers when shopping or buying drinks at cafes and other retailers. 'It's up to the individual business to decide whether they allow the use of reusable cups or containers during this period.'

Pre-pandemic efforts

Pre-lockdown, Refill - through the launch of its app, partnerships, and hundreds of volunteers - was making waves.

It was first founded by Natalie, an environmental campaigner, back in 2015 after she was concerned by the volume of pollution she was observing in the River Avon in Bristol.

The campaign generated enough interest that it was able to get seed funding from the likes of Bristol Green Capital which awarded the business 9,000, Geovation which gave it a 11,000 grant and 350,000 per annum through its partnership with Water UK.

Now, around 250,000 people have downloaded the Refill app, which encourages the use of tap water over buying bottled water.

Refill's army of volunteers have helped to spread the messages of its campaign. Now stores sport stickers to advertise that they're happy for customers to come in and use their taps to refill their bottles

Refill's initial aim was to raise awareness of the benefits of tap water and the reduction in waste from not buying bottled water, but its camp gain has since evolved to other projects.

Through the app, users were able to find retailers backing the scheme that would be happy for consumers to venture into their stores and ask them for a refill from their taps in whatever sustainable container they have to hand.

Before this, it was almost frowned upon in certain places to ask for free tap water.

Refill points out that consumers can save hundreds of pounds just by making the switch to tap water. The average cost of tap water in the United Kingdom is 0.1p per litre.

Meanwhile, bottled water costs on average 500 to 1,000 times more than tap water  depending, of course, on where you buy it.

The campaign also highlights the pollution generated from bottled water. Plastic bottles, caps and lids are the most commonly found single-use item on beaches and rivers across Europe.

Around 250,000 people have downloaded the Refill app, which encourages the use of tap water over buying bottled water

To ensure that consumers could be confident of getting a refill the campaign ensured that shops and cafes signed up to the scheme with promotional stickers advertising that they welcomed refills at their establishments.

There are now over 30,000 refill stations listed on the app in the UK, and it includes large chains such as Morrisons, Costa Coffee and John Lewis.

From what I have read, there is simply no evidence to suggest reusables are in any way more dangerous than disposable cups Rebecca Burgess, Refill CEO

If the Refill campaign manages its targets it could save a billion plastic bottles by 2025, but the pandemic is something that has scuppered a lot of its plans and moreover, has set the campaign back.

But their efforts so far have been notable.

Rebecca points out: 'As of the end of last year we have prevented 100million water bottles from entering circulation.

'It's not just shops and business we are working with - Network Rail was also allowing commuters to refill at water fountains. It's really having the impact that we hoped it would have back in 2015 when we first started.'

Refill says it will get its campaign going again with its volunteers in the autumn with World Refill Day

Back to work

With perceptions changing on the use of reusable cups, it's clear that Refill will have a battle on its hands to win over hearts and minds when the government lockdown has been successful in getting people to follow guidelines.

Their efforts will be even more thwarted due to the reduction in financial support. When it comes to generating funding during Covid-19 and creating awareness for the campaign Rebecca admits that support has dwindled.

But there are vital awareness days on the horizon, such as World Oceans Day (8 June) which will require the Refill team's efforts.

Getting back on track: Refill has a fight on its hands to convince major coffee chains to use reusable cups and not disposable plastic

Due to lack of funding, City to Sea decided to furlough its team to take advantage of the Government support while it's available.

Rebecca explains: 'We want to make sure we're in the best possible place as an organisation for when lockdown lifts, so we can carry on doing what we do best  preventing plastic pollution at source and inspiring positive change.

'The decision to furlough was mainly due to new funding being so uncertain in the current times. We are seeing a number of grants being redirected to support communities affected directly by Covid-19 or being postponed until further notice.

'Many businesses are also unable to speak to us due to competing priorities and/or unable to continue conversations due to the uncertainty they face.'

But the furlough scheme does have other benefits. It's offering the team a respite and the chance to recharge batteries after years of campaigning.

This, Rebecca hopes, will give them the opportunity to come back fighting.

Rebecca adds: 'Whilst normally we would be confident of bringing in a certain amount of new funding each year, it felt increasingly risky to do this for 2020.

'By furloughing, we can concentrate on securing new funding for 2021 and beyond.

'Due to our significant growth over the last two years, as a team we'll be making the most of our time off to reflect; enjoying family time, getting out into nature and soaking up as much sunshine and knowledge as we can so we come back refreshed, revitalised and ready to better the world we live in.'
China expresses firm opposition to Huawei CFO ruling, urging Canada to release the Chinese citizen

Global Times

Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/28 10:30:20

China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to a Canadian court's ruling to keep Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in custody, urging the country to immediately release the Chinese citizen.

"The Chinese government is firmly resolved to protect the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and companies. We once again urge Canada to take China's solemn position and concerns seriously, to immediately release Meng and allow her to return safely to China, and not to stray further down the wrong path," said the Chinese Embassy in Canada, noting that China has made serious representations to Canada.

On Wednesday (Canadian time), the British Columbia Supreme Court of Canada made a ruling on the "double criminality issue" in Meng's case. It concluded that the US' extradition request conformed with the principles concerning double criminality.

The US and Canada, by abusing their bilateral extradition treaty and arbitrarily taking forceful measures against Meng, gravely violated the lawful rights and interests of said Chinese citizen, noted the embassy spokesman.

"The US' purpose is to bring down Huawei and other Chinese high-tech companies, and Canada has been acting in the process as an accomplice of the US," the embassy said. "The whole case is a grave political incident."

Chinese netizens expressed pity and outrage online toward the ruling, saying it "harms Canada's credit and reputation as the country is siding with the US in trying to crack down on foreign firms through political means disguised as law."

"The ruling showed that Canada has been the loyal lapdog of the US, which has never changed," said a netizen named Yizhimiao.

"Does the US regard itself as the world's police, since Washington utilizes Canada to press a company?" askeda netizen named Richangqiufu.

"No good news came after I waited the whole night. The ruling is shameless and Canada should pay for its decision!" a netizen Fengpin said.

Huawei told the Global Times on Thursday that the company is disappointed in the ruling by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. "We have repeatedly expressed confidence in Ms Meng's innocence. Huawei continues to stand with Ms Meng in her pursuit of justice and freedom."

"We expect that Canada's judicial system will ultimately prove Ms Meng's innocence. Ms Meng's lawyers will continue to work tirelessly to see justice is served," the company said.

The ruling by the Canadian court shows Canada has completely surrendered its self-proclaimed judicial and diplomatic independence to US bullying, and foreshadows the "worst-ever" China-Canada ties, experts said.

Huawei employees also expressed pity and called for justice.

"Don't worry, we'll work harder and harder. There's never an easy way to achieve success. Justice will finally come, all we need is ardor, patience and wisdom," a senior executive of Huawei said.

"Justice may come late, but will never be absent," said another senior employee of Huawei.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 11:24:09|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Ruben Ruiz, son of Iraida Hernandez, tries a medical face shield made of recycled materials at home on the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, May 27, 2020. Iraida Hernandez, 87, has not expected to return to her old sewing machine in her senior age, but the need to protect her family put her again in front of the yarn rollers and fabric cuts. The housewife, who lives on the outskirts of Havana, is making face masks to protect her relatives and neighbors from COVID-19. Hernandez is not alone. Her son, Ruben Ruiz, a civil construction technician, is also making medical face shields by using recycled materials. The Cuban government recently denounced Washington's policies to limit Cuba's response to COVID-19 by impeding international aid offered by friendly countries and solidarity organizations. (Photo Joaquin Hernandez/Xinhua)

by Yosley Carrero

HAVANA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Iraida Hernandez, 87, has not expected to return to her old sewing machine in her senior age, but the need to protect her family put her again in front of the yarn rollers and fabric cuts.

The housewife, who lives on the outskirts of Havana, is making face masks to protect her relatives and neighbors from COVID-19.

"The first ones I made were mainly for taking care of my grandchildren and family, but then people in the neighborhood asked me for help. In the present situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, I can not refuse these kinds of requests," she told Xinhua.

Hernandez learned how to sew in the early 1970s during a Sewing Community Workshop convened by the Federation of Cuban Women, a social organization meant to defend the rights and emancipation of women on the island.

"The quality of homemade face masks lies in properly placing three layers of fabric. It works as an alternative to protect us from the virus because the original face masks are mainly used in hospitals," Hernandez said, while pedaling on her dusted machine.

Hernandez is not alone. Her son, Ruben Ruiz, a civil construction technician, is also making medical face shields by using recycled materials.

Ruiz, 60, told Xinhua that he always liked to innovate, and the days of isolation at home due to the pandemic motivated his creativity to do something useful for people.

Ruben delivers the face shields he made to Miguel Enriquez Teaching Hospital in Havana for doctors and nurses working in the emergency unit.

The efforts of Hernandez and Ruiz might not be remarkable, but are helping their motherland to mitigate the impacts of U.S. blockade, which hinders the import of medical supplies essential to combating the pandemic.

Raul Ruiz, another son of Hernandez, does not make medical supplies as his mother and brother do, but gives online lectures to his students who are preparing for final exams at the Enrique Jose Varona Pedagogical Institute.

Raul, who has studied the U.S. biological war against Cuba, said that Washington's attack on the health of Cubans is not something new.

The history professor is also using social media to raise awareness on the necessity to keep in mind the long list of U.S. aggressions against the Cuban revolution.

"It is impossible to forget that in 1981 counterrevolutionary organizations, trained and funded by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, introduced the Hemorrhagic Dengue into Cuba, killing more than 100 children. It has been part of a long and cruel story," he said.

The Cuban government recently denounced Washington's policies to limit Cuba's response to COVID-19 by impeding international aid offered by friendly countries and solidarity organizations.

A few weeks ago, the Alibaba Foundation of China failed to deliver a batch of face masks and rapid test kits to the island, since a U.S. cargo enterprise hired to carry the shipment refused to transport the donation.

In response to the new embargo measures taken by the United States against the island, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel reiterated that the U.S. blockade against his country violates human rights of Cubans by preventing the arrival of the humanitarian aid from China.

"When it comes to medical supplies, limits imposed by the United States are very strong because pharmaceutical companies are subjected to blackmails, therefore they prefer not to get involved in agreements with the island," Cuban political commentator Anisley Torres told Xinhua.

"International opposition to U.S. economic sanctions against countries like Venezuela, Iran and Nicaragua has increased, for these governments do not subordinate to Washington's hegemonic interests," he added.

Despite the U.S. sanctions against Cuba, the number of patients hospitalized in COVID-19 medical centers and under epidemiological surveillance in the Latin American nation continues to decline.

So far, Cuba has 1,983 confirmed COVID-19 cases and the death toll stands at 82, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Since he took office in the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump increased hostility toward the island by restricting family remittances and people-to-people contact, as well as punishing foreign companies doing business with Cuba.
ISIS said yesterday they were glad the West had been affected by the coronavirus - calling the pandemic divine punishment from God.

In an audio broadcast posted on one of the militants' websites, the person on the tape identified himself as IS spokesman Abu Hamzah al-Quraishi.

'God, by his will, sent a punishment to tyrants of this time and their followers ... which can't be seen by the naked eye,' he said, in an allusion to the COVID-19 disease.

The US said Thursday it would offer up to $3million for the arrest of a senior leader of the Islamic State movement (file image) who has overseen the extremists' grisly execution videos

'Today we are pleased for this punishment of God for you.'

It was the Sunni Muslim group's third such tape since appointing Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Quraishi as new leader following the killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by U.S. special forces in northwestern Syria late last year.

Quraishi urged IS fighters 'everywhere to prepare whatever strength they could and be as hard as they could on the enemies of God and to raid their places,' according to the tape.

It was the Sunni Muslim group's third such tape since appointing Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Quraishi as new leader following the killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (pictured in 2019) by U.S. special forces in northwestern Syria late last year

'Don't let a single day pass without making their lives awful.'

He gave no specific targets but mentioned countries where the group is active such as Syria and Iraq as well as western Africa.

IS has struggled to regroup and develop new strategy since the killing of Baghdadi. It lost its last significant piece of territory in Syria last year after already being defeated in Iraq.

The SITE Intelligence Group monitoring website said the tape looked authentic. 'IS spokesman echoes jihadi sentiment of COVID-19 being divine punishment,' it said.
A 101-year-old retired nurse has raised more than 16,000 for the NHS with the aim of walking 102 laps of her local park before she turns 102.

Inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore, Joan Rich, a former auxiliary nurse and Second World War veteran is trying to raise money for the National Health Service, where she worked for years, during the coronavirus pandemic.

She has already completed 34 laps of Allenby Park in Felixstowe, Suffolk.

The active centenarian is aiming to complete the circuit 102 times before she turns 102 on September 11.

Using her frame, or pushing her wheelchair, she completes a 560m walk around the park for each lap.

By September, she is hoping to have walked more than 35 miles.

Ms Rich has already completed 34 laps of Allenby Park in Felixstowe, Suffolk / PA

Joan said she was inspired to complete the challenge after seeing "NHS" mowed into the lawn of the park.

"Even behind a mask, NHS staff always make you smile," she said.

Her daughter Diane Rich, who accompanies her on the walks, set up a JustGiving page to raise funds for NHS charities.

"When the park opened up we came here and saw that 'NHS' had been mowed into the grass, it was almost like it was a thank you to Joan as well," Diane said.

Joan was a nurse at Felixstowe General Hospital between 1964 and 1978 / PA

"We meet new people in the park, all sorts, we have made new friends with people with dogs, families and even teenagers have been really polite and respectful.

"An eight-year-old said to Joan 'You are teaching us that we can do anything, that we don't give up'."

Joan, who was a nurse at Felixstowe General Hospital between 1964 and 1978, said she sometimes had to take trips to the park during shifts when patients absconded from the hospital and went to the park.

"She used to be tasked with retrieving patients who would rather sit in the park than stay in hospital," her daughter added.

Mrs Rich, who uses a frame to aid her walking, aims to walk 102 laps of the park before her 102nd birthday on 11 September / PA

Joan also worked at Hillingdon Hospital in west London before moving to Felixstowe in 1964.

During the Second World War she served with the Royal Military Police and was stationed in Jerusalem where she helped prisoners of war return to health before being sent home to their families in the UK - including a member of her local bicycle club in Ipswich who was captured at the start of the war.

Joan, who was born in Meriden in the West Midlands during the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918, said the sense of community spirit during the coronavirus pandemic reminded her of that during war time.

While stationed in Jerusalem, she lived close to another Allenby Park - spending more than half of her life visiting parks with the same name.

Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images

Diane said: "Joan used to work in the NHS herself, and the day the park opened [after lockdown] we came for a walk and when we saw 'NHS' in the grass it was very moving and we thought we'd like to do something to help because Joan worked for them and wanted to give back.

"Once you've been an NHS worker your heart is always with it.

"Anyone Joan's age, or perhaps a bit younger, it's always good to have purpose and a sense of belonging and Joan is very active."

Local children have put images in their front windows encouraging Joan to achieve her goal.

Diane added: "Everybody has been lovely. Joan has lived here a long time but in the last couple of months has made friends of people she didn't even know lived just up the road."

For more information visit justgiving.com/fundraising/Diane-Rich1
Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday delivered the news stir-crazy and out-of-work Chicagoans have been awaiting for weeks: Restaurants, hotels and many more businesses will get to start opening Wednesday, albeit with reduced capacities and tight rules in place designed to stop COVID-19 cases from spiking as more people emerge after months under a stricter stay-at-home order.
WASHINGTON - The IRS has to explain, yet again, a snafu in issuing stimulus payments.

To help speed up the delivery of up to $1,200 in economic impact payments to individuals made available under the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (Cares) Act, the Treasury Department last week began mailing prepaid debit cards to 4 million Americans.

The prepaid debit cards allow recipients to make purchases online and at any retail location where Visa is accepted. Recipients can also get cash from in-network ATMs, and transfer funds to their personal bank accounts without a fee. (Fees may apply if out-of-network ATM is used).

The cards, issued by Treasury's financial agent, MetaBank, were intended to speed up the process of getting out the payments. Tens of millions of others have received their money by direct deposit, check or the Direct Express prepaid debit cards used to deliver Social Security payments and other federal benefits.

Here's the problem. Like so many other glitches that have plagued the distribution of the stimulus payments, communication has been confusing and conflicting. The debit card is arriving in a plain envelope that doesn't indicate it's coming from the federal government.

Included in the letter is information indicating that the debit card is being sent on behalf of the Treasury Department in place of a paper check.

But some taxpayers still thought it was a scam or junk mail, which may have prompted the IRS to issue a release on Wednesday explaining the prepaid debit cards.

"There is a website and 800 number, but I don't want to activate anything," one reader wrote. "If this is the stimulus money, they get a D- for marketing."

Eric Green and his wife who live in Arlington, Virginia, received a card in the mail last week. But they like so many others thought it was a con because they had expected that their stimulus payment would be direct deposited into the same bank account where they received their recent federal refund.

"If you received direct deposit of your refund based on your 2019 tax return (or 2018 tax return if you haven't filed your 2019 tax return), the IRS has sent your payment to the bank account provided on the most recent tax return," the agency said on its Economic Impact Payment Information Center page set up to answer questions about the stimulus money.

Green said the couple was reluctant to activate the debit card because of the previous guidance from the IRS - and that the two financial institutions where they bank were also unfamiliar with it. "They didn't seem to know about it either," he said. "We've since debated whether to follow what it says in the letter to activate the card."

"The letter we received said it came from the Money Network Cardholder Services in Omaha Nebraska," Green said. "Is it a scam or legitimate? There were a number of steps involved in converting the card into money to be put in our bank. We wonder why we just didn't receive a government check in the mail like other people have received?"

In response to a question about the confusion, a Treasury spokeswoman referred to a "Frequently Asked Questions" or FAQ page at eipcard.com, a website set with information on how to activate and use the card.

"Prepaid debit cards are secure, easy to use, and allow us to deliver Americans their money quickly," Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement last week about the new delivery method. "Recipients can immediately activate and use the cards safely."

The Greens fell victim to a computer scam and they didn't want to take a chance of being conned again. The couple reached out to The Washington Post to verify the card was legitimate. After being reassured it was, they activated the card and found out they are getting the maximum allowed for a couple, which is $2,400.

Some people have reported they nearly threw the letter and card away - which could be a costly mistake. If you want to get a replacement card quickly it costs $17 for priority mail.
[May 29, 2020] WESCO Distribution, Inc. announces extension of Expiration Time of its offers to purchase for cash any and all of Anixter Inc.'s 5.50% Senior Notes due 2023 and 6.00% Senior Notes due 2025

PITTSBURGH, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- WESCO International, Inc. (NYSE: WCC) ("WESCO International") announced today that WESCO Distribution, Inc. ("WESCO") has extended the Expiration Time (as defined below) of WESCO's previously announced tender offers (each, an "Offer" and, together, the "Offers") to purchase for cash any and all of Anixter Inc.'s ("Anixter") outstanding (i) 5.50% Senior Notes due 2023 (the "2023 Notes") and (ii) 6.00% Senior Notes due 2025 (the "2025 Notes" and, together with the 2023 Notes, the "Notes," and each such series of the Notes, a "Series"). The expiration date applicable to the Offers, previously scheduled for 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on May 28, 2020, has been extended to 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on June 15, 2020, unless extended or earlier terminated by WESCO (the "Expiration Time"). The Offers are being conducted in connection with the merger agreement, dated as of January 10, 2020 (as it may be amended from time to time, the "Merger Agreement"), pursuant to which WESCO International has agreed to acquire Anixter International Inc. ("Anixter International" and, such transaction, the "Merger"). The Offers are open to any registered holders of the Notes other than any holder that has consented and is eligible to receive the consent fee outlined in the Offer to Purchase (as defined below) (individually, a "Holder," and collectively, the "Holders"). Each Offer is conditioned upon, among other things, the substantially concurrent or prior closing of the Merger. WESCO intends to further extend the Expiration Time with respect to each Offer as necessary, without extending the Withdrawal Deadline (unless required by law), to have the payment of the consideration in respect of such Offer occur concurrently with, or promptly after, the closing of the Merger. WESCO International and Anixter International expect to complete the Merger in the second or third calendar quarter of 2020, but the Merger Agreement provides for the outside date thereunder to be automatically extended to as late as January 11, 2021 under certain circumstances and the parties could mutually agree to extend the outside date under the Merger Agreement beyond that date. Accordingly, any Holder who tendered Notes (and did not validly withdraw such Notes prior to the Withdrawal Deadline), or who tenders Notes following the date hereof, may not receive payment of the Total Tender Offer Consideration (as set forth below) or the Tender Offer Consideration (as set forth below), as applicable, and may be unable to validly withdraw or trade its Notes, in each case for a substantial duration. The closing of the Merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary conditions, including the approval or clearance, or the expiration, termination or waiver of the waiting periods under various antitrust laws. Clearance under the antitrust laws of Canada remains outstanding. Notification of the Merger was filed in Canada on February 27, 2020 and, on April 14, 2020, the Canadian Commissioner of Competition issued a Supplementary Information Request seeking additional information with respect to the Merger and the businesses of WESCO and Anixter. Approval or clearance has previously been received under the antitrust laws of the United States, Russia, Turkey, Mexico and Chile. The Offers are made pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement, dated April 30, 2020 (the "Offer to Purchase"), which sets forth a more detailed description of the Offers. On May 14, 2020, WESCO entered into supplemental indentures contemplated by the Offer to Purchase for each Series of Notes, and, as a result, (i) WESCO is no longer accepting consents with the tender of any Series of Notes and therefore Holders of such Series of Notes will no longer be deemed to have consented upon tendering, and (ii) Anixter is no longer accepting consents delivered pursuant to its expired consent solicitation. Such supplemental indentures will only become operative, and thereby apply to all Notes of such Series remaining outstanding, immediately prior to the consummation of the Merger. The Offers As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 28, 2020, the following principal amounts of 2023 Notes and 2025 Notes were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn:







Title of Security CUSIP Numbers Principal Amount Tendered Percentage Tendered Tender Offer Consideration(1) Early Tender Payment(1)(3) Total Tender Offer Consideration (1)(2) 5.50% Senior

Notes due 2023 035287AG6 $291,356,000 83.24% $962.50 $50.00 $1,012.50 6.00% Senior

Notes due 2025 035287AJ0 $245,827,000 98.33% $962.50 $50.00 $1,012.50

(1) Per $1,000 principal amount of Notes that are accepted for purchase. (2) The Total Tender Offer Consideration consists of the Tender Offer Consideration and the Early Tender Payment. (3) Payable, subject to the terms and conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, only to Holders who validly tendered (and did not validly withdraw) Notes prior to the Early Tender Deadline (as defined below).

Holders may no longer withdraw any 2023 Notes or 2025 Notes previously or hereafter validly tendered. Only Notes that were validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 13, 2020 (the "Early Tender Deadline") and accepted by WESCO for purchase will receive the applicable Total Tender Offer Consideration, which includes an Early Tender Payment (as set forth above). Notes that are validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) after the Early Tender Deadline and on or prior to the Expiration Time and accepted by WESCO for purchase will receive only the applicable Tender Offer Consideration. Payment for Notes accepted by WESCO for purchase will include accrued and unpaid interest from the last payment date applicable to the Notes up to, but excluding, the settlement date for the Offers ("Accrued Interest"). The obligation to accept for purchase and to pay (or cause to be paid) the Total Tender Offer Consideration or the Tender Offer Consideration, as applicable, for any and all Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to each of the Offers is conditioned on the satisfaction of certain conditions that may be waived by WESCO if they are not satisfied, as more fully described in the Offer to Purchase. WESCO reserves the right in its sole discretion, subject to applicable law, to terminate any Offer if the conditions to such Offer have become incapable of being satisfied at the Expiration Time. Other Information The Offers, with respect to one or both Series of Notes, may be terminated or withdrawn at any time and for any reason, including if certain conditions described in the Offer to Purchase are not satisfied, subject to applicable law. WESCO is making the Offers only by, and pursuant to, the terms of the Offer to Purchase. None of WESCO, WESCO International, Anixter, Anixter International, the Dealer Manager (as defined below), the trustee under each indenture establishing the 2023 Notes and 2025 Notes, the Tender and Information Agent (as defined below), nor any of their respective affiliates, makes any recommendation as to whether or not Holders of the Notes should tender or refrain from tendering their Notes with regard to the Offers. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell any securities or the solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities. The Offers are being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase. The Offers are not being made to Holders of Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the securities laws or blue sky laws require the Offers to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Offers will be deemed to be made on behalf of WESCO by one or more registered brokers or dealers that are licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction. Barclays Capital Inc. is acting as dealer manager and solicitation agent (the "Dealer Manager") for the Offers. D.F. King & Co., Inc. is acting as the tender agent and information agent (the "Tender and Information Agent") for the Offers. Requests for the Offer to Purchase may be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc. at (212) 269-5550 (for brokers and banks) or (877) 361-7966 (for all others) or email [email protected]. Questions or requests for assistance in relation to the Offers may be directed to Barclays Capital Inc. at (212) 528-7581 (collect) or (800) 438-3242 (toll-free). About WESCO WESCO International, Inc. (NYSE: WCC), a publicly traded FORTUNE 500 holding company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a leading provider of electrical, industrial, and communications maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) products, construction materials, and advanced supply chain management and logistic services. 2019 annual sales were approximately $8.4 billion. The company employs approximately 9,500 people, maintains relationships with approximately 30,000 suppliers, and serves approximately 70,000 active customers worldwide. Customers include commercial and industrial businesses, contractors, government agencies, institutions, telecommunications providers, and utilities. WESCO operates 11 fully automated distribution centers and approximately 500 branches in North America and international markets, providing a local presence for customers and a global network to serve multi-location businesses and multi-national corporations. About Anixter Anixter International is a leading global distributor of Network & Security Solutions, Electrical & Electronic Solutions and Utility Power Solutions. The company helps build, connect, protect, and power valuable assets and critical infrastructures. From enterprise networks to industrial MRO supply to video surveillance applications to electric power distribution, Anixter International offers full-line solutions, and intelligence, that create reliable, resilient systems that sustain businesses and communities. Through Anixter International's unmatched global distribution network along with its supply chain and technical expertise, the company helps lower the cost, risk and complexity of its customers' supply chains. Anixter International adds value to the distribution process by providing over 100,000 customers access to 1) innovative supply chain solutions, 2) nearly 600,000 products and over $1.0 billion in inventory, 3) over 300 warehouses/branch locations with over 9 million square feet of space and 4) locations in over 300 cities in approximately 50 countries. Founded in 1957 and headquartered near Chicago, Anixter International trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AXE. Forward-Looking Statements All statements made herein that are not historical facts should be considered as forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected completion and timing of the proposed transaction between WESCO International and Anixter International, expected benefits and costs of the proposed transaction, and management plans relating to the proposed transaction, statements that address each company's expected future business and financial performance, statements regarding the impact of natural disasters, health epidemics and other outbreaks, especially the outbreak of COVID-19 since December 2019, which may have a material adverse effect on each company's business, results of operations and financial conditions, and other statements identified by words such as anticipate, plan, believe, estimate, intend, expect, project, will and similar words, phrases or expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and beliefs of the management of WESCO International and Anixter International (as the case may be), as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, such management, current market trends and market conditions, and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of each company's and each company's management's control, and which may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on such statements. Certain of these risks are set forth in WESCO International's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and Anixter International's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2020, as applicable, as well as each company's other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Those risks, uncertainties and assumptions also include the timing, receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental and regulatory approvals of the proposed transaction between WESCO International and Anixter International that could reduce anticipated benefits or cause the parties to abandon the proposed transaction, the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement, the risk that the parties may not be able to satisfy the conditions to the proposed transaction in a timely manner or at all, risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction, the risk that any announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of WESCO International's common stock, the risk of any unexpected costs or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction, the risk of any litigation relating to the proposed transaction, the risk that the proposed transaction and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of WESCO International or Anixter International to retain customers and retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with their suppliers, customers and other business relationships and on their operating results and businesses generally, the risk that the pending proposed transaction could distract management of both entities and they will incur substantial costs, the risk that problems may arise in successfully integrating the businesses of the companies, which may result in the combined company not operating as effectively and efficiently as expected, the risk that the combined company may be unable to achieve synergies or other anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction or it may take longer than expected to achieve those synergies or benefits and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. All such factors are difficult to predict and are beyond each company's control. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described above can be found in WESCO International's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and Anixter International's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2020, as applicable, as well as in each company's other reports filed with the SEC. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wesco-distribution-inc-announces-extension-of-expiration-time-of-its-offers-to-purchase-for-cash-any-and-all-of-anixter-incs-5-50-senior-notes-due-2023-and-6-00-senior-notes-due-2025--301067473.html SOURCE WESCO International, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
President Trump tweeted about violence in Minneapolis that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." (Associated Press)

In a tweet about violent protests in Minneapolis over the death of a black man in police custody, President Trump thundered: These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen . . . Any difficulty and we will assume control but when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

Twitter, as part of its newfound vigilance about Trumps rants, appended a note saying that the tweet violated the Twitter Rules against glorifying violence. It said it didnt remove the tweet because of its public interest exception for tweets by government officials. The more ominous aspect of the looting/shooting tweet is that it suggested that Trump, fearful of losing the White House in November, is willing to exploit racial tensions.

Trumps line about looting and shooting isnt original. It was apparently coined in 1967 by Miami Police Chief Walter Headley.

In 1968, as a high school student, I attended a rally in Pittsburgh for presidential candidate George Wallace at which I recalled he used the slogan as part of his riff about the need for law and order. Contemporary accounts of the Pittsburgh rally dont include that line, but Wallace is on record as saying at another rally that year: We dont have riots in Alabama. They start a riot down there, first one of em to pick up a brick gets a bullet in the brain, thats all.

Note that Wallace didnt couch his threat of retaliatory violence in racial terms. Neither did Trump in his tweet; in fact, he said that violent protesters were dishonoring the memory of a black man killed in an encounter with police. (He invoked Floyd's memory in a follow-up tweet.)

Nor should we assume that Trump knows the provenance of the "looting/shooting" line. (It's unclear that he was familiar with the isolationist history of "America First" when he made that his campaign slogan.)

Still, as with Wallace, Trumps support for harsh police tactics  remember his suggestion that cops shouldnt be "too nice" in putting suspects into a police car?  has an inescapable racial context. Twitter in flagging Trumps tweet referred to its historical context, but race looms large in that history. A 1967 United Press International article about Headleys comment about shooting looters referred to the chiefs shotgun crackdown on Negro slum hoodlums.

Obviously, its possible to denounce violence by protesters without inviting suspicion that youre playing the race card. But given Trumps history, in which he sometimes seems to be channeling Wallace, its hard to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Trumps complaints about internet censorship might appeal to a small segment of his base; but his denunciation of thugs with its racial connotations potentially has even broader appeal. Urban violence was a potent issue for Wallace with white voters, and it could be a political life preserver for a president who vowed in his inaugural address to end American carnage.
Author

Petra Deuter holds two roles. She is the Executive Director for Iconic Luxury Hotels  International and Head of Talent Development for L+R Hotels.She is responsible for developing the Iconic Luxury Hotels international brand positioning and operational and commercial structures, with a mission to growing its portfolio. Petra is instrumental in driving the development and international expansion plans for L+R Hotels.Petra also leads the career development approaches for L+R Hotels and is our internal and external ambassador for all programmes, overseeing their creation and implementation, fostering employer branding, development opportunities and succession planning. Petra Deuter joined L+R Hotels in 2017 as Director of Operations. For over 2.5 years she asset managed and oversaw performance for various 4 and 5 star properties in Europe, both directly managed or operated by third party international groups. She led properties operationally, implemented changes and engaged in joint venture and brand partner relationships management.She has over 20 years experience in global leadership roles, in airline, hotel and asset management sectors across Europe and the Americas. Petra has worked as a Managing Director for Lufthansa Airlines and as Vice President Global Sales, Distribution & Marketing for Accor Hotels, with other executive roles for hotel brands, private equity firms and consultancies.Petra is German/American and speaks fluent English, German and Spanish. She holds a BA in International Business from DePaul University in Chicago and is volunteer mentor at the Cherie Blair Foundation for women based in the UK.
A luxury travel brand has started selling holidays to destinations within the UK and Ireland to capitalise on the anticipated growth in staycations (McKinlay Kidd/PA)

A luxury travel brand has started selling holidays to destinations within the UK and Ireland to capitalise on the anticipated growth in staycations.

Kuoni, which is known for offering long-haul breaks to locations such as the Maldives, Mauritius and Thailand, entered the domestic travel market for the first time on Friday.

There is expected to be huge demand for staycations once the coronavirus lockdown is eased, with some people concerned about movement restrictions and the risk of being infected by the virus if they travel abroad.

There are many equally stunning places to discover closer to home Kuoni chief executive Derek Jones

Among the new locations being offered by Kuoni are the Isles of Scilly off the Cornish coast, the Gower Peninsular in South Wales and Irelands Wild Atlantic Way.

Activities include visiting locations from James Bond films in Scotland while driving an Aston Martin, and stargazing in rural Northumberland.

Kuoni said it is ready for travel once the lockdown is eased.

Chief executive Derek Jones commented: Were famed for planning special trips to beautiful places around the world but we think there are many equally stunning places to discover closer to home as well.

The coronavirus crisis has played havoc with peoples travel plans so we wanted to create a collection of quality, premium trips throughout the UK and Ireland which blend local culture, adventure and exploration with luxury style.

Kuoni has partnered with Glasgow-based tour operator McKinlay Kidd to create staycations which it claims will be personalised to suit each customer.

Mr Jones added: This is about working with like-minded specialists with similar values, and introducing more reasons for people to trust us with their special travel plans so we can broaden the scope of what we can offer.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised against all but essential international travel since March 17, while domestic holidays are not allowed due to the Governments lockdown orders issued six days later.
A north Alabama man is indicted on federal charges and accused of having a pipe bomb.

Joshua Andrew Quillin, a 29-year-old from Madison, is charged with possessing a destructive device and being a felon in possession of a destructive device, according to the Northern Alabama U.S. Attorneys Office. If convicted, Quillin could face up to 20 years in prison and more than $250,000 in fines, according to prosecutors.

Quillin is accused of possessing a pipe bomb on April. 23, 2020, according to the indictment, which was filed today in U.S. District Court.

That day Quillin was arrested by the Madison Police Department on charges of drug possession and violating probation, Madison County jail records show. Huntsville police Lt. Michael Johnson said his departments bomb squad was called that day to assist Madison with investigating an explosive device. A Madison police spokesman said he didnt have information about the case this afternoon. The indictment doesnt provide details about how the bomb was discovered.

The defendants brazen act could have resulted in a devastating outcome, U.S. Attorney Jay Town said in a press release. We will continue to prosecute violent criminals to the fullest extent of the law in an effort to keep our communities safe.

The case was investigated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms with help from Huntsville police, Town said.

ATFs focus on removing alleged illegal destructive devices from individuals aid is reducing the potential for violent crime, said Acting Special Agent in Charge Frank Haera in the press release.

This story was updated at 5:33 p.m. An earlier version included an incorrect date.
Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.
By Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: Rainfall occurred at isolated places in Coastal Andhra, Yanam and Rayalaseema, while dry weather prevailed in other areas of the State on Thursday. Kurnool recorded the highest temperature of 43.3 degree Celsius, while the lowest temperature of 34 degree Celsius was recorded in Visakhapatnam. Jangamaheswarapuram recorded 42.4 degree Celsius, Kadapa 42.2, Nandyal 42, Anantapur 41.7, Tirupati 41.5 and Vijayawada 40.5.

The IMD issued a warning that thunderstorm and lightning are likely to occur at isolated places in North Coastal AP, Yanam and Rayalaseema from Friday to Monday. According to the IMD forecast, maximum temperature is likely to be around 41 to 44 degree Celsius at isolated pockets in Rayalaseema.

The Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into some parts of Maldives, Comorin area, some more parts of south Bay of Bengal and remaining parts of Andaman Sea and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Conditions are becoming favourable for further advance of the monsoon into some more parts of Maldives-Comorin area.

In view of likely formation of low pressure over southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea around Sunday, conditions are likely to become favourable for the onset of Southwest Monsoon over Kerala around June 1.

Under the influence of the cyclonic circulation over west-central and adjoining southwest Arabian Sea, a low pressure area formed over west-central Arabian Sea and associated cyclonic circulation extends up to mid tropospheric level. It is very likely to concentrate into a depression over the same region by Saturday. It is likely to move northwestwards towards South Oman and East Yemen coast during next three days. The trough extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level from Rayalaseema to interior Tamil Nadu, now runs from Vidarbha to interior Tamil Nadu across Telangana and Rayalaseema.
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 25 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns and sniper rifles.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Bankers and investors fear China's push to impose national security laws on Hong Kong threaten the city's future as an international financial centre. If it gets to that stage, Beijing's move will come at a cost for China's economy. WHY DOES CHINA NEED HONG KONG AS IT IS? China still has extensive capital controls and often intervenes in its financial markets and banking system. Hong Kong is one of the world's most open economies and one of the biggest channels for equity and debt financing. The size of Hong Kong's economy may only be the equivalent of ...
U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada took herself out of the running to be presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's running mate, saying she wanted to focus on helping her state recover from the coronavirus crisis.

Cortez Masto, the first Latina elected to the U.S. Senate, had been named as one of the women whom Biden was considering for his vice president.

"It is an honor to be considered as a potential running mate but I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration," she said in a statement. "Nevada's economy is one of the hardest hit by the current crisis and I will continue to focus on getting Nevadans the support they need to get back on their feet."

Cortez Masto's statement confirms what she told CBS News back in November 2019 - that if asked she would say no.

Cortez Masto replaced former senator Harry Reid in the Senate in 2016. Reid released a statement about her decision not to vie for the vice president slot, calling her a "truly gifted leader who always puts Nevada first, and I will continue supporting her however I can."

Cortez Masto was seen as a smart pick for Biden to ingratiate himself with Latino voters, a group he struggled to win over during the Democratic primary. Her decision to withdraw herself from consideration leaves Biden with at least one other Latina pick, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Biden has committed to picking a woman as his number two. Minority communities have called on him to pick a woman of color.

Others believed to be contenders are Sens. Kamala Harris of California, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Rep. Val Demings of Florida and former Georgia state representative Stacey Abrams.

Biden said Wednesday during a virtual fundraiser that he planned to announce his choice by Aug. 1. He said he was looking for someone who aligned with him ideologically, but would also challenge him.
CAMEROUN :: Gendarmes arrest three with full human skeleton :: CAMEROON

Three human parts traffickers were arrested in Foumbot on the 20th of May 2020 during an operation carried out by the Foumbot Gendarmerie brigade. An entire human skeleton with some bits of dried up flesh and hairs were recovered from the traffickers who were just about to sell the human remains. The arrest was the result of an investigation into illegal wildlife trafficking in the region. The operation was carried out with the technical assistance of LAGA, a non-governmental organisation specialised in wildlife law enforcement.

The suspects were arrested at Njindam neighbourhood in possession of a sack containing the human bones. Most notably among the bones was a female head which still had cornrow hairstyle on it. According to sources close to the case, the lady died 6 months ago and her corpse was dug out in a locality located some 35 kilometres from Foumbot, where she was buried. The alleged traffickers left Kouoptamo to Foumbot with the human bones to sell and were arrested by gendarmes when they were about carrying out their illegal transaction. They were immediately taken to the gendarmerie brigade of Foumbot. The same sources report that the traffickers wanted to sell the human skeleton for 30 million FCFA. Further investigation by the gendarmerie brigade of Foumbot led to the arrest of a woman who was keeping the skeleton. She was arrested on the 23th of May 2020 at Baigom near Foumbot.

Preliminary investigations show that, it is a network of human bone traffickers. One of the traffickers in the network was a wildlife trafficker who now deals in human bones trafficking. They have contacts mostly in Gabon and operate under a network. Some would dig out the corpses from their graves while others tackle the trafficking side of their illegal business.

This is not an unprecedented situation where a wildlife trafficking investigation ends up uncovering trade in human remains. In 2012, Djoum wildlife officials in collaboration with the gendarmerie and with technical assistance from LAGA arrested five men with elephant parts and human body parts.

Human bone and organs trafficking is reportedly on the rise in the Noun region and several individuals have recently been arrested for their involvement in the crimes. A child was also recovered alive from kidnappers on the same day of the arrest of the three alleged human bone traffickers by the gendarmerie. In January 2020, a gang of 4 suspected human bone traffickers were arrested in Koutaba. They had profaned a tomb for the sum of 10 million FCFA.

Human body parts and some wildlife species are in high demand in Central Africa sub region to be used by occultists who believe they have supernatural powers. Its also used in secret ceremonies.
"There are new government regulations which call for a change in conventional workplace routines. People1 Care takes a custom approach to help organizations adhere to these guidelines as they get back to business while reducing employee health risks." - Jude Ramayya, CEO Impiger Technologies

Impiger Technologies, a Texas based software solutions organization, recently launched a unique return-to-work mobile and web based solution People1 Care to help organizations safely return their employees to the workplace.

People1 Care helps companies transition into the 'new normal through daily wellness screenings, social distancing support, and contact tracing at work. With this data, companies can ensure the safety and well-being of their employees in accordance with CDC recommended organizational guidelines.

People1 Cares daily wellness screening includes temperature scans and health questionnaires for employees and guests. The app provides alerts through proximity detection to help employees comply with recommended social distancing guidelines. This enables employees to be mindful about their own health and others' safety in the workplace.

In the event an employee tests positive for COVID-19, digital contact tracing records can be reviewed to check their interactions with coworkers. This can help companies reduce the chances of an outbreak in the workplace with timely precautionary measures.

Listed below are some of the key features of People1 Care:



Self-Assessment option to minimize risk

Compliance checks and alerts to help employees adhere to company regulations

Event Reporting allows senior management to take quick actions in critical situations

Employee Notifications of new policies and guidelines related to workplace safety

Reports and dashboards for companies to monitor employee screening and other safety metrics

Mobile first technology and user friendly application that is highly secure

Jude Ramayya, CEO of Impiger Technologies says, There are new government regulations which call for a change in conventional workplace routines. People1 Care takes a custom approach to help organizations adhere to these guidelines as they get back to business while reducing employee health risks.

About Impiger Technologies

Impiger Technologies, Inc. is a 15-year old Dallas based technology organization offering solutions in the field of Mobile, Cloud, Web, IoT, AR, RPA and AI Technologies, catering to industries like Manufacturing, Logistics, Retail, Healthcare, Finance, and Services. With over 450+ professionals spread across the globe, Impiger has assisted enterprises across all scales and domains. Its Digital Workplace platform People1 helps organizations establish a streamlined mode of communication and collaboration, improving overall productivity.
A Rock Springs man is facing a potential 240-year prison sentence if found guilty of possessing child pornography.

James Adam Gehring, 34, of Rock Springs, is charged with 24 felony counts of sexual exploitation of children.

We are aware of approximately 2,000 images of child pornography, Teresa Thybo, chief deputy Sweetwater County attorney said during Gehrings initial appearance hearing Friday afternoon.

Thybo said the state decided not to charge for each alleged pornographic image because it would have overloaded their system, opting to file 24 charges instead.

Each count carries with it a potential maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of not more than $10,000. He was arrested Wednesday following a joint investigation between the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation and the Sweetwater County Sheriffs Office.

Gehring made his initial appearance before Circuit Court Judge Craig Jones through a video conference from the Sweetwater County Detention Center, visibly crying as Jones read each charge against him.

Thybo said Gehring was a flight risk, which necessitated her recommendation to set bond at $250,000. She also said he was a danger to the community, claiming multiple children were victimized in the images. She recommended modified bond conditions which prohibit Gehring from having contact with minors. Jones agreed with both recommendations when he established Gehrings bond at $250,000 cash or surety.

I cant make bond, Im stuck here, Gehring said.

Thybo also said Gehring had a short criminal history, with prior convictions of driving while under suspension and performing body art on a minor in Sweetwater County and shoplifting in Lincoln County.
The Coronavirus outbreak has brought businesses to a halt! As the viewers are aware, due to the lockdown, the shooting of shows has been stalled and this has affected the cast and crew. In fact, many shows have been ended abruptly! Yet another show beats the dust due to the extended nationwide lockdown. Star Bharat's Kartik Purnima is now off air and the lead actress, Poulomi Das, who plays the role of Purnima in the show, has confirmed the report.

Poulomi was quoted by India Today TV as saying, "Yes I came to know that my show is going off air but the situation is such (pandemic) that we cannot do anything. Although, none of us was ready for it. This is the channel's call. It is very difficult for the producers to run an entire show. Bearing the expenses when there were no profits, budgets were going off for the channel and the producers."



The actress is heartbroken as the show had just started and Kartik Purnima's story couldn't even reach people. She said, "I feel very sorry for all those who have lost their jobs and I have lost my job too but I hope that everything goes well."

Kartik Purnima, that starred Poulomi and Harsh Nagar in the lead roles, was premiered in February 2020. Although a few episodes were already shot, they won't be aired and unfortunately, the viewers will not get to watch the love story of Kartik and Purnima. After two months run, the makers have decided to end the show due to financial crisis.

Other shows that will be going off air due to COVID-19 are Beyhadh 2, Patiala Babes and Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein. Even Naagin 4 actors will be wrapping up shoot, after the lockdown is lifted.

Also Read: Ekta Kapoor Announces Naagin 5; Apologises To Nia Sharma & Jasmin For Axing Their Roles In Naagin 4
The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that India targets to bring back 100,000 passengers from 60 countries by the end of Phase II of the Vande Bharat Mission and the planning for the third phase is well underway.

"Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) is in full swing. Phase I has been successfully completed from May 7 - May 16 during which 16,716 stranded Indians returned. We are in Phase II of VBM from May 17 - June 13," said MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava.

5,000 Indians have returned through land border

The MEA spokesperson said as of Thursday, 45,216 Indians have returned. These include 8,069 migrant workers, 7,656 students and 5,107 professionals. "About 5000 Indians have returned through land border immigration checkpoints from Nepal and Bangladesh. A total number of 3,08,200 persons have registered their request with our Missions abroad for repatriation to India on compelling grounds," the spokesperson said.

READ | Vande Bharat Mission: Over 800 stranded Indians brought home via four flights on May 25

"During phase two, a total of 429 Air India flights (311 international flights + 118 feeder flights) from 60 countries are scheduled to land in India. The Indian Navy will be making four more sorties to bring back returnees from Iran, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives," Srivastava said during an online media briefing.

READ | Vande Bharat: 11 more flights from US to India in second phase; third phase on anvil

'We will be exploring more such options'

"We are also assisting the return of stranded Indians from remote locations in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and parts of Europe. This is being done by taking advantage of foreign carriers flying to India primarily for the evacuation of their nationals. Recently, about 300 stranded Indians from Peru, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Portugal and Netherlands were brought in. We will be exploring more such options," he said.

READ | India to expand Vande Bharat Mission to evacuate more Indians from abroad

As per the government's policy for evacuation, Indians having "compelling reasons" to return like pregnant women, elderly people, students and those facing the prospect of deportation are being brought back home. On 26 May, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a detailed review meeting of all stakeholders. The focus of the meeting was to ramp up the scale of Vande Bharat Mission and to enhance its efficiency.

Just concluded a detailed review meeting of #VandeBharatMission. Thank Team MEA, @MoCA_GoI, DMA, @airindiain, MHA, Bureau of Immigration for their participation and contribution.



Focus of meeting was to ramp up the scale of #VBM and enhance its efficiency. pic.twitter.com/b2sqHzTc7A  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 26, 2020

READ | S Jaishankar chairs review meet over 'Vande Bharat Mission'; says focus on third phase

(With agency inputs)
The University of Arizona is upping its recruitment effort of in-state students during the coronavirus pandemic, an administrator told the Arizona Board of Regents in a meeting Thursday.

We know that there are a large number of students who are residents of our state, who maybe were thinking of going out of state and are now in that uncertain place and theyre very much looking at staying in state and staying closer to home, which we welcome, Kasey Urquidez, the UAs vice president of enrollment management, told Regents. So we are still doing a number of different outreach activities to reach out to our Arizona residents through text, through email, through webinars.

Leaders said its important to recruit and retain students from Arizona after the school saw an increase in full-time out-of-state undergraduates in 2019,but a decrease in in-state graduate and online enrollment.

The UA has used its recruiting strategies including the First Cats initiative to provide support to first-generation college students as well as its Pell Pledge Grant, a financial aid award for lower-income first-year students in the state.
SANTA ANA, Calif., May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NKMax America, a biotechnology company harnessing the power of the body's immune system through the development of Natural Killer (NK) cell therapies, announced the publication of three abstracts in the ASCO Meeting Library  available in the Journal of Clinical Oncology and a poster presentation of one of the abstracts.



The 2020 ASCO Annual Meeting is a virtual event held May 29  May 31, 2020 and represents the worlds largest gathering of oncology physicians, biotechnology executives, researchers, and investment analysts to discuss cutting-edge clinical research and therapeutics in oncology.

Abstract accepted for presentation:

Title: A randomized phase I/IIa study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SNK-01 (autologous non-genetically modified natural killer cells with enhanced cytotoxicity) plus Pembrolizumab in patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract Number: #3037

Abstract: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/188811/abstract



Poster Session: Developmental Therapeutics  Immunotherapy

Presentation: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/188811/video

Presented by Eo Jin Kim, M.D. (University of Ulsan and Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea).

Highlights include:

The combination of SNK-01 and Pembrolizumab was safe without any dose limiting toxicity or significant adverse events.

Overall response rate (ORR) via RECIST 1.1 in the combination arm was 44% and significantly higher compared to Keytruda alone with an 8-month median progression free survival and a median overall survival that had not yet been met. Patients treated at the highest dose of NK cells had a 50% ORR.

Of note is that among patients with PD-L1 expression 1 - 50%, the overall response rate in the combination group was 40%.

Patients treated with the combination arm had no treatment related toxicity and better overall quality of life compared to 25% Grade 3-5 toxicity in the Keytruda alone arm.

Additional accepted abstracts include:

Title: Phase I study of SNK-01 (autologous non-genetically modified natural killer cells with enhanced cytotoxicity) in refractory metastatic solid tumors

Abstract Number: #e15024

Abstract: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/189214/abstract

Title: Natural killer cells and their activity as a potential biomarker for predicting response to checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract Number: #e15559

Abstract: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/188948/abstract

We are very excited to share our data at ASCO and believe our robust clinical program is helping to establish the key role that NK cells play in checkpoint inhibitor therapy, said Paul Song, M.D., NKMax Vice Chairman and Chief Medical Officer, Our diagnostic work using our proprietary NK Vue test (which measures natural killer cell activity) strongly indicates that NK cell activity may be more predictive of response to checkpoint inhibitors than PD-L1 expression or microsatellite instability.

Dr. Song also commented, Our combination trial with Keytruda seems to validate this as the overall response rate among patients with 1 to 50% PDL1 expression was 40% when patients received both Keytruda and SNK-01. Equally promising is how SNK-01 appears to reduce the incidence of checkpoint inhibitor associated toxicity. We look forward to expanding on these results with our next set of clinical trials.

About NKMax America

NKMax America Inc. is a clinical stage biotechnology company dedicated to restoring and enhancing overall immune integrity. Our proprietary natural killer cell expansion and activation technology achieves infinite fold natural killer cell expansion with greatly enhanced cytotoxicity across its autologous, allogenic, and CAR-NK products which are all derived from peripheral blood. Our first in class autologous product, SNK-01, is currently in a Phase I clinical trial in advanced refractory solid tumors and in a Phase I/IIa combination trial with Keytruda in Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. The company and its commercially licensed cGMP facility are headquartered in Santa Ana, California, USA.

For more information on the company, please visit www.nkmaxamerica.com

Contact:

Denise Chua, MBA, CLS, MT (ASCP)

Vice President, Marketing

949-396-6830

dchua@nkmaxamerica.com
Photo: Contributed

It was an honour to stand in the House of Commons on behalf of the constituents in Kelowna-Lake Country on May 25 to debate an important motion that would set the path for Parliament for the upcoming months, and potentially years.

On March 13, Parliament had its last regular sitting and Canadian democracy was put to the test. I was there that day, just after the pandemic was declared, as Parliament unanimously agreed to recess for five weeks. We then resumed a few times to pass legislation related to government programs created to address COVID-19. May 25 was the first full reconvened day of Parliament, with a reduced number of MPs.

I spoke on the importance of re-establishing all committees (virtually) with their full powers. Committee work is valuable  bringing in experts, doing studies, and creating reports for government.

I also spoke about allowing Parliament to reconvene with a reduced number of MPs, just as we did on that day, May 25. If MPs are going to physically be in the House of Commons to participate in the COVID-19 committee, Parliament could reconvene. The full powers of Parliament do not exist with a committee.

Many constituents have reached out to me, wanting checks and balances in place to scrutinize government decisions. The auditor generals work (the arms length office that audits government spending) needs to be fully supported by the government in order for this to happen. My colleagues and I spoke about how we need to be sitting regularly with the full powers of Parliament with all committees to ensure we manage this crisis as a country as we move through recovery stages.

The work of Parliament is essential. We can develop new procedures, and protocols, in order to operate safely, like every industry and private or public sector organization is doing. Normal and ongoing Parliamentary business, with a reduced number of MPs, must return just as legislatures all over the world and within our provinces are.

We need to govern. This is our democratic institution. Parliament matters.

The government, supported by the NDP, voted late on May 26 to suspend full, regular Parliamentary sittings until late September.

While a hybrid COVID-19 committee will continue through June, with a few sittings in the summer, with MPs in the House of Commons and others taking part virtually, it is only statements, tabling petitions, and asking questions. There will not be any debating, opposition days, private members bills, or emergency debates.

In addition, only a handful of other committees will continue to meet virtually. Important committees such as veterans affairs, Canada-China relations, international trade, natural resources, public safety and national security, among many others, will not be meeting until late September.

Thank you for connecting with me and I will stand up on important matters. Constituents continually bring constructive suggestions on how to improve or alter current support programs to ensure no business or Canadian who genuinely needs help falls through the cracks. For example, opposition efforts led to authorizing credit unions to deliver loans, reducing penalties for part-time workers, preventing new parents from losing benefits, and amending requirements for the Emergency Business Account loans for small businesses. Please reach out if you need assistance or have an idea. Some of our best ideas have come from you.

Please go to my website to see other updates and answer questionnaires to let me know your thoughts. Stay safe.
As the pandemics disproportionate burden grows more starkly obvious, the province has yet to begin collecting COVID-19 data on income and race that could help reveal the depths of these inequities.

Toronto Public Health released maps on Wednesday that offer local proof of a larger trend health experts have warned of for weeks: that some communities have much higher concentrations of COVID-19 cases than others, and that this clustering is not random.

The citys five most affected neighbourhoods  all found in the citys far northwest  have an average of more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents. The citys five least-affected neighbourhoods  which include Rosedale, the Beach and the Danforth  have an average of just 58 cases per 100,000 residents.

On average, the five most affected neighbourhoods have significantly higher proportions of people who are low-income, racialized, immigrants, and live in denser housing with longer commutes.

Comparing these geographic pockets reveals telling disparities. But area-based analyses are no substitute for individual-level data on income, race and other socio-economic factors, experts say.

While Toronto Public Health already collects this data, Ontario has yet to begin, despite the provinces top doctors committing to it more than three weeks ago. Experts say this information is essential to fighting the pandemic and its impacts on the most vulnerable.

What are the dynamics that are creating risk in some groups more than others? says Arjumand Siddiqi, Canada Research Chair in population health equity and a professor at the University of Torontos Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

We are structuring society in a way thats fundamentally unjust. And I dont think you can really escape that logic, when you see the numbers right in front of you.

Census data shows distinct differences in the Toronto neighbourhoods bearing the highest concentrations of COVID-19 cases, compared to those with the least. (These areas should not be considered more risky or more safe, Toronto medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa emphasized Wednesday: it shows where infected people live, not where they acquired infections, and the virus is in every neighbourhood in the city.)

Among the five most affected areas, the median household income is an average of $53,000, and 24 per cent qualify as low-income. Among the five least affected areas, the average median household income is $95,000, with 12 per cent counted as low-income. The five most affected neighbourhoods have more than double the percentage of visible minorities compared to the five least affected  59 per cent compared to 26 per cent  and nearly double the percentage of residents living in five-storey-plus highrises.

Notably, both groups had identical fractions of residents that take public transit to work. But the five neighbourhoods with the highest rates of COVID-19 had an average of 22 per cent of residents with hour-plus commutes, versus just 9 per cent with super-long commutes for those in the five least-affected areas.

De Villa suggested Wednesday that access to testing sites, under-housing and affordability of supplies like masks were all factors the city would take into consideration in addressing Torontos COVID-19 disparities.

These area-based statistics are helpful for directing public health resources, experts say. But they are not an acceptable replacement for granular, individual-level race-based and socio-economic data.

Instead of knowing more affected neighbourhoods are poorer, we need to know what low-income jobs are putting workers the most at risk. Instead of knowing more affected neighbourhoods are denser, we need to know whether multi-generational households in small apartments need access to safer places to self-isolate.

Instead of knowing more diverse neighbourhoods are more affected, we need to know whether Black or other racialized people are more at risk of severe outcomes and death  as the U.S. and U.K. have found  and why.

If you collect this data, we can at least descriptively say, heres the problem in factual terms  not us wondering whats going on, not us trying to make a case from anecdotes that are starting to get overwhelming, quite frankly, said Siddiqi.

On Thursday, Toronto City Council voted to formally request that the government of Ontario require the collection of COVID-19 testing data broken out by race and occupation, and request that the province share this information with public health units and the public at large.

Toronto Public Health has been collecting individual-level data on race, occupation and other socio-economic factors for about a month, in addition to the type of geographic analyses released Wednesday, noted Coun. Joe Cressy (SpadinaFort York), chair of the Toronto Board of Health. (The city said it is too early to analyze this individual data.)

But even though the city already collects it, mandated, provincewide data is still necessary, Cressy said.

To truly understand an evolving new virus, we need data at scale, he said.

We have a province of 14 million people  we need to be on the same page in terms of the information were collecting and how it informs our response. The data were collecting in Toronto should not be drastically different than the data being collected in Windsor or Ottawa.

I have no idea why the province had yet to begin collecting this, Cressy said.

Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontarios associate chief medical officer of health, cancelled an interview with the Star on Wednesday to discuss the provinces collection of individual level race-based and socio-economic COVID-19 data. A spokesperson instead sent a statement saying that we are committed to collecting this data and that we are working with partners to determine implementation.

On Thursday, in response to a detailed set of questions, a spokesperson for the health ministry said the government had given permission to regional public health units to collect this data if they want to.

Mandating the data collection provincewide would require regulatory changes, Hayley Chazan noted. Thats why were moving forward with (voluntary collection) as an immediate solution.

Chazan added that We recognize that this data is important in order to guide our decision-making on how to protect vulnerable groups who may be at a higher risk for COVID-19. In response to who it would be shared with, she said that Once this data collection begins, we will work with our partners to determine the best way to release this information.

Cressy said the notion that Toronto Public Health was given permission is bizarre and inaccurate.

In the absence of the province mandating collection, we simply built a new database and started doing it ourselves. Nobody gave us permission. Rather, we started collecting and sharing the data to better inform our response because they wouldnt.

Opposition parties at Queens Park also renewed calls Thursday for the province to begin collecting this data.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said in a statement: Its shameful that (Premier Doug) Ford has been resistant to mandating the collection and sharing of race-based and socio-economic COVID-19 data, but he can no longer ignore this information. This is urgent and lives are at stake.

Update - May 29, 2020: The graphic about the number of COVID-19 cases by neighbourhood was updated from a previous version.
George Floyds girlfriend said the Minneapolis riots would 'devastate' him as a police station was set alight in the city's third night of violence.

White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on unarmed Floyd's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died earlier this week.

His death sparked outrage and protests in various states, including Minnesota where Floyd died.

Now Floyd's girlfriend Courtney Ross - who had been with him for three-years - said: 'Waking up this morning to see Minneapolis on fire would be something that would devastate Floyd.'

George Floyds girlfriend Courtney Ross (pictured together) said the Minneapolis riots would 'devastate' him as a police station is set alight in the city's third night of violence

Rioters broke into Minneapolis Third Police Precinct Thursday night and torched it

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Flames billowed out of the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct Thursday night

Protesters held up their fists as flames rose behind them in front of the Third Police Precinct

Minneapolis, Minnesota: People gather outside the police department building with their fists in the air as they watched it burn down

She told The Star Tribune that she wants protesters 'to know that I understand their frustration' but added 'I want people to protest in a peaceful way.'

Last night, a total of 500 National Guard soldiers were deployed to the streets of Minneapolis as Mayor Jacob Frey declared a state of emergency.

Rioters broke into Minneapolis Third Police Precinct Thursday night and torched it.

A viral video captured the moment Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck while the handcuffed suspect repeatedly cried out that he couldn't breathe and ultimately suffocated

Minneapolis, Minnesota: The police building is engulfed in flames as rioters took over the building and set it alight

Shocking footage showed flames billowing out of the precinct just hours after prosecutors warned there is 'evidence that does not support criminal charges' in the case of the four cops accused of killing Floyd, sparking fears that they will continue to walk free.

Break-off protests over Floyd's death are building across several states, with disturbing footage showing the driver of a black SUV appear to deliberately mow down a Black Lives Matter protester in Denver - where panic also erupted when shots were fired during a march on the Colorado State Capitol.

In New York City, NYPD officers were seen brawling on the ground with protesters as at least 70 people were arrested in the Big Apple.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fire and smoke engulf a liquor store on the third night of protests after the death of George Floyd

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters take over the Minneapolis police 3rd Precinct building Thursday

Protesters in Ohio smashed the windows of the statehouse in downtown Columbus and raided the building and demonstrators damaged a police cruiser in downtown Los Angeles.

Over in Kentucky, seven people were shot in downtown Louisville during a protest demanding justice for black woman Breonna Taylor who was shot dead by cops back in March, as the Floyd case reignited tensions between cops and the African-American community.

President Trump waded in on the escalating violence in Minneapolis in the early hours of Friday as he warned he would step in and take over if officials fail to bring the rioting under control.

He blasted the 'Radical Left Mayor' Frey saying he needs to 'get his act together' while slamming protesters for 'dishonoring the memory' of Floyd and warning 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts'.

'I can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.....,' the president tweeted.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A crowd of protesters stand near the Third Police Precinct late last night as authorities warned the building could explode

'These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!'

Speaking in the early hours of this morning, Mayor Frey fired back at the president and said: 'Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis.'

'Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions. Weakness is pointing your finger at someone else during a time of crisis,' he said.

'Is this a difficult time period? Yes, but you'd better be damn sure that we're going to get through this.'

Frey said he understood the 'pain and anger right now in our city', but added that 'what we have seen over the last several hours and the past couple of nights in terms of looting is unacceptable'.

The mayor revealed it was him who had decided to evacuate the Third Precinct after determining that there were 'imminent threats to both officers and public'.

'The symbolism of a building cannot outweigh the importance of life, of our officers or the public. We could not risk serious injury to anyone,' he said. 'Brick and mortar is not as important as life.'
At 10:52 AM, Vodafone Idea was at Rs 7.56 per share, up 29.9 percent.

Shares of Vodafone Idea Ltd were up 34.87 percent to hit the intraday high of Rs 7.85 per share on the BSE on Friday on reports that Google Inc. is considering picking about 5 percent stake in Vodafone Idea Ltd-a telecom joint venture between Vodafone PLC of UK and Aditya Birla group.

According to a report in Financial Times, Google is looking to make an investment in the embattled Indian telecom company.

At 10:52 AM, Vodafone Idea was at Rs 7.56 per share, up 29.9 percent.

#CNBCTV18Market | Vodafone Idea surges 25% on reports of Google evaluating 5% equity investment in the company pic.twitter.com/xDCsjeEmWJ  CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) May 29, 2020

On NSE, it rose sharply by 25 percent to Rs 7.25

A combined 352 million equity shares changed hands and there were pending buy orders for 83 million shares on the NSE and BSE, the exchange data shows.

Shares in Vodafone Idea Ltd jumped 25 percent and hit an upper limit after a report that Google was eyeing a stake in the telecom firm.

Tech titan Google is said to be exploring taking a minority stake in British telecom group Vodafone's struggling India business.

Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets

The investment in Vodafone Idea will pit the search giant against Facebook which has picked up a stake in Jio Platforms, the firm that houses India's youngest but biggest telecom company, Reliance Jio, according to a PTI report.

Alphabet Inc's Google is looking to buy about 5 per cent stake in Vodafone Idea Ltd, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.

Both companies refused to comment.

Google eyeing stake in Vodafone Idea

The move by Google follows Facebook and other private equity investors pouring in $10 billion in Jio Platforms, which holds billionaire Mukesh Ambani's telecom firm, Jio.

Vodafone Idea is in focus as reports suggest Google is evaluating 5% equity investment in the company. Take a look at the exposure of Indian banks to the telecom major pic.twitter.com/GZ75Kqb7XD  CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) May 29, 2020

The move assumes significance as Vodafone Idea Ltd (VIL) -- where Vodafone holds just over 45 percent stake -- is staring at nearly Rs 58,000 crore in unpaid statutory dues.

These dues arose after the Supreme Court, in October last year, upheld the government's position on including revenue from non-core businesses in calculating the annual AGR (Adjusted Gross Revenue) of telecom companies, a share of which is paid as licence and spectrum fee to the exchequer.

The Department of Telecom (DoT's) as per its own submission to the apex court earlier this year seeking relief in payment tenures, had put dues of three telecom companies -- Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Tata Group at Rs 1.19 lakh crore.

Against this, Bharti Group had calculated its dues at Rs 13,004 crore, Vodafone Idea at Rs 21,533 crore and Tata Group of companies at Rs 2,197 crore.

In March, following an approval by the Cabinet, an application was moved before the Supreme Court (on March 16, 2020) seeking its permission for the licensees impacted by the AGR judgement to pay the unpaid amount of the DoT-calculated dues in annual instalments over 20 years.

Vodafone Idea has been under severe financial pressure, and analysts time and again have cautioned that company's longer-term viability remains under cloud.

In December, Vodafone Idea Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla had said VIL may have to shut if there is no relief on the statutory dues.

(Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Firstpost)

--With agency inputs
The United Methodist Church Illinois Great Rivers Conference is hosting an online service of leave-taking for Annie Merner Chapel at MacMurray College at 7 p.m. Thursday.

To mark the closing, as well as to celebrate and remember the mission and ministry of MacMurray College, Trustee Beth Fender, a 1991 graduate of MacMurray College, and Illinois Great Rivers Conference coordinator for higher education Amy Shreve will lead an online worship.
Police have arrested 15 young people after a 17-year-old was stabbed multiple times during an alleged carpark brawl at Hoppers Crossing.

Wayward Taskforce detectives swooped on homes across Melbourne's north-west on Friday morning, arresting and charging suspects as young as 13 with affray and violent disorder.

Detectives believe that up to 40 youths arranged to meet at a Derrimut Road carpark where an altercation took place, with a 17-year-old stabbed several times during the fight, about 5.30pm on May 23.

Sources have told The Age that friends drove the bleeding 17-year-old to Werribee Hospital for urgent medical attention to treat injuries to his chest, abdomen and torso. Police were then called in.

On Friday, officers executed warrants in Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, Point Cook, Deer Park, Burnside Heights, Tarneit, St Albans and Melton as part of their investigation.
Hong Kong, May 29 : Nearly 100 children were arrested during this week's protests in Hong Kong against China's plan to press ahead with a national security law for the city, and also the controversial national anthem bill, a media report said on Friday.

In total, 396 people were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday, the South China Morning Post quoted the police force as saying.

Those arrested were aged between 12 and 70, and comprised 234 men and 162 women.

In Hong Kong, anyone under the age of 18 is considered to be a child.

Offences ranged from possession of offensive weapons, and possession of instruments fit for unlawful purpose, to unlawful assembly, and joining unauthorised assemblies.

The protests came as lawmakers began a four-day debate over the national anthem law at the Legislative Council.

Voting on the bill, which would criminalise insults to "March of the Volunteers", is expected to take place on June 4.

But most of the anger was driven by Beijing's plan to press ahead with a national security law for Hong Kong, said the South China Morning Post newspaper.

On Thursday, China's top legislature, the National People's Congress, approved a resolution prohibiting acts of secession, subversion, terrorism or conspiracy with foreign influences in the city, before sending it to the Standing Committee to craft the finer details.

Beijing's move has raised widespread concerns over the implications for existing local freedoms, with some warning it could be the end of Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy under the "one country, two systems" principle.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 15:15:53|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

COLOMBO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's largest exporter of alcoholic beverages, Lion Brewery, has resumed exports after Sri Lanka eased a two-month lockdown, local media reported here Friday.

In an official statement, Lion Breweries said that the resumption of economic activities has allowed the company to ship to markets in Australia, Canada, South Korea, Uganda, United Arab Emirates and the United States.

"Global consumers and Sri Lankans living overseas can now again enjoy world-class Lion beers," Lion Brewery said.

The company noted that demand in Africa, the company's largest export market, was largely unaffected with buyers requesting urgent deliveries.

The company reported a record 49 percent growth in exports in the last financial year and aims to further diversify its export markets in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lion Brewery is listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. Enditem
Protesters gather to watch shopping carts burning near the Minneapolis Police third precinct in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 27, 2020. (Adam Bettcher/Reuters)

Minneapolis Police Chief Says Violent Protesters Not From the City

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said on Thursday that many of the people who looted businesses and set fires amid the peaceful protests of George Floyds death on the second night of protests are not believed to be from Minneapolis.

At a press conference on the ongoing investigation into Floyds death, Arradondo was asked about allegations that some people who were looting businesses were from outside Minneapolis.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo speaks during a press conference in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 26, 2020. (Courtesy of WCCO)

Related Coverage Second Night of Violent Protests Over Minneapolis Mans Death

There are allegations that some of the people who started some of the break-ins, looting businesses were folks, outside agitators, and weve been hearing people all over social media right now, any leads on that? a reporter asked.

I will just say that it was clear to me and also hearing from our local community leaders, that many of the people that were involved in the criminal conduct last night were not known Minneapolitans to them, Arradondo said, referring to Wednesday nights protests in Minneapolis.

There were certainly people who were involved in the activities last night that were certainly not recognized as being here from the city, the police chief said, adding that he is keeping the Mayor briefed about the allegations.

A man poses for a photo in the parking lot of an AutoZone store in flames, while protesters hold a rally for George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 27, 2020. (Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune via AP)

Arradondo also noted that there was a different dynamic shift from the first evening of the demonstrations [on Tuesday] where there was a different tenor last night [Wednesday night], there was a different group of individuals.

I want to preface this. The vast majority of people that have come together have been doing so peacefully, but there was a core group of people that had really been focused on causing some destruction, he continued. Certainly we saw that with some of the looting and in setting fires. We were certainly prepared in terms of that immediate area to provide for the safety.

He said that the crowds got large and they became more mobile on Wednesday night, adding that police authorities number one priority on the night was preserving life.

We wanted to make sure that we were looking at [the situation] from those who are gathering peacefully in the area, who were also being threatened and risked, our neighboring residents, and also those businesses, he said, and reiterated that there was a shift that certainly occurred [on Wednesday] night.

He also reiterated that the vast majority of our Minneapolis community was not participating in the criminal conduct that occurred on Wednesday.

Related Coverage Minneapolis Police Station Torched Amid George Floyd Protest

News helicopter footage on Wednesday night showed protesters in streets near the citys 3rd Precinct station, with some running in and out of nearby stores. A Target, a Cub Foods, a Dollar Tree, and an auto parts store all showed signs of damage and looting. As darkness fell, fire erupted in the auto parts store, and city fire crews rushed to control it.

A man poses for photos in front of a fire at an AutoZone store, while protesters hold a rally for George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 27, 2020. (Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune via AP)

A man was also shot to death on Wednesday night. Police said they were investigating Wednesday nights death as a homicide and had a suspect in custody, but were still investigating what led to the shooting, reported The Associated Press.

The 3rd Precinct covers the portion of south Minneapolis where Floyd was arrested. Protesters set the 3rd Precinct station on fire late Thursday night, the third consecutive night of protests across Minneapolis,

Disturbing video footage from Monday showed 44-year-old police officer Derek Chauvin with his knee on Floyds neck for almost 8 minutes, as Floyd begged officers not to kill him, while repeatedly calling out I cant breathe. Police had sought to arrest Floyd.

Minneapolis Police said in a statement on Tuesday that officers were responding to a report of forgery when the man resisted. According to the statement, Floyd died after suffering medical distress.

File frame from video provided by Darnella Frazier, a Minneapolis officer kneels on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed man who was pleading that he could not breathe, in Minneapolis, on May 25, 2020. (Darnella Frazier via AP/File)

Floyd, a 46-year-old father of two, eventually became unresponsive, and was later pronounced dead on Monday night after authorities took him into custody.

On Tuesday, all four officers involved in Floyds arrestDerek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kuengwere fired from the Minneapolis Police Department.

George Floyd in a file photo. (Courtesy Ben Crump Law Firm via CNN)

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he ordered the Justice Department and the FBI to expedite an investigation into Floyds death.

My heart goes out to Georges family and friends. Justice will be served! Trump wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Wednesday also called for Chauvin to be criminally charged. He also called for the National Guard to intervene in the protests.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz earlier on Thursday activated the National Guard at Freys request. Minutes after the 3rd Precinct station was set alight, the National Guard posted on Twitter that it had activated more than 500 soldiers across the metro area.

We have activated more than 500 soldiers to St. Paul, Minneapolis and surrounding communities. Our mission is to protect life, preserve property and the right to peacefully demonstrate. A key objective is to ensure fire departments are able to respond to calls.  MN National Guard (@MNNationalGuard) May 29, 2020

Katabella Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The threat of hostile takeovers is certainly a worry and the government will ensure that Indian businesses do not get snapped up at throwaway prices, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has hit industries across the world due to depressed demand caused by lockdowns.

So, the market provides opportunities to players with deep pockets to buy companies in distress at a very cheap valuation, she said.

"That's a reality but we have to take care that businesses which have been built by the sweat and toil of Indians, and which have had great brand value, cannot be allowed to be picked up by people who are just looking for an opportunity.

"So, that is a factor which all of us are worried about and that's a factor on which we will certainly do something to ensure that Indian industries don't get picked up at a throwaway price because we want them to be able to run the business once everything is normal," Sitharaman told television channel WION in an interview.

Last month, the government decided to put restrictions on foreign direct investment (FDI) to clamp down on investors from countries like China buying Indian companies cheap.

The amendments to the FDI rules were necessitated on concerns among officials as well as businesses about possible takeover attempts at a time when share prices are down due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Earlier on Friday, a finance ministry official said the government has not taken a call on putting curbs on foreign portfolio investment (FPI) from China.

On the GDP growth figure for the March quarter, the finance minister said, "3.1 per cent for the last quarter of 2019-20, a quarter in which we thought we had started seeing green shoots, in September, October, November. That is one of the reasons why the budgetary estimates were made the way they were made."

She said with the full support of the Prime Minister, the government will ensure everyone gets the required help.

India's economic growth slowed to 3.1 per cent in January-March and to an 11-year low of 4.2 per cent for the full fiscal 2019-20.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth stood at 5.7 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2018-19, according to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Friday.

During 2019-20, the Indian economy grew at 4.2 per cent as against 6.1 per cent in 2018-19. The economic growth was the lowest since 2008-09 when the economy had expanded at 3.1 per cent.

The government had imposed a lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19 infections from March 25, 2020. However, the Indian economy also got impacted during the January-March quarter due slowing down of economic activities across the world.
An immigrant who filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement went missing after being deported to a dangerous city in Mexico, according to a recently published article.





A Lawsuit Filed Against ICE

Hector Garcia Mendoza is the immigrant who filed the lawsuit against the U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement. Mendoza was born in the Mexican state of Oaxaca and was raised by his paternal grandparents.

The lawsuit filed called for the release of the immigrants being detained at the Elizabeth Detention Center due to the risk of COVID-19 infections and contagion. This is where Mendoza was detained and 18 people tested positive for the virus.

There are around 2,620 immigrants detained in the different detention centers across the country and around 1,327 tested positive. In the previous report of Latin Post, there are two immigrants who already died due to COVID-19 while in the Detention Centers.

Hector Garcia Mendoza Went Missing After Being Deported

Joelle Eliza Lingat, one of the lawyers of Mendoza said that Judge Brian R. Martinotti had verbally granted the temporary restraining order blocking the deportation of his client on May 19. Additionally, there were told by the Mexican authorities that Mendoza has crossed the dangerous border city Nuevo Laredo just an hour after the order was issued according to a recent report.

However, Mendoza's lawyers only found out that their client was deported was hours after Rep. Joaquin Castro's office asked for information on the case. The first report of Mendoza's deportation was first published by Law360.

Lingat said recently: "Nuevo Laredo has earned a reputation for being a city where immigrants are easily kidnapped, extorted, and assaulted by cartels. Deportees could also be targets if they're perceived as having access to family or friends with money in the U.S."

He also added, "That's why we started a very urgent search as soon as we found out he was in fact in Mexico. Hector experienced extreme injustice through our immigration system and that injustice needs to be corrected."

Statement of the ICE

ICE released a statement pertaining to Mendoza's deportation being ordered by an immigration judge on May 4th but he waived his right to appeal the decision. Lingat said that Mendoza at that time wasn't represented by any lawyer and hadn't realized what he agreed to. The official court documents mentioned in a report says "In conversations with the attorney, Mr. Garcia Mendoza explained that he was unsure of what had happened during his immigration hearings, but that he feared persecution and torture upon removal to Mexico."

Lingat recalled the last time they spoke to their client was when he was still being held at the Elizabeth Detention Center. Since his deportation, his lawyers and family members were unable to reach him and they were afraid for his safety. A letter was already sent to the Department of Homeland Security questioning the deportation of Mendoza that could be an act of retaliation. For now, Lingat's main concern is the whereabouts of his client and the case filed against ICE.

Read a related article:
The Uttar Pradesh government will be inking several memorandums of understanding with various industrial organisations, including the Indian Industries Association, to provide for employment to over nine lakh migrant worker of the state, an official spokesperson said Thursday.

The MoUs will be signed on Friday, he said, adding Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is keen on providing employment to workers returning from different states. The state government is working on the policy of job for every hand, he said, adding under this policy, the CM has appealed to investors to accelerate the production of indigenous goods in the state which will also help many people get employment. Additional Chief Secretary Home Awanish Kumar Awasthi said at a press conference here that Adityanath has invited investors while emphasising on the production of indigenous goods.

The CM said that with increasing production of indigenous goods in the state, employment opportunities will also increase and its benefit will be given to workers.
Two young boys have been rescued off the Clare coast after they were reported to be adrift in a small inflatable dinghy.

In the third similar incident over the past 24 hours, a search and rescue operation was mounted at around 4pm today after the Coast Guard received a report of two people in difficulty off Seafield near Quilty.

Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guards marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry tasked the Shannon based search helicopter, Rescue 115, to the incident.

The Doolin unit of the Coast Guard was also alerted and requested to launch their boat and send a land team.

The two boys are understood to have been in a small poorly inflated dinghy that was pushed away from the shore by the wind.

Members of the public, who were in the area at the time, swam out and helped to the pair ashore.

Once it was established that the boys were unhurt and didnt require medical assistance, the rescue operation was stood down.

The crew of a local fishing boat, the Emma Elizabeth, also responded to the incident after hearing there were people in difficulty.

Its understood the crew remained in the area until the pair had been taken safely ashore.

This latest incident follows two similar cases yesterday where young people had to be rescued after being swept out to sea.

A 5-year-old girl was airlifted to hospital after she got into difficulty off the Kerry coast.

She was located over a kilometre off shore after he lilo was carried away from the shore by the tide and wind.

Rescue 115 and the Kilrush RNLI lifeboat were involved in that operation.

Later, in Co Galway, a 6-year-old boy was rescued by a local fishing boat after he was found drifting out to sea on a body board.

Rescue 118, Cleggan Coast Guard and Clifden RNLI were tasked to that incident.
Assisted by Department of Defense supercomputers, San Antonios Southwest Research Institute is using its own 3D drug-screening software in the global hunt for a prevention or cure of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

SwRI researchers, funded by a $1.9 million one-year contract from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, are using DoD supercomputers in Mississippi and SwRIs proprietary software, called Rhodium, to virtually screen millions of drug compounds that might hold some promise for a COVID-19 vaccine or treatment.

Supercomputers have accelerated the screening process, increasing the number of drug compounds that can be evaluated, from 250,000 per day to tens of millions per week, the institute said. Rhodium can predict how protein structures in infectious diseases will bind with drug compounds, so scientists can identify viable candidates to develop into therapies.

Im floored. Its just amazing, said Dr. Jonathan Bohmann, a pharmaceutical scientist who is leading SwRIs drug screening work. Last week, we finished screening 40 million compounds, then we selected 5,000 we really liked, and finally got down to 500 that we thought would have expected efficacy and safety.

The compounds are sent by a handful of companies around the world in a digital file format, Bohmann said.

I could put all 40 million of them on a thumb drive, he said. But please, dont make everyone think that I walk around with that in my pocket.

The most promising 500 compounds will be sent to SwRI researchers in their actual physical form, in tiny vials not unlike the smallest bottles of perfume. From there, they will be tested on rodents, first to simply know if they are tolerable, Bohmann said.

This grant will enable SwRI to collaborate to develop safe antiviral drug therapy treatment options for COVID in record time, said Dr. Joe McDonough, director of SwRIs Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering Department, according to a SwRI news release.

SwRI is a nonprofit applied research and development organization based in San Antonio, with approximately 3,000 employees and an annual research budget of nearly $674 million.

The laboratory screening of compounds, to assess their toxicity, will be followed by possible development and production on a larger scale. The institute previously has used this process to develop drug treatment therapies for the Ebola virus, malaria and other infectious diseases.

This is definitely a priority project, and we understand the urgency, Nadean Gutierrez, project manager and SwRI research scientist, said in the release. Right now, we are working toward testing up to 500 compounds in laboratory toxicity testing. Once these have been identified by Rhodium and then passed toxicity testing, they move to the Texas Biomedical Research Institute for the next steps in testing.

Texas Biomed, as its called, also is based in San Antonio.

As soon as the virus protein was published in February, the institute began to look for a treatment, McDonough said, tapping into its own research funding. It picked 60 compounds from a library of more than 6 million, which are being tested by Texas Biomed and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, he said.

The work to screen compounds and test them might produce future treatments for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), the institute said.

As an afternoon thunderstorm bore down on Bohmanns San Antonio home, he pondered the question many are asking about the hunt for a COVID-19 cure: Is someone going to make a fortune off such a discovery?

One would think so, laughed Bohmann, but its unlikely it would be any of us.

SwRI researchers, like those at most foundations and universities, sign agreements granting the intellectual property rights to their institutions, he said.

We wont make the medicine and cant commercialize the thing, Bohmann said. Any profit we might make would be plowed back into the institution.

Not even if he became the Jonas Salk of the COVID-19 vaccine?

Well, he said, considering the impact on civilization Salks polio vaccine has had, perhaps Id get a nice raise.

Bruce Selcraig is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Bruce, become a subscriber. BSelcraig@express-news.net
" " Doc Holliday was a dentist by trade who became an icon of the American West. Wikimedia/Howstuffworks

In the canon of the Wild West, you can't separate Wyatt Earp from "Doc" Holliday. They go together like guns and holsters. Whiskey and shot glasses. Cowboys and horses.

"Wyatt Earp is the hero, the stalwart lawman, the primary figure," says Gary Roberts, the author of "Doc Holliday: The Life and Legend," a 1997 biography of the real-life John Henry Holliday. "But Doc is the individual who adds color. People like the guy who tells it like it is and doesn't back down and stands up for right. But the person who is the most intriguing is the charming, surly, quick-tempered, loyal, educated one."

We talked to Roberts about some of the lesser-known aspects of one of the West's best-known second bananas.

Advertisement

1. Doc Was a Real Doctor

Holliday was born in Griffin, Georgia, spent some of his childhood in Valdosta, Georgia, and was educated in the classics. He moved to Philadelphia at 19 to enroll in the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, and later practiced dentistry in stops that included St. Louis, Atlanta and Dallas. He gave it up as he moved about, his health declined and he found more success as a gambler.

Holliday's reputation  as a fast gun, a killer and as perhaps someone with a death wish  was probably more fearful than the man himself. He's believed to have killed fewer than a handful of men in his life.

Advertisement

2. Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday Weren't That Close

It's true that Holliday and Earp were friends. The two fought side by side in Tombstone, Arizona, in 1881's famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. But they'd met only four years earlier, while passing through Texas. In between, they had crossed paths, but it's not as if they went everywhere together.

"Doc is frequently portrayed as if he's kind of Wyatt Earp's sidekick, almost a lapdog who was there on hand to always help Wyatt out, and that Wyatt was indebted to him," Roberts says from his home in Tifton, Georgia. "Which was true. He was. Holliday did help to save his life in Dodge City [Kansas]."

After the gunfight in Tombstone, though, and once they completed a bloody vendetta against those who ambushed Earp's brothers after the O.K. Corral, Holliday and Earp drifted apart. They may have even had a falling out in Albuquerque a few years later.

"They didn't need each other anymore," Roberts says. "I don't think that their friendship was over, necessarily. They just went their different ways."

Advertisement

3. Earp Wasn't Doc's Only Friend

Holliday was an oddity in many parts of the West. He was an educated Southerner who made his money gambling, so he could rub people the wrong way.

"There were a number of people who did not like Doc, for a variety of reasons, I suppose. He was a person who could be moody," Roberts says. "[But] he had friends in every place that he went."

Holliday's moodiness, a product perhaps of suffering for years with tuberculosis, often was compounded by drinking and, later, by the drug laudanum he took for pain. That added to his reputation as a loner. But he was longtime friends with a Colorado newspaperman and saloon keepers all over the West. He kept in touch with people he grew up with in Georgia. And as Holliday lay dying in a Colorado hotel room in 1887, practically penniless, fellow gamblers and saloon keepers helped pay his bills.

Unlike the scene in the movie "Tombstone," Earp was not there when Holliday died, at age 36.

Advertisement

4. Doc Didn't Have a Death Wish

Holliday contracted tuberculosis, then known as consumption, at an early age. He probably got it from his mother, who died of it. He fought with it for much of his adult life, often traveling to places that he thought would help ease the symptoms.

Holliday's movement alone makes Roberts bristle at the suggestion that he longed for an early death.

"He is portrayed in most accounts as a fatalist. Somebody who knew he was going to die from the disease and in a sense, gave up on life, so that he didn't care whether he lived or died," Roberts says. "I think it was certain that he knew that he was going to die eventually from it ... he knew enough about consumption that he knew he would not have a long life. I expect that explains some of the melancholy and some of the cynicism that you see from him.

"But there's too much evidence, too many instances where it becomes very clear that he wanted to live."

His travels  getting out of Georgia, going to Dodge City, Kansas; to Las Vegas, New Mexico; to Leadville, Colorado; to Arizona and, even later, to Butte, Montana  all showed that he was looking for a place to live more comfortably. Before a shootout in Leadville, Roberts says, Holliday implored law officers and friends to step in to stop things, showing his desire to live.

His last trip was to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, famous then for its supposedly restorative hot springs. That's where he died.

" " After just 30 seconds of shooting in Tombstone, Arizona, Billy Clanton and brothers Tom and Frank McLaury were dead at the hands of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday during the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

5. 'I'm Your Huckleberry' and 'You're a Daisy'

The 1993 movie "Tombstone" has gone a long way toward stoking Holliday's image as an eccentric, thanks to an iconic performance by Val Kilmer as Doc. At least two lines in it are memorable. One of them might even be historically accurate.

When Kilmer, as Holliday, meets up with bad guy Johnny Ringo (played by Michael Biehn) in the film, he declares, "I'm your huckleberry." The phrase, Roberts says, was popular at the time, meaning, "I'm the one you're looking for," or "I'm the man for the job." In a critical showdown late in the film, Holliday again announces his presence with the phrase, although Roberts says there's no historical basis for the scene.

"I'm Your Huckleberry" is the title of Kilmer's recent memoir.

At the O.K. Corral, witnesses say bad guy Frank McLaury got a late advantage on Holliday during the 30-second fight, and declared "I got you now, you son of a bitch," as he leveled a gun at him. Holliday answered  historically, this is close to accurate  "You're a daisy if you do." (Some versions say it was, "You're a daisy if you have [got me].") The meaning, Roberts says, is basically, "Good for you if you do."

McLaury didn't have the drop on him. Holliday escaped unharmed. McLaury was killed.

Still, Doc Holliday's reputation as one of the worst of the Wild West's lives on. Holliday has been played in movies by a dapper, strong Kirk Douglas (1957's "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral"), Stacy Keach (1971's "Doc,"), Kilmer, Dennis Quaid (in 1994's "Wyatt Earp") and many others.

"In most," Roberts says, "Doc Holliday steals the show."

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Perhaps the most interesting fictional take on Doc Holliday is the latest, the ongoing Syfy network show "Wynona Earp." It's the modern-day story of Earp's great-great granddaughter, who battles reincarnated versions of the outlaws that Earp killed. She's aided in her quest by an ageless Doc (played by Tim Rozon), cured of his tuberculosis by a witch who gave him eternal life.
An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced, Maxwell Mbawuli, a shop keeper who had sex with an 18-year-old autistic girl at Awudome Estates in Accra to six years imprisonment.



Mbawuli, 34 was found guilty by the court after 18 months of trial on the charge of having carnal knowledge of a female imbecile.



The convict who is married with two kids pleaded for forgiveness, and the court noted that the accused was not known to the law.



Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Agnes Boafo said the victim resides at Awudome Estates with her mother, the complainant whilst Mbawuli has a shop adjacent to the victims mothers shop at Awudome Estates.



DSP Boafo said on August 1, 2018, at about 1600 hours whiles the victims mother was away, Mbawuli went to the house of the complainant and took advantage of the victims plight and had sex with her in a two in one sofa.



Prosecution said when the victims mother returned in the evening, the victim narrated her ordeal to her.



The prosecution said the complainant and the victim proceeded to the Police station and reported the matter.



She said the mother was given a police medical report form and the victim was medically examined and accused later arrested.



The prosecution said the convict however denied the offence in his investigative statement.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Bangladeshi survivors of a mass shooting in Mizdah, Libya, are treated at a hospital in Tripoli, May 29, 2020.

Bangladeshs government on Friday demanded that Libyan authorities arrest suspected militiamen who killed more than two dozen Bangladeshis in a mass shooting in Libya, a war-ravaged North African country that is a route for smuggling undocumented migrants to Europe.

Twenty-six Bangladeshis and four migrants from African countries were shot dead this week after some of them allegedly killed a man associated with an armed local group that took them hostage in Mizdah, a town about 180 km (112 miles) south of Tripoli, Bangladeshs foreign ministry said.

Eleven other Bangladeshis were wounded in the shooting, five of them critically, officials said.

We have asked for an investigation into the killing and punishment for the persons responsible for the massacre. We also urge the authorities to ensure the safety of the injured persons, Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen told BenarNews.

Dhakas diplomatic mission in the Libyan capital learned about the mass shooting after officials there were contacted by a migrant who survived the massacre and managed to escape, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.

Our embassy in Libya has confirmed to us that 26 Bangladeshis died and 11 others were injured in the shooting. One of the Bangladeshis fled, Momen said.

Thirty-eight Bangladeshis were taken hostage by a group of miscreants from a Libyan militia more than two weeks ago near Mizdah, as human traffickers were herding the group to Tripoli for work from Benghazi, a major port city in northeastern Libya, the ministrys statement said.

The hostage takers had confined them to a room and tortured them to extract a ransom, the statement said.

At one stage, the hostages killed the main leader of the militia group. As revenge, the militia[men] indiscriminately shot at them, the ministry said.

However, news agency reports out of North Africa, quoting a statement from the internationally recognized Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), said the family of a local human trafficker had killed the 30 migrants to get revenge.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a U.N. agency, the migrants were killed at a smuggling warehouse in the Mizdah area on Wednesday.

This senseless crime is a bleak reminder of the horrors migrants have to endure at the hands of smugglers and traffickers in Libya, Federico Soda, the IOMs chief of mission in Libya, said in a statement issued Thursday.

These criminal groups are taking advantage of the instability and security situation to prey on desperate people and exploit their vulnerabilities, he said as IOM called on GNA authorities to investigate the killings.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshs top diplomat said six of the 11 injured Bangladeshis were out of danger, but the remaining five were in critical condition and were being treated at hospitals in Libya.

Bangladeshs government has contacted the IOM to ask for its help in returning the bodies of the slain Bangladeshis, Momen said. Their corpses were being kept at a mortuary in Mizdah.

Victims brother: Smugglers demanded 1 million taka

The migrants were lured to Libya by traffickers who were to arrange to send them to Europe, but at a steep price, the foreign minister said.

Each of them paid the human traffickers U.S. $10,000 to $12,000 to reach Europe. Four African migrants were also in the group, Momen told BenarNews, citing information given to the embassy by the man who notified it about the shooting.

One of the Bangladeshi victims, Samrat Khalashi, was being treated for injuries at a hospital in Tripoli, his older brother said.

Recently, I came to know that the Bangladeshi agents of the human traffickers were to take him to Italy. My brother told me that they started the journey from Benghazi, said his sibling, Selim Khalashi.

The traffickers demanded 1 million taka (U.S. $11,760) from my brother. But we do not have the ability to pay a fraction of the amount, he told BenarNews.

Bangladeshs government has no official figures for how many of its citizens work in Libya or travel through the oil-rich nation, which is in the grip of a civil war, as they try to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe.

In January 2019, Bangladeshis were among as many as 70 migrants from various countries who drowned after the boats they were being smuggled in capsized in the Mediterranean Sea during the crossing from Libya.

Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC)  Bangladeshs largest NGO  reported 15,000 Bangladeshis work in Libya.

Libya has no effective government. So, Bangladesh officially stopped sending workers to Libya since 2015. The authorities should investigate and find out how so many people from Bangladesh have been going to Libya with the help of the human traffickers, Shariful Hasan, the head of BRACs migration unit, told BenarNews.

One of the Bangladeshis working in Libya is Md Aslam, who spoke by phone to BenarNews on Friday.

We have been working here in fear, said Aslam, who is employed in Libya as an oil worker. Many of the Bangladeshis come to Libya with the goal of going to Europe.

We are in fear of whether we, the Bangladeshis, will be attacked, he told BenarNews. Where will we seek protection?
The identification of a womans remains 20 years after she was reported as a missing person in New Jersey is just part of larger story involving a still-unidentified Long Island serial killer.

This is what we know so far, and how you can learn more about the mysterious story:

The investigation that kicked off the mystery

Shannan Gilbert, who officials say was a prostitute, was reported missing on May 1, 2010 and was last seen on Long Island.

While searching for the 23-year-old Jersey City woman, police found the bodies of 10 other people and concluded that it was the work of a serial killer.

A police officer and his cadaver dog were looking for her body in the thicket along Ocean Parkway in Long Island when they happened upon the remains of a different woman. Within days, three other bodies were found, all within a short walk of one another.

By spring 2011, that number had climbed to 10 sets of human remains  eight women, a man and a toddler.

Gilberts remains were not recovered until Dec. 13, 2011 in a marsh in Long Island and officials believed the cause of her death was drowning.

Gilberts family disputed the cause of her death and believed she was also the victim of a Long Island serial killer. The family hired a pathologist to review the 23-year-olds autopsy and revealed she may have been strangled.

Another tragedy

Five years later, police were responding to a welfare check call when they found Shannans mother, Mari Gilbert, stabbed to death inside an upstate New York apartment.

Her other daughter, Sarra Elizabeth Gilbert, was charged with her murder after she stabbed her with a 15-inch kitchen knife 227 times, beat her with a fire extinguisher, sprayed her with the foam from the extinguisher, stripped her and removed her jewelry, according to the Daily Freeman.

The prosecution contended Gilbert plotted the killing and carried it out because the older woman had Gilbert arrested months earlier for killing a puppy and had temporary custody of Gilberts young son, the article stated.

Sarra was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in 2017.

This undated photo provided by the Suffolk County, New York, Police Department, Thursday May 28, 2020, shows Valerie Mack who went missing in 2000. Suffolk County police said the woman previously known as "Jane Doe No. 6" was identified through genetic genealogy technology. (Suffolk County Police Department via AP)AP

Jane Doe No. 6

At least one part of the mystery was solved Thursday when investigators determined that the remains of a girl, previously only identified as Jane Doe No. 6," belonged to Valerie Mack.

Mack, who also went by Melissa Taylor, was last seen in 2000 near Atlantic City and was 24 years old when she disappeared.

Her remains were found in two places more than 40 miles (65 kilometers) and a decade apart: in 2000 in Manorville, near where Long Island splits into its two forks, and in 2011 near Gilgo Beach, where the remains of the others were found. Most of them were young women who worked as prostitutes.

The FBI used genetic genealogy, a technique in which genetic profiles are run though databases to find potential relatives of a homicide victim or suspect, to identify Macks remains.

Using DNA, investigators created a genealogy profile for the remains, leading them to possible relatives who provided DNA samples, which allowed for a positive identification, police said.

The other victims

Mack was not the first person whose body was identified by investigators.

Police found the skull of Jessica Taylor, a 20-year-old prostitute who disappeared in 2003, near Gilgo Beach and most of the rest of her body in a wooded area of Manorville in 2011.

There is no familial relationship between Mack and Jessica Taylor, despite Macks Melissa Taylor pseudonym, police said.

The other victims that have been identified include Melissa Barthelemy, 24, a Buffalo native who lived in the Bronx; Megan Waterman, 22, of Scarborough, Maine, last seen leaving a Long Island hotel; Amber Lynn Costello, 27, originally of Wilmington, North Carolina, but recently living in North Babylon, New York; and Maureen Brainerd-Barnes, 28, of Norwich, Connecticut.

None of the other remains recovered between the Gilgo Beach or Manorville sites have been positively identified.

The killer (or killers)

No suspects have been identified despite thousands of tips and the offer of thousands of dollars in reward money for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer, whom investigators believe was a man who possibly did not act alone.

However, a man believed to be the killer has made contact with one family.

In the days after Barthelemy was reported missing in 2009, someone used her cell phone to call her teenage sister in Buffalo at least a half-dozen times. The caller eventually admitted to the girl he was the killer.

New York City police tracked the call to midtown Manhattan and searched near Pennsylvania Station and the Port Authority bus terminal, but the signal went dead.

Cellphone records showed a call from Massapequa, on Long Island. Police canvassed the area, asking around at local hotels, but turned up nothing, the official said. There have been no calls in several years.

Where you can watch more

The notorious case became infamous enough to garner several TV specials and one movie detailing the grisly murders.

Two true crime television series aired in 2016; People Magazine Investigates and The Killing Season," according to the Long Island Press. The People Magazine Investigates aired on the Investigation Discovery channel while The Killing Season was aired on A&E.

The first two episodes of both series focused on the case of the Long Island serial killer.

On March 13, a movie based on the murders of the women, Lost Girls, was released on Netflix.

The film focuses on Mari Gilbert, played by Amy Ryan, as she drives investigators to search for her daughter.

This article contains material from the Associated Press.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked the European Union and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen for the decision to provide Ukraine with the second tranche of the fourth macro-financial assistance (MFA) programme in the amount of EUR 500 million.

Grateful to the EU and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for decision on disbursement to Ukraine of 500 mln of the 2nd tranche of the 4th Macro-Financial Assistance as discussed last week. Timely support by our EU friends to support Ukraines economy during COVID-19," Zelensky wrote on Twitter.

Today, May 29, the European Commission, on behalf of the EU, approved the disbursement of a EUR 500 million loan to Ukraine as part of its fourth macro-financial assistance (MFA) programme.

As reported, on May 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed in a phone conversation the coordination of efforts to overcome the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the coordination of steps for a gradual lockdown exit.

ish
India's economy grew at its slowest pace in at least two decades last quarter, government data showed Friday, with warnings of far worse to come as it grapples with the fallout of the world's largest coronavirus lockdown.

Asia's third-largest economy expanded by just 3.1 percent in the January-March period, which coincided with the first week of a months-long shutdown.

The figures beat even gloomier forecasts, with Bloomberg News predicting growth would slow to just 1.6 percent, but analysts are bracing for a severe contraction in the current quarter after manufacturing, services and consumer spending came to a grinding halt.

Annual growth was 4.2 percent, its slowest pace since the 2008 global financial crisis, though the finance ministry said the estimates were likely to be revised due to a lack of available data.

The shutdown is widely expected to plunge the country into recession, with Goldman Sachs predicting a 45 percent contraction in the April-June quarter from the previous year.

The central bank has also warned of a downturn and slashed rates to spur lending.

Even before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a shutdown in late March, the economy was struggling to gain traction with sluggish growth, record unemployment and a flurry of bad loans making banks reluctant to lend.

Earlier this month Modi announced a $266 billion package - 10 percent of the country's GDP - to revive the battered economy.

But with millions of migrant workers having fled home to their villages due to a lack of food and money, and factories struggling with labour shortages, few expect economic activity to pick up soon.

The key services sector -- which contributes 54 percent of GDP -- suffered a severe blow last month, with the purchasing managers index of activity experiencing its sharpest contraction since record-keeping began in 2005.

Top IT firms including TCS, Infosys and Wipro also reported weak earnings in the quarter as the pandemic dragged on demand from Western markets.

Story continues

- '30-40 percent contraction' -

Analysts warned India to brace for an even bigger hit in the coming months as the extent of the pandemic's toll on the economy becomes clear.

"The June-ended quarter will be terrible and we can expect at least a 30-40 percent contraction," said Ashutosh Datar, an independent economist based in Mumbai.

In more bad news for Modi's government, 122 million Indians lost their jobs last month, according to data from the Mumbai-based Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy think-tank, with small traders and daily wage earners accounting for the bulk of losses.

"Frankly, India should be growing at seven or eight percent to create jobs for everyone, so we are headed (for) a bigger jobs crisis," Datar told AFP.

Modi's government in March announced an economic welfare package of $22 billion to provide the country's poorest citizens with direct cash transfers and food subsidies for three months to cope with the fallout of the lockdown.

But analysts say the road to recovery will be rocky, with New Delhi on Friday also revising growth figures for the quarter ending December from 4.7 percent to 4.1 percent.

The revised figures reflect "a slowdown in consumption, exports... (and) vehicle sales", said Sameer Narang, economist at State Bank of Baroda.

"The Indian economy is headed towards challenging times as our growth story has been facing multiple crises in the last few quarters," he told AFP.

India's coronavirus death toll passed neighbouring China's on Friday, with 175 new fatalities in 24 hours taking the total to 4,706, according to official data.

India, home to some of the world's most packed cities and a creaking healthcare system, is emerging as a new hotspot with record jumps in new cases in recent days.
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA)  President Uhuru Kenyatta has advised world leaders to expand financial support to enhance the free flow of capital to arrest the shortage of liquidity, address debt vulnerability affecting poor nations and increase foreign aid to support global growth
Officials lash out at US president after he announces plans to eliminate special treatment for Hong Kong.

Hong Kong officials lashed out on Saturday at moves by US President Donald Trump to strip the city of its special status in a bid to punish China for imposing national security laws on the global financial hub.

Speaking hours after Trump said the city no longer warranted economic privileges and that some officials could face sanctions, security minister John Lee told reporters that Hong Kong could not be threatened and would push ahead with the new laws.

I dont think they will succeed in using any means to threaten the [Hong Kong] government, because we believe what we are doing is right, Lee said.



Justice minister Teresa Cheng said the basis for Trumps actions was completely false and wrong, saying national security laws were legal and necessary for the former British colony.

Trump had announced the decision at a White House news conference on Friday, saying Beijing had broken its word over Hong Kongs autonomy.

He said its move was a tragedy for the people of Hong Kong, China and the world.

We will take action to revoke Hong Kongs preferential treatment, he said, adding that Washington would also impose sanctions on individuals seen as responsible for smothering Hong Kongs autonomy.

Trump said he was directing his administration to begin the process of eliminating policy agreements on Hong Kong, ranging from extradition treatment to export controls.

He said he would also issue a proclamation to better safeguard vital university research by suspending the entry of foreign nationals from China identified as potential security risks  a move believed to be aimed at Chinese graduate students studying in the US.

It is said that we are becoming one country, one system and weve lost [our] autonomy, said Cheng, Hong Kongs pro-Beijing justice secretary.

That is completely false and wrong We are one country and therefore, as far as national security is concerned, as in any other country in the world, this is a matter that belongs to the central authorities.





On Friday, representatives from the US and the United Kingdom raised concerns about Chinas Hong Kong plans at the United Nations Security Council, prompting protests from both China and Russia.

The 15-member council informally discussed Hong Kong in a closed virtual meeting after China opposed a US call on Wednesday for a formal open council meeting, arguing that it was not an issue of international peace and security.

US Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft asked: Are we going to take the honourable stand to defend the human rights and the dignified way of life that millions of Hong Kong citizens have enjoyed and deserve  or are we going to allow the Chinese Communist Party to violate international law and force its will on the people of Hong Kong?

This legislation risks curtailing the freedoms that China has undertaken to uphold as a matter of international law, the UKs acting UN ambassador, Jonathan Allen, said after the council discussion. We are also extremely concerned that  it will exacerbate the existing deep divisions in Hong Kong.

Diplomats said Russia and China responded during the council discussion by criticising the US over the Minneapolis killing of an unarmed Black man  who was seen on video gasping for breath while a white police officer knelt on his neck  and its handling of growing unrest.

Why US denies Chinas right to restore peace & order in Hong Kong while brutally dispersing crowds at home? Russias deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy posted on Twitter after the council discussion.

Chinas UN ambassador Zhang Jun said in a statement after the meeting that the US and UK should mind their own business, adding that: Any attempt to use Hong Kong to interfere in Chinas internal matters is doomed to fail.
29.05.2020 LISTEN

The Inter-Party Resistance Against New Voters Register (IPRAN) has accused the government of using the Ghana Police Service to intimidate its members.

The group made the accusation on the back of an invitation the Criminal Investigations Department extended to the National Chairman of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) and leading member of the group, Bernard Mornah to assist in investigations over some comments he made against the Electoral Commission deemed to be threats.

We are appalled by the decision of the CID to kowtow to the whims and caprice of some individuals who have been irked by not just the spirited resistance of Comrade Bernard Mornah in particular but by the Coalition as a whole. The Coalition knows that this is a calculated attempt by the Government through the Police to intimidate and cow the Coalition into submission on the heated matter of the compilation of a new voters' register ahead of the 2020 elections, the coalition noted in a statement.

The group in its statement further vowed that it will not soften its stance despite the supposed intimidation.

Let the Police beware that this is not going to soften the poignant stance of the Coalition on the ill-advised and the needless decision to compile a new voters register which is going to disenfranchise a vast majority of the people coupled with the fact that it is at a huge cost to the poor taxpayer.

Background

Mr. Mornah is being invited over some pronouncements he allegedly made against officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) in relation to the yet to be held voter registration exercise.

According to the letter inviting Bernard Mornah to the CID headquarters in Accra, the PNC National Chairman is quoted as saying that he will resist every attempt by the EC to compile the new register.

People who are already Ghanaians and already registered are going to be taken out of the voters' register. Don't think confusion will come at the registration station but if confusion comes there, you think the EC staff will be safe? We will beat each other there and we will kill each other there if that is what the EC wants to lead this nation to, the letter quoted Mr. Mornah as saying.

Mr. Mornah is expected to be at the CID headquarters at 10 am on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.

The PNC Chairman reportedly made the remarks at a press conference organized by the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Register (IPRAN) on May 26, 2020.

My comment was an advice to EC, not a threat  Mornah

Meanwhile, Mr. Mornah has explained that the statement attributed to him was only a piece of advice .

Speaking on the Point Blank segment on Eyewitness News, Bernard Mornah expressed shock that his statement would be deemed a threat when he was only giving counsel to the Commission over its recent posture.

I have said that if the Electoral Commission is intending to lead us through this dangerous path, they should know that there will be confusionIt is a caution. If caution becomes threats, I will not run away from it, he stated.

A caution cannot represent a threat but if they take it as a threat, then I may have to bring my English teacher to tell them that cautions are not threats, he added.

Check below for the full press release from IPRAN

---citinewsroom
To reduce the density of students inside classrooms, Colorado-Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano said the university is likely to provide a significant amount of instruction online. The school might also split students into groups to attend certain courses on some days but not others. It might offer courses later in the evening to utilize more classroom space. And it might provide guidance on how to move around campus. Do we have students entering through one door in the building and exiting through another door? he asked.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  A large protest Thursday night in downtown Columbus over the death of George Floyd turned volatile, with some demonstrators breaking windows at the Ohio Statehouse and entering the building, according to reports.

WCMH Channel 4 reports a SWAT unit responded to the Statehouse to secure the building. Police used a loudspeaker to tell protesters that a state of emergency had been declared and that they could be arrested if they did not disperse. WBNS Channel 10 reports multiple people were arrested and that at least one business, a convenience store, was looted.

The Columbus Dispatch says more than 300 protesters blocked the intersection of Broad and High streets earlier Thursday. There was a heavy police presence downtown, including a helicopter hovering overhead, and officers were warning the demonstrators to clear the intersection, the Dispatch reports.

Protesters were angry over the death of Floyd, who died on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer put his knee on the back of Floyds neck during an arrest.

A video of the arrest showed Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a white police officer who had his knee on the back of Floyds neck. Floyd can be heard in videos of arrest complaining that he cant breath. He later died at a hospital.

Four police officers connected with the arrest have been fired.

The protests in Columbus started peacefully but escalated late Thursday night. WCMH Channel 4 reporter Eric Halperin reports protesters began breaking windows at the Statehouse downtown and entered the building. Bus stops and store windows also were damaged, and trash cans and other receptacles were tipped over.

NOW: Demonstratirs have moved to the Statehouse grounds and have broken windows. Some have gone inside. @nbc4i pic.twitter.com/VBtVbprA9G  Eric Halperin (@EricHalperinTV) May 29, 2020

Some plastic bottles and other small objects were thrown at police officers earlier in the evening. During the demonstration, protesters chanted Black lives matter and Say his name in reference to Floyd, according to reports. They also chanted I cant breathe, a reference to the 2014 death of Eric Garner in New York.

According to WBNS, just after 9 p.m., protesters began to throw eggs, fireworks, smoke bombs, jugs of water and shoes at police officers.

WCMH reports that police used a chemical spray to push the crowd back at about 10:20 p.m., causing the crowd to partially disperse. However, there was still a large crowd on the street as of 11:15 p.m., according to video from WBNS Channel 10.

Demonstrations have been taking place across the country after video showed the arrest of Floyd in Minneapolis. In California, hundreds of people protesting Floyds death blocked a Los Angeles freeway and shattered windows of California Highway Patrol cruisers, the Associated Press reports. Memphis police blocked a main thoroughfare after a racially mixed group of protesters gathered outside a police station.

In the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, protests have turned violent, with buildings burned and some stores being looted. NBC News reports a police precinct building was set on fire late Thursday night during the third straight night of violent protests. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter has requested help from the National Guard, CNN reports.

Halperin reported tensions in Columbus began escalating around 11:15 p.m., showing video of a plastic bottle being thrown at the feet of a horse ridden by a police officer, startling the horse.

Things have just escalated again. This just happened. Police and protesters were closer before I started rolling. @nbc4i pic.twitter.com/8iFvp4dXLa  Eric Halperin (@EricHalperinTV) May 29, 2020

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther used Twitter to request that protests remain peaceful.
Like many colleges, Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster County is enthusiastically announcing fall 2020 plans.

But the message is delivered with a hint of ambiguity.
The transition to the stand-by program greatly facilitates the allocation of financial support during the pandemic.

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will soon approve the first disbursement under a new Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with Ukraine for the next 18 months.

This was disclosed by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in a recent phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the presidential press service reported on May 29.

"Thank you for the stable partnership and constructive dialogue. I am glad that the IMF Board will approve the program of cooperation with Ukraine in the near future," Zelensky told Georgieva.

Read alsoUkraine expects US$5 bln IMF loan approval on June 5  PM Shmyhal

The IMF managing director also welcomed the adoption of the law on improving the mechanisms regulating banking activities, noting that it protects taxpayers in Ukraine.

The two officials agreed that the transition to the stand-by program greatly facilitates the allocation of financial support during the pandemic.

What is more, they discussed the coronavirus crisis in the world and in Ukraine. "Unfortunately, the statistics of those infected per day in Ukraine are still quite high, but at the same time the number of those who have recovered has been growing. We have been on the plateau of morbidity for more than a week now," Zelensky said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, an IMF staff team led by Ivanna Vladkova Hollar concluded remote discussions with the Ukrainian authorities on May 21 and reached a staff-level agreement on economic policies for a new 18-month SBA.

The new SBA, with a requested access of SDR 3.6 billion (equivalent to US$5 billion), aims to provide balance of payments and budget support to help the authorities address the effects of the COVID-19 shock, while consolidating achievements to date, and moving forward on important structural reforms to reduce key vulnerabilities.

The National Bank of Ukraine predicts the first US$2 billion disbursement from the IMF will arrive in the second quarter of 2020.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on May 29 that Ukraine expected the IMF's Executive Board would decide on the SBA at a meeting on June 5, and the first tranche worth US$1.9 billion would be transferred the following day.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has signed an executive order aimed at removing some of the legal protections enjoyed by social media platforms.

The development marks a new turn in the escalation of tension between Mr Trump and social networking platforms, especially Twitter.

The new order gives regulators the power to pursue legal actions against firms such as Facebook and Twitter for the way they allegedly censor content on their platforms.

While signing the order, which analysts say would face legal hurdles, Mr Trump accused social media platforms of having unchecked power.

Mr Trump has regularly accused social media platforms of stifling or censoring conservative voices.

On Wednesday, PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Trump accused Twitter of election interference, after the Silicon Valley company added fact-check links to two of his tweets.

On Thursday, Twitter added get the facts about Covid-19 tags to two tweets from a Chinese government spokesman who claimed the coronavirus had originated in the U.S.

Executive Order

According to reports, the order sets out to clarify the Communications Decency Act, a U.S. law that offers online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube legal protection in certain situations.

Under Section 230 of the law, social networks are not generally held responsible for content posted by their users, but can engage in good-Samaritan blocking, such as removing content that is obscene, harassing or violent.

The order points out that this legal immunity does not apply if Mr Trump promised big action in response to Twitters decision to append a fact-check message to two of his posts.

Although the announcement of the order is significant and symbolic, analysts say it would face serious legal hurdles.

Independent government agencies will have to review federal law, promulgate new regulations, vote on them and then  in all likelihood  defend them in court. By the time its all over, analysts argued, the November presidential election would have held.

The executive order also calls for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to spell out what type of content blocking will be considered deceptive, pretextual or inconsistent with a service providers terms and conditions. Similarly, a review of government advertising on social-media sites and whether those platforms impose viewpoint-based restrictions is considered. It also looks into the re-establishment of the White House tech bias reporting tool that lets citizens report unfair treatment by social networks.

Background

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the tension between social networking platform, Twitter, and Mr Trump escalated on Wednesday when Mr Trump reacted angrily to a fact-check warning placed on some of his tweets.

Twitter logo

Mr Trump took to his Twitter page to announce threats of regulation and a possible shutdown of social networking platforms.

Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen, Mr Trump wrote in a tweet on Wednesday morning.

The Silicon Valley company had on Tuesday added the fact-check label to two tweets in which Mr Trump claimed that mail-in ballots were fraudulent and would lead to a rigged election. A link appears beneath the tweets which reads Get the facts about mail-in ballots, directing users to a page with news contents, tweets and a fact box that suggest the claim is unsubstantiated.

The U.S. President has battled publicly with state governors who want to encourage postal voting as a way to allow more people to vote during the coronavirus pandemic.

The media company has faced longstanding challenges with the United States president and one of its most popular, influential users. Twitter has been criticised for failing to crack down on tweets from the president which critics claim appeared to violate Twitter guidelines, while Mr Trump and other conservative figures have accused the platform of censorship

Twitter, Facebook react

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Facebooks chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, said censoring a social media platform would not be the right reflex for the government.

Advertisements



Mark Zuckerberg

I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldnt be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online, he said.

I think in general private companies probably shouldnt be  especially these platform companies  shouldnt be in the position of doing that.

In its reaction, Twitter called the order a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law. it added that Section 230 protects American innovation and freedom of expression, and its underpinned by democratic values.

Google said it has clear content policies and we enforce them without regard to political viewpoint. Our platforms have empowered a wide range of people and organizations from across the political spectrum, giving them a voice and new ways to reach their audiences.
On Thursday, based on reports given by US state officials, the New York Times broke news that the Trump administration plans to expel some three to five thousand Chinese graduate students and researchers. The same day, Republican Senators Tom Cotton and Marsha Blackburn introduced a bill in Congress that would ban all visas for Chinese nationals admitted for study in science and mathematics.

Officials acknowledged that the plans to expel these individuals are not based on any direct evidence of espionage or trade theft, but rather on suspicions. The suspicions are drawn out from the student or researchers prior history as a student in one of the many universities sponsored by the Peoples Liberation Army(PLA) of China.

Beating the drums for war, Senator Cotton said last month: If Chinese students want to come here and study Shakespeare and the Federalist Papers, thats what they need to learn from America; they dont need to learn quantum computing and artificial intelligence from America those Chinese students, go back to China to compete for our jobs, to take our business, and ultimately to steal our property and design weapons and other devices that can be used against the American people.

Cotton, alongside the rest of the US ruling class, is demonizing the whole of the 360,000 Chinese student population in the country, essentially branding them as agents of the Chinese State. They are trying to divert domestic social opposition against the state towards China, by using phrases such as our property and our weapons while 40 million people are unemployed, US billionaires gain over $400 billion in wealth, and cities begin to riot.

Universities have emerged as a critical battleground in this process. The plan to expel students follows recent attacks on scientists of Chinese descent in the country, who have been arrested on charges of economic espionage. Nine leading universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Georgetown are currently under investigation for connections to Chinas Thousand Talents Program, a recruiting program for leading international experts in scientific research.

According to a study by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, partially funded by the Australian Ministry of Defense, since 2007, the PLA has sponsored more than 2,500 military scientists and engineers to study abroad and has developed relationships with researchers and institutions across the globe. The collaboration is highest in the Five Eyes countries (military and intelligence alliance dominated by the US) and then Germany/Singapore. The study recommended that policymakers and officials put increased pressure on universities while building strong ties to the military apparatus, to secure research and protect against economic espionage.

Over the past few decades, China has managed to transform its military with many of the latest advances in science into a force capable of adequately resisting and even defeating the United States. According to leading Pentagon Official David Ochmanek, In our games [computer simulations], when we fight Russia and China, with blue representing the United States, blue gets its ass handed to it. The attack on Chinese scientists and students, in addition to diverting social tension, is also a crude attempt to block the development of Chinas military as it stands in the way of US imperialisms ambition to gain domination of the Asia-Pacific.

However, the USs attacks against Chinese scientists and students risk undermining their own technological and scientific level.

According to the National Science Foundation, compared to 69 percent of Europeans, over 90 percent of Chinese STEM students have remained in the US after a decade. More Chinese scientists move to the United States than vice versa. An analysis by Jenny J. Lee and John P. Haupt of the University of Arizona found that if papers by Chinese coauthors were left out, the number of science and engineering publications by US-based scientists would have declined about 2 percent from 2014 to 2018.

In response to Thursdays news, a Bloomberg Opinion piece asked the question Although the vast majority of scientific articles by Chinese researchers are published in their own language, the best researchers publish in English. That makes their work easily accessible to Americans in their native tongue, an enormous advantage. Would the U.S. really be better off if its scientists had to learn Chinese?

Since the start of 2020, despite growing military and trade tensions, collaboration between American and Chinese researchers has increased, primarily due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Researchers have exchanged crucial details about the virus, but the developing attacks on China will lead to a disintegration of such efforts and will ultimately undermine the development of a vaccine. Rather than international collaboration, US imperialism and its allies have instead escalated national divisions and rivalries.

Canada has moved forward with the extradition trial of a top executive of Huawei, a Chinese company that is leading the 5G industry. Australia has expanded the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, giving it the authority to interrogate those suspected of espionage and politically motivated violence. Under the direction of Washington, India has escalated border tensions with China, risking the outbreak of war. In opposition to China, the United Kingdom is considering extending visa rights to 300,000 Hong Kong residents, which follows the US announcement of increased anti-China sanctions.
"We truly appreciate you working with us to make this happen so quickly, and we were all relieved to be able to stay close to home!" - Chesapeake College MGW Nursing Class 2020

Chesapeake College students reached out to Michael Ross, CEO of Cambridge Federal, in regards to our Fingerprinting services and asked if we would open our office to assist in deploying 40+ new nursing students into the field. Once opened, our Kent Island team noticed the high demand for Fingerprinting and Background checks needed. Thus, Cambridge Federal worked diligently to open up a new office location in Catonsville, MD to be open 5 days a week from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

We were receiving over 100 calls a day in regards to our Fingerprinting Services, the phone call from Rachel Moberly, a Chesapeake College student who is graduating from the Nursing Program, telling me how she and her 40+ classmates needed to get fingerprinted in order to take the Nclex and to start working, truly highlighted the need. Due to COVID19; Cambridge Federal is assisting to deploy as many Nurses and Doctors into the medical fieldwe need them. - Michael Ross, CEO of Cambridge Federal.

State of Marylands stay at home orders came into effect on Monday, March 30, 2020 at 8:00 PM; which impacted small local businesses and other major corporations. One of the many small local businesses that were affected by the stay at home order were all of the local LiveScan Fingerprinting Services in the State. Due to COVID19, it really impacted our medical personnels ability to obtain or renew their medical licenses. Cambridge Federal immediately jumped into action and diligently opened-up its Kent Island office location to help alleviate the demand of Fingerprinting Services for Medical Personnel. To help address a six-week backlog for fingerprinting services in the state of Maryland, in conjunction with ICS Security, Cambridge Federal opened up a new location in Catonsville, MD.

Mike and Lauren, we cannot thank you enough for being so accommodating in helping our class get fingerprinted locally in order to apply for our nursing licenses. In a time of stress and uncertainty for us as 4th semester nursing students, you took a huge burden off by making this process so easy for us. We truly appreciate you working with us to make this happen so quickly - Chesapeake College MGW Nursing Class of 2020.

COVID19 not only put everyones life on the line, but also put our medical personnels licenses at risk. Cambridge Federal continues to work diligently with the help of ICS Security Services to provide LiveScan Fingerprinting services for our local communities to ensure that our medical personnel can focus on combating COVID19.

To learn more about Cambridge Federal and our current operating locations please visit our website at http://www.c-fed.com and we also can be reached at 410-221-7546.

About Cambridge Federal, LLC

Cambridge Federal (CF) is a certified HUBZone, Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) and DoT Small Business Enterprise (SBE) with Headquarters in Cambridge, Maryland, now with offices in Stevensville and Catonsville, MD. CF is a MD LiveScan provider, Private Detective Agency, Security Guard Agency, and a Security Systems Agency. CF holds a Master GSA master contract, the MD CATS+ contract and various other US Govt Agency contracts. CF is committed to fostering economic development and career opportunities for the surrounding community. To learn more, please visit http://www.c-fed.com or call (410) 221-7546.

About ICS Security Services

ICS Security is a locally-owned, private security company providing trustworthy, proactive, hands-on protection services to people and businesses in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC. With over 75 years of combined law enforcement and business experience, we understand our customers business models, the risks inherent within their customer segments, and the security services necessary to protect them against the evolution of threats they face. To learn more, please visit http://www.icsprotection.com or give us a call at (410) 719 - 8796.
New York City eyes June 8 for first phase of reopening

ANI

Coronavirus has directly attacked the economies and livelihoods of the largest nations and economies across the world. The US, India, Russia, Brazil and UK are struggling to reopen as number cases and deaths continue to grow. Russia and Brazil have become new hotspots, as their heads of the state face flak from citizens over the handling of the pandemic. South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Germany who have reopened their nations continue to face the risk of a second wave along with a deepening economic crisis induced by Covid-19.

Click here for the complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic

Maharashtra, Madhya Pradeshs Indore and the capital Delhi are Indias hotspots of the Covid-19 as the nation becomes the most-affected in the Asian continent. India has surpassed the death toll China had recorded. India currently has recorded 165,799 cases of the coronavirus and the death toll is 4,706.

Here are the updates:
Omotola says she feels that way because Captain Ekeinde is not just flying anyone at all but Chinese nationals who flew into Nigeria.



The mother of four did not says if these nationals came into the country to help with the cases of Covid-19 but she says the thought has left her speechless.



Since the emergence of Covid-19, all of us have been walking on eggs shells literallyshielding ourselves from anything that would put our lives in danger.



The cases keep soaring and all we can do now is to respect all safety protocols.



And for Omotola, we can only wish her calm at this point. Captain is safe.















Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
After living and working in WA since 2007, stonemason Petronilo Ligutan had just received the keys to his familys dream home when his world came crashing down on him.

In August last year, just after taking on a mortgage for his home in Brabham, near Whiteman Park, the Philippines-born 43-year-old found out he had silicosis, a deadly and debilitating lung disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust released while dry-cutting artificial silica stone.

Perth man Petronilo Ligutan has been diagnosed with silicosis. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola

Silicosis is one of the oldest occupational diseases but has reared its head again in stonemasons as silica stone benchtops grew in popularity over the 2000s. Mr Ligutans case has prompted concerns from his lawyers that the WA government isnt doing enough to clean up the industry.

The disease has left him wheezing and breathless, unable to work the trade he spent his entire life honing and has strained his relationship with his wife and four boys as their financial future hangs in the balance.
169 girls of Odishas Kendrapara district working in a garments manufacturing factory of Kerala returned to their home state on Friday by a special flight arranged by actor Sonu Sood.

The girls from Rajnagar block of Kendrapara district and working in Ernakulam, arrived at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar by an Air Asia flight from Cochin International Airport. Along with them, 9 other migrant workers from Odisha who worked in another company were also on the same flight.

The girls had earlier posted a photo on social media urging Odisha authorities to evacuate them from Kerala as their factory had been closed due to lockdown. Our owner had stopped paying us salaries and we want to go home at any cost. We have been stuck in our rooms since the factory shut down, the girls in the video said with folded hands. The girls said they had resigned from the factory over fears of being infected by Covid-19 and wanted to go back.

The girls returned to Bhubaneswar on Friday.

After the plight of the girls became public on social media, actor Sonu Sood came forward to help them. He was reportedly informed about the girls by one of his friends from Bhubaneswar. He took permission from the Odisha government and got an aircraft from Bangalore to airlift the girls from Ernakulam. The actor bore the entire cost of the flight.

One of the girls who flew back in the Air Asia flight said that she did not expect to be flown back to Odisha. We had lost all hopes of going back. We thought we may travel back by bus or the Shramik Special trains. Officials from the Kerala labour department said theyll put us on a train to Odisha. But all thanks to Sonu Sood, we managed to fly back to Odisha, she said.

The local administration initially told the girls that they may be sent in batches, but they insisted to be sent home in one go.

After reaching Bhubaneswar airport, the girls were taken in special buses to Marshaghai block where they have been put up quarantine centres.

Also read | Viineet Kumar Singh on Betaal receiving mixed reviews: I have been experimenting and will continue doing so

Anshuman Mohanty, a former Congress MLA of Rajnagar, said Sonu had assured him that he can get more such stranded workers of Odisha in Kerala. He has shown a big heart. Incredible act, said Mohanty.

Over the last month, Sonu has been sending thousands of stranded migrants in Maharashtra home. He has sent some 12,000 migrant workers back to their homes in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Bihar by buses, spending his own money for the travel. Due to his exemplary work, many have started calling him as a saviour of migrant workers.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Elias Quinones Figueroa, 19, and a 16-year-old boy were speeding east on Hubbard Street when they hit the bicyclist near Ogden Avenue about 6:15 p.m. Wednesday. The biker flew onto a gray car in another lane of traffic, police said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition had stabilized, police said.
Tile has sent a letter to the European Commission for Competition in the EU complaining against Apple for making it more difficult to use its products on iPhones by selectively disabling features that allow for seamless user experience. Tile has asked the EU to investigate Apples anti-competitive business practices.

Tile says in the letter that Apple is making it harder for people to use the Tile app as it is competing with the companys own Find My app. Tiles complaints relate to the changes introduced by Apple in iOS 13 that prevent an app from accessing location data in the background which hampers its functionality. It notes in the latter that changing these options requires users to navigate through complex settings which is something that not everyone would be inclined to do. In contrast, Apples own Find My app is able to access location data in the background without having to send regular reminders to users about this.

This is not the first time that Apple has spoken out against Apple. The company had testified against Apple in front of a panel of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. Tiles General Counsel noted had then noted that both companies had a mutually beneficial relationship but it started deteriorating since 2019 as it emerged that Apple was working on its own Tile-like competitor. After that hearing, Apples anti-competitive behavior against Tile has gotten worse, not better.

The relation between Apple and Tile has only soured since last year since it emerged that the Cupertino company is also working on its own Tile-like tracker that would possibly be called AirTags. An iPhone user would be able to use the Find My app on their device to find AirTags and in turn, the item on which they have been tagged. Apple has also terminated its agreement with Tile for selling its products in its retail stores ever since it started working on AirTags.

Apple has responded to Tiles allegations in the letter with the following statement:

We strenuously deny the allegations of uncompetitive behavior that Tile is waging against us. Consistent with the critical path weve been on for over a decade, last year we introduced further privacy protections that safeguard user location data. Tile doesnt like those decisions so instead of arguing the issue on its merits, theyve instead decided to launch meritless attacks.

The EU is going to reply to Tiles letter and also plans on launching an investigation against Apple.

[Via Financial Times
- The US President Donald Trump lashed out at those protesting in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd

- He said he would not stand back and watch the protests happen to the great American city

- Protesters in Minneapolis were calling for criminal charges to be brought against four police officers who were involved in the arrest of Floyd

- The African-American died during arrest after a white police officer pinned him on the ground with his knee on his neck

As fires set by protesters outraged by the death of George Floyd burned in Minneapolis, President Donald Trump warned demonstrators would be shoot if they start looting.

He further threatened to call in the National Guard while labelling the protesters demanding justice for Floyd as thugs.

READ ALSO: Renewed land: New Zealand discharges last coronavirus patient from hospital

Donald Trump threatened to call in the National Guard while labelling the protesters demanding justice for Floyd as thugs. Photo: CNN.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Bob Weighton: World's oldest man dies aged 112

Taking to his Twitter handle to share his sentiment, the head of state further criticised Mayor Jacob Frey for losing control over Minneapolis city.

"....These thugs are dishonouring the memory of George Floyd, and I will not let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him the military is with him all the way," he said

Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts, Trump tweeted.

READ ALSO: Female taxi driver who lost one leg to cancer freely takes patients attending chemotherapy to hospital

On Thursday, May 28, the third night of demonstrations, protesters focused their ire on the Police Department's 3rd Precinct, the base for four officers involved in the incident.

The precinct station house fire, which was one of several burning in Minneapolis, spread to the interior.

According to the department's spokesman, John Elder, police had cleared the building shortly after 10pm when demonstrators forcibly entered and ignited several fires.

READ ALSO: City pastor opens up on dark past, sleeping with women before being called to serve God

The Minnesota Guard said on Twitter that 500 soldiers had been activated for duty in the Twin Cities.

"Our mission is to protect life, preserve property and the right to peacefully demonstrate," the tweet said.

Protesters have demonstrated for three straight days since Floyds death, demanding the officers involved in his arrest be charged.

READ ALSO: Police officer fired after saying it was unfortunate coronavirus didn't kill more black people

Looting and fires have been widespread in the area where Floyd died. Businesses across the Twin Cities had boarded up their windows and doors in an effort to prevent looting.

The video of Floyds detainment sparked nationwide outrage as it showed the man pleading with officers to let him stand because he was struggling to breathe.

The officer kept his knee on his neck for about eight minutes. Medics worked on an unresponsive Floyd in an ambulance but could not find a pulse after several checks.

RAED ALSO: Renewed land: New Zealand discharges last coronavirus patient from hospital

On Wednesday, May 27, Trump said he had personally requested the FBI and Department of Justice to expedite their own independent investigation into Floyds death.

Wellwishers have since raised over KSh 100M in just under 24 hrs after a GoFundMe campaign to help the family of Floyd was opened by his brother.

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly

Source: TUKO.co.ke
North Carolina School Board Vote to Hold In-person Graduation, Defying Governors Order

A school board in North Carolina has voted to host an in-person graduation ceremony for all its high schools, a decision that would be in conflict with Gov. Roy Coopers restriction on public gatherings.

In a 5-4 vote, the Union County Schools Board of Education approved on Thursday a proposal to hold the graduation ceremony in an outdoor stadium, reported CBS affiliate WBTV. Graduating seniors from all 11 high schools and a limited number of family members would celebrate together, while maintaining social distancing rules.

The ceremony would exceed North Carolinas current limit on the number of people allowed at gatherings. Under Phase 2 of Coopers three-phased plan for reopening the state, gatherings are limited to no more than 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

Obviously we have a terrible lack of leadership from the governor of our state, school board member Gary Sides told WBTV. Were trying to fumble through and not deprive these kids of one of the most important events of their life.

Gov. Cooper is not allowing us to do the things we would normally do for our students, Vice Chair Kathy Heintel said. And I call for the people to ask him why hes not allowing us to do this.

Another board member, Joseph Morreale, said he didnt agree with the governors orders, but maintained that people should honor them.

Im not willing to sit in jail to host a traditional graduation, he said. In North Carolina, violating the state order is a misdemeanor punishable by nearly two months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The school boards attempt to defy state orders comes as Cooper faces growing pressure demanding him to speed up the reopening process, including from President Donald Trump, who gave him a week to lift mass gathering restrictions all together or risk losing the Republican National Convention scheduled for Charlotte this August.

Trump, noting that Cooper is a Democrat, wrote on Twitter that Cooper is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena.

They must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied, he wrote. If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site.

The Republican National Convention is currently scheduled for Aug. 2427. The Democratic National Convention remains scheduled for Aug. 1720 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Guest Column: Tinashe Farawo

THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) is a successor to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management.

ZimParks falls under the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry.

The authority was established under the Parks and Wildlife Act of 1996 (Chapter 20:14) as amended by Act Number 19 of 2001 which came into operation on June 1, 2002 through Statutory Instrument 144C of 2002.

The rationale behind the establishment of the authority was to allow ZimParks to retain revenue generated for the purpose of funding operations (self-funding mechanism) and thereby reduce its dependence on central government.

- Advertisement -

This entailed the introduction of a strategic commercial function for supporting conservation and putting in place strategic revenue generation and financial management systems.

This was based on the premise that conservation business could make a significant contribution towards paying for itself, hence the call to say elephants for example must pay for their upkeep.

Prior to this enactment, the cost of managing parks and protected areas in Zimbabwe was borne by the State and donor funding.

The authority now undertakes a number of commercial activities from which it generates funds for conservation.

Since the coming in of Fulton Mangwanya as the director general of ZimParks in August 2017, the authority crafted a five-year strategy to adopt adaptive management in wildlife conservation.

One of the avenues to achieve this is partnering with other conservation organisations to learn new methods and to build technical and financial capacity in an effort to protect the countrys wildlife for the benefit of current and future generations.

Over the last few months, the authority signed agreements with various organisations including African Parks and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

The agreements are meant to co-operate in conservation, management, combating wildlife crime and human wildlife conflict, which has claimed dozens of lives over the last few years.

Most of the organisations assisting the authority in wildlife management and conservation have proven track records of successful adaptive conservation management practices.

The agreement between African Parks and ZimParks is to jointly seek funding for the management and development of Matusadonha National Park.

Provision of socio-economic benefits to local communities through job creation, infrastructure development, construction of schools and clinics.

The agreements were signed in line with the Joint Venture Act Chapter 22:22.

Needless to say that the agreement was signed after an approval from the Finance ministry through the joint venture unit.

The agreement was submitted to the Finance ministrys joint venture unit that conducted a comprehensive due diligence exercise whose outcome led to a request to Cabinet for approval for ZimParks to enter into a co-management agreement with African Parks.

The Finance ministry officials visited some of the parks managed by African Parks as part of the due diligence process before approving the agreement.

African Parks shall identify and promote commercial investment opportunities for tourism purposes and is set to inject US$11,5 million in five years, which shall see improved access by road to the park, improved resource allocation and enhanced anti-poaching activities.

Over the next five years, the partnership is set to reintroduce black rhinos in the park among other animals.

According to section 12 of the Parks and Wildlife Act concerning funds of the authority there is therefore need for the organisation to venture into business activities and also source funding from like-minded stakeholders and partners.

ZimParks has signed several memorandums of agreement/understanding with other organisations such as wildlife NGOs, Civil society and universities.

There is no doubt that before an agreement is signed it goes through a rigorous process that involves internal staff, directorate, board of directors and the responsible ministry.

The vision of the organisation is to promote sustainable conservation thus due diligence is taken before any new conservation partnerships are signed.

Most of the organisations ZimParks is working with have already successfully implemented projects under similar partnerships that saw protected areas that were facing financial related challenges, being managed better with the availability of resources.

ZPWMA has core-management agreements for example in Gonarezhou National Park and Umfurudzi Recreational Park, which are currently being run under partnerships and they have proved to be successful in park management, law enforcement, and tourism and community engagement.

The authority has been supported by various NGOs over the years and these include Peace Parks, which has supported the establishment of transfrontier conservation areas within Sadc over the last 20 years.

Some of these partnerships will result in resources being availed for conservation, translocation of wildlife to boost wildlife populations and improved accessibility to the area.

The protected areas in Zimbabwe are designed such that the national parks are source areas for the Safari areas where hunting occurs.

Therefore, having partnerships to better manage national parks actually supports the consumptive tourism industry by providing the much needed trophy wildlife.

The organisation is only co-operating with partners in areas where we share common goals for example, curbing poaching, and illegal wildlife trade and infrastructure development.

In addition, during the tenure of the agreement both partners will be engaging and agreeing on methodology and operating procedures such that the vision and mandate of the organisation is not ignored or the countrys position of sustainable utilisation.

Since the coming in of the new dispensation in November 2017, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been preaching re-engagement with the international community.

Therefore, ZimParks is playing its part to engage and re-engage with the international community through conservation and wildlife management.

The authority is eternally grateful to both local and international conservation partners who are working on the conservation and management of the countrys wildlife for the benefit of current and future generations despite differences in conservation policy and ideology.

 Tinashe Farawo is the Head of Communications at Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority.

Like this: Like Loading...
White male voters comprised a substantial foundation of Trump's victory in the previous campaign. Much of his decisions aimed to appeal to the group through policies like sealing trade deals with China and Mexico, implementing strict immigration measures, and gaining progress on the border wall. As the months are looming over Election Day, recent surveys this month were published showing a decline in support in the voting population, namely seniors, white high school graduate voters, and evangelicals.





Decline in pollsa

According to previous data from 2016, Trump gained 71% of the white male vote. This year, Quinnipiac University released the results from their survey last week claiming that 64% of high school graduate level white males planned to vote for Trump. On a different survey by the same group, they found that from a sample of the population of the seniors in Florida, one of the key states in the 2016 campaign, 52% of the seniors would support presumptive Democratic candidate Biden while 42% said they would vote for Trump.

In a survey done by NBC News and Wall Street Journal in April, they discovered a similar trend among white voters with college degrees. They found that from the male respondents the support dropped from 53% to 44%, and among female respondents the original 44% dropped to 29%. At the same period, The Public Religion Research Institute reported a decline in approval of Trump's administration among white evangelicals by 11 points.

Communications director of the Trump campaign Tim Murtaugh dismissed the surveys. He said the data gathered by the members of the team was enough to convince him that the president was in "solid shape" in all of the states. He said that American voters trusted the president to rebuild the economy back up even if he had to do it from scratch, and that evangelicals have never seen a better pro-life president in the history of the United States. Murtaugh added that the campaign's polls in 17 states showed that Trump was closing in on Biden at 48% from the original deficit weeks ago.

Check these out!

Won and lost in the margins

Democratic poll analyst Peter Hart asserted that the significance of the results of the surveys was not in the decline of voter approval in the past few weeks during the pandemic. He said Trump would primarily be spending time and effort regaining that support with his target audience. Hart added that it would drive the president harder in working on the base of his campaign and rekindling the support with rallies. Trump's campaign advisers expressed concern over some key states. Arizona especially was a solid Republican state that supported him from the 2016 elections.

Originally seen as a secure win for this year's presidential plebiscite, Trump was nothing short of hurt from the low approval among voters. Ever since four Democrats won statewide office in 2018, he started losing the favor of the people. Senator Martha McSally, a Republican, said that this was going to be a "race" that would be "won and lost in the margins", pertaining to the near-proportionate votes.
Superintendent of Police, Mr Kwabena Otuo Acheampong, has called on journalists to respect security protocols and engage security personnel to manage sensitive security issues during elections.



Mr Acheampong who is the Northern Regional Police Crime Officer noted that there was a thin line between safety and security, especially on issues connected to elections and there was the need for journalists to weigh their reports against public Safety and Security.



The Regional Crime Officer made the call at a days forum for selected editors in the Northern region, organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), with funding support from Star Ghana Foundation.



The forum was to share ideas on Conflict Sensitive Reporting and hot spots ahead of the 2020 election under the GJA Election 2020 Project dubbed: No to Political Vigilantism and Electoral Violence in Ghana.



The GJAs 14-month project with support from STAR-Ghana Foundation aims at contributing to the national discourse on disbanding political vigilantism and eliminating electoral violence in Ghana.



It also seeks to enhance the capacity of media in conflict sensitive reporting, considering its crucial role as one of the key gatekeepers in election management and reportage in Ghana.



Mr Acheampong explained that the processes of the election, security maintenance, and media reporting were inseparable and the most significant in ensuring peace in the election, and the role of the media in reporting security issues was therefore crucial and could not be over emphasized.



He reminded journalists to confirm information gathered from hot spots during elections with assigned high security officials and, especially recently activated Elections Committees and an established Joint Information Centre on elections in the region.



We are still not in normal times, especially in an election year with Coronavirus. Let's us check, confirm the facts, weigh the safety and security implications, before reporting, he added.



Mr Acheampong noted that: Do not be too quick to present the news first, but question the rationale for breaking the news first in order not to ignite chaos.



He said it was just fair and proper to situate reports in our context, check facts, confirm and adhere to all security protocols and weigh safety and security implications, before going to press.



The Crime Officer urged journalists to stick to their professional ethics and avoid sensationalism, avoid showing live sensitive scenes of photos and videos of chaos that would result in hatred, confusion and cause chaos during elections.



Mrs Linda Asante-Agyei, Vice President of the GJA giving an overview of the forum said the project was to establish an inclusive media platform for advocacy to disband political vigilantism and electoral violence in Ghana.



It will mobilise citizens and communities around disbanding political vigilantism and electoral violence through media platforms to consolidate peace, national cohesion and inclusive development, as well as mobilise a network of the business community to support peace initiatives, conflict-sensitive reporting and messaging.



The Vice President noted that at the end of the project, the knowledge of journalists, political commentators, and CSOs on conflict sensitive reporting and peace-building towards the 2020 elections would have been increased.

He asked



Hajia Yakubu Rahinatu, Regional Health Promoter of the Ghana Health Service who spoke on managing information on COVID-19 during the election, expressed the urgent need for the media to access information on the disease and educate members of the public on the reality of the disease and how they could protect themselves from contracting it.



She further expressed worry about the blatant disregard for the safety protocols, especially the one on physical and social distancing, and emphasized that COVID-19 was real and fast spreading.



She reiterated the need for the media to assist in public education on the dangers of the disease and the need to adhere to the safety protocols to stay safe.



The Northern Regional Motor Traffic and Transport Division (MTTD) Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr Muchiraru Yahaya reiterated the need for the media and the police to work together to ensure a peaceful election.



We depend on you to communicate our message of peace, security and order to our communities. You depend on us for protection. You depend on us to provide information on your safety and security to avoid harm or danger. When we allow conflict in our friendship, the impact is heavy and devastating on our country, he added.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
679 people died from the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic

As of 9:00 a.m., May 29, 22,811 Covid-19 cases observed in Ukraine. The number of infected people increased by 429 people in 24 hours as the Health Ministry of Ukraine reported.

8,934 patients recovered from coronavirus since the beginning of the epidemic in Ukraine. 679 people died from coronavirus.

Speaking on the situation in the regions, the figures are the following: Vinnytsia region - 957 cases; Volyn region - 863 cases; Dnipropetrovsk region - 930 cases; Donetsk region - 158 cases; Zhytomyr region - 694 cases; Zakarpattia region  1,147 cases; Zaporizhia region - 431 cases; Ivano-Frankivsk region  1,360 cases; Kirovohrad region - 503 cases; Kyiv  2,849 cases; Kyiv region  1,535 cases; Lviv region  1,563 cases; Luhansk region - 46 cases; Mykolaiv region - 284 cases; Odesa region - 878 cases; Poltava region - 268 cases; Rivne region  1,628 cases; Sumy region - 167 cases; Ternopil region  1,145 cases; Kharkiv region  1,011 cases; Kherson region - 177 cases; Khmelnytskyi region - 407 cases; Chernivtsi region  3,259 cases; Cherkasy region - 401 cases; Chernihiv region - 150 cases.

As we reported, Ukraine's Healthcare Ministry will be offering a different strategy of combating coronavirus during the second wave. These measures will be aimed at preventing the new total quarantine in this country.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

The export of electrical goods from Turkey to Turkmenistan grew by 11.87 percent from January through April 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, and reached $23.7 million, the Turkish Ministry of Trade told Trend.

In April 2020, Turkeys export of electrical goods to Turkmenistan increased by 36.77 percent and amounted to $7.2 million compared to April 2019.

The export of electrical goods from Turkey to the world markets reached $3.1 billion from January through April 2020, having decreased by 13.2 percent compared to the same period of last year and accounting for 6.1 percent of the country's total export volume from January through April 2020.

Turkey exported electrical goods worth $62 million to the world markets in April 2020, which is 33.8 percent less than in April 2019.

The export of electrical goods from Turkey in April 2020 amounted to 6.9 percent of the country's total export volume.

Turkey exported electrical products worth $10.8 billion over the past 12 months (from April 2019 through April 2020).

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
The Himalayan state of Sikkim alleged on Friday that the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) in Siliguri town, West Bengal governments biggest hospital in the region, has refused to test swab samples it sends for Covid-19 tests.

NBMCH had been regularly testing swab samples sent from Sikkim where only one citizen was infected so far. Though Sikkim carries out the Truenat-Beta-CoV test, samples were being sent to NBMCH for a second confirmation.

Pempa Bhutia, health secretary of Sikkim, said, Eighty-five samples were returned by NBMCH on Thursday while 750 samples sent earlier are yet to be tested.

Sikkim stopped sending samples from May 19. Officials in Sikkim said NBMCH authorities told them that the hospital was carrying out more tests than before since the number of cases in Bengal has gone up.

Sikkims health minister Mani Kumar Sharma said, We understand the pressure being faced by NBMCH. We are hopeful that the samples lying there will be tested even if the process may be delayed.

Praloy Acharjee, chief medical officer of health, Darjeeling district, said, We are augmenting the testing capacity at NBMCH. We will, however, test samples from Sikkim that are marked urgent.

NBMCHs Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory is testing up to 1,500 swab samples a day now. It receives more than 2,000 samples a day from different parts of north Bengal.

The number of Covid-19 cases is rising fast in the region. Four people tested Covid-19 positive in the Darjeeling hills on Friday.

An NBMCH doctor, who did not want to be quoted, said, The reason for refusing samples from Sikkim is the pressure the hospital is facing due to increased testing.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
One of the nations most overlooked national parks and one of its most popular moved forward with reopening plans Friday.

Lassen Volcanic National Park, a hydrothermal treasure tucked away in northeast California, announced that park roads and all hiking trails have reopened, with the exception of Bumpass Hell and its boiling springs and gurgling mud pots. Hell is still frozen over.

Meanwhile, the Grand Canyon, the worlds most spectacular example of erosion, is expanding access to its more popular South Rim entrance and planning to let visitors in around the clock next month.

Like many national parks across the country, both shut down temporarily over coronavirus concerns.

The Grand Canyons entrance station will be open from 4 a.m. until 2 p.m., starting Friday until June 5 when the park will drop restrictions on the hours. The canyon's North Rim also will reopen June 5, though the campground will be closed until July 1 because of construction.

Visitors can hike down into the canyon and camp in the more remote areas, but no new overnight permits for the inner canyon will be issued.

Lassens Manzanita Lake and Southwest Walk-in campgrounds are opening Monday, June 1. All other campgrounds will open on their original scheduled dates, which can be viewed here.

A number of trails are still covered with snow, including Lassen Peak, Brokeoff Mountain, Kings Creek Falls, and Summit Lake Area. The popular Bumpass Hell Trail remains closed due to lingering snow and slippery conditions.

Lassen annually gets about one ninth of the number of visitors as Yosemite National Park.

Here is the status of other major national parks in California:

Yosemite has not yet announced when it will reopen, but reports indicate that reservations will be required and visitor numbers will be limited.

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks are temporarily closed to all visitors until at least Monday, June 1.

Death Valley National Park will remain closed until all of California enters Stage 3 of the governors phased reopening.

Joshua Tree National Park is mostly open. Park entrances, family campsites, trails, and all roads and parking lots are open. Visitor centers, group campsites and some bathroom facilities remain closed.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.



Mike Moffitt is an SFGATE Digital Reporter. Email: moffitt@sfgate.com. Twitter: @Mike_at_SFGate
To receive Steve Gutterman's Week In Russia each week via e-mail, subscribe by clicking here.

President Vladimir Putin tosses a pen -- and state media outlets pick it up. The murky story of the absolutely healthy Chechen leaders reported illness underscores the dark compromises the Kremlin has made with Ramzan Kadyrov. Russia arrests journalists at home and lashes out at Western media over reports on the COVID-19 numbers and the presidents poll ratings. Several journalists are arrested, and a dogged activist dies at 66 after spending part of the past decade behind bars.

Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward.

Pen As Prop

When Russian President Vladimir Putin tossed a pen on his desk during a meeting about floods and fires hitting Russia along with the coronavirus, state media had it covered.

When the former rebel fighter Putin installed as the head of the Chechnya region 13 years ago was reportedly flown to Moscow for treatment of a suspected coronavirus infection -- not so much.

The pen toss was shown on state TV and was the subject of an article by state news agency RIA-Novosti under the headline, Putin threw a pen on his desk during a conference. And this was the lead paragraph: Putin threw a pen on his desk during a conference on the battle against floods and fires.

RT and other Russian outlets repeated the report, turning it into an example of what political magazine editor Ivan Davydov called, in an article in the Russian outlet Republic, the rituals of overripe Putinism.

There was also a RIA-Novosti tweet on the matter, and a separate Twitter post from the RIA Kremlin Pool account that said, You dont often see Putin tossing a pen.

When you do, its because the Kremlin wants you to know that Putin means business and is demanding results, independent political analyst Anna Arutunyan suggested, remarking wryly that Putin throwing pens is supposed to mean he is serious.

Putin has used a pen-toss as a propaganda device at least once in the past. At a televised meeting in 2009, he demanded tycoon Oleg Deripaska come up to his seat and sign a supply contract to help restart factories in a factory town hit by labor unrest -- and then reminded him to return the pen when he was done.

Sick Story

The news that Ramzan Kadyrov might have contracted COVID-19 broke last week -- courtesy of Baza, a Telegram channel that stated, without citing a source, that the Kremlin-backed Chechen leader had been flown to Moscow and hospitalized with symptoms of an acute respiratory viral infection.

TASS cited a source in medical circles as saying essentially the same thing. (Its hard to be certain that the source was actually a medical one: On numerous occasions in the past, Kremlin aides speaking off the record have told journalists to describe them differently depending on the nature of the information: a military-diplomatic source for a tidbit about a conflict abroad, for example.)

And that was about it. Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, was in the hospital being treated for a coronavirus infection at the time, and Putin himself made no comment about Kadyrov.

That silence was markedly different from his messaging about the illness of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin: When the No. 2 official in Russia told Putin in televised comments that he had tested positive for COVID-19, Putin told him to get in touch when he got to the hospital, adding: Ill be waiting for your call.

Kadyrov resurfaced five days after the initial reports of his hospitalization, appearing in photos and state TV footage apparently from a meeting in Chechnyas capital, Grozny, on May 26.

A video posted later showed him making clear-as-mud remarks in which he said he was an absolutely healthy person but also asking, Dont I have the right to get sick? He did not confirm, deny, or otherwise comment on whether he had been hospitalized. 

In effect, Kadyrov was able to do for himself what Putin had appeared intent on doing for all of Russia before the coronavirus took hold in March: suggest that he had avoided COVID-19 and that even if he hadnt, its effects were negligible.

Heres The Deal

Thats not to say the region he rules has escaped the pandemic, despite his suggestions in early March that garlic and lemon water would help ward off the virus and that fear itself could also be deadly, or that its citizens were spared aggressive actions by law enforcement officers in a region that rights activists say Kadyrov rules through a climate of violence and intimidation.

Kadyrov has said that people who violate self-isolation should be killed and also likened those who infect others while doing so to "terrorists" who should be buried in pits. Video evidence suggests that police have physically assaulted people for not wearing face masks, according to Amnesty International.

Officially, in Chechnya, nearly 1,200 COVID-19 infections had been recorded as of May 28 , and 13 deaths.

The Kremlins outward unconcern about Kadyrovs health and location, particularly juxtaposed with the spotlight Putin trained on Mishustins illness, seem like the latest evidence of the special treatment the Chechen leader gets from the Russian president who put him in place.

Rights activists say that Kadyrov rules through repressive measures and has created an environment of impunity for security forces in the region. They claim Kadyrov is ultimately responsible for abuses of political opponents by Chechen authorities that include kidnappings and forced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

Kremlin critics say Moscow turns a blind eye to his conduct because it relies on the former rebel commander to control separatist sentiment and violence in Chechnya, the site of two devastating post-Soviet wars and an Islamist insurgency that spread to other mostly Muslim regions in the North Caucasus.

Blind Eye?

Amid several days of murky reports about Kadyrovs health, the Kremlins apparent lack of interest in providing the public with the facts is, of course, a relatively mild example of Putins tendency to turn a blind eye on the conduct of the Chechen leader.

Other examples are more chilling.

In November 2019, for instance, Peskov said the Kremlin would not consider taking any action after Kadyrov advocated killing, imprisoning, and intimidating bloggers who, in his words, assault the "honor of other users on the Internet.

Putin and his government have taken little visible action to address what rights groups call a brutal purge targeting sexual minorities in Chechnya, despite claims from numerous gay men who say they were abducted and tortured by the authorities there. 

The state-media spotlight on Putins pen toss may have been part of an effort to portray him as a strong leader who is taking care of Russians at a tough time -- an image both political analysts and opinion polls suggest he is having trouble creating.

When COVID-19 hit Russia, Putins supporters expected a strong show of leadership that never came, Aleksandr Baunov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center and editor in chief of its website, wrote in a Twitter thread. 

Putin might have taken the occasion of the crisis to display some strong personal leadership to the public, Baunov wrote. Instead, his interventions have come across as belated and confusing.

Until close to the end of March, Putin seemed confident that the coronavirus would not hit Russia hard -- exactly what he acknowledged a few weeks later that it had done to the economy.

Victory Delayed

But as infections grew, he postponed the annual May 9 Victory Day parade and an April 22 vote on constitutional amendments -- arranged hastily in the weeks before COVID-19 hit -- that will enable him to seek two more six-year stints as president after his current term ends in 2024.

Now, medical personnel struggle to handle a caseload in the country now with the third-highest official number of recorded infections in the world after the United States and Brazil, and a death toll that is climbing toward 5,000, amid persistent questions about the accuracy of the official figures.

The Russian government has gone on the offensive over Western media reports on the issue, unsuccessfully demanding retractions of articles in The New York Times and the Financial Times that were based on official Russian data pointing to a potential discrepancy between the reported number of COVID-19 deaths in Moscow and the actual toll.

More recently, the Russian Embassy in the United States trained its ire on a Bloomberg report about another set of numbers -- Putins poll ratings, which have been down in the past two years and have suffered further since the coronavirus took hold.

The embassy took issue with an article that cited a late-April survey by state-funded pollster VTsIOM in which a longtime low of 27 percent of respondents named Putin when asked to name one or more politicians they trust, suggesting that the news outlet had made the figure up.

It pointed to a survey with a different question, in which 67.9 percent of respondents said that they definitely trusted or probably trusted Putin -- a figure that was also lower than it has been in weekly polls by VTsIOM for some time and continued to drop afterwards, standing at 67.1 percent in the most recent survey.

With daily numbers of new COVID-19 cases down from their highs, at least for now, but the economic effects of the pandemic certain to put major pressure on the economy and the financial situation of many Russians for months or years to come, Putin appears to be gearing up for a bid to boost his poll ratings.

'Weakened'

This week he rescheduled the postponed Red Square military parade for June 24, and Russian media outlets reported that the nationwide vote on the constitutional amendments might be held in early July. The Kremlin said no decision has been made.

Whenever Putin holds the vote to hand himself the option of seeking to remain president through 2036, Baunov wrote, he does so from a position he has weakened.

In the meantime, hes not scoring points with liberals or progressives, and he is not signaling any let-up in what critics say is a persistent campaign to silence dissent.

On May 26, Ilya Azar, a journalist, activist, and local legislator in Moscow, was arrested while holding a sign in a one-person protest in support of Vladimir Vorontsov, a former police officer who has worked to expose violations in Russian law enforcement agencies and was himself arrested in early May on charges he contends were fabricated.

Azar was handed a 15-day jail term on May 28, and three prominent journalists -- Tatyana Felgengauer and Aleksandr Plyushchev of Ekho Moskvy radio and Sergei Smirnov of news outlet Mediazona  were detained while protesting Azars arrest and jailing.

Also on May 28, Sergei Mokhnatkin, who had been in and out of jail and prison since he was first arrested after protecting an elderly woman being beaten by police at a Moscow protest against restrictions on free assembly in 2009, died at the age of 66.
It was nought but 72 hours ago that the biggest racial controversy of the moment was an unpleasant encounter between a dog walker and a bird watcher in Central Park in New York, which is not exactly the Edmund Pettus Bridge redux. It is quite clear that both of the Coopers in the story behaved badly, and it is delicious that the woman who defaulted to racial stereotyping turns out to be a liberal, which doesnt surprise me in the least: one reason liberals are obsessed with race and racism is because theyre much more guilty of practicing it than the average American.* The only thing that could have made the story more ridiculous is if some sleuth had gone onto Ancentry.com and figured out that Amy Coopers great-great-great grandfather had owned Christian Coopers slave ancestor. The America-as-slavocracy set would have gone orgasmic at that point. (Amy Cooper sounds like a real piece of work, it turns out.)

Question: If the two Coopers had both been white, would we have ever heard a single word about this story in the media? I wonder how many angry confrontations and calls to police occur in Central Park? Im betting quite a lot.

Which brings me to the George Floyd case. From what we know so far, there dont seem to be any reasons to find excuse for officer Derek Chauvin putting his knee on Floyds neck in the prolonged manner he did. Floyd may have resisted arrest, but he was cuffed and clearly subdued by the point at which the main video started rolling. (Other videos from security cameras of prior moments in the story are starting to emerge.) Chauvin apparently has a history of potential excessive force incidents, with a reported 10 prior complaints, with one of them resulted in Chauvin being placed on leave. If some of these incidents and complaints merited a stronger disciplinary response (which we cant assume without knowing a lot more), it raises questions about why Chauvin was kept on the force. Above all, it raises a question that no one ever seems to ask when these cases arise: what was the role of the police union in preventing effective disciplinary measures or even dismissal from the force? We never hear this question asked because public employee unions are sacred to the left, but the general problem of public unions that make it hard to fire or demote deficient public employees surely extends to police work as well. Dont expect the media to spend even ten seconds investigating this possible angle to this or any other episode.

But to repeat the question raised by the Central Park incidentif Floyd had been white, would this be a national story? Would there be riots? We know that whites make up the majority of people killed at the hands of police nationwide. And you dont have to look very far to find examples of police mistakes or potential excessive force involving whites that seldom get reported widely. Like this one, from this week:

Los Angeles deputies mistakenly killed innocent man in West Hollywood WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (KABC)  Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department mistook an innocent man for a suspect and shot and killed him, authorities said Thursday Authorities responded to an assault with a deadly weapon call in the 900 block of Palm Avenue at 9:29 p.m. Monday. At the time, their information stated that the suspect was a white male wearing a black shirt. When deputies arrived at the scene, they saw a man coming out of an apartment covered in blood, and then a second man ran out. That man, identified as 30-year-old John Winkler of West Hollywood, was wearing a black shirt and appeared to be lunging at the victim, investigators said.

Or this one from last year:

Disturbing video shows Dallas officers joking as they restrain man who died Disturbing police body camera footage released Wednesday shows a man being restrained by Dallas officers before his death and yelling, Youre gonna kill me! The footage showing the August 2016 death of Tony Timpa in Dallas shows an officer pinning him to the ground with his hands cuffed behind him for nearly 14 minutes as the 32-year-old eventually becomes unresponsive. Officers are heard joking that Timpa had fallen asleep, with one yelling five more minutes, mom! Timpas death in the parking lot of an adult video store came after he called 911, saying he was off his medication for schizophrenia and depression and needed help. . . The three officers were placed on administrative leave but returned to full duty in April, according to Dallas police. Dallas police said Vasquez and another officer, Raymond Dominguez, were disciplined for being discourteous and unprofessionalism. Police incident reports cited by the Morning News say Timpas behavior was aggressive and combative, but the video shows Timpa writhing as he apparently struggles to breathe, repeatedly asking the officers to stop restraining him. Hes heard yelling, Help me! Timpa was unarmed and had already been handcuffed by a private security guard before officers arrived, the paper reports.

Sounds a lot like the Floyd case. The only difference is Timpa was white. So no political angle for the national media and the race bait industry to exploit.

* UPDATE: Im pleased to see that Van Jones agrees with me on this point, saying on CNN this morning: Its not the racist person in the KKK that we have to worry about. Its the white, liberal Hillary Clinton supporter walking her dog in Central Park.
For Anaconda High Schools Class of 2020 graduates, the end of their high school education looks nothing like it did for the classes before them. And they, along with school leaders, have faced changes to their celebrations along with their lessons.

District leaders and parents had to get creative. They gathered advice from the Office of Public Instruction as well as feedback from students while also staying within the parameters of requirements from state and local government and health officials, according to Anaconda High School Principal Monte Thacker.

The senior class will be honored first with a parade Friday, May 29, and then with an outdoor commencement ceremony on Friday, June 5.

Anaconda is a wonderful community, Thacker said. The community has come together and parents have done a great job stepping up so that we could do something special for the kids. They deserve huge kudos.

Anaconda High and public schools have been closed since Gov. Steve Bullock ordered Montana schools on March 15 to close their doors to help contain the virus. Bullock recently started to allow stores, churches, restaurants, bars and gyms to reopen, with limits to prevent spread.

Thacker said he feels fortunate that Anaconda High can have a ceremony to honor the achievements of its graduating seniors. He said the hardest part of this year was not having students, especially the seniors, around for the last quarter.

Its been an excellent and interesting year, said Thacker, who just completed his first year as Anaconda Highs principal. We have great kids and a great staff. Theyve all done a great job practicing social distancing and trying to adjust to it on the fly.

Along with neighboring districts, the Anaconda School District has modified its commencement plans to meet the needs of the current COVID-19 landscape.

Stringent social distancing rules will govern Anaconda Highs ceremony, according to Thacker. He said the district has worked closely with the Anaconda-Deer Lodge Health Department to develop a safe, socially distant celebration.

We are going to try to make it as normal as possible while still maintaining social distancing, Thacker said.

So, on June 5 Anaconda High Schools graduating class of 70 students will head to their assigned seats at the Memorial Stadium in Anaconda, seated 6 feet apart, wearing face masks donning the schools logo.

Thacker said the district was able to order 100 custom-designed face masks through a donation from the Community Hospital of Anaconda to provide to all graduates, school board members and administrators for graduation.

Individual families will be seated together on the bleachers and separated 6 feet apart. All attendees must wear a mask from the time they enter the stadium until they leave.

Each graduate can bring six members of the family to adhere to COVID-19 social distancing requirements, but exceptions to invite more will be made for students with separated parents, Thacker said.

To prevent students from congregating, Thacker said the ceremony will forgo the traditional march to Pomp and Circumstance. Instead, the graduation tune will simply play as students enter and find their assigned seats, he said.

The ceremony is expected to last no more than an hour, Thacker said. It will feature speakers, and then graduates will process forward  slowly, still distanced  to receive their diplomas.

Itll be a shortened ceremony, Thacker said. So, instead of reading all the scholarships each graduate has received, well just say this student received X amount of scholarships.

The top five students with the highest GPAs will each have the opportunity to deliver 3 to 5 minute speeches. (See related breakout).

Other condensed speeches will be delivered by guest speaker Bobbie Frank, a retired school district teacher, and Thacker.

People ought to keep an eye out on Anaconda, Thacker said. Our students are going places. They are the greatest kids in the world, and its been an honor to be a part of them.

Meanwhile, the celebratory parade for Anacondas class of 2020 is set to kickoff at 7 p.m. Friday, May 29.

The parade will begin at the courthouse, travel down Main Street, head east on Park Avenue, travel west on Commercial Street to Evergreen Street, then east on Park Avenue and back onto Main Street to end at the courthouse.

Only Anaconda seniors can take part in the parade, except for a driver for the vehicle they are traveling in or with. All students must ride inside a vehicle, in the bed of a pickup or on a trailer attached to a vehicle.

Spectators should plan to socially distance themselves along the route.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Legal aid most sought when applying to Russian Childrens Ombudsman in 2019

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

13:25 29/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 29 (RAPSI, Alena Savelyeva)  Russias Childrens Rights Commissioner Office has registered almost 1,600 applications on problems related to judicial protection and professional legal assistance, the press service of Ombudsman for Children Anna Kuznetsova informs on Friday.

In 2019, the number of appeals concerning judicial protection and professional legal aid grew by 37.1%, according to a report of the Childrens Rights Commissioner. The applicants sought help in overturning court rulings they believed had been contrary to the interests of minors. In such cases the applicants were briefed about respective legislative provisions. Besides, the Ombudsman on her initiative took part in civil litigations and presented her opinions in defense of the rights and lawful interests of children, the report reads.

The applications citizens addressed to regional Childrens Rights Commissioners as to their participation in in civil processes in the form of their opinions, Kuznetsova notes, are not less urgent. However, the regional Ombudsmen have no procedural right to participate in such court hearings; therefore Kuznetsova believes it necessary to amend the respective legislation to the effect that regional Childrens Rights Commissioners could on their initiative intervene in civil litigations providing their opinions so to protect and defend lawful interests of minors.

Besides, Kuznetsova urges executive authorities to continue their assistance in preparing documents necessary to return children from zones of war conflicts and organizing follow-up procedures as to the families raising the returned children.

This problem is especially difficult to settle, the report reads, as the Childrens Ombudsman, when helping to return such children to Russia, needs also to provide assistance as to compiling the full packages of all necessary documents; to fulfil this task, it is needed that a Russian court recognizes the fact of birth of a child on the basis of an application of his or her mother, if such is known and present, at that, the results of a DNA test are to be taken into attention. Given that in Russia there had been previously no respective case law, first such court rulings were very difficult to obtain, Kuznetsova observes.

According to the Ombudsman, for courts it was difficult to understand, after establishing that mothers and children, whose births were to be registered, were not present in Russia, that their positive rulings were necessary to save these children from prisons they were put in in foreign jurisdictions and transfer them to safe conditions under care of their relatives. To settle this problem, Kuznetsova met with a Deputy Chair of Russias Supreme Court, whereas regional Childrens Ombudsmen carried out tough work as to providing assistance to relatives of the minors in submitting necessary materials to courts and monitoring the whole process up to the issue of birth certificates and registration of minors as Russian nationals. Altogether, 61 children underwent this procedure, Kuznetsova informs.
'The government lights lamps for nurses, but when we demand what is due for us, they don't listen at all.'

IMAGE: Nurses celebrate International Nurses Day in Prayagraj, May 12, 2020. Photograph: Prabhat Verma/ANI Photo

It has become the norm now to clap hands, shower petals and light lamps for healthcare workers though neither the government nor those who clap are aware of the tough conditions under which they work.

"According to the standards set by WHO and also by the Indian Nursing Council, one nurse can be allocated for seven beds in a general ward, that is, the ratio is 1:7. But in India, you find one nurse looking after 15 patients in a general ward which go up to 20 or 30 most of the time."

"Imagine the kind of pressure a nurse is going through under such circumstances. She is not handling 20 machines; she is handling 20 human beings," says Jibin T C, president, United Nurses Association, Maharashtra.

"We don't want to be called angels. We should be treated as professionals," Jibin, below, tells Shobha Warrier/Rediff.com.

Do you feel the pandemic has exposed the shortcomings in the Indian healthcare system? While Kerala with its strong primary healthcare centres managed it well, most other states have been struggling.

Yes, Kerala has managed the pandemic really well, and that is because they have a well-connected system that works like a team.

When they take a decision, everybody is consulted, from the top right up to the front line including the Asha workers.

Asha workers are the people who go to every home and enquire after people. Naturally they are the ones who are directly in touch with the ground realties.

So, it is paramount that they are consulted before planning is done, before a decision is taken.

Kerala followed this method. And that is the reason why Kerala managed the disease very well.

While in other places, only few people are involved in the decision-making. They just follow some guidelines to control the pandemic.

What is needed is, you need to work in the frontline to understand the situation well. This is what is lacking in other states.

In Maharashtra, the number of cases is going up drastically. Yes, we can understand that (population) density is quite high in Mumbai and Pune. But what is essential is the government has to take everyone working in the field along with them.

The number of healthcare professionals in the private sector, both doctors and nurses getting infected here is quite high. This is happening because they are not following the protocol or guidelines.

The government is also least bothered about what is happening. There is no standard protocol that is followed here.

What are the guidelines that are flouted in the states where healthcare workers are getting infected?

The major problem is the PPEs are of average or below average quality.

In many hospitals, the healthcare workers are either not given proper PPEs, or where they are given PPEs, they are not of good quality.

What is the point in providing the healthcare workers with equipment which do not work properly?

When 40 to 50 doctors and nurses get infected, even though they have used PPE, it shows the equipment given to them are faulty and not up to the standard prescribed by WHO.

You feel the authorities do not give adequate importance to the safety of the workers who are in the frontline, in direct contact with infected people?

Yes, there is no doubt about that. It is clear negligence on the part of the authorities.

Looking at the way doctors and nurses are fighting against the pandemic, they need to get protected and also appreciated. They are the most vulnerable in the entire chain as they are in close contact with the patients.

What I feel is the government has not given adequate importance to the safety of healthcare professionals. After all, they are also human beings.

Is it negligence on their part, or lack of knowledge?

I don't think it is lack of knowledge. It is negligence. They do not want to care about nurses. That is the attitude of the government.

Do you think nurses are treated as second class citizens as they are not in the decision-making process while doctors are part of it?

Very true. The power to make decisions is given only to doctors in India.

Look at every level, both at the central level and state level, you will not find a single nurse heading any department. Preference is given only to doctors.

You won't believe, even in the nursing council, doctors are given preference. You will see at least 4 to 5 doctors in the nursing council.

How can a doctor know and address a nurse's issue? His problem will be different from that of the nurses.

Do you think a doctor will be interested in conveying nurses' issues to the government when he himself has a lot of issues?

Nurses should be given representation in various government set-ups, both at the central and state level.

Nurses are the best people to address patients' issues because they are with the patients and they know the patients better. This is an area the government must focus.

Look at the European countries, or any other country outside India, nurses are in equal or higher authority in the government set-up.

Inputs from nurses are valued in other countries. They understand that nurses are the best people to comment on the safety and care of the patients.

Why is it that nurses are treated as second class citizens in India?

The first reason is the dominance of doctors. Doctors are always dominating. They never treat nurses as a team-mate or a professional. So, nurses never get a chance to come up.

Nurses in India are well-trained, knowledgeable and dedicated. So, doctors feel that if they get power, they will start questioning their authority.

That is the reason nurses are not given a chance to develop themselves or come up.

If you look at the qualification of nurses, there are short term courses for nurses, then there are diploma courses for three years and six months, and then there are graduate nurse courses who study for four years and six months.

We also have post-graduation and PhD in Nursing. Now we even have nurse practitioners. But we do not have designations based on the professional qualification, at work.

You released a manifesto on International Nurses Day signed by many nurses from all over the world. How has it been received in India?

As of today, nobody has commented anything on our manifesto. That's why I used the words, 'negligence' and 'dominance'; negligence by the government and dominance by the doctors.

They do not want to look at our problems. When we try to communicate with the government, they do not even reply to us.

How long can this go on?

We cannot wait anymore. We are in the frontline fighting for the patients' safety. We have to also fight with the government and convince them to give us what is due.

If this continues, the quality of care will get affected. All the good people from the nursing community are going abroad. We are losing the best manpower.

Is it because there is more respect and more money outside India?

Of course, that is the truth. The government should see how nurses are treated abroad. They are given great respect in society and also in the system. And they are well paid also.

If you look at a nurse's average salary in India, it is just Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000! That, too, for the kind of work they do.

You feel here you see only symbolic gestures like clapping and lighting lamps while the reality is different?

Exactly. Here the propaganda of the government is showing solidarity with the health workers by lighting lamps and calling them angels! That's the new corporate term used by the government; that we are angels.

Let me tell you, just calling nurses angels does not suffice.

We are not angels, we are professionals. We have a family, and we have to support our family.

I cannot tell the government that I am an angel, so I will not pay my taxes.

I cannot tell the house owner that I am an angel so I will not pay the rent.

I cannot tell the school that I am an angel so I will not pay the school fees.

The government lights lamps for nurses, but when we demand what is due for us, they don't listen at all.

It is like, how can an angel fight with the government?

We don't want to be called angels. We should be treated as professionals.

It was reported that many healthcare professionals, especially nurses, suffer from stress and fatigue.

If you look at the average age of nurses in the private sector in India, it is between 21 and 30. They are very young.

Many of them have just joined with very little experience, and are now fighting the pandemic. They need good moral support at this juncture. They also need to be treated with respect.

According to the standards set by WHO and also by the Indian Nursing Council, one nurse can be allocated for seven beds in a general ward, that is, the ratio is 1:7.

In a critical ward in the ICU, it is 1:1 which means one nurse is responsible for one bed.

But in India, you find one nurse looking after 15 patients in a general ward which goes up to 20 or 30 also.

Imagine the kind of pressure a nurse will be going through. She is not handling 20 machines, she is handling 20 human beings.

She has to be very cautious as, if something goes wrong, she will be blamed.

Medication error happens because of over work as we cannot focus beyond a certain level. That is why she or he should be managing a maximum of seven patients only in a ward. This is the reason why nurses are under tremendous stress.

Also, if you go to a private hospital where the nurses are given accommodation, it looks more like a refugee camp.

The problem with the government set-up is the shortfall of nurses; the ratio between nurses and patients is 1:30 and 1:40! This is the situation in most states.

There were instances of many healthcare workers getting infected though they used PPEs. Was it because they were not properly trained to use the PPEs?

Yes, they were not properly trained to use the PPE. This is a new pandemic and it is necessary that we train everybody, every single person in the healthcare system starting from the doctors.

That is lacking and that's why the virus is spreading among the healthcare workers.

Last week I visited a hospital and found that the quality of the PPEs was very poor. When I checked the polyurethane bag in which the PPEs came, I found that there were no instructions given. There was no specification, no standardisation, no quality control.

Every medical product should have specification written on it with certification. This information was not given to the nurses.

What has this pandemic taught us regarding the kind of healthcare system we need?

Privatising healthcare is not a good idea at all. That's because we will not have any control over private organisations.

We feel the government should invest more in healthcare.

Retaining good manpower is also very important because we are losing good people to other countries.

Instead of depending on the private sector, the government must focus on investing in the public sector and strengthening the primary healthcare system.

Building big hospitals is not the need of the hour, making the primary health centres stronger is what is needed.
After two months of steering most people away from COVID-19 assessment centres in Scarborough, Toronto Public Health is trying something very different.

Starting Friday, if you live in part of Scarborough with some of the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases, the test will come to you.

Pop-up testing centres at five locations will each open on a different day for anyone who thinks they might be infected  whether they are front-line workers or not.

Even people without symptoms are encouraged to come, Scarborough Health Network said Thursday.

The announcement came a day after Toronto Public Health released a map of COVID-19 cases across the city by neighbourhood.

In northeastern Scarborough, the map showed 190 cases in Rouge and 137 in Malvern; there were 199 in Woburn, part of central Scarborough, 127 in Morningside, and 125 in Clairlea-Birchmount.

The first pop-up is Friday at Islamic Institute of Toronto, a Malvern-area mosque at 1630 Neilson Road.

The next two are at Westminister Presbyterian Church, north of Clairlea at 841 Birchmount Road, on Monday, June 1, and on Tuesday at Global Kingdom Ministries, a church at 1250 Markham Road in Woburn.

All pop-ups will operate, in partnership with Toronto Public Health and Ontarios health ministry, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The hospital said it would announce two additional dates and locations soon, but gave few other details, including whether the pop-ups would occur more than once.

SHN continues to have COVID-19 assessment centres outside its Centenary and Birchmount hospital sites. After these opened two months ago, however, it became clear tests would be given mainly to front-line workers showing symptoms.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford complained not enough testing for COVID-19 is being done, and centres at hospitals are now offering tests to the general public.

People who think they have COVID-19 can also call Telehealth Ontario for advice at 1-866-797-0000, or use the provincial governments self-assessment tool online.
CONCORD, N.H. - Gov. Chris Sununu extended New Hampshires stay-at-home order for an additional two weeks, while announcing the limited reopening of hotels, summer camps and houses of worship.

The stay-at-home order had been due to expire on Sunday but instead was extended until June 15.

Hopefully then we can take that next step into a different look and get our summer going as folks would like to see the summer going, Sununu said. Theres still going to be a lot of restrictions in place. Were never going to really be at the point where were 100 per cent open in just a couple of weeks. Thats likely not going to happen.

Churches and other houses of worship, which had been limited by the ban on gatherings of more than 10 people, can resume larger services immediately at 40% of their building capacity, with families spread six feet apart from each other. Susan Hawkins, a funeral director, said the reopening of churches is especially important to grieving families whove lost loved ones to COVID-19.

There are so many people who are waiting for funerals, and its been so difficult, she told the Governors Economic Reopening Task Force earlier Friday. We do need to move forward and take the lessons that have been learned and have everyone keep safe, but continue to live our lives again.

Hotels, inns and other lodging properties have been closed since April 6 except for essential workers and vulnerable populations. Those with fewer than 20 rooms will be allowed to reopen June 5 at full capacity, as will motels, cabins and other properties where guests have separate entrances to their rooms. Larger properties with interior hallways will be limited to 50% capacity. In all cases, only guests from New Hampshire will be allowed, unless they have quarantined in their home states for 14 days before arriving.

The owner of one cabin rental business told the task force shes heard from potential guests whove been coming to New Hampshire to hike, are visiting restaurants and gas stations and then sleeping in their cars.

I know what the governors trying to do and not let an overflow of people come into the state of New Hampshire, but theyre already here, she said. We need to open up lodging not only to get the economy going so we dont lose these small businesses, but also for the safety of the people that are going to come up here anyways.

Summer day camps will be allowed to open June 22, with rules that call for staggered drop-off and pick-up times, limited interaction with parents, keeping campers outside as much as possible, and separating children into small groups that would remain together throughout the day. Sununu said overnight camps will be allowed to reopen June 28, but the specific rules wont be released until next week.

In other coronavirus-related developments:

___

THE NUMBERS

As of Friday, 4,492 people had tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire, an increase of 107 from the previous day. Six new deaths were announced  all involving residents of long-term care facilities  bringing the total to 238.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.

___

TESTING

New Hampshire is making testing for the coronavirus available to anyone in the state without restrictions.

The state in the last few weeks has expanded both testing locations and eligibility, making tests available for example to those with only mild symptoms or to health care workers, people over 60 or those with underlying health conditions regardless of symptoms.

Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette said Friday that anyone who wants to get tested now can do so at nine locations around the state.

___

HOSPITAL INVESTIGATIONS

Two Manchester hospitals are investigating clusters of patients and staff who have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Two asymptomatic patients from the same unit at Catholic Medical Center were discovered to be positive after being tested for placement at long-term care facilities. A staff member on that unit also tested positive, hospital officials said. Catholic Medical Center tested all patients on that unit and more than 600 employees between May 20 and May 26. Seven patients and staff came back positive so far.

At Elliot Hospital, five patients on the geriatric psychiatric unit have tested positive. The hospital is currently testing the remaining patients and all staff on the unit.

Both hospitals are conducting contact tracing to determine the source and scope of exposure, which appears to have occurred via asymptomatic spread in both cases.

___

Associated Press Writer Kathy McCormack contributed to this report.




South Korean prosecutors called in Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong again Friday as part of an investigation into a controversial merger between two Samsung units.







The summons came three days after Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee was questioned for 17 hours about suspicions surrounding the 2015 merger of two major affiliates: Samsung C&T Corp. and Cheil Industries Inc.







Prosecutors suspect Samsung's top management was involved in efforts to facilitate Lee's managerial succession from his ailing father, Lee Kun-hee, and may have intentionally lowered the value of Samsung C&T prior to its merger with Cheil Industries to help benefit the heir apparent.







Lee was the largest shareholder in Cheil Industries, an affiliate that produces textiles, chemicals and electronic chemical materials, with a stake of 23.2 percent. That means a fall in the valuation of Samsung C&T paves the way for a merger ratio advantageous to the Samsung heir.







Lee is said to have denied the allegations.







The prosecution service's investigation seems to have gained steam this year with fresh rounds of a probe into the group's top management amid reports that it's nearing an end. (Yonhap)


OTTAWA  The federal government says Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister has to reach a compromise with First Nations wanting to hold powwows that exceed pandemic distancing rules.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  The federal government says Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister has to reach a compromise with First Nations wanting to hold powwows that exceed pandemic distancing rules.

"If you believe in self-determination of Indigenous peoples, you have to respect choices, even if you dont agree with them," Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller told the Free Press Friday morning.

Lake Manitoba First Nation is planning a June 19 powwow, with the chief expecting at least double the provinces current 50-people maximum cap on gatherings.

Ottawa will not intervene when First Nations want to organize powwows or sun dances, and instead is providing guidance as requested for mitigating the spread of the coronavirus, Miller said.

On Thursday, Pallister told reporters hed raise the issue with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a phone call that evening, saying everyone has to follow the provinces public-health rules.

"We are not people who believe in two-tiered health," the premier said.

Miller shot back Friday that Indigenous people are "the victims" of a system that puts health care in many of their communities under federal management, instead of provincial or local governance.

Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says Ottawa will not intervene when First Nations want to organize powwows or sun dances. (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press)

"That was the cards, I think, that Indigenous communities would say they were dealt, going into this pandemic, and creates that vulnerability that is exacerbated by COVID-19."

Working with Indigenous communities on public health is more complicated, but ultimately more effective than dictating how bands should respond, Miller said.

"We cant sit here in Ottawa and dictate terms to First Nations; thats been tried before," he said.

"Will mistakes be made? Most certainly. But that means more intent negotiation; it means more intense engagement and, sometimes, disagreement."

He added that Manitobas First Nations have had "exemplary" measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 into their communities.

As of Friday morning, no Manitobans who self-identify as First Nations have tested positive for COVID-19 since May 1. Of the provinces 294 cases, 16 have been First Nations. No data has been published on Metis or Inuit people.

Lake Manitoba Chief Cornell McLean told the Canadian Press that the pandemic has put financial and mental strain on many in his community, 160 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

He said ceremonies can help steer people away from alcohol and drugs.

Premier Brian Pallister says everyone has to follow the provinces public-health rules. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files)

"Its important because we are trying to... start that healing process for our members," McLean said.

Earlier this month, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe similarly criticized the Trudeau government, after RCMP were dispatched to a sun dance ceremony.

Miller would not say Friday whether Ottawa will compensate provinces if the events trigger outbreaks that burden health systems.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The federal government has helped fund a response plan to an outbreak of COVID-19 in northern Saskatchewan that has impacted remote Metis and Dene communities. The outbreak has been linked to work camps in the Alberta oilpatch.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs will soon publish guides to limit the spread of COVID-19 at sun dances, powwows and other gatherings.

Dr. Marcia Anderson, a medical officer of health, urged Indigenous people to avoid clustering in large groups and consider drive-in and radio events. Singing and speaking loudly spreads droplets, she noted.

"People might want to think about whether they have several people with hand-drums, instead of being all seated around a big drum," she said in a Friday livestream.

"Theyre critical parts of ceremonies and powwows, so we dont want to say dont do it at all, but we want to think about how we can be creative and flexible."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Most clinicians would say that working across state lines would be ideal, said Kelly Greco, assistant director of outreach and prevention services at the University of Southern California. But, she said, we dont want people to not reach out because of that. We want to have the conversation about what are your current needs, is there anything that were offering now that can help that need and address it, and then how can we connect you with the services where youre at. Greco said the school is offering services designed to fill in the gap: daily workshops about coping and stress management, drop-in virtual consultations, multilingual counselors and special hours for international students.
The state of Michigan is looking at deep cuts to critical services like public safety and education if the federal government doesnt provide more financial assistance to balance state budgets, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the states budget director said Thursday.

Whitmer outlined her top budget priorities two weeks after the states top economists forecasted a multibillion-dollar hole in the states budget for both the current and upcoming fiscal year. Those priorities included protecting funding for education, public safety, local governments, health care and infrastructure.

During a Thursday news briefing, she said shes hopeful deep cuts to K-12 schools are avoidable with help from the legislature, but reiterated several times that more federal funding and flexibility on how states can spend that money is necessary to weather the states massive budget shortfalls.

Michigan and states all over our country need our federal government to step up and to help our efforts, she said.

Related: Michigan set to lose billions in tax revenue as coronavirus hits state budgets nationwide

Budget Director Chris Kolb said state officials cant rely on cuts or the states rainy day fund to solve the problem: The fact of the matter is department budgets are already skinny, and theres simply no way to cut our way out of this."

Its unclear what the administrations plans are should federal lawmakers opt not to provide additional funding to states. Asked several questions about how the state would handle it, Whitmer repeated her call for federal action, adding shes heard there could be Congressional movement in the next couple of weeks.

The ball is in the court of the United States Senate, Whitmer said. Until they act, its still going to be dicey.

Legislative Republicans werent reassured by the Whitmer administrations message. In a joint statement, House and Senate Appropriations Chairs Shane Hernandez, R-Port Huron, and Jim Stamas, R-Midland, said lawmakers need specific details from the governors office on her plans to resolve the budget crisis.

Waiting on a Hail Mary from Congress is not a plan, Stamas said.

At least a handful of lawmakers have already expressed opposition to additional federal funding for states. A resolution introduced in the Michigan House with 10 cosponsors this week urges Congress not to bail states out. That resolution was referred to the House Government Operations Committee.

Related: Coronavirus prompts projected $3.2B drop in Michigan tax revenue, more losses expected

An additional complication in what will already be a very complicated budget cycle: a new law agreed to by Whitmer and the Republican-led legislature requires lawmakers to deliver a budget to Whitmers desk by July 1. The states current fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

Kolb said the lack of clarity about incoming state revenue and information from the federal government could throw a wrench in adhering to that law.

The budget timeline is going to have to be different, he said.

At the states semi-annual Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference - where the state treasurer, budget director and legislative analysts agree to revenue projections that inform the state budget process - officials concluded the state is down about $3.2 billion in tax revenue this fiscal year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The losses wont stop in the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30 - another $3 billion decrease in tax revenue was projected for fiscal year 2021. The group is expected to meet a third time later this year to incorporate additional tax information into the projections, as individuals and businesses were given more time to file this year.

All major tax revenues have trended downward since the coronavirus was first detected in Michigan, but the biggest hits to the budget are sharp declines in both the sales tax and income tax as more people are filing for unemployment and spending less money. Because the state has a balanced budget requirement, the news could mean steep cuts in funding for schools, local governments, roads and more.

At least 31,000 state of Michigan employees are subject to layoff days each pay period starting next week for a savings of $30 million. From May 17 through July 25, most impacted employees will take two unpaid days off each pay period. High-level managers will take one layoff day every other pay period, equating to roughly a 5 percent pay cut.

The state previously laid off more than 2,900 employees for two weeks to save the state $5 million as budget pressures continue, and the Secretary of State extended layoffs for people who work in the departments currently shuttered branch offices another week beyond that.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read more Michigan coronavirus coverage:

Michigan to lay off 2,900 state employees amid budget woes caused by coronavirus outbreak

Yes, Michigan is in a recession, and a quick recovery is unlikely

Republicans, Democrats at odds about who should return to work  and when

When and how will it end? Considering the end-game for Michigans coronavirus crisis
Doctors risk censure to try using treatment with long history of safety

Many of us reach for vitamin C for any cold or flu. But Dr. Andrew W. Saul says doctors who use vitamin C to help patients suffering from COVID-19, and protect others from getting sick, often face intimidation and censorship from federal authorities.

Saul is the founder and editor of the Orthomolecular Medicine News Servicean organization that promotes the use of substances natural to the body to address illness. Since January, Saul has sent out several press releases to share studies and clinical evidence demonstrating success treating COVID-19 with Vitamin C. But he says his message is repeatedly censored.

In part one of this article, Saul discussed doctors who pioneered the use of vitamin C therapies throughout the 20th century, including Dr. Frederick Robert Klenner and Dr. Robert Cathcart. In part two, Saul discusses some of the obstacles todays doctors face with vitamin C, despite a solid track record of safety and efficacy.

Epoch Times: Since weve known what high doses of vitamin C can do since the 1940s, why dont more doctors know about it?

Dr. Andrew W. Saul: Doctors go to medical school and they learn a lot about medicine, but they get very little information about nutrition. And what they do get basically says, Vitamins are wasted money and they dont work and theyll hurt you. But thats not true.

So, where is this coming from? Well, the pharmaceutical industry has a lot of influence on medical education, and this is well known. Dr. Marcia Angell, the former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, wrote a book called The Truth About the Drug Companies years ago. She exposed the whole racket of how medical school and medical research are controlled by pharmaceutical money. But theres not a lot of money in researching vitamin C. You can buy almost half a million milligrams of vitamin C for $15.

Obviously, its much cheaper, but it isnt just about money. Its about egos. Its about ignorance. And its about well-meaning people who can be wrong.

The whole purpose of science, media, and government is to discuss everything. I think the Founding Fathers wanted to be able to talk about anything, and thats why we have the First Amendment. But whats going on right now is that the World Health Organization specifically met with Google, Facebook, Amazon, and other media brokers and asked them to stop allowing this information to be spread in relation to the coronavirus. This information is being deliberately blocked, and if you post it, they will put you in Facebook Jail, which means youre not allowed to post anymore. Ive been there so I speak from experience.

Firsthand reports by physicians are decried as fake news. This is a tremendous moral issue right now, and free discussion of this is not allowed. It is a very serious matter when doctors are fighting a disease that they have no vaccine for, they have no drug to cure, and theyre fighting it with one hand tied behind their back because they are being kept from this information.

The good news is the word got out. When we published the preliminary results of the work in China, we got it out before the censors got to us. So we had a few weeks before the boom was lowered, and it spread like wildfire. Vitamin C was suddenly sold out all around the world. It became very difficult to find, and impossible in some cases.

More and more doctors are now doing this. But some doctors are getting in trouble for using vitamin C because the party line is that you may not do that.

These so-called raids (on the offices of doctors treating patients with vitamin C) are deliberately done to intimidate doctors because they are afraid of losing their medical licenses. But its more of a political than a medical situation. I know a number of doctors who have been under the gun because they dare to use vitamins, but if you have enough money, energy, and time, you can push this and youll win.

We have something right now that actually makes it easier. In 2017, President Donald Trump signed into law the Right to Try Act. This is a federal act that says that people who are in desperate straits can have any medical treatment they want, basically. And that would include using vitamin C for COVID-19.

But if you were to talk to many conventional media outlets, they would say theres no evidence that vitamin C will cure COVID-19. Well, first of all, theres no evidence of anything that will cure COVID-19. So, its any port in the storm. With vitamin C, you have something thats known to be safe, known to improve immune function, known to be an antiviral, and specifically known to be valuable for pneumonia.

People are afraid of dying. And what kills people with COVID-19 is the escalation to pneumonia or SARS. Massive lung inflammation and shut down is what kills people. This is why theyre put on ventilators. This is why its such a terribly serious disease. But pneumonia, influenza viruses, and SARS have been with us for a while and weve never shut down the country because of them. The trick here is to keep someone from dying. And vitamin C has been very well studied in regard to pneumonia. Most people dont know this, but there was a study that was done that showed that even a very small amount of vitamin C given to severely ill elderly patients with pneumonia in hospital reduced the death rate by 80 percent.

Now this study used vitamin C, not even by IV and not even a mega dose, but 200 mg per day. Thats just a little more than two times the U.S. RDA for an 80 percent reduction in death. Were talking about an astonishing benefit with vitamin C even in modest doses. The public needs to know this.

Epoch Times: Whats the difference between vitamin C that comes from food and what doctors are using in these high dose therapies? Because it would take a lot of oranges just to get 1000 mg of vitamin C.

Dr. Saul: Synthetic vitamin C makes it readily available to anyone. Its cheap, but fruit is not. I wish it were, but lets face it.

The vitamin C in fruit is chemically identical to ascorbic acid. You should eat fruits and vegetables for the other good things that they contain, but also take lots of vitamin C as ascorbic acid. You need to do both.

If someone tells you ascorbic acid is bad, take a look and see if theyre selling something. I have no financial connections whatsoever to the vitamin supplement industry.

Epoch Times: So how much should we be taking?

Dr. Saul: So take enough vitamin C to keep you well. If youre not well, Cathcart would say take more. How much more? Take enough that works for you. Were all different, and youre different on different days. Youre different when youre sick than when youre well. So your amount of vitamin C varies, but bowel tolerance always indicates saturation. So you take enough to feel better, but not enough to cause loose stool. Take as much as you comfortably can.

To put that into approximates, the International Society for Orthomolecular Medicine has published these daily recommendations for prevention of COVID-19:

Vitamin C: <3,000 milligrams (or more) daily, in divided doses.

Vitamin D3: <2,000 International Units daily. (Start with 5,000 IU/day for two weeks, then reduce to 2,000)

Magnesium: <400 mg daily (in citrate, malate, chelate, or chloride form)

Zinc: <20 mg daily

Selenium:<100 mcg (micrograms) daily
Building beautiful smiles requires a perfect balance between knowhow, technology, passion, and art.

The Haute Beauty Network, well known for its exclusivity, and luxurious lifestyle, is privileged to present Dr. Roberto Macedo as a leading smile expert representing the Tampa/St. Petersburg market and the newest addition to the Haute Living partnership.

Haute Beauty offers a prominent collective of leading doctors nationwide. The invitation-only exclusive network maintains elite as ever, with only two doctors in every market. This partnership allows Haute Beauty to connect its affluent readers with industry-leading doctors.

Visit Dr. Macedo's website: http://www.accdfl.com

About Dr. Roberto Macedo:

Dr. Roberto Macedo is the new generation of specialists, a prosthodontist, a true smile designer. He brings an energetic collaborative approach that applies to each of his patients dental needs and desires. Dr. Macedo is a prosthodontist who specializes in tooth replacement and restoration. He has over 20 years of experience providing high-end cosmetic dentistry for satisfied patients. He is proud to be a third-generation dental specialist and feels his high standards are a direct result of being involved in all aspects of dentistry from a very young age.

Prosthodontics is a specialty that combines all aspects of dentistry to provide patients with a brand-new smile that is aesthetic and healthy, says Dr. Macedo. Whether it is through a smile makeover, full mouth reconstruction or the practice of general dentistry, I am fortunate enough to witness the life-changing rejuvenation of my patients smiles every day in my office. Dr. Macedo believes that the recipe for successful dentistry is combining expertise, experience, technology and passion all of which patients find in his office.

Dr. Macedo is 100 percent involved in every phase of his patients care as he feels it is important to get to know his patients, he listens to their needs and desires and spend quality time with each patient. He prides himself of being able to envision the final result before starting the treatment, a hard skill to master. He is able to develop a treatment plan that will accurately produce the expected results that solve his patient problems. His passion and dedication to cosmetic dentistry are remarkably allowing him to have over 1500 combined online five stars reviews.

After earning his DDS, MS, PhD, and becoming a prosthodontist, Dr. Macedo taught for three years at Oregon Health and Science University School of Dentistry as a professor. Since 2002 he has lectured extensively on topics including dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, advanced restorative dentistry, aesthetic analysis, minimally invasive dentistry and more. He was able to continue to be involved in hand-on dentistry while perusing his academics, which has enabled Dr. Macedo to excel when working with difficult and complex restorations. He has the additional advantage of having worked in a dental lab prior to Dental School, which helps him not only with aesthetic restorations he provides, but also gives him a deep understanding of exactly what is involved for optimum function.

Building beautiful smiles requires a perfect balance between knowhow, technology, passion and art, -Roberto Macedo DDS MS PhD
In a rare instance, the Bombay high court recently ordered perjury proceedings against head constable Deepak Trivedi, who, as an eyewitness, failed to identify the men who murdered builder Swapnil Shirke alias Pintu, 30, on the premises of the sessions court in Nagpur in June 2002.

Trivedi was the lone policeman escorting Shirke, an accused in a murder case, to the court. He was chased on the premises and stabbed multiple times by 10 men. Trivedi, too, was injured and hospitalised in the attack.

In 2017, a division bench of the Supreme Court had dismissed an appeal by the accused and upheld the life sentence awarded to Congress corporator Vijay Krishnarao Mate and six others, including Raju Bhadre, Kiran Umrao Kaithe, Dinesh Gaiki, Umesh Dahake, Ritesh Gawande, and Kamlesh Nimbarte, by the Bombay high court. Four others arrested in the case were acquitted for want of evidence.

In 2015, the Bombay high court while sentencing the accused to life imprisonment had initiated perjury proceedings against Trivedi for failing to identify the accused in the case, claiming the incident had happened 10 years ago. The HC had issued show-cause notice to the constable asking him why he should not be prosecuted

Trivedi in his response to the high court notice had stated that he committed the mistake of not identifying some of accused because a period of ten years had lapsed when he testified before the trial court. He had sought pardon on the grounds that he had put in 22 years unblemished service and had been compulsorily retired.

The division bench of justice NW Sambre and justice NB Suryawanshi took the notice into consideration while ordering the prosecution. High court cannot be a silent spectator where stinking facts warrants interference in order to serve the interests of justice, noted the bench, adding, If this court remains oblivious to the patent facts on record, it would tantamount to failure in performing its obligation under the law.

High court, however, refused to accept the explanation. We are not convinced that because of lapse of 10 years, some mistake has taken place while identifying some of the accused and that the said mistake was not deliberate or intentional.

The bench said being a responsible policeman on duty and as the deceased was in his custody on the court premises when he was brutally murdered, being the eye witness, Trivedi was duty-bound to tell the truth before the trial court. However, he resorted to falsehood and hence, we are unable to accept the explanation offered by him.

The bench also rejected the arguments advanced on his behalf that the high court had no authority to order prosecution for perjury. This Court not only has the authority to exercise such jurisdiction, but also has an obligation to exercise such power in appropriate cases, said the bench. Looking to the facts of the present case, in our considered opinion, this is a fit case to exercise such jurisdiction, so as to maintain the majesty of judicial process and the purity of legal system, noted the bench, while ordering for his prosecution.

Case Background

Swapnil Shirke, an engineering graduate, wanted to start his own business and had ventured into real estate. With his uncle Ranjit Shirke, he had decided to develop a 21-acre plot at Sakkardara. Swapnil had formed a cooperative society under the name Bhagyashri Cooperative Society in 2001 to develop the land which came as succession from the erstwhile royal family of Raje Raghuji Bhosle. Then sitting Congress corporator Vijay Mate had allegedly encroached upon 7000 square feet of the land in the property that belonged to Shirkes, and when Shirkes had tried to settle the dispute amicably, Mate had asked Swapnil to stay away from developing the land which set of an ugly war between them.

On July 18, 2001, Mate was allegedly shot at and his confidante Sanjay Gaikwad was killed. Swapnil was arrested as the main accused in the case. It was in this case that Swapnil was being produced when Mate engineered an attack on him in broad daylight and killed him.

The Nagpur police arrested 17 accused, including Mate, who surrendered himself before the police. A sessions court in Nagpur sentenced eight persons including Mate to life imprisonment, while it acquitted seven others in the case in October 2013. An appeal before the Bombay High Court sentencing 12 people in the case while acquitting three others in 205. The accused then moved an appeal before the Supreme Court while sentenced seven people including Mate to life imprisonment while it acquitted four others. One accused Raju Gaikwad is still wanted in the case.
The Philadelphia school board Thursday night passed a $3.5 billion budget that narrowly avoids school-based cuts for the 2020-21 school year but warned that down the road pandemic-related financial problems could emerge.

The coronavirus has seesawed the districts finances.

At one point, the district projected a healthy surplus for the coming fiscal year; later, it was looking at a $38 million deficit. But a partial city reopening in coming weeks, coupled with a state proposal to keep education subsidies at fiscal 2020 levels despite deep cuts in other areas means the district will skate by, even without the property-tax increase that Mayor Jim Kenney once proposed and later withdrew.

The districts budget includes no new money for new labor pacts with the school systems two largest unions, representing its teachers and blue-collar workers. Both contracts expire in August.

And the five-year picture remains stark.

 READ MORE: Schools brace for budget cuts as the coronavirus wreaks havoc on the economy

Chief financial officer Uri Monson said the Philadelphia School District projects a budget deficit of just over $700 million by 2025  down from a forecasted shortfall of nearly $1 billion over five years.

The district is better than we were before, but obviously facing some significant fiscal challenges, Monson told the board.

 READ MORE: 6,000 Philly educators weighed in on reopening schools in September with the pandemic still in play. Heres what they said.

The new budget contains some funds for an eventual reopening of schools that have been shuttered since September, but with so many unknowns, Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. has directed central office departments to prepare 10% across-the-board cuts in case more funds are needed. Like many districts around the country, Philadelphia is contemplating the possibility of having to institute smaller class sizes, do more cleaning, and purchase added equipment.

We want to make sure we have the funds available to deal with those types of issues, Monson said.

Any cuts, Monson said, will be made with an eye toward minimizing the impact to schools.

Board President Joyce Wilkerson noted the tough path the district faces going forward, given the economic downturn associated with the pandemic.

Were adopting the budget at a time of great uncertainty, Wilkerson said.

The board lacks the authority to raise its own funds and so relies heavily on the state and city to run schools. Officials have been able to largely insulate schools, but that wont be possible without infusions of new money.

Cuts, Wilkerson warned, could be more severe than what we lived through seven years ago," when Pennsylvania slashed education spending to the district by more than $300 million.

We simply cannot endure a funding loss of that magnitude and erase all the progress thats been made, Wilkerson said.

Relative to other big-city school districts, Philadelphia is in decent shape, Monson said, thanks largely to a healthy fund balance it had built up to weather such emergencies.

It buys us time while the economy recovers, so were not making desperate decisions under a really short timeline, Monson said. Im probably a little calmer than a lot of my colleagues around the country, but theres still a lot of work to be done over the next several years.
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - Media OutReach - May 29, 2020 - Business Insider, the leading brand in business news for the digital generation, today announces the launch of its latest bureau in Singapore. The newsroom will support Business Insider's Asian coverage of global business, news, and lifestyle, and support the company's 24-hour news operation around the globe.

Business Insider covers global business -- particularly transformation and innovation -- including news and trends impacting Singapore, Asia, and beyond. It also reports on the growing movement among both corporate leaders and politicians for improving capitalism as it's been practiced globally -- what Business Insider refers to as the need for a "Better Capitalism."

The debut of Business Insider's Singapore newsroom follows the conclusion of the company's license partnership with Singapore Press Holdings. That partnership operated two stand-alone sites, Businessinsider.sg and businessinsider.my, both of which will wind down in June. Users will be directed to the main Business Insider site, https://www.businessinsider.com.





About Business Insider

Business Insider is one of the most popular business news brands in the world. Launched in 2007, Business Insider has 17 global editions in eight languages. Business Insider and its sister general interest news publication, Insider, are under the Insider Inc. umbrella, which has more than 350 million unique monthly visitors across all platforms and generates hundreds of millions of video views each month. Insider Inc. offers a subscription research service, Business Insider Intelligence (BII), which provides in-depth insights, data, and analysis of digital topics, including mobile, social, Internet of Things, and FinTech. Insider Inc. is a subsidiary of Axel Springer SE.
Shoppers had a lucky escape after timberwork crashed onto the pavement outside a busy Cork City centre shop.

Two women suffered minor injuries in the incident outside the Dealz store on Daunt Square.

However, the authorities insisted last night there is no further risk to the public after a detailed engineering inspection of the historic Queens Old Castle building, where the shop is located.

There were concerns that the incident was another example of a structurally unsafe building in the historic heart of the city centre. Steel support structures are still propping up the facade of three protected buildings on nearby North Main St almost a year after a partial collapse of the internal structure of the buildings.

However, city council engineers and fire officers said they are satisfied that there are no underlying structural issues affecting the integrity of the Queens Old Castle building itself following yesterdays incident.

It is understood that a section of the shopfront timberwork above the shop entrance gave way following an issue with a metal strip designed to keep it attached to the front of the building.

The alarm was raised just after 12pm when a section of the decorative timberwork above and to the left of the Dealz shop entrance came loose and collapsed onto the pavement. Two women were apparently struck by the falling debris.

Members of Cork City Fire Brigade were dealing with a separate matter just around the corner on Castle St and were on the scene within seconds and cordoned off the area.

They assessed the injured women and requested an ambulance. A doctor also attended a short while later and both women were treated at the scene  one for a minor shoulder injury, the other for a minor foot injury.

Engineers from the city council attended and discussed the matter with representatives of the building owners.

In a statement later, the city council said: The structure is now completely safe, there is no risk to pedestrian safety and the premises owners have arranged for their engineers to carry out further assessments.

A section of footpath outside Dealz will remain cordoned off while the works to make safe the remain timberwork are carried out.
(Newser)  There's way too much going on in the world right now, but the monkeys in India apparently don't care. Reuters reports a "troop" of them attacked an official walking on the campus of a state-run medical college in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut and swiped blood samples of patients who'd tested positive for the coronavirus. "Monkeys grabbed and fled with the blood samples of four COVID-19 patients who are undergoing treatment," says one of the institution's top officials, Dr. SK Garg, who says the patients had to have blood redrawn. It's not clear if any of the blood was spilled during the scuffle or afterward. The Times of India reports that one of the monkeys was found some time later in a tree, gnawing on sample collection kits. As of Friday, India had nearly 170,000 cases of COVID-19, with more than 4,800 deaths.

story continues below

The monkeys' new acquisition is the latest trouble they've stirred up there. Although they've long been a nuisance in India's cities, they've reportedly become "emboldened" during the pandemic lockdown, acclimating even more than before to being around humans, per Sky News. Although Garg tells Reuters there's so far no evidence that monkeys can contract the virus from humans, scientists have been warning locals not to feed monkeys they come into contact with, as the interactions could lead to a mutated coronavirus that can spread through the primate community, as well as among other species. "We have very little understanding of the virus, and it is better to limit our interactions with wildlife till there is more research done," a senior biologist with the Tamil Nadu Forest department tells the Hindu. (Read more India stories.)
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- The Pascagoula Fire Department will distribute 12,000 KN95 masks to the public on Monday.

The masks, given to the fire department by Jackson County Emergency Services, will be distributed beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing until noon at the Pascagoula Senior Center at 1912 Live Oak Ave.

The distribution will be set up as a drive-thru. Those coming to receive masks must remain in their vehicle and no walk-ups will be permitted. There is a five-mask limit per vehicle.

Barricades will be in place to direct vehicles through the drive-thru process, with vehicles entering from Carver Street and exiting east onto Live Oak.

If there are masks remaining, a second distribution day will be held on Tuesday.

Ocean Springs aldermen move meeting to civic center

OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- The Ocean Springs Board of Aldermen has moved its regular Tuesday meeting from City Hall to the Ocean Springs Civic Center in order to accommodate social distancing requirements.

The civic center is located at 3730 Bienville Blvd. The meeting, which will begin at the normal 6 p.m. start time, is open to the public and those attending will be required to maintain 6-foot social distancing. The City will provide hand sanitizer.

In addition, the meeting will be live streamed via the Citys YouTube Channel.
Press Release

May 29, 2020 Senate Health Committee puts focus on mental health concerns amidst COVID-19 pandemic, Bong Go supports amendments to Mental Health Act Recognizing the importance of mental health amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, Senator and Chair of Senate Committee on Health and Demography Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go presided over a committee hearing to tackle Senate Bill 1471 that seeks to amend Republic Act 11036 or the Mental Health Act. In a virtual hearing on Thursday, May 28, Senator Go emphasized that people's mental health should be valued, especially during times of crisis, adding that many individuals these days are experiencing varying forms of depression, particularly among overseas Filipino workers and their families. "In this time of pandemic, we should also ensure that mental health is valued, promoted and protected. Aside from physical health, 'yung mental health importante po, napaka-importante," Go said in his opening statement. "Marami pong nade-depress dahil sa sitwasyon ngayon. In fact, nakakalungkot ang mga OFWs natin, napakatagal na napalayo sa kanilang pamilya. Alam ninyo, hindi nababayaran 'yung lungkot. Napakahirap mapalayo sa pamilya," Go said. Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara, principal author of SB 1471, said that he aims to amend the Mental Health Act after former soldier Winston Ragos was fatally shot by police officers last April 21, and was said to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. "Si Ragos... He was not able to take his monthly medication. He suffered some war shock serving in the military... We'd like to amend Section 5 of the Mental Health Law or Republic 11036 and to add [another] section... Para hindi na po maulit ang mga ganoong insidente kasi ang conclusion seems to be, had he had access to his medicines, perhaps the incident could've been prevented and he would've acted in a different manner," Angara said. The bill aims to amend the existing Section 5 of the Mental Health Act by inserting a new provision so that the service user shall "immediately receive compensation benefits and/or any special financial assistance that the service user is entitled to under existing laws should the service user sustain temporary or permanent mental disability while in the performance of duty or by reason of his or her office or position." During the committee hearing, Senator Go asked the resource persons, composed mostly of mental health experts, about the services that are being done to safeguard the people's psychological wellbeing during the global health crisis, especially for OFWs. Dr. Napoleon Arevalo said that the mental health hotline launched by the National Center for Mental Health is one initiative that aims to reach out to Filipinos who are suffering from mental health issues during the pandemic. "To date, we are providing services to our compatriots by way of our hotline which was launched by the National Center for Mental Health. Meron po tayong hotline na pinapalaganap para sila ay magkaroon ng mental health services. It's not only limited to the government service providers for mental health and psychosocial support," Arevalo said. Dr. Roland Cortez of the NCMH also added that there has been a sharp increase in calls since the lockdown measures, citing that this is clear evidence that people are experiencing higher levels of stress during the pandemic. "We have a crisis hotline that is open 24/7. which is being bombarded with calls. Actually we only had about 60 to 80 calls before the COVID-19 issue. But when we started to have this lockdown, we now have 300-400 calls. Meaning to say, there are a lot of people wanting to communicate with experts in the crisis hotline," Cortez said. Dr. Cortez also added that the NCMH has been working with other agencies to look after the mental wellbeing of Filipinos, including OFWs in distress who have returned home. "We are also happy to inform the general public that we are in support of other agencies where our teams are called to evaluate our OFWs who are experiencing some degree of problems, mentally. Our teams are actually there to support all these agencies that need our interventions and evaluation," Cortez said. Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary Teresita S. Cucueco of the Department of Labor and Employment said that they fully support the legislative measure, adding that their agency also helps in alleviating mental health conditions of people at work through compensation benefits. "The DOLE fully supports the bill as work-relatedness of mental health conditions have long been proven We just also want to manifest to the body that the Employees Compensation Commission of the DOLE can also provide compensation benefits for workers who may experience mental health conditions: stress at work, conditions at work that may lead to these mental health conditions and affect the workers," Cucueco said. Ending the committee hearing, Senator Go said that he will take note and consider all the points raised by the resource persons in drafting the committee report to further strengthen the country's response to the pandemic, citing that the health of every Filipino is of utmost importance. "With or without COVID-19, napakimporante ng health, kalusugan po ng bawat Pilipino... Let me reiterate, let us learn from this pandemic and work together to strengthen our health care system and to better provide quality health care to our people," Go said. Aside from the mental health amendment bill filed by Senator Angara, other bills that were also tackled during the same hearing were SB 1132 filed by Senator Ralph Recto, requiring all public hospitals to prepare and implement a hospital site development plan; and SB 1437 of Senator Ramon Revilla and SB 1095 of Senator Manuel Lapid strengthening the regulation of health facilities in the country.
New Delhi: A Rajya Sabha Secretariat official tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, the fourth such case detected in the Parliament complex, news agency PTI quoted sources as saying.

The director-level officer who attended work on May 28 was found positive for the infection along with his family members, they said.

Two floors of the Parliament's Annexe building have been sealed, the sources added.

This is the second case of an official posted in the building testing positive for the COVID-19 infection. PT
Marilyn Ann Baugh, 84, was the only child of Thomas and Wilhelmina Schworer. She was born in the tiny town of Orleans, Nebraska in 1936.

The war years did provide multiple construction work opportunities for people willing to travel, which they did, all over the western USA. After the war, Marilyn and her parents settled in Reno, Nevada. With her scholastic achievements at the Bishop Manogue Catholic High School, she went into college at the University of Nevada in Reno.

Not long after starting college, she met a young airman, Milford Jim Baugh, and they were soon married. They were able to stay in Reno long enough to have three children; Gregory, Regina and Lorraine.

In late 1960, the family moved to Eielson AFB near Fairbanks, Alaska. They hooked up the family mobile home to their International Travel-All 4x4 and in the middle of the winter they drove up the Alcan Highway.

Life in the Air Force in Alaska promoted strong small town style friendships; co-workers and neighbors would become life-long friends. After four years in Alaska the family moved to Fairchild AFB outside of Spokane, Washington. Being back in the lower-48 provided the opportunity to take long car trips. Visits to family in as Nebraska, Texas and California provided the direction but there were many stops at parks, deserts, forests and coastlines along the way.

Marilyn restarted her college work in Education at EWSC (now EWU) in Cheney and graduated in 1968. She found her perfect job teaching first and second grades in Creston, Washington. She loved her work at Creston, even with the 100 miles she would have to drive each day. Many lifelong bonds were made with the other teachers, especially the ones that would ride-share out to school in the sometimes-hazardous travel conditions.

Besides teaching her students, one of her proudest memories was that she never got in an accident or received a speeding ticket in all her years of driving to Creston. Marilyn would spend 30 years teaching in Creston, retiring in 1998. She instilled a life long love of reading and learning into all of her children as well.

Marilyn spent her later years at her home west of Fairchild. She loved the quiet, the trees, working in the yard and the view out her living room window. She also loved the friends that she obtained over her life; the Air Force family, her fellow teachers and her friends from church. She enjoyed attending a variety of events with local ladies groups and helped support the Friends of the Medical Lake Library.

Marilyn will be deeply missed by her surviving family, Regina and John Runyan of Spokane, Greg Baugh of Sahuarita, Arizona, her Son-in-Law, Archie Tobler and step-grand children Jake and Susie Tobler. She will be greatly missed by her many friends. No service is planned. Marilyn will be inurned in a niche at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Spokane next to those that preceded her in death; her husband Milford and daughter Lorraine.
US President Donald Trump has sent in National Guard to Minneapolis to help restore peace and tranquility in the city. Earlier this mor...

I cant stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

The National Guard has arrived on the scene. They are in Minneapolis and fully prepared. George Floyd will not have died in vain. Respect his memory!!!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

Earlier this morning protesters stormed Minneapolis police station and set the building ablaze, following the alleged killing of an African-American man, George Floyd by a police officer.Having seen the damages done by these protesters and having waited enough for Jacob Frey, the Mayor of city to restore peace, Trump therefore, called in National Guard to take action and bring peace to the city.His words: I cant stand back and watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard and get the job done right.The National Guard has arrived on the scene. They are in Minneapolis and fully prepared. George Floyd will not have died in vain. Respect his memory.
On Friday morning, as dawn broke through the smoke hanging over Minneapolis, the Gandhi Mahal Restaurant was severely damaged by fire. Hafsa Islam, whose father owns the Bangladeshi-Indian restaurant with members of his family, woke at 6 a.m. to hear the news.

At first, I was angry, said Ms. Islam, 18. This is my familys main source of income.

But then she overheard her father, Ruhel Islam, speaking to a friend on the phone. Let my building burn, he said. Justice needs to be served.

On Friday afternoon, after the fire stopped smoldering and the family came together, he repeated his support for the protests that had closed his restaurant. We can rebuild a building, but we cannot rebuild a human, said Mr. Islam, 42. The community is still here, and we can work together to rebuild.

For days, the Islam family has watched the protests over the arrest and killing of George Floyd, the African-American man who died on Monday after a white police officer pinned him to the ground, a knee pressed against Mr. Floyds neck. The officer has been fired, and on Friday was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, the authorities said.
FILE PHOTO: A logo is pictured on the headquarters of the WHO in Geneva

ZURICH (Reuters) - Thirty-seven countries and the World Health Organization (WHO) appealed on Friday for common ownership of vaccines, medicines and diagnostic tools to tackle the global coronavirus pandemic, taking aim at patent laws they fear could become a barrier to sharing crucial supplies.

While the push by mostly developing nations, called the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool, won praise from groups including Doctors Without Borders, a drug industry alliance questioned if the effort to pool intellectual property would really broaden access to medicines.

Developing and some small nations fear rich countries pumping resources into finding vaccines - more than 100 are in development - will muscle their way to the front of the queue, once a candidate succeeds.

"Vaccines, tests, diagnostics, treatments and other key tools in the coronavirus response must be made universally available as global public goods," said Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado.

The effort, originally proposed in March, aims to provide a one-stop shop for scientific knowledge, data and intellectual property amid a pandemic that has infected more than 5.8 million people and killed more than 360,000.

The WHO issued a "Solidarity Call to Action", asking other stakeholders to join the voluntary push.

"WHO recognises the important role that patents play in fuelling innovation but this is a time when people must take priority," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online news briefing.

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations raised concerns about undermining intellectual property protections, which the group said already enable collaboration and will also be needed after the pandemic is over.

"The 'Solidarity Call to Action' promotes a one-size-fits all model that disregards the specific circumstances of each situation, each product and each country," the federation said.

Story continues

Anna Marriott, health policy manager for anti-poverty group Oxfam, said the divide over how to handle patents illustrated how some regions could wind up losers.

"The pharmaceutical industry's attempt to rubbish the World Health Organisation's initiative suggests they care more for profits than people's health," she said.

(Reporting by Michael Shields and John Miller; Editing by Alison Williams and Frances Kerry)
From starling aberrations to self-turbulent fluids, 'active systems' encompass a wide family of phenomena in which individual objects propel themselves forward, allowing them to display intriguing collective behaviours. On microscopic scales, they are found in groups of living organisms which move around by squirming, and are aligned with Earth's gravitational fields due to their bottom-heavy mass distributions. Through research published in EPJ E, Felix Ruhle and Holger Stark at the Technical University of Berlin find that depending on their properties, these objects collectively spend most of their time in one of two states, between which some intriguing behaviours can emerge.

The duo's insights could help to explain the mysterious properties of some groups of microorganisms, including thin films of phytoplankton which are sometimes found in coastal regions, and algae which form 'dancing' clumps. They found that these collective behaviours are determined by the ability of the self-propelling objects to swim upwards against the gravitational force, and their degrees of bottom-heaviness. For lower values of these quantities, groups of swimmers will sink to the bottom of their container just like inactive dust grains; but for higher values, will instead collect at the top. In between these states, smaller clusters of swimmers group at the bottom, which are fed by plumes of sinking particles. Also, porous clusters of swimmers can form, which allow individual particles to escape.

Ruhle and Stark made their discoveries using computer simulations involving around 900 bottom-heavy squirmers in a fluid. Through their advanced techniques, they were able to account for any interactions between the swimmers, as well as the properties of the fluid itself. The duo's results now offer fascinating new insights into the properties of active systems under the influence of gravity, and could help biologists to better understand the roles of certain microorganisms in natural ecosystems.
Value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. After all, who wouldnt want to find stocks that are either flying under the radar and are compelling buys, or offer up tantalizing discounts when compared to fair value?

One way to find these companies is by looking at several key metrics and financial ratios, many of which are crucial in the value stock selection process. Lets put, Cathay General Bancorp Inc. CATY stock into this equation and find out if it is a good choice for value-oriented investors right now, or if investors subscribing to this methodology should look elsewhere for top picks:

PE Ratio

A key metric that value investors always look at is the Price to Earnings Ratio, or PE for short. This shows us how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings in a given stock, and is easily one of the most popular financial ratios in the world. The best use of the PE ratio is to compare the stocks current PE ratio with: a) where this ratio has been in the past; b) how it compares to the average for the industry/sector; and c) how it compares to the market as a whole.

On this front, Cathay General Bancorp has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 8.59, as you can see in the chart below:





This level actually compares pretty favorably with the market at large, as the PE for the S&P 500 compares in at about 19.55. If we focus on the stocks long-term PE trend, the current level Cathay General Bancorp puts current PE ratio below its midpoint (which is 14.60) over the past five years.





Also, the stocks PE compares favorably with the Zacks Finance sectors trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 12.71. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.





We should also point out that Cathay General Bancorp has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this years earnings) of 11.99, so it is fair to expect an increase in the companys share price in the near future.

Story continues

P/S Ratio

Another key metric to note is the Price/Sales ratio. This approach compares a given stocks price to its total sales, where a lower reading is generally considered better. Some people like this metric more than other value-focused ones because it looks at sales, something that is far harder to manipulate with accounting tricks than earnings.

Right now, the stock has a P/S ratio of about 2.76. This is substantially lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.27 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is slightly below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.





If anything, this suggests some level of undervalued tradingat least compared to historical norms.

Broad Value Outlook

In aggregate, Cathay General Bancorp currently has a Value Style Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes CATY a solid choice for value investors and some of its other metrics make it clear too.

For example, the its P/CF ratio comes in at 6.73, which is slightly better than the industry average of 8.06. Clearly, CATY is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.



What About the Stock Overall?

Though Cathay General Bancorp might be a good choice for value investors, there are plenty of other factors to consider before investing in this name. In particular, it is worth noting that the company has a Growth grade of D and a Momentum score of D. This gives CATY a VGM scoreor its overarching fundamental gradeof C. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >> ).

Meanwhile, the companys recent earnings estimates have been disappointing. The current quarter has seen one estimates go lower in the past sixty days and one higher, while current year estimate has seen one downward and one upward revision in the same time period.

This has had a noticeable impact on the consensus estimate. The current quarter consensus estimate has declined 17.9% in the past two months, while the current year estimate has fallen 9.2% in the same time period. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

Cathay General Bancorp Price and Consensus

Cathay General Bancorp Price and Consensus

Cathay General Bancorp price-consensus-chart | Cathay General Bancorp Quote

This negative trend is why the stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and why we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.

Bottom Line

Cathay General Bancorp is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. However with a sluggish industry rank (bottom 39% out of more than 250 industries) and a Zacks Rank#3 , it is hard to get excited about the stock overall. In fact, over the past one year, the sector has clearly underperformed the broader market, as you can see below:





So, value investors might want to wait for estimates, analyst sentiment and broader factors to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.

The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All

Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.

See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>







Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Cathay General Bancorp (CATY) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
New Delhi, May 29 : A 78-year-old cancer patient who was struck in Delhi due to the lockdown after he came here for treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will finally return home after months of waiting.

Lal Babu Chaudhary came from Bihar's Samastipur in December last year for getting treatment for cancer, however, he could hardly complete his chemotherapy as the Covid-19 outbreak happened.

He was living in a shelter home near the hospital along with his wife. "I came to Delhi with my wife almost six months ago for receiving treatment as I am suffering from cancer, the hospital authorities refused an operation keeping in mind the health risks seeing my age.

"Later, chemotherapy was seen as an option and it began, however, even before it could be completed, hospital operation was curtailed given the spread of the pandemic," the elderly cancer patient who has been facing difficulty in walking and standing told IANS.

"Since the outbreak happened, the treatment had to stop and we were shifted to a shelter home as we were earlier residing outside AIIMS. But, home is home and till how long could we live in these shelters? Now, I will return after the pandemic ends and the situations returns to normalcy," he added.

Chaudhary and his wife aren't the only ones who have been facing the wrath during the complete lockdown, there are many other outstation patients who came to Delhi for treatment but are now stuck in the city as most of the hospitals are busy in handling the COVID-19 lot.

"I went back to my home but during the lockdown I had to come back as I was unwell. I was staying at Vishram Sadan of AIIMS and since then I was stuck here unless one social activist arranged buses for us to go back to our homes," said Nirmi Prasad Gupta, who is suffering from a severe kidney ailment.

Another patient, Moti Chand Majhi told that he came to Delhi for an operation but since the lockdown was imposed across the country to control the spread of COVID-19, he got stuck as there was no transportion facility available.

Social activist Yogita Bhayana along with some others and in full coordination with the authorities arranged for the travel of these outstation patients who had come to the national capital from different parts of the country in order to get treatment at the AIIMS and many others hospitals here.

While the arrangement was made mostly for the outstation patients, many migrant workers and students who were stuck here were also sent back to their hometowns, that too, free of cost. "My parents are not well, I had come to Delhi for seeking a job and getting them treated too. But since the lockdown was imposed, everything was shut and since then, we struggled a lot as there was difficulty in arranging food and shelter in the beginning. Now, we are going back home after being stranded for 2 months in Delhi. Yogita ma'am helped us to reach our home in Begusarai," 28-year-old Rita said.

While the migrants are walking long distances to reach their homes, many of these outstation patients who came to Delhi for treatment are unable to walk as majority of then are suffering from serious ailments.

Recently, the Delhi High Court asked AIIMS to look into the possibility of restarting its Out Patient Department (OPD) services in a limited way, in the next two weeks.

On Friday, the high court said there should be a system in place to ensure maintenance of facilities at night shelters being run in the national capital by the state-run Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), and directed involvement of NGOs and social workers to supervise functioning of the shelters.

The order came while hearing two PILs seeking to address the grievance of about hundred out-station patients and their attendants, residing in night shelters here, who were earlier being provided treatment for several ailments at the AIIMS, which allegedly stopped treating them after COVID-19 outbreak.

It also directed that any grievances, complaints or suggestions that DUSIB may receive in respect of any of its night shelters from such NGOs, or social workers, "should firstly be taken on record and action taken without any delay".

"All such aspects should be brought to the notice of the CEO of DUSIB within a day of the complaint/suggestion being received. DUSIB shall set up/create a cell, wherein such like complaints/ suggestions could be lodged..."
Representative Image

Over 1.6 lakh cases of COVID-19 have been recorded across India, with the number continuously rising. This, even as the country has remained under lockdown for over two months now, with businesses and economic activity having taken a severe hit. In India, the death toll due to the pandemic has crossed 4,700, while nearly 3.6 lakh people globally have lost their lives due to the infection.

With the ongoing phase of the nationwide lockdown set to end on May 31, several reports have suggested that the government may further extend the same until June 15.

Here are the top developments of the day:

> In a first, Jharkhand government arranged chartered flights and facilitated the return of 60 migrant workers stranded in the Balakit-Kargil sector of Ladakh. The migrants had, earlier this month, reached out to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Twitter, following which he got in touch with the Ladakh UT local administration and asked Home Minister Amit Shah to allow the state to airlift its people from Leh.

> The Delhi government has attached Hotel Crown Plaza, Okhla, with Batra Hospital, Hotel Surya, New Friends Colony, with Apollo hospital, Hotel Siddharth, Rajendra Place, with Dr BL Kapur Hospital for converting them into extended COVID-19 hospitals. Hotel Jivitesh, Pusa Road, has been attached with Sir Ganga Ram City Hospital and Hotel Sheraton, Saket, with Max Hospital, for the same.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

> Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced a hike in the monthly remuneration of bonded doctors, bringing them on par with their colleagues hired on contract. The state government has also decided to offer Rs 50 lakh insurance cover to government, private, contractual and outsourced staffers discharging duties related to prevention of COVID-19 and treatment of patients, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said.

> With nearly 60,000 cases of COVID-19, Maharashtra is reeling under the rising burden of infections. Mumbai has recorded 1,437 new positive cases and 38 deaths today, which takes the total number of positive cases in the city to 36,710, as per the latest update by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.

> Spain's left-wing coalition government on May 29 approved the creation of a minimum income worth 462 euros ($514) a month for its poorest people, whose financial fragility has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

> The Odisha government unveiled a Rs 17,000-crore plan to support the livelihood of people, including farmers and migrant workers, hit hard by the economic crisis triggered by the coronavirus outbreak and the ongoing lockdown.

> West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that religious places can open up from June 1 and allowed full attendance at public and private offices.

> Hospitals in the US said they have pulled way back on the use of hydroxychloroquine, the malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump as a COVID-19 treatment, after several studies suggested it is not effective and may pose significant risks.

> India's coronavirus death toll has surpassed that of China after it reported a total of 4,706 fatalities, while it overtook Turkey to become the ninth worst-hit nation by the pandemic with 1,65,799 COVID-19 cases.

> United Nations (UN) chief Antonio Guterres has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to a loss of $8.5 trillion in global output  the sharpest contraction since the Great Depression  if nations did not respond with unity and solidarity.
A District of Columbia preservation panel told the National Geographic Society on Thursday to suspend its current campus redesign plan pending further review of the proposed removal of an acclaimed sculptural installation on the site.

Under the ruling by the Historic Preservation Review Board, the society must return and answer questions about its plan to dismantle Marabar, a water-and-stone installation by Elyn Zimmerman, which was added to its Washington campus in 1984.

The board chairwoman Marnique Heath told the society to present its plan again and to strongly consider retaining the sculpture in some form, possibly relocating it somewhere on the site as part of a new concept, or if not, why that is not at all possible.

The review board has received more than two dozen letters from opponents of the plan, including such influential experts as Adam D. Weinberg, director of the Whitney Museum of American Art. Many of the letters asked the board to reconsider its concept approval  issued last year  for the expansion plan, which envisions a glass entrance pavilion and a rooftop deck that can be rented for events.
Investigators are working to "untangle" the changing story of a nurse at the centre of two coronavirus scares in Queensland.

The unnamed woman was suspended from her job after she continued to show up for work at a Rockhampton nursing home when she had symptoms of the virus, and while waiting on test results.

The nurse had made a road trip inland to Blackwater before returning to work at the North Rockhampton Nursing Centre. Credit:AAP/Levi Appleton

Questions are also being asked about a road trip she took to the small town of Blackwater, while the state had been in lockdown, after a local man died with the virus this week.

On Friday it also emerged the nurse travelled to Kuala Lumpur in late March.
Boston-based running label Tracksmith has teamed up with wellness brands Ciele, Hyperice, Linden X Two, Roka, and Whoop, to host a global virtual running event called The Perfect Mile: Fundraising for the Front Line. Registration to participate is $15, and 100% of proceeds from the initiative are headed directly to the United Nationss COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

The event is actually already underway, and will last through EOD Sunday, May 31st. Once you register (which can be done here), youll receive a digital pack which includes various animated wallpapers with The Perfect Mile logo, for easy posting to Instagram Story, Facebook, or wherever you share your content. Youll also receive promo codes for deals on gear from every participating brand.

Importantly: This is not a race. The online racing community has stepped up to the plate over the last few weeks, big time, and put together some creative challenges  Brooklyn Track Club is hosting a prize mile at the end of June, in collaboration with VDOT02, while Trials of Miles is hosting a March Madness-style tournament called Survival of the Fastest where distances vary each week  but The Perfect Mile is focused more on community than competition. At a time when the sports interpersonal network (clubs, 5Ks, corner running stores) has taken an incalculable hit, and so many have had to soldier on alone, heres a way to run together.

That said, if you do PR, dont hold back on telling the world. Just tag #ThePerfectMile when you do. After youve finished your mile run and spread some goodwill, take advantage of the events special-offer discounts. Its a murderers row of brands, with excellent discounts throughout:

CIELE: $6 off your order of $60 or more, and Ciele will contribute an additional $6 to the WHO fund

$6 off your order of $60 or more, and Ciele will contribute an additional $6 to the WHO fund HYPERICE: 10% off all products at Hyperice.com

10% off all products at Hyperice.com LINDEN X TWO: 20% off your next order, good until July 1st

20% off your next order, good until July 1st ROKA: $50 off an order of $150 or more

$50 off an order of $150 or more TRACKSMITH: $15 off your next purchase of $75 or more

$15 off your next purchase of $75 or more WHOOP: 20% off any WHOOP membership

Most of the codes extend into late June. Ciele is an adventure outfitter, Hyperice makes recovery products (including those famous NormaTec sleeves) Lindex X Two is a specialty coffee company founded by former Olympians, Roka deals in performance eyewear, Tracksmith has some of the best (and handsomest) running apparel out there, and Whoop is a wearable that tracks personal fitness metrics.

For more information on The Perfect Mile, head here. Good luck out there  remember to save some juice for that fourth lap.

Subscribe here for our free daily newsletter.

The post Tracksmith Is Hosting a Virtual Mile Run in Support of the UN's COVID-19 Response Fund appeared first on InsideHook.
An anti-abortion activist who sued the city of Portland claiming his First Amendment rights were violated when parks and police staff forced him to leave a downtown park last year and banned him for 30 days will receive $50,000 to settle the suit.

The settlement was approved by the Portland City Council on Wednesday. Randy Stenquist, a city liability manager, told the council that the city admits to violating Mark Mayberrys rights when a park ranger ordered him to leave Tom McCall Waterfront Park last June as he was holding an anti-abortion sign and telling passers-by about his beliefs. The ranger cited Mayberry and summoned police officers when the Christian evangelist refused to leave.
Home  Lifestyle  A tale of two Nepali journalists who podcast in New York to help immigrants

Sunday, May 25, 2018 was when we first launched the weekly audiovisual podcast At the End of the Day, a weekly career guide to newly arriving young immigrants in the United States.

On this occasion of having completed two years, we thought, is a good time to share some key moments from our podcasting journey.

So, how it all began?

As a married couple, we moved to the US in 2014. We both had a media background in Nepal. Dipika was working for BBC Media Action and Anuz for News 24 Television.

Moving to the US was a great challenge in terms of career transition. And we realised, this is exactly what most of the new immigrants go through. Immigrant youth, even those with strong professional backgrounds back home, have a hard time not knowing how to transition their career in this new home. The same was the situation with us.

We had so many questions: how we expand our exposure, how we start networking with professionals here, who could potentially guide us, whom we reach out to, what we could do to land the foot in the right door.

And then we realised, if we could learn and share, the personal experiences of immigrant professionals in the US who did go through similar challenges, but then, with their sheer determination, persistence, and hard work, were eventually able to make their career goals come true! So, with this thought in mind, we planned to start a weekly podcast!

Initial days

In the initial days, we did not have guests to interview. So, we began sharing our own career-related learning, as new immigrants.

Because we were doing an audio-and-video podcast, we needed a bright and wide space to film our recordings. In New York City, most of the new immigrants share rooms in an apartment and most of the apartments have tiny rooms in them. So, because of the lack of space, we recorded the first few episodes of our podcast in a public park in our neighbourhood in Queens. Obviously, parks are recreational spots, so during the days, the park would be extremely crowded and would be noisy. So, what did we do?

Thank god, summer had just started, so we were able to go to the park early in the morning around 5 and manage to finish our recording just by the time people would start showing up for their morning exercise.

Around the same time, Anuz had just graduated from the City University of New Yorks Graduate School of Journalism. He was interning in different media houses. And, he was doing a part-time job in nightshift. While Dipika was working full time and was doing her graduate programme at Baruch College.

Both of us had extremely busy schedules throughout the week. But, we were enjoying it. As we were keeping ourselves busy, we were also gradually expanding our professional networks. Through our new connections, and by directly reaching out to prospective guests for the podcast on social media, we started inviting guests to our show.

However, in no way was it logical to be inviting guests early morning in that park, so we rather began requesting them if they knew of a location where we could interview them. Personally, we felt awkward requesting them to see if we could visit them to interviewactually, we should have invited them to a designated recording location!

But then magic happened!

The English-Speaking Union (ESU) in NYC runs various professional skill-building classes aimed at guiding recently arrived immigrants in the US. Dipika used to be a student there. We approached the organisation, and they kindly offered our collaboration proposal and offered us their space to record the podcast. Had it not been so, we would have really struggled to find a place to interview guests in the show.

What have we been doing in the podcast?

The podcast is targeted towards the newly arriving young immigrants in the US. We have been profiling inspiring professionals from diverse immigrant communities about their career-transition process after their migration to the US.

The plan, initially, was to end the first season of this podcast with its 100th episode. But then, things went wrong.

From the second weekend of March this year, the coronavirus pandemic hit the US severely, to the extent that most of the people here were confined to work from home and avoid any form of social gathering.

The situation grew chaotic, stressful, and most of us were fearful of the pandemic. In light of what was going on, we shifted the focus of our podcast from stories about career-transition to stories related to the pandemic.

What we did was digging positive stories of individuals and families, stories that would give our audience hope, moral support, and a sense of unity amidst this global crisis. One of the stories we covered was a travelogue based on Anuzs travel around Queens with a Nepali volunteer who was visiting door to door to provide medicine, groceries, and masks to individuals and families affected by the pandemic.

Coming this far, we have been able to feature highly inspiring stories of 98 immigrant individuals from nearly 40 different countries, including from China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus, the Philippines, Guinea, Peru, Jamaica, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Brazil, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Australia, Ghana, Cuba, Yemen, and Venezuela.

Our guests in the podcast are from different professions and from varying levels of professional success, to name a few  attorneys, high-education professionals, international nonprofit executives, researchers, make-up artists, political leaders, journalists, job advisors, small business owners, digital content producers, school teachers, fitness trainers, software developers, academicians, multimedia storytellers, human rights activists, the United Nations professionals, musicians, designers, travel guides, service providers in hospitality industries, and accountants.

Few lines for aspiring podcasters

If you want to start podcasting, make sure you focus on specific topics so that your audience know what to expect from your podcast. Make sure you follow the schedule and make it consistent. For instance, if your podcast is weekly, release it on a specific day. In our case, our podcast comes out every Sunday.

Try to make it shorter as you want to respect your audiences time. We generally make it below 20 minutes. Last, but not the least, no one is stopping you from podcasting, so grab that microphone, start podcasting!

Thapa occasionally reports for Onlinekhabar.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Considering state governments request for limiting the number of stoppages for better monitoring, the Railway Board has decided to eliminate some of the stops for trains starting from June 1. The Jan Shatabdi special trains between Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur/Kozhikode will lose four stops.

Passengers who have booked a journey from/to the stoppages eliminated on cancellation of the tickets would be fully refunded. No stoppages have been eliminated for the services of Train no 02283 / 02284 Ernakulam Jn - Hazrat Nizamuddin - Ernakulam Jn Duronto special trains. The decision came in the backdrop of state intervention in cancelling a special train from Mumbai on grounds of not following containment guidelines.
Mumbai:

The management of the famous Haji Ali Dargah have started deliberations on challenging the Bombay High Court verdict, that lifted the ban imposed on women from entering the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine here, in the Supreme Court.

We held detailed discussions yesterday over the issue in the wake of the HC verdict and sought opinion of each of the management members. But we are going to hold a few more rounds of meetings to get the opinion of other stakeholders as well, Sohail Khandwani, a trustee of the century-old Dargah told PTI today.

Also, on Friday, we would be holding meetings with religious scholars besides having consultations with our councils based in Mumbai and Delhi after which a final decision on the issue would be taken, he said.

Haji Ali Dargah is one of the most recognisable landmarks of the city. The Indo-Islamic architectural structure contains the tomb of Sayed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari.

Men have unhindered access to the actual burial place of the saint, while women were being permitted to enter the sanctum sanctorum up to 2012, when the entry of women was banned by the trust citing religious traditions.

Two days after the HC ruling, gender rights activist and Bhumata Ranragini Brigade chief Trupti Desai visited the Dargah on Sunday and offered a chadar, but kept away from the shrines core area.

She had also requested the management of the Dargah to prevail on the recent verdict and not to move SC. She had exuded confidence that the apex court would rule in womens favour if such a step was taken.

When asked whether Desais request was pondered upon in the meeting yesterday, Khandwani said, We are more concerned with the overall impact and sentiment following the verdict and not a single individual. We have to see the larger picture.

After offering the chadar at the Dargah, Desai had appealed, I request the trustees with folded hands to follow the verdict of the High Court. If they still prefer to knock on the Supreme Courts door, then the apex court too would uphold the constitutional right of the women and I am fully confident about it.

In a landmark judgement, the Bombay High Court allowed entry of women into the sanctum sanctorum of Haji Ali Dargah here, saying it contravenes fundamental rights and that the trust has no right to prohibit womens entry into a public place of worship.

The court, however, stayed its order for six weeks following a plea by Haji Ali Dargah Trust, which wants to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

May be by the end of this week or by next week, we will arrive at the final decision on approaching the apex court, Khandwani said.

The Dargah, situated on an islet, 500 metres away from the coast, courted controversy in 2012 when shrine management suddenly put restrictions on women from entering the core worship area. Hosts of women activists across all the faith as well as NGOs and Muslim women had launched movements opposing the ban and challenged the decision in High Court.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Rajasthan reported two more Covid-19 deaths on Friday, taking the virus death toll in the state to 182, the Health Department said.

Over 90 new coronavirus cases were also reported in the state, taking the virus tally to 8,158.

One death each was reported from Jaipur and Jhunjhunu, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Rohit Kumar Singh, said.

Of the new cases, 42 were reported in Jhalawar, 12 each in Jaipur and Nagaur, six in Churu, five each in Dholpur and Udaipur, two cases each in Ajmer, Alwar, Bharatpur, Bikaner and one in Kota. There are 3,121 active cases of the pathogen in the state and 4,289 people have been discharged, they said. Jaipur has recorded the maximum of 86 deaths and 1,921 cases in the state, followed by 17 deaths and 1,375 cases in Jodhpur.

Of the total cases, 2,221 are migrants who had returned to Rajasthan from other states, the officials said.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that could open the door for the U.S. government to assume oversight of political speech on the Internet, a broadside against Silicon Valley that a wide array of critics derided as a threat to free speech.

The new directive seeks to change a federal law that has spared tech companies from being sued or held liable for most posts, photos and videos shared by users on their sites. Tech giants herald these protections, known as Section 230, as the bedrock of the Internet. But Trump repeatedly has argued they allow Facebook, Google and Twitter to censor conservatives with impunity - charges these companies deny.

"We're here today to defend free speech from one of the greatest dangers," Trump said before signing the document.

The order signed Thursday encourages the Federal Communications Commission to rethink the scope of Section 230 and when its liability protections apply. The order also seeks to channel complaints about political bias to the Federal Trade Commission, an agency that the White House has asked to probe whether tech companies' content-moderation policies are in keeping with their pledges of neutrality.

The order additionally created a council in cooperation with state attorneys general to probe allegations of censorship based on political views. And it tasked federal agencies with reviewing their spending on social media advertising.

While Trump has threatened to penalize tech companies for years, his signing of the order Thursday came in response to a decision by Twitter earlier in the week to mark two of his erroneous tweets with fact-checking labels. The small move set off a firestorm of tweets by the president threatening social media companies with regulations and other punishments.

Trump's directive now could set the stage for federal regulators to write new rules and issue new punishments for companies deemed to exhibit political bias. Depending on how the order is carried out, it poses the potential for wide-ranging consequences for a much broader segment of the Internet beyond just the social media giants, potentially affecting every website, app or service where users congregate online with new liability for the content on their platform.

Already, tech companies are quietly discussing whether to fight back with a lawsuit challenging the executive order, according to two people familiar with the deliberations who spoke on the condition of anonymity because no decision has been made.

Legal experts said the directive will almost certainly be challenged in court, arguing it threatens to undermine the First Amendment. A wide array of critics in Congress, the tech industry and across the political spectrum also accused the White House of deputizing government agencies to carry out Trump's personal vendettas.

"This is simply setting the wheels of law enforcement and regulation in motion against a private company for questioning the president," said Matt Schruers, president of the Computer and Communications Industry Association, a Washington trade group that represents Facebook, Google and other major tech companies.

Facebook spokeswoman Liz Bourgeois said in a statement that the company believes in protecting freedom of expression along with protecting users from harmful content.

"Those rules apply to everybody," she said. "Repealing or limiting Section 230 will have the opposite effect. It will restrict more speech online, not less."

Google spokeswoman Riva Sciuto said in a statement that undermining Section 230 could hurt the economy and the United States' role in Internet freedom.

"We have clear content policies and we enforce them without regard to political viewpoint," she said. "Our platforms have empowered a wide range of people and organizations from across the political spectrum, giving them a voice and new ways to reach their audiences."

Twitter did not respond to requests for comment.

Executives and lobbyists at social media companies were taken by surprise by Trump's order, according to two people who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the companies were still formulating their responses. Internally, some Silicon Valley leaders viewed the policy as a political move that might not withstand legal scrutiny. Still, they expressed an early openness to challenging the executive order in court, the people said.

For now, though, Trump's order may prove difficult or impossible to enforce, experts said even before the president had signed it. But it could have far-reaching consequences, amplifying the Trump administration's power over social media companies as the country gears up for the 2020 election, some critics cautioned.

"Donald Trump's order is plainly illegal," charged Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., one of the authors of the law that includes Section 230. He added the president sought only to "bully companies like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter into giving him favorable treatment."

The order marks the White House's most significant attempt to rein in the tech giants after years of threats to do so from Trump and his top deputies. It also reflects the delicate, four-year dance between a president who is one of the most popular social media users in the world and the very sites and services where he broadcasts his views.

For years, Trump has accused tech giants of engaging in political censorship, at times pointing to their roots in the liberal-leaning San Francisco Bay area. He's accused Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey of limiting his followers, grumbled about Google search results and suggested at times the tech industry has sought to undermine his reelection.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump on Thursday again blasted the tech industry broadly for having amassed "unchecked power." Attorney General William Barr added the Justice Department is helping to assemble legislation that might further regulate the industry, perhaps holding it liable for the content that companies choose to leave online or take down.

It's not only the White House seeking to rein in tech. States attorneys general and Congress over the past year have launched probes into tech giants' market power, and they are expected to file antitrust lawsuits targeting Google as soon as this summer. Arizona's attorney general just this week sued the search giant for privacy violations, adding to a growing chorus of regulators around the country who criticize the company and its peers for the way they protect users' personal information.

But any regulation that implicates speech - especially political content online - threatens to raise a raft of thorny constitutional issues. Those concerns long have stymied other U.S. lawmakers who similarly have hoped to hold social media companies accountable for the way they police content online. The 26 words that comprise the heart of Section 230 date back to 1996, before the Internet had taken off in popularity. It spared major digital services from lawsuits targeting them for what takes place on their platforms, while at the same time permitting them to do content regulation.

But the legal shield has taken on wider implications as the tech sector has grown over the past two decades, offering a shield to a wider array of companies, including Amazon, whose third-party sellers hawk counterfeits, and the ride-hailing service Uber, which contends it isn't responsible for sexual assaults that take place in the company's rides.

Democrats have tried to force the companies to better police hate speech, election falsehoods and other abusive content, threatening to strip social media sites of their liability protections if they don't more aggressively police the Web. Republicans, meanwhile, have long charged the companies are liberally biased and have systematically suppressed right-leaning voices, although the companies have denied those claims. In doing so, they threatened for years before Trump's executive order to revoke Section 230 as punishment for these perceived biases.

Any action from the order would hinge on the FTC and FCC, two independent agencies that are supposed to operate separately of Trump's Cabinet and his political influence. The FTC is "committed to robust enforcement of consumer protection and competition laws," consistent with its authority. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, a Republican, said late Thursday it would review the government's request that the agency issue new rules on the matter.

The executive order touched off widespread opposition, uniting Democratic lawmakers, digital experts, longtime conservative-leaning advocacy groups and a bevy of free speech activists, most of whom cited free speech protections. Many agreed it could amount to government interference in private speech, a violation of the First Amendment.

"Social media can be frustrating," Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democratic federal communications commissioner, said in a statement. "But an executive order that would turn the Federal Communications Commission into the president's speech police is not the answer."

Twitter's move earlier this week to label the president's tweets on mail-in ballots, directing users to news outlets, marked a major shift for the social media company. For years, Twitter had allowed Trump and other politicians to share views unfettered even if they amount to misinformation, believing that even the most controversial tweets maligning rivals and other users served the public interest.

Since it started fact-checking on Tuesday, Twitter doubled down and added its label to hundreds more tweets, including a Chinese government account touting false information about the coronavirus and an account that manipulated an image purporting to show the officer who killed George Floyd.

The president's order "reeks of political self-interest - the idea that we are proposing to regulate a platform because they started fact-checking? There's no one's free speech rights being infringed on," said Phil Napoli, a professor of public policy at Duke University who researches media institutions, media regulation and policy.

The threats ultimately breathed fresh life into a long-running debate, years in the making within the West Wing, over a need for an executive order targeting political speech, according to two people familiar with the White House's thinking who spoke anonymously to describe private conversations. Even before the executive order had been signed, DOJ had been at work on reevaluating Section 230, which Barr publicly has criticized in the past.

"They're editorial decisions," Trump said Thursday. "In those moments, Twitter ceases to be a neutral public platform, they become an editor with a viewpoint. I think we can say that about others also, whether you're looking at Google, whether you're looking at Facebook and perhaps others."
Valimai, the Thala Ajith starring action thriller is currently delayed due to the all India lockdown and coronavirus threat. The fans of the Ajith have been disappointed with the makers of the project, as there was no official update about the project even on the actor's birthday. However, producer Boney Kapoor has finally made an interesting revelation about Valimai.

In a recent interview given to a leading magazine, the producer finally opened up about the current status of the H Vinoth directorial. 'Valimai is a big action film that stars Ajith Kumar. It happens to be the 60th film of the actor. Around 50 percent shooting of Valimai is completed', revealed Boney Kapoor.

The producer's revelation came out as a great relief for the Thala Ajith fans and cine-goers who were anxious about the current status of Valimai. If the reports are to be believed, the team refrained from revealing the first look poster of the movie on Ajith's birthday, as the actor has instructed the team to not reveal any updates until the world comes back to normalcy.

According to the latest updates, the Spain and Morocco schedules of Valimai have been canceled due to the coronavirus threat. Initially, the team was planning to shoot all the major action sequences in the film, including a high voltage racing scene at the various locations of these countries. But now, these portions will be shot in India, once the lockdown comes to an end.

Ajith Kumar is appearing in the role of a police officer once again in Valimai, which marks his second collaboration with both director H Vinoth and producer Boney Kapoor. Yami Gautham and Huma Qureshi, the popular Bollywood actresses appear as the female leads in the project. Valimai is expected to hit the theaters in Summer 2021, mostly in May on the occasion of Ajith's 50th birthday.

Also Read:

Thala Ajith's Hospital Visit With Wife Shalini: Reason Revealed!
By PTI

By K J M Varma (Eds: Updating with more details) Beijing, May 29 (PTI) China on Friday rejected US President Donald Trump's offer to mediate between India and China to end their current border standoff, saying the two countries does not need the intervention of a "third party" to settle their differences.

In a surprise move, Trump on Wednesday offered to "mediate or arbitrate" the raging border dispute between India and China, saying he was "ready, willing and able" to ease the tensions, amid the continuing standoff between the armies of the two Asian giants.

Reacting for the first time to the US president's offer, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said, the two countries did not want the "intervention" from a third party to resolve the current military standoff.

'Between China and India we have existing border-related mechanisms and communication channels', Zhao told a media briefing here when asked about Trump's offer.

'We are capable of properly resolving the issues between us through dialogue and consultation. We do not need the intervention of the third party', he said.



ALSO READ | There was no recent Modi-Trump meet: Government sources on US President's 'mediation' offer

"We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute. Thank you!" Trump tweeted on Wednesday.

He reiterated his offer on Thursday while speaking to reporters at the White House.

Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump renewed his offer, saying if called for help, "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help" about "mediate or arbitrate, I would do that," he said.

India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump's offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to questions at an online media briefing.

President Trump has previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal that was rejected by New Delhi.



ALSO READ | Amid border row with New Delhi, China bans pork imports from India

At the Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing, the spokesman said 'China's position on the China-India boundary question is consistent and clear'.

'We have been implementing the important consensus reached by leaders of both the countries, observing the bilateral agreements and have been committed to safeguarding territorial sovereignty and security, stability and peace in the border area', Zhao said.

He reiterated his earlier comment that 'Now the overall situation in the China-India border area is stable and controllable', he said, once again indicating a conciliatory tone amidst the tense situation along the border.

Several areas along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and North Sikkim have witnessed major military build-up by both the Indian and Chinese armies recently, in a clear signal of escalating tension and hardening of respective positions by the two sides even two weeks after they were engaged in two separate face-offs.

India has said the Chinese military was hindering normal patrolling by its troops along the LAC in Ladakh and Sikkim and strongly refuted Beijing's contention that the escalating tension between the two armies was triggered by trespassing of Indian forces across the Chinese side.



ALSO READ | US to announce 'certain decisions' on China on May 29: Donald Trump

The Ministry of External Affairs said all Indian activities were carried out on its side of the border, asserting that India has always taken a very responsible approach towards border management.

At the same time, it said, India was deeply committed to protect its sovereignty and security.

MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Thursday said India is committed to the objective of maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control and that Indian troops take a very responsible approach towards border management.

"The two sides have established mechanisms both at military and diplomatic levels to resolve situations which may arise in border areas peacefully through dialogue and continue to remain engaged through these channels," he said at an online media briefing.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.

Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas.
More than for any other candidate, the heightening racial tensions across the country have created a potential obstacle for Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who is white. Critics have argued that when she served as a Hennepin County attorney, she was overly harsh to minority communities and not tough enough on police. Those concerns have been magnified this week after a white police officer in Minneapolis, the Hennepin County seat, was captured on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who cried that he could not breathe and later died.
It seems that people today, in this age of fast tempo, prefer quick and short visual stimulation rather than considered reading and deep thinking. To meet this demand, there have been dozens of instant messaging applications developed in recent years, many of them in China. For example, Tik Tok is regarded as the most influential one.

According to Sensor Tower, a mobile application data analytics company, over 2 billion people installed TikTok on their phones up to April 2020. I downloaded it a year ago since my team decided to promote our products on it.

Common people as broadcasters I felt overwhelmed when watching videos on TikTok for the first time. You could find almost everything you are interested in on it. Food, sports, travelling tips, pet pictures, military matters, beauty products recommendation, you name it. Meanwhile, I was also surprised that millions of common people, from all walks of life, are willing to share their lives with others via videos. TikTok makes it easy for users to create, upload and share a video on its platform. Not only does it provide you with step-by-step guidance, but it also helps show you how to use free music filters to make your videos more attractive. The easy-to-handle feature encourages every user to record their life and share it. No wonder it became a popular app in such a short time, and its broadcasters varies from young kids to the elderly. Your reticent friend might be talkative on TikTok, the girl next door might be a popular broadcaster who has millions of follows, and dont be shocked when your grandparents are making videos of you and sharing it with their followers. God sees every bit of it It seems that everyone could be a broadcaster on TikTok and share their lives freely. However, if you observe carefully, you will find that people tend to display the bright side of their lives and enjoy receiving likes from it. Its understandable for such a preference. However, it also proves that there are some things that broadcasters want to hide from their audience, as we all do. Its easy for us to hide something from people if we decided to. Nevertheless, with God as our audience, there is no way that we could hide from Him. For no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews chapter 4, verse 13)

God sees every bit of our lives, no matter whether we want Him to see it or not. He sees it and will judge us in the final day. The point is that nobody, but Jesus, could stand before Gods righteous standard. No matter how gorgeous your life is presented to your audience, there is eternal wrath awaiting for you if you havent received Jesus as your Savior.

Live as a living sacrifice

No matter whether we realized it or not, we broadcast our lives to God each day. If His eye is on the sparrow, how much more will He be watching us? As a follower of Jesus Christ, how are you doing in presenting your life to God? Are you busy in gaining your audiences like or Gods favor?

In TikTok videos, broadcasters study their audience and generate the content that they like, so as to attract more traffics. As Christians, God told us what He likes and dislikes from the Bible. How much more shall we study and lead a righteous life as He desires us to?

For broadcasters who do not know God, I pray that you would know Him one day and understand there is no greater fun than broadcasting your life to God, for He is the only audience that matters. For broadcasters who know God, I pray that we would dedicate in presenting our bodies to Him as a living sacrificing each day, which is holy and acceptable to God.
TRENTON  City Hall may re-open in the near future as Mayor Reed Gusciora looks to bring Trenton into the next phase in its fight against the coronavirus.

The capital city leader hopes to steadily bring back all city workers while gearing to re-open the municipal building by June 8.

Officials must give non-essential workers whove been working remotely notice before pushing forward with its plan to open back up.

The move comes as Gov. Phil Murphy relaxes many restrictions of his stay-at-home order as New Jersey crests over the peak of the virus outbreak.

One of the biggest moves this week was allowing school districts to hold in-person graduations starting next month.

Trenton school leaders said theyd do everything in their power to hold an in-person ceremony that adheres to Murphys guidance to learning institutions regarding social distancing and other public-health safety measures.

The capital citys number of coronavirus infections has slowed considerably in the last couple weeks.

Since May 19, the city has reported only 118 new cases and one death, bringing the total number of cases to 2,437 and 55 deaths.

As the state opens up testing to more residents, Trenton hopes to test all city workers before they come back to work, Gusciora said. Employees will be required to don masks on the job.

Officials are also bringing in a company to sanitize the building again.

Trenton has some of the highest number of cases in Mercer County, where officials reported 6,775 cases and 466 deaths as of Friday.
MaryAnn Lawson collects prayer requests from people gathering in their cars in a Santa Ana parking lot to worship in an Easter service by the Rev. Robert A. Schuller on April 12, 2020. (Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: Churches have been responsible for some of the most serious COVID-19 infection clusters. ("Orange County deems in-person church 'essential,' says rules too restrictive for megachurches," May 26)

Since a person's freedom of religion ends at the tip of my nose, I suggest that all churches that violate social distancing rules be required to submit names of their attendees for tracing and testing by county health authorities at the very least, and preferably for 14-day quarantines.

People who want to attend church don't have the right to put me at risk. They also put at risk all of the progress that we have made in the last 10 weeks of lockdown, very possibly making necessary the resumption of restrictions.

Roberta Fox, Costa Mesa

..

To the editor: Churches are open to their congregants and visitors. Religious services continue, classes continue, counseling continues, lectures continue, and members are still able to socialize.

Only access to buildings is restricted. The Bible does not reference church buildings. There is nothing sacred about a building, but life is sacred.

The ministers defying health orders are not looking out for their congregants but their own interests. They have a business model that requires constant physical and social presence.

Darrell Neft, Costa Mesa
Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' on Thursday interacted with heads of more than 45,000 Higher Educational Institutions (HEI) across the country through a webinar hosted by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), Bengaluru.

An official release said he asked all universities to constitute special cells which will be empowered to address the issues of students related to academic calendar and examinations arising out of special circumstances due to COVID-19. He said that a task force has been created in UGC and NCERT to resolve the different issues of students.

While lauding the initiatives taken by NAAC at this time of the pandemic, the minister called upon the HEIs to treat the current situation as an opportunity to overcome limitations in the system.

He asked educationists, students and parents to switch to the online method and make most of the situation so that the academic session of students and HEIs is not interrupted.

"There is an urgent need to improve and enhance the online ecosystem in India and educators should contribute to enhancing the reach so that online reaches even the rural areas," he said.

In the hour-long interaction and address, the Union Minister reflected on various issues and concerns raised by educationists related to issues such as academic calendar, online education, examinations, fees, the mental health of students, problems of students, fellowships and NEET, entrance examination.

He spoke about the initiatives taken by the government about Swayam Prabha, Deeksharambh and Paramarsh.

He also urged all HEIs to take part in the NAAC accreditation process.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration is accelerating efforts to seize private property for President Trumps border wall, taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to survey land while its owners are confined indoors, residents along the Rio Grande say.

Is that essential business? asked Nayda Alvarez, 49, who recently found construction markers on the land in Starr County, Texas, that has been in her family for five generations. That didnt stop a single minute during the shelter in place or stay at home.

The federal government brought a flurry of lawsuits against landowners in South Texas to survey, seize and potentially begin construction on private property in the first five months of the year as the administration rushed to deliver on Mr. Trumps promise to build 450 miles of wall by the end of the year, which he downgraded on Thursday to 400. While Mr. Trump has built less than 200 of those miles, his administration has brought 78 lawsuits against landowners on the border, 30 of them this year.

Negotiations and lawsuits are proving to be arduous. The administration has acquired just 10 of the 213 miles of private property that the border wall is projected to pass through in the Laredo and Rio Grande Valley sectors, according to Customs and Border Protection data from May 19 obtained by The Times, an increase of seven miles since December. In recent months, the presidents son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has stepped in to oversee the effort.
A Florida man, according to federal prosecutors, reportedly indicted with providing the Islamic State with material support after he tried to obtain he attempted to obtain firearms and targeted busy beaches for probable terror attacks. The 23-year-old Muhammed Al-Azhari had reportedly made negotiations with an undercover FBI employee to buy a variety of silencers and guns which include "an AK-47-style rifle reportedly to be used in an attack."

Al-Azhari was apprehended on Sunday after he took possession of the said weapons. Relatively, in a statement, US Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez said, their "cooperation and coordination in this matter, letting us intrude a serious threat" without harming anyone. Specifically, according to prosecutors through a complaint filed early this week, Al-Azhari was indicted with "attempting to provide material resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization."

The said charge indicates the possibility of "a 20-year" term of imprisonment. More so, the suspect reportedly hunted several locations in the Tampa area, and these, according to a report from Tampa Bay Times, include "busy beaches."

Inspired by the Killing of 49 People

Al-Azhari was reported to have a strong admiration for the shooter who killed around 49 people during the 2016 Pulse Nightclub massacre. He went to visit the same venue for the shooting. On a recording, the affidavit stated, the arrested man said, he does not want to take just four or five. Instead, he continued, "I want to take at least 50." Al-Azhari said in the recording, "like Omar Mateen," whom he called brother, "in Orlando did," referring to his shooting 49 people to death.

The suspect reportedly practiced too, what he would tell the people when it's time to carry out the attack. Some of what he rehearsed was reportedly captured on May 16, by electronic surveillance. Specifically, the surveillance device was able to intercept what the 23-year-old rehearsed seemingly warning America that, that particular day is the Americans' emergency.

Additionally, the suspect was also heard saying, as stated in the affidavit that on that particular day, they'd kill "from you (referring to America), as you killed from us." Al-Azhari continued as heard from the recording saying it was a "revenge for Muslims."

Case Unlocked through a Transaction on eBay

Based on reports, a key to the said case was a transaction made on eBay from which Al-Azhari bought parts of weapons from someone in Texas.

The package was then stopped by the US Postal Service. eBay on the other hand, flagged the particular transaction. The seller helped in the arrest of Al-Azhari too, by providing the agents of the FBI with details on the deal. The Postal Service for its part seized the purchased package. According to the suspect's attorney said, such charges unjustly represent "his client as a terrorist."

Samuel Landes, the public defender said, the accusations are misunderstanding both the evidence and the law. He added, he is grateful that in this country, all people are enjoying a supposition of innocence. Therefore, Landes added, he looks forward to the day in the court of Al-Azhari "before a jury of his peers."

Check these out!
Most schools in England are set to reopen on Monday as the government eases lockdown - despite unions and councils warning it's not safe.

A poll conducted by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) of 2000 of its members revealed that nine out of 10 plan to open on 1 June, but with fewer children than the government has advised, despite fierce opposition from teaching unions.

This comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the Government's five key tests required for easing lockdown have been met - and schools can admit more pupils from next week.

The 450,000-member strong National Education Union (NEU) said today the date was 'not viable'.

'[It] is not viable, it is not practical, it is not ethical, we won't do it,' Mary Bousted, the NEU's joint secretary, told the Times.

Primary schools across England will reopen to children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 from June 1

Other unions, including school leaders' union NAHT and teachers' union NASUWT, raised their concerns about reopening schools on June 1 with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson on Thursday.

Other findings from the poll were that three out of four heads will ignore government advice on which pupils can return and make their own rules for staggering classes.

Brighton and Hove Council, Sheffield City Council, North Somerset Council, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, and Lancashire County Council announced today that they'd told schools in their areas not to reopen on the PM's date.

The thirteen rebel councils so far... Sunderland City Council Liverpool City Council Sefton Council Solihull Council Calderdale Council Bury Council Hartlepool Council Rochdale Council Brighton and Hove Sheffield City North Somerset Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Lancashire County Council Advertisement

The five councils join eight others who had already announced they would not be opening schools in their areas as they did not believe they could do so safely.

Sheffield City Council specifically cited fears that the NHS Test and Trace system will not be 'robust enough' to be in place by next week.

Primary schools across England will reopen to children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 from June 1.

But Sheffield City Council said it does 'not yet feel assured that it is the right time' to admit more children and it is advising schools and nurseries 'to delay increasing numbers' until June 15.

Sheffield Councillor Abtisam Mohamed, cabinet member for education and skills, said: 'We have been advised by the Sheffield director of public health, Greg Fell, who has reviewed the local position, and he does not feel assured that the recently announced Test and Trace programme will be sufficiently well-established and robust enough to be in place for June 1.

'He has advised that the Test and Trace system should be in place and working effectively for 14 days before schools and nurseries begin increasing their numbers.'

Mr Mohamed went on: 'We do not yet feel assured that it is the right time and are advising our schools and nurseries to delay increasing numbers until June 15.

'For maintained schools, where the council is the employer, we are instructing schools not to increase the number of children attending more widely.

'For all other schools, academies, and nurseries in Sheffield, we are strongly advising that they also delay their wider reopening to June 15.'

Britain's Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson speaks during a daily news conference on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak

On Friday, Brighton and Hove council also said it would be advising its schools against reopening on Monday amid concerns about the Government's recently launched test and trace programme.

North Somerset is advising all its schools to delay reopening until June 8 as a 'precautionary measure' following an outbreak of Covid-19 at Weston General Hospital in Weston-super-Mare.

Ministers have come under pressure from unions and councils, who have urged the Government to reconsider its plans to open schools more widely.

Other councils have ultimately left the decision up to headmasters but urged caution and advised that for some years social distancing may not be possible.

Earlier this week, Tory-led Lancashire County Council advised schools not to open to more pupils on Monday but said the final decision was ultimately still with school leaders.

Durham County Council also advised against a wider reopening next week, saying June 15 is a 'more realistic date' but like Lancashire County Council left the final say to individual schools.

Meanwhile, the head teacher at Cavendish Close Infant School in Derby told Derbyshire Live that plans to reopen had been scrapped after a senior member of staff contracted Covid-19 and had to self-isolate.

Education unions - including school leaders' union NAHT and teachers' union NASUWT - raised their concerns about reopening schools on June 1 with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson on Thursday.

Nine unions, representing school leaders, teachers and support staff, said they 'stressed the importance of monitoring the impact of returning more pupils to school' and listening to the experience of staff.

A joint statement, published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Friday, said: 'We will be working closely with the Department to ensure that the guidance is a living document, informed by all those delivering care and education in every school in the country.

'Over the next two weeks we will be working with our members to submit their experiences of reopening schools and will raise these issues with the Education Secretary.'

Ahead of Monday, Downing Street suggested teachers who refuse to turn up in schools over safety concerns will be a matter for heads to sort out.

Asked whether they would be deemed to be in breach of their terms of employment, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'Head teachers, I'm sure, will be having conversations with their own staff in the usual way.

'The Education Secretary has been working very closely with schools and unions for the last 10 weeks. He met with the unions again yesterday.

'Our approach throughout this has been to work closely with schools, heads and teachers' representatives to ensure that we deliver a cautious and phased return in a safe way.

'I'm sure head teachers will have been having discussions with individual teachers.'
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has lashed out at protesters in Minneapolis a day after the gruesome death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, while he was in police custody. The President took his outrage to Twitter and called the protesters "thugs."

Black lives matter

According to President Trump, he would not allow the protest to go any longer as he does not want to watch the great American City be trashed and burned down by the protesters. He said he had talked to the Governor of Minnesota, Gov. Tim Waltz, and told him that he has the support of the military.

Trump tweeted that "Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts." However, the social media platform flagged the tweet of the President and said that it violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence.

The protesters in Minneapolis wants all four police officers who were involved in the murder of George Floyd to be charged and imprisoned. On May 25, Floyd died while he was in police custody, the video of his arrest went viral after he was seen being choked by a white policeman.

The violent arrest continued even after he pleaded for his life and said that he can't breathe. The policeman, Derek Chauvin, had his knee on Floyd's neck for 15 minutes, until he became unresponsive and blood oozed out of his mouth. All four officers were fired, but the public states it is not enough.

On May 28, hundreds of protesters set a police station on fire after it was abandoned, while violent clashes between the public and the authorities have spread to St. Paul. According to a spokesperson of the police, the 3rd Precinct station in the city has been evacuated after 10 p.m.

Also Read: Xenophobic Woman Arrested for Leaving Demeaning Letters Outside Home of Asian American Family

President Trump blamed the riot on the lack of leadership in the city and he criticized the weak, Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey. Mayor Frey has joined the protesters in calling for accountability in Floyd's death.

Governor Waltz activated the troops in the state and he declared the situation as a peacetime emergency. He also stated that vandalism and looting were causing serious damage to a lot of private businesses and he urged the protesters to remain peaceful.

Gov. Waltz said in a statement that the death of George Floyd should lead to justice and systemic change, and not more deaths and destruction. The National Guard had tweeted that it had deployed 500 troops across the city and its objective was to allow the firefighter to do their work.

The death of George Floyd

George Floyd's death has shaken the country and sparked protests everywhere, as the public condemn the ruthless and senseless killing of black people in the hands of the police.

Fires were set in the different areas in Minneapolis, and thousands of demonstrators peacefully march the streets as they call for justice over Floyd's death and the deaths of other black and brown people.

Even celebrities have voiced their support on the protest, as they also demand justice for the death of George Floyd. Celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Will Smith, Ice Cube, Brie Larson, Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian, and Lady Gaga have expressed their disgust over the rampant racism in the country.

Related Article: White Minneapolis Cop Caught on Video Suffocating a Black Man to Death, Public Demands Justice

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
With 659 of the 684 containment zones in the city in slums and chawls, these densely populated areas and small tenements, which house a population of 35 lakh, will be crucial to Mumbais fight against Covid-19.

As per the Union health ministry, a containment zone is defined as a geographical area where a significant number of positive cases of coronavirus are found. Strict movement restrictions are put in place in such areas to prevent the spread of the virus. These zones are created by geographically demarcating 3-km radius from the residence of the positive case. Initially, the BMC contained single buildings, but now the BMC uses natural boundaries such as roads, nullahs, chowks to seal the zones. Zones can be made of a few buildings with cases, a square or an area that is easy to lock in. Restrictions are removed if no new case is found in 28 days. Overall, 7,79,740 households and 35,93,384 people in Mumbai are under containment zones.

Also Read: Another constable succumbs to Covid; Mumbai Police toll is 14

Dharavi, the biggest slum cluster in Mumbai, has 11 containment zones, housing a population of 1.98 lakh. The Dharavi slum is spread over 2.4 sqkm, has 8,50,000 population and a population density of 354,167 per square kilometre, making it one of the more cramped spaces in Mumbai, itself the worlds fifth most densely populated city. The slum is characterised by difficult-to-manage makeshift shanties, or double storey stand-alone tin and concrete shanties. There are only a few multi-storey slum rehabilitation authority (SRA) buildings that are gated. There are 225 public community toilets in this slum, used by thousands of people daily. Residents are daily wage workers, or run small businesses from their homes. By some estimates, there are thousands of businesses in the shantytown.

Of the 684, slum pockets in L ward of BMC (Kurla) have the highest number of containment zones (131) covering 10,699 households and a population of 53,451. Kurla is followed by slum pockets in Govandi (M-East ward) and Bhandup (S ward).

Also Read: Click here for the complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic

There are 66 containment zones in Govandi which includes 54,533 households and 2.91 lakh people. In Bhandup, 84,772 people are contained in 62 zones, which include 18,979 households.

Small houses, common toilets and high population density lead to faster spread in slums and chawls, say civic officials. Home quarantining a positive patient is practically difficult in such localities owing to lack of space.

Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner (who is in charge of health), said: Most of the containment zones are in densely populated slums and chawls. It is because social distancing is difficult in such localities. As such, there will be restrictions. No person will be allowed to go out of the containment zone and no outsider will be allowed entry. The civic body is ensuring supply of essential commodities such as food and vegetables inside containment zones.

Also Read: Click here for the latest updates from the coronavirus outbreak

Dr Prakash Rokade, independent health expert and epidemiologist, said, Despite a majority of slum areas being marked as containment zones, the cases are rising daily. Demarcation is not the only solution. Institutional quarantine is important for these people.

Civic officials say BMC has hired 42,000 hotel and lodge rooms across Mumbai, especially to quarantine slum dwellers from areas where home quarantine is not possible. In some areas, temporary quarantine facilities have been set up.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Moscow has more than doubled it's coronavirus death toll for April from 636 to 1,561 by including more 'controversial' cases.

The city was criticised for its original figures and has since included 756 people who had coronavirus but died of other causes and 169 people suspected of having the virus but who tested negative.

Late last night Moscow's Health Department said the new counting method would take into account even 'controversial, questionable cases'.

Under the revised count, the city's death rate from the virus was between 1.4 per cent and 2.8 per cent.

That would still make the Russian capital's coronavirus death rate much lower than death rates reported in cities such as New York and London, it said.

Moscow was criticised for its original figures and has since included 756 people who had coronavirus but died of other causes and 169 people suspected of having the virus but who tested negative. Pictured, a medical staff member at Moscow's Semashko Hospital today

The new counting method has not yet been used to revise the official death toll for Moscow or Russia.

Moscow city authorities, the Kremlin and government officials have previously defended the integrity of Russian coronavirus data, saying statistics are rigorously based on post-mortems and are more accurate than in other countries.

Russia has reported the third highest number of coronavirus cases in the world after the United States and Brazil.

The tally on Friday rose to 387,623 after officials reported 8,572 new infections and 232 deaths, a record daily rise. The official overall death toll is 4,374.

Late last night Moscow's Health Department said the new counting method would take into account even 'controversial, questionable cases'. Pictured, Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting today

A woman is seen in the rain by Universitet Station of the Moscow Metro. The Moscow authorities have extended the self-isolation regime in Moscow through June 14 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus

Data published this month showed the total number of deaths registered in the capital rose sharply in April compared with the same month last year.

It comes after one of Vladimir Putin's most trusted aides Dmitry Peskov was confirmed as suffering from coronavirus.

Peskov is the Russian leader's long time spokesman and also deputy head of the presidential administration.

He is believed to have been hospitalised in the elite Kremlin clinic known as Moscow Central Clinical Hospital.

It comes after long-term Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov (pictured in December) confirmed that he is suffering from the coronavirus, and is believed to have been hospitalised in Moscow

On Tuesday May 12, Russia reported a further 10,899 cases of the coronavirus, taking Russia's total to 232,243, surpassing the total in the UK

According to journalists, Peskov, 52, was last seen with Putin on 30 April. 'I got sick. I'm getting treatment,' he said according to RIA Novosti.

He told TASS he had not been in personal touch with Putin for one month.

Peskov himself said that major efforts had been taken to ensure Putin did not become infected.

Peskov's wife Tatiana Navka , 45, former Olympic champion figure skater and twice World Champion is also infected and was also in hospital.

'He brought it from work,' she said.

The former diplomat's infections follows that of Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin who was also hospitalised.

A Kremlin spokesman confirmed Peskov was in the hospital. Russian culture minister Olga Lyubimova and construction minister the head of the Ministry of Construction Vladimir Yakushev are also infected.

Earlier this month Putin was seen with his close ally Igor Sechin with neither wearing protective masks. Sechin is now head of energy giant Rosneft.

Dmitry Peskov, left, is Vladimir Putin's, right, long-term spokesperson and confirmed he had coronavirus. Earlier this month Putin told millions of Russians to return to work despite rising numbers of the virus

On Tuesday May 12, Russia also recorded 107 coronavirus related deaths, a record high for the country in a single day since the crisis began

There have been reports the Kremlin's daily figures may be underestimating fatalities by as much as 70 per cent.

The number of new cases per-day rose dramatically in the second half of April. Putin has attributed this steep rise to an increase in testing.

A quarter of a million people are under medical surveillance due to being suspected of suffering from coronavirus.

But the statistics may mask an even more serious situation in Russia.

An analysis by The Financial Times showed 2,073 more deaths in April in Moscow and St Petersburg compared to the average figure for the past five years.

Official Russian figures show 629 Covid-19 deaths for the same month, meaning an excess of 1,444 deaths compared with normal mortality levels.

'If added to the reported national figure of 2,009 Covid deaths as of Monday morning, this would mean a 72 per cent increase in Russia's national death toll,' stated the newspaper.

On Tuesday May 12, the mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin made it mandatory for people using public transport, taxi passengers and shoppers to wear face masks

The same figures from civil registry offices show that in April in Moscow there were 1,980 additional deaths in Moscow compared the an average over ten years.

Until now, Russian experts have suggested they are less seriously hit than many Western countries.

But it also seems clear Russia was not listing Covid-19 as a cause when there are complicating factors in deaths such as cancer or heart trouble.

The revealing excess death statistics from the Moscow civil registry office suggest that either the real number of Covid-19 deaths are higher than have been officially acknowledged, or there has been a rise in non-coronavirus fatalities at a time when hospitals are under pressure from the pandemic - or a combination of both factors.

Russian deputy premier Tatyana Golikova has claimed that infections are growing significantly more slowly in Russia than in Western countries.

Russian deputy premier Tatyana Golikova, pictured on May 12 during a briefing on counter coronavirus measures, has claimed that infections are growing significantly more slowly in Russia than in Western countries

On Monday, May 11, Putin told millions of Russians to return to work despite recording a record number of infections and deaths from coronavirus in the 24 hours running up to his public announcement.

He spoke about the deadly pandemic in a televised address from the Kremlin and announced measures to support the Russian economy.

'Starting from tomorrow, May 12, the national period of non-working days will be over for all sectors of the economy,' Putin said, adding that Russia's regions will be able to keep in place any necessary anti-virus measures.

The Russian premier went on to criticise businesses for the doubling of unemployment rates since the start of the pandemic, adding they should have held on to their employees during the crisis.

Putin stressed that the rapidly increasing number of coronavirus cases was largely down to the high rates of testing in the country. He said that Russia began the pandemic with 2,500 tests per day, which has now risen to 170,000. Officials plan for this number to be doubled this month.

During the address, Putin asked regional government heads to take responsibility for enforcing social distancing measures and for delivering the money promised by the government to those in need.

However, the low death toll and Russia's methods of logging fatalities were questioned by the opposition, while doctors said initial test kits often returned false negative results.

With the majority of cases in and around Moscow, some regions have begun to relax restrictions which have seriously affected the economy.

Sparcely-populated Yakutia, Magadan and Yamal lifted restrictions on being outside and allowed the reopening of some businesses, requiring people to self-distance.

In Moscow, the mayor announced some industries and construction sites can begin work, but masks and gloves will be mandatory.

More than half of all cases and deaths are in Moscow, the epicentre of Russia's outbreak.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews top Belt and Road adviser was instrumental in landing a $100,000 donation to the Labor party through a key Chinese business group years before Victoria signed up to the controversial infrastructure scheme.

Mr Andrews senior adviser, Marty Mei, who is on the board of the Hunan Business Association, helped secure the contribution in the lead up to the 2014 state election, according to sources with knowledge of the donation. He later became Mr Andrews' multicultural adviser and worked on the Belt and Road deal.

The Belt and Road deal has opened a rift between the federal and state government after Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas accused the Morrison government of "vilifying" China in pushing for a global inquiry into the coronavirus.

Daniel Andrews accepts a cheque for the Victorian Labor Party in 2014. Credit:

The row escalated on Friday with senior DFAT officials furious over the leak of Victorian government notes quoting one of their senior officials in a private meeting two years ago, with the federal department revealing it "advised caution about entering into written agreements relating to BRI".
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 13:11 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdaeab09 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,new-normal,schools,online-petition Free

The Womens Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry has suggested reducing school hours to only four hours a day without breaks as concerns mount over new normal protocols for students.

"Our recommendation is to remove break time and shorten the school hours to four hours a day, the ministry's deputy assistant for child protection in emergency situations and pornography, Ciput Eka Purwianti, said on Thursday.

Another scenario prepared for the new normal at schools was to alter the start and end of school hours to avoid a buildup of students at campus entrances.

The government is planning to ease the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) policy  aimed at curbing COVID-19 transmission in public areas  gradually and embrace a new normal by slowly reopening schools, offices and shopping centers as well as other public places with heightened health protocols.

However, many have questioned the decision as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths still continue to rise across the country.

The National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA) suggested that students study from home until the country is declared free from COVID-19.

"The study-from-home policy should remain in effect until Indonesia is free from the novel coronavirus pandemic," chairman Arist Merdeka Sirait said in a statement on Wednesday.

He said he would soon send a letter to the Education and Culture Ministry regarding the matter.

Read also: Five percent of Indonesia's COVID-19 cases are children: Ministry

According to Indonesian Pediatric Association data, at least 584 children in Indonesia have tested positive for COVID-19 as of May 18, 14 of whom died of the disease.

Up to 3,324 children have been placed under surveillance (PDP), 129 of whom have.

Social media influencer Hana Handoko created an online petition through change.org last week, demanding a continuation of the study-from-home policy to protect children from the life-threatening disease.

She cited cases of COVID-19 transmissions in France and Finland after the respective governments decided to reopen schools, despite the ongoing pandemic.

"Hopefully, the government will learn from what happened in France and Finland and extend distance study sessions to protect our next generation," Hana said.

The petition has garnered nearly 45,000 signatures as of Friday morning.
MIDDLETOWN  Four people were taken to area hospitals following a massive two-alarm blaze which touched off early Friday at a home on Saybrook Road.

State and local fire marshals and police detectives are investigating the scene at the home in the 1600 block of Saybrook Road, as well as reports of an explosion on the property, according to South District Fire Chief Michael Howley, who arrived moments after the 6:25 a.m. call.

Two occupants were taken to the hospital, as were two others, possibly neighbors, who were in the backyard helping bring the individuals to safety. They were pulling the residents out of the house, so they got burned on their hands, he said.

It was 100 percent in flames. It was an abrupt fire  quite extensive, Howley added.

The photo he took upon arrival shows a raging fire consuming the structure, which is in a wooded area near Aircraft Road and the Haddam line.

Lifestar medevac was summoned to transport the burn victims to Bridgeport Hospital, but was unable to land due to substandard conditions. Lifestar would not fly. That is their pilots choice. The weather was not conducive for flying: very foggy, misty, rainy. They cant fly in that, the chief said. Their visual is not good.

Fire personnel were on scene within minutes, said Howley, who was at the Randolph Road station, about a mile-and-a-half away.

The fire was fully involved. There were no explosions after we got on scene, he said. We immediately had multiple things to do. The fire, you think, is number one, but it isnt  patient care is number one.

He immediately called in multiple units from several nearby towns to provide mutual aid, including Haddam, Middletown, Westfield, Durham, Middlefield and as far south as Deep River.

Between seven and eight tanker trucks showed up to help supply water as are were no fire hydrants nearby, Howley said. Four Hunters Ambulance crews were called in.

Half of the South Fire and other first responders were directed to attend to the patients, while the remainder attacked the blaze. As more people are arriving, were starting to put more people on the fire itself, Howley said. We got tremendous help from everybody.

Investigators are expected to be processing the scene throughout the day, the chief said. By late morning, the home was still smoldering and heavy equipment was being brought in for demolition.

A cause has not yet been determined.

Hearst reporter Ben Lambert contributed to this report.
He's been hotly tipped to win the latest season of MasterChef: Back to Win, but Reynold Poernomo has admitted he almost didn't even appear.

In an interview with News.com.au on Friday, the 26-year-old dessert chef confessed he was reluctant to return to the series without former judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris.

'I said yes, then the judges got changed, and I said no, then I had to say yes again because I thought OK, this is actually an opportunity that doesn't come around often,' he told the publication.

No show: He's been hotly tipped to win the latest season of MasterChef: Back to Win, but Reynold Poernomo has admitted he almost didn't even appear

The MasterChef favourite said he was concerned about having to leave his family to go to Melbourne to film the hit cooking show.

Reynold runs the highly successful KOI dessert bar with his brothers, Ronald and Arnold, and admitted his job is demanding.

'My time is really valuable in the business and to take that away I was worried would be a bit of a burden to my family,' he explained.

New line-up: He said this year's judges (L-R) Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo, have done a great job, adding, 'It's really refreshing to see new faces'

'I guess I wanted to make my time on MasterChef really worth it.'

And while he was initially apprehensive about signing on for another series, Reynold said he's 'so glad' he did.

He said this year's judges, Melissa Leong, Andy Allen and Jock Zonfrillo, have done a great job, adding, 'It's really refreshing to see new faces.'

'I said yes, then the judges got changed, and I said no, then I had to say yes again because I thought OK, this is actually an opportunity that doesn't come around often,' he said

Reynold confessed having Melissa, 38, on the judging panel - both the show's first female judge and first Asian judge - had been 'incredible'.

He said he's really appreciated seeing the 'diversity' this year's show has brought, branding it a 'direction of such positivity'.

'An Asian woman representing on national prime time TV, it's incredible to see that strength. An Asian judge? I would have never expected that!' he added.

High praise: Reynold confessed having Melissa, 38, on the judging panel - both the show's first female judge and first Asian judge - had been 'incredible'

The show inadvertently gave away the fact that Reynold won Thursday night's immunity challenge ahead of the episode airing.

A teaser trailer before the episode showed a speckled bowl and described it as being 'the greatest dish of the season'.

But when the episode aired, fans couldn't help noticing that the bowl Reynold served his dessert in was the exact same one from the teaser.
A CNN reporter and his crew were arrested live on air by police in Minneapolis early on Friday, after a night of continued protests over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was handcuffed on the ground while police knelt on his back and neck.

CNN's Omar Jimenez, who the cable network said identifies as black and Latino, and his producer, cameraman and a security guard they hired were arrested live on air before being released later in the morning. They were covering the increasingly violent protests that have erupted over Floyd's killing, which has renewed outcry about the deaths of black people at the hands of police in the US.

Minneapolis state police arrested reporter Omar Jimenez while he was live on air.

Jimenez, who was arrested while broadcasting live, is already back reporting live on camera.

"Everyone to their credit was pretty cordial after that happened," Jimenez said of his arrest, adding that an officer told him that he was only following orders. "They weren't violent with me," he said.
NEW HAVEN  The number of coronavirus cases in New Haven has risen to 2,452, Mayor Justin Elicker said Friday, as he and other officials shared an update on the pandemic in the city.

Elicker said 104 city residents have died of the coronavirus so far, including roughly 30 in nursing homes, according to data from Health Director Maritza Bond. Approximately 13,236 tests have been conducted in the city, with a positive rate of roughly 23 percent, Bond said.

Other updates shared Friday include:

 Elicker said the city will hold a food distribution site and pop-up testing site at Lincoln Bassett School Saturday, May 30. The food will be distributed from 10 a.m. to noon, while the testing site will open an hour earlier at 9 a.m.

 Barbershops and hair salons will be allowed to open June 1. Elicker noted that businesses wishing to open have to complete the states self-certification process and said city officials would be available to answer questions from residents.

 Mayors and clergy across the nation have designated June 1 as a national day of mourning, marking the deaths of people from the coronavirus. Elicker said residents are asked to take two minutes as a moment of silence at 10 a.m., which will be followed by the ringing of church bells.

 Elicker and Police Chief Otoniel Reyes spoke out against the death of George Floyd, who died while being detained by a Minneapolis police officer.

Im relieved that the officer is being charged now, but I think this incident just underscores ... how much work we need to do as a nation to address the inequalities and disproportionate impact, particularly on black and brown communities, some law enforcement may have, said Elicker.

Reyes said the men and women of the New Haven Police Department, as well as local chiefs and chiefs across the country, had condemned police brutality in the wake of Floyds death. The department is planning to issue a statement expressing its thoughts on the matter, he said.

We have to come together to deliver the message that we do not tolerate this, said Reyes. This is a sentiment felt by every member of this department, because we swore to take an oath, and I can assure you that the men and women of the New Haven Police Department feel strongly about that. We want to condemn any action that amounts to police brutality or corruption. Thats not what we stand for, and I think its time that we stopped being silent about that.

Reyes, responding to body camera footage of the arrest of Richard Smith Wednesday night, said officers are required under department policy to wear masks when interacting with the public during the pandemic.

Officers seen in the body camera footage were not wearing masks. Reyes said the officers, responding to a call for help from a fellow officer, had decided to move as quickly as possible. While this is not in accordance with policy, Reyes said he understood their decisions.

Its a tough balance. The policy says any time theyre going to come in contact with the public, or even in close contact with themselves, they have to wear a mask. Obviously, an officer was calling for help. They were going there lights and sirens, and what you saw there was the aftermath of that, said Reyes.

Certainly we prioritize officer safety and the general publics safety, and were enforcing these policies, but under those circumstances I certainly understand why the mask wasnt the first thing on their mind, he said.

 The Phase 1 reopening of businesses in New Haven has gone well, Elicker and Bond said. Elicker said he was pleased it was proceeding slowly, as people were moving when they felt ready. The city is monitoring for any potential rise in coronavirus cases, he said.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
The United States will take action to prevent alleged espionage by Chinese students, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said ahead of an expected announcement by President Donald Trump on Friday. Trump said that he will hold a press conference Friday about China amid soaring tensions between the two powers, including over the status of Hong Kong and the novel coronavirus pandemic. Asked about a report in The New York Times that Trump was considering throwing out thousands of graduate students, Pompeo said Thursday that Chinese students "shouldn't be here in our schools spying." "We know we have this challenge. President Trump, I am confident, is going to take that on," Pompeo told Fox News, while declining to say if action would be announced on Friday. "We have an obligation -- a duty -- to make sure that students that are coming here to study... aren't acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party," Pompeo said. The New York Times said that the Trump administration was considering annuling visas for thousands of graduate students linked to China's military. The move would be certain to draw criticism from universities, which rely increasingly on tuition from foreign students -- of which China and India are the largest sources -- and have already been hit hard by the COVID-19 shutdown. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Friday that the US "has a lot of negative words and deeds which are totally against the ideals of openness and freedom that they claim to be the champion of." Zhao said the US actions have already brought "serious negative impact on the normal people-to-people exchanges... and seriously undermines the social basis of the relations between the two countries." - 'Not happy' - Asian American activists have long voiced concern that the targeting of Chinese students impacts their own community, with US citizens of Asian ancestry coming under unjustified suspicion. "This isn't a red scare, this isn't racist. Chinese people are a great people," Pompeo said when asked about the concerns. "This is like the days of the Soviet Union. This is a communist, tyrannical regime that poses real risk to the United States," he said. Trump, in remarks to reporters, declined to preview the press conference on Friday but said, "We're not happy with China." The press conference will come two days after Pompeo certified to Congress that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China, as promised by Beijing before Britain handed over its colony in 1997. China has been pressing forward the drafting of a security law that Hong Kong activists say will end freedoms enjoyed in the financial capital, which was rocked by months of pro-democracy protests last year. Washington and Beijing are already clashing over responsibility for the extent of the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China but has spread worldwide and caused devastation in the United States. Domestic critics accuse Trump of mismanagement and say that the 100,000 US deaths and massive unemployment were the result of a slow, patchy federal response to the virus' spread across the world's biggest economy. But Trump blames the crisis on China and for a long time insisted on calling the COVID-19 sickness the "Chinese virus." He has threatened to cut off US funding for the World Health Organization, accusing the UN body of bias toward Beijing and assisting in a cover-up.
Ukraine hopes that Hungary's full support of Ukraine in NATO will be renewed, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

At the same time, during a press conference in Budapest on Friday, after a meeting with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Economy and Foreign Affairs Peter Szijjarto, he noted that there are no objective grounds for any significant problems between Ukraine and Hungary.

"I want to emphasize only one thing, that there are no objective grounds for any significant problems between Ukraine and Hungary. And we must turn this page, we must find all solutions that are beneficial to our countries, and continue to support each other in all possible formats. We hope that Hungary's full support for Ukraine will resume in NATO," said Kuleba.

According to the minister, Hungary can always count on the support of its initiatives in Central Europe from Ukraine, since Ukraine also belongs to a large family of Central European states.

"And we are determined to be result-oriented, to have a positive result, when both our countries will benefit from cooperation, and not lose from confrontation," Kuleba emphasized.
Coronavirus infections are spreading among workers at a warehouse run by online commerce company Coupang in Bucheon west of Seoul, surging to 90 just five days after the first confirmed case was detected on May 23.

The virus was detected on hats and shoes worn by some of the workers, suggesting that it may have spread without direct contact.

Another infection was detected at a different Coupang warehouse in Goyang just north of Seoul, bringing the total infections to 39 in Incheon, 32 in Gyeonggi Province and 19 in the capital itself.

The developments prompted government officials to reinstate some lockdown measures in the Seoul metropolitan area from Thursday until June 14.
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2020) - SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) Greg Lambrecht CEO joins MoneyTV to discuss Q1 revenue, and the future of 2020. The interview goes into goals for 2020 through Direct Solar America as well as 1606 Hemp.





Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/B5z6BwLJiv8

About SinglePoint, Inc.:

Founded in 2011 SinglePoint, Inc (SING) invests in and acquires brands and companies that will benefit from injection of growth capital and the sales and marketing expertise of SinglePoint. The company portfolio currently includes solar, hemp and technology applications. SinglePoint is working to grow the company to a multinational brand.

Connect on social media at:

https://www.facebook.com/SinglePointMobile

https://twitter.com/_SinglePoint

https://www.linkedin.com/company/singlepoint

https://www.youtube.com/user/SinglePointMobile

For more information visit: www.SinglePoint.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

Corporate Communication

SinglePoint Inc.

888-OTC-SING

investors@singlepoint.com

www.singlepoint.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56841
NEW YORK, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, the Ad Hoc Argentine Bondholder Group, represented by White & Case LLP, and the Exchange Bondholder Group disclosed they had jointly submitted an improved proposal on the terms of a debt restructuring to the Argentine government.

We are confident our new joint proposal provides the basis for a collaborative solution that will both serve the interest of the Argentine people and help to restore the trust of the international financial community.

Our joint proposal will provide ample fiscal space for the Argentine administration to implement responsible policies designed to address the immediate economic and social challenges facing Argentina, including in response to the COVID-19 crisis, while at the same time preserving value for international bondholders.

Significant up-front cash flow relief. Our joint proposal provides significant up-front cash flow relief in the coming years (2020-2023), meeting the needs of Argentina . A combination of particularly low cash coupons and maturity extensions delivers relief of $23.8 billion in the 4-year period.

Our joint proposal provides significant up-front cash flow relief in the coming years (2020-2023), meeting the needs of . A combination of particularly low cash coupons and maturity extensions delivers relief of in the 4-year period. Coupon reductions averaging 32%. We have also proposed an average coupon reduction across Argentina's maturity curve of 32%, taking its average coupon rate to 4.25%  a rate that is currently only reserved for the highest-rated investment grade sovereigns in Latin America and across the emerging markets.

We have also proposed an average coupon reduction across maturity curve of 32%, taking its average coupon rate to 4.25%  a rate that is currently only reserved for the highest-rated investment grade sovereigns in and across the emerging markets. Relieving future refinancing pressures. To relieve refinancing pressures in the coming years, new bonds issued under our joint proposal have extended maturities compared to the existing debt stock, with an average maturity of 13.3 years and no amortization payments until 2025.

To relieve refinancing pressures in the coming years, new bonds issued under our joint proposal have extended maturities compared to the existing debt stock, with an average maturity of 13.3 years and no amortization payments until 2025. Substantial cash flow relief for nearly a decade. In totality, our joint proposal provides Argentina with aggregate cash flow relief in excess of $36 billion over a nine-year period and is designed to fit within both the macro-fiscal framework expressed by the Government and the IMF's debt sustainability framework.

Our joint proposal reflects the collaborative efforts of the two largest bondholder groups of Argentina, the Ad Hoc Argentine Bondholder Group and the Exchange Bondholder Group. Together, our groups hold c.31% of Exchange Bonds and c.32% of Macri Bonds. Our joint proposal therefore represents the consensus position of a broad cross-section of bondholders of Argentine debt across the maturity spectrum. The terms have been carefully designed to achieve equitable burden sharing by bondholders across all outstanding instruments. We believe that the compelling rationale of our joint proposal should enable it to command widespread support from institutional and retail bondholders alike.

Despite Argentina's decision to default on May 22, we have continued to negotiate with the Argentine authorities in good faith and with the goal of finding a consensual solution. Our joint proposal represents a considered and responsible initiative by international asset managers who invested in Argentina on behalf of millions of savers around the world, and now wish to find a solution satisfying their own fiduciary obligations to such savers while also providing the opportunity for the Argentine authorities to implement a positive agenda of structural and economic reforms.

We encourage the Argentine government to act now and engage with our new proposal which already commands the support of the two largest bondholder groups of Argentina. Our proposal offers the Argentine administration substantial front-loaded cash flow relief, while providing a foundation for the future economic development and prosperity of Argentina and its citizens.

For media enquiries:

Greenbrook

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7952-2000

SOURCE White and Case LLP


In Japan, many small medical centers are at risk of going out of business as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Even as the government eases COVID-19 restrictions, people continue to avoid the clinics in fear they might catch the disease there.

Now clinic owners are asking the government for help.

Toshihiko Yamazaki operates a clinic in the city of Urawa, north of Tokyo. He said clinics in the residential and office areas seem to be having a difficult time.

Even if the state of emergency is lifted, patients wont be able to return as long as there is a risk of infection, he said.

Yamazaki has seven employees. His clinic has gotten through the crisis better than most because it is close to a major train station. Still, in April, revenue was down 17 percent.

Japan had about 16,600 coronavirus infections and around 850 deaths. It has mostly contained the virus without heavy restrictions on travel and business.

Citizens mostly have obeyed the governments call for an 80 percent cut to social interactions. Clinic visits for usual health care have decreased, as a result.

An industry organization, the Tokyo Medical Practitioner Association, surveyed 1,200 clinics in the capital. It says more than 90 percent of them suffered revenue loss in April.

The Japan Federation of Insurance Medical Associations carried out a similar survey nationwide. It found that more than 80 percent of 2,900 clinics also saw revenue loss in April.

Some of the business went to the internet, where doctors can provide telehealth services. But most doctors get only about half as much money as they would receive for in-person visits.

Experts also predict a decrease of about $4.6 billion in hospital revenues this year. Teaching hospitals have asked the government for financial aid.

And, medical and hospital groups are urging Japans health ministry to re-direct aid for community health programs to small medical centers.

Health ministry official Kazuho Taguchi said the ministry was taking the issue seriously. Non-virus services must be continued, he added, saying the ministry was holding hearings on ways to deal with the problem of fewer patients.

Toshio Nakagawa is vice president of the Japan Medical Association. He points out that as revenue decreases, doctors may reconsider plans to buy equipment and hire workers. That, he says, could lead to a drop in the quality of medical care.

Im Alice Bryant.

Reuters News Agency reported this story. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

residential - adj. containing mostly homes instead of stores or businesses

revenue - n. money that is made or paid to a business or an organization

interaction - n. the act of talking or doing things with other people

survey - n. an act of studying something in order to make a judgment about it
Dutch English

Papendrecht, 27 May 2020

Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) has been awarded two contracts in Finland by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, the Port of Helsinki and the City of Helsinki with a combined contract value of EUR 32 million. In the Port of Helsinki, Boskalis will deepen de Vuosaari fairway and harbor basin from eleven to thirteen meters and utilize a part of the dredged material for the development of Helsinkis Hernesaari area, which is close to the center of the city. The activities will commence immediately and are due to be completed by the end of 2021.

For the harbor deepening scope a volume of one million cubic meters of clay and moraine material will be dredged and 0.8 million cubic meters of rock will be removed from the seabed by means of drilling and blasting. Part of this material will be transported by vessel to the Hernesaari area and reused for the reclamation of 6 hectares of land on which offices and residential housing for 7,000 people will be developed in the coming years. For these activities Boskalis will deploy a variety of specialized dredging equipment including two large backhoe dredgers, a grab dredger, a drilling barge and various hopper barges.



Boskalis strategy is aimed at benefitting from key macro-economic factors which drive worldwide demand in our markets: expansion of the global economy, increase in energy consumption, global population growth and the challenges that go hand in hand with climate change. These projects are largely driven by growth in global trade and the trend towards larger vessels with deeper drafts as well as population growth in major cities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Investor relations:

Martijn L.D. Schuttevaer

ir@boskalis.com

Press:

Arno Schikker

press@boskalis.com

T +31 786969310

Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. is a leading global services provider operating in the dredging, maritime infrastructure and maritime services sectors. The company provides creative and innovative all-round solutions to infrastructural challenges in the maritime, coastal and delta regions of the world. With core activities such as coastal defense, riverbank protection and land reclamation Boskalis is able to provide adaptive and mitigating solutions to combat the effects of climate change, such as extreme weather conditions and rising sea levels, as well as delivering solutions for the increasing need for space in coastal and delta regions across the world. The company facilitates the development of offshore energy infrastructure, including renewable wind energy. Boskalis is furthermore active in the construction and maintenance of ports, waterways, access channels and civil infrastructure, thus helping to facilitate trade flows and regional socio-economic development. In addition, Boskalis is a global marine salvage expert and has a number of strategic partnerships in harbor towage and terminal services (Keppel Smit Towage and Smit Lamnalco). With a versatile fleet of more than 700 vessels and floating equipment and 9,600 employees, including associates, Boskalis is creating new horizons around the world.

This press release can also be found on our website www.boskalis.com .

Attachments
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday condemned "senseless violence" by demonstrators in both Minnesota and his home state of Kentucky but said anger at the deaths of African Americans by police was "certainly" understandable.

"For millions and millions of outraged Americans, these tragedies do not appear as isolated incidents, but as the latest disturbing chapters in our long, unfinished American struggle to ensure that equal justice under law is not conditional on the color of one's skin," McConnell, the chamber's top Republican, said in a statement.

McConnell, who is up for reelection this year, made similar comments earlier at an event in Kentucky, where he said the police officers facing scrutiny in both states deserve a fair process but "look pretty darn guilty."

His comments referenced episodes in Minneapolis, where a white officer was captured on video pressing his knee into the neck of George Floyd in a banned maneuver Monday; and in Louisville, where narcotics officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor after knocking down her front door in March. No drugs were found.

"Breonna's family and all Kentuckians deserve truth, accountability, and justice," McConnell said of the episode in his hometown, adding that he was pleased that local police and the FBI are investigating.

McConnell's statement also alluded to a third episode in Glynn County, Georgia, where Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed African American man, was fatally shot while jogging in February.

Both Minneapolis and Louisville experienced significant unrest overnight. Amid protests in Louisville, gunshots erupted, wounding at least seven people, police said. Anger has been fueled in that case by the release Thursday of a 911 call made by Taylor's boyfriend after she was shot eight times.

While McConnell said he has long supported the right to peaceful protest, he condemned what took place in the two cities.

"Stealing, burning down buildings, attacking law enforcement officers, or laying siege to police precincts is not speech or protest," he said in his statement. "It is violent crime that victimizes innocent people. Kentuckians cannot and will not accept violence and chaos on our streets."

While fielding questions from reporters in Kentucky, McConnell sidestepped a question about a tweet by President Donald Trump early Friday morning suggesting that the military might shoot looters in Minneapolis.

"I generally don't comment on the president's tweets," McConnell said, adding that he was happy to offer his own views.

"I think what's happening in Louisville and in Minneapolis really needs to stop," he said. "Senseless violence and reaction to this is not helpful, but you can certainly understand the outrage. You can certainly understand the outrage. It's not made better by engaging in random acts of violence."
My heart goes out to George Floyd, said Ms. MacDonald, a former judge. My heart goes out to his family. My heart goes out to his friends. My heart goes out to the community.

South Minneapolis continued to seethe at the treatment of Mr. Floyd  and demonstrators railed against what they described as a city in which black lives are valued less than those of white residents.

I want justice. I hope the continued pressure will get us charges, but we have to have some patience, said Jamar Nelson, a community activist who works with families of crime victims. The worst outcome is if we rush and the charges dont stick.

In one section of Minneapolis on Thursday night, hundreds of people held a vigil near where Mr. Floyd died, leaving new flowers and balloons not far from a mural of him, newly painted along a buildings wall.

In other parts of the city and in St. Paul, police in riot gear clashed repeatedly with protesters amid reports of vandalized buildings and fires in businesses. In Minneapolis, at least one person was injured in a stabbing during the chaos, the police said. Late Thursday, protesters climbed over fences to breach a police precinct and set it on fire as officers retreated in squad cars. Smoke poured from the precinct and nearby buildings.
Dhaka:

Bangladeshs Supreme Court today upheld the death sentence it handed down to senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader and key financier Mir Quasem Ali for committing war crimes during the countrys 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan.

The five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha pronounced a single-word judgement in the court room.

Rejected, said top judge, who is the first Hindu to occupy the post in the Muslim-majority country, about 64-year-old Alis appeal. Ali is considered as the key-financier of Jamaat, which was opposed to Bangladeshs 1971 independence from Pakistan.

In his brief comments after the verdict, attorney general Mahbubey Alam told reporters that Ali could now seek presidential clemency as his last resort to save himself from the gallows.

He now could be (sent) to (the) gallows anytime if he does not seek clemency or his mercy petition is rejected, Alam said.

Alis lawyers were not immediately available for comments. The decision paves the way for Alis execution unless he is pardoned by the president.

Ali, also a media doyen, filed the review petition after the apex court published its full verdict and the International Crimes Tribunal issued the death warrant against him on June 6.

He owns several business houses and media outlets including a now suspended TV channel and is a central executive council member of Jamaat-e-Islami.

He was convicted of running a militia torture cell, Al Badr, that carried out killings of several people. Three million people were said to have been massacred in the war by the Pakistani army and their local collaborators.

Prosecution lawyers had earlier said Ali had exhausted all efforts to influence his trial on charges of committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.

They had said that Ali made a USD 25 million deal with US lobby firm Cassidy and Associates for engaging with the governments of the United States and Bangladesh to protect his interest.

During the appeal hearing against his death sentence the state-side submitted to the court a receipt issued by the US lobby firm for what it said professional service.

The evidence suggested that in March, 2014, another deal worth of USD 50,000 was struck with the same lobby firm on Alis behalf for condemning the actions of the International Crimes Tribunal-Bangladesh.

Under the deal, the firm was asked to do everything possible to get incorporated an anti-ICT-BD legislative language in the House/Senate Department.

Four people, including three Jamaat leaders and one BNP stalwart have been hanged so far since the war crimes trial process began six years ago while two others died in prison of old age.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi, May 29 : Tightening its noose around AgustaWestland deal's alleged middleman Rajiv Saxena, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has attached his properties to the tune of Rs 385 crore, including a villa in Palm Juberiah in Dubai, in connection with the VVIP chopper scam and Moser Baer bank fraud case.

An ED official said that the financial probe agency issued separate attachments orders attaching assets to the tune of Rs 385.44 crore of Saxena under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Agusta Westland Chopper Scam and Moser Baer bank fraud case.

He said the attached assets includes villa in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai worth 20 million AED and balances in five Swiss bank accounts amounting to USD 45.55 million of Saxena. Saxena was deported to India from UAE on January 1, 2019 for his involvement in the case of Agusta Westland Chopper Scam and was arrested under PMLA.

The ED has initiated a probe involving Saxena on the basis of separate FIRs registered by CBI in AgustaWestland chopper scam and Moser Baer bank fraud case. He said in the chopper scam case, CBI registered a case under several sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act against then Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi and others.

He said the CBI registered a separate FIR against Moser Baer India Ltd. and its Directors including Ratul Puri, nephew of former Madhya Pradsh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, unknown public servants and unknown private persons under various sections in bank fraud case.

The ED official said during the probe, it was found that Saxena was a hawala operator and accommodation entry provider, who runs the business in Dubai through numerous companies known as Matrix Group companies and has laundered proceeds of crime in the cases of AgustaWestland chopper scam and Moser Baer bank fraud case.

The ED official claimed that Saxena created structures for laundering proceeds of crime generated by accused in both cases either for the kickbacks in AgustaWestland case or defrauding banks by misutilising the loans given to Moser Baer India Ltd and its subsidiaries.

According to ED officials, Saxena managed the proceeds of crime and tainted funds of many high profile and high-net worth individuals. He further said that in AgustaWestland chopper case, a letter of request to Swiss Confederation was sent to restrain his Swiss bank accounts and ensure that Saxena did not transfer or dispose of the suspected proceeds of crime.

"Saxena has admitted to laundering the proceeds of crime not only of AgustaWestland deal but also various other defence deals. The proceeds of crime have also been transferred to the personal accounts of Saxena and his wife Shivani Saxena, who is also an accused in the case," the official said.

In the Moser Baer bank fraud case, proceeds of crime belonging to Deepak Puri, father of Ratul Puri amounting to USD 16.33 million have also been attached in the hands of Saxena, he said.

The ED official said the accounts of Moser Baer India Ltd. was classified as a non-performing asset in the year 2014.

"Investigation has revealed that the proceeds of crime generated by Deepak Puri out of bank fraud were received and kept by Saxena till 2018 through accounts maintained for Deepak Puri and also equity has been transferred from an undisclosed entity based in Bahamas," he said.

The official said that from the analysis of digital evidences and accounts of Puri family maintained by Saxena, it was revealed that the amount of USD 16.33 million was proceeds of crime that was in his hands that belonged to Deepak Puri. The same amount was parked in the accounts of companies of Matrix Group, he said.
The "Order of the Blue Nose" has a handful of new members after sailors on the destroyer Roosevelt completed the King of the North's list of challenges.

Ten sailors participated in a unique Navy ceremony this month in which two of their leaders played Boreas Rex, the blue-haired, trident-carrying King of the North, as they crossed into the Arctic Circle. The sailors, who completed an obstacle course and the rest of the king's challenges, were formally designated "Blue Noses" by Command Master Chief James Kuroski and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew Hicks.

Read next: Lawmakers Raise Alarms Over Trump's 'Salute to America' Plans

Kuroski called the Order of the Blue Nose ceremony "an exhilarating experience for the body and mind and soul."

"Operating above the Arctic Circle is an honor that is not lost on this crew," he said in a Navy news release.

The Roosevelt was one of three Navy destroyers to enter the Barents Sea above the Arctic Circle this month. It marked the first time Navy ships had operated there, off Russia's northern coast, since the Cold War.

The crew celebrated the occasion with the Blue Nose ceremony -- one of several held at sea when sailors are operating in unique areas. When a ship crosses the equator, for example, sailors go through another ceremony in which they transform from pollywogs to shellbacks.

Some of the Roosevelt sailors to become Blue Noses above the Arctic Circle are also shellbacks, which Information Systems Technician First Class Russell Elliott said makes them part of two small groups in the Navy brotherhood.

"[These ceremonies] bring the crew together as a family, and everyone now has a story to tell their children, grandchildren, even great-grandchildren one day," he said.

As the Navy increases its presence in the Arctic, more sailors will likely have a shot at joining the Order of the Blue Nose -- but that's only if they complete the tasks Boreas Rex and his subjects assign.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Related: Navy Ships Transit Through Barents Sea Near Russia for 1st Time Since Cold War
Mayor Jim Kenney's "Safer at Home" plan, a modified version of the state's yellow phase of reopening, will take effect June 5. Read more

Mayor Jim Kenney on Friday announced Philadelphias Safer at Home plan for entering the yellow phase of reopening parts of the economy on June 5, including office-based businesses, manufacturing, and retail.

Kenney stressed that the incremental loosening of restrictions on business and social activities does not mean that Philadelphia has beat the coronavirus or that residents should give up on social distancing practices to prevent its spread.

We are still safer at home and should only leave to engage in essential activities, Kenney said. It is clear that the work of Philadelphians so far has put us in a much safer place than we were two months ago, but we are not out of the woods yet.

Kenney called the plan a mini-step forward and said residents should still avoid large gatherings. Businesses that are more likely to be venues for spreading the virus, like bars and restaurants, will remain closed. Child care centers, outdoor day camps, and warehouse operations will be able to resume.

Were ready to put our toe in the water and see how everybody behaves and how everybody reacts, he said.

The new plan establishes rules for businesses operations that are reopening, including allowing no more than five customers per 1,000 square feet in stores, wiping down frequently touched surfaces every four hours, posting signs with the rules, spacing cash registers six feet apart, and offering customers hand sanitizer upon entry.

The plan amounts to Philadelphias modified version of the states yellow" phase, which Gov. Tom Wolf previously announced all counties, including those in hard-hit Southeastern Pennsylvania, will be moving to in one week.

The virus, however, continues to afflict Philadelphians. Public Health Commissioner Thomas reported 255 new confirmed cases Friday, for a total of 22,405 since the pandemic began. Additionally, 20 more city residents have died from COVID-19, bringing total fatalities in the city to 1,278, Farley said.

He added that if cases increase in the next week, the city may postpone its plan to loosen restrictions.

If you follow the daily case count numbers, they have not fallen as fast in the past few days as they have in the days before then. But we are getting more testing. More testing is a good sign, so we had to take that into account, Farley said. If the numbers look bad between now and June 5, were going to delay this.

One key difference between the states yellow phase and Kenneys Safer at Home plan concerns gatherings. The state allows social and religious gatherings of up to 25 people in the yellow phase. The city, while not prohibiting such events, said it is strongly discouraging any congregations of people.

 READ MORE: What our social lives will look like in the yellow phase

While these are permitted under the states order, we are not recommending the gatherings of any size, Farley said. If you have 25 people coming together and singing, for example, there is really a risk of spreading from one person to another.

Other differences include the citys continued prohibition on swimming clubs operating and its plan for allowing outdoor dining at restaurants. The states yellow phase allows outdoor dining, but managing director Brian Abernathy said the city is still working on a plan to permit restaurants to use outdoor spaces and does not plan to allow it starting on June 5.

Farley said the city will also be monitoring early warning signs that the virus may be spreading more rapidly as the economy begins to reopen, such as hospital emergency room reports. If cases spike, he said, the city may reinstitute stronger restrictions on commercial and social activities.

Details of what activities will be allowed on June 5 can be found here.

To the extent possible, city inspectors will monitor businesses to ensure compliance, but Farley said the city is asking residents to voluntarily comply.

These rules will be enforced as much as possible through city inspectors," he said. We recognize that there are not enough inspectors to be in every store and every organization across the city of Philadelphia every day, and so we are asking, we are imploring businesses and other activity organizers to do their own enforcement and take this seriously.

 READ MORE: Whats allowed to be open in Pennsylvania during red, yellow and green phases?
[May 29, 2020] Statement Pursuant to Section 19(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940: DDF

On May 29, 2020, Delaware Investments Dividend and Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE: DDF) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund, paid a monthly distribution on its common stock of $0.0743 per share to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 22, 2020. The following table sets forth the estimated amount of the sources of distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the related rules adopted thereunder. The Fund estimates the following percentages, of the total distribution amount per share, attributable to (i) net investment income, (ii) net realized short-term capital gain, (iii) net realized long-term capital gain and (iv) return of capital or other capital source. These percentages are disclosed for the current distribution as well as the fiscal year-to-date cumulative distribution amount per share for the Fund.







Current Distribution from: Per Share ($) % Net Investment Income 0.0207 27.9 % Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gain 0.0000 0.0 % Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gain 0.0000 0.0 % Return of Capital or other Capital Source (News - Alert) 0.0536 72.1 % Total (per common share) 0.0743 100.00 % Fiscal Year-to-Date Cumulative Distributions from: Per Share ($) % Net Investment Income 0.1508 28.8 % Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gain 0.0000 0.0 % Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gain 0.0000 0.0 % Return of Capital or other Capital Source 0.3736 71.2 % Total (per common share) 0.5244 100.00 %

Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution policy. The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this 19(a) Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. Subject to the foregoing, the Fund estimates (as of the date hereof) that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2020; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with 'yield' or 'income.' Presented below are return figures, based on the change in the Fund's Net Asset Value per share ("NAV"), compared to the annualized distribution rate for this current distribution as a percentage of the NAV on the last business day of the month prior to distribution record date. Fund Performance & Distribution Information Fiscal Year to Date (12/01/2019 through 4/30/2020) Annualized Distribution Rate as a Percentage of NAV^ 10.60 % Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV^^ 6.24 % Cumulative Total Return on NAV* -20.33 % Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 4/30/2020** 1.98 % ^ Based on the Fund's NAV as of April 30, 2020. ^^ Cumulative distribution rate is the cumulative amount of distributions paid during the Fund's fiscal year ending November 30, 2020 based on the Fund's NAV as of April 30, 2020. *Cumulative total return is based on the change in NAV including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of these distributions for the period December 1, 2019 through April 30, 2020. **The 5 year average annual total return is based on change in NAV including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of these distributions and is through the last business day of the month prior to the month of the current distribution record date. While the NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. About DDF The Fund's primary investment objective is to seek high current income; capital appreciation is a secondary objective. The Fund seeks to achieve its objectives by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 65% of its total assets in income-generating equity securities, including dividend-paying common stocks, convertible securities, preferred stocks, and other equity-related securities, which may include up to 25% in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate industry operating companies. Up to 35% of the Fund's total assets may be invested in nonconvertible debt securities consisting primarily of high-yield, high-risk corporate bonds. In addition, the Fund utilizes leveraging techniques in an attempt to obtain a higher return for the Fund. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. The Fund has implemented a managed distribution policy. Under the policy, the Fund is managed with a goal of generating as much of the distribution as possible from net investment income and short-term capital gains. The balance of the distribution will then come from long-term capital gains to the extent permitted, and if necessary, a return of capital. Even though the Fund may realize current year capital gains, such gains may be offset, in whole or in part, by the Fund's capital loss carryovers from prior years. Currently under the Fund's managed distribution policy, the Fund makes monthly distributions to common shareholders at a targeted annual distribution rate of 10% of the Fund's average net asset value ("NAV") per share. The Fund will calculate the average NAV per share from the previous three full months immediately prior to the distribution based on the number of business days in those three months on which the NAV is calculated. The distribution will be calculated as 10% of the prior three month's average NAV per share, divided by 12. The Fund will generally distribute amounts necessary to satisfy the Fund's managed distribution policy and the requirements prescribed by excise tax rules and Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. This distribution methodology is intended to provide shareholders with a consistent, but not guaranteed, income stream and a targeted annual distribution rate and is intended to narrow the discount between the market price and the NAV of the Fund's common shares, but there is no assurance that the policy will be successful in doing so. The methodology for determining monthly distributions under the Fund's managed distribution policy will be reviewed at least annually by the Fund's Board of Directors, and the Fund will continue to evaluate its distribution in light of ongoing market conditions. The payment of dividend distributions in accordance with the managed distribution policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expenses and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The managed distribution policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the dividend distribution. The managed distribution policy may, under certain circumstances, cause the amounts of taxable distributions to exceed the amount minimally required to be distributed under the tax rules, such excess will be taxable as ordinary income to the extent loss carry forwards reduce the required amount of capital gains distributions in that year. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state, and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances. About Macquarie Investment Management Macquarie Investment Management, a member of Macquarie Group, includes the former Delaware Investments and is a global asset manager with offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. As active managers, we prioritize autonomy and accountability at the team level in pursuit of opportunities that matter for clients. Macquarie Investment Management is supported by the resources of Macquarie Group (ASX: MQG; ADR: MQBKY), a global provider of asset management, investment, banking, financial and advisory services. Advisory services are provided by Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust, a registered investment advisor. Macquarie Group refers to Macquarie Group Limited and its subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. For more information about Delaware Funds by Macquarie, visit delawarefunds.com or call 800 523-1918. Other than Macquarie Bank Limited (MBL), none of the entities referred to in this document are authorized deposit-taking institutions for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia). The obligations of these entities do not represent deposits or other liabilities of MBL, a subsidiary of Macquarie Group Limited and an affiliate of Macquarie Investment Management. MBL does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of these entities, unless noted otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005491/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Getty Images / iStockphoto

Ive spent most of my career being the only black woman in the room. Based on my background, statistics would tell you that the odds of finding myself where I am today  a technology expert advising some of Americas most valuable companies  were extremely low. I ran away from home when I was 16 years old, got my GED, and went straight into the workforce. I eventually made the choice to go back to college while working, and kept steadily moving upward. Along the way, I learned that tricks like changing my name on my resume from Tanishia to Toni was all it took to get a callback. Theres a whole body of research that validates this experience.

By now, so much ink has been spilled over trends that continue to show white and male employees dominating Silicon Valley workforces, especially among the STEM teams building the technologies that are changing our world. A 2016 analysis of the 177 largest San Francisco Bay Area tech firms found that 10 companies didnt employ a single black woman. Three companies had no black employees at all. Six companies didnt have any female executives. In the five years since Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft began disclosing workforce demographics, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook have barely increased their share of black U.S. technical employees. Apples black technical workforce remains unchanged. Meanwhile, its a mixed bag for women, with better numbers overall but nowhere near parity.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on May 28 imposed monetary penalties on three banks for various rule violations.

The central bank imposed a penalty of Rs 1.2 crore on Karnataka Bank, Rs 5 crore on Bank of India (BoI) and Rs 30 lakh on Saraswat Co-operative Bank.

All three banks have been fined for non-compliance with certain provisions related to Income recognition, asset classification and provisioning pertaining to NPA (non-performing accounts). Provisions are funds a bank need to set aside to cover risky loans. The RBI initiated penal action after inspection of the banks and issuing show cause notices, RBI said.

"This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of section 47A (1) (c) read with sections 46 (4) (i) and 51 (1) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (the Act). This action is based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers," the RBI said with respect to the BoI penalty.

The RBI conducts periodical checks of books of banks to examine possible violation of rules and irregularities in transactions. In a separate release, the RBI also said it is extending the special directions issued to Pune-based Rupee Co-operative Bank for another three months till August. The RBI had imposed restrictions on the bank first in February, 2013 following deterioration in its financials.
Philonise tired of seeing Black men die as protests continue across the US over deadly arrest of unarmed Black man.

Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, a Black man who died earlier this week after a white police officer pinned him down with his knee for several minutes, said he just wants justice for his brother.

A video of Mondays incident shows George, who was unarmed, pleading with Minneapolis police officers, saying I cant breathe while pinned to the ground, before becoming unresponsive with the officers knee still on his neck.

He was pronounced dead at a local hospital later on Monday.

Protests have since erupted across the United States as anger over his death intensified, with some demonstrators gaining access to a police precinct in Minneapolis, Minnesota and setting sections of the building on fire.

On Thursday, Philonise said the protesters have the same pain that I feel.

I want everybody to be peaceful right now but people are torn and hurt because theyre tired of seeing black men die constantly, over and over again, Philonise told CNN.

I understand and I see why a lot of people are doing a lot of different things around the world. I dont want them to lash out like that, but I cant stop people right now. Because they have pain. They have the same pain that I feel. I want everything to be peaceful, but I cant make everybody be peaceful. I cant. Its hard.

I just want justice

The four officers involved in Mondays incident were swiftly fired, but Floyds family, community leaders and residents are calling for arrests to be made.

Hundreds of protesters marched in downtown Minneapolis for a third night on Thursday, demanding justice and an end to police violence.

Say his name. George Floyd, protesters chanted. I cant breathe.

While the protests have started peaceful, they have descended into chaos with reports of looting, arson and vandalism.





Police have used tear gas and non-lethal projectiles to disperse the crowds, drawing anger from local residents.

A large fire was seen near the third precinct of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) on Thursday.

A police spokesman confirmed staff had evacuated the 3rd Precinct station in the interest of the safety of our personnel. Protesters could be seen setting fire to a Minneapolis Police Department jacket.

I came back out. This is my neighborhood. You can see flames for a mile and feel the heat from a block away pic.twitter.com/0kmkBqcFZJ  Max Nesterak (@maxnesterak) May 28, 2020

The City of Minneapolis urged protesters to retreat from the area over unconfirmed reports that gas lines had been cut.

Protesters outside the police building could be heard yelling: Were sick and tired of being sick and tired.

When asked in the CNN interview what his message to the police is, Philonise said he wants them to get everything right.

I want them to get everything right. Start doing your job the right way because I havent been seeing it, years and years down the line I havent been seeing it at all.

Im tired of seeing Black men die. Black lives matter too, he said, before breaking down in tears.

I just want justice. I just want justice, Philonise said, wiping his tears.
The coronavirus COVID-19 reminds us, in the starkest way possible, of the inequality and vulnerability in health, social protection and public services. It has exposed non-inclusive and unsustainable growth in all countries.

The 2019 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index showed remarkable development progress in India. Since 1990 life expectancy has increased by 11.6 years, and schooling by 3.5 years. Between 2006 and 2016, 271 million people were lifted out of poverty.

COVID-19 could reverse this hard earned progress. The lockdown and other restrictions have brought economic activity almost to a standstill, particularly in the informal sector, where 450 million people, more than 80 percent of the labour force, works. There is every possibility that many of these workers and their families will fall into poverty.

And economic growth has not reduced inequality. It is estimated that 85 percent of wealth is owned by the top 10 percent. That gap is likely to widen now.

Healthcare was insufficient even before COVID-19. It is estimated that only 18 percent of the urban population have health insurance coverage, and the rate drops to 14 percent in rural areas. About 1.3 billion people have only limited public health facilities, let alone the sophisticated treatment needed for COVID-19. Out of pocket expenses are a huge burden on poor and even middle-class families.

There is an opportunity to change those attributes of the development trajectory. Along with the reform of the health sector to correct health inequality. Providing effective social protection to all informal sector workers, as well as other vulnerable groups, could be the most important development policy.

Turning the crisis into a turning point

Policymakers and the business community can come together to make this crisis a turning point. In mid-May, the government announced a US$265 billion stimulus package. One of the most critical issues it could address is the protection of the 450 million informal workers who have either lost their jobs or are out of work. The government could build on the experience with the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, the countrys largest social protection programme, which aids an estimated 320 million people. Given that eight out of 10 workers are in the informal sector, it is imperative that they get the protection that formal workers enjoy.

Universal Basic Income could strengthen governments social protection system. It could improve health, alleviate poverty, reduce crime and violence, raise education and make for a better quality of life.

A green economy

There is an urgent need for India to shift from the brown to a green economy. The stimulus must deliver new jobs and businesses through a clean and green transition. Public funds should be used to invest in the future and flow to sustainable sectors and projects that help the environment and the climate. This will not only help in achieving our goals for sustainable growth but will go a long way to solve the air and water pollution crisis that India is grappling with.

Our priority is to help those who are at the frontlines. UNDP and our partners have provided safety kits containing masks, gloves, hand sanitizers and soaps to over 18,000 waste pickers and distributed around 100,000 food packets and 500,000 kilogrammes of grain during the lockdown. UNDP is supporting the development of a smartphone app to monitor real time bio-medical waste disposal at health facilities.

An evolving crisis

As the pandemic evolves we are shifting our focus on mobilizing community networks to reach out to informal workers and the most vulnerable, to help them receive their entitlements. With community organization, we will create new jobs and livelihood opportunities, such as family farming, shops, and other micro business. Our target is to reach up to 1.25 million people.

We have designed an add-on function in the successful Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network to trace the supply chain of personal protective equipment in more 28,000 health facilities.

Our SDG Impact initiative will engage business leaders in rethinking the development process--trying to bridge the gap between technology development and business. UNDP will also work with the government and the private sector to make public and private data readily accessible and useable, to inform the pandemic recovery strategy.

A temporary respite for nature

The COVID-19 lockdown is providing a temporary respite from the assault we have been launching on nature. Even working from home Ive noticed that air pollution has dropped dramatically. Scientists have claimed that the Ganges water is drinkable in upstream places such as Haridwar and even Varanasi. Wild animals are freely roaming vehicle-free roads.

The aggressive pursuit of economic growth has left out the majority of Indians who do not even know where their next meal will come from. And these are the very same people who worked hard to keep our factories running, enabling business to reap profits, and raising economic growth, the benefits of which they do not share.

Social protection schemes can be set up in a way that they reach everyone. It is both a lean and inclusive social safety net, and a very effective fiscal stimulus. COVID-19 is an opportunity for all of us to reimagine our present and future, and create a more inclusive and decent society.
Diplomat: US pulls final plug in violating JCPOA, UNSCR 2231

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, May 28, IRNA -- Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi referred to US' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's decision to end sanctions waiver on JCPOA-related projects in Iran, saying US has pulled the final plug in violating UNSCR 2231.

"Two yrs ago @realDonaldTrump ceased participation in #JCPOA. Now, in further violation of JCPOA & UNSCR 2231 @SecPompeo pulls final plug, imposing penalties for compliance EVEN w/nuclear provisions of 2231," Takht Ravanchi wrote in his Twitter account on Thursday.

"Claiming US is STILL "Participant" is not just preposterous; it's FALSE," he added.

Iranian made the remarks in reaction to Mike Pompeo recent Twitter message in which he said: "Today, I am ending the sanctions waiver for JCPOA-related projects in Iran, effective in 60 days. Iran's continued nuclear escalation makes clear this cooperation must end."

"Further attempts at nuclear extortion will only bring greater pressure on the regime," Pompeo added.

He also blacklisted two more Iranian nuclear officials, saying: "Iran's scientists need to make a choice: pursue peaceful work outside of the proliferation realm, or risk being sanctioned."

US will extend the nuclear sanctions on Bushehr's nuclear power plant for 90 days, but will not extend several other sanctions on the peaceful cooperation of Russian, Chinese and European nuclear companies with Iran.

Accordingly, exemptions regarding cooperation in re-designing Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility, supplying enriched uranium for Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) and transferring its fuel outside of Iran will not be extended.

"On 20 July 2015, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2231 (2015) endorsing the JCPOA," UNSC website reported.

"The Security Council affirmed that conclusion of the JCPOA marked a fundamental shift in its consideration of the Iranian nuclear issue, expressed its desire to build a new relationship with Iran strengthened by the implementation of the JCPOA and to bring to a satisfactory conclusion its consideration of this matter."

"The Security Council further affirmed that full implementation of the JCPOA would contribute to building confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme and emphasized that the JCPOA is conducive to promoting and facilitating the development of normal economic and trade contacts and cooperation with Iran," it added.

9376**1424

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The former head of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division told Yahoo News she feels absolute and total disgust over President Trumps tweet Friday morning that seemed to imply protesters demonstrating against police brutality in Minneapolis should be shot.

Here we have a situation where we should have the Justice Department on the ground in Minneapolis, working with community leaders, activists, [and] local officials showing real leadership in this moment, the president should be showing leadership, and instead hes basically calling for the shooting of protesters, said Vanita Gupta, who served as acting assistant attorney general and head of the Civil Rights Division in the Obama administration.

Vanita Gupta, who served as head of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division in the Obama administration, pictured in 2017. (Earl Gibson III/WireImage via Getty Images)

Every day is a new low. In my wildest dreams I had a complete failure of imagination about how affected we would be by this presidents fundamental lack of decency and leadership.

Gupta, who is now president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said that if she were still at the Justice Department she would already be on the ground in Minneapolis working with community leaders and the family of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck Monday night. The city has been rocked by sometimes violent protests since footage of the encounter became public.

Trumps response is really corrosive and is really damaging at a time when people are in such pain, Gupta said in an interview with Yahoos Skullduggery podcast.

These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen, Trump tweeted early Friday morning. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

Twitter subsequently flagged the post for glorifying violence. Trump later seemed to walk back his Friday morning tweets, saying they were spoken as a fact, not as a statement.

Story continues

Gupta helmed the Civil Rights Division for nearly three years under President Barack Obama. She said that during her tenure, 15 of Americas 17,000 police departments were under consent decrees, which are agreements between local authorities and the Justice Department to overhaul police forces that have been accused of civil rights violations. The office also ran investigations probing abuses in another 25 police departments.

The Justice Department has announced it is conducting a civil rights investigation into Floyds death, and on Friday the Minnesota public safety commissioner announced that Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who was seen with his knee on Floyds neck, had been arrested on charges of third-degree murder. In a statement Friday, Attorney General William Barr confirmed the federal civil rights probe, saying that the images seen on the video of Floyds detention were harrowing and deeply disturbing.

But Gupta charged that the Trump administration has abandoned civil rights enforcement, effectively dismantling much of the work accomplished during her tenure.

This is work that this Justice Department and this administration have completely walked away from  and, in fact, [they] have supported aggressive treatment of people during arrests, she said.

Download or subscribe on iTunes: Skullduggery from Yahoo News

Gupta said the Minneapolis Police Department was on her radar when she ran the Civil Rights Division, from 2014 to 2017, largely due to the death of Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old African-American man who was shot by white officers in Minneapolis in November 2015. The Minneapolis Police Department officers involved in that shooting were not prosecuted.

After the Clark incident, the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) division of the Justice Department worked with the Minneapolis Police Department, said Gupta, providing technical assistance and investigating the treatment of protesters.

Gupta said the 2016 police shooting in next-door St. Paul of school cafeteria worker Philando Castile also contributed to her offices knowledge of the policing culture in the Twin Cities.

They were awful, awful incidents and highlighted just how fraught the tensions were locally, she said.

Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department have had a long history of really painful incidents of killings of unarmed civilians, of race relations broken  thats why youre seeing the kind of level of frustration pouring out into the streets every night right now.

_____

Click here for the latest coronavirus news and updates. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please refer to the CDCs and WHOs resource guides.

Read more:
Coronavirus lockdown has changed the dynamics of work across industries in India. Amid this phase of uncertainity, work from home has become the new normal and television industry is no exception to it. In a latest interview with a news agency, actors like Rashami Desai, Jasmin Bhasin and Sara Khan among others have shared their opinion on whether shooting from home is the new normal.

Speaking about how working from home, Rashami Desai said the new changes will bring in new choices in life. Even though they are currently at home, they are leaving no stone unturned to entertain audiences. Be it the actors or producers, everyone is putting so much effort into it. Emphasising that working from home is not easy, Rashami said that one becomes their own director and technician while shooting a film with an iPhone. Thats where the problem comes it. However, it is a wonderful experience.

Jasmin Bhasin said that we cannot do anything but to face the situation. If they are able to entertain the audience and spread any kind of positivity then it is good. Sara Khan, on the other hand, said that it will be an intriguing process. It wouldnt be easy to create an entire set-up at home, but she is actually excited to see the outcome.

Also Read: Pooja Hegde gets trolled on sharing Samanthas memes, says her Instagram was hacked

Also Read: Maidaan: Makers of Ajay Devgn starrer dismantle the football set despite 30 days of shoot left

Producer Rajan Shahi, who has produced hit shows like Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, expressed that he has seen a lot of creative people making really interesting videos and it is a very good way to communicate. But, it will be very difficult to shoot for 20 minutes daily for a daily soap.

Also Read: Shefali Jariwala opens up about her father-in-laws demise, travelling from Mumbai to Ghaziabad amid lockdown

For all the latest Entertainment News, download NewsX App
The Queen with Sir John Kerr, who was her Governor-General in Australia. (Getty Images)

Letters sent by the Queen to her representative in Australia before the countrys dismissed its prime minister will be made public after a court ruling.

The Australian High Court has overturned a decision which stopped the letters, written in the 1970s, being released from the National Archives.

Governor-General Sir John Kerr, who was the Queens representative in Australia, dismissed prime minister Gough Whitlam in 1975 and replaced him with opposition leader Malcolm Fraser.

It was one of the most controversial political sagas in the nations history.

The letters, deemed personal and confidential correspondence, entered the National Archives of Australia and were going to remain private until 2027.

The private secretary of the Governor-General and Monarch at that time could limit the release, according to court papers.

However, Professor Jennifer Hocking made the case for the release of the letters, saying they are Commonwealth records.

Read more: Prince William talks homeschooling: 'You worry how little you know when you can't do Maths'

Gough Whitlam was dismissed when he was prime minister after refusing to resign. (Getty Images).

That would mean they should have been released in 2006, as publication should have happened 31 years after they were created.

The Federal Court accepted the Archives argument the letters were private and personal to Sir John, the recipient.

The decision was upheld by an appeals court but has now been overturned by the High Court, meaning the archives will have to reconsider the request to release them.

The 1975 event has become known as The Dismissal and happened after Labour prime minister Whitlam failed to pass a budget.

Read more: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, joins star-studded cast led by Thor director for royal acting debut

Whitlam refused to resign or call an election, leading to his sacking by the Governor-General.

After he was fired, Whitlam stood on the steps of Parliament in Canberra and said: Well may we say God save the Queen  because nothing will save the governor-general.

Story continues

Sir John cut his five-year term short as Governor-General, ending in 1977 and eventually moving to London.

The decision in the Australian court comes five years after the UKs highest court ruled letters sent from Prince Charles to government ministers should be published.

Read more: Eight things we learned as Prince Charles turned DJ on Classic FM

The letters, known as the Black Spider memos, were released after a long-running freedom of information campaign by Guardian newspaper journalist Rob Evans.

They were published with some redactions, which protected personal data of people other than Charles.
While the Chinese government broadly abided by Sino-British Joint Declaration for the first decade or so after the handover, it has, in recent years, tried to tighten its grip over the island city.

On 28 May, Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, the National Peoples Congress (NPC), authorised its standing committee to pass a National Security Law for Hong Kong. The move comes after a decision on the same was taken last week, and purports to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to safeguard national security.

It empowers Beijing to directly insert national security legislation into Hong Kongs Basic Law which is a mini-constitution of sorts. While the stated aim of this new legal framework is to prohibit activities of secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference, it is likely to be used to stifle political activity and criminalise dissent in Hong Kong like never before, severely undermining the much-touted One Country Two Systems principle.

To be sure, it is required by Article 23 of Hong Kongs Basic Law that the local administration there passes the national security law. However, over the years, successive governments deferred this, following a botched attempt in 2003 that had triggered widespread demonstrations in Hong Kong. So Beijing is now using Article 18 that allows it to bypass Hong Kongs legislature, in order to directly introduce the national security legislationalthough such a procedure would violate Articles 12 and 22 of the Basic Law.

To fully understand the motivations, as well as the likely implications, it is important to situate the latest move in the context of the wider attempts to erode Hong Kongs autonomy and cruel suppression of the democratic way of life in the city.

A series of efforts to tighten grip

Hong Kongs autonomy is a promise by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that dates back to 1984, when the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed between China and the UK, ahead of the British handoff of the territory in 1997.

At the time of that transition, the CCP leadership had agreed to allow the people of Hong Kong to continue enjoying their basic freedomswhich include the freedom of speech and assembly, free press, as well as an independent judiciaryfor a period of 50 years until 2047.

While the Chinese government broadly abided by this arrangement for the first decade or so after the handover, it has, in recent years, tried to tighten its grip over the island city.

In 2014, Beijing introduced a pre-screening for candidates contesting in the election for the post of Hong Kongs Chief Executive, and also effectively denied universal suffrage. The move sparked major agitations across Hong Kong that coalesced into a political movement, called the Umbrella movementowing to the use of umbrellas as a tool of resistance.

Despite prolonged sit-ins by the protestors, the movement failed to reverse Beijings diktats. Nevertheless, it marked the beginning of an era of resistance in Hong Kong.

Five years later in 2019, Hong Kong once again erupted in protests, in response to the controversial extradition bill introduced by the pro-Beijing Chief Executive, Carie Lam.

The proposed law was seen as a major threat to Hong Kongs judicial independence, as it could particularly be used to extradite those who are critics of China and expose them to unfair trials and denial of human rights. Even without such a legal framework, the Chinese government in recent years has carried out extrajudicial detentions of dissidents from Hong Kong, as illustrated in the case of the forced disappearances of the Causeway Bay booksellers in 2015.

The extradition law, therefore, would have further opened the gates for the mainlands authoritarian practices to spill over into Hong Kong.

Thankfully, the protests last year were at least partly successful in pushing back Beijings agenda. As after 14 successive weeks of demonstrations, Lam was forced to announce the formal withdrawal of the proposed extradition bill in early September.

However, this was only one of the five demands of the protestors. With none of the other demands being met, demonstrations continued for several weeks and came to a complete halt only after the coronavirus outbreak.

The growing assertion of the pro-democracy protests, first in 2014 and then again in 2019, has emerged as a serious challenge for the leadership of Xi Jinping. Countering this pro-democracy and anti-CCP sentiment, therefore, has become an important priority for the Chinese government. It has, over the years, explored both soft and hard measures towards this end.

For instance, the Chinese authorities have increasingly sought to influence education inside Hong Kong, and impose the mainland narratives of history and nationality. Beijing has also pushed other measures such as promoting Mandarin as against the local lingua franca of Cantonese and criminalising the disrespect of the Chinese national anthem.

Meanwhile, in recent months when the world was busy fighting the coronavirus pandemic, Beijing launched a fresh crackdown on dissenters, arresting more than a dozen prominent pro-democracy activistsincluding veteran politicianson the same day.

Since the protests broke out last year, as many as over 8,400 people have been arrested in Hong Kong. In another indicator of the hardline approach taken by the Chinese authorities, a report released on 15 May by a local police watchdog in Hong Kong completely exonerated the polices role in handling last years protests.

Ironically, the whitewash came despite a number of incidents of police brutalities having received widespread publicity.

View Survey

A final blow

Beijings decision to impose the national security law on Hong Kong is, therefore, the latest assault on the island citys autonomy.

The legislation will, among other things, allow the Chinese government to formally set up intelligence agencies inside Hong Kong. Most importantly, all of Hong Kongs administrative, legislative and judicial institutions will be forced to comply with Beijings interpretation of national security and would be mandated to take action against activities that are perceived to be in violation of such an interpretation.

This directly threatens a whole spectrum of political activity in Hong Kong and may render most expressions of dissent as illegal. Pro-democracy activists like Joshua Wong, who have publicly called for support of the international community, would most likely face legal action.

Moreover, the manner in which the legislation is being rammed down on Hong Kong will also set a precedent for the NPC to directly enact laws for the city without being challenged.

It is no surprise that Hong Kongers have already hit the streets to protest this blatant attack on their freedoms. However, an increasingly hardline approach adopted by the Chinese authorities, coupled with the pandemic-related restrictions imposed by the local authorities, will make it harder for protestors to assert themselves.

Nonetheless, it is likely that Hong Kong will once again be engulfed by fierce confrontations in the weeks and months to come. Unless Beijing has a miraculous change of heart, its latest move will serve to be the final nail in the coffin for Hong Kongs political freedoms.

The author is a researcher at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi. He is an alumnus of the Jindal School of International Affairs and IIT Guwahati. He tweets @KamalMadishetty
Advertisement

Donald Trump last night threatened to 'assume control' of Minneapolis, warning 'thugs' in the city that 'when the looting starts the shooting starts,' after demonstrators set fire to a police precinct and protests erupted across the States.

Trump used Twitter to intervene in the carnage which erupted for a third consecutive night following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody after a white officer knelt on his neck as he was filmed gasping and saying: 'I can't breathe.'

The president's incendiary tweet is now hidden by a warning that it violated Twitter's rules about glorifying violence - but the message can be bypassed and the tweet remains live.

Cops were forced to flee from the burning Minneapolis Third Police Precinct late Thursday when rioters broke in and set fire to the building, roaming through its corridors with baseball bats, axes and torches.

Shocking footage showed flames billowing out of the police station just hours after prosecutors warned there is 'evidence that does not support criminal charges' in the case of the four cops accused of killing Floyd, sparking fears that they will continue to walk free.

In extraordinary scenes Friday morning, Minnesota State Patrol arrested a CNN television crew as they reported on the unrest in Minneapolis.

While live on air, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez was handcuffed and led away. A producer and a photojournalist for CNN were also taken away in handcuffs.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Flames billowed out of the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct Thursday night after rioters stormed it

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A protester is detained by police during a rally against the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd

Twitter today added its second warning to a Donald Trump tweet in four days by covering the president's message about the Minneapolis riots with a comment that it 'glorifies violence'

COLUMBUS, OHIO: Scenes of a calm protest also turned to violence as some protesters hurled rocks at cops while officers sprayed tear gas into crowds

PORTLAND, OREGON: Protesters gather outside the Justice Center on Thursday as angry demonstrations over the death of George Floyd spread across the States

DENVER, COLORADO: Shocking footage has emerged showing a driver appear to deliberately mow down a demonstrator in Denver as rioting breaks out for the third night in Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Minnesota: The police building is engulfed in flames as rioters took over the building and set it alight

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A mob descended upon Minneapolis Third Precinct, smashing windows before setting the building on fire during the second night of violent protests

Minneapolis, Minnesota: People gather outside the police department building with their fists in the air as they watched it burn down

It comes as:

Break-off protests over Floyd's death broke out across the US in Minnesota, New York, Colorado, Ohio, LA

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was forced to declare a state of emergency as rioting raged on in the city

500 National Guard soldiers were deployed to the streets of Minneapolis and neighboring city of St. Paul

Trump accused Mayor Frey of showing a 'total lack of leadership' and threatened to send in military troops

Minneapolis Police Department were forced to flee the 3rd Precinct after angry rioters set fire to the building

Prosecutors said there was 'evidence that does not support criminal charges' in the case of four fired cops

Police using pepper spray and batons were seen arriving to disperse protesters outside the police station at just after 4.30am. It was the first time authorities had been seen in the area for around an hour.

A total of 500 National Guard soldiers were deployed to the streets of Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul and Mayor Jacob Frey declared a state of emergency as rioting continued into the early hours.

Frey called the looting 'unacceptable' but raged at Trump for 'refusing to take responsibility for your own actions', saying the president 'knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis'.

Trump's first tweet in the chain accused the 'Radical Left Mayor' of showing 'a total lack of leadership' and warned he was poised to send in troops. This tweet was not hidden by Twitter.

Break-off protests over Floyd's death are building across several states, with disturbing footage showing the driver of a black SUV appearing to deliberately mow down a Black Lives Matter protester in Denver - where panic was sparked when shots were fired during a march on the Colorado State Capitol.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A crowd of protesters stand near the Third Police Precinct late last night as authorities warned the building could explode

In extraordinary scenes this morning, Minnesota State Patrol arrested a CNN television crew as they reported on the unrest in Minneapolis. While live on air, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez was handcuffed and led away. A producer and a photojournalist for CNN were also led away in handcuffs.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fire and smoke engulf a liquor store on the third night of protests after the death of George Floyd

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters take over the Minneapolis police 3rd Precinct building Thursday

In New York City, NYPD officers were seen brawling on the ground with protesters as at least 70 people were arrested in the Big Apple.

Protesters in Ohio smashed the windows of the statehouse in downtown Columbus and raided the building and demonstrators damaged a police cruiser in downtown Los Angeles.

Over in Kentucky, seven people were shot in downtown Louisville during a protest demanding justice for black woman Breonna Taylor who was shot dead by cops back in March, as the Floyd case reignited tensions between cops and the African-American community.

President Trump waded in on the escalating violence in Minneapolis in the early hours of Friday as he warned he would step in and take over if officials fail to bring the rioting under control.

He blasted the 'Radical Left Mayor' Frey saying he needs to 'get his act together' while slamming protesters for 'dishonoring the memory' of Floyd and warning 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts'.

'I can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.....,' the president tweeted.

'These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!'

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Thousands of rioters demonstrating outside a burning liquor store (top right) and the burning police precinct (bottom right)

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters are seen inside Minneapolis Police third precinct after setting fire to the entrance as demonstrations continue

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Smoke was seen filling the corridors of the police precinct last night, with demonstrators running amok through the building, spraying graffiti on the walls and breaking furniture

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Rioters pile furniture onto a bonfire within the police station last night after the cops evacuated the building at around 10pm

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A rioter is seen walking through the police precinct which is filled with debris, its windows shattered and graffiti sprayed on the walls

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters outside the burning police station last night. One holds a sign which says: 'I can't breathe,' those the words uttered by George Floyd as a police officer knelt on his neck

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protestors demonstrate outside of a burning Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct on Thursday night

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A pawn shop going up in flames last night down the street from the police station which was the epicenter of carnage

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A pawn shop down the street from the 3rd precinct burns to the ground on Thursday night

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Thousands of protesters pack the streets around the burning police precinct building late into Thursday night

Minneapolis, Minnesota: The interior of a burning liquor store not far from the police station

Speaking in the early hours of this morning, Mayor Frey fired back at the president and said: 'Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis.'

'Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions. Weakness is pointing your finger at someone else during a time of crisis,' he said.

'Is this a difficult time period? Yes, but you'd better be damn sure that we're going to get through this.'

Frey said he understood the 'pain and anger right now in our city', but added that 'what we have seen over the last several hours and the past couple of nights in terms of looting is unacceptable'.

The mayor revealed it was him who had decided to evacuate the Third Precinct after determining that there were 'imminent threats to both officers and public'.

'The symbolism of a building cannot outweigh the importance of life, of our officers or the public. We could not risk serious injury to anyone,' he said. 'Brick and mortar is not as important as life.'

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters gathered outside the front of the police precinct as it burned in the background

Minneapolis, Minnesota: The silhouette of a man is seen as he walks past a liquor store in flames near the Third Police Precinct

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A wine and spirits store is also on fire during the third night of protests

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters stand on a barricade in front of the police building which was set on fire last night

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters gather in front of the police building with all thought of social distancing forgotten, although some are wearing masks

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters demonstrate outside of a burning fast food restaurant in the early hours of Friday morning on the third night of rioting in Minneapolis

St. Paul, Minnesota: Protests spread across the state with a business in St. Paul seen engulfed in flames

St. Paul, Minnesota: The National Guard has also been deployed to the city as it faces the wrath of rioters

St. Paul, Minnesota: People walk away from the scene while a fire roars inside a business

Minneapolis city officials issued a warning for protesters and residents to flee the scene of the Third Police Precinct as gas lines were cut because 'other explosive materials are in the building'.

'If you are near the building, for your safety, PLEASE RETREAT in the event the building explodes,' the city government wrote in a Twitter update shortly before midnight.

Protesters broke into the police precinct at around 10pm, smashing up windows and setting fires inside.

As flames engulfed the building, protesters gathered out the front chanting 'I can't breathe' - some of the last words Floyd said before he died.

Minneapolis Police released a statement saying that officers had fled the scene: 'In the interest of the safety of our personnel, the Minneapolis Police Department evacuated the 3rd Precinct of its staff. Protesters forcibly entered the building and have ignited several fires.'

As law enforcement buckled under the strain of the escalating civil unrest, the Minnesota National Guard announced that around 500 soldiers had headed to Minneapolis and nearby St. Paul which has also fallen foul of rioting with businesses looted and set alight.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Minneapolis city officials are urging protesters and residents to flee the scene of the Third Police Precinct

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Gas lines have been cut and 'other explosive materials are in the building', sparking fears the building could explode

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters were seen smashing the windows and doors as they broke into the police precinct at around 10p.m. local time

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters stand in front of the burning precinct after officers fled the scene

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Shocking footage showed flames billowing out of the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct Thursday night after rioters broke into the building and torched it

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Cops have been forced to flee from the burning Minneapolis police precinct (above) as rioters stormed the building and set it alight during the third night of violence in the city as protests over George Floyd's death spread across America

Footage in the early evening showed the Minneapolis Target store being targeted for a second day in a row as rioters were seen hurling the retailer's shopping karts at a police cruiser in the store parking lot.

In the nearby St. Paul region of Minnesota, rioters threw rocks and stones at a cop car and it was left smashed up with a tree branch ripping through the windows.

Police in riot gear hit out at protesters again spraying tear gas into the crowds, while demonstrators gathered outside the home of white cop Derek Chauvin who knelt on Floyd's neck until he passed out and later died.

As night fell, the scenes worsened with a man pictured throwing a mannequin onto a burning car as billowing smoke filled the air.

Businesses and cars were ablaze with aerial footage showing the city lit up by roaring flames.

Police in St. Paul revealed that more than 170 businesses had been damaged or looted in Minneapolis's twin city, but there were no reports of serious injuries.

'Calm on the horizon,' police said in a midnight update as they vowed to work 'shoulder-to-shoulder with local, state, federal and fire partners to protect St. Paul'.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: There were scenes of destruction in the city Thursday night as Floyd's death sparked outrage

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A man throws a mannequin onto a burning car in the parking lot of a Target store

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A man jumps off a burning car in a Target parking lot Thursday as violence spread throughout the city

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A man stands on a column after protesters set fire to an Arby's restaurant near the police precinct

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Protesters gather outside the 3rd precinct police building while it burns on Thursday night

A police emblem from the burning precinct building is thrown into a fire last night as the violent protests and riots continued

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A police officer stands in a cloud of tear gas during the protest

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A car was torched in the third day of riots over Floyd's death

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz activated the National Guard to Minneapolis and state troopers were called in as the city was rocked by another night of violence.

Minneapolis Mayor Frey called for a declaration of local emergency in the early evening as the city requested assistance from the state in 'restoring safety and calm due to the civil disturbance'.

The emergency declaration will stay in place for 72 hours and allows officials to deploy emergency regulations with immediate effect.

Carnage spread across the US Thursday night in the wake of Floyd's death as the public grows increasingly frustrated that four days on from Floyd's death no arrests have been made.

WATCH: Columbus protesters targeting the Ohio Statehouse just a little bit ago. State troopers responded from inside & Columbus PD came over from the nearby street. pic.twitter.com/4P7kRNVMv5  Tyler Buchanan (@Tylerjoelb) May 29, 2020

Denver, Colorado: The car veers toward him before speeding up and hitting the man. The man gets to his feet as the car drives off chased by protesters.

Denver, Colorado: A police officer in riot gear stands over a man who fell to the ground after police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse a protest outside the state capitol

Minneapolis, Minnesota: A man wearing a face mask holds a sign, 'Justice for George,' near a burning vehicle at the parking lot of a Target store

In Denver, what started as a peaceful march calling for justice over Floyd's death descended into chaos as shots were fired and the driver of a black SUV appeared to deliberately run over a Black Lives Matter protester.

Footage on social media showed the car making its way through a group of protesters in the road.

As the vehicle gets through the crowd one protester is seen riding on the hood, before jumping off.

The man is then seen walking away from the car as the driver swerves the vehicle and accelerates in the direction of the man, in what appears to be an intentional move to hit him.

Onlookers are heard screaming 'watch out' as the shocked protester tumbles to the floor.

The man gets to his feet as the car quickly drives off chased by protesters.

This came as police were called to respond to the rally at the state Capitol after witnesses reported six or seven shots had been fired.

Terrified demonstrators were pictured taking cover on the floor amid fears there was an active shooter at the event as armed officers ran past.

Denver police said there were no reports of any injuries and no one had been taken into police custody.

Several hundred people had gathered at the state Capitol during the day before marching down Lincoln Street and Broadway where they blocked traffic.

New York City, New York: Things turned ugly in Union Square in the Big Apple with scenes of NYPD officers and protesters clashing

New York City, New York: A woman is one of around 70 people arrested by police officers in Manhattan

New York City, New York: Officers pin a protester to the floor at the Black Lives matter protest Thursday

New York City, New York: NYPD officers wear masks at the protest in Manhattan

New York City, New York: NYPD officers were later seen brawling on the ground with protesters and at least 30 people were arrested in the Big Apple

Meanwhile, things turned ugly in the Big Apple during Thursday as protesters and NYPD officers clashed in Manhattan, New York City.

More than 70 people were arrested when the demonstration in Union Square descended into violence.

The NYPD said several cops had been attacked by demonstrators, according to Newsweek.

One officer was reportedly hit with a garbage can that was hurled at them by a demonstrator while several protesters allegedly spat on the cops.

Police said one of the protestors was arrested for brandishing a knife while another tried to take an officer's gun from their holster.

'We have over 40 people that are arrested right now in regards to this ongoing demonstration,' an NYPD spokesperson told Newsweek.

New York City, New York: The NYPD said several cops had been attacked by demonstrators, according to Newsweek

New York City, New York: One officer was reportedly hit with a garbage can that was hurled at them by a demonstrator while several protesters allegedly spat on the cops

New York City, New York: A demonstrator is pinned to the floor by officers as things turned violent

New York City, New York: Police and a protester tackle each other in the streets of Manhattan

New York City, New York: People held aloft banners reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Stop Killing Black People' while they followed the state's coronavirus rules to wear face masks

New York City, New York: Cops said one of the protestors was arrested for brandishing a knife while another tried to take a police officer's gun from their holster

New York City, New York: Protesters also accused police of violence towards them, with reports that one officer but his knee on a protester's neck - the same restraint that ultimately led to Floyd's death Monday

New York City, New York: A sign reads 'No justice, no peace. All black lives matter'

PROTESTERS IN STANDOFF WITH COPS IN LOUISVILLE



pic.twitter.com/cuhqLR0BMJ  Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 29, 2020

'We have multiple officers that have been attacked. We have one officer that was hit with a garbage can and we have another officer who was punched in his face.'

Protesters also accused police of violence towards them, with the Gothamist reporting allegations that one officer put his knee on a protester's neck - the same restraint that ultimately led to Floyd's death Monday.

Many demonstrators held aloft banners reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Stop Killing Black People' while they followed the state's coronavirus rules to wear face masks.

Over in Columbus, Ohio, scenes of a calm protest also turned to violence as some protesters hurled rocks at cops while officers sprayed tear gas into the crowds.

Several people smashed the windows of the statehouse in downtown Columbus and entered the building.

In downtown LA, protests entered the second day after a demonstrator was injured falling from a police cruiser Wednesday.

On Thursday, the crowds were smaller as they gathered outside the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters. Some protesters vandalized a California Highway Patrol vehicle, kicking the cruiser before it drove off.

Meanwhile, seven people were shot in Kentucky with at least one in a critical condition, as protests demanding justice for black woman Breonna Taylor resurfaced with renewed anger over Floyd's death.

Louisville cops confirmed in the early hours of Friday that there were at least seven shooting victims, at least one of whom is in critical condition. Police there were 'some arrests,' but did not provide a number.

Gunfire rung out in downtown Louisville and protesters got into a standoff with cops, while Taylor's sister pleaded with protesters to 'go home' in an emotional social media video.

Louisville Metro Police Department told WFPL officers had not fired their weapons and that some arrests had been made.

Taylor was shot dead by cops in the state back in March.

The EMT was hit by bullets at least eight times when three cops stormed her apartment to serve a search warrant over a narcotics investigation. No drugs were found in the home.

The demonstrations also spread to Arizona where hundreds marched in downtown Phoenix and officers were berated by angry protesters, but the rally appeared to remain peaceful.

Denver, Colorado: A woman takes cover on the ground as shots are heard at the protest Thursday

Denver, Colorado: People protect each other over fears that an active shooter is at the scene

Denver, Colorado: Officers run to the scene after shots are heard during the rally

Denver, Colorado: Police officers tell people to take cover and get to ground at the scene

Denver, Colorado: What started as a peaceful march calling for justice over Floyd's death descended into chaos as shots were fired

Denver, Colorado: A motorist holds their fist out of the sunroof of their vehicle as cars were stopped by protesters

Denver, Colorado: Cops rushed to the scene of the protest at the state Capitol Thursday evening after witnesses reported six or seven shots had been fired at about 5:30 p.m. local time.

Denver, Colorado: Denver police said there were no reports of any injuries and no one had been taken into police custody

Denver, Colorado: Several hundred people had gathered at the state Capitol before marching down Lincoln Street and Broadway where they blocked traffic

Denver, Colorado: People carry placards as they march during a protest outside the State Capitol

As chaos ensued across America over Floyd's death, his family issued a plea for protests to be peaceful Thursday night.

'I don't want them to lash out like that, but I can't stop people right now because they have pain. They have the same pain that I feel,' George Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, told CNN Thursday.

'I want everything to be peaceful, but I can't make everybody be peaceful. I can't. It's hard.'

The family's lawyer Benjamin Crump issued a statement saying Floyd's family 'want peace' and urged people not to 'sink to the level of our oppressors'.

'I spoke with George Floyd's family this morning and they would like to thank all of the protesters for joining them in standing for JUSTICE. They know we're all hurting,' Crump said.

Columbus, Ohio: Protesters stormed the statehouse with some smashing windows and entering the building

LA, California: In downtown LA, protests entered the second day after a demonstrator was injured falling from a police cruiser Wednesday

LA, California: On Thursday, the crowds were smaller as they gathered outside the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters

Phoenix, Arizona: Crowds marched in Phoenix Thursday night, many sporting face masks

Phoenix, Arizona: People linked arms for the peaceful march in a show of support for Floyd's family

'They told me they want peace in Minneapolis, but they know that Black people want peace in their souls and that until we get #JusticeForFloyd there will be no peace.'

'We also cannot sink to the level of our oppressors and we cannot endanger each other as we respond to the necessary urge to raise our voices in unison and in outrage,' he added. 'Looting and violence distract from the strength of our collective voice.'

Their cries for calm came after Wednesday's protest escalated into violence with riots breaking out across the city and one looter killed.

Cops and protesters clashed and stores including Target, AutoZone and Walmart were ransacked and set on fire by looters.

A suspected looter was shot dead outside the Cadillac Pawn shop and the suspected shooter had been taken into custody Wednesday night.

Prosecutors warn there is 'evidence that does not support criminal charge' in case of four cops accused of killing George Floyd as they say police can use a 'certain amount of force - but not excessive'

Prosecutors have warned there is 'evidence that does not support criminal charges' in the case of four cops accused of killing George Floyd, as they say police can use a 'certain amount of force - but not excessive'.

At a press conference Thursday, Mike Freeman, county attorney for Hennepin County, condemned the actions of white cop Derek Chauvin as 'horrific and terrible', but said prosecutors needed to determine if he used 'excessive' force when he knelt on the black man's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died.

'That video is graphic and horrific and terrible and no person should do that,' he said.

'But my job in the end is to prove he violated a criminal statute - but there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge.'

Freeman pleaded for patience from the Minneapolis community ravaged by Floyd's death as he warned that the investigation 'can't be rushed' for fear of a repeat of the Freddie Gray case in 2015 where all charges were dropped against cops involved in the black man's death.

Mike Freeman, county attorney for Hennepin County, and US Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica MacDonald dashed hopes that an arrest had been made over the death of the 46-year-old father of two in a press conference Thursday

Police officers are allowed to use reasonable force on citizens to restrain them during arrest but the force cannot be 'excessive'.

Prosecutors must now prove that this force was 'excessive' in order to bring criminal charges against Chauvin.

Outrage is building across the nation over how pinning Floyd down by his neck as he gasps for breathe and begs the cop to stop could ever be considered 'reasonable'.

Freeman did not provide any detail over what the 'other evidence' could be that provides a defense for Chauvin's actions but said his office now had to 'wade through' it before charges can be brought.

'My business is 'is it criminal?' and that's what we have to prove,' he said.

Freeman said he understood that people want swift action but assured the public that 'we just can't rush this'.

He compared the case to the death of 25-year-old Gray in Baltimore in 2015, where Gray fell into a coma and died of a spinal cord injury while in a police van.

Officers guard the white cop's home. Floyd's death has sparked outrage in Minneapolis, with protesters taking to the streets for a third day Thursday

A protester clashes with police as protests mount across the city Thursday. State troopers have been forced to intervene after violent protests and riots broke out in the city and left one looter dead

Six Baltimore police officers were suspended with pay but all charges were dropped against them and no one was charged.

'It was a rush to charge and a rush to justice and all those people were found not guilty,' he said.

Freeman warned that history could repeat itself with the Floyd case if the investigation is rushed.

'We have to do this right, we have to prove it in a court of law,' he said.

'We can't rush justice as justice cant be rushed.'

His comments came as authorities dashed hopes that an arrest had been made over the death of the 46-year-old father of two when they called a press conference to announce a development in the investigation Thursday only to leave attendees waiting two hours before finally announcing they had no new developments to share.

'We thought we would have another development to tell you about... but we don't,' admitted US Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica MacDonald.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said on Thursday he believes George Floyd would still be alive today if he had been a white ma

She refused to confirm what the 'development' would have been but McDonald said 'it mattered' and 'I hope to tell you soon'.

'I wouldn't have wasted your time coming here,' she said.

MacDonald echoed Freeman's words saying that a 'police officer in the nature of the job has within their scope of duty the ability to use the right amount of force but not excessive force'.

'That's what we're looking at - the issue of excessive force,' she said.

She sought to reassure Floyd's family that the investigation into his death is the 'top priority' and said that President Trump and US Attorney General Bill Barr are both 'actively monitoring the investigation'.

The four Minneapolis officers involved in the arrest of George Floyd were fired Tuesday. They were named as Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng.

Mayor Jacob Frey had announced the firings on Twitter, saying: 'This is the right call.'

Frey said he considers Floyd's killing to be murder and had publicly called for Chauvin to face arrest.

'I'm not a prosecutor, but let me be clear. The arresting officer killed someone,' he told CBS Thursday. 'He'd be alive today if he were white.'

'The facts that I've seen, which are minimal, certainly lead me down the path that race was involved.'
By PTI

KOLKATA: West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Friday asked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to rethink on her decision to reopen shrines and said it might lead to a spike in the number of coronavirus cases in the state.

Banerjee on Friday announced a slew of relaxations, including reopening of shrines from June 1 and functioning of state government offices with 70 per cent attendance from the second week of June.

West Bengal became the second state to throw open the doors of the shrines for devotees after Karnataka, which has sought permission from the Centre to reopen religious places from Monday.

However, Banerjee made it clear that no congregation and not more than 10 people would be allowed at a time at religious places in the state.

"We don't think this is the right decision by the state government. Who will ensure that only 10 people are entering the shrines at a time? Will there be police posted? I feel the state government should rethink, as the number of cases is rising every day," Ghosh said.

The police administration is busy "filing false cases against BJP workers" when will it implement lockdown", he wondered.

"Today's decision of giving more relaxations would further lead to a spike in the number of cases," the West Bengal BJP chief said.

Ghosh said nearly 80 to 90 lakh migrant workers have returned to their hometown across the country. In West Bengal, only two to three lakh migrant workers have returned.

The state government is reluctant to accept them fearing the spread of infection, he said. Ghosh also said that Chief Minister Banerjee who "claims to a well-wisher of the Muslim community is hesitant to bring them back".

"It is time for the Muslim community to have a rethink on this matter. She projects herself as the messiah of the minority community, the time has come to unmask her," he added.

The BJP leader alleged that no proper arrangements were made for their return and they were not being subjected to any tests nor were they sent to quarantine.

Most of the migrants from West Bengal are from minority-dominated districts of Malda, Murshidabad and South Dinajpur, he said.

Ghosh alleged that the government was running away from dealing with the COVID-19 crisis and warned that the people of the state should be prepared for the worst.

He also blamed the government for not taking the issue seriously during the initial days of the lockdown.
KENYA: Two Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers and a police officer shot and seriously injured each other after they mistook themselves for terrorists in Bura, Garissa County.



The police officer identified as Constable Emmanuel Ngao reportedly felt challenged by the two KDF soldiers, Senior Private David Mbugua and Jeremy Malusi who were on patrol and shot them during the confrontation. They also shot him in the process.



Confirming the incident, Fafi sub-county police boss George Sangalo said the three security operatives sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to Bura East Sub-County hospital in critical condition.



A police report read;



Constable Emmanuel Ngao was challenged by KDF soldiers, Senior Private Jeremy Malusi and David Mbugua. He mistook the officers to be militants, he shot and seriously injured them. The soldiers fired back and the policeman was injured on his leg.



The three officers sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to Bura East Sub-County Hospital and are in critical condition."

Garisa police commander, however said a full report will be issued after investigation has been concluded. It was further learnt that Constable Ngao had only left a female friends house when the incident happened.













Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
DUBLIN, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Debt Collection (EUROPEAN) - Industry Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The European Debt Collection Analysis provides a detailed overview of the European Debt Collection market and delivers comprehensive individual analysis on the top 170 companies, including Kredinor SA, BAD Homburger Inkasso GmbH and Moorcroft Debt Recovery Ltd.



This report covers activities such as debt, finance, collection, collect, repayment and includes a wealth of information on the financial trends over the past four years.



The European Debt Collection Analysis is ideal for anyone wanting to:

See the market leaders

Identify companies heading for failure

Seek out the most attractive acquisition

Analyse industry trends

Benchmark their own financial performance

Using exclusive methodology, a quick glance of the European Debt Collection Analysis will tell you that 25 companies have a declining financial rating, while 26 have shown good sales growth.



Each of the largest 170 companies is meticulously scrutinised in an individual assessment and analysed using the most up-to-date and current financial data.



Every business is examined on the following features:

A graphical assessment of a company's financial performance

Four year assessment of the profit/loss and balance sheet

A written summary highlighting key performance issues

Subsequently, you will receive a thorough 100-page market analysis highlighting the latest changes in the European Debt Collection Analysis market.



This section includes:

Best Trading Partners

Sales Growth Analysis

Profit Analysis

Market Size

Rankings

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6apmxz

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


By ANI

PUNE: Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse on Thursday informed that around 50 per cent locust swarms were killed in the state by the agriculture department.

"Around 50 per cent locust swarms were killed in Maharashtra by the agriculture department. Fire brigade vehicles are being used for spraying insecticides. We are providing chemicals/insecticides to farmers free of cost in the affected areas," Bhuse said.

Meanwhile, local administration in Bhandara sprayed disinfectant to fight locust attack and locals beat drums to drive away the insects.

In a bid to control the locust attack in the country, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday said that 15 sprayers will arrive from Britain in the next 15 days.

Tomar on Thursday held a high-level meeting to review locust control operations in the country. The Centre is in close touch with affected states and an advisory has been issued.

"Forty-five more sprayers will be procured in a month or one-and-a-half months. Drones will be used to spray pesticides on tall trees and inaccessible places for effective control of locusts, while plans are afoot to deploy helicopters for aerial spray," the ministry said.

Locust swarms from Pakistan have entered Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, threatening major damage to standing cotton crops and vegetables, said a spokesperson of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Rajasthan is the most affected state, the spokesperson informed.

The desert locust is a species of locust, a swarming short-horned grasshopper. They are known to devour everything in their path, posing an unprecedented threat to food supply and livelihoods of millions of people.
For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.

The Washington coast is clear, but new behavior norms are the new normal.

This piece begins on familiar ground, state Route 109 out of Hoquiam headed for Ocean Shores. Stop at the Grizzly Den for burgers, and head out to the national wildlife refuge at Bowerman Basin, renowned as a stopoff point for millions of birds on the Pacific Flyway, and a make-out spot for Grays Harbor teenagers.

"We just opened," said a friendly voice on the phone from Grizzly Den. In words from local John Larsen, of the Polson Museum,"the best roadside burger joint in our region, no pre-formed freezer patties here with some amazing hand cut fries."

John Hughes used to edit the Daily World in Aberdeen, and lately turns out biographies as Washington state historian. He is also an outdoors person. "One of my favorite walks is just a mile from my house along the bay: The Bowerman Wildlife Bird Refuge boardwalk," Hughes said. "It's a wheelchair accessible route along the bay opposite Gray Harbor City and even though it isn't prime season for birdwatching, there are still plenty of our fine-feathered friends."

As well, SR-109 leads to indoor pleasures  the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino. It just reopened to the public on Thursday.

"The Quinault Indian Nation is committed to following the best available science to reopen our business and the local economy," said Quinault Nation President (and president of the National Congress of American Indians) Fawn Sharp.

The casino is reopening for slot-play exclusively. All casino employees are being tested for the coronavirus. Resort guests are being asked to wear masks and have their temperatures taken at the door. And no more image of cigarette puffing dowagers playing the slots. The casino is reopening as non-smoking at this time.

One more note: The renowned restaurant Duffy's, on the border between Aberdeen and Hoquiam, has reopened: Its breakfast feast sustain a full day's exercise. Ditto on three great breweries in Aberdeen and Hoquiam: Steam Donkey and the Mount Olympus in downtown Aberdeen, and the Hoquiam Brewing Co.

Betsy Siedel, an out-and-about retired teacher, has been walking or biking just about every day since mid-March. Here is what she shares about biking:

"There are wonderful bike paths like the one from Pioneer Path to Cosmopolis  that's a great wide path for just getting started. There's the Chehalis Trail from Bishop Field (on the way to Westport) that takes you into south Aberdeen by way of Totem Pole park ... We also enjoy the bike path in Westport, on a clear day we can see the ocean AND the Olympics."

Westport charter fishing is back open as of Thursday, the catch being lingcod and rockfish. Under Phase 2 of reopening Washington, eight to 11 fisher folk can go out on the water. Wear a mask, and check without charter operator for restrictions.

A terse, to-the-point source on Southwest Washington is State Rep. Brian Blake, D-19, part of the now-scarce breed of moderate Democrats in the Legislature, an enthusiastic fisherman and hunter who is one D not given a flunking grade by the National Rifle Association. What to do? Here's Blake's counsel:

"Wolverine watching at Long Beach! Tokeland Hotel. Bring your surfboard and catch the waves at Westport or go bottom fishing."

Wolverine watching? He ain't kidding. Wolverines are extremely rare in Washington  the result of painful encounters with Huskies in Rose Bowl?  and usually spotted only in the North Cascades. But the largest member of the weasel family has apparently found its way down out of the Willapa Hills. Pictures were posted in the Chinook Observer earlier this week.

"Whatcom County may have murder hornets but the 19th District has its wolverine, or someone on the beach has a really ugly cat," said Blake.

Of course, by heading to the beach, the wolverine openly violated Gov. Jay Inslee's "Stay-Home, Stay-Healthy" order, but ... the wolverine has taste. The Long Beach Peninsula is a glorious place where you can find space. The August kite festival is up in the air, but there is plenty to do.

The Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau has tips for tourism during a pandemic. Bring a mask. Bring a non-cash form of payment. Plastic is a weapon against the pandemic. Call ahead and make reservations for lodging and dining. Pack along protective equipment, including sanitizers and gloves.

After being cooped up for more than two months, there is perhaps an urge to pamper yourself. The Adrift Hotel & Spa at Long 'Beach and Inn at Discovery Coast are ideal to this end, as is the historic Shelburne Inn in Seaview. The funky old So'wester, once summer home to a wealthy Oregon senator, opened last weekend. The Pickled Fish restaurant on the top floor of the Adrift Hotel has just reopened.

The beach at Seaview can get a bit crowded. Social distancing becomes difficult when a klutz gets stuck in the sand and you're trying to push his car free.

Otherwise, in words of Adrift co-owner Tiffany Turner, "We have so many miles of beach that there is not a problem." Not like the Jersey Shore or Miami Beach.

The advice here is to head for Leadbetter Point State Park at the north end of the peninsula. Together with adjacent Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, it boasts miles of ocean beach, usually uncrowded but for a few birders and people allowing dogs to romp joyously out into the surf. Our family's first standard poodle, Jennifer, loved this place, but would swallow so much salt water as to throw up in the car.

So, take off and take care. And take back fresh oysters from the market in South Bend as you head back home.

Here's hoping soon for a companion piece on the northern Olympic Peninsula. It awaits the reopening of tribal lands. The glaciers of Olympic National Park may be rapidly receding, but the park is reopening at a glacial place. Heck, we've already had first instance of a bison bluff charging a tourist at Yellowstone.

Clean air is good for you, and good for the soul.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
[May 29, 2020] INVESTIGATION ALERT: The Schall Law Firm Announces it is Investigating Claims Against Brookdale Senior Living Inc. and Encourages Investors with Losses of $100,000 to Contact the Firm

The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Brookdale Senior Living Inc. ("Brookdale" or "the Company") (NYSE: BKD) for violations of the securities laws. The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Brookdale is facing a class action lawsuit as reported by the media on April 30, 2020. The lawsuit accuses the company of "chronically insuficient staffing" among other deficiencies, designed to help its facilities meet financial benchmarks. Based on this news, shares of Brookdale fell by more than 15% across the next two trading sessions.



If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 1880 Century Park East, Suite 404, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at [email protected].

The class in this case has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005359/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
A potential investment by Google into cash-strapped Vodafone Idea (VIL), if materialises, will be a strategic positive for the Indian telecom operator, but a five percent stake would be still be inadequate to solve the telcos' debt problems, analysts said on Friday

New Delhi: A potential investment by Google into cash-strapped Vodafone Idea (VIL), if materialises, will be a strategic positive for the Indian telecom operator, but a five percent stake would be still be inadequate to solve the telcos' debt problems, analysts said on Friday.

Acquisition of a controlling stake by an outsider or a sizable equity infusion by current promoters remains the need of the hour, Credit Suisse said in its latest note.

Alphabet Inc's Google is said to be eyeing about 5 percent stake in VIL, the Financial Times had reported on Thursday. Such an investment in VIL will pit the search giant against Facebook which has picked up a stake in Jio Platforms, the firm that houses India's youngest but biggest telecom company - Reliance Jio.

Google investment into VIL can be incrementally positive, but a 5 percent stake is unlikely to move the needle or provide any meaningful relief to VIL's debt problems, said Credit Suisse.

Vodafone Idea is in focus as reports suggest Google is evaluating 5% equity investment in the company. Take a look at the exposure of Indian banks to the telecom major pic.twitter.com/GZ75Kqb7XD  CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) May 29, 2020

"We think unless Google (or any other external investor) looks at acquiring a controlling stake in VIL, the chances of company's longer-term survival beyond FY23 (when the moratorium on deferred spectrum debt ends) appear to be low," it said.

Goldman Sachs said that at Vodafone Idea's current market cap, a 5 percent stake would be valued at $100 million or less than one percent of the company's $14 billion-outstanding net debt as of December 2019.

Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets

"However, we believe that any such investment from a global tech company such as Google could potentially make it easier for VIL to raise capital in the future...," it said.

The adjusted gross revenue (AGR) situation still remains uncertain, and could potentially add as much as 50 percent to Vodafone Idea's existing net debt of $14 billion. In such a scenario, the telcos' ability to generate investor interest is unclear, unless there is complete transparency on its regulatory liabilities, it added.

The existing high balance sheet leverage suggests VIL would need at least $10 billion of incremental capital for net-debt-to-EBITDA (earnings before interest tax depreciation and amortisation) to fall to a level that is in line with global telco peers, in the coming years, it observed.

A stronger balance sheet could help Vodafone Idea arrest its market share decline in the wireless market, potentially reducing overhang on tower stocks too, the Goldman Sachs note said.

(Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Firstpost)
Donald Trump has lashed out at Twitter after it limited access to one of his tweets.

The social media firm said the post, in which Mr Trump suggested he would have people rioting in the wake of George Floyds death shot, had violated its rules on glorifying violence.

Mr Floyd died after being restrained by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protests sparked by the release of bodycam footage showing his violent arrest have morphed into riots, leading Mr Trump to threaten to send in the National Guard.

Twitter is doing nothing about all of the lies & propaganda being put out by China or the Radical Left Democrat Party. They have targeted Republicans, Conservatives & the President of the United States. Section 230 should be revoked by Congress. Until then, it will be regulated! Mr Trump tweeted on Friday after learning he had been censured.

The tweet that Jack Dorseys company decided had finally crossed the line saw the US president reference a civil-rights-era police chief who threatened to use lethal force against rioters in 1967. On Thursday night it reduced the ability of other users to interact with the post, but allowed it to remain live.

Recommended Trump threatens to shoot Minneapolis looters

Mr Trump had tweeted: These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I wont let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

Twitter released a statement after it hid the message, saying: This tweet violates our policies regarding the glorification of violence based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today.

Weve taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts, but have kept the Tweet on Twitter because it is important that the public still be able to see the Tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance.

It was the second high-profile intervention aimed at Mr Trump in recent days. On Wednesday Twitter attached a fact-checking notice to a tweet in which he had claimed, without evidence, that expanding mail-in voting could lead to widespread fraud  prompting a hail of vitriol from the Oval Office.

The fact-check notice also spurred the release of an executive order that could allow federal officials to crack down on Facebook, Twitter and other firms over the way they police content.

Mr Trumps order could set the stage for US federal entities to roll back a legal safeguard for tech companies known as Section 230, which prevents them from being held legally responsible for the content they allow on their sites.

George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Show all 30 1 /30 George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Police spray mace at protestors to break up a gathering near the Minneapolis Police third precinct after a white police officer was caught on a bystander's video pressing his knee into the neck of African-American man George Floyd, who later died at a hospital, in Minneapolis Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester holds a sign with an image of George Floyd AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters demonstrate against the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester throws a piece of wood on a fire in the street just north of the 3rd Police Precinct Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets People in other US cities also protested the murder, like Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A police officer lobs a canister to break up crowds Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester is treated after inhaling tear gas Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Two police officers stand on the roof of the Third Police Precinct during a face off with a group of protesters Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters outside a Minneapolis police precinct two days after George Floyd died EPA George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters run from tear gas Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Demonstrators gather to protest in Los Angeles AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Police remove barricades set by protesters AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A fire burns inside of an Auto Zone store near the Third Police Precinct Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Flowers, signs and balloons are left near a makeshift memorial to George Floyd near the spot where he died AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A policeman faces a protester holding a placard in downtown Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A couple poses with a sign in Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 27: A man is tended to after sustaining an injury from a projectile shot by police outside the 3rd Police Precinct building on May 27, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Four Minneapolis police officers have been fired after a video taken by a bystander was posted on social media showing Floyd's neck being pinned to the ground by an officer as he repeatedly said, "I cant breathe". Floyd was later pronounced dead while in police custody after being transported to Hennepin County Medical Center. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) Stephen Maturen Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester reacts after inhaling tear gas Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty Images George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters use shopping carts as a barricade Getty Images George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters clash with the police as they demonstrate against the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images

However, Twitters newly assertive approach to presidential falsehoods and abuse does not extend to Mr Trumps promotion of a conspiracy that accuses Joe Scarborough, a television presenter, of having murdered a colleague some two decades ago.

The president has pushed baseless claims that Lori Klausutis, a member of Mr Scarboroughs staff when he was in Congress, did not die accidentally. Twitter and Mr Dorsey have refused to delete the posts despite a searing letter sent by Klausutis widower asked them to do so.

Im asking you to intervene in this instance because the president of the United States has taken something that does not belong him  the memory of my dead wife  and perverted it for perceived political gain, Timothy Klausutis wrote to Mr Dorsey.
A fourth coronavirus stimulus bill recently passed through the Democrat-led House of Representatives, and although it will not reach the Republican-held Senate until early June, an online calculator has been made available so people can see how much relief money they may be able to get.

The Internal Revenue Service has already sent out checks to around 130 million Americans that totaled more than $200 billion in direct payments as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, coined the CARES Act, that was signed into law in late March.

Most U.S. adults received at least $1,200 from the federal legislation, while many married couples who filed their tax returns jointly got $2,400, and those with children were allocated $500 for dependents under the age of 17.

The Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, known as the ''HEROES Act," similarly will offer $1,200 to United States citizens, who earn up to $75,000 annually.

Differing from the CARES Act, though, the HEROES Act will increase the income cap to $112,500 for those filing as the head of their household, and married couples who make up to $150,000 will again receive $2,400.

If passed, the federal legislation will now give adults $1,200 per dependent, marking a $700 uptick from the previous COVID-19 relief bill.

The Omni Calculator Project has provided a tool that allows Americans to type in their filing status, the number of dependents they have and their yearly income to see how much money they would receive from the one-time stimulus check as part of the HEROES Act.

If the legislation passes, the IRS will deposit the relief funds to a bank account already on file or send the money via a prepaid debit card.

Second Stimulus Check Calculator - HEROES Act

Although it is also a one-time payment and not monthly, it proposes increases to unemployment insurance until January 2021, relief to low-income renters and homeowners, helps with student loans, and potential increases for frontline workers, the projects website says.

The robust congressional package includes more than $3 trillion in aid for local and state government as well, so they can allocate the funds to businesses as a way to prevent layoffs sparked by the public health crisis, which has wrecked the global economy and slashed revenue for small and large companies alike.

However, there remains some uncertainty about whether Republican President Donald Trump will sign the HEROES Act into law even if it passes the Senate. Although he appears open to the idea, Trump and House Democrats have been at odds over the stimulus package.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has previously stated the bill has no chance of passing, and White House officials have said they are waiting to see the effects of the CARES Act as states begin to reopen their economies.

Related Content:
Highlights Xiaomi could be all set to launch new laptops in India

Xiaomi has teased the arrival of new laptops via its Twitter handle

The laptops once launched will take on offerings from Dell, Asus and other competing players

Xiaomi has all but confirmed its plans of bringing Mi branded laptops to India by sharing another teaser in which it has directly called out the biggest players in the market, Dell, Asus, HP, Acer and Lenovo. In a tweet directedly mentioning these brands, Mi India appears to say hello to these players, thereby hinting that it is ready to enter the fray with its very own laptop in the near future.

While the tweet by Mi India does not explicitly mention that Xiaomi is bringing laptops to India, there have been enough suggestions in the past few to days to make it somewhat clear that the company will soon be launching a product in what will be an entry into an all-new segment in the Indian market.

Interestingly, the teaser comes a day after a number of high ranking Xiaomi India executives, including the company's India Managing Director, Manu Kumar Jain had posted cryptic teaser videos on Twitter that again hinedt at the launch of Xiaomi launching new laptops in India. Although we await more no news, there is a suggestion the company could also launch new Redmi branded laptops in India -- the same which were launched in China earlier this week.

Previously, tipster Ishan Agarwal too has claimed that the company could launch XIoami or Redmi branded laptops in India this year. However, with the company now sharing teasers of the same, and that too at a rapid pace, it only appears to be a matter of time before the company would eventually announce the laptops in the country.



When the company eventually does enter the laptops category in India, it will be interesting to see the exact product line-up that it decides to fall back on to. This is because the company currently has a number of laptops in China -- both under the Xiaomi and Redmi name. Most recent of them are the new RedmiBook laptops that were launched in China by the brand with AMD Ryzen 4000 series processors.

But whichever laptop Xiaomi launches in India, we're sure to be in for a treat as all the company's existing products in segment offer premium features and lightweight design, but at aggressive price point. The laptops are also expected to feature high end hardware and come running a copy of Windows 10 and also feature state of the art security features, as well as some exclusives to help them work with the many existing products within the Mi ecosystem.
Colombo, May 29 (IANS) Sri Lanka's Lion Brewery has resumed exports after the island nation eased a two-month lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was reported on Friday.

In an official statement, Lion Breweries said that the resumption of economic activities has allowed the company to ship to markets in Australia, Canada, South Korea, Uganda, United Arab Emirates and the US, rpeorts Xinhua news agency.

"Global consumers and Sri Lankans living overseas can now again enjoy world-class Lion beers," Lion Brewery said.

The company noted that demand in Africa, the company's largest export market, was largely unaffected with buyers requesting urgent deliveries.

The company reported a record 49 per cent growth in exports in the last financial year and aims to further diversify its export markets in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

--IANS

ksk/
J.J. Nelson was banking on a surge of business last Sunday to help lift spirits of his employees and provide hope for the unknown future of the Barnyard Buffet.

Before coronavirus, Sundays were the best days of the week for the Saraland eatery that proclaims itself as home-cooking just like mom used to make.

Groups of 20 people would arrive after church and wait in line to get a seat before strolling up to a buffet filled with seemingly endless portions of fried chicken, shrimp and meatloaf. Staff was doubled to handle the large post-church crowds that fueled the restaurants best day of the week with over $10,000 in sales.

It was more of a cultural event to meet at the Barnyard, said Nelson, 31, who is a co-owner of the family operated restaurant with his mother, Nancy. We couldnt feed them fast enough. But this past Sunday was the slowest day. It was the biggest dud. We didnt make $2,000 this past Sunday. I had to leave. It was too depressing.

Nelson worries the restaurant  despite making changes to the way customers get their food -- might not survive beyond the summer when federal assistance he received from the CARES Act runs out.

My entire future and family livelihood, everything, Nelson said. Im watching it tank.

Transitional period

J.J. Nelson stands in front of the Barnard Buffet in Saraland, Ala., on Wednesday, March 22, 2020. At the time, he vowed to reopen. Now he's hoping to keep the restaurant open beyond the summer as the restaurant looks to move on from the traditional buffet format that has since been prohibited through State Health Orders in Alabama during the coronavirus pandemic. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

The perilous future of the Barnyard Buffet comes as restrictions on businesses are loosening in Alabama and elsewhere. Restaurants are reopening to the public under social distancing guidelines that maintain 6-foot separations for people in different parties. Table groups can be no larger than eight people. Restaurants are adding extra tables and seating to outdoor areas which are increasingly becoming popular places for diners who are less concerned about eating in an open-air environment.

But the buffet concept that has been a part of American dining for 80 years, has come to a screeching halt and the future of the all-you-can-eat and self-serve dining experience is in doubt. Public health officials have said they are worried about shared serving utensils and the lack of social distancing at buffets.

If we are serving ourselves food, there is a risk of contamination from one person to the next, said Dr. Rachael Lee, assistant professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Buffet chains like Sweet Tomatoes, which did not have a restaurant in Alabama, were permanently closed earlier this month leading to more than 4,000 layoffs. Old Country Buffet and HomeTown Buffet, which also are not in Alabama, remain closed. Golden Corral, the endless buffet restaurants with nine locations in Alabama, are reopened but under a different cafeteria-style format where an employee serves the customer along the buffet lines. Golden Corral is also offering family-style, where servers bring buffet items to the table.

In Alabama, the traditional Southern buffet restaurants that remain open have mostly gone to a cafeteria-style concept that was first popularized in Mobile in 1920 with the opening of the first Morrisons Cafeteria. The concept exploded through the Southeast in the 1950s, and traditional cafeteria-style restaurants remain popular at diners like Nikis West Steak & Seafood in Birmingham and Marys Southern Cooking in Mobile.

Coronavirus forced the mom-and-pop-owned buffets to adjust and change how they serve the public. The Gift Horse Restaurant and Antiques in Foley switched from buffet to family-style service upon reopening earlier this month. Reds Little School House in Grady switched to cafeteria-style.

End of the Southern buffet as we know it? Coronavirus upends popular culinary tradition

I suspect what we will see is a lot of restaurants converting away from the buffets and to the cafeteria-like conditions where the food handler distributes the food to patrons, said Bob Norton, chairman of the Auburn University Food System Institutes Food and Water Defense Working Group. Were in a transitional period where the economy is being re-engaged slowly. It is unfortunately one of these situations where we have to wait and see what the trends are going to be. I think the long-term trend is that well see some of these (buffet) restaurants transition into a new business model.

Albatross

At Barnyard Buffet, Nelson took to Facebook earlier this month to ask the restaurants followers what they think. Not unexpectedly, he got a dizzying array of responses ranging from people claiming to be afraid of eating at a buffet to those who felt the virus is being blown out of proportion and that the restaurants should remain the same. Alabamas State Health Orders specifically disallow self-service by guests at drink stations, buffets and salad bars and any enforcement of the measure could lead to a misdemeanor arrest and fines.

Nelson reopened the restaurant on May 18, under a cafeteria-style format. Business has since been soft.

We had a great first day, said Nelson. Since then, its been pretty rough.

He added, A lot of people dont know were open. The phone rings off the hook 10 times a day. Is your dining room open? Were aggressive on Facebook (letting people know the restaurant is open). But I would say a lot of our business doesnt come (from social media). A lot of our customers are elderly.

Nelson, like any business owner trying to find a secret to reversing a downward spiral, is trying things to see if they work. He has allowed for outdoor seating, but we havent had a single person sit at the tables since I put (them outdoors). Ive been surprised by that.

Hes even looked at changing the restaurants name and is flirting with the idea of scrubbing the word buffet from it.

I wanted to change it to Farm Fresh Cafe, said Nelson, who touts the restaurants fresh ingredients as a draw for customers. All produce is purchased from American Foods Inc. in Mobile, and the fried foods are hand-breaded daily.

The buffet is like an albatross, said Nelson. Were answering the phone, Barnyard, and are changing the name out on social media. Were keeping options open.

Norton said that buffets, even before coronavirus, struggled with perception even if the restaurant model has long been a success.

Buffets are associated with problems, he said. Most of them are not (problems). I dont mind a buffet at all. At the same time, I think weve all been in situations where you look and see food mixed in which other food and questions come up, Is there another way of doing this?

John Edge, director of the Southern Foodways Alliance and author of The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South, is among those who hopes the change becomes permanent. All-you-can-eat buffets and self-serve drink stations are nothing more than modern labor-saving calorie delivery vehicles. Cafeteria style service, popularized by Morrisons and others, is an old idea worthy of rediscovery.

Love my job

Barnyard Buffet had been on a role before coronavirus sent the buffet business model plummeting. Founded about 12 years ago, the buffet was once known as Barnhills before Nancy Nelson purchased and rebranded it. Nelson had been in the restaurant business for many years prior to the purchase  she was once an owner and operator of Sweet Peppers Pizza and Pasta in Pensacola, Florida, for 15 years before a hurricane damaged the eatery. She then went on to work at Quincy Family Steakhouse when the chain was thriving in the South, rising through the local ranks to become a district manager.

Barnyard Buffets current location was once an Auto Zone store. The landlords, according to Nancy Nelson, got the building transformed from an auto parts store into a restaurant within 30 days.

Loyal customers, meanwhile, helped support the family with promissory notes. The family borrowed several thousands of dollars in order to get the restaurant up and going from customers, many whom have since died.

We loved it so much, said Nancy Nelson, recalling the generosity of about a half-dozen of those customers who loaned $1,000 to $5,000 to help kickstart the business about 12 years ago. We paid everyone back early and we paid everyone back.

The restaurant now has around 40 employees. In recent years, theyve raked up some accolades such as Best All-You-Can-Eat Deal in Alabama by national online publications.

This place was becoming a big deal, said J.J. Nelson. Before this hit, we were doing the best weve done. Every day of the week was incredibly solid.

It was also a safe and satisfactory place to work. As Nelson acknowledges, the restaurant business has a high turnover rate. But at Barnyard Buffet, some of the same employees have stuck with the family for years.

Barbara Walley has worked for years at the Barnyard Buffet in Saraland, Ala. She said she is concerned about the future of the restaurant as crowds are down considerably since it reopened in mid-May 2020. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

I love my job and what I do, said Barbara Walley, 57, of Chunchula  about a 20-mile drive to Saraland. She wears eye goggles, protective gloves and a mask while working at the restaurant every day.

Walley has been in the restaurant business since 1989. She, like Nancy Nelson, was once employed with Quincy Steakhouses. Walley moved around to restaurants throughout the area before arriving to the Saraland restaurant about 15 years ago.

I am a people person, she added. But this is scary. We are serving the public and, in order for them to eat, they cannot wear masks. I am doing everything I can to protect myself so I dont take anything home to my family. And when I get home, I put my clothes in a bag and (immediately) take a shower.

She said, Im not going to lie. I had anxiety when I first came back to work.

Walley lives with her 36-year-old daughter and 7-year-old granddaughter. Her daughter, right now, is unemployed. Walley added, They depend on me right now. Im the only income in my household.

Honestly, it scares me how we will do in a couple of months from now, she said. I have a bad feeling and I hate to have a bad feeling. But seeing the way things are right now  I havent been out to eat in a dining room yet. So I can see how the customers feel.

Hope they return

The customers at Barnyard Buffet are loyal, and elderly. And that concerns J.J. Nelson and his staff because the senior citizen population is the most vulnerable to coronavirus. In Mobile County, close to 60% of those hospitalized from the virus are over age 65. Among county residents who have died from COVID-19, 80% are over 65.

We have a lot of regulars who are genuinely scared of the virus, said Nelson.

The virus has kept some of those loyal customers away, though some are still purchasing take-out. One of the most loyal Barnyard Buffet customers is 104-year-old Edith Guillot of Chickasaw. Since Barnyard Buffet reopened, Guillots caretaker arrives for curbside pickup. Nelson says that, over the years, Guillots family members who live in the St. Louis area will contact him to check in on her. He says of Guillot, shes like a grandma to me.

We tell our customers that if they can make it to 100 like her, they can eat for free, he said. She has fried fish, fried shrimp, vanilla ice cream and Orange Fanta for lunch every single day. She stopped in (before we reopened) wanting to know where the fish was at. She had gotten her nails and hair done. She said she was going to live her life.

Robert Davidson and Jimmy Skeleton have lunch together at the Barnyard Buffet on Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Saraland, Ala. Alabama State Health Orders prohibit customers from handling their food at the buffet serving line. The restaurant is now serving cafeteria style. Davidson, 81, and Skeleton, 75, have been meeting at the restaurant for lunch for the past 10 years. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

Robert Davidson, 81, and Jimmy Skeleton, 75, are both Chickasaw residents and Barnyard Buffet regulars who have returned to the eatery since it reopened. They have known each other for over 66 years while growing up in the Alabama Village neighborhood of Prichard and have been meeting up at the restaurant for lunch for the past decade.

I hope they do return, said Davidson, referring to the customers he once saw at the restaurant. I think they are more concerned right now about the virus.

Nelson, himself, has struggled over the concerns over the health versus economy quagmire that coronavirus has created. Nelsons 3-year-old son, Wilder, is immunocompromised after having his lymph nodes removed when he was 1 years old. His wife, Mariah, is a stay-at-home mother and the family remained quarantined in their Daphne home for two months.

But time is ticking on the business. The Paycheck Protection Program authorized under the federal CARES Act allows for about eight weeks of cash-flow assistance and its become a safety net to keep the business afloat during a rough stretch.

Our labor, rent and utilities are covered by the PPP for six more weeks, said Nelson. But we are sitting here watching what is like the death of our business. We have six weeks to go for our numbers to grow. To be completely honest, if things dont get better, well never make it.
BROOK PARK, Ohio

Operating a vehicle under the influence, leaving a crash scene: Brookpark Road

An intoxicated Parma woman, 43, was arrested at about 6:45 p.m. May 15 after she left the scene of a vehicle crash, then returned, near Metro Motorsports, 13405 Brookpark.

The front end of the womans red Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck was damaged, but details of the crash were not included in the police report.

According to witnesses, the woman stopped for a few moments at the crash scene, but when occupants of another vehicle involved in the crash approached her, she refused to identify herself. They said she was smoking a glass pipe. Then she drove away east on Brookpark.

Witnesses described the woman and her vehicle to police and provided her license plate number, which allowed police to identify her. While police were still on the scene, the woman pulled her pickup truck into the parking lot of Malleys Chocolates, next door to Metro Motorsports.

Police questioned the woman, who seemed confused. She denied knowledge of the crash and said she didnt know the front end of her truck was damaged. When police asked her to step out of her truck, she stumbled and struggled to stand. The woman failed field sobriety tests.

Criminal damaging: Slater Drive

A Berea man, 31, was arrested at about midnight May 20 after he kicked in the front door of a house, breaking the door jamb.

A woman in the house, who was visiting the homeowner, said the Berea man was her ex-boyfriend. She identified him after watching doorbell-camera video of the incident. The woman said the man must have followed her to the house on Slater.

Meanwhile, a witness saw the Berea man punch the homes mailbox, mounted near the front door.

Police called the man and summoned him to the police station. When the man arrived, he admitted breaking the front door and expressed willingness to pay for the damage.

About an hour later, the woman called police and said the man was continuing to call and text her. Police called the man and ordered him to stop doing so. The man said he would stop.

Disorderly conduct, sudden illness: Brookpark Road

A Cleveland man, 45, was arrested and a 28-year-old man taken to a hospital at about 4:45 p.m. May 17 after someone saw them, along with two other men, stumbling around and holding beer cans in the parking lot of Bricks Tavern, 15200 Brookpark.

When police arrived, the older man was so drunk that he couldnt stand without leaning against a wall. The younger man had passed out from drinking, and the two other men were holding him up. Paramedics took the younger man to Southwest General Health Center in Middleburg Heights.

Police determined that the Cleveland man was unable to care for himself. The other two men were driven to their homes by a friend.

Animal attack: West 149th Street

A West 149th Street woman, 50, called police at about 4:45 a.m. May 13 after her own dog bit and injured her inside her house.

When police arrived, the woman was lying on her front porch screaming. She was holding her hand, which was bleeding, and her ankle. Dogs were barking inside the house and were trying to get out.

The woman said two of her dogs had been fighting and she tried to separate them. One of the dogs bit her several times on the hand, wrist and ankle. Police noticed that one of the dogs had blood on its head.

Paramedics treated the woman and took her to Southwest General Health Center in Middleburg Heights. The citys animal control officer arrived.

Disorderly conduct, driving with a suspended license: Smith Road

A Cleveland woman, 31, was arrested at about 10:30 p.m. May 16 outside Quick State Liquor, 5945 Smith, after police discovered that her drivers license was suspended.

Police on patrol had noticed the woman and a 29-year-old man screaming profanities at each other in the stores parking lot. The woman was standing near a vehicle, which had no license plates, and the man was sitting in the passenger seat.

When police asked the woman if everything was OK, the woman said, You know how couples are. The woman entered the car and started driving away, but police ordered her to stop. She complied.

Police asked the woman for her drivers license, but she said she was not required to provide it. When police repeated the question, the woman handed the man her cell phone and asked him to start recording her interaction with officers.

Finally, the woman said she would give police her license and reached into her purse. However, police saw her push her license aside in the purse, and they became concerned that she was reaching for a weapon. Police ordered her out of the car. When she hesitated, police forced her out.

The woman falsely identified herself to police. Officers searched her purse and found a card with her real identity. The woman then admitted that she had lied because her drivers license had been suspended.

Disorderly conduct: Snow Road

A 45-year-old man was taken to Southwest General Health Center in Middleburg Heights after he was found intoxicated and unable to care for himself inside Giant Eagle, 14650 Snow.

Police saw the man in the produce section. He was wobbling, sweating profusely and couldnt stand without assistance. He told police he had ingested PCP and was experiencing chest pains. Police gave him a summons to appear in court.

Driving with a suspended license: Smith Road & Elm Avenue

A driver was arrested at about 4:45 p.m. May 12 after police determined that the drivers license had been suspended. Police provided no details about this report.

Sudden illness: Snow Road

A Cleveland man, 44, overdosed on heroin at 8:45 p.m. May 18 in a hotel room at Howard Johnson at Wyndham, 16644 Snow.

A woman, 33, called police about the man. She said she had given him several doses of Narcan, a heroin-overdose antidote. By the time police arrived, the man had revived. He was taken to Southwest General Health Center in Middleburg Heights.

The woman was wanted by the Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Office. A hotel manager told the woman that she and the Cleveland man were no longer welcome there.

Read more from the News Sun.
Three health care facilities in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region on Friday expressed gratitude to the Union of May Borns (UMABO) for its quest in the fight against COVID-19 in the Region.



The facilities were Bolgatanga Coronation Health Centre, the Bolgatanga Health Centre and the Amiah Hospital.



Managements of these facilities expressed gratitude when UMABO presented 20 gallons each of liquid soap, a gallon each of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and packs of tissue papers to the facilities, to aid in the fight against the virus.



Madam Antoinette Ayamdoo, the Head of the Bolgatanga Coronation Health Centre, said even though they had received several donations from the government and benevolent organisations, the gesture by UMABO would aid in service delivery at the facility.



These are things that are not reusable unlike the Veronica Buckets that come in, so we appreciate your support and we will make sure they are put to good use to prevent the spread of COVID-19, she said.



Madam Ayamdoo thanked members of the Union for their initiative and prayed for Gods blessings for them.



At the Amiah Hospital, a private facility, Mr Atanga Asumbere, the Hospital's Administrator, expressed gratitude to the Union on behalf of the management and patients and gave the assurance that the items would be put to good use to the benefit of all clients and patients.



He was hopeful that the show of love by UMABO to the facility would continue since the end beneficiaries of the gesture were residents of the Region and beyond.



Similarly, Mr Abubakar Sadique Dawda, a nurse at the Bolgatanga Health Centre who received their share of the items, thanked the Union on behalf of Management and appealed for more support to the Centre.



Mr Vincent Asegri, the President of UMABO addressing journalists after the presentations, said the Union, was made up of people across the Region and beyond, born in the month of May.



He recalled that the Union since it was established in 2011, had over the years visited health care facilities in the Region usually at the end of May to show love, Because we have taken that up as part of our social responsibility as a Union to see how we can go round and support not only the needy person but humanity.



He disclosed that the Union in the past presented baby and sanitary items to mothers of newborn babies and expectant mothers at the Regional hospital in Bolgatanga, and the War Memorial hospital in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality.



Mr Asegri who is also a tutor at the Saint John Bosco College of Education in Navrongo noted that the Regional hospital and Afrikids Health Centre had also benefited from blood donation exercises and several other gift items from the Union.



He called on persons born in the month of May both in Ghana and beyond to join the Union to further strengthen its membership base and continue with its humanitarian services.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
OKCarz details a diversity of used Honda models to help shoppers find the right vehicle. Pictured is the 2020 Honda Civic sedan.

Car shoppers searching for an affordable and reliable vehicle are encouraged to consider a pre-owned Honda. OKCarz, a dealership based in central Florida, is helping customers research used Honda vehicles by reviewing a diversity of Honda models. The models to be covered are the Honda Civic, Honda Accord, and Honda CR-V.

One of the most popular vehicles in the Honda lineup is the used Honda Civic. Available as a sedan, hatchback and coupe, the Honda Civic is a compact car that offers an impressive powertrain and a stylistic design. While the Civic is compact, this model offers plenty of space for passengers and cargo. Learn more about the pre-owned Honda Civic on the OKCarz review page here.

The pre-owned Honda Accord is another very popular car. This vehicle is mid-size, offering more room for tall passengers and large items. Packed with advanced technologies and offering a comfortable interior, the Accord is a great option for individuals and small families. Drivers that wish to save fuel with the Accord will be pleased to hear that the Honda Accord offers a hybrid variant. Shoppers can learn more about the Honda Accord here.

Finally, the used Honda CR-V is a top pick among large and small families. As a crossover, the CR-V offers the perfect blend of versatility and comfort. Its incredible performance and efficiency also make the CR-V a fun vehicle to drive. For more details about the used Honda CR-V, check out its model research page.

OKCarz is located at 1200 W. Memorial Blvd. in Lakeland, Florida. The dealership also has several other locations throughout the state. To contact the OKCarz team at the Lakeland location, dial 863-904-2125. To learn more about OKCarz, customers are encouraged to visit its website at http://www.okcarz.com.
OMAHA, Neb., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A regional task force of Greater Omaha business leaders are rolling out "THRIVE 2020," a phased plan for economic recovery. The plan comes in response to the COVID-19 crisis, from a region that represents more than 50 percent of Nebraska's economy.

Working collaboratively with the Greater Omaha Chamber, the team launched "We Rise," Omaha's first comprehensive recovery strategy to collectively address the COVID-19 crisis.

"If you're asking, 'What now?' 'What next?' we hear you, and you're not alone," said David G. Brown, president and CEO, Greater Omaha Chamber. "We're committed to bringing people together to provide answers, moving our recovery process forward intentionally, with a strong strategic plan to help everyone affected by this crisis."

That plan, Brown said, begins with a better understanding of public health relative to economic risk  a plan that ensures people are protected, elevated and safe as they return to work.

"Safety is our primary concern," said Tim Burke, president and CEO, Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) and Greater Omaha Chamber's chairman of the board. "That's why we're working cooperatively with our community partners to prudently return our region to work, while also building on Omaha's historically strong economic foundation."

Carmen Tapio, president and CEO, North End Teleservices, and THRIVE 2020 diversity and equity executive committee chair, said Omaha is poised for next steps, adding, "This is an 'everyone' effort. From our elected leaders, to our business leaders, to our neighborhood leaders. Never has it been more imperative that lines of communication remain open."

"We Rise," THRIVE 2020's kickoff document, offers guidelines for managing economic recovery in crisis.

"By undertaking careful planning now, we can continue to manage the COVID-19 health crisis, while preparing our regional businesses to emerge from this crisis," said James Blackledge, chairman and CEO, Mutual of Omaha. Blackledge is chairing the THRIVE 2020 Economic Development committee.

About Greater Omaha

Greater Omaha is a No. 1 ranked up-and-coming-tech hotspot and Time magazine's 2017 No. 3 Most Up-and-Coming City in America . Named America's No. 2 Best Small City , Greater Omaha is home to more than 30 communities and nearly 1 million people, with a low cost of living and steady economic growth that outpaces the nation.

CONTACT

Jill Bruckner, Communications/PR Manager

Greater Omaha Chamber

402-978-7920

[email protected]

SOURCE Greater Omaha Chamber

Related Links

http://www.omahachamber.org


Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (135) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (348) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (442) Jan 2014 (547) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (526) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (469) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (443) Oct 2014 (472) Nov 2014 (497) Dec 2014 (536) Jan 2015 (539) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (582) Apr 2015 (658) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (924) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (866) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (809) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (935) Jul 2019 (950) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (849) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (789) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (812) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (693) Jan 2022 (454)
[May 29, 2020] Molina Healthcare Wins Kentucky Medicaid Contract

Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH) today announced that its Kentucky health plan subsidiary has been selected as an awardee pursuant to the statewide Medicaid managed care RFP issued on January 10, 2020 by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS), Department for Medicaid Services (DMS). The new contract for Molina's Kentucky health plan is expected to begin on January 1, 2021. Molina's Kentucky health plan is one of five managed care organizations selected to offer health care coverage to approximately 1.4 million Medicaid beneficiaries through the Commonwealth of Kentucky's TANF, CHIP, and ABD programs. "We are honored that Kentucky CHFS has selected Molina to serve the Commonwealth's most vulnerable citizens," said Joe Zubretsky, Molina's president and CEO. "We bring to the Commonwealth our Company's mission of improving the health and well-being of all of our members, and look forward to working with the Beshear Administration, CHFS, and DMS to fulfill that commitment for Kentucky's Medicaid recipients."



About Molina Healthcare Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, provides managed healthcare services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare served approximately 3.4 million members as of March 31, 2020. For more information about Molina Healthcare, please visit molinahealthcare.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This press release contains "forward-looking statements" regarding the award of contracts by Kentucky CHFS. All forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations that are subject to numerous risks that could cause actual results to differ materially. Such risks include, without limitation, a reversal of the contract awards in connection with a successful protest, a delay in the start date for the contracts, or supervening action by CHFS. Given these risks and uncertainties, Molina cannot give assurances that its forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. All forward-looking statements in this release represent Molina's judgment as of the date hereof, and it disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to conform the statement to changes in its expectations that occur after the date of this release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005630/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The first study of COVID-19 to specifically analyse the effect of the disease in hospitalised patients with diabetes has found that one in ten patients dies within 7 days of hospital admission, and one in five is intubated and mechanically ventilated by this point. The research is published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]), by Professor Bertrand Cariou and Professor Samy Hadjadj, diabetologists at l'institut du thorax, University Hospital Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, and University of Nantes, France, and colleagues.

The study shows that two thirds (65%) of COVID-19 patients with diabetes admitted to hospital are men, and the average age of all patients is 70 years. Worse blood sugar control did not seem to impact a patient's outcome, however the presence of diabetic complications and increasing age increase the risk of death, and increased BMI is associated with both increased risk of needing mechanical ventilation and with increased risk of death.

The CORONADO study analysed 1,317 patients admitted to 53 French hospitals (public and private) between 10 and 31 March 2020. The majority of hospitalised subjects had type 2 diabetes (89%) while only 3% had type 1 diabetes, with other types of diabetes in the remaining cases. In 3% of cases, diabetes was actually diagnosed during hospitalisation for COVID-19.

Microvascular complications (eye, kidney and nerves) were found in 47% of the subjects in the study, while macrovascular complications (arteries of the heart, brain, legs) were present in 41% of the patients analysed. Across all patients in this study, by day 7 one in five (20.3%) had been intubated and placed on a ventilator in intensive care, and one in 10 (10.3%) had died. A further 18% had been discharged home at this point.

The presence of microvascular or macrovascular complications each more than doubled the risk of death at day 7. Advanced age also substantially increased the risk of death, with the group of patients aged 75 years and more than 14 times more likely to die than younger patients aged under 55 years, while patients 65-74 years old were three times more likely to die than those under 55 years. The presence of the respiratory condition obstructive sleep apnoea almost tripled the risk of death at 7 days, as did the presence of dyspnoea symptoms (shortness of breath).

The study also confirmed that insulin, and indeed all treatments for modifying blood sugar, are not a risk factor for severe forms of COVID-19 and should be continued in patients with diabetes. Encouragingly, there were no deaths in patients under 65 years old with type 1 diabetes, but the authors highlight there were only 39 patients with type 1 diabetes in this study and other work is ongoing to establish the effect of COVID-19 in this specific population.

Increasing BMI raised the risk of reaching the combined primary outcome of the study (intubation/ventilation or death at day 7). Women were 25% less likely to reach the combined primary endpoint than men (a result that had borderline statistical significance). However, when looking at death only, men were not statistically more likely to die at day 7 than women.

The authors say: "The risk factors for severe form of COVID-19 are identical to those found in the general population: age and BMI."

They add: "Elderly populations with long-term diabetes with advanced diabetic complications and/or treated obstructive sleep apnoea were particularly at risk of early death, and might require specific management to avoid infection with the novel coronavirus. BMI also appears as an independent prognostic factor for COVID-19 severity in the population living with diabetes requiring hospital admission. The link between obesity and COVID-19 requires further study."

The authors plan to publish further work in the summer detailing outcomes of some 3000 patients with diabetes hospitalised with COVID-19, looking at their status 28 days after admission to hospital. The next study will also make more detailed comparisons of COVID-19 outcomes in patients with and without diabetes.

Explore further Diabetes increases risk for poorer prognosis in COVID-19
China accused the US of taking the UN hostage on Friday over a controversial security law for Hong Kong and warned Western nations to stay out of its internal affairs. The US, Britain, Canada and Australia led criticism of the planned law, which would punish secession, subversion of state power, terrorism and acts that endanger national security, as well as allow Chinese security agencies to operate openly in Hong Kong. China's rubber-stamp parliament on Thursday approved the plans for the law, which followed seven months of huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong last year. After China fended off initial American efforts this week to have the controversy put on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, the US and Britain succeeded in securing an informal discussion about it for Friday, diplomatic sources told AFP. Beijing's proposed security law "lies in direct conflict" with China's international obligations to guarantee certain freedoms in Hong Kong, the four countries said in a joint statement. "The proposed law would undermine the One Country, Two Systems framework," they added, referring to Hong Kong's special status within China under the terms of its handover from Britain in 1997. Beijing said Friday it had lodged official protests to the four countries. "We urge the related countries to respect China's sovereignty (and) stop interfering in Hong Kong's and China's internal affairs," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a regular press briefing. He also slammed the US approach as "totally unreasonable" and said China would not allow the US to "kidnap the Council for its own purposes." "We urge the US to immediately stop this senseless political manipulation," Zhao said. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also said London would widen its rules around the rights of British National (Overseas) passport holders -- a status offered to many Hong Kongers at the time of handover -- if China went ahead with the new law. Zhao warned that Beijing reserves the right to take "corresponding countermeasures". The Chinese parliament's vote came just hours after Washington revoked the special status conferred on Hong Kong, paving the way for the territory to be stripped of trading and economic privileges. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the status had been withdrawn because China was no longer honouring its handover agreement with Britain to allow Hong Kong a high level of autonomy. President Donald Trump also announced he would hold a press conference on Friday about China, with Hong Kong and other flashpoint issues -- including the coronavirus, espionage and trade -- almost certain to be brought up. "We're not happy with China," Trump told reporters on Thursday. - 'Safe environment' - China has remained defiant in the face of Western criticism on Hong Kong, insisting "foreign forces" are to blame for fuelling the pro-democracy movement and creating turmoil in the city of 7.5 million people. Li Zhanshu -- chairman of the NPC Standing Committee which will now draft the law -- said Thursday the move was "in line with the fundamental interests of all Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots". Under the "one country, two systems" model agreed before the city's return from Britain to China, Hong Kong is supposed to be guaranteed certain liberties until 2047 that are denied to those on the mainland. The mini-constitution that has governed Hong Kong's affairs since the handover obliges the territory's authorities to enact national security laws. But huge protests blocked an effort to do so in 2003, and Hong Kong's government then shelved it while watching the pro-democracy movement grow. China's state-run media on Friday said the law was in the interests of protecting peace and autonomy in Hong Kong. "Safeguarding national security is a must, rather than a choice," the official news agency Xinhua in a commentary. Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily said in an editorial that law would only target "a small minority of people who are suspected of committing crimes that endanger national security." In Hong Kong, the pro-democracy movement voiced the opposite sentiments. "It's the end of Hong Kong," opposition lawmaker Claudia Mo told AFP. "They are cutting off our souls, taking away the values which we've always embraced -- values like human rights, democracy, rule of law." China is facing growing international pressure over its move to impose a security law on Hong Kong that critics say will destroy the city's autonomy Pro-democracy campagers in Hong Kong say China's planned security law will destroy the city's cherished autonomy Riot police in Hong Kong have arreatsed hundreds of people in recent days to ensure there are no widespread protests China says "foreign forces" are to blame for the pro-democracy momvement in Hong Kong
This article is part of the Free Speech Project , a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech.

The funniest part of President Donald Trumps remarks to reporters Thursday following his newly issued executive order on social media was this: I think we shut [Twitter] down, as far as Im concerned, but Id have to go through a legal process, Trump said. If it were able to be legally shut down, I would do it.

Seriously? Who on earth believes that Donald J. Trump could make himself live another week in the White Housemuch less serve another termwithout his daily dose of Twitter psychodrama?

Advertisement

The presidents expressed wish to shutter Twitter is properly interpreted as an empty threat, but is his newly signed executive order equally empty? Trump was triggered earlier this week by Twitters recent moves to tag a few of the presidents factually false tweets with informational links. Now that Twitter has tagged another Trump tweet (this one about shooting looters) as violating its rules about glorifying violence, we can expect an even more heated response. Twitter didnt remove the presidents looting tweet, howeverthe company chose instead to hide it behind a warning that explains that Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

His response to Twitters latest move was to trumpet: Repeal Section 230!!! (because one exclamation point, like one french fry or one scoop of ice cream, is never enough).

Advertisement

Advertisement

Section 230, the presidents proxy for his dislike of being fact-checked or otherwise challenged, includes a subsection that can fairly be described in these words of U.S. Naval Academy professor Jeff Kosseff: the twenty-six words that created the internet. (Kosseff used that very phrase as the title of his book on Section 230, which was published last year.) Its not that the law hasnt had its problems, as Kosseff himself underscored in a Slate article in February. But he points out in that same article, Congress passed Section 230 in 1996 for two reasons: to foster the growth of internet-based businesses and to allow platforms to develop their own moderation practices without becoming liable for every word that their users post.

Advertisement

In other words, Section 230 aimed to make it possible for companies like Twitter and Facebook to remove contentfor almost any reasonif the companies believed that removing the content made their forums better or protected users more.

That said, lots of the presidents critics are upset, too. On the one hand, theres no evidence that Twitters recent actions will remedy the presidents compulsive tweeting of falsehood and innuendo. On the other, they believe that Twitters recent increase in content flagging and warnings is too little, too late. Theyre also concerned, not unreasonably, that the presidents increasing agitation will lead to increasingly unpredictable and dangerous decision-making on his part.

Advertisement

I get it. I have similar worries. But speaking as a free speech guy, I cant help thinking that Twitters decision to flag or hide falsehoods or misinformation or otherwise socially corrosive speech is just exactly what Section 230 was designed to enable Twitter to do. We may find fault with smaller aspects of Twitters choicesmaybe the company should have done this regarding his possibly tortious tweets promoting a conspiracy theory about MSNBC news host Joe Scarborough, for examplebut the important thing in my view is that Twitter didnt choose to remove Trumps problematic tweets. Doing so was within Twitters prerogatives under Section 230, but rather than suppress the presidents rotten tweets (and to some extent obscure his misbehavior), the company opted to add more context instead.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In a nutshell, despite Trumps complaints that Twitter is guilty of censorship, Twitter didnt censor his tweets. I think thats the right result. Not because the tweets dont deserve to be censoredthey clearly dobut because censoring a sitting president is a bigger deal than censoring an ordinary user, not least because it might help that president obscure or escape accountability for what he says. In addition, one of the great ironies of Trumps call for repealing Section 230 is that a Twitter without Section 230s protections from liability for what its users post likely would have felt compelled to censor him entirely.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its fair to say that the president doesnt really have a grasp on what Section 230 does and how it actually has enabled him to reach his base in the disintermediated way that he finds so addictive. But its also fair to say that plenty of smarter people get that law wrong, too. I have to come to believe that Section 230 is like the rule against perpetuities: Its daunting to explain to a layman, butto make things even worsethere are boatloads of lawyers who dont understand it, either. (William Hurt exemplifies a lawyer who seems not to understand the rule in the 1981 noir classic Body Heat.)

Advertisement

But Section 230 isnt quite so complicated. Prior to 230s passage as part of the 1996 Telecom Act, the American legal system tended to focus on two paradigms for understanding communications media in the modern world: traditional press (including broadcasting) and common carriage. The traditional press (the kind of press the Framers were thinking of when they wrote the Bill of Rights) benefited from a great deal of freedom under the First Amendment but also carried a potential risk from claims like defamation, because traditionally the publishers and editors of a publication had a duty to get their facts right. Arguably the most important First Amendment case is New York Times v. Sullivan (1964), in which the Supreme Court determined that the First Amendment has to be understood as allowing publications to get their facts wrong about government officials sometimes, provided they werent doing so intentionally or recklessly.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Also fitting this first model was broadcasting. Like the traditional press, broadcasting has a lot of First Amendment protections, but broadcasters are limited by a government-based regulatory framework via the Federal Communications Commission. When it came to issues like defamation, broadcasters could be held responsible for what other people said on their services, too.

The second model was common carriagebasically, a service provider (like Verizon or AT&T) isnt legally liable for defamation or other problematic content so long as the service in question (e.g., mobile telephone service) doesnt discriminate by content. Those services have to adhere to a kind of neutrality as to users telephone content. The common carriage model is quite useful, and in its appropriate context is something that also plays an important role in freedom of expressionthe telephone network operating on common carriage principles is one of the technologies of freedom celebrated in Ithiel de Sola Pools classic and prophetic 1984 book.

Advertisement

If this sounds like a confusing legal word salad, thats because it is.

Lawyers who arent specialists in internet law (including Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley) have argued that Section 230s protections should be conditioned on whether platforms are neutral in content or, alternatively, on whether theyre applied consistently. This is a common theme among Republican critics of the companies. Theyre assuming that Section 230 is supposed to operate as a kind of common carrier system imposed upon the internet, requiring that Twitter and Facebook and other companies be neutral as a condition of being free from liability. Still other nonspecialists, like my friend the TV writer David Simon, have argued that the internet companies should act more like publishers, and certainly do more to filter and/or remove terrible content. This theme of criticism is more common among Democrats.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

But the choice between traditional press and common carrier models is a false dichotomy. For more than half a century, our First Amendment jurisprudence recognized a third model, which might best be characterized as the bookstore/newsstand model. Rooted in Smith v. California (1959) and applied to computer networks in Cubby v. CompuServe (1991), this model recognized that bookstores and newsstands (and, also, by the way, libraries) are themselves important institutions for First Amendment purposes. Under this model, we dont insist that bookstore, newspaper stand owners, or library workers take legal responsibility for everything they carry, but we also dont insist that they carry everything. Theyre not publishers or common carriers. When a state court judge misinterpreted the facts and the law in a case centering on the then-popular online service Prodigy in 1995, this model of First Amendment protection seemed to be slipping away from online services, which responded by pushing for passage of what eventually became Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Subsection (c)(1) of that section just is Kosseffs twenty-six words: No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

This language is what made Twitter and Facebook as well as other services like Instagram and YouTube possible. And its also the target of the executive order that Trump signed, although you have to wade through a lot of posturing language to get to the heart of that order. In fairness to the president, lots of executive orders, like lots of legislation, include clouds of precatory (essentially, a legal term meaning wishful thinking) language that lacks any actual legal force.

Parts of the order that do aim to have some legal force focus first not on Section 230(c)(1) (the twenty-six words) but on Section (a)(3), which includes a big chunk of precatory language about promoting true diversity of discourse, and Section (c)(2), which provides protections to providers that act in good faith to restrict access to obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing or otherwise objectionable content. Section (c)(2) was crafted to empower services to create filtering software that, for example, prevents minors from seeing inappropriate content (censorware marketed to families was momentarily a big thing in the 1990s), but for the most part it hasnt been central to how the services operate. That said, the executive order wants to export the good faith language from (c)(2) into the twenty-six words on the theory that if the services limit access to objectionable content in ways that are non-neutral or inconsistent or pretextual, theyre not acting in good faith to promote true diversity of discourse.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

If this sounds like a confusing legal word salad, thats because it is. What you see is the Trump administration cherry-picking language it approves of in one part of Section 230, crafted for a different purpose, and then trying to import it into the parts it doesnt like. Not only is this inconsistent with how the statutory language has been interpreted before now, but its also beyond the scope of what the president can do in an executive order. (Basically, a president cant revise the established meaning of legislationthats Congress job, assisted by the courts.) The other provisions of the executive order, saber-rattling invocations of the FCC and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Federal Trade Commission and the attorney general, are similarly ungrounded in any authority the president has, at least in theory. (Well, OK, he probably can order the attorney general around.) But dont take my word for it. The reaction of Kate Klonick, who teaches internet law at St. Johns University, is typical of legal practitioners and scholars who work in internet and constitutional law: The most obvious thing I would say about this order is that its not enforceable, she told Recode about an earlier draft of the order, adding that its kind of a piece of political theater.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I think its more than that, thoughI think Trump is treating the common misinterpretations of Section 230 as a kind of security hole in the legal system that he can hack. One of the reasons for that weakness has been the tech companies general unwillingness before now to engage in the kind of content moderation that Section 230 was designed to allow. Their reluctance was understandablefrequent interventions in content questions give rise to the expectation that the services will intervene more frequently or consistently. But doing comprehensive content moderation at Twitters scalemuch less Facebooksis hard, and doing so consistently, I maintain, is impossible. Giving the impression of neutrality keeps the expectations constrained (and its also a lot easier to do with something like consistency).

Advertisement

To put it bluntly, I think what happened in the earliest days of Twitter and Facebook was a kind of cognitive dissonance based on various degrees of misunderstanding about (in particular) the Section 230 framework that allowed social media to grow in the United States. Basically, the platforms were saying (ineptly) that they werent the editors and/or gatekeepers, generally speaking, of user-generated content. (Nor did we want them to be.) They were disavowing the role of being content police. But they didnt say they were never going to intervenetheir terms-of-service provisions, even at their most libertarian, reserved the right to do some post-hoc editorial interventions (certainly in areas like child pornography or terroristic threats, where there is an international consensus about illegal speech). But this got interpreted as the platforms claiming, somehow, that they never applied judgment about content. Yet of course they always did. This was compounded by the fact that some of the company lawyers themselves didnt fully understand that Section 230 was meant to allow content curation without incurring liability. As the platforms expanded internationally, of course, the protections of Section 230 were frequently inapplicable, and it was easier to default to were just the platform talk. All this added up to, in my view, a range of tactical and strategic mistakes in how the platforms messaged about their issues.

Its safe to say that Twitters latest interventions regarding Trumps tweets are sending a different message. That message wont be good news to a significant proportion of the services pro-Trump critics. For the rest of us, it represents early moves in the direction of trying to get content moderation right in a way that doesnt weaken Section 230 but strengthens it.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
KITCHENER  Two people with ties to Waterloo Region take centre stage in a new documentary on TVO.

The Arrest, by journalist and filmmaker Martin Himel, looks at the emotional impact of wrongful arrests.

Facing job loss and rejection of employment applications, social stigma, housing denial ... their lives will never be the same, TVO says in a news release.

Playing a key role in the documentary is Davin Charney, 48, a former social activist in Kitchener who became a lawyer after he was wrongfully arrested. He now represents people who allege they were wrongfully arrested.

In the years before he was called to bar in 2008, Charney was arrested multiple times by Waterloo Regional Police while leading protests against poverty and homelessness. He spent a dozen days in jail.

Charges he faced included obstructing police, assaulting police and criminal defamation for putting up posters alleging police brutality. He was never convicted. In one case, a judge ruled Charney was unlawfully arrested and detained.

After all of the arrests, I thought, Jeez, I could use a good lawyer, Charney said in an interview. I thought, Im going to become that lawyer and Im going to help people who faced a similar situation as me.

I will give very special thanks to Waterloo Regional Police. Without their (arrests), I likely would never have become a lawyer doing social justice work.

Also featured in the documentary is Natasha Broomes. She was arrested after pulling into her driveway in Cambridge on the morning of July 29, 2017. The officer told her she fit the description of a person with a gun they were looking for and asked her to show her drivers licence.

Broomes, 43, laughed it off and walked to her front step. She says the officer then assaulted her and arrested her. Part of the incident was caught on video.

The Office of the Independent Police Review Director ruled there is sufficient evidence to show that Broomes was unlawfully arrested and that she was discriminated against because she is black.

It turned out police had been looking for a man. In his statement to the independent review agency, the arresting officer said he had a strong suspicion that Broomes was involved in the gun call. The agency found there was no evidence to show that Broomes matched the description of the suspect.

She was charged under the Highway Traffic Act but the charges were later withdrawn.

Represented by Toronto-based Charney, Broomes is suing the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board and the arresting officer for $700,000. She alleges assault, battery, wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution. Police deny the allegations.

Broomes, who now lives in Toronto, says she is still traumatized.

It has impacted her ability to work, Charney said, adding she is now afraid of the police.

The Arrest can be viewed online at tvo.org.
Look at the way theyve hinged this!

Last May, Liz Gordon and I were standing in her antique hardware store, looking at an image on her phone. Shed just returned to Los Angeles from the 2019 Salone del Mobile in Milan, the worlds largest furniture fair, where shed taken a photo for me of the most unusual hinge shed seen in years. Four metal rods upheld a peacock-blue cabinet. Large circular hinges embedded the wood a quarter of the way through, like dazzling hoop earrings. She told the designer, Youll never believe it, but I have a meeting soon with a gal about hinges.

My yearning to know about hinges was first sparked two summers ago in Dumbo, after a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. My partner Alan and I had just sat down to happy hour. The man next to him asked why we were in town. Im here from Los Angeles for work. Im a hinge salesman, Alan said. I elbowed him gently, but he went on. Did you know that in North America, youre never more than six feet from a hinge?

The man shifted away from us, toward the Mets game on TV.

My partner does not sell hinges. Hes a cinematographer with a quirky sense of humor. When he tires of answering questions about celebrities during his nonstop travel in nonpandemic times, he assumes this guise because the hinge, he says, is the most mundane conversation topic of all.

As a writer, Im fascinated by the metaphors that appear in my life. I despise goodbyes of all kinds because they remind me of the ultimate goodbye: the final disconnect of death. And the hinge happens to be the jointed device responsible for the opening and closing of doors, hence, the villainous facilitator of our partings. Ive accompanied him to Chile, Malaysia and more locations  but his trips dont always align with my work. Last year, we endured our longest stretch apart, when he shot an action movie in China.
US Democrats in House of Representatives Pull Vote on Surveillance Bill Extension

Sputnik News

06:27 GMT 28.05.2020(updated 06:36 GMT 28.05.2020)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Leading Democrats in the US House of Representatives have pulled a vote to reauthorize three surveillance programs, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation views as a vital tool in defending against terrorism, after President Donald Trump urged lawmakers to oppose the bill.

"Members are advised that votes are no longer expected in the House tonight. Tomorrow, the House meets at 9:00 a.m. [13:00 GMT] for legislative business," US House Majority leader Steny Hoyer's team said in a statement late on Wednesday.

The bill relates to the renewal of three authorities under the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that expired on March 15. The bill passed the US Senate on May 14 but was returned to the House of Representatives due to changes to enhance legal protections.

Trump has since urged Republicans to reject the legislation until a probe into alleged FISA abuses by former US President Barack Obama's administration is completed. The US Department of Justice also in the past week publicly called for the FISA renewal bill to be vetoed.

The bill has also been slammed by various civil society advocacy groups, who claim that its renewal will allow investigators to conduct de facto surveillance on millions of US citizens without warrants or court permission.

A Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Ajit Pramod Jogi, the maverick politician and the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh, who was the pivot of tribal and dalit politics in the state, died this Friday afternoon. He was 74.

The former CM, who breathed his last in a Raipur hospital, was reported to be working on his autobiography.

Jogi, through dint of hard work, became a formidable political force in the state. He was a voracious reader, brilliant orator, a jan-neta and extremely popular among schedule tribes, schedule castes and Muslims in the plains of Chhattisgarh.

He began his journey from the village pathshala and worked his way through numerous achievements and failures alike.

Watch | Chhattisgarhs first CM Ajit Jogi passes away; President, PM Modi pay tribute

Awed by the power and charisma of a Parsi IAS officer who visited his village, kid Jogi decided to become a bureaucrat. His Marathi Brahmin teacher guided him in that direction by prodding him to learn English. Brilliant in studies since childhood, Jogi went to study engineering in Bhopal. As was his habit, he topped his engineering class in 1964.

Jogi first got selected into the Indian Police Service (IPS) but while training in Mussoorie, he felt that officers from other services were treated condescendingly by the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers. He sat for the exam again and secured a high rank, which then made him eligible to qualify for the IAS.

As per his records, he served as collector for 12 years in different districts before resigning in 1986 and joining the Congress. He was sent to the Rajya Sabha twice by the Congress in 1986-92 and 1992-98.

It was during his stint as Raipur collector that Jogi got acquainted with Rajiv Gandhi.

Rajiv ji was a pilot and when he used to come to Raipur, I visited him at the airport. He always treated me as a friend. We used to talk for hours on various issues in the VIP lounge of Raipur airport, Jogi told this reporter during an interview in 2018.

Soon after Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister of the country. The Congress needed a tribal face to represent it in the Rajya Sabha and it was Digvijaya Singh who suggested the name of Ajit Jogi.

Within a day, the bureaucrat resigned to become a politician. Ajit Jogi climbed the success ladder swiftly, becoming one of the most celebrated spokespersons of the Congress. He shared an anecdote during an interview that Narendra Modi and he used to commute to the News Studios in the same car.

Being the destinys child, Ajit Jogi left behind many stalwarts to become the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh. The newly carved state with a majority tribal population got its leader.

However, his political fortunes declined because of the infighting within the Congress. After the defeat in the 2003 assembly election, Jogi attracted a host of controversies right till his death.

In 2003, the BJP released a purported audio tape alleging he tried to break up the party by bribing its MLAs due to which Jogi was suspended.

But after a few months, he was again fielded by the Congress against Vidya Charan Shukla, who was contesting on BJP ticket, in 2004 parliamentary election from Mahasamund constituency. Jogi defeated Shukla.

It was during this campaign, Jogi met with a road accident near Rajim and was wheelchair bound since then.

Controversy around his tribal status remained inconclusive till the end.

Jogi parted ways with the Congress in 2016 after he and his son were found allegedly involved in fixing of the Antahgarh by-election in Kanker district. Thereafter, Jogi formed his own party Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) in June 2016.

In the 2018 assembly election, Jogi, in coalition with the BSP, managed to get seven seats. In total 90 seats, the Congress won 68 seats while the BJP was reduced to 15. Jogi himself won from his traditional seat Marwahi.

An ardent Madhubala fan, Jogi remained a versatile human being till the end.

Chhattisgarh has lost its own son of the soil. Surrounded by books till his last breath, his autobiography, if published would be a lesson on politics and life.

He was the quintessential Chhattisgarhiya, who lived in a bungalow situated in the heart of city known as Sagaun Bangla.
Statistically speaking, long term investing is a profitable endeavour. But unfortunately, some companies simply don't succeed. For example the CTT - Correios De Portugal, S.A. (ELI:CTT) share price dropped 78% over five years. That is extremely sub-optimal, to say the least. It's up 3.4% in the last seven days.

Check out our latest analysis for CTT - Correios De Portugal

While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

Looking back five years, both CTT - Correios De Portugal's share price and EPS declined; the latter at a rate of 19% per year. Readers should note that the share price has fallen faster than the EPS, at a rate of 26% per year, over the period. This implies that the market was previously too optimistic about the stock. The less favorable sentiment is reflected in its current P/E ratio of 10.85.

The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

ENXTLS:CTT Past and Future Earnings May 29th 2020

We know that CTT - Correios De Portugal has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? This free report showing analyst revenue forecasts should help you figure out if the EPS growth can be sustained.

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We've already covered CTT - Correios De Portugal's share price action, but we should also mention its total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR attempts to capture the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested) as well as any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings offered to shareholders. CTT - Correios De Portugal's TSR of was a loss of 69% for the 5 years. That wasn't as bad as its share price return, because it has paid dividends.

A Different Perspective

Story continues

CTT - Correios De Portugal shareholders are down 9.1% for the year, but the market itself is up 0.3%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. However, the loss over the last year isn't as bad as the 21% per annum loss investors have suffered over the last half decade. We'd need to see some sustained improvements in the key metrics before we could muster much enthusiasm. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand CTT - Correios De Portugal better, we need to consider many other factors. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for CTT - Correios De Portugal that you should be aware of.

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on PT exchanges.

Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
In 1988, a group of South Fork naturalists formed a membership organization called the South Fork Natural History Society, better known as SOFO. The objective of this organization was to increase public awareness about the past, present, and future of eastern Long Islands natural history and to share their joyful experiences of exploring and learning with others in the community. SOFO used to operate out of a small building referred to as the Nature Clubhouse where children gathered to examine different species, research for school projects, and just hang out. The Clubhouse served as a prototype...
Jennifer Aniston has expressed her deep concern for her "Friends" co-star Courteney Cox, who has been forced to self-isolate away from her boyfriend Johnny McDaid.

A Friend For Life

The lockdown has forced a lot of people to isolate by themselves in their homes -- away from their family and friends. Even celebrities like Jennifer Aniston know how lonely it is to be away from loved ones amid the growing concern about the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, Jen's concerns for her friend's mental health sparked when Courteney was forced in isolation away from her boyfriend Johnny, who is currently in the U.K. The travel ban has kept him there for weeks already.

An insider revealed that Jennifer has been trying to keep Courtney in company these days.

"Jen's been making sure that Courteney has nice distractions and has been calling on their social circle to regularly check in on her, and setting up Zoom calls with her friends, including Busy Philipps," a source told Closer.

Apart from connecting Courteney with all their other common friends, Jen has also constantly spent time with her friend who has been feeling really low at this time.

"And Jen and Court speak every day on FaceTime. They've been sharing recipes, fitness tips, and supporting each other emotionally, as Jen has been worried that Courteney isn't used to being apart from Johnny for so long," the source added.

Lonely In Lockdown

Courteney recently spoke about how much she misses her Irish beau during an interview with Ellen DeGeneres. The "Friends" star said that it is the "physical touch" that she missed the most about the "Snow Patrol" star.

"He left, he was supposed to go to Switzerland to write, but he had to go to England first and then all of a sudden it happened, they called quarantine, so it has been so long," Courtney said.

Cox also revealed that it has been the longest time that they've been apart since they started dating seven years ago.

Meanwhile, the Closer source revealed how Courteny is truly feeling in isolation.

"Courteney has been struggling since lockdown when she realized that she and Johnny would be apart," the insider shared. "She's worried about the ongoing impact of a long-distance relationship and whether they can survive being split up like this. She feels lonely and just wishes she could see Johnny in person."

The source also claimed that the couple FaceTimes every day to keep the communication alive. They also share cooking recipes with each other to lighten the mood.

Courteney Cox is best remembered for her role as Monica in the hit television series "Friends." While nobody can tell when the lockdown will be lifted, she is certainly lucky to have a true friend like Jennifer Aniston who cares for her and keeps her company as she spends time alone in her home.
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Though butyl adhesives are particularly new technology, the demand for the market has demonstrated a significant pace of traction over the years. Market focused reports linked to the chemicals & materials industry among others of late have been made accessible by Market Research Future which issues reports on this industry. The market is anticipated to grow with an unmatched CAGR percentage in the duration of the forecast period.

Growing butyl rubber in adhesive uses is one of the key causes of the copolymers progress. Furthermore, the emergent transportation sector and investments in construction are anticipated to grow its demand over the period of the next seven years and open up new prospects. Rising demand from packaging and paper industry for products such as cartons, tapes, bags, etc. have given way to the unparalleled growth of the industry while opening up new avenues for expansion. The superior properties of butyl adhesives such as exceptional resistance to high durability, weather and sunlight, resistance to aging and heat have made it suitable for end use in a number of industries.

Industry Segments

The Butyl Adhesive Industry is segmented on the basis of end use industry and region.

The end use industry has segmented the market into paper & packaging, woodworking, building & construction, automotive, and others. As butyl adhesives are resistant to air and water and highly resistant to alkali and UV rays, thus extensively used in the end use industries. By region, the market segmentation includes Europe, Latin America, North America, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa.

Detailed Regional Analysis

The regions such as Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East & Africa are a part of the Butyl Adhesive Market globally. The Asia Pacific region is projected to develop at an incremental CAGR in the forecast period owing to mounting demand from end use industries such as woodworking, building & construction and automotive. The demand for Butyl Adhesive is expected to surge in emerging countries such as China, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Japan owing to increasing construction activities and development of woodworking industry. China is anticipated to be a major market in terms of consumption. Moreover, cheap labor charge, ease of accessibility to raw material, and growing development strategies to achieve the demand for butyl adhesives due to the developing applications which are the vital factors for regional market growth. The Middle East & Africa region is projected to observe considerable growth in the forthcoming years. This factor is credited to the rising development activities in the commercial and residential sector together with the growing demand for VOC free adhesives, especially in countries such as United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.

The North American market is likely to observe stable development in the use of butyl adhesive over the forecast period. The U.S. is foreseen to be the biggest butyl adhesive market in the region followed by Mexico and Canada. The Latin American countries like Argentina and Brazil, are also expected to observe stable growth owing to modest demand from packaging and woodworking industries. The European region is foreseen to be the second biggest market after the Asia Pacific region in the consumption of Butyl Adhesive. The European nations such as UK, France, Germany, and Italy are contributing to the regional market development owing to the occurrence of a large number of manufacturing companies in the region.

Global Competitive Analysis

The market has ushered in a new period of growth as the market is constantly in a state of mutability. The ripple effects of this growth have altered the competitive landscape of the market. Localization is among the more favored trends for expanding the market share of the competitors in the market. The potential strategy of each player in the market involves a certain degree of innovation in the product offerings to increase the possibilities for development, particularly in the forecast period. The chances for increasing revenue inflow in the business are expected to multiply through the forecast period. The intensifying interest in diversification within the business has indirectly allowed the businesses to utilize several situations obtainable in the market.

The noteworthy competitors in the butyl adhesive market comprise of ADCO Global, Bostik SA, Vinati Organics Ltd., Royal General Sealants, Adhesives & Sealants, Anabond, and others.

Access Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/butyl-adhesive-market-4164

COVID-19 Impact Analysis on Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Market

COVID-19 Impact on 3D Printing Materials Market

COVID-19 Outbreak Impact on Carbon black Market

NOTE: Our team of researchers are studying Covid19 and its impact on various industry verticals and wherever required we will be considering covid19 footprints for a better analysis of markets and industries. Cordially get in touch for more details.
A man who suffered a knee injury after being struck head-on by a car driven by his former son-in-law is entitled to 35,500 compensation the High Court has ruled.

The MIBI, a body set up to compensate victims of uninsured and untraced drivers, had appealed Galway Circuit Court's decision that Gerard Mongan was entitled to damages after being struck by a car driven by Martin Mongan.

The incident occurred following an argument outside the plaintiff's home at Renmore in Galway on June 16, 2013.

As a result of his injuries Gerard Mongan sued in the Circuit Court both Martin Mongan and the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) seeking damages.

The MIBI had claimed it had no liability because the uninsured driver had deliberately used the car as a weapon, and the injuries had not been sustained as a result of negligent driving by Martin Mongan.

Opposing the appeal Gerard Mongan denied there was any evidence that Martin Mongan had used his car as a weapon.

Even if the court found that it had been driven in such a manner, his lawyers argued, it was still a breach by Martin Mongan of his duty of care that it constituted negligent use of the vehicle.

Ruling on the matter Mr Justice Denis McDonald, who was critical of the manner in which evidence given by Gerard Mongan and his wife about the incident, dismissed the appeal.

He said that the car was driven deliberately and negligently at Gerard Mongan.

However when the court considered legislation governing the MIBI and European law on such matters, the plaintiff is entitled to damages from the MIBI, the judge found.

Martin Mongan was asked to leave

Mr Justice McDonald said the incident occurred when Martin Mongan, alleged to have been intoxicated at the time and who had previously been married to Gerard's daughter Amanda, arrived at the plaintiffs home.

Martin Mongan was acting aggressively and demanded to see his and Amanda's son. His request was refused and he was asked to leave, the Judge said.

Martin Mongan got into his car, and initially appeared to drive away. He returned, drove his car off the road,driving onto the pavement and straight at where Gerard Mongan was standing.

Gerard Mongan after pushing his wife Winifred out of harm's way, was struck by the vehicle. Martin then drove off, but returned a second time.

He was deflected from driving at Gerard a second time when Mrs Mongan threw a rock at Martin's car.

'Rehearsed answers'

In their evidence to the court both Gerard and his wife said Martin was not using the vehicle to intentionally hit them.

The judge said this contrasted to other evidence, including statements given to the Garda after the incident, where Gerard said that the car was driven at him and his wife.

Evidence was given that in statements to doctors the plaintiff described what had occurred as being "a direct attempt at his life"

The judge said Amanda gave clear and unqualified evidence that Martin "drove the car straight at my father".

In all the circumstances the court was satisfied Gerard and Winifred's evidence was wholly unconvincing. Some of the answers given to the court by Gerard Mongan, the judge said were "rehearsed".

Gerard Mongan the judge said, "came across as very wary of saying anything that might undermine his case on liability".
EAST HANOVER, N.J., May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Novartis announced today updated results from the landmark COMBI-AD clinical trial, demonstrating that treatment with Tafinlar (dabrafenib) and Mekinist (trametinib) following the surgical removal of melanoma offers a long-term and durable relapse-free survival (RFS) benefit to high-risk patients diagnosed with stage III, BRAF-mutation positive melanoma1. Researchers reported that 52% (95% CI, 48%-58%) of patients treated with adjuvant Tafinlar + Mekinist were alive and relapse-free at five years1. Among patients in the study's placebo arm 36% (95% CI, 32%-41%) were alive and relapse-free at the time of this analysis, generally consistent with typical melanoma relapse-free survival rates seen among patients with resected stage III disease without treatment1,3-5. Consistent RFS benefit was observed across all AJCC 7 stage III subgroups1,6.

Median RFS, or the length of time when 50% of patients are still alive and relapse-free, was not yet reached at the 5-year data cut-off for patients on Tafinlar + Mekinist treatment, suggesting long-term benefit of targeted therapy in the adjuvant (post-surgical) setting (NR; 95% CI, 47.9 mo-NR)1. Median RFS was 16.6 months for patients taking a placebo (95% CI, 12.7-22.1 mo)1. Treatment with Tafinlar + Mekinist reduced the risk of relapse or death by 49% compared to placebo (hazard ratio [HR] 0.51; 95% CI 0.42, 0.61)1.

"Our goal as clinicians is to give our stage III patients the best chance for relapse-free survival," said Prof. Axel Hauschild, MD, Professor of Dermatology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. "Results from COMBI-AD show that adjuvant treatment with Tafinlar + Mekinist after surgical resection gives melanoma patients the chance for long-term relapse-free survival. Five years is a clinically and emotionally significant milestone for patients. Recurrent BRAF+ melanoma, once spread to other organs, can be more dangerous and difficult to treat. The durable, long-term results seen among patients in the COMBI-AD trial clearly point to the important role targeted therapy plays in the adjuvant setting."

The COMBI-AD study results are drawn from a prospective analysis of 870 patients with BRAF V600-mutated melanoma treated with Tafinlar + Mekinist after their surgery1. This study represents the largest collection of data and longest follow-up to date in this patient population treated with targeted therapy2. The findings were presented at the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program (Abstract #10001)1.

"The five-year survival mark is an important and predictive milestone for people with melanoma and the doctors who care for them," said John Tsai, MD, Head of Global Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer, Novartis. "We see an almost 50% risk reduction in melanoma relapse or death in the COMBI-AD data announced today, and we believe patients will find this information helpful in choosing a treatment after surgery. We thank the patients and their families who participated in this long-term clinical trial. Their participation and commitment is helping the community learn how a BRAF-targeted therapy can reimagine outcomes for patients with resectable stage III melanoma."

Visit https://www.virtualcongress.novartis.com/ASCO20 for the latest information from Novartis, including our commitment to the Oncology community, and access to our ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program data presentations (for registered participants).

About the COMBI-AD Study1,2,6,7

COMBI-AD is a pivotaI Phase III study evaluating Tafinlar (dabrafenib) + Mekinist (trametinib) among patients with stage III, BRAF V600E/K-mutant melanoma without prior anticancer therapy. It is the longest follow-up, at 60 months, and largest dataset to date of patients with Stage III melanoma receiving targeted therapy for adjuvant treatment.

It is a two-arm, randomized, double-blind Phase III study of dabrafenib in combination with trametinib versus two placebos in the adjuvant treatment of melanoma after surgical resection. Patients with completely resected, histologically confirmed, BRAF V600E/K mutation-positive, high-risk [stage IIIa (lymph node metastasis >1 mm), IIIb or IIIc] cutaneous melanoma were screened for eligibility. Subjects were randomized to receive either dabrafenib (150 mg twice daily) and trametinib (2 mg once daily) combination therapy or two placebos for up to one year. The primary end point is recurrence-free survival, and secondary endpoints include overall survival, distant metastasis-free survival, freedom from relapse analysis and safety.

Melanoma staging assessed based on AJCC guidelines version 7.

During the five-year follow-up, updated safety analyses were not performed because no patients remained on therapy during the extended followup period.

About Melanoma

There are more than 285,000 new diagnoses of melanoma (Stages 0-IV) worldwide each year, approximately half of which have a BRAF mutation8,9. Genetic tests can determine whether a tumor has a BRAF mutation10.

One way melanoma is staged is by how far it has metastasized11. In stage III melanoma, tumors have spread to the regional lymph nodes, presenting a higher risk of recurrence or metastases11. Patients who receive surgical treatment for stage III melanoma may have a high risk of recurrence because melanoma cells may remain in the body after surgery12. Generally the majority of relapses in stage III melanoma occur within 5 years13. Patients should ask their doctor if they are at risk for melanoma returning12.

About Tafinlar + Mekinist Combination

TAFINLAR and MEKINIST are prescription medicines that can be used in combination to treat people with a type of skin cancer called melanoma:

That has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic) or cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable), and

That has a certain type of abnormal "BRAF" (V600E or V600K mutation-positive) gene

TAFINLAR and MEKINIST are prescription medicines that can be used in combination to help prevent melanoma that has a certain type of abnormal "BRAF" gene from coming back after the cancer has been removed by surgery.

TAFINLAR and MEKINIST are prescription medications that can be used in combination to treat a type of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic NSCLC), and that has a certain type of abnormal "BRAF V600E" gene.

TAFINLAR and MEKINIST are prescription medications that can be used in combination to treat a type of thyroid cancer called anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC):

that has spread to other parts of the body and you have no satisfactory treatment options and

that has a certain type of abnormal "BRAF" gene

TAFINLAR, in combination with MEKINIST, should not be used to treat people with wild-type BRAF melanoma. MEKINIST should not be used to treat people who already have received a BRAF inhibitor for treatment of their melanoma and it did not work or is no longer working.

Your health care provider will perform a test to make sure that TAFINLAR and MEKINIST, in combination, are right for you.

It is not known if TAFINLAR and MEKINIST are safe and effective in children.

TAFINLAR and MEKINIST, in combination, may cause serious side effects such as the risk of new cancers, including both skin cancer and nonskin cancer. Patients should be advised to contact their health care provider immediately for any skin changes, including a new wart, skin sore, or bump that bleeds or does not heal, or a change in the size or color of a mole.

When TAFINLAR is used in combination with MEKINIST, it can cause serious bleeding problems, especially in the brain or stomach, that can lead to death. Patients should be advised to call their health care provider and get medical help right away if they have any signs of bleeding, including headaches, dizziness, or feel weak, cough up blood or blood clots, vomit blood or their vomit looks like "coffee grounds," or red or black stools that look like tar.

MEKINIST, alone or in combination with TAFINLAR, can cause inflammation of the intestines or tears in the stomach or intestines that can lead to death. Patients should report to their health care provider immediately if they have any of the following symptoms: bleeding, diarrhea (loose stools) or more bowel movements than usual, stomach-area (abdomen) pain or tenderness, fever, or nausea.

TAFINLAR, in combination with MEKINIST, can cause blood clots in the arms or legs, which can travel to the lungs and can lead to death. Patients should be advised to get medical help right away if they have the following symptoms: chest pain, sudden shortness of breath or trouble breathing, pain in their legs with or without swelling, swelling in their arms or legs, or a cool or pale arm or leg.

The combination of TAFINLAR and MEKINIST can cause heart problems, including heart failure. A patient's heart function should be checked before and during treatment. Patients should be advised to call their health care provider right away if they have any of the following signs and symptoms of a heart problem: feeling like their heart is pounding or racing, shortness of breath, swelling of their ankles and feet, or feeling lightheaded.

TAFINLAR, in combination with MEKINIST, can cause severe eye problems that can lead to blindness. Patients should be advised to call their health care provider right away if they get: blurred vision, loss of vision, or other vision changes, seeing color dots, halo (seeing blurred outline around objects), eye pain, swelling, or redness.

TAFINLAR, in combination with MEKINIST, can cause lung or breathing problems. Patients should be advised to tell their health care provider if they have new or worsening symptoms of lung or breathing problems, including shortness of breath or cough.

Fever is common during treatment with TAFINLAR in combination with MEKINIST, but may also be serious. In some cases, chills or shaking chills, too much fluid loss (dehydration), low blood pressure, dizziness, or kidney problems may happen with the fever. Patients should be advised to call their health care provider right away if they get a fever.

Rash and other skin reactions are common side effects of TAFINLAR in combination with MEKINIST. In some cases these rashes and other skin reactions can be severe or serious, may need to be treated in a hospital, or lead to death. Patients should be advised to call their health care provider if they get any of the following symptoms: blisters or peeling of skin, mouth sores, blisters on the lips or around the mouth or eyes, high fever or flu-like symptoms, and/or enlarged lymph nodes.

Some people may develop high blood sugar or worsening diabetes during treatment with TAFINLAR in combination with MEKINIST. For patients who are diabetic, their health care provider should check their blood sugar levels closely during treatment. Their diabetes medicine may need to be changed. Patients should be advised to tell their health care provider if they have increased thirst, urinate more often than normal, or produce an increased amount of urine.

TAFINLAR may cause healthy red blood cells to break down too early in people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. This may lead to a type of anemia called hemolytic anemia, where the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Patients should be advised to tell their health care provider if they have yellow skin (jaundice), weakness or dizziness, or shortness of breath.

TAFINLAR, in combination with MEKINIST, can cause new or worsening high blood pressure (hypertension). A patient's blood pressure should be checked during treatment. Patients should be advised to tell their health care provider if they develop high blood pressure, their blood pressure worsens, or if they have severe headache, lightheadedness, blurry vision, or dizziness.

Men (including those who have had a vasectomy) should use condoms during sexual intercourse during treatment with TAFINLAR and MEKINIST and for at least 4 months after the last dose of TAFINLAR and MEKINIST. For women of reproductive potential, TAFINLAR and MEKINIST, in combination, may harm your unborn baby. Use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with TAFINLAR and MEKINIST in combination, and for 4 months after stopping treatment with TAFINLAR and MEKINIST. The most common side effects for patients with metastatic melanoma are: pyrexia, nausea, rash, chills, diarrhea, headache, vomiting, hypertension, arthralgia, peripheral edema, and cough. The most common side effects for patients with stage III melanoma receiving the combination as adjuvant therapy are: pyrexia, fatigue, nausea, headache, rash, chills, diarrhea, vomiting, arthralgia, and myalgia. The most common side effects for patients with NSCLC: pyrexia, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dry skin, decreased appetite, edema, rash, chills, hemorrhage, cough, and dyspnea.

Please see full Prescribing Information for TAFINLAR at https://www.novartis.us/sites/www.novartis.us/files/tafinlar.pdf

and MEKINIST at https://www.novartis.us/sites/www.novartis.us/files/mekinist.pdf.

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "may," "could," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases such as COVID-19; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Located in East Hanover, NJ Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation  an affiliate of Novartis  is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world's top companies investing in research and development. Novartis employs about 15,000 people in the United States. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.us.

Novartis and Novartis US is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartisnews and @NovartisUS at https://twitter.com/NovartisUS

For Novartis multimedia content, please visit www.novartis.com/news/media-library

For questions about the site or required registration, please contact [email protected]

References

Hauschild A, et al. Long-term benefit of adjuvant dabrafenib + trametinib (D+T) in patients (pts) with resected stage III BRAF V600mutant melanoma: 5-year analysis of COMBI-AD. Abstract #10001. 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, May 29-June 2 , Chicago, IL. Maio M, et al. Adjuvant vemurafenib in resected, BRAFV600 mutation-positive melanoma (BRIM8): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2018;19(4):510-520. Eggermont A, et al. Long-term results of the randomized phase III trial EORTC 18991 of adjuvant therapy with pegylated interferon alfa-2b versus observation in resected stage III melanoma. J Clin Oncol. 2012;30(31):38103818. Garbe C, et al. Adjuvant low-dose interferon {}2a with or without dacarbazine compared with surgery alone: a prospective-randomized phase III DeCOG trial in melanoma patients with regional lymph node metastasis. Ann Oncol. 2008;19(6):11951201. Ascierto PA, Borgognoni L, Botti G et al. New paradigm for stage III melanoma: from surgery to adjuvant treatment. J Transl Med. 2019; 17:266. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6693227/ . Balch C, et.al. Final version of 2009 AJCC melanoma staging and classification. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2009; vol. 27, no. 36, pp. 61996206. ClinicalTrials.gov. Dabrafenib With Trametinib in the Adjuvant Treatment of High-risk BRAF V600 Mutation-positive Melanoma (COMBI-AD). (COMBI-AD), Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01682083?term=COMBI-AD&draw=2&rank=1 . Accessed April 23, 2020 . Globocan. World Fact Sheet. Available at: http://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/900-world-fact-sheets.pdf . Accessed April 23, 2020 . Schandendorf D, et al. Melanoma. Nature Reviews Disease Primers. 2015. Wilson M and Nathanson K. Molecular Testing in Melanoma. Cancer J. 2012 Mar-Apr; 18(2): 117123. American Cancer Society. Melanoma Skin Cancer Stages. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/melanoma-skin-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/melanoma-skin-cancer-stages.html . Accessed April 23, 2020 . Melanoma Research Alliance. Adjuvant Therapy. Available at: http://www.curemelanoma.org/about-melanoma/melanoma-treatment/adjuvant-therapy/ . Accessed April 23, 2020 . Romano E, Scordo M, Dusza S, et al. Site and timing of first relapse in stage III melanoma patients: Implifactions for follow-up guidelines. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28(18):3042-3047. < ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3664035/pdf/zlj3042.pdf > Skin Cancer Foundation. Melanoma Overview. Accessed May 2020 . Available at https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/melanoma/ . Skin Cancer Foundation. Melanoma Treatment. Accessed May 2020 . Available at https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/melanoma/melanoma-treatments/ .

Novartis Media Relations



E-mail: [email protected]









Eric Althoff Novartis US External Communications +1 646 438 4335 [email protected] Jamie Bennett Director, US Media Relations +1 862-217-3976 [email protected]







Novartis Investor Relations



E-mail: [email protected]





Sloan Simpson +1 862 778 5052

Cory Twining +1 862 778 3258







SOURCE Novartis

Related Links

http://www.novartis.us


Pfizer is working with German firm Biontech for several possible vaccines in Europe and the United States, said the report.

Pfizer believes that a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready by the end of October 2020. Albert Bourla, the CEO of the American pharmaceutical company was quoted as saying this by The Times of Israel.

If things go well, and the stars are aligned, we will have enough evidence of safety and efficacy so that we can have a vaccine around the end of October, Bourla was quoted as saying in the report, CNBC-TV18 said.

Pfizer is working with German firm Biontech for several possible vaccines in Europe and the United States, said the report.

Several pharmaceutical companies and medical institutions across the world have been trying to develop COVID-19 vaccine ever since the pandemic outbreak in December last year in China.

On 18 May, the American biotech company Moderna Inc announced that the preliminary results from the phase 1 trials of their mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine seem to be promising.

The research, being led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), USA, had started enrolling volunteers in March. As per Moderna, a total of 45 volunteers in the age group of 18 to 55 years were to be enrolled for the trial originally.

Trials of low-cost medicine underway

A keenly-watched COVID-19 vaccine will be priced to allow as wide as possible access to it, if it proves successful, and will be made at huge scale to keep costs down and supply up, said the Oxford University professor co-leading its development.

Adrian Hill, director of Oxfords Jenner Institute, which has teamed up with the drugmaker AstraZeneca to develop the vaccine, said ensuring wide distribution and low cost have been central to the project from the start.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

This not going to be an expensive vaccine, Hill told Reuters in an interview. Its going to be a single dose vaccine. Its going to be made for global supply and its going to be made in many different locations. That was always our plan.

Work on 7 or 8 top candidates for vaccine being accelerated: WHO chief

Early this month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there were around seven or eight top candidates for a vaccine to combat the novel coronavirus and work on them is being accelerated.

Ghebreyesus told a UN Economic and Social Council video briefing the original thinking two months ago was that it may take 12 to 18 months for a vaccine. But he said an accelerated effort is under way, helped by 7.4 billion euros ($8 billion) pledged a week ago by leaders from 40 countries, organisations and banks for research, treatment and testing.

He said the $8 billion will not be enough, and additional funds will be needed to speed up the development of a vaccine, but more importantly to produce enough to make sure that this vaccine reaches everyone  (and) theres no one be left behind.

Sanofi working on 2 vaccine projects

In the second week of this month, French drugmaker Sanofi SA said it plans to enrol thousands of subjects globally for trials of an experimental vaccine for the coronavirus it is developing with GlaxoSmithKline Plc, and that it has started to discuss advanced purchases with several countries.

Sanofi is working on two vaccine projects to prevent COVID-19 - the illness caused by the new coronavirus - and said it is exploring several manufacturing options, including fresh collaborations to ensure it can meet demand if either program is successful.

Drugmakers are rushing to develop treatments and vaccines for the highly contagious coronavirus that has killed over 255,000 people worldwide, infected more than 3.6 million and ravaged economies globally.

Early this month, Microsoft chief Bill Gates had opined that developing coronavirus vaccine could take two years and humankind has never had a more urgent task.

Dr Anthony Fauci has said he thinks itll take around eighteen months to develop a coronavirus vaccine," Gates wrote in a blog post published Thursday. I agree with him, though it could be as little as 9 months or as long as two years."

Even if it takes 18 months, that would still be the fastest that scientists have created a new vaccine, Gates said, adding that hes thinks eight to ten of the 115 current COVID-19 vaccine candidates look promising.

--With inputs from agencies
29.05.2020 LISTEN

Pan African Re/Insurance Journalism Awards championed by Continental Re Plc has on May 27, announced winners of their fifth year awards at a virtual awards ceremony following travel restrictions occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This years award ceremony, as according to a source, was scheduled to take place during the Continental Res7thCEO Summit in Morocco, but for the pandemic.

A statement from the firms media relations, stated, Leading Pan African Reinsurance firm, Continental Reinsurance Plc, has honoured winners of its 2020 Pan African Re/Insurance Journalism Awards at a virtual awards ceremony following travel restrictions occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a press statement by Alexandra MacLaine, Media Relations Executive, International|Autofutures: a DMA company, journalists across Africa are being honoured through the Pan African Re/Insurance Journalism Awards.

The statement said that five winners were picked from 77 entries that were submitted by business reporters from 15 French and English-countries under the four categories: Best re/insurance Print Article, Best re/insurance Online Article, Best re/insurance Broadcast Article and Best re/insurance French Article - print/online/broadcast.

In the fifth edition of these prestigious awards, five winners were picked from 77 entries that were submitted by business reporters from 15 French and English-countries under the four categories: Best re/insurance Print Article, Best re/insurance Online Article, Best re/insurance Broadcast Article and Best re/insurance French Article - print/online/broadcast, the statement said.

However, journalists from Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Francophone countries topped the list with "Isaac Khisa (The Independent, Uganda), emerging the Best re/insurance Print Article [English category]. His story, titled Across Sub-Saharan Africa, tech-enabled micro-insurance is the next big thing which describes how insurance firms can leverage the growing mobile phone subscription to extend insurance services to the low-income earners who are, in most cases, not catered for under the current conventional insurance services.

"David Njagi, a freelance journalist from Kenya, bagged the award for the Best re/insurance Online Article [English category] for his feature Voice of resilience: Kenyan radio builds herders trust in drought insurance,which was published in Thomson Reuters. The story focuses on how a community-based radio is helping Northern Kenya understand and learn how to benefit from Islamic weather insurance (Takaful).

"The award for the Best re/insurance Broadcast Article [English category] went to Destiny Onyemihia (Voice of Nigeria, Nigeria)for his story, Sustaining businesses through cyber insurance that explores how businesses can sustain their operations in the midst of the rising cyber threats and attacks in the country.

"Joel Assoko (Jeune Afrique Media Group, France) emerged the winner for the Best re/insurance French Article - print/online/broadcast. In his story, La guerre des assureurs aura bien lieu (Original French title of the article that could be translated as Indeed, the War among Insurers will take place).Joel explains about a profession which is not well known or understood in Africa, and is usually mentioned only in critical and negative situations. Yet, it is still a vital pillar for African economies, one that can promote balanced growth and ensure a better future. The aim was to allow the general public get more familiar with the crucial changes occurring within the industry.

"The Future Talent Award was won by Dominic Omondi (The Standard Group, Kenya) for his inspiring article titled How doctors are dragging medical insurers to early grave that addresses the issue of perverse incentives, and how insurance companies in Kenya have sunk into losses as healthcare providers inflate their charges. This award was recommended by the judges to recognise the outstanding entry among the four categories. It replaces the existing pan-African re/insurance Journalist of the Year Award."

It was gathered that the "Future Talent Award was recommended by the judges to recognise the outstanding entry among the four categories. It replaces the existing pan-African re/insurance Journalist of the Year Award."

Before the awards ceremony, there was "a unique live panel discussion on the Covid-19 pandemic, insurance regulators from Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe debating its effect on African insurance markets."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 14:18:26|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The annual session of China's national legislature concluded Thursday, showing firm determination to achieve development milestones and making key progress in protecting civil rights and safeguarding national security.

The week-long session of the National People's Congress (NPC) adopted the milestone Civil Code and a decision to make Hong Kong national security laws. The annual "two sessions" also include the session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the national political advisory body.

In the year of unprecedented challenges and crucial significance in the nation's development, the major political events have built consensus, boosted confidence and solidarity, and pooled wisdom to enable the country to resolutely advance toward its set goals while overcoming all difficulties and obstacles.

As the Communist Party of China (CPC) leadership steers the nation through these most hazardous times, the vitality, strength and wisdom of Chinese socialist democracy have never been more evident.

During the two sessions, which are major platforms for Chinese people's democracy and consultative democracy, the term "people first" reverberated among nearly 3,000 national lawmakers and more than 2,000 political advisors.

People have always meant the most to the CPC which follows a people-centered approach. Through legally established procedures, the CPC's stances take the form of the will of the country, and its key decisions and people's aspirations are transformed into concrete plans and actions.

The NPC meeting received 506 motions and around 9,000 suggestions from deputies, while members of the session of the CPPCC National Committee raised 5,709 proposals -- a vivid example of reflecting the voices of the people.

Deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the closing meeting of the third session of the 13th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

As showcased in the country's achievements in containing COVID-19 in a short time through a people's war and giving full play to institutional strength of mobilizing resources for accomplishing major undertakings, Chinese democracy has set an example of protecting lives, health, rights and interests of the people.

The epidemic was behind postponing the two sessions, normally held in March, in order to control it and save the lives of people. And the convening of the sessions also was thanks to the fact that the country had turned the tide in fighting COVID-19 through arduous efforts.

The miraculous lifting of over 90 million people out of poverty over the past seven years and the imminent elimination of absolute poverty this year are concrete manifestations of the strength and effectiveness of democracy in China.

The system of CPC-led multiparty cooperation and political consultation is an important contributor to democratic decision-making and problem-solving. The ruling CPC has cooperated with non-Communist parties which build consensus, formulate proposals and participate in discussing and handling state affairs.

With a stronger common will formed, the two sessions have boosted the national morale for fulfilling development goals to meet people's aspirations for a better life. And China will continue striving to build a community with a shared future for humanity through deepened cooperation with the rest of the world. 
Barranquilla, Colombia, May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tecnoglass, Inc. (TGLS) ("Tecnoglass" or the "Company"), a leading manufacturer of architectural glass, windows, and associated aluminum products for the global commercial and residential construction industries, today announced that the Company will attend the Baird 2020 Virtual Global Consumer, Technology & Services Conference on Thursday, June 4, 2020.

Tecnoglass latest investor presentation will be provided at this conference. Prior to Tecnoglass attendance at this conference, the Company will post a copy of the presentation it intends to use in the Investor Relations section of the Companys website at www.tecnoglass.com .

About Tecnoglass

Tecnoglass Inc. is a leading manufacturer of architectural glass, windows, and associated aluminum products for the global commercial and residential construction industries. Tecnoglass is the #1 architectural glass transformation company in Latin America and the second largest glass fabricator serving the United States. Headquartered in Barranquilla, Colombia, the Company operates out of a 2.7 million square foot vertically-integrated, state- of-the-art manufacturing complex that provides easy access to the Americas, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Tecnoglass supplies over 1000 customers in North, Central and South America, with the United States accounting for more than 80% of revenues. Tecnoglass' tailored, high-end products are found on some of the world's most distinctive properties, including the El Dorado Airport (Bogota), 50 United Nations Plaza (New York), Trump Plaza (Panama), Icon Bay (Miami), and Salesforce Tower (San Francisco). For more information, please visit www.tecnoglass.com or view our corporate video at https://vimeo.com/134429998 .

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding future financial performance, future growth and future acquisitions. These statements are based on Tecnoglass current expectations or beliefs and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of Tecnoglass business. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies are indicated from time to time in Tecnoglass filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The information set forth herein should be read in light of such risks. Further, investors should keep in mind that Tecnoglass financial results in any particular period may not be indicative of future results. Tecnoglass is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events and changes in assumptions or otherwise, except as required by law.
Private legal practitioner, Lawyer Maurice Ampaw has added his voice to the ongoing debate about whether public office holders, particularly members of Parliament must disclose their coronavirus status or otherwise.



According to him, though members of parliament are not obliged to disclose such details for public perusal, the existing health crisis and the need to protect public safety in this period supersedes such rights of confidentiality.



Thus, the need for them to disclose their statuses as witnessed in other parts of the world.



Speaking in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, the renowned lawyer argued that In our law, we have what we call the right to privacyso normally we dont disclose health status to the public or any third party but when it comes to the interest of public which is guaranteed by the constitution of the republic of Ghana, then that right to confidentiality in my humble opinion, cannot override the larger public interest and the right to public safety



Though arguments about stigmatisation sprang up over the past weeks since recoveries were recorded, Lawyer Ampaw maintained that nondisclosure could cause more harm than good.



He believes more public sensitisation and education could curb the menace of stigmatization, thereafter.



parliamentarians who contract the disease should make it public it should be known. The only thing that we fight against stigmatization but when their status is not known to the public and they start infecting people then it will be an issue. So, I dont see why we should even make this thing a confidential matter, he added.



As part of enhanced efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the country, Speaker of Parliament, Aaron Mike Oquaye directed MPs and staff of Parliament to avail themselves to partake in a compulsory testing.



But the aftermath of the testing is shrouded in confusion and controversies; all of which seem to suggest viable explanations as to why MPs should not disclose their status and otherwise.



Rumours that emerged on May 26 2020 suggested that two members of Parliament together with 13 parliamentary staff had tested positive for the virus but this was vehemently denied by Public Affairs Director of Parliament, Kate Addo who said we do not know for a fact that this is what it is, so it could more, it could less, it could be there, it could not be there.



There was, however, somewhat a U-Turn by same after MP for Asawase, Muntaka Mubarak confirmed the earlier reports of some of his colleagues testing positive to the COVID-19.



Meanwhile, so far, some notable political figures who have made their coronavirus status known include; Ghanas High Commissioner to the UK, Papa Owusu-Ankomah and UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

Source: ghanaweb









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
B ritain has held talks with the US on an alternative 5G supplier to Chinese tech giant Huawei, Downing Street confirmed today.

The Prime Ministers spokesman was asked at a briefing of Westminster journalists if the Government was seeking an alternative 5G provider to Huawei.

He said: Yes, we set out in January that we were seeking new entrants into the market in order to diversify and that is something that we have been speaking to our allies about including the United States.

In January, Boris Johnson agreed to let Huawei continue to be used in the 5G networks but with restrictions, despite pressure from the US to block the firm.

It was agreed that the Chinese tech giant would be banned from supplying kit to "sensitive parts" of the network.

A telecoms mast near Dundry, Somerset / PA

Asked when we could expect to see the legislation or data on how they would reduce Huaweis market share, he replied: Whats happening at the moment is the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) are studying the implications of the recent US announcement on new sanctions against Huawei that work is ongoing. We need that work to be completed first.

It comes after the US moved to restrict the companys ability to buy chips, which was justified on "national security grounds".

On Sunday, the UK's National Security Centre (NCSC) confirmed it was examining the impact this would have on the UK networks that use Huawei's tech.

The spokesman said they would need to study the implications of the US sanctions.

The Government also urged China to reconsider its moves to gain more control over Hong Kong.

China has reportedly said Britain's suggestion of offering British National (Overseas) passport holders in the territory a path to UK citizenship would violate international law.

Responding, the Prime Minister's spokesman said: "We have urged China to reconsider the implementation of this law and live up to its responsibilities as a leading member of the international community.

"We hope they will listen carefully to the arguments we have made in public and in private about the impact which Beijing's proposal would have on Hong Kong's stability and prosperity.
Royal fans will probably never know if Meghan, Duchess of Sussex truly despises Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge or if their alleged feud is a made-up phenomenon meant to sell newspapers. Now that Prince Harry and Meghan have stepped back as senior royals and fled to California, maybe the truth doesnt even matter that much.

But still, followers are buzzing about their supposed arguments all over again since a source came forward and insisted the two royal wives got into a fight over pantyhose, of all things. Could the rumor that Meghan and Kate exchanged words just before the Duchess of Sussexs wedding day be true?

Meghan Markle wedding | Jonathan Brady  WPA Pool/Getty Images

RELATED: Why Wasnt Kate Middleton a Bridesmaid In Prince Harry and Meghan Markles Wedding?

The Tatler tell-all received a rare denial from Kensington Palace

This information comes from a very controversial article in Tatler that inspired the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to issue a statement against it. Typically, the couple refrains from dignifying rumors with a response  they didnt even address the widespread claims that Prince William had an affair with Kates former friend in 2019. But this time, the couple had something to say.

This story contains a swathe of inaccuracies and false misrepresentations which were not put to Kensington Palace prior to publication, the statement from Kensington Palace said, via Insider. They didnt go into detail about which specific facts Tatler got wrong, however.

The magazine claimed the Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton clashed over wearing tights

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte | BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan got married on May 19, 2018. The in-depth Tatler article made claims that Meghan insisted the bridesmaids skip wearing pantyhose at the wedding rehearsal because it was such a hot day  plus, she was known to break royal protocol and not wear them anyway.

Meanwhile, Kate is known for adhering to that particular royal rule and even singlehandedly reinvigorated the struggling pantyhose industry in the United Kingdom because of it. Tatler claims that the two women fought and that ultimately, Meghan got her way.

It was a hot day and apparently there was a row over whether the bridesmaids should wear tights or not. Kate, following protocol, felt that they should. Meghan didnt want them to, Anna Pasternak wrote, via an unnamed source.

The photographs suggest that Meghan won. Kate, who has impeccable manners, sought the opportunity to put Meghan in her place, reprimanding her for speaking imperiously to her Kensington Palace staff, she added.

Did Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton really fight?

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton | Clive Mason/Getty Images

The denial from Kensington Palace doesnt clarify if the wedding tights debacle is part of the inaccuracies in the article or not. But a rep for Tatler doubled down on the claims, saying their information is sound.

Tatlers Editor-in-Chief Richard Dennen stands behind the reporting of Anna Pasternak and her sources, a spokesperson for the magazine said in a subsequent statement.

Kensington Palace knew we were running the Catherine the Great cover months ago and we asked them to work together on it. The fact they are denying they ever knew is categorically false.

It sounds like well never solve the true mystery of the missing pantyhose after all.
By PTI

UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Antonio Guterres on Friday honoured peacekeepers Major Suman Gawani from India and Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo from Brazil with the 2019 UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award, saying their "inspiring work" promotes equality in the forces.

Secretary General Guterres bestowed the award to Gawani and Araujo in a virtual ceremony, commemorating the International Day of Peacekeepers.

This is the first year the prestigious award has gone to a peacekeeper from India. Military Observer Gawani has recently completed an assignment in South Sudan.

Araujo is working in the United Nations' Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic.

Guterres underscored the essential role played by women peacekeepers for the success of UN peace operations.

He said Gawani and Araujo's "inspiring work has made a remarkable difference in promoting gender equality and empowering local women and your own colleagues."

"Your contributions are proof that women peacekeepers are vital to peace and security everywhere," the UN secretary general said.

Guterres said during her deployment with the UN Mission in South Sudan, Gawani mentored more than 230 Military Observers on conflict-related sexual violence and ensured the presence of women military observers in each of the mission's team sites.

She also trained the South Sudanese government forces and helped them launch their action plan on conflict-related sexual violence.

Guterres also paid tribute to the military, police and civilian personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

Four Indian peacekeepers and a civilian personnel were among the 83 military, police and civilian personnel who were honoured posthumously with the prestigious Dag Hammarskjold Medal for their courage and sacrifice in the line of duty.

Major Ravi Inder Singh Sandhu and Sergeant Lal Manotra Tarsem, who served with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS); Sergeant Ramesh Singh with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL); Private Johnsion Beck with the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and Edward Agapito Pinto, who served in a civilian capacity with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) posthumously received the medals in the virtual ceremony.

The year 2020 marks the 20th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

The theme for the International Day of UN Peacekeepers this year is 'Women in Peacekeeping: A Key to Peace.'

Guterres, who has been a staunch advocate for increasing the participation of women in UN peacekeeping, said with each passing day women peacekeepers help improve all aspects of peace operations and performance -- better access to local communities, prevent and reduce conflict, serve as role models for peers and others.

"In addition, we have seen that our operations are better able to build trust with those in need of protection when their staffing reflects the communities in which they serve.

This is another reason why increasing the number of women in peacekeeping is so crucial," Guterres said, adding that peacekeeping is more effective for everyone when "we have more women peacekeepers at all levels, including in decision-making."

"We will continue to do everything we can, including with our troop and police contributors, to reach this goal," he said India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti, in his message on Peacekeepers Day, said Gawani "epitomises, in many ways, the rich values of Indian peacekeepers." Tirumurti honoured India's brave men and women who have served as peacekeepers selflessly in foreign lands to preserve international peace and security.

"Indian peacekeepers have been at the forefront of this effort. They have been widely admired for their bravery, professionalism and selfless service.

But India's long standing UN peacekeeping contribution has not come without cost. India has lost more peacekeepers than any other member state of the United Nations," he said, in a video message.

Over the last 70 years, more than 160 Indian military, police and civilian personnel have lost their lives while serving in the UN missions around the world.

With the world battling the COVID-19 pandemic, Guterres said UN peacekeepers continue to protect vulnerable local populations, support dialogue and implement their mandates while fighting coronavirus.

"They are doing everything they can to be an integral part of the solution to this crisis while keeping themselves -- and the communities they serve safe. But the virus is not the only threat that our peacekeepers face.

Hostile acts, improvised explosive devices, accidents and diseases continue to take a heavy toll," he said, as he paid tribute to the 83 military, police and civilian personnel from 39 countries who lost their lives last year serving in the UN peace operations.

India is the fifth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping.

It currently contributes more than 5,400 military and police personnel to the UN peacekeeping operations in Abyei, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, the Middle East, Sudan, South Sudan and Western Sahara as well as one expert to the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia.
As of April 30, 2020, there were just over 82,445 UN military and police peacekeepers, of whom women represented less than 6.5%.

To support the recruitment and retention of more women peacekeepers, Canada is investing an additional:

$2.5 million to UN Womens Elsie Initiative Fund, which provides financial incentives, to UN Troop and Police Contributing countries and UN organizations, for a total investment of $17.5 million since 2019.

$1.77 million with the UN Department of Peace Operations to ensure that the physical design of UN missions better accommodates women and men peacekeepers, bringing Canadas contribution to $8 million

Canada continues to lead the integration of gender equality in UN operations through its broad-based support for gender advisers, with an additional:

$972,000 investment, for a total of $2 million, for a senior gender adviser from UN Women to work with the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General in integrating gender equality approaches into UN planning, analysis and policy processes at the highest levels

$2.1-million investments, for a total of $3.5 million, to strengthen the gender advisers capacity and better engage women and girls in peace and stabilization operations in the United Nations multidimensional integrated stabilization missions in Mali and the Central African Republic

Since it was launched in November 2017, the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations has:
Not only expatriates in Vietnam but also foreign students in all over the world have a need to learn Vietnamese.

More and more foreigners have a need to learn Vietnamese (Photo: SGGP)

Amongst many institutions teaching the language, the Faculty of Vietnamese studies of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-HCM) has emerged as one of the good ones where many learners registered to study the language.

Professor Hiroki Tahara from the College of Asia Pacific Studies, one of the first-generation learners of the Vietnam and Southeast Asian research center - forerunner of the Faculty of Vietnamese studies shared that he started learning Vietnamese from 1991.

"After three semesters in the Foreign Language University in Tokyo, I came to Vietnam and continued learning Vietnamese in the center; later I worked for the College of Asia Pacific Studies at its establishment in 2000. For the time being, the college taught 750 multi-national learners.", ProfessorHiroki Tahara remembered.

With his Vietnamese language skill, Professor Hiroki Tahara works as attache at the Japan Embassy in Vietnam. He and his students toured to the central highlands provinces to do charitable deeds by teaching ethnic minority small children Vietnamese language.

He said; Thanks to Vietnamese language skill, I can make friends with Vietnamese people in the world especially those in the South of California state in the US. Vietnamese language is my body part.

Apichit Mingwongtham, a Thai man with poor vision, was awarded two prizes while being a third year student at the faculty. Readers are deeply touched at his writing wrote about the difficult trip to Vietnam for Vietnamese language studies.

Head of the Faculty of Vietnamese language studies Associate Prof. Dr. Doan Le Giang, said that currently, 257 international graduates are studying Vietnamese at the faculty mostly students from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan (China) and China while 12 foreign post-graduates are pursuing studying of Vietnamese.

He added that more and more foreigners have been registering short-term course. From July, 2018 to June, 2019 the faculty has admitted nearly 7,000 learners.

Additionally, the faculty has run courses upon contracts signed with the US Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, the South Korean KOICA organization, Taiwanese Commerce Promotion Association, and many universities and companies of South Korea, Japan to teach Vietnamese and Vietnamese culture.

According to Associate Prof. Dr. Phan Thi Tuyet from the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies said that presently, around 4 million Vietnamese people are living in more than 100 nations.

Regarding academic term, teaching and researching Vietnamese and Vietnamese studies includes nuances of history, politics, military, economy, culture and society. Before, many countries wanted to make research on Vietnamese but because of war, they couldnt.

Nowadays, the Southeast Asian country has attracted investors from various countries to develop the countrys economy; therefore, there has been growing need to learn Vietnamese and culture amongst investors and those love the country thanks to Vietnams good image in the eyes of foreigners.

Vietnamese studies in general is the study of Vietnam and things related to Vietnam. It refers, especially, to the study of modern Vietnamese and literature, history, ethnology, and the philological approach, respectively.

Several major universities in the United States offer a Vietnamese studies major or program, including the University of Houston, University of California, and Yale University.

The Tokyo University of Foreign Studies also offers a program in the field. SGGP

Anh Quan

Five universities granted Vietnamese language certificates for foreigners The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) has just issued a Decision to assign five higher education institutions to train, evaluate and grant certificates on Vietnamese language to foreigners.
Personalization at scale.

Seamless, accurate checkout.

Fast, flexible, and reliable fulfillment.



These are the new consumer expectations.

The most successful retailers, brands and marketplaces are responding to these digitally-enabled expectations, as the divide between tech-enhanced leaders and lagging counterparts grows wider. Those armed with the agile digital infrastructure needed to efficiently support and process an influx of online traffic and purchases, as well as the smart supply chains capable of seamlessly shifting operations to match the real-time product and delivery demands, are positioned to earn longstanding consumer trust and loyalty.

PSFK recently partnered with Avalara, the leader in tax-tech, to lay out a roadmap for companies to deliver a best-in-class ecommerce experience.

Consumers expect to search for products and services from anywhere, anytime, then receive those goods within days with real-time visibility on the entire shipment process, says Megan Higgins, General Manager, Ecommerce and Global Marketplaces at Avalara. As such, the onus is on ecommerce retailers of every size to set up shop on multiple online channels while maintaining a personalized and secure shopping experience.

Read on to get a six-pillar snapshot of the trends covered in The Digital Commerce Playbook report. You can download the full report HERE.

Seamlessness

A truly seamless customer experience requires retailers to connect their customer-facing interfaces (desktop, mobile, social, voice and live) with their backend operations (data management, logistics, pricing, and tax). When combined with intelligent solutions and automation, these platforms ensure that customers receive the same level of experience across any retail channel, powering moments like purchase recollection, automatic tax calculation, and one-click checkout. H&Ms apparel sub-brand Monki is a perfect example, harnessing live product launches and try-on parties with virtual checkout integration, all of which allows customers to learn more about merch from the brand team in real time as well as shop directly as the event takes place.

Personalization

Within an increasingly crowded retail landscape, personalization is a competitive advantage. With a flexible service and supply chain, retailers can customize everything from product design to packaging, delivery, and customer support. AI-based retail personalization tools can power operational efficiencies while learning and addressing individual customer preferences. Uniqlo is a pioneer in the space, creating a mobile application and social platform called StyleHint in collaboration with Googles Cloud Vision visual search tech. The app lets users upload photos of their own or from social media featuring apparel they like to give them similar style recs for purchase on Uniqlos site.

Transparency

Transparency, privacy, and security have become top concerns for consumers and businesses alike. GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations are changing the way that retailers collect and apply shopper data. Consumers want to know how their data is being applied in each retail transaction and to have control over its storage and application. Further, they expect their data to add value to their experience, whether through personalized recommendations or instantaneous estimations of taxes and fees for their purchase. Fast is a new opt-in online checkout service taking one-click purchasing to the next level, collecting a few pieces of info from customers once, then remembering their details for true click-to-buy shopping across the web.

1:1 Support

Customers want to receive exceptional customer service regardless of where they choose to shop. Retailers are investing in digital tools to alleviate pressure points in the customer support journey. These tools can be fully digital customer interfaces, such as machine-learning chatbots, or they can be tools that help customer support agents do their job by offering a 360-degree view of a shoppers past interactions and preferences. Inclusive apparel brand Universal Standard is already enabling these high-touch virtual shopping experiences, offering customers the chance to reserve a styling session with an associate over the likes of video chat to discuss fit, merchandise options, and to receive wardrobe recs in real time.

Responsive Operations

No matter how complex your supply chain, customers expect inventory availability across channels, and for their purchases to be delivered quickly, efficiently, and responsibly. From asset-tracking AI to delivery route optimization, retailers are tapping into intelligent tools to streamline end-to-end operations and fulfillment. Coupang is an ecommerce and fulfillment business pioneering on-demand delivery through localization, providing South Korean customers with the ability to order online and receive items in mere hourswhile marshaling box-free hand-delivery for extra-sustainable service.

Loyalty Incentives

Companies are realizing the inherent opportunity to extend customer relationships beyond the point of transaction. Top retailers are building customer loyalty by offering lifetime support, creating closed-loop retail cycles, and offering post-purchase touchpoints that keep customers engaged after the sale. A perhaps unexpected contender for top-notch loyalty programs is blender brand Vitamix, which debuted a rewards program that offers members points for viewing and participating with content like recipe videos, as well as educational resources that optimize their use of their appliance.

Over the past decade, consumers have experienced a radical shift in how they think and go about their day-to-day shopping, says Megan Higgins of Avalara. The rise of ecommerce platforms and online marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy, and Facebook has significantly changed the digital shopping experience and elevated the expectations of consumers, which has created next-generation experiences driven by convenience,

For the in-depth research debrief The Digital Commerce Playbook filled with best-in-class examples of innovative brands and retailers leading the edge of digital customer experiences, download free HERE.
Friday, May 29th, 2020 (10:11 am) - Score 2,858

The City of London Police (Action Fraud Squad) and UK Trading Standards are to target sales of the bizarre 300 5GBioShield, which was recommended by a member of Glastonbury Town Councils much criticised 5G Advisory Committee and falsely promised to create a shield against 5G mobile radiation. Except its just a USB stick.

The situation began last month after Glastonbury Town Council published a report that called for a government inquiry into the safety of 5G mobile. Some four members of the associated committee, including an electronics engineer, molecular biologist and one with a physics degree, resigned before the report was completed because, as one of them said, the whole thing turned out to be a clueless pantomime driven by conspiracy theorists and sceptics (more on that here).

One of nine external members of that committee, Toby Hall, added a recommendation to use a USB device called the 5GBioShield  We use this device and find it helpful, said Hall. A quick glance at the products website reveals some impressive pseudoscience: The 5GBioShield USB Key with the nano-layer is a quantum holographic catalyzer technology for the balance and harmonisation of the harmful effects of imbalanced electric radiation. The nano-layer operating diameter is either 8 or 40 meters.

Except, leaving aside the fact that youd be plugging an electronic device into another electronic device (a laptop is pictured on their website) that will be giving off their own EM radiation, the 5GBioShield cannot in fact do what it claims, not that those claims make any sense in the first place.

As the security experts at Pen Test Partners found when they took it to pieces: [Its] nothing more than a 5 USB key with a sticker on it [and 128MB of storage]. Whether or not the sticker provides 300 pounds worth of quantum holographic catalyzer technology well leave you to decide. We do not believe this product should be promoted by publicly-funded bodies until a full, independent, peer-reviewed scientific study has been undertaken.

More than a few people on social media have described anybody who spends money on such a device as paying an idiot tax, but we rather prefer the comment from Professor Jim Al-Khalili OBE FRS at the University of Surrey: As a renowned world expert on quantum biology, quantum entanglement and relativistic time dilation, I can say, categorically, that if you spend 339 on a 5GBioShield then youre an utter numpty.

The BBC now reports that Trading Standards are taking a tougher approach.

Stephen Knight, Director for London Trading Standards, said: We consider it to be a scam. People who are vulnerable need protection from this kind of unscrupulous trading.

Trading Standards and the City of London Police are currently seeking a court order to take down the companys website. A number of anti-virus vendors have also added the distributors website to their warning list, which means that if you try to visit it then a warning will pop-up to help protect your sanity from browsing any further.

As barmy as all of this may sound, it also occurs at a time when mindless 5G conspiracy theorists have been roving the country to attack telecoms engineers and infrastructure. Both mobile masts and fixed broadband services have been damaged because apparently they arent able to tell the difference.

The criminal activity has been fuelled by a bogus conspiracy theory that links the spread of COVID-19 to the 5G roll-out. The theory itself seems to vary, with some claiming that 5G created or directly transmitted the Coronavirus (biologically impossible) and others suggesting that 5G signals weaken the immune system so as to help the virus spread (also without any credible foundation).

Both theories are of course complete nonsense and ignore the fact that COVID-19 is spreading just as fast in countries and areas with no 5G network at all (as well as no mobile networks full stop). Sadly some of the same people also believe that vaccinations against deadly viruses are evil and the world is run by lizard people, although they might yet be right on that last part.

Any conspiracy theory that steps over the line toward criminality, causing actual harm during a real public health crisis, deserves no oxygen or tolerance; but if you fancy a USB flash drive as a fix for 300.. have at it. We have previously run a number of articles to help fact check some of the claims (5G health claims fact check) and strongly recommend those with a concern take the time to both read and understand those.
Stoel Rives LLP is proud to announce that it has launched the Main Street Relief Project, a no-cost legal service for independent restaurants, bars, and retail establishments in the communities where the firm has offices.

Stoel Rives is deeply connected to the communities in which we live, said Melissa Jones, Firm Managing Partner. During this time of unprecedented economic upheaval and pandemic, we have developed a coordinated response to help those in our communities that have been hit hard by the nationwide stay-at-home orders: the small businesses that help make our neighborhoods thrive. Our new Main Street Relief Project aims to help these businesses survive, reopen, and reestablish themselves in the coming months.

Main Street Relief will focus on small businesses in each of the firms communities, specifically local food service such as restaurants and bars and small, local retail stores. The firm will engage in COVID-related financial fallout work, particularly triage, on a no-cost basis for small businesses that are not owned by large corporations or private equity firms and that are not franchises. The goal is to help local businesses that are not tied to national chains or large ownersthose places you go when you want to shop local.

Our attorneys look forward to using our skills to help our neighbors, said Jeremy Sacks, chair of Stoel Rives Pro Bono Committee. Pro bono service is a pillar of our professional responsibility as lawyers and it is an honor to help small businesses during this crisis.

Stoel Rives is committed to providing pro bono legal services in the communities in which the firm practices. Each attorney is expected to work toward a goal of providing 50 hours of pro bono service per year. The Main Street Relief Project will complement the firms ongoing pro bono efforts. Learn more about the firms commitment to pro bono service here.

Stoel Rives Pro Bono Committee will manage the Main Street Relief Project and client intake. Businesses in Alaska, California, Idaho, Minnesota, Oregon, Utah and Washington may submit information here to apply for assistance.

About Stoel Rives LLP: Stoel Rives is a leading U.S. corporate and litigation law firm. One of the largest national firms focused on energy, natural resources, climate change and the environment, Stoel Rives also serves the agribusiness, real estate and construction, food and beverage, health care, life sciences, and technology industries. With more than 375 attorneys operating out of 10 offices in seven states and the District of Columbia, Stoel Rives is a leader in regulatory and compliance matters, and business, labor and employment, land use, and intellectual property law.
The Cabinet of Ministers will systematically solve the problems of doctors working with COVID-19 patients, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said.

He stated this at a briefing during his visit to Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region, on Thursday, May 28, according to the website of the Ukrainian government.

Shmyhal said that the government would issue respective instructions to improve the situation with the technical support of emergency medical care stations.

According to him, despite the allocated funds, the situation at emergency medical care stations remains quite difficult.

"There was a signal from the staff of the Bila Tserkva emergency care station. We left with the health minister. There is a typical situation there when the state allocates funds, the National Health Service of Ukraine signs agreements on 100% funding but, in fact, we see no repairs, old vehicles, no supply of medicines, and there are problems with personal protective equipment, and it all rests on the human factor," Shmyhal said.

He said that based on the results of the working trip to Kyiv region, conclusions will be made and relevant instructions would be given to the Bila Tserkva emergency medical care station and this problem would be solved systematically.

"In my opinion, a similar situation exists in many health care facilities, and doctors today are at the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus epidemic. The problem lies in the average level of public management to which there are questions," Shmyhal said.

He said that each medical institution is a municipal non-profit institution and the head of this institution is responsible for its activities.

"The state allocates funds. From April 1, the system is already working under agreements concluded with the National Health Service of Ukraine. According to this system, each institution receives funds for the work with coronavirus patients, and then the head makes decisions and distributes among doctors the funds earned by the institution. And here the question arises as to the fairness of distribution and payment to everyone who worked with coronavirus patients," Shmyhal said.

As of early May 29, Ukraine reported 22,811 coronavirus cases, including 8,934 recoveries and 679 deaths. Some 429 new cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours.

op
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 19:18:05|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

MACAO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- To safeguard national security is an essential part of the "one country, two systems" principle, said Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Shen Beili on Friday.

Without national security, there will be neither lasting peace and stability for China nor long-term prosperity and stability for the Hong Kong SAR, the commissioner said.

Shen published an article in Macao's English and Portuguese newspapers with the title: National Security Legislation for HKSAR: A Fundamental Guarantee for the Long-term Smooth Implementation of "One Country, Two Systems."

Deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) attending the closing meeting of its third annual session on Thursday voted overwhelmingly to approve the NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the HKSAR to Safeguard National Security.

Shen said in the article that the decision is in accordance with the trend of history, and it is what the greater national interests entail and what all Chinese people aspire for.

It is of great significance and far-reaching influence, and fully reflects the central government's strong will and firm determination to safeguard national security and demonstrates the resolute defense of and utmost care for the overall interests of Hong Kong and the fundamental well-being of Hong Kong compatriots, Shen said.

To safeguard national security is an essential part of the "one country, two systems" principle. Without national security, there will be neither lasting peace and stability for China nor long-term prosperity and stability for Hong Kong. "One country, two systems" will also lose its very foundation, Shen noted.

At a time when national security in the Hong Kong SAR faces a real threat and gets seriously undermined, and when it becomes clear that the SAR government can hardly complete the required legislation by itself, the NPC has no choice but to come forward and act decisively to establish and improve the legal framework and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong from the state level, the commissioner stressed.

It is a timely and necessary move to plug the legal loopholes and put in place the relevant enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong. The Decision makes every sense and can stand up to scrutiny, Shen said.

The commissioner said according to China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR, safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests is the shared responsibility and statutory obligation of all Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots.

She added that the national security legislation for the Hong Kong SAR aims to deter and punish the few "Hong Kong independence" elements and perpetrators of violence seeking to endanger national security. It will serve to protect the overwhelming majority of law-abiding Hong Kong residents.

The NPC decision is an example of the rule-of-law principle, and it is made for Hong Kong residents to better enjoy and exercise their statutory rights and freedoms, she commented. Enditem
We have just 10 years left to meet the 2030 Agenda and avert the worst effects of climate change. In many cases, the costs of ignoring the rules of science were laid bare by the coronavirus COVID-19  and if climate change increases, the risk of future pandemics increases with it. Already, heatwaves are melting the permafrost covering the bodies of animals and humans buried by other deadly diseases, such as the plague and anthrax, with anthrax re-emerging in Siberia in recent years. So, as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must also heed the warnings of our warming world.

The most effective way to do this is to change our societies in ways which are compatible with the boundaries our planet has set.

The unprecedented global response to COVID-19 has already proven that this is possible.

We should not forget the lessons of this crisis, such as how remote working reduces the need for travel or assume that they only apply in a crisis. Such changes should come with further incentives for renewable investments.

Making energy greener could increase global GDP by US$98 trillion by 2050. Boosting investment in renewable energy would quadruple jobs to 42 million globally in the next 30 years, with healthcare savings eight times the cost of the investment. Six million jobs could be created by embracing the circular economy, where used goods are re-used, recycled and upcycled at greater value. While 1.2 billion jobs, 40 percent of all jobs on earth, depend on a healthy and stable environment.

China is at the forefront of solar technology and low-carbon transportation, including high-speed rail, bike-sharing, and electric vehicles. It has one-third of the worlds wind power, a quarter of its solar capacity, six of the top ten solar panel manufacturers and four of the top ten wind turbine makers. New renewable energy jobs in China now outnumber those created in oil and gas. In 2017 China invested more US$125 billion dollars in renewable energy, about 25 percent more than the previous year.

China also has the largest carbon trading market. As climate change will have implications for its domestic and international development, particularly in infrastructure, fully factoring in the impact of greenhouse gas emissions is now an essential responsibility.

Embracing new technology is key. China leads the world in bandwidth and has around 854 million internet users. According to WeBank, during the pandemic people grew more positive about online working and learning, up by 537 percent and 169 percent respectively. Remote work and automation allowed nearly 60 percent of businesses to resume work after about a month of lockdown.

Its important for China to resist reverting to fossil fuels. It can transition to a green economy that maintains growth by continuing to develop low-carbon infrastructure. With oil prices reaching record lows, China and other countries have an optimal opportunity to protect the competitiveness of renewables by raising carbon taxes.

As the agency that leads the UNs socio-economic response to COVID-19, UNDP must encourage the transition to a green economy. Low-carbon infrastructure requires private and public resources that UNDP can mobilize.

UNDP recently launched an SDG Financing Platform in China. It brings together regulators, academics, business representatives, investors, and social organizations to make impact-oriented investment and sustainable financing more attractive to investors and those who benefit from it.

UNDP has also been working to support Chinas low-carbon transformation. This has included assisting China in establishing its emissions trading system, as well as helping to increase energy efficiency in the motor, lighting, and logistic industries. UNDP has promoted hydrogen-based clean energy and is supporting the development and commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The digital divide is particularly pronounced in China. In cities up to 71 percent have the internet, while that in rural areas is only 35.4 percent. Such inequalities will prevent many from enjoying the long-term benefits of a green economy, regardless of the promise of slowing climate change or creating new jobs. The digitalization of economies will create new opportunities; it will also transform jobs.

While many businesses suffered from the crisis at its peak, others were also able to rely on remote work to keep going, while consumers turned to online services, which bolstered local economies. A marked improvement was also recorded in air quality. China recorded more than a 25 percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the same time in 2019. As the economy opens and industries and transport return to pre-COVID levels, high levels of air pollution can return. Clean energy and transportation are key to avoiding this.

COVID-19 has brought people together in a way that no amount of advocacy or awareness raising could. We now have a shared understanding that will make it easier to take the right action; no one wants to experience this type of crisis again.

The last few months may have offered a preview of how a green economy can work,. In the post-COVID-19 world, a green economy must shift from being a side-effect to an objective in and of itself, for China and the world. As we build back from COVID-19, climate change must be at the centre of our recovery. The time to act and safeguard life on earth is now.
Police are piecing together why a distressed man wound up in a stand-off with officers that led to him being fatally shot on a Melbourne freeway.

Officers were called to the on-ramp of the Monash Freeway at the Eastlink interchange in Dandenong North about 9.30am on Thursday following reports of an armed man in the emergency lane.

Upon arrival, they tried to negotiate with the 53-year-old and calm him down before he produced a knife and advanced on them.

The officers fired a non-lethal beanbag round to try to stop the man before shooting him twice in the chest with a semiautomatic firearm.

Officers tried to negotiate with a man who drew a knife on them along Melbourne's Monash Freeway on Thursday. Source: AAP

The Narre Warren man died at the scene.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill said the man had been suffering a "mental health episode" but the full circumstances were unclear.

"Whether it was a matter of self-harm or harming others  the male involved was quite distressed," he told reporters on Thursday.

"We are still trying to understand why, what's motivated, what's triggered this situation."

Some officers suffered minor injuries. Forensic police are seen on scene. Source: AAP

The assistant commissioner stressed it was a sad occasion for the man's loved ones and the community at large.

A police officer suffered minor injuries.

Homicide detectives will investigate the incident with oversight from the Professional Standards Command, as is standard procedure following a police shooting.

Footage from body-worn cameras activated by officers, as well as freeway cameras, will be used in the investigation. Police have also appealed for phone or dashcam footage from motorists.

Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said officers involved in the incident had been receiving support.

Police are asking for dashcam footage as they try to piece together what happened. Source: AAP

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
New Delhi, May 29 : Unable to carry out Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) diktat of creating unrest in Jammu and Kashmir lately, terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin reportedly faced the ire of his masters when he was attacked by unknown assailants in Islamabad on May 25, sources said on Friday.

Sources in the intelligence agencies said that Mohammad Yusuf Shah alias Syed Salahuddin, who also heads the alliance of pro-Pakistan terrorist groups called the United Jihad Council, was "grievously injured in the attack and is undergoing treatment".

Salahuddin has been declared a global terrorist by the US State Department.

"He was targeted near the Hizbul Mujahideen compound in Islamabad on May 25," said a top intelligence agency officer. The attack was reportedly planned and executed by the ISI. It was not meant to kill Salahuddin, but to send a message to him and the members of his terror outfit that they were gradually becoming redundant.

The difference between Salahuddin and his ISI handler started ever since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in August last year.

Intelligence sources said that since Salahuddin or his outfit were clueless about the Indian government's move to abrogate Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the ISI had gradually started withdrawing its support to the Hizbul Mujahideen.

Further, sources said that ISI had also directed Salahuddin to carry out a massive attack in the Valley against the Indian government's move, but he failed to deliver on that ground.

The sources said that when ISI started sending him messages of withdrawing its support, Salahuddin approached Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) leader Raja Farooq Haider and others.

He promised the ISI of carrying out attacks in the Valley, source said. In the meantime, ISI stoped providing adequate training, weapons and ammunition to the Hizbul cadres.

In addition, the lack of support to Hizbul in Kashmir weakened him further. But after the elimination of top Hizbul commander Riyaz Naikoo by the Indian security forces in an encounter in Kashmir earlier this month, Salahuddin went on the back foot, sources said. He openly criticised the ISI during an interaction with the Hizbul cadres in PoK.

Earlier in May, after Naikoo was killed, Salahudin had said that Indian security forces' position in the Kashmir Valley was strong. A video of the him saying so had surfaced.

Salahuddin was heard saying in a gathering in Rawalpindi to mourn the killing of Naikoo that even after the killing of five security personnel, Indian security forces continued to be in a position of strength.

He was speaking in Urdu with a Kashmiri accent and could be heard saying, "It's a shock for all of us (killing of Riyaz Naikoo) but these sacrifices are going on in Kashmir since long." He was heard saying that since January this year, 80 Mujahideens (terrorists) were eliminated by the security forces and all of them were highly educated and trained.

The intelligence agencies had stumbled upon the video recording of the gathering where Salahuddin could be seen ranting about the Indian security forces and singing praises for Naikoo.

(Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in)
Police in Hanoi have broken up an online gambling ring with transactions worth up to VND64 trillion (US$2.7 billion), the largest-ever gambling bust made by the capitals law enforcement.

The municipal Department of Police confirmed on Thursday it had apprehended Truong Ngoc Tu  the ring leader  and 15 other suspects.

The illegal ring had operated a gambling website since 2018, according to preliminary information.

Gamblers paid money for virtual points, which they spent on a variety of gambling games on the site.

The ring also advertised its website to attract more gamblers, with millions of accounts having been registered by the time of the police raid.

The total value of transactions made via the platform was estimated to be VND64 trillion ($2.7 billion).

It is the largest online gambling ring to have been busted in Hanoi to date.

Aside from Tu, other members including Nguyen Ngoc Trung, Nguyen Trong Tuan, Tran Huu Hung, Nguyen Van Toan, and Khuat Vinh Quang, also played important roles in the illicit organization, police found.

Police officers have searched the suspects houses and confiscated 34 mobile phones, 23 bank cards, five computers, and hundreds of SIM cards.

Further investigation is ongoing.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
YouTube star Jordan Shanks a.k.a. Friendlyjordies has launched another blistering attack on The Project and Waleed Aly.

In a new video, Jordan said that Waleed, 41, 'makes a living off of moralising' and called the Gold Logie winner 'just plain awful'.

The 30-year-old comedian also said that The Project isn't left wing and called it 'an entire news show aimed at spinsters who work in HR'.

Savage! YouTube star Jordan Shanks a.k.a. Friendlyjordies launched another blistering attack on The Project and Waleed Aly this week

He made the comments while reacting to an old segment on The Project from 2017 that he felt was negative towards unions.

'The reason I wanted to make this was to remind you to keep at your parents, tell them to stop watching this garbage because this is soft propaganda designed to make them think, "hmm, I have the sudden urge to vote Liberal and I have no idea why",' he explained.

In 2016, Waleed won the Gold Logie Award for Best Personality on Australian Television.

He has also been recognised by the Walkley Awards for his work and has worked as a lecturer in politics at Monash University.

Additionally, The Project has picked up eight Logie Awards over the years and has been lauded as one of the most important news and entertainment programs on Australian television.

Do you agree? In a new video, Jordan said that Waleed, 41, 'makes a living off of moralising' and called the Gold Logie winner 'just plain awful'

This isn't the first time that Jordan has lashed out at The Project.

Just last week, in a video titled 'Stop Watching The Project', he said: 'You know what's incredible? The fact that people watch Sky News and The Project and take it seriously.

'If you get your news from these outlets, you can't be smug about eight-year-olds believing in Santa Clause,' he added.

He also called Paul Murray a 'deads**t' and said that the Sky News host 'looks like an extra from Pirates of the Caribbean.'

Not a fan! The comedian said that the only job requirements for being on The Project are reading off a teleprompter and pretending to like Lisa Wilkinson

Jordan is a YouTube star who previously built a career as an international male model.

He modelled for eight years while studying international politics at the University of New South Wales.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel 10 for comment in relation to this article.
New Delhi: Railway Board chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav on Friday (May 29) said that over 52 lakh labourers have traveled in Shramik Special Trains started from May 1 to take migrant workers to their home state. He also added that Indian Raliways have plied 3840 trains so far.

Addressing a press conference, Yadav said, "So far, more than 52 lakh labourers have traveled in Shramik Special Trains started from May 1 to take migrant workers to their home state."

The Railway Board chairman said the states have been provided with as many trains as they demanded. "On Thursday, we ran 137 trains for migrant workers across the country," he said. The railways, however, hinted that the demand for Shramik Special trains is gradually coming down from states.

Yadav further said that states have been told that Railways will provide trains whenever they require. "So far, migrant workers who have gone to other states or to their home state, 80% of them have gone to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar."

"In this difficult phase, Railways is trying its best. As many as 12,00000 Railways employees are engaged in this hour of need to make every train reach its destination on time," Yadav said, adding that some trains were definitely diverted but it was done due to congestion and denied that they were lost.

Yadav also said that Railway is charging only 15% fare of the operation cost of the Shramik Special trains from states and added, "If we run these trains for free, it would become difficult to manage them."

Several states have sought trains for migrant workers saying more than 1400 will travel but in reality, only 500 to 600 workers travelled, he said, adding "this is the reason we are asking for the minimum fare from states to have better management."
The European Parliaments subcommittee on human rights has conveyed its concerns to the Indian government over the arrest of activists Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha and the handling of protests on issues such as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

In a letter sent to the Union home minister on Thursday, the chair of the subcommittee, Marie Arena, also expressed concern at the action taken by the government against activists and others such as Safoora Zargar, Meeran Haider, Kafeel Khan and Sharjeel Imam.

There was no immediate reaction to the development from Indian officials. In the past, India has usually rejected such criticism by members of the European Parliament as interference in its internal affairs.

The European Parliaments subcommittee on human rights is a body that monitors human rights developments across the globe and advocates in favour of the respect for fundamental rights.

It is in this context that we are closely following the protection of human rights defenders in India and wish to express serious concerns about the recent arrests of Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha by the National Investigative Agency, Arena wrote in her letter.

It is particularly alarming to note that human rights defenders cannot conduct advocacy activities, notably in favour of Indias poorest and most marginalized communities, without becoming subject to intimidation and harassment, but equally worrying is the fact that terrorism charges, including under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), are used to silence them, she added.

The European Parliament had also noticed that various forms of legitimate peaceful protests against laws, policies and governmental actions, including the Citizenship Amendment Act, have been portrayed as terrorist activities under this legislation, resulting in a number of arrests under this umbrella. This is notably the case for human rights activists such as Safoora Zargar, Gulfisha Fatima, Khalid Saifi, Meeran Haider, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Dr Kafeel Khan, Asif Iqbal and Sharjeel Imam who were recently arrested by the Police, the letter said.

Arena further wrote: Consequently, we strongly believe that measures should be urgently taken to stop impeding and criminalising the work of human rights defenders by means of overly broad national security legislation and to respect their freedoms of association and expression.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday listed abrogation of Article 370, settlement of the Ram Temple issue, criminalisation of Triple Talaq and the amendment to the Citizenship Act among the key achievements during his second term, asserting that his government's decisions in the last one year were aimed at fulfilling the dream of making India a global leader.

In an open letter to the country's citizens on the first anniversary of his second term as Prime Minister, Modi said in 2019 the people of India voted not merely for continuity but also with the dream of taking India to new heights and making it a global leader.

The decisions taken in the last one year are directed at fulfilling this dream, he said.

In the last one year, some of the decisions were widely discussed and remain etched in public discourse, Modi said.

"Article 370 (abrogation) furthered the spirit of national unity and integration," he said of the Centre's decision to abrogate Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcation of the state into Union Territories in August last year.

Referring to the Supreme Court's unanimous judgement on the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Modi said it brought an amicable end to a debate persisting for centuries.

The Supreme Court, in a landmark verdict in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title case last year, paved the way for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

"The barbaric practice of Triple Talaq has been confined to the dustbin of history," Modi said in reference to the legislation last year that made giving instant oral triple talaq or talalq-e-biddat a criminal offence with provisions of jail term up to three years.

Referring to the amendment to the Citizenship Act, Modi said it was an "expression of India's compassion and spirit of inclusiveness".

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslims from three neighbouring Muslim majority countries on the ground of religious persecution. Its passage last year had prompted intense protests in various parts of the country with the Opposition parties and social groups alleging that it was discriminatory.

Listing other key decisions of his government that added "momentum to the nation's development trajectory", Modi said the creation of the post of the Chief of Defence Staff was a long-pending reform that has improved coordination among the armed forces.

At the same time, India has stepped up preparations for Mission Gaganyaan, he said.

"Empowering the poor, farmers, women and youth has remained our priority. PM Kisan Samman Nidhi now includes all farmers. In just one year, more than Rs 72,000 crore has been deposited in the accounts of over 9 crore 50 lakh farmers," Modi said.

The Jal Jeevan Mission will ensure supply of potable drinking water through piped connections to over 15 crore rural households, he said.

Modi said a huge campaign for free vaccination is being conducted for better health of the country's 50 crore livestock.

"For the first time in our country's history, farmers, farm labourers, small shopkeepers and workers in unorganised sector are assured the provision of regular monthly pension of Rs 3,000 after the age of 60 years," he said.

Besides the facility of availing bank loans, a separate department has also been created for fishermen, the prime minister said, enumerating the steps taken by his government.

Several other decisions have been taken to strengthen the fisheries sector which will boost the blue economy, he said.

"It has been decided to constitute a Vyapari Kalyan Board for timely resolution of the problems of the traders. Higher quantum of financial assistance is being provided to more than 7 crore women attached to self help groups," Modi said in his letter.

Recently the amount for loans without guarantee for self help groups has been doubled to Rs 20 lakh from the earlier Rs 10 lakh, he said.

"Keeping in mind the education of tribal children, we have begun the construction of more than 400 new Eklavya Model Residential Schools," Modi said.

Asserting that several people-friendly laws have been ushered in during the last year, the prime minister said Parliament has broken the decades-old record in terms of productivity.

"As a result, whether it be the Consumer Protection Act, the amendment to Chit Fund Law or laws to provide more protection to women, children and Divyang, their passage in the Parliament was expedited," he said.

As a result of the policies and decisions of the government, the rural-urban gap is shrinking, Modi said, adding that "for the first time, the number of rural Indians using internet is 10 per cent more than the number of urban Indians".

"The list of such historic actions and decisions taken in national interest would be too long to detail in this letter. But I must say that every day of this year, my government has worked round the clock with full vigour, taking and implementing these decisions," Modi said.

Today, 130 crore people feel involved and integrated in the development trajectory of the nation, the prime minister said.

"The light of Jan Shakti' and Rashtra Shakti' has ignited the entire nation. Powered by the Mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas' India is marching forward in all spheres," he said. -- PTI
Propose a toast to the return of The Riddler this week, which has reopened its Hayes Valley Champagne bar for pickup of bubblies, shuck-your-own oysters, caviar, and much more.

Plus, shop TreasureFest's first-ever online marketplace of small Bay Area makers, take a Non Stop Bhangra dance class online, live stream past BottleRock performances, and more ways to stay entertained as we continue to stay safe at home.

Stream the Africa Day Benefit at Home Concert, hosted by Idris Elba and benefitting African families impacted by COVID-19, 5pm PST Monday. Donate at help.unicef.org/africa. // YouTube







Catch up with Rufus Wainwright, Jason Mraz, and Andy Grammer at the Save the Children COVID-19 Relief Festival, 4pm PST Monday. // YouTube





Stream live shows at 5pm on #MetallicaMondays. // YouTube and Facebook





Experience epic archival Radiohead performances, 2pm Tuesdays. // YouTube

Take a socially distanced hike. // 7x7.com





Relive the joy of Non Stop Bhangra dance class, online at 7pm on Tuesday. // Tickets ($10) at dholrhythms.com





Sign up for the SF Giants' Pac-Man 40th Anniversary Virtual Challenge. // race-sfgiants.com





Boost your wellbeing with multiple expert talks during Rogue Habits' wellness panel, 6pm to 7:30pm Wednesday. // $10-$25, eventbrite.com

Make a donation to support Bay Area musicians, venues, and the Noise Pop Industries Employee Relief Fund and then live stream NoisePop performances, every Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm. // Facebook







Watch past BottleRock performances and new culinary mashups, 5pm Fridays. // YouTube





Live stream "Chordless," a piano-vocal duo comprised of NYC soprano Sara LeMesh and SF pianist Allegra Chapman, 5pm Friday. // Register for free at Eventbrite.





Drunk Drag Broadway's Queerentine Cabaret promises to be absolutely fabulous, Friday 6-8pm. // Tickets ($10-$50) at Eventbrite





Be your own maker with Center SF workshops in probiotic ginger beer, herbal hair care, vegetable fermentation, and more, Friday through Sunday this week. // Schedule and tickets on Facebook





Shop TreasureFest's free and first-ever-online marketplace of small Bay Area businesses, 10am Friday through midnight Sunday. // treasurefest.com





Pop some bottles to celebrate the opening of The Riddler for pickup, Fridays through Sundays. // the-riddler.square.site





Donate to support Illuminate the Pink Triangle. // GoFundMe





Celebrate the life of San Francisco's oldest and now-shuttered queer bar during The Stud Funeral, 6pm Sunday, with drag remembrances by Ana Matronic, Heklina, Peaches Christ, Juanita More!, and more. // twitch.tv/dragalive
Lucknow, May 29 : The special CBI court, conducting the Babri mosque demolition trial, will record statements of the accused under Section 313 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) on June 4.

The court will record the statements of as many as 32 accused, including the then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, former Deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani, BJP leaders M. M. Joshi, Uma Bharati, Vinay Katiyar, Sadhvi Ritambhara, Sakshi Maharaj, Ram Vilas Vedanti and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

As presence of the accused Advani, Joshi and Uma Bharati are already exempted till further directions, other accused moved their exemption plea on Thursday citing lockdown difficulties.

A court official said that if the lockdown is extended, the accused could be asked to appear before the court through video conferencing.

The hearing will enable the accused to explain their innocence and further explain the incriminating circumstances that existed in the evidence led by the prosecuting agency CBI against them.

Earlier, special judge S. K. Yadav had recorded in his order that the CBI concluded its prosecution evidence and no further prosecution evidence remained to be led.

The prosecution evidence was, in fact, completed on March 6, 2020, itself and the court had asked some of the accused, including Champat Rai, Lallu Singh and Prakash Sharma, to appear before it on March 24 for recording of statement under Section 313 CrPC, but due to the lockdown and closure of the court, the proceedings could not be held.

Meanwhile, when the court resumed on May 18, the defence counsel moved an application to summon three prosecution witnesses in order to cross examine them. The court allowed the application and completed proceedings on Wednesday.
Amy Cooper deserves no grace. Youd think as a Canadian her apology would be peppered with Im sorry.

Instead she said Im not racist. No, honey. Thats exactly what your action was when you called the cops on a Black man for the sin of telling you to put your dog on a leash in an on-leash area of Central Park on Monday.

I did not mean to harm that man in any way, she told CNN. Really? In the New York bubble that you live in, you knew of no implications, then, of telling the police, Theres a man, African-American, he has a bicycle helmet. He is recording me and threatening me and my dog.

In the now viral video taken by a bird-watcher named Chris Cooper, its he who asks her twice not to come close to him before she threatens to call the police.

Im going to tell them theres an African-American man threatening my life, she said. Amy Cooper wasnt afraid. Amy Cooper was angry at being challenged. In calling the cops, she was activating a long history of entitled white women using the police to slam down people of colour, but especially Black people, especially Black men for any perceived slight.

Classic Karen, but so, so deadly that we might have to change our terminology around her. Have you been Amy Coopered?

Of course, the apologists say Amy Cooper was frightened because the bird-watcher had said Look, if youre going to do what you want, Im going to do what I want, but youre not going to like it  and proceeded to pull out dog treats.

For some people, the only way for a Black person to ever not be at fault in an interaction with a white person is for them to say nothing at all. Or better still, not be seen at all.

Not to watch birds. Not to be a delivery driver who has to enter a white neighbourhood. Not to be a six-year-old who throws a tantrum at school. Not to play with toy guns. Not to be a teenager who walks the streets at night. Not to nap in a dorm room. Not to go to pool parties. Not to forget to signal a lane change. Not to have a mental health crisis. Not to wait for a friend at Starbucks. And for heavens sake not to go out for a run.

Just work on the plantations, dammit. That should let us focus instead on important things like how white people feel when theyre called white.

Dear white people flooding my email to letting me know how offended you are that I used the word white in a recent column on police inaction toward Trinity Bellwoods covidiots and accusing me of making things about race: white people created race. Whites Only is not my concept. I simply point out all the ways in which this system works.

Like Amy Cooper, youre just angry. Dont like what I write? Work on dismantling the racist structures that benefit you, and make my job redundant.

Youre not the default race of humans, the yardstick by which to measure the deviance in the rest of us. Get over yourselves. Read a book or 10 and butt out of commenting on things you have neither experience nor expertise in.

Dear brown people drenched in whiteness, the artificially created hierarchy: wake up. I invite you to see my emails or other social media sites where youre just referred to as a s---skin. Youre the cudgel individuals and institutions can hide their racism behind. Or dont wake up. Youll learn eventually.

In all the back and forth on Amy Cooper, while people pointed out to her use of African-American to racially typecast the man, nobody objected to his identity having a name. It seems all of us must live with identity labels foisted on us, whether of geographic origin, skin colour, religion, sexuality etc.  except straight white people.

Meanwhile there is real racism  not hurt feelings or entitled egos  to be dealt with.

There has never been a time when its not been traumatic to be Black on this continent, but tragic  and profoundly criminal  evidence of it emerged the same day that Amy Cooper was playing the race card.

A white Minneapolis policeman, Derek Chauvin, is caught on video kneeing George Floyd, a Black man, in the neck for nine minutes until he died. Officer Tou Thao, a Hmong American, is the accomplice who stands guard during the killing. Predictably, police said Floyd was resisting arrest. By all video footage available, he was not. Even if he had been, killing him was not justifiable. I cant breathe were his last words.

This is what modern-day lynching looks like. What the law in the land of freedoms dishes out: the death penalty without trial for the unproven, alleged crime of using a counterfeit $20 bill.

No wonder Minneapolis is burning. Police firing tear gas on unarmed protesters chanting no justice no peace.

When white people armed with assault rifles stormed the Michigan State House to protest the COVID-19 lockdown, an officer told them, We wanna give you the right to voice your First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. And we please just beg you to keep  if you guys keep doing what youre doing were all good.

In Toronto, Ontarios police watchdog is investigating the death of an Afro-Indigenous woman named Regis Korchinski-Paquet, 29, after she fell from her apartment balcony in the High Park area while police were inside her apartment Wednesday night. There is a peaceful protest planned on Saturday at Christie Pits.

Theres also a petition seeking justice for her.

But lets worry about how white people feel about being called white.
Drivers on US-10 have just a few more days to wait until the highway is expected to reopen at the bridges over Sanford Lake.

Those two bridges have been closed for repairs, and thus US-10 has been closed between the M-30 and West River Road exits, since the Tittabawassee River flooded last Tuesday.

Michigan Department of Transportation communications representative Jocelyn Hall said Friday that MDOT intends to finish repairs on the eastbound bridge by Thursday, June 4, at which point the traffic in both directions will be one lane only on that bridge.

Then, by Thursday, June 18, the westbound bridge is expected to also be repaired, so that both the eastbound and westbound traffic can be routed along their own bridges.

Fisher Contracting, of Midland, one of four contractors who submitted bids to MDOT for the project, is repairing the bridge at a cost of $1.78 million, Hall said.

"The (Edenville) dam was breached on a Tuesday night and we had shovels in the ground Friday afternoon (to start the repairs on the US-10 bridges)," MDOT chief bridge engineer Matt Chynoweth said during an MDOT podcast on Wednesday, May 27.

Chynoweth also explained that scour holes, where the flood waters washed away sediment, are being repaired in both US-10 bridges.

"The bridges did not fail. The foundations are deep, but we still have to fix them," Chynoweth explained.

"When you restrict the flow of a waterway (with a bridge), the water will accelerate," he continued. "What happens is, at the upstream side (of the bridge, the river) will attack the pier or the abutment or the footing, and that erodes the material that supports (the bridge) and creates what's called a scour hole."

Repairing M-30 causeway bridge

Other bridges damaged or destroyed by the flood, notably the M-30 causeway bridge in Edenville, will take much longer to repair, Chynoweth said.

"There's probably going to be a lot of broader coordination between MDOT, EGLE, (the U.S. Army) Corps of Engineers and the locals up there," he said.

Chynoweth hopes to get a short-term bridge in place at the causeway while the permanent replacement bridge is being built.

"We have to provide mobility and safety to the residents," he said. "We're looking at something temporary that will buy us some time."

MDOT does not construct bridges to be able to withstand an event such as a dam being breached, as happened on May 19 with the Edenville Dam, Chynoweth said.

"Nothing is ever really designed for a dam being breached, and that's why we saw the catastrophic failure of the M-30 causeway bridge, which was basically just picked up and tossed aside by the water surge," he said.

"I suppose we could build a bridge that could withstand (a flood like) that, but we wouldn't be building any other bridges that year (because it would cost so much)," Chynoweth added.

Poseyville bridge, temporary road could be open by Tuesday

Elsewhere in Midland County, a major bridge that remains closed after the flood is the Poseyville Road bridge, the main connector between the City of Midland and Midland Township and the Bullock Creek community.

"The road just south of the Poseyville bridge had significant damage," Jonathan Myers, managing director of the Midland County Road Commission, noted of the stretch of Poseyville between St. Charles and Ashby. "Our crews are working to try and have a temporary road open for traffic by early next week, hopefully by Tuesday. We are working in conjunction with the City of Midland so that the bridge and the road to the south are open at the same time."

Myers also said in a news release on Friday that 138 segments of roads have been closed since the flooding, but many have been reopened with "little to no damage."

"We understand the inconvenience these closures create and appreciate your patience as we work with the state and federal governments to secure funding to aid in the repairs," Myers said.

"Repair work will continue for quite some time. There are still eight road segments that remain closed and eight other segments that are restricted. In many areas damage assessment and documentation is still on-going. The road commission will be seeking state and federal financial assistance for repairs on many of these roads and bridges. Permanent repairs are not allowed to begin until funding from these sources has been approved."
Each colorful cup symbolizes emotions like love, hope and passion that have always inspired and guided us: a hug to sunshine allowing us to drench in the bliss of nature; a self-hug that awakens our natural abilities to heal; a loving hug that helps others unleash the power to overcome setbacks. Painted with vibrant colors, the character Bug Hug is a beautiful reminder of the joy and kindness of this world.

Christopher David Ryan has worked for Victoria Secret, Nike and Google which all featured variations of his Big Hug with its naive and charming smile. CDR captures the essence of love in a witty and captivating manner through the minimalist illustrations filled with enchanting concepts about hugs. Together with CDR, Nayuki hopes to usher in a new season with a purity of design that celebrates all positive emotions for love, so that customers can also enjoy the healing power of a cup of tea.

"It was a pleasure for us to work with Christopher David Ryan to create new cup designs for the Nayuki Cupseum project. In this season, we wish our cups to share messages of warmth, positivity, friendship, community, universal love and self-esteem by putting these ideas in the hands of the people to brighten their day," said Peng Xin, Founder of Nayuki.

"On this special day, we celebrate this powerful and universal passion that connects people from all around the world with our new designs. A hug can be more than wrapping your arms around that someone special and the warmth of the sun on your face or positive thought during a difficult time," Peng Xin added.

Nayuki Cupseum has been working with global artists to create gallery experience on the cups. The first Cupseum design featuring "Being A Cat" met the customers In August 2019, as a result of the partnership with Japanese illustrator Pepe Shimada. For the 2020 Lunar New Year series rolled out earlier this year, artist Cinyee Chiu takes inspiration from Chinese mythological creatures to infuse the tea culture with the essence of Eastern arts.

Nayuki Cupseum aims to invite graphic artists and illustrators from all over the world to use their innovative designs to express the emotions and daily lives in the urban setting. Every cup is also a canvas on which customers can explore their creativity and transform every drink into a work of art. With the Japanese store in Osaka scheduled to open on July 4 and a new store soon to meet American customers later this year, Nayuki wishes to bring global artists closer to global tea lovers.

About Nayuki

Nayuki, the leading Chinese new-style tea brand, with its fruit-based cheese teas and soft-euro bakes, is dedicated to bringing new taste sensations to tea aficionados around the world. Growing rapidly with nearly 400 stores ranging from 1,200 up to 11,000 square feet in prime locations across China, Nayuki has elevated the tea-drinking lifestyle to the next level with its innovations.

Valued at RMB 6 billion ($874 million), Nayuki received several hundred million RMB in Series A plus funding from TianTu Capital in 2018, making it the first new-style tea unicorn.

SOURCE Nayuki
By Andrea Plate





"If I Had Your Face," Frances Cha's debut novel (Ballantine Books), tells the story of four young women struggling to succeed in cosmetically competitive Seoul, the plastic surgery capital of the world, where one in three persons under age 30 will most likely have had "work done."



Cha's heroines are defined not by their intelligence, personality or achievements, but by a kind of precision beauty  surgically sculpted facial features that make or break their futures.



Cha is truly cosmopolitan. Born and educated in America, now based in New York, a former travel and culture editor for CNN in Seoul and Hong Kong, she knows one, indisputable truth: All women, everywhere on earth, know the agony of seeing another woman and thinking, "If I had your face "



Cha's story unfolds in brief, easy-to-read chapters alternately told in the first-person voices of her principal characters. Kiyuri is an "electrically beautiful," 20-something fighter-fish who swims from the low-life, low class joints of South Korea's red light district upstream, to the high-class, high-cost service industry of room salons along the Beauty Belt in Apgujeong-dong, southern Seoul, where men pay dearly to drink alcohol in the company of beautiful women.



She snags a top spot at Ajax, the high-end salon which pays the highest fees to "the prettiest top ten percent," in addition to this big bonus: Employees don't have to have sex with their clients.





Kyuri is not just another pretty face. She's the supermodel of cosmetic surgery, with double eyelid stitches; jaw and cheekbone reduction (otherwise known as V-line surgery); eyelash extensions; and eye-line tattoos, not to mention infinity pools of skin care lotions to achieve the dewy as dawn look all day, every day.



"You get used to it," Kyuri says, referring to the loss of sensation in key areas of her face, post-surgery. "That's what hand mirrors and selfie modes were for, to check if food or drink were dribbling down my chin."



So, is this or is it not the face of modern-day feminism in Seoul? Yes, and no. Cha's Kyuri has achieved financial independence and power, yet her fortune hinges entirely on the fierce, fickle appetites of men for beauty and sex  and the madams who feed them.



Despite her high pay, Kyuri struggles to stay financially afloat, citing the cost of "touch-up surgeries, just small ones," which are minimal "but they add up." Add to that a steep cultural stigma of shame.



Like Sunja, the lead protagonist in Lee Min-jin's brilliant 2017 novel "Pachinko," shamed by a planned pregnancy, Cha's Kyuri is well aware of women's victimization  some salons girls suffer jail, prostitution fines, beatings and vilification by society.



Cha's four heroines' voices comprise a compelling chorus or words and thoughts, alternately harmonious and cacophonous. Miho, abandoned in infancy at a Cheongju orphanage, vows never to abandon her two dreams: to be an artist  the lucky and talented girl wins a scholarship to art school in America; and to have four kids back in South Korea. Kyuri claps back: "No surgery will be able to fix your vagina after that."



Ara is a full-time hair stylist who spends 100 percent of her workday styling the prettiest 10 percenters' hair. Off-hours, she follows the life and loves of a perfectly chiseled K-pop boy band star  the closet she will never get to glamor.



Occasionally, Cha uses humor to light the way through the dark underbelly of Seoul. Says the plain-looking, plain-spoken Wonna, when asked on what basis she chose her husband: " this man, not only was he kind, but he had a dead mother. If we had a child, she would not interfere."




Hong Kong: Hong Kong's government warned Washington that withdrawing its special US status, which has underpinned the city as a global financial hub, could be a "double-edged sword" and urged the United States to stop interfering in internal affairs.

The statement came as US President Donald Trump is due to announce later on Friday his response to the Chinese parliament's advancement of national security legislation for Hong Kong, which democracy activists and Western countries fear could erode the city's freedoms.

The former British colony enjoys a high degree of autonomy under a "one country, two systems" formula since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

"Any sanctions are a double-edged sword that will not only harm the interests of Hong Kong but also significantly those of the US," the city's government said late on Thursday.

It added that from 2009 to 2018, the US trade surplus with Hong Kong was the biggest among all its trading partners, totalling $297 billion of merchandise and 1,300 US firms are based in the city.

Beijing says the new legislation will tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in the city. It could see Chinese intelligence agencies set up bases there.

The plan has ignited the first big protests in Hong Kong for months, as thousands of people took to the streets this week, prompting police to fire pepper pellets in the heart of the city's financial district to disperse crowds.

The US Department of State said in a report on Thursday it could "no longer certify that Hong Kong continues to warrant (differential) treatment" from Beijing.

Trump's top economic adviser Larry Kudlow warned that Hong Kong, which has enjoyed special privileges under US law based on its high degree of autonomy from Beijing, may now need to be treated like China on trade and other financial matters.

In a separate statement on Friday, published in several local newspapers, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam urged "fellow citizens" to "join hands to pursue our dreams while putting aside our differences".

She said the legislation was needed because of a "terrorist threat" and because organisations advocating "independence and self-determination" have challenged the authority of Beijing and local governments and pleaded for foreign interference.

The five demands of last-year's pro-democracy protest movement included universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into police handling of the protests, but not independence. A minority of protesters waved "Hong Kong independence" flags.

Independence is anathema for Beijing.

The security legislation, along with a bill to criminalise disrespect for China's national anthem, are seen by protesters as the latest attempt by Beijing to tighten its control on the city.

The security legislation, expected to be enacted before September, was condemned also by Britain, Australia, Canada and others. Britain said it will give greater visa rights to British national overseas passport holders from Hong Kong unless China suspends its plans.
Trumps Social Media Executive Order Poses Threat to Airbnb, Tripadvisor, Google and Yelp

While President Trumps executive order Thursday on preventing online censorship is widely viewed as targeted toward social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, all of which which were cited in the order, it could also pose an unintended threat to online travel and user review sites that are difficult to sue because of liability protections under a federal decency law.

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which became law in 1996 as the internet was in its formative stage, protects companies such as Airbnb, Google, Tripadvisor, and Yelp from being liable for statements that consumers make in user reviews on their platforms, for example.

One repercussion of the presidents order would be that certain protections granted to companies, like those online travel giants, would be stripped away.

Airbnb, too, has used the Act in the past to argue that it is merely a neutral platform, connecting hosts and guests, and not responsible for furnishing host information to local authorities for tax purposes. However, Airbnb has made concessions on that front in recent years.

If those liability protections were to be diluted, then Tripadvisor, which boasts of 860 million reviews and options, could potentially be sued in U.S. federal courts for statements made in those online critiques. Tripadvisor has certainly drawn lawsuits over the years over intellectual property rights and other issues, but the Communications Decency Act provides a significant wall of protection when it comes to hotel and vacation rental review content, for example.

Tripadvisor peruses user reviews for factors such as fraud or relevance, but doesnt censor reviews based on opinion. If President Trump gets Congress or federal agencies to whittle down the liability protections in the Communications Decency Act then it could be the death of the online review ecosystem that covers hotels, vacation rentals, airlines, cars  almost every consumer product or service in travel or the wider economy.

Story continues

Any action to reinterpret existing law should be subject to a full policymaking process that involves the Congress, the Administration, industry, academics and consumer advocates who aim to protect our freedoms of speech online and ensure the consumer benefits of Internet platforms remain paramount, said Tripadvisor spokesman Brian Hoyt in reaction to the executive order.

A Google spokesperson condemned the presidents effort to undermine the Communications Decency Act.

We have clear content policies and we enforce them without regard to political viewpoint, the spokesperson said. Our platforms have empowered a wide range of people and organizations from across the political spectrum, giving them a voice and new ways to reach their audiences. Undermining Section 230 in this way would hurt Americas economy and its global leadership on internet freedom.

A Yelp spokesperson declined to comment on the executive order, and Airbnb didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Twitters action this week to fact-check the Presidents tweets that alleged that mail-in balloting was rife with fraud triggered Trumps executive order to clamp down on online censorship. That order calls for a Federal Communications Commission rulemaking process within 60 days to clarify the liability protections of platforms when they make editorial decisions, and for federal agencies to review their spending on these platforms.

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube wield immense, if not unprecedented, power to shape the interpretation of public events; to censor, delete, or disappear information; and to control what people see or do not see, the executive order stated.

But the president alleged that online platforms are censoring content while protecting the statements of U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, when he tweeted about Special Counsel Robert Muellers Russia probe, which Trump referred to in the executive order as the Russian Collusion Hoax.

To be sure, the Communications Decency Act is controversial and has been used by platforms such as Airbnb to limit the amount of host information it provides to local regulators by arguing that Airbnb is merely a neutral platform protected by the Act.

As Skift wrote in 2018: In the U.S., the company (Airbnb) refers to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act that protects websites from being liable for content posted by third parties on their platforms.

More recently, however, some judges have decided to push back against the law in the U.S., as seen in San Francisco. If more lawmakers in the U.S. are able to craft legislation that circumvents laws like the CDA, that could have some serious implications as to how Airbnb complies with short-term rental regulations.

In the interim, Airbnb has made concessions to some cities when it comes to furnishing host information for tax purposes. In 2019, Airbnb settled with the cities of Boston and Miami Beach and agreed to provide them with host information and to delist hosts who dont register with those cities.

Subscribe to Skift newsletters for essential news about the business of travel.
There have been almost 80 deaths on board the Shramik Special trains (for stranded migrant workers) between May 9 and May 27, according to data from the Railway Protection Force reviewed by Hindustan Times.

The trains were launched on May 1, and till May 27, 3,840 have been run, transporting around five million migrant workers back home. On Wednesday, there were reports of nine deaths on these trains over the previous few days, but the rail ministry clarified immediately that most of those who died were chronic disease patients many of whom were actually in the cities for medical treatment and could come back only after these special trains were launched. It was responding to some reports that claimed the passengers died of exhaustion, heat, and hunger.

This is the first time, though, that details of more deaths are emerging. An RPF official confirmed the numbers and said that an initial list has been complied, however, a final list will soon be issued after coordinating with the states.

A spokesperson for the ministry of railways, upon being specifically asked about the 80 deaths, said the chairman railway board had responded to the query in the press conference.

At a press conference on Friday, railway board chairman VK Yadav said: Anyones death is a big loss... Indian Railways has a control system were the train is immediately stopped if someone is found ill and they are sent to the nearest hospital base to try and save their lives. Many such passengers were attended to and many deliveries also took place. I can imagine the plight of labourers travelling even in these conditions. In case of deaths, the local zones investigate the reason and without an investigation, there are allegations that they died of hunger when there was no shortage of food. Some deaths occurred and we are compiling the figures... we will issue the figures in a few days.

He did not mention any number. To be sure, the RPF data will need to be vetted and validated by the ministry.

According to the data reviewed by HT, the deaths were recorded from May 9 till May 27 across several zones including the East Central Railway zone, North Eastern Railway zone, Norther Railway Zone and North Central Railway zone; and the ages of the dead ranged from 4 to 85. The list also mentions the co-morbidities or accidents that caused the deaths in a few cases. Data between May 1 and May 8 was not available.

There have been 18 deaths in the North Eastern Railway zone, 19 in North Central zone and 13 in East Coast Railway zone. Nearly 80% of total Shramik trains are destined for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and ply on these zones.

The Railway ministry, in response to reports of the nine deaths ,said in a statement on Friday morning: Indian Railways has been running Shramik special Trains on a daily basis throughout the country to ensure that migrants can travel back to their homes. It has been observed that some people who are availing this service have pre-existing medical conditions which aggravates the risk they face during the Covid-19 pandemic. A few unfortunate cases of deaths related to pre-existing medical conditions while travelling have happened.

Heat, exhaustion and thirst are among the primary issues faced by the passengers on board these trains. We have seen several of such cases over the past month, a zonal railway officer said, requesting anonymity, referring to the 80 deaths reported across the country.

According to RPF data, there have been 10 deaths in Northern Railway zone. I am not aware of the total numbers but in all the cases that we know of there were health conditions like one person had heart valve replaced, one had hypertension. But to say that the primary reason of deaths is hunger is not correct, said Northern Railways spokesperson.

On Friday, railway minister Piyush Goyal also issued a statement appealing to people suffering from ailments to avoid travel by Shramik Trains.

I appeal to people suffering from serious ailments, pregnant women & those above 65 years and below 10 years of age to travel only when necessary in Shramik Trains. Railway Parivaar is committed to ensuring safety of all passengers, he said.

In several cases reported by the railways the reasons for the deaths are pre-existing illness. In the case of 23-year-old Parbina Khatun, from Katihar District in Bihar the report says, travelling from Ahmadabad to Madhubani with her sister, died due to her illness. Body was detrained for further action. She died on May 25.

In West Central Zone, on May 16, Javed Ahmed aged 55 years, was found dead aboard a train. The ministrys report said:  He fell unconscious between Itarsi-Piparia of Jabalpur division/WCR GRP Jabalpur took custody of the deceased body for further course of action. District administration has been informed and they are checking his family.

On Thursday, in an interim order, the Supreme Court said states where the workers are boarding trains and Indian Railways should provide food and water to the migrants.
The Government of India's silence on the standoff at the LAC is fuelling fear and rumours in Eastern Ladakh.

Tashi Namgyal Yakzee, the councillor of Durbuk based in Shyok village, says there is panic in villages across his constituency because of heavy troop movement at night.

"My village is 120 kms away from Galwan Nalla where the Chinese have come in. Indian convoys with troops, ammunition and tanks move through villages at night. There is fear because no one knows what exactly is going on. For three days our mobile connectivity had been cut off. Villagers who work as porters for the Army were sent back on May 5," Yakzee said.

May 5 is when Tashi says trouble began. Chinese troops entered the Daulat Beg Oldie area and returned after four days. After five days, the Chinese Army surprised the Indian side by entering Pangong via three directions  Four Fingers, Hot Spring and Galwan River.

"It is difficult to say how many Chinese troops have come in. But locals living along the Pangong lake area say they have pitched tents and occupied seasonal posts. The scale of the intrusions is larger and more serious than before

The threat of war in the middle of a pandemic is unsettling. Tashi and other councillors in the area want a government representation to come visit and calm their nerves.

Namgyal Durbuk, a resident of Durbuk and an ex-coucillor, says the Chinese strategy has always been to first sent their nomads in pasture lands of Demchok, the Finger side and others and then the People's Liberation Army (PLA) follows.

"For years, the Chinese have been eating away our grazing lands. Our army does not let us go there so the Chinese come in," he said.

Durbuk says the present standoff is the biggest danger to the country right now. "What will we do? Will we surrender our land? The Indian Army has a strong build up against the Chinese but we still fear. The government is saying nothing, all that we are getting is hava havaiye talk from social media and satellite imagery," he adds.

Chering Dorjay has just stepped down as the BJP President of Ladakh. He says Chinese incursions along the LAC in Ladakh have been happening for years but he is confident that the Modi government is not going to back off in the face of Chinese aggression.

"In the last 20-30 years, we have lost so much area in the DBO sector. Our infrastructure along the LAC is weak. The ITBP and the Army do not patrol as much as they should. The commanders want their command to pass off without any controversy which is why we are losing our zameen," Dorjay says.

Dorjay, who is based out of Leh, says that additional troops have landed at the Leh Airbase. Soldiers first need to be acclimatized before they can be deployed in forward sectors.

"If these people have come in five kilometres, the government will never tell us. I am sure backdoor diplomacy is taking place. But I wish someone in the government would say something," he adds.

Rigzin Spalbar is the former Chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and a member of the Congress party. He says in the absence of any official word from the government, there is much unsubstantiated information that is causing panic in Leh.

"It is usual for the Chinese to gradually intrude into our territory and usurp our pasture lands on which our nomads are dependent. They have intruded into Galwan Nalla and Pangong in pitch darkness. From the villages, we can see the lights from where they have pitched their camps. I request the Government of India to issue an official statement so that things get clear. We should be firm and bold so we do not lose our territory  it is important that the Chinese retreat. 
For Fr Samir hunger could be worse" than the coronavirus. Unemployed youth and families without resources could be targeted for jihad recruitment. In Kurdistan churches were closed again after a partial easing. Young Christians died in Baghdad from the coronavirus.

Erbil (AsiaNews)  The virus of hunger could be worse" than COVID-19 and there is a strong risk that the economic crisis triggered by the novel coronavirus "could fuel a crime wave and give new impetus to terrorist groups, said Fr Samir Youssef, parish priest in Enishke, Diocese of Amadiya, Iraqi Kurdistan, speaking to AsiaNews.

The clergyman believes that recruiting young people" left jobless and without prospects for the future may have already begun. In fact, the Islamic State (IS) group) has "regained strength in certain areas" of the country, exploiting "economic, social and political weaknesses" because "having money and resources" can draw people to jihad, Holy war.

In the Middle East, Africa or elsewhere in the world, extremist groups, from IS to al-Qaeda, "are looking for social and economic weakness to attack. The hardships caused by the novel coronavirus have drastically reduced the means "to fight fundamentalism" and this has favoured new attacks. It is no coincidence that a dozen soldiers near Kirkuk were killed recently" during an attack "by a local IS cell".

For the clergyman, it is not only about Iraq". If so far, extremism was "associated with Sunnis, more and more extremist groups might emerge among Shias in the context of the clash between Iran and the United States. Some militias target, first of all, moderate Muslim groups" and represent an actual danger.

The parish priest of Enishke, who was the beneficiary of AsiaNews Adopt a Christian from Mosul campaign, fears that the country might come under another lockdown to contain the virus.

When we had a curfew here in Iraqi Kurdistan, we managed to limit infections, he explained. With the reopening, we have had new cases, especially involving people from Baghdad, where most infections have occurred.

Some of the victims were Christians. A Christian nurse, only 25, died yesterday in the capital. Before that, another young woman, member of parish choir in Baghdad, also died from the virus.

The situation was better in Kurdistan, so much so that the authorities had authorised the reopening of commercial activities as well as churches and places of worship. This was reversed yesterday as new cases were reported in the region.

Fr Samir notes that "With the easing of restrictive measures, this was inevitable, also because not everyone respects the pandemic containment measures, like wearing masks and social distancing.

Whilst links between Erbil and Baghdad are open, communications between Erbil and Dohuk have been cut. People can travel without restrictions to and from the capital. This has led to new infections, including four cases in Ankawa (out of 9 in Erbil) and seven in Dohuk.

The health emergency comes on top of economic problems, affecting an already critical context due to years of wars, extremist violence and internal clashes.

The crisis is starting to bite. Sixty per cent the workforce has lost their jobs, the government is finding it increasingly difficult to pay salaries and some families have not received any money for at least two months.

"The collapse in oil prices, the main if not only source of income for Iraq, was a very serious blow. It is even more evident" that it was a mistake to rely almost exclusively on the earnings from the black gold, "whilst many factories have been destroyed over the years.

The Church's help and support has also been affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic, because "for some time, with the banks closed, no aid could arrive. Now we can count on food donations that we have distributed to the neediest families.

We want people feel that we are close to them, that we remain a point of reference for the weakest, bringing the comfort of the Lord and the little food and basic necessities we manage to collect.

At the end of the tunnel darkness still lurks. No one knows how to go beyond it, not only here, but around the world. After two months of lockdown, we see a tsunami building up, threatening to engulf the economy.
India is expected to produce five million COVID-19 test kits per day by July, reducing significantly its dependence on imports for diagnostics of the viral infections spreading across the globe.

Addressing a press conference, top scientists K Vijayraghavan and V K Paul also sought to give a reality check on the vaccine development efforts making it clear that the earliest immunisation shots will be available only some time next year.

The global efforts at vaccine development are aimed at delivering results within a year what otherwise would have taken 10 years.

When a vaccine is made, it is not like a switch which will be available to everyone on day one. This disease is so unusual that the youngest to the oldest would need a vaccine and the logistics of making vaccines available is also being discussed, Vijayraghavan, the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, said.

On the testing front, Paul said 20 Indian companies have been manufacturing indigenous testing kits to meet the growing domestic requirement.

These companies will be in a position to deliver half-a-million testing kits every day by July. We may even export these kits after meeting our domestic demand, said Paul, Member (Health), Niti Ayog.

Indias COVID-19 count increased by 6,556 on Thursday to touch 1,58,323, while the death toll witnessed a sharp spike as 194 fatalities, taking the total to 4,531. According to the Health Ministry, there are 86,110 active cases while 67,692 have been discharged from hospitals.

Besides, Vijayraghavan said that AICTE and CSIR have embarked on a drug discovery hackathon where students are trained with information on how to do computational drug discovery.

He also said five important things that need to be kept in mind for the prevention of COVID-19 before the vaccine is developed are  social distancing, hand hygiene, surface cleaning, tracking and testing.
New Delhi, May 29 : A day after the Delhi High Court expressed anguish over the backlog in disposing COVID-19 bodies that has come up owing to non-functioning of CNG furnaces at the crematoriums in Delhi, the AAP government informed that it has extended the working hours of crematoriums.

Now instead of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. they will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Delhi government told the court that the LNJP hospital is being authorised to divert bodies to crematoriums at Panchkuian and Punjab Bagh, as opposed to only Nigambodh Ghat.

"Urgent steps were taken to remedy the situation like extending the working hours of the crematorium in order to clear the backlog," said advocate Sanjoy Ghose appearing for the Delhi government.

The submissions came in while the court was hearing a matter relating to the lack of facilities to cremate those who died due to COVID-19 and the bodies piling up in the mortuaries.

A Division Bench of the high court comprising Justices Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Asha Menon took suo motu cognisance of the issue on Thursday and converted it into a Public Interest Litigation.

Authorised wood fired traditional cremations, in addition to electric and CNG furnaces have been allowed to function and PPE kits for all workers, as well as bodies have also been made available, the government told the court.

It further informed that 28 bodies were disposed of on May 28, and by May 30, the remaining 35 bodies will be disposed of. "Only those bodies will be retained back where post mortem/ investigations are to be carried out," the government said.

Following the submissions, the court asked the AAP government to file a status report by next date of hearing on June 2.

Expressing displeasure and anger while taking note of the situation, the court on Thursday said, "We, as citizens of Delhi are pained at the aforesaid state of affairs and as judges find the situation as reported and if true, to be highly dissatisfactory and violative of the rights of the dead."

The bench had noted that LNJP is the largest dedicated COVID-19 hospital in the city and its mortuary is the repository of bodies of those who died of the coronavirus disease or are suspected to have died of it and on Tuesday (May 26) -- eight bodies were returned from Nigambodh Ghat, CNG crematorium because the facility was not in a position to accept more bodies, as only two of the six furnaces were working.

It noted that inside the COVID-19 mortuary of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital in Delhi, there were 108 bodies; all 80 storage racks were full and there were 28 bodies on the floor, piled on top of each other.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- Syndicated from IANS
LIMERICK Council has confirmed its annual general meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 30.

While a venue has not been confirmed, it looks increasingly likely that Limerick Racecourse may be given the nod.

The facility is no stranger to hosting political events, having hosted local and general election counts.

But the annual mayor-making ceremony will be shorn of its usual pomp and circumstance, with social distancing rules meaning only a limited number of people will be allowed into the venue to bear witness to the event.

Indeed, its for this reason that the meeting will take place at the Limerick Racecourse, rather than its regular venue of County Hall at Dooradoyle.

Newcastle West-based councillor Michael Collins is the candidate being put forward by Fianna Fail. And its likely that, thanks to a grand coalition of the Civil War parties, he will become first citizen.

He said: One thing is we need a large venue, so that would tick the box. It doesn't matter where it is, it's in our jurisdiction obviously in the county. Any place that can accommodate 40 members, management and press will be acceptable. It will be difficult to have all the people we'd hope to have there. But we live in a different world, and we need to work with the constraints.

While Cllr Collins looks likely to be mayor, it will be his party colleague, Abul Kalam Azad Talukder wholl take the role as deputy.

Meanwhile, the election for the metropolitan district leader is expected to take place on Monday, June 15.

As part of the Fine Gael-Fianna Fail carve-up, Cllr Sarah Kiely is in line to receive this high-profile role.

While this election would normally take place at City Hall in Merchants Quay, its likely to be moved to County Hall in Dooradoyle to aid social distancing.
The Novel Coronavirus pandemic has affected millions of lives across the globe. Speaking about India, a nationwide lockdown has been imposed throughout the country since the month of March. Amid these trying times, frontline warriors like the doctors, medical staff, police officers and others have been risking their lives, to battle the COVID-19 crisis.

In a recent chat, Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar expressed his gratitude towards the COVID-19 frontline warriors for their selfless work.

Speaking about how he is spending his lockdown time, the actor said, "I have been doing meetings and script narrations through video calls, catching up on films and new shows and spending time with my family."

He further added, "I feel we are lucky to be privileged to stay safe at home and be with our families. But, this is only possible because of our frontline warriors. I would like to sincerely thank them. It's because of them that we are alive."

Earlier, while speaking with a tabloid, Akshay opened up about feeling anxious due to the pandemic, when it comes to his family and close ones. He also revealed that he has been spending a lot of time with his mother lately. He said that he and his mother play a game of cards every day after they have their dinner.

Amid the lockdown, besides spending some quality time with his family, Akshay has also been focusing on work. A few days ago, the actor shot for a COVID-19 awareness campaign after taking all the necessary permissions and precautions. He also participated in a script narration for his upcoming film Bell Bottom through Zoom meeting.

Speaking about films, Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi has been postponed indefinitely, while rumours suggest that his other film Laxmmi Bomb is heading straight for an OTT release. Besides these two films, the superstar also stars in Yash Raj Film's Prithiviraj, Aanand L Rai's Atrangi Re, Farhad Samji's Bachchan Pandey and Nikkhil Advani's Bell Bottom.

ALSO READ: Exclusive: Akshay Kumar Transfers Rs 45 Lakh To Needy Actors' Bank Account!

ALSO READ: Exclusive: Akshay Kumar's Laxmmi Bomb Sold For Rs 145 Crore To Disney Plus Hotstar!
Monkeys are increasingly attacking humans in India, as their habitats are encroached upon - Mladen Antonov/AFP

A band of marauding monkeys has attacked a laboratory technician and stolen three Covid-19 test samples, raising fears they will infect themselves and then spread the deadly disease to humans.

The worker was attacked outside a medical college in Meerut, northern India, while transporting samples from patients suspected of having coronavirus. The monkeys ran off into a residential area.

The employee is said to have been unharmed, but has angered officials after filming the aftermath of the attack, rather than attempting to retrieve the samples from the fleeing monkeys.

Monkeys can contract Covid-19 and then infect humans, according to scientists.

Some Indians have been worried about catching the deadly virus from animals and it led to pet dogs being released onto the streets during the start of the pandemic.

Others saw the funny side of the monkey attack, with the incident coming days after the Indian authorities detained a pigeon in Jammu & Kashmir on suspicion of spying for Pakistan.

The nation wants to know if Pakistan has sent those monkeys to steal coronavirus samples, joked one user on Twitter. These are highly trained monkeys and very intelligent monkeys.

In India, groups of monkeys are attacking people with increasing regularity as they are displaced from their natural habitats by urban sprawl.

Their attacks can prove deadly - particularly for young children who are vulnerable to their powerful bites.

In 2018, a 12-day-old baby boy died after he was bitten by a monkey in the city of Agra, home of the Taj Mahal.

Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security
NBC News aired the first Meet the Press: College Roundtable on Friday, debuting a show meant to support journalism students at a time when much of their training has been abruptly halted by the coronavirus.

For the next five weeks, students will work with the Meet the Press editorial team to identify newsmakers and shape student-led conversations via digital panels meant to share their unique insight and analysis as well as showcase their interview skills. Todd has prepped the students on how to conduct the interviews with newsmakers.

Everything is unprecedented right now, right? Not just the careers theyre pursuing but the education institutions theyre currently in or entering, Todd told TheWrap ahead of the series launch about preparing students to enter an industry that is currently in such disarray as the coronavirus decimates the American economy.

Also Read: Trump Asks NBC News to Fire Chuck Todd After 'Meet the Press' Admits Airing 'Inaccurately' Edited Clip

Thats whats really at the heart of this project  letting them really determine where the conversation goes. They identified the types of decision makers they wanted to interview, they worked with our teams to help shape the questions they want asked. We told them, ask the questions that your friends need answers to, not just you, he continued.

These students had what would have been the end of their school year pulled out from underneath them, he added. No final presentations or in-person goodbyes. And the fall semester is even more uncertain. Their voices and experiences are important here. Thats why we wanted to give them this platform.

Todd praised the students for their readiness, saying theyre sharp and know their stuff.

Fridays premiere of sharp students featured Gabe Fleisher, an incoming freshman at Georgetown University; Aiyana Ishmael, a rising senior at Florida A&M University; and Sami Sparber, a rising senior at the University of Texas at Austin. They discussed the measures being taken by educational institutions to keep students safe amid the coronavirus crisis.

New episodes will be available every Friday on NBC News digital platforms, including NBC News YouTube channel, NBC News Stay Tuned on Snapchat, and on Peacock, NBCUniversals new streaming service.

Read original story Chuck Todd Hosts College Roundtable for Journalism Students Who Had School Pulled Out From Underneath Them At TheWrap
Swarms of desert locusts arrived in India earlier than their usual migration cycle. This, however, is not the last swarm and more waves of migration will occur in July as hopper bands from East Africa are expected to move northwards and cross over the Arabian Sea into Sindh (Pakistan), Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Keith Cressman, senior locust forecasting officer of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said that the next swarms of desert locusts will fly with aid of southwest monsoon winds to cross the Arabian Sea to once again come into drier areas of Rajasthan.

The senior officer of the United Nations organization said that the movement of swarms was expected since late last year due to developments in East Africa and the Indian government was given warnings on the locust invasions. Last year there was very good breeding in India, Iran and Pakistan. At the moment, populations are moving out of spring breeding areas, from southwest Pakistan and Iran. Normally, they invade at the end of June. But, they are here a month in advance due to drier conditions in Iran and southwest Pakistan, Cressman said during a Centre for Science and Environment webinar on desert locusts.

They prefer to arrive in Rajasthan ahead of the monsoon but they dont like the habitats in Central India or further to east, the wind conditions and lack of food is forcing them to move ahead, he explained.

This is the second time this year that locust swarms have been seen. Early in January, many districts of Rajasthan witnessed locust swarms and farmers suffered heavy losses as they devoured standing Rabi crops.

Swarms will move back to Rajasthan after monsoon sets in

Cressman said that there was no need to panic or get alarmed about the swarms about invasion of locusts across several states. The senior FAO officer said that desert locusts do not prefer regions that are not dry. India is not going to be flooded by desert locusts in all of its states. They are not happy to be in non desert areas in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. This is not their natural habitat as it is not suitable for their breeding and there are no desert sands. They will be struggling. They have got into a rare situation that is not suitable for them, Cressman said.

He added, They are waiting for the onset of monsoon in Rajasthan. They will be in a holding pattern until monsoon and they will be move back to Rajasthan with the wind directions. Since they cannot fly against the winds, there are low chances that they will move into southern India. Prevailing wind pattern is west to east.

Digging trenches, making noises an alternative to pesticides

When asked about the methods of locust control other than spraying of pesticides, Cressman said that farmers can try digging trenches and make noises to scatter them away from the immediate area of their fields.

There are bio-pesticides but farmers dont have access to the alternatives or even the chemical ones at times. For these reasons, FAO does not encourage locust control by farmers. Desert locusts prefer undisturbed areas their hopper bands march. Farmers can dig a trench around their fields that serve the function of moats. The hopper bands fall into these trenches and they can be buried, preventing from entering the fields, Cressman said.
Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy
The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced Thursday it is setting aside $10 billion of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Round 2 funding to be lent exclusively by Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). CDFIs work to expand economic opportunity in low-income communities by providing access to financial products and services for local residents and businesses.

As of May 14, there are 324 credit unions certified as CDFIs, out of 1,142 total CDFIs.

The PPP ran out of its initial $349 billion in funding, and Congress approved a second round of $310 billion in April. Of that, $60 billion is allocated to insured depository institutions with below $50 billion in assets. The $10 billion set aside for CDFIs announced Thursday comes out of that $60 billion.
Pennsylvania college students will see an increase in their state grant awards after all.

With a $30 million funding boost from the states allotment of federal CARES Act money, the maximum grant award can rise to $4,525, according to the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency offiials.

That is the second highest maximum grant amount in the programs more than half a century history. Only in 2007-08 was the maximum grant amount, at $4,700, higher.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday signed into law the legislation that distributes the $2.6 billion of the $3.9 billion in federal stimulus funds. It direct money to go to the state grant program that otherwise was going to be level-funded at nearly $326 million for the upcoming academic year.

Using the grant funding formula that PHEAAs board of directors approved on Thursday, that amount of money, which includes $310.7 millions from the state and $15 million from PHEAAs business earnings, would have kept the maximum state grant at $4,123 for the fourth consecutive year to help an estimated 126,455 students.

Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman Vince Hughes of Philadelphia said between the now larger grant amounts and the tuition freezes that a number of colleges and universities have adopted for 2020-21, it should relieve some financial pressure for college students and their families in paying college bills during this pandemic.

Students would normally be looking at summer jobs to assist them in their financial responsibilities. Well, that opportunity for the most part is completely unavailable this summer or it definitely is going to be harder to find, so heres a little assistance that can relieve some of the pain, Hughes said.

Further, he said he lets students know that their state policymakers are listening to their calls for help with their student debt.

Pennsylvania college graduates carry the nations second highest student debtload, second only to Connecticut, according to the Institute for College Access and Success, a student-focused public policy organization.

Hopefully, in addition to some financial help, it helps students understand if they speak honestly and truthfully about their situation and speak loudly about their situation, theres opportunity for help, that people will respond. Thats kind of like a life lesson that I want to make sure every student understands and is empowered by, Hughes said.

The grant distribution formula follows a tiered framework set in place in 2005 that more closely ties grant awards to college costs which include tuition, fees, a $1,000 book allowance and an additional $4,000 educational expense.

With the inclusion of the federal dollars, the minimum award for all tiers remains at $500 while the maximum amounts increase to $2,407 for students attending community colleges and technical schools; $3,851 for those attending one of the 14-state universities; $4,140 for those attending Penn State, Pitt, Temple or Lincoln universities; and $4,525 for those attending a higher cost private college or university.

Students will receive notices of their conditional grant awards in the coming weeks so they can prepare their financial plan for paying for the upcoming academic year, agency officials said.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
The woes of embattled pastor Daniel Obinim, founder and leader of International Gods Way Church (IGWC), do not appear to be over as the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) chases him to pay about GH1.6 million in taxes to the state.



As if that is not enough, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, who has launched a crusade to expose fake pastors and claims Obinim is one of them, has reported him to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for the anti-graft body to investigate him over alleged money laundering and other related crimes.



Already, Obinim is before the Kaneshie District Magistrate Court in Accra charged with publication of false news, as well as forgery of a document contrary to Sections 208 and 159 of the Criminal and other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), for which he was in police custody for about three nights.



Obinim, who claims to be an angel of God and has been frequenting heaven, was granted bail by the Kaneshie Magistrate Court in Accra last week in the sum of GH100,000 with three sureties, one to be justified but was not able to extricate the bail bond on time and had to remain in cells until last Friday when he finally walked home.



Civil Action



It was Obinim who caused his lawyers last year to sue the GRA and Fidelity Bank over what he called an unlawful placement of lien on his Fidelity Bank account.



The GRA garnished Obinims account due to his alleged non-payment of rent taxes on a block of 21 units of shop situated in Tema, which he uses as a guest house.



Obinim Reliefs



Obinim sought reliefs including a declaration that the plaintiff has paid all taxes due and demanded by defendant (GRA) from the plaintiff in respect to rents taxes payable on the 21 shops for the period of 2014 to 2018 and that he does not owe in taxes, the sum of GH769,095.87 purportedly representing rent taxes payable on the 21-block.



He also sought an order to set aside and/or strike out the Garnishment Notice issued at 10am, June 27, 2019 by the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority; first defendant herein, directed at the second defendant (Fidelity Bank) to pay to the first defendant the sum of GH769,095.87 as being unlawful, and asked for a further order for perpetual injunction to restrain the bank from placing a lien on his account and withdrawals to the GRA.



Love Letter



It all started when the GRA, on December 18, 2018, wrote to Obinim demanding payment of alleged tax liability in the sum of GH719,890.



The said amount of GH28,990, according to the GRA, represented rent taxes for the period of 2014 to 2018 on a block of 21 units of shop situated in Tema and owned by Bishop Daniel Obinim and the remaining GH690,900, the GRA said, represented total Value Added Tax (VAT) charged for the period January 1, 2016 to July 31, 2018 from the business operations of Abroso Guest House Limited, a separate Limited Liability corporate entity which was not under the management of Obinim.



Obinim, in his statement of claim, averred that prior to the issuance of the GRA demand letter, the GRA, with request from the EOCO, conducted audit and assessment on him in respect of the same rents taxes payable on the same block of 21 units of shops and the guest house to ascertain the accuracy and reliability of his tax returns.



He said in the statement of claim that the GRA concluded that his tax liability for the period of 2014 to 2018 in respect of rents from the block of 21 units of shops was the sum of GH39,555 and that the Abroso Guest House was a separate entity not under the direct control of Obinim.



Payments Made



He subsequently submitted that as far as he was concerned, payment of all outstanding rent taxes owed and due that had been made, and the GRA receipts numbering nine had been issued to them accordingly.



Fresh Court Ruling



On May 13, 2020, an Accra High Court presided by Justice Doreen G. Boakye-Agyei dismissed Obinims application that was challenging the GRAs decision to ask him to settle a tax liability of GH1,591,797.50.



According to the court, the GRA followed due process in determining and notifying Obinim about his tax liabilities and that Obinim had not followed laid-down procedure to make his objections to be given a hearing as required by law.



He cannot use his failure as a ground to seek judicial review. This instant case is not a proper and appropriate case for the court to exercise its powers of judicial review, Justice Boakye-Agyei stated.



Sources close to Obinim are saying that he intends to instruct his lawyers to challenge the decision because as far as he is concerned, he paid his taxes to the state.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun State on Friday said that one person died while eight others sustained injuries in a multiple accident on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Thursday.

The State Sector Commander of FRSC, Clement Oladele, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota that the accident occurred around 10.25 am.

Mr Oladele explained that a DAF tanker without registration number heading toward Ibadan from Lagos lost control at Ishara Bridge, near Ogere, and rammed into two Madza buses marked BGD 229 XW and RUW 504 XA.

The Sector Commander said that 14 people were involved in the accident, adding that a male adult died while others sustained injuries.

The corpse of the victim was deposited at Ipara Morgue,Ogun, while seven victims were taken to Victory Hospital,Ogere.

The eighth survivor was taken to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, for intensive treatment, he said.

He implored motorists to drive cautiously and adhere strictly to the prescribed maximum speed limit of 50 km per hour at construction zones to avoid loss of lives and property.

(NAN)
SC directs states to reach out to 10,000 kids orphaned due to Covid-19, pay compensation

India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent

COVID-19 fatalities may be much more than what is being reported

New AI-based test uses X-rays to detect Covid in a few minutes

India GDP growth dips to 3.1 pc in Jan-Mar; 4.2 pc in 2019-20

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, May 29: India's economic growth slipped to 3.1 per cent in the January-March quarter of 2019-20 showing impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

The gross domestic product (GDP) had expanded by 5.7 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2018-19, according to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Friday.

States deficit jumps to 4.5pc of GDP; revenue gap seen to soar 7-times to 2.8pc: Report

Bejan Daruwala: Famous astrologer who predicted PM Modi's win dies At 89 | Oneindia News

In 2019-20, the Indian economy grew by 4.2 per cent against 6.1 per cent expansion in 2018-19.

The government imposed lockdown on March 25 to combat COVID-19. However, slowing down of business activities across the world in January-March impacted the Indian economy.

The Reserve Bank had pegged the GDP growth for 2019-20 at 5 per cent as projected by the NSO in its first and second advance estimates released earlier this year in January and February respectively.

China's economy shrank by 6.8 per cent in January-March 2020 due to the impact of coronavirus infection.
A small anchor from the Hellenistic-Roman period has been pulled from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea near Sicily.

The lead weight is through to be around 2,300 years old and has a dolphin symbol inscribed on one of its arms.

Experts say the presence of the dolphin honours the goddess Aphrodite, whose lesser-known role in Greek mythology is that of 'protector of seafarers'.

A small anchor from the Mediterranean's Hellenistic-Roman period has been pulled from the bottom of the Sicilian Sea. The anchor (pictured) dwas transferred to Palermo for detailed analysis after being successfully brought to the surface

Experts say the presence of the dolphin (pictured) is likely to honour the goddess Aphrodite, who was the protector of seafarers in Greek mythology. Divers find 2,300-year-old Roman anchor off Sicily Coast

Marcello Basile, the manager of a recreational diving centre on the Italian island found the anchor which was on the seabed, around 60ft (19m) below the surface. He reported it to the authorities, who organised its retrieval

The anchor has been preliminarily dated and is thought to be from the 3rd or 4th century BC, during the Hellenistic period.

This was an interesting period of transition for the Mediterranean states, as nations grappled for power.

It spans from the death of the marauding Alexander the Great in 323 BC to the emergence of the Roman Empire around 31 BC.

Sicilian seas are littered with ancient relics and Marcello Basile, manager of a Sicilian diving centre, found the anchor on the seabed, 60ft (19m) below the surface.

He reported it to the authorities, who organised its retrieval with environmental and cultural organisation Soprintendenza del Mare.

The anchor has been preliminary dated and is thought to be from the 3rd or 4th century BC during the Hellenistic period. The Hellenistic period was an interesting period of transition for the Mediterranean states as nations grappled for power

Often, the anchors with apotropaic symbols were the smallest and last on board ships, only used in a last ditch hope for salvation, courtesy of the divine

Sicilian President Nello Musumeci said: 'Once again in our deep sea, important discoveries from bygone eras have been made.

'Since ancient times, cities on the Mediterranean coast have been sharing their life, history and trade with Sicily.

'Our archaeological heritage is a very important thing.'

The anchor was transferred to Palermo for detailed analysis after being successfully brought to the surface.

Symbolism and religion was strong among sailors in ancient history, who often found themselves contending with the might of Mother Nature.

Archaeologists Roberto La Rocca and Francesca Oliveri told Agi Agenzia Italia that the dolphin was there to invoke the powers of Aphrodite to guide the sailors through tumultuous waters and avoid shipwreck.

Aphrodite is best known for being the goddess of sexual love and beauty but she is also linked to the seas and protecting those that traverse them.

Often, the anchors with apotropaic symbols were the smallest and last on board ships, only used in a last-ditch hope for salvation, courtesy of the divine.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmers plan to reopen public spaces and workplaces lacks clear targets and benchmarks included in plans released by neighboring states.

Michigan joined a seven-state coalition to coordinate the reopening of the Midwest regional economy last month, though each state is taking its own unique approach to lifting restrictions on businesses and social gatherings. Like other governors, Whitmer has regularly pledged to base her decisions on the best science and public health data, much of which has been made publicly available, but Michigan residents remain in the dark about what criteria must be met to move the state forward.

Weve had a uniquely tough experience with COVID-19, Whitmer said at a May 18 press conference. Its hit us really hard and thats why we need a Michigan-centric plan. We are, of course, taking in information from experts around the country. I am talking to my fellow governors across the country.

Read more Michigan coronavirus coverage here

Michigan has the most COVID-19 deaths out of the seven-state working group, but Illinois discovered more than twice as many cases. Michigan is among the top five states nationally in terms of deaths caused by the virus, with Illinois trailing close behind.

As of Thursday, 5,372 deaths have been recorded in Michigan, nearly one in 10 people who have been diagnosed with the respiratory virus. The state confirmed 56,014 COVID-19 cases and reported 33,168 people have recovered.

Under Michigans MI Safe Start Plan, eight regions of the state independently progress across six phases of recovery. Most of the state is in the third phase, flattening, while the Upper Penninsula and 17 counties in the northern part of the Lower Penninsula are in the fourth phase; improving.

Each phase represents greater progress toward containing the coronavirus and allows restrictions on businesses and social gatherings to be lifted. Moving forward to a new phase requires a region to experience a decline in COVID-19 cases and deaths, greater hospital capacity, and better access to testing and contact tracing.

Whitmers plan includes no specific details on how those goals are met, unlike plans released by other Midwest governors.

Illinois plan also calls for a gradual reopening of individual regions across multiple phases, but it provides more detail on how regions move forward.

To enter the next phase of recovery, an Illinois region must record a positive testing rate at or below 20%, experience two weeks of new cases increasing by under 10%, no increase in hospital admissions for 28 days and have surge capacity of 14% for ICU beds, medical beds and ventilators.

Pennsylvanias plan also commits to a regional, phased-in approach. The state set a target of recording fewer than 50 new confirmed cases per 100,000 residents over a two-week period. Pennsylvania has discovered slightly more cases than Michigan and has a similar number of COVID-19 deaths.

Even New York, the hardest-hit state in the U.S., outlines specific goals for new infections, hospital capacity, testing and contact tracing. New Yorks 156-page plan contains much more detail than Michigans 15-page explainer.

Michigans plan outlines progression in vague terms. Moving from the flattening" phase to improving occurs when cases and deaths decline more sharply, the percentage of positive tests is decreasing, healthcare system capacity continues to strengthen and robust testing, contact tracing and containment protocols are implemented.

Emily Martin, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, said its difficult to compare Michigans approach to states that werent hit nearly as hard by the coronavirus. Martin helped developed a new dashboard unveiled this week that provides county-by-county health data.

Martin said the state is closely tracking many of the same metrics used as targets by other states, even if its not reflected in the MI Safe Start plan.

A lot of those metrics are being watched, even though you dont see that in a plan as triggers like you would see on some of the different states," she said. Youll see more and more of those types of numbers become publicly displayed over time. I think its our goal that we bring more and more that kind of data to the public.

State data shows the number of new cases found each day is declining, a smaller percentage of tests are coming back positive and hospitals are in a better position to handle COVID-19 patients. Its not clear if thats enough to move Michigan into the next phase of recovery.

Browser does not support frames.

Michigan added 10,999 new confirmed cases from May 1 to May 28, a 59% drop compared to new cases confirmed in April. The 7-day average of new cases also declined in May.

Questions still remain about Michigans COVID-19 statistics after the Department of Health and Human Services is working to compile and verify data on nursing homes. Preliminary data released by DHHS this week showed 23% of all COVID-19 deaths in Michigan involve cases from nursing homes.

The rate of positive tests fell during the last several weeks, while Michigan nearly doubled the number of tests taken compared to April. Overall, 6% of COVID-19 tests taken in May came back positive. Twenty-three percent of tests were positive throughout April.

Michigan completed 313,524 diagnostic tests for the coronavirus from May 1 to May 26, according to the most recent state data available. An average of 12,059 tests were conducted each day in May.

State officials have set a goal of reaching 15,000 tests per day, but that is not detailed in the MI Safe Start plan.

Browser does not support frames.

Most hospitals have access to three weeks worth of personal protective equipment, according to state data. Only two health systems in Michigan -- Detroit Medical Center and U-Ms Michigan Medicine -- have less than 20% bed capacity available.

Michigans governor has declined to commit to specific targets when asked about her plans lack of detail during her regular COVID-19 press conferences.

Theres no textbook specific number that will tell you it is safe to re-engage a particular sector, Whitmer said on May 13. It depends on human nature, it depends on human activity, it depends on the appropriate protocols and the access to PPE for sectors of the economy. So there are a lot of variables in this equation.

Michigans reopening plan was created in consultation with public health experts at the University of Michigan and a 29-member economic recovery council comprised of hospital leaders, business executives and university presidents. Multiple attempts to interview members of the Michigan Economic Recovery Council were unsuccessful.

The phases outlined in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's "MI Safe Start Plan" to reopen the Michigan economy. (Courtesy Graphic | State of Michigan)

Several industries -- first construction, then manufacturing, retail, auto and healthcare -- returned to work with some limitations statewide. Restaurants, bars and offices were allowed to reopen in several Northern Michigan counties on May 22.

Whitmer authorized gatherings of under 10 people on May 21. This allowed people across the state to get together for Memorial Day but contradicts the MI Safe Start plan. Small groups were anticipated to get the green light when the state enters phase four.

Meanwhile, the governors broader stay-at-home order remains in effect until June 12.

Michael Van Beek, director of research at the conservative Mackinac Center for Public Policy, said Michigan residents dont have a clear roadmap for the future. He said the process of reopening society has been disjointed and confusing.

Were kind of in this holding pattern, he said. Without clarity on when thats going to end, I think people are making that decision themselves. It means that the actual policies that the governor is trying to put in place arent as effective because not as many people are going to be following them.

Many of Michigans neighbors are further along in reopening society, causing some residents to jump across the border to enjoy sit down dining in neighboring states. An Indiana businessman established billboards welcoming Michiganders to a free-to-roam state."

Indiana flagged specific dates for when counties can reopen certain businesses and relax restrictions on gatherings and other public interaction. The state is progressing across a series of phases and plans to reopen the entire state by July 4.

Whitmer said artificial timelines wont guide the states recovery.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWines statewide stay-at-home order expires May 29, though several industries were authorized to open throughout May. The Responsible Restart plan isnt a phased reopening based on health trends; instead, it includes operating requirements for specific sectors of the economy.

If it seems like Michigans reopening strategy has been stop-and-go, thats by design. Martin said it takes two weeks to see the impact of lifting restrictions, due to the virus long incubation period.

That (two-week) pattern is a uniquely coronavirus thing thats frustrating to epidemiologists, and even to the general public, because for most respiratory viruses the time between infection and disease is much shorter, Martin said. So were both in a strange environment of this chaotic fast-moving crisis but also the need to be patient.

Van Beek doesnt doubt that the state is using a data-driven approach to reopening Michigan, but residents arent being given that information.

Michigans new data dashboard shows much of the state experienced a faster drop in new cases during the last weeks of May. It also designates some parts of the state as having a lower risk of community spread than the state has formally recognized.

Im going to take the governor at her word, Van Beek said. For me, its a lack of transparency because Gov. Whitmer said from day one that shes been using the data and science. To me, that means she has data and science shes using and just choosing not to disclose exactly what that is publicly.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

More on MLive:

Alcohol home delivery possible in proposed legislation to help Michigan bars and restaurants hurt by coronavirus

Michigan doctors and dentists sidelined by coronavirus crisis are back in business, with a new normal

Whitmer administration calls for federal funding to help fill Michigans multibillion-dollar budget hole

Limited stores open at Twelve Oaks Mall with queues amid coronavirus pandemic
Infiniti Research is the world's leading independent provider of strategic market intelligence solutions. Our market intelligence services are designed to connect your organization's goals with global opportunities. Today's competitive business environment demands in-depth, accurate, and reliable business information to ensure that companies gain a strong foothold in domestic or foreign markets. Our global industry specialist teams ensure the international consistency of our research, enabling powerful access to the real story behind market changes. Is the COVID-19 outbreak plaguing your business outcomes? Request a complimentary proposal and we will get back with tailored insights to help you rebound from the impact.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005404/en/

Infiniti's COVID-19 support solutions. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Owing to the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic, every sector has been severely impacted and the retail industry is hardly an exception. The COVID-19 crisis has led to dramatic shifts in customer buying behaviors and spending patterns. Besides, the uncertain nature of the pandemic has compelled customers to tighten their wallets and eliminate discretionary spending. These shifts have left many retailers scrambling to effectively serve customers through other channels. To navigate through these challenging times and drive future growth, retail brands will need to adopt new ways to maintain and build relationships with customers.

Retail brands must focus on creating exceptional customer experiences to set themselves apart from their competitors and build agile capabilities for fluid times. Our retail customer intelligence solution can help you achieve these strategic objectives. Get in touch with an industry expert to learn how our solutions can be tailored to combat your unique business challenges.

Retail industry experts at Infiniti Research are helping several distressed businesses bounce back from the crisis. Based on our expertise, our team of industry analysts have outlined how retailers can gear up to meet customer expectations post the COVID-19 period.

Extend digital channel presence and engagement

Bring an in-store feel to the digital experience

Embrace an agile operating model

Want comprehensive insights? Read the complete article

Request for more information to learn more about our COVID-19 business continuity support solutions.

About Infiniti Research

Established in 2003, Infiniti Research is a leading market intelligence company providing smart solutions to address your business challenges. Infiniti Research studies markets in more than 100 countries to help analyze competitive activity, see beyond market disruptions, and develop intelligent business strategies. To know more, visit: https://www.infinitiresearch.com/about-us

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200529005404/en/

Contacts:

Infiniti Research

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

US: +1 844 778 0600

UK: +44 203 893 3400
DRUMMOND ISLAND, MICH. -- By their very nature, islands are worlds unto themselves. Michigans Drummond Island is no exception.

Situated at the northern tip of Lake Huron, the second-largest freshwater island in the United States is an outdoors paradise with treasures seldom all found in any one spot elsewhere. Rare ecosystems, prehistoric seabeds, ancient shipwrecks, and a trail system unlike any other in the state are a few of the draws that beckon people to this unspoiled gem of the Huron."

"Drummond Island is one of the last places in Michigan that is untouched, says Kristy Beyer, marketing director at Drummond Island Tourism Association. It is a pristine environment. Its hard to find that anymore, and its something that we work hard to protect.

The island itself is simple enough to reach, as the car ferry runs year-round. Once youre on the island, though, the exploration can be as easy or as challenging as you like, ranging from simple day hikes to multi-day overnight paddling or ORV adventures.

If you want to get away from everything but still have amenities available, Drummond Island is the place, Beyer says.

Read on for some of the highlights to be found on Drummond Island.

Drummond Island has more than 150 miles of coast and inland shoreline to explore.

Kayaking

With sheltered bays, satellite islands and 150 miles of coast, Drummond Island is a paradise for paddlers. Beginners can enjoy paddling the islands protected inlets, but the area is especially suited for seasoned kayakers, who can thrill at the challenge of traversing long shoreline stretches and open-water segments.

For a true adventure, embark on the Drummond Island Water Trail, which circumnavigates the islands perimeter -- a four- to five-day journey with rustic camping along the way. (Maps and tips available at the visitor center.) Or follow the Island Explorer Water Trail, which takes in four major islands en route to Lime Island in the St. Marys River.

More info on kayaking here

Drummond Island is a nature lover's paradise, with rare flora and fauna and unique ecosystems.

Parks, preserves and natural areas

Home to 13 distinct ecosystems, Drummond Island offers some unique outdoor spaces to explore. Hike the three-mile, beginner-friendly Heritage Trail in the warmer months (or snowshoe it come winter) to get a sense of the varied natural communities here, as it winds through forest and along the rocky shoreline of Potagannissing Bay. The 1.3-mile trail through the pretty, 80-acre Clyde and Martha Williams Preserve is a sweet way to get acquainted with the local flora and fauna.

For a rare treat, check out the islands alvars: A sparsely vegetated grassland ecosystem defined by very shallow soil atop broad sheets of pavement-like bedrock. Alvars are not very common, and those found on Drummond Island are considered to be among the largest high-quality such ecosystems in North America. To see this globally significant landscape and experience the state-rare wildflowers and other wildlife there, check out The Nature Conservancys 1,210-acre Maxton Plains Preserve. (The location is also excellent for night-sky viewing.)

More information on trails, parks and preserves here

The island provides habitat for many birds, including migratory warblers and other species of special interest.

Birdwatching

Drummond Island is uniquely positioned within whats known as the Mississippi flyway: North Americas most heavily used migration corridor for birds, including warblers, waterfowl, raptors and other species. Thats made this place a hotspot for birders, who come year-round (but especially during spring migration) to see loons, osprey, sandhill cranes, and many other winged delights.

While you can certainly take your binoculars on any hike here, the island offers eight designated bird-watching areas along the North Huron Birding Trail. More info here

More than a dozen shipwrecks can be found in the DeTour Passage Underwater Preserve.

Shipwrecks

Along the western edge of the island sits the DeTour Passage, a tight squeeze of a channel between the island and the mainland that was at times treacherous for early sailors. The shipwrecks found along the shallow waters here are part of the DeTour Passage Underwater Preserve, offering experienced divers a host of submerged treasures to explore.

Not a diver? Some of the wrecks are in less than 10 to 15 feet of crystal-clear water, making them easy to spot while paddling in a kayak over top of them. Two popular ones are in Scammon Cove, about a three-mile paddle one way from the drop-in spot at Big Shoal Bay beach.

More on the DeTour Passage Underwater Preserve here

Drummond Island's ORV and ATV trails are among the most scenic and rugged in the entire state.

Off-roading

Drummond Island is an off-road wonderland, with the largest DNR-sponsored closed-loop ORV system in the state. Sixty rugged, scenic miles of ATV trails and 40 miles of ORV routes offer off-road enthusiasts plenty of space to stretch out, while events like the annual Jeep the Mac (a Jeep parade across the Mackinac Bridge, culminating with a gathering on Drummond Island) give them a chance to connect and revel together.

In addition to the DNR trails, the 300-acre Turtle Ridge Off-Road Park, part of the Drummond Island Resort and Conference Center, also offers trails and terrain for all skill levels. More trail suggestions, destinations, event info and more can be found at the islands visitors center.

More on Drummond Island off-roading here

Drummond Island is known for its fantastic year-round fishing opportunities.

Fishing

Great fishing is a year-round affair on Drummond Island, from winters shanty season to the spring smelt run to all the warm-weather favorites: Northern pike, walleye, bass, trout, cisco, herring, whitefish and salmon. Potagannissing Bay and Whitney Bay are popular areas to fish, and if youd like a guide, there are four charter fishing services available on the island: Always an Adventure Fishing Charters, Customeyes Charters, Stormy Chinook Sport Fishing, and Sturgeon Bay Charters.

The "fossil ledges" of Drummond Island.

Rocks and fossils

If Drummond Island had its own gemstone, it would be Jasper Conglomerate, colloquially named puddingstone by the areas early British settlers who found the rock to resemble berry-studded boiled suet pudding. This curious stone -- formed an estimated billion years ago -- is mostly located in Ontario, but also in a small portion of the Upper Peninsula, where it can be found along Drummonds shoreline and even in the islands forests.

For another ancient curiosity, make the off-road trek to the north shore of Drummond to find whats known as the fossil ledges, a series of step-like shoreline formations that are actually the fossilized remains of a prehistoric salt-water coral bed. This spot is not easy to access unless you have a boat or a high-clearance vehicle, but if youre willing to undertake the trip, youll be treated to seeing a place unlike any other in Michigan. (Taking any of the rocks here is not allowed though; this spot is strictly take only pictures, leave only footprints, and remember to leave no trace.)

The island's location puts you front and center for great views of passing freighters.

Freighter watching

Drummond Island sits smack in the path that freighters take to or from the locks at Sault Ste. Marie. As such, the island has many great spots to enjoy watching these behemoths as they make their way through our Great Lakes. According to Beyer, the best place to watch freighters is at the islands ferry dock and while crossing on the ferry. Parking is also available so you can watch from your car while enjoying a picnic lunch or a sunset takeout dinner.

An insider tip from Beyer: If freighter watching is high on your Drummond to-do list, two local businesses offer vacation rentals with freighter views so you can watch them from the comfort of your own private deck. Its cool to watch them ply the waters and hear the hum of their engines during the evening when they are all lit up, Beyer says. For rental options with freighter views, check out Northern Properties or Drummond Island Hotel and Vacation Homes.

Drummond Island's Glen Cove Beach.

For more on Drummond Island travel, visit the Drummond Island Tourism Association online, on Facebook, and on Instagram.

RELATED:

Port Austin is quiet beauty in Michigans Thumb

Alpena is Michigans Sunrise Coast gem
HALIFAX - A newly released document reveals that in May 2011, police were told the Nova Scotia man who would later kill 22 people in a shooting rampage wanted to "kill a cop" and was feeling mentally unstable.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/5/2020 (601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A worker with the medical examiner's office removes the body of Gabriel Wortman from a gas bar in Enfield, N.S. on Sunday, April 19, 2020. A newly released document confirms that in May 2011 police were told that Wortman  the Nova Scotia man who would later slaughter 22 people in a shooting rampage  wanted to "kill a cop" and was feeling mentally unstable. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

HALIFAX - A newly released document reveals that in May 2011, police were told the Nova Scotia man who would later kill 22 people in a shooting rampage wanted to "kill a cop" and was feeling mentally unstable.

The officer safety bulletin, submitted by the Truro Police Service, does not include names in the version released to media, but police Chief David MacNeil confirmed Friday the subject in question was Gabriel Wortman.

The brief report says a Truro police officer had received information from a source indicating Wortman was upset about a police investigation into a break-and-enter and had "stated he wants to kill a cop."

"He believes the police did not do their job in relation to this investigation," the bulletin says.

The officer goes on to say he was told Wortman owned a handgun and was having some "mental issues" that left him feeling stressed and "a little squirrelly."

The document, first obtained by the CBC, says Wortman was also investigated for uttering death threats aimed at his parents less than a year earlier, in June 2010. That probe led police to conclude he may be in possession of several rifles, though it's not clear which force conducted the investigation.

The one-page bulletin represents another detailed warning that police received about the killer before the tragic events of April 18-19 in central and northern Nova Scotia.

Earlier this month, a former neighbour of Wortman's said she reported his domestic violence and cache of firearms to the RCMP years ago.

Brenda Forbes said that in the summer of 2013, she told police about reports that Gabriel Wortman had held down and beaten his common law spouse behind one of the properties he owned.

The RCMP have said they are looking for the police record of the incident.

MacNeil said the patrol officer who prepared the 2011 bulletin  Cpl. Greg Densmore  submitted it to the Criminal Intelligence Service of Nova Scotia for analysis and distribution to other police forces.

"Our officer did exactly what was expected of him," MacNeil said in a statement Friday. "He took the information seriously, documented it and submitted this information."

MacNeil said it was safe to assume the Amherst Police Department also received the bulletin because it was one of their officers who retrieved it from files on April 18, 2020  the day Wortman's rampage started  and sent it to those investigating the unfolding tragedy.

"Since neither of the addresses mentioned in this information were in the jurisdiction of the Truro Police Service, we were not obligated to follow up on this information, as this would fall to the police agencies of jurisdiction," MacNeil said.

"We can't comment on what those agencies may have done or didn't do with this information."

At the time, Wortman had a primary residence above his denture clinic in downtown Dartmouth, N.S., which is an area covered by Halifax Regional Police. As well, he owned properties in Portapique, which is about 40 kilometres west of Truro and part of the RCMP's jurisdiction.

MacNeil said this kind of bulletin would normally be sent to all municipal police agencies and the RCMP, which has been leading the investigation into last month's shootings.

Const. Dylan Jackman, a spokesman for Halifax Regional Police, said the police force received the original bulletin and assigned an officer to investigate.

Jackman said the investigator contacted the Truro Police Service and members of Wortman's family, but the matter was handed over to the RCMP because the information regarding firearms involved the residence in Portapique.

An RCMP spokeswoman confirmed the police force received the bulletin in May 2011, but RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Clarke said she couldn't comment on how the Mounties responded because the follow-up records had been purged long ago, which is in line with existing data retention policies.

"Preliminary indications are that we were aware and, at minimum, provided assistance to (Halifax police), which aligns with the RCMP's approach for such enquiries," Clarke said in an email.

Asked if the bulletin would have been useful for the officers investigating the recent slayings, Clarke said: "I can't speculate on how this information might have affected the outcome of the April 18/19 incidents."

The Mounties have confirmed the gunman  disguised as a Mountie and driving a replica RCMP vehicle  was armed with two semi-automatic handguns and two semi-automatic rifles when he killed 13 people in Portapique on April 18 and another nine people the following day in several other communities.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

His victims included an RCMP officer, two nurses, two correctional officers, a family of three, a teacher and some of his neighbours in Portapique.

After Wortman spent the better part of 13 hours killing people he knew and others he didn't, a Mountie fatally shot the 51-year-old at a gas station in Enfield, N.S., about 90 kilometres south of Portapique, on the morning of April 19.

There have been numerous calls for a public inquiry to investigate how police handled one of the worst mass shootings in Canadian history, including pleas from relatives of victims, politicians and academics.

Even though the province has the jurisdiction to hold an inquiry, Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil has said Ottawa should take the lead, given the scope of the tragedy and the many federal issues involved.

However, the federal government only said it will do everything it can to ensure lessons are learned from the killings.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2020.
Maurizio Pellecchia (left) and Carlo Baggio. Credit: Carrie Rosema.

How might the novel coronavirus be prevented from entering a host cell in an effort to thwart infection? A team of biomedical scientists has made a discovery that points to a solution.

The scientists, led by Maurizio Pellecchia in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside, report in the journal Molecules that two proteasesenzymes that break down proteinslocated on the surface of host cells and responsible for processing viral entry could be inhibited. Such protease inhibition would prevent SARS-CoV2, the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, from invading the host cell.

The research is featured as the cover story of the journal (Volume 25, Issue 10).

Spike glycoprotein

The outer surface of coronaviruses contains a critical protein called spike glycoprotein, or S-glycoprotein. Responsible for giving the coronavirus its typical crown shape, the S-glycoprotein is essential for the entry of viral particles into host cells. Host cell proteases, however, must first process or cut this viral surface protein to allow the virus to enter the cells.

Pellecchia's lab and others have recognized that in addition to a previously identified protease called TMPRSS2, the new SARS-CoV2 coronavirus could also be processed by an additional human protease, called furin, for viral entry.

"The use of the host protease furin for processing is a common mechanism of cell entry by both viral fusion proteins and certain bacterial toxins," said Pellecchia, a professor of biomedical sciences, who led the research team. "SARS-CoV2 uses this mechanism also. The nature of the 'proteolytic cleavage' in its S-glycoprotein can determine whether this virus can be transmitted across species, for example from bats or camels to humans."

A fusion protein combines the attributes of more than one protein. Proteolytic cleavage refers to the process of breaking the peptide bonds between amino acids in a protein, which results in cutting the protein.

The coronavirus S-glycoprotein contains three cleavage sites that human host proteases process. The exact nature and sequence of these cleavage sites, and their respective processing proteases, can determine the level of pathogenicity and whether the virus can cross species.

Cover of the journal Molecules (Volume 25, Issue 10). Credit: Molecules, MDPI.

Spotlight on inhibitors

Pellecchia explained that the anthrax toxin, similar to SARS-CoV2, requires processing by human furin to infect macrophages, a type of white blood cell. Using anthrax toxin as model system, his team found an inhibitor of both TMPRSS2 and furin in cellular and animal models can efficiently suppress cell entry by the toxin.

A clinical trial with COVID-19 patients recently began using the TMPRSS2 inhibitor camostat.

"We found, however, that camostat is a poor furin inhibitor," Pellecchia said. "Our current study, therefore, calls for the development of additional protease inhibitors or inhibitor-cocktails that can simultaneously target both TMPRSS2 and furin and suppress SARS-CoV2 from entering the host cell."

Pellecchia added that until now the presence of a furin cleavage site in SARS-CoV2 had been linked to increased pathogenicity. But genetic elimination of furin in cellular laboratory studies failed to stop viral entry, suggesting TMPRSS2 remains the most relevant protease.

Using peptide sequences from SARS-CoV2 S-glycoprotein, however, his team has now demonstrated the new mutations in this coronavirus strain resulted in efficient and increased processing of viral entry by furin and TMPRSS2.

"In other words, SARS-CoV2, unlike other less pathogenic strains, can more efficiently use both proteases, TMPRSS2 and furin, to start the invasion of host cells," Pellecchia said. "While TMPRSS2 is more abundant in the lungs, furin is expressed in other organs, perhaps explaining why SARS-CoV2 is capable of invading and damaging multiple organs."

Pellecchia's lab has already identified potent and effective preclinical inhibitors of furin and demonstrated these inhibitors could be developed as potential COVID-19 therapeutics, perhaps in combination with drugs such as camostat, the TMPRSS2 inhibitor.

Funding sought

"We are seeking additional funding to pursue the design and development of dual inhibitors that can simultaneously target both TMPRSS2 and furin," Pellecchia said. "The funding would allow us to explore new possible effective therapeutics against COVID-19 and support studies that could have far reaching applications to ward off possible future pandemics resulting from similar activating mutations in other viral strains."

Pellecchia, who holds the Daniel Hays Chair in Cancer Research at the UCR School of Medicine, was joined in the research by Elisa Barile, Carlo Baggio, and Luca Gambini of UCR; and Sergey A. Shiryaev and Alex Y. Strongin of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla.

Explore further Infection researchers identify starting points for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and therapy development

More information: Elisa Barile et al, Potential Therapeutic Targeting of Coronavirus Spike Glycoprotein Priming, Molecules (2020). Elisa Barile et al, Potential Therapeutic Targeting of Coronavirus Spike Glycoprotein Priming,(2020). DOI: 10.3390/molecules25102424
More than 100 scientists and clinicians have questioned the authenticity of a massive hospital database that was the basis for an influential study published last week that concluded that treating people who have Covid-19 with chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine did not help and might have increased the risk of abnormal heart rhythms and death.

In an open letter to The Lancets editor, Richard Horton, and the papers authors, the scientists asked the journal to provide details about the provenance of the data and called for the study to be independently validated by the World Health Organization or another institution.

A spokeswoman for Dr. Mandeep R. Mehra, the Harvard professor who was the papers lead author, said on Friday that the studys authors had asked for an independent academic review and audit of their work.

Use of the malaria drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to prevent and treat Covid-19 has been a focus of intense public attention. President Trump has promoted the promise of hydroxychloroquine, despite the absence of gold-standard evidence from randomized clinical trials to prove its effectiveness, and recently said he was taking it himself in hopes of preventing coronavirus infection.
Advertisement

A 91-year-old, former maximum security prison outside Washington, DC, is being turned into a suburban village called 'Liberty.'

Lorton Reformatory, in Lorton, Virginia, originally got it start as a workhouse and later hosted suffragists who were tortured and abused during the 'Night of Terror.'

The facility went on to become one of the most violent and overcrowded prisons in the US.

But, when Lorton was permanently closed in 2001, the outdated facility was sold to Fairfax County, which is now giving it a makeover as a sleek, suburban development, including 157 urban townhouses, 24 single-family detached homes, apartments, recreational facilities and commercial spaces.

Former maximum security prison Lorton Reformatory was shuttered in 2001 and has since been turned into a suburban village with single-family houses, apartments and recreation spaces

The revamped grounds of the Liberty Crest Apartments, built on the site of Lorton's medium-security prison dormitories

Stark prison building exteriors were kept while renovating them into apartments which rent for upward of $1,700 per month

The majority of the homes in the first phase of development have already sold, leading to 2019 community events including goat yoga, bunny meditation, fun runs and children-themed movie nights.

The maximum-security wing - nicknamed 'House of Pain' - is being turned into a shopping center and the cafeteria has been converted into a gym.

The prison's 'Central' medium-security area - now known as Liberty Crest - have been transformed into apartments, with one-bedroom rentals starting at $1,700 a month. They are almost all leased now, according to the Washingtonian.

Rather than erase all traces of the prison, Elm Street Development embraced them, naming Liberty village's streets things like Reformatory Way and Sallyport Street, the latter of which plays off the name of prisons' heavily-controlled entryway.

The village's logo, meanwhile, is an artistic rendering of a close up of a guard tower. The guard towers themselves have been left standing two miles away from the main compound, too.

The apartment complex features a luscious grass yard in the middle of the former prison facility. Walkways lead to the homes

The entrance to Liberty. Streets have been given prison-themed names, including Sallyport Street and Reformatory Way

The prison's guard towers were incorporated into the village's design. Town houses and single-family homes were also built

This former prison building holds two separate apartments. The prison's cafeteria was renovated into a gym

Gritty details that hark back to the site's prison days were kept, including original prison signs like this one

A walkway that connects the prison buildings-turned-apartments. The walkways were used by prisoners and guards

Liberty village residents are seen exercising on what had once been prison grounds. Goat yoga and bunny meditation are among the village's group activities

One of Lorton's prison guard towers can be seen through a window in a corner bedroom at a Liberty model home

The guard tower can also be seen through living room window, adding an interesting view to the chic space

The luxury condo-like finishings in the development are a far cry from what prisoners saw daily while incarcerated

Grittier aspects were also kept, like the nicks in the Workhouse Arts Center's cement floor, supposedly the result of prisoners sharpening shivs and bold signs posted above open-air walkways warning of disciplinary action against unauthorized visitors to dormitories and against unauthorized, general walkway use.

Liberty village also features the Lucy Burns Museum - located in former solitary confinement cells - which details the prison's history, as well as its part in the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century.

Burns, a leader of the National Women's Party, who led protests outside the White House, was jailed there at one point, along with other suffragists. On November 14, 1917 - the 'Night of Terror' - the suffragists, held at Lorton's Occoquan Workhouse, were tortured, beaten and abused.

Other Lorton historical tidbits covered by the museum include the prison having been used to house emergency communications equipment in case of war with the former Soviet Union , as well as having played host to a Nike missile.

On a recent visit to the new Liberty development, filmmaker Karim Mowatt, who had been incarcerated on drug charges at Lorton in the 1990s, told the Washingtonian that the way the prison had been repurposed is 'creative' and 'artistic.'

'Because its easy to just knock it down and bulldoze it. But to actually leave it up like this, its a good history lesson,' said Mowatt, who is working on a documentary about the prison.

A map of Liberty village, showing how the prisons have been repurposed. The logo is a stylized prison guard tower

Lorton Reformatory's guard tower surrounded by barbed wire fencing before it was shuttered in 2001

A view of Lorton's maximum security cell building as it once stood. It is being renovated into a shopping center

Mowatt said that he considered moving to the village as a form of 'poetic justice' and to 'come full circle,' but ultimately decided not to after being shown the inside of one of the apartments.

'It looks like a prison,' Mowatt said. 'It looks dull.'

Outside, however, Mowatt noted that there have been some changes for the better.

'The walkways are still the exact same, but theyre not the same,' he said of the walkways connecting the former prison buildings, adding that when he was locked up, the same walkways 'used to be dirty with dried-up blood drops and a lot of cats.'

Mowatt said the walkways were a spot where inmates were known to stab each other as punishment for things like stealing someone's food or kicking one of the prison cats.

'Now you just see its quiet and peaceful, and youre like, Look at this,' he said.

Elm Street Development's Jack Perkins told the Washingtonian that the village's Liberty name was picked because it's 'Something the former residents of the reformatory aspired to' and noted that 'We didnt want to totally strip the property of the little touches that let you know this was a place where people were incarcerated for 75 years.'

Perkins also said that the type of people who would want to live in the former prison 'kind of self-select.'

The Lorton Reformatory grounds were put on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, which provided tax credits for redeveloping the land.

Lorton being situated on the I-95 made it a convenient place for people to live when commuting to jobs in Washington, DC, or Northern Virginia's booming tech space.
3 1 of 3 Jacy Lewis/191 News Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Jacy Lewis/191 News Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Crisis Center of West Texas is taking its fourth annual Wonder Girls summer camp online for Permian Basin girls who will be entering fifth through eighth grade.

CCWTX will release a set of activities every Wednesday in July. Participants can complete the activities on their own schedule. The center has limited supplies and T-shirts to distribute to Permian Basin girls, according to a press release from the center. Supplies may be picked up on June 29 (time has not been set).
Changes in gut mucus could be contributing to bacterial imbalance and exacerbating core symptoms of brain disorders like autism, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and Multiple Sclerosis

Mucus is the first line of defence against bad bacteria in our gut. But could it also be part of our defence against diseases of the brain?

Bacterial imbalance in the gut is linked with Alzheimer's disease, autism and other brain disorders, yet the exact causes are unclear.

Now a new research review of 113 neurological, gut and microbiology studies led by RMIT University suggests a common thread - changes in gut mucus.

Senior author Associate Professor Elisa Hill-Yardin said these changes could be contributing to bacterial imbalance and exacerbating the core symptoms of neurological diseases.

"Mucus is a critical protective layer that helps balance good and bad bacteria in your gut but you need just the right amount - not too little and not too much," Hill-Yardin said.

"Researchers have previously shown that changes to intestinal mucus affect the balance of bacteria in the gut but until now, no-one has made the connection between gut mucus and the brain.

"Our review reveals that people with autism, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and Multiple Sclerosis have different types of bacteria in their gut mucus compared with healthy people, and different amounts of good and bad bacteria.

"It's a new gut-brain connection that opens up fresh avenues for scientists to explore, as we search for ways to better treat disorders of the brain by targeting our 'second brain' - the gut."

Gut mucus is different depending on where it's found in the gastrointestinal tract - in the small intestine it's more porous so nutrients from food can be easily absorbed, while in the colon, the mucus is thick and should be impenetrable to bacteria.

The mucus is full of peptides that kill bacteria, especially in the small intestine, but it can also act as an energy source, feeding some of the bacteria that live inside it.

Gut neurons and brain disorders

Scientists are learning that brain disorders can affect neurons in the gut. For example, RMIT researchers have shown that neurons in both the brain and the gut nervous systems are affected in autism.

The new review suggests that reduced gut mucus protection may make patients with neurological diseases more susceptible to gastrointestinal problems.

Hill-Yardin said severe gut dysfunction could exacerbate the symptoms of brain disorders, significantly affecting quality of life for patients and their families.

"If we can understand the role that gut mucus plays in brain disease, we can try to develop treatments that harness this precise part of the gut-brain axis," she said.

"Our work shows that microbial engineering, and tweaking the gut mucus to boost good bacteria, have potential as therapeutic options for neurological disorders."

###

Hill Yardin, an ARC Future Fellow and Vice-Chancellor's Senior Research Fellow at RMIT, led the review with collaborators from University of Melbourne and La Trobe University.

'The role of the gastrointestinal mucus system in intestinal homeostasis: implications for neurological disorders' is published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00248).
The world's largest primary producer of platinum, Sibanye-Stillwater, said today that it ran a test for 120 employees and 51 tested positive for COVID-19.

The tests were kicked off late last week at the company's Rustenburg operations in South Africa after two staff members were found to be positive.

"All of the contacts traced were asymptomatic at the time the tests were performed. All positive cases have been counseled and moved from quarantine to isolation in line with national health protocols, with on-site facilities available for those who may need them," wrote the company.

Contact-tracing has been conducted for the affected employees to determine who else may have been in contact with the positive cases.

"To date, the Group's protocols at its SA operation have resulted in the identification of a total of 65 positive COVID-19 cases (including the latest cases at Thembelani). Apart from the infections at Thembelani, these cases have been isolated incidents that are widely spread across the operations, both in the underground environment and on the surface, with employees residing in various regional communities. We are working closely with the public health authorities to assess the extent to which the high incidence of asymptomatic cases could be related to community transmission."
There has been no recent contact between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, people familiar with the developments said.

The last time the two leaders spoke was on April 4, when the subject of the conversation was hydroxychloroquine, an official said, hours after US President Donald Trump appeared to suggest that he had spoken with PM Modi in recent days.

They reiterated that India is directly in contact with China to address the border stand-off.

Also Watch | Chinas muscle flexing explained and how India can tame the dragon l In Focus

Both India and China are involved in a stand-off in the Ladakh region along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). China was first to adopt an aggressive posturing by sending 6,000 soldiers of its Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to the region. The troops have been moved to four locations in eastern Ladakh - three in the Galwan Valley and one near Pangong Lake. Sources said that China wants to stop the infrastructure works being done by India in the remote region.

At the heart of the tension is a bridge being built by India near Daulat Beg Oldie, the last military outpost south of the Karakram Pass. Once built, it will cut short the delivery time of supplies and weapons thereby helping Indian Army soldiers.

India too has moved its soldiers in the region, matching China in terms of troops, capacity and resources. Many security experts and top government sources said that India should not back down from the stand it has taken, and should not bring back its troops.

The decision to mobilise the troops was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and foreign minister S Jaishankar was part of that meeting.

This is the same team that drafted Indias response during the 73-day Doklam stand-off in 2017.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

For several companies, the work-from-home concept has proved to be an effective strategy.

Top companies like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Axis Bank have made plans to implement the policy across functions.

So, is this going to be a model adopted by the majority of corporates going forward as they reassess their requirements for commercial real estate? Also, what will be the impact on the commercial realty market?

Commercial space take-up may get reduced by 20-25 percent

While some experts are of the opinion that work from home cannot fulfil the requirements for every type of company, it is not a one-size-fits-all workplace alternative and that corporates would actually require more space to adhere to the social distancing norms, others say that commercial footprint of many companies may get reduced by as much as 20-25 percent in the long run due to the emphasis on work from home.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Coronavirus India News LIVE Updates

"Industry specific space take up of commercial spaces may shrink by20 to 25 percent going forward as more companies would focus on work from home. Some, especially small companies, may want to save on expensive rentals," said Pankaj Kapoor, Managing Director, Liases Foras.

WFH to co-exist with work-from-office and work-from-near-office

A few experts feel that WFH will co-exist with conventional work-from-office and work-from-near-home

Going forward, some firms may want at least 5 to 10 percent of their staff to continuously work from home even after the lockdown. In the short term, the real estate footprint may not reduce considering the long term contracts some companies would have to adhere to. The impact of work from home concept on the actual office space absorption ecosystem would be seen after 12-18 months, said Amit Ramani, Founder & CEO - Awfis Space Solutions Private Limited.

A few companies, especially mid-sized and large firms, may even consider the subscription-based option of work from home wherein their long-term real estate needs would be optimised. It is to cater to this demand that Awfis recently launched a new product Awfis@Home.

The product offers a solution that can assess organisational readiness and provide adequate infrastructure for employees to work from home. Available at Rs 2,500 per month, this tool could help companies save on real estate cost and even per seat expenditure on employees which is around Rs 50,000 per seat per month," he said. Meeting room credits are also being offered at Awfis' 70 centres where employees can hold client meetings by visiting the nearest centre.

"Corporates may have discovered the viability of employees working from home (WFH) during the coronavirus pandemic as an alternative to occupying costly office spaces but it is not a one-size-fits-all workplace alternative. A large chunk of work needs constant monitoring and professional infrastructure which only an office setting can provide," property consultant ANAROCK said in a report.

Going forward, tenants are sure to recalibrate their space requirements, while some may decide to have a larger workforce working from home, others may decide to go in for a smaller space to be maintained as a corporate office. The focus would surely be on the average monthly per-desk rentals of an office space.

According to Arvind Nandan, Managing Director Research & Consulting at Savills India, shrinking of office space is unlikely at this stage. In the COVID-19 situation, the old concept of offices with cabins may be relooked at and the 100-125 per sq ft may become the norm again as companies would require more space to maintain social distancing norms.

Connectivity and distraction biggest challenge of WFH

At a recent interaction, Embassy Office Park CEO Michael Holland said that the general view about work from home concept is that it is competent but not comfortable.

"It is not just the issue of digital infrastructure at home. For some occupiers, productivity of their staff has gone down because of weak broadband connection. Their staff instead of eight hours are taking 12 hours to complete their tasks as a result of which they are paying 3X overtime bill. Yet another message that came through was the young demographic was single and lived in PG or shared accommodation. The conclusion is that there will be more flexible work styles but the office is definitely at the heart of business for companies for cultural and operational reasons.

"We are not worried about the WFH phenomenon, we think it is part of the normal evolution of this market as it becomes more sophisticated. We believe what will happen is that companies would want to be in high quality, less dense offices, in better environments that offer a total business ecosystem," he said.

The corporate real estate sector is more likely to retain or increase office space portfolio over the next six months. Connectivity and distraction from family are the biggest challenges for sustained work-from-home (WFH) during the lockdown, a Knight Frank Survey has said.

Of those corporates surveyed, 62 percent said they would either retain (38 percent) or increase (24 percent) their current office space portfolio over the next 12 months. Only 15 percent respondents said they are likely to reduce their current office space portfolio.

An overwhelming 72 percent said that they are likely to continue with WFH arrangements over the next six months due to the social distancing norms and to maintain the business continuity process, the survey said.

Almost 48 percent respondents said that more than 30 percent of their workforce is expected to continue working from home in the next six months owing to social distancing and challenges of transport while 16 percent respondents identified 'convincing employees to come to work' as a challenge towards restarting their office space operations.

Majority respondents also said that 'maintaining social distancing' and 'physical transportation of employees' are the two main challenges at workplace that all companies will have to find a viable solution to.

Before COVID-19, despite the general slowdown in real estate demand, the office market performed well. The net office space leasing stood at 47 million sq ft in 2019, while gross numbers were in the range of 55-60 million sq ft.

As per an estimate by Anarock, the average monthly rentals in Grade A office spaces in CBD (central business district) areas like South Mumbai and Bandra Kurla Complex are anywhere between Rs 18,000 to 27,000 per desk per month for coworking spaces and between Rs 24,500 to Rs 30,000 per desk per month for conventional commercial Grade A offices. All non-Grade A office spaces in CBD areas are lower by at least 15 percent to 20 percent.

In New Delhi, the average monthly rentals in Grade A office spaces in CBD areas like Connaught Place range between Rs 13,000 to Rs 19,000 per desk per month for co-working spaces and between Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per desk per month for conventional commercial Grade A offices. Non-Grade A office spaces in the CBD areas are at least 15 per cent to 20 per cent cheaper.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA)- The Government of Sudan and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to assist the Sudan governments Family Support program, providing Sudanese families with direct cash transfers
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Galih Gumelar (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 29, 2020 15:55 601 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdaf449b 1 National 2020-regional-elections,COVID-19,fear,health,civil-rights,voter-turnout Free

As the government stands firm in its decision to push back the 2020 simultaneous regional elections until the end of the year, critics are worried about a lower voter turnout should the COVID-19 epidemic in the country show no signs of easing.

The regional polls are scheduled for Dec. 9 this year, as confirmed during a House of Representatives hearing session on Wednesday involving government officials and representatives from the General Elections Commission (KPU), the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) and the Election Organization Ethics Council (DKPP).

This years simultaneous balloting, which seeks to elect 270 regional leaders comprising nine governors, 224 regents and 37 mayors, was postponed from its initial schedule of Sept. 23 through a government regulation in lieu of the 2016 Regional Elections Law issued earlier this month.

But the decision to push back the date has raised concerns among observers who fear the COVID-19 outbreak might continue late into the year  and even beyond it.

The public would have to decide whether or not they want to head to the polls bearing the risk of being infected with the disease should the outbreak persist until December, said constitutional law expert Feri Amsari from Andalas University.

He predicted that a greater number of people would prefer to stay away from the polls, possibly limiting public participation.

The epidemic might force voters not to use their constitutional right to vote during the elections, Feri said during a virtual discussion on Thursday.

He insisted that the government should prioritize these rights over others, including the right to participate in politics, and consider postponing elections to allow voters to cast their ballots without the fear of transmission. Particularly during times of crisis, people are guaranteed the right to protect themselves, as stipulated in Article 28A of the 1945 Constitution.

Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) political researcher Arya Fernandes also said voters would be hesitant to go to polling stations if the government itself could not give assurances that there was an end in sight for the epidemic.

Low turnout rates this year would be a major disappointment, Arya said, given how participation in regional elections had successfully improved over the last two simultaneous elections.

The KPU recorded that participation rates for the 2017 simultaneous elections held in 101 regions had reached 70 percent, and grew to 73 percent a year later when regional elections were contested in 171 regions across the country.

But KPU chairman Arief Budiman has pegged his hopes on this years elections to draw a 77.5 percent turnout rate, confident that the commissions plan to tighten health protocols at polling stations would be enough to lure voters to the polls.

The protocols, he said, would be laid out in a forthcoming KPU regulation currently being deliberated by the commission, which stipulates election mechanisms during a national emergency.

The regulation would require election officials to undergo COVID-19 rapid tests or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests before entering their designated polling station.

They would also be obliged to use protective gear including masks, gloves and face protectors, as well as provide hand sanitizer and disinfectant for voters at the ballot box.

The number of registered voters per polling station would also be reduced to comply with physical distancing measures.

These additional safeguards would add about Rp 536 billion (US$35.72 million) to the current regional elections budget of around Rp 10 trillion.

Despite establishing health protocols for polling stations, we still hope the epidemic will dissipate by November, so that the public will be able to head to the polls without hesitation, Arief said.

Despite calls to postpone the elections beyond this year, the government remains adamant that it should hold the polls sooner rather than later as they projected that the epidemic could continue beyond 2020.

Home Minister Tito Karnavian said there was no reason to postpone the elections any longer, with the government predicting that the epidemic might continue into 2021, given that vaccines may only be available to the public globally in 2022.

If the situation [next year] is going to be similar to this year, then I dont see any point in postponing the elections to 2021, Tito said during the audience with the House.

"We think elections should take place this year, but conducted with extra health and safety measures.
Being black in America should not be a death sentence.

Yet here we are. Again. This time it was Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey who spoke those words over the death of George Floyd, who grew up in Houston, last week. We have heard versions of them before as other lives were lost to police violence.

Over the past few years, the list is long and full of names that have become rallying cries: Eric Garner. Tamir Rice. Freddie Gray. Walter Scott. Philando Castile.

We need not use a broad brush to see the vile picture the blood of each man has painted. Its a searing image that compels us to filter any use of force by police through a vigilant lens of skepticism.

This doubt  this vigilant questioning, not blind condemnation  is as necessary as law enforcements obligation to be transparent. Accountability is crucial for public safety  for the trust that must exist between a community and its sworn protectors  and it can only be achieved through clarity.

That is as true in Houston as it is in Minneapolis, where protests turned violent Thursday night.

On the same day that a police officer kept his knee pressed down on Floyds neck as he lay helplessly handcuffed and dying, Houston police were involved in their sixth deadly shooting in as many weeks. Five of the people killed were black or Hispanic, causing an outcry among minority advocacy groups.

The reason for the spike is unclear, and experts hesitate to call it a trend. While there is a possibility that the spate of shootings could be attributed to pressures brought on by the pandemic, it could also be a random clustering.

Last year, there were 11 killings by police. Four of them happened in January, including the deaths of Rhogena Nicholas and Dennis Tuttle in the botched Harding Street raid. Since 2015, Houston has had 56 fatal officer-involved shootings, according to a database kept by The Washington Post.

Much like in the latest deaths, most of the people killed were black or Hispanic.

While the current spike may be random, James Douglas, head of the Houston NAACP, told the editorial board that it cant be mere happenstance that so many of the dead men were minorities.

This whole thing turns on race, and if we dont admit thats a problem and try to deal with that problem, it is going to continue to be a problem, he said.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo pushed back on suggestions of racial motivation and noted that most of the officers involved are also people of color.

What we have to respond to is the actions of individuals, Acevedo told the Chronicle. It saddens me that people look at race. What we need to look at is that behavior.

Looking at that behavior in the information available in the six shootings seems to support the chiefs call to examine each case individually.

Nicolas Chavez, 27, was reportedly threatening bystanders with a piece of rebar. Over the course of a 14-minute encounter, officers used Taser rounds and bean bag projectiles, but the man allegedly continued to threaten them. At least four officers opened fire, killing Chavez, after he allegedly charged at them. Cell phone video seems to show Chavez was kneeling when he was shot. On Wednesday, Acevedo said the FBI is investigating.

Christopher Aguirre, 28, called 911 and told a dispatcher, Im ready for yall before firing his gun randomly on a residential street. When police arrived, he allegedly shot at officers behind a home. When he moved to the front porch and raised his gun, three officers with rifles opened fire.

Adrian Medearis, 48, was stopped for speeding and placed under arrest for suspected DWI. He was being handcuffed when allegedly a struggle ensued, and he managed to grab the officers Taser. The officer fired multiple shots, striking Medearis at least twice.

Rayshard Scales, 30, was allegedly brandishing a firearm when police were called. Officials said the man was advancing on an officer when he reached for what appeared to be a weapon in his waistband. The officer fired multiple times. Scales was found to have a BB-gun.

Randy Lewis, 38, had an extensive criminal record and was out on bond when he allegedly stabbed and killed an 80-year-old woman outside a Walgreens. An officer flagged down by witnesses confronted the armed man, opening fire when he did not obey commands.

A still-unidentified man had allegedly been drinking and had fired a weapon when his wife called police. When officers arrived, the man fired several times into the ground, police said. He then pointed the gun at the officers, who opened fire, according to police.

To the police chiefs point, each case is different, even if it ends the same way. Every loss of life is a tragedy, but its just as true that not every use of lethal force by police officers is unjustified.

So far, Acevedo has said the right things, including voicing the need to fully investigate. All cases of officer-involved shootings are brought to Harris County grand juries, and most are scrutinized by the Houston Police Departments Special Investigations Unit and Internal Affairs Unit.

But just as he has not released the audit of HPDs narcotics division stemming from the Harding Street raid, the chief has so far declined to make public any of the video available in the recent shootings, including any from body cameras worn by officers. Acevedo has claimed this is out of respect for the victims families and that releasing the video publicly could taint any local potential criminal prosecution.

These are valid concerns, but they are superseded by the publics right to know.

None of Houstons six shootings seem to rise to the egregious level of abuse and brutal indifference that caused the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, but history and the persistent pattern of such tragedies has taught us not to rely exclusively on Acevedos verbal assurances.

Well take his word, and the videos.
NordStars purchase of the Stars parent company was financed entirely by a third party, Canso Investment Counsel Ltd., the Star has learned.

Canso loaned $55 million to NordStar Capital LP, according to a brief description of the deal published on the online profiles of two lawyers at Bennett Jones LLP. NordStar subsequently announced its intention to purchase Torstar on Tuesday for $52 million.

The unsecured debt pays 10 per cent annual interest, the briefs on the Bennett Jones website said.

According to a source familiar with the purchase agreement, a significant amount of the $55 million will be repaid upon the deals closing.

The Star reached out to the lawyers involved. Mark Rasile declined to comment. Dom Sorbara did not return a message. The announcements were removed shortly after the Star called them.

Torstar spokesperson Bob Hepburn referred comment to NordStar.

In securing financing for this transaction, we spoke with dozens of potential financing parties. From that group, four competitive options emerged. In the end, we went with the lender who we felt best understands and has the most experience in the Canadian media industry, Canso, said NordStar in an emailed statement.

Canso did not respond to a request for comment. None of the public disclosures filed in relation to the deal as of early Thursday evening mentioned Cansos role.

Canso is a private group and typically does not like to be part of press releases. That said, their participation would have been disclosed in due course as part of customary public fillings, NordStars statement read.

Canso has long been the biggest debt holder for Canadas largest newspaper chain, Postmedia. The Richmond Hill-based firm currently holds $95.2 million in Postmedias debt, according to a press release from last August. Bennett Jones represented Canso in that deal.

At one point, Canso held $250 million in first tier debt and used its leverage to gain the upper hand when Postmedia restructured its debt in 2016, nearly wiping out the investment of the other major debtholder, U.S. hedge fund GoldenTree Asset Management.

Although it is a private transaction, let us be absolutely clear: The financing arrangements for the NordStar bid are not, in anyway whatsoever, connected directly or indirectly with any other media company, NordStar said.

The fact that NordStar got its financing from the company which is also Postmedias major debt holder is more likely a coincidence than a sign of a broader corporate alliance, said one finance industry expert.

Lenders who deal with distressed companies typically specialize in a sector, so I wouldnt say theres any obvious indication of a broader alliance. And as long as the borrower keeps making their payments, theres really not a lot a lender can do to influence things, said Andrey Golubov, a finance professor at the University of Torontos Rotman School of Business.

Golubov added that NordStar is almost certainly paying a higher rate than they would have, pre-COVID.

The rates are definitely higher now than they were three or four months ago, particularly in the distressed sector, said Golubov.

A low-profile firm situated far from the plush Bay street offices of their financial competitors, Canso has a contrarian reputation for investing in companies abandoned by others, including BlackBerry Ltd. and Yellow Media Ltd.

Run by a former air force navigator, the firm uses a very sound, bottom-up analysis that only a fraction of people in the market are doing, according to a 2014 Bloomberg report. After years of work with Postmedia, Canso now has a deep understanding of the news business that few investors share.

Ken Doctor, a California-based author and news industry analyst who writes about the financial takeovers of newspaper chains, says the undeniably good thing about NordStars takeover of Torstar is that it takes the company private.

Public markets arent the place to be right now, he said. Producing quarterly earnings and dividends is pretty much impossible these days.

But Doctor questions how much the Canso loan will affect NordStars ability to invest in the newsroom.

We have strong independent daily newspapers in at least half a dozen U.S. cities right now with billionaire or super wealthy owners. Theyve stayed the course. In some cases, theyve added, he said. Is the Toronto Star getting that kind of backing?

Are they able to make those investments with the financial obligations they have to pay back the purchase price?

Paul Rivett, one of the partners behind NordStar, said he has no plans to cut back at the Star.

You cant grow revenue on the back of cuts. We dont subscribe to cutting, Rivett told the Star in an interview published Thursday. Our current focus is that were excited to bring new potential revenue sources and partners to the business and find ways to grow, not cut.

Like all major business transactions, NordStars takeover of Torstar still has to be reviewed by Competition Bureau Canada to determine if it complies with the Competition Act. The Bureaus wide mandate means it can review transactions of all sizes and in all sectors of the economy, spokesperson Jean-Philippe Lepage wrote in an email, to determine whether they will likely result in a substantial lessening or prevention of competition.

Cansos financial interest in Postmedia and NordStar could be part of the review, as financing is included in the Bureaus merger enforcement guidelines.

NordStar was formed by Toronto businessmen Rivett and Jordan Bitove as a vehicle to take Torstar private. Former Ontario premier David Peterson will serve as the companys vice chair, the pair announced.

The takeovers details, which havent been made public, have already been approved by Torstars board of directors, a significant majority of the members of the five families who control the Class A voting shares, as well as Fairfax Financial Holdings, which held 40 per cent of the non-voting Class B shares.
By Linda Greenstein

Two years ago, a Star-Ledger/NJ.com investigation revealed an appalling pattern of sexual assault, rape and dehumanization at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Hunterdon County, our states only womens prison. We learned that a deep-rooted, systemic and institutionalized failure of culture and policy has persisted at the prison for decades.

Shocked by the allegations, I called a hearing of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee in February 2018. We heard from Professor Brenda Smith of the Washington College of Law, American University, a nationally recognized expert; the union representing the corrections officers; and many of the non-profit advocacy organizations that represent the inmates, as well as the prisoners themselves. We did not hear from the commissioner of corrections, who declined to attend.

Our hearing yielded several important pieces of legislation, including Senate bill 2522, limiting cross-gender strip searches; Senate bill 2521, requiring reporting of inmate abuse by employees; Senate bill 2532, requiring correctional officers receive 20 hours in-service training, including four hours in prevention of sexual misconduct; and Senate bill 2533, requiring the Office of Victim-Witness Advocacy to provide services to inmates. All of these bills have only recently been signed into law.

As a result of our hearing, it appeared that a small door had been opened into the closed environment of Edna Mahan. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Attorneys Office of New Jersey opened an investigation into the prison.

In April of this year, a scathing report was issued by the DOJ, which found that there is reasonable cause to believe that conditions at Edna Mahan violate the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution due to sexual abuse of prisoners by staff. (This Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment and grants due process even to convicted criminals.)

From October 2016 to November 2019, five corrections officers and one civilian employee were convicted or pleaded guilty to the sexual abuse of 10 women. One judge said that a pervasive culture at Edna Mahan allowed corrections officers to abuse their positions of authority.

Among the findings of the DOJ report are that prisoners are unaware of their right to report incidents of abuse or retaliation, and those who do report are subject to isolation and harsh conditions; investigations of allegations of sexual abuse are inadequate; the prison fails to properly secure its physical plant, including inadequate camera coverage; officials at the prison know of the risks and disregard them, while others are not properly being made aware of risks; and Department of Corrections and the Edna Mahan administration fail to remedy systemic deficiencies.

As a result of the DOJ report, our Law and Public Safety Committee held another hearing on May 12, 2020, and we heard much of the same information that we heard two years ago. Prisoners are treated in unacceptable and often illegal ways. There is an absence of confidentiality and a lack of appropriate supervision and oversight. Along with Senator Nia Gill, I have now proposed the creation of a commission to study sexual assault, misconduct and harassment in the prisons and to provide appropriate oversight.

It will not be easy to change the culture that has created Edna Mahan. As Bonnie Kerness, director of the American Friends Service Committee Prison Watch said at the hearing, How do you legislate away a culture of cruelty, racism, mental and physical health neglect and sexual misconduct, all conducted with impunity in a system hidden from public scrutiny? ... The Department of Corrections is more than a set of institutions, it is also a state of mind.

Now that we know what the conditions are, I believe that New Jersey is poised to lead the country in preventing the sexual abuse of girls and women in NJ prisons.

And as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we may actually have an opportunity to make huge changes in our system of mass incarceration.

We are already seeing measures to depopulate overcrowded prisons to mitigate the spread of the virus. We are looking at furloughs and even shortening sentences for non-violent inmates, who will likely die behind bars if forced to stay in these hotbeds of the pandemic.

New Jersey has the highest rate of inmate deaths from coronavirus in the country. As with the problems at Edna Mahan, the Department of Corrections has not shown the appropriate urgency in dealing with these problems.

We need an effective justice system that protects and enhances public safety while respecting human dignity.

Senator Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex/Mercer) serves as chair of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
Update: Nia Reid has been located safe and well.

Gardai seek public's help finding missing Dublin teen

Earlier:Gardai are seeking the public's help in tracing the whereabouts of a teenage girl in Dublin.

Nia Reid, 17, is missing from the Dublin 7 area since Thursday, May 28.

She is described as being 5'5", of slim build with brown to blonde hair and blue eyes.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Gardai in the Bridewell Dublin on 01 666 8200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
Americans Want To Vote by Mail  Heres How Much It Would Cost

For hundreds of millions of Americans, navigating life in a pandemic is completely uncharted territory. There are new ways to work, new ways to grocery shop  even the age-old standard for handwashing has changed. (It used to be the Happy Birthday song twice. Now, it might as well be My Heart Will Go On on a loop). But, what about voting?

Many Americans are hoping to cast their ballots by mail in the upcoming election, but not everyone is on board with this idea  President Donald Trump has been an especially vocal critic. On April 11, Trump tweeted that voting by mail substantially increases the risk of crime and voter fraud. However, fact-checking website Snopes.com rates that claim as Mostly False, and many experts say there are security measures taken that make the mail-in system legitimate.

Less than a month after Trumps tweet, the United States Postal Service Board of Governors installed Louis DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser and political operative, as Postmaster General, Popular Information reported. DeJoy has since been accused of sabotaging the USPS by removing sorting machines and physical mailboxes and has cut work hours and eliminated overtime leading to mail being delivered late. Although DeJoy claimed that these moves will increase the USPS performance around mail-in ballots, letters sent by the USPS to 46 states and Washinton, D.C. warned that it cannot guarantee all ballots cast by mail for the November election will arrive in time to be counted: Even if people follow all of their states election rules, the pace of Postal Service delivery may disqualify their votes.

On Aug. 18, DeJoy released a statement saying, The Postal Service is ready today to handle whatever volume of election mail it receives this fall, and that he would pause any further planned reforms of the USPS until after the election.

In spite of the current issues with the USPS, if all states were to adopt mail-in ballots, what would it look like? It would certainly come with a cost to taxpayers. For this study, GOBankingRates looked at a report from the Brennan Center for Justice to find out just how much it would cost the United States to implement nationwide mail-in voting. The study is ranked by the smallest dollar figure to the largest and analyzes every measure that would need to be taken to change the way Americans vote.

Story continues

According to the Brennan Center, revamping the voting system wouldnt mean everyone has to vote by mail. Much of the estimated cost actually comes from fortifying existing polling locations. But what this revamp would do is ensure that every registered voter has the option to vote by mail, should they elect to do so.

So take a look at how you may be casting your ballot this November  and how it could impact Americas pocketbook.

Last updated: Aug. 20, 2020

The Status of Mail-In Voting Across the Country

Five states already implemented all-mail voting before the pandemic, including Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Utah. Four more states  California, Nevada, Vermont and New Jersey  have since sent ballots to all registered voters, USA Today reported. Nearly all other states are allowing voters to request a mail-in ballot, with the exception of Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas  though New York is likely to pass legislation imminently that would allow fear of contracting or spreading COVID-19 to count as illness for mail-in ballot requests.

40 Cents: The Cost of 1 Provisional Envelope

A provisional ballot is just a regular ballot placed inside a special envelope to indicate its status. This is provided to voters whose voting eligibility is up for question  they may have registered but arent showing up in the registration list or havent received their ballot in the mail for whatever reason. These envelopes help ensure that everyone has equal access to vote.

The Brennan Center says that jurisdictions should prepare for an increased amount of provisional voting due to delays in voter registration. This will cost 40 cents per provisional envelope, or $21 million total.

80 Cents: The Average Cost for a Voter To Return Their Ballot

The Brennan Center looked at the cost for every voter to return their ballot once theyve recorded their vote. Using an average of 80 cents per ballot, the cost for prepaid postage for everyone in the U.S. comes out to $170 million.

$1.15-$2: The Cost of Mailing a Ballot to a Registered Voter

If snail mail is dying, this could be why. The simple action of mailing voters their ballots costs $1.15 to $2 per person, which comes out to between $243.45 million and $423.4 million overall.

$1,680: How Much Is Needed for Each Additional Ballot Processing Worker

Due to the increase in mail-in ballots, more staff will be needed to process these ballots as they come in. This seasonal position lasts for 14 days, at an hourly rate of at least $15 for eight hours a day.

Find Out: 25 Experts Predictions on When We Will Bounce Back From COVID-19

$3,000-$4,000: The Annual Cost of Operating and Maintaining a Drop Box

Drop boxes are a key part of the vote-by-mail process; this way, even if voters arent visiting a polling center, they can vote on the day of the election and know that their ballot will still be counted. In a nonpresidential election year, Snohomish County, Washington, estimates that $3,000 goes into maintaining  just maintaining  a single drop box. In presidential election years, that amount goes up to $4,000.

$7,000-$10,000: The Cost of Buying and Installing a Drop Box

Based on estimates from the company Laserfab  who made ballot boxes for Pierce County, Washington  a single ballot box could cost as much as $10,000 to build and install. These boxes come equipped with security measures, such as cameras, and are placed in accessible locations for voters to drop off their ballots directly.

$50,000: The Cost for Ballot Tracking Software in Each State

According to the Brennan Center, around 25% of states already use ballot tracking software  that is, software that can track the progress of a ballot and notify the voter when it is counted.

$240,000: The Price for Each State To Implement Online Voter Registration

A 2014 survey by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that most states that implemented online voter registration spent about $240,000 in startup costs. It can be assumed that higher population states will spend more on voter registration systems, and lower population states will spend less.

Prepare Now: What the 2020 Election Could Do to Your Stock Portfolio

$2.1 Million: How Much It Costs To Increase Voter Resources

In order for everyone to have equal access to voting, they need to have resources to know how to do it properly. This includes tools for them to look up their registration status and nearest polling centers. Overall, implementing these tools should cost $40,000 per state, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

$3.7 Million: The Amount Needed To Provide Online Ballot Delivery Services

Online ballot delivery services allow voters to mark their ballots on a computer before printing them out, which is integral to voter accessibility  many disabled voters need this function to vote by mail. Providing it will cost each state around $100,000; although 25% of states already have it.

$4.2 Million: What It Costs To Track All the Ballots

Ballot tracking gives voters confidence that their vote really does matter  but it comes at a price. It will cost more than $4 million in total for every registered voter in America to receive a notification that their ballot has been counted.

$16.7 Million: The Cost for Online Ballot Requests

In a safe and accessible voting system, voters should be able to request a ballot in person, by mail, by phone or online. That last part is key, and its what many states still dont have. The cost of this application is estimated at around $325,000 per state.

Voting Isnt the Only Thing Changing: 30 Ways Shopping Will Never Be the Same After the Coronavirus

$29.2 Million: The Cost To Bring Polling Facilities Up to Public Health Standards

Even with the option of mail-in voting, in-person voting is still vital if the U.S. wants to promote equal access to voting. However, existing polling locations will need to be sanitized to ensure safety during the pandemic. Voters may also need to use single-use ballot-marking pens, which cost 50 cents apiece.

$37 Million: What It Costs To Expand Early Voting

Expanding early voting is key to reducing lines and administrative stress on Election Day. According to the Brennan Center, there are currently 20.7 million registered voters who live in states without early in-person voting.

$40 Million: What It Costs To Hire New Poll Workers

Polling stations need to work like well-oiled machines in order for voters and workers to feel safe this upcoming Election Day. To plan for an increased amount of day-of absences, around 20% more staff will need to be hired.

$43 Million: The Bill for Interpreter Services Over Phone

Multilingual workers are a staple at polling locations. But as mail-in voting is implemented nationwide, interpreter services will need to be offered via phone, as well. This would cost around $700 a day for each precinct.

From RBG to Chief Justice Roberts: Which Supreme Court Justice Is the Richest?

$54 Million-$89 Million: The Cost for Nationwide Ballot Printing

With everyone voting by mail, the number of ballots, absentee envelopes and other materials needed will invariably go up. The Brennan Center pegs the cost of printing a single ballot between 21.4 cents and 35 cents and estimates that each jurisdiction will need to print enough for 120% of registered voters.

$82.2 Million: The Cost of Testing Online Voter Registration Systems

As online voter registration systems are expanded across the U.S., Americans may start to experience tech issues that hamper their ability to register. To nip this in the bud, these systems will need to be tested to make sure they can handle surges in web traffic. Capacity testing will cost $25,000 to $60,000 per jurisdiction, and vulnerability testing will cost $80,000 to $100,000.

$85.9 Million: The Total Cost of Online Voter Registration

The total price tag for every American to be able to register to vote online is nearly $86 million. This includes the price of developing new voter registration systems for states that dont have them and working out the kinks before election time rolls around.

$92 Million: The Price of New Facilities To Store and Process Ballots

An increase in mail-in voting means an increase in, well, mail. Jurisdictions will have to lease additional commercial spaces for at least 60 days to store and count the absentee ballots. In smaller voting districts, the rent is estimated at around $5,000 a month. For bigger districts, this price is doubled.

For the Winners: How Obama, Biden and Other Elected Officials Have Made Millions by Being in Office

$100 Million: What It Costs To Give Pay Raises to Existing Poll Workers

Not only will more poll workers need to be hired, but the pay for existing workers will need to be raised. This basically serves as hazard pay  an incentive for them to work the in-person polls, despite the risks. The Brennan Center estimates that pay would be increased from $100 to $200 a day.

$117 Million-$164 Million: The Total Cost for Drop Boxes

For a fraud-free and accessible voting experience, every jurisdiction in the country needs to provide voters with secure drop boxes for ballots. California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington already have this system in place. The Brennan Center estimates that 11,666 drop boxes are needed to cover the states without drop boxes.

$120 Million-$240 Million: The Price To Improve Absentee Ballot Processing

The way that ballots are processed has evolved over the years and includes the use of signature verification technology, high-volume mail processing and sorting equipment, as well as high-speed ballot scanners. To accommodate the rapid increase of mail-in ballots, most jurisdictions will need to purchase more ballot-processing equipment.

$164.6 Million: How Much Is Needed for New Ballot Processing Staff

Even though ballot processing isnt entirely manual, its not entirely automated, either. New workers will have to be hired to help process the ballots and duplicate them on the stock required for tabulation.

$250 Million: The Cost of Public Education Campaigns for the New Voting System

Only five states are currently using mail-in voting as the primary way to vote. So the rest of the U.S., including D.C., will need to launch campaigns to educate voters on how the mail-in system works  including changes to voting rules and registration, and advertising in non-English languages.

See: 30 Major Companies That Didnt Guarantee Paid Sick Days Before the Pandemic  and What Changes They Did or Didnt Make

$252.1 Million: The Total Cost of Educating the Public on Safe Voting Practices

The final price for educating people on how to vote during a pandemic is over $250 million. But its necessary to bypass much of the fear-based misinformation that goes around in times like these.

$271.4 Million: The Total Cost of Maintaining In-Person Voting

Its not cheap to keep voting safe. The Brennan Center predicts that cleaning supplies will cost about $20 per precinct, and polls across the nation will need to hire new staff, increase the wages and expand early voting.

$413 Million-$593 Million: The Total Cost for Free Postage

Sending and receiving ballots isnt cheap. For everyone to have fair access to mail-in voting, the postage needs to come at no cost to the voters; but this also increases the price tag by about a half-billion.

$982 Million-$1.4 Billion: The Total Cost for Everyone To Be Able To Vote by Mail

The Brennan Center warns that not everyone will be voting by mail come November. As seen with the Iowa Democratic caucus in February, relying on an entirely new system can cause just as many issues as using an outdated one. But, in order for mail-in voting to be an option nationwide, it will likely cost over $1 billion.

$4 Billion: The Amount Congress Should Allot To Revamp the US Voting System

The Brennan Center recommends the government set aside $4 billion to make sure all elections between now and November are free, fair, safe and secure. The center originally estimated that it would cost $2 billion nationwide, but realized that states and localities would need more resources to fully adapt their systems and procedures.

While $4 billion is nothing to sniff at, it may be a small price to pay when determining the next four years of Americas political future.

More From GOBankingRates

All figures in this article come from the Brennan Center for Justices 2020 report Estimated Costs of Covid-19 Election Resiliency Measures.

Gabrielle Olya contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Americans Want To Vote by Mail  Heres How Much It Would Cost
As protests continued nationwide, reaching the states capitol Friday, the president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association expressed concern over the lack of intervention by other officers during the arrest of George Floyd in Minneapolis earlier this week.

More than 300 protesters, many of which appeared to be wearing masks, gathered in Hartford late Friday afternoon.

The protests were sparked by Floyds death on Monday after a Minneapolis police office knelt on his neck for for more than eight minutes while he was handcuffed, face down and saying he could not breathe.

There have been protests in Denver, New York City, New Mexico, California, Ohio, Florida, Houston, Phoenix, Mississippi and Kentucky. On Friday, protests also popped up in Connecticut and Maine.

At the capitol late Friday afternoon, a peaceful gathering against police brutality was organized by state Senate Democrats, according to CTNewsJunkie.com.

Keith L. Mello  who serves as the chief of the Milford Police Department, the president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association and chairman of the Police Officers Standards and Training Council  called the incident beyond disturbing, in a statement released late Friday afternoon, saying it cast a stain over the law enforcement profession.

The officer, Derek Chauvin, and three others involved in the incident were fired. The 44-year-old Chauvin was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said more charges were possible. He said the investigation into the other three officers continues, but authorities felt it appropriate to focus on the most dangerous perpetrator.

Court paperwork alleges that Chauvin, who is white, ignored another officers concerns about Floyd, who is black.

The criminal complaint also said an autopsy of Floyd showed nothing to support strangulation as the cause of death. The medical examiner said preliminary findings showed Floyd had underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease.

The combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death, the complaint states. The defendant had his knee on Mr. Floyds neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in total. Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Mr. Floyd was non-responsive. Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous.

Mello said the behavior of the officers involved reflect failures in police tactics, judgment and training.

Of equal concern is the lack of intervention by other officers on the scene, Mello said. We are reminded that we are leaders in our communities, especially during a time of crisis. Our oath and our ethics require us to act whenever we are witnessing an unjust act, even by another police officer.

He said these actions by officers in Minnesota erode the layers of trust, confidence and goodwill so many law enforcement officers in Connecticut have built within their communities.

Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, this is the foundation of our profession, Mello said. Any violation of these core tenets is inexcusable.

Mello isnt the states only official to speak on the matter.

My prayers are with George Floyds family and the entire Minneapolis community, Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody said in a statement Wednesday. As a career member of law enforcement, I am horrified by what I saw on that video. There is simply no excuse. As police officers, we must remember our primary responsibility is public safety and the preservation of life. When someone that wears a badge goes against those principles, the damage is immeasurable and far reaching.

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said none of us can stay silent regarding several recent incidents in a video post on Friday, including the death of Floyd and the arrest of a CNN team Friday morning while covering protests in response to Floyds death in Minneapolis.
Residents of San Franciscos Bayview, Sunnydale and Visitacion Valley  low-income, racially diverse neighborhoods hit hard by the pandemic  will be able to get a free coronavirus test through a new UCSF four-day testing project aimed at understanding the prevalence of the virus.

The program will offer voluntary testing from Saturday to Tuesday with the goal of testing up to 4,000 people who live, work, play or pray in the neighborhoods. Volunteers will be tested for current coronavirus infections as well as for antibodies to show if they have already been exposed to the virus.

Researchers hope to influence policy and mobilize resources based on the results, said Dr. Kim Rhoads, associate professor of epidemiology at UCSF. Widespread antibody testing could reveal when the virus first began circulating in San Francisco.

Its possible the novel coronavirus was in the city as early as November, said Rhoads, who has heard repeated stories from people who suffered illnesses with COVID-19 symptoms last winter. Many said they had never been so sick, she said.

That's the thing Im most curious about because I do think some people probably had the virus before we were really aware that it was here, said Rhoads, who also serves as the community engagement director for UCSFs cancer center.

Participants can opt out of the antibody test, which requires a blood draw, if they choose.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health and multiple community organizations are involved in the project as well.

Dr. Diane Havlir, chief of the infectious diseases division at San Francisco General Hospital, said testing is foundational to efforts under way in the Bay Area and throughout California to gradually reopen businesses, schools and churches.

This is what we must do in order for us to respond effectively and reopen safely, Havlir said in a statement. We need more local community epidemiology like this to get a sense of where we stand, and where active infection may still be occurring, so as public health officials begin to release constraints on movements we can avoid resurgence of the disease.

The new testing project, known as United in Health D10, follows UCSFs first testing blitz in the Mission District in late April, when nearly 3,000 people were tested for the coronavirus. Results of the first-of-its-kind study revealed a troubling spike in infections among low-wage, essential workers. More than half of those who tested positve showed no symptoms.

The neighborhoods, located in District 10 in the southeast corner of San Francisco, were chosen because they have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. They are home to many African American, Pacific Islander, Chinese and Latino residents.

The Bayview ranks as the San Francisco neighborhood with the second-highest rate of coronavirus cases  behind the South of Market district with more than 54 cases per 10,000 people, according to city COVID-19 data broken down by ZIP code. The rate is roughly 32 cases per 10,000 people in Sunnydale and Visitacion Valley. Both are well above the citywide average rate of nearly 27 cases per 10,000 people.

Sunnydale was chosen because it is home to a significant population of Pacific Islanders, Rhoads said. This demographic suffers an unusually high rate of infections but it is often left out of data breakdowns, she said.

Dr. Monique LeSarre, executive director of the Rafiki Coalition on Health and Wellness, said the pandemic has amplified the pre-existing economic, environmental and health disparities in these communities. She hopes testing will provide important data to researchers and community members that will contribute to an equitable distribution of resources.

Other community groups, including Mercy Housing, Young Community Developers and Bayview Hunters Point Community Advocates, are encouraging people to participate in the voluntary program.

Some people are hesitant to get tested because of a historic distrust of hospitals; the stigma associated with the coronavirus; or concern about losing a job, having to leave their family or not being able to self-quarantine if they test positive, LeSarre said.

Dont get tested for yourself  get tested for your mother, your brother, your sister, your auntie, LeSarre said she tells people. Were all protecting each other by getting tested.

Testing will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Havard Early Education School, 1520 Oakdale Avenue, in the Bayview. In Sunnydale and Visitacion Valley, testing will be available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday at Herz Playground, 1701 Visitacion Avenue.

Those who test positive will get a follow-up call from the Department of Public Health. City health officials will facilitate isolation and quarantine if needed, and community groups will deliver food and cleaning supplies and do daily check-ins.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Packages with COVID-19 information, masks and food are available at the testing locations.

Thats what makes the program different from other mobile, pop-up testing sites  it is backed by community engagement and follow-up support for those who test positive, Rhoads said.

Without the community engagement, this isn't going to work, Rhoads said. Theres a lot of volunteerism, there's a lot of trying to connect with key influencers in the community to get the word out.

Supervisor Shamann Walton said he was proud to work with UCSF and community leaders to offer comprehensive testing in his district.

Like UCSFs prior study in the Mission, this study in (District) 10 will help us to better understand the spread of COVID-19 in San Franciscos most vulnerable neighborhoods, Walton said.

Kimiah Williams, a 36-year-old Bayview resident, said she hopes everyone in the neighborhood gets tested. The mother has been working from home since March as a program manager at Westside Community Services, a San Francisco mental health organization.

But Williams job requires checking in on clients on occasion or running out to deliver food or toilet paper to families in need. Her family members could also be exposed in their line of work  her mother as a registered nurse and her husband as a parole officer.

Bringing resources to an underserved community where many people dont have the luxury of working from home can be helpful, Williams said.

If people actually take advantage of it being right here in the heart of where we live, maybe it can slow the spread, she said.

Anna Bauman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: anna.bauman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @abauman2
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 02:56:31|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The economic fallout of COVID-19 could push up to 86 million more children into household poverty by the end of 2020, an increase of 15 percent, according to a new analysis released on Thursday by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Save the Children.

Without urgent action to protect families from the financial hardships caused by the pandemic, the total number of children living below the national poverty line in low- and middle-income countries could reach 672 million by yearend, said UNICEF in a press release.

Nearly two-thirds of these children live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Countries across Europe and Central Asia could see the most significant increase, up to 44 percent across the region. Latin America and the Caribbean could see a 22-percent increase, said UNICEF.

"The coronavirus pandemic has triggered an unprecedented socio-economic crisis that is draining resources for families all over the world," said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF executive director. "The scale and depth of financial hardship among families threatens to roll back years of progress in reducing child poverty and to leave children deprived of essential services. Without concerted action, families barely getting by could be pushed into poverty, and the poorest families could face levels of deprivation that have not been seen for decades."

The impact of the global economic crisis caused by the pandemic and related containment policies is two-fold. Immediate loss of income means families are less able to afford the basics, less likely to access health care or education, and more at risk of child marriage, violence, exploitation and abuse. For the poorest families, lack of access to social care services or compensatory measures further limits their ability to abide by containment and physical distancing measures, and thus further increases their exposure to infection, said UNICEF.

For children living in countries already affected by conflict and violence, the impact of COVID-19 will further increase the risk of instability and of households falling into poverty, it warned.

To address and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on children in poor households, Save the Children and UNICEF call for rapid and large-scale expansion of social protection systems and programs, including cash transfers, school feeding and child benefits.

Governments must also invest in other forms of social protection, fiscal policies, employment and labor market interventions to support families. This includes expanding universal access to quality health care and other services, and investing in family-friendly policies, such as paid leave and childcare, said the two organizations. Enditem
The mother of the Blountville toddler whose body was found in March made a brief appearance via video Thursday in Sullivan County Criminal Court, where a judge decided not to reduce her $150,000 bail.

Megan Boswell, 19, has been held at the Sullivan County jail since February, when she was accused of making a false report to authorities as they searched for her missing daughter.

Last week, a Sullivan County grand jury charged Boswell with 11 counts of making false reports.

Authorities found the remains of Megan Boswells daughter, Evelyn, on March 6 on property belonging to the Boswell family on Muddy Creek Road in Blountville. No charges have been filed in the childs death.

Megan Boswell is currently incarcerated on $150,000 bail, but her attorney, Brad Sproles, filed a motion to reduce that amount May 14, a week before the grand jury indictments were announced.

On Thursday, Judge Jim Goodwin decided to maintain her current bond and set her next court date for July 31. At that "announcement date," the court will be updated on the status of the case.

Thursdays hearing lasted less than 10 minutes and the Tennessee court system livestreamed the proceeding on its YouTube page. Boswell appeared via video from the county jail.

The investigation into Evelyn Boswells disappearance and death "remains active, and we have nothing new to release at this time," according to an email from Capt. Andy Seabolt, a spokesman for the Sullivan County Sheriffs Office.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Turbulent and in some cases violent protests erupted around the country Thursday night over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, as demonstrators damaged buildings, blocked traffic and demanded justice for Floyd and other victims of police brutality.

At the center of the fury was Minneapolis, where protesters breached the police department's Third Precinct, set fire to the building and launched fireworks toward police, forcing all officers to evacuate the precinct.

The unrest multiplied from Phoenix to Columbus, Ohio, as hundreds of people converged in city centers and descended on state capitol buildings in the face of tear gas and rubber bullets from police. Gunfire broke out in multiple cities, including Louisville, where police say seven people were injured in a shooting that sent dozens scattering. Several hundred people there were protesting the March fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor in her apartment, where police barged in while she was asleep.

Six or seven shots were also fired near a crowd in Denver on Thursday evening, but a police spokesman said no one was injured.

Late into the night, officials pleaded with protesters to remain peaceful.

"I certainly understand everyone's frustration and sense of pain and disgust following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis," Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock (D) said in a video message Thursday night. "But I want to plead to everyone, let's demonstrate, but let's demonstrate peacefully. Leave the weapons home, and let's march together in unity and let's have our voices heard, but keep everyone safe. That's the way we need to do this."

Thursday marked the third night of protests after Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin was captured on video digging his knee into the back of Floyd's neck as Floyd cried, "I can't breathe!" just before he died.

In Louisville, multiple protests had also broken out since Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was shot and killed by police. When narcotics detectives broke down her door after midnight, her boyfriend fired a gun, thinking armed intruders had entered the home. Police shot Taylor eight times when they returned fire. They found no drugs.

The Louisville protests appeared to reach a fever pitch Thursday night.

Protesters blocked buses, broke an arm off a statue of King Louis XVI outside of City Hall, and threw fireworks at police officers, WFPL reported. Then, around 11:30 p.m., gunfire erupted from within the crowd, police said.

Of the seven people shot, at least two were in surgery and five were in good condition as of early Friday morning, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said, adding that no police fired their weapons. Police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley said police made multiple arrests but said she was unable to elaborate on how many or whether the arrests were connected to the shooting.

Fischer said, "I feel the community's frustration, but tonight's violence and destruction is not the way to solve it." He shared a video message from Taylor's sister, Juniyah Palmer, urging everyone to be peaceful.

"Louisville, thank you so much for saying Breonna's name tonight," she said. "We are not going to stop until we get justice, but we should stop tonight before people get hurt. Please go home, be safe and be ready to keep fighting.

Hundreds of miles away, in Denver, shots rang out about 5:30 p.m. close enough to the state capitol building to alarm lawmakers inside.

"They shot into a crowd of people protesting police brutality," state Rep. Leslie Herod, D, told the Denver Post, adding that police inside the building instructed people to take cover. "It's an act of violence against our community."

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Protesters who converged on the capitol steps spray-painted "Black Lives Matter" and George Floyd's name on the capitol steps, footage from CBS Denver shows, while some smashed vehicles parked in the building's parking lot. Hundreds of others both blocked traffic on I-25 and marched down one busy street against traffic.

A viral video soon emerged showing one protester on the hood of a car before jumping off. The driver then circled back around to ram into the protester, who fell to the pavement before getting back up. Denver police spokesman Kurt Barnes said no arrests have been made in either the shooting or the apparent hit-and-run.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said he was "absolutely shocked" by the video of the driver attempting to run over the protester.

"Coloradans are better than this," he wrote on Twitter. "I share the immense anguish we all feel about the unjust murder of George Floyd. But let me be clear, senseless violence will never be healed by more violence."

Elsewhere, police in New York arrested at least 70 protesters at Union Square, NBC New York reported. In Columbus, protesters reportedly breached the Ohio Statehouse, breaking windows and running inside, according to WCMH. Police SWAT teams showed up to secure the area, declaring an emergency on megaphones and ordering people to clear the area, WCMH reported.

Protesters in Phoenix resisted calls to disperse after the police declared the protest an unlawful assembly around 11 p.m., the Arizona Republic reported. Chanting "I can't breathe," dozens faced police in riot gear, who shot rubber bullets at protesters and used pepper spray on others, the Republic reported. Video footage showed some being arrested, but when reached by phone, a police spokeswoman declined to answer any questions.

The protesting continued well after midnight in Phoenix and numerous other cities. Some protesters could be seen wearing face masks, although their primary focus was on a different kind of epidemic in America.

"It's too easy to say we're in a pandemic," one protester in Denver, Kira Pratt, told the Denver Post. "Black people are at risk every day just living."
A gang of monkeys jumped a lab technician in India on Friday and made off with blood samples from patients who had tested positive for coronavirus.

The animals raced into a residential neighborhood in the city of Meerut, leading to fears among residents that the incident will lead to the further spread of the virus. The news website India.com claimed there was panic in Meerut, a city of 1.5 million people about 30 miles northeast of Delhi.

Monkeys in India reportedly have become more aggressive and brazen in urban areas of late, with the Times of India decrying the menace of monkeys. The animals attacked the lab worker on the campus of a medical school.

Monkeys grabbed and fled with the blood samples of four COVID-19 patients who are undergoing treatment, Dr. S. K. Garg of the Lala Lajpat Rai Medical College told Reuters.

He said the monkeys took blood samples but not the COVID-19 test swabs the technician was carrying.

Meerut: Monkey run away with #corona test samples, locals fear spread of infection. #IndiaFightsCoronavirus pic.twitter.com/Mpe9tuR3H6  Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay07) May 29, 2020

Sanjay Jha, a reporter at the Indian TV news channel Times Now, shared video of a monkey in a tree chewing on what might be one of the white plastic packets containing the blood samples.

Public-health officials in Meerut said it was not known if monkeys could contract the coronavirus through the blood samples and that it was unlikely the incident would put any of the citys human residents in greater danger of being infected.

-- Douglas Perry

@douglasmperry

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Since the coronavirus pandemic hit Europe, the Lufthansa group has been bleeding one million euros per hour, with around 90 percent of its 760-aircraft fleet grounded (AFP Photo/Christof STACHE)

Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - Germany and the European Commission have reached agreement on a giant Berlin-funded rescue plan for coronavirus-hit Lufthansa, a Commission spokeswoman and a source close to the negotiations said Friday.

Since the pandemic hit Europe, the Lufthansa group -- which also includes Brussels and Austrian Airlines and Swiss -- has been bleeding one million euros per hour, with around 90 percent of its 760-aircraft fleet grounded.

The deal would see the German carrier give up eight planes and their associated landing rights, the spokeswoman and the source said.

Lufthansa said in a statement it had "decided to accept the commitments offered by Germany to the EU Commission" for the rescue package, adding it would surrender up to 24 take-off and landing slots that could be allocated to rival airlines.

German media had previously reported the European Commission would demand the group give up valuable takeoff and landing rights at its Frankfurt and Munich hubs in exchange for Brussels' green light.

The nine-billion-euro ($10 billion) German state lifeline, would see Berlin take a 20-percent stake in the group, with an option to claim a further five percent plus one share to block hostile takeovers.

That would make the federal government Lufthansa's biggest shareholder.

On top of a total 5.7 billion euros in extra capital and 300 million to buy the shares at face value, public investment bank KfW would also lend Lufthansa three billion euros.

The company would agree to pay back much of the capital plus interest, while granting the state two seats on its supervisory board.

Hammering out the details of the package took so long because Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives were keen to minimise state control over the company's day-to-day running.
A 14-year-old girl in Iran was allegedly murdered by her own father in what is called an "honor killing." The incident has sparked outrage in the country and it prompted Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to called for new protections for women.

Killed by her own father

The victim, Romina Ashrafi, was allegedly killed by her father by using a farming sickle after she ran away from home.

According to the semi-official Fars news agency, she left their home in northern Iran's Talesh county to elope with a 29-year-old man. When the murder was discovered, the police immediately arrested the father of the teenager.

The death of Ashrafi has been widely covered all across Iran, including by the moderate news outlets and pro-government news outlets. There is still no news on whether or not the 29-year-old man will face charges too for having a relationship with a minor.

Amnesty International condemned the killing of the teenager and the organization called on authorities to make sure that everyone who is involved in the crime will be held accountable.

Amnesty said in a statement on Twitter on May 28 that they want the authorities and lawmakers in Iran to end the impunity for violence against women and children and to create effective laws against domestic violence.

Also Read: Pakistan's Social Media Star Qandeel Baloch Murdered by Brother Over Raunchy Pics

The organization added that the authorities must amend Article 301 of the Penal Code to make sure that the murder and everyone involved will be punished appropriately, without resort to death penalty.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Article 301 reduces the extreme measures for fathers who are involved in the honor killings. President Rouhani has expressed his regret of the death of the teenager.

During a cabinet meeting in Tehran, he ordered a fast study and ratification of a bill that protects women against violence.

Similar incident

In early May, two women from Pakistan were killed by their own family members after a video of them kissing a man circulated online.

The "honor killing" was done by the father of one of the victims and the brother of the other victim. The bodies of the victims were buried in a remote village in the North Waziristan province.

The father and the brother were immediately arrested by the authorities after the murder of the two women was reported.The man in the leaked video was arrested, but it is still unclear what his charge is. The woman who filmed the video is still unnamed.

What is an honor killing?

Honor killing is the murder of a woman or a girl in the hands of a male family member. The murders justify the action by claiming that the victim has brought shame upon the family name.

Honor killings are done in patriarchal countries, like the Middle East and South Asia. According to the United Nations. there are more than 5,000 women who are killed every year because of this belief.

In the past few years, the awareness of honor killings have increased and spread internationally. There have been petitions to stop the killings but some countries are reluctant to take the much needed steps to criminalize it.

Related Article: Two Women in Pakistan Murdered in 'Honor-Killings' After Leaked Video Shows Them Kissing a Man

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Protesters confront police outside the 3rd Police Precinct on May 27, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Protests began after George Floyd, a black man, died after Minneapolis police officer Daniel Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes while taking him into custody.

Chauvin was fired and later charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter days after Floyd died as protests roiled in cities across the US.

In addition to Floyd, the protests called for justice based on other deaths of black Americans at the hands of police officers, like Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman shot dead by police who got into a gunfight with her boyfriend while serving a no-knock warrant on their apartment.

Many of the protests have turned violent, and furor has grown over law enforcement's heavy-handed crowd-control tactics, including police cruisers ramming into protesters in New York on Saturday.

Law enforcement shot and killed a man in Kentucky on Monday during protests against police brutality in Louisville.

See how peaceful protest and violent clashes consumed parts of Minneapolis and other cities for seven tense days in a row.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

George Floyd died on Monday, May 25 after a police officer kneeled on his neck while taking him into custody.

A still from a video that was taken of Floyd's arrest.

Darnella Frazier/Facebook

A video showed a white police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck for several minutes on Monday.

In the video, Floyd can be heard pleading for his life and saying he couldn't breathe.

"Please, please, please, I can't breathe," Floyd can be heard saying. "Don't kill me."

"Relax," said the officer, who has since been identified as Derek Chauvin. Floyd can be seen ceasing to move in the video.

Police said an ambulance took him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Minneapolis police released a transcript of the 911 call that led to the encounter with Floyd.

Read it here.

The four police officers involved in Floyd's death were fired the next day.

Story continues

Protests began in Minneapolis on Tuesday, and escalated and spread across the country from Wednesday.

People protesting in Minneapolis on May 27, 2020, over Floyd's death.

Jordan Strowder/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

While protesters clashed with police on Tuesday, events turned more violent on Wednesday as looting began and stores were set on fire.

On Wednesday KSTP reported that protesters threw bottles and rocks at police officers, who responded with rubber bullets, flash-bangs, and tear gas. A man was fatally shot outside a Minneapolis pawn shop.

More city authorities were drawn into clashes with protesters and police when Union Minneapolis Bus Drivers agreed on Thursday to refuse to transport police officers and arrested protesters demonstrating after Floyd's death.

"We are willing to do what we can to ensure our labor is not used to help the Minneapolis Police Department shut down calls for justice," the petition reads. "For example, I am a bus driver with ATU 1005, and I urged people to call MetroTransit and the Governor the second I heard our buses and members were being organized to make mass arrests hours before the protests escalated."

Tensions seemed to escalate when stores were set on fire in the Twin Cities on Thursday. St. Paul police said that more than 170 businesses were looted or damaged.

A woman is surrounded by teargas on May 28, 2020, in St. Paul.

AP Photo/John Minchillo

Local news station KTSP reported that a large fire started across the street from a Target in St. Paul as well as in front of several other businesses.

Police officers in the city were also attacked.

Protesters began to throw rocks, bottles, and even shopping carts at officers who were blocking the entrance to Midway Target, according to KMSP. Police said multiple fires were also set as large crowds gathered in the city.

Mayor Carter said "the anger, the anguish, the sadness, the rage that we're seeing in the community, it's understandable," according to the Pioneer Press.

"I think it's shared by a whole lot of people throughout humanity right now who have looked at that video [of Floyd] and just said: 'That doesn't feel like the kind of community, the kind of state, the kind of city, the kind of country, the kind of world that I want to live in,'" he said.

Later that night, protesters broke into the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct around 10 p.m. and set the building on fire.

A protester tries to extinguish a fire outside a Target store near the Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct on May 28, 2020.

KEREM YUCEL/AFP via Getty Images

The precinct was evacuated at 10 p.m. local time, WCCO reported.

"Protesters forcibly entered the building and have ignited several fires," a police statement said.

Footage shows the building on fire:

According to CNN, police set up a fence around the precinct earlier in the day, but thousands of protesters crowded around the building after the fence was pushed down.

"The precinct is on fire. We don't know where the police are," said CNN National Correspondent Sara Sidner on Thursday night. "The fire alarm is going on inside ... People are cheering and more fireworks are going off as the police precinct is burning."

A Target store in the area was also set on fire, and a shooting was reported in a nearby Walgreen's as well.

Target closed 24 Minnesota stores on Thursday following damage to multiple locations that were struck by looting and fires.

Damaged shopping carts piled up in a Target parking lot in Minneapolis in the morning of May 28, 2020.

Jim Mone/AP

Target said it is closing 10 locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as 14 more in nearby areas, "until further notice."

"We are heartbroken by the death of George Floyd and the pain it is causing our community," Target said in a statement, according to the Star Tribune.

"At this time, we have made the decision to close a number of our stores until further notice. Our focus will remain on our team members' safety and helping our community heal."

In addition to dangerous clashes, Minnesota's state health commissioner warned on Thursday that the protests could lead to a surge in coronavirus cases.

Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm at a news conference in St. Paul, Minnesota, on May 27, 2020.

John Autey/Pioneer Press via AP

Jan Malcolm said Thursday that she understood why people are demonstrating, but asked them to remain cautious when gathering to help prevent the spread of the disease.

"People are moved to want to speak and to want to gather in solidarity and in protest, and we certainly honor and respect that right," Malcolm said, according to the Star Tribune.

"As we know, large gatherings do pose a risk in any epidemic, but certainly where we stand today with the state of COVID-19 spread in our community. Knowing that we have community spread, we just want to again encourage folks who gather to be mindful of the risk."

On Thursday, the state had a fifth-straight day of declining new coronavirus cases, but hospitalization rates remain high.

Protesters told Business Insider on Thursday why they felt it was important to protest Floyd's death, despite the threat of spreading the virus.

"The city has a knee on their neck," said Sam Pree-Gonzalez, executive project director for the Association for Black Economic Power. "Now the tables have turned, and COVID exposed a lot of disparities. This [death] has clearly exposed even further disparities."

Protests also began reaching tense heights in other cities on Thursday. Dozens of arrests were also made at protests in New York City.

A protester arrested during a rally over the death of George Floyd in New York City on May 28, 2020.

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

At least 70 people were arrested after protests turned violent in New York City on Thursday, according to the New York Post.

Dozens of protesters clashed with police while demonstrating and chanting: "No justice! No peace!" and "F--- the police."

Protests also escalated in Columbus, Ohio, and Phoenix, Arizona.

A driver was accused of deliberately hitting a protester with a car in Denver.

Participants carry placards as they march during a protest outside the Colorado State Capitol over the death of George Floyd.

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

A graphic video of a protester getting hit by a vehicle that was pushing through a crowd of demonstrators was posted on Twitter.

The condition of the protester is not immediately known.

Earlier that day, Trump described the protesters as "thugs" and added: "When the looting starts, the shooting starts." Twitter said the comments violated the platform's rules "about glorifying violence."

Twitter rebuke

Twitter

Democrats and military veterans also spoke out against Trump's comments which appeared to suggest that National Guard troops may shoot looters.

Trump later clarified his tweets by adding that it was merely an "expression" that was "spoken as a fact, not as a statement."

"It's very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media," Trump tweeted.

However, his statement prompted scrutiny.

Business Insider's Tom Porter previously reported the idea that looting could result in a shooting was the "the same line has been used by former Miami police chief Walter Headley and other segregationists during the civil rights movement in the 1960s."

Trump later claimed that he was not aware of the statement's racially-charged history.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the protests were the result of "generations of pain, of anguish" over police brutality and racial issues.

Then-Democratic candidate for Governor Tim Walz in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on October 26, 2018.

REUTERS/Brian Snyder

"The ashes are symbolic of decades and generations of pain and anguish, and now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world," Walz told a press conference on Friday. "And the world is watching."

Walz also said justice against the officers who arrested Floyd will be "swift."

"It is my expectation that justice for the officers involved in this will be swift, that it will come in a timely manner, that it will be fair," Walz said.

Walz also apologized for the Friday morning arrest of CNN reporter Omar Jimenez while he was reporting on the protests live on air.

CNN reporter Omar Jimenez is seen being arrested at the Minneapolis protests early Friday morning.

CNN/Twitter

Jimenez was released from police custody about an hour later. However, it remains unclear why Jimenez, who is black, taken into custody despite identifying himself as a journalist.

CNN reporter Josh Campbell, who was also reporting on the scene and is white, said he had no trouble with the police.

Walz said later: "There is absolutely no reason something like this should happen. Calls were made immediately. This is a very public apology to that team. It should not happen and I want to be clear for those of you listening."

He said he took "full responsibility" for the incident, which he called "unacceptable."

On Friday morning, Minnesota's Attorney General Keith Ellison called Floyd's death "intolerable, absolutely unacceptable," and said he expects charges against the officers involved.

Rep. Keith Ellison in Denver during a forum about the future of the Democratic party.

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Ellison told a press conference on Friday that he anticipated charges will be brought against the police officers involved in Floyd's death.

He said Floyd's death was "intolerable, absolutely unacceptable," and that culture "must change."

He also said Minnesota officials plan form a group "on preventing and reducing deadly force encounters with police."

"We are not just going to fix the windows and sweep up the glass," he said. "We're going to fix a broken, shattered society that leaves so many people behind based on their historical legacy of being in bondage and servitude, then second-class citizenship, and now fraught with disparities from everything from incarceration to housing to wages to everything else."

Derek Chauvin, the police officer who was seen kneeling on George Floyd's neck, was taken into custody and charged with third-degree murder on Friday.

Protesters gather on May 26, 2020, at the site where Floyd was arrested and pinned down.

Eric Miller/Reuters

Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the case, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a press conference on Friday afternoon.

"This is by far the fastest we've ever charged a police officer," Freeman said, adding that it usually takes around nine months.

No other police officers are in custody. Freeman said he would not comment on the three other officers' situations, but said they could face charges.

Chauvin had been with the Minneapolis Police Department for 19 years until he was fired earlier this week.

The charging document against Chauvin also included preliminary results from Floyd's autopsy, which "revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation."

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

Ramsey County Sheriff's Office via AP

"The autopsy revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation," the charging document said ."Mr. Floyd had underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease."

"The combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death."

Read the full document here.

On Thursday, Floyd's family said they want to do an independent autopsy because "they do not trust  the city of Minneapolis."

Chauvin's wife filed for divorce, and is "devastated" by Floyd's death, according to her attorney.

"This evening, I spoke with Kellie Chauvin and her family," her attorneys said in a statement.

"She is devastated by Mr. Floyd's death and her utmost sympathy lies with his family, with his loved ones and with everyone who is grieving this tragedy. She has filed for dissolution of her marriage to Derek Chauvin."

See the full statement here:

Floyd's family called Chauvin being charged "a welcome but overdue step on the road to justice," and called for a first-degree murder charge.

George Floyd.

Courtesy of Philonise Floyd

"The arrest of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the brutal killing of George Floyd is a welcome but overdue step on the road to justice. We expected a first-degree murder charge. We want a first-degree murder charge," the family said through their attorney, Benjamin Crump.

For a first- or second-degree murder charge, prosecutors would need to prove that Chauvin intended to kill Floyd, The New York Times reported.

The family continued: "And we want to see the other officers arrested. We call on authorities to revise these charges to reflect the true culpability of this officer. The pain that the black community feels over this murder and what it reflects about the treatment of black people in America is raw and is spilling out on to the streets across America."

They also called on Minneapolis and cities across the US to change their policies and trainings to make sure deaths like Floyd's never happen again.

"For four officers to inflict this kind of unnecessary, lethal force  or watch it happen  despite outcry from witnesses who were recording the violence  demonstrates a breakdown in training and policy by way of the city," the family said.

"We fully expect to see other officers who did nothing to protect the life of George Floyd to be arrested and charged soon."

Attorney General William Barr announced Friday that the Department of Justice would launch an independent investigation into Floyd's death.

Attorney General William Barr speaks at the National Sheriffs' Association Winter Legislative and Technology Conference in Washington, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020.

Associated Press/Susan Walsh

Barr said in a Friday statement that the Department of Justice is conducting an independent investigation to determine whether or not any civil rights laws were violated in Floyd's death.

"The video images of the incident that ended with death of Mr. Floyd, while in custody of Minneapolis police officers, were harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing," Barr said.

Earlier on Friday, a new video appeared to show three Minneapolis police officers pinning George Floyd to the ground.

A new video first published by NBC News on Friday appears to show three officers kneeling on George Floyd before his death.

YouTube/NBC News

Previous videos of the incident showed just one officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd's neck, but a new video shows three officers pinning him to the ground with their knees as he begged to be released.

While the four officers involved in the incident have been fired, only Chauvin has been arrested and charged.

The video may be upsetting to some viewers. It appears to show Floyd crying out in distress and repeatedly telling the officers he couldn't breathe.

"Please, please let me stand," Floyd could be heard saying. "Please, I can't breathe."

It's not known who took the video, and its authenticity has not been confirmed. But NBC News, who first reported on the video, verified it using Google Street View imagery and statements from police.

After protests reached a fever pitch late Friday, Minnesota activated the entire National Guard for biggest protest response in the state's history after tensions boiled over in Minneapolis into the weekend.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz at a press conference early May 30, 2020.

KARE 11/YouTube

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said on Saturday morning that the state would activate its entire National Guard.

The additional 1,000 National Guard authorities planned to respond on Saturday made it the largest in the state's history and three times larger than that used during race riots in the 1960s, St. Paul's KSTP reported.

On Thursday, 500 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated before another 200 were activated Friday night, the National Guard told KSTP.

The Minnesota National Guard said in a tweet that the deployment would include 1,000 additional "Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen" in addition to the 700 that were already on duty.

They also begged people to go home.

Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis at a press conference early May 30, 2020.

KARE 11/YouTube

"The absolute chaos  this is not grieving, and this is not making a statement that we fully acknowledge needs to be fixed  this is dangerous," Walz said, according to the Star Tribune. "You need to go home."

Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis added, according to the Star Tribune: "Minneapolis, I know you are reeling ... We as a city are so much more than this. We as a city can be so much better."

Watch the full press conference here:

Despite pleas from lawmakers across the country, other outbreaks of violence, vandalism, and destruction were also seen in a number of cities into the weekend.

A NYPD police car is set on fire as protesters clash with police during a march against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, U.S., May 30, 2020.

Reuters/Eduardo Munoz

Police cars were toppled, vandalized, or lit on fire in numerous cities, including New York City, Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles.

In Philadelphia, protesters swarmed a statue of a former mayor, Frank Rizzo, who has been widely criticized for policies that discriminated against black residents. Protesters vandalized the statue and tried to pull it down and light it on fire.

The Philadelphia Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) May 30, 2020

Widespread looting was also reported, including in downtown Seattle, a Nike store in Chicago, and The Grove mall in Los Angeles, where security guards reportedly begged looters to stop, pleading, "We're one of you."

Outkick the Coverage (@Outkick) May 31, 2020

In Seattle, looters ransacked a local Cheesecake Factory restaurant. One protester appeared to make off carrying an entire cheesecake.

Protesters and officers also clashed in Chicago:

A number of police officers across the country were also injured in the protests. Philadelphia authorities said 13 officers were injured in the clashes, and two police officers in Richmond, Virginia, were reportedly hospitalized after being struck with a baseball bat and a beer bottle, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The Denver Police Department also tweeted that three of its officers were severely injured after a vehicle struck a police cruiser.

Target has also temporarily closed 175 stores across several states.

"Our focus will remain on our team members' safety and helping our community heal," the retailer said in a statement.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency for Fulton County and activated as many as 500 troops from the Georgia National Guard.

Demonstrators protest in Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta, on May 29, 2020.

AP Photo/Mike Stewart

In a tweet, Kemp said he would activate state National Guard troops "to protect people & property in Atlanta."

Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) May 30, 2020

Atlanta's Chief of Police, Erika Shields, went out into the crowds Friday and talked to individual protesters to hear out their concerns.

Lilly - BLACK LIVES MATTER (@joonhopekook) May 29, 2020

The CNN Center in Atlanta was circled by protesters.

CNN correspondent Nick Valencia reported from the building's lobby with a line of police with riot shields in the background.

Debris littered the entrance as people outside threw rocks, bottles, smoke grenades, and in one instance, a lit firework which detonated inside the lobby.

CNN's Fernando Alfonso III reported that SWAT cars approached the CNN Center as protesters climbed the CNN sign and held up "Black Lives Matter" flags.

Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020

The CNN logo was defaced and graffitied, and flags were burned. Bottles were thrown and the glass on the building was shattered, and protesters chanted "no more police."

Protesters also began destroying police cars after dispersing away from the center.

Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020

Elsewhere, protesters ran in fear of possible tear gas being deployed, according to CNN.

Demonstrators also clashed with police, WAGA-TV reported. The protesters were headed towards Atlanta Police Headquarters but rerouted due to blocked streets.

Protesters chanted "Justice now," "Police the police," and "black lives matter."

Pepper spray was reportedly used to break up some of the protesters.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta urged residents to avoid violence.

"When lives and the conscience of this nation are at peril, we as people are expected to exercise our constitutional rights to peacefully assemble and have our voices heard," she tweeted. "Atlanta embodies these values, and I encourage all who exercise these rights to remember Atlanta's legacy of peaceful protest leading to progress."

Demonstrators in Dallas retaliated against police and damaged police vehicles. One video shows a can of tear gas going off inside a woman's car.

People continue the second day of protests over Floyd's death in Minneapolis on May 27, 2020.

ordan Strowder/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

LIVE UPDATES FROM DALLAS (@ElijahSchaffer) May 30, 2020

LIVE UPDATES FROM DALLAS (@ElijahSchaffer) May 30, 2020

LIVE UPDATES FROM DALLAS (@ElijahSchaffer) May 30, 2020

Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall confronted a rioter in the city and told him to stop attacking police officers supervising the protests in the city.

In Louisville, Kentucky, police were seen spraying pepper bullets at protesters. Police also shot them at a reporter and a cameraman covering the scene.

A protest against the deaths of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police and George Floyd by Minneapolis police, in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 29, 2020.

REUTERS/Bryan Woolston

The Louisville protesters were also demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was shot eight times and killed by police carrying out a narcotics bust in March.

Taylor's family said in an April lawsuit the police had entered the wrong address, and Taylor's boyfriend said the police didn't announce themselves while entering.

Police sprayed demonstrators with pepper bullets to disperse the crowd.

Wave 3 News reporter Kaitlin Rust was also shot at while she was broadcasting live, and the cameraman captured a police officer aiming pepper bullets.

Rust also reported that protesters had breached the Louisville Hall of Justice and lit a fire inside the building. The extent of damage to the building is not immediately known.

Kentucky state Rep. Attica Scott tweeted that she was among those tear-gassed during the riot.

"This was after one of your officers kept pushing me without ever asking me to move," Scott wrote. "This was after we were never asked to disperse. This was during a peaceful protest. LMPD met peace with violence. I'm disgusted."

Seven people were also shot at during protests on Thursday, Louisville Metro Police Department told Business Insider.

Demonstrators in Washington, DC, clashed with police outside the White House, with multiple injuries reported. The Secret Service briefly put the White House on lockdown.

People demonstrating over Floyd's death walk along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2020.

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Protesters at the North Lawn of the White House attempted to break down the barricade as they confronted Secret Service agents and DC police on Friday.

According to CNN, a crowd of hundreds of protesters was "set off" by a man who police were trying to escort from the protests.

Protesters clashed with Secret Service Police in Lafayette Park, which is across the street from the White House, NBC Washington reporter Tom Lynch tweeted.

Hunter Walker, the White House correspondent for Yahoo News, tweeted from the scene: "I saw multiple police being carried away. They seemed injured or at the very least hit with spray. Multiple injuries among the protesters as well."

Police also unleashed tear gas on some protesters, The Washingtonian's Jane Recker reported.

The US Secret Service put the White House on lockdown Friday due to the protests, NBC News reported. The order was lifted later that night, CNN reported.

During the lockdown, people were forbidden to leave White House grounds, and the doors of the briefing room  where a dozen of reporters  were locked, according to NBC News reporter Peter Alexander.

Protests continued in New York City, with more arrests reported. Footage circulated of an NYPD officer appearing to throw a protester to the ground with great force.

Protesters pose for photos near police officers blocking entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge on May 28, 2020.

AP Photo/Frank Franklin II

Peaceful protests turned violent on Friday. Reporters posted videos of police officers hitting protesters with batons.

Newsweek reporter Jason Lemon also posted a video showing a NYPD officer violently throwing female protester to the ground. Lemon said the officer also called the protester a "stupid f---ing bitch."

The officer is now under investigation, NBC New York reported, citing the NYPD.

A woman who identified herself as the protester, posted photos of herself in the hospital and tweeted that the officer "told me to get out of the street and then immediately threw me out of the way."

Some protesters also threw glass and plastic water bottles at police, CNN reported.

A video of a NYPD police van on fire in Brooklyn was posted on Twitter late Friday night.

PM Breaking News (@PMBreakingNews) May 30, 2020

Another reporter tweeted an image of officers putting arrested protesters on busses.

One bus driver tasked with driving the arrested protesters to the Barclays Center refused to drive it in solidarity with the other demonstrators.

The protests were organized by the NYC Justice League, and protesters were urged to keep in mind safety protocols in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City urged protesters to be peaceful and socially distant. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo supported the protests, CBS New York reported.

Elsewhere, a 19-year-old man was killed in Detroit after someone in an SUV fired shots into a crowd protesting Floyd's death late Friday night.

The shooting took place 11:30 p.m. Friday night, Detroit police spokeswoman Sgt. Nicole Kirkwood said Saturday, according to the AP.

The suspect pulled up in a Dodge Durango SUV and fired shots into the crowd, Kirkwood said, per the AP. No police were involved in the shooting, she added.

The victim, an unnamed 19-year-old man, was pronounced dead in the hospital.

The identity and motive of the suspect are not immediately known.

President Donald Trump addressed Floyd's death on Saturday when he alleged Antifa and "radical far-left groups" were responsible for the violent protests that erupted across the country.

Trump speaks after the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft on NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on May 30, 2020.

Kyle Mazza/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Trump on Saturday issued lengthy remarks on George Floyd, the Minneapolis man who was killed on Monday when police officer knelt on his neck for roughly eight minutes.

He condemned Floyd's death, and vowed to stop the "mob violence" that has plagued the country in recent days.

"The death of George Floyd in the streets of Minneapolis was a grave tragedy," Trump said during remarks at the Kennedy Space Center in Flordia after viewing the SpaceX launch. "It should never have happened. It has filled Americans all over the country with horror, anger, and grief."

"What we are seeing now on the streets of our cities has nothing to do with justice or with peace," Trump said. "My administration will stop mob violence, and we'll stop it cold. It does not serve the interests of justice or any citizen of any race, color, or creed for the government to give in to anarchy, abandon police precincts, or allow communities to be burned to the ground. It won't happen."

George Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, told MSNBC on Saturday that Trump called him, but didn't give him "the opportunity to even speak."

George Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd (L) and his nephew Brandon Williams (R), speak to MSNBC on May 30, 2020.

MSNBC

In an emotional interview with Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC on Saturday, Floyd's brother, Philonise, said he spoke to both President Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden.

On the call with Trump, Floyd said: "It was so fast. He didn't give me the opportunity to even speak. It was hard. I was trying to talk to him but he just kept like pushing me off like 'I don't want to hear what you're talking about.' I just told him I want justice. I said that I can't believe that they committed a modern-day lynching in broad daylight."

"I can't stand for that, that hurt me. I just don't understand, man. Why we have to go through this? Why we gotta have all this pain, man?" he added.

Referring to his call with Biden, Floyd said: "I never had to beg a man before but I asked [Biden] could he please, please get justice for my brother, please."

Floyd's brother is pushing to have the third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin to be upgraded to first-degree murder. He also wants the other three police officers who were present during the incident to be arrested.

Police across the country were accused of using heavy-handed tactics against protesters over the weekend  mowing them down with cruisers, destroying water jugs, and shoving people to the ground.

Atlanta Police detain demonstrators protesting, Friday, May 30, 2020 in Atlanta.

Associated Press/Mike Stewart

Throughout the day on Saturday, protesters in multiple cities reported increasingly intense clashes with police.

A video from Louisville, Kentucky, appeared to show plainclothes police officers destroying jugs of water and throwing bottles into the back of a pickup truck while riot police guarded them.

Natalie Neysa Alund (@nataliealund) May 30, 2020

Police in Salt Lake City, Utah, were captured on video shoving an elderly man with a cane, forcing him to fall on the ground.

Another video from New York showed a police officer pulling down a man's face mask and spraying him with what appeared to be pepper spray.

Ms. Anju J. Rupchandani (@AJRupchandani) May 31, 2020

Even members of the media reported mistreatment by the police  including being struck with rubber bullets or sprayed with tear gas.

Several journalists were also arrested Saturday evening, including WCCO photojournalist Tom Aviles in Minneapolis, and HuffPost reporter Christopher Mathias in New York.

Videos taken in New York City showed police cars driving directly into a barrier and ramming down protesters on the other side. The city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, said the video was "upsetting" and he wished "the officers hadn't done that."

Here is footage of the incident:

At a press conference late Saturday evening, de Blasio said: "Look, I've seen that video and I've obviously heard about a number of other instances  it's inappropriate for protestors to surround a police vehicle and threaten police officers. That's wrong on its face and that hasn't happened in the history of protest in this city."

"I'm not going to blame officers who were trying to deal with an absolutely impossible situation. The folks who were converging on that police car did the wrong thing, to begin with, and they created an untenable situation," he said.

De Blasio added that he wished the police officers "found a different approach" but the protesters also "did the wrong thing to surround that police car."

The US capital also saw another day of protests which turned violent after some people burst through barricades close to the White House.

Protesters hold up their hands as they rally near the White House, May 30, 2020.

Eric Thayer/Reuters

The crowd was quickly driven out by police, who were using shields, batons, and pepper spray as methods to disperse them.

But the protesters continued to resist, damaging several Secret Service vehicles and setting nearby dumpsters and cars on fire.

Police also violently arrested and shot less-lethal rounds at journalists covering the protests.

A journalist is seen bleeding after police started firing tear gas and rubber bullets near the 5th police precinct following a demonstration for George Floyd on May 30, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images

By Sunday morning, dozens of journalists across the country have been arrested, assaulted, or shot with less-lethal munitions, such as rubber bullets, while covering the Black Lives Matter protests that have erupted in cities across the country.

In many of these cases, journalists identified themselves before being arrested or shot at and appeared to have been targetted  though in other cases, journalists were caught up in a massive display of force by police against protests raging in cities across the nation.

In addition to police forces, the National Guard said that 5,000 troops were activated to respond to unrest in 15 states and DC with thousands more ready to go.

Members of the National Guard hold a perimeter as a fire crew works to put out a fire at a gas station on Lake Street on May 29, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

The National Guard announced Sunday that approximately 5,000 troops have been activated to respond to unrest in 15 different states and Washington, DC.

"The situation is fluid so those numbers can change rapidly," the statement said, adding that another 2,000 troops are ready to act if needed.

National Guard forces are active in 15 different states and one district including California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Utah, Ohio, South Dakota, Washington, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Washington D.C.

Outside the US, thousands on Sunday participated in Black Lives Matter protests including in the UK, Germany, Italy, and Canada.

Activists gathered at Trafalgar Square in the UK on May 31, 2020, to protest the death George Floyd in Minneapolis.

David Cliff/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

In the UK, hundreds of demonstrators reported at Trafalgar Square, in London, and protesters also marched to the US Embassy in Battersea, BBC reported, and were seen in Manchester and Cardiff.

Crowds chanted "Justice for George Floyd," "Racism has no place," "Enough is enough," "I can't breathe," and "Black lives matter." They chanted, "No justice, no peace."

Crowds also gathered at the US Embassy in Berlin on Saturday and on Sunday they demanded justice in front of the Brandenburg Gate, Insider reported.

In Italy, crowds marched in front of the US Embassy in Milan, and in Canada, the protests were sparked by local outrage as well.

Protests were also sparked by the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a 29-year-old black woman, who fell from her balcony and died on Wednesday as police were investigating a domestic incident at her building, CBC News reported.

As unrest went into the early hours of Sunday morning, people defied curfews that have been imposed on 26 cities in 16 states.

A demonstrator holds a sign during a protest the death of George Floyd, Saturday, May 30, 2020, near the White House in Washington, DC.

Associated Press/Evan Vucci

Protests and looting continued into the night in some Californian cities, including La Mesa, where at least two banks have been set on fire, according to the Guardian.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County on Saturday evening.

The curfews were set in place in the following cities:

Beverly Hills, California

Los Angeles, California

San Francisco, California

Denver, Colorado

Miami, Florida

Atlanta, Georgia

Chicago, Illinois

Louisville, Kentucky

Minneapolis, Minnesota

St Paul, Minnesota

Rochester, New York

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cleveland, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio

Dayton, Ohio

Toledo, Ohio

Eugene, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Charleson, South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina

Nashville, Tennessee

Salt Lake City, Utah

Seattle, Washington

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Washington, DC

On Sunday evening, a truck drove through a crowd of protesters on the I-35W highway in Minneapolis.

A semi rammed into a group of protesters in Minneapolis on Sunday night.

Nora Stephens

Video and photo from protesters on the ground shows a truck plowing through a crowd of protesters that blocked access on the highway in Minneapolis.

Witnesses told FOX 9 News that several people were struck by the tanker truck.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety called the driver's actions "very disturbing" in a tweet following the incident.

The department said that the driver has been placed under arrest, adding that it did not appear that any protesters were hit.

Sunday night protests in Washington, DC saw large fires near Lafayette Park and officers firing tear gas.

Demonstrators start a fire as they protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington.

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

According to CNN, several fires were seen around Lafayette Park.

The fires were reportedly near the historic St. John's Church, and at a public-facilities building at the edge of the park, CNN reported.

A Washington Post reporter said that the fire was in the basement of the church but was put out and there didn't appear to be any significant damage.

A man in Louisville, Kentucky, was killed in a shootout with police and National Guard early on Monday as the police-brutality protests that gripped the US continued.

Protesters and police stand off as tear gas is deployed in the streets of Louisville, Kentucky on May 30, 2020.

Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Law enforcement shot and killed a man during police-brutality protests in Louisville, Kentucky, early on Monday morning.

Louisville Police Chief Steve Conrad said the victim, who has not been identified, was killed after a group shot at police officers and National Guard members, and law enforcement returned fire.

It is unclear whether the man was part of the group that fired on law enforcement.

WLKY reporter Stephon Dingle tweeted that he was the owner of a BBQ joint at the intersection where the shooting happened.

Conrad said that several people were being questioned in relation to the death.

Protests in Louisville started in reaction to the recent death of Breonna Taylor.

Police officers fatally shot Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman, after they got into a gunfight with her boyfriend while serving a no-knock warrant on their apartment.

Most of the protests around the US were sparked by the death of George Floyd, who died while being subdued by police.

A criminal complaint against the ex-police officer Chauvin said George Floyd's preliminary autopsy showed no signs of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. Floyd's family criticized the finding and said they're seeking an independent autopsy.

A still from a video that was taken of the arrest of George Floyd, who later died in custody.

Darnella Frazier/Facebook

A criminal complaint against former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, said George Floyd was "non-responsive" for nearly three minutes before Chauvin took his knee off his neck.

The complaint also cited a preliminary autopsy report and said there were "no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation"  a finding that immediately prompted skepticism and condemnation from Floyd's family.

The complaint said Floyd died from a "combined effect of being restrained, his underlying health conditions, and any potential intoxicants in his system," though no toxicology results have been reported and could still take weeks.

Benjamin Crump, the attorney representing Floyd's family, criticized the medical examiner for failing to "address in detail the effect of the purposeful use of force on Mr. Floyd's neck and the extent of Mr. Floyd's suffering at the hands of the police."

Floyd's family will commission an independent medical examiner to conduct a separate autopsy, Crump said.

"We are not surprised yet we are tragically disappointed in the preliminary autopsy finding released today by the medical examiner," Crump said. "We hope that this does not reflect efforts to create a false narrative for the reason George Floyd died."

One week after George Floyd's death, Minneapolis' police chief told Floyd's family on Monday all four police officers were "complicit" in the man's death.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo spoke with George Floyd's brother Philonise Floyd on CNN.

CNN

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo told George Floyd's family that all four officers were "complicit" in his death because they did not intervene.

Arradondo spoke with Floyd's family on CNN, where Floyd's brother, brother Philonise Floyd, asked: "I want to know if he's going to get justice for my brother, and arrest all the officers and convict them."

Derek Chauvin, the officer seen in video pinned Floyd to the ground by his neck, has been charged with third-degree murder. Floyd's family and many protesters are calling for more severe charges.

The three other officers have been fired, but no charges have been brought.

Arradondo said that only local prosecutors can bring charges, but repeatedly said he thought the other officers were complicit: "Being silent or not intervening, to me, you're complicit. So I don't see a level of distinction that's any different."

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will lead the prosecution of Chauvin.

Keith Ellison.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will lead the prosecution of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with the murder of George Floyd.

Ellison will work with Hennepin County prosecutor Mike Freeman.

Floyd's family requested that Ellison take over the case. They're looking for heavier charges for Chauvin, who kneeled on Floyd's neck for several minutes before Floyd became unresponsive and died.

Trump ramped up his rhetoric on Monday night, issuing an order to mobilize all military resources "effective immediately" to break up any riots.

President Donald Trump makes a statement in the Rose Garden about the ongoing unrest across the nation on June 1, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

In the Rose Garden address, Trump threatened governors with military intervention if they do not take his "strongly recommended" advice to deploy National Guard troops to "dominate the streets."

The announcement was not framed as an executive order, but rather as "measures" that would go "into effect immediately."

"If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States Military and quickly solve the problem for them," he said.

The address was underscored by the sounds of tear gas exploding in the background as authorities confronted protesters just a few blocks away.

Law enforcement officials then fired tear gas and rubber bullets, and used shields, against peaceful protesters to clear the way for Trump to walk to St. John's Church for a photo op with a Bible.

Trump holds a Bible while visiting St. John's Church across from the White House on June 1, 2020.

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

The Associated Press reported that "tear gas canisters could be heard exploding as Trump spoke in the Rose Garden." According to a pool report, the area near St. John's Church, which is across from Lafayette Square, was still thick with gas when the press arrived ahead of the president's stop, prompting "coughing and choking."

"There was no warning. The crowd was entirely peaceful," Jackson Proskow, Washington Bureau Chief for the Canadian outlet Global News, posted on Twitter. "Trump had police move in with tear gas and horses so he could stage a photo op outside a church across the street."

Monday night demonstrations marked the seventh night protesters turned out in cities across the US as tensions remained high across the US.

Demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd hold up placards near the White House on June 1, 2020 in Washington, DC.

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

Read the original article on Business Insider
OSLO (Reuters) - Norway will allow entry to business travellers from all the other Nordic countries from June 1, in a further easing of coronavirus restrictions, the government said on Thursday, making no distinction for Sweden.

A discussion had arisen in recent days of whether Norway should differentiate between the countries due to Sweden's significantly higher rate of COVID-19 infections and deaths, but in the end opted for uniform rules.

The new rules mean business travellers arriving from Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden will no longer be subject to a mandatory 10-day quarantine, which is currently the case for almost all arrivals from abroad.

"This is about bringing back everyday work, slowly and controlled. Not every meeting, negotiation and deal can be done digitally," Industry Minister Iselin Nyboe told a news conference.

(Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Victoria Klesty)
Canadian theater company Why Not has launched the ThisGen 2020 Fellowship, a national leadership program to support exceptional female-identifying black, indigenous, person of color theater artists advancing to the next level of their career.

The inaugural cohort consists of Intisar Awisse, Tai A Grauman, Bianca Guimaraes de Manuel, Crystal Lee, Nikki Shaffeeullah, Olivia Shortt, and Echo Zhou. Why Not Theatre will pair each fellow with a national and international mentor, as well as provide support and access to new networks. Online mentorship will roll out between May and September, with in-person mentorship hoped for the fall.

By using this period of theater closures to address systemic barriers to access, Why Not is actively working to shape what theater will look like when it returns, equipping a new group of artists with the tools to be leaders in their fields. In building relationships with diverse artists and engaging in complex conversations around art and the industry, the ThisGen 2020 Fellowship is reimagining the future of leadership across disciplines in Canadian theater.
The newspapers on Friday, May 29, report extensively on the ongoing political shake-ups in both the ruling Jubilee Party and Opposition outfit NASA.

The purge on errant members in the two political outfits appear to be far from over as reports indicate a key ally of Deputy President William Ruto from Mt Kenya has been baited in a graft crackdown and his bank accounts frozen.

READ ALSO: Aisha Jumwa reacts to ouster from Parliamentary Service Commission with cryptic Martin Luther quote

Kenyan newspapers for May 29. Photo: UGC.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: More woes for Ruto as 3 MPs ditch Tanga Tanga, pledge loyalty to Uhuru

1. The Standard

Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua is an embattled man after the state ordered that his bank accounts be frozen pending investigation into his business dealings.

The vocal MP who is a close ally of Ruto is said to have transacted questionable business deals with Nyeri county government and the state wants to establish alleged irregularities in the payment.

Rigathi is a renowned businessman and was once President Uhuru Kenyatta's aide during the latter's 2002 presidential bid.

He has established himself as Ruto's key ally from Mt Kenya region and Jubilee Party appears to be keen on clipping his political wings.

The Standard newspaper for May 29. Photo: UGC.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Garissa: KDF soldier, police officer who mistakenly shot at each other die in hospital

2. The Star

At least 200 Kenyans have so far volunteered to be used as "guinea pigs" in the ongoing global search for coronavirus vaccine.

Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative (KAVI) Director Omu Anzala, who is heading the program, told the Senate committee on health that they were still looking for more people willing to take part in the vaccine test.

The medic who is also a lecturer at Nairobi University said KAVI was educating the public on what the process entails even as it awaits for ethical approvals to take part in the programme.

He urged senators willing to be part of the process to register with the initiative but none of them accepted the offer.

The Star newspaper for May 29. Photo: UGC.

Source: UGC

3. Daily Nation.

Education Response Committee proposes that schools be reopened in September and national exams be pushed to February 2021.

The Sarah Ruto-led committee presented the report to Education CS George Magoha on Thursday, May 28 and is said to have based its advisory on scientist facts, expert views and the prevailing coronavirus situation in the country.

Magoha had suggested June 4 as a tentative date for reopening of schools but that position may be changed if the report by the task force would be considered.

Daily Nation newspaper for May 29. Photo: UGC.

Source: UGC

4. Taifa Leo

The Swahli publication reports on a research which has established that quarantine facilities have significantly contributed to the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The research done by Human Rights Watch (HRW) blamed the government for forcing people into quarantine centres most of which lacked basic social amenities.

Lack of water and sharing of items are some of the things the report filed by HRW highlighted as contributors to the spread of coronavirus in the country.

Taifa Leo newspaper for May 29. Photo: UGC.

Source: UGC

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly.

My husband left me for my best friend and imprisoned me after I gave him 12 children - Virginia - On TUKO TV.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The Department of Veterans Affairs has spent $2.3 billion of the $19.6 billion it received for emergency pandemic funding under the CARES Act -- a situation officials say will change in the coming months as the department replaces supplies and current bills come due.

Under the $2 trillion stimulus law signed by President Donald Trump in April, VA was allocated $19.6 billion, including nearly $16 billion for the Veterans Health Administration to care for veterans with COVID-19 and cover services at private facilities, including urgent care clinics and emergency rooms.

Read Next: VA Secretary Rebuffs Calls for Removal of Nazi Symbols From Cemeteries

Another $3.1 billion was marked for building infrastructure to care for ill veterans, including equipping and staffing temporary hospitals and clinics, and remodeling existing facilities to ensure that veterans with the contagious illness could be isolated.

But Jon Rychalski, VA's chief financial officer, told the House Appropriations military construction and veterans affairs subcommittee Thursday that VA has spent just a fraction of the money to date.

Last week, the total was less than $2 billion.

When quizzed about the slow burn rate by Rep. John Carter of Texas, the subcommittees ranking Republican, Rychalski said it's too early to determine whether the spending rate is low.

"We don't have a precedent to compare -- we are sort of creating the baseline today," Rychalski said. "We are going to know a lot more in six months."

Under the CARES act, VA is supposed to use the funds it received to buy personal protective equipment, test kits and supplies, help homeless veterans as well as those facing eviction, bolster its telehealth and telework capabilities and assist with modifications of state-run veterans homes to help protect residents.

Rychalski did not say what the $2.3 billion has been spent on, but added that in the past two months, VA has found some expenses to be "less, while some were more." For example, it didnt anticipate having to pay for health care staff members to stay at hotels rather than live at home and potentially expose their families to the coronavirus.

He added that he expects the spending rate to rise as VA readjusts and prepares for any increases in health care requirements related to a spike or second wave.

"In some cases, as you know, the materials and supplies weren't available when we wanted to buy them. We also have to go through the federal procurement process, and that takes a little bit of time. We have an old accounting system, so not everything is in real time. But I think we will see this grow fairly substantially, especially as we set this resupply ourselves and have stock on hand," Rychalski said.

Carter said answers to the questions were needed as Congress considers any additional stimulus packages. He wanted to know whether the appropriations committee could expect any additional funding requests from VA related to the pandemic.

Rychalski said VA was "absolutely adequately funded," but added that it might need flexibility to transfer funds to areas where expenses were higher than anticipated, such as overtime for Veterans Benefits Administration workers, education system upgrades and increased cemetery operations.

He said the department also needs legislative action to pay the health care bills of veterans seen by non-VA providers -- what the department calls "community care." If it doesn't receive the ability to shift funds, the department will be "$5 million short" in paying community providers.

But that's an "accounting issue and legal issue, not a money issue," he said.

In the past month, VA has seen a marked decrease in the number of coronavirus patients it cares for in VA hospitals. As of Thursday, the number of active cases at VA was 1,390, down from nearly 3,000 the first week of May.

More than 13,600 veterans enrolled in VA health care have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and 1,200 have died.

Outside the VA system, however, veterans have been hit hard by the virus, with hundreds dying in state-run veterans homes -- facilities that VA was given funding in the stimulus package to assist.

VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in April that VA employees were sent to some state-run veterans homes to bolster staff and sanitize facilities where hundreds of veterans and employees contracted the coronavirus.

The Government Accountability Office has launched an investigation into VAs oversight of the homes.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: Coronavirus Relief Bill Contains Nearly $20 Billion for VA
Pennsylvania is developing plans for a possible fall resurgence of the coronavirus under the assumption that another statewide shutdown is off the table, Gov. Tom Wolf told media on Friday.

We cannot do another lockdown or stay-at-home order, Wolf said during the first in-person news conference in months, which was also streamed online.

The governor was responding to a question about schools and if they will be open next fall. He said they will, though the exact timing and circumstances will be up to the individual school districts.

There may be more online instruction or fewer students in classrooms, Wolf said, but barring disaster come August and September, the goal is to have schools open. Official guidance will likely be released early next week, he said.

Pennsylvania schools have been closed since March 13.

(Cant see this map? Click here.)

The stay-at-home order now slowly lifting across the state was implemented when little was known about the virus and there was potential for it to overwhelm Pennsylvanias hospitals, the governor and Health Secretary Rachel Levine both said.

As more knowledge and testing procedures are developed, they said such a draconian measure will likely not be necessary if COVID-19 cases begin climbing again in the fall.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

Levine said she wants to see testing further expanded, and the introduction of a faster test that could potentially be done at home, rather than a doctors office, pharmacy or hospital. Further studies on antibodies, their effectiveness and longevity should also yield more useful information about how residents can best protect themselves, Levine said.

In the meantime, the administration said that contact tracing is happening for new COVID-19 cases and that people in close contact with patients are being isolated to avoid further spreading the pandemic virus.

Wolf said he understands how frustrating the statewide shutdown has been.

"If theres a way we can keep ourselves safe without resorting to those draconian measures, we should do that, he said.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com.
Aside from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's unexpected exit from the royal family, the Buckingham Palace is currently being hounded by the controversy involving Prince Andrew and his relationship to the late billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The scandal blew up after one of Epstein's victims, Virginia Giuffre (also known as Virginia Roberts), came to light and claimed that she was forced to have sex with the Duke of York three times between the years 1999 to 2002.

The 59-year-old son of Queen Elizabeth II tried coming out clean through a BBC interview, but everything backfired, leading the Prince to quit his royal duties earlier this year.

In the recent development of Prince Andrew's involvement with Epstein, Virginia Roberts revealed the royal's offensive pickup line before convincing younger women to sleep with him.

Prince Andrew's Pickup Line

In the Netflix documentary "Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich" released on Monday, Virginia revealed a damning allegation that would surely rock the royal family to its core.

The 36-year-old former sex slave recalled one of her first encounters with Prince Andrew in London when she was still 17 years old.

"Ghislaine has this favorite guessing game that she does; she goes to Prince Andrew 'how old do you think Virginia is?' And he said 17," Virginia told the interviewers.

Hpwver, what's more shocking is her revelation on how Prince Andrew uses a pickup line in reference to his daughters before luring girls to have sex with him.

"'My daughters aren't far from your age. My daughters are a little bit younger than you,'" Prince Andrew allegedly said, as per Virginia.

The Prince shares two daughters Princess Beatrice (31) and Princess Eugenie (30) with his now ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.

In her previous revelation, Virginia said that she remembers meeting the Duke of York in a private London nightclub.

"We went out for the night, club Tramp in London. He dances, and he's profusely sweating over me, and it was disgusting. We get back to the townhouse, go upstairs," Virginia said.

On the same night, the famous photo of her and the Prince right beside Ghislaine Maxwell was also taken. She was then told by Ghislaine (Epstein's pimp) that she would have to do with Prince Andrew what he is doing for Jeffrey.

"Right after that photo was taken, I was sexually abused by Prince Andrew for the first time," Virginia added.

Groping Allegations

In the same documentary series, a former employee of Epstein came forward as an eyewitness to Prince Andrew's nasty behavior around women.

According to Steve Skully, an IT person previously working on Epstein's Little Saint James Island, said that he saw how the Duke deliberately touched a topless woman at the island's pool.

"They were engaged in foreplay. He was grabbing her and grinding against her," he said, recalling an incident that happened back in 2004.

Skully shared the same story in an interview with The Sun before, and the publication identified the same girl as Virginia.
Editors note: This is the first in a series of profiles on cannabis brokers, in which Insurance Journal explores why and how these folks got into the business, the ups and downs of insuring cannabis, as well as a few tips for those interested in a little professional development.

Stephanie Bozzuto is a third-generation insurance professional who not only saw an opportunity to make a living in cannabis, but to help do a little justice in an underserviced industry that she believes too often gets the raw end of things.

Bozzuto, who has 14 years of experience in business development, marketing strategy, and insurance coverage analysis, got into the business of insuring cannabis about five years ago and hasnt looked back.

She is the co-founder of Cannabis Connect Insurance, a partner of Acrisure LLC, along with her brother Danny Bozzuto and Andrea Hering.

She has been a long-time legalization advocate, and often speaks on online platforms and on convention panels about insurance, loss prevention and compliance in the cannabis industry.

Bozzuto is also well-connected in the cannabis sector.

Shes a member of the Insurance and Cultivation Committee of the California Cannabis Industry Association, an executive board member of the Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, the secretary of the board for the San Diego Cannabis Industry Association, a board member of the San Diego Cannabis Industry, and is the vice chair of the Risk and Insurance Committee of the National Cannabis Industry Association.

She spoke with Insurance Journal about her experience as a cannabis broker.

Insurance Journal: Why did you get in the cannabis and insurance space?

Bozzuto: My family has been in the insurance industry for three generations now. Although I did dip my toe into other industries such as cosmetology and hospitality, I always came back to the insurance industry, it just came natural to me. After leaving the general agency side of the insurance industry, I got back into retail since I missed working directly with clients.

In 2016, our firm noticed the emerging cannabis industry was being significantly underserved. Weve always been advocates of legal cannabis  Ive personally had my own medical marijuana card for the last 10 years, so this was an industry we understood.

I would review insurance portfolios of new clients and would find total marijuana exclusions on a dispensary insurance policy. I also noticed that due to the old cannabis stigma, many insurance brokers were writing basic policies and neglecting to understand the complexities of the risk, exposures and coverage availabilities. I also noticed pricing was extremely high for limited coverage, while Ive been working with different trade associations and the (California) Department of Insurance in hopes to see a change.

Price gouging is a real issue and some carriers are over-charging knowing theyre the only game in town, which is not right. I will continue to work on behalf of my clients. I feel their pain, I know their personal stories  many of us are friends. I feel personally obligated to do my best to see improvements in coverages and price.

IJ: Has this been a good financial decision so far?

Bozzuto: Yes. I believe so, but it doesnt come quickly or easily. To this day, we believe servicing the cannabis industry is more service-heavy than most construction accounts. This is not an industry to dip your toe in either, you need to stay on top of new laws, regulations, policy forms, endorsements and exclusions, or you will have a difficult time keeping up. If youre passionate about the cannabis industry, you want to help pave the way, then this will be a very rewarding industry for you. I absolutely love it and feel right at home.

IJ: Whats the hardest thing about the cannabis industry to deal with?

Bozzuto: All of the obstacles with underwriting. We have tremendous relationships with our carrier partners, however like any new industry, the underwriting is very heavy and the applications are lengthy. Insurance policies do not have an option to auto-renew the following year and a brand-new application is needed for each insurance carrier partner. Endorsements and other changes can be lengthy, and if you want great coverage, youre going to pay a lot for it.

IJ: What insurance product is the most difficult to obtain for your cannabis industry clients? Why?

Bozzuto: I would say finding quality coverage for cannabis companies that are selling vape hardware or sourcing their vape equipment from overseas can be challenging.

Yes, theres a market for it, but its not going to have all the bells and whistles you would expect. I would also say D&O (directors and officers) insurance and auto are problematic. They are both inflated in price with a limited supply of insurance carriers willing to write these risks.

Many D&O policies have a retention of $25,000 and up. If youre a publicly traded cannabis company, you can see quotes with a $250,000 to $500,000 retention for a $1 million aggregate limit in coverage with a list of unfavorable exclusions too. For auto, youre choices are slim and expensive.

IJ: What two or three tips do you have for brokers entering the business of insuring cannabis?

Bozzuto: If you are a generalist, this is not an industry for you. If you want to focus, take the time and become an expert in this new industry than this is the space for you. Roll up your sleeves and expect the next three to four years of your career focusing on building a reputation for yourself within the cannabis community and insurance industry.

It was the best decision I have ever made in my career. I would say if youre passionate about cannabis like I am, then this is the industry for you.

Topics Agencies Cannabis Market
As the end of Lockdown 4.0 approaches on the midnight of May 31, Union Home Minister Amit Shah dialled up all Chief Ministers on Thursday evening, asking them about the future of lockdown, say sources.

Shah wanted to know whether the lockdown should be further extended or not. He heard the apprehensions of different states about further opening up the economy.



States like West Bengal were initially apprehensive about large scale migrants reaching the state when Shramik trains were started. Haryana on Thursday once again sealed its borders with Delhi. Sources say Shah listened to their views and will convey their inputs to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.





Before completion of each lockdown, there is generally at least one Prime Minister's video conference with all state Chief Ministers. So far, this time around, there has been no such announcements.



The fourth phase of the lockdown ends on May 31.



When Lockdown 4.0 kicked in, the MHA had said: "A limited number of activities will continue to remain prohibited throughout the country. These include all domestic and international air travel of passengers." However, half way through it, Union Civil Aviation Minister Harddep Singh Puri surprised everyone by conditionally restarting domestic flight operations.



Now, the question that confronts both states and Centre is "What's next?"



The 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed from March 25 was to end on April 14. However, it was extended to May 3, then to May 17 and subsequently till May 31.
OLYMPIA, WA  Kitsap and Clallam counties have joined two dozen others in moving forward under the state's four-part reopening plan. Now, 26 counties are approved for phase 2, allowing for restaurants, salons, retail stores and other businesses to resume limited in-person operations.

Under the current guidelines, counties are only eligible to apply for the second phase once they clear a threshold requiring fewer than 10 new cases per 100,000 residents over two weeks. Applications must be supported by each county's health officer, the board of health, local hospitals, and its commission or council, then approved by the state Secretary of Health.

To be approved, counties must show they have adequate hospital capacity and personal protective equipment to keep health care workers safe. Applications must also include plans to meet five requirements:

Making testing available and accessible to everyone in the county with symptoms.

Staffing case investigations and contact tracing.

Housing people in isolation or quarantine who cant or dont want to do so at home.

Providing case management services to those in isolation and quarantine.

Responding rapidly to outbreaks in congregate settings.

According to state health officials, only Klickitat County remains eligible to apply for a variance, while an application in Clark County is on hold due to an outbreak investigation.

(Office of the Governor)

On Thursday morning, Snohomish County leaders called on the state to allow it to move forward, citing a comprehensive COVID-19 response plan and several areas of progress. Under the state's current guidelines, the county's rate of new cases remains above the threshold required for a variance. The county council and the board of health will meet Friday to consider finalizing the application.

Gov. Jay Inslee said Wednesday that updated phase 2 guidance for the state's remaining counties will be shared this week. The governor cautioned that it was unlikely all counties would be able to move forward by Monday, after his stay-at-home order expires.

This article originally appeared on the Seattle Patch
The UK government has said that it is open to extending the visa rights of British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders in Hong Kong to offer them a path to the country's citizenship unless China steps back from a new security law in the former British territory.

China's parliament on Thursday approved the new law which would make it a crime to undermine Beijing's authority in Hong Kong.

An estimated 300,000 BNO passport holders in Hong Kong currently have the right to visit the UK for up to six months without a visa. These passports were issued by the UK to people in the region before the transfer of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.

In relation to BNO passport holders, currently they only have the right to come to the UK for six months, said UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

If China continues down this path and implements this national security legislation, we will change that status. And we will remove that six-month limit and allow those BNO passport holders to come to the UK and to apply to work and study for extendable periods of 12 months and that will itself provide a pathway to future citizenship, he said.

According to reports, the proposal has the backing of Indian-origin Home Secretary Priti Patel, with details yet to be fleshed out.

Some British MPs want the UK government to go further and offer automatic citizenship to BNO holders in Hong Kong. Conservative Party MP Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said BNO holders should have an automatic right to live and work in the UK.

We must move faster in recognising the rights of the most entrepreneurial people in Asia, and speak out for those who we know so well back in the region. We should also build partnerships that can defend the rule of law worldwide, he said.

Raab's intervention followed a strongly-worded joint statement by the UK, US, Australia and Canada condemning Beijing's proposed new law.

China's decision to impose the new national security law on Hong Kong lies in direct conflict with its international obligations under the principles of the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration, the joint statement said.

As Hong Kong's stability and prosperity are jeopardised by the new imposition, we call on the government of China to work with the Hong Kong SAR Government and the people of Hong Kong to find a mutually acceptable accommodation that will honour China's international obligations under the UN-filed Sino-British Joint Declaration, it said.

China, however, has rejected foreign criticism of its new law, which has received the backing of the Chinese parliament and could be in force by next month.

Reacting to the UK government's proposal, China on Friday threatened it with reprisals.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters at a press briefing that China "reserves the right to take corresponding countermeasures."

Last year more than 100,000 people in Hong Kong signed a petition calling for full BNO citizenship rights.

The British government responded by saying that only UK citizens and certain Commonwealth citizens had the right of abode in the UK and cited a 2007 review, which said giving BNO holders full citizenship would be a breach of the agreement under which the UK handed Hong Kong back to China.

In 1972, the UK offered asylum to around 30,000 Ugandan Asians, mostly Indian-origin, with BNO passports after the then-military ruler Idi Amin ordered about 60,000 Asians to leave. At the time, some British MPs said India should take responsibility for the refugees, but then Prime Minister Edward Heath said the UK had a duty to accept them.
The Healthcare Diversion Network, a nonprofit association dedicated to preventing drug diversion, today celebrates one year since launching HealthcareDiversion.org, a website that aims to compile all known healthcare diversion incidents into a single national database to increase transparency for healthcare organizations. The site works to educate healthcare providers and patients about the risks of drug diversion and share best practices to prevent future diversion.

Since launching, more than 400 drug diversion incidents have been added to the HealthcareDiversion.org database, with at least one incident reported in every state in America. In the coming year, the network plans to further expand its educational resources to help overwhelmed healthcare organizations take steps toward preventing drug diversion during this time of crisis.

Im proud of the progress weve made in our first year of operation, but there is still plenty to be done, said Tom Knight, chairman of the Healthcare Diversion Network. A recent survey found that 40 percent of hospitals still dont have formal drug diversion programs. This is a great risk for hospitals given the strain they are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, many hospitals just dont have the resources to take the steps needed to prevent drug diversion, and unfortunately, employees who are diverting drugs could be taking advantage of that.

Over the past year, 17 members have joined the Healthcare Diversion Networks advisory board including healthcare executives, researchers, investigators, pharmacists and government professionals from organizations across the country. Advisory board members include:



Matthew Crist, medical officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP)

Charlie Cichon, executive director, National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI)

Elaine Dorr, vice president of Partner Development for Knowledge to Practice

Russell Dorsey, customer success manager, Protenus

Derek Empey, clinical informatics pharmacist, Upstate University Hospital

George Hayes, past president and CEO, Memorial Hospital, University of Colorado Health

Dr. Timothy Lahey, physician ethicist, University of Vermont Medical Center

Carolyn Liptak, pharmacy executive director, Vizient

Lauren Lollini, patient safety advocate

Russ Nix, drug diversion investigator and founder/operator, AegisRX LLC

Gwen Volpe, RPh, director medication technology and analytics, Fresenius Kabi USA

As a former drug diversion specialist and investigator, I speak from experience when I say that drug diversion is such a challenging issue for hospitals to address, said Russ Nix, founder of Aegis RX and another member of the Healthcare Diversion Networks advisory board. Im pleased to see that at a time when the countrys healthcare system is overloaded, some healthcare organizations are taking extra steps to prevent drug diversion. Now is the time to work together to prevent drug diversion to keep both patients and healthcare workers as safe as possible.

Anyone can report an incident. Submitting a report is as simple as visiting our website and completing an incident report, says Knight. In order to be successful, we are relying on healthcare professionals taking ownership of the drug diversion issue and ensuring that the community can work together to reduce drug diversion incidents and protect patients.

To learn more about HealthcareDiversion.org, please visit http://www.healthcarediversion.org.

About the Healthcare Diversion Network

HealthcareDiversion.org is a national network to reduce drug diversion. The network provides a platform for individuals to report instances of drug diversion, offering information to raise awareness of past drug diversion and educate healthcare organizations and other stakeholders on best practices to prevent future diversion. HealthcareDiversion.org is operated by the Healthcare Diversion Network, a nonprofit association created in 2019. For more information, visit http://www.healthcarediversion.org
It is proposed to introduce new fines for breach of military duty by conscripts

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted a bill  3553 on the introduction of a new type of military service for reservists in the Ukrainian army to Verkhovna Rada. The relevant draft law is posted on the parliament's website.

The President has suggested MPs to consider the possibility of introducing military service in Ukraine on the conscription of reservists during a special period. Such conscripts will be offered labor, educational and social-legal guarantees.

The draft law provides the improvement of the procedure for military registration of conscripts, including the introduction of military registration of reservists, the bodies that will regulate this register and their powers.

It is also proposed to introduce new fines for breach of military duty by conscripts. Violation of the rules of military registration will be punished by a fine of 19 to 31,6 dollars, for repeated violations  31.6-63.2 dollars.

As we reported earlier, on May 21, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law No 590-IX, which offers changes to legislative acts concerning the mechanism of regulation of banking activity in Ukraine.
Though the evidence might suggest otherwise for large swaths of the country, the current pandemic crisis is lowly easing in the short term. With many demanding that people return to work and risk exposure and death, the need for personal protection against disease is more important than ever. It's also vital that companies with returning workers and operations support their fellows. Whether their lending a hand to support those who cannot yet return to work, or assisting those who have been working throughout the crisis, proper protection is vital.

California Movers, one of many long distance movers near me, is doing what it can to support the medical industry by accepting mask donations to deliver to hospitals. Such acts help protect everyone involved with pandemic, ensuring that deaths are kept to minimum, recoveries increase, and cases of infect diminish.

Those returning to work should do everything they can to protect themselves, and also remember that companies who do not do so are in many cases breaking labor laws and local executive orders.

Wear a Mask

As mentioned earlier, wearing a mask or face covering is considered an important form of Personal Protective Equipment by the Center for Disease Control. The evidence of the importance of a face covering has been debated and examined several times as the pandemic continues and more information becomes available. Face coverings are important largely due to the ability of people to have mild symptoms or even lack symptoms while still carrying COVID-19. These people can spread the disease to others. Wearing face coverings are an excellent way to protect yourself and others from such people.

Ideally, medical grade filtration masks like the N95 or surgical masks are the best. This is why California Movers is so dedicated to collecting donated masks for hospitals and medical professionals. A generic face covering does not provide as much protection, but can still help protect yourself and those around you.

Cover Your Mouth, Too

Wearing a mask in public is an excellent way to help curtail the spread of COVID-19, but wearing a mask all the time is simply not possible. For those times when you cannot wear a mask, make sure to cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. Of course, you should be doing this normally.

In order to mitigate disease spread as much as possible, cough or sneeze into your sleeve or tissue, then dispose of the tissue if you used one. Such efforts help prevent the spread of the disease through the air and also through contact, which are the main methods of spreading when it comes to regular human activity. Also, if you do use a tissue, make sure to wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least twenty seconds.

Wash Your Hands Frequently

In fact, regular hand-washing is an excellent way to help mitigate the spread of disease. It is important to wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds when out and about, especially if you come into contact with anything that might have been exposed to the disease.

This is especially important for those who do not or cannot wear protective gloves. While gloves in a medical setting are essential, for regular use they are less than ideal. This is because while they do protect your hands, germs and whatnot can collect on the gloves and potentially spread to anything touched with those gloves. Hence why frequent washing of hands is so important, especially for those who do need to wear gloves and need to be even more vigilant and aware of the possible spread of disease.

For those situations where washing your hands is not possible but would be a good idea, hand sanitizer that is at least 90% alcohol is also a solution. It is not ideal, but will also help reduce the spread, and is certainly better than doing nothing.

Maintain a Distance

Another issue with the disease is the possible spread through air from sneezes and coughs. As mentioned earlier, covering a cough or sneeze helps with this, as does wearing a mask. For optimal protection regarding all parties involved, the CDC recommends people maintain a distance of six feet from each other whenever possible. Though this can be problematic when out and about, and is nearly impossible in some work situations, the use of social distancing is an effective method for mitigating the spread of COVID-19. The fewer people who are exposed, the better, and it also means those with mild symptoms left undiagnosed or who are asymptomatic do not spread the disease inadvertently.

Keep Surfaces Clean

Contact is one way COVID-19 can spread, and that is why another important mitigating factor is frequently disinfecting and cleaning. The use of powerful disinfectants and cleaners on frequently used and touched surfaces will help prevent the possibility of spread of the disease. The CDC recommends cleaning such surfaces daily. Most disinfectants will do the job, but there is not harm in double checking to make sure the ones you have are powerful enough for the job.

The greatest dangers of COVID-19 is it contagiousness and the ease of spread. This is further compounded by an incubation period of up to two weeks. This means a person be exposed, not realize it -or worse, carry the disease and not show any symptoms- and spread the disease by handling doorknobs, touching shelves, and the like. This is why frequent cleaning, washing of hands, and other such precautions are so essential to mitigate the spread.

The current pandemic crisis is widespread and dangerous. It is not the end of the world, however. Life will go on in various forms, and part of ensuring that is people making sure they do what they can to mitigate spread. California Movers is taking all CDC recommended precautions to mitigate the spread of disease. As long distance movers near me, it is especially important that we take so much care to prevent possible spread. Everyone can do their part by the CDC guidelines. We can all make sure that not do we and our loved ones stay safe, but everyone else's family and friends do, too.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 12:04:09|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WELLINGTON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand reported no new case of COVID-19 on Friday for the seventh day in a row, with the combined total of confirmed and probable cases staying at 1,504, according to the Ministry of Health.

The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 remains at 1,154, which is the number reported to the World Health Organization, said a ministry statement.

The number of people who have recovered from COVID-19 reached 1,481, with one case remaining active, it said.

The number of COVID-19 related deaths in New Zealand is now 22, after adding the death of Auckland rest home resident Eileen Hunter who was in her 90s, it said.

The NZ COVID Tracer app has now recorded 446,000 registrations. That's an increase of 10,000 on Thursday, the ministry said.

A change to the size of social gatherings that are permitted under Alert Level 2 came into effect on Friday.

Groups of up to 100 people are now permitted. This includes events at home and outside of home, and gatherings like religious services, parties, weddings and funerals.

Healthy people in the community are not required to wear a face mask for protection from COVID-19 in New Zealand, according to the ministry.

"We encourage them to use their face mask safely, as there are risks associated with incorrect use of all types of face masks," it said. Enditem
Rumour has it that actor Akshay Kumar booked an entire flight for his sister and kids, who were willing to travel to Delhi from Mumbai. A source close to the actor told India Forums, "This morning Akshay booked a whole passenger flight and got it converted into a Charted Flight for his sister and her two kids, a daughter and a son, and her maid to fly to Delhi from Bombay."

"The flight had a capacity of 186 passengers but only 4 travelled. Apart from his 3 family members and their maid, the flight just had four crew members taking care of their needs and two pilots and one ACM (Additional Crew Member)," added the source.

The source further revealed, "There was no special treatment given to them except for the regular protocol of sanitisation process and safety measures related to COVID-19 that have been laid down by the Government. However, one loader was assigned for them to carry their baggage."

Netizens aren't very impressed with this piece of news and are constantly criticising the actor for the same.

Exclusive: Akshay Kumar Transfers Rs 45 Lakh To Needy Actors' Bank Account!

A user wrote, "How much you care for your family. This reason and fear of losing those persons amidst covid made him take an unwise decision. God help him."

Another user also criticised the Kesari actor and wrote, "This is totally wrong. Those people who are needy and no as rich as Akshay kumar must be waiting another day or 2 or don't know for how many more days they need to wait for the next flight to go home so place where 70-80 can go home. Here is only 4 people who booked the entire flight!!He should have given his private jet."

Do you agree with netizens or feel they're being too harsh on Akshay? Share your thoughts in our comments section below.
(Photo : REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque) An American Airlines Boeing 737 jet sits at a gate at Washington's Reagan National airport with the U.S. Capitol building in the background, in Washington, U.S., April 29, 2020.

An American Airlines flight attendant claimed that she was not allowed to wear a face shield because it does not fit in with American Airlines' "image standards," according to a report in The Sun.

To stop the spread of COVID-19, the stewardess from Worchester, Massachusetts wore an $8 plastic face shield on a few flights when she returned to work on May 2. She posted a selfie on Facebook wearing the face shield over an N95 mask while onboard a flight from Boston to Dallas. The flight attendant named "Marie" explained that it was her first flight after resting for a month due to canceled trips.

However, as Boston Globe reported, she was told by her supervisor that masks were not a part of American Airlines' "image standards" and passengers do not like to see attendants wearing them. Her supervisors even suggested her to go on leave if she does not feel safe on their aircraft, which left the attendant upset. Nevertheless, she kept wearing her personal protective equipment (PPE).

Last week, American Airlines reportedly advised flight attendants that face shields "could pose a safety hazard" and banned them from wearing the PPE.

American Airlines flight attendant banned from wearing face shield despite being effective protection against coronavirus

The memo said that the Federal Aviation Administration has not approved the use of a facial mask for regular use on-board an aircraft. It also highlighted that "no other U.S. carriers permit flight attendants to wear face shields" while they are on flight operations.

An American Airlines spokesperson told The Sun on Thursday, May 28, that "the CDC does not recommend using a face shield along with a face covering."

Marie said she wanted to wear a face shield to prevent the rapid spread of the deadly bug in confined spaces like airplanes, but the carrier maintained their decision, citing federal guidelines.

Marie's case triggers discussions

Meanwhile, the FAA previously said it does not need to pre-approve the PPE worn by a flight attendant if it does not impede them from performing safety-related tasks.

"Although the FAA's statutory authority is to regulate the safe operation of civil aircraft, we are lending aviation expertise to federal public health agencies and airlines as they issue guidance for crew members, including health monitoring, screening protocols, and aircraft cleaning," an FAA representative said.

This refers to the agency's Safety Alert for Operators guidelines and CDC advice "that air carriers and crew members should follow."

Meanwhile, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) said it "is working with the company now on this issue" as well as communicating with American airlines about safety protocols.

Meanwhile, Thomas Houdek, the union's safety chair, said Marie's derogatory social media posts had "predetermined the outcome of this case." He also added that this issue would have not become so big "if she had just worn it in flight and didn't call attention to herself" when she posted it on social media.

Marie is determined to wear her face shield while inside the terminal, but she would replace it with goggles when she stepped onto the plane.

Should you ban face shields?

There is conflicting advice about how to stay safe and protected against the coronavirus, according to Forbes.

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) showed more evidence for mask-wearing while in enclosed areas with other people.

For this study, Valentyn Stadnytskyi, Adriaan Bax, and Philip Anfinrud from the Laboratory of Chemical Physics at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and Christina E. Bax from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine asked a person to repeatedly say the phrase "stay healthy" into a box for 25 seconds. These words were spoken loud enough.

Researchers found that the person emitted about 2,600 small fluid droplets for every second of speaking. Although some of these droplets could dry up within seconds, some could stay afloat in the air for a while.

Another study published in Nature suggested that a fluid droplet from an infected person could contain 7 million viruses per milliliter on average. However, an infection can be prevented if a person wears a mask or other face coverings that could potentially catch at least some of these droplets.

But why are they saying that face shields may pose a hazardous risk?

When people wear their face shields and N95 respirators inappropriately, they will have a "false sense of security" that leads to an even greater risk of being infected because of mishandling the PPE.

The face shield catches any virus that may be present in the air. If the person touches the outside of the PPE, which may be contaminated by the virus, without cleaning it or properly washing the hands after, then the virus may be passed on to him or herself or other people.

This boils back to the importance of proper hygiene, particularly of proper and frequent hand washing.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Black Women's Health Imperative (BWHI) announced the formation of a new coalition focused on reducing racial disparities in the rare disease community. The coalition's steering committee  made up of rare disease experts, health and diversity advocates, and industry leaders  is convening for its inaugural meeting today. The coalition will identify and advocate for evidence-based solutions to alleviate the disproportionate burden of rare diseases on communities of color.

"The COVID-19 pandemic, which is devastating communities of color, is a painfully fresh reminder of the disparities in our healthcare system that leave minorities behind," said Linda Goler Blount, BWHI President and CEO. "For those living with a rare disease, these disparities are no different: communities of color face unacceptable barriers to accessing a diagnosis and proper treatment. I'm honored to work with our esteemed steering committee to take urgent action on this issue."

An estimated 30 million Americans have a rare disease. By some approximations, it can take an average of five years and consultations with over seven clinicians to reach an accurate diagnosis for a rare disease. Additionally, only ten percent of rare diseases have a treatment approved by the Federal Drug Administration.

For minorities with a rare disease, these challenges are compounded. Minorities are underrepresented in genome-wide association studies and clinical research trials, leading to a lack of understanding about effective treatments. Additionally, broader racial disparities in access to affordable care and social determinants of health create significant added barriers.

The work of the Rare Disease Diversity Coalition is led by BWHI and a leadership steering committee comprised of advocacy, community and industry leaders. The coalition is supported by founding sponsor Retrophin, a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to identifying, developing, and delivering life-changing therapies to people living with rare disease. BWHI plans to expand the coalition's membership as its work gets underway, including enlisting additional industry support.

Steering committee members include:

Linda Goler Blount , MPH, Coalition Chair & Black Women's Health Imperative CEO

, MPH, Coalition Chair & Black Women's Health Imperative CEO Juliet K. Choi , JD, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum

, JD, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum Garfield Clunie , MD, National Medical Association

, MD, National Medical Association Donna Cryer , JD, Global Liver Institute

, JD, Global Liver Institute Debbie Drell , National Organization for Rare Disorders

, National Organization for Rare Disorders Eve Dryer , Retrophin

, Retrophin Beverley Francis-Gibson, MA, Sickle Cell Disease Association of America

Millicent Gorham , MBA, National Black Nurses Association

, MBA, National Black Nurses Association Kimberly Haugstad , MBA, Global Genes

, MBA, Global Genes Julia Jenkins, MA, EveryLife Foundation

Lauren Lee, MA , NephCure

, NephCure Aletha Maybank , MD, MPH, American Medical Association

, MD, MPH, American Medical Association Pamela Price, RN , Balm In Gilead

, Balm In Gilead Elena Rios , MD, National Hispanic Medical Association

, MD, National Hispanic Medical Association Saira Sultan , JD, PCORI Advisory Panel on Rare Disease

, JD, PCORI Advisory Panel on Rare Disease Marshall Summar , MD, Children's National Hospital

About Black Women's Health Imperative

The Black Women's Health Imperative (BWHI) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing health equity and social justice for Black women, across the lifespan, through policy, advocacy, education, research, and leadership development. The organization identifies the most pressing health issues that affect the nation's 22 million Black women and girls and invests in the best of the best strategies and organizations that accomplish its goals. For more information, please visit www.bwhi.org .

SOURCE Black Women's Health Imperative

Related Links

http://www.bwhi.org


Dr Lee Watkins, Director of ILAM

Thanks to esteemed project donors, the Rhodes University International Library of African Music (ILAM) is able to continue with its African music research projects, during a time when the cultural sector is being negatively impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

National statistical and socio-economic research project, the South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) recently conducted an online survey of the impact of Covid-19 on cultural and creative industries businesses and freelancers, which received 600 responses.

Some 15% experienced having an increase in demand for the goods or services they offer as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, said Professor Jen Snowball, Professor of Economics at Rhodes University and Chief Research Strategist at SACO. However, 94% of respondents reported having work that was scheduled for this year cancelled, and some are having to end short-term employment contracts and cancel contracts with suppliers. In addition to the intrinsic and social value of the sector that will be lost if these firms have to close, the mapping study also shows that there will be a significant negative impact on GDP and jobs.

She added, The cultural economy provides much in the way of public and economic good: it needs our support.

In this bleak landscape for the performing arts, support for ILAM has continued and comes in the form of generous funding from the National Arts Council (NAC), the National Heritage Council (NHC) and the Swiss Arts Council (Pro Helvetia).

All that jazz in the Eastern Cape

The NAC, who has generously supported various Rhodes University projects for almost two decades, donated R1.2 million for a three-year jazz heritage research project.

By focusing mainly on developing a rural creative or social economy in the Eastern Cape, this project will make a valuable contribution to our musical heritage and to transforming rural South Africa since it will provide employment to many veteran and novice musicians now and in the long term, said Director of ILAM, Dr Lee Watkins.

Since 2009, ILAM has initiated and produced a reasonable number of outputs on the jazz heritage of Port Elizabeth, which resulted in performances, the production of a video, an exhibition at the Red Location Museum, workshops for younger musicians, an income for musicians, and at least two Masters degree theses.

Since Port Elizabeth has been covered to a large degree, the new research is going to produce many more tangible outputs, which will be expanded to include interviews, concerts, theses, archival research, attempts at developing sustainability in the jazz heritage of the province, and workshops conducted by veteran musicians and cultural activists in Queenstown, King Williams Town and East London, Dr Watkins explained.

The participants for the workshops will be veteran musicians, young musicians and learners from the community. Through the involvement of veteran musicians, participants will be made aware of their links with a rich cultural and historical past as they learn to perform the music that was spawned in the region.

A great deal of the music was recorded on vinyl records which are fast deteriorating, while much of this music is also in the memory of veteran activists and musicians who are fast disappearing from the scene as a result of age, ill-health or death, Dr Watkins explained. This project will seek out these musicians and record their narratives and music as essential components to the historical documentation of the music history of the Eastern Cape.

The results of this research will be added to the Arts and Culture curriculum of the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape, and form part of the curriculum at tertiary institutions in South Africa.

Cataloguing heritage music

The NHC, who has generously supported ILAM since 2012, has donated R100 000 for a heritage music cataloguing project.

The project will see ILAMs music collection from the Keiskammahoek area divided into performances of song, dance, ritual, church music and interviews by three students and a heritage expert from the area will be responsible for ensuring quality control and metadata verification. This project is scheduled to run over four terms.

We started collecting data from the Keiskammahoek area from around 2012 after the Ntinga Development Centre (NDC) approached ILAM for assistance in conducting research on the heritage of the area, said Dr Watkins. The NHC funding will allow us to increase the number of people and number of hours we can spend on the project.

Catalogued items will become available through ILAMs server, on an online and openly-accessible platform for the local community, and be augmented by members of the local community through their contributions

A virtual performance

For the second time since 2018, Pro-Helvetia has offered ILAM a grant of R29 000 as part of its ANT Mobility programme. The aim of this Pro-Helvetia programme is to develop relationships among performers in southern African countries. In 2020, the grant was awarded for ILAM to host renowned Angolan musician, Jorge Antonio Henriques. Jorge arrived in South Africa just before lockdown, so all the plans we had originally have unfortunately been put on hold, Dr Watkins explained.

However, an alternative programme is being developed which includes live streaming of a performance where Henriques is virtually accompanied by renowned timbila performer from Mozambique, Venancio Mbande, who is currently a Masters degree student in the Rhodes University Music Department.

Source: Communications

Please help us to raise funds so that we can give all our students a chance to access online teaching and learning. Covid-19 has disrupted our students' education. Don't let the digital divide put their future at risk. Visit www.ru.ac.za/rucoronavirusgateway to donate
Last week, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse tweeted this about Judge Neomi Rao:

Where you see Neomi Rao, you can expect a lot of Trumpy dirt to follow. Shes a cartoon of a fake judge. Watch this space.

Im fine with politicians criticizing judges, but this tweet isnt criticism, its just name-calling. If President Trump said this, liberals would rip him for it, with Whitehouse probably leading the charge.

Whitehouses outburst was triggered by an order of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that did nothing more than require that Judge Emmet Sullivan reply to Gen. Michael Flynns petition for a writ of mandamus. The order was handed down by a three-judge panel consisting of Rao, Karen LeCraft Henderson, and Robert Wilkins. Henderson was appointed by the first President Bush; Wilkins by President Obama.

The order was per curiam, which means that none of the three judges assumed authorship of it. Nor, from all that appears, did any of them dissent.

Thus, as far as Whitehouse knows, Judge Wilkins is every bit as responsible for the allegedly Trumpy order as Judge Rao is. Yet, Whitehouse seized on the order to sling dirt at Rao.

Is it worth noting that Rao is an Asian-American? It wouldnt be, except that if a Republican politician indulged in rank name-calling against a female judge from a minority group, he would be accused of racism and/or sexism.

Sheldon Whitehouse is a disgrace. He makes his Democratic Judiciary Committee colleagues  even the likes of Dick Durbin, Mazie Hirono, and Cory Booker  look measured by comparison.
China on Friday rejected the US offer to mediate in the current Sino-India border standoff, reiterating that the two countries have existing communication mechanisms to resolve problems.

We do not need the intervention of the third party, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian said when asked to comment on US President Donald Trumps tweeted offer that he was willing to mediate between New Delhi and Beijing to resolve the latest friction along the line of actual control (LAC) between the Himalayan neighbours.

Trumps offer and the Chinese foreign ministrys latest statement came in the backdrop of the ongoing standoff in eastern Ladakh and skirmish near the Sikkim border between the militaries of India and China this month.

Also read: India snubs Trumps offer on China border row, says no compromise on national security

Beijings rejection of the US offer comes a day after New Delhi had subtly let it pass.

As Ive told you, we are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve this issue, Anurag Srivastava, external affairs minister, had said in New Delhi when asked about Trumps tweet on Thursday.

On Friday, it was Chinas turn.

Between China and India, we have existing border related mechanism and communication channels. We are capable of properly resolving the issues between us through dialogue and consultation. We do not need the intervention of the third party, he said.

Both Zhao and, for the first time, defence ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang commenting on the situation on Thursday, said the situation at the border was stable and controllable.

The two sides have the ability to communicate and solve relevant issues through the established border-related mechanisms and diplomatic channels, Ren had also said at an online interaction with journalists on Thursday.

Also read: In Donald Trumps order to raise bar for social media giants, China is the ammo

We have been implementing the important consensus reached by leaders of both the countries, observing the bilateral agreements and have been committed to safeguarding territorial sovereignty and security, stability and peace in the border area, Zhao said at the regular ministry briefing on Friday.

The statements from the Chinese foreign and defence ministries are a sign, at least as of now, that the Chinese government is not willing to allow the situation to worsen through a war of words with New Delhi.

To be sure, India has rejected Chinas assertion that its troops had carried out illegal constructions across the LAC.

India is committed to the objective of maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas with China and our armed forces scrupulously follow the consensus reached by our leaders and the guidance provided. At the same time, we remain firm in our resolve to ensure Indias sovereignty and national security, Srivastava said earlier this week.

Chinese state-controlled media here also dismissed the US Presidents proposal, which he had tweeted.

The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order, the nationalistic tabloid Global Times said in a comment piece.

Titled China, India dont need US help on their frictions, it said: It seems Trump finally knows that China and India, the two largest Asian powers, share borders. Early this year, A Very Stable Genius, a book written by two Washington Post journalists, revealed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shocked and concerned when Trump told him India and China did not share a border.

Last year, India turned down Trumps offer to help and mediate between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, an issue India stressed can only be discussed bilaterally. India perhaps has been aware of the US bad history of mediation in which the US made troubles rather than solved problems, and which turned bilateral disputes into multilateral ones, it said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
A six-year-old Offaly girl and her mother have gone many extra miles throughout June to raise funds for a charity very close to their hearts and you can help them in their fundraising drive.

Michelle Egan and her six-year-old Amelia from Croghan have been running two kilometres every single day in May to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society through heat, rain and the odd strong wind.

They saw first hand late last year the trojan work that is done by the night nurses when Amelia's beloved Grandad Johnny sadly passed away from cancer in October 2019.

The service has seen a 20% increase in demand since the coronavirus hit and Daffodil Day was cancelled this year in the normal way so a decrease in funds is inevitable this year. Only 3% of Irish cancer society's funding comes from the state so this is their way to raise some funds. Any donation would be much appreciated no matter how small.

To date they have raised an incredible 3,205 but there is still time to support their efforts through their Go Fund Me page by clicking here
The Johnson government was forced last week to abandon plans to penalise migrant workers in the National Health Service (NHS) and social care. The intended Tory attack affected migrant workers from outside the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area.

The government had insisted that only doctors, nurses, and paramedics would be made exempt from the NHS surcharge and that only their families qualified for indefinite leave to remain (permanent residence) in the event of their death.

The NHS surcharge is a form of double taxation on non-European migrants which was introduced in 2015. In addition to paying for the NHS through standard taxation they must pay an additional tax upfront in a lump sum. The yearly surcharge has doubled since then from 200 per person to 400 and will be hiked to 624 in October. The rate for children, students, and those on the youth mobility scheme will be 470. The fee must be paid for family members. An individual applying for a 5-year Tier 2 visa would have to pay 3,210 at the new rate.

Following public uproar, the government relented and extended this exemption and leave to remain to all support staff, social care workers and their families in both the NHS and private sector.

During the height of the pandemic, while risking their lives every single day, overseas health and care workers have had to live with the threat of having their families deported if they died and experience a punishing increase in the NHS surcharge. Cleaners, porters and carers are among the lowest paid workers.

The hypocrisy of the Conservative government became a focus for rising anger and discontent. Following his own hospitalisation in March with COVID-19, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had hailed the contribution made by NHS staff from overseas, stating that he owed his life to nurses from Portugal and New Zealand.

Such proclamations proved insincere and short-lived. The government intended to resume its onslaught against migrant workers and the NHS. In parliament May 20, Johnson outlined his plans to press ahead with his original plans, declaring that exempting all NHS staff would cost 900 million. He arrived at this inflated figure by citing the total cost over four years of the immigration surcharge. Even this represents less than a single percentage point of the NHSs overall budget and pales into insignificance against the cuts imposed by the Tories.

The NHS could not function for a single day without staff from overseas. Almost one in four UK hospital workers were born outside the UK. The first recorded deaths of NHS staff from COVID-19 were two doctors from Sudan.

The mendacity of the governments claims to be celebrating the heroes of the NHS was made more politically sensitive because Johnsons speech was delivered one day prior to the weekly Clap for Carers. The national event, which started independently when lockdown commenced, as an act of public solidarity, has been utilised by the government to detract from its own criminal actions and multiple failuresincluding denying adequate PPE and gagging whistle blowers when the death toll among NHS and care staff has exceeded 300.

The conduct of the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer during Prime Ministers Questions has been hailed by a section of the media as an example of effective opposition. What they mean is that Starmer has calibrated his remarks to demonstrate only constructive opposition at a time when a chasm has opened between the working class and the government. Starmers concern was that the governments measures would undermine the pretence of national unity and calls for shared sacrifice. He asked, Does the prime minister think it is right that care workers coming from abroad and working on our front line should have to pay a surcharge of hundreds, sometimes thousands of pounds to use the NHS themselves?

Johnson said yes, he did. He wrongly mistook this neutered criticism for the general mood and thought he could proceed as planned.

Hassan Akkad, a Syrian hospital cleaner in London, made a public appeal via a Twitter video which asked for public support in overturning the decision to deny leave to remain to the families of all bereaved NHS support staff which went viral. The issue was taken up on Good Morning Britain with Piers Morgan and LBC Radio with James OBrien.

Senior Conservative Party figures began to break ranks. Sir Roger Gale, the former Tory vice chairman, warned, not waiving the fee would rightly be perceived as mean-spirited, doctrinaire and petty.

The hypocrisy of those calling for more compassion was summed up by former Tory health secretary Jeremy Hunt joining in. Hunt was responsible for implementing the NHS surcharge in the first place. To stoke anti-migrant sentiment, he had stated previously that the NHS is a national health servicenot an international one.

By the next day, the government had announced that NHS and care workers would be exempted from the NHS surcharge and their families granted the right to remain in the event of their death.

The governments critics rushed to smooth things over. Starmer declared that the government U-turn was a victory for common decency. Gale stated, It is a humane and a generous decision, and one that will enable all those out on the doorsteps this evening to clap and cheer with greater enthusiasm than before.

Akkad, posted another short Twitter video thanking his supporters, declaring, Britain is great because of you. Akkad, it must be noted, has in fact been cultivated more broadly within the media for more reactionary political purposes. He is presented as a BAFTA award-winning documentary maker who highlighted the plight of refugees fleeing warn torn countries. But this reputation has been utilised to provide a humanitarian fig leaf for military action against Syria and to support the regime change operations of the UK and US governments. In 2018, he called for air strikes and denounced anti-war protestors.

The backtracking by the government has meant an immediate reprieve for NHS and social care workers but has also confirmed the second-class status for non-EU/EEA migrant workers. It sets up an arbitrary distinction between deserving migrants and undeserving migrants to maintain a toxic atmosphere of nationalism and to justify further austerity.

As the WSWS explained in its opposition to the NHS surcharge It is a policy of divide and rule in the face of the biggest spending squeeze in the history of the NHS.

More broadly, the attack on migrants continues. During the pandemic, the Home Office has refused to accept unaccompanied children and vulnerable adults from refugee camps on the Greek islands. Asylum seekers have been refused the uplift of 20 benefits in line with the increase in Universal Credit and are forced to survive on between 37.15 and 35.39 per week. At Yarls Wood detention centre, where a case of COVID-19 was reported in March, the government refused appeals for its closure.

The assault on migrants and the disregard for their contribution in tackling the pandemic in the NHS, or in other essential services, is the thin end of the wedge of a broader war the Johnson government is waging, not against COVID-19 but against the working class. The fight against the pandemic and the defence of workers rights, migrant or native, will not be secured in a sordid trade-off with the Johnson governmentwhich is committed to a class war agenda and provided a protective political shield by the Labour Party and the trade unionsbut through class struggle.